In a sudden, awful movement, he spreads his arms like a demon, violently throwing his head back, collapsing onto his blackened knees, and out of his mouth, there comes an ear-splitting cry.

..

...

"P-P-PLACET AUXILIUM!"


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~~o00o~~

Chapter 45: A Threefold Tale

(Ness)

(TW for heavily implied violent and emotional abuse. There are no graphic violent scenes, but even so, please DO NOT READ if these themes are triggers for you. There will be a trigger-free summary of the chapter at the end.)

~~o00o~~

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In truth, I wasn't, I'm still not, certain, exactly when it began.

Some say diamonds form under immense pressure. But those people fail to realise, if you put a leaf under that pressure, it will wither. It will die, left as lifeless as the days before its birth. All good will be squeezes out.

When I see a cut flower, I always think to myself, that I know how it feels. To have no roots, nothing to anchor me down to the earth, to have no stability at all, but to still be expected to shine, to give beauty and to project my colours onto the hearts of others. That's me. I'm just the head of a sunflower, left in a vase without water, left to find solid ground on my own.

I know I'm not supposed to let others see my weakness, the roots that I lack. I know I'm supposed to show my petals, but it's so hard. So hard.

Yet I still don't know when it began.

The long scar on my left collarbone, the funny shape of my right leg, they are nothing, they are nothing compared to the remnants left inside. What's inside is marked on my skull forever, imprinted into my vision, into my actions. What's inside doesn't fade, no matter how hard I have tried, how many times I have begged, pleaded.

Nothing ever changes.

As a child, I quickly learnt the best hiding-places in the house. I quickly learnt about the smallest spaces that I could crawl into, where nobody would see me. Where I could be alone. Where the monster couldn't get me. Where my mistakes were my own, not some appalling crime. These hiding places were sanctuary - temporary, yes - but until they were found, they were my oasis, my place, my solid ground. I could bury my roots there, before I was dug up again.

And then, when it found me - and it always did - my monster sung into my ears, my monster told me I was loved. He tucked me into bed, and told me his truth, that I was not good enough.

On the worst days, when the monster screamed and shouted, slapped and beat, it was always the same. Always a reprise. I would bite my fingernails to the skin and hide in my hiding places, until I was discovered, until the monster got me, and from there, it would always be a blur, until the next milestone: the next meal, the next day.

And yet again, I still cannot remember when it began.

All I knew was that I was so deeply hated.

And that I was never going to be saved.


Years later, I'm still staring in trepidation across the dinner table at the monster, my heart thrumming like a marching band. But all is not normal - there is a girl here.

Lucas promised me it'd be okay. He wouldn't lie, would he? He isn't a monster, he wouldn't, he loves me. But, how can I trust that? How could anyone love me?

My Father menacingly lifts the dish of peas, tipping them threateningly onto the girl's plate.

"You will meet with her," he'd declared, fangs dripping with cold disappointment. "She will come here, for dinner, tonight, and you will dress well, and she will be yours. Is that understood?"

It was understood.

And so now, me and the ghosts of my family sit around the dinner table, a roast pork in front of us, with this girl in our midst, and she is supposed to be mine, but as always, I'm not very good at living up to expectations.

Lucas and Claus are in my bedroom. I think they can hear everything we're saying. Not that there's much other than a thick, awkward silence, and me sweating bullets, dripping on the floor. But I suppose their presence is some comfort.

Father tips a slab of meat onto my plate, speaking harshly. "Tell her about yourself then, go on."

I turn. She looks at me expectantly. I don't even know her name, but here she is in front of me. Wearing a necklace of pearls, a pink dress with frills, an elaborate hat adorned with a vast red bow. I gulp down my fear.

"I'm Ness - n-nice to meet you-"

"With a little more enthusiasm!" Father scorns.

I gulp. "What's - your name?"

"I'm Paula!" She beams, happily. "Ness, right? Your hair is cool!"

"So's your - your bow," I reply awkwardly, wondering if it's impolite to eat roast potatoes whilst a guest is speaking.

"Sorry Paula," Father says, with harsh laughter, through a mouthful of pork. "He's not very good with social situations. I had to invite you here myself, after all!"

Paula forces a laugh. "Hah. Yes. Father thought you were coming onto me at first..."

Tracy stifles a giggle, earning herself a look from Mother. Father gives her a harsh warning, before turning back to Paula again. The tension rises, as the five of us around the table view each other.

It seems that the dinner table is going to be today's second battleground.

I idly cover the burn on my forearm.


"PK FIRE!" I shout, an inferno surging at Dr Andonuts, but he dodges, and the impact blasts into the wall, catching it ablaze.

"PL- PLACET-"

"DUCK!" Villager screams, and I throw myself out of the way as a vase topples down from a high shelf, landing where I stood, shattering into a million pieces. Andonuts swirls round to face me, furious. I rip off his lab coat, to reveal flesh, metal, wood, machinery - the sight is repulsive. I turn away, but suddenly he surges forwards-

"Quick!" Toon Link cries out, leaping up on a chair and beckoning - I follow suit, hearing the sound of fabric tearing as Andonuts grabs my shirt. I scramble up, grabbing Lucas's hand on the way. Red flounders, picking up a chair, throwing it at Andonuts with a crunch.

I shoot another blaze, but it does no good. Andonuts keeps coming.

"Watch out!" Villager exclaims, and I turn to see swathes of fire licking their way up the chair leg. I jump with a yelp, just as Andonuts growls, kicking me in the shin and knocking me to the floor. A foot rises from the ground, hovering over my face, but Toon Link swings with a dusty lampshade, and Lucas yanks me out of danger.

I gasp for air. "What do we do!?"

Villager tugs frantically at the door, but it does nothing. A flame grabs at my forearm, and I tear it away, wincing. Andonuts turns again.

"PK Freeze!" Lucas exclaims, eviscerating the flames. Thick black smoke and hot steam billows from the smouldering mess.

"PLACET AUXILIUM!"

Our attention is stolen again. I grab a book, swinging it into Andonuts face. He snatches it from my hands, tearing it in two. Lucas falls back behind me, ready to launch a PK fire, but he collides with the wall. Red crashes into Andonuts from behind, but nothing happens.

Andonuts angrily twists and hits him. Hard. He crumples to the floor.

Villager shouts viscerally, furiously pummelling at Andonuts chest as he's lifted up by the throat. I kick out, adrenaline rushing, pulling at Villager, and it becomes a sort of tug of war. Lucas dashes over to Red - I taste the tang of blood in my mouth - Andonuts suddenly releases Villager, and the pair of us topple backwards - and my vision turns black-


-and I open my eyes, in the midst of the conservatory.

"Good pork, this!" Paula declares, pleased. Mother smiles.

"You'll have to thank the cook for that, dear."

"Thank the cook?" Father growls. "What are we - ruddy socialists? It's her job!"

Mother turns away, her smile vanishing.

Father huffs. "Well then, Ness, why don't you tell Paula here what you do with your life? Your successes - go on."

I freeze up. "Uhm-"

"Right, y'know what? Fuck this!" Tracy interrupts, standing. "I'm going out. This is too weird."

Father turns. "Excuse me? We have a guest."

"Does it look like I give a shit?"

"Tracy!" Mother reprimands. "Don't use that sort of language!"

"God, your family really is a warzone!" Paula comments cheerily, to me.

"Mother, shut up! I'm going, and you can't stop me!"

Father towers above her. "I bloody well can. The door's locked."

"What the hell?! That's not fair!"

I try to ignore it all, turning to Paula instead. "What's your family like, then?"

She laughs. "Oh, it's a mess. Ha! I don't like to speak about it."

"Oh, sorry to hear that…"

"No, it's alright." Her expression mellows out. "There's people much worse off than me. Lord, the amount of times I wish there was something I could just do…"

She's interrupted by an angry sound, as Tracy throws herself back down in her chair. "Fine! If you want me to have no friends because I don't show up…"

"Any wine, dear?" Mother offers Paula, over the commotion.

"Oh - yes please!"

"We've got a lot of options," our cook says mildly, coming in. "French Chambourcin… Sauvignon Blanc…"

"I'll take the Chambourcin. Thank you," Paula says, as she's poured a glass. "Oh, we don't have this stuff at home!"

Mother smiles again, though I see it's forced. "Ah, well, only the best for you, dear."

"Right then!" Father exclaims, having subdued Tracy. "I propose a toast - a toast to our guest here, and to Ness perhaps finally getting somewhere in life. Cheers!"

"Cheers!" Paula says, enthusiastically colliding her glass with my Father's.

"Cheers," I mutter.

Father glares daggers across the table. "Ness, remember, this is potentially your future wife, here. Straighten out your act a bit, hm?"

"Yes, Father…"

As if my act will be 'straight' any time soon.

"Good. Now, Paula, what does your Father do?"

Paula beams. "Oh! He and my mother run the Polestar Preschool in Twoson. I help out there sometimes!"

"That sounds like quite an enriching job," Mother notes, pleased.

"How much does it earn?" Father asks.

Paula laughs. "I'm not sure! Enough to get by. But that doesn't matter, it's worth it, to see them, the kids, all grow up. We try to give them the support they'll need, ready to get into primary school, we make sure their parents treat them right, that sort of thing. Uh, how about yourself? What do you do?"

"I manage a coal mining firm," Father says, grandly. "Eight-hundred and twenty-two employees, 40 hectares of land to our name for coal discovery, a revenue of far over a million pounds."

"Impressive!"

"I tell all of my workers, and I tell Ness the same: a man has to make his own way in the world. Build himself up from scratch. By doing, rather than complaining… On that note, Ness, are you still… acquainted with that Lucas?"

I notice mother move nervously in her seat, as I speak. "Y-Yeah, why?"

Father grumbles. "His father caused trouble in the mines, and he had to be dismissed. You are not to speak to his son any longer."

"But-!"

"No buts, what I say, goes. It's for your benefit."

I know better than to argue. "Yes, Father."

Luckily, I also know better than to obey.


A father is supposed to be the most important figure in a young boy's life. It's who they should aspire to become, it's who they take after, whose business they inherit and views they share.

I wish it were true, but it never has been.

Every child should be entitled to a roof over their head. They should have someone to turn to. Food, water. But most of all, they have the basic right to be loved, and treated proper. My father tore that away from me. He dangled glimmers of it in front of my face, and snatched it away whenever it got too near.

Some may call it tough love. But there's no love in beating your kid to a pulp for speaking out of line. There's no love in screaming your lungs out when your kid gets a bad grade. There's no love in confiscating food, forced isolation, and manipulation.

It's good for you!

It was all lies. Lies, after lies, after lies.

I just want the best for you!

Lies. Only lies.

It was terrifying. Terrifying coming home, every single day, to the same. There was no escape from it. Every night, I would move so carefully down the hallway, so frightened of his footsteps. I would lie, frozen, if he walked past my bedroom door.

As far as I was concerned back then, it was everything I deserved. It was for my own good.

"Don't disappoint me, Ness."

"You should already know this."

I cried. Most nights, I cried, like a little baby, huddled up in my bed. I couldn't sleep. I tossed and turned. I pleaded, begging for something to change. Begging to know what was so fucking wrong with me, why the one who loved me most would hurt me so much.

But I never found out. And the house became a warzone. There was nothing but yelling, as work increased, as the solace of school days came and went in a flash. There was nothing but bitter shame, as bloody murder was screamed into my face.

He was the victim. I'd ruined his big plans. He was the one who needed rescuing from me. My crying was 'manipulation'. My sadness 'an act, for attention.'

He didn't see what he did to me. He didn't see that he was killing me, day by day. He didn't see that I was becoming just as bad as him.

I rush forwards, violently swinging a fist that collides with the bully's lip. "Hey! You leave him alone!"

I square right up to Meta Knight. "Get him down! If you don't- I'll hit you!"

Because it's all I've ever learnt. Violence is the only solution to my problems, isn't it? That's always the only answer?


"PK FIRE!" I scream, launching a desperate volley at Andonuts. But it's no good. He's got us cornered. The new Future Humans - they resist fire. They resist ice. They're too powerful. We have no hope.

My vision swims, and I force my eyes shut, reaching my arm out for Lucas's hand. At least, we'll die together. At least, it was for the sake of good.

"PLACET AUXI-"

CRASH!

"HIIII-YA!"

KER-PING!

Huh?!

I open my eyes. There's suddenly a hole in the ceiling, and there, with a bow in one hand and a quiver round his shoulder, Pit.

"Got anymore, Andonuts?" Pit grins, notching another arrow.

Andonuts staggers, a new protrusion in his side. "Y-You-"

"Quick! Grab a chair!" Toon Link cries out. I spring into action, grabbing one, and Lucas pushes Andonuts down onto it. Pit brings out a ball of string, and rapidly ties it all around the mechanised man, who weakly struggles, to no avail.

"Immune to fire and ice… but something that can pierce the flesh and mess with the circuitry a bit…" I grin. "Pit, you saved our lives!"

"More importantly, where did you learn archery?!" Toon Link exclaims.

Pit shrugs. "Oh, just a bit of this and that…"

"And where did you find a bow and arrow?" Villager asks.

"Oh, Toon Link's brother is really into live action battle roleplay. So I just borrowed some of his gear."

Lucas frowns. "Why are you so late? Where were you earlier?"

"Oh, I was sleeping."

"He needed it," Toon Link says, seriously. "We went to bed quite late in the end."

"But more to the point…" Lucas continues, turning back to Andonuts.. "What do we do with this guy, now?"

"And Red!" Villager exclaims, rushing down to his best friend. "Oh thank God - he's breathing."

"Placet-" Dr Andonuts says, weakly.

Toon Link taps the inventor's greyed head, much more comfortable now the threat is gone. "There's not a piece of the real Dr Andonuts left in here. He's just another puppet."

"Still speaking Latin though," Lucas notes. "I thought Dr Andonuts said they'd overcome that."

Toon Link stands back, surveying the scene. "But that wasn't Dr Andonuts speaking - that was Porky, talking through him. Pretending to be him - toying with us, which means God knows how much of what he said was true. But, obviously, Porky is still a little too confident in his creations..."

"Yeah," agrees Lucas, looking down at the limp figure before him.

But all freeze, as Dr Andonuts suddenly jerks in place. His head abruptly tips to the side, and a lopsided grin is forced onto his face. And then suddenly, he starts speaking again - his voice comes out surprisingly clear and cheery, with an overtone of electrical static.

"Oi there! It's your best friend in the land - Porky!"

Villager practically leaps out of his skin. "Ah!"

"Don't worry - I'm just speaking through good old Andonuts again… ah he was a smart man, he was! Did his duty well. Ultimately disposable, though…"

None of us gratify him with a response.

Unfortunately, he continues. "Well, thank you all for testing the new, finished Future Human models! Great to see they withstand your powers! Oh, and second of all, how cute to see you all trying to stop me again!"

Pit grins, standing forward. "But your new, 'finished! models can't even withstand an arrow though, huh?"

"Oh, they'll be able to, Pit. This test was a check for weaknesses too! And by some chance… you shot at a gap between plates of the internal armour. But rest assured, in future production lines… it'll be fixed."

But Pit's grin doesn't fade. It's almost manic. "Nothing's perfect, Porky. We'll find another weakness, easy."

A disgusting laugh comes from the animated mouth. "Sure you will. By the way, Pit, it's great to speak to you again. It was such fun having you trapped in my chamber, under my control… Such a shame you didn't get the full conversion, like your dearest brother, Dark Pit?"

Pit's face hardens. "Don't you speak about him."

A grin is forced onto the corpse's face. "He was a very useful prototype, actually… I got a lot of developments done with that one!"

Pit grips his bow in one hand. "Well, we'll see how useful you are, when we've taken you down, you and your Future Humans!"

Porky laughs. "I maintain that six kids won't even come close to touching me."

Pit leans in closer, dropping his voice to a deathly whisper. "Well, Porky, I maintain that we will. Because this lot? They hate you. But not as much, not even close to as much as I do right now. You've hurt my flesh and blood, Porky. You killed Dark Pit. And I will avenge him."

There's a pause, before Porky's throaty cackle echoes around the room once more. "Well, well. I do look forward to seeing what you come up with. But I will have what I want. You're nothing to me. Dr Andonuts was nothing. After I go, he'll just be another corpse. And eventually, one of my Future Humans will find his body again, under the fallen Earth, and they will repair it. And the same will happen to the rest of you. Good day!"

With that, Dr Andonuts's head falls empty and limp to the side, his shoulders sag in place, and as the echo of static slowly dissipates into nothing, we're left standing still.

Bits of the wrecked roof and broken chairs are strewn around the room. The carpet still smoulders in one corner. Dust and smoke columns out, into the sky - no doubt someone will have seen. The cops will already be on their way.

Toon Link grins. "Wow Pit, that was very badass of y-"

The dark haired boy stands in place, staring furiously at the ground. "Shut up."

"Oh. Sorry."

There's a tense pause.

"What do we do with Andonuts?" Villager asks, looking, nauseated, at the figure before us. "If anyone comes here and finds a dead body, with us standing by it - we'll be instantly blamed and locked up in jail for life!"

Toon Link wrings his hands. "Never mind that - is Red okay?"

"Yes, Toonie. Like I said, breathing, and he has a pulse."

"Unconscious?"

Villager sighs heavily. "Yes. Unfortunately so."

"The police will probably be on their way," mumbles Lucas, catching my worried expression. "We really should get out of here..."

Pit curses, suddenly springing back into action. "Oh godammit - you're right. We need to hide the body!"

Villager lets out a yelp. "We're not hiding a body!"

"Well, what the hell else are we gonna do?!"

"I don't know - uh - run!?"

"We can't just run!"

But our arguing is cut short, as a knock at the door acutely sounds.

"Onett police force! Open up!"


I finally clear my plate of all the food, silently willing that this will all be over soon. That I'll be free from the piercing gaze of my Father. Why do we always have to have dinner as a family anyways? Because it's 'proper'? None of us ever enjoy it, and it always just ends in a shouting match.

Mother speaks. "When are you expected back home, Paula dear?"

"Oh!" The blonde replies, adjusting her bow. "No time in particular! I can stay as long as Ness would like."

I'd quite like her to go right now, but I don't say that. Instead I look into the kitchen, as dessert is brought out.

"A fresh-made fruitcake," our cook says quietly, laying it on the table. "Fruits from th' market. Flour from the mill. Eggs from the farm."

Paula beams. "Looks delicious, thank you so much!"

The cook isn't usually permitted to reply, but I do see a faint pink blush come onto her cheeks as she leaves.

Mother slices it into slices, and father dishes it out. I gingerly eat my piece.

Father sits down. "So, Paula, I expect you'll be wedding Ness within a few years?"

She looks quite taken aback by the statement, coughing, a raisin falling out of her mouth. "Oh - uh, maybe! If everything goes well."

Father's gaze only intensifies. "And you'll be willing to continue this family line?"

Tracy pulls a face. "Dad, that is so disgusting. I don't want to think about Ness doing that!"

Paula pretends not to have heard, though her face holds considerable surprise. "Uh - Absolutely! I love children, having some of my own would be a dream."

"Good. Then that is settled. At long last, Ness, things are looking up for you, hm?"

I shrug, noncommittally. "I guess."

His tone sharpens. "You guess?"

A lump threatens to form in my throat. "I mean… yes. They are."

"The woman of the dreams is in front of you, Ness. Would you mind actually showing some enthusiasm about that? Making some effort, for once?"

I sigh. It always comes to this. "Sorry, Father."

He digs at his fruitcake. "All the things I do for you. You never appreciate them."

"Sorry."

There's an uncomfortable silence. I try not to freak out, as I eat my fruitcake. Father can't actually make me marry this girl, can he?

It'd be easier than being with a boy.

But I'd hate it so much. I know what I want now - I know what I need. I need Lucas. We're codependent.

Father stands, finished. "Well then. What a delightful meal, and an honour to have you in our abode, Paula."

"Thank you!" Paula beams. "Come on then Ness, how about we go to your bedroom?" Seeing my stricken face, she laughs. "Sorry. I didn't mean like that. Just so I can get to know you - if I'm going to be, uh, marrying you and siring your children..."

Father nods, giving me a subtle glare. "Good idea. Great idea."

And so Tracy mimes throwing up, as I lead Paula out of the dining room, and into the hall.

"Right, so this is a little awkward," I begin, once out of earshot. I feel my face heating up. "I uh - like guys, I'm not into girls. So, this whole thing…"

"Oh!" Paula laughs. "Oh, thank God. Honestly, I could tell you weren't really interested. I thought it was my fault! Thought I was boring!"

I rub my cheek, as we head into my bedroom. "Yeah uh - don't worry about that. You're certainly not boring. Keep it down though, yeah? About the whole thing? Father doesn't really know..."

Paula nods emphatically as she shuts the door behind her. "Oh, 'course. Your father seems like a nasty piece of work, he does. If he knew, I don't think he'd be very happy at all."

Lucas looks up in alarm at our arrival. "Uh- hello?"

"Oh, by the way, this is my boyfriend, and I smuggled him into the house," I explain, matter of factly.

Claus looks up. "Huh?"

I blush. "I mean - this is my friend, who happens to be a boy, who I invited over, for… dinner."

"Oh. Okay!" Claus grins toothily. "Lucas, can we go see dad now?"

Lucas winces in place. "Soon, Claus. Soon."

Paula laughs. "Well, hello there! Nice to meet my competition. Not that there is any anymore. Ah… I guess I'll find someone!"

I nod politely. "I'm sure you will." And I am - I can certainly name a lot of guys that would kill to be with a girl so objectively pretty.

She adjusts her bow, beaming. "Aw. Well, anyway, if you're not - you know - the one, hah, I'll best be on my way home! Got to set up the preschool for tomorrow, after all. Perhaps you'll see me around though? If you ever need a favour, or decide you're not into guys anymore? Do come round! The address is Polestar Preschool - knock on the red door - down Twoson Road, you know the place? Yeah!"

I nod, despite having very little intention of visiting, what with saving the world and all. "I'll see you around then, Paula."

She beams again, and heads on out of the bedroom.

I'm sorry to say it's a relief.

"She seemed nice enough," Lucas says, absentmindedly turning over in my bed.

I plop down besides him, rolling into his arms. "Yeah, slightly insane though. It was very awkward, throughout the whole of dinner."

"Who was it?" Claus asks.

"Oh," Lucas slips me a sly grin. "Just Ness's girlfriend…"

"Hey!"

But my shout is interrupted, as Father barrages into the room.


"Dammit!" Pit whispers, in derogatory panic. "What do we do now!?"

The stampede of police horses sounds outside.

My heart pounds - I look desperately around the room - there's nothing. No way out! But my gaze is torn by the splintered roof - "W-We'll have to climb!"

"Climb? Are you on crack cocaine?!"

Crash!

"He's right!" Toon Link yelps.

My heart pounds as Toon Link launches a chair over - and suddenly we're helping him up - as the noise gets ever closer. He climbs fast, gripping onto a metal ceiling beam, hauling himself up into the open air, before turning back to us. "Quick, then! Come on!"

Hastily, Villager gathers up Red, and with Pit's help, clumsily passes the unconscious boy up to Toon Link - who teeters on the edge of the hole - but he grips him, putting him aside, stretching a desperate hand out to the rest of us. A loud banging comes from the hall, as the police forces smash further - my breathing accelerates, we can't have long...

"Pit! You next!"

Pit clambers fast, followed by Villager - I check behind me, as the ground shakes - we're not going to make it in time - I give Lucas a leg up - and just as he disappears, the living room door bursts open.

"NESS!" Toon Link yells, stretching down - in panic, I jump onto the chair, as the police surge forward.

"Stop right there!"

There's no time! I leap for all I'm worth - catching Toon Link's hand, but I swing - and the police draw bayonets - blood rushes to my chest - Toon Link pulls, and it feels like my arm is being torn out of its socket. I gasp with pain, wildly swinging - and Lucas catches my wayward arm - I kick my legs, striking a policeman in the head as I slip away - but they grab my feet, and pull back - but Toon Link is stronger! I squirm through - blocking out the fury behind me - and I taste the fresh air - but there's no time, as we sprint along the tiled roof - my foot slips, but I'm caught - everything burns! Toon Link leaps off the edge, landing in a bush - I follow suit, my chest soaring as I plummet - but then we're off again - running - we made it - God, we made it! And as we slow, away from the lab, we can't help but grin around at each other, gasping for breath. We got away.

But the moment is quickly ruined.

"Hey!" A voice - and instinctively I turn - and my eyes meet an officer's. All purple with fury, arm pointed in accusation.

We turn and run, but the damage is done. He saw us. My stomach sinks to the floor.

We'll be on wanted posters by the morning.

Anger blazes in his eyes. He shakes with disappointment - or disgust - or both. He steps stiffly into the room, drinking in the full sight before him.

Lucas and I, together in my bed. Claus.

"What the hell is all this?"

"I-"

"What the hell is all this!?"

"It's not what it-"

He surges forwards. "I've raised a fag. I've raised a fag, haven't I? I knew it - I fucking knew it-"

Lucas yelps as he falls out of bed - and I jump up, panic lumping in my throat. "I - we're just friends!"

His face purples. "I went to such an effort to bring Paula here tonight! But you - you have the gall to sneak a boy under my roof - under my roof!"

"Please-"

"I'm not having it! I'll - I'll beat it out of you - you can't be a fag, you can't!"

I tremble, on the edge of my bed. "I'm not, father, I swear!"

He shoves me, roughly against the wall. "Don't you - don't you lie to me - don't you dare lie to me you little-"

"Stop!" Lucas cries, desperately.

In an instant, Father turns on him. "And you - you think you can mess up my son? You made him like this - first your excuse for a father messing up my business - now you-"

"Leave him alone!" I exclaim.

He turns back to me, sneering. "Oh, you would protect him, wouldn't you? Over your family - over your own family, you'd protect this little whore-"

I see red. "LUCAS ISN'T A WHORE!"

"DON'T YOU TALK TO ME LIKE THAT!"

In a spiral of anger, I push at him. I push at the monster. "I - I'll talk to you how I want! You've never cared about me! You're - you're a terrible father!"

His voice goes deadly quiet, as he studies my trembling face. "You really think so? After all I've done?"

"Yeah!" I exclaim, defiantly. "Yeah, I do!"

"Then, Ness, you can get the hell out of this house!"

My courage suddenly dissolves into fear. "What?"

"You heard me."

I panic. "But - you can't!"

"I can. This is my house, and I can bloody well kick you out."

I look up at him, horrified. "It's dangerous out there!"

He leers. "So? Apparently I'm a terrible father. Why would I care what happens to you?"

"B-Because-"

He surges forwards again, spittle flying out of his mouth as he speaks. "Are you going to get out, or will I have to make you?"

There's no choice. I give Lucas a frightened glance, as he beckons Claus, and we huddle together in shame. We're pushed out of my bedroom, and down the hall, to the front door, outside which the cold afternoon looms.

"You've wasted so much of my damn time, Ness," Father growls, as he throws open the door. "Years wasted, raising an ungrateful faggot. I never want to see your face round here again. Never. Do you understand me?"

I turn, viciously. "You and Ryu - you were together, weren't you! But it didn't work out. That's why you hate homosexuality so much! But Ryu's dead now. I hope you're happy with yourself!"

There's a horrid pause, where it looks like Father's about to kill me.

"HOW DARE-"

I only have time to make out a fist, before I'm wrenched outside, and the door slams shut behind me.

The air is cold with the copper on my tongue, as I sit up, staring for a moment at the brick, my head spinning. This is wrong. This can't be real. He can't have kicked me out.

"Well," Lucas whispers, shattering the silence. "I guess we have to go to my place."


Life is always a damn battleground. It always has been. Always fighting off monsters, some human, some not. I can never win, not when the enemies are so countless, and the world is so tinged with red. It's impossible to break free of this endless cycle of hurt. It's impossible to win the war. Obstacles will always keep coming, no matter what, and it is so, so tiring.

Eventually, I'll be caught. I'll stop for long enough, that a monster will catch up with me, and when that happens, I will die.

But until then, I'll keep fighting.


A/N: It's been another month, hasn't it? I really do need to get my speed back… gone are the days of 2 chapters a week, heh. But slow progress is still progress! I will finish this thing. The aim is by the end of the year, realistically, it could be longer, but I promise I will try my best to keep motivated, keep writing, keep going.

This was an interesting chapter to write. I suppose it's another experimental one, in a way. The general idea I had at the start was a three-fold chapter, trying to interconnect the strands to show a common theme. The theme was a little bleak in the end, I think, but hey. Hopefully it worked. And if it didn't, oh well!

Notes:

Paula's here! She's definitely coming back, and I have some fun things planned for her. I figured I'd play with the NessxPaula shippers a bit - a valid ship, by the way - by introducing her in this way. Her family canonically owns the Polestar Preschool which I thought was a pretty neat detail to add.

Dr Andonuts, in canon, created a lot of the chimeras for Porky. I tried to replicate his role in a way here.

Ryu x Ness's Father? More likely than you think. Let's assume they're a similar age, by the way, given they went to school together in this universe. In fact, let's have a google…

23!? RYU'S 23?! This is why I should've done more research at the start, dammit! He's uh… aged up! That's right! I suppose I see him as the Yoda of this fic in a way, so, maybe he had all his canon adventures long ago? And this is Future Ryu?

I don't usually throw in swears and that, because I don't swear myself in general, but I did here, because it suits Tracy's character, and added some emphasis to what Ness's Father was saying. If that offends you… you may wish to leave the internet.

Also THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE POSITIVE REVIEWS LATELY! They mean so much and really help me keep writing this thing hah, so yeah, you're all amazing!

Chapter summary for people who avoided reading due to triggers:

Ness and the gang visited Dr Andonuts, and talked to him about the Future Humans, and how he created them. However, it turned out Andonuts was a Future Human himself, and had been converted by Porky once he'd finished with him. A fight broke out, and Andonuts was killed, and everyone managed to somehow escape through the ceiling when the police showed up. Unfortunately, in their getaway, Ness made eye contact with an officer...

...Cut to Ness's house, where Paula is round to dinner. It's very awkward, with Ness's father trying to make them get together, so to speak. But away from the dinner table, Ness tells Paula he's gay, to both of their relief. Paula leaves, but unfortunately, Ness's Father walks in on Ness and Lucas hugging. They and Claus are promptly kicked out of the house, with it revealed also that Ryu and Ness's Father previously dated.

Thank you for reading!

~ReadyForTeddy