Dead Name

Chapter Four: A Truth I Wish I Hadn't Known

Paranoia's P.O.V

I spent a while in my room, panicking about what Remus and Deceit were talking about. It was no doubt that they were upset with what I had done, but what were they going to do? There was no question that there would be consequences and I wouldn't like it. But what? What was it?

Eventually, I heard their muttered voice return and I sat up, having the suspicion that they would want to talk to me.

"Paranoia!"

I hurried downstairs, nearly falling before I came to stop in front of the two. "Y-Yes?"

"Do you think Remus and I are important to Thomas, Paranoia?" Deceit asked in that calm tone I hated oh-so much.

I hesitated. Surely, it was a trick question. But what was the trick? My eyes flickered between them, trying to gauge what they wanted. ". . . yes. . . of course."

"So if our effects were 'blocked off', so to speak, would that hurt Thomas?" Deceit continued, his stare unblinking, unbreaking. Unnerving.

"Um. . ." Where was he going with this? ". . . probably?"

Deceit nodded almost imperceptibly. "Very good. Come with us." He turned on his heel and started back down the halls, Remus and I hot on his tail. I noticed he was taking different turns, heading. . . away (?) from the control room, towards a darker area.

I didn't like this.

~~~

Logic skimmed the pages of yet another manual, unable to clear is mind of thoughts pertaining to the mystery trait that had influenced Thomas earlier. He kept replaying Thomas in his head.

"Oh my gosh, I have to tell her the truth! I wouldn't want her to think I don't like her if she finds out. . . I'm sure she'll understand! I can't lie to her!"

His reasoning was unlike how Morality affected him. It wasn't the usual 'lying is wrong' reaction, it was more. . . fear? Maybe not that extreme. Anxious, maybe, or paranoid of being caught.

Now that Logic considered it, Thomas had been more cautious as of late. It had started about a month ago, give or take. It was beyond common sense. Nervousness, worry, borderline fear. He checked things more often, tended to overthink simple decisions, didn't socialize as much, and so on. Not necessarily a bad change, but one worth taking notice of.

Logic flipped another page and paused upon seeing mention of the Dark Traits (personally, he found the name ridiculous, but Prince had been bitter at the time and it stuck). It was possible the mystery trait belonged to the others. Nervous, anxious feelings were likely to originate from there if they didn't come from Morality.

However, it had overrode Deceit's command to lie before Morality even got the chance. It was unlikely Deceit would take kindly to a trait that undermined him - and possibly the Duke.

Logic puffed out a sigh and closed the book. He would file the Darkscape away unless he exhausted all other options. It was a tedious trip and the company of the other two was usually incredibly annoying.

He pushed up from his desk chair and stretched, making his way to the kitchen to refill his coffee. He knew he needed to cut back on the caffeine, but it was one piece of logical advice he was willing to ignore.

"Hi-a, Logic!" Morality chirped from the stove. It appeared it was almost dinnertime.

Logic nodded in greeting. "Hello, Morality." He poured some coffee into his mug, noting with distaste that he would have to make another pot soon. "I trust Thomas's call with Valerie went well?"

"Sure did!" Morality threw him a smile. "She totally understood and they're seeing the movie on Tuesday instead!"

"Adequate."

Prince chose that moment to storm in, his face flushed in mortification. "Which of you was it?!"

Logic took a long sip of his coffee, returning Morality's confused look with a blank expression. "I'm afraid we'll need more details on your inquiry, Prince."

"Thomas ordered pizza for tonight," Prince waved his hands around dramatically, "and answered the door with his hair is disarray and a stained shirt! He had no shame!" He wailed. "And the pizza delivery boy was cute!"

Morality frowned. "That doesn't sound like Thomas."

"I'll go speak with him," Logic sighed, setting his coffee down and pledging to return. First the mystery trait and now this? What was going on?

~~~

Paranoia followed the older two far into the the darker area until they entered a seemingly empty room. It seemed normal - beside the dim lighting - except for the back wall, which looked almost like dark glass, with black, smokey fog behind it. "Um. . . what are we doing here?"

"Our purpose as traits is to protect Thomas." Deceit ignored his question. "We can't do that if we're stopped from influencing him."

Remus crossed his arms. "Yeah, plus it's rude!"

Paranoia felt a tremor in his spine. "If- If this is about earlier, I won't do it again! I said sorry!"

"I'm sorry too, Paranoia, but we have a job to do." Deceit reached for a keypad placed on the wall next to the glass.

Remus seized the youngest in a tight drip, preventing him from bolting. Paranoia kicked and writhed, terrified. "N-No! Please, I'm sorry! I - I just wanted- What are you doing? What are you doing?!" He didn't even notice the echo his voice had taken on, eyes locked on the entrance that had just slid open in the glass - the one Remus was hauling him towards. "What is that? I don't want to go in! Please don't do this!"

Remus shoved him in and the door slid shut, trapping him in the glass box that seemed to stretch forever. Deceit gazed pitifully at him, lips pulled into a frown. "You can't keep doing that."

"You're useless to Thomas the way you are," Remus seemed almost cheerful, shrugging. "So we have no choice."

Paranoia's hands pressed against the glass and he nearly collapsed with how bad he was shaking. "Let me out, please! I promise I'll behave this time! It's just. . . what if something happens to Thomas when I'm gone? What if there are monsters in here? What if Thomas - "

"Enough, Paranoia!" Deceit snapped, silencing the young boy.

Remus shook his head. "This is exactly what we mean. How are we supposed to prove to the others that we aren't evil if you keep acting like a bad guy?"

"N-No, I swear!" Paranoia whimpered, pressing his palms even harder to the wall of his prison. "I'm just trying to protect him! That's- That's it!"

They stared at him, expressionless. They held no sympathy. They held no remorse. Only malice. Deceit gripped the switch next to him. "Good night, Paranoia."

"N- No!" The terrified facet beat against the wall desperately. "Please! Don't do this to me! Don't - !"

Deceit threw the switch and it all went dark.

~~~

Logic had come to a conclusion, but it wasn't satisfying. He had been forced to increase his efforts of influence, as had the others. Thomas had near lost his mind (metaphorically) and was acting like an unfiltered mess.

He was careless, unashamed, unworried about everything. A complete one-eighty from how he had been the past month. It was bordering on dangerous, the way he was behaving. Logic had pledged to spend the next day searching for a solution, unsure of what he would find.

However, after nearly two weeks of monitoring Thomas, he had drawn a conclusion to explain the sudden shift in behavior.

The mystery trait from before had withdrawn their effects. But why?