Chapter Text
Bendy landed with a grunt. He wasn’t sure where. He had no idea how long he had been falling. He groaned and looked. It was a balcony of a rusty staircase. Dark wood walls were adorned with rich paintings and gleamed in chandelier light.
“Bendy?”
“Felix?” Bendy sat up. The great cat adventure stood in the hall, staring at him in confusion. “Holy cuss, Chaos sent me to you?”
“What?” Felix blinked. “Where did you fall from?”
“Uh.” Bendy pulled himself up and looked around. It was just the painted ceiling above him. “I don’t really know how to answer that, Mr. Felix.”
Felix watched him warily. “How do I know you’re the real Bendy?”
Bendy shrugged his shoulders with furrowed brows. “‘Cause I am? Have you been dealing with doubles of people?”
Felix frowned. “You could say that. You?”
Bendy shook his head. “I ran into Boris for a while but, well. I did also see Ava, but she couldn’t have been real.” The demon shrugged. Bendy didn’t think Chaos would send him to a fake though.
“Ava?” Felix furrowed his brows in concern. “Are you okay?”
Bendy nodded. “Yeah are y—”
“Bendy, get away from him!”
Bendy looked over to see Felix rush into the room. The demon froze, his mind spinning. Uh? Two Felixes? Feli? The cuss he knew!
“Uh.” Bendy looked between the two.
“Don’t listen to him. That cat is very dangerous.” Felix glared at the other Felix who had just run in.
“Me! That’s funny coming from the fake!” Felix accused.
“What the cuss is going on!” Bendy demanded.
“He’s not me!” They pointed at each other.
Oh brother.
“He’s a dangerous cat out to ruin my life,” Felix said.
“He’s an illusion of one of the most fiendish people out there. He’ll do anything to trick you and hurt me,” the other Felix said.
Bendy looked in between them. He really couldn’t tell the difference between them. Cuss. Damn that blue feline to the pits! He tossed Bendy here for a cussing laugh at all this . . . chaos. Ah. Bendy considered if he was starting to piece together how the cat worked.
Regardless! He had a situation on his hands! The cats bristled and hissed at each other.
“Woah, wait! I’m sure there’s a way to resolve this.” Bendy lifted his hands in a stopping motion.
“Yes, by ending him,” Felix one said.
Felix two’s eyes widened.
Bendy jumped in. “Okay! No! We are not doing that!” He eyed the blood thirsty Felix suspiciously. “I’m not sure that’s something Felix would want to do.”
Felix one blinked. His anger relaxed into shame. “That’s . . . It’s not really—but Bendy, he is rotten to the core and not even real! It’s one of this place’s tricks!”
“I’m not real! Oh yes!” Felix two said and took a step forward with his hand lifted, pointing accusingly. “You’re planning to kill me and then lead Bendy to some horrible end! You’re the illusion of that mad cat, not I!”
“You blo—”
“What mad cat!” Bendy cut in.
The pair didn’t stop their glare off, but Felix two answered him. “My cousin. Alex the Cat. He looks just like me, except he’s pure white. He tried to ruin my life.”
“You mean, you tried!” Felix one pointed at him. He glared at the other with narrowed eyes.
“But why! He’s your family, isn’t he?” Bendy looked between the two with huge eyes. “Why would he want to ruin your life?”
“Because I have something he wants very badly.” Felix one’s eyes widened. A smile came to his face. “Isn’t that right, Alex!” Felix patted the bag at his waist. Bendy’s eyes widened too. The bag! In a number of Felix’ adventures, people had attempted to steal or use his bag. Of course!
Felix two, Alex maybe, seemed unimpressed. He pulled his coat aside to show the bag he had there. Bendy’s jaw dropped. “There can’t be two! The magic bag is a one of a kind thing! One of those has to be fake!”
“Of course it is, Bendy,” Felix two said. “The fake cat with the fake bag.” Felix two glared at Felix one. “And he’d make it as confusing as possible.”
Felix one snorted. “Well, a hoax can’t do what the real one can.”
“No it can’t!” Felix two said. “It’s a cheap copy! Absolute rubbish!”
“Bag! Do your thing!” they both said. The bags both jumped off their waists and changed. Felix two had a ball of yarn, Felix one had a sword!
They eyed each other. “The real bag can cut through that fake,” Felix one said.
Felix two scoffed. “That fake sword could be stopped with a single thread.”
“H—hey now, we don’t want anyone gettin’ hurt here,” Bendy said nervously.
“I’ll be fine,” they claimed. Oh stars! They were really going to go at each other! What should he do? How could he stop this? Which one was the real Felix!
“Bendy, I want you to run,” Felix two said.
“What!” Bendy and Felix one exclaimed.
“Look, we are going to go back and forth, but the real danger is to you,” Felix two explained. “You’re not going to be certain which is the true Felix, even if our bags clash. What if they are equally matched? No. It’s best you run and get out of this place.” Felix grimaced and glanced at the demon with sad eyes. “You just aren’t going to be able to trust me until you’re outside. Alex will try to ruin everything for us. The real Felix will be able to leave just like you. Until then you can’t trust me.”
“But this place is going after all of us! We have to stick together to get out of here!” Bendy said. “What if I leave and you don’t make it!”
“And what if you trust Alex instead of Felix and none of us make it!” Felix two challenged.
Bendy hesitated. He glanced at the other Felix.
“Dividing us is exactly what you’d want. It’d be easier to pick everyone off one by one,” Felix one said coldly. He lifted the sword. “I won’t let you hurt my friends.”
Oh man. Bendy looked back and forth between them. Oh man! What the cuss was he supposed to do to figure out which one was the real one? Would he really have to just stand here and watch?
“And I won’t let you get to them!” Felix two proclaimed. He unraveled some of the yarn and wrapped it around his palm.
Felix one swung the sword, Felix two held up the yarn and caught it. The sword stopped. The yarn held. Felix one looked astonished. “How!”
“It’s the real bag!” Felix two kicked him away. Felix one was sent flying back and hit the wall. He dropped the sword. “There! Less trouble now.” Felix two went over and picked up the sword. “Here, hold on to that.” Felix two handed it to Bendy.
Bendy’s eyes were huge. He took the sword and looked from it to the Felix in front of him to the one that was trying to sit up, using the wall for support.
“How!” Felix one demanded.
“I told you, it’s the real bag with the real cat,” Felix two said simply. “Now I think you’ve caused enough problems, Alex.”
Felix one, or Alex maybe, grit his teeth and shook his head. “No! There’s—This place! The Labyrinth has been able to do all this. Why not make a convincing bag! It has all my memories, after all!”
Felix two frowned. “You’re grasping at straws.” His tail flicked. “My yarn stopped your sword. The truth has revealed itself.”
“No!” Felix one stood slowly. “The rules of the bag.”
“Oh?” Felix two raised a brow. He glanced at Bendy, who was gingerly holding the sword. “But I’m not supposed to reveal those rules.”
“Could the fake bag really follow those same rules?” Felix one muttered and narrowed his eyes.
“This is your only chance. Get out of here and leave us and the rest of my group alone Alex,” Felix two said coldly.
Felix one glared at him. “I’m not leaving!” He lifted his chin in defiance.
Bendy looked down at the sword again. Fake or real? It felt very real in his hands. Both bags had changed. The yarn had withheld the sword. So the real one had to be the one that Felix two held, right? Then why would Felix one look so surprised if he knew his bag was the fake and that he wouldn’t be able to convince Bendy that he was the real Felix, after all? Why wasn’t he running away now?
Unless he was the real Felix and was afraid to leave Bendy alone with Alex?
This was all so confusing. Nothing was adding up!
“Bendy.” Felix two turned to him. Real Felix? “What do you think we should do?”
“Me?” Bendy’s eyes grew wider. “What about me!”
“Well, if we let him go, he could find one of the others and give them the same trouble,” Felix said, then his face darkened grimly. “Or much worse. I doubt this is a memory that will just disappear like the others. Alex hunts me after all.” He sighed. “If we take him with us, he could also start trouble and bring confusion.”
“So what are we supposed to do?” Bendy said slowly.
Felix grimaced. “Well, I’d say lock him up, but he’s as good as I am at escaping.”
Alex narrowed his eyes. “So what? Kill me?”
“Can someone kill a memory?” Felix challenged.
“Or it’s you, Alex, the memory trying to kill me, the real Felix,” Alex challenged.
“Oh man, I am so not ready for this moral dilemma stuff,” Bendy muttered. “Two is hard enough.”
Felix or Felix two again, because Bendy really wasn’t sure, snorted a chuckle. “Sorry Bendy. Maybe it really would be best for you to go. I mean, I proved myself and my bag, but you just can’t be absolute. It’s best you watch out for yourself and warn the others against me.”
“No! Bendy! Don’t!” Alex? Felix one said with a raised hand and wide eyes. “He’s trying to separate us. Alex is close to equal with me in a fight,” he growled and glared at Felix two. “He’ll just catch up to you. We have to stick together, even if you don’t trust me.”
Bendy looked in between the two of them. “I can’t believe you’d want to kill your cousin.” Bendy dropped the sword. Both cats went quiet.
“You’re family. I get that this is just a memory and one of you is an illusion, but the real Felix is the other one and you both—You’re family!” Bendy frowned. They stared at him in surprise. “I never thought I’d be so disappointed.”
“Bendy,” Felix one murmured.
“It’s not that I want to Bendy,” Felix two said. “It’s that I’m worried we can’t stop him.”
Bendy narrowed his eyes. “When has fear ever stopped Felix?”
Felix two paused.
Felix one swallowed. “A . . . a lot more than I’d like to admit, actually.”
Bendy stared up at him. The cat was staring at the ground, rubbing at his arm. “It’s not been the easiest time making the choices I have. Giving up some things, accepting others, trying to find what makes me happy. I confess that some of my biggest choices were made because of fear.”
“Mr. Felix,” Bendy murmured.
Felix two stared at Felix one for a long moment. “Why . . . did it have to come to this Alex? Why couldn’t we just, I’m not sure, figure it out? You could have been honest with me, even fought me, be angry with me! Why did you have to stab me in the back over and over again? Why did it have to get this bad? Is the bag really worth all this? You’ve been obsessed with revenge for years now,” Felix two said. “Stars! I wish you were real. That I could talk to you and we could finally resolve this!” The cat lifted a hand to put on the other’s shoulder. “I’m so tired of this battle between us. We’ve both suffered from it, haven’t we?” he asked sincerely.
Bendy watched with big eyes.
Felix one sighed. “It really is too bad one of us is fake. Just imagining it, stars, that’d be a dream come true.” Felix two smiled, his hand patting Felix one’s shoulder. Felix one returned the smile. He reached up, and flipped the other, threw him down the stairs. “Sadly, I don’t trust you, and I’m Felix, damnit!” Felix one barked and turned on his heel.
Bendy’s jaw was again hanging open. Felix one reached him and scooped up the sword. Bendy lifted his fists, ready for a fight. Felix one shook the sword, and it went back to a bag. He threw it around his waist and looked at Bendy. “Run!”
“But—”
Felix one grabbed his wrist and pulled him down the hall. “Falling down the stairs is only going to get us a little time. This place seems to enjoy bringing us together, so it’s only a matter of time before he reappears!”
The hall was a bit narrow but just as richly furnished with tasteful art, vases, tables.
Bendy hesitantly followed, still unsure if this was the real one or not. Felix one glanced back at him and seemed to notice the uncertainty. He slowed down and let Bendy go. “You don’t know still. That’s okay. I think we should stick together. It’s safer for us, but you don’t trust that I’m me, and I can’t think of a way to prove myself to you without a doubt.”
Bendy kept step with him, watching him warily. “I can’t ask you a question?”
Felix shook his head. “The Labyrinth has our memories. Alex would know everything I know.”
“What about the bag?” Bendy asked. “That yarn.”
Felix glanced at him troubled. “I’m not sure. Most attempts at a replicated magic bag end with obvious defective and weaker versions of it.” Bendy nodded, remembering some of the things he read. “But there was one that was a fair competitor.” Felix frowned and rubbed his chin. “But it was reversed. A black bag with light patterns.” His hand fell to his side. “Is that like this? Maybe this is like a dreamscape.” Felix looked around the hall. “Maybe we have more control here than we think.”
Bendy thought back on Chaos and how he pretty much ended up being pulled around everywhere. Did he have more control? He had been fighting this place. Going the opposite of where it wanted him to go and finding out that it would only send him in circles. Chaos said he sent Bendy to someone who needed help.
Bendy glanced at the Felix next to him. He admitted to being afraid. He didn’t trust Alex. He hated him enough to want to kill him . . . or he was afraid of him enough to want to kill him. He was stuck. Right? But it was the real Felix that was stuck. Bendy had no way of telling which was real and which was fake! Even if there wasn’t this confusion, Bendy had no idea what he could do to help Felix. Chaos said his choices were going to start really affecting others. It would have been nice of the blue furball to be a little more starfallen clear on what he could do!
“Felix I think I sho—” The door burst open. A foot collided with Felix sending him to the ground. “Felix!”
“Stay away from him, you low life backstabber!” Felix two hissed. Felix one glared up and rolled up to attack.
“Wait!” Bendy called out.
They ignored him. Fists, kicks, and blocks were a blur of tightly controlled motion between the two of them. They went further down the hall. One kicked over a table. The other jumped over it and tried to trip the other with it with a strong kick. It didn’t work and that Felix dove for the other one. They rolled, each wrestling for the advantage but neither allowing it.
“Knock it off!” Bendy chased after them.
“Stay back!” they both barked at him. They jumped apart, again, glaring at each other. In the mess, Bendy had lost track of which was which, and he was stuck groaning internally.
Stars! This was impossible! How was he supposed to figure out the truth! If Alex knew everything Felix knew and there was no way of telling what was an illusion and what wasn’t, then what could Bendy do?
One of the two reached into his bag. In a shower of stars, a dagger was pulled. Bendy gasped. The other Felix did the same. Oh stars! They were going to kill each other! One of them slashed down. The other jumped back and blocked with his forearm, bringing his blade up and to the side. The first to attack caught his forearm and stood struggling against each other’s strength.
Bendy had to do something or he was going to be a useless bystander in the death of his hero!
Bendy needed to think! The knives clashed. One of the them got slashed in the arm. Bendy looked away. Focus! Felix. This was Felix’ illusion. Alex is trying to ruin his life as an imposter. It sounded like this happened before. Felix felt like he was stabbed in the back. Felix was so hurt that even killing Alex was an option for him, which was very strange for Felix. Bendy still didn’t like it, but he could figure that out later. Focus. Okay. This wasn’t the real Alex. It was an illusion. A creation of the Labyrinth’s to go after Felix’ fears and problems. It was from Felix’ head.
Okay. So there had to be more to it.
He said Alex knew everything he knew. So what about the things he didn’t know? There had to be a few things. Something. Bendy had gotten a cuss ton of things he hadn’t known about himself the past few months, so why not the great cat adventurer Felix!
There was a bang, glass breaking, curses, and hisses. Bendy fought not to look up. Think! Something Felix did! Something that was him that he wouldn’t know! Think! Bendy went back. His smile. Him fighting. The hard look of a warrior. The gentle smile of an instructor. The way he stared at something while he tried to puzzle it out. How his whiskers twitched when he smelled something he liked. How he shook his finger disapprovingly at their pranks but there was that gleam of amusement in his eyes. His favorite tea with cream. The milkshake he would make once in a while. How bashful he could get and him grinning at them in pride.
How careful he was with his words. His-Wait.
That was it!
Bendy looked up to see both of them had light cuts and were still struggling with each other. “Mr. Felix!” Bendy rushed forward.
“Bendy wait!”
“Stop!”
Bendy coughed, lifted a hand to his throat, and choked. “F-Felix,” he groaned and fell to his knees.
“Bendy!” he heard one of them call. Bendy didn’t raise his head. He kept it bowed and coughed again. A hand landed on his back. Bendy glanced over. They were both there. Both looked terribly concerned.
The one closer spoke. “It’s an ink attack, isn’t it? We better get you somewhere comfortable.”
Bendy smirked. “Thanks for the help.” Bendy grabbed his arm. “Alex.”
The cats’ eyes widened. “W—what!” Alex exclaimed.
“I got ya pinned.” Bendy twisted his arm and shoved him down.
Felix gaped at him. “Bendy! But how?”
“Tell you later, but first, let’s tie this mook up,” Bendy said, proud of himself. Felix reached into his bag and pulled out a rope. He quickly tied up Alex’ wrists, ankles, and tail. Satisfied, Bendy let go and got up, dusting off his hands. “Berries.”
“But Bendy, you—but you can’t—”
“Don’t worry. I’m sure.” Bendy grinned at Felix.
“But how!” both cats demanded.
Bendy smirked down at the double. “Well, if I told you, you’d be able to do something about it. So I think I’ll keep it to myself.”
Alex shook his head. “You’re wrong! That’s—”
“Nope!” Bendy shook his head. “I know. I think we’re gonna leave ya here and head out. C’mon Mr. Felix.”
Felix stared at Bendy, looking stunned. “You . . .”
Bendy smiled. “It’s alright. I got your back.”
Felix blinked quickly. He nodded. Bendy started down the hall, the cat adventurer close behind him, a slightly lost look on his face.
“Bendy! Bendy don’t go with him!” Alex called after him. The demon ignored him. He found a door and took it. They disappeared into a new place.
Cup looked from the door to the girl.
She was gone.
Cup’s eyes widened. Damnit! “Holly!” he called and looked around.
He turned to the left to see Holly raising a large metal pot above her head. She hurled it at the window. The window warped like a net outward and then sprang back. Holly ducked barely in time for it to sling shot. BAM. It embedded itself into the wall where her head had been.
“Holy cuss!” Cup swore, wide eyes on the pot. They slid back to the untouched window. “Damn!” Had he just seen that? What the hell? This starfallen place was only getting weirder by the damn second!
Holly was glaring at the window with a vengeance. Holly spun towards him. “Shoot it,” she commanded. “You can break the window, right?” She paused. “Please?”
Cup stared at her, then shook off his shock. “S-sure! Yeah, step aside.” Best be ready to dive away if it rebounded or something equally crazy.
She scrambled back and out of the way.
Cup pointed at the window, lit the bullet, and fired. The glass bounced outward like rubber again. The bullet sprang back, pinballing around the room. Cussing hell. Cup ducked low. It whizzed above his head, rebounding against a wall and then going for Holly. She yanked the pot from the wall and swatted at it. It zipped towards the ground and slammed into the fireplace with a whoosh.
Cup stared at the fireplace like it offended his grandmother. “Al’ight. No damn bullets. Got it,” he growled. He was not going to try his super in here. Hell no.
Holly dropped to the floor, looking exhausted. She ran a hand back through her hair, the pot clattering on the floor beside her. “Stupid zany . . .” She trailed off.
“Zany?” Cup perked, eyes locking on her. “What about zanies?”
She looked over at him. “They built the house,” she said simply.
Cup scowled. So the damn house was inclined toward gags. Well that was the pits. “Any idea how to gag our way out?”
Holly started to shrug listlessly before her eyes turned back to the broken pictures and the burning books. “Figure out what this means,” she said quietly. Shakily, she stood, still holding the pot like a weapon.
What this means? Cup’s eyes darted around the room. He still couldn’t be sure that this was the real Holly or a trap. It wasn’t like the others rooms or whatever he had been in. Her reactions would indicate that this was her memory, not his. Wouldn’t that be proof enough this was the real Holly? Like Mugs showing up in Hat’s office in his memory? Or was this damn place devious enough to do something this insane? Cussing hell. Either way, he was at a loss here. He’d have to follow her lead to get out of here if it really was her memory. The Labyrinth wouldn’t give him something completely inescapable after all.
Right? It was a hope more than anything, but it seemed to have worked so far. Cup crossed his arms. “So, what does this mean tree princess?” he asked gently.
Holly bit her lip and looked at him. She shook her head without a word. Instead she crossed the living room back into the kitchen, where there was more chaos. A bent statue, drawings torn in half. At the back of the kitchen, there was a glass door leading to a yard. To the right of it was a closed door. Holly stopped in front of it, hesitating, her face pale.
““Holly, are you . . . Cuss, it’s a dumb question, but you gonna be okay? You’re as pale as a ghost,” Cup said slowly. Cup asked. He didn’t know what this was. If it was anything like the cussory he’d been facing, it wasn’t going to be good. If she was the real Holly, he wanted to help, but he didn’t know how. This place dragged out the worst of it. It was about things that were too personal. He wasn’t sure what he could do beyond protecting them from monsters, and there were no monsters here so far.
She looked up at him. “I just don’t want to be here,” she told him.
He took a deep breath and a wariness sat heavy in his chest. “Yeah, yeah I get that.” He glared at the room around them, his eyes roaming over the space slowly. “This place really likes to cuss with your head. And it goes for the cheap shots,” he warned her.
Holly swallowed. “Let’s just get this over with,” she said.
He watched her, the worry still evident in his expression. “If I can do anything—” He grit his teeth. He sighed, frustrated. “Okay, yeah. Let’s get through this hell.” It wasn’t like they could avoid whatever this place had in store of them. It was getting through it or getting stuck. They couldn’t afford to get stuck here.
Holly shoved the door open. Her face told Cup she was ready for a fight. “Mother, how dare you!” she yelled as she pushed through the door. As the door swung open, she froze. Cup jumped at the sudden exclamation.
Someone sat in a chair at the far end of the office. But it wasn’t a woman. Everything was in shreds around them. Cup could only see the bare skin of the top of someone’s bald head. His hands were out, ready for a fight. The person didn’t move though. Cup glanced about the room quickly.
The room was chaos. It was like it had been methodically torn apart. The page of each book had been torn out. There was broken ceramic, wood, and metal scattered across the floor. A bookshelf had been thrown to the ground and was leaning over, books everywhere beneath it. The wall was a map of scratches on every bare surface. Deep scars embedded into it. Cup would think it was ransacked. Everything that could be easily destroyed was. If anything was gone, it’d be hard to figure out what in this cussing mess. What was this room? A study of some kind.
Above the man, the words NO MAGIC were splattered in paint across the wall above a window. Stars, what the hell?
“. . .Is that you, Lee?” the man asked. He sounded bone tired, his tone emotionless.
Holly’s mouth hovered as she stared in stunned silence. “. . .Dad?” Dad? Cup narrowed his eyes. This place sure liked dragging family issues up.
“Come back to finish this?” He gestured to the room.
Holly’s eyelashes fluttered, and she shifted back. “This?” she asked in confusion. “I didn’t do any of this. It must have been mom . . .” She trailed off. She took a step forward. Then another. Her hand reached out for the chair. “Dad?” Her hand hovered over the back. Cup tensed, ready to shoot if he had too, though he really didn’t cussing want to.
The man didn’t move as she turned the chair. Holly’s father was a stout, bald man. His hands were on the knees of his dirt stained black pants as he looked at Holly. His eyes were worn. Resentful. His clothes were a mess, covered in dirt, torn. They probably would have been nice at one time, but not now. His skin was pale, an unhealthy tint to it. Cup almost let his guard down, but didn’t at the last second. He couldn’t trust looks. Not here. Not in this cussed up place.
“It wasn’t your mother,” the man continued, a steely tone to his voice. “I did this.”
Holly’s eyes fluttered wide. “What?” she said, sucking in her breath. “Why?”
The man looked at her with a disappointed expression on his face. “Do you know where she is?” he asked.
Holly frowned in confusion for a moment. “. . . Mom?” Holly asked hesitantly. She swallowed. “She’s . . . I . . . I haven’t seen her since you passed,” she said, looking away. “I don’t know.” Cup glanced at her. The guilt was obvious in her tone. He glared back at the image of her sickly father suspiciously.
“That’s what I thought. I hoped you were better than that, Lee,” he said, his shoulders falling. “Holly, your mother hung herself.”
Holly’s head jerked upwards. “ What?”
Cup jumped. What? Hung herself? What the hell? How the hell would he know that? Cup grit his teeth. No. He wouldn’t know something like that! If Holly was unaware and this was her memory, then that was a cussing lie! This place was going after her damn fears! “Oi!” Cup snapped. “Okay, now that’s too cussin’ far!”
The man continued like Cup hadn’t spoken. “You know how much depression she had. Anxiety,” he accused. Holly looked like she’d been slapped.
“Hey! Shut your mouth!” Cup moved a step forward.
“You knew how much my being gone would destabilize her!” He got louder. Holly’s eyes glistened, but she still couldn’t seem to get a grasp on her own words.
Cup’s eyes turned red. “I said cussin’ shut it!” This mockery of her dad was throwing words like weapons.
“Why did you leave her alone, Holly! You abandoned her!” he roared. “She needed you!”
Cup moved and for half a second, he was tempted to hit him. He barely stopped himself. Even if this thing was pit scum. It had her father’s face, and if Cup attacked, the image Holly would have would be him attacking her dad. That would only make things worse for her. So he stopped. The thing turned and glared at him, matching hateful expression for hateful expression.
“If you care more about runes and magic more than your own mother, I want nothing to do with it,” her father said in disgust.
“I SAID ENOUGH!” Cup blasted the bookshelf to redirect his anger and help him focus. “You don’t get to talk to her about that! You don’t get to drag her family and passions through the mud! You’re not the dad she looked up to! You’re cussin’ scum! Lower than scum! Pitmuck! She’s bent over backwards for the people she’s cared about. She’s reckless and idiotic and doesn’t care about herself enough! She loves the magic her dad taught her, and she plans to make this starfallen world a better place with that magic! And I sure as hell am not lettin’ some hackjawed schmuck like you ruin that for her! You don’t even have the right to be in the same room as her!” Cup had no idea where that all came from, but he wasn’t going to stop here. If he couldn’t fight with fists, he could with words. He’d protect Holly as best he could. “Now,” Cup growled and ran a hand through his hair. “The only reason you ain’t a stain on the wall is because of the face you’re wearin.’ I don’t wanna hurt her, but you can bet whatever scumwad words you have for me, I don’t give a cussin’ flyin’ leap you sunblazed pitscum. We are leavin’ and the princess here is gonna honor her real father’s memory.” Cup took a step back and wrapped an arm around Holly’s shoulder. “C’mon H. If we can’t use a door, I’ll blast us a way out. This place can’t keep us stuck.”
Holly didn’t move. Her eyes were filled with tears, hands clenched into her skirts. “No Cup. He’s right,” she said. “Even if this is an illusion, he’s right about one thing.” She sniffed, her chin trembling. “I did abandon my mother. I did know she needed me. And I still left.”
Cup paused and studied her face. He half lidded his eyes and softened his scowl into a frown.
“You think getting a college degree, doing research, any sort of success out there makes up for abandoning your family?” the thing that pretended to be her father accused.
Holly opened her mouth and closed it, looking at the man. “I was grieving. I couldn’t handle her grief,” she said, looking at the ground. “Or her anger. I wanted to be away. I was hurting . . . so much.” Tears fell down the sides of her face.
The man’s eyes softened sadly. “You think she wasn’t?”
“Yeah,” Cup wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “A scared grievin’ girl was overwhelmed and made a mistake and feels bad about it.” Cup glared at the man. “What part of that is lettin’ you on some damn high horse? Huh? She has to be perfect? I mean, what the hell was she supposed to do?” he challenged the man. “I mean cuss! She was already going through stardust herself, right? And tell me, when was it a kid’s job to take care of the adult? Where was her mom in all this?” Cup narrowed his eyes. “Honestly, I don’t think you have a cussin’ say in this. This is a talk for her and her mother. You can shut it.” He looked down at Holly again, but she wouldn’t meet his eyes. She looked sick.
“C’mon H. There’s nothin’ for you here.” Cup said. He gently squeezed her shoulders.
This time, she didn’t fight him. The illusion didn’t move to follow them. His face crumpled, and he looked away, hands coming over his face as his shoulders shook in grief.
The office door closed behind them. “Let’s g—”
She wrapped her arms around his waist and plunked her forehead against his chest. “In a moment,” she murmured. She was trembling.
His arms didn’t hesitate to wrap around her and hug her tightly. He took a deep breath. “Okay.” He had no idea how much those words had affected her. He knew she had loved her father. Cup could only hope that he’d been able to do a little good. He tried to think what he could do for her now. One idea came to mind, though he wasn’t sure it was a good one. “If you wanna talk, I’ll listen, and if you don’t, that’s fine too.” He dropped his chin on top of her head and took another deep breath. Her regular shampoo was mixed with a scent of dirt and the woods.
“Let’s get outta’ this hellhole,” Cup muttered.
Holly nodded and let go of him. “Let’s go.”
Alice screamed. She threw her smite at the thing wrapped around her ankle. There was a kid’s scream of pain that chilled Alice to the core before she was hoisted into the air and thrown. She protected her face with her arms as she crashed into the wall. Bricks and dust flew into the air. Alice’s arms stung, but at least her head was okay. The light was blocked. She looked up and gasped. The skull loomed above, a huge mouth opening wide. Alice squeaked and threw a brick without thinking. A tooth broke, and the creature fell back with a man’s bellow.
Alice scrambled up with another brick and rolled out into the hall lobby. There was a crash. The monster struck with its claws. It turned to glare at her. Uh oh. Had she made it angry by breaking a tooth?
It’s tails lashed at her, and Alice had to scramble back to avoid being crushed. She’d definitely made it mad. She threw the other brick, and it seemed to break and bounce off it harmlessly, even though she used her full strength.
“Alice, what are you doing?” her mother’s voice scolded.
Oh no.
Well, she didn’t have any weapons. She hadn’t really stood much of a chance with them. Her magic seemed to either annoy it or feed it. She wasn’t sure which. It was time for a tactical retreat! Alice dove as the creature pounced. She saw teeth, but didn’t have time to focus. She tumbled and landed in a crouch. A tail lashed out and knocked her further away. Her back hit a couch, and they both fell back with a thud.
It knocked the air out of her, but she didn’t have time to reclaim it. Gasping, Alice grabbed the edge of the couch. She pulled herself up. The Night Terror darted for her, clawed hands with open mouths gaping and reaching for her.
Alice took the couch and threw it at the monster. The two hit mid air.
Alice looked for an escape. The window was the first thing she saw. She sprinted for it, ignoring the familiar sounding screams behind her.
“Alice don’t go!” Rachel called.
Nope!
“Alice!” Boris cried.
Nuh—uh! Alice tipped a coffee table over. She didn’t want to look back and slow down. There was a crash. Alice didn’t look. She threw herself forward, curling her arms up to protect her face, and crashed through the glass. She hit the ground hard, and the rug burned as she slid to a stop.
Alice wasn’t outside on the porch. She was in a new room. Alice felt sweat drip down her face. She lifted a hand to brush it away. Her fingers came away stained. Oh. She had cut her cheek. Her arms also had a number of cuts. Well . . . it was better than being eaten.
Alice stood up and dusted herself off carefully. Bits of glass fell away. The angel looked around the room. It was a soft, comfortable, spacious bedroom. A very familiar bedroom. A bedroom that she couldn’t be in at the moment, because it was impossible. The child sized bed with the soft comforter and quilt with little birds and flowers stitched into it. The pile of pillows all clumped at the head of it like a mountain of clouds. Strung above it were little stars, crescent moons, and suns on strings. The walls and ceiling were painted to look like the sunny open sky with puffy clouds and rolling hills with dots of trees, bushes, animals, and a stream.
There was an open closet on the other side of the room. A small vanity had a mix of toys and hair accessories over its top. Pictures and kid drawings circled the mirror. Against the other wall was a bookshelf with books of fairy tales, coloring books, and puzzles. A chest of toys and a dollhouse was in the corner. The balcony with the glass doors opened to the backyard garden. The soft white curtains shifted gently in the light breeze coming in. The tree reached above her view, but it had been out of reach when she had been little.
Her childhood bedroom.
In the Upper.
How?
“Alice!” her mom’s voice called. Alice jumped. Oh no! That monster again! Alice lifted her fist and a rune, ready to defend herself. Her bedroom door swung open and, instead of a bone skull or rows of teeth, it was simply her mother. She appeared younger, the way she had used to look when Alice was little. Her light, wavy hair was to her waist instead of cut at her shoulders. Her eyes had the usual sharpness, framed with carefully placed makeup. Her mother’s wings, always beautifully speckled, clean, and neat; were folded in close. “Are you ready?”
Alice gaped at her. What was going on? How was this happening?
“Ready for what?” Alice murmured quietly.
Mom blinked and turned her head ever so slightly. “Why, helping Mary. You’ve been talking nonstop about it yesterday.”
Alice’s stomach fell. “W—what?” She felt the blood drain from her face. This was that day. How could it be? What was going on!
“No! No! Absolutely not!” Alice cried out. “Never!”
Mom’s eyes widened and she hurried into the room. “Alice, darling, what’s wrong? Sit down. Talk to me sweetie.”
Alice flinched, but her mother’s hand on her shoulder was just as gentle as any other time she had touched her. Her six wings, fluffy in concern, were still graceful with every move. Her clear, light eyes; soft with worry for her and love. Alice felt tears spring to her eyes as a horrible homesickness washed over her. She wanted to throw her arms around the woman, but she refrained. This wasn’t right! This couldn’t be happening!
Mom guided her to the bed. Alice sat. Mom drifting down next to her. She felt like a little kid again. Mom was acting like she was. This wasn’t right!
“Alice, why are you so upset? What’s wrong sweetie?” Mom brushed Alice’s hair behind her shoulder.
Alice shook her head. “I can’t. Mom! It’s the—I hurt Mary! I hurt her. I can’t do it. This was all a huge mistake.” Alice felt the tears run away from her. Her mother tried to brush them away.
“Sweetie, no. It’s okay. It’s normal to be scared. You’re not going to hurt Mary. Look at all the people you’ve already helped! Mr. Atlas is able to be home with his family all thanks to you,” Mom said gently.
“No! It’s not like that! I already did it. I know!” Alice shook her head.
Mom furrowed her brows. “Alic—”
A knock on the door frame interrupted her. “Hannah, we’re all—Oh? What’s going on here?” Dad paused.
“Gad, Alice seems to be reconsidering,” Mom said.
Dad blinked, his dark eyes going from Mom to Alice. “Oh? What’s going on, sugar snap?”
Alice felt fresh tears at the old nickname. He looked younger too. It wasn’t like her parents were old, but there was something nostalgic about seeing them like this. Dad wore his old uniform, the warrior crest over his left side. His dark hair cut short and clean shaven. His darker wings with lighter highlights ruffled from all his running around and preparing.
Dad came in and knelt on one knee in front of her. Alice sniffled. “Dad.” He took her hands in his. “I’m going to hurt her. Mary will be hurt. I did hurt her. This isn’t going to work. It didn’t. I don’t know what’s happening.” Her father rubbed the back of her hands with his thumbs. His hands were large, warm, and rough; his skin darker than hers. Sun kissed was how Abby described it. Callused from holding swords, shields, and all manner of weapons from his work. There were little scars on them, and his arms showed a history of fighting. He didn’t have the one on his neck yet, the crescent that would circle from his left collar bone and around and up to almost the base of his skull. He hadn’t shared every story to every scar, but she knew a few.
“Sugar snap, fear is normal. We face it every day,” Dad said.
Alice shook her head. “This isn’t that! Listen to me!”
“Darling,” Mom said. “We can call it off if we need to,” she promised. Alice could hear the disappointment. “We’ll find a different way.”
Alice’s eyes widened. What?
Dad sighed. His disappointment was also obvious. She could feel it. There was sorrow, confusion, and frustration. Alice barely remembered what it was like back then. Mary had always struggled. It wasn’t her fault. Her health was difficult to manage. They had been so sure Alice could do it. Alice had been so sure she could too. She had been able to do things that miracles and healers were hopeless at. She’d saved two or three hopeless cases at that point. Alice was still unsure what she had done. It was so long ago, and she was so young, but she had loved it. The magic, the warmth, the person always seemed so much more peaceful after. The memories were fuzzy, but she was sure she hadn’t imagined that.
And then there was Mary. No one knew why she was so tired, why she was so weak. Her dear sister was so kind and wonderful, and she deserved so much better. Not the hardships she had.
Of course her parents would be so disappointed.
“But this isn’t how it happened,” Alice said.
“What was that sweetie?” Mom asked.
Alice got up.
“Sugar snap?” Dad asked with more concern.
Alice ignored them and opened the door. When she stepped through everything changed. It wasn’t the hallway to the landing. She was outside in the courtyard. She was with Jake, Luke, Isaac, Michael, and dad. They were all lined up with training sticks.
“Now remember! Reaction is key. You will only have seconds to make important calls. Calls that could save lives,” Dad said, hands behind his back. “Hesitate and you or someone depending on you may die.”
“Yes Master Gadiel,” they replied.
“Good! Now, you have all proven yourselves to be exceptional fighters, but don’t forget practice is key. There is always room to get better!” Dad said.
“Yes Master,” they responded.
“Isaac,” Dad called. Isaac stiffened and took a step forward. “Your technique is wonderful, but you’re too slow. A good guard or series won’t do you any good if your enemy can dance around you.”
Isaac nodded. Dad smiled. Then he looked at Jake. “Jacob.” Alice’s friend stepped forward. “You have the opposite problem. You are quick, light, agile, but that doesn’t make up for loose form. Get sloppy, and your speed won’t save you.”
Jake nodded. “Thanks Master.”
“Luke.” Dad smiled at him. Luke cringed and stepped forward. “Do you have something to say?”
Luke sighed. “I know. I’m impatient.” Dad grinned. “Good. You already know, and what are you doing about it?”
“Learning patience by studying my opponents and clearing my mind,” Luke said sullenly.
“Good, keep it up.” Dad stepped to the side and smiled at Alice. She stepped forward without being called. “Alice, I have very little to say. You’ve worked hard. You’ve mastered set after set. To be honest, I would rather you be the next warrior councilman.”
Michael sputtered. Isaac and Jacob chuckled.
“Dad, we both know you may be a little biased in that opinion.” Alice felt her face flush. A warmth at her father’s praise spread through her regardless.
“Biased?” Dad looked serious for half a second. “Me? Biased?” He grinned. “Of course I’m biased! You’re my daughter! But that doesn’t diminish your accomplishments. You are a top tier swordswoman. No one will argue with me on that. No, your struggles are of a different nature. Not one that can be easily trained away.” Dad sighed. “I’m proud of you, Alice.”
Alice fought back a flinch. She kept the smile on her face. A different nature? She didn’t remember this. Had he actually said that? No. It had been something about her focus, hadn’t it?
“Michael.” Dad sighed, the grin for him was large. “I give you a hard time.”
“He deserves it,” Jake muttered. Alice elbowed him. They snickered.
“I push you because of your potential and the position that will be yours soon,” Dad said.
That quieted them. Dad’s retirement. They couldn’t be disappointed. They were lucky that he’d survived. Alice’s fist tightened.
“You have worked very hard, and I’m proud of you Michael. You’ll be a great councilman. A great leader. You already are!” Dad laughed. “Remember that you are an example.” He stepped back. “All of you. You are the people others look up to. You are the leaders of your generation. None of you are perfect, and we don’t expect you to be,” Dad said. “We expect you to do your best, to face your responsibilities with honor, to work together, to rely on yourselves and each other. That is the only way you’ll be able to overcome the shortcomings you have that you can’t train out.”
Alice felt her stomach sink.
“Isaac, you’re already a councilman, but you’ve barely started,” Dad said. “Michael, you will be soon. Jacob, I have no doubt you will be quick to join them. Luke, even if you don’t ever go to the council, you are still a fine warrior, highly ranked, hard working, loyal, and kind.”
He paused at Alice. Alice dropped her gaze. This. This she did remember.
“And you can do great things, title or no title. As you continue forward, step with your best foot. Out of anyone in the world, I know how hard you try.” His hands landed on Alice’s shoulders. “I’m very proud of you.”
“Thanks dad,” Alice murmured, but her heart was broken.
“Now, who’s hungry?” Dad asked.
“Yeah! I could eat a horse,” Luke said.
“Not if I get there first,” Isaac ran off.
“Wait up!” Michael called after him, laughing.
Alice watched her family head in. Jake lingered next to her.
“You okay?” Jake asked.
Alice sighed. “I know no one blames me. I know the only one that feels like she’s letting everyone down is me. But stars, Jake, I am getting really tired of being the family disappointment.”
“You’re not a disappointment!” Jake gasped.
Alice gave him a deadpan look.
Jake sighed. “Look. We’ve been over this Ally. You are too hard on yourself.”
“One, don’t call me Ally. Two, no I’m not,” Alice said flatly.
Jake sighed. “Okay, you aren’t!” Jake waved his hands out in defeat.
Alice blinked. “What?”
“You’re right! You’re not too hard on yourself. Maybe you’re not hard enough,” Jake said and turned toward the house.
“That’s not—” Alice blinked. That’s not what he said! That’s not right!
“Maybe if you tried a little harder things won’t be so bad Al,” Jake said.
Alice flinched. “Jake.”
“See ya around Al,” Jake went inside.
Alice hurried to follow. “Wait, I—” She didn’t go in. She stepped into a different room. Alice stopped. What? The Healer’s hall? It was a long hall, curtains dividing separate sections for visiting patients, rune circles for silence and peace glittered on the fabric. Tall windows were open to let in the sunlight and herbs scent from outside.
“Alice, you’re wasting time, come on,” Master Jethro said.
Alice jumped. “Wh—b—but Master Jethro what are yo—” A shadow of a figure appeared behind him. There was the flash of a smile. Then it was gone. Alice tensed.
“Well, you wouldn’t let him comfort you. What’s with the dissatisfaction?” a familiar voice chuckled from behind her. “Rather wallow in your self-loathing alone?”
Alice spun. “Holly.” There was no one there. Alice swept her eyes around for the dangerous girl. “Where are you? What is this?”
Low echoing laughter was her only reply.