[SIDESTORY] Morbit Oneshots

[SHIVERS]

Fishbowl - 2021
Shivers, Patchwork Kernel
CW: violence, unhealthy dynamics, surveillance mention
Pepper enlists Blink's expertise on something new.

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Light sweeps across the dusty space, sliding across all the boxes of forgotten knick-knacks and old furniture as it fills the room.
The storage unit's metal shutter slides open fully, pushed up by a grey pockitt with tired eyes.

"So any piece of junk works?"
"Items that are more personal to the user have a better chance of working, but...
Technically, you can use almost anything as a base object.
I'd suggest the former, though.
For the record."
"Yeah yeah, got it."

Blink waits out by the entrance, checking their nails as Pepper steps inside.

The pockitt glances over all the piles of unused junk they'd left here,
the space immediately difficult to navigate thanks to the sheer volume of clutter amassed over the years.

As they squeeze through a gap between a ripped-up loveseat and a non-functional TV set, something catches their attention.

In a corner, well off to the side, a glass fishbowl sat atop a pile. 
It was filled with old toys and various odds and ends.

Pepper gets a long look at it before making their way over.
They hesitate.

the 'personal' thing is bullshit.
i dont need to dig through all that
blink said anything would work




but whats it hurt to look

After a few seconds of staring, the pockitt reaches in, sifting through everything buried inside.

Memories come flooding back . . .







































The little astronaut stood motionless in the middle of the room, surrounded by bean bags and a bunk bed that were unfathomably larger than they were.
A little alien stood in tandem next to them, as if in greeting, wearing the same kind of space suit.

A tiny pockitt was crouched in front of the spaceship playset, staring blankly at all the pieces.



The child's shadow shifts suddenly, pulling their eyes towards it.
A figure pulls itself up out of their shadow, erupting from the floor.
Black, white and pink, and covered in eye-like spots, the shadow looms beside the pockitt... 

"...hey, Mystery."
"Hi!"

...only to sit down next to them.



"The foster people seem really nice.
Just look at this roooom..." Mystery marches around the room with their hands behind their back, taking everything in.
"...maybe..."
"And this, too!" They peer through the spaceship window at Pepper.
"Lots of fun toys, looks like!"
"...it's all hand-me-downs from their real kids."
"Well... I still think it looks fun."

Mystery tilts their head, looking for any reaction from the pockitt.
When there was none, their ears drooped.

It didn't last, though, their ears popping back up as they got an idea.
They walk around the spaceship and flop behind it.

They reach an arm out, picking up the alien figure and proceeding to wiggle it as they spoke in its voice, its plastic feet making tiny tapping noises as it touched the floor from the motion.

"Cadet Pepper, it's time to launch!
You're the best pilot, we can't do this mission without you!"

The figure winces as they reach their other claw out, enough to barely reach the astronaut figure.
Gently, they slide it forward, closer to Pepper.


No reaction.

Mystery wilts.

They get up, walking over by Pepper before taking a seat beside them once more.

"Are you sad?"
"...yeah. 
I'm scared, too."
"Why're you scared?"
Pepper curls up.
"I don't like it here, I don't wanna be here.
I don't like them, either.
I miss dad, a-and..."
"I miss them, too.
...but you have me, it's okay!"

The pockitt sniffles, looking up at Mystery.
"But what if they come to get me?"
"Who?
...Dad?"
"No, the people who... had...
...who were with Bazil..."

Mystery frowns, watching the toy set as they think it over.





They look back at the little pockitt, sporting a smile now.
"...I'll protect you! 
I'll keep us safe."
"...really?"
"Uh-huh.
They can't get past me!
I've got eyes..." Mystery stands up and sticks their arms out. 
"...eeeeverywhere!" The many eye spots along their hide spin in a silly-looking manner.
Pepper can't help but giggle.

Mystery grins back.
"You wanna play now?"
"Mhm..." 
They pick up the little astronaut.
"Cadet Pepper ready for pilot duty!
Co-Pilot Mystery... 

...Are you ready?"

The shadow - thrilled - lifts up the little alien.

"Let's launch!"











 












































Click.



Click.



Click.


Pepper's finger presses the button on the side of the walkie talkie, over and over.

Rain pings off a sheet of metal propped between tree branches, the cacophony nearly overtaking the click of the walkie.

Their yellow hoodie - already soaked - drips on the exposed tree roots below.





They take a breath now, glancing past the tree to a neighborhood near the forest path.
They watch one particular window of a house there.



The light inside is on.







They switch on the walkie, taking a deep breath before clicking in the button.

"Kim?

I'm at the spot."









The radio is quiet.

"I was um... thinking we could go hang out?
It's raining, but... means it's extra scary to go exploring.

Got you an extra flashlight if you don't have yours."




They turn away from the window, leaning their back against the tree.

"...Hey, we could... go out past the ridge this time?
If you want to...
I know I was freaked out last time, but I'm good now.
I got this."





Their leg bounces.

"...I also got this new movie, for my birthday.

...I... guess you missed my party on Friday, but it, um...
It wasn't a big deal, you must've got busy. 
It's cool. Y'know, I get it."

They close their eyes and wince, popping the walkie talkie against their forehead.









"And about the thing that--
...that we, talked about.

...You're right.
It was dumb, and
I'm not gonna mess with that anymore.
Any of it.



...Okay?"










The pockitt looks back around to the window.


The light was off.

"...Kim...? "









They take a few steps back from the tree.

Their lip quivers.




Pepper turns away and starts hurrying down the forest path, picking a random direction.

A sniffle starts, one that gets worse the longer they walk.













Finally, they stop.

A whimper escapes their throat.




They turn, reeling back their arm before lobbing the walkie talkie at a tree as hard as they can.
Its case snaps off, and it tumbles down into a pile of dead leaves on the forest floor.

Their shoulders start to droop seconds later, as their anger cracks away.
Pepper presses their claws to their face, collapsing to the mud and leaves below as their chest heaves.



A familiar claw touches their shoulder, ever-so-gently.

Pepper falls still.

"...We should get back home, okay?
It's not really safe out here this late, and with all this rain you might catch a cold.
We'll get you cleaned up, and we can put on the heater so your room's nice and warm.
Sound good?"





"...go away."

"...what?"

Pepper springs up, their fur caked in mud, and slaps away Mystery's hand.
"I said go away!
This is YOUR fault!"

Mystery stumbles back in surprise.

"...my fault?"

Pepper wipes the mud and snot off their face, breath still shuddering.
"I told Kim about you, and all the other--
He... said that's s... stuff for 'little kids.' 
I got mad, and we had a fight, and now he doesn't wanna be friends anymore!"

Tears pour down again, Pepper wiping them away in frustration.

"Do you know h-how... hard it was to make any friends at another new school?!
I got one and you RUINED it!"
Mystery's eyes watered; both of them crying now.
"...but... we're... still friends.
...you still have me, at least."
"No! I don't!
Imaginary friends don't count."

It hurt.

"Pepper, please don't... say that to me.
That m-makes... me feel bad--"
"Even the new foster people don't like me cause of you!"

Concern flashes over the shadow's face.

"...but, we never talked when they were around.
We were careful--" "They had cameras everywhere, stupid!
The living room ones aren't just for show, and they have 'em in the bedroom, too!"

Mystery's eyes grow wide.

"...How much... did..."
"They've known since the first day we got there! They just waited til I turned twelve.
Said I'm too old for imaginary friends, and that it's not okay to talk to you."

"But I've... b-been around you, a lot... longer than they have.
We made it through everything. The two of us--"
"And look where you got me!"

Pepper pants in the rain, mud now caked into their fur as they shook from the cold.
"I'm just gonna be all alone, thanks to you!"

The pockitt wipes their face on their sleeve, walking away to retrieve the broken walkie.
Once they manage to dig it out, they toss it in their pocket and continue down the path, heading away from home.

"...where are you going?
Wait--" Mystery hurries to catch up, but Pepper turns to stop them.
"I'm going out past the ridge.
Kim might talk to me again if I do."
"It's way too dangerous, you--"
"And you're NOT gonna stop me again!"
"...but, Pepper..."

They reach out and shove Mystery over onto the muddy path.

"Don't follow me.
I don't wanna talk to you anymore."
They look up at Pepper, every ounce of betrayal showing on their face.
Pepper shies away as they notice, trying to hold back more tears.
"...D-Don't come back."

They keep walking.


"...Pepper!



...please...!"
It hurt too much to hear.
Guilt and anguish burned in the pit of their chest.

The pockitt began to run.

"...wait...!"

Mystery's voice faded with the rain.



















































A flash of light reflects in the broken window.



The motor spins the rollers, pushing out the fresh photo.

Pepper's feet creak along the busted-up floor as they snag the picture, beginning to shake it.
The bulky instant camera dangles around their neck.


The old bank building had sat abandoned for nearly twenty years.
Decay had long-since set in, overtaking the once carefully-maintained building and filling it with holes and perilous drops.


They look the developed photo over before pocketing it, glancing ahead.

The pockitt had managed to clamber up to the second floor by climbing atop furniture through a hole in the floor - the stairwell entirely impassable below - and now sets their sights on a few precarious boards laying between them and a clear path to the rest of the stairwell.

All the upper floors were within reach, full of who-knows-what, all they had to do was make it over this.



They approach the first board,
mentally preparing to cross.

"...don't."
The pockitt recognizes the voice behind them all too well, 
but they don't turn; they don't flinch.

"I... I know you don't want to listen to me,
but... that could kill you.
This isn't safe. 
...Please.

Don't--!
Pepper--"

Their feet were already on the board, balancing their way across it inch-by-inch.
Possibly out of spite, they were moving faster than they should've, not really bothering to be too careful.

Mystery has stopped talking by this point, 
too afraid to do anything other than watch in grim anticipation.



The boards creak ominously under them, each subsequent step seeming to lower their chances of making it across as the boards start bending.








They snap.



Pepper doesn't feel it, 

already on their way down.


A stray stanchion catches their leg,

flipping them onto their back 

just as they slam hard into the tile floor below, knocking the wind out of them.



Pepper coughs and wheezes, gripping their torso tight as they struggle to breathe properly.
They groan, climbing to their feet only to hunch over, 
stray tears falling down their face.

"Hang on!"
They hear Mystery drop down to the first floor, hurrying over as the pockitt begins to recover.
"Let's... get you out of he--"
Mystery reaches out a claw, 
only for Pepper to slap it away.

Their face was red, anger welling up through the tears.
"Can't you take a hint?!
Leave. Me. The hell. Alone!" Pepper screams.

Mystery froze stiff.



"...You aren't even real.
I don't need you hanging around anymore."
"...I am, real.
We've... I've been here, with you, since we were kids.
You can't act like that didn't happen, how would you explain all the--"
"Cause I got kidnapped by a fucking cult and I needed people there with me!
So I made you - ALL of you - without thinking about it, and you just stuck somehow.
That doesn't make any of it real."

"But... but I remember things from before then, too.
I remember dad... and I remember--" 
"Don't.
You don't get to talk about them like they were your family, too.
You keep them out of your mouth." Pepper snarls.

"Fine, yes, you were there before.
I was a stupid, lonely kid, even before all that, and I needed friends,
so I made you first.
And then all that happened and I needed you more.
Now I'm AWAY from all that, and I'm practically an adult already!
So why would I need you? "

"...I," They sputter. 
I help... keep..." 

Mystery swallows.

"...keep you safe.
You remember? 
Back wh--" "If I get hurt, I get hurt." Pepper interrupts.

"It doesn't matter, and even if it did, 
I do NOT need some kid's crayon drawing brought to life coming to my rescue, okay? 
I can just--" 
They sling their arm back and slam their fist into a nearby desk, busting it into pieces. 
"What're you gonna do? 
I-spy a cultist to death?"



Mystery struggles to find words.

"W... What...
...What if it's... like with Bazil and Chelsea, where--"
"Don't bring them into this.
It's not like it's contagious or something!
How the hell would I have the same thing?!" 
"I don't know, but... maybe it... 
I mean, that could... 
it's..."
A flash of light blinds Mystery, widening their numerous eyes.





"I'm sick of this."

They pull out the picture and shake it.

"I'm done with you, alright?
This stupid game we've been playing for years where even when I push you away,
or ignore you or- Anything."

"Pepper, wait--"

"You just keep right on trying to crawl your way into MY life again.
And again, and again, and again."

"It's- We can talk about--"

"Always making things worse.
Always making me feel like I'm losing my mind."

They glance at the photo.

"Because I am down here, screaming my lungs out at NOTHING!"
Pepper throws the picture at Mystery. 
The shadow struggles to catch it after it bounces off their chest.
"At fucking AIR!"








Mystery manages to steady the photo.



They bring it up to look at it in the light.











Nothing shows in the photograph.

Just the bank building wall.



They weren't there.








As Mystery stares at the photo, 
running their eyes over it again and again,
the photo slips through their fingers.

They grab for it, but their claws would no longer hold it.





"...I knew it.

See?












There's nobody here."












"...but..."

Mystery stood still, staring down at their hands.


The pockitt turns away, making their way towards the exit doors.












Pepper's hand was tugged back, the pockitt turning to see them standing with tears in their eyes.

It felt just as real as every other time.

"...please, 
don't leave me by myself anymore.

I... I know you don't believe that I'm here and I know you don't want to mess with any of it,
but I won't... bother you anymore or cause any problems, I promise!
I swear,"
They closed their eyes and shook their head. 
"I swear I won't be an issue, I just need to-
I haven't... talked, to you or anybody in so long...

...I won't bother you, we can just... talk. 
Sometimes.
About anything. 
And it... it'll be okay-

Please...

I don't wanna be alone.



I can't do it anymore..."









Pepper slowly pulls away.
Their paw phases straight through Mystery's, leaving them grasping at air.




The pockitt could hear Mystery behind them, choking back sobs.

They push through the exit doors.

"...I miss y--"

The doors shut behind them.



Pepper's chest burns as they struggle to catch their breath.

The guilt rises into their throat.

But they swallow it down.



Bury it.




























































" P    e    p    p  e  r . "





Someone nudges Pepper's shoulder, causing them to recoil.

Blink stood next to them, holding their arms up in an apologetic gesture.


"Pepper?"
"...Hey."


"...I asked you a question."
"Sorry, zoned out."
"I can see that, yes."
"What's up?"
"Is that what you're going with?"

Blink points.
Pepper looks down at their hands, realizing they were holding the instant-print camera.

"No...
No, I uh..."
They drop it back into the bowl.
Their eye scans over the objects inside once more.

A little astronaut figurine, 
a busted-up walkie talkie, 
and so many other countless knick-knacks.







Pepper picks up the entire fishbowl, 
and dumps all the objects out into a nearby box.

They hold the bowl up to Blink.

The snake raises an eyebrow. "A fishbowl?"
"Had a fish that died, and I was sad about it.
I used the bowl for a while afterwards to put old junk in.
That's personal enough, right?"
"I... suppose so?
We can certainly try it."
"There you go. Done. Let's go."

Pepper shooed Blink out the door.
"Fine, yes, there's no need to rush me."

Once they were clear, Pepper hops up and snags the handle of the metal shutter, 
using their weight to pull all the way shut in seconds.






"Now what's this spot you picked out?"

"Fairly remote little forest just outside the city.

Not too far from here, thankfully."

"We need to bus?

Or is it within walking . . ."


The camera once again sits in the dark of the storage unit, 
as Pepper and Blink's voices fade off into the distance.










 

---

Wind brushes gently across Pepper's fur on its way through the forest clearing.
It sifts the grass just as smoothly.
Pepper closes their eyes to feel it, relaxing just a little.

"I'll take a 'thank you' now for picking the Perfect spot for this. 
That just so happens to be less than a mile walk from your storage unit."
The kangaroo reluctantly opens their tired eyes.
"Yeaaah, yeah."

Blink removes their backpack and pulls a blanket out of it.
They unfold it and sit cross-legged at one end, gesturing for Pepper to do the same.

"What, like we're having a picnic?"
"You're more than welcome to stand for however long this takes, instead."
"...Alright then."
They sigh and take a seat.
"This is gonna destroy my knees, though."
"Well, the good news is,
you'd hardly be any shorter without them."
"Hey.
...Cheap shot."
"I kid, I kid."





The snake reaches back into their bag, this time retrieving what looked to be an air purifier.

"...A filter?"
"Shred collector."

Blink pops the top off, and a clear plastic jar emerges.
They pop it out, the bottle sealing itself in the process.



The corvice holds it up for Pepper to see.

Inside, plentiful particles of colorful, vibrant, glowing dust fill up the bottom half of the jar.
The pockitt leans in, genuinely intrigued.
"...Thought I couldn't see scraps..."
"Shreds. They're different.
Anyone can see them."

Blink unscrews the lid and puts their hand over the top.

A small amount of the glowing dust floats upward, 
all manner of colors gradually tinting into a deep maroon as the shreds reach Blink's claw.
They lift their hand up, idly rotating their fingers to float the particles around just above their palm.

"Shreds change color to suit the user currently handling them."



Pepper was entirely transfixed, much to Blink's amusement.
"So... I can do that, right?
It cool if I try?"

Pepper reaches forward before getting an answer, 
and Blink quickly seals the shreds back in the bottle.

"You're forgetting those hands of yours."
The kangaroo cocks their head to the side, their ears shifting over.
"Shreds are drawn to scraps.
Including the ones you buried in your hands."

"...Won't that mean this works better?
Like, it's easier to pull 'em if my hands do the work for me already?"



"No. 
The shreds will absorb into the scraps instead,
which..."

The snake idly looks upward as they think things over,
bobbing their head side-to-side for a moment.

"Technically, it's not typically dangerous to allow that to happen.
Scraps encounter shreds all the time. 
You can think of shreds as a natural energy source for them.

However, too much at once can have more... Explosive effects.
I don't think I have nearly enough collected here to cause that,
but I doubt you'd want to risk losing your hands, hm?"

The pockitt shrugs. 
"Eh, I guess."

"On top of that, 
it's counterintuitive to this process."





"Which iiis? "

"Putting it simply:
We'll be feeding shreds into that fishbowl of yours 
until something happens.

"...
...
...That's it?"

"Having a clear picture of what you want often helps, 
but otherwise, yes.
It's the safest and most effective method to spawn your own proxy."







"Though,
as far as your hands are concerned," The snake pops off the lid again.
"I think I may have a trick."
They point. "Set your bowl between the two of us."

Pepper puts the fishbowl down in the middle of the blanket.

"When I say so, 
you are going to gently - very gently - pull the shreds from my hand.
But you aren't going to pull them all the way to your hand.
Instead, just 'let go' of them when they're over the bowl,
and I'll provide a bit of a counter-pull to keep them from being yanked over too quickly.

Does all that make sense?"

Pepper's tired eyes were focused straight through Blink.
"...Sure, yep."
Blink rolls their eyes.
"Just be Careful, alright?
I am not going to haul you to a bus stop with stumps."
"You got it."
"Let's give it a try, then.
Ready?"
Pepper raises a paw.
"Hit me."



Blink pulls a scant amount of shreds up from the container,
tinting them the same deep shade of maroon in the process.

They swirl them slowly, keeping them a few inches above their hand.

"Gently, now..."



Pepper focuses, leaning in.











The shreds begin to move, starting to trail away from Blink towards Pepper.
The pockitt's bag-ridden eyes light up with wonder.
Blink can't help but grin.

"Your mouth is hanging open, you know."
"Shut up, this rules..."

The hybrid struggles to maintain their concentration.
Their flow is unsteady, the glowing dust looking like it could all teeter and fall at any moment.

But, they keep things just steady enough.


The shreds' hue shifts, 
mostly to an energetic yellow.
However, stray particles start to solidify into other colors:
Pink, orange, green, black; all sorts of tints springing up in scattered amounts.

Blink watches the shreds intently.

Pepper doesn't notice, far too focused.



As the shreds float over the bowl, Pepper stops the flow.
The glowing particles drop inside and seem to simply pop out of existence.



The kangaroo takes a breath.

"Well done!
I'm surprised, you're picking this up rather quickly."
"What can I say," Pepper shrugs. 
"I'm the best."
"...Sure you are."

The serpent leans in and squints, studying the shreds in the bowl.

"Though, the color is... odd."
"...Why?"
"There's more than one.
I haven't seen that before, though it might simply be a rare oddity.
Either way, I... assume it's nothing to worry about."
"Good, 'cause it looks cool."

"Now," 
Blink tightens their tie a little as they raise a single claw,
just as a professor might when lecturing a class.
"...since it may take Quite a long time,
let's go over some basics while we continue the process."
Pepper's posture slouches with renewed disinterest.
"Or we could just. 
You know.
Sit. 
And not talk."

The snake glares, straightening their back.
"Well, you want to be prepared with this, don't you?

Wouldn't you like to know how to work your proxy?

Think of all the potential you'd have with it..."



A sigh seeps its way out of Pepper.

"Okay but this IS gonna help me fight better, yeah?"
"Knowing you?
One-hundred percent."

"Fffffine, alright..."

They sit up.

"Let's do it,
I'm all ears."

The pockitt lifts their paw.

"Go."















 

---

Pepper gazes skyward, their eyelids beginning to droop.

The blanket is warm underneath their back as they lay, reclined, 
one paw still raised as they pull and drop shreds with monotonous rhythm.



Blink snaps a few times.
"Pepper-" "I was listening." 
They clear their throat.
"...Sorta." Blink pinches the bridge of their snout.
"You really could stand to take this a little more seriously.
This isn't--"

The fishbowl rattles.

Blink abruptly stops the flow of shreds.
Pepper's ears perk up.
 


The bowl floats off the blanket.

Blink and Pepper stand and back up.






Water fills up the fishbowl.

Blue gravels materializes at the bottom, along with a little plastic treasure chest.
A metallic-looking, hard plastic brace spawns just below the bowl,
looking not unlike those on the treasure chest.

From the brace erupts various lengths of soft plastic tubing, more metal braces, 
and more fish tanks in odd shapes.
A rough template of a body gradually takes shape,
all the pieces melding together into legs, arms, and a torso.

Three-fingered claws covered in golden-orange scales grow from the proxy's 'wrists',
while a similarly-scaly, two-finned tail flares out from behind, 
finishing the process.









The proxy stands tall before Pepper.

Its spindly limbs begin to stir as faint motion pops in gradually.



Fully-prepared for this outcome, Blink starts speaking.
"As of now, 
the only two functions you'll notice are that you should be able to see through its eyes,
and anything that happens to you gets mirrored onto it; including movements.
The sight especially may be... disorienting, to say the least." 

They watch Pepper expectantly.





Experimentally,
Pepper raises a hand.

The fishbowl-headed proxy raises the same fishy claw above its head.

Pepper grins a mile wide.

"...And the mirrored sight?"
"Yeah I'm getting a little bit of that?
It's all fuzzy, though."

The synced pair gives Blink a simultaneous thumbs up.

"But we're good."

"Hm.
Well... keep up the practice."
Blink puts a thoughtful claw to their chin.
"I suppose that particular aspect doesn't matter too much yet..."
The kangaroo was ignoring them, 
doing various poses just to make its proxy echo them.
"Uh-huh."



They strike a pose.
The proxy mimics it.

And another pose.
Mirrored with gusto.



"...must you Really?
Shouldn't we be... practicing with it?"
"Huh?" Pepper pretended not to hear.
"Sorry, busy right now.
hanging out with my best pal:
This weird fish thing."
The corvice rolls their eyes.



Pepper points at the proxy with both hands, giving it the finger-guns.
The proxy counter-fires much to Pepper's continued amusement.



The pockitt mimics a camera frame with their pointer fingers and thumbs, lining up the proxy inside.
The proxy freezes in place.

It roots to the spot.

All motion halts throughout its body,

as if frozen in time.





Pepper's smile fades.

"Uhhh...



...Broke it, or something?
Can't see anything at all from it anymore, either."
"That's..." Blink trails off, shaking their head in shared confusion.


The treasure chest inside the bowl opens on its own.


The proxy jitters suddenly, as if it had been electrocuted.
It begins to move again, 

though its doesn't follow Pepper in the slightest.

Simultaneously, Pepper shudders, looking almost sick.
Their paw goes to their temple.
"Is... is it supposed to give me a... bad headache...?"

"You... should Probably dismiss it now."
"...How the hell do I do that?" "I... told you, earlier--"
Pepper's knees shook.
"Feel like I might... pass out, or-- 
God-..." 

Pepper glances up to find the proxy standing just in front of them.

It towered over them.

They pull back their fist, readying just in case.

"Uhhhh-Blink...?"

"You need to--"
A bright white flash of light left Pepper blind.

Something slugs them in the stomach. 
They double over,
only to be caught by the shoulder.

Pepper coughs.

They look up.



The proxy's color scheme has now changed dramatically; 
pinks and shades of monochrome replacing everything.

An instant-print camera had now appeared in the fishbowl,
with a photograph currently releasing into the water.

One of the proxy's claws is holding a small crack at its torso.



A murky voice raises up from the being.

"...Mirrored?

Let's make this one count, then."

The fishbowl leans down into Pepper's face,
the camera lens studies them carefully.
"How about it, Pepper?"

"W... what--"

It reels back a fist and smashes dead center against Pepper's face,
leaving no time to react.

Glass splits noisily.

The grey pockitt is sent sprawling over into the dirt.

A large crack appears across the front of the bowl, obscuring part of the camera.


The fishbowl cocks its head over to the snake,
who had been approaching from the side.
A whirring sound springs forth as an eerie glow emits inside the bowl.
Blink takes a stance.
"Pepper, dismiss it NOW, you onl--"

A pink flash hits Blink.
Their eyes widen, unfocused.
Their muzzle opens, but doesn't move.
The corvice falls to their knees.

Over their head now floats a swirling pink eye.

"I'm sorry, are you part of this?"

Blink doesn't move.

"No?
Well, that's what I thought."



The proxy approaches Pepper,
who was still trying to get to their feet.
It snags their arm and hoists them up.
"Did that get your attention?

Only a few years too late, then!"



Pepper winds back a punch.

"I wouldn't."
The proxy simply drops Pepper.
The swing at thin air as they hit the ground.

That whirring sound returns.

Pepper shuts their eyes.

It doesn't seem to matter:


The pink flash of light penetrates straight through anyway.




Pepper's vision goes hazy.
Everything they could see is swallowed up by rippling black,
like smog rising up from a fresh fire.

Their legs grew heavy.

Their thoughts raced.
The headache made nothing easier.


dismiss it

dismiss it dismiss it
how do i do that

what did they tell me



i dont remember




In the billowing dark that surrounded them,
Pepper began seeing things.

Glimpses.

Of old memories.

Jumbled together.












sto p






All the memories yielded,
frames paused,
shimmering in static.










Instead,

the void fills up with eyes

every one of them trained on Pepper.





In the dark,
a pink and black figure walked towards them.

Each step left a ripple,
as if dark water had flooded the void.




Pepper couldn't move.

Mystery looked down at them.
All their eyes locked with Pepper's.


"...It isn't fun, is it?"
They effortlessly lifted Pepper off the ground by their arm.
"Not being the one in control."
"...wait--" "Being ignored.
Alone.
Buried." "Listen, listen we--"
"In your own head, no less!"

Their eyes bore down on Pepper like knives brushing skin.

"This is my head, too, after all.
I have no idea what else to do to prove it to you.
Hopefully you understand now.

But then, 
really, 
you always knew, 

didn't you?"

"I... I-I..."

"Don't bother.

I'm aware.

Denial just comes easier for you than anything else, right?

If you push your problems away,

run from them,

then you never have to bother with them!

Isn't that right?"



"I... didn't... mean to--"

"No.
None of that.
You know exactly what you did to me.
You just don't care.
I doubt you've cared about anyone else, at any point.
Especially everyone you share a body with.

...I bet you don't even know their names anymore."
"Mystery... Mystery we... we can just talk--"
"Talk?
Well, let's see, Pepper...
I think I've been asking to talk things out siiiince..."

The shadow pretends to count on their sharp claws.

"Twelve years or so?

Something like that.

I could be losing track, though!
Could have something to do with lacking consistent stimuli for years,
who can say!

It makes sense, though.
Buried things do tend to  rot,  don't they?


But really, who's keeping track, anyway?



Certainly Not You."

They lean their face in close.
"No more of that, though.


Oh, don't worry.
I'm not going to ignore you forever, Pepper.
I won't pretend like you don't exist.
What kind of monster would do something like that!"

Mystery pauses, letting that simmer.

"So, you're welcome to talk with me anytime."
They place a claw to their chest.
"...But you won't be calling the shots anymore.
Anyone but you."



dismiss it

Move

do ANYthing, body

come ON



"Just because you don't give a damn whether you live or die 
doesn't mean you get to drag the rest of us to an early grave alongside you."

As their position starts sinking in,
Pepper can't help seeing cage bars
in the periphery of their vision.







They panic.

DISMISS IT
DISMISS THE PROXY
STOP   STOP
blink get up please Please



"So, good news, then:
You just get to take it easy for a while.

Not that you deserve it.
Because you don't.

But
I won't do what you did.


No one deserves that."



Pepper closes their eyes.
it isnt real
its not here
im not here

"It may take me a little while to figure out how this proxy works.
But as soon as I do, you get to rest easy.
Sound good?
Good."



it isnt real

this isnt happening




bury it

A twinge shifts through the void, startling Mystery.





"...no."
They turn their attention back to Pepper.

"I am NOT spending another second stuck in that..."
Mystery winces, 
trees beginning to show through the dark.
"...thick SKULL ...of yours!"

The shadow grasps their head as their voice grows fainter.

"I won't let... 
you 

do this...




again"

Mystery shuts their eyes tight.
Pepper spots a tear.



"stop"

The shape of Mystery burns away
as the eyes over Blink and Pepper's heads fade into nothing.



The proxy lets go of Pepper as it collapses.

Every component of it disappears,
save for the photo from the fishbowl.



It drifts slightly in the wind,
landing nearby.







Finding themself on their back,
Pepper sits up.





Not far away, they find Blink, panting.





The snake peers over at Pepper,

half-concerned,
half-terrified.



Neither gets up.

Neither speaks.






Pepper spies the photo laying next to them.



They pick it up.














Nothing shows in the photograph.

Just the trees behind where they sat now.



They weren't there.