The Black Parade

Prologue: Death

(set in Gerard's point of view for context)

I had finally passed on, leaving my love behind. After months of battling an unknown illness I had passed in my sleep. How could I tell? I was standing for the first time in so long. I was in some sort of desolate plain with bones covering the floor and a large group of people not too far off in the distance. I could hear the music that they were playing, they seemed to be some sort of marching band, a parade maybe? My father had always talked about a black parade in the afterlife that took care of the dead souls, always said I'd be the next to lead it. I stopped believing his stories a while back when I was young, but maybe he was right.

As the group of people marched closer a leader finally came into view, standing on a small moving platform with a few other people. He greeted me with kind words, introducing me to the land for the afterlife. "I am so glad you could make it young one, you will be the next leader of our here Black Parade!" He stretch his arms out as if to be showing off his fellow dead souls. "But why me?" The leader shrugged, "I'm sorry I do not have an answer for you, those kind of things are decided by Mother War." "Mother War" I looked up at him with confusion. "Oh yes, Mother War, she controls everything here in the land of the dead. She's the one who gives you instructions on who to pick up." His answers only leave me with more questions but I decide to not continue asking knowing that I'd only get more confused. "Now I'm sure you'll get the hang of it, but for now it is my time to retire. I hope to see you in the future young one." The man put his hands behind his back and just like that him and his parade were gone, only leaving the moving platform behind.

I looked down at the platform, or more likely parade float, and sighed. I took a hesitant step onto it and as I did my clothing changed into something similar to what the man was wearing, a marching band outfit but in black and silver colors. A new found sense of belonging fell suit as I turned around to face the front. A list appeared in my hand, names and how they died. They were the souls I were to protect, to introduce to the Black Parade. So I carried on what the man had done before me.