The time since she spoke to Red has passed. The images of the shifting darkness, growing claws, and the anger in Red's voice still lingered. Most of all the shame still wore heavy on her shoulders. When Red had said her own orders back to her, her own demands to kill Red in her moment of panic. Slowly she packed her bag. The tan duffle bag filling with spare clothes, what little food she needed, mostly food for Ixxy. She needed to get away and think. She need to go home.

Shouldering the bag she whistled softly to the scareon, the watery creature scampering over slinking around her legs with a soft cry. "C'mon girl... we have a bit of a walk ahead of us." The scareon let out another cry as she started to scamper out the door. Walkies where always welcome, even if the pretense was far less happy. Moving along Sammy made one stop to Siddie's leaving a note while she wa in class. It was simple.

Prolixity
Dear Siddie,
I know you worry about me, and I'm leaving this so you don't. I spoke to Red not to long ago and well. It's left me worried. Worried that I've made a lot of mistakes, that what I've fought for, might make me no better then what I fought. It scares me Siddie. It scares me to think everything I've done has brought me down to a level I was trying to avoid. I attacked Red, I turned on her for the same primal reasons I fought the hunters. She pressed me, told me she had harmed our own again, would I kill her again for that too?

I wouldn't. She's the first person in this world I would call family, and though she isn't the kindest, or perfect person. She was there when I was lost. She saved me once. And I'm not sure but she might be trying to again.

So I'm going away for a little bit. I'm venturing home, back to the place I was risen at. Where a lot of my anger, my history with Red. Where all of it stated.

Ixxy is coming with me, so I won't be so alone. But I need you to watch the mini's while I'm gone. When I come back, we'll get some Tea and maybe Junko can join us, if I recall I owe you both a pretty little ghouls tea party dress and all.
I love you Sid.
- Sammy


Part of her felt guilty leaving that note. She loved Siddie, she really did, she knew the shadow monster would worry about her, it would likely raise a hundred questions, she never had explained her past to Siddie, or any student for that matter. She wasn't proud of it, or happy. She had no loving family stories to tell, just tales of why she hated demons so strongly when she first arrived to Amity, of where she learned to fight. Maybe it would drive Siddie away, what if Siddie thought she really was as bad as the Hunters? If Red was right, and she was truly just as bad or worse, why would Siddie trust her let alone love her?

But that was why she was leaving. That was why she moved through the gates of the school and into the town, Ixxy trailing at her side.

The first stop involved swinging by a station, the same trains she had taken Shehk to, the one she had road for two weeks straight just to see her best friend home after she went on her own journey. She hadn't seen Shehk since the chaos that was the inverted house. A part of her wondered if she would again. Though word was they where coming back, those who aided Red, it still ate at her that her friend might be gone.
I have killed your classmates, two of them twice. What is to stop me from doing it again? It is a wonder why you have not stopped me yet."
The sick fear twisted at her gut again, by all accounts Sammy would have turned on anyone who did that, she turned on Shun for attacking Riley, why not Red as well? "Because I knew what would happen..." she whispered to herself, "We saw you die Red. I didn't want that again. It wasn't natural. It isn't natural." Somewhere in her mind though she knew the Insanity was part of the reason Red was back, how or why didn't matter but it was true. All of it made less sense each day. "I just wanted to keep everyone safe." But what about Shehk? Where was she now, had she failed her closest friend as well?

Ixxy of course was no stranger to Sammy and her moods and moved to her side bumping her head against the ghouls leg with a soft whine. The scareons cries causing Sammy to snap out of her slump kneeling down to pick up the minipet cradling her close as she climbed the steps to the station. All around citizens seemed to rush to corners of the station, here and there gathering this and that. Tickets, carts, everyone seemed to know where they where going completely ignoring just another ghoul wandering in with her minipet.

"Pardon miss, do you have your ticket yet?" A lanky demon with a grin to wide for his face arched overhead leaning down to inspect Sammy. "You won't be getting anywhere with a ticket, do you have a destination? Travel is quiet hectic this time of year with all the celebrations."

"I umm, yeah I know where I need to go," she was pulled from her own thoughts thrust back into the reality of the world as the attendant tapped a pocket watch dangling from free hand. "I need to get to Hollows Heights, the train still goes there yeah?" The demon seemed to freeze right there, his smile slowly turning down at the corners. "Miss... don't you think someone such as your self, should really be going to Hollows Heights?" His eyes moved up and down studying Sammy, black coat, worn steel boots, tattered combat pants and a dull duffel bag?

"You're hardly the kind of individual who belongs in that area. Are you sure you can even afford th-" A purple flaming hand lashed out grabbing the demons tie, purple burning eyes locking onto his pure black ones. "Yes. I am going there. I was risen in that town, and I have the seeds." Anger bristled behind her purple eyes, the flames flickering, not brighter but wild with anger. Maybe she was a monster, but was it justified when people looked down, when people treated her as less was it not her right to fight back?
"Miss I believe you will unhand me at once or I will be forced to call security..." black eyes narrowed at purple as Sammy continued to tug at the demons collar pulling him to eye level. Without warning she let go pushing the demon back as she moved to pull the seeds from her bag. "Ticket." She spat to the demon who counted the silver before sneering and shoving a ticket infront of her face. "Now don't say I didn't warn you, enjoy your visit. Hopefully your master can knock some sense into you..." all presently with the demon was gone, he turned his back to her marching away as Sammy glared death into his back while Ixxy weaved between her legs.

"I almost want to go back because of crap like that, at least at the school some people respect me, and less people treat me like that." Ixxy let out a sympathetic whine, paws swatting at her legs to be picked up again as she moved to the train. Hollows Heights, a reclusive area where high brow demons lived. Where she was risen in service of one of them before he was arrested for illegally raising Undead and enslaving them without proper Contracts or rights. The worst kind of demons really. Would he be free? Was he still locked up? Sammy wasn't sure, but that was where she was headed.
------
The train was a two days ride, the town was after all outside the main section of Halloween town, dedicated to keeping the elite, elite, and the lesser under there thumb. From some parts you could see Halloween, as if the demons thought they could own everything inside it just by looking down. A fitting place for arrogant puppet masters to call home and for wild cards like Sammy to be born. As usual she didn't sleep at all during the time. Ixxy of course would fade in and out, but for the most part Sammy was alone in her car, staring out the window as the ground rolled by. The last time she had taken a train had been away from here, boogiemen sitting across from her. Explaining where she was going, a prep school to educate her on the basics of society. They didn't insult her when they said she was un-educated, they spoke to her equally, kindly almost. All but Red of course. She mostly ignored Sammy in the first few days of knowing one another. Looking back on the memories made Sammy sleepy almost, like looking through a foggy room that almost slowed the world down more.
-----
"We'll be taking you to the Undal Academy first, as one of the younger undead you'll need to attend classes to get you more oriented to your place in Halloween. You do understand you're Halloween? We're all the same inside here even if we look different outside." The taller boogiemen said, he was waring a cloak of blue, his face was clouded though, Sammy couldn't recall what it looked like, did it even matter? She had sat across from him yellow eyes narrow as she watched him. "Now don't be so grumpy, you'll be given a nice little sum of silver seeds to live on while you attend the school. It should only be a few years, think of it as primary school. You'll be learning what every young young scarling learns. When your done you have a lot of choices. You could start working, you could-"

"Shush the ghoul doesn't want to talk can't you see that?" The other boogie shifted, his tan hood falling back. Lee was some kind of monster, something distinctly Asian, later on Sammmy would have said he looked like he belonged on the island of conquest, narrow blue eyes, scaled skin and a muzzle like a dragons, yet he insisted he was no such thing. "Your best bet is Amithyville after Undal. Undal will get your feet on the ground Amity will give you a purpose."

The words echoed in her mind as the memory slipped away, the train was older now, the world was tinted purple with new eyes. Eyes that had seen so much, had found a purpose, and possibly lost it all the same. Part of her even wondered, what happened to Lee? Was he one of Red's? Another? One of the liars after the Horsemen Islands where destroyed? Still he had been good to her back then, simple and straight forward when he spoke to Sammy, she missed that, then again Red had also spoken right at her. Where did that get her besides back on a train rolling towards her old home to try and understand what she was. Purple flames grew dim and the world turned black as Sammy tried to seek the living comfort of sleep.

"Hollows Heights, we've arrived at Hollow Heights, all passengers wishing to disembark please gather your bags and move off the train."

The drivers voice over the Ickycom brought her back, how long had she slept? Sammy wasn't even sure. Ixxy was twined in her lap, her bag spilled to her side as she slowly woke up, purple eyes flickering lazily to life once more as she moved about pushing Ixxy's treats back into her bag and shaking the scareon awake. "C'mon Ixxy. We're home. Lets go." Shooing the Scareon forward she moved through the car. Around them other demons where starting to gather and pull bags from racks. Some gave her odd looks, others didn't even care. To them she was just another servant or some other form of thrall. So when she finally made it to the platform it was no surprise when she was suddenly left alone.

Glancing about she slung her duffle bag over her shoulder moving towards the exits. Unseen, unwanted, and so she moved like a ghost invisible to the few demons still lingering near by. Metal boots thumped along the cobble road as she started down the street. All around towering manors and mansions filled the sky. From windows twice her size she could see all manner of folks. A demon looked out sneering at her. Some she saw undead scurrying to do their masters bidding. All of them where the same, confused, disappointed, disgusted even at her appearance. It reminded her of everything she loathed. They looked at her like Hunters did. Where these the real problem? People of Halloween who thought themselves better? Or was she the problem thinking how wrong they where and how they deserved to be fought against for it. All if made Sammy feel more and more guilty and torn up over things. Still she moved onward, everything seemed to get older, bigger, manners where larger. More open fields yards and gardens, she stopped before one of the older looking ones, maybe because it was so unkept. The iron gates once where spotless and shining, now rusted and falling apart. A single kick forced the gates inward with a rusted groan.

"Welcome home," the ghoul muttered more for herself then the Scareon.

-------

The vines had taken over, stones where cracked, bushes over sized. What Sammy once recalled as a flawless courtyard was in decay. The fountain in the middle crumbled on one side, moss and vines growing on what was still left standing. Ixxy let out a whine of disappointment the empty fountain disappointed the scareon. "Ixxy. Ssss sh sh. Lets go." She continued towards the decaying manor. A field near by overtaken by weeds, it had once been the grounds they where trained on. Rows of undead and ghosts lined up dog tags on their necks. Drills all through the day and night. A bone lash whip cracking them into shape. Sparing. Some primal part of her growled yearning for it again. The simple delight of fighting. This was where she first learned to fight....

"SAMANTHA, GET OFF THE GROUND!" The task master lashed the whip in the dirt beside her. "Failure displeases the master. Lord Azriel has no tolerance for weakness." The demon snarled before cracking the whip again. The young ghoul pulled herself up slowly, a head of red hair, bright yellow eyes, feral and untamed still. She snarled a silent cry as she lunged towards the other undead twice her size. It was a monster of a corpse, over sized and twisted. It made Christof look like a scrawny scarling again, the arm lashed out again crashing against her sending her spinning backwards to the ground, there was no time to linger though. Sammy stood once more a single pair of dog tags rattling around her neck. The larger undead howled once more rushing forward thick clawed hands lashing out for Sammy again. Small, quick for a corpse she ducked the blow slipping between the beasts legs scrambling through the dirt a single foot lashing out at the beasts back. All around other undead watched, the taskmaster nodding ever so slightly as the two circled about again. Sammy lashed out her bone arm striking cold flesh, not yet strong enough to fight the bigger beast. She was young, she was weak, she drew the worst pick to fight, but fight she would.

"CRUUUUUUUUUUUSH!" The beast howled slamming its fists over and over into the dirt forcing Sammy back, back towards the other undead who shoved her forward into the creatures waiting arms. A single clawed hand lashing out tangling in her red hair hauling her up with a howl punching her over and over as she dangle in the air. Dead she might be, but she was fresh, she could feel every blow, powerful and harsh. She squirmed she kicked, she struggled in the air arms of bone and flesh clawing at the other undead, her boots kicking out at the beast. The beast raised her high swinging hard, pain swelled in her head, a ripping sound was heard as she was slammed into the dirt. The larger undead let out a triumphent howl, in his hand he held a chunk of flesh and red, the scalp of the ghoul partially ripped free in victory.

In that moment, in all her anger, Sammy pulled for the first time on something, Fear. A bit of anger, but mostly Fear. Her bone arm growing cold. She lunged howling in anger, the larger undead was slow, surprised the smaller ghoul was still fighting as the bone fingers wrapped around his neck. His eyes went wide, confused as the cold sensation Sammy's fear invoked crept into him, slowing his movements. The sudden movement toppled them both, one hand still wrapped around his neck she started to punch, again and again at the beasts face. Anger. Hatred. Power. Victory. All those primal feelings swelled in Sammy's chest as she struck the other undead over and over till the taskmaster pulled her away laughing in manic delight...

Looking back on that field Sammy felt mixed emotions. She didn't at the time understand what she had done. On one hand it was the one thing she did right, the one thing she prided herself on. Her fear, her ability to fight. A single hand ran through her hair through a patch of ghost white that belonged to another, Shehk. They had took them back to the cells that night. They told her to keep the scar, to remember what she was. A tool a soldier, and she made a mistake. She had that piece of her scalp gone so long she forgot what it looked like to have a full head of hair. Had she ever seen her face back then? She couldn't recall. It was such a common thing the few times she dissipated she had always just had that missing chunk.

"C'mon Ixxy, we can't just stare at a field all day." Clicking her tognue the Scareon hopped up following along after her as they moved towards the main building. Some parts where taken by vines, bushes and trees grew to block windows. Some shattered, others covered by wood. All of it mixed and mingled together to create the ruined backdrop of the place Sammy could once call 'home'. Bone fingers moved slowly up stone railings as she marched towards the front door. Heavy thick wood, warped but standing it took a few good tugs to scrape the door outward, dust and dirt swirled about as the door groaned in protest. Once red carpet faded and filled with holes, the stares rolled upward, a side door to the basements to her quarters. To all the undeads quarters. She kicked the door open clear off the hinges. The dust was worse here as she marched down into the darkness, Ixxy carefully hopping after her as purple eyes lit the way.

"You know Ixxy.... I never liked the undead dorms... My old room there. It was like this in a basement. No windows." The scareon let out a low whine, clearly aware Sammy was upset as she marched past row after row of small stone cells. "Being told in a place that was to be my new home, to live in something like this again, it really did bother me." She finally stopped in front of one cell. The tags with numbers where gone, but she had marched to that door plenty of times. Slowly she sank down leaning against the door across from her own, staring at the cell in the darkness of the unlit hall. She sat quietly for a while, Ixxy finally slinked over nuzzling under her arm curling up in her lap quietly nuzzling into her belly. "I don't even know, how many days, how long I sat in that room, staring at a wall clawing at the door waiting for someone to let me out. They let us out to train, to clean. Sometimes to eat, we don't eat much do we?" She reached into the bag tugging out a can of food for the scareon, carefully prying it open letting the now very excited mini eat while they sat. "Slowly Ixxy, it's a treat, a treat for a good girl you've been you know that. Coming all this way with me out here. I wish I could have brought Siddie, but, I can't bare explaining this to her. To anyone, not right now. Not when I'm so scared." She looked up to the heavy door to her first room.

For a while they sat, till Ixxy was done cleaning out the metal tin. All the while Sammy watched the door, "They tugged me out of the dirt here. Put me in a cage and told me what to do and I listened. When hunters where considered bad, I listened." She frowned, had she ever made her own choice. "I know I made one... I chose to attack Red and call for others." Her eyes closed trails of purple fire flickering out under her eyes. "I'm not... I'm not proud of that. I act like I am, that I'm proud of this arm." She flexed the bone fist, "It's all I've ever had, that ability, the ability to fight... I wore that black burn like a badge." Her eyes slowly opened hollow and dead as flames flickered to light bathing her vision in purple tints lighting up the darkness. "It's a badge of shame is what it is." Carefully Sammy nudged Ixxxy from her lap standing up, how long had it been? Sammy wasn't even sure. Moving to the steps she started to move back up into the house, Ixxy plodding along behind her. Back in the main lobby she glanced around wondering her next move. She had come back to reflect on her fears, her mistakes, somehow it all left her more hollow and upset then she thought it would. Instead she moved upwards. Taking the stairs so long forbidden to her towards the personal parts of the manor. What first caught her eye were the twin doors right at the top clearly important.

Slowly she moved to the doors pressing a hand against the surface, for a moment nothing happened, but something clicked, runes flared across the stone and wood causing Sammy to step back as the doors clicked and rattled slowly slipping inward. Inside was nothing more then a library at first glance. The bigger question on Sammy's mind was why? Why did the door open like that? Moving inside something else clicked, ahead a single table shifted another faint glow. A light seemed to be guiding her towards the books. "Ixxy. Stay." If it was a trap she was not letting her mini get hurt, not little Ixxy. The scareon gave one whine of objection as Sammy moved forward towards the lone table stand.

Inside was a simple black book, a journal by the looks of it. Bone fingers traced over it and something else activated, another rune that caused a voice, a familiar voice that invoked anger in her very core as her former master spoke from a small device left by the journal. "Welcome Thrall. It seems in recent events you have found the instructions to my last studies and request." The voice paused as she looked at the journal again, "You may wonder why? I forsaw some... issues with my plan. You are still loyal and bound to me, as such it is your duty to follow what this book says. Obey it. That is all my pet." The voice clicked off leaving only Sammy with a book. Without wasting time she cracked it open. All through it maps, sketches, runes, words. A temple. Purple eyes flickered over the pages bits and pieces catching her eyes.

"The Sandals of Heremes... if my studies are true, these boots will allow one to travel anywhere they have been. The potential of gain from these simple sandles are great. But to obtain them will require the work of many. The thralls will suffice." She looked around again frowning, "So we were fodder to throw against a test to find what you wanted?" Was she still a weapon then? Maybe. Taught to fight, survive, follow orders. She looked back to the book, at the strange device sitting beside it that had spoken in his voice.

"Can take you anywhere you've been..." The possibilities where indeed good. "Ixxy. We're going home." She turned suddenly boots thundering along the floor as she marched to the door. "I'm not doing this for you, you arrogant b*****d." Purple eyes flickered as she moved to the front door moving out taking one last look back at her home. "I have my own use for those boots." Places to go back too, to find the answers Red hadn't given. To return here to dig through the books, to learn and obtain more. She had come home on a quest to reflect and while she had, she had found more. Now she moved onward to a quest.

Old habits died hard, Sammy was on a quest for power once more.