True Deceit

Chapter 6: Patton

Remus swiftly pulled Patton down a dark flight of stairs, leading him to a cell with iron bars caging the entrance. He pushed his prisoner inside, closing the door with a heavy clang.

"Remus, please," Morality begged, wrapping his fingers around the metal poles keeping him captive.

The evil twin frowned, curling his moustache with his finger. "Don't be sad Patton, I don't like seeing anyone sad, especially one of Thomas's friends." He pulled a balloon from his coat pocket, briskly blowing it up and squeezing it through the bars with a cheerful grin.

The balloon was a deep shade of purple, with an illustrated rude finger on its rubber surface.

"Don't mind the finger, it was meant for Virgil." He voiced with a wave of his hand. "If there is anything you need just ask me!" He winked before strutting off down the corridor, whistling to the turn of 'Friends on the Other Side' from The Princess and the Frog.

Patton sighed, sinking to his knees and pressing his forehead against the bars. He did his best to rise up into the living room, but all his transportation power seemed to have disappear, along with his hope and joy. Regretful tears streamed down his cheeks; he should have listened to Virgil.

A soft cry came from the corner of the large cell, the voicer invisible in the overhanging darkness which enveloped the cage. Patton jerked his head around, scanning the shadows with wide eyes. He slowly creeped closer, calling out nervously.

"Hello? Is anyone there?"" As Patton approached the figure in the room he began to make out the shape of Logan, curled in a ball against the back corner of the wall. "Logan!"

"P-Patton, stay back," he whispered, holding his hands out in front of him. Patton stopped, keeping his distance from the alert looking Logical side.

"Are you okay, has Janus hurt you?"

"I think he's done something to my mind," Logan murmured breathlessly. "I can't remember things properly, everything is distorted."

Patton slowly edged closer, kneeling down with open his palms. "Everything is going to be okay."

Logan nodded comprehensively. "He gave me an injection of his venom, and showed me some videos of you and the other sides... doing bad things to me." He swallowed, shaking his head. "I don't believe anything I've seen, but I can't help but feel frightened by you right now."

Patton felt sick. "I'm not going to do anything to you, I care so much about you. You have to fight the venom, okay?"

Logan smiled weakly. "I know, I know." He slowly uncoiled himself from the wall, wrapping his arms around Patton. "You're the best friend ever, I trust you."

Patton grinned. "We're going to get through this. We just need to find a way out of here."

The sound of footsteps echoed against the floor, causing Logan and Patton to glance anxiously through the doorway.

Janus came to a stop just outside, slowly slipping two trays of food through the hatch in the metal bars. "For you."

Patton stood to his feet, carefully pacing towards him. "Janus, I know there is good in you, please let us go."

Deceit tut his head. "So typical of you Patton, always looking for the best in others."
"You're doing this because you seek control, but you don't need control. You need friendship, love." Patton whispered passionately.

Janus frowned. "No one loves a snake. Besides, I need to keep you both prisoner for my plan to work."

"But why?"

Janus smirked. "Think about it. Logan has so much power, he could single handily take down Remus, Virgil and me all at once. If he's in here he can't 'logic his way' out this one."
Patton glanced up at Deceit with watery eyes. "Why did you have to hurt him though? He says you've injected him with your venom."

Janus lowered his eyes as a wave of guilt washed over him, turning his head so only the human side of his face was visible. "I needed to make sure that he was powerless. He's natural opposite is Paranoia, so by confusing his mind and making it hard for him to trust, I'm essentially making it impossible for him to take me down."

Patton slowly reached his hand out of the cage, touching Deceit's cheek with his fingertips. Sensation ran down his face, his heart thumping in his chest.

"You're not just hurting Logan. You're hurting Thomas. If he can't think logically, he won't be able to help himself."

Janus made a soft whining sound. It had been so long since he'd received genuine affection, and the contact on his skin made him feel weak to his knees.

"I know, and I'm sorry, but I need him, and I need you."

"Why do you need me?" Patton questioned quietly.

"Oh Patton, you're everything. Without you, Thomas would have nothing to live for. No morals, no friends, no love. If I cancel you out the equation, the Dark sides have nothing to fight against."

Patton retracted his hand, small droplets rolling down his face. "So are you going to hurt me, make me powerless too?"

Deceit bit down on his lip, worried that if he talked he'd stammer. He sighed, leaning his head against the bars.

"No, I don't want to." He held back his tears, though he was moments from breaking.

"Are you lying?" Patton inquired.

"No," he was sobbing. "I promise." He quickly dashed away, embarrassment ripe on his face. He didn't want to harm Patton. He didn't want to harm anyone! He just wanted Virgil back. Janus burst in his bedroom, gasping when he saw Thomas and Roman waiting for him.

"Surprise, Deciverus Snape!" Roman shouted victoriously.