God it has been too long! i'm sorry, you guys. But at least it's been updated. Here's your 29th chapter of Memories.

I can't control
(Control your temper!)
...my destiny...
(She doesn't see.)
I trust my soul.
(Who says that there's a soul?)
My only goal is just to be...
(Just let me be!)
"Another Day" - RENT

"I do wish you would stop struggling. You're only going to hurt yourself, you know… The tendrils are not going to give under simple kicks and wriggles. Although… if you wish to continue, who am I to stop you?"

Kasady moved around the girl he had practically glued to the ceiling, his eyes roaming over her form as she continued to wriggle and writhe beneath the crimson webbing. He could not help but chuckle at her situation, and at the fact she believed that such pathetic struggling was going to break that which the symbiote had gifted him with. She was a tiny thing, something he had Kafka to thank, he was sure, and so her weight was putting next to no strain against the webbing. The poor thing could barely even hope to break free, much less actually do it…

But as soon as she heard his words, Mary stopped moving. Her eyes met his, held his gaze, and Kasady couldn't help but chuckle. There was a fire there; burning bright behind sparks of fear and hatred. She may have ceased her struggling, but he knew she would never truly stop fighting him, and that was quite all right. He hated it when they gave up. Then they just got boring, and then he had no choice but to kill them quickly.

But he wasn't going to kill little Mary, no. He wasn't going to kill Memory, either. He had special plans for the younger sister, and none of them involved harming her in any way. Well, not on purpose. He didn't want to harm her on purpose. Mary… Mary could be harmed, but only a little. He wasn't going to kill her, either, even though she had no part in his plans. She was too much like him to be killed. She could cause just as much chaos and carnage as he could, but with a bit more… finesse.

He reached up, gently cupping the girl's chin. She flinched back, away from his touch, but he simply held on tighter, digging his nails into her flesh. He couldn't stop the growl of hunger that escaped as beads of crimson dotted her chin, where his nails broke the skin, but he forced back Carnage's lust. They could go out and hunt later, once Memory was his and they were far away from Mary.

"This will hurt," he said quietly, tendrils extending from his back. "And for that I apologize, little Memory. But there is nothing we can do about it, however. We need to separate you from your sister, and to do that, there has to be a little bit of pain. But it will be over soon. I promise, it will be over soon."

Her heart started to pound at his words.

Separate her from Memory? How could… He couldn't do that. He couldn't do that! Not only was it physically impossible, as she was but a creation of her own, fractured mind, but… it wasn't right. They were sisters. They were inseperable. There was no way he could do this to them. There was no telling what it could possibly do to Memory if they managed to succeed, especially considering she was a part of her mind. There were not two different people, not when it came down to the basics.

"Don't," she choked, struggling harder than she had before. She could feel the webbing around her bare flesh growing hot as the friction started to build up, but she refused to stop. She had to save her sister. She couldn't be alone again. "Don't do this. You can keep both of us. I'll go into the back of her mind. I'll stay hidden. Don't separate us. Please, don't separate us!"

He dug his nails in a little tighter, earning a soft whimper. "Shhh…. It'll be okay. I promise you…" He wiped his hand over her mouth, covering it with a smear of webbing yet again. That seemed to be the only way to keep her quiet, he noted with a sigh. He could not deny its effectiveness, but Kasady honestly wished he did not have to use it. "It'll all be okay soon… Everything will be fine."

He reached up, petting her hair, and Carnage lifted him up, so he could touch his forehead to hers. A smile, wide and worn and hard, formed on his lips. Mary tried to cringe again, but his hand grabbed a fistful of her hair, the red strands sticking out like flames struggling to breathe between his fingers. The tendril that had emerged from his back extended, thinning out into nothing more than a thin string of goo. It hovered in the air for a moment, a snake looking for the perfect place to strike, and then rushed at her.

Mary screamed as it stabbed into the base of her skull, burying itself deep within her spine chord.

"You're right. We're not."

Octavius whirled.

He had not been expecting anyone to find him. In fact, he had just destroyed the only means he had by which he could be contacted in order to avoid being found. So his arms flew out, arching around his body and wriggling, the claws snapping together with a fierce, mechanical hiss. They, too, were on edge – and they were not happy that someone had managed to surprise their host and creator. Only a sharp, mental snap kept them from lashing out at their guest.

"Kraven," Octavius murmured, taking a step towards the named villain. In all honesty, the cat-man was the last person he expected to see. Spider-Man was the first, considering the connection he had observed between Kafka and the irritating arachnid, but obviously the child was of no true concern for the so-called hero. It would have grated on his nerves if the thought of dealing with Spider-Man didn't do so in a far worse way. "It's… surprising to see you here."

He snorted, as though such a comment was insulting to both his pride and his honor, "The cub is part of Kraven's pack." He said, one ear flicking backwards. "Kraven would no sooner abandon her than he run from a fight."

Well, that was… certainly comforting, if nothing else. He wasn't quite sure if he was as comfortable with the thought of his comparing her to a fight, but it was better than nothing at all. It was a pledge of loyalty, at least. Octavius' arms slithered back to his person, moving to hide behind him, though they still wriggled and moved worse than a man on edge.

"And there is nothing I can do to convince you not to come."

Octavius started towards the edge of the building, already knowing what the answer would be. And, as soon as he received it, his feet were off the roof of the building and dangling in air as he climbed across the rooftops. Behind him, he could hear the man's footsteps following behind him – quick, soft, unwavering. He would not be left behind. He would not falter or stumble. He would follow his Alpha straight to the cub, and then save both child and woman from the man who had dared to rip her from the pack. Perhaps, if there was time, he would rip the traitor apart, limb from flailing limb and leave him to bleed on the floor.

That was what he assumed was going through the cat's mind, anyways. He was not completely sure, as his telepathic powers were severely limited thanks to the girls' absence from it, but—

Wait. Wait, no.

No, the girls… They were always in his mind. Ever since he had been shot and their connection formed, their thoughts and their emotions had been constantly buzzing just behind his own. At first, it had been uncomfortable, almost loud. But then he had gotten used to it, and they had become almost a comfort to him. But now they were gone. Now, his mind was quiet again. There was nothing there to take up the blackness, the uncomfortable silence whenever he took a break from thinking. There was nothing there to remind him that it wasn't just him and his arms anymore.

He stumbled.

He didn't know why it happened. He didn't know how it could happen. His arm had plenty of room to reach the next rooftop. There was no loose brick; he had not accidently pull a bulk of stone from the edge. The arm was in perfect working order; he made sure that they always were working. And yet it had not reached the other roof. It had groped pure air, and made him stumble for a half second. It was just until his other arm had moved to take up the slack, but it was still a stumble. It was still imperfection.

That was what the girls had done to him. That was what his beloved Memory and Mary had done to him. They had destroyed his chance at perfection; they had ruined every chance he had at ever being one with his machines. But he didn't hate them for it. He didn't hate them for pulling him away from them, from all that Octopus tried to offer him. In fact, he sort of… Well, he would have thanked them for it, if they were with him then. If they understood why he would be thanking him in the first place.

"Kraven can smell the cub," the cat purred as he moved to stand beside him. "Can smell her, and the… the…" He broke off before he could complete the sentence, words devolving into something that was little more than a growl. His headfur bristled, rising to give him an even "fluffier" appearance, and Octavius had to fight back a smile. The natural reaction was supposed to make him look bigger, and it succeeded, but it in no way made him look any fiercer. "Cub is not too far… Mile or two."

"Well then, let us hurry. I wish to be home before nightfall."

I don't want this sister.

I know. I know, Mem, I don't either. But you've gotta stay with me. You've got to stay awake. I'm here… I'll always be here.

It hurts, sis. I can't… I know I don't need to breathe here, but there's a pain, like I can't breathe. Like someone's grabbing at my throat. Sis, don't let them hurt me. I don't want to go. I want to stay here, with you…

I know. I know. I want you to stay with me, too. I've always wanted you here with me.

I don't want to go! Memory screamed, tears clogging up the precious voice that Mary knew all too well. It would have brought tears to her own eyes, if she had possession of the body. But neither of them did. They were trapped in the endless nothing of the mind they shared, and there was nothing they could do about it. Not until Kasady said they could leave. Don't make me leave. Don't make me go, sis. I'll be good. I won't break anything of Otto's. I won't give Kraven anymore treats!

Mary had to fight back a whimper. She couldn't show Memory how scared she was, because doing so would only make her even more afraid, and that would only give Kasady a victory worth more than gold. I'm not making you leave, Memory. I want you here with me. I need you here. I need you to be my sister. Otto needs you. Otto needs you more than I do. Fight him, sister. Fight him and stay with me. Please.

Memory didn't speak for a long moment, and that had her heart pounding hard. For a brief moment, she swore Kasady had already won, but then she heard the soft whimpers coming from the back of her mind. They were weak, quiet, but they were there. She still had Memory for the moment. That was all that mattered.

I can't fight him, sister… He's stronger than me. He wants me to come with him. And I… I'm tired. We've been fighting him for almost an hour now. I can't keep this up.

Just for a little longer. Memory, please, just fight him for a little longer!

…don't let me go…

I won't.

I can't hold on.

Stay with me.

…can't I just sleep…?

Stay with me!

I can't. I love you.

…I love you, too.

Sis?

Yeah, Mem?

Tell Kraven I hid his jacket underneath the mattress in the spare room.

All right.

…And tell Otto I love him.

I will. I will, sis.

And just like that, she was gone.