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Chapter Text

After Maelle-Verso duel for the Canvas where Maelle won...

As Maelle returned to the canvas world, she swiftly gathered all of Verso's chroma to her. She flicks in a bit of her own golden chroma before finally summoning her paintbrush to repaint him.

Verso reappeared on the ground she swung her sword. He was on his knees, his hands trembled as he lifted them in disbelief that he was alive yet again. "No..." he whispered in silent rage.

"Verso!" yelled Maelle angrily.

Lune, Sciel and Monoco just stood by the side, unwilling to break the tension. They knew this Verso was a bit different when his scar was no longer on his face.

"You will never do that again!" Maelle continued.

Verso stood, although resigned but quietly raging inside. He glared at Maelle defiantly. He noticed the portal was still open behind her.

Once Maelle noticed him look over, she quickly turned, gestured a locking door motion with her hands, and the portal closed.

Verso's hope was crushed. He don't know when or how he could ever get there again to stop his soul from painting. That was a once in a lifetime chance to free real Verso's soul, stop the cycle once and for all, and save Alicia from losing herself in the Canvas. He failed.

Feeling his heart broken, his wishes betrayed, and on top of that, violated as Maelle altered some of him, he turned his back and started walking away. He needed time to be away from her, away from it all. Maybe forever. If Maelle didn't want to unpaint him, and he can't unpaint himself, then perhaps it will be better to remove himself by running away and hiding forever.

But Maelle was already one step ahead of him.

"WAIT! STOP!" she commanded. She knew forcing him to live this life would also push him away and make him resent her. She was prepared for that.

Verso stopped. He willed his own body to take a few steps forward, but he couldn't. He strained and struggled for some form of control but to no avail. He saw chroma on him, her golden chroma flickered out, and he knew what she had done. Lune, Sciel and Monoco watched in horror as Maelle used her Paintress power on him.

He looked back at her. "Alicia... How could you..." A singular tear fell on his left eye.

"Just leave me alone..." he pleaded in defeated tone. The sadness in his voice had become immeasurable and pain inconsolable knowing his supposed-sister had just put him in chains. A shackled fate worse than immortality.

"No. We're gong home..." Maelle walked to him, held his hand and pulled him forward to Esquie. The rest of the party followed.

Back at Lumiere...

Maelle did as she promised to Lune and Sciel. All the chroma within the canvas are hers to control now. In an instant, she repainted the people back, as well as Sciel's husband Pierre. Though she needed a bit more information on what he looked like. Lune also got her parents back. Sophie and Gustave returned and resumed their relationship. All was right in the canvas world.

"I can't believe it! Expedition 33 has defeated the Paintress and brought us all back!"

Their celebration continued as if nothing had happened and they were simply un-gommaged though some of them were clearly not the same as before.

"Well Maelle, I can't believe you guys did it!" chirped Gustave. "You must be tired from all that fighting."

"Go on home Maelle. We'll start planning preparations on rebuilding the city now that everybody's back. We need more homes for these people!" said Emma looking over at all the people she hadn't seen before. Some of them were bland in color, some looking alike, with uniforms.

Maelle felt exhausted indeed but happy to have brought her adopted brother and sister back. "Actually, I'm not going home to your place. I'm going to live with my brother." She glanced over to Verso who was sulking on his spot by the harbour.

"I thought I'm your brother?" Gustave curiously asked.

"Well, Verso is my long lost brother and I want to spend some time with him."

"Oh! You have to tell me some other time how you found him out there. He must have quite a story to tell," said Gustave cautiously eyeing Verso at a distance.

"Yes. Some other time perhaps. I'm quite tired so we'd better go," said Maelle.

"Of course, of course!" said Emma. "But remember, you always have a home in ours. Come by anytime."

Maelle nodded and waved goodbye to her and Gustave. She came by to tap Verso on the shoulder, to which he visibly flinched. "Let's go."

Verso reluctantly stood up and followed her to a conjured manor door. They traversed it and again were transported to the grandest manor in all of Lumiere.

"I thought you'd rather live with Gustave than this manor," said Verso in an attempt to persuade her to just leave him be.

He was kind of relieved (in Act2) that she was so attached to Gustave. He thought perhaps even when she'd recover her Alicia memories, she'd still want Gustave back, and not him as Verso. It was the only "safety net" he felt while traveling with her, that perhaps she won't be like Aline... Now, apparently that ship had sailed. Even with Gustave 2.0 here, Maelle would still not set him free.

"And leave you out there? No. We live together brother."

Verso was stewing in anger. "I'M NOT YOUR BROTHER!" he spat. "I'm not! No matter how hard you try, how you repaint me. I am not."

"No. You are not." Maelle said in agreement. "Can't you just give me this? Just try, please! Just give me a lifetime as my Verso," she held his hand and raised it to caress her face. "I've made you mortal again so we can grow old together. Just give me this and I promise I won't repaint you back anymore."

Verso angrily swiped his hand away. "You know I know when you're lying."

Verso was right. Maelle was just saying that to get what she wanted, just like she lied to Renoir. She had no intention of letting him go, ever. Just as bad as Aline was. Verso knew it might come to this, but he didn't know Maelle would be so much worse than Aline. Atleast Aline just made him immortal so he couldn't die (like the real one) but still gave him autonomy to even be able to fight her. Now Maelle was the complete opposite of that.

Maelle, busted on her lie again, snapped. "Doesn't matter. You're never leaving me anyway!"

She snapped her finger and conjured a force field on the manor door. "I'm tired. Let's continue this argument tomorrow." She stormed off into her room.

Verso tried to touch the door but the force field prevented him from traversing. "Tsk." Now he's trapped in his own house. He stormed off into his room.

Maelle heard thrashing, furnitures breaking, windows getting smashed. She knew Verso was lashing out.

"Verso..." she cried in her room, knowing she's breaking him apart, for this 'need' of hers. She knew she did such a cruel and terrible thing to him, but she can't let him go. She really really can't. Even knowing that it's the right thing to do. "I'm so sorry..."

She recalled their recent duel and how her heart broke when suddenly he turned on her and fought so hard to expel her. She was so afraid because out of all the people in Lumiere, Verso would be the only person who could stop her, just like he did to their mother Aline.

And when he faded, the grief was too much. That hole in her heart reopened with all the pain, sorrow, guilt, shame, all emotions that come with it, all real and raw, and it was too much to bear. So she decided to repaint him even against his will. Remove his immortality as a compromise in exchange for his free will.

She was too afraid to lose him again. To wake up and realize he'd abandoned her again. She was too afraid he'd fight her and actually manage to expel her, so she had to take away his freedom. She had to. There were no room for errors.

She knew Verso would hate her. But over time, maybe he'd learn to accept and be 'her' Verso, not painted Alicia's. After all, she's the real one.

Once all the sound had stopped and Verso had seemingly calmed down, she got up and went to his room. She opened the door and found he had thrashed the whole place. Paintings torn, mirrors broken, and furnitures smashed. He was sitting down on the floor by the foot of his bed, his bloodied hands covering his face as he quietly sobbed, hiding his tears. She took everything away from him! His peace. His salvation. His freedom. His self. Even his scar!

She sat down next to him and wrapped her arm around his. He tried to pull away, but she locked his arm nonetheless. She leaned her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.

"It's not forever... It's not forever..." she whispered, but Verso felt no comfort with her words.

Verso might be right, that he was painted, not the real one. But to see him, to feel his presence, to hear the same voice and be able to touch him again was enough to convince herself, he's her Verso.

And in this moment, to Maelle, it all seemed right in the canvas world again.

Verso's resentment just grew overtime. The passion he once had for music even seemed to fade away. He could not find a spark of joy, even on his own escapism in music, from this nightmare that he was forced to live. He could see Alicia weaken day by day, but still he was unable to do anything. He felt despair and helpless, aware of the knowledge Alicia was dying. Real Verso's sacrifice would've been for nothing. And his painted self, and last sliver of Verso's soul, her prisoner.

He would sometimes approach Lune, to secretly ask for help, but was shot down for Lune fears Maelle too. Sciel was living in bliss with her husband and cannot be bothered. Esquie and Monoco had gone home. Even if he wanted to visit them or go on adventures with them, he couldn't without Maelle's permission. The dome that protected the city before was gone, but now replaced by an invisible field to keep him in. If given the chance, he would never come back to Lumiere. He felt more alone than ever.

"You have to stop controlling me. I'm not going away, I promise." Verso assured her over and over again, but Maelle knew his deceptions and that he was only saying things she wanted to hear.

Once Verso did try to find happiness in this new world. He taught music in Lumiere Academy, played in the Opera and made some friends. Maelle was always wary of these new friends. Once she actually gommaged someone he just met, just because he smiled at her. He'd always remember the smug look she had, the same look when she gommaged his (painted) Alicia. It always triggered him and it became a fullblown fight after, with her always getting her way anyway. It was futile.

"Repaint me! Make me lose my memories!" he bargained one night after the first time she forced him to play the piano in the Opera. "I can't do this anymore."

"I can't. Then you wouldn't be the same as my Verso," she refused, as with all his requests. "You're just gonna have to live with it, brother."

Maelle worsened and grew colder. She could see her supposed-brother's suffering day by day but she can't do anything. Well, she can but she won't. She even had to force him to do the things he once loved before. She had become paranoid that anything that comes close to him, would take him away. Even so far as suspect the original party. Sciel and Lune. And most of all, Esquie and Monoco.

Sometimes, she tried to let him go but seeing him with another and smile, only made her bitter and jealous, and she did terrible things. "It's supposed to be OUR time together," she reasoned.

Verso eventually stopped "trying". He understood his situation would not get any better. He stopped talking to her, looking at her, ignoring and avoiding her every time he could. It was his last act of defiance, to gain some semblance of control. He continuously struggled against her delusions. To remind her to see things as they are, not how she wanted them to be. That one day she would finally wake up from this fantasy.

Although drowning... suffocating from Maelle's grasp, he held his breath and still had hope. That one day Renoir or Clea would eventually come and end this once and for all.

Chapter Text

Verso remembered the time he was trapped inside his own house.

A chair was thrown haphazardly inside the mansion, by the door.

A flower vase next.

A painting.

A plate.

"Keep it up Verso. You're just prolonging your sentence," said Maelle as she sat by the fireplace, reading a book. "Just say the magic word and I'll let you out."

"No," said Verso. It had been quite a few days probably. He couldn't tell. The manor itself was in a different plane than the outside - Lumiere.

Lune went inside the mansion as Verso was throwing a book next. She sidestepped. "Merde... What the hell is happening here?" She asked after seeing all the mess of chairs, and various objects broken by the door.

"Lune..."

"Oh, hey Lune. Don't mind the mess, he's just lashing out... again."

Verso sat by one of the dining table's chair, his hand cradled his head.

"Which he is going to fix himself, by the way!" yelled Maelle.

"No. I'm not going to fix anything!" he yelled back.

Maelle sighed and waved her hand and everything broken was repainted back to the way they were.

Verso went to Lune and grabbed both her shoulders to ask for help. "Lune, she's driving me crazy. Get me out of here!"

"Don't help him Lune or I will have to repaint you."

Lune knew and understood, that the price she demanded for their continued existence was Verso. Trapped. Chained to her.

"I just wanted to inform you that the Opera House is fixed."

"Really? Did you hear that Verso?!"

"No. On second thought... I think the manor is magnificent and I'd like to stay cooped up in here." He'd rather be cooped up than be forced to participate in her delusions.

"Come on, let's see it!" said Maelle in excitement as she finally removed the force field on the door.

They went outside and Verso finally felt a bit of fresh air. They went to the rebuilt Opera House, the first building Maelle wanted fixed.

"You can finally play us a concert!"

Verso, being dragged there, felt in no mood to play for her ever again. "I don't want to."

"You swore to me!"

He just wanted to be free. He didn't want this. "I don't want to."

"You will play!" she said in a sinister and forceful tone.

The first time he played voluntarily as an obligation, to fulfil the promise he made to her back then during the Expedition. The next few times however, he made it clear he did not want to. He refused. She always shed a tear, an understanding that he still did not want this life with her. So she painted him to play his part. She could see him suffer as his fingers hovered heavily over the keys. He had no choice but to give in and started to play.

As he played, her painted face formed a smile. Some form of satisfaction. She knew, she took his joy and love of music. She took his everything.

Verso eventually asked for Esquie and Monoco's help to smuggle him out. It was the first time he found out, the shield dome had been replaced by an invisible force field to keep him in. Once Esquie flew them away, the field immediately bounced him back inside with force. He tumbled on the harbor ground.

"Verso! We need to go back!" shouted Monoco after seeing him fall. They returned, they could pass in and out with no problem.

This is... Verso hovered his hand on the field, barely touching and it rejected his touch. Another prison, within a prison, within a prison.

Esquie and Monoco landed near him.

He took a deep exasperated sigh.

Maelle was already seething on the way to him. "I'm so disappointed in you."

Verso felt anger. The only emotion he had felt these past few days. "You? You're disappointed? I'm disappointed in you!"

One of their early fights where Verso still felt he could fight back.

"You promised me a lifetime!"

"I never agreed to that!" Verso angrily pointed at the invisible field. "Take this down!"

"No! You're running away again! Just stop!"

"You can't keep me here. This is not my home!"

"Your home is with me! Why can't you see that?"

"No! You're the one who can't see me for who I am!"

Maelle has had it enough with this 'I'm not Verso' argument. She doesn't want to hear it anymore. "I CAN keep you where I want you to be. If you insist on this again, then I will... have no choice." She looked over to both Esquie and Monoco who were waiting for him on the sideline.

"You wouldn't!" He dared.

"Remember, you were the one prepared to erase EVERYTHING!"

Way to make Verso feel more guilt than he already did. He was taken aback and that he knew Esquie and Monoco supported him, but it also hurt him tremendously to think he would lose them. He always thought his sacrifice would be worth it, for his mother Aline and his sister, Alicia. But now, living a life he didn't want. He needed them. He needed his bestfriends.

Verso's heart sank, but he understood and nodded. The idea that Maelle would gommage Esquie and Monoco was a threat that terrified him. He's had to make a LOT of sacrifices but he can't afford to lose them too. He walked over to Esquie and Monoco. "Go on home without me. I'll... I'll be fine."

"Verso..." Esquie slumped with the saddest voice. With understanding that there won't be any more adventures in the meantime.

"Verso... I'll take care of Noco and we'll see you again." Monoco squeezed Verso's shoulder and nodded. He knew they can't do anything to get him out right now, and their presence would be both a comfort and a blackmail to him.

Verso was morose and silent as he watched his bestfriends flew away, back to Esquie's Nest, back to the Gestral Village. He would give anything to be out there again.

Maelle stood beside him once they were out of sight. "It's alright. They can come visit us from time to time." A little bit of promise. A little bit of comfort.

But even if they don't visit at all, it gave him peace of mind to know that they were still out there, somewhere.

"You're grounded though," she said in a sweet but nonchalant tone.

Verso gave her a defiant You're-Not-My-Mother look. Which she gave I'm-Your-Paintress-look and said, "Don't make me."

Who ever thought giving a teen, with godlike powers, complete control of the canvas would be a good idea? Curse himself for siding with Maelle when he could've sided with Renoir!

"Ugh..." Verso grumbled as he turned to walk home with Maelle following behind him wearing a little smile.

It was quite an impasse.
The more Maelle held him tight, the more Verso wanted to break free.
The more Verso wanted to be free, the more Maelle held him tight.
The cycle continued...

Chapter Text

Lune walked in awe as she strolled inside the manor's dining hall. She had seen it many times since their expedition, but only this time could she fully immerse in the beauty and art inside. She knew the Dessendre's were mega rich with all this grandeur being a replica of the original manor in the real world. She could see with great detail all the colors and brush strokes on the paintings made by the family.

Verso walked into the dining room with 2 wine glasses and a bottle. He noticed Lune was wearing her skirt outfit, so today might've been a day-off for her research work. He himself was wearing his own civilian outfit when he finally approached her. "Lune, would you like some red?"

Lune turned her attention to Verso with a cheeky grin. "A little too early, don't you think?"

"Well, this is one of the best and limited wine I could find. It's said to have originated from a city called Krat. La Bleiwies."

"You must've some cellar with exquisite wine. You were holding out on us!" teased Lune.

"All the wine I kind of smuggled into Esquie so the cellar's almost empty. I might need to start a winery soon."

"Or you're rich. Just buy from Emma. She supplied all the wines for the expeditions."

"That's true."

Verso opened the bottle of wine and poured onto 2 wine glasses. Lune grabbed one and took a sip.

They sat comfortably on the same couch by the fireplace, 2 feet apart.

"So, you said you needed help with something?" asked Verso curiously.

"Yes. You see, I have composed a new song. I'd like to get your opinion on it." Lune conjured her music sheet from a picto. "Let's play it together."

"Alright."

Lune and Verso both conjured their guitars from pictos. It had been a long time since Verso played the guitar. He wondered if he still remembered how.

"Hmmm. It's been a long time since I used this, it might be out of tune."

Verso tuned the chord a bit and stroke the strings. "Is that better?"

It sounded awful to Lune. "That's terrible. Here, let me."

"Err... Well, you know my specialty." He handed over his guitar to her, as she unsummoned hers, and she expertly adjusted its tune. "It'd be better to play something else for once."

"I know."

His image was burnt like a horror movie in her brain. Walking out of the theatre, sitting down on the piano chair. She could always tell when he played of his own volition, and when he refused. It saddened her to see that Maelle would force his hand like that. Those times, all she could do was give him a small smile of reassurance that it's gonna be okay.

Lune had also felt guilt, that she and Sciel had become accomplices to his torment, his existential suffering and chained to Maelle. So she would come by from time to time and check up on him. He always looked relieved to see her.

Their team was never the same. With the power imbalance tipped over to the new Paintress. It wasn't just Verso walking on eggshells, but Lune and Sciel as well. For if Maelle could do this to him - the one she claimed her brother, what's stopping her to do worse unto them? In truth, no one was ever free. Not Verso. Not anyone of them too. Verso had just taken the brunt of it because he was always fighting her and trying to break free.

Lune finished tuning the guitar and handed it back to Verso. "Shall we try?"

"Okay. But I'm telling you, I'm rusty." Verso looked over at the music sheet in front of them and shyly asked about some of the chords. "What's that again?"

"You're joking!" Lune laughed and Verso for once, smiled again. "That is C Major."

She held his left hand that's already holding the guitar and moved his fingers on the correct strings for C Major. Their touch sparked a memory of a special time together. A memory of taking selfish breaks, carefree, and enjoying each other's company.

A memory of being somewhere in the woods... composing.

Verso suddenly turned red and embarrassed, and Lune's face flushed as well. Both with a genuine and bashful smile on their faces.

"I missed this. I missed you," Lune confessed. "Why'd you have to be so complicated?" Though Lune would admit, his complications were part of his charms.

"Lune... I..."

Verso was starting to warm up to the possibility of a relationship with Lune. A real one: Love, romantic, commitment, devotion and all. One that could become his reason to live. But before he could say anything, Maelle's frantic shout "Verso?!" from the 2nd floor had startled him and snatched that possibility away. He cannot allow himself to love if he's not free. Literally. It won't ever be fair to her when he's always at the whim of Maelle's wants and needs.

"I guess it's time to leave?" asked Lune as she and Verso stood up.

Maelle came into the dining hall, with apparent tears on her eyes.

"Maelle, are you alright?" Lune asked noticing her distress.

"Lune, I'd like a moment alone with my brother," said Maelle, looking a bit serious. If it's any other person, she would've just gommaged them away without a second thought.

"Of course. See you, Verso." Lune waved and started walking to the manor door.

"What's wrong?" Lune heard Verso ask Maelle.

"YOU!" was the last word Lune heard Maelle answer as she traversed the door.

Chapter Text

Maelle frequently had nightmares about the manor fire. So vivid, like it was yesterday. She dreamt of the fiery pain engulfing her face, then Verso, burning and hurting, extending his hand to her. "You're ok" his last words forever etched in her mind as she reached for his hand inside the book's burning room. Then the next scene unfolded as she found herself outside of the room she was previously in. And Verso's agonized scream echoing inside.

It's her fault!

She trusted the Writers. She started writing on her book (similar to painter's canvas) when she wasn't ready!

It's her fault!

They tricked her while inside her book and set that reality (and book) on fire.

It's her fault!

The room started to burn and Verso had to save her.

He removed her physical body away from the burning book (although her face had burnt). But her soul was still inside.

It's her fault!

He had to go into the book-reality to get her soul out before its entire world turns to ash.

He sacrificed himself, so she could live.

It's her fault!

It's her fault!

It's her fault!

She woke up sweating from the heat of the fire in her dreams; crying from the pain she felt on her face. And worst of all, Verso's scream would sometimes linger, echoing in her room.

She got up from her bed panting, gasping for air, having a panic attack. She'd touch her face and was relieved to feel it's smooth and unburnt. She opened the door and ran immediately to his room, shouting his name. "Verso?!"

Verso wasn't in his room. "Putain!" she cursed as her panic intensified to check all rooms on the 2nd floor.

"Verso?!" She frantically ran downstairs to go to the dining hall and finally found Verso with Lune standing there, holding a guitar and looking at her as she entered.

"Maelle, are you alright?" Lune asked noticing her distress.

"Lune, I'd like a moment alone with my brother," said Maelle, looking a bit serious. If it's any other person, she would've just gommaged them away without a second thought.

"Of course. See you, Verso." Lune waved and started walking to the manor door.

"What's wrong?" asked Verso.

"YOU!" she snapped.

"Calm down, Maelle." Verso grabbed her shoulders in comfort. "Did you have nightmares again?"

Maelle just immediately went in to hug him tight. "Stop sacrificing your life for me! It should've been me! It should've been me..." She sobbed on his chest.

Verso embraced her tightly back to comfort her. Her nightmares had been frequent. The more she'd ran away from the truth, the more frequent it became. Perhaps it's her subconscious reminding her of things she wanted to forget.

But he took these times, these moments the truth presented itself to her, to talk some sense into her. "Alicia..." There was an obvious difference between the names he used for her. 'Maelle' was for the Paintress. 'Alicia' was him imploring to his sister. "Verso... would want you to live on. It is the duty of a brother to protect his little sister..."

"Verso? Don't speak like that. You're here. You're still here. This is where I want to be."

"You're dying here, Alicia. Please... go home." Verso pleaded. It tormented him that his mere presence in the Canvas was killing her.

"There is nothing for me there."

"Don't say that, Alicia. You have a whole world waiting for you. Papa, Maman, Clea, they are waiting for you. Don't give up. Please."

"They can do without me. But I can't do without you. I need you, Verso," said Maelle as she held him tighter.

"You still have a future and different worlds right at your fingertips. Don't throw it all away for me. I'm not... I'm not real."

Verso won't deny that sometimes stockholm syndrome would hit and he would just submit to this fate. At times he would slip, at times he would accept. Most times he would want nothing more than to relieve her pain. Give her everything she wanted and needed.

But her grief was a constant reminder that he was not. That he will never be. He will never be able to soothe them (her and Aline). He will always be a temporary fix, a band aid, an emotional crutch. Nothing but paint. He will never be her Verso.

"I don't care. You can hate me all you want, I don't care. As long as we're together. We'll die together."

It would've been easy to just give her everything. She's still Alicia after all, even if Verso knew she's not his actual (painted) sister. That line had actually already blurred for him. But at times, he would be reminded of the dire situation that she's slowly dying. His brotherly love would kick in and remind himself that he cannot enable this. He mustn't give up, even if she already did.

"I can't allow that," said Verso with conviction and resolve.

And he would start fighting her again. Pushing her away. Refusing her demands. Which would infuriate her again. This push-pull dynamic's driving each other insane.

Already losing herself and drunk on power, she would often use her powers to make him submit anyway. Even if he'd felt helpless, hopeless and his heart would break every time she would strip him of what little choice he had, Verso swore that as long as he could, he would persist. To make her see things as they are, not how she wanted them to be.

He would persist.

Just like Renoir did to Aline for 67 years.

Chapter Text

Lumiere Academy had been rebuilt and the classes restarted. Occasionally, Verso and Sciel would see each other in the campus as Verso teaches music and Sciel visits her husband Pierre.

"Hey Sciel!" greeted Verso when they bump into each other in one of the corridors.

"Hey, Verso! How are you holding up?" Sciel greeted back.

"Fine. You?"

"Never better."

They laughed knowingly. They knew they were both faking it 'til they make it, sort of thing.

They went by a window corner to chat a bit.

"Any stories lately?" asked Sciel curiously.

"You want real stories or stories I make in my head. I got a ton of that lately."

"I'm sure you do. How about a real story? How are you and Lune?"

"I didn't think you would be the gossiping type. Where did that come from?"

"Oh Verso. I knew from before, on our Expedition. She told me she visits you from time to time."

"Lune and I..." Verso paused before finally answering, "...are just friends..."

"Verso, are you still waiting out on me?" she joked.

"Maybe?" he joked back.

Their flirtatious moment brought memories of their closeness and playfulness back then.

"But Lune... You could be more than friends with her, you know? You have my full support!" Sciel's smile turned to a frown. "But, I understand why..."

"What about you? How are you and Pierre?"

"If I'm going to be honest... It's been hard."

"Oh?"

"I thought I got what I wanted and it would make me happy to get him back, but I didn't think it would hurt more. He's there, a version of him, but it's not him. It's not the same voice, not the same smile, not the same warmth, not the same person I used to know. In a way, he just became a constant reminder that my Pierre was truly gone."

When Sciel gave Maelle her husband's description and since his chroma was long gone, she could not repaint Pierre the same and had to create him from scratch. Based on Maelle's "artist's interpretation" of her husband's descriptions and image. Of course it won't be perfect because Maelle did not know him, and things such as "voice", even mannerisms and personality, would be unique and cannot be replicated without her having known him at all.

"It's been kinda tough. Knowing the secret. Pretending to live in a lie," she continued as she shed a tear.

"I'm so sorry... I thought... You looked happy when I see you with him."

"Is it the reason you never asked Maelle to bring anyone back? To bring Julie back?"

"How did you know about Julie?"

"Verso. We all heard the journals," she smiled knowingly.

"I don't know. If she's brought back, I think it would just make things more complicated." Verso won't deny that he contemplated deeply about that possibility but he also knew what it entailed. "Not that I have any choice anyway."

"Hmmm. I guess that's for the better? As the saying goes 'Be careful what you wish for.' Now we have to live with the consequences."

"That we unfortunately do..." said Verso in complete understanding.

"And I'm sorry. I understand everything now. Why you did what you did, and why you wanted it to end. I'm sorry, that you're suffering through so much more..."

Sciel remembered Verso's image in the Opera. She had unfortunately learned to wear a mask too, to pretend it's all okay and that she's happy with "Pierre". But when she saw him on that stage, she could not stomach the scene playing right in front of her. That moment and every other moment Maelle would force him to do something for her. Her mask crumbled into a disapproving frown and her heart would ache for him. Aware of how helpless he felt, and that she couldn't help him at all.

"I wouldn't want you or Pierre to go through any of that."

"Yeah, I would never tell him he's a copy of my dead husband. I actually spoke to Lune and we had the same sentiment. Her parents... are not the same intellectuals. Maelle made them more loving towards her, so now she felt it's all wrong."

"Really? Lune never told me."

"She wouldn't want to burden you. But here I am unloading." Sciel laughed. "I guess we live in our own personal nightmares now."

"Sciel..."

"Well, how about we drink some wine later?" asked Sciel. "I could really use a drink and Lune told me you have stashes at your manor."

"Uhhh..." Verso scratched his head. "I kind of drank it all. So how about going to the festival by the harbor?"

"Of course, let's do a double date. You bring Lune, I'll bring Pierre."

Verso laughed at her matchmaking attempt. "Err... I - I need to ask Lune but sure..."

Dancing the night by the harbour was no longer a thing, but drinking surely was. Just like the eve of expeditions, there were now restaurants with tables setup and wines by the harbor.

Sciel and Verso laughed and reminisced the old expedition days - when they would confide and share secrets with each other. Those days seemed brighter than these peaceful days. They cherished these little moments of truth between them, finding comfort, shared suffering and understanding in their friendship.

Chapter Text

Maelle and Gustave walked along the path to the harbor. Gustave informed her that Sciel told Sophie who told him, they were having a double date, along with Lune and Verso. So there they went. Gustave noticed how Maelle was in a sour mood. She told him that Verso had not informed her. Gustave was befuddled why she needed to know, but tried to defuse her anger nonetheless. "He's at that age, huh? Perhaps it's time to let him go and marry? Lune is a good match!" Gustave found that what he said had actually angered her further as she swiftly walked forward. Until they finally found them in the harbor. She bid Gustave goodbye and went straight to the table where the 4 of them, Verso, Lune, Sciel and Pierre sat.

"Verso?" said Maelle with a flat smile while she stood by the table in front of him. She motions her head to signal let's go.

Everyone greeted her warmly. But it was a date and she didn't want to be the fifth wheel, so she stared again at Verso.

"Umm... excuse me, Lune," said Verso apologetically.

"Of course," said Lune understandably.

Verso and Maelle walked further away from the group.

"What are you doing here?" Verso asked.

"What? Why didn't you tell me you're here?"

"I didn't think I need to ask your permission to go on a date!"

"Huh? But you do!" said Maelle. "As with everything."

"Ugh..." Verso grumbled. "Can you at least give me tonight? I asked Lune out... I'd like to walk her home..."

"Who's going to walk me home?"

"Weren't you just with Gustave?"

"Yeah he already walked me here to get you."

"Look, I feel bad leaving her alone."

"But you don't feel bad leaving me alone?"

It was like talking to a wall.

"Maelle... You wanted me to live, right? I'm trying," said Verso with a heavy emphasis on 'trying'.

"Yes. I wanted you to live. To live with me. For me." Not for anybody else. Not even for yourself.

Verso shook his head. "How can you be this selfish?!"

"You know why. I want what we lost, and everyday you're just trying to leave me."

"Leave? I couldn't, even if I wanted to. You made sure of that!"

"Leave as in emotionally and mentally. You're here, but you feel so far away. Gustave is more present than you!"

Being compared to Gustave stroke a nerve. First, Gustave wasn't being kept prisoner against his will. There's a second, third, even fourth and fifth but the first one should've made the huge difference enough. So with a rosy outlook of this world, of course Gustave would be a better brother than him - he who's just so worn down by everything.

"You are right. Go to him then. Why don't you just live your lifetime with him and let.. me.. go..."

Maelle knew she hurt him with her last comment. And his retort hurt her back. Just affirming his desire to leave her again.

Maelle remembered her processing grief for Gustave's death. She remembered all that feeling and crying over him, but it all seemingly washed away when she remembered she's Alicia, a Paintress. She could always recreate him back in this or any other painted world. Where Gustave's death left a hole in her heart, Verso's death was a supermassive blackhole that's always behind her back. The immense weight of guilt, pain and trauma was eating her alive, swallowing her whole in that grief...

She would never be with Verso in the real world ever again. He was truly and permanently lost. But here... she found him, she found relief. Once she regained her Alicia memories, it was like she woke up to a brand new reality. Her eyes widen to fully accept this reality where a version of her brother existed. This painting felt so real, so perfect in the likeness of her brother, who also had his memories and essence.

Her heart fluttered at the thought of seeing him, hearing his voice, being in his presence again. Given the chance to be with him again. She obviously would not let him go, let this Canvas go.

You look and sound just like him, but you're you. She remembered telling him.

She knew he was his own person, his own life lived within the Canvas, his own family and sister. But over time, she found it getting harder and harder to see him for who he is, other than her brother. Over time, their bond grew, and she could not help but feel joy again. Inch by inch, that blackhole receded. It's still there, gnawing at the back of her mind and heart, but it's been kept at bay by his presence. She felt normal again. She even felt jealousy, whenever he referred to his sister Alicia and not her. She requested to meet her, and found it convenient that his painted sister wanted to be erased which she graciously granted. But when she heard him yell 'WAIT!', she felt the need to rush before he could stop her. She couldn't wait, couldn't give them a chance to talk. She wanted her out.

It was selfish and she knew she hurt him. She didn't know she could be this selfish. It surprised her too.

But the loss of him was too much, that seeing him right before her, within her grasp, she wanted him to be hers. She wanted her Verso back.

She would force him if she had to.

"No... I'm sorry. Come on, let's just go home," said Maelle as she pulled his arm.

Verso pulled away, standing his ground once again against her and her "perfect" world.

"Verso," she said in a warning tone. "Come along," she extended her hand for his reach.

He took a step back, shaking his head. "This is not how a relationship works, Alicia."

"Brother..." she said, stoic and stone-faced. The same face she always had when she did something terrible. "I'm your princess, I get what I want."

Verso felt her chroma, her influence on him as Maelle's face displayed visible paint. His right hand forced to move to reach hers, but he tried and struggled to pull it back, as he asked in anguish, "Alicia... am I a puppet?"

The question was simply ignored by her. "Stop resisting, brother."

Verso could not deny her command. He eventually reached her hand with an unfortunate, painful answer to his previous question. Out of all things in Lumiere, she exerted absolute control over him. But to be fair, he was also the only one who consistently fought her and kept trying to talk her out of her madness.

"Good," she smiled as they hold hands together and started walking home.

At their home, they sat by the sofa at the fireplace. Each with a book to read to distract in their own silence, while Verso's stewing in resentment, but with each other's company. She requested this was where they sleep now, together, rather than the emptiness of their own rooms. The manor was too large for just the both of them. She'd fall asleep on his shoulder or on his lap, but she rested easy knowing she wouldn't have to panic search every time she woke up.

Verso actually longed for the solace of his own room. Wherever he would be alone and away from her neediness. He often stared at the ceiling, just waiting for it to fall on him, or fall asleep, whichever comes first. He would at times reminisce memories of his painted family in the same replica of this manor. He wondered how long this charade would last and if he'd ever be with his family ever again.

Chapter Text

The lamplight illuminated the study as Verso entered his secret room in the library. A book remained open on the table where his civilian clothing had originally been found. He set it aside and placed a piece of parchment, quill and ink as he sat down. He dipped the tip of the quill on the ink and started writing.

He wrote of his feelings, his longing for forgiveness and of the olden days with his painted family. A catharsis for him.

This was not the typical expedition journal but simply a sheet of paper. Handwritten in black ink.

To My Painted Family,

I am sorry.

It is all I can say. To you my Alicia, to my Renoir, to my Clea who suffered and to my mother Aline who was trapped.

I am sorry...

There is nothing I can say anymore than an apology.

In a perfect world, as before the Fracture, we'd all be happy together. I still dream of that day. Before reality... tore us apart.

I miss you all, my family.

There is not a day that goes by without me feeling the void in my heart, the emptiness of all your presence. The thought that we will all never ever be together again in this world. That I am all alone now...

To my sister Alicia, I am sorry I wasn't the brother who was always there for you. I walked away from our family when I broke down. But you know you are my favorite and I would always die for you.

To my father Renoir, I am sorry I wasn't the son you wanted me to be. I couldn't take the illusion any longer. I couldn't sit idly by knowing Maman was dying, staying in this world for us, for me. I hope you forgive me for not standing by your side.

To my sister Clea, I am sorry I was late. I didn't find you sooner. You and Simon were my bestfriends. I hope you find peace, together with each other in the next life.

To my mother Aline, I am sorry Maman. But you have to let me go. This world, our painted family, our existence, you have to let it go. Maman, I'm sorry I had to do what I did. Your real family needs you. But I love you nonetheless, you are still my mother no matter what. And a mother is God in the eyes of a child.

Thank you, for being my family. Perhaps sometime when I am finally free, we can be together again.

Until next life.

Signed Verso, your painted family.

Chapter Text

"What do those tired eyes see?"

A stroke of brush, dipped in color, splashed onto a canvas. Hands moved in a rhythm, like a conductor of music with his baton. There was delicate and precise movement. Each brush strokes were calculated and vibrated with meaning. Each color drawn with intent.

Verso painted again.

He had forgotten what it felt like, since it had been ages since he rejected his painter side. But if he's going to live for hopefully-not-an-eternity, might as well rekindle some old hobby, especially since Maelle had also taken his joy & love of music with her constantly forcing him to play for her. The skills were still there, as if he learned them yesterday.

He'd forgotten how he'd get lost in it too, just like he'd get lost in the beauty of the notes when he played music for the love of it.

"What do those tired eyes see?" It was Lune who asked, watching him be moved by his art. They were at Renoir's atelier, during one of her visits.

"An abstract art," he answered as he continued to paint.

Lune looked at the art, it was incomprehensible in its beauty. "But what do they mean?"

"The world? My world. At least, how my tired eyes sees it, like you asked."

"Deep. Care to explain?"

Verso puts the brush down and motions onto the abstract art - the white, the dark, the hole, the grey in swirling loop with a splash of every bit of different colors. He said in a poetic way:

"It's hollow.
Life had lost its meaning without death.
Light is consumed by the Void.
It's beautiful yet broken,
colorful yet colorless at the same time.
Every bit is pointless.
A black hole of nothingness.
An endless pit of despair."

"Merde! That's too... dark!" Lune looked over trying to decipher which was which from his painting, and how it connected to everything he just said.

Verso shrugged. "You asked."

"Are you sure you can't insert any kind of hope in there?"

"Nope! There is no hope. No happy ending. Just pure misery." He laughed jokingly.

Lune knew Verso was a broken man, but to what extent, she didn't really understood until now. She still had hope though, for him. "Perhaps, I can fix that?"

She held both his hand and tip-toed to kiss him on the lips. He returned the kiss. It was deep and passionate. A make-out kiss that lasted for a few minutes, almost letting themselves lose into the moment.

Verso broke away before it could go any further. "I can't. Believe me I want to, but I can't."

He could feel the invisible weight of his chains, as he lifted his hand to gently caress her face.

He could feel the constant dread and fear that Maelle would gommage her. He'd like to think she won't do it ever to their team. But then again, he thought she would honor his wish to be unpainted, not turn a-hundred-eighty degrees and enslave him like this. He never thought his little sister could be this cruel. The more she stayed in this Canvas, the more her mind fractured, the colder and crueler she became. There was always that risk.

Lune smiled. "Don't worry. I understand." She held his hand that's caressing her face. "Things were so much simpler back then."

"Yeah. I miss those days. Remember when you just want to punch me in the face?"

"You lied too much."

"Half truths, omissions and white lies."

"Lies nonetheless," said Lune as she poked him on the chest. She fully understood his motivations and now living in Maelle's fabricated "perfect" world had also understood why he wanted to end it back then. "Friends then?"

Verso gave a flirtatious smile. "How about, more than friends but less than lovers?"

"What are you, a teenager?"

"Oh, right. Would you rather the other version? 'It's complicated.'"

"Like everything else is, with you."

They laughed. No labels, just two people who cared deeply for one another.

Lune embraced Verso tightly. She could not believe his mental fortitude and resilience in his situation. She admired the strength he had, and also felt bad that she couldn't help him get away. If I could ease even a little bit...

Verso tenderly wrapped his arm around her in the embrace. "Thank you, Lune."

He didn't tell Lune though, an aspect of the abstract painting that signifies his hope. That as long as he persists in this world, the void will not fully extinguish his light, no matter how dim it becomes.

Chapter Text

~A few years have passed...~

Verso stared longingly at the sun setting behind the mountains beyond Lumiere. Maelle had allowed him to age, but it did not make him feel any better. Actually, he started to miss his careless youth and the adventures he went on with Esquie and Monoco. He felt his fighting skills have probably regressed. Verso imagined how Monoco would mock him and he wouldn't have a retort at all. He stared at the same horizon they went flying to, a few years ago.

Lumiere had been rebuilt and its people had lived in peace for a few years now. He treasured these little breaks that he had, standing on his favorite spot by the harbour. Feeling the wind, the peace and quiet of being by himself. Of being himself. It kept him sane, before needing to return home to Maelle.

Maelle had grown old too. She adopted an orphan boy to their family. Verso didn't really know how to feel about it, it just felt like they were "playing house." Would that what "living a lifetime together" mean? The last thing he wanted to hear would be her saying he's their adopted "son" and he'd probably fuckin' lose it. Thank God she didn't... Sometimes, Verso would wish that Maelle would fall in love with another man so much that she'd just forget about him.

"You're here again?"

Verso turned around to acknowledge the voice. Gustave flashed a smile. "Gustave." Verso smiled back. He had been used to this charade. He'd been wearing masks his entire life, that people cannot even see him suffer behind his smiles.

"Great concert by the way. Every music you play is just as moving and emotional as ever."

"Thank you," said Verso awkwardly. He'd always felt the guilt of letting Gustave die, so he could never properly talk to him. "And uh... congratulations on your wedding!"

Gustave noticed he was always uneasy with him. He pat Verso's left shoulder. "Yeah, I admit. It took me so long to propose, I thought Sophie would reject me." He laughed, and Verso did too. "You know, we're going out on an expedition some time soon, maybe you should join? I've seen you always staring at the world out there. You must miss it, huh?"

Verso's interest was piqued. "An expedition? For what?"

"For science and exploration. We could use a guide." Gustave grinned. Nevrons or not, he knew Verso would be skilled enough to help them in their expedition, especially since he lived in "the wild".

"Uh..." Verso turned his stare on the invisible field that apparently only he could see. "I... want to... Perhaps... you could..."

Gustave watched him stutter the words. While he also fumbles words, he could see Verso had become distressed and conflicted over something. "Could I help you with something?"

Verso had never told anyone why he cannot leave. Only the original party members Lune, Sciel, Esquie and Monoco knew. In fact he had not even spoken to Lune or Sciel about it ever again. He had learned to suffer in silence. Also, only the original party knew that Maelle was the current Paintress. It was best to keep it a secret so the people can continue on with their lives not knowing the world was being ran by her now. Ignorance is bliss.

He was debating whether to ask Gustave for help, to tell him everything and that his sister Maelle was actually dying in the real world. Would he believe him? Could he do something about it? Or being recreated by Maelle, would he be under her complete control too? Unable to rebel? Perhaps it better not to bring him into this. He was at a loss for words, when he saw Maelle walking over to them.

"Gustave?" she said as she approached Gustave, before intently looking at Verso. "What are you two talking about?"

"Oh, Maelle, good! I was just asking Verso to join the expedition as a guide."

"Really?"

"Yeah... I..." Verso glanced over to Gustave hoping to get some backup, before looking at her. "I want to. Is that alright?"

"No," was Maelle's immediate and cold answer.

Gustave came to his aid. "Maelle, come on. I'm sure he loves music but he must be tired of playing at the Opera all the time."

"Yeah, he's right." Verso nodded in appreciation for Gustave's backup and understanding.

Maelle smiled. To Gustave it's just a normal cute-girl smile, but to Verso it was sinister and imposing. "And leave us here? No."

"Maelle..." said Verso in a low, serious tone. His eyes pleading, wanting to be set a little free.

"No." Maelle said firmly.

For a brief moment, Gustave noticed the sadness and hopelessness in Verso's eyes. Verso quickly composed himself as he tapped Gustave's shoulder. "Sorry..."

"Come along. Let's go home," she said and pulled Verso's hand. She bid Gustave goodbye, and Verso reluctantly followed.

Watching this dynamic unfold his very eyes, Gustave finally noticed how different Maelle had been to the one he knew based on his memories - as jumbled as his memories were. He remembered how Maelle wanted to escape Lumiere before. How she didn't fit in. How she wanted to go outside and see the world before her gommage. How she wanted to follow him.

What the hell happened?

It was such a contrast to before.

Did she find what she was looking for out there, and suddenly decided to settle then?

Now, she just wanted to stay, seemingly forever, in Lumiere... with Verso.

He thought it was the journey, the fight against the Paintress would probably wore anyone out.

He remembered their attachment and bond before, but somehow this Maelle felt different from the person of his memories. Perhaps, over time she had become a different person and there was this disturbing "aura" about her... and in the way she interacted with her brother. She always get what she wants, she always had the final say. Verso always caved in, and always seemed to look for her approval & permission and walk on eggshells around her. It seemed different from their relationship before as adoptive siblings. It seemed more... possessive... Like she owned him...

Power and control are the hallmarks of abuse. But Maelle wouldn't do that to her own brother, right? He shrugged the idea off. Perhaps it's their time apart, the time they lost, that made her have attachment and abandonment issues... He casted the thoughts aside and walked away to prepare for his expedition.

~A year probably passed...~

One of the unsuspecting peaceful days, a strange portal opened through the sky of Lumiere.

A void meteor came crashing down into the harbour, in front of Verso, as he was as usual contemplating about his life and keeping his sanity intact...

Perhaps an answered prayer, or more torture in store... The figure appeared in a familiar puff of smoke in front of him, white hair following through the wind and wearing a familiar Paintress dress. She looked straight at him and spoke, "Where is Alicia, doppelganger?"

Verso stood valiantly in front of the figure and whispered, "Clea... What took you so long?"

Chapter Text

Clea stared at Verso and was not expecting to see him old, almost looking like her father Renoir. He looked very tired and have lost all will to live. His mind only hanging by a thread of a little hope. One her emergence suddenly brought.

"Where is Alicia?" she asked again.

"She'll be here in a minute," answered Verso. "How's Maman...?"

Since they were waiting for Alicia, Clea indulged his question. "She's recovering fine. She's being kept at bay by Renoir."

"That's good. Don't let her come back here," said Verso with a sigh of relief. He had been dreading that one day Aline would waltz back in, and the duo of jailers tag team on him.

"Apparently, they had an agreement to let Alicia play with you for awhile and Renoir won't stop Aline once she has fully recovered. Of course, it's why the canvas must be destroyed without her knowing."

Play. That stung him a lot.

"Imagine coming home, finding my little sister had also chosen to stay stuck in this Canvas. Foolishness runs deep in this family it seems."

"But you're here to finally end it, right?" asked Verso, for his own reassurance.

Clea mischievously teased, "Maybe?" which made Verso uncomfortable.

"Clea? What are you doing here?!" asked Maelle as she finally emerged from the city-side.

There were people in the harbor who gathered, looking for the meteor that suddenly turned into a woman.

"Alicia, as your big sister, I am here to scold you and tell you the error of your ways. You were supposed to destroy the Canvas, not make the same mistake Aline did!"

"This canvas is mine. It's my home now, so go away, Clea!"

"You know, I don't have time for this. But I guess I have a fault in this too. Trusting a child to do the right thing..." Clea recalled giving Alicia the mission to help Renoir and destroy the Canvas. Perhaps she should have seen this coming since she basically sent a grieving teenager to a world where a version of their dead brother existed. She should have seen that she wouldn't be strong enough to let him go. Much more so than Aline can.

"Then go back to your war, Clea! I'm not a child anymore. You have to respect my decision to stay!"

"That war, dear sister, started from you. Or have you forgotten?"

"Not a day goes by that I forget! So, leave me here. I'd rather rot here with Verso. You're all better off without me anyway! I just keep making things worse," said Maelle with teary eyes.

Verso looked away in sadness. He understood her pain, having lived with her for so many years. It was a different experience since she was a different person from his painted Alicia, but still, he's so very sure, this wasn't the future her brother hoped for her. To rot away in his Canvas.

"It's good you at least understand you're making things worse. But you're still being immature, and that makes you a child," said Clea as she raised her hands in 'sculpting' form. "Get out of your little dollhouse, Alicia. Don't test my patience."

"You get out!" Maelle summoned her Medalum rapier and instantly went into Virtuoso Stance.

She glanced over to Verso who was silently watching them have their moment. "Verso, come over here and help me!"

Verso groaned, as he walked to Maelle's side in utter hesitation. Getting dragged into the center of this family conflict again. This time, sister against sister. When will this ever end?

His reluctant hand involuntary swished to summon Simoso, an ethereal sword and dagger. He really didn't want to fight Clea, since she was his only hope now.

"Hmmm..." Clea looked at him and all the while noticing his hesitation, she deduced Alicia had overridden his will. She recognized the sword and knew they had beaten Simon. She also could not feel the presence of most of her Nevrons and her doppelganger that she overpainted with her power.

Just like Aline, Clea was a creator, a sculptor. She don't paint humans though. Clea summoned her paintbrush and swished it to sculpt her Nevrons. Two chromatic Sprongs emerged by the side of the harbor. Two chromatic Dualliste came crashing down onto the city. Three Grosse Tete appeared bouncing on anything they could. A chromatic Lampmaster appeared on top of her. Then a bunch of random Nevrons like a Stalact and Goblu, terrorized the people in the city.

The city in an instant, erupted into chaos. Bystanders started running away screaming. The two Sprongs immediately smashing the ships parked by the harbor, crushing the pavement as well. It's laser beam directed everywhere.

Former expeditioners, including Gustave, Lune and Sciel have started fighting the Nevrons in their own vicinity. Trying to save the helpless people of the city.

"Clea!" yelled Maelle as she used Fleuret Fury to attack Clea.

Clea parried the attack with her paintbrush and countered her.

The Chromatic Lampmaster attacked Maelle with its ethereal sword, which she successfully parried as well.

Verso moved next. He just basic attacked Clea but weirdly, he didn't swing it with the sharp end but flipped it to the flat part so Clea easily blocked the sword with her paintbrush. "Hmm?" she asked bemused.

While they were fighting each other, Verso was fighting himself, trying not to actually hurt her.

"Clea, do it. Erase me," he whispered in desperation.

Clea touched his shoulder with her free left hand, and with her Paintress power, gommaged him into his chroma form, scattering into Aline's white petals with a hint of Maelle's gold.

"NO!" screamed Maelle as she swiftly tried to pull Verso's chroma to her.

Clea was closer though and immediately grabbed his chroma by her left hand. She smiled, as if she just had the upper hand.

"Give him back!" Maelle demanded, with a scathing look on her face.

Clea simply posed, dangling Verso's chroma on her hand. "It's my turn, Alicia. You can go home now!" She swiftly levitated and flew away.

Maelle followed her with a glare, the same look Renoir gave Alicia when they flew away on Esquie (Start of Act3). She flew up to follow her, but was stopped by the attacks of the left-behind Chromatic Lampmaster, and the two Sprongs rampaging on the harbor.

Chapter Text

Clea flew away into the continent and landed on the familiar Esquie's Nest. She'd rather not return here but knew she needed all the help she could get since most of her "pets" and Nevron factory was already gone. This would be the next best place to gather forces.

She landed on Francois' side of the cave.

Francois was ecstatic and delighted to finally see her again.

"CLEA!" he yelled so loud the entire world probably heard him.

"Quiet Francois. I'm not here to play," said Clea indifferently.

There was a rumbling on the other side of the cave, as Esquie immediately went to take a peek. "Franfran! I told you Clea will visit again!"

"HEY! Get off my lawn, Esquie!"

"But I feel Verso. Is he with you?"

"He's not -" Clea just stopped mid sentence since she knew there would be no sense to explain. She turned to look at Francois, "Francois, if my sister comes, can you stall her for me?"

"Of course, Clea! But wait, your sister?"

"You've seen her Franfran. She's Maelle, the little girl with the one armed man before," answered Esquie.

"Oh. Yeah! Anything for you Clea!" said Francois as he beamed in happiness, though it was hard to notice since he's made of rock. Francois actually started giddy dancing again in his own rocky way.

Clea gathered all of Verso's chroma. She examined it on her left hand. "What a savage little sister..." she muttered with a tone of awe. With her right hand, she meticulously removed all of Maelle's golden petals.

She summoned her paintbrush and with a swish, repainted Verso back.

Verso appeared on the ground and once again, in complete disbelief that he was alive yet again.

"Why can't you just let me go?!" he yelled in frustration as he stood and was surprised when he looked at Clea. He was expecting Maelle, not Clea to repaint him back. And with hopeless breath, he sighed. "Clea... Not you too..."

"You should be thanking me. I reverted you back to your original state of pure chroma and removed my sister's corruption. You're immortal again, but at least you don't have to obey her anymore."

Verso immediately went to a body of water, which in Francois cave was just about on the floor, and saw his reflection. He reverted back to his prime immortal state, before the duel for the Canvas. He was no longer old, and felt more agile and strong again. He regained all levels and lumina points. He also was no longer wearing Renoir's Suit but his Expeditioner outfit again.

He touched his scar and felt relieved to see it. It symbolized his independence and standing on his own two feet. The only part of him that he considered his own.

"Verso! Mon Ami!" called Esquie in delight. "Dreams do come true. The four of us are together again! YAY!"

"Can we go on adventures now?!" asked Francois excitedly.

Upon hearing his voice, Verso immediately turned and ran to Esquie. Like a kid who had not seen his best friend for a long long time, he ran to him with open arms. Esquie also opened his arms wide for the bear hug.

"Esquie... Mon ami!" Verso greeted with a wide smile. He was overcome with emotion upon seeing him again. He rested his head on Esquie's belly while they embraced, and started sobbing. He missed him so much. All these years of tears, loneliness, fear, despair and oppression just washed over him and for the first time, he let it all out. Esquie's presence alone was his safe, comforting & happy place in this world.

"Crying again..." said Esquie, his arms covering him entirely. "I've missed you too! I've been wishing upon a star everyday! And here you are!"

"Uh-huh," said Verso in between sobs. "Me too."

Clea looked at the both of them. Memories came rushing back to her. A vision of her little brother as a kid, running to Esquie after she had beaten him, bullied him and been mean to him as older siblings did. How she'd sometimes try to toughen him up, but he was too soft and gentle. He'd immediately come crying to Esquie, his emotional support plushie. Sometimes she wondered, maybe she was too tough on him. Too strict. Too mean. If she could turn back time, could she have changed things to when he would come running to her, instead of running away from her in fear?

She took a deep breath as she felt another wave of nostalgia. This was one of the reasons she hated coming into the Canvas and tried to leave as fast as she could. The memories, their memories together, creating and playing in this world. It would sometimes overwhelm her. Too much of this world reminded her of their little time together. Happy, fun, childish times when it was just the four of them in this world playing together. Verso on Esquie, her on Francois and they would fly and race all around the world, painting the sky, the earth, the nature and different places together.

No use mulling over the past, she thought, as she tried to bottle her feelings. I have a lot more important matters to attend to.

While Esquie and Verso were having their moment, Francois smiled expectantly, also wanting a hug from Clea.

Clea rolled her eyes. "Francois, don't even..." She didn't really want to see Francois again because she didn't want to evoke past emotions. She was a different person from when she was a kid. She grew up.

"I will need you in this fight, Francois. This Canvas must be destroyed."

All things must eventually come to an end.

Francois knew this time would come. It didn't matter to him that this Canvas and their life here would end. He and Esquie had lived for a few centuries already. That's so many lifetimes when compared to a human's. And a few of that centuries were spent on waiting and missing Clea.

Is it 'living'? Or are all things in this painting ultimately stuck as well?
Forever waiting.
Forever missing.
Until the end of its time.

"I'm just so happy!" A waterfall of tears ran down Francois' stone face. "It's been a few centuries but you still remembered me! And I got to see you, for the last time!" Francois continued to dramatically sob.

After awhile of sobbing, he eventually started singing to Clea again. Which to Clea was an uncomfortable blast from the past so she tried to shush him, but she won't deny she felt a little warmth crept into her cold frozen heart.

Chapter Text

"Are you not done with your incessant crying?" asked Clea coldly to Verso once she ran out of patience waiting for him.

Verso straightened up from Esquie's belly as Esquie released him from the hug. He wiped his face with the back of his hands and walked towards Clea. "What do you want?"

"The same thing you want, apparently."

"I want nothing to do with YOU and YOUR DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY!" he said angrily. "So stop dragging me into this! I feel like a ball being passed around with you, painters."

"You seem to be mistaken. Unlike before, I'm not recruiting you. I am not asking. You will do as I say, or else -"

There it was. Her trademark weapon: Fear.

"Or else what?!" Verso dared. All years of anger just seeping up to the surface. "I am still mad for what you did to my Clea, and Simon too!"

"Your Clea was an abomination. I'm quite impressed you got rid of her."

"NO! YOU ARE THE ABOMINATION!" he yelled, eyes filled with rage as he remembered watching painted Clea kill herself with her Nevrons just to be free.

Clea recalled that fight a few decades ago in this Canvas. Her beating Expedition Zero and abducting her doppelganger. She painted over her not simply because she hated Aline's portrait of her but she was jealous. Super jealous.

A painted version of her living a normal life without carrying the weight of her families' burdens.
A more satisfying life than hers with her alive-little-brother.
She lost. But this painted version gained everything she lost.
She hated that.

She was jealous of the closeness of the painted family, rallying together while her own fell apart;
Of the freedom from responsibilities her painted version had, freedom from being The Hauler;
Of the love and devotion she experienced from Simon;
Of the fact Aline chose to stay and live with this version, abandoning her and their family.

She was jealous. So, she must tear this family apart!

She told them the truth and shattered their lives and reality.

And with her doppelganger, she painted her spite and hatred over her. Punishing her, for the things that were entirely out of her hands. To Clea, she was nothing. And should be exactly as she wanted, nothing but her puppet to torture and use for her gain.

"Hey punk! Don't talk to her like that!" interjected Francois who was then shushed by Clea's hand signal to stop.

"Hmmm... Maybe Alicia was right to put a leash on you," Clea said thoughtfully.

"Do it then! Repaint me, overpaint me, turn me into a Nevron, I don't care. Just break my mind while you're at it." Anything to be free.

Clea's hand rose up to almost touch his face. She could not deny she wanted this. To mold him, reshape him, control him and twist his image into something else. She could not bear seeing his too familiar of a face, the furrow of his brows, his unkempt but impeccable hair; hearing the quiver in his voice. The way he took his stance, always with closed arms. The way he'd look with sad piercing eyes, and tear streaks down his face.

She could not bear seeing the little brother she lost, just staring right back at her. His own eyes filled with hate and rage that she had not ever seen from her Verso.

She could feel her hand crunch from the need, her need, to tear him apart. Her fingers trembled from her own anger and rage. Her heart unfolding feelings of grief and pain, of him leaving her behind. They were bestfriends.

She wanted to lash out at him. To punish him, even if it wasn't this Verso who left her. To make him suffer more than he already did, for her own revenge of the pain Verso's death had caused her. But she couldn't. All she could see now, was a broken man, already torn to pieces by Aline and Alicia.

Torn inside out.

Barely hanging on.

Much to her own surprise, she could not even touch him. It was the same feeling she had when she tried to recruit him a few decades ago - years before Alicia came into the Canvas. He had rejected her, and somehow she respected his answer and could not simply paint over him to do her bidding.

Was it out of respect and love for her brother's image?

She could not do, what Aline or Alicia had done. Perhaps being the most logical of their family, she'd rather turn her rage into vengeance against Verso's killers. Not unto a painted version of him.

It actually hurt her more, to see his light had faded. Verso was always the "light" of their family. He was the center, the glue that kept them together. Without him, they all fell apart.

More than that, he was also her bestfriend.

She retracted her hand and scoffed. "Break your mind? Freedom to become a monster? Now that would be... unsatisfying."

"Then let me go..." pleaded Verso. He was always at the whim of another Paintress. Clea was no different.

"Alicia is dying," said Clea seriously. "She has a week or two left, at least."

"I know. I see her deteriorate everyday," said Verso in a worried tone. "Aren't you the stronger painter? Can't you do this without me?"

"I am spent. I have been fighting in the war with the Writers in another dimension. I only came back home to check if Renoir can take over while I take a break. Imagine checking on Alicia, to see her already collapsed on the floor."

Verso silently looked at her with understanding. For he too, had been worried sick for the past couple of years, that they, Renoir or Clea, would just let Alicia die in the Canvas. It would be the last straw, before his mind fully breaks.

With all honesty, Clea said in concealed sadness, "I cannot have another sibling die before me. I must take matters into my own hands, as usual." Taking on everything for the family. She stared seriously at Verso, trying to make him see the seriousness of her threat. "You will help me. And if my sister dies, you will know no greater torment than what I can wrought!"

Verso just sweat-dropped. Clea was the most vicious of their family. He would not want to be stuck with her for eternity. That's just another hellscape of its own. "F-fine. What's your plan?"

"Alicia controls the chroma in this Canvas. What I did in the city was simply to stall her. My Nevrons will still stop the chroma from returning to her, so it's a matter of time before she comes after us with full force," explained Clea. "She and I can fight it off, but it may just lock us in an endless battle that we do not have the luxury of time of. So I need more."

"And... that's me? I'm the little force that tips the balance in your favour?"

Clea smiled. "Yes. The one power that can tip the scale. Verso and his creations."

Verso just looked confused.

"I don't care how you do it, but I need you to tap into your Painter side. That is the only way you can take this Canvas back."

Chapter Text

Clea waved her hand and painted a comfortable seat atop Francois. She indulged Francois' request for a final adventure together. This time though, a gathering-of-chroma montage from her remaining "pets" in the Canvas.

She side-sat on the seat. "You'd better have gathered your forces when I return," she told Verso. Then she said to Francois. "Let's go."

Francois started to levitate and shoot out of his side of the cave going "Wheeee!"

Verso scratched his head, unsure of what she wanted him to do. Tap into your Painter side. Gather your forces.

He looked at Esquie and said in bewilderment, "I've never seen Francois fly!"

Esquie said, "Yes, Clea gave him his own set of rocks!"

"Wait! Did you lose your rocks?!"

"Ohohoh! No I didn't. Momo, Nono and I went on a LOT adventures while you're in Lumiere."

"Really?"

"Yes. Come, let's go see Momo!"

They walked inwards to Esquie's side of the cave and it was somehow different than Verso remembered. It was crowded, housing so many Grandis, as if they migrated here. He missed these owl-like beings. Some of them were building stuff, others fighting each other, but most of them just bumming around. "Why are the Grandis here, Esq?"

"HEHEHE! Momo is training some of them in the Gestral way of fighting!"

Verso noticed those who were fighting no longer used bells but hammers. Just like all the Grandis statues in Monoco's Station. The Grandis Historian once said that there was a time when they competed in a different manner than through eloquence battles. Perhaps with the Nevrons finally dwindling since Painted Clea no longer creates them, they no longer have use for bells and reverted back to their old ways of using hammers.

"But most of them, like me, just want to sit still in cold water."

"You lazy ass," he teased and Esquie laughed.

Once outside of the Nest, Verso climbed atop Esquie so they can quickly go to the Gestral Village. While running around though, Verso noticed the Gestral Village had expanded its territory. Now that the Nevrons were gone, the entire island was actually theirs for the taking. So there were many Gestrals running, fighting, playing about before they reached the village.

"Momo likes throwing dice at the casino," said Esquie as they stopped by the Gestral Village's entrance. Esquie was too big to fit so he has to wait outside.

Verso was in shock. "Casino? Oh no, don't tell me he's a gambler now."

"Ooops. It's a secret, don't tell him."

"Perhaps I'll beat him at his game." Verso smirked. "Thanks, mon ami!" He entered the village.

Walking around the familiar village, Verso finally felt a sense of home. Like he was finally with his own people. He missed their wacky hairbrushes and silly masks. There were less Gestral jars by the gate and the population of Gestrals seemed to have greatly increased.

He made his way straight to the Casino area. It was quite crowded, a bunch of Gestrals just playing cards and roulettes. It was now buzzing with jazz music. So much time had passed him by, he never thought a casino would open again in this village.

He walked around looking for Monoco when suddenly he jumped out of nowhere striking Verso with his bell.

Verso blocked the attack and smiled. "Mon Vieux!"

"Verso! You're here!" said Monoco in both surprise and delight.

"Verso?" asked Noco who appeared by Monoco's side. "Yes son! See, he's the best friend I told you about!"

Since Gestrals reincarnate with some degree of memory loss, it also meant Noco would experience a whole new life and create new memories as part of his new beginning. Verso knelt in front of Noco and said, "Hi Noco, my favorite patate! I'm Verso, nice to meet you again."

"Verso... Verso... Verso! My favorite NOT-a-patate!" said Noco as he remembered fragments of him.

Verso smiled widely that he still somehow knew him. "Keeping Monoco out of trouble lately?"

"Ah, but trouble is his middle name. He always wants to fight when he loses a gamble. Hehehe." Noco laughed mischievously.

"Shush son. I never lose!" said Monoco in defense. "Anyway, go and gamble, son. I need to talk to Verso for a bit."

Noco nodded and went to a nearby casino table to gamble.

Verso and Monoco walked around the village as they talked.

"How have you been, my old friend?" asked Verso curiously.

"Busy. Esquie, Noco and I have been searching for all lost Gestrals again and migrating the Grandis here," answered Monoco. He wanted to ask the same question but already thought of the answer, so instead he asked in concern, "Are you... alright?"

"I'm... not sure. How long has it been? I stopped counting at some point."

"Twenty years..."

Verso had a mournful expression on his face. He didn't know it had been that long. It just suddenly became mechanical, his life in Lumiere. Maelle had whittled him down into nothing. Some days he just felt like an empty shell of his former self, a zombie walking on those God forsaken streets. Already dead but forced to live. Floating endlessly around a sea of unrecognizable empty faces until only her painted face remained. He was sick of it! Sick of her! He'd drown it all out with alcohol.

"I'm sorry..." said Monoco in sorrow, squeezing Verso's shoulder for comfort. Verso returned the gesture and squeezed Monoco's other shoulder with a relieved smile. They missed each other so much but won't ever admit it.

"But, how did you get out?" wondered Monoco.

"Clea. She finally came to get Maelle out of the Canvas."

"We heard reports from our scouts of the current devastation in Lumiere," said Monoco as they passed by the theatre where a wonderful Gestral Lorieniso was still playing the guitar. "I deduced it's happening again."

"She needs help though."

"And what do you plan?"

"No other choice but to help her. Maelle is dying and needs to be expelled soon."

"Hmmm. Come over here, let me show you something," said Monoco as Verso followed him to the previous jousting arena. It was now a huge training ground with a lot of Gestrals gearing for a fight. Golgra was there instructing the new warriors. Even the Fighting Arena was filled with Gestrals in training. And then they walked to the other side, and it would be the Sakapatate factory. There were new models with void sword and laser canons. It looked like they were building and training an army.

Verso looked at Monoco questioningly.

"After we've left you behind, I had some time to think about everything. About you, about Verso's soul," said Monoco as they stopped by in front of the towering Sakapatates.

"That time..." Monoco looked back at that time Esquie and him were still in Lumiere. Maelle had weirdly stationed them outside of the Opera house, made them the door's security instead and did not let them inside whenever Verso played the piano. Recalling that angered him. "BAH! Posted outside of the Opera House like glorified bodyguards. We weren't even allowed to support you inside. We're your best friends!"

"Ah..." Verso just recalled that moment in sadness. Perhaps it was best they were outside, so they didn't have to see him suffer.

"So when we got out of Lumiere, I... reconciled with Golgra and told her everything I've seen. You, a prisoner. And a piece of Verso's soul eternally painting to keep this world going."

Monoco remembered the duel for the Canvas and peeking into the "in-between" portal to see a literal soul of their Creator Verso, on his knees and enslaved to paint their world. He saw how the boy reached out to Verso's hand that offered release, only to be stopped by Maelle's blade.

"Our Creator Verso is dead. But if he has a piece of his soul stuck here, does that mean he's in limbo?
Does that mean he cannot move on to his afterlife?
To his own cycle of reincarnation?
To his New Beginning?"

Verso had never seen or heard so much anger in Monoco. As much as it hurt to admit, it was what Aline and Alicia wanted. To trap his soul, keep him in this painting, because they do not have the heart to let him go. And by extension, his painted self... "Yeah, I'd say Verso in that place is definitely in limbo..."

A piece of soul adrift.
Alone in the Void.
Painting forever.

"I won't stand for it! We, his creations, won't stand for it!" he said in an angry outburst. "That is why we have set out to gather everyone to fight. We were already preparing to march to Lumiere to free you. But now you're here AND Clea! It's the perfect time for battle!

"For Verso. For you. For your New Beginnings!"

Everyone of Verso's creations, every Gestral and Grandis have gathered on this island.
To fight for him. For his right to his own world, to his own Canvas,
To fight the Paintress who subdued and tormented their Creator's soul,
To liberate him and to give him a new beginning,
Just as the many beginnings he had given them.

Chapter Text

"You must lead us, Verso," asked Monoco seriously.

Verso fell silent, not knowing what to say.

Lead Verso's creations?
Does he have that right?
Can he have that power?

Monoco saw his confusion, his loss. Maybe it would be harsh to pressure him just hours after he had some sort of freedom. But he also knew the earlier he snaps him out of it, the better. "Verso, isn't it time you face the truth?"

Verso just grabbed his head with his right hand, feeling a migraine creeping in. "Truth? What truth?"

Monoco shook his head at the thought of the horror Verso experienced, at the loss of himself - being reduced to a puppet, a slave. He looked like he had not yet processed his freedom at all. It must look surreal to him, even their conversation right now. His eyes were still lost in the dark. But he knew his best friend, and he's here to help. So he encouraged, "Free yourself. Take off the mask, Verso."

"What?"

"I've seen you run away for so long," said Monoco as he mustered the words to help Verso find himself. "The biggest lie you ever told, is the lie you tell to yourself. Maybe... it's time to take the mask off."

"I... I need some time to clear my head. I'm dizzy," said Verso in response.

Monoco understood and let him go. He went on to train some recruits with Golgra, informing her of Verso and Clea's alliance.

Verso climbed and sat on top of one of the highest platform in the Gestral Village with an overview of all the Gestrals training. After that conversation with Monoco, he needed some time to himself. He felt a significant part of him was lost after being Maelle's prisoner for a long time. He was free but... was he? The damage had been done to his psyche. He was no longer sure of who he was... of who he is... of who he will be. More unsure than he ever was before.

All this time in this Canvas, he felt powerless. Trapped. Cruelly mistreated by his "family." And the last time he decided to take a stand and fight for what believe was right, he was shit on.

With Aline as the Paintress, she created him into this Canvas only to curse him immortally in a life of grief. He grieved for a hundred years. He grieved the loss of all his painted family and the friends he'd made through the years. He grieved for so many more than her/their grief of Verso. And he's powerless to stop this conflict while knowing this world was suffering because of him, because he existed, because Aline chose to stay in this world to be with him. He's unable to escape, to end things on his own terms. Aline wouldn't let him. He was just there to watch the death and destruction around him, as Aline and Renoir battle each other.

Then Clea, slapping reality unto him. Causing him to spiral into an identity and existential crisis. A life of self-doubt. He didn't know who he was, what he was. If he was even "human" or "real." Just a shadow of a man he will never be. When he looked at the mirror, he could no longer recognize himself. Whose were these eyes? Whose was this face? Whose memories were these in his head? Who was he? And who was Verso? He strived to make an identity for himself, hiding behind the mask of The Stranger.

Then Maelle, shackled him to herself. Tearing down the identity he made for himself, forcing him to be the brother he was not. A life of servitude to his "sister." He can't escape either, even as an aging mortal. For in Maelle's world, there was no more death. Only repainting, after repainting, after repainting.

What cruel fate he was dealt with. To be created, only to suffer.
Can he finally change his fate though?
Can he finally have some semblance of power and control over his life?
Can he finally be truly free?

He closed his tired eyes and in an instant fell asleep. And after so long... he dreamed again.

It was one of those days in the manor, fire flickering and dancing on the fireplace as the scene unfolded. The last time he would try, the last time he would ever beg...

"Alicia, I beg you. Erase my memories, let me begin again," Verso pleaded while holding her hand, knelt in front of her with tear streaks on his eyes. He was having a breakdown. He begged for mercy, to at least be free of these memories and a hundred years of pain and torment living in this unforgiving world. A chance to start again and be the brother she wanted.

Alicia simply smiled. "No." There was no understanding in her eyes, no compassion, no mercy.

He bowed his head in total defeat. There was no talking to her, no getting away from her, no sister left to implore. She was already lost in her madness.

She wrapped her arms around his head in the embrace as if clutching a prized possession, content with the way things were. Content with the power and control she had over him. She whispered, "Brother, you're stuck with me. And I'm stuck with you. Together, forever..."

Verso never thought love could be this suffocating. Holding on could be this torturing.

"It's not forever, you promised," whispered Verso, as he recalled the words she told him in the aftermath of their duel. "You promised..."

He woke up from the short nap and looked ahead to Lumiere. His eyes coming back to life.

It was not the time for self-pity and depression, but the time to act. He found his resolve again.

"It's not forever..." he swore to himself, and to her. He must free them both from this Canvas of Grief.

He dropped down into the village with one thing left to do. He must lay the dead to rest.

Monoco rushed towards him as he saw him drop down from the height. "Have you thought things through?"

"I must do one thing first. I'm going to the Forgotten Battlefield."

"But we just got you back!"

"It's fine. I'm going with Esquie."

"No way I'm letting you go now. I'm coming with you!"

"Thanks, my friend!"

Verso and Monoco went outside of the Gestral Village to meet up with Esquie. They flew to the other side of Forgotten Battlefield, to the gravesite that was protected by magnificent trees.

The grove was still as beautiful as ever. The trees grew, the petals bloomed, and there were less dead expeditioner carcasses since the last time they harvested them with their gathering-of-chroma-montage.

He looked for a long lump of wood and planted it near the marker for Expedition Zero, marking another grave. He removed the Expedition 33 armband that Maelle had given him and wrapped it on the wooden post.

Esquie saw this and also asked Verso to remove his headband too, to be put on the same post. A symbol of the death of their allegiance to the expedition, to Lumiere, to Maelle. Esquie and Monoco were Verso's bestfriends and will follow him 'til the end.

"Herein lies Verso and Esquie -"

Monoco coughed for attention. Although he did not have an armband, he was also a part of the team.

Verso used his dagger and carved a letter 'M' below the armbands.

"... and Monoco of Expedition 33."

They watched the post as the armbands with "33" flutter by the wind, each solemnly saying their farewells to the memories, attachments and adventures they shared with Expedition 33.

After a couple of minutes in peace and honoring the memories, Verso went to a clearing in front of the great tree. He looked up to the sky, hoping his words reach him. He called, "Verso?" It was the first time he called to him, to talk to him, outside of their interaction from the "in-between."

"Verso?"

No answer.

"Verso?!" he yelled louder to the sky.

An apparition of the Fading Boy came in front of him, by the great tree. It was not the shadows or echoes left behind, but the blue spirit they once saw in Lumiere. Even with fractured face, he glowed in light, butterflies swirled around him as he heed Verso's call.

"The Soul of the Canvas," mumbled Monoco after seeing Verso's spirit.

Verso knelt in front of the boy, like he always did to any of his family. In his mind, he took off the mask of The Stranger, exposing himself and looking at him bare, without the rejection and denial he carried for so long. It was time to be who he was made to be. With his image, memories, essence.

"I know I'm not you. I'll never be you," said Verso to the boy, his eyes filled with sincerity. "But is it alright if I'm Verso too? Is it alright if I do what you can't do anymore? Is it alright if I paint in this world on your behalf?"

The boy nodded.

Verso smiled in acceptance. Maybe this was all he needed. To be accepted. For Verso to accept him so he can accept himself.

The boy gently moved forward to hug him. As he returned the hug, the boy dissipated into him, imparting a fraction of what little remained of the original's power. For the first time, Verso felt whole. No longer was he denying himself, rejecting himself, running away but fully accepting of the role he was given in this Canvas. His already-dyed hair turned white, a signal of power re-awakening.

The painted family had their own powers, even if they weren't the original. Painted Alicia could stop time and somehow teleport themselves and a huge-ass Manor or show visions. Painted Renoir can manipulate Chroma to some extent, conjure beast, even vanish/gommage. But him as Verso, he had never known. For as soon as his hair turned white before, he rejected it. He rejected his "painter" side.

This was not him simply embracing his "painter" side, but also having Verso's spirit and fraction of power within him.

For the first time, in a long time, he had a renewed purpose. A new sense of self.

He stood, feeling the light burn within him. As he looked at his supportive friends, Esquie and Monoco, he said, "Let's go. I'm ready."

Monoco had never looked so proud. "The Heart of the Canvas."

Chapter Text

A shadow loomed over Verso, Esquie and Monoco as they prepared to take flight from the gravesite. A huge rock slowly flew over them and they heard Francois' glee and laughter above it.

They flew atop to find it's the Flying Manor and Francois was embedded on the floor near the cliff, piloting it like a ship.

They dropped down to find the place surrounded by Nevrons, lined up and awaiting command.

"Figured she'd go to her atelier," said Verso.

"Franfran! Are you having fun?" asked Esquie, watching Francois curiously.

"Esquie! I can drive!" said Francois in delight. "It's awesome~"

"At least someone's happy," said Verso while watching Francois. He turned to Monoco. "I'll go see Clea."

Monoco nodded and stayed glaring at the Nevrons, wary if any of them will attack.

Verso went inside the atelier, where they fought Painted Clea before. It brought memories of that fight, and the anger he felt seeing her imprisoned in her own body to paint Nevrons indefinitely; the sadness of her death, done by her own hands. But at least, they saw each other one last time, and she was finally free.

He passed by the gate and went downstairs to see Clea on the same spot, swishing her hand to sculpt her Nevrons.

"Clea..."

"Hmph. Her works are sloppy, to say the least. So many unfinished, imperfect creations," said Clea while still having her back turned to him, immersed in her work.

With just a snap of her finger, a Nevron emerged fully painted and armed. It passed Verso by and went outside to lineup with the rest of her army.

Verso had been dreading something in the back of his mind. Something he needed to be assured of.

"You aren't going to betray me, are you?"

Verso knew betrayals. He'd betrayed people, and they betrayed him too. And the last time he asked someone for help, turned out to be the person he greatly needed to be saved from. A betrayal from Clea too, would totally devastate him. He was paranoid.

The question caught Clea by surprise. She dropped her hand and turned to look at him. She was surprised to see the change in him, and became conflicted when she felt a bit of her brother's presence within him. "Good. You've finally accepted you're a Painter." Only a Painter has a chance against another Painter.

"Answer my question..."

"If I wanted to, I would've done it already."

"You aren't planning to take over the Canvas?" Understandably, Verso didn't want another cycle with her as the next Paintress. He didn't want to come so close to freedom, only to have it snatched away by the end.

"You have Verso's memories, surely you should know I'd have better things to do than play pretend with you."

Verso sighed in relief. He relaxed for a bit, easing the tension he felt.

"Although, now that I think about it, tormenting you might be fun," she said mischieviously. She always liked to tease her little brother. "Verso."

It was the first time Clea had called him by his name. He can't tell whether she was doing it to annoy him or that she actually did see him as Verso, but either way, it made him visibly uncomfortable. "No, nononono! I'd rather you call me Doppelganger."

"I'll call you whatever I like, little pipsqueak."

"Ugh..." muttered Verso.

"Anyway, if you're done bombarding me with your insecurities, leave my atelier. You're distracting me from my work," she said as she turned around. "And I've repainted my Nevrons to not attack you and any of Verso's creations. You should do the same."

He can't exactly repaint all of Verso's creations since he doesn't have Painter's Chroma so he said, "I'll be sure to tell Golgra."

He left the room and reconvened with Esquie and Monoco.

Francois had flown the Flying Manor south of the Forgotten Battlefield and parked it just north of the Gestral Village. "Here ya go, now SCRAM!" he yelled to the trio.

Esquie with Verso and Monoco on him flew down back to the Village.

"MONOCO! VERSO!" called Golgra once they re-entered the Village.

"Golgra, we're back!" said Monoco.

"Verso, are you ready to fight?" asked Golgra.

Verso nodded with an affectionate smile on his face. "Thank you very much, Monoco, Golgra." No words to describe how he deeply appreciated them wanting to fight to set him and Verso free.

"Now we fight! Assemble!" said Monoco excitedly.

"Wait! We don't have a plan though!" said Verso.

"PLAN? We don't do plans!" exclaimed Golgra. "We just go to battle!"

"It's a show of force! The Gestral way!" said Monoco.

"Didn't you just ask me to lead, Monoco?" asked Verso as he scratched his head.

"Oh, right! Let's plan!"

"Fine!" said Golgra as the three of them moved to the table where the fortune teller Gestral was. Golgra asked them to move so they could use the hut to sit down to talk.

Verso had no experience with War Plans. Well, maybe he did have some during the Expedition Zero and Search & Rescue Squad but those weren't really battle plans. But it would be better to have something than everyone doing their own thing.

"Hmmm... So let me start by asking, do we defend or do we attack?" asked Golgra.

"We are GESTRALS! WE ATTAC!" roared Monoco all fired up.

"Yeah, of course. But how? I don't see any boats or ships anywhere," said Verso.

"Right... Right..."

"How about balloons? Can we make balloon ships?" asked Golgra.

"Uhh, the last time Gestrals were on balloons, they just flew and flew and never came back," said Verso.

"Hmmm... How about Clea makes this island fly?" suggested Monoco.

As if on cue, Clea suddenly flew down to the hut and looked at the three of them. "Planning without me?"

"Oh, good. Clea, by any chance, do you have enough power to make this island fly?" asked Verso.

"Don't be ridiculous. Of course I can. I just don't have enough chroma right now," answered Clea.

Verso looked at her with an accusing 'Liar!' look. "So I guess that puts us on defensive? Clea, how much time do we have?"

"Hmmm. Some of the chroma I used have not returned to me. So I think it's safe to say we have a day or a night at least."

"Defensive? So lame," said Golgra.

"It's fine Golgra. The fight is coming either way!" assured Monoco.

"We need to setup our defenses," said Verso. "I can put up a shield dome on the Village."

"No need. Every Gestral is born ready for battle! Everyone of us fights!" said Golgra.

"Where do you think they're coming from?" asked Monoco. "Dark Shores? That's where Expedition 33 originally landed, right?"

Verso cleared the table and with a wave, immediately a map of the World was drawn. It mostly was a drawing based on his memory. He pointed at Dark Shores. "I don't think they would go the same route. Plus, Lune is there. She would know that's not an ideal spot. Would they have ships though?"

"Hmmm. My Nevrons did destroy the ships to smithereens in the harbor."

"Gustave is an engineer and last I saw he was making a blueprint for flying ships. How easy would it be for Maelle to paint it?"

"Alicia..." corrected Clea.

"Maelle..." insisted Verso.

They stared at each other, locked in a mental argument over her name.

Monoco coughed. "So they would come straight from Lumiere with their flying ships?"

"We can assume that they will land here then," Verso pointed at area between Spring Meadows and Flying Waters. Monoco, can you station some Grandis at the Twilight Quarry?"

"Ahh, an abundance of rocks to throw at them ships. Yes of course!"

"Golgra, can you form squad of Gestrals to guard the Eastern Shore and Yellow Harvest? But our main force should be ready at the Ancient Sanctuary."

"Yeah, okay!"

"Clea, your Nevrons?"

"Ah yes. Where do you want them, your Grace?" she asked as she curtsy. Verso was confused if it was playful or a mocking thing.

"Probably at the Red Woods?"

"And Golgra, don't attack my pets," said Clea. "I have very limited chroma left."

"But we have fought them for so long! The Gestrals will fight both Nevrons and Expeditioners!"

"Oh no. It's gonna turn into a battle royale, isn't it?!" asked Verso, already having a migraine thinking about it. "Just tell them not to this time, Golgra. Please."

Golgra nodded but said, "I'll try but still can't promise that."

"Is that it? Is the planning done then?" Monoco asked Verso.

"I guess..." answered Verso, unsure if that was even a plan but still better than nothing.

"Great, 'cause I have another plan," said Monoco in excitement. "Who knows if tonight is our last night... so I suggest tonight, WE PARTY!"

"MONOCO! Great idea! We will have the greatest Gestral Tournament ever!" yelled Golgra and the surrounding Gestrals that heard it stood up and cheered.

Verso grinned. "Sounds like a plan!" He turned to Monoco and said, "Monoco, save me a duel later!"

"With pleasure! Get ready to lose!"

Clea watched the Gestral's silly antics with Verso and she did not notice she had a genuine smile on her face. She could see the allure of the Canvas and this Verso's pull was the strongest. For only a short amount of time, she noticed, she forgot.

Chapter Text

Clea stood atop the Flying Manor on the edge of the cliff. It was already night time.

She looked up at the sky and the stars, and admired the nature everywhere. This world that they created together was beautiful. It brought joy to them both. Her and Verso. It was sad that her parents destroyed parts of it, and she had to do that too.

Verso poured his heart and soul into this Canvas. The only one he ever made. It was such a beautiful masterpiece.

The night breeze sent shivers down her spine. He painted life, joy, and beauty. While she painted cold, dark and terror. They complemented each other. Two different sides of the same coin. Clair Obscur.

With his death, it felt like half of her was gone too. Never to be complete again.

She looked down to see the Gestral Village alive with celebration. The Goblu Boss Theme (Flying Waters - Rain from the ground) music playing endlessly in the background and disco lights flashing to the beat, as the Gestrals dance and battle the night away with each other.

She could just sleep the night away. She looked back at her atelier to see the darkness, silence and loneliness of her home. The pain of being left alone crept in. She looked back at the Village.

"This is silly," she said as she sighed. She gave in and dropped down to the Village to join the celebration.

The night was young and the party started. The entire island vibrated with laughter and music. The Gestrals danced to the tune, just break-dancing everywhere. There were Grandis who visited to fight in the Arena, then Legendary Warriors who piled up on the Tournament.

"Still feeling up to it?" asked Monoco after seeing the line on the Tournament.

"Eh... Let's just have our own duel here. I don't feel like lining up."

Verso and Monoco dueled outside of the Village's Arena. The Gestrals who were lined up spectated their fight, with some of them placing bets on who would win.

It was like a dance, or play, with Monoco striking with his bell then Verso parrying with a smirk. Then Monoco turning into a Stalact to crush him, with Verso just parrying and jumping with his counterattacks. Verso at times shooting him. And Monoco just bonking him on the head with a stick. The fight ended eventually with Verso winning by a hair. They both laughed, covered in their own blood and gasping for breath.

The surrounding Gestrals applauded, even more inspired to join the tournament and fight.

"C'mon Monoco, admit it, you're old~" teased Verso.

"Old enough to still kick your ass!"

"Hey, I kicked your ass!"

Monoco laughed. "It's good to know you can still fight."

"That was a good warm-up! I haven't felt exhilarated in years!"

"Me too! I haven't had a proper duel in ages!"

"Let's go freshen up," said Verso tapping Monoco on the shoulder.

They started walking back to the Merchant's Center when suddenly everything stopped. The music stopped and the Gestrals froze, even Monoco.

"Huh? Monoco?" asked Verso in confusion.

He felt a threat rushing to him so he immediately retreated backwards and summoned his Simoso sword in defense. He looked to see who it was.

It was Maelle, only she was young again. She reverted herself to her prime fighting age too.

"Wait... You're immune now?" she asked bewildered. It always worked before, this TimeStop trick she learned from Painted Alicia. She was hoping to get him without any resistance.

Verso felt fear and panic. He did not expect she would just teleport and freeze people. How many times had she done this to him? To any of them in Lumiere? So she could repaint them without any resistance.

He knew of his (painted) Alicia's powers to seemingly always find him whenever she wanted to see him. And she told him she could stop time too but only Painters were immune. Verso's sliver of power in him protected him.

Maelle walked closer to him, and Verso raised his weapon in between them, all the while taking a few steps back, mimicking the steps she took forward, creating the space he needed. "Verso, come back to me. Please."

Verso just shook his head. He was having flashbacks and started panicking internally.

"I'm miserable and you're just out here, partying?!" she said as she moved closer and closer. She just needed to touch him and teleport them away.

The guilt trip won't work. He continued to back away.

"Talk to me," she said as she took a few steps forward.

There was nothing to talk about. He continued to back away until he reached a building.

"You wouldn't hurt me." She took this opportunity to swiftly walk towards him while he was cornered.

It was a fight, flight or freeze response and somehow his body chose to freeze. It was perhaps the many years of conditioning to feel helplessness, unable to escape or fight back.

A slash happened, separating Verso and stopping Maelle from reaching him.

It was Clea with her paintbrush.

She looked over the frozen Gestrals and said, "Neat trick little sister. What were you trying to do? Kidnap Verso?"

Maelle ignored Clea and continued to implore to Verso. "Verso. Please. I need you. I'm lost without you. I'm lost. I'm already lost..."

Clea said coldly with a hint of a concern, "Get a grip, Alicia! It's only been one day!"

Addiction was quite an affliction to tackle. Is it possible to be addicted to someone?

No doubt Clea knew, Aline and Alicia were addicted to the Canvas AND to Painted Verso. To numb the pain and grief of Verso's death, they used this painted version to escape that reality. She knew it, and they knew it themselves but chose to blind themselves to the truth.

... To be used AND abused, like a pain reliever drug, no wonder it caused him so much pain.

"Come back another time, dear sister. Don't spoil our fun!"

Maelle looked at Clea and glared. She was mad with jealousy.

"I told you to go home, Alicia. Why won't you listen?" continued Clea.

Maelle still glared at her. "I told you, I don't need saving. I only want to be left alone with Verso. Give him back. I don't care!"

"Unfortunately dear sister, it's still my turn. So go home!"

Maelle still with a glare, vanished into thin air.

Chapter Text

Time resumed and the Gestrals continued to move as if nothing happened.

"Huh?" Monoco was confused. Verso was just beside him, then somehow he appeared on the other side with Clea. "What trickery is this?"

He was going to him but when he saw him getting scolded by Clea, he decided not to intervene and just walked away.

Clea looked at Verso in disappointment. "Pull yourself together! You almost got taken."

"Sorry. I... I froze..."

"Now I'm wondering if you're gonna be of help at all!"

"It won't happen again."

"Really? How are you going to fight when you're cowering in fear?!"

"I wasn't cowering!"

"Oh, please. You looked like a cornered rat!"

"I already said I'm sorry."

"Dig deep into your hate and rage. Or I will overpaint you!"

"You've threatened me like 3 times now. Can you stop?"

"Only if you stop being stupid and weak!"

Verso nodded. That was a moment of weakness indeed. He was ashamed of himself and that she had to see that and save him. "I will never show weakness ever again."

"Good," said Clea with a small smile. "Now, where is the wine in this place?"

"There's probably some at the market..."

They walked together towards the market place to get some wine and went outside the gate of the Village where Esquie and François were hanging out since they couldn't enter due to their size. Surrounded by woods and trees, they sat by their bestfriends. Verso leaned his back on Esquie's belly and Clea leaned on her side on François while they looked at the equivalence of a moon.

They poured wine and drank of their own cups just relishing on the beauty of the night.

"I trust you." It was Verso who broke the silence.

"Strange thing to say to break the ice," said Clea but she somehow she appreciated the trust.

"I have mixed feelings. On one hand, I hate you because of what you did to my sister. On the other..." Was it Verso's spirit, or memories, or just because she's Clea? Just like he couldn't hate Maelle, because he also saw Alicia?

"What?"

"... Your brother loved you, is all I can say."

"Don't talk about him like you know him!"

Verso just smiled. Being the spitting image of him, his essence, memories and spirit, of course he knew. "I know the feeling of not getting a chance to say goodbye. So, I just wanted to let you know."

Clea was taken aback. "You're not him, you wouldn't know."

"Look at this world. Everything here was created because of your love for each other, was it not?"

"You're making a good case. Perhaps I shouldn't destroy it," said Clea as she gets flashbacks of the two of them creating this world together, in childish joy and playful love.

"That's not the conclusion I was going for." He scratched his head.

"I know." She smiled knowingly, fully understanding and appreciative of what he wanted to convey.

"Letting go is an act of love too. No one should grieve forever."

"I know that too."

"You know she will hate you, right?" asked Verso as he drunk from his cup.

"As long as she's alive to do it."

"Same thing my father told me." Verso chuckled. "So, what made you come out and celebrate with us?"

"I figured if it's our last night in this world, it is indeed something worth celebrating. It's creation and destruction. A canvas fully realized..."

"That's true."

"And I needed a break."

"Ah, breaks. I encourage it. It must be stressful taking on the family burdens all the time."

"You wouldn't know."

"I have Verso's memories, I know, in a way."

"Verso and Alicia always had it easy. I'm the one who has to clean up their mess."

"Well, you're the Big Sister. I'm sure they looked up to you for guidance."

"Guidance? Alicia won't listen to me. She wouldn't even listen to Aline."

"You've been a teenager once. I'm sure you were a pain in the ass for Maman and Renoir."

"Are you defending her now?"

"I'm saying she's a crazy, clingy, grieving teenager on a power trip so yeah, she won't listen to any one of us. I've been trying to reason with her for YEARS."

"Yeah. She's already lost herself, hasn't she?"

"Also... Maybe she wouldn't listen to you because you're so mean?"

"Mean? I only spit facts!"

"Like a wise friend once said, being mean is not necessarily a mean thing, right Esquie?"

Esquie laughed. "Hohoho! Yes I'm the wisest friend EVER~!"

François said, "BAH! YOU? THE MOST STUPIDEST THING EVER~!"

"SEE? He's mean! But I know François loves me!" said Esquie.

François blushed and hid in his turtle rocky shell.

Verso laughed. "Tough love." Which made François come out of his shell and grumble.

"Maybe you can teach her? Help her create her own Canvas?"

"She didn't want to paint though. She wanted to be a Writer."

"I doubt that's happening after... everything."

They both took a pause, each having a flashback of their own before the incident.

"What about you? Being immortal had addled your mind? You don't want any future?" asked Clea curiously.

"Oblivion is my only future. I was born of grief, I'll die of grief."

"Touché."

Esquie bowed towards Verso on his belly and asked, "Verso, can you serenade us...?"

"I don't really- " Verso was having flashbacks of being forced to play by Maelle, that gave him aversion to playing again. But he decided to overcome it for his bestfriend Esquie. "Okay... Only if Clea plays too!"

Clea also looked hesitant. "I haven't played in ages..."

"YES! PLEASE!" François asked with cute puppy eyes.

Verso stood up and offered his hand to Clea to help her stand. "Can you say No to François?"

"Fine, but only one song!" She took his hand and stood.

Verso summoned his piano, while Clea conjured her harp.

Under the moonlit sky and stars, they played music together, letting themselves loose in celebration. François rocked and Esquie twirled in their dance. They serenaded their bestfriends and each other, for the last time.

Chapter Text

Morning came and Verso was walking towards Clea's atelier to talk to her. She was at the center of the room as usual. He walked forward and asked, "You called?"

Clea turned to look at him, wearing an evil smile. Immediately the huge door behind him closed.

"What the..."

Clea flew towards him and he panicked and started to feel trapped again. "Isn't this what you want?"

She started to overpaint him, trapping him in his body like she did to his sister.

"No... Don't!"

Fear gripped him. As his body turned grey in colour with golden spots of overpaint. In mere moments, his body was no longer his own. He couldn't even scream. Like an obedient soldier, he looked at her, awaiting her command.

Verso woke up, his heart pounding. He was relieved to see the morning sun and to know it was all just a dream. He didn't know he would miss the void of his dreams. Better than these trauma-inducing nightmares. Even though he felt like he could trust her, his fear and paranoia was all over in his head.

"Good. You're awake," said Clea, already standing and looking at him.

He slept leaning on Esquie. He glared at her for what she had done in his dream.

Clea looked confused, but brushed it aside. "She's coming."

The bells of war started ringing as the Gestrals and Grandis scrambled to go into positions. Sakapatates started marching towards the frontline defense in Ancient Sanctuary.

Verso changed from his Expeditioner outfit to Pure White outfit so that they won't mistake him as one of the enemies.

Ten airships loomed over the horizon between Spring Meadows and Ancient Gestral City. Each airship housed 20-30 'ghost' expeditioners and any surviving expeditioners became the leaders of the ships. It all stopped by once they reached Spring Meadows. The Nevrons, Gestrals and Grandis were also ready in position.

It was a stand-off.

The lead airship with Maelle, Gustave, Sciel and Lune went to the middle, near Flying Waters.

They were met on the middle by Verso, with Monoco (& Noco) and Golgra by his side, standing atop Esquie; and Clea standing atop François. Side-by-side, both Clea and Verso's arms were crossed.

"We need not fight, sister! Just leave us alone!" said Maelle to Clea, on the main deck of the ship.

"Alicia, you're dying. We need not fight. Just listen for once and go home already!" said Clea. She did not listen to Aline and still trusted the Writers, she did not listen to Renoir, and she still won't listen to her. She never learned.

Clea looked at Verso and Verso looked at her, as if there was mutual understanding between them. "I'll even help you create your own Canvas, if you want," she added.

"I don't want another Canvas! I want this Canvas, and my brother back!"

Clea sighed in exasperation at her childish response. Verso just gave her an 'I told you so!' look.

Lune stepped forward. "Verso, come home. We can be together now, start a family."

Lune would never say that.

Sciel stepped forward. "Verso, it wasn't so bad. You know deep down we're happy. We are given everything we ever wanted. Even you, get to play the piano you loved so much!"

Sciel would never say that...

Even Gustave did not react when Clea mentioned Maelle's dying.

They were gone. Their individuality, personality, free will. She repainted them. She betrayed them too. They were gone. There were no more "real" people in Lumiere. Just ghosts and puppets that danced to her tune.

Maelle stepped forward. "Verso? Clea's going to erase the Canvas, we need to expel her out!"

Verso just stared at her, sharp eyes simmering with hate. Hate that'd make the dark side proud. All his rage bubbled up to the surface. The injustice and oppression he'd felt under her thumb. The cruelty and suffering he was forced to endure. The immense disappointment and disbelief that she would do this to him when she called him 'brother'. The broken trust and respect when she removed his free will and enslaved him. There was no greater betrayal than that. She took everything from him until there was nothing left. Even from her Verso. Verso already gave his life to her and she still took and took from him - from his soul.

She had broken him. Far too many times, she had broken him.

There was no coming back from that.

There was absolutely no way he would side with her, ever again.

He just glared and did not want to speak a word. It felt like he had already spilt every word he could, in every reasoning, every fighting, every pleading, over and over again in the past few years. It always felt like talking to a wall. He was tired, and don't even want to waste any more breath on her deaf ears.

"What did you do to him?" asked Maelle accusingly towards Clea.

"I think the question should be directed to you. What did YOU do to him, dear sister?"

Verso mustered up the courage and the words to get past his hate and rage, if it would be the last thing he'd tell her. "Alicia, I forgive you. I hope in time you forgive yourself. Outside of my Canvas."

Maelle glared at him. It was the first time he claimed ownership of this Canvas. She just wanted to spend a lifetime with him, keep him here until the end of their days. And now, he's fighting her again. She shook her head in anger, in her refusal to let go. She summoned her rapier and pointed at them both and said, "Tomorrow comes."

With her show of weapon and force, Verso summoned his sword and dagger Simoso as Clea summoned her paintbrush and braced for battle.

The time for negotiation was over. Both sides refused to relent.

The final battle for this world started.

Chapter Text

Verso and Clea fell back as the expeditioners on Maelle's lead ship started firing on them with unfair closer advantage. The other 9 ships started advancing as well. They evaded the gun fire and magic by gliding their way back down to the Ancient Sanctuary.

"We need to take the ships down!" said Verso as Golgra and Monoco alight Esquie.

Clea using her paintbrush summoned 4 Bourgeons as tall as the sky in between the Flying Waters, Abbest Cave and Spring Meadows. Each of them stalling and smashing any ships that come across them. 2 ships were immediately sent down to the ground as the Ghost Expeditioners ran out of the crash and advanced to fight.

She started coughing. A sign of Painter's exhaustion.

Verso immediately noticed and said, "Don't overexert yourself. I need you!"

"It's none of your concern!" she said sternly as she and François flew up so she could issue command to her Nevrons to start advancing from the Red Woods.

Fighting a War with the Writers in another world, then coming home to fight in another war with her sister. It's madness!

"I'm going on air too!" said Verso to Golgra and Monoco.

They nodded. Golgra went to command the Gestrals while Monoco went to command the Grandis by the Twilight Quarry. Verso on Esquie flew up on air.

"Sakapatates! Ready!" commanded Golgra. The Sakapatates with their laser canons aimed for the remaining flying ships as they got closer and closer.

Monoco on the other hand, instructed the Grandis to throw stones on any ship or enemies that goes near Flying Waters and the Ancient Gestral City. He led those who wanted to fight melee with their hammers on foot.

The 7 ships edged closer and closer until they were within firing distance.

Golgra shouted to the Gestrals, activating her Enraged status immediately. "FOR VERSO!"

Monoco shouted to the Grandis, ringing his bell. "FOR VERSO!"

The Gestrals and Grandis all unitedly shouted in response. "FOR VERSO!"

"PREPARE FOR THE BEST BATTLE OF OUR LIFE! ATTACK!" shouted the enraged Golgra to the Sakapatates as they fired their laser canons to bring the ships down. Those ships fought back with their own guns, canons and magic decimating a portion of the Gestral army. But eventually 2 were damaged enough to crash down.

All Gestrals led by Golgra and Grandis led by Monoco converged on the Expeditioners already fighting on the ground. The Gestrals used their martial arts while Grandis used their oversized hammers and some just used stones to smash them. Clea's Nevrons joined from the Red Woods. Unfortunately as expected, some of the Gestrals and Grandis fought the Nevrons too. So there was quite a bit of a friendly fire in between.

Verso smiled hearing their chant. It wasn't for him, but still it warmed his heart as did the Verso spirit within him. "For your sake... And theirs..." he said to the real Verso. If there's anything worth living and fighting for, it would be him, and them he loved and sacrificed his life for. Your sacrifice would not be in vain!

Clea also smiled as she had that Big-Sister feeling of being proud that his creations loved Verso so much.

François used his single but strongest ice attack ever to one of the ships and immediately it came crashing down by the The Small Bourgeon.

5 ships to go including Maelle's.

Maelle's ship focused on Clea. To defeat her, would be to end this battle and everything would go back to the way they were. So her entire crew were parrying attacks and defending them as they pursued Clea through the map.

Esquie flew around, evading and gliding the fires and laser canons from both sides. He was actually faster and felt more at ease with just Verso at his back. He was holding back whenever they flew, trying to take care of the other passengers. But with just Verso? He could be as free as a bird.

He sped up, target locked on one of the ships that was by Abbest Cave.

"Wait a minute, Esquie! What are you doing?!" asked Verso in unease as he felt the speed burst.

"I'm fighting too!" said Esquie as he sped up and prepared to ram the ship.

"Uh oh... Wait...!"

Esquie rammed the bow of the ship causing it to flip and throw the Expeditioners overboard. Unfortunately as a passenger, Verso flew with the impact too. He found footing at the hull that was flipped over, ran over and jumped into air before it crashed with him to the surrounding wall. Esquie caught him.

"That was fun!"

"You're giving me a heart attack!" said Verso catching his breath.

"One more?" Esquie target locked on the one near Red Woods.

"OH- FU-!" was all Verso could say as Esquie sped up like a bullet and rammed to the ship.

However, the ship was shielded so it didn't flip like the other. Instead, Verso just flew overboard with the impact. The ship's captain, draped in a hood, was a survivor, an Expeditioner unlike the Ghosts. She sustained the shield.

Verso tumbled at the deck, surrounded by ghost expeditioners and the captain. "DAMMIT Esquie!"

"Ooopsie!"

He pointed his sword Simoso at the enemies, and smiled excitedly with the thrill of battle, confident he could take them on. "This should be fun!"

The captain removed her hood and revealed herself. "Did you have fun the last time we saw each other?"

It was Julie...

Chapter Text

"Julie...?!"

Not only was Verso taken aback, but he was also disarmed.

Julie walked towards him. "Surprise!"

"No! You're a trick! There's no way she would bring you back... unless..." It's to fuck with his head!

"I was tasked to find you and bring you back! If talking didn't work, that is," said Julie with a smile. "But lucky me! You chose to come here yourself!"

"You're not Julie!" Julie's chroma was long gone! She was a recreation.

"It's me! Do you remember that time? You told me you loved me in the Gardens of Lumiere?"

"... You shouldn't have memories!" Verso was conflicted. Can he kill her again?

"Do you remember what we said to each other?"

"..." Where did her memories come from? Was she truly Julie?

Julie walked closer. "Always and forever..." as she whispered and kissed him on the mouth. Her kiss was aggressive and passionate. She held his cheek and eventually her hands moved to his nape, pressing him more into the kiss and caressing him in encouragement. He returned the kiss, in longing and heartache. His tongue moved in battle with hers. He had so many things he wanted to say. So many nights thinking of her, missing her.

It did not take long as Verso felt a stab on the back, on his heart as he saw a spear ran through him. Blood ran through his mouth.

"Good," said Julie as she licked her lips. "Keep him subdued until then!" The ghost spearman held him in place.

"Wait- Your... memories?"

"They're yours. Our Paintress looked into your memories before, to find out who I was... Probably because of our journals."

Used his own memories against him?

Verso started laughing, unhinged. "Oh, you almost got me there..."

"If you come back with me, she will allow us to be together again!"

"..." Allow? They will always be subject to her will. They won't be free. She could as easily snap and gommage her as she did to his Alicia. That was no way to live.

"Did you not promise me forever?"

"There is no such thing as forever. All things must eventually come to an end!"

Julie yelled in anger, "Your words are as empty as your heart!"

Verso looked at his bleeding chest with the spear protruding. He felt the pain, the agony of it but laughed it off, feeling a bit unhinged himself. For he had gone through so much more than this. He backed into the spear, blood pouring out, until at halfway length, he raised his hand on a reverse grip and Simoso appeared, immediately stabbing the spearman's head, releasing his hold.

He pulled the rest of the spear through his heart until it was out, severing arteries and veins. He bled profusely but he didn't care.

He threw it at her feet, along with his pierced heart that stopped beating. Now with a bleeding hole on his chest, he said, "You can take my heart. I didn't need it anyway."

His immortality activated and the chest wound fully healed.

"But... I refuse to be bound again!" he declared as he flipped the sword to a proper grip and prepared to attack.

"You should be fighting with us!" exclaimed Julie as she brandished her sword. "Traitor!"

They clashed, as the rest of the ghost expeditioners started attacking him too. There were too many so Verso needed to end this quick. He used Phantom Stars to attack multiple enemies including Julie. Like laser light, he was all over the place. Parrying, dodging multiple enemies then attacking again. He stood by the center, the only white light against the shadows of ghost expeditioners.

"Are you going to kill me again?" asked Julie as she swung her blade at him.

He parried and with the counter attack, and without hesitation, he stabbed her with Simoso, dealing a killing blow.

She coughed up blood and fell on his arms. "Traitor..." Her last words cut deeper than any wound could.

With a pained expression, he gently put her down on the floor. "I'm sorry. I will do what I must." He closed her eyes, her eyelids painted red from his blood stained hand. "Be free."

The remaining ghost expeditioners all jumped at him at once. He vanished in a line of light, already above them at an unnatural height. He swung his sword and used Radiant Slash on the middle of the ship, sending a light wave and an echo wave after it with the sword's unique ability. The ship was cut in half as the ghost expeditioners fell down to the Nevrons on the Red Woods.

Esquie caught Verso as he fell.

"That was mean!" said Esquie, a hint of anger in his voice.

"I know." Verso looked at Maelle's ship honing in on Clea. "That was foul, Maelle."

Clea had a Chromatic Lampmaster assist her in battle against Maelle's party but she was getting swarmed by multiple attacks coming from the Ghost Expeditioners on her ship. "We need to help Clea."

Chapter Text

The battle continued on the ground as the other remaining ships were successfully brought down and all ghost expeditioners were fighting on the ground with the Gestrals, Grandis and Nevrons.

Only one ship remained on air which was Maelle's, protected from canons and attacks by the ghost expeditioners on board.

Clea was facing off with Maelle's party. She had used some chroma to paint her 2 Grosse Tetes to rock on the ship, distracting the other ghost expeditioners, and giving a dizzy spell to those who were on foot on deck. Her Chromatic Lampmaster and François helped her fight against Maelle, Gustave, Lune and Sciel.

Her Chromatic Lampmaster sets up its Lamp Trial as the lamps light up in random order. François used his strongest ice attack ever which was parried by Maelle and counterattacked.

Gustave focused his shots on the lamps but forgot the order so the interrupt failed. He used marking shot on it instead, setting up for Maelle's attack. Lune focused on the Lampmaster with Lightning Dance and Sciel buffed the party with All Set. On Maelle's turn, she immediately used her gommage ability erasing the Chromatic Lampmaster from the battle.

Clea was impressed. On her turn, she summons apparitions of violent Nevrons with 7 consecutive attacks to target Lune which she was unable to dodge and parry, effectively bringing her down.

She did not expect her little sister to become this strong. Not as strong as Aline, Renoir or her at full power but strong nonetheless, for someone who didn't want to paint and had not even created her own Canvas. Given much more discipline and training, she could help with the War against the Writers, on the real threat to their family. Only... if she would wake up from this dream and get back to reality.

"Clea, didn't you tell me that I control my life?" asked Maelle, remembering what she said as the Fading Woman in the Endless Tower after clearing all the trials.

"I also told you to not make the same mistake Aline did, don't go backwards." Clea shook her head in disapproval. "You've come so far to only lose yourself in the end."

"This is my choice! This is what I want! This is the life I enjoy!"

"Really? The only one you're fooling is yourself! This is not living, this is running away!" said Clea in frustration. "But there is no point arguing with you, isn't there? Renoir tried already. So let me tell you one thing. You're a stubborn fool and you're crazy. Get out of Verso's Canvas!"

Gustave used a Revive Elixir on Lune to get her back up. Sciel used her cards to cast Fortune's Fury on Maelle to deal double damage on her attack.

"I'm not crazy! I know exactly what I'm doing!" yelled Maelle adamantly, sounding exactly like Aline did. As she switched to Virtuose Stance and used her most overpowered, one-shot trick 'Stendahl'. Blades appeared before Clea and struck her simultaneously dealing four times its normal damage.

She was severely weakened by the attack and started huffing and coughing, succumbing to Painter's exhaustion. She did not expect her and her friends to be this strong. François immediately panicked and fled back to the Flying Manor.

"Quick! After her!" commanded Maelle as they followed them to the Flying Manor.

Lune casted Storm Caller to attack them with lightning strikes, while Gustave unloaded gun shots on François. François and Clea fell down to the Central Plaza.

Maelle's party jumped down to the plaza for the final confrontation.

"Clea..." Maelle raised her hand and motioned to use her 'Gommage' ability. "Get out of this -"

She abruptly stopped when Verso jumped down and protectively stood in front of Clea to shield her from it.

"Verso... Move!"

Verso ignored her and turned to Clea who was on a coughing fit. He knelt in front of her.

"I don't want your pity!" said Clea, ashamed of her weakened state.

"I told you, I need you. Don't fade on me now..." said Verso as he slipped a chroma elixir on her hand.

"Verso, she's unwell! She needs to go home! Move away!" yelled Maelle, her hand still raised ready to gommage her.

Verso valiantly stood and turned to face Maelle. His face and pure white outfit tainted red with blood on his mouth and his chest. He shook his head in defiance. He won't fail Clea. To him, she was his savior. His only hope. The one who released him from the darkness that was her world. He had experienced joy, music, laughter again in one day than twenty years as her prisoner!

He summoned Simoso on his hand and said with rage and conviction, "You'll have to go through me first!"

Chapter Text

Before the ghost expeditioners on Maelle's ship could disembark to help her fight Verso, Esquie took it upon himself to ram the ship away so it fell down, unfortunately to the Gestral Village. Only Maelle's party remained on the Flying Manor. And it was fine, this party was all she needed.

Maelle looked distraught. Verso's turned against her again. It was a struggle to contain him with him pushing her away and fighting her influence everyday. Until years of constant force eventually quelled him.

And with a single appearance from Clea, everything fell apart.

When Clea took him, she felt like she was going crazy, out of control. Without him, she felt that grief and that massive hole again swallowing her whole. Just one day and she spiraled. She needed him for balance. His presence calmed her down, gave her peace, even if he... did not want this life with her. She needed him...

"Verso, stop! We don't need to be fighting again!" yelled Maelle as she dropped her hand and instead summoned her rapier. "Just come back to me! I'll give you everything you want, even your beloved Julie!"

Lies! Verso recalled asking, even begging and getting denied all the time. And Julie... did not deserve to be brought back into this!

Besides he doesn't want anything anymore, only...

"I... We... want to be free." Verso was no longer just speaking for himself, but also for Verso's soul. And everyone of his creations that were out there fighting for him.

"You know I can't give you that. Is that why... you're siding with Clea...?" asked Maelle. "She... she will take over the Canvas!" She was becoming delirious and irrational in her madness.

"I know what this is... She's overpainted you, hasn't she? I can help you. I can make you better! Please!" She extended her hand for him to take.

"No," answered Verso firmly. "But you need to get better. You need to go home!"

He took a few fighting distance away from Clea and François moved in front of Clea to protect her from the ensuing fight.

Dig deep into your hate and rage.

He followed Clea's advice and remembered everything he endured up to this point. Anger bubbled up to the surface as he used his painter power to enrage himself. A black lightning struck him as sparks of white and dark chroma appeared on his body as if rage itself coursed through him. But as he was wearing white outfit, the inverted color was more noticeable. Dark currents appeared around his sword arm, his right face and body.

He won't go back to Lumiere again!
He won't be put in chains again!
He can't fail again!
He won't!

He looked at Simoso, the sword he wielded in Simon's honor and remembrance, raised it and pointed challengingly at Maelle. His right eye lined with dark raging currents but his left eye showed pure determination.

Maelle closed her extended hand in a tight fist, and she met his rage with her own as she glowered. She was so going-to-repaint-his-ass and put-him-under-house-arrest-never-to-see-the-light-of-day! mad!

Gustave, Lune and Sciel all prepared to fight.

Verso initiated first. 4 v 1 was an unfair fight so he had to take some of them down immediately. He fired several shots at Gustave, ending with a Follow-Up skill that took him down. With enraged status, he attacked again this time against Sciel, using his gradient Angel's Eyes. Sciel parried some of his attacks but was unable to parry some of the echo attacks too. Aureole appeared above his head. He finished his turn with a regular attack to try to take Sciel down. It wasn't enough.

Sciel attacked using Spectral Sweep, while Lune casted Elemental Trick calling forth the 4 elements to deal damage to Verso. He successfully parried and dodged some of them but still took hits regardless. Maelle attacked with her gradient Virtuose Strike to deal damage and go into Virtuose Stance. After which she danced using Sword Ballet, hitting him several times. He fell down momentarily from their combined attacks.

But then he got back up. The passive of his sword activated, keeping him barely alive.

A smile crept up his face. He couldn't help it.

Maelle felt unsettled with his sudden smile. He wasn't looking at any of them in particular. Just on the ground as he got back up with a freaking smile on his face.

... Maybe he was just finally losing it, after all these years?

"What? Stop getting back up. Just stop fighting please!"

... Or maybe this was what would happen when you give in to hate and rage?

Verso used Berserk Slash against Sciel. The damage was too high since Verso was just roughly hanging on by 1 health. But it was enough to bring Sciel down. His enraged attack was then focused on Lune as he vanished in his Light Holder skill. Lune was able to parry some of the skill and echo attacks.

Lune casted Mayhem to consume all of the Elemental Damage she did earlier.

Verso felt the onslaught of all elements on his body. The pain. The cold. The burn. The zap of lightning and the tremor of the earth.

... Or maybe because at this moment he felt... alive again? He had been numb for years. When his mind couldn't handle the torture anymore, and his emotions called it quits, his entire being became mechanical as he shut down in defense.

He fell down again. But not really...

"Merde..." said Lune in disbelief as she saw Verso standing up again after that.

With that darn smile on his face!

It was unnerving!

"Why are you smiling?!" asked Maelle in visible irritation.

... Or could it be a smile of liberation? When one feels so close to one's freedom, one could almost taste it?

Maelle switched back to Virtuose Stance, this time going for her overpowered 'Stendahl' attack.

... Or maybe... it was realizing... he wasn't afraid...

Blades appeared before him and struck him simultaneously everywhere. Verso groaned in pain as he took fatal damage and fell down again. The sword's passive did not protect him. Instead, his aureole activated.

He stood up again, this time his wounds fully healed. He breathed out as if he had been holding his breath for so long. He felt refreshed and smiled.

... He was in control!

Verso targeted Lune again with his shots and a Follow-Up skill. She finally fell as well. And with his enraged attack, he used his gradient 'Angel's Eyes' against Maelle, applying Aureole to himself again. Whether it's Simoso's passive or the Auroele, he cannot die in battle. The only time he refused to.

Maelle was annoyed. He refused to fall down, even with her most powerful Paintress skill. But, she too can play this game. She casted her gradient 'Phoenix Flame' to revive Gustave, Lune and Sciel again, while Verso burnt from its fire. "We can do this all day, Verso."

Gustave, Lune and Sciel were all resurrected and prepared again for battle.

Verso thought this might turn endless. The healing and revive tints might eventually run out, but Lune can also focus on healing and rebirthing Maelle who can also revive the other three. And he would just apply Aureole to himself, locking them in a battle loop.

It was as if his thoughts were read, that Gustave suddenly gommaged into red petals. Maelle gasped and looked angrily at Clea who had her hand raised as she walked to Verso's side.

Clea did not like gommaging creations and preferred her "pets" do battles for her, but this was a special case. "That should fix the loop, no?"

She rejoined the battle after recovering health and chroma from the elixir Verso handed her. She just needed a minute of rest to recover a bit from her Painter's exhaustion but the elixir at least topped-up her health back.

"Can you fight again?" asked Verso as he turned to look at her condition.

"Of course. Can't let my little sister beat me or I'll never hear the end of it."

"... That's what you're worried about?"

Clea just smirked. It felt like together, side by side with Verso, they would be unstoppable. Like their childhood adventures in this world, defeating her monsters and terrorizing drawings in The Gauntlet.

They both turned and confidently faced their last trial, the Last Stand of Expedition 33.

Chapter Text

Verso looked at both Sciel and Lune. He had bid his farewells to Expedition 33 on the gravesite at the Forgotten Battlefields. But still he felt pain and sorrow, needing to fight them too. Maelle would not let them go too. Perhaps it was better to be free than be at the mercy of a child Paintress with control issues. Puppets, dolls, repainted as she saw fit, merely becoming extensions of her, dressing even the same way as her. Living in a compliant, perfect world brought about by her grief, denial and lies.

Maelle looked at Verso and Clea. She remembered their Expedition before. It was her and Verso, side by side, with their friends against their Maman, the Paintress. Now she was exactly in the same position, with Clea and Verso against her. The very thing she feared would happen.

What was the start of all this?

When did her mind begin to slip away?

Why can't they just stay in this dream forever?

... No... "I refuse! This will never end!"

The Canvas' chroma and power she held swirled around her, poisoning her, corrupting her, transforming her. As her mind fractured, her face hollowed. Her body changed into a fractured version of her, held up by what looked like crumbling rocks of black, grey and gold paint. Her white hair swayed as she screeched at them on her Paintress form.

"You will not take this Canvas from me!" she yelled in anger, as she started to levitate.

Weaves of chroma gushed out of her, gold and black intertwined the Flying Manor, wrapping the place in a dome of void with red flames and golden waves.

The Paintress' rapier glowed with a void after effect, as she started with the first strike.

"You can't escape!" she said as she used Virtuose Strike on Verso and switched to Virtuose Stance. It was the same move set, only now she was flying and all her attacks dealt Void damage, which Verso was weak against.

She then used her Burning Canvas Paintress skill and attacked Verso, dealing Void damage and applying burn on top of the previous burn he received from the Phoenix Flame. Verso was also weak to burn & fire damage. He took the hits, burnt and fell.

Maelle gasped seeing him burn. The memory of the Manor Fire flashed before her. "No... Nonono... The fire!"

Verso's aureole activated, resurrecting him. He stood up again with his burns fully healed. Maelle was relieved.

Lune casted a spell of Revitalization to top up their party's health. Sciel buffed the party with All Set.

Verso went into position for a Steeled Strike. And as he was raging, he immediately released the attack at Lune. The skill and its echo attacks were too much for Lune to parry it all and it brought her down. As she fell, he saw her eyes, a look of understanding and acceptance. Even gratitude?

"Hmmm..." Clea's turn was simply spent on gommaging and removing the fallen from the Canvas so Maelle could not resurrect them anymore. Lune was gommaged into red petals.

Maelle switched stance again to Virtuose Stance and vanished into the shadows of her Phantom Strike attack against both Verso and Clea. Both took the hit but were still standing.

Sciel knew she would be gommaged next. "So be it," she said as she used her cards to buff Maelle with Fortune's Fury.

Verso took this opportunity to use his gradient 'Angel's Eyes' to attack Sciel again. An aureole appeared on his head. With his enraged attack, he slashed the air and used Phantom Stars to attack both Maelle and Sciel. Sciel was barely standing.

Clea summoned Nevrons from the Deep and apparitions of those attacked Maelle. Maelle was unable to parry or dodge some of them.

"Go away Clea! You're ruining everything!" Maelle screamed as she switched again to Virtuose Stance and with Fortune's Fury buff, desperately used her "Gommage" gradient against Clea.

It dealt extreme damage to Clea but not as close as her Stendahl did earlier. Clea was not in a weakened state, so it didn't gommage her immediately. Just roughly hanging on again with her Painter's exhaustion starting to kick back in.

Sciel's turn was her wondering why she was still standing. She used the same trick and buffed Maelle with Fortune's Fury.

Verso knew this combo with Sciel was deadly and they needed to get her out. He fired several shots at her and ended with a Follow-Up skill.

This time, Sciel didn't even try to dodge or parry the shots and attacks. She took it all and as she fell, she muttered her last words, "Death comes for us all." She smiled at Verso. Her eyes showed peace and relief. What is life when death isn't death anymore? She found out. She was always ready for death to come claim her. At last.

Clea still hanging on, gommaged Sciel out of the Canvas.

The Paintress Maelle screeched in pain as she was left alone in the party. She frantically attacked Clea again with Stendahl to try and bring her down.

The attack severely weakened Clea again and she fell as she started huffing and coughing due to Painter's Exhaustion.

"Merde..." Verso knew he needed to end this fight. He swung his sword against Maelle in a crisscross slashing motion and said "Break!" as he used Perfect Break to stun her successfully. And with an Enraged attack, he finished his turn with a quick succession of slashes and echo slashes using End Bringer.

Why...

The Paintress fell from her levitation and as she touched the ground, she reverted back to her Maelle form. The surrounding chroma and dome started to dissipate as her power waned. She reached out her hand to Verso before falling backwards.

Why did it have to end?

Verso's rage immediately vanished as he let go of his weapons to run and catch her fall. She coughed uncontrollably as her own prolonged descent into the Canvas manifested as a sickness.

She stared at him, hauntingly. Tears ran down her face, as her eyes implored him. "Don't do this. Don't leave me again." She grabbed his hand, unwilling to let go.

With sadness and gentleness in his eyes, he comforted her. "It's gonna be okay. It's gonna be okay, huh?" He smiled in reassurance. "You've got this incredible power to paint. You'll never have to suffer a life you don't want. You're okay... You're okay..."

Clea walked towards them and knelt in front of Maelle. "See you at home, sister," she said as she touched Maelle's shoulder to gommage her. Maelle exhaled a final breath in this world as she closed her eyes and scattered into her golden petals.

Tears ran down Verso's eyes as he sat down and watched her chroma fly away into the eclipse on the sky. It had to be done. Nobody said it would be easy. Sometimes the bravest thing is the hardest thing to do.

She is free now, from the shackles of grief; from a Canvas tainted by pain and suffering; from a fake dream that would never end. She is free.

Chapter Text

Verso went over the edge of the Flying Manor to look at the battle below. The ghost expeditioners were dusted onto their chroma form as the Paintress was finally expelled from the Canvas. The Gestrals and Grandis cheered, knowing the battle had ended. Monoco and Golgra looked at him, pleased with his victory and awaiting the final erasure of the Canvas. While of course, there were Gestrals who continued to fight and bully the remaining Nevrons who didn't fight them back.

He smiled in relief. Finally... It was over...

...

...

...

...

...

There was sinister silence and then, an ominous vacuum sound of all chroma gathering onto their location. Weaves of chroma converged onto the Flying Manor.

He looked back to find Clea at the center, absorbing all the Chroma in the Canvas.

"Um, Clea...?"

Clea was entranced, looking at the sky as all chroma within the Canvas became hers. She spoke, drunk in the power, "It's intoxicating, isn't it? All the Chroma in this Canvas. Aline, Renoir, Alicia, mine... even Verso's. Too much power corrupts, no wonder Alicia went mad."

Verso carefully approached her. "Clea... Are you...?"

"Power corrupts and in my hand, it's twice as deadly," said Clea as she continually absorbed the power. She wondered at all the things she could do with this power. The beautiful yet deadly creations she could conjure. The world of darkness she could birth. She looked at Verso with cold, piercing eyes. "Do you still trust me?"

"I want to... but you're scaring me," he said honestly. He had been dreading this. He wanted to believe in the Clea that he knew from his memories - the strong and logical one; the one who would accomplish what her family could not; the one who would also do what must be done. He did not have the strength to suffer another cycle with her.

"You're scared? You should be," she said as she fully embraced the power and looked at him terrifyingly, all the while releasing the darkness of her being. Black chroma oozed out of her, shadow tendrils encircled her. Her voice had a petrifying echo, "For you will know true horror! A taste of true darkness and despair!"

"No! Please don't do this to me," pleaded Verso in despair, feeling the sting of betrayal, after witnessing the birth of a New Paintress. "I can't... I can't handle it anymore!"

The sky dimmed as she looked up, paint started to display on her eyes. A black ink formed at the sky, it grew bigger and bigger in a circle, as giant pale hands like the Lampmaster's started to climb out of it. Multiple hands, one by one reaching for anything, others trying to tear open the sky. A gargantuan eye from inside the circle opened up. Peeking... seeking...

"Destroy... this... world..."

"Dammit Clea! Not like this!" yelled Verso as he ran towards her to stop her.

She flicked her right hand and a shadow tendril shoved him away. Esquie caught him on his belly. François hid inside his shell in fear.

"Nonononono! This can't be happening!" said Verso with tear streaks on his face, as he paced back and forth in panic. "Nonono..."

In his inner turmoil and mental breakdown, he suddenly glowed blue and felt a calming presence within him. He settled down as blue specks of spirit left his body and Verso's child spirit fully formed before Clea. Glowing in blue light with butterflies surrounding him.

"Please stop this... Sister..." It was the first and only time Verso's spirit spoke. He sounded the same as the faded shadows and echoes left behind in certain places. "For me... Please..."

Clea, still with paint on her face, tilted down her head to look at him, shocked at his sudden apparition. "Verso..."

"This is not... This is not the way..." implored the boy.

Clea had a bittersweet smile and nodded. The paint on her face vanished as she stopped her painting of an apocalyptic abomination. Her methods were always cruel and severe and... sometimes unnecessary. But seeing a part of her brother's soul, witnessing the nightmares she'd afflicted onto the world they created together, brought her back to her senses. She remembered why she was here. It was not this world she should be terrorizing. It should be the Writers. She was not one to falter, but she too had her vulnerable moments. To be in a familiar place, with powers beyond one's comprehension. She resisted the pull of the power of the Canvas.

She raised her hand and pointed at the abomination she created on the sky. And when she closed her hand, the creation burst into stardust that rained down to the world. The sky cleared, bathing in a golden glow of light, as the black chroma and shadows around her receded. She was reminded of the tasks she had left to do, and what must be done here... For their family. For Verso.

"Thank you, sister..." Verso's spirit reformed as blue specks that flew back onto Painted Verso.

Clea watched in understanding that Painted Verso did not only have Verso's essence but also was his vessel. She felt a little bad for the terror she had put him through. "Pardon me. I got carried away."

"Putain! Carried away?! You wasted no time giving in to power! You scared me to insanity!" scolded Verso. He was already thinking of giving up, running away, and throwing himself in The Abyss to hang out with Simon's chroma and just lose his mind there. If they - Painters - would just create whatever perverse world they wanted, just leave him out of it! He was done!

"I am human. I get tempted too," she said in defense. She would not take a scolding from him. "Now go say your farewells, before I change my mind."

"Give me a moment..." said Verso as he turned to Esquie, flatly hugged his entire belly and quietly sobbed to release the emotional whiplash - of victory, to betrayal, to devastation, to hope - all he experienced in a matter of minutes. He felt emotionally and mentally exhausted.

"It's okay, Verso, mon ami," said Esquie as he pat Verso's head. "There, there..."

"Thank you, mon ami," said Verso to Esquie. Only Esqiue would ever comfort him and tell him it's okay. Esquie was not only his bestfriend, but also real Verso's emotional support and protector from dark thoughts that would consume him... even as a child.

François went out of hiding from his shell and started flying. "BAH! What a crybaby! Unlike him, I was never scared!" he scoffed as he flew to Clea.

Clea understood. She did cause him quite a fright after his wholehearted trust in her. She gave him a few minutes with Esquie.

Chapter Text

Clea looked over the world, their world. Stardust continually fell down, making the world look so mystical. It pained her too, to destroy this world. But she knew her method of painting Nevrons and abominations to devour it was never right. Maybe she was just afraid... to step into the in-between, to actually see her brother's soul. Afraid to find out that she might not be able to let him go too. But she also knew it was only a matter of time. Alicia would be too weak to come back, but Aline... The moment she finds out that Alicia had been expelled, she would immediately come looking for Verso's Canvas. She hoped where she hid it this time would be sufficient. She did bar the doors and everything.

"Clea," called Verso when he finally composed and stabilized himself. "Can we go?"

But what if...

Clea had an internal struggle as she looked at him. What if... I wanted you to stay...?

"We don't have much time..."

Clea nodded and let her selfish thoughts go. She knew what must be done - for their family. They flew down to the Ancient Sanctuary, Verso on Esquie and her on François. The Gestrals and Grandis reconvened together after wondering and debating about the creature that burst like fireworks after the sky gloomed.

Golgra and Monoco came right to Verso as he alight Esquie.

"It's time, isn't it?" asked Golgra.

Verso nodded and Golgra, although cannot be seen due to the mask, cried. As she cried, the Gestrals, Grandis, Monoco and Esquie started sobbing behind their masks too.

"Don't cry... It makes me feel bad," said Verso with tears around his gentle eyes.

"Don't... It's tears of joy. We are proud to be Verso's creations. We love him. We love you," answered Monoco as he wept.

"My favorite not-a-patate!" cried Noco.

Verso went for a group hug between Esquie, Monoco and Noco. He said with a melancholic smile, "I will miss you guys."

After a tight group hug, he looked at everyone and said with sincerity and a happy wide grin, "Thank you, everyone."

"No. Thank you, Verso," said Monoco in between sobs. It was not only for this Verso who fought with them but also for their Creator Verso. For creating them, playing with them, loving them. To be born in his beautiful world. To fight for him in the end was their greatest pride.

"Bye-bye, mon ami..." said Esquie in bittersweet sadness.

"Goodbye Verso..." They waved at him, and he waved back.

Verso went to Clea who was also having a moment with François. François bawled as Clea pat him on his rocky shell.

Upon noticing Verso's approach, she waved her hand and opened a portal to the in-between. A pocket dimension where a sliver of Verso's soul was eternally painting the Canvas.

Together, they stepped inside, behind them were silhouettes of their friends still waving their goodbyes.

"You should go. I can take it from here," said Verso as he turned to Clea when they walked near Verso's soul. He knew it would be difficult and painful for her to do it herself.

"Take care of them," he added with a soft and gentle look on his face. Even though painted, he still cared, he loved them too. It was how Aline created him, in the exact memory of her Verso.

Clea nodded, a hint of sadness and pain in her eyes. No one would ever understand, a big sister's pain. Her family just thought she was going on a revenge-war. But she hurts too. In fact, she probably hurts the most. She spent the most time with Verso. She lost not just her little brother, but her best friend in life. They would think she's cold-hearted and uncaring, while turning a blind eye to the burdens she would carry for her family. Picking up their pieces, pretending to be strong, while crying deep inside.

She loved Verso, more than he will ever know.

And because she loved him, she will let him go.

She reached out her left hand to him, and Verso returned her reach with his right, their hand held. A lingering touch of farewell. A final comfort to her.

She looked at Verso's soul a final time, and then to Verso. Her tender eyes on the verge of tears. She peacefully closed her eyes as she let the tears run down her face. She started to sing a song to them both, like she always did before, when they were together.

Verso looked on, still holding her hand. Verso's Soul turned to listen to her as well. They knew this song (Until Next Life.)

You'll learn that all is not in vain
All that matters remains
But it's time, to say goodbye
Until next life

A man whose steps leave no trace
A man whose voice sounds like tears
A man whose memory erase
A man whose time flow off-beats

As she slowly gommages herself into her black petals, her song ends.

With their final goodbye, Verso turned to the boy's soul with a tear and a sorrowful expression. The boy had also looked at him expectantly. He offered his hand to him with a relieved smile, "It's okay. It's finally over. Verso."

The soul nodded and stood up to hold his hand.

Together, they walked into oblivion... and disappeared into nothingness.

Finally.

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Rest in Peace, Verso.

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Chapter Text

Every beginning has an end and every end has a new beginning.

Finally, it ended...
The cycle of grief;
The suffering of tortured souls and creations unforgivingly made;
The pouring of pain, death, despair;
The unending battle of sorrows;
The pursuit of nothing but a fleeting dream.

And with this end, came new beginnings.
A new story for Alicia unfolded.

It will take time.
Grief takes time.
It may take a long time for her to forgive herself,
To make amends to herself and to her broken family.
But there's always a chance.
Tomorrow comes.

With time and acceptance, came healing.
Her blinded eye finally started to see... Hope.
To honor her brother's sacrifice, she will continue, to live on.
And Verso will live forever painted in her heart and memories.

One day, she took up Clea's offer from before and asked for help in creating her own Canvas.
Clea trusted her that she will not lose herself again. A trust built between two sisters who fought each other was a huge step for their relationship.
She honed her talent as a Paintress, so that one day she could help her family fight in the War with the Writers.

Lumiere lived on in her own Canvas.
And with her memories and better skills, she painted her friends and gave them a New Beginning. No longer stuck in a Canvas of Grief but a Canvas of Hope. She painted joy and celebration in Verso's honor, living the life she wanted as Maelle, becoming a beacon of hope, shining brightly like a star.

Once she had found her strength as a Paintress, built her own chroma pool and made her own unique creations, she decided it was time. She had enough strength and willpower to come back out to reality by herself.

She knew she was finally ready—
to finish an unfinished business,
to find the Writers that tricked her,
and have her revenge.

She finally joined her family, Clea, Aline and Renoir in the true conflict against the Writers.

For Verso.
She's the one who comes after.