This is a blog for general oc rp, not for any specific character. I may use this for rp-ing with other blogs but feel free to interact with any of my ocs, Iâm up for shenanigans or serious rp
This post will over time start listing characters, but if you know my ocs and wanna talk to one that isnât listed just specify that and youâre all good :3
My main blog is @hollowcat and my nyarl ocs are specifically on @starry-eyed-nyarl and not on here
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Now for: The Rules
- This blog is run by a minor, please donât do anything nsfw
- flirting with certain characters is fine, though most of them are aroace-spec so you wonât get much out of them, but avoid flirting with characters that are monogamously married or dating
- please put a warning where necessary, if youâre not sure you can ask or put one in case
- please specify who youâre addressing or Iâll pick a random character
- no hate towards any marginalised groups or communities
- overall just be respectful and youâre good!
Have fun over here!!
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Characters on the blog:
Sanguine Circus đȘ:
The Ringmaster/former Ringmaster- he/him, god of violence and performance. Depending on whether itâs the Waylay timeline or not, his attitude will change
Leif- they/them, one of the performers (knife thrower). Theyâre quite vindictive and not fond of the Ringmaster.
Ori: she/her, clown one. Fairly melancholy but stubborn. Tries to be nice. Partner of Elise
Elise: she/her, second clown. Tries her best to be upbeat, rather stubborn. Partner of Ori.
Other performers who currently donât have much characterisations as of yet- Eros, he/they, tightrope walker, they/it, dancer, they/she.
Winter Blooms:
Mallow- it/its. Not exactly human, trying its best. Chronically cold and chronically in pain.
June- he/they. A slightly jumpy scout and researcher. Somewhat doomed.
Forever Fall (WORLD BELONGS TO @basicallyagremolini) :
đȘŒđž Oleander- it/they. A lonely Thespian, generally polite but has its limits. Misses its best friend, Yew. A fan of the Ringmaster.
Rain World (game characters not ocs) :
5ïžâŁđȘš Five Pebbles- he/him. A broken down Iterator. A bit arrogant, but far less than in his prime.
đŸđȘĄ The Hunter- they/it. A generally friendly slugcat with some health issues.
(Currently unnamed) sci fi world:
Red- she/they. A somewhat testy but well meaning teen trying to survive an apocalypse. Doing her best to keep Mimi alive.
đ§ Mimi- they/them. A seven year old trying to survive in an apocalypse. Often on the verge of crying, but trying their best.
Other misc:
Gale- it/its. A nervous fallen angel, trying its best to be a good person. Has quite bad chronic pain. Queerplatonic partner of Eiv.
Eiv- they/them. Human, probably. Generally quite relaxed, though worries about Gale. Queerplatonic partner of Gale.
Hesir- he/they. An amalgamation of a human and a weak god. Their mind is a bit of a mess of dangerous memories, but heâs trying to keep going nonetheless.
Eira- they/it. A young snow dragon, left alone in the remnants of their tribeâs town. It doesnât know much English, but it tries its best to be friendly.
ENA (oc)- they/them. Cheerful/Tired. A typical Ena, trying to get through their days. Relatively friendly.
Stranger- any. A background character that gained a bit too much knowledge and destroyed their world. Very glitchy and sad.
Disgraced/disgraced creature/â ïžđȘ¶- it/its. A creature banished to a dead Earth after making a terrible decision in front of its leaders. Vaguely transfem.
Bitter Dough Cookie- they/them. A young cookie of darkness, very loyal. (Platonically) adores Red Velvet Cookie.
Amberâs gaze softens fondly when they see the sewing book, a genuine bright smile crossing their face. They should talk to him about that again sometime.
They lean into Freyr messing with their hair, âMhm, thatâs good! I dun wanna stop you.â
Amber adjusts their grip slightly, lightly hugging their parent. They continue to glance around the room from their new vantage point, âDâyou think you can read me a story tonight?â
- Amber đȘ
âOf course I will.â
Freyr responds fondly. His grip on Amber subtly adjusts as they move around, making sure that theyâre comfortable and supported at all times.
He would die of embarrassment if he dropped his kid.
He hums a soft, thoughtful hum, slowly running his fingers through Amberâs hair. Not once does a curl catch and pull.
Amber giggles brightly as theyâre spun around, their small face giddily scrunching up at the head pat.
âHehe!! I can see ev-rything!!â They lightly hold onto Freyr while simply relishing in being tall for once, âthank you, my parent!!â
As Amber does look around Freyrâs room, they seem to get curious, âoo whatâre you doing?â
- Amber đȘ
Well, Freyr had been reading one of the few non parenting books that he had borrowed from the library. In fact, it had been a book on sewing. Said book now sits closed on his bedside table where he had discarded it at the sound of Amber calling for his attention.
He does want to understand what his kid says about stitching from time to time.
âI was reading. Now that youâre here Iâm spending time with you, though.â
He says lightly, ruffling Amberâs hair gently. He makes sure not to mess with the bow in their hair.
Amber beams at Freyr, before suddenly raising their arms up at him, bouncing on their tiptoes.
âUppies? Please?â They just wanted to be tall, and to hang out with their parent for a bit before resuming their usual game of pretend with plushies.
- Amber đȘ
âOh!â
Freyr knows what that means, of course. Heâs spent long enough around Amber alone to be aware of exactly what uppies actually was.
But heâd never actually granted the eight year oldâs wish before. Heâd really been a bastard, hadnât he?
Well. No time like the present.
âSure, up you get!â
He states brightly, leaning down and hoisting Amber into the air. He makes sure to give them plenty of support as he holds them in the air, doing a gentle spin and patting their head.
Thereâs a quiet patter of footsteps outside of Freyrâs door, and he doesnât even need to hear the knock to know whoâs on the other side.
But Amber politely knocks regardless, tapping a familiar rhythm before calling out, âParent? Are you home?â
- đȘ (Amber)
Freyr glances over to the door at the sound of Amber's voice. His kid doesn't sound particularly distressed, so he calmly makes his way to the door and opens it slowly.
With a small smile, he looks down at Amber and speaks up.
A chorus of laughter fills the cabin, as the pair fall into a pile on the floor. Delilah knows that her time with the dragonet is limited, so she decides that she will spend tonight doing whatever Eira finds most entertaining.
âWe shall make it a slumber party then!â
-Delilah
âYAY!â
Eiraâs hands are thrown into the air and their wings flare out joyously. It had been such a very long time since they got to spend time with a friend like this.
âWe- we gotta stay up! âN eat sweets! âN stay cozy! And and and-!â
The rambling continues as the small dragon excitedly considers the things it could do with its friend.
This would be a cherished night of company that Eira will never forget.
Both of the two children stare at your gift for a very long time. Neither seem particularly familiar with the concept of something so vibrant being given so freely.
After a long moment, the darker haired one nods thankfully up at you. Their smile is very sad.
Anthony smiled and hopped off the couch with The Colony closely behind. They mimicked their bow and proceeded to open a portal with the flick of their wrist. They peaked their head in then out.
âNope, wrong world.â
Another portal.
âNope.â
Another portal.
âThis one should work! Follow me.â
- ( @ant-fella )
"Ooh!"
Fusion smiles and skips over to the portal, tugging Fay along. Fay just looks happy to be included in this adventure.
When they stepped through the portal, they were in an alley that led to a main road, which was bustling with people and music. Performers were off to the side doing various actions: playing music, acrobatics, magic tricks, art, and so on. Some people paused to watch while others kept moving.
People of all kind were out and bout. A lizard-man with a suit on, a tiny mouse with a tutu, birds(?) that flew above everyone else while talking amongst themselves.
The buildings around them were primarily made out of thick, winding vines knotted around each other. They climbed towards the sky, most reaching past the clouds.
âHere we are! Iâm not a big fan of cities but when it comes to people, this is one of my favorites.â
Fayâs expression morphs into a small but awed look. He hesitates, but is kept going by Fusion, who is grinning excitedly as they take in the people and surroundings.
They almost fit in. Itâs absolutely incredible.
âWow⊠this is so⊠wowâŠ!!â
Abruptly, Fusion turns to Anthony. Their eyes are sparkling with excitement.
âHmm,â Anthony looked around. âThereâs plenty of performers to look at. I know thereâs a theatre down that street. If I remember right, thereâs a trampoline park somewhere around here as well as a lot of museums. If you can name it then itâs probably here! Whatever you want to do! Cities have a ton of variety.â
Fusion looks⊠frozen. Nervous. Their eyes dart from performer to performer, the grip they have on Fayâs hand growing tighter and tighter.
Eventually they shut their eyes and point in a random direction. The direction they point ends up being right at a group of dancers in the middle of a performance.
Anthony wasnât good at recognizing a lot of emotions but overstimulation was one of them. It was one he was all too aware of. He walked over to the dancers while scurrying in his bag. What he pulled out was a pair of noise-cancelling headphones that he silently offered them. The Colony squeaked excitedly amongst themselves at the performance.
Fusion stares at the headphones for a few seconds, then slowly takes them. They move the headphones from side to side for a few seconds, humming quietly in curiosity.
Eventually they place them over their ears. Immediately the overwhelming world dulls to a tolerable level and Fusion relaxes. Thatâs much better.
They flash Anthony a grateful smile, carefully reaching out and taking their hand. Without saying a word, they turn to the dancers.
Theyâre happy to be here. Even if it is a lot. Itâs still nice.
Anthony takes their hand with a grin and some of the colony wraps around both of their hands as they watch. They glance down at Fay, offering a hand as well.
The dancers were in bold colors with glitter shining under the city lights. Two of them had wings and were being flung into twists, flips, and turns.
Fusion murmurs back, moving a little closer. Their eyes are trained on the dancers- especially the ones with wings- with great interest and admiration.
Fay accepts Anthonyâs hand as well. Heâs strangely warm, feeling more like a heated doll than a human. Itâs odd but nice.
Anthony nods and continues to watch. The twists and turns of colors were almost hypnotizing but they kept squinting at one of the other dancers in particular. His grip on the peopleâs hands tensed.
He didnât want to panic either of them but this was either gonna go really good or really bad depending on which world this was.
Fusion pouts, the look on their face showing that theyâre on the verge of kicking up a fuss. But⊠one glance at Fay and they settle down with a small nod.
âYes, please, letâs go,â they insisted, desperation dripping into their tone.
They dragged them along into the crowd of people with no intention of looking at any of the nearby flashy performers. All they were seeing was forward and every few second, they looked over their shoulder. The performers were wrapping up their show, but the one they were looking at was gone.
âCrap, okay, okay, this is okay.â
The Colony was all over the three of them, keeping their own surveillance. They didnât make a peep.
Fusion whispers, eyes sharply focused. Theyâre far more perceptive than the average eight year old, and can most certainly tell that somethingâs wrong.
They bare their teeth slightly, their snakes hissing softly. Tense but subtle.
âNo, no, please donât. Keep walking. This world is friendly but I think this is also the world where one of those dancers absolutely isnât. Most worlds have their dark sides and I donât want to be around to witness this one,â he spoke frantically.
Anthony tugged them into an alleyway, rushing through as quickly as he could. He let go of both of their hands for a moment in order to flip his cardigan out of the way and reveal both a knife and gun being held on his belt. He grabbed the knife and gun, pausing to look between them.
âWho wants which. I donât want you guys to have nothing.â
Fusion grumbles, but they take the knife. If Anthony really wants them to use this instead then they might as well. And they can keep their biting in mind for absolute emergencies.
Fay in turn takes the gun with a small nod. Despite being an adult- at least technically- heâs much weaker than the young god. And he knows how to use a gun.
Fusion looks up at Anthony. Theyâre still pouting a little.
They whispered, âFeel free to use your venom but I want you to have something else as well. I donât know what she can do.â
The Colony was keeping watch outside of alleyway. After a moment, they squeaked and rushed forward, leading the way. Anthony waved their hand to gesture for them to follow.
As they ran, blobs of color began to form in the corner of each of their visions. He picked up his pace.
In that moment they sound like the excitable theatre kid part of them again. Just a child disappointed that their fun with friends has been cut short.
Though theyâre still on guard. Their snakes are hissing and recoiling at the fruity smell, baring their teeth to the air. Fay is holding the gun close with a frown on his face.
Fusion looks at Fay, giving him a tiny nod. The adult flees before the vines can trap him. However, Fusion themself stays.
âIâm staying. Iâm the god.â
They say firmly, looking up at Anthony with a firm stare. Their snakes grow in size, from bow-sized to the size of actual snakes. They suddenly look far more dangerous.
The Colony tried to push Fusion away but it was too late. The vines had already closed around both sides of the alley and climbing or flying would be the only way to get out swiftly.
âFusion, no, itâsââ their eyes were wide with panic. âPlease, just go. Find a way. This is my business, not yours.â
âOh? Iâm surprised you brought friends.â
A mass of crimson feathers began circling above them like a hawk preparing the strike down.
Fusion shakes their head firmly and grabs onto Anthonyâs arm with a death grip. Itâs a miracle they donât actually hurt his arm with how tightly theyâre holding on.
âIt became my business when they ruined our outing.â
They hiss back, the snakes unwinding from their head. Their hair falls out of the small ponytail it was in and the snakes circle around protectively. By now both are bigger than any natural snake.
Anthony hesitantly agrees, realizing the amount of time they had shouldnt be used for arguing. The mass of feathers was still high off the ground, details unobservable.
âDear, they arenât in much need of help. Weâre having a reunion. Tell me, whatâs your name?â
In a brazen show of the fact that theyâre a child, Fusion sticks their tongue out at the flighted person and blows a raspberry. Their tongue is forked like a snakeâs.
âWhy should I tell you? Youâre dumb and ruined our outing!â
They squint warily at Dahlia, though their outward hostility has been subdued a tiny bit. Nowhere near enough that they can be caught off guard though.
âFusion. Dahliaâs⊠a fine name.â
They were definitely thinking of far more rude descriptors.
âFusion is quite nice as well. What are you a fusion of?â
The person shifted into the shape of a phoenix although she was roughly the size of a hawk. She settled on on of the higher up vines of the building though was much closer than before. Her feathers were starling in the sunlight.
âHmm, thatâs less interesting answer than I was expecting.â
She sighed and swooped down, settling on Anthonyâs shoulder. Her talons dug tightly into their shoulder and he couldnât help but help as the ants began trying to peck her legs to no avail.
âNo, no, itâsâ oh, fuck, that burnsâ itâs okay,â he strangled up a smile.
She flew off of Anthony and landed on the ground between them, careful to not be within the snakeâs range of biting. The Colony moved to be as far as they could from her. Anthonyâs had the same whale eyes a dog might.
âBecause Iâd say Im quite the entertainer myself. I think weâd get along handsomely.â
âI get hurt all the time! Itâs no big deal. Besides, itâs hardly a scratch,â they waved a hand dismissively despite actively sweating from fear.
Fusionpleasedeargodstopthisplease.
âAh, thank you. If youâd like, youâre free to leave. Iâd hate for you to feel trapped but I just had to catch you on your way out. I didnât mean to be rude,â the vines unwound but the ants formed a that substituted it almost instantly.
Anthony was shaking his head at Fusion now only to stop when Dahlia looked at him.
Fusion turns to Anthony with a raised eyebrow. Now they look genuinely confused about where exactly they went wrong.
ââŠ..what? I donât wanna be her friend!â
They hiss vaguely in his direction, squinting grumpily. They arenât meaning to escalate anything, but. Well. Theyâre a rather under-socialised kid god. Sometimes it canât be helped.
It was all they could say without prompting a much larger reaction from the being in front of them. The Colony skittered onto Fusion and squeaked up a panic, serving as the more focal one.
âDear, would you like to start over from scratch? We can pretend I never interrupted your meeting and begin speaking elsewhere. I would hate to be on your bad side.â
Fusion considers that for a long moment, then huffs and nods. As soon as they do that, their snakes start shrinking and making their way back onto Fusionâs head. Though theyâre still a bit bigger than normal.
âYeah, ok. Fine. But Iâll bite you if you try to hurt any of us.â
Theyâre definitely not lying about that. Those sharp teeth of theirs are ready to go and very dangerous.
From the suspicious squinting Fusion is currently doing, it seems theyâre on the Colonyâs side in this. Thereâs no way they believe Anthony is actually fine.
But how to make them rest and be happyâŠ.
Oh!
âDo you know some worlds that are cozy? I read about cafes and I really wanna go to one! We can do that!â
Anthony giggles at Fayâs reaction and the Colony mimics it almost identically, âAlright!â
The portal opens and on the other side is a world literally on clouds. The buildings are made of the same bouncy material and each shop has an oak sign floating mid-air. There was a toy shop with air balloons and carousels in the window and a flower shop next door with an array of foreign flowers. One of the hundreds in the display looked to be made of ice with elaborately posed vines splaying out.
As wind brushed down the path, a chill overcame the trio but it didnât seem to bother the albino peacock-like feathered fellows walking around.
They went about, patron to patron and one that was glowing neon rubbed against Fusionâs leg. The colony mimicked the catâs shape and meowed at them, only to get one back.
Fusion instantly drops to the floor, reaching out and gently petting the neon cat. They carefully pet the head, under the chin, rub the catâs back⊠all the while making sure the cat isnât annoyed.
âThis is⊠perfectâŠâ
The whisper is hardly audible. They must really love cats.
Fay on the other hand, glances to the counter and to Anthony. While he may not be able to speak, the question is fairly obvious- âshould we order something?â
The cat purred and leaned into Fusionâs touch. The glow got brighter as they were pet and Anthony grinned at the display.
They turned to Fay and shrugged, âYou two can! Iâll need to check some ingredients though to see if I can actually get something though. My body doesnât digest all foods and drinks well.â
Fay nods once then walks over to Fusion, tapping them on the shoulder. They look up from where they had been snuggling the glowing cat, blinking up at their friend.
The menu didnât seem to serve exactly âhot chocolateâ. There were plenty of images of each item and the closest to hot chocolate was a mug with a dark cocoa color swirled with some type of light pink. On top was some kind of foam with a baby blue hue and sprinkles.
Anthony stayed behind them a bit, wanting them to order before he bothered the waiter about his allergies and insensitivities to certain ingredients.
The drinks came out almost instantly and the light pink swirl had a faint shimmer of glitter. Anthony stepped forward.
âHey, not to be a bother but do you guys have an ingredients list for your drinks?â
The cashier nodded and handed him a tablet with the list of ingredients for each drink. He ended up choosing one that was a rich brown color with a rim decorated with purple sugar.
Once he got his drink, he went and sat down at a table with them. The neon cat wouldnât leave Fusion alone, purring and curling up on their lap. Anthony giggled at the display.
Fusion looks just about ready to explode from cuteness overload. They let out a soft squeak and keep pampering the glowing cat, hardly even paying attention to the drink.
Anthony takes a sip of their own drink and offers it to the ants, who refuse, then they look up to both of them.
âEither of you want to try mine?â
Immediately after they asked, a cat with a stubby tail and a body seemingly homing a mini-aquarium ecosystem hopped on the table. Anthony protectively moved their drink closer but pet them nonetheless. A worker shook their head with a smile on their face before walking closer.
âGeez, this guy has a bad table of hopping on tables. Sheâs the only one who does it.â
Fusion giggles and looks up at the worker. Their smile is small, carefully hiding their sharp teeth from the person in front of them.
âSheâs so cute though! She should get away with it.â
Laughing softly, Fay reaches forward and pets the mischievous cat as well. It may not be very good to praise bad behaviour, but the little cat is far too cute not to pet.
Anthony giggled and pet the cat too. The one of Fusionâs lap meowed, headbutting them for more attention. Meanwhile, the one on the table was in pure bliss, eyes closed and purring loudly.
âShe certainly is a cutie,â the worker grinned. âWe found her walking alone in a polluted swamp. Poor thing was all messed up.â
âWere all of them rescued?â
âMost of them! Claire over there is the ownerâs cat and a few others are other workerâs who wanted their cat to have a play date,â they gestured to a fluffy, white cat grooming herself on a decorative log. âThe end goal is to give them homes.â
Oh dear. That look in Fusionâs eyes, the way their pupils have suddenly gone very large and sparkly⊠theyâve had a thought. One theyâre going to pursue with great determination.
As they resume their petting of the luminous cat, they begin asking question after question. They hardly even wait for an answer to any answers theyâre going so fast.
âAre you like a rescue? Or dâyou have donors? Do people who adopt the cats take them home? Do they stay here? What do you need to adopt one?â
Anthony broke out into a grin, knowing what they were wanting. The worker waited for the questions to slow before laughing a tad and answering.
âYeah, weâre primarily a rescue. For the workers, they often bring their cats here to just hang out and get given attention though so itâs that as well. We find cats on our own, people find them and bring them to us, and some people give their own cats that they realized they couldnât take care of. They stay here all the time but at night, they go upstairs to where the owner lives. People often adopt them and in order to adopt then we have to go through an interview process.â
That sparkly, curious look solidifies into something more determined. They lean closer to the worker- not enough to hinder their petting of the glowing cat though.
âWhat would you need to adopt one? Food? Money? Space?â
âEvidence that you can take care of them properly so space, money, and a conversation about how youâll take care of them. We just like to cover all bases.â
The focused look on their face gives the impression that theyâre internally taking notes. They nod carefully and stare determinedly down at the purring cat on their lap.
âCan I come back sometime? After I do some res-urch on taking care of cats?â
Anthony grinned. Aww, a new edition to their world. They needed that.
âOf course! Do you have interest in adopting one? We can always provide you some resources, especially on the specific cat species youâre wanting to adopt.â
Fusionâs face goes a little red as they tentatively point at the purring ball of glowing fluff on their lap. Of course theyâd want the one that had been so nice to them so far.
âI- if theyâre not picked by someone elseâŠ!â
âOh, Iâm sure but this is all just due process stuff. The most important part of my job is to ensure that these fellas,â they pet a cat rubbing against their leg. âEnd up in the right homes. Everything else is secondary.â
Fusion nods and smiles agreeably, looking up at the worker while scratching the glowing catâs chin. Their eyes sparkle with a mix of understanding and happiness.
Fusion hums thoughtfully, tapping at their chin with the pamphlet and chewing on their lip. Theyâre truly taking this all very seriously- almost more than they took the danger of Dahlia.
âI think thatâs it for now! Iâll read this to make sure Iâm a super good cat parent!â
The pamphlet described this catâs species in general. It was apparently more active than most cat breeds and needed a ton of exercise as well as mental stimulation due to their intelligence. Tricks and various enrichment techniques like varying food presentation would be great ways to achieve this.
Diet wise, stay away from most things typical cats canât have with the exception of rocks. This fella loves to eat rocks and crystals at any chance that they can get. Everything that a normal cat can eat such as fish can fit into their diet, but it should be more as a treat than anything else.
Their fur will need to be kept short in fear of fire risks. When they get overly-excited, itâs easily for flammable materials to catch light. Keeping these materials out of their reach, especially when joyous, is another preventative measure that can be taken.
Anthony reads it over and the ants move alongside with him, gathering on his shoulder in order to get a good view of the pamphlet. Both of them nod, doing a mental checklist in his brain on whether or not they think that Fusion can fulfill the needs of the cat.
âYou know your lifestyle better than I do but Id say you can do it! Youâd have to be careful about the curtains and stuff being flammable but you guys to a ton of tricks in the circus. You can teach this fella to do that!â
The glowing cat looked up at the sound of clapping, tilting their head curiously. Anthony only added to the noise with his own clapping, which certainly turned some heads, but they quickly went back to sipping on their own drinks.
âHOORAY!â
The ants began to break into some form of coordinated boogie circle. It was certainly hard to describe what they were doing as their own cat form broke apart but they were definitely dancing!
The next several minutes are spent carefully checking, supplying and cat-proofing the entirety of Fusionâs theatre. If it werenât for the fact that theyâre a god, it would have taken far longer; but luckily they are.
When they return, a victorious grin is on their face and a multicoloured flush of exertion colours their cheeks.
The Colony watched carefully, double checking that everything was done correctly. They couldnât do much else but a tiny group of the ants were folding an origami cat. It wasnât productive but it was cute. Once they were done, they walked it over to Fusion.
Upon their arrival, Anthony cheered and clapped his hands, âWOOP WOOP!â
Their volume turned some heads but once again, they didnât care too deeply. They just shot a glance before turning back to their own business.
The glowing cat perks up at the pats and watches as Fusion practically prances away. They didnât pay much mind as they licked their paws though. They were just another enthusiastic person.
Anthony absorbed their energy and giggled, skipping over to the employee, who turned around with a confused glance.
âHm?â
Then they recognized the pair.
âOh, do you have more questions about the cat?â
Anthony patted them on the shoulder, trying to be as supportive as possible without interrupting.
The worker smiled and seemed anything but out off by their nerves, âSounds great! We just need to do an interview process and some other fine details, alright? We can do that now or schedule for another time if youâd like.â
Fusion clasps their hands together and looks up at the worker with their best approximation of puppy-dog eyes. Thereâs a big, nervous smile on their face.
âI did my best and I really wanna take care of my new cat friend!â
Fusion imitates the antsâ hops a few times before reigning themself in enough to focus. They turn back to the worker with a confident smile on their face.
He did not need to eat this sandwich. He did not require sandwiches to sate what hunger he has. But his friends had insisted he eat more. So he was eating his sandwich.
He had been walking and eating, but that was not proper form. He was getting odd looks. So⊠he had to find somewhere to sit.
A bench. Thatâs right, benches arenât uncommon. So he sits on the nearest one. Though⊠the other side of said bench was occupied.
Was he being ârudeâ again?
Hm. He should ask.
ââŠhello? Are you alright with me sitting here?â
-Nik (@in-voids-depths)
Anthony waved a hand with a friendly grin decorating his face, âNot at all! Be my guest.â
Ants scattered all over his body although they didnât move off onto the bench despite the thousands of eyes staring at them. The majority were concentrated in his yellow cardiganâs pockets and messenger bag but a few others were elsewhere.
They didnât take the lack of a smile rudely. They often came across as rude themself and different cultures had different expectations. Despite that, they smiled themself instinctively.
âYou wouldnât be intruding at all! What have you been up to?â They talked as if this were their best friend and not a stranger.
Nikolai takes the friendliness in stride, a tiny line forming at his eyebrow a surefire sign of his thinking. He chews on his (tasty?) sandwich as he thinks.
âWell. Iâve been working. I read books sometimes. Um.â
He freezes, staring at nothing. Heâs coming up with nothing else. Was this why he needed to âget more hobbiesââŠ?
It takes an oddly long time for Nikolai to even acknowledge the Colony. They are, after all, not the most threatening. Or dangerous seeming.
And when he does notice, his reaction is far from expected. Without even a glance, he holds out a hand for the ants to inspect. To verify just how similar he is to them.
Focusing on the question, he hums neutrally and taps on his knee with his free hand.
âAn archive. Itâs⊠not very interesting.â
Liar. But a good liar. One could hardly tell if you werenât really used to liars.
The ants crawl onto his hand instantly, chirping musically. There was something about him that was like home. It was like bundling up with hot cocoa in front of a fire on a frozen winter day.
âArchive? I think thatâs interesting! What gets archived?â
Fortunately, Anthony was neither good at picking up on normal social cues, let alone ones that show signs of lying.
He looked at The Colony, âAww, they like you!â
âSo, you kind of archive culture? In a way? How do you keep yourself in business though? Does the government pay for you?â His curiosity only grew with the fragments that he was given.
The ants had a few too many legs and their mandible were a bit sharper than normal but other than that, they were typical ants. Upon his approval, the rest of the colony bombarded him by climbing all over with cheerful chirps.
Anthony laughed, âOne at a time! Donât overwhelm the poor guy.â
Said genuinely though still with a blank face. As he responds, he gently runs a finger over some of the ants in some form of petting.
âAnd well. Lukas is a complete recluse, which is fine if he didnât inflict that isolation on unsuspecting people. And BouchardâŠâ
He sounds truly annoyed for a moment.
âHe is a power hungry, manipulative coward. Quite frankly, I take pleasure in making his life harder. Itâs very amusing when he doesnât get his way.â
âWhat about the other people? Why are you safe specifically?â
Their mind was racing with all kinds of possibilities. Anthony despised the idea of people being harmed for harms sake, even if they knew it was a repeated theme in most worlds.
âBad at this? I think youâre doing great! I donât exactly know what you think youâre bad at but you havenât seemed that way about anything to me,â he reassured, blissfully unaware.
âBut hey, Im not human either so Iâd probably be safe too! Iâm still concerned about the other people. I feel like I need to do something for them.â
Nikolai drops his head into his hands and lets out a long, low groan. God, it was just his luck that he encountered someone both strangely kind and blissfully unaware.
âIâm⊠trying my bestâŠ.â
He mutters weakly, then shakes his head and looks back up. His glasses are skew on his face and he is somehow managing to look defeated without changing his facial expression.
âYou can try meeting them. Theyâll be very suspicious and may spray CO2 at you though. There was an⊠incident with a Hive recently.â
âTrying your best at what? Iâm still confused,â Anthony tilted his head.
âBut what happened with a hive and how would they even spray me with CO2? Donât you breathe that out? I feel like Iâm not knowing anything right now.â
The Colony shifted uncomfortably at the idea of being sprayed with CO2.
Nikolai lets out a slow sigh. How much does he need to explain? How much is he going to tell this friendly stranger??
âCO2 fire extinguishers. The last hiveâs swarm was weak to those.
And⊠I mean⊠trying to seem normal. Even if I try to be friendly, most people are scared of non-human things. So itâs bad if people realise what I am.â
Nikolai relaxes a tad. His mouth almost quirks up for a moment before relaxing into neutrality once again.
âAnd you should be alright. Most people wonât notice your oddities; only those who arenât human themselves or have had encounters before. Or those who are very observant.â
He sighs.
âAs long as you donât kill people you should be okay.â
ââŠDo people regularly kill each other in this world?â They scanned their surroundings, abruptly paranoid.
âSo, itâs normal for me to walk around with a bunch of ant-looking fellas thoughâŠor at the least it wonât get noticedâŠon the bright side, thatâs a thing,â he tried to reassure himself.
The Colony turns to face Anthony and squeaks in protest but they continue speaking, ââŠAnother world? Oh! Do you not know about that whole thingâŠ?â
âItâs like the whole multiverse thing that some movies haveâ do you have movies? Eh, whatever! But I can make a portal and boom! You go to another world.â
Anthony is met with a flat, deeply suffering stare. Nikolai sighs and rubs at his face, one of his eyes twitching slightly. A tiny spider crawls out of the edge of his eye.
âGood fucking luck. If you get eaten by Mr Spider Iâm going to ask her to tell me.â
Well. It seems heâs given up. Or⊠mostly.
âBut seriously. I really wouldnât advise it.â
âOkay, okay, other that planning to end the world, what stuff has she actually done? Besides, my body grows back so itâs not that big of a deal!â
They rolled up their right sleeve and where a forearm typically be was ants tightly wound together. Huh, so thatâs why there was a glove only on that side.
Anthony reached out a hand to poke the spider curiously, continuing to talk as an ant was now on his face.
âBeing smug is annoying but itâs no crime. Besides, Iâve killed people before so itâs not really that big of a deal. Why did she do it?â They said it casually with a shrug.
âWell, Iâm not really looking to get entangled in this worldâs wild issues so Iâll probably just stay out of it. I really want to help but unfortunately, I think Iâm losing any fight I go into with how my body is right now,â they rubbed the back of their neck.
The ant that was on their face began exploring, pushing past the manâs eye.
âI could probably come back to this world in the future though. Iâm concerned about it.â
Despite Nikolai saying that, he doesnât sound very sure. Unfortunately his face is back to completely neutral so his beliefs arenât showing there.
âBut thank you for the sentiment. Iâll be sure to keep an eye out for you in the future. Maybe I can buy you something to eat next time instead of just eating my own foodâŠâ
Anthony being bad at tone didnt help them to be able to pick up on the uncertainty.
âOh, you donât have to do that! I think talking with you is enough. But are you sure? I donât like the idea of murder for no reason being so normal here.â
âOh! Your shrimps must be different here. In another world, the shrimp are moreâŠhow do I put itâŠhuman-like? Itâs this whole messed up hierarchy.â
âOhhhh, youâre one of those universes. Yeah, shrimps have a lot of forms for some reasonâŠDonât go to the world where they take over. I wouldnât recommend it.â
The ant-dog poked Anthonyâs leg with their nose and they perked up.
Soon enough, the odd group reaches an old and imposing building. While the structure is looming and oddly eerie, Nikolai doesnât bat an eye and calmly pushes the front door open.
âHere we are. Wait in the lobby while I get a pass for you.â
And with those words, heâs off to talk to the person at the front desk.
After a few minutes of talking to the woman at the front desk, Nikolai returns with a lanyard held proudly in his hands. His endeavour was victorious.
âHere we are. Youâre in.â
He says, holding it out to Anthony. Somewhere in his dark eyes is a spark of enthusiasm; while he was unsure before, now he seemingly wants very much to show Anthony and the Colony his workplace.
Anthony claps his hands in celebration before taking it. He looked over what the lanyard was decorated with closer, trying to figure out more about this place.
The lanyard is a rich green, the small paper hanging from it simply stating âvisitorâ.
As Anthony inspects the lanyard, Nikolai puts one of his own on. However his had a proper small info card, showing a picture of him with his name and department. That at least confirms he works here.
Anthony looks at the lanyard as they follow after him. The dog-ant at some point had jumped into their arms and seemed to be having the time of their life.
Something akin to a small laugh escapes Nikolai, even though his face remains impassive. The happy dog-ant is certainly a sight to behold.
Quickly brushing past that, he walks briskly down a small stairwell that leads to a door, marked as âArchiveâ by a sign. He opens said door, showing a quiet, dusty, extremely messy environment.
âHere we are. Go wild. Most of these are fake and will be discarded anyway.â
Anthony and the dog practically pranced down the stairs and once the door opened, their eyes lit up. It was like some abandoned libraries that theyâve seen!
âFake? What do you mean fake?â
The ants took off in a sprint though, barking obnoxiously as they hopped to grab the first file in their mouth.
Anthony sounded out the words, âpara-nor-malâŠ? Whatâs that? Are people lying to you?â
The ant-dog was sat on the ground, reading through a file like a normal person. If you didnât know they were ants, itâd be a funny sight to behold.
The ants perked up and what was once one dog, split into two smaller ones. One dog continued to search while the other began adventuring to who knows where. It disappeared behind shelves within a moment.
As Nikolai follows his companion to the haphazard pile of files, he taps at his chin with one slender finger. If the considering hum he lets out is anything to go off of, heâs genuinely considering the question.
âWell, there are other workers who are normally here. Since itâs weekend, theyâre all home for the time being.â
At least he assumed thatâs where they were. Thatâs where people normally went.. right?
âSince weâre in the archive, Iâd assume they will? I donât really know. They might just take an arm or something so we may want to call an ambulance in a sec.â
The cops descend the stairs soon enough, their voices cautious.
Nikolai keeps sorting files, eyes darting in the direction of the sounds every few seconds. Even without an expression, he somehow pulls off looking worried
Anthony mimicked Nikolai, heart pounding in his chest. He never liked being around cops, especially considering some bad experiences in the past. Dear god, please donât let them harm his ants.
After a few hesitant seconds, Nikolai goes over to the cops. A few quiet words are exchanged and a few directions given, then the fancily dressed Avatar returns.
âItâll be fine.â
He murmurs to Anthony, going back to shuffling papers.
There are more cobwebs in the corners of the room now.
He seemed hesitant, eyes continuously flicking back to where the cops were. Anthony despised the idea of being separated from them for too long. Please, be okay. He doesnât know what heâd do otherwise.
Anthony giggled and got back to work, satisfied by that answer. They were pretty trusting to begin with and Nikolai has given no reason but to trust them.
âAlright, if youâre suââ
Screeching.
It came from the other room where the cops went and it only got louder as time went on.
Nikolai jolts, the papers in his hands falling to the table. In an instant heâs rushing towards the source of the sound, any and all confidence replaced with a cold wariness.
Anthonyâs blood ran cold and his ears rang as massive amounts of adrenaline coursed through his body. He simultaneously felt alert and like he needed to throw up his lunch.
Please be okay. Please be okay. They had to be okay.
When they both arrived at the door, they immediately realized the door was locked. The handle rattled to no avail and the piercing screaming only continued. With them getting closer, they could smell iron andâ
The moment that the shots are heard, Nikolai slams his shoulder against the locked door. No way is he letting his new friendâs companions get in more trouble than they were in already.
After a few shoves, the lock breaks and he stumbles inside. His hand grips the doorframe as he scans his surroundings.
The floor was a dark purple, the carpet barely peaking through. It looked like a stain at first before he realized it was the ants. They seemed to have multiplied in the time frame of them being gone and plenty covered the walls as well. Even with the door open, some were beginning to crawl over Nikolaiâs and Anthonyâs legs in tight-knit groups.
An officer stood amongst them, hips and down in ants. His breathing was heavy and eyes ripped open in fright as he whipped around. The manâs gun faced the pair and Anthony instantly put his hands up.
On the floor was a bump, that hadnt been there before and through the gaps of bugs, they could see tan skin peeking through.
Nikolai mutters something under his breath. Itâs too quiet to be caught, but the tone alone is enough to get the message across; this is very, very bad.
ââŠAnthony.â
He whispers flatly. His dark eyes drill holes into the frightened cop.
âWhat the FUCK is going on here?â The cop yelled, pointing the gun at the pair wildly.
Anthony was frozen and could only watch as their friends forced themselves into every crevice of the room. Inch by inch, they were crawling up to the manâs waist while on them, they stayed below the knee. The main kicked and squirmed to no avail.
âI donât really know how to fix this,â he whispered through clenched teeth. Not angry but certainly not pleased either.
He did not need to eat this sandwich. He did not require sandwiches to sate what hunger he has. But his friends had insisted he eat more. So he was eating his sandwich.
He had been walking and eating, but that was not proper form. He was getting odd looks. So⊠he had to find somewhere to sit.
A bench. Thatâs right, benches arenât uncommon. So he sits on the nearest one. Though⊠the other side of said bench was occupied.
Was he being ârudeâ again?
Hm. He should ask.
ââŠhello? Are you alright with me sitting here?â
-Nik (@in-voids-depths)
Anthony waved a hand with a friendly grin decorating his face, âNot at all! Be my guest.â
Ants scattered all over his body although they didnât move off onto the bench despite the thousands of eyes staring at them. The majority were concentrated in his yellow cardiganâs pockets and messenger bag but a few others were elsewhere.
They didnât take the lack of a smile rudely. They often came across as rude themself and different cultures had different expectations. Despite that, they smiled themself instinctively.
âYou wouldnât be intruding at all! What have you been up to?â They talked as if this were their best friend and not a stranger.
Nikolai takes the friendliness in stride, a tiny line forming at his eyebrow a surefire sign of his thinking. He chews on his (tasty?) sandwich as he thinks.
âWell. Iâve been working. I read books sometimes. Um.â
He freezes, staring at nothing. Heâs coming up with nothing else. Was this why he needed to âget more hobbiesââŠ?
It takes an oddly long time for Nikolai to even acknowledge the Colony. They are, after all, not the most threatening. Or dangerous seeming.
And when he does notice, his reaction is far from expected. Without even a glance, he holds out a hand for the ants to inspect. To verify just how similar he is to them.
Focusing on the question, he hums neutrally and taps on his knee with his free hand.
âAn archive. Itâs⊠not very interesting.â
Liar. But a good liar. One could hardly tell if you werenât really used to liars.
The ants crawl onto his hand instantly, chirping musically. There was something about him that was like home. It was like bundling up with hot cocoa in front of a fire on a frozen winter day.
âArchive? I think thatâs interesting! What gets archived?â
Fortunately, Anthony was neither good at picking up on normal social cues, let alone ones that show signs of lying.
He looked at The Colony, âAww, they like you!â
âSo, you kind of archive culture? In a way? How do you keep yourself in business though? Does the government pay for you?â His curiosity only grew with the fragments that he was given.
The ants had a few too many legs and their mandible were a bit sharper than normal but other than that, they were typical ants. Upon his approval, the rest of the colony bombarded him by climbing all over with cheerful chirps.
Anthony laughed, âOne at a time! Donât overwhelm the poor guy.â
Said genuinely though still with a blank face. As he responds, he gently runs a finger over some of the ants in some form of petting.
âAnd well. Lukas is a complete recluse, which is fine if he didnât inflict that isolation on unsuspecting people. And BouchardâŠâ
He sounds truly annoyed for a moment.
âHe is a power hungry, manipulative coward. Quite frankly, I take pleasure in making his life harder. Itâs very amusing when he doesnât get his way.â
âWhat about the other people? Why are you safe specifically?â
Their mind was racing with all kinds of possibilities. Anthony despised the idea of people being harmed for harms sake, even if they knew it was a repeated theme in most worlds.
âBad at this? I think youâre doing great! I donât exactly know what you think youâre bad at but you havenât seemed that way about anything to me,â he reassured, blissfully unaware.
âBut hey, Im not human either so Iâd probably be safe too! Iâm still concerned about the other people. I feel like I need to do something for them.â
Nikolai drops his head into his hands and lets out a long, low groan. God, it was just his luck that he encountered someone both strangely kind and blissfully unaware.
âIâm⊠trying my bestâŠ.â
He mutters weakly, then shakes his head and looks back up. His glasses are skew on his face and he is somehow managing to look defeated without changing his facial expression.
âYou can try meeting them. Theyâll be very suspicious and may spray CO2 at you though. There was an⊠incident with a Hive recently.â
âTrying your best at what? Iâm still confused,â Anthony tilted his head.
âBut what happened with a hive and how would they even spray me with CO2? Donât you breathe that out? I feel like Iâm not knowing anything right now.â
The Colony shifted uncomfortably at the idea of being sprayed with CO2.
Nikolai lets out a slow sigh. How much does he need to explain? How much is he going to tell this friendly stranger??
âCO2 fire extinguishers. The last hiveâs swarm was weak to those.
And⊠I mean⊠trying to seem normal. Even if I try to be friendly, most people are scared of non-human things. So itâs bad if people realise what I am.â
Nikolai relaxes a tad. His mouth almost quirks up for a moment before relaxing into neutrality once again.
âAnd you should be alright. Most people wonât notice your oddities; only those who arenât human themselves or have had encounters before. Or those who are very observant.â
He sighs.
âAs long as you donât kill people you should be okay.â
ââŠDo people regularly kill each other in this world?â They scanned their surroundings, abruptly paranoid.
âSo, itâs normal for me to walk around with a bunch of ant-looking fellas thoughâŠor at the least it wonât get noticedâŠon the bright side, thatâs a thing,â he tried to reassure himself.
The Colony turns to face Anthony and squeaks in protest but they continue speaking, ââŠAnother world? Oh! Do you not know about that whole thingâŠ?â
âItâs like the whole multiverse thing that some movies haveâ do you have movies? Eh, whatever! But I can make a portal and boom! You go to another world.â
Anthony is met with a flat, deeply suffering stare. Nikolai sighs and rubs at his face, one of his eyes twitching slightly. A tiny spider crawls out of the edge of his eye.
âGood fucking luck. If you get eaten by Mr Spider Iâm going to ask her to tell me.â
Well. It seems heâs given up. Or⊠mostly.
âBut seriously. I really wouldnât advise it.â
âOkay, okay, other that planning to end the world, what stuff has she actually done? Besides, my body grows back so itâs not that big of a deal!â
They rolled up their right sleeve and where a forearm typically be was ants tightly wound together. Huh, so thatâs why there was a glove only on that side.
Anthony reached out a hand to poke the spider curiously, continuing to talk as an ant was now on his face.
âBeing smug is annoying but itâs no crime. Besides, Iâve killed people before so itâs not really that big of a deal. Why did she do it?â They said it casually with a shrug.
âWell, Iâm not really looking to get entangled in this worldâs wild issues so Iâll probably just stay out of it. I really want to help but unfortunately, I think Iâm losing any fight I go into with how my body is right now,â they rubbed the back of their neck.
The ant that was on their face began exploring, pushing past the manâs eye.
âI could probably come back to this world in the future though. Iâm concerned about it.â
Despite Nikolai saying that, he doesnât sound very sure. Unfortunately his face is back to completely neutral so his beliefs arenât showing there.
âBut thank you for the sentiment. Iâll be sure to keep an eye out for you in the future. Maybe I can buy you something to eat next time instead of just eating my own foodâŠâ
Anthony being bad at tone didnt help them to be able to pick up on the uncertainty.
âOh, you donât have to do that! I think talking with you is enough. But are you sure? I donât like the idea of murder for no reason being so normal here.â
âOh! Your shrimps must be different here. In another world, the shrimp are moreâŠhow do I put itâŠhuman-like? Itâs this whole messed up hierarchy.â
âOhhhh, youâre one of those universes. Yeah, shrimps have a lot of forms for some reasonâŠDonât go to the world where they take over. I wouldnât recommend it.â
The ant-dog poked Anthonyâs leg with their nose and they perked up.
Soon enough, the odd group reaches an old and imposing building. While the structure is looming and oddly eerie, Nikolai doesnât bat an eye and calmly pushes the front door open.
âHere we are. Wait in the lobby while I get a pass for you.â
And with those words, heâs off to talk to the person at the front desk.
After a few minutes of talking to the woman at the front desk, Nikolai returns with a lanyard held proudly in his hands. His endeavour was victorious.
âHere we are. Youâre in.â
He says, holding it out to Anthony. Somewhere in his dark eyes is a spark of enthusiasm; while he was unsure before, now he seemingly wants very much to show Anthony and the Colony his workplace.
Anthony claps his hands in celebration before taking it. He looked over what the lanyard was decorated with closer, trying to figure out more about this place.
The lanyard is a rich green, the small paper hanging from it simply stating âvisitorâ.
As Anthony inspects the lanyard, Nikolai puts one of his own on. However his had a proper small info card, showing a picture of him with his name and department. That at least confirms he works here.
Anthony looks at the lanyard as they follow after him. The dog-ant at some point had jumped into their arms and seemed to be having the time of their life.
Something akin to a small laugh escapes Nikolai, even though his face remains impassive. The happy dog-ant is certainly a sight to behold.
Quickly brushing past that, he walks briskly down a small stairwell that leads to a door, marked as âArchiveâ by a sign. He opens said door, showing a quiet, dusty, extremely messy environment.
âHere we are. Go wild. Most of these are fake and will be discarded anyway.â
Anthony and the dog practically pranced down the stairs and once the door opened, their eyes lit up. It was like some abandoned libraries that theyâve seen!
âFake? What do you mean fake?â
The ants took off in a sprint though, barking obnoxiously as they hopped to grab the first file in their mouth.
Anthony sounded out the words, âpara-nor-malâŠ? Whatâs that? Are people lying to you?â
The ant-dog was sat on the ground, reading through a file like a normal person. If you didnât know they were ants, itâd be a funny sight to behold.
The ants perked up and what was once one dog, split into two smaller ones. One dog continued to search while the other began adventuring to who knows where. It disappeared behind shelves within a moment.
As Nikolai follows his companion to the haphazard pile of files, he taps at his chin with one slender finger. If the considering hum he lets out is anything to go off of, heâs genuinely considering the question.
âWell, there are other workers who are normally here. Since itâs weekend, theyâre all home for the time being.â
At least he assumed thatâs where they were. Thatâs where people normally went.. right?
âSince weâre in the archive, Iâd assume they will? I donât really know. They might just take an arm or something so we may want to call an ambulance in a sec.â
The cops descend the stairs soon enough, their voices cautious.
Nikolai keeps sorting files, eyes darting in the direction of the sounds every few seconds. Even without an expression, he somehow pulls off looking worried
Anthony mimicked Nikolai, heart pounding in his chest. He never liked being around cops, especially considering some bad experiences in the past. Dear god, please donât let them harm his ants.
After a few hesitant seconds, Nikolai goes over to the cops. A few quiet words are exchanged and a few directions given, then the fancily dressed Avatar returns.
âItâll be fine.â
He murmurs to Anthony, going back to shuffling papers.
There are more cobwebs in the corners of the room now.
He seemed hesitant, eyes continuously flicking back to where the cops were. Anthony despised the idea of being separated from them for too long. Please, be okay. He doesnât know what heâd do otherwise.
Anthony giggled and got back to work, satisfied by that answer. They were pretty trusting to begin with and Nikolai has given no reason but to trust them.
âAlright, if youâre suââ
Screeching.
It came from the other room where the cops went and it only got louder as time went on.
Nikolai jolts, the papers in his hands falling to the table. In an instant heâs rushing towards the source of the sound, any and all confidence replaced with a cold wariness.
Anthonyâs blood ran cold and his ears rang as massive amounts of adrenaline coursed through his body. He simultaneously felt alert and like he needed to throw up his lunch.
Please be okay. Please be okay. They had to be okay.
When they both arrived at the door, they immediately realized the door was locked. The handle rattled to no avail and the piercing screaming only continued. With them getting closer, they could smell iron andâ
The moment that the shots are heard, Nikolai slams his shoulder against the locked door. No way is he letting his new friendâs companions get in more trouble than they were in already.
After a few shoves, the lock breaks and he stumbles inside. His hand grips the doorframe as he scans his surroundings.
The floor was a dark purple, the carpet barely peaking through. It looked like a stain at first before he realized it was the ants. They seemed to have multiplied in the time frame of them being gone and plenty covered the walls as well. Even with the door open, some were beginning to crawl over Nikolaiâs and Anthonyâs legs in tight-knit groups.
An officer stood amongst them, hips and down in ants. His breathing was heavy and eyes ripped open in fright as he whipped around. The manâs gun faced the pair and Anthony instantly put his hands up.
On the floor was a bump, that hadnt been there before and through the gaps of bugs, they could see tan skin peeking through.
Nikolai mutters something under his breath. Itâs too quiet to be caught, but the tone alone is enough to get the message across; this is very, very bad.
ââŠAnthony.â
He whispers flatly. His dark eyes drill holes into the frightened cop.
âWhat the FUCK is going on here?â The cop yelled, pointing the gun at the pair wildly.
Anthony was frozen and could only watch as their friends forced themselves into every crevice of the room. Inch by inch, they were crawling up to the manâs waist while on them, they stayed below the knee. The main kicked and squirmed to no avail.
âI donât really know how to fix this,â he whispered through clenched teeth. Not angry but certainly not pleased either.
Anthony smiled and hopped off the couch with The Colony closely behind. They mimicked their bow and proceeded to open a portal with the flick of their wrist. They peaked their head in then out.
âNope, wrong world.â
Another portal.
âNope.â
Another portal.
âThis one should work! Follow me.â
- ( @ant-fella )
"Ooh!"
Fusion smiles and skips over to the portal, tugging Fay along. Fay just looks happy to be included in this adventure.
When they stepped through the portal, they were in an alley that led to a main road, which was bustling with people and music. Performers were off to the side doing various actions: playing music, acrobatics, magic tricks, art, and so on. Some people paused to watch while others kept moving.
People of all kind were out and bout. A lizard-man with a suit on, a tiny mouse with a tutu, birds(?) that flew above everyone else while talking amongst themselves.
The buildings around them were primarily made out of thick, winding vines knotted around each other. They climbed towards the sky, most reaching past the clouds.
âHere we are! Iâm not a big fan of cities but when it comes to people, this is one of my favorites.â
Fayâs expression morphs into a small but awed look. He hesitates, but is kept going by Fusion, who is grinning excitedly as they take in the people and surroundings.
They almost fit in. Itâs absolutely incredible.
âWow⊠this is so⊠wowâŠ!!â
Abruptly, Fusion turns to Anthony. Their eyes are sparkling with excitement.
âHmm,â Anthony looked around. âThereâs plenty of performers to look at. I know thereâs a theatre down that street. If I remember right, thereâs a trampoline park somewhere around here as well as a lot of museums. If you can name it then itâs probably here! Whatever you want to do! Cities have a ton of variety.â
Fusion looks⊠frozen. Nervous. Their eyes dart from performer to performer, the grip they have on Fayâs hand growing tighter and tighter.
Eventually they shut their eyes and point in a random direction. The direction they point ends up being right at a group of dancers in the middle of a performance.
Anthony wasnât good at recognizing a lot of emotions but overstimulation was one of them. It was one he was all too aware of. He walked over to the dancers while scurrying in his bag. What he pulled out was a pair of noise-cancelling headphones that he silently offered them. The Colony squeaked excitedly amongst themselves at the performance.
Fusion stares at the headphones for a few seconds, then slowly takes them. They move the headphones from side to side for a few seconds, humming quietly in curiosity.
Eventually they place them over their ears. Immediately the overwhelming world dulls to a tolerable level and Fusion relaxes. Thatâs much better.
They flash Anthony a grateful smile, carefully reaching out and taking their hand. Without saying a word, they turn to the dancers.
Theyâre happy to be here. Even if it is a lot. Itâs still nice.
Anthony takes their hand with a grin and some of the colony wraps around both of their hands as they watch. They glance down at Fay, offering a hand as well.
The dancers were in bold colors with glitter shining under the city lights. Two of them had wings and were being flung into twists, flips, and turns.
Fusion murmurs back, moving a little closer. Their eyes are trained on the dancers- especially the ones with wings- with great interest and admiration.
Fay accepts Anthonyâs hand as well. Heâs strangely warm, feeling more like a heated doll than a human. Itâs odd but nice.
Anthony nods and continues to watch. The twists and turns of colors were almost hypnotizing but they kept squinting at one of the other dancers in particular. His grip on the peopleâs hands tensed.
He didnât want to panic either of them but this was either gonna go really good or really bad depending on which world this was.
Fusion pouts, the look on their face showing that theyâre on the verge of kicking up a fuss. But⊠one glance at Fay and they settle down with a small nod.
âYes, please, letâs go,â they insisted, desperation dripping into their tone.
They dragged them along into the crowd of people with no intention of looking at any of the nearby flashy performers. All they were seeing was forward and every few second, they looked over their shoulder. The performers were wrapping up their show, but the one they were looking at was gone.
âCrap, okay, okay, this is okay.â
The Colony was all over the three of them, keeping their own surveillance. They didnât make a peep.
Fusion whispers, eyes sharply focused. Theyâre far more perceptive than the average eight year old, and can most certainly tell that somethingâs wrong.
They bare their teeth slightly, their snakes hissing softly. Tense but subtle.
âNo, no, please donât. Keep walking. This world is friendly but I think this is also the world where one of those dancers absolutely isnât. Most worlds have their dark sides and I donât want to be around to witness this one,â he spoke frantically.
Anthony tugged them into an alleyway, rushing through as quickly as he could. He let go of both of their hands for a moment in order to flip his cardigan out of the way and reveal both a knife and gun being held on his belt. He grabbed the knife and gun, pausing to look between them.
âWho wants which. I donât want you guys to have nothing.â
Fusion grumbles, but they take the knife. If Anthony really wants them to use this instead then they might as well. And they can keep their biting in mind for absolute emergencies.
Fay in turn takes the gun with a small nod. Despite being an adult- at least technically- heâs much weaker than the young god. And he knows how to use a gun.
Fusion looks up at Anthony. Theyâre still pouting a little.
They whispered, âFeel free to use your venom but I want you to have something else as well. I donât know what she can do.â
The Colony was keeping watch outside of alleyway. After a moment, they squeaked and rushed forward, leading the way. Anthony waved their hand to gesture for them to follow.
As they ran, blobs of color began to form in the corner of each of their visions. He picked up his pace.
In that moment they sound like the excitable theatre kid part of them again. Just a child disappointed that their fun with friends has been cut short.
Though theyâre still on guard. Their snakes are hissing and recoiling at the fruity smell, baring their teeth to the air. Fay is holding the gun close with a frown on his face.
Fusion looks at Fay, giving him a tiny nod. The adult flees before the vines can trap him. However, Fusion themself stays.
âIâm staying. Iâm the god.â
They say firmly, looking up at Anthony with a firm stare. Their snakes grow in size, from bow-sized to the size of actual snakes. They suddenly look far more dangerous.
The Colony tried to push Fusion away but it was too late. The vines had already closed around both sides of the alley and climbing or flying would be the only way to get out swiftly.
âFusion, no, itâsââ their eyes were wide with panic. âPlease, just go. Find a way. This is my business, not yours.â
âOh? Iâm surprised you brought friends.â
A mass of crimson feathers began circling above them like a hawk preparing the strike down.
Fusion shakes their head firmly and grabs onto Anthonyâs arm with a death grip. Itâs a miracle they donât actually hurt his arm with how tightly theyâre holding on.
âIt became my business when they ruined our outing.â
They hiss back, the snakes unwinding from their head. Their hair falls out of the small ponytail it was in and the snakes circle around protectively. By now both are bigger than any natural snake.
Anthony hesitantly agrees, realizing the amount of time they had shouldnt be used for arguing. The mass of feathers was still high off the ground, details unobservable.
âDear, they arenât in much need of help. Weâre having a reunion. Tell me, whatâs your name?â
In a brazen show of the fact that theyâre a child, Fusion sticks their tongue out at the flighted person and blows a raspberry. Their tongue is forked like a snakeâs.
âWhy should I tell you? Youâre dumb and ruined our outing!â
They squint warily at Dahlia, though their outward hostility has been subdued a tiny bit. Nowhere near enough that they can be caught off guard though.
âFusion. Dahliaâs⊠a fine name.â
They were definitely thinking of far more rude descriptors.
âFusion is quite nice as well. What are you a fusion of?â
The person shifted into the shape of a phoenix although she was roughly the size of a hawk. She settled on on of the higher up vines of the building though was much closer than before. Her feathers were starling in the sunlight.
âHmm, thatâs less interesting answer than I was expecting.â
She sighed and swooped down, settling on Anthonyâs shoulder. Her talons dug tightly into their shoulder and he couldnât help but help as the ants began trying to peck her legs to no avail.
âNo, no, itâsâ oh, fuck, that burnsâ itâs okay,â he strangled up a smile.
She flew off of Anthony and landed on the ground between them, careful to not be within the snakeâs range of biting. The Colony moved to be as far as they could from her. Anthonyâs had the same whale eyes a dog might.
âBecause Iâd say Im quite the entertainer myself. I think weâd get along handsomely.â
âI get hurt all the time! Itâs no big deal. Besides, itâs hardly a scratch,â they waved a hand dismissively despite actively sweating from fear.
Fusionpleasedeargodstopthisplease.
âAh, thank you. If youâd like, youâre free to leave. Iâd hate for you to feel trapped but I just had to catch you on your way out. I didnât mean to be rude,â the vines unwound but the ants formed a that substituted it almost instantly.
Anthony was shaking his head at Fusion now only to stop when Dahlia looked at him.
Fusion turns to Anthony with a raised eyebrow. Now they look genuinely confused about where exactly they went wrong.
ââŠ..what? I donât wanna be her friend!â
They hiss vaguely in his direction, squinting grumpily. They arenât meaning to escalate anything, but. Well. Theyâre a rather under-socialised kid god. Sometimes it canât be helped.
It was all they could say without prompting a much larger reaction from the being in front of them. The Colony skittered onto Fusion and squeaked up a panic, serving as the more focal one.
âDear, would you like to start over from scratch? We can pretend I never interrupted your meeting and begin speaking elsewhere. I would hate to be on your bad side.â
Fusion considers that for a long moment, then huffs and nods. As soon as they do that, their snakes start shrinking and making their way back onto Fusionâs head. Though theyâre still a bit bigger than normal.
âYeah, ok. Fine. But Iâll bite you if you try to hurt any of us.â
Theyâre definitely not lying about that. Those sharp teeth of theirs are ready to go and very dangerous.
From the suspicious squinting Fusion is currently doing, it seems theyâre on the Colonyâs side in this. Thereâs no way they believe Anthony is actually fine.
But how to make them rest and be happyâŠ.
Oh!
âDo you know some worlds that are cozy? I read about cafes and I really wanna go to one! We can do that!â
Anthony giggles at Fayâs reaction and the Colony mimics it almost identically, âAlright!â
The portal opens and on the other side is a world literally on clouds. The buildings are made of the same bouncy material and each shop has an oak sign floating mid-air. There was a toy shop with air balloons and carousels in the window and a flower shop next door with an array of foreign flowers. One of the hundreds in the display looked to be made of ice with elaborately posed vines splaying out.
As wind brushed down the path, a chill overcame the trio but it didnât seem to bother the albino peacock-like feathered fellows walking around.
They went about, patron to patron and one that was glowing neon rubbed against Fusionâs leg. The colony mimicked the catâs shape and meowed at them, only to get one back.
Fusion instantly drops to the floor, reaching out and gently petting the neon cat. They carefully pet the head, under the chin, rub the catâs back⊠all the while making sure the cat isnât annoyed.
âThis is⊠perfectâŠâ
The whisper is hardly audible. They must really love cats.
Fay on the other hand, glances to the counter and to Anthony. While he may not be able to speak, the question is fairly obvious- âshould we order something?â
The cat purred and leaned into Fusionâs touch. The glow got brighter as they were pet and Anthony grinned at the display.
They turned to Fay and shrugged, âYou two can! Iâll need to check some ingredients though to see if I can actually get something though. My body doesnât digest all foods and drinks well.â
Fay nods once then walks over to Fusion, tapping them on the shoulder. They look up from where they had been snuggling the glowing cat, blinking up at their friend.
The menu didnât seem to serve exactly âhot chocolateâ. There were plenty of images of each item and the closest to hot chocolate was a mug with a dark cocoa color swirled with some type of light pink. On top was some kind of foam with a baby blue hue and sprinkles.
Anthony stayed behind them a bit, wanting them to order before he bothered the waiter about his allergies and insensitivities to certain ingredients.
The drinks came out almost instantly and the light pink swirl had a faint shimmer of glitter. Anthony stepped forward.
âHey, not to be a bother but do you guys have an ingredients list for your drinks?â
The cashier nodded and handed him a tablet with the list of ingredients for each drink. He ended up choosing one that was a rich brown color with a rim decorated with purple sugar.
Once he got his drink, he went and sat down at a table with them. The neon cat wouldnât leave Fusion alone, purring and curling up on their lap. Anthony giggled at the display.
Fusion looks just about ready to explode from cuteness overload. They let out a soft squeak and keep pampering the glowing cat, hardly even paying attention to the drink.
Anthony takes a sip of their own drink and offers it to the ants, who refuse, then they look up to both of them.
âEither of you want to try mine?â
Immediately after they asked, a cat with a stubby tail and a body seemingly homing a mini-aquarium ecosystem hopped on the table. Anthony protectively moved their drink closer but pet them nonetheless. A worker shook their head with a smile on their face before walking closer.
âGeez, this guy has a bad table of hopping on tables. Sheâs the only one who does it.â
Fusion giggles and looks up at the worker. Their smile is small, carefully hiding their sharp teeth from the person in front of them.
âSheâs so cute though! She should get away with it.â
Laughing softly, Fay reaches forward and pets the mischievous cat as well. It may not be very good to praise bad behaviour, but the little cat is far too cute not to pet.
Anthony giggled and pet the cat too. The one of Fusionâs lap meowed, headbutting them for more attention. Meanwhile, the one on the table was in pure bliss, eyes closed and purring loudly.
âShe certainly is a cutie,â the worker grinned. âWe found her walking alone in a polluted swamp. Poor thing was all messed up.â
âWere all of them rescued?â
âMost of them! Claire over there is the ownerâs cat and a few others are other workerâs who wanted their cat to have a play date,â they gestured to a fluffy, white cat grooming herself on a decorative log. âThe end goal is to give them homes.â
Oh dear. That look in Fusionâs eyes, the way their pupils have suddenly gone very large and sparkly⊠theyâve had a thought. One theyâre going to pursue with great determination.
As they resume their petting of the luminous cat, they begin asking question after question. They hardly even wait for an answer to any answers theyâre going so fast.
âAre you like a rescue? Or dâyou have donors? Do people who adopt the cats take them home? Do they stay here? What do you need to adopt one?â
Anthony broke out into a grin, knowing what they were wanting. The worker waited for the questions to slow before laughing a tad and answering.
âYeah, weâre primarily a rescue. For the workers, they often bring their cats here to just hang out and get given attention though so itâs that as well. We find cats on our own, people find them and bring them to us, and some people give their own cats that they realized they couldnât take care of. They stay here all the time but at night, they go upstairs to where the owner lives. People often adopt them and in order to adopt then we have to go through an interview process.â
That sparkly, curious look solidifies into something more determined. They lean closer to the worker- not enough to hinder their petting of the glowing cat though.
âWhat would you need to adopt one? Food? Money? Space?â
âEvidence that you can take care of them properly so space, money, and a conversation about how youâll take care of them. We just like to cover all bases.â
The focused look on their face gives the impression that theyâre internally taking notes. They nod carefully and stare determinedly down at the purring cat on their lap.
âCan I come back sometime? After I do some res-urch on taking care of cats?â
Anthony grinned. Aww, a new edition to their world. They needed that.
âOf course! Do you have interest in adopting one? We can always provide you some resources, especially on the specific cat species youâre wanting to adopt.â
Fusionâs face goes a little red as they tentatively point at the purring ball of glowing fluff on their lap. Of course theyâd want the one that had been so nice to them so far.
âI- if theyâre not picked by someone elseâŠ!â
âOh, Iâm sure but this is all just due process stuff. The most important part of my job is to ensure that these fellas,â they pet a cat rubbing against their leg. âEnd up in the right homes. Everything else is secondary.â
Fusion nods and smiles agreeably, looking up at the worker while scratching the glowing catâs chin. Their eyes sparkle with a mix of understanding and happiness.
Fusion hums thoughtfully, tapping at their chin with the pamphlet and chewing on their lip. Theyâre truly taking this all very seriously- almost more than they took the danger of Dahlia.
âI think thatâs it for now! Iâll read this to make sure Iâm a super good cat parent!â
The pamphlet described this catâs species in general. It was apparently more active than most cat breeds and needed a ton of exercise as well as mental stimulation due to their intelligence. Tricks and various enrichment techniques like varying food presentation would be great ways to achieve this.
Diet wise, stay away from most things typical cats canât have with the exception of rocks. This fella loves to eat rocks and crystals at any chance that they can get. Everything that a normal cat can eat such as fish can fit into their diet, but it should be more as a treat than anything else.
Their fur will need to be kept short in fear of fire risks. When they get overly-excited, itâs easily for flammable materials to catch light. Keeping these materials out of their reach, especially when joyous, is another preventative measure that can be taken.
Anthony reads it over and the ants move alongside with him, gathering on his shoulder in order to get a good view of the pamphlet. Both of them nod, doing a mental checklist in his brain on whether or not they think that Fusion can fulfill the needs of the cat.
âYou know your lifestyle better than I do but Id say you can do it! Youâd have to be careful about the curtains and stuff being flammable but you guys to a ton of tricks in the circus. You can teach this fella to do that!â
The glowing cat looked up at the sound of clapping, tilting their head curiously. Anthony only added to the noise with his own clapping, which certainly turned some heads, but they quickly went back to sipping on their own drinks.
âHOORAY!â
The ants began to break into some form of coordinated boogie circle. It was certainly hard to describe what they were doing as their own cat form broke apart but they were definitely dancing!
The next several minutes are spent carefully checking, supplying and cat-proofing the entirety of Fusionâs theatre. If it werenât for the fact that theyâre a god, it would have taken far longer; but luckily they are.
When they return, a victorious grin is on their face and a multicoloured flush of exertion colours their cheeks.
The Colony watched carefully, double checking that everything was done correctly. They couldnât do much else but a tiny group of the ants were folding an origami cat. It wasnât productive but it was cute. Once they were done, they walked it over to Fusion.
Upon their arrival, Anthony cheered and clapped his hands, âWOOP WOOP!â
Their volume turned some heads but once again, they didnât care too deeply. They just shot a glance before turning back to their own business.
The glowing cat perks up at the pats and watches as Fusion practically prances away. They didnât pay much mind as they licked their paws though. They were just another enthusiastic person.
Anthony absorbed their energy and giggled, skipping over to the employee, who turned around with a confused glance.
âHm?â
Then they recognized the pair.
âOh, do you have more questions about the cat?â
Anthony patted them on the shoulder, trying to be as supportive as possible without interrupting.
The worker smiled and seemed anything but out off by their nerves, âSounds great! We just need to do an interview process and some other fine details, alright? We can do that now or schedule for another time if youâd like.â
Fusion clasps their hands together and looks up at the worker with their best approximation of puppy-dog eyes. Thereâs a big, nervous smile on their face.
âI did my best and I really wanna take care of my new cat friend!â
He did not need to eat this sandwich. He did not require sandwiches to sate what hunger he has. But his friends had insisted he eat more. So he was eating his sandwich.
He had been walking and eating, but that was not proper form. He was getting odd looks. So⊠he had to find somewhere to sit.
A bench. Thatâs right, benches arenât uncommon. So he sits on the nearest one. Though⊠the other side of said bench was occupied.
Was he being ârudeâ again?
Hm. He should ask.
ââŠhello? Are you alright with me sitting here?â
-Nik (@in-voids-depths)
Anthony waved a hand with a friendly grin decorating his face, âNot at all! Be my guest.â
Ants scattered all over his body although they didnât move off onto the bench despite the thousands of eyes staring at them. The majority were concentrated in his yellow cardiganâs pockets and messenger bag but a few others were elsewhere.
They didnât take the lack of a smile rudely. They often came across as rude themself and different cultures had different expectations. Despite that, they smiled themself instinctively.
âYou wouldnât be intruding at all! What have you been up to?â They talked as if this were their best friend and not a stranger.
Nikolai takes the friendliness in stride, a tiny line forming at his eyebrow a surefire sign of his thinking. He chews on his (tasty?) sandwich as he thinks.
âWell. Iâve been working. I read books sometimes. Um.â
He freezes, staring at nothing. Heâs coming up with nothing else. Was this why he needed to âget more hobbiesââŠ?
It takes an oddly long time for Nikolai to even acknowledge the Colony. They are, after all, not the most threatening. Or dangerous seeming.
And when he does notice, his reaction is far from expected. Without even a glance, he holds out a hand for the ants to inspect. To verify just how similar he is to them.
Focusing on the question, he hums neutrally and taps on his knee with his free hand.
âAn archive. Itâs⊠not very interesting.â
Liar. But a good liar. One could hardly tell if you werenât really used to liars.
The ants crawl onto his hand instantly, chirping musically. There was something about him that was like home. It was like bundling up with hot cocoa in front of a fire on a frozen winter day.
âArchive? I think thatâs interesting! What gets archived?â
Fortunately, Anthony was neither good at picking up on normal social cues, let alone ones that show signs of lying.
He looked at The Colony, âAww, they like you!â
âSo, you kind of archive culture? In a way? How do you keep yourself in business though? Does the government pay for you?â His curiosity only grew with the fragments that he was given.
The ants had a few too many legs and their mandible were a bit sharper than normal but other than that, they were typical ants. Upon his approval, the rest of the colony bombarded him by climbing all over with cheerful chirps.
Anthony laughed, âOne at a time! Donât overwhelm the poor guy.â
Said genuinely though still with a blank face. As he responds, he gently runs a finger over some of the ants in some form of petting.
âAnd well. Lukas is a complete recluse, which is fine if he didnât inflict that isolation on unsuspecting people. And BouchardâŠâ
He sounds truly annoyed for a moment.
âHe is a power hungry, manipulative coward. Quite frankly, I take pleasure in making his life harder. Itâs very amusing when he doesnât get his way.â
âWhat about the other people? Why are you safe specifically?â
Their mind was racing with all kinds of possibilities. Anthony despised the idea of people being harmed for harms sake, even if they knew it was a repeated theme in most worlds.
âBad at this? I think youâre doing great! I donât exactly know what you think youâre bad at but you havenât seemed that way about anything to me,â he reassured, blissfully unaware.
âBut hey, Im not human either so Iâd probably be safe too! Iâm still concerned about the other people. I feel like I need to do something for them.â
Nikolai drops his head into his hands and lets out a long, low groan. God, it was just his luck that he encountered someone both strangely kind and blissfully unaware.
âIâm⊠trying my bestâŠ.â
He mutters weakly, then shakes his head and looks back up. His glasses are skew on his face and he is somehow managing to look defeated without changing his facial expression.
âYou can try meeting them. Theyâll be very suspicious and may spray CO2 at you though. There was an⊠incident with a Hive recently.â
âTrying your best at what? Iâm still confused,â Anthony tilted his head.
âBut what happened with a hive and how would they even spray me with CO2? Donât you breathe that out? I feel like Iâm not knowing anything right now.â
The Colony shifted uncomfortably at the idea of being sprayed with CO2.
Nikolai lets out a slow sigh. How much does he need to explain? How much is he going to tell this friendly stranger??
âCO2 fire extinguishers. The last hiveâs swarm was weak to those.
And⊠I mean⊠trying to seem normal. Even if I try to be friendly, most people are scared of non-human things. So itâs bad if people realise what I am.â
Nikolai relaxes a tad. His mouth almost quirks up for a moment before relaxing into neutrality once again.
âAnd you should be alright. Most people wonât notice your oddities; only those who arenât human themselves or have had encounters before. Or those who are very observant.â
He sighs.
âAs long as you donât kill people you should be okay.â
ââŠDo people regularly kill each other in this world?â They scanned their surroundings, abruptly paranoid.
âSo, itâs normal for me to walk around with a bunch of ant-looking fellas thoughâŠor at the least it wonât get noticedâŠon the bright side, thatâs a thing,â he tried to reassure himself.
The Colony turns to face Anthony and squeaks in protest but they continue speaking, ââŠAnother world? Oh! Do you not know about that whole thingâŠ?â
âItâs like the whole multiverse thing that some movies haveâ do you have movies? Eh, whatever! But I can make a portal and boom! You go to another world.â
Anthony is met with a flat, deeply suffering stare. Nikolai sighs and rubs at his face, one of his eyes twitching slightly. A tiny spider crawls out of the edge of his eye.
âGood fucking luck. If you get eaten by Mr Spider Iâm going to ask her to tell me.â
Well. It seems heâs given up. Or⊠mostly.
âBut seriously. I really wouldnât advise it.â
âOkay, okay, other that planning to end the world, what stuff has she actually done? Besides, my body grows back so itâs not that big of a deal!â
They rolled up their right sleeve and where a forearm typically be was ants tightly wound together. Huh, so thatâs why there was a glove only on that side.
Anthony reached out a hand to poke the spider curiously, continuing to talk as an ant was now on his face.
âBeing smug is annoying but itâs no crime. Besides, Iâve killed people before so itâs not really that big of a deal. Why did she do it?â They said it casually with a shrug.
âWell, Iâm not really looking to get entangled in this worldâs wild issues so Iâll probably just stay out of it. I really want to help but unfortunately, I think Iâm losing any fight I go into with how my body is right now,â they rubbed the back of their neck.
The ant that was on their face began exploring, pushing past the manâs eye.
âI could probably come back to this world in the future though. Iâm concerned about it.â
Despite Nikolai saying that, he doesnât sound very sure. Unfortunately his face is back to completely neutral so his beliefs arenât showing there.
âBut thank you for the sentiment. Iâll be sure to keep an eye out for you in the future. Maybe I can buy you something to eat next time instead of just eating my own foodâŠâ
Anthony being bad at tone didnt help them to be able to pick up on the uncertainty.
âOh, you donât have to do that! I think talking with you is enough. But are you sure? I donât like the idea of murder for no reason being so normal here.â
âOh! Your shrimps must be different here. In another world, the shrimp are moreâŠhow do I put itâŠhuman-like? Itâs this whole messed up hierarchy.â
âOhhhh, youâre one of those universes. Yeah, shrimps have a lot of forms for some reasonâŠDonât go to the world where they take over. I wouldnât recommend it.â
The ant-dog poked Anthonyâs leg with their nose and they perked up.
Soon enough, the odd group reaches an old and imposing building. While the structure is looming and oddly eerie, Nikolai doesnât bat an eye and calmly pushes the front door open.
âHere we are. Wait in the lobby while I get a pass for you.â
And with those words, heâs off to talk to the person at the front desk.
After a few minutes of talking to the woman at the front desk, Nikolai returns with a lanyard held proudly in his hands. His endeavour was victorious.
âHere we are. Youâre in.â
He says, holding it out to Anthony. Somewhere in his dark eyes is a spark of enthusiasm; while he was unsure before, now he seemingly wants very much to show Anthony and the Colony his workplace.
Anthony claps his hands in celebration before taking it. He looked over what the lanyard was decorated with closer, trying to figure out more about this place.
The lanyard is a rich green, the small paper hanging from it simply stating âvisitorâ.
As Anthony inspects the lanyard, Nikolai puts one of his own on. However his had a proper small info card, showing a picture of him with his name and department. That at least confirms he works here.
Anthony looks at the lanyard as they follow after him. The dog-ant at some point had jumped into their arms and seemed to be having the time of their life.
Something akin to a small laugh escapes Nikolai, even though his face remains impassive. The happy dog-ant is certainly a sight to behold.
Quickly brushing past that, he walks briskly down a small stairwell that leads to a door, marked as âArchiveâ by a sign. He opens said door, showing a quiet, dusty, extremely messy environment.
âHere we are. Go wild. Most of these are fake and will be discarded anyway.â
Anthony and the dog practically pranced down the stairs and once the door opened, their eyes lit up. It was like some abandoned libraries that theyâve seen!
âFake? What do you mean fake?â
The ants took off in a sprint though, barking obnoxiously as they hopped to grab the first file in their mouth.
Anthony sounded out the words, âpara-nor-malâŠ? Whatâs that? Are people lying to you?â
The ant-dog was sat on the ground, reading through a file like a normal person. If you didnât know they were ants, itâd be a funny sight to behold.
The ants perked up and what was once one dog, split into two smaller ones. One dog continued to search while the other began adventuring to who knows where. It disappeared behind shelves within a moment.
As Nikolai follows his companion to the haphazard pile of files, he taps at his chin with one slender finger. If the considering hum he lets out is anything to go off of, heâs genuinely considering the question.
âWell, there are other workers who are normally here. Since itâs weekend, theyâre all home for the time being.â
At least he assumed thatâs where they were. Thatâs where people normally went.. right?
âSince weâre in the archive, Iâd assume they will? I donât really know. They might just take an arm or something so we may want to call an ambulance in a sec.â
The cops descend the stairs soon enough, their voices cautious.
Nikolai keeps sorting files, eyes darting in the direction of the sounds every few seconds. Even without an expression, he somehow pulls off looking worried
Anthony mimicked Nikolai, heart pounding in his chest. He never liked being around cops, especially considering some bad experiences in the past. Dear god, please donât let them harm his ants.
After a few hesitant seconds, Nikolai goes over to the cops. A few quiet words are exchanged and a few directions given, then the fancily dressed Avatar returns.
âItâll be fine.â
He murmurs to Anthony, going back to shuffling papers.
There are more cobwebs in the corners of the room now.
He seemed hesitant, eyes continuously flicking back to where the cops were. Anthony despised the idea of being separated from them for too long. Please, be okay. He doesnât know what heâd do otherwise.
Anthony giggled and got back to work, satisfied by that answer. They were pretty trusting to begin with and Nikolai has given no reason but to trust them.
âAlright, if youâre suââ
Screeching.
It came from the other room where the cops went and it only got louder as time went on.
Nikolai jolts, the papers in his hands falling to the table. In an instant heâs rushing towards the source of the sound, any and all confidence replaced with a cold wariness.
Anthonyâs blood ran cold and his ears rang as massive amounts of adrenaline coursed through his body. He simultaneously felt alert and like he needed to throw up his lunch.
Please be okay. Please be okay. They had to be okay.
When they both arrived at the door, they immediately realized the door was locked. The handle rattled to no avail and the piercing screaming only continued. With them getting closer, they could smell iron andâ
The moment that the shots are heard, Nikolai slams his shoulder against the locked door. No way is he letting his new friendâs companions get in more trouble than they were in already.
After a few shoves, the lock breaks and he stumbles inside. His hand grips the doorframe as he scans his surroundings.
The floor was a dark purple, the carpet barely peaking through. It looked like a stain at first before he realized it was the ants. They seemed to have multiplied in the time frame of them being gone and plenty covered the walls as well. Even with the door open, some were beginning to crawl over Nikolaiâs and Anthonyâs legs in tight-knit groups.
An officer stood amongst them, hips and down in ants. His breathing was heavy and eyes ripped open in fright as he whipped around. The manâs gun faced the pair and Anthony instantly put his hands up.
On the floor was a bump, that hadnt been there before and through the gaps of bugs, they could see tan skin peeking through.
Nikolai mutters something under his breath. Itâs too quiet to be caught, but the tone alone is enough to get the message across; this is very, very bad.
ââŠAnthony.â
He whispers flatly. His dark eyes drill holes into the frightened cop.
âWe need to fix this.â
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