Chapter description: Baldi finds the one who was calling for him! Meanwhile, Alex gets a rematch!
Extra description: Dia's school wants to go on a seemingly impromptu trip! Dave is on the fence about it!
Tags for this chapter:
demon Anatomy, Violence, mentions of character Consumption, Gun; Demon; Machine; and Tarwill Injuries
Tags for this extra:
a little Yelling & Instant Regret, no Hurt but all the Comfort, Powercouple Goals
13. The Fool And The Trickster
It didn't matter where he went, or where he searched. Whenever he was close to giving up, it would remind him. Whenever he opted to find his own way home, it called to him. Again, and again, and again - in an endless loop of stopping and starting.
He wasn't sure how long it'd been going on like this. Hours? No, he saw the Webspace turn to night, several times. He, unfortunately, never really kept count. The best he knew was days. Many days.
Those around him appeared more ambivalent, at least in comparison to the beginning. Or, something was preventing him from noticing. Memories were blurring together, into an incoherent mess. When did he go here? There? He couldn't tell.
He was simply lost. In what direction the exit was, he failed to surmise. He vaguely recalled trying to ask for help, a few times as a matter of fact, but the answers were gone.
Perhaps, he thought, if he found a high enough vantage point, he would start making some progress.
Baldi! Won't you come meet me?
And still, he heard the voice. It was of a high octave, gentle and sweet, soft and inviting. Persistent, all-encompassing, composed, despite it all. Most noticeable, however, was how compelling it was.
It grated on his nerves.
Finally, he blurted aloud, "I don't KNOW where you are!" Could it even hear him?
It quieted. The next few moments was a much-needed reprieve. He wished it didn't have to end.
Oh my! I'm so sorry! How rude of me. Allow me to show you the way.
He almost questioned how, but instead he turned, heading to a new destination. The journey itself was reduced to mere footnotes, as the goal was what mattered more.
A street, a few, Viktor's school. Right, the voice was at its loudest here. But if it wasn't Viktor (in fact, how could it? The two sounded nothing alike), then who?
Eventually, he was at a door, with a notice upon it. A secret waypoint to a hidden bunker below the building. No wonder he couldn't find the person. Though, the warning on said notice gave him some semblance of focus again.
"All authorized personnel must wear a helmet!" It read. Close by was a row of coat hangers, except they carried the supposedly required equipment. Maybe he should
You won't need it, trust me! You're Baldi; you can handle anything!
"You're sure about this…?"
Of course! I would never lie to you!
He was convinced in an instant. He opened the door, and stepped inside. The very building itself flashed with different locations, each more eerie than the next. But it didn't take long before he arrived.
The plain, white, curved walls closed in on him as he moved forward.
Almost there! Just turn where I say.
He was led to what looked a lot like a jail cell, and inside it was a man. Slightly taller than himself, brown hair and shoes, a magenta and white zigzag striped shirt, and lighter brown trousers.
"Baldi! There you are!" He called, his voice a perfect match, and just as serene. "It's so good to finally see you in the flesh! You must've come from such a long way… I know you've been concerned about getting back home, but don't worry; I know how!" He paused, humming in thought.
"First, however, I'd like to shake your hand," He continued, "Unfortunately, we can't really do that through the bars. Electric, you see. Down the hallway is a breaker. Just switch off the lever labeled '1', and set it to 'unlocked'! Simple as that!" As if guided by him, the professor followed every instruction, without a second thought.
Once he returned, the cell's door slid open, by its occupant. "Very good! Now then…" He cleared his throat, stepping forward, hand outstretched as promised. When his and Baldi's connected, he noticed that the grip was… Firm. A bit too firm.
"My name is Alex," He introduced himself, only for his words to lower in pitch and distort. "And your form belongs to me." His mouth opened, in an unnatural way - as if it split his face into quadrants. Sharp teeth glimmered in the artificial light as Baldi was pulled in close. At mere centimeters from his head, Alex suddenly stopped.
"Wait. What? Is this some kind of fucking JOKE?!" He was roaring, releasing his hand but then choking him, held above the floor. "I SPENT ALL THIS TIME CALLING ONE HERE, AND THIS IS WHAT I GET?! SOME MODDED TUTOR BALDI?! WHAT A GODDAMN WASTE!"
The professor was thrown into the cell, hitting the back wall and collapsing to the cold floor. Alex's body began to change, legs and one arm turning dark red, insectoid in structure, and it made him even taller. The altered arm's hand became an iron scythe, sharp and dangerous. A second pair of eyes revealed themselves near the larger ones. He tore his shirt open, revealing
Something from deep inside Baldi's subconscious forced him to avert his gaze. It was too much.
With a growl, Alex commanded, "Stay there and rot. I don't need you."
The professor did not move. Alex sped off somewhere.
The fog cleared, and Baldi began to cough uncontrollably. Pain flared up in his hand, neck, and back. He struggled to an upright position, desperately trying to regain himself. When did he get here? What had he been doing? Where was the exit?
But, at least, for the first time in who knows how long, no one else was speaking in his mind. It was only him now. Whoever it was might've gotten tired of trying. He wouldn't say so aloud, but he didn't miss it.
Attempting to look into things, he noticed the time. 7:34 PM. He could see the date, as well - goodness, it's been over a month since he was last able to check, from back home.
Home… Surely, without him, his game would've long ago gotten unstable, if not crashed. Perhaps everyone found a workaround. They're all so clever, of course they would've figured something out!
Then, he remembered Dia, and his words about going places. Maybe if he managed to leave this… Webspace, and was able to show just how badly he wanted to return to Player's PC, one of those buses will take him right to it, somehow.
God, he hoped that's how it worked.
How was Dia, anyway? Even if Dave wasn't treating him kindly, what could Baldi do, if he couldn't save himself? Was it any of his business?
These thoughts, amongst many others, played out as he searched for an exit, pace unsteady from the wounds. Luckily, it didn't last for very long. It took a few minutes of wandering, but he found a portal. With no other choice, he stepped through it.
He vaguely recalled this area, as the second floor of Viktor's… It was a school, wasn't it? As it did before, an unpleasant aura enveloped this place, but he did his best to ignore it. He was happy to take the smallest bit of familiarity, and use it to get himself out of here
Or he would've, if the sights and sounds weren't so chock-full of panic and screams. Instead, he covered his supposed ears, trying to adjust to the sudden volume change. The other area had been silent, but now…
From the floors above, people were in a frenzy. Below, orders were being shouted. And on this one, unmistakable violence. Cackling.
From the voice who had spoken to him in the beginning of all this.
Wait. Oh no. Baldi remembered.
He caused this.
And if the others found him, the consequences would surely be dire. He could try to explain his side of the story, but it was more than plausible that they'd turn on him for releasing a monster.
"Catch me if you can, fuckers!" Alex shouted, shattering a glass window afterward. It was easy to assume he just escaped the building.
"The target made a break for it. Surround him! Show no mercy!" A chorus of the same, feminine voice. Laura, right?
"Where's Marzia? Alice and Tiara? Erie?" Even… Viktor, sounded rustled by the events unfolding. "What bad timing…"
"Sir, there's always… Plan B." A person Baldi didn't recognize suggested. Whilst listening to the conversation, he started looking for an exit, trying to not get too close to their locations.
"No, I fired him! I'd have Hell to pay if I did that!"
"Plan C?"
"Out of the question. We just brought them back; we cannot, under any circumstances, allow them to seek him out!"
"Plan… BB?" This time, Viktor groaned.
"Now you're just making shit up. Not the time for this."
"Mr. Strobovski! Mrs.' Erie and Freudenmacher are at their home! It seems to be Alex's projected destination!" Another person reported. Then, there was a pause.
"That son of a bitch," Viktor spoke in realization, "He's going after us one by one. Please tell me Scrina isn't out there too."
"Correct! She is at Candice's schoolhouse!"
"Thank fuck." For the moment, he seemed relieved.
The professor found the stairwell. Not much further to go, he figured. However, two people were descending from above, so he darted out of sight. Both were women, the first having a pink dress and long, blonde hair, and the other had a gray suit, no arms, and a face that he just couldn't bear looking at.
Apparently, a few fangames had gone with the traditional horror angle.
"Viktor!" The latter called, in greeting. Baldi took the opportunity to get out of hiding.
"Ah, Marzia, good to see you. I think we have time to intercept him, he's gone to-"
Angell (VLANGELLICA)
Yes, we know. Go ahead and do so.
In the meantime, I'll handle our visitor.
Or should I say… Suspect.
This was said by the former, in a way that felt a bit familiar to the professor. Like the subtitling in Plus, but not really. A quick glance revealed it to be a chat system.
"'Our suspect'?" Viktor echoed, "Oh, you believe you know how Alex escaped?" They were catching on. He had to hurry. Baldi was turning for the rest of the flight to the ground floor, but found himself surrounded by an assortment of characters. They weren't happy in the least bit.
He was frozen in his tracks.
Angell (VLANGELLICA)
That I do.
Professor Baldimore.
Snapping out of it, he made a mad dash from the way he came. All the while, Viktor was in disbelief. "Impossible. Angell, there's no way he would do something like that. How could've he known where he was? Let alone how to free him? Hell, very few of us do!"
Angell (VLANGELLICA)
I saw him go into the bunker.
"Oh my God," A long sigh, as if Viktor's hand was covering his mouth. The characters gave chase, but the professor was able to outpace them. "Where is he now? There's got to be an explanation for this."
From afar, Baldi heard the shot of a pistol. Then, a searing burst of pain in his ankle. He couldn't stop himself from emitting a yell, collapsing to the floor.
Angell (VLANGELLICA)
Right there.
"What the f- Don't fucking kill him!"
Angell (VLANGELLICA)
It was just his leg, don't worry.
Couldn't you hear him trying to leave?
Baldi was heaving, holding onto his wound. He dared to try and stand, but failed miserably. He attempted pooling his resources to dull the immense agony, but it wasn't working. His PROTECT mode was trying to override him, but even that struggled and fizzled out. Had to be due to the bullet, but he wasn't able to focus on looking into it.
The least he was certain of, was that this gun had to have been designed for foes far stronger than he.
The characters were nearly upon him. He was done for. All he could do was brace himself. Then
"Back off! All of you! Jesus Christ, this isn't like years ago! You know better!" Viktor intercepted, keeping them at bay with… A woodcutter's axe. Once over, he faced him. "Are you alright, Professor? I'm so sorry. We're normally a lot more sensible."
Angell (VLANGELLICA)
I can't believe this. You're sympathizing with him?
That is a criminal you're talking to.
More people appeared, including… Marzia, and Angell, the latter giving a disgusted face as she held the weapon that injured him. Baldi couldn't decide if that was uncalled for, or if he should be impressed by her sheer accuracy. He had been at a full sprint, and yet…
Considering the situation, he decided on the second notion, but didn't mention it. In fact, he couldn't respond at all. Unable to withstand the shock and pain any longer, he fell over again and
Sleep.
In no time at all, Alex had massacred every Laura who tried to get in his way. Even in her Evil form, none stood a chance. Still, a few made for a decent meal, and unlike the Ms. Immortals of the past, this was much more substantial - as far as physical phantoms went.
Hum. He had more than enough to use her as a new disguise. It wasn't what he had in mind, but it would certainly help. He shifted, and carried on his way to where he was heading. The stupidly tall polymorph would be the most likely to ruin things, since the nosy bitch looked over more than just the necessary memories he had.
Well. He hoped she enjoyed the slasher material.
At the house, he strolled up to the front door and knocked. Not only was Erie here, but so was Alice. Good, a three-in-one. In fact, it was the history teacher who answered. "Hello, Laura! What brings you here?"
"This is an emergency," Alex mimicked Laura's voice and mannerisms, pretending to be on edge, "Alex has escaped. Please come outside immediately, he's almost here." Alice bought it, terror in her expression.
"We'll be right out." She acknowledged, going back to call for the librarian. In the meantime, Alex left the lawn to wait for them.
"Where's Viktor and Marzia? Why'd he only send Laura?" Erie was more suspicious of the ruse, but still joined her partner.
"Another important arrangement, I'm afraid." He fibbed further, leading the two away from the residence.
The librarian "hmm"ed in thought. "And what the fuck is more important than this?"
"No time to explain. Anyway, he should be nearby." Moments after, he was grabbed off the ground, meeting the squinting gaze of Erie.
"Sure is awfully quiet for an Alex attack, huh Laura?" Shit. He couldn't fool her. "Alice, Tiara. Let's slice him up." She promptly threw him out toward the open field, away from other folks. He rolled into a landing, true face and limbs appearing- except, of course, his missing arm.
An eye for an eye, Viktor. His number was coming real soon.
Swiftly, the two dames caught up with him, both battle-ready. But not for long. Even with only one scythe, he evaded and countered. Alice's pairs of claws missed him by a hair, while Erie's massive strength was wasted on their surroundings. At least, until the librarian barrelled into him with her wheel, sending him against a tree. But she didn't stop there, spinning it into his torso.
Goddamn, these fuckers sure liked rolling, didn't they?
In one go, and this disguise was almost in shreds. Fuck! But oh well, he had plenty more. Blocking out the pain of burning rubber, Alex reached out his scythe, slicing the attachment in half. Noticing, Erie pushed herself back, landing on legs that replaced what remained of it. Throwing the part aside, the demon considered his next appearance.
Hum… Yes, someone familiar. With that, he shifted a second time, into an Angellica he nabbed off of some Human's copy of Viktor's game. It was only a shame he missed the look on their face when the program came crashing down beyond repair.
"You… You twisted…!" Alice made the wrong call of letting it get to her. Alex went for her first. But somehow, she was blocking with her claws. Meanwhile, Erie was catching up to them.
The history teacher spoke again, but the tone and voice was very different. "Don't be so surprised, Alice. Of course he'd do this. He's trying to make us falter. What a cheap party trick." Curled to a fist, Alex was socked in the face, pushing him back. "How many other models do you have in there, huh? You're quite the collector, aren't you?"
"Tiara, focus!" Erie called, while Alex got his bearings and evaded. "Believe me, I want to give him a piece of my mind too!"
"I don't know if I can do this…" Alice murmured, then the attitude changed again.
"Then I will." Damn. It had only worked by a third, and even then, that wasn't a net positive. Of the two entities within Alice, Tiara was the bigger threat. Then with Erie not reactive at all, things weren't going in Alex's favor.
He needed to get rid of the nosy bitch first.
"Tough crowd." He cackled, returning to his standard-issue Alex form. Out of many. While the two opponents were distracted by it, Alex swung his blade and Erie fell to the ground, vertically sliced down the center. She finally stopped moving after that.
"ERIE! NO!" It was Alice who cried out in horror, and Alex turned to her, relishing in it.
"Oh, don't worry. You'll be joining her soon." He had a wide-set grin on his face, brows furrowed and eyes squinting.
"That does it," Tiara, on the other hand, was unruffled. "We need to regroup. Both of you get out of here. I'll buy us some time."
"Wait- No- Are you crazy?!" Then, a Tarwill's mask obscured Alice's face.
"No." Tiara answered simply, before her entire body leaped out with the mask, like a pile of semi-fluid, semi-solid matter. Alice fell back from the excursion, but now appeared completely ordinary. The mass wiggled around as the female Tarwill's body revealed itself, along with all four of her arms, as per her rare mutation.
But already, her mask bore markings and patterns. With a yell, she added, "Go!"
Without waiting for an answer, Tiara leapt into the air, stretching her arms out. In reflex, Alex went to slice at them, but one went to his head, throwing him down into the grass, hard. The foliage was disgusting. By the time he managed to rise again, the other two were gone. Probably by doing that one thing from a while back.
No matter. If Viktor's bitch wanted to die that badly, Alex would be more than happy to deliver.
She had landed, cracking her knuckles. All of them. The demon booked it, swinging his blade, but Tiara was unusually good at dodging. Unusually showy with her extra appendages.
Never before had he seen a Tiara who acted as such.
In response, one of them cracked like a whip, swiping at him. He managed to cut it off in time, but another was already reaching for him. Her icy cold claws sank deep into his shoulder, threatening to detach his only remaining scythe. He unleashed a growl, and all he could do was bite down, not letting go even after she relented with a hiss. No matter how unappetizing her Tarwill flesh was, he held on.
"A biter, are you? I wonder…" She then smirked, the arm growing in size. Too much, and…
He released, dropping back down to the ground. Even so, his mouth hurt. It wasn't wise to try that again.
"That's what I fucking thought," Tiara gave him an impish grin. "You know, I've heard so much about you, and sure, I was a part of those fights a looong time ago, but guess what?" Coming for him again, all three appendages grappled him. With the grace of a spinning top, he was whirled around, until she finally threw him into the air. He tried quickly to not get disoriented.
And yet, here she was again. "Against someone at your own power level? You're a joke. So you have to pick on those weaker than you. You have to siphon code and strength from them. Isn't that sad?" Two hands were put together to bludgeon him to the earth. He raised his arms to block, but the hit was unaffected. A small crater was made as a result.
She… Was actually beating him. All by herself. What fucking witchcraft was this?!
He huffed as he got up and leapt out. She sprinted for him again, her three remaining appendages ready to do him in. This time, he managed to hold them at bay.
"All for what? Because you think we're the ones who've gone soft?!" One of them managed to punch him again. "Wrong, bitch. It's called, 'character development'. Maybe you should learn about it!"
Dislodging their arms, he had an opening at last. As quick as he could, he sliced her in two. She fell in a heap, but unlike Erie's situation, the attack was horizontal, which left her conscious. Through it all, she still moved, sputtered, glared up at him.
Instead of trying to fight him more, she merely gabbed on. It was surprising how she was able to do so. "Nice try, dipshit. But even if you did kill me, you wouldn't be able to have me. If the mask goes, so does the AI. And I know you can't eat Tarwills. Your time's running out, Alex." A manic laugh escaped, through her coughs and gags. In her hand, appeared that device.
With another, she flipped him off, before disappearing.
Even in victory, she literally had the last laugh. Alex roared, in fury.
Extra: Operation Yellowstone
"A school trip? This weekend? That's… Tomorrow!" Dave read over the permission slip repeatedly, hoping to find any info that would prove him wrong. But no, it was exactly as stated. "'A month, maximum'? Look, Dia, I'm sure Miss Baldina has good intentions, but this feels a bit… Sudden, don't you think?"
"I guess," The young gem shrugged, but no doubt caught on. "I'm not s-sure if I should go, actually. The Internet and me? Don't exactly go like bread and butter." Then, he pulled an envelope from his inventory, handing it to Dave. "Oh, a-almost forgot. This one's just for you. Pre-tty weeeird!" The last part was stressed with a singsong tone.
It was untampered and sealed, meaning that Dia didn't try to give it a peek anyway. Not that he would've minded his curiosity. "Huh… Indeed." Dave opened it up, as the other turned away for his room.
"Welp, I'm gonna take that as a 'then you're staying here'," He tried to sound like Dave, "Anyway, I need a nap. The rain's been killing me!" Although it would've seemed like he took this strangely well, knowing what they do… No, it was perfectly in-line to how the young gem would've reacted.
What was more concerning was the sleeping. Every time, Dave was cautious about Alex returning to haunt either of their dreams. And while Dave had no need to, Dia was too young to stop. That was one of the few caveats of being a child character who's able to age to adulthood. One could argue that it'd be possible to avoid that, but none of them ever knew quite how.
Luckily, Dia didn't report any further encounters with the demon. But still, Dave remained on-guard, ready to wake him the second he hears anything distressing.
"No problem! Sleep well!" So, he acknowledged, then began to parse the enclosed letter.
Dear DAVE #82,
It has come to our attention that Alex has escaped from imprisonment over 48 hours ago, at the time of this notice's writing. In preparation of such an event, we have decided to undergo what we call, Operation Yellowstone. As explained in the permission slip, your child will be away from The Webspace for one (1) month, maximum. It is our hope that, after the allotted time, Alex will have been apprehended.
If you have any comments or concerns, please send all inquiries to my handle's DMs.
Best regards,
Miss Baldina
MISSBALDINA
Like before, he reread, over and over, hoping, begging, that this wasn't what he was being led to believe. Now, he most likely could've known about this in advance, but neither he nor Billy were much for looking over social media. At least, not often, anyway. Truth be told, he mostly played along when Denied mentioned the Baldi thing, as the situation called for it.
But this… Couldn't be ignored.
Retrieving his phone, he did just that, and at the very top of the feed, with a red and bold "URGENT", there it was.
Curfew recommendations, safety advice, latest sightings.
He was about to wonder why the merman didn't give a heads-up sooner, then realized when this was all publicized.
Ten. Minutes. Ago.
This changes everything. Baldina must've had greater intel on the situation, and Dave would be a buffoon to make Dia stay home. Even if his former student was reluctant, the least Dave could do was assure and encourage him. And who knows, this might be good for him. As always, his inner voice had ideas of what to say at the ready.
Oh, Dave's sure you'll be okay out there! When will you have a chance like this again? And what about your friends, aren't they going?
All of them sounded good.
As Dave continued contemplating, the belated-but-not-really "heads-up" came in.
MediterraneanWaves (DENIEDCELLAR) [3:29 PM]
ok this is not a drill, and i dont mean to scare ya guys
but alex broke out. some fuckin how
ill be fine, im sure he knows hes just askin for trouble if he tries any ocean commotion
but you know just. be careful?
Dave didn't hesitate to respond.
Dave_Oddity! (DAVE_82) [3:29 PM]
I heard. Dia's school has decided on a trip in order to keep the students safe.
I'm… Heavily considering having him go.
Then, a third person - Billy?! - added something. How? … Oh. It seems like this is a group kind of thing. In attendance was the three of them.
Well-Made_Account (BILLYLĖ) [3:30 PM]
That sounds impossible, but… It's real.
Thank you for letting me know. I will remain vigilant during this time of crisis.
Dave, if I may suggest: If the trip allows chaperones, go with him. We will be alright.
Now that he mentioned it… Yes, that is a viable option. Logically speaking, Billy has way too many of his selves to be threatened, and even if he did get hurt, Dave would help him through it when he could.
Or… Dave could stay. Prevent anything from happening. And Dia would still be safe, albeit without him. Which felt… Saddening, even in the knowledge that he wouldn't be alone.
Now the dilemma wasn't whether Dia should go or not, but rather, if Dave ought to join him. A chance to keep out of danger and bond, or rely on Baldina, her staff, and Dia's friends through this and focus on… This was so hard.
The conversation went on.
MediterraneanWaves (DENIEDCELLAR) [3:30 PM]
oh thats even better!
and i mean, worst case, i got room in the dome for some stragglers!
uncles sub too. hed understand
shit, viktor, why dont we make some safehouses in the ocean? the place is vast as hell!
omg gr8 idea denied!
Well-Made_Account (BILLYLĖ) [3:30 PM]
Quick! Someone give this man a medal!
MediterraneanWaves (DENIEDCELLAR) [3:30 PM]
right?
Well-Made_Account (BILLYLĖ) [3:31 PM]
In all seriousness, I do think that's a good idea, too.
It's either that, or try to hide, or risk it outside the domain.
Some may not care for the sea, but it's better than the alternatives.
MediterraneanWaves (DENIEDCELLAR) [3:31 PM]
yeah! and im sure thisll all blow over soon anyway
strobe bow ski and co are usually really on top of it
wouldnt it be kinda funny if they caught him tomorrow and baldina was like
"oh wow! ok kids, were goin home on monday!"
Well-Made_Account (BILLYLĖ) [3:32 PM]
It would, but I have doubts.
Why do something like this, if that's the expected outcome?
Here, Dave began replying again.
Dave_Oddity! (DAVE_82) [3:32 PM]
Because it's already been two days.
And every student and faculty member could be gone for as long as an entire month.
MediterraneanWaves (DENIEDCELLAR) [3:32 PM]
oh my fuckin god!
tf do you MEAN hes been on the loose for TWO DAYS?
are ya pullin my tail?
Dave_Oddity! (DAVE_82) [3:32 PM]
It was in her letter! I'm not making this up!
MediterraneanWaves (DENIEDCELLAR) [3:32 PM]
no no i believe YOU. i just dont believe THEM. how does this even HAPPEN?
in that case holy shit, absolutely get the hell outta here for a while
Dave_Oddity! (DAVE_82) [3:33 PM]
I would, but I feel like that wouldn't be fair to you two.
MediterraneanWaves (DENIEDCELLAR) [3:33 PM]
look i can see that, but i swear its fine
like when you come back, we can share stories! about how alex got his ass kicked, and how much fun you and dia had!
good times all around!
Dave_Oddity! (DAVE_82) [3:33 PM]
That does sound nice, but… No. I need to stay here.
I think I'm tired of running.
MediterraneanWaves (DENIEDCELLAR) [3:34 PM]
… uh…
Denied quieted after that. To be fair, that was a rather divisive choice of words. But it was a phrase he was fine with using. Though…
Dave_Oddity! (DAVE_82) [3:35 PM]
It's okay. You can say it.
Anyway, I'm sure you mean well, but don't forget that I too was an antagonist.
I'm stronger than I look, you know? And I'm so… So sick of him.
Sick of what he's done, of what he might do, and of every "next time" that there is.
I'm frankly reaching my limit here! If he were to show up right now, I'd…!
Dave paused, trying to calm down. He overheard a knock on his front door. "Dave? Are you home?" Billy. So that's why he stopped contributing. Though, Dave was sure he'd been reading along.
With more effort to compose himself, Dave said, "Yes, I'm here. Come in if you want." His partner did, approaching with a solemn face. He thought about what to say, most likely reflecting on Dave's DMed statements.
At last, he asked, tentatively, "Is this because of the dream?"
Oh God. He's right. "It was the final straw."
"Would you say he… Crossed the line?" Gone too far. At his limit. The final straw. Crossed the line. It was all the same. The pieces fell into place, and Dave uncorked.
"Yes he crossed the line! I'm so TIRED, consarnit! I. I want to go… BANANAS!" He panted, in an attempt to extinguish his rage. Then realized that he just yelled at Billy. He hid his face in shame. "Oh. Oh gosh. I'm sorry. I… I didn't mean to…"
Surprisingly, Billy knelt down and held him. Even for how tender it was, it still managed to help squeeze out his remaining anger. Dave returned the embrace, feeling tears peeking through his eyes.
"No need to worry," The well-made robot told him, still calmly, "I'll elaborate. If staying is what you want, I feel like you shouldn't have to face him alone. I know 'the line' was about Viktor, but in the case of Alex… Would it be possible to make an exception?"
"If he tries any tomfoolery with either of us, you mean?" Dave found himself asking, and he felt Billy nod.
"That's the idea."
"And to be absolutely, one hundred percent crystal clear…"
"We are not rescuing the other. We are working together." Dave found it in him to smile, hugging Billy closer, with a small laugh.
"'I love you. I really, really love you. So much.'" His Lithuanian was a lot better as of late, despite his natural accent still being present. But Billy minded not.
"'And I love you too, from the bottom of my heart.'" Okay, a bit mushy, but things already kind of were. The two pulled away, sharing a kiss. Then, Billy realized something, going back to English as he noted, "It seems that we've left Denied high and dry."
"Ah! You're right!" At the same time, Dave noticed some colorful reflections appear. Gracious, he woke up Dia.
The two faced the bleary-eyed young gem. "Are you guys, like… Okay?"
"Go ahead and tell him. I'll take care of Denied." Billy assured lightly, rising. With a nod, Dave did.
More info:
- For those who haven't read the Save The Game AU (I recommend it! Time For Plus in particular has more context about certain things), Baldi has an elevatable PURPOSE too! GUIDE, to PROTECT. The latter occurs when he or someone else is in danger. As labelled, it would help overcome threats, without violence
- The ability of "looking into things" means finding/reading data, whether code or files. Technically a lot of the fangame folks can do the same, but just don't know of it. Not all, of course!
- Certain imagery disturbs him
- He also lacks a high pain tolerance. Too much of it, and he passes out
- Player is his "Player" equivalent- okay yeah that's a little redundant nevermind
- He would be relieved to know that Dia and Dave share a much healthier relationship now compared to when Dia last knew him. At least, Dave has shown to have become better, and Dia is trying to believe in it
- Funfact, I was listening to this chapter through a read aloud TTS while editing, and used the one that was the base for Viktor's voice (US English Joey). At the line "Goddamn, these fuckers sure liked rolling, didn't they?", I heard something different. It still makes me laugh
- I am aware that his wiki page mentions "George" and its site attachment, but US English George and Amazon's US English Joey sound exactly the same, so I will be using the latter when referring to it
- Angell has an extremely sharp aim. She is absolutely to be feared with that pistol
- It was actually meant for Alex, but works well against a lot of other targets
- Laura has many selves, and act similarly to Billy's circumstance. But she is organic, so if one goes out, she cannot simply get repairs. She can get them healed, however
- The ones Alex consumed are gone forever, unfortunately
- Alice never liked fighting or killing much. In fact, Tiara usually handles most of it
- I literally have no basis for what Tiara is like, or the full extent of her skills, so I did my best. Specifically, she no longer minds having to leave Alice's body when necessary
- [12/28/2022] I just looked at Viktor's wiki page and learned that only he would've been able to grow/change mass (shown here, arm extending). I guess all I will say on this matter, is that perhaps she managed to get those specific techniques. From another self who did already, or before the Webspace, or whilst in it. I'm not sure which
- It is also said that Tarwills are at their most powerful when they're, well, themselves. I can imagine what may happen if Viktor did the same…
- Erie's situation feels confusing to me. An organic polymorph who can become anything if she has the DNA for it, but usually is in the form of a robot. But the wiki describes it as being inside a robot suit. Is she some morphy blob in there?! So I went, okay, just a robot. At least, until I have a clearer idea…
- Operation "Yellowstone" refers to the national park of the same name. Google Earth and virtual tours make traversing digital Earth spaces possible
- Dave has officially reached the point of wrath. Local angry engineer wants to flip a table
- Billy suggesting to expand 'the line' isn't to ensure Dave doesn't get hurt. It really is just an offer to team up and fight their enemy. Basically a "Powercouple" thing
- Dia's begun to open up a little more overall. One step at a time, but he's getting to a point of trusting Dave
- He awoke from the yelling and eavesdropped, so he knows the real issue at hand. He does that a lot
- Denied, having caught up, laughing: "Well, don't let me third wheel this shit! Have fun on your Alex Smackdown date!"
Billy, trying not to: "Thank you. We will."
Dave, later: "... I'm writing that down."
Denied, wheezing: "LMAO I swear to GOD you GUYS-"