V.I.R.A.L

Bargaining stopped in his tracks almost at the exit and his freedom. Looking down, he smirks. "Knew it wouldn't be this easy to slip away. But I must admit this is a pleasant surprise."

The demon mask stood behind him, not moving to stare idly. "Rodger Bones."

Bargaining turned around, shaking his head. "Sorry, I'm afraid Rodger has taken a backseat for a while. I'm taking the wheel for a little while. He had this coming. Making a deal with a stage of death since a child. It was never going to end up any different."

The demon mask frowned, shaking her head. "I was really hoping to have a word with Rodger."

"I give my most humble apology young one. Although I don't think it will bother you too much—the Syndicate family. I remembered you 400 years ago. How you topple like dominos in our presence. Still clinging on like a filthy rat I see. Tell you what how about we make a deal? I could grant you untold power. You family back on the top. You could rule the world."

Bargaining was thrown aside, crashing into the wall as the demon mask held her hand out. "The only deal I shall accept from you is your head on my wall Bargaining."

A howl of laughter erupted as Bargaining pulled himself from the rubble bloody and beaten. The laughter couldn't stop as he slumped over, trying to stop. "You're so funny. You truly are. It's really a shame. I quite liked this body. It almost suited me. It looks like I'm back to square one, shame really but it is what it is. I'd have you know my sweet little princess if I had my own body right now you would already be dead."

"That has yet to be seen."

Bargaining began howling with laughter again this time, unable to control himself as every word was caught up with a fit of laughter. "I've missed all of this. I'm sorry, Rodger, but I'm going to have to alter our deal once again. Nothing personal. Shall we see how far I can push this body to its limits?"

Bargaining slipped a syringe of the overload serum, gripping it tightly. The demon mask flinched hissing. "You bastard. Are you insane!"

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"No. I'm so far beyond the depths of insanity. I am free." He threatens stabbing himself with the serum falling to his knees. Holding his head, Bargaining sat still with a few jerking motions. "I must once again apologise Daughter of the Syndicate family. I'm afraid it's too late to beg for a reason. To beg for mercy. Our possible contract has expired. I'd much prefer to kill you."

The demon mask pushed their leg back grinning behind their mask like a child on Christmas morning. "This day just gets keeps getting better!"

*****

"Gemini! Snap out of it! This isn't you!" Goro yelled as Aoi turned to him in a pit of rage casting serval electrical vines. Alice pulled him back through a portal saving him by a mere inch. He collapsed as Alice stared at Aoi with a dull look. "I don't need your help."

"She isn't your friend anymore. Unless you come to that conclusion, you will die."

"I cannot give up on her! You don't understand what we've been through. I have to save her."

Alice turned, shaking her head as a portal swallowed up Goro. "I'm afraid I can't allow that. All I can do is kill this abomination."

Aoi began flying around in an erratic motion whispering mindless mutters. "This cannot continue. I will have order. This cannot continue!" A shockwave blasted Alice back as she was trapped mid-air by an unknown force. Trying to break free from an invisible prison Aoi held her hands out smiling. "Behold a terrible fate. Unseeing judgment." Blood splattered everywhere as Alice collapsed to the floor. Aoi stared at her victim with prowess and joy. "The Garden shall leave no sin untouched."

Aoi stopped her sentence as the lights burned out in the room as all emotions were drained from the air. Aoi felt nothing as small flickers from Alice began lighting up the room. As the light flickered, Alice had vanished. Aoi turned around paranoid, having no idea what was going on. A small light emerged as Alice was sitting over a large number of teddy bears bopping her head left and right. "What is this?"

Alice stared at Aoi with a playful look as her entire appearance had entirely changed. Her long silver hair was tied up into pigtails dyed a crimson red. Her eyes were both red matching her crimson persona. She placed a finger up to her mouth, cackling. "This is so much fun, no? Shall we play another game?"

Aoi sneered floating in the air as vines wrapped around her. "This is not a game!" Vines flew everywhere, ripping the entire building apart as electricity ignited and lit up the area. Alice didn't move as she watched in amusement. "I am the Garden's tool. One which will carry out my goal and put me on top! Gemini is dead only Aoi remains."

Alice stared on as serval vines rushed her. Hugging a teddy bear tightly serval portals opened sending Aoi's attack back at her. Each vine cut down Aoi as she gritted her teeth-baring the attacks before screaming as the building exploded. Aoi glanced up, seeing Alice floating in the air spinning around, gripping her teddy bear tightly. "This game is boring now. Eve doesn't want to play with you anymore."

All of Aoi's vines were cut in half by a single blow. Alice was now behind Aoi, holding a scythe twice the size of her. Flipping it around she cut the last of the vines leaving Aoi defenceless. Alice tilted up, head up, looking down on Aoi with an insane smile. "I win!"

Aoi winced before realising a giant cut in her stomach. She fell forward collapsing to the ground as all the vines and electricity stopped. Alice landed on the floor, patting herself down, leaning on her scythe, staring at Aoi. She still didn't budge. Dropping her guard, she threw her scythe away, which vanished hugging her teddy bear tightly. "Now. Where was I?"

Alice stopped as the entire room began to shake. She turned around confused as small sparks came from Aoi. The small sparks ignited into bolts of lightning as Aoi's entire body erupted into electricity. A heavy fog hung over her, only allowing the outline of electricity to show her proper form. Flowers began proliferating as Alice kept stepping back. Aoi snapped as she screamed at the top of her lungs. "The Garden forever grows!"

****

Alton stared up at the cracks in the sky as a dark cloud lingered over the base. Sharp snaps of lightning crackled as booms of thunder were met. Grumbling, he patted Zinnia on the shoulder. "Put me down for a second."

Doing so Zinnia couldn't help but feel worried for him. "Are you sure you can keep fighting? You're pushing yourself too much."

"No point in arguing. Too many people are out of commission. I have to do anything I can to stop everyone."

Zinnia pouted by Alton lack of concern for his own health. This was cut short as she spotted Iris in the distance lying down, not moving. "Alton! It's Iris." She ran over to her friend kneeling down. "Iris are you alright?"

"Zinnia? Is that you?"

"Are you alright? Where's your sister?"

Iris kept looking around her lip trembling. "We were attacked by Paradox. I tried fighting her, Alice carried on. Zinnia."

"It's alright; we're here. You're going to be alright."

"No, I'm not. Zinnia I can't see. I can't see anything."

Zinnia looked in horror as her friend was crying softly. Comforting her to the best of her abilities, she looked up, staring in panic. "Alton look out!"

Alton strafed to the right as a gunshot went off just missing him. Turning around, he found Goro standing there. Zinnia ran over protecting Alton. "Get out of the way girl; I need to do this."

"I won't let you hurt him. He can't fight anymore."

"Do you know why? Do you know what he did? What he is?!"

"what are you talking about?"

Alton stared at Goro intensely. "Are you sure you want to do this Goro?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. Once I kill you, I'll save Gemini from the prison she is held in. The Garden will not take her. I will save her from that Bargaining."

"Bargaining?! As in the five stages of grief Bargaining?" Zinnia cried.

"Wait, what do you mean to save her from Bargaining?"

A sharp bolt of lightning crashed into the open roof as everyone was knocked back. Alice flipped back from the attack bloody and beaten up as her appearance had returned to normal as she had full control over her body. A thick haze flooded the room as a figure was hidden with a blue glow surrounding them. Alice stood up, holding her arm panting. "The Alice regrets to inform she could not defeat the target."

Zinnia looked on freezing up gulping. "Don't tell me that's Gemini?!"

"The Garden grows. The Garden grows. The Garden grows."

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Alton held his stomach coughing as the fog was holding him down with a heavyweight. "I can't even move my body."

Aoi raised her hands as the storm grew in intensity. "May the fog of truth weight down your sin and consume you all." 

Goro gritted his teeth, holding the gun up coughing. "Gemini! Don't make me do this."

Aoi turned to Goro whispering. "It is too late now, Goro. Bathe in your sins for what you did forevermore!"

The bolts of lightning and coughs were silenced as a single gunshot blasted off ringing through the building which was met by a small whisper. "Are you still with me?"