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Chapter Text

Welcome to White Space

You have been here for as long as you can remember

Sunny jolted awake, a wave of fear washing on his body.

Eyes wide, he looked around the empty room, gasping for breath.

As the realization of where he was set in, the fear turned into rage. He clutched his hands into fists.

«Omori!» he growled, standing up. He gritted his teeth until they hurt. «Why have you brought me here again?!»

But no voice responded back. The soft breathing of Mewo curled next to the white blanket was the only sound Sunny could hear.

«What…?»

He looked around. White Space hadn't changed much since the last time he had visited. The laptop on the blanket was still turned on, filled with static. The sketchbook laid next to it, closed. Not too far, the tissue box stood untouched.

The white door was the only thing missing.

Sunny turned towards the ceiling: his heart skipped a beat at the sight of the lightbulb. It hung from the ceiling, emitting a soft white light.

He approached it with wary steps, raising a tentative hand towards it.

It was warm, but not to the point of hurting.

«Why is it back?»

After the confession in the hospital, Sunny had retreated back into White Space a few times out of his own volition, when his head hit the pillow. Sometimes Omori would be there too, but no exchanges were ever given, the two boys deciding to spend the night in silence, each one doing their thing.

But then, one day, Sunny found himself finding the White Space not useful anymore and stopped visiting it, his dreams now replaced with much more pleasant real world situations and funny moments between his friends.

Surely, one year had not been enough to properly heal all their wounds - and Sunny always wondered if that day could ever arrive for him - but they were beginning to scar.

What were once timid messages dictated by pure good manners, slowly started to become heartfelt manifestation of their willingness to stay together.

Sunny sometimes cried out of pure relief, while in bed.

One year had passed since that day, and now he was back in that dreadful place.

«Omori!» he yelled again. «Show yourself! I just want to talk.»

But once again, no voice responded back.

He sighed, defeated. No point in getting angry at a completely empty room, and Mewo hadn't done anything bad.

He knelt down and started petting the cat, who in turn showed her belly.

«Is it a trap?» Sunny chuckled. He put the hand on the soft tummy, and Mewo curled her feet without the claws, pawing at the hand.

«It was!» Sunny chuckled again.

He wasn't sure how much time he spent playing with Mewo, who was now sleeping on his legs.

He had checked the laptop in the meanwhile, to realize that not even Black Space was there to be accessed.

«A White Space without Black Space», Sunny pet Mewo. «I wonder what that means.»

He looked at the white lightbulb dangling over the blanket. The black tendrils were long gone: if it weren't for the missing ceiling, it could have been seen as a perfectly normal lightbulb.

«Waiting for something to happen?»

The voice startled him.

Meow?

He lowered his gaze. Mewo was looking at him, yellow eyes wide and bright on the black fur.

«I am», answered Sunny. «But I don't know what I am supposed to do.»

«Does something stop to exist when you do not shine a light upon it?»

Sunny furrowed his brow. «Huh... no? It's in the dark but it keeps existing.»

«But not in your awareness», Mewo's eyes didn't budge. «In the darkness, you can create your own reality.»

Sunny's eye widened. He looked at the lightbulb once again.

«Thank you, Mewo. Please tell Omori to show himself, the next time he invites me back here.»

But Mewo had stopped speaking, licking her paw like a normal cat.

With a pet and a soft squeeze, Sunny put Mewo back on the blanket and walked towards the lightbulb.

He cupped it with his hand and, in one fell motion, tore it away.

The scent of trees filled his nose before he could open his eye.

His view was greeted by a purple sky filled with golden lines.

«Headspace?»

He jolted up. The mint-colored forest engulfed him, right next to the stump he knew so well.

But the hole that would have lead to the Neighbor's Room was sealed shut and the top of the stump didn't show its usual array of colors, being instead covered with mint-colored moss.

It felt abandoned. The whole place reeked of abandon.

Sunny's stomach twisted with fear and worry. It felt wrong. Just plain wrong.

He wasn't supposed to be there, every fiber of his being screaming at him to wake up from the endless nightmare.

Sunny closed his hands and realized he was holding something: the white lightbulb.

He stared at it for a short while, before shaking his head. Something in his gut told him to not break it this time.

He put it in his pocket and looked at his empty hands.

He had to wake up, but he had no knife on him, and he had to make do with his hands.

Sunny tried all the arsenal he knew: he pinched his cheek and his lips, he blinked rapidly, he poked his scar on his right eye under the eyepatch, to no avail.

With trembling hands, he looked around. The crossroads looked as still as ever, a playground of waiting moments.

Sunny took a deep breath. Then another one. And he calmed down.

«I guess nothing will happen as long as I stay here.»

He took the route towards the Playground. He hoped to find a friendly face in there.

Chapter Text

Welcome to Black Space

Something is here

When Basil opened his eyes, waves of purple and green made him retreat behind his eyelids with a gasp.

He clutched his hands, steadying his breath.

Breath in, breath out. Breath in, breath out.

Something was gone. He didn't need to fear it anymore.

He opened his eyes again.

Air cut off at his throat.

The place he was in was black. Black as the darkest night, not a single light in sight. Swirling waves and lines of red and green broke the emptiness, intertwining between themselves like vines on a wall.

The air was sick, filled with vapors and decaying smells. The place was ever moving, bubbling and swelling at every second, approaching him, engulfing him, suffocating him, but without touching him.

Nausea built up in his stomach and he fell down on his knees.

Anxiety encroached him, dark hands climbing up his body, touching his cheek his nose his eyes–

Basil screamed.

The hands retreated.

He started breathing again.

With teary eyes, he looked around: «Where... Where am I?»

He gripped his vest, knuckles turning white, barely scratching his skin.

He slowly stood up. His legs were trembling, his own body that seemed to be made of glass.

The air was heavy and he was struggling to breath, as if something was choking him.

Basil just wanted to disappear. Close his eyes and never come back.

But he couldn't. He knew he couldn't.

He looked around him. The swirls and waves crossed the sky, ignoring him. He squinted his eyes. Were those dangling from the ceiling... nooses?

He froze.

«This is a nightmare!» he screamed, pulling his hair. «Wake up! Wake up!»

His screams echoed in the empty room. Once they dissipated, only the bubbling noises could still be heard.

He looked at the ceiling again. The nooses were gone.

Basil stifled a sob, rubbing his sleeve on his eyes. That wasn't the moment to cry. He had to get out of that place!

He stood up, still trembling.

«Is anybody here?»

The loneliness of the place crashed upon him like a wave, making him shiver.

An eye flashed in his mind. A gnawing feeling made his skin crawl.

Basil turned around, but nothing was there.

Was the place truly empty?

Basil could feel eyes upon him. Cold, relentless eyes who judged his every single movement. It never left. Not when he was awake, nor when he slept.

Fangs and teeth scratched his skin–

He shook his head.

Something was gone. Something had disappeared.

Basil took a deep breath. He pressed his hands on his face and stood still a few moments.

He opened his eyes with new resolve and looked around him.

Apart from the swiveling lines and the bubbling walls, the place really seemed empty. No doors, no windows, no furniture.

A noise under his shoe made him look down. A dead leaf laid splintered on the ground. Basil looked around, but saw nothing.

He shook his head and pressed on.

Something tickled his hand. He raised it with a yelp, as a leaf retreated. Basil squinted his eye: a bush with long, thin leaves was there next to him, motionless.

He took a couple of steps back, when a dot of white glinted at him. A way out? Basil turned around. A small light broke through the darkness and relief washed over his chest.

Basil walked towards it, quickening his steps. Finally, a way out of that nightmare!

He kept walking, whispers and murmurs telling him to turn back, the light was dangerous, no, this is what you deserve–

Something gripped his wrist, yanking him backwards. He winced in pain as the bush next to him tightened the grip, when another leaf took his other arm.

Basil pulled with all his strength, the white light like a beacon in the stormy ocean. He kept pulling, the leaves unrelenting, until he turned around and bit one of the leaves.

The plant wailed, before shriveling and dying. With one last pull, Basil freed himself and ran towards the light. He had to squint his eyes at the sheer brightness of it as he got closer.

A small white pedestal housed a white lighbulb, its light strong and unwavering.

Basil took a moment to adjust to the brightness, protecting his eyes with his arm.

«Such a pretty light...»

He touched it. It was warm. Like a small sun.

In its white embrace, Basil forgot the place he was in. He forgot everything about the pulsating nausea, terrifying hands and monstrous plants.

Without thinking, he pulled the lightbulb from its pedestal.

The light got stronger, blinding and enveloping him, until nothing remained.

Basil scrunched his face.

He was in a familiar place. The smell of the forest told him so.

The hangout spot? But I can't hear the lake's waters...

He blinked a few times, letting reality set in on his eyes.

A forest laid out in front of him. It seemed normal enough, if it weren't for their mint-colored leaves.

He tilted his head in confusion, getting up. The trees did indeed look like normal trees, and indeed they were mint-colored.

He looked down: even the grass had the same color.

«Where am I?» he looked around. «I don't remember a place like this near Faraway..."

A wave of relief washed over him: at least it wasn't the nauseating place he was in before. Even if weird, that place was a forest, in the end.

He looked up and all the calmness scuttled away. The sky was purple.

It even lacked stars. Instead, dotting it there were golden images of mundane things, like a bed, a vase... A satellite?

Basil shook his head, kneeling down: «No, no, no... This...»

Tears crawled down his face. Fear engulfed him with its monstrous hands, tearing him apart.

«Please, please, please, somebody save me...»

He wasn't sure of how much time he had spent there, crying until his sobs turned into muffled sighs, until his skin prickled with dried tears.

But nobody ever came.

The place was deadly silent, Basil noticed. No birds singing, no sounds of animals. Nothing.

The place was empty. Abandoned.

He rubbed his sleeve onto his eyes and stood up once again.

Behind him, a tree stump left forgotten, half-covered with mint moss. There must have been a hole to get into it before, because Basil could see it had been closed off with some wooden planks.

He could have tried to tear them off, but he didn't want to hurt himself. He didn't know how much he was far from home, after all.

And in that moment he realized he was still holding the lightbulb. Basil examined it: it looked like a normal lightbulb, as long as you could accept the fact that it was still working despite the lack of electricity.

Basil wasn’t sure why, but he thought it was very important.

He shook his hair and took a deep breath.

There were four roads winding down from where he stood, no indications on where any of them lead.

«Well... You can't get lost if you don't know where you are going, right...?» he chuckled, trying to lift his mood.

He closed his eyes and counted to ten, until he opened them to the southern route.

He pocketed the lightbulb and started walking.

Chapter Text

Welcome to Red Space

This is your new home

The smell of blood clutched her nostrils.

She coughed, one, two times. Her lips curved into a small smile. The blood wasn't hers.

Aubrey opened her eyes. She winced at the nauseuos sight.

She was in what she thought was a room. There was no way to tell how far it stretched, for all she could see were red and black splotches on the walls and ceiling, pulsating and turning among themselves.

«What's this place?»

Aubrey looked around. The view never changed: a pulsating mass of violent blood and black smudges, that's all it had to offer. The smell of blood was unrelenting.

Aubrey winced, scrunching her nose. «What the hell. This is some weird dream.»

As an instinct, she clutched her hand, gasping when she felt the presence of her bat. She hadn’t noticed she had woken up with it.

She gave it a pet: «This is reassuring to have.»

Without a better idea in mind, Aubrey started walking, her steps echoed in the dark room.

She squinted her eyes, trying to see something in that neverending darkness. But the only thing she could see was nothing as rage and frustration startled bubbling in her chest.

She gritted her teeth, the darkness was getting on her nerves. She blew away a strand of hair that fell on her face, but it didn’t help her seeing better, and that just made her more frustrated.

Her thoughts came to an halt when a spike rose from the ground, stopping just a few inches from her face.

A drop of sweat rolled down her face, her eyes wide. «W-what the hell?!»

The spike retreated underground and Aubrey shivered. «Okay Aubrey, calm down. Deep breaths», she ran a hand through her hair. «What did Sunny say about waking up from dreams...?»

In the group chat they were all in, Sunny had mentioned about his dreams a few times. He never went into details, but they all knew that some of them were especially troubling, and the boy had started to explain all the different ways he knew in order to wake up.

She winced: there was no way in hell she was gonna stab herself in the stomach.

«He mentioned pinching.»

Shrugging, she pinched her cheek.

The red and black walls still greeted her.

«Hm. Maybe I gotta do it with more force.»

She tried once again, and one more time to be sure, but all she received in return was the certainty that the walls would have laughed at her, if they could have.

«I'm so gonna punch you when we will meet, Sunny.»

In a growl, she stomped her feet onto the ground.

«Do I REALLY have to wait here before I wake up? My God, I can't believe this. Seriously? This sucky dream? I'm sure my brain can do better.»

But nobody answered. The red and black splotches never left, so never did the smell of blood that lingered in the air.

Aubrey started panting.

«Damn it!» she kicked the air in an attempt to calm her tears. «Damn it all!»

She stomped and kicked, screamed and punched the air, then threw a fist at one of the spikes that dared to stop her.

«Go to hell!»

As another spike appeared, her bat crashed onto it, destroying it.

Panting, she gripping her weapon, looking around with wild eyes.

She gritted her teeth, a flame bursted inside her, erupting into a yell as she smashed the ground with her bat, sending a nail flying away in the darkness.

Spikes kept appearing and, in a wild show of violence, Aubrey smashed them all, not even stopping to blink or to catch a breath.

Her body moved on her own, sending splinters of darkness all around her, the smell of blood relishing in her veins.

«Yes! Yes!» she screamed, as a splinter flew by her cheek. «Come at me if you dare! Cowards! Cowards! All of you! SHRIVEL AND DIE!»

Another smash hit the ground.

Crack.

Aubrey stopped. Panting, she looked at her bat touching the ground.

She looked around her, as if in a daze.

«What... What happened to me?»

Another crack snapped her from her thoughts.

She looked down: a few darker lines were zigzagging from the tip of her bat.

«I broke the floor? Really? Okay I once did that in my house but that thing is falling apart even without my help.»

Another crack, stronger this time, made her gasp. She pulled her bat and took a few steps back, as the crack kept growing, approaching her feet.

She yelped, but relaxed once she saw that it had stopped.

A glint in the newly formed hole got her attention.

She got down to her knees and tested the ground with her hands. Once she saw where the hole begun, she crawled towards it, reaching towards the glint.

But she couldn't touch it.

Something was preventing her from doing that. She poked the weird material.

«It's glass.»

She cupped the item, it perfectly fit in her hand. She pulled it, and it came out from the ground.

Aubrey stood up, examining it closer.

It was difficult to say in the darkness, but she was sure it was a lightbulb. But it cast a black light.

Aubrey furrowed her brow: «Huh. This is kinda weird.»

A crumble made her raise her gaze. «Oh, what now!?»

The room roared in pain as the lines twirled around themselves, patches of white light breaking through the cracks.

Aubrey covered her eyes with her arms as the light envelopped her.

When Aubrey woke up, she jolted up, startled.

«What the hell?!»

She looked around her in heavy breaths.

She relaxed once she saw the familiar sight: she was in a forest, the smell of the plants strong enough to make her cough.

«What the f–», she sniffled. «At least it’s better than that nauseating stench from before.»

She gripped something in her hand. But it wasn't her bat.

She raised it: the black lightbulb was still with her.

«It... wasn't a dream?»

And, upon raising her eyes again, a bolt of fear struck her body.

Sure, she was in a forest. But she had never seen a mint-colored forest.

Or a purple sky, for that matter.

«Okay, Aubrey», she took a deep breath. «Calm down. This is all a dream, alright? Weird as fuck, but still a dream. I mean, sure, Sunny's dreams are weirder - seriously who would dream of a marshmellow drowning himself in the pool of acid of a giant whale? - but don't worry.»

She started panting.

«You will wake up soon enough, Aubrey. And you will be in Faraway, with your friends, nothing will be as weird as this damn place. You’ll tell this to Kim and laugh together about it.»

She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.

She stood like that for a few moments. Without thinking, she clutched both items in her hands: the bat and the lightbulb.

She opened her eyes. But she didn’t wake up. In front of her stood a sad tree stump, mint-colored moss covering it. A few wooden planks were nailed in front of it, as if they were covering an entrance.

«Damn it.»

She rubbed her forehead with the back of her hand.

«Alright. Since I'm here, I might as well check around.»

She nodded, more to herself than anything.

«How did that book that Basil was reading say? You can't get lost if you don't know where you are going? I guess it's right.»

A sad chuckle escaped her lips, before ending in a sigh. She pocketed the lightbulb and looked around her.

Four roads stretched from the tree stump, like a crossroads. With a shrug, she took the southern route.

Chapter Text

Welcome to Yellow Space!

What will you do today?

Kel woke up with a groan.

He rubbed his eyes and stretched his arms, body slightly curving.

When the arms fell down in place, he started looking for his bedsheets.

But there were no sheets to be found.

Kel opened his eyes, furrowing his brow.

«Woah!»

He stood up, looking at the sky.

It was a pale yellow color, gentle to the eyes and warm enough to make him smile. It looked like the timid sunlight of the early morning that lulled people to sleep.

Kel looked around him, eyes wide and awe filling him. The room he was in stretched until the horizon, pale yellow splotches everywhere, while a soft hum buzzed through the air.

The ground was littered with items: different sports equipment – a baseball bat, a ball, a golf club among many – and he was sure he spotted a TV with some videogame consoles attached.

The possibilities were endless!

He jumped in place: «Man, look at this place! This dream is awesome!»

With a little pep in his steps, he explored the room. Scattered here and there, without a proper order, were a few dried bushes, their thin branches stretching towards the sky. Kel examined one of them, not finding anything noteworthy about them.

He threw a few swings with the baseball bat, but there was no one to throw the ball with.

He played golf a little, but he had no idea where the hole was.

He played a few of the videogames he found, but soon grew bored.

Kel sighed, laying down onto the empty floor. «This is kinda boring, being all alone… Do I have to wait here until I wake up?»

A rustle of leaves made him turn around. Quick footsteps approached him, a yellow figure getting nearer. Kel squinted his eyes and a huge smile blossomed on his face.

«Hector! My good boy!»

The dog stopped in front of him, jumping in place and tapping his feet. He wagged his tail wildly and started licking his face.

«I'm happy to see you too, Hector!»

Kel stood up and took his paws in his hands. «I knew I could count on you to save me from boredom!"»

The dog barked in an explosion of energy, as not an inch of his body stopped moving.

«Woah there! Don’t make me fall down!»

But Hector didn't care and Kel soon found himself on the ground again.

He buried his hands in the dog's fur, stroking it. «Who’s a good boy, huh? Who’s a good boy?!»

Hector barked in approval.

Kel, finally free from his grip, stood up. «So, Hector, want to keep exploring this place with me?»

The dog barked and started to walk around, his nose attached to the ground.

They found a rugby ball that Hector immediately deemed his and carried in his mouth for a bit, until he grew bored of it.

They found a tennis ball and two rackets, but with nobody else to play it with, Kel played fetch with Hector.

They found a soccer ball. The boy and his dog played together a little, until they grew bored.

Time passed.

The pale yellow sky never changed, so never did the white walls and floors. The soft hum continued, hiding the sheer emptiness of the place. Kel scrunched his nose: «This place is kinda boring. Don’t you think so too, Hector?»

The dog tilted his head, and then he barked, running into the opposite direction.

«Hey, wait!» Kel followed him in the empty space.

Together, they reached a basketball court. At the center stood a lonesome basketball.

Kel chuckled. «I guess my dreams know what I like.»

Hector approached the ball and, after having sniffed it a few times, pushed it towards his human.

The ball stopped at Kel’s feet. «You want to play?»

Hector wagged his tail and stretched his front legs.

«Alright then! You’re on!»

Kel took the ball and made a few dribbles, Hector jumped and barked every time, trying to get it.

The boy eyed the hoop. Furrowing his brow, he attempted a jump shot. He broke into a cheer when the ball went in the hoop. Hector shared the joy with him, barking and jumping. The rest of the room stood silent.

«This place is kinda lonely», he frowned. «I wish my friends were here. We could play together…»

He imagined Sunny attempting to make a dribble. He chuckled.

«Man, that would be so fun... I have to suggest a meet up for our summer break. I gotta remember that when I wake up.»

Hector was playing with the ball, when with a push of his front legs he made it roll out from the court.

«Nice one, Hector!»

With a thumbs up, Kel ran to retrieve the ball. It had stopped right in the middle of one of the dried bushes. He knelt down in front it, squinting his eyes for an opening his hand could fit into without being poked by the thorns. At the first attempt, he winced in pain, sucking on his finger.

It took him some time before he found two branches far enough to let his arm pass through. When he finally recovered the ball, Kel ran back to the court, and stopped dead in his tracks.

The court had disappeared.

Kel blinked. Not only the court had disappeared, but everything else too. Except for the bushes, the room was empty.

He glanced down at the sound of footsteps. Hector sat down next to him.

«Hector? What happened to the court? And everything else?»

But the dog stood silent, watching him. His tail stopped wagging.

«Waiting for someone to come?»

Kel jumped: «Hector! You talked!» he smiled. «Man, this dream is awesome. I even get a talking dog.»

The dog’s piercing gaze startled Kel. «Hector?»

«Do you feel alone?»

The boy furrowed his brow. «I… guess? This place is pretty empty. I wish my friends were here. They’d make this place fun.»

«They have been waiting for you.»

He perked up. «Oh, they are? Where? Can you lead me to them, Hector?»

«They have been waiting for you. For you to come. To make something happen», Hector stood up and circled a few times while sniffing the ground, before continuing to walk.

Kel stood still for a few seconds, before sprinting to reach him. «Hey Hector, wait! What do you mean, they have been waiting for me? Where? I can’t go to them if I don’t know where they are!»

«You know.»

«I don’t!»

«You know. They have been waiting. For a very, very, long time.»

Hazy mist covered his view. Kel blinked one, two times, before a familiar set of swings appeared before him.

«But you never came.»

Kel shivered.

«Hector, I…»

The dog turned around. «What do you want to do?»

Kel gripped the basketball in his hands. «I want to see my friends.»

In a flash, Hector jumped and bit the ball.

«Hector!»

The ball vanished as if made of dust. In its place, Kel found a black lightbulb. It glowed weakly, a small black light.

«What’s this?»

He looked back at Hector, when a crack in the sky made him raise his gaze. White light filled the room, and Kel closed his eyes as it engulfed him.

Kel groaned.

In the sleepy haze, something tickled all his body.

«What the…?»

He went to scratch his head, but instead of his fingers he felt something round touching his hair.

His eyes met a black lightbulb. «Huh. It wasn’t a dream…?»

Glancing down, he realized that the tickling feeling was due to the grass beneath him. His hand was half-buried in mint-colored grass.

He furrowed his brow.

He raised his head at the sound of the ruffling of leaves in the wind: a mint-colored forest greeted his view.

«Look at these trees! They remind me of Basil, somehow…»

Kel stood up, looking around in awe. That place was magical! When he raised his head, he gasped at the purple sky.

«Woah. What a cool dream!»

In that moment, an image of Hector flashed in his mind. The basketball…

«Oh, right. I have to go look for my friends!» he scratched his head. «As soon as I wake up, I guess?»

Kel took a look at the lightbulb in his hand. «Let’s explore this place a bit, shall we?»

He put it in his pocket and glanced at the old tree stump left forgotten next to him. Mint-colored moss covered it, giving it forlorn look. In front of it, hastily placed, there were a few wooden planks.

From the stump, four paths diverged, like a crossroads. Kel spun around once, but all the routes looked the same. He shrugged and took the southern path, the one the wooden planks faced.

Chapter Text

Welcome to Blue Space

Make yourself at home

Hero jolted his eyes open, heart tumbling in his chest.

Gasping for breath, he laid powerless as a familiar feeling crept up on him, poking at him, gripping its arms and head, before caressing his neck, choking him. His eyes filled with tears.

«This… this is…»

With a yell, he stood up. He rubbed his arms and chest with a bit more force than he intended, driving the feeling away. It slithered away, leaving a greasy feeling on his body.

Breathing was difficult, as if a rock grinded his chest with each breath. It hurt.

Hero looked around: he was in an empty blue room. At the center laid a lonely bed.

Nothing more, nothing else, in the blue expanse.

The dark blue ceiling and walls made his eyes heavy with sleep, but he soon recovered, shaking his head and slightly slapping his cheeks.

«Hero, no. This just reeks of trap.»

He was positive he had never been in that room before – where would he have found such a peculiar room, anyway? – but somehow it still looked familiar. Like a faded photograph on a shelf. All the feelings were still there, the clear image was not.

He sighed. «Is this a stress dream? Seriously, it’s not even exam season…»

A chuckle escaped his lips. «Is this my brain's way to say that I need more sleep? I thought I was taking good care of myself. Better not let Kel know about this.»

With sloggish steps, he reached the bed. It seemed normal: it looked the same as the one in his room. But to the opposite side there was no messy Kel’s bed to greet him.

A heavy weight dropped on his chest, cutting his breath. He gasped, hand clutching at his heart, eyes wide. He supported himself on the bed’s frame, until he returned to breathe.

«What the...»

He took a deep breath. His chest didn't hurt anymore.

Hero sat down, passing a hand on his face.

The bed looked so inviting.

«This is a dream... So it can't be too bad... Can it?»

As if his body was not his own anymore, Hero crawled down onto the bed, without bothering to tuck himself under the sheets.

As his head got buried in the pillow, relief washed over him. The greasy feeling on his body slithered away like snakes and the heaviness was gone. His body felt light, as if that was exactly the place he had to be.

«This… feels good», he murmured. He closed his eyes, warmth envelopping him.

Lullabies echoed in his head, soft words sung by a person he loved very much.

Oh, Mari...

He snapped his eyes open. The lullabies stopped.

He shook his head. «No. Hero, you're better than this.»

He pushed his body up, sitting on the edge of the bed. He stood still, looking at the dark blue walls.

They twisted, creating horrendous images in his mind. Swallowing mouths, heavy black mists, choking hands. A noose.

He turned his gaze away, but the blue walls never changed, and he closed his eyes.

«Wait», a small smile escaped his lips. «Sunny talked about weird dreams… and how he’d wake up from them.»

He winced at the memories that mentioned stabbing. The sense of worry at those words were still fresh in his mind, he had called him immediately after reading those messages. Sunny seemed at a loss of words, mumbling on the phone how it was just a dream and how he didn’t have to worry that much.

But he did. He did worry. He worried about everyone.

He worried everytime Sunny would miss their “good morning” exchange routine (are you still asleep, Sunny? Are you falling back into old habits?).

He worried every time Kel would be strangely evasive when he asked him how his day went (what are you hiding, Kel? Why don’t you talk to me?).

He worried everytime Aubrey wouldn't answer, and then say that she was hanging out with her new friends (am I supposed to help you straigthen your path, Aubrey? How much damage have you done anyway?).

He worried every time Basil would start typing and then the message would disappear (what do you want to say, Basil? Are you still afraid of us?).

Hero worried. And he worried. And he worried. So, so, far away from his friends and family, so far far away from checking up on them.

He had lost four years. Four years he could never take back again.

And he worried. He worried of losing more years, if he wasn’t careful.

He opened his eyes. The dark blue wall greeted him.

His body felt heavy.

He worried. He worried so much.

Are you taking care of yourself?

Sunny’s voice flashed in his mind. He had asked that once, over the phone. He chuckled at the memory.

«I wonder what Sunny would think of this dream…»

A pang of pain in his chest made him gasp.

A glint flashed at the corner of his eyes. He raised his head: a little light dangled above him. He squinted his eyes, gritting teeth at the pain, until he made out the shape of something circular.

«A… lightbulb? Maybe casting a light upon this place will give me some answers.»

He stood on the bed, stretching his arm as far as he could and tiptoeing, but the lightbulb was too high up and he couldn’t reach it with his height alone.

Amongst the pain, the thoughts of his brother flashed in his mind.

Let’s see who is taller this time, Hero! Sunny, what do you think?

The ceiling turned red in front of him, as if mocking him.

His chest burned, each breath carrying knives with it.

The lightbulb dangled on top of him, tempting.

He had to reach it!

Mustering all his strength, Hero stood up on the bed. He almost lost his balance due to the mattress, wincing in pain, but he raised his gaze towards his goal.

The room spun around him, blue and red swirls engulfing him, the bed the only safe haven in the stormy place.

He raised his arm, his chest bursting in pain, but the lightbulb was still too far away.

«Damn it», he muttered between hushed breaths. His head throbbed and his eyes felt swollen in their sockets.

He gripped at his shirt.

Hero started bouncing on the bed, each movement sending pain down his body, wincing and gasping at each pang.

Closer...

His hand slipped on the lightbulb.

Just a bit more...

The lightbulb dangled, dodging him.

Please...!

His hand grabbed the lightbulb. Hero's gasped as he fell from the bed, the lightbulb in his hands, and hit the ground.

Darkness swallowed him.

When Hero opened his eyes, he stood still for a few seconds, staring in front of him.

Furrowing his brow, a chuckle escaped his lips: «A purple sky? I hope I’ll remember all this once I wake up.»

He looked around him: a forest stretched in front of him, the color of the mint-colored trees the only thing that gave away the dreamlike properties of the place. The grass was of the same color, cute and neat. Next to him, half-eaten by mint-colored moss, stood a lonely tree stump. In front of it, hastely nailed, were some wooden planks, as if they were hiding an entrance.

«A little family of mice?» he chuckled, standing up and dusting his pants.

While stretching his arms, his left hand curved around an item. A black lightbulb. A wince of pain made him shiver, remembering the blue room.

He shook off the sensation. «No use thinking about that. At least this forest is pretty calm.»

Only in that moment he realized how silent the place was. No chirping of birds, no sounds of life.

The air was empty. It looked like the memory of a forest from somebody who never bothered to add the details that would have made the place alive.

He shivered.

«This is depressing on a whole another level…»

Hero sighed, scratching his head. Four roads stretched beyond him, the tree stump at their center.

No signposts indicated where each path would take him. «I guess it doesn’t really matter.»

With a shrug, he took the southern path.

Chapter Text

The familiar sight of the Playground made Sunny feel both relief and sheer terror.

It was a place he knew, where he had spent many days together with his friends and made many memories. Sure, they weren’t real, but they felt real, and that was enough.

At the same time, though, he had forbidden that place from existing ever again, so why was he back there? Why was it still standing?

He winced. If “standing” could still apply.

The Playground stood empty and silent, a husk of its former lively self. The toys were scattered on the ground, toppled over or half-eaten by the grass, forgotten by everyone who had loved them. The swings were rotten and rusty, the monkey bars had been pulled over by the weight of time, snapped in half and on the ground. The slide still stood, but Sunny wondered for how long, the rust eating its insides.

It reeked of abandon.

Sunny felt a glint of pride at that sight.

He took a few steps, the crunching of grass the only sound in the empty place.

He stopped in front of the swing. After making sure it could sustain his weight, he swung a few time, moving his legs. The creaks of the chains comforted him, the hands getting sweaty from holding them.

The seat next to him was empty. For a moment, he wished Omori was there. Or Berly. Or Mikhail. Or whoever, really. That place, so alone and fragile, looked like could collapse on itself at any moment.

Why am I back here? Headspace is no more.

The only place Headspace still existed were in the pencil lines of his sketchbook, in the real world. Despite all the memories it carried, Sunny didn’t want to forget. Drawing the places that kept him company during those four years of isolation brought him closure, an healthy way to let his imagination soar and not distract him from daily life. Sure, sometimes he’d get carried away and imagine what new illustrations he could make once he returned home, but the focus needed to let his image take life on the paper had been therapeutic.

He swung a little more, a whiff of wind moved the land, granting it life for a single moment.

With a sigh, he left the swing and walked around the Playground, until he reached the tetherball.

The ball dangled motionless by the side of the pole. It was the only thing in the Playground that somehow didn’t look so abandoned. He gave the ball a little smack, making it move.

Chuckling, he smacked the ball again, making it fly in an half-circle.

He rolled up his sleeves and hit it again, making it go for a full circle.

«Woah, Sunny! Nice hit!»

The boy jumped. He turned around with wide, cautious eyes. He recognized that voice.

Not too far from him stood a boy he knew very well. He relaxed.

«Hi, Kel.»

It wasn’t the dream version of him. No, the Kel who was waving at him and running towards him in that moment was the same one he knew in real life. If anything, his towering height made it clear.

Sunny was grateful. The presence of his real friends in his dreams was a common occurence, but the loneliness of the Playground had crept on him like an unwanted guest, and Kel had scared it away.

Kel, on the other hand, was smiling brightly, his whole body vibrating with joy. His eyes sparkled. «Sunny!» he opened his arms. «I’m so happy to see you!»

He tackled the shorter boy in a hug, startling him. Hugs in his dreams were not a rare occurence either. However, this one felt so warm and so real that for a moment Sunny thought that it indeed it wasn’t a dream. Sunny returned the hug, burying his head on his friend’s shoulder.

What a nice dream.

Kel broke free from the hug and looked around him. «This place reminds me of our playground back at the park», he then squinted his eyes. «I don’t see the big yellow cat, though. I remember you loved it a whole lot when we were kids…» he chuckled. «You’d always hide inside it, making Mari desperate when it was time to leave.»

Sunny blushed at the fond memory. «I think… the cat is in another place.»

«Oh? Where?»

«Inside the tree stump.»

«That one half-covered in moss? The entrance was closed off.»

Sunny shrugged. The conversation was eerily realistic for a dream, but Sunny had a knack for realistic dialogues in dreams. Sometimes, he had to actively remember that some of them had never happened in real life.

«Maybe it was Mari who closed off that tree stump, then», Kel laughed. «So you wouldn’t hide there again!»

Sunny chuckled.

«So, since we’re hanging out here, what do you want to do?»

Sunny caught of the glint of Kel’s sparkle in his eyes. He was really happy to see him. It wasn’t an unusual sight: Kel wasn’t too different from his dog Hector, who would wag his tail at every human he’d glance at, but this time it felt different. Was Kel… relieved to see him?

Sunny shook his head. It was just a dream. Maybe, he was the one who was relieved to see his friend again.

«I don’t know. What do you want to do?»

Kel hummed, deep in thought. He then gasped. «Hey, look!»

He ran towards one of the trees, returning with a familiar item in his hands. «A basketball!»

Sunny furrowed his brow. There were no basketballs in his Playground. He was sure of it: he had never liked that sport and his short stature never helped, so he had banned it from his Headspace, except for Kel’s weapons.

«Wanna make a few shots with me?»

Sunny scrunched his nose. Where did that come from, then?

«Huh… sure?»

«Awesome! Show me what you can do!» he threw the ball at the younger boy, who caught it with a huff.

He raised his eyes towards Kel. He was looking towards him expectantly. He then looked back at the ball in his hands.

Why am I nervous inside my own dream?

He sighed. He threw the ball on the ground, following its bounces with his eyes, and then watched it roll away.

Kel raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. «Wait, let me show you how it’s done!»

Sunny spent a lot of time watching Kel show him the basics of basketball. The proper positions, how to dribble, how to not lose the ball. Sunny lost the ball more than once and the dribbles were almost impossible for him: it was as if the ball was too big for him. He just grew more frustrated at each failed attempt, while Kel would give him a friendly pat to the back. «Don’t worry, Sunny. We’re just having fun here.»

Kel then sighed and with a sad smile added. «We really should meet each other again.»

Sunny felt a smile on his lips. «Yeah, we really should.»

He was sure of it. That thought was his and Kel was just a mirror through which the dream expressed it.

Kel looked back at him and smiled.

«Wow, Kel. Even here, you are still obsessed with that damn ball.»

The boys turned around at the sound of the new voice.

Aubrey was standing near them, her nail bat on her shoulder, her other hand in her pocket. Exactly like Kel, it wasn’t her dream version. If anything, her pink hair was all the proof Sunny needed to be sure of that.

However, Sunny couldn’t help but think that something was off. Her face showed her usual, kinda irritated expression, but the quivering in her eyes cracked the façade. She was nervous, but if her relaxed shoulders at their sight meant anything, she too was relieved to see them.

A pang of fear pierced Sunny’s heart.

Then her eyes locked onto him, and the uncertainty that glistened her expression disappeared, turning into a small flash of rage.

«Actually…»

The girl approached him, Sunny furrowed his brow.

As she raised her arm, he flinched. Something touched his shoulder. Sunny opened his eye: the girl’s hand was closed into a fist, pressing on his body. The punch had been so light it didn’t even hurt. He tilted his head in confusion.

«This is for your sucky advice about pinching yourself.»

«What?»

She let her arm fall on her side, without answering.

«Nice greeting, Aubrey», pouted Kel. «But hey», he smiled. «It’s nice to see you too! We only miss two more people and it’ll be a full reunion!»

His eyes were sparkling at the idea. Sunny rubbed his forehead, trying to clear his thoughts.

«Wanna make a few shots?»

Aubrey raised her hand. «Ew. With that ball you’ve found here? Have you seen this place? Saying it’s abandoned would be an understatement.»

Kel shrugged: «Yeah. But what can you do? We're trying to pass the time here.»

Aubrey scrunched her nose, before her eyes fell onto the ground. With a smirk, she retrieved a baseball. She threw it a few times, catching it in her hand. «I can practice a few swings instead.»

«Oh!» Kel snagged the ball from Aubrey’s hand, making her yelp. «Sunny, wanna try help Aubrey do an homerun?»

Sunny stared at the ball. Things were moving too fast for him.

Aubrey laughed: «You’re on. Although I’m not sure that ball will survive my bat’s nails.»

Kel took Sunny's hand and slapped the ball in it. «Go, Sunny. Make me proud.»

Sunny looked first at the item in his hand and then at the girl, who was laughing.

She readied her weapon: «Yeah, why not? This place is already in shambles, I don't think anybody will notice if we destroy a ball.»

«That's the spirit!»

Sunny was absolutely sure that that was not, in fact, the spirit. But he had no choice.

He raised his arm, preparing to throw the ball with all his strength. He took a deep breath and lowered his arm.

The ball went flying towards Aubrey, who positioned herself, licking her lips.

A swing hit the ball, making it fly towards the tetherball...

And it flew right over it, towards the entrance of the playground.

«Woah, nice swing, Aubrey!»

The girl rubbed her nose: «This little baby of mine isn't just for show, you know.»

A yelp made them turn around, to where the ball had flew off to.

A familiar bundle of blond hair just worsened Sunny's worries, as Aubrey ran towards the boy.

«Oh, Basil! Please don't tell me I hit you!»

Basil scratched his head: «N-no... I'm fine. I dodged that ball just in time.»

«Oh, thank goodness!» Aubrey put a hand on her chest. She then pulled the boy in a hug. «I’m so sorry.»

Basil pat her back.

«Basil!» Kel jumped over, going for an unrequested group hug. Sunny stood still, looking at the bunch of squirming people in front of him. First Kel, then Aubrey, and now Basil… He, too, was his real self. If anything, his blond hair was more than enough to serve as proof.

«Yo, Sunny!» Kel raised his arm. «C’mere!»

Sunny chose, for a moment, to let his worries at bay. This was a dream. He just really wanted to see his friends again, didn’t he?

He felt his cheeks grow hot at the realization. He found a place between Basil and Kel.

Sunny enjoyed the warmth of his friends for some time, before pulling away. Traces of the worries they carried slithered away, as small smiles appeared on their faces.

«Have you guys been here for long?» asked Basil, fidgeting with the hem of his shirt.

«I’m not sure», Kel shrugged. «But Sunny was already here when I arrived.»

Aubrey looked at the sky, her hand on her forehead. «I can’t see the sun and I don’t have a watch. No idea.»

«This place is… kinda weird, isn’t it?» Basil stifled a chuckle, his eyes darting from one direction to another.

Sunny shivered. They weren’t supposed to catch on the differences. In that moment, he noticed the Basil’s dry cheeks. Had he been crying?

«You can say that again» Aubrey breathed out of her nose. «But it doesn’t seem dangerous, at least. So I think we can relax.»

«And there’s plenty to do, here!» Kel gestured towards the Playground.

«Sure, if getting tetanus is among your options», Aubrey scrunched her nose.

«There’s also the forest», Basil pointed behind him. «There were four paths…»

«Oh right, the tree stump!» Kel nodded.

«You guys are here too! What a relief!»

They all turned towards the man who was approaching them with a relieved smile and kind eyes. Like the others, the Hero in front of them wasn’t the dream version that Sunny knew. If anything, his well-kept hair was proof enough of that.

The man’s eyes glinted with unrolled tears. «I’m really glad to see you all here.»

«Hey, Hero» Aubrey waved. Sunny imitated her.

«Bro!» Kel tackled him into a hug. «Now this is a full reunion! Look at us, all cool in this dream.»

At his last word, everybody jumped. Wide eyes and mouths agape, they looked at Kel.

Sunny’s breathing quickened, his legs trembled.

Upon noticing all his eyes on him, he scratched his head. «Oops. Maybe I shouldn’t have said that… how does it work if a character in a dream gets to know they’re in a dream…?»

«Look at you, Kel», Aubrey chuckled, but she was trembling. «Spouting bullshit even in dreams. This is pretty accurate.»

«I… I…» Basil’s voice quivered. «I thought this was my dream…»

«What?» Aubrey’s eyes stopped at each of her friends.

Hero raised his hands. «Wait, wait. What? I thought this was...»

Kel's voice was low. «You too...?»

Sunny had his gaze at the ground, shoulders tense. His whole body trembled, struggling to keep his breathing in check. What was happening? Why was everybody thinking they were having a dream in his dream?

The image of a basketball flashed in his mind.

He was sure his Playground never had a basketball. Had Kel's mind conjured that up? But then why was he...

«Sunny?» Basil’s voice made him jump.

«I'm sorry, I... dozed off there.»

Kel chuckled. «Dream or not, this sounds familiar.»

Aubrey sighed, scratching her head. «Seriously though... This is creepy.»

«I agree with you», Hero winced. «This is turning to be more like a nightmare, than a dream.»

The group stood still, far from one another. Wary eyes glancing at one another, their thoughts in turmoil. Sunny panted. That wasn’t normal. That wasn’t normal. The dream characters never once doubted that the world they lived in was their reality.

«That reminds me!» Kel put his hand in his pocket, digging out a black lightbulb. «I found this earlier.»

Aubrey mouthed a “no way”, before taking a black lightbulb out of her pocket too.

«I can’t believe this…» Hero opened his hand, his black lightbulb in it.

«I, huh…» Basil fidgeted in his pocket. «Mine is different.»

«Yours is white!» Kel squinted his eyes. «I wonder why.»

«Sunny», Hero’s voice made him jump. Sunny had been staring at the lightbulbs in front of him, memories flooding him, drowning him, back into places he thought he’d never ever return. Not now. Not when he was with everybody else. It wasn’t supposed to happen.

«Do you have a lightbulb too?»

Hero’s voice was distant, muffled above the static of his thoughts. Sunny stared at him, his eyes vacant. He had to wake up. He had to wake up before things got worse. Before eyes and shadows and hands appeared, crouching onto the grass and filling the place with terror. Before the White Space turned Black once again.

Sunny looked at each one of his friends, one by one. Then, his gaze fell on the lightbulbs in their hands.

Each of their pulsating lights made his heart beat faster. His head started spinning.

«Sunny?» Aubrey's voice was distant and muffled, but her concern was clear. «Are you alright?»

His hand slid into his pocket. A familiar handle greeted him.

He sighed in relief, as he retrieved the knife.

«Sunny!»

His friends were staring at him, wide-eyed.

No matter. He would wake up soon.

He raised the knife and pointed it at his chest, as he closed his eyes.

«Sunny, no!» Hero's desperate voice reached his ears as he plunged the blade onto his body.

Or at least, as he tried to. His arm was locked in place by a firm grip.

He opened his eye.

Hero was in front of him, surprise and shock on his face. But he wasn’t the one holding him.

Sunny furrowed his brow. The grip on his wrist was cold.

Hero was looking beyond Sunny. «Who… who are you?»

Who is he talking to?

Sunny turned around. His thoughts came to an halt.

Next to him stood a boy. Slightly shorter than him, his familiar pale skin and monochrome clothing made Sunny's mind go into panic.

The boy had his hand firmly around Sunny's wrist, stopping the blade.

He stood silent for a few seconds. He first looked at Sunny, then at his friends.

«You can call me Omori», he then turned to Sunny and pulled the blade out of his hand. «I’ll be taking this.»

Sunny stared at Omori as his arms slowly went limp to his sides.

«Wait, no!» Hero stretched his hand. «Give that to me. Now.»

The boy looked at the blade in his hand and then shrugged, obeying his request.

Hero sighed in relief. «Sunny, what happened?»

«It’s not his fault», the monochrome boy said. «That was the only way out he knew.»

«What?» Basil's gasp made Sunny turn towards him.

«That's... messed up», Aubrey's eyes tingled with worry. «Wait… just like in the dreams…?»

«Bro!» Kel shook the boy's shoulders. «Don't ever even THINK of that! We're here for you!»

Sunny didn't know what to think. He felt safe, somehow, but Omori's presence was a discordant note in an otherwise enjoyable perfomance.

«Anyway», Omori turned towards Sunny. «Don't pull that trick again, Sunny. It won't work.»

«Omori, what are you...»

«Unless you want to die for real, that's it.»

Sunny stared at Omori. His face was devoid of emotions, as his usual, but a glint of fear was in his eyes. Omori was afraid?

«So, huh…» Kel still had his hand around Sunny’s shoulder. «Omori, right? Thanks for saving my friend, here. I owe you one.»

«How do you know Sunny?» Aubrey shook her head. «Actually, no. Wait. How do you know Sunny and, damn Sunny, why the hell did you have a knife on you?! Are you back into old habits?!»

Sunny jumped. «N-no. I… I didn’t even know I had it on me.»

Omori smirked, looking at the girl. «You have changed… but not as much.»

«Look, I’m grateful that you saved my friend, but don’t treat me as if you know me, pale boy.»

«But I know you. You’re Aubrey.»

The girl's eyes widened at the sound of her name. «And you're Kel», he continued. «You're Hero. And you...» Omori winced. «You're Basil.»

«This is getting creepy pretty fast», Aubrey winced.

Kel piped up. «Hey! He saved Sunny! We should be kind to him.»

Omori turned towards him, his face not showing any emotions. «You are the one who changed the less», he then looked at Sunny. «I think that’s a nice thing.»

Sunny didn’t answer.

«Anyway. I see you all are confused. I think I can give you some answers. Follow me.»

Chapter Text

The group was silent as they followed Omori back to the Playground.

Sunny was aware of his friends' gazes on him. He was sure their minds were swirling with many, many unanswered questions and worries, and he couldn’t blame them.

After all, he had his fair share of unanswered questions as well.

Omori, on the other hand, didn't seem to mind.

«Where are we going, anyway?» asked Hero as the view of the Playground greeted their eyes again.

Omori stopped on his tracks, turning around.

His eyes darted around and Sunny gasped. Was he... worried? How could Omori, of all people, be worried?

«I thought we needed a safe place to talk.»

He pointed behind him.

The group looked where he was pointing. All of them stopped breathing.

Right there, near one of the trees, a red and white blanket was laid on the ground. A picnic basket and a plate of candies were orderly placed on it, glistening.

But that was not what surprised them. Sitting on the blanket, wearing a smile they could never forget, was Mari.

The group stopped in their tracks, while Omori sat next to her.

The girl smiled, ruffling the boy's head. «Are these your new friends, Omori?»

He shrugged: «Kinda. Can they join us?»

«Of course!» Mari motioned them to come closer. «Come here! What are you waiting for?»

None of them dared to move. They were paralyzed in their thoughts and in their feelings, looking at Mari as if she was a mirage.

Hero was the first to speak: «M-Mari...? Is that... really you?»

Mari's eyes widened at the sound of her name. She stood up and took a few steps, but stopped at the edge of the blanket.

She squinted her eyes: «You... you do look familiar.»

Her vision put an halt on Sunny’s thoughts. For a moment, he was back to four years ago.

It’s fine, it’s fine, see? Mari is here. In the purple dreamworld, everything was fine.

And, in that moment, everything was fine once again.

Tears welled up in his eyes, but he brushed them away with his sleeve.

Something took his hand in a gentle touch. Startled, he turned next to him: Basil was smiling, a reassuring glint in his eyes. He was on the verge of tears too.

Sunny squeezed his hand back, nodding.

Next to him, Hero stood still. It was as if a simple touch could break him. His breaths were heavy and calculated, an admirable inner strength the only thing that was keeping him from losing everything in front of his friends. Sunny tentatively raised his hand in an attempt to comfort him, but Kel was faster, patting his brother on the back. The older boy looked at his sibling, as Kel didn’t let go of his hand, and nodded to himself.

«This… this can’t be real», Aubrey’s voice was just a whisper, but so full of emotions and quivering with tears. Sunny bit his lip, closing his eyes.

Was this your doing, Omori?

Seeing them all motionless like that, Mari chuckled. «Omori, why don't you introduce your friends to me?»

Omori pointed at Sunny. «Sunny.»

His finger moved. «Aubrey. Basil. Kel. Hero.»

«Nice to meet you!» Mari smiled. «C'mon, have a seat. Enjoy yourselves!»

Sunny was the first to walk over. His hands were closed into fists as he glowered at Omori. The monochromatic boy didn't flinch, hugging his legs.

Aubrey took a step: «M-Mari...?»

The girl smiled, curious. «Don't be shy! Join us!»

Aubrey’s whole body was shivering. Her lips, her eyes, her hands, her legs. It looked like she could break at any moment.

Kel took a deep breath, blinked a few times, and then took the first steps towards the blanket, not saying a word. His eyes were devoid of his usual sparkle and his whole body was stiff, as if a simple poke could shatter what composure he had.

He was the first one to sit on the blanket. At Mari’s smile, he responded with a strained smile of his own, before the girl handed him a sandwich from the basket.

With tentative steps and wary looks, the others followed Kel. Nobody spoke, keeping their breath as if one single whiff of air would make her disappear.

Sunny glanced at Omori, who sat there, emotionless.

«Omori», Sunny kept his anger in check. «Why did you summon her?»

He didn’t raise his eyes, looking at his feet. «I wanted to feel safe. You understand, right?»

Sunny felt a pang of pity in his chest.

«Does she…?»

«No. Blank slate. I just… sorry. I needed this.»

Was Omori that scared that he needed to summon a fake Mari without any memories of her friends to feel a little bit of safety?

He shivered. What was that place, to make Omori feel scared in the first place?

Mari took sandwiches from her picnic basket and gave it to the new guests. «So, what brings you here, my new friends?»

«We... huh», Hero scratched his head. «We…»

«We are enjoying this nice day!» Kel’s voice was unsure, changing in tone with every word. He then looked at his friends, looking for approval. He received it, in the form of unsure nods.

«That’s a great idea!» Mari smiled. «It’s nice to enjoy the good weather as much as you can. Although it is pretty empty here today...»

«Y-yeah…»

In that moment, Mari turned towards Basil and tilted her head, as he was eyeing the sandwich without eating it. «Is everything alright... Basil, was it?»

The boy's breathing quickened, as his eyes stared at the girl.

«Mari, I...»

Sunny looked at him and shook his head. Basil's eyes widened in realization. With shaky hands, he took a bite ouf of his sandwich. «...It’s delicious.»

Mari smiled. «Thank you!»

Omori shifted in his seat, as he finally raised his gaze. His expression was emotionless as always, but Sunny noticed how his hands trembled. «Mari, I have invited them here to talk, actually.»

Mari nodded: «Sure. Don't worry little brother, I won't be in yours and your friends' way.»

«That's not a bother», said Hero. «It's... alright.»

Mari chuckled: «Such a gentleman! Omori, you never told me you had such an handsome friend.»

Omori rolled his eyes. Mari chuckled again. Hero turned his face away.

«As I was saying», Omori's voice got their attention. «I have a slight idea of what is happening.»

«Well, that’s good», said Aubrey. «Because we sure as hell don’t.»

«This place is...» Omori closed his eyes and then sighed. «This will be long. Sunny, have you talked to them about Headspace? That would make things easier.»

Sunny felt his cheeks heat up. «I... no.»

Omori raised his arms. «Okay. You explain your part, I'll explain mine.»

«I-I'm not ready for that talk yet.»

«Well, I regret to inform you that you don’t have much choice.»

«Huh, Sunny?» Aubrey’s voice interrupted them. «Can you start by explaining how you know this kid in the first place?»

«You know...» Mari eyed them. «Now that you mention it, they look similar, don't they?»

«Omori looks exactly how Sunny looked when he was-» Kel was interrupted by Hero smacking his hand. He shook his head.

«We… know each other, yeah. Kinda» Sunny sighed. He really didn’t want to have that talk. He preferred to let Headspace be a fantasy in his sketches and that’s it. «Although I can’t say I’m happy to see you again.»

«The feeling is mutual.»

All his friends were looking at him. Sunny sighed and closed his eyes. He gathered his thoughts.

They deserve to know, don’t they?

«Do you remember how after...», Sunny eyed the girl smiling next to him. «My sister... left... I closed myself off from the world for four years?»

«And who can forget that?» Aubrey's voice rung in anger.

«I was the one who made you go out», Kel chuckled. Sunny allowed himself a small smile.

«Headspace is where I went», he continued. «It was an imaginary place I retreated back whenever I was sleeping... which was most of the day.»

He met his friends’ surprised gazes. Hero was the first to talk: «And you did that for four years?»

Sunny nodded.

«Man, no wonder you were so pale and frail when you went out that day» Aubrey’s eyes manifested all her concern. She then eyed Kel and opened her mouth, before closing it again.

«I’m so sorry, Sunny», Basil looked down, fidgeting with his fingers. «I… Maybe I could have done something.»

«You were dealing with your own things. I don’t hold anything against any of you.»

Basil smiled, while Kel pulled Sunny into a side hug and ruffled his hair. «Well now we’re all here! So there’s nothing more to worry about.»

Sunny reveled in the comfortable sensation that had taken place in his chest, until Basil’s voice made him turn towards him. «So… you’re saying this is Headspace?»

Sunny nodded. «Although it is a little different since last time I visited it...»

Kel jumped: «Wait! Don't tell me... We are in your dream?»

Sunny opened his mouth, but Omori stopped him. «No.»

They all turned towards him.

«This is...» Omori seemed to ponder about his next words. «I'm not sure. But...»

He sighed. «I was a resident of Headspace. I was created by Sunny to act as an avatar for him in this world.»

Kel opened his mouth again, but one look from the boy silenced him. «And I am here. So it means that this place is somehow related to Headspace. Otherwise I couldn’t exist.»

Aubrey furrowed her brow. «But?»

«I had full control over Headspace. It wasn't like that at first but after years it just so happened», Omori shivered. «I don't have full control here. My powers are extremely limited...» he looked around. «But they are stronger here, in this Playground.»

Basil scratched his head. «So... this Playground is Headspace?»

«And what about the rest?» asked Sunny.

Omori shook his head. «No idea. I'm as clueless as you. I only know one thing. I can... feel other things here. Not Headspace but... extremely similar. But I have no power there.»

Hero furrowed his brow: «So... This is Headspace, but not exactly. But this Playground place is part of Sunny's Headspace so you still have your powers.»

Omori nodded. «At least, that's what I noticed. This is… new for me too.»

Sunny's eye widened. «Is that why you stopped me before?»

«My purpose is still to protect you, Sunny. I don’t know what would have happened if you stabbed yourself here.»

At those words, a fire burned in Sunny's chest, but Omori soon stopped him. «I can't blame you for not trusting me. But my purpose has not changed. I just decided to go about it in another way.»

«You've... changed.»

Omori didn't respond.

«Hey, Sunny», Hero's voice was low, as if the words could hurt him too. «In your Headspace... was your sister there too?»

Sunny lowered his eyes and nodded.

«I see.»

«But why are we here?» asked Basil. «This is… Sunny’s Headspace, right?»

«Not to mention, how?» Aubrey was rubbing her forehead. «Seriously, how the hell did we end up here in the first place?»

«I don’t even know why I’m here», continued Sunny. «I deleted Headspace from existing.»

«Really?» Kel furrowed his brow. «Then… how are we here?»

«I… I don’t know.»

From Omori’s silence, Sunny guessed he didn’t know either.

Hero looked at Omori. «What happened to you after Headspace was deleted? You said you were one of the residents. And…» he eyed Mari, who tilted her head.

Omori looked at Sunny one more time, before answering. «In truth, Headspace has not been completely deleted.»

Sunny jumped: «What?»

«I reconstructed it. It was my place… my home, you could call it. I just kept you away from it», before Sunny could speak again, Omori continued. «But this is not my Headspace. I’m sure of it.»

«Oookay», Aubrey got up, slapping her knees. «I literally have no idea what happened here and kudos to my brain for conjuring this whole ass story buuuuut», she stretched her arms, before pointing behind her with her thumb. «I'm gonna scoot out of here. This is getting pretty uncomfortable with, you know, one of your best friend's twelve years old self and the ghost of one of my belated best friends. So yeah. See ya, I guess.»

«Aubrey, wait», Hero took her hand. «This isn’t a simple dream. Haven’t you realized that?»

She smirked, nodding. «Yeah, right.»

As she turned around, Sunny yelled: «Aubrey, wait!»

But the girl didn't listen, walking in the opposite direction. She stopped when her body hit something.

She rubbed her face. «Hey, what the–»

All the group on the blanket stood up. «Aubrey!» Kel yelled.

Aubrey lifted her eyes, to see what she had hit.

A cold wave of fear washed over her. A black figure towered over her, taller than everyone she had ever seen. Long arms dangled from his sides, ending with claws. In one hand, he held a lantern.

The figure curved down. What she thought was his face was looking at her.

Chapter Text

Hero was quick to act, sprinting towards Aubrey and pushed her out of the way, standing in front of the black figure.

The rest of the group followed suit, stopping near the girl.

«Sunny…?» Basil eyed the figure and then his friends with shivering eyes. «Is he somebody you know…?»

Omori walked past the group, stopping next to Hero. His eyes were emotionless as he looked at the towering figure. «Daddy Longlegs. This is not my doing», he turned towards Sunny, but the boy shook his head.

«L-like the spider?» Hero shivered.

«He was a resident of Headspace too», said Omori.

Aubrey’s eyes widened, as she pointed at the creature in front of them. «THIS thing was a resident of your dreamworld?»

Sunny lowered his gaze, while Omori shrugged. «There were nightmares in there, too.»

A wince of guilt made her shudder. «Oh. Yikes… I’m… I’m sorry.»

«Do not worry and do not fear, children», the figure raised his hand, putting it on his chest. And he… bowed down? Sunny wasn’t sure, but it definitely looked like one. «I am not here to hurt you. I am here to warn you. This is not the place for you: you have to find your way home, or be lost in the fog of unconsciousness.»

«No shit, we’ve been trying to wake up for hours now», said Aubrey.

«And we have a real pro at waking up from weird dreams here!» Kel nodded, before pulling Sunny next to him.

«Common methods won’t have their desired effect here, living creatures. This is a peculiar place, out of the bonds of time and space.»

«Huh? What does that mean?» asked Kel.

«I think… it means we’re not in our world?» said Hero. He scratched his head. «Usually I’d have an hard time believing it, but right now...»

«It’s gotten to the point that it’s reassuring to know we’re not in our world», said Aubrey.

«So how do we leave?» asked Hero. «I'm pretty sure I'm talking for everybody here when I say that we really don't want to stay here.»

«This world is a crossroads of thoughts and emotions. Paths cross themselves, slippery and ever changing exactly like the human mind», he raised his claw, pointing at Hero. «But you all have guiding lights. They will show you the way, no matter how much places will change.»

Sunny jumped at the realization. He took his white lightbulb out of his pocket. Omori shivered at the sight of it, while Kel gasped. «Yours is white!»

«Like mine…» said Basil.

Daddy Longlegs nodded. «Yes. The white light will tame the darkness of the mind.»

«Ours are black, though», said Kel, showing his lightbulb.

Daddy Longlegs shook his head. «A black light will do no good. You have to let it go free, for it to help you on your way.»

Kel furrowed his brow. «Letting them free will make them white? How do we do that?»

«I don't know how I did it...» said Basil.

«I prefer to not repeat the experience» said Sunny.

«The chain of stories repeats itself in groups of three. They all have the same beginning, but their paths diverge, however they are still close to one another. Break the chain, stop the cycle. Only then will the Beacon reveal itself and guide you all home from the darkness.»

Aubrey scratched her head. «Huh…» she then eyed Hero.

The older boy looked around, noticing everybody had their eyes on him.

Basil chimed in. «What do you mean “break the chain”? How do we do that?»

«Find the Gates. They hold the keys on letting the lights go free. Once all the lights will be casted, they will break the chain and the Beacon shall appear. That will be your way home.»

The whole group stood silent. Aubrey turned towards Omori and Sunny. «Nice world building you got there, boys.»

Sunny looked down. «Believe me when I say I’m as confused as you.»

Omori nodded in agreement. «Never heard of Gates or Beacons.»

«And where are these Gates?» asked Hero. «We are… pretty lost here.»

«For the first Gate, you shall find it among the sky, in a place known as Otherworld.»

«Finally a familiar word», breathed Omori.

«So, we find these Gates, make our lightbulbs white, go to the Beacon and go back home?» Kel resumed, keeping count on his fingers.

Basil nodded. «That sounds like what we have to do.»

«Our ticket out of here, huh...»

Daddy Longlegs nodded. «Do not worry, young humans. You can trust my words. I do not want you to get harmed. And be aware, children. Should you lose your way here, the thick fog that enshrouds your mind will not lift and follow you home.»

The group jumped at those words. «W-wait», Hero stifled a nervous chuckle. «What… what do you mean?»

«This is a place of many, many roads. Many, many truths. Some of them freeing, others restricting. Some will trap you here. The important thing is to free yourself.»

Aubrey furrowed her brow. «That… didn’t really help.»

«Guys!» Kel piped up. «It’s not a problem! We know what we have to do. We just have to be careful! I’m sure that together, we won’t fail.»

«How… how did we end up in this situation in the first place…?» Hero’s voice was barely a whisper.

«Young man», Daddy Longlegs’ voice was kind. «Do not fear. Many people lose their way in the crossroads of thoughts. Waking up without such weight may be a feat only reserved to some.»

Kel pulled his brother into a side hug. «Don’t worry, Hero. I’m sure we’ll be fine.»

Hero sighed, scratching his head. His expression was pensive, but soon his eyes glinted with determination. He nodded. «Okay, okay. Let’s do this, alright?»

«Hell yeah!» Kel raised his hand and Hero accepted his invitation for a high-five with a smirk.

Sunny looked at the two brothers. A spark of excitement fueled him and he nodded. «Yes. Let’s do this and return home.»

Kel gave him a thumbs up, before putting his hand, palm facing down, in front of him. «C’mon! All together!»

Hero slapped his hand on his sibling’s and Sunny imitated him. He found in the older boy’s eyes a firm resolution that gave him courage.

«I want to return home too» Basil approached the group, before putting his hand upon the other three. «Let’s do this, together.»

Kel chuckled. «I can’t believe we’re doing this! C’mon, Aubrey! Join us!»

She winced. «I don’t think I have to do that to show that I also want to return home.»

«Aubrey!» Basil whined, but he was smiling. «Join us!»

The girl sighed. «Guys, this is so damn cheesy», she slapped her hand onto the others. «But to hell with this. Let’s go back home.»

The group of friends exchanged smiles, their expressions glowing with determination. Sunny thought that, together, they truly would have had nothing to fear.

Omori was left standing next to them. He was looking at the group with a curious look on his face. Kel noticed him. «Hey, c’mere! Aren’t you coming with us?»

Omori shook his head. «I’ll be sitting this one out. As long as Sunny returns home, I’m fine too.»

Basil tilted his head. «Didn’t you say your duty was to protect him?»

Omori's eyes widened. «Yes?»

«C'mon, come with us, then! The more the merrier!» exclaimed Kel.

Omori blinked, at a loss of words. He looked at Sunny. «What do you think?»

Sunny, deep down, didn't want him to come. Omori had made his life miserable and he had no idea of what he could do, out of his control.

Only in the recent months his anger had finally subsided enough to have a peaceful coexistence, despite it being relegated in the dreaming hours.

But, at the same time, Sunny couldn't deny the sheer sense of safety that Omori gave him. He shivered. He had created him for that exact reason, all those years ago. It was a tempting gift, but one that led him astray.

Sunny looked at his friends. This time around, though, he wasn't alone. And these were his real friends, not his dream ones.

«Only if you promise that you will protect my friends too.»

Omori smirked. «That's... doable, I guess.»

«Woah, really?» Aubrey stifled a chuckle. «We're gonna get protected by a scrawny twelve years old?» she showed her bat. «This isn't enough, Sunny?»

The boy blushed. «Yes, but... Omori is used to this. More than any of us.»

«I must agree with Sunny», said Hero. «Even if this is not his Headspace anymore, Omori is the one with the most experience here.»

Aubrey shrugged. «Well, I can’t argue with that.»

«C’mon!» Kel urged the monochromatic boy. «Come here!»

«I’m coming with you, but I won’t do that», he spat the last word.

«I did it», said Sunny. «You have to do it too.»

With a dramatic sigh, Omori’s white hand was put on top of the others.

Then, with a cheer, they all raised them together.

Chapter Text

«It is time for me to go», Daddy Longlegs bowed one last time. «Young travellers, farewell. I wish you all the best of luck.»

Then, with one nod, he turned around and walked towards the woods. They watched him grow smaller and smaller, as the shadows of the forest engulfed him, until he disappeared completely.

«So!» Mari’s voice pulled them out from their thoughts. «Ready for your grand journey?»

The girl was smiling, as kind as always, from her picnic blanket.

Hero winced, while Omori approached her. «We are. Be careful Mari, okay?»

«Oh, you dummy», she lightly punched his forehead. «You're the one who's going on an adventure! Not me», she then raised her gaze towards the others. «You will protect them, won’t you? They want to be your friends!»

«I think one of them is just barely holding himself from killing me.»

Sunny furrowed his brow.

«Omori, you were always such a worrywart», she ruffled his hair. «C'mon, it's time for you all to go. And remember! You will always have a safe place here, if you ever need it.»

«But, Mari», Basil looked around. «Won't you be lonely here?»

«Maybe I will. But that's alright. It will make your return all the more sweeter!» she smiled and then motioned with her hand. «Now go! Don't worry about me!»

Aubrey smiled: «Thank you, Mari.»

«Cya Mari!», Kel waved as he started walking towards the road they came from. Aubrey followed suit, bidding goodbye with teary eyes and a forlorn smile. Basil was the third to go, a little sprint in his step to not fall behind the other two, but relaxed once he saw that Aubrey was waiting for him.

Omori, Sunny, and Hero were the last ones remaining.

«Well, I better follow them», Omori shrugged. «Goodbye, Mari. I'll return soon», before he could go, Mari pulled him into a hug. He flinched, but soon returned the gesture. When she let him go, she did so with another ruffling of his hair and a wave.

Sunny wasn’t sure why he hadn’t already left. He looked at the copy of his sister, fidgeting with his finger and the gaze down. He was having an hard time looking at her, his mind swirling with emotions and memories. His chest hurt. But he felt like he had to stay there for a little more time.

Mari smiled. «You kinda look like my brother.»

He gasped. «Yeah… I get that a lot.»

«You seem troubled», the girl furrowed her brow. «Don't worry, alright? I'm sure together you can face anything.»

Sunny smiled. «Yes. I'm sure of that too.»

«Do you want a hug?»

He didn’t think twice before nodding. He wrapped his arms around her, burying himself in her body. It felt so familiar. The warmth of her clothes, the gentle touch on his back, her chin on his head… Sunny stood still, engraving that moment in his mind. For a moment, nothing else existed.

He knew it was wrong. He knew that it was falling back into old habits.

He knew.

But his friends were there. He just wanted to indulge... one last time. He hadn't visited Headspace in so long, except his visits to White Space.

He pulled back.

«Goodbye, Mari.»

«See you, Sunny.»

She ruffled his hair.

I’m proud of you . It was barely a whisper, but it made Sunny gasp. He looked back at her, but she was smiling. He bid her goodbye with one last wave.

Hero was the last one to remain. Mari chuckled. «You should go too. You seem the oldest… they must trust you a lot.»

«Mari», his throat was dry. «Do you...» he stopped. He opened his mouth but closed it immediately after. «It's nothing.»

Mari tilted her head. «You also seem troubled... But don't worry, okay? It's alright.»

«It's... alright?»

«Feeling troubled, I mean. You don't have to hide it, if that's how you feel», she then lowered her gaze. «Although it does make me feel a little bad to be the source of it...»

«Oh, it's not your fault!» Hero sighed. «Sorry. I should go now.»

«Goodbye, Hero. Please, take good care of the others for me, alright?»

Hero stopped in his tracks. «Y-yes. I will.»

A soft whisper from a voice he loved very, very much reached his ears.

Thank you .

He didn’t turn around and kept walking.

The group reunited in the mint-colored forest, right in front of the tree stump.

Aubrey’s eyes thinned into a line as soon as the three boys returned.

«Omori», her voice was stern, a pint of poison polluting it. Sunny and Basil shivered, while Omori raised his gaze towards the girl. «That Mari. It was your doing, wasn’t it?»

«It was.»

«Don’t try to pull a stunt like that ever again, you hear?!» she was seething, a slight shriek in her voice as her knuckles turned white by gripping her bat.

«She didn’t even remember us, right?» Hero’s face was expressionless, but his eyes were fixated on the young boy, a shadow over them.

Omori shook his head. «No, she didn’t», he then turned his eyes away. «I’m sorry. But I needed it. Mari is a safe person for me and everything is unknown right now and–»

«I don’t care!» Aubrey stomped the ground. «Just… don’t do that ever again.»

«It was painful», said Hero. «She not recognizing us…»

«Hey, hey», Kel raised his hands, walking in the middle of the group. «C’mon. We did all that nice stuff before and we’re already bickering?»

«Oh, c’mon Kel», Aubrey growled. «Don’t tell me it didn’t hurt that Mari didn’t recognize you too.»

Her words made him wince, narrowing his eyes. Sunny gripped the hem of his shirt. It was painful, alright. Her not recognizing him, her own little brother.

«Let’s leave it be», he said. «We have other things to think about right now.»

«Sunny…!»

«It won’t change anything, Aubrey. This is not a place…» he remembered the hug and fought back tears. «This is not a place where you can meet Mari again.»

He engraved the words in his mind, one last time.

Hero sighed and passed a hand in his hair. «Sunny is right. C’mon, we have to go, if we want to return back home.»

Basil approached Omori. «Are you… are you alright, now?»

«I think I am. Why do you ask?»

«Well, you seemed scared...»

«It’s nothing you have to worry about.»

Without saying another word, Omori walked past the group, taking the eastern road. Before he got too far, though, Aubrey spoke up. «Wait, pale boy. Where are you going?»

«To Otherworld.»

«Where is that?» asked Kel.

Sunny and Omori pointed to the path he was taking. «That way.»

«We will have to cross the forest... And find a ladder» said Omori. «That is, if there aren't any more changes.»

«Speaking of changes», Sunny pointed at the wooden planks nailed on the tree stump. «What happened to the Neighbour's Room?»

«Something was there?» asked Kel.

«A room», Omori shrugged. «I told you. This is your Headspace but at the same time it's not. It wasn't me who closed the entrance.»

Then, without waiting for the others, he kept walking. The group stood still, looking at his figure becoming smaller and smaller amongst the mint-colored leaves and the purple sky, before Aubrey sighed. «Sunny, don’t worry. I’ll help you keep him in check.»

«I don’t think it’ll be needed. But I appreciate it, thanks.»

«Yeah, it won’t be necessary», said Kel. «I mean, he’s probably terrified of your bat anyway», Aubrey elbowed him, making him yelp.

The path that led to the ladder to Otherworld wasn’t too different from how Sunny remembered it to be. The forest stood silent under the purple sky, emptiness filling the place. Amongst the trees, in slow movements, some giant pinwheels towered over them, moving under the breeze.

Sunny knew it was wrong, but he couldn’t help but feel a sense of peace at that sight. He stared at one of the pinwheels, mesmerized, until Basil’s voice pulled him out from his thoughts. «Look! Those pinwheels are so cute!»

«It makes this place look like an amusement park!» said Kel, Basil nodded.

Hero pointed at the sky. «Hey, guys? What’s that?»

Hanging over them, in the middle of the purple expanse, there was a small planet. Something could be seen coming out of it before disappearing among the trees, but at that distance it was impossible to tell what it was.

«That’s where we have to go», said Sunny.

Aubrey’s eyes widened. «That’s Otherworld?», her shoulders dropped, her eyes still wide open. «Wow. Alright. How do we reach that place?»

«There’s a ladder», said Omori, without batting an eye.

Hero chuckled. «You mentioned that before, but you’re joking, right…?»

«I’m not. We have to climb a ladder.»

As if on cue, they all turned towards Sunny. He suddenly had the urge to run away.

«Weren’t you afraid of heights?» asked Aubrey.

He buried his head between his shoulders. «I was… but… I got over that fear.»

«I’m so proud of you, my friend!» Kel pulled Sunny in a side hug, «In that case that ladder will be no problem!»

«Sunny?» Basil was fidgeting with his fingers, his eyes darting from one tree to another. «I… I wanted to ask you something. Are there any... things we should be careful about?»

Omori was the one who answered, without hesitating. «Monsters.»

«Monsters!?» the group looked at Sunny.

«What kind of dreams did you have, Sunny?» Hero stifled a chuckle, worried.

«I mean, I remember them being weird but...» Aubrey scratched her head.

«I had to keep him busy somehow», said Omori. «So we went onto adventures.»

Hero furrowed his brow. «What do you mean, “we”?»

Sunny blushed. He simply circled his finger in the air, as if he was trying to bind them together.

A soft chorus of chuckles emerged, and Sunny just really wished he could have woken up right in that instant.

Aubrey took a deep breath to push the laughing away. «Okay. It’s… cool. That’s cool. So we went in adventures together.»

Omori looked at her. «You were the heavy damage dealer.»

Her face lit up and she slapped her chest. «Hah! Suck on this, you fuckers. This group depends on me!» she threw her bat in the air and got it back in one swift motion.

«What about me? What about me?» Kel jumped in place.

«You were the speedster of the group.»

Kel frowned. «Meh. I was expecting something cooler.»

«You threw balls at stuff and destroyed them?»

«One of your weapons was a literal meteor», Sunny said.

Kel perked up. «Now. That is cool. Thanks, buddy.»

Sunny gave him a thumbs up.

Kel showed his tongue at Aubrey, who smirked. «And where's your meteor now, speedster boy? I still have my bat, at least.»

«You actually fought with a plushie», said Omori. «And also a body pillow.»

Kel laughed as Aubrey’s cheeks flushed red. «Oh, Aubs, I knew you were a softie after all!»

The girl’s eyes became a thin line. «Don’t. Call. Me. Like. That. Ever. Again. Kelsey.»

«I'm kinda scared to ask but...» Hero scratched his head. «What about me?»

«You prepared snacks for everybody and healed us when needed.»

Hero blinked. «Strangely normal. And I have the feeling that it's going to be what I'll be doing this time around too...»

«C'mon, bro!» Kel slapped his back. «Even in dreams, Sunny wanted more of your delicious cooking.»

At those words, Sunny looked down at his feet. Oh dear. How much he wished to wake up from this torture.

Hero’s cheeks turned red as he looked away.

«What about me?» asked Basil.

«You...» Omori looked at Sunny. He shook his head. «You... took photos and kept the memories of our adventures.»

Basil smiled. «Oh! But that's lovely! I don’t think I’m the fighting type, after all...»

«What about you, Omori?» asked Kel. «What did you do?»

«I used my knife to defeat my enemies.»

«Huh», Hero nodded. «Alright. I know what to do if we see one of these monsters you were talking about.»

«Although I haven’t seen any so far», said Sunny.

«I’m not sure if there are any in the first place», continued Omori. He shivered. «This feels unsettling. I’m supposed to know these places like the back of my hand but instead they look so foreign to me. Don’t you think so too, Sunny?»

«They’re just memories to me now, Omori. Faded memories.»

Omori looked at him, eyes slowly blinking. A small glint of sadness appeared, before vanishing. «I see», he then took a step. «Let’s go. Otherworld won’t get any closer if we stay here.»

They reached a clearing where the wind stopped blowing. Everything was still, an eerie silence that envelopped the place. Far away, the pinwheels kept spinning among the trees.

A pink ladder stretched out towards the sky, where the small planet was hovering above them.

«That's a long climb», Hero furrowed his brow, hands on his hips. «Isn’t there a faster way?»

«Pluto Spaceline isn't available, it seems», said Omori.

He then looked at the group. Aubrey shook her head. «Nah, we're not gonna bother with that.»

Omori nodded. He then took a firm grip of the ladder, shook it a few times and nodded. «It seems sturdy enough. Let's go, the earlier we start, the earlier we arrive there.»

«Woah woah, wait!» Hero jumped. «You really wanna climb this ladder?»

«It's our only way», said Kel. «Didn't you hear Daddy Longlegs, Hero? The Gate is in Otherworld...»

«Yeah, but...»

«Oof, don't be a scaredy-cat, Hero», Aubrey slapped him on the back. «I'll catch you if you fall, I promise», she then looked at the others. «The same applies to all of you.»

«That's reassuring», said Omori, already on the ladder. «Sunny, will you be okay?»

«I will, don't worry», the boy followed Omori, gripping the ladder. He took a deep breath and looked up. The monochromatic boy raised an eyebrow. «Are you sure?»

«Y-yeah.»

«Wait, Aubrey», Kel poked her shoulder and pointed at her bat. «Will you be fine, climbing with this?»

She smirked. «Of course. Don’t worry», she then motioned with her hands. «Alright, chop chop. Onto the ladder, boys.»

One by one, she saw them all climbing the ladder. When it was her turn, a movement in the trees caught her eyes. «Guys, wait.»

Basil turned his head. «What happened?»

«There’s something there. I’ll go check it out, real quick», she approached the trees under the attentive gaze of Omori. Something was dangling from one of the branches. With careful steps she got near it, gripping her bat.

Then she stopped, wide-eyed.

«Aubrey!» Basil had stepped off the ladder, followed by Hero. «What did you find?»

She pulled something from the branch and turned to see her friends. «A bag.»

Hero touched the item in her hands. «A… bag?»

«It was dangling from the branch», Aubrey inspected it. «It would be pretty useful… for my bat.»

«Why was a bag there, anyway?»

She shrugged. «No idea. But good for me!»

After checking that the insides were empty, Aubrey put her bat inside the bag. Then put it on her shoulder. «C’mon! Let’s go!»

One by one, they all gripped the ladder. Sunny looked at Aubrey’s new bag for some time, before Kel’s poke on his back signaled him it was time to move.

Shivering and muttering words, they all started climbing.

And climbed.

And climbed.

And climbed.

...

«Hey», Kel’s voice caused groans among the others. «Are we there yet?»

«Considering the fact that my hands are still on this damn ladder, I guess we’re not», growled Aubrey.

«This is the twelfth time you’ve asked, Kel», Omori chuckled. «For some reason, I’m not surprised.»

«I really can't believe that in your dreams there wasn't an easier way for this, Sunny», said Hero between pantings. «It was a dream! You could fly if you wanted!»

«Oh, but a ladder going into a planet sounds very lovely!» said Basil.

«Not so lovely for my poor heart.»

«Hush, Hero!» Kel turned towards him. «You're not that old!»

«Hey, grandpa!» Aubrey's voice came from downwards. «Can I get money for ice cream?»

«Hah. Very funny.»

«Sunny, how are you holding up, bro?» asked Kel at the boy above him.

Sunny was, to put it simply, not holding well. Each fiber of his body was burning and screaming in pain, even keeping his eye open was a struggle. Each limb weighted a ton and each step was a scream for help.

«I'm not holding up.»

«We can't rest right now», said Omori. «We're halfway there.»

A chorus rose. «Only halfway!?»

«Omori, aren't you tired?» asked Kel.

Omori stopped. Everybody followed suit.

«I do feel a bit tired», he said, surprise in his voice.

«I didn't know you could feel tired», said Sunny.

«I didn't know either.»

«Can we keep going, please!?» Basil yelled. «I don't know for how much longer I can keep myself steady.»

With a nod, Omori kept climbing.

And they climbed.

They climbed.

They climbed.

...

The planet grew nearer and nearer as they kept climbing.

«We are almost there...!» Kel panted. «C'mon guys!»

Nobody had enough breath to respond. Even Omori panted at each step, a drop of sweat on his forehead.

Finally, the purple sky all around them disappeared, in exchange of dirt.

Dirt all around them, as they entered a narrow tunnel.

Omori stopped, panting. «We can rest a bit here.»

«Huh?» everybody raised their heads.

«How?» asked Hero.

«Like this», with careful movements, Omori turned around. He sat on the rung and kept himself steady by wrapping his arms around the ladder. He then looked down.

«That looks uncomfortable», said Aubrey.

«It is», he responded. «But at least my arms can rest a bit.»

«I don’t care, I’m going to do it too», Hero followed Omori’s actions and sat backwards on the ladder, letting out a satisfied sigh. «Yeah, much better.»

«Woah, old man!» Kel smiled, his forehead breaded with sweat. «You disappoint me.»

«Don't act as if you aren't tired too, Kel», said Aubrey, imitating Hero and Omori by letting her back onto the ladder.

Sunny, seeing all his friends in that position, decided to follow them. As soon as he let his arms go, a wave of relief washed over him. He raised his head. «Thank you, Omori.»

No response, but he did see a thumbs up.

«Okay, okay, alright», Kel followed suit. «Although it is a bit cramped.»

Hero chuckled. «The pains of being tall, Kel.»

Sunny smiled. «Your wish came true.»

Kel huffed.

«Basil?» Aubrey called the boy. «Aren't you going to rest?»

Basil shivered. «I...»

«C'mon, don't worry. I'm right below you.»

«...alright.»

Basil took a deep breath, before slowly turning himself around. With shaky arms and legs he positioned himself and sat on the rung. A strained chuckle escaped his lips. «This feels better…»

He relaxed.

They stayed like that for some time, relishing in the feeling. The tunnel was silent, except for their breathing.

Sunny looked above him, and then below.

A warm feeling blossomed in his chest, before a small smile appeared on his face.

For so long he had had dreams of going on adventures with his friends, and it was really happening! Sure, the situation wasn’t exactly ideal, but he couldn’t deny the fact that it made him happy. He couldn’t help but bounce his feet a little.

Omori’s presence had been a surprise, but his friends were more than enough to ward off his worries for that moment.

If anything, Aubrey’s bat would have definitely dealt with him. Probably.

«My back is so gonna hurt after this», winced Hero.

«A necessary pain for greatness», said Sunny.

«Are we ready to move on?» asked Omori.

«How far are we?» asked Kel.

Omori squinted his eyes. «Not much, I think.»

Sunny tilted his head upwards, looking past Omori's body. «I can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel.»

The boy above him carefully shifted in his seat, before turning himself around and returning into position. «Ready?»

With huffs and grunts, Sunny, Kel, and Hero imitated him, returning to the ladder.

Basil shivered. Aubrey squeezed his ankle. «Go on, don’t worry.»

«A-alright.»

As he started to move, Basil was aware of all his friends’ gazes on him. He gulped down his worry, wiping his sweaty hands on his vest.

He removed his foot from the rung and, as he was turning around, he slipped.

With a gasp, he gripped the ladder with all the strength he had. To no avail.

His hand slithered off and he fell.

A yelp and a strong grip took his wrist, cutting off his breath. He raised his eyes: Aubrey was holding him tight, teeth gritting.

A chorus of “Basil! Aubrey!” erupted in the tunnel, as Hero slid down a little, stretching his arm. «Here, take my hand, Basil!»

The girl grunted as the boy started moving, trying to reach for the older boy’s hand. «I don’t know if I can…»

The tunnel started getting warmer.

Sunny jumped. «What’s happening?»

«Wait», Omori’s voice was firm. He was gripping the ladder with all his strength, his eyes closed.

«What’s… what’s that?» Hero’s voice made Sunny look down.

Right below Basil, under the boy’s and Aubrey’s shocked gazes, hovered a red hand. Sunny shivered, his heart beating faster.

The red hand lifted Basil up, as Aubrey let his wrist go, watching him as he carefully went on the ladder again. When he was in position, the red hand vanished.

«Basil!» Aubrey’s voice was full of worry. «Are you alright?»

«I’m… I’m fine. Thanks, Aubrey.»

«What was that thing?!» Hero looked up, towards Omori. «Omori, was that your doing?»

Omori sighed. «Yeah. But don't expect me to use that too much», he trembled. «I'm not in full control of this place.»

Sunny’s shoulders dropped. Gratitude prompted his tongue. «Thank you, Omori.»

«Thank you!» said Basil. «Really. I'm sorry you had to strain yourself for me.»

Omori's hands clutched the ladder. «C'mon, let's go. We're almost there.»

When the eternal purple sky met their eyes, the group roared in yells and cheers. They emerged from the tunnel to touch the ground. Sunny laid down on his back, smiling, catching back all the breathing he had lost.

As Basil helped Aubrey get out of the hole, Hero tackled them both in a bear hug.

«Thank goodness you’re safe!»

«You're noticing this only now, Hero?» chuckled Aubrey, followed by Basil.

Kel jumped: «Hey, it's not a group hug if the whole group isn't there!» he wrapped his arms around his friends, before sighing. «But man, really… I’m so glad you’re all safe.»

Sunny stood up and made his way between Aubrey and Hero, who accepted him into the hug.

Hero raised his head. «Omori? Come here!»

The boy widened his eyes. «Are you sure?»

«We wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you, pale boy», said Aubrey.

Omori stood still, rubbing his hands together.

«I...»

«C'mon!» Kel left the hug to pull him in by the wrist.

Omiri flinched, but soon relaxed, letting himself in the hug.

Chapter Text

They found themselves near the Cattail Fields. The purple and pink leaves moved softly under the wind, mesmerizing waves as far as eye could see. Emerging from the pink expanse there were radio towers, their structures eaten by rust. A few of them were still functional, their lights blinking from far away, disguising themselves among the stars.

Sunny stood still in front of the field, shivering. His mind was swirling with many worried thoughts, but one in particular was pushing its way in.

The barn... it was there, standing somewhere amongst the leaves. He was sure of it.

Aubrey walked next to him, hand on her forehead, and stood on her tiptoes to look farther away. «Look at this place! I was expecting a desert of rocks, and instead, here's a huge field.»

Basil touched one of the leaves: «Are these cattails? Why are they pink?»

«It looks pretty, this way», said Sunny.

Kel furrowed his brow, then he looked at Aubrey. He slightly nodded at Sunny, a smirk on his face. «Yeah! It's pretty!»

Aubrey glowered at him. «I know that face, Kel. And I don't like that face.»

He made a hushing gesture. «You worry too much, Aubrey.»

«I'm not worried. But I'd be worried, if I were you.»

«Hey guys», Hero was looking at the sky, a nervous look on his face. «I know that I should have asked this earlier but... we won't have any trouble with oxygen here, right?»

Omori shook his head. «No. Don't worry.»

«That's a relief. Sunny, I always knew you had an active imagination, but this place really takes the cake.»

The boy felt his cheeks grow warmer. «Th-thanks. I've always enjoyed space...»

«Beyond the borders of the known world!» Kel jumped, opening his arms. «Where no man has ever set foot before! New treasures waiting to be discovered and unseen civilizations waiting to be known!» he nudged his friend's shoulder. «I totally get you, Sunny. Not to mention how cool the Space Boyfriend comics are.»

Sunny nodded. «Yeah, they really were.»

«Even Mari liked them!» Aubrey had a nostalgic smile on her face. «Man, good times.»

«Have you two kept up with them?» asked Kel.

Both the boy and the girl shook their heads. Kel gasped, covering his mouth with his hands. «No way! Sunny, Aubrey! We gotta fix this! As soon as we wake up, I'm gonna help you recover all the issues you've missed.»

«I can just crash into your place», said Aubrey.

Kel snapped his fingers at her. «You know my door is always open. I'll think something for you, Sunny.»

«Too bad we can't give each other things here, huh?» said Basil.

«Yeah. Man, how cool would it be if after this we could communicate with one another through our dreams?»

Aubrey groaned. «I don't want to see your dreams, Kel.»

«They must be full of Orange Joe», murmured Sunny, but everybody heard him.

Hero burst out laughing, giving him a slight slap on the shoulder. «I don't think you're so far from the truth.»

«Yeah, you're probably right», Kel shrugged.

In that moment, Omori walked past them, stopping in front of the cattail field. He looked around, pale figure against the pink expanse, and turned towards the group. «If you all want to wake up, we have to move.»

«He's right», nodded Hero. «But where?»

«Any ideas where this “Gate” could be?» asked Aubrey, doing the air quotes with her hands.

«There was nothing like that back in Headspace», said Sunny. Omori nodded.

«However, since we don't have the slightest clue«, continued the monochrome boy. «I'd check out the barn.»

«There's a barn here?» asked Basil.

Sunny nodded. «It's somewhere in this field... but I don't want to go there.»

«The feeling's mutual», Omori sighed. «But I think there's a good chance for the Gate to be there.»

Sunny's shoulders dropped and he gave a slight nod.

«Alright then, let's go.»

They all looked at the young boy enter the cattail field, watching as his small figure got engulfed by the towering leaves.

«Shall we go too?» asked Hero, taking a few steps, before Aubrey pulled his sleeve.

«Wait. I wanna see how long he lasts before coming back to get Sunny.»

Basil jumped. «Aubrey! He saved our lives! We shouldn't make him angry.»

She scoffed. «He's Sunny when he was twelve and Hero took his knife. What can he do?»

«Well, he did summon those red hands...» said Kel.

«He's more dangerous than you think», said Sunny, following him. «Basil is right, we shouldn't make him angry.»

Sunny thought that he had banished Headspace, one year ago. He thought that it had sunk in the depths of his mind, never to resurface. Sometimes, its vibrant colors would make their way into a fuzzy dream, but except for those occurences, Headspace kept existing only as sketches on a notebook.

And, in that moment, Sunny thought that what he was seeing was the result of his choice, truly watching how time had taken its toll.

If the Playground had reeked of abandon, the cattail field had been left to its own devices. The realization covered Sunny like a soft bedsheet upon sleep, a melancholic feeling envelopping him: Headspace had lost its vibrant, childish appearance.

The cattails had grown, towering over the group, covering the ground and hiding the sky. Some of the leaves had been stepped on by who knows who, creating a path that slithered upon the ground.

Sometimes, between the tips of the leaves, a light would flash, remnants of a forgotten radio tower.

The group braved on, Omori on the lead, pushing the excessive leaves that covered their path.

«So... how does this barn we’re looking for look like?» asked Aubrey, slapping away a leaf that had touched her hair.

«There isn't anything special about it», said Sunny. «It's a normal looking barn.»

«Only in the looks, I presume.»

«Why do you think the Gate is there, Omori?» asked Basil, carefully pushing away a leaf.

«That was one of the places where the truth was hidden, once.»

Basil blinked a few times, waiting for more information, but they never arrived.

Eyes still wide, he looked at Sunny.

«What he said.»

Basil didn't answer.

In that moment, Omori stopped dead in his tracks.

«Is there a problem?» asked Kel.

The young boy stood still. A scorn on his face, his hands were clenched into fists. He huffed, before turning towards Hero.

«Hero. You're tall. Help me out.»

The older boy jumped. «S-sure? What do you need me to do?»

«Help me look beyond the plants.»

«Alright. How do we do that?»

Omori walked to his back, stood on the tip of his feet and poked Hero's shoulder. «Get down.»

Hero’s eyes widened, realization washing over his face. He looked back at his friends, but he only saw Sunny’s, Basil’s, and Kel's confused faces. Aubrey seemed the only one who had caught on what was happening and her lips were trembling, desperately trying to suffocate laughter.

«Hey?» Omori's voice brought Hero back from his thoughts.

«Alright.»

He crouched down, putting his arms behind him. Omori got on his back and Hero was ready to give him a piggyback ride, but instead the boy went one step further, and Hero saw his legs dangling over from his shoulders.

«O-oh. Alright», he gripped Omori’s legs as he sat on his shoulders and, with one huff, stood up.

He furrowed his brow. Omori was much more lighter than he expected.

The younger boy stretched his neck, a hand above his eyes. His head sprouted from the sea of leaves.

«See anything up there?»

«Wait.»

Sunny stood still, looking at Omori on Hero's shoulders. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.

A poke on his shoulder made him flinch and he heard Kel's voice. «Oh, sorry. Didn't mean to startle you.»

«It's alright.»

«So, I was thinking...»

Sunny looked at Kel with wide eyes as he crouched down, exactly like Hero had done a few moments prior. «C'mon! Hop on!»

«What?!»

«Hey! I'm tall too! We can't let those two beat us.»

«Kel, this isn't a competition», said Basil.

«But two people looking for something is better than one, right?»

Aubrey put a hand on Basil's shoulder. «Let them do this. I wanna enjoy the show». Her voice was cracking, laughter close to erupting.

Sunny stared at Kel's back. «You... will hold me, right?»

«Of course! Trust me! You won’t fall!»

Sunny’s legs were shaking. He took a deep breath. Aubrey snickered behind him.

«Alright», he whispered to himself, and started climbing on Kel's back too.

When Kel stood up with him on his shoulders, the sudden shift of height made Sunny’s head spin for a second, but he soon recomposed himself, and started looking among the sea of purple leaves.

It was really big. Much more bigger than he remembered it being. He wondered if bits and pieces of his memories were still laying around, waiting to be discovered among the leaves.

A purple dot got his attention.

«Over there!» Sunny pointed to their right. Hero turned around, Omori's gaze following his finger.

«You may be right», he poked Hero on the head. «Let me down.»

With a huff, the two brothers let their friends go down. Kel flexed his arm. «Ow yeah! Sunny & Kel team is the best team!»

He then raised his hand. Sunny felt a smile creep on his face and returned the high five.

Omori furrowed his brow. «This wasn't a competition.»

He then turned towards Hero. The older boy tilted his head. Omori looked at him for some time, before whispering a “Thank you”.

Hero smiled. «No problem.»

They crossed the sea of leaves, the purple sky never changing above them. Basil stopped, forehead beaded with sweat, and looked at the stars above them.

«Hey, wait!» Aubrey's voice made the group stop. «Basil, are you alright?»

«Oh, yes. I am», he panted. «Sorry, I'm just a little tired.»

«Same here, actually», said Sunny.

«We're almost there», said Omori.

«I was wondering a thing», said Basil. «Does the night exist here? The sky has been full of stars ever since we arrived...»

«Now that you mention it», Hero raised his gaze. «The sky hasn't changed at all ever since we arrived here, has it?»

«I... don't know», said Omori. «Headspace didn't have a night and day cycle. I don't know if that applies here too.»

Basil groaned. «I hope it does. So that we can rest properly...»

Omori put his hand on his chin. Sunny looked at him. «Something the matter?»

«I just had a realization. You all need to sleep, don't you?»

«Do we?» asked Aubrey. «We are... inside a dream.»

«But we feel tired», said Basil.

«We should find a place where we can rest, then», said Hero. «We could... camp out here?»

«No», Omori's voice was resolute. «Can you resist a bit more? The barn must be nearby.»

«If anything, we could sleep there, couldn't we?»

«I guess? It depends on what state it's in.»

«And what’s in it, I guess», added Aubrey.

«Alright then!» Kel pumped his hand in the air. «Let's find this barn and get our well-earned sleep. Onwards!»

«We still don’t know if we actually can sleep there, Kel», said Aubrey, but the boy didn’t answer, while he kept walking.

As Omori removed a leaf from their sight, the barn appeared.

It stood silent in the middle of the field, signs of decay in all its cracks and spoiled wood. The walls and the roof were dotted by holes, and the fence was broken in different parts. Purple grass and moss engulfed it, patches of colors upon the wood.

The sight of a few gardening tools near the entrance caught Sunny's attention. They were rusted were laid upon the grass.

Sunny shivered.

«This place has seen better days», Aubrey wrinkled her nose.

«You can say that again», said Kel. «I'm surprised this thing is still standing in the first place.»

«I'm surprised too», said Omori. «I didn't know if this place still existed or not.»

He then turned towards Sunny. «You have the white lightbulb, right?»

«Y-yeah», he showed it to him. Omori nodded.

«Let's go in, then», said Hero. «No point in staying here. If the Gate is here, good for us. If it isn't... we can rest a little.»

«Wait», Sunny was still looking at the barn. «There's something different here.»

Omori looked at him. «What do you mean?»

«Look», he pointed at the tools near the entrance. «Gardening tools.»

Basil looked at them. «They’re pretty rusted…»

«This place never had any tools», said Omori. «That is a big difference.»

«What do we do?» asked Kel. «Knock and see if they let us in?»

«There's also the possibility that it's just used as a tool shed», said Hero, before a tug on his sleeve made him look down. «Omori? What is it?»

The boy showed his palm, curling his fingers. «The knife.»

«Woah, wait! We're not going to kill people.»

«We don’t even know if there are people in there. And I wasn’t planning to kill them, if they were.»

Hero furrowed his brow, and looked at Sunny.

«Only if you promise to not attack blindly.»

Omori sighed. «Yeah, yeah. Sure. Don't worry. I understand we're not in Headspace anymore.»

Sunny then nodded to Hero. «Give it to him.»

«Alright. I'll trust you on this one, Sunny.»

He gave Omori the knife. A glint of manic happiness slid into his eyes as he gripped the blade's handle. Then, his expression returned to normal and turned towards the barn.

«I'll help you out, pale boy», Aubrey took her bat out of her bag. «Let's wreck this party.»

Omori smirked, nodding.

They got in front of the door, Omori and Aubrey next to each other. The monochromatic boy looked at the group. A nod gave in unison signaled they were ready to go in.

Omori and Aubrey exchanged a decisive look and a nod.

With a push, they opened the door.

Chapter Text

The door swung open as Omori and Aubrey leaped their way in, their weapons steady in their hands, the rest of the group following behind them.

Silence fell.

They stood still.

Three pairs of eyes were looking at them, wide-eyed and mouths agape. Their hands were in mid-air, gripping forks near their mouth.

The smell of food reached Sunny's nose. He took a peek from Omori's side.

The residents of the barn had humanoid bodies, but animal heads. They looked like bunnies... wait, no. Sunny shook his head. Were they ducks? The rabbit's ears could have been similar to a duck's beak... but the forks they were holding were near their eyes. Sunny blinked a few times, putting order in his thoughts. Bunnies. They had bunny heads.

There were three of them: one was wearing a blue shirt and blue pants, another one was wearing a pink vest, while the third one was smaller and wore a red shirt and blue pants.

A family?

It felt so normal, Sunny could think he had entered somebody's house back in Faraway.

They were sitting with plates with food in front of them, while at the center of the floor there was a big black pan, contents unknown.

They're having... dinner?

Aubrey lowered her bat, eyes uncertain and with a glint of guilt. Omori didn't move, knife still raised. Sunny lowered his arm for him.

«Huh...» Kel chuckled and waved his hand. «Hello...?»

«Who are you?» asked the one who was wearing a blue shirt and pants.

Hero scratched his head. «We... huh... we are travellers?»

«Y-yeah!» Basil nodded, a nervous smile on his face. «We got lost.»

Omori furrowed his brow, while Sunny nodded, adding: «Sorry for intruding. We will take our leave.»

«Wait!» the alien wearing a pink vest made them stop. «You are lost?»

Hero nodded. «Yeah, silly us... Kel, I told you to check the map!»

Kel jumped and he took a moment to answer. «Yeah, sorry, Hero... I'll be... more careful next time?»

«Do you want to stay over for dinner?» asked the alien with the pink vest. «You all look exhausted. We don't have much, but we can share.»

The group shared inquisitive looks between themselves.

Kel was the first to speak. «I'm hungry.»

Aubrey fidgeted with her fingers. «I am too, to be honest.»

«That ladder really took a toll on us», Basil said. Sunny nodded.

After taking one last look at his friends, Hero answered. «Thank you for your kindness. We will join you for dinner.»

The family of aliens introduced themselves as the Duckie family. Mr. Duckie and Mrs. Duckie were eager to show their guests their seats. They sat down on the floor around their makeshift table: a blanket on the ground with a pot in the center.

Sunny dusted some stray hay from his sleeve as Mrs. Duckie gave him a plate.

«Duckie Jr.» she motioned at her son. «Be a dear and grab a few forks for our guests.»

The child nodded, running towards the back of the barn, before coming back with the items.

Sunny looked around: the barn looked as rundown as it did on the outside. The holes had let mint-colored vines encroach on the walls, but Sunny wasn't sure if they were helping the structure stay on foot or if they were helping it fall down. Dried hay and pebbles covered the floor, along with a few blankets and pillows. Stacked in the corners, there were hay bales. Hidden amongst them, Sunny spotted a few toys and, near the far back wall, a telescope.

Next to it, hanging on the wall, there was a small portrait covered in cobwebs. Sunny shivered and Omori noticed it, following his gaze.

«It's not the same one», he said.

Sunny looked at him. «Huh?»

«It's not the same portrait. It doesn't depict your family...»

«How can you tell? It's buried in cobwebs.»

He shrugged. «I can see the shapes.»

«So, you said you were lost, but what brings you here in Otherworld?» asked Mr. Duckie. He was watching his wife while she gave their guests their food. Aubrey scrunched her nose at the yellow pudge on her plate, but as soon as she put it in her mouth, she nodded in approval.

Hero answered. «We are... huh... on a journey», his eyes widened when he tasted the food.

Watching Aubrey's reaction, Sunny gathered the courage to test the food. With a tentative hand he scooped up a bit of the yellow mash and, as soon as it touched his tongue, he was filled with a juicy flavor reminiscent of summer fruit. His eye widened in shock and stared at what he was eating.

In that moment, Kel piped up, his mouth still full. «We are lowkin fohr the Gaets!»

Aubrey tilted her body away from her friend. «Ew, Kel! You're gross.»

He raised his hand as to say sorry and gulped down. «Sorry. We are looking for the Gates! Have you ever heard of them?»

Mrs. and Mr. Duckie shook their heads. «Can't say we ever have.»

Kel pouted. «Oh, too bad.»

In that moment, Duckie Jr. jumped. «But I know who can help you!»

«Hush, my dear», Mrs. Duckie gestured with her hand for him to sit down. «I don't think he can help them.»

«But he's a space pirate! He's bound to know something!»

At those words, both Kel and Sunny turned towards the little alien boy. Kel's eyes were sparkling.

Sunny spoke up. «Are you talking about Captain Spaceboy?»

Kel gasped, turning towards his friend, mouth in a perfect "O" shape. In that moment, Sunny felt like he had just told Kel that he had won a lifetime supply of Orange Joe.

Mr. Duckie narrowed his eyes. «You know him?»

«I, huh...»

«Only by name», said Omori, glaring at him. «He's pretty famous.»

«That, he is», nodded Mr. Duckie. «But I don't know if he can help you.»

«Wait!» Kel's took a deep breath to calm down. «Let me get this straight. You are talking about that Captain Spaceboy, right?»

«Who else?!» Duckie Jr. was the only one who shared Kel's enthusiasm and they both started to bounce on their spots.

Kel looked at his friends, mouthing a "This dream is awesome!"

Hero chuckled as he took another fork of food. Sunny felt a smile creep on his face. He was glad that Kel was having fun, at least.

«Where can we find him?» asked Kel. «I bet he knows about the Gates.»

«He lives near the campsite», said Duckie Jr. «If you keep walking, you're bound to find it.»

«You can definitely find the campsite», said Mrs. Duckie. «But finding the Captain, I'm not so sure.»

«He's always off in those travels of his», said Mr. Duckie, venom in his voice, as his fork made a sharp clink sound when he almost threw it on the plate. «He stopped caring about us a long time ago. I guess those space travels of his are much more entertaining that anything he found here.»

«You don't like him, it seems», said Aubrey. «Can we trust him?»

Mr. Duckie shrugged. «Maybe. I wouldn't bet my money on it, though.»

«How can you trust somebody who left like that?» said Mrs. Duckie. «He abandoned all of us.»

«Was he that important to you?» asked Hero.

«He was very important for our little down», said Mr. Duckie. «Having the captain of the Space Pirates as your neighbour does wonders for tourism, as you can imagine. But when he left, the result is that we were slowly forgotten by the rest of the world.»

«But it's not too bad», said Mrs. Duckie, stacking the empty plates in front of her. «We still have our family and... we found this place to live.»

Silence fell upon their heads. The melancholy of the conversation made the air heavy and stiff,

Mrs. Duckie sighed. «I'm sorry. It's still a sore spot. But no matter. Do you want to spend the night here?»

Hero shook his head. «We couldn't possibly–»

Mr. Duckie smiled. «It's no trouble! There's enough space for everyone, in here.»

Hero had an uncertain look in his eyes. Sunny reassured him with a thumbs up, but it was his friends' pleading eyes that made him give up.

«Alright. We will accept your kind offer, but...» he glanced at his friends. «We'll help you out cleaning this place.»

They all felt betrayed.

They spent the evening helping the Duckie family. The barn soon exploded in a cacophony of laughter and jokes as they all worked. The makeshift table was cleaned and the blanket dusted, the dried hay was relegated to the corners of the barn, while the pebbles were thrown outside. They covered some of the holes on the walls with the bales.

Basil was the one dusting the portrait on the far back. With wary steps, Sunny approached him and left a relieved sigh. The portrait really depicted another family, as Omori had said. The Duckie family wore suits and posed in familiar positions, but it looked normal enough.

«Hm?» Basil noticed him. «Sunny? Are you alright?»

«Yeah, it's just... this portrait worried me.»

«O-oh. Why is that?»

«Back in the barn in my old Headspace there was a similar portrait... but it wasn't pretty.»

Basil gave another glance at the portrait and, without adding another word, he took Sunny's hand, giving it a little squeeze. The black-haired boy stared at his friend's hand as he felt his cheeks grow warm.

«Thank you.»

Basil smiled.

«What have you found here, my friends?» Kel approached them, as he craned his neck to look beyond the two boys. «A family portrait! I was wondering what those cobwebs were hiding. You didn't find any spiders, right?»

Basil shook his head, Kel winked. «Good. Hero can rest easy, then.»

«It is a bit sad that it was covered by all those cobwebs.»

«I guess there is something that they didn't want to remember...» Sunny looked at the portrait. Bile got stuck in his throat as a wave of terror washed over him. He pointed at the lower part of the portrait. «Look.»

Basil and Kel followed his gaze. There, behind a patch of dust that Basil removed, there was a fourth family member. He wore a suit too, but he looked even younger than the Duckie Jr. they met.

Basil's mouth moved without making a sound before he spoke. «Duckie Jr. had a sibling?»

Dark thoughts encroached in Sunny's mind, but he shook them away. He took a deep breath. «I don't think we should pry.»

Basil nodded and dusted off the last patch he missed. He turned towards Kel. «Kel? Are you alright?»

The boy was as still as a rock, staring at the portrait. His eyes were distant, his limbs stiff at his sides. Sunny grew worried: had never seen him like that.

He put his hand on his arm. «Kel?»

«What happened to the other sibling?» his voice was a whisper, his eyes fixated on the portrait.

«I-I don't know», said Sunny.

At those words, Kel's shoulders dropped, as if Sunny had gave him some grave news. His lips trembled and Sunny could hear his hoarse breathing.

Then, like he had just been struck by lightning, Kel jolted up. With wide eyes, he looked at his friends like he was surprised to see them there.

«What happened? I...» he shook his head. «I'm sorry. I... I have no idea why that portrait affected me so much.»

«That was pretty uncharacteristic of you», said Basil, eyes full of worry. «Kel, is something troubling you?»

He scoffed. «Nah, don't worry. I think I'm just tired», his eyes glanced at Hero, who was talking to Mrs. Duckie, and smiled.

As the night rolled on, the group of friends took their sleeping spots in a corner of the barn, letting the family have their space in another corner.

And they sat on the ground, on a soft blanket of dried hay, with blankets in their hands. The barn was silent, the Duckie's family soft snores the only sounds to be heard.

Basil let out a small yawn as Kel stretched his arms.

«Finally, we can rest» Basil had a satisfied smile on his face.

«So, our plan is to head to the campsite and search for Captain Spaceboy?» asked Aubrey, before she started scratching her neck. With a grunt, she pulled out a stray hay and huffed.

«That's the plan, yes», nodded Hero. «Right, Omori?»

The monochromatic boy nodded. «I guess Kel will be delighted.»

The older boy chuckled. «Right! Kel?»

But his brother didn't answer, his eyes fixated on the ground deep in thought.

«Kel!» Aubrey's voice jolted him awake. «I can't believe it. Were you thinking?»

It looked like he had been caught stealing, as he looked at his friends. «I... huh. I wasn't paying attention, sorry.»

Hero got close to him. «Kel, are you alright?»

«Don't worry!» he chuckled. «I think I'm just tired...»

But Sunny noticed: Kel looked away and he followed his gaze. The portrait...

Omori furrowed his brow, looking at his companion.

«Kel, you know you can talk to me, right?» Hero's voice was soft.

«Yeah, of course.»

«We were talking about meeting Captain Spaceboy tomorrow», said Aubrey.

At those words, Kel sparkled. «Right!» he gasped, covering his mouth and looked at the sleeping family. «Yeah... Man, that will be so cool!»

«I just hope he won't be heartbroken like last time», said Omori.

Kel looked at Sunny. «Captain Spaceboy was in your Headspace, Sunny?»

He got caught. He nodded, cheeks flushing red in embarassment.

«He was in a relationship with Sweetheart», continued Omori. «But then she left him, and he became depressed.»

Hero furrowed his brow, looking at Sunny. Aubrey, on the other hand, covered her mouth to muffle her laughter.

«Oh, goodness! Sweetheart and Captain Spaceboy?» Aubrey slapped her knee. «Seriously?»

Basil put his chin on his hand. «I think that is what they call a crack ship.»

Aubrey burst into laughter, her eyes darting to the sleeping family as she covered her mouth. She doubled up with laughter, her forehead touching the hay.

Even Kel and Hero were not immune to her laughter, trying to keep it down as to not wake up their hosts. Basil was covering his mouth, looking at Sunny, eyes that pleaded for his forgiveness.

The boy, on the other hand, buried his head between his shoulders and closed his eye.

Maybe, just maybe, he could have disappeared. That would have been nice.

Something brushed on his hair. Sunny opened his eye: Omori was petting him.

In that moment, he just wanted to wake up from that embarassing nightmare.

When Aubrey started wheezing for air, Hero spoke up. «I have a question, though. You said that Captain Spaceboy was in your Headspace. Does that mean we're still there?»

Omori shook his head. «No. I can feel it. This is not the Headspace I know.»

Sunny's head got out from his shoulders like a turtle's head from its shell. «Really? It looks the same.»

«Yeah. But...» Omori squinted at the ground, pondering on the words. «It's like a disguise. The appearance is the same, what lies beneath is different.»

«That makes it creepier», said Aubrey.

Omori nodded. «We will have to be careful.»

«So... you can't summon those red hands of yours here?» asked Kel.

«I guess not. I don't want to try.»

«Oh yeah, about that», Aubrey smacked her hand on Omori's shoulder, making him flinch. «Thank you, for what happened on the ladder.»

For a moment, Sunny could have sworn to have seen Omori's cheeks becoming pink. Was he... blushing? He couldn't believe his eyes.

«It's nothing», he said, looking away. «I'm just doing my duty.»

In that moment, Kel laid down on the hay, arms beneath his head. «Hey, guys! Look! We're under a hole.»

«That's not nice», said Aubrey.

«Oh, but you can look at the stars.»

Basil scooted over, looking above. His eyes sparkled. «That's true!»

«The sky never changed», said Omori. «We've been looking at the stars ever since you arrived here.»

«But looking at them while relaxing is another thing!» Kel motioned him to come closer. «Come here!»

The others crawled over next to Kel, until their heads were next to each other. Sunny followed suit, motioning Omori to follow him.

With a sigh, he obeyed and laid down next to him

Kel was right. From where they were laying down they had a perfect view of the starry purple sky. The golden drawings passed over them in their silent march and Aubrey chuckled a few times, spotting shapes as if they were clouds.

Everybody took turns, pointing at an item and telling what it was, but when they started to be the same, Basil chimed in. «You have to change your point of view! Look at that satellite... it's actually a checkered towel on a hanger!»

Sunny shook his head. «It's a puppet with brooms as arms.»

«And that star!» Kel pointed above. «It's actually a starfish.»

«That's kinda stupid», said Aubrey. The boy pouted.

Omori had stayed silent during their game, until he pointed at the sky. «That's not Saturn and its rings. It's a pebble in the water.»

Aubrey elbowed him. «Nice going, pale boy!»

«And that's definitely a bed, no matter how you look at it» Hero chuckled. «C'mon guys, it's time to hit the hay... literally.»

Aubrey sighed. «I wonder... when we will wake up, will we still be here?»

«I know I shouldn't say this but...» Basil blushed. «This is kinda nice, isn't it?»

«Yeah» Kel smiled. «We're all together again! In the real world, Sunny lives four hours away and Hero is in college.»

Hero chuckled. «I'm just glad that, by being here, I don't have to worry from afar.»

«Yeah...» Aubrey closed her eyes. «It does feel nice, to be together again like this. Even if we have a new friend here.»

«He's nice company!» said Kel. «I don't mind him at all.»

Sunny gave a thumbs up. As weird as it sounded, being with Omori hadn't been so bad as he thought it'd be. He knew he had to keep an eye on him, but Omori had proved himself to be trustworthy. And he had saved his friends, Sunny couldn't forget that.

Sunny was happy too. Being with his friends again had been his greatest wish, and now he was there. He felt his chest grow warm as he acknowledged the presence of them right next to him.

And they stayed there, looking at the stars, relishing in each other's presence, until their thoughts drifted off and sleep took over.

Sunny woke up in a dark place.

He gasped, throat dry.

He looked around him: he couldn't discern any shape in the endless void, as nausea built up in his stomach.

Is this... Black Space?

But it felt different. It was... calmer. No echoes and scratches in the background, no distorted sounds, no weird images.

Just blackness as still as the night.

Sunny took a few steps, looking around.

«Do not worry, Dreamer», a familiar voice shook him. A pair of white eyes lingered in the darkness but Sunny recognized them. «It was I who summoned you here.»

«Why have you brought me here?»

«To warn you, Dreamer. Do not rely on him blindly. You do not want to fall into the same trap as five years ago.»

Sunny shivered. «That won't happen» he said it with as much convinction as he could. «I'll be careful.»

The figure didn't respond, staying still in the darkness. «Dreamer, the path forwards is difficult... and it is easy to stumble and fall back.»

«That won't happen. I faced the truth and I'm not alone anymore. And...» he looked at the figure in the eyes. «I must thank you, too. I know you were trying to help me, back there. And you were the one who brought me to my friends, in the end.»

The figure didn't answer, his white eyes the only visible thing in the endless void.

In that moment, as if he was hit by a wave, tiredness washed over Sunny and everything disappeared.

Chapter Text

When Sunny woke up the next morning, the hole on the roof of the barn greeted him along with its view of the purple sky.

Aubrey's groan next to him perfectly encompassed his feelings about this turn of events.

«We are still here», Basil's voice was barely a whisper.

«Yeah», Hero's eyes were vacant as he stared at the ceiling.

«I can't say I'm entirely unhappy about this», Kel chuckled.

«It does feel nice», Sunny nodded.

They stood there for some time, basking in their presences, the soft snoring from the Duckie family the only sound to be heard. In that calm moment, Sunny's chest became warm: he was happy. In an entirely weird way, he was happy that their journey wasn't yet over.

Somebody moving next to him brought those thoughts to an halt: Omori was standing up. Stranger's words echoed in Sunny's mind.

Do not rely on him blindly.

That's what they had done so far, hadn't they? Omori was the one who had led them until that moment. Everybody trusted Sunny to trust Omori to lead them, but none of them knew the whole story.

Could he really trust Omori? So far, he had only helped them and showed no signs of being dangerous. Sure, he still loved his knife but he had actually gave it back to Hero willingly before setting up their sleep corner.

But Stranger's words rung true. Relying on him too much was one of the reasons that led Sunny astray. He sighed, looking at the boy who was shaking off some hay from his clothes.

One by one, they all got up. Aubrey and Kel started stretching together to prepare themselves for the day ahead, and the boy shared a few tips with his friend. Sunny and Basil sat down watching them. The black haired boy found their energy so early in the morning admirable. Basil didn't seem unfazed, probably used to get up early for his plants, but in that moment, with no plants to take care of, his hands were antsy.

«Sunny!» he took his friend's hand. «Do you remember those garden tools we found yesterday?»

«Yeah. What about them?»

«Shall we check them out? They probably have a vegetable garden or something. We could help them.»

Hero, who was finishing cleaning their sleep corner, turned around with a smile. «That's a wonderful idea, Basil! Let's go!»

They spent the next seconds dragging a very uncooperative Omori outside and they found the garden on the back of the barn. Basil stared at it, wide-eyed, tools in hands. «Wow. I didn't expect plants to flourish so much without the sun... and in outer space!»

Kel pouted, crossing his arms. «These are common plants. I've seen some of them in your garden too.»

«This is a bit disappointing», Aubrey nodded. «I was looking forward to fight with a giant alien plant.»

Sunny didn't recognize many of the plants by name, but he did recognize them by sight: he too had seen many of them during his last days at Faraway, in Basil's garden.

«Well, no matter», Hero rolled his sleeve up. «Basil, can you tell us what to do?»

«Sure!»

They spent the next hour tending at the garden, checking if any of the plants needed water or some trimming, and checking for parasites. The air was cool and not too hot, and Sunny was grateful for that. He admired Basil working with expert hands: despite the unfamiliar place they were in, that garden seemed like the perfect fit for him.

He missed watching Basil taking care of plants. It was a familiar sight and a wave of tranquillity washed over him, calming him down. For a moment, they were back in Faraway, helping out Basil with a new set of plants he was making flourish. Like the old times.

Sunny turned next to him: Omori was kneeling down in front of a vase, checking the leaves of a plant. Patches of purple dirt were on his pale knees and his black socks had become tainted.

«You'll probably need to wash those later», said Sunny.

He shrugged. «I've literally travelled in the guts of a giant whale while wearing these.»

Sunny winced. «Gross.»

Omori chuckled. «This is what you made me wear.»

«I regret it now.»

«You know», Omori had an unexpected gentle touch while checking the leaves. «This reminds me of when we tended to Basil's flowers while he was away.»

Sunny jumped and his eye darted to his friends: nobody had heard him. «Be careful about that, Omori. I don't want anybody to hear that.»

«Hush, why? You don't want to talk about how your own mind tried to bury Basil away?»

«It was you who did it.»

«I did it to protect you.»

Sunny winced. Stranger's words echoed in his mind. You do not want to fall in the same trap.

«Omori, do you–»

A gasp interrupted them. The Duckie family was looking at them, surprise in their faces. «Oh, my dears!» exclaimed Mrs. Duckie. «You didn't have to!»

Hero raised his arms. «Don't worry about it. It's a way to repay for your kindness.»

«I've prepared breakfast. Come on in! You all must be hungry.»

They exchanged small talk during breakfast, making sure they understood the directions well in order to arrive at the campsite safely.

In the end, while in front of the door, Mr. Duckie put his hand on Hero's shoulder. «We don't have much, but I want you all to remember that you will always be welcome here.»

«Thank you.»

They left the barn bidding goodbyes and well wishes. As they delved back into the Cattail Fields, letting the purple leaves engulf them, Hero winced.

Kel looked at him. «Hero, what's wrong?»

«Those guys... are we really in a dream?»

«Yes and no, according to Daddy Longlegs», said Aubrey.

«It was so... realistic», Hero looked at Omori and Sunny, a strange expression on his face. «Has it always been like this?»

Sunny felt his throat go dry. He pressed his lips together, nodding. «Sometimes it became difficult to distinguish it from reality.»

Hero gave a slow nod, before putting his hand on Sunny's shoulder, giving it a little squeeze.

As per Duckie Jr.'s instructions, they kept walking. And so they walked.

Until they found themselves back at the ladder they had used to reach Otherworld.

«Huh», Kel looked down the hole. «Where to, now?»

Sunny pointed at the way they hadn't gone the day before. «This way.»

They followed a path traced among the purple grass, until they reached what looked like a small town.

Duckie Jr. had called it a campsite and Sunny wondered the reason why he in the first place had called it such.

The little town was built on multiple small hills dotted by houses. Their broken windows and ruined roofs were enough to show that they were empty.

A few cars were parked next to the road they were traversing, grass and moss eating at their wheels and their frames, a few plants going inside them from their broken windows.

Sunny felt a tinge of sadness in his chest: he had always loved Otherworld's campsite. It was such a lively place, where people could have fun. It just screamed adventure and liveliness, but in this new reality, it was silent and empty. The camping spot was but a shadow of its former self.

Omori stopped in the middle of the path, right under one of the hills. He looked at the empty spot on the ground, the purple grass untouched.

Sunny remembered that place. It was where Mari's picnic blanket was supposed to be.

«I'm not really surprised», he said when Sunny approached him. «But somehow, I still feel sad.»

Sunny nodded. And he stayed there for a moment, letting his body absorb the feeling of emptiness.

«Man», Aubrey was looking at the ruined houses and the far away blinking radio towers. «Like everything else, this place is depressing. Sunny, you could at least have made it fun.»

«It was», he responded. «It's just that these places look like they've been abandoned...»

«Which is what you did», said Omori. «But I was the one who kept them alive, once you left. And I can assure you, they weren't like this.»

A gasp emerged from the grass, making them turn around. The head of a peacock was looking at them, wide-eyed.

«Visitors!» he rushed out from the grass and reached them in long jumps, losing a few feathers along the way. «Welcome! Welcome!»

«Is that a talking peacock?!» whispered Aubrey. «This is awesome!»

Kel waved his hand. «Hello? Can we help you?»

The peacock shook his head, his head feathers swinging wildly. «Oh, no, no! But you have come at the right time! What are you planning to see here, visitors?»

Kel jumped. «Captain Spaceboy! We've heard we can find him here!»

«You're in luck! He arrived here just this morning. Although...» he looked down, before continuining. «I'd be quick, if I were you. I have no idea when he will take off again.»

Kel gasped and shook Sunny's and Aubrey's shoulders. «He's here! Guys! We're going to meet Captain Spaceboy for real!»

«Where can we find him?» asked Hero amidst his brother's excited yells.

«You can find his hideout over there», he pointed at a glinting star, beyond the trees that covered the hills. «On the top of that hill. Follow the path and you will find him.»

«Is he alone?» asked Omori.

The peacock furrowed his brow. «He's with his crew, of course. What do you mean, alone?»

«We heard stories about a... stormy breakup he had», said Sunny.

«What? Breakup? What are you saying? That guy is more interested in those travels of his instead of finding a partner for himself. What kind of trashy gossip have you been reading?»

Omori took a sigh of relief, while Sunny answered: «Huh... sorry.»

«We've been hearing these comments about his travels for quite a while now», said Hero. «Are they true? The state of this place is due to him leaving?»

«Oh, yeah, it is. Nobody wants to visit the hideout of a space pirate if he isn't here most of the time. We told him that he's free to return here, just like the old times, but he doesn't listen. He spews stuff like "I have to do something for you all!" and just... disappears. For a very long time. He's pretty stubborn.»

«Reminds me of somebody» Aubrey elbowed Kel, making him pout.

«He's just like his friend», the peacock rambled on. «What was his name... Pluto? I haven't seen him in a while, now that I think about it.»

In that moment, his head sprung up, wide-eyed. «Oops, I was rambling there. Sorry.»

«It's alright», Hero stifled a chuckle. «Thanks for all your help. We'll be on our way.»

«Sure. Sends our regards to Captain Spaceboy.»

They followed the path that led them upwards, towards the top of the hill. The shadows grew thick in that place, the trees towering over them, the grass becoming darker as they went on. The purple sky disappeared behind the foliage, appearing again briefly between the leaves.

In the end, they reached the top of the hill. There it sat a building with the shape of a semicircle, like an half moon on the ground, a white star glinting on the top of it.

Aubrey furrowed her brow. «I was expecting something more majestic from Captain Spaceboy», she looked at Sunny. «You did him no good.»

«Yeah!» Kel looked at him with the most offended expression he could manage. «Where's the hangar?! Where's his spaceship?! Sunny...!»

He hesitated, scrambling to find a good answer. «Inside his house there is an hidden hallway where he shows off all the planets he conquered.»

Kel gasped. «That's so cool. I want to see that.»

«Guys, we're here to ask for information», said Hero. «Don't let yourselves get distracted.»

«Don't be an old fart, Hero», Aubrey smacked his back. «I know you wanna go back home before the news at nine.»

«Don't worry, Hero», Basil seemed calm, but a certain light in his eyes showed his excitement. «We might as well enjoy the sights while we're here, right?»

Hero sighed, clearly at a disadvantage. «I guess you're right.»

«What shall we do, anyway?» asked Basil. «Go there at the door and... knock? Do you knock at the door of a space pirate?»

«Sunny, you could sneak in as a pirate!» said Kel.

Aubrey burst out laughing. «Like in that one Halloween photo!»

Sunny pouted. «I knew it. I should have brought my black eyepatch. White is no good.»

A soft chorus of laughter emerged, except for Omori, who stood still looking at Sunny. He was looking at his eyepatch. Then he smirked.

Still laughing, they reached the door.

«So...» Hero motioned at the door. «Do we really... just knock?»

Aubrey groaned. «Cowards» and knocked.

A few moments later, the door opened. A humanoid creature with blue skin and a bird's beak was in front of them. «Hello. This is the residence of Captain Spaceboy, Captain of Space Pirates. How can I help you?»

«We're here to meet Captain Spaceboy!» yelled Kel.

Omori was quick to add. «We want to exchange information with him. We have some info we're sure he'd be interested in.»

Hero whispered in Omori's ear. «Do we?»

He glared at him.

The space pirate eyed the group with uncertain eyes, before shrugging and nodding. «Alright, come in.»

If Captain Spaceboy's residence was nothing to gasp at from the outside, its indoors were even less magnificent. A simple two story house, emptiness in every corner. The floor was dotted with lazing space pirates: some where playing videogames, some were reading books, others were playing card games together.

They all raised their eyes at the newcomers, a few of them waved. They waved back.

The one that had greeted them said: «Wait here. I'll go call the Captain.»

They were left alone in front of the entrance, in the middle of the rest of the crew.

«This place is pretty disappointing», said Aubrey.

Kel nodded. «Yeah... I hope that hallway will make up for it.»

«I'm disappointed too», said Basil.

«Sorry...?» said Sunny. He wasn't sure what to think.

In that moment, a figure appeared on the stairs. Kel gasped, jumping on the spot.

The figure had blue skin and green hair. He bore a green cape, which magnified each and every step. He wore a proud glint in his eyes and bravery on his face.

«Guys! Guys! Guys!» Kel was bouncing on the spot, shaking Sunny with all his strength, making his head spin. He was close to exploding from the excitement.

Captain Spaceboy descended the stairs with a few long jumps, before finishing with a backflip, landing in front of the group.

The crew started clapping and whistling, Kel joining them. Aubrey winced. «What a showoff.»

Silence fell as he raised his arm, the cape opening with it. «Welcome, my dear guests!» his voice was clear and full of youth. «They have told me that you have information I'd be interested in.»

Omori stepped forward. «Yes, we do. But we're also looking for information.»

«Sounds like a fair deal. Follow me, I know a better place to talk.»

He turned around and started climbing the stairs. They followed him, under the stares of the rest of the crew, when Hero whispered: «What kind of information do we even have, anyway?»

Kel and Aubrey shrugged, while Sunny asked: «Omori, what's your plan?»

But he didn't answer.

A wave of worry hit Sunny. There he was, letting Omori lead him again.

They reached the second floor: it looked like a bedroom, considering the bed at the center of the room. The Captain walked over to the wall and looked around before touching a specific spot. A rumble roared and part of the wall slid off, revealing a secret entrance.

He motioned towards it. «After you.»

Kel gasped, and his excitement only grew when Sunny said: «That's where the secret hallway is.»

They found themselves on a suspended bridge that passed through the purple sky, bordered by glowing lampposts. Here and there, like stars, hung the planets with their peculiar colors. Sunny took a deep breath: despite not being scared of heights anymore, the thought of falling from the bridge made his legs become weak. Basil must have felt the same, taking Sunny's hand for comfort. Hero was looking down, wide-eyed, his shoulders shivering. Even fearless Aubrey took a few steps inward, bumping into Sunny.

Kel, on the other hand, was looking around with sparkling eyes and mouth agape, mouthing a "This place is awesome!"

The Captain smirked at his excitement, but he soon wore a serious expression and said: «So! Let's begin our negotiations, shall we?»

Omori shook his head. «Wait. The information we are looking for is highly specific. We are willing to part with ours only if we know that you have what we are looking for.»

Captain Spaceboy narrowed his eyes, before nodding. «Alright. What are you looking for?»

«I'll let our negotiator talk», he pushed Hero, who stammered. «W-what?»

«Use your charm!», hissed Omori.

«My what?»

Aubrey covered her mouth, suppressing a laugh, while Sunny tried to give a reassuring thumbs up to his friend, who just looked at him.

«I, huh...» Hero took a deep breath and cleared his throat. «We are looking for information about the Gates. Do you know anything about them?»

At those words, the Captain's eyes widened. «W-wait. Did I hear that well? You're looking for the Gates?»

Hero nodded. «Yes. The Gates. I take you heard about them?»

«Of course I did. We space farers hear about many things. You are treading very dangerous waters, my friends. Nobody who has ever entered a Gate managed to live to tell the tale.»

Like a flame snuffing out, every inch of excitement the group had died out. Even Kel stopped, his skin turning pale. They looked at one another, at a loss of words.

The only exception was Omori, who continued: «We need to get there.»

«Brave souls, huh?» the Captain nodded. «I can't say I don't admire that in people. I know the location of one of the Gates: it's on Planet J03.»

Hero shrieked: «Another planet?!»

«Why do you sound so surprised? We are space pirates.»

«Huh...» Omori glared at him again. Hero nodded. «Sorry, it's just that... we had received info about the Gate being here.»

«I never heard of Gates here in Otherworld», answered the Captain. «Only of the one on Planet J03. We are heading there tomorrow, actually.»

«Are you also heading to the Gate?»

«Pff, no. I don't want to die, not yet. I have other... matters to attend there. Anyway, I think I have done my part of the deal. What information do you have to offer me?»

The group looked at Omori. He didn't bat an eye. «We've heard of rumors about a particularly interesting treasure back on Planet 14.»

«Planet 14? The one after the Belt of Storms?»

Omori's eyes widened and nodded. «Y-yeah... that one.»

«It's also beyond the Field of Meteorites. It's not an easy ride.»

«That's why we wanted to share this with you only: we thought only a brave captain like you could manage to get such an important treasure.»

«I'll keep that in mind, then. Thank you. Although, don't downplay yourselves like that: passing through the Field of Meteorites and beyond the Belt of Storms is child's play, compared to going inside a Gate.»

«Thank you...? Our captain is very brave, you see.»

«I cannot even imagine. I'd love to meet them.»

Omori pulled Kel by the wrist and gave him a salute. «Captain.»

Kel, there in the spotlight, at first was at a loss of words. He looked at Omori with an unsure expression, but when he realized that he was standing in front of Captain Spaceboy, he stiffened.

«It's a pleasure to meet you!» exclaimed the alien, shaking the boy's hand. «Yours must be the bravest crew I ever met! Searching for Gates...!»

Kel's mouth opened a few times, but no words came out. Then he shook his head and answered. «Yes, we... like the thrill of adventure! What kind of pleasure is there, in visiting already known places, am I right?»

«I totally agree with you, my friend. I'm sorry, I'm afraid I didn't catch your name, Captain...?»

«Kel! I'm... Captain Kel», he pressed his lips together at the last words, as if he was tasting them in his mouth. Hero gave him a thumbs up.

Captain Spaceboy left his hand, and the boy took his own wrist, mouth agape, staring at the hand that a few moments prior was in contact with the Captain's.

«It was a pleasure to meet you and your crew, Captain Kel. Thank you for the information you have provided. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to prepare for tomorrow's departure.»

Omori pulled Hero by the sleeve. «Quick! Hero! You must use your charm here! Convince him to let us take a lift on his spaceship!»

«What's with you and my charm anyway?!»

«Quick! Before he goes away!»

«Yeah! Go, Prince Charming!» wheezed Aubrey.

«If we don't reach the Gate, we'll be trapped here!» exclaimed Basil.

Sunny shook his head, but nobody paid attention. Omori... had that been his plan all along?

Hero passed a hand through his hair. «Oh dear. Alright... I'll try.»

He cleared his throat. «Captain Spaceboy?»

«Yes?»

«I... we... huh...» he took a deep breath. «We need to ask a favor out of you.»

«Hm? What is it?»

«You see, we really need to get to the Gate as soon as possible, but our spaceship is... it broke, and huh...»

«I have many capable mechanics that will be more than willing to give you a hand.»

«Oh, no, no, it's already under repair but... we really can't wait. If we help you out on your ship, can we board with you to reach Planet...» he turned around. «What was the name?»

«Planet J03.»

«Planet J03.»

Captain Spaceboy eyed the group, and his eyes fell on Kel. «Your negotiator is quite the charming guy, I admit.»

«Y-yeah! That's why I leave all the talking to him. You know, I'm more of an... action kind of person.»

The Captain nodded. «I understand. I know how tiresome it can be to deal with all the bureucracy and talking that is involved with being a Captain.»

Aubrey leaned over to Sunny. «Space pirates have bureucracy?»

«What a mess», murmured Omori.

«A sad life», added Sunny.

Kel nodded. «Exactly. It's... like that.»

«You know what, my friend?» Captain Spaceboy put his hand on Kel's shoulder. «I want you and your crew on my spaceship. I cannot let such fearless space farers remain on land for long.»

«Thank you for your help, Captain Spaceboy!» Kel was beaming. «I knew we could count on you!»

«Captain Kel, I want you to be my second in command for this flight. What do you say?»

Kel gasped, turning around to look at his friends. His eyes were glinting with unrolled tears of happiness.

His older brother gave him a thumbs up.

«I'd be so happy sir you can't even imagine sir thank you sir.»

Captain Spaceboy bursted into a hearty laugh, smacking the boy on the back. «Don’t be so afraid, my new friend! You’re my second in command! And about the rest of your crew… what can you do?»

Omori didn't wait and pointed at Hero. «He can be our cook.»

The boy jumped. «I... huh...»

«I thought he was a negotiator.»

«Yeah, but he's also a great cook.»

Aubrey poked Omori's shoulder. «Hey... don't.»

«Huh?»

«Wait, it's okay, Aubrey», said Hero, taking a deep breath. «After all, food is the best negotiator, isn't it?»

«Ah, good one!» said the Captain. «With some good food, you can tell anything you want to anybody. Alright then, you'll be our cook.»

Then he eyed Aubrey. «What about you, miss? What can you do?»

«I'm good at kicking ass.»

«Awesome! I needed a new guard. You'll be helping out with the security on the spaceship. What about you?» he motioned at Basil.

«I- huh... I'm good with plants and... photographs?»

«Photographs, huh? We needed a new malfunction reporter. And what about you, eyepatch boy?»

«I can... draw?»

«We needed a new cartographer. And what about you, monochromatic boy? You seem pretty daring.»

«Maybe.»

«What can you do?»

«I can use a knife.»

«Cook helper!»

«Wait, no–»

«Now that it's settled!» Captain Spaceboy raised his arms and the cape opened with them. «My friends, tomorrow you will come with me towards Planet J03! Tomorrow, we fly!»

Chapter Text

After their conversation, Captain Spaceboy left the group to deal with the last remaining things to prepare before their departure. They were left there, on the suspended bridge that passed amongst the conquered planets.

As soon as the Captain's figure disappeared between the stars, they all sighed in relief.

«Omori», Hero's voice was stern and Sunny felt a shiver down his spine. Kel looked at his brother with a worried face. «Next time, please, tell us about your plans.»

He shrugged. «I wouldn't have to do it, if you did your job.»

«My job?!»

«Back in Headspace, you were the one who'd have these plans.»

«Really?" he looked at Sunny and the boy nodded. «B-but that doesn't matter right now! Promise me you will cooperate with us, next time.»

Omori sighed. «I was winging it, by the way.»

«Then tell us! "Guys, let's wing it!"»

«We could have created a super cool background story to go with our space pirate crew attire!» Kel pouted, and then brought Sunny next to him. «And a cool story for your scar right there.»

«I fought with a space squid wielding a knife», said Sunny.

Aubrey chuckled. «It wouldn't be the weirdest thing here, would it?»

«Well, the rest of the crew could still ask us about our past», said Basil. «Maybe creating a backstory wouldn't be so bad...»

Sunny had known Basil for a very long time. He considered him his best friend and, he was sure, without the shadow of a doubt, that Basil was like an open book for him.

For exactly this reason, Sunny could read the expression in his eyes perfectly. The unrelenting excitement of fun. Basil really wanted to create a story for fun. Sunny knew how much he loved adventures, even though he preferred them only on the paper of the books he adored.

Hero sighed, passing a hand through his face. «Alright, alright. We have time until tomorrow. Let's just... I don't know», he sighed. «I probably need some rest.»

They spent the rest of the day exploring the small hideout of the space pirates, throwing around ideas about their unique backstory. In the end, after discarded ideas that involved giant talking mice (Sunny really liked that one) and a race of birdmen who didn't sing, they ended up going for a group of pirates who specifically specialized in hunting giant space dragons.

The space dragon part was created by Basil, who had read about them in a book, and he really wanted them.

Kel and him discussed what was cooler - space travellers hunting space dragons or space pirates looking for treasure - while having lunch with suspicious tubes full of food. However, they soon realized that the food was quite delicious.

And, in the end, the day gave in to the night, before returning again.

The group stood in front of Mercury Retrograde in her cyan sheen, sitting on a pedestal on the roof of the hideout, right below the glinting white star.

They boarded the spaceship with eyes full of wonder and child-like ecstasy. Captain Spaceboy led them to the cockpit, where a vast array of people were working on screens and tables, an incessant beeping and flashing that appeared and disappeared as waves.

They sat down on the seats they were provided and buckled their belts.

Next to Sunny, Basil's legs were bouncing and the boy couldn't keep his hands steady. Sunny couldn't help but chuckle.

Kel, as expected, was beaming, and he waved excitedly at Sunny when he realized he was watching him. Sunny waved back. Hero next to him was with his eyes closed, his mouth opening and closing in eerily similar motions to the breathing exercises he taught him while still in the hospital, one year ago.

Aubrey was still, her eyes out towards the window. Her hands were gripping the armsrests, her face difficult to decipher.

And lastly, next to her, there was Omori. He was looking at her with an inquisitive gaze and Sunny raised an eyebrow. Had he chosen that seat specifically?

«Everybody!» Captain Spaceboy's voice awoke them from their distractions. His eyes were glinting with pride and the thrill of adventure. «We are departing for Planet J03, as planned. Engines?»

«Fully functional, sir!»

«Thrusters?»

«Fully functional!»

«Charted route?»

«Fully mapped, sir!»

«Perfect!»

And then he raised his arm, his cape opening with them, and sat down on his seat. «My friends! Are you ready?»

Everybody nodded. Sunny was worried that Basil and Kel's heads would fall down from their vigorous gestures.

«Perfect!» said the Captain. «Then... we fly!»

With a roar and a tremble, the whole spaceship shook. The group jumped, startled, but Basil was the first one to recover, with an ecstatic grin on his face. Sunny did his best to keep his eye open, gripping at the seatbelt with all his might until his knuckles turned white. Hero pressed his lips together, eyes glued shut, trembling inside. Aubrey kept her breath steady while looking at the ceiling, eyes wide in terror.

Kel, on the other hand, had his legs sprawled out and arms wide, not unlike a starfish, yelling and cheering on as each tremble kept growing in intensity.

Captain Spaceboy looked at his crew with a smirk.

«Sir!» one of the crewmates got his attention. «We’re now out of the atmosphere! All systems fully functional.»

«Perfect!»

With a snap of his fingers, all the seatbelts retreated.

«Alright», he said, standing up. «You are now free to do your jobs. Ask any of my crewmates if you need any help. And you, Captain Kel», he motioned to him. «You'll stay here with me.»

«Yessir!» Kel jumped out from his seat and ran towards the Captain. His new superior ruffled his hair with a grin. «There you are! Captain Kel!» he saluted and Kel, full of excitement and bright feelings, saluted back.

The rest of the group stood up from their seats and Aubrey sprinted towards the windows.

«Guys!» she called, motioning with her hand. «Come take a look!»

Sunny's thoughts stopped. Beyond the window stood the vastness of space. The purple sky had disappeared, replaced with the black canvas he was so used to see and fantasize on as a kid while looking out from the window in the dimly lit room at night. Stars glittered everywhere, little flames reflected in his wide eyes full of wonder. The blackness was interrupted with soft swirls of many different colors – red, green, and yellow among many – looking like mist.

They all stood there, even Omori, with their mouths agape and eyes full of glittering stars, admiring the silence of the universe.

«It's beautiful, isn't it?» Captain Spaceboy's voice was sweet, as if he was talking to a newborn. «No matter how many times I see it, it's still as beautiful as the first time.»

Hero pressed his lips together. «I... I have no words. This is truly...»

«AWESOME!» exclaimed Kel, who had stayed silent until that moment. «This is just so awesome!»

«Have you ever been here?» asked Basil, turning towards Sunny.

«No, never», Omori answered for him. «We never took off with Mercury Retrograde in our adventures.»

Sunny didn't respond, letting his chest soar with the awe of space, mesmerized by the sight.

- : -

«So, as the malfunction reporter, your job is to take a picture of anything that is out of order», Basil was listening to the instructions he was given, while examining the camera in his hands. It was pretty similar to his polaroid, and that made him relax. «You understand?»

He jumped, and nodded. «Y-yeah! Do I show the pictures to you, if needed?»

«Yeah. And don't go into a panic, if you see something out of place. Sometimes a piece falls down somewhere but the ship still stays afloat.»

«Alright. Thank you.»

«Thank you, young man.»

Basil saluted the crewman, who saluted back, and went on his way.

When he closed the door of the repair office, he was alone in the hallway. Everybody had gone off to their spots, with the exception of Kel who had stayed with Captain Spaceboy.

«Alright...» he looked at the camera again. «Let's see what we can find...»

Basil had no idea where to go, so he just looked around until he found a promising spot. He waved at a few crewmates here and there, hoping to find a familiar face who never arrived. He fidgeted with his camera all the way through, as he checked the crewmen's quarters – and found their hammocks – the captain's quarter, and the engine room.

Everywhere he went, his sight was filled with items and gizmos he had no idea the function of, with curved shapes and bright colors. Every crewman did their job diligently, sometimes not even realizing his presence.

«They asked me to take a photo of anything that is out of order...», he closed the door of the room he had just visited. «But everything here looks out of order and weird...»

In the solitude of his empty patrolling, Basil's thoughts wandered.

They wandered about the weird place they had found themselves in. Deep down, he was happy to be with his friends again. He just wished he could take photos and bring them into the waking world once done. That would have been so cool to have.

He could picture it in his mind: a thick photo album with a purple cover, the words "Basil and his friends' dreamy adventures" engraved with white letters. He chuckled.

His chest grew warm at the thought of his friends. He was so grateful to have them back.

It seemed so long ago now, but there was a time where he didn't think that anything like this could have happened ever again. Trapped in the black tangles of guilt and anxiety, he had seen no way out. In the darkest night, he had seen the light only in the glint of the garden shears.

He shivered and closed his eyes.

Send those thoughts away, send those thoughts away...

He hated being alone. He was an easy prey, in that state.

He reached a new door. A small plaque was attached to it and in black letters it read "Storage Room".

«Alright, let's see what we can find here...» he fumbled with his keys until he found the right one, and the door opened with a satisfying click.

The room was dark. Basil touched the wall until he found the light switch, letting the room be engulfed in yellow light.

The smell of dust made his nose itch. He sneezed. Rubbing his face with his sleeve, he looked around the room: boxes upon boxes were stacked one upon the others, in towers of dubious stability. Here and there, in the free spaces on the ground, a few objects were scattered: he recognized some machinery from the cockpit and some pieces of paper with unknown symbols. Upon closer inspections, he recognized them as being related to maths.

He made a finger slide on one of the boxes, and his skin came back gray with dust.

«They haven't been using this place much, have they...?»

He found an open box and checked its contents. It looked like it was full of nets. Giant, thick nets. They reminded Basil of the ones he'd see in documentaries in the morning about fishermen. He took one in his hand and huffed. His arm hurt.

«These things are heavy!»

He shook his head and turned around, when a noise stopped him in his tracks.

None of the boxes had been touched, the door was as he had left it.

A cold shiver poked his back. He gripped his camera. «Who's... who's there?!»

The voice quivered, but he tried to steady his resolve.

Footsteps echoed in the room, and Basil gasped. «I have to... I have to warn Aubrey...»

He paced towards the door, when a black figure appeared in front of him, stopping him in his tracks.

Basil gasped for breath, trying to get a hold of his thoughts who were threatening to run away, sending him into the thorns of panic.

He couldn't discern any kind of feature on the figure in front of him, except that it was black and it had two white eyes, the only visible things.

Basil opened his mouth: maybe, if he yelled, somebody would come. Maybe Aubrey was nearby...

Considering the amount of dust in the storage room, he thought safe to assume that nobody would end up there accidentally.

His hands were sweating, the camera hurt his skin.

He gulped.

«Please... don't hurt me.»

The figure tilted his head. «I am not here to hurt you, flower boy.»

Basil's eyes snapped open. Not many people called him like that...

«Who are you?»

«I have no name. To you, I am just a Stranger», the figure took a few steps, but stopped when Basil retreated. «Flower boy. Why are you here?»

«Huh...? I have to... to take photos...»

«No. Why are you here?»

«I...» he had often thought about that. Why were him and his friends thrown in Headspace? «I have no idea.»

«The chain of stories repeats itself in groups of three. Your story, however, is not part of the chain.»

«W-what do you mean?»

«You are one with the power to break the chain. You may do well to remember this.»

«Is that the reason why I'm here? To help break the chains?»

«Maybe. Maybe not. But you cannot break the chain as long as you're part of the chain itself.»

«How... how do I break myself from it, then?»

«The answer is within you and the other white lamplight boy», Stranger blinked. For a moment, his whole body was engulfed by the shadows, before he reappeared. «Do not fall astray, flower boy. You do have everything you already need… but losing it is quite easy.»

Basil opened his mouth to answer, but as soon as he blinked, Stranger disappeared.

He looked around, looking for any signs of the intruder, to no avail. The room was still, the smell of dust thick in the air.

«What... what was that?»

«Hey», somebody grabbed his wrist and Basil jumped, slapping whatever had come in contact with him. He slowly opened his eyes.

A familiar pink-haired girl was looking at him with a worried frown.

«Oh... s-sorry, Aubrey. You scared me.»

«Sorry, that wasn't my intention», the girl let him go. «Are you alright?»

«Oh, Aubrey...! Did you see anybody else?»

She shook her head. «I haven't. But I heard some voices coming from here so I thought I'd check.»

«I...» Basil looked around. The room really was empty. «There was somebody else, here.»

Aubrey frowned. «Basil, stay here at the door. Make sure nobody comes in or out.»

Basil nodded, watching as his friend started walking in the room, bat in her hand. She started inspecting the room, poking a few boxes with her weapon. «So. I heard you were talking with somebody.»

«Y-yeah», Basil's eyes darted from one corner to the other. «They were a black figure... kinda like Daddy Longlegs, but less scary.»

Aubrey groaned. «That thing will show up in my nightmares. Anyway. I heard you. You were talking about the chains.»

«Yeah... they were... warning me? I think...»

«They didn't hurt you, right?»

«No, they didn't» Basil sighed. «They told me something about not losing something that I already have...» Aubrey approached him, while she gave one last look to the storage room. «But I have no idea what they meant. Maybe my friends...? I don't want to lose you all again...»

«We're not going anywhere soon», Aubrey raised an eyebrow. «I checked the entire room. Nobody is here.»

«That's... very weird.»

«Are you sure you're okay, Basil?»

Her eyes were filled with worry. The boy gripped at the camera. «I'm... okay.»

Aubrey hummed an uncertain noise of approval. «Where are you supposed to go? I'll accompany you.»

«They told me to check all the rooms and see if I find anything out of the ordinary.»

Aubrey chuckled. «Everything is out of the ordinary, here.»

«That's what I thought, too!»

They looked at one another, before falling into a new fit of laughter.

«"The Charting Room"», Basil jumped, pointing at the plaque. «Aubrey! I think Sunny's here!»

They went into the room, only to have their breaths taken away. Basil felt like an ant compared to the room: it was huge, the round ceiling far far above from their heads. It was quite the busy room: crewmates walked around, muttering words to one another, maps and devices in hands, while at the center stood a low, circular table. On it, a giant hologram spun slowly, a sphere filled with glinting dots, and x's and roads.

Next to the hologram they found Sunny, carefully inspecting one of the holographic dots.

«Heya, Sunny», Aubrey waved, Basil following suit.

«Oh, hey» Sunny's eyes were glinting with unusual liveliness, and Basil couldn't help but smile. It had been a long time ever since he had seen such an expression on his friend, the last time being when he was excited for a new Space Boyfriend's issue.

«This place is really cool», said Aubrey, looking at the holographic map. «I think you got the best job, Sunny.»

«Well, Kel is second in command...» said Basil.

«And instead we got lowly security guard and... what are you?»

«Malfunction reporter.»

«What does that do?» asked Sunny.

Basil showed his camera. «I take photos of anything out of the ordinary.»

«Everything looks out of the ordinary here.»

«Yeah, that's what I thought.»

«So, what do you do here, Sunny? This hologram looks hella cool», Aubrey motioned her head towards it.

«We charted the route the spaceship is going to take and... we check for anything weird on the road.»

«That sounds kinda boring.»

«Yeah... I... huh...» he blushed. «I mainly played with the different dots and settings, to be honest...»

«Nice. Wanna play truant with us?»

«I'm not playing truant, Aubrey», Basil raised his camera. «I'm doing my job.»

«Oh, right. I'm patrolling. Then Sunny is the only one who's gonna skip his job.»

Sunny furrowed his brow. «Let me check», he poked the shoulder of one of the crewmates. «Can I take a short rest?»

«Yeah, sure», he nodded. «We have snacks in the back, feel free to help yourself.»

«Thank you.»

However, they instead decided to go out of the room and stop in one of the hallways. They sat on the ground, reveling in each other presence for a short while.

Then, a white tube appeared in front of Basil's eyes.

«Want a snack?» Aubrey motioned to the tube.

Basil accepted the offer. «Where did you get this...?»

Aubrey took another one from her jacket and handed it to Sunny. «I sneaked some in from Captain Spaceboy's house.»

«You liked these, didn't you?» asked Sunny.

Aubrey nodded, sucking from one of the tubes. «No joke. I thought it'd be disgusting but it's actually delicious.»

Basil ate some of his food: Aubrey was right. Back when he first saw it at Captain Spaceboy's hideout, he thought he'd have to force himself to eat it, but when the paste hit his tongue he was greeted by a savory taste, reminiscent of grilled meat. It was, as Aubrey had said, delicious.

Then he nudged Sunny. «Hey, can I ask you something?»

«Of course.»

«While I was checking the rooms here, I found someone weird.»

«Who?»

«It was a dark figure with white eyes» as Sunny's eye widened in realization, Basil was relieved that he knew what he was talking about. «You know them, don't you?»

«That was Stranger. He visited you too...?»

«Was he a resident of Headspace?»

Sunny nodded. «He would try to lead me to the truth... and grow angry whenever I'd run away from it. Until I decided to snap out of it», with the tube in hand, he was looking at the wall in front of them with vacant eyes. «He was the one who lead me to your room, when I woke up in the hospital. I think... he saved my life.»

«I've always wondered how you managed to find Basil's room, that day», said Aubrey. «But this Stranger sounds like an okay guy to me.»

«I guess he is», said Sunny.

«Did he visit you again?» asked Basil. «After... after everything that happened, I mean.»

«He hadn't, until now. Back at the barn... he visited me in a dream. He told me... to be careful.»

A pang of worry hit Basil as he saw the light quiver of his lips. Sunny was lying? Why would he have to lie?

«Sunny...»

«What did he tell you?»

«The... the same thing. He told me to be careful to not lose something I already have... and that you and me, since we have the white lightbulbs, have the power to help break the chains.»

«Do you know what he meant?»

«I... don't.»

Sunny squinted his eye, deep in thought. He sat there in silence like that, sucking on his tube once or twice. Basil knew that that was Sunny's focused expression, and no amount of talking would lead him out of it.

He then shook his head. «I don't know either.»

«I was hoping you'd have an answer...»

«I'm sorry. But I guess we just have to be careful.»

«Just like always», Aubrey stood up. «Alright. Who wants to see what Hero is up to?»

«Oh! I wanna see him cook!» Basil stood up. Sunny nodded and followed them.

«Wait», he said. «Omori was his helper, right?»

Aubrey clapped her hands before covering her mouth. «Oh man. Oh man. I really can't afford to lose this. Let's go boys! Chop, chop.»

- : -

Sunny looked as Aubrey ran past them, like a frenzied beast looking for food.

«The kitchen! Where's the kitchen?!»

«That way», Sunny pointed to their left. All of a sudden, he was glad he had been working with maps: the spaceship's hallways were a maze, and he had the key.

As they pressed on, the familiar smell of cooking reached their noses. They all stopped on their tracks.

Aubrey gasped. «Oh my God. I... They aren't joking when they say smells are the way to memories...»

«This brings me back...» Basil smiled. «This is definitely Hero's cooking.»

Sunny's mind was launched in the past, in the soft mornings when they all spent time together. Mari was helping Hero around with the pancakes, a group of half-asleep children waiting for their breakfast. With half glossed eyes, Sunny looked at the window, his dear sister and one of his best friends donning the hues of the sunrise light.

Mari turned around, so distant and so dear, and smiled.

«What are we waiting for?!» Aubrey's voice jolted him awake. «Let's go!»

With the scent guiding them, they found the kitchen easily. Aubrey didn't even knock, opening the door with a slam.

«My good friend Hero! We've come to visit you!»

«Oh, hey there guys!»

The kitchen was small and covered in steam, Sunny blinked a few times but the fog didn't go away, attaching itself onto the furniture like a blanket. Amongst the mist, Sunny made out Hero's shape in front of the flames.

Hero dusted his hands on his apron and smiled. «It's nice to see you here. How is the job life treating you?»

«I have to take photos», Basil showed his camera.

«I'm patrolling around», said Aubrey.

«I'm skipping my job», said Sunny.

Hero chuckled, before Sunny added. «But, according to paper, I'm "taking a rest". Is Omori giving you problems?»

«About that...» Hero added a few spices to the pan before turning towards Sunny. «I don't remember you being so whiny when you were twelve, Sunny.»

«I was. I just kept it to myself.»

«Huh.»

«Was he that bad?»

«At first he refused to help me but... after a while I guess he got tired and started to comply», he gestured with his head behind him, where the fog was the thickest. «He's there, if you want to check on him.»

Sunny nodded, following his direction. He reached a table at the far end of the kitchen, where he found the familiar monochromatic boy.

He was hunched over the table. He was between two piles: peeled potatoes on the left, unpeeled potatoes on the right. In his hands, there were an half-peeled potato and a peeler.

«Omori?»

The boy raised his gaze.

«How are you?»

«I’m peeling potatoes, Sunny. How do you think I’m feeling?»

«I don’t know. Peeling fine?»

Omori glowered at him, but Sunny couldn’t help but chuckle.

«Just be glad I don’t have my knife with me right now.»

«I'd prefer to not be kicked from the spaceship, Omori.»

He peeled a bit stronger than usual. «Yeah. Right.»

«Is Hero treating you well?»

«I guess so. He made me take a shower.»

«Well, you were kinda filthy.»

Omori pouted, then he continued. «There’s only the two of us here, and we gotta cook for the whole crew. Captain Spaceboy sucks at management.»

«I can't blame you for thinking that.»

Omori continued peeling, each stroke a bit stronger than the last one. His eyes were empty, as he looked at the potato.

«Basil and I met the Stranger.»

He stopped, raising his head. «What did you say?»

«The Stranger talked to us.»

«That’s a name I didn’t want to hear again», Omori sighed. «Why is he here? You found the truth already. And wait, you said also Basil talked to him?»

«Yeah, he told me a few moments ago. In my case, he wanted to warn me–»

«Hey» Aubrey handed a tube of food to Omori. «Want a snack?»

The boy looked at the item in front of him, before looking at Aubrey. Sunny wasn’t sure, but his cheeks seemed a bit more colored than usual.

Don’t tell me…

«Sure», Omori nodded, accepting the offer. «Thanks.»

«No sweat.»

«Hey, Sunny», Omori sucked from the tube. «Earlier I sample tested some of Hero's cooking. It's nothing like what Headspace could conjure, or the cookies he'd bake in battle to heal us.»

«It's much better, isn't it?»

«You can say that again. You really... could feel the love in it. Why did you tell me to stop when I suggested this job for him to the Captain, Aubrey?»

The girl bit her lip, while Sunny looked down. «It's...», he sighed. «It's my fault.»

At those words, a glint of realization lighted Omori's eyes. «I see», he gave one last glance at Sunny, before returning to his job.

- :-

The beeping never stopped.

Kel couldn't sit still, his eyes wandering around the room. He had already counted each screen multiple times, analyzed each button more than once but, no matter how familiar he had grown to it, the cockpit always stayed a place full of wonders.

His heart could have bursted from happiness, a grin plastered on his face.

Oh, how he wished for his friends to be there with him! But, he guessed, they were having as much fun as him, considering their jobs.

Captain Spaceboy was looking at his crew with a proud gaze. Kel couldn't have been happier. He was bouncing on his seat, hands trembling.

Sure, as a second in command he still hadn't done anything too important, but the ship was travelling smoothly and they hadn't encountered any troubles during the trip, and he was glad for that.

Although he wished he'd have to use the lasers, at least once.

«So!» his captain’s voice made him swivel his chair towards him. «What do you think of this, my friend?»

«This is AWESOME, sir! This is… like… everything I’ve always dreamed of!»

He stopped. That was a dream, after all, wasn’t it? A conjoined dream, but still a dream. Should he have been so surprised?

Captain Spaceboy smiled, nodding. «But tell me, Captain Kel. You and your friends... you are not really space pirates, are you?»

In that moment, Kel cursed his big mouth. Why had he been acting so surprised?! He was supposed to be a hunter of space dragons! And Sunny had lost his eye due to a giant squid wielding a knife!

«I... sir...»

The Captain bursted out laughing. «Don't worry, my friend! You and your comrades are safe. You have been a loyal friend so far, and I do appreciate loyalty. Your friends have also been working for me without a fault, and I cannot turn a blind eye to that.»

«Th-thank you, sir. You see... We really need to get to Planet J03.»

Kel was glad that he had avoided a big problem. Such a cool person, Captain Spaceboy!

«I presume your story about the Gate wasn't a lie, then.»

«It wasn't.»

«I see.»

For a moment, only the beeping of the machinery of the cockpit could be heard. Kel looked at the man in front of him.

For the brief time they had spent together, Kel's opinion of Captain Spaceboy had nothing but improved. He was his childhood hero – and maybe his teenager hero too – and he had shown himself to be as brave and wise as he had always thought him to be.

All the crew respected him and he treated everyone fairly. Kel felt inspired by just standing next to him.

In that moment, he swore to be as cool, as kind, and as brave as him, no matter what.

«Captain, sir. Can I ask you a question?»

«No need to be so formal, my friend. Of course you can ask me whatever you desire.»

«There has been a thing weighing on my mind. It's about the campsite town.»

At those words, the Captain froze. He took a deep breath and nodded. «Yes? What about it?»

«We've talked to people there, and they all said they don't understand why you left them for so long. They all miss you, Captain. The town...»

«Stop it.»

Kel closed his mouth, eyes wide.

«I don't want to hear any more about that», said the Captain. «They... they don't know the truth.»

Kel's chest hurt. Something clicked in his mind, something he didn't want to remember. He shook his head, fighting back tears. His heart beat faster.

What's... happening?

«The... the truth, sir?»

«Kel, my dear friend. I trust you enough to tell you about this, but you do have to swear the upmost secrecy.»

«Yes, sir! You... you can count on me!»

«I left that town because I soon realized how I couldn't help them. I couldn't stay there... I couldn't. So I left. Created an excuse, saying I'd go to find treasure to help them all back, but in truth... I was just running away.»

«But, Captain! The town is in shambles because of your departure! Everybody loved the space pirates! And... everybody misses you!»

Captain Spaceboy looked at him. His eyes were full of unrolled tears. «I thought myself to be useless. Tell me, Kel. What do they think of me?»

«They… they think you left them because there are better things out there.»

«Let them think that.»

Kel's eyes burned. Captain Spaceboy’s words had pierced through his soul, making the fog of his mind show him a truth he had long been suppressing.

«You see, Kel», the Captain sighed, his lips quivering. «I... I made a grave mistake in the past. You've probably heard of Pluto, haven't you?»

That name rung familiar in Kel's mind. He shoved aside one of Sunny's many talks about space. A talking peacock flashed in his mind. «I heard that name, sir.»

«He was my best friend», he responded. «Still is, if we have to be honest. We travelled through all the galaxies together. Most of the planets I've conquered... it was thanks to him. But then, one day...we made a mistake. He wanted to stop. And left the crew.»

The Captain smiled. «I tried to convince him to return. To sail the stars together once more... but he always refused. The weight of our mistake... it was too heavy for him. And in that moment I thought... that it'd just be better for me to go. After all... we could repeat the same mistake again.»

Kel felt his breath go away.

In that instant, he wasn’t in the cockpit of the Mercury Retrograde anymore.

He was in his house, in his room. The lights were dim, the dreaded news echoing through the hallways in hushed whispers and wails.

Mari. Mari is dead. She hung herself from the tree in the backyard.

He had been one of the first people to find the body, along with Hero.

It was difficult to understand, at first. Kel didn't believe it to be true. That... thing hanging from the tree... it couldn't have been Mari, could it?

Not their dear, dear, dearest Mari.

The one who was always smiling and giving encouragement to her friends. His best friend's sister. One of his best friends.

The memories were fuzzy. Kel didn't remember much of how she looked like.

But the image of his brother's vacant eyes never left his mind.

He started panting. No, this is...

He raised his gaze: Captain Spaceboy was looking at his crew, paying him no mind. In a flash, he saw himself in the same place.

My friends... the voice of a pink-haired girl he held dear echoed in his mind, under the stained glass windows of a church. My friends weren't there when I needed them.

His heart ached.

I didn't... I didn't want to make things worse.

The wails of a small boy echoed in the empty house. Kel looked out from the window, to the haunting presence next to their home. A house so full of laughter and life, suddenly sapped of all its vigor. Sometimes, Kel thought he could hear cries from a very familiar bedroom. But he never dared ask.

We were all so young... how could I... what could I have done?

A blond boy sat in the canteen alone. A group of people made fun of him, but he paid them no mind. In his startled eyes, Kel realized how distant he had become.

I... I didn't know... I hadn't realized...

A dear person didn't move from his bed. Kel called and called, but no response was ever given. One day, he shook him, and everything went dark.

You have forgotten something very important, haven't you?

When Kel opened his eyes, he was in a dark place.

A black figure stood in front of him, white eyes the only visible thing in the darkness.

«Who... who are you?»

«I have no name. To you, I am but a Stranger.»

«Where am I? Where are the others?»

«My time here is brief, orange boy. Heed my words. There is something really important you have decided to forget. You'd do well to remember, before it swallows you whole.»

«Something... I have decided to forget?»

«But I guess it hasn't completely disappeared. It just... took another form.»

Without thinking, Kel slid his hand in his pocket. The black lightbulb casted a faint light.

«From darkness, you can create your own reality», said the figure. «You'd do well to remember that, at least.»

A boy was alone. He was full of friends and accompanied by his best buddy, before they both stained their hands with a grave mistake. The oldest took the full weight of the sin, and decided to leave everything behind.

A boy tried to encourage him that life is still worth living.

A boy failed in his tries.

A boy didn't know what to do. Everybody was hurting, and he was hurting too. The loneliness pierced him like the thorns of a wild plant, scratching every inch of his being. He felt like he couldn't be truly free anymore. In every breath, in every gaze, he'd find his failure again.

A boy realized that, maybe, he isn't really needed. He was useless to others: why would they want to have him next to them in their darkest hour?

A boy decided to leave. Everything thought he had left them because he had forgotten his friends, but the boy didn't pay them no mind.

A boy thought that it was the best thing he could do.

A boy left.

A boy decided to come back.

Chapter Text

«Here's the cockpit», Sunny pointed at the door in front of them. With small black letters, the word “Cockpit” was engraved on a golden plaque.

«Good thing you know how to navigate this maze», said Hero. «I really couldn't make heads or tails in those hallways.»

Sunny's cheeks warmed up and a smile crept up on his face. It didn't matter that five years had passed: whenever Hero complimented him his joy would soar. Memories of childhood resurfaced, rufflings of hair given with a gentle smile and he relished in the feeling.

They entered the room. The waves of noises and mechanical beeps drowned their ears, but no voices could be heard. Sunny looked around: the cockpit was full of crewmates, each focused on their tasks, and the silence made it seem like they were all puppets.

At the center, Captain Spaceboy was sitting on his chair, checking an holographic screen. Kel sat next to him, eyes vacant as he stared at the stars outside of the window.

«Hey, Kel!»

The sound of his brother's voice snapped him out from his thoughts. A glint of sadness darkened his eyes before it disappeared, replaced with relief. A huge grin blossomed on his face as his head perked up and he jumped out from his seat.

«Hey! Big bro! And my friends!»

Captain Spaceboy swiveled his chair around and greeted them with a wave. «It's nice to see you all here. I hope you are finding yourselves comfortable on our Mercury Retrograde.»

«Thank you again for this opportunity, Captain Spaceboy», said Hero. «We would be in very deep trouble if it weren't for your help.»

«Of course. Captain Kel told me everything about you and your friends.»

At those words, colors drained from their faces. Aubrey growled at her friend and Sunny took her sleeve to pull her away if needed. Kel let out an embarassed chuckle. «Don't worry guys, it's alright!»

The Captain burst out laughing. «Indeed. Don't worry, miss. I still respect your courage. The choice to go into a Gate is admirable, no matter who claims so.»

«Captain!» the doors flew open as one of the crewmen ran towards them. He stopped, catching his breath and hands on his knees.

«What happened?»

«There's... there's an intruder in the spaceship!»

A chorus of gasps erupted from all the people in the cockpit. A few of the crewmen swiveled their chairs, eyes wide, to follow the conversation.

Aubrey took a step forward. «What?! Where?»

«Near the living quarters... security caught a glimpse of them in one of the cameras.»

Sunny poked Basil on the arm. «Basil, do you think…?»

The boy shook his head. «I don’t think it’s Stranger. He disappeared as soon as he stopped talking to me...»

Sunny turned towards Omori, but the monochromatic boy was silent, his expression impossible to read. However, his hands were closed into fists.

Kel turned towards the Captain. «What do we do?»

But the man didn’t answer.

His face was pale and body stiff. He blinked a few times, before rubbing his forehead. «I...»

Aubrey glared at him and huffed. «I remember the rest of security telling me about the possibility to close the doors. We could trap the intruder somewhere.»

The crewman nodded. «That's–»

«Wait!» as if something had snapped back into the place, the Captain yelled, his hand raised. His eyes were darting from one place to another. «That... won't be necessary.»

«Captain, what do you mean? It's true they still didn't cause any damage, but–»

«I said. It won't be necessary» he gritted his teeth. «Where were they directed?»

«According to the cameras... it seemed like they were walking towards the stardome.»

«I figured as much. I'll go», he stepped out from his seat and started walking towards the door under the crewman's bewildered eyes.

«Wait!» Kel jumped next to him. «Let me come with you!»

«Hush, Kel» Aubrey pushed him away. «I'm the security guard here. I'll go.»

«Aubrey...» Basil's worried voice made her turn towards him. She winked and gave a reassuring thumbs up.

«I won't need any kind of protection», the Captain walked past the girl. «Don't follow me. I will deal with this myself.»

Then he raised his arm, the purple cape puffing up with it as if reinforcing his words. Then, as the cape returned to its place, the Captain was already with his hands on the door.

The group looked as he disappeared behind them, before exchanging worried glances to one another.

«What... what should we do?» Basil was fidgeting with the camera strap around his neck.

«This sounds a little too much fuss for a simple stowaway business», said Hero.

«It sounded as like he knew who the intruder is», said Sunny.

«Ugh», Aubrey stomped her feet on ground and shook her whole body. «I'm security. I don't care what he says, I'm going. And you» she motioned her head towards the crewman, «tell the others to be ready near the stardome.»

«R-right!»

«Wait», Omori, who had watched the scene unfold without uttering a word, wore his usual deadpan expression, but a glint of worry were in his eyes. «I have a bad feeling about this. Hero, my knife.»

«Wh-what? You really think it will be necessary?»

«Better be safe than sorry.»

The older boy stood still, looking at Sunny in search for an answer.

Stranger’s words still rung in his head, but this time around, it seemed like it wasn’t Omori in the lead. The monochromatic boy too was looking at him, as if urging him to make up his mind.

«Omori», Sunny twirled his fingers together to minimize the trembling. «I thought… I thought we had told you to tell us your plans beforehand.»

«I don't have any!» he showed his empty hands, as if his ideas could materialize there. «It's just a precaution. We have to hurry!»

Sunny sighed. «Alright. But I'm coming with you too.»

«No. This could be dangerous.»

Aubrey groaned. «I'll kick whoever dares to look at him. Also, Omori, I'd like to remind you that right now he's the only person who can actually lead us to the stardome.»

The boy's shoulders slouched and he winced. «You... you're right.»

«If he's going, I'm coming too!» said Basil, taking Sunny's hand.

«Same!» Kel beat his chest. «I can't leave the Captain alone.»

Hero’s eyes stopped on each one of his friends. He sighed. «I get it, I get it. I can’t leave you all alone. You leave me no choice.»

Omori looked at him with expectant eyes. «Do you have your pan with you?»

«My... my what?»

«You don't have your weapon? I’m expecting a fight.»

«You’re expecting a what?!» Hero shook his hands. «No, no, no. No fights. We are civilized people. We talk. And, Sunny», he turned towards him. «Really? You made me use a pan in battle?»

He buried his head between his shoulders. «Well, you know… those things must hurt a lot.»

Aubrey slapped her knee, laughing. «Oh, geez. We really should talk more about this later. But we have no time now, let’s go!»

In those frantic moments, Sunny fought to keep his thoughts still enough to make him not lose the way. All his friends’ expectant eyes were on him, following his directions, fast steps on the floor, until they reached the stardome.

His hands were trembling when he opened the door, leading them into an open balcony under a glass dome. The starry sky engulfed them with all its might and, for a second, they were left breathless, as they gazed at the twinkling stars above.

The sound of voices snapped them out from their reverie.

Captain Spaceboy was not alone. At the far end of the stardome, there was a figure that Sunny knew all to well. Omori shivered, gripping the knife in his hand.

Kel’s squeal broke the tension. «That's... that's Pluto! My Pet Rock!» he looked at Sunny. «When the Captain told me about Pluto, I wasn't expecting him.»

«That old videogame?!» Aubrey's eyes were darting from Pluto to Kel.

«Oh, I remember that one!» Basil smiled.

«Was he another one of the Headspace residents?» asked Hero.

Sunny nodded, and Omori added: «And a dangerous one at that.»

«D-dangerous?» Hero frowned.

«He was very powerful... This could turn bad.»

«Guys, wait» Kel shook his head. «Pluto was Captain Spaceboy's old friend. He told me about him! I don't think we have to worry.»

Raised voices reached them. Kel shivered. «Or... maybe we have to.»

The Captain was gesturing, pacing back and forth, while Pluto stood still, arms crossed over his body, his mouth the only moving thing. Their words reached them, but too muffled to be properly understood.

«I can't just stay here! I'm going to help him!» Kel sprinted towards the pair, followed by the rest.

«I see you haven't changed, Spaceboy», Pluto's voice was as deep as a cavern. «Even so far to bring me back again on that dreadful planet. Why?»

«Because I want you to understand!»

«We have hurt those people, Spaceboy. That is not something that we can easily fix.»

«We can't, that's true. But that doesn't mean we can't try! What we did was a terrible mistake, but we have to keep going!»

«And you were willing to kidnap me for this?!»

«Well, I did ask you...»

«And I said no!»

Aubrey leaned over to the others. «It sounds like he was more of a luggage, than a stowaway...»

«What are they talking about, anyway?» asked Omori. «Pluto was a rogue planet that Captain Spaceboy had conquered, the last time I checked.»

«They're old friends this time around, it seems», said Sunny.

«Don't you understand anything, Spaceboy?!» Pluto raised his arms, he was gritting his teeth. «People have been hurt, part of the village destroyed... all because of us!»

«We managed to fix the damage! You haven't got the chance to see it yet, and that's why I'm going to let you see it your own eyes!»

«It doesn't matter! We... it could always happen again.»

«Hey!»

Silence fell after Kel’s yell. The two arguing parties stopped and they both turned towards him. Kel shivered at the unwanted attention. Omori shifted on his feet and Sunny took his wrist.

The boy took a moment to recompose himself. «Huh... I think you... I think you two are kinda missing the point of everything.»

«Who are you?!» Pluto spat. «What's the meaning of this, Captain?!»

«This is Captain Kel», answered Spaceboy. «A dear friend, and my second in command.»

«It doesn’t matter!» Kel yelled. «The campsite! The whole town misses you both! You don't care about them in the slightest?!»

«You don't know what you're talking about, boy», said Pluto, crossing his arms. «We left the campsite specifically to protect them.»

«But you're hurting them more!» Kel looked at Captain Spaceboy for support, but it never arrived. «They miss you. And by leaving, you're just hurting them.»

«Boy, please. Stay out of this, you–»

«I know how you feel! I also hurt a person dear to me once, and I didn't even notice! I–» for a brief moment, he faltered, a leg giving out but he was fast to persevere. He blinked a few times. «I don't want to see it happening again...»

Hero shivered. «Kel... wait, this is...»

«Boy» Pluto shook his head. «Stay out of this. You are still a fledgling captain, I see. But this are mistakes of our past, and we must atone for them. I'm just trying to let my friend see the reason behind my choice.»

«And what are you going to do, rot away behind a tree somewhere?!»

Omori's voice broke out, full of venom.

Everybody, nobody excluded, turned slowly towards him. Omori didn't flinch.

«What did you say?» Pluto said each word slowly.

«You heard me the first time», Omori took a step forward. «Your friend is trying to help you. Everybody has been worried about you. But it seems like you're too hardheaded to see that.»

«Hey, Omori...» Hero put a hand on his shoulder, but the boy shook him off, not unrelenting his gaze.

Pluto scoffed, approaching him. He towered over the small boy, shadows on his pale skin.

«You have some guts.»

«Which apparently you lack.»

For a very brief moment, Sunny wondered how it was possible that Omori had sprouted from his mind, of all things. In that exact moment, he thought that there was no possible way that he and Omori were related.

However, despite all that, a sense of dread overwhelmed him as Pluto raised his arm towards the boy.

Omori readied his blade, but before he could strike, a purple cape appeared in front of them, before it went flying away at the border of the stardome.

Captain Spaceboy groaned from the hit, falling onto the ground with a thud. Pluto gasped, eyes wide with terror, arm still raised.

Aubrey’s face went pale. «Oh no.»

In a moment, the crew erupted from the door, jumping onto Pluto. Omori gritted his teeth and raised his knife, but before Hero could stop him he plunged the weapon into Pluto's arm, making a small dent.

«Go away!» yelled Omori. «This is dangerous!»

Eye still fixated on the frantic scene, Sunny was grabbed by Hero and pulled behind him, together with Basil. The older boy stretched his arm towards Aubrey too, but she shook it off. «I gotta stop these guys. This isn’t right!»

She turned towards them. «Hey, all of you! Stop! This is all a big mistake!»

Sunny looked around. «Wait, where’s Kel?!»

«There!» Basil pointed at their side.

Kel was kneeling next to Captain Spaceboy, shaking him. «Captain! Please, answer me!»

In a flash, Hero was next to him. He took Spaceboy’s wrist and pressed two fingers, before nodding and lowering his cheek towards his mouth.

«He’s just unconscious.»

Kel sighed in relief, and nodded.

Groans and yells came from the center of the cockpit, where Pluto was struggling against the force of all the crewmates. Aubrey was spouting orders that went unheard, while Omori was in front of her, knife at the ready.

Distressing thoughts crawled into Sunny’s mind. His hands were itching. A sudden surge of energy washed over him, and he wanted to stand up and do something, anything, but fear kept him locked into place.

«We have to calm Pluto down, it’s the only way» said Sunny.

Hero looked at the commotion, and frowned. «I'm not sure he's going to listen to us.»

«He could listen to you!» said Kel.

«Huh?»

«Your charm! It worked on Captain Spaceboy!»

«What's with you all and my charm?!»

«Please, Hero!» Kel pleaded. «You're our only hope!»

«Before Omori does more damage than he already did», Sunny gritted his teeth.

«Alright, alright. I can… I can try...»

He stood up and pressed his cheeks together. He then took a few shaky steps towards the center of the room.

Omori gasped. «Hero! No!»

«Hey, Pluto!» he yelled, but amongst the groans of all the crewmates trying to subdue him, his voice fell to deaf ears.

«This is dangerous!» Aubrey pushed him away. «Do you want to get hurt?!»

«Sunny!» Basil’s voice made him jump. «I have an idea! Come with me, I know what we have to do!»

«What?»

«Please, believe in me!»

Sunny’s fear still locked him into place. But the commotion of the room prompted him into action. He nodded and followed his friend.

They ran down the hallway, Basil certain on the road he had to take. Sunny was always next to him, in case he’d ask him about directions, but it never happened.

«It's here!» Basil didn't wait for Sunny, sprinting down in a room. Sunny briefly read the words "Storage Room" on a plaque as he entered.

The room was dark, but Basil seemed to know his way in, going towards a few boxes. «I was here before», he explained, digging through one of the boxes. Sunny helped him out. «I found these nets...» he pulled one out with a huff. They were big and sturdy, much heavier than Sunny imagined them being. «What do you think? Could they stop Pluto?»

Sunny tried pulling one: it strained his arms, muscles screaming in pain. It was heavy. Incredibly heavy. Could they even manage to drag it to the stardome?

Would have it been in vain? He didn’t want to see anybody else get hurt.

He nodded and gave a thumbs up.

Dragging the nets back to the stardome was not an easy feat. Sunny wasn’t sure how they managed, but he blamed the adrenaline. He had never seen Basil so frantic, so erratic, knuckles turning red while they retraced their steps with the heavy load.

Or, maybe, he had seen him, and just preferred to steer the thoughts to better places.

They reached the stardome out of breath.

Hero ran towards them. «Sunny! Basil! Where had you been?!»

«We found these!» Basil showed the nets. «They could stop Pluto!»

«Nets…?» Hero pulled one and made it fall down with a huff. «Woah. Kel! Come here!»

The boy jumped, startled, before running over. «What's happening?»

Hero pulled the net out of the boys' hands, pushing it onto his brother's who yelped. «Help me throw this net at Pluto! It should stop him or, at least, startle him enough so that we can talk to him.»

«Why do you think a net could work? That guy has skin made out of space rocks! And… what about the others on the top of him?»

«It's worth a try! And this won’t kill them!»

One of the crewman circling Pluto glanced at them. He approached them and nodded. «These are nets for space squids! They're extremely heavy. Here, let me help you out!»

Sunny and Basil scrambled to get back into their feet and grabbed the nets again.

As long as we are together, we can do anything!

An old voice from a dream long gone echoed in Sunny’s mind. He glanced at Hero and nodded.

Together, they threw the net on top of Pluto.

The weight made him scramble and, with a thud, he collapsed onto the floor.

Silence filled with room. Sunny gave out heavy breaths, as his arms started hurting. His muscles burned and he sat on the ground. Basil followed him, but he was smiling. Sunny raised his hand, and Basil gave him an high five.

Aubrey fell on her knees, rubbing her forehead. «This was much more intense that I thought it'd be. Is everybody okay?!»

From the crewmen under the net, still gripping onto Pluto’s body, came a horde of thumbs up and nods.

Aubrey smiled.

«Are you alright?» asked Omori.

«Yeah, don't worry. I just think I'm a little out of shape.»

Omori gave her his hand, and she accepted the help.

«Aubrey!» Basil was next to her in a second, pulling her into a hug. «Thank goodness you're safe.»

«Hey, you're understimating me. What kind of Hooligan would I be otherwise?»

But Basil didn't seem convinced, as he dug his face back into her arm.

Sunny approached them and Aubrey gave him a thumbs up, that he reciprocated.

«Nice thinking there», said Omori. «Using those heavy nets.»

«It was Basil's idea», said Sunny.

Omori’s eyes went wide and he glanced at the boy, still in Aubrey’s arms.

«Quick!» one of the crewmates yelled. «The Captain needs medical attention!»

«Hero!» Kel winked. «That's your cue!»

But the older boy was already next to the Captain, giving instructions to the rest of the crew.

They stood in silence as they watched the crew helping out Captain Spaceboy and checking on Pluto, as the commotion came to an end.

Chapter Text

Time passed slowly in space.

After the ordeal with Pluto – who had been put into a cell for safety measures – a stretched silence covered the entire spaceship in the following days.

Even the Charting Room, usually so full of chattering, was thrown into a static life, as each crewman worked on their tasks without ever raising their gazes.

With his tasks long completed, Sunny spent his time gazing at the passing stars out from the window. His arms still hurt from carrying the nets.

His mind was a whirlwind of emotions, the shadow of terror loomed over him, never losing its grip. It stared at him from each corner, waiting to pounce with bared claws and fangs and Sunny dearly wished for his friends to be there.

But everybody had returned to their posts, with the exception of Aubrey and Omori, who had been sent to the infirmatory for check-ups.

But even then, deep down under the fear, a certain excitement fueled him. The thought of his friends warmed his heart.

The whirring of the doors opening made him turn around. A familiar blond figure prompted his chest to feel lighter.

«Hey, Basil.»

«Hey there, Sunny», he still had the camera around his neck. «How are you doing?»

«Just... tired, to be honest. I feel like a mess. The thoughts won't settle down.»

«I can't blame you. I feel the same...»

«How are the others?»

«Aubrey said that she doesn't have anything that a good sleep won't fix. Captain Spaceboy, on the other hand...» his lips quivered. «Apparently they're trying to reach Planet J03 as fast as possible to make sure he receives the proper medical attention.»

«Is he...?»

«I... don't know», said Basil. «I tried to ask but they won't let me know. Maybe because I'm an outsider... Can I sit there?»

Sunny nodded, patting the seat next to him. Basil sighed. «About Omori... I think you will have to talk to him, as soon as you're able.»

He hummed in response.

«I think he feels guilty. If my Sunny-face reading skills aren't failing me.»

«I... guess so.»

«You sound surprised.»

«I created Omori to be my alter ego without emotions. He doesn't feel scared, nor worried.»

«But he felt both of those things, while here with us...»

«Yeah», Sunny had his gaze on the ceiling.

«Why does that sound weird to you?»

«Hm?»

«Well... he was created to... help you with what happened, right?»

Sunny nodded.

«Now you've changed. Maybe... he changed too.»

The recent job he had acquired had let Sunny distract a little from all his feelings regarding Omori. But now, in the emptiness of that moment, they returned as a powerful gust. Omori had saved his friends' lives and led them during their journey so far. But Stranger's words still rung in his mind, gnawing his tranquillity.

«I don't know what to think, Basil», Sunny confessed. «I have no idea of what goes through his mind. He helped us so far and even saved your life. I can't ever forget that. But... Stranger warned me. What if there's something else going on?»

«That's what Stranger told you to be careful about?»

Sunny nodded. «He told me to not trust Omori blindly. But... I don't understand. And now, there's what he did to Pluto...»

«That... wasn't the smartest of choices, yeah. But I don't think he did that on purpose.»

«What do you mean?»

«I think... he was as surprised as you. Maybe he didn't expect such a violent reaction.»

Sunny sighed and laid back on the chair, looking back at the ceiling. «I'm just afraid. Afraid of letting you all down. I was the one to trust Omori first, and you all trust me to trust him.»

Basil didn't answer. He looked at the window, as if the stars could give him an answer, but it never arrived. In the end, he smiled. «Sunny, don't worry. We're all here, you're not alone. If there's really something else going on with Omori... we'll all be there, this time.»

Sunny's cheeks warmed up. He turned towards his friend, who was smiling as bright as the sun. A little sunflower in that foreign spaceship. Sunny nodded. «Thank you.»

One day, as soft snores emerged from their living quarters and the group was safely tucked in their hammocks, a voice jolted them awake.

«Planet J03 in sight. All crewmen are ordered to be at their posts as the landing procedures start.»

«Ah, fucking finally!» Aubrey jumped down from her hammock – the one above Sunny – and put her jacket on. «C'mon, guys! It's finally time to leave this metal heap in space.»

They were all in the cockpit, as Kel stood still watching over the crewmen doing their jobs, when the spaceship started descending.

Rumbling prompted them to grasp themselves at their seats, as the starry expanse out of the window changed colors, replaced with soft colors like cream.

When they landed, in a chorus of cheers and congratulations, Sunny gazed over at the window: the sky wasn't purple anymore, replaced instead with a soft yellow. Clouds of the same color passed over, as stronger orange hues became apparent below the horizon. Up in the sky, like a faded photograph, stood a white sphere, similar to a moon. He let out a sigh of relief: finally the journey was over.

Footsteps next to him prompted Sunny to turn around and he met Omori, too focused staring outside to even greet him. In his reflection, in the depths of his deadpan expression, he caught the glint of fear in his black eyes.

«Finally!» Kel jumped with raised arms as they put their feet outside, laughing and cheering until he fell onto the ground, a grassy light green floor. «Man, as cool as it is to travel in space, I was getting tired of staying indoors all the time.»

«I guess those are the parts that cartoons skip», said Basil as he stepped out from the spaceship, his eyes widening with wonder at the new place.

Omori knelt down, touching the grass with an inquisitive expression.

Sunny touched the grass with the tip of his foot: they had landed in a large plain, devoid of plants except for a couple of trees in the distance, hunching over the horizon. The shape of some mountains were distant and faded, and he thought he could make them disappear with the snap of a thought.

Captain Spaceboy had already been sent away for medical evaluations, while the rest of the crew was outside, relishing in the fresh air, congratulating each other. A few had already opened bottles with drinks Sunny was sure were still forbidden to him.

He stretched his arms, letting the result of the successful journey ease his worries.

«Is everybody alright?» asked Hero as he went out from the spaceship. «The descending gave me a bit of nausea.»

«I'm fine», said Aubrey. «Kel has finally embraced his dog side», she motioned at him, who was rolling onto the grass.

«It feels so nice!» he just yelled.

Hero chuckled, but his face darkened as soon as it landed on Omori.

The monochromatic boy was silent, arms stiff, as he looked at the ground with a grave expression.

«Omori, how are you doing?» asked Sunny.

«I... I'm fine. I think.»

Sunny knew his expressions the best. Omori was anything but fine. He wanted to press for more, but more urgent matters prompted him to wait.

«So», Hero smiled and stretched his arms. «Captain Spaceboy is receiving the medical attention he needs and we landed safely on Planet J03. The only thing we need to do now is to find information about the Gate.»

«What happened to Pluto?» asked Sunny.

«He's still in his cell», said Aubrey. «I was the guard a few times too. Apparently they want to wait for the Captain's opinion before doing anything.»

«So... he'll stay there?» asked Basil.

«I guess so.»

«About the Gate, let me ask my fellow crewmates», said Kel. «Maybe somebody can help us.»

A short round of questions between some of them showed that nobody had the answers they needed. None of the crew had travelled inside the Gate itself and only the Captain knew its location.

«However», one of them said, his breath a bit stinky from the alcohol. «In that direction there's a town. I'm pretty sure you can find something there.»

«Omori?» Hero turned his head towards him.

«Yes?»

«What do you know about that town?»

«I... I have no idea. I never visited this place.»

«Yeah... about that», Sunny looked around. «I never saw this place in my Headspace either. And I'm sure I never created it.»

The gang looked at him with wide eyes and no words. Kel was the first to speak. «Really?»

Sunny nodded.

«So... this really isn't your Headspace anymore?»

Omori shrugged. «That's the most plausible explanation.»

«Could this place be just... an additional location you never visited?» asked Hero.

Omori shook his head. «I doubt that, I never heard of this "Planet J03" either», in that moment, he shivered. «This is not my Headspace and we are very far away from it. I know it. I feel like... I'm not welcome here.»

Sunny got worried. «What do you mean?»

«It's like... I'm not supposed to be here. My presence is... something that shouldn't happen. It's an horrible sensation. Please, let's do our things as quickly as we can.»

«You know», Aubrey had one hand in a pocket and the other one was gripping the bag with her bat. «When Daddy Longlegs and Omori told us that this was some kind of dream land, back in the Playground, I imagined we'd see weird things like... flying unicorns and clouds made of cotton candy and weird animals.»

Basil laughed. «Like in movies?»

«Exactly. I would have never imagined... this.»

She spat the last word, squinting her eyes full of disapproval at the river in front of them. It ran next to a town that they had yet to properly explore, but what caught their attention was its waters.

Orange. Deep orange waters, with a few bubbles popping here and there, an orange-y scent filling the air, making Sunny's nose itch.

«What are you talking about?!» Kel grabbed his chest, wincing in pain. «This is a dream coming true! A river of Orange Joe!»

«I still can't believe you actually drank from this river, Kel», said Hero.

«My dear brother. I knew it was Orange Joe», he closed his eyes in a silent salute. «I could sense it. I could... smell it.»

«Please stop talking», Aubrey shivered. «You're making my skin crawl.»

Omori was kneeling down, next to the frizzy water. «If I had any doubts about this place not being part of our Headspace, they're all gone now. This is an abomination, worthy to be relegated in the depths of Black Space», he looked at Sunny. «Don't you agree?»

Sunny nodded.

«You're all no fun», said Kel.

«You're the one with an Orange Joe dependency», Aubrey shrugged. «Enough of this... orange-y smell. I'll start feeling sick if we stay here one minute longer.»

«Wait!» the girl groaned at Kel's voice. «Aubrey! I challenge you!»

«What?»

«To a dare!»

«Nah, I'll pass.»

«Okay, what if I give you twenty dollars once we wake up if you drink some water from this river?»

«You'll pay me twenty dollars if I drink free Orange Joe in a dream?»

«Yeah!»

She shoved her bag into Sunny's hands. «You're on.»

She knelt over the river and with one hand pulled her hair up, with the other she scooped up some of the frizzy water and drank it.

She winced and clapped her lips. «Ugh. It tastes gross. But there you go, Kel. I hope you will remember our–» her eyes got wide.

Basil approached her. «Aubrey? Are you alright?»

«Don't tell me we should have boiled it first...» said Hero.

Aubrey groaned. «Boiled Orange Joe? God, that must taste horrible! But no, I'm fine...? I'm actually... much much better than before?»

Kel clapped his hands and raised his gaze to the sky. «It's the power of Orange Joe!»

«I feel full of energy... Jeez, Kel, now I understand how you're so active all the time.»

Hero glanced at the river, before kneeling down and sipping some of the water from his hand. He then rubbed his sleeve on his lips. «Woah. Kel's right. I feel much better too.»

Omori furrowed his brow. «Wait», he took a sip. «Huh.»

«What is it?»

«Back in Headspace, in order to replenish our energy, we'd eat food or drink sugar drinks. This Orange Joe... seems to be doing the same.»

«Ow yeah!» Kel jumped, arms high. «Orange Joe literally heals you!»

«I'm just surprised that this works here, too», Omori dipped his finger in the river before sucking it. «Want to try it out? It could help with your arms, Sunny.»

One by one, they all drank some Orange Joe. When Sunny drank it, his own body felt like it was being envelopped by light. His mind got clearer and strength returned to all his limbs. He shivered, the feeling too strong, until it gently subsided.

«Wow.»

«My arms don't hurt anymore!» as to testify this fact, Basil started waving them around.

«Isn't this great?!» said Kel.

«Pretty useful», Omori nodded.

Rejuvenated, the group walked towards the town with a pep in their step. As they went on, the realization that that place wasn't his Headspace anymore took roots in Sunny's mind.

However, despite the foreign feeling crawling onto his skin, it didn't feel hostile. If anything, a jolly sensation permeated all things, and Sunny thought that, in a moment's notice, even the trees would start jumping and running around. His Headspace had become abandoned, but that place was still full of life.

He looked up at the sky, the soft yellow color so similar to those of the sunrises he'd seen during the school mornings. A chill went down his spine when he remembered the cold winters.

It was usual for Mari to wake up before him. Often he had seen her face bathed in the soft lights of the morning, her smile as delicate as the sun rays, as she'd hum a gentle "Good morning".

Sunny's chest tumbled, devoured by the nostalgia.

They were following a path that slithered under the trees when Kel pointed upwards. «Hey, look!» among the crowns of the trees, there were giant pinwheels whirling under the breeze. «Just like those before the ladder!»

Omori frowned. «Why...? This place is not our Headspace. Why are things so similar?»

«Does that matter? They're cool.»

Basil smiled. «I remember when we used to put them everywhere in town. Most of them are still there...»

As they went on, the number of giant pinwheels increased, until the first sights of a town greeted their eyes.

They stopped, wide-eyed.

Sunny needed sometime to adjust his view, his head threatening to start spinning.

The town was a confused bundle of houses and buildings of dubious utility. The most variant array of colors brightened the place: red houses next to purple ones, blue and orange roofs. Each thing – every door, every window, every wall – sported a different color in a cacophony of lights and shadows that made Sunny wince in pain. His eye darted around, trying to find a place where he could rest, a short respite from that whirling sensation, but he only saw slides and monkey bars among the roofs. Between one hunching tower and another, a giant pinwheel would sometimes rear its head.

Nausea built in his stomach and he squinted his eye to help himself. The colors were bright. So very bright and loud.

He looked at the sky for some respite. Towering above all the city, a giant circular disc was placed upon four great pillars, casting a shadow on the ground.

«Dear God», Aubrey scrunched her nose. «This place is a mess.»

«It looks like somebody mixed an amusement park with a playground», said Hero.

«Captain Spaceboy said that he often went here, didn't he?» said Kel. «So I'm sure it's not that bad.»

«I guess not», nodded Basil.

«Okay, so... how should we ask for information?» asked Aubrey. «Do we, like... stop the first person we meet, like when you ask for directions?»

«No!» Basil's sharp objection startled them. «We are on an adventure, we have to do things properly!»

Sunny blinked a few times.

Was that the same Basil that he knew? He fondly remembered the ecstatic eyes he showed every time he'd talk about his books, full of woundrous adventures and whimsical characters. Did Basil also wish go on a journey with his friends, like him?

«O-okay», Hero nodded, uncertainty in his eyes. «What do you suggest?»

«Inns! In novels, they always go to the inn to ask for information.»

«Are there even any inns, here?» Aubrey looked around, but shook her head, blinking fast at the bright colors.

«If we have to ask to a person where the inn is, we could easily ask them where the Gate is», said Omori.

Basil's shoulders slumped. «Ow.»

Omori scratched his nose. «I'm... I'm sorry.»

«There's a person over there!» Kel strode towards a woman at the side of the road. The inhabitants looked human enough, if not for being on the tall side.

If anything, Sunny found himself looking above his head all the time: everyone was taller than him in there.

«Excuse me, ma'am», the woman turned to look at Kel. «We have just arrived here and we are looking for information–»

«Oh!» the woman's eyes sparkled. «Are you with the Space Pirates?»

«Huh... yeah?»

«I've heard that Captain Spaceboy got pretty hurt.»

«He was. But I'm sure he'll be fine!»

«He always is. Anyway, you said you were looking for information?»

«We are looking for the Gates. Do you know anything about them?»

«I'm afraid I don't but... if it's Space Pirates business, you'd do well to reach the High Plaza.»

«Where's that?»

«Just follow the red marks! You can't miss it.»

The group shared worried and inquisitive glances to one another.

«Oh», Omori pointed at the ground. «She meant these, I presume.»

On the dirt, a red arrow had been painted. Following its direction, it led to another red arrow, then to another, slithering through the paths under the roofs.

«Huh», Basil looked around. «I guess that's why there are so many colored arrows here.»

Sunny tried to follow the direction of the red arrows with his gaze, and his thoughts came to an halt when he saw one applied to a roof. However, his head started spinning while trying to continue following it, so he just closed his eye and hoped for the best.

Reaching the High Plaza was a difficult journey. The colored arrows only added onto the confusion of the city and Kel seemed the only one to be able to make sense of whatever was happening. All the others ended up following him with pained eyes and winces. What started as simple marks on the ground soon became challenges: ladders to climb, slides to slide down to, monkey bars to traverse, doors that led to empty houses and windows to climb.

In the end, with pained breaths, Hero called for a break and sat down, not accepting any refusal. They were on one of the roofs of the higher houses and everybody followed the older boy.

«I must admit though», Basil was panting, but a smile was on his face. «This is kinda fun.»

«Good thing you two drank that Orange Joe», said Omori. «Or I don't know if your arms could have carried you in those monkey bars.»

Sunny nodded, before laying down, catching his breath.

«This place really feels like an amusement park», said Hero.

«You're all no fun and Basil is the only one who gets me», Kel pulled the boy into a side hug. «This place is a lot of fun! Especially when we went down that window.»

Sunny groaned. «Don't make me remember that.»

Aubrey chuckled. «Don't worry. Everybody gets stuck once or twice.»

«And what about the slides?» Basil was swaying on its spot.

«That one on the top of the tower that led us inside that empty house...» Hero shivered. «I was really afraid we'd hit the wall.»

«But there was a mattress!»

A rumbling sound stopped their conversation. An intense fear crawled on Sunny's legs, making him jolt up, his heart starting to beat faster. An innate terror washed over him, all his instincts telling him to be careful.

The earth started to shake.

«An earthquake!» Basil shrieked. Everybody walked off from the edge of the roof, running towards the higher part. As Sunny sat down next to his friends, the rumbling made him lose his balance.

Everything went by so very fast: the world shifted and the sky passed above him. The shingles scratched his back, groans at every hit. He scrambled his hands for a grip, but it never arrived. The concrete under him disappeared and he lost his breath as a gust of air hit his face. He closed his eye, bracing for the fall, but everything stopped.

«Don't worry, Sunny!» Kel's voice was strained, but his grip on his wrist was strong. «I won't let you fall!»

Sunny felt a warmth of gratitude towards his friend, as Kel started pulling him up. The others also came, helping him. Omori was sitting next to Kel, his arm stretched out, and as soon as he was on range his pale hand tightly gripped Sunny's free wrist. Sunny was brought back to the roof as the rumbling subsided and silence fell.

«Are you alright?!» Omori's voice was frenzied, and Sunny could see the terror in his eyes.

He couldn't stop trembling. «I'm... I'm fine. I'm sorry.»

«Thank goodness you're okay», Hero pulled him into a hug. Without thinking, Sunny hugged him back.

Footsteps followed and new pairs of hands embraced him: Sunny took a peek, finding all his friends next to him. Their warmth melted his terror and he closed his eye, relishing in the feeling. He sniffled, fighting back tears.

«I couldn't even summon my Red Hands...» Omori joined the hug. «I'm sorry.»

Sunny took a moment to find the words. «It's... it's alright.»

They let him go and he took a few deep breaths, trying to calm down his racing heart. Basil squeezed his hand. «You're safe, now.»

The boy helped him stand up: his legs were still trembling, but he gathered all his strength to keep going.

«Hey, what's that?» they all turned to see what Aubrey was pointing at.

Beyond the trees, not too far from the city, a swamp emerged from the ground. Sunny didn't his believe what he was seeing: its waters were as black as the sky they had seen from the spaceship, the void interrupted only by the rainbow reflections that appeared when a ray of sun hit it. Among the water some small islands floated, housing ruined buildings and ancient metal pillars, half-eaten by the grass and moss. Their colors, although faded by time, still testified their eccentricity: purple walls, red doors, blue roofs...

«W-wait...» Hero looked at Kel. «Didn't Pluto mention something like this?»

Kel's eyes got wide in realization. «Do you mean...?»

«This is the damage they were talking about?!» Aubrey's eyes darted from his friends to the crater. «Dear God, no wonder Pluto didn't want to have anything related to space travels anymore.»

«That is some big... aftermath», said Basil.

«But they rebuilt the entire city...» Omori looked at the towers behind them. «I think this is what Captain Spaceboy wanted to show Pluto.»

«They could have rebuilt it a bit less confusing», groaned Aubrey.

«I hope Pluto will manage to see it, someday», said Basil.

«Yeah», said Kel. «I hope he will.»

The High Plaza stood atop four great pillars out of wood, a circular shape of concrete that towered over the town. Shops were scattered here and there, and people were chatting without a care in the world, under the soft yellow sky.

The group had just finished climbing the ladder that led them there, exchanging high fives and proud nods between one another.

«Seems like nobody is hurt due to the earthquake», said Hero. «That's a relief.»

«It almost looks like they didn't even notice it», Aubrey furrowed her brow. «This looks too normal, to me.»

«For a place where Space Pirates are supposed to hang around, this looks mundane», said Omori.

«I was expecting something cooler, too», Basil pouted.

«This time it isn't my fault», said Sunny, raising his hands.

«Yeah, I don't know what I'd have done if there was such a confusing place in Headspace», said Omori. «I think I'd have woken you up everytime.»

«Says the guy who has a ladder going to space», Aubrey smirked. Sunny blushed and looked at the ground.

«Alright...» Hero scratched his head. «Let's see what info we can find about the Gates, here...»

He stopped the first person he found, a man in a sailor attire. «Excuse me. We are Space Pirates, looking for the Gate. Do you know anything about that?»

The man smiled, eyes sparkling. «Ha-ah! In search of daring adventures, aren't we? But yeah. The Gate is easy to find, you see. You just need to shoot for the stars!»

«Huh... excuse me, what do you mean by that?»

«The stars! You're Space Pirates, right?»

«Yeah, but...»

«Then you shouldn't have any problems!»

The man left with an hearty laugh, leaving them looking at him with confused looks.

«What the hell does that mean?» asked Aubrey.

«Why does this place have puzzles?» Kel whined, his shoulders slumping. He then poked at Sunny. «C'mon buddy, exactly like in the videogames we play. You deal with the puzzles.»

«Maybe that guy was just toying with us», Aubrey started walking away. «Let's go ask someone else.»

And that they did. But, no matter how many people they talked to, the answer was always the same. "Shoot for the stars!"

«There aren't even stars here!» Aubrey cursed, fists raised towards the sky.

«I don't think he meant that literally», said Sunny. «Not when you see that...» he pointed at the half-transparent moon in the sky.

«Don't tell me that the Gate is on the moon», said Hero.

«Now you wish there was a ladder there, huh?» Omori smirked, looking at Aubrey. She elbowed him, but he just chuckled in response.

Basil closed his eyes, deep in thought. «If we are Space Pirates, we wouldn't have any problems...» he jumped, hitting his hand with a fist. «Right! The spaceship! If we were Space Pirates, we'd have a spaceship!»

«So it's really there?» Hero's voice quivered.

«Where's the problem?» asked Aubrey. «We do have a spaceship.»

«But the spaceship isn't ours», said Sunny.

«We have our second in command here!» the girl lightly punched Kel's shoulder.

The boy nodded. «Oh, yeah! You're right! Let's go, my men! Mercury Retrograde still has places to take us to!»

When they returned to the place where they had landed, chattering and whispers among the crew greeted them. One of them noticed Kel and ran towards him. «Captain Kel!»

«Did something happen?»

«The ground, sir, nothing we haven't seen before.»

«The... ground? You mean the earthquake?»

«Don't worry sir, the earthquake caused no casualties! Except for the sinking of the ground, that is.»

«The what?!»

The crewman pointed beyond them, and then he scrunched his face. «Guys! Move over! The Captain can't see a damn thing if you're in the way!»

A few moved, letting out scared shrieks.

As they had been informed, the ground had sunk. Black tar rolled out from the holes, crawling onto the grass like tendrils from below. Mercury Retrograde sat on a small island still intact, like a small haven.

«What... what happened?!»

«The... ground has sunk, sir. I've told you. This happens sometimes, here on this Planet.»

«But, the spaceship! Shouldn't we... move it?»

«It's safe there, for now.»

«I'm going to move it», Kel took a step forward, but the crewman raised his hand.

«I'm afraid I can't allow you to do that, sir.»

«I'm the second in command!»

«Orders from Captain Spaceboy himself, sir. He has always said that we cannot move the spaceship without his specific order, unless it was an emergency.»

«And this isn't an emergency?!» Aubrey gestured at the tar.

The man shrugged. «The little inlet the spaceship is on didn't sink.»

«Yet», said Omori.

«Captain Kel, I do understand if this is your first time here on Planet J03, but these things are normal. Don't worry, we are quite capable of dealing with it.»

«But we don't even know when the Captain will be back!» said Kel.

«Soon, I'd reckon. We received word from the hospital and he has regained consciousness.»

Sunny stopped following the conversation as his attention was taken by Hero, who was approaching the tar. The older boy knelt down where the liquid started seeping and he approaced him. A tinge of fear exploded in his chest when he saw that Hero had put his hand under the land.

«Woah», he blinked a few times and looked at his younger friend.

Sunny lowered his head, as if he was dipping it in water, making sure to not touch the tar. He gasped.

There was a small space between the land itself and the sea of black tar. Incredibly small, but the land was actually above the black tar. With a more careful gaze, Sunny noticed a forest of small pillars, keeping the ground afloat.

«Hero...»

«What the hell?!»

Hero's swear made the rest of the group jump.

«Hero, bro!» Kel put an hand on his shoulder. «What happened?!»

«You guys have to look at this.»

He pointed at the ground and the rest of the group looked at one another with worried eyes, before complying. When they all lowered their heads, a chorus of gasps emerged.

Basil was the first to raise his head. «This explains the earthquake...»

«The land is incredibly unstable», explained Hero. «I don't think it's that difficult to break it.»

Aubrey rubbed her forehead. «And you're telling me that these guys built an amusement park here?!»

Omori shrugged. «Maybe they like the thrill.»

«Hey», Sunny pointed at the spaceship. «Shouldn't we... do something about that?»

«Yeah, before it sinks», said Omori.

At those words, the whole group shrieked.

«We have to!», Basil clutched his hands together. «Without the spaceship we can't go to the Gate, neither return back!»

«Oh shit!» Kel stood up. «Alright, guys. I'm the second in command, I'll just say that there's an emergency so we can–»

A loud rumbling sound interrupted them.

They all turned to look at the spaceship.

A crack had appeared on the ground, and the first drops of tar had started to seep.

Screaming, they all ran towards the spaceship, jumping over the remnants of land like pebbles. They reached the stairs that led them to the door, when a crewman yelled. «Hey! What do you think you're doing?!»

«The ground is sinking, you idiot!» Aubrey screamed back, before opening the door with a pull and pushing Omori – the first person in her range – inside. «This is an emergency!»

«Tell the Captain that everything is alright!» said Kel, before jumping in, followed by the others.

«H-hey!» the crewman started jumping over the remnants of land, but Aubrey slammed the door shut in his face. She put herself over the door, arms wide.

All her friends were looking at her.

«What are you waiting for?!» she growled. «Go do something!»

«R-right!» Hero nodded. «So, what's the plan?»

«We have to make this spaceship fly», said Omori. «Sunny, lead us to the cockpit.»

They ran towards the cockpit, panting and breathing heavily. As soon as the doors opened, they scrambled to reach the machines.

«Kel!» Sunny was looking at the screens. «How do we make this thing start up?»

«Woah, woah, wait a second guys!» everybody turned to look at Hero. «We... aren't moving this spaceship, right? We're stealing it, aren't we?»

«It's going to sink!» yelled Basil.

«And we need to go to the moon anyway», said Omori.

«Yes, but–»

«I see that you're in need of help», a rumbling voice made them stop.

A familiar rocky figure was standing in front of the doors, arms crossed over his chest, his expression devoid of emotion.

«What are you doing here, Pluto?» Omori took a step forward. «I thought you were in a cell.»

He scoffed. «Nothing that I can't break free from. So, you're stealing the spaceship.»

«Borrowing it!», said Kel.

«Mister Pluto we really need to go to the moon!» said Basil, eyes pleading. «And the ground is sinking!»

«Right. I'd expect the crewman to do nothing in face of this», he stood silent, before nodding. «I'll help you out. See it as an apology for what I've done to your friends.»

Yells from outside. Rumblings from inside.

Sunny looked at Kel and Pluto with bewildered eye as they tampered with the machinery under the others' gazes. His heart was tumbling in his chest, drowning all every sound, and he barely heard it when the engines of the spaceship started revving. With a few hiccups, the spaceship took flight and, once they were above the ground and it was safe to stand up again, Sunny went to retrieve Aubrey back from the entrance.

When she set foot in the cockpit, she smiled. «Woah, I forgot you were here! Hey, Ploot.»

«Hi, Aubrey. Thanks for all the company you've kept me back there.»

Kel looked at them, furrowing his brow. «Since when are you two so buddy buddy with each other?»

«I was standing guard at his cell a few times. We became... friends? Acquaintances?»

«I wouldn't mind it if you called me your friend», said Pluto.

«Friend it is, then!» Aubrey gave a thumbs up. «So... we're actually stealing a spaceship.»

She went over to the window, and stuck her tongue out at the crewmen below.

«Is it really stealing if the second in command is with us?» asked Basil.

«And one of the previous captains of the ship», added Omori.

«I think it is, considering how much the crewmen want us dead», said Hero.

Aubrey burst out laughing. «Oh geez, I love this. Seriously guys, I'm deeming you all honorary Hooligans right now!»

«Thanks Aubrey!» Basil jumped on the spot.

«You already were one, Basil.»

«Huh...» Sunny scratched his head. «Thanks?»

«Who are the Hooligans?» asked Omori.

«The gang I'm leader of back in town, of course.»

«Oh wow», Omori was wide-eyed. «And I'm part of it, too?»

«Yeah, why not.»

Omori stood still, his mouth agape. Sunny chuckled at the faintest of blush that appeared on his cheeks.

Beyond the windows, the pale yellow sky turned darker, until the black expanse of space was visible again, twinkling stars to lead their way.

In that moment, the monochromatic boy shivered and pointed at the moon. «It's... it's there.»

«How do you know that?», asked Sunny.

«I just... do. It's there. It feels like... like... a cradle.»

«A cradle?»

«The place where I come from...»

«Headspace?» asked Aubrey.

Omori shook his head. «Something deeper than that...»

«Ah, right», said Pluto. «Aubrey did tell me that you were looking for the Gate», he took a deep breath, and nodded. «Yes, it is indeed there.»

«I see something!» yelled Basil. He pointed a white pool on the moon. «Look!»

Hero tilted his head. «It looks like...»

«A portal», Sunny finished the sentence.

«That's it», said Pluto. He smirked. «If we won't see each other again, I want to let you all know that I think you really have guts», he looked at Omori. «Also you.»

«We won't die, piece of rock», said Omori.

Pluto burst out laughing. «Ah, right! For guys like you, a Gate is nothing! Full speed ahead!»

The spaceship tilted, eliciting the shrieks of its passengers. The Gate was right in front of them, a pool of white light, so bright that Sunny couldn't stare at it directly. His hands were trembling, as excitement and trepidation filled his mind.

They dove in the Gate and white light engulfed them.

Chapter Text

When Kel opened his eyes, a familiar sight greeted him.

The messed up bed laid in one corner of the room, next to an array of thrown clothes and toys. Everything was exactly as he remembered: the desk engulfed in books, the TV on the floor with the console still attached, the hoop...

He furrowed his brow. There was no hoop on the wall. He shrugged. No matter. He was finally home.

The familiar sight of his room was a salve for his soul.

Had the dream ended?

A pang of sadness hit him. It had been very fun. Travelling with all his friends had been a wonderful experience. Exploring that peculiar land, climbing the very long ladder to space, working for Captain Spaceboy on his spaceship, stealing the spaceship, traversing the Cattail Fields, having dinner with an alien family...

He gasped. A shiver went down his spine as static filled his thoughts.

An otherwordly portrait flashed in his mind. The missing sibling...

With a groan, he shook his head to scatter that thought away. That wasn't even his family, why did that portrait bother him so?

But no matter. He was now fine. He was back home.

A giddy feeling erupted in his chest thinking of Sunny: they'd have so many stories to share over the phone, now! And who knows, maybe he would have drawn some of their adventures and shared the pictures in their group chat. Giggling, he decided that he wanted to suggest a date when Sunny could come visit, or he could go visit him. Maybe he could convince Aubrey and Basil to come, too. Hero was a more difficult matter, with his college work. He snickered: he'd have to stay there buried in books while he knew that his friends were having fun, there was no other choice!

He scrambled to find a calendar in the chaotic mess that was his room. Maybe on Hero's side...

Kel turned around and froze. He blinked a few times. Was his imagination playing tricks?

Hero's bed was supposed to be empty. He was supposed to be in college. But someone was occupying the bed, judging from the shape of the bedsheet.

And that someone was breathing.

Kel shivered. He started gasping for breath, his lungs suddenly filled with rocks. His mind filled with static, as old words and sensations erupted in his mind. His eyes started burning and he wanted to cry.

He was afraid. Very afraid. Something bad was going to happen.

Kel wanted to run away, but his body didn't obey him. Instead, his arm stretched towards the bed despite his will, gently shaking the familiar figure sleeping in Hero's bed.

Kel heard his own voice, shaky and young. «Hero?»

The familiar figure shifted in his position. Kel's body jumped back.

Black thoughts whirled in his mind.

This is bad. This is bad. This is really bad.

Kel's instincts started kicking in, prompting him to run, but his body didn't obey.

He had no choice but to watch.

The familiar figure turned around.

Kel gasped, but his body stood still. Hero's face was pale. His unkept hair fell down on his face, hiding part of the eyes, but not enough to disguise the redness. His cheeks were stained with tears.

Kel knew. Kel had already seen all this.

Please, no.

Not this again.

«Hey, Hero», his voice continued. «Good evening.»

The thoughts of the present scattered like crawling bugs under the light. The loneliness of those years emerged, gripping his mind with a thousand claws.

Kel wanted to curl up and close his eyes, but he couldn't.

He had no choice but to watch.

«Hero, mom and dad are very worried about you. I am very worried about you... Hero... I...»

His hands were fidgeting and his eyes were burning.

Kel remembered. Kel remembered how he dearly wished for his brother to be back. A pit in his stomach had never left him ever since that dreadful day.

The screams. The tears. The punches onto the ground.

Kel remembered them all. He had forgotten what he had done, himself. Fleeting memories of a turned off TV flickered in his mind, along with the rotating blades of the ceiling fan. No thoughts. Just emptiness.

The emptiness dragged on for days, as Hero slumbered next to him. Silence filled the room and he never dared break it.

The bedsheets shuffled. His body took a step back as his brother stood up.

Had Hero always been so tall? Kel didn't know. Fear curled its claws in his head and on his body, tangling him. Kel wanted to close his eyes, but something forced him to open them wide.

«What do you want, Kel?» his brother's voice was devoid of the love that he oh so fondly remembered. He was staring down at his soul, judging him.

Kel wanted to run away.

Anything, anything, please. Let me out of this. I...

But he had no choice but to watch.

«Hero...!» his body continued. That young mind was scared.

Kel was overwhelmed with a feeling of protectiveness. He wanted to hold that dear child and protect him.

But he couldn't do anything. The scene played right in front of his eyes like a movie and there was no way to stop it. He knew what was going to happen. He knew the pain.

His mind scrambled, the forgotten memories resurfacing.

In that moment, there were many thoughts swirling in his young mind, but no matter how long he'd think, no proper words could convey them. He remembered spending hours upon hours, while looking at the ceiling during the dead of the night, trying to find them, but he never did. Maybe he was too dumb to do that. Mari would have known what to do. Or hell, even Sunny, and he was a boy of few words, but always so extremely calculated and precise.

But now Mari was buried in the ground, her grave wet by the tears of her family, while Sunny had closed himself off in his home. Kel knew: he always went to check up on him, but his mother would always use an excuse or another to send him away.

So, that day, he had to find the words by himself.

«We... we all miss you.»

Hero scoffed. Kel's body breath quickened.

«What do you want from me?»

«Hero, I just... I want my brother back», his eyes fought tears. «I don't want to see you like this. Mari... wouldn't want to see you like this, either.»

Time stood still, for a moment.

Kel winced in pain, but his body didn't move.

Hero looked at him with those red eyes dried of their tears.

«What?»

«Ever since she... passed away... you've been here in your room. Sunny hasn't come out of his house for a year! Aubrey and Basil are... they are...»

He had seen them, in the school's canteen. Aubrey's new group of friends had decided Basil to be their favourite target for their pranks and jokes.

«And what do you want from me?!» his voice was like a growl. «What do you all want from me?! Why do you all pretend I can just get up as if nothing had happened, as if one of my best friends didn't hung herself from a tree?!»

«Hero... I... I miss her too... but...»

Those words were true. But still, Kel didn't think that those words could properly convey exactly how much he missed her. Not even after five years.

«Really?» Hero spat that word, growling. «Really? You come here to tell me that you miss her too?! I've seen you, going on with your life as if nothing had happened!»

«But I...»

Our parents. Our parents were so very worried. I couldn't...

Memories seeped through, memories of desperation and loneliness. Memories of gripping to that smile.

Hero scoffed again. «And now you come here telling me that you know what Mari would like and wouldn't like. As if you'd know. As if any of us would know!»

Hero's eyes started shivering, as new tears started rolling down.

«It's my fault, Kel. It's everybody's fault! It's yours, too! Her blood is in our hands! We were too blind to notice the signs, we were...»

He stopped, grasping for breath. His hands were closed into fists as he kept crying. «But I guess you don't really care.»

Kel shivered.

That's not true!

I care!

I care and I cared ! About all of you!

Hero's eyes narrowed into a thin line. «And you... And you... What are you doing, huh?! Coming here every day to tell me about all that bullshit that happened while in school. Guess what, Kel? I don't give a damn about that. I don't give a damn!»

He stomped his foot. Kel's body hit his back on the wall. His eyes were burning, his lungs were filled with water.

Please, stop.

«Hero, I... I just wanted to help you!»

«Help me? Now you pretend to know what I need, too? Do you know what I need, Kel? I need you to shut up!» his tears didn't stop falling. His breaths were short. «You don't need to pretend to care, Kel. I know that you don't. I know. After all, here you are, as if nothing had happened. As if our friend didn't kill herself. And you know what, Kel? I don't care anymore either. To hell with you and everybody else! You're a nuisance, an annoying brat! Always forcing me to take care of you, I bet she was even tired of your constant bickering with–»

He stopped. As if saying another name was too difficult. Hero lost his breath, looking at his brother with eyes full of blood.

Footsteps pounded on the staircase and the door flew open. Two figures entered the room and approached Hero.

Kel couldn't see them, his eyes full of tears. His legs gave up and, as his body touched the floor, blackness engulfed him.

He stood still, crying his heart out. In the empty void, only the echoes of his sobs could be heard.

He hugged his knees until his hands hurt.

It was cold. So very cold.

There was nothing but cold and sadness. There was no space for anything else.

He didn't know for how long he stayed there. Even after his eyes turned dry, even after his eyes started hurting, he stood still in the silence.

Alone.

He didn't dare raise his gaze, weight pulling him down.

In the end, a familiar voice rung out.

Kel...

It was a voice he loved very much, but right before it had been a voice that had hurt him a lot.

He didn't dare raise his gaze.

Kel...!

I remember now, thought Kel. I was so scared, but Hero came back to hug me and apologize. It was that day that... changed him.

He stood up. In the void, he was still alone.

He returned back to his studies. He returned... living. I had missed him so much. I was very happy to have my brother back.

But... I still wonder. Was it right for me, to open up like I did? Did I say the right words?

I was busy helping him. I was busy keeping him and the rest of the family afloat. Why did I allow for that to change, in that moment?

But... it worked, didn't it?

I only wanted to help him. I don't want to lose him ever again.

His chest hurt. He rubbed his arm on his eyes.

He remembered.

Back then, after that dreadful day, after he saw the brother he loved oh so very much in such a state, he made a promise.

Maybe, just maybe... I can keep him afloat, he had thought. And everybody else, too! It's the only thing I can do, isn't it...? I should be able to keep doing that...

...

...

He stifled back a sob.

But... right now. I feel so weak.

Old words rung in his mind.

From darkness, you can create your own reality.

In that moment, Kel remembered.

He remembered how Hero's hands were gripping at his back, as if he could run away at any moment. He remembered how his cheek was on his hair, drops of tears falling. He remembered the warmth of his chest, how it trembled. He remembered how weak his voice sounded. He remembered his apology. He remembered forgiving him.

Hero was back.

Kel opened his eyes. Hero was so tall, compared to him. Kel hugged him.

And, in that exact moment, Kel had never felt safer.

Chapter Text

When Sunny opened his eyes, the world was a blur.

His head hurt, a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions, and he groaned, attempting to make sense in everything. But the fog in his mind was too thick, too distracting and nothing came to the foreground, hiding everything beneath its grasp.

Slowly, he stood up, blinking a few times and letting reality take its distinct shapes.

He was in a sea of mint-colored grass, waving softly under the wind. Confusion hit him and he squinted his eye, as if it could make what he was seeing more believable.

The swing set was exactly as he remembered it, rotten and rusty, but still upright. The slide had hunched over a little bit under the weight of time. Scattered on the ground, hidden in the grass, Sunny could spot a few of the old toys.

«This is... the Playground? Why am I...»

Silence overwhelmed him, muffling his ears, and a wave of loneliness crashed over him.

He jolted. The others! Where are the others!?

A sharp needle of pain pierced his head, making him wince. Memories resurfaced.

Memories not of his own, but they hurt all the same, as if they were his.

A fight in a messy room... bloodshot eyes... tears.

«Kel...»

He remembered. In front of the grave of his sister, Kel had opened up to him for the first time in four years. Kel had never been the type to be emotional or vent – Aubrey and Basil were the ones to do that, usually – and Sunny regretted that in that moment he couldn't have been of more help.

He lightly slapped himself on the cheek and shook his head, before taking a few breaths.

«I have to look for the others.»

And Kel... I have to make sure he's okay.

With his head clearer, Sunny took a few steps.

A familiar voice called out to him.

«Sunny!»

He turned around and he let out a smile. «Basil!»

In the blink of an eye, the boy tackled him into a hug, taking his breath away. Basil nestled his face in the crook of his neck. «Thank goodness you're okay... we were getting worried...»

His voice tickled his skin.

Sunny hugged back, squeezing his back. «I'm sorry.»

Basil let him go, a small smile on his lips.

«Have you found the others?» asked Sunny.

«You were the only one missing. Come, they are by the monkey bars.»

Sunny's chest swelled in relief at the sight of his friends.

Aubrey was sitting on the edge of the monkey bars, touching the grass with the tip of her feet. She was looking at them with distant eyes, her shoulders slouched, face covered by her hair. Not too far away, near her shoes, there laid her bat.

Omori was farther away, his back turned against his companions. He was looking where the tree stump was supposed to be: Sunny couldn't see his face, but he knew how to read his body. And, unmoving like that, with the hands on his sides, he saw himself when, as a child, he couldn't express in words how he was hurting. He was overwhelmed with the instinct of pulling him into a hug and comfort him, exactly like he needed it back then. Mari was the one who would provide it for him. He shook his head.

Kel was sitting on the ground, his back laid on the monkey bars. He was hugging his legs and Hero was next to him. The two brothers were intertwined in a side hug, but none of them uttered a word.

The air was filled with melancholy when Basil spoke. «Hey, guys. I found Sunny!»

Their gazes shot up, towards him. Aubrey jumped down from her seat and pulled him into a hug. «Thank goodness...» she squeezed hard, hair in his hand. Sunny, after a moment of hesitation, hugged her back. «We were getting worried, you dork!» She pulled back. Her eyes were glistening with unrolled tears. «Where the hell were you?!»

«I'm... sorry.»

«Hey», Hero's voice was drained and dry, as if his throat couldn't pull out words anymore. His face was pale and the eyes red. A flash of Kel's memory appeared in Sunny's mind and all of a sudden that face looked so very familiar. «I'm glad you're okay, Sunny.»

He nodded in response.

Kel jumped up and tackled Sunny in a side hug. He was smiling, but Sunny could see how stiff his movements were and how his eyes were quivering. «What did I tell you, everybody? He's okay!»

Aubrey huffed, crossing her arms. «You're the last person who should be talking about being okay.»

In that moment, Omori approached them: his steps were slow and they barely made any noise onto the grass. Sunny thought that he was trying to disappear, to make himself as less noticeable as possible.

He looked at him directly in the eyes, and asked one simple question.

«How are you doing?»

But his voice was filled with worry.

Sunny scrambled in his mind, trying to find the words that could coherently explain how he was feeling. «I'm... fine. I guess. My mind is a mess, though...» he turned towards Kel. «But you...»

His friend chuckled. «Don't worry, alright?»

«Everybody has seen the same thing...?»

They all nodded.

Aubrey sighed. «Each word. Each gesture», she looked at Hero. «Everything.»

«Hey, hey!» Kel shook his head. «Guys, I told you. Don't worry. It's... it's all in the past. We were all having our problems. It's alright», he looked at his brother, but he didn't answer back.

Silence fell onto the group. A sea of emotions was between them, but none of them could find the words to cross it and reach one another. Sunny looked at his friends, one by one, looking for the words to use.

He wanted to do something. For once in his life, he wanted to be like Mari, and be a lighthouse for them in the sea.

But, before he could find them, Aubrey spoke. «You say it's alright, Kel», she was trembling, fists at her sides. «Dear God, Kel! Are you dense?! You're anything but fine!»

«H-hey, Aubrey...»

«Don't give me that "It's all in the past" crap! Kel! Didn't you understand anything?»

«Aubrey, calm down!»

«Not you too, Hero! Kel! Stop pretending! This is exactly... this is exactly what made us fall all apart!» a sob escaped her lips, but she soon rubbed her sleeve on her eyes. «Nobody thought to sit down and talk. To be by anyone's side. If any of us, if any of us had done that, if any of us had been by anyone's side! By Sunny's... by Hero's... maybe... maybe things wouldn't have turned so sour.»

She turned towards Sunny, and then to each one of her friends. «So, please. Stop with that bullcrap. Let's not repeat our mistake.»

The group fell silent. Sunny rubbed his arm, looking down.

«I'm... sorry that happened», he said. A heavy guilt pressed on his chest. «That was... that was my fault.»

Hero shook his head. «Please, Sunny. We all made mistakes here.»

Kel scratched his head. Aubrey was looking at him, fighting back tears, expecting something to come out from his mouth. And, Sunny was sure that she wouldn't be happy until he had spoken.

«Aubrey, I...» the boy took a deep breath. «I don't know what to say...? I mean, I guess there is a reason why my brain decided to block most of that fight. It... it really hurt to see it, yeah.»

He glanced at the others. They all stood there, looking at him. «Those days were miserable, truly. Everybody fell apart, Hero lived cooped in his bed... I felt... really alone. It hurt. A lot.»

«But!» he turned towards Hero. «Really, I... don't hold it against you. Against any of you. We were all going through our things and I... I didn't think I could do anything but try to keep everyone else afloat. You know, I never was the brightest in the group...»

«We were only twelve», said Aubrey.

«...exactly.»

Silence fell once again. The tense atmosphere easened and everybody returned to breathe a little easier. Sunny knew that it wasn't over yet, but the tempest had passed.

A tranquil sea was now between them. Sunny took a deep breath. «We have to... we have to remember we are here now», all his friends were looking at him, but he pretended to not acknowledge that. «We... we have to do what we can right now.»

«He's right», nodded Hero.

«Hey, Aubrey», Basil's timid voice made her turn around. «I'm really glad we're friends again. I missed your assertive personality. Sometimes... you really need somebody to say things as they are.»

At those words, Aubrey's cheeks flushed red. Hero hid his mouth behind a hand to stifle a chuckle.

«Geez, Basil! Do you actually think before spouting stuff like that!?»

«You were the one to tell us that we shouldn't keep our things for ourselves!»

«Well, you are the last person who should complain, Aubrey», said Sunny with a smirk.

Light chuckles escaped from their lips and soon after they erupted into laughter. As if it was the most natural thing, they enclosed each other in a hug.

Sunny, for a brief moment, was happy. Sure, they still had to find a way home and who knew what would the other Gates have in store for them, but right in that moment, he wanted to savor the feeling.

With their chests a bit lighter, they pulled back. Aubrey rubbed off the last of the tears from her face.

«Hey», Omori's voice was low. He was the only one who hadn't joined them, standing away from them. «I... I have a proposal to make.»

«A proposal?» asked Hero.

Sunny glared at Omori. He took a few steps towards him, but the monochromatic boy didn't flinch. He simply looked at him, with those eyes filled with worry and... fear?

What was happening?

«This place is dangerous and out of my control», he started. «Sunny, this isn't like our Headspace. In there, I could protect you: with a snap of my fingers or the flash of a thought I could make whatever I want disappear or appear. The Red Hands made sure that the truth would never come out and that is how I upheld my duty.»

«Omori, what are you–»

«But, I can't do that here. This place is dangerous. Pluto wasn't supposed to act like that. That town wasn't supposed to make me feel like I had to disappear. The black tar on the Planet wasn't supposed to make us all feel that sense of dread. Nobody of us should have had any reasons for panicking, ever. And you...» he looked at them all. «You shouldn't have been hurt so much.»

«Omori, listen–»

Sunny stretched his hand towards him, but he smacked it away. «No!» he was trembling, hands closed into fists. «Please! Sunny, my duty is to protect you! It's my reason of being! And you asked me to protect your friends, too. If that is the only way I can uphold my duty, so be it. But I can't do that! Not... not in this place! I can't control the Red Hands and I cannot protect you! So, please, Sunny! All of you!»

Omori was panting. Sunny had never imagined that Omori could wear such a fearful expression on his face.

«Stay here», he said. «All of you. I will create a new Headspace. I'll take care of you and protect you! You won't have to suffer anymore!» he smiled. «I'll make sure of that!»

«Omori, no!» Sunny surprised even himself when he raised his voice, but he kept going. «That won't be any different from what happened five years ago!»

«Sunny, please! It's... it's the only way...»

In that moment, in those fearful eyes, in that terrified expression, Sunny saw himself.

The terror that reality casted upon him, on his young twelve years old mind. Mari had always been there to protect him from the monsters that hid in the dark.

But Omori never had anything to fear. Omori never needed somebody to protect him.

And, in that moment, Sunny realized what he was trying so desperately to do: find that speck of normalcy once again. All the leading, all the plans... Omori was simply acting as he always had done. And in doing so, he escaped from the truth of what was really happening, inside a dream world that was not of his own.

«Omori...»

Omori was scared. Plain and simple.

Sunny took his hand. «It's alright.»

«Hey, pale boy», Aubrey's voice hid a low growl in it, and both boys turned their heads. «What's this all about?»

«...huh?»

«You're talking about how this place is dangerous for us. But it was you who let Pluto go wild.»

«I... I didn't expect that reaction. I didn't want to hurt any of you, really.»

«Yeah, sure! Nice going at that, kid! And now you want us to do what, exactly? Live here forever?»

«I'll make sure nothing bad ever happens to you! You have to trust me!»

«Like hell, kid», Aubrey scoffed. «Don't even dare to propose something like that.»

«But–»

«Listen Omori, I didn't want to say this before since we were all kinda busy with the Gate business but it was your fault that Pluto was almost killing us. Almost killing you! If it weren't for Captain Spaceboy...»

«I know!» Omori's voice quivered. «I'm scared! This place is completely unknown to me and I don't know what to do! I only know that I have to protect you!»

He buried his face in his hands. «I'm so sorry.»

«Hey, hey», Hero walked towards them. «Everybody, calm down. Right now.»

Aubrey jumped when Basil touched her arm, pulling her a little.

«Okay», Hero took a deep breath. «I understand. Omori, about your proposal», he shook his head. «We will continue this journey.»

«But–»

«I appreciate your concern. But that is not how we can get out of this.»

Omori's shoulders slouched. His gaze fell on the ground and he gave a slow nod.

Sunny took his hand, but he didn't raise his head.

«Omori. We are not alone. Not anymore.»

He didn't answer. But Sunny felt Omori squeezing his hand.

Hero gave a small smile. «Now. I think we all need some rest. We had a couple of difficult moments but we pulled through», he smiled. «C'mon. I know that together we can do this.»

Basil nodded. «And Omori! That includes you too!»

The boy jumped. «What?»

«You did save us on the ladder...»

Sunny let out a small smile and squeezed his hand a bit more. Omori stood there, wide-eyed, as if he had just imagined those words.

Aubrey huffed. «I guess he can be useful.»

«And guys!» Kel jumped, a huge grin on his face. «Don't forget! We're one step closer to our goal!»

Hero furrowed his brow. «What do you mean?»

«Oh right. I forgot to tell you, didn't I?» he dug in his pocket.

A chorus of gasps emerged at the sight of the white lightbulb.

«Oh dear!» Basil covered his mouth. «So the Gate worked!»

Aubrey dug out her lightbulb, and pouted: it was still black. «It was worth a shot.»

She then turned towards Kel. «But seriously. Why didn't you think of showing this to us before, you idiot?!»

«I was... I admit I had kinda forgotten about it...», he let out a sheepish smile and Aubrey smacked her forehead.

Hero chuckled. «That's... that's good news. C'mon. Let's rest for a little before continuing our journey. I think we all need it.»

They sat down, in silence. Aubrey laid down onto the grass, before she dug her hand in her pocket. «Oh, right», she got some of the food space tubes out. «These are the last ones. If you want to have a snack.»

They all nodded, taking one each, without saying a word.

The tension had easened, Sunny could surmise as much. Hero still had his focus directed at Kel, probably looking for any kind of sign of distress, but the boy didn't seem to mind, sucking on his tube with a mindless expression.

Omori, on the other hand, had the tube in his hands, while hugging his legs. He sat a bit far away from the others, but closer to Sunny. His face had returned to his usual deadpan expression, but his whole body was slouched and without energy. Sunny was afraid that a gust of wind could carry him away.

«I wonder what happened to Pluto», said Basil.

«Oh, yeah», responded Aubrey. «He was with us in the spaceship...»

«But he's not here», said Hero. «And neither is the spaceship.»

«I wouldn't be surprised if the inhabitants of this world couldn't enter the Gates themselves», said Omori, not looking at them.

«What do you mean?»

«I could be wrong. I don't know, it's just a theory. But... I think this place might be more similar to our Headspace than I first thought. The Gates felt similar to... the deeper places of Sunny's Headspace. And those places are... not accessible to everybody. I wouldn't be surprised if Pluto couldn't go in there.»

«And what would have happened to him, then?» asked Basil.

«I... don't know. Probably he ended up back in Otherworld... or Planet J03. No sure way to check, unless we go back there.»

«What happened in these cases, in your Headspace?»

Omori shifted a little in his seat and glanced at Sunny. «Headspace would... it resetted.»

«...resetted?»

«Headspace went through many different stories, so to speak. Some ended prematurely, others arrived until the end. But no matter the outcome... I'd reset everything at the end, and a new story would begin.»

«But we would always be there, right?» asked Basil.

Omori nodded. «Yes. You all always had the same roles. That was the only thing that never changed.»

«Well», continued Basil. «I just hope Pluto is okay. And Captain Spaceboy, too. They helped us so much.»

«I'm sure they're fine», said Kel. He squeezed the tube in his hand, now empty of its contents. «Don't ask me why but... I have a feeling that they're alright.»

When they all had finished eating and enjoyed a bit more of silence, Aubrey spoke.

«So, huh... where do we go now?»

«Any ideas?» Kel turned towards Omori.

«At the crossroads, there are two more roads we haven't taken», said Omori. «We can try one of those.»

«Ah, I see that you have managed to break one of the chains.»

A new voice made them jolt up, their eyes meeting a familiar black towering figure.

«You!» Aubrey growled and took her bat, stomping her way towards Daddy Longlegs. «You...! You know something about all this, don't you!? Why are we here?! And why did you have to hurt my friend?!»

«Aubrey...» Basil took her sleeve, but she sent him away.

«I want answers.»

Daddy Longlegs lowered his gaze, looking at her. «Child. It seems like you are misunderstanding the purpose of this place.»

«What?»

«This is not a place designed to hurt you. But I see that you have retrieved one of the lights. I am happy for your success.»

«Yeah, right», Aubrey scoffed.

Hero touched her shoulder, gently pushing her aside. «Daddy Longlegs, where do we have to go next?»

«I see you are still eager to continue your journey. That is good.»

«The faster we go, the quicker we'll be out from this», said Aubrey.

Daddy Longlegs raised his gaze and pointed towards the crossroads. «Beyond there... in the western road. There is a place known as the Foggy Forest.»

Omori and Sunny furrowed their brows. «Huh... don't you mean Pyrefly Forest?»

«My children», Daddy Longlegs looked at them and Sunny felt a shiver down his spine. «Places, like feelings, are prone to change.»

Omori exchanged a glance with Sunny. Sunny shrugged.

«Alright, thanks for the information», Aubrey took her bat. «Guys, let's go. C'mon.»

She didn't wait for the others to follow her, leaving them behind.

«Huh... thank you!» said Basil, before giving a light bow and following his friend.

Sunny gave one last glance to Daddy Longlegs, who didn't seem to mind to have been left alone so suddenly, before turning around.

From far away, he saw Aubrey sticking out her tongue at the shadow figure.

Chapter Text

Aubrey and Basil were waiting for them in front of the tree stump when the others caught up to them.

«Alright», said the girl. «Where is it that we go now?»

Omori pointed to the west. «That way. Although, before we go there...» he turned around towards Hero. «I've only known your sixteen years old self and I have to ask. How do you deal with spiders now?»

Hero stared at Omori for a couple of long, strenous seconds, before slowly turning towards Sunny. «Sunny...?»

The boy looked at the ground, fidgeting with his fingers. «I was afraid of spiders too, you know...»

Hero let out a pained sigh, rubbing his face. «Alright, c'mon. Tell me, what should I expect to find there?»

Omori stood silent for a few seconds, brows furrowed in deep focus. Then he started counting on his fingers. «Cobwebs blocking your path. Spiders blocking your path. Giant spiders. Small spiders. Spiders in vases. Cat spiders. Bunny spiders. Spider monsters. Generally... spiders.»

Hero stood still, his face expressionless. He turned towards Sunny once again. «Sunny. You know that I care about you but... what the hell?»

He scrambled to find a satisfactory answer. «I, huh... thought it added to the mystery...?»

In that moment, Basil took Hero's hand. «But Hero! You don't have to worry! Spiders are nice! They always help me out with gardening: as long as you don't hurt them, they'll mind their own business.»

Omori shivered. «Actually Basil, about that... I'd like for you to stay away from the spiders, too.»

«Huh? W-why?»

«Just... as a precaution.»

«But hey», Kel's voice lacked his usual enthusiasm, as if he was uncertain about his next words. «Didn't you say that this place had a different name before? Maybe the spiders aren't there anymore!»

Hero's face lighted up at those words, but it immediately darkened when Aubrey spoke.

«I kinda wish it is as the boys are saying», she was smirking. «Just to see your face.»

Hero smiled, but his eyes were throwing daggers. «Thank you, Aubrey.»

«Bro!» Kel smacked his brothers on his back. «Don't worry! I'll protect you from whatever pesky little critters we will find!»

«If we find any», said Sunny.

«I wouldn't really put my hopes up», said Omori. «Let's go. Let's see how different is this place...»

The Foggy Forest lived true to its name: light mist blanketed the entire place, disguising its colors and muffling reality. Trees emerged slowly as they kept walking, lonely trunks and branches stretched towards the gray sky, as if a veil was rolling over their bodies. The air was damp and smelled of pines, piercing Sunny's nose.

Amongst the grass, flickering in the fog, there were blue lights: bulbs of light pulsed like little lamps.

No sounds could be heard: no wind whistling in the trees, no footsteps of critters on the grass, no song of birds or far away howls. The forest stood still and silent, the rolling fog the only thing moving.

Desolation dug itself into Sunny's chest. Pyrefly Forest was a special place, where his most precious memories were buried. Deep underground, in a forgotten library.

But that place was so silent and eerie, Sunny wondered if it still held any connection to him at all. The forest was distant, judging them silently with invisible eyes.

Aubrey scratched her forehead. «Ugh. This fog is gonna be annoying, I know it.»

Omori took a few steps forward, looking around. «So far, I don't see many changes from the Pyrefly Forest we knew...»

Basil ran towards one of the glowing plants, touching its leaves with reverent carefulness. «Look at these plants! They're so pretty... maybe they can lead the way, what do you think?»

Sunny looked at the glowing bulb. Its soft blue light casted dark reflections onto the grass and on the fog, creating a small blue halo around it.

«In our Headspace there were rails to guide us», he said. «Maybe we can find them here too.»

Hero squinted his eyes at the fog. «I think we should try to find a way to keep track of our movements. At least until we find the rails... if they exist here.»

Kel looked at the sky. «The sky is no go for directions. The fog is too thick...»

«Ugh, I never thought I'd miss the purple sky», said Aubrey. «Maybe Basil's plan would work, the one involving using the plants to guide us. If only those bulbs weren't so big...»

Sunny eyed the bulb in front of him and Basil. It was as tall as him, definitely too big to be carried around like a lamp.

«Hey», he said, putting his hand in his pocket. «Maybe these will come in handy, for once.»

The white lightbulb casted a faint light, a small cloud of white fog circling it.

Basil and Kel took theirs out. «Right!»

Omori frowned, looking at the lightbulbs. «The light is too faint. I'm not sure it'd be much help.»

«Maybe we just need to suck it up and try our hands in entering the forest», said Aubrey.

«Ah, wait!» Basil's yell made them jump. The boy ran towards the edge of the path until his figure became blurry, but still visible. When he came back, he held a flower in his hands. It glowed a soft red, a little pulsating heart. «This could help us! I'll just scatter the petals as we go!»

Omori looked at the petals, before looking at the lightbulb. «Yeah. I think this will do the trick. Alright then, let's go.»

The eerie silence engulfed them. It muffled their ears and stuffed their throats, even their footsteps not making a sound.

The foresn't wasn't abandoned. Sunny could surmise as much, but it seemed... empty. Or it was supposed to be. A crawling feeling scratched its way on his back: he could sense them, thousands of eyes looking at them, judging them, letting poisonous words drip from their tongues, hidden in the fog.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

«Guys?»

Basil approached him. «What is it, Sunny?»

«Do you feel it too? A sensation like... we're being observed.»

«Thank God I'm not the only one!» Aubrey sighed in relief. «I thought I was going crazy. It's ever since we've entered this place that I've been feeling like that.»

Hero shivered. «Oh no, do you think it's...?»

«The spiders don't care about that, Hero!» said Basil. «But Sunny's right... I can feel... something watching us...»

Omori's brow furrowed, looking around. «We will have to be careful. C'mon, let's go.»

They kept walking, throwing glances at the trees.

Nothing but the fog met their eyes, no sounds or movements to be found. Basil walked close to Sunny, their arms touching, and he'd throw a petal behind them every few steps, leaving drops of soft red lights in their passage.

Kel groaned, rubbing his arms. «This is creepy.»

Omori winced. «You know, I don't remember this place being this... eerie. Except for the spiders.»

«This feeling of oppression... it wasn't there», said Sunny. «I remember that.»

Pyrefly Forest was a blanket. A soft blanket where his memories slept under the ground.

It was soft and cozy. A bit desolate, because sleeping is an activity you always do alone, no matter what, no matter who is next to you.

But Pyrefly Forest had always been the guardian of his memories. However, in that moment, Sunny really wished to forget this Foggy Forest.

«Now I understand why you two seemed so uncomfortable when Daddy Longlegs mentioned this place», said Aubrey. «I really don't blame you.»

«Oh, this wasn't the reason, actually», said Omori. «It was because of Sweetheart.»

«Ah, Captain Spaceboy's ex girlfriend?» Basil chuckled. Sunny glared at him.

«Wait, Sweetheart lived here?» Aubrey gestured all around her. «In this... dump?»

«She lived in a castle at the end of the forest», said Sunny.

«That reminds me...» a bittersweet smile appeared on Hero's face. «Mari loved the Sweetheart series, didn't she?»

Sunny nodded. «Yeah... I'm pretty sure we still have a few of her dolls, actually. I made sure to not throw them away.»

«We used to go watch the movies together. Before we even met you, Aubrey!» Hero looked at Sunny and Kel, a fond affection glistening in his eyes. «But I'm not sure that you two remember them.»

Kel shook his head. «I think I deleted them from my mind.»

Omori chuckled. «Material for a new Gate, I suppose.»

Aubrey scoffed. «Oh, c'mon. What do you all have against Sweetheart, anyway? I mean, yeah, the latest instalments were a bit weird, but if you consider the Sweetheart canon from five years ago, it wasn't that bad.»

Kel elbowed her. «Is that some fangirlism I smell, Aubrey?»

Basil chuckled and threw another petal behind him. «You know, back when were were kids she'd often come to my house to play with her dolls. One time she even asked me to make a garden for them! I think it was for a... marriage?»

Aubrey's cheeks flushed red, so deep and bright that not even the fog of the forest could hide them. «I was a kid! I played with dolls! What's wrong with that?!»

Sunny chuckled. He let a small smile appear on his face. Memories of old games illuminated his mind and gave him a pep in his steps.

«I don't understand what you see in her», said Omori. «Sweetheart is obnoxionous.»

«Oh, c'mon! She's a bit narcissistic, that's true, but she isn't that bad! I'm sure you don't know, but in more than one episode she helps people around.»

«Wasn't that by accident?» said Hero. «Like... to promote her image. Or something along those lines.»

«But even so! People received the help they needed! And by the end of the first series she discovers that she actually enjoys helping people!»

«Well», said Omori. «I'm still not looking forward to meeting her, if we actually do.»

In that moment, a flash of light hit Sunny's eye. He blinked a few times before focusing his gaze in the fog. The flash appeared again.

He pointed beyond him. «I think I see something there...»

They quickened their steps, until they stopped in front of a pair of metal bars running along the grass. Half-buried in the ground, they ran into the fog, disappearing beyond it.

Kel jumped. «We found the rails!»

Basil sighed in relief. «That's good. I was going to worry we wouldn't have enough petals...» he looked at the flower in his hand: only a handful of petals remained, pulsating softly in the fog. He turned around and his face went pale.

Sunny noticed it. «Basil?»

The boy didn't answer, looking at the grass behind them. Sunny followed his gaze.

All the petals had disappeared.

«It must have been the wind», said Omori, but his voice was quivering. «Nothing worry about.»

Nobody told him that there hadn't been a whiff of wind ever since they had entered the forest. The leaves of the forest never moved, as did the grass. They nodded.

A metal clink sound made them turn around. Kel was walking on the rail, balancing himself with his arms wide. «Guys! There's no need to worry! We have the rails now to guide us.»

«Right», Basil nodded. Aubrey pulled him into a small side hug and he smiled. Basil looked at the flower in his hand, before putting it in his hair. Sunny gave him a thumbs up.

But, when they started walking again, Hero froze. He stood behind them, eyes wide and arms stiff, as pale as a sheet.

Kel's arms fell to his sides. «Oh no.»

Omori followed his gaze and gasped at Hero. «Are you okay?»

«Those are his spiders senses.»

Omori furrowed his brow. «His what.»

Aubrey nodded. «Oh, right. I almost forgot about that. Hero can sense spiders and, well... you know how it is.»

The monochromatic boy looked at Hero, frozen in place, before turning towards Sunny. «He couldn't do that in Headspace. That'd have been useful.»

«It's both a blessing and a curse», muttered Sunny.

«Anyway», Omori took a few steps, looking around. «Where's the spider? I can't see anything with this fog...»

«Hero, don't worry!» Basil's cheerful voice broke the tension. «Spiders can't hurt you!»

Omori looked at him. «Well, these–»

Sunny elbowed him and shook his head. Omori rubbed his arm and nodded.

«Omori», Hero's voice was stern and firm. The boy looked at him, before gasping at the sight of the knife.

«Are... are you sure?»

Hero nodded. «Get those horrendous creatures... for me.»

Omori smirked and grabbed the weapon. «Of course!»

He looked at Sunny, looking for approval. Sunny knew that Hero's decision was dictated by fear alone, but it was true that something was stirring in that forest. The crawling feeling hadn't completely left him, burning its eyes at the back of his head. He nodded. He trusted Omori to keep them safe, if necessary.

Omori smiled and petted the blade.

They resumed their journey, their steps clicking onto the metal rails, Hero's nervous sighs accompanying them.

For a while, those were the only sounds they heard, among the silent invisible gazes that judged them from the trees.

«Wait», Basil raised his hand and everybody stopped. «I hear something.»

They tuned their ears to the fog, while Aubrey slowly slid the bat out of her bag, looking around. They stood still, on top of the tracks, the fog rolling around them.

A skittering of legs made Sunny jump.

«In the trees!»

To protect themselves and find comfort in one another, the group got closer to each other, Omori in front of them. The grass rustled. Sunny held his breath. Hero grabbed Kel's shoulders, closing his eyes shut.

Aubrey squealed.

«A bunny!»

«A bunny?» Hero took a peek from behind Kel's head.

A little bundle of white fur approached them with small steps with its round nose and big black eyes. Its ears twitched, whiskers moving while looking at the group with a curious look.

«Ow!» Aubrey clapped her hands. «Look at this little boy! He reminds me of Bun-Bun!»

«He came to say hello!» Basil waved at the little critter.

Sunny furrowed his brow.

His Headspace was full of bunnies of any kind, a memento of Aubrey. He always thought that she'd have liked it, if she'd ever come. A simple fantasy for sure, but something that always made him smile.

His eyes slowly set on her. However, in that moment she was really there. His wish had come true.

But all the bunnies had disappeared. Until that moment.

All that work for nothing. Leafie was absolutely right.

«Wait», Omori's voice cut the air. Aubrey didn't have time to open her mouth that the boy threw his knife at the animal, eliticing a gasp from the girl.

The blade hit the grass. The rabbit shrieked.

Eight long legs erupted from his body and it grew taller until he towered over them, screaming in panic, before skittering away in the forest.

The group exploded in yells and screams and they scrambled away from what they had seen. Omori didn't mutter a word as chaos ensued.

He walked over to the blade and pulled it out from the ground, before eyeing the forest again.

He then turned around and jogged towards the direction of his companions.

They stopped in a foggy glade not too far away. Tremors subdued them, the run had left them breathless as they struggled to calm down.

Omori emerged from the fog shortly after, wearing his usual deadpan expression. He furrowed his brow at Sunny.

«Why are you scared? You were the one who created that thing.»

«You did WHAT?!» Aubrey had a look of utter betrayal. «Sunny! How... how could you!? Make a cute thing as a bunny turn into... into that?!»

«I think I just lost ten years of my life» Hero sobbed, hugging his knees.

«I was scared of spiders too!» Sunny's eye was burning. He fell to the ground.

He cursed his relunctancy at doing any kind of physical activity. Mari's scoldings about that echoed in his mind.

She was right. How was I supposed to run away from spiders, otherwise?

In the waves of terror that still lingered in the air, Omori spoke. «Well, my proposal still stands, you know.»

Aubrey stomped her feet. «Oh hell no! Don't you even dare propose that again, pale boy.»

«We already talked about that, Omori», said Sunny, shaking his head.

«But, guys… wait», Hero’s face was drained of any kind of energy. «What if… what if we don’t cross this forest? I mean… do we really have to?»

«We have no choice...» Basil's voice betrayed his attempts to hide his fear. «Daddy Longlegs said the Gate is beyond the forest.»

Hero groaned, burying his face in his knees, and he stood still.

Kel, forehead still beaded with sweat, looked at his brother with a worried expression. Then he poked Aubrey, who was still catching her breath. «Hey, Aubs.»

«I told you to not call me that.»

«Yeah, yeah. Can you use your bat against those things, if needed?»

«You want me to smash bunnies?!»

«But they're monsters!»

«You're a monster!»

«Guys, please!» Hero cried out, his voice muffled by his knees.

Kel frowned. «Sorry.»

Aubrey sighed. «Yeah. I guess... we don't have much choice, do we?»

«Not necessarily!» said Basil. «That rabbit ran away. Maybe... they won't give us problems!»

«Seriously, Sunny», Aubrey glared at him and he shivered. «Otherworld was fun and all but this is a nightmare.»

«S-sorry», he said. «I... I mean... This was born from my fear of spiders, you know...» he took a deep breath. «But... we can't stay here forever, that’s the truth.»

«You're right, we can't.»

Omori helped Hero stand up, before brushing some grass off from his sleeves. «I'd give you a piggyback ride but I'm afraid you're too tall.»

Hero stifled a chuckle. «T-thanks for your concern...?»

Omori’s expression stiffened for a moment, deep in thought. Then he looked at Hero once again, before his gaze fell to each member of the group. «Proposal aside, I intend to stay true to my duty. You don’t need to worry. I’ll protect all of you.»

«Oh jeez you’re making me look bad here», Aubrey chuckled between her breaths. «I can give a hand too, you know.»

«And I’ll do what I can!» Kel gave a thumbs up. «I mean, I’m the official spider killer at home!»

Hero nodded. «Right.»

«Let’s… be careful», said Sunny. «I’m sorry it has come to this. I’ll do what I can, too.»

«I’m sure things will go smoothly from now on», Basil smiled.

But, at his words, Omori shivered. «Basil, you’ll stay next to Hero.»

«H-hey… I deal with spiders pretty often during gardening...»

«Yeah, but… please…. Can you do that, for me?»

Basil tilted his head, before looking at Sunny. But the boy gave no answer.

«Alright… I guess.»

They walked out from the foggy glade and into the forest again. The group stood close to one another and Sunny glanced at Aubrey, who was gripping her bat until her knuckles turned white, eyes set in the trees.

They found the rails once again, waiting for them on the grass, and went back on track.

Omori led the group, Sunny close to him. Kel was behind them, sometimes jumping over the metal bars, his shoes clinking onto the rails, before his steps would be muffled again by the grass. Hero walked right behind him, shoulders stiff and eyes wide, glancing at the forest and at the rolling fog. If there were any sounds to be heard, he'd have jumped at each of them, but there was only silence and it crept on his terrors.

Aubrey and Basil followed behind, the girl with the bat on her shoulder.

The eyes of the forest kept following them, judging each one of their steps, silently gazing at them. Sunny shook off the worries from his shoulders. The silence and the fog were starting to get on his nerves.

All the senses were muffled and it seemed like he was walking inside a bubble. He wished for it to burst and for reality to appear again for what it truly was, but it didn't happen.

He started pressing his feet a bit stronger on the grass, until his fingers grew warm, before continuining.

«Guys», Aubrey's voice broke the silence. «Please, let's talk a bit.»

«Huh?» Kel touched her shoulder. «Are you alright?»

She shook her head. «I feel weird. My mind is a whirlwind of thoughts and I can barely think straight. Is it happening to you all too?»

«I'm afraid it's not happening to me», said Basil. «But this fog is pretty annoying.»

«I wish to see clearly again», said Sunny. «I just want to peel it off...»

«Same», Omori cut the air with the knife, but the fog stood still.

Aubrey groaned. «This is so annoying. I can barely think. I start with one thing and then...» she sighed.

Kel tilted his head. «And then?»

Aubrey looked at him, wide eyed. She blinked a few times.

«I forgot.»

«Is it that bad, Aubs?»

«I told you–», but she just sighed. «Leave it. I’m not in the mood for this.»

Kel gasped. «Guys, this is really serious.»

«What if we stop here for a little while?» said Basil. «Maybe we need some rest.»

Sunny nodded. «I wouldn't mind that, either... My legs still hurt from running away earlier...»

«We can stop here», said Hero. «Right next to the rails. What do you think, Omori?»

The boy looked at the ground, before nodding. «Alright. Let's do that.»

One by one they sat down on the grass, Basil was the only one who didn't follow them. Instead, he clapped his hands. «Guys! We’re forgetting one thing!»

Hero looked at him. «Huh? What?»

«A bonfire!»

Omori furrowed his brow. «Why? Are you cold?»

«No, but... well, in all novels they always start a bonfire in the forest...»

Hero lighted up. «Basil! That’s a great idea! The fire could scare off the spiders!»

Omori stood still, before nodding. «You could be right. Yeah, that's a good idea.»

They decided to split up in order to gather the necessary materials. Basil opted to stay behind with Aubrey, making sure she never left his sight, worried about her sudden distracting condition.

Soon enough they returned and, after many attempts made by Kel, who swore he learned how to start a campfire during one of his summer camps, a small fire crackled into life. It sent yellow glows on their face and darkened their shadows.

Sunny snuggled up next to the bonfire, letting the warmth envelop him, sending the crawling sensation away. It slithered down from his skin and, for the first time in that forest, he relaxed.

Hero stretched his arms, smiling. «This feels kinda nice.»

«Yeah», Aubrey smiled, hugging her legs. «I'd never have guessed...»

«Too bad we have nothing to eat», said Kel. «Unless we want to eat spider meat.»

Hero jumped. «Kel! Please!»

«That wouldn't even taste good, in my opinion», said Omori.

Sunny looked at him: his paper white skin received new colors thanks to the fire. For a moment, he was afraid that Omori could burn to a crisp exactly like a sheet of paper.

Basil, on the other hand, was smiling from ear to ear. His eyes, wide with wonder and glee, reflected the yellow and red specks of the flames like little stars. «This is wonderful...»

They stood still, the crackling of the fire finally adding a bit of sound in the desolate forest and lifting the fog around them. Sunny closed his eyes, his chest warmth with nice feelings and his mind filled with cozy thoughts, and let himself be lulled to sleep from the warmth in front of him.

Omori's voice coaxed him out from the drowsiness. «Hey, Aubrey», the girl was looking at him, cyan eyes peeking from her knees. «If we will really meet Sweetheart, how are you expecting her to be?»

She chuckled. «Not as obnoxionous as you said, that's for sure. I imagine her to be a bit egocentric, but deep down she'd be kind. And her castle would be filled with cute things and...» she trailed off, before silence fell.

Kel let out a smile. «Let me guess. You forgot.»

Aubrey jumped, looking at ther friends, blushing. «Dang. I won't talk anymore», and she buried her face in her knees.

Basil pet her arm. «I'm sorry, Aubrey. I wonder why it affects only you, though.»

«This forest never had this kind of effect on people», said Omori. «I mean, the only thing was that Hero would be too afraid to fight properly, and that's it.»

Aubrey raised her head. «Did I smash bunnies, Omori?»

The boy stood still. He glanced at Sunny, as if asking for the right answer to give.

Sunny gave him none.

«Huh... yes?»

«You monsters», she hissed, before burying her face again.

«I'm glad to see that even in Headspace I was scared of spiders», said Hero.

«I guess you had to have a weakness...» Omori nodded. «Actually, Hero. Can I ask you something?»

«Huh? Sure.»

«What do you think of hamsters?»

The question clearly took him off guard, as his eyes went wide. «I... huh... I have nothing against them? I'm not scared of hamsters, if that's what you're asking.»

«I see», Omori nodded, as if that answer shed light to all the questions of the universe. «And... would you be friends with one?»

«I... huh...» Hero glanced at Sunny.

The boy shook his head. «I'm not going to explain that.»

«Answer the question, Hero», Aubrey's voice was quivering, a laughter threatening to burst at any moment.

The older boy sighed. «I guess... if the hamster didn't do anything bad–»

«She's a good hamster.»

«...then yeah. I see nothing wrong with it...? W-why are you asking me this, anyway? First the charm thing, now this...»

«You were very dependable in Headspace», said Omori. «But I think you're very dependable here too.»

Hero looked at Omori, a smile on his face. «Well, thanks.»

He eyed at Sunny, who hid his blush between his knees, before Hero turned towards Omori and ruffled his hair.

When Aubrey opened her eyes, she only saw black.

A void as black and deep as the ocean in the night envelopped her.

She groaned. «Ugh. Not again. Another one of those weird dreams...»

«Welcome, pink girl.»

Aubrey jumped at the sound of the voice. She turned around, meeting the white eyes of a creature. It looked like a boy, but he was completely black, save for his white eyes.

«Who... who are you? You look familiar...»

«I am nothing but a Stranger to you, pink girl.»

«Don't call me that ever again. My name's Aubrey. But...» she gasped. «You're the one who helped Sunny! And the one who Basil met!»

Stranger blinked. For a moment, his white eyes disappeared and his whole figure with him, hidden in the darkness, before reappearing. «Pink girl. I have come here to warn you.»

«A warning for me, too?»

«Beware of the fog. It hides your goal and your destination, making you forget what is really important. It will distract you from your objective if you are not careful.»

She groaned. «Ugh. That fog is pretty annoying, no joke. I see, though. Thanks, Stranger. You may be creepy but you're an okay guy in my book.»

Stranger didn't react to that. Instead, he blinked another time before talking again. «Your chain is the one closest to break, pink girl. You just have to acknowledge the cracks.»

«Okay, listen, Stranger. I'm... really not good with this kind of cryptic talk. I'd be glad if you spelled it out for me in a concise way. I really appreciate your help though, truly.»

«Heed my warning, pink girl. You'd do well to at least remember that.»

«That's doable, yeah. Beware of the fog.»

«And remember, pink girl. From darkness, you can create your own reality», Stranger took a few steps towards her. «You'd do very well to remember that.»

«That's... huh... another cryptic thing I'm not sure I understand but... I can remember that.»

Stranger didn't answer. He blinked another time.

Aubrey felt the threads of the dream fading away but, before that could happen, she gathered her focus one last time. «Stranger! Wait. This may sound strange but... I wanted to thank you. Sunny told us how you helped him so... thank you. I'm glad to have my old friends back, and I guess I also have to thank you for that.»

Stranger didn't answer. The black void started quivering, bubbles of white and gray appearing in the horizon. She had no idea what Stranger thought about her sudden emotional outburst, but she didn't mind, letting the dream fade away.

Chapter Text

When Sunny opened his eye, reality was a blur.

The smell of the remnants of the bonfire prickled at his nose, while the memories of the place they were in resurfaced like sun rays after the rain.

When the fog tickled his skin and sent a chill down his spine, he shivered and rubbed his arms, hissing his disapproval.

A chuckle came from above him. «Good morning, Sunny!»

Kel's bright smile appeared in his view. «C'mon, come stretch with us! It will help you feel warmer, you can bet on it!»

The grass muffled his steps as he jogged away and Sunny – his mind finally grasping the waking life – followed him with his gaze. He stopped in front of the trees not too far: in the fog, Sunny could make out some more blurry figures.

He rose with a groan, before walking over to them.

And, for a moment, he was tempted to pinch his cheek to make sure he wasn't still dreaming.

Of course, seeing Kel and Aubrey stretch wasn't anything unusual. While Sunny had been far away for one year already, seeing them active was a normal occurence, and seeing them stretching was the natural evolution of such course. Not too unlike from seeing Basil water and trim his plants every morning.

However, seeing Basil and Omori stretching was a new and weird sight.

«...Sunny!» Basil's smile didn't manage to cover his reddened cheeks and the sweat on his brow. Omori, on the other hand, acknowledged him with a simple nod, and Sunny realized that it was simply because he was too tired to use words.

He could relate. He'd also find himself unable to use words after P.E. lessons. Basil, sharing his low stamina, would often sit down with him, and they'd watch Kel run around without missing a beat. They often mused weird theories to explain how he managed to keep all that energy flowing.

«Sunny!» Hero greeted him with a smile. «Good morning!»

Sunny found comfort in his friend's face: terror from the creature they had encountered had disappeared, replaced by his usual jovial expression.

He joined them in their stretching session and, after feeling like his insides were on fire and after each muscle begged for him to stop, the chill air became warmer and the walk more bearable.

They left the remains of the bonfire behind them and followed the rails: two silver parallel lines in the blurry forest, half-eaten by the grass, running below the trees. The ground muffled their walk, the silence sometimes interrupted by Aubrey who'd walk a few steps on the metal before going back down.

Sunny looked up above: even the sky was invisible there, the gray clouds the only reality they were allowed to see.

At the back of the trees, ever moving and never changing, were the invisible eyes. Sunny could still feel them digging in his skin: those judgemental eyes, dripping venom, but never daring to take another step.

Fire erupted in his chest, the annoyance building up. Sunny wished he could scratch the blurriness away, to pierce those eyes to force them to stop looking, for everything to become clear again.

He stopped the thoughts with a sense of shame. Sunny took a deep breath and turned his gaze away.

But a gasp from behind made him turn around. «Aubrey?»

«Guys!» the girl had her eyes wide, hands on her cheeks. «I forgot a very important thing!»

«What happened?» asked Omori.

«I remember! I had a dream! And... ugh, this fog makes everything so blurry...» she rubbed her forehead. She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose, groaning.

«Okay, yes. I remember. I met that guy that you two», she motioned at Sunny and Basil, «talked about while on Mercury Retrograde.»

Sunny couldn't believe his ears. «Stranger?»

«What?!» Omori's eyes darted from Sunny to Aubrey. «You met Stranger too!?»

«Who's Stranger?» Hero furrowed his brow.

«A thorn on my side», hissed Omori.

Sunny glared at him, but he didn't budge. He took it to himself to explain. «Stranger was another resident of Headspace, Hero. But he was... peculiar. He'd try to help me remember the truth, instead of suppressing it. At the very end... he was the one who guided me to the hospital room where you all were.»

«Oh.»

Hero looked at Sunny. He couldn't decipher his expression, but it looked familiar in Sunny's mind. Was he surprised? Was he hurting?

Sunny couldn't face those eyes anymore and looked down. Was it the hospital reference that caused that expression?

Memories of his confession resurfaced.

In that blinding white hallway, Sunny could barely hear the sound of his footsteps, his head throbbing in pain and whole face burning. But Stranger... Stranger was so very clear. And Sunny, his mind clearer than it had ever been, had trusted him.

«So... it's also thanks to him that you're still here?» Hero's voice was low, as if those words could shatter a fragile reality.

Sunny nodded.

«I... see.»

«Hey», Kel's voice made them raise their eyes. «Is this Stranger guy... a black silhouette with white eyes? Kinda creepy and talks with cryptic words?»

«Don't tell me you met him too, Kel», Omori winced.

«Yeah!» Kel nodded and Omori smacked his forehead. «Back on Mercury Retrograde! He warned me about something I had forgotten...» he sighed. «I guess he was referring to that Gate stuff...»

«I've met him too, on Mercury Retrograde», said Basil. «He warned me about not losing something important...»

«So, wait», Hero looked at his friends before speaking. «...I'm the only one who still hasn't met him?»

They all nodded.

«I knew I could trust you, Hero», Omori smiled, patting his back. «Aubrey, what did that prick tell you?»

«Oh, right. He also came to me with a warning, about the fog of this forest.»

«Well, well, well!» Kel elbowed her. «Who's the one who should have told us stuff earlier this time, huh?»

«Hush! I told you! It's this fog! I can't think straight, all my thoughts are muffled and...» she scratched her head with more force than intended. «This is so annoying.»

«What did Stranger tell you about the fog?» asked Omori.

«Something about how it can be distracting... and that we should be careful.»

«As cryptic as always, that piece of–» Sunny slapped his arm before he could finish.

«The fog... distracting?» Basil looked down. «But we're following the rails. It'll be difficult to distract us from that.»

«Well it seems like it's distracting Aubrey alright», smirked Kel. Aubrey elbowed him again, making him wince.

«And don't let me use the bat next time.»

«Okay, listen», Omori sighed. «As much as I hate Stranger, his words of caution are usually... wise to follow. So let's be careful and keep our wits about us, alright?»

He didn't wait for the others to respond. Instead, he kept walking, mumbling. «If Stranger is oh soooo worried about Sunny and his friends then why doesn't he come here, seriously...»

They continued their journey.

The silence of the fog weighted down on them like a boulder. It grew thicker, muffling reality, hiding everything in its gray blanket.

Soon enough, the rails disappeared from their view and when Sunny blinked, he couldn't see his friends anymore.

Terror washed over him. «Guys?»

«We're here» Hero's voice made him sigh in relief.

After him, a chorus of "I'm here"s emerged from the fog, the voices of his friends the only things that made their presences known.

«Guys», Omori's voice was loud, as if they could forget him. «Let's take each other's hands.»

«What?!» Aubrey's shriek was clear.

«The risk of losing one another in this fog is too high! Please.»

«Omori is right», said Hero. «I just grabbed a hand. Who is this?»

«My bro!» a familiar chuckle erupted from the fog.

Sunny stretched his arm out in the nothingness. He grabbed a warm hand.

«Jackpot! I've got my two bros with me!» Kel chuckled, raising both of his hands.

Sunny's cheeks flushed red. Kel pulled down his arm with a vigorous move and it hurt Sunny's shoulder a bit.

Before he could calm down, a cold hand took Sunny's free one.

«Sunny, is this you?»

«Hi, Omori.»

He squeezed harder. «Do you mind?»

«...no?»

Everybody found their hand partners. After Kel, Hero had taken Basil's hand. The blond boy, on the other hand, had taken Aubrey's.

«Hey, Aubrey. Follow my lead, okay?»

«Woah, where's all this courage coming from, flower boy?» Aubrey chuckled.

Sunny stifled a laugh. He couldn't see, but he was sure that Basil must had been blushing deeply.

And, hand in hand, they started walking again. Sunny couldn't see anybody in front of him, the slight pulling from Omori and the warmth of Kel's hand the only signs of his friends' presences.

It was exhausting. The loneliness encroached him on all sides, as the eyes in the invisible trees became stronger. They gazed at him, wide eyed, judging him, pointing fingers, dripping venom.

Whispers caressed his ears. He shook his head, focusing on his friends' hands.

Hisses pierced his hearing. He closed his eyes, tightening the grip.

You never cared about her. Otherwise, you wouldn't have killed her.

He gasped. He wanted to run away. But the hands kept him still, the fog offering no way out. It imprisoned him, choking him and dragging him down.

«G-guys?»

«Sunny?» Kel's voice was full of worry. «What is it?»

«The eyes... do you still feel them?»

«I do», said Aubrey. «And they're becoming stronger.»

«I-It wasn't my imagination, then...» Basil's voice was cracking.

«Ugh! If only I could smash them...!» Aubrey roared. «Bastards...»

«Hey, calm down», Hero's voice was firm, but an unsettling tone permeated it, as if he had just been pulled out from an important moment. «Remember what Stranger said? We don't have to distract ourselves.»

«How can we do that?!» Basil yelled. «The eyes... they're talking. Aren't they?»

«That's enough!» Aubrey roared. «Bastards! It's not enough to torment me, now you torment my friends too!?»

«Hey!» Omori's voice brought everything to an halt. «Hero is right. We have to keep our wits to ourselves!»

«They're saying things I don't want to hear!» Basil's voice cracked, a few sobs emerging from the fog. «I... I...»

«They're lies, Basil!» Sunny gripped Omori's hand and gritted his teeth.

«Lies?» Hero seemed surprised.

«Of course they're lies!» Kel chuckled. «They're telling me I'm an annoying brat, and I'm quite sure you don't think that, right?»

Hero gasped. «Kel...?»

«Guys!» a tug made them all stumble forward, as Omori grunted. «C'mon! No more staying here!»

«Are you hearing things too, Omori?» asked Sunny.

«I've got more important things to do than listen to a bunch of invisible voices that have no idea what was happening! C'mon!»

«Wait!» Aubrey's shriek cut the fog. «The rails! Where... where are they?»

Gasps erupted from the fog. They tapped the floor with their feet, not daring to leave their hands' grips. But only the grass met their shoes.

A cold shiver ran down Sunny's spine.

«Oh no», Omori's voice was a whisper.

«How are we supposed to find them again now?!» Basil screamed.

«Everybody!» a sigh followed Hero's voice. «Calm down. We won't go anywhere if we panic.»

«Well», said Kel. «If we keep walking, we are bound to arrive somewhere, right?»

Aubrey sighed. «I can't believe that Kel said something wise for once.»

«It might not be the right destination», sighed Omori. «But anything would be better than this forest.»

«Let's go then», said Hero. «Let's keep walking.»

With heavy steps, they resumed their journey.

And they walked back into the fog.

They kept walking.

They kept walking.

...

...

When Omori's back appeared again in Sunny's view, he gasped, chest jumping in joy.

Excited noises came from his friends too, the fog finally lighter. It still hung on their bodies, but reality was once again visible.

«Finally!» Aubrey raised her arms. «I can THINK!»

«You can?»

«Why, can you?»

Kel chuckled.

«And the voices stopped», Basil's sigh of relief was contagious. «I'm really so glad.»

Sunny looked around him: they had arrived in a glade, dark grass covering their feet. Sunny took a moment to relish in the feeling of calmness: the voices had disappeared, so did the invisible eyes. The rolling fog kept moving, silently, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

Hero pointed at the center, squinting his eyes. «Hey, there's something over there.»

They walked over to where the older boy was pointing. Hidden in the grass laid a torch.

Basil clapped. «A flashlight!» he jumped on the spot. «This is exactly what we needed!»

Aubrey smirked. «Oh yeah! Now we're talking. Turn it on, Basil!»

The boy fumbled with his hands a bit before finding the button. But one click later, nothing happened.

«Don't tell me...»

Basil checked the item. A frown appeared on his face.

«The batteries... they're missing.»

«What?!» Aubrey shrieked. «You can't be serious!»

Kel looked at the ground, touching the grass with his foot. «Maybe they're around here? I think it can be worth a shot.»

«I doubt that», Omori shrugged. «But hey, it won't hurt to try.»

They split up, checking the entire glade. But when they met each other again in the center, their frowns told much more than words ever could.

«But I found this», Sunny showed a compass.

«Huh», Hero took it. «This could be... wait, no. It's broken.»

Omori got on the tips of his feet to look at Hero's hand. «It is?»

«Yeah, it points at a random direction...»

«So, we have a torch without batteries and a broken compass», Aubrey sighed. «Basically, we have trash.»

«The Recycultists would have loved this...» muttered Sunny. Omori furrowed his brow at him, but the boy didn't continue.

«Let's keep them», said Hero. «Who knows, maybe they'll come in handy later.»

«If we can find some batteries the torch can indeed be useful», said Aubrey. «But what about the broken compass?»

Hero shrugged. «Hey, you know what they say... even a broken clock can tell the right time twice a day?»

Basil took the compass and moved it around a bit. The needle would start spinning at every movement, before stopping in a different direction each time. «Well», he chuckled. «It will point north sooner or later, right?»

Aubrey groaned and rubbed her face.

«I think the only thing we can do is to go back into the forest and keep walking», said Omori.

Aubrey froze, her eyes wide. She shook her head. «Please, no. Anything but that. I can't think in there and those voices just keep dragging me down! It's a miracle I haven't snapped out of it yet.»

Sunny closed his eye and took a deep breath. Those voices were tearing the remnants of his mental sanity to shreds. He knew they were all lies. It was an accident.

He never meant to hurt her.

He truly never did.

But those voices sounded so convincing, so devious, so dangerous, that for a second he thought they were right.

He took another breath. That glade was a much needed respite from everything.

«We have no choice. We can't stay here forever.»

«Right», Hero's face was darkened by unknown thoughts.

«Those voices are just spouting out lies», said Omori. «Don't trust anything they say. Focus on the hands holding you. That's the only truth.»

Sunny eyed him. «You kinda sounded like Stranger there.»

«Ugh!» he winced. «That's the last thing I want! Please!»

Hero put his hand on his shoulder. «Stranger or not, you're right. C'mon guys, I'm sure we're almost out of here.»

When the fog became too thick, they once again took each other's hands and kept walking.

The silence rolled over their ears, solitude engulfing them.

Sunny, if it weren't for the warmth in his hands, could think he was perfectly alone. If he closed his eye and focused on his breathing, for a moment time would stand still and he'd be alone.

But he didn't like that, so he opened them again.

For a moment, Sunny even wondered if they were still walking on the grass.

The whispers and venom never stopped slithering in his mind, spewing hate and violence. Sunny gritted his teeth, stomping a little with each of his steps, hoping for the sound to scatter away the voices, but it never happened.

He focused on the sense of warmth of his friends' hands. Omori was in front of him, pulling them all with quick steps: he, too, wanted to get out from there as soon as possible.

Kel was walking behind him, squeezing his hand much harder than necessary. Sunny didn't mind: it gave him something to ground himself on.

He closed his eyes and focused on his hands. On his thumb pressing over their knuckles, the fingers intertwined together. He took a deep breath.

A voice arrived from behind him.

«Far far away...! In a planet deep in space...!»

Sunny's eye snapped open. Aubrey was quicker than him to question it. «Kel? What the hell are you doing?»

Hero chuckled. «Wasn't that... Captain Spaceboy's cartoon opening?»

Kel burst out laughing. «Yeah! Exactly! I thought that if I started singing the voices would calm down.»

«Kel you can't be serious», Aubrey's voice was a pained groan.

«I am serious! C'mon, guys! All together!»

Far far away...! In a planet deep in space...!

In a land full of treasures...! The Captain is ready for another adventure...!

Kel kept singing as the others walked. Sunny blinked a few times: the whispers and voices were weaker, like animals scratching a window without their claws.

He couldn't believe it. «It actually works.»

After a few moments, Hero's voice joined Kel's, but he soon bursted out laughing, interrupting the song and they had to start over. This time around, Basil joined too with his quivering voice.

In that moment, a whisper arrived in Sunny's ear. «Do I have to do it too?»

«Do you even know the words, Omori?»

«I don't. But to be honest this ruckus is enough to drown the voices for me.»

«Alright then, don't worry.»

The song ended, but Kel was quick to say: «C'mon! Once again! All together!»

And, this time, they all started singing.

Far far away...! In a planet deep in space...!

In a land full of treasures...! The Captain is ready for another adventure...!

...

...

Sunny had to stop singing earlier than all the others, his voice stretched thin, but the group continued. After Captain Spaceboy's opening, they turned to other shows' openings, and even had the delightful experience to listen to a solo performance by Aubrey who sung Sweetheart's cartoon song.

Their songs along with their laughter echoed throughough the forest, drowning the voices. Sometimes they'd start with a line, before having to stop because of their laughs: before long, they only managed to sing the first lines.

Sometimes Omori would sneak a few words here and there, but everytime he'd do that, Sunny would feel his grip tightening in embarassment.

In the end, Sunny hadn't even noticed that Omori had stopped walking and bumped into his back. All the others followed suit, their breath cut short.

«Hey!» yelled Aubrey. «What... gives...»

Her voice trailed off.

It took a moment for Sunny to realize.

He blinked a few times, trying to piece what was really happening, but, when he did, his heart skipped a beat.

The fog was lighter. It rolled over their bodies and slithered away like a sheet before dissipating from their view.

Finally, they could see again. And the voices were silent.

They let out excited cheers, Aubrey and Basil exchanging an high five. Omori left Sunny's hand, looking at the forest.

«I'm so glad that thick fog disappeared!» Basil jumped on the spot. «Now we can finally navigate this place!»

Kel looked around. «I can't see the rails anywhere.»

«But we must be pretty deep in the forest», said Hero. «I think we'll be out of here soon.»

«I sure hope so», said Aubrey. «I can think again, but I would be lying if I said that I wanted to stay here a second longer than necessary.»

«I feel something», said Omori, his words sharp as a knife.

The group looked at him.

«What do you mean?» asked Sunny.

«There's something in this forest... It's near.»

Fear gripped their minds and they all took each other's hands once again for comfort.

Omori turned around. «Don't worry. I'll protect you. Stay close to me.»

They nodded, before resuming their walk.

The trees, without the disguise of the fog, now showed their true colors: the trunks were pale and yellowish, bark rotting in places. The leaves barely held themselves onto the branches, fragile patches of brown and yellow.

Sunny looked down: the grass wasn't the mint-colored one he was used to see, instead it was pale and white, crunching slightly under his weight. The glowing blue flowers were nowhere to be seen.

The forest creaked and wailed under the sickness it was hit with.

They kept walking, hand in hand, ears tensed into each peculiar sound. But, apart from their footsteps, the forest was silent.

In the end, Omori stopped and they followed suit.

Sunny's eye widened and he gasped.

Sunken in the grass there was a creature. It laid down on one side, motionless, in a puddle of dark red liquid.

Omori turned towards Sunny, his eyes full of sadness.

It looked like a centipede, but his body was made of numerous small creature, their colors pale and their eyes closed: on their heads sprouted a single dead leaf.

«For everything that is holy what is that?!» Hero shrieked, pointing at it.

«This is King Crawler», said Omori. He took a few steps forward, a forlorn expression on his face. «What... what happened to it?»

«It was an enemy back in Headspace», Sunny quickly added. «The boss of this forest. But...»

Aubrey squinted her eyes at the creature. «Looks like somebody got him before us.»

«This is... sad», said Basil.

«W-wait», Hero shivered. «Who... who killed this thing in the first place...?»

Omori shook his head. «I have no idea.»

He was looking at the creature with distant eyes. Sunny recognized that look.

It was the same look he sported when he looked at the new city, after he moved in. The moment of loss, when the realization of change opened in the mind.

King Crawler had been a terrifying foe. A difficult enemy that made the arrival to the safety of the village beyond only the more sweeter.

But there it laid still, in a puddle of its own blood, while the silent rolling fog caressed him, attempting to hide its existence.

The sight filled Sunny with melancholy. He couldn't explain why, but he felt sorry for his own creation.

Omori took a few steps, his eyes set on the monster's head.

And gave it a light kick.

A shiver and a groan made the group stumble back.

One of its legs moved and Omori jumped back with a scream. Four red eyes snapped open, looking at them.

«Omori! What did you do?!» yelled Hero.

«I-I thought it was dead!»

«Well, you were wrong!» growled Aubrey.

With a few, heavy movements, King Crawler rose back to its feet. Some of the creatures of its body were bleeding, leaving scarlet trails on the grass. The creature looked at the group in front of it, pinching its mandibles in audible clicks, their minute reflections curled inside its red eyes.

It took a step forward. A shriek of pain erupted from its mouth and it turned around, skittering away in the forest with uncertain steps and hitting a few trees.

«It's running away!» said Basil.

Omori gasped and started running. «Guys! Quick! Let's follow it!»

«What?!»

A flash of realization hit Sunny's mind and he nodded, following Omori. «We have to go!»

«Sunny!» Basil yelled. Sunny stopped, looking at his friends.

«We know where it's headed! It'll lead us out of this forest!»

The group looked at him, wide eyed. They exchanged a few uncertain glances with one another.

«If that's the case...» Aubrey started running. «Let's go! What are you all waiting for!?»

They followed the pained creature into the forest. The white grass showed the bloody trail it left behind, cracks in the trees held the signs of its stumbling onto them. Shrieks and wails full of pain echoed among the trees as King Crawler continued to crawl away.

The group kept running, not losing sight of the red trail, until they reached a glade.

They stopped, panting. It was filled with dead trees, the white grass smirched by blood. King Crawler led a few steps into the glade, each leg stomping the ground in a desperate attempt to stay upright.

Slowly, it stopped. It looked around, eyes frenzied with a will to live and to survive, but to no avail.

The last ounce of strength left its body. With one last breath, he fell to the grassy floor with a loud thud and stood still.

The group approached it with wary steps.

«It's... dead?» asked Basil.

Omori knelt down in front of it. He nodded. «I think it is. For real, this time.»

Hero looked around. «Where are we...? Why was it so desperate to reach this place?»

Sunny's gaze was fixated on the dead creature in front of them. «It was probably scared of us. King Crawler recovers health by eating Sprout Moles...»

He took a few steps towards the edge of the gate, beyond the body of the creature. A hole in the ground appeared in front of him, a purple ladder going underground. «And this is their village.»

«There's a village down here?» Kel's head peeked from behind Sunny.

«Yeah. Sprout Mole village.»

«What are these... Sprout Moles...?» asked Basil.

«Little dumb creatures», said Omori. Then he pointed at King Crawler. «Its body is made of them, actually.»

«Ew», Aubrey winced. «Gross.»

Omori looked at the hole in the ground. «But hey, we finally reached the end of the forest.»

«Right!» Basil smiled. «The Gate should be nearby then!»

«Hopefully we won't need to go to another planet this time around», said Aubrey.

«Let's go check the village», said Omori. «We can gather info there... most probably.»

Chapter Text

Sunny scrunched his face when they set foot in the village. The smell of dirty laundry mixed with the smell of dirt coated his nose, damp and grainy. He sniffed a few times before it stopped bothering him.

His friends were equally in pain: he was fairly sure Aubrey's eyes were tearing up.

The only one who seemed unfazed was Omori: he looked straight ahead without a twitch on his face. For a brief moment, Sunny wanted to apologize to him for making him go through such an horrendous place.

But, despite all that, he was finally glad that reality was clear once again.

The Sprout Mole Village sprawled in underground tunnels beneath the Foggy Forest, the darkness cut by lamps attached to the walls and candles scattered here and there, their flames flickering.

A constant noise filled the hallways, bits of conversations and footsteps echoing throughout the place, bringing it to life. It was so different from the abandoned locations they had visited beforehand: Sunny was glad they had found a brief respite from the encroaching loneliness.

Next to him, Basil was looking around with bright eyes. His nose didn't seem too fazed by the coating smell.

«Look at this place, guys! An underground village! This is magical!»

«This smell isn't magical at all», Aubrey rubbed her nose and sniffed. She then motioned at one of the inhabitants of the village. «I guess those are the Sprout Moles you were talking about.»

Omori nodded. «You don't have to worry. They're friendly, as long as you don't offend tofu and they don't get lost.»

Hero furrowed his brow. «Those are both equally ominous sentences.»

«What about tofu anyway...?» Kel winced. «Seriously, tofu?»

Omori slapped him on the arm. «What did I tell you!?» he then looked around, eyes wide, while Kel was rubbing his arm. He hissed. «We were lucky this time.»

«Okay, so...» Aubrey winced. «Ugh. This place smells kinda like Basil's garden, now that I think about it. Minus the flowers...»

Basil clapped his hands. «That's why it felt so familiar!»

«Basil's garden smells of dirty laundry...?» Omori tilted his head, a confused expression on his face.

«It doesn't!» the boy answered. «But yes... the earthy smell is there.»

They left the entrance tunnel, reaching a forked path: the hallway was filled with bushes with dark green leaves and purple flowers, giving a bit of color to the underground. The pungent smell of the plant mixed together with the others made Sunny wince again.

Omori looked at him. «Yeah. It was I who put the plants. It... it was supposed to help with the smell.»

«There was an attempt...»

In that moment, he realized that the Sprout Moles, despite their many qualities, didn't have a nose. His mouth went agape, everything made sense.

The sense of safety of the village tucked them in a sense of relax and, for a moment, they simply stood there, gathering their wits after the journey in the forest. A few Sprout Moles passed through, glancing at them with curious eyes, before strolling away.

It was lively. Sunny found the constant background noise relaxing to hear. The kind of sound that reminded him that yes, he was indeed alive, a part of the world, along with anybody else.

He looked at Omori: did he feel the same too?

The monochromatic boy was standing still in front of an empty spot in the hallway. Sunny's eye widened when he realized where it was. If Omori had still been travelling in Headspace with his dream friends, Mari would have been waiting for him with her picnic basket and healthy food right in that spot.

Sunny stopped next to him, staring at the ground together. Omori didn't flinch.

He just sighed. «You know, Sunny... I think that she would have liked this place.»

Sunny jumped. «W-what do you mean...?»

«The Mari who lived here was only a figment of your imagination, of course. But, I think... that if she had been real, she would have enjoyed this place. All this world you have constructed.»

All his thoughts came to an halt. He stared at the spot where his memories of Mari would wait for her group of friends to arrive, share a few words with them, before telling them to be careful on their adventures.

For a moment, he wanted to cry. That place felt so empty, now.

A hand on his shoulder made him turn around: Basil offered him a drained smile, trying to lift him up.

«I think Omori is right», Hero's voice was a whisper. «She... would have loved travelling here.»

Kel nodded. «Yeah! I bet she'd have loved to meet Captain Spaceboy!»

Aubrey chuckled and rubbed her eyes. «Yeah, I agree. And I bet it'd have been a blast seeing her give Daddy Longlegs a piece of her mind for being so cryptic!»

They bursted out laughing, tears in their eyes. The image of Mari reprimanding the shadow figure made Sunny smile, like when she'd scold him for breaking a plate, before she'd sigh and ruffle his hair.

His laughs turned into sobs. He tried to stop the tears, rubbing his eyes, to no avail.

Something pressed against his chest. Amongst the tears, he saw Omori hugging him. All the others soon followed, Aubrey softly weeping in his shoulder.

They sat down in the place that once belonged to Mari, and watched as the village spent their lives in front of them. They were huddled together, in silence, the flames flickering above their heads.

Sunny felt light. He turned to look at his friends and let a smile appear on his face.

«How are you feeling now?» asked Omori.

«I'm better. Thank you.»

Kel pulled him into a side hug.

«So» Hero stretched his arms. «What do we do now? Any ideas, Omori?»

The boy looked at one Sprout Mole as it passed by, before answering. «Back at the Cattail Fields, the barn was the most suspicious place and it turned out to be the wrong one. So... the place I'd describe as the most suspicious one here will also probably be the wrong choice.»

«What if we ask around?» said Sunny. «Maybe somebody will know something about the Gate.»

Omori turned to him, his usual deadpan expression on his face. «Sunny. You were the one who created these things. You know they're not that bright.»

«Hey, I think they can be smart.»

Omori shrugged.

Kel left Sunny's shoulder, before putting his hand above his eyes. «There's one!» he stopped one who was walking in front of them. «Excuse me, sir!»

«Huh?» the creature turned around and gave a quick glance at them. «Can I help you?»

«Yes! You see, we're travellers and we're looking for the Gates! Do you know anything about them?»

The Sprout Mole furrowed his brow. «Gates? I only know the gates of Sweetheart's Castle.»

«Huh... no, it's not that kind of Gate...»

«Oh! But if you're looking for gates, maybe an outdoor furniture sale could help? I've heard some really good stuff is being sold right now.»

Omori facepalmed and hissed at Sunny. «What the hell did I tell you?!»

Aubrey stood up. «Excuse me... did you say "Sweetheart"?»

At those words, the Sprout Mole's face lighted up. «Oh yes! Lovely, lovely Sweetheart! Indeed, she has many gates! One of them is in this village, too!»

A smile blossomed on Aubrey's face and she turned around, eyes glittering with glee. «Guys! What if Sweetheart knows something about the Gate?»

Basil nodded. «It's worth a try! Maybe her ex-boyfriend told her something!»

Sunny glared at him. He just chuckled.

«Where can we find Sweetheart?» asked Kel.

The Sprout Mole pointed beyond the corridor they were in. «The gate to her Castle is right at the end of this hallway. You can't miss it! Although I'm really sorry that you cannot attend one of her plays...»

«Don't worry», said Omori. «We really aren't interested in those kind of shows.»

The creature gasped. «But they were marvelous! Such poetry, such majesty...! I used to watch her plays all the time in her theatre, back when she still acted in the village. But now... her Castle even has a theatre all of its own, but she has never used it!»

Omori furrowed his brow. «Wait, what?» he looked at Sunny, but he couldn't give him any answers, and just shrugged.

The Sprout Mole sighed. «Such a pity... but there's nothing we can do about it. Will you go visit Sweetheart?»

Kel looked at his friends, but Aubrey took the wheel. «We will! Yes!»

«Send her my regards then, will you? Thanks!»

They watched the Sprout Mole walk away and, once it was out of sight, Sunny poked Omori on his shoulder. «Sweetheart never wrote plays back in our Headspace, Omori.»

The boy lowered his gaze, arms crossed. «Yeah. I wasn't expecting that.»

«See!?» Aubrey raised her arms. «I told you! You totally had the wrong idea about Sweetheart!»

Omori squinted her eyes at her. «Yeah. Right. Well, better be safe than sorry: if we are going to meet her, we should prepare ourselves.»

Sunny nodded. For once, he wholeheartedly agreed with Omori. Sweetheart was an obnoxionous person back in Headspace and for everything that was worth, he'd have loved not meeting her at all.

Aubrey groaned. «But I've told you! She isn't bad!»

«Bad or not, I bet she wouldn't like intruders in her place», said Omori. «In our Headspace her Castle was crawling with Sprout Mole guards. I don't want any of you to run into any risks.»

Kel furrowed his brow, looking at a Sprout Mole. «Those things?»

«Those things.»

«They aren't attacking us right now, aren't we intruders?»

«We aren't in the Castle. This is their village and dormitory for the guards.»

«I... see.»

«In our last trip here», continued Omori, «Our Hero had the idea to deceive their guards by wearing the skins of dead Sprout Moles.»

Hero jumped. «Sorry, I did what?»

Aubrey bursted out laughing. «Wow, Hero! How charming!»

«I don't want to kill any Sprout Moles», whined Basil. «They're cute.»

«We won't kill any Sprout Mole!» yelled Hero as Aubrey just kept laughing. «Seriously, we're civil people. Not barbarians.»

«But fighting is fun, Hero», said Kel. Omori nodded, giving him a thumbs up.

Hero rubbed his forehead and sighed. «Okay, seriously. If they're not fond of intruders we should just find a way to make us... not intruders. What if we enlist for the guard job?»

«Ugh, what's with you and jobs?» said Aubrey. «We already worked on the spaceship.»

«Omori and I worked on the spaceship», Hero glared at her. «You all were just... lazing around.»

A chorus of gasps emerged.

«I was taking a break», said Sunny.

«I was checking for damage!» echoed Basil.

«And I was patrolling», Aubrey smirked. «Checkmate, Hero.»

Hero pinched the bridge of his nose.

«But, seriously» Kel's voice made them turn towards him. «Why do we have to work? Can't we just get their favors since we killed that King Crawling thing outside?»

«King Crawler», corrected Omori. «Also, while the Sprout Moles might be grateful for that, Sweetheart wouldn't really care.»

Aubrey shrugged. «I dunno about that. I'd be pretty pleased if a bunch of people killed the ugly centipede infesting the forest next to my house...»

«And we didn't kill it», said Hero. «It was already on the brink of death when we found it.»

«We just exhausted it...» said Basil.

«Nobody has to know that», Kel winked.

«Why don't we just fake being guards?» said Sunny. «It wouldn't be the first time Omori fakes being a Sprout Mole...»

Omori nodded. «Hm, yeah. Let's steal a couple of uniforms and sneak in. They won't notice.»

«I don't think their uniforms will fit us», said Aubrey.

«Just the helmet will be enough.»

«You said the guards live here, right?» asked Basil. «So there should be an armory or something like that around here.»

Aubrey lightly punched her friend's shoulder. «Look at you! Your fantasy nerdiness is finally coming in handy, Basil!»

The boy let out a chuckle, scratching his head.

«Where would the armory be, though?» asked Hero. «Should we just... follow a guard until we find it?»

«I remember there being rooms in the floor right below this one» said Sunny. «We could start checking there.»

For Sunny, moving around the tunnels was easy enough. Every time Hero and Kel grunted because they hit their head on the ceiling just reinforced his gratitude for his short stature.

«The banes of being tall...!» cried Kel.

«But you give good piggyback rides for that reason», said Sunny.

Kel lighted up at those words, making a small yelp of happiness.

They descended another ladder, until they reached a new corridor. A group of Sprout Moles sitting at desks were on one side, listening to an elder Sprout Mole talking in front of a blackboard, pointing with his leaf on his head.

«Wow, they even have a school down here», said Aubrey.

«I wonder what they're learning...» Basil took a few steps, squinting his eyes to look beyond the desks. He frowned. «They're studying gibberish...»

«What were you expecting to find?» asked Omori.

«I was hoping to discover how they build all these things when they don't have arms...»

«By using their mouth...?» said Kel.

«Or their feet», said Aubrey.

«There's one student doodling on his notebook with his mouth, look», Sunny pointed at one of the Sprout Moles. «I guess that answers your question, Basil.»

«That sounds disgusting.»

«C'mon», said Omori. «The rooms Sunny was talking about are this way.»

The four doors were not too far away. Encased in the wall, they were made of simple wood. One of them had the shape of a Sprout Mole.

Aubrey knelt down. «These are too small for us. Basil, Sunny, Omori. You're in.»

«Should I be offended...?» Sunny furrowed his brow. «These doors are too small for us too.»

«Yeah», nodded Kel. «With that attitude.»

«What do you propose...?»

«Which one of these is the armory...?» Basil frowned. «There aren't even any guards... maybe it's not here at all.»

Omori knelt down and spied inside the first door through the keyhole. «Hm... nothing here. I just see a bed...»

He stood up and went to check the second door, while Sunny helped him by checking the third door. Kel was standing near the fourth door, the one shaped like a Sprout Mole, and knelt down. He put his eye on the keyhole, when a thud erupted in front of him.

The door had fallen down.

«Kel...!» Hero gasped, hands in his hair. «What did you do?!»

He looked around, eyes frenzied, but nobody was in sight, except for the classroom in the far back, who didn't seem to notice the noise.

Kel jumped up, hands raised in innocence: «I-I did nothing! The door fell when I was looking through the keyhole...!»

Aubrey gave Kel a thumbs up, pulling him closer. «I'm so proud of you, honorary Hooligan Kel!»

«I didn't want to break the door!»

«Yeah, sure, keep telling yourself that. I saw how you were eyeing that thing.»

«I think I know what I want, Aubrey!»

She frowned. «Yeah. Sure. Keep telling yourself that.»

«Hey» Omori peeked his head inside the room. «This is the armory! Good job, Kel!»

«Really?! Wohoo!»

«I think that if we all crawl we can fit in, actually», said Omori, his head already inside the room. «Let's go!»

The room beyond the broken door was small and with a circular shape, the flames of the torches glistened on the blades and weapons attached to the walls: axes and swords, along with some bows. Small, round suits of armor were neatly placed in piles on the ground, next to a couple of wardrobes.

A half-used roll of tape was on top of a table next to the entrance.

Hero sighed. «I guess I'll have to add "breach into private property" in my list of unlawful actions done in dreams. Right next to "theft of a spaceship".»

Kel nodded. «That was fun!»

Sunny inspected one of the armors. «But if this is an armory, as Basil said, this wouldn't be a private property, would it?»

«You all are just thinking too much!» groaned Aubrey. «Be more like Basil!»

The boy was rummaging in the wardrobes, throwing away all the uninteresting stuff he found: a frilly pink dress, a stash of papers with words Sunny couldn't read, a Sweetheart mask, a broken record.

Aubrey rubbed off a non-existing tear from her eye. «My little delinquent in the making.»

«What have you been doing to him while I was away?» asked Hero.

The girl shrugged. «Nothing much, really. Sometimes I invite him to hang with the Hooligans.»

«Yeah!» Kel nodded. «Sometimes I go with them too. Basil is opening up a lot more, Hero!»

Hero nodded. «That explains so much.»

«I actually think he's always been like this», said Sunny. «He just... never had the chance to.»

«Less talking, more looking», said Omori. «Sprout Moles may be easily deceived but they will notice a broken door.»

Following Omori's advice, they only looked for sizeable helmets. After trying a couple of them out, they found ones they were satisfied with and that didn't smell too much.

Aubrey eyed one of the swords on the wall and took one. She spun it around a bit, before saying: «Do you think these things can really cut?»

«Hey...» Hero turned around. His face went pale when Aubrey cut one of the candles on the wall.

«Holy shit, it can.»

Basil hurried to the candle and stepped on the flame, putting it out. «Aubrey! Be careful!»

Hero gasped. «Guys, do we really have to keep weapons...?»

«Not really» said Omori. «Only the helmet is more than enough.»

Aubrey pouted. «I wanna keep the sword.»

«Aubrey, no.»

She rolled her eyes at Hero and tossed the weapon aside. She then took out her bat and pet it. «I guess it's still the two of us, darling...»

After checking that nobody was in the hallway, they stepped out from the armory and returned to the entrance. They walked slowly, their helmets falling over their eyes every couple of steps, forcing them to fix it back in place. Aubrey cursed a few times before they finally arrived next to the hallway that would bring them to the Sweetheart's Castle entrance.

They hid behind the wall, their heads peeking out. The entrace of Sweetheart's Castle was simple enough: a big door, made of sturdy wood, was encased in the wall right in the middle of two pink pillars. Vases with colorful plants adorned the hallway and tried to mask the smell.

Two Sprout Moles in armor were standing in front of the door with stern eyes.

«So...» Omori took a last peek at the door before he followed the others back into hiding behind the wall. «Let's repeat our plan: we go there and ask to start our guarding shift.»

Everybody nodded.

«Hero», the monochromatic boy looked at him. «We'll be counting on you. Use your charm.»

«You... really ought to explain what this charm thing is, by the way.»

«Not right now!» Omori motioned with his hand. «C'mon, let's go!»

Omori straightened his back and puffed his chest, before walking out from their hiding place. The others exchanged worried glances to one another, before imitating him.

They walked in front of the guards and saluted. The guards didn't raise their arms considering the lack of them, but instead tapped their foot on the ground.

Hero cleared his throat. «Good afternoon, fellow guards.»

«Hey», greeted the one on the left. «Have to go into the Castle?»

«Yes, sir. We have to... huh... keep patrolling, sir.»

«Of course, of course. Especially after those monsters started appearing in the outskirts...»

The group gasped, looking at one another. Hero kept his cool. «Y-yes, exactly.»

«A worrying event, indeed», the guard nodded, looking at the wall. «Sure, anyway. Go right ahead, fellow guards. Be careful and bring our regards to Sweetheart, if you meet her.»

«Yes, sir!»

The guard on the right walked towards a lever and pulled it with a headbutt. With a low, strained noise, the door opened.

The group looked at one another and, encouraging themselves with a nod, stepped in.

Chapter Text

A blanket of shadows fell over them once they crossed the gate.

Sunny was ready. He was ready for the blinding lights that would have forced him to squint his eye and for the pungent perfumes he’d have to resist sneezing at.

So, when the gates closed behind them with a loud thud, Sunny wasn’t sure on how to feel.

Nothing came to bombard his senses. Only a blanket of shadows.

The room they had found themselves in was big, Sunny could surmise as much, but the lack of light didn’t allow him to properly size it up. Countless rows of chairs sat orderly at their sides, decorated with red cushions waiting for their patrons. In the dark, a red carpet ran along the middle row, before disappearing into the darkness.

«This place…» Omori looked around, his steps echoing in the empty room. «It looks the same as I remember. But… it feels different. Let’s see if it’s really the same, though…»

Sunny watched him walk away, towards one of the walls. He looked back at the darkness, trying to pierce it and look for the heavy red curtains at the end of it, but nothing greeted his sight.

The things he could see were the same as the stage he had envisioned for Sweetheart, but it felt different. What was supposed to be a place of luxury and extravagance had become a husk of its former self: loneliness hung on the walls and the silence was heavy, making it seem like the room was bigger than it already was.

Basil removed his helmet, his blond hair a little patch of light. «This place looks abandoned.»

«The Sprout Mole we talked to said something about a theatre that Sweetheart never used», said Kel. «I guess they were referring to this one. It's really a pity: it's so big...»

Hero let one finger run across a chair. «There isn’t a speck of dust in here. Somebody must take a really good care of this place.»

«Hey!» Omori’s voice rung from the darkness. «Does anybody have a light?»

«Huh», Hero took out his black lightbulb, but its dark light did nothing against. «We have that torch, but it didn't have any batteries.»

Sunny took out his lightbulb, its faint white light was weak. «Would this do?» he raised it to let Omori see it.

«Maybe. Bring it over. I'm trying to look for something but I can't see a thing.»

He started walking towards him, when another set of steps followed him. «Wait», Basil was behind him. He took the flower he had picked in Pyrefly Forest from his hair. It had been mushed a little under the helmet, but a faint light still pulsated from its few remaining petals. He walked over to Omori, the faint red light giving patches of colors onto the boy’s paper white skin. «Will this do?»

Omori furrowed his brow and took the flower. He waved it around a bit, before nodding. «There it is! Thanks, Basil.»

The others approached him. Bathed in faint light, Omori was pointing to a wooden trap door on the ground. «This will lead us inside the castle. Let’s go!»

«Wait», Sunny looked past his friends. «Aubrey?»

The girl was standing in the middle row, still as a statue. Her vibrant pink hair peeked out from her helmet and pierced the darkness. She had her head up, looking at the ceiling.

«Aubrey?» Kel called her again, a bit higher. At her lack of response, he took another chance. «Aubs?»

He frowned. «Guys, she’s not getting angry. This is serious.»

Sunny walked over to her, followed by the others. He tapped her shoulder. «Aubrey? Is everything alright?»

She jumped at his touch. Wide-eyed, she turned around to look at her friends. «I… huh…» she tried scratching her head, but the helmet was in the way. «Sorry. I completely zoned out there.»

«Are you okay?» asked Basil.

«Mh. Yeah. I guess.»

Kel put his hand above his eyes and looked at the ceiling. «Did you find something over there?»

«No, I didn’t. It’s just… ugh. Forget it. Where do we go now?»

«Aubrey», Hero’s voice was soft, but unwavering. The same kind of tone he’d muster when they were kids and it was time to stop bickering. «Weren’t you the one preaching about being honest with our feelings? Why don’t you tell us what’s wrong?»

Aubrey sighed. Her eyes darted from the floor to the ceiling, before falling to one of the red pillows. «It’s just… this place. It’s looks very sad… maybe nostalgic? It’s not abandoned, it looks more like… it has been preserved. Whoever owns it must care a lot about it.»

«Yeah», Sunny nodded. «It’s the same feeling I got.»

The same feeling that prodded him to give a reserved spot to the restored photo album in his new home. The same feeling that urged him to take good care of Mari’s picnic basket. It sat next to the table dedicated to her, in the living room.

Omori shrugged. «According to the Sprout Mole we talked to, Sweetheart used to work in a theatre. I guess that’s that. A reminder of her old days?»

«No…» Aubrey frowned. «I have the feeling it’s more than that. It’s like she was desperately trying to save it…» she looked at Basil. «To… preserve it.»

A small speck of memory, a little window to a past long gone. Sunny briefly wondered what did Sweetheart see in that theatre swallowed by darkness and silence.

Aubrey groaned and rubbed her face. «Can I ask you another thing? It has been bugging my mind for a little while now. It’s about that King Crawler monster we met.»

«What about him?» asked Omori.

«Did you feel anything when you saw him?»

Omori didn’t hesitate. «Sadness. Don’t get me wrong, King Crawler was a fearsome foe and I saw him dead many times during my adventures here in Headspace. But… seeing him like that… it was like… a part of something I’ve known so well had died with him.»

Aubrey pressed her lips together, deep in thought.

«I was sad too», said Sunny. «I felt sorry for my own creation.»

«You’re making me feel bad», said Hero, letting out a sheepish chuckle. «That thing was so terrifying… I was glad it was dead…»

Aubrey sighed. «Ugh. That’s not it at all. I felt dread.»

«What?» Kel gasped. «Were you so scared of that thing, Aubrey?»

«N-no! You’ve got it wrong! But… I don’t know. I mean, I didn’t really have much time to think about it since we couldn’t waste any time chasing it but… I felt scared. For myself and for my friends. It was as if it was trying to tell me something…?»

Kel chuckled. «Are you sure it wasn’t the voices of the forest?»

She groaned. «I dunno. Maybe you’re right and I’m overthinking it.»

«I think what we all need is some good rest», said Hero, sighing. «But we can’t afford that right now, can we?»

«Maybe we can sneak into the guards’ rooms and take a short nap in there!» said Kel.

«We should first of all reach the castle», said Omori. «Can you resist until then?»

Aubrey nodded. «Yeah, of course. Who knows, maybe Sweetheart herself will prepare rooms for us.»

Omori winced. «I... wouldn't really place my bets on that. C'mon, let's go. We're almost there.»

They returned to the trap door Omori had found and climbed down.

The narrow, damp hallway that stretched below the theatre made Sunny sneeze.

«Bless you!»

«Thanks. Ugh, I can already tell I won't like this place.»

«Why do the guards use such a route to reach the castle, anyway?» asked Hero when they begun walking.

Omori raised his hands to prove his innocence. «I don’t know», he looked at Sunny. «Why do they do that?»

«This isn’t the main entrance», he simply said.

Truth to be told, he didn’t want them to know that he just really loved the idea to sneak inside a castle from a secret entrance.

Omori nodded. «Yeah. That makes sense.»
«But this is kinda exciting, isn’t it?» said Basil. «Getting inside the castle from somewhere that isn’t the main gate… kinda like… thieves, I guess? There was this really cool fantasy book about an heist… The main protagonist dressed up as one of the butlers!»

Sunny stifled a chuckle. Of course, out of everybody, Basil would be one of the first to appreciate his idea.

«And these helmets!» Kel beamed. «Guys! It’s exactly like in those movies! I can’t believe it!»

And Kel second. Sunny felt his chest grow warm.

«What are you talking about?» asked Omori.

«You know, those movies where the protagonists sneak into the enemy’s headquarters dressed up as their peons…»

«I suggest to let Kel descend from the ceiling!» said Basil.

Aubrey scoffed. «No way. Remember? Not even a drop of sweat could fall down! Kel would absolutely fail that part.»

«H-hey!» Kel pouted.

Sunny felt somebody tap him on the wrist. «Omori?»

«What are you all talking about?»

Kel gasped. «Sunny! You never let Omori watch any movies?!»

«We… don’t exactly have those here», said Omori. «At least, not these ones you’re mentioning.»

«How could you, Sunny?!»

«H-hey…! Omori was born as an avatar for myself in this world… I never… I never thought he’d become his own person…»

His thoughts stopped. A realization hit him.

Omori truly was his own person, wasn’t he? Sunny had seen, time and time again during their adventure, that Omori was deviating from what he was originally intended to be. The ruthless, stoic person had become somebody more emotional, somebody who could even feel fear and worry, emotions he had tried to banish in the depths of his mind.

He looked at Omori. And, in that exact moment, he didn’t see him as himself when he was a twelve years old boy.

He just saw a young boy called Omori.

«You should treat him better!» said Kel. «It’s settled! Once we’re out of here, I’m gonna invite you over for a movie marathon!»

Omori’s eyes lit up, before they darkened again. «Do you… do you think we will be able to?»

«Of course we’re getting out of here!»

«I didn’t mean that. Of course you will: I’m here with you. I meant… visiting you.»

Silence fell. From beyond them, a drop of water clinked on a brick.

«Oh» Kel frowned. «I... I actually forgot about that, haha...»

«Kel…» Aubrey sighed.

«H-hey!» Hero offered a smile. «There’s… probably still a long way before we have to say our goodbyes, so let’s not be so glum, alright?»

«You’re talking as if I’m going to die. I’ll still be inside this guy’s head», he pointed at Sunny and smirked. «Whether you like it or not.»

«We will have a lot to talk about, won’t we…?»

Omori shrugged. «Maybe. Anyway, we’ve reached out destination», he pointed at a ladder on the wall. «This should lead us to the gardens, if this place is still the same.»

Omori stayed behind while the others started climbing up. Basil was the last one next to him but, when he put his hands on the ladder, he hesitated.

«Is something wrong?»

«I…» Basil looked at him. «I’ll be sad when it’ll be time to say goodbye, Omori.»

«O-oh.»

His eyes fell on the floor, not able to look at him in the face. «Hero’s right. This isn’t the time to be so glum about it. C’mon, let’s go.»

A timid sunlight touched their skins from a gray sky.

Sweetheart’s garden presented itself as an orderly maze made of hedges, bushes and flowers. Each of their vibrant colors were a symbol of the love and care it had been put in the place, the fragrant smell of roses a show of its gratitude. Pale pink bricks paved the ground where the grass didn't grow, as the soft murmur of water laid a veil of tranquillity to the place.

Kel jumped out from the trap door, arms raised. «Yes! Finally! Fresh air! Man, we've been cooped up underground for so long, I was getting tired of it.»

«And thank goodness there's no fog», Aubrey took a deep breath, relishing in the feeling. «No weird voices, no weird creatures... finally something that looks a bit more normal than usual.»

«Where are the guards?» asked Basil.

«Probably patrolling around», said Omori. "Let's keep our wits about us."

Behind them towered the castle. Its pink bricks pierced the light fog that encroached the higher parts, the tip of its main tower so high it could touch the sky.

Hero whistled. «Look at the size of that thing!»

«It's actually bigger than Captain Spaceboy's spaceship!» exclaimed Kel.

Aubrey clapped her hands, a big smile on her face. «Just what Sweetheart deserves! Sunny, good job!»

He felt his cheeks heating up. «T-thanks?»

«It must be huge, how will we find Sweetheart?» asked Basil.

Kel shrugged. «Let's ask a guard? Hero, use your charm!»

He groaned. «Kel, please... not you too...»

«Hey! It worked until now, didn't it?»

«I don't even know what I did!»

«It must be an innate talent! Be proud of yourself!»

Omori frowned. «Actually... if I take in consideration what happened here during my last adventure in Headspace, I don't think that's a good idea», he let out a pensive hum, chin on his hand. «But, on the other hand...»

Sunny stopped that thought in mid-track. «No, it's not a good idea.»

Basil's eyes darted from one boy to another, before he let out a timid chuckle. «Wh-what happened back in Headspace?»

«Sweetheart fell in love with Hero.»

A chorus of gasps emerged from Omori's words. Aubrey, Kel, and Basil turned towards Hero with proud gazes.

«Good job, bro!»

The older boy, on the other hand, just buried his face in his hands.

«So...» Basil looked at Sunny. «Let me get this straight. Sweetheart was in a relationship with Captain Spaceboy, but they broke up... because of Hero?»

«No!» In that exact moment, Sunny just wanted to disappear. All the excitement he felt about going on an adventure with his friends dissipated in a sour mist. «Sweetheart was looking for a new partner after her breakup, and she found Hero.»

Basil was having loads of fun, he could see that snarky glint in his eyes. Deep down, he was glad his friend had recovered to the point of gaining some of his old self, but at the same time he really didn't want it to be like that.

«Sunny», Hero's voice was muffled from his hands, his face still hidden between them. «Please, tell me I said no.»

Omori gasped. «Of course you did!» he seemed offended at the sheer prospect. «Otherwise how could you have faced Mari again?»

The jolly atmosphere faded. Sunny frowned, fidgeting with his hands.

Omori looked at them. «Oh. I... I shouldn't have said that... I guess.»

«It's... it's alright», Hero let out a strained chuckle. «Yeah... I can see Mari doing that.»

«I'm sorry. I... didn't think that through.»

«Don't worry. We should focus on finding a way to meet Sweetheart. Shall we?»

Sunny squeezed Omori's shoulder, but the boy didn't raise his gaze.

«I have an idea», he said. «The guard at the gate mentioned monsters in the outskirts. Maybe we can say we found some monsters near the Gate? Maybe that will help us.»

Omori nodded, gently brushing Sunny's hand off. «That sounds like a plan. Let's go.»

With careful steps and an attentive gaze, they crossed the garden without an hitch.

As the castle's figure grew bigger, so did the waters' murmurs grow stronger, until a rainfall was rumbling in Sunny's ears.

When they reached the drawbridge, Basil stopped in his tracks, letting out a terrified squeal.

«What happened?!» Aubrey was next to him in a flash, hand on his shoulder. «Are you hurt?»

«W-why... why is there a river of blood here?!»

He pointed at the river running below them. Its waters were thick and red, hiding its depths.

«That's not blood», said Omori. «This isn't Black Space...»

«Why is it red?!»

«To match the pink aesthetic», Omori pointed at the castle behind him. «Heavens forbid the colors don't match.»

But Basil didn't seem satisfied with that answer, for he turned towards Sunny. «Sunny! Why did you put a river of blood in here?!»

«It's not blood! It's just red water!»

«Basil!» Aubrey laughed. «Come closer! It smells like strawberries, it can't be blood! Also, Sweetheart would abhor the idea.»

«She had a torture room beneath the castle.»

Aubrey slowly turned around towards Omori. «First you made me kill bunnies in Headspace. Now you’re telling me you made Sweetheart a torturer?!»

«Well, not her. It was her guards.»

Aubrey sent Omori a death glare, but the boy didn't flinch. Then, slowly, her eyes fell on Sunny. «Sunny, we have some talking to do once we’re out of here.»

«H-hey! Omori also had control over Headspace, you know!»

«Sunny, don’t pile it on me. It’s true I had some control over, but you did most of the job.»

«I thought your duty was to protect me!»

«Yes, but it’s also fun to see you squirm like this. Also, we do need a topic of conversation when we'll have that movie marathon, don't we?»

«Yeah! We do! Don't we, Sunny?» the boy had never felt more threatened by a smile until that moment.

«Okay guys, c'mon», Hero walked between the two parties, but he too was smiling. «Let's deal with this once we're done here, shall we? And, for that, we have to find information about the Gates.»

Sunny looked at the ground. «All of a sudden I don't want to do that anymore.»

«My offer still stands, Sunny.»

The boy glared at Omori, who just chuckled, before walking towards the castle.

The entrance of the grand castle greeted them with its wide hallways and elegant stairs. The smell of strawberries was pungent and Sunny found himself craving for ice cream.

The murmur of water circled them, as bright red fountains spilled water of the same color, making Basil wince.

«This place looks pretty much the same as I remember», said Omori.

Sunny nodded. «To our dismay.»

Aubrey sighed. «Only because the castle is the same, it doesn’t mean she’s the same.»

«I hope so», said Omori. «I’d gladly avoid being hit by a morning star.»

The group shared a concerned look.

«I thought this place was supposed to be fun», said Hero.

«What’s a fun adventure if it doesn’t have some danger?» said Omori. «But, well… in Headspace it was different. We could eat snacks to heal ourselves and we didn’t really die. I… I don’t know what would happen here.»

«Let’s do our best to avoid that, alright?» said Hero.

Everybody nodded.

«Hey! You there!»

A voice made them jump. They turned around, meeting the eyes of a Sprout Mole in armor, a sword attached to the tip of his helmet.

«I never saw you here...» he took a few steps forward and rose to the top of his feet, attempting to take a good look at their faces. «But you're wearing our same armor...»

«Wow, you weren’t joking, Omori», whispered Aubrey.

Omori elbowed Hero. «C'mon! Use your charm!»

Hero sighed, before he straightened his back. «Sir!»

The knight looked at him.

«We just arrived here on patrol. We have received the most grave news!»

The knight jumped. «What did you see, knight?!»

«Enemies approaching, sir! Most probably coming from that accursed Gate, sir!»

The knight squinted his eyes again. «Gate? What are you talking about, knight?!»

Hero jumped, looking at his friends. They all looked at one another, scrambling for words.

«Knight, are you–»

«Oh dear goodness!»

Omori and Sunny winced at the sound of the new voice.

From the hallway emerged a pink figure. A girl wearing a pink dress, full of frills and decorations, her two pink twin tails almost reaching the floor.

Aubrey squealed, holding her hands together. «Guys! Guys! It's Sweetheart!»

The lady of the castle approached them with a smile on her face and a twinkling in her eyes. Her shoes made a ticking sound on the bricked floor.

«Sir Maximus!»

«Yes, my lady?!» the Sprout Mole saluted her with a tap of her foot.

«Who are these delightful people?»

«That is what I'm trying to ascertain, ma'am! They are wearing our same armor but I never saw them! And I know each guard personally!»

Sweetheart didn't answer. Instead, she turned towards the group and gave a light shrug with an embarassed smile, as if to say "Please don't comment".

Then her eyes widened, a glint of glee in them.

«But, Sir Maximus!» she beamed. «How did you not notice?!»

«Huh?! Wh-what, my lady?!»

«Look!» Sweetheart stopped right next to Aubrey. «Could you remove your helmet, please?»

The girl blushed. She looked at her friends.

Omori nodded.

«S-sure», Aubrey took her helmet off and shook her head, letting her hair go free.

Sweetheart gasped, covering her mouth with her hands. «Oh dear me! Look! This... this beauty!»

She reached for her hair with a hand, before retreating it, as if it could hurt her. «May I... touch it?»

Aubrey's cheeks grew redder, as she nodded. «S-sure?»

Sweetheart squealed in delight, as she took a handful of hair by the tip. «Simply marvelous... You have such fine tastes, my friend!»

Sunny heard Kel wince next to him. Aubrey, on the other hand, looked at them with an excited smile, her eyes brimming with happiness.

He hadn't seen such a look on her face since the days of their childhood, when Mari would compliment her about the healthy look of her hair, or her outfits. Aubrey would almost glow in delight in such occasions and, for a moment, Sunny was glad he could see her friend's happiness again.

«Thanks! I'm so glad you like it!»

Sweetheart smiled, letting her hair go. «Sir Maximus!»

«Yes, my lady?»

«I hereby declare these people to be our esteemed guests! Not a finger must be laid upon them, understand?»

«B-but, my lady... with the monsters in the outskirts, we ought to be careful...»

«Sir Maximus! How can you say that? A person with such marvelous hair and anybody who knows her must be delightful people, not monsters!»

«I-I understand, ma'am. I will order all the guards to treat them with the utmost respect.»

Sweetheart smiled, before turning to the group. «My friends! My name is Sweetheart and I'm the lady of this castle. I'd love to invite you for a cup of tea! What do you say?»

The group looked at one another, uncertain. Omori, on the other hand, just stared at Sweetheart in disbelief.

Aubrey took the decision for everybody. «Of course! Thank you!»

Sweetheart smiled. «Come with me, then! I want to introduce you to my friends!»

They removed their helmets and gave them to guards that Sir Maximus had called and, escorted by a small group of armored Sprout Moles, they followed Sweetheart inside the castle.

They climbed the stairs and went in the left hallway, Aubrey gawking at the castle for all the walk.

The air was filled with strong smells and perfumes, roses and strawberries mostly, and for a moment Sunny feared he'd start seeing everything in pink too.

The hallways were lively: guards walked around, their steel boots ticking onto the floors. A few of them saluted their lady as she passed by, an orchestra of taps passing them by.

Kel winced once or twice. «I don't know for how long I can stomach all this... pink. Even the air seems pink, how is that possible?»

«I really have no idea», said Hero. «Here's hoping our stay here is brief, huh?»

They went inside an elevator. The guards that were following them didn't fit all inside, so they stopped in front of the doors and saluted as they saw Sweetheart wave at them from inside.

As soon as the doors closed and Sweetheart pressed the only button present on the display, she let out a sigh of relief.

«I didn’t even ask them to escort us!» she chuckled as the elevator starterd moving. «But I don’t have the heart to tell them no, you see. They’re always so happy, and I let them be. Also, it’s nice to feel important sometimes, don’t you think?»

«Y-yeah…» Hero nodded.

«Thank you for this opportunity, Miss Sweetheart!» said Aubrey. «I... I'm really glad I can meet you in person!»

For a brief second, Sweetheart's face darkened, before she smiled again. «Thank you! Were you perhaps a fan of my plays?»

Aubrey jolted. «I… huh…»

«We were», said Omori. «Indeed we were. And we were curious to meet such an artist with our own eyes.»

Sweetheart smiled. «I’m glad you think that. Unfortunately, I’ve let those days behind me. Please, I must ask you to refrain to ask for any kind of exception on that rule.»

«S-sure», Aubrey nodded.

The doors opened with a sharp ding. With a gentle motion of her hand, Sweetheart urged them to follow her.

They found themselves in a hallway filled with doors. Sweetheart didn't hesitate and went in the first one in front of them.

They found themselves in a bedroom which size rivaled the entrance. A golden vanity sat in the far corner of the room, an array of bottles and tools Sunny only barely knew how they worked in front of it. A salmon-colored sofa laid on the right side of the room with a low table in front of it.

At the center of everything, sat a king-sized bed covered with a transparent veil.

A lively chattering wafted in the air, and it took origin from the left side of the room: around a white table with golden decors, there were three figures chatting with each other.

Aubrey's voice was but a whisper. «Sunny...?»

«Hm?»

«How... those are...»

«I told you, Mari made me watch.»

«Those are highly specific references!» her voice was delighted.

«My dear friends!» at Sweetheart's voice, all three figures at the table turned towards her. «We have guests!»

«Oh dear!» the figure sitting on the left gasped. She looked the most similar to Sweetheart, if it weren't for her paler colors. «And we have just run out of tea! I must fix this situation at once. Excuse me, my dear guests, I shall be brief!»

Her voice was soft and melodious, as if each and every word had been calculated with extreme precision. Even her movements, as she took the cups and the teapot and put them on a tray, were precise and impeccable.

She bid them goodbye with a quick bow and walked towards the elevator.

«That was Perfectheart, my dear guests», said Sweetheart. «Always longing for perfection... but she wouldn't be our dear Perfectheart, otherwise!»
When they turned to look at the table again, they jumped. The figure that was previously sitting at the center was now in front of them. She also looked similar to Sweetheart, but her skin seemed to be made of rubber and her face looked like a hastily drawing made by a child. The skin on her hands and arms started to droop, but no goo ever fell.

She smiled. «Frens...»

Her voice was shaky but, beyond the few words, there was genuine happiness.

«This is Mutantheart, my dear guests,» Sweetheart looked at her with eyes full of affection. «I hope you'll get along!»

The last figure stood up and walked towards them, her steps heavy. She also looked similar to Sweetheart, but her body was made of steel. «SXTigJlzIGEgcGxlYXN1cmUgdG8gbWVldCB5b3UsIGRlYXIgZ3Vlc3RzLiBJIGhvcGUgeW914oCZbGwgZmluZCB5b3VyIHN0YXkgZW5qb3lhYmxlLg==»

Sunny resisted the urge to wince at her metallic voice.

The garble she had spouted hurted his ears, but Sweetheart didn't seem fazed by it. «Of course they will have an enjoyable stay! My dear guests, this is Roboheart. She's really dependable and a great friend!»

«Tm90IGFzIGdyZWF0IGFzIHlvdSwgU3dlZXRoZWFydCEgT3IgdGhlIHJlYWRlcnMgb2YgdGhpcyBmYW5maWN0aW9uIQ==»
Sweetheart chuckled. «Oh, you flatter me, my friend.»

«Thank you for your kindness!» said Aubrey. «We... are really glad to be here.»

«Think nothing of it, my friend», said Sweetheart.

«Frens... nice...»

«SXQncyByYXJlIGZvciB1cyB0byBoYXZlIGd1ZXN0cywgd2Ugc2hvdWxkIHJlbGlzaCBpbiB0aGlzIG9wcG9ydHVuaXR5Lg==»

«Indeed, it's rare for us to have guests! So we should indeed enjoy the occasion. So, if anything, thank you for being here, dear guests! As soon as Perfectheart returns, we'd love to hear your story.»

And, as if those words were magical, the elevator doors opened again and Perfectheart walked in, a new tray in her hands.

«I have brought tea for our guests! Come, let us drink and chat.»

They went through a short round of introductions as Perfectheart poured tea for everybody. The sweet smell was a salve for Sunny after the pungent perfumes from the lower floors, steam clouding his eye and making his eyepatch a bit damp.
Sweetheart stirred her drink as she spoke: «I see. So you’re travellers… and what has brought you here, in this dangerous forest?»

Kel took a sip of his drink, before wincing and sticking his tongue at the burning sensation. Sunny gave him his handkerchief.

Omori eyed him, before answering: «We are looking for the Gates. We heard rumours about one of them being here. Do any of you know anything about that?»

The girls looked at one another. Mutantheart shook her head, drips of goo hanging from her cheeks.

«SSBoYXZlIG5ldmVyIGhlYXJkIG9mIHN1Y2ggYSB0aGluZywgSeKAmW0gYWZyYWlkLg==»

«You're not the only one, Roboheart», said Perfectheart. «None of us has ever heard of such a thing.»

Omori sighed. «I see.»

«Oh, but don't be so disheartened, my friends!» said Sweetheart. «I'm sure that we can find some information for you.»

«Monsties... forest?»

Sweetheart pondered on those words. «Hm, the appearance of the monsters in the outskirts could be related to this Gate our guests are looking for, you say?»

Mutantheart nodded.

«How do these Gates look like?» asked Perfectheart. «Can you enlighten us?»

«We only found one so far», said Aubrey, after taking a careful sip. «It looked like a pool of white light.»

«I can’t say I ever saw anything like that», said Sweetheart.

The other girls nodded.

«But, the Gate we visited... it didn't summon any kind of monsters or anything like that», said Basil.

«Well, it's not like we had monsters either», said Perfectheart. «It's only been a short time ever since they appeared. One day, all of a sudden, in the outskirts of the castle. They are dangerous... but we have managed to fend them off, for now.»

«V2Ugc2hvdWxkIGRldmlzZSBhIHBsYW4gdG8gdGFrZSBjYXJlIG9mIHRoZW0gb25jZSBhbmQgZm9yIGFsbC4=»

«You are right. We should try to devise a plan to take care of them», said Sweetheart. «But you know... I don’t want any of our guards getting hurt. So until we have more info, I’m hesitant on going into action.»

«We actually defeated a monster before coming here!» said Kel, beaming. «It was huh…. King Crawling?»

«King Crawler», said Omori.

«Oh, the giant centipede?» Sweetheart beamed. «That’s really great news! It wasn’t dangerous to us, but to my poor Sprout Moles, it was. Thank you! You have my gratitude!»

«Oh», Kel frowned. «So that wasn’t one of the monsters?»

«I’m afraid not. These monsters are nothing like anything we’ve seen until now.»

«They scary!» said Mutantheart.

«They look like hounds», said Perfectheart. «As big as a man and with fangs that can tear the flesh. They are as dark as the night and they can hide in the shadows.»

«Fearsome foes», said Sweetheart, nodding.

Sunny's skin turned cold, his thoughts froze. A laugh echoed in his mind, a black figure hanging in the air, staring at him deep in the soul.

He shivered and took the handle of his cup, taking a sip. He focused on the warm liquid on his tongue, on the strawberry flavor that filled his mouth and his nose. His eyepatch was damp and felt uncomfortable over his skin.

He took a deep breath and looked at Omori. His knuckles were curled on his knees.

«Did they have only one eye?» he asked.

Sweetheart seemed taken aback by that question. «They have two eyes. Why do you ask?»

«I once met a monster that seemed to fit the description… but it only had one eye.»

«I’m not sure it’s the same one… did they leave a black mark when you killed them?»

«They… no, they didn’t.»

Relief washed over Sunny. He took another sip, letting the sweet flavor wash away his anxiety.

«These ones do», said Perfectheart. «When they die, they leave a black mark… as if the place they were in was scorched.»

Omori gasped. «That… I never saw anything like that, either.»

«QnV0IHlvdSBkb27igJl0IGhhdmUgdG8gd29ycnksIGRlYXIgZ3Vlc3RzLiBBZnRlciBhbGwsIHdlIGhhdmUgdGhlIHNpdHVhdGlvbiB1bmRlciBjb250cm9sLg==»

Sweetheart nodded. «Roboheart is right! You don't need to worry: we have the situation under control, so no more of this depressing topic. They have never attacked the castle directly, after all.»

«I... see», Hero's voice was anything but relieved. Sunny could see it, the paleness on his face.

«About these Gates our guests are talking about», continued Perfectheart. «We could dispatch a few guards to look for more information, don’t you think?»

Sweetheart nodded. «Of course. Dear guests, what do you think about staying here for a bit? While our guards look for the Gate, you can relax here.»

«Oh, but we want to help!» said Hero.

«You don’t need to worry», said Perfectheart. «You must be tired if you have crossed the forest on your own. And after defeating King Crawler, too! I must insist: rest here while we look for the Gate.»

Basil's timid voice spoke up. «Well... I really think we need some rest.»

Sunny nodded. «Especially after that forest.»

Hero scratched his head. «I... can't really argue with that. It really took a toll on us, didn't it?»

«Alright», said Omori. «We'll accept your offer. Thanks for your kindness.»

At those words, a wave of squeals and excited cheers from the girls hit them. Mutantheart started clapping.

Sweetheart rose from her seat. «Then, by all means, please follow me. I will show you to your rooms.»

Chapter Text

Ever since his first night away from home at the tender age of five, during a sleepover at their neighbours’ home in Faraway, Sunny had declared his mission to rate every bed he came across during his life.

His own bed - the best one, of course - became the standard for the rating. He started with his family’s sleeping accomodations, before broadening his horizons to his friends’ homes.

But it didn’t stop there. As a quiet and small child, sneaking into other people’s rooms was an easy feat, and he never lost an opportunity. Relatives’ homes, his father’s working colleagues. Sunny’s mind was an encyclopedia on beds, catalogued by their softness, warmth, and size.

However, no bed had ever managed to reach the grand 10/10 rating that only his own bed possessed (and, regrettably, even his new bed in the city scored a 9/10).

But, in that moment, in a place far from reality, Sunny had found bliss.

A soft pillow embraced his head, caressing his ears and neck. The mattress sunk slightly under his weight, soft as a cloud but not too soft, and he wondered if it wasn't filled with the fog from the forest outside. The bedsheets cocooned him in a warm, cozy embrace. His body had never felt as light as in that moment, and he wished for that moment to last forever.

That morning, buried in the fluff of that bed he had been provided with, Sunny found the comfort of a new 10/10.

«Sunny…?»

A voice reached his ears. It was quiet and quite similar to his. But he didn’t want to hear it, he didn’t want for anything to stop the bliss he had found himself in. He squeezed his eyes shut and pretended to be asleep.

«Sunny…»

A hand touched his shoulder. Sunny stood still.

«Sunny!»

He jolted, gasping.

A familiar boy with paper white skin was looking at him, eyebrows furrowed.

«O-Omori! Did something happen?»

«No. I just wanted to say good morning.»

«Ugh. I had found pure bliss, Omori. Why did you have to interrupt me?»

Omori’s eyes widened. «Huh… sorry? Anyway, breakfast will be ready soon. Do you want me to tell the others you’ll be late?»

«No, don’t worry. If I don’t come to eat Hero will get worried.»

«Really?»

«Yeah. Back at home, he wanted me to show him what I’d have for breakfast each day. A few times I was late because I overslept and he’d chew my ear later in the morning.»

Omori didn't answer. But he took a step forward, tilting his head, his gaze focused on him.

«Oh, but he does it with the others, too», Sunny stifled a chuckle. «One time Aubrey showed him a picture of gummy bears as her breakfast and Hero spent the entire afternoon lecturing us about the importance of a good breakfast.»

Omori covered his mouth, but it didn't help covering his laughing. «Yeah. I can imagine Aubrey doing that.»

«After that, Kel started doing it too. Hero needed a few weeks to realize that they were just making fun of him.»

Omori bit his lip and looked down. His eyes were slightly squinted: Sunny knew that expression.

«Hero isn’t here», Sunny said. «You can let it out. I won't tell him you laughed at him.»

Omori shook his head, but a small chuckle still escaped his lips. Then he raised his gaze and his shoulders slouched. «You know... I'm starting to realize how wrong I was.»

«Huh? What do you mean?»

«All... all those things I've said to you. All the things I forced you to believe.»

Sunny's breath cut short. He gripped the edges of his comforter and steaded his heart with a few deep breaths.

The infinite walls of White Space dripped blood, the trails slithering on the floor. His own hands were sullied by the memories of his sin.

And Omori stood at the center of everything. His white figure stark among the chaos, his eyes piercing his mind.

Voices and screams echoed in his ears, but Omori's voice drowned everything out.

You are sick.

Your friends will never forgive you.

You'd better be off dead.

Sunny took a deep breath. He slowly opened his eye, letting the pink bed cover his sight piece by piece. He turned towards Omori, next to the bed.

He had seemed so big, back then. Now, he looked frail and small.

«Omori... It's not... I genuinely believed them too. You... you were just repeating what I thought.»

He nodded. «I know. But... I thought that they could convince you to stay safe. But now... I realize I was wrong», a small smile appeared on his face. «These are good friends you have there, Sunny. Treat them well.»

Sunny blinked a few times. Had Omori really said those words for real?

His hands turned white, gripping the edges of the comforter.

«I... I always thought they'd hate me for what I did», it was easy enough to believe that.

The next words were stuck in his throat, mind whirling with a fear he had never confessed. Putting it out there was a scary thought: it made it tangible, made it real and not just a flight of fancy he might have had.

He took a deep breath. «And I still don't know if they actually do. If this is all a farce... maybe they need to keep it up for their sakes, too.»

Omori's eyes shadowed in terror. «What... what do you mean?»

«They all had their lives thrown upside down because of me. For the sake to pretend to still have a sliver of normalcy in their lives... maybe it's better to see me as their friend.»

«I... no, no. Sunny. I don't believe that's the case», his voice was quivering, and Sunny wondered how he could have destroyed his hopes too. «I think they really want to be your friend. They want to stay friends...» he scratched his head. «I admit it feels kinda weird to say this. But... I guess it's part of my duty.»

Sunny smiled. Back then, Omori was simply repeating what his own mind had cooked up regarding their friends. He used his insecurities as a weapon, in an attempt to keep him safe in the most unhealthy way possible. And now, Sunny wondered if it was still happening. Those words, were they Sunny's wishes made manifest, or Omori's real thoughts on the matter?

Was Omori truly such a separate being?

Sunny instead decided to focus on another truth.

«Well, you are keeping your end of the bargain, Omori. I really don't know what we'd have done without you here.»

He frowned. «I don't know, to be honest. Maybe at first, but now I think you can keep yourselves afloat just fine. Not to mention that everytime I speak it seems like I make things worse. I have no idea how to interact with... real human beings.»

«That's okay, we all make mistakes sometimes. And I'm sure none of them are holding it against you.»

«You think so?» there was a certain hopeful tone to his voice, and Sunny squinted at it as if it was the bright sun of summer.

Omori was… worried about what his friends would think of him?

«Omori, you...»

So, those were his genuine thoughts?

Was he trying to comfort me ?

He smiled and, without thinking, took his hands. Omori, caught off guard, yelped, but Sunny didn't wait. «Listen. I... I'm not really good at these kind of things, not to mention I still have to wrap my head about all this...»

«Wrap your head around what?»

«About... you. I always thought you were some part of myself or something along those lines.»

«I told you that while I started like that, I became something more as time passed.»

«Y-yeah but... huh... I never realized exactly what that meant until now.»

«...took you long enough.»

«H-hey! Anyway... I really don't think you have to worry about what the others think of you. I'm sure they see you as a friend, too.»

Omori stood still for a moment. His eyes were fixated at his hands, covered by those of Sunny. Then, a small smile appeared on his face as he nodded. «Alright. I hope you'll have my back if I slip again, though.»

«Only if you protect me from Aubrey's rage when we'll have that movie night.»

He pressed his lips together. «Hm. Alright. We have a deal.»

And, in that delighted expression, Sunny found solace. He wondered if that was how Mari felt whenever she offered a kind word or compassionate gesture to her friends.

Omori didn't let go of Sunny's hand as he led him out of his bedroom. They crossed the hallway dotted with doors that housed their rooms in silence, until Omori opened a door at the very far end.

Sunny tilted his head. «Where does this lead?»

«It's a small room they use for breakfasts. At least that's what they told me.»

The air of the room was filled with the pungent smell of tea and the fragrant perfume of cookies. For a second, Sunny thought he had entered his kitchen back in Faraway, during a lazy Sunday morning, when himself and all of his friends still wore their pajamas and their hair were wild nests on their heads. The soft morning light bathed the figures of Mari and Hero in front of the window. His sister had a peculiar smile to her face: one so very personal, that it was reserved only for Hero. Sunny had felt his cheeks grow warm, as if he had stumbled upon something he wasn't supposed to see, something so personal that he was but an intruder.

A blink of his eye, and reality unfolded once again. Sunny took great care of the memory he had relished and stuck it in his chest, keeping it safe.

The room was smaller than Sweetheart's bedroom from the day prior, but he didn't know if it was due to the actual size or the amount of cupboards and cabinets that covered the walls. Some of them had glass on their doors, revealing their contents: cups, teapots, and plates; everything decorated with skillful hands down to the last detail.

At the center of everything laid a white table with curved legs, his friends and hosts sitting around it. A silver tray shone on its surface, with cups and a fuming teapot ready to be used, along a plate of cookies.

Sunny took a step towards the table, but Omori's hand kept him still.

He turned towards him. «Omori?»

The boy jumped, wide-eyed, before looking at him. Was he distracted?

His normally white cheeks sported the faintest pinkish hue and, for a second, his eyes darted to the table.

Sunny followed his gaze.

His thoughts froze.

Omori was looking at Aubrey. Their friend hadn't noticed their presences yet, and was instead chatting with Sweetheart, sitting next to her. Her cyan eyes were brimming with glee, her laughter pure. Sunny hadn't seen her so happy since... well, he actually couldn't remember seeing her that happy, ever.

«She's really beautiful, isn't she?»

«O-Omori!» Sunny's cheeks flushed red, his eye darting around, but he relaxed once he saw that nobody had heard him.

Omori smirked. «You do know that this is your fault, right?»

Sunny hid his face in his hands. His skin felt hot. He really wanted to feel his body slam against the glass of a window. Maybe that would have put an end to his embarassment.

«Frens...!»

Mutantheart's voice made their presences known. Her arm swung wildly, goo hanging off from it.

«Hey, guys!» Kel rose his hand, showing a cookie. «These things are delicious! Come!»

«Before Kel finishes them!» Basil added with a chuckle.

They took their seats as Perfectheart poured tea in their cups.

«Good morning, dear guests. I hope you slept well.»

«The bed was truly amazing», said Sunny.

«UGVyZmVjdGhlYXJ0LCBtYXkgSSBoYXZlIHNvbWUgbW9yZSB0ZWEsIHRvbz8=»

«But of course, my dear.»

Omori watched with a furrowed brow as the robotic girl's cup was filled with tea, when Basil's voice came as a whisper: «Does she also drink tea...?»

Omori shrugged and took a cookie.

«I sure hope you're finding your stay here pleasurable, my guests», said Sweetheart.

«Oh, I know I am!» Kel hunched over the table, gripping the edges. «These cookies... and the bed! I don't think I ever slept on such a soft mattress!»

«I'm so glad you think so! Having guests is such a rare occurence, we want to make sure they're treated well!»

«I don't think I can complain about your hospitality, Sweetheart» said Aubrey.

Mutantheart clapped her hands, making a wet slapping sound, and smiled. «Frens... nice.»

«Indeed», Perfectheart cleaned her mouth with her napkin, before looking at Sweetheart. «After all, a person would do well to nurture their friendly relationships, wouldn't they?»

At those words, the smile on Sweetheart's face disappeared, replaced by a frown. She squinted her eyes at her friend, before hiding her face in her tea's smoke.

Hero's eyes darted to the two girls, before asking: «And... huh... are there any news regarding the Gate?»

«SSdtIGFmcmFpZCBub3QuIFdlIHNlbnQgYSBmZXcgZ3VhcmRzIHRvIGdhdGhlciBpbmZvcm1hdGlvbiwgYnV0IHRoZXkgc3RpbGwgaGF2ZW4ndCByZXR1cm5lZC4=»

Sweetheart nodded. «I'm afraid so. The guards we've sent to search for information still haven't returned.»

«Fret not, my dear guests», Perfectheart offered them a gentle smile. «I am sure we will soon have good news to share.»

They had breakfast while chatting over the biscuits and tea. The foggy sky peeked through the light curtains, blades of light covering the white wooden table.

When the biscuits were finished and the cups emptied, Perfectheart stood up to retrieve the dishes, but Hero stopped her.

«Please, let me take care of that.»

«Oh, I couldn't possibly!» Perfectheart shook her head. «You are our guests, how could I...»

«Please, I want to repay your kindness somehow.»

«Don't you have your Sprout Mole servants, anyway?» asked Omori.

«Oh, I couldn't burden them with such a trivial matter. I'm the one who always takes care of the dishes.»

«Please», said Hero. «I want to help», he stood up, taking the tray from Perfectheart's hands.

She looked at Sweetheart, but the girl simply nodded.

«Where do I have to take it?»

«Oh, right. Please, follow me.»

As the two left the room, Kel also stood up. «I'm going to help him!»

And, without waiting for the others, he ran towards them.

«U28gdmVyeSB3ZWxsLW1hbm5lcmVkLiBEb24ndCB5b3UgdGhpbmsgc28gdG9vLCBTd2VldGhlYXJ0Pw==»

Sweetheart nodded. «Your friends are so very well-mannered.»

«It's just how Hero is», said Aubrey. «He likes to help whenever he can. But Kel, on the other hand... What's he planning?»

Basil shrugged. «As long Hero is with him, I don't think we have to worry.»

«Maybe there's some dough left and he wants to have a taste», said Aubrey.

Sweetheart's eyes looked at each of them, before she talked again. «They must be very good friends.»

«Yeah... they are», Aubrey's eyes narrowed for a moment. «They... really are.»

«Fren... sad?»

«Oh no! It's just... I was thinking that I'm... I'm glad that Hero and Kel are my friends, that's all.»

Sunny nodded. «Hey, Aubrey. Remember that time you pranked Hero by sending a photo of gummy bears for breakfast?»

Aubrey burst out laughing. «Oh yeah! Man, that was amazing.»

«We had to listen to a whole lecture in the afternoon!» said Basil.

She shrugged. «No idea. I took my headphones off. The wonders of videocall, am I right?»

Basil gasped. «You...!»

Sweetheart let out a hearthy chuckle. «You all really seem like very good friends. It warms my heart to see such friendships still existing.»

«Well...» Aubrey twirled a strand of hair with her fingers. «The truth is... it wasn't always like this, actually.»

«It wasn't?»

«We did some... very bad things», said Basil. «We all grew apart for four years, before talking again.»

He eyed at Sunny, offering a sheepish smile. Sunny nodded and took his hand, trying to reassure him.

«I see», Sweetheart nodded. Her eyes darkened for a second, before she smiled again. «But it's alright now, isn't it?»

«Yeah... I think so. Or, at least, I like to think so», Aubrey looked at her friends. Sunny offered her a reassuring nod and she perked up for a moment, but, at the sight of Basil, turned her head away.

- : -

Perfectheart led them through the hallways of the Castle.

Kel marveled at her precise and resolute steps: he couldn't possibly imagine remembering the maze of that floor.

Sunny would have been able to, though, he was sure of that. He had even memorized Mercury Retrograde's map!

They went down on the elevator and reached the first floor, before climbing the stairs up to the upper floor and going into the right hallway, all followed by a chorus of tip-taps as the guards saluted them as they passed through.

Perfectheart stopped in front of a door and opened it, motioning for them to come in.

The kitchen was much bigger than any kitchens Kel had ever seen in his life. Empty tables covered the floor, and the sink and the stove were on the other side.

He could smell the faint perfume of the cookies they had eaten for breakfast, but otherwise the kitchen was empty.

«I kinda expected to see Sprout Moles working around», said Kel.

«For such a trivial matter? We can cook our own dishes.»

«You made those cookies?!»

Perfectheart smiled. «From your expression, I can deduce they were to your liking.»

«They were amazing!»

«I'm glad to hear that. Anyway, if it wouldn't be too much trouble, could I really ask of you to wash those dishes? I am supposed to go check on the pantry.»

«Of course. Don't worry» Hero walked towards the sink and started taking each cup.

«Thank you, truly. You truly are wonderful guests.»

When Perfectheart disappeared beyond the door on the other side of the room, Kel elbowed his brother, smirking.

«Wow, Hero. You set your eyes on a very big catch, didn't you?»

«Wh-what?!» he shrieked. His cheeks wore a pale pink, and Kel couldn't help but laugh. «Kel, what the...? No?!»

«Then why did you want to help?»

«Because I'm a guest? And I genuinely wanted to repay their kindness?» he grabbed the sponge, eyes wide in bewilderment, as he started to wash the plate they had put their cookies on. «Jeez, Kel. Good thing Mom isn't here.»

«Oh», he let his mouth stay in the rounded shape for a bit longer, letting those thoughts settle. A part of him was actually glad for that.

«And why did you follow me, Kel? Do you also have eyes set on the prize?»

It was his turn to blush. «Of course not! I was... kinda hoping I could goof off with you, actually.»

«I'm sorry to disappoint you. Do you want to help me wash the dishes?»

«That sounds boring. But alright.»

The sound of Hero's scrubbing the dirty dishes filled the otherwise silent kitchen. The occasional sound of running water and the clinking of the little plates left to dry accompanied it.

Kel was helping drying the cups, bouncing from one leg to another. His head was whirling with a thousand words, but none of them he thought fit to start a conversation with. He cursed his mouth: so capable to spout nonsense, but when it came to important matters...

In the end, he took a deep breath.

«Hey, Hero...»

He grabbed the cup Hero passed him and started rubbing it with the towel. It made a squeaky sound that made him wince, but Hero didn't flinch.

«Did you say something, Kel?»

«Yeah. I... huh... actually there was a reason why I followed you. There's something I want to talk to you about.»

«Of course. What is it?»

«It's... huh...» Kel took a deep breath. He turned the cup in his hands, as if it could solve the puzzle of thoughts afflicting him.

Aubrey's words echoed in his mind.

We should talk.

«It's about what we saw in the Gate.»

The scrubbing sound stopped. Kel didn't turn, his gaze focused on the cup. He traced the lines of the intricate decorations with his eyes in an attempt to calm himself down.

«Of course. What... about it, Kel?»

«I just have one doubt in my mind.»

«A doubt?» Hero seemed surprised.

«Do you think that... I did the right thing?»

«What do you mean?»

«Talking to you. That day.»

At Hero's lack of response, Kel peeled his eyes off from the cup to look at his brother. He was looking at him with wide eyes, his head slightly shaking. «What... Kel, why do you even think that?»

«W-well... I mean... I never was good with words – I still am not, to be honest – so I just... I didn't know what to do. The whole reason I stepped back from everybody was because I was afraid I'd made things worse somehow. So... I don't know.»

Hero didn't answer, his missed response joining the silence of the kitchen.

Kel turned to look at the cup again. «Sometimes I think I was a very bad friend, Hero. And a bad brother. I... I did it because I thought I could help everybody. I just... how couldn't I see that you all were hurting? And sometimes I think I ended up hurting you more.»

«Kel... I.»

He chuckled.

Hero was frozen on his spot, looking at the sink. His eyes were glinting with tears.

«Kel, really? Do you really think this?»

«I dunno, Hero. You know I'm not good with these kind of things. It's just that... I worry. I care about you all so much, that whenever I find myself unable to do something, it crushes my heart and it makes me want to cry. But at the same time I didn't know what to do, so...»

«Kel» the boy didn't have time to raise his face that he was envelopped in a hug. «You're always talking about what you did or didn't do for us, but never once said anything about what we could have done for you.»

«That... that doesn't really matter. Does it?»

«Kel, I don't know if what you did was the right thing or not but it was what I needed in that moment», he squeezed harder and Kel felt tears on his shoulder but he didn't mind.

«Kel, I'm so glad you're my brother.»

He felt his legs grow weak. His chest was lighter, as a weight dissipated from his mind. He buried his nose into his brother's neck. «Thank you, Hero.»

As he let go, Hero rapidly rubbed his eye in a failed attempt to hide the remaining tears, but, before he could return to the sink, Kel gave him a light punch on the arm.

«Hero, can you promise me one thing?»

«I can try.»

«Please don't... be scared to be weak in front of us. Or, at least, in front of me. Sometimes I'm afraid that you don't want to scare me again, like it happened all those years ago.»

«Kel... I...» Hero chuckled.

«What's so funny?»

«No, it's just that... I'm the older brother. I've always seen you as a baby... somebody I had to protect. But now... I guess that's not the case anymore, is it? I can... rely on you.»

Kel gasped. «You hurt me! Of course you can! You always could!»

«Right... of course», he sighed. «So... what do you think about finishing these dishes?»

«Yeah. We gotta impress Ms. Perfect Catch for you.»

«K-Kel!»

They kept washing the dishes, stopping sometimes to start childish games of splash between each other. But Kelt felt at ease. In that moment, next to his brother, he felt a kinship with him, a connection that he thought had been lost.

- : -

The chattering in the breakfast room didn't stop, as their hosts proved to be quite the talkative group. They were most curious to hear about their travels before they had arrived in their Castle, and they ended up describing mundane actions done in Faraway in grand terms. Aubrey had apparently defeated a carnivorous plant that inhabited Basil's garden. Sunny too had been provided with a grand backstory: being exiled in a faraway land after the loss of half of his family.

Omori listened to all the stories with increasing curiosity and awe, hanging from their lips. Sunny knew that he was aware they were all elaborate plots, but he was digging at those words and locations to find reality, to find the truth of their lives out of that dream world. 

And, the more they talked, the more Omori grew interested. 

If Sunny had any doubts beforehand, now he was sure: he and Omori would have started spending a lot more time together. 

He wasn't sure on how to feel about that, but he knew he wasn't alone anymore. 

He wondered what Stranger would say. 

Do not trust him blindly.

It wasn't blind trust anymore, Sunny realized. If anything, he thought they were cooperating. Trusting each other.

Their conversations came to an end when Hero, Kel, and Perfectheart returned from their chores. Sunny found the two siblings more... relaxed than how they were before.

After receiving compliments and gratitude for their service, Sweetheart was the first one to talk. «My dear guests, I must thank you for the delightful company this morning, but I'm afraid we have matters to attend to.»

«Feel free to explore the Castle at your leisure», said Perfectheart. «If you need any help, feel free to ask a Sprout Mole guard. They will come for us.»

«Oh!» Sweetheart gasped, before smiling. «Perfectheart, that isn't entirely true, is it? There is one favor I have to ask out of you, my guests.»

«Sure», nodded Hero. «What is it?» 

«Feel free to explore the Castle, but I must ask you to refrain from going into the Library.»

The last words were accompanied by a pleading tone, but her eyes said otherwise. They were attentive, as if she was looking for a sign of mold on an otherwise perfect sweet, looking for the smallest sign of a lie.

Hero must have had the same thought, for Sunny saw him shiver. «S-sure?»

«SXQncyB0aGUgcm9vbSBhdCB0aGUgZW5kIG9mIHRoZSBsZWZ0IGhhbGx3YXkgb24gdGhlIGZpcnN0IGZsb29yLiBIZWxsbywgcmVhZGVycyE=»

Sweetheart slightly tapped her head. «Right! How silly of me, not telling them where it is! It's on the first floor, left hallway. Thank you, my dear guests. It means a lot.»

Her smile melted away the mistrust that had encroached her features. And, after some quick goodbyes, the four hosts left the room.

And, with that said, they remained alone in the room. 

The fog rolled outside, streaks of light breaking through from an invisible sun. 

«Huh...» Kel looked at the others. «What was that about?»

Omori rubbed his arms. «She made me shiver. She didn't change one bit.»

«Hey, that's not true!» Aubrey sighed. «But... yeah, that was weird. What's in the Library that she doesn't want us to see?»

«Why don't we check?» Kel winked, elbowing Sunny lightly.

«Kel, no» the boy sighed at Hero's words. «We are guests and they are treating us fairly. We can avoid exploring one room, if necessary.»

«What if the Gate's in there?» asked Basil.

Aubrey shook her head. «I don't think so, Basil. I mean, Sweetheart said she had never heard of the thing before.»

«What if she's lying?»

An uncomfortable silence fell on the group.

«Well» Sunny tried to keep his hopes up. «Roboheart and Perfectheart said the same thing. So... unless everybody is lying...»

«Okay, everybody, calm down» Hero waited until everybody looked at him before continuing. «We can check all the other rooms, first. Then, let's see how the situation evolves, and we'll discuss if it's case to check the Library or not.»

«But, guys» Aubrey pressed her lips together, her hands fidgeting in her pockets. «What if we wait a bit?»

«Wait for what?»

«Well...» a small smile appeared on her face and she started swaying her shoulders back and forth. «We are in a luxurious castle... and we are being treated as esteemed guests.»

«Yeah, so?»

«Why don't we indulge in all this a bit?»

Hero scratched his head. «Well. I do think we need the rest.»

«Oh, please no!» Kel winced. «I really don't know how much more of all this pink I can stomach.»

«Well, I don't know about you», said Omori. «But I've always wished to indulge in this Castle's services without being attacked by the guards at every step.»

«You could have made this place a little less pink.»

«Oh, that was Sunny's fault. Not that I agree with his aesthetic choice, to be honest.»

Sunny glared at him. The nerve! And after their discussion that morning!

But Aubrey spoke before he could. «Hey, I won't take anymore of this Sweetheart slander, guys. Also, Kel, you got to indulge in your space adventures fantasies, can't I do that too?»

«Well. If you put it like that...»

«Since we're talking about indulging in our fantasies», Omori pulled Hero's sleeve to get his attention. «Hero, if you could have one dream adventure, what would it be like?»

Hero hummed in response, looking at the ceiling with his eyes squinted and full of focus. «You know... I've never been the type for adventures, to be honest» and gave a sheepish smile.

Omori pouted. «A dream place?»

«I'm more of the... domestic kind of guy, you know.»

Aubrey cupped her hands around her mouth. «Bo-o-ring! C'mon, be a little imaginative!»

«I really don't know! To be honest, I think I had enough adventures to last for a lifetime in here.»

«Hey, Omori», Basil called him out. «What about you? If you could have one dream adventure, what would it be like?»

He furrowed his brow. «You… do know that you're talking to somebody who has spent all of his life going on dream adventures, right?»

«Yes, but Headspace was Sunny’s. What would your ideal adventure be like?»

Omori's eyes widened and he froze. He slowly turned around to look at Sunny, as if revealing such an information would have been a grave mistake. But Sunny didn't think so and encouraged him to answer with a nod.

«I... I don't know», his voice was high, brimming with joy and untapped possibilities. «I mean, I really had lots of weird adventures already...»

Hero winked. «Want to join my domestic adventure?»

Aubrey cupped her hands again. «Bo-o-oring!»

«Yeah, I'm not sure a domestic adventure would be fit for me. Sorry, Hero.»

«Well, let's see» Sunny raised his hand and started counting on his fingers. «Here we had a space adventure, visited a forest and we are exploring a castle. Back in Headspace you explored a desert and went to the depths of the ocean. What other kinds of adventures are there?»

Basil was the first to answer, with eyes full of glee. «Crossing a jungle inhabited by voracious plants!»

«I defeated one of those already» said Omori.

«You went to the depths of the ocean...» Kel was rubbing his hands, a mischievous glint in his eyes. «What about the depths of the earth?!»

«That's where I defeated the voracious plant.»

Aubrey shrugged. «Climbing a mountain?»

«Oh! I was preparing a place like that! I never got the chance to explore it, though.»

«What about a sea adventure?» said Hero.

At those words, Omori bounced on his feet. «Yes! A sea adventure! That's so cool, especially if I get to be a pirate!»

He then gasped and pulled Sunny's sleeve. «Sunny! You can come too! You already have an eyepatch!»

Seeing Omori so excited was a rare sight for Sunny. Admittedly, he didn't even know Omori could be excited. 

But he couldn't help but smile at his enthusiasm. «Yeah. I guess so.»

«Oh, I know what I'm doing once I'll be back in my Headspace!»

«About our old Headspace… is everybody still there?» he glanced at his friends, and Omori followed his gaze. 

His eyebrows raised in understanding. 

«Of course. Yes, also Captain Spaceboy and all the others. I change their roles once in a while, when I grow bored.»

«Kinda like a kid with their toys...» mumbled Hero. 

«So… your Headspace isn’t abandoned, Omori?» said Basil.

He shook his head. «It isn’t.»

«Not even the Playground?»

«Of course not!»

«Then… the Playground we visited… why was it in such a state?»

Omori shrugged. «I have no idea. The only thing I know for sure is that I’m at my peak there, so it’s definitely related to the Headspace I know.»

«Oh right», Aubrey nodded. «You… lost your powers. I had kinda forgotten that.»

«I was thinking…» Basil had his chin on his hand. «What if the Playground we visited was Sunny's Headspace?»

Omori shook his head. «I told you, I took great care of it. It wasn't in such state.»

«I know. I meant Sunny's Headspace… the one he left behind. Not the one you are taking care of.»

Omori slowly turned to look at Sunny. They exchanged a surprised gaze. 

«I never thought about that.»

«Me neither.»

So that Playground was the one he had left behind one year ago? Had Omori created a new copy of Headspace without him knowing? 

«What do you think this place even is anyway?» asked Aubrey. «I mean, we all ended up here after sleeping, right?»

«Daddy Longlegs mentioned a dream», said Hero. «So… I guess it’s safe to call it that.»

«What about you, Omori?» asked Sunny. «How did you find us in the first place?»

«I sensed that you were gonna do something stupid and I went to check.»

Sunny frowned. «What… what do you mean?»

«You were almost stabbing yourself. I sensed there was something amiss to Headspace so I preferred to play it safe and stop you.»

A sudden sense of embarassment washed over him. «I… forgot that.»

«But I didn’t fall asleep like the rest of you. In my case I woke up in that Playground. Usually I am in White Space when Sunny sleeps. But that time… it was different.»

«I see.»

The group let the silence fall over them. The fog kept rolling outside of the window, the trees of the forest standing still in that windless place. The curtains let a weak light wash over the floor, turning the bricks into a pale pink. 

Where were they, truly? And that Planet J03 place, Sunny had never visited such a place and had no intention to. Too confusing and bright for his tastes, he dizziness he felt while navigating those roofs was still a fresh memory.

His gaze landed on Kel. He was the one who felt more at ease in that place, wasn't he?

What if...

How could have that been possible?

Did Omori know?

Hero's voice broke them from their daze. «Hey, what are those long faces? We may not know exactly where we are, but we know what we have to do to get out from here.»

Basil nodded. «Yes, you're right. We have to find the Gate!» 

«Well, not us», said Aubrey. «Sweetheart said she sent guards to take care of that.»

«Right. We decided to rest for a little while. While don't we explore the Castle while we wait?»

«Ooh», Aubrey winked. «Offended by my boring remark, Hero?»

«N-no… I just thought you’d like to explore instead of waiting here sitting around.»

«Well, yeah» Omori nodded. «I could give you a tour. There’s a good chance this place didn’t change much.»

«Alright then!» Kel pumped his fist in the air. «Let’s go!»

Chapter Text

A wave of the guards’ taps on the floor greeted them as they walked through the shining hallways of the castle. The polished marble tiles faintly reflected their figures, and patches of light gleamed through the stained glass windows. Their shoes, along with the guards’ metal boots, composed a peculiar symphony of footsteps and, Sunny, realizing this, attempted to match his steps to those of his friends, trying to add a bit of harmony in that chaos.

Kel sometimes waved at a guard saluting them, but soon his nose would spring upwards, following the curved ceiling beams with his gaze: left to right, from the windows to the pink walls. He did so a few times, before approaching Sunny and placing a hand on his shoulder, interrupting his attempts at organizing those sounds.

«Sunny. My friend, my brother.»

Sunny steeled himself. Kel had no habit of calling people by their full names: if there was one thing that he had learned about his friend, it was that calling them through their relationship status had a similar effect.

«Yes, Kel?»

«Why did you give Sweetheart such a grand castle, but Spaceboy only had that small hangar?»

In front of them, Aubrey chuckled. «It literally only was a two-story house.»

Sunny scratched his head, his mind scrambling to find a coherent set of words that could explain his reasoning behind such a choice and save his skin at the same time, but Omori answered first: «Captain Spaceboy doesn’t need a grand lair, he spends most of his time traveling in space.»

Sunny hung on those words like a lifeline. «Y-yeah! Exactly.»

Kel squinted his eyes at his friends, darting between the two boys, before nodding. «That makes sense.»

Aubrey nodded. «Yeah. I don't see Sweetheart as the type for adventures.»

«But still…» Kel glared at the hallways as if they could change into a lesser grand thing. Then, his eyes widened and he ran past them, stopping in front of a door. «Look! This is a cinema! Sweetheart has a cinema inside her castle!»

«A cinema!?» Basil looked up and Sunny followed his gaze. Above the door hung a yellow neon sign with the words "Cinema!" engraved in a fancy cursive script. The lower end of the "C" underlined the rest of the word, providing the dot for the exclamation sign before curling downwards and taking the shape of a heart.

Aubrey smirked and elbowed Sunny. «Hey. What do you say about having our movie night here?» and pulled him into a side hug that felt more like a trap.

«More like a movie morning» Kel pointed with his thumb at the windows. «And we don't even know what they're airing here.»

«It doesn't matter!» Aubrey waved her hand. «Let's just have some fun.»

«And we should explore all the rooms», said Hero.

«I don't think the Gate will be hiding inside a cinema, Hero», said Aubrey.

Omori winced. «Huh… guys. I don't think having our movie… moment here would be a good idea.»

Aubrey freed Sunny from her grasp with a groan. «I told you, it's alright!»

«I have to agree with Omori here», said Sunny. «I don't think it's a good idea.»

«Shush, you're just a wimp because you don't wanna hear my lecture about Sweetheart's lore.»

«When that will happen, can we do that in a video call?»

Aubrey smirked and lightly punched his shoulder. «You wish. I'm gonna take the bus and drag you to Faraway myself if it comes to it.»

«Frens!»

The high-pitched voice came from down the hallway, followed by the wet sounds of footsteps on the marble.

Mutantheart was waving at them while walking, a smile on her face.

She clapped her hands when she stopped in front of the group and then, one by one, she pointed at them.

«Snuuy. Keel. Herow. Bagel. Omiri. Aubey.»

Hero chuckled. «Yeah! That’s… almost it.»

«Hey! Mutantheart!» Kel smirked. «Did you know that Aubrey loves it when you call her “Aubs”?»

The girl stomped her foot on the ground. «Kel!»

Mutantheart beamed at that word, cupping her face with her hands. «Aubs…! Aubs… nice.»

Aubrey froze. Her eyes widened and her mouth slowly opened. She turned towards Mutantheart, looking at her as if she was an angelic being come to save her from the pits of despair and Kel Hell. She brought her hands to her chest. «Oh my goodness. That’s adorable», she then raised her hand. «Okay, I hereby declare you as the only living being allowed to call me Aubs whenever they want.»

Mutantheart clapped again, jumping on her spot. «Aubs!», she then pointed at the cinema door. «Movee?»

«Yeah, we were thinking of watching a movie!» Basil smiled. «Want to join us?»

Mutantheart winced and her eyes shivered in worry. Omori facepalmed, before burying his face on Sunny’s shoulder, whimpering.

«O...ok-ay.»

She approached the door but, before her hand could touch the handle, she turned around to look at them once more, as if she was asking them if they were sure of their choice.

Sunny understood her ordeal and slowly nodded at her.

Mutantheart opened the door with a resigned frown.

The door threw them in a dimly lit room. A few lamps were scattered on the walls, the faint and blurry yellow lights created patches of color on the otherwise black walls. Row of red seats divided the room upon its two floors. A gallery looked at them from above.

No sounds filled the place: no chattering of people waiting for the movie to start, no munching of popcorn before it started.

It was empty.

«I’m not sure what I was expecting» said Basil. «After all, the guards must all be very busy...»

«The movie still hasn’t started, c’mon! Let’s grab the best seats before anyone else comes!» Kel reached the middle of the room in long strides, before looking around with his hand above his eyes, like a hound searching for its prey or, in Kel’s case, like he was looking for an Orange Joe can in a field of strawberry soda cans.

«Are we really gonna let him choose?» asked Omori.

«Believe it or not, Kel has a certain knack for finding the best seats», said Hero. «Always finds the spot perfectly protected from the AC, or in the right distance from the radiator.»

Omori furrowed his brow and whispered in Sunny's ear: «Then why did you make him hold on for his life when we were traveling with Pluto?»

«What’s a journey without a little danger?»

Omori smirked. «I feel like I barely knew you… I like this.»

«Guys!» Kel raised his hand. «Over here!»

They took their seats at the center of the room, in the middle of the row.

Sunny rubbed his hands on the soft fabric of the seat, leaving a dark trail on the armchair. He drew a smile with his finger.

Mutantheart, however, didn't sit down and asked: «Want… snacc?»

«Right!» Kel put his hand on Omori’s shoulder, who was sitting next to him. «Sure, Mutantheart! We’ll get the snacks!»

«One for me too, please!» followed Aubrey.

«One for each of us, maybe?» asked Hero, receiving a wave of nods of approval. Mutantheart clapped her hands and strode away until she disappeared behind a wall.

«Now, Omori», Kel pulled the boy closer to him. «You must know that it is imperative to have snacks during movies.»

«I… huh...» Omori squinted his eyes at the floor as if it could give him the answers he was looking for. «It’s… it’s not my first time in a cinema, you know. I’ve been here before.»

«Yeah, but I guess that someone», he growled the word while glaring at Sunny, who responded by raising his eyebrow, «didn’t teach you anything.»

«I… I think you are confused about the kind of relationship Sunny and I had before all this...»

«Let’s not delve into that, shall we…?» Sunny sunk into his seat, trying to disappear.

But the smell of popcorn baited him into remaining for a little more time, as Mutantheart returned with the snacks in tow.

«Heere», she handed one bag each, and patted Omori on the head, making him yelp.

«Holy shit these are good» Aubrey’s voice muffled by her food reached them.

Mutantheart clapped again, and as if on cue, the lamps turned off. The girl shuffled in her seat and the whirring sound of the celluloid filled the room, and the screen turned white.

Sunny took a deep breath and prepared himself for the worst.

«Hey, Sunny» Omori whispered in his ear.

«What is it?»

«Do you think I can avoid this torture if I hide my head inside this bag of popcorn?»

«You can try.»

Sunny was joking. He truly was.

He turned his head and blinked a few times.

As the white screen gave light to the room, aided by Omori’s pale skin that stuck like a sore thumb in that darkness, Sunny had a perfect view of his twelve years old mental companion hiding his head inside the bag of popcorn.

The movie started.

Sunny could imagine his friends’ expectations. The curiosity to discover a new story. The excitement of watching it unfold. The thrill of trying to understand and untangle all the plot points.

Aubrey was never the type to spend too much time thinking, but she really enjoyed being engrossed in a movie’s atmosphere and action. Hero, on the other hand, took solace in the idea of spending time together and relishing in the fact that, after all, it was a way to take care of everybody else. Kel was similar to Aubrey, but he enjoyed predicting how the story would go (and his predictions often went totally off track). Basil, on the other hand, would be transported into the movie’s world and keep talking about it for days after it ended.

And Sunny was sad to know that they’d get nothing of that.

A barrage of images and sounds appeared in front of them. Crude drawings and bright colors. The total lack of a cohesive storyline linking them all. Grating sounds filled the air.

Uncomfortable shifting sounds surrounded Sunny, except for Omori who kept his head inside the bag of popcorn.

They tried to bury themselves into their seats to survive the carnage, but a combination of peer pressure and good manners forced them to stay still.

«I knew it», Omori’s voice made Sunny turn towards him. His head was barely above the sea of popcorn. «This is worse than a Gate.»

The barrage continued.

Sunny had no idea when it ended.

When the lights of the cinema returned, they sat still for a second.

The buzzing of the lamps filled their ears, and they let their bodies wash away the horrors they had envisioned.

Then, without uttering a word, they stood up one by one, threw away their paper bags in a trash bin, and limped out of the cinema.

The pale pink marble floor and darker bricks were a welcome sight for Sunny’s eye. He pressed his back on the wall, taking a few deep breaths. Mutantheart patted his shoulder.

«I think...» Kel’s eyes were on the ground, a shadow on his face. «I’m ready to face anything after this.»

«Let’s… let’s not talk about this ever again, shall we?» Hero’s eyes didn’t manage to hide his unrolled tears.

With heavy movements, everybody nodded.

«I’m so sorry, Mutantheart...» said Aubrey. «And Omori, I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you.»

«I did hope for it to be different», he responded.

Mutantheart shook her head and patted the girl’s head. «No worree. With frens is… nice.»

Omori nodded. «Yeah. At least we suffered together.»

In that moment, Kel’s nose rose up in the air. He started sniffing around and, in Sunny’s mind, the image of Hector flashed.

Kel approached Omori, stopping right above his head. «Why do you smell of popcorn?»

«I may have taken some drastic measures in order to survive. Let’s not talk about it.»

«Hey, Mutantheart» Basil’s skin had regained some of its healthy color after the ordeal. «Are there any other places to see around here?»

She put her chin on her hand, deep in thought. Then, she clapped and nodded. «Follo.»

Without waiting, she turned around and walked away.

«Well. Nothing can be worse than that cinema» said Omori and, with a motion of his hand, encouraged the others to follow her.

They didn’t have to walk very far.

Mutantheart led them in the other section of the same hallway, to a giant door at the end of it. With an excited clap, she urged them to go inside.

The new room greeted them with brilliant golden frames and soft colors. An array of paintings lined the walls, depicting landscapes and other scenes.

The group stood still among the walls of art.

Birds with wings made of clouds, flying islands, fish swimming beneath the leaves of trees.

The shore of a lake glittering under the sun, the opaque windows of an apartment complex, the patches of light on a floor peeking through a stained glass window.

Sunny didn’t even dare to blink. He didn’t want to break the spell.

The world fell silent. For a moment, it was only him and those paintings. They enveloped him in their presence, dragging his mind in those impossible lands. They took his hand and gently guided him in a corner of his soul he didn’t know existed, a place of solace and bliss.

«What’s… this?» Omori’s voice made him return to reality with a slow blink. «I remember this room. It… it wasn’t like this at all...»

Mutantheart offered them a gentle smile. «Galleree.»

«Wow...» Basil was smiling and, with his eyes, he looked for Sunny’s company in his emotions. «This place is… magical.» Sunny nodded.

Aubrey stopped in the middle of the room. Her shoulders were slouched and her face was devoid of any kind of tension.

«This place…» her mouth moved a few times, but no words came out. «It feels so… nice. I feel at peace.»

Hero approached one of the paintings with a reverent gaze. «These are simply breathtaking», he raised his hand, stopping before it reached the frame. He lowered his head, eyeing the corner. «There's a signature here… Ro… Rococo?»

Sunny gasped at the sound of that name.

«Huh, same here», said Kel, pointing at the corner of another painting. He took a quick jog around a few more, before saying: «It's the same signature for all of them.»

«Huh. There's another familiar name.»

«Do you know him, Omori?» asked Basil.

«Kinda, yeah. He was an artist. He-»

His voice was cut short from the sound of footsteps approaching. They turned around to see Perfectheart walking towards them, a broom in her hand.

«Dear guests», she smiled, but Sunny noticed how a hint of nervousness strained her face. «I am delighted to see that you appreciate the works of this Gallery.»

«They are breathtaking, truly», said Hero. «And they give this… relaxing aura.»

Perfectheart smiled. «Indeed. Such a special room, isn't it? That's why I like to keep it tidy, even though Sweetheart never steps foot in here.»

«She doesn’t?» Kel furrowed his brow. «It’s so nice!»

Perfectheart's face darkened for a moment, but she regained her composure in the blink of an eye. «I am sure she has her reasons.»

«Who is this Rococo guy, anyway?» asked Aubrey.

«I’m afraid we have never met him in person.»

«Fren of Sweetheart… before we frens...»

Perfectheart nodded.

«What happened to him?»

Perfectheart tightened the grip on the broom before answering. «I don’t really know. Something happened between him and Sweetheart, that’s all I know», she looked around, as if looking for somebody, and then continued. «But he has never lived in this Castle. It was before all this… back when Sweetheart still had her theatre.»

«The one near the Sprout Mole Village?» asked Kel.

«No. Her real one. That one is only a copy», her eyes darted at the door. «The real one… it was burned down.»

Mutantheart nodded. «Before… we frens...»

Sunny heard a gasp close to him. Aubrey's face had turned white as a sheet, her eyes gazing down. He got closer to her and grazed her hand. She yelped, whipping her head to look at him, her cheeks flushing.

«But I don’t want to bore you with all these heavy matters!» Perfectheart smiled, darting the door once again. «Mutantheart, dear, did you show them our delightful garden?»

«No...»

«We took a glance at it while sneaking to arrive here», said Omori.

«I must insist then, please consider visiting it properly. Here, I’ll come with you too.»

«Hey, Sunny», the boy was stopped in his tracks by Aubrey's voice. «This Gallery… gives me a familiar feeling.»

«Hm? What do you mean?»

«Do you remember our talks at the swing set in the park?»

A warm feeling caressed Sunny's chest. «Of course.»

«Here… it feels similar. I feel like I can relax… exactly like I could do with you.»

«"Could"?»

Aubrey's chuckled. «Right. Sorry. I guess it's not a thing of the past anymore, huh?»

She pulled him into a side hug, making him chuckle.

«Hey!» Omori waved at them from the door. «What are you waiting for? Come here!»

«Coming!»

They walked the Castle’s hallways with uneasy expressions and unanswered questions. Aubrey fixed her gaze on Perfectheart, as if her eyes could claw out the answers she wanted from her back.

Sunny walked close to her, Omori following suit, when something grabbed his sleeve, forcing him to stop.

«Aubrey?»

She let his wrist go. «Omori, Sunny, can I ask you something? Wait… let's keep walking, but slowly. I don't want them to hear us.»

«What happened?»

«Who was Rococo back in your Headspace?»

«An artist», said Omori.

«I surmised as much. Something else?»

«An elf and the last of his kind. Born on the Moon but landed here. He was also Sweetheart’s ex-boyfriend before she met Captain Spaceboy.»

Aubrey stared at Omori. Then, she slowly turned towards Sunny. «I never thought you’d be the type for romance dramas, Sunny.»

He sighed. «I don’t even like them...»

«Anyway,» Omori continued, «after their breakup, Sweetheart imprisoned him inside the walls of her castle.»

«W-what? Wait… so he could still be here? Somewhere? Possibly looking at us…? Or at least hearing us?»

Omori shrugged. «I dunno. Things could be different here.»

Sunny motioned his head towards Perfectheart and Mutantheart. «In our Headspace they weren’t in the Castle. Some things are different. Why do you ask?»

«I...» Aubrey bit her lip. «I’ve never heard of this Rococo guy before, but… it sounds familiar.»

Sunny looked at her, before looking at the floor. «Well. Rococo is the name of an artistic style pretty common in the–»

«Oh, jeez, Sunny! C’mon! You know that’s not what I–»

«Is something the matter?» Perfectheart appeared next to them, making them jump.

She wore a worried expression, tilting her head a bit. Behind her stood the rest of the group. 

«S-sorry. I didn’t mean to yell», said Aubrey.

«It’s my fault», Sunny said. «I just said a horrible pun. What do you call a scholar cat?»

Perfectheart smiled with an amused expression. «Hm. Do tell me, what do you call a scholar cat?»

«Educat-ted.»

Sunny felt the stare of one thousand daggers upon him. He took pride in that.

It all manifested as a wince from his friends.

«That was… really bad», Hero frowned.

Omori, the only one who didn't react to the pun, instead hit the palm of his hand with a fist. «It could also be a purr-fessor!»

Aubrey groaned. «Ugh. Shut it» and walked away, stomping her feet.

They left space for her to keep walking, looking at her as she approached the gardens of the Castle, when Mutantheart clapped. «A pawfessor!»

«That’s even better!» Omori offered a high five to Mutantheart, who accepted it with a squeal.

They resumed walking, but when Sunny started to follow them, he noticed Basil was standing still.

His lips were curled and hands intertwined, eyes fixated on the floor.

«Basil, is something wrong?»

«Paw… cat… teacatcher…?»

Sunny stared at him Was he… trying to make a pun? He chuckled. «It’s a learned skill, Basil.»

He sighed. «Omori has it easy. He has all your skills.»

«Up to a point. His drawings suck.»

Basil chuckled. «Don't say that to him, though.»

The Castle's garden laid beneath a gray sky. A light mist blanketed the place, but the leaves and flowers cut the haze with their colors.

The murmurs of the water filled the air, and a couple of Sprout Mole guards walked around, tapping their feet on the pink bricks as they passed by.

Without the worry of being caught, Sunny took some time to draw a mental map of the place. But the haze wouldn't let him: he could barely make out three sections framed by hedges in front of him. He recognized the central one: it was the one they had come from.

Perfectheart took a few steps forward, spreading her arms. «I love this garden.»

Basil took a look around, a glint of happiness in his eyes. «This garden is truly marvelous. I admit that I'm surprised to see that the Sprout Moles can do such a fine job.»

«Thank you! However, I must correct you on one thing: it is not the Sprout Moles who take care of this garden. It’s us.»

«Oh! Really?»

«Roboheart has a certain knack for taking care of plants», she winked, before smiling and turning around. «Oh, and there she is!»

The whirring sounds of gears interrupted the murmurs of the water. From the entrance of one of the mazes, appeared Roboheart. She had a small bouquet of roses in her hand. 

«Roboheart…!» Mutantheart called out.

The robot's expression didn't change as she looked at her friend and walked towards them. 

«SXTigJlzIG5pY2UgdG8gc2VlIHlvdSBhbGwuIEkgaG9wZSB5b3XigJlyZSBoYXZpbmcgYSBnb29kIHRpbWUsIGRlYXIgZ3Vlc3RzLg==»

Perfectheart smiled. «We're making sure they're having a good time, dear!»

«QWN0dWFsbHksIFBlcmZlY3RoZWFydCwgSSB3YXMgZ29pbmcgdG8gY2FsbCBmb3IgeW91LiBUaGUgdG9waWFyaWVzIG5lZWQgdHJpbW1pbmcsIG1heSBJIGFzayB5b3UgdG8gbGVuZCBhIGhhbmQ/»

«Oh, sure. Of course. The topiaries can be bothersome. My dear guests, I’m afraid I must help my friend in tending the garden. Do you mind?»

«I can help with that!» said Basil.

«Oh, please. Your friends have already worked so much this morning. I cannot possibly...»

«It’s not a problem! I’m a gardener!»

Perfectheart and Roboheart exchanged looks, when she said: «U3VyZS4gSSBkb24ndCBtaW5kLg==»

Perfectheart frowned. «Well, if it is alright with you… would you mind giving us a hand?»

«It'd be a pleasure! Just let me ask my friend for a thing…»

He turned towards Sunny and took his wrist. He whispered to his ear: «Just pretend you're giving me something. I'm going to search for clues about the Gate.»

«Wh-what?»

«There could be something here!» he looked at him straight in the eye.

Sunny recognized that expression. It was the same he wore during Pluto's rampage, when he concocted the net plan.

He sighed. «Alright. But be careful.»

He nodded, and let go of his wrist. «Sorry to make you wait! Where do we go?»

«VGhlIHRvcGlhcmllcyBpbiB0aGUgc291dGh3ZXN0ZXJuIGNvcm5lciBhcmUgdGhvc2UgaW4gd29yc3Qgc2hhcGUu»

«The southwestern corner?» Perfectheart looked in that direction, but the fog hid it from sight. «Right. We haven't touched that place in some time, now. Alright. Let us go, then. Goodbye, dear guests.»

They bid goodbye and watched as Basil followed the two girls towards the corner that needed their help, as the fog engulfed them and hid their figures.

As soon as they were out of sight, Aubrey tapped Sunny's shoulder.

«What did he tell you?»

Sunny's eye darted towards Mutantheart, who had stayed with them. She tilted her head.

Aubrey bit her lip and shuffled on her feet, when Kel spoke: «Oh, Mutantheart!»

«Keel?»

«I was wondering... are there any snacks left?»

«Frens want snacc?»

He nodded. «Yeah! Do you have any left?»

«I check… can frens wait at center?»

«Sure! We'll meet you there!» Kel gave a thumbs up, and Mutantheart nodded, before walking away.

Aubrey turned towards Kel, raising an eyebrow. «Are you really hungry?»

«No! But Sunny has to tell us something, right?»

«Holy shit! Don't tell me that you actually used your brain for once?! Kel, I'm proud of you!»

Kel pouted. «H-hey! That's mean...»

«No, seriously, Kel. Thank you. Sunny, what did Basil tell you? He was whispering in your ear.»

«He wanted to search for clues about the Gate.»

Aubrey gasped. «And you let him do that!?»

«Aubrey… you should trust him.»

«Sunny's right, Aubrey», said Hero. «Basil can take care of himself.»

Aubrey sighed, rubbing her forehead. «I just hope you're right. If I see even one thing out of place…»

«He'll be alright», said Omori. «It's not like Perfectheart and Roboheart will kill him. But I see we all agree on all of this being suspicious.»

Hero nodded. «And Mutantheart... She's been following us a lot. This is the first time since this morning we're alone. It looks like they don't want us to snoop around.»

Kel frowned. «Could it be that they are really hiding something about the Gates from us?» 

Aubrey groaned. «Man, I can't believe that I'm starting to miss Captain Spaceboy. That guy was like an open book.»

Omori chuckled. «A bit like Kel.»

Kel puffed his chest. «I wasn't his second in command for nothing!»

Footsteps on the bricks made Sunny turn around. «Guys, we should go to the meeting point. Mutantheart may grow suspicious if she doesn't find us there.»

Sunny realized just how many things they had missed the first time they sneaked around the garden, for he had no idea that near the central section of the garden there was a small table and chairs, close to the water.

They barely had the time to sit down and catch their breath when Mutantheart emerged from the fog, holding a watermelon so big that covered her face.

«Frens…!»

«Let me help you with that!» Hero sprung into action, taking the fruit from their host’s hands. It was difficult to spot it on her bright pink skin, but Sunny spotted the faintest blush on her cheeks.

Hero brought the watermelon to the table, eliciting a clap from Aubrey.

«Oh, a watermelon! It’s been so long since I ate one...»

«Yeah!» Kel nodded. «When was it...»

A fierce argument began, where they tried to retrace their steps back in time to find the last watermelon they had eaten in real life, when Sunny was pulled out from it by Omori’s tapping on his wrist.

«What is it, Omori?»

«Where’s Basil?»

He furrowed his brow. «Don’t you remember? He’s with Roboheart and Perfect–» his eye widened in realization. «Omori, that’s not Basil.»

«How can you be sure?»

«They’re not serving our friend as a snack, Omori.»

«How can you be sure, Sunny?!»

«What’s the matter?» Hero looked at them with a worried expression.

Omori didn’t bat an eye. «I’m afraid that watermelon is actually Basil.»

The chattering perished in a second. The knife that Hero held in his hand, given by Mutantheart, stopped right above the watermelon’s skin.

Pair of eyes moved from Omori to the watermelon, before returning to Omori.

Mutantheart whimpered.

Hero was the first one to speak. «Sunny, care to explain?»

«Not really… no.»

«Omori, this isn’t Basil. Mutantheart also just said that she wants to keep a slice for him when he comes back.»

The girl nodded, smiling. «No eat frens.»

Omori squinted his eyes. «Alright. But if I find a key inside, don’t blame me, Sunny.»

Mutantheart tilted her head, but the boy paid her no mind.

Hero cut the watermelon and gave one slice to each of them. Mutantheart took one more and put it aside, murmuring a “For Bagel”.

As they started eating, Omori was the only one who didn’t join them, staring at the slice in front of him as if it could move at any moment.

«Have you ever eaten a watermelon, Omori?» asked Kel.

«Well… I actually never ate one.»

«There’s your chance, then! C’mon!» Kel raised his slice as a toast, before taking another bite.

«This is delicious!» Aubrey smiled, and Mutantheart squealed.

But Omori didn’t flinch. He kept staring at the watermelon, as if it could blink back. Sunny stopped eating to look at him. It’d be an interesting staring contest.

But nothing happened. And, when Kel impressed Mutantheart by spitting one of the seeds down the river, finally Omori started nibbling down his slice.

His eyes widened. «This is basically water juice.»

Sunny felt like he was struck by lightning. «What?»

«It’s a fruit but kinda tastes like flavored water. It’s… water juice. Or water in fruit form.»

«A watermelon», said Aubrey.

Omori looked at her. He had some red drops of watermelon around his mouth. «I feel like I understand many more things, now.»

Aubrey chuckled, before she turned towards Mutantheart. «Hey, Mutantheart… I was wondering, can I ask you something?»

She nodded and tilted her head forward, inviting her to speak.

«What do you know about this Rococo guy?»

At those words, she jumped and looked away. «Can’t… say.»

«Because of Sweetheart?» asked Hero. «Does she not allow you to talk about this?»

She winced and shook her head. «Bad topic. For her.»

Omori glared at her, but she didn’t notice, for her eyes were fixed on a point far away. «Mutantheart. Does Rococo live here?»

She shook her head. «Never did.»

«He’s not trapped in the walls of the castle, is he?»

Hero jumped, eyes wide. «O-Omori, what...»

Mutantheart blinked a few times. She tilted her head, frowning. «No. Why Omiri think that?»

Omori, under the barrage of his friends’ gazes, kept his cool. «Well. That’s good to hear.»

«Aubrey» Hero’s voice called her. «Do you think Rococo might know something about the Gate?»

She sighed, combing her hair with her finger. «No… it’s just that the name sounds very familiar to me.»

«Hm. Could it be that you heard it at school? It’s the name of an art style–»

«Jeez, Hero! Not you too! That’s not what I meant!»

«Aubs… met Rococo?»

«I don’t think so… no. I don’t think I ever did. It just sounds awfully familiar, like… I should know him?»

She groaned and hit the table with her head. «Forget it. First the forest, now this. This place really just wants to give me the most terrible headache of my life.»

Mutantheart tilted her head. «Aubs… want chamomile? Help with» she tapped her head.

«Thank you, but I’m fine. Don’t worry.»

«Hey, guys!»

Basil’s voice reached them as the boy appeared from beyond the hedge. A couple of leaves were still in his hair, and for some reason, Sunny thought it to be the most natural thing ever.

Omori sprung on his feet, running towards him and tackling him into a short hug, before checking his body. Basil froze, looking at his friends for support, but they too stood still.

Then, the younger boy let out a sigh of relief and gave a thumbs up. «I’m happy to see that you’re okay.»

«Huh… thanks?»

«Hey, Basil!» Kel waved at him. «C’mere! We have a slice for you!»

«Oh! Watermelon?» Basil rubbed his hands before he took a seat. «It’s been so long since I ate one!»

Omori stared in disbelief as Basil took a bite out of his slice. Basil savored the flavor, tapping his feet. «This is really good! Thank you!»

Mutantheart squealed.

He took a few more bites when his eyes glanced at Omori, who was frozen upright, staring at him.

«Omori», Sunny called out. «It’s bad manners to stare.»

«O-oh. Sorry. I... huh...» he bit his lip. «Nevermind.»

He sat down, arms crossed. He didn’t even flinch when Hero cleaned his mouth with a napkin, for he still had some red drops around it.

«So, Basil», Kel got his attention. «How did it go?»

«Taking care of topiaries is much more difficult than I imagined… but I learned a few things!»

«Can we expect to see topiaries in your garden now?» said Aubrey with a smirk.

The boy chuckled. «Well… maybe...»

Between one bite and the other, Basil recounted the work he had done with Perfectheart and Roboheart.

It wasn’t the first time that Sunny had the opportunity to hear Basil talk about gardening after the incident. Often he had heard him during video calls, just the two of them, as Basil whined about the presence of pests or the loss of plants due to the extreme heat or a particularly cold day. Sunny liked to listen to him talking. There was a particular glint in his eyes, a passion moving his hands as he spoke, that he couldn’t help but give his undivided attention to. Sure, after the conversation he often forgot most of the details, only to see them resurface in dreams or pulled out from strings of other things happening, as memories tended to work.

But Sunny realized that it’d been years since he saw such an occasion in front of him.

And, in that moment, he scrambled his mind to make a mental note: as soon as he’d be back home, he’d have to plan a trip back to Faraway.

Who knew, maybe he could have brought Omori along. Somewhat.

In the end, Basil’s voice lowered down to a whisper, as he bent over the table. The others, without realizing, followed his movement. «And… I think I may have found something.»

«Huh? What did you find?» asked Hero.

«A secret passage!»

His eyes were brimming with excitement as he savored the looks on his friends’ faces. Then, he turned towards Mutantheart. «Do you know anything about that?»

«Seecret… passage? Where?»

«It was in one of the corners of the maze.»

Mutantheart tilted her head and then shook it.

«Really?» pressed Omori.

«No...»

«Have you checked it out, Basil?» asked Sunny.

«Not yet. I waited to gather you all.»

«Okay then!» Aubrey got on her feet. «What are we waiting for? Let’s go!»

Basil led them in the southwestern section of the garden, where a hedge maze started. He had used the last petals he had left on the Foggy Forest’s flower to track the path he had walked, and they followed the petal trail under the gazes of the freshly-cut topiaries.

The trail brought them to a dead-end, when Basil ran past them and kicked a bundle of dead leaves on the ground, revealing a trapdoor.

«Here is it! It was quite difficult to find, it was buried under lots of leaves...»

Sunny bit his lip and wrung his hands together. That trapdoor...

Omori took a few steps forward, before turning towards Mutantheart. «Do you know what’s in there?»

She knelt on the grass, tilting her head and squinting her eyes to have a better look of the mysterious trapdoor. But, in the end, she shook her head.

«Hm», Omori walked over to Hero. «Knife, please.»

He jumped. «Wh-what? Do you think it’ll be necessary…?»

«Better be safe than sorry, don’t you think?»

Hero rubbed his forehead, before nodding. He gave Omori one last glance, as if he could change his mind, but when the boy didn’t flinch, his hand still open, he complied.

«Well», he kicked the trapdoor open. «Let’s go.»

Below the ground, a damp room was waiting for them. The humid smell of moss and water were the first things that Sunny noticed, so strong and heavy that he had to repress a sneeze.

The place was swallowed by the darkness. Not a source of light brightened the place, and Sunny couldn’t even begin to make heads or tails of where they were.

«This could be a problem», Aubrey’s voice rang from the darkness.

«Light…?»

«Oh, wait!» Kel’s voice was followed by the shuffling of fabric, when a small light appeared in his hands. «Here! Our lightbulbs should help.»

Sunny and Basil took theirs from their pockets: their lights were weak and dim, but a welcome sight in the utter darkness.

They started exploring the place with careful steps. Soon they surmised that the room wasn’t big and that a hallway stretched from one of the corners.

As soon as they found the corridor, Omori froze.

«Oh no.»

«What is it?» asked Hero.

«Guys, let's get out of here. This place is dangerous.»

Sunny nodded in agreement. «Omori’s right. We shouldn’t stay here.»

«But the Gate…! We could find something here» said Basil.

«Hey, guys», Aubrey’s voice rang from nearby. «Bring me one of your lights. There’s something here...»

The light showed them a metal bar. Many metal bars. They sprouted from the ground and reached the ceiling, digging directly into the bricks.

Hero frowned. «Are these… jail cells? Okay, I guess for a castle it’s natural to have cells...»

Aubrey turned towards their host. «Do you know anything about this, Mutantheart?»

But the girl was frozen in place, her eyes wide, fixed on the cells. Her hands shivered as her breath quickened.

«Mutantheart?» Aubrey's voice was softer. «Are you alright?»

«Why… cells?»

«I guess you're as clueless as us, huh…»

«But these cells look empty» Kel had his face sandwiched between the bars. «I don’t think we can find anything related to the Gate here.»

Omori peeked inside. «How can you tell? It’s pitch black in there.»

«I hear nothing… nor do I smell anything.»

«Wow», Aubrey chuckled. «You really are a dog.»

Kel stuck his tongue out, before turning back to the cells.

«Well», said Omori. «If these cells are truly empty, we could check inside. There should be a lever or a button over there.»

Sunny shivered. «Are you sure it’s a good idea, Omori?»

«What’s the matter?» Aubrey looked at Sunny. «Why are you so scared?»

«Back in Headspace these cells were filled with vicious bears.»

Silence fell in the dark hallway.

Hero was the first to speak: «Sunny. What the hell? Bears?»

«Extremely vicious and extremely fast», said Omori. «But I can’t see anything and I can’t hear anything here. I think Kel’s right, these things are empty. And, Basil, you found this trap door under a bunch of leaves, right?»

Basil nodded. «Yes. It was very well hidden… As if it hadn’t been used for quite some time.»

Aubrey shrugged. «If anything, there would be some ex-bears inside here...»

They looked at one another, as if the answer to their doubts would come on its own.

Sunny opened his mouth to speak. «Guys, I think–» but before he could finish, a loud clack rang from the wall.

They gasped as the metal bars slid underground. Basil turned around, lighting the figure of Mutantheart next to the wall, her hand on the lever, pulled downwards.

«Mutantheart!» Omori’s eyes darted inside the darkness of the cell. «Why did you do that?!»

«Why… cells. Must know.»

Mutantheart didn’t wait for another word as she approached the cell with a determined step and head high. Her hands were shivering, but her conviction didn’t falter, until she stopped right in front of the entrance.

Growling sounds emerged from the darkness of the cell.

The group froze.

The growls grew in intensity and in number. A heavy thud echoed in the hallway.

«How the fuck are they still alive?!» yelled Aubrey.

«RUN!»

Omori pushed Sunny away, as they all ran towards the ladder.

Fumbling on their feet and hands, they reached the ladder, as the thuds thundered in the hallway. In the darkness, Sunny could barely make a darker shadow moving through, followed by others. The growling grew in intensity, scratching his ears and letting an innate fear well up in his chest. It was something directly dug out from the depths of his mind, from a memory not of his own, but so important that it had been ingrained in his very being. A primordial fear and terror washed over him as he turned around and fumbled on the ladder’s rung, before gripping it with all his strength and pulling himself upward.

But, amidst the chaos, a word came out of his mouth. «Omori!»

The boy was standing at the foot of the ladder, knife in his hands. «You go! I’ll keep them busy!»

«Oh no you don’t, you dork!» Aubrey picked Omori up and brought him on her shoulder as he yelped. Sunny scrambled upwards to make space for her friend, as she said: «I’m not gonna let a friend get hurt!»

They climbed the ladder as the footsteps grew in intensity and number, and when Sunny finally saw the gray sky again, Omori jumped out from the trapdoor, thrown by Aubrey, and the girl leaped out herself. She shut the clutch with her foot and made one of the bears yelp as it hit its claw.

The feel of grass tickling his hands sent a wave of relief over Sunny. He collapsed on the floor and hugged his legs. The adrenaline washed off from his body, leaving tiredness and heaviness and its stead.

Basil sat next to him, hiding his face in his knees.

The group stood still, catching their breaths. Hero, on the other hand, had his eyes fixed on the trapdoor as if it could burst open at any moment.

«Frens...» Mutantheart frowned and tears cornered her eyes. «Sorry.»

«What’s done is done», said Aubrey. «At least… nobody got hurt.»

After Hero gave one last look at the trapdoor, he asked: «Is everybody alright?»

A chorus of hums and nods followed.

«Physically, I’m alright» said Omori. «Emotionally, I think I’ll need time to recover.»

«That was quite the scare, wasn’t it?» said Basil.

He shook his head. «Not because of that. My pride has been hurt.»

«Huh… why?»

«Aubrey picked me up like a sack of potatoes. I’ll never recover from that.»

Aubrey glared at him. «I saved your life and this is how you thank me? And you’re a scrawny twelve years old boy, for goodness’ sake. I’d be hurt in my pride if I couldn’t pick you up.»

At those words, Omori’s eyes widened. «You saved my life.»

«Yeah. I did.»

«Wow.»

Omori looked down, before turning back to Aubrey. «I hadn’t realized that. Thank you.»

She just waved her hand. «Don’t worry. We’re even now, I guess.»

«QXJlIHlvdSBhbHJpZ2h0PyE=» Roboheart appeared behind them, followed by Perfectheart. Even with her robotic voice, Sunny could catch a hint of concern in her whirrings.

«Is anybody hurt?!» Perfectheart knelt down before Sunny.

«Yeah… I think… we aren’t hurt», said Hero. «We just got a good scare.»

«Perfectheart» Mutantheart’s voice was still quivering from the experience down in the bear room, but her eyes burned with the same determination she showed when she pulled the lever. «Why cells there?»

«Cells? What are you talking about?»

«There are cells with dozens of vicious bears down there», said Omori. «Extremely vicious and extremely fast.»

Perfectheart turned to look at Roboheart, as if she could give a better explanation, but she shook her head.

«I’m afraid… I don’t know» her face darkened. «I really don’t.»

«TXV0YW50aGVhcnQsIHRob3NlIHdlcmVu4oCZdCB0aGUgZm9yZXN0IG1vbnN0ZXJzLCByaWdodD8=»

Mutantheart shook her head. «No forest doggos… just bears.»

«U2hvdWxkIHdlIHdhcm4gU3dlZXRoZWFydD8=»

Perfectheart shook her head. «Not yet», she turned towards the group. «My dear guests. You’ve already done so much for us and I cannot thank you enough. But I’m afraid I must ask another favor out of you. Can you keep the existence of this trapdoor a secret?»

Omori nodded, before staring down at Perfectheart. «We could. On one condition: tell us what you know about the Gate.»

Perfectheart’s eyes widened. «I… we told you we don’t know anything about that.»

«Stop lying.»

«We’re not lying. We really don’t know anything.»

Omori glared at her, but she didn’t flinch. An uncomfortable silence fell over them.

Tension rose in the air. Sunny looked at Omori, his hand curling around the knife. He was ready to pounce if necessary, but a determined composure kept him in place. He didn’t trust Perfectheart, plain and simple, and he’d carve the information out of her, if it came to that.

But Aubrey defused the situation before he could speak: «Huh... guys? Listen, I... I think we may have made a blunder here.»

«Maybe we should sit down and talk about this», said Perfectheart. «But not here. Let’s go inside. I’ll treat you with some tea.»

They left the corner maze without uttering another word. Exhaustion kept their mouths shut as they followed their hosts with heavy steps.

The garden seemed brighter than what Sunny remembered and in that moment he realized that the fog had become clearer, and the colors didn’t have to fight anymore to show themselves.

When they passed in front of the table where they had eaten the watermelon, Omori stopped in his tracks, looking away.

Sunny followed his gaze.

He was looking at a gate, its white paint shone under the pale sunlight. Images of plants and flowers curled around, tangling themselves in the bars. Some spots were directly hit by the sunlight, revealing the smallest signs of rust.

«Oh. So that’s the main entrance» said Omori. «So it exists.»

«Of course it does». Perfectheart raised an eyebrow. «Where exactly did you enter from?»

«The Sprout Mole Village. We came in through the theatre.»

«I see» she nodded, before letting out a heavy sigh. Her face darkened. «It’s true that this gate hasn’t seen much use lately. Not after what happened to the village...»

«The village?»

«Nubnub Village. It was a delightful place, in the middle of the forest.»

At the sound of that name, Sunny and Omori exchanged a glance.

Aubrey frowned. «Wait… you said “was”?»

«Yes. We don’t exactly know what happened, but… one day it just disappeared.»

«How can an entire village just disappear?»

Perfectheart shook her head and looked away. «We think it was swallowed by the fog.»

Omori gasped. «What? Can that really happen?»

«We don’t know. But how else could you explain a village disappearing?»

«Maybe it was… destroyed?»

«No. If you go where the village is supposed to be… you’ll just find an empty field. It’s like it ceased to exist from history itself.»

Shock fell over them. Aubrey bit her lip, her eyes fixed to the gate.

Basil tapped Omori's shoulder. «Have you ever heard of anything like that?»

He shook his head. «In Headspace there wasn’t anything like that. Not to mention I never heard of this Nubnub Village.»

«TXkgZGVhciBndWVzdHMsIG5vIG1hdHRlciBpbiB0YWxraW5nIGFib3V0IHRoaXMgbm93Lg==»

Perfectheart nodded. «Roboheart is right. No matter in talking about this now.»

«Right…» Hero frowned. His eyes landed on Aubrey. «Hey, what’s that in your hand, Aubrey?»

The girl jumped. «O-oh. I found it on the ground earlier. It’s the compass we found in the forest: it must have fallen from your pocket while we were coming here, Hero.»

«Oh», he checked his pockets. «Right.»

Omori shrugged. «Well. It’s broken anyway. I don’t even know why we’re still holding on to that.»

«Wait...» Aubrey blinked a few times, gasping.

«What is it?»

She looked at her friends and slowly turned the compass towards them. The needle didn't spin wildly anymore, instead of being fixed in one specific direction. «Guys... It’s working.»

Chapter Text

Omori eyed the compass in his hands. He raised it above his head, as if he was examining a gold nugget under the sunlight, and then lowered it again, tilted his head, and moved around. The needle moved, but the red tip would always stop in the same direction, pointing at the Castle.

«Well», Omori raised his gaze to look at the group. «Aubrey’s right. It’s working. Congratulations! Now we know where the North is!»

Aubrey let out a heavy sigh, retrieving the item from his hands. «Doesn’t it strike you as odd that it suddenly started working?»

«Maybe the hit on the ground fixed it», said Kel, shrugging. «You know, kinda like when you hit the TV.»

«Maybe it’s pointing to some place», said Sunny. Deep down, that’s what he hoped: the secrets of the Castle were starting to worry him, a black cloud of thoughts in his mind. For how long could Sweetheart remain as an ally? «We could see where it goes.»

Aubrey nodded, but Omori responded first: «But, Sunny. I already know where it leads.»

His eye widened. «You do?»

«Of course!» he raised his arms. «To the north!» he lowered them and pouted. «Sunny, it’s a compass. It leads to the north.»

«I’m sorry, dear guests» Perfectheart, who had until that moment listened to their conversation without talking, interrupted them. «May I ask where did you find this item?»

«In the Foggy Forest», said Aubrey. «We were following the rail tracks when the fog grew thicker and we got lost. We ended up in a glade and that’s where we found it.»

«I see», Perfectheart squinted her eyes at the item in the girl’s hands. «And it wasn’t working before now?»

«It always pointed in a random direction», said Basil. «I tested it myself.»

Perfectheart put her chin on her hand. «I see. I think Sunny’s idea is worth a try.»

Omori raised his arms. «What? It’s just a compass! It’s not like it will lead us somewhere interesting!»

«I have a proposal to make» at Hero’s voice, Omori turned around to look at him. «Let’s check where this compass leads us, as Sunny suggested. If it doesn’t lead us anywhere, we will just stop and relish in the fact that now we know where to look if we get lost.»

Omori sighed. «Alright. This will be a waste of time, but alright.»

Kel turned towards their hosts. «Is that okay for you? For us to check out where the compass leads, I mean.»

«T24gdGhhdCBtYXR0ZXIsIEkgaGF2ZSBhIHJlcXVlc3QuIFBsZWFzZSBsZXQgdXMgYWNjb21wYW55IHlvdS4=»

Perfectheart nodded. «Roboheart is right. Could we accompany you, too?»

Omori furrowed his brow. «Why? I thought you wanted to talk about the bear room.»

«You are hoping that this compass will lead you to clues about the Gate, am I right?»

Hero nodded. «That’s the idea.»

«We said that we’d help you in that regard. So… let us help.»

«VGhlIG1vcmUgdGhlIG1lcnJpZXIu»

«We help frens!»

Perfectheart shared a kind smile. «My friends seem to agree with me.»

Omori rubbed his forehead. «Guys, what do you think? Should we trust them?»

«We…  we don't have much choice, do we…?» Basil's voice was a whisper among them. 

«We can say no and deal with this ourselves» said Omori.

«Being overly cautious won’t lead us anywhere» murmured Aubrey.

Sunny nodded. «And it could still be that my idea is a fluke, and the compass won’t tell us anything worthwhile.»

Omori glared at him, but Sunny didn’t flinch, answering with his usual deadpan expression. He was probably trying to convince him to change his mind, but he didn’t budge.

If following the compass meant a way out of there, he wanted to at least try it out, before things turned sour.

In the end, Omori nodded, defeated. «Alright. But I’m keeping the knife.»

With her head hunched over the compass in her hands, Aubrey was barely looking at where she was going as she traversed the hallways of the castle. With a yelp and a gasp, either Hero or Kel would often pull her by the collar before she’d trip on one of the guards or on the corner of a carpet, while Sunny and Perfectheart walked a bit ahead of her, checking for potential dangers. Basil, on the other hand, was her shadow, right next to her.

Their steps echoed in the pink hallways, accompanied by the taps of the Sprout Mole guards.

In the end, Aubrey reached the hallway where they had found the cinema, but she walked past it, until Kel grabbed her by the collar.

«Oof, Kel! What is it this time?!»

«You were gonna hit the wall!»

Aubrey blinked a few times, a blush creeping on her cheeks, and she turned around.

The compass had led them to a dead end. The pink-bricked wall in front of them offered them no signs to be anything but. Two vases were placed in the corners, their luscious plants still glistening with a few water drops on their leaves.

«Huh...» Aubrey shook the compass in her hand with a frown, but the tip didn’t move: stubborn, it pointed directly at the wall. Her shoulders slouched.

«Aaaand this is the end of the ride» Omori shrugged and looked at Sunny. «I told you it’d be useless.»

«But it didn’t only point northward», said Basil. «We went in other directions, too...»

Sunny ignored both of them, staring at the wall. Aubrey was shaking the compass with a frown: probably she was hoping to find a clue to get out of there, as he was.

A shiver ran down Sunny’s spine. That wall… he remembered it. A passage to thoughts most dire, he had closed it off as soon as possible. So difficult to notice, it was a perfect barrier.

He turned towards Omori, but the boy didn’t seem to share his apprehension. If anything, he looked annoyed, with a slight smirk on his lips as a victory sign for his correct assumption on the usefulness of the compass. Didn’t he remember…?

Sunny scratched his fingers, as a way to let the stress go away. «Well...» he pondered on his next words, his eye darting towards Perfectheart. «We know of somebody who could be there… don’t we?»

Hero gasped. «Wait, you couldn’t possibly mean...»

Basil whipped his head towards him.. «Huh....? Sunny, you know something?»

Omori shouldered his way towards him. «Rococo wasn’t here, you know that! He was underground!»

«That’s not… who I meant, Omori.»

His shoulders slouched, eyes widening in realization. «Sunny, that can’t be. This is not your Headspace.»

«Wait a moment» Perfectheart pulled Omori’s shoulder, forcing him to face her. «What are you talking about? What do you know about Rococo?»

Omori sucked in air from his teeth, looking at Sunny. «I… huh… that might have slipped my tongue, yes...»

«Are you implying that Rococo might be in there?» she pointed at the wall.

Omori pressed his lips together. All his friends were looking at him, waiting for his next words.

«We don’t know», said Sunny. «There could be a chance.»

It was as if that was all she needed to hear. She straightened her back and dusted off her skirt, before taking a deep breath. Then, with resolute eyes, she turned towards the wall.

«In that case, I must go there.»

«V2hhdCBhcmUgeW91IHNheWluZywgUGVyZmVjdGhlYXJ0Pw==»

Mutantheart took Perfectheart’s hand. «Why?» 

Her lips quivered. «I’m sure you have noticed. Sweetheart has never told us the whole truth about Rococo. I have to discover what happened. Why did she cut ties with him? Who burned their theatre down? Where is Rococo now?» she looked at them, pleading. «Don’t you want to know all this, too?»

Mutantheart and Roboheart exchanged a worried look.

«Sweetheart… fren. Good fren. We help her?»

«But of course», Perfectheart smiled. «This is for her sake. So, are you with me, my friends?»

Roboheart, despite her unchanging expression, had a certain glint in her artificial eyes. She looked determined. «U3dlZXRoZWFydCBoYXMgZG9uZSBhIGxvdCBmb3IgbWUgaW4gdGhlIHBhc3QuIEl04oCZcyB0aW1lIGZvciBtZSB0byByZXBheSBoZXIga2luZG5lc3Mu»

«Thank you, Roboheart.»

They both turned towards Mutantheart who, on the other hand, had her eyes on the floor. She was trembling, on the verge of tears, but she nodded to herself before raising her gaze. «Rococo bad topic. If we help...»

The slightest hint of tears of gratitude touched Perfectheart’s eyes as she took their hands. «Alright, then. My friends, let’s go. Let’s see what this wall will reveal to us.»

New energy surrounded them as they turned around. «Our dear guests, what about you? This is a matter involving Sweetheart, I can understand if you don’t want to get involved.»

Sunny looked at the wall and Aubrey joined him. She looked down at her compass again. «We found this compass in the forest. I don’t think it’s just by pure chance.»

Omori’s groan made them all turn around. «It’s a wall!» he exploded. «What exactly are you planning to do?! Tear it down? Sunny, please!»

Aubrey glared at him. «Sunny. What’s in here?»

In that moment Sunny realized that it wasn’t that Omori didn’t remember. He just wanted to sway everybody from looking further into that wall. But he couldn’t let that happen. Aubrey was right: they had found that compass and it was leading them there, and it couldn’t be by chance.

What would they find in the depths of the Castle? It was not Sunny’s Headspace anymore, they all knew that. But they were in such a peculiar situation, could it still hold a link to that place?

«I don’t know» he answered. It was the truth. «But I think we have to check it out.»

He turned towards Omori and squeezed his hand. «Don’t worry, alright? I’m sure it will be okay.»

Omori looked at the hand holding his. «If you say so.»

«But Omori has a point» Kel pointed at the wall. «How exactly do we do that, anyway?»

Basil’s eyes gleamed with excitement. «There could be a secret passage!» 

With a quick jog, he ran towards the wall, putting both of his hands on it. He put his ear on it, before hissing. «It’s cold!»

Aubrey sighed, before letting out a small chuckle. «Amateur. The first thing you should check is if it’s hollow. And, to do that, you gotta...» she raised her hand and knocked on the wall.

A rumbling sound bellowed out. Aubrey pulled Basil back, making him yelp.

A faint line of dirt fell from the space between the bricks as they moved. They all stared with mouths agape as the rumbling continued and the bricks kept moving, sliding among themselves until a passage opened and the noise subsided.

The faint smell of water and moss reached Sunny’s nose, but his sight offered no answers, as the passage was engulfed by utter darkness.

Aubrey’s voice came as a whisper next to his ear. «Holy shit.»

Omori was the first to walk towards it, taking a peek inside. «It’s pitch black in here. Kinda like the bear room...»

Hero frowned. «Will our lightbulbs suffice?»

Omori shook his head. «They were barely usable down in the bear room. I wouldn’t trust them here.»

«That torchlight we found would have been ideal», said Kel with a sigh.

Perfectheart furrowed his brow. «Do you have a torchlight with you?»

«Yeah, but it’s without batteries.»

«VGhhdCB3b27igJl0IGJlIGEgcHJvYmxlbS4=»

Kel jumped when Roboheart approached him, her hand out towards him.

«You… you want the torchlight?»

«I have it», Hero passed it to her.

Roboheart raised her hand and, in a whirring sound, it slid inside her sleeve, under the group’s bewildered gazes. Then, with a swift motion, she put the torchlight where her hand was and it turned on, shedding a circle of light in the darkness.

«Wow» Sunny and Omori muttered in unison. 

She turned around, eyeing them. «VGhhbmsgeW91LCBkZWFyIGd1ZXN0cy4gV2UgbWF5IG5vdyBwcm9jZWVkLg==»

«Right», Perfectheart nodded. «Is everybody ready?»

With a nod, they entered the passage, following Roboheart’s light.

The cone of light gave them instructions on where to walk, but gave no clues on where they were. The hallway was paved with gray bricks and sometimes a small pool of water glistened under the artificial light, before disappearing once they walked past it. Sunny noticed the presence of a few extinguished lamps on the walls, but they offered no more than a reminder of happier times for that place.

The smell of water and moss was stuffing Sunny’s nostrils, and he tried his best to prevent sneezing. Next to him, he could catch a glance of Omori’s pale white skin, his eyes fixed on the light that Roboheart offered.

Then she stopped. Mutantheart hit her back, distracted by watching the walls.

«Is something the matter, Roboheart?» asked Perfectheart.

She pointed at the ground. «U3RhaXJzLiBXYXJuIGV2ZXJ5Ym9keSB0byBiZSBjYXJlZnVsLl0=»

«Oh!» Perfectheart turned around. «There are stairs here, please be careful.»

«Stairs in the darkness» Omori stifled a chuckle. «What a wonderful thing.»

Sunny glared at him, but Hero spoke first. «Let’s take each other’s hands. That will help us not fall down.»

Sunny’s hand was the first one to get grabbed. He expected the cold touch of Omori’s skin, but instead it was a warm hand. He raised his gaze to meet Hero’s nervous smile. «Is that alright?»

He thanked him with a whisper.

They took each other’s hands and started their descent.

The torchlight showed them only some of the steps ahead of them: beyond them a black and endless field stretched out, so dark and deep that Sunny believed he had closed his single eye.

He blinked, and blinked once more, trying to catch a glimpse of something, anything, but the void didn’t let anything appear from its clutches.

Except for an eye. A single eye was staring at him. Sunny closed his eyes and breathed slowly, trusting Hero’s lead. Another hand touched him: he opened his eye, but the eyepatch didn’t let him see, so he had to turn around. Basil was next to him and, at his side, Omori.

The boy winked and showed his knife. «If Something dares to show up, you don’t have to worry.»

Sunny and Basil smiled. When his gaze fell on the void once more, it was empty.

The stairs ended and they reached another hallway.

They kept walking. Straining his ears, Sunny was trying to find any signs of life in the depths of the castle, but he came back empty-handed. Only their footsteps and the soft whirring of Roboheart’s body were cradled inside the dark hallway.

In the end, she stopped again.

«VGhlcmXigJlzIGEgZG9vci4=»

«A door?» asked Perfectheart.

At the end of the hallway, perfectly placed at the center of the cone of light, was a metal door. Red patches of rust encroached the hinges, but apart from that, it had no other peculiar features.

Sunny wrung his hands together. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Omori, next to him, tensed up.

«Don’t worry», he whispered to him. «We’ll be alright.»

But Omori didn’t react, looking at Perfectheart as she walked towards the door. She put her hand on the handle, before turning around towards the others.

«Are we ready?»

«Wait», Omori stepped forward and gently shoved her hand away. «Let me open it. I have a weapon.»

She smiled. «Your concern warms my heart, but I know how to fight.»

He shivered. «Yeah… right...»

«Hey!» Aubrey’s voice had a hint of offense as she walked towards them, sliding her bat out of the bag. «Don’t forget about me!»

«Aubrey, I don’t think you should–»

«Hush, scrawny boy. I can handle myself.»

Perfectheart smiled. «We have been extremely fortunate to have such wonderful guests. Alright, then. Are we ready?»

With a nod, they opened the door.

Flickers of light greeted them beyond the door.

Deep beneath the Castle, laid a gray room. The lamps gifted them a view of the empty place, for the room offered nothing to see, except for a black figure at the center of it.

It had no legs nor arms: it looked like it sprouted from the ground like some sort of plant. Its black body stretched upwards like a stalk, until it curled downwards like a small cane.

At the end of the curl, looking at them with a face frozen in the middle of a soundless scream, was a white face.

«What… what’s that?»

Hero’s voice was coated in terror.

Sunny turned around and was met with his friends’ terrified expressions and pale faces. Basil had retreated behind Hero and Kel, his head peeking out, with an expression that Sunny never wished to see again after that dreadful night.

Aubrey tried to keep her cool, but her attempts were made vain by the quivering of her eyes and the trembling of her hands.

Their hosts, instead, had found refuge in the presence of one another. Perfectheart, Mutantheart, and Roboheart were huddled together. Mutantheart was slightly behind them, her hands on Roboheart’s shoulders. Perfectheart attempted to hide her fears with a stoic face, but her hands told otherwise.

Omori was the only one who stood still, staring at the creature dead-on.

Sunny found a peculiar kinship with him. They were acquainted with the monstrous beings from his mind and they both knew that the Keeper of the Castle was one of the lesser evils. 

«Ah. Visitors.»

The creature spoke, its voice emerging from the depths of the room. «Please, do come closer, if you wish. I have no intention to hurt you.»

«And we should trust such a creature?» Aubrey hissed. «Should I smack it?»

Omori stopped her with his arm. «No. Let me talk to it, I’m going to–»

«Omori», Hero placed his hand on his shoulder. «Don’t leave us in the dark. What’s your plan?»

He pressed his lips together, before nodding. «I don’t have a plan. I just want to talk to it. I don’t think it’s dangerous.»

Basil’s face emerged from Hero’s back. «Do… do you know it?»

«Yeah.»

Omori walked towards it, eliciting a gasp from Perfectheart who followed suit, leaving a whimpering Mutantheart behind. 

Sunny gave a reassuring nod to his friends and followed Omori.

«Who are you?» Perfectheart was the first to speak, her voice authoritative, without a speck of fear in it, for it was residing in her trembling pupils. «And for how long have you been here?»

«I am the Keeper. I have been here for as long as this Castle existed.»

The three girls gasped, looking at one another.

«U3VjaCBhIG1vbnN0ZXIgaGFzIGJlZW4gaGVyZSBmb3IgdGhpcyB3aG9sZSB0aW1lPyE=»

Mutantheart squinted her eyes. «Black… like monsters...»

Perfectheart seemingly found her courage in those words. «Keeper! Answer me: are you with the black monsters of the forest?»

«Ah. The black hounds. No. Despite the similarities, we do not have anything in common. You will have to find their master elsewhere.»

«Master? What do you mean?»

«All hounds have a master, you see. And these are no different.»

«So you do know something about them. Who is their master? What do they have against us?»

«You are misunderstanding, miss. Hounds do have a master, but they do not have to obey their orders. They can defy them, grow vicious… and leave their master totally powerless at the carnage they will spring forth.»

Something grabbed Sunny’s hand. He gasped, but he relaxed once he saw it was Aubrey. Her breath was quick and she looked at him with a pained expression. «Sorry», she whispered.

He shook his head, squeezing her hand, and tried to give her a reassuring nod, but it didn’t work, for she looked at the Keeper with a pale face.

Perfectheart’s voice sent him back to reality. «Enough of these cryptic games! Tell us what you know.»

«That… I cannot do, I am afraid. It is not my place. There are some… rules to be followed, you see. An old pact that I cannot break.»

A low growl emerged from Perfectheart, but the girl stood still, her eyes fixed on the creature.

«I see. Could you at least tell us the reason you are here? Does… the master of this castle know of you?»

«Sweetheart is an old friend, miss. I helped her out a long time ago, you see. Back when she was betrayed by her friend… she was so distraught… that I decided to grant her a wish.»

Perfectheart’s face turned pale. «What… what are you talking about? What wish?»

«After her friend’s betrayal… she found comfort in the abode they used to share. Her wish was simple. She wanted for her memories to be preserved, and I granted her the power to do so.»

Aubrey gasped. «The theatre...»

Perfectheart shook her head. «No… that cannot be...»

«Perfectheart…?» Mutantheart placed a hand on her shoulder, but she gently shoved it away. She closed her eyes. 

«My friends», she opened them, the glint of tears in them. «I have to ask you an important question. How far are you willing to go to help Sweetheart?»

Mutantheart tilted her head. «What mean?»

«She may have lied to us.»

Roboheart’s grinded her teeth. «RG9u4oCZdCB0ZWxsIG1lIHlvdSBiZWxpZXZlIHRoZSB3b3JkcyBvZiB0aGlzIGNyZWF0dXJlLCBQZXJmZWN0aGVhcnQhIEl04oCZcyBhIG1vbnN0ZXIh»

She shook her head. «I wouldn’t be trusting its words so lightly if I hadn’t seen what I have seen, Roboheart. It all… fits.»

Aubrey whipped her head towards her. «What do you mean?»

«It’s in the Library… the place she didn’t want any of us to see. Her biggest secret… and I happened to glance at it once.»

Mutantheart covered her mouth. «Perfectheart entered Library?!»

«What’s in there?» asked Hero.

«It’d be much quicker if I just showed you.»

«Please, wait!» Basil’s skin still hadn’t returned to its normal colors and, under everybody’s gaze, he seemed to shrink down. «I… I have a question for… for...» when the words failed him, he motioned with his head towards the Keeper.

Omori’s eyes widened. «Oh. Right. It’s worth a shot. Go for it.»

Basil nodded and took a few steps towards the creature. The more he got closer, the slower he became and his head disappeared in his shoulders. Sunny gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder.

«Mr. Keeper… do you know anything about the Gates?»

«Ah. Travelers from beyond, I see. The Breakers of the Chains… I hadn’t noticed your lightbulbs, forgive me. Yours is a peculiar situation, for there would be a Gate nearby if it were under normal circumstances.»

«What?» Omori gently pushed Basil away. «Explain yourself.»

«The Gate you are looking for has been trapped. I am afraid it was my fault… for it was my friend’s wish for her memory to be preserved.»

Aubrey frowned. «Sweetheart’s memory involved the Gate…? Really?»

«Not directly. The Gate was… an innocent passerby affected by the spell. I am afraid you will have to undo the seal if you wish to reach it.»

«And how can we do that?» asked Kel.

«You cannot. Neither can I. Once placed, only the Master has the power to release it.»

Omori winced. «You’re saying we have to talk to Sweetheart.»

Hero’s face darkened. «So she knew about the Gate.»

The realization laid a blanket of silence onto them. Shock and anger slithered among them, clouding their thoughts.

Omori pulled them out from their stupor. «Alright. I know that it’s a difficult moment, but… this is when we have to act. We should go talk with Sweetheart.»

«Wait», Perfectheart shook her head. «Let’s go to the Library first. You must see it with your eyes… what the Keeper said.»

The climb back to the lights of the hallway was a silent one. Distrust and worry cornered their eyes and their thoughts, but when they returned to the light, the oppressive air made manifest by the Keeper’s words was washed away by the smell of roses.

As soon as they stepped out from the passage, the rumbling of the bricks resumed and they slid back to their places, hiding the passage once more.

«Alright» Perfectheart’s figure was covered by certain frantic energy, a resolute look in her eyes that didn’t abandon her. «Follow me. The Library is right at the end of this hallway.»

She didn’t give them time to answer, for she started walking without looking back.

The twinkling lights of the “Cinema!” sign poked Sunny’s gaze as they walked. Perfectheart stopped.

Sunny’s head whipped from one side to the other: it hadn’t crossed his mind that the Library was right in front of the cinema.

And, with the realization that they were in front of the forbidden place, his hands started itching with the urge to open those doors and see what was inside, the willingness to defy all the rules was difficult to be resisted.

«Here we are», Perfectheart turned towards them. «This is the Library.»

Omori pulled the handle, but the rumbling sound of a locked door greeted them. «Figures. Give me the key.»

Perfectheart’s eyes widened. «It’s locked? Usually it’s open… Sweetheart trusts us enough for that.»

«But she doesn’t trust us, it seems», said Omori. «This is becoming fishier by the minute, I could believe I was underwater.»

«Where’s the key?» asked Kel.

She shook her head. «I… I don’t know.»

Hero scratched his neck. «Any ideas on how to get inside?»

Omori opened his mouth to speak, but Hero was quicker. «That doesn’t involve bringing it down.»

The boy closed his mouth.

Aubrey let out a loud groan. She wore an annoyed expression as she gently pushed Omori away from the door. She knelt in front of the lock, eyeing it. «I see. Do any of you have a paper clip?»

The group looked at one another, a few shrugs along the way. But Roboheart approached her and a small door opened on her belly. She retrieved a paper clip from it, offering it to Aubrey.

The girl stared at the item for a few seconds. She cautiously raised her hand and took it, staring at the robot for the whole time.

«Thanks.»

She got to work. Her hands moved with precise motions, her eyes focused on the hole in the door. Nobody spoke, fearing her rage if they were to break the spell she had been thrown into, until a click resounded and the door opened slightly.

Aubrey stood up, dusting her hands off. «Here we go. Perfectheart, tell Sweetheart to have better locks.»

The girl didn’t answer, too shocked to answer, looking at her with wide eyes. She slowly nodded. «S-sure.»

Omori, on the other hand, wore a faint blush on his cheeks. «Wow.»

«Huh… Aubrey...» Hero’s mouth opened a few times before he closed it again, his fingers wrinkling the air as if he could catch the words he needed flying about. «I’m afraid to ask this but… where did you learn how to pick a door lock…?»

She shrugged. «Sometimes I forget my keys inside my house and I’m too lazy to climb the window.»

«I… see.»

«I admit I’m not sure how to treat this… break of property», said Perfectheart. «But I’ll let it slide for now. Let’s go, I wouldn’t want somebody to notice us.»

The forbidden Library welcomed them in its dimly-lit atmosphere.

The doors closed behind them and silence enveloped their senses.

A few lamps hung from the walls, but the size of the room didn’t allow for the light to stretch far, letting them only create a few golden patches on the walls and on the floor, revealing the corners of the books on the shelves.

Sunny couldn’t count them all. They stretched on the floor like an orderly forest, wandering over the stairs and hiding in the shadows.

High above, beyond the flight of stairs, stained glass windows gifted a bit of light where the lamps couldn’t reach, but the fog of the forest made the sun shy and, in some places, it made the shadows darker than they originally were.

However, a small glint of light fought the darkness: from the lowest floor Sunny couldn’t see it properly, but its bright colors were impossible to miss.

«This place isn’t much different from what I remember it being» Omori broke the silence, eyeing the bookshelves.

«The Library is, first and foremost, a library», said Perfectheart. «Follow me, we’re almost there.»

They climbed the stairs and, as they went higher, the light that Sunny had seen from below grew stronger. It created stark shadows on the floor and stretched their own. He raised his hand to his face and squinted his eye as he kept climbing, until they reached the highest floor.

In the middle stood a small table. Floating a few inches above its surface, there was an orb of light. It emitted a soft murmur, like a lullaby in words he couldn’t understand, but the feelings were clear: a warm hug indoors during a rainy day.

They walked closer and, inside the orb, new figures appeared: it wasn’t made out of pure light, but Sunny couldn’t recognize the shapes he saw within.

«What this?» Mutantheart’s voice was a whisper, for she was enthralled by the orb.

«I never could understand what this orb was, until today», said Perfectheart. The lights made the shadows of her face longer. «I saw it for the first time some time ago. I had recently arrived here and I wanted to clean this room, but Sweetheart noticed me and immediately shushed me away, asking me to keep what I had seen a secret.»

She pressed her lips together. «But now… thanks to the Keeper’s words...»

«A preserved memory», the light of the orb gave Aubrey’s cyan eyes a small golden dot. «This is a memory, isn’t it?»

Perfectheart shook her head. «You’re looking at Nubnub Village.»

Silence fell over their ears once more. Their eyes fell on the orb of light in front of them and, with that new knowledge, Sunny recognized some of the lines as houses. 

«W-wait...» Hero wore a nervous smile. «You mean to tell me that… this is the village that disappeared?»

«It didn’t really disappear, and Sweetheart… orb-ified it?» continued Kel.

Perfectheart nodded. «If we are to trust the Keeper’s words, it was her doing, yes. With its help. Nubnub Village was an important place for her: it was where she worked with Rococo in their theatre. No doubt it holds many dear memories.»

«And in order to preserve them, she crystallized the village?» Aubrey frowned. «That’s what you’re saying?»

«Perfectheart!» Mutantheart stomped her foot on the ground and grabbed her friend’s wrist. «Stop! Sweetheart not do this!»

«VGhpcyBoYXMgYmVlbiBnb2luZyBvbiBmb3IgbG9uZyBlbm91Z2gu» Roboheart’s whirring voice broke out. «UGVyZmVjdGhlYXJ0LCBkbyB5b3UgcmVhbGx5IGJlbGlldmUgdGhlIHdvcmRzIG9mIHRoYXQgbW9uc3Rlcj8=»

«Roboheart, Mutantheart, I understand your skepticism. But… isn’t this proof enough? The forbidden Library, the Keeper’s words… it all fits. What else could it be?»

Her voice was quivering. Roboheart stood still, her yellow eyes unblinking.

Mutantheart freed her friend’s wrist and stepped back. Her whole face was quivering, tears forming in her eyes.

«But… fren...»

«Hey» Aubrey’s voice was low, but in the silence it resounded strongly. «I think I understand how you feel. Mutantheart, Roboheart… you… simply don’t want to believe it, do you?»

The two girls jumped and exchanged a look. Mutantheart started playing with one of her twin-tails.

«I understand» Aubrey nodded. «Really, I do. And believe me when I say that I think you are… really good friends» she looked at Perfectheart, who responded with a surprised expression. «You all care about her, don’t you?»

«Of course we do!» Perfectheart spat out, before she gasped, covering her mouth. «Of course we do», she repeated, quieter. «How could you even think we don’t? It wouldn’t hurt this much if we didn’t care.»

«Of course. I’m sure Sweetheart feels fortunate to have such a group of friends by her side», she chuckled, looking at her side. «I know I would, at least.»

«So...» she continued. «I have a request to make. Out of you. Please… listen to her first. Don’t jump at the first conclusions», her eyes darted to Basil for a moment, before landing on Sunny. «It may be difficult, but the willingness to listen is the first step.»

Perfectheart straightened her back. «Of course. That’s what we intend to do.»

«SXQgd291bGQgYmUgdW53aXNlIHRvIGRvIHNvIG90aGVyd2lzZS4gV2hhdCBraW5kIG9mIGZyaWVuZHMgd291bGQgd2UgYmU/»

«Why Sweetheart lie?»

Hero nodded. «Right. Of course», he wore a forlorn smile, made darker by the stark shadows. «If she felt the need to keep this a secret from you, there must be a reason.»

«Maybe she’s scared to lose you», said Sunny. «And this fear traps her… preferring to live a lie.»

«It okay...» Mutantheart’s voice was barely audible. «We frens… Want listen to her. It… okay.»

«Tell her that!» Aubrey smiled. 

«It’s not impossible to fix a wounded friendship», said Sunny. «It may take some time… but… it’s not impossible.»

«Right» Aubrey ruffled his hair. «And it won’t be easy. But being open is the best thing you can do, in these cases», she turned towards Basil, and pulled him into a side hug.

«Yeah!» Kel beamed. «Just like we did!»

Hero chuckled at his brother. «Yeah… But you will have to make the first step. The willingness to forgive… that is something you will have to look for yourself. Forgive your friend and… yourself. These dark feelings are natural.»

Without them realizing it, they had gotten closer to one another. 

In that moment, a mechanical sound emerged from Roboheart. It took Sunny a moment to realize she was laughing.

«U3VjaCB3b25kZXJmdWwgZ3Vlc3RzIHdlIGhhdmUsIGRvbuKAmXQgd2UsIFBlcmZlY3RoZWFydD8=»

Perfectheart chuckled and nodded. «Indeed. Such wonderful guests.» She rubbed her eyes, pushing away a stray tear. «Thank you.»

Mutantheart cupped her hands and squealed, swaying around.

«So...» Omori, who was left standing next to the orb, got their attention. «We go to Sweetheart, now? If what the Keeper said it’s true, the Gate is right here», he pointed at the orb with his thumb.

«We have to convince her to let the village free», said Basil.

«That won’t be easy», said Perfectheart. «There must be a strong reason that led Sweetheart to act in such a way.»

«Let me talk to her.»

Everybody turned towards Aubrey. Her eyes were fixed on the orb in front of her, the light dancing on her face, a small glint in her cyan eyes.

She blinked and looked at Perfectheart. « I know how she feels. Let me talk to her.»

Perfectheart took a deep breath, biting her lip. The shadows covered her eyes, but Sunny didn’t have to see to notice her pain.

She nodded. «Alright. I’ll call a guard to call her. Let’s go to her room.»

Chapter Text

The elevator was silent.

The soft whirring of its ascent reverberated from outside, as it led the group towards Sweetheart’s room.

Sunny shifted on his feet and rubbed the hem of his shirt. He couldn’t explain why, but his heart had quickened its pace and he felt hot. He wanted out, and the tense air didn’t help the stuffed feeling that gripped his neck.

Perfectheart had already asked the guards to call for Sweetheart. So she was probably waiting for them already.

He expected screaming and yelling. And he didn’t like screaming and yelling.

Memories of Pluto’s fight poked his mind and he shivered. He turned towards Omori, standing next to him. He had given back the knife to Hero after a lot of coaxing: he couldn’t trust Sweetheart enough to not whip out her morning star, and only Mutantheart’s whimpering and Hero’s reassurances allowed him to give his weapon up.

«Guys» he didn’t even turn around to look at them, his gaze fixed on his reflection on the metal doors. «Brace yourselves.»

«Huh?» Kel frowned. «What do you mean?»

«This could get ugly. That’s what I mean. I’ll do my best to protect you, of course.»

«Sweetheart is not a barbarian», said Perfectheart. «But I do predict some… harsh circumstances incoming.»

Being right behind her, she couldn’t have seen Omori making a mocking face at her. Sunny and Kel both stifled a chuckle.

Tension a bit eased, he took a deep breath. His eyes met the ones of the reflection of Aubrey on the metal doors.

Ever since he could remember, Aubrey had always been an expressive person. She acted as his opposite: while his emotions dwelled within and seldom peeked their heads to the outside world; hers found the light of the day on all occasions, her face being an open book.

But, in that moment, she was impossible to decipher. She took everything she was feeling inside her and, no matter how much he tried, Sunny couldn’t get anything out from the reflection on the door.

The elevator stopped with a ding and their reflections disappeared as the doors slid open.

They found Sweetheart’s room to be empty.

«Where is she?» Aubrey stopped in the middle of the room, looking around.

«She’s probably on the balcony», said Perfectheart. «She likes drinking tea by herself there sometimes. Follow me, it’s right after that door.»

The outdoors greeted them with the gray sky of the Foggy Forest. The clouds, heavy and bloated, curled themselves among the treetops too, caressing them with their fingers and leaving white smoky trails slithering between them. The forest stood still, an endless green ocean, but the clouds were ever moving, bubbling and curling and twisting.

For the first time since he had stepped foot inside the Castle, Sunny couldn’t smell the pungent smell of the roses: he sniffed a few times to be sure, but instead he only found the humid cold air.

At the center of the balcony stood a small table, four chairs placed around it. One of them was occupied by a certain girl in pink, a cup of steaming tea in her hands.

«Oh, you have arrived», Sweetheart’s voice had a hint of worry in it. «The guards told me you were looking for me. Did something happen?»

Perfectheart stepped forward. «We’ve come to talk to you, Sweetheart.»

The cup Sweetheart was holding stopped right before it touched her lips. Her eyes looked at the people in front of her, one by one. She lowered her drink. «This sounds serious. Please, speak.»

Aubrey couldn’t wait a minute longer. «We talked with the Keeper of the Castle.»

At those words, Sweetheart’s eyes snapped open. She slapped her hands on the table, making the porcelain cup clink, and sprung to her feet.

Omori pulled Hero’s wrist. «The knife!»

«Omori, no!»

Sunny pulled him back by the shoulder. «It would make things worse.»

The boy hissed, gritting his teeth, before shoving Sunny’s hand away. 

«How…» Sweetheart’s voice became a low growl, her eyes glaring at them and spitting fire. «How did you find him?!»

But, despite the raging fire in front of her, Aubrey didn’t flinch. She rummaged in her pocket before showing the compass. «With this.»

«And what, pray tell, is that piece of junk?!»

«A compass we found in the Foggy Forest. It led us beyond the wall.»

Her voice was calm and composed. All the emotions she’d have were buried deep inside: it was like staring right at the depths of a fire, but instead of succumbing to the flight response, she decided to plant her feet on the ground.

Sweetheart gritted her teeth and her nostrils flared. Her knuckles turned white, clenching the corners of the table. Sunny flinched, bracing for the worst, but instead it never arrived. Instead, in a moment, she deflated and her head hunched downwards. «Of course. I should have expected this.»

Perfectheart stepped closer to Aubrey, as if trying to shield her. «What do you mean?»

«You were just waiting for the right opportunity to stab me in the back, weren’t you?!» Sweetheart spat those words full of venom and stomped her foot on the ground. «Exactly like Rococo did. Sure! Relish in my help and stab me in the back as soon as the opportunity arises!»

«What?!» Perfectheart saved a moment to take a deep breath. «Why do you say this, Sweetheart?»

«U3dlZXRoZWFydCwgcGxlYXNlLCBzdG9wLiBUaGlzIGlzbuKAmXQgeW91LiBXZSBqdXN0IHdhbnQgYW4gZXhwbGFuYXRpb24u»

«What do you know, Roboheart?! All this time I believed I could trust you!»

«We trusted!» Mutantheart pointed her finger at her friend. «But you lie to us!»

«Sweetheart», Perfectheart tried to hide the pain in her eyes with a blink. «We realized that there was something bothering you. Some old wounds that never truly healed. So we wanted to discover them… for you. To help you.»

«What the hell do you know about what I need?!»

«Right», Aubrey’s voice made everybody turn towards her. She shrugged. «Of course you don’t want to tell them. After all, it’s not like you care about them, do you? They are here just to fill the void that Rococo left.»

Mutantheart whimpered, as Perfectheart stared at Aubrey in disbelief. «Aubrey, what are you–», but she couldn’t finish her sentence. 

«How dare you...» Sweetheart’s voice turned into a low growl. «How dare you!» she approached Aubrey, but the girl didn’t flinch, locking gazes with her. «You have NO idea how much they mean to me! Perfectheart, Mutantheart, and Roboheart… they’re my family! Don’t even think you can pretend to know how I feel about them!»

Aubrey stood still. She didn’t answer, letting Sweetheart pant in front of her, not daring to look away.

After a few, long seconds, she spoke again. «Sweetheart», her voice was perfectly calm. «Listen to me. I understand how you feel.»

«What do you know?! Coming here from who knows where after crossing the forest, and pretending to know who I am?! Leave this place at once!»

«Sweetheart! I understand! I understand how you feel! I know that you care about your friends… but I wanted to hear it from your own mouth. But Rococo… he hurt you, didn’t he?»

«How do you–» her eyes snapped open and she whipped her head towards Perfectheart. «You! It was you, wasn’t it?!»

«They deserved to know. I don’t regret my choice.»

Sweetheart gritted her teeth. Her nails scratched her palms, leaving faint white lines on her skin. Her eyes were flaming with anger.

«Alright», she spat. «You pretend to know about Rococo. You pretend to know what happened. So let me ask you: why did he betray me? Why did he leave me in the dust after our failure? Why did he leave me alone to deal with the aftermath?!»

But Aubrey didn’t flinch. Instead, her eyes curved with pity. «Let me guess. You never tried to connect with him again, did you?»

Like an extinguished fire, Sweetheart froze at those words. She took a step back, eyes bewildered, staring at Aubrey.

«You never asked him to explain the situation, did you?» Aubrey continued. «You never asked him why he left you.»

«He betrayed me!» she snapped back, grasping at the last remnants of her will to fight. «After our failure, he just left! Left me to deal with the aftermath and my own failure alone! As if we hadn’t worked together for such a long time!»

«Sweetheart», Aubrey’s tone had changed. It was soft… and Sunny thought of Mari. «I know how you feel. I truly do. I don’t blame you for being angry at him, because I would have felt the same. And all this… this castle… you just wished for him to come back, didn’t you? This Castle was like a lighthouse… both for you, and for him.»

Sweetheart faltered and took a few steps back. She kept herself steady by grabbing the back of a chair. «How.... how do you know all this?»

«I told you», Aubrey squeezed Sunny’s shoulder, before walking towards her. «I understand. Tell me, Sweetheart. Tell us. What really happened?»

Like a beast tired after its lashing out, Sweetheart had lost her strength. She raised her gaze, eyes glittering with tears. She was a husk of her former self, so little and frail that Sunny was afraid that even a gust of wind could blow her away.

«Rococo was my partner back during my theatre days. I suppose you know as much.»

Aubrey nodded. «Perfectheart told us that one day something happened between you two, and you split up.»

«Yes. We were quite famous, you know. Many people would come to watch our plays from far away. But one day, our fame started to decline. Until one day we barely had any spectators left», Sweetheart bit her lip. «We decided to put on one last play. But instead of staying together like I thought we would… Rococo told me of his decision to leave. He never gave me an explanation…!» she sighed. «But now I realize that I actually never asked him for one.»

She turned around and stopped to gaze at the Foggy Forest beyond. A light gray curtain had fallen over the world, a few dark green tips piercing the haze. Up there, one could feel truly alone.

«I was so angry… I had never felt like that before», Sweetheart kept talking, not daring to look back at them. «I had to do something before the feeling would burn me from the inside out. My whole mind was screaming», she gripped the guardrail. «I had to do something… I had to. So I… I…»

Slowly, as if she was grabbing the words needed to word her next sentence in the fog of her mind, she turned around. «I burned the theatre down. The symbol of our work and partnership. I burned it down… and the scorch mark is still there, in Nubnub Village.»

Perfectheart gasped. «So it was you…»

Sweetheart let out a dry chuckle. «I am a fool, aren’t I? Burning a bridge before checking if it was falling apart in the first place. No wonder Rococo wanted to leave. I can’t really blame him.»

«Hey, Sweetheart», Aubrey’s voice made her raise her eyes. «Have you ever thought that maybe Rococo left because of the pressure of his failure? Maybe he felt ashamed of himself… and ashamed for failing you.»

She brought a hand to her chest. «What…? How could he? We… we would have faced it together as we did with everything else!»

«Shame can cloud judgment, Sweetheart.»

Her head fell down. A hiccup escaped from her lips.

«I am such a fool… Snapping out at Rococo without giving him a chance to explain himself… without ever stopping to think that maybe he needed my help too…»

«Where is Rococo now, Sweetheart?»

She shook her head. «I don’t know. He never told me.»

«Sweetheart», Perfectheart was next to her, a smile on her face, her eyes glittering with unrolled tears. «My friend. Don’t worry, it’s alright.»

She pulled her into a hug. As she buried her head in her shoulder, Sweetheart’s hiccups grew in intensity. Slowly, Roboheart and Mutantheart walked closer and wrapped her into a hug.

«WW91IHNhaWQgaXQgcmlnaHQsIFN3ZWV0aGVhcnQuIFdlIGFyZSBmYW1pbHku»

«Sweetheart fren… Still love you…»

She stood still, as her friends enveloped her in their warmth. A new set of tears rolled down her face.

«Thank you… thank you…»

The next few moments were filled with silent nods of reassurance, as tranquillity settled over the balcony once again.

The tension dissipated and Omori relaxed. On his face, Sunny could see his admiration for Aubrey.

But he wasn’t the only one.

Kel placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder. «Hey, Aubrey… you were pretty cool back there.»

Aubrey blinked a few times, as if snapping out from a trance, and her cheeks darkened.

«Yeah», Hero offered a smile, pulling her into a side hug, deepening the colors on her face. «I’m proud of you, Aubrey.»

Basil joined the hug. «I’m so glad to have you back in my life, Aubrey.»

He didn’t want to make her more uncomfortable than she already was, so Sunny limited himself to a thumbs up and a smile. He truly did feel proud of her, though.

The girl, at a loss of words, just kept getting redder and redder, until she just covered her face with her hands and slid out of everybody’s reach by kneeling on the ground. Basil chuckled and patted her back as she quietly hummed things to herself.

«Are you alright?» Omori knelt down in front of her, genuine worry on his face.

«Yeah, don’t worry», Hero stifled a chuckle. «She’ll be alright.»

«Okay!» Aubrey sprung back up, but her cheeks were still red. «I did nothing special, okay?! I just… spoke what was going through my mind. Like I always do.»

«Then your mind is a good one», Hero squeezed her shoulder.

«We avoided a quite grim outcome, here», said Omori. «So yeah. Nice job, Aubrey», he gave her a thumbs up. She offered one back.

On the other side of the balcony, Sweetheart had just been let free from her friends’ hug. The master of the Castle wore a genuine smile and, still with teary eyes, she turned over to the group. «My dear guests. I really cannot thank you enough for what you’ve done for me… and for us. Please, let me know if there is anything we can do to repay the favor.»

«About that…» Omori walked over to her. «We have a favor to ask.»

«Of course. Anything.»

«Lead us to the Gate.»

Sweetheart gasped. «I… I told you. I know nothing of it.»

Omori’s eyes widened. «What? You… don’t?»

«I told you before, didn’t I? And I’m afraid the Sprout Moles I sent to gather information still haven’t returned.»

Perfectheart placed a hand on her shoulder, grabbing her attention. «Sweetheart. The Keeper told us that the Gate is in Nubnub Village.»

«I… see. I wasn’t aware of that.»

«The Keeper told us you’re the only one who can release the seal», said Aubrey.

«Please, Sweetheart», Basil pleaded. «It’s the only way we have to return home.»

«I see», she nodded. But she didn’t move, as her eyes went towards the forest once more. «Alright, then. I will release the village. I think it’s time to stop holding onto those memories in such a morbid way.»

She didn’t wait for the others as she walked towards her room. «Let’s go.»

The Library doors opened without a hitch when Sweetheart pushed them. This elicited a frown from her, who turned towards Perfectheart.

«I opened the door earlier», she said, before Aubrey could open her mouth.

Sweetheart nodded, satisfied with the explanation, and went in.

Aubrey whispered thanks to the girl.

As silent as they had left it, the Library soon offered them the sight of the golden light of Nubnub Village above its flight of steps.

Sweetheart stood still, the strong light stretching the shadows on her face, a little twinkle in her eyes. She raised her hand, soft and light, and caressed the memory in front of her with surprising tenderness.

Nobody dared to speak until Sweetheart herself offered them a smile.

«Alright. I’m ready.»

She cupped the memory in her hands and brought it closer to her chest. The shadows in the walls flickered and danced as the light grew brighter and bigger, like a small flame, forcing Sunny and his friends to shield their eyes. The light kept expanding until it engulfed everything around them, in a small explosion of gold. Then, in the blink of an eye, everything disappeared.

The shadows of the library grew strong again, enveloping them in its darkness. Silence fell once more.

Hero blinked a few times. «Is… is it over?»

Sweetheart nodded. «Yes. Nubnub Village is now back in its rightful place.»

«Thank you, Sweetheart», said Aubrey.

She smiled and gave a light bow, taking the edges of her skirt. 

«This was really brave of you, Sweetheart», Perfectheart pulled her for another hug. «We will be with you until the end, don’t you worry.»

«Thank you.»

«Sweetheart, I...» Mutantheart broke the idyllic moment. She was biting her lip.

«What is it, Mutantheart?»

«I have question. In garden… found room with bears. Why?»

Sweetheart gasped. «Oh. Are any of you hurt?»

«We barely escaped unscathed, to be honest», said Omori.

«That… that room was supposed to be locked.»

Basil gasped and slowly hid behind Hero’s back. The older boy ruffled his hair.

«It must be our fault», he said. «We were looking for clues, you see…»

«I see. I’m just glad you haven’t been hurt. To answer your question, Mutantheart, those bears were… actually, I’m not sure where they came from.»

«What you mean?»

«It was before you arrived here in the Castle. I had recently broken up with Rococo, and one day those bears just… appeared. They looked dangerous, but they seemed to obey all my orders. Until one day… they stopped doing that. I grew scared of them… so I locked them in that room. I kept them fed just to make sure they wouldn’t starve but… they were terrifying to me.»

«Why did you keep them in there anyway?» asked Kel. «It was pretty dangerous!»

«I thought they could be useful as some kind of defense, to be honest. Sure, the forest monsters still hadn’t appeared back then but… better be safe than sorry, no?»

«VGhhdCB3YXMgYSBjbG9zZSBjYWxsLCBTd2VldGhlYXJ0Lg==»

Perfectheart nodded. «It was indeed dangerous. But maybe we could try to calm them down, somehow? They obeyed Sweetheart’s orders, so…»

«I’m not sure they’re going to listen to me anymore… And also… I think I have made my mind up about something. And if my plan comes to fruition, I can’t really take care of them anymore, I’m afraid.»

«What are you talking about, Sweetheart?»

«I think I want to go look for Rococo.»

Aubrey gasped. «Really?»

She nodded. «Yes. I think… it’s time for me to leave this place. After all… I think that Rococo is also waiting for me. And I owe him an apology» she turned towards her friends. «My friends. What will you be doing, instead? You’re more than welcome to remain here in this Castle, if you so desire.»

«Well», Perfectheart smiled. «Do you mind some company on your journey, my friend?»

«You don’t mean...»

«This Castle is your home and you have given us shelter and kindness for so long. It’s the least we can do.»

«Frens go on adventure!» Mutantheart squealed. «Like Aubs!»

«Hell yeah!» Aubrey raised her hand for a high five, which she accepted.

«Are you really sure about this?»

«SeKAmWQgbGlrZSB0byBtZWV0IFJvY29jbywgdG8gYmUgaG9uZXN0Lg==»

«Roboheart is right. I’d love to meet your friend, too.»

Sweetheart smiled. «Alright. Thank you. I really don’t deserve all of your kindness.»

The white gates of the garden creaked open, revealing the foggy forest beyond, passing over the grass that had covered the trails of the past openings.

The group stood in front of the entrance, with new bags in tow: Sweetheart had offered them rations and water to last for a couple of days. At first they had refused, but after some really convincing puppy eyes from Mutantheart, they obliged. 

They turned around, looking at the Castle one last time. Its pink bricks and red roofs pierced the haze like an old memory brought forth by the senses, and Sunny stood still for a moment, relishing in it.

«The time has come, my dear guests», said Sweetheart. «Your presence has been nothing but a boon, for us.»

«It has been a pleasure», said Hero. «And thank you for your hospitality.»

«It was such a nice break from our travels!» said Kel. «Thank you!»

«I’m really glad to see that my judgment was spot-on», Sweetheart smiled at Aubrey. «A person with such wonderful hair must be a great person.»

Aubrey blushed, before shaking her head, as if it could send the color away. «It was nothing, really. Sometimes we need someone to remind us of the important things.»

«I agree with that.»

«Huh… Miss Sweetheart?» Basil placed the bag on his shoulder before speaking. «I have a question, if you don’t mind.»

«By all means, go ahead.»

«You said you’ll be leaving the Castle to go look for Rococo but… what will happen to the Sprout Moles? Will they… lose their jobs?»

«Worried about the unemployment rate in the Sprout Mole Village, Basil?» asked Omori, furrowing his brow.

«Well… they are good at their jobs but I admit I’d be sad if they were to suddenly find themselves unemployed...»

Sweetheart and Perfectheart exchanged a glance, before she spoke. «I do believe there has been a misunderstanding here. The Sprout Moles don’t work for us… per se.»

«They… don’t? But they were always walking around as guards.»

«And we found their armory», said Kel.

«One of them even stopped us!» added Aubrey.

«That’s correct. But I actually never hired them. None of us ever did. They just lived nearby and soon enough they started to do… what you saw them doing. I just let them do their own thing, also because King Crawler was quite a danger for them. They were safe here. Also some of them were old fans of mine, I think.»

«Is that why you did most of the heavy jobs?» asked Kel. «And the reason why you never gave them orders?»

Perfectheart nodded. «Exactly. The only thing we asked them to do for us was to call us if any of us needed it, and to warn us against the monsters.»

«I… see…»

Sweetheart smiled. «I think it’s time for us to bid our farewells, my friends.»

«The best of wishes for your journey. Please do be careful.»

«Frens had fun together. Hope we meet again.»

«VGhhbmsgeW91IGZvciBhbGwgeW91ciBoZWxwLCBkZWFyIGd1ZXN0cy4gQW5kIE15c3RpY01lbWVyLCB0aGFuayB5b3UgZm9yIGRlY29kaW5nIGFsbCB0aGVzZS4gRG9uJ3Qgd29ycnksIHRoaXMgaXMgbXkgbGFzdCBsaW5lIG9mIGRpYWxvZ3VlLg==»

And, with one last wave and rounds of goodbyes, they crossed the white gates and entered the forest.

Chapter Text

The fog walked on the ground, its cloudy tail slithering between the trees.

Silence blanketed Sunny and his friends as they walked in the forest, the humid grass muffling their footsteps. The trees, hidden by the mist, slowly revealed themselves with their gigantic trunks, trails of clouds hanging from the branches.

Sunny wasn’t sure for how long they walked, but its body definitely wasn’t happy with it. Stiff and sore, each step felt like moving a boulder with his feet. The bag on his shoulders weighed him down and, looking at Basil and his pained expression, his heart had a pang of guilt when he realized he was happy because he wasn’t alone in the ordeal.

His friend wore a pale face and a few beads of sweat were on his forehead. When he noticed Sunny looking at him, he gave him a tired smile.

In that moment, Aubrey frowned. «Oh. Guys, want me to carry your bags?»

«I’m alright!» Basil shouted with a tone of voice that clearly indicated that he, indeed, was not alright. «I… can do this.»

«Oh, c’mon!» Kel walked over to him with a chuckle and, without waiting, started to slide off the bag from his friend’s shoulders. Basil resisted, grabbing the sides, but in the end he lost the battle. «Don’t be shy! I always help you with your bags at Fix-it!»

Basil sighed as Kel just put the second bag on his shoulder. «And you, Sunny?»

He closed his fists to give him courage. «I can do this.»

«Yeah, riiiight», Omori was suppressing his laughter, looking at him. «Keep going at it, Sunny. I’m rooting for you.»

Sunny glared at his sarcasm.

«Are you sure you can do it?» asked Aubrey. «I can manage another bag, no problem.»

«Or Hero could!« Kel exclaimed. «Bro, you do need some more physical exercise!»

«I jog every morning!»

«And yet you still can’t keep up with me!»

Hero rubbed his face, but he was smiling. «C’mon, if Sunny says he can do it, let’s trust him.»

Sunny nodded, giving him a thumbs up. Finally, he could suffer in peace.

«And also, we’re almost there, I think», Hero brought a hand above his eyes. «I see something there…»

«Oh?!» Kel ran past them, under Aubrey’s warnings.

He disappeared beyond the trees, and they quickened their steps to keep up with him. Basil took Sunny’s hand, helping him with his support.

Beyond the wall of trees, the fog lifted like a veil. Reality was clear once again, no more blurry lines circling the eyes.

The sight was so familiar to Sunny that, for a moment, he blinked just to make sure his overactive imagination wasn’t having the best of him again.

But no, that wasn’t the case.

«What the…?» Hero’s voice was a whisper, his mouth agape. His friends joined with similar expressions of surprise.

Nubnub Village sprung forth where the forest ended. The grass gave way to the hard and familiar feeling of asphalt, and the black roads paved the ground in front of rows and rows of houses. Above them, electric lines cut through a gray sky that still held the remnants of the fog. On the ground, instead, pinwheels stood still, waiting for a gust of wind to move them.

On the sidewalks a few people were out and about, but an eerie silence blanketed the place. No person turned around to look at the strangers coming from the forest, not sparing even a glance. An anxious bundle lodged itself in Sunny’s throat: he couldn’t recognize anybody.

«Faraway…?» Basil let out the word carefully, as if its mere sound could break reality. «But… who are these people?»

«What does this mean?» Kel stepped beyond them, looking at the houses. «Why is Faraway here?»

A faint feeling of nostalgia fought with the unsettling feeling in his chest. That place felt dangerous, like a venus trap waiting for its prey to fall on its leaves. There was no way that could be Faraway, was it?

Muffled voices rang in his mind. He shook his head and pulled his ear a bit, but it didn’t stop. He couldn’t make out what it said, but he opted to do his best to ignore it.

Out of all of them, Omori was the only one wearing a face of enthusiasm. «This is where you live?»

«Technically», said Sunny.

«Hush, not you. I know you’ve moved away.»

«Are we… back home?» Kel’s voice had a hint of happiness in it.

Omori waved his hand. «Hello? I’m still here. This can’t be your world, I can’t physically exist there.»

«Neither did we think we could have a shared dream, but here we are», said Aubrey. «But you’re right. There’s no way this can be our Faraway. I can’t even recognize these people and...» she frowned. «Forget it. No way this is our home.»

«Yeah», Omori rubbed his arms. «And this feeling… This is exactly how I felt in Planet J03…»

Seeing him shivering, Sunny grew worried. «Are you alright?»

«Yeah, but it seems like I’m not welcome here. It’s like… I don’t belong.»

Kel sighed. «I had my hopes up for a second. Will you be alright?»

«I’ll manage, don’t worry. But I’d be glad if we could get out of here as soon as we can.»

«I’d be glad too», said Aubrey. “This place gives me the creeps. So similar to our home… but not the same.»

«It feels so wrong», said Basil.

«But we could try asking for information», said Omori. «Hero, I’ll trust your charm.»

Hero rubbed his temples. «Again?»

«I’ll handle this!» Kel pointed to his chest, before walking towards one of the people, a woman waiting near the sidewalk.

«Good morning, ma’am!» Kel waved with enthusiasm. «My friends and I are travelers, and we are…»

His voice trailed off as his hand lowered. The woman hadn’t even turned towards him, looking out at the road.

«Huh…» Kel exchanged a glance with his older brother. «Excuse me?»

He waved his hand in front of the woman’s eyes, but she didn’t react to it.

«Hey!» Omori jumped in front of her, waving his arms around. «Wow. I never felt so offended in my life.»

Without uttering a word, Hero walked away, approaching another person. Sunny saw him talk to a man, but, exactly like the woman, he didn’t react.

«It’s as if we’re invisible», said Sunny.

«Does that mean I can play pranks on them?» asked Omori.

«No, you can’t», answered Hero. «So, huh… any ideas?»

«I guess we can’t ask for information...» said Kel.

«We’ll have to find the Gate by ourselves, then», said Omori.

Aubrey shrugged. «We shouldn’t have problems navigating this place, right?»

«If I had to bet on a potentially suspicious place, it’d be the theatre that Sweetheart mentioned. So where is it?»

They looked at one another, but Kel responded first. «Faraway never had a theatre, right…?»

Sunny shook his head. «Neither an auditorium nor anything like that. Even for the recital, we were supposed to go to another town.»

A gust of wind caressed their skins.

Sunny blinked a few times, watching the trees rustle under the breeze.

After the static realities of the Foggy Forest and the Castle, frozen in time and forgotten by the breeze, the world was moving again.

«Hey, Sunny», Omori’s voice snapped him back to reality.

«What is it, Omori?»

«I never knew the houses in Faraway did that.»

«What are you–» his thoughts froze.

The row of houses in front of them was trembling, as if somebody had poked a jelly.

«What the…» Aubrey stifled a chuckle. «Okay, this for sure isn’t Faraway.»

Omori frowned. «Your houses don’t do this? Aw, that’s no fun.»

«Sleeping in a place like this would be pretty comfortable, I think…» said Kel.

«Believe me, you don’t want to sleep anywhere that isn’t stable», said Aubrey. «Will save you lots of scares.»

Hero gave them a look of disbelief. «Doesn’t… doesn’t anybody wonder why the houses are trembling like that in the first place?»

Sunny shrugged. «Disco house.»

He relished the groans around him. Omori gave him a thumbs up.

The wind subsided and, with it, the houses stopped dancing. Sunny walked towards one of them and raised his hand. He was expecting the grainy and rough feeling of a wall to come in contact with his palm, but that didn’t happen.

Instead, in its place, his fingers brushed over a soft texture, extremely small bumps sliding over it. He touched it again and pressed his palm a bit: the wall curved slightly under the weight.

«This is… fabric.»

«Fabric?» Basil followed his gesture, gasping when the wall curved. «He’s right!»

«Houses made of fabric?» Aubrey raised her eyebrows. «That sounds… strangely cozy. If it weren’t for the voices, this could even be a nice place to live.»

«What?» Omori turned towards her. «The–»

He stopped. «Wait a second…»

Sunny froze, his hand still on the fabric. The sensation in his ear persisted, like a cloud of mangled words that tried to grab his attention. He rubbed his finger inside, trying to shake it away, but it didn’t let go. It kept going, muttering and whispering.

He closed his eyes and, in the chaos, a word emerged.

Murderer.

He gasped.

«This is exactly like the forest», Omori seemed to grow even paler than he already was.

«Oh, please no», Hero shook his head. «Guys, let’s go. I don’t want to stay here one minute longer than necessary.»

Aubrey snickered. «You didn’t hear them until now? These bastards have been whispering in my ear ever since I stepped foot here.»

«Alright», Kel clapped his hands. «Find the Gate. Any ideas, guys?»

Omori nodded. «You said the theatre doesn’t exist. So, any other ideas?»

The sudden sound of scampering of feet on the concrete echoed in the roads. Like animals running away from the shot of a weapon, they watched as the people of Nubnub Village ran away, turning the roads empty. The thuds of the doors being closed shut reached them.

Soon enough, they were the only ones still standing in the Village.

«Well», Aubrey started. «I am kinda used to people running away from me, but like this...»

A growl emerged from their backs.

They turned around.

The depths of the forest spat out a creature. Its fur was as black as the darkest night, two red eyes piercing the void of its body. It walked on four legs, not too unlike a dog, but its size greatly surpassed the likes of one, its head almost reaching Hero’s chest. It bared its fangs, a white glint in the dark, as a low growl throttled out from its maw, its long claws leaving faint white lines on the asphalt.

In that moment, one simple certainty crossed Sunny’s mind.

That hound was there to kill them.

Pure primordial fear grappled his body and his mind, as the eyes of the creature were filled with raw violence and pure bloodlust.

«The black hounds…» Aubrey whispered, voice cracked.

«Hero! I’m taking the knife» Omori took the weapon from the boy’s pocket. «Run! I’ll protect you!»

The hound growled once more, before pouncing at them. Omori sent it flying away with a hit from the hilt of his weapon. Its fall prompted the group to run, but the hound returned to its legs again and charged at them.

Omori prepared himself to attack again, but as he raised his arm the hound jumped past him and kept running.

Towards Basil.

Aubrey pulled the boy to her, as one of the hounds’ claws scratched his arm, before it crashed onto one of the trees.

Aubrey’s face was scrunched by rage. She slid the bat out of her bag and gripped the handle, knuckles turning white.

«You bastard…» she took a step, raising her weapon. «It’s not enough to torment me, now you torment my friends?!»

She jumped forward and smashed the bat on the creature’s head. Drips of black tar exploded from the hit, sullying the ground.

«Aubrey…!» Basil went to touch her shoulder, before Omori jumped in and stabbed the creature.

It let out a howl. Its legs twitched before it stopped moving. Its black body caught fire and, in a crackle, it disappeared, leaving a black scorch mark on the sidewalk.

«Basil!» Aubrey ran towards him and pulled him into a hug, before taking his arm. «Are you alright?!»

«I… I’m fine…» he stuttered, but his pale face and terrified eyes hinted otherwise. «It’s just a scratch, really…»

In a flash, Hero was next to him and raised his arm, checking it with careful eyes. He lifted his sleeve slowly, revealing the red mark on the skin of his friend. The wound was superficial, but it had started to swell a little.

«Give me some water.»

Kel, as if trained to respond to that - and Sunny briefly wondered how active Sally was as a baby - nodded and promptly picked a flask of water from his bag.

Basil winced as the liquid touched the reddened skin.

«Sorry, Basil. Better be safe than sorry», he said. «I don’t even know what those things are.»

«Try eating something», Omori pushed a loaf of bread from their rations on Basil’s mouth. «Food healed us back in Headspace.»

Basil took a bite. «I… I don’t really feel any different.»

Omori pouted, glaring at the bread. «Useless food.»

«Does it hurt?» asked Aubrey.

«It stings a little.»

«Stay close to me, alright?» the girl was grabbing his shoulder, and Sunny wasn’t sure if Basil was nodding out of consent or fear. But, knowing Aubrey, he was glad that she’d protect him.

«Are you good to go?» Hero asked.

Basil slowly slid the sleeve back down, careful to not disturb the scratch.

«Huh… guys?» Omori’s voice was quivering, and Sunny felt him tap on his shoulder. «I don’t think we have a choice.»

They turned around. From the trees, followed by their growls, two more hounds emerged.

Basil took refuge behind Aubrey’s back as she readied her bat. Omori stood close to her, his knife glinting in the light.

«Guys…» Kel took a step back. «I know that we should face our fears head-on, but… what if we run away this time?»

«I agree», Hero took Sunny’s and Kel’s wrists. «Run!»

They sprung from their places and ran down the street as one of the hounds pounced at them, crashing on the asphalt. It got back up and whipped its head towards the running prey, before chasing after them.

«These bastards won’t leave us alone!» Aubrey pushed Basil forward before turning around.

«Aubrey!» Sunny spread his arm towards her, but Omori motioned him to go.

«I’ll help her!» he said. «You go on ahead!»

«Omori, please, keep Aubrey safe!» pleaded Basil.

The boy gave him a thumbs up. A whimper from one of the hounds signaled Aubrey's successful hit, as it fell on the ground and dissolved in a black mark. The second hound charged at the girl, but she readied another hit. Before it could connect, though, Omori sliced the side of the creature, making it fall to its side, before stabbing its head. The creature dissolved, leaving the black mark behind.

They kept running. The rows of houses of fabric turned into a blur of colors, and Sunny couldn’t hear anything but the sound of his footsteps and his heart thumping in his chest. He regretted not letting somebody else deal with his bags. His shoulders hurt and his skin felt on fire.

They stopped at one of the crossroads, soon rejoined by Aubrey and Omori. They all shared pale faces and heavy breathing, as they looked around.

«Where are we?» asked Kel between one breath and another.

«The intersection of the church», said Aubrey and pointed at a small house on the corner. «That’s my house… although much cleaner.»

Basil pointed to the other side. «And that’s where I live…»

«Any ideas where the Gate could be?» asked Omori. «A suspicious place.»

«”Suspicious” and “Faraway” are not words I’d ever put together», said Sunny.

«Yeah, it's a little town in the suburbs», said Hero. «Nothing really happens here.»

«Anything!?» asked Omori.

«Well, there is one suspicious place», said Basil. «But… I don't want to go there.»

Sunny shivered. «I… I don't think that's it.»

«What are you talking about?» asked Omori. «We're out of leads and the hounds aren't gonna just sit around waiting for us to decide!»

«The tree stump», Sunny glared at Omori, who seemed to become even paler.

«Oh. I… no. I don't think we'd find anything there.»

Their conversation was cut short by a growl coming from behind them. Another hound was approaching, fangs bared.

«Run!» Hero led the way, running towards the north of the town, followed by his friends.

But when another two hounds appeared in front of them, they froze.

They were trapped. Omori’s knife bared its blade once again, while Aubrey readied another hit.

«Guys!» Basil pointed at the side of the road. «In the trees!»

One of the hounds barely missed them as they sprung to their feet and ran inside the forest cornering the sidewalk.

They ran and ran, until the trunks of the trees turned into a blurry mesh of colors. The growls of the hounds followed them, prompting them to hasten their steps.

The forest ended and they entered a glade.

They stopped, looking back to the trees, chests breathing heavily.

But only silence welcomed their ears. No growls approached them, no scratching of claws upon the ground. The world stood still, not even interrupted by a gust of wind.

Sunny's legs gave out and he fell on the grass. He grabbed his chest, catching his breath.

«Is everybody alright?» asked Hero.

«I am», nodded Kel. «But I don't know for how much longer I can keep this up.»

«Neither can I», said Basil.

«My dear guests», the sound of a familiar voice was accompanied by the pungent smell of roses, and Sunny whipped his head towards the trees. «I am so very sorry, but I didn't think the hounds would have reached Nubnub Village, too…»

Sunny would have never thought that the sight of Sweetheart, of all people, would send a wave of relief over his body. And with her morning star in hand, to boot. Next to her, faithful as always, stood her three friends.

«Sweetheart! And the others!» Aubrey beamed. «Was it you who took care of those hounds?»

«Indeed», nodded Perfectheart. «Are you alright? Have you found the Gate?»

Hero shook his head. «The hounds aren't helping us… and we can't talk to anybody.»

«Everybody is hiding in their houses», said Sweetheart. «But don't worry. Now that we are here, you have nothing to worry about.»

The rustling of her morning star made Omori flinch.

«Anyway», Sweetheart looked around. «This place…»

She walked past them, towards the center of the glade. Her weapon swung at each step, until she stopped, not too far away.

«Now I remember», she nodded.

They approached her to look at what she was looking for.

The first thing that Sunny noticed was the faint smell of smoke in the air. On the ground, a giant black scorch mark sullied the center of the glade, as if somebody had scribbled the ground with a marker. The smudge had taken hold of more than half of the glade; a few of the trees at the far back were also hit by it, with their nude branches and blackened trunks. The rest of the ground, devoid of life, had turned ash-gray.

«Is this the place?» asked Perfectheart.

Sweetheart simply nodded.

«The theatre…» Aubrey whispered. «This is the place.»

«Such a grim reminder», Sweetheart sighed. «So many memories, buried beneath this black mark. I hope I can make it right with him, once I find him.»

«I’m sure you can», said Aubrey. «You just have to be honest. Both with yourself, and him.»

«...Right.»

«Hey, do you hear it too?» Omori cupped his ear, facing towards the black mark.

Sunny furrowed his brow, tensing his ear. It was faint, but he could hear a bubbling sound, like water in a pan.

«What’s that?»

«...bad news», Mutantheart pointed towards the center of the scorch mark.

The ground itself was emerging, rising from the ground and curving slightly. An egg made of black tar sprung forth, before it exploded in drops of black and sullying the ground. The red eyes of a black hound gazed at them, sending waves of terror down their spines.

«Okay, you know…» Kel’s voice was quivering. «I don’t think this is good…»

Aubrey gasped. «The hounds! They… come from the theatre?»

«Their master…» Omori turned to face Sweetheart. «”But the creatures don’t follow her orders anymore”… it’s just like the Keeper said!»

Sweetheart jumped. «I… I had no idea! I swear! How could I put my friends’ lives in peril?!»

«Because you didn’t want to…» Aubrey’s voice was interrupted by two new eggs bursting open, the new creatures approaching them.

Sweetheart tightened her grip on her weapon. «Alright. This isn’t the time for sulking», she turned towards Aubrey. «My friends, we’ll take care of things here. Go look for the Gate!»

«But, you…»

«Don’t worry about us! We can take quite good care of ourselves.»

«If my memories of Headspace are anything to go by», Omori placed a hand on the girl’s shoulder, pulling her slightly. «She’s right. Believe me.»

Aubrey closed her hands into fists, gritting her teeth. The hounds approached them, when Sunny took his friend’s wrist. «Aubrey! We must go! I don’t want to see you get hurt!»

«Let’s go!» Hero pulled Aubrey, forcing her to run, just as the hounds pounced to attack. The thud of a successful hit of the morning star right behind his head made Sunny turn around, while Basil sprinted past him. His eyes darted from the hound fallen to the ground to his friend. Were they targeting him…?

«Sunny!» Basil’s voice made him jump, and he nodded, running towards him and his friends.

«Sweetheart!» Aubrey cupped her hands around her mouth. «Thank you! All of you!»

The master of the Castle offered her a thumbs up and a smile, right before hitting another hound.

A glint in the grass made Sunny look down. The familiar sight of the compass greeted his hand.

«Sunny, let’s go!» Omori pulled him by the wrist, making him yelp.

While running in the forest, Sunny checked the compass: its red tip was pointing to his right and, with a quick mental image, he realized it was pointing towards the park.

He didn’t know why, but something in his gut told him to follow the compass. Faintly, like an old memory, the image of Stranger appeared in his mind.

«Guys!» he gasped. «The compass! It’s working again!»

«What?» but he didn’t let Hero say any more, as he ran past them. «Follow me! Maybe it’ll lead us to the Gate!»

«I guess it’s worth a try», said Omori, following him.

When they reached the road again, Sunny stopped. He gave a quick look around and, noticing the lack of hounds, he turned towards his friends. «Kel!»

«H-huh?»

«Can you please help Basil? The hounds seem to be targeting him. You’re fast, you can outrun them if they follow us again!»

«What?!» Aubrey’s shriek was followed by her grabbing Sunny’s shoulder. «What did you say?!»

«W-why me?!» Basil’s voice was a whimper.

«I-I don’t know, it’s something I’ve noticed! Please, we don’t have much time. The compass is pointing towards the park, we need to go there!»

Kel nodded. «Alright! Sorry, Basil!»

«What are you– ah!» the blond boy yelped as Kel picked him up. He had no time to realize what was happening before Kel started running.

«Alright, let’s go!» Hero was next, running behind him.

«Aubrey?» Omori took her wrist. «We have to go.»

The girl blinked, as if snapped back into reality. She nodded. «Right. Let’s go.»

The familiar sight of the park greeted their eyes. The decayed figure of the Big Yellow Cat made of metal made Sunny feel a pang of nostalgia, but he had no time to relish in the feeling and started looking around.

«I don’t see any Gates here!» said Omori.

Sunny lowered his gaze towards the compass. «There!» he pointed at the trees. «Follow me!»

He made a beeline towards the secret hangout path.

«The compass is leading us to the lake!?» asked Kel.

«Seems like it!»

Out of breath, they stopped when the waters of the lake appeared before them. It shone brightly, much brighter than Sunny ever remembered it being.

The waters had turned white and emitted light, so strong that it engulfed the statue that was supposed to be at the center.

«That's it!» said Omori. «That same feeling I had while looking at the Gate on Planet J03… this is the Gate, I'm sure of it! Let’s go!»

«Wait!» Aubrey's shriek stopped them. Her face was pale, eyes shivering. «Guys, I-I… I don't know if I'm ready for whatever is gonna be in there. This whole place was so painful already! I…»

«Aubrey», Hero’s voice was soft. «We have to. Listen, I'm scared too, but we have to! We're here for you, don't worry.»

«Aubrey!» Kel winked. «Don't worry. You saw my Gate! You have to trust us.»

Aubrey didn't answer, looking at the light. 

Basil took her hand. «Aubrey. We're friends again now aren't we?» 

Sunny put his head on her shoulder. «Don't worry. I won't judge. None of us will.»

Growls rumbled from the belly of the forest. 

Aubrey groaned and yelled. «Okay! Guys, let's go!»

They sprung to their feet as the hounds emerged from the trees, and then, one by one, jumped into the lake.

Chapter Text

When Aubrey opened her eyes, reality was a blur. Voices exploded all around her, in a chaotic bubble that hurt her ears, but she couldn’t make out their words. 

They were cheering… for something?

They had won?

They who? Won what?

Aubrey tried to restore a bit of order in her thoughts, but the voices just kept shouting and cheering. They sounded very familiar, but she was sure she hadn’t heard them for some time now.

However, like an instinct, her emotions reacted before her mind and a smile appeared on her face. She missed those voices.

She rubbed her face, removing the veil of haziness from her eyes.

The hangout spot by the lake revealed itself to her. She couldn’t see the body of water, but its burbles coming from behind her convinced her of the idea.

The frame of trees all around her wore a brilliant green, reminiscent of summer. If the voices around her could have quieted down for a moment, she was sure she would be able to hear the buzzing of cicadas far away.

The voices!

She looked around, and their owners manifested to her, one by one.

The Hooligans.

Her chest warmed up in joy, her smile growing brighter.

Finally! Had the adventure ended? Were they truly back home?

Sure, it was fun, the most fun she had in a while, but the last moments had been quite vexing. Those voices back in the forest and in Nubnub Village… they judged her without the slightest idea of how her life was like. Saying how her life had turned to ruin after his father left, wondering how her mother felt seeing her daughter become a delinquent like that...

She’d have snapped back at them and spit at their shoes if she could. But, as incorporeal voices, she could only pretend to ignore them.

And the hounds… they were targeting Basil, weren’t they?

In those red eyes full of anger, Aubrey had seen something in them. A connection to a part of herself she didn’t want to admit. The hounds were speaking to her, uttering words she didn’t want to hear.

She had never been more glad to have her friends by her side. She didn’t know what she’d have done otherwise. Probably succumb to anger, maybe.

But it was all over, wasn’t it? Finally at home! Sure, her home was far from cozy, but in that moment she only wanted to go back home and cuddle with Bun-Bun.

She had so many things to think about: she wrote a mental note to reunite with Kel and Basil as soon as possible. Kel still owed her money from their bet back on Planet J03, after all.

And the movie night!

So many things to plan!

A giddy feeling erupted inside her, and she felt like a kid all over again.

But the Hooligans around her were still cheering. As their voices grew louder and more real , the joy in her chest slowly melted away, replaced by another feeling. One much darker and violent, coming closer like growing thunder clouds on the horizon. No matter how much she thought of her friends, both old and new, to keep it at bay, it kept encroaching on her, the roaring thunder flashing its reality to her.

Rage. Pure, violent, animalistic rage.

No.

She grew scared. She grew scared of her mind and her actions. She grew scared of herself.

Her mind went cold, but her body kept warming up, the feeling burning inside her. 

Please, no. Not again.

The sound of another voice made her snap out of those thoughts. She wanted to cry, but her body didn’t obey her commands. But that voice… she had heard it so often lately that she wished for it to be a sign of comfort.

«I don’t believe it when you say you don’t care about us anymore.»

Yes! It was Kel! 

Wow, she never thought she’d be happy to hear Kel , of all people. But the burning sensation in her mind was taking hold, and she knew her friends would help her snap out of it.

This was all some kind of fucked up dream, wasn’t it?

She found the boy standing in front of her. She wondered how she hadn’t noticed his presence beforehand, with that horrendous orange jersey he wore during…

Aubrey froze. A gulp of air got stuck in her throat, but her body kept breathing like normal.

Let me go away! Let me…

But the body didn’t answer. Her hand was firmly grabbing the familiar smooth surface of her bat with such strength that her palm hurt.

Another figure appeared next to him.

There he was. Sunny.

He lacked the eyepatch she had grown so used to seeing. The realization hit her.

The hangout spot. The Hooligans. Kel and Sunny.

Despite the stiffness of her body, the rage that kept her locked in place, the body that didn’t feel like her own, Aubrey mustered all of her strength in one simple motion. 

She moved her head.

And she wished she hadn’t.

Her heart sank.

Basil. Her dear friend. He was down on the ground, crying, gripping his hair. Each of his sobs was like a needle being impaled in her heart.

Please… no. Anything but this, please!

She wanted to cry, but her body stood still. The rage burned inside her, destroying every remnant of compassion and hope she had.

No. Please! Anything but this, please! I don’t want to hurt him again!

But she couldn’t do anything but watch.

«You have all your friends now», Kel continued to speak, but the static in Aubrey’s mind drowned some of the words. She wanted to close her eyes and keep her ears shut, crawl down to the ground and let everything wash away, but instead, something grabbed her head and forced her to open her eyes and her ears. «But you’re hanging at our old hangout spot. Do I really have to spell it out for you?»

«Don’t listen to him, Aubrey», Kim’s voice. Usually it always brought comfort to her, like a salve for her anger. But, in that moment, it didn’t work, and it didn’t extinguish her fear either. «He’s spouting crap like usual!»

No, Kel is right! I still cared about them! Anger was blinding me, distracting me from what was important! I forgave them, Kim! I truly did! Let him go!

Another glint of rage burned inside her, but this time it was hers. 

And don’t even dare to say that he’s spouting crap ever again. Only I am the one allowed to say so.

«Right, Aubrey?»

But her body didn’t answer. Its rage had blocked any kind of word from coming out of its mouth.

«This isn’t fun anymore…» Angel sighed. «I wanna go home. Let’s get out of here…»

«You said it…» Vance nodded, a resigned tone to his voice.

And then, one by one, all her friends left. They walked past Kel and Sunny, took their scooters, and disappeared beyond the trees.

The moment was approaching. Aubrey knew it. And it hurt, it hurt so much. She couldn’t bear to see it again . She had already punished herself far enough times while in her bed, replaying the same thing in her mind over and over again. Her nightmares added the final touch in the guilt that was devouring her heart.

Please. Please.

But she was a prisoner inside her own body. The anger was pulling the sadness down, forcing her to pay attention, to watch her biggest mistake again.

But her body was burning. Her hand hurt. Everything hurt and screamed.

Aubrey wanted to distance herself from that feeling as much as possible, run away and take shelter in the presence of her friends, both old and new.

«Aubrey», Kim’s voice was distant. «You coming?»

Yes, please. Let me out of here.

But she couldn’t answer.

«Oh… okay. Catch you later, then.»

And she too disappeared beyond the trees, accompanied by the sounds of her scooter’s wheels.

Behind her, Basil’s hiccups felt like arrows being thrown at her heart.

Basil… I’m so sorry.

But she couldn’t do anything but watch.

«Aubrey…»

She had never thought that something as simple and natural as the sound of her name could push her to the deep edge.

Something was welling in her throat. Her eyes hurt.

The body clenched her first until its nails dug into its skin.

And she let it out.

A yell. It emerged from the depths of her rage, anger, and desperation. Her legs gave out and she fell on her knees.

«Why?!» she punched the ground. «Why do you guys keep coming back?!»

Her mouth spewed those words, but she only wanted to curl up next to Basil and reassure him that everything would be okay. Things would become better.

Maybe they wouldn’t become easier , but at least he wouldn’t be alone anymore.

Unlike how he was in that moment, curled up in the dirt, his knees smudged with mud and his face swelled with tears.

Alone .

«I just want you to leave me alone!» 

Aubrey was scared of herself. She was scared of her anger. She was scared of how her emotions would snap out from her body and hurt those who were close to her, no matter how much she hated them.

But, in that moment, she felt pity. That girl, who was nobody but herself one year earlier, was hurting so much. She wanted to take her own hand, pull her into a hug, and let her cry.

I’m sorry .

Let the barrier get built. Let everyone out! Nobody will dare to cross the thorns.

That was what she was thinking, wasn’t she?

«Sunny…» she had never thought she’d be able to spit that name. «Why? Why did you show up now?»

«We just want you to stop messing with Basil!» Kel screamed. «What’s your deal with him all of a sudden?!»

She punched the dirt again and started to rise on her feet.

«You used to be friends», Kel continued. «We all used to be.»

The fire inside her grew. Aubrey stood there powerless, inside a body that she recognized as her own, but so distant from her that it could have been a stranger.

«You think I’m the bully», she reserved a glare at the boy in front of her, gripping her bat tighter. «But you’re all messed up too…»

«What were you doing when Mari died?!» she yelled. «Where were any of you ?!»

Aubrey remembered that pain. She remembered the loneliness that hurt her skin and her chest. She remembered the nights spent alone crying in her room. She remembered the cold embrace she felt when she saw her father for the last time before the thud of the wooden door signaled his leave.

Everybody had left her. And she was alone.

Tears clouded her eyes. The forest, the lake, Kel and Sunny, all became a blurry mess of colors. But her body knew its target and it spun on its heels and walked towards Basil. The boy scrambled backward, before getting on his feet.

They had reached the pier.

He looked so small and weak. 

Aubrey… how could you?

«And you…» Aubrey was panting. «You’re the worst, Basil. How dare you show your face to me after what you did!»

She didn’t know what happened. But a little glint of courage appeared in the depths of the despair in Basil’s eyes. 

«Aubrey, I…»

«Get away from me!»

It was a natural reaction. An instinct.

Just like the fear and shame that washed over her when he saw Basil drown.

«What the hell, Aubrey?! What are you doing? You’ve taken this too far!»

«W-wait, hold on! I didn’t mean to…»

«Sunny! Don’t worry about Aubrey, I’ll keep her busy! Just go help Basil!»

She heard a splash from behind her. It was probably Sunny jumping in to save his friend, right?

Wait…

They both can’t swim!

But her body didn’t allow her to show her worry. It stood still, frozen in fear and shame.

And she couldn’t do anything but watch.

Whatever it was that forced Aubrey to watch her worst memory all over again had suddenly lost its grip. She couldn’t remember what happened after she saw Basil’s head disappear underwater. Kel was speaking, she could surmise as much, but her body stood still in front of him. All the anger had exploded in that one single action and now had left only smoke behind.

When she came to, Hero was on the lake’s shore. 

Her body was surprised to see him. Right, that was the first time she had seen him in years, right? 

Next to him, Sunny was on the ground, drops of water falling down from his hair as he grabbed his chest and regained his breathing.

Next to him, in Hero’s arms, was Basil.

Basil!

But the body didn’t move.

She wanted to run to him, make sure he was breathing, pull him into her chest, and just make sure he was fine .

But the body didn’t move.

Hero got on his feet, his friend in his arms, a worried expression on his face. He said a few words she didn’t get over the static of her mind, but she made out the words “He’ll be okay” and that was all that mattered.

Thank you… Hero.

They exchanged a few more words she couldn’t hear and turned around, walking towards the forest.

«Hey!» she surprised herself with that shout. «Where do you think you’re going?!»

But they didn’t answer, not even sparing her a glance. The four boys disappeared beyond the trees and the last thing she saw was Basil’s blond tuft peeking from Hero’s body.

And there, under the sun’s dying light, as the waters of the lake changed their colors into a purple hue, Aubrey found herself alone.

Once again.

All the rage that was trapped in her body dissipated like snow under the sun.

Her eyes burned.

Her legs gave out.

She cried and wailed and screamed, but nobody heard her. She punched the ground and scratched the dirt, but nobody came.

She didn’t know for how long she cried. For how long she longed to feel the touch of somebody, anybody , on her back.

Somebody that could tell her that everything was going to be okay.

Somebody that could tell her that everything was now fine.

Why… why…

How did things end like this?

Basil was her very first friend. Dating all back to elementary school, it wasn’t long before she considered him her best friend.

He had always been a silent child. Everybody avoided him, the son of the couple who never appeared in town. A boy who loved flowers, who took time to choose his words, and who couldn’t even gather the courage to hurt a fly.

And Aubrey, proud of her rebellious side, wanted to get closer to him.

It happened during a nice day of spring, when the first flower blossoms sprouted from the half-frozen ground, giving the world their colors after the monochromatic existence of winter.

Aubrey enjoyed the company of flowers. Their colors made her happy and their perfumes made her relish the warmth of spring.

However, she rarely went near them. She had a long – long as it may have been for a six years old child – bad history with bees. She hated them: she loathed their buzzing that would pull her away from the flowers, so she’d look at them from afar.

From the window in her classroom, she could enjoy the view of a row of bushes who, under the timid spring sun, had started to perform in a little show of colors.

And one day, during recess, she approached one of them. Little pink dots peeked out from the leaves, with many more bulbs waiting to come out.

Aubrey stretched her little hand, eyes wide with glee when the pesky buzzing of a bee made her jolt up and scream.

«Don’t worry!» she heard a voice from behind her.

She screamed once again, making the new voice yelp too. When she turned around, the only thing she saw was a pair of arms crossed to cover a face, but the blond hair was more than enough to tell who he was.

His eyes peeked from beyond his wrist. «Are you alright?»

«I… huh…» her cheeks flared in embarrassment. «Sorry! I didn’t want to scare you…»

«It’s okay», he gave a sheepish smile. «Look, the bee went away!»

He pointed at a bush a bit farther from them: the little thing was busy checking out the flowers.

«Finally!» Aubrey pouted. «Ruining my day like that… umpf!»

The boy chuckled. «Bees are good! They won’t hurt you if you don’t pose a threat to them, you know.»

«W-what?»

«Yeah! They only use their sting as a last resource. They die if they use it.»

All of a sudden, she felt really sorry for that little bee. What if she scared it, and it’d die because of her? She hated them, but she didn’t want them dead!

«Sorry, little bee», she whispered.

But then, realizing who was in front of her, she quickly regained her smile. «I’m Aubrey! What’s your name?»

«Oh, huh… B-Basil.»

«Nice to meet you, Basil!»

His cheeks flared red, his eyes darting away. Then, as if desperate to bring forth a new topic, he pointed at the bush in front of them. «Do you like these flowers?»

“Yes!” she clapped her hands. «Pink is my favorite color!»

He gave a little hum of approval, before saying. «These are azaleas. This is the perfect moment to see them bloom.»

«Azalea…» Aubrey repeated the word a few more times, under her breath. She looked at the flower once again, trying to imprint it in her mind. «Thank you, Basil! You’re really smart!»

«I-I… I’m not…» he looked down. «I just… read a lot of books.»

«That means you’re smart!»

He probably couldn’t become any redder than he was, Aubrey thought.

And, as if he was trying to hide the blush, he tried to cover his face with his collar.

«It’s really nothing special…» his voice was muffled behind the fabric.

«Hey, Basil.»

«Yes, Aubrey?»

«Do you want to be my friend?»

The collar slid away from his hand as his eyes widened in surprise. A smile blossomed on his face. «I do!»

I wonder…

When I stopped seeing that smile… why didn’t I ever dare to make it appear again?

Aubrey didn’t know for how long she cried.

She only knew that her eyes hurt and that she felt cold. So very cold.

She didn’t know where she was. Not that it really mattered.

She was in a dark place. She couldn’t discern one single thing in the darkness: if she closed her eyes, the only difference would be the disappearance of her knees hugged to her chest.

She buried her face, hugging her legs tighter.

So cold.

So very cold.

Old words rang in her mind.

From darkness, you can create your own reality .

A faraway sound tickled her ear. She slowly raised her gaze. The pink waters of the lake came into her view.

«Hey, Aubrey!»

Kim’s voice echoed from close by.

Under the trees’ shadows, on the picnic blanket they had brought some time ago, all her friends were waiting.

«C’mere, Aubrey!»

She smiled.

And she didn’t feel as alone anymore.

Chapter Text

The soft whisper of the wind tickled his ears.

Sunny groaned, disturbed from his sleep, and opened his eye. A strand of hair fell over it and he sent it flying in a blow.

His thoughts were a scrambled mess, intertwining and passing by each other like a whirlpool, and it felt like they took physical space in his brain. He tried grabbing the first thought that passed through, but it slipped away like an eel. He shook his head with the hope that it’d put some order, but it only made it worse.

Since the thought plane was in such a chaotic state, he decided to rely on what his senses could give him.

Around him, the abandonment of the Playground greeted his eyes. The mint-colored grass engulfed the ground, as the pillars of the rusted play equipment emerged from their blades.

He began the tiring ordeal of getting up, with a body that seemed much heavier than he ever remembered it being. 

A thud next to him snapped him awake. On the grass next to his feet laid a brown backpack. 

Oh, Sweetheart's rations… right.

Sunny gathered the bag and put it on his shoulder, massaging his temples. 

The whirlpool of his mind started to subside, allowing him to glance at some of his thoughts. Like rocks slowly descending to the bottom of a river, his mind was becoming cleaner.

Right. 

They had traversed Nubnub Village and had escaped from the hounds chasing them. 

They had found the Gate and–

Sunny gasped. His throat tightened, black tendrils of terror choking him.

The lake… 

He closed his eye and took a deep breath. He focused on the wind touching his skin, on the weight downing on his shoulder. When he opened his eye, he let the purple sky remind him that he was safe.

He had never realized it, but Basil had almost died that day, hadn't he? 

He was still with them only thanks to Hero.

He remembered the fear and shame that hit Aubrey as she saw their friend’s head disappear under the water. 

The terror of seeing him breathless on the lake’s shore.

The desperate prayers for him to be alright.

Fortunately, her ending hadn’t been as grim as his. 

«I have to find the others», he steadied his step and started walking. 

Under the remnants of the monkey bars, he found some familiar figures.

«Sunny!» Kel tackled him with a bear hug. He rocked a bit until he let go. «It's good to see you again. You alright? That memory must have been–» 

«Don't worry about me», he gently pushed Kel away by his shoulder. «What about Aubrey and Basil?»

«Basil is here, but Aubrey is still missing.»

He motioned with his head behind him. Basil was sitting on the ground, right beneath the monkey bars, next to Hero. The older boy was rubbing his back, whispering words Sunny couldn’t hear.

At the lack of Omori, Sunny looked around and found him a bit farther away. The younger boy didn’t even acknowledge his presence, for he was pacing back and forth, eyes perceptive for any movement.

What is he looking for?

Sunny took a few steps towards him and, when Omori turned towards his direction, waved his hand.

The smallest of smiles appeared on the younger boy's lips before acknowledging his presence with a nod, but then he returned to his pacing.

Looking for Aubrey, I presume...

He returned to the monkey bars. «Hey, Basil.»

The boy on the ground raised his gaze. Sunny's eye widened in surprise when he saw he wasn’t crying.

«Sunny», he smiled. «How are you feeling?»

«Don’t worry about me. How are you feeling?»

He let out a tired sigh and gazed at his knees. And then Sunny knew that his lack of tears was just a façade. Holding strong for somebody else.

Probably Aubrey. «Holding up. I would have never imagined her Gate had to do with me, too...»

During the past year, in an attempt to mend the relationships he had left to rot, Sunny had on more than one occasion apologized for his actions. He had defended Basil, he had offered possibilities for amends, and he had brought to light many of the thoughts haunting him. 

But, despite all the things he had said, he always thought that words could never properly convey how he felt.

And that is the reason why, in that moment, he opted for saying exactly what was in his mind, no matter how often he had repeated himself.

«Basil. I’m so sorry.»

And Basil shook his head, like he often did. «Let’s not think about that now… it’s all in the past.»

There they were. Those words again.

It’s all in the past .

Every time Sunny would apologize to him about what happened, Basil would answer that way.

I’m so sorry, Basil.

Sunny… it’s in the past. Let’s go onward, shall we?

Hero’s sigh made them turn towards him. He was rubbing his eyes. «I can’t believe I thought that it was one of the usual fights between Aubrey and Kel…» when he finally removed his hand, his eyes were filled with tiredness. «Seriously, Kel. You could have explained it with a tad bit more detail.»

Kel scratched the back of his head. «I didn’t want to worry you too much… you know, with you being back from college and everything.»

But their conversation was cut short as a voice erupted from behind them.

«Basil!» 

Aubrey was standing not too far from them, her eyes swollen and red. Her cheeks still wore the trails of the dried tears. She was breathing heavily, catching up for all the hiccups.

Ever since he could remember, Aubrey had always been the image of self-confidence in their group of friends. Brash and hardheaded, Sunny looked up to her for those aspects, aware that he had always been too passive to properly imitate them.

But he knew better. During their swing talks, Aubrey let the strong image fall apart in front of him, showing a person sure of her ideas and thoughts, but that was looking for acceptance. A person who, deep down, wanted to run away from the harsh cold of loneliness.

And, in that moment, that same image flashed in his mind.

Her hands twitched at the sight of her friends and she ran towards them, before falling to the ground and pulling Basil into a hug, almost tackling both of them down.

«I’m so sorry, Basil», Aubrey rocked back and forth, bringing the boy with her. «I’m so sorry.»

She started repeating those words over and over again, her sobs sometimes interrupting her voice.

Basil, after the initial shock dissipated, buried his face in his friend’s shoulder and drew circles on her back, whispering words to her ear.

Then, it all stopped.

Aubrey stopped rocking and talking. They stayed like that, a huddled mess of tears and hugs.

Basil’s face emerged from her shoulder. Sunny expected to see puffy red eyes dried of their tears, but instead the boy was wearing the kindest of smiles. He gently pulled away to look at the girl.

«Aubrey», but she had her eyes still shut by tears. «I’ve already told you. It’s all in the past.»

It's all in the past.

He was afraid that it was a sign of him returning to old habits, when he closed his eyes and ears to the real world and tried to live in a world where everything was fine.

It took him some time to realize that, instead, those words were a reminder that their future was still ahead of them. Like a sunflower facing the sun, Basil had somehow found the strength to focus on the future.

But Aubrey didn’t seem keen on the idea. She opened her eyes and looked at him. «How can you even say that?! I… I hurt you for four years! And here I am, pretending to be your friend as if nothing ever happened!»

«We… we were all hurting back then.»

«I was horrible, Basil. I… I don’t know what to do. I’ve been trying to atone for my mistakes but… can I truly do that? How can I even possibly believe to undo four years of… that ?»

Basil flinched. He stood silent for a moment, looking at the mint-colored grass beneath him, before speaking. «I don’t know if you can do that, Aubrey. But… all that matters is what you do now, right? And you’ve been nothing but a good friend this past year.»

«And don’t you deny that, Aubrey!» Kel wore a huge grin on his face. «I saw you! I saw how you help Basil in school! And I saw you save a seat for him in the cafeteria so that he doesn’t eat alone!»

«And haven’t you invited him to be part of the Hooligans?» asked Hero with a smirk.

«Charlie and I are good friends», Basil said. «And Mikh– huh, The Maverick, always gives me something from the bakery in the morning!»

«That doesn’t matter!» Aubrey pulled away, springing to her feet. She rubbed her eyes with her sleeve, but new wet drops fell soon after. «None of this does. It’s… it’s just wrong.»

«Hey, Aubrey» Sunny took her hand, getting her attention.

Being too far gone to be considered a normal person again. 

Being so wicked and rotten that normal life only seemed a distant wish reserved for a few people.

He understood how she felt. 

«I don’t know if I should be saying this, but… you have an opportunity to make things better», he took a deep breath. Her ending hadn’t been as grim . «Don’t waste it.»

Aubrey’s eyes widened. «Sunny… I...»

She hiccuped once more, before pinching her eyes until they scrunched. But it didn’t work, for new tears rolled down. «Can I, truly? Do I even deserve that?»

Basil pulled her into a hug. «That is not my place to say. But even so, I don’t really care. I know what I want: continue being your friend. I know that you’re a nice person, Aubrey. I want to forgive you.»

Hero placed a hand on her shoulder. «And you just wanted to protect Mari’s photos. I can’t really condone all the things you’ve done but… just do your best for now, what do you think?»

Aubrey stood still, the only thing moving her tears down her face.

Then, she pulled Basil closer and tightened her grip.

In silence, they waited for tides of guilt to lower down. Soon, the hiccups stopped filling the air, and Aubrey and Basil sat down close to one another. The girl’s face was hidden behind her curtain of pink hair, while she leaned on her friend. Basil wore a gentle smile and a relieved expression.

Under the monkey bars, they all sat down in a circle, recollecting their thoughts.

«Oh», Kel broke the silence, but his voice was lower than usual. «Aubrey?»

She moved her head a little, exposing part of her face.

«Have you checked your lightbulb?»

She raised her head and dug in her pocket. A white lightbulb shone in her hand, its weak light pulsating slowly.

«Geez», the white light gave pearly streaks to her hair. «All of this emotional turmoil for this little bastard...»

Basil beamed, clapping his hands. «We’re almost there! We just miss the last lightbulb!»

«Yeah...» Hero pulled his lightbulb out. «I guess I’m next.»

«Don’t worry, bro!» Kel pulled him into a side hug. «We’re all here for you, whatever it is!»

«About that...» Omori spoke for the first time since the ordeal. He waited for everybody to look at him before continuing. «I have an idea.»

«We’re not gonna live in a dreamland of your own making, Omori», said Aubrey.

He yelped. «That’s not…! I didn’t want to say that!»

Sunny furrowed his brow. Why had he turned defensive? Was that shame in his voice?

«It’s about the black lightbulb», he continued. «Sunny had one too, you know. Back in White Space… it represented his repressed memories. So… maybe it’s the same for you?»

Aubrey scoffed. «That memory wasn’t repressed for me. What happened that day at the lake was like… the main star in all of my nightmares for the past year. Usually with a worst ending.»

Omori crossed his arms. «But then… what does it mean?»

«Maybe it’s repressing something else», Sunny shrugged. «But why are you bringing this up now, Omori?»

«I was thinking we could help Hero if we knew beforehand what was going to happen.»

Kel raised his eyebrows, before elbowing Hero. «So, bro? Any dark secrets you’re hiding?»

Hero jumped, startled. His eyes darted from one person to another. «W-what? I’m not hiding anything.»

«But you have a black lightbulb», said Basil. «The Gate will show you something...»

«I have no idea, really», he gave a sheepish chuckle, but upon seeing that his friends didn’t let their sights out of him, he continued. «I mean… I don’t know. What could it possibly be?»

«Something you’re repressing», said Omori.

«Guys!» Aubrey raised her hands. «Listen to me. I think all these theories are wack. Sorry, Omori. But I really think that this place just wants to fuck with us. My Gate wasn’t even about a repressed memory!»

«Well, Aubrey...» Basil let out a mischievous smile as he hid his head between his shoulders. «You aren’t really the type of person to hide things from others, not even yourself.»

«You’re too honest», said Sunny.

Aubrey smirked. «And I am quite proud of that, thank you!»

«But still...» Sunny started playing with a blade of grass in front of his shoe while placing his thoughts. «Could it really be, though? The Gates are just… random?»

«It’s just like dreams», continued the girl. «You know how sometimes they just make no sense.»

«But they always have a deeper meaning...» Hero bit his lip. His eyes wandered far from the group, as if the remnants of the abandoned Playground could offer him answers.

«Are we really gonna have a dream interpretation session here?» asked Kel.

«I’m speaking from experience!» said Omori. «The lightbulbs’ existence isn’t random. Hero, you should give it some thought. At least for yourself.»

Hero returned from his wordless journey by looking back at Omori, before gazing at the lightbulb in his hand. He moved it a little and he nodded.

«Although…», Sunny's hand stopped twirling the grass. «There is something all your Gates have in common.»

Hero sighed. «Sunny, I don't think–»

«They're all outcomes of Mari's death.»

The group fell silent, looking at one another. Omori hugged his legs, glancing at Sunny.

It hurt him to think that. But just as Headspace was the result of his actions, maybe that place wouldn't have been so different.

Just for how long would he have hurt his friends?

Sunny bit his mouth, sending those thoughts away. They were in that ordeal together, and he'd do anything in his power to help them.

As he had tried to do for the past year.

«Well, just more evidence that this place wants to fuck with us», Aubrey let out a sigh. «This is our last one. Then it’s just smooth sailing to the Beacon and back home. Hero, we’re counting on you.»

«Do I even have to do anything?»

«Well, no. But… it could be difficult.»

«...that’s alright. I want to go back home. I really had my fair share of adventures to last for a lifetime!»

The sound of ruffled grass behind them made them spring to their feet.

Omori slightly pulled Sunny in his direction in an instinctual reaction, but he let his grip dissipate as a familiar black figure stopped in front of them.

«I see you have broken yet another Chain. I am pleased to see that. And I am pleased to see that you have not fallen disheartened, children.»

«Hey there, Daddy Longlegs!» Aubrey waved with a smile. «Fancy meeting you! C’mon, give us our next location so that we can finally go back home!»

«A delightful reaction, child. But I must warn you: do not let your guard down, the road is still perilous and your journey is far from over.»

«Yeah, yeah. We know. We’ll be careful and all that jazz.»

«Places you have grown familiar with might change and places you have never seen might feel familiar. Never let your guard down, children. This land is shaped by your thoughts and emotions, and thus it is prone to change.»

«Right, of course,» Aubrey nodded and showed her palm to him. «Location, please.»

Kel elbowed her. «Aubrey!»

«Ow! What was that for?!»

«Be polite!»

Omori walked past Aubrey who was rubbing her arm, and craned his neck to look at the figure’s face. «Daddy Longlegs. I have a question. Do you know anything about the nature of the black lightbulbs?»

«They hide the light of the truth. That is why they cannot serve as a guide to light your way back home, in such a state.»

Aubrey groaned. «And what kind of truth is that? A truth in plain sight? I’m a horrible monster?»

Daddy Longlegs shook his head. «You misunderstand, child. A black lightbulb may not be able to guide you home, but it still emits light. You should do well to remember that. What you see in what it shows you… it depends on how you want to see it.»

Omori frowned. «You lost me there. All the Gates were pretty straightforward.»

Aubrey shrugged. «Does it really matter, anyway?» 

«It does, child. But do not worry. The broken Chains will help you.»

Aubrey hummed a non-so-convinced approval, before she said. «We should just get going.»

«Right!» Kel nodded. «Mr. Daddy Longlegs! Where do we have to go for the last Gate?»

«The Gate you seek is in the north, beyond the Highway.»

«Ah!» Omori nodded. «The Underwater Highway! I know that place!»

Basil turned pale and gasped. «U-Underwater!?» 

«Yeah, but don’t worry. It’s not like we won’t be able to breathe there.»

Aubrey furrowed her brow. «Can we…?», then, her eyes lit up as a smile appeared on her face. «Are we gonna become mermaids?!»

«Ugh!» Sunny shivered and rubbed his arms. «Please, no. I couldn’t possibly stand that tail...»

«No, seriously» Omori continued. «If it’s anything like how it was back in our Headspace, we have nothing to worry about.»

«Alright then», Hero wore the smile of a person who was trying not to lose it. «Thank you for your help, Daddy Longlegs.»

«I wish you good luck on your journey, children.»

    They left Daddy Longlegs with concerned thoughts and wary faces.

They walked past the Playground until it disappeared beyond the trees, when the lonely tree stump greeted them once again at the center of the crossroads.

«And here we are, yet again» said Omori, looking at the planks covering the entrance to the stump. «And now, the lake…»

Basil pointed at the northern path. «That’s where we have to go...» he turned towards Omori. «Anything we should be careful about?»

Omori stood still, looking at the path ahead. He took a deep breath – were his eyes shivering ? – before he answered. «No… not really. There’s… just a lake there.»

«A lake?» asked Aubrey. «Do we have to cross it?»

«Is there a boat?» asked Hero.

Omori shook his head. «How would you cross it, Hero?»

«H-huh? What do you mean?»

«Back in Headspace, there were bridges but you had to swim for a while. How would you cross it here?»

«...by boat? I'd definitely avoid swimming.»

Aubrey raised her hand. «I agree. Unless we really become mermaids.»

Omori looked at Hero before humming in approval. «Alright. Good choice.»

Then, for a moment, he looked at Sunny. He thought he’d say something, but instead the young boy stayed silent, his eyes back on the ground.

«Omori?» he whispered. «Are you alright?»

He nodded, much faster than usual, before walking away, towards the lake.

Chapter Text

They found the lake quietly sleeping under the purple sky.

Its gray waters lapped on the shore, traces of foam leaving bubbles on the pebbles before disappearing.

The place, if it weren’t for the waters, looked frozen in time. When their footsteps stopped crunching the sand, a blanket of silence sprung forth, muffling their ears.

In the middle of the shore emerged a wooden bridge, running towards the horizon above the waters before disappearing in the light mist beyond.

«This place looks so… peaceful», Hero’s voice was a whisper. «It almost makes me want to sit down and rest for a while.»

«This place always was a little… peculiar», said Omori. «I see it hasn’t changed much.»

«At least it doesn’t look like we’ll have to swim», said Aubrey.

«Ow, too bad», Kel pouted. «I was gonna challenge you to a race, Aubrey!»

She scoffed. «Yeah. And who’d drag Hero afterward?»

«H-hey!» the older boy tried to gain a bit of his respect. «I want to remind you that I jog every morning!»

«Okay, you’re excused. I correct myself: who’d drag Sunny and Basil?»

The two boys whipped their heads towards her at the sound of their names, but before they could try to mend their shattered honor, Kel shouted. «One each! So we’re even!»

Omori’s eyes darted from one person to the other, brows furrowed. «Guys», he pointed to the lake. «There’s a bridge. You saw that, right?»

«Yeah», Aubrey nodded. «And Kel, there’s no way in hell I’m gonna swim here.»

«Yeah, yeah», Kel walked past them, towards the wooden structure. He tapped it with his foot, before jumping on it. He bounced around a bit and then turned towards them with a grin. «This seems sturdy enough!»

«Alright», Hero turned towards his friends. «Shall we go?»

They walked towards the bridge, but before Sunny could put his feet on it, he heard Omori speak.

«Anyway, I’d have dragged you, if needed.»

He gave the younger boy a glare. «You know that you and I aren't so different.»

«Says the one who was out of breath after running in the Foggy Forest.»

Sunny scoured his mind for a proper response. But the only thing that came up was Mari’s reminders that he should have, indeed, have done more physical exercise. And four years cooped up in bed didn’t help.

He just sighed and ignored Omori’s smirk.

Water on the right.

Water on the left.

Water right in front of him, divided in two by a wooden bridge.

The lake offered no change in scenery and Sunny had already grown tired of it.

The grey waters under the purple sky moved slowly, touched by an invisible wind, as a trail of clouds followed them. Their footsteps created a bubbling echo on the wooden floor below them, the only sound to be heard.

Shortly after their trek started, they had found a split path on the bridge. After a moment of uncertainty, they had decided to check out the diverged route, before discovering it was a dead end.

After that, they found many more diverging paths or remnants of what should have been one, splintered wood above the water: but no matter, the main bridge was the only route that led forward, and thus they followed it.

«Oh man», Aubrey’s groan broke the monotony. «For how long does this thing even go?! I can’t see the end!» she slouched forward, putting a hand above her eyes.

«This place was pretty big», nodded Sunny.

«Couldn’t you have created smaller places?»

«They’d be no fun to explore, though…»

He glanced at Omori, hoping for him to agree with him. But the younger boy stayed silent, his eyes fixed on his feet as he kept walking.

Basil followed his friend’s gaze and, as if he had read his thoughts, called him. «Hey, Omori? Is there anything we should know about this place? And about our destination?»

But Omori kept walking, his face slightly scrunched in an expression of focus.

Sunny tapped his shoulder. «Omori?»

He jolted up, eyes wide. «O-oh. Sorry. I was thinking. What is it?»

«Are you alright?» asked Aubrey. «Sunny is the one who usually has his head in the clouds, not you.»

«It’s nothing, don’t worry. What happened?»

«I was asking if there was anything we should know about this place», repeated Basil, his eyes touched by a hint of worry.

«Hm. Well…» he took a deep breath. «How do I say this…»

They all stopped, and Omori hit Kel’s back.

«H-hey!» he rubbed his face.

Aubrey half-growled. «What are you gonna say, Omori?»

«Don’t tell me it’s more of those monsters…» Kel frowned.

«Or more spiders…» added Hero.

«No monsters nor spiders here, don’t worry», Hero closed his fist in triumph at his words. «But well. As I said, this place always was peculiar. It’d usually be empty, but sometimes you could find remnants of Sunny’s memories floating in the water. But I doubt we’ll find any of that.»

«That’d have been interesting to see», said Kel. «But, in this case, we just have to keep walking? That’s it?»

«I guess so. Yes…»

He frowned. «You don’t sound so sure.»

«Omori», Hero looked at him with the gentlest of eyes. «What’s wrong?»

Omori passed a hand through his hair.

During their journey together, Sunny had had the opportunity to glean light to a completely new Omori. An emotional one, a more human one. But even so, his confident side had never faltered: he was always sure to do the right thing, even if it meant the worst possible decision.

But, in that moment, Omori faltered. He was worried and scared for something.

Sunny took his hand, in an attempt to encourage him.

The touch seemed to give Omori a slight boost of confidence, for he started speaking. «This place is peculiar, as I said. And sometimes I’d find… someone, here.»

«Someone?» Basil repeated. «Stranger?»

He hissed. «Oh hell no! I’d have thrown him in the lake if that happened», but the sudden burst of annoyance was soon replaced by a somber melancholy. «It was… Mari.»

«You already told us that Mari was in Headspace», said Aubrey.

«Not… not that one. A different Mari.»

«What do you mean?» asked Hero.

«I think it was Sunny’s memories of her but… that Mari felt so real. And she wouldn’t talk to me… but to Sunny.»

Sunny bit his lip.

He remembered. He remembered the ethereal figure that guided him across the lake. In the silence of the fog, he and his sister had walked together one more time.

«Are you…» Basil measured his words. «Are you afraid of that happening again?»

«It makes me feel uneasy. It was like…» he looked at Sunny. «As if I was robbing you of something important.»

«I was there, too», Sunny simply said.

Omori didn’t answer, just nodding.

«Hey, c’mon», Hero tried to lighten the mood. «It’s Mari we’re talking about. Even if she’s here, that doesn’t mean she’ll hurt us.»

«A misty lake haunted by the ghost of Mari…» Aubrey looked at the waters, eyes empty. «That sounds interesting.»

«Hey», Hero frowned. «Don’t call Mari a ghost. A spirit… maybe.»

«Right, sorry.»

«Hey, c’mon!» Kel beamed. «Don’t be so glum! Even if we end up seeing Mari, I’m sure she’d be delighted to see us!»

«And she’ll wonder why there’s a white clone of her brother», said Omori.

Hero gave him a smile. «I think Mari would have loved you, Omori.»

At those words, he froze. He blinked a few times, before looking at his feet. He slowly nodded.

«C’mon, let’s keep walking», said Aubrey. «This bridge seems like a real drag.»

Kel started running past them. «Race you to the other end!»

But nobody followed him before Hero called him out as the fog started to engulf him.

After a few steps, Sunny felt somebody grab his hand. He turned around and saw Omori close to him.

For a moment, Sunny wondered if the feeling of warmth in his chest and the desire to protect him were what Mari felt every time he was scared of the dark, and he’d take her hand for safety.

«It’ll be alright.»

But Omori didn’t react.

The waters stretched beyond the horizon under their silent gazes, together with their annoyance and boredom.

The never-changing purple sky offered no new sights to see, after the usual images passed by.

«Hey, guys», Basil’s voice was touched by a certain hint of giddiness. «I was thinking… what are you all planning to do once we’ll be out of here?»

«Don’t jinx it», said Sunny.

Basil gasped. «B-but! We are almost there!»

«This is exactly the moment where you shouldn’t jinx it», said Aubrey.

«O-oh…»

«I know what I’m doing», said Kel, his arms crossed behind his head. «I’m gonna get you and Aubrey, kidnap Sunny back in his town, and then go visit Hero.»

«I’ll pretend it's a surprise visit when it’ll happen», said Hero, and the younger brother gave him a thumbs up.

«I guess that answers your question, Basil», said Aubrey. «And don’t forget! We have the movie night to plan!»

«Oh, but wait!» Kel turned around and kept walking backwards. «What about you, Omori? What will happen to you?»

«I guess I’ll just return to Headspace. My Headspace, at least. Not these weird versions we’ve been visiting.»

«Oh jeez. I wanted you to come to Hero’s college too…»

«If I’m there, Omori will be, too», said Sunny.

«I guess so», the younger boy shrugged.

«Wow… that’s actually true, isn’t it?» Aubrey turned to look at Omori, a hurt expression on her face. «After this adventure, we won’t be able to meet each other anymore… I mean, I knew that, but it’s dawning on me.»

«I’m afraid so», said Omori.

«We should make the most out of this, then!» Kel exclaimed. «We can’t let this opportunity go to waste!»

«Don’t you think we had enough fun already?» asked Hero.

«Hell no! It’s never enough!»

«Okay then, Orange Boy», Aubrey spread her arms. «Tell us what kind of fun activities we can do on a bridge in the middle of a foggy lake.»

«Take a swim?»

«Only if you promise me that you’ll do all the rest of the trip like that.»

«Are you challenging me?!»

«Hey, guys», Sunny raised his gaze to the sky. Or, at least, where the sky should have been, for only gray clouds greeted his view. «Is it me, or has the fog grown thicker?»

The group raised their eyes and their hands. The thin clouds that had followed them while caressing the water until that moment had grown fiercer, covering their bodies.

«Yeah, I noticed that too», Omori raised his hand and put it in front of his face, squinting his eyes, but it was still visible.

«At least there are no voices», said Aubrey.

«And we can’t get lost here», continued Basil.

«Good thing all those paths led to dead ends.»

«Right», Hero nodded. «There’s nothing to worry about. Let's keep going.»

The fog grew thicker, its clouds puffing up in front of their eyes. Soon enough, Sunny didn’t know where the water started and where the clouds ended. Walking on the bridge above the cloudy lake, Sunny was at least glad he could still see all of his friends.

However, his whole body was heavy. He had to drag his feet on the wood and struggled to keep his eye open.

A huff arrived from next to him, and he noticed Omori slouching a bit forward.

«Is it me or…» Kel huffed. «We’ve been walking for a lot of time…?»

«Just say that you want to take a break», said Aubrey.

«This fog…» Omori squinted his eyes around. «I think… it’s not normal.»

«This heaviness… comes from it?» asked Sunny.

«I think so… yes.»

«Oh goodness...» Aubrey stopped for a moment, hand on her knees. «Please, wait…»

«Hey, Aubs…» Kel smirked, but his face was deflated. «Race you to the end of the bridge…!»

«Yeah, when hell freezes over.»

«Maybe we should take a rest», said Hero. «We have been walking for a while…»

He looked around, but he soon settled to sit on the edge of the bridge, his legs dangling above the water. He patted the spot next to him.

Aubrey didn’t wait, before plopping next to him and laying down with a satisfied sigh.

One by one, they all sat down, six pairs of feet dangling above the gray waters.

«First a fog that whispers voices in your head…» started Aubrey. «Now a fog that makes you heavy. What else is there?»

«I’ll always be wary of fog, from now on», Basil let out a tired chuckle at his attempt to lighten up the mood, but nobody followed him.

Silence fell over them. The murmurs of water whispered around them, as the clouds caressed the lake with their hands.

The fog placed its hands on their shoulders, encouraging them to stop. Sunny shook his body in an attempt to let it go.

But it didn’t. Sunny grew uncomfortable. A familiar feeling snuck into his mind, reminding him of a warm bed and nice, neverending dreams. It was as if the fog wanted to see them stuck on the bridge, between nothing, doing nothing.

It felt like a trap.

Hero let out a deep breath, as a small smile appeared on his face. «This feels kind of nice, doesn't it…?»

Sunny’s eye widened. «What…? I feel… as if I’m being tricked.»

«What do you mean?» asked Basil.

«I don’t know… I… I don’t think we should remain here for long.»

«I agree» Omori nodded, before his eyes fell on the water. «But I think it’s okay if we take a short break. Walking was making us tired.»

«We won’t be staying here for long, anyway», said Aubrey. She then turned her head towards Kel. «Kel is already vibrating.»

«I can’t sit still for long!» he exclaimed. «But my legs were feeling heavy, that’s true...»

«See? Sunny, don’t worry.»

The boy let himself smile. «Right.»

«Hey, Hero?» Omori didn’t raise his gaze, watching a crackle made out of foam in the water. «Do you have any ideas?»

«Ideas? About what?»

«This situation.»

He chuckled. «I don’t think my charm will work here, Omori.»

«I didn’t mean that. You are always good with ideas. And they always work. Usually, at least.»

«You changed your mind quite quickly there», said Aubrey, followed by a chuckle.

«The only thing that could help us here is a boat», said Hero. «A nice, motorboat. So that we won’t even have to burden ourselves with the oars.»

«Do we even know how to use one of those things?» asked Kel.

«Don’t you just…» Aubrey raised her arms and mimicked the pulling of a string. «Do this?»

«That’s how they do it in movies!»

«No use thinking about it, without the actual thing anyway», said Hero. «Shall we stay here for a while longer?»

«We can't do that!» said Kel. «We still have to cross the lake.»

«You're right… » Aubrey sighed. «But this does feel nice.»

«We should go», the uneasy feeling didn’t let go of Sunny’s shoulder. His body felt lighter, and that was enough for him.

«C'mon, lazy bums!» Kel jumped to his feet. Aubrey stuck her tongue at him, but he didn’t see it as he was stretching his arms. «Let’s go!»