Strings

You really didn't need to see this today.

*Left*

The voice in your chest rings out. Immediately, you shift your body away from the oncoming blast of energy, leaving a blackened sear to the right of your cart.

Too close you think, much too close. All of this was too much. Part of you knew helping the manic salesman would end badly. Going alone into his store, delving down into parts of Queen's castle even her minions were told to forget, placing his downloaded self within a broken automaton, all without anyone to help should something go awry.

What did you expect to happen? That this Spamton would actually-

*Right*

You grab the side of your cart, leaning as far out to the right as you can. A series of bullets race past your ear, leaving the sound of ringing from your side. The sound persisted, as if a ringing permeated the entire battlefield, reaching out to whoever may listen.

Was this his goal from the start? Part of you wondered while taking note of the blue mockery of a heart-shaped soul receding back into Spamton's chest. You can barely discern cackling coming from the mechanized puppet in front of you, endlessly offering absurd deals in return for your quick death.

When you first spoke with the broken salesman, the encounter felt like any other. Another strange resident of this new world, likely tormented by the Queen's descent into madness and coping in ways you made little effort to understand. Between the Saturday morning commercial slogans and rapid-fire dealmaking, you focused solely on what would help you return to Noelle, who risked being discovered with every passing second. You ACTed, made deals, played along with the man's insanity. Perhaps he could be recruited and brought back to Ralsei's kingdom. If anyone could help figure out what this man needed, it would be Ralsei after all.

Then the salesman pointed at you. Not you, really, but deep inside you, beyond even that.

Your soul.

He wanted to see it, for you to show it off. Despite the chaos whirling around you in this moment, you still remember your breath hitching. He knew about your soul? A human's soul was never a secret necessarily, you even remember your mother reading a number of books dedicated to the subject. You told yourself there was no reason a Darkner would be incapable of having such knowledge.

But you still felt wrong in that moment. As if this small, broken man had somehow discerned an aspect of yourself even you hoped to forget at times.

You sought out his self-proclaimed shop, buried underneath waste accumulated throughout the nearby city. The man spoke of deals, sales, offered you products that would assuredly harm you if consumed (or even touched). He spoke of pain, burning, he reached out despite everything, calling for help from anyone around. He sought freedom, from some perceived enslavement controlling every aspect of his being. Freedom to be his own man, to be given a shot at something bigger.

Freedom from what controls.

*Left*

You took the deal. The man deserved freedom, that you believed. Beneath the marketing slogans and disjointed form, there was a cry for help. A genuine attempt to reach out and escape from pain caused by another's imprisonment. If there was a chance you could help free him, give him some possibility at a life without shackles, then maybe-

*Left*

But that didn't happen. Before you was a man tied endlessly to countless vines, encircling his very being, trapping. Part of him was still crying out, seeking any form of salvation from what was once a perceived imprisonment, now one that kept him quite literally tied to this world. He would never escape, never be truly free. Regardless of the form he took, he was ensnared by a presence beyond any reckoning. He lashed out, a last-ditch attempt to find an escape. If he were to take your soul, he could use that power to go past this world. You were immediately confronted with the reality of the situation, that this broken automaton sought your death as his only means of salvation.

*Left*

Your breath hitched once more. You looked up at the strings binding the man before you, endlessly scaling into the world above. They never did end, did they? They continued on into darkness, restricting what would be any form of independence or hope for those connected. He was trapped. There was no freedom, there never was. Not for him, not for-

"GODDAMN IT KRIS, MOVE!"

A sudden impact from your side, Susie's voice barely ringing out over the roar of the carts speeding down the tracks. You were being pushed to the side, down to the seat of the ride by the purple dragoness. Barely a moment later, an explosion of beams shot through your cart, obliterating the right side until only scrap remained. Within an inch from where you now lie, was nothing. On your side, you could see straight through the cart's now eviscerated wall, clear enough to view Ralsei's distraught expression.

"Wake up man, come on!" Susie cried out, bringing you back to your feet.

Too close, much too close.

You shifted back into place, shaken from your stupor and brought back to the ever-present danger before you. You felt a hand on your back, supporting your weight as you forced your expression into one of confidence, that of a fearless leader.

"You okay Kris?" Susie stated, a whisper of concern behind the fearsome scowl she wore during times of true danger.

"Sorry, yeah, I-I'm good." Your voice shook with the rest of your body. You needed this to be over, quickly.

Susie's expression showed no signs of shifting. Pausing only for a moment, the dragoness gave a quick nod, jumping back over to her cart. The battle continued.

*Snap All*

A single order rung out. Echoing this, you told your friends to focus on the last few strings tying Spamton to this new body. Reflecting your experience from so many prior conflicts, the three of you simultaneously aimed for a separate wire, cleanly tearing them asunder. Only one remained, holding the automaton in place, slowly spinning from the lack of further support.

"WAIT! [$!?] THE PRESSES!" Everything began to slow, carts easing down their tracks as if to provide the manic salesman ample space to say his piece.

"MY… MY [Wires]… THEY'RE ALMOST [Gone]!? KRIS… YOU… YOU'RE [Gifting] ME MY [Freedom]?! KRIS… AFTER EVERYTHING I DID TO YOU…!? AFTER ALL THE [Unforgettable D3als], [Free KROMER] I GAVE YOU. YOU'RE FINALLY REPAYING MY [Generosity]!?"

This wasn't freedom. He had to know, didn't he? There wasn't any way to escape this. Beyond the madness inflicted upon his mind, he had to at least understand something so simple. You observed as the salesman began to reach his hand upwards, to the darkness above, to the last vine.

"ARE YOU WATCHING [Heaven]!? IT'S TIME FOR SPAMTON'S [Comeback Special]! AND THIS TIME… I LIVE FOR MYSELF! NO… MYSELF AND MY [Friend(s)]! HERE I GO! WATCH ME FLY [MAMA]!"

Before you could even register the final string being cut, Spamton's eyes faded, blinding neon colors darkening into emptiness. His body lay slack on the floor, life sapped from the machine and man both. Everything simply…stopped.

You remember arriving back at where you started, the carts returning you to the hallways of gnarled vines and rusted tracks. Part of you remembers shuffling past your friends, coming upon a room with a dangling Spamton, now returned to a semblance of sanity. Vanishing into dust, you stowed the gaudy glasses and the small shard as you departed from where the crazed salesman existed only moments ago. You walked silently down the halls, barely registering the soft footsteps following close behind. You needed to leave. You need to find Noelle, stop the Queen, and go home. You need to go into your room, lock the door, crawl into bed, and just forget. You need to forget everything that just happened.

"Hey so…are we seriously not gonna talk about any of that?" Susie's voice rung out from behind you, slowing your steps. "Puppets, strings, hands… What the hell does any of that mean? And the way he just, broke?"

"I don't think it meant anything Susie. It seems like it was just a corrupted program. He turned into our ally, so let's just accept it." Ralsei filled the vacuum, providing you with a much-needed distraction to continue walking down the hall. You just need to leave this place, there's nothing for you here.

A hand stops you, grabbing onto your arm to silently stall your movement. You need to go. You can't be here anymore.

"Kris, you've got goosebumps. Are you okay?" Susie's voice was barely a whisper, yet the words screamed into your head.

No, you're not okay. You're not okay being down here, you're not okay having seen a man strung up on dozens of wires, dangling on the whims of another. You're not okay with seeing the light vanish from the machine's eyes, their last thoughts being of salvation from perceived imprisonment.

Your entire body was shaking. How long had you been standing there, Susie's hand clasped to your side, supporting what little control you had in this moment? Every part of yourself screamed out, everything you had seen, everything that it had meant. You were not okay. You yelled, screamed in your head, louder than anything before.

No.

*No*

You felt Susie's hand squeeze for a moment before dropping away. Turning around, you found your friend's faces, now painted with looks of concern and fear. You realize your mouth had formed the words thought so loudly, screamed them into the silent hallway before you. How loud were you? Susie must have jumped back from the outburst.

"Kris, you're yelling." Ralsei began approaching you. He was attempting to console you, that's what he did. Or was he simply mitigating your outburst, trying to push past what just happened? You weren't sure. Ralsei's arms wrapped around you, his fur softly pushing against your side. This didn't stop the shaking, or the thoughts screeching in your head. Locked in your own mind, you barely register Ralsei's attempts to comfort you, his gestures forward acknowledging the need to continue on. He was right, Noelle was still in danger. There wasn't any time for this.

You begin shuffling forward again, only to stop a few steps in. The shaking won't stop, you can't get your breathing under control.

"I-I need a minute. I'll b-be up there soon, go a-ahead. Just need to c-catch my breath." You stammer out a weak excuse, it's all you have. You need a moment to breath, to settle the storm surging in your head. You look back at Ralsei and Susie. Ralsei nods his head, his ears shifting forward in understanding as he begins to turn towards the entrance. Susie begins moving alongside the robed prince, both turning around a corner down the dim hallway.

You crumple, down to the ground, face buried in your arms. You truly didn't need to see any of this today. You placed yourself in danger with helping Spamton. You placed your friends in danger. For what you can't even say. Another way? An opportunity to be free? Some small hope that you could simply be yourself one day, so long as you helped others find freedom? The shaking continued, your breath becoming choked.

"Hey." You felt a presence settle next to you. Shifting in place, Susie eventually chose to keep one leg splayed on the dusty ground, with the other pulled close so as to rest an arm neatly upon.

"You uh, you're not good, are you?" Barely looking at you, the dragoness slowly scratches at the floor. A mixture of concern and anxiety paints her face, the silence resting in the space between you. She doesn't know what to say. This isn't something she's good at, but she's trying. You have to try too.

"I guess it just freaked me out." You pause, considering your words carefully. "I wanted to help him, I thought I was. He was trapped, you know? That's not a good feeling to have. No one should have to live like that."

Susie's eyes drilled into you. This is likely the most you've ever said aloud in one go. Even if she doesn't understand, she's trying to give you the attention you need. She's here.

"No, I get it. No one should feel like they don't get a choice." Susie's voice was quiet, a tone you'd never heard permeating her words. "I never always got a choice at home or anything. Sometimes people would care, sometimes they wouldn't. I just learned I had to make things happen, ya know? Like, people aren't always going to be able to help you, sometimes you're trapped until you make something happen."

You never heard her talk about her home or family. Everyone around school made guesses of course, whether it was in reference to how she chose to dress or the way she acted. Many had assumed Susie was the way she was due to what she came home to each day. You remember Monster Kid (or MK, you kept forgetting which they preferred) had guessed she stole lunches and chalk because she lacked food at home. After all, you never did notice her bringing much to school. Wincing slightly, you realize your own guesses in the past were less than positive.

"I guess, sometimes it'd be nice if someone tried to help. Like you did." A strained smile appeared on the scaled girl's face, for a moment. "I get wanting to help the guy out. But you gotta tell someone next time. I'm supposed to have your back. If we didn't hear the loud crash downstairs and see that freak aiming his laser at you…" She trailed off, the point being clear regardless of stating.

You bury your head back in your arms. She was right. You care about Susie and Ralsei. And here you were keeping them in the dark. Were you protecting them from what you knew could happen? Or did you simply not wish for them to see you as you are now? It didn't matter much at this point you figure.

You feel a weight on your shoulders, curling you into the dragoness' side and closing the few inches between you. Head still buried between your knees and arms, you feel Susie circle around you, an awkward hug closing in. But that's all it took. Your breath hitches, all of the day's anxiety, fear, and hope crashing down around you. You feel your chest tighten, drops streaming down your face, now staining the dusty ground below you, leaving small darkened patches. You lean into Susie's embrace, pushing yourself closer so as to escape all that had been plaguing your mind. She simply stays there with you, holding you closer as time seems to pass in silence.

The shaking stopped. You aren't sure when it did, but you weren't sure how long you had been sitting there either. Shifting your gaze over, you see Susie looking off into the darkened corners of the hallways, lost in thought or feeling exhausted herself. You weren't always sure; she was surprisingly hard to read in more serious moments.

Wiping your face off, you begin to stretch your legs out, still sore from the recent conflict. Susie takes notice of your movements, a small smirk pulling at the sides of her mouth.

"You good?" Susie stared down at you, seemingly willing to wait as long as needed.

"Better." You pull away from the embrace, slowly pushing yourself up from the ground below. Brushing off dust from much of your armor, you move your hand out to help your friend off the ground. Gripping your palm, Susie pulls herself up, now firmly out of eye level.

"Hey, you still cold? Your armor is like a damn block of ice."

You reach to feel the front of your cuirass. Reeling back, you notice just how cold the metal had become, your fingers almost sticking to the front. This wasn't limited to your armor though. Taking full note of your extremities, you notice how little feeling you have in your fingers and surfaces lacking armor. You realize now your previous shaking was at least due in some small part to the frigid temperature of the cavernous basement you roamed.

"Ah hell." In an impressive display of dexterity, Susie quickly removes the black leather jacket draped over her shoulders and wraps the dense material around your smaller frame. "There, fixed. You can thank me later."

Shifting the jacket around, you realize that the substantial arm holes torn into the sides did not make for the warmest covering. Though the sheer size of the jacket allowed you to nearly wrap the leather form around you entirely, even twice if you tried. Not that you were going to complain anyway, you felt like some tough biker on their way to thrash someone's ass. In a good way.

"Why are you always smiling like that? Well, I guess it'll work out when you end up working at ICE-E's place huh?" Susie snorted lightly, watching you move around in the jacket all to big for your form. "Come on, let's go get Ralsei."

Following Susie through the echoing halls of the basement, you eventually came to the stairwell, light shining down through the door above. Every muscle in your body ached, much of what had happened continuing to crash against you. You would sleep soundly tonight, maybe even better than usual.

Coming out to the castle's side room, the din of the Queen's traps and butlers shuffling about brought you back to what had felt like a distant memory. You spotted Ralsei standing at the edge of the room, awkwardly fumbling to clean the other lens of his glasses quickly enough to greet the two of you.

"K-Kris, welcome back! Are you two okay then?" The robed mage shuffled over, inspecting you for any signs that healing was needed.

"Stop worrying so much, we just looked around for a bit. Had to make sure that robot thing wasn't gonna pop up again." The dragoness shifted into you, covering for the moment you needed down below.

"Oh, well that's okay, I guess. But we should hurry now, Noelle is still in the Queen's upper castle! We need to…Kris? Is that Susie's jacket?" Ralsei was looking at you quizzically, almost afraid to ask what was clear to see.

Almost forgetting the heavy cloth draped over your shoulders, you grasp the material, wrapping it further around your arms. It felt…comforting. Something secure when you had little else. Wordlessly, you began moving back towards the front entrance of the castle, determined to finish the journey you began. Ralsei, stuttering out a response you could barely hear, broke into a small sprint to keep up with your renewed pace.

Everything felt better. Not fixed or forgotten, just…better.

"Hey freak! You gonna give me that back at some point?" You forgot how loud Susie could bellow when she wanted to. You started to consider giving the jacket back. You weren't very cold at this point, and the castle was a perfectly calculated temperature for the Swatchlings. You really had no reason to keep the jacket.

"Hey, HEY! Where do you think you're going?! Don't run from me, we have to go together!"

But it was pretty comfortable. Maybe just a few more hours…or days.