———

The sky was dimly illuminated with dusk's light, the sun had no longer been visible from over the trees. The dusty floor beneath the camp was vacant, everyone was in bed. Not necessarily asleep, but in bed. Or, in a tent. At least. The cold wind which blew through the camp was chilled enough to make one shiver. Pepper sat on her lonesome in the first aid camp. She was still shaken by the whole ordeal that had occurred earlier. She gazed at the small tent opening. The one she was in had a larger one than the others. But the beds were less than comfortable... She couldn't really sleep... And her eye still hurt like hell. Pepper decided that going outside would be a bad idea, so she just hugged her knees, and refrained from thinking about her eye. Despite the pain.

That had been when the tent's entrance opened, Pepper flinched as Fries entered, she kinda just stared at him for a moment. She then spoke bitterly, "Wow... I didn't know High School seniors were your type..." Her voice grumbled.

Fries flinched and put his hands up, "WHAT?! No! No—I—WHAT???" He furrowed his brows, dumbfounded she'd even think that.

Pepper blinked and laughed a bit, rolling her eyes, "Nah! I'm just messing with you..." She grinned. And waved her hand dismissively.

Fries groaned and glared at her, that was anything BUT funny.  "Listen—I need your help... While everyone's asleep." Fried murmured in a hushed tone, as to not alert anyone in the surrounding tents.

"If it involves killing someone—I'd rather not get my hands dirty... I got my nails done, like, three days ago!" She said with a scowl, looking at her nails, flipping her hand over to check them.

"What—?! No!" Fries looked horrified and quite peeved, "KID. This is about your friends..." He seethed, pointing at the tent opposite, which made Pepper perk up.

"Balloon and Piper?" She asked suddenly interested.

"It's... Paper... But whatever... Yes! Them. I... I want to help them." Fries said with an unsure smile, he really did want to help. He may get a bounty on his head for this. But he wasn't about to go against his moral code because some idiots wanted money from him... He... He wouldn't.

Pepper hunched back, she didn't really like either of them... But she didn't think they deserved to be locked up in a cage. "They aren't really my friends? But... Whatever. I'll, like, bite. But...Only if you explain what the hell is going on..." Pepper demanded.

Fries sighed, and sat down at the door. He folded his hands in his lap, "My buddies think Balloon is The Wind Crowned." He explained. His face serious.

"The god thing right? I know that much." Pepper huffed, she crossed her arms, "If the card thing I told you back then is part of it—then... Paper got one too." She added.

Fries's eyes widened, he blinked, "Yeah that matches..." He murmured to the side, thinking to himself.

Pepper raised a curious brow. "Matches? Matches what?" She asked with curiosity and a hint of concern in her undertones.

"There's a—Well it's more of a poem then a legend. I always just assumed it to be a children's nursery rhyme, since when I was a child my peers use to dance around the fountain and chant it." Fries recalled, he scratched the back of where his neck would be, "If my memory serves me correctly, it should've went something like;"

Ten cards assigned, add a lie, and one be earned.

From the windows of Devine, each one will learn.

Deep in the darkness the old one descends.

Through adversity and trial, through twists and bends,

The old ones fall and legends proven true...

We say "out with the old in with the new!"

"Out with the old and in with the new!"

"Out with the old and we all start anew!"

Fries paused, "everyone know that old thing—it... some people said it was a prophecy— But I didn't believe it really. It didn't make much sense... But now? Yeah... It lines up..." He sighed and chuckled to himself, "Cheesy?" He shrugged.

Pepper shook her head, "No... Disturbing..." Pepper pointed at Fries, "So like, that part about the darkness... And old ones falling? What's that about..." She muttered.

"Oh. Uh—I—... All of our Crowned are currently dead. And—well—Now new ones have shown up practically in our doorstep." Fries gestured to the tent across the dusty clearing. "As for the darkness? I'm still not sure what that is referring to..."

Pepper was unsure, "How do you even kill a god?" Pepper clutched her arms tightly, skepticism dripping from her tone.

Fries pondered, "What I know, you can't? Or... Not completely? You can destroy their body... But the spirit remains until they regenerate a new one." Fries shrugged.

"So... They aren't REALLY dead?" Pepper spat, confused. Her face looked troubled as if this was some sort of joke.

Fries shook his head in response, "No, they're really dead." He corrected, "I don't know the logistics behind it myself! It's some magic bullshit..." He pouted.

Pepper hummed in acknowledgment, "Right...." She pondered, prolonging her word as if she didn't believe him. "And what exactly is your 'buddies' planning on doing with them?" She asked boldly.

"Well... We're uh... poachers... So sell them." He said in a painfully shameful and unsure voice. He felt bad just saying it.

Pepper's face instantly shifted to horror. She blinked and shook her head, snapping out of it. "WHAT?!" Pepper shook her head and gestured 'no' with her arms, "No! Nononono! No-hoho! No! You cant do that! That's, like, super inhumane!?" She was dumbfounded.

"That's what I've been saying!" Fries grumbled, this girl was stupid, but at least she understood the assignment. "We need to get them out."

"Well no duh! Why didn't you just say that?! 'Oh yeah! Uhm— I'm gonna sell your friends!!!' LIKE HELL YOU ARE!" She snapped, standing up suddenly.

Fries put his hands up, "Woah... I didn't say I was going to...!" He frowned. Not bothering to mention how she called them her friends even though she previously stated otherwise...

"You practically said that?" She shrugged with a scowl. Fries face palmed and attempted to speak but Pepper spoke over him. "We obviously need a plan..." She spoke as if this whole thing was simple.

Fries was peeved, but nodded, "Yeah." He huffed with a slight cold edge to his tone. "I-It doesn't REALLY need to be too complicated... I just need a way to get the keys from Tree's tent..." Fries muttered.

"Leave that to me..." Pepper chuckled, and stood up, she then strolled outside. Fries warily watched but allowed her to head out.

Balloon laid against Paper's chest as Paper stroked his wings. Balloon had been silent for a while... Paper couldn't really get a good look at his face. He also didn't want to move for a better angle since... He didn't want to startle the boy. Everything had been calm. For the most part. He wondered why Looseleaf hadn't pestered him but... Maybe that was for the better right now. Best not to disturb him until it would be necessary. He wondered how OJ was doing. Hopefully better than whatever the hell he and Balloon were going through. Surely. He wished he could see the stars... He wished that... He could be back at the hotel. In bed... OJ at his side.

He'd been caring for Balloon's life so much he'd forgotten how much he'd missed his own. He thought about how strange this entire situation felt... How unnatural... EVERYTHING was. He thought way back to when he was a kid... His mom and dad... They weren't terrible people. But... They didn't really understand Paper's adversity. They didn't understand how he'd experienced the world. He was often clever, and read quickly. He loved to read. But he'd always have his head too far up in the clouds to pay attention in school. He wished he had... Maybe he'd know what to do now. Maybe.

"I'm s-sorry..." Balloon whispered quietly, shifting a bit in Paper's embrace. It startled Paper. His head looked down to Balloon and he thought of what to say next.

"For?" Paper asked calmly, he didn't want to escalate anything Balloon may have brought.

"For trying to make you choose..." He whispered, nearly choking out a sob, but, swallowed his urge to cry, and instead just let the tears flow silently. "I shouldn't have done that..."

Paper bit his lip silently as he pondered his next words carefully. "Don't... Apologize. I mean—well..." He sighed, "Balloon, I don't blame you, honestly."

"What?" Balloon spoke up, looking towards Paper.

"He hurt you. I understand your frustration—OJ has problems. I see that now. But you—You can't... Expect me to pick between you or my husband... I-I love you both equally." Paper explained, continuing to stroke Balloon's wings.

Balloon looked down at himself... Hugging his own body, "I don't really hate him... I just wish he understood me..." Balloon took a breath to keep himself from crying, "I d—don't want to be hurt anymore..." he trailed...

Paper frowned, "I know..." He whispered, "I know the feeling..." Paper nodded slightly, as he remembered a time that approval was all he wanted from his own parents. "OJ was like that once too." He perked, looking down to Balloon.

Balloon flinched, "Really?" He asked, confused.

Paper chuckled... "Yeah, His dad really was hard on him. Pushed him to do school and nothing else. OJ was a real smart kid—I know because we went to the same school! Ahah!" Paper chimed. "OJ said all he really wanted was recognition from his dad. He thought he wasn't getting it... But all his dad wanted was for him to succeed." Paper faltered in that moment... He wanted to finish that with; 'Maybe he's doing the same for you' but decided not to say that last bit...

Balloon didn't say anything, he just looked away again.

"It was OJ's idea to let you in. By the way... I offered before, but he denied. After a while, though? He decided himself." Paper smiled calmly, "Everyone else too... He got all the legal work done really quickly! Impressively, in fact. Kinda shocked myself!" Paper chuckled.

"None of that really matters anymore though..." Balloon whispered teary-eyed. He was right in a sense. They had no way back.

Paper shook his head, "Of course it matters... It means I'm responsible for you. And I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure everyone gets back home in one piece."

"I don't think we are going home..." Balloon replied, his gaze shifted outside. "Something tells me we can't leave... Or... Shouldn't." Balloon felt strange. And he has for a while now.

Paper raised a brow. "What?"

"Something is wrong Paper... I-I swear I can feel it..." Balloon whined, his voice trailed. "I'm scared... It feels like there's this... Huge weight on my shoulders... It feels like something is so SO wrong... And it's my job to fix it." Balloon didn't want to have that sort of job. He wanted to be normal. He wanted a normal life.

"That's called anxiety..." Paper soothed, he pulled his wings away from his face to try and look at him in the eyes, "I get that all the time too."

"No." Balloon said firmly.

Paper flinched, and raised a brow. Confused...

"It's different... It's not the same. Anxiety is... Is like a feeling in my chest." He grabbed at his chest, "This feeling is different... I-I'm not sure how... But I... I just... Know...?" He frowned.

Paper pondered his words. They likely meant something important. Paper knew that much. But he couldn't pin point as to why. "Then we will find out together..." Paper smiled soothingly.

Balloon appreciated the gesture. But something was wrong... Something words couldn't fix. He wished they could. But that was an impossibility. He knew it. Paper sat up straight, his metal body clanked and clanged against the metal frame of their confinement. Balloon sat in his lap, he felt babied, but didn't pay much mind to that at the moment. He knew Paper meant well and that's all that had mattered.

"We gotta find a way out of here..." Paper murmured as he inspected the surrounding cage. Sturdy thick bars... He didn't think Balloon would be able to freeze through it. "Maybe the lock...?"

"Hm?" Balloon hummed, looking up with a confused but pessimistic look. His gaze negated all signs of, or means of joy.

"O-Oh sorry. I skipped ahead a few thoughts! Eheh..." He chuckled sheepishly, and then pointed to the lock, "Try freezing the lock? I can try to hit it off with my metal arms...!" He commanded softly. Paradoxical, but true. How impressive! Bravo!

Balloon narrowed his eyes, pondering, he crawled over, and approached the cage door. And raised his hand to freeze it. His markings began to glow, they travelled down his arm. It startled Balloon, they sputtered and flickered. Which made him yelp as he felt like his hand was bending stabbed. He pulled it back and clutched his arm warily. "What the...?!" He whined.

Paper had also been startled by the event. He gained a look of concern. "What was that?!"

"I d-dont know—?! It just—Sparked then—wham!" Balloon didn't really know how to describe it. Paper blinked and looked at him for a moment.

"'Sparked and wham' really? That's the best you can describe it?!" He judged, which made Balloon pout.

"I-I dunno! I'm trying my best!" He whined. He clutched his arm tighter and glared at the lock, "I'll try again..." He carefully released his arm and directed it towards the lock... He tried his best to ignore the stabbing in his arm. But it only grew worse. The glowing soon became a sparking crackle and flare. His hand glowed much to bright for him to look at and he pulled it back again... He grunted in pain and waved his hand as if it had been on fire! "Argh—GH! OW!" He whimpered. His hand burned... Badly. Which was the opposite of what he'd expected.

Paper reached for his hand, but stopped himself. Instead, extending his own with a worried look... Balloon got the message and let Paper take it. Paper inspected his hand... "Nothing you can't already tell yourself..." Paper muttered, glaring at the new markings that only appeared when they glowed.

Balloon pulled his hand away and grumbled to himself, looking down at it again. "What's wrong with me...?" He whined, tracing his hand across the markings.

"Nothings wrong with you..." Paper patted his shoulder, Balloon only frowned more distinctively. "You're special!" He chimed.

Balloon remained silent.

"Not—Not like that..." Paper faltered, his smile faded in an instant. "You know that's—Th-that that's not what I meant..." Paper attempted to comfort.

"But, that's why we're stuck in this mess, isn't it?!" He seethed, pulling his wing before him. He picked at a feather that had some hardened blood. It smelt like it was beginning to rot... he recoiled. "I'm disgusting... I-I'm so sorry..." Balloon murmured.

"Balloon!" Paper scolded, a scowl—one of concern—had appeared immediately on the man's face. "Don't say such things!" His eyebrows pinched.

Balloon turned his head away in an instant.

"You'll never feel better about yourself if you tell yourself those things..." Paper informed, his face one a disappointed parent would have. Or perhaps a worried one. Maybe both. Yeah. Both.

"H—How can I when that's all there is to think? Have you n—not...s..seen me?! What I've done?! Caused?! It's ALL my fault Paper!" He cried, snapping.

Paper sighed, and patted his head. "Listen, we...C-can you fix it right now?" He asked unsurely.

"No..." He whispered.

"Then we best not dwell on it for now, okay? I swear... Things will get better..." Paper calmed, trying his best to do the same with Balloon. "Just tell yourself we can do this!" He exclaimed.

Balloon turned his head and didn't respond for a few moments. But... Finally... Gave a slight nod.

Paper smiled at that. He then reached for the bars and tried to hit off the lock himself... a loud clang rang out, few sparks flew off the iron from the two types of metal colliding. Paper winced at the sound. He knew it wasn't a good one. And too loud.

Balloon tugged him back and gave him a concerned worried look. A look of; If you keep doing that you're going to regret it. Not threateningly. But Paper got the message.

"I can try to slide out sideways? I can probably fit." Paper offered, Balloon pondered the thought for a moment. Then cringed at what could happen if they got caught.

"N-no—I—... I mean yes? URGH! I—I don't feel safe alone in here..." Balloon conveyed. He felt a sense of impending doom at the thought of Paper leaving.

Paper looked about, "I don't feel safe in here, period! W-we need to leave before daybreak..." Paper insisted.

Balloon opened his mouth to speak—But silenced himself. He reluctantly nodded in a agreement.

"Alright... I'll be right back. I'll go find the keys, yeah?" He gave a thumbs up, and maneuvered himself sideways to dig through the bars.

Balloon watched as Paper left. He sat in silence and tried to remain calm as Paper got further and further... About to slip through the bars. The slight creaking of his limbs as he squeezed through. But the air felt thicker. Balloon didn't like the way his chest was tightening.

Balloon felt an overwhelming sense of Deja vu.

If you let him leave you're going to die.

If Paper leaves you die.

If you're alone you're going to die.

Die.

You're going to die...

YOU'RE GOING TO DIE.

Balloon's breath quickened. He felt like a million hands were grabbing onto him and choking him to death. His heart began to race. Eyes on him... He felt them. All of them. Something is wrong... His eyes glowed and he breathed heavily. But tried to mask it so Paper didn't take notice...And...

Paper stopped...He froze completely and slid back into the cage. His gaze turned to Balloon, and he blinked... "What was I—Doing again?" He asked. Confused.

Balloon flinched and looked up To Paper. His eyes teary. He was so confused, "Escaping...? T-to go get the keys...?" Balloon raised a brow.

Paper looked about, "I don't remember that... U-Uh... Oh! Right... Right! Okay... Uhm..." He seemed unsure... Paper grabbed the iron bar and slipped sideways... attempting to get through slowly once again. He felt something had been wrong, but couldn't pin point why he felt this. His gaze narrowed as he very nearly released his ankles. Paper's head hurt for some reason... But he was in a mission. Balloon watched with fear once again in his eyes. He let Paper do his thing, hopefully things would turn out okay... "Right...—!"

The tent door opened. And Paper jumped, shielding Balloon with an arm as he processed who'd entered the tent...

———