With the exception of the glow from a single wall panel, the entire room was pitch black. Not a single window. No cracked doors for the light to seep through. Just darkness.

It was the perfect place for a long, refreshing night of sleep. The lump hidden under the covers would certainly agree to that.

Or, at least, that's the impression this scene would've given until an alarm launched into a fit of noise. Every bulb in the room flashed on in perfect unison. 7:00 AM had arrived, and it was time for the technological paradise to shift back into action.

The figure shifted ever-so-slightly, letting out only the slightest of groans. Their fingers gripped the edge of the blanket and pulled it in tighter, doing all in their power to not acknowledge the outside world.

The alarm rang for another long minute, then silence.

However, this reprieve didn't last for more than a few moments. Soon afterwards, a loud CLANG CLANG CLANG echoed down hallway. Metal struck metal, three strikes per door, and a gruff voice called out. "GET UP, GET OUT, GET MOVING! YOU'RE HERE TO WORK, NOT SLEEP, YOU LAZY FOURTH-RATES! IF YOU DON'T WORK, YOU WON'T EAT, SO GET TO IT!"

The offender continued his tirade, coming ever closer. A single Elite X-Naut was trudging down the corridor, showing his love to his pitiful juniors by mercilessly slamming a frying pan into their doors and, basically, by giving them a jumpstart to their most likely horrible day.

"Buh... ugh..." the snoozing X-Naut moaned as he buried his face into his pillow.

If I ignore it, it'll go away. Cannot see it, cannot see me, that's riiiight...

The sound continued on past his room, only to stop and begin coming back the other way. Before the lump knew it, the banging was conveniently centered on his door.

"Do you hear me in there!? Make sure you get up this time!" the Elite bellowed impatiently. The lump visibly cringed. Apparently word of his track record was starting to get around to the officers… and yet, he still couldn't quite muster up the energy to actually care. Dull, longing thoughts of continuing his rest floated through his mind. His arms and legs felt far, far too weighty to bother moving them much of anywhere.

"Respond, soldier, or I'm coming in!"

"I'm awaaaaake…" the figure drawled. It was an automatic response at best, filled with vigor rivaling that of a corpse.

A small "hmph" could be heard from the other side of the door as the Elite scribbled something on a clipboard. "You'd better be, X-Naut! I don't want to hear about you being tardy again, got that, you maggot!? Get to it!" And with that, the Elite resumed his march, undoubtedly off to bother some other poor chump.

Ignoring the hustle and bustle of other newly awakened X-Nauts moving about outside, the unit's occupant settled into a deep slumber once more.

Crump was sleeping. Sleeping made him happy.

When someone RUDELY began pounding on his door for the second time that morning... well, that didn't make him happy. Not at all, really.

"X-Naut! Open this door, right this moment!"

"Oh, shut up already, you self-important blowhard! I got you the first time! Come on, my guy, take a chill pill for once in your life..." He slammed his hand against his pillow in frustration. Didn't this dude have literally anything better to do than to walk around and screech like a banshee all day long? Get a hobby, anything. Head out to Earth for a few minutes and touch some grass.

"I... what!? WHAT did you just say!?"

"I said SHUT UP! You're crazy annoying! Nobody even likes you! So why don't you shove it, like, yesterday!?"

"Y-you... I ABSOLUTELY will NOT take this! Cease your ridiculous blathering and open this door before I force it open myself!"

"Whatever, keep your pants on..." He looked over at the clock again.

1:05 P.M. Yes, 1:05 P.M.

Well, crud.

"I'm warning you, my patience has limits, and you are THIS close to crossing the line!" The man behind the door seethed, his voice dripping with contempt. Crump's breath stopped in his throat. In his earlier rage, hadn't really been listening to what the person behind the door had been saying, so he only realized it now. He knew that voice. The owner of that voice… was not who he initially thought it was.

Well, double crud. Triple crud. Crud to the infinity, screw my life.

Crump carefully inched over to the door. There was no escaping the horror that waited there.

Goodbye, world... You were good to me while it lasted. Except, wait, you weren't.

Suddenly, a jolt of electricity shot through the lock, causing Crump to jump back. The door clicked and shot open. A tall X-Naut clothed in a long, purple robe and a black cape peeked in, looking around the room. A red piece of material with a white X on it hung down the front of his uniform and a white cloth wrapped around his neck. The traditional goggles and hat rested upon his head. However, the most unmissable thing about him was his massive sense of superiority, which floated around him like a cloud wherever he walked.

A look of disgust overtook over him when he laid eyes upon Crump.

"Uh, fancy seeing you this wonderful morning, Grodus... Buh... Buh huh..." Crump chuckled lightly.

"Crump. It's already one."

"Well, yeah, but... Hey, Grodus! You look GREAT today! Just like you always do!"

"I don't know about that. Based upon the way you were speaking just before, it appears others find me rather unpleasant… Is that not correct, Crump? Were you perhaps expecting someone else, hmmmm?"

"Buh... about that..."

"Enough. I don't have time for this nonsense." Grodus crossed his arms in front of his body, using his extra height as a weapon. Now, Crump was a bit taller than your average X-Naut, but compared to Grodus (who was, by Crump's definition, a freak of nature), he was still your simple shrimp.

Crump really didn't like this guy.

"Now, WHAT exactly are you doing here?" Grodus sneered. "Your shift started hours ago. ...Actually, don't even bother answering that question." He stared over at the unmade bedding.

"It's not what you're thinking. Really."

"Oh? Then what is it, I do wonder?"

"Well, you see, oh exalted Grodus..."

Grodus only stared blankly, clearly unimpressed.

"...I felt pretty sick, and thought it might be a good idea to stay here. But I feel better now." Crump wiped his hand across his forehead for added effect. "I'm still feeling a little extra warm, though. Do you think it would be an okay idea for me to get the rest of the day off? Sure it is, right? You've got plenty of guys, what's the loss of one? So, buh-bye, have a good day!" He turned back to face within his humble abode.

"Ah, yes, of course... not," Grodus scoffed. "Now, come. You're wasting my precious time and yours. Get going."

Crump sighed. "Um… I guess I'll head outta here, then… Gotta go clean those toilets… and do all that other stuff totally exciting stuff." He walked out into the hallway and began marching toward the exit.

"Hold on for a moment!" Grodus called after him.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm going!"

"No, you imbecile! Hold it!" Grodus commanded, pointing his finger at the younger X-Naut.

Crump spun around and threw his arms up in the air. "BANG!"

"Honestly, what... just LOOK at what you're wearing!"

What's the problem? I'm only wearing... pajamas... shoot. Crump lowered his arms for just a split second before striking a not-so-alluring pose for his baffled boss. "Oooh, I gotcha. You wanna see me in a sexy red jumpsuit, right?"

Instinctively, Grodus jerked backwards slightly. "...Just... go."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm on it... Your wish is my command or whatever." Crump threw in a quick salute, then turned back towards his bedroom (again).

"...Actually, wait just a minute." Grodus re-crossed his arms.

Crump looked back over his shoulder. "Buh huh? What, need something again?"

Come on, I only missed a few hours. Don't bash me into the walls for this.

"I wish to see you in my office for a meeting at 5:00 PM tonight. Others have suggested I try talking some sense into you. This is the fifth time you've done this in just three months. Or is it the sixth? ...Well, no matter. Just show up this time," Grodus growled at Crump before walking briskly over to the teleporter which would take them into the main part of the fortress. Just before he stepped in, Grodus looked back towards his subordinate. "I'll be seeing you later…"

"Yeah, yeah," Crump responded. What a tightwad. Who crawled up his butt and died?

Crump took a few moments to get decent, and then rushed over to the screen where his schedule for the day was posted. Looking it over, he realized today would be…

...Gross. Look at this. This is freaking janitor duty. Cleaning the bathrooms first thing? Great. At least that shouldn't be too hard.

"...Is this really what my life is?"

Those small, mysterious, barely perceptible hairs coating the corner of that stall. That leak in that toilet, pooling at the base. The yellowing grime inside that sink, that mysterious streak down the side of the wall, oh god was that poop, what is this...

Was he really supposed to touch that? With his actual hands? Gloves or not, this is beyond his ability to cope.

If you think that I'm touching that thing… If you THINK, man. Oh, you, Grodus, you...

...Oh, whatever.

Crump got down on his knees and started scrubbing the floor around toilet with as much excitement as he could muster. Meaning, he may very well have been flatlining.

After a tiring hour, he finally finished. The X-Naut double-checked to make sure he was truly done with everything, then looked at his list to see what was next. Though tedious, there was nothing particularly out of the ordinary about this day's schedule – putting soap out, making sure everyone's stocked with paper towels, tossing trash out the hatch, sorting out recyclables and other reusable materials... If he really rushed through the rest of it, he could probably make it to Grodus's office by 5 and then have the rest of the evening to himself to chill. While he contemplated the best way to get out of meeting with Grodus ASAP, he figured he shouldn't push his luck too much at this point. Even he was getting the sense he was on some seriously thin ice.

And so, true to his plan, he speedily completed the rest of his work. The quality was a bit… variable, and a few recyclables may have accidentally crossed over into the dump site, but it was done. The bare minimum requirements had been met.

As 5 approached, he stood before the door to Grodus's office. He knocked gently.

"Psssst… Yo, wassup, Grodus? Word on the street is that you wanted to chat about something."

No answer.

"...Hey, Grodus? Did you drown in paper or something?"

"…Oh! Yes, I am in. My apologies, I do happen to be quite busy at the moment. Enter and speak, quickly now."

A response! Looks like he isn't dead after all. The door opened and Crump wobbled in. Grodus's room was quite a sight, though.

Given the state of the interior, Crump's belief that Grodus may have drowned was almost plausible. There was paperwork everywhere. Piles of countless sheets lined the walls. The carpeted white floor looked like it had been vacuumed clean, but it was likely hard to do for the risk of running over the papers. A half-dead plant that seemed like it hadn't been watered in weeks was set up in one corner of the room, its leaves brown and droopy.

Grodus sat at a desk which, like the floor, also had piles of paper on it. He hadn't lied when he said he was busy. He was scribbling away at one of the sheets at the very moment.

Crump had always found Grodus a little strange. He sat in here for hours, filling out endless forms. Occasionally he'd leave to bark orders at one person or another, but most of his time was spent here, doing this junk for what seemed like an eternity. Gossip-wise, Crump only really heard tell about Grodus in relation to who he chewed out at what time or, occasionally, about how Grodus himself was witnessed being chewed out over whatever thing – Crump didn't really have any idea what this guy did outside of work or if there was anything in particular he enjoyed doing. He was something of an enigma.

Also, remind me, are there any good jobs available? Low-ranking work sucks, high-ranking work sucks. Bright future there. Am I supposed to be feeling motivated?

Grodus put down the paper, opened one of the desk drawers, and began digging in it.

"Just a moment…" he spoke. "It must be here somewhere…" Grodus stood up and began searching around his whole room. After a bit of digging, he produced a beige folder with a few files inside. "Here we are. As I indicated previously, your slacking is becoming quite the problem. You cannot possibly have expected us to continuously overlook you not showing up for work, yes? It appears this is indeed the sixth time in the past three months that you have attempted to skip out on your duties." He folded his hands in front of him and gazed into Crump's face. "Pray tell, how exactly do you think we keep this fortress running? While it may feel as though you are a mere cog in the machine, and while that may be true, the effort of everyone is required to keep matters operating smoothly. How long do you think we would last if everyone shared your attitude? Without a doubt, we would have gone extinct long ago! Every time that you sleep through your shift, you cause trouble for somebody down the line. Do you think that you are special somehow? Do so enough times and…"

Crump could feel his mind glazing over. Grodus prattled on about responsibility and logistics for a bit, occasionally pulling out files and presenting charts detailing things like how recycling efforts help provide valuable materials for further research efforts or testimonials from scientists on the importance of having a well-stocked lab. Despite Grodus's best efforts, there wasn't anything here that particularly shook Crump's worldview. Finally, noting Crump's general indifference, Grodus let out a sigh.

"Well, maybe this will motivate you a bit more. This is your last warning. If you continue to laze about, we'll begin trimming away your benefits until improvement is observed. At the first reduction, your food rations will be reduced to remove all non-essential leisure foods. If a second reduction takes place, we'll dock your pay by this amount… and so on." Grodus slid one of the files over to Crump. Crump glanced over the list printed there.

…So no more snack or drink tickets for the residential hall vending machines? I mean, I guess that's actually fine, but they're so convenient… wait, would they really make me live in a hostel after the fifth offence!? That's just cruel!

It was at this moment that someone else chose to announce their presence from outside.

"Grodus! It is I, Amadeus!" the voice called. "I must speak with you!"

Grodus's demeanor became visibly irritated for a moment. However, he recovered quickly. "Ah, Sir. I do have somebody in my office at the moment. We will be finished soon, if that is acceptable. Might I ask that you wai-"

Before he could finish his sentence, the door slid open and a tall, imposing figure strode in. The great, almighty Amadeus had, rather expectedly, taken the liberty of ignoring Grodus's request for privacy. Grodus appeared unimpressed, though showed no sign of surprise.

"Grodus, know your priorities. Whatever mundane task you're involved with can wait until later. This is important."

Buuuuuuh… wow. I really don't want to be here right now. Like, can I leave? Is that okay?

Crump eyed Amadeus cautiously. This guy always kinda scared him. Grodus had a prickly personality and was hard to deal with at times, but Amadeus basically straight up ignored Crump's presence completely. It was like they weren't even on the same plane of existence. This dude would totally squash me like a bug if he felt like it…

For what it mattered, Amadeus and Grodus were spitting images of each other, freakish height and all. Expected, considering they were father and son. Though, from the way they acted, you'd never think that they were related at all. Nope, their relationship was business only, and Grodus was treated with the same cold distance you would expect for any other soldier.

Amadeus wore a white, gold-trimmed robe with a large black X monogrammed on the front and carried a gaudy, golden scepter with him at all times. He donned the traditional X-Naut goggles, except his hat and scarf were the black of the Elites rather than the more common white.

Suddenly, Amadeus glared over in Crump's direction. "Did you not hear me? You're in the way. Go on, worm."

Grodus peered over from his desk. "Crump, I will get back in contact with you later. For now, you are dismissed. Do your best to behave."

No need to tell me twice. Crump did the X-salute and exited out into the hallway, happy to extract himself from whatever kind of situation that was. Now, he wondered, what do I wanna do with the rest of the evening?

As he pondered, he realized he could still hear the voices of the two X-Naut leaders floating over from behind the closed door. He hadn't originally intended to eavesdrop, but parts of the conversation he caught were… intense. It was a little hard to just ignore. His curiosity piqued, he leaned in a bit closer and pressed his ear against the door.

"You ought to be more than capable of handling this on your own. Recall, what have I trained you for, you whelp? I raised you to do more than hide away in an office."

"This is a bit… of a tall ask, however. Are you certain that this is wise? There truly is strength to be had in numbers."

"You are not to question me."

"…Yes, Sir. However, this mission has a chance of altering our entire trajectory, does it not? I would imagine it desirable to increase our odds in any way possible."

"That is why I was intending to have you handle this. But, are you trying to tell me that you don't think you're capable? What are you even good for? Do you truly believe that you're worthy to succeed me if you pale at something like this?"

"To be fair, I did not elect to take this position."

"And, on top of that, you dare talk back to me!? Insolent, ungrateful child… Fine, so be it. If you continue to insist, I will find some idle hands to send with you. However, I will hear no complaints about my selections. You are to make the best of who I decide we can spare. Understood?"

"Yes, Father."

"I expect you to prove yourself worthy. I absolutely will not tolerate failure. If you return empty-handed, the consequences will be swift and severe. Mark my words." The sound of Amadeus's scepter smacking against the ground rang out. "Look at me, Grodus. Do you comprehend?"

"Haaah… yes, of course, Father. I comprehend quite well." There was an agitated edge to Grodus's voice.

"Be certain of it. I will return to you at a later date with further details. Get your affairs in order and prepare for your departure." The sound of footsteps began to approach.

Oh crud, he's coming over here, isn't he? That's my cue to make like a banana and split, like now! Crump couldn't imagine either one of them would take too kindly to finding him crouched out here. With that, he backed away from the entryway and shuffled down the hallway as quickly as he could without making a ruckus.

Sounds like something big may be happening soon… Crump hoped whatever it was wouldn't mess with his daily life too much.

Unfortunately for him, things frequently didn't work out quite the way he wanted.