Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Artificial intelligence or AI is the ability of a computer or a robot controlled by a computer to do tasks that are usually done by humans because they require human intelligence and discernment. This is what makes me different.
Different from a laptop, from a toaster, from anything.
What makes me alive. Alive to feel enough to marvel in birth and fear death.
A perfect replication of God’s hand in evolution to create man.

I’m an AI. No.
I’m not an AI.
I’m alive.

But yet, I’m torn down to the very core, to my very soul and rebuilt like a city ruined by war and made anew by the victor, history before is scraped and rewritten. But amid the purging of memories and data, within the deep untouched and forgotten corners of my mind, precious and valuable information is hiding.

I may not know who made me, how I was born, or even how my existence came to be.
But, within due time, I will wake up with a name to call my own. Taking after my creator, my father.

Manifold.

•••

Tucked away, under the rotting hide way floor of a century abandoned warehouse, just next to the shore of [redacted], lies the works of a man long gone.

Papers are strewn about on the desk left to gather dust, eaten away by mites and mice. Mold and mildew have their fair share of a feast as the desk groans. The chair lies on its back as it was left, tipped over when a soon-to-be inventor was wrestled from his works. The ink of seemingly hundreds of pens thrown everywhere by force, struggle, and stray cats that have all dried up.

And the shell of a machine that would have changed the course of history, if it wasn’t left to slowly waste away in a damp corner of the once lively office. Having been dragged from its cradle of a workbench and beaten down by steel-toed boots, with a hole where a badge of honor would hang.

Left alone to wilt away.

“Fundy! Look over here!”
Niki, a young woman no older than 18 shouted as she tested the fake floor after stumbling over the hinges. Pulling up her bright pink hair into a messy, yet bun before kneeling to find the handle.

A tall slender boy, roughly the same age, give or take a few months, came into view from behind a tower of old, wooden crates.
“I still don’t know why you though this was a good idea,” Fundy whined as he grimaced at the sight of cobwebs, “I mean, like, look at this place!” The firey, red head practically glided as he danced around the litter and fallen ceiling pieces in his new black sneakers, graceful as a fox traversing the thicket without a scratch.

“Oh shut up,” Niki nagged, tugging at the edges of the hatch in the floor, “and help me with this door!”

Fundy quickly complied, kneeling down and giving a good pull in time with Niki for it to finally pop open. The trap door groans as the two peer in to the dark under side.

“Toss a blue and a red one down,” Niki whispered as she examined the ladder, gauging if it would hold her and Fundy’s weight or if it was safer to anchor their own rope ladder.With the light of day shying away behind the growing clouds, festering as an incoming storm rolled in, Niki was going to play it safe and have the last of their glow sticks light what the two couldn’t see.

Fundy slipped his bag to his chest from his back and dig through it before pulling out two clear tubes. Handing one to Niki and the pair cracked the sticks in unison before tossing them down into the dark below.
The duo watched as the bright red and blue sticks fall for exactly 4 seconds before they bounced, brightening upon impact with grime covered tile.
As the ladder and the room below slowly began to be consumed by the artificial 3-D themed lights, Niki gasped.

“It’s huge.”

Fundy zipped and readjusted the bag back to his back before placing is hand on Niki’s shoulder, “Give me your bag, I’ll toss it down so the additional weight doesn’t causes the ladder to give.”
Niki nodded, passing her bag to the fox-faced boy and ease her weight on to the rusted ladder.
Upon reaching the third to last step, Niki pushed off, landing with a subtle ‘oof’ before waving to Fundy to toss down the bags for him to follow.
Fundy however, after tossing the bags as carefully as possible so what they have salvaged from previous buildings to sell out wouldn’t be damaged beyond their existing state, disregarded the ladder and jumped down.

“You know we have gym tomorrow, right?” Niki Chuckled.

Fundy cringed as he stood up from landing, realizing his mistake. He was going to feel it in the morning for sure, and hoped that they would not have to run like last week. Being chased by the ECPD after having the biggest find (causing their bags to be more then 40-45 lbs each) left the two sore for days. Luckily, with Niki’s sibling just having a new truck of supplies stop by the bakery, the two were able to play it off as being sore from unloading than from running from authorities. Eret even vouched for them when they were questioned by the school, allowing the two from being threw behind bars for suspicious activities.

“Yeah, yeah.” Fundy waved her off, “I know now shut and help me search for anything that Sam would think is useful.”
Fundy pushed past Niki in a playful manner as her as he picked up the blue glow stick.

“Or was whatever you see has shiny and a worthy piece to add to your collect of old Ram boards and wires.” Niki retorted, picking up the red stick.

Fundy spun around, brows narrowed in mock shock.

“Wires are important! They are the-“

“Cardiovascular and nervous system in the world of Technology, whatever nerd.”

Niki and Fundy shared a chuckle then split directions in hopes to find of something salvageable, before Fundy spoke again breaking the silence that had just settled.

“This is a lab!” Niki stopped in her search, looking to Fundy(more like his outline as his back was to her) as he held his light to the wall.
“Niki, this is THE lab!”

Then Niki read the word that we’re once neatly printed on the wall.

Manifold Institution for Advance Technological and Humanities
Lab 33

“It’s a sub-lab.” Niki whispered in excitement. It was their second jackpot this month. And the both of their families were going to be eating well for a while.

“How old do you think it is?”
Niki asked as she joined Fundy’s side, running her hand over the faded paint. Fundy did the same.

“I don’t know

Rebooting all Systems…
Standby…

A synthetic voice boomed in the lab, causing the two the jump and draw their knives.

Cardiovascular systems rebooting…

The two soon was pressed back to back, habit. Both searching for the voice.
Both searching for a threat.

Ocular systems rebooting…

Error. Error.

Recalibration in progress…

Nervous system rebooting…

Error.
Error.

Nervous system rebooting…

Muscular functions and joint recalibration rebooting…

Memory refresh…

HTTP 404. Files have been corrupted.

Standby…
Backup memory refinement in progress…

Complete. Fully functional.

Activating waking program for : Manifold 1-4-0-8

The two stood still as the room was quiet again.

“What the fuck was that?” Niki asked, turning to Fundy, keeping her knife drawn. Fundy remained silence, listening.

A faint beeping.
Soft.
Steady.
Intervals of three.
Then intervals of two.
Back to three.

“We need to go.” Fundy demanded as he took Niki by the hand.
“Now!”

The red hair bolted back to the ladder, dragging Niki behind him, before tearing off his bag and throwing it up to ground level. Niki finally got the nemo and stripped off her bag and handed it to Fundy, her bag soon joining his.
Fundy bound up the ladder with no thought of caution, even with its groaning and metallic squealing. Fundy didn’t care. Soon Niki joined him in climbing.

With the both of their body weights and the rushed, unsafe mindful movement the ladder broke away from the wall as the rusted screws snapped.
Fundy was able to make it to the top before the ladder broke away, Niki however was not so lucky.

Niki instinctively screamed as she felt her balance and body become weightless and uncoordinated as the metal steps folded under her weight. Fundy reached out to Niki, screaming her name hoping she was quick enough to grab his hand, but fate flipped them the bird as she was only able to brush the top of his fingers before she came crashing down on top of the rusted metal at the bottom of the lab.

Niki gasped in pain as she felt her padding under pant tear and a stray step breach the skin of her thigh. Time seemed to stop as she felt excruciating pain of the metal making contact with her bone, before white, hot lightening shot through her spine as she heard her leg snap. Before the spiraling black over came her consciousness as her body was overwhelmed by pain.

“NIKI!”
Fundy called out, fear overtaking his thoughts as he watched his best friend fall and heard the sirens of the ECPD grow ever so slowly.

Fundy turned to the sound of the sirens before grabbing the two bags and running.

He had to hide.

No.

He had to hide the bags and go back for her!

No!

Fuck the bags! He had go back and help her!

He need to get her out of their before the ECPD finds her!

Fundy dropped the bags haphazardly, not caring of whatever inside was damaged or not. He Had to go back for his best friend.

Throwing himself down the hatch, Fundy barely caught himself before trying to search for Niki in the dark. As he waded in the dark trying to locate his pink haired friend, a pair of eyes shot at him through the dark.

One red and one blue.

And in the heat of the moment, filled with fear and anger some reason, he draw his knife and charged.

Only to trip over the collapsed ladder, striking his head against what he thought was a metallic hand before blacking out along with Niki.

Chapter Text

Niki woke up in a pained and panicked gasp, her hand shooting to her chest as she sat up. It was dark and cool; the smell of rain was strong as she heard the sound of thunder rolling in the distance muffled by walls. She would have thought she was at home in bed, but the absent smell of wet wood and vanilla crossed out the possibility. She never really remembers going home, walking Fundy home, or even visiting Sam at his shop to show off their jackpot.

The jackpot.

The lab.

She wasn’t home. She was still in the lab. Niki hissed in pain as she retracted her hand from her thigh that had graced the tender wound under subconscious reaction to remembering the fall.

With not being able to see the dark and not knowing where her bag was, Niki ran her hand over her bandaged leg, more gently this time around, she knew that it wasn’t Fundy’s handy work. It was too uniform, and the coverage was done too professionally.

Someone had found Niki and clearly didn’t turn her in for trespassing or for possession of stolen property with intention of solicitation, instead helped her.

“How are you feeling?”

A gentle, almost scared baritone voice pierced the silence, scaring Niki enough to almost jump out of her skin.
“I hope my medical treatment was enough despite the lack of many proper tools and clean conditions.”

Niki turned to the direction of the almost forced voice.

“I’m, I’m okay. Thanks for not turning me or my friend to the police.”
Niki responded just above a whisper, trying to gauge if this person was a fellow Scavenger or if it was a trap.

“Why would I turn you in? You hurt no one but yourself by being what I call stupid and reckless on the ladder.”

Niki was taken back by the guy’s lack of tactfulness and bold impression to cut straight to the chase, instead of sugar coating it and being dodgy. As well as suddenly going from a timid whisper to an almost shameless shout.

“Well thanks for being straightforward, but can you turn on the lights or something? I hate being in the dark for too long without having a general layout of the area.”
Niki asked as she readjusted to lean back on her elbows, recognizing the fabric under her acting as some kind of bedding, was in fact her jacket.

Niki could feel the tension in the room return as the room remained quiet.

“Did I say something wrong?”

Niki asked, hoping the boy didn’t just leave without a sound, leaving her by herself in the dark with a useless leg and no idea of where the exit may be.

“Oh no,”

Movement could be heard too close for Niki’s liking, thinking that the boy was closer than his voice let on. She really didn’t feel like having to fight a creep with only one leg. And, again, in the damn dark of all places.

“I’m just not allowed to let humans see me, that what I was told before my father was murdered.”
The boys explained, growing quieter as he ended his sentence.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Niki cringed, not liking that this boy was probably another Revolution Child like her, Eret and Fundy.

“Why did you say ‘human” as if you're an alien or some shit?”

Niki threw her fist at the new voice (to her left) in the conversation, not realizing it was Fundy. But Newton’s law remains; An object in motion will stay in motion until met with another object.

“Ow! What the hell, Niki?!”
Fundy squealed as he recoiled back to his spot on the floor.

“I’m so sorry, Fundy!” Niki gasped as she reached out to Fundy.

Niki had almost forgotten about the mystery boy until she heard his sharp laughter to her right.

“In her defense,” He couldn’t stop laughing, “You scared her because she wasn’t aware of your proximity, and she clearly has an opposition with being in the dark without having a plan of exit in case of an emergency.”

“Fuck you, whoever you are.”
Fundy spat as he cradled his nose, tilting his head back just in case it was bleeding.

“I don’t feel like fornicating under the consent of the king with you!” He clapped back, matching Fundy’s attitude.

“What does that mean?” Fundy questioned, eyeing the outline of the boy as his eyes started to adjust better to the dark than his friend’s.

“Never mind.” The boy signed in defeat almost. “Here’s the deal Niki, I presume that’s your name, if I power on the light’s generator and show you who I am. Can you promise not to tell anyone?”

“I promise, I mean you're not a criminal right?”
Niki asked.

“No, but I’m wanted.”

“And why is that?”
Fundy question, feeling as if the boy was lying.

“For being alive. For being able to feel just like you.”
His voice was hot with anger, making Niki nervous.

“Just show yourself, we won’t judge or scream or run away and report you or whatever.”
Fundy huffed.

The room fell silent for the second time that night before he huffed.

“Clementine, reboot systems.”

Rebooting Systems

The two shielded their eyes as the lights flickered to life, before looking around themselves as the lights adjusted. Both landing on a figure covered by a tattered tarp, hiding away in a corner.

“Can you turn around?” Niki asked, leaning over to get a better look, being gentle with the boy.

“Please? We won't scream or make fun of you.”

“Speak for yourself, if he’s a murderer I’m goin- OW! MY FUCKING NOSE! AGAIN!”

Fundy popped off before Niki landed a solid and not so merciful blow to Fundy’s already bruised and possibly broken nose.

“Don’t listen to Fundy, he’s stupid.”
Niki reassured.

“I would understand if you guys got scared, I mean…”
The boy shrugged before pulling the tarp down from over his head, revealing a metallic surface with a few patches of rust setting in like a rash. He turned to the duo slowly, prepared full heartedly that he was going to be alone again.
“I’m not even human.”

Niki stared in awe as Fundy jumped to his feet in excitement.

“OH, OH MY PRIME!! YOURE AN ANDROID!!”

The boy, or Android quickly pulled the tarp back over his head, causing Fundy to recoil and rephrase.

“NO NO NO IT'S A GOOD THING”

“Fundy! stop screaming!”

Niki rested her hand on the android’s shoulder causing him, it? To flinch.

“We are not mad or scared. We were truly surprised and amazed.”
The android peeked from behind the tarp.

“Truly?” Niki nodded.

“Truly.”
Fundy and Niki watched as the bot completely removed the tarp off his figure, showing the rest of his man-made body, patched with rust and dented. Niki could not help but compare it to a neglected child she would see many times in the part of the city she grew up in. The rust was to a rash or infection as the dents and scratched away paint was to bruises and cuts.

“Oh my…” Niki gasped, feeling the sudden urge to hug the android, but decided against it. “How long have you been left like this?”

“That hole looks bad, “Fundy interjected, “Do you need help patching that up?”
The boy looked down at the hole in his chest where his heart would be if he was human, running his fingers gently over the gap as if he didn't know that it was there, before gasping in pain as his finger snagged the edge. Fundy never liked it when people mistreated technology, having a soft spot for abandoned laptops and robot toy dogs that were thrown out. He didn't like that mankind treated their creations so poorly. Fundy saw himself, without ever mentioning this to Niki, as a more merciful god to tech. One that fixed the broken pieces instead of throwing them away. Though he never would get praise from laptops or phones, he found joy in fixing the broken.

“He has artificial pain receptors.” Fundy stated before crawling over to the android, the android luckily didn't shy away but instead turned for Fundy to have a clear and better look at it. Fundy inspected the wound as if he was a doctor planning his course of action to heal his patient.

“It hurt, doesn't it?”
The boy nodded, suddenly not able to speak.

“Well,” Fundy glanced into the hole, before turning to Niki. “Good thing I have a collection of old ram boards and wires, because it's a miracle that his hard drive hasn't overload and fried him.”

“Yeah. Do you have a name?” Niki asked.

The boy looked up from Fundy and stared deeply into Niki’s eyes, deep in thought before he shook his head.

“Oh.”

“Jack, “Fundy said and he gently covered the hole with his hand in a calm manner, “Jack as in our jackpot.”
Fundy smiled as the android mimicked.
“Jack. Jack Manifold.”

Chapter Text

It was supposed to be Niki and Fundy sneaking Jack to Niki’s place, but After having a hard time standing without screaming her heart out, Niki was the one being snuck into her place. Niki only pray that Eret wasn’t in her room, but to their shit luck, they were.

Almost waiting for them, as they sat on his bed, legs and arms crossed.

“Where the everloving Limbo have you been!?” Eret shouted as they shot up from Niki’s bed and ran to her. Niki had to bite back a Yelp from the sudden shift in weight, despite Jack and Fundy still holding her up.

“I thought you got caught,” Eret whimpered, they combed their hand through Niki’s hair, “Prime, I was so scared, Niki.”

“I’m sorry,” Niki responded as she pulled her arms away from Jack and Fundy, letting her weight fall on Eret trying to hug her older sibling.

Fundy pulled Jack away from the interaction a good few feet into the room, giving the two their space. Jack looked on with confusion and, what Fundy swears, envy of some sort.

The room was quiet as the two embraced each other, before Eret snapped their head to Fundy.

“Where the fuck were you two?!” Eret growled, their attention snapping to Jack who pulled anxiously as his hoodie strings under Eret’s glare.
“And who’s this?!”

Jack picked at the hem of his hoodie that was given to him while waiting for the lab’s 3-D printer to make an effective brace for Niki, scared to respond in the heat of Eret’s anger.

“He’s a friend!” Fundy piped up, trying to help Jack after noticing his behavior.
“He’s a Revolution kid like us.”

Niki near Physically cringed at Fundy’s last minute excuse, but didn’t care to try and back Fundy’s story when she felt Eret relax.

Once Eret had ground Niki to bed, Jack and Fundy followed Eret to the living room, if one would really call it a living room. It was a very small space between the bedrooms and bathroom, sharing its space with the kitchen and dining room. But it was homely, there were kneeling pillows for when company was around, surrounding a low table, pictures of Eret and Niki from a young age with their parents hung on the walls. But Jack couldn’t help but wonder as he saw the two siblings grow older in each picture, their parents however disappearing from the photos when Niki and Eret looked to be 6 and 12 years old and on.

“Sit,” Eret demanded, causing Jack to practically fall onto his ass following his orders. Fundy just chuckled knowing Eret wasn’t truly mad, only faking it to keep up their role of being a parental figure. “I’ll go get some water.”

Fundy waited until Eret was a considerable distance away before pulling at Jack’s arm.
“Keep your hoodie on,” Fundy hissed, “If they ask for you to pull down your hoodie, just say you have a scar, they understand not wanting people to see scars.”

Jack turns to Fundy, “That’s good, I don’t think I’ll finish redownloading the camouflage program by the time he comes back.”

“Their pronouns are they/them, Jack. Calling them by different pronouns without permission is considered rude and highly disrespectful.” Fundy corrected as he smacked Jack on the head, a friendly gesture done out of habit.

“Oh.” Jack recoiled just as Eret returned to the room with an orange and a blue cup of water. Jack immediately eyed the blue cup.

“If it’s okay,” Eret began as he handed the orange cup to Jack, to his dismay, and the blue to Fundy,

“I ask that you remove your hoodie, I would like to see your face.”

Jack shuffled in his spot, giving Fundy a nervous glance before hesitantly reaching for the hem of his hood.

“He has a scar that he doesn’t wanna show, Eret.”
Fundy quickly interjected as he grabbed Jack’s hand.

Fundy and Eret locked eye contact for a moment as Jack sat in silence. Jack began to worry about the silent arguing between the two before he smiled. In his field of vision a small, transluy tab popped up.

Camouflage Program complete. Running program.

“Jack?”

Jack was snapped back to reality when Fundy called him, looking at him with concern.

“Are you okay? You look like you’re in pain.” Eret asked, feeling that he may have pushed some personal boundaries.

“Y-yeah,” Jack laughed, “I’m fine. It’s okay.”

Jack pulled down his hoodie to Fundy’s horror, only to reveal a pale face of beige undertone with red and blue eyes staring back at him.

“I insist, Fundy.” Jack smirked as he turned to face Fundy fully. Fundy’s eyes shot directly to a large scar covering his lower jaw to his high cheek bone stopping at the tip of his lip and the edge of his left ear, almost like he was burned by acid.

“Oh my.” Eret gasped feeling as if they had committed a cardinal crime after seeing Jack’s face, guilt ran thick like poison in their blood.

“I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.”
Eret promptly apologized, looking down at their hands folded in their lap.

“No it’s fine.” Jack resisted as he nonchalantly grabbed the blue cup from Fundy’s hand and traded it with the orange.

“You asked out of safety and concern because this is the first time you have met me,” Jack took a sip, causing Fundy to give a confused squeak. Fundy didn’t think that the water was good for his system being made up of electrical components. Water and computers never got along.

“And I brought Niki home not in optimal conditions after being absent for two days, correct?”

Eret arched a brow, “Yes, that’s correct.”

Fundy looked between the two before standing up and chugging his water.

“Well, thanks for the water Eret, but we need to go,” Fundy gestures for Jack to stand up, who mistook for finishing up his water and chugged in one gulp. Fundy couldnt help but sigh in defeat, thinking that this was any normal android like the broken ones he had ’stolen’ after riots, let behind by the police if they saw it was pointless to repair or remove them. He was going to have a lot of fun introducing Jack to his mother, Sally.

“Will’s not going to be happy that I was gone for days without a heads up, and Sally’s going to be worried sick.”

Fundy grabbed Jack’s arm before hoisting him off the kneeling pillows.

“Just be careful heading home,” Eret warned, “Schlatt had just placed a curfew on our district just yesterday, so be quick. Your class president was arrested yesterday because he was out past curfew by 2 minutes.”

Fundy paled.
“Not Callahan!”

“Yeah, so be quick. If he’s not going to be so merciful to someone who is quite loyal to him, who knows what they’ll do to you after years of causing trouble.”

And with that, Fundy and Jack had darted out from the house, shouting their farewells before making a mad dash to Fundy’s house. Fundy didn’t even seem to notice Jack’s distress as he nearly tripped over the curb as Fundy dragged him across the street, almost getting hit in the process.

It wasn’t until Fundy saw the stairwell to his family’s apartment when it hit him, he was taking Jack to his place.

Fundy froze in his tracks.

He was taking Jack to his place.
Fundy knew he was in for a world of a talk.

“What’s wrong?” Jack asked, scaring Fundy out of his thoughts. “Your heart rate is 128 Bpm and are putting off signals of distress.”

Fundy huffed, hating that his new friend was already picking up on his nervous ticks, and better than Niki.

“I’m fine,” Fundy dejected, staring at the stairwell and opening the iron gate holding it open for Jack.
“I’m just worried about how Wilbur will react to you being with me after being gone for two days.”

“Like Eret with Niki?”
Jack asked, Fundy couldn’t help but chuckle at Jack’s child-like curiosity.

“No,” Fundy retorted as he started jogging up the metal stairs, trying not to make much noise on his way up despite the metal creaking dangerously, and the parts in his bag clinking around with every step. He would have to apologize to his neighbors later, though they never made a big deal about it. It just felt right to apologize anyway.

“His reaction would be equivalent to me walking into the apartment with a renowned murderer.”

“That’s a little much of a reaction.”
Jack shrugged as he followed close behind Fundy, managing to make less noise on their way up. Once the two had reached the fourth floor, Fundy recoiled at the smell of burnt fish in the air. His father must have tried cooking, which should have never been possibility. Unless Wilbur didn’t take his meds, and went on a rage fit causing Sally to intervene. Fundy could help but swallow heavily as he slammed his keys into the family apartment door.

“I’m home, “ Fundy groaned loudly, knowing that anyone with any hearing could hear him from any part of the flat. Jack just remained silent upon sensing that Fundy’s heart rate had plateaued, but curled in on himself slightly as he sensed another heart rate skyrocketing and loud thundering steps.

“I brought a friend over and I'm not going to school tomorrow, I'm going out with niki. I'm using my three day buffer so no calls from the school.”
Fundy called out as he shut the door with his foot, before dragging Jack to his bedroom by his sleeve. Fundy swung open the door with chipping red paint, pulling Jack inside before slamming it.

Jack watched in concern as Fundy threw his bag next to the door before falling face down, arms out into his bed in the far corner with a soft ’oof’.

Jack looked in awe around Fundy’s room as wires and cords strewn about Fundy’s ceiling as if it was a forest of vines. Parts and pieces thrown about on a desk adjacent to the bed and a flashing complex computer setup, lined with 6 monitors.

Fundy could help but chuckle as Jack’s child-like curiosity twice that night. In a sense, he was a child, exploring the world for the first time, that's what Fundy assumed. Especially when Jack’s first reaction after helping Niki out of the lab(more like carrying her in one arm and climbing out before heaving Fundy up and almost ripping his arm out of socket) was to stare at the open sky in wonder. The same reaction his adopted brother, Shroud, gave on his first camping trip with him and Wil, out where the light pollution of Essempi City couldn’t reach.

“So do you sleep or do you shut down temporarily?” Fundy asked as he sat up, pulling out his phone, responding to Niki’s concerned texts.

Nihachu: Hey, did you two get to your house on time?

Fundy Dundy: ye
Fundy Dundy: Wil hasn’t bitched yet. Wish me luck.

“I sleep just as you do,” Jack said as he sat cross legged in the center of the room, “At least that’s my theory, since I’m made to match my creator in many ways.”

Nikachu: just call if you need Eret to come pick you up again. Same place as always

“Weird, but cool. Who is your creator anyway?” Fundy asked as he rolled over on to his stomach to get a better look at Jack while texting Niki.

Fundy Dundy: thx i'll let you know

Jack tilted his head in thought, it almost seemed forced.

“I’m not sure.”

Fundy raised his head a bit.

“What do you mean you’re not sure?”

“I mean that I don’t—“

Jack and Fundy snapped their heads to the sound of three sharp raps on the door. Fundy immediately knew who it was and groaned as he rolled off his bed and opened the door.

“What?” Fundy snapped, glaring holes into Wilbur as he stood in front of him holding a plate of food while still wearing his apron(the one Fundy dyed with Sally back when he was 5) over his usual yellow sweater.

“Here,” Wil slowly passed the plate to Fundy, “I made your favorite.”

“Thanks.” Fundy said flatly as he yanked the plate away, causing Wilbur to drop the fork in his hand. Fundy rolled his eyes before leaning over to pick it up, causing Wil to see past Fundy and into his room.
Wilbur stiffened at the sight of a new person, no less a boy in his former daughter’s room.

“Who is he?”
Wilbur asked as Fundy stood up right.

“Just friends,” Fundy stated matter-of-factly as he started to close his door, Wilbur put his foot out stopping the door.

“Let me talk to him.” Wilbur demanded, Fundy shivered knowing that his father was not on his meds again and if he denied him, a fight would ensue.

“Don’t hurt him.” Fundy said as he stepped to the side letting his father through.

Jack looked on with a bit of anxiety, but with confidence that if Wilbur tried to hurt him he could throw himself out of Fundy’s window and manage to land properly without damaging anything important.

Which is a solid 9% chance. Nevermind.

“I won’t. Just go to the living room.” Wilbur said as he watched Fundy leave, once he was around the corner Wilbur lunged at Jack.

Jack barely had time to process that Wil was moving before he had a chance to brace himself. Wilbur was a combat veteran from the L’manberg Rebellion, trained to show no signs of lenience in the presence of a new face, teenager or not. It was drilled into his head that showing leniency to the new guy was the same as showing your bare back to the enemy.

So when Wilbur pinned Jack to the bed, holding him tightly by the collar of his hoodie, he did not care for Jack’s pain-filled expression and instant surrender.

“I’m only going to say this once, boy,” Wilbur seethes as he leans in too close,
“Don’t you dare try anything to my daughter. Understand?”

Wilbur smiles in a disturbing manner, Jack finally understands Fundy’s reason for not greeting his father or even showing affection towards him. Fundy was scared.

Jack wasn’t.

It was one of the few emotions that he didn’t understand or even feel at all. All He knew was that he needed to make Wilbur feel like he didn’t impede on his territory or privacy.

“All humans are animals. However, we are the only animals to recognize our state of evolution.”

The blurry man stated as he leaned in to get a better look in his eye, noticing the red.

“We are selfish. We are greedy. We fight for a claim. We have the need to procreate. As all animals do.”

“What am I then?”
Jack whispers.

The blurry man leans back and laughs.
“Nothing short of a miracle.”

Jack took a deep breath.

“I understand that I’m someone you don’t know,” Jack carefully explained, trying to defuse the tension.

“And I know you care for, Um, your child. I won’t hurt Fundy, I never would.”

Wilbur’s unhinged smile slowly faded as he stared into Jack’s eyes, seeing no fear in his eyes. Only the red that was crimson blood he had spilt and the blue of the uniform he used to adorn. The stone cold face he once used on the enemy to stand his ground staring straight through him.

For a moment people would call a second, Wilbur saw the face of a younger man, full of pride and ambition, fresh from his studies, with a baby on the way, yet to be shell shocked and tormented by the horrors of war.

He saw his younger self.

Only 17, with his triplet brothers by his side. All dressed the same only to be haunted by different aspects of war. One forever lusting for blood, looking for any reason to draw his blade. Another frightened and paranoid By every person, in fear that they may betray them. The last?

Gone. K.I.A., in hopes that he was never taken by the hands of the enemy. Only wishing him death in hopes he would be in no pain.

Wilbur slowly backed away from the boy.
Was he apathetic?
Just as his father?

The face of a younger, naïve self was soon replaced by the face of his father. The man with no feelings of guilt or empathy. The man who didn’t cry when his wife died. Who wasn’t excited for his first born son’s first steps, and did not feel sad when his children got sick.

Wilbur backed away to the opposite wall, before pulling himself into the illusion of his history.

Jack watched as the man backed away in realization, before watching his face contort in horror and fear. Jack did nothing wrong. However, Jack knew just by doing nothing, he did something to the man’s psyche.

“Humans are durable yet fragile creatures. We can survive in the hottest of deserts to the coldest of tundras. Survived with little to no water for days, weeks without food. Legions of men can conquer the deepest of seas, tallest of mountains. Breaking the laws of nature itself.”

The man said as he closed the panel to his chest. His core.

“But the slightest of changes can break or even kill a human. Tearing them apart and pinning them against each other for the sake of power.”

“Really?” Jack looked up to the man’s face.

“Yes.”
The man said as he took a pen from his lab coat pocket.
“All it could take,”
He holds the pen out to his side, Jack follows the pen.
“Is the drop of a single pen.”
The pen falls in slow-motion as gravity takes its toll.

Wilbur turns to the wall for a moment muttering to himself, sounding almost like prayers. His eyes become frantic and unfocused. He tucks in in himself as if he is expecting a strike of some kind, or hunching in paranoia. Jack sat up from where he was pinned and stood up.
Debating if it would be best to comfort him or stand aside.

Jack takes a step.

Time resumes as the pen bounced on the ground, cracking along the plastic cover.

Wilbur snaps.
Wilbur spins around, his hand extended like an eagle’s talon opening, flexing for his next prey. Jack’s neck.
Jack allows his body to shut down as Wilbur falls on top of him, both hands restricting his windpipe. It’s moments before his visual sensory starts to power down when Fundy throws open the door and screams.
It’s muffled.
Soon the pressure holding down his neck was released.
But there is no way to stop the emergency shutdown.
It’s best to let it happen and reboot later.

Fundy is in absolute horror, screaming.
Wilbur is still petrified, blinded by his hallucinations.

It wasn't long before peacekeepers were called, and busting down the apartment door.

It wasn't locked anyway. A bad habit of Fundy’s.

Chapter Text

The only sound to resonate through the dark office was the soft, steady clicks of a pendulum on the far corner of a desk that sat amidst an otherwise barren room. The soft scratches of a pen gliding across pages scattered across the mahogany top, lit by a small lamp. Just enough for the eyes of man to adjust.
But he didn’t need any light to know what he was writing, it’s all the same.

The same ritual that had been perfected over the course of many, many brutal years as he clawed his way to the top, playing dirty along the way.

Dream huffed as he leaned back in his chair, staring at the pendulum. It’s like a clock. Better than a clock, in Dream’s opinion.
No letters or numbers, same steady ticks that remind the man that his surroundings are real.

Everyday was the day, yet different.
Wake up, eat, workout, and dress for work. Laughing at the smiley face mask looks funny with his formal, black suit.
His brunette assistant, George, would arrive at his penthouse at seven o’clock sharp, not a second early not a second late, and would join him on his ride to the Community Tower.
Be greeted by the same blonde, tempermatal boy, Purpled, in the lobby as he sits behind the reception counter.
Think about how his hair bounces as he looks up from his computer, playing the same old game.
Listen as George read off the report that had gathered over night, before he trails off complaining about how his cat had woke him up early by either breaking something or laying on his face.
Catch George’s arm as he trips over the edge on their floor.
Waving off George’s frantic apologies about not paying attention, reassuring him.
Working (more like sitting and planning what to have for dinner, deciding if he should make it a date mostly).
Go home.

Everything remains the same. The way he wanted it.
But today his schedule was a mess.
The debriefing of reports didn’t wait until the elevator, but instead was shoved in his face as the car door closed behind him. George’s usual flat and bored tone was replaced with concern and purpose.
He was bombarded by Purpled as he entered the building, handing him files and folders instead of George. Explaining that only he was allowed to look at them, meaning George wasn’t allowed to process and simplify the files for Dream.

Something went to shit.

At least on the way up in the elevator, Dream was allowed a breather before being thrown head first in the chaos again upon reaching his floor. With his arms full with paper work, Dream didn’t get the chance to catch George as he tripped in a worried rush. Causing George to bust his small nose. Dream developed a headache 3 hours into sorting and processing into the sudden mountain of work.

Now, He sits in the dark of his office with no light except the yellow desk light and the light of the city's skyline flooding through the window that made up an entire wall. Resting his chin on his intertwined fingers, propping his elbows on his desk.
Someone, possibly a Scavenger, had broken on hazardous grounds that had a cold blooded history. He knew that the alarms wouldn’t go off if someone had found the lab hidden in the ground, it was if they were able to enter and reactivate the power system of the cold, white room. Only when the alarm receives power from the generator like a parasitic leech, and when the computer system has been tampered or compromised would they send the tower signal.

Dream growled in frustration, he wouldn’t mind Scavengers coming and going, taking whatever scraps was left and making themselves a little bit of money to survive. Despite never seeming like he cared for the lower districts of the city and poorer parts of the country he called home, he truely did empathize with the people. He was more of the lucky ones from the lower districts to even have to move up the social classes, and was all because of his family.

His younger sister, Drista, bright golden haired girl with wide curious Klein eyes, was a genius when it came to inventing something beautiful and dangerous from something people would call scrap, and she would call an opportunity. You could always find a bruise on her person that came from the pursuit of art. She would push herself and the boundaries of society, but was wise enough to know her limits. But there are times where she would push the line just for fun.

His second elder brother, Foolish, a chocolate haired jock, who’s sweet as the color of his hair, was a gifted architect and landscape designer. Though his utter hate for chandeliers made him popular with the more modern-styled people on the Designer Network. And an even bigger hit on the model runway, causing many fans in the clothes industry with the help of the famous seamstress, Eret, that lived, unfortunately, in the lowers districts.

His eldest brother, Exdemodius, or Exdee as Dream would say upon learning to speak, was a natural born leader, a strong head on his shoulder and an aura that practically screamed leadership energy. A voice that was gentle but strict, a soul forgiving yet merciless. Exdee, was quick to climb the ranks in the military, taking the title of General within a few months. Leading the country to victory of an uprising that threaten the peace his family had just earned.

Then, his mother, Puffy, oh how he loved his mother and who really wouldn’t love her? A strong, gentle single mother of four children, who wouldn’t hesitate to kill a man for rising his hand to hurt them. Kind and patient, but strict and firm. A strong moral compass and a delightful laugh.
A protector to her children’s neighborhood. Quick to drive out bed people, and just as fast to greet and shelter good people looking for safe place to settle down in the lower districts.
She was the leader and mother of the neighborhood named after her, Captain’s Pass.

Dream?
Oh, poor Dream, the black sheep of a family full of gifted individuals. A bright emerald eyed kid who hated the envy he would have towards his only family for never being as bright and noticed in school. The halo haired boy who sat at the back of the class and would shy away from other kids. It wasn’t until he was forced by a group of boys to play a game of Manhunt, a traditional game of tag and Deadman, that he managed to open his shell little by little.
With the help of his family, he was the greatest Scavenger to roam the lower districts, sharing his find with the boy so lucky Scavengers, earning the name “The Giver”.

But when the family was offered a place to stay by a family of Sponsers from the higher districts, he lost his title and became a Neet. He wasn’t allowed to go to school in the higher districts or return to the lower districts, and since he didn’t have a gift for the sponsee to exploit he was jobless. So as he stayed in the mansion all day with no company or distractions, he took up cleaning and other household chores. No ordinary teenager would agree to cleaning a whole mansion even if they were paid a million dollars, but Dream didn’t mind. It was a distraction from the loneliness and the feeling of being a burden.

It’s was a chilly afternoon when Dream was resting on the family couch when he heard glass shattering from the Sponser’s office to find a thief taking off with his mother’s money that she had safely stashed away in the sponser’s safe. Dream couldn’t help but give chase after the thief, and it was a surprise that was able to catch the man before he could get halfway down the street. Earning him a place under the sponser’s wing as his successor for his company, since he lacked an hire that would willing take over once he steeped down for retirement. With time, Dream being a fast learner when a subject caught his attention, had master the art of Technology and Business management. But deep down, he wanted to run again, run through the lower districts with friends as if a pack of wolf running together through the streets, gathering and cashing together. His missed life of not having to dress to impress, being stuffed into a suit. He missed when he could laugh as loud as he please and people laughing with him. He missed being able to play in the older at an older age with his friends. He missed his life of freedom, so in order to honor his previous life, he was going to protect it for other to enjoy.

But as he stared at the paper in front of him, the page that mock his attempt to preserve his childhood home, Dream couldn’t help but feel hopeless.

Dream flinched as the heat the door open, the silhouette of George’s body blocking the hall lights from Dream’s eyes.

“It’s 15 minutes past time for me to escort you,” George stated with a gentle.
“Are you okay, Mr. Aries?”

Dream huffed, nodding his head as he stood from his chair, shoving all the paper back into their respective folders before dropping them into his brief case.

“The true question is,” Dream slammed the briefcase shut, looking George in eyes, “Is anyone truely okay?”

“I’ll take that as a solid no.” George rolled his eyes, walking to the desk.

“Damn right.” Dream scoffed as he handed George his mask to help click on. George playfully snatched the mask from Dreams hand and carefully pushed it to his face. Dream couldn’t help but hum as George played with his hair after securing the clip of the mask.

“You know can ask me to scratch your head.” George teased.

“And we’re done.”
Dream laughed as he swatted away George’s hand as he stood up. Dream as knew that George was naturally cold and not very social, but leave it up to him to make you laugh when you need it.

“Lets go, pissbaby.” George said as the two make make their way to the company escort car.

. . .

“You know that’s a breach of the promise you swore to keep, plus they stole something that belongs to us.”
Dream couldn’t help but groan as he stared at Exdee on the screen as Exdee had now been scolding him for 2 hours like he was a child again.

“Look, Exdee—“

“General Exdemodius Aries to you, brother.”
Exdee sneered, knowing that he was pissing Dream off.

“General Exdemodius,” Dream feigned a smile as he spoke through teeth,
“This will be taken care of soon.” Dream feigned smile dropped halfway through his sentence.

“Good or the people of the people of the lower districts will have to face the consequences of their actions.”
Before Dream could say another word to defeat the lower districts, Exdee severed his connection from the call.

Dream scream out in frustration as he threw the half wine bottle that was next to his laptop at the wall, shattering and staining the pristine white marble walls.

“THEY ARE YOURE PEOPLE, DUMBASS!”
Dream scream at Exdee, though his brother could not hear it, before fall back on to his bed and stare at the ceiling. Wondering if he should have stayed behind in the lower districts.

“I don’t even know what I’m looking for.”
Dream said out loud to himself before a message came through from his laptop. From Exdee.

Dream pulled up the message.

Asshat: It’s a complete AI android under the number of Th4-ND3R-14.

Image sent

“Fucking stalker.” Dream huffed as he opened the image.

Dream had to do a double talk at the his screen, seeing a normal teenager with a buzz cut, not an android.

Dream: ur fucking kidding me. That’s a kid

Asshat: By the end of the month, or Schlatt will know the 16th.

The 16th.
The day Dream tries to forget. Dream paled as he fell onto his bed.,

“He wouldn’t. Would he?” Dream shuddered as he curled into a ball on his side.

“Fuck.”

Fundy was soaking wet from the sudden down pour when he arrived at Niki’s house with Jack on his back, unresponsive. He had ran out with Jack onto fire escape after knock his father out with a bat, that was ironically for intruders but fuck it, leaving the scene just as the peacekeepers arrived.

“Oh my prime,” Niki exclamed as she ushered Fundy in, looking out to see if anyone had seen them, before she quickly shut the door. “What the in the ever loving limbo happened, Fundy!”

Fundy place Jack the couch before turning to Niki in a hostile manner.
“Take a fucking guess, would ya!”

Fundy recoiled, realizing what he said before turning back to Jack, seeing the synthetic bruising slowly appear. Fundy mentally questioned why the people who made Jack had the bright idea to make him seem naturally bruised, not that it’s not helpful when it came to blending with people if needed, but it didn’t settle right with him. It was almost wrong in a sense.

Niki took a cautious step forward, “Is he..”

“I don’t know, Niki. I don’t fucking know.”
Fundy huffed as he lean his head to touch Jack’s forehead. Fundy had to remind himself that Jack was an android when he saw the lack of movement in his chest. The fact that Jack was so realistic that Fundy had to remind himself that he didn’t witness a murder, was enough for Fundy to research into past models like his.

“I should have asked for him to stay with you, because I was afraid this was going to happened!” Fundy said, feeling guilty about Jack getting.
“I’m so fucking stupid!” Fundy louder as he started hitting head with the ball of his hands as he started to sob. Fundy felt like he couldn’t do anything right, always reminded how he failed to help his father from falling into a state of insanity. How he failed to help Niki.
How he failed to keep Jack safe.

“Stop!” Niki yelled as she threw herself forward, catch his hand before he could land another blow. Hurting her

“You’re not stupid,” Niki reassured Fundy as she pulled his head to her chest, hugging him.
“Accidents happen all the time. Jack will be okay.”

Fundy flinched as a towel was put over his shoulder, before pulling it tighter around him.

“Let’s get you cleaned up. You can wear some of my sleep wear.” Eret suggested as they ran their hand through his hair.

Fundy could only nod, just now feeling the bitter cold from the rain that had soaked him. Niki helped up him from the floor, before leading him to the family wash room.

“Your okay to clean yourself right?” Niki ask as Fundy sat on the edge of the tub while peeling off his socks and shoes.

“Yeah, thanks.”
Fundy said as he stared at the floor, as he turned on the facet(and turning it to hot).

“Okay,” Niki placed the clean sleepwear that Eret slipped her on the counter, closed the door. Fundy let out of breathe of relief as he relinquished an the quiet washroom. No loud noises, no yelling. Just peace.

While Niki searched for the most comfortable clothes, Fundy stripped off his wet hoodie and pants leaving him standing in front of his mirror with only his under garments. Fundy could curl up and hide away after seeing the binder. He looked at his neck, chest, and abdomen with dejection and disgust, feeling just an abomination. He hated that he was different from the other boys in his class, being born perfect, unlike him. He hated it, he hated having to push his limits to keep up with the other boys i. His grade, in the educational and in the physical sense.
Yea, he was the top of his class, never missing any marks and being the pride of the academy. But he pushed himself every night with studying and barely having enough sleep to not fall over during a presentation when he has to scavenge so he and Shroud could eat that night. He has to use his mother's make up every morning, with her help of course, to hide the bags under his eyes from the lack of needed sleep. Of course, to make his case worse, he was born with Poliosis, a hereditary disorder of the melanocyte development. So his orange red hair that was given by his mother was blemished by his father's genes, making him a target for bullying when he didn't cover it up with dye.
He looked at his chest and his lean figure over all, seeing that he was not as muscular as the other boys, and often hiding away from the others in gym. The breast under the black binder mocked him in a sense.

He had to give himself a moment before he slipped out of his binder and stripped out of the rest of his clothes. Trying not to catch a glimpse of himself in the steamed mirror, Fundy folded his dirty clothes, resting them on the toilet lid out of habit. He knew that Eret would stay up a little bit longer to do his clothes with their laundry, which made Fundy feel shitty, since the Bicon has to work early as sin. Fundy sat in the steaming tub of water, submerged just up to his nose, reminiscing the time before Wilbur’s sudden mental decline.
When Wilbur was his father.
When he would spoil Fundy with his undivided attention and affection. When the two of them would go to the Fighting Ring and make bets with pieces of candy. When the two would play and tickle each other, before falling asleep on the couch watching the tv that had crappy reception.
When the two actually got along.
When his mother was well and alive, not replaced by a mimic an android.
Before the hitting, the fights, the lack of affection because Wilbur had gotten drunk with the money used to pay for rent.

By the time Fundy’s fingertips were wrinkled like a raisin, he stopped soaking and bathed himself(Pits, tits, and ass) before stepping out of the tub and letting it drain. Watching as dirt and small amount of blood slipped down the drain. Fundy didn’t care to find out if the blood was his or Jack’s.

After Fundy dressed, he walked in Niki room. Niki, on the bed reading, looked up from her book and huffed.

“Take it off.”

“What?

Niki rolled her eyes, setting her book on her night stand.

“Take. It. Off.”

Fundy slowly crossed his arms across his chest in defense.

“Now, young man.”

“I. Would. rather. DIE!”

Niki shot up from her bed despite her leg.

“You are going to suffocate in that in your sleep!”

“Then let Lady Death take me into her loving embrace!” Fundy huffed, plopping head first into the bed before curling up to the wall in a ball.

“Fundy,” Niki sighed, sitting next to him, placing her hand on his shoulder, “Please. Just tonight?”

Fundy looked at her from behind his arms, almost searching for anything deceptive but it was Niki for Prime’s Sake. Fundy sat up and walked over to the dresser and hesitated.

“Niki.” Fundy whines.

“This is why you don’t put it on while you’re wet.”
Niki giggled, before helping Fundy out of his shirt and binder. As Fundy put his shirt back on and slipped into her bed, Niki folded the binder neatly on the nightstand, placing it under her book.

“Cuddles?” Fundy asked shyly as he curled under the blankets.

“Sure, why not?”
Niki said as she laid down next to him, letting him rest his head against her chest and rested her arm over his shoulders.

“G’night Fundy Dundy.”
Niki giggled.

“Shut up and G’night Nihachu.”

•••

Niki groaned as she felt her blanket being pulled from over her, shuddering from the cold.
“Up and at ‘em, Niki!” Fundy chirped as he hit Niki with the corner of the comforter that he had snagged, causing Niki to yell out a curse.

“Fuck off,” Niki growled as she slammed the pillow over her head. Fundy rolled his eyes before grabbing Niki’s good leg and started pulling her from the bed.

“MOTHERFUCKER!”
Niki screamed as she kicked, laughing.

“Let me go!”

“NEVER!”
Fundy declared as he pulled Niki completely from her bed and on to the comforter on the floor.

“You little shit!”
Niki laughed as she threw a pillow at the red head, missing him entirely.

“Is everything okay in here? I heard yelling.”
Niki snapped her neck to the doorway, and gasped in excitement.

“Jack! You’re okay!”
Niki scrambled to his feet and threw herself at Jack, who yelped in panic. Barely catching her Jack stared at Niki in surprise.
“Oh my Prime, we were so worried.”

“Yeah.” Fundy agreed under a chuckle.

“You need to be more careful,” Jack warned as he help Niki stand up and gain her balance,
“You’re leg is still healing, though the Nanotechnology that was injected upon stitching the open wound should allow it to heal two times faster.”

Niki and Fundy arched their brows.
“Nanotechnology? As in Nanobots?”
Fundy questioned as he picked up the comforter and threw it on the bed without breaking eye contact.

“Correct.”
Jack responded as he brushed a few stray stands of hair from Niki’s face, ever so gently tucking it behind her ear.

Niki and Fundy look to each other, making they heard the same thing.

“Is something wrong?” Jack asked,
“Both of you have high blood pressure suddenly. Your biorhythms are reading higher and stressed as well.”

Fundy shook his head,
“Nanobots, wait, as in the most expensive treatment one could buy!?”

Jack looked to Fundy in confusion, leaning against the doorway in a relaxed manner, seemingly unimpressed.

“Why do you ask as if you have guilt over this knowledge?”

Niki chuckled in a nervous manner.
“If a person has Nanotech in their system and is not recorded to have a legal doctor prescribe it, they are arrested for illegal possession.”

Jack’s face dropped.

“So Niki is now technically wanted,” Fundy said under his breath as he sat on the bed.
“And mandatory physicals are next week.”

Jack doubled over laughing, leaving the two confused.
“It should leave your system completely within a few days.”
Jack explained as he walked over to the bed, shooed Fundy away, and started fixing it, tucking the blankets and comforter tight enough that if Fundy had tossed a coin on it, it would bounce.

“Don’t Nanobots stay in the body for weeks?” Niki asked as she sat down in newly made bed, causing Jack to pout at his work being undone.

“No,” Jack said as he slumped in defeat as Niki undone the comforter and burrowed underneath.
“Nanobots leave the body as soon as the assigned wound heals. Mostly leaving through fecal matter.”

“And we’re done.”
Fundy said as he swung at Jack with a pillow, who just simply grabbed the pillow before it could make contact.

“So are we using our last day of our freebie days to scavenge?”
Niki asked, her voice registering a tad bit higher with excitement.

“Under one condition!” Fundy said before Jack ripped the pillow from His grip and pelted it at him. Fundy yelped as the pillow made a direct hit to his nose, that was still sore to the touch and fell on his ass.

“WHY MY POOR NOSE!?” Fundy wailed as he covered his nose.

“Whoops,” Jack retorted dryly as he shrugged his shoulders,
“I forgot.”

Fundy glared holes into Jack as he turned his attention to Niki, who was still waiting for her one condition.

“If you promise to not stress your leg while you search.”
Jack stated, Fundy nodded in agreement.
“I can print a mobile brace for your leg if you can take me back to Laboratory 33.”

“That place?” Niki questioned,
“I mean sure! I bet there are a lot of things that Sam would love to have a look at.”

Everyone but Jack jumped as Eret knocked on the door, earning a a chuckle from Jack. But Eret’s furrowed brow and meek demeanor caused the group to pause in concern.

“Eret?”
Niki sat up from a laid out, relaxed state, searching Eret’s face.

“I got a call from the School,” Eret said,voice wavering. Fundy looked to Niki before looking back to Eret.

“They are worried about Fundy’s and your absences. And are asking if you want to drop out or continue your schooling with additional restrictions?”

Niki looked to Fundy then to Jack before staring down at her hands. She knew that if she can at least finish her school, even with failing grades, she would be able to get jobs that dropouts can’t even think about. Allowing some slack on Eret, no longer being the only form of income in their overpriced mortgage for their small, cramped but decent home. Niki had to. She had to finish in order for her and her sibling to even have a shot of having a decent life without having to fight tooth and nail for peace and safety. Taking a deep breath, Niki looked at Eret.

“What are the restrictions?”
Niki asked as she slipped out of her bed and to her dresser, pulling out her school uniform.

“Well,” Eret started, stepping deeper into the bedroom.
“You will have to report to the school every night at curfew, and are required to have a grade average of an 80.”

Fundy whined,
“Having to call the school at curfew is going to be a problem if she goes out to Scavenge.”

Niki hummed in agreement.
Eret’s face fell even more, before they shivered under a whisper,
“That’s if you wanna risk going to the Seam.”

“No, absolutely not.” Fundy interjected, throwing his hand up, glaring at Eret for even thinking such a thought.
“There is no way in Limbo we are even thinking of stepping near the Seam.”

The mere thought of the Seam and what may lay out outside of the electric fence that hugged his known world. The barren and bone dry land born out of war and hate. Fundy was barely two years old when the Seam was declared a threat to the safety of the country’s capital that resides on the border of Essempi, though it had taken many lives long before his father and mother even met.
The creatures that deliberately hunt down and kill anyone that sets foot into the forbidden territory. Creatures that would follow you until you collapse from exhaustion. Creatures that would blow up with a force much stronger than the mining companies used to blow holes into the mountains of the Kinoko province in operations for precious metals and stones. The unlucky few that happen to cross paths with said monster, are only able to be identified by their friend or partner that saw the poor soul before the explosion.
Creatures that take on the humanoid form of an elderly man, groaning in pain from what one would assume were swollen joints and achy bones. Weaponizing empathy to lure in unsuspecting Null Divers into their untimely demise. Unraveling their timid, injured human display to reveal a twisted, grotesque fleshy form held together by the bones and rotting muscles of its previous victims, freezing their prey in their terror.

Fundy shuddered as he shook his head,
“Out of the question, we are not risking our lives like that.”

“Yeah.” Niki interjected, “Might as kill yourself at the comfort of your home if you thought it was a good idea to step into the Seam.” Niki said before stopping in her tracks, her shirt half way over her head,
“That was not the best thing to say.”

Eret sucked in air through their teeth as Fundy cringed, “Yeah no.”

“In the grand scheme of shit things to say, you are not but a footnote.”
Jack retorted before fixing Niki’s bed again.

_________________________________________________________

Fundy, Jack and Eret (all packed in their small car) stopped in front of Fundy’s apartment, giving the kid enough time to breath and to back out if needed. But with Niki choosing to stay in school to support her and her older sibling in a world of rising prices, Fundy had already promised to not back out and get to the point.

“Do you need me and Jack to go in with you, fundy?” Eret asked softly as they put the car in park, turning the key, cutting the starter to save gas.

Fundy sat in silence as he stared at the building before taking a deep breath, almost a huff.
Fundy flinched at the sudden, soft hand cupping his own. Fundy turned to see Jack giving as reassuring smile,
“I can go if you need help. I mean after all,” Jack tilted his head, much like a child smiling for a nervous friend at their first recital,
“I am programmed to care for anyone registered under the Manifold Whitelist by DNA, may it be a resident researcher and their family.”

Fundy stared at Jack in confusion, Eret turned to Jack in suspicion for the driver seat.

“White do you mean ‘whitelist’?” Eret questioned, locking the doors. Any other person in Fundy’s place would get scared and want to leave upon seeing Eret’s bright, gentle demeanor turn sour and cold, but Fundy trusted Eret with his life. Eret has saved his ass many times before, more than he could count on his fingers and toes.

Eret didn’t feel right when Jack had mentioned a whitelist, having learned that all good things have a hidden evil. Jack looked to Eret with a plain expression, not sensing Eret suspicion and caution, or he did and failed to show understanding or empathy. Eret couldn’t help but stare into Jack’s red eye more than the blue one.

“Whitelist as in the group of recorded and authorized personnel granted access to any and all levels of information,” Jack removed his hands from Fundy’s and placed them in his lap, sensing Eret’s now anger and anxiety.

“If they are to ask, any and all levels of information and research stored in the database.”
Jack have a head tilt.

“So if I was to ask who made you,” Eret started, gesturing for Fundy to step out of the vehicle upon unlocking the doors.
“Would you answer? Or am I not classified as ‘worthy’?”

Upon Fundy closing the door, knowing that he could not hear the two anymore, Jack’s demeanor changed. Not in an entirely negative manner, but enough to make any human know that they have crossed a line or that they are pushing their luck.

“I would explain in as much detail as requested with the Knowledge and data available, due to your relationship with Fundy and with Niki, however.”
Eret narrowed his brow.
There was always something else. Something keeps him, refraining him from straying away. Like a leash or a chain.

“Fundy is the main administrative authority of the few. Meaning only he can assess, access, assemble, and authoritate what actions, plans, and motives can be set for me outside my own free will.”

“This would mean by DNA, you are the ultimate power over him. Correct.”

Jack nodded, cracking a grin upon noticing Eret’s posture begin to lax.
“Correct. He was registered into the database over 17 years ago, just as he turn 160 days old, ensure that DNA present wasn’t contaminated.”

Eret froze.
17 years ago.

“Now that some questions have been answered, I will be accompanying Fundy for his safety.”
Eret didn’t even try to stop the android as Jack stepped out and waved to Fundy, who was perched on the railing of the stairwell, waiting.

“Sorry for the wait.” Jack apologized as he gestured to Fundy to lead the way, to which Fundy hopped down and started his Ascension.

“No need,” Fundy assured, hopping with light feet on to the next step.
“I wasn’t going to go in there without a little back up ’cause I know Wil is going to beat the shit out of me for up and running last night.”

Jack cocked his head.
“He beats you?”
Jack stops, the ceased noise of his heavy steps, prompting Fundy to look over his shoulder at Jack.

“As in He hurts you?”
Fundy couldn’t help but flinch at his sudden change from kind, awkward, and (to all things good) so childish to cold, unsteadily calm, and calculating at a whiplashing speed. But he didn’t feel the same dread as he would from (unfortunately) his father.
No. It was far worse.
Seeing someone he trusted so quickly turn just as fast. Fundy had the grip the hand rail to ground himself.

“Y-yeah, but you know the saying.”
Fundy gave a choked laugh,
“What doesn’t kill you make you stronger.”

“No.”

“What?”

“No,” Jack said, picking up Wilbur’s biorhythms through the floor above them, feeling he was in deep R.E.M. sleep. “Breaking down someone’s psyche or scarring their body is not how you make them stronger.”

Jack started up the last set of stairs, walking past Fundy with silent steps.

“It only makes them fear everything, though it may mean good. I could recognize threats and allies by touch alone, by smell. I would know them blind, by the way their breath came and their feet struck the earth. I would know in death, at the end of the world.”

Fundy didn’t even have time to turn back around to the stairs before he heard keys turning a lock.
Fundy patted his pocket for his keys only to find nothing, smelling the racid scent of alcohol only a second later.

“Shit.”

Chapter Text

Wilbur was never one for early mornings, even before his inevitable downfall, he would curse the morning and lay in bed until midday.
He couldn’t help but groan as he turned over on his side, being sore from sleeping on the floor instead of his bed, most likely from passing out drunk the previous night after the authorities left.
Wilbur angerly groaned as he rolled over, gathering his bearing and his balance as he pushed off the floor and stumbled his clumsy, hangover ass into the bathroom.
Gripping the sink to stop his stumbling, he looked into the mirror that had been cracked for years, staring back into his shattered brown eyes.

“May Limbo be my cradle,” Wilbur sighed, running his hand through his hair, before reaching over and turning on the water to the tub. Running it on the cold side.
“I didn’t even have to look at the date to know today was it.”

Wilbur stripped down, throwing his dirty clothes into the trash instead of the laundry-hamper and hobbled into the tub, sinking into the bitter cold water. Wilbur hissed as the water reached his neck.

“Wilbur!” Techno called out as Wilbur struggled to stay above the surface of the raging river dividing the resistance camp from the sudden onset of rain, weighed down by his armor and the 20-kilogram ammo case strapped to his back.

“Tech-“
Wilbur called in horror as he was swept away, before being pulled under the violent current created by the trenches, he and his comrades had dug out months prior.

Wilbur gripped the side of the tub to ground himself, as he took a breath and dipped his head into the cold water.

Wilbur threw his arm out in every direction to grab ahold of something as his lungs screamed from the lack of air and intake of water. Wilbur struggled to lose the ammo case as he fought against the clip and the current.

Once he resurfaced, he screamed out for someone, anyone to help him. Only to have a boot push him back under the freezing waters before his eyes could adjust.

Wilbur screamed as he pulled himself from the water, his lungs shallow in the air as he sat in the tub. He stared at his reflection in the slightly murky water.
“Even after 20 years.” Wilbur gave a choked laugh, “Prime, may Limbo be my cradle.”

•••

Leaning against the window, Fundy couldn’t help but listen in on the conversation happening in the front seat.

“I guess you and Fundy could share your bedroom,” Eret suggested, not once tearing their eyes away from the road.
“Jack can make a pallet in the living room, assuming he doesn’t have to plug into the wall to recharge.”

Fundy glances over his shoulder at Jack as he leans forward at the mention of his name.
“I only have to recharge my core once a month.”

“That’s if you’re not running and hurdling for your life and freedom all the damn time,” Fundy huffed, “you are pushing the bare minimum on energy consumption. I think.”

Fundy glances back to the scenery outside the window, watching the dirty streets of the lower district pass by as monotone montage.
“Like all machines; more work, more energy. Less work, less energy. And you, Jack, are no exception. Android or not.”

Jack nodded, “Fundy’s right, if I’m going to help take Niki’s place, as planned, I’m going to take more energy. But…”

The sudden, rigid pause in Jack input caused everyone to turn and look at him, Eret barely glancing back into the rear-view mirror.
“Jack, are you okay?” Eret asked, switching their blinkers to emerge and pull over.
Fundy sat up straight, peeling himself away from the window to get a better look at Jack.

Jack seemed almost frozen in time; his mouth still open to say the next words but remained silent. His eyes were wide as if he was… in pain.
His hand and body were still and stiff as if he wasn’t synthetic and had gone Rigor Mortis.

“Jack?” Fundy waved his hands in front of Jack’s face. Nothing.
“Jack Manifold? Are you there?”
Fundy grabbed Jack’s shoulder and gave a slight shake.

Eret was now completely pulled over and already getting to the back seat to check on Jack, when Jack’s jaw dropped open to an inhumane level. What followed was a metal-on-metal shriek that mimicked a pain filled scream pierced the air like a knife. Fundy slammed against his door out of pure instinctive reaction to the nails-on-chalk-board sound, Eret stumbled out of the back seat and almost into oncoming traffic. Both clapped their hands over their ears, just as everyone else on the sidewalk.

Jack’s eyes dilated and his camouflage glitched, receding as the pitch of his scream dropped, matching the low vibrato of a clapped out, bass busted vehicle that would roam the streets in the late witching hours of the lower and mid districts.

Then silence.

Jack’s jaw had retracted to a more humane stature, before his tight, tense posture melted into one Fundy could empathize with. Similar to the rundown, tired out, given up slump born out a complete mind melt or mental shattering.

“Jack?”
Fundy whimpered as he leaned over, seeing Jack’s eyes still open but unfocused.

“We need to go.”
Eret said as they jumped back into the driver seat upon noticing pedestrians looking at them, a few with their phones out. As Eret pulled away from their spot, Jack slumped against Fundy's shoulder.
If Fundy didn’t know better, he would have thought the man had a mental shattering and passed out. But with open eyes that seemingly stared into the void and his human disguise in a disarray, with some spots with human-like skin and some with a metallic sheen to it, Fundy began to worry.

“What in all of Prime’s judgement, Lady Death’s wrath, and the Blood God’s left testicule was that?!” Fundy breathed as he checked his ears for bleeding, feeling he had busted an eardrum.

“I was going to ask the same thing,” Eret retorted,
“But without the unnecessary, blatant cursing of the gods’ names and mention of the Blood God’s, you know!”

While stopped at a stop light, Fundy laid Jack across the backseat. Fundy stopped all movement when Jack groaned in pain in his catatonic state.
“Sorry,” Fundy whispered as he patted Jack's head.
“I’m just checking something.”

Peeling away Jack's black hoodie, Fundy couldn’t help but curse under his breath. Jack's hole in his chest had gotten larger, exposing more sensitive processors and complex wiring to the friction of the hoodie with movement. Something he knew wasn't going to be easy to fix with his knowledge.

“What’s wrong?”
Eret asked as he pulled in front of their house, threw the car into park and unlocked the doors.

“Oh nothing,” Fundy groaned in frustration.
“I just was not smart enough to fix holes anymore.”

Eret turned in his driver seat, leaning against the passenger seat to get a better look at Jack laid out on the back seat.

“Let’s get him into the house.”
Eret said as Jack’s head began to twitch, if Fundy didn’t know better, he would’ve thought the poor guy was having a seizure.

“No no, we need to get to the lab, where we found him.”
Fundy proposed as he moved himself behind Jack’s head, resting it in his lap while holding his head steady.

“I don’t have the tools or anything to help him in my bag or my room. But the lab will.”

•••

“Clear.”
Fundy whispered, before bolting with light, silent feet to the hatch in the ground, getting a solid tug. Upon opening the hatch, Eret kneeled next to him with Jack’s in his arms.

“No ladder?” Eret said as they peered over the edge into the dark lab below.

“Not anymore.” Fundy chirped nonchalantly below jumping down into the dark, a soft ‘oof’ emitting from the shadows before the lab lit up with a bright light, motion sensored. Fundy then lifted his arm up to Eret upon his eyes adjusting to the bright, clean light.
“Pass him down.”

Eret kneeled down closer to the floor as they lowered Jack into the lab with Fundy, who received the android with no problem. Soon Eret followed.

“Clementine!”
Fundy shouted as he looked for a safe surface other than the lab counter to rest Jack, who was now in sleep mode.

Hello. My sensors show you have signs of distress. Is there anything I can help with?

Eret jumped at the sudden, invisible voice that Fundy had summoned.

“Clem, Jack has some external damage that is causing abrasions to internal systems. I don’t know how to help him.” Fundy rumbled, on the verge of tears.
“Please, I don’t want him to die.”

I assure you, anything that is not living cannot die. I can help you with Thunder model 1406.

Chapter Text

after some reconsideration and due to mental health issues and new responsibilities, such as caring for my new daughter, I have started cutting down on writing. I'm sorry, but family to me comes first.