Chapter 21: A Girl with a Moustache and an Emissary with a Voice
"And that makes three! great job on the escape there, Voice."
"You're welcome."
Moustache and Voice had returned to the formers cave in Mafia Town, which had been upgraded quite a bit. It now had two proper beds and a royal red carpet, stolen from the Mafia, some lights from Dead Bird Studios, some Dweller Masks and Alpine Skylines statues and flags for decoration, and three Time Pieces tucked away in the corner to make it complete.
"Yes...even though you completely DITCHED ME!" Moustache spun on Voice immediately. "What were you doing, running off all of a sudden like that!?"
"Sorry, Moustache. I had something to do." They said.
"What? Play around with Tie?" Moustache accused. "I saw you two fighting, y'know! Aren't YOU the one who said we should focus on collecting Time Pieces rather then fighting? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm?"
"It was a personal matter." Voice shrugged. "Besides, I knew you could get the Time Piece on your own."
"Don't think buttering me up will make me forgive you so easily!" She huffed. "You're gonna have to go and get dinner today!"
"Okay, okay." They submitted. "You get the campfire started then."
"Can you bring back some prawns this time? I'm tired of just fish." Moustache said as they began gathering firewood together in a little corner where the carpet didn't reach, and nothing flammable was in the vicinity.
"I'll ask nicely." Voice said.
"No you won't." Moustache called after them.
"Yeah, I won't." Voice agreed.
The sun was beginning to set, making the sky and water turn a golden colour as Voice walked along Mafia Town.
'This is nice.' They couldn't help but think to themselves. 'Jumping around together, collecting Time Pieces, fighting enemies...what a pleasant existence.'
They stopped for a moment as their cloak blew in the wind. 'I wonder if this is selfish?' They bent down near the waters edge and stared at their reflection. 'What do you all think?'
To everyone else, Voice just stared at their reflection in silence for a moment.
'Yes...I'm sorry.' Voice nodded. 'Don't worry. I will complete my mission. It just...isn't the time yet.'
Was that just selfish of them? An excuse to live like this a little bit longer? True, the moment hadn't arrived yet...but...
They shook their head to rid themselves of such thoughts. For a moment, they held up their Time Tuning Fork as it rang lightly.
'No dimensional fluxes.' They nodded. 'Seems he's stable, despite the beating I gave him. Man, that felt good, didn't it?'
Realising they were distracting themselves, they used their weapon to open up a portal that lead up to the Mafia's place, and as soon as they appeared, the Mafia guarding the entrance turned pale.
"Hello, boys." Voice waved casually.
"Fork child has returned!" One of them screamed.
"Mafia run for lives!" The other yelled as they burst through the door, screaming that the Fork child had returned.
"Honestly, you'd think they'd be used to it by now." Voice sighed as they walked into the casino. The Mafia had scarpered quick, leaving Voice free to walk towards the kitchen, but they heard whimpering on the other side of the door, and couldn't resist.
"Heeeeere's Voicy!" They cackled as they used their weapon to break the lock and slam open the door, causing the three Mafia inside to scream like little girls.
"Please don't hurt Mafia!" They begged in tears.
"Oh, relax. I'm just here for dinner." Voice groaned as they walked to the freezer. "Honestly, how did you lot take over a whole island?"
"Mafia want Boss back! Mafia want Boss back!" The members sobbed.
"Tough luck, he's a jar on a spaceship." Voice whispered to themselves as they began picking out frozen fish and prawns. "Alright, I think I'm done here. Remember! No beating up innocents!"
"Yes! Yes! Just please don't hurt Mafia!" The goons whimpered.
'Buncha wet napkins.' Voice thought as they left.
They returned to the cave where Moustache had already got a fire going. "You're back! Did you get it? Did you?"
"Prawns, yes. Also salmon, cod and crab." They counted.
"Oooh, crab! How do you eat that?" Moustaceh wondered.
"I'll do it." Voice reassured her as they sat down to have dinner.
It was a simple little thing; seafood over a campfire, but it was more then Moustache had been having until a few days ago, when everything began.
"We gonna go back to Alpine?" Moustache asked.
"I think it would be best to move elsewhere." Voice deduced, as they used the points on their tuning fork to pull away the shell of the crab. "I hear the Arctic Cruise it going to be setting off soon?"
"Really? We're going on that? I've never been able to ride on that cruise!" Moustache gasped. "Aw, so cool!"
"Best to be discreet this time, though." Voice advised as they stuck fish on skewers. "We'll have a big cruiser to hide and move around in. Besides, could be a chance to unwind."
"Justice doesn't unwind, Voice!" Moustache argued.
"Then what do you call this?"
"Justice can't fight on an empty stomach!"
"Fair enough."
The two of them waited around their fire as their fish cooked, staring into the flames.
'This is nice.' They told themselves again. 'I wonder if I deserve this? I mean, really...' They stared across the flames at Moustache. 'It's all your fault, really.'
After the lava incident, Moustache wasn't favoured in the town she lived in. The Mafia goons were now after here all the time. And without a way to leave the island she'd always called her home effectively, she was stuck on the Time Piece collecting hunt as well.
"Little girl has nowhere to run from Mafia!" Two goons declared as they backed her against a wall.
"Hah! You think you idiots can take on me!?" Moustache boasted, despite her situation. "I'll take you on, no problem!" The two looked at each other, before advancing towards her. 'Me and my big mouth!'
Before they could get any closer though, a figure leapt down from the top of a rooftop and swung their weapon at the two goons, knocking them out instantly. Moustache peeked to see a figure wearing a white cloak, carrying a weird tuning fork, their face obscured.
"Are you unharmed?" They asked.
"...Oi! What do you think you're playing at!?" Moustache instinctively yelled. "I could have handled those two no problem! You got in the way!"
"Apologies. And you're welcome." They responded.
"Welcome my butt!" She snapped. "Just who are you supposed to be? Never seen you before. You another weirdo?"
"My name is...Voice." They said. "I am here to help you."
"What?"
"You are collecting Time Pieces. I am going to help you." Voice stated, as they thought:
'It is an almost certain event, that at one point in time, Moustache will acquire all the Time Pieces. Ergo, it is most beneficial to remain at her side, until the time comes.'
"Psshhh. You're going to help me? I'm fine on my own thank you." Moustache denied. "I'm going solo! And besides, how do you know I'm collecting Time Pieces? What, are you with those two twerps?"
"I am my own side. And yours if you will accept me." Voice spoke in a dull tone.
"Well, THAT'S reassuring." Moustache snarked.
"Little children! Freeze!" The two stopped as they were suddenly surrounded by Mafia members. "Fork child and little girl are to come with Mafia!"
"OH not MORE of them!" Moustache groaned.
Voice slung their tuning fork over their shoulder. "I will deal with them."
"Hey! You think just because you got lucky and beat two, you can beat that many?"
"Yes." Voice simply nodded as they stepped forward and held the weapon at the ready.
"Fork child cannot stand up to Mafia!" The closest one declared.
"I believe I can." Voice commented as they held it forward.
Instantly, a giant soundwave ripped through the horde of Mafia, sending them flying and screaming as they were blown away easily, before the ringing died down.
"Woah..." Moustache mumbled. "You're...preeeeetty strong, aren't you?"
"Yes." Voice confirmed.
"Hmmmmm…" Moustache pondered for a moment. "Okay then! I guess you can come with me!"
"Thank you." Voice bowed.
"But under one condition!" Moustache said. "I'm the boss! The hero! Okay! You're my sidekick! My...erm….Rookie!"
"...Excuse me?" Voice tilted their head in confusion.
"That's it! The great hero and her Rookie! I can see it now!" Moustache declared with a sweep of her arm.
"Isn't your name Moustache?" Voice questioned.
"Where did you hear that!?" Moustache gasped, looking like she was about to strangle them.
"Bird." They quipped.
"Don't get smart with me, Rookie!" Moustache hissed.
"Alright! This is my base! This is where we'll plan our actions!"
Moustache's cave before their meeting was...a cave. Nothing but a blanket on the cold ground, a weak fire, and a tally chart on the wall of how many times she had 'interfered' with the Mafia.
"You live here?" Voice asked.
"I get it's no five star hotel! But it's all I got!" Moustache argued, even though there was no argument. "Mafia took the only place I call home..."
"I see." Voice stated simply.
"Right then...if those thingies landed all over the planet, then that means they'll be here in, ugh, Mafia Town, Dead Bird Studios, Subcon Forest, Alpine Skylines, the artctic, and Nyakuza Metro. That's...crud, a lot of ground to cover."
"Rule here out." Voice spoke up. "The other two will have already collected all Time Pieces here."
"Oh, so you know those two as well?" Moustache grumbled.
"No. But they are my inevitable enemies." Voice said.
"What does that mean?"
"My mission."
"Which is?"
"Remembrance."
"...You're weird. You're REALLY weird, Rookie." Moustache grumbled. "But in that case, we need to find a way to get off this island!"
"I can-"
"Not now, Rookie! I'm trying to think! Maybe if I steal a Mafia ship?"
"Moustache."
"I told you to call me Her...huh?" She was staring at a portal opened up in the middle of her cave.
"I can get us to Dead Bird Studios with this." Voice gestured.
"...Real smarty-pants, aren't you?" Moustache hissed.
"Thank you."
"That wasn't a compliment!" She yelled. "You first then."
"Very well." They nodded before stepping in.
"Very well." She mimicked childishly, before following them.
"Victory! Hahahahahaha!"
After a whole day of searching, the duo had finally managed to find one Time Piece hidden within the confines of Dead Bird Studios lower levels. She was now holding it above her head and dancing with it.
"Congratulations, Hero." Voice nodded.
"Alright! That's one! Now!...A whole lot more to go. These things rewind so little!" She instantly grew frustrated. "Arrgh! I bet those other two have way more Time Pieces by now!"
"Take what victory you can get." Voice advised.
"Shut up, Rookie! I want the whole cake, not the participation slice!" Moustache complained. "Come on! We're going to look for another one right-"
GROOOOOWL...
"Was that your stomach?" Voice inquired.
"No!" She yelled indignantly.
"Perhaps we should stop for today." They suggested.
"After just one!? No way! I'm gonna get another one before...! Ooooh…" She clutched her stomach.
"We were in here longer then expected." Voice admitted. "How long has it been since you last ate?"
"Um...three days?" Moustache practically whispered. "Haven't had much to eat since the Mafia stopped the fishing business..."
"...Come along." Voice picked Moustache up with one arm and created a portal with their fork.
"Oi! Put me down!" She yelled, kicking them whilst holding the Time Piece, but they didn't let go and stepped through the portal.
Voice put Moustache to bed as they went out and acquired some fish via violent methods. When they returned, they set up a fire.
"I'm not a child..." Moustache grumbled.
"You look like one." Voice stated.
"Did you just SASS me!?"
"Stating facts, actually."
"You're a jerk, Rookie!" Moustache kicked them in the side of their head. "I can cook my own fish!"
Voice stood up. "Then I shall decorate with the trinkets we acquired."
"This is MY cave! You'll just mess it up! I'll decorate!" Moustache objected once again.
"You cannot both decorate and cook the fish." Voice tried to reason.
"Well...then...you cook the fish then! Urrrrgh!" She groaned as she began arranging everything they had basically stolen. "You're a real nuisance, y'know that, Rookie?"
"Yes, Hero." Voice responded simply, causing the girl to hiss in frustration.
"Eeeeeeeeeeeek!"
Moustache jumped away in fright.
"Are you okay, Hero?" Voice questioned as the dweller slithered past them.
"I-I didn't actually think there'd be ghosts here!" Moustache gasped.
"Have you never been here?" Voice questioned.
"I...I've never left my island." She admitted. "I only know about everything else on the planet because of maps."
"I see." Voice nodded. "Well, if you are too scared to continue-"
"Woah woah woah! Who said that!?" Moustache yelled. "A hero is never scared! C'mon, Voice!" She began stomping off.
"Actually, Hero..." Voice began. "I wanted to do something first."
"Huh? YOU wanna do something INDEPENDANTLY?" Moustache mockingly marvelled.
"I want to build a grave."
"That's a bit grim. Who for?"
"People. Good people, that only I remember."
"...You're still weird. Whatever. I'm not helping you build a grave, that's gross!"
"That's fine." Voice began walking off.
"Hey! I'm not just gonna let my Rookie go off on their own!" Moustache protested before following.
"Darnit…!"
Moustache cursed as she was tossed to the ground. There were several of Snatcher's minions between her and a Time Piece, but she couldn't get past them.
"Let...me...through!" She yelled in frustration as she leapt at the nearest minion, only for it to punch her right in the face and knock her back down again.
"All Time Pieces belong to Snatcher." The minion droned. "We'll be taking this one to him."
"That one...is mine!" Moustache growled. "I found it! It's mine!" She leapt at them again, only to get kicked in the face.
The other minion grabbed the Time Piece and began running off with it, only for a soundwave to blast them, causing the Time Piece to fly into the air and get caught by Voice, who blasted away the other one.
"Are you alright, Hero?" Voice called as they ran over to her. "You shouldn't run off like that. But you found a Time Piece in the end. Here." They held it out to her.
A silence descended over them.
"No!" Moustache slapped it away. Thankfully Voice held onto it tight enough to avoid it getting dropped. "Don't you get it you moron!? I wanted to get that Time Piece! ME! But you came in and...and...ruined it!"
"What?" Voice gasped. "Moustache, you were in trouble-"
"I didn't want your help!" She screamed. "I don't want you to save me! I hate you! Leave me alone!" She then turned and ran, despite her injuries.
"Moustache!?" Voice called after her, leaving them with a feeling of sadness and hurt.
It rained heavily in Subcon that night. Rain battered down on everything.
"Moustache!? Hero!?" Voice called out as they walked through the rain.
'Where did she run off to? She's injured! And in this weather...' They were worried. Worried about her. They knew who Moustache was. The villain in nearly every timeline, every dimension! And here they were, concerned for her.
Eventually, they heard sobbing, and turned to see her, sitting right in the middle of the rain.
"Moustache..." Voice began.
"Go away..." She sobbed. "I hate you..."
They both stayed still for a moment, until Voice walked over and sat down beside her. They held up their Time Tuning Fork and created a sound barrier above them which, ironically, acted as an umbrella, the droplets bouncing off and around them.
"...I wanted to do it on my own." Moustache eventually sniffled. "I wanted to prove that I could do it. Without you. You can create soundwaves, and Tunes, and Badges...those two can do all their stuff...and I...I can't do anything..."
Voice said nothing as Moustache wept. "I feel so useless...so angry, that I'm so useless...I want to beat up bad guys, but I can't even beat the weakest of the weak. I just-" She choked on a sob. "I just want to feel like I'm doing something! Anything! B-But I'm not like you! I-I'm...so pathetic..."
"You're not." Voice responded instantly. "Moustache...the fact that you're doing all this, even with my help...that proves something. You don't have any of our abilities...but you're still doing all of this. You are so very brave. Braver then me, or those two, because you're facing the same things despite not having our advantages. That's incredible, don't you think?"
"It's useless if it doesn't amount to anything." She whimpered.
"Of course it's not." Voice thought for a moment. "...A hero is meant to inspire others. And you know what? You've inspired me. To learn, to grow. I thought I was fine just the way I was...just needing to complete my mission and nothing more. But being around you has taught me, that I can be something more. You've helped me just as I've helped you, Moustache. That is influence. And that can help so many others as well."
"Yeah, right. I'm not useful at all. I can't stop any baddies." She sniffled.
"You don't need to." Voice told her. "You just need to keep being brave. And prove to others that you are. An example. Pushing through the hardships in spite of it all, and reaching the end because of it? Isn't that a definition of justice?"
Nothing but the rain could be heard.
"...Voice...why me?" She asked. "Why are you helping me?"
Voice paused. The answer was obvious...in the beginning. Now though? They were thinking on the time they had spent together...and the Moustache's they saw in other timelines. The ones who always ended up hated and alone...hated and alone...hated and alone...
"I thought you could use a friend." Voice told her.
"...I'm a pretty cruddy friend..." She began crying again.
"You're learning." Voice reassured her. "Learning and growing. Constantly. That's who you are, Moustache. You're still young. You have so much more experience to gain. At the end of it all...you'll become someone amazing."
"...A hero?"
"A knowledgeable person."
"...Voice?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks."
"No problem, Moustache."
The two sat in the middle of the rain, together.
Voice waited as Moustache settled down for bed. When they were sure she was asleep, they created a portal and left.
They reappeared in the Alpine Skylines, and looked over to the Windmill, seeing three familiar figures platforming up. But they were not here for them.
Voice gave off a whistle, causing a giant serpentine figure to rise above the clouds in front of them, obscured by the darkness.
"Hey there..." Voice gently stroked its head, causing the creature to grumble softly. "You can sense it too, right? You're going to be hurting for a bit. It's predestined."
The creature gave off a soft screech.
"Yes. They will. They're helpful like that." Voice nodded as they glanced at the figures in the Windmill.
'Moustache...' They thought. 'I swear I'll stick by you. Until we face them. Until the end. My friend.'
Yes, this chapter was all about Voice and Moustache, and a bit of background between them. A bit like Hat and Tie, aren't they?
Also! Another chapter exclusive profile pic! This one is an amazing picture of our anti-hero; Voice! Once again, made by the wonderful Konan720, exactly as I pictured them! Thank you so much for this drawing of our emissary! It's perfect for this chapter! I absolutely love it!
Thank you to Konan720, Fighter33000 and Mr. Mega1423 for reviewing!
Next Time: The Illness Has Spread...that is a TERRIBLE thing to say right now, please forgive me.
