Yep, I decided to turn this story into a 5 plus 1 type.

Will I regret it? Who knows.

Hofnarr looked at the mirror in what was left of his own home, if it can even be called that anymore. He has his clown getup ready, reminiscent of the outfit of the host of his favorite show.

Well, minus the clothes, but that's because he ran out of money to buy any more.

Anyways, the clown stared at the mirror, reminiscing about the past and how he got here.

The abuse, the research, the fall of that darn place, everything horrible that had happened to him.

Today was his birthday, and it was supposed to be a happy day. A day where he and Jebediah—and sometimes, some of his other co-workers—go to his home to celebrate every single year.

However, everything changed. These days are over. Everything wasn't the same anymore when the fall of Project Nexus happened.

And now, a man killed thirty people over a boombox, of all things.

Next, he's going to kill even more people over a stolen pie, of all things.

…

Enough is enough, he thought. And now it's time to purge the world from another threat.

And for that, he has to leave behind every single thing he had before this point.

Hofnarr—no, Tricky—took out his glasses, looking at them one last time, reminiscing through the memories he had with them. He then threw them to the ground as hard as he could, breaking them to half.

If that wasn't enough, he stepped on the only thing connecting him to his past anymore, shattering the glasses completely. The improbability drive can deal with his sight anyways.

He isn't Hofnarr—the meek little scientist who couldn't beat down the director—anymore. He is Tricky—a clown who will kill the man known as Hank J. Wimbleton.

And he will savor every single secondof it.

With this resolve, Tricky took his jet pack and M16 (don't forget the grenade launcher attachment!) then went outside.

He looked back at his home—the place of many memories—one last time, then looked forward, flying away. He didn't look back ever again. He never looked back again.

…yet another memory dream. This time, the day where he embraced his insanity and left everything behind.

Tricky looked at the calendar. It's January 15th—Tricky's birthday.

One would expect him to be happy, but that was the day he left behind his past to fight Hank, which turned him into a zombie in the end.

However, It wasn't the source of his misery today, believe it or not. This very special day actually made him miss Jeb more, as he always came with a present or two.

And now, he won't get anything from the man.

Naturally, he is kind of in the slumps despite being joyful during New Year's two weeks ago.

He misses Jebediah. He really did.

After getting his mask and scarf, Tricky descended from the stairs to the sight of Hex baking banana bread yet again.

"Good morning, Tricks!" Hex greeted enthusiastically. It was when he noticed Tricky's gloomy mood. "What's wrong?"

"…" Tricky didn't feel like saying anything.

"Oh, must have been another one of those days, huh," Hex frowned.

Tricky usually kept things about his past to himself despite the red text making this action pointless. Hex couldn't blame him, though, as he was essentially traumatized by the events back at Nevada, and was treated by a prisoner after he finally got out.

Although, he couldn't help but wonder, even though Tricky told him a little bit more about his past a few days ago and basically gained his trust.

Perhaps a little question would do. It usually reveals something about a person.

"So, what do you want for your birthday?" Hex asked.

Tricky seemed to have a reaction to the question. "Um, why are you asking this?" he asked.

There seemed to be a little more red text than before. It seemed like Tricky had an emotional response to that. From these red texts, It seems to be another one of those important days that reminds him of his friend…

However, Hex didn't want to say anything about these texts. It makes things awkward.

"Well, I was just wondering," Hex answered as if he didn't see these texts. Besides, It's kind of the truth.

"Um, I would like some glasses. I think my sight is degrading without the drive," Tricky answered. "Otherwise, a simple hotdog should do," he added.

"I see! So, a hotdog and maybe some glasses," Hex listed out loud.

It seems like he is a humble person at heart, although he has some selfish wishes he knows that may not be fulfilled. A far cry from the insane psychopathic clown who loves killing people for the heck of it. He'd probably say the remains of the dead (especially the person who asked the question) if he was asked that question during that time. That's how shocking all of this is.

Wait a minute…

"Now that I think about it, when is your birthday?" Hex asked.

"…today," Tricky said in a sad tone.

That… explains everything.

"Oh, really!?" Hex gasped in shock. "Oh dear, you should have told me earlier! I could have prepared a gift a long time ago!" Hex exclaimed. "Hold on a second, Tricks! I'll invite my friends and get you a present!" he yelled as he prepared to leave the house.

In response, Tricky looked at the robot with puppy-dog eyes, pleading for him to stay.

'Oh yeah, there has to be a reason why he didn't tell me about that until today,' Hex thought. 'And he needs me for comfort.'

And so, Hex and Tricky, alongside Whitty and Carol, went out shopping for gifts for the little clown.

"So, we need some glasses and a hotdog," Whitty recapped. "Is that right?"

"Yeah!" Hex confirmed. "I dunno if he's ever going to need the glasses, considering his mask is on the way and the drive's leftover powers improving his eyesight, but if this is what he wants, then I'll give him what he wants! He deserved it, after all."

"Aren't you spoiling him a little bit?" Carol asked.

"Well yeah, but at least I don't fulfill his request to kill, well, you-know-who," Hex said. "Or, well, anyone, as a matter of fact."

Tricky seemed to pout at the statement.

"Hey, at least you have those games I bought for you," Hex pointed out.

"But pressing a button isn't the same as killing…" Tricky complained.

"You'll get used to it," Hex said. "Besides, I'm thinking of buying you a VR set!"

Tricky seemed to be excited upon hearing that.

Eventually, they reached an eye clinic. When the group was about to enter, Hex stopped.

"Hex? Why did you stop?" Whitty asked.

"Well, there is something I was about to ask first," Hex answered. He then leaned down to Tricky's level. "Hey Tricks, do you truly want prescription glasses?" he then asked.

"…yeah," Tricky answered. "I don't want anyone to see underneath my mask, though…"

"Hey, I think they'll understand," Hex reassured the little clown, patting his head. "Plus, I'll be there," he added.

And so, they entered the clinic.

"Can you do the vision test without removing his mask? He doesn't like it when his face is seen," Hex asked when he saw Tricky hiding from the person conducting the test, red text suggesting that he doesn't trust them, suggesting some sort of social anxiety. Is it something that manifested thanks to the trauma he endured? Or was it there before everything went horribly wrong? Hex didn't know, but he couldn't help but wonder.

"Of course," the staff answered.

And, while difficult, they found a middle ground: putting the testing glasses underneath the mask.

However, Tricky couldn't help but feel nervous about all of this.

"Hex?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm… scared," Tricky said. "I'm scared that something might go terribly wrong, and, and I don't want a repeat of that day ever again."

"Hey, hey, don't say that," Hex said in a soothing tone. "Everything is going to be alright. I'll be here with you all the way, and Whitts and Carol will be there too."

Tricky doesn't seem to be completely convinced, but at least it's a start.

"Hey, do you remember the technique I taught you?" Hex asked.

Breathe in, breathe out. That's what Hex told Tricky to do if he feels stressed to calm down. It doesn't immediately work, but Hex will be there to help him.

The clown did exactly that. Breathe in, breathe out. Slowly and deeply. He repeated that a few times until he was calm again.

Eventually, the red text disappeared completely, indicating a sense of calmness.

"…ok. I think I'm ready."

Surprisingly, everything went well. Tricky listened to what the testers were saying, and, well, nothing went wrong. There are no interruptions, no explosions, no ambushes, no… nothing.

It's just an eye test, and nothing else, after all.

And then there are the frames for the glasses.

Watching the little clown look through the admittedly huge catalog of glasses frames like a little child looking through a batch of toys, Hex couldn't help but feel a fuzzy feeling within. He's proud that Tricky went through everything without a breakdown happening.

While he still didn't know the whole story, Hex knows enough to know that Tricky suffered from a lot of horrible things, including being a prisoner of a corporation that hurt him and, on a smaller scale, Hex.

Usually, Hex doesn't hold grudges, nor wishes death to anyone, but he wishes that the corporation goes bankrupt and its higher-ups are properly punished for their mistreatment, which is saying something. At least he didn't wish they were dead, as they are demons, and thus, are already dead. Probably.

However, he couldn't do it right now. He has to wait until the time is right. He will then gather his friends and try to take the corporation down, one branch at a time.

But for now, he needs to wait, and while he waits, he is currently enjoying the present while he can.

Because really, they deserved it after everything they have suffered from that corporation's hands.

It may seem like Tricky finally picked a frame. It's a simple black frame that is square-shaped.

"This one, please?" Tricky said, showing it to the person on the counter. It seems like the little clown is starting to return to his bouncy self again.

"Sure!"

And so, Tricky got some brand new glasses.

"Um, I'm sorry to interrupt, but are you going to wear that even though you don't like to remove your mask?" Whitty asked.

"He only does that when no one's looking, remember?" Carol reminded.

"Oh, right."

After buying a bunch of hotdogs and some ingredients for the buns (Hex loves baking, you see), the group went their separate ways and returned home.

Hex is currently baking buns for the hotdogs, while Tricky is eating ones that were bought from the local hotdog stand.

However, he doesn't seem to be happy.

"Um, Tricks?" Hex asked. "What's wrong?"

"…a lot of thinking," Tricky answered.

Gleaning through the red texts, Hex can see that usually, this day is a joyous day where he celebrates alongside his friend. However, he had to stop in order to save Nevada from a threat… which he turned into his personal toy.

Hex knew what that referred to, but he does not want to make a comment about that.

Adding the fact that he was imprisoned by IRIS for who knows how long, Hex couldn't help but feel bad for him. He couldn't properly celebrate his own birthday anymore. And even if he did, he celebrated that alone.

"Hey, whatever is going on, it's going to be ok. They can't hurt you anymore," Hex said. "Plus, you got a gift from all of that, after all of these years, right?"

"Y-Yeah… I guess you're right."

Tricky held on to his mask, lifting it up to remove it, but he stopped, putting it back. Oh yeah, Hex is there.

It looks like the robot noticed this.

"Do you want to try out the glasses?" Hex asked.

"Yeah," Tricky nodded.

Hex saw him without his mask a few times when he was trying to rescue the clown from that corporation. The first time he saw it, he saw a depraved monster that has been denied its prey for who knows how long, finally finding said prey, and ready to kill.

And kill he did.

That event was burned in Hex's memory due to its… brutality. It certainly left an impression in the robot's memory despite hiding away at the time and only seeing glimpses of the massacre. He became scared of the little clown ever since that.

But… that was the past. Hex saw that underneath that monstrous exterior was a scared person suffering from his past, driven insane by circumstances out of his control, but stayed strong to find happiness despite the conditions in the end, even if said happiness is pretty… gruesome.

In contrast, Tricky saw Hex as something he needed after all of these years during imprisonment: a friend, something the robot was built for. It helped that he was employed by a powerful entity called an… employer, to save the little clown.

Yeah, Hex wonders about their species name sometimes, thanks to the fact that employing people isn't what they all do.

Anyways, perhaps Tricky doesn't want Hex to see his face because he didn't want to be seen as a monster, risking their bond breaking. While some remnants still remain, he isn't that monster anymore.

But that's ok. Hex will be supporting him from the sidelines, even if it is something minor like his gender identity or something.

They are friends, after all. Inseparable friends, you might say.

"Hey, It's ok. I'll be there," Hex said. "You can also try them when I'm not looking."

"..." Tricky held on his mask. It looks like he wants to remove it, but he doesn't want to be seen.

"It's going to be ok, Tricky. You don't need to worry."

"IT'S GOING TO BE OK" "NO ONE ELSE WILL SEE IT" "YOU CAN TRUST HEX" the red text around him read as Tricky resolved his decision.

The little clown removed his mask, in all of his zombified glory. An open jaw with no lip, that sickly green rotting flesh, and those red piercing eyes that scared the heck out of the little robot.

It seemed to still scare the robot, but not as much anymore.

However, the robot felt that something was… different.

He doesn't look hostile at all, but rather, he looked scared of what the robot thought of him. And yet, Hex knew that Tricky is a friend in the end. A friend who wants nothing more than to have fun in life.

Tricky didn't need to remove what is essentially his safety blanket just so he could wear his glasses, but Hex couldn't help but be proud of him.

With these glasses on, Tricky looks a little more humane. Mature, perhaps.

"How… how do I look?" Tricky asked, voice trembling.

"You… you looked pretty dapper!" Hex praised. "You look more professional with those glasses!"

"R-Really? Thanks," Tricky said, feeling embarrassed yet glad.

"So, uh, movie time?" Hex asked.

"Yeah, movie time!" Tricky yelled in joy. He loves movies!

And so, they prepared a copy of a movie called "Return of the Insane Zombie Pirates from Hell ("Why is it 'pirates' instead of 'clowns'?" Tricky asked)", and watched it while mocking it for its stupidity and inaccuracies. Helps when you have a serial murder as your best friend!

…that sounded very wrong.

Unbeknownst of them, there is a certain Jesus-like ghost watching the movies alongside the duo. He also got a laugh out of it. It's beautiful.

I wonder, do you know why that date was chosen for the clown's birthday?