Chapter Text
They both flew through the stalls and onto the roofs at the speed of light, as bystanders looked on in awe. No one tried to help him. He was unreachable. The poacher took complicated turns, trying to free the angry sheep behind him. It was getting useless. No matter where he ran, the man would always keep up.
Up, down, and all around he went as he started to get weary. His movements have slowed. He needed to get this mask back to the group one way or another; he couldn’t afford to turn up empty-handed once more. He glanced at the mask slightly before landing on the bricked floors beneath and racing into the crowd. He pushed and dodged, cursing at any marketer that tried to get in his way. Soon enough, the ally where they were waiting was seen, but the owner of the mask wasn’t. He snickered under his breath, his hood lowering as he made his way into the dark alleyway to meet the ones he so desperately dreaded.
“So, Tommy,” the taller man asked, “have you gotten anything useful today?” “Or will it be like last time?”
Tommy frowned as he remembered the bruises on his ribs before quickly handing the mask to him. He slightly flinched when the man glared in return.
He snatched the mask, almost crushing it in the process, and chuckled menacingly.
“You see this bullsh*t, Kailen?” “B*tch boy, here got us a useless piece of plastic!” the man said as he grabbed his shirt and raised him slightly.
Kailen chuckled as he saw the fear in his eyes, grabbing the mask from his friend to inspect it himself. In the end, he threw it to the side in disgust.
“W-wait! I saw something happen to that sh*t! It had eyes that glowed all over! That could surely help in your f*cking magic drug business somehow!” He yelled; his words slightly hesitant. He was a bit of a hothead, he knew, but he wasn’t stupid.
“Help us?” “Oh, Eris, you really dragged in a dinggleberry, didn’t you?” Kailen chuckled with a light voice, but it was still as menacing as his ally next to him.
“Well, I don’t have anything else to offer.” Tommy shouted, wincing as the hand went up to his neck, squeezing it slightly.
“Well, then,” Eris slammed his fist against his nose. “You should have thought of that before you stole from us, you wretch.”
And with that, he could feel nothing but the warm liquid flowing from his face and unto now red floors.
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Dream kept up with the thief to the best of his ability, but it wasn’t enough. Soon enough, they reached a more crowded spot, so the thief was more than able to easily slip from his sight. He wandered the market searching for the cloaked figure in hopes of retrieving his mask, but all he could find were the sounds of a boy screaming nearby. Dream’s eyes narrowed as he followed the cries, leading him down a narrow path. He felt the hand of a stranger’s on his shoulder, and looking over it, he was met with the cautious eyes of a young woman.
“It’s best not to wander there. That is the known territory of the “Pirus,” “a cruel and merciless gang of traders,” she said, tracing her hands across her chest.
“I think I’ll be fine,” he smiled in return. “That thief is the one you should be worrying about when I get my hands on them.” He mumbled under his breath as he continued to follow the path that seemed to lead to grief and the smell of blood.
When he arrived, the metal odour became stronger as it seemed to be close by. Slowly, he made his way by a small building, which led to the thief’s resignation. How did he know? The mask by the entrance was a perfect clue in itself.
While it was common sense to just take his belongings and run, the imagery of two grown men hurting what seemed to be a child didn’t seem right to him. He was sure that many would agree as well; therefore, he decided to step in.
He quickly grabbed his mask and stood at the alleyway’s entrance, casting his shadow on the people hiding within.
“And who are you supposed to be?” A towering figure spoke, the knife in his hand lowering from the child’s face.
He didn’t reply.
“I’ll ask you again, bud,” he grumbled. “Who the f*ck are yo-”
But he did react.
Crimson red was seen as a blade was sliced through his neck, yet not a drop of blood remained on the scythe.
The weapon of death, one that gives off an aura of destruction and a promise of gore.
Tommy’s eyes widened as he backed away slowly, hands clutching his shirt. Drops of blood were splattered over him, and his breathing got heavy. He stared at the full, red eyes that watched him with no emotion, weapon in hand. The mask that was lying on the floor earlier was no more, and the other man was just as nervous as he was, if not more so.
Though he wanted to beg for the mercy he did not deserve, his mouth refused to open, and his voice wouldn’t make a peep. He watched as tears rolled down the eyes of the man who encouraged his beating earlier but paid no mind as he prepared himself for his last breath, which didn’t come. Nothing happened but the screams of Kailen as he was beheaded, like his friend before him.
His eyes were now met with emerald as a hand was stretched toward him—a bloodied one that struck fear within his heart, one that he took anyway.
The man, if he could even call him that, was now smiling at him as his ears twitched and his eyes lit up.
“So you were the little thief!” Well, sorry to interrupt whatever was back there, but I really needed my mask back. Also, where is it?” He said it cheerfully, as if the gory scene in which they were conversing was an illusion.
Tommy couldn’t reply; how could he?
The scythe that lay beside the blond had once again turned into a plain white mask that was returned to its rightful owner, but he seemed as clueless as he is.
“So, this was the reason for the mask…” he mumbled as his eyes gazed at the thing.
When his head looked up, he was met with the small blood bath he had created with his own hands. Emerald eyes dimmed as tears swelled.
“This isn’t the future I want…”
“But it’s the future I want for you.”
“We need to leave.” Tommy finally spoke, saying, “There are others that were waiting for those idiots; sooner or later, they will come to try and find them.”
The blond nodded as he turned slowly. His grip on the mask tightened when he was once again reminded of his actions by the drops of dried blood on the child’s face.
“Why are you still here?” He asked, “Who even are you to be brave enough to stand before me?” “After what flashed before your very eyes!”
“My name is Tommy,” he chuckled, “and I’ve been through worse.”
Dream frowned in response and said, “Join me then?” “And I promise that nothing like that will ever happen to you again.” His hand stretched out toward the other.
“I’ll think about it,” he replied, but that didn’t stop his hand from connecting with the other’s.
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To say that Fundy was conflicted was an understatement. One second he was standing by his blond companion, chatting about a weird stall, and the next he was running after the blond as he chased the person that stole his belongings. He huffed in frustration. No matter what he tried, there was no way of spotting the blond, much less running after him.
Magic was no use either. He was only able to track someone within an 8-foot radius. With each passing moment, the sky darkened as sunset drew closer. In the end, he returned to the opening of the forest where their camp was located in hopes of somehow meeting his friend. Their goal was to get some supplies, maybe a quick meal or two, and leave, but due to running around all day, most of the stalls were now closed up for the night that was soon to come—all but one.
A small shop selling trinkets kept its lights on for all the villagers to see. It seemed like it was the only one interested in displaying all throughout the night!
Curiosity filled him as he drew closer to the stall’s wooden counter.
He looked into the small room, which was lit by the soft orange glow of a nearby candle.
“Who would burn even a candle in a wooden shack?” His brows were furrowed, and his voice was mocking.
“Someone who knows how to keep it under control.”
The reply startled him slightly, as he did not suspect that another person would be nearby. He faced the voice behind him, his mouth now gaping.
“Like anything you see?” She smiled, her eyes now a brilliant green.
“…Hannah?”