Bad Rumors

4

Roman frowned as he stared at himself over in the mirror wanting to gag. He didn't know why exactly he was doing this but... He had to know. If Patton didn't have the answers and Logan won't talk to anyone he dreams as stupider than him... He was going to have to find out the answer for himself. It's a good thing they all look like Thomas... well almost. There are some major differences that set them all apart. Differences that Roman had to chance just enough to stop looking like himself. 

So there Roman stood in dark baggy clothing, crappily spray dyed black hair, and the WORST freaking choice in makeup ever. He didn't want to look exactly like Virgil and then get mistaken for him but other than his own brother and Deceit, he really didn't have many Darksiders to base his disguise off of.

Roman sighed as he quickly grabbed his bag and a grey cloak and took off. It's better to do this now than when Virgil was finally out of confinement. That damn nightmare doesn't even seem to be fazed in the slightest. He's just annoyed... and annoying. He's highly frustrating and pissing the Prince off, that's for sure. Roman stopped only for a second to stare at the road sign before him. It was a wonder they hadn't had more people coming over before but... Virgil was a first. And to make matters worse, he was about to be the second.

Walking through the Darkside, Roman wanted to cringe. Everything was dark and dirty. You had a sense of fear just crawl down your back but... Even as appalled as he was, Roman couldn't stop noticing how happy the children seemed. Well... some of them. There were quite a few that had this sad look in their eyes as they walked around town searching places and asking people things. Roman couldn't stop himself from stopping one.

"Excuse me, Miss." A little girl with pigtails frowned as she turned to see Roman standing there. Her eyes filled with worry only serving to concern the prince. "It's alright. I'm not going to hurt you." Roman knelt down to be at more of an eye-level with the kid as his eyes narrowed in thought. "I was just curious as to why you and your friends look so sad."

"It's Anxiety." Roman's eyes darkened as the kid started to sniffle. "He never came to play with us. He never misses a meeting. He's always there but no one's seen him."

"Have you asked Deceit?" The girl just shook her head as she hugged herself. "Why not? Surely he would..."

"Dee's kind of scary. Plus, he's always busy. I would ask Ray but... He's also scary. Anxiety's the only one that isn't. He's kind and he cares about us. They all do but... Anxiety makes it obvious." Roman's eyes narrowed as the girl sighed. "He's the one that helps us when we're sad. We just want to know that he's ok. Who else is going to tell us all those stories?"

"Stories?" The girl lit up as she nodded.

"Yeah! The stories about the light side." Roman was taken back by how bright the girl was smiling at the thought. "We all know they aren't real. Anxiety himself said he was just making things up but they're nice to hear, you know? Like about the prince rescuing Thomas from the evil dragon witch. Or Morality making a gingerbread cookie that came to life and started running around the palace."

"Those do sound... interesting."

"Well, they're nicer than what we'd normally hear." And this was what Roman wanted to know. He clenched his fists and took a deep breath as he asked his question.

"And what do you normally hear about the light sides?"

"They aren't nice people." Roman crashed as the girl's eyes dropped. "Everyone keeps saying they aren't nice. They say that they're really mean and that they don't care about us. That morality will get really really mad if you say something bad, and that Logic won't even listen to you." Roman frowned as he listened. They weren't exactly wrong there. Even Roman was a bit scared of Patton when he's angry, and he was aware the only reason Logan even spoke to him at all is because of them working together. Logan's called him stupid before. 

"What about the prince?" The girl's eyes filled with horror making Roman's heart just stop. "I take it, it's nothing good."

"Anxiety's the only person who still believes in them. He tries really hard to help us to as well but... Mama says I should never talk bad about the prince." 

"And why is that?"

"She said he's the worst one." The girl shifted awkwardly as she tried to work through her thoughts. "She says I can't say anything because he'd find out and get angry. That he would do something very very bad because I said something I shouldn't have."

"Like what?" The girl shook her head clearly fearful as Roman just sat there for a moment taking it all in. "Isn't he the prince? He wouldn't do anything to someone who didn't deserve it right?"

"That's what Anxiety says. He says that the prince is supposed to be a good guy. That they all are. That people are just making up rumors because they're scared. Anxiety says we shouldn't be scared of them because it's their job to help us all but..."

"But?" Roman's eyes narrowed as the girl just frowned. 

"Mama said the prince banished his own brother because he wasn't good enough." Roman's blood turned to ice as the girl started to tear up. "Mama said the prince doesn't care about us at all... that he created the dark side just to get rid of anything that wasn't perfect. That he's a very angry and mean man. I like Anxiety's stories better. Anxiety makes him out to be the hero."

"And your mama doesn't?" The girl's eyes narrowed with this cold look in her eyes as she just shook her head.

"Not just my Mama... Nobody likes the light sides here. No one but Anxiety... They all think the light sides are evil... and that the prince is a monster."