Conversations with Wolves

They finally decided to come have a chat. The door opened and in walked a young woman in a grey suit, followed closely by Mr. Fedora with the same annoying smirk he always has. He stood back, saying nothing while the woman sat on a chair on the other side of a table that is present in the room, setting a laptop down atop it and opening it up. She gestured to the seat on our side and Nick sat down.

Woman: Hello.
Nick: Hey...from both of us.
Woman: Yes of course. Mister Shade, you need not speak through your friend here, my computer is able to generate audible speech, feel free to utilize it.
Me: Oh cooool. I sound like a robot. Beep boop!
Woman: You're probably wondering why we're keeping you here.
Me: Actually I'm more interested in why we're not dead!
Woman: We'd gain nothing from killing either of you, Mister Shade... 
Mr. Fedora: Not yet.
Woman: Yes, not yet. It may surprise you to hear this but we both want the same thing here.
Me: It doesn't surprise me to hear that at all! I don't believe it for one second, but I'm not surprised you'd say it.
Woman: The Long Game confuses us no less than you. We don't know what the Nevermore Accord had planned for you, or whether or not it is still ongoing, considering your sudden demise at the hands of the Manufactured Newborn.
Me: Claws. Evil, mechanical claws.
Woman: Yes, those. We will be keeping you here for the foreseeable future, until our research can uncover further information on the nature of the Long Game and what role you play within it.
Me: So, what? You keep us locked up for days and then waltz in just to tell us that you're keeping us locked up? I think we could have figured that out on our own thank you very much.
Woman: This process would go a lot faster if you were to aid us in this endeavor.
Me: And THEN you can kill us.
Mr. Fedora: Yes.
Woman: No. Then you become a useful asset in preventing the Sine Corda's plan from coming to fruition. I think we can both agree that in all likelihood, the Sine Corda's goal is to end everything. And neither of us want that now do we?
Me: So, what? You want us to become Timberwolves?
Nick: I am NOT cool with that.
Me: Nor am I, Nicky, nor am I.
Nick: Don't call me Nicky.
Me: Sorry.
Woman: You won't be Timberwolves. You will be...independent agents. We have resources and manpower, you have knowledge of Sine Corda operations and whatever makes you so important to them. And most importantly, we have a shared mission. Saving the universe. You can't argue with that now can you?
Me: ...
Nick: ...
Mr. Fedora: *Smirk intensifies*
Woman: I'll leave you to mull it over. Take as long as you need.

She gets up, closing the laptop and walks to door, stopping short. "We're not all as evil as you think we are. Everyone just wants to survive." She leaves, and Mr. Fedora follows her, looking back at us as he does so. He indicates to his eyes, then to us, in the 'I'm watching you' gesture-y thingy before closing the door behind him.

What choice do we have?

-Shady

sorry

So, I may have freaked out there a bit. I mean, you can't blame me can you? This whole thing is just one big shitpot of...shit. But I guess, this is just my life now huh? It's a whole lot to deal with. But I guess most of you probably know that already, and you probably handled it better than me.

I suppose you guys need to be caught up, yeah? So, basically, from what Shady told me, those people he could sense were 'Timberwolves'. Hell of a weird name if you ask me. They're servants of another Fear-thingy called the Archangel apparently. They shot up the whole circus and captured me and Shady. Once they got rid of the Ring-Master, I sort of started coming to. I was too disoriented to freak out right away though.

I finally woke up in the middle of the circus surrounded by dead bodies and burning tents. Several men in combat gear, gas masks and armed with assault rifles were approaching from all sides. There wasn't really anything I could do. One man, pale and gaunt in a long black coat and fedora walked closer Mr. Fedora returns! and leaned down to where I was laying confused and terrified. "Found you," he remarked, before the soldiers grabbed me, bound me and dragged me through the carnage, bundling be into the back of a nondescript van The nondescript van returns! and blindfolded me.

I don't know where they took us, but now we're locked up in this strange room. I guess this IS better than the circus. I've got a bed, food and a laptop. I'm still confused why they gave me a laptop though.

Fears have a weird obsession with blogs. It's best not to question it.

Uh-huh. They still haven't come in to talk to us. I don't know why they're keeping us here and neither does Shady. What do they want?

It seems the Long Game is far from over.

Oh god.

What happened?! What the fuck is going on. Everything fucking hurts. I'm covered in scars. Some of them still bleeding. I don't remember anything for the past few months. It's all just a blur of darkness, screaming and pain. Shitshitshit what happened?! Where am I?!

Look, you've got to try to calm down okay. You're not going to get out of thi

Shut up! You're not real. This isn't fucking real! It was fine when you were just a voice in my head and these were all just spooky stories, but I can't handle this! I didn't ask for this! This is all your fault, everything was fine until you came along and now. Now I can't even tell what's fucking real and what's a nightmare I can't I can't breathe I hate this I hate you!!!!

Damn it, Nick! I told you! You were already targeted by the Grotesque before I showed up. But you're right, if I hadn't shown up you wouldn't be unable to tell the difference between what's real and what's a nightmare, because you wouldn't have to! Everything would be a dang-blasted nightmare! You'd be in a freaking coma, tortured in an endless dreamworld forever or until you starved to death, and if I've learned one thing it's that death is hardly a barrier to the Fears, meaning you'd still be in hell! Forever! 

This may not seem much different but it's a marginal improvement.

A marginal improvement? A MARGINAL IMPROVEMENT?!!! Why should I believe anything you say?! Why are we even having this conversation over a blog post, we can talk to each other! I can't think clearly and guess what IT'S BECAUSE OF FUCKING YOU!!! I'm just some guy, I'll never see my friends again, I'm doomed to some crazy shitty life of running from monsters and IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT YOU BLOODY SHIGXZM4W

Sorry about that. As it turns out I can cause devices to deliver slight electric shocks hehe. Nick just needs a minute to cool off is all. He'll be fine in a bit. He's a cool guy.

You're probably a bit confused. I don't really have time to explain everything right now. But in case you're concerned I'll give you the quick version.

Timberwolves.

-Nick and Shady