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He stood at the door and felt heavy.

It was a weight that laid on his shoulders, pressed down into him like a blackness. He supposed he should have known this would happen eventually, that everything would come to naught, but at the same time he had spent most of his life being one thing when he perhaps would have been better suited to be another.

He didn't know how to be anything else.

Maybe that was why he had had such a difficult time adjusting. He'd always thought that if he just did what he was told, if he just pushed forward and became who he had always thought he could be, that things would work out the way they were supposed to.

That, of course, was a lie.

He was not a bad person, not really. He knew, somewhere, that he'd done well with what was given to him. But he wished he could have done something more, that he he could have done something great with his life.

The greatness had slipped away from him, dissipating into nothingness.

His attempts, though well-meaning, had slipped through his fingers and fallen away without so much as a backward glance. He wished he had more to offer, more to give, but there was no path for him that was easy, no path for him that would allow him to offer what he wanted to.

Easy and right were two entirely different things.

Sparrow lifted a hand, reached for the door, and left his body entirely behind.

His legs had once been so useful, they gave him pride but now they held him back, like weights.

Frost left them behind.

He'd run.

What use did a ghost have for legs anyway?

It was peaceful, and all that remained was a door, but Alecto didn’t like the door. She couldn’t put her claw on it, but she was scared of it. “Do you wish to return?” What? But it was so calming here. Perfection. “Do you wish to return?” Nonono. That wasn’t right. She wasn’t afraid of the door. She was the door, and the door was asking if she wanted to return.

Yes, she would return, and she would leave nothing behind. There wasn’t much pain for her to give up in the first place. Her tail swayed and her claws clacked together as she pushed through the door.

Jake wanted to believe he was strong, that after everything, forgetting everything and re-living each memory again just to fulfill that purpose, he had grown, and could endure anything. But re-living that memory, the very one he ached to forget, the very one he dared not forget for fear of repeating the same mistake, it brought with it immense pain. The pain of losing a loved one, something he would never wish upon another, nor ever want to live through again. He knew it too well, perhaps more than one should. She was more than just a loved one. To him, she was a friend, a companion, and he supposed a mother figure. She was the world to him, and he had to re-live it, re-live the moment she was taken away, that one shining ray of hope, gone forever, and he was completely helpless, unable to do a thing as he only watched her life vanish before his eyes. But no, not just that. She lost her life... for him. BECAUSE of him.

The very thought tore at him, made him want to cry out in agony. Nothing could fill that void, nothing but-
A sharp gasp as he remembered now, that there WAS someone else. Someone who could make the hurt go away, someone who could let him find happiness, and put the past behind him. Someone... who may end up suffering the same fate as her. He wanted to remember, he really did, but memory only led to hurt. Loss. He didn't want anymore pain, and he didn't want to cause anymore. In the end... she really would be better off without him.

With a hand over his heart, he closed his eyes, the familiar feeling as he dug into his chest, prying it out.
Sherry, I'm sorry. I really am. I lo-
Leaving his heart behind, he stepped through the door.

Solia didn't know what to do. It hurt but- she needed it, wanted to keep it but-
Painful. It was just painful. The pain was heavy, constant- she felt worse as he hand dug inside of her, pulling at it, casting it out.

Yet gone, without her heart, Solia smiled. Maybe it was better this way.

Simply stood, staring at the pale white world she'd been left it. Perhaps the peace and happiness was good. Maybe she should have cherished what she'd been given, bounced about with joy. Instead it felt quiet, so calm it was... boring. She didn't like it. She wanted to do something, anything, but her entire body ached. It hurt, everything did. But she couldn't stand there and do nothing. This place wasn't for her, she had never meant to remain here.

So with a breath that left her lungs ragged, she moved, inched along as her entire body felt as if she was tearing at it, ripping it apart by the simple will she had to move on and leave nothing to the endless sea of peace. She wasn't meant for this, nor were her memories. This wasn't part of a promise, and it wasn't how she was going to explain why she didn't know. Weakness was no excuse for why she forgot something important. Something like a smile, or a name... even if they were hard to remember...

Even if she got lonely. Even if this was torture, she was going to keep what she had. That she'd seen that hunter again, that she'd seen her friends again, that she'd made new ones. All of it was her's. She was going to keep it and treasure it. Because... if she didn't she'd be all alone. Like she was here.

And that was more frightening than any amount of pain. So with that, she brushed the door open, pulling herself through as she left nothing behind.

He offered his memories, trivial but rather meaning to him.

A door. Again?

He felt light as feather, his heart was so peaceful. Is that what an ending should be? He didn't expect an end like that, he preferred to fight a great battle and died in glory and identification.

"Do you wish to return?"

He heard him asking himself, "the gift of leaving our pain behind", it sounds enticing. He wished he could forget about his envy, the dark matter within his corrupted soul. All those he had been suppressing not to reveal onto the surface.

.

..


...


..Nope.

He can't.

That's still a part of him.

Each step to the door became sharp pain. He felt like thousands of spears impaled onto his back one by one as he moved. His memories were burdens. So heavy that locked him onto the ground, like enormous rocks piling up onto his body. But when he recalled them, he felt the joy. His friends, his successful battles, the prefect exam that made Miss. Selene cried for, the snowman he build with the reaper, the wonderful prom experience with the sweet little witch, the grumpy cool boil he liked to pester, the spookies that acquired Xiu's applaud...and- and those sad feelings that made him stronger. He won't be him anymore without them, he was taking them with him, nothing should be left behind.

He is AJ.

He can't be anyone else.

He climbed up, bearing the numerous invisible load and pushed his body against the door.















He was smiling.

Sur-prise~ My love one, I am back!