It's Your Life: The Sleeping Demon

Reunions and Apologies

The little aching mood turned his head to face the strangers. "Hi." Was all he could muster, it had been a while since he talked to someone, or talked at all. The lady with a halo approached him cautiously followed by an over-sized, blue racoon. Immediately the boy backed into his trash heap, not knowing what these strangers wanted with him or where they came from.

"Tobias!" Light whispered "This can't really be Shame, he looks...different from the rest."

"Welcome to the repressed effect, the longer you stay down here, the more color you lose as you forget your purpose and slowly go insane!"

"...And you just ignored him? Knowing all of this?" Light still couldn't get over the fact that Tobias had left Shame to rot while Rage rampaged across his mind consequence-free.

"Are you guys going to hurt me?" The toddler squeaked from behind a piece of wood. Up close the pair could see Shame's glass was cracked and fractured, his grey insides sloshing uselessly.

"No, no of course not." Light crept up to him again and crouched to his level on the floor. "We want to help. I'm Light, Blake's shoulder angel."

"And I'm sure you already know me!" Tobias chimed up from behind the woman. "Good to see you again, Shame, let's head back."

"No." Shame said sternly. Tobias and Light shared a look of surprise.

"Shame, why?" Light asked calmly. 

The mood hid his face in his hands, trying not to break either emotionally or physically. "The others were right." He explained. "All I do is bring the mood down. I'm a buzzkill."

"Psh," Tobias said "You say that like Phobia and Glum aren't already mood destroyers."

"Well they're not. They serve a purpose of being able to help Blake realize his limits when it comes to certain things. And how their negative behavior has positive aspects. Like how one time Blake got such a fright during a movie he got to sleep in his parent's room. Or when he got ice-cream for only crying a little after flu shots."

"Well what makes you so different?" Light asked. "Why aren't you at a high standard like them?"

"I prevent Blake from doing things he finds fun. Like stealing a classmate's crayons. It's fun seeing them cry to the others but for me I just wanna sink into a hole and crawl out when I'm dead."

"Oh," Light replied, trying to hold back her shock "That's...graphic. But I can assure you Shame, you have a bigger role in Blake's psyche than you think."

"How so? I've been here attracting dust while Blake's having the time of his life with nothing to hold him back."

"You make Blake more human. If you didn't exist, Blake would become a greedy person who nobody would hang around. You bring a sense of humility to him and stop him from doing something stupid. Or at least you did."

Shame looked up to meet Light's bright green eyes. Just seeing her face clearly now made him realize she was telling the truth, and the cracks around him finally started healing as the fluid in him glowed like a torch. Light and Tobias stood back as Shame went from a dull grey, to a bright and vivid orange color. He smiled brightly at the angel, "Thank you Light."

"No problem," she replied modestly "I'm here to help Blake, and that includes the little guys in his head."

Tobias walked over, put a supporting arm around the two. "What a heartfelt moment. Now with all due respect, can we please get out of this dump?"

"Gladly." The other two nodded simultaneously.

As Tobias flew the three out of the chasm in his airplane form, Shame conversed with Light under the bright night stars of Blake's thoughts and dreams. "Sheesh, how long were we down there? Is it really night already?" Light asked staring at the indigo sheet above them.

"Probably not too long, it was nearing Blake's bedtime when I came to get you Light." Tobias answered. 

"I wonder if the others thought about me at all..." Shame turned to Light expecting encouragement.

"I'll be honest Shame, I'm not sure. But maybe Glee has. He told me to find Tobias so I could find you." Shame turned away to look at the overview of the memory hall, partially because he was tired of talking and partially to hide the grin on his face.

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When they got to headquarters Shame suddenly was overcome with nervousness. "What if they just kick me out again? What if I'm really not welcome? What if they've stopped find my self-deprecation jokes funny? What if-"

"Oh for Pete's sake," Tobias rapped on the double-doors twice before pushing them open. "Shame's home!" he called into the empty library. Light gently pushed the orange mood in and called out "Guys, someone's here to talk to you!"

A canary figure jumped out from behind the pedestal and stared right into his long lost friend's eyes. "SHAME?"

"Hi Glee, listen I-" Anything he had to say became irrelevant as Glee rushed over and squeezed his orange buddy. "You're back! You got him back guys! Oh I can't believe your back!"

"Me neither." Shame choked out. "Where are the others?"

"Asleep. But you can show yourself tomorrow as a morning surprise!"

"Yeah, I don't think they'd like that much."

Glee took Shame's hand and led him away to behind the big screen. "Oh they'd love it! C'mon, I wanna show you you're room! I kept it dust free while you were away."

"Hey Glee?" Light called from the door. Glee turned back with his signature smiley face. "What's up?" "Please make sure the others understand Shame. You can't afford to lose him again."

Glee's face softened to a more sincere grin. "Don't worry Light, I'll let them know."

As Light and Tobias left the mood room the two were overcome with a desire to sleep. "You haven't slept all day have you?" Tobias asked

"No, I should catch up with that huh?" The angel replied between yawns.

"Yes you should. Good job today angel. See you tomorrow."

As Tobias popped away to who knows where, Light went back to her room at last, changed and hit her pillow like a brick, not moving until her body was sure the sun was up.

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The angel got dressed and prepared to re-introduce herself to Blake one more time. It was a pity he counted on Shame being the one thing to make him remotely nice, but that was something Light was more than happy to help the toddler with in the future.

Right now though, it was time to see if Shame's return was anything to be desired. After getting dressed and ignoring odd muffled yelling coming from the demon's room, the little angel rapped on the double doors before pushing them open with a "Good morning everyone, how's the reunion?"

"YOUR NOT SUPPOSED TO BE BACK! BLAKE DOSEN'T NEED TO CONSTANTLY FEEL GUITLY ALL THE TIME!" Rage was unbottling on everyone, including Shame who was hiding behind Phobia, who was also hiding behind Love.

"Woah, woah, guys!" Light came in, quieting Rage down. "What's wrong now?"

"Rage can't accept that Shame is back and useful for something." Glum whimpered.

Light turned disappointedly to Rage. "You must understand that Shame is important too. Just as much as you. More possibly, though that might be my own take."

"NO! He just ruins everything!"

Light pondered for a moment before an idea struck her. "Ruins everything? We'll see about that."

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It was Sunday morning and Blake's family were getting ready for church. Blake was in his full sabbath clothing, playing on his bed as he listened to his mother scream at his sister for waking up late. His fidgeting was interrupted when a familiar popping sound came from his bedside. "Morning, Blake." Light said in a raspy tone.

Blake sat up and stared in surprise. "Light? Is that you?"

"Yep, say could you help me up to your shoulder? I can't climb the way I used to."

Blake held Light up to his face, his eyes glistening with guilt. "Light, are you okay after yesterday?"

"Somewhat. A bit sore here and there and everywhere but I'll heal. The human body always does."

"Are you mad?"

"Mad? Heavens no! I'm physically incapable of it. Just a bit strained around the backside is all."

Suddenly the toddler burst out into tears, much to Light's surprise. "No Blake I'm okay!"

"But it's my fault you were hurt in the first place. I was so mean to you and you were just trying to be my friend. I was so mean to everyone and it's just made me feel-"

"Ashamed?" Light asked.

Blake nodded as Light limped up his arm to his shoulder, wiping a few tears as the toddler went on. "I've been feeling so small since I bit Jason, and yelled at my mum and threw you down the stairs. I just thought... if I acted big...maybe I'd feel big too."

"But that just made you feel smaller right?"

"Even smaller than you."

"I'm not small, remember? Shoulder sized."

"Light...I am so sorry. Extremely sorry. Like, all the sorries in the world sorry!"

"Blake it's okay. I forgive you. I bet your mother would forgive you too if you just told her that. Maybe even Jason?"

"I'm sorry to my mother. I'll get back to you on Jason."

Even if it a little rude, Light had to laugh. "Good job Blake, I got to take care of a few things but I'll be right back!"

"Okay."

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Every mood but Rage applauded Light when she came back. Shame stepped off the pedestal to give her a big hug. "You see Rage," Light explained gently "Shame knows when to stop. He knows when he no longer needs to make Blake feel small when he hears the words 'I forgive you.' Your problem, is you never know when to quit."

Rage's blood literally started boiling like rice in a pot. "You're gonna regret bringing him back, I guarantee."

"Right," The angel replied. "Now if you'll all excuse me, I have to get to church with a new friend."

Light popped back up on Blake's right shoulder. On his side, where she'll always be.