Just another die in the bag

I can help you with anything you want! Just tell me what you need done!

[reuben-the-pippins]

*Oh! Uh, hello! I'm Pippins number....

*Uh.... number....

*Oh, whatever, I guess you can call me Reuben.

*I'm nothing special, but if you need something done, just ask! I'll do it to the best of my ability!

[mod here! the worms spoke to me and i finally caved and made a pippins oc lmao]

[the rules for this blog are basic:

no homophobic, racist, or sexist comments here please! if you say anything that i feel falls under that umbrella, i can and will block you!

be kind and considerate, to me and to anyone in my comments or reblogs. im not new to roleplay, so i know what im doing. if you dont like it, leave.

on that note, be patient. i have a life outside of tumblr, just like everyone else that i roleplay with. i dont have time to just be on tumblr.

and lastly, have fun! roleplay is meant to be fun and entertaining and silly. have fun with it and dont ruin it for anyone else.]

[just a little info on him before i turn him loose, he doesnt like gambling (hates it actually) and hes a bit of a shy dude.]

[now that thats out of the way, i hope you have fun! enjoy my silly little guy!]

tags:

"#reuben rolls" = posts

"#roll for reuben" = asks

"#reuben rerolls" = reblogs

"#beyond reubens screen" = mod speaking

"#the pink tie" = lore

[reuben-the-pippins]

I'm sure he's fine. Though, would you be interested in checking out its set? Apparently they've got a Tenna of their own. Maybe there's some new shows they're running or something? And technically it's not you being off the clock or anything...

(*Reuben hums, glancing up at a clock on the wall. He shifts his grip on the mop he's using and looks back down at the ground.)

*I mean... I won't lie. Knowing that it's a different universe is pretty cool.

*I'd be interested to see what's different and what's not.

*But... I can't exactly leave right now. Not when this floor is only halfway mopped.

*But maybe when I get off work in...

(*He glances back up at the wall, looks away, then looks back again in shock as he realizes the clock isn't where it was a few seconds ago.)

*What the...

*Where did the...

(*He turns around to put the mop back in the bucket and freezes. The bucket is gone too. He blinks at the place it had been, getting more confused by the second.)

*What is going on here?

(*If he were to pay more attention to his surroundings, he'd be aware of a change in atmosphere in the room.)

(*Smells like fading desperation...)

(*Reuben tightens his grip on the mop as he looks around. Maybe someone took the bucket to mess with him. He heads out of the room and into the next one, not noticing another Pippins near the doorway.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

The room's decor seems a bit less faded than you remember, the area's usual glitz and glamour even more painfully emphasized. Furniture is rearranged, and there's a small bowl of cheap candy on a nearby table.

Not that Reuben can tell, considering someone tripped him two seconds after he walked in. He slaps his own wet mop on the floor, right next to Reuben's head, and starts cleaning.

"Oops." He says flatly, not even pretending to seem apologetic. The other Pippins looks down at Reuben with noticable disdain, his tail curled and tense.

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben groans as he sits up, rubbing his face painfully. He doesn't even register the actual voice at first, just the flat, unapologetic tone. He stands up, dusting himself off, his voice full of fury and confusion.)

*What the heck? Are you kidding me? Why did you do... that... to...

(*Any words he'd had moments ago disappear from his lips as he finally gets a good look at who tripped him. He finally registers the voice of this Pippins a few moments too late, and he just stares in shock.)

(*He blinks, rattling his head slightly to clear it. It can't be. There's no way. He was just at work. He was in his own studio. There's no way just talking about it did this.)

(*And then he notices the double ties. One slightly frayed red one over a hidden but pristine pink one. Oh. Oh good. He's going to ignore the reason for the double ties and also the fact that he has somehow gone to another universe without moving or even leaving the set. It hurts his head too much to think about.)

(*Speaking of hurting his head... He's been silently staring a little too long at the one who tripped him.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

He seems even more exhausted than you do. There are noticeable bags under his eyes, and his uniform seems more rumpled than normal. And of course... A red tie over his pink one.

"What? I'm just cle-" As the other him looks up, Reuben finally recognizes his own face. His grip on his mop tightens, claws digging into the wood as his shock plunges rapidly into dread.

"...?!" He rears back for a moment before swinging his mop at his other self's head, that dread bleeding into anger and panic. "You- You've got to be kidding me...! This- This is stupid. I'm not-! I'm not going to be replaced like this-!" He's shaking, eyes firmly locked on the other Reuben's pink tie.

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben yelps and ducks down, narrowly avoiding having his head cracked open. He takes a few steps backwards, hands raised placatingly.)

*Wh- No! No, no, no, I'm not- I'm not replacing you! I don't-

(*He trips over his own mop, having forgotten about it when he fell earlier. He goes sprawling backwards, but quickly grabs the mop and raises it in self defense in case the other him decides to take another swing at him while he's down.)

*Listen, I just showed up here! I have no plans on taking your place, okay? That- I-

(*He can't believe he's telling another version of himself this. He can't even believe that another version of himself would think that as his first thought upon seeing another version of himself. Aaaand he's going to stop thinking about it now because it's hurting his head again.)

(*It's then that he registers where the other Reuben's eyes are focused, and his other hand drifts automatically to grab at his tie. He... probably can't defend himself one-handed with a mop, but he'll figure that out if it comes to it.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

"Why else would you be here?! Am I really so- So...?!" He can't even finish his own sentence, trailing off into frustrated growls as he tries to take another swing at his doppelganger. His tail has puffed up like a cat's, as if trying to make himself more intimidating.

"You... You're just wearing it out in the open..." Reuben growls, scratching at his red tie again. He grabs the bucket he was using to clean and kicks it at the other Reuben, splashing dirty, soapy water everywhere. "I'm not gonna roll over and let the universe tell me to my face I'm worthless!"

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben flinches, raising his own mop higher to stop, or at least slow, the blow. He scrambles backwards on the ground, also narrowly avoiding getting covered in dirty water.)

*I don't know why I'm here! I was just responding to- uh. To someone, and I was suddenly here!

(*He scoots a little farther back and gets back to his feet, trying to avoid slipping on the sudsy water that was quickly spreading across the floor.)

*I- You're not worthless! You're not! You- you can't-

(*He swallows hard, suddenly fully realizing the implications of that statement. If this other him is worthless, what does that say about himself? He rattles away the thought, focusing on the situation at hand.)

*I'm- I'm not from here! I- In my- uh- At home, I can-

(*How the heck does he explain this without seeming insane? Well... more insane than his counterpart here is acting. He tries not to think about that too hard. Again.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

"I don't wanna hear anything from you!" He snaps, trying to jab the other him in the stomach this time. "What do you get out of this? Just sick kicks? Knowing you're better than me?"

As he raises his mop again, though, he soon slips on the soapy water he himself spilled everywhere. "Wah-!" He hits his head on a nearby counter, and combined with his clear exhaustion, Reuben nigh immediately passes out. Anticlimax much?

Well, now what will you do?

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben barely has time to get out of the way of the jab before the other him is sprawled on the wet, slick floor. He stares at the unconscious Pippins, confused and conflicted.)

(*He looks around the room. Thank goodness no one was in here. But... now what? He looks down at the other him, thinking aloud.)

*Well, now what? I... could probably try to get you home. Maybe. Assuming the directions are the same and you don't wake up while I drag you there...

*Then again, I don't know... I should probably find a way home...

*Hm...

(*He's too lost in thought to pay attention to his surroundings right now.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

Regrettably, as Reuben muses on his next course of action, it seems that his hand would soon be forced one way or the other.

"Ya's got legs, Daze, and our break's ovah... Ya can walk back ta ya shift, can't ya?" A slightly washed out Zapper with a square grid of buttons hops along, fondly exasperated as a black and white Pippins in a checkerboard poncho happily lounges in his arms, eyes closed in bliss.

"Hmhmhm, you say that, and yet you're helpless against my control to carry me anyway, my sweet thrall!" The Pippins nips back, pecking the Zapper on the neck. One of his eyes cracks open, revealing his spiral pupils. "Doesn't obedience feel too good to pass up? Besides, your patrol route starts right around the infirmary anyway, so why split up early?"

A purple Rudinn sucking on a lollipop rolls their eyes at the display, but then freezes in place as they head through the door and see a certain two Pippinses. They swiftly slither over to the unconscious Pippins, doing a quick check in as they grumble. "This one again? You'd think the lesson would stick after five times in our care." 

The Zapper, meanwhile, switches to business mode on a dime, gently but professionally setting the Pippins down on the ground (to his dismay) as he then begins to approach Reuben. “Hey! What da heck's goin' on here, huh? Youse better have a good explanation fa dis, cuz, buddy, dis ain't a good look fa ya.” He points at the unconscious Reuben, looming over the conscious one.

The monochrome Pippins looks between the two Reubens, putting a hand to his chin pensively. “Hmmm…”

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben stumbles back a few steps as he's approached, putting his hands up defensively.)

*Okay, yeah, I know how it looks, but-

(*He pauses, glancing down at his other self and then looking back up at the Zapper. He's never seen a Zapper like this one before. Come to think of it, he's never seen any of these three before. He's almost certain he would recognize them if he did. He instinctively grabs his tie for support.)

*He attacked me and slipped on the water from his mop bucket that he knocked over.

(*He hesitates and looks down again.)

*Wait- five times? What do you mean...?

(*Reuben seems to have yet to notice the attention he's getting from the monochrome Pippins.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

"Well, I don't know his name, but-" The Rudinn turns to look at Reuben, then pauses, looking at the other Reuben on the ground, then the one awake, narrowing their eyes at him. "... What the [expletive]-"

"Hey~, why don't we save the interrogation for after we get these two to the infirmary? I've got questions too, you know, and this seems like it'll beat changing out ice packs and handing out healing items." The monochrome Pippins cuts in swiftly as his tail sways back and forth, eyes still on the pink tied Reuben before he helps pick up the former's counterpart. Though... While you're pretty sure there's an infirmary on set, it's nowhere near this area. Are they really going to take you all the way around?

Suddenly, the Zapper picks Reuben up by the wrists and ankles, big mitts firmly holding his limbs in the air as the rest of his body dangled down. "Youse got plenty of 'splainin' ta do, pal, and I's don't just mean da possible assault. I's got my eye on ya, so no funny business, capiche?" He says roughly, following the other two as they carry the unconscious Pippins away. The monochrome Pippins snickers, though at what is a little uncertain. Hopefully not at you...

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben yelps as he's lifted unceremoniously off the ground. He struggles for about one second before he gives up, realizing how pointless that is.)

(*He cranes his head around to try and watch where they're headed. The mental map he has of the studio seems to be inaccurate to this version of it, though, because he quickly feels lost. Maybe that's just because he's upside-down, though.)

(*He keeps track of the turns and lengths of the hallways just in case, though. He doesn't seem to have much to say to the Zapper carrying him.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

As the path twists and turns, a few other workers pass by, and while it's not as pronounced as Reuben's, they do seem an order more tired than your world's... But soon enough, you arrive at the infirmary.

"Alright, Daze, you know the drill. Where's his ID card, I need to write up a log for this guy..." The Rudinn sighs. They rummage around Reuben's inventory for a bit before fishing out the card in question, a few empty coffee pots tumbling out alongside it. Yes, coffee pots. The Rudinn looks down at the small mess and simply swats them out of the way with their tail as they slither back to their desk. "Reuben, Pippins #5... Passed out from exhaustion, as well as a minor head injury. Not to mention a possible caffeine overdose... But that's not unusual for this set."

Meanwhile, the Zapper, somewhat callously, tosses Reuben into a seat and stands in front of him, arms crossed as his buttons and headlight glow an ominous red. "Let's get da foist ting outta da way. Ya tie's not on wit da dress code. Red tie or bust, buddy." Hm, so that's why the other you was wearing two ties...

"Aspen, come on, Tenna's not here, you don't need to put on all the pageantry. You know as well as I do that no one really follows the dress code to the letter here." The monochrome Pippins quips as he lays a moist towel on the unconscious Reuben's forehead. "Besides, I think there's something more at play here. Why don't we all introduce ourselves first, hmm~?" He begins to approach Reuben, smiling just a bit wickedly as his tail flicks to and fro before winding it and his arm around the Zapper's waist with a fond hum.

His checkerboard poncho flutters slightly as he leans in close, showing a bit of teeth through the grin. "The name's Daze, and this is Aspen, my wonderful boyfriend and brainwashed thrall-"

"GH-" The Zapper, named Aspen, apparently, loses his composure almost instantly, any intimidation factor being lost as he abruptly grabs Daze and starts to shake him vigorously, blushing as his buttons and headlight blaze brighter than ever before. “Don't call me dat in public to a guy we's nevah met!!” He hisses. Daze just giggles relentlessly, his pupils spinning as Aspen stops shaking him.

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben tries to keep up with everything happening, his eyes drifting from the Rudinn and the other him to Aspen and Daze. He tries to keep a polite enough look on his face.)

(*As soon as Aspen mentions his tie, however, that polite expression vanishes, replaced by panic and a defensive frown. He puts a hand over his tie, barely registering anything Daze is saying. He can't help but snicker at Aspen's reaction, though.)

(*Well, now what? He glances at the unconscious Pippins again, worry and confusion bubbling up. What's he supposed to tell them his name is? They evidently already know that the other him is Reuben. It would make him look bad to also claim that his name is Reuben, wouldn't it?)

(*He hums anxiously under his breath for a moment before sighing and speaking up softly, his gaze still locked on the quiet, battered form of what is essentially his own body.)

*My name is Reuben.

(*He hesitates, then speaks just the tiniest bit quieter.)

*And I'm... not sure how I got here.

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

Daze's playful attitude settles down into something more serious as Reuben explains himself, however shortly. "Hmmm... So it looks like we've got a case of seeing double, then." He says, tail brushing up and down Aspen's side as he muses. "You dunno how you got here? That makes it sound like you're not from these parts. But we also have someone with your name and face in the cot next door..."

"Mm..." Aspen leans closer to Reuben again, though he doesn't move from where Daze's tail is stroking him. "Well, we's found ya wit' ya twin brothah unconscious on da ground. Ya claim he swung foist, so why'd he give ya da ol' one two buckle my shoe?"

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben fights an amused smile at the phrasing of the question, frowning a little as he recalls the answer.)

*He, uh...

*He thought I had come to replace him...

(*He looks down at his tie again. For the first time in his life, he feels guilty for wearing it. It leaves a bad taste in his mouth. He shrinks back a little, tucking his chin over the knot of his tie subconsciously.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

"Well, what makes you so special, den? Ya don't seem dat different from each othah, 'sides da tie n' no tail." Aspen says. Daze looks up at him, frowning slightly, but before he can say anything-

"Daze, Giovanni's gonna be restocking the medicine closets for the first time. Could you show him the ropes so he knows what goes where?" Nurse Meth asks, setting aside the files they were working on as they slither towards their current patients. "I'll keep an eye on these two with Aspen."

The spiral eyed Pippins pouts at his boss, making a show of reluctantly pulling away from Aspen (who makes a soft whine juuuust loud enough to be heard), but softens soon after. "Sure thing, Nurse." He says, blowing the Zapper one last kiss before walking off.

"Ngh..." Reuben stirs, eyes fluttering open one at a time. He looks around blearily for a moment before spotting his counterpart. "! So it wasn't a dream..." The Pippins growls, trying to get out of his cot, the moist towel on his face falling into his lap. His claws grip the bed, but he freezes for a moment as he spots Aspen standing by.

"Park your over-caffeinated, underpaid butt back on that mattress, mister." Nurse Meth remarks bluntly, scowling. "I have six different reports with your name on them. Am I going to need to give you a membership card or something?"

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben flinches slightly at the question of what makes him special, something deep and heavy settling in his chest. He opens his mouth to respond, although he really doesn't have anything to say, but immediately shuts it when he hears Aspen whine. He directs his gaze to the floor, lips pressed tightly together and face turning slightly red as he fights the urge to giggle uncomfortably.)

(*When the other him wakes up, however, he looks back up instantly, all humor lost in his expression, replaced by slight concern and guilt. When Nurse Meth speaks, he bites his lip and looks away again, this time feeling like he really shouldn't be here.)

(*He shouldn't. This isn't his studio. This isn't his place of work. He doesn't belong here. He really needs to stop letting those strange beings mess with him, he just needs to get home. He wants to leave already. He wants to leave.)

(*He continues to internally spiral, no longer fully aware of anyone in the room.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

Aspen stands a little straighter as Daze leaves, getting himself fully back into work mode as he scrutinizes the two Reubens. He turns to the tailless one, seeing as Nurse Meth is still chewing the ear of the other.

Aspen looks down at Reuben as he spirals, hopping a little closer. "Hey, I's dunno what da heck is goin' on here, but ya don't look so hot. Y'ain't supposed ta be here, so it'd benefit da both of us ta get ya back wherever ya came from. What-" 

Something isn't right

“Behop?? Who's dat?” Aspen frowns, or at least does something to approximate it. Though, who is he talking to…? “What, ya in cahoots or sometin'?” He turns back to Reuben. His tone, while accusatory, is at least less harsh than earlier. 

Meanwhile, Nurse Meth does a brief check up on the other Reuben in the room, taking note of his vitals. “Well, after a thorough inspection, I can say you have a clean bill of health.”

“Wait, really?” The tailed Pippins said, eyes wide.

“Of course not!" Nurse Meth replied sharply, tail thumping against the floor. “Look, you've been in here so often that you're practically a regular, and I've said this every time. You overwork yourself way too much, and you seem to sleep, what, once a week? Do you know what the word "unwind" means? Tenna won't miss one Pippins slacking off." 

Reuben tenses up, starting to claw at his red tie again. “… It's not that simple. What would you even suggest I do? This place needs someone to clean it.” 

“There's more than one janitor on set, you'll be fine. Don't you Pippinses like getting shaken? Clock me, drill me, something something?” The Rudinn says flippantly. “I hear that a lot from the others around set.” 

Reuben hisses, tail fluffing up in rage. “I am not like-!” 

“WHWHWHWHWHWHA-?!” The dual tied Darkner warbled, his head spinning at high speeds and making a loud rattling noise as he was shaken at high speeds by some invisible force. 

“What in the-?! DAZE! Get in here, we have a seizure on our hands!” Nurse Meth calls. 

[reuben-the-pippins]

*Wh- Behop? No, I-

(*Reuben cuts himself off when the other him gets shaken, startled. He blinks. confused and nervous. What the hell is that about? And why'd Aspen ask him about Behop?)

(*He sinks somehow lower in the seat, suddenly consumed with a homesickness he's not familiar with. He doesn't want to be here any longer...)

(*He takes a deep breath and quietly continues his thought from before, not sure if Aspen can hear him or not.)

*Behop is a friend of mine. They aren't the reason I'm here, though. They don't even know l'm here. I don't know how I even got here.

[reuben-the-pippins]

I'm sure he's fine. Though, would you be interested in checking out its set? Apparently they've got a Tenna of their own. Maybe there's some new shows they're running or something? And technically it's not you being off the clock or anything...

(*Reuben hums, glancing up at a clock on the wall. He shifts his grip on the mop he's using and looks back down at the ground.)

*I mean... I won't lie. Knowing that it's a different universe is pretty cool.

*I'd be interested to see what's different and what's not.

*But... I can't exactly leave right now. Not when this floor is only halfway mopped.

*But maybe when I get off work in...

(*He glances back up at the wall, looks away, then looks back again in shock as he realizes the clock isn't where it was a few seconds ago.)

*What the...

*Where did the...

(*He turns around to put the mop back in the bucket and freezes. The bucket is gone too. He blinks at the place it had been, getting more confused by the second.)

*What is going on here?

(*If he were to pay more attention to his surroundings, he'd be aware of a change in atmosphere in the room.)

(*Smells like fading desperation...)

(*Reuben tightens his grip on the mop as he looks around. Maybe someone took the bucket to mess with him. He heads out of the room and into the next one, not noticing another Pippins near the doorway.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

The room's decor seems a bit less faded than you remember, the area's usual glitz and glamour even more painfully emphasized. Furniture is rearranged, and there's a small bowl of cheap candy on a nearby table.

Not that Reuben can tell, considering someone tripped him two seconds after he walked in. He slaps his own wet mop on the floor, right next to Reuben's head, and starts cleaning.

"Oops." He says flatly, not even pretending to seem apologetic. The other Pippins looks down at Reuben with noticable disdain, his tail curled and tense.

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben groans as he sits up, rubbing his face painfully. He doesn't even register the actual voice at first, just the flat, unapologetic tone. He stands up, dusting himself off, his voice full of fury and confusion.)

*What the heck? Are you kidding me? Why did you do... that... to...

(*Any words he'd had moments ago disappear from his lips as he finally gets a good look at who tripped him. He finally registers the voice of this Pippins a few moments too late, and he just stares in shock.)

(*He blinks, rattling his head slightly to clear it. It can't be. There's no way. He was just at work. He was in his own studio. There's no way just talking about it did this.)

(*And then he notices the double ties. One slightly frayed red one over a hidden but pristine pink one. Oh. Oh good. He's going to ignore the reason for the double ties and also the fact that he has somehow gone to another universe without moving or even leaving the set. It hurts his head too much to think about.)

(*Speaking of hurting his head... He's been silently staring a little too long at the one who tripped him.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

He seems even more exhausted than you do. There are noticeable bags under his eyes, and his uniform seems more rumpled than normal. And of course... A red tie over his pink one.

"What? I'm just cle-" As the other him looks up, Reuben finally recognizes his own face. His grip on his mop tightens, claws digging into the wood as his shock plunges rapidly into dread.

"...?!" He rears back for a moment before swinging his mop at his other self's head, that dread bleeding into anger and panic. "You- You've got to be kidding me...! This- This is stupid. I'm not-! I'm not going to be replaced like this-!" He's shaking, eyes firmly locked on the other Reuben's pink tie.

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben yelps and ducks down, narrowly avoiding having his head cracked open. He takes a few steps backwards, hands raised placatingly.)

*Wh- No! No, no, no, I'm not- I'm not replacing you! I don't-

(*He trips over his own mop, having forgotten about it when he fell earlier. He goes sprawling backwards, but quickly grabs the mop and raises it in self defense in case the other him decides to take another swing at him while he's down.)

*Listen, I just showed up here! I have no plans on taking your place, okay? That- I-

(*He can't believe he's telling another version of himself this. He can't even believe that another version of himself would think that as his first thought upon seeing another version of himself. Aaaand he's going to stop thinking about it now because it's hurting his head again.)

(*It's then that he registers where the other Reuben's eyes are focused, and his other hand drifts automatically to grab at his tie. He... probably can't defend himself one-handed with a mop, but he'll figure that out if it comes to it.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

"Why else would you be here?! Am I really so- So...?!" He can't even finish his own sentence, trailing off into frustrated growls as he tries to take another swing at his doppelganger. His tail has puffed up like a cat's, as if trying to make himself more intimidating.

"You... You're just wearing it out in the open..." Reuben growls, scratching at his red tie again. He grabs the bucket he was using to clean and kicks it at the other Reuben, splashing dirty, soapy water everywhere. "I'm not gonna roll over and let the universe tell me to my face I'm worthless!"

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben flinches, raising his own mop higher to stop, or at least slow, the blow. He scrambles backwards on the ground, also narrowly avoiding getting covered in dirty water.)

*I don't know why I'm here! I was just responding to- uh. To someone, and I was suddenly here!

(*He scoots a little farther back and gets back to his feet, trying to avoid slipping on the sudsy water that was quickly spreading across the floor.)

*I- You're not worthless! You're not! You- you can't-

(*He swallows hard, suddenly fully realizing the implications of that statement. If this other him is worthless, what does that say about himself? He rattles away the thought, focusing on the situation at hand.)

*I'm- I'm not from here! I- In my- uh- At home, I can-

(*How the heck does he explain this without seeming insane? Well... more insane than his counterpart here is acting. He tries not to think about that too hard. Again.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

"I don't wanna hear anything from you!" He snaps, trying to jab the other him in the stomach this time. "What do you get out of this? Just sick kicks? Knowing you're better than me?"

As he raises his mop again, though, he soon slips on the soapy water he himself spilled everywhere. "Wah-!" He hits his head on a nearby counter, and combined with his clear exhaustion, Reuben nigh immediately passes out. Anticlimax much?

Well, now what will you do?

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben barely has time to get out of the way of the jab before the other him is sprawled on the wet, slick floor. He stares at the unconscious Pippins, confused and conflicted.)

(*He looks around the room. Thank goodness no one was in here. But... now what? He looks down at the other him, thinking aloud.)

*Well, now what? I... could probably try to get you home. Maybe. Assuming the directions are the same and you don't wake up while I drag you there...

*Then again, I don't know... I should probably find a way home...

*Hm...

(*He's too lost in thought to pay attention to his surroundings right now.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

Regrettably, as Reuben muses on his next course of action, it seems that his hand would soon be forced one way or the other.

"Ya's got legs, Daze, and our break's ovah... Ya can walk back ta ya shift, can't ya?" A slightly washed out Zapper with a square grid of buttons hops along, fondly exasperated as a black and white Pippins in a checkerboard poncho happily lounges in his arms, eyes closed in bliss.

"Hmhmhm, you say that, and yet you're helpless against my control to carry me anyway, my sweet thrall!" The Pippins nips back, pecking the Zapper on the neck. One of his eyes cracks open, revealing his spiral pupils. "Doesn't obedience feel too good to pass up? Besides, your patrol route starts right around the infirmary anyway, so why split up early?"

A purple Rudinn sucking on a lollipop rolls their eyes at the display, but then freezes in place as they head through the door and see a certain two Pippinses. They swiftly slither over to the unconscious Pippins, doing a quick check in as they grumble. "This one again? You'd think the lesson would stick after five times in our care." 

The Zapper, meanwhile, switches to business mode on a dime, gently but professionally setting the Pippins down on the ground (to his dismay) as he then begins to approach Reuben. “Hey! What da heck's goin' on here, huh? Youse better have a good explanation fa dis, cuz, buddy, dis ain't a good look fa ya.” He points at the unconscious Reuben, looming over the conscious one.

The monochrome Pippins looks between the two Reubens, putting a hand to his chin pensively. “Hmmm…”

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben stumbles back a few steps as he's approached, putting his hands up defensively.)

*Okay, yeah, I know how it looks, but-

(*He pauses, glancing down at his other self and then looking back up at the Zapper. He's never seen a Zapper like this one before. Come to think of it, he's never seen any of these three before. He's almost certain he would recognize them if he did. He instinctively grabs his tie for support.)

*He attacked me and slipped on the water from his mop bucket that he knocked over.

(*He hesitates and looks down again.)

*Wait- five times? What do you mean...?

(*Reuben seems to have yet to notice the attention he's getting from the monochrome Pippins.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

"Well, I don't know his name, but-" The Rudinn turns to look at Reuben, then pauses, looking at the other Reuben on the ground, then the one awake, narrowing their eyes at him. "... What the [expletive]-"

"Hey~, why don't we save the interrogation for after we get these two to the infirmary? I've got questions too, you know, and this seems like it'll beat changing out ice packs and handing out healing items." The monochrome Pippins cuts in swiftly as his tail sways back and forth, eyes still on the pink tied Reuben before he helps pick up the former's counterpart. Though... While you're pretty sure there's an infirmary on set, it's nowhere near this area. Are they really going to take you all the way around?

Suddenly, the Zapper picks Reuben up by the wrists and ankles, big mitts firmly holding his limbs in the air as the rest of his body dangled down. "Youse got plenty of 'splainin' ta do, pal, and I's don't just mean da possible assault. I's got my eye on ya, so no funny business, capiche?" He says roughly, following the other two as they carry the unconscious Pippins away. The monochrome Pippins snickers, though at what is a little uncertain. Hopefully not at you...

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben yelps as he's lifted unceremoniously off the ground. He struggles for about one second before he gives up, realizing how pointless that is.)

(*He cranes his head around to try and watch where they're headed. The mental map he has of the studio seems to be inaccurate to this version of it, though, because he quickly feels lost. Maybe that's just because he's upside-down, though.)

(*He keeps track of the turns and lengths of the hallways just in case, though. He doesn't seem to have much to say to the Zapper carrying him.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

As the path twists and turns, a few other workers pass by, and while it's not as pronounced as Reuben's, they do seem an order more tired than your world's... But soon enough, you arrive at the infirmary.

"Alright, Daze, you know the drill. Where's his ID card, I need to write up a log for this guy..." The Rudinn sighs. They rummage around Reuben's inventory for a bit before fishing out the card in question, a few empty coffee pots tumbling out alongside it. Yes, coffee pots. The Rudinn looks down at the small mess and simply swats them out of the way with their tail as they slither back to their desk. "Reuben, Pippins #5... Passed out from exhaustion, as well as a minor head injury. Not to mention a possible caffeine overdose... But that's not unusual for this set."

Meanwhile, the Zapper, somewhat callously, tosses Reuben into a seat and stands in front of him, arms crossed as his buttons and headlight glow an ominous red. "Let's get da foist ting outta da way. Ya tie's not on wit da dress code. Red tie or bust, buddy." Hm, so that's why the other you was wearing two ties...

"Aspen, come on, Tenna's not here, you don't need to put on all the pageantry. You know as well as I do that no one really follows the dress code to the letter here." The monochrome Pippins quips as he lays a moist towel on the unconscious Reuben's forehead. "Besides, I think there's something more at play here. Why don't we all introduce ourselves first, hmm~?" He begins to approach Reuben, smiling just a bit wickedly as his tail flicks to and fro before winding it and his arm around the Zapper's waist with a fond hum.

His checkerboard poncho flutters slightly as he leans in close, showing a bit of teeth through the grin. "The name's Daze, and this is Aspen, my wonderful boyfriend and brainwashed thrall-"

"GH-" The Zapper, named Aspen, apparently, loses his composure almost instantly, any intimidation factor being lost as he abruptly grabs Daze and starts to shake him vigorously, blushing as his buttons and headlight blaze brighter than ever before. “Don't call me dat in public to a guy we's nevah met!!” He hisses. Daze just giggles relentlessly, his pupils spinning as Aspen stops shaking him.

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben tries to keep up with everything happening, his eyes drifting from the Rudinn and the other him to Aspen and Daze. He tries to keep a polite enough look on his face.)

(*As soon as Aspen mentions his tie, however, that polite expression vanishes, replaced by panic and a defensive frown. He puts a hand over his tie, barely registering anything Daze is saying. He can't help but snicker at Aspen's reaction, though.)

(*Well, now what? He glances at the unconscious Pippins again, worry and confusion bubbling up. What's he supposed to tell them his name is? They evidently already know that the other him is Reuben. It would make him look bad to also claim that his name is Reuben, wouldn't it?)

(*He hums anxiously under his breath for a moment before sighing and speaking up softly, his gaze still locked on the quiet, battered form of what is essentially his own body.)

*My name is Reuben.

(*He hesitates, then speaks just the tiniest bit quieter.)

*And I'm... not sure how I got here.

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

Daze's playful attitude settles down into something more serious as Reuben explains himself, however shortly. "Hmmm... So it looks like we've got a case of seeing double, then." He says, tail brushing up and down Aspen's side as he muses. "You dunno how you got here? That makes it sound like you're not from these parts. But we also have someone with your name and face in the cot next door..."

"Mm..." Aspen leans closer to Reuben again, though he doesn't move from where Daze's tail is stroking him. "Well, we's found ya wit' ya twin brothah unconscious on da ground. Ya claim he swung foist, so why'd he give ya da ol' one two buckle my shoe?"

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben fights an amused smile at the phrasing of the question, frowning a little as he recalls the answer.)

*He, uh...

*He thought I had come to replace him...

(*He looks down at his tie again. For the first time in his life, he feels guilty for wearing it. It leaves a bad taste in his mouth. He shrinks back a little, tucking his chin over the knot of his tie subconsciously.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

"Well, what makes you so special, den? Ya don't seem dat different from each othah, 'sides da tie n' no tail." Aspen says. Daze looks up at him, frowning slightly, but before he can say anything-

"Daze, Giovanni's gonna be restocking the medicine closets for the first time. Could you show him the ropes so he knows what goes where?" Nurse Meth asks, setting aside the files they were working on as they slither towards their current patients. "I'll keep an eye on these two with Aspen."

The spiral eyed Pippins pouts at his boss, making a show of reluctantly pulling away from Aspen (who makes a soft whine juuuust loud enough to be heard), but softens soon after. "Sure thing, Nurse." He says, blowing the Zapper one last kiss before walking off.

"Ngh..." Reuben stirs, eyes fluttering open one at a time. He looks around blearily for a moment before spotting his counterpart. "! So it wasn't a dream..." The Pippins growls, trying to get out of his cot, the moist towel on his face falling into his lap. His claws grip the bed, but he freezes for a moment as he spots Aspen standing by.

"Park your over-caffeinated, underpaid butt back on that mattress, mister." Nurse Meth remarks bluntly, scowling. "I have six different reports with your name on them. Am I going to need to give you a membership card or something?"

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben flinches slightly at the question of what makes him special, something deep and heavy settling in his chest. He opens his mouth to respond, although he really doesn't have anything to say, but immediately shuts it when he hears Aspen whine. He directs his gaze to the floor, lips pressed tightly together and face turning slightly red as he fights the urge to giggle uncomfortably.)

(*When the other him wakes up, however, he looks back up instantly, all humor lost in his expression, replaced by slight concern and guilt. When Nurse Meth speaks, he bites his lip and looks away again, this time feeling like he really shouldn't be here.)

(*He shouldn't. This isn't his studio. This isn't his place of work. He doesn't belong here. He really needs to stop letting those strange beings mess with him, he just needs to get home. He wants to leave already. He wants to leave.)

(*He continues to internally spiral, no longer fully aware of anyone in the room.)

[reuben-the-pippins]

I'm sure he's fine. Though, would you be interested in checking out its set? Apparently they've got a Tenna of their own. Maybe there's some new shows they're running or something? And technically it's not you being off the clock or anything...

(*Reuben hums, glancing up at a clock on the wall. He shifts his grip on the mop he's using and looks back down at the ground.)

*I mean... I won't lie. Knowing that it's a different universe is pretty cool.

*I'd be interested to see what's different and what's not.

*But... I can't exactly leave right now. Not when this floor is only halfway mopped.

*But maybe when I get off work in...

(*He glances back up at the wall, looks away, then looks back again in shock as he realizes the clock isn't where it was a few seconds ago.)

*What the...

*Where did the...

(*He turns around to put the mop back in the bucket and freezes. The bucket is gone too. He blinks at the place it had been, getting more confused by the second.)

*What is going on here?

(*If he were to pay more attention to his surroundings, he'd be aware of a change in atmosphere in the room.)

(*Smells like fading desperation...)

(*Reuben tightens his grip on the mop as he looks around. Maybe someone took the bucket to mess with him. He heads out of the room and into the next one, not noticing another Pippins near the doorway.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

The room's decor seems a bit less faded than you remember, the area's usual glitz and glamour even more painfully emphasized. Furniture is rearranged, and there's a small bowl of cheap candy on a nearby table.

Not that Reuben can tell, considering someone tripped him two seconds after he walked in. He slaps his own wet mop on the floor, right next to Reuben's head, and starts cleaning.

"Oops." He says flatly, not even pretending to seem apologetic. The other Pippins looks down at Reuben with noticable disdain, his tail curled and tense.

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben groans as he sits up, rubbing his face painfully. He doesn't even register the actual voice at first, just the flat, unapologetic tone. He stands up, dusting himself off, his voice full of fury and confusion.)

*What the heck? Are you kidding me? Why did you do... that... to...

(*Any words he'd had moments ago disappear from his lips as he finally gets a good look at who tripped him. He finally registers the voice of this Pippins a few moments too late, and he just stares in shock.)

(*He blinks, rattling his head slightly to clear it. It can't be. There's no way. He was just at work. He was in his own studio. There's no way just talking about it did this.)

(*And then he notices the double ties. One slightly frayed red one over a hidden but pristine pink one. Oh. Oh good. He's going to ignore the reason for the double ties and also the fact that he has somehow gone to another universe without moving or even leaving the set. It hurts his head too much to think about.)

(*Speaking of hurting his head... He's been silently staring a little too long at the one who tripped him.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

He seems even more exhausted than you do. There are noticeable bags under his eyes, and his uniform seems more rumpled than normal. And of course... A red tie over his pink one.

"What? I'm just cle-" As the other him looks up, Reuben finally recognizes his own face. His grip on his mop tightens, claws digging into the wood as his shock plunges rapidly into dread.

"...?!" He rears back for a moment before swinging his mop at his other self's head, that dread bleeding into anger and panic. "You- You've got to be kidding me...! This- This is stupid. I'm not-! I'm not going to be replaced like this-!" He's shaking, eyes firmly locked on the other Reuben's pink tie.

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben yelps and ducks down, narrowly avoiding having his head cracked open. He takes a few steps backwards, hands raised placatingly.)

*Wh- No! No, no, no, I'm not- I'm not replacing you! I don't-

(*He trips over his own mop, having forgotten about it when he fell earlier. He goes sprawling backwards, but quickly grabs the mop and raises it in self defense in case the other him decides to take another swing at him while he's down.)

*Listen, I just showed up here! I have no plans on taking your place, okay? That- I-

(*He can't believe he's telling another version of himself this. He can't even believe that another version of himself would think that as his first thought upon seeing another version of himself. Aaaand he's going to stop thinking about it now because it's hurting his head again.)

(*It's then that he registers where the other Reuben's eyes are focused, and his other hand drifts automatically to grab at his tie. He... probably can't defend himself one-handed with a mop, but he'll figure that out if it comes to it.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

"Why else would you be here?! Am I really so- So...?!" He can't even finish his own sentence, trailing off into frustrated growls as he tries to take another swing at his doppelganger. His tail has puffed up like a cat's, as if trying to make himself more intimidating.

"You... You're just wearing it out in the open..." Reuben growls, scratching at his red tie again. He grabs the bucket he was using to clean and kicks it at the other Reuben, splashing dirty, soapy water everywhere. "I'm not gonna roll over and let the universe tell me to my face I'm worthless!"

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben flinches, raising his own mop higher to stop, or at least slow, the blow. He scrambles backwards on the ground, also narrowly avoiding getting covered in dirty water.)

*I don't know why I'm here! I was just responding to- uh. To someone, and I was suddenly here!

(*He scoots a little farther back and gets back to his feet, trying to avoid slipping on the sudsy water that was quickly spreading across the floor.)

*I- You're not worthless! You're not! You- you can't-

(*He swallows hard, suddenly fully realizing the implications of that statement. If this other him is worthless, what does that say about himself? He rattles away the thought, focusing on the situation at hand.)

*I'm- I'm not from here! I- In my- uh- At home, I can-

(*How the heck does he explain this without seeming insane? Well... more insane than his counterpart here is acting. He tries not to think about that too hard. Again.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

"I don't wanna hear anything from you!" He snaps, trying to jab the other him in the stomach this time. "What do you get out of this? Just sick kicks? Knowing you're better than me?"

As he raises his mop again, though, he soon slips on the soapy water he himself spilled everywhere. "Wah-!" He hits his head on a nearby counter, and combined with his clear exhaustion, Reuben nigh immediately passes out. Anticlimax much?

Well, now what will you do?

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben barely has time to get out of the way of the jab before the other him is sprawled on the wet, slick floor. He stares at the unconscious Pippins, confused and conflicted.)

(*He looks around the room. Thank goodness no one was in here. But... now what? He looks down at the other him, thinking aloud.)

*Well, now what? I... could probably try to get you home. Maybe. Assuming the directions are the same and you don't wake up while I drag you there...

*Then again, I don't know... I should probably find a way home...

*Hm...

(*He's too lost in thought to pay attention to his surroundings right now.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

Regrettably, as Reuben muses on his next course of action, it seems that his hand would soon be forced one way or the other.

"Ya's got legs, Daze, and our break's ovah... Ya can walk back ta ya shift, can't ya?" A slightly washed out Zapper with a square grid of buttons hops along, fondly exasperated as a black and white Pippins in a checkerboard poncho happily lounges in his arms, eyes closed in bliss.

"Hmhmhm, you say that, and yet you're helpless against my control to carry me anyway, my sweet thrall!" The Pippins nips back, pecking the Zapper on the neck. One of his eyes cracks open, revealing his spiral pupils. "Doesn't obedience feel too good to pass up? Besides, your patrol route starts right around the infirmary anyway, so why split up early?"

A purple Rudinn sucking on a lollipop rolls their eyes at the display, but then freezes in place as they head through the door and see a certain two Pippinses. They swiftly slither over to the unconscious Pippins, doing a quick check in as they grumble. "This one again? You'd think the lesson would stick after five times in our care." 

The Zapper, meanwhile, switches to business mode on a dime, gently but professionally setting the Pippins down on the ground (to his dismay) as he then begins to approach Reuben. “Hey! What da heck's goin' on here, huh? Youse better have a good explanation fa dis, cuz, buddy, dis ain't a good look fa ya.” He points at the unconscious Reuben, looming over the conscious one.

The monochrome Pippins looks between the two Reubens, putting a hand to his chin pensively. “Hmmm…”

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben stumbles back a few steps as he's approached, putting his hands up defensively.)

*Okay, yeah, I know how it looks, but-

(*He pauses, glancing down at his other self and then looking back up at the Zapper. He's never seen a Zapper like this one before. Come to think of it, he's never seen any of these three before. He's almost certain he would recognize them if he did. He instinctively grabs his tie for support.)

*He attacked me and slipped on the water from his mop bucket that he knocked over.

(*He hesitates and looks down again.)

*Wait- five times? What do you mean...?

(*Reuben seems to have yet to notice the attention he's getting from the monochrome Pippins.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

"Well, I don't know his name, but-" The Rudinn turns to look at Reuben, then pauses, looking at the other Reuben on the ground, then the one awake, narrowing their eyes at him. "... What the [expletive]-"

"Hey~, why don't we save the interrogation for after we get these two to the infirmary? I've got questions too, you know, and this seems like it'll beat changing out ice packs and handing out healing items." The monochrome Pippins cuts in swiftly as his tail sways back and forth, eyes still on the pink tied Reuben before he helps pick up the former's counterpart. Though... While you're pretty sure there's an infirmary on set, it's nowhere near this area. Are they really going to take you all the way around?

Suddenly, the Zapper picks Reuben up by the wrists and ankles, big mitts firmly holding his limbs in the air as the rest of his body dangled down. "Youse got plenty of 'splainin' ta do, pal, and I's don't just mean da possible assault. I's got my eye on ya, so no funny business, capiche?" He says roughly, following the other two as they carry the unconscious Pippins away. The monochrome Pippins snickers, though at what is a little uncertain. Hopefully not at you...

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben yelps as he's lifted unceremoniously off the ground. He struggles for about one second before he gives up, realizing how pointless that is.)

(*He cranes his head around to try and watch where they're headed. The mental map he has of the studio seems to be inaccurate to this version of it, though, because he quickly feels lost. Maybe that's just because he's upside-down, though.)

(*He keeps track of the turns and lengths of the hallways just in case, though. He doesn't seem to have much to say to the Zapper carrying him.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

As the path twists and turns, a few other workers pass by, and while it's not as pronounced as Reuben's, they do seem an order more tired than your world's... But soon enough, you arrive at the infirmary.

"Alright, Daze, you know the drill. Where's his ID card, I need to write up a log for this guy..." The Rudinn sighs. They rummage around Reuben's inventory for a bit before fishing out the card in question, a few empty coffee pots tumbling out alongside it. Yes, coffee pots. The Rudinn looks down at the small mess and simply swats them out of the way with their tail as they slither back to their desk. "Reuben, Pippins #5... Passed out from exhaustion, as well as a minor head injury. Not to mention a possible caffeine overdose... But that's not unusual for this set."

Meanwhile, the Zapper, somewhat callously, tosses Reuben into a seat and stands in front of him, arms crossed as his buttons and headlight glow an ominous red. "Let's get da foist ting outta da way. Ya tie's not on wit da dress code. Red tie or bust, buddy." Hm, so that's why the other you was wearing two ties...

"Aspen, come on, Tenna's not here, you don't need to put on all the pageantry. You know as well as I do that no one really follows the dress code to the letter here." The monochrome Pippins quips as he lays a moist towel on the unconscious Reuben's forehead. "Besides, I think there's something more at play here. Why don't we all introduce ourselves first, hmm~?" He begins to approach Reuben, smiling just a bit wickedly as his tail flicks to and fro before winding it and his arm around the Zapper's waist with a fond hum.

His checkerboard poncho flutters slightly as he leans in close, showing a bit of teeth through the grin. "The name's Daze, and this is Aspen, my wonderful boyfriend and brainwashed thrall-"

"GH-" The Zapper, named Aspen, apparently, loses his composure almost instantly, any intimidation factor being lost as he abruptly grabs Daze and starts to shake him vigorously, blushing as his buttons and headlight blaze brighter than ever before. “Don't call me dat in public to a guy we's nevah met!!” He hisses. Daze just giggles relentlessly, his pupils spinning as Aspen stops shaking him.

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben tries to keep up with everything happening, his eyes drifting from the Rudinn and the other him to Aspen and Daze. He tries to keep a polite enough look on his face.)

(*As soon as Aspen mentions his tie, however, that polite expression vanishes, replaced by panic and a defensive frown. He puts a hand over his tie, barely registering anything Daze is saying. He can't help but snicker at Aspen's reaction, though.)

(*Well, now what? He glances at the unconscious Pippins again, worry and confusion bubbling up. What's he supposed to tell them his name is? They evidently already know that the other him is Reuben. It would make him look bad to also claim that his name is Reuben, wouldn't it?)

(*He hums anxiously under his breath for a moment before sighing and speaking up softly, his gaze still locked on the quiet, battered form of what is essentially his own body.)

*My name is Reuben.

(*He hesitates, then speaks just the tiniest bit quieter.)

*And I'm... not sure how I got here.

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

Daze's playful attitude settles down into something more serious as Reuben explains himself, however shortly. "Hmmm... So it looks like we've got a case of seeing double, then." He says, tail brushing up and down Aspen's side as he muses. "You dunno how you got here? That makes it sound like you're not from these parts. But we also have someone with your name and face in the cot next door..."

"Mm..." Aspen leans closer to Reuben again, though he doesn't move from where Daze's tail is stroking him. "Well, we's found ya wit' ya twin brothah unconscious on da ground. Ya claim he swung foist, so why'd he give ya da ol' one two buckle my shoe?"

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben fights an amused smile at the phrasing of the question, frowning a little as he recalls the answer.)

*He, uh...

*He thought I had come to replace him...

(*He looks down at his tie again. For the first time in his life, he feels guilty for wearing it. It leaves a bad taste in his mouth. He shrinks back a little, tucking his chin over the knot of his tie subconsciously.)

[reuben-the-pippins]

I'm sure he's fine. Though, would you be interested in checking out its set? Apparently they've got a Tenna of their own. Maybe there's some new shows they're running or something? And technically it's not you being off the clock or anything...

(*Reuben hums, glancing up at a clock on the wall. He shifts his grip on the mop he's using and looks back down at the ground.)

*I mean... I won't lie. Knowing that it's a different universe is pretty cool.

*I'd be interested to see what's different and what's not.

*But... I can't exactly leave right now. Not when this floor is only halfway mopped.

*But maybe when I get off work in...

(*He glances back up at the wall, looks away, then looks back again in shock as he realizes the clock isn't where it was a few seconds ago.)

*What the...

*Where did the...

(*He turns around to put the mop back in the bucket and freezes. The bucket is gone too. He blinks at the place it had been, getting more confused by the second.)

*What is going on here?

(*If he were to pay more attention to his surroundings, he'd be aware of a change in atmosphere in the room.)

(*Smells like fading desperation...)

(*Reuben tightens his grip on the mop as he looks around. Maybe someone took the bucket to mess with him. He heads out of the room and into the next one, not noticing another Pippins near the doorway.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

The room's decor seems a bit less faded than you remember, the area's usual glitz and glamour even more painfully emphasized. Furniture is rearranged, and there's a small bowl of cheap candy on a nearby table.

Not that Reuben can tell, considering someone tripped him two seconds after he walked in. He slaps his own wet mop on the floor, right next to Reuben's head, and starts cleaning.

"Oops." He says flatly, not even pretending to seem apologetic. The other Pippins looks down at Reuben with noticable disdain, his tail curled and tense.

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben groans as he sits up, rubbing his face painfully. He doesn't even register the actual voice at first, just the flat, unapologetic tone. He stands up, dusting himself off, his voice full of fury and confusion.)

*What the heck? Are you kidding me? Why did you do... that... to...

(*Any words he'd had moments ago disappear from his lips as he finally gets a good look at who tripped him. He finally registers the voice of this Pippins a few moments too late, and he just stares in shock.)

(*He blinks, rattling his head slightly to clear it. It can't be. There's no way. He was just at work. He was in his own studio. There's no way just talking about it did this.)

(*And then he notices the double ties. One slightly frayed red one over a hidden but pristine pink one. Oh. Oh good. He's going to ignore the reason for the double ties and also the fact that he has somehow gone to another universe without moving or even leaving the set. It hurts his head too much to think about.)

(*Speaking of hurting his head... He's been silently staring a little too long at the one who tripped him.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

He seems even more exhausted than you do. There are noticeable bags under his eyes, and his uniform seems more rumpled than normal. And of course... A red tie over his pink one.

"What? I'm just cle-" As the other him looks up, Reuben finally recognizes his own face. His grip on his mop tightens, claws digging into the wood as his shock plunges rapidly into dread.

"...?!" He rears back for a moment before swinging his mop at his other self's head, that dread bleeding into anger and panic. "You- You've got to be kidding me...! This- This is stupid. I'm not-! I'm not going to be replaced like this-!" He's shaking, eyes firmly locked on the other Reuben's pink tie.

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben yelps and ducks down, narrowly avoiding having his head cracked open. He takes a few steps backwards, hands raised placatingly.)

*Wh- No! No, no, no, I'm not- I'm not replacing you! I don't-

(*He trips over his own mop, having forgotten about it when he fell earlier. He goes sprawling backwards, but quickly grabs the mop and raises it in self defense in case the other him decides to take another swing at him while he's down.)

*Listen, I just showed up here! I have no plans on taking your place, okay? That- I-

(*He can't believe he's telling another version of himself this. He can't even believe that another version of himself would think that as his first thought upon seeing another version of himself. Aaaand he's going to stop thinking about it now because it's hurting his head again.)

(*It's then that he registers where the other Reuben's eyes are focused, and his other hand drifts automatically to grab at his tie. He... probably can't defend himself one-handed with a mop, but he'll figure that out if it comes to it.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

"Why else would you be here?! Am I really so- So...?!" He can't even finish his own sentence, trailing off into frustrated growls as he tries to take another swing at his doppelganger. His tail has puffed up like a cat's, as if trying to make himself more intimidating.

"You... You're just wearing it out in the open..." Reuben growls, scratching at his red tie again. He grabs the bucket he was using to clean and kicks it at the other Reuben, splashing dirty, soapy water everywhere. "I'm not gonna roll over and let the universe tell me to my face I'm worthless!"

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben flinches, raising his own mop higher to stop, or at least slow, the blow. He scrambles backwards on the ground, also narrowly avoiding getting covered in dirty water.)

*I don't know why I'm here! I was just responding to- uh. To someone, and I was suddenly here!

(*He scoots a little farther back and gets back to his feet, trying to avoid slipping on the sudsy water that was quickly spreading across the floor.)

*I- You're not worthless! You're not! You- you can't-

(*He swallows hard, suddenly fully realizing the implications of that statement. If this other him is worthless, what does that say about himself? He rattles away the thought, focusing on the situation at hand.)

*I'm- I'm not from here! I- In my- uh- At home, I can-

(*How the heck does he explain this without seeming insane? Well... more insane than his counterpart here is acting. He tries not to think about that too hard. Again.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

"I don't wanna hear anything from you!" He snaps, trying to jab the other him in the stomach this time. "What do you get out of this? Just sick kicks? Knowing you're better than me?"

As he raises his mop again, though, he soon slips on the soapy water he himself spilled everywhere. "Wah-!" He hits his head on a nearby counter, and combined with his clear exhaustion, Reuben nigh immediately passes out. Anticlimax much?

Well, now what will you do?

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben barely has time to get out of the way of the jab before the other him is sprawled on the wet, slick floor. He stares at the unconscious Pippins, confused and conflicted.)

(*He looks around the room. Thank goodness no one was in here. But... now what? He looks down at the other him, thinking aloud.)

*Well, now what? I... could probably try to get you home. Maybe. Assuming the directions are the same and you don't wake up while I drag you there...

*Then again, I don't know... I should probably find a way home...

*Hm...

(*He's too lost in thought to pay attention to his surroundings right now.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

Regrettably, as Reuben muses on his next course of action, it seems that his hand would soon be forced one way or the other.

"Ya's got legs, Daze, and our break's ovah... Ya can walk back ta ya shift, can't ya?" A slightly washed out Zapper with a square grid of buttons hops along, fondly exasperated as a black and white Pippins in a checkerboard poncho happily lounges in his arms, eyes closed in bliss.

"Hmhmhm, you say that, and yet you're helpless against my control to carry me anyway, my sweet thrall!" The Pippins nips back, pecking the Zapper on the neck. One of his eyes cracks open, revealing his spiral pupils. "Doesn't obedience feel too good to pass up? Besides, your patrol route starts right around the infirmary anyway, so why split up early?"

A purple Rudinn sucking on a lollipop rolls their eyes at the display, but then freezes in place as they head through the door and see a certain two Pippinses. They swiftly slither over to the unconscious Pippins, doing a quick check in as they grumble. "This one again? You'd think the lesson would stick after five times in our care." 

The Zapper, meanwhile, switches to business mode on a dime, gently but professionally setting the Pippins down on the ground (to his dismay) as he then begins to approach Reuben. “Hey! What da heck's goin' on here, huh? Youse better have a good explanation fa dis, cuz, buddy, dis ain't a good look fa ya.” He points at the unconscious Reuben, looming over the conscious one.

The monochrome Pippins looks between the two Reubens, putting a hand to his chin pensively. “Hmmm…”

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben stumbles back a few steps as he's approached, putting his hands up defensively.)

*Okay, yeah, I know how it looks, but-

(*He pauses, glancing down at his other self and then looking back up at the Zapper. He's never seen a Zapper like this one before. Come to think of it, he's never seen any of these three before. He's almost certain he would recognize them if he did. He instinctively grabs his tie for support.)

*He attacked me and slipped on the water from his mop bucket that he knocked over.

(*He hesitates and looks down again.)

*Wait- five times? What do you mean...?

(*Reuben seems to have yet to notice the attention he's getting from the monochrome Pippins.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

"Well, I don't know his name, but-" The Rudinn turns to look at Reuben, then pauses, looking at the other Reuben on the ground, then the one awake, narrowing their eyes at him. "... What the [expletive]-"

"Hey~, why don't we save the interrogation for after we get these two to the infirmary? I've got questions too, you know, and this seems like it'll beat changing out ice packs and handing out healing items." The monochrome Pippins cuts in swiftly as his tail sways back and forth, eyes still on the pink tied Reuben before he helps pick up the former's counterpart. Though... While you're pretty sure there's an infirmary on set, it's nowhere near this area. Are they really going to take you all the way around?

Suddenly, the Zapper picks Reuben up by the wrists and ankles, big mitts firmly holding his limbs in the air as the rest of his body dangled down. "Youse got plenty of 'splainin' ta do, pal, and I's don't just mean da possible assault. I's got my eye on ya, so no funny business, capiche?" He says roughly, following the other two as they carry the unconscious Pippins away. The monochrome Pippins snickers, though at what is a little uncertain. Hopefully not at you...

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben yelps as he's lifted unceremoniously off the ground. He struggles for about one second before he gives up, realizing how pointless that is.)

(*He cranes his head around to try and watch where they're headed. The mental map he has of the studio seems to be inaccurate to this version of it, though, because he quickly feels lost. Maybe that's just because he's upside-down, though.)

(*He keeps track of the turns and lengths of the hallways just in case, though. He doesn't seem to have much to say to the Zapper carrying him.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

As the path twists and turns, a few other workers pass by, and while it's not as pronounced as Reuben's, they do seem an order more tired than your world's... But soon enough, you arrive at the infirmary.

"Alright, Daze, you know the drill. Where's his ID card, I need to write up a log for this guy..." The Rudinn sighs. They rummage around Reuben's inventory for a bit before fishing out the card in question, a few empty coffee pots tumbling out alongside it. Yes, coffee pots. The Rudinn looks down at the small mess and simply swats them out of the way with their tail as they slither back to their desk. "Reuben, Pippins #5... Passed out from exhaustion, as well as a minor head injury. Not to mention a possible caffeine overdose... But that's not unusual for this set."

Meanwhile, the Zapper, somewhat callously, tosses Reuben into a seat and stands in front of him, arms crossed as his buttons and headlight glow an ominous red. "Let's get da foist ting outta da way. Ya tie's not on wit da dress code. Red tie or bust, buddy." Hm, so that's why the other you was wearing two ties...

"Aspen, come on, Tenna's not here, you don't need to put on all the pageantry. You know as well as I do that no one really follows the dress code to the letter here." The monochrome Pippins quips as he lays a moist towel on the unconscious Reuben's forehead. "Besides, I think there's something more at play here. Why don't we all introduce ourselves first, hmm~?" He begins to approach Reuben, smiling just a bit wickedly as his tail flicks to and fro before winding it and his arm around the Zapper's waist with a fond hum.

His checkerboard poncho flutters slightly as he leans in close, showing a bit of teeth through the grin. "The name's Daze, and this is Aspen, my wonderful boyfriend and brainwashed thrall-"

"GH-" The Zapper, named Aspen, apparently, loses his composure almost instantly, any intimidation factor being lost as he abruptly grabs Daze and starts to shake him vigorously, blushing as his buttons and headlight blaze brighter than ever before. “Don't call me dat in public to a guy we's nevah met!!” He hisses. Daze just giggles relentlessly, his pupils spinning as Aspen stops shaking him.

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben tries to keep up with everything happening, his eyes drifting from the Rudinn and the other him to Aspen and Daze. He tries to keep a polite enough look on his face.)

(*As soon as Aspen mentions his tie, however, that polite expression vanishes, replaced by panic and a defensive frown. He puts a hand over his tie, barely registering anything Daze is saying. He can't help but snicker at Aspen's reaction, though.)

(*Well, now what? He glances at the unconscious Pippins again, worry and confusion bubbling up. What's he supposed to tell them his name is? They evidently already know that the other him is Reuben. It would make him look bad to also claim that his name is Reuben, wouldn't it?)

(*He hums anxiously under his breath for a moment before sighing and speaking up softly, his gaze still locked on the quiet, battered form of what is essentially his own body.)

*My name is Reuben.

(*He hesitates, then speaks just the tiniest bit quieter.)

*And I'm... not sure how I got here.

[reuben-the-pippins]

I'm sure he's fine. Though, would you be interested in checking out its set? Apparently they've got a Tenna of their own. Maybe there's some new shows they're running or something? And technically it's not you being off the clock or anything...

(*Reuben hums, glancing up at a clock on the wall. He shifts his grip on the mop he's using and looks back down at the ground.)

*I mean... I won't lie. Knowing that it's a different universe is pretty cool.

*I'd be interested to see what's different and what's not.

*But... I can't exactly leave right now. Not when this floor is only halfway mopped.

*But maybe when I get off work in...

(*He glances back up at the wall, looks away, then looks back again in shock as he realizes the clock isn't where it was a few seconds ago.)

*What the...

*Where did the...

(*He turns around to put the mop back in the bucket and freezes. The bucket is gone too. He blinks at the place it had been, getting more confused by the second.)

*What is going on here?

(*If he were to pay more attention to his surroundings, he'd be aware of a change in atmosphere in the room.)

(*Smells like fading desperation...)

(*Reuben tightens his grip on the mop as he looks around. Maybe someone took the bucket to mess with him. He heads out of the room and into the next one, not noticing another Pippins near the doorway.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

The room's decor seems a bit less faded than you remember, the area's usual glitz and glamour even more painfully emphasized. Furniture is rearranged, and there's a small bowl of cheap candy on a nearby table.

Not that Reuben can tell, considering someone tripped him two seconds after he walked in. He slaps his own wet mop on the floor, right next to Reuben's head, and starts cleaning.

"Oops." He says flatly, not even pretending to seem apologetic. The other Pippins looks down at Reuben with noticable disdain, his tail curled and tense.

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben groans as he sits up, rubbing his face painfully. He doesn't even register the actual voice at first, just the flat, unapologetic tone. He stands up, dusting himself off, his voice full of fury and confusion.)

*What the heck? Are you kidding me? Why did you do... that... to...

(*Any words he'd had moments ago disappear from his lips as he finally gets a good look at who tripped him. He finally registers the voice of this Pippins a few moments too late, and he just stares in shock.)

(*He blinks, rattling his head slightly to clear it. It can't be. There's no way. He was just at work. He was in his own studio. There's no way just talking about it did this.)

(*And then he notices the double ties. One slightly frayed red one over a hidden but pristine pink one. Oh. Oh good. He's going to ignore the reason for the double ties and also the fact that he has somehow gone to another universe without moving or even leaving the set. It hurts his head too much to think about.)

(*Speaking of hurting his head... He's been silently staring a little too long at the one who tripped him.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

He seems even more exhausted than you do. There are noticeable bags under his eyes, and his uniform seems more rumpled than normal. And of course... A red tie over his pink one.

"What? I'm just cle-" As the other him looks up, Reuben finally recognizes his own face. His grip on his mop tightens, claws digging into the wood as his shock plunges rapidly into dread.

"...?!" He rears back for a moment before swinging his mop at his other self's head, that dread bleeding into anger and panic. "You- You've got to be kidding me...! This- This is stupid. I'm not-! I'm not going to be replaced like this-!" He's shaking, eyes firmly locked on the other Reuben's pink tie.

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben yelps and ducks down, narrowly avoiding having his head cracked open. He takes a few steps backwards, hands raised placatingly.)

*Wh- No! No, no, no, I'm not- I'm not replacing you! I don't-

(*He trips over his own mop, having forgotten about it when he fell earlier. He goes sprawling backwards, but quickly grabs the mop and raises it in self defense in case the other him decides to take another swing at him while he's down.)

*Listen, I just showed up here! I have no plans on taking your place, okay? That- I-

(*He can't believe he's telling another version of himself this. He can't even believe that another version of himself would think that as his first thought upon seeing another version of himself. Aaaand he's going to stop thinking about it now because it's hurting his head again.)

(*It's then that he registers where the other Reuben's eyes are focused, and his other hand drifts automatically to grab at his tie. He... probably can't defend himself one-handed with a mop, but he'll figure that out if it comes to it.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

"Why else would you be here?! Am I really so- So...?!" He can't even finish his own sentence, trailing off into frustrated growls as he tries to take another swing at his doppelganger. His tail has puffed up like a cat's, as if trying to make himself more intimidating.

"You... You're just wearing it out in the open..." Reuben growls, scratching at his red tie again. He grabs the bucket he was using to clean and kicks it at the other Reuben, splashing dirty, soapy water everywhere. "I'm not gonna roll over and let the universe tell me to my face I'm worthless!"

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben flinches, raising his own mop higher to stop, or at least slow, the blow. He scrambles backwards on the ground, also narrowly avoiding getting covered in dirty water.)

*I don't know why I'm here! I was just responding to- uh. To someone, and I was suddenly here!

(*He scoots a little farther back and gets back to his feet, trying to avoid slipping on the sudsy water that was quickly spreading across the floor.)

*I- You're not worthless! You're not! You- you can't-

(*He swallows hard, suddenly fully realizing the implications of that statement. If this other him is worthless, what does that say about himself? He rattles away the thought, focusing on the situation at hand.)

*I'm- I'm not from here! I- In my- uh- At home, I can-

(*How the heck does he explain this without seeming insane? Well... more insane than his counterpart here is acting. He tries not to think about that too hard. Again.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

"I don't wanna hear anything from you!" He snaps, trying to jab the other him in the stomach this time. "What do you get out of this? Just sick kicks? Knowing you're better than me?"

As he raises his mop again, though, he soon slips on the soapy water he himself spilled everywhere. "Wah-!" He hits his head on a nearby counter, and combined with his clear exhaustion, Reuben nigh immediately passes out. Anticlimax much?

Well, now what will you do?

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben barely has time to get out of the way of the jab before the other him is sprawled on the wet, slick floor. He stares at the unconscious Pippins, confused and conflicted.)

(*He looks around the room. Thank goodness no one was in here. But... now what? He looks down at the other him, thinking aloud.)

*Well, now what? I... could probably try to get you home. Maybe. Assuming the directions are the same and you don't wake up while I drag you there...

*Then again, I don't know... I should probably find a way home...

*Hm...

(*He's too lost in thought to pay attention to his surroundings right now.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

Regrettably, as Reuben muses on his next course of action, it seems that his hand would soon be forced one way or the other.

"Ya's got legs, Daze, and our break's ovah... Ya can walk back ta ya shift, can't ya?" A slightly washed out Zapper with a square grid of buttons hops along, fondly exasperated as a black and white Pippins in a checkerboard poncho happily lounges in his arms, eyes closed in bliss.

"Hmhmhm, you say that, and yet you're helpless against my control to carry me anyway, my sweet thrall!" The Pippins nips back, pecking the Zapper on the neck. One of his eyes cracks open, revealing his spiral pupils. "Doesn't obedience feel too good to pass up? Besides, your patrol route starts right around the infirmary anyway, so why split up early?"

A purple Rudinn sucking on a lollipop rolls their eyes at the display, but then freezes in place as they head through the door and see a certain two Pippinses. They swiftly slither over to the unconscious Pippins, doing a quick check in as they grumble. "This one again? You'd think the lesson would stick after five times in our care." 

The Zapper, meanwhile, switches to business mode on a dime, gently but professionally setting the Pippins down on the ground (to his dismay) as he then begins to approach Reuben. “Hey! What da heck's goin' on here, huh? Youse better have a good explanation fa dis, cuz, buddy, dis ain't a good look fa ya.” He points at the unconscious Reuben, looming over the conscious one.

The monochrome Pippins looks between the two Reubens, putting a hand to his chin pensively. “Hmmm…”

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben stumbles back a few steps as he's approached, putting his hands up defensively.)

*Okay, yeah, I know how it looks, but-

(*He pauses, glancing down at his other self and then looking back up at the Zapper. He's never seen a Zapper like this one before. Come to think of it, he's never seen any of these three before. He's almost certain he would recognize them if he did. He instinctively grabs his tie for support.)

*He attacked me and slipped on the water from his mop bucket that he knocked over.

(*He hesitates and looks down again.)

*Wait- five times? What do you mean...?

(*Reuben seems to have yet to notice the attention he's getting from the monochrome Pippins.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

"Well, I don't know his name, but-" The Rudinn turns to look at Reuben, then pauses, looking at the other Reuben on the ground, then the one awake, narrowing their eyes at him. "... What the [expletive]-"

"Hey~, why don't we save the interrogation for after we get these two to the infirmary? I've got questions too, you know, and this seems like it'll beat changing out ice packs and handing out healing items." The monochrome Pippins cuts in swiftly as his tail sways back and forth, eyes still on the pink tied Reuben before he helps pick up the former's counterpart. Though... While you're pretty sure there's an infirmary on set, it's nowhere near this area. Are they really going to take you all the way around?

Suddenly, the Zapper picks Reuben up by the wrists and ankles, big mitts firmly holding his limbs in the air as the rest of his body dangled down. "Youse got plenty of 'splainin' ta do, pal, and I's don't just mean da possible assault. I's got my eye on ya, so no funny business, capiche?" He says roughly, following the other two as they carry the unconscious Pippins away. The monochrome Pippins snickers, though at what is a little uncertain. Hopefully not at you...

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben yelps as he's lifted unceremoniously off the ground. He struggles for about one second before he gives up, realizing how pointless that is.)

(*He cranes his head around to try and watch where they're headed. The mental map he has of the studio seems to be inaccurate to this version of it, though, because he quickly feels lost. Maybe that's just because he's upside-down, though.)

(*He keeps track of the turns and lengths of the hallways just in case, though. He doesn't seem to have much to say to the Zapper carrying him.)

[reuben-the-pippins]

I'm sure he's fine. Though, would you be interested in checking out its set? Apparently they've got a Tenna of their own. Maybe there's some new shows they're running or something? And technically it's not you being off the clock or anything...

(*Reuben hums, glancing up at a clock on the wall. He shifts his grip on the mop he's using and looks back down at the ground.)

*I mean... I won't lie. Knowing that it's a different universe is pretty cool.

*I'd be interested to see what's different and what's not.

*But... I can't exactly leave right now. Not when this floor is only halfway mopped.

*But maybe when I get off work in...

(*He glances back up at the wall, looks away, then looks back again in shock as he realizes the clock isn't where it was a few seconds ago.)

*What the...

*Where did the...

(*He turns around to put the mop back in the bucket and freezes. The bucket is gone too. He blinks at the place it had been, getting more confused by the second.)

*What is going on here?

(*If he were to pay more attention to his surroundings, he'd be aware of a change in atmosphere in the room.)

(*Smells like fading desperation...)

(*Reuben tightens his grip on the mop as he looks around. Maybe someone took the bucket to mess with him. He heads out of the room and into the next one, not noticing another Pippins near the doorway.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

The room's decor seems a bit less faded than you remember, the area's usual glitz and glamour even more painfully emphasized. Furniture is rearranged, and there's a small bowl of cheap candy on a nearby table.

Not that Reuben can tell, considering someone tripped him two seconds after he walked in. He slaps his own wet mop on the floor, right next to Reuben's head, and starts cleaning.

"Oops." He says flatly, not even pretending to seem apologetic. The other Pippins looks down at Reuben with noticable disdain, his tail curled and tense.

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben groans as he sits up, rubbing his face painfully. He doesn't even register the actual voice at first, just the flat, unapologetic tone. He stands up, dusting himself off, his voice full of fury and confusion.)

*What the heck? Are you kidding me? Why did you do... that... to...

(*Any words he'd had moments ago disappear from his lips as he finally gets a good look at who tripped him. He finally registers the voice of this Pippins a few moments too late, and he just stares in shock.)

(*He blinks, rattling his head slightly to clear it. It can't be. There's no way. He was just at work. He was in his own studio. There's no way just talking about it did this.)

(*And then he notices the double ties. One slightly frayed red one over a hidden but pristine pink one. Oh. Oh good. He's going to ignore the reason for the double ties and also the fact that he has somehow gone to another universe without moving or even leaving the set. It hurts his head too much to think about.)

(*Speaking of hurting his head... He's been silently staring a little too long at the one who tripped him.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

He seems even more exhausted than you do. There are noticeable bags under his eyes, and his uniform seems more rumpled than normal. And of course... A red tie over his pink one.

"What? I'm just cle-" As the other him looks up, Reuben finally recognizes his own face. His grip on his mop tightens, claws digging into the wood as his shock plunges rapidly into dread.

"...?!" He rears back for a moment before swinging his mop at his other self's head, that dread bleeding into anger and panic. "You- You've got to be kidding me...! This- This is stupid. I'm not-! I'm not going to be replaced like this-!" He's shaking, eyes firmly locked on the other Reuben's pink tie.

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben yelps and ducks down, narrowly avoiding having his head cracked open. He takes a few steps backwards, hands raised placatingly.)

*Wh- No! No, no, no, I'm not- I'm not replacing you! I don't-

(*He trips over his own mop, having forgotten about it when he fell earlier. He goes sprawling backwards, but quickly grabs the mop and raises it in self defense in case the other him decides to take another swing at him while he's down.)

*Listen, I just showed up here! I have no plans on taking your place, okay? That- I-

(*He can't believe he's telling another version of himself this. He can't even believe that another version of himself would think that as his first thought upon seeing another version of himself. Aaaand he's going to stop thinking about it now because it's hurting his head again.)

(*It's then that he registers where the other Reuben's eyes are focused, and his other hand drifts automatically to grab at his tie. He... probably can't defend himself one-handed with a mop, but he'll figure that out if it comes to it.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

"Why else would you be here?! Am I really so- So...?!" He can't even finish his own sentence, trailing off into frustrated growls as he tries to take another swing at his doppelganger. His tail has puffed up like a cat's, as if trying to make himself more intimidating.

"You... You're just wearing it out in the open..." Reuben growls, scratching at his red tie again. He grabs the bucket he was using to clean and kicks it at the other Reuben, splashing dirty, soapy water everywhere. "I'm not gonna roll over and let the universe tell me to my face I'm worthless!"

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben flinches, raising his own mop higher to stop, or at least slow, the blow. He scrambles backwards on the ground, also narrowly avoiding getting covered in dirty water.)

*I don't know why I'm here! I was just responding to- uh. To someone, and I was suddenly here!

(*He scoots a little farther back and gets back to his feet, trying to avoid slipping on the sudsy water that was quickly spreading across the floor.)

*I- You're not worthless! You're not! You- you can't-

(*He swallows hard, suddenly fully realizing the implications of that statement. If this other him is worthless, what does that say about himself? He rattles away the thought, focusing on the situation at hand.)

*I'm- I'm not from here! I- In my- uh- At home, I can-

(*How the heck does he explain this without seeming insane? Well... more insane than his counterpart here is acting. He tries not to think about that too hard. Again.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

"I don't wanna hear anything from you!" He snaps, trying to jab the other him in the stomach this time. "What do you get out of this? Just sick kicks? Knowing you're better than me?"

As he raises his mop again, though, he soon slips on the soapy water he himself spilled everywhere. "Wah-!" He hits his head on a nearby counter, and combined with his clear exhaustion, Reuben nigh immediately passes out. Anticlimax much?

Well, now what will you do?

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben barely has time to get out of the way of the jab before the other him is sprawled on the wet, slick floor. He stares at the unconscious Pippins, confused and conflicted.)

(*He looks around the room. Thank goodness no one was in here. But... now what? He looks down at the other him, thinking aloud.)

*Well, now what? I... could probably try to get you home. Maybe. Assuming the directions are the same and you don't wake up while I drag you there...

*Then again, I don't know... I should probably find a way home...

*Hm...

(*He's too lost in thought to pay attention to his surroundings right now.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

Regrettably, as Reuben muses on his next course of action, it seems that his hand would soon be forced one way or the other.

"Ya's got legs, Daze, and our break's ovah... Ya can walk back ta ya shift, can't ya?" A slightly washed out Zapper with a square grid of buttons hops along, fondly exasperated as a black and white Pippins in a checkerboard poncho happily lounges in his arms, eyes closed in bliss.

"Hmhmhm, you say that, and yet you're helpless against my control to carry me anyway, my sweet thrall!" The Pippins nips back, pecking the Zapper on the neck. One of his eyes cracks open, revealing his spiral pupils. "Doesn't obedience feel too good to pass up? Besides, your patrol route starts right around the infirmary anyway, so why split up early?"

A purple Rudinn sucking on a lollipop rolls their eyes at the display, but then freezes in place as they head through the door and see a certain two Pippinses. They swiftly slither over to the unconscious Pippins, doing a quick check in as they grumble. "This one again? You'd think the lesson would stick after five times in our care." 

The Zapper, meanwhile, switches to business mode on a dime, gently but professionally setting the Pippins down on the ground (to his dismay) as he then begins to approach Reuben. “Hey! What da heck's goin' on here, huh? Youse better have a good explanation fa dis, cuz, buddy, dis ain't a good look fa ya.” He points at the unconscious Reuben, looming over the conscious one.

The monochrome Pippins looks between the two Reubens, putting a hand to his chin pensively. “Hmmm…”

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben stumbles back a few steps as he's approached, putting his hands up defensively.)

*Okay, yeah, I know how it looks, but-

(*He pauses, glancing down at his other self and then looking back up at the Zapper. He's never seen a Zapper like this one before. Come to think of it, he's never seen any of these three before. He's almost certain he would recognize them if he did. He instinctively grabs his tie for support.)

*He attacked me and slipped on the water from his mop bucket that he knocked over.

(*He hesitates and looks down again.)

*Wait- five times? What do you mean...?

(*Reuben seems to have yet to notice the attention he's getting from the monochrome Pippins.)

[reuben-the-pippins]

I'm sure he's fine. Though, would you be interested in checking out its set? Apparently they've got a Tenna of their own. Maybe there's some new shows they're running or something? And technically it's not you being off the clock or anything...

(*Reuben hums, glancing up at a clock on the wall. He shifts his grip on the mop he's using and looks back down at the ground.)

*I mean... I won't lie. Knowing that it's a different universe is pretty cool.

*I'd be interested to see what's different and what's not.

*But... I can't exactly leave right now. Not when this floor is only halfway mopped.

*But maybe when I get off work in...

(*He glances back up at the wall, looks away, then looks back again in shock as he realizes the clock isn't where it was a few seconds ago.)

*What the...

*Where did the...

(*He turns around to put the mop back in the bucket and freezes. The bucket is gone too. He blinks at the place it had been, getting more confused by the second.)

*What is going on here?

(*If he were to pay more attention to his surroundings, he'd be aware of a change in atmosphere in the room.)

(*Smells like fading desperation...)

(*Reuben tightens his grip on the mop as he looks around. Maybe someone took the bucket to mess with him. He heads out of the room and into the next one, not noticing another Pippins near the doorway.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

The room's decor seems a bit less faded than you remember, the area's usual glitz and glamour even more painfully emphasized. Furniture is rearranged, and there's a small bowl of cheap candy on a nearby table.

Not that Reuben can tell, considering someone tripped him two seconds after he walked in. He slaps his own wet mop on the floor, right next to Reuben's head, and starts cleaning.

"Oops." He says flatly, not even pretending to seem apologetic. The other Pippins looks down at Reuben with noticable disdain, his tail curled and tense.

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben groans as he sits up, rubbing his face painfully. He doesn't even register the actual voice at first, just the flat, unapologetic tone. He stands up, dusting himself off, his voice full of fury and confusion.)

*What the heck? Are you kidding me? Why did you do... that... to...

(*Any words he'd had moments ago disappear from his lips as he finally gets a good look at who tripped him. He finally registers the voice of this Pippins a few moments too late, and he just stares in shock.)

(*He blinks, rattling his head slightly to clear it. It can't be. There's no way. He was just at work. He was in his own studio. There's no way just talking about it did this.)

(*And then he notices the double ties. One slightly frayed red one over a hidden but pristine pink one. Oh. Oh good. He's going to ignore the reason for the double ties and also the fact that he has somehow gone to another universe without moving or even leaving the set. It hurts his head too much to think about.)

(*Speaking of hurting his head... He's been silently staring a little too long at the one who tripped him.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

He seems even more exhausted than you do. There are noticeable bags under his eyes, and his uniform seems more rumpled than normal. And of course... A red tie over his pink one.

"What? I'm just cle-" As the other him looks up, Reuben finally recognizes his own face. His grip on his mop tightens, claws digging into the wood as his shock plunges rapidly into dread.

"...?!" He rears back for a moment before swinging his mop at his other self's head, that dread bleeding into anger and panic. "You- You've got to be kidding me...! This- This is stupid. I'm not-! I'm not going to be replaced like this-!" He's shaking, eyes firmly locked on the other Reuben's pink tie.

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben yelps and ducks down, narrowly avoiding having his head cracked open. He takes a few steps backwards, hands raised placatingly.)

*Wh- No! No, no, no, I'm not- I'm not replacing you! I don't-

(*He trips over his own mop, having forgotten about it when he fell earlier. He goes sprawling backwards, but quickly grabs the mop and raises it in self defense in case the other him decides to take another swing at him while he's down.)

*Listen, I just showed up here! I have no plans on taking your place, okay? That- I-

(*He can't believe he's telling another version of himself this. He can't even believe that another version of himself would think that as his first thought upon seeing another version of himself. Aaaand he's going to stop thinking about it now because it's hurting his head again.)

(*It's then that he registers where the other Reuben's eyes are focused, and his other hand drifts automatically to grab at his tie. He... probably can't defend himself one-handed with a mop, but he'll figure that out if it comes to it.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

"Why else would you be here?! Am I really so- So...?!" He can't even finish his own sentence, trailing off into frustrated growls as he tries to take another swing at his doppelganger. His tail has puffed up like a cat's, as if trying to make himself more intimidating.

"You... You're just wearing it out in the open..." Reuben growls, scratching at his red tie again. He grabs the bucket he was using to clean and kicks it at the other Reuben, splashing dirty, soapy water everywhere. "I'm not gonna roll over and let the universe tell me to my face I'm worthless!"

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben flinches, raising his own mop higher to stop, or at least slow, the blow. He scrambles backwards on the ground, also narrowly avoiding getting covered in dirty water.)

*I don't know why I'm here! I was just responding to- uh. To someone, and I was suddenly here!

(*He scoots a little farther back and gets back to his feet, trying to avoid slipping on the sudsy water that was quickly spreading across the floor.)

*I- You're not worthless! You're not! You- you can't-

(*He swallows hard, suddenly fully realizing the implications of that statement. If this other him is worthless, what does that say about himself? He rattles away the thought, focusing on the situation at hand.)

*I'm- I'm not from here! I- In my- uh- At home, I can-

(*How the heck does he explain this without seeming insane? Well... more insane than his counterpart here is acting. He tries not to think about that too hard. Again.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

"I don't wanna hear anything from you!" He snaps, trying to jab the other him in the stomach this time. "What do you get out of this? Just sick kicks? Knowing you're better than me?"

As he raises his mop again, though, he soon slips on the soapy water he himself spilled everywhere. "Wah-!" He hits his head on a nearby counter, and combined with his clear exhaustion, Reuben nigh immediately passes out. Anticlimax much?

Well, now what will you do?

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben barely has time to get out of the way of the jab before the other him is sprawled on the wet, slick floor. He stares at the unconscious Pippins, confused and conflicted.)

(*He looks around the room. Thank goodness no one was in here. But... now what? He looks down at the other him, thinking aloud.)

*Well, now what? I... could probably try to get you home. Maybe. Assuming the directions are the same and you don't wake up while I drag you there...

*Then again, I don't know... I should probably find a way home...

*Hm...

(*He's too lost in thought to pay attention to his surroundings right now.)

[reuben-the-pippins]

I'm sure he's fine. Though, would you be interested in checking out its set? Apparently they've got a Tenna of their own. Maybe there's some new shows they're running or something? And technically it's not you being off the clock or anything...

(*Reuben hums, glancing up at a clock on the wall. He shifts his grip on the mop he's using and looks back down at the ground.)

*I mean... I won't lie. Knowing that it's a different universe is pretty cool.

*I'd be interested to see what's different and what's not.

*But... I can't exactly leave right now. Not when this floor is only halfway mopped.

*But maybe when I get off work in...

(*He glances back up at the wall, looks away, then looks back again in shock as he realizes the clock isn't where it was a few seconds ago.)

*What the...

*Where did the...

(*He turns around to put the mop back in the bucket and freezes. The bucket is gone too. He blinks at the place it had been, getting more confused by the second.)

*What is going on here?

(*If he were to pay more attention to his surroundings, he'd be aware of a change in atmosphere in the room.)

(*Smells like fading desperation...)

(*Reuben tightens his grip on the mop as he looks around. Maybe someone took the bucket to mess with him. He heads out of the room and into the next one, not noticing another Pippins near the doorway.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

The room's decor seems a bit less faded than you remember, the area's usual glitz and glamour even more painfully emphasized. Furniture is rearranged, and there's a small bowl of cheap candy on a nearby table.

Not that Reuben can tell, considering someone tripped him two seconds after he walked in. He slaps his own wet mop on the floor, right next to Reuben's head, and starts cleaning.

"Oops." He says flatly, not even pretending to seem apologetic. The other Pippins looks down at Reuben with noticable disdain, his tail curled and tense.

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben groans as he sits up, rubbing his face painfully. He doesn't even register the actual voice at first, just the flat, unapologetic tone. He stands up, dusting himself off, his voice full of fury and confusion.)

*What the heck? Are you kidding me? Why did you do... that... to...

(*Any words he'd had moments ago disappear from his lips as he finally gets a good look at who tripped him. He finally registers the voice of this Pippins a few moments too late, and he just stares in shock.)

(*He blinks, rattling his head slightly to clear it. It can't be. There's no way. He was just at work. He was in his own studio. There's no way just talking about it did this.)

(*And then he notices the double ties. One slightly frayed red one over a hidden but pristine pink one. Oh. Oh good. He's going to ignore the reason for the double ties and also the fact that he has somehow gone to another universe without moving or even leaving the set. It hurts his head too much to think about.)

(*Speaking of hurting his head... He's been silently staring a little too long at the one who tripped him.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

He seems even more exhausted than you do. There are noticeable bags under his eyes, and his uniform seems more rumpled than normal. And of course... A red tie over his pink one.

"What? I'm just cle-" As the other him looks up, Reuben finally recognizes his own face. His grip on his mop tightens, claws digging into the wood as his shock plunges rapidly into dread.

"...?!" He rears back for a moment before swinging his mop at his other self's head, that dread bleeding into anger and panic. "You- You've got to be kidding me...! This- This is stupid. I'm not-! I'm not going to be replaced like this-!" He's shaking, eyes firmly locked on the other Reuben's pink tie.

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben yelps and ducks down, narrowly avoiding having his head cracked open. He takes a few steps backwards, hands raised placatingly.)

*Wh- No! No, no, no, I'm not- I'm not replacing you! I don't-

(*He trips over his own mop, having forgotten about it when he fell earlier. He goes sprawling backwards, but quickly grabs the mop and raises it in self defense in case the other him decides to take another swing at him while he's down.)

*Listen, I just showed up here! I have no plans on taking your place, okay? That- I-

(*He can't believe he's telling another version of himself this. He can't even believe that another version of himself would think that as his first thought upon seeing another version of himself. Aaaand he's going to stop thinking about it now because it's hurting his head again.)

(*It's then that he registers where the other Reuben's eyes are focused, and his other hand drifts automatically to grab at his tie. He... probably can't defend himself one-handed with a mop, but he'll figure that out if it comes to it.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

"Why else would you be here?! Am I really so- So...?!" He can't even finish his own sentence, trailing off into frustrated growls as he tries to take another swing at his doppelganger. His tail has puffed up like a cat's, as if trying to make himself more intimidating.

"You... You're just wearing it out in the open..." Reuben growls, scratching at his red tie again. He grabs the bucket he was using to clean and kicks it at the other Reuben, splashing dirty, soapy water everywhere. "I'm not gonna roll over and let the universe tell me to my face I'm worthless!"

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben flinches, raising his own mop higher to stop, or at least slow, the blow. He scrambles backwards on the ground, also narrowly avoiding getting covered in dirty water.)

*I don't know why I'm here! I was just responding to- uh. To someone, and I was suddenly here!

(*He scoots a little farther back and gets back to his feet, trying to avoid slipping on the sudsy water that was quickly spreading across the floor.)

*I- You're not worthless! You're not! You- you can't-

(*He swallows hard, suddenly fully realizing the implications of that statement. If this other him is worthless, what does that say about himself? He rattles away the thought, focusing on the situation at hand.)

*I'm- I'm not from here! I- In my- uh- At home, I can-

(*How the heck does he explain this without seeming insane? Well... more insane than his counterpart here is acting. He tries not to think about that too hard. Again.)

[reuben-the-pippins]

I'm sure he's fine. Though, would you be interested in checking out its set? Apparently they've got a Tenna of their own. Maybe there's some new shows they're running or something? And technically it's not you being off the clock or anything...

(*Reuben hums, glancing up at a clock on the wall. He shifts his grip on the mop he's using and looks back down at the ground.)

*I mean... I won't lie. Knowing that it's a different universe is pretty cool.

*I'd be interested to see what's different and what's not.

*But... I can't exactly leave right now. Not when this floor is only halfway mopped.

*But maybe when I get off work in...

(*He glances back up at the wall, looks away, then looks back again in shock as he realizes the clock isn't where it was a few seconds ago.)

*What the...

*Where did the...

(*He turns around to put the mop back in the bucket and freezes. The bucket is gone too. He blinks at the place it had been, getting more confused by the second.)

*What is going on here?

(*If he were to pay more attention to his surroundings, he'd be aware of a change in atmosphere in the room.)

(*Smells like fading desperation...)

(*Reuben tightens his grip on the mop as he looks around. Maybe someone took the bucket to mess with him. He heads out of the room and into the next one, not noticing another Pippins near the doorway.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

The room's decor seems a bit less faded than you remember, the area's usual glitz and glamour even more painfully emphasized. Furniture is rearranged, and there's a small bowl of cheap candy on a nearby table.

Not that Reuben can tell, considering someone tripped him two seconds after he walked in. He slaps his own wet mop on the floor, right next to Reuben's head, and starts cleaning.

"Oops." He says flatly, not even pretending to seem apologetic. The other Pippins looks down at Reuben with noticable disdain, his tail curled and tense.

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben groans as he sits up, rubbing his face painfully. He doesn't even register the actual voice at first, just the flat, unapologetic tone. He stands up, dusting himself off, his voice full of fury and confusion.)

*What the heck? Are you kidding me? Why did you do... that... to...

(*Any words he'd had moments ago disappear from his lips as he finally gets a good look at who tripped him. He finally registers the voice of this Pippins a few moments too late, and he just stares in shock.)

(*He blinks, rattling his head slightly to clear it. It can't be. There's no way. He was just at work. He was in his own studio. There's no way just talking about it did this.)

(*And then he notices the double ties. One slightly frayed red one over a hidden but pristine pink one. Oh. Oh good. He's going to ignore the reason for the double ties and also the fact that he has somehow gone to another universe without moving or even leaving the set. It hurts his head too much to think about.)

(*Speaking of hurting his head... He's been silently staring a little too long at the one who tripped him.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

He seems even more exhausted than you do. There are noticeable bags under his eyes, and his uniform seems more rumpled than normal. And of course... A red tie over his pink one.

"What? I'm just cle-" As the other him looks up, Reuben finally recognizes his own face. His grip on his mop tightens, claws digging into the wood as his shock plunges rapidly into dread.

"...?!" He rears back for a moment before swinging his mop at his other self's head, that dread bleeding into anger and panic. "You- You've got to be kidding me...! This- This is stupid. I'm not-! I'm not going to be replaced like this-!" He's shaking, eyes firmly locked on the other Reuben's pink tie.

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben yelps and ducks down, narrowly avoiding having his head cracked open. He takes a few steps backwards, hands raised placatingly.)

*Wh- No! No, no, no, I'm not- I'm not replacing you! I don't-

(*He trips over his own mop, having forgotten about it when he fell earlier. He goes sprawling backwards, but quickly grabs the mop and raises it in self defense in case the other him decides to take another swing at him while he's down.)

*Listen, I just showed up here! I have no plans on taking your place, okay? That- I-

(*He can't believe he's telling another version of himself this. He can't even believe that another version of himself would think that as his first thought upon seeing another version of himself. Aaaand he's going to stop thinking about it now because it's hurting his head again.)

(*It's then that he registers where the other Reuben's eyes are focused, and his other hand drifts automatically to grab at his tie. He... probably can't defend himself one-handed with a mop, but he'll figure that out if it comes to it.)

[reuben-the-pippins]

I'm sure he's fine. Though, would you be interested in checking out its set? Apparently they've got a Tenna of their own. Maybe there's some new shows they're running or something? And technically it's not you being off the clock or anything...

(*Reuben hums, glancing up at a clock on the wall. He shifts his grip on the mop he's using and looks back down at the ground.)

*I mean... I won't lie. Knowing that it's a different universe is pretty cool.

*I'd be interested to see what's different and what's not.

*But... I can't exactly leave right now. Not when this floor is only halfway mopped.

*But maybe when I get off work in...

(*He glances back up at the wall, looks away, then looks back again in shock as he realizes the clock isn't where it was a few seconds ago.)

*What the...

*Where did the...

(*He turns around to put the mop back in the bucket and freezes. The bucket is gone too. He blinks at the place it had been, getting more confused by the second.)

*What is going on here?

(*If he were to pay more attention to his surroundings, he'd be aware of a change in atmosphere in the room.)

(*Smells like fading desperation...)

(*Reuben tightens his grip on the mop as he looks around. Maybe someone took the bucket to mess with him. He heads out of the room and into the next one, not noticing another Pippins near the doorway.)

[mr-ant-tennas-on-set-crew]

The room's decor seems a bit less faded than you remember, the area's usual glitz and glamour even more painfully emphasized. Furniture is rearranged, and there's a small bowl of cheap candy on a nearby table.

Not that Reuben can tell, considering someone tripped him two seconds after he walked in. He slaps his own wet mop on the floor, right next to Reuben's head, and starts cleaning.

"Oops." He says flatly, not even pretending to seem apologetic. The other Pippins looks down at Reuben with noticable disdain, his tail curled and tense.

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Reuben groans as he sits up, rubbing his face painfully. He doesn't even register the actual voice at first, just the flat, unapologetic tone. He stands up, dusting himself off, his voice full of fury and confusion.)

*What the heck? Are you kidding me? Why did you do... that... to...

(*Any words he'd had moments ago disappear from his lips as he finally gets a good look at who tripped him. He finally registers the voice of this Pippins a few moments too late, and he just stares in shock.)

(*He blinks, rattling his head slightly to clear it. It can't be. There's no way. He was just at work. He was in his own studio. There's no way just talking about it did this.)

(*And then he notices the double ties. One slightly frayed red one over a hidden but pristine pink one. Oh. Oh good. He's going to ignore the reason for the double ties and also the fact that he has somehow gone to another universe without moving or even leaving the set. It hurts his head too much to think about.)

(*Speaking of hurting his head... He's been silently staring a little too long at the one who tripped him.)

[reuben-the-pippins]

I'm sure he's fine. Though, would you be interested in checking out its set? Apparently they've got a Tenna of their own. Maybe there's some new shows they're running or something? And technically it's not you being off the clock or anything...

(*Reuben hums, glancing up at a clock on the wall. He shifts his grip on the mop he's using and looks back down at the ground.)

*I mean... I won't lie. Knowing that it's a different universe is pretty cool.

*I'd be interested to see what's different and what's not.

*But... I can't exactly leave right now. Not when this floor is only halfway mopped.

*But maybe when I get off work in...

(*He glances back up at the wall, looks away, then looks back again in shock as he realizes the clock isn't where it was a few seconds ago.)

*What the...

*Where did the...

(*He turns around to put the mop back in the bucket and freezes. The bucket is gone too. He blinks at the place it had been, getting more confused by the second.)

*What is going on here?

(*If he were to pay more attention to his surroundings, he'd be aware of a change in atmosphere in the room.)

(*Smells like fading desperation...)

(*Reuben tightens his grip on the mop as he looks around. Maybe someone took the bucket to mess with him. He heads out of the room and into the next one, not noticing another Pippins near the doorway.)

[reuben-the-pippins]

[more reuben art from a magma with some good friends of mine. ive been pondering the parallels my wonderful son has with a certain green mold spore that everyone seems obsessed with. dont worry about the words or the little, uh, friend in the background :)]

[reuben-the-pippins]

(*Drops off a bucket of ultrafine glitter)

Go on, Commit Grimes >:3

(*Reuben stares at the bucket of glitter, holding it far enough away from his face that breathing on it wont disturb the glitter.)

(*He glances at you with an almost deadpan expression.)

*And just who do you think will have to clean that mess up afterwards?

*Certainly won't be anyone who comes across the mess.

*Certainly won't be any of the other Pippins...

(*He pauses, suddenly reconsidering as he looks at the bucket with renewed interest.)

*Actually... that might not be such a bad idea after all...

(*He carefully sets the bucket down and grabs a towel from off his kitchen counter. He covers the top of the bucket with the towel, then rushes off to find a rubber band to secure it tightly. Once that's done, he puts the bucket next to the front door.)

*I'll bring it to work with me tomorrow.

*Thanks!

[reuben-the-pippins]

[Discarding the Red Tie]

[drew this about a week ago and forgot to post it here lol. sorry i havent been super active lately. college has been kicking my ass 😅 take this as compensation for my inactivity-]

[reuben-the-pippins]

I'm surprised you didn't react more to the idea there was another you out in Kitchen County. Or that Kitchen County's its own universe in general, really.

Got any thoughts on that? What do you think the other you is like?

(*Reuben blinks at you, slackening his grip on the mop he's using.)

*Oh, I, uh...

(*He frowns, trying to remember when he found that out. His conversation with Behop comes to mind, though he can't remember exactly when what was said.)

*I...

*I mean... it isn't really that surprising. With how long I've been here, I'm certain I'd have heard of it before, but I hadn't.

*Besides, Behop appeared out of basically nowhere, so unless that was one of you with your... strange magic, an alternate universe would be a pretty plausible explanation.

*As for another me...

(*He zones out for a moment, gripping the mop handle tightly. His voice drops a little.)

*...I hope he's got more friends.

[reuben-the-pippins]

https://www.tumblr.com/reuben-the-pippins/796133882850394112/are-you-aware-of-the-concept-of-angel-numbers

They're numbers that are signs of things, like a subtle nudge from your guardian angel, which is where the name comes from. Do you have an ID or something? Maybe your number is one.

*Huh...

(*Reuben smooths the wrinkles out of a shirt before folding it.)

*Well, if I was ever given an ID number at some point, I don't remember it.

(*He smiles, his tone slightly annoyed but mostly amused.)

*Went through all that trouble when my memories came back and all I got was unnecessary trauma. None of the essentials, like my number.

(*He shrugs, still smiling.)

*It's fine. I've gone this long without one. I'd rather use my name for things anyways.