Chapter Text
Reggie threw her backpack on the bed and got her key out. She was the first one into Endless, but it didn’t matter much—Esther was close behind her, and Todd would be on his way after a date with Gwen. What mattered was that no one—no one—in all of Endless was there.
“HelLOOOO” Reggie called.
“Maybe they’re all sick?” Esther suggested. “Can we call them?”
“TWELVE’S BACK!” Reggie continued. “GUYS!”
The wind rustled the trees, and someone finally stepped forward. She had somehow grown back to her original size.
“No one is on this thrice cursed island.” Butt Witch hissed. “And here I hoped I was finally rid of you.”
“Did you do this?!” Reggie demanded.
Butt Witch glared at her. “No. Where’s the other one?”
“Todd’s busy right now.” Esther said.
“Dude, don’t tell her anything!” Reggie huffed. “Flaps…!” But nobody came.
Butt Witch regarded them coolly. “The way I see it, we have a common enemy. You want your disgusting denizens of Endless back, and I want my… henchman.”
“Why are you still here, if I may ask?” Esther wondered.
Butt Witch ground her teeth, clearly deciding on what to say. “Only things that were created on Endless are gone now.”
“What does that mean?!” Reggie demanded. “I created you when I threw those stupid books in the volcano!”
Butt Witch crossed her arms. “I wasn’t created, I simply… woke up. If you two won’t help, then get out of my sight before I decide that you’re still nuisances getting in my way.”
Esther placed a gentle hand on Reggie’s arm, before turning to Butt Witch. “What do you have in mind?”
Butt Witch looked incredibly taken aback by this. “I think… we need to get to the centre of the island. There may be a purge going on right now, and I don’t want to be caught in it. The centre of the island is also the most, hm, how to say it? It’s the most alive.”
“Fine, but we’re leaving a trail for Todd. I don’t trust you, Butt Witch.” Reggie spat.
“You don’t have to—that is not my name.”
“Then… what is your name? If we’re allies?” Esther asked.
Butt Witch opened her mouth to say something, then closed it again, holding a hand to her throat. Her eyes darted around, and she finally ground out, “It’s not important right now. You can call me ‘Madame’.”
Reggie scoffed. “No way, I’m not your henchman like Big Deal, Butt Witch.”
“How about Ms… Flair?” Esther added.
The Butt Witch got the same look on her face as when she tried to remember her name. “…Flair…”
Reggie punched Esther in the shoulder happily. “Nice, you broke the Butt Witch!”
For once, the Butt Witch didn’t turn to them and tell them not to call them that. “Sinclair’s flair is that she shows her underwear…”
“Is that your name? Sinclair?” Esther pressed, rubbing her arm gently where Reggie punched her.
Butt Witch’s attention snapped to her. “No! What would you know about it, anyway?! Let’s get moving before I eat you both!”
The two children followed her into the jungle of Endless, Esther occasionally marking trees or rocks with her lasso. Overhead, a storm was beginning to rage. For once, it was almost as dark as night.
“I’m worried—Todd should be here by now. Do you think the trail I left was enough?” Esther asked Reggie.
“Todd, Todd, Todd. Why worry about the one you know is alive? Worry about yourselves.” Butt Witch said, not looking at either child.
“Hey, just ‘cause you don’t have any friends doesn’t mean that you’re right! Todd might be in trouble!” Reggie waved her arm in the air, gesturing vaguely at the storm.
“One could say that you two are in trouble, walking alone with a strange adult—who might eat you if you grow too annoying—in the dark.” Butt Witch replied, plopping herself down on a nearby rock.
Esther held up her key. “I’m just going to go check…”
Nothing happened.
Reggie held up her key. “Wh—why am I locked out again?! I know how cool I am!”
Butt Witch looked up at the sky. “Mm. It’s getting worse. The island is probably openly trying to kill us now.”
“What?!” Esther and Reggie said together.
Butt Witch examined her fingernails. “What did you think I meant when I said there was a purge going on? Endless is going to send us to sleep if it can, to be awakened by the next batch of awful children.”
“How do we stop it?!” Reggie demanded.
“Is that what happened to you?” Esther asked quietly.
Butt Witch’s head snapped up. She stared at Esther, before jumping off of the rock and continuing on into the jungle wordlessly.
Yes.