Storm Clouds (Sanders Sides)

Conditioning

{Author's POV}-For this chapter, Italicized is Virgil talking to Paranoia, Italicized and Underlined is Paranoia talking to Virgil. If it's either of these in BOLD then it's that deeper "dark side" voice. They communicate in their minds so I can't really have it be all in just italics. Enjoy! :)

     When Virgil found himself surrounded by darkness and swirling shadows, he knew something had gone very, very wrong. 

     When he looked up at the screen that showed what his other half was seeing, he knew they were both in trouble. 

    And when Virgil decided to do what could possibly be the riskiest and absolute dumbest thing he'd done in his entire life, he knew he had sunk low. 

    Uh, hey...Are you OK up there? he asked. They didn't communicate nicely often, but he knew he didn't have to speak out loud.

     What do you want?! his other side shouted, making Virgil jump in pain as the voice echoed in the void surrounding him. 

     Hey, I'm not the one who locked us in a dungeon! That was your brother!"  Virgil argued, growing angry with the energy being established. He had nothing to do with any of this, he was simply trying to keep himself alive, especially for Thomas. If that meant protecting his other side, so be it. 

     Our brother, you mean. We are one in the same, Anxiety! As much as I hate to admit it... he hesitated. 

     I don't like it any more than you do, but you know damn well he is not going to play nice. We're goners, and so is Thomas. Even if he didn't know about you, he accepted us. He accepted us when I told him I used to be you, when I told him who we used to be. You want to be angry at someone? You're picking the wrong person!

     What do you know?! They liked you, they didn't even know I existed! The second they did, I was labeled the 'evil other half'! I'm the Hyde to your Jekyll, the one they're going to try and get rid of so they can have their good friend Anxiety back!

     Virgil froze at the sudden, painful glimpses into the other's life. He'd spent his whole existence thinking they basically lived the same life. It made sense, being the same being. In that moment, though, he began to realize just how different the two of them actually were. 

     You know...you even told them I was the bad one. said Side piped up. 

     Wait, what do you mean? 

     You used to tell them about when you were a Dark Side, how you used to do all of these 'bad' things and let Thomas have it all and hurt him. That wasn't you. That was me. You, Anxiety, were never truly a Dark Side. People accept Anxiety, learn to see upsides of it and start to view it as something that's a part of them, something OK to have. Who says that about 'Paranoia'? Paranoia is evil, 'paranoid' is a bad word. Except it's not that different. I'm like you, but 'worse', more delusional, stronger, more hated. Even if I was accepted, Thomas is going to keep growing and growing, and so are you, until I eventually just fade away. 

     I...I didn't think about it like that at all. 

     He heard his other side sniffle, like he was trying not to cry. Forget it. I don't want to talk about this, OK? We're changing the subject.

     Virgil groaned, not caring whether he heard or not. You're upset. You...You have every right to be. What we, what...what I did...was not fair, or right to you. I guess I was just...

     Quiet! I think he's coming, and we need to focus! 

     Virgil heeded the advice, and listened to everything the both of them could hear. He turned and watched the screen with intent and cautious eyes, as a familiar, shadowy figure opened the door, which only had a small, barred window to look out of. He heard what sounded like a dozen locks click open and a key turn, before the door swung open.