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somegrumpynerd · 6 months ago

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HEY. POINTS FINGER… any thoughts on how everyone reacted when the other joined the team? as in how did killer react when dust came, how did he and dust react when horror came, how did they all react when cross came, etc. i love love LOVE your bad sanses thoughts way too much they make me so happy. if i write hurt you write comfort and it’s awesome. also how do you think they slowly started to get closer? just.. bah give me your thoughts on them!!!! any thoughts!!!!!!!!!

You fool!! You’ve given me a chance to ramble about my special little guys and now this post will stretch on forever!! Mwahahahahah >:3c

No but seriously this is probably gonna be wicked long cause I have 1 million thoughts about these guys joining and meeting each other so uh, readmore for everybody’s safety and sanity

(^ I wrote that in the document before I started typing out my actual thoughts and uh

yeah no kidding, this is like a fucking essay so proceed with caution)

OKAY SO

I’ve said before that Nightmare got Dust for two reasons; one being that Dream had just recently started working with Ink (and soon Blue) so he and Killer were no longer able to gang up on Dream. He wanted somebody else to bulk up their numbers and give Killer a little back up. He also was starting to realise that Killer didn’t handle being alone very well, since this was when he most often got worked up and broke things around the castle (and sometimes tipped over into stage 3). Dust would be a perfect fit since he had the same amount of lvl and fighting experience as Killer, and since they were so close in circumstance they would be practically like brothers right?

The irony that he thought this about a guy he was recruiting to help kill his brother was apparently lost on him.

They absolutely hated each other. Like, it was instant. Killer saw him as a replacement, why would boss go out and get another sans - one with almost the same backstory as me - when I’m right here? Does he think I’m not good enough? Am I disposable and this is the backup for when I die in combat? He didn’t take it well. He took it all out on Dust too, not cooperating in battle, trying to start fights in the castle, etc. He couldn’t outright kill him because Nightmare had given him strict orders not to, but Killer loves a loophole. If he roughed Dust up down to 1hp and something else happened to finish him off, technically he’d followed orders.

Dust just straight up didn’t want to be there. Nightmare just showing up and yoinking him had worked fine with Killer, but Dust had wanted to sit in his empty au and die, he had no intention of joining a team or doing work of any kind - good or bad. The only reason he didn’t just lie down and refuse the entire time was that he had to fight back against Killer, as much as he wanted to die he refused to give this ass the satisfaction or lvl. He didn’t intend to be any help out in the field either, but again, Killer was making sure he got fired at so he had to retaliate to stay alive.

Eventually it got bad enough that Nightmare had to pull Killer aside and demand answers. In the year or so of knowing him Killer had never willfully disobeyed orders before, so Nightmare needed to know what had gotten into him. He dispelled the replacement rumour right away, he still wasn’t quite softened up enough to be sappy about it but he made sure Killer understood what a good worker he was and that Nightmare had no intention of losing him. It didn’t help a lot, they still hated each other for other reasons, but it eased a little.

Killer still had pretty frequent dips into stage 3, except now he would go straight for Dust usually. Nightmare had tried to explain what he’d learned about it to Dust, but he didn’t really believe that it wasn’t just Killer deciding to try and kill him for funsies. He only accepted it after a particular episode where he attacked Nightmare instead, which Dust knew Killer wouldn’t try in his right mind.

After he came back to his senses he sought Dust out. The air around Killer was very different after a stage 3, sort of sombre and almost calm, so Dust let them sit together and Killer apologised for giving him such a hard time. They actually talked for the first time in months while Killer was still calm (or tolerable, as Dust describes it), and it didn’t magically fix everything but, things were a little better. They still fought and argued and bothered each other but it wasn’t as sharp, there was a lack of real murderous intent in it all, and sometimes after an episode they would talk a little bit. It was the best Nightmare was going to get for now, so he took it.

They were still completely incompetent about taking care of themselves though. Neither of them would eat unless prompted and Nightmare didn’t have good enough knowledge of mortals to know when that should be to stop them passing out from hunger on the job. Not to mention the stars were now a full team, and with the way Killer and Dust would sometimes rather target each other on the field he could do with more backup.

Horror was the first of the group to get a choice in joining. Nightmare had taken note of how much Dust didn’t want to be part of things, and while it was in his best interests in the long run given his situation, Horror’s au was still mostly intact - though a little in disrepair. Horror was also the first in the group to have a good (and ongoing) relationship with his brother, so Nightmare knew he couldn’t just pop in and steal him, he had to be a bit more diplomatic with this one and offer a deal.

He gave Horror some time to think on his proposal - he would set up regular deliveries of food to Horror’s au in exchange for him joining their team - and was quite surprised when Horror agreed, with some stipulations. Horror was equally surprised when Nightmare agreed so easily to his terms (that he didn’t want his brother to know what he’d be doing, and that he wouldn’t kill). A little down the line the terms were altered to add that he would also be left to visit his au every week or so.

Horror was not impressed meeting the other two. He didn’t need his power as judge anymore to sense the lvl coming off them both, and given who they were working for he was instantly distrustful of them both (the uh, brother situation did not help). He was also in a place that had an abundance of food for the first time in probably years, so he was doing a lot of going hog wild in the kitchen and then getting very sick as a result.

Dust didn’t particularly feel anything for him. This guy hated him, sure, but it wasn’t forward and slashy like with Killer, it was just quiet loathing which was fine. That’s how Dust felt about himself so, y’know, mood. He did kind of feel sorry for him though, not just because of the whole famine and everything, but also because he was watching this guy eat like his life depended on it and then get sick and undo it day after day. He was the one who suggested Horror getting his food in moderation to Nightmare, which did help but was an absolute ordeal to enforce. Y’know how some people get hangry? Imagine that but you haven’t had a proper meal in years and now these people give you tiny amounts of food and don’t let you eat more for hours. The hunger mood swings were a sight to behold, you would never have guessed in those days that Horror specified not wanting to kill.

When his ability to eat had evened out and he was in better shape, Horror made a point of apologising to Dust for being aggressive with him. Over time he’d kind of softened up on him from his initial impression, since he could see plainly how wracked with guilt Dust was over his situation. It was a little easier to imagine that whatever he’d done was truly out of desperation and not just for fun, as Horror had assumed at first sight.

They also both retained that classic sans laziness, so it was easy for them to share a space while saying and doing nothing. It made Horror the first person that Dust willingly spent time around in the castle (and vice versa since Horror was still largely suspicious of Nightmare and Killer - the deal seemed too good to be true and the stage 3 episodes didn’t help). As time went on, Horror kind of became Dust’s emotional support skeleton in a way. Dust had become quite averse to touch in his solitude and Horror very slowly brought him back out with casual gentle touches, until not only did he no longer freeze or stiffen at being grabbed but Dust would seek him out to flop next to on the couch. Horror claimed it was just returning the favour for helping with his eating situation, but really it was nice to have something resembling a friend here.

Killer, for his part, was going through This is My Replacement 2: Electric Boogaloo. Not to the same degree as with Dust, since Horror was quite a bit different, but Killer was still wary of this new addition. He didn’t really instigate anything though since, to be honest, Horror had the intimidation factor. He was like a foot taller than both of them, he had a cracked skull and completely different magic and it seemed like every time Killer saw him he was eating bread like a wolf eats a deer. So while he was going through his food moderating, Killer mostly just stayed quiet and kept his distance.

Horror had not softened on him like he had with Dust, since Killer didn’t openly show remorse. He still watched him with distrust, especially after seeing the way he scrapped with Dust for seemingly no reason other than for violence’s sake. Killer was still mostly targeting Dust in his stage 3s, but Horror had to be careful to stay out of his way since he was still working with much lower hp than the other two. What did start to convince him was seeing how similar Killer and Dust were after a stage 3 episode. Once Killer was slightly more composed (ie stopped crying), he became so tired and quiet and blunt about things he normally joked his way around. It was a little startling, but also started to bring Horror around to the idea that Killer might regret his actions too, just buried under several layers of whatever the hell is also wrong with him at any given time.

Killer and Horror only really started interacting after talking about Dust. Killer was asking how he got Dust to like him since he seems to hate everyone and everything else, Horror told him very pointedly it was because he wasn’t trying to kill Dust. Killer admitted he wasn’t trying to kill Dust, at least not anymore, he just wanted to fight for fun. It opened up a better channel of understanding, knowing that Killer did not actually have murderous intent behind his swings (stage 3 notwithstanding). It made it easier for Horror to occasionally get involved in the roughhousing which Killer delighted in, knowing that the other two knew how to hold back enough to keep him from dusting.

Speaking of stage 3, it was around this time that Killer and Dust made a very important deal. After a particularly rough episode with a little too close of a call, Killer showed up in Dust’s room and begged him shakily to make a promise - that if he ever got too out of control during one of his stages, Dust would kill him. He’d been told over and over by Nightmare that it was impossible for Killer to hurt him since he was immortal, but now there were more people around him where that wasn’t the case, and he wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he came out of a stage and found himself alone. Dust promised.

It’s also worth mentioning that, once they were all close enough to be on speaking terms, Horror started bullying the shit out of these two about eating. Now that Horror knew neither of them were going to kill him, he felt safe enough to pick them up by the scruff and set them at the table to say they weren’t leaving until they had at least a snack. He let them pick what they would eat - he wasn’t that cruel about it - but he had to see them eat at least 3 times a day or they would hear about it.

It was by no means perfect or regular, but after about half a year Nightmare finally had henchmen who ate food and worked together (mostly).

Now here’s the problem… I still haven’t really figured out how or why Cross joined the team. Like, obviously there’s some kind of point in the events of underverse where it splits off into an alternate timeline, but I haven’t really figured out where yet so. Leave that one with me just a little longer. Cross joins.

Nightmare really truly didn’t intend to take anyone else in. They were (mostly) getting along, they were pretty well matched to fight the stars, he had no need of more mortals.

…but he was also pretty soft at this point. Every one of them had taken a blow to his I’m immortal I’m an island I don’t get attached to others persona and he’d gotten pretty damn fond of them all. This was why when he felt the sheer weight of loneliness radiating off of Cross, he just couldn’t bring himself to leave him.

So Cross entered the castle.

He did not particularly intend to stay or make friends, he was trying to get his world back and nothing more. He even revealed a little down the line that he outright refused to kill, and was quite surprised to find that Nightmare was fine with that. At the start he was polite but not friendly with the others and mostly kept to himself.

Dust, as is often the case, did not really have an opinion. Another new guy, this one was self sufficient and didn’t bother him so he had no reason to get involved. He was content to be in the same room as Cross but didn’t start up any conversations.

Horror felt the need to speak to Cross, since Dust would happily stay silent for years and Killer was, well, Killer. Horror was somehow the closest thing to normal they had, so he was the one that made small talk. Mostly asking what Cross would like for meals and encouraging him to pick something he liked when he got the answer of “anything is fine”. As Cross settled in a bit more and actually opened up, they bonded over being the only two to enjoy food. Horror made a point of adding chocolate to the stock they kept in the kitchen and making tacos here and there for Cross.

Horror was also the first Cross kind of warmed to, mostly because he was the one devoid of lvl and Nightmare had mentioned he’d also said he wouldn’t kill. Learning a little about his au’s situation only softened Cross to him more, especially seeing that he still cared a lot for his brother and was trying to protect his home (even if Cross found it unthinkable that he lived away from it). It was through Horror that he also got accustomed to Dust, how being quiet and distant was kind of his default and that he also felt deeply haunted by the loss of his world. They weren’t exactly friends, but it was comfortable enough.

So now boss had taken in another new person, someone who takes orders like a soldier and fights with knives and ruthless precision and aims to be his righthand man, and Killer was ecstatic. By now he’d mostly put his fears of being disposable behind him, Nightmare had gotten a bit less subtle in showing how important they all were to him and Killer felt confident he wouldn’t be replaced. Which was a little bit funny, because the only guy he didn’t feel threatened by was the one who absolutely competed for his spot.

Cross needed to prove he was useful, he had to feel like he earned his keep and that all the training and suffering he’d done was for a reason. When Nightmare sent them on missions, Cross aimed to be the fastest and the most efficient and to report to Nightmare without question. Horror and Dust looking on would have expected Killer to see this 100% as a threat to his position as (self proclaimed) Nightmare’s second in command, and to go for this guy’s throat when nobody else was around.

But Killer was fascinated. Cross was completely different from any of them, bar Nightmare whose au is a whole different kettle of fish, so he had a certain element of unpredictability to him. Horror and Dust were both based on classic sans just like him, so to a certain degree he knew how they would feel about most things and what they might say, the only differences being in what they had experienced through their own timelines. Cross was based on a swap sans and his au had taken wild twists and turns away from usual events, so Killer had to learn everything about him by poking and prodding for answers or observing from a distance, much like back when it was just him and Nightmare. Cross was something new to be studied and Killer loved taking notes.

Cross did not see this as friendly. He was competing with Killer for approval, not realising Killer was playing their contest like a game. When he saw Cross training he would jump in to spar for fun, but Cross saw his rival trying to get a jump on him and take him out of the running. When Killer would hang around and pester Cross in their off time with questions, it didn’t seem like someone taking interest, it seemed like someone being nosy and looking for weaknesses to exploit. When Horror mentioned that Killer was being surprisingly contained and friendly, Cross really thought he was fucking with him.

The first time Cross was willing to even consider this was the case was when his locket came loose on the field and Killer ran back to find it, since one of the notes he’d taken was how the locket wasn’t something Cross would play about (the same as Horror with food). It didn’t make sense for someone who was seriously competing to have him kicked out to just hand his necklace back, no ransoms or attempts to crush it to upset him, just some vague remark about “owing him one” and then right back to Nightmare for orders.

Cross had to give him something of a chance after that, Horror helped a lot by telling him “he doesn’t want to hurt you, he just doesn’t know how to be normal”. It was mostly a playful jab at Killer, but reframing their interactions changed it significantly for Cross. Now they were sparring playfully and having friendly competition on jobs. He wasn’t as put off when Killer went into stage 3 because he knew he could match him in combat and the others were always on hand to help restrain or distract him. Cross also took note of how Killer calmed down a lot for physical touch, not unlike how Dust had warmed up to Horror. It went a long way into not only making him a little less combative for attention every day, but it seemed to put longer stretches between his episodes (which Cross had also started tracking so they wouldn’t be caught out by them as much).

For his part, Killer has disobeyed instructions in the past to benefit Cross, usually ignoring the task to help him if he’s hurt. He’s also given Nightmare nudges towards praising him because he’s noted that that’s what Cross needs in the same way he needs touch (not that Nightmare doesn’t praise them normally, but when Cross is going through it and needs something). He also doesn’t particularly like chocolate but has made a point of not admitting this to Horror so he can give his chocolate to Cross.

(It’s also worth noting that Cross is the only one, besides Nightmare, that has been to Horror’s au. He offered to help out during the food delivery and got to meet Horror’s Papyrus (who he is a little intimidated by but ultimately friendly with, even though it’s a little weird since he’s a good bit different from his own Papyrus). Dust and Killer can’t really visit for a few reasons, mostly because everyone will notice their lvl immediately and know what they’ve done. Dust especially doesn’t know how he would react to having a Papyrus in front of him again and doesn’t want to put Horror's family at risk to find out. Whenever he visits, his Papyrus asks about Cross now and sometimes tries to make tacos for him (key word tries, he’s still a Papyrus after all). He may have joked that seeing Cross sometimes is “like having another brother but younger and less lazy” and when Horror told him this Cross may or may not have cried.)

And that’s where we are now!

They’re a very strange group who’ve been through some inexplicable events and have all changed each other in one way or another. And whether or not it can be admitted, they are a family c:

Now onto how Nightmare was made emotionally open by each of them!! In this essay I will no just kidding could you imagine this is already like 7 pages long

If you got to the end of this post please drink some water and get yourself a snack

#Ask #Wickjump #UTDR #UTMV #Truce au #Tagging that since this is the events I'm working off for these guys #My fanon canon if you will #Also I am SO sorry oh my god #This is like an essay for a degree I could submit this for peer review akdghjdjfsjl #I didn't mean to say so much I swear this was me trying to keep it concise!!#I think I've genuinely spent like 6 hours writing this between last night and this morning #Which is wild because like whose attention span is this??#Anyway I have a lot of thoughts about these guys (clearly)#I have given them a lot of events that I haven't really drawn or written about yet #There's a couple of things in here that I've referenced before here and there #But I guess this is kind of a masterpost for it all #Man I have to go to work in like an hour this was wild akdguigfgy #WICK THANK YOU!!!! This was really fun to do and it's got me excited to work on my other stuff in the background :D #And when I get back from work I'm gonna think of an ask to get you rambling next >:3c #But for realsies thank you so much this was super sweet and really fun <3

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huffle-dork · 24 days ago

Text

Long Live the King

Chapter 1: Fallen Swords

Read Fantasy Masks | Read Swapboys | Read the first FM adventure | Other Multiverse Adventures | Read on AO3 (AN: Hello everyone!! I hope you are as excited as we are for a full Fantasy Masks Adventure with the Swaps! Just a quick heads up in terms of timeline this is after SITCV but before SATCV! But that's really all you need to know since this was our second rp like ever! Hope you guys enjoy and strap in! This is a long journey! :3) ◈━◈━◈━◈━◈

“Alt!! These aren’t authentic!!” Chase whines, pulling on his tunic that closely resembled the one he wore the few days they stayed in Glasúil. “They’re gonna be able to tell!! These are machine stitched!”

Alt rolled his eyes, dressed similarity to how he was before too, phantom mask around his neck. He looked up from the spells he was reviewing, “Chase…I know you’re a superhero. But, neither of us make enough to afford accurately-made, custom, medieval clothing!”

Jackie grinned from where he was sitting crossed legged on the couch. “Well- I still think you’re both super nerds for already dressing up!”

The Brody brothers both glare at Jackie.

Dr. J tsks quietly, shaking his head. “I think it’s admirable,” He said. The good doctor was still getting used to having a voice again, after so long believing he couldn’t speak. So, he spoke constantly like he was trying to be the most model library guest ever. But, at least he was slowly healing from whatever Mag did to fuck with his head. “That kind of passion is rare these days, it should be embraced!”

“Even if it’s cringe?” Jackie teased.

Chase threw a pillow at him, “like you’re not cringe about superheroes, dork!”

“Both of you are cringe! How bout that?!” Alt snapped with a look of annoyance.

“Ah friends can we please not do the fighting?” Henny asked nervously. “This trip is for ah- bonding… is it not?”

The other boys looked at each before Alt sighed with a smile. “yeah, you’re right Hen. Thanks for the reminder.” He shot a pointed look at Jackie and Chase. “Iii think I’m done with preparation, if you guys wanna gather round.” Alt says, shutting his book and arranging stuff on the coffee table. The boys all crowded around as Alt explained: “Okay- these bracelets are attuned with runes- they should try to find each other. They’ll glow when one of us are near- and if you press the gem and say loonu then I’ll show you a path to the nearest signal. Blue means you're close, green is far away. It should work there since it’s connected to my magic… that way, we can hopefully find each other quickly! And! I got a universal translation spell on there too- it might struggle a bit but it should help until we can find Marvin…”

Jackie winces slightly at the name but nods. “Pog~! sounds like you thought of everything, Alt!”

Alt smiles shyly and shrugs, “Well- we’re kinda experts on this now, I’ll say~!”

“You sure you got the right code, bro?” Chase asks, watching as Alt pulls out the TRVLR.

The Glitch nods and smiles, “Yeah. I even tried to double check with Anti… the UF prefix should be correct!” He scrolls through his favorited list and finds the one he’s looking for: UF-0606021FM.

Bro can’t help but excitedly stim, securing his bracelet on his wrist as he watches the rest of his friends do the same. “Guys this is gonna be so much fun!! We can get fresh air and Jackie, the fantasy Jackie said we can teach you to sword fight like he taught me! And Jay, you’ll love learning stuff from fantasy Henrik and and Henny! I bet you’ll love seeing the language and the sights and-!”

Alt laughs and nudges Chase playfully, “Breathe, bro. Don’t pass out before we even get there!”

Jackie grins, “Yeah dude- don’t worry. I tease but… I’m stoked! This is gonna be super cool!”

Dr. J nods with a kind smile. “I am quite excited to see the place you all have been so enamored with. Maybe learning the history too… if it has any connection to our world here… well… beside the obvious.” He chuckles.

Henny laughs and prances on his feet. “I am just glad my new ear thingys are working! Hopefully I will not be too lost! I want to experience this new world as best as I can!!” Then he frowns and anxiously messes with his vest. “Though… it will be… strange… without Sahne.”

Alt looks back at Henrik with sympathy. “…I get it Hen… it’ll be weird without Glitches… as much as I wanna bring her it’s just… not safe for them. They could get lost really easily…”

Henrik sighs dramatically, “yes yes… I know…” he almost whines, crossing his arms.

Jackie leans over by Alt with a smirk. “at least they’re in good hands though! A nurse’s hands~ which you would know allll about, right, Alt~?” He grins cheekily and Alt blushes before finding the pillow Chase threw earlier and stuffing it against Jackie’s face, pushing him down into the couch. Jackie laughs and tries to push him off. “Hey! What?? Am I wrong?!!”

Alt glitches away and pretends to check the TRVLR idly, schooling his expression into something neutral. “Okay well- Jackie’s not coming then-“

“What?! Hey Alt, c’mon man! I was joking!!” Jackie cries out, hopping to his feet. Then he pauses as he sees Alt trying to hide his grin. “…yer an asshole-“

“Love you too, Jackie~” Alt replies cheekily before picking up his bag and securing his jacket around his waist. “Alright gents! We ready?”

As the group of friends prepares to jump, a shadow slinks across the wall, eyes narrowing. His puppets were planning to jump to another dimension without him? Well… that wasn’t going to happen. Magnificent had a score to settle with that arrogant Royal… he would get that thing’s head on a spike. As his cub gathers everyone around and explains how the jump works, Mag slinks his presence closer… he can’t give himself away too early. Then, that annoying apprentice of his would notice and this would all be for naught. Patience… he had nothing but patience.

Like a cat stalking its prey, he watched. He waited. He sees the Hero seem to stiffen, looking around the room with narrowed eyes.

Alt pauses his explanation, just as Henny is taking the glitch’s hand to start a chain with the others. “…Chase? Is something wrong?”

Luckily for Mag though, Chase looks back at the younger brother and smiles quickly. “Hm? Yeah yeah no it’s fine! Just.. thought I… felt something-“

Alt glitches a bit nervously but returns the smile. “Well- maybe it’s the wind? Or nerves… but it’s gonna be fine! We’re prepared this time!”

Chase laughs, proud to see Alt confident and not paranoid for once. He really was getting stronger and stronger. “Yeah- you’re right. C’mon! We’re wasting sunlight over there- probably!” He takes Jackie’s hand to complete the circle.

“Jesus… this feels like a prayer circle-“ Jackie mutters, “or like- those sharing things they make the kids do.”

Dr. J nudges him, “Jackie- Alt probably needs to concentrate. Show a little more decorum, hm?”

Alt laughs, “It’s fine- this is like second nature now!” He grins with confidence and powers on the device, moving his finger to the jump button and-

Now’s his chance! As Alt charges his magic into the device, Mag lashes out of hiding and appears in the circle, grabbing Alt’s wrist holding the TRVLR and sinking his magic in to try to get a hold of him. “Going without me, Alt? Well that simply won’t-!”

He expects banter, surprise and Alt attempting to glitch-

He did not expect the screaming.

Magnificent startles back as Alt- and soon after, Chase, starts to scream bloody murder, their eyes quickly filing with corruption as their backs arc and bodies spasm like they’re being shocked. The black magic Mag tried to use to control Alt’s magic and the TRVLR goes haywire and backfires- lighting the room up with purple light as it tries to fight Alt’s blue-green. But Alt’s magic is quickly losing, the room growing dark. The apartment fades away into black- and the green orbs that start to appear as the group feels like they’re falling glitch and flicker with static. The black air around Alt and Bro seems to shatter like glass and purple fills their eyes completely. And then… just as soon as it starts- the screaming stops- and the connection starts to pull them apart- taking the now seemingly passed out and glassy eyes Brodys away into the darkness. The air fills with the horrible sound of static.

Jackie, Dr. J and Henny try to cry out for them- Magnificent covers his ears against the grating sound- And then they’re all falling into fragmented, broken black- tv static and purple staining the way.

◈━◈━◈━◈━◈━◈━◈━◈━◈

When Alt falls into Glasuil- it’s not a smooth fall like all the times he’s jumped before. No, its painful. Something is being ripped from him- rewritten. He falls onto his hands and knees, gasping for breath like he just broke the surface of the water after drowning. Then, he bites back a cry as he curls up towards the ground, his body glitching wildly. But, it’s not how he usually glitches. It’s like… the world- the air around him… is spiking- glitching… fragmenting into him like shards of stained glass. Glitching Into his brain. His being- his soul. Everything is tinted purple. It’s hard to form thoughts at all as he dazedly falls to the ground completely, like a rag doll. His glassy eyes stare out at nothing as purple flashes and glitches in his eyes. And when this phenomenon is done… his eyes seem to gray. They’re still his, still the same colors, central heterochromia and all. But they’re less vibrant. Like… something is missing.

Alt has landed in the middle of a small courtyard garden filled with bushes and flowers. There are stone walls surrounding this green space, with arches leading to the interior of the building. Standing at one of these arches is a pair of helmet-wearing warriors. The tunics they wear over their chainmail are black, with a design of a green-striped shield with a blue circle in the center. Despite their helmets hiding their eyes it’s clear that they’re looking at Alt. They glance at each other, unsure, then back at him. One puts a hand on a sword by their side.

For a scarily long time, Alt doesn’t move, his brain too scrambled to even process where he is or who’s in front of him. Then, suddenly he sits up and gasps again, blinking rapidly as he takes in the garden. He shakily pushes himself to his feet, body glitching just slightly- enough that he doesn’t seem to take notice. “…w..where… am I…?” He asks quietly. Then, he freezes, finally taking in the sight of the warriors. He shakily steps back, eyes wide.

Though once he’s on his feet… the warriors can recognize a white mask around his neck, marked just like the other Masked Phantoms.

The moment the warriors see the mask they stiffen slightly. The other one also reaches for their sword. "Fanann keart," one of them says. Which, somehow, Alt knows means "Stay right there."

There's a faint flash of green light somewhere inside the building. And soon a man walks out into the corridor. He wears fine clothes, including a green cloak with the hood down. Brown hair is held back by a golden circlet. He looks at Alt with emerald green eyes. "Bhuel. Didhui aan." Again, Alt knows this to mean "Well. Hello there."

Alt is trying not to panic, trying to figure out why his heart is beating so fast and his body feels like it’s made of lightning. But his head is so- fuzzy. He… he can’t seem to remember… anything…! Everything feels wrong..! But he doesn’t know why! He feels his breath leave him as the king steps into the courtyard. He staggers back, panic clear in his eyes. “A-aan Rith…!” He whispers.

And the King is surprised to see… he doesn’t need a translation spell. The boy is speaking Glasish. But, this is a far cry from the last time the king laid eyes on Alt Brody. This boy doesn’t look like the powerful lightning bird he saw before, blessed by the Elders. He looks… lost and confused. And based on what he knows… his mind doesn’t seem fully intact. Something has happened… something had messed with his memories. And fate… has delivered him straight to his castle.

The King blinks, momentarily confused. Out of curiosity he reaches out to Alt's memories to see what led him here... and finds only scattered pieces where there is usually a continuous stream of consciousness. How... unusual. Something definitely happened, perhaps something magical in origin. But one thing is clear. This man does not know anything. Nothing important at least. An idea sparks in his mind.

As Alt stares at the king, his fuzzy brain can only register one thing: danger. He can hardly even remember his name… there’s so many of them floating around in his head. But, He knows he can’t stay here! The mask around his neck seems to be the only truly solid thing he can remember… The Masked Phantoms. And the King wants the Masked Phantoms dead. Then, one more solid thing comes back to him. He has magic…! The fuzziness he feels in his limbs that spark like fire confuses him to no end but- he tries to dig into that feeling. Maybe he can use it to get away! His eyes flicker to the empty space behind the King in the corridor- before he tries to appear behind him to run.

The King reaches out to him but--right, he forgets this man can [imíonosht]. Glishing, as he called it. Alt disappears before the King can reach him. He whirls around, silently commanding his warriors to block off the nearest entrance, but to not appear hostile. They do so instantly.

"Alt," the King says, trying to sound more calming than he usually does. "What's wrong?" The result is a bit stilted, but the main point--non-hostility--gets across.

Alt stumbles as he finishes glitching and looks down at his fizzling and popping hands with confusion. “W-what kind of magic is this…?!” He whispers to himself. Like he doesn’t recognize it. He stiffens as the king speaks and whips around, looking at him with wide eyes. His hand reaches back on instinct, curling around something in his pocket. It feels weird but… Alt’s brain dimly reminds him it’s a knife. He doesn’t draw it though, he just looks at the King with panicked eyes. “Y..you… you know… my name…?” He asks quietly, as if he’s not even sure of it. This could be very very bad.

Hazy memories float around his head- he’s crossed paths with the King before. But… he knows his face- his name. He could be killed. He swallows shakily and flips out his knife, then seems surprised for a second at the mechanics of it. But, he holds out the knife at the King and warbles out, “W-What are you playing at?” He tries to growl, but it falls flat. “W-Why are you t-talking like you know me?”

The warriors tense up again when Alt pulls a knife on their ruler, but the King holds out a hand, ordering them to wait. "Because I do know you," he says calmly. "You don't remember? It was a very brief encounter, and I'm afraid I didn't make the best impression." He flashes a smile, drawing on some of Aodhan's tattered personality to try and make it warm. Again, the result is a bit awkward, giving Alt the impression that this man before him isn't used to genuinity but is trying. "There was a fight. But I have no desire to fight you now. Something is clearly wrong. Did something happen...? Do you remember what?"

Alt starts to lower the knife, even as he stares at the King with a guarded expression. But… that smile- and the concern in his voice. Alt can’t help but let the truth fall from his lips. “I…I don’t.. know-“ He answers quietly. Purple flashes and glitches in his eyes again and he hisses in pain and grabs at his head, dropping his knife. Alt pants through the pain that follows and shakily breathes. “S-something… I-is missing I… I don’t… I can’t remember a-anything…!” Now he starts to sound distressed and scared, his tough mask falling. He grips tightly at his hair. “I don’t know how I got here- o-or why…! Or why my m-magic feels wrong! E…everything feels w̶̓̕r̶̈́͠o̶̜̊n̶͑̽ĝ̶̜!” He shouts at the end, his body and voice stuttering like something electric. But this only seems to frighten him more.

The King frowns. How strange... but... perhaps useful. "It's... it's going to be alright," he says awkwardly. Slowly he reaches out, but stops, unsure if physical touch is appropriate here. It's been so long since he tried acting this way. "Take deep breaths. This is... strange, but we can work with this. Your magic... from what I saw, this is actually how it's supposed to be. Perhaps. We didn't exactly talk about it, but you seemed confident in it last time.

Alt unconsciously glitches back from the king, eyes wide again. He knits his eyebrows in confusion and looks at his magic, “…strange… I don’t think I’ve seen.. a-anything like this… before. Not in Glasúil…”

“As for how you got here... I'm curious about that, too." The King looks over at the warriors. They'd alerted him about someone in the courtyard. Further peering into their minds reveals that Alt really did just appear there out of nowhere. "I wonder if anyone else came with you..."

Alt feels like he needs to hide. He’s not sure who he should trust… if he can trust anyone. But… what’s the alternative…? He’s not even sure if he can remember anyone else- Brief flashes of other people pop up out of the fog. A wolf masked man in a red coat. A owl masked man in a white tunic. The wizard in the cat mask with the white and gray familiar. The quiet kind man in a rabbit mask who spoke in hands… and the Hunter in the deer mask. The one that looked and sounded like his brother…

…wait… brother?

The next flash is a little more intense as images of another brightly colored man appears in Alt’s memories, shining bright like the sun. But… so many of the flashes only leave Alt more confused. Why were his clothes so bright and sleek? Shiny almost? He’s never seen someone dress like that before… that he can remember. But, a recent memory seems to calm down his confusion- seeing Chase smile at him in the simple tunic he always wore.

“…m…my brother-“ Alt mumbles, “Chase… he’s here somewhere and…” He tries not to let his muddled brain mess with his tongue. The images of the Masked Phantoms flash again and he feels fierce determination at the sight. His friends… he had to find his friends. The Rebels.

At this, Alt starts to back up again, trying to look for another exit. Even if the king is being nice… Alt knows he’s a rebel. He can’t let his guard down. Then he cringes again as black magic tries to spark up in his eyes, and he gasps, a name falling from his lips, “M-Magnificent…!” He pants and leans against the nearest thing he can, feeling sick. The cruel laughter and pulsing purple that’s invading his mind feels too familiar.. and not in a good way. “…he- he’s… he’s here too-“

The King's eyes darken upon hearing that. "Magnificent is here too..." he repeats. Sounds like this is just like last time. But now, the bits of memory flashing through Alt's mind, the confusion about the strange clothes... Alt has forgotten about anything besides this world. How strange. But again, probably useful. If Alt has no memory of his world from before, then he'll have no desire to return to it. Hmm...

"Well then, I suppose we should find him. I know you may be feeling... confused right now, in terms of loyalties." He nods at the mask around Alt's neck. Judging by his memories, he still harbors fond feelings for those rebels. "But Magnificent is a great danger. It's best if we deal with him quickly." He pushes a bit with that statement, hoping to take advantage of Alt's confused state to get him to listen. "There's also a chance that your brother is with him."

Even without his memories- Alt’s body remembers the fear and hatred associated with Magnificent. He knows that cat bastard poses just as much of a threat to the kingdom as the King… that him and his brother would stop at nothing to subdue him. He blinks and then narrows his eyes at the King, “…you want to… help me?” He asks slowly, looking at him skeptically. But, he does agree… Magnificent can’t be left to his own devices. He goes to pick up his knife and flips it closed, but he doesn’t take his eyes off the king. “…but… maybe… I-if you want to assist me in finding Magnificent then… fine. A… a temporary truce.”

The King nods, trying for another friendly smile. It's a bit colder than the last one, but not suspiciously so. "A temporary truce." He doesn't mind. Truces rarely stay temporary with powers like this. He turns to the warriors and commands them to step to the side so he and Alt can leave. They do so. "We should get started right away, then. I don't think Mag is anywhere is the castle. It may take some time to find him."

Alt nods slowly, still keeping his distance from the King as he rubs his mask. Then, he shudders suddenly, feeling the hair on the back of his neck prick up as the air suddenly feels electric. He glitches back- just in time to see a figure appear in a colorful wave of rectangles that buzz like angry bees.

The King's eyes widen as he feels the familiar hum of electricity in the air.Then, he gets tackled to the ground, Magnificent pinning him down. His claws dig into the royal’s shoulders as he laughs darkly, magic sparking wildly around him. “Well hello again, Aodhan~!” The mad magician cackles. But, in a flash his expression turns murderous and angry as he lashes out to try to choke the king while he’s down.

Alt stumbles back, watching with confusion and horror.

The King gets the wind knocked out of him. He looks up into a familiar set of black-sclera'd eyes. "What the--" The words get cut off with the rest of this body's airflow. How did Magnificent get here without him realizing?! Oh, right, of course. The magician can [imíonosht] as well. Just in a different way than Alt. A foolish oversight on his part. The King feels the tightening sensation of suffocation in his lungs, but he doesn't feel the need to breathe or the panic that most would. He reaches down to his belt, fingers trembling in a frustrating way, and draws his seax. In a flash he holds it up to Magnificent's neck, a harmless fragment of lightning arcing along the blade, barely missing Mag's flesh.

{Kill this body and I'll make you regret it,} he says in the magician's mind.

Magnificent stiffens a bit at the blade at his neck. Then he laughs madly and presses harder, corruption hot on his fingers. {And what will you do to me then, specter? Without a body- what harm can you pose? Sure you can find another host… but no one else will have the power you seek, will they?} He leans in close and growls with bared canines, “I want to see you writhe, powerless as the life is drained from you…”

Alt panics more. They… can’t kill the King… right? Jackie was very much against that. He panics and then opens up his palm, sending out a wave of magic to try to get Mag off the King.

The magic just barely misses- but it does draw Mag’s attention as he glances at Alt and barks out, “Stay out of this, puppet!” His eyes darken to black pits as the air around Mag shimmers and twists from his magic. “Or I’ll make sure you suffer twice as much as him!” Alt shudders and staggers back, overtaken by fear.

The King narrows his eyes. The green color flickers for a bit--Aodhan is panicking, survival instincts breaking through his control. He presses the blade into Magnificent's neck, drawing a drop of blood. He has to act fast while Magnificent is distracted-- Or... he could try something else.

{You would,} the King says thoughtfully. {Or... he would.} His eyes flick back to Alt. He's loathe to abandon this body after seven years of work, but if it comes down to it, they're both good alternatives. {And I think we've established that my control exceeds yours.}

Black spots are starting to dance across his vision. If this doesn't work he has to make a decisive choice. As he speaks to Magnificent mentally, he turns to look at Alt, giving a wide-eyed look, silently pleading for help, reaching out and trying to influence Alt to act despite Mag's threats.

Anger fills Magnificent’s body as the King suggests stealing his body or his cub’s. He roars in rage and magic bursts on his arms, sharp and loud and hot. “Don’t you fucking dare you loathsome little snake!” He spits.

Alt’s eyes meet the scared eyes of the King and he feels like he’s being pulled along in a fog- despite the fear pounding in his ears. Then, in a burst of magic and green lighting- the body of a brown coated wolf is driving itself into Mag’s side and shoving him off, making both of them roll down the hallway for a second.

For a moment, the King thinks he's made the wrong decision, as the magic travels down Magnificent's arms and to his body. His back arches in instinctive pain and his grip on the seax slips as it lands on the grass right by his head-- And then it's gone. Magnificent is knocked to the side and the King sits up, gasping, testing the skin on his neck for bruises or other marks.

Magnificent yells in anger and quickly gets to his feet, spitting in feral rage. “you pathetic mistake!! I should-!” Alt however, in the time it took for Mag to get up, has quickly shifted back to his human form and is looking at himself in disbelief and confusion. He sees Mag towering over him and scrambles back, cowering and shaking. Mag stands there confused. …what happened to his fearless apprentice? The one with such a fearsome bite? …something happened during that jump… it’s almost like… Alt’s forgotten how his magic works.

The King stands up, grabbing the seax as he does, and looks back and forth between the cowering Alt and the confused Mag. He takes a brief look into Mag's thoughts. "Pardon the intrusion," the King says in a hoarse voice. "But that's exactly it." He looks at Magnificent. "How dishonorable of you, attacking someone who doesn't even remember you." Though, to be fair, the King can't say that he wouldn't do the same under other circumstances.

Magnificent startles and then glares at the King. But slowly he looks back down at Alt.

Alt tries to hide his shaking as he squeaks out, “I… I sort of- remember you…”

Mag looks temporary enraged by this and probes Alt’s mind as well. He startles back at the fragmented void that awaits and looks at Alt with wide eyes. “…how… did this-?” He starts to say and then frowns, remembering the burst of static and Alt and Chase screaming and- “…my magic must have affected the TRVLR… and… in turn… messed with his memories.” He kneels down by Alt and lashes out, taking his chin and tilting it back and forth as he searches his mind. “…fascinating… it’s like… he believes he’s from this world….! Oh that is rich~!” He laughs then shoves Alt back, who just glitches slightly and scrambles back, curling in on himself. He feels like livestock… being observed before he’s picked off to be the next meal.

Mag sighs and then turns towards the King and bares his teeth, “Can’t even take advantage of such a treat.. not when you still need to be dealt with!” He lights his hand with green fire and prowls towards the King once more.

The King backs up, holding his seax in front of him defensively. "Do you really want to do this here, Mar--Magnificent?" This is not the time to provoke the magician. "In the middle of my own palace?" Magnificent hears the shing of metal. The two helmeted warriors are still there. And they've drawn the swords. "Do you know how many resources I can call upon here?" Indeed, he's already mentally calling to as many of his special forces as he can, just in case. "Believe it or not, I don't want to kill you, but I will if I have to." His eyes flick to Alt again. {Besides, with our expertise combined, we can truly take advantage of this situation.}

Magnificent’s eyes flicker towards the guards as they draw their swords. He flashes black pitted eyes towards them and growls. But then he tilts his head towards the King and lowers his magic some. {…is that so…? Hm… this is a rare opportunity… one that might not present itself again.} He tilts his head at the King like a curious cat. {Are you suggesting another alliance, Aodhan?}

The King grins. {That's not my true name. But yes. Whatever happened seems like a freak accident, not something to happen more than once. In fact, to show you how sincere I am about this.} He sheathes the seax. The gesture probably doesn't read the same to Magnificent, without the context of this culture, but sheathing a weapon is a sign on trust. After all, it takes a while to draw it again. {I can tell you my true name. Since I know yours, it's only fair.} Once again, this may not come off the same to Magnificent. But in a land where legends of the Fair Folk stealing names are still fresh in the culture, this is very significant.

Magnificent straightens up, eyes alight with intrigue. He knew threats of the fey… a true name holds power. It’s the ultimate sign of trust. He lifts his head up and studies the King with a schooled expression. {…Alright.} He makes a go on gesture.

Alt looks wearily at the two men- why does it feel like he’s missing a ton of valuable information right now? …is this a chance for him to run?

A smile flickers across the King's face. And for once, Magnificent gets a glimpse into his mind--truly his, not the mind of this person he's possessing. It last barely long enough for Magnificent to sense that the King is telling the truth. {I'm called Aneirin.} The name comes with a few faint images, buildings that look even older than the ones in this medieval world, blades clashing against each other, faces that mean nothing to Magnificent, metal twisted in the shape of a tree. And then the window is gone.

Magnificent blinks against the images, shaking out his head. The fact that the King also opened up his mind… and the images shown. Magnificent believes him. Besides… when else would get such a perfect chance? His cub was practically begging to be molded back into his perfect little pet. Mag grins back at the King, {Well then, Aneirin. What devious plot do you have in mind for our lost kitten, hm?}

{He looks about ready to bolt, so we need to act fast,} Aneirin says. {With his unique magic, so different from anything else in this world, he could be a valuable asset. Doubly so if this memory loss affected his brother as well. If we could make them loyal to the crown--to us--we could eliminate the rebellion and rule the kingdom for good. Possibly beyond.}

Magnificent’s eyes flash with ambitious hunger. His grin only grows wider. {…you know out of all the villains we met in the other worlds- you truly were one of my favorites, Aneirin~!} The mad magician purrs. {That sounds like a truly magnificent plan~!} He turns his hungry eyes back towards Alt.

The glitch trembles with a quick buzz of static and glitches and then tries to bolt to his feet. But, Magnificent is faster, lashing out some of his strings and catching Alt by the foot, making him fall on his face towards the ground. He cackles madly, “Now now kitten! You can’t leave just yet! The fun is just getting started~!”

Aneirin grins as well. He walks over to Alt and crouches down by him. "Come now, Alt. We've reached an agreement and we're willing to get you in on this." The green of his eyes seems to glow as he pushes Aodhan's enchantment power into Alt's mind--mostly making way for Magnificent, since he's sure the magician has more experience in this particular matter. "You may not remember this, but we're here to help you. And your brother as well."

Alt shakes, fearful tears in his eyes as he tries to back away from the King and Mag. "P-Please I... I don't-" Then, he feels his mind go foggy and he feels himself relax just slightly. His eyebrows knit together in confusion, "...you're... here to... help us...?" He shakes his head and tries to build up magic to try to glitch again, " B-But... the Phantoms they-!"

Then, Alt's attention is drawn towards the bright spiral of magic building up behind the King, swirling with green and purple. His eyes flash purple again. The fight quickly starts to leave his body.

Magnificent chuckles, his voice echoing as he increases his influence over Alt's mind. Even if it's missing things... he knows this mind and its weaknesses. "The Phantom Masks lie, Alt. After all... where are they now, hm? They left you here... alone... what kind of friends do that...?"

Alt's eyes slowly start to glaze over and fill with magic. "...the...phantom masks... lie..." He falls easier than ever, his mind missing his usual safeguards. This is almost too easy~!

"Exactly," Aneirin says, backing up Magnificent's words. "It's not hard to put up a front for the short time you spent with them. Did they tell you why they wear those masks? It's to scare people. The citizens of Glasúil have heard rumors of those frightening specters. Ask anyone about it and they'll tell you the same. The Phantoms spoke of an honorable cause, didn't they? And yet they spread chaos in their wake. Their rebellion destabilizes the kingdom. A kingdom which is doing well without them. A kingdom that is strong without them. And they know what they're doing. Why else would they lie about their intentions to you?"

Alt slumps more and nods hollowly. The Phantoms… they’re bringing rebellion to a kingdom that was fine… they’re putting innocents at risk. That makes his blood boil. But he looks between the King and Mag with a lost look in his eyes, “…what… do I… do then…? I… was gonna… protect people… protect my brother… my friends…”

Aneirin grins. "You help me and Magnificent track down those dangerous rebels. Eliminate them once we've found them. You can protect people by defending the kingdom that way." He pauses. "Of course, we'll find your brother first. And then we'll go after them."

Alt’s eyes glow green at the commands, whispering to himself. “Eliminate… the rebels…” Then the green flickers and he winces, something trying to fight in his quickly emptying head. He groans, almost looking like he might break out of trance. “N…no m’friends…!”

Magnificent tsks and increases the strength of his hypnotism. He kneels down by Alt, taking him by the chin to force him to look at only the spiral. “You will serve the King, Alt. You are now a noble knight, protecting the kingdom for a good cause. But protecting the King and his trusted allies is your number one goal… the second is finding a way to eliminate any rebel who stands in your way. Anything else left in that empty head of yours is irrelevant. Forget… and focus only on protecting your King. And obeying any command he or I gives you. Do you understand?”

Alt’s mouth falls slack as the suggestions take hold, his eyes filling with magic again with little resistance. Finally, he breathes out, “Yes mu Ríthe…” Mag blinks a bit in surprise- trying to remember what that meant. Then it clicks, My Kings. He giggles, turning to grin at Aneirin, “Oh I love when they add unexpected things like that! Always such a ego boost~” He laughs and then looks back at Alt,“Very good kitten… now… drift. And let all these commands sink into you and mold you into the knight we need… sleep.., and awaken a loyal knight of Glasúil~!” He snaps and Alt’s eyes roll back as he crumples to the ground. Magnificent teleports to his feet and wipes himself off.

Magnificent teleports to his feet and wipes himself off. He looks at Aneirin cheekily and grins, “Shouldn’t take too long for that to sink in.“

Aneirin watches this all with fascination. He wonders if there's some techniques he could adopt. But maybe not. After all, this otherworldly magic is so different from the enchantment in this realm. Magnificent will make a fine ally. If he can handle being just a partner and not the sole contributor. Which... the judge is still out on that.

Still, he smiles when Magnificent grins at him. "You're quite good at this," he says.

Magnificent smiles smugly, like a cat trying to strut. “It’s my specialty, Aneirin, darling! Hypnosis and controlling the mind are my bread and butter. You have to know when their minds are empty enough… then you can mold it into whatever you want~!” He chuckles sinisterly.

"So I suppose we wait. And then... well, I wasn't kidding about finding the other one. His... brother. Those powers would also be helpful.”

At the mention of Bro, Mag nods. “…from what I can remember… whatever I did to the TRVLR affected both of them… their other useless friends seemed unaffected. They shouldn’t cause us much trouble before we find him…”

"So... there are others with them, then," the King mutters. "Let me guess. Jackie, Jameson, and Henrik. Those seem to make up the rest of this little group. I wonder if that's a pattern across worlds. Five, with one separate."

Magnificent nods with a smirk. “Correct. Those 5 plus some antagonist… isn’t always the same person, either. But, they’re all connected across the universes I’ve seen. An Anti… like Alt. And you. A-“ He winces and gestures at himself. “A Marvin. A Henrik. A Chase. A Jameson. And A Jackie. Always intertwined…”

“Hm… I remember having difficulty with your Chase’s mind before, but if he's similarly afflicted, that would help. I could sense that one's mind if we get close enough, but there's no telling where he went."

Mag growls. “yes… he’s a difficult one. His head is hard to keep under… hard to mold. But… having Alt already under our thrall will help… if he can’t remember anything… I’m sure their annoying sibling bond is still very much intact. We can use that…”

Aneirin winces, almost unnoticably. Yes, that annoying sibling bond. How useless. But useful for others. The King pauses, looking at Alt while he lies on the ground. "Hmm... something slightly off with those clothes. Can't quite put my finger on it. He'll need new ones, anyway." As he stares, he notices something else. "Is that... a bracelet with words? I don't recognize the symbols. It's not your alphabet, is it?"

Mag blinks and looks down at Alt. He kneels down again and picks up Alt’s limp wrist, studying the bracelet. Then he grins. “Oh ho… he’s learning so many new tricks~!” He glances at the King and then gestures to the bracelet. “It’s runes… one of our ancient alphabets of magic. Gaelic, I believe. But, I studied these as a novice too. It’s a tracking bracelet… it will lead its wearer towards others with similar energies.” He grins then, eyes glowing as he touches the stone, watching as it lights up with magic. “…which is how… we can find that poor lost do-gooder~!”

The King stays quiet as Magnificent talks, listening to what he knows. He leans closer, getting a better look at the bracelet. His eyes light up--metaphorically--as the stone starts to glow. "Ooo, a very useful talisman. We have similar ones here, though the, ah, 'roonz' are replaced by plain letters or abstract symbols." He straightens again. "But back to the matter at hand. The others. Even if they are useless, they will probably try to find their friends. We should expect that.”

Mag looks back at the King and scowls before shrugging, “Of course but… I wouldn’t worry too much about the ones from my world. Two of them have been my puppets and are easily controlled. Henrik’s magic is primitive and weak. The other two are powerless. Jackie can fight but- he doesn’t usually pose much of a threat.” He looks down at Alt and nudges his face with his shoe. “…we just need to keep a tight hold on our new knights… and they’ll be putty in our hands.”

At the touch, Alt’s eyelids flutter and he blinks slowly as his eyes focus. Then, he registers who’s in front of him and in a quick glitch, he’s kneeling on one knee and bowing towards Mag and the King. “M-Mu Ríthe!“

Mag blinks in surprise and then giggles, “Oh… I could get used to this~!”

Aneirin flashes a smile at Mag. "It is quite... what was the word you used? An 'ego-boost.'" Magnificent returns the grin with a chuckle.

The King turns back to Alt. "Good to see you awake again, á klaíoh. Are you ready to serve? Because we have someone to find and we wish to go soon."

Alt doesn’t lift his head as he addresses his king, “Of course, mu Ríth. I’m ready whenever you have need of me.”

"Excellent. Then stand." The King makes a 'rise' gesture. "We will get you a proper uniform and then start our search."

Alt rises to attention and nods, “Yes, mu Ríth.”

The King glances at the warriors still nearby. {No need to remember this,} he tells them. And now, as soon as the group leaves the courtyard, the warriors will forget this even happened.

Magnificent takes this time to get back into his clothes from his last visit as well, taking time to smooth down the fabric. He grins madly, “Well… this is gonna be a whole lot of fun~!”

"It certainly is." Aneirin matches Magnificent's grin with a more subdued--but no less mad--version of his own. "Now let's be quick. I assume the tracking bracelet's glow means the other one is nearby."

Magnificent nods and then looks at Alt. “Alt, is there a seeking word for your talisman? If so, use it now.”

Alt’s eyes pulse green and then he touches the stone on his bracelet and speaks “Loonu” The bracelet pulses too and then wisps of green-blue magic start to appear in the air, popping up like a path towards the nearest matching energy.

◈━◈━◈━◈━◈━◈━◈━◈━◈

Bro’s fall into Glasúil was anything but pleasant. Everything is a confusing, painful blur of fuzzy images and broken glass. It feels like it’s rearranging everything in his head. As he crashes to the ground, his body glitches and contorts, eyes wide and glitching with purple as he’s rewritten by the corrupted magic in his veins. He vaguely remembers gasping and yelling. But, soon enough that starts to fade away into the fog.

But- he vaguely remembers he’s… looking… looking for people. For someone… they’re… important. That’s the only solid thought in his head as he lifts his head up from the coarse wet sand sticking to him. His dull eyes try to take in the sights around him, weakly pushing himself up. “Where… am I…?”

He's on the shore of a large body of water. There's a distant shore barely in sight, but judging by the curve of this shore he's on an island. To his back, it's crowded with wood and stone buildings. Surrounding him is sand and reeds that vary in size from knee-height to waist-height. Extending onto the water are wooden walkways and floating buildings. Farther, close enough that he can see it clearly but still a bit of a walk away, there is a wooden dock with some attached wooden buildings. A cobblestone roads leads from it off into the surrounding fields. There are... people over by the dock and buildings. He can see them, the distance making them small enough to hide behind his hand.

Bro takes in all the information around him with a bit of panic. He looks down at his clothes and they feel… off. Why? What was happening? Where he is? Why can’t.., why can’t be remember anything?! He chokes down a panicked breath and tries to breathe, just… gather your thoughts Chase… what do you know?

…he’s in the land of Glasúil… and considering he’s near a lake… is he near Suilthair…? He… can’t remember if he’s been before… And he knows… his brother. Alt. Anti… the one he’s always out to protect. And last he remembers… was his little brother screaming in pain.

With this in mind, he staggers up to his feet and makes his way towards the nearest cluster of people. Maybe they’ve seen him! And… and his friends. Yeah… he also needs to find them. The… the Masked Phantoms. He must look like a crusty mess but still he trudges over, occasionally pausing to groan in slight pain as an intense headache attacks his head. But he can push it off. He’s… Bro Fantastic he’s a… a super hero …he’s a warrior. He can handle anything thrown at him.

As he nears the docks he calls out towards them, “Hwaet!!” He then waves his arm to get their attention as he continues closer.

The people near the docks are scattered into disparate groups. Some of them turn when he calls out, some of them don't. Everyone is dressed differently, and everyone has bags or boxes of some sort with them. Ah. They're all waiting. Probably to board a boat of some kind, judging by the docks. There are also a pair of warriors leaning by the doorway. They look relaxed, chatting with each other, expressions calm. The nearest group is made of an older man and three younger people who all look alike enough to be related. Two of these group--a young woman and one who looks pretty androgynous--walk over to him.

"Aan bhfuil tu kear leori?" the woman asks. Something that Bro instinctively knows means "Are you alright?"

"Did you fall in the lake?" her companion adds.

Bro meets the others and attempts to smile, “Ah… dia duhui…” He greets. He brushes off some of the sand and shakes it out of his hair. “Nearly… lucky I didn’t fall in head first…” He then looks at the two in front of him and tries to find his focus. “oh but um… I’m looking for someone… my brother. He looks like me but- a lot shorter! And he has some green in his eyes- and… he- oh! He has a white cat mask on- with like… stripes on it. Have… you seen anyone like that?”

"A white animal mask?" the woman repeats. "Like those destructive spirits?"

The other person rolls their eyes. "Those spirits aren't real, Lila."

"I don't understand how you can still say that!" The woman--Lila--repeats. "After what we heard in the Leonbhar claim?"

"They're probably just people causing chaos."

Lila sighs and turns back to Chase. "Don't listen to Senan, they don't know what they're talking about. But no, we haven't seen anyone like that. Maybe he took the earlier ferry?"

Bro blinks in confusion, “Destructive spirits…?” He asks quietly. “…is that how you all… think about the phantoms?”

"Phantoms...?" Senan repeats, confused.

Bro knits his eyebrows together, trying to sort through his thoughts. Could the phantoms really be causing that much trouble…?

Bu he’s shook out of his thoughts by Lila’s second question. He tries to smile, “maybe… but I don’t think he’d tried to leave the island without finding me first… guess I gotta… just keep looking around!”

Senan shrugs off their confusion. "Yes, of course, I'm sure you'll find him. Maybe you can ask some of the local warriors. They keep an eye on things around here, maybe one of them saw your brother."

Chase glances at the warriors and gets an uneasy feeling. Guards… probably aren’t the safest thing for him to go towards right now. Even if… he’s missing his mask. He nods his head and smiles politely, “yeah! Of course- well, thank you for your help!” He waves to them and then starts heading further away from that beach.

Lila frowns, confused, but she and Senan wave goodbye anyway.

As Chase heads away from the beach and further into the city, it seems like avoiding guards is going to be harder to do than he thought. He can't go two minutes without seeing them, usually in pairs or trios, walking along the streets. Patrolling. The people don't react to them, merely going around them as if this is completely normal. Or... they don't usually react.

Chase watches the guards warily- as if he’s expected to be recognized. But… huh. Guess he’s managing to somewhat fit in. Where could Alt be…? And the others…? Bro glances at the bracelet on his wrist and perks up, going to study it. Oh… but- fuck! He forgot the word he’s supposed to use… man. If only he could fly-

As Chase pauses to look at the bracelet, another pair of warriors turn the corner. These ones wear helmets. And this time, the cityfolk glance at them uneasily, seeming to speed up their business by just a bit.

Chase notices and feels the change in atmosphere and notices the helmeted guards. Those… seem like very bad news. He glances around quickly to see if he can hide anywhere- he’s just hoping he’s fast-! But as he thinks this, his body seems to react and in a blink- he’s zipped into the spaces between two buildings. He blinks slowly then looks at the lingering energy pulsing in his veins. “Cadé aan… sailile…?”

He doesn't have too long to dwell on it, though. The helmeted warriors continue down the street, glancing into every alleyway as they go.

Bro gasps and stumbles back as he hears the clanging of their weapons and chain mail, trying to see if he can find a way to blend into the shadows.

They pass by the alleyway. One of them glances inside and starts to walk past, but then stops. They nudge their companion, who turns and looks. They nod. "You there!" they call, obviously spotting Chase. "Identify yourself."

Chase stiffens and then swallows thickly, “Um… Chase son of… Kieran-“ He then seems to stiffen slightly as his eyes just slightly flicker with purple. “I mean uh… son of b…Brody, sir.”

The warrior nods again. "The King has business with you," they say. "Come with us."

Chase’s stomach drops, “T-The King?!” He starts to back up more, panicking. “w-what does he want with me?! I- I’m no one special!”

"We do not ask questions of His Majesty," the other guard says. "And a summons is not a request. If you do not comply we will use force."

Chase might not know much right now… but he knows for sure he does not want to be brought to the King. Every muscle in his body screams this. He glances briefly as the bright blue still pulsing weakly in his veins. …he doesn’t understand what magic this is… but desperate times! Relying on instinct, Chase lashes out a hand, points a finger at the guards- and a volt of blue lighting zaps out of his finger. He takes a moment to look at this in surprise- but then he quickly scrambles backwards and starts to book it down the alley.

One of the warriors gets hit by the lightning and knocks back into the other one. They tumble to the ground but they're up again quickly, running after Chase, shouting at him to stop.

When Chase bursts out of the alley he's in the next street over. People turn and stare at him as he rushes past, jumping out of his way when they see who's pursuing him. There are also two non-helmeted warriors on this street. They look very surprised, almost too stunned to move even when one of the helmeted ones shouts at them to help. Not that the helmeted warriors need the help. They're gaining quickly.

Chase is cursing over and over in his head. Fucking Alt! Where is he?! Where are the others?! Why is he being chased when he can’t remember shit?! He serpentines through people and things on the street- trying to get as much distance as he can between himself and the warriors. The warriors are fast… but he feels pretty fast too.

And fast he is. As the chase continues, he slowly pulls ahead, zigzagging through the streets at random. Getting deeper and deeper into the city. People keep jumping out of the way but they literally cannot move fast enough. Thank god that he's very good at dodging around them. A stone wall grows closer, palace towers looming higher.

Part of him wonders how he got so good at running and dodging. The other part of him assumes it’s from being with the Phantoms. They had to do this regularly, huh? …well- s’not like he can remember anyways.

Chase zips down another corner and then blinks in surprise as he sees… a blue green wisp of magic. …that seems very familiar. Before he can chase that thought, something suddenly appears in front of him like a fuzzy bolt of green lightning. And a seax is held at his throat, two burning green eyes glaring at him.

The two Brody brothers stare at each other for a second before Alt starts to lower the blade. “Chase…?”

Chase looks relieved for a second, “Alt!” Then he stiffens and is about to grab Alt to run again when he pauses and takes in his little brother properly. “…what in Elders name are you wearing?!”

Alt straightens, showing that he’s now dressed in a long black tunic, the king’s crest stark on his chest. His phantom mask isn’t anywhere on him. It feels… strange to see him without a mask. Didn’t he always have one? “Chase-“ Alt says softly, holding up a hand as he sheathes the seax. “just… try to breathe. I know you must be feeling confused right now…”

“Hells yeah I’m confused!” Bro shouts, “Why are you dressed like you’re a Kings’ warrior?!”

The helmeted warriors behind him skid to a halt, suddenly seeming unsure. And then they both stiffen and bow their heads... as a man in a green cloak and golden circlet rounds the corner of the street. "Ah." His green eyes light up and there's a flash of a smile before his expression falls again. "Just barely out of range. Of course," he whispers, just low enough for himself and Mag. Then he raises his voice to a more audible volume. "Hello, Chase. Good to see you again, it's been a while. Have you forgotten as much as your brother? You must have... otherwise this wouldn't have been a surprise."

Chase startles as he turns to see the King walking up to him… and Magnificent. “What… what is happening…?” He whispers with wide eyes.

Magnificent chuckles and smirks at Bro, “Well Mr. Brody… it’s so rare to see you get cornered, isn’t it?”

Chase fumbles for anything to say. “What… what did you do to Alt?” He finally growls out, blue light shimmering in his eyes.

“Chase please just- let us explain!” Alt tries to say, grabbing onto his arm.

But Chase rips himself away and stumbles back. “no! You’re… you’re betraying our friends Alt! The- the Phantoms-“

“The Phantoms are the problem, Chase!” Alt snaps, “The King and Magnificent want to help us… they helped me remember- they can help you too!”

Mag rolls his eyes and sticks out his tongue at the King to show his disgust. Then he sighs dramatically and snaps his fingers, “Enough of the drama- Alt, secure your brother in place, won’t you?”

Alt stiffens, his eyes flashing green. Then he grabs both of Bro’s arms and yanks them hard behind his back and holds them. “Yes, my Liege.”

Bro cries out and tries to fight his way out of Alt’s grip. “N-No! Alt stop it!” He glares at Mag and the King, baring his teeth. “W-Whatever you’re planning…! O-Our friends will find us- they’ll stop you! Both of you!”

Magnificent giggles and strides over to Bro with a shit-eating grin. “Ain’t that sweet… such a pity though, seeing as you can’t even remember them properly~!” He then snaps and magic blooms behind him and the King, “And we’re gonna keep it that way.”

The King smirks. "Don't worry, Chase. It won't take long for you to realize your mistakes. We won't hold it against you." He reaches out mentally, clearing the way for Mag. "It's possible to get swept up in a so-called righteous cause. But let us show you the truth now. The truth of where your loyalties should truly lie."

Chase struggles and tries to fight, but his brain is already so scrambled from the memory loss. The King can feel a bit of resistance in Chase’s mind… like an injury messed with the pathways that are usually easier to navigate. But, soon enough the magic fills up his eyes and he slumps slightly, looking up at the King and Mag in a daze. “Where my… loyalties… lie…” he whispers, Mag’s magic digging into his rewritten, open mind.

Magnificent laughs, this does feel easier than it usually does! Maybe it’ll actually stick… but if it doesn’t. He has a plan. “Yes Chase… the Phantoms have lied to you. You’ve heard it recently haven’t you? They cause nothing but chaos and destruction. A hero like you… a warrior like you… would never align himself with such people, right? You pride yourself in protecting the innocent.” Mag tries not to let his disgust show at saying that. “The kingdom protects far better than the Phantoms ever could… you’ve been deceived, Chase.”

The magic flickers in Chase’s eyes before growing brighter as his expression gets blanker. He tries to shake his head but… the logic seems so sound. …how was he so blind to it all…? Has he been protecting the wrong people…?

“Yes, Chase, you were on the wrong side,” the King says, reinforcing this way of thinking as Magnificent’s magic sinks in. “But you can make up for it now. Just like your brother. The two of you can help save the kingdom from these threats… if you only remember where you’re supposed to be. By my side, and Magnificent’s. Being the loyal warrior you were always meant to become.”

Green light swells to consume the color in Chase’s eyes as he numbly nods. “…a loyal warrior…” He breathes.

Magnificent grins, triumphant. Now- to properly mold him~! “Very good Chase… now. You don’t need to remember anything else but your loyalty to the crown. The Masked Phantoms and any other rebels are your enemies. They must be eliminated. You exist to serve the King, a loyal knight. Just like your brother.”

Chase slumps more, the magic getting brighter. But, then it flickers slightly as his face scrunches up- trying to fight.

Magnificent growls and goes to grab Chase’s chin, pressing his face close as magic swirls in his eyes. “And… know this, Chase Brody. I know your tendency to rebel… but if you try- if you don’t obey the commands I or the King give you… your baby brother will suffer. I will hurt him. And you don’t want that… right?”

Chase stiffens and lets out a hurried, breathy, “N-No!”

The magic increases its pressure- so much so that Bro’s head lolls back limply as Magnificent laughs, “Good answer… then let this all sink in, knight. Be molded into the perfect warrior of Glasúil. And when you awaken, you will know your purpose and be ready to serve. Understand?”

“Y-Yes… my liege.”

Magnificent grins wide and then snaps, and Chase slumps completely, falling forward with his head hung. Alt drops him stoically, as if he doesn’t care or even recognize him.

Magnificent purrs at the sight, “Mmmm… hopefully that sticks. This one is always tricky to keep down… so ironic, considering his brother is my best puppet~!”

“It’s always strange with families,” Aneirin agrees. “It’s never clear what gifts will pass to who.” He pauses for a moment, looking around to make sure no one saw what just happened. No, this is a thankfully empty part of the city. The warriors who were chasing Chase are still nearby, but he easily dismisses them, wiping the encounter from their minds. “For example, take my oracle. Did I tell you about him last time? I can’t recall. But I used to… employ an oracle, before he ran off with the rebels. No one in that family had the sight before, and yet there he was. Not to mention the way powers fade in bloodlines before suddenly returning.” He sighs just remembering the wait for another enchanter Royal. “In any case, clever thinking there. Now… now we can hunt those rebels down.” His eyes flash with anger. “I was planning on going soon. Some were in this city recently and I believe I know which way they went. Best to move quick before they get too far, I thought.”

Magnificent nods, “Magic always works in strange ways.” He comments. Then, his eyes flash hungrily and he grins. “An excellent idea… having these two to tear the rebels down~! Oh it’ll be such a beautiful sight to see! So much betrayal and drama!” He giggles.

Aneirin smiles. “It truly will be a sight, won’t it?” Though he does not look forward to the drama in the way Magnificent does, he can’t pretend it won’t be satisfying.

Mag then gestures for Alt to come over. He grabs the glitch’s wrist and green lines cover over his purple marks. He nods- now he had a way to make sure they kept Bro on a short leash. He then whistles and snaps, looking back at Chase. “Rise and shine, Brody! We got rebels to find~!”

Chase groggily groans for a second, his eyelids fluttering. But then he stiffens, his eyes flashing green. Then he pulls himself up and bends over at the middle, arm pressed to his stomach to bow to the King and Mag. “Yes, my lords.” He looks up with determination and fire in his eyes.

Alt shakes out of his light trance and smiles a bit with determination too, the air sparking with his magic.

As Chase and Alt shake out of their trances, the King turns to them. “Prepare for travel, á klaíohe. Once you are armed and ready we will leave the city.”

Chase nods and bows properly to the King, “Of course, mu Ríth.”

The King turns back to Magnificent. “It’s early in the day so we can take advantage of the daylight to travel far. I’ll gather some of my special forces as well—” Then he suddenly winces. “Damn, I almost forgot I need to appoint a regent. How I wish my range of influence was greater. Ah, I’ll just leave it to Thalia. That will help secure more loyalty.” He nods, satisfied. “We will be able to leave quickly.”

Magnificent grins, “Ah excellent… I can’t wait to see the look on my puppets’ faces~!” Then he processes and tilts his head at the King, “Ah your telepathy is limited… interesting. I definitely need to be close but- once a link is made I have pretty good control. Then again- I don’t let them travel farther than our city so…” He shrugs. “We’ll see! But- sounds like we have a lot of preparations to make!”

"It covers the city, but yes, we will be going too far for it to stay," Aneirin clarifies. Then he smiles. "Yes, there are some preparation, but we will be going soon." He turns around. "Follow me. We reconvene at the castle and then head out."

He can't wait to smother those rebellious spirits once and for all. They know the truth about him.

Word cannot spread.

#long live the king #LLTK #FMSB #if i tag all the characters all the time it will get SO LONG AND MESSY #so im just gonna tag it as LLTK HGJHB #what a fun way to start off the story huh? :3c

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