---

Mercury wiped his mouth clean, and sighed feeling a lot better now. ”I promise I wasn’t feeling sick until just then. I must’ve just swallowed a bunch of sea water.“ He rubbed the back of his head using some sea water from a different spot to clean his face before lowering his mask back down. He looked up at Eddie as she shined the light down on him his cringed a little, it didn’t hurt it was just bright. ”Maybe there are sea creatures, and if there are we don’t know if they’re nice or not.“ He slowly sat up a bit then looked around the shadows. Then up at the stars. ”We can try navigating by the stars. That is if Magi is willing to help us out. She doesn’t always like being bothered at night.“

---

---

She raised an eyebrow. "Dude, I puked all over your magic mask. You don't need to apologize and promise you aren't sick after a bloody plane crash."

Backing off with the light, Eddie couldn't help but start to feel a little bit hopeless. Until, of course, she heard that one of the masks was female. "Another girl?! I like this one already. Magi is officially the best mask you have."

She laughed a bit, hoping that the comment would dig at Warlord. Pausing, she took a moment to evaluate her life. Here she was, stranded in the middle of what she suspected was the Atlantic Ocean, and she was trying to insult a mask. A mask that could talk and dish out insults. With her, there was some sort of masked creature, who either had a crush on her or massive indigestion.

"Maybe narwals are real?" Eddie smiled.

---

"Another girl?! I like this one already. Magi is officially the best mask you have." At that Mercury burst into laughter as he heard Warlord start fuming at Eddie’s insult. But, at the compliment Magi woke up wanting to help. ”Alright, looks like we got Magi going, and she likes you already Eddie. Good job. Funniest part is Magi, and Warlord were once lovers in life. Now they don’t much like each other.“ He swapped the masks out much to Warlord’s distaste.
Mercury looked to the stars, and the instantly started making sense. ”Alright we got it.“ He then grabbed a set of oars, and started paddling towards shore. ”We were lucky to have crashed only fifty miles off the coast of new york. So we’ll probably run into a couple boats soon. So start flashing that beacon darlin, and we’ll be found before yah know it.“ Mercury winked at Eddie smiling brightly at her.

---

---

”Alright, looks like we got Magi going, and she likes you already Eddie. Good job. Funniest part is Magi, and Warlord were once lovers in life. Now they don’t much like each other.“

Eddie couldn't help but see a bit of symbolism there. Biting her tongue to avoid making things awkward, watching Mercury switch the masks. She couldn't tell if they actually gave him his power, or if they were like mental training wheels....Though, she supposed, they had to have some merit to them.

"So um...Are all of these masks...people?" Eddie asked. "Please don't make me into a mask...I'd really like to be sent down a river in a fiery canoe when I die."

Mercury grabbed some oars -- from where, she had no idea. He started paddling, explaining to her that they were nearly towards New York. Eddie rolled her wrists, before putting all of her energy into a blinding beam of light. It shot straight upwards, parting the dark and brooding clouds. Any ship would most likely see it as some sort of act of a god, and hopefully, come speeding towards them.

---

"So um...Are all of these masks...people? Please don't make me into a mask...I'd really like to be sent down a river in a fiery canoe when I die." Mercury chuckled shaking his head at Eddie. ”Yes all of my masks I were once people. Don’t worry I can’t make you into a mask. At least I do not believe so. The first day of my life Sly, Magi, and Warlord wanted to keep living through that. I believe that’s what made them turn into masks. I’m just not entirely sure. So I’ll try to make sure you have that viking funeral you want alright Lucy?“ Mercury smiled at her with a soft warm affection, but there was slight pain. As Eddie thought he’d seek to do her any sort of harm. It actually felt like she’d just blasted him with a ray of condensed light to the heart.
So for a very long while Mercury didn’t say a word.

---

---

Eddie relaxed. "Good, Warlord threatened to eat me like a snickers bar or trade places? Not sure. Sounded terrible."

She turned her focus back to maintaining the light, beginning to be under strain. All of the light and energy was coursing through her, traveling like blood does through the heart. In this case, it felt to Eddie like she was attempting to hold up the weight of the sky, unable to back off or waver. Beads of sweat rolled off of her face, and she was careful not to shine the light too close to Mercury.

"Survivors!" a high pitched voice squeaked. "Throw down the rope, men!"

A boat loomed into view, and Eddie quickly had the light fade away, hoping that it would look like the natural fading of a flare. A tiny search and rescue vessel gently came up alongside the raft, hauling Mercury and then Eddie inside.

---

Mercury looked at Eddie, and shook his head at her. ”You don’t need to worry about that ever again. I’m never going to leave you with one of my masks again.“ He tensed up in pain as visible sparks of electricity came off his body, and he let out a soft gasping of pain. He shook his head, but didn’t look at Eddie.

When the boat came Mercury boarded the ship. Then helped with getting Eddie aboard, but soon retreated back from her. ”May not be narwhals, but it is pretty fortunate that a boat found us. Though too bad about my snacks, and passport… Along with that 20k I had. I don’t believe that survived the plane.“ Though thankfully he still had his wallet on him with several credit cards, and an fake license. He looked into Eddie’s eyes they were filled with hurt emotions. When the crew left them alone to grab blankets, and something hot for them to drink Mercury spoke again. ”I’m gonna go rest elsewhere. Because clearly you’re afraid I’ll make you into a mask. That I’d actually hurt you, don’t want you being uncomfortable now do we? You’ve had quite the traumatic experience.“ He then walked away from Eddie finding a seat where he started shaking.

---

---

”You don’t need to worry about that ever again. I’m never going to leave you with one of my masks again.“

"Woah....Mercury?" Eddie's eyes widened in shock, staring at the sparks of electricity. There was definitely something wrong with him.

Her suspicion was further confirmed when he backed away from her on the ship. Biting her lip, Eddie crossed her arms, squeezing herself with her hands. Her heart beat accelerated, going into full fight or flight mode. ”I’m gonna go rest elsewhere. Because clearly you’re afraid I’ll make you into a mask. That I’d actually hurt you, don’t want you being uncomfortable now do we? You’ve had quite the traumatic experience.“

She didn't know what to say to that. Instead, she nodded, her arms still crossed, and walked by herself to the opposite end of the ship. She'd give him his space. Conflict wasn't something she was especially skilled at. Sitting down against the wall of one of the cabin's, she hugged her knees to her chest, and attempted to soothe herself by running through various formulas and equations in her mind.

---

Mercury was in a great deal of pain his head leaning back as the masks voices started buzzing in his mind. Telling him to go back to Eddie, but he refused. Clearly she was terrified of him, and he didn’t want to scare her anymore. To be another bad memory, and the first time in a very long time he shed a few tears. He loved Eddie, and it felt like she’d just torn out his heart and did the samba on it. She actually thought he’d hurt her, turn her into a mask. He set a hand to his face anger began coursing through him, and he grabbed Warlord with such hate.

Dear god did he want to smash him right then. But, he refrained as Warlord was his family. Even if it was all the masks fault for Eddie truly believing Mercury would hurt her. He loved her, and would sooner stand in the bright sun than let her get even a sunburn. He held Warlord with both hands, and hung his head shaking it as more sparks came off him tremble with a mix of sadness, and agony.

---

---

She sighed, slowly unwrapping her arms from her legs. A pang of guilt went through her. Just go tell him how you feel.... But she couldn't, she was stuck. For someone with powers relating to light, she couldn't have felt more in the dark. New York was coming more and more into view, the same view that liberated people, felt like a death sentence to her.


Edwina, age six, sat in her room, absolutely terrified. Her parents had thought staying at the famed Lizzie Borden's house would be fun, a family bonding experience! They insisted that Edwina sleep in her own room, as they had more grown-up activities to take care of. And so, there she was, tiny and huddling behind a quilt, as she watched the shadows on the walls dance.

"Beware...Beware..." the walls seemed to chant. The shadows grew larger and larger, until they resembled people in their own right. Edwina gulped, curling up into a ball underneath the blankets. The small light in her room began to flicker, on and off, on and off, on and off, until the room was plunged into darkness. The scraping of nails and the pounding of steps brought tears to Edwina's eyes.

But she didn't cry.

"Cry, baby, cry!" the monstrous figure commanded, as the sheets were taken away from her. Edwina's eyes widened, seeing the formless shape advance at her, more and more. Backing up so her back was pressed against the headboard, she could smell the monster in front of her.

She could smell the blood.

"D-Don't hurt me!" Edwina cried, grabbing the lamp beside her bed. She chucked it at the creature, only to have it soar right through the figure with a clatter.

"You'll have to try harder than that..." the figure taunted. Edwina cringed, as it rushed at her, and screamed as her insides felt like they were turned to ice. A whispering presence tickled at her ears, and in her terror, she hardly noticed as a blinding light filled the room.

"Beware Lady Liberty....She is liberty in death...Young Lucifer..." the voice whispered, before vanishing.

Edwina slowly rose from her bed, staring at her hands in terror. "Liberty in... death?" Edwina squeaked.

There was no answer.



Edwina rushed up to her feet, her heart beating. This was where she was doomed to die. Liberty in death. Lady Liberty was dead ahead, and she glanced around wildly, unable to tell what it would be.

"Mercury!" Eddie screamed, running over towards him. If she was going to die, she'd at least be able to do this, then. She placed a delicate kiss on his forehead, her heart beating wildly, as she watched as the statue grew nearer and nearer. Biting her lip, Eddie rocked back and forth on her feet, hardly waiting for Mercury to acknowledge anything.

"I like you."

---

"Mercury!"
He heard his name being called out to him, but it felt so distant. Then he felt the presence there before him her warmth, and began to focus in on her. The kiss on his forehead brought his head up to look at her in the eyes. He looked so tired as if fighting something inside him. "I like you." Those words, those three little words strung together made his heart sing with joy. He dropped Warlord, and wrapped his arms around Eddie in a hug he was shaking. ”I like you too Edwina.“ He nestled his face into the side of her head gently. ”God do I like you a lot.“ He was so elated that the pain, and misery was pushed far away.
”Please, never think I’d hurt you again. You’re my light, and the Darkness cannot be without the light. You’re my candle Edwina, and if you go out I’ll be alone in the darkness… I don’t want to be alone, never again.“ He held her gently, but still tight enough that he knew she was actually there.

---

---

Enveloped in a hug, Eddie could feel Mercury shaking. The mask clattered to the ground beneath them, and she hugged him back, watching fearfully as the boat passed the statue of liberty. Squeezing her eyes tightly, she waited for the release of death.

”I like you too Edwina.“

She opened her eyes. I'm not....dead? ”Please, never think I’d hurt you again. You’re my light, and the Darkness cannot be without the light. You’re my candle Edwina, and if you go out I’ll be alone in the darkness… I don’t want to be alone, never again.“

She blinked, breaking into a grin. She then chuckled a bit. "You're cheesy enough to be a nacho...And probably to be eaten by yourself," she commented, watching as Lady Liberty became more distant. Perhaps it had all just been nonsense after all, a cruel joke, a trick, something to taunt her and haunt her for the rest of her days.

She then lightly kicked Warlord with her toe, and snickered a bit. "Sorry, I had to."

---

Mercury laughed, and he gently pulled back to dry his eyes. ”Yeah, I think I’d be delicious.“ He watched Eddie kick Warlord, and laughed. ”Asshole deserved it. Just don’t shatter him alright? Masks are very hard to replace… I think. I don’t really know for suresey.“ He was so happy, but he knew Eddie had been tense about something. Just he didn’t know what, and she seemed a lot better so whatever it was must’ve passed.
They soon pulled up to the docks, and were met with the sounds of ambulance, and police sirens. Mercury quickly switched out Magi for Sly again, and put her and warlord back on their places on his belt. Before taking that nerdy white guy form again. So the first responders wouldn’t be confused.

---

---

Eddie sighed a bit. "Do you think we could...skip the police and the ambulances?"

She did her best impression at puppy dog eyes, though they weren't as cute as she hoped. Truthfully, she hated doctors and shots, feeling trapped and confined. And after the day she had, she didn't want to be anywhere around other people, if she could possibly help it. First, her Brazil vacation had turned into a mafia gang bust. Then, her plane crashed out of the sky. And finally, a death omen from when she was young appeared to come true.

"And once we get away from the cops, can you tell me everything you know about ghosts?" Eddie asked.

---

"Do you think we could...skip the police and the ambulances?"
Mercury just couldn’t say no to Eddie’s puppy dog eyes. So he grabbed her picking her up into his arms. Then took off fast getting off the boat, and was moving with insane agility and speed to get far away from the ambulance, and police. ”I’ll tell you what I can about ghosts once we’re at a nice resturant. Like we agreed, a small cafe? Is that alright?“

He soon came to a stop at a small quiet suburb part of New york. He set Eddie down, and bent over panting. He raised a finger for Eddie to give him a second. Then soon was upright, and bent his back to take in some big breaths of air. ”Alright, know anywhere good to eat? I sorta wretched everything in my stomach a bit ago.“ He then burst into laughter as he rubbed the back of his head.

---

---

Once they stopped, Eddie got down, brushing her hair slightly. "You should have done my miles for me in high school... I might have not flunked gym!" she teased, giggling a bit. "I've never been to New York before, but... I mean, Italian is always good. We can try this place on the corner."

Sure enough, at the end of the street, there was a tiny Italian bistro -- similar to the one found in Lady and the Tramp. It hadn't closed yet, the lights valiantly fighting against the dark. A few people were walking in and out, more of them out, as they headed home, prepared for bed.

"Can you tell me anything you might know about... Lizzie Borden?" Eddie guessed, grabbing Mercury's hand and pulling him towards the store.

While on the boat, a new possibility had occurred to her about the creature that attacked her when she was small. She always assumed it was the ghost of Lizzie Borden, giving her a curse -- or perhaps, a gift -- as an act of malice. But perhaps, it wasn't a ghost after all. Perhaps it was something more sinister, something darker. Her parents never would have believed her had she told them exactly what happened.

But Mercury, perhaps he would know what had happened that night, sixteen fateful years ago.

---

Mercury followed Eddie smiling when she took his hand in hers. He saw the little Italian Bistro, and the scents from their made his mouth salivate a little.
"Can you tell me anything you might know about... Lizzie Borden?"
He looked at Eddie curiously that name didn’t sound all that familiar to him. ”I’m sorry Eddie, but I don’t. I’ve never come to the America’s before now. So I’m afraid I can’t talk about anyone specific. But, I can tell you a great deal about ghosts, and demons. I’ve run into my fair share over my twenty some years of life. Especially since I am a spirit. We tend to gravitate one another like magnets. Especially if you’re a wanderer like I am.“
When they got to the bistro they were seated as they just barely managed to squeak in. They were given menus, and Mercury proceeded to peruse.

---

---

Eddie glanced over the menu, quickly locating the same meal that she always ordered: spaghetti bolognese. In her mind, it was complete and utter Italian perfection. Nothing could ever surpass it, no matter how hard someone tried.

"Yeah... What do you know about ghosts and demons?" she asked, biting her lip as she smiled.

She didn't imagine telling him about what happened to her as a little girl would have been the best idea. Jackson had been extraordinarily protective--she could scare imagine how Mercury would react. Hopefully, he would simply tell her that ghosts can sometimes trigger dormant powers, and that'd be it. She'd have nothing to worry about.

But then again, there was always the chance that he'd want to know why she was asking these questions.

---

Mercury wanted to ask why Eddie wanted to know. But, he trusted her to tell him in her own as he can’t make her do anything she doesn’t want to. ”What I know is that ghosts are incorporeal beings that can either be a person’s soul, or negative feelings that stain an area. They are awful things, and can do any sort of things. But, usually they are seeking to just cause pain and death because of how much they suffer. Demons on the other hand, they only interact with humans unless contracted or seeking to fulfill a personal goal. It can at times involve giving certain human individual powers in order to use them as a puppet. Pray you never run into one of those nightmares. As once you’re in the palm of their hand they never let go. Everything in your life becomes something they planned, and will kill anyone they view as a threat to their aims.“ He rubbed his neck as it was aching.
He decided to go for the chicken parm, and garlic cheese bread appetizer. That was always good stuff, and filled him up.

---

---

Reaching for her glass of water, Eddie gulped the entire thing down in less than a minute. Still unable to respond, she took Mercury's as well, gulping it down quickly. A bead of sweat slid down her face, as she chuckled nervously.

"So, erm, what sort of powers can they give people?" Eddie asked, before thinking better of it. "Asking for a friend..."

Avoiding Mercury's gaze, she then grabbed one of the breadsticks on the table and shoved it in her mouth, giving her an excuse to no longer talk. Her mind was racing as she came to the logical conclusion that it wasn't just Lizzie Borden's ghost. She was some demon's puppet, probably placed here in order to ruin lives, or at least, become its own personal reality TV show star.

Swallowing thickly, Eddie really wished that she had choked on the bread. Or drowned in the ocean. Anything.