Gerard was lead to a dark room inside the giant tent. Rebel gestured to a spot on the ground that had chains rising from its depths. "Sit." She ordered.

Gerard listened, not seeing a use in arguing. He sat down and she crouched next to him. Cuffs were quickly clamped around his wrists.

"She's not usually that explosive, you know."

Gerard looked up, locking eyes with his friend. Though there was no recognition, there was still a softness to her gaze.

"She's the leader around here." Rebel continued, "She keeps our spirits uplifted, even in the most dismal times... It can take a toll." She avoided Gerard's eyes as she spoke, silently stashing her weapon in its holster.

Gerard looked down. Had he written something like this? He couldn't be sure anymore; art was blurring along the line of reality to a point that Gerard felt unfamiliar with his own, created world. "I never meant for any of this..."

"Even the most well meaning men have their moments of blindness." Rebel replied, softly. Her eyes finally flickered in Gerard's direction. "It could have been so much different, though. She may have greeted you as an old friend under different circumstances."

Gerard shook his head. "I made decisions that brought about the wrong circumstances..." He looked up, locking her gaze.

Her eyes were really pretty.

It was a small detail that he had never taken in of her real life counterpart. The way they looked back at Gerard was something he felt like he had known before, but he couldn't mark it past a feeling.

Unfortunately, she was the one to break the contact as a voice hollered her name. "I'm needed."

"Come back if you have a chance?" Gerard's voice was soft, causing Rebel to hesitate from rising to her feet. She seemed to have a quiet deliberation in her head before she nodded.

"Okay."

---

Fun Ghoul was locked somewhere away from Gerard, but that didn't stop the short killjoy's loud projection of his many, and often, swears.

Gerard had attempted to pull out of his restraints, but it ended as well as could be expected. He was forced to stay where he was, listening to Fun Ghoul's swears mixed with the sounds of others in the large tent.

Laughter was very minimal here. Sometimes people walked by where he was being held with hushed whispers. There were sounds of sadness, followed by soft, uplifting messages from none other than Desert Hurricane. Rebel was right about her being the strength in this place; her words, that Gerard could hear, held a power behind them. She was a leader who tried her hardest to keep spirits up and keep everyone moving.

Maybe Gerard could learn from her...

Maybe Party Poison could learn from her if he actually had turned these people away.

Gerard didn't understand it. He had written Party as a hero! How had he just abandoned so many people in need?

Future Bloom and Solo could almost always be found with two other boys, though Gerard had never seen them. The three youngest, who went by 'the strays' were a quiet group, but sometimes Gerard heard them talk. The ones that could talk anyway.

"I miss the others." Crybaby would sniffle.

"We lost seven, but we're still here. Darling, we'll be okay." Mechanical Kid would soothe her, "Remember what Desert Hurricane says, things will look up."

"I trust her... I'm just sad."

"So am I..."

Rebel did come back quite often. She brought Gerard food and drinks while also sparking conversation with him. It was refreshing, seeing as no one else came to speak to him. It was through her that he learned that his own group of killjoys were being informed of his and Fun Ghoul's capture by the young renegades. They would negotiate terms of their release soon.

"Hurricane is willing to let you go... Just under certain conditions."

"She wants to join up with them, doesn't she?" Gerard asked.

Rebel nodded. "The storms have been getting so much worse here. The kids are growing more afraid by the day. Everyone is unsure how much longer we can last."

"I'll gladly negotiate terms." Gerard sat upright, "I-I have no idea why I denied you all, but I need to make it right." He looked into Rebel's eyes, finding a new spark of hope glimmering back at him. "Can I talk to her?"

"You mean it?" Rebel whispered, reaching out to grasp his hand in hers. Her grip was cool compared to the humid air around them. "Please don't be joking."

Gerard squeezed her hand. "I swear I'm not." He promised, "Please-"

His words were cut off by laser blasts and shouts. Rebel stiffened, her eyes growing wide. Gerard shot his gaze between Rebel and the tent walls around them.

"What's happening?"

"GET DOWN!"

"I need to help." Rebel pulled her hands away from Gerard with fear replacing her hope.

"What's happening!?" Gerard exclaimed as Rebel pulled her weapon from its holster. She didn't answer. "Rebel!"

"Just shut up so you don't get found!" She snapped at Gerard, finally shifting her gaze to look at him. There was a slight tremble to her stance, as well as, tears brimming in her eyes. "Just shush." With that, she ran out of the room.

The laser blasts continued, prompting Gerard to pull at his restraints once again. He needed to get out. He needed to help if he could. He needed to make sure Fun Ghoul and the others were alright.

"That's enough." A surprisingly calm voice thundered before everything went silent. Gerard looked up from his restraints in a panic. What the hell was going on!?

The walls of the tent around him fluttered as if a casual breeze had just blown by. The laser blasts had silenced. the yells had ceased. It was eerily silent now, making Gerard shudder.

"H...hello?" Gerard broke the silence with a shaky voice.

There was no response.

At first.

Footsteps seemed to echo in the silence. They crunched slowly, growing louder as if they were coming towards Gerard.

"Fuck!" Gerard squeaked, beginning to tug harder at his restraints. This wasn't good. This was far from good. He didn't want to die here.

"Hello, Gerard Way."

Gerard froze. The cool, collected voice had not only called his name, but it had called his actual name. Did... Did it know Gerard?

"Don't want to say hello?" The voice asked with a soft chuckle, "Do you not like my gift?"

Gerard gulped before willing himself to look up. He first saw dress shoes. Dress shoes? In a post apocalyptic desert? Next came clean dress pants, a white shirt with a flowing jacket and... His face. His face was one he had seen before; the man from before Brendon's party.

"What the hell are you?" Gerard whispered through the fear that paralyzed the rest of his body.

The man said nothing. He instead knelt down next to Gerard. Somehow, the man effortlessly pulled Gerard's restraints away, as if they were nothing.

Gerard shrunk back, immediately, sucking in a breath with his movement. What the hell was this guy doing here, and how did he know Gerard's name!?

The man straightened himself and smiled. "You've created a wonderful world here." He said, gesturing around him. "Just as flawed as your own, but accommodating none the less."

"How are we here?" Gerard demanded with a shaky, rather unthreatening voice. "W-What's happening?"

The man continued to smile. "As I said, the world you created."

Gerard shook his head. "It doesn't exist! And my friends... They're not my friends they're-"

"Reflections of your characters." The man finished for him with a nod. "Yes, in order to fit into your world, I altered their perception and memories. It was quite successful, though that other boy that was with you when we met has had some difficulty fully taking to it."

"Ryan." Gerard whispered before shaking his head. "No! How could you... You're just... What are you!?" He demanded again, shutting his eyes tightly.

"It doesn't matter what I am." The man said before a grip locked onto Gerard's wrist. His eyes snapped open as the grip tightened, causing him to cry out in pain.

"I need you to stay in the happier side of your fantasy, Gerard." The coolness of the man's tone had shifted to a strange growl. "I get fed better that way."

Gerard was yanked to his feet, bringing him eye level with the man. The man himself had changed in the time that Gerard had closed his eyes. His eyes were a shockingly, vibrant blue with a strange whisp emitting from them. His bald head was covered in dark blue, cryptic symbols that seemed to be glowing.

"What the fuck are you?" Gerard whispered as his heart began to race with fear. The grip was tightening, and the dark look of the creature holding him was only deepening.

The creature refused to speak. Instead, it brought its free hand up into the air. Gerard was afraid that he was going to be smacked by the creature but, instead, the creature simply snapped his fingers.

"Party, wake up!"

Gerard's eyes snapped open, revealing Ryan's face looking over him with a tilted head. The killjoy grinned at Gerard's open eyes, offering a timid wave.

"Demonic and Fun Ghoul are loading the car. You must have been really tired to miss their bickering-"

"Where the hell am I!?" Gerard pushed himself up like a shot, immediately being greeted by a disorienting dizziness.

"Our place. Mine and Demonic's I mean." Northern Downpour looked confused as he reached out to place his hand on Gerard's shoulder, "Are you alright?"

Gerard shook his head. Honestly, he felt a bit nauseous. He wasn't just here; he had been at the rejected killjoy camp, wherever that was. "I... I need to talk to Ryan."

"Who?"

Gerard turned to his friend, finding confusion looking back at him. The creature's words echoed in his mind, making him involuntarily shudder. "You. Northern, Ryan, I saw him, Northern. I saw the man that did this to us. Whatever the hell this is! Ah!" Gerard cried out as a sharp pain shot through his head. His hand gripped a tuft of his hair as his eyes snapped tightly shut.

"Party, I don't think you're well." Northern sounded concerned, "Please, sir, lie back down. You're not making sense."

"Please," Gerard spoke through gritted teeth as the pain in his head became blinding, "just try to get through, Ryan. I need you..." Gerard suddenly felt extremely tired. He could feel himself swaying where he sat, but he didn't want to fall. He needed to understand what was happening.

What the hell was happening? How did he get back here?

Those questions would remain unanswered for a bit longer, because everything went dark for Gerard.