I am SO SORRY for the long hiatus without warning. These chapters have been recorded, and it's been really difficult to find time to jot everything down and turn it into a good story.
I've also gotten a full-time job, so that hasn't helped either. My creativity is ZAPPED. Please forgive my absence. I decided to split up the chapter a bit to get more out to you guys.
Masterpost
Chapter 2 <--> Chapter 4
Hyde raised her head high, smirking to herself as she observed the final stats of her conquest. That’s more like it.
* * *
The attempt to snatch a few moments of sleep in one of the front seats of the bus was short-lived. With a sudden, jarring halt, Charon slammed on the brakes, causing Jekyll to be jolted awake and thrown from her chair, landing forward with Boy, Alex, and Jatayu, who were similarly flung from their seats by the abrupt stop, stirring everyone else from their slumber. The bus brakes screeched, and everyone groaned from their new injuries.
“Ah, we’ve arrived,” Vergilius was unmoved by the sudden halt. “Everyone to your feet.”
“Ow,” Boy rubbed his head, wincing as he pushed himself off the dirty floor.
Alex groaned as well, seemingly trying to wake up still.
Jekyll groaned as she got up, her eyes twitching as she heard Mark snoring beside her. “What the heck?” She glared at Charon, who did not turn back to look at anyone.
“Why does nobody strap in?” Lenore asked, gesturing to the seatbelt across her waist. “It would help you all.”
We didn’t expect to have a terrible driver, Hyde snapped in Jekyll’s head, silently plotting a just-in-case death.
“Charon is a safe driver,” she commented.
Oh, now I’m really going to kill h—
“You really are, ow…” Boy sighed, slumping back into his seat.
Jekyll decided to follow the social norm she had picked up on. “Great job, Charon…”
“Thank you, lady,” Charon finally whipped her head around and softly smiled at Jekyll.
She was taken aback and scratched her head. Awh, that was…
Hyde seemed to backtrack as well.
Mallo swung her legs off the adjacent seat and groaned, getting up from the back and walking toward the front. She scoffed as she glared at Mark before strolling over and clapping loudly in front of his face. “Oi, chap, get up,” she snapped.
Mark cursed under his breath as he startled awake, glaring back. “Ugh, you could’ve done a better—” he was cut off mid-snore as he rubbed his eyes. “Give me a second…” His eyes looked dreary and heavy, but he responded quickly. “Okay, I’m good, what happened?”
“We're here. Get up.” She demanded.
“We have arrived,” Lenore added.
“Aren’t we having like a small meeting where we get all the information?” Mark groaned. “Couldn’t you have woken me up after that?”
Mallo’s patience was growing thin already. “No, Mark, because it’s important that you listen and know what we are doing!”
“I’ve slept through half of these and I’ve still done my job.”
The manager finally turned around to see the commotion. “Half?” He stammered. “We’ve only had one.”
“Eh, I mean—”
“And I assume you’ve slept through that,” Lenore cut him off. “Half of your round up.”
“We’ve had the training manuals, the instructions, and more. I got the gist of it.”
Mallo groaned and rubbed her face, turning away from him. “Man, no wonder you’re useless,” she mumbled and shook her head as she looked at the guide.
Mark grinned. “You say that, yet I am the one who figured out the whole thing with Maut, the insurance. I lead combat, so let’s not talk about uselessness here. I may be lazy, but at least I know what I’m doing half of the time.”
Lenore rubbed her temples. “Oh, gosh… things are getting off to an excellent start, I see.”
Mallo simply ignored Mark. Her gaze was stuck on Vergilius as if she waited for him to give the instructions.
Jekyll took the time passed by the argument to look outside. She saw little to no city lights… in fact, she didn’t see the city at all. “...Where are we anyway?”
They were certainly far from the familiar cityscape they had known. As the party's focus shifted, their eyes wandered to the world beyond the bus windows. At first, it seemed deceptively ordinary—stone brick buildings sat stoically under the blanket of the night sky, a disorienting sight given that it was clearly the afternoon. The strange contrast tugged at their sense of reality, the mundane and the surreal locked in an inexplicable dance.
The land around them felt untouched, wild, and untouched by human hands. Jagged rocks, both large and small, dotted the terrain like relics of a forgotten age. The trees stood tall and silent, their silhouettes etched against the deep hues of twilight. This was not a place that welcomed life; it felt remote, unclaimed, and solemnly aloof, as though it actively resisted being known.
The soundscape of the moment was gentle yet striking. Crickets serenaded the stillness with a soft, steady rhythm, weaving their song through the persistent hum of the bus engine. It was a melody that could have lulled the unguarded into a daze, yet the starkness of the scene kept the party alert. Each member sensed an underlying tension in the air—a subtle charge that suggested there was more to this environment than met the eye.
Above, the sky stretched endlessly, free of the heavy clouds that had always shrouded the city. Stars glittered with uninhibited brilliance, their celestial dance breathtaking in its grandeur. There were so many—countless points of light, each seemingly alive, pulsating with a vibrancy that one rarely saw. Their varied colors spilled across the heavens, creating an artistic masterpiece that defied any earthly comparison. The hues blended seamlessly, radiant streaks of blue, crimson, gold, and violet shimmering like freshly laid brushstrokes, beckoning the viewer to pause and marvel.
The party couldn't help but feel like intruders in this untouched expanse, passengers on the fringe of a vast, uncharted realm. The landscape whispered mysteries in its silence, daring them to uncover what secrets lay hidden beneath its stark beauty. Jekyll’s jaw slackened, staring up in awe at the stars. The stars… we… we finally get to see them…
How inspiring. Hyde’s voice was also full of wonder. Look how beautiful the colors work…
“We are just outside of District 17,” Vergilius explained.
“The outskirts?” The window lost the prisoner's attention. “Ain’t that the place where all them monsters are roaming about?” He looked back outside. “This doesn’t look like a place where mobs would be roaming around.”
“I don’t see any at the moment, perhaps,” Lenore countered.
“I don’t know, man. You hear and see people talking about stepping into the outskirts, and getting swarmed by monsters, and getting killed. This looks like the outskirts, but maybe it’s the city, I don’t know.”
“Maybe they can just tell the Red Gaze is here or something.” Lenore guessed, throwing the idea out there like darts on a board.
Alex visibly pales, the blood draining from his face at the mention of the outskirts, causing a few raised eyebrows to be cast in his direction.
What’s his deal?
Jekyll shrugged at Hyde’s comment, not caring too much about the matter.
Mark rolled his eyes. “No offense, Lenore, I don’t imagine that the outskirts would know who the Red Gaze is. It’s more of a city thing and less of a monster-knowing what the hell a color ranking is, right, Vergi?”
“Maybe they can just detect… strange power. Maybe Dante affects them in some capacity; perhaps he has an aura about him that discourages monsters and abnormalities from approaching the bus.” Despite her efforts to sound concrete, Lenore did not sound sure of her explanation herself, as if she was just pulling it out of the sky on a whim. “Golden boughs do weaken abnormalities, correct?”
Kuvira slowly got up from the back seat, making her way toward the center of the back of the bus as she listened to her conversation. Her face was furrowed and confused, as if she had heard something that struck a memory. “This isn’t just the outskirts, though… is it…?” Her voice was soft and carried an underlying tone that Jekyll couldn’t quite identify.
The bus grew silent as people turned their faces toward her. It was not often that the bus had calmed down over one person speaking up; not even Vergilius could successfully do that every time. It was something about the way Kuvira said it, perhaps, or a type of authority she carried.
A type of power she had.
You’re insane, Hyde.
Vergilius slowly nodded, almost expecting someone to chime in, but nobody did. He gestured outside toward the darkness. “We are currently in the remains of Z Corp, post Smoke War.”
Kuvira slowly nodded and went back to her seat, her usual glowing skin dimming as if to match the darkness. She glanced out the window, leaning her elbow on the seat, and heaved a great sigh, her eyes somewhere else.
What is her deal?
“We will be handling a more… diplomatic mission of sorts,” the Red Gaze continued. “I entrust that you are all aware of what diplomacy is, yes?”
Mark shrugs. “Ehh…”
“Yeah, a little bit,” Boy commented.
Mallo turned in her seat to face the guide. “Yeah, it’s like talking and stuff, to make a deal, right?”
“Just to ask ahead, if diplomacy fails, what’s our other option?” Mark inquired, clearly not liking the idea of negotiating with an outsider.
How ironic, he used to do it all the time. Hyde grinned in Jekyll’s mind. He must have gotten sick of it.
I mean, it is easier to bash someone’s head in and take what we need.
Look at you being so vulgar.
The prisoner received a red, harsh glare before his reply was generated. “If this does not go as intended… Limbus Company will try another form of persuasion. However, doing it this way will entitle you all to a free life lesson.”
“The life lesson of… what? That we have a chance to suck at talking?”
“You might suck at talking,” Boy chimed in, somewhat excited about the idea. “But I am fairly confident that I can talk.”
“What, and the lesson being violence isn’t always the solution?” Mallo was the last person Jekyll expected to agree with Mark on the matter, nevertheless, it was she who spoke the thought. “Really? Like, no offense, but we are not five.”
The thousand-yard stare the guide ripped from Mark and placed on Mallo was one of a kind and said wonders about her statement, as if he couldn’t think of a more obvious lie.
“Not to bring your point down, Mallo, but we did get into many childish fights all last mission,” Mark sat back in his seat, proud of his observation.
“You two got into a childish fight when you were training me,” Boy added.
The prisoner did not like that comment. “Hold up, it wasn’t a childish fight, we specifically told—”
Boy, Mark, and Mallo proceeded to talk over each other for the next five minutes. The doctor leaned back in her seat and buried her face in her hands. This is why we can’t ever get anything done. She nor Hyde saw the point in keeping up with their aimless arguing that derailed off the topic very quickly.
“This is why you two need to be in separate rooms,” Boy stated calmly, gesturing with both of his hands oddly.
“We are in separate rooms!” Mallo and Mark shouted at the same time.
Wow, they finally agreed on something for once.
“You guys are not five years old,” the guide looked more annoyed than satisfied when they had proven his point correct. His expression was sarcastic, but it was clear he wanted to get on with the task at hand.
Mark leaned back in his seat. “I don’t know, man, I am just doing my job.”
“Hopefully, the ideal solution to this is that you all come out of this a little bit wiser,” Vergilius did not acknowledge Mark’s remark and continued on with the brief, sighing to himself.
“Vergi, Vergi, buddy, can I call you Vergi?”
“No.”
“Okay, uhm… What can I call you then? Mr. Red Gaze, Vergilius, old man?”
“Vergilius will suffice.”
“Alright Vergilius… what if they are uncooperative, huh? Are we permitted to use force?”
Who are these people we are trying to negotiate with anyway? Jekyll thought. Surely they aren’t some strong force that we have to take the bough by force… the threat alone should be enough considering the enemies we faced.
Boy glanced at Mark, answering his question. “I say we cross that bridge when we get to it.”
“We should still leave that discretion to the decision of the executive manager,” Lenore cut in before Mark could start yapping again.
“That is correct, Lenore. It is good to see someone not so ready to devolve into baseless violence.” The guide nodded slowly in her direction.
“It’s not baseless violence!” Mark argued. “It has a basis; that being they are uncooperative!”
“We haven’t even met them yet!” Boy pointed out with a tinge of anxiety in his voice.
“It never hurts to prepare in advance.”
“Who is this that we are trying to convince?” Jekyll piped her voice up above the rest, hoping to get the brief back on topic. I want information that’s actually useful here, not this pointless bickering.
Vergilius hesitated for a moment, glancing outside as if he was recalling… no, reliving some memories. He clasped his hands together before crossing his arms and speaking softly. “We will be meeting with one of the former LCB-2 members… Sinner Ornella Alwera.”
Huh, he didn’t call them by their sinner number, that’s odd.
Who cares? Hyde shrugged.
Well, it means she probably either did something really good or really bad to earn that kind of respect from the guy…
My question still stands.
“Oh, one of the incompetent people?” Mark snickered.
Dante looked hurt by the comment. “Mark!”
“Oh gosh,” Lenore rolled her eyes and facepalmed.
“Am I wrong? The LCB-2 failed, that’s why we exist!” He defended.
Jatayu shrank down in his seat, not wanting to be seen after the harsh comments were thrown about his former crewmates.
Mark’s gaze softened ever so slightly as he observed the veteran. “Uh, no offense Jatayu, it happened.”
“They can’t be total failures, Jatayu is here,” Mallo added.
“Jatayu performed well working with us, but from what we heard, he didn’t do that well working with the others. Maybe it’s just us helping Jatayu?”
Boy cursed out loud at the remark.
“It’s a give or take thing, depending on the coworkers.” Mallo shrugged, glancing back at the guide as if she too wanted to get on with the brief.
“Did the other guys not help each other at all?” Mark asked anyone who wished to answer.
“It-It’s not that t-they weren’t working together…” Dante began, scratching his hands nervously. “They could… uhm… It was just a lot of backstabbing and holding me hostage and… other things.”
“Ah, so what Mallo did to you with the spear.”
“I-I-I didn’t do anything, Mark,” Mallo snapped, glaring. “Shut up!”
“Dante, you wanna replay that memory?”
“Can we get on with this?” Jekyll narrowed her visible eye, growing annoyed by the second.
“I agree with Jekyll,” Mallo added.
I didn’t ask for your agreement. “Come on, guys, I don’t want to sit here and listen to you all whine and argue all day.”
“Let’s move on, because I don’t want to sit on the bus all day,” Mallo continued to add commentary, much to Jekyll’s disapproval.
“If you want your questions answered, you can ask the LCB-2 person,” Alex raised his head and spoke for the first time that day. It seemed he was done keeping to himself.
“Quiet,” Vergilius almost growled as his eyes grew red, signifying his ever-dwindling patience. “It will be nice to get rid of you all for an evening. We should continue with the debriefing.” He inhaled a sharp breath and sighed to himself. “Ms. Alwera has offered to give us a golden bough. This is something you all should realize we are highly in need of.” He glanced outside toward the flickering lights of the abandoned city. “In return, however, she has requested a conference of sorts with the new LCB team.” He glanced back toward the group regrettably. “That would be you all.”
Mallo glanced at Mark as if she wanted to say something, but she instead turned her head toward the guide. “Why?”
“The explanations provided were vague and scarce to me. Ms. Faust?”
Faust would get up from her seat between Mallo, Alex, and Jatayu before addressing the company. “The purpose of this is likely to… get in touch, rebuild bridges and… put away former grudges that Ms. Ornella Alwera held against Limbus Company, amongst other personal reasons.”
“I think I heard that wrong.” Mark wasn’t the only one who was looking at Faust as if she had gone crazy, but he was the first to speak about it. “Can you repeat that again, Faust?” When Faust simply repeated what she said in question form, the prisoner continued. “So, you’re telling me, the person who failed at her job wants to put away grudges and build bridges at something she failed at.”
“Well,” Dante grew more nervous by the second, his flames sparking more frequently than usual. “Ornella was one of the sinners I had wronged personally from the LCB-2…” he rubbed his head as if trying to calm himself down from the memories.
Dante? Wrong somebody? That’s a first. Jekyll side-eyed Dante and didn’t hide her disdain.
Mark looked perplexed. “What the hell did you do, Dante?”
“I didn’t mean to… but there was a situation involving one of the employees where I had to betray Ornella’s trust to calm the situation down…”
“Are you saying Ornella was going against the group, and to ensure the group didn’t fall apart, you did what you did, and now she blames you for making a good decision?”
“No… Ornella… was trying to protect the group.” Dante glanced at the bus floor. “But to prevent a distortion from happening… I had to slightly throw her under the bus to keep the situation from escalating.”
The party paused for a moment, pondering what the manager had informed them about, as vague as it was. The prisoner turned toward the guide and spoke to break the silence. “Vergilius, before we head out, can we get Dante’s story real quick? We should get the whole picture before we step into something and screw everything up.”
To the doctor’s surprise, Mallo agreed with him. “Yeah, it might be a good idea to not immediately anger the person we are trying to negotiate with.”
Vergilius could not hide his impatience any longer. “I don’t see why not, it’s not like we got all day,” his sharp glare turned toward the manager, as if telling him to make it quick.
“Okay, wait a moment, Dante,” Mark rushed into the back of the bus before returning shortly with a bucket of popcorn.
Boy looked curiously at the food. “Where’d you get that?”
“I have crap in my room, okay, Boy?”
Alex slowly reached over to eat some of the popcorn himself.
“Let me try to understand this,” Lenore interrupted the commotion. “If you can read our memories, can you show us yours? It might be faster than telling what happened.”
“If I can, I haven’t figured out how.” Dante replied with a shrug. “The most I can tell you is that I am being honest.”
There was a quiet hush over the bus as everyone slowly leaned in to listen to the manager tell the story, save for Vergilius and Charon who stared at the stars and listened to the wind brushing against the vehicle. The party waited anxiously to hear a tale older than their arrival, and one the veteran recalled quiet well.
Dante sighed, sitting down as his clock faced the floor. “A previous employee, Carcosa, sinner no. 16, was about to undergo a mental breakdown of sorts, likely a distortion. They were kind of already an entity of itself and not human, it is really fuzzy territory… Ms. Faust would know more about it but as far as things are concerned, Carcosa held me at weapon-point with a blade to my neck…”
It was easy to catch the glance Mark gave Mallo at the moment.
“It was Ornella, Ithas, and Salki who came to my rescue. Jatayu was killed as Carcosa held me hostage, and Ithas was knocked out, but he eventually got back up after I rewound him and assisted in restraining Carcosa.”
“This Ithas guy definitely sounds incompetent; getting knocked out while protecting the manager? Not really competent.”
Jekyll rubbed her face. Shut up, Mark. No one appreciates your commentary.
“In order to prevent Carcosa from having a full-on mental breakdown, Salki assisted in comforting her, but in order to let me go, I had to say a few secrets that Ornella entrusted to me… Secrets that would not put her in a good light toward Carcosa. I betrayed her trust in doing so.” He paused, heaving a sigh. “It ended up with me being spared and Carcosa calming down… but not without a cost, I guess.”
Mark, still, wasn’t satisfied. “So are you going to say what the secrets were? Come on, Dante. Don’t leave us hanging.”
The manager snapped his head up to face the prisoner. “I am not going to make that same mistake again.” He crossed his arms over his chest, leaning back with a firm nod as if that was a hill he would die on.
“So you want us to walk in blind and negotiate with someone that knows the full story and left—”
“Mark,” Lenore interjected quickly. “I think all that matters is we know the important context of what Dante did to upset her even if we don’t know the exact details of the events. How do those specifics matter in this case?”
“Maybe things would make more sense if he gave them to us, because right now it feels like Dante made the right decision and this sinner or whatever is being upset over a bunch of nonsense.”
Lenore stammered before turning toward the veteran. “Jatayu, you were there, what were your thoughts on this? Do you think Ornella being upset over this is justified?”
“I was not there when it took place. All I did was find Ornella after she left the room to comfort them.” He replied shortly, not making eye contact. “I don’t exactly know what was said.”
“The bottom line is Dante has never been dishonest with us,” Lenore turned away from Jatayu and faced Mark and Dante again. “I think we can trust him in this case.”
“Ehh, maybe, I don’t trust clockhead over here, no offense,” Mark rolled his eyes and slumped in his seat.
Dante opened his mouth to defend himself, but clamped it shut and nodded along.
“Well now that we know, I assume that’s everything?” Mallo was already standing by the door, tapping her foot impatiently.
“I still have a question,” Lenore scooted forward in her seat. “Do we know how Ornella got a golden bough? It might come into play when asking her to give it up.”
“Such information has not been disclosed,” Faust answered. “However, the LCCB detected a strong resonance of one here. It can be hypothesised that shortly after Ornella’s departure from Limbus Company she managed to obtain one. Or, perhaps, she already did have one.”
“Wouldn’t that be a breach of contract if she did have access to one and did not hand it over?”
Not if they didn’t find out, Hyde recalled as much of the clauses as she could in the contract. It’s only if they knew and then you refused to hand it over. It’s not a crime if they never find out.
Mallo almost spoke her thoughts. “If I remember correctly there wasn’t any sort of clause of already owning one.”
“Right, I remember too,” Lenore pondered the memory with her hand on her chin. “I’m very surprised that is the case. You think the company would think of that but eh, oh well.”
“Maybe it is under their possession. They didn’t get it under the company, therefore it’s theirs.”
“I mean, yes, but doesn’t the company want all of the golden boughs?”
“This is correct,” Faust nodded approvingly to Lenore.
“Why do you want the golden boughs anyway?” Mallo asked. “We are the ones getting them, I feel like this is very important information to know.”
“Nah, it’s grunt work. We are just collecting crap, and they take it, because we are the grunts,” Mark offered his input.
“The attestation of the golden boughs would align to assist Limbus Company’s goals and your own heart’s desires.” corrected Faust.
“I don’t need a golden bough to get what I want, I can do it by myself,” Mallo scoffed.
“Then why are you here?” Lenore inquired.
“Take a guess.”
“It’s surely not for the salary.”
“Did they offer you a good deal?” Boy asked.
“What other place would hire a previous wing employee?” Mallo crossed her arms and leaned on the window behind her.
Jekyll rubbed her head, resting it in her lap. This is why we never get anything done. Management under Sir Danves Carew was more efficient than this.
There was more senseless arguing before Mark decided to budge in with an insult as always, causing more ruckus in the bus and delaying the briefing further. Jekyll glanced up at the crowd before slumping into her seat and turning her gaze in the direction of Jatayu, who was watching the fight with agony, and Kuvira… who’s glow seemed to dim, her eyes downcast and locked on the outside landscape.
…Is she from here or something?
The conversation went onto Faust’s knowledge and how far it encompasses, mainly led by Mark, but Jekyll only had half of an ear paying attention as she looked outside the window herself toward the stars.
You can surely see a lot more of them here than from the city.
Quite inspiring, isn’t it?
If you want to take it that way, Hyde, then sure.
I believe our students would create many glorious things if we gave them the chance to see a sky like this.
Perhaps one of the fingers has nearby jurisdiction and we can ask them for an escort.
I like your thinking.
…Thanks, I guess.
Jekyll and Hyde only stopped their creative brainstorming when Vergilius’ voice cut through the commotion like a hot knife on butter. “This has been idiotic. That is all the information you needed. It will be good for me to rest while you are out on the mission.”
Jekyll will never forget the grin that slowly grew on Faust’s face. “Sir Vergilius?”
“Faust?”
“You are slightly mistaken. You will be accompanying the sinners on this journey.”
Jekyll sat up from her seat, baffled. “What?”
Mallo turned slowly to face the group as Mark started to shout. “Ey! Old man is joining us!”
“The Red Gaze is accompanying us to a… diplomatic meeting?” Lenore tilted her head confusingly. Isn’t that like showing up with a loaded gun?”
“Maybe she has her own loaded gun,” Mark proposed.
“Surely not,” Mallo glanced at Faust. “Does Ornella have some history with Vergilius or something?”
“Vergilius was around during the LCB-2 journey, it is highly likely that Ms. Ornella wishes to see him too.” Faust closed her eyes and sat back down.
Mark smirked. “Does she have a crush on Vergilius or something?”
Mallo audibly laughed at the comment. “Okay, that’s a good one Mark, alright.” It was difficult to decipher whether or not she was being sarcastic.
Lenore shrugged. “She could just be a fan.”
Jekyll side-eyed Kuvira when she slowly rose from her seat and strolled over to the group, standing behind Alex and next to Jatayu. “Faust, does this mean I can also come? I mean, come on, I am Mr. Red Gaze’s assistant, so I gotta go where he goes because you know that’s kind of my job description haha… and if Charon is going too, well, I think it would be best that there would be some extra protection for her as well, assuming we are all invited by our old friend and—”
“Indeed,” Faust replied to cut her off before she rambled. “Ms. Kuvira and Ms. Charon will be allowed to accompany the group on this journey.”
“Will we be leaving the bus completely unguarded?” Lenore inquired.
“No, Faust will stay behind to ensure the repairs on the bus are meeting expectations.”
“I’m somewhat surprised; aren’t you the most knowledgeable for terms of negotiation?”
Mark chimed in yet again. “Maybe she can’t?”
Faust smiled at him.
Her smile got to his ego. “See? I’m right. Maybe it’s a contract obligation on why she can’t, and it’s up to us to—”
“Are we going to sit here and let this kid yap, or are we going to get on with it?” Jekyll stood up from her seat, stretching her back. Her tone was sharper than usual, and she almost covered her mouth afterward but refrained.
Huh, taking after my tongue I see.
Shut up.
Mark furrowed his eyebrows and turned toward the doctor. “Hyde?”
“To be fair, we were discussing important details of the mission,” Lenore argued. “And don’t upset Jekyll like that.”
Not important enough to the negotiation at hand.
“Isn’t Jekyll usually more meek, though? That was rather harsh coming from her.” Mark bit back. “It doesn’t sound like Jekyll.”
“Congrats, Jekyll, you’re getting a spine,” Dante tried to compliment her, but it only pissed her off more.
Jekyll took a deep breath, trying to calm her tone and block out Hyde’s overbearing presence in her mind as she calmly replied whilst rubbing her face. “We’ve been in this bus for… I don’t even know how long I’ve lost count of the time. I would like to get some fresh air.”
Vergilius looked as annoyed as she did. “It’s been five minutes, and I already agree.”
“Exactly.” Guess this Red Gaze guy isn’t so bad after all.
“I’ve been waiting at the door this entire time,” Mallo added. “I am ready to go.”
There was some more unimportant chatter before Charon opened the bus door to let everyone out. The hiss of hydraulics marked the slow, deliberate opening of the bus doors. A rush of cold wind wasted no time, slipping past the threshold and clawing at exposed skin, tugging at coats and hair alike. The stale warmth of the bus was immediately replaced with the sharp bite of open air.
Jekyll inhaled deeply. The crispness of it cut through the fatigue that had settled in her bones, awakening her senses like a slap to the face. The scent of damp earth and distant pine mixed with the lingering traces of exhaust. Despite the chill, it was refreshing—cleansing, even.
Faust and Mark were the only ones who did not exit the bus immediately. Jekyll rubbed her arms together slowly, exhaling a shaky breath. “It’s really cold out here.”
The vast expanse stretched endlessly above them, a sea of shimmering stars unburdened by city lights. They burned brilliant and cold, their silent vigil untouched by the dangers lurking beneath.
Jekyll barely remembered to breathe. She had seen stars before, of course—but not like this. Not with this clarity, this raw, breathtaking magnitude. It was as though the universe had opened itself to her for the first time, laying bare its infinite wonders.
Mallo, standing beside her, hugged her arms against the chill but didn’t look away. “Strangely beautiful,” she murmured again, softer this time. “I’ve never been to the outskirts before.”
Jekyll tore her gaze away to glance at her companion. The awe in Mallo’s face mirrored her own. For a fleeting moment, the worries and monsters that loomed ahead faded into the background.
Then, the wind shifted. A rustling in the underbrush—too deliberate, too close.
The stars remained indifferent.
“Hey Dante?” Mallo turned toward the manager, her voice cutting through Jekyll’s thoughts. “Have you been to the outskirts before?”
“Multiple times, yes.” There was a pause as his clock ticked slowly. “Why do you ask?”
“What do you think of the stars?”
Dante took a moment to reach his hand out toward the vast sky. “I’m still trying to reach towards mine, but… I think we are almost there.”
There were a couple of murmurs before the manager continued. “I see it every time I rewind for you guys…” He glanced ahead as if he was dozing off before clapping his hands together. “That said, we should probably get a move on! Kuvira has already walked ahead of us.”
Jekyll turned her attention to the guide’s assistant as she wandered down the path ahead. Her usual vibrance had dulled, her footsteps slow, measured. The ruins surrounded her like specters of a past long forgotten—or perhaps a past she had tried to forget. There was something different about the way she moved here, as if each crumbling archway, each shattered pillar, held whispers only she could hear.
The wind wove through the desolate remnants, curling around Kuvira’s form as though greeting an old acquaintance. Her gaze lingered on a broken monument at the heart of the wreckage, eyes tracing the faded engravings with a familiarity that did not belong to a mere visitor. The way her fingers twitched, the slight press of her lips—it was not longing, not nostalgia, but something heavier.
Jekyll didn’t speak. Neither did anyone else. Those who stared at her felt it—the shift, the unspoken weight pressing against Kuvira’s shoulders. Whatever history she had with this place, it wasn’t theirs to intrude upon.
She inhaled sharply, straightening her posture before stepping forward, leaving behind whatever ghosts clung to her.
The ruins remained silent, but the wind whispered as if it knew better, as if they knew who she was to this place.
What more secrets have you been hiding from us, Kuv?
Yay! The recording is over! I can finally start writing Canto 2! Enjoy!
Masterpost
Chapter 5 <--> Canto 2: The Flower
~o0o~
Jekyll lowered herself into the seat beside her manager with deliberate grace, her posture regal, her chin slightly lifted as if the very act of sitting was a performance. The chair creaked faintly beneath her, but she paid it no mind. Pride still clung to her like perfume, even as she smoothed the lapels of her jacket and adjusted the monocle that had slipped slightly during her earlier encounter. Well, I suppose I shall complete the report to Dante as his most trusted sinner, then, eh?
That’s more like it.
The table before her was a feast of warmth and contrast. The scent of roasted lamb was thick and savory, mingling with the sweet tang of raspberries, apples, and the earthy comfort of fresh bread. Steam curled from the dishes in lazy spirals, fogging the edges of nearby glasses and casting a soft haze over the polished wood. It was the kind of meal meant to soothe nerves and foster diplomacy—but Jekyll’s pride was not so easily softened.
She glanced at Dante, her expression cooling into something more neutral. The smugness from earlier still lingered at the corners of her mouth, but she tucked it away with practiced restraint. “Yeah,” she said, voice calm and clipped, “Mark’s not coming.”
Dante turned toward her, head tilted. “Huh?”
“He refused upon notice to obey your order,” she replied, letting the words settle like a dropped stone.
“What do you mean he refused?” Dante’s tone sharpened. “Is he just staying on the bus?”
“No,” Jekyll said, folding her hands neatly in her lap. “He just refused. Said he didn’t need to come.”
The room shifted slightly with the news. Mallo re-entered from the balcony, the scent of smoke trailing behind her like a shadow. She extinguished her cigarette with a practiced flick, her eyes narrowing as she caught the tail end of the conversation. Lenore, seated nearby, looked momentarily stunned, her gaze flicking between Jekyll and Dante as if trying to decode the implications.
Dante exhaled with the weariness of someone who’d been managing chaos since sunrise. It was the kind of sigh that belonged to a man who’d seen too many meetings go sideways. “Can someone ask… Ornella, if they really want to meet Mark?”
Jekyll’s gaze drifted to the far end of the table, where Ornella sat like a portrait—composed, symmetrical, and quietly formidable. Her posture was impeccable, hands folded just so, her eyes scanning the party with clinical precision. When her gaze landed on Vergilius, it lingered a beat too long. He met her eyes, and she looked away immediately, the motion subtle but telling.
Though Ornella’s expression remained pleasant, Jekyll caught the faintest flicker of unease beneath it. It was in the way her fingers tapped once against the table, then stilled. In the way her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes.
Beside her, Alex sat stiffly, arms crossed, his demeanor colder than the room’s draft. Kuvira bobbed gently in her seat, humming a soft tune under her breath, the melody barely audible over the clinking of cutlery. Charon and Jatayu sat like statues—silent, unmoving—but Jatayu’s eyes roamed the room with quiet intensity, cataloging every gesture, every glance.
Lenore leaned forward, her voice gentle but clear. “Ornella, Dante wishes to know if you wish to meet Mark from our party.”
Ornella’s gaze had already shifted to Dante the moment he spoke, but the cadence of his words seemed to slip past her like water over glass. Her brow furrowed slightly, a faint crease forming between her eyes. She glanced at the bread in front of her—not with hunger, but as if searching for something grounded, something familiar. Her fingers brushed the crust absently, then stilled. “The way you’ve been discussing your comrade seems rather… unpleasant.”
The words hung in the air like frost. Lenore blinked, caught off guard. “I mean, we’ve not really said anything about him,” she replied, her tone defensive but polite, her hands folding tighter in her lap.
Across the table, Mallo opened her mouth, a retort already forming—but something in Ornella’s tone, or perhaps her gaze, made her clamp her lips shut. Her jaw flexed once before she leaned back, exhaling through her nose.
“I know a difficult coworker when I see one,” Ornella continued, her voice smooth but glacial. Jekyll could’ve sworn the scientist’s eyes shifted—just slightly—from a soft cornflower blue to something colder, sharper, like the edge of a glacier. The change was fleeting, but unmistakable. Ornella closed her eyes briefly, as if recalibrating, then reopened them with a composed smile. She nodded toward the end of the table. “Welcome back, Mallo.” Her hand gestured with elegant precision. “Please, help yourself to any of the food you see here.”
Mallo didn’t hesitate. She moved with the casual efficiency of someone used to navigating tension, scooping a generous portion of lamb onto her plate, followed by a thick slice of bread and a handful of crisp apple wedges. The scent of rosemary and roasted meat intensified as she passed, mingling with the faint trace of tobacco still clinging to her jacket.
“Just came back,” she said, glancing toward Dante with a raised brow. “Is Mark being a pain again?”
If Dante could’ve flattened his expression into a single, exhausted line, he would have. “Yep.”
“Want me to go grab him?”
“Yep.”
“Alright, I’ll be right back.” Mallo pushed herself away from the table, her chair scraping softly against the floor. She moved toward the door with purpose, her boots thudding lightly against the stone.
“Thank you, Mallo,” Dante called after her, his voice low but grateful.
Jekyll scoffed. Ain’t no way in hell he’s going to listen to her.
“I sincerely apologize for his behavior,” Mallo added, pausing at the threshold. She offered Ornella a friendly smile—genuine, if a bit weary—and nodded gently. “I’ll make sure he doesn’t do that again.”
Ornella inclined her head in acknowledgment, but her expression remained unreadable. Her fingers resumed their quiet tapping against the table’s edge—rhythmic, slow, and deliberate, like a scientist measuring time by pulse alone. The sound was soft, almost imperceptible, yet it seemed to echo in Jekyll’s ears, a metronome to the quiet tension that had settled over the room.
Jekyll’s gaze drifted toward the door just as it creaked open, revealing Merlin. He stepped inside with the kind of presence that didn’t announce itself loudly, but still managed to shift the air. His coat was dusted with the faint sheen of travel, and his eyes—sharp, calculating—swept the room before landing squarely on Mallo.
A slight smirk tugged at Jekyll’s mouth. She watched the moment unfold like a scene in a play: Merlin’s eyes narrowing, his head tilting with quiet curiosity as Mallo approached the threshold. There was no warmth in his gaze—only scrutiny, the kind that made skin crawl if held too long.
Mallo paused mid-step, her body stiffening just slightly. “Uhh… hi,” she said, voice casual but clipped. “Limbus Company, talking with Ornella, just going out to get someone. Excuse me for a minute.” She nodded, ducking behind him with practiced ease, her shoulder brushing the doorframe as she slipped past. “If you don’t mind.”
Jekyll’s mind flickered with Hyde’s voice. Didn’t Mallo have history with the Middle? The question hung in her thoughts as she watched Merlin’s gaze linger on Mallo’s retreating form—not in confusion, not in recognition, but in something colder. His eyes didn’t follow her out of curiosity. They tracked her like a threat.
Merlin stood still for a moment longer, then inhaled deeply, as if bracing himself. His gaze shifted to Jekyll, and for a heartbeat, something unreadable passed between them. Then he turned to the rest of the group, his expression smoothing into something more formal. He extended a hand in greeting, fingers long and precise. “Good evening,” he said, voice calm and measured.
Ornella’s smile warmed instantly, her hand gesturing toward him with quiet pride. “Limbus Company, this is my nephew, Merlin.”
Huh. Small world, Jekyll mused, her eyes narrowing slightly.
“Good day,” Lenore replied, her tone dry enough to dehydrate the wine on the table.
Merlin adjusted his glasses with a studious flick, unbothered by the lukewarm reception. His posture remained impeccable, his demeanor composed—though Jekyll noticed the subtle tension in his shoulders, the way his eyes avoided one particular pair across the table. He was performing calmly, not living it. “Greetings,” he said, scanning the group. “You must be the infamous Limbus Company.” His tone was clipped, intelligent, and faintly condescending—like someone reciting a line they didn’t quite believe.
No one replied.
He flattened his expression, lips pressing into a thin line. “Hmmph. I expected more people.”
Lenore, ever the diplomat, offered a response. “We have three… four… we have a few people away from the table at the moment,” she said, counting off Mark, Mallo, and Boy with a glance toward the empty chairs.
Merlin turned his head slowly, giving Lenore a look that could’ve been carved from marble—cool, dismissive, and unmistakably hierarchical. You’re-clearly-not-the-one-in-charge-I-didn’t-ask-you. He didn’t speak the words, but they hung in the air like smoke.
Without another word, he made his way to the open seat beside Ornella and lowered himself into it with the same precision she had. His posture mirrored hers exactly—straight-backed, hands folded, chin lifted just enough to suggest superiority without arrogance.
Jekyll watched the two of them side by side, like matching chess pieces on opposite ends of the board. Ornella’s warmth was practiced; Merlin’s coldness was instinctive. And somewhere between them, the table held its breath.
Most of the party members broke the silence with the soft clatter of cutlery and the muted sounds of chewing. The table, once stiff with formality, began to breathe again—though quietly. Plates were filled with generous portions of lamb, its surface glistening with rendered fat and rosemary oil. The meat pulled apart easily beneath their knives, tender enough to suggest hours of slow roasting. Steam rose from the bread, which had been sliced into thick, uneven wedges—its golden crust crackling faintly, the inside airy and warm, flecked with herbs.
Raspberries sat in a bowl at the center, their color vivid against the muted tones of the meal. A few party members reached for them cautiously, the tartness offering a sharp contrast to the richness of the lamb. Apples, sliced thin and fanned out like petals, added a crisp sweetness that balanced the heavier flavors.
The room was quiet, save for the occasional murmur of appreciation.
“This lamb is incredibly tender,” Lenore said, dabbing her mouth with a napkin.
“The bread rose beautifully,” Kuvira added, her voice light as she reached for another slice. She continued to yap all sorts of compliments, but she did so quietly and no one paid attention to them.
“We appreciate your hospitality, Ornella. The food is sustainable,” Vergilius commented, his tone flat but sincere. It was the only compliment that drew a visible reaction from Ornella—her lips curled into a small, genuine smile.
Jekyll tasted the food with careful precision, her fork movements delicate, almost surgical. She chewed slowly, analyzing texture, seasoning, and presentation. The lamb, while passable, lacked the refinement she preferred. The bread was fluffy, yes, but uneven in its rise. The apples were fresh, but not chilled. The raspberries were the only thing that met her expectations.
Hmmph. Mr. Poole’s steak was of much higher quality than this lamb.
If there’s anything I miss about that wretched house, Hyde murmured, it’s that sorry butler’s cooking.
Jekyll didn’t respond aloud, but her grip on the fork tightened slightly.
Then, the door burst open.
Mallo staggered inside, her breath ragged, one hand clutching her chest as if trying to hold her lungs in place. “I’m… back,” she wheezed.
All eyes turned toward her. The warmth of the meal evaporated.
Dante leaned forward, concern etched into his features. “Are you okay, Mallo?”
Mallo straightened, still panting. “Well, Mark is fighting the Middle. The Middle is outside.”
Merlin choked on his food, a sharp cough breaking the silence. His aunt shot him a side glare so sharp it could’ve sliced through bone. He wiped his mouth quickly, trying to recover, but the damage was done.
Jekyll remained composed, her fork resting gently on the edge of her plate. Her mind began to turn, gears clicking into place. Merlin knew we were coming… and if Merlin is affiliated with the Middle, did they know Mallo had history with them? Did they even know Mallo had joined our company? Did he tell them to come look for her here?
“You mean to tell me the Middle is in the Outskirts?” Lenore raised an eyebrow, turning in her seat to face Mallo. “Here? Why? Manager? Vergilius?” She turned quickly to the two men on the sides of the table.
Vergilius gave a tired glare to the clockhead in the room. “Dante, this is your area of expertise.”
Dante blinked, then leaned forward. “Uhm… there didn’t happen to be a very large, very intimidating man with pink hair out there, was there?”
Mallo’s eyes widened. “No, thank goodness, no. No one with pink hair,” she said, standing straighter. Her voice trembled slightly.
Merlin choked again, this time on a piece of apple. He cleared his throat, trying to mask the reaction, but his fingers trembled as he adjusted his glasses. He bowed his head after his aunt shot him another deadly glance.
Mallo’s eyes narrowed. “Why… have you fought the Middle before?” Her voice cracked with fear.
Dante nodded solemnly. “Yeah. We have. In the Great Lakes.”
“What the hell is wrong with you?! Why would you do that?!”
“We didn’t mean to!” Dante raised his hands defensively. “One of our previous employees just… stole hair coupons.”
“Huh? You stole hair—”
“I didn’t!”
“Are they that petty?”
“It’s the Middle.”
“Okay, yes, uh, anyway,” Mallo stammered, trying to regain control of the conversation. “We need to deal with that. Outside.”
“Is Mark okay?” Lenore asked, her voice tight.
“I-I-I don’t know?” Mallo stammered, her voice pitching higher with each syllable. “I ran over here! I’m going to assume probably not!”
The room fell into a tense silence, the kind that clings to the walls like humidity. Dante turned to Lenore, his expression caught between concern and reluctant responsibility. “Can someone explain to Ornella? We might need to excuse ourselves from the table for a bit.”
Lenore nodded, her chair scraping softly against the floor as she stood. She turned to Ornella and translated Dante’s words with clipped efficiency. “We may need to step away. There’s a fight outside. We need to make sure Mark doesn’t die.”
Ornella didn’t flinch. Her fingers, which had been tapping rhythmically against the table’s edge, stilled mid-motion. Her eyes followed Lenore’s movements with quiet calculation.
Mallo let out a nervous laugh, the sound brittle and misplaced. “I apologize profusely, this is… a lot.” Her voice cracked under the weight of urgency. “Uhm, f-follow me.”
She reached out and grabbed Dante’s sleeve, dragging him around the table with a surprising burst of strength. Dante let out a loud train horn noise as he stumbled to his feet, nearly knocking over his chair in the process. His boots squeaked against the floor as he scrambled to keep up.
Mallo didn’t wait. She bolted for the door, her footsteps echoing down the hallway like a warning bell. Lenore rose with quiet resolve and followed, her coat swaying behind her like a shadow. Alex trailed after them in a daze, his eyes unfocused, as if still trying to process the sudden shift from dinner to danger.
The door slammed shut behind them.
Ornella’s gaze lingered on the empty doorway, her expression unreadable. Slowly, she turned back to the remaining guests—Vergilius, Charon, Kuvira, Jekyll, and Jatayu. Her smile had vanished, replaced by something colder. Her voice, once warm and welcoming, now carried a sharper edge.
“It seems nothing has changed since I left.” The words hung in the air like smoke.
Vergilius didn’t respond immediately. He simply adjusted his posture, folding his hands neatly in front of him as if bracing for a lecture. His expression remained unreadable, but the slight tightening of his jaw betrayed a flicker of irritation. Charon tilted her head, watching Ornella with quiet curiosity, her gaze sharp beneath the brim of her hat. Kuvira’s eyes narrowed slightly, her fingers curling around the stem of her glass as she sensed the shift in tone. Her eyes darted from side to side, as if she was still stuck on something that was said. Jekyll remained composed, her fork resting untouched beside her plate, though her shoulders had stiffened. Jatayu leaned back in his chair, hands twitching faintly, the feathers on his cape rustling like dry leaves.
Ornella’s gaze shifted to Merlin.
He had lost all semblance of composure, sinking into his seat like a deflating balloon. His shoulders hunched, his hands fidgeted, and his eyes darted toward the floor as if searching for an escape hatch. He rubbed his face, pushing his glasses up to rub his eyes with the heel of his palm—an expression of pure mortification, as though Ornella had just shown his crush a baby photo of him in a duck costume.
She inhaled sharply, nostrils flaring. “I know why you all are here,” she said, her voice clipped and cool, “but it seems your main negotiator has left.”
Her eyes flicked toward the door, then back to the table.
“Let’s take a slight break to ease the tension, yeah?” Her tone was deceptively casual, but the steel beneath it was unmistakable. “I’d like to speak to my nephew in… private for a few moments.”
Without waiting for permission, her hand swung behind Merlin’s head and slapped it upward with a practiced flick. The sound was sharp, but Merlin barely flinched. His reaction was not one of surprise, but resignation. It was clear there was more going on than they were letting on.
Ornella rose to her feet, her movements fluid and commanding. Merlin followed swiftly, head bowed, shoulders tight. They both turned toward the party and offered a curt bow—more out of obligation than respect—before disappearing into the kitchen.
The door didn’t close all the way.
Faint shouting could be heard.
Jekyll exhaled slowly and relaxed her posture, her fingers drumming against the table. She grumbled under her breath, her voice low and bitter. Well, ain’t this going so swimmingly. We had one diplomatic mission to complete, and we can’t even get to the point before the party is off fighting again.
Hyde was not amused. Everything was fine before everyone insisted on bringing that prisoner bastard here. We wouldn’t be worrying about a thing, and this meeting would be over already. Can’t we just kill the scientist and grab the bough?
No, Jekyll snapped internally. We don’t even know where it is!
It shouldn’t be that hard to find.
Let’s not make any more enemies than we need to, Jekyll thought, trying to steady herself. Surely, if we can all just sit down and talk, she will hand it over to us willingly…
But even she didn’t fully believe that.
The shouting in the kitchen grew louder, punctuated by the clatter of metal and the hiss of boiling water. Ornella’s voice was sharp and commanding. Merlin’s was muffled, defensive.
Charon leaned slightly toward Vergilius. “Do we intervene?”
Vergilius didn’t look away from the door. “No, this is a matter that doesn’t concern us.”
Jatayu’s hands twitched again, more agitated this time. His hands had stilled, but his fingers tapped against the table in a slow, uneven rhythm. Kuvira sipped her drink with deliberate calm, her eyes never leaving the kitchen door. The glass in her hand caught the light, casting a faint shimmer across her necklace and eyes.
After what felt like an eternity of muffled shouting and strained silence, the door creaked open again. Mallo, Lenore, Dante, and Alex returned to the table, their postures small and subdued. Their footsteps were hesitant, as if they feared disturbing the fragile tension that had settled over the room like dust.
“We’re back,” Mallo mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper. “We uh… yeah, we’re back. Apologies for the inconvenience—” She cut herself off mid-sentence, her eyes scanning the table. Her brow furrowed as she noticed the missing figures. Lenore opened her mouth to talk, but Mallo kept speaking, her words tumbling out faster than her thoughts. “Where did… Ornella go?”
Vergilius heaved a sigh, the sound heavy and deliberate. He turned back to the table, his gaze sharp. “You just missed them. The moment you started dragging your manager out of the house, she took her nephew to the side.” He cast a quick glance toward the kitchen. “They’re in there.”
Mallo’s eyes flicked toward the kitchen entrance. She watched the rest of her comrades settle back into their seats, then quietly moved closer to the doorway, her steps light and cautious. She leaned slightly, trying to catch a glimpse of the conversation unfolding beyond the threshold.
The rest of the table remained silent, ears straining to catch any fragments of the argument. Even Jatayu had stopped tapping, his arms drawn close to his back. Jekyll watched Mallo’s movements carefully, noting how she hovered near the first kitchen entrance, just close enough to hear—but not close enough to be seen.
Jekyll herself could barely make out the words, but the tone was unmistakable.
“I told you not to bring your friends! We talked about this!” Ornella hissed, her voice sharp and furious.
Merlin’s reply was more hushed, laced with paranoia. “They needed more boats. I cannot turn down their offer now!”
“Limbus Company doesn’t like the Middle! They have a terrible reputation! I told you not to get involved with them!”
“You asked for protection over our city since your stupid company wanted our one source of defense from the outside! I delivered!”
The words were jagged, overlapping, each sentence more desperate than the last.
Jekyll leaned in slightly, trying to catch more—but Lenore’s voice cut through the tension like a blade.
“All of you, very briefly,” she said, her tone hushed but firm. “We have reason to suspect Merlin is working for the Middle, who attacked Mark and is looking for Mallo.”
Jekyll’s focus snapped back to the table, her jaw tightening. The rest of the conversation in the kitchen faded into background noise.
Hyde stirred violently in her mind, voice seething. Lenore, mark my words—I WILL put your head on a stick if—
“Him working for the Middle?” Jatayu asked, his voice quiet, almost contemplative. “Why?”
Before anyone could answer, the shouting in the kitchen stopped abruptly. A moment later, Merlin burst out of the room, his footsteps loud and uneven. His face was flushed, his braided locks disheveled as he ran a hand through them in frustration. His eyes were wild, unfocused, and he didn’t notice Mallo ducking behind a nearby wall to avoid being seen.
She pressed herself against the wood, breath shallow, eyes darting toward the floor and then back to the party. Without a word, she slipped out the door behind Merlin, her movements quick and quiet.
Ornella emerged moments later, rubbing her eyes beneath her glasses with the heel of her palm. Her shoulders sagged, no longer held with the quiet dignity she usually wore like armor. The regal bearing that once defined her presence had eroded into something more human—more tired. Her steps were slow, deliberate, as if each one carried the weight of a conversation she wished hadn’t happened.
She returned to the table with a quiet sigh, lowering herself into her seat like someone who had just come in from a storm. Her fingers fidgeted with the edge of her sleeve before she folded her hands neatly in front of her.
“I apologize,” she said, voice low but steady. “Just as you have had interruptions, I hope you can excuse mine.”
Lenore didn’t wait. Her elbows were already on the table, fingers laced, eyes sharp. “I am eager to inquire,” she said, her tone clipped and direct. “Why are the Middle in your town?”
Ornella blinked slowly, as if the question had been expected but still landed with impact. She glanced down at the half-eaten food on her plate, untouched since the tension began. Her breath came out in a long, deliberate exhale.
“They’re not… supposed to be here,” she said, her voice tinged with frustration. “They shouldn’t be here. It seems they’ve gotten too comfortable with our hospitality.”
Lenore leaned forward slightly, her brow furrowing. “Then why are you being hospitable to the Middle of all people?”
Jekyll’s eyes narrowed, her gaze flicking toward Lenore with quiet disdain. What kind of stupid question is that? she thought, biting back the urge to speak aloud. You’d be a fool to turn down any hospitality to a Finger if they showed up at your door.
Ornella tilted her head, her long curly hair cascading over one shoulder like a curtain. Her expression was unreadable—somewhere between resignation and quiet defiance.
“Not me necessarily,” she said. “Most of the inhabitants of the city don’t pay attention to the miscrits of the city. When they first arrived in the ruins of Z Corp, they asked only for engineering skills. We welcomed them with open arms—there was a large sum of money behind the job offer, and we were desperate.” Her voice grew quieter, more introspective. “But now they show up more than frequently. They linger. They watch. I’ve been one of the few who’ve ventured into the city proper, and I, along with Merlin, know who they are. Convincing the rest of the town has not proven to be easy.”
Lenore’s fingers tapped against her chin as she fell into thought. Her gaze drifted, unfocused for a moment, before snapping back to Ornella. “Interesting,” she murmured. “Do you… hmm…” She paused, her words trailing off as she searched for the right phrasing. “Do you happen to know why they might be interested in us, particularly? I assume one of our own getting into a scuffle with them is not an accident in this scenario.”
Ornella hesitated. For the first time, her composure cracked. Her lips parted, but no words came immediately. She looked down at her hands, now clenched together tightly.
“I… I don’t,” she stammered, her voice thinner than before. “I’ve heard of scandals and trouble between the Middle and Limbus Company when I was employed with you all. Things that might not have been resolved to my knowledge. But I’m truly unaware of why they would be upset with any of you.”
Lenore nodded slowly, her eyes scanning Ornella’s face for any sign of withheld truth. Then she glanced at the empty seat beside her. “Is Merlin not going to be joining us?”
Ornella’s hands tightened further, her knuckles paling. Her voice faltered. “N-No,” she said, barely above a whisper. “Merlin will not be joining us for the rest of the negotiation. I apologize…” Her gaze dropped again, and for a moment, she looked almost fragile—like someone who had just lost a battle she hadn’t wanted to fight.
Lenore shifted in her seat, biting her tongue as if regretting her next words even before they left her mouth. “Well, I assume you two were hashing it out and uh…” She winced slightly. “Mark was fighting some of the Middle members, and I fear one of them might have escaped with information about the company. But that’s just my own speculation.” She leaned back, then forward again, adjusting her chair with a soft scrape against the floor. Her eyes swept across the rest of the party before settling back on Ornella. “That being said,” she said, her tone more formal now, “is there anything else you’d like to discuss before we get to the matter at hand?”
Ornella didn’t answer immediately. Her gaze lingered on the table, on the empty seat, on the door Merlin had stormed through. Then she looked up, her expression unreadable once more.
The room held its breath.
“Well, I was hoping to hear how some of your ventures had fared,” Ornella began in the friendly tone she greeted them with earlier. “...and how things are going regarding you and your coworkers…” She paused again, tilting her head back to look at the ceiling before continuing. “It sounds rather silly, but… if I can know that Limbus Company is doing better in terms of… uhm… teamwork, perhaps it would be easier for me to move on… and leave grudges behind.” She glanced at Dante. “I also slightly miss working for the company, it was fun seeing the world…”
Dante gave a slight nod. “It… I wish things could have been different. It’s nostalgic to see you again.” When she did not reply, the manager started to stammer over his words. “Wait, wait, I forgot you can’t hear me, uh—”
“The manager says that he wishes things were different, and it is somewhat nostalgic to be meeting you again,” Lenore translated.
Ornella nodded slowly. “Yes, it has… been a bit.”
“Wasn’t the LCB-2 a failure?” Hyde blurted out of Jekyll’s mouth.
The party turned to look at her, and she clapped her hand over her mouth. Hyde, shut up, not now! Jekyll cleared her throat, but curiosity got the better of her. “Forgive me for intruding on the topic, but… how could you miss it if it wasn’t great?”
Charon gently asked Lenore for her apple on the side as Ornella shifted her icy gaze to Jekyll. “Ah, the LCB-2 primarily failed due to the incompetence and inability of the subordinates to control their dangerous, boastful, and destructive behaviors, and the failure of the managers to keep them in line,” she glanced at Dante. “There was more in-fighting and deaths caused by the co-workers than the actual combat of the enemies; it was difficult to work cooperatively with co-workers I couldn’t trust and would kill me over an enemy.” She flattened her face. “This led to strained relationships and incidents like killing co-workers, which was done to me many times, cost us the golden bough more than once, and we failed to capture it due to the inability to wrangle in some member’s emotional outbursts.”
Hah, like how Dante can’t control Mark or Mallo, Hyde scoffed, crossing her arms. So he really hasn’t gotten better.
“Yeah, I think I know who she’s talking about,” Dante sighed.
Ornella glanced at Jatayu, who immediately sat up in his seat and cleared his throat. “Oh, uh, the manager was talking about knowing who you mean.” He glanced to the side and leaned on the armrest of his chair, his hand strangely stroking his beard as if he didn’t wish to remember what he was thinking.
Wasn’t the veteran part of the LCB-2 too? Jekyll glanced at Jatayu. I thought he would be… more excited to see her.
Maybe he was one of the few who stabbed her in the back, Hyde shrugged. Can’t blame him.
“I assume you know as well, Jatayu,” Ornella eyed him carefully before glancing at the rest of the group. “If I were to offer any unsolicited advice, or part some words of wisdom, although it is good to hear out your employees,” she glanced at Dante again, her friendly tone demolished. “You also have to keep them chained down. You can’t let them take a mile when you only give an inch. You’ve seen the consequences of that, Dante. I hope you understand that when you let that happen, the mission fails.”
The manager put his hands together and simply nodded before glancing to the floor.
I still can’t believe we chose to serve under this wimp; he can’t even defend himself, Hyde scolded.
“I might need to be a bit more strict,” Dante muttered, half to himself.
Ornella, who had been observing the party with a wistful gaze in between her lines, seemed momentarily caught between nostalgia and disappointment. There was a flicker in her eyes—perhaps the desire to share more stories from her time with the company, or to hear the tales of the current party’s exploits. But the restlessness around the table was palpable. Shoulders shifted. Eyes wandered. The warmth of the earlier meal had long since cooled.
She frowned and sat back in her seat, her posture losing its usual precision. Her spine curved slightly, and her hands folded in front of her, fingers interlaced with quiet tension.
“Does anyone else have any other questions before we get to the matter at hand?” she asked, her voice calm but clipped. Her gaze dropped to the floor. “...I know you are all here for the golden bough, but I wanted to ensure we covered all foundational content first. Context matters.”
“Understandable,” Lenore replied, ever the first to speak. She leaned forward, elbows on the table, fingers steepled. “Roughly speaking—and slightly related to the topic at hand—what are you doing out here in the outskirts?”
To the surprise of most at the table, Vergilius stirred. He turned his head toward Ornella, his voice low and deliberate. “I would also like to back up that question.”
Ornella’s eyes met Vergilius’s, bypassing Lenore entirely. There was a flicker of recognition there, perhaps even respect. She glanced around her home—the worn walls, the flickering lights, the quiet hum of the facility beneath their feet. Her lips curled into a sad smile.
“This is my home,” she said softly. “Where I was raised. Where my family lived. Where I watched them die. And where I watched Z Corp collapse into ash.” Her voice remained steady, but her eyes glazed slightly, as if replaying memories too vivid to ignore. “I remain here because I believe in restoration. In preservation. The survivors of the Smoke War—those who weren’t consumed by it—deserve more than abandonment. They deserve structure. Safety. Continuity. I’ve spent the last decade trying to rebuild what little society we have left.”
Kuvira shifted uncomfortably in her seat, her fingers tightening around her cup. Jekyll raised an eyebrow, noting the reaction but saying nothing.
“It’s not a place I can simply leave,” Ornella continued, her tone growing firmer. “To move to the city would be to abandon the very people who endured alongside me. We’ve built something here—not perfect, not polished, but functional. And I intend to protect it.”
Lenore tilted her head, unsatisfied. “More specifically, besides building a town, what exactly are you doing here? I might be naive in my knowledge, but it sounds like it will fail catastrophically for all those involved.”
Ornella didn’t flinch. She folded her hands more tightly, her voice sharpening with precision. “We’re conducting infrastructural stabilization. Energy redistribution. Environmental monitoring. We’ve repurposed remnants of Z Corp’s facilities to generate power and maintain basic sanitation. My team—what remains of it—handles everything from monster deterrence to medical triage. It’s not glamorous, but it’s necessary.” She paused, then added, “And yes, we fight. Everyone here is trained in some form of combat. The monsters on the outskirts don’t wait for diplomacy.”
“This facility you mention,” Lenore said, “I assume that’s where you’re making current use of your golden bough?”
“That is correct,” Ornella replied. “The golden bough is our primary source of protection. It stabilizes the perimeter and suppresses abnormality surges. Without it, we’d be exposed.”
“I’m no scientist,” Lenore said, “but I know the boughs suppress abnormalities. Do they suppress the monsters here in the outskirts as well?”
Ornella tapped her fingers against the table, her gaze drifting to the side as if a new thought had struck her. “Huh. I hadn’t considered that. To my knowledge, the suppression field is tuned to abnormalities specifically. But your suggestion is… intriguing. I’ll have to run a few tests.”
“I mean more—what do you do to take care of the normal monsters that you face out here?”
“It’s mostly direct engagement,” Ornella said. “We’ve developed rudimentary alert systems, and our patrols rotate nightly. It’s not elegant, but it’s effective. We’ve lost fewer people this year than last.”
A heavy silence settled over the table.
Then Ornella clapped her hands once, the sound crisp and final. She stood, her posture regaining its former strength. “Well,” she said, “this has been lovely. I’ve enjoyed seeing all of your faces again, and I appreciate your time in meeting with me—even if it’s through contractual obligation.” She glanced at each of them, her eyes lingering on Jekyll and Vergilius. “This would be a good time to discuss the golden bough. I was informed by the higher-ups—those who dismissed me—that your group would be coming to retrieve it. They asked what I would wish for in return.” Her voice grew quieter. “I was reluctant. The company fractured my career. It fractured my mind. I couldn’t bring myself to give it freely—not after everything.” She looked toward the window, where the outskirts stretched into shadow. “And it’s difficult to justify giving it away. It’s our main source of protection. But I do have a contingency plan. That said… my concern remains.” She turned back to the table, her expression unreadable. “I need to know that what you take won’t leave us exposed.”
Jatayu rose from his seat, his movements deliberate. He cleared his throat, the sound echoing slightly in the quiet room.
“I’m curious what your backup plan is, Ms. Ornella,” he said, voice steady but edged with concern.
Ornella hesitated. Her lips parted, then closed again. For a moment, she seemed to wrestle with the words, as if they tasted bitter before they could be spoken.
“Merlin claims he’s found… allies,” she said finally, her tone clipped. “Individuals who could replicate the bough’s protective function. I remain unconvinced. The science is untested, the ethics questionable. But it seems Limbus Company won’t stop at a diplomatic mission. If I refuse, they’ll escalate.”
She looked down at her hands, fingers twitching slightly.
“I know what it took to acquire golden boughs during my tenure with the company. The sacrifices. The casualties. The sheer volatility of the process. I doubt the higher-ups will simply accept my refusal. And the last thing I want is for a corporation of that scale to turn its gaze on my people.”
A heavy silence settled over the room.
Then Ornella leaned forward, her chair creaking softly beneath her. Her eyes swept across the party, her voice low but resolute. “I will give you the golden bough,” she said, each word deliberate, slicing through the tension like a scalpel. “But I ask—no, I require—that you use it wisely. And that some form of exchange be made. Protection. Knowledge. Infrastructure. Something to prevent abnormality breaches or monster attacks once our primary defense is gone.”
The party visibly relaxed, though the weight of her request lingered in the air.
Lenore, ever analytical, leaned in. “You mentioned extracting energy from your facility. Is that energy drawn directly from the golden bough?”
Ornella shook her head. “No. The bough is purely defensive—its suppression field stabilizes the perimeter, but it’s not a power source. Our energy comes from three contained abnormalities housed in our facility. It’s a repurposed structure—off-brand, modeled loosely after the original Lobotomy Corporation framework.”
Lenore blinked. “I wasn’t aware a Lobotomy Corporation facility existed out here. Let alone one still operational.”
“It didn’t,” Ornella replied. “Not officially. But remnants of the old infrastructure remained. Between my nephew and me, we reverse-engineered enough of the containment protocols to build something functional. Crude, but effective.”
“Ornella used to work in L Corp, as did Mallo.” Dante nodded. “It could be reconstructed. The knowledge base exists.”
“So,” Lenore said slowly, “do we have that technology in our company?”
“In the LCE,” Dante confirmed.
Ornella folded her arms, her expression unreadable. Her gaze drifted toward the far wall, where a faint hum from the facility’s containment systems pulsed like a heartbeat beneath the floorboards.
“It’s a delicate balance,” she said, voice low but firm. “The abnormalities provide energy, yes—but they’re volatile. We monitor them constantly. One breach, and the entire system collapses. The suppression field from the golden bough helps stabilize them, but it’s not a perfect solution.”
Lenore tilted her head, intrigued. “I hope to look into one of them someday,” she said with a casual shrug. “Sounds like a very interesting world to explore.”
Then she turned her gaze back to Ornella, her tone shifting to something more formal. “In short, Ms. Ornella, you’re saying you’ll hand us the golden bough? Is there anything we can give you in return for this exchange? Because you don’t want to cause poor will between yourself and the company, if I understood you correctly. Such negative consequences can follow if we do not reach an agreement.”
Ornella blinked slowly, her expression mirroring the one Jekyll wore—equal parts disbelief and fatigue. Jekyll rubbed her eye, trying not to fall asleep in the middle of what felt like a roundabout negotiation loop. She just asked for another form of protection, Jekyll thought, resisting the urge to groan.
“It feels wrong just taking it,” Jatayu added, his voice quiet. “Especially without doing anything to assist.”
Wow, no one here listens. Hyde muttered, echoing Jekyll’s thoughts with a sharper edge.
Ornella, however, remained composed. Her patience, honed by years of scientific rigor and bureaucratic nonsense, held firm. “All I ask,” she said, “is an exchange of information. On abnormalities—their suppression, their energy output, their behavioral patterns. I want access to research, containment protocols, and any advancements your company has made in using them for protection. Efficiency is key. If there’s a way to extract energy more safely, I want to know it.” She paused, then added, “And yes, a financial sum would be appreciated. Not for me, but for the protection and sustainability of my community. We’re not asking for luxury. We’re asking for survival.”
Lenore nodded slowly, her fingers tapping against the table. “I’m not sure if I—or even the manager—can make agreements on behalf of the company. But to me, that sounds reasonable.”
“Agreed,” Dante said, adjusting his coat. “I figured that since the company sent us here to be diplomatic, we could take some charge in that direction.”
A beat passed. No one moved to translate.
Jekyll sighed and stood, brushing off her coat with a flick of her wrist. “Uh, the manager said he doesn’t see why it would be a problem,” she said, voice dry.
Ornella nodded slowly, her eyes scanning the room. “Very well,” she said. “When can I expect this transaction to occur?” She leaned forward slightly, her tone sharpening. “I’d prefer it be written. On paper. With signatures. I want something to reference if Limbus Company decides to pull a quick one on me.” Her gaze lingered on Dante, then Vergilius, then Lenore—measuring each of them. “I’ve seen what happens when promises are made without documentation. I won’t let my town be another casualty of corporate ambiguity.”
Kuvira sunk into her seat even more, her shoulders folding inward as she rubbed her face with both hands. The usual spark in her demeanor—her cheerful tone, her chatty rhythm—had vanished entirely. Jekyll couldn’t recall a single word from her since the meeting began. What is up with her? she wondered, watching Kuvira’s silence stretch longer than expected.
Vergilius shifted slightly, turning to face Ornella again. His expression softened, the usual stoicism giving way to something gentler. Ornella’s eyes caught the white star pendant resting against the color fixer’s chest, and her lips curved into a quiet smile. By the look in her eyes, it was clear she had given it to him once, and seeing him wear it now brought her a flicker of joy.
The color fixer spoke softly, his voice barely louder than the hum of the facility beneath them. “I suppose we can issue manual reports and documents,” he began. “We can have them printed out as all the files go through me before leaving for other departments. I’m positive that I have copies for you.”
“Very well,” Ornella nodded gently, her tone composed. She paused, her gaze drifting across the table. “Slightly unrelated topic, have you guys received the letters that I have sent?”
Vergilius didn’t respond immediately, but a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips. His eyes dropped to the pendant once more, and Ornella seemed to take that as her answer.
“I trust that Limbus Company will give me what I ask for in exchange for the golden bough,” she said sweetly, her voice dipping into a hushed tone.
Dante nodded and turned toward Jatayu to translate for him. The winged man stroked his beard thoughtfully. “The manager did say he received many of your letters, as well as I have,” he said. “Have you received our—I mean mine?”
“Indeed, I have,” Ornella replied, her voice steady. “It took quite a few months, but eventually we were able to find the mailman at the edge of the border to receive the letters.”
She stood from her seat with quiet grace, her coat falling neatly around her legs. “Is there any other discussion topics before I fetch what you are seeking?”
“It should be mentioned that sinner number eighteen has received many of your letters as well, though it is unnecessary information,” Vergilius added, his voice as calm as ever.
Ornella’s smile brightened for a moment before her eyes grew solemn. “I really hope Ithas is doing alright. Out of all of the coworkers, he was the most… competent one, yet the least free.”
She stepped away from the table and headed toward the door of her abode, her footsteps light but purposeful. “Please help yourself to any of the food left on the table. I shall fetch the golden bough. If you wish to see my facility, you may follow me.” Her gaze hardened briefly as she turned back. “Although I recommend not touching anything.”
Jekyll immediately rose from her seat, her curiosity piqued. She followed the scientist closely, her steps quick and eager. Despite their differences in scientific fields, she would never pass up the opportunity to observe someone else’s work firsthand.
“Should be interesting,” Lenore said, rising from her seat with Dante. They exchanged a glance before trailing behind. “Though I assume there would be no containment breaches?”
“Yes, so long as nothing is touched or disturbed, nothing shall go wrong,” Ornella answered, her voice firm.
Kuvira remained in her seat, her eyes distant, unfocused. Her posture was rigid, arms folded tightly across her chest as if bracing against a memory. She didn’t move, didn’t speak, didn’t even glance toward the door. It wasn’t disinterest—it was something heavier, something rooted deep. As if she had no desire to enter that kind of facility ever again. The others didn’t press her. Her silence spoke louder than any refusal.
The rest of the party slowly followed Ornella down a winding stone staircase, the cool night air brushing against their skin like a whisper. The steps were uneven, worn smooth by time, and the descent felt longer than it was—each echoing footfall swallowed by the underground. The facility they entered was starkly different from the last: compact, quiet, almost intimate in its design. Just one hallway stretched ahead, flanked by three sealed rooms. Each door bore a stand with basic information etched into metal plaques, their surfaces slightly frosted from the chill.
Jekyll leaned in to read them, her breath fogging faintly in the air. One room housed a literal eye—HE level—that wished to see all. Its description was clinical, but the implication was unsettling. Another contained a motherly bird—WAW level—whose instinct to protect her young was so strong it bordered on obsession. The final room held an ALEPH-class abnormality, deceptively benign in its craving: it only wanted to eat raspberries. Suppressing it hinged entirely on satisfying that desire. Huh , Jekyll mused, no wonder they had so many of that fruit around here.
The facility itself was bathed in a muted shade of blue. The lighting was soft, almost serene, casting long shadows that danced gently across the floor. Tinted observation windows lined the hallway, allowing the party to glimpse the abnormalities within. Most were asleep, their forms barely stirring—except for the eye, which remained open, unblinking, and eerily aware despite its containment.
Ornella approached the control panel on the left wall, her fingers moving with practiced precision. A series of soft beeps followed as she pressed a few buttons, and a hatch slid open with a low mechanical hum. Inside, nestled in a cradle of reinforced glass, lay the golden bough. It was smaller than the previous one they had collected—delicate, almost fragile in appearance. Ornella reached in and lifted it from its throne with reverence.
As she did, a sudden power surge rippled through the facility. The lights flickered once, casting brief shadows that danced across the walls. A deep, resonant hum filled the air, vibrating through the floor and into their bones. Outside, the protective force field surrounding the town activated with a low roar, folding in on itself like a closing curtain. The sound echoed through the underground chamber, final and absolute—like the sealing of a chapter.
Ornella turned and handed the sliver of the bough to Dante, her fingers lingering for a moment longer than necessary. Lenore, watching the exchange, spoke again. “Didn’t these facilities power entire cities long ago?”
“Yes,” Ornella nodded, her voice steady but her eyes betraying unease. “We don’t need as much energy as normal cities do.” Her worried expression couldn’t be hidden, not now, not as she gave away the main source of protection for her town to the manager who had once betrayed her. Her lips pressed together, the weight of her decision settling visibly across her shoulders.
This level of forgiveness is foolish, Hyde rolled her eyes in Jekyll’s mind, her voice sharp and unimpressed. It is clear Dante hasn’t changed. Is she dumb enough to give him this chance?
We can discuss this later, Hyde , Jekyll replied inwardly, her thoughts tight and conflicted.
Ornella took a deep breath, her chest rising slowly. The ice on her hands shifted faintly as she exhaled, fracturing into delicate patterns that shimmered under the soft blue light. “I hope you all achieve your greatest desires. You deserve it.”
“Thank you,” Lenore replied, her tone gentle. “Hope things go well for you as well.”
Jekyll stammered, trying to push past Hyde’s commentary and find her own voice. “It was nice meeting you,” she managed, her words sincere despite their awkwardness.
Ornella nodded in thanks before stepping aside, clearing the path for them. “You’re free to stay as long as you like, or if you need to leave immediately, I will not stop you. Be careful on your way out. With the golden bough removed, there may or may not be a fluctuation of monsters that will come to swarm you. Try to use it for protection if you can.”
Alex approached Ornella quietly, his presence calm and grounding. He rested a hand on her shoulder, the gesture simple but full of meaning. “For what it’s worth, I hope you achieve all of your goals.” He smiled softly, and it was the kind of smile that carried no expectation—just hope.
The scientist returned that smile, her eyes brightening with genuine warmth. She looked at the group, her gaze lingering on each of them. “Thank you. Thank you for coming to meet and negotiate with me. It has meant a lot, and I wish you all the best of luck.”
“Thank you, Ornella,” Dante said, his voice solemn, the ticking in his speech slower now, wearier. “I know you can’t hear me right now, but… this means… a lot. It was nice to see an old friend. And… again, I’m sorry for the past.”
Lenore relayed Dante’s words to Ornella with care.
“All is forgiven, Dante.” Ornella smiled warmly, her posture softening as she clasped her hands in front of her. Her head tilted slightly to the side, a gesture of quiet affection. “Thankfully, I’ve… learned to get past the mistakes of others, as people have learned to forgive mine. You are always welcome here. Thank you for always believing in me.”
The party went silent for a moment, the air thick with emotion and unspoken memories. Then, with a light nod, the manager raised the bough to his head to resonate. The room held its breath.
And… it did not resonate with anyone around.
Which meant the bough would go straight to the headquarters.
A collective sigh passed through the group, quiet and resigned. They began gathering their belongings with slow, deliberate movements, the weight of the mission settling in their limbs. No one spoke much as they exited the facility, their footsteps echoing softly against the stone. The night air greeted them with a chill as they made their way back to the bus parked outside the ruins of Z Corp.
Kuvira lingered for a moment, her eyes scanning the remnants of the place. Her gaze was long, unreadable, as if trying to make peace with something she couldn’t name. Then she turned and followed the rest of the party, her steps quiet.
That left Jekyll, Ornella, and Vergilius in the facility.
The scientist glanced back at the Red Gaze with shaky eyes, her posture tense, her fingers twitching slightly at her sides. She looked as though she were assembling her words piece by piece, afraid they might fall apart mid-sentence.
“T-Thank you for coming all the way out here, Vergilius,” she began, rubbing her neck awkwardly and staring at the floor. “I know you probably didn’t have to come with the party, but you did and… I appreciated that.”
Jekyll, still inside, watched the exchange from the corner of her eye. She had never seen a man’s eyes soften faster than Vergilius’s did when he looked at Ornella to respond.
“In reality, I never had a choice,” he said, his voice quiet. “Faust made it a requirement that I come with…” He paused, adjusting the white star pendant on his shirt. “...But I’m glad I did come.”
Ornella smiled again, her gaze lifting. She pointed at the pendant, her voice gentler. “You’re wearing it. I was… pleasantly surprised to see that.”
Jekyll began to move toward the door, careful not to draw attention to herself. She didn’t want to look like she was eavesdropping, though she lingered just outside, her back to the wall. Hyde, ever impatient, was already planning a route to bolt the moment the guide emerged. Jekyll could only hear their voices now, muffled but clear enough.
There was a pause before Vergilius spoke again. “Charon liked how it shone. I suppose I chose to wear it for more than one person. The gift was… very thoughtful of you.”
Another long silence followed, filled only by the faint hum of the facility’s systems.
“I don’t wish to keep you away from your party,” Ornella said softly. “But… know that you’re always welcome here. I hope you come visit again, or maybe… We’ll cross paths in the city by some string of fate.”
Vergilius gave a soft chuckle, the sound light and rare. “Your hospitality has been much appreciated, Ms. Ornella.”
“If you end up leaving Limbus Company, you will always have a place here.”
The figure would solemnly lift his head, peering around the facility, the open sky in the cracks beaming with twinkling stars, yet none quite as bright as the one adorned upon his breast. “The Outskirts are... less than an ideal place... however,” With a face vacant of hatred or scorn, instead filled with the sentimental curve of a softly made smile, he spoke. “Perhaps... if Charon wishes to see the stars, so too shall I.”
“...Stay safe out there, Verg. Thank you again.”
Jekyll assumed the next shuffling sound was them hugging each other. She didn’t look back. Hyde nudged her mentally, urging her to move before the Red Gaze stepped outside.
She quickly shuffled her way up the staircase, down the street, past Ornella’s house, past the café, and into the bus—just in time to avoid being spotted.
Well, that was disgusting . Hyde barfed internally.
They didn’t talk about anything important, she added, thoroughly unimpressed.
Everyone, including Mark and Mallo, was seated in the bus, the hum of the engine a low, steady backdrop to the quiet shuffle of bodies settling in. The air inside was warm, dimly lit by the soft glow of overhead lights and the flickering screen of a movie playing near the front.
Kuvira sat by the window, her chin resting on her hand, eyes fixed on the distant silhouette of the Z Corp ruins. Her gaze was unreadable—somewhere between mourning and reflection—as the landscape rolled past in slow motion. She hadn’t spoken since they boarded, and no one had pressed her to.
Near the middle row, Faust had dozed off, her head gently tilted against Mark’s shoulder. He didn’t seem to mind. His eyes remained fixed on the screen, watching the movie with a kind of detached interest, one hand absentmindedly scrolling through a tablet on his lap. The film’s dialogue murmured softly, half-lost beneath the hum of the road and the occasional creak of the bus frame.
Mallo was curled up in her seat with a notepad, scribbling something abstract and chaotic—lines that looked like they might be notes and charts, or maybe just feelings. Her handwriting was erratic, looping and sharp, as if trying to pin down a thought that refused to sit still. Occasionally, she glanced up at the screen, then back down, her brow furrowed, as if trying to capture a mood rather than a scene.
In front of her, Charon flipped through a worn paperback, her eyes scanning the faded text with quiet focus. After a few pages, she closed the book with a soft thump, set it aside, and placed her hands on the wheel. The bus gave a low groan as it stirred to life, headlights cutting through the dusk as they began to roll forward.
Eventually, Vergilius made his way onto the bus—the last to board. His expression was solemn, his steps deliberate. He paused near the front, casting a glance toward the screen before launching into a curt critique of the unauthorized television setup. His tone was dry, bordering on disdain. Mark, caught off guard, tried to shift the blame onto anyone else, gesturing vaguely toward Mallo and even Dante. The conversation was awkward, punctuated by half-hearted excuses and Vergilius’s unimpressed silence.
Jatayu stood nearby, his posture steady but thoughtful. He approached Dante, who sat with his hands folded, the soft flicker of flame atop his head casting faint shadows on the ceiling.
“Do you think Limbus Company would mind if I made a phone call to some friends in P Corp?” the veteran asked, voice low but firm.
Dante turned slightly, his gaze steady beneath the mask. “I don’t think so. You might need to ask Faust. Why?”
Jatayu glanced toward the window, watching the ruins of Z Corp fade into the distance. His voice carried a quiet conviction. “Currently, since the remains of Z Corp are golden bough-less and suffering the trials of the outskirts, and might have to resort to the protection of the Middle, it felt wrong to just… leave them with nothing.”
He paused, his fingers flexing slightly at his sides.
“Knowing that I used to work in P Corp, maybe I can get a few connections to potentially… maybe, get a protection delivery package to drop on them to help them out.”
He turned back to Dante, his expression earnest. “I ask again—do you think Limbus Company would mind if I made that kind of phone call to a different corporation?”
Dante didn’t answer immediately. The flames on his head flickered silently, casting a brief glow across his mask. He seemed to weigh the question—not just the logistics, but the implications.
Then, with a short nod, he gave his answer.
Jatayu exhaled quietly, the tension in his shoulders easing just a little. It was as if he finally felt ease that his actions, for once in his life, could protect someone he cared about—not through orders or obligation, but through choice.
The bus rolled on, its wheels humming against the pavement as the outskirts gave way to the fractured glow of city lights. Neon signs flickered past the windows, casting brief washes of color across the passengers’ faces. The movie continued to play, its sound low and distant, like a memory half-remembered.
One by one, the party began to disperse—some slipping into sleep, others lost in their own quiet rituals. Faust stirred and sat up slowly, blinking as she adjusted her coat. Mallo tucked her notepad away and leaned back, eyes half-lidded. Charon kept her eyes on the road, her hands steady on the wheel.
Jekyll plumped into her seat with a soft sigh, her coat wrapped tightly around her shoulders. She leaned against the window, cheek pressed to the cool glass, watching the city blur past in streaks of light and shadow. Her reflection stared back at her—tired, thoughtful, unreadable.
Her thoughts were loud in the quiet.
What foolish forgiveness…
It will destroy whatever that scientist built up for herself…
Hyde offered her input. I’m sure the Middle will want ot see us very soon…
She didn’t say it aloud. She didn’t need to. The words sat heavy in her chest, like a warning she knew would go unheard. Ornella Alwera had made her choice.
Outside, the city pulsed with life—indifferent, sprawling, full of stories that would never intersect again. Inside, the bus carried its passengers forward—toward their next mission, their next fracture, their next moment of clarity or collapse.
And Jekyll kept watching the window, waiting for the peace held in the moment to run away when their next mission was eventually assigned.
This is where we introduce two new players to the party: thus, two new characters: Boy from 'The Witches' and Alex, an original character. Because Canto 2 is in preparation, the party will be doing minor intervallos between cantos, just like in Limbus Company.
(Also this is a great intervallo because I get to bring back an old character of mine).
Enjoy!
Masterpost
Canto 1: Ch 20 <--> Intervallo Ch 2
~o0o~
It was a miracle, yet to no one’s surprise that the party came out of the mission with no sunburns, at least of what they could feel. Dante’s rewinding magic covered everything from pain to death to a simple cold. The wind swept against the group until they worked their way through the exits of the facility.
The descent down the spire was a silent one. Each of the members kept to their own. Mallo was the only one to speak regarding the egg of the ALEPH abnormality she carried so casually. She dumped information on Dante that he likely already knew, or didn’t wish to hear. The manager didn’t say much; instead, it seemed as if he only listened out of obligation.
Jekyll’s mind remained on the sunset, engrained in her memory. It faded as the darkness of the city and facilities came into view. Everything from the Lobotomy Corporation facility to the backstreets of Q Corp was a blur. Her attention was ripped from the sunset only when she spotted the bus in the distance.
Hey, I was looking at that! Hyde frowned.
Besides the illusional bus was a blue van. It was small, but just like the bus, it was likely bigger on the inside than the outside. Some would recognize the van as the one that gave them the invitation to the company. A group of people the party had not seen before stood outside, gazing at the approaching bus team.
“What’s the van doing here?” Mallo cut off her rant and slowed her pace toward the bus.
“It’s the LCCB; the Limbus Company Before Team,” Dante replied, his flames licking the sky. “I wonder why they are here.”
Mallo pondered the thought for a moment, catching up with the manager as her black hair swayed behind her.
“They’ve helped us a few times in the past,” Dante continued. “They could be briefing Vergilius on our next mission.”
Mallo nodded, leading the party toward the bus. “Oh okay. So, they go and find where we are supposed to go? I guess that’s why they are called the before team.”
“Quite.”
Mallo groaned, hoisting the egg up in her arms once again. “Ugh… I’m tired and ready to lie down.”
“It has been a few days,” Dante affirmed. “Let’s go inside.”
The spider shifted slowly in Jekyll’s arms, unconsciously forcing her to hold it tighter so it didn’t slip. The doctor did her best to stay apathetic toward the creature. I can’t get attached to it…
Dante stopped a few feet away from the Before Team outside the bus. “Enjoy your well-deserved rest,” he gestured to the bus. “You all earned it.”
Jatayu adjusted Mark’s sleeping body in his arms, grunting. “It’s truly been a long week.”
Mallo and Dante were stopped by the before team regarding the abnormality egg, allowing Jekyll and the others to pass by onto the bus immediately. As the door opened, Jekyll met Charon’s dull eyes and gray figure. The doctor stepped onto the bus and gave a polite nod before glancing down the bus hall.
Vergilius and Faust were in a close huddle, debriefing over a handful of papers Faust was handing to Vergilius. “...And as such, that’ll be our destination coming forth. Faust hopes you’re interested in letting the party know.” She informed.
The Red Gaze slowly turned his attention to the party grouping up on the bus. He sighed warily. “Speaking of, there the miscreants come.”
Jekyll slowly moved out of the way and took a seat nearby, making room for more of the members to hop on. Mallo and Dante got on last, missing the egg. Outside of the window, Pen and Othello hopped into the blue van and disappeared as the Before Team closed the door.
As the guide finished his comment, Mallo chuckled. “Miscreants? I wouldn’t call us that. We did get the golden bough.”
He wasn’t impressed. “Am I supposed to congratulate you for doing the bare minimum that your job requires?”
“Miscreants don’t do their jobs, though.”
Vergilius shrugged, unphased. “You did better than the last group before you, I suppose. You got the first golden bough without failure.”
Jatayu glanced to the side, dropping Mark onto a nearby chair and shifting uncomfortably.
“You all have progress reports anyway,” The Red Gaze continued. “To inform me on how your journey went.”
Mallo inhaled sharply, clasping her fingers together in a single clap. "I... I can tell the report,” she turned toward Dante.
If the manager had a face, he would be concerned. “Are you sure you want to?”
“Well, yes. After what you said, I think I should, right? It’s to make me improve…” The former Lobotomy Corporation employee turned to face the color fixer. “I’m going to lay it straight. Uh, it was a disaster.”
The next five minutes consisted of Mallo laying out in clear detail the events that occurred along the mission. She made sure to emphasize how the party was almost in one big argument the entire time and did not get along with one another. To Jekyll’s surprise, she also informed him how she was mostly the cause of it and her fault in some of the mission setbacks. To nobody’s surprise, she also made sure to account for Mark’s issues and death, Jekyll’s habits, Lenore’s brawl with her, Pen and Othello’s absence, and much more. It got to the point where Jekyll stopped paying attention because of how long it took.
It was interesting enough to get the bus driver’s attention, but her gaze wasn’t as harsh as Faust’s and Vergilius’s. By the time the report was wrapped up, the Red Gaze sighed. “I suppose… I expected too much from you lot. I would have thought that in a life-or-death situation—where your dreams and heart’s desires are on the line—you would not have even considered making choices such as these. It was foolish of you, Mallo, to attack your lifeline to this mortal world. It should have been taken with more concern than a mere accident.”
“It wasn’t an accident, though. It was panic, but it doesn’t excuse my actions. I was, however, the only one to defend Dante against the Sun King." She snapped with annoyance laced in her tongue. “Genuinely, I appreciated the others going to help Jatayu, but it was just me! Lenore and Pen did nothing for the majority of the fight! I should have a punishment for my previous actions, yes, but just as I made a mistake, others did too!” She closed her eyes, huffing a frustrated breath. “I shall accept the punishment that the Red Gaze deems fit.”
To say that Jekyll did not expect a smirk to appear on the guide’s face was an understatement. “Worry not.” He did not force Mallo’s head to rise when she lowered it. “Your punishment is on the way. There’s nothing that I can do; that what comes next won’t hurt you more.”
Mallo lifted an eyebrow. “What?”
“You will learn in time,” he continued. “But temporaries require you to learn the lessons here and now. You’ll be on Mirror Dungeon duty. Specifically, cleaning them.”
Mallo furrowed her eyes further. The punishment seemed inadequate. “Okay…? I can do that.”
“Kuvira is already doing your job. She will be there to guide you through the process. You should go and assist her once this meeting is over.”
The doctor hadn’t noticed when the prisoner woke up, but by how he communicated, it was clear Mark heard a lot of the conversation. “Yeah, uhm, old man, Vergie,” he raised his hand and stood to his feet, swooning back and forth. “Cool if I call you that?”
The smirk on Vergilius’ face vanished. “No.”
“There are a few things Mallo left out. On the second encounter on the second floor of the lab or whatever, Mallo came in contact with the mermaid thing that was obsessed with love. She merged with it at some point, shared memories with it, and tried to attack me first. I learned this the second I fused with it. I learned she wanted to kill me with it. You know, just some information that might be useful to you.”
Mallo seemed confused. “Huh?”
“Do you not remember the mermaid?”
“Oh, the thing that said it would do anything for our love? It was a dark room with controlled lights, which I was helping Jatayu find and turn on.”
“It was dark in there,” Jatayu added.
Mark turned his gaze back toward Vergilius. “I don’t know why you don’t like being called pal, Vergilius sir; anyway, clockhead has the whole thing in his memory if you want to see it.”
Mallo objected before the guide could say anything. “Me and Mark combined our efforts against the mermaid. Together, we crippled and defeated it.”
“It doesn’t matter if we did something good about it; our good and bad actions should be reported equally because we are to be punished for them.”
Mallo addressed her posture and hand toward Mark, looking at Vergilius with a see-what-I-mean glare.
“I’m just giving you all the information, Verg. I did what was right back there, and I disobeyed Dante, which got me jumped by everyone. Everyone ganged up on me, a mere twenty-one-year-old who’s new to all this.”
Mallo’s temper started to boil. “It was Dante’s command to do so!”
“To dispose of me, not to brutalize me as you all did. I cannot imagine you would brutalize children in such a manner.”
Hyde scoffed, making Jekyll shudder. Wanna bet?
Mallo raised her hands and turned toward the back of the bus. “Okay, I’m going to help Kuvira. Don’t you ever… say that again.”
Mark scoffed, a smirk on his face. “See what I mean? I’m sorry about her, Vergilius. She’s so tempered.”
Vergilius did not get to speak as Mallo stormed away from the party toward the Mirror Dungeon door in the bus. He sighed, rubbing his head. “This child show has gone on for longer than it should have. I will dictate a fitting punishment later, but more pressing matters are at hand. All of you, take your seats. Faust has important information to brief.”
Those who weren’t seated found their seats quickly. It did not matter at the time where they were in accordance with the bus, as no one would stay there long after the meeting.
Faust bowed her head low before staring toward the manager. “First of all, it is worth mentioning your success. Congratulations on your first assignment. This has proved well for your first bonding teamwork despite your complications. This is a stepping stone and a new start to a more grand future than previously seen with the preceding teams. However, there are some pressing news that must be addressed. Othello and Pen, as you can see, are no longer with us. Othello has violated the company code via funds for his unique ammo. Secondly, due to extraneous circumstances and taboos, Pen violated different city regulations and was handled before Limbus Company was dealt with legally. With two open vacancies, Limbus Company has hired and oriented two new individuals to join your party. Both should be arriving in three, two, one…”
Faust seemed to be pleased by the fact the newcomers came on her cue. The first to step in was a young, blonde man. He was already dressed in LCB attire, which was well-kept and ironed to perfection. He was as tall as the manager, only really being taller than Jekyll. He ran his large hands through his hair and took an observing glance around the party before his eyes stopped on the Red Gaze. He seemed more unnerved the more he looked at him, but he still carried himself with the composure of running by a script. He took a quick, sharp breath to compose himself. “Is this the bus that the LCCB team mentioned?” His voice did not match his tidy appearance and was pitched up like a young boy. “I am Alex. I hope our time together will go productively.”
Jekyll leaned back in her chair, observing him up and down. She smiled to herself. Huh. He looks like Lucas. If only he knew what he was in for.
Faust is the first to welcome him. “Welcome, twenty-fifth sinner of Limbus Company, Alex.”
Dante stepped up from his seat behind Jekyll and brushed off his uniform. He approached Alex, extending his hand. “Tick tock, tick tock, I know you can’t hear me.”
There was a brief moment of silence as Alex stood there, glancing at Dante curiously, before Mark came up behind the manager, translating for the new kid. “You need to shake his hand.”
Dante looked back nervously but nodded in approval before speaking again. “Welcome to Limbus Company, Alex. I am your boss.”
Mark translated. “Welcome to Limbus Company. This clockhead is your boss. You need to make a deal with him.”
Alex looked on with concern, still not moving from his prior position. “Is everything alright?”
The back door of the bus opened, and Mallo walked back into the meeting room. It was so quick—too quick, in fact. Cleaning the Mirror Dungeon should’ve taken longer.
When no one responded, Alex cleared his throat and adjusted his suit also. “Well, I’d better get on with it then. Thank you for providing this opportunity.” He firmly stuck out his hand and clasped it tightly, shaking it up and down.
It was clear Alex experienced the mortal coil around his soul loosen and tied around Dante with the estranged and exotic look in his eyes. He took a moment to process but didn’t have time to conclude before Dante started speaking.
“I think that would do the job,” Dante began. “Can you hear me now?”
Alex tilted his head to the side. “Yes? I think so?”
Dante let go of the newcomer’s hand. “Good! It’s a pleasure to have a new member on the team! It might be rough settling in honestly, but we will get you situated swiftly.”
Just as he finished, the doors of the bus flung open as another newcomer came flying in, late behind his schedule. He scrambles in, shaking his head to get the curly, brown hair out of his face, standing just above Alex and Dante in height. His eyes shone with excitement and curiosity, but he was skittish and paranoid with every movement he took. He found his footing and stood straight, catching his breath. His human hand rested and fidgeted with his collar tirelessly. He was also quite young, perhaps younger than the first. He was much more intriguing than Alex, as he was accompanied by a rat’s tail, hand, leg, and ears. He tried to straighten out his tie but failed to do so. “S-Sorry I’m late,” he stammered, talking quickly with anxiousness. “I got held up by something. Hi, I’m Boy; it’s very nice to meet you.” He extended his rat hand in the air and tried to wave it normally, but it flopped oddly as if the movement wasn’t natural.
I didn’t think I’d see someone from Old G Corp, Hyde scoffed. What kind of unique paintings I could make with their special parts remains to be seen.
Hyde!
“Oh my gosh!” Dante backed away, resting one of his hands in front of his chest in shock. “That man’s a rat!”
Mallo tried desperately to hold back a burst of laughter.
Mark raised an eyebrow. “A lil’ bit racist, aren’t you, Dante?”
Lenore shrugged. “Well, look at him. He is a rat.”
“Even if he is, you don’t have to say it in such a way, Dante.” Despite his criticism, it seemed like Mark enjoyed the opportunity he pounced upon.
Mallo couldn’t hold it back anymore and let the cackle escape her throat.
“You can understand this lad?” Boy gestured to Mark and Dante. “All I heard was a train horn.”
“You need to give…” Mark paused briefly. “Whatever hand that works to the manager and shake it to understand him. It’s part of the contract.”
Alex gently stood to the side, letting go of Dante’s hand and watching the scene unfold, almost grateful the attention was off him.
Boy shook his head, understanding. “Oh! Duh, right, I’ll give my right hand,” he raised it to show Mark it was his human hand before extending it toward Dante.
Dante reached out and shook it firmly before nodding. “Welcome to Limbus Company. Sorry for my sudden outburst. I apologize if it was offensive.”
The second newcomer shrugged carelessly. “If it was a surprise about my body, it’s understandable. It’s not every day you see someone like me. I didn’t hear you anyway!”
Mallo warped her way around the people standing in the hall to approach the new members. Her eyes narrowed in disappointment. “So who are these two?”
“Faust introduced them as Alex and Boy,” Lenore replied before furrowing her own eyebrows. “Wait, his name is just Boy?”
Mallo glanced around. “Did… Did you not see me leave the room earlier?”
Faust stepped in. “However, you did come back.”
“After you had already explained everything,” Mallo interjected, dismissing Faust. “Who is who?”
Boy raised his rat hand again. “I’m Boy.”
A smile grew on Lenore’s face. “Are you Boy, or are you Man?”
He rolled his eyes. “I’ve heard that so many times.”
“It’s a unique name, but not the most unusual name I’ve heard,” Mallo acknowledged.
Dante gently rested his hand on Mallo’s shoulder to get her to stop before speaking up. “Well… Boy, Alex, I am Dante, just as I’ve introduced myself earlier. I am your manager, but I suppose it’s time you meet and greet the rest of your team. Lenore, could you start by introducing herself?”
Lenore gave Dante a side-eye. “Sure, just my name or…?” She cleared her throat, not waiting for a reply. “I’m Lenore; I mostly just love fighting at work. The same goes for all of us. I hope you do not suck at hitting things because we will do it a lot.”
Alex nodded, whereas Boy seemed unsure, his arms shaking slightly. “I’m not great at it, but I can manage and get around.”
“By distractions?”
“Uhm… poisons.”
Mark scoffed. “So you’re a coward.”
The rat glanced toward the prisoner. “What? Yes...”
Mallo smirked to herself.
“You got the balls, kid,” Mark commented.
“For once, I agree with Mark,” Mallo added.
“Like how you agreed with me in the dungeon, inside the mermaid?”
“What? No! We never agreed there!”
“But we agreed to get out of the situation together, and we agreed on—”
“Shut up!”
“When I am right, you are mad,” Mark shrugged, turning away from the newcomers and walking toward the back of the bus.
Alex didn’t let the silence last long. “I’m good at cleaning up foes if that helps. I make sure it doesn’t get lost in the sauce.”
“Do you mean actual cleaning or killing?” Lenore asked.
“Both could be helpful,” Boy commented.
“One job is for the LCA, not us,” Lenore clarified.
Dante cleared his throat, causing everyone to silence their voices. “You just met Mark and Mallo,” he pointed to each one.
“I thought you said you were going in a circle? Jatayu is next,” Mallo gestured to the veteran with a soft smile.
Jatayu nodded slowly. “Thank you, Mallo,” he bowed his head toward the newcomers. “Pleasure to meet you. I’m Jatayu. A free shot is good enough for us, Alex and poison will work greatly in this field, Boy.”
“Hopefully,” Boy nodded his head in return.
“Lastly,” Dante extended his hand sideways toward the doctor sitting in the front seat, legs and arms crossed.
Do not forget to let them know of my presence. Hyde warned. Remember what happened last time?
Jekyll cleared her throat, not moving from her position. She made sure her voice was clear and professional to set an expectation. You will not see me as a wavering, timid person like the others. “Jekyll, Dr. Jekyll. In other circumstances, I am called Hyde. It is a complicated circumstance to determine who is who, but I wish not to explain that to you now. For now, I am Dr. Jekyll.”
Hyde, although pleased with the greeting, seemed unsatisfied with how it was presented. At least you finally introduced me.
The two seemed oddly unphased. “Alright,” Boy shrugged.
“Just tell us when to call you what you want, when you want, I suppose?” Alex added. “Thank you for the introduction.”
Jekyll gently nodded in return, sighing to herself. How many more people have to know before we take care of the issue?
Believe me, hun, I am not the one with the issue here.
Mallo cleared her throat and made her way past Dante. “I want to do my proper introduction,” she offered her hand toward them.
Each of the newcomers shook it according to their personalities. Boy’s was skittish and quick, and Alex’s was firm and established.
“It’s lovely to meet you,” Mallo continued. “I never heard too much about where you seem to be from,” she glanced at Alex. “R Corp, right?”
“Who’s to say he doesn’t have experience with all the corporations?” Lenore interjected.
The spider squirmed by Jekyll in the seat, glancing up at her. The doctor slowly picked it up and stood up, walking toward the back of the bus and handing the creature to Jatayu. The conversation felt overwhelming, and Jekyll was not interested in either of the new candidates getting to know them. She didn’t hear what Jatayu said as she passed the guide and Faust toward the back of the bus.
The decorative, hotel-like hallway had the doors looking like they were straight out of a fantasy novel. Jekyll quickly found the one with her name on it and tugged on the large, gold door handle. The moment she stepped inside, she saw the ghost-like manifestation of Hyde.
Jekyll didn’t bother looking at her as she flopped on the bed, letting out a relaxed sigh as she sank into it.
As she heard Hyde also flop on the other bed, she slowly turned her head to watch, taking the monocle off.
The room’s floor was covered with blood. It ran like a river between the cracks. The walls were split, with one half of the room gray with crystalized, blue decorations. It was meant to look pretty on the outside, but they reminded Jekyll too much of the Split Shards drug for her to like them. The decorations were accompanied by eyes, making them more unsettling. Her bed was in the corner next to desks and tables full of jars and testing tubes. The only thing that resembled what she wanted people to see was the therapy couch and book near the window.
On Hyde’s side of the room, the walls were painted black. Everything was covered in paint of many colors. There were blank and sketched canvases everywhere. Despite the horrid sight, nothing stank. The window was also on Hyde’s side of the room. Outside, all that could be seen was a snowy alleyway forever stuck in the time of night. Hyde sat on the therapy couch for a moment, tapping her foot before walking over to Jekyll, extending her hands.
“Supplies,” she demanded.
Jekyll stared at her for a bit before sitting up slowly, taking off her jacket, and unbuttoning the jars and vials they had collected on the previous journey. She handed them to Hyde, who didn’t hesitate to snatch them out of her hands and walk over to one of the canvases. She pulled out a pencil from her belt and started to sketch out an idea.
“Realism?” Jekyll asked.
“It’ll be a combination of both this time,” Hyde leaned over, staring at the canvas intently. “I plan to paint our experience with the company so far.” She unscrewed Gerald’s glass remains and started to pin them to the canvas, shuffling them around to get the look she wanted.
Jekyll rolled over in her bed lazily, not finding the energy to oppose any further. She tried to close her eyes, but they stung every time the lids of her eyes closed over her pupils. She groaned, rubbing her face before sitting up. Her eyes rested on Hyde as she contemplated how to start the painting they both envisioned.
Hyde stopped sketching on the canvas and took a step back, smiling to herself. She rotated it so Jekyll could see. “Not that I care about your opinion, but this seems like something you would appreciate.”
Jekyll wobbled on her heels as she got up from the bed and observed the painting closely. There were many lines for planned abstraction and smearing of blood, but Hyde had done a decent job at painting Jatayu in the middle of the massacre. Jekyll could see where Hyde planned to place the green demon syndicate goo, the blood, Gerald’s shards, and the guts they’d collected along their journey. Jatayu was in the center of the canvas, traveling downward from the sunlit sky, shoving his tanfas into the ground of the supposed Sun King lightly sketched under him. Demon Syndicate members and other enemies were left in shambles around the center of the masterpiece. The bloodshed would be the abstract part of the painting, versus the incredible realism in the center, contrasting the two art styles.
“Impressive,” Jekyll nodded in agreement. “It would sell quite well.”
Hyde smirked, twirling a small paintbrush in her hand before dipping it into a jar of blood, mixing it and the water of the blood together. “Do you think Jatayu would buy it?”
“Not for the price you’d want to sell it for.”
“Hmm, true, I suppose not everyone is rich like us.”
Jekyll ran her finger along the Sun King’s head, blurring it. She tapped her thumb to her chin, observing the details more carefully. “Don’t forget the abnormality’s fire crown. It’ll signal to the onlookers that the man is overthrowing a wicked authority.”
Hyde raised her eyebrow and tilted her head toward Jekyll. “Very well.”
Jekyll’s eyes adverted toward Gerald’s shards, and her heart ached upon looking at them. Her thoughts ran back to the spider the party collected at the top of the spire, and she shook her head. Ripping her gaze away from the painting, she strolled back over to her part of the room and started looking through the files on her desk.
Hyde continued to paint in silence, cracking open various jars and distributing them across the canvas. It would have smelled awful if Jekyll wasn’t used to the stench of death. Jekyll ran her hands through the files, surprised that most of the ones from her office were there, at least the ones she committed to memory.
"Documents, logs, reports..." Jekyll muttered to herself, mindlessly shuffling through the papers. She didn’t really wish to look through them; she left all of it behind for a reason. However, if she planned to go back, she’d have to go right back into what she was doing before.
“You know,” Hyde began, resting her elbow on her hip as she flipped a paintbrush in her hand. “I think this whole adventure would be better if we... worked together.”
“You mean, letting you out more?”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself, Jekyll,” Hyde chuckled, clicking her lips together as she tapped her foot before adding another stroke to the canvas. “I’d hate to bicker with you through the whole journey here.”
Jekyll turned around, staring Hyde square in the eyes. “We are only bickering because you want to ruin my already-tarnished reputation! I don’t need any more issues with people!”
Hyde paused, looking back; her posture slouched, showing that she wasn’t taking the conversation seriously. She glanced back and forth from the canvas to Jekyll, putting on a confused expression. “They already know; what’s the big deal? It’s not like I’m a secret anymore.”
Jekyll took a deep breath, rubbing her face and letting her hair fall to her waist, brushing her fingers through it. “They can’t know about—”
“The horrible things I’ve done?” Hyde scoffed. “Did you not see Jatayu’s whole past through his memories? Unless we complete our job before it’s ‘our turn’, they are gonna find out. Besides, what’s the harm?”
Jekyll shook her head. “They’ll kill us.”
“Not if we work together to get our job done faster,” Hyde hinted. She walked up to Jekyll, resting a hand on her shoulder. “...Hah… It’s weird being able to do that.”
Jekyll shuddered, staring into the only person that scared her to her core. To look her greatest fear in her eyes—the one who ruined her life—took a strength she did not have. “...Yeah, weird.”
“Don’t be frightened,” Hyde smirked. “I’m on your side~ I am here to get you out of this and us out of here. I’m proposing that we work together like old times instead of bickering. You’ve proven your usefulness in negotiating circumstances, versus me in combat.” The grip on Jekyll’s shoulder tightened. “You know my true intentions, darling.”
Jekyll paused. “...Don’t call me that.”
“Hmm. Yeah, that was odd,” Hyde stepped back, traveling back toward her in-progress painting before looking back. “You know how I operate, and you know I’m being genuine with you. I cannot hide my true intentions. I want to get away from you just as you from me. You are afraid to express what I do for you." Hyde couldn’t stop her laughter, cutting herself off.
Jekyll shivered at the thought. “I could never do the awful things you’ve done.”
“No, but you created me for a reason.” Hyde’s smile faded as she eyed the Split Shard drug in the corner of the room. “I want to be let out more. I’m tired of you trying to excuse my actions like I’m some kind of... pet being wrangled in by its owner.”
“I’m tired of you trying to crumble the image I’ve tried to put up to these people,” Jekyll backfired. “Our lives were perfect until you ruined it.”
“It was not my decision to try and hide me, yet leave all your assets to me.”
Jekyll bit her lip, scrunching her face. “Okay, yes, that was stupid on my part…”
“It’s why we are here,” Hyde shook her head. “You were so afraid of getting arrested for my sake, that you fled. You know how guilty that must’ve made you look?”
“Us… look. For all they know, you kidnapped me.”
“You better hope it stays that way for your benefit,” Hyde mocked. “That is why I’m proposing we work together to get the job done quicker. Us being at odds has only hindered both of us.”
Jekyll sighed, pondering the thought. “And if we complete our contract, what then?”
“We can go back to our normal lives, maybe even as different people,” Hyde smiled at the thought. “You can hide in your mansion, and I can fulfill my passion.”
Jekyll sighed, thinking about the possibility of fulfilling one’s greatest desire with a golden bough. The silence that echoed in the room was only interrupted by Hyde’s bloodstrokes on the canvas. The thought of Hyde leaving did not bring any relief, to the doctor’s surprise. Despite what Hyde had done, Jekyll had relied on her for so long, that she couldn’t just give her up like that. What if there came a time when she needed her, but she was no longer around?
“What if you didn’t leave?” Jekyll finally proposed. “What if I just let you out more?”
Hyde stopped painting, freezing in place. She slowly turned to face her counterpart, curious. “Elaborate.”
“Well…” Jekyll tried to scramble her thoughts together. “You proposed an alliance. A promise to work together. I'm willing to do so, and let you out more, on one condition.”
“I’m listening.”
"Can you try to not ruin our reputation? Can you try to cooperate with the others?”
Hyde pursed her lips, leaning on her left hip as she stared at the floor, tapping the soaked paintbrush on her side. “Mmm… Fine.”
Jekyll bowed her head, sighing in relief. “Thank you.”
“Besides, we want the same things anyway,” Hyde chuckled to herself, shaking the paint jar and frowning as she scraped the last of the supplies out of it. “We just have different ways of obtaining it.”
Jekyll shook her head. “I… don’t think—”
“I’m out of paint supplies.” Hyde frowned, setting the jar on the nearby table. The painting before her was half done. She did not have enough materials to finish coloring Jatayu and the Sun King, but the background was finished. “Say, don’t they have some in the mirror dungeons? Let’s go grab some.”
Jekyll glanced at the door, her shoulders dropping. “I’m so tired.”
“I can take the front.”
“Hmm… I suppose we could go check then.”
Hyde nodded and headed toward the door. The closer she got, the further Jekyll faded back into Hyde’s mind, and they shared a body once more. Hyde adjusted her hair, pinning it up to offer the illusion of Jekyll as she exited.
Lenore, Jatayu, and Alex were in the hallway. “Hello Jekyll,” Lenore caught her immediately as she opened the door. “Wanna help us onboard Alex?”
It’s Dr. Jekyll… Jekyll sighed, grunting.
Hey, take your rest; I got this. Hyde cleared her throat and made her voice more high-pitched. “Uhm… l-later… I need to do a few things.” She timidly said as she turned her heel and started walking toward the Mirror Dungeon hall.
“Huh. Ominous,” Lenore commented.
“Well, have fun!” Jatayu called out, smiling.
…
What?
How the hell did you pull my impression off so well? That was scary convincing.
Hyde shrugged. It’s not hard to act like you when it feels like I’m being timid when you are.
Touché.
It didn’t take long for Hyde to travel down the ominous hall, her feet silent on the ground as she approached the large, black door. It took a bit of effort for her to lift the handle, but once she got it open, the large door slowly swung open, and she stepped inside.
Jekyll and Hyde understood that the Mirror Dungeon was like a battle training ground that brought up fights previously fought for training. There were supposedly many floors, but it currently looked like an empty box with a few lights on. Perhaps it showed more promise and room when it was turned on.
The only thing that stood out in the blank room was the three terrible-smelling buckets, the ladder, and the person on top of said ladder. The assistant had her head up in the ceiling, tweaking a few things before she glanced down, her skin beaming and her smile shimmering. “Ah! Jekyll! I didn’t expect to see you here!”
Hyde observed her slowly and frowned. Ugh, her energy is so vibrant like mom's... “I don’t mean to disturb you,” her voice was charismatic and chill. “I am just here to grab some supplies.”
“Supplies?” Kuvira tilted her head, her brown hair falling over her shoulder. She slowly made her way down the ladder before gracefully landing her feet on the side of the buckets. “There’s not much in here. The supply room would have been the other way. Why, unless you’re talking about some tools you need! I am using a few to repair the mirror dungeon as it was malfunctioning recently, weird, right? I can lend you some, but I might have to come hunt you down if you like to use them for too long because, oh boy, once I find a problem, there seems to be another. I might even have to get Jatayu’s house on—”
Hyde raised her hand, demonstrating that she was not interested. “I am here for some blood, Kuvira. I came to get it for a project; I don’t need any other information.”
Kuvira paused and nodded slowly. “Ah! Yes, I should’ve expected as much. Mr. Red Gaze did say something about your other half liking to paint with such stuff... that’s a Ring thing, yeah? I’ve heard many things about them, how they are one of the Five Fingers, spread across the city and—”
“You don’t need to relay information to me, as I said,” Hyde forced a smile, trying to remain calm. “I know what the Ring is, and yes, you are correct.”
Hyde, I can feel—
Not now.
“That must have been a really unique experience!” Kuvira went on. “I’m sure you have so much talent when it comes to art! I’d lend a hand if I had any artistic talent at all, but heh, I can’t say much as I even forgot how to read,” she scratched her head and chuckled softly. “I know some of these remains are supposed to feed the bus, but I could probably lend you a little bit of what you need because you asked so nicely; I don’t mind!”
“It wasn’t an ask.” Hyde marched over to the buckets, looking inside them. The blood was not the color red it was supposed to be. She frowned. “It was more letting you know what I was going to do... but this color of red is... distasteful.”
“Ah, I’m sorry about that,” Kuvira glanced inside the buckets as well, not even wrinkling her nose. “This is just what me and Mallo swept up earlier; I’m not sure I can change that.”
“Hmm. I shall turn this thing on and fight some minions myself. Then I can gather the supplies fresh.” Hyde raised her head proudly. “It can’t be that hard to do it alone.”
“Uhm,” Kuvira’s smile faded, and she walked back over to the ladder. “I wouldn’t do so.”
“Why?” The painter scoffed, smirking as she glanced over at the assistant. “Scared of a little bloodshed?”
Hyde, don’t antagonize her!
“Of course not,” Kuvira smiled and shook her head, climbing the ladder to look at the ceiling again. “I just really, really don’t like fighting."
“So you’re a coward.”
“I wouldn’t say that... Also, this thing needs to be repaired.”
Hyde raised an eyebrow. What coward doesn’t wish to fight and avoid it at all costs? “Sounds like an excuse.”
Kuvira paused for a moment, the glow on her skin shrinking slightly. Her blue seemed to... discolor. “We can turn on the mirror dungeon once I’m done. I’d be happy to watch your incredible skills!” She slowly closed the hatch of the ceiling. It wasn’t the most stable, but it would hold until she got back up with another tool.
A defenseless woman, here on the bus, with no revive... Hyde smirked to herself. I wonder if her blood would be good on a painting...
Hyde, no! She can’t come back from the dead like the others!
Surely, they don’t need her around. Look at her smiling like that. No one smiles in the city like that.
...I don’t know.
We don’t even need to kill her; we could just, well, borrow a finger or two.
Jekyll didn’t reply as Hyde grabbed her paintbrush from her back, resting the tip of it on the floor. She watched Kuvira carefully, waiting for a moment to strike.
Kuvira shuffled her hands through the toolbox before her eyes lit up at finding the screwdriver. She stood to her feet before slowly looking back at Hyde. Her smile wavered. “Is everything alright?”
“Do you know how to fight, Kuvira?” Hyde tilted her head, slowly smiling. “If I wanted to borrow your blood for a painting, would you be able to stop me from taking your life along with it?”
The assistant froze, the blood draining from her face. She took a step back, her eyes turning from a soft blue to a more hazel-like color. Her hair became darker. "I wouldn’t do that, Jekyll. I told you I’m not into fighting.”
“It’s Hyde right now... Someone as joyful as you don’t last long in the streets.” Hyde took a step closer, closing each gap Kuvira made as she rotated her brush. “I’d like to know how you lived this long if you’re not a fighter. If you are, this will make this more entertaining. No one is ever as happy as you. You are untrustworthy, and a liar; don't think I can't see right through you!”
“You can’t.”
Hyde stopped, furrowing her eyes. The backtalk was something that caught her off guard, but it was not something she would tolerate. “Excuse me?”
Kuvira hitched in a controlled breath. "You can't see through me."
The painter scoffed. "You are pathetic to think I can't."
Kuvira continued to back away, slowly walking in a circle back toward the ladder. "...You remind me a lot of who I used to be."
Is this moron serious? "Stop with the talk! I can kill you with one swipe."
"Don't do that, please. You will regret it." Kuvira glanced around worriedly, her feet light against the dark panels of the floor. "J-Hyde, this isn’t a good idea. You will get more of what you need on your next mission, but don’t try to take it from me.” Her green scarf trailed behind her; it was a miracle it didn’t trip her. Her glowing skin and her small blue necklace began to dim more, and she slowly became more panicked as it did so.
“Scared of a little brawl?” Hyde teased, walking closer. “Doesn’t fear feel so delightful?”
Kuvira stopped in her tracks, eventually ending up in the same spot by the ladder as she had before. Hyde approached her slowly as if to get a reaction, to make her feel fear and beg for mercy.
But there was none of that. The more that Hyde advanced, the more that sense of fear led from her target. Kuvira soon stood up, her eyes fully hazel. The glow in her skin vanished, and there was something dark about her appearance—something unnatural.
Something Hyde never wanted to face.
Her mood changed. “I simply don’t want to hurt you, or happen to get caught when you turn into a pulp on the ground.”
Jekyll froze in terror. What?
Hyde laughed, scoffing. “HAH! You, turn me into a pulp? Do you know who you’re talking to? I am D—”
“I don’t care who you are.” Kuvira’s voice was low and dangerous. Her posture was straight, and she clasped her hands together as if she were meeting somebody formally. Her voice became softer and and lower, as if she spoke with less passion, volume, and enthusiasm. “Take my advice and don’t seal your fate to the inevitable. You are not high and mighty to everyone here.”
Hyde paused for a moment, sensing the change in demeanor. She twirled her paintbrush in her hands confidently, regaining her composure. “Your intimidation tactics won’t save you,” Hyde began. “I’d offer more chit-chat, but I’m fresh out of time.”
Hyde lunged for Kuvira with all her speed, swinging her paintbrush toward her.
She missed.
With one swift motion, Kuvira dodged effortlessly to the side, not even knocking over the buckets on the floor. Her scarf slowly fell to her sides as if they were magic, and she almost cracked a smile. “Jekyll, don’t make me hurt you.”
“It’s Hyde!” Hyde grunted, lunging again, only to be met by the same fate. She breathed heavily as she glanced up at Kuvira, her eyes furrowing. What the hell?!
Why is she moving so fast? Jekyll added, clenching her arms.
“I won’t be so merciful if you try again, Jekyll." Kuvira blinked slowly, but it was a kind of gesture that showed her test of patience. “You are not making wise choices. Actions like these will seal your fate for the worse. I meant you no harm.”
Hyde stood up, cracking her back before smirking. “I don’t care if you’re innocent or guilty of some horrendous crime. Stop being a coward and fight me! Earn your right to live!”
Kuvira sighed, closing her eyes.
Hyde didn’t waste any more moments. She lunged for her again with a silent attack, hoping to catch her off guard.
Suddenly, Hyde was stopped in place. The whole Mirror Dungeon started to shake as yellow and black magic seeped from the cracks of the repairs. Before Hyde could blink, she was tied down by tendrils she couldn’t describe. They seeped into her skin and caused her to gasp in agony. It felt like every one of her systems immediately exploded and stopped working from the inside, causing her muscles to tighten and panic.
Kuvira had simply lifted a finger. All Hyde remembered was her moving the same finger again before the life was sucked out of her, and everything went black.
* * *
Every time Jekyll came back from the dead, she felt like the hands gripped and ripped at her soul more harshly and with more force. Each time Dante opened the door to rip her out of hell, it was more painful, as if her evil deeds were piling up on her and refusing to let her leave. She almost felt bad thinking about how much pain Dante would be in, but her thoughts didn’t fully sort until her body slowly formed... inside of a bucket.
Jekyll slowly took the bucket off her hand; the first thing she saw was Mark also being rewound from some sort of head injury. The next thing she saw was Dante crumbling to the floor, gasping in pain, and clutching his chest.
“...Side effects! Great for medicine!” Boy shouted.
It seemed that everyone was in the room. Vergilius, Charon, Faust, Mallo, Alex, Boy, Jatayu, Mark, Lenore, and Kuvira. They all chatted amongst one another, the newcomers more paranoid than the others. Mark rubbed his head as consciousness returned to him as well, leaving both of them confused.
What the hell happened?
Mallo was the first to walk over to Jekyll. “That’s not important right now,” she told Boy before bending to meet Jekyll’s eyes. “What happened to you?”
Jekyll opened her mouth, but suddenly, her words got caught in her throat. An impending fear that she was not used to grew in her chest and left her speechless. She slowly turned her eyes, catching Kuvira staring at her with the harshest gaze she had ever seen. The doctor’s face grew pale, and she gripped her hands together, turning her knuckles white to hide their shaking. She reached up to rub her head, trying to look around innocently. “I don't... remember..." She lied through her teeth, keeping her voice straight.
The harsh gaze from the assistant was quickly removed, and her normal, bright, light-hearted composure returned as if nothing happened.
What… Hyde breathed, also feeling the overwhelming fear. Who is she?
I don’t know... but it’s scary that she’s here...
I’ve never even heard of such magic…
“If I had pain medication, I’d give it to you,” Boy offered sweetly, eyeing Jekyll in a much more friendly way.
Mark got a read on the situation and started commenting. “You could inject it.”
“I don’t want to test it on anyone here,” Boy shook his head. “I am genetically messed up, so it doesn’t mean what works on me will work on you.”
“You can still test it on us,” Mark implied. “Dante can just rewind us when he’s close. Could come in handy to help Dante too, if he’s human, right?”
Faust nodded. “Dante is one hundred percent human.”
“See? You can test it on us, then test it on Dante when it works.”
“It also requires a lot of medication that I don’t have,” Boy explained.
Jekyll almost spoke up, trying to calm her nerves down. I have some medication experience; I could help you out.
“If there is medicine in you, and you die, does the medicine come back too when you are rewound?” Lenore asked, stepping forward with a weapon in hand.
Dante groaned and lifted his clock from the floor. "Please, let’s not die…”
Jekyll almost felt a pang of guilt. I’m sorry, Dante. I didn’t think Kuvira was... well...
She hit us like a truck. Impressive… and terrifying that she probably does not favor us now.
Bot shook his head furiously. “I don’t want to be blood soup!” He pointed at Jekyll and the bucket near her.
“We are going to die either way,” Mallo objected. “Might as well.”
“I just watched someone become soup!” Boy shook, his voice getting louder before he took a breath. “I need to calm down.”
“I’ve only been revived once, but it’s not that bad,” Lenore explained. “Off topic, but have we explained EGO and corrosion to the newbies?”
“I know about EGO, not corrosion.”
“Corrosion is when the EGO of an abnormality takes control of you,” Mallo and Mark said at the same time. There was a moment of silence that followed as they glared at each other.
Boy laughed nervously, putting his rat hand to his head. “Am I on drugs?”
Faust shook her head. “Faust finds their explanation unreliable.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about." Mallo’s retort was followed by a glare shifting toward Faust. “I worked at L Corp; you did not.”
“Faust was employed at L Corp; I was not.”
Mallo paused. “...What? You can’t just say you did, yet you didn’t do something. What do you mean?”
Her only reply was a smug grin.
Mark raised an eyebrow and stood to his feet, hand on his knee to push himself up. “Do you mean like an ID of yours?”
“You could suggest that, yes. It is the most accurate to the situation.”
Mark shared Faust’s grin as he turned to Mallo. “See?”
“But that’s not you!” Mallo argued. “That’s just an alternate timeline version of you!”
“Does it matter?” Lenore interjected.
“Yes, it matters!” Mallo was not having it. “IDs don’t bleed over, so their experience is not ours firsthand!”
“It’s still you; that’s the whole point of the technology,” Lenore inquired.
“Are you and your One Who Grips ID the same then?”
“I disagree with her perhaps, but it is still me.”
“Yes, it’s an alternate version of you but not—”
“I think there are better things to constitute than arguing what a soul is regarding IDs,” Boy stammered.
Mallo glanced back toward him. “Abnormalities can take your soul.”
“WHAT?!”
Mallo went on a tangent that Jekyll didn’t pay attention to. She slowly crawled over to where Dante was sitting on the ground and sat next to him. She shrunk back as she watched Kuvira walk by, talking to Dante casually and asking him for help on the repairs in the Mirror Dungeon. The veteran obliged and followed the assistant inside.
RIP Jatayu.
He won’t provoke her like you did! Jekyll sighed. What happened to working together?
My mistake: out of all the things, I didn’t expect THAT.
Despite Mallo’s ramble in the background, Jekyll was able to pick up on a small conversation the manager had. “I hope that Jatayu and Lenore were treating you well,” he gestured to Alex.
He nodded formally. "They were very helpful, yes. Very informative."
Boy tried to exit from the party, moving out of the way, but Mallo and Lenore grabbed his arms, insisting that he stay. They both started to head over to Dante with Boy in hand.
Dante didn’t notice. "Ah... good. Were they able to help get you situated with combat any? Apologies for rushing the gun, but, as you can see, a lot is going on."
“We did consider it, yes. But we thought better considering we'd get into combat eventually and were looking into the EGO storage before..." Alex gestured toward the incident. "We might as well get it over with."
Dante’s attention had to be brought to Mallo, Lenore, and Boy as they came over and discussed the opportunity to train him.
“It’s fine, really; I’d rather not die." Boy shook his head, trying to back away. It was clear he was not into the idea.
Dante chuckled. “I’m sure you both will do fine."
“You will die,” Mallo interjected.
“Not today, please!” Boy stammered.
“You die, get up, and die again, and you get up and try again!”
“I can step back and watch someone else do it!”
“If only,” Lenore crossed her arms and shook her head.
“You can use your drugs if you want, if they even work,” Mallo added.
“I don’t know! That’s like the number one rule of the backstreets, you don’t test your own drugs on yourself!”
…
…
The conversation had stopped, despite everyone still chatting. Jekyll stared in absolute horror at Boy, flashing back to the time when she did the exact opposite.
That’s what Mark said at the...
We did that, yet we turned out fine...
But, we weren’t supposed to... How does he know that? Was that a common rule I just... missed? Jekyll gripped her cloak where the Split Shards vial was. She breathed heavily.
He truly has no idea. He’s in for a treat.
It was only Dante’s voice that snapped Jekyll out of her trance. “If it helps any, I was going to have you guys do an easy battle. Alex is an Ex R Corp employee, and both of you can work on some minor and easy things.” He ticked slowly, trying to calm Boy down.
“Any help is appreciated. That is, if you’re offering. With someone’s help, the task wouldn’t be a hard pill to swallow,” Alex said.
Mallo moved to the side to observe the newcomers up and down again. “Hmm… I need someone competent in there, just to make sure. Our first round was a complete mess, so send in a person who knows what they are doing, Dante. Send me, Lenore, Mark, or Jekyll… any one of us works.”
“I’d rather send Faust,” Dante argued. “You just smacked Mark against the head and killed him.”
“It was consensual!”
Boy shook his head. “I don’t think that helped!”
“It was—”
The party went on and on about teamwork, who had done the most wrong, and something about whether or not to do combat. It was difficult to string any pieces together, but all grew silent as a red glow appeared in the room and the guide stepped forward. With a single movement, he silenced everyone in the room.
Jekyll glanced toward the Mirror Dungeon door. I wonder if he knows what she’s hiding.
“May I inquire about the bickering?” Vergilius asked calmly.
Mallo was the first to recover her senses and reply. “We are trying to decide if Boy and Alex should go into combat, and which one of us is competent enough to teach them. I’m suggesting me or Mark.”
Is she mad? Hyde scoffed, enjoying the sight.
Jekyll was also confused. Wasn’t she screaming at Mark before this?
“Maybe offer someone who doesn’t have a record,” Mark jabbed.
“Send two sinners in with the newcomers,” Vergilius more demanded of the solution than offered it.
Mallo nodded. “Why don’t both of you pick one to go with you?”
Boy shuddered when the spotlight was shifted to him. “I guess Mark? Given the information...”
“That’s one,” Vergilius gestures to Alex. “Who?”
Alex turned to Lenore. “If you’d be so kind?”
There was more senseless talk among them, mainly with Mallo objecting to the choice. Jekyll slowly got to her feet, trying to get out of the way of the chaos. She slowly ventured toward the hallway, attempting to make a sneaky escape. However, all of her stealth failed the moment Kuvira came out of the Mirror Dungeon. Fear overtook her heart and she booked it out of the room, running toward the end of the bus, down the halls, past the storage...
Eventually, after her heart had settled down, the doctor found herself in a room with a large chained ball hanging over a pit. To the right were piles and piles of metal, red flower-shaped things. They looked like artificial roses. Before the drop where the chain ball hung was a large metal door and a small chamber to fit in said flowers.
Jekyll approached the machine slowly, eyeing it carefully. What is this?
Hyde also watched carefully. I don’t recall them talking about this…
Did we go too far in the corridor? Jekyll wandered over to the metal flowers, picking one up and running her hands along its pedals.
Why don’t you put it in the slot? See what happens.
Curiosity got the better of her. Her steps echoed along the wooden floor as she carried the object and placed it in the designated slot.
With creaks and turns, the chain wheel started to glow and spin. The doors opened more as the chains wrapped around the strange glowing ball shot out toward what looked like a starry night sky. Everything glowed red and orange as the facade of the night cracked. It shattered as the Split Shards shrugged, the holes in the machine revealing the mirror worlds. Each chain went into a new mirror world. Some of them were dull, some were red, and one was bright yellow.
Jekyll’s mouth dropped. She had seen mirror worlds before, but never had she seen something be able to cross into them. After staring a long while, she placed her hand on the glowing lunacy. It faded at her touch, and all the chains retracted into the ball, pulling out what they had found in other worlds.
To the left, there was a small machine that printed cards that looked similar to the ones Dante used for IDs. Jekyll waddled over with awe and curiosity as she searched them. Most of them were just duplicates of herself, which was typical. That’s mostly what I see when I use the split shards drug...
But one of them stood out. One of them was bright yellow and shined, unlike the rest. Jekyll gripped it with her hands and blew the dust off it, her eyes widening what she saw.
It was Hyde but in a white outfit and a Ring weapon. Her hair was back, and she possessed no monocle. The card had OOOO on it; she wasn’t sure what that meant, but she almost dropped the card the moment she read the title of it.
Ey ey ey, this is just so long and so good... stay with me chat.
Masterpost
Chapter 4 <--> Chapter 6
~o0o~
No one spoke.
Vergilius didn’t move at first. His eyes stared over Ornella’s shoulder, into some distant, unfocused place. Somewhere, memory hadn’t let him leave. Slowly, his posture shifted—not with affection, but with reluctant surrender. His arms remained limp, but something behind his gaze dimmed. Not from travel or age, but from something more… soft.
“You guys are here?” Ornella looked up, voice brimming with quiet relief. For a moment, her expression softened into something vulnerable. Then she stepped back and turned to Dante.
She smiled, gently—eerily untouched by the tension the party had prepared for. No sharp words. No wary distance. Just open arms.
She embraced him.
Dante froze, his flames cracking slightly in stunned silence. He didn’t return it. Couldn’t. Fear kept his arms bound to his side as if one wrong move could mess everything up. The party knew of the grudges—he had spoken of them with clipped precision. Yet here she was, dismantling them with a hug like they’d never existed.
Before anyone could process it, she was moving—drifting gracefully to Jatayu. Another soft embrace. A whispered “Welcome to my home.” Then Kuvira, then Charon. Her warmth was calm, practiced, like someone greeting long-lost comrades after years apart.
Her tone was light. Softer than expected. Excited, even. Ornella was not the clinical enigma they had imagined—but a woman who had once belonged to something, someone, and was relieved to feel like she did again.
Jekyll watched as Ornella approached the unfamiliar faces next.
She stiffened—barely—but enough for Hyde to stir.
Her gaze locked on Ornella’s face. Not with curiosity. Not with distrust.
With calculation.
I want to see how she is in a fight…
No! Jekyll’s breath faltered internally. This is a DIPLOMATIC mission, Hyde!
You have to be curious too, no? Hyde's voice grinned in the dark. She was fired. Randomly. Doesn’t that itch your brain? A scientist without results… hardly a threat. Or maybe she’s dangerous in the wrong way.
Jekyll clenched her fists, nails biting into her gloves. Ornella smiled at her—a polite, pleasant smile. The kind that said “nice to meet you” without ever meaning it.
Hyde hummed beneath her ribs, enjoying the peaceful interaction like it was the perfect setup for something catastrophic.
Ornella approached Mallo first. She extended her hand gently and tilted her head. “The name’s Ornella Alwera, at your service. It is a pleasure to meet you. May I be graced with your name?”
“M-Mallo.”
Ornella did the same thing for Lenore as she extended her hand. Lenore also gave a curt reply as if she were slowly processing the situation. Ornella turned to Jekyll, offering the same greeting. Her gaze consisted of nothing but curiosity and warmth despite how cold her hand was when Jekyll grasped it.
“Jekyll, nice to meet you,” the doctor stammered.
Introduce me, too, idiot.
“Or… Hyde on some days.”
Ornella nodded gently. “Interesting. I shall call you by the former for now. Welcome.” Her icy gaze ripped itself from the doctor before she glanced back at the one she embraced first. Her hands clasped together, taking a moment to take in the sight as her eyes relaxed. “What are you guys doing-” she cut herself off immediately, shaking her head as the idea came to her. “Oh! Right, of course… I know why. Please, come inside.”
Jekyll watched as the scientist took a step back into her house, holding the door open as her arm gestured to an interior room. “I shall grab some food for you all,” she smiled warmly, contrasting her initial icy nature.
Mallo was the first to accept her invitation and step inside the warm house, sweet scents of fire and the smell of raspberries flying out of the house. “Oh, thank you. This place is quite nice, actually.”
“Thank you,” the scientist bowed her head.
Ducking swiftly past Mallo, Vergilius, and Charon entering the doorstep, Jekyll made her way to the table in the middle of the house and sat down, before turning her gaze to the rest of the party slowly following her.
Alright, this is going well so far, Jekyll began. She seems friendly.
This could be a trap. Hyde scanned the house carefully. Didn’t she have a grudge against us?
True…
Most of the party joined the doctor at the table and sat down quietly. In the distance, Kuvira had stopped to turn toward Ornella before going off on another usual ramble. “Oh my goodness, Ornella, hi! How have you been? Oh my goodness, it’s been so long I feel like I haven’t seen you and-” she continued to talk her ear off, and the scientist seemed less excited to engage in a conversation.
Eventually, everyone made themselves comfortable at the large dining table before Ornella strolled over before bowing slightly. “Please make yourselves at home. I shall grab some refreshments for your party so you may eat as we discuss the matter at hand.”
As she turned to leave, Mallo spun around in her seat across from Jekyll to speak to the host. “Hey, you have a place I could smoke?”
Ornella referred her to the balcony just outside of the house. Once Mallo left, Ornella made her way to an unseen part of the house where the smell of meat intensified.
“Seems we are missing two of our comrades,” Lenore glanced around the table, pointing out that Mark and Boy had not joined them inside the house. “Shall we go check on them?”
Maybe it’s for the better, Jekyll heaved a sigh. They would seriously mess things up, with Boy being from the former G Corp and Ornella’s relation to them, and Mark being… well, Mark.
“It has been a while, maybe we should check on them,” Dante lifted a hand to his clock head and stared at the markings on the table. “Hmm, who is the most trustworthy…”
Jekyll narrowed her eyes and took in the house a second time—this time with less tolerance. The stone bricks comprising the exterior were sloppily stacked, almost casual in their disregard for structural sense, like a child’s attempt at masonry left to age poorly. The mortar between them was more wishful thinking than adhesive. Inside, every piece of furniture was hewn from rough wood: splintered, angular, and wholly uninviting. Even the chairs seemed to discourage sitting, their backs too straight, their legs uneven. Barrels littered the corners like forgotten thoughts, some sealed, some askew, hinting at contents that no one wanted to remember.
A breeze slithered in through the warped window panes, bringing with it the faint scent of mildew and rot—ghosts of a storm that must’ve passed through unannounced. Floor tiles groaned beneath her step, some rusted at the corners, others cracked like dried earth. This was the kind of house where shoes weren’t just polite—they were survival.
“Hmph. Tacky,” she muttered, the description dropping like a stone in still water.
“Jekyll,” Dante turned toward the one sitting next to him and tilted his head. “Could you go get Mark?”
Me? Jekyll snapped back into reality and furrowed her eyebrows at the manager. You’ve deemed me the most trustworthy?
What an absolute idiot.
“Do I have to?” The doctor couldn’t place her finger on why she, out of all people, was chosen, considering her mishap with the drone earlier in the month, as well as Hyde constantly not wishing to follow orders.
“You don’t have to, but it would really be appreciated if you did,” Dante said gently.
Jekyll paused, still wearing an are-you-serious-right-now face, before Hyde spoke in her head.
Don’t stand there looking like a moron, act on it!
Jekyll straightened with performative elegance, letting her spine curve just enough to broadcast superiority. The smirk that settled on her lips was practiced—half pride, half provocation. I suppose I am better than everyone here. She clicked her tongue sharply. “Yes. I can do that,” she said, voice glazed with false modesty and self-assured venom.
She kept that expression like armor as she exited, sweeping past a fellow scientist with a glance sharp enough to slice paper. Ornella, undisturbed, gave only a soft smile beneath her wide glasses as she steadied the weight of a steaming platter—lamb glistening, apples gleaming, raspberries like jeweled punctuation. She moved toward the table with the grace of someone who belonged.
The cold outside greeted Jekyll like a rival—not with subtlety, but with full force. It clawed at her coat and curled around her ankles. Her eyes snagged briefly on Merlin, locked in a disjointed duel with those cursed eye-creatures. She could feel questions sharpening in her throat—where had he vanished to? Had he even thought of the one who was killed before him? But it was clear the recognition didn’t land. The last time he'd seen her, she wore Hyde’s face—and that mask, twisted and chaotic, had no place in a negotiation mission.
Still, duty called. With one last flick of her coat and a sharpened breath, Jekyll turned from the scene and marched down the narrow hall, the floorboards groaning behind her. She stepped back into the chill and toward the waiting bus outside the café, where, seemingly, her coworkers were.
Immediately, she could hear Mark’s voice. “You said the chances weren’t good, so I’d rather not go with it.”
Jekyll stepped in cautiously, the doors opening for her despite the bus driver not being in the seat. She peeked her head in and tilted her head curiously, spotting Mark chatting with Faust as if he was supposed to be there.
“So, Mark, we are beginning the negotiation,” Jekyll interrupted their conversation without a care. “Dante… reluctantly… requests you, Mark.”
“Jekyll or Hyde speaking?” Mark raised an eyebrow, tearing his gaze away from Faust, who sat in the bus silently. “And don’t try lying, you already screwed that up earlier.”
This idiot sure grew an attitude since his time in prison. Hyde clicked her tongue as Jekyll inhaled sharply. She glanced to the side before gesturing to her pinned hair. Is this not obvious enough? “That is not relevant at the moment,” she answered curtly. “We need to go do our jobs… I thought you were very advocating for that.”
“Just spoke to Faust for a moment,” Mark said, casting only a brief glance at the woman before returning to the window. “I’m not really needed at the negotiation. Just tell Dante I’m probably wandering around.”
Jekyll arched a brow, the gesture sharp and deliberate. “You wish for me to report to your manager that you’re disobeying his order?”
“Sure. Whatever. What’s he going to do about it?”
Her lips parted to deliver a retort—something barbed, something elegant—but Hyde interrupted, a breath echoing inside her mind. He can live with the consequences. We don’t want him there anyway.
Jekyll shut her mouth, settled her expression into a detached neutrality, and nodded once. Silent agreement. She exited the bus with curt precision, skirts brushing past the narrow aisle, barely missing the hiss of the door behind her as Mark slipped out, headed in the opposite direction like a footnote she'd refused to read.
Each breath she took on her walk back to the house was purposeful, forced, attempting to steady the rising irritation that pulsed beneath her sternum. He’s being insufferable...
Hyde grumbled from within her conscience, just as bitter. They’re all the same. Not one of them listens. Not one of them respects us.
Her boots met the stone path with hollow rhythm, and she didn’t argue. She couldn’t. It was true. We’ve been a joke since day one. A pair of discarded tools wrapped in ego and expectation.
Hyde was still muttering. Even our combat skills aren’t enough. We’re supposed to be threatening, supposed to twist fear into loyalty. But ever since joining this sad excuse of an organization—
Jekyll halted mid-step, her boots grinding against the frostbitten stone path. The wind curled around her ankles like a warning, tugging at the hem of her coat and whispering through the cracks in the nearby walls. Her body stiffened, instinct flaring like a match. Merlin stood just ahead, half-shadowed by the crooked frame of the house—an apparition more than a man, as if the world itself had conjured him to test her resolve.
She barely regained her footing, her breath catching as her hair bun unraveled behind her in the wind’s grasp. Her monocle slipped from its perch, swinging like a pendulum from its chain. She cursed under her breath, fingers fumbling to retie her hair with mechanical urgency, eyes flicking up to meet his.
“A–Apologies, I—” she began, voice clipped, pride already trying to reassert itself.
Merlin blinked, rubbed his temple, and adjusted his glasses with trembling fingers. His gaze settled on her face—and then shattered. He stumbled backward, knees buckling as he hit the cold ground with a thud that echoed faintly against the stone. His eyes widened, locked onto her like she was a ghost dredged from the deepest part of his memory.
“You…” he breathed, the word barely audible, but heavy with recognition.
Jekyll froze mid-motion, her hands still tangled in her hair. Her monocle dangled from its chain, swaying like a clock caught between seconds. She raised a brow, the gesture slow, deliberate. Hyde stirred beneath her skin, watching with a predator’s grin.
He recognizes us.
Really?
Look at him. He’s shaken. We still have power, just not among our so-called allies. But those who know who we truly are… they remember. They fear.
The cold wind howled through the broken windows of the house behind them, carrying the scent of damp wood and old ash. The barrels scattered across the yard creaked faintly, as if reacting to the tension. Merlin’s reaction backed Hyde’s claim with every twitch of his body. He skittered away from Jekyll like a wounded animal, palms scraping against the stone, his eyes never leaving her face.
He looked horrified. Not confused. Not startled. Horrified—like a child who had watched a loved one die and now saw the killer wearing their face.
That was exactly what happened, Hyde whispered, voice curling like smoke. The last time he saw us… he saw death.
Mohini.
Jekyll didn’t move. She let the silence stretch, let the weight of recognition settle like dust on both of them. Her breath was steady now, her posture regal, her expression unreadable. But inside, Hyde was smiling.
Merlin’s voice cracked through the silence like a whip. “The hell are you doing here?! How did you find me?!”
He scrambled to his feet, fists clenched around the ceremonial chains gifted to him by the Middle—symbols of allegiance, once protective, now impotent. Hyde recognized them instantly. They were relics of a system that promised power but delivered obedience.
Maestro was right, Jekyll hissed. He truly did amount to nothing.
Hyde stirred, squirming in the backseat of Jekyll’s mind. Let me take the reins.
Jekyll hesitated—but curiosity won over caution. She slipped quietly into the background, and Hyde surged forward.
Her posture sharpened. She straightened her spine, dusted off the monocle, and placed it over her brown eye with deliberate flair. Her hands fell away from her half-tied hair, letting it whip freely in the wind. A wicked grin bloomed across her face as she tilted her head toward the trembling man before her.
“My, my, Merlin Alwera,” she purred. “Long time no see~”
Merlin’s eyes flared with rage. “If you’re here to harm my aunt, I swear I’ll—”
Hyde laughed, loud and unrestrained. “Relax, relax. I’m not here for you,” she said, voice dripping with mockery. Her grin softened into something more curious, almost playful. “Nor am I here for her. Just… a pleasant surprise to see you again. It’s been, what, seven years?”
Merlin shivered. The tattoos etched into his skin began to glow faintly, reacting to his rising pulse. He opened his mouth, but the words caught in his throat. His breath hitched.
Hyde leaned in slightly, amused. “You’re a smart guy, eh? Why can’t you speak? Cat got your tongue?”
“I have nothing to say to you,” he spat, though his voice trembled.
“Of course you don’t.” Hyde twirled the paintbrush in her hand with practiced ease, the motion hypnotic. “I expected nothing but hatred if we were to ever cross paths again. Even though I didn’t kill her.”
Merlin flinched. His hand flew to his chest as if trying to hold something inside. “You didn’t… You weren’t the one who killed her.”
“I watched,” Hyde said, her voice low and deliberate. “I was there. I encouraged her death.”
Merlin’s knees nearly buckled. “Is your m–maestro with you?”
“No.”
“Good…” He looked away, trying to steady his breathing. His shoulders sagged slightly, the fight draining from him.
Hyde tilted her head, eyes narrowing. “Such an intense reaction for someone you only knew for a week.”
“She… she was everything to me,” Merlin said, voice cracking. “Clearly, you didn’t share the same perspective, given how you reacted to her death.”
Hyde’s smile vanished. Her tone turned cold. “She was one of my students, Merlin. But associating with the Middle? That’s not something we tolerate. She was asking for trouble. Frankly, she was lucky it was the maestro who dealt with her instead of me.”
Jekyll gulped gently in the back of her mind. What is the goal of this conversation?
Merlin’s gaze dropped to the ground. His fists loosened, the chains clinking softly as they fell to his sides.
“...I did what I had to do,” he whispered.
There’s the guilt, Hyde thought, lips curling into a smirk. “Sacrificing her life so you could join the Middle? Why, the correct choice indeed. It really revealed your true colors then, didn’t it?”
Merlin didn’t respond. His silence was louder than any scream.
Hyde watched him with a predator’s patience. “You weren’t the first to fall for her seduction,” she said, glancing at her fingers as if inspecting them for beauty. “I always found her recruitment methods… questionable. She just happened to pick the wrong person.” Her gaze sharpened, locking onto him. “Perhaps it was your eyes. The only thing that showed color in that dreaded T Corp.”
Merlin flinched, just slightly. “It’s what drew the Middle to me as well,” he muttered, voice low. He shook his head, then looked up with a stare that tried—desperately—to be hard. “So why are you here now, talking to me? Didn’t you say the Ring would leave me alone after that whole incident?”
I just wanted to see you tremble before me, Hyde thought, but she only gave a sly smirk. “Do you regret what you did to my student?”
Merlin’s jaw clenched. He knew what she was doing—shifting the blame, twisting the knife. But he couldn’t stop her. He had made the choice. When the maestro asked him to choose—his life and a future with the Middle, or Mohini’s—he had chosen himself. The maestro hadn’t hesitated. Mohini was executed in front of Hyde, and the memory was immortalized in a painting that sold well. It traumatized the boy, and he didn’t move as the Middle dragged him away. Pain always fetched a high price.
Merlin’s voice came out hoarse. “...No. No, I don’t.”
Hyde tilted her head, expression unreadable. “So why do you talk about her and associate me with her as if you ever cared?”
Merlin sighed, the sound brittle. “Because I did care,” he said, finally. “And I still do. That’s the problem.”
Hyde blinked, surprised by the honesty. Merlin continued, his voice steadier now, but hollow.
“She was the first person who saw me as more than a tool. She asked questions no one else dared to ask. She made me feel like I could be something inside the city, outside of my aunt’s shadow. And I destroyed that.”
He looked at Hyde, eyes glassy but defiant. “You think I don’t regret it because I said I didn’t. But regret doesn’t change anything. It doesn’t bring her back. It doesn’t erase the blood. So I live with it. Quietly. Alone.”
Hyde’s grin faltered. Jekyll stirred faintly in the back of her mind, unsure whether to step forward or let the silence speak.
Merlin lowered his gaze, the weight of her presence pressing down like frost on his shoulders. “You came here to watch me tremble. Fine. You win,” he said, voice low and tight. “But don’t pretend you’re here for justice. You’re here because you’re still angry. And maybe… maybe you miss her too.”
Hyde scoffed, the sound sharp and theatrical. “HAH! Angry?” She tilted her head, eyes gleaming with something between amusement and disdain. “I came because I have business with another company. But it’s truly been a treat to see that after all these years, the scars haven’t healed. The blood of her death still stains your hands, doesn’t it?”
She stepped forward, just slightly, enough to make him flinch. “Tell me, Merlin—did punching your way through the Middle ease the guilt? Did it make you feel like a man again?”
Merlin’s fists clenched at his sides, knuckles whitening. His breath hitched, but he didn’t lash out. Not yet. “...You truly don’t miss your own student?”
Hyde’s expression didn’t change. “I couldn’t care much about losing a child.”
Merlin blinked, stunned. “Those are your children? You think of them as children? Then why do they look like…”
Hyde’s smile returned, slow and eerie. “They are so very beautiful. Aren’t they? You thought that way yourself. I don’t know where they get it from.”
Merlin’s voice dropped to a whisper. “...Yes. Beautiful. Of course…”
Hyde’s gaze sharpened, her tone shifting from whimsical to surgical. Her eyes darkened. “Yet despite being beautiful artworks—capable of creating masterpieces—they often fail. They fail to overcome their moral compass. And that holds them back from what truly matters.”
Merlin’s hand drifted to his chest, fingers curling over the fabric as if trying to hold something in. His silence was no longer defiance—it was grief.
Hyde watched him, eyes darkening further. “But you… You seemed to overcome it quite easily. If anything, I’m here to congratulate you.”
She leaned in, voice soft but venomous. “You chose yourself. You chose power. And Mohini paid the price. That’s what makes you different, Merlin. That’s what makes you like me. That’s what makes you useful.”
Merlin’s breath trembled, his chest rising in shallow waves. “I didn’t want her to die.”
“But you didn’t stop it,” Hyde replied, her smile fading into something colder, more clinical. “And that’s all that matters.”
She glanced toward the door, then casually set down her weapon on the nearby table with a metallic clink. Her fingers moved with practiced ease as she tied her hair back, the gesture oddly domestic in contrast to the venom she’d just spilled. “I have other business to attend to,” she said, smoothing the last strand into place. “But should the Middle ever fail you… You’ll always have a place as a student of mine.”
Her grin returned, sly and deliberate. “You have that selfish fire I look for in students. And the obedience of a dog—like a lioness submitting to the lion. It’s rare. It’s valuable.”
Merlin flinched at the comparison, his spine stiffening as he tried to regain composure. He straightened his back, adjusted his glasses with trembling fingers, but the gesture felt hollow. “I’d never accept an offer from someone like you.”
Hyde paused at the threshold, one hand resting lightly on the doorframe. She didn’t look back immediately—just let the silence stretch, let the weight of her words settle like ash.
Then, with a tilt of her head, she spoke. “No, you would have. If you fell for Mohini, it wouldn’t be hard to like someone like me. She was… not so different. She took after me.”
Merlin’s voice cracked, barely above a whisper. “Wouldn’t you think I’d choose myself over you, then?”
Hyde turned, her eyes gleaming with something ancient and cruel. She saw the way he tried to wear his guilt like armor, tried to twist his failure into defiance. It made her grin widen, slow, and predatory.
“Yes,” she said. “You would. But when everyone’s at their wits’ end—when the world stops pretending to be kind—they always come crawling back to an offer like mine.”
She stepped inside, leaving the door ajar behind her. The silence she left in her wake wasn’t peace—it was a dare.
He won’t accept our offer, Jekyll reasoned, the thought surfacing like a breath held too long. Leaving the Middle has consequences. His superiors like him too much. He’s too entrenched.
Hyde lingered in the recesses of their mind, reluctant but calculating. No… but having the offer— her voice curled like smoke, to join the very place, to serve under the very people who killed his beloved… that will haunt him. That will rot him from the inside.
Jekyll’s fingers twitched as she picked up the weapon again, the metal cool and familiar in her grip. She shifted uncomfortably, her gaze flicking toward the empty hallway. At least no one was there to see it.
Hyde stirred, amused. Aw, come on. You can’t tell me you didn’t miss it. The way they squirm under our feet, the way fear makes them honest. Surely you missed seeing their pain—it’s… inspiring.
Jekyll didn’t respond. She moved to the table, setting the weapon down with deliberate care. Her eyes dropped to the floor, tracing the faint scuff marks left by Merlin’s boots. She reached for the report she’d started for Dante—notes on Mark’s behavior, his inconsistencies, his potential.
She tried to ignore Hyde.
She really did.
But her fingers hesitated over the page. Her breath slowed. And somewhere, deep in the marrow of her thoughts, she couldn’t help but agree.
As the party arrives for their first mission in Q Corp, quarrels seem to arise from past experiences…
Third session yayyyyyyy-
This one took so long but so much happened and it was all too important to cut out! Enjoy!
Masterpost
Chapter 2 <--> Chapter 4
~o0o~
The week that surpassed on the bus was nothing short of troublesome, however, most of the information was discarded as unimportant for the story. It was full of memorization of contract terms, cleaning, cooking, gauntlet grinding, and team quarrels.
The team quarrels didn’t seem to let up. Even now, Jekyll knew Mark and Othello were arguing in the back as the rest sat up front to keep their eyes on the road. Their shouts gave her a headache. She wished to go sleep in a little bit more before she had to work, but she considered the trip not worth the trouble of getting between the two airheads.
Lenore was adjacent to Jekyll on the other side of the bus; she spread across two chairs with her eyes closed. Jekyll admired how she could take a nap everywhere. Her form was so peaceful, and not anxious about anything around her.
Mallo sat in the seats in front of Lenore, her legs also spread across both chairs. She was sitting upright with her hair tied back, looking straight ahead at the front of the bus. Between her fingers was a cigarette, as usual. Jekyll had lost count of how many she had. It came to the point where she wondered where Mallo got all the cigarettes from.
Pen rested behind Jekyll, sleeping on the window and not being disturbed by the bumps on the road, as if he was passed out cold. Jekyll marveled at his ability to sleep anywhere. It was as if he could see the stars wherever he was and rest in their presence.
Jatayu was adjacent to him. He simply stared at the ceiling with his hands in his lap. He didn’t seem interested in anything. Part of Jekyll wished to go and talk to him, but his mind seemed to be somewhere else, and she didn’t feel comfortable reaching out to start a conversation.
Jekyll decided to stare at the window. She noticed in the blur of the gray slum buildings outside, immediately telling her she was in a backstreet of sorts. Little to no color besides the purple decorated the richer buildings. Everything was in precise ruin and gloom. It was clear that this corporation was downtrodden and poor. The sky too, was covered in clouds, hiding any form of sunlight. It was a horrible day, and not one person was in sight.
“Alright, at attention everyone,” a raspy voice sounded from the front of the bus.
Jekyll lifted her head just in time to see Vergilius turn around to face them. His hands were clasped behind his back and his eyes were more tired than usual.
“This is your first mission,” he began. “I expect you all to be on your best behavior. You will retrieve the golden bough from the lobotomy corporation facility here in Q Corp. In addition to this, we’ve also made a contract with…” He let out a disappointing and terrifying sigh. “Where is Mark and Othello?”
“They are in the back of the bus,” Pen answered. “If I remember correctly, they were fighting over something again.”
The Red Gaze’s eyes turned sharply toward the door, a slight flash of annoyance woven in his mouth. His head gently turned toward his assistant next to him, his voice more gentle than the anger on his face. “Kuvira,” he bent slightly over to meet her eyes.
Kuvira’s head looked up like an alert rabbit to a twig snapping. Her gaze relaxed as she saw Vergilius. “Yes sir?” She implied a tone of willingness and patience, something he did not return to her.
“Check on the sinners in the back, Mark and Othello. Fetch them for me, and make sure they aren’t causing a fuss or doing anything stupid.”
Kuvira stood up immediately, giving a quick bow of respect. “Right away, sir.” She nearly skipped away with a smile down the bus hall before reaching the back door and closing it behind her.
“Sinners, any notable questions about the place before I continue?” Vergilius turned his gaze back to the crowd as Kuvira left. “Your task is to find the golden bough and return it to Dante.”
“Hold on, we?” Pen gestured to his coworkers, a look of confusion on his face. “Aren’t you coming too? I thought you were our guide.”
“I am the bus guide,” Vergilius replied, moving his hands from his back to grab his book resting on the bus dashboard. “I guide the bus, not the sinners on the bus.” He sighed. “I… assist now and then, assuming you guys don’t do your job and get lost… but I cannot guide you to the destination per contract regulations unless in dire situations.”
Mallo raised her hand, her gaze fixed and stoic as usual. “You informed us that we were picking up a person. Who are they? What do they look like?”
The only detail Vergilius gave of the person was the brown suit he would be wearing. Mallo didn’t seem to appreciate the vagueness of the answer.
Lenore also made clear she had a question. “Aren’t we looking for the golden bough?”
Vergilius stared at her as if she was deaf.
“I mean, why do we need to sign a contract with someone with a simple task?” Lenore elaborated, rubbing the back of her neck.
“The person in charge of the signed contract will guide you to the facility as they are well situated with the environment,” Vergilius explained. “They have additional tasks for you to complete on the way.”
Lenore said her thanks and rested back in her seat.
Jekyll adjusted the monocle on her eye, her gaze twitching slightly. The voice… well, Hyde, was strangely quiet.
Not that she was complaining, but it usually didn’t mean anything good. “Where are you?” She muttered under her breath.
I’m here, idiot. There’s nothing important to say.
Jekyll rolled her eyes, regretting that she even asked.
“Any other questions?” The guide sighed, waiting a moment before flipping through his book. He turned toward Charon and gestured for her to stop.
Jekyll didn’t realize the bus had slowed, but she did notice the sudden jolt when it came to a full stop. Charon’s expression was blank as always, as if she had done nothing wrong, and nothing right.
When the door opened, there was a man who stepped into the bus. As Vergilius had described, he had a prominent brown suit. He carried a gray suitcase that was the same shade as his combed-back hair. His face was square and he adjusted the large glasses on his face, giving a disgusted look at the state of the vehicle before speaking. “Is this Limbus Company?” He asked, his voice snarky and high-pitched.
“Yes,” Pen answered faster than anyone else could open their mouths.
The man alternated his stance to lean more on his left black boot. He seemed unamused. “I am supposed to meet Dante, I assume?”
Quicker than anyone else once more, Pen pointed to the manager.
Dante quickly thanks him before standing up. “Right, I will need a translator to talk to our coworker.”
This would be a good time to show my good work ethic, Jekyll thought. She began to stand up, willing to offer her assistance.
“Jatayu, can you translate for me?” The manager turned his head toward the veteran.
“Oh, uh, sure,” Jatayu gently nods and hoists himself out of his seat, adjusting his jacket to look more presentable.
Jekyll frowned, sitting back down in her seat. A wave of disappointment washed over her. She knew managers tended to choose people they trusted for various tasks, however, she couldn’t help but feel useless in that moment.
Get over yourself, Hyde scoffed. Pay attention to what they’re saying.
Jekyll had nothing better to do than oblige.
Before Dante could start the conversation, the back door opened. Mark came out with a strangely calm look on his face. His white shirt and black pants were drenched in blood and reeked of guts. His pipe hung on his shoulders as he observed the situation before him.
Kuvira was not far behind him, gently swaying to the side slightly behind Mark. She seemed to be completely unscathed, except for the end of her scarf which contained the same color of blood on Mark’s shirt.
“Where have you been?” Dante turned around, confronting his tardiness.
“Sorry, Dante, I was-” Mark paused, his gaze snapping back to normal. “Wait a minute, why am I apologizing to you? I was at the ordeal gauntlet, pansy. None of your business.”
Jekyll’s eyes narrowed, observing Mark closely. The blood on his shirt was definitely not ordeal blood. She knew what human blood looked like, to her dismay.
Oh my gosh, the idiot killed Othello. She heard Hyde rant in her head. No one is going to believe his pathetic lie–
“How did you beat them all by yourself?” Pen stared at Mark with wide eyes in amazement.
“Identities,” he replied. “Easy.”
These idiots.
Jekyll couldn’t help but agree with Hyde. Was it really not that obvious?
Mallo shot a similar glare that Jekyll had in her eyes at Mark. Mark made eye contact with her. “The hell is that look for?” He snapped, his demeanor becoming harsher by the minute.
“Mm, none of my business.” Mallo returned the glare before turning around, taking another breath from her cigarette.
“I’m glad you got the use of IDs down, pal,” Jatayu smiled towards him.
Mark turned his gaze towards him. “Who are you?”
The veteran looked confused. “Uh, I’m Jatayu?” He glanced at Dante before looking back at Mark. “Your coworker?”
“Hmmph,” Mark looked away and took a seat in the back of the bus, irritated.
Kuvira gently passed Jatayu and Dante as she headed to the front of the bus. Jatayu adjusted his coat once more and also turned around, rather embarrassed. His body language told everyone observing that he wished to move on from the subject.
Dante didn’t seem convinced. “That’s strange, I don’t remember pulling out any ID cards for you…”
“You got flames for a brain, pansy,” Mark retorted.
“It’s not that, I just hope another Ithas situation doesn’t happen… Eh, I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
Pen had a second take as Dante said that. “Is he lying?” He asked Dante, glancing at Mark.
“He has no reason to lie,” Dante’s flames flickered as he turned towards the man. “There would be no other place that the blood could come from, anyway.”
The hunter’s eyes lit up. “Well if he used an ID all by himself, that’s even more impressive.”
Jekyll twitched her head as Hyde ranted. Idiots surround me… these people can’t come to a logical conclusion for sh–
“Do ID injuries usually transfer over?” Lenore asked, confused. “I didn’t expect the injuries to stay when switching back to our normal selves.”
“Everything is usually fine after combat,” Dante scratches his head. “The IDs usually don’t remember what happened, and I heal whatever ID that fought after combat, anyway.”
“Don’t mean to barge in this situation,” the snarky voice from the new guy stung the noise like a scorpion. “But can we get this contract settled? I want to get a move on.”
Jekyll didn’t care for how nastily and pushy the man was being. She knew she would be polite when working with him, but his comments were unnecessary.
“Yes,” Dante turned around to face the man. “Jatayu, please translate what I say.”
“O-Oh, yes,” Jatayu shook his head, snapping himself back into focus.
“We as Limbus Company are a proud establishment,” Dante began. “We deal with distortions and collect golden boughs. Your contract has been made to help both of us with our personal goals. Things are going well, and we wish for things to continue going well.”
Jatayu clears his throat. “Uh, we as Limbus company are a proud establishment that uh… deal with distortions… and things are not… well?”
Everyone on the bus looked at Jatayu as if he was high. Dante tilted his head as a strange ticking noise sounded. “Jatayu, that’s… not what I said.”
“Uh, sorry,” Jatayu stammered, scratching the back of his head as his eyes winced. “I’m a little antsy, I will focus better, manager.”
The new guy had a disturbed look on his face subsequent to everyone else’s reactions. “Right… Anyway, the insurance company of mine wishes to hire you. There has been an astronomical rush of MK-Falons with so many people exploring the old lobotomy corporation facilities. As a life insurance company, we have good business keeping people alive. We have people’s well-being insured and compensate for those who pass into the next life. However, with the large rush of people exploring the facilities, they never come back up alive and are presumed dead. People keep exploring these facilities and we aren’t financially equipped to keep paying their relatives for their poor decisions that cost them their lives.”
“You’re still paying for the deaths of those who effectively commit suicide?” Lenore questioned. It was a respectful and logical question, and Lenore asked it professionally.
“Usually, we wouldn’t fund those. However, they are not… classified as suicides, and not many suicides occur in the backstreets of Q Corp. Higher ups did take that in mind, but because of their classification as a casualty and not a suicide…” The man sniffed as if to clear his throat. “The point being, my company has been in a downward spiral because of this rush of enkephalin. To save our hyde from–”
He said my name.
Jekyll winced and gently replied. No, he’s talking about a different thing entirely.
That’s still my name, moron. No one just says ‘Hyde’ out of the blue.
Shut up–
“We want you all to delve into this and save us money.” The man finished, taking a deep breath.
Jekyll scowled at herself. She didn’t even get to hear the reasoning and the final part of the explanation. She had no doubt this would lead to further issues down the line.
Mallo seemed pissed off with how the man pronounced enkephalin. She proceeded to argue with him many times about how the word was said, before giving up as his accent didn’t change how he said the word at all. Lenore tried to convince them both it was the same thing and to move on to more important topics at hand.
Pen whispered something in the background, and Jatayu stood up to relay it. “So how does all this relate to distortions?” His voice was hoarse, exposing his exhaustion.
“So, our company tried to take care of the issue on our terms, however, we are not exactly fit for combat, despite having a few combatants left… We tried to go ourselves, but while we were down there we found very… grizzly things.” He shuddered at the mere mention of the description, his hand going to rub his back and neck to calm himself down. “After that first failure of an exploration… we decided to call the experts – you all – knowing you are better trained and more prepared than us.”
“This implies that you know what’s down there,” Jatayu pressed.
“There was… a lot of beheadings, and we didn’t make it past the first floor.”
The silence that captured the bus was loud. The man uncomfortably adjusted his feet as he waited for someone to speak up, getting more nervous by the second.
Pen was the first to break his anxious bondage. “So, you’re saying we are going to fight distortions?”
“I believe so,” he stammered. “Are there other monsters that are not in that classification?”
Jekyll watched the rage immediately take over Mallo’s face. She took another breath of her cigarette to calm down before she spoke. “Abnormalities.”
The man looked bewildered. “What’s that?”
Mallo pinched her nose with her free hand, her mood becoming more irritated the more this man spoke. “You idiot–”
“Did we hire the wrong company?” The new guy backed up nervously, his hands raised as his expression revealed his new fear.
Jekyll watched as Mallo stood to her feet immediately, towering over the man. She walked up to him, bending down before breathing out one last cloud of smoke. “Abnormalities are feral monsters who exist for one purpose. They are crafted around a singular desire and will never change. They used to be people, but will never return to their former state. Distortions, however, are people who are consumed by a belief and an emotion to a mental breaking point. They can be taken care of and returned to their former state. Knowing the difference is key.”
When the fear on the man’s face didn’t subside, Jekyll felt compelled to step forward. “Uh, distortions are killable! Unlike abnormalities, they are usually a one-and-done situation.” Jekyll stood up and walked to Mallo’s side. “Either way, we can take care of the monsters down there.” She let out a nervous laugh, clenching her hands together.
You absolute idiot–
Although the man looked relieved, Mallo immediately became more angry. She turned toward Jekyll, her gaze piercing her soul. “I didn’t ask you for your opinion. You speak when spoken to, understood?”
Jekyll took a step back, her posture shrinking inward. The fierce threat written within Mallo’s words sent shivers down her spine. Her gaze did not let up, and it only made Jekyll more afraid.
What the hell are you doing?! Hyde barked. Don’t let her walk over you like that! Fight back!
Hell nah, Jekyll argued. I’ve already upset her enough.
Jekyll I swear, you never stand up for yourself. Hyde hissed, more irritated than Mallo. This is why I took action with Danves, you need to–
“I suddenly feel that this is an unsafe working environment,” the new man was clutching his suitcase to his chest, glancing between Mallo and Jekyll.
“Every place in this God-forsaken city is an unsafe place to work,” Mallo turned back towards him.
“Ah–” The guy raised his finger to protest, but then clamped his mouth shut. “Fair point…”
“As I was saying,” Mallo shot one more threatening glare at Jekyll before turning her feet toward the man, her gaze turning into a stoic glaze. “Abnormalities have their differences, but if you beat either of them up enough, they will go into submission.”
The two continued to exchange information about the subject; Jekyll zoned out and went to sit back in her seat, making herself as small as possible.
Are you done sulking like a dog without its owner?
Jekyll’s eyes narrowed, not wanting to address Hyde.
Don’t in all hell dare ignore me. Hyde snapped. You are such a wimp. Where is your strength to stand your ground? Do you even have the brain to notice they’ve been walking all over you?
KNOW YOUR PLACE! Jekyll screamed in her head, wiping away a tear that never fell. Know your place in this, Hyde. You are not the boss of me. Shut the hell up, or I’ll make sure to charge these moonstones real good.
Hyde didn’t speak another word after that. Jekyll could feel her sulking in the corner just like she was. She figured she would get to hear all about it later. Hyde always complained that she didn’t know what she was doing wrong when everything she suggested was horrible. Jekyll knew she wasn’t bound by the same morals she was, but the lack of remorse her internal companion had was the most scary part about her.
“Oh, there is one more group I should tell you all about,” the new man stepped away from Mallo to face the group again. “Other groups are searching for the golden boughs, and we’ve encountered a few of them. Have any of you heard of the demon syndicate?”
There was a noticeable sound of a grip tightening. Jekyll looked up from the floor to see who it was. The only person who changed their demeanor was Jatayu. Jekyll had often taken Jatayu to be a relaxed, patient man. However, the rage on his face completely changed how he came off to everyone else. He gripped his tonfas mercilessly as if he was going to shatter them with his bare hands. His eyes were like fire.
What’s his deal? Hyde piped up.
Jekyll didn’t answer as she took a closer look at him. She didn’t know much if anything about his past, but she could immediately recognize the symptoms he was going through. From the clients she worked with to her personal experience, Jekyll could see the anger of uncertain origin fuel Jatayu. When the mere name of the Demon Syndicate was mentioned, the anger stemmed from a place of trauma as many memories flashed before his very eyes. It was a very common form of post-traumatic stress disorder, however, Jekyll knew every person responded to tragic events differently. She couldn’t tell what exactly was traumatic, but she knew it was causing Jatayu to boil in anger. If her knowledge didn’t fail her, it meant he was about to do something very brash and out of character for his normal composure.
The man continued to speak as Jatayu walked towards him. “They’ve been lingering in this area, and we have lost many customers to whatever practices they’ve been– oh, hello–”
Jatayu paid no regard to the man as he walked out of the bus and into the haze of the backstreets.
“Clockhead, or anyone else listening, fill me in, I ain’t listening to this trash,” Mark got up from the backseat and rushed past Dante and the new guy, scurrying after Jatayu.
“Are we supposed to be heading out?” Pen asked quietly.
“Someone’s got trauma,” Mallo muttered under her breath.
“Well clockface, if we die, don’t let it be permanent,” Lenore gently demanded before getting up from her seat and following the two men out the bus door.
Pathetic speech anyway, let’s rush after them.
Jekyll disagreed. She knew when meetings were interrupted like this, it meant not all the key information was given. She clutched her hands together before walking up to the contract man. “Well, you can always give me the remaining details and I will pass them along,” she suggested, casting a quick glance at Mallo to make sure she wasn’t going to yell at her again.
Ew, boring, I don’t want to stick around for information. Jekyll could feel Hyde rolling her eyes.
“Oh, alright, let’s head on out after the others and discuss–”
“No, no,” Jekyll interrupted him, her eyes widening slightly as she motioned for him to not move. “The… backstreets are not safe to discuss important contract business such as this.”
“Good point,” the man adjusted his glasses and sniffed again, his voice becoming less constricted. “We want you to take the demon syndicate out, as they are also bad for our business. We can’t protect those whose souls are stolen, anyway.”
Jekyll took a mental note of the new information. “Anything else we should know about the journey, the layout, the enemies we will be facing?”
“Why don’t we walk and talk? I see most of your group has started already,” the man suggested.
Is he deaf? You JUST recommended to stay inside. What an NPC… Hyde insulted him for her.
Jekyll couldn’t help but agree. She glanced out into the fog where Jatayu and Mark had disappeared, and Lenore slowly caught up to them. She heard a brief command from Dante for Mallo and Pen to follow the others, which meant she would have to go too.
As Pen walked to the door, he pointed at Charon. “Is she not coming?”
“Mephi needs company. Charon stays,” the bus driver replied in a simple tone, not looking his way as she swung her feet off the edge of the seat.
“Huh, okay then,” Pen shrugged it off and walked into the haze, patting the bus as he left. “It’s okay you have Charon to be with you.”
Mallo after observing the situation, followed Pen without a word to anyone.
“Are you absolutely sure there is no more information you can give us?” Jekyll turned her attention back towards the contract man. “No loopholes, no hidden surprises that you know of, no hidden information about who we might be facing?”
“All I know was there was a lot of red and beheading in the facility.”
“That’s all?”
“There was also a lot of laughter, but that is all I can give you. I am not combat efficient, so my job is to guide you to the entrance of the lobotomy corporation facility. After that, it is up to your company to complete the rest.”
This bastard had better pay a large sum to the higher-ups if he expects us to charge in with the pathetic information he’s given us.
Jekyll sighed, realizing she was not going to get any more useful information out of him. She glanced behind her shoulder to see Dante gesturing her towards the door. She took one look at Vergilius, Kuvira, and Charon before she walked past the contract man and stepped into the fog herself.
“Dante,” Jekyll heard Vergilius’ voice behind her. He paused for a moment. “...Do not let them lose their heads like last time.”
Jekyll didn’t hear the manager’s reply as she stepped into the fog. She barely caught a whiff of Jatayu and Mark as they took a turn down a street. As soon as she spotted them, they went out of her sight.
The backstreets were oddly quiet. Jekyll had never been to Q Corp, but after seeing it, it would not be her first choice. The buildings much like the ones she saw on the bus were slightly in ruin and had a grand presence similar to a ghetto. The houses were more like slums, only varying in color by their different shades of gray. The richer parts of the backstreets that she could see, or at least richer objects had purple and violet hues. The only sound was the constant dripping of water off the broken roofs. The smell was horrendous, like the stench of cow dung and ash. It was difficult to make out any specific details due to the haze. The dark clouds above didn’t help at all with the gloomy and nihilistic environment. It was truly a terrible day.
There were little to no people out. There was one person in front of them, and he seemed to be of no importance. The eerie silence made Jekyll feel the man was about to get jumped.
“It’s nice to be out again,” Jekyll glanced to her right, spotting Pen in the middle of a stretch.
“Weather’s hell as always,” Mallo adds a dark cloud to the fog with the smoke from her cigarette. Her hair gently swayed behind her, and her glare didn’t resist piercing into anyone who got in its way.
Feeling that Hyde was distracted by something else, Jekyll took a step towards Mallo. I might as well try to make things right… She thought to herself. “H-Hey, Mallo?”
Mallo barely turned her head towards her. “What?” She snapped more than asked.
“U-Uhm I w-wanted t-to apologize f-for earlier… I d-didn’t mean to s-step out of line I-I-I am sorry…” Jekyll gripped her hands tightly, looking up at the woman who stood over a foot taller than her.
Mallo’s gaze seemed to relax, even if it was only a little bit. “Hmm. Just remember not to step out of line. It will lead to more problems.” She gestured down the alleyway that Jatayu and Mark went down. “Like those two.”
When Jekyll turned her head to see where she was pointing, Pen and Lenore were blocking Mallo’s preferred intention. “Are you going to follow them?” She heard Pen ask Lenore, who was too quiet for her to hear the response.
“Uhm, I a-assume you meant t-the two that a-already left, yes?” Jekyll stammered, turning back to face Mallo.
“Yes, I did. Congrats on noticing,” Mallo took a breath from her cigarette and sighed. “Talking takes too much effort.”
Jekyll nodded solemnly, relieved to have cleared that up. She didn’t ever wish to upset Mallo; Jekyll was quite fond of her. However, she couldn’t say the same about Hyde.
That bastard walks all over us, she heard Hyde mumble in her head. Jekyll decided to ignore everything else Hyde ranted about after that.
“Aren’t you supposed to direct us, Dante?” Pen appeared next to Jekyll and in front of Dante as if he teleported there. “Three of our companions just walked off.”
Pen’s immediate presence made Jekyll jump. It took her a bit to consider his words. When Jekyll took a glance at the left alleyway, she realized Lenore had disappeared down it as well. She sighed. Really?
“I wish I could tell you why they’ve gone off…” Dante sighed. “Perhaps they are trying to catch up with Jatayu? I have never seen him act this way before; he’s usually not like this… storming off to hell knows where. Either way, Maut is supposed to lead us to our destination, we should follow him.”
It was about time Jekyll learned the contract man’s name. She nodded towards Maut before turning to Dante. “S-So are are going to wait for them t-to come back o-or are we following Maut t-to the destination?”
“I mean, we need our entire party,” Dante answered. “So I guess we are following them to grab their attention.”
Mallo didn’t think twice. She turned her heel and trod across the left alleyway where the others disappeared.
This company’s organization is absolute garbage. Hyde sighed in annoyance as Jekyll watched Mallo walk off. You traded M Corp for this?
We… I didn’t have a choice. Jekyll replied, sighing.
You had every choice, and you chose the wrong one.
Choosing the wrong one would’ve been to continue letting you be free, Jekyll hissed.
I had everything under control!
We were about to get arrested, Hyde! Jekyll’s breathing quickened as the memories came back. You committed horrible acts!
Horrible? How were they horrible? Are your stupid morals getting in the way again?
Jekyll looked up immediately, forcing a smile. “Uh- uh- yes! Everything is fine, Dante.” She sighed.
This pansy ain’t seeing nothing yet. Hyde took a strange control over Jekyll’s smile, tweaking it slightly.
“If you’re sure,” Dante nodded, the flames on his head dwindling.
I cannot believe that worked, Jekyll inhaled a deep breath of relief. “I suppose we follow the others, like you mentioned earlier?”
“Yes, that is the initial plan,” Dante glanced over his shoulder. “Can anyone ask Maut, though?”
“I can,” Jekyll immediately stepped up on the opportunity, not letting it get away this time. I need to prove myself to Dante.
Screw proving yourself. Get all the information you can since we are choosing the boring route.
Jekyll cringed at herself before walking up to Maut and waving her hand to get his attention.
Maut’s voice was as snarky as ever. “What is it, miss?”
“Hypothetically,” Jekyll began. “To get to the Lobotomy Corporation facility, which direction would be the best to go in?”
Maut’s finger pointed towards the alley more colored in purple and violet to the right. “Straight that way.”
How convenient, Hyde snapped.
“Uhm… how long would it take to get there if we went left where our other companions went, versus right?”
“Turning right is naturally faster, as it is a direct shot. However, it shouldn’t take more than a few hours more if we went left. Turning left leads to a worse part of town, where my work residence lies.”
Lovely. Ask him about supplies, and if there’s any information about the town we should know.
Jekyll hated that she agreed with Hyde. “Would it be beneficial to stop at your work? Perhaps we could grab some necessary supplies and you can give us more information.”
“I’ve already told you all the information about the facility,” Maut said, clearly annoyed.
Is this bastard deaf? Information about the city– Hyde proceeded to curse the man out.
“W-Well, at least we could go left to gather supplies and devise a plan to go through the city and facility, anything you can give us will help.”
Maut’s demeanor changed immediately. “That’s a good idea!” He smirked. “Why don’t we do that?”
Jekyll thought it was a sound plan. She turned around to see if Dante would approve.
The manager seemed to be reassuring Pen that they would be getting a move on soon, as Pen appeared to have grown restless with the rising tension.
Jekyll faced the left alley before walking down it. “Come along now, the backstreets are never safe for anybody.”
The rest of the remaining group followed close behind Jekyll, traveling in silence. The haze thickened and the smell worsened, forcing Jekyll to plug her nose as she continued forward through the streets, twisting and turning with the roads. The atmosphere itself got darker and gloomier, but it wouldn’t be long until the gang reached an opening.
“Is this a safer part of town?” Pen strolled to match Maut’s pace, looking up at the tall man with curious eyes.
“No, less safe by a lot,” Maut answered curtly.
Dante shuddered as he eavesdropped. He ticked gently, about to say something, but the narrow backstreet opened up into a small courtyard. There were dim purple lights to light up the main business buildings and their entrances. All the buildings were covered in chains and jail bars to keep anyone from going in or out without being tracked. To the left were more streets that drove further into Q Corp, and to the right were a bunch of buildings. Straight ahead was a more lit-up path with a broken sign.
The party’s gaze rested on the only person out in the open. He wore a large purple coat and had his hair slicked back like Maut’s. The black suitcase resting at his side matched his boots perfectly in color, and it was easy to tell he was looking back at the party with a stoic face despite the glasses that covered his eyes.
“Do you know him?” Jekyll lowered her voice, talking to Maut as she gestured towards the purple-suited man.
“Yes! That is one of my coworkers, Mr. Fylar,” Maut wore a quick smile before it faded. “He’s a good companion of mine.”
Bro’s got a nice drip. I would love to paint that, Hyde smirked. I wonder if his blood would complement the violet.
Can you stop? We are trying to focus, Jekyll pinched her nose, adjusting her monocle. She made an effort to distract herself from Hyde’s comments as she observed her surroundings. It would be hard to navigate the backstreets without proper guidance. Having been on a similar mission before, Jekyll wondered if there was a backup plan in case the group got even more separated for navigation. “Do we have a layout of the city, Maut?” The doctor asked randomly, not looking at the contract man. “A layout of the city?”
“I’m sure he does, quite,” Pen added.
With the lack of response from the man, Jekyll snapped her fingers to get Maut’s attention. “Hey, sorry for all the questions. Do you have a layout or map of the area?”
“Oh!” He adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat once more. “I do work here so I have a general layout… but because this place is so filthy and grimey I don’t know it too well, as I usually stay in the nest.”
“Okay, can you draw a general layout or a map of some sort, on the ground or verbally relay it?” Jekyll pressed, begging for any new information she could get.
“I can… do you have a piece of paper?”
Jekyll looked up to the sky momentarily, pulling her jacket forward so her other hand could rummage through her pockets. It took a long time sorting through the various jars and rocks to find paper and pen. However, she immediately handed it to Maut the moment she found some.
Maut thanked her before placing the paper on a nearby wall and started to sketch out the section of the backstreets they were in, humming to himself as he did so.
Finally, some useful information. Hyde rolled her eyes. Maut isn’t useless after all.
Eventually, Maut handed her the map. Jekyll took a moment to observe it, holding it up to the sky to get a better look. A slight ray of moonlight in the sunset peeked through the clouds, giving her light.
Hey, watch the rings! She heard Hyde snap. You promised you wouldn’t charge those.
Sorry, Jekyll replied, glancing at the rings as they lit up. I can’t see the map otherwise.
Do I sound like I care? Put them away.
Jekyll sighed, putting the map down. She could make out the general details of where to go, but not much more than that. The rings eventually died down, the red light shining from them fading.
“Dante, you need to get a better grip on your sinners,” Mark’s voice echoed as he stepped out from the shadows of the street straight ahead. “They’re going on about the fact that ‘family matters’ or whatever.”
Dante tilted his head, confused. “Family… does matter?”
“You’re delusional too?” Mark rolled his eyes, swinging his pipe around his shoulders. “Everyone knows that family is just some stupid concept, they always sell you out in the end for a price.”
Jekyll froze at that comment, taking a step closer to the conversation. Family is… a stupid concept? Does someone else actually think that way?
Hyde laughed manically so loud it rang through Jekyll’s ears. Hah! Markie the clawless cub… It’s about time he finally learned that.
Dante lifts a finger as if to protest, but he pauses. “I… met someone who thought that way. He was betrayed by his family often. He didn’t make up everything with them, but he ended up forgiving them and he lives a good life now.”
“Sounds like an idiot,” Mark scoffed.
“He knew what he was talking about,” Dante defended, his voice getting more serious with each syllable.
“Anyway, pansy, Jatayu, the gal with the cigarette, and the gal with the glaive are up straight ahead. All of them seemed pretty ticked off by the truth.” Mark shrugged toward the alleyway before setting his pipe on the ground and leaning on it.
Dante sounded even more concerned. “Did… you tell them that family doesn’t matter?”
“Is that wrong?” Mark mocked, giving an uneasy smile.
It’s not wrong, Jekyll added in her head. Just… sensitive people can’t handle that.
She was surprised to hear Hyde agreeing with her. Dang right. Family never matters, it’s always wise to get rid of them first before they hurt you anymore.
Jekyll barely noticed Hyde’s voice was getting stronger, and her grip on reality was loosening. Her vision became blurry as she thought about what Mark had said, and how she agreed with him.
She could hear Dante’s voice in the distance. “I’m… gonna check with them, and ask them what happened…”
“You suck, you need to keep your opinions to yourself,” Pen stepped forward to confront Mark. Jekyll could barely make out the outline of the hunter’s figure.
“Are you all delusional?” Mark seemed taken aback by the negative responses to what he said.
Why don’t you tell him, Jekyll? Hyde’s voice sounded as if it was right in her ear. Why don’t you tell Mark you agree with him?
I… Jekyll blinked, her heart stopped beating for a moment.
I thought your whole thing was to relate to people, to validate their feelings. Hyde sneered. Go on, tell them that you agree.
“I don’t know how you came to that conclusion, but please keep it to yourself,” Pen continued.
“How old are you kid? 16?” Mark changed the subject. After the hunter’s shrug, his smirk faded. “Let the grownups handle this.”
“Your truths are disrupting the hunt.”
“The only issue I see lies in the hunters, not the hunt itself.”
“That hunter with the issue is you.”
“Put some earwax in your ears if it bothers you, then,” Mark retorted, the grip on his pipe tightening.
“If you disrupt my journey to the star, I will make you shut up.”
Mark broke into a burst of laughter. “Try me.”
That laughter blurred Jekyll’s focus entirely, it was too real, too terrifying… Too much like… me.
Jekyll’s grip on reality loosened before she realized it. She could hear Hyde clearer than her own thoughts. Finally.
The last thing Jekyll saw was Mark standing down, being intimidated by Pen and his spear. Her legs became weak, and she fell to the floor, clutching her head. She tried to fight it, but because of how distracted she became, it was already too late. “No, no, no, NO–” she screamed, her consciousness becoming locked in a cage, her body no longer in her control. Her vision became blurry, and the familiar feeling of being trapped in her own mind returned.
Hyde had finally taken over.
The cry of pain stopped, turning into a maniac laughter. Jekyll banged on the prison of her mind as Hyde rose to her feet, flipping the monocle over to reveal her diseased red eye. She slammed the paintbrush onto the ground, making a dent in the road before she stared at those in front of her.
Oh no. No Hyde please don’t do this–
It was the first time Hyde saw a confused look on Mark’s face. “Oi, clockhead, your sinner is going crazy again.”
Dante turned around from his previous wandering down the straight alleyway. “What?”
“Are you okay, Jekyll?” Pen approached Hyde slowly, and one of his arms in a concerned position reached out to her.
Jekyll begged them to run, but no one but Hyde heard her cries. Hyde simply ignored her. She laid eyes on the manager, and without another word to anyone, walked up to him and grabbed him by the scruff.
Dante grunted in surprise. If he had eyes, they would’ve widened at the sudden movement.
It had been a very long time since Jekyll heard Hyde’s voice audibly. “Let me make this clear, clockhead,” she sneered, rage boiling inside her. “Jekyll is the one who signed the contract, but I am not she. I do not follow your pathetic excuse of a life and commands from your waste of air.”
Dante cowered under Hyde’s grip, terrified. He couldn’t reply audibly to her in any coherent words. His hands rested around Hyde’s, the one that was gripping the scruff of his uniform.
“Uh, kid, we might need to knock her out,” Mark started to speak with a new uncertainty, uncommon for his character.
Pen nodded and raised his spear. “As long as I’m here, Jekyll–”
“Jekyll?” Hyde turned her head toward the two men, dropping Dante onto the floor.
Oh boy, here we go… Jekyll thought nervously, having no choice but to watch everything unfold.
“No, no, I am not Jekyll, that lowlife wimp is not me. Please, call me Hyde.” Hyde extended her hands and bowed mockingly, before non-verbally asking for a handshake.
Reluctantly, Pen shook her hand. “Are we playing pretend?” He asked genuinely.
Oh no, oh this is so bad–
“Dante,” Mark shouted at the manager on the floor, actually using his name this time. “Turn her off and on, reset her, or whatever?”
Hyde lifted her head to stare into Mark’s soul. She recognized him immediately now that she was fronting. “Off and on? Reset? Come on, Mark. You know that doesn’t work, it didn’t work for your hustle, now did it?”
Mark looks Hyde up and down, laughing. “I have no idea what she’s talking about.”
Only Jekyll could feel the hint of frustration Hyde chose to hide. Hyde walked up to the man with pride, a sly smirk on her face as her red eye gleamed with delight. Her voice lowered as she whispered like the wind.
“Split Shards. 11th Day of Year. 04:56.”
Mark’s eyes widened in fear. He stared at Hyde in unbelief, before uttering a single curse word under his breath. It was noticeable to anyone watching that he suddenly became very, very nervous. “Yeah, let’s reset her.” He barely got his words out as he took a step back.
… That was the birth moment of your bestseller, wasn’t it?
Yes, see, now you remember who he is, Hyde replied to Jekyll quickly. “There will be NO resetting, Dante,” she raised her voice like a lion. “Unless you want your head on a stick.”
Dante could only stare and nod in horror.
Pen also seemed intimidated by the sudden change, and could only back off and watch the chaos Hyde brought happen.
“Uh, hold on–” Mark stepped forward. “Hyde, would you really want to limit your canvas to a pathetic piece of hell like Dante? He’s only one body, even if that. However, if you go along with our original plan to kill these demon syndicates… you have many bodies to work with for your next…” Mark struggled to find his words as Hyde glared at him. “...Masterpiece.”
Hyde smirked. “I like the way you think,” she rotated the paintbrush flawlessly. “Very well, where is this… demon syndicate?”
Much to Jekyll’s relief, Hyde didn’t wait for an answer. Taking a quick look at the map Maut had given her, she followed the straight alleyway until it led to another alleyway.
Jekyll’s efforts to take back control were useless. Her cries and pleas were ignored. She figured she deserved it; locking someone up for three years never leaves them happy.
Hyde soon approached another plaza, where she found Jatayu and Lenore. There were a few seats to the left for restaurant dining, which no one was sitting in. There was a torn purple flag flying high in the air; everything else was the same as the previous opening.
“Ah, yes, the other two wimps this stupid company hired.” Hyde’s comment was oddly passive, but it drew enough attention to her anyway.
“Are you okay, Jekyll?” Lenore stopped leaning on a lamppost as she gently approached her.
Hyde rolled her eyes, showing an aggressive face. “Don’t call me that!”
Lenore was taken aback. “Do… you have a different name you wish to go by? What is going on? I am… very confused.”
Jatayu tilted his head towards Hyde. “Same…”
Hyde pointed to the red eye that was now revealed and not hidden under the monocle. “Call me Hyde, and it will always be Hyde. Unless you can actually come up with an acceptable nickname.”
She didn’t pay attention to anything else the two said as she continued down the alleyway for some time. Jekyll watched the sunset and the moon rise. She tried to plan how to get the moonstones charged whilst she was not in control.
Don’t. Even. Think. About it. She heard Hyde snap at her.
Hyde, please, we are stuck with these people for a long time, Jekyll pleaded, realizing Hyde was finally listening. Please, do not be rude to them…
That is the least of your concerns, idiot.
Two lamposts signaled to the doctor that another opening was up ahead. This plaza had the look of a marketplace… after it was raided and murdered. Bloodstained almost every stone on the cobbled road. Every building had boards to block the entrances from this area. This is where the stench of dead ashes came from. The former marketplace had clearly turned into a battlefield not too long ago as if a gang had just claimed it as their territory.
Unlike Jekyll, Hyde was able to observe the scene efficiently and faster than Jekyll ever had looked at anything in her life. She gathered Mallo was walking towards another road further right, her hair swaying and not bothering to acknowledge who just came in behind her. To her left, she noticed three strange-looking creatures with green gloves and hostile faces. Their robes were also green and carried a dark presence about them. Knowing a bit about the area, Hyde reasoned they were the demon syndicates she was looking for.
“You three!” She shouted, spinning the brush in her hand. She smiled wickedly at them. “Are you the demon syndicate?”
The three men looked towards her in a confused manner before the second one stepped forward with a piercing glare. He seemed more outgoing than the other two and had a finer jawline. “What is it to you?”
Hyde strolled across the cobblestone road towards them, dragging her paintbrush behind her as it left colors on the floor. Her posture was one of pride; anyone remotely knowledgeable of her occupation would recognize her. She admired how the second demon syndicate looked, and her thoughts filled with various poses she could use his remains to paint on her new canvas. “Answer me this. To be the canvas, or to receive the canvas?”
The first and third demon syndicate looked at each other in confusion as if she spoke in riddles. The second one copied their confusion and pasted it on his face. “You’re not making any sense.”
Jekyll started screaming in Hyde’s head as she gripped the paintbrush tighter. Hyde no! No, do not start this fight, please! We are alone!
“Relax, I got this under control,” was the last thing Hyde muttered to her before she lunged forward.
Hyde’s attack was swift, completely catching the second man off-guard. She swung her paintbrush at him, retracting his blood and painting it across his face with multiple strikes. The man retaliated, shooting her with the green glove he had on his hand.
The third one also shot her, and it ate away at her soul. Hyde finished her attack before resting on her paintbrush, smirking wildly at them. She hid how much pain she was in, as she realized this type of attack was a sin she never came in contact with before. It hurt more than the others, and left a dark, black impression on her mind, unlike the other sins that left colors.
Mallo was already making her way over to Hyde with a pissed-off expression. Hyde turned her head to see Lenore right behind her. Hyde then leaned on her brush and smirked at the enemies as they cowered into the back, realizing reinforcements had arrived.
Lenore immediately raised her glaive and struck the second man, scratching his face. Her eyes were strangely mello, and the man hissed at her when she struck, waving his free hand through his long black hair.
Jatayu and Pen were close behind Lenore. Despite Jekyll's rant in a panic, she and Hyde went silent as they watched Jatayu’s entire demeanor change.
That same rage that enticed the man on the bus multiplied the moment Jatayu laid eyes on the enemies. He raised his tonfas in defiance, lunging towards the first syndicate member and bashing his skull with his weapons. Despite the man attacking him back, he struck four times in a blind rage. There was no room for mercy in his soul.
Hyde figured it was because of the trauma she and Jekyll had spotted earlier. There was something this chill man held greatly against him. She figured it must’ve been a horrible, horrendous crime to make someone like Jatayu so upset.
Not that Hyde cared. Much to Jekyll’s dismay, Hyde’s attention turned elsewhere.
The big sombrero hat resting on Mark’s head as he entered almost made Hyde laugh. She knew what IDs were but didn’t consider them to be that… ridiculous. His entire attire was something straight out of a J Corp gambler.
Lenore took the opportunity proposed by the distraction. She clashed with the second enemy, trying to break through his attack. She would’ve won from the force she used against the man before the green glove lit up and struck her with the same black, hopeless sin that caused Hyde to stagger.
Jekyll’s voice only got louder. Is she okay?!
Hyde rolled her eyes and glanced over at Lenore, who was standing just fine. She smirked. “I like you.”
Lenore met her gaze and simply nodded in response. “I think we can get along.”
Jekyll.
She seemed taken aback that she was called. Y-Yes?
Gather as much information as you can about this… type of sin attack. It’s deadly, more than the other sins. As I’m fighting I will be expecting some information.
Hyde seemed satisfied that Jekyll agreed to do so.
Their attention turned toward Pen, who tried to attempt a surprise attack via his light teleportation. To his unfortunate circumstance, the third enemy was ready, and fired the black sin right into his face, eating at his health.
It does damage based upon our health… Jekyll considered. But it seems they have to spend some type of energy to use it.
Do they fail to use it if staggered?
…Yes?
Good.
Mallo’s clothes folded and twisted as she stepped into combat, next to Hyde. They quickly turned into white silky chef clothes stained with blood. She turned her now pinned-up hair and glared at Hyde. “You’re an idiot, Jekyll.”
Hyde rolled her eyes, still leaning on her paintbrush. “Yeah, I’ll catch you up after I turn one of these morons into a beautiful painting.”
Mallo simply glares with rage but turns that rage towards the threat ahead.
Jatayu let out a grunt of rage, not letting up on his attacks. He swung heavily at the syndicate member, but the first man was prepared. Despite the blind rage, the enemy evaded each of his attacks, analyzing Jatayu’s rage and using it against him.
Mark decided to attack at the same time to confuse the enemy. He shook his maracas back and forth as he swiftly approached the second man. Once, twice, before he bashed the maraca across the head of the second man, making him crumble to the ground.
Pen attacked at the same time Mark did, swinging his spear and piercing it into the third man’s side. The enemy countered, lighting up his green glove and shooting Pen with the deadly attack once more. Pen – to Hyde and Jekyll’s surprise – immediately got up and stabbed the man again, scratching his neck.
Hyde stood up straight, adjusting her shoulders. Her strength returned, and she was ready to kill. “Perfect~”
Hyde, please, be reasonable with this–
Mallo was faster. Pulling out what appeared to be kitchen knives, she lunged for the second man, cutting his body like a vegetable. The man screamed in pain as he watched his blood soak into his skin. He was motionless on the floor.
What a beautiful sight, what glorious inspiration! She smirked at the man on the floor, pointing her paintbrush at him. “Time to create art.”
Hyde didn’t miss a single step in her calculated approach. Wielding her paintbrush she swung it and struck down on the man, then up, then to his left side, then up again, and finally ending her attack piercing his right side. Many colors covered the scene as the man cowered in fear. She pierced the man over and over again until he was nothing but a pile of rubble on the ground. The man’s bloody remains were scattered across the floor and her paintbrush. Hyde’s eyes widened in delight, seeing the blood everywhere; she couldn’t control the maniac laugh that escaped her throat.
She bent down and pulled out a few jars from her coat, using her brush to collect the blood and scraps of the man’s guts. The combat around her did not matter so long she could gather the scraps while his heart was still beating. She stored them in special jars that wouldn’t smell as horrendous as the corpse did, despite Hyde finding the scent pleasing.
Jekyll noticed how Hyde’s vision became blurry from delight, and Hyde’s grip on reality started to fade from the pure ecstasy she was experiencing. Now’s my chance.
What?
Jekyll used all of the energy she had left to force Hyde to blackout, immediately taking the reins of control the moment Hyde was too distracted to stop her. She heard Hyde’s laughter fade, but it was too late for Hyde to stop Jekyll from taking control. Jekyll immediately chained Hyde to the back of her mind, as she stood up, glancing around in horror. It’s over… oh my gosh…
Mark imploded the first man’s head like a balloon after Jatayu’s staggering attack of rage. To her right, Lenore and Pen worked together to stagger the third enemy before Mallo obliterated his remains as if she blended him into a smoothie.
The fight was over quicker than Jekyll expected. She dropped her paintbrush in shock, looking at her bloodstained hands in horror before touching her jacket, realizing she had succeeded in taking control. With the force she used, she hoped Hyde wouldn’t recover for at least an hour.
The party’s gaze turned toward Jekyll as her paintbrush clashed with the ground. Jekyll adjusted her monocle to hide the red eye before she started speaking. “Did… did she hurt any of you…? Are you guys okay?”
“Who?” Mallo and Pen said in unison.
Perhaps they didn’t notice, Jekyll sighed. “Oh, never mind.”
“So… Hyde,” Pen took four steps toward Jekyll, his gaze curious.
It visibly hurt Jekyll to be called that name, “Oh, oh my gosh she did the… uh…”
“That’s not her name, idiot,” Mallo interjected.
Confusion clouded Pen’s face. “That’s what she told me to call her–”
“I’d know whether or not she wanted to be called by a different name moron,” Mallo snapped, her gaze fixed on the hunter.
Jekyll couldn’t find her words. She had never explained her situation to anyone, and the first time wasn’t ever going to be easy. “That’s not… okay… she…” She paused. “Let me gather my words…”
Some of the party members started to whisper to each other as if she was insane. Jekyll’s heart started to beat faster, and she shoved her hands into her pockets to hide how much they were shaking. It became difficult for her to catch her breath, let alone the words to explain.
Suddenly, Jekyll’s feet were lifted off the ground and she felt her scruff being grabbed. Her eyes widened as she came face to face with Mark; his eyes were boiling in hatred. “You. Me. Talk now.” He demanded, before dragging Jekyll across the room.
Jekyll tried to stop Mark, desperately trying to find her footing. However, Mallo stopped Mark with her stave, glaring at him.
“Listen, I don’t have time to deal with you. I have a private problem with her, it doesn’t concern you.” Mark explained, attempting to move past the obstacle.
Mallo stood in front of Mark, her stave blocking his way. “Well, I have a problem with you.”
Jekyll looked back and forth between the two. What the heck happened while I was not there?
The two picked up an argument right where they left off. Jekyll didn’t catch all of their heated banter, but she gathered it had something to do with family, being worthless, and not being able to land an attack. She didn’t have all the context, but apparently, the banter had been so bad, that the environment suddenly transformed.
Jekyll knew immediately Mallo had summoned her EGO, as it shared many symptoms similar to her own. Mallo’s sword transformed into a shovel with a chained base. The handle cracked under her grip as she swung it towards Mark, pure rage and a hint of regret flashing in her soul. “It’s not over until I say it’s over!”
Mark acted fast, he pushed Jekyll aside and barely ducked under the attack, completely evading the EGO. He stood up as Mallo caught the shovel, both of them breathing heavily. “You prove me right with every single miss.”
Mallo’s face sank with despair, and her eyes widened as she stood back in disbelief. It was clear she didn’t know how to respond.
The tension in the air made Jekyll incredibly uncomfortable. “Guys, please, let’s not fight. Mark, if you want to talk we can talk–”
“Stop, this doesn’t involve you!” Mallo snapped, a familiar rage overtaking her face. “Remember what I said! Speak when spoken to!”
“At least make yourself useful,” Mark rolled his eyes in a taunting manner at Mallo. “Follow tonfa guy, he’s wandered off again. You seem to be better at following anyway.”
Mallo couldn’t formulate words within the rage that fumed inside of her.
Mark scoffed with a smirk. “I know a guy that could get you moonstones to help with those emotions, your anger is bad for aging.”
“Your face is bad for my eyes!”
Pen gently approached the situation, but Mark stopped him. “Kid, don’t pick on me; she started it.”
“Hopefully, these quarrels will resolve in time,” the hunter sighed.
Mallo only muttered under her breath. “At least some of you have common sense…”
“Anyway,” Mark’s gaze snapped to Jekyll, making her wince. “You can explain to them, but don’t take too long or I’ll bash your head in and drag you over to explain.”
Mark ignored the seething glare he received from Mallo before walking toward the alleyway that the party came from.
Jekyll gently raised her hand to the sky, charging the moonstones on her fingers, praying it would at least reach one percent soon before she faced the crowd. “Ah, okay… There’s no easy way to explain this… Two people are living inside me.”
Pen was the most curious out of the three that listened. He ignored Lenore who also approached the group.
“It’s… too long of a story to explain how it happened,” Jekyll continued. “But I am constantly fighting for control over my body from… Hyde, whom most of you… met…”
“Sounds like hell,” Mallo commented.
“Y-Yes, it very much is,” Jekyll’s heart rate picked up again. Mark’s glare only made her hyperventilate more.
“So who’s the original owner of the body?” Pen asked, clutching his spear.
“I-I-I am…” Jekyll stuttered. Her heart rate was through the roof, and it thumped into her head all the way to her fingers. “Hyde o-only comes out w-when I lose grip o-on reality and m-my sanity drops…” She took a moment to try to catch her breath and stop her shaking hands by gripping them with one another, but it only made things worse. “B-But sometimes s-she c-comes out and i-it’s out of m-my control…”
Lenore looked the most concerned. “How did this happen?”
Jekyll opened her mouth to explain, but the intimidating scowl from Mark terrified her. “I-I don’t have time to explain I… Another time when we a-are off t-the job–”
To her surprise, Mallo and Lenore seem to understand, and both of their gazes soften. “Hey, Jekyll, look at me,” Lenore began. “Breathe slowly, count to three.”
Jekyll averted her attention from the man threatening her to the woman in front of her. She nodded and tried to breathe; Lenore’s calming gaze assisted her more than she could put words for. It took a moment, but Jekyll calmed down, recovering from her initial panic attack.
By the time she calmed down and turned her head to face Mallo, she was surprised by the face she was greeted with. Mallo’s eyes had softened to an extent that the doctor had never seen before, as if the woman felt pity for her. Her shoulders relaxed and her vibe drastically changed to what Jekyll could only describe as… motherly.
Mallo dug through her pocket before pulling out a cigarette, and offering it to Jekyll. The moon gently lit her face. “It helps calm the nerves,” she offered, her voice mello.
Jekyll didn’t object; she took the cigarette and observed it. Not another moment passed before Mallo pulled out a unique lighter to light it.
Jekyll observed the lighter. It was oddly childish. It had small stickers across it, ones that a child would use in a coloring book. The lighter itself was tattered and bruised as if it had been through the rough and tumble. It showed it was reliable. The stickers were also tattered, and Jekyll spotted a number sequence across it. She could only catch the number four before Mallo’s fingers covered the rest as she put it away.
Having the cigarette lit, Jekyll holds it professionally between her two fingers before gently blowing on it. “If… If I’m ever telling myself to shut up or mumbling under my breath, I’m probably j-just talking to Hyde…”
“I did hear Hyde muttering shut up, too,” Lenore confirmed.
“Yeah, we both just wish the other would stop talking…”
“I would love to hear how it all happened,” Lenore added. “I don’t expect it, as everyone has their secrets, but I’d be willing to listen to that story.” She put her glaive behind her, freeing her hands. “Perhaps it would be best if you let us know how to deal with her when she does come out?”
Jekyll let out a small laugh as she took in another breath from her cigarette. “I wish I knew how to deal with insane people…”
“And reckless,” Mallo added.
Jekyll lifted her cig in acknowledgment. “If you figure out how to deal with someone constantly trying to kill you, let me know.”
The group disbanded, and the anxiety that was in Jekyll’s chest returned when she made her way over to Mark, gently putting out the cigarette. She knew it wasn’t going to be a fun conversation; all she wanted was to come out alive.
Before she could reach Mark, however, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned around to find Mallo with the same somber expression as she had before. She sighed. “Listen, we are all team players here. If anyone causes any problems,” she gestured her head toward Mark in anger, before pointing to herself. “Tell me. I will have some words to say.”
Jekyll nodded her head gently before giving a bow of respect. “Thank you, Mallo. I appreciate you.”
It was the first time Jekyll saw Mallo smile. “No problem.”
The warm feeling inside Jekyll’s heart eased her anxiety, and she smiled back. To have Mallo smile at you must’ve meant you were somewhat special to her. She did not take advantage of that and treasured that memory.
Ugh, affection.
Jekyll’s smile faded the moment Mallo turned her back. “You’re already awake?” She mumbled to herself.
You know what happens when people get too close, Jekyll. If it happens again, you know I will take action.
Jekyll shuddered, recalling what happened last time. She treasured Mallo’s smile in defiance against Hyde, before finally closing the distance between her and the man that threatened her with his glare.
She briefly eavesdropped on Dante and Lenore talking about Jatayu’s disappearance, informing her he had run off in another blind rage again. However, that wasn’t her biggest concern. She couldn’t look Mark in the eyes as she glanced over at Pen, who had finished talking with him.
“Took ya long enough. I was considering bashing your head in because you decided to take your sweet little time,” Mark snapped, his grip on his pipe tightening.
“Pen… I need to talk to Mark… alone…” Jekyll ignored his retort and gave the hunter a solemn gaze.
“Feel free,” his response was short and quick before he joined Dante in conversation.
Jekyll immediately felt her scruff be grabbed as Mark dragged her into the alleyway. She could barely feel the gentle breeze of the night as she tried to find her footing, not resisting Mark’s strength.
He didn’t speak as he continued down the alleyway, before finding a brick wall and slamming Jekyll to it, his voice harsh and cruel.
The collision made pain snap through Jekyll’s neck, and the force of his grip was so hard she wouldn’t be able to cry out for help.
“Imma need to make this clear,” he sneered straight into her ear. “I don’t know you, and you don’t know me. If you say a single word otherwise, I will rip your body to shreds and make sure no one finds the body.”
Oooh, blackmail against Mark eh? He has regrets after all.
Jekyll muttered to Hyde to shut up, but the words were intelligible.
Mark finally released his grip, taking a step back as Jekyll stumbled to the floor. “What’d you say? Speak up if you want to be heard, pipsqueak! No one is going to be gentle with you here!”
This motherf–
Jekyll stood on her feet and dusted off her jacket from the duty floor, dried blood falling from her fingers. Despite her fear, she gives him a neutral glare. “Okay.”
“And secondly,” Mark growled. “Let me speak to your… disorder.”
“She can hear you,” Jekyll explained. “We share the same mind–”
“If you want to do this the hard way, I’ll bash your head in until she is forced to come out!”
Jekyll felt a lump form in her throat as her hands started shaking again. Hyde, come out now…
You have me locked in here, idiot.
Then I shall force you to come out.
There was one way Jekyll always got Hyde to come out. She hated the method, and she swore to herself that she’d never do it again. However, Mark wasn’t letting up and growing impatient by the second. She had no other choice.
Jekyll flipped her jacket to appear on the inside of it. There were many straps across its cloth, each of the straps holding a certain bottle. Some were empty, some contained blood and guts, and some contained various types of moonstones. Jekyll ran her fingers along the top of the jars before resting on the one in the very back; the one that was the most inaccessible. It was encased heavily and had warning labels all over it. Jekyll gently pulled out the jar.
Anyone looking could’ve read the warning on it. Split Shards - Version 3. Do not use unless supervised. The drug looked like it was crystalized despite being a liquid; it reflected any light that bounced off it. It was a clear liquid and the jar’s lid was attached to an eye dropper.
Jekyll let out a shaky sigh. Why did I ever create this horrid thing?
Mark’s rage quickly vanished the moment he saw the drug. He took another step back, almost as if he was afraid.
Jekyll glared at Mark one last time before she unscrewed the lid, removing her monocle from her red eye before placing two drops into her eye.
The effect took place immediately as expected. Jekyll screw the jar up and placed it back in her collection before clenching her face. Tears streamed out of Jekyll’s left eye as her consciousness was thrown into a sharded place. Her spirit didn’t feel as heavy, and the eternal bliss she felt being free from the shackles of morality was too much of an addictive feeling to quit.
Hyde was immediately forced to take the reins as Jekyll got lost staring at the various mirror worlds the drug opened her eyes to. The sensation would’ve been almost painful and overwhelming to anyone else, but for Jekyll, it was normal.
Hyde rotated the paintbrush in her hand, slamming it onto the ground as she smirked at Mark, glad to be fronting once more.
If Mark could even have an expression that read horrified, it would be the face he made as Hyde fronted. “Alright,” he began in a tame voice. “The incident, that was a single trade. The event will stay between us. The company, the others, no one needs to know about it, do I make myself clear?”
Hyde simply stared at Mark.
“Did I make myself clear?” Mark spoke faster. “Or should I threaten you like your painter friend?”
“Relax kid,” Hyde shrugged, leaning on one hip as she looked up at Mark, smiling in a wicked way. “Bygones be bygones, I just had to remind you who I was.”
“I did not want to remember who you were,” he hissed. “You paid me to do that, and I will never do it again!”
“I’d say it’s money well spent,” Hyde smirked, finding his aggressiveness and frantic plea amusing. “That was my best-selling painting, after all.”
Mark was confronted with confusion once more. “What painting?”
“Oh right,” Hyde forced a pout face, mocking him. “Your little… arrest happened before I could show you. Don’t worry about it though, lioness.”
Steam was blowing out of Mark’s nostrils. “You’re just trying to rally me up, this is not worth it.” He stood still like a soldier, tensing as if he was about to get shot. “As long as that whole thing isn’t brought up, neither of us have problems.” Hyde noticed how he tried to use his fear as a weapon. “As much as that painter girl has control over you, at least she knows what kind of situation she is in, because of how docile she is.”
“She’s weak,” Hyde muttered under her breath. “Bound by the mortality she was taught.”
“I’ll make sure you’re never heard from again if one peep of it comes out to anyone,” Mark sneered; it was less intimidating and to Hyde more like a plea.
Hyde simply stared again, feeling part of her head spin from the drug that distracted Jekyll.
Mark stared back silently as if waiting for something to happen. “I don’t have much else to say, go into your little cage now.”
Hyde scoffed. “Please, you of all people should know the intensity of this drug lasts for two hours, not mere minutes like whatever crap you–”
“Then figure something out!” Mark interrupted.
“Come on Mark, you’re better than that,” Hyde teased. “Or have you already forgotten what happened?”
Mark spat onto the ground. “Get the painter girl back. Should I threaten her to cage you up?” He forced a laugh. “Sit there spacing out, it’s honestly pathetic how helpless you are against that pipsqueak.”
Hyde smiled, thrilled by the banter. “Helpless? You seem to be helpless and desperate for the situation to go under the radar.”
“I will kill you and make sure Dante never brings you back.”
“Then bring it on,” Hyde bowed mockingly. “Kill me if you dare, you’ll do me a favor and kill Jekyll too.”
“I don’t give a hell, if she dies, you die too. I’d kill you both right now,” Mark pointed his pipe at Hyde. “You can’t escape that.”
Hyde cackled, pressing the pipe down with her finger as she stared up at Mark. “What’s got you so convinced that I’m not trying to kill us both?”
Mark looked disgusted. “You’re sick, it’s a good thing she has control over you and locks you up. You are just a dog on a leash, Hyde.”
“And you’re just a clawless cub who was betrayed by his own pride.”
Something snapped in Mark. He swung his pipe with full force at Hyde’s head. She was faster; she immediately blocked, raising her paintbrush to stop his assault.
To both of their surprise, the rings on Hyde’s fingers sparked, lighting up and glowing a soft red color. The moon had barely grazed them with light, charging them just enough to work for a moment.
Hyde shrunk back and clutched her face, suddenly being hurled into the back of the mind where the drug was still taking effect. Jekyll immediately fronted, her sanity being brought to a stable place. She backed up, looking around as if she just had a nightmare. When she realized she was back in the Q Corp backstreets, she sighed in relief. Her head spun as the drug still took its effect, but her vision was more clear.
Mark lowered his pipe, noticing Jekyll had returned. He pointed at her with his free hand. Jekyll could’ve sworn she saw it shaking and heard fear in his voice.
“Keep that thing caged,” it was more of an ask than a demand by his tone of voice.
Jekyll quickly gathered Hyde’s thoughts to analyze what happened before she held her hands together. “I’m trying…” She sighed, looking at Mark with a hopeless stare. “I wish she would stay caged.”
There was a moment of silence before Mark cursed under his breath, marching back up the alleyway.
Jekyll figured it would be best to stay behind Mark as much as possible. She adjusted the rings on her hands before taking slow steps into the night. She followed Mark from a distance, keeping a tight grip on her paintbrush in case she got jumped.
The two crossed the courtyard without a word to one another. As they continued down the alleyway, they walked over dead demon syndicate bodies. They all had horrific expressions on their face as if they were attacked by a blinding, raging force. Mark followed the bodies before he stumbled upon the group surrounding Jatayu and asking him questions.
From the looks of the situation and the appearance of Jatayu’s tonfas, Jekyll gathered his rage and soloed all of the combatants that stood in his way. She had no idea if he died or not because he appeared unscathed, but she would admit she was impressed. Seeing Hyde struggle to fight these guys and Jatayu blowing through them was amazing to her.
Mallo turned around, glaring at Mark before looking at Jekyll. “You good?” She asked quickly.
Jekyll met her eyes and sighed. “I’ll… explain later…”
“Maybe we should do some team-building exercises,” Pen suggested, walking up to Dante.
Dante adjusted his gloves as he sighed. “I would, I just don’t know which ones to do at the moment… tensions are high.” He did a head count of every sinner. “Wait a minute… where is Othello?”
“You didn’t notice he was not hear this whole time?” Mark scoffed in disbelief. “You lack a spine. Let’s just go already.”
“No, let me make sure he’s okay,” Dante took a step back and turned back the clock hands on his face. His flames shook in pain.
At first, nothing happened. It took about ten minutes for Othello’s body to finally start forming. Some of the gunk on Mark’s pipe flowed down to piece together Othello’s body.
Dante stared in disbelief. “Mark… did you kill Othello?”
“He shot first.” Was all Mark said as he walked into the facility.
Jekyll turned her eyes towards the building they approached. It was gray and black, with a simple box structure on the surface. It was clear that the building was mainly if not entirely underground. A large Lobotomy Corporation symbol sat on top of the entrance; it was torn and beaten by the weather and the passage of time. A strange, nostalgic smell flew into the air as Mark opened the door. The way the building loomed and creaked was enough to make Jekyll shudder in fear.
“Looks like you guys didn’t need my guidance after all,” Jekyll turned around to see Maut before he turned his heel and walked back the way he came.
Unlike Mark, the rest of the party waited for Dante’s command. Dante relaxed his shoulders and walked up to Jatayu before resting his hand on his shoulder. “You ready, bud?”
Jatayu turned his head and gave Dante a soft smile. “It’s one step closer to getting them back.”
No one else said a word as they entered the facility.
We finally get back to the party yipee~
Sorry this chapter took a bit. I hope to be better on top of them and get the content out to those who enjoy it.
Masterpost
Chapter 13 <--> Chapter 15
~o0o~
“Hyde? You awake?”
The only thing Jekyll was able to feel was a soft hand on her shoulder. She was only able to twitch in response. Ow… Hyde… What happened?
…A lot.
“Does anyone else need a rewind?” Dante asked about the rest of the footsteps Jekyll had heard. She could’ve sworn she saw a blur of a dead Mallo hanging over Mark’s shoulder in her blurry vision.
“Would be helpful,” Mark’s voice winced as if he was on fire.
“Do we really want to reset Mallo?” Lenore’s voice echoed, uncertainty in her words. “She injured you.”
What? Why wouldn’t you rewind her? What happened? It hurt to think, so Jekyll decided not to answer her own questions.
“Mallo definitely deserved a timeout, but at the same time, we are outnumbered,” Dante’s ticking was soft and… in pain. “She will need a different punishment.”
Dante’s own voice wavered with uncertainty as he adjusted his hand on Jekyll’s shoulder. “I just hope it’s a good one.”
“I will kill her again if she deserves it,” Lenore commented plainly.
The manager paused. “I won’t stop you.”
What the hell is taking so long? Hyde hissed. Dante, do your job and rewind it, save the talking for later, the wounds hurt!
Jekyll groaned in pain, only agreeing with Hyde.
“What is it with this party and killing each other?” Mark’s voice interrupted the conversation.
Thankfully, it snapped Dante back into focus. The fast ticking of his clock rewinding almost hurt to hear up this close. However, the pain throughout Jekyll’s body, the bones sticking out of her skin, and her dripping blood, slowly came back into its proper place as she healed. Her consciousness became more clear, and she didn’t feel as stressed and in danger. She rested on her back, opening her eyes carefully. She could see the large stone spire shoot into the sky, the only thing that had changed from the previous time she saw it was the color of the sky, which was now a brisk, bright orange. Inky black darkness covered the base of the spire which she climbed out of with the help of the feathers, whilst the rest of the top was covered in thick, stormy clouds. Speaking of the feathers, they relaxed under her chest and head, having broken her fall onto the path.
She barely tilted her head over to watch Mark drop Mallo’s body as if it were trash. Her body also started to heal from the multiple wounds she had on herself, and Jekyll couldn’t identify what weapon was used to kill her. Her gaze barely traveled across to see the manager staring down at her, his head resting on her forehead to check if she was alright. If Dante had eyes, they would be full of concern and worry. “Jekyll? Hyde? Are you okay?”
Oh yeah, here’s what happened on the spire. Hyde dumped her memories in the ID into Jekyll’s.
Adrenaline shot through Jekyll’s legs the moment she felt a mustard seed of strength. She grabbed her paintbrush and stood on her feet, backing up and positioning herself ready to fight. She glanced around in horror, expecting to see any sort of monster or peccatulum pop out at her. However, when none came, Jekyll let down her brush, her body relaxing as she saw the party. They… They caught up to us…
No, we just fell down the spire and barely survived. We were far enough ahead until… Hyde clamped her mouth shut, an emotion building up inside her that was rare, and unusual for Jekyll.
Why are you–
Enough. Focus, the manager is talking to you.
“It’s okay,” Dante glanced up at her, still on his knees. “What happened?”
Jekyll searched the ID's memories of what had happened. Climbing up the tower, running past enemies, fighting others, the vulture, the feathers… Anxiety pinned itself to her chest as she clenched her fists, her breathing stopping for a moment. Her voice shook. “What… What did you do to Jatayu?”
The flames on Dante’s head ignited in shock. “Wh– What do you mean? Is he here? Did you see Jatayu?”
I mean if he’s that bird that knocked us off, then yes. It sounded similar to him, Hyde shrugged, causing Jekyll to shudder.
“I… I saw him, but… he was covered in feathers, and he was shouting as if he’d gone insane…” The memory was clear in her head, and Jekyll felt a pang of guilt wash over her. If I hadn’t left the party for my own selfish greed, I would’ve been able to stop him… Her voice was riddled with anger and it shook as she talked. “What did you do to him, Dante?”
Dante caught on her tone immediately, figuring out what was up. “This is my fault,” he said, glancing down at the ground. “I shouldn’t have told him to go to the altar.”
Hyde slapped her head, forcing a memory up into Jekyll’s mind. “I need you to promise me that you will not go to the altar behind me…”
“Okay, I promise not to go near the altar…” He broke a promise, and you know how much these pathetic words mean to the veteran…
Jekyll’s eyes widened in horror. “You did WHAT?!” She rested her hands on her head, clenching her hair as her breathing became even more shallow. She spun around in circles before daring to look back at Dante in disbelief. “YOU TOLD HIM TO DO WHAT?!”
She had never raised her voice at the party before, nor could the doctor recall a time when she last raised her voice at anyone. However, Jekyll had a strong surge of anger fuel her motives, as if there was an attachment behind it. She recognized how rageful she got when it came to upsetting Jatayu as if her guilt from doing so before ate her alive; seeing someone so innocent hurt didn’t rest well with her. Jekyll could not get Hyde on board.
The manager was startled at her sudden change of demeanor. “It was important at the time,” he began. “Everyone was trying to figure out what to do with the altar and the spear that was persistent on burning us alive… We wanted everyone there, so I told him to come despite his promise to you. He did… It didn’t help that Mallo said something that got under his skin…”
Hyde scoffed. I almost don’t feel bad for leaving this band of idiots behind.
“I told him not to go there because the spear wanted to sacrifice him on it!” Jekyll rubbed her face in annoyance, her eyes conveying her mild fury. “So does the drone! They want to kill him!” She paused, catching her breath as she stared at Dante. Her hand dove into her pocket, pulling out the drone notes she had found, and shoved them into Dante’s hands. “What did Mallo say?”
Dante shuffled the notes in his hands, putting them away as he sat on the ground. He was too caught up in his own guilt to notice Jekyll’s. “Right, uhm… Mallo said ‘sometimes it's better to break promises to protect those you love; how can you know if it's not your promises hurting them?” He didn’t lift his clockhead to look the doctor in the eye. His flames dimmed as if they were trying to hide themselves. “After that… that’s when Jatayu started to distort…”
The feathers around Jekyll’s arms wrapped around them snuggly, adjusting enough to draw the doctor’s attention to them. So these really do belong to him, the vulture is Jatayu… She turned around and glanced up at the spire, seeing its intricate details, the various levels that she previously climbed, and where she last saw her comrade. The guilt ate at her soul, and she wanted to collapse to her knees and break down. I should’ve stayed… I should’ve helped the party… If I had stuck with Jatayu, this wouldn’t have happened…
Hyde was oddly somber about the situation. Despite his distortion, he tried to show kindness to us. He’s not the only monster up there. Don’t wallow in your pity, Jekyll. Use it to fuel your strength. I’d normally say paint with it, but–
Hyde, this isn’t helping. I need to focus.
The painter did not say anything after that.
Jekyll turned back to her manager, using the information she received from the Shi ID’s memories. “I got high up on the spire before you came here… There are maybe three distortions up there, amongst the enemies I passed and slayed… I was outnumbered on the fifth floor. There… was a flash of feathers, before I fell down the cliffs into the darkness…” It took everything in her to not confess her original intentions to Dante. What would he think if she dared to utter her selfish motives to him? He mentioned how he was willing to work with everyone, including someone like Mark, but what would be the line that even Dante could not forgive across? She clutched her feathers, holding them close.
They flashed, glowing softly around her arms, seemingly to have caught the prisoner’s eyes as he approached them. Mark had a large cape of feathers forming behind him, most of them purple, envious feathers with a few other splattered colors amongst the peacock-like accessory. “I can take those off you if you’d like,” he raised his eyebrows, extending his hand. “They’re flashy.”
Jekyll wrapped her hands around the feathers defensively. “No,” she denied, her eyes narrowing. “They… saved my life.”
The red feathers gently warmed her arms. If Hyde had to describe an emotion to their color, she would’ve considered them wrathful.
Mark shrugged and turned back to talk with Mallo and Lenore. “Just offering,” he mumbled.
Jekyll glanced around, still not seeing Othello, and Pen was missing as well. Where did they go?
It doesn’t matter where they are. Hyde rolled her eyes. Let’s–
Both of them paused as Jekyll held back tears. The guilt in her chest only got worse. She watched Lenore, Mark, and Mallo talk in hoarse tones to each other, and three of their other comrades were nowhere to be seen. How has this all gone to shambles? Was this all because I had… left?
Jekyll–
I need to tell Dante, Jekyll walked over to the manager, who rummaged through the notes she gave him. I need to fix things.
It was clear that Hyde was against the matter, but despite her unnecessary groan, she did not object to the action. Whatever. Get it over with, if it’ll truly make you feel better.
Jekyll stood in front of the manager, kneeling to face him levelly. The wind brushed across her face, sending a shiver down her spine. She knew very well how cold guilt could make her feel… but she never dealt with the intense regret, and this was a first. Everything in her brought up all of her justifications, including the apathy of the manager, but she couldn’t say anything anymore. “Dante, I–”
“I’m sorry, Jekyll…” Dante interrupted her, lifting his head to meet her.
What? Jekyll stared at Dante with a dumbfounded expression. There was a brief moment when her chest didn’t feel like it was going to collapse on itself. “You’re sorry? Dante, I… I’m the one who should be sorry… I was the one who ran off and–”
“I started this,” he continued, his flames getting smaller by the second. “I made Jatayu break a promise knowing how much he values keeping them…” He paused, considering what the doctor said. “Though, why did you run off? Are you alright?”
Jekyll opened her mouth, but Hyde clamped it shut. Pause, you don’t want to out yourself… there are ways to get around this, to not tell the whole truth… A satisfactory answer for both parties… She nodded slowly, cracking a smile. Yes… Yes, give me a moment to conjure up a reply.
Jekyll glanced to the floor. “I…” Her eyes narrowed. I don’t have time for this, Hyde. He needs to know.
Hyde snapped her fingers. Turn the situation on him. We ran away because of his apathy, along with the group’s coldness, right? Use that.
“I was hurt, by your coldness…” Jekyll began, not sure what else she would say. “By Mark’s and Mallo’s words, and how crazy the party was overall, it’s already difficult to keep up when I have… another person in my head already distracting me.”
Rude, but, I’ll allow it for now.
“My escape was selfish,” Jekyll continued. “I wanted to get away… I didn’t want… all this to happen…” She trailed off, a few tears falling from her eyes. What now?
That’s enough. The more you talk now, the more you out yourself. Keep your response curt.
“Hyde’s voice is so loud…”
Don’t you blame this on me– the painter paused, observing Dante’s flames and posture. She took an interest in the manager. …Huh. It seems he’s ACTUALLY sorry. A change from Danves, certainly…
“My… coldness?” Dante removed his gaze from the doctor and locked it onto the dirt road. His flames dimmed, and he made himself small. “I think… I know what you’re talking about… I’m sorry, I’m so, so sorry…” He bowed on the floor, clutching his knees.
Jekyll was shocked by Hyde’s silence. It was as if she was savoring the moment, or it was affecting her, she couldn’t necessarily tell. Jekyll sighed and bent down, wrapping her arms under Dante’s shoulders. Alright, get up. Jekyll lifted Dante up to his feet with incredible, unusual strength. Her hands slid to his, and she furrowed her eyes curiously at the green glow on one of his hands. Had he been injured? She shook her head, knowing the manager bowing to her was wrong, very wrong. After all I’ve done, I should be bowing to you in apology… “Dante…” Jekyll began, lifting the manager’s clock to face her. She paused, collecting her words strategically. “I… Don’t apologize to me. My actions were… selfish, and I am ashamed to talk about them, but know that I do not deserve your respect or forgiveness.”
Hyde rolled her eyes, remaining in her silence.
Dante’s clock hands tilted slightly, ticking softly as he spoke. “Jekyll, are you trying to do better, and change?”
Jekyll hesitated, closing her mouth. She bit her tongue. I… She thought about all she had done, and she could not give Dante the answer that he wished to hear. Everything she sought after was to separate herself from what she wished to do, and it only made everything worse.
Before the doctor could give a proper reply, to Hyde’s fortune, Mallo budged herself into the conversation, having recovered form being dead. “Oh! Jekyll and Hyde,” She nodded slowly and approached her. “I’ve been worried about you. Are you both okay?”
Tch, bastard. Hyde scoffed, laughing to herself. Look who decided to show their face.
Jekyll clenched her arms, fighting the chaotic laugh running through her head. “i-I-I’m… fine.”
“Okay, that’s a relief Jekyll,” Mallo continued to use her name as if she was reassuring herself of comfort. She glanced at Dante, who simply stared back at her. “Listen… I am sorry I shouted at you,” Mallo locked eyes with Jekyll. “It was a stressful time, and we were being attacked, I’m sorry.” Her hand was outstretched and made rest on the doctor’s shoulder. Her gaze was full of regret and sincerity.
Jekyll searched Mallo’s eyes, wondering if it was true her soul did not hold any love within her. Her words were showcasing otherwise, but Jekyll couldn’t shake the doubt that had planted itself inside her heart. “Apology accepted,” was all she could muster to utter toward her comrade.
Hyde wasn’t convinced either. Let’s see how long your regret actually lasts.
Mallo bent her knees to be at eye level with Jekyll. “You didn’t… have to, but thank you. Anyway, so,” she dropped the topic immediately; it was clear it made her uncomfortable to admit she was wrong. She turned ninety degrees and faced Dante. “What are you two talking about?”
“I was making sure Jekyll was okay,” Dante replied. “Are you feeling alright, Mallo?”
“I’m fine, yeah,” dismissed Mallo, unable to look at him after such a question, her eyes traveling to his hand.
“Right…” Dante watched her eyes before facing Jekyll.
Jekyll didn’t like how they both started to stare at her. Mallo stared with a look of guilt that ate her alive, whereas Dante’s flames ignited in a subtle authority.
“I was going to say something to Jekyll, but this applies to you as well, Mallo,” the manager began, glancing quickly back to the rest of the party. He exhaled a sigh of stress. “No matter what you guys have done, or do… no matter what happens, if you are genuinely trying to better yourself, I will never abandon you as your manager. Every employee here will leave this company a better person than they were when they started.”
Jekyll glanced to the floor. How can you reassure that, when we harm you? You have not known what I’ve done, Dante.
Hyde scoffed in disbelief. That only applies to those who haven’t crossed the lines we have. Tell me, Dante, can you forgive someone for murdering an innocent child?
Jekyll froze in terror as the memory flashed in her mind. That’s… that’s far worse than what Dante is implying, isn’t it?
It’s worse than injuring him.
“Thanks?” Mallo raised her eyebrow. “I’m already perfect, but whatever.”
Something inside Jekyll snapped when she heard that. A deadly glare crossed her face as she stared at Mallo. “Perfect?” She sneered. “From what I’ve been informed, you caused Jatayu to distort! You injured Dante! How in all of hell do you think that’s perfect?!”
Mallo was taken aback by her outburst. “What? I was just doing what Dante told me to do!”
Jekyll’s rage caught the attention of Mark and Lenore. They wandered over, Lenore picking up on Mallo’s claim. “Don’t forget she threw the tool abnormality, the spear, to distort Jatayu.”
Mallo jumped at her sudden voice, and a slight hostile glare was shot towards her. “Don’t scare me like that, I was having a conversation!”
Lenore returned the angry gaze as if they had previously fought and had unresolved tensions. “Jekyll needs to know how much of a piece of hell you are.”
“I’m not a piece of hell,” Mallo defended, her tone getting louder by the moment. “I just did what Dante ordered me to!”
The former librarian was not convinced. “You did it to get something out of it.”
“I did not say that.”
“Oh sure, in your hypothetical ‘ask,’ right?”
“I was defending myself.”
Jekyll’s rage subsided as the rage was passed on to other members of the company. She listened intently, picking up on hidden tones, as a therapist does. …I think I missed something.
You left for quite a few hours. You’re bound to miss some conflict between these morons.
Lenore turned her attention to the doctor. “Understand, Jekyll, I thought I liked Mallo, but she tried to kill Jatayu with a spear after saying negative things to him, and tried to hide the fact she did so. I’m sorry I have to tell you, but you must be warned.”
Lenore was not one to lie, at least to what Hyde could pick up upon. Jekyll glanced at Mallo, remembering the distorted Jatayu and the few words he had said.
Mallo’s hands started to shake with a fearful face frozen upon her. “No, I didn’t, I didn’t do anything–”
“Do you know what distorted Jatayu said as he knocked me off the spire?” Jekyll interrupted the former Lobotomy Corporation employee.
It was enough information to shut her up. “He’s distorting? What did he say?”
It’s a known factor that he distorted, Hyde groaned. I cannot waste my time on these few brain cells.
“He said that he couldn’t lose another loved one,” continued Jekyll in a tone meant to jab at something sensitive. “Does that… mean anything to you? Or do you truly have no love in your heart?”
“I do! What do you mean I don’t? I was trying to help Jatayu!”
“You told him that promises don’t matter,” Lenore joined in, sharing Jekyll’s frustration.
“I told him,” Mallo started, correcting them all. “To break promises to protect others. You do that to a child, don’t you? If you don’t, you’re just a bad parent.”
Mark gently pulled Dante back, taking his place in the circle. “I would like to approach the situation, apologies for interrupting,” his sweet talk never failed him. “Mallo can no longer be trusted, as I’ve learned via sacrificing the spear on the altar, it was not its will to burn Dante’s hand off, rather it was Mallo’s.”
“WHAT?!” Jekyll roared, gripping her spear. It took everything in Hyde’s control to hold her back.
Mallo scoffed. “You don’t trust Jekyll after her conspiracy with the enemy, so why should I care if you don’t trust me? You don’t trust anyone, but right now I’m trying to stick with the one person I do trust!” She glanced at Jekyll, her pupils shaking.
Jekyll stared in disbelief. Hyde cracked a smile, eyeing Mallo carefully. You’re dangerous… I like that. She sneered, her glare intensifying. You’ve finally proven yourself to be useful under the right influences. Shame I didn’t have a chance to… converse with a spear it seems.
“I only care about you all because you are people on the team as coworkers,” Mark explained. “I’m just sharing the truth about mistrust due to the manager being harmed, strictly against our contract.”
Mallo backed away from the group, unable to handle the sense of being surrounded. “I didn’t tell it to do that! It wasn’t my thing! Why would I tell it to hurt the person who holds my life by a chain?!”
Mark shrugged. “Dante can look through my memories if you don’t believe me.”
Jekyll froze. He can do that?
Hyde also was caught off guard. She glanced around the memories, trying to shove them down. Ah, f–
“You’d trust an abnormality over me?” Mallo argued, laughing nervously. Her black hair fell down her back and waved back in forth with her shaking,
“Why don’t we do it right now?” Mark sneered, taking a step towards her. “Let’s go through your memories right now.”
No, no, not now, Hyde and Jekyll panicked in place. Let’s not go through memories…
Mallo was not up for it either. “We already did that. Listen, I didn’t–”
“You know what?” Jekyll interrupted the argument, raising her hand and clenching her brush. “You know what? I don’t care, I don’t care! Don’t tell me what happened. Jatayu distorted, and he’s facing another distortion I saw up there, and I’m going to find him.” Her voice was dripping with a nervous undertone, but she pushed through. “So, shut up! Tell me later, I do not care right now!” The doctor let out a huff of rage, adjusting her monocle before turning around and walking towards the spire. She gritted her teeth. I will climb this thing three times before I have someone look into my memories…
“Right behind you,” Lenore quickened her pace to catch up with the doctor, thrilled the conversation had ended.
Mark followed some distance behind. Mallo was hesitant; she sighed in defeat and sat on the ground, tears swelling in her eyes as her breaths became jagged.
Pen was nowhere to be found, but that didn’t matter to Jekyll as she began her ascent to the first floor of the spire. She was quite a ways ahead of the two that followed her, but she had good enough ears to hear the conversation Mallo and Dante had.
“Am I a monster?” Mallo began, glancing up at the manager who stood over her.
He hesitated before replying. “Well, are you trying to make up for what happened in the past?”
It took some effort to tone out Mark’s and Lenore’s conversation about mirror worlds, but Jekyll made sure she heard Mallo in her most honest and vulnerable moment.
Not that Hyde would let her miss the opportunity of finding out someone’s weakness.
“Then you’re not,” Dante replied to an assumed non-verbal reply. “If you are, you’re not a monster.”
“I’m just… doing what I think is right.”
“Everyone does. We try, and sometimes it’s not right even though we try.”
“I… I am sorry…” whimpered Mallo, trying to form coherent words through her tears. “It was me… who told the spear…”
“I can’t blame you,” Dante replied. “I should’ve stepped in sooner and stopped it all. I couldn’t… part of it is my fault.” He paused as if he was reliving a memory. “I… messed up once with Mark, regarding a correct decision in a vulnerable state… I don’t wish to do the same and I am going to learn from my mistake. I think you’d like to learn, too.”
“I would.”
“None of you are monsters,” the manager continued. “No matter what happens or what you do to me, I’ll be with you.” He extended his hand to Mallo, the one that glowed green as if it had been recently healed.
Jekyll stopped climbing to pay attention. Did he really mean it when he said that none of them were monsters, or did he say that under the assumption that none of the party commenced the horrific acts Hyde had?
She watched Mallo stare at the manager in disbelief. “Why?” asked she. “You’re more forgiving than I am.”
“Too forgiving, perhaps,” he replied. “But that’s what life is about, second chances and forgiveness.”
…Huh.
Mallo took his hand and stood to her feet, soon towering over Dante. “Look, when I joined this company, I had a vision… I wanted our group and team to fit into an image I possessed, and I wanted to present myself a certain way… that I knew what I was doing.” Her voice was broken and torn. “The truth is… I don’t really know what I’m doing.”
“I get that,” related the manager. “I don’t know what’s going on either half the time, and I want to be a better manager. I can’t deny that I’m struggling… but it’s alright; we can learn how to solve things and work together.”
“I feel like I need to apologize… Not just to you, but to everyone, especially Jatayu.”
“I also need to apologize to Jatayu… When we see him, we can.” Dante’s clock ticked quietly, approaching his next words carefully. “You need to apologize to Lenore and Mark, too.”
The former lobotomy corporation employee nodded in agreement. “Yeah, I should,” she chuckled and scratched her neck. “Let’s catch up before it’s too late, so we don’t kill each other…”
That was all Jekyll heard before she saw them catch up with the rest of the party. She pulled herself up the slight cliff, her eyesight greeting the first floor once more. She wasn’t in a rush this time and was successfully able to see the playground.
The rest of the party shortly joined her, catching up to her with great haste. They climbed up the spire and followed the path sloped upward like a mountain trail. The platforms amongst the spire were surrounded by a borne of stone stretching skywards to the heavens: towards the blinding light of the sun. The sky was mixed with various colors of orange, yellow, violet, and blue, with white clouds covering their mixing points. The whole area feels as if it was summoned into place, with green trees and mountains in the background, uncanny to the city the party was used to living in. The path was narrow, with a dark crater covering each side of the narrow road. The only thing down there was a hard, rock floor waiting to take one’s life… Hyde would know.
No matter how much the party members stumbled across the path, the feathers that accompanied them wrapped tightly around their limbs, preventing them from slipping to their doom. It was as if they were afraid of the pit… as if they had been there before.
Jekyll glanced at the feathers wrapped around her arms. The two wrath-colored feathers glowed gently, warming her as the cold wind whipped against her. They encouraged her softly, their warmth showcasing that she would be alright.
The doctor’s coworkers stood still as all of them gazed upon the glowing playground before them. It felt as if they walked into some sort of vision. The only person with a knowledgeable reaction was Dante, who stepped forward as if he knew the place. He grimaced, ticking gently as he clenched his fists. He was deep in thought, perhaps on how the place resonated with him. If he could peer into people’s memories, surely he would know what this place is. He walked in front of the party as if he chose to lead them as if he had failed once and he couldn’t do so again. The manager had a mission, and that was what was at the forefront of his mind. “This is different from before,” he began. “Last time I was here, this was a hospital room. It’s a playground, now.”
Mallo froze, the color draining from her face. “I have a bad feeling all of a sudden.”
Pussy, Hyde mocked. Jekyll tried to shut her up as she paid attention.
“I recognize some things,” Dante continued, glancing back at his team. “If I’m correct, we will be seeing things from Jatayu’s history.”
“...Do you think it involves his niece?” Mallo asked.
Dante nodded slowly. “It is likely.”
The playground at a closer look didn’t look stable to play on. It was broken and rusted, with a slide oddly twisted and warped. The climbing walls to the slide were jagged rather than gentle for children's hands to grip on. The swings were barbed with teeth-like spikes, broken chains barely holding onto them as they hung loosely. However, the emphasis of color was on two rocking rides with springs supposed to be in the ground. One appeared to be akin to a play model car, pulled out of the ground, whilst the other was a plane, properly set. They could be ridden, though they were sized more for children.
However, as Dante spoke, as if he were on cue in a play, the world began to shift around the party. The colors shifted into a monochrome, black-and-white setting. The playground was suddenly in better condition, with a more respectable and cheerful vibe about it. Small children played on the other sets, but the two children that demanded attention in the scene faced the rocking sets, both of the sets now upright and on the ground.
Jekyll stepped forward, walking towards the children. Her eyes narrowed as she gripped her paintbrush, observing them. What kind of trick is this?
There were two boys. Both of them were playing around, running around with bright smiles on their faces and cheerful giggles running through their chests. One of them had an eerie familiarity; he possessed short, black hair and bright eyes that shined like a diamond in the earth. The other child was new, the only familiarity to be drawn by mutual comrades and familial attachments to the former. He was bigger than the former kid, taller with more bruises all over his body. The area began to shift once more, providing color to this mysterious figure. Somehow, Jekyll could recognize this kid was an ‘older brother’ of sorts.
Mark glanced away as the brothers got close to one another, sharing smiles. His expression carried one of reluctance as if he wished to not see the ongoing scene.
Small, young voices came from the children. “Haha! I win! I win! Looks like I get the plane!” The bigger one shouted, leaping with joy.
The smaller one huffed in annoyance. “No fair! You’re too fast, brother. I can’t keep up with you.”
“Haha! That’s cause I am the older brother! I’ve got bigger legs than you, so I can run really fast! Like, so fast, that, I’m blurring by you, you can’t see me!”
“Haha.. very funny.. when I get older, I’m going to get older than you, then I’ll be the faster one, I promise!”
“Pfft, yeah right! That’s not how that works! You can’t get older than someone older than you!”
Jekyll watched the children carefully, staring in horror as she glanced at the rest of the party. All of them seemed to have some sort of empathy or immediate care for the children, looking at them fondly. Why don’t I feel that?
“Oh yeah? Just watch!~” The younger boy tensed up, squeezing his fists, and tried to make himself bigger, as if he was forcing himself to age, much to his failure. He panted, causing the older brother to scoff and roll his eyes.
The older brother glanced toward the rocking rides. “Oh no, my brother got so old! How am I ever gonna get to the plane now..?” His tone was laced with professional sarcasm.
The smaller was eagerly pleased regardless, sprinting toward the plane rocking toy as giggles left his mouth. The older brother sluggishly lagged behind, sharing a smile effective from the former’s joy.
Jekyll’s face grew dim, unable to sympathize with the children. How can you be so happy in a city like this? How… how are you so content with a simple ride and not wish for more thrill?
It was a question not even Hyde could comment on.
The older brother finally caught up to the younger, resting his small hand on the car ride handle as his gaze traveled to his brother, swinging to his heart’s content on the plane. “Oh no~ Guess I have to have the car now… at least I’m not old and wrinkly!”
The younger brother stuck his tongue out in disgust. “Ewww! Gross, I’m not wrinkly!”
“But you’re older than me now, so you got to be wrinkly!”
The boy frowned. “Awww… well, now I’m not older than you!” He huffed in a grumpy manner and crossed his arms.
The older brother climbed into the car that was a little too big for him. “Hehe... if you say so. Guess that means I’m just faster now~”
There was no way for the younger child to win against the wits of his brother. He groaned as he watched his older brother stand on top of the car like it was a surfboard. “Heh, hey, Jatayu. Watch this!”
Everything clicked for Jekyll. She stared at the younger kid, marking the resemblances between him and their now-distorted friend. His eyes were brighter… all the children’s eyes were brighter. That kind of joy all fades away, doesn’t it?
Not in that one gal on the bus.
Kuvira?
The older brother began to rock along the wobbly car, a cocky smirk across his face as he demonstrates his balance. It violently shook the vehicle and swayed on the spring below it. His efforts were too much; the mulch holding the spring on the ground upturned and uprooted, sending the car past its bearable rocking limits.
The young Jatayu watched on, amused. He clapped for his brother. He sat there smiling as his older brother got off the ride, stilling it as they both laughed.
“There! Heh, think that you can do that?”
“Easily~” Jatayu lifted his head high. “I can do that with my eyes closed!”
Gesturing to the car, the older brother made space for him, stepping to the side as the smaller brother began to hop from the plane to the car, trying to keep his balance. The car began to shake the car side to side; Jatayu tried to imitate his older brother’s motions as best as he could. However, those who were paying attention to the scene could see that the spring in the ground holding the car up became looser by the minute. It became almost incapable of handling the rocking motions it was designed for: some faulty ground placement, perhaps. Though, most likely, it had to do with the older brother’s violent shaking that uprooted it.
The older brother eventually noticed it was well, bending down as his eyes furrowed. His joy quickly turned into panic as the mobile toppled forward, slipping from the ground and over its front, dragging younger Jatayu with it.
He suffered a fall, careening into the mulch and landing on his shoulder. Younger Jatayu ached as he gasped in pain.
The older brother immediately rushed to his side. He grabbed younger Jatayu by his shoulders and hoisted him up to his feet, observing his face. “Jatayu! Are you okay? I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for that to happen…”
Genuine fear crossed the brother’s eyes… a look that made Jekyll shudder. Her heart clenched with guilt as a memory flashed before her eyes. Such fear did not belong in the eyes of children.
The smaller brother held his arm, wincing. “Ow… I’m okay… my arm hurts…”
The older brother looked for any more bruises on his arms, concern pouring forth like a waterfall. “Gosh… I’m sorry J... I’m so, so sorry.” He lightly sighed before he moved to hug the other one tightly.
Younger Jatayu took a moment before hugging his brother back, the gleaming smile returning to him. “I’m ok... it’ll be fine... because you helped me back up.”
There was a harsh silence that swept over the group. The brothers glanced toward each other, the older one showing a sense of shock. “...I guess I was... yeah... right. I always will. I’m the older brother. I’ll always make sure that you are safe. I... I am sorry that you got hurt 'cause of me.”
Younger Jatayu beamed with joy. “It’s ok Sampati. I’ll be ok. It was a good thing, actually!” He spoke with wisdom beyond his age.
Sampati, Jekyll furrowed her eyebrows, grateful she finally received the name of the older brother.
Sampati furrowed his eyes. “Huh…? Good?”
Younger Jatayu continued. “Yeah! Now that the car is broken, no one can get hurt by it! Especially you! I’d rather I get hurt than you get hurt, brother.”
“Jatayu! Don’t say that–I’m not going to let you just get hurt. Promise me you won’t go getting yourself in trouble just for my sake…”
Jekyll’s eyes widened in horror as a sense of dread filled the atmosphere. That word ‘promise’ made the world around them shake. The brothers freeze in place as if someone had paused it like a movie, and the boys, along with the nicer playground, fade away.
A voice boomed overheard, one difficult to understand. “Looking back... I had already broken that promise so many times. Yet, here I am, still trying to keep it…”
Jatayu… Jekyll glanced up, glancing further up the spire. She heard that type of voice before from the vulture. Her heart ached as and gripped her chest, the hold on her paintbrush loosening. You were only a child…
However, there wasn’t much time to process the scene. Up from the now distorted playground came peccatulum, ones similar to the ones Hyde faced on her first climb. Many of them crawled from the mulch, hissing as they surrounded the party.
Hyde forced Jekyll’s hand, reaching for Dante and pulling him back. Snap out of it, Jekyll. It’s time to fight!
Jekyll rotated her paintbrush in her hand, counting the enemies. They appeared to be endless, she at least counted twelve. Her heart started to pound as her breathing stopped. Hyde–
I slayed dozens of these, Hyde disgruntled in discomfort and sighed before she sneered at Jekyll. I got this, don’t worry, if you can even do that.
It was the closest thing to comfort Jekyll was going to get.
In her first session, Jekyll gets to experience what it's like to fight alongside her coworkers… and learns what it's like to die.
Ho boy was this fun to write. Finally got to lore drop a bunch.
Masterpost
Chapter 1 <--> Chapter 3
Off to the story!
~o0o~
Jekyll didn’t realize how long she had been listening to the voice in her head before she looked up to see a grand commotion that had taken place in the decorative hall. Pen and Othello were immediately in the middle of it. Jekyll couldn’t see over Othello’s massive bug wings as they fluttered and his voice raised, with Dante slowly joining him.
I wonder what his wings would look like on a blank canvas.
That is the least morbid thing you’ve thought of all week, Jekyll replied, rolling her eyes.
What? I thought it was worse than Dante’s head on a stick.
You son of a–
“Dante, a suspicious person has appeared,” Pen’s voice interrupted her internal dialogue as the young man approached the manager.
“What do you mean?” Dante ticked gently, his clockhead tilting to the side. If he had facial expressions, he sure would’ve been giving off a peculiar face with curiosity plastered all over it. Though, his demeanor was less expressive and worrisome than that of Pen in front of him.
“She seems to be a new member,” Pen answered, pointing towards where Othello stood. “She has a strange weapon, and Othello is holding them off.”
Another one? Great.
Jekyll winced, readjusting her position to look towards Mallo, who also temporarily turned her attention to the commotion. She was sure answers would come with time and didn’t feel the pressing need to get to know the person. She had already met many people today, one more wouldn’t hurt. However, she did not feel inclined to look forward to it either.
She observed the Ordeal Gauntlet in front of her. At first glance, it looked like a large safe with an artificial, technological menu in front of it. The Crimson Ordeal selection was loading; it was at fifty-nine percent. Jekyll wondered what kind of logic and magic was used to make this possible. However, it wasn’t a question she was interested in seeking the answer to. She was perfectly content being left to wonder. The designs on the door caught her eye. It wasn’t anything fancy, but for a train-appearing bus to have all this inside, and having details on its features’ entrance, she would consider complimenting the designer for the nice touches.
“So what’s with the paintbrush?”
Jekyll glanced over her right shoulder to see Othello had taken a position behind her, his eyes squinted in addition to the wide smirk he carried on his face. He asked in such a way as if he questioned her skill, or at least that was how the voice in her head took the manner.
She gently turned around, spinning the brush in her hands before letting the large edge slam the ground with a thud. “Be patient, and you might get the chance to see,” she replied, her other hand resting on her hip.
“Oh darlin', patience is my middle name! Grandpappy thought he was real funny with that one.” Othello smiled wider, stepping a tad closer. His wings fluttered gently, and he lowered his head to meet her eyes.
Oh darlin, the voice quoted the man in a mocking tone. Darlin your wings on my blank canvas–
“Please, just call me Dr. Jekyll.” Jekyll interrupted, holding her hand up in a serious manner. She could feel her hidden eye twitching with annoyance. Nicknames were already rough for her, but Jekyll knew she was more annoyed at the voice in her head than the person in front of her. Explaining that would be too much of a difficult task, in her opinion.
The unfamiliar steps from the hall caught her attention. When she turned her head, she made eye contact with someone she hadn’t seen before.
Her appearance was similar to Mallo’s. Her hair was longer, black, straight hair pulled back into a ponytail as it shaped her square face. Her eyes were a mix of silver and yellow from what Jekyll could tell. Her clothes matched the limbus uniform, with a black jacket falling to her thighs. The inside of it along with the outline of the outfits was a stunning red. She wore a basic white shirt with a red tie, matching the color of her belt. Her pants were the standard black work pants, but her boots were intricated with red laces and strings holding them together. She wore a thick work glove on her right arm, hiding her hand while the other was exposed. The weapon was a custom-made spear, sharp on one edge with a delicate and firm base.
Jekyll smiled, she found it ironic all of the girls had black hair. She overheard the others introducing themselves and caught wind of her name being Lenore. She seemed nice, perhaps Jekyll would go over and make a connection–
“Oh my gosh hi!” A quick flash of light temporarily blinded Jekyll. She blinked a few times, realizing Kuvira had waddled over with a big box in her hands. “Please, take your pick!”
Lenore seemed taken aback before choosing a few things from the box.
“Oh, where are my manners?” Kuvira gently threw the box aside, adjusting her brown hair as her skin beamed with light. She grabbed Lenore’s hand with both of her own and shook it up and down excitedly. “I’m Kuvira Stone! Or Kuvira, haha! Most people call me Kuv but honestly, you can call me whatever you want! I seriously do not care. What is your name hun?”
Like everyone, they stuttered on their words and were taken aback by her energy. Lenore was no different as she replied. “Uh– I’m Lenore, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Likewise, Lenore!” She took a step back. “Okay, your outfit though is top-notch, awh! I love it, it really suits you!”
“T-Thank you,” Lenore nodded her hand, taking her hand back. “I apologize for being late. I was caught up in… something, something held me back, but I’m here now. Hopefully, I didn’t miss much?”
Jekyll raised an eyebrow, smirking. Hah, we all were interrupted by ‘something,’ how subtle of you.
Was that supposed to be a compliment or an insult?
Jekyll smiled to herself even more and refused to elaborate to the voice.
“Oh don’t worry hun, you like missed my really long speech about the activities and standards of the company and all that jazz,” Kuvira nodded and smiled, swaying from side to side. “If you just read the handbook front to back, that’s a more detailed version of what I talked about. Don’t worry about it too much!” She bent down and picked up the box one more time. “Oh! And if you ever need anything, I am always here for you pal! Whether you need someone to talk to or help with anything, I am your gal.”
“Oh, thank you, I appreciate that,” Lenore replied in the most stereotypical response Jekyll ever heard. Jekyll concluded Lenore was still shocked by her abrupt introduction.
Kuvira didn’t say anything after that; she turned on her heel and walked through the crowd of people back to Vergilius’ side. Her skin beamed as if the interaction had brightened her day.
How fascinating. What a waste of useless emotions on a simple human interaction.
Can you shut up? Like, for once in your life? Jekyll rolled her eyes. It’s quite nice to have someone of her energy alive and spreading joy.
“Alright everyone, listen up!” The ticking sounds from the manager rung through the room. “We will be giving an overview of the advantages we have in combat…” he paused. “Not me, but Jatayu is going to give an overview so please pay attention!”
“Oh, right,” a hoarser voice spoke as Jatayu strolled up to Dante’s side. “Right, everyone, I am sure you all are proud fighters from where you came from. However, your contract specifies the powerful combat encounters we will face daily. Not to worry, Limbus Company provides some advantages in combat to assist with these increased difficulties.”
“The first order of business you should know is Dante’s special abilities. As most of you have seen earlier today, the moment you shook Dante’s hand, you were bound to his time. This means that when he rewinds time, you all return to your previous state, regardless of what damage you took during a combat session.” His eyes glance from Mark to Othello, as if using them as a non-verbal example. He adjusted his coat and sighed before continuing. “Secondly, we use a tool called IDs, which are different versions of you from other mirror dimensions. They come in the form of cards and can be used for strategy when fighting greater enemies.”
“A-Allow me to demonstrate,” Dante suggested, reaching into his coat and pulling out many cards in his hand, before he he pulled up a menu in front of him, almost holographic. He placed one of the cards in place of where Jatayu was, and before everyone’s eyes, they watched Jatayu transform from his former self to a different entity entirely.
Jekyll’s eyes widened in horror. What the heck just happened to Jatayu? She bit her tongue, observing him closely.
For once, the voice in her head was silent.
“So this is pansies version of other realities?” Mark scoffed, running a hand through his hair to keep it out of his face. He took a closer look before he crossed his arms.
“You just keep this party trick up your sleeve?” Othello chimed in, tilting his head curiously.
“Yes,” Dante answered, adjusting his gloves and sleeves. “Another room in the bus is used for extraction. I am capable of pulling identities from other realities to get these cards, by spending lunacy; lunacy is a currency we get when you guys feel a lot of emotions. After the combat, I am sure we will give you a tour of the rest of the bus.”
Lenore couldn’t take her eyes off the different Jatayu standing before her. “Are they even the same person?” She asked curiously, lowering her weapon.
“Although some particular traits will carry over when using the ID, they are the same person. Jatayu is the same person we know, just with different skills.”
Pen held up his spear in defense, his gaze fixed intensely on the red eye that stared back at him. “It won’t attack us… right?” He asked nervously.
Dante shook his head. “No, at least, it shouldn’t. We’ve had a few cases where stray IDs come and mess things up. However, it is a very rare circumstance, and nothing we can’t handle.”
Dante continued to explain a few things to those who had questions. Jekyll’s attention moved to watch Mallo walk up to Jatayu, looking him up and down before getting in his face with her own. She inhaled a large breath from her cigarette and blew the smoke into Jatayu’s face with a cold glare.
“138924,” Jatayu stares back, rapidly speaking in numbers as if he were saying something.
Mallo doesn’t budge, her gaze staring intensely into the man’s soul.
“Clockhead, translate,” Mark demanded, interested in the current situation.
“O-Oh, right, I forgot sweeper identities can’t speak English…” Dante sighed nervously. “He asked Mallo to get the cigarette out of his face.”
“Are they safe?” Mallo repeated.
Dante’s ticking stopped for a moment. “Yes, mostly. As I said before, there have been a few situations where they have not been, but it’s very rare.”
Mallo communicates non-verbally that she feels suspicious of Jatayu and doesn’t trust Dante’s reassurance. However, she takes a step back in compliance with Jatayu’s request.
“What do these things cost? Do we have to sell our soul or something?” Mark scoffed as if this question should have been answered already.
“Yes, these identity cards cost lunacy. Lunacy is made from your emotions in combat. And I use that to draw different identities from other mirror worlds for you. There is no need to pay anything outside of what you will already be doing in your contract,” Dante explained. His voice was more tired than usual as if he was tired of explaining the same things over and over again.
PFTHAHAH! Emotions in combat? Seriously?! How cliche can this get? Oh, we will be RICH with lunacy!
Jekyll froze as the voice wheezed in her head. It was odd to see it so expressionate, yet for once in her life, she agreed with the voice. It sounded too easy, too pathetic.
Mark also scoffed in response. “This is some kind of cult, isn’t it?”
Dante shook his head. “No, it’s not.”
“If we need particular teams to be efficient in combat, how difficult will the fighting be?” Lenore took a few steps towards the commotion. Her face was incredibly neutral and curious, unlike the rest of her coworkers.
“As long as you are not dead weight, you’ll be fine,” Mallo snapped, glancing towards the ordeal gauntlet.
Mallo turned her head away right before Othello pulled out his guns and spun them around in his hands in a flashy manner. “Bring it on~”
Lenore found that amusing. “If we all die, I’m haunting you.” She teased with a slight smile.
Everyone started to get ready to enter the gauntlet one by one. To Jekyll’s surprise, everyone seemed to be at ease despite them heading into combat. Jekyll shuddered, she always tried to avoid combat when she could. It seemed this was required for her orientation, and it was made clear that combat would be a regular thing, but that didn’t help her anxiety about it at all.
“Yo,” a voice sounded behind her.
Jekyll turned her head before she realized it was Mark, and he wasn’t talking to her.
“Jatayu, bud,” Mark stepped next to Jekyll’s side, facing Jatayu who was in front of her. He rested a hand on the assistant’s shoulder, smiling as if to uncharacteristically persuade him. “How about I swap spots with you? You know, to ruffle the bastard’s feathers and make them bleed so you can extract it better, I’ll do it just the way you like it.”
Wait a minute…
Jekyll rolled her eyes as the voice spoke. It was silent for so long, and now she had to put up with it again.
Jatayu seemed to tilt his head curiously at the words ‘feathers’ and ‘blood,’ before he responded in a sequence of numbers.
Mark’s smile immediately faded. “Translate, clockhead,” he called out to Dante.
Before Dante could explain, Jatayu stepped out of line and nodded his head, heading to the back of the line.
I can’t see out of your eye Jekyll, I swear your vision is so bad. The voice roared as it tried to force its way into control.
Jekyll shook her head, her hands shaking. Stop! What the hell do you want now?!
The guy in front of you, Mariachi or whatever, said a phrase that I remember…
Can you do this another time? Jekyll tried to sound firm, but it came out in her head as more of a plea. We are going into combat…
Does he not look familiar to you, idiot?
Jekyll took a moment to stare at Mark’s face, which was now turned away from her. Some memory sparked in her head, but she couldn’t pinpoint it. She adjusted her paintbrush and tilted her head. I don’t… know…
The voice was cut off as the doors opened; one by one they marched into the facility, their gaze adjusting to the new light in the room. Jekyll wrinkled her nose at the smell of rotting corpses. Had this place not ever been cleaned? It was horrendous.
Sounds of claws scratching a chalkboard filled the air, and the sight of monstrous body pieces everywhere on the floor contributed to the awful stench. The musky environment made the expansive hallway feel small. Guts and blood were splattered across the walls as if they had been there for decades.
Everyone shuddered in their own way the moment carnival music started to play. Within the mist of the musky environment, enemies approached.
Jekyll did not recognize them, but some of her coworkers did. Three small creatures approached them first. Their faces looked like a ball of leather was cut into to make a smile, and it wore out over time. They wore joker-like clothes and waddled back and forth like clowns putting on a show.
Behind them appeared three large circus tents, with a tongue as a floor and teeth forming an entrance. They were large mouths, and some of them clamped up as an intimidation tactic, forming a large wall of teeth.
There was a noticeable urge to attack the tents before the clowns in front of them. The urge was so strong that no one had their focus on the clowns before them.
Ugh. People falling for the aggro again, I swear–
You are in a bad mood, help me use that energy to kick these circus butts. Jekyll interrupted, spinning her brush around, readying for combat.
The voice, despite its sour intentions, complied. Jekyll slowly felt herself lose control over own own limbs. They became lighter and felt looser on her body.
Do you trust me?
I never trust you. But does it look like I have a choice?
No, you don’t. Let me take the wheel and you’ll end up alright.
Jekyll shook her head again, keeping control of her mind. One step at a time, moron. We aren’t that close.
You literally cannot get closer to anyone else than I am– Jekyll felt the voice roll its eyes. Nevermind, let’s just–
Mallo lunged forward. Her stave was raised high as she swung it against the first tent’s teeth wall. It collided with a loud thud…
Nothing happened.
Mallo’s eyes widened in surprise. The teeth took the blow perfectly as if she had failed to break its shield. Her gaze was uncharacteristically surprised and sour, and she cursed at the constant cheering accompanied by the obnoxious music.
Jekyll glanced to her left only to watch Mark lunge forward next, attempting the same strategy as Mallo. He swung his metal pipe across the teeth with the bulge facing towards the mouth. To Jekyll’s surprise, it worked. The teeth cracked and one of them fell out. Mark’s gaze was focused and cruel, showing no visible sign of satisfaction.
Now! Jekyll felt her body lunge towards the second tent, her hands swinging her brush before piercing into the side of the second tent. Blood trickled out as she took a step back.
She sighed to herself in contentment. Oh, that wasn’t so hard–
Jekyll! Watch out!
Jekyll barely lifted her face to see the teeth of the tent coming down on her, crushing her on the waist. She cried out in pain and scrambled out of its jaws, slashing it across the lip to let her go.
How many times do I have to tell your pathetic existence that enemies counter?! The voice sneered. Get away before it attempts it again!
Jekyll’s head sunk low, limping backward. She watched Pen lift his spear which was now glowing. In a flash of light, he vanished, before he reappeared in front of the first circus tent. Jekyll noticed how he chose which one he wanted to attack, and pierced his spear into the side of the tent repeatedly, making the tent cower back. The loss of its blood was rapid, and it was clear to the rest of the coworkers it was almost dead.
Lenore jumped on the opportunity, lunging towards the first circus and using the hole Mark created in its teeth to slash her glaive across its tongue. She then stepped out of the way immediately before it could react.
Othello was right behind her. He spun his guns upward and into the nose of the circus tent, firing into its system.
The tent shook violently, expanding rapidly. It took only a few seconds for the monster to explode, sending everyone near it flying back. Othello managed to hide behind one of the clown dolls to avoid getting hit. Everyone else, enemies and allies included, got flung back and collided with the nearest wall.
Ow. Jekyll thought in unison with the voice. She rubbed her head and stood back up, trying to find her footing.
“Yo, Jatayu, why don’t you attack this one?” Othello grabbed the doll by the scruff and tossed it at Jatayu.
He was unprepared; the clown took the opportunity to bite at Jatayu’s arm and latched onto him. Jatayu scrambled and squeaked in numbers before kicking the clown off of him, holding his arm in pain. He glared at the clown, before returning a softer glare at Othello.
Othello smirked and shrugged before he was surprised by another clown lunging at his leg and biting it. Othello also managed to kick it off, but not without a gaping wound in his leg.
The other clown easily surprised Mallo, lunging similarly at her leg and gnawing at it until she kicked it off. She limped to attack it, but the screech and cheers from the tents distracted her. If smoke could come out of her ears, Jekyll figured this would be a moment where it would have done so.
Jekyll took a look at herself and the others amid combat, each looked like they were on the brink of staggering. Her mind shook, and she felt her sanity drop.
Jekyll! The voice snapped in her head. Focus! If you’re not going to get the job done, I will front and do it myself.
Okay, okay, Jekyll shook her head, readying her weapon once more. I’m trying.
This is no time to try. It’s do or die here.
She took a step forward, but Mallo was faster. Mallo charged at the third circus tent, completely ready this time. She first broke the teeth across its mouth before shoving her stave down its throat, forcing it to suffocate under the force.
The tent – like the first – exploded. The force sent Mallo back against the wall, crippling her. A tooth fragment came flying at Mark who approached the beast, causing him to fall to the floor as well.
That was all Jekyll caught before she herself was sent back from the impact, passing out cold.
* * *
Light slowly poured into Jekyll’s eyes, and the carnival music returned to her ears. Her head spun, but she slowly opened her eyes.
She regretted doing so.
Her gaze locked on Lenore, who lunged forward and stabbed one of the clown dolls in the head repeatedly. It spurred out blood till it exploded, causing everything else in the facility to explode.
Jekyll watched her limbs be torn off her body before her mind went black; everything around her became dark and cold. Jekyll shivered, clenching her arms.
Wait… she was clenching her arms? Weren’t they just torn off?
Jekyll opened her eyes again, looking down at herself. She could barely make out the faint outline of her body, all intact. She stood, her head spinning as it tried to see anything. All she could make out was the faint outline of many, many hands.
She tried to scream from shock, but the hands swarmed her, gripping her body and pinning her to the floor, her grips tightening by the second. She tried to get out of the way, but her struggle was useless. Her body ached in pain as the hands fought for possession of her. Although it was dark and she could barely see, she knew each hand around her was pulling in a different direction. Jekyll thought she would explode at any moment. Her mind cried out. Help! Someone help! Please!
She noticed that the voice wasn’t there.
The hands continued to grip and tear at Jekyll until a bright flash of light entered the room. It burned Jekyll’s eyes; she squinted to make sense of it.
A large, red door had opened to reveal outside of the darkness. The hands immediately dropped Jekyll and swarmed out of the darkness towards the person who had opened the door. Jekyll forced her eyes to open as she stared at the figure.
D… Dante?
Her surroundings immediately changed to the former battle arena. She laid on the floor and looked down to see her limbs slowly reattaching to her body, painlessly. The moment her lungs reattached, Jekyll sat up and gasped for breath, and she slowly gained control of every limb and finger once more.
She sighed, still catching her breath. Was that what death was like? An eternal torment by the hands unless someone comes to resurrect you? Or was that something that came with being attached to Dante’s time?
How… thrilling. The voice laughed. Looks like they weren’t lying about resurrection after all.
Jekyll realized at that moment she didn’t have full control over her body. She struggled to get the voice out, but it already had one hand in control of her actions. Jekyll stood up, smiling against her will. You’re sick, I hope you know that. Jekyll hissed.
Shut up, I’m trying to watch.
Jekyll turned her gaze towards Pen, who also reassembled piece by piece, limb by limb. His spear reassembled too, and he stood up, looking around as if he was getting used to the environment before he stretched his arms. “Nothing like the first time.”
What does that pathetic moron mean by the first time? The voice insulted, louder than before.
“You should all get used to dying,” Dante’s voice caught everyone’s attention. Jekyll didn’t realize he had entered the room, but there he was, staring right at them. “I am here to bring you back from the dead, but this is something that’ll happen frequently.”
Othello interrupted him from continuing further. “Don’t you have something else for me to fight? That was a cakewalk.”
Jekyll narrowed her eyes. Cakewalk? The heck–
“There will be more things to fight and encounter, however, I assume you all would like to claim the rewards of your recent combat.”
“Well, why didn’t you say that sooner, clockface?” Othello put his guns away and clapped his hands together.
Jekyll couldn’t make out the passing comment Lenore said, and she barely caught Mallo pulling out a cigarette and smoking it. Both of them went to look at the chest that rose from the ground, talking about the two EGO gifts in it. Her head turned towards Mark, who also was looking at his body as if he had just been reassembled too.
Move, Jekyll. The voice commanded, forcing Jekyll’s feet to walk up to Mark.
No, no! What are you doing? Jekyll tried to restrain, but it was no use.
Jekyll planted her feet right in front of Mark. If she was taller, she would’ve been right in his face. She stared into his eyes, unwavering.
“The hell you want?” Mark retorted, returning Jekyll’s hard stare. He seemed pissed off that she dared to approach him. His eyes squinted, revealing the scars originally hidden by his messy blonde hair. His jawline appeared to be broken in some way, but it was as strong as ever.
Are we done now? Jekyll begged, wanting to flee from this situation.
I can’t see well out of your eye, your vision sucks. The voice replied before continuing. This Mariachi fella… I’ve seen him before… his eyes are far too familiar…
There was a moment of tension between Jekyll and Mark as she continued to stare silently, ignoring Mark’s question. She stared into his eyes, reading the harsh glare that planted fear inside of her, but there were many things hidden behind that rough gaze, and she knew the voice was trying to find it. However, the more she searched, the angrier his gaze got.
Jekyll about had enough; she needed to get out of this situation.
The voice gasped. That’s it! That’s where I recognize Mark from! He’s–
“Shut up,” Jekyll hissed, using an internal force to take control and immediately leave. She turned on her heel and walked towards the gauntlet door.
She didn’t get very far.
“Nah, nah, nah, nah,” a firm grip rested on Jekyll’s shoulder and spun her around. She was face to face with Mark again. His other hand gripped tighter around the pipe resting on his shoulders. “Where the hell do you think you’re going? What the heck did you say about me?”
Jekyll’s eyes widened in fear from his hard gaze. “N-N-Nothing! I’m sorry, I was talking to myself…”
Mark grunted in annoyance, shoving Jekyll’s shoulder as he walked away, even more annoyed than before.
Pfff, classic Mark. The voice cackled.
Jekyll felt as if she was going to melt into the floor from fear. She gripped her brush tighter and shuddered. I hate you, so much. She watched Mark wander and kick anything that was in his way.
“How was the nap?” Another hand rested on her shoulder and spun her around.
Jekyll was now facing Othello and was perplexed by his sudden approach and question. “N-Nap?” She cursed at herself for stuttering; she couldn’t shake the fear Mark’s gaze planted in her soul.
“Yeah, the nap you took in the middle of the fight.”
“What do you mean?” Jekyll tried to come off as polite as possible, despite being incredibly pissed at the voice in her head.
“You died, did you not? Was the time passage weird? How was dying?” He said casually with a smirk.
Jekyll snorted, almost laughing, which did well to ease her fear of the previous situation. It was a rather annoying question according to the voice in her head, but she found it funny. “I mean that’s what happens when you sleep, time passes by.”
“Did you dream anything when you died?”
Dream? Jekyll paused for a moment as she thought back to what happened. It was definitely not a dream. The hands that engulfed her and suffocated her felt more real than her standing alive at that moment. The simple thought of the hands made her shudder. “A-All I saw were a lot of hands… before they fled into the light as a large door opened… and someone dragged me out.”
She ignored the next comment Othello made as she turned to Dante. She quickly thought of an excuse to get out of her current situation. “Dante, I assume now would be a good time to get my uniform?”
Dante stared at her blankly. There was no response from him as the fire on his head cracked slowly. It became clear to Jekyll that he had overheard what she previously told Othello. She waved her hand in front of Dante’s face. “Hello?”
Loud insults interrupted her train of thought. Jekyll turned around to see Othello and Mark at it again. Mark looked like he was about to blast the commander’s head off with his bat as he smirked and continued to taunt him. However, the moment he raised his bat, the moment the lights went off.
“Initiating fight: Amber Ordeals, level two.” A robotic voice rang through the hallway as the environment started to warp once more.
“Wait, wait no! Another fight isn’t supposed to start!” Dante snapped out of his trance and ran towards the door, trying to open it. “I’m not supposed to be in here!”
Pen immediately stepped in front of Dante as the monsters appeared. “Stay behind me, manager!” He demanded. “Incoming!”
Jekyll couldn’t pull her brush up in time to defend herself as she was swarmed by two new monsters. They chomped at her arms and bruised her legs. She hurriedly kicked them off in a panic, swinging her brush at their faces.
The voice grunted in unison with her, and Jekyll dreaded the next hour that was more combat.
* * *
If Dante hadn’t healed the sinners before they exited the gauntlet, she would’ve been limping on her right leg and had bled to death. However, she walked out just fine, despite the impending exhaustion that overwhelmed her.
She noticed Vergilius and Kuvira standing outside the gauntlet. When the Red Gaze noticed Dante came out unharmed, he sighed to himself and walked out of the room. Kuvira stood there, grinning like an idiot. She tried walking over to Mallo to start a conversation but stopped herself as Vergilius called her name. She bounded off after him.
“Alright everyone, you may go rest in your rooms until we call you out again,” Dante dismissed the sinners, limping himself.
Jekyll hesitated, standing in place as everyone walked past her down the hall. Her steps became increasingly difficult as she neared the room that was supposed to be hers. It seemed to take forever and yet no time at all before Jekyll stood in front of the carefully designed door. She turned her head to see most of the sinners gone. The only two people left in the hallway were Mark and Dante.
“Everything alright, Jekyll?” Dante opened the door to his office before turning his head toward her.
“Y-Yeah…” Jekyll sighed as she rested her hand on the doorknob. Her body shuddered from the first time she opened the door. “I’ll be okay.”
“If you need anything, I’ll be in my office,” Dante reassured before stepping inside his door and closing it behind him.
Jekyll shuddered once more before glancing over her other shoulder towards Mark. She watched as he gripped the handle of the door to his room, before grunting with anger and storming up to the front of the bus.
Jekyll embraced the silence for a few moments before she took a deep breath. I have to face her at some point… Jekyll’s shoulders tensed and she swung the door open. She took a step inside and closed the door behind her.
Suddenly, her mind felt whole, as if she wasn’t competing for control anymore. Jekyll caught an immediate smell of chocolate mixed with blood, and the environment was thick and murky.
She gazed at her room, realizing it was perfectly split in half. On one side, there was a small bed tucked up against the tan walls. Its sheets were white and complimented the rustic wooden floor. On top of the bed was the Limbus uniform folded neatly next to the pillow. Next to the bed was a desk with a small bowl of chocolate with the K Corp symbol on the bowl. The light on the ceiling was shaped like a moonstone, and on the desk in front of the bed were liquid containers containing various substances that Jekyll immediately recognized.
In the middle of the room was a window covered in barbed wire like a prison cell; Jekyll could see the backstreets of where she was from. A small light illuminated the cobblestone road, but in the darkness ran small streams of blood.
The other half of Jekyll’s room was red. The stench of blood came from that side of the room, with white walls that were splattered with various shades of red across it like an abstract canvas. Another bed was also tucked into the corner of the room, and there was an art stand with a blank canvas next to the bed. Next to the wall was a desk and a chair, and the chair held a person who stared right back at her.
Jekyll’s grip on her paintbrush tightened, and she held it in front of her as she backed up, her gaze stern. So this is why my mind is free for a moment… she thought. Because the voice becomes her own person.
The person smiled as it stood up and walked to the edge of her side of the room. Her red eyes glowed with perfection, complimenting her black hair that fell to her thighs. She bowed, bending in her black onesuit with a fancy apron over it, covered in various paint stains and blood. Her face was more wicked and cruel, but it was the same face as Jekyll’s. It’s surprising how much emotion can change my appearance…
“Jekyll,” the woman bowed before letting a chuckle escape her pursed lips. “What a pleasure it is to finally talk to you face-to-face and not just in your mind.”
“Hyde.” Jekyll’s body became on high alert, watching every move the woman took. “It’s disturbing to see you without looking in a mirror.”
Hyde laughed mockingly, her mouth wide as her eyes were crazed with insanity. She spun her own paintbrush around before slamming it against the floor, her demeanor changed to pure anger. “As it should be! I’m quite tired of you locking me away! I know how you tried getting rid of me. If we didn’t share the same body I would tear you to shreds and plaster you on a painting, making your remains a masterpiece, something you could never be!”
Jekyll’s heart rate sped up in her chest as she backed up against the wall. Her eyes darted side to side before they locked back on Hyde. She couldn’t speak; her entire concentration went to calm herself down.
Hyde’s face changed from angry to deranged in a blink of an eye. “Pff, look at you now, you can’t even meet your other half normally. You’re pathetic, Jekyll.”
“M-Mind you…” Jekyll finally found the courage to speak. “I… I created you. Y-You b-better behave… Hyde…”
“Or what?” Hyde took a step forward into her side of the room. “What are you going to do? Rant about your teenage crush to me? How childish.”
Jekyll’s eyes blazed with fury. “I know where to access moonstones, idiot.”
Just as she predicted, Hyde shut her mouth. She took a step back and kicked a blanket on the floor before setting her weapon aside and glancing at the blank canvas.
Jekyll sighed in relief, dropping her weapon to the floor before strolling over to the bed, removing the uniform, and flopping onto it. Everything in her body ached, and it had been a long time since she got proper rest.
“Hey, be happy about this temporary split,” Hyde scorned. “This means I can paint while you sleep and we both aren’t losing our minds to sleep deprivation.”
“Shut up,” Jekyll groaned, taking the pillow and putting it over her ears. “Go out and be a menace to the coworkers or something.”
“You’re the main body, idiot,” Hyde hissed. “I cannot leave this room unless you let me front. I only exist here because this place is your mind.”
Jekyll turned over in the bed to look at the room once more. Hyde was right; the room very much described her mental state, and how she felt so split and out of control. She did find it odd how Hyde had their own form in the room. However, she figured it might be for the better. Her mind was free for the time being, and she didn’t have to deal with the constant struggle of her mind while she was here. Perhaps she could even get some proper sleep, perhaps this would be good after all.
Her face flattened when she watched Hyde search through her desk drawer before pulling out jars of blood. Dipping some of the paintbrushes she found in them, she stroked the liquid across the canvas.
It… wasn’t as loud as Jekyll thought it would be.
Hyde glanced over her shoulder, meeting Jekyll’s eyes. “You complained about being tired. Sleep and let me do my thing.”
“Do you really need to use blood for those?” Jekyll’s eyes fluttered shut, her mind slowly begging for rest.
“We’ve talked about this multiple times,” Hyde rolled her eyes, her hair swaying back and forth as she stroked the canvas. “Rest. We will talk later.”
“I hate you…” Jekyll muttered sourly under her breath as she turned over.
What she failed to see was Hyde’s face softening, and she paused from painting. “...I know,” was all she muttered before she continued.
Jekyll decided to ignore her as her body became heavy, and she drifted off into a peaceful, heavy sleep.
