V.I.R.A.L

The sun began to set as Iris was mindlessly wandering through the streets of Sunset Peak, lost and alone. First, she was gripping the watch handed to her by Alton with no clue what to do. Next, the rain had just recently stopped, but this didn't help Iris in any sense.

She started having doubts about herself once again; being alone for periods did this to her. She believed she was unfit to even carry on such a mission, especially after being by herself. She felt like she so desperately needed others to save her; to defeat the bad guy, she had no confidence to do anything alone. Standing by the side of the road staring at the cinema, Iris sighed, looking down at the watch. "What am I supposed to do, Alice?"

"Well, isn't this a sight for sore eyes? I feel so sick I might just go blind." Iris looked up, seeing Riley standing on the rooftops mocking Iris. "The Hawthorne loser who can't do anything with Alice's blessing."

"You…. You're Riley Syndicate. But you're dead."

"It will take more than that to kill lady Riley! Know your place, peasant!" Haggis boomed, standing alongside Riley.

"Haggis, I can speak for myself. Shut your trap."

"Sorry, Lady Riley, it's just I cannot go on allowing someone to disrespect you like that!"

Shaking her head, she crossed her arms, staring down at Iris. "No, she isn't too far off. I guess we've all died a bit inside now, haven't we? Just look at you falling apart to your own self-doubts and pity."

"What do you want?"

Tilting her head, Riley began tapping her foot against the ground, smirking. "I'm actually impressed. Zinnia and Emil both attacked me the moment I showed up. You haven't. Things must be nasty."

"You can say that…. I just struggle to find the motivation to keep fighting these days. The more I fight, the more I question what's the point."

Riley squatted down, rubbing small chunks of rubble between her fingertips. "You know, I like your thinking. What is the point in this all? I mean, just look around you. This place seems nice enough. Yeah, that bastard Alton is running the place, but you get used to it. In fact, this place isn't too bad."

"You don't want to break out?"

Haggis snarled at the comment looking up. "Breaking out and fighting Alton would only put Lady Riley's life at risk. I'm opposed to anything in the slightest."

"It's not that we don't. If given a chance, we wouldn't think twice about leaving. We're merely on the fence on the whole situation. Either way out is fine. Whether that's returning to our world and destroying the Garden or living our lives in this make-belief world. Either one doesn't sound too bad." Riley brushed off. "It wasn't long before Alton found us a few months back; he wasn't exactly that surprised to find us. He told us we could do whatever we want if we don't harm the residents here. He'd even let us fight as many safeties as possible. That boy knows exactly how to bribe me."

"So that's it. You're just giving up after everything that happened. The Garden killed your sister."

Riley nodded with a smug look. "I know, but not to worry. I have everything I need to act out an act of possible revenge…. You can come out, sweetheart."

Jehovah was dragged out, trembling her head hung low. She had a rope tied around her hands and legs, making escape impossible. Iris was taken back by this to see a small child being held, prisoner. "Jehovah! What is the meaning of this, Riley?! This is madness even for you!"

"So, you know this little devil as well? Go figures. Do you know what she is?"

Gripping her fist, she slowly nodded. "I do, Zinnia told me. She was a Stage of Grief at one point. But she's just an innocent girl now!"

"Innocent?! Just because she isn't what she used to be doesn't make her innocent. A dictator isn't innocent because he was overthrown; a murderer isn't innocent because he confessed. She's a resident of the Garden. The same Garden that took our homes, crushed our families and stole our future. This girl killed my sister. She killed Scarlett in cold blood with a smile on her fucking face!"

Iris was taken back, looking up at Jehovah, not quite sure what to believe. "She killed Scarlett? That's not possible."

"It is! Tell her, girl. Tell her!"

Jehovah jumped, nodding to this sniffing. "It's true. I killed the girl you knew as Scarlett. I killed her for the sole reason because it was fun."

Riley jumped down, gripping Jehovah by her collar dragging her along. "I found the snout a few days ago wandering the park aimlessly. I guess she didn't put into account that I'd find her. I've been debating what to do with this little devil for a few days, but now you're here. You can help decide."

"Me? Why me?"

"Why not? People make the hardest decisions best when under pressure. You seem desperate with nothing to lose. So why not let you choose. Just remember Iris, she took our homes. Slaughtered innocent people. People who did nothing wrong, people who didn't deserve to die. She was responsible for the deaths of Scarlett and Emil; they would still be here with us if it wasn't for her. She deserves to pay, does she not?"

"Yes, I mean she does…. But not like this. This isn't the way."

"I knew this one was weak, Lady Riley! She isn't worth our time!" Haggis boasted.

"Will you put a sock in its Haggis for five fucking minutes. There's no other way Iris, the Garden wouldn't spare us so easily. If we don't deal with this evil monster, who knows what she'll do. What she's capable of. She could turn on us at any moment. Take out Zinnia or Alton. Kill your sister; nothing is off the table. So, what will it be, Iris? Will you be a hero or a coward?!"

****

Since Alton had vanished with his grave warning, Monarch had been left with an uneasy feeling. The children had stopped playing, and most had scurried back into their hiding spots. Harmony, however, was still keeping the morale going with music playing the guitar humming a few tunes. Zinnia stepped out of the courthouse, taking a deep breath, still processing everything that happened. She couldn't quite believe what she heard, knowing too well herself Alton would never go that far. Wiping all life out and restarting the universe in his own image was the call of a madman.

"Don't let his word dwell on you, Zinnia."

"What?" Zinnia replied, not exactly paying attention to Harmony.

"Ten. Don't let his words get in your head; that's what he's good at. Planting doubt and confusion admits the masses. He'd have us turn against each other if it aided him in any way possible. It worked on many of us Ten's Judgement." Harmony admitted, still keeping to her tunes. "He's a dangerous individual who cannot ever be trusted. You must always assume Ten is in control and Alton is dead. Until Myself and Six have confirmed Ten is no more."

"What happened between you three?"

"It was a long time ago. No one had any idea Nine; Bargaining, you know him as now had stolen Alton from the Garden. It was his mission to spy on them but what he did went way too far. When One found out, he tried having Ten disposed of. Your Alton killed two, three, and Six before we managed to banish him to Earth, wiping his memory and powers. Not long after, Ragnar Brantley found him and well. You know the rest."

"So, what you're saying is that all of this is your fault."

Harmony stopped playing, smiling faintly to herself. "While I won't go around claiming we are completely innocent, I will say this. Everything happens for a reason. If Alton's fate is decided to end the world, he will do it no matter what. You cannot escape from fate. Once your destiny is decided, it's set in stone."

"Alton is different. He'll beat Ten. I know he will."

"Will he now? How can you be so sure, Zinnia? You weren't there when Syndicate attacked when Team Rhapsody fell. Or when Mortem's reign of terror began or when Rhinefield fell to the Garden. These past three years have been the tipping point for many of us. Alton has changed; we all have. It just makes you wonder for how long has the two been battling for control? I suppose it all started during the raid against Paradox when Monty pushed him too far over the edge. Yes, that's when everything changed, when fate revealed itself and set Alton on his path."

Zinnia looked around, not wanting to admit that truth catching Rhapsody watching her. But, once he realised he was caught, he walked away without any warning. "That boy…."

"That boy reeks of the Garden. It's unbearable. I warned you not to trust him. You'd do well to keep away from Rhapsody Zinnia Trost. It's for his and your own good."

"I'm not going to listen to Fairy-Tale traitors who would happily let humanity go extinct if it was in their best interest."

Harmony went back to her music, watching Zinnia storm off, sighing. "Humans…. It's your funeral."

****

Rhapsody sat on the trunk of a tree holding his mask in his hands, sighing. He wouldn't get much time to himself, far too preoccupied with the mission. He jumped, looking in the corner of his eye finding Zinnia approaching. Scurrying to put his mask on, he stood up, still staring away from her. "What do you want?"

"Why do you always wear a mask for?"

"It doesn't matter…. The others told me it's better to hide my identity."

"What others?"

"The two Fairy-Tale representatives. Five and Six."

"Those bastards." Zinnia whispered. "You don't have to listen to them. They are just messing with you."

As Zinnia got closer, Rhapsody jumped over the trunk, standing back. "Please don't. I don't want to get involved with anyone from Team Rhapsody."

"You know who I am?" Zinnia questioned, getting a nod from Rhapsody. "Is that why you chose the name? Or did they choose it?"

"I chose it. Stag found me when she first arrived here. She helped me get back on my feet and fight for what's right. Those two soon arrived after. When we met, I was given two rules to follow? First, never take my mask off and stay away from anyone associated with Team Rhapsody."

Zinnia still wasn't a fan of this treatment seeing Rhapsody being used as a slave following their every command. "But why? Why can't you just tell me who you are? You saved my life. You didn't have to. Yet you did."

"I felt like I had to. An urge of the past to do so. I've been watching you for a while now…. The storm."

"The snowstorm…. Wait, that was you?"

Rhapsody looked away, cursing under his breath. "I shouldn't have said that…."

"Please. Take off your mask."

Rhapsody kept stepping back as Zinnia approached before Rhapsody fell over, tumbling to the ground smashing his mask against the floor, the pieces shattering. Zinnia's heart skipped a beat as she was taken back by the impossible nature of who it was. Rhapsody held his face looking troubled. "No….. No, no, no. Why God Damn it."

Looking directly at Zinnia, it was no doubt him. The scruffy hair and scar across his face belonged to no one else apart from the first—the first member to join Team Rhapsody after Alton and herself. Zinnia's words scattered off as she whispered, dazed. "Gale?"