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[[ Because Clearly I like to suffer... 5075 ]]

Darkling stood there at the bottom of the steps watching the other idiots that decided to actually take on this challenge of climbing a bazillion stairs. Why oh why did she like the torture...because clearly someone thought there wasn't enough suffering going on in her own little life. Still standing at the bottom of the steps before finally getting the courage to charge up the stairs. The infinite amount of stairs that just seemed to go on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on.

There was a lesson to be had clearly but she wasn't too sure if she had learned it yet. Taking a moment to take a breather she thought about an odd idea. Didn't she climb steps before...or maybe she was just remembering something from a long ago dream. Trying to think while she climbed up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up.

Oh goodness there it was there was the memory from climbing stairs. Reliving those memories as she climbed up and on.

Lumikki gasped as she pushed through, the sound of nothing suddenly assaulting her ears. Covering them quickly she still couldn't shake the feeling that she was here prematurely that she hadn't finished her task at hand. But what was even more damning was that she couldn't shake the feeling that there was something about that bird.

When he had grabbed her for a split second all memories had escaped her, she felt safe, wanted...she felt loved. But that wasn't real, he didn't know her just like she didn't know him. Her ears dropped slightly as she saw the stairs that lay ahead. Oh sweet merciful god, this wasn't going to go well in this form.

With ease Lumi shifted in to her natural form. It would be much quicker to climb these stairs in that fashion.
Bouncing happily up the stairs she didn't even notice the bird there. This was a breeze as far as she was concerned. At least in this form rushing up the stairs was a little quicker then it would have been other wise. She kept an eye on everything around her. Even thought she couldn't hear she felt the vibrations when she mumbled. At least that was still working.
Lumikki found herself wondering as she made her way up the stairs. Why had that bird hugged her, why had he said he missed her. Did she just not remember him? They were after all figments right? Maybe he thought he knew her. But then why couldn't she remember him.

Growling slightly she caught his scent, but at the same time she caught another scent she knew even more. Roch and the Commander both had been through here at least she was in the right direction.
Figuring that if she could just make it to the top all of this figment nonsense would make sense. It would be a bad dream that she was having, she would be back on the ship with Mitsu, the Commander and Roch, Bix would be there and so would Zeph there would be so many faces she could remember and smile at. And she wouldn't think twice about that bird.
Through the deafening silence Lumi heard a booming voice. Looking around she wondered if she was the only one.

"You dare take the powers of the others, when I created you, gave you purposed, and promised you a Kingdom. You dare raise your punitive claws against me? Even reforged you will never be on the same level that I am."

What? Who took what powers? She was a lowly ranking officer. She didn't even have a purpose really and who ever said she was going to raise her clams at who ever was talking. All she wanted to do was wake up from this horrible nightmare.
The steps seemed never ending as she started to slow down. Thinking as she could feel the thoughts being said out loud,

"One two...step to the door...one two..."

Something might have snapped in her brain. Because the thoughts of that bird actually missing her was getting to her again.
Lumikki mused as she kept climbing,

"what if...what if I liked him...what if we were lovers...hmmm..."

Her thoughts were short lived as she looked around her surroundings. Before she noticed the bird she heard the voice again

"All I ever wanted was to find the True King, and get, the others still stand in my way. I have given them no harm, no trouble, I have waited this long, and my prize is to be betrayed by everything I embrace, again."

The true king? Well that was easy it was the commander. He had always lead them the right way he was fair and right. And he would never harm any of them...except for the two in the cabin...but it was because the voice asked for it. Nodding yes the logic in her mind was slowly making sense of all this going around her. Tilting her head at the bird she wondered if this was another time or another world if she could find out who he thought she was.
She had been doing fairly well until that last voice. No trouble no harm, she just wanted to wake up and be done with this whole business go back to life.

Well that had been an eventful climb of the stairs maybe this would be eventful too. So she happily bounced up the stairs hoping and wishing that she could find something else to do other than reminiscence about old memories about stairs. Just keep climbing, just keep climbing...climbing up climbing up...go...go..go.

They go on forrrrrrrrreeeeevvvvver...where is the end...maybe if she tried to remember more things she had forgotten. Like Appleberry Kumquat...that was fun to say. Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat....Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...Appleberry Kumquat...

...her tongue got tired from saying Appleberry Kumquat...Oh look another memory floated by her, clearly wonderland was an odd place.

Lumikki stopped to look at the door, oh not only could she not hear she couldn't speak now. Oh well that wasn't going to harm her. She had noone but herself to speak to anyways. But it did make her whole manner change slightly. Nosing her way through the door she made no sounds even though in reality she just wanted nothing more than to cry. More stairs.
The small rest at the door must have helped because these steps seemed a little closer together. Even though she couldn't talk or hear she did notice that she could thinking on things very clearly at least. The voice was crazy, she wanted nothing more than to wake up but at the same time she wondered if the mirror telling her those things...maybe that bird had been told the same thing. Or maybe he got told something different. But then there was Roch...
It wasn't the same thinking about Roch, sure she had alot to tell him, like she didn't like when he ran off. Or when he died after she told him not to. But her mind kept going back to that bird. He seemed to confident that he knew her.

"Remember your Kingdom, and why you were created into this world. Without it you will be lost. Without it you will become discarded and thrown away. You are a fragment that I created. Without me, you will cease to exist in this world."

My kingdom...my king...my friends...I...I must keep them safe. Lost...yes lost was a good word for what she was feeling right now. Even though she knew she was on the right path being able to scent both the commander and Roch she was still lost. The voice it called her a fragment...so the mirror was right. She wasn't real...that bird...was he real then? What was she to him.
Shaking her head, she decided if she made it out alive she would have to speak to him. That is if she even remembered this. If they were all just fragments she might not even remember.
There was s sudden urge to just latch on to who ever she saw and ride with them to the top. WHO made a tower made of steps!
So the true king clearly couldn't be the commander...the commander would have known better than to actually make a tower without an elevator. What kind of primitive person would make this kind of suffering on them.

"I create this world, and thus I can give you anything. Reflect on your choices now, and remember that I even have the power to make you become the greatest Kings. I could rebuild this world around you. Everything will could be yours."

Oooh like an Elevator! Or the crew safe and sound...the whole kingdom could be rebuilt. She could become powerful, something just sounded way to good to be true
Step by step...some one was going to die when she figured out who built these steps. Seriously she didn't need THIS much of a workout...she was already dead.
She wondered if the bird boy had made it further up than she had. She hadn't actually seen him since she ran, the look on his face when she pushed him away still burned deeply in her mind. She couldn't figure it out. Why had such a small act on her part seem to hurt him. Frowning she wondered if she was just thinking about this too hard.
Her paws seemed bruised as she padded along the floor. Could these stairs possibly continue any further.

"If you tread further, then you will see only disappointment."

Was it talking about more stairs?! Could it possibly mean the end was never in sight?!

"I wish only for one True King. I do not wish for anything else. What will you gain from reaching me other than what you already know?"

That made her stop for a moment, what would she gain if she continued further. She would be able to see Roch and the commander. She would be able to have them tell her this was all a dream none of it real the voice was testing them all.
She turned to look down at the path she had just traveled. Was she fooling herself was this voice right, only disappointment would greet her in the end? Could she possibly go back and find the bird he seemed to like her well enough...or maybe he wanted her for a pet...those other kingdoms could be odd like that.
Put one step in front of the other, just walk a little longer...and have some fun along the way. Oh yeah that's the way.

She mused to herself that it was an odd time to be so chipper. She had watched Mitsu die, Roch die, her Commander was attacked numerous times and she just stood there and let it happen. And now...now she was climbing stairs because this king was too cheap to find a beam or an elevator or even some hover bikes! There the end was in sight, she could just feel it.

Well that memory didn't seem to be going over well in her mind...but at least she knew that she really hated stairs. And she really didn't understand why she was still climbing them over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again.

It was like it never stopped...actually it was more like infinity over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again....

Maybe there was a glitch in the game..YES that had to be it a glitch in the game that was making the stairs seem infinite and all she had to do was just keep climbing until she got to a spot that the game realized her progress and she'd be flung to the end and all would be well. Singing happily, “Just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...just keep climbing...”

After hours on end, more like ten minutes, she looked around and noticed not even a dent was made. If only she was her normal self. Apparently fox legs were better then mice legs...it was a proven fact. But none the less she was bound and determined to make it to the top for the Temptation guild! She would strive on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and Deeeeeeeeep breath on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and ooooooooon.

WEEEEE ARE THE CHAMPIONS MY FRIENDS!!!! ...yeah there might have been some insanity left in this place. Clearly it let her see memories that she didn't really know she had like she was watching it on a screen. And the stairs they were not coming to an end in the least. In fact she was pretty sure they were broken. But that was okay...not really but what else could she say as she continued to climb up and go forward. It was like a train, she chanted “I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it.”

So much so in fact that she almost believed that she COULD do it. But the closer she got the more she wondered if she was actually going anywhere. In fact the chant started to slow down as she realized her steps were just seeming to fall right off each stair. This wasn't looking good in her favor.

“I can do it? I can do it? I can do it? I can do it? I can do it? I can do it? I can do it? I can do it? I can do it? I can do it? I can do it? I can do it? I can do it? I can do it? I can do it? I can do it?”

The conviction she once had was now shattered and gone. She had climbed for what seemed like millions of hours and millions of stairs. There wasn't a single thought in her mind except I'm almost there. I can just feel it!

“Please roll dice and respond accordingly”

“Wait what...I...I already did that I climbed these stairs...!”

Looking around panic struck she noticed that she hadn't even left the ground floor. Eyes wide and almost in tears she stared at the stairs and screamed, uncontrollable rage built up in her.

“NOOOOO YOU!!!”

Before turning away and leaving. Clearly she had enough suffering.