Work Text:
Player stumbles across what seems to be an abandoned laboratory as they try to find their way to Charles's office to face against him.
This place seemed to be a place where it was kept in disarray like something had gone wrong there.
Player had a sense that they shouldn't be there, like whatever was meant to be hidden there, was meant to stay a secret.
"[Will you continue...? (You cannot turn back.)]"
"[>yes...]"
"[NO]"
Player took one last final breath before letting themselves enter the old abandoned wrecked sector, they were sure to be careful in whatever step they took. Because it felt like one wrong move could collapse the place and threatens to bury them with it to keep its secrets hidden.
As they moved around the destroyed rubble of the lab, the more they saw the place, the worse it got. They could feel their skin crawl as they felt the cold air surrounding them. Every step they took could be heard through the remains of the sector, as every sound that was made echoed through the walls and reached deeper into where they can't see. It was dimly lit, and it became darker as they went further within the lab, so much that they had brought out one of their doodles that could emit light.
They sent out their Jelluminous as they continued to walk. It's light guiding their way through the dark and damp halls.
They scanned closer at some of the old tech that was left behind to rot away for eternity, it had collected mountains worth of dust and when player wiped off some of the dust to see what it was.
It was definitely some kind of old machine; it had some kind of glass screen attached to it. It felt cold to the touch. These machines weren't anything like the one's Player had encountered throughout their journey. It definitely wasn't anything they've seen from DoodleCo.
As Player felt they weren't going to find anything of interest... they spot something at the corner of their eye.
It looked to be some kind of weird brick; it was covered in dust and lots of webs, but they couldn't help but be drawn to it.
They picked it up, it felt not like any brick they've held. It didn't feel as heavy as brick either. So, what was it...?
They blew off the dust, coughing a bit as the dust flies everywhere. When the dust settles, they look down at the brick and realize that it's some kind of device...
... Yet it didn't look anything they've seen. They tried to remember if they've ever recalled it before, their mind remembered that time where Suzie showed them a picture of several old technology in the library. Specifically, a device called the tape player.
"[So, this was some kind of tape player...]"
They looked around to see if they could find anything that could go inside the tape player like Suzie showed them. Player looked back down at the tape player in their hand, and they decide to put it away for now and keep exploring. There was definitely something about the place that drew them closer to whatever secrets it may be hiding.
Despite how dark, damp and dusty the place was, they were determined to find something that could possibly help piece together a story on what possibly happened there.
As they continued to venture the halls, they gripped onto their backpack strap tightly, they felt unease... it felt like something... or someone had been watching them.
It didn't make them anymore excited to explore the place, but they at least wanted to find one tape. Since there was a tape player, there was bound to be a tape somewhere.
After what felt like an eternity...
Player found themselves in some kind of dimly lit office with cabinets all over the floor, along with several files scattered all over the floor.
They decided to pick one of the files and read it:
"Case report #...
I've been researching these strange stones I call "Runestones" it seems to contain large amounts of energy. Nearly endless amounts from what I've gathered so far. However certain stones have particular doodles on them enacted deep within the stone, as if indicating what doodles certain stones belong to.
Whenever those doodles are exposed to these stones, the stone begins to glow and emit large amounts of energy before it transfers over to the doodle. Causing a form change of some kind and also giving them a significant boost in strength.
If we could find a way to transfer this energy to other doodles, who knows what could be possible..."
Player decided to not read any more of the files since they didn't exactly like reading, it felt almost wrong... they hop over one of the fallen cabinets and notice that there was something on the desk. It was dusty as heck, like the rest of the place but it couldn't hurt to check what it was.
They picked it up and this time, carefully dusted off the thing. They coughed as the dust flew in the air.
Player took notice that it looked to be some kind of tape. Player thought that keeping it wouldn't hurt. Maybe it did work.
After a while of searching through the old, abandoned sector, they had come across some more tapes, and they just decide to pick them up and put them away in their backpack.
As they were walking deeper within the lab, they had a thought.
"[What if you played the tapes?]" it was at least worth a shot. Right? And it'd help bring some noise to the otherwise quiet and grim atmosphere.
They had reached their hand to their backpack and pulled out the tape player along with a random tape they found. Along with a fresh pair of batteries they had to replace the old ones.
They weren't sure if it was meant to be in an order or not, they wouldn't know since they were all unlabeled, so they just decided to just play a random tape.
Player checks the tape, blowing away the dust inside and putting in the tape and added in the fresh new pair of batteries inside the tape player.
Then they press play, buffering and squeaking came from the tape player. Which surprised them, they thought that it wouldn't even work at all.
It just sounded like a broken record player... Much to Player's disappointment.
Player let out a tired sigh and strapped their backpack on before continuing on their exploration into the abandoned sector of DoodleCo Headquarters.
They still kept the tape playing as they walked through the halls, the sound of screeching bouncing and echoing through the walls as the record player tried to play the tape. It was better than eerie silence.
That's when they heard something, a muffled and very scratched voice.
"[Oh come on Lucas!--- Live a little!]" It was the voice of a lady, Player looked down at the tape recorder, surprised to actually hear a voice or something other than scratching and static. They continued to let it play out as they continued to look around, whoever this lady was.
It was definitely someone they didn't know or have met.
"[Don't worry about--- Charles-- he's just-- a big pus- h push over!--- Underneath all that--- he means well--- you know how he is!]" So, whoever this lady was, she knew who Charles was and was seemingly friendly with him. At least that's what Player thinks.
"[Could this be... Portia's mom?]"
They weren't sure exactly who she could be other than that since she mentioned Charles, the CEO of DoodleCo and someone named Lucas. And they don't really recall anyone sounding like that or being close with the CEO himself. They do know about the three original employees of DoodleCo and they know that Charles was one of them so maybe she was? Portia's mom was one of the original three so maybe?
The tape ended and so Player pulled out the tape and put in a different tape inside of it, as it rewound and started to play. Once again, it was mainly scratching and static from the tape. Then they could hear the woman again, it was clear this tape was a lot more static than the other one.
"[-- Lucas-- Prom-- Promise me one thing--- Can-- Can you keep--]"
The tape fizzled out for a moment before picking back up.
"[Can you promise to keep Portia--- Safe--- This-- Project-- I fear that--- that-- --- something will--- go wrong--- --- I don't know what-- will happen but--- I feel--- something will go wrong--- But I can't stop now--- No-- not when I'm so close to making a major breakthrough-- ]" Then the tape cut out. Which upset Player. They tried some of the other tapes but most if not the rest of them were nothing but pure static and noise.
Player groaned in annoyance as them collecting all those tapes were mainly for nothing, but they definitely learned a bit from what they could make out.
After a bit more exploration within the abandoned sector, then... suddenly they look over at a specific room within the sector. It was clearly a lot more damaged than other rooms, which were just abandoned but this room specifically seemed to nearly collapse in on itself. The support beams from the ceiling just barely keeping the place still standing.
Who would be stupid and gullible enough to go inside a room that clearly could collapse at any moment? Player.
They treaded carefully, making sure to duck underneath the fallen debris and beams that surrounded the place. Keeping their Jelluminous close to them to light the way, it was dusty and very dark and who knows what's under them, so they had to watch their step to make sure not to knock anything over and cause the very weak beams above them to collapse.
Eventually they find themselves at the center of some kind of explosion or accident, presumably where it caused the room to be in such disarray in the first place. The walls were covered in ash and grime, likely hasn't been touched in years ever since it was created.
Whatever happened there, it did not end pretty... Player could tell that much.
They looked at some kind of lab coat and picked it up, they looked closer at the lab coat and noticed some kind of nametag on it, 'Rebecca'
This wasn't just any location... This was the same location that Rebecca, Portia's mom had supposedly died.
"[Oh Louis...]"
Those tapes, the sector being abandoned, the machines left behind. It all made sense now... No wonder no one had come here anymore, this was literally a grave site.
Player began backing away from the scene when they accidentally step on one of their Jelluminous' tendrils' and that causes it to jump back in recoil. They jolted all over the place before Player eventually catches it in their arms but accidentally being sent backwards due to it flying into their arms.
This causes one of the beams to start shaking and moving, which causes the entire place to start shaking and began to collapse in on itself.
Player quickly recalls their doodle in their capsule before making a break for it, they had quickly dodged several falling debris as the place began to crumble around them, ducking, sliding and jumping over things. But before they could reach the exit, one of the beams from above quickly came down and blocked the way.
They quickly stopped themselves, planting their feet on the ground to quickly stop their momentum before the beam from above could hit them. Call it Spidey sense or heavy plot armor, but they somehow could tell whenever something was just about to hit them from above.
Player began to panic; they were out of breath and panting as they were in a rush to get out of there before the place collapsed yet it seemed like they were trapped. They could send out one of their doodles to possibly get them out of there, but they simply couldn't think properly during all the chaos.
As they felt they were about to be crushed by the debris in the room, they braced themselves and ducked down and covered their neck with their hands.
They should've never come there.
"[You should've never come here...]"
As Player braced themselves to be crushed underneath all the debris, they... didn't feel anything but a bit dizzy. A familiar kind of dizzy.
After a few seconds, they look up from the ground and notice that they were back at the entrance of the sector. How... was this possible?
They look around them and notice a familiar figure, it was Mister Riffraff!
Player gets up from the ground and quickly rushes over to Mister Riffraff and hugs him. Somehow, he managed to find them and save them in the nick of time. Mister Riffraff chuckles as he's also out of breath, it seems like he was extremely shaken about what just happened.
"There, there... It's okay, Player. You aren't in any danger anymore." Mister Riffraff pat Player on the back, it felt relieving to have him be there. His grip on them tightening as if he was afraid. After a few moments, they pull away and Mister Riffraff grabs Player by the shoulders.
"Now... Don't ever try that again. I-- I mean can't have you as a pancake now, can I?" Player could tell that Mister Riffraff was extremely shaken about them nearly dying, his hand was quivering while Player saw that he was sweating a lot.
"It-- It wouldn't exactly be beneficial for you to be a pancake, my plans don-- don't involve pancakes. I mean maybe later but once everything is done." Mister Riffraff joked off to cheer up Player nearly getting squished to death by debris. He cleared his throat before petting them on the back again.
"Just-- Just don't do anything like this again. You're lucky I predicted you'd do this. Now off you go! Come on." Mister Riffraff waved to them before teleporting away. Player looked back at the entrance of the sector and shook their head.
"[Why would you want to go back there?]"
They turned back around and went off to go do something else. Just trying to piece together exactly what happened in there. So many questions yet they felt like none of them were going to be answered.