Thanks go to Wingah, Doctah Sawbones, cassianaswindell123, Zack Frost, WhoWritesThisCrap, GMLxAwesome, I'mANervousWreck, 10burgers, Genowar, Acoolnamme, Nabzif, and Astreum!
Hope you guys enjoy the chapter I finished this one right under the wire before I had to leave for work lol. Next one should be up in two weeks!
Disclaimer: I do not own Undertale.
Anarchy wasn't hungry, but he ate anyway. He sat at the head of the kitchen table, scarlet eyes watching the eggs and hashbrowns that he picked at with his fork. He rested his chin on his fist, elbow propped up on the table. Carelessly he stabbed his fork into a few chunks of scrambled egg, bringing it up to his frown and opening his jaws.
"Does everything taste alright?" Mako asked, furrowing her brows at the sight of Anthony. He wasn't the most upbeat person, but he was usually more enthusiastic about eating. This made her concerned, and she smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry, I'm still not the greatest at cooking."
"No, everything tastes fine." Anarchy assured her simply, lifting his eyes to peer over at her. His bland expression really wasn't expressing much. "I'm just distracted. Guess I don't have much of an appetite this morning."
"Hm?" Mako tilted her head to the side, and in her sockets her pupils shifted to question marks. She pushed her empty plate forward some, giving her the room to lay her arm over the table. "What's got you distracted?"
"..." Anarchy squinted down at his food, and again the words of his mad jester crossed his mind. Angel's mortality? Wasting time? Anarchy could piece that one together, but he hardly liked the picture. Unfortunately, the more he thought about it, the more sense it made. Angel had made a lotta enemies in just the first six months prior to his battle with him. Anarchy couldn't imagine what that list looked like after all the years that had passed since then.
And, even though he was the second strongest in the multiverse, unlike Anthony, Angel was not invincible. Through all his power, Angel had maintained his mortality. And that meant... That meant...
Somebody could kill him before I get the chance.
A sudden metallic groan caught the attention of the table, even Anarchy raising his eyebrows some. He lifted his head, let his ruby orbs gloss over to his clenched fist and the mangled fork trapped within it. He grimaced some at his accident, slowly uncurling his fingers and turning his hand, letting the bent and twisted silverware tumble out of his grasp and onto the table. "... Oops."
"Uhh..." Max leaned back in his chair some, his semi-wide eyes trailing up from Anarchy's metallic victim to his troubled red eyes. Sweat drop making its way down the back of his head, Max scoffed a little nervously. "You good, Anthony..?"
"... I'm fine." Anarchy answered after a moment of hesitation, leaning back in his chair and glancing over to Max. Max just furrowed his brows with doubt however, noting just how... Subdued Anthony looked. He looked that way pretty often, actually. Medicated.
Anarchy's eyes darted over to Mako, feeling her bony hand rest itself on his arm. He felt the usual warmth from her touch, and he squinted defensively when he saw the worried tear drop shape her pupils had taken. But, then Anarchy shut his eyes, and he drew in a deep breath. The anger that bubbled beneath his surface cooled on his command, soothed some by Mako's caring touch. When he opened his eyes next, Anarchy flashed a small, hardly noticeable smile in attempt to reassure her. "I guess I've just got a lotta work ahead of me. It's... Stressful."
"Oh!" Mako's brow bones rose some at those words, and she sat up straight in her chair. She pulled her hand away from Anarchy's arm, instead taking hold of her chin. Thoughtfully she sat there for a moment or two, before a light bulb flicked on in her brain, and she perked up again. Her eyes darted over to Max all of a sudden, "Max, are you busy today?"
"Huh?" Max recoiled just a bit from her sudden questioning, arching a curious brow at her. But, then he relaxed, shaking his head. "Nope, it's gonna be a pretty easy day for me."
"Great!" Mako suddenly sat up, pushing her chair back away from the table and jumping right to her feet.
"Then lets help Anthony today!"
Chapter 57: Sixteen Tons
Or: The Iconic Basketball Scene
"Uhh..." Max and Anarchy exchanged glances, and they each saw the uncertainty written on the other's face. When the two of them looked back to Mako's smiling face, Max was the first to speak up. Scratching the back of his head, he debated. "Mako, I'm not sure Anthony would really want us out there bugging him while he's trying to work."
"..." Anarchy's eyes drifted back to his plate in contemplation, and his fingers clicked their nails quietly against the wood of the table. He knew both Mako and Max were watching him now, waiting for his opinion on the proposition. His first thought was a hard "No", but then he thought he should probably approach things a bit more delicately.
Now more so than in awhile, Anarchy wanted some peace and quiet. He had a lot of things he'd like to mull over, and plenty of feelings to sing loudly at the trees he would be chopping down. He was frustrated, after all. The way it seemed, he was running out of time to spend in this place. The real world was calling to him louder than ever before, but he wasn't ready to leave.
How could he be? He wasn't balanced yet. Or, at least, he wasn't sure if he was. He thought that his work and Mako's friendship would soothe the fury and the hatred within him, he thought it might help him view his need to kill Angel more as a duty and less as a vendetta. But his blood still boiled, even if his medication dulled the brutal desires that populated his imagination. He still saw that green eyed little boy every now and again, no matter how many projects he started and completed.
"... I just wish we could start over..."
... And it still hurt when he remembered that day, no matter how sweet Mako was to him. She couldn't understand after all, neither of them could. No one knew what it was like to be Anarchy other than Anarchy, of that he was certain. They didn't fully grasp what he was or how dangerous he was, if they did he was sure they would flee for the hills. Even Mako, who had seen his battle with Angel, must have lacked some understanding, right? How would she not be terrified of him if she had really seen all he'd done in that battle? Regrow limbs, summon kaijus, survive atomic blasts, almost collapse a cavern on several innocent people with an honest smile on his face...
"Because, I understood how much they both were hurting. I-I don't know how, I just... I could feel it."
... Even if his actions were the result of his misery, that did not excuse Anarchy of his sins. And if Mako believed otherwise, she was a fool. He was no victim, not anymore. But... Thinking back on Mako's words, perhaps she didn't lack understanding. In fact, she might have understood more than Anthony was giving her credit for. Her alleged empathy is what had piqued his interest in the first place, and yet Anthony had been too afraid of scaring her away to properly investigate. Now, he had a chance to spend more time with her and her brother.
He needed to learn more, and faster now that he was certain his days here were numbered. So, he pushed out his chair and stood in the same way that Mako had. He wrapped his hand around the corner of his plate and lifted it suddenly, turning it vertical over his wide open jaws and dumping all that remained on it past his lips. Mako giggled at this goofy display, while Max just stared bewildered.
Anarchy set his plate down, and he flashed a smile that showcased his pointed teeth. With a bit more life in his voice, he finally answered. "I could use all the hands I can get, actually. Thanks for the offer."
"Everything seems... Bigger." Was my brilliant analysis as the four of us wandered the sidewalk. My hands were buried in my pockets, head turning from side to side to explore the buildings that we walked between.
"Yo, isn't home supposed to seem smaller after you're gone for awhile?" MK questioned with a slight smirk, glancing over to me from his eye's corner.
"Don't think that rule applies to ever expanding metropolises, Monster Kid." Chara answered before I could, their own gaze not abandoning the shiny windows and skyscrapers that loomed in the distance. We hadn't quite made our way to that section of the city yet, still wandering past condos and apartment buildings.
Honestly, I wasn't sure how to feel about Ebbot City's expansion. I mean, it was certainly necessary, all of Monsterkind along with some of humanity was packed into this joint. But, I'd grown up in a big city, and uh... It sucked. Honestly, I figured that whenever this multiverse business was over, I'd like to have a little house out in the middle'a nowhere. Or, maybe just in a small neighborhood.
*Ifever, I think you mean.
Texty tried to sour my mood, but was vastly overpowered by the sight of the high school's basketball court. My eyes lit up the moment they landed on it; it'd all been redone! Cracked pavement was now perfectly level, old worn fabric nets were now stainless steel. The kinda metal nets that make that perfect ka-ching when you drain it just right, like even the hoop knew that shot was money.
"YOOOOOO!" I suddenly shouted, carelessly sprinting across the street. I raced right up to the fence in record time, and its chain links clanged as I pushed my hands against it.
"Yo, that's my line, haha!" Monster Kid objected, racing right across the street after me. Chara just arched a curious eyebrow, hands in their jacket pockets while they casually walked across the road after the two of us.
"Guys, there's a crosswalk like right over-..." Asriel gestured about ten feet down the road to the crosswalk, before his shoulders sank and he sighed. Wasn't a busy time of day anyway, and he figured both Chara and I could tank a car crash anyway. "Ah, forget it."
"Man, I haven't played basketball in..!" I trailed off, head darting from one shoulder to another while I tried to get a better look at the court through the chain links. When I tried to recall my last experience with the sport, an image quickly flashed in my brain. From half court I remember jumping back, shouting 'Kobe!' while I launched the ball right over Anarchy's head. Both Xander and Lexi's eyes followed the shot, and both of them couldn't help but laugh when it sailed right over the backboard and the fence behind it.
"..." I quieted down, but a small smile still crossed my lips at the recovery of that fond memory. I hardly ever thought about the good times we'd had in those days, everything usually seemed so dark and gloomy when I thought of my years in the gang. I was glad to remember the good times every now and again. With that in mind, I looked over my shoulder back at three of my best friends, and that sad smile grew into an excited smirk. "You know, there's four of us. That's enough for a game'a two on two."
"Well sure, but we don't have a ball." Asriel gave a light shrug, almost wincing at all the rain he'd just dropped on my parade. But, he was a little relieved and a little confused when my excitement didn't dull.
"There's a real easy fix to that one, A-Money." I winked an eye shut, pointing one finger gun at the goat prince. Meanwhile, the slits over the shoulders of my sweatshirt widened, ink filtering out from within. In just a few seconds I was flexing a pair of wings, and before anyone could object, they beat downwards, launching me into the sky.
"... So it looks like we're playing basketball." Chara crossed their arms over their chest, a small smirk pulling up the corner of their mouth.
"Cter calls you A-Money?" That's where MK's curiosity was, apparently. He glanced over to Asriel, but the goat prince just shook his head.
"He has literally never called me that until today." Asriel answered, shrugging and shaking his head. Chara walked by him, reaching up to pat him on the back while they made their way past him.
"You better put that height to good use, A-Money." They commented, nearly snerking at the dumb nickname while they wandered towards the gate of the fence. "You're on my team."
"Oh good it's catching on." Asriel said dryly, frowning some while MK walked past him too. The drake turned around to face him, walking backwards while he flashed Asriel his grin.
"Save the sour attitude for after me n' Cter whoop you, A-Money!"
I can't believe this is my day off. Max found himself thinking, his jaw clenched shut tight in mild strain while he hauled an armful of three pumpkins back towards Anarchy's barn. Their first chore had been finishing up Anthony's fall harvest, and that had taken up most of the morning.
Max was hardly an outdoorsy man, so he didn't really get how Anthony could preoccupy his entire life with this... Grunt work. And for what reason, anyway? Allegedly the man had some cash stored away, and this pile was so huge he had no use for any more money. So he didn't sell these crops, and he certainly couldn't eat all of them. But they disappeared after every harvest nonetheless. Apart from what was set aside for food, or the pumpkins Anthony had let Mako pick out to be carved for the upcoming Halloween.
Speaking of the outdoorsman and his sister, Max turned around after setting those pumpkins on a large table in Anthony's barn to spot the two of them standing in the middle of the carrot patch. Anthony had a basket in hand, which was half full of the orange vegetables. And as Mako squatted down to retrieve more from the dirt, her eyes caught a rustling within the bushes that lined the farming area.
With question marks in her sockets, she tilted her head curiously while she watched the leaves rustle and shift. Until finally, a little whiskered nose poked out, followed by two long ears and some innocent little eyes. This turned those question mark pupils to stars, and Mako exclaimed excitedly, "Bunny!"
"Bunny?" Anarchy repeated with a good bit of confusion in his tone. He turned to look over his shoulder, and he immediately arched a brow at the fluffy white mammal that was skeptically stepping out of the brush. That hardly added up; he hadn't seen one trace of any other living creature in his garden. There were no nibbles on his plants, not from rabbits or deer or even caterpillars. For whatever reason, Anthony was rarely confronted by many other animals. He guessed that's what happened when one reeked like a predator.
"C'mere lil' guy, it's okay." Mako assured the tiny creature, brushing a blue strand of hair back out of her face with one hand and offering a carrot with her other. The rabbit took a few skeptical bounds closer, and Anarchy watched its beady little eyes dart between himself and Mako. But, when Mako made another "c'mere" hand motion, it braved Anarchy's stare and bounded its way over to the skeleton girl.
"Aww..." Mako smiled sweetly while she scooped the docile creature up in her arms, feeding her carrot to it as one would feed a baby with a bottle. Some how, the wild animal had no issue with this, and that prompted Anarchy to tilt his head, further confusion growing on his face. "Aren't you just the sweetest?"
"You get a lotta rabbits out here?" Max questioned while he wandered back into ear shot. His hands in his pockets, he cast a curious glance Anarchy's way.
"I don't get any animals out here." Anarchy answered so absolutely that Max might have thought he was being sarcastic if it was anyone else. But he wasn't, and the proof was in his untouched crops. And Max didn't get it. He scanned the fields, and there were no fences. No traps, no signs of pesticides that he could see. Not that his eyes were trained for that sort of thing.
"You sure about that?" Max huffed with some amusement, pointing one finger towards Mako. She was happily tickling the tummy of her new rabbit friend, baby talking him all the while. The little ball of fluff seemed pretty happy about this break from nature's unforgiving cycle.
"Mako's essentially a Disney princess. Doesn't count." Anarchy answered casually, waving a hand to dismiss Max's doubts. Max chuckled some at Anthony's answer; he didn't know the lumberjack joked.
"You don't see animals out here?" Mako furrowed her brow bones over at Anthony, curious question marks shaping her pupils while she coddled the bunny in her arms like one would an infant. She beamed then, grinning suddenly. "I see them all the time! It's one of my favorite parts of living here."
"Yeah, even I see them around in the front yard and by the road pretty often." Max recalled, glancing over to Anarchy. He too seemed a little puzzled. With all the wildlife he'd spotted, it was a wonder Anthony's farm survived with its lack of defenses.
"I guess animals just don't like me." Anarchy answered with a casual shrug, not seeming to be particularly bothered by this. Mako, of course, was devastated by this assumption, and she immediately jumped into action.
"Well that can't be true!" Mako puffed out her nonexistent cheeks, stomping right up to Anarchy. He just arched a brow at her, because he hardly understood what about his statement upset her. "Animals like everybody!"
"That's definitely not true." Anarchy pointed out without the slightest hesitation, but it didn't deter Mako. She held out the bunny in her arms, pointing it's dumb, innocent face up at him.
"Here, take him! I'm sure he'll love you." Mako spoke with absolute certainty, and Anthony gave an exasperated sigh, because he was certain this creature would be terrified of him the moment it left Mako's grasp. Still, to appease the pushy, pint sized skeleton, Anarchy begrudgingly opened his hands and accepted the rabbit into them.
Mako carefully placed him in the calloused surface of Anthony's palms, and the bunny did not move. But, the moment she pulled her hands away, she gasped at the way the critter began squirming. It writhed and wriggled, squeaking fearfully while it tried to tumble its way out of The Anarchist's hands. Anarchy's powerful fingers kept it in place however, for fear of it falling and hurting itself. His red orbs glossed down to Mako, "Told'ja."
"Oh no!" Mako stepped closer, reaching up to rest one hand on Anthony's arm while she got a closer look at her terrified friend. But, the moment she touched The Anarchist, something changed. Again, the rabbit mellowed out. It quit squirming, and it's mortified squeaks became calm little chitters. Anarchy furrowed his brows at this display, all while Mako sighed with relief.
"See?" She smiled up at Anthony, not taking the warm bone of her hand from his bicep. He did not look at her however, his gaze transfixed on the small and weak creature that seemed perfectly comfortable in his grasp. And he slowly closed in his fingers, gently petting its soft fur. Mako wondered subconsciously if he was afraid he'd break the little critter, but she thought better of asking. Instead she said, "He just needed to get used to you!"
"..." Anthony remained silent, watching the bunny get perfectly comfortable in his blood soaked hands. He would have wondered why, how. But he already knew. His eyes glossed over to Mako's hand on his arm, and he paused for a moment longer. Then, finally, he gathered the rabbit in just one of his powerful hands, lowering the other. With his free hand, he thoughtlessly took hold of Mako's.
"Mweh?" Mako's sockets widened with surprise, and a light pink shade appeared on her cheek bones. Again her pupils took on the shapes of question marks, but the bottom dot of the symbols was not a circle, replaced a heart. Anarchy didn't really care to notice this, instead just walking towards the hedgerow. He lead Mako by the hand, and she quietly followed, pondering the gentle grip with which he held her hand. She wondered if he was afraid he'd break her, too.
Max watched the two of them with some curiosity and some concern, his eyes glossing between the both of their turned backs to their connected hands. This made him squint suspiciously, but he thought better of saying anything. Instead, he just watched as Anthony knelt in the dirt, not releasing Mako's hand until he set the rabbit back on the ground.
The bunny looked back up to the two of them, twitching its nose at them. Mako was certain he smiled at them, but Anarchy was certain he didn't. Either way, the fluffy critter turned and hopped back into the brush, and Anthony turned his head. He smiled over his shoulder at Mako, and she grinned wide, pupils taking on the shapes of stars.
"C'mon, whatchu got? Whatchu got?" I asked Asriel after he checked me the shiny new basketball I'd just dropped a few dollars on. I dribbled the ball back and forth between my legs, leaning from my left to my right to my left and back to my right, like I was trying to psyche Asriel out.
"Are you gonna do anything or just run your mouth all game?" Asriel snerked, smiling some at my goofy actions. I responded by suddenly jumping back, pulling the ball over my head, and shooting it right towards the hoop. All while proudly proclaiming,
"Fader!"
But, as the ball sailed perfectly on course over Asriel's head and towards the hoop, it was Chara who dived suddenly into the air. They hiked one hand up over their head, before smacking the ball back downwards like a volley ball. Asriel was quick to spin away from me, getting right in the ball's flight path and catching it in his paws.
But, as Asriel fired his shot up towards the hoop, MK was quick to jump up from the side, swatting the ball back towards the ground with the hook at the end of one of his wings, which had a cork placed over it to keep from popping the ball. I spun around Asriel, catching the ball under one hand and dribbling it up towards the hoop I was sprinting towards.
Chara stepped right into my path though, and whichever way I leaned to get around them they leaned first. Our eyes were locked and they were smirking. I recognized that look, it was the same competitive glare that they wore in our sparring matches. I guessed that basketball was kinda like a fight. At least, to me n' Chara it was. So, just like most of our fights, I decided to be annoying.
"Oh, oh!" I started bobbing my head back and forth, dribbling the ball between hands. I leaned from side to side, my expression rapidly shifting between a series of goofy expressions. "Which way am I gonna go? Which way am I gonna go?"
"You're not going anywhere." Chara assured me, not seeming particularly psyched out by my goofy ass. They did have years of experience with tolerating me and my antics. In fact, they smirked like they knew what I was doing, but I was sure they didn't. I cast a quick glance to Monster Kid, and I hoped that through the power of friendship he understood what I was thinking.
"SHAFABOOEY!" I suddenly exclaimed, bouncing the ball backwards between my legs. And just as I'd prayed, Monster Kid darted by behind me, catching the ball by wrapping his tail around it. Then, he jumped, and his wings beat, carrying him rapidly towards the basket. Me, Chara, and Asriel all watched in awe as his shadow traveled across each of us, and his tongue hung out the side of his mouth before he slam dunked the ball right into the hoop. The symphony of metallic clangs from the steel net punctuated this move perfectly.
"..." Things were quiet for a moment, the ball bouncing right over to Chara, who stopped it under their foot while Monster Kid dropped back onto the ground. Asriel walked up to be side by side with me, and he cast a curious glance my way from his eye's corner. "... Did you say "Shafabooey" when you passed the ball?"
I didn't say anything, instead just chuckling like an idiot and nodding my head yes. That made Asriel smile too, though it was a little begrudging. He spoke, and I chose to take his words as a compliment. "... You're one of a kind, Cter."
After they finished up in the garden, Anthony told them his two remaining tasks were cleaning up his barn and cutting firewood for the upcoming Winter. That was when Mako struck, revealed her ingenious master plan.
"I can handle cleaning up! Why don't you two go chop wood?"
Max and Anthony hardly ever hung out! Mako had deduced recently that while she was close to Anthony, her elder brother was not. She took the time to visit him in his barn, ask him about his day and his chores, she even invited him to spend time with her outside of his work. He didn't always accept; he was a busy man.
But Max didn't do any of that. In fact, Mako wondered if he even liked Anthony. But, that couldn't be it! The both of them just had garbage people skills! So, the only logical solution was to send them out alone into the woods to do manual labor together. That was a surefire way to bring anyone together. Now all she had to do was clean up while she waited for them to get back.
Mako took pride in how easily Anthony had trusted her with his private space, it must have meant he thought she was trustworthy. Not that it seemed like the man had much to hide, any question she'd ever asked him he'd answered honestly. But, she still didn't pry. She'd never asked him about the man she'd watched him fight on that mountain top. She didn't request to know the origin of any of the scars that detailed his body. Not because she thought he wouldn't answer, nor because she didn't want to know, but simply because she thought he would tell her when he was ready.
There was much she didn't know about Anthony. Who he really was, where he came from. All she really knew was that he was beyond dangerous. Whatever past Anthony had, it was certainly checkered. Mako could guess that the rage she'd watch him inflict upon The Angel and his friends that day had been taken out on others in the past, and she didn't think she was ready to know what had become of those people. She didn't like thinking about the extent of Anthony's powers, or what he'd used that strength for in the past.
What she focused on was the present. For whatever reason, Anthony had spared The Angel that he loathed so that day, and then he'd came here. And since then, he hadn't harmed a soul. He just worked quietly, kept his hands busy and his head empty. For one reason or another, Anthony The Anarchist, a man capable of and possibly responsible for some of the most heinous actions thinkable had come to this forest. He had laid down his crowbar, and he had chosen to create with his hands instead of destroy.
And that meant something to Mako. In fact, that meant everything. That was why she had lobbied so hard for moving in with him, that was why she constantly shared her KINDNESS with him. Because for whatever reason, Anthony had abandoned The Darkness. And now, she had the unique opportunity to show him the light.
She knew there was good in Anthony. She saw it in his eyes, heard it in his words. He was not an evil man. But he was in pain, and he was misguided. And if she could make him feel welcome and happy in this simple life, perhaps she could be certain that he would never return to whatever wicked life he lived before he came here. Then, he would never hurt anyone again. He would never hurt himself again.
Carefully, Mako wiped dust from the smooth, sapphire surface of the shield Anthony hung on his wall. She shined it until it sparkled, and then she took a step back to admire her handiwork. Somewhere in making sure all the dust was removed, she began admiring the craftsmanship of this shield. She couldn't help wondering what it meant to Anthony, what he knew of the Deltarune engraved in its face. The same symbol she'd seen burnt into the back of Anthony's mortal enemy.
The Angel. The Deltarune. The Anarchist. What did it all mean, Mako wondered. What had she gotten herself involved in by befriending Anthony? She dared not learn the stakes. If her courage faltered, if she came to fear Anthony, then all would be lost, and she would not be able to reach him anymore.
"I'm a hulking, ghostly white man with glowing red eyes. That doesn't sound very 'pretty' to me."
Fear. Mako thought it might have been what isolated Anthony from the world in the first place.
This was the most intense game of two on two I'd ever played. The conquest to reach 21 points first had led our teams on a brutal back and forth. Now, we stood in a tie game, an anxious silence enveloping the court while MK and Asriel stood across from one another. Further back, closer to the basket, Chara and I paced anxiously, Chara making it a point to stand between me and the other two.
And then, finally, Asriel checked the ball to MK, and life exploded back into the game. MK was quick to dribble, attempting to step by Asriel, who was having none of it. The goat prince darted in, snagging the ball out from under the drake's wing and instantly spinning around him. Before MK even had time to turn and guard Asriel, he was already launching a shot on an arch to the basket.
I wasn't having it though, immediately diving into the air and reaching up. I snagged the ball from the air, but the moment I landed Chara was guarding me. They held their arms out wide, leaning from side to side in attempt to keep me from passing the ball. But, I managed to fake them out, leaning to the right only to bounce the ball to the left, sending it launching to MK, who was rushing the basket.
Asriel trailing right behind him, Monster Kid was aware he wouldn't have time to shoot the moment he got the ball. He dribbled forward a few more steps to psyche Asriel out, before suddenly stopping, spinning right back around, and launching the ball back to me.
I had stepped back away from my previous place right under the basket, now standing at the free throw line. As I opened my hands to receive the ball however, Chara lunged in the way, snagging it for themself and immediately racing back towards the hoop. I sprinted after them, but they managed to remain just a step ahead of me.
Until finally, just as I managed to step ahead of them, Chara jumped into the air. I jumped after them, raising my hand up, but I was just too slow. They brought the ball crashing down, and the net released a satisfied ka-ching! as they dunked right in my face. And for just a moment, time seemed to stop there. Right as our game came to an end, and Chara scored themself the winning point.
... But, then time resumed, momentum carried through, and Chara slammed right into me. From my place in air, I had no balance, and I dropped right to the ground. I winced my eyes shut when I landed flat on my back, my ears catching the surprised gasps of MK and Asriel as well as the quiet bounces of the basketball tumbling further and further away.
When I started to open my eyes, I found that Chara was looming over me. It appeared that they'd maintained their footing after our collision, and I thought that was a good thing. We were about two steps from fulfilling an anime cliché that I had no desire to play out in front of my best friend and their brother. This thought clearly hadn't occurred to them though, because they were grinning from ear to ear while they leaned over me. With one hand they brushed a loose strand of hair behind their ear, the other extending to help me up. They almost sang, "I win."
They were so competitive it honestly cracked me up. I knew if I'd won they would have been at least moderately grumpy for the rest of the day, but now that they'd won their good mood was secured for the foreseeable future. That wasn't to say I'd let them win; me n' Monster Kid gave it our all! But, Chara and Asriel had won, and seeing Chara smile so much about it... I hardly minded this loss. I began reaching my hand up to take theirs, "Good game, Chara."
"Yeah! That was awesome!" MK's loud voice suddenly cut in, making Chara jump some. He brought his wing down, slapping them across the back to congratulate their victory. This, in combination with their surprised jump, knocked Chara right off balance. This - of course - sent them tumbling forward and right on top of me. Monster Kid recoiled some at this, his eyes widening. Then, he grinned sheepishly. "Uhh... Whoops. Ehehehe..."
". . ." Chara and I both stared wide eyed into one another's eyes, the tips of our noses centimeters apart. I could see that their face was starting to change to a shade of reddish pink, and I reckoned from the warm, pins and needles feeling in my own cheeks that I was getting red in the face too. I quickly tried to dismiss my own embarrassment, told myself that this wasn't weird. I mean, we'd been on top of one another before. Like, that one sparring match before we went and fought Hacker and Demon! Or, when they killed me that one time! And neither of those occasions were weird at all!
... Alright, that wasn't helping as much as I'd hoped it would. The fact of the matter was, I could feel their breath on my face. Almost the only thing I could see were those scarlet eyes. They didn't blink, and I didn't either. I wondered why they didn't move, were they waiting for me to? But, what could I do? They were on top of me, I couldn't do anything. I mean, I... Guess, if I were to lean in just a little more, I could...
"Uhh... Earth to Cter and Chara? You guys gonna get up or should we all lay on the pavement?"
Asriel's remark reminded us that there was in fact a world around us, and the both of us jumped like we'd been struck by lightning. Chara was quick to sit up, frantically scrambling off me on shaky limbs. I jumped up right after them, springing to my feet as if getting up faster would undo the suspicious amount of time Chara and I spent in that position. The moment we were standing, we each took one large step away from one another.
"... Uhh..." Asriel just stood there, his eyes glossing slowly between the two of us. We each smiled nervously when he looked at us, but that just made him furrow his brows more harshly, like he was getting even more suspicious of us. Finally, after a few second pause that dragged on for hours, Asriel took a deep breath. He was hesitant, but finally, he spoke. "... Alright, guys, I need to ask you a question."
"Uh, a question?" I repeated a little too quickly, forcing myself to laugh. "About what? H-how awesome we are at basketball?"
"... Is there," Again Asriel paused, like he couldn't even believe that he himself was about to ask this question. He pointed one finger out, slowly moving it between the both of us and drawing an imaginary line connecting Chara and I. "Something going on between you two..?"
*Hahahaha! Don'tcha just hate slice of life?
A march into the woods alone with a hulking lumberjack you hardly know. Not how Max liked to spend his spare time. Mako had made the suggestion that the two go off to do, and he quotes, "big tough boy stuff" in the woods. Right about then it clicked in Max's head. Breakfast, helping Anthony with chores? Mako had been trying to get Max to spend time with Anthony one on one, the sneaky little skelly.
Max was a little miffed that he'd been played by his younger sister, but he supposed knowing Anthony better wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. It might even quell some of Max's anxieties and suspicions. And, how hard could it be to make nice with a guy like Anthony?
"Soo... Do you, have any family?" Max's eyes glossed over to Anarchy, wincing with some doubt at his own attempt at small talk. Ice breakers weren't his strong suit.
"... Got a brother." Anthony answered after a moment of silent contemplation. His expression didn't shift in the slightest, he just kept wandering forward, ax slung over his shoulder. He decided to add, "But, we don't talk. He's kind of a dick."
"Oof..." Max muttered, grimacing some. He worried he'd soured Anthony's mood by bringing up family, but the albino woodsman was so inexpressive it was impossible to be sure. He scratched the back of his head, "I'm, sorry to hear that. That must be rough."
"Is what it is." Anthony answered calmly. He couldn't really afford to plague his thoughts with memories of Angel right now, the last thing he needed was to get pissed off while he was out here alone with Max. He'd probably end up accidentally scaring the shit out of him. So, he decided to change the subject. "What about you? You got any family besides Mako?"
"Yeah. My mom and dad, I guess." Max's eyes glossed over to the side, and he found himself carelessly examining the moss on the side of some stone while the two walked down the mowed path. Avoiding eye contact helped him continue. "But, my dad lives far away. And... Me n' my mom don't get along. At all."
"... Mn. Yeah, mom's are tough." Anarchy spoke after a moment of hesitation. He too found himself looking off to the side, examining some miscellaneous foliage. His thoughts drifted back to that strange dream he'd had all that time ago. The smiling face of his mother... "Me and my mom never saw eye to eye, either."
"Guess you don't really run away to live in the forest if you've got a good family situation, huh?" Max smiled a little, glancing over to Anarchy. He did feel a little better, knowing now that the two had something in common. Anarchy looked back at him, and he returned that smile.
Things were quiet for awhile after that, but it was a different kind of silence. More comfortable than the last. They made their way to a looming, dead tree. Its greyed limbs reached up to the sky, frozen in time. That was, until Anarchy's ax struck its base. Then it was shaking. For the first time in who knew how long the old tree moved, trembling and creaking as Anthony cleaved through its trunk.
Max stood a ways back, the ax he'd been given to help resting useless in his hands. He watched curiously as Anthony sliced effortlessly through the wood. It was like he'd thought, this task was childs play to the freakishly strong man he'd acquainted himself with. And finally, after a forth chop, the tree began to lean and stumble. That was when Anarchy lifted one leg, slamming his foot into the side of the severed trunk and assuring which direction it would fall in.
Safely, the tree plummeted downward away from both Anarchy and Max. But while it dropped, something obstructed its fall for a moment. Max squinted at a creaking sound, nearly immediately spotting the stray branch near the felled tree's peak, which had caught itself on a much stronger branch from another, living tree.
Creeeaaak..! SNAP!
And just like that, the tree was plummeting again. That wasn't Max's focus, however. No, he was way more preoccupied on the broken dead branch, which was flung right into the sky. It spun like a buzz saw on its arch, spiraling right down towards him. It reminded him of some childish memory. Water balloons and a slingshot. Something with his sister, maybe? It reminded him of a lot of things, actually. In the split second that the branch had launched itself at him with terminal velocity, almost all of his memories were suddenly flashing through his brain.
THUNK!
Back to reality.
Max blinked his eyes, flinching so hard that he tumbled back onto the ground. He yelped on his way down, suddenly free from the life that was flashing before his eyes and the paralyzing grip of The Reaper. He landed flat on his ass, leaning back on the backs of his hands. He felt the muddy leaves in his palms, felt the cold damp forest floor soak into his jeans. And while his body trembled with a sudden rush of adrenaline, his eyes drifted up to what now loomed in front of him.
"..." Silently, Anarchy stood with one outstretched arm, his back to Max. Blood streamed down this forearm, staining his sleeve and trickling in beautiful ruby streams down his pale fingers. It was such a familiar feeling, he thought. The feel of stabbing, brutal pain. The smell of his own blood. His crimson eyes glossed over, spotting the tree branch that went clean through his left forearm, chunks of his flesh and bone buried in the jagged spike of wood.
Max tried to speak, but the sudden whirl of feelings in him kept his voice quiet. It was all he could do to stammer silently to himself, watching with wide eyes as Anthony reached up with his good arm. He grabbed the branch with one powerful hand, and Max winced as he effortlessly tore wood from his own flesh like it was nothing more than a splinter.
"W-... What in the..?" Max managed to say, his eyes darting from the bleeding hole that he could see right through to Anarchy's bland expression. The Anarchist just sighed with some exasperation, and further shock settled into Max as he watched red begin to smoke from this brutal wound. What should have ruined Anthony's arm was... Healing! In seconds! By the time Max stumbled to his feet, it was like the gash had never been there at all.
"... If you've got any questions, ask away." Anarchy spoke after a pause, his back to Max. He stared straight ahead, and Max had no idea what he could have been pondering in that empty stare.
"... Listen, Anthony, you... Y-you've been nothing but good to me and my sister." His heart still racing in his chest, Max shifted uneasily on his shaky feet. His eyes glossed briefly to the blood stained wood Anthony clutched in his right hand, and they narrowed, before he lifted his gaze back to Anarchy's back. "You've given us a home free of any charge, you haven't overstepped a single boundary, and I'm pretty sure you just saved my life."
"But, still..! I've gotta know! For her safety and mine!" Max planted one hand on his chest, the whirl of uncertainty that he felt clear in his eyes. He leaned forward some, and so boldly he demanded to know. "Who are you?! What are you?!"
"..." Anarchy was silent. He turned his head slowly, and Max narrowed his eyes while he watched shadows slip unnaturally across his pale flesh. In fact, in the corners of his eyes, just beyond his line of sight, Max caught strange motions and twitches in the shadows that he couldn't identify. But he couldn't look there, because over his shoulder Anarchy was staring at Max with one paralyzing red eye. "... My full name is Anthony The Anarchist."
From his powerful hand, Anarchy dropped the blood smeared wood. He let it thud uselessly to the forest floor, all while his left hand curled into a fist. This smeared the streams of his own ichor over his own palm, soaked it into his skin. The eye that peered into Max's soul never blinked.
"And I am the most dangerous man alive."
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