#and then ENDED by pulling a whole CANNON out of his POCKET xD

[neverwatchedonepiece]

620-622: "A Critical Situation! Punk Hazard Explodes!", "Capture Caesar! General Cannon Blasts!" and "A Touching Reunion! Momonosuke and Kinemon!"

Watched three in a row because Doflamingo was teased. He is currently air-leaping over the sea from Dressrosa, so, to be fair, that might take some time. Meanwhile, a whole lot of stuff happened during the wind-up phase of Punk Hazard.

The biggest twist was Caesar accidentally stabbing Monet in the heart. That was brutal and a genuine shock. Doubt he’ll care unless Doflamingo chews him out for it. The second biggest twist was the whole Kaidou thing. The third biggest was Kinemon returning from the “dead” (more on that later).

There is a fair bit to unpack, so I’ll get down to it.

The Ol’ Switcheroo

They really have to start labeling these things. Nametags, people! One of the first things you learn at school. A permanent marker. That’s all you need. Scrawl some initials on that box. Boom! There’s your protection from switcheroos. Job done.

The scene was great, though. I liked the disorientating switch between Caesar outside and Monet inside. It meant you didn’t really know what was truly happening until the action switched back to the escaping Strawhats.

At the start of 620, Caesar lay flat out, clutching that blade, fully intent on taking Smoker down with him.

Inside, Monet was still on the DDM to Doflamingo, fully prepared to sacrifice herself to clean up Punk Hazard. Her feathery appendage hovered over the Big Red Button. “The Strawhats. Trafalgar Law. G5. Those pitiable children. Everyone will disappear along with me.” Back in Dressrosa, Doflamingo perched on that window seat.

Then there was a big, confusing KABOOM and a slicing sound. Monet’s eyes widened. I had no idea what was going on. Neither did Doflamingo. He must have heard the explosion and wondered aloud why the DDM connection hadn’t cut out.

The explanation came from Law. The boom that rocked Punk Hazard came from the SAD room. 

So what had happened to Monet? She slumped to the floor, bleeding. Then the action switched back to Caesar. A vicious grin stretched his face and that shard of blade was buried deep in that heart.

Yup. Caesar stabbed Monet in the heart BY ACCIDENT. Caesar killed Monet.

How had he managed to screw up so badly?

Law played the ol’ switcheroo. In a flashback, it was revealed that Law had already returned Smoker’s heart. Smoker was puzzled because his heart had been handed to Caesar by Law as a “thoughtful gift.” How had Law clawed it back? 

To obtain Caesar’s trust in the first place, Law exchanged hearts. Law’s for Monet’s. That had been the deal. But when Law took Smoker’s heart later on, he now had two identical-looking hearts. Just before he handed over the “thoughtful gift” Law pocketed Caesar’s and handed over Monet’s instead. As Law said, “When you do something good, something good will happen to you”, right?

A genius move but a risky gamble, Law, you absolute madman. :D

Naturally, Doflamingo realised something was up. Monet did not answer. A horrific explosion had not cut the line. He grabbed his jacket. I cannot lie, he looked grim. Some little kid ran about looking for him. The Elders said Doflamingo would be in his room but the kid said she’d looked there. Oh well, the Elders said. Doflamingo had just left without taking any subordinates again. (I like that. Doflamingo is obviously confident he can take care of this mess himself.)

And sure enough, Doflamingo boosted across the sea, on the line with Baby 5 and Buffalo. Was Punk Hazard still intact? Yes. But an “Iron Security Guard” stood in their way.

“Make sure you kill him,” Doflamingo said. “I’m on my way now.”

YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! Things are hotting up again. I mean, RIP, Monet, but I won’t miss you too much. Sure, you said the children were pitiable but you went along with the blood-curdling experimentation because Doflamingo asked you to so...

Come to think of it, it was probably a good thing that Caesar screwed up.

Doflamingo just assumed Baby 5 and Buffalo would easily take care of retrieving Caesar. He didn’t contact them for an update until he was leaping across the sea. If Monet had pushed that button, everyone would have been killed in the explosion - including Caesar. (Probably. I’m assuming the gas fruit wouldn’t protect Caesar from that. If that’s wrong, then Doflamingo made a good call.)

Artists Taking the Michael Here, I Think

While Doflamingo was in transit, Baby 5 and Buffalo were having a hard time against Franky. Got to say that Franky is lovably eccentric. He sings these theme songs for himself while he’s fighting, “I am the Iron Pirate and I don’t take care of the seeeeeeeea... I am an invincible Iron Pirate!” He’s hilarious. 

The weapons/air battle was cool. That’s why Franky is such a useful character. He can inject a bit of variety into any fight. For a while, it switched from a pirate series into an air battle mecha fest! Baby 5 transformed into revolvers, gatling guns, flame throwers, sickles and spinning tops (super lame!) But Franky held out against them all. 

It was interesting that she said, “Even a Pacifista would have taken damage from that!” Does that imply that Franky has improved upon Vegapunk’s designs?? :D

At any rate, Franky had it all under control. “I praise you for penetrating my armour but this is like a mantis going up against a warship.” That was a good line! Franky revealed the Sunny’s secret weapon: the Gaon Cannon.

It was only when the smoke cleared that Franky finally noticed Caesar lying flat out. Then Baby 5 yelled, “In the name of Joker, we will recover Caesar no matter what!”

The penny finally dropped. They weren’t after his cola.

Oh, Franky.

Punk Hazard Survivors’ Team Photo

In the tunnel, the big explosm from the SAD Room made life difficult for the escapees. Large chunks of ceiling and boulders fell on the tracks. Luffy and Zoro took care of those. No problem. Standard procedure.

The only thing that really threatened their plan? The explosion caused the gas to leak into the tunnel. Yikes.

Law asked if there was anyone who could control wind. Loved that little moment when the G5 guys were like, “Oh yeah. And you’ll find someone with that highly specialised power here by random chance? We’re doomed!” 

And Nami stepped forward. xD

Her job was to redirect the gas cloud, blowing away the gas outside to clear a path to the ships. The G5 didn’t entirely trust Nami. I like how Sanji defended her here. “Those who don’t trust Nami, get off!” That trust was based on Strawhat solidarity and faith in Nami’s competence, not on comedic infatuation.

That unshakeable Strawhat solidarity was shown again after Nami played a blinder and the truck burst out of the tunnel to a huge victory fanfare! :D

Instead of finding more clouds of noxious gas, they found the area clear and Franky battling with Baby 5 and Buffalo. (Usopp was the only one who wondered where the outside gas was. That man always has his head screwed on.)

Before they nabbed Caesar and dashed, Baby 5 called out Law for being a traitor. She said something verrrrrry interesting too. “Are you really going against Joker? You traitor. Joker was saving the Seat of Hearts for you.”

Leaving aside the obvious card suit theme here (was Law to be promoted to a General like rank in Doflamingo’s crew?) Law told Luffy that Baby 5 and Buffalo were the enemy. When they realised they were outnumbered and outmatched, Baby 5 and Buffalo snatched Caesar and scarpered.

That triggered the Nami and Usopp dream team capture sequence.

Usopp was like, “Leave this to me.” Law attempted to step in, but Luffy had an “I’m just gonna stop you there moment”. If Usopp said he’d handle it, he’d handle it. It was said with a smile but you know Luffy meant business. Law had to learn to trust the other Strawhats just as much as Luffy already does.

Oda always plays with Nami and Usopp’s cowardice but honestly, it’s becoming more and more of a running joke rather than truth. Nami’s weather control powers are actually super destructive and she took out Baby 5, Buffalo and Caesar with no problems. Usopp finished the job by grabbing Buffalo and Baby 5. Caesar almost thought he’d get away because Usopp’s attacks phased through his logia form.

But no!

For Usopp had already thought about it. THOSE CUFFS!

That aside, let us give credit where it’s due: Luffy, your plan came good in the end. Great execution by Usopp. Now that’s what I call teamwork. :D

Nami and Usopp Come Through

The immediate danger past, it was time to literally draw a line (lmao G5) and get back to reality. Smoker agreed to wait with the pirates until a ship came to pick up his unit.

Oda set about tying up the loose ends. Brownbeard and the minions would hand themselves over to the Marines in exchange for treatment. It’s telling that he considers prison a better alternative than being Caesar’s guinea pig. Plus, he got to see Caesar go flying thanks to Luffy, so it was worth it.

Tashigi asked Nami if she could take the kids to Vegapunk for treatment. Nami was initially distrustful. It was the Marines’ fault the kids ended up with Caesar in the first place. Vergo had handed them over! The Marines weren’t doing their job. But Tashigi apologised, said she’d take personal responsibility for the kids and that she would get them back to their parents. Most of them should be okay now Law has operated on them and removed most of the bad stuff.

(Little bit cliched that the female characters are the ones always taking ultimate responsibility for the kids but it’s entirely expected considering the genre, Japan, etc.)

At least the kids recognised Nami and Chopper as the main people who stuck up for them and helped them pull through. When Chopper told them the Marines wanted to take care of them, they protested. Where’s the orange-haired lady? They wanted to thank her. What about Robo Man? Rubber Man? Curly Brow Guy?

But it was for the best. Nami and Usopp had a little chat on deck. I love moments like that when you catch the friendly, natural moments between the crew you don’t often get to see because they’re busy fighting. Usopp asked Nami if she’d sorted things with the Marines. Nami said yeah, that it was for the best that Tashigi took the kids. They were all pirates. Keeping the kids on deck even until they got them home would put them in danger (good call, as Doflamingo is on his way).

There was a nice callback to Bellmere too. Nami admitted the other reason was she has, “a weakness for the eyes of a female Marine. They’re just reassuring to me. It’s always best to be saved by a strong, kind-hearted female Marine.”

I like it when Oda does that. He never forgets his characters’ roots and motivations.

In Two Minds About This

While Sanji was cooking up some Newkama Kempo 99th Vital Recipe: Hormone Soup with Sea Pig (sounds horrendous but everyone was lining up for it) Brook backed into Kinemon.

I suspected Kinemon would be revived. Why else would Brook have dragged him all the way out of Punk Hazard? Plus, I felt sorry for poor Momonosuke knowing his dad was dead and having to bottle all that up because “samurai”.

The reunion was actually great. Not complaining about it in the slightest. True to the OPverse’s samurai culture, it wasn’t overly sappy. It was a worried sick dad hugging his little boy. Momonosuke did not touch a drop of food until his dad said it was okay, that they could trust these pirates, that they had saved his life. Watching little Momonosuke finally able to eat gave me a major case of HappySad. (If anyone’s curious about the ratio, it was 80% happy and 20% sad.)

This turned into straight up Happy when Luffy cheered up Momonosuke with his old chopsticks in nostrils trick. No one should be crying at a party, after all!

The only thing I was a bit meh about was that Kinemon - and all the other G5 guys - survived Caesar’s weapon. Would have preferred it if the G5 guys’ sacrifice remained that way. Not because I like edgy character death but because it was such a grave moment and a change in tone. It also obliterated most of the peril. I also don’t get how they survived if they were encased in that white substance. They would have suffocated!

Maybe if Kinemon was half frozen, it would have been more convincing to break the white casing and he was still alive underneath. But that would have ruined the reunion drama of him “rising from the dead”.

Also, what’s Caesar doing inventing weapons that don’t actually kill people?

Come on, Caesar. Step up your game! You should have stuck with Smiley, mate.

And Now For Someone Completely Different...

Now that everyone was free to party, Law attempted to kill the buzz by reminding Luffy that new enemies would be arriving shortly and it was best to make themselves scarce. Luffy responded to this by declaring everyone should “Hurry up and party!” Lmao.

The party montage showed that Mocha would be okay, the kids enjoyed Franky’s hair transformations, that Brownbeard and the Minions are friends again, the kids trooped onto the Marine ship, Chopper brought Law a bowl of soup (he freaked out watching Law operate on the kids, haha), the Minions forced Caesar to spill the secrets of how the gas worked and that Caesar was sitting there, absolutely battered, wondering how the hell Smoker was still alive.

Smoker was also wondering something. He asked his new Pirate Pal Law why the alliance with Luffy. “What are you planning on using Strawhat to do?”

Law’s reply? “Who’s the one who’s being used?”

Then, finally, we were treated to the real conversation. The one Luffy and Law had on that clifftop in the blizzard that cut away when the real good stuff happened.

And here is the news.

The target is Kaidou the Beast.

Kaidou? Already?

That is awesome.

It’ll be a long-term plan, though, because the Strawhats have business with Big Mom after Dressrosa (dat spoilery CR arc list).

I was right in thinking Luffy had reservations in fighting Shanks but I was totally wrong about him never wanting to go up against him. Luffy just doesn’t want to fight him first.

Luffy, you absolute madman.

(I now think someone else will take out Shanks, thus averting the friends into enemies situation. Maybe Blackbeard because he is persona non grata and he already has beef with Shanks.)

The only thing I’m worried about immediately (as in the next couple of episodes) is the imminent arrival of Doflamingo and the dude with the feather boa/fur trimmed collar who woke up on a tiny ship, said he’d slept in and... where was Punk Hazard again?

Hopefully, Luffy will take Law’s advice and scarper with Caesar on board before Doflamingo finds them.

That’ll make Doflamingo mad.

See that vein on his head? Something tells me you don’t wanna see that vein. That means he’s angry.

You wouldn’t like him when he’s angry...

Look, up in the sky! 

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a birdplane!

Faster than a streak of lightning. More powerful than the pounding surf. Mightier than a roaring hurricane... oh, wait. It’s Doflamingo.

#one piece #neverwatchedonepiece #nwop #never watched one piece #donquixote doflamingo #monkey d. luffy #trafalgar law #caesar clown #monet #kaidou #roronoa zoro #sanji #usopp #nami #tony tony chopper #nico robin #franky #brook #foxfire kinemon #momonosuke #vice admiral smoker #captain tashigi #baby 5 #buffalo #brownbeard #g5 #punk hazard

[thatweirdmod]

Windowless Moviemaker Chapter 5: Onus

Windowless Moviemaker

Chapter 5: Onus

A few weeks have passed since I had that vivid dream, and today is Sunday.

I'm off from both work and school, and Kidney called me out for an afternoon stroll around the park, saying that he wanted to talk.

So, here we are now, walking under the shade of overhanging branches with birds chirping the day along.

"Jeeto," Kidney starts. "We've become people with very different priorities. Right now, I'm keeping my nose clean, and thinking about my family and future. Sounds responsible, but you know something? I haven't felt this free in ages."

I just keep walking beside him and listening with my head down, waiting for the punch.

"I burned the bag and clothes I wore on those nights. I wiped my hard drive of all the movies and destroyed the DVDs.

I dumped all my tools and supplies. Now the only relics tying me to that dark past now are my own memories... and you, Jeeto."

"So," I say plainly, "You wanna throw me away too."

Kidney opens his mouth to speak again, but I cut him off.

"It makes sense. I'm a liability to you now. Besides," I add, "we can't even pleasantly reminisce as friends anymore. All that'd do is drag you back to places you'd rather forget."

"You're right," Kidney agrees solemnly. "But there's another thing I need to tell you." He stops walking and turns to me, so I stop with him. Resolve burns in his gold hazel eyes.

"Stay away from Krin and my mother," he tells me in no uncertain terms.

I blink at him.

"I told Mitchol the same thing," Kidney continues. "If any of you touch them, you won't get away with it. That is a guarantee, even if I have to blow the roof off of your whole schtick and expose myself in the process."

I scoff aloud. "Heh, you're a big man now, ain't 'cha?"

Kidney narrows his eyes at me, his frown warning me.

I go on anyway. "From the day you backed out on the school roof, I knew we couldn't really be friends anymore. We had fallen out, but I tried to pretend that things were okay. And do you know why?" I ask.

He stares at me without wording a guess, hints of disgust and dread on his face.

"Because I thought it might come in handy to preserve our relationship. And it has. You see," I elaborate. "You've let me into your house a few times recently.

You were cautious, 'casually' hanging around the bathroom when I went to make sure I didn't snoop around, and walking me to the door when it was time to leave.

You always kept a careful eye on me-- except when we were playing video games in your closed bedroom. For there, I surely couldn't touch Krin.

But, that bedroom just so happens to be the place where you sleep with her."

His face pales as he helplessly waits for me to finish.

"You like to say you don't need a bitch to take care you, but you can't even clean that cluttered room of yours. It's no wonder you never noticed the mini camera hidden between all that junk."

“So you really...?” Kidney says breathlessly.

I laugh in satisfaction. "You're so good and gentle with Krin, little Kidney bean. So different from how you usually were with the women we'd take. She really must be 'something' to you."

My second fit of laughter gets cut short by Kidney grabbing me by the collar. "You son of bitch!" He yells, balling his fist to deck me.

"Hey, easy there." I say calmly. "You're in no position to be threatening me, or any of the other members."

We stay in a standoff for a while, until Kidney begrudgingly releases his grip on my shirt.

"Your willingness to throw yourself to the dogs in order to protect Krin was noble. However, now you see that if you expose us, we'll throw both of you to the dogs.

I probably don't have to explain this to you, but on top of the shame, stigma, and ostracization it brings, incest is illegal here.

If the videos I took got into the hands of law enforcement, it could mean jail time and criminal records for both you and Krin. How's that for 'family and future'?"

Kidney stumbles off the path and backs into a tree. He buries his face in his hands, groaning miserably.

I chuckle, watching him. After a while, he lowers his hands and looks up at me with quivering eyes.

"I'll kill you," he states. "I'll kill each and every one of you."

"Really? Good luck with that." I say nonchalantly. "A physical fight doesn't worry us, even on the off chance that your uncle Stoulfer stands with you.

We have Mitchol's friends, including Redhand Heriolt. It's an easy guess why they call him 'Redhand.'

"Before I kill you," Kidney says, unwavered. "I want to know: is it just my sister, or do you bastards want something else from me?"

"Mitchol and the others wanted you blackmailed for extra insurance. Since you wore a mask while filming, they weren't confident that the website videos would be enough to ensure your silence.

But me? I never fretted about that. The pursuit of a better life and the pursuit of justice are two opposite things in your case."

"So all you yourself really want is Krin, then?" Kidney asks.

"Bingo badaboomgo."

"Why?" He demands, shaking his head in frustration. "Why does it have to be her?"

"Oooohhh, are you dissing your own sister, Kidney?" I tease. "Come on, she's a beautiful girl."

"I know there's more to it than that." He insists. "Do you want to hurt me? Is that it? If so, then come here and hit me in my face like a man, instead of using my little sister to get at me!"

"Wow, look at what an assumption you've jumped to," I say airily, then resume my walk down the path.

"Come back here!" Kidney shouts after me.

I wave goodbye without bothering to look back.

"Just remember," he says. "I have something you don't. You're nothing but an empty coward. And that's what you'll always be, Jeeto."

I wrinkle my nose in disgust at the whole event. Since when did Kidney turn into such a shounen protagonist? To think we used to be friends.

Well anyway, I've got the rest of the day ahead of me, and there is some shopping I need to do.

Man, I feel like a woman, looking through items for self defense like this, but I pick up the pepper spray anyway.

Next I need to get some batteries for my new taser. I push my cart down the aisles, avoiding eye contact with shoppers in the other "lane."

Despite my cool demeanor, Kidney's claim that he would kill me concerned me. It seemed genuine. I could backtrack, apologizing and promising to leave him and Krin alone.

However, he knows me well enough to never believe me. I would pounce when he let his guard down, because that's the way I am.

Have you ever tried to catch an unfriendly animal? I have. With every step closer, the animal's decision making process grows more frantic. When I'm close, backing it into the corner, I can read in the fearful verdict in its eyes:

"The only way out of this is to do something extreme."

What follows is an action with all the force of the animal's existence behind it.

It can be a mad dash, where the animal takes a daunting risk, such as cutting close past the threat or jumping a wide gap. It could also be violently lashing out and tearing into the offender.

"Flight or fight." I muse to myself.

It's also worth noting that in the most pathetic of animals, there is no verdict in the eyes. There is only the fear at imminent death. Those are the ones that freeze.

I've backed Kidney into a corner and given him all terrible options. That's a risky thing to do with a person. In such an arrangement, the best you can hope for is to short circuit the person and cause them to shut down and submit.

Problem is, Kidney isn't one to freeze. This kind of iron maiden-esque situation doesn't foster, in flighters or fighters, the long-suffering complacency that's ideal for long-term control.

Hmm, I realize I need to revise my plan.

What am I getting self-defense stuff for? Do I intend to wait until he comes after me to do anything? Even if I fight him off, what then? Get him arrested for assault? Let him go home, so as not to push him over the edge?

Even though I have more nukes in this cold war, I may be in a standoff with a loose cannon. To what extremes would Kidney go?

Argghhh! This is such pain. That does it; I'll convene with Mitchol about what to do with our turncoat. I get my phone out and text him.

"Can you get Redhand Heriolt, Costriel, and Nethandre together for an online chat meeting with us tonight?"

When Mitchol doesn't respond, I decide finish up shopping. An hour passes and I'm at home, munching on a BLT at my computer.

A reply finally comes. I dive for my phone and confirm that it's him.

The message reads: "wat 4? and no."

I frown and text back: "It's about Kidney. He told me was gonna kill all of us. We should do something."

I use the time while Mitchol is typing to peer through my blinds. Whew. He's not there.

My phone buzzes again.

"lol XD. im busy so mayb nxt week"

I go back and forth with Mitchol, trying to get him to see how dangerous Kidney is right now. At the end of it, he says,

"lemme repeat. NO. just chill. we got K by da balls. ur bein such a lil bich jee"

"At least meet me during lunch at school tomorrow," I insist.

"fine"

I end up showing up early to school on Monday, and I'm antsy all throughout the morning. During math, I noticed that Kidney's desk was empty. What could he be absent for? He looked healthy enough yesterday.

As soon as the final bell to lunch rings, I rush out of class and charge up to the roof. I throw the door open, gasping. Fuck. Mitchol isn't here yet. I grind my teeth as I picture him dragging his feet on the way here.

I'm checking my watch every few seconds. Once 3 rage inducing minutes have passed, the roof door swings open. Kidney pulls a cigarette out of his pocket, leans against the fence, and lights up.

"Well?" He says, puffing smoke.

I can't tell whether it's the smoke or the words causing me to choke. I finally manage to speak in a very low voice.

"I've decided that we need to get Kidney off our backs, in a permanent kind of way."

"Huh? Are you saying what I think you're saying?" Mitchol inquires, straightening up.

"Yes."

He quirks his mouth in displeasure. "That's something I'd rather avoid doing. There's no blackmailing a dead guy into denying that he was the victim of a crime. If they were to get even a shred of evidence on us for murder..."

"That's why I wanna make it look like there was no crime in the first place."

"You mean stage an accident or a suicide?" Mitchol scoffs. "I know you're thinking Redhand will be able to work that out, but not on your life.

There'll be trained pros examining that body and scene. Their attention to detail is so crazy good it's like they've got magic eyes that show them every little mistake killers make."

"We'll just have to find out exactly what type of mistakes they are picking up on, and make sure we don't make them. Besides," I add, "you're acting like Redhand's never gotten away with this."

"Dumb luck and dumb cops." Mitchol dismisses me.

I sigh. "What about a disappearance then? We won't have to worry about any examiners with 'magic eyes' that way."

"More reasonable than your last pitch," Mitchol allows. "It gives the pigs less to work with. But, you've gotta be thorough. If anyone knows you've fallen out with Kidney, don't get anything suspicious in your recent purchase history.

Leave no sign of a struggle. Let 'em take it lightly, thinking he ran away. Get rid of the body. And I don't mean dump it into some water and hope it sinks.

I mean obliterate it. Feed it to dogs. Burn it to char and crush it, then sprinkle it in remote woods. That kinda thing."

I nod approvingly.

"But you know what the clincher is?" Mitchol says. "After you've done all you know to do, detectives still might find that little pesky thing you didn't. I'm just not convinced Kidney's enough of a threat to take that risk for."

"Well I am," I say in a biting tone.

"If you wanna dance the robot with the death row you can suit yourself." Mitchol says. "But I want nothing to do with it, you hear?"

A few days of anxious stagnancy pass, and now I'm at work, sourly stocking shelves.

The only way I knew how to contact Redhand without Mitchol's help was to leave comments on adesireisfulfilled, requesting that he email me. He's the 2nd high moderator, so it was likely he'd see them.

However, my comments kept getting deleted shortly after being made. When I didn't give up, I got sent a message saying:

"Recent comments posted by you have been removed by moderation. Continued harassment and spamming on the website will result in the suspension of your account."

I click my tongue as I arrange the SpaghettiOs. The convenience store is empty, so Roodle approaches and talks to me.

"Your friend Kidney hasn't stopped by for while."

"Oh," I respond, not sure what else can be said.

Her milky eyes analyze me. "Is he a touchy subject for you right now?" She asks with concern.

"We just can't get along anymore," I explain without explaining.

"Oh, I know how it can be with friends sometimes, but I don't know about that," Roodle says, well meaning but unknowing.

"I've found that if you just sit down and talk out your differences, you can get through most spats. The main thing is, you gotta be willin' to listen."

"It would be nice if that worked with Kidney. That way, he'd come back and start buying Creamtastical Bars everyday like he used to."

"Mm-hmm!" Roodle concurs with a big smile. "He was good business. So, consider it your job as part-time associate to get back to chummin' and get him back in our store."

It's harder to force than usual, but I smile back at her. "Thank you, Roodle." I say with just the right amount of sentimentality.

I know I've done it right when she gets that brief expression on her face. It's that mixture of melancholy and happiness, that gold plating of subtle, wholehearted seriousness that turns simple, wooden moments into small memories.

I've touched her heart, and deceived it seamlessly. What an ego booster.

I push the raw, predatory pleasure that I feel inside out through a mold, which makes it take shape on my face as a warm pleasure of gratitude and comradery.

Looking at her, however, I accidentally let an inappropriate bit of wonder creep onto my sweet face. Goodness, she actually cares about me.

Is there a difference between playing the role of a good person all the time, and actually being a good person?

Maybe the 1st category has to think deliberately to make moral choices, and it comes to the 2nd category naturally. I was sure that the 2nd group was a myth, until the face of this naive angel was unveiled to me.

And then, the glass doors part like servants for their king, and Kidney steps through. Roodle turns her head, and says, "Welcome back!" Then she winks at me and returns to the register.

He nods to her in greeting. My breath catches thickly in my throat when he turns and looks down at me, kneeling with canned goods in my hands.

Kidney's face is coldly blank, but his eyes hold a promise. I stare, unable to do anything else. He passes me, saying nothing, and goes to the back-- to the freezers.

He buys several types of ice cream, but leaves with the crinkle of a devil in his pocket that only I notice. Badump. Bump bump badump bump! My heart makes my body shake.

I go through the rest of my shift doing everything as diligently and thoroughly as I can, as if that will make it last longer.

As night draws closer, I curse Mitchol viciously in my mind. And if Redhand saw my comments and ignored me, fuck him too.

Adesireisfulfilled wouldn't be half of what it is now without me, and yet they're gonna stand by and let me be killed?

At last, the glass doors part for me, like a shield-wall of traitors. I poke my head out and look either way before stepping out onto the concrete.

There's no one around except the bugs buzzing around the dim streetlights. I begin walking, tense and snapping my head around at every new sound.

When my house appears before me, I almost don't believe it. When the relief starts to wash over me, I whirl around, thinking that's just how Kidney would want me to feel before he struck.

My voice comes out quieter and more rapidly than I mean for it to. "I know you're there," I say, feeling slightly crazy.

With wide eyes and sensilla lined ears, I examine all 360 degrees within my radius. Nothing? I retreat up my driveway walking backwards, only turning to open the door.

My shakiness must be visible, because my little sister Sota scoffs when she sees me. "What's up with you?"

"Nothing." I say firmly.

She shrugs. "Somehow, you seem even weirder than usual."

I tune out her words, instead choosing to observe her smooth legs and round bottom when she turns and jogs up the stairs in her green short shorts.

My mother comes around to greet me. "Sota has a point," she says, scrutinizing me. "Did something happen at work today?"

"No," I state. "I don't know what you guys are talking about."

I notice the weight that's melded into my hand. I'd forgotten about it until now. I thrust the grocery bag towards my mother. "Here. It's the stuff you asked for. Don't worry about paying me back."

"Well okay..." My mother says.

As soon as she takes the bag, I run up to my room and close the door behind me. I lean against it, gasping and trembling. Tears well in the corners of my eyes, and a small, sighing whimper is squeezed from my throat.

I've gotta get it together. I can't be acting like this.

I push off the door and make to collapse into my computer chair, but something on the floor in front of my closet catches my attention.

It's an empty syringe. Fuck. I thought I made sure to keep all my tools put away. Don't tell me I've been getting sloppy with things like this too.

I pick it up and open the closet to pull down the box and hide it where it belongs. A dark figure is in front of me. The gasp is cut off in my throat, my air blocked. A bitter sting stabs my neck, and I fall into darkness.

I peel my eyes open, unnaturally lethargic. The sight before me seems familiar-- a grey ceiling and white lights.

I roll my stiff neck down, and see Kidney sitting on the bed in front of me. I jump weakly, but find that I don't move at all.

Many ropes are snaked tightly around my body, binding me to a heavy chair. It's a terrible thing, being trapped in a hard chair with a sore ass, your future murderer in front of you.

"Can you hear me, Jeeto?" Kidney asks. His voice is calm like in my dream, but not pleasant.

I reluctantly respond in hoarse words. "I can hear you."

"You know what I said the other day."

I listen with baited breath.

"I spoke with an overheated head." Kidney says.

If this is a ploy to get me to open up, I'm afraid it's working.

"I've decided that whether or not that has to happen depends on you, Jeeto. To start, do other members have the videos you took of me and Krin?"

I open my mouth to reply, but he stops me to make a qualification.

"If you lie, I'll find out about it. You won't be leaving this bunker until I've confirmed the truth of every answer you give me."

"I understand," I rasp obediently. "I gave them to Mitchol, but I don't know if he gave them to anyone else."

"Do you wanna give a guess as to whether or not he did?"

I respond honestly. "He probably distributed them around his inner circle. Not only for safe keeping and power over you, but also because of the sheer drama of it.

Sex between a brother and sister is something his friends would naturally be curious to see."

Kidney's face twitches in anger. "Is that what you thought too, when you were spying on us?" He speaks in an acerbic, low tone. "Were we just some morbid, 1800s circus spectacle to your perverted, judging eyes?"

If I weren't in this position, I would laugh at Kidney's delusional umbrage about the way his incestuous relationship is viewed by others. "Of course that's what you were," I think, but I don't dare say it.

"I was intrigued," I say. Hopefully it comes across as honest, but not too insulting or patronizing. "I thought, 'So this is what was so precious to Kidney.'"

"Nevermind," Kidney says abruptly. "How do you usually contact Mitchol? Are you in communication with any of the other members? How do you talk to them?"

"I usually just text Mitchol, though if it's something long, I'll email him. I'm not in contact with any of the others."

Kidney pulls my phone out of his pocket. I instinctively bristle at seeing another person handling it.

"I appreciate that you've told me the truth," he says, sneering. "None of the members, save for Mitchol, are in your contacts list. Now, let me give you another chance to earn some more brownie points with me."

I peer at him through my brown bangs, wondering what shitty thing he's going to ask me to do.

"Tell me, what interests Mitchol? What could you say to him to get him to meet you in a secluded place at night?"

I think for a while, mumbling to myself, "Uhm... erm..."

Kidney slams his fist against the bed's head board. "Rack your fucking brain!"

"Um.. I could invite him out to go hunting. No... tell him I'd brought a top quality subject to the bunker. It'd be for business too, so it doesn't totally contradict what I said about us not being friends anymore."

"What kind of 'top quality subject'," Kidney inquires. "Does he have a girl he wants?"

"I remember him talking about one named Phoebe he takes English class with. She's kind of a loner, has long, reddish-brown hair, and works weekends at the arcade."

"Interesting. And if he asks how you got her, what would you say?"

"Mitchol's tailed her before, and he said she'll sometimes go out late. Phoebe likes to pick up fast food milkshakes and sip them on park benches at night, gazing up at the stars. So, I'd say I took her then."

Kidney nods tersely and makes to text Mitchol with my phone, but before he sends the message he asks once again, "You're sure he'll come for this?"

"Mitchol believes she's a virgin, and he told me he'd prefer to eat her before she "spoils."

With that, Kidney sends it off, and we wait.

Eventually, Mitchol responds. "He's mad," Kidney says, showing me the reply:

"DUMFUCK y wud u take my grl b4 i was rdy? now i gotta drive far or she'll b wasted."

"But, nicely done." Kidney finishes. He flips the phone closed and tosses it onto the bed. Then he takes something out of his pocket.

I squint at the object. "Is that...?"

"Oh this?" Kidney says. "I hope you don't mind that I borrowed your new taser. It was for me after all, wasn't it? But I guess I was supposed to be on the other side."

Shit. If Mitchol isn't careful...

"Anyway," Kidney says. "Since we're going to be waiting for awhile, we might as well chat to pass the time."

"That'd be fine, if your idea of chatting wasn't just more interrogation."

Kidney raises his eyebrows. "You're getting uppity with me now? Don't forget you're tied to a chair, completely at my mercy. All things considered, I'm being pretty nice to you."

"Hmph," I say. "Your niceties have only been performed out of necessity, necessity which ceased to exist the moment Mitchol agreed to come here."

I observe the furnishings of the room. "It appears I'm occupying the only un-tippable chair here. Guess I'll have to give up my seat once your guest arrives."

"Fine, so it's more interrogation, Kidney admits. "Just tell me this time, why did it have to be Krin? Why did you want her so badly?"

"Because you wanted her so badly." I confess. "You proudly hoarded Krin all to yourself, taunting me and barring me from pleasure."

I sigh. "You had a point the other day, you know. Because the way you insulted me before... it made me feel like I had to put you in your place."

"Yes," Kidney says gravely. "I never should've said so much." He lowers his head moves his lips silently. It looks like he's breathing a prayer or an apology.

He walks behind me, and then that acrid prick finds my neck again. I sink down under. A long and short while of nothing passes, until the oblivion begins to part again.

I open my eyes slowly, disorientated and sore. I find that I'm sitting on the floor, bound in ropes and propped up against a cold wall. I hear screams and curses, so I laboriously turn my head to see what's going on.

"Tell me!" Kidney yells, punching Mitchol in the face. He's really in my chair now, and I lived to see it.

When my eyes adjust more and focus on Kidney's face, I see that it's bloodied and bruised. Even with the taser, he had some trouble getting Mitchol.

Blood dribbles from Mitchol's mouth as he says, "Just calm down, man." He groans in pain. "Look, whatever you think I did, it's not what you think."

Kidney growls, but decides to leave it at that for now. "Jeeto," he says, pointing a red smeared finger at me. "You're awake. I'll get back to you in a minute."

He turns back to Mitchol, "Tell me who you gave the videos to."

"I already told you," Mitchol responds. "I didn't send 'em to anybody."

"Why not?" Kidney demands."I... I just didn't get around to it."

"Liar," Kidney hisses. He storms over to his bag and yanks out a leather whip. It snaps as he flails it out at Mitchol.

"Liar, liar, liar!" Kidney chants the word over and over again as he thrashes the shrieking young man's clothes and skin to ribbons.

Despite myself, I loose a boistrous laugh and heckle Mitchol. "I told ya so, aye?"

Mitchol's gritted teeth tremble as hot tears stream through the blood on his face. "Okay..." He mewls, almost inaudibly.

"Huh, what was that?" Kidney asks.

Mitchol bursts out in a fit of crying. "I said 'okay!' Man... shit. I thought you'd get madder if I told the truth *sniffle*, but I actually gave the vids of you and your sister to Costriel and Nethandre." Repressed whimpers rack his body.

Kidney's lips are tightly pursed, and his face is wrinkled in intense disgust as his eyes bear down on Mitchol. "Those two, they're your mutual friends with Redhand Heriolt."

"Ye-yeah," Mitchol says.

"So it's perfectly plausible, then," Kidney continues, "that Redhand has the videos as well."

Mitchol perks up a bit. "Look... I can set him up for you if that's what you want."

Kidney sneers. "As a matter of fact, that is what I want. And I want all the others too, so I'll offer you a deal, Mitchol.

You work with me to erase every copy of those videos, and help me take down everyone who has them. Then, I'll let you go."

"Really? Thank you!" Mitchol breathes.

"There is a prerequisite, though." Kidney says. "Swear on your life that you won't bother me or my family again after I free you."

"I swear, I swear." Mitchol says. "I won't bother you, your sister, or anybody ever again."

"Very good." Kidney says, then turns back to me. Once he's close, he kneels down and leans in so we're at eye level. My breaths shiver in and out as his gold-streaked eyes bore into my face.

"Listen to me." He says. "You might think this is going to end tonight, but it won't. You will watch and live as I take everything away from you that you took from me and Krin."

My eyes widen as I realize where I heard him say those words before.

"I will destroy the most precious thing to you-- your films. I will take your dignity. I will grind you into nothing, until you lose even your will to live."

My stomach turns. Kidney lips twist upwards wryly when he finishes repeating the curse from my nightmare. Chills crawl along my skin.

"How?" I ask with barely a voice.

"'Luna of Night, eyes of borrowed light, make my own so very bright. Sands sublime, recorder of the subterranean mind, with you, let me intertwine.'" He says.

"It's like what I said that night, when I was in bed..."

"A chant, it just came over you, didn't it?" Kidney says. "You don't know why, but you repeated words you'd never heard."

"I saw the cosmos, and then I saw you." I say.

"Just before I invited you to the park to talk that Sunday afternoon, Kidney says. "I was taken through space to Mother Moon as well. At some point, I scooped up a handful of her white sand.

In each grain was a dream, and I found yours. Once I saw the manifestation of your subconscious, of your malice and lust, I knew that I had to stop you somehow."

"Ahahaa..." I laugh just like I did in the dream, and Kidney tenses. "What the hell is going on?" I weakly ask both him and the universe.

"Maybe you'll find out once this is over." He answers.

#crime #kidnapping #paranormal #fued #betrayal #violence