Chapter Text
Angel felt a weak tug on her power leading her around this forsaken living art gallery. She really didn't like being here especially with the Lady in Red and Lady in Blue which reminded her too much of a certain duo from her original world. She kept having to evade the sight of these creepy dolls and even a bunch of statues that move on their own. She maneuvers around each room trying to get closer to the source of the strange incessant plucking of the invisible strings coiled around her neck.
The strings did this occasionally when there was something she should record or see as her job as archivist never ends even while she is trying to take a vacation. As she began drawing closer to the source responsible for the pull she felt. The string was centered down a poorly scribbled toy box and inside a creative scribbled hallway (if she could even call it that with how terrible it looked) where she found a rather normal looking man (who looked eerily similar to Sabbel if he had decided he wanted to take up modern clothing instead of euro-gothic) slumped up against the wall looking serene. She would have assumed he was happy if there weren't an insistent and violent tug once she caught sight of him. She kneeled next to him and took a look at his condition in better detail only to see faint lines of stress and small vines holding him in place. She thinks the vines likely came later given how filled this place was with vines and roses of red blue yellow and black. She knew the overgrowth wasn't natural as the portraits seemed to run from it and actively avoid infested areas.
She looked around nearby and saw a lightly burnt palette knife up the stairs and grey-blue petals and a decaying stem. She picked up the petals into her hands and willed her highly underutilized power to form them into the object they once were. She then let a bit of power seep into the wilted rose to restore it to life. She didn't think it would make any difference as the man below was clearly dead but she might be able to help the spirit that was clearly trapped here be free. She grabbed the knife and the rose and walked down to where the man's body was. She used a bit of magic to heat the surface of the knife as she cut around the vines holding him up. When the man slumped over she pulled the vines out and then used the same magic as she did earlier on the petals on the man. At least his skin wouldn't be marred by this fabricated world is what she briefly thought in passing. It was then that she heard what sounded like a sigh from beside her.
G:"It was a tough choice... I had hoped we could both escape." The statement was said in a manner that held some fondness which puzzled her. A:"You don't seem to be particularly unhappy with your choices though." She turned to him with a small frown but otherwise betrayed no specific feelings beyond that. Her voice even to herself was uncharacteristically monotone. She felt a little sick though looking at the man's corpse. G:"I was never going to make a different choice in that situation. A child should never have been dragged into this sickly fantasy." Garry crossed his arms as he tried to school his expression into something that matched what he was saying... he failed to and gave up. His expression was now that of anguish. G:"She never deserved to be put through all of that. Shouldn't have had to watch me die or see my dead body as she doubled back hoping beyond hope that I was only lying down resting." His voice raised and clear venom dripped from his words before the rage petered out into resignation. G:"At least she left this world one last parting gift by getting rid of the painting that killed me. Even if it meant roses overtook this world not long after." Angel sighed and looked to him.
A:"Well... you kept calling for me and pulled me here while I was in the gallery. Not that I am upset mind you, I have the power to set your soul free from this hellscape. All you have to do is come with me. With a view like this anybody would go insane and honestly I don't like the idea of leaving something sane in a place that very clearly isn't." She got to her feet and brushed herself off. A:"That and I don't think this is an especially fitting burial for someone who saved a child's life." She said the last part quieter and had a slightly exasperated expression. Gary looked at her for a moment and before he could convince himself otherwise or that he deserved it in some fucked up manner, agreed. G:"Alright... I guess I've been here for long enough. Honestly any amount of time in here is too much time." He looked to her with a small wistful smile gracing his expression. G:"You only look slightly older than she was back when we first entered. I have no idea how much time has passed now so I have no idea if enough time has gone by for her to look any different or if things just don't flow right here." Angel took a moment to consider before sighing. A:"I can get you a burial and if you want to know how she is doing I can have that one last look. I can tell you have some regrets... none of which were what caused your death admittedly. Seeing that is rather ironic considering where I just came from." She laughs sheepishly before shaking her head to herself. Garry smiles and nods quickly. G:"Not like she can see me... but it will be refreshing to know she made it out ok. I can only hope she doesn't remember what happened... nobody should have to see things like this that young." He sighs and fidgets with his sleeve. She simply nods and begins walking up the stairs.
A:"I saw something over here that looked to be a path forward that was lightly burnt. I assume that was that girls work? Had to find your petals and stem so I could direct you here since you seem to have lost your anchor here. Likely what directly killed you too. Makes sense that restoring it would bring your spirit here." Garry grinned. G:"Yeah that sounds complicated for me, but it's still what I experienced here. I guess you have some experience with anchoring souls given you have an explanation that sort of made sense." She nodded. A:"Yeah... this body is actually my anchor to this place given this isn't where my spirit is. It's back home. I kinda had to learn quickly since my original body was completely annihilated. My spirit remained because of a last ditch effort by someone close to me to save the three of us during something honestly terrifying." He gasped before chuckling. G:"Well it makes sense why you seem to know then." It was then that Garry looked contemplative and went silent even as he followed her. He didn't want to stay here any longer and honestly he wants to fist fight Guertena for taking his life. They both headed over to the giant painting. The frame was solid and wouldn't budge. They both looked a bit unhappy before Angel seemed to have an idea and she clapped. The clap itself wasn't anything but the power that came from her kick-started the painting turning to liquid or akin to a slippery window. She sighed. A:"Ok... I'm going to have to do something and it will sound strange but I need to do myself what you had." She said sounding disgruntled. A:"Please enter the painting and then wait a few minutes in the gallery. I'm going to have to snap my connection to this puppet as this painting will only let one person leave normally. I can reconnect with another puppet and walk into the gallery. This isn't a problem and yes I do have to do this sort of thing quite often." Garry looked nervous but willed himself to jump in. The last thing he saw was strings around her neck snapping before her body slackened. He would have been sick if he weren't dead.