It was just them and Susie sitting down outside of Ralsei's room on a bench. His room was in the sub-basement of the asylum, down an elevator that led far, far below into a run-down catacomb of papers and wires contrasting layers of dusty-brown bricks, not too unlike the room they were killed in earlier. It smelled of mothballs and the low hum of the air conditioner was the only sound for what seemed like hours.

It was a small chamber; an elevator that led into a colorless room with a rounded ceiling and one single - but very bright - light hanging from the roof. Papers were scattered in small piles over the floor, freshly 'cleaned' for Ralsei's visitors. The iron-mesh netting blocking the elevator's solid doors was dark and rusting, and the entire room felt cold, no doubt a result of the air conditioner and poor ventilation. Kris shivered.

They ran their hands over the bench, gripping it lightly as they waited impatiently for whatever would come. Either Detter would step out of the elevator with good news, or instructions, or Doctor Rnd would be there to deliver them an untimely condolence.

And there was nothing they could do but wait and hope things played out in their favor.

Susie sat next to them, mind swimming with thoughts that presented with a blank, inexpressive stare at the wall. She closed her eyes and leaned back against the uncomfortable bricks.

"…what's wrong with you, Kris?" Here they go again. The one question they didn't want to face. "Are you trying to… kill yourself…?" They couldn't grace that with an answer. Susie huffed. "Can't even say, huh?" Her voice was shallow and weak, packed with feelings that betrayed her recent behavior. They just wanted her to hate them and be done with it so they could avoid this. "…is life really so bad? Do you have it that bad that you just want to… leave it all? Your mom, your brother… Noelle…"

If only she knew how 'bad' they 'had it' then she wouldn't be asking these stupid questions.

Yet she does not know.

Doesn't know the various degrees of mortal terror and pain they went through as their will was overridden by an alien calculator pressing itself onto their life and ruining what could have been a decent existence?

The experiment is pertinent. Sacrifices are required.

That almost seemed like the other was acknowledging how incredibly wrong it was to insert itself into their SOUL and kidnap their will.

Sacrifices are required.

They still didn't even know what 'the experiment' was.

Unnecessary data.

They were just a puppet, weren't they?

Recall back to the first attempts of binding together puppet and puppeteer. You resisted any and all coaxing. There was only one route remaining to access.

Brutally ripping them apart over and over again?

Breaking you.

That was very direct. Kris blinked and swallowed hollowly. It wasn't exactly disconnected from the truth, was it? They barely fit 'normal human' anymore, even if they didn't have the other inside.

"…if you're not gonna talk to me then at least talk to Noelle some time. She's good friends with you, ain't she. Still likes you, I bet. No matter what you did to her." Susie crossed her arms and screwed up her grin. "Maybe can teach you to be less of a freak and… well, maybe a normal kid again."

They doubted it. Noelle was pretty messed up, even without their help, it was just shoved below the surface and out of sight. She wasn't much better than they were. Everybody was more than a little fucked-up, and oddly enough that made Susie the closest to 'normal' in their typical routes. Just a bit pissy but with some friends she's fine. She wanted people…

Kris wanted to be left alone for once.

"Not like this world is a huge help to a mental state… and even then, got that Coalition bullshit at home, the Knight over our shoulders, and old Fountains poppin' up." Susie groaned. "Shit, is this what being an 'adult' feels like? Screw this!" Always with good-natured humor… natured… humor. Good-natured is a stretch considering how much someone else is the butt of her jokes.

"My mom is going to kill me." Kris dared to joke back. Susie blinked down at them with worry in her eyes. Like she didn't doubt it.

And then there was silence again, besides the air conditioner sputtering out.

They wondered about what she said; to talk to Noelle. It's not like she would understand their position, not like Kris could even fathom telling her with how the other tugged lightly on their strings. At this point, what was the purpose of talking - purely cathartic relief? It wouldn't lead anywhere, not with anyone close to them. It wasn't like Susie could just cut their strings. It wasn't like the other would be stopped with a simple spell. They doubted even Snowgrave would give it pause, much less kill it. No, nothing would happen, and it wouldn't even be helpful or relieving to see their friends struggling to understand or empathize. There was only one person who could sympathize with them…

Where was he? Spamton G. Spamton, the absent puppet they loved to make dance and jig. They had Jevil secure in their storage but he never even showed up to the Fountain to stop them. They… missed him, a little, as distantly as one could an insane Darkner obsessed with power and freedom. Because he was like them; desperate. But he still had hopes and dreams. They hated that. It was… pressuring to see someone still have that but they didn't. Like they were weaker than he was, and while that may have been true, weakness didn't end up with you frozen into an ice sculpture or forgotten in a garbage can. Like… compliance is rewarded.

Where was he now?

Heaven? Did he make it to the 'big one'? Or was he lurking around, another untimely change to the world around them from the last run?

They could only wonder as the elevator's hum pressed into the silent corridor. The metal door parted, the netting split, and out walked Detter Scrubs with all the swagger and confidence as a limp-legged wage slave. Her book was snapped shut, barely moving as she strode forward silently. Kris held their breath in annoyance (apprehension). Behind her, a small Darkner still fiddled with their colorful cube.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I was out-voted," she said. "They argued against me, Rnd and Ocvory, and I cannot follow through with the curing procedure," she said. "I'm sorry."

"…can they at least say goodbye?" Zero interjected lowly, disinterested but still listening.

"Yes. He's still under stabilizers and sedatives so he will be loopy, if not asleep." Detter sighed heavily and floated her hands over to the Lightners, each one rubbing their shoulders comfortingly. Almost humorously, they both shrugged off the hands at the same time. "…I truly am sorry."

She pulled her hands over to the door, pulling it open with a small, grinding creak. Susie bolted up and exhaled, curling and uncurling her hands into fists. Kris pushed themself up, staring at a barren portion of wall before following the doctor into the room.

It was cleaner than outside, more modern and homely. Spotless tiles, beige wallpaper, soft-on-the-eyes lighting. He was in a hospital bed, of course, close to the floor with a few tubes cut into his arms. His fur was paler than usual and his horns were a sickly color of off-red instead of their usually pleasant pink. It smelled of fresh linens and floral scents. Kris felt some feelings churn on the inside; worry. Discomfort. Dismay.

Next to him, in the far corner, a machine that looked very similar to a large cannon with a needle for a barrel faced away from him, a thick cord spiraling out the back and plugging into a girthy box mounted to the wall.

"…Ralsei?" Susie murmured as she approached, taking up his hand. He was in a gown. "Buddy, you awake?"

"He won't be. The sedatives are strong enough that he will be sleeping well into the mutation. After that, he'll be moved to a containment unit until-"

"I don't think they want to hear this, Detter." Zero interjected lightly. Detter Scrubs glanced down at the Lunatyke for a moment. "…let them mourn. Alone."

Detter looked incredibly frustrated. She heard the words Zero was saying - knew the meaning and compassion behind them - but seemed to want to continue, whether out of duty or spite Kris did not know. Instead, they glanced over Ralsei, Detter making a strangled noise as Zero fiddled with their cube.

"…I see. Let's go, Patient Zero." Detter kindly exited, waiting at the door for Zero. They followed silently before dropping their cube in front of the door. Detter sighed and went to pick it up

Observe this.

Kris glanced at the two and watched as Zero strangely saddled up to Detter. One hand occupied, the other holding the door open, she had no chance to hold herself in the room as Zero shoved her out and slammed the door closed.

"W-What!?" She called from outside. Zero locked the door.

"The hell?" Susie questioned. Detter's hand dropped the cube and flew to the door, but Zero was faster and took their wing and smacked the hand. It crumpled into paper.

"Alright." Zero said. Kris reached for their sword. "Listen to me very carefully. Lightners, the fate of this world rests solely upon you."

Susie went for her axe.

Zero trilled and calmed her down, raising their wings. The Lunatyke then promptly ignored her, weaving around to the machine in the corner.

"You need all the strength you can get for the Astrowall. If Rnd can talk Detter down, he can easily convince the others to retain their aid. And with your friend here out, that leaves you with three bodies against hundreds."

"She wants you to purify the Fountain. I want you to seal it again. Rnd wants to wait for something to change. The Viceroy wants us all dead. Do you understand, Kris? Susie?"

"You need to stop this. End this suffering. Lost, alone, afraid. That's what we are. Kris, Susie, I need you to help us."

Zero ended with an odd pitch of emotion in their otherworldly voice. Kris released their hold on the sword. Zero was offering Ralsei as a plea to seal the Fountain again. They would forcefully heal him underneath Detter's, Rnd's, Ocvory's, everybody's nose.

This will insert tension between you and the doctors of this institution. The favorable option with the most significant percentage of beneficial compounding variables would be the dangerous option of allowing Zero to undertake this task. The other option would lose Zero as an ally but will ensure no harm to your position within the asylum's social hierarchy.

Letting Zero cure Ralsei would be a huge risk. The line could be damaged and the doctors would frown upon them - at least, the other doctors. They noticed Detter wasn't trying very hard to get in and stop them.

"Let me in! Cease this madness… blah, blah," Detter pretended. "It would be such a shame if you pointed the machine at Ralsei and flicked the lever behind it!" Her book opened back up to her huge, creepy smile.

Her consequential benefit from this restricts her moralistic spirit. This may have been factored into her goals.

Why else would she bring Zero to the basement? She planned this.

Accounting the variables surrounding Doctor Scrubs. Adding 'subtly clever' to the list.

That could be problematic later.

Her own drive to reach her goals may contradict the experiment. Captious observation required at all times.

Zero nodded at the door, yanking the machine with wobbly wheels over, positioning it in front of Ralsei. It was a gargantuan appliance but Zero had no trouble.

Zero flicked the switch.

Power coursed through the machine, the walls humming with a throbbing, skin-piercing warble that made their hair stand up straight.

"Oh no… the very cool and very ambient sound design of my machine is starting…!" Detter was really milking this. "…oooooh nooooo."

Her hands were clasped to the sides of her book which - to no surprise - was open to a page saying simply 'oh no.'

There was some commotion outside the door, Detter was dragged away as somebody jiggled the doorknob.

"What is this!?" Rnd screamed.

"It's treason! Zero locked me out and started the procedure! I've been trying to talk them down!"

Susie chuckled. "Wow, she's really bullshittin' now, huh? Freakin' dumbass."

"And what of the Lightners? What are they doing!? Lightners," Rnd jammed his skull into the door's window, "stop this now! This risks us all! Kris, you agreed! You know it does! Stop this before we all are doomed! Please!"

Kris didn't budge and Susie just anxiously glanced between them and Ralsei. The machine's needle was starting to spin now and Kris watched in express fascination as the energy coiling through the wire started to burn through with multi-colored light. The needle began to emit a shrill shriek before a beam of purple-blue exploded from it with a blinding radiance. The other shielded their eyes, just like with Jevil, and backed away cautiously.

Light magic.

Oh.

"No! No, no, no! You can't do this!" Rnd yelled and shouted from outside, banging his hands on the door and rattling the knob angrily.

Kris swallowed.

The beam cut straight into Ralsei's chest. He convulsed; once, twice. Froth leaked from his mouth as Kris scrambled closer, concerned, and his eyes flew open.

"Is he breathing?" Detter questioned seriously despite her earlier joking. "Is his chest rising and falling!?"

Kris affirmed and Detter made a comment about 'doctors first, then enemies' to Rnd. He scoffed haughtily.

The pure light magic poured into Ralsei as he thrashed, eyes wide and glowing with innate blackness, as they expected a Darkner to be on the inside. The shadow was cast by the light and not the other way around.

That is an interesting idea.

Hmm?

Impure Darkners are simply the shadow of light and pure Darkners are the darkness that subsumes light.

Kris flinched as the lights shut off with a resonating, all-consuming, dying and pathetic hum. But the machine still kept the light pulsing brilliantly, like the Fountain itself was right next to them in its grandeur and radiance. Kris found themself transfixed with the beam: It was… beautiful. The colors swirling, the pulsing warmth underneath, and they went to reach out to it, to touch it, to experience it… to free their curiosity.

The strings snapped taut and they suddenly found themself in the backseat of their own body as it shambled without their control, like a zombie, or a puppet, to the wall. The other made them sit and stay like a good pet while they blinked away their obsessed eyes. Susie stared down at them weirdly with an expression inscrutable in the low lighting. Shadows on her face, she sat down next to 'them' and settled for the long haul. But they still couldn't tear themself away from the Fountain streaming through the wires and machine and piercing through his mind and theirs and what was that they saw inside, was that a face, were those words, it looked like the other was inside the Fountain and reaching out for them and begging beckoning them inside and-

They were promptly kicked to the curb. The world faded, the hospital fell through the cracks, and they were once again careening to the floor of the gaping pit of hell where red strings caught them and cushioned their fall from heaven. The other brought a single claw down and broke their skin, and their blood seeped black.

The words were still there, in the black, soon scrawled over every nonexistent surface of the void the other called home, each letter red and twinkling like loose watercolor stars on a wet canvas, shifting ominously, cackling, a mind of their own, a symphony of red and claws that looked too similar to the hulking menace above them but not exact. A mockery.

The power of compliance shines-

The power-

The power of compliance-

The power of dreams shines-

The-

The power of dreams shines through you. You are filled with-

The other roared and slashed down at them with reckless abandon, slicing their leg clean off so they couldn't even think of running. The shock of the second beast mixed with the red blood leaking from their leg, freezing them to the spot with a startled frown that fell as their jaw did. The pain began to pang as the other reared up again with the same digits and drew itself down onto them like a whirlwind of red viscera and screams that broke through the darkness.

But, at the end, they were just barely alive to witness the other dragging their half-dead body toward itself as it opened the pit of teeth. Their stomach dropped and they turned, or tried to, their body was shattered, but they wanted to escape and get away get away get AWAY GET AWA-

The power of dreams shines through you. You are filled with determination.

And then the blender of death reached them, and it was all over before they knew it.

0-0-0

The door promptly exploded, hurtling Kris back awake as the other inside swiftly regained control of their body, making sure the machine was off before allowing them back control. It still kept a tight hold on them as Doctor Rnd busted forth from the ashen smithereens of the door, furiously seething in the darkness as he dashed over, coat flapping, and ripped Zero off the ground. Kris's jaw fell in surprise, but then again, it seemed all Darkners were physically apt to do whatever they wanted, when they wanted. Rnd carried the Lunatyke with one hand as Zero waved goodbye to Kris and Susie, barely bothered by the incensed doctor capturing them.

Detter watched and stayed neutral as she entered the room from the darkness of the hallway. Her book flapped to a page they couldn't see as she made her way to Ralsei vapidly. She stood at his side, overlooking him as she trailed her detached hands over his arms. He stirred silently.

"The procedure was a complete success." She didn't sound quite proud of that, not like they imagined she would. "Our power is operating on emergency generators. The noise could draw some attention but we'll be expecting it, and we already have people monitoring the entrances. A shame this had to happen so soon."

She is understanding of the risks.

"Let's make the most of it, shall we? With the Viceroy on the loose and the Lunatics' curiosity sparked, we need to go on the offensive soon." Detter began to shake Ralsei. He stirred some more. "I have a plan in the works for us to divert the attention. There's an abandoned wing on the second floor; the elevator will carry you up there. That's where we will convene and make the war room for this."

"What's up with Noelle? Will she be good soon? Four's a hell of a lot better than three when we're gonna be fighting back." Susie stood and stretched before inching closer to Ralsei, staring at him through the dark. They imagined she was worried, maybe relieved with how he was cured.

She was right. Noelle was a requirement for whatever they would be doing. Without the commodity of healing items, any excursion into the city could quickly turn into a suicide mission if they were found too far out from the asylum. They would have to fight which meant they would take damage and burn through their resources. With healing magic, they at least had a shot to be self-sufficient. Having Ralsei around was nice but until he woke up they would be on their own. And having two healers instead of one would be the safest option.

Inquiry into additional healing items should be performed. Supernumerary healing items is an oxymoron. Ancillary weapons and armor should be requisitioned for further chances of survival.

They wondered how useful a mask would be for Ralsei. He was the only one of the four who could be infected, provided that the other continued to give them protection. But that could fail, right? There were clearly things even the other couldn't defend from. What was that thing they saw in the Fountain? Was that another other ?

TRAGEDY

…what? That sounded like static.

FEAR

Kris felt very confused by the other's silence. Yet another thing it wouldn't tell them, they supposed. Not pertinent to the experiment.

"Your friend is recovering nicely. She will be walking by the end of the day. And with your friend here cured, that's five of us. I'm not just pushing four children into a city of infected without being a responsible adult and being dangerous with them." The doctor muttered a laugh. "War Room. I'll see you there."

"Got it." Susie affirmed with a shark-smile. They could just see it from behind her hair, outlined in the darkness like a silhouette of terror. "Finally. Gonna get somewhere after all. Can't wait to get the hell outta here."

"The Viceroy is our first obstacle." Detter began. "He's a slippery person to pin down. We know he's operating somewhere within the city. You saw the residential district on your way in; he's somewhere that way. Our first plan is to track him down."

Susie leaned back. "You got a plan, right? Some science shit? It's gonna be no big deal with us helping you."

Interject and inquire about a peaceful resolution to the problem.

It was back.

"Would he help us?" Kris entered in, voice monotone and firm. Detter shook her head.

"No. No, he won't. We've had dealings with him and his group before. They are content to see this world burn." Detter's hands split from her again, curling in the air as she crossed her arms behind her back and stood tall and proud. Her voice came out disgusted and mangled with a tremble of magical omnipotence; like feedback. "If he wanted to help us, he never would have left us."

"He was a doctor?" Kris continued.

"Not quite. He was a significant backer for our operations, however. As the infection began to progress through our world, he supplied us with the resources we still use; food, sleeping gas, water, soda. Our deals still follow that. We receive gas for our food surplus."

Kris frowned in the darkness. They wished they could see what her pages were saying then.

"Would it be possible to trade for the code to the Astrowall? Is there anything he would want?" Kris relaxed their tense body. The pangs of fear and phantom pains began to subside.

"No. The only thing he would want is more food. He would want all of it for something like that." Detter shook her book and shooed them then, dismissing their idea. "That would kill us just as fast as any breach to the facility. Now, go. I'll wait for the Prince to awaken."

The other hummed in thought.

We have not told her about Ralsei's position in the social hierarchy.

That was odd, indeed. But she knew their name, too. Just like Queen and Spamton did.

Queen accessed your internet activity. Spamton likely followed the same pathway.

Then Detter was unexplainable.

"Arright. Let's get going, Kris! Can finally screw this place and go home!" Susie grabbed at their arm in the dark. They let her string them along into the hallway and toward the single red emergency light shining from the elevator's closed door. She grabbed up her axe in the other hand. Then, it was all business again. Susie clicked the wall a few times before finding the button. The elevator clattered in the shaft through the thick doors as it descended slowly, as though something was banging against it. Suspicious. It didn't make that noise before, but with the faint, feeble red emergency light, they imagined some things weren't quite working as well as usual. A funny parallel to themself.

The elevator's cabin was a bit better lit. Still red lights but there was one in each corner, filling the room on a cable with precious vision. Kris sighed with relief they didn't know they were supposed to feel. Despite being 'Dark' Worlds, the Fountains were quite bright - colorful in some cases - and it never really struck them how pure darkness was unsafe. Couldn't see and their hearing wasn't exactly refined to a spear-point focus to help them not trip over their own shoelaces or into a death pit that would cost them another loop.

There is nothing to fear from darkness. Obscurity procures truth when revealed. Without need for deceit, appearance becomes truthful.

So they guessed that meant the other was telling them the truth and was exactly what it looked like?

You do not possess the data to precisely ascertain the nature of the operator. You are informed of only what is necessary for procedural purposes.

So it… wasn't a total monster that-

Enough.

Kris quieted quickly, restraining a shiver of queasy fear, crossing their arms over their chest and backpedaling from their inner conversation. Chills traced over their body. They got lippy with the other, they enjoyed guilting it and all the petty satisfaction from listening to it blabber to them, but they never forgot - never, ever forgot - exactly how many seconds it would take for their nerves to explode in the worst pain a person could experience. Their mouth was dry as they redirected their voice, pulling attention away from the squirming void on the inside to the red blast of dim light outside.

"Susie," she turned to them as they sweated, "what did you and Noelle talk about when you saw her last? Anything about me?"

"Wow." Susie whistled. "Talking first and changing the topic to something nobody cared about." They inhaled sharply. She paused while she appraised them, then - finding something to it - she softened up a little. "Nah. We had a talk and she kept jabbering about feeling strong and crap. Said you helped her. Then she started talking about Queen and some junk about 'control.' Told her she could do whatever the hell she wanted if she just rammed against it hard enough. She looked pretty excited about thrashing Queen but… I don't know, she seemed… scared." She paused, struggling to find words. "I thought it was Queen but…" Susie glanced down at them. "…thought maybe it had something to do with you. It did, didn't it?"

She is observant.

Scarily so. And she didn't even know it.

"It-" Kris bit their tongue again. It had just healed. "I… I'll tell you about it later."

You are stuttering. Perhaps are you manipulating her?

Definitely. Definitely purposeful.

Your compliance has been exemplary in recent times.

Thanks…?

You are welcome.

"I guess we go to the 'war room' and wait for Ralsei to wake up, huh? Place is probably a mess. Better have lights up there." Susie went to click the button for the second floor.

"N- No. No, let's…" Kris struggled to grapple down a breath. "We should go to the first floor first and get some items. It will save time since Ralsei still needs to wake up."

Susie narrowed her eyes at them with a slightly open mouth, as though she wanted to question their miniature outburst. Instead she just clicked the button for ground floor. The elevator began to hum and click as it ascended slowly, Susie unwinding her jaw as she seemed to watch them from her peripherals, arms loose at her sides as her eyes twinkled behind the red and black paints of the cabin. The other hummed at the sight, as though recognizing something that Kris couldn't, and it suddenly struck them how claustrophobic it was stuck between Susie, an old elevator running on next to no power, and a robotic calculator who was busy predicting their next move, as though reviewing both her and them. They glanced away from her.

"You're paying, is all I'm saying. And what about that scythe thing you picked up from the clown guy?" Kris blinked alertly. They forgot to give the Devilsknife to Susie since they went straight into Noelle's route for the Cyber World. "Looked pretty wicked."

Retrieval can be commenced at the nearest save point.

"I'll find it. We just need to slow down and I will find it." Kris slowed their speech. Like they were reassuring themself. The doors opened into the darkest dregs of the institution and they could see faint glances of things in the dark, hidden, but down the way from the elevator wells some purple light managed to stream through some windows. There was a courtyard down that way, a garden or something. Quiet and underneath the Asylum Dark World sky. Beautiful. They told Susie that they should visit with Noelle and Ralsei sometime. Or they would have. They didn't; felt wrong. Like they were talking too much.

" You." Kris tilted their head at Susie. She glanced down at them, equally confused. Kris blinked as they realized the direction of the voice, and behind them - tall and dark without his white coat - Rnd glared down. "You must think you're so clever."

"Chill, man," Susie tried to calm him, "we had to-"

Rnd shoved her away, breaking into Kris's personal space and jamming himself right down into their red eyes.

"H-Hey!"

"Kris. You think I don't see what's happening here, within this institution, within your head ? I'm being usurped-" Kris inhaled sharply as Rnd leaned away a little. They could see Susie approaching aggressively. "-and you're just trying to survive here, as best you know how." Susie calmed a little, lips cracked in a quivering, snarling scowl. But she backed off and huffed. "I can help you. Survive, that is. You just need to help me. I have items!" He tried to convince them. "Gadgets! You'll need better armor, better weapons. A communication device!"

He is desperate for your help.

They had already signed their SOUL to Detter Scrubs.

Let him talk and create a deeper hole for him to fall into.

They felt a little conflicted at that. They would truly need Rnd's help with items and upgrades but Detter held within her detachable hands the one key to keep Ralsei on the field with them. Considering the reactions the Lunatics had to his healing magic blast, and to some extent the lack of reaction to Noelle's Ice Shock, he became more important than her in an instant. They almost began walking back to the elevator but the other hunkered down within them and rooted them to the spot. They didn't argue.

Procedure mounting.

"You understand - I know you do. The people here can't survive her antics! The end is coming but her boot is much faster! She'll crush us!" Rnd squeezed their shoulders hard and shook them a little. To their credit, they kept their face blank and uninformative. He squirmed.

"What would you want us to do?" Kris returned with a question. They weren't betraying anybody without knowing what for. The other hummed in pleasure at their purposeful turn of the conversation.

"Simple. The war room. I just want you to put this-" Rnd dug around his pocket before pulling something out, something that looked eerily like a paperweight, and holding it up in the best lighting he could find in the low hum of the emergency lights. "-somewhere near Detter's spot. It will record her and if she steps out of line I can use those recordings to make sure everyone knows her plans to ruin our sanctuary."

"You want us to spy on her?" Susie remarked, as though accosted herself. Kris scrunched their face at the doctor, disgusted by his proposition, as Rnd uttered a nervous chuckle.

"Now, heh, wait, that's not what I'm-"

"Sure." What a dick. Getting kids to help him spy on his colleague because he was salty she said she'd make him a 'footnote.' It wasn't even ambitious, not like Detter wanting them to 'purify' the Fountain so she could be hailed as a savior; it was just childishly petty. But they saw something to exploit. The other seemed to approve of them, and that brought some odd, uncomfortable warmth to them; they really, really, really really really shouldn't have felt that for the person- thing that had been torturing them for weeks. They were not gonna get Stockholmed.

It is only natural to feel good after doing something correctly. Compliance is rewarded, excellence is praised.

Yeah but they were not going to let that get to them. The other could kindly go fuck itself.

You are doing good, Kris. Do not let your inhibitions conceal that fact. You are worthy of praise at this moment.

Kris averted their eyes. Okay, maybe feeling good wasn't so bad after being miserable. But the feeling was artificial; the other knew it, they knew it. It wasn't meaningful in any way. But their other avenues of that 'feel-good' weren't exactly clamoring for their use. When was the last time they enjoyed anything?

You do not have to be miserable for the experiment to reach fruition. Analyzing the interconnected branches does not necessitate your overall mood to be poor. Perhaps next loop the experiment can be… paused. Mental health breaks can be more effective than physical motivation. It is not pejorative. You deserve rest and recuperation.

Now the other was fucking with them. They knew damn well the thing would toss them out if the experiment required it, and just because it said it would didn't mean it would. It was trying to get their hopes up just to crush them some more, to strangle some invisible light in their chest that they didn't even have. Because otherwise it was trying to be nice and the damn thing didn't just be nice, it jumped from 'hello' to repetitive murder within seconds of meeting them until it needled itself deep into Kris's broken SOUL and took over their body. They were a vessel, not a friend to the abomination, and it seemed to think they were too stupid to know that. Either that or it was serious and Kris had to worry it was growing feelings outside of annoyance for them. Oddly, that seemed worse than torture: A concerned friend in the head of an angsyt teenager prescribed to outbursts of self-destruction. As if it would ever be like that. What was it that was causing it to be different? Fear?

Dreams

…silence was not helping its case.

"She's going to be waiting for us. I don't think your… bug will help you if she knows what it is." Kris snatched it from Rnd's gnarled phalanges. He smiled at them with a melted gratification present on his lop-sided face. It wasn't charming, it was down-right stomach-turning to them. But they kept their mouth shut and went for the elevator. Fuck him. But if it helped Kris…

That's the spirit!

The joviality is just… wrong. Stop.

"Fuckin'," Susie crowded herself into the elevator. "What a load of bullshit. These two need to kiss and make up." Kris clicked the button for the second floor. The elevator slid closed gratingly slow. They agreed with Susie; having to choose sides with people that just wanted them to do things was… exhausting. People were exhausting. When they wanted things, that was.

The elevator ride was silent and pleasant.

Kris was fiddling with the device as the doors parted, and took a second to see the sight ahead of them.

The second floor had windows, a line of humongous glass panes opening straight to an enchanting view of the Fountain and Astrowall. The Fountain shined brightly from behind the unfriendly, intimidating wall of darkness, and Kris could barely see the ridges and textures of the Astrowall, but the Fountain… it teemed with beauty, an eye-catching mixture of colors that Kris found themself staring at for much too long, watching as swirls of red and blue and green clashed together and fought in a spinning circle of light, like an aurora of neon paints welling up from inside the body of the earth, throwing shadows of gliding figures over the dark building stretching from the rest of the asylum, a mass of wires lined from inside the complex to the iron gate. Like clockwork, the figures bounced along the ground, dancing slowly in the dark.

But the real shocking part - Kris was distracted and almost missed it - was the shattered window just down the line, covered with spiderwebs loosely. They billowed in the Fountain's wind.

Kris readied themself with a nervous swallow.

Entrapped with an unknown enemy, your resolve strengthens. The power of conflict shines through you, stripping away all-

DRAMA

0-0-0

Kris and Susie wandered the purple-blue lit halls of the second floor, uneasy but not on alert. Weirded out, sure. But there wasn't any reason to worry. Just… spiders being weird creatures, right?

Are you insinuating something in reference to the operator?

Yes.

While spiders are a close match particular to the overall nature of the operators it is in no way a direct parallel. Premature assumptions are discouraged in all contexts.

"Wonder where she meant for us to go. This place is still pretty damn big. I know she's a book but… heh, she ain't as easy to read!" Susie laughed raucously. Kris flinched and meekly asked her to be quieter. "…okay, I guess…"

The second floor was one giant square. The four hallways fed into each other, a small part of the Asylum and much, much easier to navigate. There were a few dozen doors in each hall, the ones facing inward leading into giant lecture rooms or foyers, and unfortunately for them, they couldn't make heads-or-tails of what the War Room was. They understood that being lost was just a fact of life in the first run, but still, they hated how the facility was foreign, unfriendly, no signs or indications for where they were or were heading to. They had to rely on the other most times, such as now, and that made them feel… useless. What would they do without it?

There is something on this level.

What?

Preliminary landscape scans unveil a movement constant. Something is traversing the second floor.

Maybe a janitor or something? That mop-head orderly from earlier?

It is climbing on the ceiling.

Okay. Maybe the janitor is a little weird. Who were they to judge?

Sharpcrawler.

Spiderwebs. Spider. Of course their luck would run out. And it had to be a spider, too. As if they weren't shivering enough with the spider inside their SOUL.

Kris thumbed their sword's hilt, standing tall and proud, trying desperately to humble that racing pulse of burning liquid in their chest so they could concentrate on the important things: Bug Detter; make sure Noelle is okay; plan; execute the plan for the Viceroy; get the code; seal the Fountain. Get the code, seal the Fountain. They repeated that like a mantra. Code, Fountain, Home. Code, Fountain, Home. Code, Fountain, Home… Mom. They wanted to see her again, distantly, to make sure she was doing okay. They left quickly and without telling her. She would be worrying her butt off over them. And then there was the Coalition and the… scientist… skeleton. Odd that Rnd existed the same time that other one did. Cairo? And Spamton… they… missed him. Missed messing with him.

With everything in mind, every bit and bulb, every change to the timeline, every… absence, they couldn't let fear stop them. They had to power through, to beat the spider, and to keep progressing through the enigmatic 'experiment.' Loyal soldiers had no fear besides that of the operator.

You have a phobia. An irrational fear. You will do good to ignore it for future ventures. Fear is a pernicious thing. It is the coagulation of unrefined, unreformed universal constants; such as humanity, such as weakness. Discard it.

Good pep talk.

"Sharpcrawler." They said suddenly. Susie hummed in question. "Sounds like a spider. There's spiderwebs where the window used to be. I think it climbed through the window."

"Wouldn't there be glass? There wasn't any on the floor, and that's a big friggin' window." Susie seemed to regard them oddly as she replied, as though she was suspicious of them for some reason, trying to pry answers from the side of their head instead of asking. It pissed them off, a little dancing flame outside of their solid wall of uncaring, broken determination.

"…good point." Kris assented to her. She smiled with a sickeningly obtuse shape cutting from her lips and maw. Vaguely smug, if you could stretch the faintest twinkle seen from behind the grousing, faux toughness and from the innermost fear to that. It wasn't an ugly expression, it just made them squirm and feel weird.

"Hey." Susie stopped them, grabbing them by the arm. They almost had a mind to shake her off but her face declared the situation incredibly serious. Not a single ridge said it was a joke, said it was unnecessary.

"Do you need something?" She stared from behind her hair. "Are we going to talk again? We should-"

"Be quiet," she ordered them curtly. "I hear something." Kris curled their palm around the pommel of their sword neurotically, ready to unsheathe it at any moment. For now, they listened to the distant sound of crackling, like glowsticks.

"Weird, huh? What do you think-" Susie turned to question them about the appearance of the Sharpcrawler. Perfectly normal. Nothing unordinary. As she turned, however, the three of them quickly learned something new about the foreign Darkner. The other cataloged the information clinically, unfeeling, using the precious seconds remaining to analyze the spider-esque Darkner's appearance closely, searching for a weakness. Susie - on the other hand - froze at the sight for a moment before her own survival kicked in and she went to attack the Sharpcrawler. Did it work? Kris didn't know. Perhaps it did - maybe she pierced the thick armor, maybe she dodged the bundles of needles it had for appendages, maybe she summoned up the magic to beat it. Kris couldn't really see.

The millions of pins layered into their skin, draining their blood, didn't really offer them much conciliation.

Their red soul floated up out of their body, an unseen wisp of thread clasped around it loosening before the constellation above the Dark World, above Hometown, above the world, toting itself high and mighty, before it glimmered and wiggled, and the other blinked longingly at it and looked away.

And, for a moment, Kris was truly free and happy.

You are filled with Determination

0-0-0

Kris clutched their chest.

Susie stopped, gazing at them oddly. "You good?" They shook their head before stopping themself.

"Sky's pretty." They pretended they were gazing out through the solid window panes. It hurt less than the sobering of their senses. It hurt less than knowing freedom was so close.

Kris felt their sword slowly falling from their grip. They didn't find it in them to hold it anymore, and almost let it go if not for the other clutching their strings like a stress ball and holding them from foregoing their facade of competence. They almost leaned into it - cuddled it - as though the comforting warmth of cloth and fluff wasn't the only reason they just got peppered with knives. And they were too consumed with the hollowness of that fleeting euphoria that came with death to notice, or care, that the other was using their mouth to speak, their face to emote that everything was 'alright'.

"…if you say so, weirdo. Don't have to be all strained when you say it, but hey, I get it. Not like Susie understands, right? Just a common street thug." Susie harrumphed and turned to start walking in the opposite direction than before.

Kris.

It was so cold now. Like the air conditioning had kicked on or the wind from the Fountain was chilling the halls from the open window. Yet, they were still sweating buckets. That didn't make sense but they attributed it to their body being half-not-theirs. Harder to process emotions. Harder to integrate sensations.

Kris, calm down.

They supposed it was time to face facts and tackle the Sharpcrawler head-on, right? They started nervously for the spot of their death, gait staggering and uneven as the other had taken their right leg for some reason and refused to move. They growled at it for the hindrance but did not complain; compliance would be rewarded, right? And loyalty had to be tested, right?

Kris.

They fought against the loitering limb and spiraling thoughts to plow forward, to stagger and shamble toward the macabre spot where their body fell less than a minute ago, to the place where death would stare at them with needles ready to turn them into a pincushion. They were scared of spiders. They were scared of freedom. It was dreamy and smooth. Dreams?

Calm down.

They used to dream, but not anymore, dreams were such useless things and helped no one, just so useless and clingy and unlucky to still be dreaming and why was there red and yellow and pink in their peripherals, and why were they separated so far apart and was that the Angel they saw coming coming coming Coming COMING COMING FOR THEM-

Listen!

The other whisper-shouted for their attention. Kris froze unwillingly and unwittingly, their body before their mind. The other made a sound like a record scratch and twisted inside them, pulling along the walls of their lungs and jamming hooks deep within their heart to stop the beating from elevating. They weren't breathing right. They were hyperventilating pathetically and Susie had grabbed them by the shoulders and shaken them. And the other showed them all because they had missed it in their after-death breakdown.

"That's it, Kris! You and me are talking. I can't just… ignore this!" Susie tried to lay down the law. "Now, sit still and listen to me. I'm worried-"

This timeline is breached. Proceed.

With what?

"-about you, you dweeb, and I know I shouldn't because you're a total freaking jerk to everyone," her face was tight with conflicted emotions; anger and frail, gentle concern. Like she would break them if she was rough but too afraid of being nice. It looked okay on her. "but I do and we need to talk about it-"

A reset is warranted.

Death? Again?

Yes. Three options. Use your sword for suicide; small risk of Susie stopping you, high risk of it not working. Jump out of the window; moderate risk of Susie halting your procedure, low risk of living afterward. Proceed to the Darkner; high risk of Susie stopping you, negligible risk of living. It is up to you.

Really? How… they couldn't even stomach sarcasm right now, and the comment died quickly.

"Kris, look at me! Look at me, Kris. Kris!" They blundered and glanced at her. And she did something… off-putting. She… pulled them in for an uncomfortable hug. It felt wrong, but… welcome.

Choose.

Couldn't they just-

Choose.

Okay. Okay, they could do that. Just ignore the warmth and-

Disregard previous comments.

Why?

You are weeping loudly.

No they-

0-0-0

Kris clutched their chest.

The sky looked beautiful as they wiped away their tears and scrambled to shove a breath of air down their strangled windpipes. The other sighed lowly and informed them that the Darkner managed to hit their SOUL directly that time and killed them instantly.

Their sword drooped and fell to the floor, and Kris felt shocked at how little they cared about their second death. They were relieved the taste of freedom didn't come back again, that their dreams could stay moths and not butterflies, that they could be lost some more. Alone again. Afraid. But not filled with useless hope. The images of the Angel and her light were fading, the hints of yellow and pink were gone to the Fountain wind, and the red was slowly receding into the cracks of their worn SOUL.

"Hey, Kris," Susie started. "You look like shit."

Kris sighed. It was a stressful tick that they didn't mean to do. "I am perfectly fine."

"Sure you are." Susie huffed aggravatedly. "Just look like someone close to you died. What, did your human parents kick the bucket or something?"

"No. I am perfectly fine, Susie." They spoke with an oddly robotic lilt before realizing they weren't making their mouth move. "I think we should go this way. I have a good feeling."

She seemed somewhat relieved that they were still talking so much, as though it meant they were a bit more human and relatable or something. The other hummed. Kris wallowed for a moment before reassuring their operator that they were fine, they were okay, they were ready to be seated right back in the cockpit and handle the controls. The operator dallied for a second, staring inscrutably at them from inside the unseen plains of the mind palace before finally, after a quiet, clipped affirmation, wrestling the controls back over to Kris and rustling threads to pull away. Kris sighed and drew circles into their arms haphazardly, barely paying attention to the way their blue skin shivered in the cold. Uncomfortable companionship glanced down at them from the heavens above, approximately the size of the other's height, and commands began to filter out slowly.

"I wish they hung signs." Kris lamented dully, hand clasped to their recently reacquired sword in caution as they frowned purposefully.

"Tell me about it. What kinda of mental hospital allows this crap? Don't you think the confused mental patients would be lost?" Susie remarked mirthfully.

"Very lost." Kris agreed.

"Like… these guys are cool and all but they're not so smart. Maybe another PhD would help 'em out a little. Interior design, or maybe some relationship therapy." Susie giggled. "Detter and Rnd, man. Wonder where she meant for us to go," she was repeating now. "This place is still pretty damn big."

They wanted to beat her to the joke.

'I know she is a book but she is not easy to read.'

"Not an easy book to read." Kris leveled with Susie. She chuckled after a moment of shock.

"Heh, yeah. Stealing my joke out of my head, huh? Weirdo…" but she was smiling genuinely. Kris couldn't hold the tide of emotions sailing over them; sadness, fear, death. Happiness from freedom and that acute sense of belonging that they felt for a moment.

And so they smiled too.

They were lucky enough to see the Sharpcrawler this time, as though it was waiting for them, turned around and facing the other end of the hallway they came from the last time. And slowly, menacingly, it turned.

It did faintly remind them of the other, with how it stood on four legs composed of pocketed needles covered in rust and grime leading straight up and under the hem of its body. It was much taller than the two Lightners; hunching to fit into the hospital hallway, which was already huge and fitting for most large creatures. The other four legs were closer to the chest, a mesh of needles and wires, flashing lights that made their eyes hurt. The entire dark-red body was solid, full and ample, shaped into a chestplate of red material like a bucket, and Kris realized just how sturdy it was. And then it turned, eight flashing lights gleaming down at them with predatory glee from a helmet-like contraption of red plate-metal. And then it was on them, Kris raising their shield to block the insanely fast attack, the other having reacted much faster than they could have. Needles sunk into their shield and plinked off before Susie reacted and hefted her axe at it, Kris ducking under her strike in an excellent display of precognition from the operator inside.

The axe bounced harmlessly off the Sharpcrawler's metal hide, reflecting and unbalancing Susie who caught a fistful of needles to the face and slumped over to the floor. Kris gritted their teeth and tried to pin down the lightning-quick movements of the Darkner before them to maybe, possibly dodge the next attack.

But it was all for nothing as it rushed forward and ripped their shield clean from their arm, gaping open a metal latch-mouth, the glowing red eyes parting for a deep, dark void.

It shoved them inside, Kris screaming as wires and crossbars cut through their limbs roughly, needle-like fingers cramming them inside like-

0-0-0

Kris clutched their chest, restraining a scream of fear.

Susie stared out at the sky as their red eyes admired the sky.

The influence is clearly that of a sharps-container present in most hospitals for the disposal of used needles. Predictions as to the reason it is present in the office is inconclusive.

Whatever it was, it was fast. Much faster than anything they have ever seen, maybe only close to Jevil.

The jester is quicker. You are simply accustomed to his patterns and are capable of reading his attacks before they happen, allowing pseudo-precognition and educated guessing. Your predilection is to acquire the knowledge to match this Darkner.

Learn the attacks. Dodge the attacks. Progress and stop thinking about spiders crawling over their skin; got it. Next stop - death, again.

They proceeded down the hallway, casting away all inhibitions and drawing their sword.

"I got a bad feeling," they said to Susie.

"And now I do, too. Thanks, freak." She drew her axe. Kris didn't respond, simply tracing like a vengeful ghost through the halls until the other warned them still.

The Sharpcrawler looked taken off-guard; that was good, really good. An incredible advantage. Kris seized the moment and leaped forward, slashing powerfully at the Sharpcrawler's armor. It went ahead and said 'no', slinking away on all eight legs.

That can be used. As it dodges, it loses fine motor coordination needed for attacking.

Good. That's good. If they could hit it hard enough…

They snapped to attention as the Sharpcrawler stood, preparing for an attack as Kris went for their shield. The other dragged them away from the shield, instructing them to raise their sword. The Darkner whirred before clicking an unseen tongue, jumping to the roof and honestly? Freaking the absolute shit out of Kris for a moment.

Focus.

The Sharpcrawler dug all eight needle-limbs into the ceiling before skittering along, zig-zagging and prowling above as it squashed itself to the ceiling, just out of range of Susie's axe and their sword. Kris told her to summon up magic to knock it off the roof, and with a flash of a pleased grin, a Rude Buster was sent to the ceiling. The Sharpcrawler tanked it with a shocked groan, stunned for a moment before raising to its hackles and shaking. Kris blinked before diving toward Susie, sending her into a (luckily) open door. The hallway behind them was quickly turned into a pincushion of needles.

It's disoriented from that attack. That was incredibly similar to…

What?

Disregard. It is searching for you. Use this chance to attack the posterior.

Attack the back?

Backstabbing typically yields higher results of damage values. Some creatures are armored through evolution. Eliminate this theory or enforce it.

Kris spared a moment to stare at Susie's grateful face before promptly ignoring whatever words she whispered under her breath, rushing outside. The Sharpcrawler was clicking oddly on the ceiling, a bit past where they were before, and Kris waved Susie forward. She blinked and came.

Kris whispered. "Nail it right in the back when it falls." Susie nodded and gave them a shark-smile.

They waited for a moment as the Sharpcrawler rotated its head - if it didn't have lights, they wouldn't have known what it was. But the thing's helmet-head spun as it scanned for them, and it found nothing as they were right behind it. Squashed against the ceiling like a spider, it slowly let its front four legs detach and slip to the floor, and Kris quickly realized something amiss. The thing's front was facing their direction. Luckily, it was just for a moment as it stood up, and to their delectable joy there was no armor on the backside. Just wires and needles.

Kris nodded at Susie and she acted quickly, summoning up her purple magic and shooting it straight across the hallway. The Sharpcrawler heard it charging with keen ears and recognized the noise at the last second, pulling to the side and dodging quicker than Kris could blink.

Like a force of nature, it spun, torso twisting and contorting to fit the movement before it launched across the floor.

Kris sighed and rolled their eyes at the other.

0-0-0

Kris clutched their chest and didn't even bother biting back the scream.

Susie started, snarling at them with a tremble of fear as she calmed down.

"The hell was that for? Are you… are you okay, Kris? It ain't that scary…" Susie clapped a hand to their shoulder. Kris hissed and spun, yanking their sword clumsily from their belt as the crackling raced toward them-

0-0-0

Kris clutched their chest.

Kris made sure not to scream this time.

Susie stared out the windows with a struck expression, the same one she had the last… how many times had they died recently? What try were they on?

Five ended experiments.

Great, and it was time for the sixth.

It seems the course of action presented with the highest probability of success is-

Having Susie hit it from behind with Rude Buster before it knows the danger of her magic attack?

Precisely.

Then, they should get down to business

"I have a good feeling about this way." Susie looked taken-aback and started following. Kris had an idea. "Follow." They commanded simply.

Susie scrunched her eyes at them. Like she noticed something. "…nah."

Kris pretended to glare at her. "What are you doing?"

"Good question," she shrugged. "I'll tell you if you talk to me. Until you work up the courage, though? 'goin this way. Cya." Susie started walking the opposite way. Kris decided to sell it a little more.

"Hey. Hey! Come back here!" She flipped them off and posed dramatically. Kris shook their head and turned, face hardening into a determined expression. They would beat this, they had no choice but to win.

Excellent. Proceed.

Kris felt a prickle along their back as they walked with their shield drawn through the halls, the vibrant light of the Fountain shining through onto their poncho and armor, casting soft shadows on the wall behind them.

They had to distract the Darkner so Susie could get a clear hit. It wasn't the worst strategy; they recalled Spamton Neo during the earlier routes they took, the ones where they talked everyone down and broke bread with every Rudinn, Mauswheel, and important person they could. They remembered the fear they felt the first time Spamton… ascended. They remembered the happiness they felt when he appeared to stop them after their murder streak. Truly pleased. And now, they got to destroy a new enemy. And he wouldn't be there to stop them; Spamton wasn't a part of the equation anymore.

They saw the spider, standing there casually, clicking and crackling needles with no cause for concern; they were quiet so far. Kris puffed themself up, making sure they seemed bigger than they were, hoping to exploit the first law of the jungle: The bigger something is, the more dangerous it is to fight.

"You!" They shouted at the spider. It whirled, glancing them up-and-down curiously with eight eyes that oscillated with its faceplate. It hummed in recognition and lowered itself to the floor, ready to pounce, but Kris roared loudly, proudly, claiming dominance, all but freezing the spider to the spot. It was like a magical shout. "I will kill you." Leave no room for doubt. Remove all excess. Retain only the raw feelings; fear, hatred, anger, pain. It reacted to their tone nicely and stayed still for a moment.

Interesting. Very interesting. It seems it regards you as a strong predator now. Valuable information to catalog and keep. Continue with caution. Approach slowly and threateningly. Instill unease. Instill anxiety. Instill fear.

Kris grimaced at the spider as they approached, shield in one hand and sword unevenly hanging from the other. The Sharpcrawler glanced to the sides with a few eyes as it began to retreat and crackle a warning to them.

Kris sneered and hissed curtly, inching forward with purposeful, intentional steps until the Sharpcrawler began to get nervous and prepare to defend, which it started to by crouching and freeing some needles from its appendages.

"Leave!" They shouted ruthlessly, passionately. It gave the spider one more second, one precious second of pause. And then, the apex predator began to flow back into its natural state; attacking Kris.

A horde of needles was sent flying toward them, Kris blocking them adeptly with their clunky shield, hiding behind the metal and bracing the barrage. A few needles tore into the fragile tissue of their thighs and the plump muscles of their calves, eliciting a groan and a trembling growl at the Darkner. The other made sure their reaction was minimal, blocking away the pain and helping them stand with strings wrapped around their shoulders and under their arms. A puppet. But a damn scary one; the Sharpcrawler made a noise at them and continued backing away.

A sharp blast of magic cut through the air and charged the cold fog with extreme warmth, "Hey, freak!"

Susie's Rude Buster slammed into the spider, sending needles flying harmlessly in a small puff as it banked forward, the impact nearly staggering it as it spun to protect its most vital side.

Go now.

Kris launched forward, dropping their shield to the side and dashing to finish it off. Susie crossed her arms to defend from the Darkner's attack, but it was too little too late, and the needle-limbs stormed around her defenses and cut her into mincemeat. Kris screamed a genuinely perturbed, angry, roiling death cry and impaled their jagged blade deep into the spider's wire underbelly, shoving it deep, deeper, and deeper still until it stopped raining stray needles and collapsed into a pile of metal and a bucket with a skull drawn on the side.

This timeline is breached.

They did it…?

You did excellent. This plan has a marked percentage of total success. Simply repeat until fruition.

Oh. Okay, they could do that. That was easy. Not like the burning acid coursing through their veins and how their breathing hitched at Susie's half-dusting corpse.

Your options are as follows…

0-0-0

Kris clutched their chest and moaned.

Turned out that jumping out of a window that's only two stories high is not good enough for death. The spikes on top of the fence made for perfect substitutes, however. The feeling of cold metal through their abdomen and the weight of hanging there as they looked down at their dusty clothes was harrowing, but the other let the cool wash in again. Like it had finally recovered and could supplement them again.

Proceed.

Yeah, yeah. They tried a different strategy. Explaining the plan to Susie.

"This place is big. We should split up and meet together when one of us finds the War Room."

Susie chuckled. "Sounds real good and not at all something you couldn't think up after just stepping out of the friggin' elevator. Whatever, sure. Let's get moving, weirdo." They smiled at her. Always their rock during a hard time. Except… when she wasn't. She glanced down at their smile and turned, the faintest hint of her lips upturning the only sign of her noticing. It wouldn't last; she had to hate them otherwise it was so much harder. They wouldn't screw up at the end.

The Sharpcrawler confrontation went slightly less good this time. More needles landed, the spider got more confident, and it tried to go for them before Susie got it.

A good second try.

They succumbed to their wounds.

0-0-0

Kris clutched their chest.

"Let's split up," they said suddenly. Susie looked like she wanted to say something to them, riding off the conversation they had earlier, that they were speaking too often. But her eyes told them she was relieved slightly, if not surprised and concerned.

The Sharpcrawler was still incredibly fast.

Susie hit it, they rushed forward, she dusted at the same speed the Sharpcrawler disassembled.

They had to be faster next time.

Kris took the time to test their sword's edge.

The cool was really nice to have when you shoved your own weapon straight through your chest. Clean cut. Nice smithing.

0-0-0

Kris clutched their chest and smiled at Susie.

"Let's split up," they said.

Her eyes sparkled.

They went on their way, and almost managed it this time. Just a split-second too soon to hit it again and Susie lost her eye to a stray needle. Her screams doubled when Kris slit their throat.

Rather painless, if not shocking to the system. It carried over.

0-0-0

Kris clutched their sword.

"Let's split up." They smiled.

The Sharpcrawler fell to the floor, collapsing into pins and needles, and they kicked the bucket. Literally and figuratively.

Couldn't let themself smile.

It was funny, wasn't it?

It is not. This is quite serious.

Buzzkill.

Good.

0-0-0

Kris didn't even squeeze their hands this time.

"Split up," they commanded Susie, barely sparing her a glance.

"Yeah, okay, fine. Let's just split up and get killed like every other horror movie. At least the blood and guts on TV is cool, Kris! Yours aren't even Top Ten!" Susie quipped before silently huffing and turning away, stomping off. Kris stomped louder.

The Sharpcrawler was hardly any trouble anymore. The needles were slowing down for them as they began to grasp the flight pattern, and they took a chance and dodged them that time. The Sharpcrawler looked even more frightened by Kris, as though they were a force of nature, the dragon of the jungle, a monster. And of course it missed the actual monster behind it until it was too late and Kris shot forward and felled the startled beast. Susie kicked at it and grinned, teeth shining.

"Stupid. You don't mess with Dark Axe Susie and Quiet Loser Kris." Kris narrowed their eyes at her. She shrugged and beckoned them silently- 'you got a problem?'

"Good work." Kris said to Susie. She patted herself on the back and jammed a thumb at herself.

"No shit. No one can put their money where their mouth is; 'cept me. I just wanna go find something to impale right now!" Susie curled over and split open with a victorious, howling laughter that would have woken up Ralsei with how it reverberated through the halls. And Kris enjoyed it thoroughly, just reminding themself last second to not get too friendly.

"Whatever. No need to be so loud."

Susie gaped at them, slack-jawed in outrage.

Kris shook their head and turned, pretending to paw at the paperweight microphone device as they couldn't ebb the tide of the smile spreading over their face. If only they were joking around, this moment might have been nice. Pleasant. Friendly. But they couldn't afford anymore people liking them, more people to disappoint, to swindle, pull the red-colored thread over their eyes just to stab them in the back. They hated it, loathed themself for being too weak. And those spikes outside were suddenly looking much more welcoming… but they could afford to take the edge off their misery later. They had to spy on-

A floating hand snatched the paperweight out of their grasp. Kris sibilated through clenched teeth.

"Decent heft," Detter bounced the paperweight, "good design. Inconspicuous. Might even kept it around like that pen he tried before." Before? "Judging by the look of confusion on your face, it seems Rnd neglected to mention the sheer amount of shenanigans he has attempted. I still have that pen around here somewhere…"

"K-Kris…? Are you okay?" Ralsei.

They turned, watching as the-

-the goat-like Darkner-

-gote approached. He had a genuinely worried expression plastered on his face, eyes twitching and dyed black from before, but it was fading and didn't reflect the red of the Darkner behind them as he flicked his gaze between them, Susie, the spider, Detter, and an odd spot above Kris.

"A Sharpcrawler. Incredible. I wonder what it is doing sleeping on the floor." Sleeping? Was that… the Lunatics, too? "Hmm. Odd. I'll call security to have them throw this straggler outside."

Susie looked so smug but Kris knew, these things aren't to be messed with. Detter seemed unbothered by it, and Kris was left to question the power divide.

"You okay, dude?" Susie questioned Ralsei. "Kris was worried about you." Uh. No…?

She is too uncomfortable to admit her own worry. This is a childish form of teasing. Exploit it.

"Yes. Yes, I was worried." Susie blinked oddly at them, as though cautioning them to give her space to work. Kris felt the other grab ahold of their strings and spread their arms to the Prince. Ralsei narrowed his eyes above them, scathingly analyzing the air, before exhaling and accepting the hug. Kris felt… like worms were crawling underneath their skin, and to some extent, they were correct. "I'm glad that you are okay." Ralsei squeezed them as he rested his head on their shoulder.

"Heheh, you're a bad hugger, Kris!"

They swallowed the memories.

"Ah, fuck it," Susie lamented before joining them, corralling both of them into a group hug, crushing Kris's ribcage against her own.

"Language, please. But yes, 'fuck it.'" Detter floated her hands over to the three, patting Kris and Ralsei, ruffling Kris's hair. They sneered and almost started to thrash, only curtailed by the other's insistence.

Enjoy this, Kris. The knowledge is present that you lack human comfort. You have friends, accomplices, acquaintances. Use them.

An odd way of saying to accept affection.

The operator supposes so.

"Aww, look at us all." Detter cooed. "Now, now. Whoever is crying onto my hands will be okay." Susie pulled away, presumably to see who was crying, and Detter took that as a sign to retract her hands. "Oh, excuse me. It appears I was mistaken. No one is crying. Perhaps this means the moment is over and we can proceed-" Kris flinched- "to more important matters."

"Y-Yeah!" Ralsei called out, voice filled with a certain purpose that reminded Kris of how pointless everything was. "We have to seal the Fountain."

"I believe Detter is leaning more towards purification," a new voice called.

"Ah," Detter turned to face the voice. It came from behind Kris. "Dr. Felin, Dr. Rnd, Ms. Holiday."

Noelle was standing between two doctors, awkwardly waving to Susie and smiling lacklusterly at Kris. She seemed fine, despite the wounds from not too long ago, and although her gait was off-kilter a tad, she seemed to take it in stride and recovered well enough to walk on her own. Susie instantly went for her, checking her over quickly before expressing how cool it was to carry her through the streets like an action movie. Noelle chuckled, strained, before crossing her hands in front of her, white robes bespeckled with dust and grime, rocking uncomfortably on her hooves.

She stood between two doctors; the lithe and average-built Rnd, and the tall and bulked-up lion doctor from before. He wore glasses that barely fit his chalky face, standing passively as Kris looked him up-and-down, smiling at them with pointed teeth. Yet it didn't seem very threatening. His head bowed, white mane trimmed and cared-for, hair falling around his bustling neck muscles in waves of wax. He extended a paw out to them, introducing himself in a fancy, small voice.

"Good morning. I am Doctor Felin, the resident roarthidonist and Head of Defense for this facility. You must be the Lightner Kris. An enchanting pleasure to make your acquaintance. And you," Felin turned to Susie and stuck a paw out. "Susie. As I understand it," he readjusted his glasses. Not like they were falling or anything; in fact, they looked to be glued to his face. "You are the stone in which your team rallies. Goodie me! And you have a strong grip."

His accent was thick but clear and concise. Kris didn't know what to call it.

"Anywho," Felin started, standing tall, almost as tall as Detter, and most definitely as massive as the book-doctor. "Shall we discuss?"

"Yes, we shall. Come this way, Lightners." Detter and Felin began pacing down the hallway. Rnd begrudgingly followed a second later, huffing, Susie and Noelle sharing a glance. Susie rolled her eyes.

"These two bicker like a married couple; don't worry." Susie quipped.

"Kris, Susie…" Ralsei began. Noelle flicked her gaze between them and the doctors. "Uh, Noelle… could I… have a moment alone with Kris and Susie…? If, if that's okay with you?" Ralsei pleaded silently with the reindeer. Noelle bounced her head in debate, glancing at the waiting doctors, then back again, a little fearful.

She is reminded of her father.

"Y-Yeah…" Noelle assented, pacing away. Ralsei sighed.

"Kris, Susie, I wanted to say that I'm sorry…" he tried to stuff himself under his hat. "I let myself get infected and… acted weird. I didn't mean to… I'll do better next time."

"Nah," Susie interrupted. "We get it. It wasn't your fault. Don't even sweat it, man."

"K-Kris…?" Ralsei questioned after a moment.

They blinked.

What are you hesitating for?

What? Were they supposed to tell Ralsei it wasn't his fault that he caught a disease from one of the hundreds of wandering zombies outside the Asylum?

"…it's okay." Kris turned away awkwardly, facing the wall. The other had stirred to use their mouth - Kris was faster, seems the other didn't understand rhetorical questions. Yet. "…you can still have my food."

Ralsei giggled a little. "Thanks, Kris, but I'm not that hungry anymore! Perhaps Susie can have your portion!" The monster seemed rather pleased by that.

"Arright. Enough chit-chat. Let's get to the interesting crap!" Susie growled and banged her axe against the wall. "How the hell are we getting out of this nightmare!?"

Kris, Susie, Noelle, Ralsei, Detter, Rnd, and Felin. The War Party. Kris walked into the small conference room with little confidence, mostly fear, and a dose of uncertainty. They had a few things on their mind: Noelle, how she got to the Dark World, and what exactly was going on in Hometown? Susie was glad; everything was looking better, now that Ralsei and Noelle were healthy again. They could finally escape the nightmare. Noelle was still confused, feelings whirling around her head, trying to pick herself up from her boot(hoove)straps. After what happened, she… felt strong but… only around Kris. And she wondered what Berdly was doing. She hadn't seen him since the library and his parents called worried sick, asking where he was. She only had faint memories of having a falling out with him in the Dark World.

Ralsei still felt… wrong, like his stomach was swimming with magic that wasn't his, like butterflies pecking at his insides and pecking, and pecking, and stirring up his stomach like churning cauldron water. Thick, slimy, slow. A slough. But he would recover. He was fine… right? They forgave him for being weak, right? He would be fine.

…he needed to meditate.

As soon as they entered the War Room, Detter went for the whiteboard, hands floating to grab the marker. She uncapped it and drew up a picture of the Fountain, broad strokes of black on white, drafting up her masterpiece of an idea. She would fulfill her creator's plan; she would become an Angel.

Dr. Remi DeTorrence, the master of magic, lived vicariously through her precious book. Detter could live with that.

Step One, find an opportunity.

Step Two, exploit the opening.

Step Three, acquire allies.

Step Four, exploit them.

Step Five, ascend.

Detter was filled with Determination.