[ ok ahh sorry this took so long my laptop broke and i'm usin my sister's right now arrghh.

i merged the two previous chapters together also because they were kind of short. and fixed a few things, revised and edited blah blah. any typos please notify me and yeah review or anything thanks! ]

Hence nothing remains

except

for our

regrets.

That was the last thing the Batter had heard before blacking out. The words stay enclosed at the back of his head, haunting him like the specters apropos the mission he dreaded never did do justice. He knew all too well the message – laconic or not – and it made him cringe just thinking of it. He knew the Judge wouldn't be at all proud of him, and that he'd probably be off to end the Batter's life once more if he knew he was still alive.

Nevertheless, he carried on despite not being able to trust his own wits. He lingered in the residence for a while, pacing around the room and fiddling with his hat bored out of his mind until Zacharie was fast asleep. The Batter stayed there for a while still, reminiscing of what the Elsen would think of him if he went out now, he could without doubt make out of the fact that he could hack the Elsen off just being within earshot of them.

So contemplating this, the Batter went to the closet and found a few clothes that Zacharie would've sold to any vagabonds – perhaps even Sugar. He snatched a few items and donned a cloche hat, a gas mask, and a suit and tie before heading off to the village.

He walked around the place trying as hard as possible not to be noticed. In spite of having such a ridiculous outfit, he could assure that he was unrecognizable at this point though, an Elsen walking up to him only to ask for his name, yet even this made him a bit nervous.

The Batter's lip trembled. He'd have to come up with a name, and fast, unless he'd want to sound like a phoney, paranoid lunatic. But before he could even think, all that escaped his mouth was a blurting, quavering, ''Uhh...ret.''

''Uhret?'' The Elsen wanted clarification. The Batter nodded sheepishly.

''That's a strange name... are you new here?''

''Yes—I mean, no – maybe.''

The Elsen tilts his head and gawks at him. ''You don't look like you're from here...but you have a tie...'' His eyes widen. ''You're a Landloper?''

''Yess...''

''Oh... well, if that's the case...i-it'd probably be best if you, uh...take caution.'' The Elsen cleared his throat and it's evident that there could've been a better way to explain that. So the Elsen reworded, ''The other Landlopers hang around the alleys...maybe they can, um...'' He starts to quiver. ''Maybe you can make friends with them!''

''Okay.''

The Elsen bade him farewell and hastily muddled his way back to a nearby house, leaving the Batter to - well, do as the Elsen had suggested - mingle with these so-called 'Landlopers'. Already was he wondering about them as he strode to a nearby alleyway, and he thought that, maybe for once, he could make friends.

But he was dead wrong.

From first glance, the Batter could undoubtedly tell that they're aloof and arrogant bastards. They appear to be Elsens, however, flagrantly-dressed with strange clothes he never knew even existed. And remarkably, they accepted the Batter - or, to be more specific - Uhret - as one of them. He detested them still, especially when the subject of the Batter was brought up.

''So what about him?"' One of them asked.

''Total douche.''

The Batter quirked his lip down.

''Can't argue with that logic. What do you think, 'Ret?''

''Me?'' The Batter raised a curious eyebrow through his mask.

''No shit you,'' another Landloper broke in with a snort.

The Batter stayed silent. ''Hey,'' the same one said, ''you there?''

The others laughed and exchanged smirks. The Batter shrugged. ''He's not bad,'' and there's that deliberate drawl he dragged in his voice to mimic the others' stupid slurs.

''Really.''

''Come on, the Batter's like the shittiest dumbass ever. You sure?''

''What makes you think that?''

The Landloper cursed under his breath and laughs breathlessly in disbelief. ''Are you fuckin' serious right now? Do you even know what's going on?''

The Batter took a step back, reaching a hand over his shoulder. The Landloper simply looked back at him with a puzzled, stupefied and taunting expression. ''I asked you a question.''

''No, I don't,'' the Batter lied.

''Then fuck off.''

And in the blink of an eye, a flash or two and the ascension of the Add-Ons, a bat is unsheathed and the Landloper's taken aback by it all, cussing loudly.

''Whoa, whoa whoa, fuck, dude!'' His face shifted from a grimace to a wince of fear, and the Batter raised his bat triumphantly as he puffed out his chest, springing into midair and swinging the bat.

Miss.

The Batter's jaw slacked in consternation. The Landloper brought on the same look, amazed at his expeditious agility, but that thought was shoved away as his ears began pounding with blood and his chest started heaving. It was a stare-down now, the Batter analyzing the Landloper and taking him in, the Landloper trying to recollect what happened. The Batter? Uhret's the fucking Batter? Quickly, the Batter regained himself and raised his bat again.

And then a blur.

And then a blinding flash.

And then nothingness.

The Batter was completely amnesic of the fight by the time they got home.

''How could you!?''

The voice boomed loud and clear in the dwelling, rebounding off the walls and back to the Batter, recoiling. God damn it, it was awful, being yelled at by Zacharie. He looked like he was going to slam the desk and let all the notes fly out. His tirades stung him badly, especially since Zacharie wasn't really the irascible type.

The Batter tensed a little, not sure what to say.

''I trusted you, Batter. You know damn well I did. But you're making a huge martyr of yourself now, and the next thing you know they're going to f-fucking crucify us.

''Pablo is alive - somehow - and hot on our trail. He can sense us. The Guardians also. And who knows about Vader, I have my doubts about her death.'' His voice cracked.

The Batter lowered his head, stripped of all the clothes that had made up 'Uhret', and Zacharie just sighed, walking up to him. His anger dropped a little in his tone as he continued. ''I'm not one for cheesily berating people, but I'm just worried. The Elsen are more powerful than you think. And the Landlopers, worse. I told you to stay here, Batter, and... and I've trusted a lot of people. I trusted Sugar and I trusted you and my hope's almost gone and it's only because of your foul determination that I trust you still. Or at least I did. I'm not...'' Zacharie shook his head. The Batter positively knew that Zacharie had an innocent, begging and desperate look behind his mask.

''...Do you trust me, Batter?''

The Batter avoided eye contact with Zacharie, changing the subject. ''I'm just worried about the phantoms. I want to protect you. I want to protect them. I want to turn the switch off because I want to end this suffering.'' Another topic change. ''But...are there really any more phantoms?''

Zacharie froze and felt a surge of electricity rush through his body ever so suddenly. ''Be honest with me.'' His stomach sank.

''Batter...I didn't want to tell you since it's a bit too early, and all I wanted to do was spend a bit more time with you without you being paranoid about the phantoms. I wanted to sort it all out with the Elsen because I know how disappointed they are, and how much more they'd be if they figured out...'' He trailed off, shot a gaze at the papers on the desk, then started again.

''There's one more phantom.''

The Batter's eyes widened and he looked straight up at Zacharie. His mind was deluged with questions, but one stayed ringing in his head.

''Who?''