Insanity Chapter Forty-Three

**Author’s Note

            Okay, we are now entering *da, de, da, na, da, de, da, na* (Twilight Zone Theme) the fictional New York. The building is like only kind of in this chapter but I just wanted to get this out of the way. The building is freakishly tall, like taller than the tallest building tall with a flat top. Why am I adding a fictional building to my landscape of New York? Because 1) I can. I’m the author. 2) I need a tall building with a flat top but when I looked up tallest buildings in New York…it sucked… 3) This is a fictional story. No harm in adding more fiction! 4) Try setting up a world domination device on the Empire State Building! Guess what! It doesn’t work! That pointy top isn’t doing anybody anything! 5) I’m the author. My story. My New York. Go get your own!

Insanity

Chapter Forty-Three

~It All Starts Now~

Day Thirty-Five

Fang jolted up. He sat up in bed, his breathing was heavy. The sun seeped through the western window. Cold sweat rolled down his forehead and face. He stayed still, calming himself before he would go do something else. He barely remembered falling asleep.

Fang paused suddenly. He grabbed his gun from the nightstand and aimed it at the door. The lock beeped its approval of the hotel card and the door started to open.

“Geez, Fang! Put the gun down!” Shadow shouted as he hid behind the door yet again, “Can I come in now?”

Fang rolled his eyes and put down the gun, “I’ve lost count at how many times I’ve almost killed you, but this is one more than that.”

Shadow looked interested, “You loosing count? Don’t you have a whole section in your brain devoted to keeping count?”

Fang looked at him blankly, “If I kept track of every little thing that you six do and then some, I’d go insane.”

“Any second thoughts about bringing us together?” Shadow asked as he walked into the bathroom.

“Not at all,” Fang said without thinking.

He lay back in his bed again. Fang stared at the ceiling trying to remember what had woken him up so suddenly. What was his train of thought before he fell asleep? Fang paused in his thinking process; when exactly had he fallen asleep? Frustrated by that stubborn road block he closed his eyes.

Fang went through all he had done since he came through the bedroom door the day before. He had sat on his bed. He had been thinking when Shadow so rudely came into his room, he had a knack for doing that it seemed. After Shadow had left he thought some more. He thought about plans and all their possible outcomes, both good and bad, and Zero and death.

Fang suddenly opened his eyes.

Shadow was leading over him as he sat in a chair by the bed. He was a little close for comfort and Fang was thankful he didn’t sit up or their lips would have practically collided.

“Did you figure it out?” Shadow asked.

Fang chose to ignore his question but he couldn’t help take notice of Shadow’s features, after all they were barely an inch apart. Shadow’s red eyes looked down at him, expecting something. His lips were curved up in a crafty smile, while his black hair was draped over one of his shoulders. Only the shorter strands were lightly touching Fang’s face.

He’s changed, Fang couldn’t help thinking.

Shadow’s brow folded into a worried scowl, “Fang? You okay? Did you like have a heart attack or something?”

Fang sighed, if only he didn’t say anything at all…ever…like Blue life would be so much easier. Heck, Fang would rather hear Blue’s voice than Shadow’s.

“I’m fine,” Fang muttered.

“Well, did you figure it out?” Shadow asked again.

“What?”

“What was bothering you?” Shadow explained, “Did you figure it out?” he started to sit up when Fang’s muscled began to flex. If his fists hurt as bad as they did, getting hit in the head must feel even worse.

“Nothing’s bothering me,” Fang sat up.

Shadow smiled, “Yeah, now. That’s because you figured it out!”

“So in essence, you answered your own question,” Fang stood up and walked toward the bathroom leaving Shadow with a slightly confused look on his face.

Fang took off the shirt that he had worn since the day before. He threw it on the ground and entered the bathroom, closing the door behind him. He started the water and while he waited he undressed. When the water was ready, he walked into the shower and drew the curtain. Almost instantly, Shadow walked in recovering from his ‘wow, that was dumb’ moment.

“What were you thinking about?” Shadow asked.

Fang sighed but answered anyway, “A dream.”

“What dream?”

“Go away,” Fang muttered.

Shadow crossed his arms and leaned against the sink, “No.”

Fang let the water cascade over his head. “No?” he said at last, “What are you, four?”

“I’m not leaving until you tell me what you dreamt,” Shadow stated, “I was obvious that it bothered you so come on out and say it. We leave in three hours. Mother can be quite the B*** in that period of time. You want me to start now or should I wait until you come out of the shower?”

There was a long pause.

“So what was the dream about?” Shadow asked.

Fang paused, not sure if he should be furious or thankful but either way he wanted to punch Shadow’s face in, “I don’t remember much, but I Zero leaning over me and pulling my heart out.”

Shadow nodded.

“You were all dead—”

“That sucks.”

“The world ended as we know it—”

“Eh,” Shadow shrugged.

“And I think there was a cop there giving me a citation for the illegal parking of an unidentified flying object.”

“Really?”

“It’s a dream, what do you expect?”

Shadow smiled, “You know what surprises me the most? It’s that Zero was able to get a hold of you heart at all. I mean everyone thought you had no heart so—”

“Shadow.”

“Yeah?”

“Stop talking before I can’t refrain myself from killing you,” Fang said in a way that made even the water temperature drop a degree.

For a moment, Shadow complied. Fang could almost picture him weighing his options.

“See, didn’t that feel better,” Shadow stated after a while.

“Shadow!”

“Okay, okay! I’m getting the others ready! I’m going, I’m going!”

Fang heard the door close. A thought suddenly struck him. How had Shadow gotten ahold of his room key? He had gone through the wall the night before… Fang let out a shuttering sigh. The thief, that smirk, that no good little—

“Shadow!” Fang banged on the bathroom wall so the next room heard.

He heard an unmistakable laugh from the other room. He could hear Alister asking what the heck was going on. He assumed Blue was staring blankly at the laughing Shadow. Despite himself, however, Fang smiled. He couldn’t remember how he had lived before he met them. He knew though that his life before was much more boring than it was now. That was something wasn’t it?

Fang exited the room. The others were already in the hallway. Shadow, with his back turned, looked over his shoulder and smiled.

“So what’s the plan, Fang?” Shadow asked.

All the others grew quiet, even Arisa. Fang walked down the hallway and looked at each member of his team. The first one was Alister.

Under close inspection, he did have a resemblance to Undertaker. His orange eyes looked back at Fang. At times, most of the time, Alister acted stupid, incompetent and despite the saying, he asked stupid questions. But the determination in his eyes showed that he was reliable. He might make a gazillion mistakes when he’s given a task but he would do everything to make it right.

“Alister,” Fang started, “Your Police Unit lost a good cop. Feel free to be trigger happy.”

Alister gave him an ‘aren’t I always’ look.

Raven was next in line. Her dark green eyes looked at Fang expectantly. She had left her cloak behind and now wore tight fitting shirt and pants. A black belt was around her waist holding two hand guns. On her back was a dual sheath for her swords.

“I hope you don’t regret being here,” Fang stated.

“This beats the socks off telling phony fortunes,” Raven said in her monotone voice, “Although, I have to say, I’m only saving the world for myself. I can’t stand that Zero creep.”

“Ditto!” Arisa chimed.

Ditto? Blue asked.

“Don’t tell me you don’t know about ditto!” Arisa wailed.

“It basically means ‘same’,” Shadow explained.

“Wait,” Alister started, “is that why the Pokémon Ditto can look like all the other Pokémon?”

He received black stares.

“What!? There is nothin’ interestin’ on on Saturday mornings! It was either that or Bakugon! Take your pick!”

Arisa and Blue were next. Arisa stiffened up and raised her right hand over her right eye brow. She briefly looked up at Blue to see if he was following her lead. Hesitantly, Blue did. What a trouper, Blue was. Fang looked down at the little firecracker of a girl. She wore a black ruffled skirt with black leggings and a black tank top. Arisa looked up at him with a big smile and shining gold yellow eyes. She couldn’t contain her excitement and hopped a little in place.

Fang smiled back at her, “Take your time growing up. There isn’t a rush.”

Arisa looked confused but maintained her rigid stance, “Yes, Sir!”

Fang looked up at Blue. Blue’s eyes looked back at him with a kind of understanding. Come to think of it, Blue was probably tied with Shadow about picking up things. It must be an interesting life, just sitting and listening, observing and not talking. Of course, Blue had his reasons but Fang couldn’t help think about how much more Blue could probably tell about him by just looking and listening.

“Normally, we have two ears and one mouth so hopefully we can listen twice as much than when we talk. But in your case, Blue, your voice will always be welcomed no matter what you have to say.”

Blue was visibly embarrassed. He moved his right hand from his forehead to the back of his head.

We’ll see, I guess.

“That’s all we can ask, Blue.”

“Oh-my-effing-god! He can’t talk!” Alister cried, “Forget me ‘aving an ‘imaginary friend’! You’re all the crazy ones! You’re makin’ a human being who can’t talk, talk to you in your heads! That is effin’ crazy!”

Again he received blank stares…and Blue’s ‘I’m seriously going to effing kill you one day’ glare.

To Blue’s right was Penelope. She pushed up her glassed with her index finger. She still looked like the female version of Waldo if Waldo wore blue and yellow instead of red and white. Her purple eyes were huge behind her glasses.

“You have different personalities,” Fang began, “but each of them make you up as a whole. There’s the you now—”

“I-I-I consider myself Shippo from Inuyasha.”

Fang paused, not exactly sure what that meant, “Okay, and then theres the battle you—”

“Sh-sh-she’s Inuyasha.”

“Yes,” Fang paused again, “now, I’m not sure if there are anymore but—”

“There aren’t.”

Fang sighed, “Either way, no matter what society says, the more there are of you, the more there is to love. Just try not to get caught hacking.”

“Yep!” Penelope’s eyes narrowed as she nodded.

Looking over the group, Fang nodded. He finally got his feelings out there in the manliest way possible with out to many people noticing. He started walking toward the stairs when Shadow called out.

“Hey, what about me?” Shadow said, “Don’t you have something to say to me?”

Fang looked over his shoulder and saw that signature smirk on Shadow’s face. He thought a moment.

“Stay out of my way or I will shoot you between the eyes,” Fang said before walking away.

Shadow shrugged, “I guess I had that coming. But I’ll get a real one before this thing starts, right?”

Fang didn’t answer. The others followed him to the roof. They waited as Fang looked over at the horizon. The sun had set maybe forty-five minutes ago and the sky was getting darker. Fang looked toward that darker half of the sky to start his search.

A cell phone rang in Fang’s pocket. He answered it without taking his eyes off the buildings around him.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Fang! What’s shaking?”

Fang paused, “Shifter, is that you?”

“Yeah! So um, you still doing that whole ‘save the New York, stop Zero’ thing or what?”

Only Shifter could make saving the world sound like taking a walk at the park.

“Yeah, we’re seeing where they’re located now,” Fang answered.

“Oh! Great! Cause I kinda got this package. You know kinda like those military packages only we’re not military. Funny thing though…I don’t know where you guys are in New York…soooooo…”

Fang gave him the address of the hotel.

“Great! You’re on the roof, right?”

“Yes.”

“Could I ask you to run and take cover? You’re standing there at your own risk.”

Fang looked up but saw nothing. He could hear something but he couldn’t see anything. That was never good if you had a package coming from the Tower.

“Alright everyone, get near the edge!” he commanded.

Obediently everyone did so. Shortly afterward the package, more like a giant crate, fell from the sky and landed with a loud thud on top of the roof where the wolves had been standing moments before.

“Did you get it?” Shifter asked on the phone.

“Yeah,” Fang said a little absent mindedly.

“That’s good, cause I was kinda running out of gas there,” Shifter paused, “Oh, and Fang?”

“Yes, Shifter?”

“Sage doesn’t know that I gave you that package. I’m in big trouble when I get back. Especially if you don’t win. So if nothing else motivates you…win for me…please…you still owe me you know.”

“I think we settled that already.”

“OH! C’mon Fang! All that work and I get to stay at your house! My job was on the line! My job is on the line! Why is my job always on the line around you!?”

Fang sighed, “Depends on what’s in this package.”

“Oh, thanks Fang!” Shifter paused, “Good luck. Hope they help.”

Fang hung up the phone, “Alister, open it up!”

Alister walked up to the large container, grabbed the crowbar that was conveniently attached to the doors and pried them open. Alister smiled wide when he saw the contents. He pulled out a huge gun that seemed to fit his liking. Fang walked up and also looked at the contents inside. He noticed some flat discs on the shelving inside.

“Claymores,” Raven explained, “Step on one of those and not even your own mother can find you.”

Fang looked at the other contents and smile. Finally, a firm plan was getting together. The sky was dark and he looked behind him. The tallest building (the one I made up cause this is MY New York!) had a strange bluish glow on top of it.

“I thought you’d be there,” Fang whispered, “It all starts now.”