Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

What happens when it all catches up? All your misdeeds, all the risks you took. All the scamming, the near-death experience. Mortality is thin. Your mortality is thin. It can be gone in a single gunshot. Perhaps when you die, you'll find peace or find yourself trapped in a personal hell. These thoughts were all a probability to Chance.

He found himself at his office in his casino. Weird. He never remembered waking up, getting ready, doing the same routine he'd always done. No, it felt off. He pushed himself out of his chair. He made a small exhale, his eyes felt droopy and he had a massive headache. His eyes darted around the room while he stretched before his eyes went to his clothing. What the hell was he wearing?! It was different from his usual suit, his silver jewelry was replaced with gold and golden lining. "WHAT THE FUCK!? WHERE THE HELL IS MY LUCKY SUIT!? WHERE THE HELL AM I."

He ran to the door of his office but then was greeted by a new face. It was a guy with grey skin, wearing a suit and a construction hat. "Sorry about the intrusion but are ya the boss of this place.?" The guy tilted his hat at him. Chance was kinda frozen, he saw that he was wearing a uniform but he does not remember this guy or hiring him. "Uh.. who are you..?" He closed the door slightly in caution of this random ass guy he has never seen or hired before. "The name's Builderman.. surprised you haven't heard of me.." WHO??? Chance stepped away from the man. "When were you.. uh.. hired?" He said still with caution. "I don't know.. I was just teleported here in uniform.. I don't work here." Chance froze. What. "Wait, wait, WAIT. What do you mean you 'don't work here' but you're here, in uniform, in MY CASINO." Builderman seemed to be taken aback by his outburst and he furrowed his eyebrows. "Don't shout about it me! I do know why we are here!"

Chance gritted his teeth and inhaled. "Fine. Is there anyone else out there?" Builderman sighed. "Yeah, there's a lot.. some of them don't look.. natural." Chance raised an eyebrow and tilted his side to the slide. "What do you mean.." Their conversation was interrupted by sounds of destruction and shouting coming from out of the office. Both of them widened their eyes and quickly ushered out of the room to see what was wrong. They were both met with a fight between two people, one of them had dark hair, more insane looking and the other was a monster with tentacles sprouting from her back. So that's what he meant by not looking natural. They were both being held back by two others as the tentacle creature yelled at the other. "YOU STABBED ME!" was all he could make out. Chance panicked to himself and ran to the fight. "HEY! What's going on here!?" The monster had a tentacle around the smaller person's neck. "Where are we?! Why are they here!" She growled at him. "Okay, well, FIRST of all, Put them down." She growled again and she dropped the one in her tentacles to the ground with a thud. Builderman and the person who was holding them back kneeled next to them and helped them.

Chance sighed as he looked up at the monster, who was still being held back by a much larger guy who was much bigger than him and a lot more scarier. "So.. why were you even fighting..?" He said with an exasperated tone. "It's none of your business.. and you!" She turned to the guy holding her. "Let go of me!" She thrashed around in his arms but he just made a grunt. Chance backed away slowly and went to the other. "You seem more reasonable.. Do you want to tell me why she was fighting with you?" He felt like a dad having to lecture misbehaving children. "I-I.. u-uh.." He groaned as knelt down next to Builderman. "What's your name.."

"T-Two Time.." Okay.. weird name but I guess Chance and Builderman aren't any better. He looked at the other person who was holding them back during the fight. "And who are you?" The poor guy looked startled and still shaken up. "Me? I'm Elliot.."

He groaned in annoyance. Who were these people and why did they work at his casino? "Okay, how about the chick and the guy behind us?" Two Time looked behind him. "The 'chick' is Azure.. I don't know the gu-" "Doombringer." Builderman interrupted. "He used to work for me." Chance nodded in acknowledgment. "Are there any other.. employees here?" Elliot spoke up, "Yeah.. There are two bartenders, a chef, a server, and a lot of managers.. like A LOT." Chance was even more confused. He doesn't remember staffing any of these people. "Alright.. Uh. Just give me a moment..!" He got up from the floor and quickly ran to his office, he locked the door and he panted. He ran his hand through his longer hair. "What the fuck, what the fuck, what the fuck.." He panicked quietly as he leaned back against his desk.

The others were still outside. Elliot was STILL scared and shaken, Two Time stayed on the floor with a smile on their face like they weren't just rag-dolled around, and Builderman exhaled and was standing with his arms crossed and watched Azure still being held and manhandled by the larger dragon. Builderman looked around at the casino, it was covered with gold and bright lights, the sounds of slot machines of in the distance.

He heard a loud growl from Doombringer and quickly looked back over to him who was now bleeding from his arm as Azure was attempting to bite him. "I said let of me..! Her tentacles tried to strangle him and he tried to strangle his with his bare arms. Builderman's eyes widened and he went to approach the two fighting but was stopped by a familiar face, Shedletsky, who was wielding a sword and was being followed by a smaller cloaked figure. "Stop fighting! You both are acting like children." Two Time was giggling to themselves and Elliot was just standing there shocked. Doombringer didn't react, he didn't even let go but instead started to walk away, with Azure still in his hands. "Wait not like that! God damnit.." He was irritated and his feathers were puffed out. Builderman just felt more confused. "Shed.. Taph..? You're both here too..?" Taph nodded while Shedletsky sheathed his sword on his back. "Yeah, any clue where we are?" Builderman sighed and shook his head. "No clue. I met the owner, he doesn't know why we're here.. but he could be lying..

He noticed a bar off in the distance with three other people there. Builderman raised an eyebrow and approached them. "Hey, who are you guys." One of them was a bulky man with blue hair and a half-charred face. There were two behind the counter, one of them looking more human aside from red markings and red horns, the other's body seemed completely disfigured, wearing a tragedy mask and having long black flowy hair. The blue-haired man spoke up. "Builderman..?" Builderman exhaled and nodded, at least someone here recognized him outside of the other admins. The two in the back seemed to step back slightly and looked a bit nervous. The blue-haired man spoke up again. "Name's Guest 1337.."

"Who are the two behind you..?" Builderman pointed at the two behind the bar. 1337 looked back and stared at the two up and down. "Don't know. Came to question them." Builderman sighed and nodded, as he approached the counter. "You two, names. Now." The one with a disfigured face jolted at the suddenness and narrowed their eyes. Their voice was almost beyond distorted with their words being hard to pick up through the glitch that coursed through their body. "N0L1!!! 4ND WH0 R U?-"

"Noli.. that's Builderman.. You know. The ADMIN." The guy with red horns said with a sigh. Noli stopped in their tracks and pouted. The man with red horns sighed again and stuck out a hand to Builderman. "I'm.. 007n7.." Builderman raised an eyebrow and didn't shake his hand. 007n7 retracted his hand and gulped. "You're the father of the kid that destroyed Builder Brothers' Pizza." Builderman scowled and crossed his arms. 007n7 lowered his head, he held his wrist in his other hand. 007n7 gave a small, ashamed nod. "Two hackers managing a bar.. Sounds great!" His tone was sarcastic and aggressive. Noli rolled their eyes and turned around to the alcohol on the shelf behind them.

..
Chance was back in his office, he was looking through the drawers on his desk, his gloved hands grabbing a mirror by mistake. "Ugh.. not this-" He froze as he looked at the glass in the mirror.. One of his eyes had turned gold. He recoiled back in shock and surprise. The mirror fell to the floor and shattered. What happened to him..

Chapter Text

The now broken mirror lay on the floor, the shards turning black. Chance let out a bated breath, a hand reaching his mouth. His eyes darted around his once-familiar office. The walls formed golden cracks. His heel stepped on an uneven edge of the floorboard, causing him to fall back. Is any of this real? Are the cracks he seeing just mind tricks? His eyes caught a glimpse of a familiar crystal crown through the shards before. 

Knock. Knock.

He quickly jumped off the floor.. trying to compose himself. The room seemed normal again, the cracks gone, the mirror reflecting like normal. His heart felt like it racing in pure fear..

Knock. Knock.

"I'm going!!" He shouted at the door as he brushed off his suit. He tried to compose himself. He opened the door, expecting one of the employees he just met. "W-What is it n-" His eyes widened as he saw the figures outside the door. One of them, seemingly the head of the group, was a woman clad in armor, her torso see-through exposing her skeleton, and long silky white hair with red horns peeking through. She was terrifying yet.. she was pretty.. 

There were three others behind her.. All creepy looking and menacing.. One had a huge spike as an arm, the other wore dirty clothes and a bloodied-up hockey mask, and the last one had a fedora and wore a suit like he was some sort of mafia boss.

He swallowed his spit as he tried to stay calm.. He had no idea what she and the other creatures behind her were capable of. She could probably bend and fold him like a pretzel which he wouldn't be exactly against... OFF TOPIC!

He cleared his throat and crossed his arm. "W-Who are you all..?" 

"Names aren't important." She grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, choking him as she lifted him above her. "Where. Are. We." She growled lowly, her claws digging into his skin. 

He choked and gasped for air. "M-MY CASINO. T-THIS IS MY CASINO!! I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU ALL GOT HERE!! L-LET GO. P-PLEASE..!" He grasped at her wrists, attempting to release himself from her grasp. Her red eyes narrowed. "What's a casino.." He froze in confusion at her confusion. The others behind her seemed to also be confused as well until the one with the fedora spoke. "Unhand him,.." She growled again but dropped Chance. His neck was sore and aching from her claws. She turned away from the group...

"My apologies. Not quite sure what's up with her." He scoffed, he towered over Chance, but not quite to the woman's level but still tall. "Name's Mafioso.. don't know the others." Chance looked behind him, the other two were just staring at him... Creepy... His eyes then went to the woman, his eyes softened and he went to her. "Hey! What's your name?" She turned to look at him, her red eyes looking him up and down. "1x.." She turned her head away from him. "That's a..name alright..." 

He extended his hand to her with a smirk plastered on his face. "I'm Chance.." Her eyes widened and she stepped away from his hand. He immediately dropped his boldness and pulled his hand back slightly. "U-Uh.. You're supposed to shake my hand.. It's a way of greeting.."

"Creep."

He heard a voice ring through his head. His blood ran cold as he retracted his hand all the way back to himself, just when 1x was reaching her hand out. He looked down at his hand, a wave of disgust and dirtiness rushing over him. He held his hand in his other hand. He looked up at 1x, visible confusion on her face before it shifted to anger again, rolling her eyes as she walked away, being followed by the others who arrived with her. He could hear Mafioso trying to talk to her while she walked. 

Chance wanted to reach out and try to stop her but yet...

"Don't. Pervert."

Pervert?! He slammed the door of his office. His breath quickened again, his hand grasping at his vest while he gasped for air. The room was fuzzy and blurry. Was he really that disgusting.. He was staring at her body... But not in that wa-

"Disgusting."

The voice spoke again... He backed up into his desk, his hand going to his hair, tugging on the strands. "SHUT UP. SHUT UP. WHAT IS THIS? GET OUT MY HEAD!" He shouted out loud, everything continued to blur, and everything felt sickening. He looked back down at the shards of the glass. The glass reflected something not there. A face. A face he hadn't seen in a while and didn't want to see anymore.. 

Their face was different, shrouded in darkness with a pair of staring eyes piercing through his very soul. The voice was familiar, how did he not notice. It was while since he saw them so maybe that's why. He never logged peoples' voices in his head, it was too taxing and for what, to just block them out using the stupid headphones he needed.

He kicked the shards away as he darted out of the room, grabbing his headphones that were left on his desk. He was immediately halted when he crashed into someone. "SHIT-" He fell to his side, the pain coursing through his leg especially. "O-Oh my god!!" The other person panicked and grabbed his hand to pull him back to his feet. "Ugh.. thanks but next watch where you'-" His heart stopped. It was them.. It was odd though.. they never had locs.. or a giant scar..  or a stutter.. wait. 

"I-I'm Noob.. S-So sorry for bumping into you.. I'm just.. c-confused.." 

Oh. He let out a shaky yet relieved sigh. "Oh okay.. You must be a chef..? I can tell by the uniform..

"The others told me about everything going on already.. I-I was sent to go find two others.."

Chance nodded in acknowledgment, his heart still racing over the brief jumpscare.

"Good luck with that.. I have no clue where anything is here anymore.."

Chapter Text

The casino didn't seem to be open yet since everyone had arrived. It looked barren and almost creepy, looking abandoned except for the sounds of the slot machine in the background. Noli was behind the bar, looking at the extensive collection of booze and drinks displayed behind them. Meanwhile, 007n7 was acting nervous and worried. He didn't know where C00lkidd was and now he was left with his ex who ghosted him when he stopped hacking. Noli grabbed one of the bottles of vodka, reading the alcohol content quietly before just shrugging and popping open the bottle lid and drinking straight from it. 007n7's jaw dropped as he shouted at them. "What are you doing!? You can't just drink that.. It..It could be poison!"

Noli scoffed and rolled their eyes, they leaned back against the counter. "0h c0m3 0n.. 1t's ju$t b00z3.." 007n7 frown and their dismiss of his worry. This was the first time the two interacted in over 10 years, and yet, they were still as rude and childish as they were in college! He grew up and matured, having to raise a baby and Noli had no reason to. 007n7 bit his tongue, although he wanted to scold them. Noli noticed Azure with Elliot and Taph. They raised an eyebrow curiously, they placed their bottle of vodka on the counter before jumping over the counter and walking to the three, their hooves tapping against the floor while they walked.

Azure looked over at the newcomer, she rolled her eyes, and crossed her arms against her chest. "..And what do you want?" Her tone was bitter and unwelcoming. Elliot and Taph looked at them too. Elliot tried to calm her down. "U-Uh calm down, lady.. I think they're also a server.." She growled and she raised her tentacles in a threatening way, "Don't 'lady' me." Elliot apologized immediately in a shaky and nervous tone. "I'm so sorry! I forgot for a second!" Noli butted in, looking Azure directly in her eyes. "Why w0uld 4ny0n3 h1r3 Y0U 4s 4 s3rv3r, y0u'r3 4 b1tch!" Azure's eyes widened, her eyes went to them. "Excuse me!?" Noli laughed hysterically at her frustration, this was their favorite part about hacking and trolling. "Y34HH!~" They are on the tips of their hooves to get closer to her face.

Elliot, again, tried to be the medium here. "Guys! Can we not fight, we just got here! I know we're all confused.."

"$hut up, d0ugh b0y." Noli said, leaning down to his height. They and Azure were both much taller than Taph and Elliot..

"Don't call me that!" He shouted back at them, offended by their insult. Taph just stood between them as the three argued and yelled at each other, they made a small, bothered chirp. They thought of an idea. They did have all their actual bombs taken away BUT they had a toy subspace tripmine that looked convincing. They pulled out the plush from under the robe and held it towards the three fighting. They made a chirp to get their attention, The three all looked at them and froze. To them, it looked like Taph had a bomb.

"4 B0MB1!?!1/!!"
"Fuck."
"W-WHERE DID YOU GET A BOMB FROM?!"

Taph giggled then they dropped the plush on the floor. Noli yelped and jumped into Azure's arms catching her off guard. Nothing went off and they all looked dumbfounded. Elliot spoke up, "Y-You little-" Noli was still being held in Azure's arms, their face buried in her chest in a foolish attempt to hide from the 'bomb'. "4R3 W3 D34D!?" Azure growled. "No, you idiot. AND GET YOUR FACE OUT OF THERE." She dropped them onto the floor, they landed on their ass with a thud. Azure crossed her arms over her chest again. "Rud3..'

The four didn't know this but two men were watching them from a distance. Doombringer and Guest 1337. They both heard and watched everything that just went down. Doombringer was bent over cackling while Guest just stood there, VERY CONFUSED and dumbfounded about the scene. "What a bunch of dumbasses.." Doombringer said along with his laughing. Guest just sighed and leaned back against the wall, not really wanting to chit-chat.. especially with THAT guy. He noticed something on the strap of the backpack he was given. It was a small picture,, a picture of him and his daughter. The daughter he left behind. Doombringer noticed him, he rolled his eyes. "Seriously? Remembering the past now? It's pointless." Guest narrowed his eyes at the larger man but didn't respond. Doombringer rolled his eyes at his stubbornness. "You're trapped here." Doombringer scoffed before he went to approach the servers.

Azure saw him from the corner of her eye and sighed. "Ugh.. you." Doombringer stops in front of her. "Me."

Elliot recognized him from earlier. "Weren't you the guy that dragged her away from Two Time?"

Doombringer made a quiet grunt as he nodded. "He tried to lock me in a storage closet.." Azure added before she crossed her arms again. "You were attacking another.." He rebuttaled. Azure stayed quiet and broke eye contact. "It was deserved.."

Doombringer rolled his eyes at her suspiciously. "Yeah, sure.." He looked back at the other servers. "What was commotion earlier about anyways?" He raised an eyebrow as he shifted his weight to his other leg. "T4PH PULL3D 0UT 4 F4K3 B0MB!!" Doombringer looked down at Taph and tilted his head at the small bird. "Is this true?" Taph looked like they were giggling and nodded. He sighed. "You little demon.."

Taph looked around the casino before spotting Shedletsky, Builderman, and Dusekkar in the distance. Their wings fluffed up excitedly and they went over to them. Elliot noticed Taph leaving but didn't say anything. "U-Uh I'm going to check in on the kitchen. I'm going to go see when we open.." The other three didn't acknowledge what he said so he just huffed and walked away.

Elliot was on his way to the kitchen but noticed a pair of eyes staring at him from the shadows. He halted in his place and his blood drained from his face. "H-Hello?-" Just when he spoke the person from the shadow came up to him. It was Two Time. He let out a big sigh. "Oh, it's just you.."

Two Time smiled down at him, they were tall.. almost scarily tall. "I just wanted to come by and see you again! I fear we didn't have a proper first meeting!" Their smile was creepy, it looked genuine but it was wide and permanent almost.

"O-Oh well.. I'm sort of in a rush right now, haha.."

"Did Azure say anything about me?" Their smile faltered when they said that. It was MORE CREEPY when they weren't smiling, somehow. "U-Uh.. no?"

Two Time stood still. "Okay then! Sorry for bothering you in such a state of rush!" They disappeared back into the shadows, some light glaring from their eyes making it look like they were staring through his soul..