The Black Parade

It has been a month, and it seems that my life was slightly normal, minus the alternate world, or whatever it was where I existed. I had finally met Regret, Fear's sister, and it wasn't awkward at all, she actually was once a completely regular girl, and had great taste in music. Frank did tell me her secret, though; she had killed the innocent for no good reason, because of a psychotic breakdown, which was why she was christened, "Regret."

Gerard and I had learned everything there was to learn about each other, and slept together a few more times, it was a completely harmless thing to me now, and I enjoyed it as much as he did.

Gerard still hadn't been contacted by the Elders, and it seemed as if he hadn't breached conduct by having continuing relations with me.

I had started talking even more with the other band members, we all had the same taste in agro, cathartic, aggressive, punk rock... with the exception of Toro and I having good taste in classic rock and metal as well.

We were all a group of friends now, I was happy, they were happy, and I was idiotic enough to think that equilibrium could last.

I was lying on Gerard and my bed, just watching him sketch, when it happened, the Call came, the Elders were either contacting MCR, or someone needed help.

Gerard threw on his marching gear, and I put on the clothing that had appeared on my body when I first arrived in the gray city. Gee gave me a quick kiss and we walked out, to be greeted by the assembled Black Parade.

Gerard Way took his place on the float, and I assumed a position directly behind it, as I was instructed. I marched with the members of The Black Parade, and we went to the base of the ruins, where I had first come.

Two men in business suits, and one woman in an unflattering power suit, all stood there, glaring at Gerard, then switching their gaze to my fear stricken figure behind.

"Mary Jane Venin, please step forward, or suffer the penalty of death for cowardice."

The woman spoke in an emotionless voice, drowning the silence with the echoes of her speech. I walked toward her, stopping around three meters from her, staying as close to the float, and Gerard, as I dared. She stared at me; I stared back with an equal amount of emotionless analyzing in my gray eyes.

She moved her hands in an intricate pattern and, before I knew it, my head, along with my arms, were clasped between the jaws of stalks (like in Salem, when they held the witches in stalks). A grim man holding axe in-between calloused hands; looked down at my entrapped head. His malice seemed diminished when he looked down at the tattered scroll, and started to read.

"Mary Jane Venin. One score and two years of age. Her crime: Relations with one of the chosen five, her guardian, Gerard Arthur Way. Other notable crime: massacre of 1,001 men, still people, no matter how evil. Her punishment: My axe will decide her fate, either the blade will decapitate her, giving justice for her past murders or she will be forced to spend the rest of her mortal life on Earth, with an entirely new identity, but the same horrid memories."

I was dumbfounded, but I took the sentence without a single sign of the heartbreak I was experiencing.

The man, who I now recognized as the Grim Reaper, as to why he had an axe, I hadn't a clue, though I was far more preoccupied with my impending death, stated blandly: "Any last words?"

Gerard was being restrained by the others, his arms were pinioned behind his back, and I looked at him, tears threatening, though I wouldn't dare let them slip,

"If I die, or if I live, this is still goodbye, forever, even if you are brought back to earth, I love you too much to find you, and experience the death of an already broken heart. Goodbye."

I looked into his hazel eyes one last time, letting the swing of an axe decide my future, though any future would be incomplete without him, so I would rather death take me.