Dimentio decided that it would be best to explore the city, despite Peach wanting to rescue her Brooks. It was difficult to get Dimentio to leave Inky alone, but he eventually stopped obsessing over the little guy enough for Inky to relax. The small demon still kept ahold of my hand, but he seemed like he was starting to loosen up a bit. 

He seemed to like Peach a little more than Dimentio, which would make sense because according to the character profile Mr. L created all that time ago, Inky loved Angel. He didn't bother her, though. He just liked to look at her, as if he was curious about her. He never spoke, but I wasn't sure if that was a choice or not. With Brooks, it never was a choice, but in Inky's case, it was very possible that he was simply choosing to be silent.

Peach decided to stick with us, despite making it very clear that she wanted to find her Brooks. She said that it was safer to stick together and that she could help us, but I honestly think she was just lonely and wanted company. According to her, this city was new for her too. She and her Brooks discovered it before it was declared to be off-limits. She said that there were no lost ones as far as she was aware. When Dimentio asked her what she and her Brooks were even doing out there, she simply said that her Brooks was on a mission. He never told her what it was, since he couldn't speak, but to her, it seemed like he was looking for someone.

Alright. So Mario's goal was to find someone, Peach's goal was to reunite with Mario, Dimentio aimed to get revenge on the one who killed the Ink Demon and I wanted to put an end to this world altogether. That gave each of us a motive for working together.

Well, each of us besides Inky. I couldn't tell what his goal was. I couldn't tell what had made him seem so afraid or why he even bothered sticking around me.

 I was skeptical that someone would pop out and get us, but Peach really was telling the truth when she said that there were no lost ones around. On top of that, no one was looking for me anymore because Mario had been captured in my place, so now was the perfect time to make progress.

Because we weren't at any risk, we decided to split up to cover more area. Peach said that the city wasn't as big as it looked, so we were to stay within the city. We agreed to meet back up in front of the subway station in about an hour, even though there was no way of keeping track of time. I was a little nervous about separating, but no one was around to attack us and we weren't going very far for very long.

Inky refused to leave my side, even after the other two had gone in different directions to explore. Not that I was complaining. I liked the idea of not being completely alone while searching. It was different than having Timpani or Dimentio around because when I was with them, they'd take the lead. With Inky, I was forced to make my own decisions and take the lead while also having the comfort of not being alone. 

I started exploring one of the buildings near the center of town. I wasn't sure why I chose to search it, but I had a feeling that something important was in there.

Inky held my hand all the way until I made it to the front doors. Once I stepped inside, he shook his head no and let go, taking a step back. 

I turned to face him and frowned.

He waved me forward as if telling me to go in without him. He looked afraid, as always. It was like there was something inside that was scaring him, to the point where he would rather wait outside alone than follow me in.

I eventually let out a sigh and nodded. He smiled at me, then walked over to a bench and sat down. He waved as if saying 'I'll wait here until you get back.'

I was skeptical about leaving him on his own, because if I ended up losing him then it was practically a guarantee that Dimentio would yell at me.

I trusted the little guy though. I wasn't sure why, but I did. Maybe it was a Brooks thing since Brooks was supposed to be Inky's friend.

I went inside the building, then started searching around. It seemed small and cramped compared to Castle Bleck, despite appearing rather tall from the outside. I looked around to see if there were any secret passageways or hidden rooms, then began to open drawers and rifle through things.

"Well, you haven't gotten very far," Count Bleck's voice teased, making me whirl around. Sure enough, there he was, staring at me with that horrible grin of his.

I glared. I wasn't a fan of him just showing up and scaring me like that. 

I wasn't a fan of him in general.

How did he even get in there? What, was he using his ghostly powers to just follow me around and make me feel guilty all while refusing to give me straight answers?

"Relax. Count Bleck isn't here to make you feel guilt," he assured me. "So, how is the journey going?"

I also wasn't a fan of him reading my mind.

I clenched my fists slightly.

"Heh... you still have anger and resentment building up inside of you. There's still some Count Bleck in you," he chuckled.

There he goes again, acting like he's oh-so-wise. Newsflash, Count Bleck. I was you, and most of the time I didn't even know what I was doing. It's all an act. Stop acting when it's just me in the room. It's embarrassing.

"I see. You've chosen to distance yourself from the past. You've chosen to see me as someone else. It makes hating Count Bleck easier when he isn't you, correct?" He asked me.

Incorrect, actually. It's always easier for a person to hate themselves than to hate others. I hated Count Bleck BECAUSE he was me, and still did all those terrible things.

"Hmm. Count Bleck can understand that," he admitted.

Sure, because being kind and understanding was what he was all about. 

"I suppose hate never fades," he muttered. "Come here. There's something Count Bleck wants to show you."

Without my permission, he grabbed ahold of my arm and started leading me forward. For a moment, the world seemed to glitch back and forth between the building we were in, and the halls of Castle Bleck. The halls from the cycles Mr. L repeated time and time again. The glitching almost made me dizzy.

"Alright, Count. I'm here."

Mr. L's voice echoed all around us, repeating the phrase over and over. 

The room we were in glitched away and suddenly, we were standing back at the beginning. Back at the entrance to Castle Bleck. Back where Mr. L would return time and time again to restart the cycle. The posters of Inky were back. The message that read DREAMS COME TRUE was still written on the wall. The only thing that was different was the fact that I was there and not Mr. L. 

Well, me and Count Bleck.

"Come along, Blumiere. Have a seat," Count Bleck beamed, pulling up a wooden chair.

I shook my head no and stayed in place, just to spite him. He didn't seem too upset, however. He simply shrugged it off, then looked around.

"So many memories..." he trailed off. "Don't worry. Count Bleck understands your confusion. You're here for answers, yes?"

I nodded, but I knew better than to fall into his trap. Knowing him, he wasn't going to give me any real answers. Just bits and pieces of information that would further confuse me. 

There are times when people search for answers, only to end up drowning in the clues they find. Too many pieces, and not enough clarity.

"Well, once upon a time there was a bitter man. The real Count Bleck," Count Bleck explained with a smile. "I'm sure you know the story better than anyone else. An angel arrived in his life.  She saw the good in him that no one else could, including himself. In their relationship, she helped him see the light in a world full of darkness. She guided him and always provided hope. He loved her so much, but she was taken from him. He tried to blame everyone but himself for his mistakes. He blamed his father for taking the love of his life from him and he blamed the world for being filled with such cruel people. In his anger, he set out to destroy all worlds."

None of this was new information. If he was just going to continue repeating things I already knew, then I would be better off on my own. He was starting to sound like a broken record at this point.

"But, before he could succeed, his own trusted teammates began to suspect and abandon him, one by one. The Count knew he couldn't accomplish what he wanted on his own, yet he couldn't stop it either. He couldn't even stop it when his Angel and a legendary hero arrived to save the day.," he continued. "The heart needed the man in green. The heart needed its destined host. So... it latched onto what it could."

Count Bleck smiled and held up a small book. At first, I didn't recognize it. It looked like nothing more than a random book.

But it was so much more than that. No, it wasn't a book filled with dark prophecies and spells, yet it still held power.

It was Mr. L's sketchbook.

"Blumiere, Blumiere, Blumiere. Think about what the last thing you remember is..." Count Bleck trailed off. "Did you really think as Brooks all your memories would be safe?"

What was he talking about?

Did he mean my last memories from before all of this happened?

Wait... what even was my last memory?

I remembered Dimentio leaving. I remembered Mimi growing suspicious of me. I remembered Mr. L leaving as well and O'Chunks beginning to grow angry. I remembered the plan starting to fall apart. 

I remembered asking Mr. L about his drawings and talking to Dimentio about his love for music. I remembered telling Mimi that she could be an angel if she wanted.

After that... I didn't remember anything. I didn't remember fighting the heroes. I didn't remember the void actually swallowing everything. I didn't remember even seeing the true end of the world.

"Ah, now you're starting to get it..." Count Bleck smiled.

What did he mean?

I looked up at him, confused.

"You weren't there, Blumiere. Not anymore," he explained. "When the world ended, you were already gone. You were perhaps the first thing the heart destroyed. By the time Mario and our dearest Timpani arrived, you were long gone. It was just the heart." 

Just the heart?

No. No way I would have let the heart completely take control.

Right...?

Actually, now that I think about it... that's all I've ever done in this world. Let others take control. I've been nothing more than a silent follower.

"Just because we are born of darkness, doesn't mean we belong to it, Blumiere. We were always free to choose. Even in your last moments, you were free to choose. Yet, you chose to stand by and let the world fall. You chose to let me take control."

Me?

...

He wasn't Count Bleck, was he?

... I want to go back. I have to get back to Dimentio. I have to get back to Inky. I had to get far away from this... this THING.

I wasn't sure what was worse. The fact that the Chaos Heart was projecting itself as Count Bleck so it could speak to me, or the fact that my father seemed to be directly opposing it. Were those the only two sides of this war? The heart vs. my father. Which side was supposed to be the good side? It was a fight between two evils!

Take me back, I silently thought. You have to take me back. Get me away from here.

"You and Count Bleck both know that you have to stop your father. A world like this is preferable to the type of world he has in mind."

Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!

"You know it's true, Blumiere."

Stop talking! I wasn't going to let the heart get into my head and manipulate me. There was too much happening. I was too vulnerable.

I have always been too vulnerable. That was how the Dark Prognosticus and the heart were able to get me to do what they wanted in the first place.

No more, no more, no more. I was done being a part of these games. Of these wars. 

Take. Me. Back.

Count Bleck looked at me, then sighed. The world glitched for a second, then I was back in the building I had been in before, and he was gone.

For a second, I thought I was all alone once again.

But, as always, I was wrong.

"Something's wrong, something's wrong, something's wrong, something's wrong, something's wrong, something's wrong, something's wrong..." he muttered over and over.

I turned towards where the voice was coming from, and much to my surprise I saw not one, but two familiar faces.

Inky was sitting in the corner, holding Mr. L's hand, as if he was trying to comfort the man in green, who was muttering that same phrase over and over again.