-28-

"You know that he's nothing more than a shell right? I just got done talking to your boyfriend about that?" 

I turn, gasping. "P-Parad?" 

What in the world is he doing here with me right now? How did he know that I would be here right now? Does he know something that I don't know?

"Only a little bit longer before you have to decide between me and Emu," Parad tells me, stepping towards me as the wind blows his curls a bit. "And we all know that I'm the real winner when it comes to me and him, right? Who could date a loser like him and feel something?" 

"That's not nice, Parad," I state. He doesn't have to be rude because he's upset. 

"Genm lost his immortality," he says, changing the subject as he stops right in front of me. "Did you like seeing that happen?"

I look at at his face as he stares down at me. He thinks I would like seeing that?  Why in the world would I like seeing someone being reprogrammed? I know that he is evil, but he isn't fully evil and it bothers me to see that happen to him. Is it because I'm too kind or stupid? I know I'm not actually stupid, but stupid in the sense of being dumb enough to trust someone like him.

"I guess you didn't like it." He leans down a bit, smirking. "I love the look on your face right now. Are you afraid of me right now, Elkie? What happens when he is out of the way, huh? What happens to me then?"

I never really thought about it. What does happen if Kuroto is taken out of the picture? Does that mean that he, Parad, is up to no good? 

"I know something that you don't know, Elkie. What is it then, huh? Do you want to risk getting hurt at that man's side or do you want to come back to me where it is safe for you?" Parad laughs, looking amused as he eyes sparkle. Why does he have to be like this right now? 

"Stop it." I want him to stop this now. "You're not a bad person at all."

"Person? Me? No, I'm a Bugster," he responds. He leans even closer and places his hands on my shoulders. "Elkie, stop being foolish and come back to me!"

"Parad..." I wish he wouldn't be like this with me. 

He turns me a bit, turning me and pressing my back into a tree. Why did I have to stand near a tree? What made that stupid idea pop into my mind and make me go "Oh, yeah, that is the perfect place to be to watch everything go on"?

"Elkie, you know that I'm the one for you." He shakes me a bit. "You know that, right? You can feel that we're meant for each other."

I close my eyes and shake my head. "Don't be like this right now. Please..." I don't want to shove him because he can become violent at any moment with me. 

"You know it, right? I love you, Elkie." Love sure doesn't feel like this and I doubt he truly does. He sees me as his little toy to play with.

I open my eyes and look him in the eyes, resisting the urge to scream. "Parad..." If I was a Kamen Rider, I would kick his butt right now to get him off of me. 

He leans in and presses his lips against mine, planting a kiss on my lips. I don't know what to right now at all. I can't shove him off or else it could end up being bad for me. What if he is willing to kill me and is just making up this entire thing to upset me or get at me? It is quite possible that he is doing that.

"Hey, get your lips off my girlfriend along with your hands! You said you would give us a week." Emu?

Parad pulls back, eyes looking around the side of the tree. "Oh? Did I?"

"Don't play dumb with me," Emu tells him. "You know that you're touching someone you gave me a week with before she officially decides who she wants, right? You shouldn't be trying to influence her decision."

Parad smirks, looking really amused now. "Did I really try to influence it? She obviously wants me and came onto me. She didn't even shove me off when I placed my lips on her lips. She wanted it." Now he's just trying to start drama between me and Emu to make the choice in his favor.

"Did she ask to be backed up into a tree too or did that just happen in your head? Hands off the girlfriend," Emu asks. 

I hold back a laugh. "Emu!" What he said was funny though and I'll laugh about it later.

Parad removes his hands from my shoulder, leaving my skin to burn. "I think you will come to find that your girlfriend craves Bugsters more than you humans. The touch and feel of me obviously gets her excited."

"And I can get her excited just by playing a video game for her. What makes you so impressive? You teamed up with Kuroto to harm people," Emu spits out. Okay, that was funny too. He should stop saying silly things.

Parad turns and I move to the side. "You can get her excited by doing that? I doubt it. I have learned some much since I've gotten to know her, Emu. Everything I was curious about with her, I can crave and want now." Huh?

I turn to Emu and shrug my shoulders. "I honestly blame myself for what just happened. I shouldn't have gone out."

"Oh, a pity party? You? The woman who convinced me to be hers? You can't take back all of what you said to me. You're going to be mine at the end of the week," Parad states and I look back as he vanishes. Is that supposed to be a threat of some sort? 

"Elkie!" Emu rushes towards me, closing the space between us up, and wraps his arms around me. He lifts me up and spins me around, eyes looking into mine joyfully. 

"Hey, what is this for?" I ask as he puts me down, pulling me closer to his body. "Did something amazing happen?"

"You're alright and that is what matters to me. You shouldn't be so invested in following me around or else something like that will happen again. How was that kiss? Looked pretty unsatisfying?"

"Nothing compares to the lips of a gamer boy like you. Also, your medical experience, despite being limited compared to Hiiro's, is nice to have." 

"We should get back to the CR. You need to wash those lips of yours off." 

"Right."

I do.

~.~

"Now stay over here while we deal with this. Kuroto could kill you if he wants to since he is out of it now," Emu warns me, holding onto my wrist gently. "Okay?"

I nod my head and look over at Kuroto as he looks around for something. I assume that he is looking for a way to make this world a living hell for those in it. Or did he officially lose his mind that was left? 

"I will stay here."

Emu releases my wrist and leans in, placing a kiss on my cheek. "I would stay with you if I could, but I have official business to attend to. It is the perfect type of day for a date."

"It is, but you can see how that is already ruined by Kuroto." I smile, eyes going back to Emu. "Maybe we can go out together tomorrow." 

"I wonder if tomorrow will be a nice day. Oh, right, Elkie," Emu says, eyes turning serious along with his face. "I talked with Parad not too long ago. I was going to tell you, but I felt like it could wait. He told me that I should kill Kuroto."

"Kill Kuroto? He told you that?" I am going to play stupid now. 

"He did." He nods. "I am so sorry that I didn't tell you about it sooner. I won't kill him though. I can't take a life."

"I know." I know what kind of man he is. "You're too good for this world. You know that, right?" 

He laughs, shaking his head. "No, I'm not too good for this world. You are though." He points towards Kuroto and I look over as Taiga moves forward to attack him. He's going to have to assist him.

"Be careful, Emu," I warn him as Hiiro blocks Taiga from doing some absolutely stupid. I am pretty sure that Taiga is trying to murder that CEO who is crazy and brought me here. Should I be rooting for Taiga or the crazy rich guy?

"I'll be right back." Emu rushes away as Kuroto knocks Hiiro down. Ouch!

Emu rushes away from me, heading towards the others with his driver around his waist. I didn't even notice that he put it on. He looks good in his long white doctor's coat, his stethoscope around his neck, and that orange t-shirt under that doctor's coat. He is really handsome and so going to save the day. I'm positive!

I move a bit closer, following Emu a little, and look around. This area isn't a really bad area to be in. It seems so normal and nice like the blue sky.

I look ahead as Kuroto looks at Emu. "Emu Hojo!"

"Genm," Emu replies, stopping. I bet he looks serious right now and I bet it looks super hot. Maybe not to Kuroto, but to me it is.

Emu holds up his Gashat, which is amazing. I don't know the name of the new one, but it seems pretty cool. It did some amazing work earlier, which I kind of liked. Well, until Parad showed up and ruined the entire morning. 

"I'll change your fate with my own two hands! Maximum transformation!" Emu shouts, transforming into his new form. 

I cover my mouth with my hands as he enters the giant suit, which looks pretty okay. I mean, it isn't an amazing looking suit. I kind of prefer the pink one over it even though I hate pink. But it does make him awesome. Really, really awesome! Am I being a thirsty fan lady right now?

"Just so you know, Emu, immortality isn't the only power a zombie can have!" Kuroto shouts, lifting up his arms as two zombies appear, rushing towards Emu. 

Kuroto fires at him and hits, not even damaging Emu's new suit. The zombie approaches and Emu lifts up an arm, hitting it with his big fist. Wow! 

The other zombie gets knocked down, fist connecting, and lands on it's back. Kuroto rushes forward, trying to hurt Emu, and he gets hit too. Emu steps forward as he falls back, ready to attack, and Kuroto lifts up his arrow looking thing. He brings it towards Emu, trying to hit him, and Emu blocks it. 

"Wow," I mutter out. "Emu is just so amazing."

"Is he now?" 

I turn as Parad stands beside me, eyes looking ahead. "Parad?" I can't believe that he is next to me right now.

His eyes go to me and he smiles. "Will he kill him, Elkie? I wouldn't mind it if he did. Kuroto...he's nothing to me now," Parad asks. Is he mad? 

"Why would you even ask me that? No, he won't take a life. I don't believe in him doing so unless it has to be done." Even if he had to, he would probably try to find a way not to. He made a vow once he joined the medical field and he will keep it.

"I was at the top over there, but I decided to join you the moment I saw you standing aside. Interesting how you can enter game areas with ease. It has to do with you from nothing be from this world, huh?"

"What?"

"Oh, nothing. Emu's doing well." His eyes go back to the battle field, smile still plastered onto his face. "My heart is jumping because he's playing the game."

"It is always a game to you!" I would smack him, but I am afraid of him smacking me back. He is capable of many things. 

Parad turns to me and he moves closer to me, moving quite quickly. Did he just use his powers to do that? Why does he have to be so close to me?

"Does it make you mad that I'm enjoying this? It is my nature to enjoy games, Elkie. Don't act disappointed in me now," he asks, placing a hand on my arm. He pulls me closer to him and places his lips against mine roughly, kissing me once again. 

I want to shove him, but I can't. He'll probably get really mad and drag me around with him. And since he's a Bugster, he has the advantage. I'll just let him do what he wants for now and have Emu deal with him later. Or I can find a way to make him leave me the heck alone.

He pulls back, smirking. "I am sorry for getting distracted by you. But you know what? You're just as fascinating as the result of this match up."

I look over at Kuroto lies on the ground, wearing his suit and hair all messy. He pushes himself up, eyes ahead as Poppy and Nico show up. Well, Asuna.

He presses on something, probably his Gashat, and looks around. He looks down, probably in shock, and I look beside me. Wait...where did Parad go?

I move a bit closer as Emu moves closer to Kuroto. "I reprogrammed your DNA," Emu informs him. "You can't transform any longer."

Kuroto can't transform now? What in the freaking heck? So, he isn't going to kill Kuroto and make Parad all sad? Great!

"I don't think you're evil at all, Kuroto. You're just someone who wants to make games to make people smile. I want you to smile again, Kuroto." 

"What a killjoy you are, M" Parad says, appearing out of nowhere and moving towards Kuroto. 

"Parad..." What the heck is he doing? 

He goes to Kuroto's left side and helps him up, holding him against his body. "The game can't end like this at all," he states, holding out his free arm. He turns to Kuroto a bit and punches him, making Kuroto double over.

He lets Kuroto fall down, turning to face him, as he holds out something. That is...the Bugvisor? Is he...is he going to use it?

He holds it up and turns to the others. "The loser has to get the ending that they deserve and that is the bad ending." He waves it, probably smiling at them. What a freak! A handsome, devious freaky Bugster!

He puts in a Gashat, which is Kuroto's I assume, and he turns to Kuroto. He points it down at Kuroto and presses down on something, sending out a purple cloud. Kuroto twitches in pain, rolling around on the ground, and I gasp. This so sick and twisted.

He turns and moves his hand a bit, making a cloud appear in front of Emu and the others. I rush forward and he turns to me. He moves a step closer and places his hand against my chest. He shoves me down and I look up at him as my butt collides with the rough ground. 

"Don't get yourself involved, Elk," he warns me, eyes burning a hole into my soul.

He looks back down as Kuroto crawls forward, pixels appearing on his body. Parad puts his hands behind his back and steps forward a bit as Kuroto keeps crawling. Is he amused by his suffering? What is wrong with him?

"Parad, stop!" I shout. 

Parad stops, eyes down on Kuroto still. "Why should I stop? He deserves his ending."

"I don't want to die!" Kuroto screams. 

Parad gets closer to Kuroto, pratically kneeling, and places a hand on his shoulder. "Thanks for everything, Game Master." He leans in a bit closer and I tilt my head. What is he saying to him now? I can't make it out.

He turns away from Kuroto, getting up, and he moves towards me. He grabs my shirt and pulls me up. He smirks and turns away a bit, pulling on me to follow him. Is he...is he seriously kidnapping me right now as Kuroto dies?

"We need to have a talk about what you're going to do from now on, Elkie. It is disappointing that you're ruining my fun." 

"Then kill me."

"I won't kill you, silly. I'm just going to punish you."

"..." Should I be afraid right now? My heart is pounding, that is for sure. 

I am not looking forward to my punishment.

A/n: Oh, no! I ended it here! :o 

I wonder what that punishment will be. It seems like Parad is getting a bit upset that he's not getting what he wants (the girl). We should be seeing more of him from now on. ;)

I hope that this chapter is enjoyable and we shall see what is in store for Elkie in the next chapter. :D Also, what will she do without Kuroto now? Seems like crap is getting real for her and Jennie. 

Thanks for reading!