Chapter Three: Welcome Home

Runaway looked around the cityscape that surrounded them, and sighed as the orphanage came into view. Now, it’s time to fight Oni and save Eraser. He grips his scythe tighter as a horrible memory plays in his mind.

Merchant: You okay?

Runaway’s grip on his scythe loosened and he stood up straight as he walked in line with Merchant, Echo, and She-Beast.

Runaway: Let’s focus on getting Eraser out safe and sound.

Merchant looked at Runaway with concerned eyes before looking at Echo and She-Beast. The two of them held each others hand and looked at the orphanage ahead. Echo’s breath was unsteady and he seemed to have a stronger grip on She-Beast’s hand.

She-Beast, on the other hand, couldn’t keep shaking her hand and whispering to herself. Some of it Merchant couldn’t make out, but he’s sure she said: “Shut up. Stop.”

They were now on the doorstep of the orphanage. Runaway and She-Beast could feel the supernatural radiating off the walls, Echo could feel his mind being tugged in different directions, and Merchant stod watching everyone around him have visceral reactions to this place.

Merchant walked up the stairs and was about to open the door until he felt Echo’s hand stop him.

Merchant looked at him, but Echo wasn’t looking at him. He was looking at the doorknob. He was there holding Merchant’s hand, but was somewhere different mentally.

Merchant: Ine-

Echo: Let me go in first. I- He needs to see me. This place. It’s important…to us.

Merchant: O-okay. Just lead the way, and we’ll-

She-Beast: He wants to go alone.

Merchant: What?

Echo: Merch, this is a chance for me to reach him. To make sure things like this don’t happen again.

Runaway: I’m not letting you go in there. Your brother is not some victim, he murdered everyone I care about. I’m not letting him take Eraser from me.

Echo and Runaway stared at each other, and the tension was more than Merchant could take.

Runaway’s hate filled eyes bored through Echo’s soul, but Echo stood his ground. The weeks of antagonism between these two, and Merchant watching from the outside seemed to finally boil over.

Runaway took a step forward. Echo took a step towards him and the two met at the stairs. Echo stood at the top of the stairs, looking down a Runaway. Runaway stood at the bottom of the stairs,nobody could tell if he was looking at Echo or not with his mask.

Echo: Run, I-

Runaway: Shut up. You don’t get to have this. After everything-

Echo: Do you wanna come with?

Runaway moved his head upwards and his mask bored through the tension.

Runaway: What?

Echo: You’re right, Oni isn’t a victim. He’s a murderer.

Echo looked at She-Beast.

Echo: He may not change, but I need to try.

She-Beast looked at Echo,and a million different thoughts ran through her head before nodding in his direction.

Echo: I need you, Run. In case, he-

Runaway: I got you, dumbass.

Runaway walked up the steps and walked up to the door with Merchant.

Merchant: Okay, I guess we’re the team.

Echo: Can you stay outside, Merch?

Merchant looked at Runaway and Echo with an exasperated expression.

Is his best friend saying he’s not good enough to come with him on this adventure? Sure, he hadn’t been here with him during anything else. He’s sat back a few times, but that doesn’t mean he’s useless. Does it?

Echo: Merch, I don’t need both of my closest friends in danger. Stay out here with Aldanna.

Oh. So, it does.

Merchant: Oh, okay.

Merchant slowly stepped down from the steps and walked beside She-Beast.

Echo and Runaway looked at each other before looking at the two they’re leaving behind.

Echo: Make sure nobody unexpected comes. We don’t want my long lost mother coming and wrecking stuff.

She-Beast: Good luck, Jonathan.

Merchant: Bring E back out in one piece for me, alright?

Runaway: Will do.

Echo reached for the door knob and opened the door. He and Runaway walked through the door, and Merchant lost sight of his best friend.

She-Beast: Be quiet!

Merchant looked at She-Beast who was clutching her forehead.

Merchant: Ye okay?

She-Beast: I’m fine. It’s just- nevermind.

Merchant: Ye know, you can tell me if somethings bothering ye-

She-Beast: I am fine. Adam.

Merchant stayed quiet after that. Maybe, now, he’s realizing everything he’s missed out on.

The two of them stood in silence staring at the door before Merchant sighed. He walked over to the doorsteps and sat on them. She-Beast followed.

They sat there in the night air with nothing but each other’s company. She-Beast occasionally whispered to herself and Merchant just let her do it.

He unsheathed his shillelagh and inspected it. He noted the blunt, round, metal flask on top, serving as the service end, was still full of his favorite drink, a quick way to take his mind off of what was happening tonight.

He unscrewed the flask and opened it. He took a quick sip of the whiskey before coughing from how strong it was. Just the way he liked it. Painful enough for his mind to focus on something else.

He sat there for next few--minutes? Hours? He honestly didn’t know how long he sat there listening to She-Beast whispering to herself and taking sips from his flask until he was all out of whiskey.

Merchant: Shit.

He threw the round flask on the ground and it rolled across the ground until it hit the soles of someone’s shoes. Merchant looked up and saw a woman standing a few meters away from him and She-Beast.

Merchant: Hey! Toss me that back!

The red-haired woman smiled before a blue light emanated from under the lab coat she wore over some weird shirt.

Woman: Sure thing.

A blue aura surrounded the flask at her feet, and it slowly floated to her eye level. With a wicked laughter from the woman, the flask went flying back to Merchant and hit him square in the forehead.

She-Beast looked up from the sudden noise and saw Merchant rubbing his bruised forehead. Merchant wicked up his flask and screwed it back on the body of his shillelagh.

She-Beast looked in the direction of the woman and gasped.

Woman: Can you two step aside? I need to have a talk with two people in there.

Merchant: No. Ye don’t just feckin’ throw mi own flask at mi feckin’ head and just stroll past me.

She-Beast: Merchant, we cannot let this woman pass.

Woman: Oh, at least one of you remember me.

Merchant: Who the feck are ye, anyway?

She-Beast gripped her spear and extended it to full length.

Woman: You know me, Adam. Your uncle was such a great help.

Merchant gripped his war club tighter. He bared his teeth like a dog.

Woman: My name is A.W., but my friends call me Magneta.