Welcome to the Black Parade (TYftV Sequel)

Prologue: The Time is Now

"Where am I?"

That was the only thought that arose from the depths of my empty mind during that particular moment, spoken aloud for the whole world to hear. My voice in the open, escaping from the place they'd been trapped inside of me for a time I'm unsure of.

I open my eyes only to be presented with the view of a room. A hospital ward, rather. Everything surrounding me is a sickening virgin white, and the lack of color is making my head spin and pound erratically. They say white makes your sanity drain away, but I don't think any remains with me as it is.

No recollection of how or why I'm here resonates in my brain, for my memories are erased. I remember nothing, not even who I am, including my name.

It's as if I've suddenly been exposed, predators seeking me out as their prey, and maybe I wouldn't even notice if they did. Whether or not the predator ends as another creature or simply my own head is another matter though.

The confusion is tearing me apart, ripping any sense of sanity that may have remained to shreds. I realise I must leave this room, this building, as early as the opportunity arises. The time is now.

Standing up, I make my way to the door. Hesitantly, I step through the doorway, scanning the corridor with my eyes for any sense of danger or even someone to reach out to for information or help.

Nothing.

I decide to investigate further, my bare feet padding along the ground softly. The marble ground is smooth and cold beneath my feet, causing the hairs on the back of my neck to stand on end. Despite not knowing where I'm headed, I shortly find myself standing in the reception area.

Empty.

The silence is eerie, almost a deafening sense of loneliness. It's taunting me. Again, I'm completely vulnerable as I am. My state of cluelessness is prominent, the world is out to get me without me even knowing what's coming.

Where is everyone?

If I could at least find someone, anyone, maybe it would be at least a tad more reassuring than the voices of demons circling the terrain of my mind.

I make my way outside, and still, there's nothing. Not another human in sight, nobody but myself, and I feel even more lost than I had done previously. No wildlife, animals, nothing. Even the gentle breeze seems to have ceased as if the world has somehow frozen.

Frozen; the world is completely still except for my movements, vacant of that of any other creature or life force.

The landscape appeared so familiar, yet so empty and desolate. It was as if I'd been here before, maybe when normality still existed here, though my mind is still completely lacking of any aspect of my past. Something was wrong, very wrong indeed. I'd only just began to notice what it was, which was surprising, because I would've considered myself -or at least hoped to do so- more perceptive than this.

Everything was devoid of color, my life transforming into black and white, similar to that of an old movie. The only difference is that this isn't a movie. This is reality, this is happening, and it's happening right at this very moment.

"Gerard Way," an unfamiliar voice spoke, saving me from myself, but not quite fully. Rather, they've saved me from overthinking this, but possibly doomed me further. I know now who this person is, for they could stand as more of an enemy to me than my own thoughts.

"Who are you?" I asks curiously yet sternly, my guard not falling any further than I'd already allowed it, "What... what happened to me?"

"Just call me Zero. You could say I'm some kind of God-complex. A neutral of both God and Satan. I'm going to help you. You, Gerard-"

Gerard? Is that who I am? Am I Gerard? It rings no bells, although I didn't really expect it to. Can you really remember something that's truly been forgotten?

"-You're here, with us. The end of the line. Welcome to The Black Parade, Gerard."

"What exactly is The Black Parade? Where exactly is here?"

"Well, since you're here, I can only assume you're dead, correct?"

Me?

Dead?

Honesty, I have no collection of the memory. No memories, in fact, as I suspect I've already stated, yet my memories are so flurried I'm not certain whether I have or haven't.

I suppose this is some kind of amnesia, but I suppose amnesia is the least of my concerns at this moment of this time. I have, after all, just been informed that I died, and maybe I should be more shocked than this.

"Dead?"

"Indeed, you are in fact dead, Gerard Way. This is the end of it all. Some may refer to this place as 'The Beyond', or 'Purgatory," however we much prefer the term 'The Black Parade.' I suppose you could call this a kind of afterlife, really. Life after death, some form of it. You're trapped here. Not in heaven, not in hell. It's a kind of void, a world between worlds. A hole between the land of the living and the land of the dead that you just so happened to have fallen into. You're not alive, Gerard, although you're not completely gone yet.

"Furthermore, you know the greatest secret of mankind: what it's like to die. You've been through it, experienced every ounce of pain accompanied by it, and now you know. Except... You don't know, do you, Gerard? You've lost your memory."

It's true, and I nod. If they know that, maybe they know why and how I died, maybe they can answer my questions.

"If I'm dead, how exactly did I die?"

You can't exactly blame me for my curiosity, can you? If you died and couldn't remember why, couldn't remember how, wouldn't you want to know? You would, right?

"You'll find out for yourself all in due time, Mr Way. All in due time."