Pest Control
by Villicus

After inadvertently breaking into Carrie's household, Rob is offered a permanent place to stay in exchange for one small favor. A favor that suddenly sees him as part of an unlikely trio, initiated into a secret order of guardians protecting the world from an extradimensional threat.

Prologue

Rob's stomach growled.

He hugged himself and looked up at the night sky. Large, thick clouds were coming in like giant, amorphous beasts of the night, blocking out the light of the full moon above. Thunder echoed from beyond, distant and quiet at first, then erupting in a series of loud claps. It would start to rain soon, and Rob doubted he'd have time to return to the Watterson's basement.

His efforts today had been in vain, and he found himself empty-handed after what felt like twelve hours of chasing after the wind. Odd jobs, spare change, scraps of food — all had eluded him today, leaving a bad taste in his mouth.

He knew better than to sulk about it. It wasn't the first time the sun had gone down on him as he was wracked with pain from hunger, and it surely wouldn't be the last. He had already accepted that all this was mostly out of his control.

Doesn't make it suck any less, he thought to himself, gripping at his groaning stomach with a disfigured hand. He paused and shut his eye tightly, mentally willing the pain away from his senses, or at least trying his best to ignore it.

He sighed. In predicaments like these, he almost wished he was still stuck in that other place, where time had no effect on him, where he was free from the shackles of biological processes, where he was free from the crushing demands and burdens of life as a kid without friends or family.

Almost.

He shook his head, not letting himself dwell on that train of thought any further. He raised his head up high, forcing a reminder upon his thoughts, a reminder of what he had been through and what he had endured, a reminder of the day he had defied the universe and clung to life beyond the static void, holding on for all he was worth with every iota of his strength and will, just to escape. The sense of utter desperation and deep, resonant fear was still fresh in his mind as if it happened just moments ago, so real and vivid that he could not ever forget it for as long as he lived.

Against all odds, he made it out, and that was an accomplishment in and of itself, one that nobody else could ever hope to achieve.

A trace of a smirk formed on his face.

He had survived, and that was all that mattered. He would continue to survive, to fight with all of his being to make his mark upon the world, no matter how long or painful the road, even if only to spite the forces that put him in that other place. He would not only just survive, but live.

And when he saw something distinct against the unending sea of shadow and darkness that draped across the entire neighborhood, he almost believed that he could.

A large mansion stood in the distance, seemingly abandoned. He hastily made his way towards it with renewed vigor in his step, hoping to find it empty. The thought of having a bed to sleep in for once made him forget about his fruitless hunt for food.

He approached the house under the low hum of the falling rain, quietly climbed over the fence, and looked in the nearest window.

The dark, quiet and dilapidated rooms brought a smile to his face. He circled the house, peering in through the windows until he found a bedroom. He gingerly opened the window and quietly snuck inside, though he was fairly certain that he was alone. The room was in very poor condition, but that just reassured him that no one had been present for a very long time.

He dried himself off with the curtains and sighed in relief. He had a place to rest for tonight. Sitting down on the bed and hugging an old pillow, he found sleep.

And he would have slept soundly, had it not been for the loud guitar riffs that suddenly assaulted his eardrums.

Rob sat up with a jolt. "What in the…?"

Loud music thundered from the upper floor, reverberating through the walls and making it impossible for Rob to hear himself think.

"How in the world?" he asked himself. "I thought for sure this place was empty."

He got to his feet and went to investigate.

Shredding guitars, machine gun-like drums, and intense electronic synths accompanied a powerful bassline that shook him to the bone.

As he made his way up, he could hear screaming.

"Who the heck plays metal in the middle of the night?!" Rob muttered to himself as he approached the room where the music was coming from. The door was slightly open, and he peeked inside.

He squinted at what he saw. "Oh. You. Of course."

Inside was his former classmate, Carrie Krueger, the ghost. She was headbanging to the music and had her arms raised.

"Well, as long as she doesn't know I'm here, I can probably stay," Rob said to himself.

"Ahem."

Rob froze.

"What are you doing outside my daughter's bedroom?"

Rob slowly turned around and looked up at an elderly man with a trench coat. Or rather, a ghost in a trench coat, as he had the same ghost tail as Carrie.

"Trespassing in a ghost's home is very unwise, son," he said in a stern voice.

The ghost's hands started to glow.

"But peeping on my daughter is asking for a death wish. Would you like to explain yourself?"

Rob gulped as a threatening aura enveloped him, paralyzing him in fear. He stammered, "I… I… uh…"

The door opened, blasting Rob with music and making him wince.

"Dad?" Carrie asked. "What's going on? Who's this?"

The older ghost's glare never left the cyclops. "That is a very good question. And I hope we get an answer in the next five seconds. I'd hate to have to clean ectoplasm off the floor tonight."

Rob gulped again. "Ectoplasm?" he whimpered.

"Son, I'm not going to ask again. What are you doing in our home?"

"I—I, I thought it was an abandoned house! I didn't know, I swear! I just wanted a place to stay for tonight!"

His stomach growled again, making him clench his jaw in both embarrassment and anger. Why now? he thought.

The two ghosts looked at each other, then back at Rob. They remained silent, unnerving him further.

"M—my name is Rob," the boy added quickly. "I… I used to be your classmate, Carrie."

Carrie squinted at him. "You know me?"

"Yes. I…"

Carrie crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. Although memories of an incident involving a bus and a ticking briefcase stirred in her mind, she dismissed them and said, "But there hasn't even been anyone named Rob at Elmore Junior High for at least twenty years. And I definitely don't remember you."

Rob gulped. No lying out of this one. "I was… sent to a weird place that made everyone forget about me."

"What?"

Rob shut his eye and gritted his teeth. Even before he spoke, he knew how ridiculous that sounded.

He sighed. "Nevermind. You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

Carrie stared at her father.

"Try us," Vlad said to Rob, completely surprising him.

The ghost's hands stopped glowing, and he seemed to have a less hostile aura about him.

"My name is Vladus Lovus Lokowitchki. But you can call me Vlad for short."

He motioned to the stairs.

"Come downstairs. It seems we need to have a serious talk."

Gathered round an old table, Rob proceeded to tell his tale, or at least what he could remember of it, while the two ghosts listened closely. Rob recounted everything he had done since his return: from his escape on the back of Mr Small's van, to hiding out in the Watterson's basement, to his efforts at surviving within Elmore completely by himself. He decided to leave out his newfound identity as Dr. Wrecker, however.

"A survivor from the Void," Vlad said, staring at Rob in awe. "Fascinating."

Rob felt a chill shoot up his spine when he heard "the Void." He was not pleased to learn that the place had an actual name. Its grip on him suddenly felt far more tangible and inescapable. He took a long sip of hot chocolate that had been provided for him, but it did nothing for the cryogenic frost he felt inside.

"Well, I guess that explains a lot," Carrie muttered. "I still can't believe that place is real."

"It is," Rob replied in a quiet voice. "It is very real."

Vlad took a deep breath. "I suppose I can't blame you too much for coming here for refuge."

Rob stood up, staring at his feet. He felt his hands form fists. "I'm sorry, sir. I'll go now, and I'll never come back, I promise."

He turned around and made his way to the exit. The roar of the rain outside rang loudly in his ears.

"Wait," Vlad said.

Rob stopped, looking over his shoulder.

Vlad put his hands together, attempting to sit back in his chair and phasing through it slightly. "I… I might have some work for you, if you are interested."

Carrie raised an eyebrow. "Huh? What work?"

"In exchange, you can stay here for as long as you want," Vlad continued.

"Dad, what are you talking about?" Carrie asked. A brief moment of silence passed and her one visible eye widened. "Wait, you don't mean—?"

"We need someone to investigate the pest reports, Carrie, and I have never been more certain that Rob here is fit for the job."

The ghost girl stared at her father in disbelief, mouth agape. "What!? You can't be serious!"

"I am deadly serious," Vlad replied. "Pun not intended."

"We can't drag a random nobody into this!" Carrie said, hurting Rob in a way that she could never imagine.

"Carrie, please," Vlad replied.

"What if he gets hurt, or worse?"

Rob gnashed his teeth. Anger filled every inch of his being.

"I'll do anything," Rob said, rushing up to the table, hands clenched in fury. "Whatever it is, I can do it!" He stared at Carrie, barely able to control his seething rage. "I am not a nobody."

Carrie looked at him, stunned. "I… I'm sorry for calling you—"

"I'm not as helpless as you think!" Rob snapped, jabbing a disfigured finger at her. "I survived the Void, what makes you think that whatever you need done holds a candle to—"

"Because what we need you to do is indirectly related to the Void," Vlad said, in the calmest and gentlest voice only a person of his age and experience could muster.

Despite the way he had said it, it felt like a bullet through Rob's chest, shattering his resolve. Fear and apprehension instantaneously displaced his anger, paralyzing him like a strike of lightning. He slowly turned to the older ghost with an eye wide open in shock, tacitly asking if he had heard correctly.

Despite their ethereal nature, Rob saw sympathy and understanding in Vlad's eyes.

But also — an unassailable seriousness and sternness.

A tense silence persisted.

"Weeeeell, looks like you've got it from here, dad," Carrie muttered. She quickly teleported away in a bright flash of flight. The loud music resumed upstairs.

Vlad stared at the cyclops for a moment, then sighed, setting his hands down on the table. "I need you to do something for me. It… could be nothing… or something very, very bad."

Rob remained silent, staring fearfully, his determination and drive sucked out of him as easily and as quickly as—

The Void had when it sucked him away.

Vlad continued, "I understand if you will refuse. But know that I am out of options, and I still firmly believe that you are the perfect choice for the task at hand."

Rob gulped repeatedly, his throat dry, making it a struggle to speak.

"... Why? Why me?"

Vlad looked back at him. "I mean no offense, but it is precisely because you are…" He paused, making a small circular gesture with his hand. "Relatively unknown."

Rob knew that Vlad deliberately avoided using the term nobody, and while the effort was appreciated, it still stung.

"So you need something done in secret?" Rob asked.

Vlad nodded. "It's nothing illegal, if you're worried about that. Just a simple task."

"How is the Void related to this?"

"I'll get to that. I should explain the situation first." Vlad squinted and pursed his lips. "If you choose to accept, that is."

Rob was silent for a few moments. "I want to know what's going on first."

Vlad nodded again and cleared his throat.

"Recently, people have been reporting sightings of a strange—well, more strange than usual—creature here in Elmore. Though like I said, it's probably nothing. Perhaps just another infestation of killer turtles."

"So do I have to extermina—er, relocate some turtles?"

"What? No, son. I have agents out and about following up on the reports already. What I want you to do is something far more important."

Rob was confused. "What do you mean?"

Vlad remained silent, staring at the table.

He took a deep breath. "Let's get this clear, Rob. If it turns out to be as bad as I fear, then this could be extremely dangerous, and either way, you must swear secrecy. Well, not really. I could always take control of you and that will ensure you never speak of it."

Rob choked. "What?"

"Oh, did I say that out loud?" Vlad said nonchalantly. "Anyway, I do have a story to tell you."

"… What does this have to do with—"

"This is where the Void comes in. May I continue?"

Rob shut his mouth, then nodded eagerly.

"Very good. Now…" Vlad floated to a nearby dusty shelf and retrieved an ancient-looking book. On the cover, Rob could make out the words "The History of the Valluta."

Blowing the dust off it and flipping it open, Vlad began to read. "Centuries ago, strange creatures appeared in the Underworld. Wicked, violent beasts that lay waste to everything, pouring from portals from another realm. Something we call... the Void."

Rob felt a lump in his throat, but remained silent. Just hearing that word now brought him dread.

Vlad concentrated for a moment, then muttered an incantation. Magical ringing filled the air, and the book began levitating in front of the two and projecting images of the "pests" for Rob to see. He saw creatures of various shapes, sizes and colors, noticing they looked like amalgamations of different animals smashed together, all equipped with an assortment of destructive claws, fangs, and appendages.

Vlad continued, "In order to combat and contain the threat of these pests, the order of the Valluta was formed. Sworn to uphold the balance and protect the world from these vicious monsters, collapsing their portals and staving off their soldiers, driving them back to wherever they came from."

A group of figures in black and white robes wielding various weapons replaced the pests. All had a symbol on their chests, that of a sideways angular 8 colored like a yin yang symbol.

Vlad closed the book, dispelling the visuals. "Centuries, Rob. We have been at war with these pests for centuries, even during"—he paused, his head bowed—"even when I became the Snatcher."

Before Rob could ask anything, Vlad shook his head and continued. "To this day neither side has gained advantage. It is balanced, you may say. And the world remains safe."

His voice turned grave. "Until now."

He looked Rob in the eye. "I want you to go to the Valluta outpost in the Underworld, and investigate the possibility of a monster escaping through their defenses. If you can do that, well, you can stay here for as long as you want."

Taking another deep breath, Vlad quietly added, "I'm afraid I cannot even ask you if you are ready or if you can handle this. You likely cannot, but the fate of the world is potentially at risk. You now know what is at stake. The final question is, will you do this?"

Rob's fists clenched. This was his chance. His opportunity to impact the world, and, just maybe, save it.

Or die trying.

His thoughts churned as he pondered his choices. If all this turned out to be nothing, he'd still have a place to finally call home.

And if it turned out to be the most dangerous threat that the world had yet to see, he'd probably get caught up in it eventually anyway.

He took a deep breath.

"I'll do it."

Vlad nodded, and took out a badge, a symbol of the Valluta, a sideways angular 8 colored black and white. "Welcome to the Valluta, Rob."

Vlad also produced a ring. "Take this. Wearing it will allow you to see a ghost at the docks, who will take you to the outpost. Find Tendeth. Report back to me once you are done."

Rob took the ring in his fist and stared at it for a while. He looked up. "I won't let you down."

Vlad nodded and returned to his chair. "You can spend the night here, I suppose." He pointed up at the ceiling, shaking violently from both the storm and the loud music thundering from Carrie's room. "If you can sleep through that, anyway."

"I think I'll find a way," Rob replied. "Thank you, sir."

With that, Vlad took Rob to another room, in much better condition than the previous one, and more importantly, far away from Carrie's room. The older ghost bid him goodnight and phased through the walls, leaving him be for the time being.

With a heavy sigh, Rob pushed down the anxiety of the task awaiting him the next day. He could deal with it later.

All of that would come — later.

For now, he could rest easy.

It was the one night where Rob slept with a smile on his face.

Phase 1

Quiet Before the Swarm

Creatures from the Void have appeared in the Underworld, causing havoc and destruction unequaled by any threat seen before. The Valluta is formed, a secret order dedicated to containing this threat, but sightings of a strange creature have begun to spread in Elmore. Has a monster escaped despite the Valluta's efforts? A certain cyclops has agreed to assist with the investigation.

Coming Soon