There's No Such Thing As Happy Endings - Book Three of the Why I Run Series

Chapter Three

Point of View: PATTON, First Person
Timeline: Present Day, Day 2 of Roman M.I.A

I held my breath as Virgil made his way inside the storage room, staring in awe at everything inside.  

The storage room was always interesting - it worked sorta like the Room of Requirement in Harry Potter actually - always forming into what we needed.  Which must've been partly why Virge was surprised why it was locked.  It's never been locked before, but this was too important to just keep it unlocked.

I couldn't help peeking at Logan while Virgil was distracted, but Logan didn't notice - eyebrows pinched in concern as he waited hesitantly for Virgil's reaction, tiny remains of guilt in his eyes.

He was driving himself mad over this, mad that he couldn't help -

"What...?" Virgil whispered under his breath, spinning around - eyes wide as he stared with I knew was a large, open space.  His eyes turned back to me - wide with shock as he tried to wrap his brain around... everything.

I took a deep breath and forced myself to look around, bracing myself slightly.

Crystals.

Everywhere.

I took in the little crystals - all in their own little bubbles protecting them, floating in the air.

Virgil finally found his voice.  "W-What is all this?" he whispered, eyes bouncing between me and Logan.

I flinched, eyes downcast.  I closed my eyes, heart hurting.  "K-Kiddo, t-they're all... s-sides," I choked out.  I couldn't look at him, not wanting to see the expression on his face.

Virgil's jaw dropped - eyes jumping in disbelief between Logan and me.  I could see him thinking, thinking about what this meant.

"I - I - the sides - t-they died," Virgil stuttered, still looking a bit stunned.  "That's the whole reason why we left - to get answers, well for Roman get revenge -"

"Yes, the sides in the Imagination the day of the hellhound attack did die... but their deaths were not... to say permanent," Logan corrected.  "Roman thought it was - and he wasn't wrong actually - it simply took a few days and formed into these... crystallis representations," he stated, waving a hand at all the crystals surrounding us.

"Wow, Thomas really loves Steven Universe," Virgil muttered, still staring at all the crystals in awe.  Getting close and inspecting a tiny green crystal hand, hovering just outside of the bubble before pulling his hand back and shoving it in his sleeves.

"Good thing too," I added.  "If he hadn't, these sides... their.... might have been..." I broke off suddenly, fiddling with the arm of the cardigan thrown over my shoulders.

Virgil shuddered at that, shoving his hands deeper into the pockets of his hoodie.

"Wait - why are they like this?" Virgil waved a hand at the crystals.  "How do we get them back to how they were?  And do we... un-crystal them?  Can't they just turn back to... themselves?" Virgil waved a hand at the crystals, question written on his face.

I turned to Logan, waiting for him to explain.

"I," Logan started, "Have reason to believe that we form into these crystals at the time of our... death.  However, there isn't much evidence to reference so it is merely my hypothesis," Logan said, careful reading my expression.  I quickly flicked my eyes to my shoes, avoiding his eyes.

Why did he have to be... so closed - 

"I have a potential theory that there are two parts to every side," Logan continued, hands starting to move as he explained.  "What they represent, and their own mini-soul of their own.  We might turn into... crystals, however it is up to the side to the mini-soul to... literally rebuild itself.  They must be strong enough to literally... build themselves again.  That involves a bit of... soul-searching.  If the side can't rebuild themselves or loses themselves in the process... the side in question might not be able to... come back."

I couldn't help glancing at Virgil, who went pale at the fact.  "So... these sides... might be stuck like this forever?"

Logan nodded, eyes locking on Virge.  "It is merely a theory, but..." Logan's voice trailed off, doubt obvious.

"And that's not all," Logan continued.  "Morality?" Logan said, gesturing to me, but his eyes not meeting mine.

Virgil frowned, eyes bouncing between us, but didn't comment.

I shuffled forward, toward the green crystal, gently pressing my hand on the outside of the bubble.  I gasped as a flash of white light almost appeared in my vision, reveal the mini soul trapped inside.

"Friendship," I said softly, pulling my hand away sadly.  I could just - just TELL that the soul was fighting, fighting to come back and I - I just couldn't- 

"I - I can tell who...," I waved my hand at the green crystal that was now behind me.  "Who's inside."

Virgil glanced between us.  "And?"

I crossed my arms over my chest.  

"You wouldn't be able to tell," Logan took over.  "But... there were more crystals in this room than there are now.  Not many, but still," he said softly.

Virgil looked speechless.  "So... what's our next move?  What are we going to do?"

Logan didn't have an answer for once.

"What do ya think we should do, kiddo?" I asked softly, as it seemed like Virgil already had something in mind.

Virgil paused, shifting under the attention.

"Guys... I think it's time to tell Thomas."

____________________

Oh yeah that's right - right now, Thomas knows... absolutely nothing that's happening since Chapter 16 in Why I Run.

YEAH.

Sorry this is so, so freakin late.  Writing as Patton is so, SO hard.  I still don't even really like it but I am BEYOND late.  So here ya go lovelies and sorry for the wait X3

The next chapter will come out... maybe later today or tommorow - I'm not sure, depends on what I have time for - but YEAH :D

- Max :)