[PCA] UNIVERSAL CONSTANTS

[skinstealer]

MAES: JESTER, LET ME DOWN
????: ...

 

The ghost lowers itself to the ground, its countless legs folding into a loaf-like shape.

It leans its cascading row of heads over to sniff him, and then bumps into the proxy with its main snout.











...It smells fucking horrible.

MAES: JUDGMENT-!

 

Maes' voice cracks, pounding at Jester's leg.

MAES: Jester, what the fuck is going on?!
JESTER: I, I don't- the-

 

His breathing hitches, still frozen.

The dog is too tired to do more than cover his face with a sleeve, blocking out the stench of rot.






[id: The ghost, now fully revealed, sits in a loaf-like position- surprisingly kitty-like and sweet looking despite being made out of corpse chunks. It appears to comfort Charon's new proxy, nuzzling up. Its frontal head has wide, shiny wet eyes, and doesn't look like it fully understands what's going on.]





The proxy practically lunges for a hug, squeezing the mass of amalgamated karacel flesh.

A cascade of mewls, the creature fluffing up and half backing away, half clinging on back.

????: ....whh-hhhy?

 

After a moment, the proxy backs off, visibly embarrassed and apologetic.

The dog finally breaks the silence.

CHARON: That thing was a fiend... a-angriest one I've ever seen.
SYNNA: A fiend?!

 

Synna's voice goes shrill.

SYNNA: How the shit did we miss that?!

 

Jester finally lets Maes loose, only for her to trip on a stray tail- a rotting tendril stained with long-dried gristle.

MAES: FUCK

 

The proxy dives in to help her up.

CHARON: N-not fully formed, still in progress.
CHARON: Possibly a historical extreme...

 

Maes latches onto the rook in a death grip, trying to catch her breath.

MAES: But- what the fuck do we do about that?!
MAES: What did it even do!
JESTER: It w-went-
JESTER: It went after Maes.

 

Jester's throat sounds dry, shaky on comms.

JESTER: The- the ghost, or w-whatever it was, protected us while the others fought it.
JESTER: T-the fiend.
CHARON: You aren't its true fixation, but it hates you by association.
MAES: ...

 

Maes freezes.

MAES: ...hates...me?
CHARON: It recognizes your position.
ROSETTA: I-it knows you left.

 

Rosetta's tail hacks and wheezes inside her suit as she manages to kneel, finally lucid again.

ROSETTA: ...that you were the one that got special treatment.
MAES: .....

 

Maes makes a soft, stunned noise.

CHARON: : It can't trace you past this room... but it sees you as extension of her.
JESTER: B-but-
JESTER: That's not fair!

 

Jester interjects, his tone turning angry.

JESTER: Maes-
JESTER: Maes works really hard for all of us!
JESTER: She got us out!
ROSETTA: Yeah.
ROSETTA: Us.

 

Rosetta's voice is dull.

ROSETTA: ...Seems like these are the ones that didn't.
ROSETTA: Both the fiend thing, and-

 

Her tail thumps around until she bumps into the "ghost", the figure folding two of its paws in a surprised gesture.

ROSETTA: That.
CHARON: Neither have context.
MAES: ...I...

 

Maes tenses, feeling firm and shaking in the proxy's grip.

MAES: But-
SYNNA: ...Maes.

 

Synna makes a snapping sound on the other end of the line.

SYNNA: Snap out of it.
SYNNA: You can freak out when you're back, and not in its goddamn lair.
MAES: ...r..right.
MAES: You said- you said you found the ghost.
CHARON: Mm... the spirits that remain and the sentiments without closure.
SYNNA: ...Less flowery, please.
CHARON: ...it's a maybecat.

 

Jester reaches out a hand, the ghost sniffing it.

JESTER: ...looks...a bit meatier than I'd expect for a ghost.
CHARON: Manifestation is not an exact science.

 

Jester manages to scritch under its chin, getting a nasty, unsettling purr and a multi-eyed slow blink in response.

JESTER: Feels physical too.
CHARON: ...probably hooked onto any organic matter it can find.
CHARON: Ghosts seek vessels.
SYNNA: Looks like it got into Storage after all.
ROSETTA: Glad this one's friendly..
JESTER: Poor thing must have thought we were lab staff...

 

The ghost moves suddenly, multiple sets of hands grabbing at Jester's suit-

JESTER: H-hey!

 

-until the cookie treasures were stolen.

JESTER: Maybe we should bring it more sweets...
SYNNA: Oh, you're not bringing it anything except right back here.
SYNNA: How big is it?
JESTER: ...bigger than Smith, but not by a lot.
SYNNA: Workable for the large-class dorms?
JESTER: I think so...
SYNNA: Congratulations, we have a new resident.
CHARON: We should probably ask it what it needs accommodated.

 

It was already making grabby hands at Jester, patting him down.

JESTER: ...food.
CHARON: Suppose that's given... I think we should be safe to return without another struggle.

 

Maes shuffles uncomfortably as Jester takes a few of the beast's hands in his own, giving them a gentle squeeze.

JESTER: Let's get you home.


















MATTHIAS: Ohhhh, heeeeeere she is-

 

The karacel doesn't look up, keeping his gaze straight ahead at the gore-splattered wall.

MATTHIAS: The woman of the hour-
MATTHIAS: Cheeeelsea-
MATTHIAS: Smiles!

 

Chelsea's eye twitches as Matthias leaps in front of his gaze, a finger under his chin.

MATTHIAS: And what a frowner she is on this beautiful day.
CHELSEA: Can you not do that.
MATTHIAS: Not so feisty now that we're on even footing, are you?
CHELSEA: I'm not stupid, Matthias.
CHELSEA: Can't say the same for you, but-
MATTHIAS: Doesn't matter now, does it?
MATTHIAS: Youuuu can't blow me up.
MATTHIAS: And neither can your pretty attack dog.

 

Chelsea's eye twitches again.

MATTHIAS: Are you feeling lonely lately, Chels?

 

Do not engage.

MATTHIAS: All pent up about things?
MATTHIAS: After all-

 

He huffs smoke in the karacel's face, Chelsea doing his best not to blink as his eyes burn.

MATTHIAS: Can't imagine being apart for nearly three decades helps the sexual repression.
CHELSEA: ....
CHELSEA: Are you done?
MATTHIAS: Sure.
MATTHIAS: Sure, sure!
MATTHIAS: I just came to drop something off for you- the boss wanted me to pass along a little gift.
CHELSEA: I'm good.
MATTHIAS: I don't think you'll want to turn this one down!

 

His grin widens like a horrible mask as he whisks a photo out of his back pocket, shaking it wrong-side facing Chelsea.

MATTHIAS: Just for you!
CHELSEA: I'm not falling for the dead children bit again.
MATTHIAS: You sure?
MATTHIAS: This one's alive- or, well, all grown up...

 

He twirls it in his fingers, Chelsea's face paling as the image reveals itself.




[id:]Matthias, revealed to be a canine individual with a stitched face and jagged smile, sporting bicolor hair long hair and fresh, modern glasses. He holds out a photograph of a very familiar fiend- Charon's hair down loose, messy, and his eye markings visible.]

MATTHIAS: For now!

 

The karacel leaps out of his seat, stumbling as he tries to claw at the canine's eyes- only for Matthias to catch his emaciated arm, cackling.

MATTHIAS: Ohhh, THANK you for the confirmation!
MATTHIAS: Gonna be honest, you pulled a hell of a magic trick with this one!
MATTHIAS: Didn't think you had the equipment to knock her u-
CHELSEA: DON'T TOUCH HIM

 

His gravely voice cracks, tears welling up in the corners of his eyes before he can stop it.

MATTHIAS: What, you acting like you've got claim to some bastard kid you chucked at her parents?
MATTHIAS: Has he even met you?
MATTHIAS: Some kinda mommy you are.

 

His shoulders are shaking, breath coming out haggard.

CHELSEA: If you- if you even-
MATTHIAS: Do you really think I'd show you if I thought you could stop me?
MATTHIAS: Consider this a little equivalent exchange.
MATTHIAS: Since your dumb bitch just had to take my arm...

 

He leans in, giggling between syllables.

MATTHIAS: I'll do the same to your cute little spawn.
MATTHIAS: Of course, who's to say I won't get a little excited-
CHELSEA: Y-
CHELSEA: You-

 

Matthias throws the cat to the ground with zero hesitation, Chelsea falling flat on his back.

MATTHIAS: How many decades has it been, Chels?
MATTHIAS: Since you started to look down on me?
MATTHIAS: Kept me in check?
MATTHIAS: Go ahead.
MATTHIAS: Come after me.
MATTHIAS: Second you assert yourself as somebody who gives a shit about an incredible, powerful knight of such a prestigious family-
MATTHIAS: Your rep dooms him.
MATTHIAS: That's why you never visited, right?

 

Matthias mock pouts.

MATTHIAS: Didn't wanna give your baby boy a mark on his head.
MATTHIAS: Too late!
MATTHIAS: Now he's got a different one.

 

He clasps his hands, snickering.

MATTHIAS: Let's not make that worse.