The Hospital was a cold and dark place, quiet and unsettling with its history and patients. Hallways were gateways to hidden horrors, with secrets only its broken and spine chilling residents knew of.

How the rebellion thought it would be useful with supplies always confused the former scout. Abandoned stores seemed like a more safer and closer place to get things, at least there he didn't feel like he would get ambushed by patients.

The walls were creaked and molding, some water damage on the floor and ceiling. Beds were knocked over, IV stands seemed like they were thrown about, and boxes full of plastic arms, legs, and joints made getting around a bit harder than it should be. They have to walk around and jump over some of them, walking on the plastic made his feet hurt with the hooks (why was there hooks?) and sharp plastic ends.

They were able to make it pretty far in the dark haunting building, opening gates and going down dark hallways (which was a bit unsettling when there was no patients to be found, normally one person would be stumbling, trying to find a nurse or something), until they came to a set of double doors.

Mono took the lead, coming to the heavy door and pushed against it. Rain came to help him, pressing against the door. Slowly, the hinges were pried open, before they snapped open.

Mono lost his footing, falling, but instead of hard tile floor, open air greeted him. A bright light from far above them lit up the area, nearly blinding him as he scrambled to get a hold of the small ledge that jotted out.

Rain quickly grabbed his arm, helping him by pulling him up onto the ledge. "Careful!" she said after he got to his feet.

Seven came up behind her, looking down at the giant ravine ahead of them. "The Rift got larger?" he asked.

Rain looked over to him, shaking her head. "Earthquakes have started showing more and more since you left, they've been ripping The City to pieces. Guess the Hospital got ripped into two..."

"Earthquakes? Here? We never hard earthquakes before," Mono muttered. Rain looked over, frowing her brows slightly in confusion.

"What are you talking about? You're the one who helped get the rebellion members to safety, you've seen the earthquakes," Rain said back.

"Was this three years ago? Because if it was, I don't remember," he asked. Rain looked at him even more confused.

Why was she confused? She knew he wasn't, whoever and whatever he was in the past few years, right? Seven should have told her; unless...

"Seven, you didn't tell her?" he asked, looking over to the other twin. Seven glanced over to him, before looking away.

"I didn't have time to explain to her fully. We had to get to shelter while you were trying to fall unconscious on us. After we found the hideaway in the alley, me and Squeaks went to go find something to eat. The whole deal with those adult happened, and now we're here, so no, I never did get the chance," he started to snap at the end, growing a bit more irritated as he spoke, the realization creeping up on him.

So Rain didn't know he lost his memories, she was acting like this still thinking he was some kind of monster. Her previous request to let her wrists go came back to him, the fear being smuttered by forced relaxation in her eyes. She was panicking when he didn't let go as soon as he helped her across The Rift, but she hid it well.

'Rain, what did I do to you?'

He wanted to ask, but he feared the answer wasn't something he wanted Seven to hear. The twins were known to always be by the other's side when needed, and if he had done something truly bad to her, he feared Seven would snap his head off his shoulders.

"I'll explain when we get past this rift, we can jump to those hospitals beds over there and climb up. I can see an open door right up there," Seven said, shining the flashlight up towards the upper rooms that had been ripped from its other half.

Mono looked up, before looking to the side, seeing Squeaks look over the ledge in a curious manner. "Can she make those jumps?" He asked.

"Rats can jump pretty far for their size, she should be fine," Rain said.

"And the climbing?" Mono asked again.

"I'll carry her," Seven answered.

Or, you know, they could leave her here. Mono brushed the thought aside, the last time he listened to it he got in trouble.

"Okay, I'll go first, you guys try to keep up," the boy in the trenchcoat said in a joking manner, backing up and taking a running start to jump to the closest bed to them.

He landed on the soft mattress, nearly tripping in the sheets. He was able to get to the next bed, the sound of the others coming up behind.

"C'mon, Squeaks," Seven said. Mono looked over, seeing the boy in blue patting his knees to encourage the feral. Squeaks circled around two times, before jumping across, rolling onto the sheets, jumping to her hands and feet, squeaking loudly. She jumped up and placed her hands to Seven's knees to greet the other, happily being greeted with a hair ruffle.

"Nice jump. We got a few more, so hang tight, okay?"

"Squeak!"

Mono looked back ahead of him, Rain having just caught up with him. She came to the end of their bed, looking at the bed in front of them. It was hanging on by drapes only attached by only two of the legs, the underside making a make shift ladder to more objects to jump onto.

Rain made the first move, jumping and grabbing onto the splintering wood. She started to climb up, Mono joining her soon after. The wood stabbed into his feet and palms, making him wince, but his grip was still tight on the boards.

He spared a glance down, muscles tensing fright after at the void below him. He couldn't afford to loose his grip, if he did, he'd be dead for sure. He started to climb up the slats on the bottom of the bed, Rain able to get to the top, jumping onto another bed hanging from above.

Mono soon joined her side, but looked down to check on Seven and Squeaks. The boy in blue was able to get the feral child to get on his back, hooking her arms around his shoulder and her legs around his waist in a piggyback style.

The feral seemed very confused and stressed about how weird the position was for her, judging by how her nail dug into Seven's jacket like hooked claws. Seven was able to jump onto the planks, Squeaks squeaking loudly in alarm but not letting go.

"Easy, Squeaks, you're okay, you're okay-- owowow, that's my collarbone!"

Mono gave a small chuckle at the sight, glancing to Rain beside him, who was smiling at the sight. He turned back in front, making a running jump to the bed across from them, and unto another half hanging bed, able to climb up onto another level.

Across from him, there was a long hanging cloth, which lead up to yet another bed. Thank the stars their occupants weren't around, or else this would have made thing a lot harder. He jumped, grabbing onto the tied knot at the end of the white, slightly dirty, cloth.

He pulled himself upwards, fists clenched in the cloth as he went, climbing until he was able to crawl onto the hanging bed. A door was open a short jump away from him, the dark hallway's jaws gaping in a want to feed.

"Easy, Squeaks!"

"Squeak squea squea!"

Rain climbed onto the bed, before looking back over the side, down to who Mono could only guess was her brother.

"Careful on the rope," she said, the bed slightly swaying a minute later. Before the bed could feel cramped from so many people, Mono was able to jump over to the open doorway.

Darkness seemed to swarm the hallways, no light coming into it. Creaks and the scuttling of, well, something, being heard, quiet echos bouncing off its walls.

The boy in the trenchcoat took a few steps forward, when in the distance, a soft blue light flickered on.

Faint sounds of what Mono guessed was TV static could be heard in the distance as well. A TV, a working one. Maybe he could use it to scout ahead, or help them get ahead by teleporting them to somewhere further into the city-

Before he could have any second thoughts, a creeping feeling of chills came up his spine.

The TV, the Signal. The Signal, he was close to it. He could feel a faint tingling buzzing feeling it would give him everything he felt it.

He needed to get to it, he needed to feel the buzz. He needed it, craved it. He was comfortable there, he was at Home there.

~~~

He was coming back from the riverbank, his pants leg dirty with grim and mud. His hands twitched from the rush of what he had done not even half an hour ago.

Seven was gone. He didn't know where he went, but he was gone; and he didn't have to worry about him.

The Rebellion was his now, with no one stopping him. Rain was by his side, ruling along side him as his Oracle.

He told Seven he would take care of Rain. A statement he was happy to do. He won't let anyone hurt her, but he also knew her soft heart would possibly get her in trouble.

But it was fine, he would show her and help teach her on who was to be trusted and who not to. He loved her, he couldn't let her go and get herself hurt.

Love... saying that word about an Oracle and you would find yourself tied up and given to the adults like a present. What was another word that was less strong?

Like? No, too weak.

Adore? No, didn't find right.

Cherish? Bleh...

Care. Care was a nice word.

He cared for Rain. He, the Commander, cared for his helpless and ever hopeless little Oracle. He liked that.

"Commander Mono? Where did you go? Have you seen Sev? Bread said he came in a bit ago, but I can't find him anywhere."

Her sweet and caring attitude could be heard in her worried voice. Mono knew how close the twins were, the two being each other's rock and lifting up the other's morals.

How disgusting. Siblings aren't that close without something underline happening.

"Rain, Seven is gone,"

"Gone? Gone where? Is he okay?"

His mind buzzed for a second, he felt his jaws move without his acknowledgement. "He asked me to go on one last supply run before the end of the day. We went to the eastern side of the forest, we thought it was safe from the fire from the destruction run. It... it wasn't as safe as we thought it was..."

Rain stared at him for a second, he could see she her place together the words. Her unnerving pale green eyes shifting slightly as it started to click in that brilliant brain of hers.

Her breath hitched for a second, he saw as a chill shivered up her spine. Her shoulders visibly tensed as she stared at him. Her voice was shaky, barely above a whisper as she spoke.

"Commander Mono, where is my  brother?"

The shadows of his paper bag hid his small smirk. His mind continued to buzz like a hive of angry waps, but at the same time, every word that bounced inside of it was foggy.

His jaws opened again without his knowing, his voice leaving him before he could think clearly on what to say.

"Oracle Rain, your brother died. A stray kindle caught our side of the forest on fire. A branch fell on him, I tried to pull him out, but... the fire was coming too quickly. He told me to leave, and I ran to the creek to stay safe in case it were to come closer."

Rain stood still, stone faced and staring at him. Her fingers twitched, movement starting to climb up her arms and legs, her body soon beginning to shake.

Her eyes were suddenly laced with tears, but she didn't break her stare. A large tear rolled down her cheek, a trembling hand going to wipe her face. Soon, one tear after another started falling from her eyes, to the point she was starting to cry.

The Commander watched as she started to cry louder, to the point she fell down onto to the ground. What started as sobs that were straining to stay quiet were suddenly loud wailing of heartbreak. Her normal reserved and quiet self was thrown to the side, pain and agony ripping through her.

Kids turned to them, but his eyes blurred their faces out. His heterochromic eyes only focused on the girl before him. Her broken crying, her red and tear stained face, her trembling and shaky breaths.

Rain has always been beautiful to him.

Now she was only his.

He would make her love him back, even if he had to break her spirit.

~~~

Mono woke up with a gasp, sitting up. The cold tile of the hospital floor sending a chill up his back.

He opened his good eye, looking around. The lights of the building were on. Weren't they off a second ago?

"Mono! Are you okay? We saw the lights turn on and we thought an adult found you."

He looked over, eyes widening as he saw the twins and Squeaks run over. He saw the former Oracle, the memories of what he saw flooding back to him.

His heart started to pound loudly, her broken cries ringing in his ears. He tried to lift his arms to cover them over his head, only to find her couldn't move.

The same feeling of buzzing but foggy minded made him want to scream. He couldn't move, his mind felt weird.

A gentle hand touched his shoulder, and all at once, the feeling went away.

"Mono?"

Rain.

"I'm fine, just... I thought I saw something," he said.

Seven came over, Squeaks by his side, the feral looking around. "Might have been an adult patrol then. They'll realize the lights are on and start coming this way."

Seven reached a hand out to the other boy, Mono reached and taking it, pulling himself up with the former pyrotech's help.

Once on his feet, Mono looked up, briefly gazing into Seven's eyes. They were dull, his pupils were smaller, and he stared at him like he saw a ghost.

Seven snatched his hand away from him, making Rain and Squeaks look at him with confusion.

"Sev?" Rain whispered.

Seven backed away from the former scout, before looking to his sister.

"We need to get going, we don't have a lot of time to be sitting around and kicking rocks. Let's just get going already."

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

Finished - Dec. 29th, 2021

Yes, yes, I know the ending is rushed, I'm sorry

This is probably the worst chapter I've written so far, but life has been stressful and hectic and this is literally the first time I've sat down and written in a while

But, I hope this kinda made up for the silence.

Hope you all enjoyed!

Take care!