The Unwanted: Reverse Teen Open again

Fuegar

Fuegar tilted his head, Thomas did not believe him, but in time, either he would, or he wouldn't. Either way, Thomas was doubting everything, he wouldn't be able to convince anyone of anything, not after his little display with Jason. "You will see things my way," Fuegar said, and left the room.

As soon as the door had clicked shut Thomas fell to his knees. He stared at the broken glass before him, and then completely broke down.

The tears flowed freely, without any sign of there being an end. The upper half of his body leaned forward and he buried his head in his legs, as if that could somehow muffle the pain he felt. He had known that something was wrong with him ever since he had came here, but never had he thought that he was capable of such an act.

What if Alice hadn't of come when she had? Would he have killed his best friend?

He had the horrifying feeling that he could have.

Last night's meal come up then, as he hit rock bottom.

IC: Jason

"Oddly enough," replied Jason, following after Faith, "that makes me really glad."

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IC: Scarecrow

"The boy will break," whispered a voice in Feugar's ear.

"The only truth he knows if what he's been told. Without it, he will fall with a single breeze. But...what will you do about Jason?"

A pressure was placed upon Feugar's shoulders.

"The self-righteous protector is not as invincible as he seems. But simply taking someone he cares for will not be enough; he will push through, he will prevail. You must do so much more...you must break him...tear him apart...and there is only one way to do that..."

Fuegar

"I knew you would come sooner or later," Fuegar muttered, as he felt the presence of Scarecrow. The demon listened to the phantom and sighed. "Tell me then, Scarecrow, what is it the way to break him?"

Faith just giggled and entered the cafeteria. Alice and Ty Lu saw her and wave. Then they spotted Jason and Alice smiled.

"Maybe I'll ask Jason how it went."

"Maybe you will. And maybe he won't say anything either."

IC: Scarecrow

"Push him over the edge...of course..."

The voice moved to Feugar's other ear.

"He has already lost his best friend; the other two people he cares for most are the Useless scum, Alice and Ty Lu. Make it seem as if he must choose between them...push his mind beyond its limit, and he will break...and he will turn only to you. You are Death...you are eternal."

The pressure left Fuegar's shoulders.

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IC: Jason

Jason faltered slightly when Alice and Ty Lu noticed him. However, he grinned and headed across the Cafeteria towards both of them.

"Good Morning Ladies, not gossiping I hope."

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IC: Scarecrow (Again)

"You think you must feel this dread," said a voice.

A figure was sitting in the chair Feugar once was. His body was masked in darkness and shadow that clawed outwards like a living creature. The part of Thomas's room that lay behind the figure was already consumed in dark nothingness, casting a shadow upon his room.

"But I am your friend, Thomas, I am the only one you can trust, remember?"

Fuegar

Fuegar contemplated the phantoms words, and grinned. "Choose between them. Yes, I can arrange that," he muttered, and chuckled as he walked to his room.

Thomas pushed himself into an upright position, but his eyes remained downcast. "I remember," he whispered as his sobbing slowed. He rubbed at his eyes with his sleeve and then sniffed softly.

"I just want to be left alone. Please, just grant me that."

This was the last thing he wanted to deal with at the moment, on top of everything else.

"Actually Alice here was just asking me about our date. But I told her I wasn't going to talk about it."

Ty Lu flashed a smile at Jason and Faith felt awkward. She always did around couples. She took a seat next to Alice, leaving the seat next to Ty Lu the only open one.

"I was just curious. I mean after mine and Thomas's picnic disater, I was wondering if yours went better."

She looked at Jason, then to Ty Lu. "So are you going to tell us or will I have to force it out of you?"

IC: Scarecrow

"No," replied Scarecrow.

"Does that make you hate me boy? I wish to look out for my friend, for you, Thomas. I want you and Alice to have a bright and promising future together. Do you wish Alice to die, Thomas?"

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IC: Jason

"Yes, Thomas told me about Feugar walking in on you two," replied Jason, taking the seat next to Ty Lu.

"What's that Alice? I think you're mumbling again."

"No," Thomas whispered, his head still bowed. "I don't want that, but you already knew that."

He slowly raised up his head, seeing the shadowy figure for the first time. "What do you want?" He sniffed again and gestured at the broken frame before him. "And can... can you fix this? Can you fix what's wrong with me?" He didn't mean the broken frame itself, but the sudden rift between him and Jason.

Tears splashed down onto the ground and he drew in a ragged breath.

IC: Scarecrow

Scarecrow was suddenly fidgeting with something in the grip of his hand. A long wooden pole, almost like a walking stick. He tapped it absentmindedly upon the ground while tilted the figure of his head at Thomas. The darkness scratched outward but recoiled instantly.

"Fix you?" repeated Scarecrow, in his eery, rasping voice.

"Of course I can, but there is no need. You are already repairing yourself. Everytime you feel that hatred for Jason, that friendship for Feugar...those are the feelings of your true self, pushing through."

Thomas felt his breath stop at Scarecrow's words. His heart beat painfully in his chest and his entire body was still, frozen. Even the trembling that had plagued his body ever since his attack on Jason had stopped.

Repairing... hatred... friendship...

He gulped in several breaths and then the trembling started anew.

"What are you talking about?" he asked slowly, hesitantly, but he already knew. There was a truth in the figure's words--a truth that he didn't want to admit to himself.

"That can't... Jason... He... He's my friend!" The tears started again, as he was unable to hold them at bay any longer.

IC: Scarecrow

"No," replied Scarecrow, "he is not."

He tapped the walking stick a few times upon the ground.

"Jason is evil...he is the nightmare you have been having for many days now. He, Thomas...is Alice's killer. Your true self is pushing through; his will eventually as well. When it does, Alice will die...Feugar will die...everyone...will die. Is that what you want...Thomas?"

"No!" The trembling grew worse and his breathing was very heavy. "No... No. No. No. This can't..." His hands wrapped around his stomach and he leaned forward, the knot in his stomach twisting and turning.

No.

He pushed himself to his feet and staggered towards the figure, towards Scarecrow. "I don't... I don't want to know! Just stop!"

IC: Scarecrow

As Thomas staggered towards him, Scarecrow raised the figure of a long, skeletal hand towards him. A aerosal gas shot from his hand and struck Thomas dead in the face. It instantly filled his mouth and nostrils, seeping into his mind and filling it with the sound of Jason's voice.

"Did you love her?! Did you care for her?! Well look, Thomas!
She's dead! Alice's is dead! You couldn't protect her!

"You and Alice could have had a great life. And you and Jason
could truely have been friends."

"What? Or did you actually believe I had any sort of feelings
towards you?! You stupid, useless monster! You couldn't even
perform the simple task I ordered you to do!"

"See reason? You fool, I am reason! I am justice!"

The toxin left Thomas's mind, leaving only Scarecrow absentmindedly tapping his walking stick upon the floor, sitting comfortably in his chair.

The half-dragon fell to his knees, his sobs starting back up again. His fingers curled into fists and he slammed them into the ground, fighting hard not to scream. The words had sounded so clear and even now echoed in his mind. They were so familiar, coming straight from the nightmares that he never could recall during the waking hours of the day.

"Stop," he sobbed. "I just.... want to be left alone. Please..."

Ty Lu giggled. It seemed that Jason was avoiding the subject too. She gave him a look and then turned back to Alice.

"He's right. It's so hard to understand you when you mumble."

Alice frowned. The two were being difficult which was driving her up a wall. She looked at Faith for help, but she just shrugged.

"Yes, but it's ok. I'm sure next date will better."

"Tha next dates usually are," Ty Lu commented.

IC: Scarecrow

A cold, whispering chuckle came from the figure. Something about seeing Thomas in so much pain seemed to fill Scarecrow will pleasure, satisfaction. He rapped his walking stick upon the floor a few times.

"So weak...so...susceptible."

Scarecrow leaned forward in his seat, the darkness scratching towards the light.

"You want to protect Alice, but you can't alone. I can help you, Thomas, my power is great...greater than the Unwanted's, greater than the Haters's...greater than Jason. I will keep Alice safe...that is what you want, isn't it, Thomas?"

“Of course,” he whispered. “I can’t… can’t lose her again.” He looked up at Scarecrow and started to reach out a hand towards the dark figure, but then drew it back. He couldn’t trust this… this creature. But what about Alice…?

His body trembled and he buried his head in his hands. “I don’t want her to die. Please. Don’t let her die.”

I am weak…

IC: Scarecrow

"Then ask me for help," commanded Scarecrow, two soft red glows coming from the darkness where the figure's head was. He tapped his walking stick upon the ground, and stared down at the sobbing Thomas.

"I am the only way she will survive. Beg...Thomas...beg for my help..."

Scarecrow reached out a long, boney hand down towards Thomas. The darkness swarmed over it, masking it completely as Scarecrow held it ready for the boy to shake.

"And you and Alice will be able to spend eternity together."

Thomas stared at the masked hand of Scarecrow's, his teary eyes wide with indecision.

She died in the other life... I couldn't save her...

Vaguely he recalled it, her jumping in the way of an attack--Jason's attack. He had done nothing to save her.

I was left alone... This is the only way, for us to be together.

He reached for the figure's hand, but just before the two hands touched, he drew back. "I want her," he said softly. "I want her more than anything in the entire world, but..."

What was he saying? What was he doing?

"But..."

More tears fell from his eyes, blurring his vision. He could see her, falling. He was broken, his heart shattered into millions of little pieces. He couldn't lose her, not when he had finally gotten her back.

"Please..."

He reached out and grasped Scarecrow's hand.

IC: Scarecrow

Only silence came from Thomas's grasping of Scarecrow's hand, which felt ice cold to the touch. THe figure watched him for a moment, then the hand finally released the boy's.

"As you wish, Thomas. You may put your mind at rest now. Nothing will ever harm Alice again, you can finally be together without worry."

Then as quickly as he came, Scarecrow as gone.

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IC: Jason

Jason sniggered.

"Yeah, I'm sure Thomas will-"

He stopped, he'd almost forgotten. He'd actually almost forgotten.

"Thomas...we had a misunderstanding, and he probably thinks I hate him. "

Thomas held his cold hand to his body and then shuddered. His gaze stared at the spot Scarecrow had been in moments before and then he turned away.

What was done was done.

Alice was safe, and that was all that mattered.

Still, the tears continued to trickle down his face and his body shook. He felt sick inside, and numb. He knew that he done something very wrong, but he didn't care.

"Alice will be safe," he whispered.

The figure had promised.

"I don't think that's true," Alice said. She hadn't seen all that happened, but it did look kind of serious. "Something is just going on and we're all on end."

"Something's going on," Faith asked. She did have this feeling that something wasn't right, but she wasn't sure what it was. "What do you mean?"