Hey, Rulers! So I actually finished writing the story in my free time a few days ago, now it's just a matter of how fast I can type it up. My internet connection is totally dead, so now I can only upload at my grandparent's house, which I go to on Wednesday and Saturday/Sunday. So yeah, we'll see what happens. Also, I have an idea for a sequel, would any of you read that if I posted it after this story is finished?

Ch 5: Lies

Jason's POV

“I knew it!” Ty replies. “But how'd you find out?” I explain everything, leaving out the part about the real Sky being tortured, because I don't know how Ty would react, and I can't have him getting himself killed by Evil-Sky. “Wait, how do you know Sky's in the other dimension?” he asks.

“Oh. Evil-Sky told the squids they didn't have to worry about Sky because he was stuck in the other dimension, and even if he did get back, he would love squi-” I cut myself off. Darn it, Jason, you almost mentioned the torture! Please don't question it, Ty, please don't question it!

“What? Why would he love squids?” Ty asks.

I sigh. I'm not gonna lie to him. “OK, Ty, just remember, we need to come up with an actual plan, we can't just attack Evil-Sky right away.”

“What is it? Just tell me!”

“The you from the other dimension is torturing Sky until he starts to hate budder and love squids,” I say.

Ty is silent for a moment. Then: “NO! SKY ISN'T SKY IF HE DOESN'T LOVE BUDDER AND HATE SQUIDS! WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING!”

I yank the phone away from my ear and wait for Ty to finish yelling. “Whoa, calm down, Ty. You're gonna make me go deaf.”

“Sorry.”

“It's okay. Now, we need to call the others and come up with a plan.”

“How are we going to get to the other dimension?”

“...Uh... I have no idea.”

“... I'll bet Seto can do it! He's awesome with that kind of thing.”

“Alrighty, can you call him? I'll get the others and we can meet at your house.”

“Uh... I haven't rebuilt my house yet.”

“Fine, we'll meet at Seto's. Is that OK?”

“I think he'll be fine with that.”

“OK. See ya later.”

“Bye, Jason.”

I hang up and start to dial Jerome's number. A gloved hand stops me, though. I look up to see Sky, or Evil-Sky, hovering in front of me, covering the screen of my phone. “You're not going to tell anyone about my secret, are you, Jason?”

I guess he didn't hear me talking to Ty, then. I avoid the question. “H-How are you flying?” I ask instead.

“I'm just that awesome,” he snickers. “Now answer my question.”

“I-I-”

“Watch this, Jason.” He waves his hands a bit. It doesn't look like anything happened... I open my mouth to ask what he wanted me to see, but no sound comes out. I quickly pop open my helmet and gently touch the corner of my mouth. It feels the same, but it isn't. I can't talk... My eyes widen in fear. I can't mumble, I can't talk, I can't yell. “That's right, Jason,” he says. “I could use my powers to disable the respawn machine, and then I could kill you. Right here. Right now. And no one hear your screams.” My eyes widen even more. This can't be happening. This can't be happening! I shake my head quickly, a silent plead for mercy. “If I let you live, will you keep my secret?” he asks. I nod vigorously. “Fine,” he says, snapping his fingers.

“Thank you so much,” I say softly.

“Don't thank me yet,” he says, smirking. “To make sure you don't tell anyone, I've got a nice little threat for you. Every time you tell someone, Sky gets punished.” I can practically feel my face paling.

“Why would you hurt him for something I did?” I ask.

“Well, you won't do it if you know he'll be punished, will you?”

I swallow. To me, it sounds ridiculously loud. “You're right,” I whisper. “I won't tell anyone.”

He smiles. “Good. Now then, Jason, we have a jump map to do with Ty. You ready?”

I nod slowly. “Sure... Sky.”

xXx

Ty is confused, to say the least, when Sky and I ask him if he's ready for the jump map. I beg him with my eyes to just go along with it. He raises an eyebrow curiously, but doesn't say anything. “So, you ready?” Sky - or, Evil-Sky – asks.

Ty hesitates, but then says, “Sorry, I'm actually doing some research with Seto today.”

Sky nods and then drags me around the corner of a building. “You told him, didn't you?” he asks. I gulp. “And he told Seto. So that's more punishment for Sky.”

I shake my head. “Please don't,” I whisper. He just smiles evilly. “W-What kind of punishment?”

Sky considers this for a moment. “I'll let you choose. Choice one: We poison him and add a little more every time one of you tells someone my secret or tries to act on it. Choice two: Sky gets an hour of torture every time one of you tells or acts. Choice three: Hmm, well... Okay, choice three: Every time you tell someone, Sky gets lied to.”

“Um, lied to? I guess that seems less painful than the other two,” I say, thinking aloud. “Choice three.” Why would he even make that a choice? Lies can't hurt him, can they? Ugh, I feel like I'm missing something here...

“Good choice,” Evil-Sky says. I get an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach.

What have I done?

“Would you like to hear Sky's reaction?” he asks. I nod slowly. “Let's let Ty listen in, too. I'm sure he'll love that.” Sky takes me back to where Ty was standing. “Would you like to hear Sky?” he asks quickly as he pulls out his phone.

Ty's eyes widen and he nods.

Evil-Sky calls someone on his phone and puts it on speaker. “Hello, Squid, could you give the phone to Ty? Sky's friends want to hear his reaction to Ty torturing him.”

“They figured out you're not Sky?” Squid asks.

“Yes. But, every time they tell someone, Sky will be tortured.”

“I see. What kind of torture?”

“Lies. Mixed with the whip, so his friends can hear him scream.”

I open my mouth to object, but I don't think it'd be wise to argue with guy.

“Alright, let me go get Ty,” the Squid says. “Alright, here he is.”

“Hey, Sky, how're you doing?” Evil-Ty asks.

“Good, and you?” Evil-Sky replies.

“Never been better! This Sky is so much fun to torture! It took an hour just to get him to stop calling gold 'budder.'”

“So I heard. Are you ready for another torture session?”

“Of course! Let's do this! What kind of lies?”

“Lies about his friends, particularly Ty and Jason, but whatever.”

“Who are his other friends?”

“Same people I'm friends with. Oh, but he's not a big fan of squids...”

“So I heard,” Evil-Ty mutters. “Okay, this is Sky's cell.” There's the sound of metal scraping against metal. “Alrighty, let me put it on speaker... okay, here 'goes!” There's a bit of shuffling, and when Evil-Ty speaks again, he sounds farther away. “Hello, Sky.”

“Hello, Ty,” Sky replies in the same tone, but his voice seems sort of weak.

“I got a call from the other Sky. Apparently, a few of your friends figured out they have the wrong Sky.”

“Did they?” Sky asks with hope in his voice.

“Yeah. They don't really care, though. They like him better, anyways.”

“W-What?”

“That's right. They even talked on the phone with me. One of them- Jason, was it? - even threatened to murder my family if I ever let you go back to your dimension.”

“N-No. No, he- they're my friends, they wouldn't... No..,” Sky mumbles.

I start to say something, but Evil-Sky waves his hands a bit and silences me. “Well, they did. I'm sorry, Sky, but they totally hate you,” Evil-Ty says. “I believe Ty even went so far as to ask if my dimension could lend him a time machine to go back in time and make sure your parents never met.”

At this, Ty tries to speak up, but Evil-Sky puts him on mute, too. “He... He did?” Sky asks.

“Yessiree,” Evil-Ty says seriously. “I'm glad they finally realized how ugly and worthless and stupid you are.”

Sky sniffles quietly.

“Say it,” Evil-Ty demands.

“What?” Sky asks.

“Say you're ugly and worthless and stupid.”

“I... I-”

There's a loud crack, and Sky cries out in pain. “SAY IT!” Evil-Ty yells.

“I'm ugly and worthless and stupid,” Sky whispers. No! No, you're not, Sky! You're our best friend!

“I can't hear you,” Evil-Ty sings, and we hear another loud crack.

“I AM UGLY AND WORTHLESS AND STUPID!” he shouts.

“Do you believe that?” Evil-Ty asks.

“Absolutely,” Sky whispers. “I have no reason not to.”