Berry

The rough cover of the book grazes your damp fingertips. The tattered material made it clear that it had gone years without proper care. Thinking about the significance the item in your possession caused nervous sweat to accumulate on your hands. Setting it down, you wipe the palm of your hands on the fabric of your clothes for the umpteenth time. With a shuttering sigh, you pick the heavy book back up and simply stare at it.

'The Watchman Series Book...'

Moving your tentative hands, you finally flip the book open to the first page. Upon skimming through the words written on the paper, you were met with confusion. The handwriting was unlike that of your fiancé's. Along with that, names that you'd never seen were populating most of the sentences. Confused, you look up at clone Tamsy with a eyebrow raised.

The clone, who was sitting beside you, seemed to have instantly understood the source of your confusion because he answered your question before you could even utter it. "The first few pages were written before the book ever came into Tamsy's possession." He holds out his hands, offering to flip the pages to the correct starting point. You obliged, and he he found the beginning of Tamsy's writings for you, then handed the book back.

"Oh my goodness." Your jaw dropped at the sheer amount of detail adorning the two facing pages. Based on the length of paragraphs, you could tell that he needed to be thorough with whatever history he'd written over. Almost as if, the tiniest mistake could foil some sort of plan. Shaking off the initial surprise, you train your eyes on the pages.

"Amo..." you whispered when you read the name. The woman behind the bars, he had written about her. "Amo Empool was imprisoned and starved by a long haired woman. She suffered this abuse long term, only being given water as sustenance. This woman's face will be a blur to her; Amo will only be able to remember the actions done to her, along with the length of the woman's hair."

A hand touches your shoulder and you meet eyes with your fiancé's clone. His hair was framing his face beautifully, and it fell far down his back. Glancing at the handwriting in the book, you could definitely tell it belonged to Tamsy. Taking in the clone's appearance, you were able to recognize the inherent femininity in his features. If wanted to, he could easily pass as a woman. With the help of a magical book, the look would be seamless.

"Tamsy is the woman." Your voice was smaller than you'd like to admit. The reality of your lover's evil doings crashes down on you. "Is he planning to kill her? The girl named Amo." You could feel the bile rising in your throat at the mere thought that your fiancé could commit such a heinous act. Thankfully, that worry was quickly shut down by the clone's next words.

"No, unless something has changed in his plan, she is an integral piece and must remain stable."

"Plan? There's a bigger scheme to this?" Clenching your hands around the hard covers, you try to encourage yourself to flip the page to uncover more about this plan of his.

"You won't find what you're looking for in there, so please stop. You like you might burst a blood vessel."

Normally a jab like that would make you laugh. But, being shrouded in lies and mysteries is making it rather difficult to find anything humorous at the moment. Especially not anything from someone wearing the current culprit's face. So, you settle on giving him a questioning look.

"His plan for Rudo. The boy who was executed for the murder of his father. It ties to Tamsy's kidnapping of Amo."

You think back to the conversation you had with Tamsy not too long ago when he was telling you about The Ground. He mentioned that he acted as a mentor of sorts to him. He said he gave Rudo pushes, little ounces of... motivation. "Pushes..." you think aloud. Certainly the pushes couldn't be as dire as the suspicion currently brewing in your brain. Tamsy has proven that he could commit evil acts, but would he go so far as to-

"Murder." As if reading your mind, the clone confirms your suspicions with that one word.

The truth was so vile you could vomit, you could hardly let your next words leave your mouth.

"Tamsy murdered Regto."

Meanwhile...

Tamsy's dorm was uncharacteristically messy. He had spent the better part of the hour tearing it apart in search of his precious book. It wasn't in it's designated drawer, nor on his dresser. He even checked the huge pockets of his clothing that could hold the book.

The moment he got back to HQ from that strange mission he made a beeline toward his room. He has a routine of checking on the Watchman Book everytime he leaves his room, just in case someone had ever broke in and discovered it. Though, he always thought he was just being extra, turns out it was a valid concern.

As strange as the mission was, he was thankful it ended the way it did. Had he actually had to fight a trash beast he would've been tired and even more irritable. He didn't know if he'd be able to contain himself after the book vanished if that were the case. Still, he was rather perplexed on why two trash beasts were fighting each other, and why they looked eerily similar. Unfortunately, he had no time to ponder about that because he had to focus all his attention on finding the book.

"This is nothing less than unfortunate." Tamsy lamented as he took his bun down. Maybe if he got a better flow to his brain he would remember where he put the book. After he finishes unbraiding the blue hair, he decides to check outside. "I could hardly imagine myself being so careless."

He turned the loud metal blasting through the small radio down. He had only turned it on to cover his screams of annoyance upon realizing his book was no where to be seen. Now that he's leaving his room, he needed to mask his unpleasant snarl with a pleasant grin. He couldn't have anyone seeing him out of the cool, calm, and collected demeanor he so carefully crafted.

Making his way to front door, Semiu's voice stopped him in his tracks. "Did you find what you were looking for?" Instead of reading an explicit magazine, she was reviewing a mission report for Tomme regarding the strange sighting of the trash beast fight.

'What...?' The confusion that painted his face was almost jarring. He schooled his expression and turned to face Semiu. "How did you know I was looking for something?" He hasn't told anyone, so unless she was secretly a mind reader... do her glasses count as mind reading?

She shoots him a look that said 'have you lost your mind' "You told me you probably dropped something outside. You act like an old man, but I know your memory can't be that bad." Without another word she returns back to the report.

His blue brows furrowed at her claim, but he did not push further. He knew for a fact he didn't tell her that. What could she possibly be referring to? I know she isn't a crazy woman, she's one of the most sensible people on the ground.

The warmth of the outside only made him feel worse. Semiu seemed so sure of her claim. Like she saw it with her eyes. 'It's not like I have an identical twin,' he thought with a small huff.

"And it's not like there are two of m..." Suddenly his world came crashing down on him. "Two of me!" He quickly covered his mouth and scanned the perimeter after realizing how loud that was.

You were able to clone him and you HAD a clone of him at all times to cover for him in The Sphere. But how would you get down here? And how would you know anything about the Watchman Book? Tamsy never told you a thing about the watchman series. Plus, you told him the clones you create wouldn't reveal anything the person they were cloned from wouldn't want revealed.

Even greater than that, he wiped your memory. How would you remember a thing about how to maneuver on The Ground if he erased your memory of the visit.

'She was so in awe the whole time we were down here. Even jotting down everything she loved about it. It pained me to do that to her, but I couldn't have her knowing about Amo. She would never forgi-"

Right then, Tamsy realized his one fatal mistake. You wrote everythingdown. He didn't even try to take your book away once he wiped your memories. You probably read it and remember everything by now.

He was speedwalking now, bordering on a run. He needed to get to a secluded area so he could take a quick trip to The Sphere. He needed to talk to you.

"My dearest could never plot against me, could she?"

"We have to plot against Tamsy."

Your hands were on the clone's shoulders and you were looking deeply into his eyes. Despite how serious you were being, he could feel a blush creeping onto his face. In his defense, all the love Tamsy has for you lives inside him too. Much to his chagrin, you disliked the last time he called you 'Dear,' so he had to stick to your name no matter how off that felt.

Calmly stating your name, he placed a hand to one that you had on his shoulder. "What do you suppose we do now that you know everything?"

You sigh and back away to pace the floor. He had just told you about how Tamsy plans to drive Rudo to his true potential by gruesome means, all for the sake of "love."

"I... haven't exactly thought about that yet. But, I will!" You were clearly stressed and frantic. Nevertheless, you tried to put on a brave face and remain calm. "For now, I need you to tend to Tamsy's princely duties as usual."

Tamsy's clone stands, places the watchman book in your drawer, and walks to you. "Stop pacing. Stressing won't get you anywhere," he smiles at you, this time holding on to your shoulders.

The kindness radiating from him perfectly mimicked that of the man you love. He seemed angelic, from the hair framing his face to the light filtering in from the window highlighting his most beautiful features. He was even in Tamsy's Cleaner uniform, you wouldn't be able to tell them apart if the real Tamsy was here with his hair down. It felt like time stopped and you had found a moment of calm in the middle of a storm.

And for a moment you let yourself imagine that you were really with him...

Alas, good things can't last forever. A mutter of your name broke you out of your delusion. Tamsy was much more keen on pet names, yet you had instructed his clone to call you by your real name. Perhaps to keep feelings like this down.

You turn your head ever so slightly away from his adoring gaze. Sensing your need for comfort, but embarrassment in seeking it, Clone Tamsy couldn't help himself. He planted a sweet kiss to your cheek with a whisper, "Everything is going to be alright."

A small smile grew on your face, it felt like you hadn't smiled in forever. You needed that, but when you turned to the clone to thank him, you noticed the light on his face growing dimmer. Turning to your window you see a familiar form approaching and the sight rids you of any comfort you just felt.

"Tamsy!?"

Upon recognizing the figure, you knew you had to act fast. "Go, Go! I can't have you here right now. He wasn't supposed to be back until the wedding, why is he here?" You hurriedly ushered the clone from your room so he could assume his duties.

The sudden tap at your window made you jump. You knew you couldn't appear suspicious so you had to put on your most excited face. It's what he expects when he comes back, you're always flowing with energy at the sight of him.

Beyond the glass, Tamsy smiled, he had to put on a facade of his own. He couldn't let you know that he was onto you. After all, he didn't want scare his darling fiancée. He just wanted the book back, and once he had it, he'd wipe your memory again and you'd be none the wiser.

His voice was as normal as ever when you opened the window. His wings disappeared as he stepped inside. "Hello my love, how are yo-?"

"TAMSYYYY!" In your usual fashion, you interrupt him by immediately jumping on him, forcing him to hold you as you pepper kisses onto his face. "You said you wouldn't be back until the wedding."

His breathy chuckle lights your heart on fire. He was always amused with your eagerness to greet him. "I know what I said, but you're so irresistible, I couldn't resist the urge to be in your company." He strolls over to the bed and sits on it, while still holding you. He grabs your chin and tilts his head to give you a deep and slow kiss.

It took you by surprise but you couldn't afford to let him know you were investigating him, so you melted into the kiss as you usually do. Your lips melded together in something akin to a dance. Tamsy was leading your movements with his tongue and you were glad to follow. It wasn't until this moment he realized how much he truly did miss you.

You tried to pull away for air, but the moment you got any, he was right back on your mouth again. He was never really this bold, and this boldness mixing with his natural passion for you made you dizzy. You could feel you face warming up as he explored your mouth, his hands roaming up and down your body. It wasn't until he gave a firm squeeze to your hips that he pulled away. A string of saliva connected you two as proof of his show of love.

Before he could even get the chance to look you in the eyes after the heated kiss, you hid your face in his neck, thoroughly embarrassed. "What was thattttt?" you whine.

His hand glided along your back, "A preview of our wedding night."

You shot right off of him after he said that "Gross." You throw a pillow at him, but he catches it easily.

"You get bashful so easily, my love. I adore that about you."

"How could I not when you say things like that!?" The last part of your sentence gets muffled by you burying your face in your hands. 

After a few moments, Tamsy speaks up. "While I did come here to show you my affection, I must admit there's another reason I wanted to see you."

You peak up at him from between your fingers, "which is?"

"I believe I left something on my last visit up here. It's important to me you see."

You scoot closer to him to lay your head on his lap and look up at him. "But, you always keep Tokushin on you. Thats how you got here," you reply teasing his hair in your hands. He let it down before coming to see you and he was still in uniform, you noted.

"No, silly, not Tokushin. I wouldn't be nearly as calm if that were to go missing." He caressed your cheek with his thumb as he looked down at you. He thought you looked cute like this: distracted by his hair and using him for your own comfort. "What I'm looking for is a book. You wouldn't happened to see it would you?"

"No, sorry, I haven't," you lie, easily. Years of keeping your mother's secret made lying like second nature. "I know reading can be fun, but was the book so good that you had to fly back for it?"

"Actually, it was more of a journal." He began to stand so you moved your head away and watched as he got up. "The contents in it were important for my job. Are you sure you haven't stumbled across anything?" He started wandering around your room subtly checking shelves.

"Positive." You stand up with him. "Maybe you should try checking your room," you offer.

'It must be in here if she's suggesting I leave.' He was by the bookcase near your dresser now. "I think I'll take a look around here really quickly."

You were getting antsy now. That dresser had the book in it. There's no subtle way to play it off, so you take action without thinking. Skipping to the man in front of you, you wrap body around his arm. "You just got back, you must be tired, yes?"

You slowly begin to drag him toward the bed, "Come lay with me. I've missed you a lot."

"As nice as that sounds, you seemed so energetic when I first arrived, it would be unfair for me to make you lay down when you're clearly bursting with energy."

"That energy can be spent elsewhere." You speak without thinking then quickly bite your tongue with how that sounded.

That actually got him to stop snooping for a split second, though. Shocked at your suggestion, he turned to you, "well now, that is a complete 180 from the girl who got flustered after a little kiss."

"That's not what I meant," you pout and watch as he turns his attention back to the bookcase. "You know, it's gonna take you forever to look for a black book in that bookcase. They all look the same."

'Black book,' he thought. 'She doesn't even realize her slip up. I never mentioned the color of the book. So, she does know where it is.'

"Actually, my love, I'd be rather happy to indulge you. The book can wait. How about we look through your wedding planner again? Make sure there's nothing we missed, yeah?" He stood up from his crouched position by the case and you beamed at him.

"Yayyy! Let's go, let's go!" you dragged him toward the closet, where the wedding planner was.

'Wow I can't believe that worked.'

You reached for the light switch that was outside of the closet's door, but before you could turn it on, you were suddenly shoved inside. The door slammed behind you and you heard a faint click. You turned to the door and tried jiggling the handle. "Tams?" You tried to keep your voice calm but there was an unmistakable shake to it. "Tamsy what's going on, open the door."

Tamsy took in a deep breath, hating that he had to do this to you. "I'll let you out my love just give me one moment. I have a fun surprise for you," he lies, hoping it would calm you down.

"I-" your voice gets cut off by the sound of your own sob. "I don't want a surprise. Just... let me out. Please?" You back away from the door and try to get to what you think is the center of the closet. The walls feel like there closing in, so you wanted to be as far as possible from them.

"Tamsy, please?"

"Darling, I promise it'll be worth it." You hear him rummaging around through the bookcase.

"LIAR!" You scream, "That's ALL you do. You only ever lie to me! GET ME OUT OF HERE."

"What ever are you talking about, dear?" His heart was starting to ache from the sounds of your sorrows, but he knew he could make them better after he found the book. Then after he wiped your memory again, he'd comfort you without you even knowing why. You wouldn't even feel hurt anymore.

"The book, The Ground, Amo, Rudo, EVERYTHING," your anger quickly dissipates into tears once more. "Just turn on the light, please," you hiccup while bringing your knees to tuck your face into.

You hear another faint click, and lift your head. The light was on now. "Please don't cry my love, it breaks my heart, truly it does."

He goes silent and listens to your quieting sobs. He was unaware that he locked you in before you even had a chance to flip the light switch on. Once he heard you pleading for it, he realized his error. "I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean for you to have an episode, I wouldn't do that do you on purpose. I just needed you out of the way to find my book."

His voice was sickly sweet. It sounded honest, but you didn't know if you could trust it. So you stayed silent, apart from your whimpering and uneven breaths.

"Please forgive me," he said. He truly did feel guilty, he would never want to push you to such a point of stress. He began to walk back over to the dresser, but the door flinging open then shut stopped him.

It was Clone Tamsy, he heard your cries and rushed inside as soon as possible. He gave Tamsy no time to process before lunging at him. Next thing he knew, Tamsy was tackled to the floor.

Inside the closet, you heard the sound of your room door opening. After you heard it shut, it was quickly followed by many disturbing noises. You could hear many thuds, ragged breathing, and the sounds of clothes rustling.

Due to years in the cellar, your instict kicked in and you went silent. Now that the lights were on, it was easier for you to remain calm. You stood and pressed an ear to the door. Voices were muffled, but you could make out a few words.

"What are you doing?"

"What did you do to her?"

'That's weird,' you thought. 'I can only hear Tamsy's voice.'  You had no clue that was because Tamsy was literally fighting himself.

The sounds stopped for a moment. They got replaced with footsteps that drew closer to the closet. You move your head away from the door and listen to the lock click. Hastily, the handle turned and the door opened. Standing there was your worthless, piece of trash fiancé. So you did what any reasonable woman in your position would do.

You winded your hand back and gave his stupid face a well deserved...

*SMACK *

The look he gave you after made you feel just a little bit bad, though. He cradled his cheek with one hand and looked at you with a hurt expression before turning his head and pointing. Your eyes follow his finger and view. There on the floor you see...

"Tamsy?"

The Tamsy on the ground stood up and looked at you. You look at the Tamsy who unlocked the door, and he speaks to you. "Are you okay? What happened? What did he do to you?" His hands come up at an attempt to carress your face, but you move to the side, leaving him at your right.

You point a finger at both of them. "Who's who," you demand, while also trying to figure out if you smacked the wrong guy.

The Tamsy at your right speaks first. "I'm the clone."

"Don't listen to him," the Tamsy at your left interjected. "I'm the clone."

"Ugh, sometimes I hate my own power," you complain.

"Dear, please believe me," right side Tamsy spoke up.

Calling your name, left Tamsy regained your attention. Even without him saying any further words you finally deduced who's who. Sprinting over, you make sure he's okay.

"Clone Tamsy always calls me by name," you state. "That also means you can drop that hurt look because you know you deserved that slap."

"My love, just speak with me, you don't need that clone." He took a started walking to you.

However, once Clone Tamsy pulled out his Tokushin, he stopped to laugh. He knew your clones couldn't use jinkis, so it was humorous the clone even bothered.

"And just what do you think you're going to do with that?"

The sound of Tokushin unwinding filled the room and suddenly Tamsy was bound on the floor.

"Careful now, my rope is insidious," the clone steals Tamsy's usual line. He looked utterly confused, so you took pity on him and decided to explain. You grabbed Mimic from your dresser and approached the bound man.

Pointing at your name engraved in the mirror, you smile "Remember what you taught me? Well it came in handy after all. Not only will my clones tell me whatever I want to know, they're now able to use jinkis."

His confusion shifted into a genuine smile, which in turn only made you confused instead. "You've gotten so strong, my love. What a powerful vital instrument you've cultivated. Your love must truly be pure, to give it such strength."

His praises almost make you bashful, but you take a deep breath. "Stop that."

Now that he's bound, you can finally question him. You pull the watchman book out the drawer and crouch near him. Except, now that he's hear you realize you got most of your answers from reading his excerpts and talking to his clone. So, you hug the book close to yourself. You wanted to know more personal questions instead.

"All of the lies and manipulating really took a toll on me, you know? I mean, you wiped my memory, that's insane behavior, Tamsy. How could you do that to me? Whatever you have planned for Rudo sounds dangerous and I don't like the things you're doing to achieve it."

He keeps a calm face and tries to interrupt, but you stop him. "I think you're an evil, vile, corrupt monster. I have every right to hate you."

This made him falter. You could see that your words were having an effect on him.

"So, why..." you look down at the book in your lap. "Why don't I? I can't bring myself to hate you no matter how hard I try. Even knowing all of the things you did. That makes me just as evil."

"You don't have an evil bone in your body, my love. Please don't talk about yourself in such a depric-"

"Shut up!" You glare at him, stopping his heartfelt sympathies. "Just shut up. Because if you keep talking, I'll remember how much I love your stupid voice and I'll cave."

You can feel your eyes flooding with tears, so you stand to prevent Tamsy from seeing them. "How pathetic am I? I'm love with someone like you. Someone that I know couldn't possibly actually love me back, because you're not suppose to do the things you did to me to people you love!"

"I do love you." He makes an attempt to stand but the ropes get tighter. "I've never felt a love as strong as I do for you. You're everything to me. My joy, my heart, my sense of belonging. You were the only person who never judged me for my scars or for my standoffish nature."

He looks up at you as if he was pleading for you to listen to him. His proclaimation of love and his current position on the floor is eerily reminiscent of the night he proposed. What you wouldn't give to go back to those simpler times.

"I hate lying to you. It devours my entire being everytime a fix my mouth to utter an untruth to you." His head hangs low and he stares at his hands. "Surely you remember that day, yes? The promise I made to you."

"Promise? What are you talking about?"

"The day you showed me that Mimic could respond to you. You told me about the comfort it brought you. You told me that you hated being alone, and that Mimic always kept you company. So, I made you a pinky promise then and there."

"You said you'd never leave me lonely."

"And I broke that promise." He did his best to hold up his right hand. "I told you I lost this pinky while fighting a trash beast, but that was another lie."

At this point, you found yourself sitting back on the floor. You slowly reached your hands out to his right hand.  "Then how did you lose it?" You run your thumb along the end of his pinky and meet his eyes. They look clouded in a mix of regret, love, and honesty.

Tamsy sighed, he wasn't used to being this open. It was out of character, but he knew he needed to try to amend things. When he loved, he loved hard. Even to the point of feeling his partner's anguish. So, he knows what he's feeling right now could hardly amount to the betrayal you felt. In this moment, he knew he needed to bare his soul to you. No more secrets, no more lies.

"The day I figured out how to get to The Ground, was one of the best days of my life. I had gotten closer to my goal, and with you in the sphere with Mimic, I could stay down for weeks at a time. But that meant one thing: I had left you lonely, alone on The Sphere." He curled every finger but his pinky.

"I don't take breaking promises lightly. So, in a moment of repentance, I cut that very same finger off."

You were stunned to silence, to say the least. He committed an act of bodily harm, just because he broke a promise to you? 'Well that's just-'

"That's crazy."

You hesitantly let go of his hand, not quite believing him. Yet when you turned around, Tamsy's clone was nodding. 'So it was true'

With one look at his hand, the tears you were trying so hard to keep from falling finally fell down. "Why did you do that? I would've forgiven you regardless."

"I know, that's why I had to. I didn't forgive myself, and I didn't want to forget what I did to you." He watched as you bowed your head down in an attempt to hide your wet face. "My Angel, you know I can't stand to see you cry." His body automatically tried to lean toward you, but the ropes stopped him.

Clone Tamsy was able to recognize that he had no ill intent, so he winded Tokushin back. Though, he still left some thread hanging just in case he needed to act quick.

When you noticed the ropes unwinding, you couldn't help yourself, despite all he did to you. This man was one of your biggest sources of comfort, and his arms were open just for you. You threw your arms around him and cried into his chest.

"You are such a horrible person," you sob. "I cannot believe I fell for someone as heartless as you." You continue to degrade him in a fit of anger and sadness.

All the while, he just shushed and cooed at you. "I know, I'm so mean, aren't I? How could I do such things to someone as sweet as you, hm?" It almost sounded condescending, but he didn't mean it that way. His hand found purchase on your head, stroking it to calm you. "Shh, Shh you mustn't give yourself a headache."

He grabbed your cheeks and turned your head to look up at him. "You don't want to waste all your pretty tears on me, do you?"

He leans his face closer, and his eyes search for your consent. Like a lovesick idiot, you give it to him by closing the gap between you.

The blonde man pulls you by your waist until you're flush against him. His lips move with a feverish pace and you struggle to keep up with his overwhelming desire. He was relentless, even when you pulled away for air, he settled for kissing up your neck. Landing wet hot kisses in your most sensitive spots until he reached your jaw.

You had a trail of tear stains running down your cheeks and ending at your jaw. Being the caring fiancé he is, he decided to clean it for you. His tongue peaked out and he ran a gentle stripe along the trail of your tears until you turned your head to catch his lips again.

Your little hums drive him to push even farther. This forces you to lean back with his movements "Tamsy..." you whisper as you wrap your arms around his neck to prevent you from falling. One of his arms leave your waist so he can plant it on the ground.

But when made this move, he was suddenly flung away from you by Tokushin rewrapping him. "Huh?" You tilt your head and look at the bound man, then at the clone behind you.

Clone Tamsy simply pointed with a look of disappointment. Once your eyes landed on object he was pointing to, your insides felt hollow. The Watchman Book was right behind you, right where Tamsy was putting is hand.

You stare at the man in disbelief. After such a heartwarming confession, he still tried to dupe you into grabbing the book. You couldn't even feel sad anymore, not anger, resentment, or anything.

"Fine." You stood and grabbed the book. Walking to your desk, you grabbed a pen. "If you want this book so bad, you can be in it." You press the ink-stained tip against the pages.

"My Angel, you're being impractical." Tamsy's eyes widen at your threat. Not only was he worried for himself, but he was worried for you. If an ordinary person used the watchman series, they'd have a grave price to pay. "That's dangerous! You don't understand what could happen."

Despite the knowledge of his own jinki he struggles against the rope as you write. It irritates his past burn marks, but he had to at least try to get to you. "Please, my love, anyone that doesn't have a specific void within them can't use it without dire consequences. I don't want you hurt, or worst."

You pay him no mind as you write the last of your sentences. You knew the price of using the Watchman Series, you could only hope the void you felt was enough to mitigate the repercussions.

"You said it yourself Tams. All I ever wanted was to be comforted. I try to use many things to bring me comfort. Light, Mimic, even you. Yet, none of those things are enough." You turn to face the man in question.

"In fact, you may have the opposite effect. Ever since I found out about the real you, the comfort you gave me began waning and waning until I couldn't even feel it anymore. I want nothing more to forget the things you've done to me and to others. I want nothing more than to feel your pure love and comfort, but that can't happen. Not with you like this."

He takes your pause as an opportunity to speak "But I do, love you, more than anything, more than the-"  You place your hand over his mouth.

"I know you do. And I'm stupid enough to love you back, even after all you've done." You place the pen back to the paper.

"So I'll grant you this one last act of mercy."

You mark your final period, and with that Tamsy falls unconscious.

Clone Tamsy stands over your shoulder as you write. The moment Tamsy passed out you went back to writing, this time on a notepad. You didn't say what it was for, you simply folded it and left it on you desk before turning to him.

"I need you to do something for me."

"Like what? I finished all the duties Tamsy had been assigned."

"Perfect. That means you're free." You drag him to the closet and grab the wedding planner. "Burn this."

"What?"

"Don't question me, right now I don't know how long it'll be until he wakes up. That book has details about my trip to the ground Tamsy can't see it." You shove the book in his hands.

He could tell you were in a rush based on your direct tone, so he pocketed the book and waited for more instructions.

You had the watchman book back open, but he didn't know what you were writing. "Next, I need you to pick Tamsy up and put him on my bed."

Once he hauled Tamsy onto the mattress, you stay beside his unconscious body.

"Are you going to clue me in on your plan here?" the clone prodded.

"Everything will become clear once you're done." Your eyes hadn't let up from the book you were writing in.

"Okay, miss cryptic..."

"Don't sass me." Whatever you were writing seemed to be finish since you finally looked up at him. "When I pass out, I need you to deliver that note to Eloise's quarters along with the Watchman book."

"Alright." He begins to walk toward the desk with the note on it. "Wait, when you pass ou-"

With a tap of your pen to the book, you finalize your sentence. Not even a second later, sleep claimed you.

"WHAT!?" Clone Tamsy gasped, but he had no time for shock, he needed to complete what you asked of him.

He grabbed your note to Eloise and the Watchman book and set a path for the maiden's quarters. Of course, his curiosity peaked during the stroll and he opened the book. What he found was nothing short of surprising.

A detailed summary of how you wanted Tamsy to forget his motives and wrong doings. Forget that he ever took you to the ground. Forget that he ever wiped your memories. You wanted to make him a better person, to reform him. However, you left his memories of the Ground and the Cleaners. The Cleaners down there would be in shambles if he just disappeared.

Flipping the page, the clone saw what you had written for yourself. You had erased your memories of traveling The Ground. Erased the scary memories of Tamsy. You had basically erased everything up until the point of the date he took you on during his last return.

It was like you wanted a happily ever after. An ending with your one true love. Clone Tamsy almost couldn't believe you were love blind to the point of erasing your own memory. He couldn't judge, though, considering his Original has a unique concept of love himself.

He closed the book once he finally reached the door to Eloise's quarters. He opened the letter box conveniently mounted to her wall. Placing the letter on top of the closed book, he slid the items in and slipped away.

It didn't take long for him to burn and dispose of the wedding planner's remains. He hurried back to your bedroom where you and Tamsy lay sleep.

You both looked so peaceful, the clone could only hope things ended in your favor.

A/N: It's kinda killing me that Clone Tamsy just has to stand there while Tamsy and his Fiancée made out 😭. I lowkey wanted the fiancée and the clone to kiss but I'll keep that thought to myself

Yeah this ain't proofread so sorry for any mistakes

OK NOW LET ME GEEK OVER THE TITLE. So in the previous act, I explained that Tamsy is the "Angel" while his fiancée is his "Salvation." This act is named "An Angel's Reformation: The Salvation's Mercy." The title refers to the fiancée (salvation) taking mercy on Tamsy (angel) by reforming him through memory wiping instead of breaking up with him and ratting him out or whatever.

Thank you for reading! Don't repost my work or feed it to AI. Likes, Comments, and Reblogs appreciated, you could even fill up my ask box if you wanted to 💀.

Tamsy's bedroom chambers feel smaller than before, almost claustrophobic. In reality, it was one of the largest sleeping quarters in the palace. Despite your knowledge on the room's large perimeter, it felt like the walls were closing in with each breath taken. This place you spent so many peaceful nights in felt foreign. You could no longer be comforted by the thought of cuddling Tamsy in here, because Tamsy has poisoned your mind… literally and metaphorically.

Even looking at his clone that was currently in front of you made you feel a bit queasy. You couldn't understand why your lover would ever tamper with your memories, or have a woman held captive in a dungeon. He said he went to the Ground to help people, but he seemed to be doing the exact opposite. You began to wonder if the Cleaners were even a legitimate organization.

"My dear, you seem to be lost in thought." Tamsy's voice cuts through your inner lamenting. Except it wasn't his voice at all, just that of his clone.

You scrunch your face up at him momentarily before replying. "Please don't call me that, it feels odd when it's not coming from the actual Tamsy."

"Apologies, ever since you etched your name into your mirror, I've felt an even stronger desire to refer to you as mine. Perhaps something to do with me feeling even closer to The Original," he refers to Tamsy.

"That's actually why I'm here. I have a plan, but i need to test something with you."

"What ever could this plan be, pray tell?"

You pull Mimic out of your pocket. "I need to get to the Ground." You pause and take in the Clone's unchanging expression. "And I need you to help me."

"How do you plan to get all the way down there? If you jump, you'll die. That's a fool's mission," he critiques.

You nod. "Exactly. I can't get down there by myself, the one time I went, Tamsy took me. He can fly…"

"But, I can't so how could I possibly be of service to you? You know just as well as I do that the clones you create don't possess the powers of who they were created from."

"I was thinking." You rub your thumb across your newly imprinted name on Mimic. "What if you could possess his powers now?"

He gave you an odd look, so you continued speaking. "Surely, writing my name on Mimic didn't only give you the ability to tell me things Tamsy would never."

"…So you're thinking you may have given Mimic the ability to give clones their respective Originals' powers." He looks at the Tokushin in his hand. It's just a normal distaff, he'd never been able to use it like Tamsy did. "You want me to fly you to the Ground."

Hearing the words spoken aloud made this possibility feel surreal. Mimic would almost be overpowered if this could work. You look at the flower-like sigil she adorns. Could it have something to do with the sigil you saw in canvas town? Your mother did say the mirror belonged to a series your father made. But he was dropped into the Ground- could he have survived? You shake your head to clear it, these questions were unimportant right now.

"Now you're getting it," you reply. "But, we need to find out if you can do this fast. It's already nighttime and I'll need to take Mimic with me on this trip, so no clones will be able to cover for our absence."

His eyes widen. "You want to leave tonight?"

"Yes, I need answers as soon as possible. If he's a danger to the Sphere, the Ground, or me, I need to know." You think back to the isolated woman Tamsy seemingly had trapped in a cage. "With that book, There's no telling what power he holds. So, let's see what you can do."

The clone pauses then sighs, "I hope this works in your favor."

With that, Tamsy's clone turned towards the window and inhaled deeply. You watched with bated breath. The anticipation was eating you up. Would he really be able to use Tamsy's jinki? Is Mimic truly so powerful? Your questions were quickly answered at the sight you were met with.

Golden light erupted from the clone's back and took the shape of wings. They were long, wide, and just as beautiful as the real thing. He turned his head to you and you catch his glowing eyes.

"Your hypothesis was correct," he gave you a sly smile over his shoulder. "Hop on."

This was unbelievable!

You were soaring across the sky with a clone of your own creation. You could barely contain your excitement at the awakening of your new power. The only thing keeping a lid on your brimming elation was the grim reality of why you were doing this in the first place.

'Two-faced, memory stealing, lying, pompous, stupid little -'

"This seems like a good area to land. It's barren of everything but piles of trash." The clone's voice ripped you out of your internal rant insulting your husband.

"That's everywhere down here." Your response came as dismissive, understandably not feeling as chipper as normal. You didn't even bother looking down to see where exactly he was planning to land. Though, he didn't seem bothered by your disinterest, perhaps he was being empathetic due to your recent discovery. Most people would be taking such news of their lover's betrayal with more anger. Especially if they were traveling with an exact copy of said lover. He decided to count himself lucky that he wasn't of the receiving end of your nonexistent wrath.

You did eventually begin to scope out the area as you got closer with your descent. Something about this place felt off, but you decided not to push it for now. Adjusting the mask on your face, you prepare for your feet to hit solid ground.

Clone Tamsy's arms unfurled around you when he safely landed on a clearing. When you looked up at the sky you were just in, you felt small. Surrounding you were trash piles as high as the eye could see. It was almost monumental, but it made you feel scared. Despite the clone, you were truly all alone here. You had to be smart and move quickly. There was no time to waste gawking at trash.

As if sensing your need to rush, Tamsy's clone spoke. "I know the way to Cleaner's HQ from here. Right now we're in a no man's land. If you can tell from the name, it's not an ideal place to be. But, it was the best place for us to come undetected. Take my hand, I'll lead you out of here." You listened to what he said and took his hand with a nod, and with that, he began to walk, with you trailing behind.

It had been a good 30 minutes of walking before you finally saw cleaner ground, one uninterrupted by heaps of garbage. Just a few more minutes and you'd be out. However, that was only wishful thinking, because what you heard next stopped you in your tracks.

A stomp. A loud stomp. One that didn't belong to a human. It sounded giant, and it was. In fact, it was so giant that it caused the ground to vibrate, which in turn caused an avalanche of trash to rush down the nearest heap, almost crushing you. And then came a roar.

You tried to look at clone Tamsy, but the trash that fell put up a wall between you and him. It's lucky that you did freeze when you did, because with another step you would've been crushed. That relief didn't last long as you heard repeated stomps, not stomps, steps. Charging steps that were getting closer. They were following the sound of the trash avalanche.

You knew that it could only be one thing and that thought terrified you. A trash beast. And you were all alone. You can't fight, you aren't trained. Even if you were a skilled fighter, you could never fight something of that caliber. Tamsy himself said only people with jinkis could fight trash beasts. While you do have a jinki, it's nothing that would be useful in a fight. Well, given the recent development, if you cloned someone with an ideal jinki, they could fight for you, but Tamsy's Clone has been separated from you. You could hear him trying to get to you now. The ground's vibrations were getting bigger and beginning to effect your balance, you couldn't even stand still enough to help him dig through the wall of trash.

That's when you saw it: a 50 foot tall monstrosity, charging at you full speed. It resembled the dinosaurs you'd find in kid's picture books crossed with a giraffe. Except this one was way scarier; and no matter how quiet you were being, with the path it was taking, you would be trampled. The only thing you could do was whisper to the clone to stop digging through the trash, as it was causing noise to sound right where you were. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to stop the beast.

One particularly harsh step of the beast caused you to fall. Mimic slipped from your pocket, you reached out for her but failed to stop her from hitting the ground. Once she made contact, a blinding light surrounded the area and you shielded your face with your arms.

All of your senses were failing you. You were blinded by the light, your body was numbed from the vibrations, your nose was overwhelmed by the rotten scents in the air. The only thing you could do was hear, and what you heard was anything but comforting.

Continous loud, carnivorous roaring filled your ears. It was only interrupted by a thunderous thump, which caused your body to bounce. You finally peaked out of your arms and you were greeted with an extraordinary, yet terrifying sight. Two identical trash beasts, and they were... fighting? The beast facing away from you reeled it's neck back only to strike the beast in front of it. The other beast returned the hit with equal force and you sat petrified. Thump. Thump. Thump. The fight was ongoing.

You regain your focus and quickly turn your body to mimic and examine her. She fell open, but her glass wasn't cracked. That was a good sign. Shaking, you picked her up, keeping your eyes trained on the two beasts. You pressed your back against the trash wall and used it to slide up. You told the clone to continue his digging and joined him, eager to escape this dangerous site.

With one final scoop, a tunnel was burrowed into the trash and your fiancé's clone dragged you though. "Are you okay," he inquired, checking you for wounds. A simple nod with a shallow "I'm fine," was all you gave, shrugging his hands off you. The two of you ran down the path you were following during the avalanche, the sound of thumping getting fainter.

As if you couldn't catch a break, you suddenly saw a car speeding in the distance. It was practically sent flying anytime it hit a bump. Whoever was driving clearly needed their privileges revoked. Clone Tamsy and you hid behind a small pile of trash. The car sped by and the both of you went unnoticed. You were going to continue walking but the clone stopped you.

"That's a Cleaner's van," he informed you. That caught your attention and you decided to stay behind the small pile and watch the car. "They must be on a mission to exterminate that trash beast."

"There are two," you correct.

"Oh yes, the one you created."

"The one I created?" You looked at Mimic. 'Was that blinding light the creation of a trash beast? Could I really do such a thing?' You decide to calm your racing mind by looking back at the fighting giants. But the moment you fixed your sight on them, the first trash beast crumbled to the ground after a final blow from the alleged cloned beast. You decided it was time to put the theory to test. You held Mimic out, concentrated hard and then, the beast disappeared. "So... I really did create that..." You sat with your realization for a moment before something frightening caught your eye.

The jeep had stopped where the beast had fallen and Cleaner's exited the car. The first to leave was a yellow-haired tatted up driver, he looked stinky. But he wasn't the frightening part, that role belonged to the man who exited the back seat. You knew him well, or at least you thought you did. It was your fiancé, Tamsy Caines.

"They seem confused on why the trash beasts died before they could get to them, we should go while we have time." The identical man beside you spoke and you agreed. The best course of action was to follow the lines the truck's wheels left behind. They should lead to the HQ, which would lead you to the Watchman Book. Though you had originally set out to get answers from Tamsy himself, you decided it would be best to question him when you were safe on The Sphere with more knowledge on the book's contents.

A large building could be seen in the distance as you both kept a steady pace. The tire tracks you were following luckily led directly to the headquarters. It was a good thing too, the awkward silence between you and your soon-to-be's clone was getting unbearable. But just as that sentiment passed your mind, he spoke up.

"How are you feeling?" The clone kept his eyes forward.

You didn't answer right away, taking the time to truly reflect on the question. Were you okay? Could you claim to be after what your fiancé has put you through? On top of that, you were exploring a land you hardly knew. "Nervous, but determined," you finally decided.

The Clone gave a curt nod, another bout of silence passes before he breaks it once more. "If you're nervous about our arrival to HQ, don't be. I'll be able to get in just fine, I'm an identical copy of Tamsy. You'll just need to stay behind. I'll grab the book and come right out. If his memory serves me correctly, he usually keeps it in a drawer. All you have to do is trust me."

"I can trust you," you reply and allow a more comfortable silence to fill the air. However, the tiniest sliver of guilt weighed on your shoulders, so you decided now was as great a time than any to shrug it off.

"By the way... uh, I'm sorry," you apologize and take a quick glance at his face. Noticing his confusion, you explain yourself. "For how I've been acting today. I've been keeping my responses clipped and can hardly even show you a kind face. Just all around bitter, really."

You keep your eyes focused on your moving feet as you speak. "It's just kinda hard. I mean, you're literally him in name, body, and mind. I can't help but resent you a little. It's impossible not to associate Tamsy's actions with you, but that's not fair to you. You didn't wipe my memory, he did."

"Don't apologize. It's as you said, I am a copy of him. How ever you may feel towards me is valid. If I were in your shoes, I wouldn't even be able to comprehend the betrayal I felt. Especially knowing he got the idea to lock Amo in a dungeon from you."

You stopped dead in your tracks, unable to process the information you just received. "He what?"

"He was fascinated by the way you used to describe your time in the cellar." The bleak expression on your face urged him to continue speaking. "I should mention, he felt no joy listening to your suffering, he felt quite sorrowful, in fact. However, he still decided to utilize your trauma for his own means because he knew locking her up in such a manner would have significant psychological influence."

'Just when I thought he couldn't get more unbelievable' With a sigh, you dismissed the thought. "I have no time to mull over this. The Cleaners are surely driving back by now. Go ahead, I'll wait for you over here."

The clone hesitates in his departure. "He's done you wrong, I can admit. The atrocities he's committed are unforgivable."

"And yet, I can't even bring myself to hate him."

"If it's any condolence, he could never hate you either. I share all of his past memories, let it be known that he holds you dearly in his heart. The love he holds for you is likely the reason he decided to wipe your memory in the first place." The clone turned on his heel to continue his walk to HQ. "Please consider that."

"You're back early. Easy mission?" Semiu peaked up at what she believed to be Tamsy. She was browsing through an explicit magazine.

"You could say that. We were so fast, it was almost like the beast had crumbled before out very eyes," he gave a polite chuckle. "The rest of the team should be parking in the garage. I got out as soon as possible because I couldn't take any more of Enjin's driving."

The mere mention of her annoying friend makes he roll her eyes. "Not looking forward to hearing his howling. I need to take my supplements." Her attention returns to her magazine. "That man stresses me out."

With that, Clone Tamsy ventured farther into the corridors. 'How strange that she considers those magazines supplements,' he thinks and turns the corner into the dormitory. He reached the door to Tamsy's room and it was locked. Fortunately, when he was cloned, the key to his dorm was in his sleeve, therefore, the clone also had a key.

He unlocked the door with a twist of his wrist and gently opened it. He wasted no time rushing to Tamsy's desk and rummaging through the drawer. It didn't take long for him to find the Watchman Book. He took the sinister thing and tucked it into his clothes. He needed to get out before the mission crew returned. With haste, he traveled back to the front lobby.

As he reached the door, he heard a woman's voice call out. "Gone so soon?" It was Semiu, still not bothering to look up from the magazine.

"I think I dropped something outside. I just need to locate it," he replies. Without waiting on a response he went through the door and hurried back to where he left you.

You were staring at the trash in the distance when you heard his voice behind you. It startled you, thinking it was actually your fiancé at first. To your relief, it was just his clone returning with the book. "Did you have any complications?"

"Not at all, but we need to go. I think i hear a car in the distance. I'll take us to a safer place to take off. Come on." He began to lead the way to a more secluded area. It'd be bad if you guys were spotted flying to the sphere.

Despite your calm demeanor, you were absolutely in shambles. You were falling apart inside thinking of what could be inside that book. You could only find out when you read it. Who knows what all your loving Tamsy has been keeping from you?

A/N: And with that, Act II has come to a close. Ngl, I wasn't having much fun as usual writing this part (if you could tell by my disappearance), but I got her done not proofread 🫡 Two more planned parts to go!

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed! Likes, Comments, and Reblogs appreciated. Please do not steal my works by uploading into AI, posting them , etc.

Small recap: After months of not seeing his Fiancée, Tamsy visits her in the Sphere. She's estactic to hear all about the ground. While he's there, he takes her on a date. Though, as she grows more curious about the ground, the more she pesters him to take her.

Tamsy finally allowed his fiancée to visit The Ground. Unfortunately, the good vibes didn't last long after Tamsy remembered that he had to visit Amo. Knowing he couldn't allow you to remember this, he wiped your memory. However, you managed to get your memory back, and now you're more confused and hurt than ever. You need answers, but how will you get them?

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