Mark's POV

I lifted Kyle up toward Katherine. "Before all of this gets started, I'm going to give you two options. One, you release everyone from this place and give them their memories back. Two, you die trying to stop us from doing that on our own."

Katherine looked down, but I could tell she was smirking to herself. "Mark, what do I look like to you? Do I seem weak enough to let two fifteen-year-olds and some clueless adults win against me? What about ignorant enough to not have seen this coming? None of you even know who you are, and before you interrupt me, that applies to Ethan and Robert as well. You won't get all of your memories back until someone saves you from this place."

I narrowed my eyes at her. "How does someone save us from here?"

"They do something to your body in the physical world that slaps you back into reality."

I glanced away for a second before looking back at her. "How do we know where other people's bodies are?"

Katherine leaned over and picked her blade up off the ground. "How about we make a deal? If you defeat me without killing me, I'll explain how to find everyone's bodies back at the orphanage."

I took a second to think about it before I asked, "What happens if you defeat me?"

She giggled, "I already told you what happens when I defeat you. Your time here will restart."

I grimaced at the thought but nodded my head. "Alright, deal. I hope you understand that you aren't just fighting me, though."

She smirked. "I'm fully aware of your friends standing outside the door. There's one more thing we need to discuss, though."

"What?" I asked, thinking we'd covered everything and wanting to get this fight over with before my nerves got the better of me.

"Kyle," she replied briefly.

"What about him?"

"When I defeat you and your friends, Kyle will be sent back to the orphanage. He wasn't supposed to get involved with you at all, but he must have snuck out that first day you all were here. We saw him through the security footage as he ran to where that beast was attacking you and hid under a table."

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

Her eyes widened slightly. "Sorry, I forgot you don't remember anything except for Jack, which, might I add, is strange, because usually–"

"Katherine, I apologize for interrupting, but can you shut the hell up and let my friends in so we can fight and get this over with?"

She narrowed her eyes at me but obliged. Katherine walked to the door and opened it just as Felix had swung a kick at it. He fell through the doorway, landing on his stomach. He sprung up a second later and cheered, "See! I told you I could break through the door!"

Katherine, still holding the door open, looked back at me. "This is going to be an easier fight than I thought."

I clenched my fists at my sides before Felix noticed me. "Mark! After Percy put me in a headlock and dove off that cliff, I lost you!" He quickly ran over to me. "I thought that Phil guy was gonna throw you off the cliff right behind me, but you never came."

I shook my head. "No, Reagan pushed me off and when I got to the water, I couldn't find you anywhere. On the bright side, I learned that I can talk to sharks and dolphins. I'm not sure when the hell that's gonna come in handy, but I can do it."

He looked at me skeptically. "It's probably a trick."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean it wasn't cool."

Felix shrugged. "Okay, sure."

"Oh! I also figured out that Kyle is a–"

Suddenly, Ethan stormed into the room. "Mark, why the heck is Katherine holding a door open for me? And where'd you get that sword?"

"Wait, a sword?" Sam called as she jogged in with Tim. 

Tim noticed Katherine's blade and questioned, "Were you two about to have a fight?"

Katherine shot a glare at Sam and Tim, causing them to go silent. They glanced at each other before walking to the rest of us.

Cry, Robert, and Tyler came in last. All three of them were skeptically scanning the shed-like house.

"And that's everyone," Katherine announced, her tone of voice slightly darker than the one she had been using with me. "Now, everyone prepare to fight."

"But Mark's the only person with a weapon!" Tyler shouted.

Katherine shrugged, still smirking. "That's too bad. I guess you'll just have to improvise. I'll give you thirty seconds before I swing first."

I pulled everyone into a group huddle. "I have an idea, but it's not exactly something we should just trust to work."

"Tell us fast," Ethan decided, "we have about twenty seconds before we're all dead if we come up with nothing."

I handed Kyle to Felix. "Alright Kyle, please come out real quick and help–"

Kyle started glowing blue, startling everyone around me. "Mark, why's your sword–"

"Not important," I interrupted Cry. "Trust whatever he says. I'm hoping he has weapons of some sort with him for you guys to use."

Felix, still holding the sword, screamed once he was in his human form and promptly dropped him. Kyle rubbed his head before jumping off the ground. "I've got some stuff, don't worry. Mark, go do whatever you need to do, but don't be too long. According to your deal with Katherine, you have to be the one to defeat her."

"Wait, what deal–"

"Nothing!" I started yelling as I ran to the door. "Just remember to have each other's backs. I'll be back soon!"

With that, I sprinted out the door before they could reply. Right before the door closed, I heard Katherine announce, "Time's up."

As fast as I could, I ran into the forest, hurriedly scanning over the area for any sign of animal life. Once I was deep enough into the forest, I stopped running and tried listening for any indication that there was an animal nearby.

I didn't hear anything other than my speeding heartbeat and quick breaths.

I took a deep breath before yelling, "If any animals are here, please come forward! I am in desperate need of help!"

After a few seconds of nothing happening, I started running again. I was stopped by a raccoon and squirrel standing in the middle of my path.

I smiled before mumbling, "What a miracle."

I fell to my knees in front of the two mammals and reached both of my hands out. The squirrel bumped its head against my left hand, and the raccoon, my right. "Okay," I started, "I need your help. Are there any other animals nearby?"

Yeah, why? What's going on? the squirrel asked.

I grinned. "My friends are in trouble and I need some help saving them from Katherine."

Katherine? the raccoon questioned. Why would she hurt you and your friends?

"She wants to keep us from getting our memories back, which she stole from us."

The squirrel took off running while the raccoon watched. 

"Where's the squirrel going?"

Don't know. Probably thought helping you was too much of a commitment.

I stood up off the ground and the raccoon ran off in the direction the squirrel went in. I groaned, knowing they likely weren't coming back.

Again, I yelled, "Are any animals here? I could really use the help!"

I waited a couple minutes before I decided that if I couldn't get help from any of the animals, I should at least try to help with whatever I can back at the shed.

I began jogging back through the woods toward the shed when the squirrel raced passed me and stopped in front of me.

I quickly kneeled down to it, placed my hand on its head, and asked, "What happened?"

I found help.

I sent the squirrel a confused glance before I heard something in the trees. I turned my head toward the sound but didn't see anything.

I looked back down at the squirrel. "What do I need to do?"

Lead the way. I already explained everything to the other animals. All you have to do is take us there.

I quickly smiled at the squirrel before I stood up again. The squirrel crawled up my body and stood on my shoulder. 

I laughed to myself, announced a quick, "Hang on," and took off running. I weaved my way through the forest, careful not to step on the occasional animal that scurried across the path in front of me. 

After several minutes of running through the forest, we made it to the clearing the shed-like house was on. I smiled brightly as I ran across the clearing.

Once the trees had stopped concealing them, I could see the animals more clearly. 

Every single animal now surrounding me was a squirrel.

I grinned as I felt an old memory pick at the back of my brain. Before I knew what I was doing, I had lifted my arms out on both sides.

As loud as I could, I shouted, "I'm King of the Squirrels!"

The squirrels began wildly chattering around me, causing me to start laughing while I ran.

My laughter was interrupted when I heard Katherine menacingly yell, "Good luck in the Restart!"

A/N

Mmmmm yes 2013 references

I live for old memes

Also, hope you guys like the new cover and didn't get completely thrown off by it.

Anyways, BUH-BYE BROTATOS!