[Frank remembers and applies Dannys suggestions to his next trial but ends up getting a nasty injury to his back.]
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“So how does it feel being mentored by that son of a bitch?” Julie strolled over to Frank, who was seated on a chair near the fireplace, ruffling his hair.
“Stop that!” Frank leaned forward, swatting at Julie’s hand.
Julie laughed before plopping heavily into a lush loveseat before popping off the cap to her beer with her knife. Joey eyed them playfully from behind the bar table, stifling a laugh. The Legion was situated in Ormand, their base realm.
Frank smoothed his now disheveled hair, his mask resting beside him.
“He’s so annoying you have no idea. He treats me like a child, like I know nothing.” Joey made his way up to Frank, handing him a beer before sitting in the chair opposite him. Frank took it greatfully biting down on it’s cap with the side of his teeth, sending the cap flying.
“Yeah, the Ghostface may be annoying but he’s got almost a flawless record with his trials….from what I’ve heard anyway.” Joey shrugged, taking a sip of his own drink.
“Oh, he made sure to tell me…” Frank shook his head, leaning back against his chair.
Julie lifted her legs onto the couch, sitting cross legged. “What has he shown you so far?” She asked Frank.
Frank knotted his eyebrows, pondering her question. “Not much…he just watches me mostly. He says I’m too loud and not stealthy enough. It’s almost like he doesn’t know the Legion at all.”
Joey raised his eyebrows, rubbing his jaw. “I don’t know Frank, just don’t bomb this man…we can’t lose you for another long period.”
Frank sighed, agreeing. “I know…and I promise I won’t.” Franks gaze lowered to the floor, feeling slightly ashamed. He was the Leader and performed the worst in trials as of late. The mood had shifted and everyone’s exspressions turned grim. There was a long moment of silence before Julie spoke.
“So…is it true?” Julie looked at Frank mischievously, raising an eyebrow.
Frank took a sip of his beer while raising his eyes to meet Julie’s stare, confused. “Is what true?”
“Is he hot!?” Julie bit her lip, trying not to laugh.
Frank closed his eyes, shaking his head. “Julie, really?”
Joey chuckled while eyeing Frank, shifting in his seat.
“What!? I mean you’re not saying no, so I’m going to assume you think he’s hot.” Julie’s grin widened and Frank scoffed.
“First of all I only pay attention to his stupid critiquing, plus he’s got his mask on all the time…” Frank cleared his throat.
Julie shook her head slowly, sighing. “I just know he’s probably so jacked under that garbage bag he wears.”
Joey and Frank laughed, shaking their heads. The group collectively sighed as they stare into the flames of the fireplace.
“I’m guessing Susie is in trial?” Frank suddenly asked.
“Yeah, she’s been getting called to them a lot lately.” Joey replied, them all knowing it’s because Susie had performing the best. The more a killer excelled during trials, the more they were rewarded with.
Frank took a long sip from his beer, trying to hide his insecurities from his friends who had looked up to him at one point. He was determined to do better in his trials and take advantage of the Ghostface’s lessons.
***
Frank stood in the middle of a long hallway which were lined with school lockers, wrapping his hands with fresh bandages that he had surprisingly remembered to bring with him. The trial had already started and Frank moved quickly, tightening the bandage around his hand. Frank lifted his hand to observe it, feeling satisfied and he couldn’t remember the last time he had changed it.
“Very nice, you remembered.” A low voice came from behind Frank, causing him to jump and curse under his breath.
“God dammit, don’t do that!” Frank whipped around, staring at Danny who stood with his arms to his sides.
Danny lifted his hands slightly in the air. “I can’t help it. Perhaps if you paid more attention to your surroundings you would have seen me approach.”
Frank stared, feeling a snarky remark creep on his tongue. He pulled out his knife with the blades tip facing down, quickly remebering to flip it facing up, gripping it the way Danny had shown him.
Danny glanced down both ends of the long hallway before turning his attention back on Frank.
“This realm can be a real pain the ass if your not careful with your timing, the connecting hallways and multiple floors can be easy to lose track of. Are you familiar with this realm?” Danny asked, his voice low.
Frank was familiar with Midwhich, painfully familiar.
“Yes…yes I am. I…should be alright.” Frank said, unconvincing.
The Ghostface lifted his thumb and index finger to his chin and Frank found himself getting fidgety under Dannys gaze.
Suddenly there were running footsteps coming from the tower hallway, getting closer to where Frank and Danny stood. A survivor had turned the corner, her toolbox rattling. The survivor nearly fell forward from her stopping dead in her tracks at the sight of the two killers. Her mouth hung open as she breathed, her eyes wide as saucers.
Danny turned to look at Frank and Frank bolted after her, already thinking about where he should stab her for tracking. The survivor dropped her toolbox before turning around on her heels, taking off down one of the stairwells.
She turned to her right as she reached the first floor, her and Franks breath echoing down the hall. She entered a classroom and closed the door, locking it behind her. Frank could feel himself getting quickly frustrated as he lifted his sneaker to kick at the door handle, the door giving way instantly. It busted loudly sending pieces of wood flying and the survivor yelped, scrambling to the other end of the room.
Frank could tell she was relatively knew by the fear in her eyes and her trembling body. Frank had cornered her as she stood behind a desk, her hands pushing on it. Her eyes darted to the other doorway and Frank knew she would go for it. The survivor pushed the desk harshly attempting to hit Frank with it as she lunged for the exit, but Frank was prepared and reached for her shoulder, grabbing it while simultaneously inserting his blade in her lower back.
Her abdomen lurched forward and she choked on a scream. Frank twisted his blade inside of her, remembering Dannys words. As Frank pulled out, he was shocked to find her crashing to the floor on her stomach immediately. The survivor cried with pained whimpering, her blood pooling below her.
Frank did not realize he was practically heaving from excitement and had to force himself to steady and slow his breath. Frank watched as the survivor crawled to an erect pallet, stopping when she got to it. Frank wanted badly to secure and attempt a sacrifice early in the trial, and found himself reaching down to lift her up.
As Frank went to toss her over his shoulder another survivor ran up behind slamming the pallet down on Franks back, his side absorbing most of the impact. Instantly Frank dropped the survivor as he reached for his side, groaning in pain. Frank growled grabbing at his side and he knew it would leave a nasty mark.
“Shit!” He hissed. Frank recognized he had failed at scanning his environment before lifting the survivor up, the very few moments a killer is vulnerable.
Frank half expected to hear Danny speak but Danny was no where to be found. Frank sighed, greatful Danny hadn’t witnessed that, avoiding another lecture.
Frank quickly began to follow the blood trail left by the injured survivor, flexing his grip around his knifes handle.
The trail stopped in front of a locker and Frank shook his head smiling, knowing she would be in there. He whipped the doors to the locker open grabbing her by her waist, hoisting her on his shoulder. She screamed and flailed as Frank quickly brought her to a nearby hook, throwing her back against it.
A generator went off down a hallway and Frank immediately ran towards its direction. Frank searched frantically for signs of a survivor but found none. Slowly he made his way into another classroom finding another generator, which was partially complete. He kicked at its base with a grunt, damaging it.
Suddenly another generator went off followed by the sound of a third being complete, somewhere on the first floor.
Franks body buzzed with a mix adrenaline and dread, not computing how fast they were being completed. Frank mumbled to himself, briefly wondering where Danny was. Frank reached a stairwell, flying down the stairs wincing from the pain in his side.
His breath was staggered as he made his way to the sound of the recent completed generator. Frank stopped in a doorway of a classroom, hearing the sound of a generator that was being worked on. Frank went to go storm into the room but stopped himself short, slowing down and crouching low.
Frank practically held his breath as he spotted the survivor who was focused on the generators wires, unaware of Frank who slowly crept up behind her. Frank swiped his blade against her back sending her flying, the generator exploding.
The survivor screamed while running away and Frank kicked at the generators base, it exploding again, damaging it greatly.
“Too much time is being spend on the generators, use your knowledge of their locations to predict survivors paths. I thought you said you were familiar with this realm.” Danny said as he sat in on the small desks, leaning back with his hands behind his head.
Frank turned to eye him, aggravated by Dannys delayed presence.
“Where were you?” Frank asked, agitated.
Danny stared at Frank for a moment before leaning forward on the desk, his chin in his hands.
“I was watching you…” Danny said, amused by Franks frustration.
“I will not be aiding you this time, so don’t count on that. I noticed you appying my suggestions from last trial, good. But now I want you to think about which generators are left, helping you decide which areas to focus on. Do you understand?”
Frank swallowed, knowing he did not remember the generators locations. In fact, he never attempted to remember them at all, in any realm for that matter.
“Yes…” Frank mumbled and went to turn around to leave but was stopped short from the growing pain in his side and back. He reached for it, wincing.
Danny watched as Frank limped out into the hallway, remaining seated.
Frank remembered one of the generators locations that hadn’t been completed yet and he made his way back up one of the stairs in it’s direction. As he approached a survivor came running out the rooms doors nearly crashing into him. It was the inexperienced survivor who he has hooked previously, and found she had not been aided.
She passed him running down a hall and Franks legs instinctively ran after her, the adrenaline in his body outweighing the pain in his side.
Frank knew it would not take much to get her down and he caught up to her before she reached the end of the hall, slashing at her back. The survivor fell with a horrible thud, awkwardly on her side.
She lifted herself to her hands and knees, crawling away at am excruciatingly slow speed.
Frank grabbed her by her foot, sending her crashing on her stomach and she cried out. He dragged her back towards him, grunting from his own pain in his back which was radiating throughout his entire torso now.
Frank went to reach for her and was stopped by Danny shouting at him from the other end of the hall.
“For Christ sake Frank, look around!”
Frank lifted his head and sure enough to his side was a survivor who lurked low behind a crooked locker, flashlight in hand. Frank growled, instantly lunging for the survivor. The survivor yelped running away from Frank towards the Ghostface, who stood at the other end of the hall.
The survivor turned on their heels, panicked nosies coming from their mouth. The survivor then jumped through a small window, crashing down to the first floor and Frank leaned over watching them as they got back on their feet, limping away.
Frank pulled himself from the window to look back at Danny who continued to stand with his arms crossed at the end of the hall.
Frank sighed, feeling embarrassed again as he walked up to the downed survivor, taking one glance around him, and picked her up over his shoulder. He threw her against the nearest hook and watched at the Entity instantly devoured her.
Frank let out a shaky sigh as he lifted his mask up to wipe the sweat on his forhead with the back of his hand. He pulled his mask back down, his nerves calming.
“We’re not done here. I’d like to see you get one more at least.” Danny said, his eyes drilling Franks back.
Frank allowed his head to fall back as he stare up at the ceiling. His side and back throbbed and wanted to rest.
“The Entity requires one sacrifice and I’m over this trial.” Frank said as he turned around, holding his side.
“You will persue another survivor because I’m telling you to. Push through your pain…” Dannys voice was cold as he eyed Frank.
Frank groaned, gritting his teeth.
Danny scoffed shaking his head. “Maybe you truly aren’t capable of getting more than one survivor after all…perhaps I overestimated your ability…” Dannys said.
Frank eyed him angrily, an urge to suddenly prove him wrong.
Frank marched past Danny, bumping his shoulder. Frank started to run, searching for any signs of another survivor. A fourth generator went off and Frank found himself running faster. Frank entered another classroom with a large chalkboard, seeing movment in his peripheral. He gripped his knife, him getting more comfortable with Dannys technique.
Frank made his way to a bookshelf where he heard someone breathing and looked behind it to see the survivor with the flashlight, cowering in the corner. They clicked the flashlight on and pointed its light directly in Franks face, causing him to shield his eyes. The survivor took off running, crashing into the side of the doorway as they stumbled out into the hall.
Frank chased them all the way to the opposite end, and they turned the corner running down another long hallway. Frank could tell they were getting tired and he pushed himself to catch up with them, grabbing at their shirt. Frank carelessly yanked at their shirt, causing them to fall back, crashing to the floor. Frank immediately stabbed them in their abdomen, their scream bouncing off the lockers.
Frank hovered over them as they lay on their back, their hands pathetically held up to protect themselves. Frank suddenly got an idea as he hadn’t done it in a very long time. He wanted to kill by his own hand, treating himself.
Frank stepped one leg over their legs, their eyes filled with dread.
“I missed that look…” Frank whispered to himself as he reached for their ankle, grabbing it.
“No…stop. None of that.” Danny said as he approached, his hand lifted shaking his head.
Frank shot his head up to Danny as he hunched over, his hand gripping the survivors ankle.
“What!? Why not!?” Frank shouted.
“What the fuck is going on here…” The survivor whispered, tears flowing down their eyes.
“Sacrficies, Frank. That is what I am here to make sure you get. You do not have the luxury of killing by your own hand.” Danny said as he stopped a couple of feet away.
Frank released the survivors ankle angrily, wincing as he stood.
“Cant have no fun, nothing…” Frank said under his breath as he went to lift the survior up, them shouting and screaming.
Frank eyed Danny as he passed him while carrying the survivor to a hook. The final generator went off and Frank meanly threw the survivor against the hook, turning immediately to walk away. Frank passed back by Danny glaring at him as Dannys arms remained crossed.
Frank was tempted to guard but knew that Danny would have something to say about it, and so he went to the first floor to watch both gates. Frank heard one of the alarms and half ran half limped towards it, sending the remaining two survivors running out of the gates, preventing them from any attempt at rescue.
Danny sighed as and clapped his hands together.
“Well done, very good.” He said and Frank had to force away a grin from his praise.
“You coulda let me have that kill…” Frank said, walking up to Danny, limping slightly.
Danny crossed his arms. “You fail to see the bigger picture, that small minded thinking.”
Dannys words affected Frank more than he wanted to admit and Frank grunted in frustration as he turned to walk away.
“Wait come here, let me see it.” Danny said.
Frank stopped as he held his back and side. “I’m fine.” He said, his voice coarse. Though injury to killers hardly happened, when it did, their recovery was much more longer than survivors.
“I said come here…” Danny repeated and Frank found himself turning around, stumbing over to him.
Danny sighed while uncrossing his arms and he placed a hand on Franks shoulder, turning him around. Danny lifted Franks jacket and shirt slightly to see his skin, it being covered with a giant patch of blues and purples.
“Jesus, a pallet did this to you?” Danny said, in disbelief.
Frank shrugged, wincing as he was slightly bent over. “I guess man, I don’t know!” Frank was agitated and badly wanted to return to Ormand, with a drink in his hand.
“Come.” Danny said while walking into a room with desks and medkits.
Frank groaned, while slowly walking after him to find Danny had opened a medkit removing bandages and some kind of ointment or balm.
“Go ahead and stand by that desk, this will help you heal quickly. I can’t have you hindered in your next trial.” Danny spoke softly and Frank agreed. Frank walked over to the desk removing his jacket, folding it over the chair.
Danny walked up to him holding the bandages and balm in both hands, standing in front of him. Danny didn’t speak as he stared at Frank and Frank stared unsure what he wanted him to do.
“Well turn around, I can’t bandage you from the front…” Danny said.
“Oh! Yeah, sorry.” Frank turned around, placing his hands on the desk as he leaned forward slightly. His back throbbed and he couldn’t remember the last time he felt this much pain.
Danny placed the bandage on the desk and carefully rolled up Franks t-shirt from the bottom revealing his entire lower back and the giant bruising. Frank stared hard at the desk, his head lowered. His breath was audible and he cursed himself for not being able to be quieter.
Danny then placed some balm on his gloved fingertips and went to apply it to Franks back, and Frank sucked air in through his teeth, the material feeling extremely rough against his skin.
Danny then removed his hand completely and took off his gloves, tossing them on the desk and Frank shot a glance to his side to eye them. Frank raised his eyebrows as he felt Dannys fingers press lightly on his back as he massaged the ointment into his skin, it feeling much more bearable.
Frank clenched his jaw, tensing as Danny rubbed a bit harder and Frank gasped quietly to his touch. Dannys silence was loud and Frank turned his head to the side, clearing his throat.
“Tha…thanks for this.” Frank said.
“Mhm.” Danny replied and Frank felt his fingers trail from his lower back to his side where the bruising wrapped around. Danny massaged gently and Frank had a hard time believing one of the most brutal killers in the Entity’s realm could be so gentle.
Frank found himself relaxing not from the diminished pain but from Dannys touch and he blushed at the realization, greatful to have his mask on and be facing away from him.
Dannys fingers brushed slightly against Franks lower abdomen near his V-line and he gasped loudly and involuntary, quickly biting his tongue. Frank stared ahead hoping Danny didn’t notice. Dannys hand lingered briefly before removing it completely.
“Now, we wrap.” Danny said quietly, reaching for the bandages on the desk while placing the balm down.
“Can you stand up completely for me?” Danny asked and Frank lifted himself off from the desk, his arms to his sides.
“I’m gonna need you to hold your shirt up.” Danny said and Frank pulled his shirt off completely, tossing it on the floor without thought, revealing his toned and lean frame.
There was a brief moment of silence and Frank thought he heard Danny laugh.
“That works too…Lift your arms for me.” Danny said and Frank lifted his arms off from his sides.
Danny then leaned in close almost pressing against Franks back, reaching around to his front to begin the wrap. Franks heart raced from Dannys closeness and he swallowed. Danny wrapped carefully and slowly just under Franks ribcage making his way down to the top of his jeans. Danny tucked the end of the wrap into itself so that it was snug against Frank, stepping back.
“Looks good, you should be whole by your next trial.” Danny said, crossing his arms.
Frank turned around to face him, lowering his hands to his sides.
“Thanks again.” Frank said.
Danny did not respond but instead continued to stare at Frank and Frank felt he was being studied.
“What kind of bet did you lose to get ink like that?” Danny asked and Frank knew he was talking about his neck tattoo.
Frank scoffed feeling offended, reaching for his shirt. “I didn’t lose a bet actually, I liked it and wanted it. That simple.” Frank stretched his shirt over his head and neck, wincing from lifting his arms.
Danny watched Frank as he became flustered, amused. He grabbed for his jacket and went to walk out of the room, heading for the exit gate.
As Frank passed Danny, Danny grabbed him by his arm, stopping Frank in his tracks. Frank turned his head to meet Dannys voids, and Frank found himself desiring to see Dannys eyes.
Danny held Frank for a moment before speaking.
“I mean it, you did good. Allow yourself to see the bigger picture…stop thinking narrowly. I know you’re capable and that’s what frustrates me.” Danny whispered.
Frank blinked fiercly as he stared at Danny.
“O…okay, I will try.” Frank replied, glancing down at Dannys hand as it gripped his arm.
Danny released, stepping back and he nodded his head once. Frank stood for a few more moments before walking out of the room, heading to the farthest exit.
Frank exhaled, not realizing he had been holding in his breath. Frank turned around to glance at the doorway, finding himself wanting to go back but he did not. Frank tossed his jacket over his shoulder as he walked to the gate across the garden, wondering again where Danny went.
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