Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Something is wrong.

The Research Associate hivemind among team two know this as fact. The sudden vacancy that now dominates team one’s end told them so.

Barney leads the way through the damaged halls of Black Mesa. Hand on his weapon, eyes alert for hostile aliens. Gordon and Chell follow not so far behind. Gordon's face adorned with orange freckles. At the back of the group, the RAs stop in their tracks. Rowan, the one closest to them, is the only one who notices the sudden change in demeanor.

“Are you all alright? Why’d you stop?” He asks the group.

🐉🐈 reaches up a hand to her head in a grimace. Tiny green wings fold tightly against her back.

“It’s… too silent,” Goat’s voice comes out softly. Eyes open wide and staring at nothing.

“Why have the others gone silent?” Tabby asks the group.

“What are you talking about?” Rowan’s brows furrow.

👑 whimpers and latches onto Rowan’s arm. Tears threatening to spill down her face. “It’s the others. This time… I can’t hear them anymore. It was a trap! They’re not responding. I… I’m scared.”

Rowan’s eyes widen at the grave news. “Shit. We need to warn the oth-.”

“Come on!” An unaware cheered from the front of the group near Barney. “We need to get to Benrey’s group! I’m sure they’ll be happy to see us!”

Chell nods in agreement. “Yeah, let’s go!” Enthused by the unaware, she and the others pick up the pace. Leaving the RAs and Rowan to scramble after them.

Turning the corner the group comes across a door. Surface access is written across it. It sends shivers of dread down the research associates' spines.

“Everyone wait! Don’t go through the door!” 🐉🐈 exclaims.

“Why not? They shouldn’t be too far ahead.” Barney says as he pushes open the door. The dry air of the New Mexico desert blows in, carrying in the scent of dirt. Deep orange rays fall upon the group from the setting sun as they exit. Some oblivious and others extremely tense.

Gordon looks up at the darkening sky with a relieved smile. “Fresh air at last!” He relishes the moment happily.

The research associates’ eyes are turned downward, looking for signs of the other group. From their lost parts. They found none. Looking up they spot a dreadfully familiar face.

“What a wonderful surprise~” Came the chilling voice of Voxis through the face of Forzen. An unnaturally wide grin splitting his scarred face.

Military soldiers descend upon the group with no warning. Leaping from where they were camouflaged among the environment. Hands easily clasp around mouths as victims kick and struggle. A metal canister hits the ground, hissing loudly as gas is released into the air.

Gordon’s freckles turn stark white as he grasps at the arms around his neck and face.

Chell’s and Barney’s faces twist into determination as they plant their feet and fight. Chell lands a kick in the shin of the soldier holding her, but they hold fast. Forcing them to the ground.

Rowan elbows the one holding him desperately, eyes wide in terror. It gets him nowhere.

👑 is pulled away from Rowan. Lifted into the air, her legs kicking wildly as she screams. Tears stream freely down her face.

Goat weakly tries to hit her attacker with her staff. The attacker shifts their stance, twisting Goat’s sprained foot. It spikes in pain and Goat cries out. Their staff is ripped from their grasp. It connects with her head before she even knows what’s coming.

M snarls behind the hands that holds them, straining against their restraints. 🐙🌼 shrieks and thrashes. Both are easily pinned to the ground where the gas is heaviest. M manages to hold her breath.

🐉🐈 erupts into growls, sinking her fangs into the hand on her mouth. The soldier yelps, before producing a baton and giving her a solid wack in the head. She goes limp immediately.

Tabby puts up a good fight with her doll joints giving her extra range. Hitting at any point she can get at.

💀 pulls against xyr captor. Xe shakily gets forced to one knee. Gritting xyr teeth all the while. Xe suddenly throws xe head back, connecting harshly with the soldier’s head. Stunning them just long enough for xem to rip out of their grasp and make a break for it. Straight for a possessed Forzen.

Voxis has only enough time to brace themselves before they are tackled. Both roll across the ground as they grapple with each other. 💀 tries to land a punch but Voxis grips xyr wrist.

There’s the sound of a thud as Tabby hits the ground, unconscious. The soldier turns to help Voxis. Heavy boot steps approaching.

Voxis gets the upper hand and pins 💀 to the ground by the throat. “I got them,” they grin.

“Let us fucking go!” Gordon yells. His crowbar is stolen from him and slammed into his temple. Cutting his retorts short.

“You research associates have been quite the trouble makers haven’t you?” Voxis taunts. “Trying the play the hero, when really you’re just the background characters.”

Rowan has the wind knocked out of him as he’s forced to the ground. Instinctively taking in a big breath of the sleeping gas. He tries to cough it up to no avail.

“You’ve lost,” Voxis gloats gleefully. “We’re the protagonist of this story, and we will get the ending we want. Xenny will be ours.”

👑’s cries stop as she too is knocked unconscious.

“Originally, we were planning on disposing you all,” Voxis says thoughtfully. Tilting their head to the side. Watching as 💀 uselessly struggles. “But maybe you all can have another use. Starting with you.”

There is a pressure building in 💀’s head, steadily growing stronger with each passing second. M feels it too as they finally gasp for air. Only to take on gas.

Then, they feel their necks start to burn.

Voxis is no longer smiling. “What- What’s going- This shouldn't be happening.” The marks of their curse appear on Forzen’s body. Eyes a stark red.

The burning grows more intense, becoming near unbearable. As slowly one by one, runes disappear from Forzen and begin to appear on not only 💀, but every single research associate.

“How is this happening?!” Voxis looks on in disbelief. When they try to remove their hand, they find they can’t. They are also beginning to find it harder and harder to focus on this body they puppet. Their grip slipping from underneath them fast.

“Stop! No!” They protest against the magic.

However, it is too late. The final rune fades as both 💀 and Forzen falls unconscious. Leaving the military to scramble around without their leader. Only having barebones of commands to follow from dealing with the previous group. Take the one in the HEV suit and the young guard, dispose of the rest.

As the Science Team is scattered and disposed of as seen fit, and Forzen’s body is carried away to be given medical attention. The newly branded runes settle into place. Red threads tie around unfortunate souls. The curse is sealed and a price is paid.
Voxis is now free, but at what cost?

Chapter Text

The first thing the RA hivemind comes to is pain. A pounding headache that flares behind their eyes with each beat of their hearts. Their bodies ache in several places. Bruises and cuts sting from harsh handling by the military. As well as the familiar ache in their leg stemming from Goat’s sprained ankle. No individual can tell apart where their pain stops and the others begin.

Second thing they become aware of is how much their surroundings stink. It’s an overwhelming smell of rot assaulting their senses. Yet, no one can bring themselves to move.

Rowan’s body begins to twitch and stir. Golden markings appearing over his face. A stripe on either cheek and three circles going down his nose. Instead of Rowan’s brown, gold eyes open and squint at the harsh overhead lighting from behind his glasses.

Vox is now awake.

Vox, piloting Rowan’s body, gingerly sits up. “Ugh… My head,” they put a hand to their temple. “What- What happened?” They ask, looking around. They freeze seeing the bodies of the RAs in disarray around them. On the wrong side of a trash compactor.

Quickly Vox is on their feet. “What the- dammit! Everyone get up, get up! Don’t you dare be dead! What the fuck- How did- Do- Does anyone remember what happened??? Wake up dammit! Wake up!”

That sheer emotion in their voice struck something within the RAs. Giving them just enough motivation to move.

0wl groans, feeling around with their hands. Their face where their glasses would be is suspiciously lacking eyes. “G-Give us a moment.”

“Ugh… Where… Where are we?” Tabby sits up. Taking a moment to turn her head forwards again.

🌙 bolts upright. “Rowan, Vox, are y’all alright?!” Their eyes widen in realization. “Oh shit! Voxis got Forzen!” They look around panicked. “Oh wait, where is everyone else?!”

Reaper pushes his arms up under him. “Told you all it was a trap!” He grumbles loudly.

“Ow... Gah, head hurts…” 🐉 carefully sits up and clutches their head near the base of their golden horns, eyes closed. “Hnng... Those military pack quite a hit. We were so under prepared. Where are we?”

“Shhh,” ✏️ shushed everyone. Cat ears folded flat against her head. “Not so loud... Everything hurts.”

“One at a time for the love of- ugh…” Vox rolls their borrowed eyes. “Look, we are in a trash compactor. The sooner we get out of it the better. And Rowan… Rowan’s still out. You’ll just have to deal with me…”

👑 stumbles unsteadily to her feet. Latching onto Vox’s lab coat sleeve. Startling them. “Voxis got Forzen,” she said fearfully. Trembling where she stands. “We’re doomed. We’re all doomed. Gordon and Benrey have probably gotten got and we’re all gonna die.”

Vox sputters to answer. “What? How do you- Are- Shit…” Their shoulders slump as they look away guiltily. “...I’m- I’m sorry.”

“Hey 0wl, found your… glasses?” 🐉🐈 calls out. Picking up the wide rectangular lenses. 0wl’s eyes look up at her through the glass. 🐉🐈 does a double take at their red tint.

🐉🐈: 0wl, have your glasses always looked red?

0wl: What?
0wl: No?

👑 is now on brink of tears. “Okay… Okay… Focus… Focus on the positives. At least...At least we still have you.” Manages a shaky smile at Vox. “I- Ah!” She smacks a hand to her neck. Whatever she was going to say being cut off by her pained cry.

“What- What’s wrong?” Vox focuses their full attention on 👑. She looks up at him with glassy eyes. They freeze at the sight of her eyes bright red color. They quickly rip themselves from her grip, taking several steps back.

“Vox?” 👑 sounds hurt.

👑: Did… Did I do something wrong? I said the wrong thing... Didn’t I?

Goat: I don’t think you did? Something is up here.
Goat: If only my leg wasn’t a burden I could help.

0wl: What is going on?
0wl: 🐉🐈 what do you mean by my glasses are red?

🐉: I’m in so much pain right now.

🐉🐈: Because they are!

Creative: My head hurts too…

🔪🦀: I might be bleeding, but good news, none of my knives stabbed me.

Vox takes in the confused faces of the RAs looking at them. Each one sporting that same eye color change. Aside from 0wl’s situation. Who’s trying to navigate their way over to their eyes. Hands out in front of them.

Vox takes more steps away from any nearby RAs. Eyes searching for an exit. “What was the plan of dumping us all here ‘me’?”

Tabby: “me?”
Tabby: whats vox going on about?

♠️: Wait…
♠️: Do they think we’re Voxis?!

0wl: WHAT
0wl: WHY

🧿: Oh, I believe we have a problem.

🌙: Hold on
🌙: 🧿 ya eyes are red

Stellar: Wait, everyone’s eyes are like that! Are mine like that too??

The RAs look around at each other. Seeing that indeed, they all have it. Even the ones just now starting to stir.

🐉: Oh shit.
🐉: That can’t be good.

👑: What… What does that mean?!

💀: Voxis did something to Us. It hurt.

✏️: Arm scribbles…
✏️: Like... meanie

✏️ has now sat up and pulled up one of her sleeves. Revealing the runes that adorn her arm. This leads to all the other RAs following her example. Finding runes up their arms and just barely peeking over shirt collars. The feeling of rising panic becomes pervasive across the hivemind connection.

0wl: SHIT

Goat: Shit!!!

Tabby: uh…

🐉: This is bad. This is very, very bad.

It’s at that moment Vox makes a break for it. Scrambling to climb out of the trash compactor.

“Vox! Wait! Ugh…” Goat struggles to get to her feet.

🐉🐈 quickly runs over and shoves 0wl’s glasses on their face. 0wl flounders to put them on right.

🌙 runs over and intercepts Vox with their staff, using it to block their way. Vox keeps back cautiously. Hyper aware of those around them. “We’re not Voxis! It’s still Us.” 🌙 pleads. “I- Agh-! Ow, ow...” They cry out. Gripping their staff tightly as they hunch over in pain.

🌙: It burns!

Vox races around them only for 🐉 to step in. “Please Vox! Listen to Us! We don’t know what’s going on but it’s Us, really! Don’t run away. We need help!”

Vox continues to try to get around them. 🐉 just keeps moving in the way to block them.

Goat uses her own staff to hobble over. Stopping a short distance away from Vox. Fearful tears building at the corner of her eyes. “Stop! Please! Don’t… Don’t leave us. We need you. I- Hn-!” Goat flinches, gritting their teeth. “Something is wrong with us. We don’t have a clue why we are still here. But we need your help. I-” Goat is cut off by a hiss. The curse marks flaring red. “Gah! Fuck.... What did Voxis do to us?”

Vox gives pause. Staring at Goat as she heavily leans on her staff.

“Vox…” 👑 is now openly crying. Voice shaking heavily. “Vox… What is happening to us?”

Vox eyes the RAs over once again. All not making a single move to get any closer than they need to. Some are even clutching their hands close to themselves. Fear is the only thing reflected in their eyes. “So it really is you all,” he finally says. “How- Do any of you remember what happened to cause this?”

Many headshakes answer him.

🐉: I only remember getting knocked out.

0wl: Same

🌙: Same

Reaper: It was humiliating.

Creative: I remember getting hit.

Stellar: Did Voxis assimilate us while we were out? That has to be the only explanation.
Stellar: But that doesn't explain why we are ourselves.

Tabby: i still feel like myself.

♠️: I don’t feel different.

🐉: I feel panicked

“Voxis had 💀 pinned before I- ow! P-Passed out,” speaks up M. Cringing midway.

“Try not to refer to yourselves individually. Makes it worse,” Vox advised.

“‘I’ managed to break free and attacked Voxis.” 💀 said after a moment. “Forzen is stronger than we thought. Went on a whole monologue. Said we could have another use. Then throat felt like it was on fire. Passed out soon after.”

“Current assessment: Voxis attempted assimilation but unknown factors complicated outcome.” 🐺 said.

Vox frowns at this. “That doesn’t make any sense. How are you all…” They shake their head. “Let’s get out of this trash compactor before we talk any further.”

✏️’s eyes go wide. “Trash chute?!”

“Yes. Trash chute. Now move!” Vox urges. Picking his own way out.

The RAs followed their lead. Some picking garbage off themselves as well as any of their weapons and things that got strewn around. Be it knives, scissors, bags, and many more knowing this group. Who knows what is hiding in their pockets.

Tabby picks up the red aglaonema plant thrown in with them. Strangely, a bruise on her temple is growing lighter as she holds it.

Goat eyes an easy way up. She lets out a yelp as 🧿 walks by and casually picks her up bridal style. Goat struggles in his grip, glaring up at the many eyes they have.

Goat: Put me down! I can walk myself.

🧿: No, you’re injured.

Goat: Let me go!

🧿: No.

🧿 holds a squirming Goat firmly in place as they climb out of the trash. Eventually, everyone makes it. Ensuring no one is left behind.

“Alright,” Vox looks over the group of RAs. A deep troubled frown upon their face. “None of you is to touch anyone while we figure this out. You can touch each other if you really have to, but no one else.”

Creative takes a step forward. “Hold on, are you saying that we will assimilate people if we touch them?”

“Yeah, it’s how ‘we’ do.” Vox confirmed, looking uncomfortable about it. “Can any of you feel ‘me’?”

The RAs share looks with one another. A silent conversation passing between them through gestures and slight mind reading. A few shrug, some shake their heads at each other. Then they all look back at Vox.

“We can only feel each other. We don’t feel like anyone new is connected. Not Voxis, and not you Vox. We think they would have been talking with us by now if they were.” Stellar spoke for the group.

“Hmm,” Vox looks thoughtful. “The Resonance Cascade must be messing with things. But- No, ‘we’ still got Forzen. This- This doesn’t make any sense.” Vox was talking moreso to themselves at this point.

“Maybe it’s because We’re a hivemind, and it messed it up.” 🌙 theorizes.

“Voxis seemed freaked out near the end as their curse marks disappeared before passing out. Whatever happened took them down with ‘me’. We hope it hurt.” 💀 said.

Vox’s eyes go wide in surprise. “‘Our’ curse marks were disappearing?!”

“Do… Do you think we could’ve… absorbed their curse?” 👑 suggested. “Does that mean we cured you? Is… Is the collective gone?” Her face tinged with hesitant hope.

“I… I don’t know.” Vox looked to be at a loss for words.

“Now hold on for a moment. If we absorbed the curse, then does that make us the new collective?” ♠️ says fearfully.

“Are we going to become evil like them?!” Tabby hugs Nema close.

“I did not sign up for this shit!” Reaper exclaims before cringing.

“I hope the fuck not!” Owl yelled, who also cringes.

“That is not a desired possibility,” 🐺 said.

“I don’t want to hurt anyone!” 🐉 hugged themself, wincing not soon after.

“What if we… we lose ourselves?!” 👑 trembles.

“No... We can’t, right?” 🐉🐈 tries to convince herself.

✏️’s ears go down and she clings to 🧿’s labcoat tightly.

“Esto no puede estar pasando! Esto no puede estar pasando!” Goat says as she shrinks back into 🧿’s arms.

“Hey- Wait, no- Everyone be quiet!” Vox yells over the panicking RAs. Vox lets out a heavy sigh, shoulders slouching. “Look, I don’t fully understand what’s going on with all of you. Let’s not jump to conclusions and panic just yet. Maybe… maybe you will be different.” They say, gaze falling to the floor. A troubled frown on their face.

“So what do we do now?” 🔪🦀 asks.

“Now we find the others,” Vox stands tall once again. “If any of you start feeling off in any way, let me know. Don’t try to hide it. The curse is serious business.”

“Vox care moments?” 🐉 blurted.

“I care that you have a very dangerous curse put on you,” Vox deadpans.

“Vox,” Goat catches their attention. She opens her mouth to say something, then pauses. Mentally correcting herself. “We’re glad we have you to help us through this.”

Vox is stunned speechless for a moment, then their expression saddens. “It’s my fault you’re like this in the first place.”

“No ya aren't Vox, Voxis is the reason we're in this mess so don't blame yourself.” 🌙 said.

“No I am, I was-” Vox stops mid sulking to raise a confused brow. “Wait, what did you say?”

“You are separate from the hivemind. You’re not so bad to be around like this.” 🐉🐈 pointed out.

“I’m…” Vox lets out another sigh. “I’m not. Don’t get attached. Come on. We need to go.”

“It's...Uh...Kinda too late for us to not be attached. We’re pretty attached to you by this point.” 👑 sheepishly smiles.

“You should probably stop then.” Vox cuts themself off with a shake of their head. “Don’t- Look, we need to move.”

“Awwwhhh. Is voxy woxy gettin' soft on us? Vox redemption arc moments?” Cooed 🧭.

Vox turns on their heel and starts walking away. “I really wish Rowan was awake.”

The RA hivemind connection is filled with soft chuckles.

Chapter Text

Down the ever unchanging hallways, the large group marched. Vox taking the lead at a brisk walk. The corners of their lips turned down in contemplation at this recent turn of events. 

This curse of their own creation is the worst they have come across by far. Nothing they have tried could ever break it. It’s strong, and incredibly hard to fight against. They should know. Being at the mercy of the curse only the day before. 

Actually, how long have they been wandering the bowels of Black Mesa? It feels like it has to have been more than a day. There’s not many clocks to help keep track. Plus, they were knocked out for at least a few hours.

Who knows how long the RAs have been under it’s influence.

Vox risks a glance back at them to listen in on their conversation behind them.

“Did ya know Benrey confirmed half of this place is made out of old food paste?” 🌙 said.

“That seems very structurally unsound,” 🐺 pointed out.

“Does that mean we could eat the walls?” 🌵 asked. Head tilted in question.

“Benrey did when he was young, but we are not going back to the rock eating conversation,” Creative argued. Their single eye narrowed.

“But the cronch of science...” 🔪🦀 whined.

“Food paste is revolting. Would rather eat more toxic waste.” 0wl scrunched up their face at the thought.

Goat shot 0wl a disapproving look. “We rather you don’t. We share taste buds.”

“We would like to know what it tastes like.” 🐉 piped up.

“Spicy,” 0wl answered.

“If we licked that wall right now, do you think we could determine which flavor of food paste it is?” Tabby inquired.

Yeah, okay, they seem fine.

The sound of distant tapping noises is approaching, causing Vox to take pause just before the bend of a corner. They shush the RAs as they stop behind them. The RAs share silent looks to each other. An unheard conversation passing between them.

“At least we’re okay,” a voice sighs.

“Do you think the others are alright?” Asks another.

“Gosh, I hope so…” The first trails off.

Vox braces themself. The RAs brandish their various weapons behind them. Tense and ready for a fight. Near dead silent as they lie in wait. They are not going to lose round two if this is the military.

Two figures round the corner. It’s Barney and Chell.

The RAs barely stop themselves from launching an attack on their own friends. Barney and Chell let out startled screams at the sudden appearance of people. 

Both parties take a moment to calm themselves. Allowing the RAs to see that Barney and Chell are in their Xenian forms. Chell sporting four white horns on her head, and circular markings lining her shoulders. Her axolotl-like fins framing her face and short fluffy tail drooped in relief. 

Barney sports his own horns just a bit thicker than Chell’s. Freckles across his face settle to a neutral orange. The tail of his lion centaur half swishes behind him.

Chell smiles at the group. “It’s just you all.” She surges forward on her hooves and pulls Rowan’s body into a tight hug. Vox freezes up, not knowing what to do with the physical contact.

Barney directs an easy grin at the RAs. “Glad to see you folks are okay.”

“Oh thank God you two are safe,” 0wl says what the hivemind was thinking.

Chell releases Vox, letting them stiffly step back. “Yeah! Thankfully we were thrown into a closet. They locked the door, but we switched to Xenian form to break it down. Glad to see you all are alright as well.”

Chell halted any other words as she took notice of 0wl’s eyes. Her smile slipping into a confused frown. “Did you change out your glasses?”

0wl raises a hand to their lenses and casts a glance back to the other RAs.

0wl: I’m not sure we should tell them.

M: I agree. They could take this poorly.

👑 : I don’t know… I think we should.

🐉 : How much of this curse stuff was explained to them? I know Rowan explained the Voxis situation, but this is different.

Stellar: Well we can’t hide it forever. Our eyes are a dead giveaway even when we are hiding the curse marks.  

🦔 : This feels like we are one of those people with a zombie bite that leads to getting someone killed.

Tabby: we are not like zombies.

🦔 : I didn’t say we are. Just that we are a danger to the group now.

Goat: Let’s wait till we find everyone again. I don’t want an argument breaking out right now. We can explain once everyone is together. Won’t need to repeat things that way.

M: Good call.

0wl: For once I’m glad they are unobservant. 

The conversation happened in mere seconds that glance occurred. 0wl simply smiled in response to Chell. “They’re spares. The others broke in the ambush.” They easily lied.

Vox frowned at them but said nothing.

“I honestly still can’t wrap my head around why Forzen would do that,” Barney scratched at his head with a finger. Some of his freckles turning purple at the thought.

“We have reasonable certainty that Forzen was assimilated by the evil hivemind at the time of the ambush. Evidence points to even being longer before that.” 🐺 supplied an explanation.

“What?!” Barney exclaimed, eyes wide. “Then we have to get him back! There has to be a way right?”

“We would have to find him first to do anything,” ♠️ said.

“Is the plan just finding the others?” Chell asked. Shifting back into her human form.

Vox nodded. “We’re trying to regroup and… figure things out.” 

“Who knows, maybe he’ll already be free by the time we find him.” 🔪🦀 said cheerfully.

“That would be nice,” Barney agreed, shifting back as well. “But we need to stay on our guard. Can’t be losing anyone else.”

With that, Barney and Chell join the party as they march further on. Having no real destination in mind except for forward. Vox slows their pace to be closer to some RAs.

“Hiding this isn’t going to end well,” they whisper.

“We are going to tell them eventually. Just… not right now.” 🐉 says sheepishly.

Mags walks up close to Barney and Chell.  “Do either of you know where the others could be? We ended up in a trash compactor and left for dead.”

“Honestly, it wasn’t a very professional hit,” 🧭 joined in on their otherside. “They dumped us on the wrong side of a turned off trash compactor and only gave some of us concussions.”

“I’m not sure where the others could be. However, I can take a guess that if they aren’t with you, they must be important enough to be kept elsewhere.” Chell said.

Barney looked over both of the RAs. “Are y’all okay?”

“The answer to that is debatable,” Mags rubs her arm.

“𝔽𝕚𝕗𝕥𝕖𝕖𝕟 𝕙𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕔𝕣𝕒𝕓𝕤 𝕦𝕡 𝕒𝕙𝕖𝕒𝕕.” ☣️’s voice comes from a nearby ventilation grate.

“Finally, something to take out our frustration on!” Reaper exclaimed, charging forward.

“Hold on now!” Barney reached out to stop them. Missing his arm by inches. Soon the group gives chase.

The screeches of headcrabs filled the air as they came into view. Hanging around some crates in the hallway. The large group turning to hiss at the oncoming RA.

“We’ll help them!” 0wl shouted, running straight into the fray.

“Stabby time!” 🔪🦀 gleefully cheered.

“Guys be careful!” Goat called out worriedly from 🧿’s arms.

🐉 and ♠️ pull out their knives and rush in just as the headcrabs start jumping.

One jumps for Reaper’s head. Reaper knocks it away with their heavy duty flashlight. Being quick to finish the job by pummeling it into the ground.

0wl grabs one midair with a snarl and tears it apart with their claws. Tossing it’s remains to the side and lunging for another.

🔪🦀 duel wields knives and slashes at any that dare get close. Headcrabs easily cut down by the well sharpened blades. 

Wielding their own knives, 🐉 and ♠️ fight side by side. Watching each other’s backs.

Chell runs in with her staff, expertly using it to wack any away that got too close to heads for comfort.

Barney pulled out his gun, as did 💀, and they both opened fire on those left. Quickly dispatching any remaining headcrabs.

🐉: Phew… 

0wl: That-

0wl: That felt great!

Reaper: I could do this all day!

🔪🦀: It was exhilarating!

🐉: It really was.

♠️: Is it bad I wanna do more?

Reaper: Hey ☣️, are there any more aliens to fight?

Barney let out a long sigh before rounding on the RAs. “Don’t run off like that. Y’all could’ve gotten hurt.”

☣️: 𝕋𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖 𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕒 𝕗𝕖𝕨 𝕫𝕠𝕞𝕓𝕚𝕖𝕤 𝕦𝕡 𝕒𝕙𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕣𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕔𝕠𝕣𝕟𝕖𝕣.

The RAs armed with weapons took off again without a word. Spurred on by the high of violence from the last fight. Wanting to feel more of it. Wanting to finally get their hands dirty instead of staying on the sidelines. The hivemind connection abuzz with the need for violence.

“You all get back here!” Chell yells after them. Running after their speeding forms and beginning another chase.

By the time the main group catches up again, quite the sight greets them.

Reaper is bashing away at one of the zombies’ head, over and over. A wild grin stretched across his face.

🌙, ♠️, 🐉, and 0wl stand over their own kills panting. 🐉’s and ♠️’s knives, as well as 0wl’s claws are dripping with blood.

🔪🦀 pulls their knife free from the headcrab with a horrible sound. Smiling all the while. Cleaning off the blade using the zombie’s labcoat.

💀 puts xe gun away calmly.

Reaper gives their zombie one last bash for good measure. Wiping the sweat off their brow with a sleeve. “This flashlight is good for bludgeoning after all,” he grins up at everyone. 

Barney and Chell look concerned, but annoyance wrinkles their faces more than anything. Vox on the other hand is stunned at the graphic display.

“What has gotten into you all?” Chell demands exasperated. 

Silent looks are shared amongst the hivemind as the buzz wears down. Allowing coherent thoughts to be made known again.

“...We don’t know.” Reaper says. Looking down at their bloodied flashlight.

“You can’t be going into danger like that. We need to stick together.” Barney chastises the group.

🌙 rolls their staff between their hands. “Sorry about that, Barney. We got carried away.”

Chell taps her staff against the ground. Resting her free hand against her hip. “Inform us of danger before rushing off so we can help. We are safe in numbers.”

“We handled it fine ourselves. We aren’t weak,” 🔪🦀 objected.

Barney shakes his head. “It’s too risky. Y’all aren’t trained in combat like me. Let me take the lead.”

“Alright,” 💀 concedes. Gesturing Barney to go forward. “Lead the way.”

Barney carefully picks his way past the corpses, Chell following not so far behind. Taking the groups leading roles now.

Vox avoids looking down as they quickly cross the carnage. Careful not to step in any dark puddles now accumulating. Directing their attention on Reaper as he stands.

“What was that?!” Vox harshly whispers as they follow Barney and Chell. Searching the eyes of the RAs near them.

Goat puts a hand to their head. “Sorry about that Vox. Some of us got a bit overzealous about fighting.”

“That was a bit more than overzealous!” Vox counters. “I thought I told you all to tell me when you feel off.”

“Well that’s the thing,” 🐉 said. “We feel fine.”

“That cannot be part of your normal.” Vox says in disbelief.

“In our defense, we are strange,” 0wl helpfully points out.

“All of you try to befriend anyone that threatens to kill you,” Vox deadpans.

🔪🦀 raises a finger to object, but rethinks and puts it back down. “Okay you have a point.”

“The Science Team has been killing aliens this entire time. What’s so different about us doing it that makes it a problem?” M butts in, arms crossed.

“Do I really need to remind you what we’re dealing with right now?” Vox counters, gesturing to a nearby RA. Focusing on emphasising the area of their eyes.

“That was kinda scary guys,” Stellar speaks up. Fiddling with her sleeves. “You should have seen yourselves and felt that… that bloodlust.”

“So what we’re getting is that... it isn’t normal to feel that?” 🐉 presses their palms together in front of their mouth.

“No, most people don’t. What the fuck guys?! That’s not something a normal person should feel. We kill out of necessity, not for fun!” Creative gestures wildly with their hands.

“Huh… Well shit.” 0wl responded eloquently.

The sound of a distant wolf howl cuts the RAs off from saying any more as those with sensitive hearing pick it up. Alerting the rest of the hivemind to the noise. The RAs look around confused. A conversation of the possibility of Black Mesa werewolves being discussed mentally between them.

“What is it?” Vox takes the hint that something is up.

“We hear something,” 0wl says.

“Shit,” Vox swears. “Stay on guard-”

The ray of sunshine known as Tommy rounds the corner. A bright smile on his face. “Hey-! You… you all are okay!”

“Gah!” Vox shouts dignified. A hand to their chest. “You nearly gave me a heart attack!”

Several excited shouts of “Tommy” filled the air from the group of RAs. A feeling of relief and happiness being shared among them at seeing their friend.

“Th-That’s me,” Tommy laughs at the enthusiasm.

“Glad ta see another friendly face,” Barney greets with a smile.

“We swear... If we encounter a werewolf right now,” Sky grumbles.

“Don’t worry. There are- Are no werewolves in Black Mesa.” Tommy assures. His smile drops from his face though the longer he stares at Sky. Becoming a deep frown, eyes soft with concern. “Are you- You all feeling okay?”

🐉🐈 puts on a shaky smile. “Yeah, we’re fine. Why do you say that?”

“W-Well all of you have red… red eyes similar to when Voxis controlled Rowan,” Tommy points out.

“What?!” Chell and Barney whirl around to face the RAs. 

🌙: Oh no

0wl: Shit

Reaper: This isn’t good.

✏️ : +whimpers+

Vox, caught between the two groups, intercepts Barney and Chell from storming over to the group of RAs mentally panicking behind them. “We are not doing this right now. Look, they aren’t being controlled. Let’s not waste time fighting over nothing when we really should be looking for the others.”

“Rowan move.” Chell snaps at Vox before focusing her gaze past them and towards the RAs. “Is this why you’ve been acting so off?”

“Oh, that’s not Rowan,” Tommy helpfully chirps. “Th-That’s Voxis in complete control.”

Chell’s eyes snap to Vox’s as they stiffen.

Chell sweeps out Vox’s legs before they could blink. They fall onto their back with a pained grunt as the wind is knocked out of them. In seconds, both Barney and Chell change back into their Xenian forms. 

Barney plants his heavy front paws on Vox’s chest, making them wheeze. Chell moves to guard Barney’s side, staff poised towards the RAs.

“So, you weren’t satisfied with just taking Forzen, huh? You had ta take the Research Associates too?” Barney growled low. His freckles become a dark seething red.

“I can’t believe we didn’t realize what happened sooner,” Chell berates herself.

Vox finally regains some breath to speak. “Yes, I’m Voxis. But the Research Associates aren’t a part of me!” 

“Guys no, stop! We can vouch for Vox! They aren’t bad and didn’t do anything ta us!” 🌙 takes a step forward, but Chell points her staff at them in warning. 

“Hold- Hold on. You don’t need to be so violent,” 💀 huffs.

“Vox is not part of the evil hivemind,” M speaks up. “Actually, for all we know, that hivemind is already gone!”

“Really?” Chell grits her teeth. “Because I’m pretty sure I’m staring right at it.”

Reaper turns their narrowed gaze to Tommy. “How do you know about Rowan having a fragment of Voxis in him, Tommy? That’s not information you should have.”

“It’s easy to tell cause Voxis has the marks and the eyes- the eyes are different. Rowan has bro-brown eyes.” Tommy explains like it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

“We believe Rowan is merely unconscious. He will be back soon, hopefully.” 🧿 said.

“If he would just fucking wake up! He’d tell you! I’m telling the truth!” Vox yelled.

👑 tries to run up to Vox’s side but Chell turns on her in an instant. Stellar pulls on 👑’s sleeve to stop them from getting too close. 👑 yanks her sleeve back but remains where they are.

“Please don’t hurt Vox,” 👑 pleads. “They’re our friend and they’re trying to help us.”

“We haven’t been assimilated! We’re just cursed! It’s still us!” 🐉🐈 says.

“Stop trying ta use them against us!” Barney glared at Vox. 

“I’m not!” Vox yelled back. Trying to push the paws off of themself but getting nowhere. “Somehow they absorbed the curse that made ‘me’ a hivemind. It’s all them talking! NOW WOULD YOU GET OFF OF ME!”

Goat pushes themself out of 🧿’s arms. Wincing once pressure is applied to her lame foot. 🧿 offers a steady hand but Goat waves it off. Using her staff as a crutch to stand.

“Would you two listen to Us!” Goat lifts and slams the end of their staff into the floor. “We are not Voxis. We are ourselves. Vox here is also their own person. They detached from the collective awhile ago. We know this is confusing but trust us RAs on this!”

“Do we look dumb ta you?” Barney said.

“Why would we trust you when you clearly have been assimilated?” Chell pointed out.

0wl’s fists shook by their sides, face growing red with anger. “What part of ‘we are ourselves’ do you not understand?!”

Tommy moves to step in but 🐺 steps in his way. Arms crossed and red eyes glowing bright. “Despite appearing like you wish to assist. You have caused a massive issue that will delay us. Until evidence is located to suggest you do not intend to exacerbate the situation, we will consider you hostile. Do not approach.”

Tommy takes a step back. “I… I’m not trying to-”

“They said, stay back,” Reaper said through gritted teeth. Hand gripped tight around their flashlight as they join 🐺’s side. An overwhelming need to protect their own spurring him on.

🐉 grips their tie so tight their knuckles start to turn white. “You two are making it so hard to think straight. It’s blatantly clear we know mannerisms Voxis cannot replicate so easily. Use your fucking brains. Chell, we thought you were supposed to be a scientist.”

Chell just looks downright pissed. “What did you say?” 

Vox squirms harder to free themself from underneath Barney’s paws. Pushing feverishly at the legs that pin them. Barney responds by unsheathing his claws to keep them in place. Digging dangerously into Rowan’s shirt.

👑’s eyes widen at the sight. Then her face becomes flushed and they are near shaking with the growing rage boiling up within. “Let Vox go!” Eyes burning an intense scarlet.

“No one is going nowhere until this threat is handled,” Chell stands her ground.

The RA hivemind is awash with anger. How can they not see it’s them. They’ve worked together for so long. It’s still them. The RAs everyone knows and loves. 

Goat limps forward, breaths coming out heavily.

Just because they absorbed this horrible curse doesn’t mean they can’t be trusted. 

0wl’s sharp teeth nash and grate against each other.

All that desperate pleading to be heard. For them to listen. All of it falls on deaf ears. Just like Every. Other. Time.

Vox yells and curses to be let up.

That hurt of being ignored echoes through the hivemind connection. The need to protect the one person who understands becomes near paramount. Seeing them held hostage just makes their blood boil. Like a fire is coursing through their veins as smoke fills their minds.

And their vision fills with red.

Goat screams as she swings her staff straight at Chell. Chell blocks it with her own staff.

0wl lunges forward and sinks their teeth into one of Barney’s hind legs. He cries out and pain and kicks them off.

🐉🐈 throws herself on top of Chell. Trying to wrestle her to the ground. Chell, being the much taller woman, manages to shove her off.

👑 rushes towards Barney. The glint of metal is his only warning as she slashes one of his shoulders with a knife. He stumbles back in time to avoid another swing. Inadvertently getting off of Vox in the process. 👑 takes up a defensive stance by them as Vox’s mind races to catch up with what’s going on.

Tommy moves to help, but Reaper and 🐺 stand firmly in his way.

“It’s not advisable to get involved,” 🐺 growls.

Tommy reaches for his gun.

“If you dare shoot any of them, we will bash your head in,” Reaper lifts the flashlight threateningly. Tommy looks torn on what to do.

🔪🦀 leaps for Chell wielding a both a holographic knife and a rubber duck knife. Chell jumps out of the way to avoid the sharp blades.

Goat takes the opportunity to swing into Chell’s open lower back. Chell stumbles forwards before whirling around and returning the action in kind. Nailing Goat in the side, making her crumple to the ground in pain.

Tabby shoves Nema into 🧿’s hands and runs up to Chell. Chell sidesteps Tabby’s punch and uses her momentum to send her sprawling to the floor.

Barney dodges a feral 0wl leaping for him again. Pulling out a gun and aiming it right at the snarling RA. “Stand down,” he orders.

0wl responds by hissing and growling, but doesn’t lunge again.

Vox quickly scrambled to their borrowed feet. Turning to 👑 with wide eyes. “What are you all doing?! You’re going to accidentally assimilate one of them at this rate!” 

“Trying to protect you,” 👑 says. She doesn’t look at Vox, still eyeing Barney as a threat. Stuck on a one-track mind. One filled with smoke and tangled in red tread.

“I’m fine now, but you all are making it worse!” Vox exclaims.

There’s the clang of metal as Chell blocks 🌙 staff with her own.

👑 doesn’t respond. Eyes still locked on Barney with an intense glow.

Vox’s eyes widened in horrified realization. “Shit- Fuck... 👑?” Vox called out to her. “👑 you need to calm down.”

More RAs join in the fight, filled with the same red fury. Each one amplifiing the emotions of the others. Rising in crescendo till it’s all they feel. Till there is only anger.

“Dammit, snap out of it!” Vox yells at them.

BANG!

Everyone jumps at the loud noise. Barney’s ears go flat as he winces. RAs with sensitive hearing clap their hands over their ears. The unity of thought the RAs had is scattered.

“Enough!” Tommy’s voice booms. He stands there with his gun pointed up at the ceiling. Smoke still trailing from the end. He frowns at everyone, not out of anger, but out of concern. “We… We shouldn’t be fighting each other. We’re friends. We should be… be hearing each other out.”

Barney and Chell take another look over the group. Some RAs are holding hands to their heads, some blinking, and others just staring in an effort to process what just happened now that their minds aren’t clogged.

0wl: Why do I taste blood?

🐉: You bit Barney.

0wl: I did?!?

“Alright,” Barney lowers his gun. “But y’all need to explain what’s going on.”

Vox looks to 👑 next to them, but she averts her gaze. Shame and guilt are quickly overtaking any residual feelings of anger in the hivemind connection.

Vox lets out a heavy sigh. “Fine, I am Voxis. And like the Research Associates were trying to say, yes, I am cut off from the rest of ‘myself’.”

“We can-can trust the Research Associates on that.” Tommy happily vouched for them. “Just- just keep an- an eye on Voxis.”

Chell rests her staff against her shoulder, facing the RAs. “If you all aren’t part of that... Then what is going on with you? You mentioned some curse?”

After some hesitation, Creative steps forward. They pull up their lab sleeves and reveal the marks. “We think we absorbed what made Voxis a hivemind. That’s why we have the eye thing going on. And well… It might be giving us side effects.”

Mags helps Goat off the floor, slinging an arm over their shoulder. “We’re really sorry about attacking you. We just got so angry that you weren’t listening, and this curse is not helping.”

“It’s my- Ack!” Goat cringed before taking a big breath. “It’s… Goat’s fault. We did the first blow. If you must punish us, take it out on... on Goat. We deserve it.”

Chell presses her lips together and casts her gaze to the ground. Shifting back into her human form. “I’m not going to punish you. Not any of you. If anything I should be apologizing. I wasn’t really listening when I should’ve.”

“I’m sorry too,” Barney spoke up. “I’m supposed ta be looking after y’all. Not attacking you when you’re sick.”

“We’re sorry we bit into your leg like it was a drumstick,” 0wl apologized.

Barney snickered at the wording. “Apology is appreciated. You have quite the chompers there.”

“We should get somewhere safe to patch up.” Chell suggests to the group.

“Good idea, we can feel the bruises on everyone from here.” 🐉 agrees.

Tabby sits up from the floor. “A rest does sound good right now.”

“We do need to talk about what to do if this happens again though.” Barney becomes serious. “Until we get y’all fixed up, you can’t be havin’ outbursts.”

“Yeah, that’s understandable,” Creative agreed.

“Can you walk?” ♠️ asked Barney. Eyeing the nasty looking bite.

“I have three other legs. I will be fine,” Barney waves off any concerns. Starting to lead the way down the hallway yet again. Limping as he goes. Avoiding putting too much weight on his injured hindlimb. The sight sends another ripple of guilt through the hivemind.

The group falls into silence as they traverse yet again. Now a bit worse for wear physically and mentally.

Vox keeps their troubled gaze pointed at the ground. Drifting to the back of the group to think alone. Falling into deep contemplation once again. Because as much as Vox denies it themself. It’s abundantly clear that the RAs are starting to fall down the same hole they did many centuries ago, and that terrifies them.

Chapter Text

“GET ME OUT OF THIS FUCKING TUBE!” Bubby screams as he hits the glass walls of his prison.

✏️ lets out a gasp, running right up to the tube. “Bubby!” 

“They put him back in his goddamn tube!” Reaper exclaimed.

“Free him!” 0wl yelled.

“Flip the switch,” 💀 contributed.

“This is bullshit! Where the hell have you all been?!? There’s a switch over there.” Bubby points to a console nearby. “Press the green button then the blue one.”

✏️ rushes to follow the instructions. Slapping down small hands on the buttons. There’s a hiss as the glass tube opens, releasing the imprisoned scientist.

“Thank fuck. Good to see you all again,” Bubby grins at the crowded room. His eyes searching over all the faces there. Smile slipping when he doesn’t see one face in particular. “Where’s Harold? Is he with you?”

“We saw one of Dr. Coomer's clones who led us here, but we have yet to see the original,” Reaper siad. Pointing a thumb towards said clone hovering just outside the door. Where it stands quietly with a blank face.

Some tension goes out of Bubby’s shoulders. “Ah, he must be piloting it for now.”

“He can do that?!” 0wl tilts their head.

“Yeah, but only when there’s less than 300 of them. So guess that’s a good sign,” Bubby says.

“Do you know where he is? We’ve just been wandering the halls.” 🔪🦀 asks.

Bubby nods. “If he sent his clone he must be stuck in his cloning chamber and needs help. We should get going.” He moves to make his way through some RAs. They hastily scamper to move out of the way. Giving him plenty of room to walk. He raises a brow at this behavior. 

“What’s up with you all?” Bubby asks.

“Try being covered in garbage and then finding out you’re cursed,” 👑 hugs herself. Biting their lip as their eyes shine with unshed tears. Goat hobbles over to them and pulls 👑 into a one arm hug.

“What?” Bubby looks to the others for an explanation.

Barney limps forward, still in his Xenian form and hindlimb now bandaged. As well as his cut on his shoulder. Bubby’s eyes linger on the injury. “I’ll explain on the way,” Barney says.

Soon the air is filled with Barney’s chatter as he recounts the events to Bubby who listens intently. The RAs follow along, all strangely silent instead of their usual boisterous selves. At least, that is how it seems on the outside.

♠️: Are we going to talk about what just happened?

👑: I… I hurt Barney. I shouldn’t have gotten so… so mad like that. I’m… I’m a horrible person…

✏️: Everyone… scary...

0wl: You’re not a horrible person 👑 . It’s this stupid curse.

🐉🐈: But is it all the curse’s fault? That couldn’t have come out of nowhere, it had to have come from us.

0wl: I already know my moral compass is broken. 

0wl: I stab people with the needle.

♠️: I’m not like that though. ...Am I?

🦔: To be fair, a lot of us are violent.

🐉🐈: I mean, I tackled Chell! Even though I know we shouldn’t touch anyone. I could’ve assimilated her!

💀: Panicking over this is not going to help us. Breathe and think.

🐉: All I can do is panic! We just attacked our friends!

Mags: 💀 ’s right. We need to think clearly on this. Just everyone take a moment and breathe. We need to stay calm.

There’s a moment of silence in the connection as the RAs take some time to attempt to collect themselves. 

🐉: Nope, still filled with anxiety.

🔪🦀: I want to stab a wall

🌵: Oh, can I join?

👑: We’re getting worse… We’re going to lose ourselves…

Mags: Guys no, this is exactly what we’re trying not to do right now.

Stellar: Do you think this curse is just bringing out the worst in ourselves? It feels like it’s just making our negative emotions stronger.

M: Maybe

♠️: We should ask Vox about this. They will probably know.

0wl: Good idea.

🐉🐈 looks over her shoulder to see Vox still lagging at the back. She slows down to be right beside them. “Hey Vox, we were talking and is it possible the curse brings out negative emotions?”

Vox looks thrown off by the sudden question thrown their way. “Yeah, it can. Why are you asking me this? Are you all feeling okay?” They frown.

“Not at all,” 0wl says over their shoulder as they look back at them. “We deserve to be put in the pear wriggler.”

“The what?” Vox looks very confused.

“We’re asking you because you’ve dealt with it longer than us. Information from the source. We’re trying to learn how to deal with this.” Tabby pipes up.

Vox’s shoulders sink. “You shouldn’t have to be dealing with this in the first place…” Vox mumbles.

“Vox don’t blame yourself. It’s… It’s better we do than you.” 👑 meekly says. Clutching a hand over her heart.

“No, this is not better. This is my problem, not yours.” Vox emphasizes.

“It has rid us of an enemy,” 🧿 points out. Walking beside Goat as he still holds Nema.

“This isn’t good on anyone . No one should have to carry this burden. But there isn’t much we can do about it now. We just have to make the best of a bad situation.” Goat speaks up.

Vox has no reply.

“Any update on Rowan? Is he still out?” Tabby changes the subject.

“Yes, he’s still unconscious.” Vox answers.

“That’s concerning,” M says

“Hope he didn’t get a concussion…” 🐉🐈 frets.

“I can feel him so he is fine. Just asleep.” Vox assures.

“Plant Dad will wake up eventually. We just know he will!” 🌵 says optimistically.

Vox nods at that.

Finally, Barney’s voice trails out. Completing telling their tale.

“Damn,” Bubby grimaces. “That’s fucked up.”

“Shit’s fucked,” Reaper shrugs.

It’s as Bubby engages in conversation with the other members of the science team, that the RA hivemind feels something. Feels just a little bit more whole. Like some puzzle pieces have just slotted into place. 

Arachne: Oh, thank God. Some other people.

The RAs share raised brows and confused frowns with each other.

🔪🦀: Hello?

🐉: New person?

🧿: Oh?

✏️: Who…?

Arachne: Holy shit! I’m hearing voices in my head!

❤️: I hear them too darling.

✨: So I’m not going crazy.

Vox gazes around at the RAs bewildered faces. “What? What’s going on with you all now?”

“Three new people connected to the hivemind. It’s okay, we’re just surprised is all.” Goat explains.

🐉: Oh, more new people!

Goat: It’s a surprise for us to hear you too. Who are you?

✨: I’m Reggie.

❤️: You may call me VV.

Arachne: My name’s Arachne, but who are you voices in my head?

🦔: We’re the Research Associates. If you can hear us, that means you are part of the RA hivemind too.

Arachne: I’m sorry, what?

Vox looks to Goat. “New people? You didn’t…” Their gaze drifts to the science team chatting away at the front of the group.

“Oh no, we didn’t. We think this is just some Unawares becoming aware.” 0wl says.

Vox looks satisfied by that answer.

🧿: You are RAs as well?

✨: We are.

Mags: Where are you right now? I don’t see you in our group.

Arachne: We’re in some hallway. I just stumbled upon these two when suddenly I could hear you lot.

❤️: Must be these distasteful marks that showed up on us.

Mags: Are you talking about the curse marks? The black runes covering the skin? Red eyes?

Arachne: Is that what this is? This stuff hurt like a bitch.

🐉: Oh boy… Do we have some catching up to do .

More minutes pass as the second explanation of the day went underway. Albeit less concise as Barney’s retelling and with more chaotic interventions and side tangents. As is the RA way. With the huge main group following Bubby’s and the clone’s lead to Dr. Coomer. While the newer trio listen to the boisterous voices fill the silence of the Black Mesa halls they traverse.

Then there is the sound of things being thrown about and muffled angry shouting that reaches the trio’s ears. Arachne’s ears twitch at the sound as she pauses and looks to her two companions.

Arachne: Do you hear that?

❤️: I do. Someone has their panties in a twist.

🧿: Is there something going on your end.

Arachne: Yeah, there’s some angry yelling nearby.

💀: Be careful.

❤️: Don’t worry your pretty little head. We’ll stay safe.

0wl: Keep us updated

Arachne: Will do.

The trio continues down the corridor filled with doors. It looks like an office space for employees to work. Or what used to be one before the resonance cascade rocked through the entire facility. Every step forward takes them closer to the sound.

Eventually they come across one door that is barely ajar. The sounds of destruction have settled down now to more quiet mutterings. The three share a look before ❤️ takes the lead into the lion’s den.

Slowly he pushes the door open to peer inside. Arachne and ✨ leaning out from behind ❤️ to see.

Inside the office is completely trashed. There are papers scattered everywhere. Pens, pencils, and various office supplies are all around the floor. Filing cabinets are ajar, folders lay opened and disorganized around them. Among all this chaos stands one line figure with their back facing towards the door. A scientist if the white lab coat is anything to go by. They stand hunched over the empty desk with a hand to their head.

“They couldn’t have left us. No they couldn’t. They needed us,” the stranger rambles to themself.

“Hello?” ❤️ calls out to them.

Their head snaps up at the sound. They whirl around to face the trio. A pair of dark sunglasses sits on their face, obscuring their eyes, and dark runes poke out just above their dress shirt collar.

“You’re like us,” ✨ says.

“Oh no, no, no this is not happening!” The stranger yells to no one. They point at the trio. “Leave, now! We do not want to deal with this right now!”

❤️ frowns and plants a hand on their hip. “No need to be rude.”

The stranger shakes their head. Ushering with their hands for them to leave. “Get out! Get out before you bring the rest here!”

Arachne pulls out her phone and takes a moment to type out something. Then she holds up the screen for the stranger to see. “What do you mean by that?” The screen reads.

It’s then the RA hivemind feels a familiar feeling. A piece slotting into place just like before. Once again feeling a little bit more whole.

🌵: Did anyone else feel that?

✏️: +Radiates confusion+

Tabby: is that another unaware?

They clamp their hands over their ears. “This is exactly what we didn’t want!”

Spy: This is awful, we can hear you clearly now.

For a moment, the hive is silent. Then from the larger group comes a tidal wave of emotions. Recognition, suspicion, anxiety, confusion, and above all, rage.

0wl: What the fuck?!

Tabby: do we know you?

🔪🦀: Hold on, isn’t Spy the one who told Voxis more about Rowan during the cabin?

Goat: …

Goat: I know I said I’m not a fighter, but the murdering feeling is striking in with force.

0wl: Hey does anyone want to test if we can murder one of us without dying?

✨: What?! No we aren’t killing them!

Spy lets out a laugh. It doesn’t sound quite right. “It’s not like you can kill us in a way that matters.”

Arachne taps away before holding up her phone, frowning behind her mask. “What did you do to get them so riled up?”

“Nothing, just helping out a friend,” Spy winks with a smile. 

“Who’s this friend of yours?” ❤️ asks.

Spy hums, leaning back against the desk. “Oh just someone.”

Reaper: I suppose Voxis(derogatory) had found another way in.

🔪🦀: Spy, you are lucky I’m not over there right now or I’d stab you.

Arachne: Voxis as in the evil hivemind you told us about?

0wl: That’s the bitch.

Spy grins widely at the remarks thrown their way. “Voxy is keeping us separate! Gotta help them with a thingy! Then they’ll help us!” Their grin falters a tad. “At least that’s how it was before we couldn’t feel them anymore.”

💀: That sounds like a you problem.

Spy’s face contorts into a snarl at the open air. “This is very much an Us problem. What did you all do to get us cursed?”

“Pretty sure that one is on the collective, hun.” ❤️ says.

Spy shakes their head, eyes becoming foggy as they stare at the floor. “They wouldn’t. They needed us to be separate.”

Arachne lifts their phone again, making sure it’s in Spy’s sight. “What did the collective need you for?”

Spy blinks at the words before a smile slips right back on their face. “Secrets~”

✨ lets out a sigh and rubs a hand down his face. “We’re not going to get anything useful out of this guy.”

“We’re plenty useful,” Spy puts a hand to their chest.

🐉🐈: You’re as useful as a spoiled pile of sour cream!

Spy: :(

Back with the main group, 🐉🐈’s tail lashes behind her as she stares holes into the ground. Not really seeing it. Instead her focus, much like the rest of the RAs, is turned inward. Seeing through the trio’s eyes. If Spy can feel the invisible daggers being mentally thrown at them, they don’t seem to notice or care.

“Well, whatever little plan you had going on there,” ✨ waves his hand in Spy’s direction. “It’s not going to work any more. The collective is gone.”

Spy scoffs. “Right, you want us to believe that you got rid of them completely?”

“Pretty much if what the others are saying is true,” Arachne makes sure Spy has read the text before giving a nonchalant shrug.

Spy crosses their arms. “We refuse to believe they are gone. They promised to help us be free.”

“Free from who?” Arachne’s screen reads.

“From this project,” Spy spat out.

Reaper: So you know about the project. Interesting…

🐉🐈: Project?

Spy raises a brow at the trio. “This project. Us.”

“You seem to know an awful lot about this project. Mind sharing with the class?” ❤️ had a tight lipped smile.

“Files are easy to come by when you work for admin,” Spy smirks.

🔪🦀: ADMIN????

Tabby: what the fuck you have our files?

🐉: How much do you know?!

Spy chuckles. “We know enough.”

👑’s hands shake by her sides as she grits her teeth. A fire lights up her heart.

👑: I’m going to kill you. I’m going to fucking kill you. I’m going to rip your throat out with my teeth and drink your blood you fucking smug bastard.

Reaper: 👑… I think you need to calm down. We can’t be losing ourselves again.

Tabby: no, no, let her go off

Stellar: None of this matters anymore anyway. The collective was destroyed as soon as we absorbed the curse. They can’t report back to anyone anymore.

“They aren’t gone,” Spy insists.

“You sure? You can’t feel them anymore. You said so yourself,” ✨ points out.

“Why can’t you all leave us to be in peace,” Spy grumbles.

🐉: You were the one who messed with our family in the first place!

Spy rolls their eyes. “We just wanted to see what would happen. It’s not a big deal.”

M: You got Rowan assimilated.

Spy shifted to cross their arms into a thinker’s pose. “Rowan’s kinda mean though…”

🔪🦀: All of the science team is our family, and if you endanger any of them again, I will not hesitate to stab you where you stand.

Spy once again rolls their eyes. The hivemind connection bristles at the action. “You care so much about your science team. Pitiful really. They’re just more scientists paid to observe Us.” Spy huffs as they sit on the desk.

🌵: No they’re not!

♠️: They are nothing like those other scientists!

Spy perks up from their pouting. “You… You don’t know do you?”

0wl: Know what?

Reaper: Can you give us a straight answer for once?

Spy lets out a low chuckle to themself. “They don’t know… Haha! They don’t know!” Spy slaps a hand to the side of their face as they are wracked with crazed laughter. It grows louder and louder as it echoes loudly in the room, bouncing against the walls. It fills the trio’s ears as they cackle with insane glee.

👑: Why are you laughing? What’s so funny?

Tabby: they got some screws loose

🦔: Some? I’d say all of their screws are loose.

Spy wipes away a tear as their giggles slow down. “You want an explanation? Why don’t you ask your precious science team?”

♠️: Ask them what?

Spy lets out a few final chuckles before grinning widely at the trio and the RAs beyond. “Ask them about Us.” 

The trio shares a look and the RA collective shares it with them. 

“Go on!” Spy urges. “Go on and ask them!”

At first, no one makes a move in the larger group. Then 💀 picks up the pace to be near the Science team. “This may be out of the blue, but do you know about Us being a hivemind?” Xe asks.

Bubby does a double take. “What? That- What?”

Tommy just beams. “I remember my Dad telling me about the project! It’s why Benrey got a wii!”

“Wait, why did our project get Benrey to buy a wii?” 0wl pops their head around the RA in front of them.

“Oh no, no, it’s the main hub system, well, it was disconnected so we gave the wii to Benrey for safe keeping.” Tommy corrects.

🔪🦀 opens and closes their mouth before they can get their voice to work. “Are you telling us we’re connected via ‘wii’?”

“Yup!” Tommy grins. “Well, it’s so that your bodies can be remade if you die! Miis are very useful like that!”

The RA hivemind has an aneurysm at this new information.

“Does anyone else know about this?!” 🐉🐈 asks as their wings flare. Nearly smacking someone in the face.

Chell shrugs, “Basically everyone in the ERD knows.”

“Yeah, it was like, part of the sign up.” Barney backs her up.

“We just couldn’t say anything unless you did.” Bubby adds.

The clone of Dr. Coomer is silent as ever.

0wl grits their teeth, “Nice.”

Spy crosses their legs as they sit on the desk. “We’ll take your silence as us being right,” they smugly say.

“This doesn’t make you right,” Arachne’s screen reads. Her ears are lowered a tad in irritation.

“Oh, we’re pretty sure it does.” Spy smiles.

Goat: SHUT UP, YOU FUCKER!

“Someone isn’t taking things well,” Spy chuckled.

Goat: QUE TE CALLES, MIERDA!!!

Tabby: ok, we hate your fucking guts so much right now

💀: We will put you on a thumb drive with nyancat.

“Don’t blame the messenger, blame the ones that wrote it.” Spy feigns innocence. It made the hive go abuzz with anger. Not because of their annoying presence, though it does play a role. No, the hive is angry because in a way, Spy is right.

The Science team knew this entire time, and said nothing.

If the hive thought they felt betrayal before, it was nothing to the churning emotions that plagued them now. A roaring ocean that threatened to drown all rational thoughts.

The people they considered family kept this from them. Even Rowan, their adopted Lab Dad knew. He knew when they told Voxis they were a hivemind once they figured it out, yet he feigned ignorance and lied straight to their faces. He could’ve come clean right then and there, but no. He lied.

That hurt more than anything Black Mesa has ever done to them.

Spy cackled, “You should see the looks on your faces!” They pointed to the trio who was being overwhelmed by the emotions flowing in from the connection. 

❤️’s hands start to blacken.

“How does it feel being backstabbed? Oh wait, you don’t have to tell us,” Spy waves off any hypothetical responses the RAs could’ve given. “We can feel it ourselves. Just like everything else!”

0wl lets out a low growl.

Barney frowns at them, freckles changing from orange to red. “Hey now, lets not have another incident.”

👑 is gripping their fists so tight they’re going white as they shake by her sides. Nails digging into their palms. Her eyes are blazing once again. 

Goat is in a similar state as they white knuckle grip their walking staff.

“Calm down,” Vox urges.

The RAs are far from calm, they’re absolutely seething. They can’t just calm down. These feelings, these emotions need an outlet. They need a out. Half of them just wants to unleash it, while the other half desperately holds it back. Arguing that they shouldn’t hurt their friends. 

“It’s about time you all saw how the real world works,” Spy goes on. “It’s cruel and unkind. Hopefully you all can be more tolerable since we can’t disconnect from this now.” They mutter the last sentence more to themselves.

That doesn’t mean they can’t hurt one of their own.

❤️ grins crookedly, their teeth unnaturally sharp. “Oh we don’t think you’ll have to worry about that for long darling.”

Spy feels a shiver run down their spine. They get to their feet. “Hold on, listen…”

Arachne slips her hand into a lab coat pocket. Her face reveals nothing.

“All we’ve been doing is listening, and you haven’t said anything useful.” ✨ says with eerie calmness.

Spy looks between the three of them. Feeling the full weight of the RAs attention looming over them. As well as the suffocating feeling of true bloodlust. It was at this moment Spy knew, they fucked up.

❤️ lunges with long blackened claws.

Spy yelps and ducks under his arms, making a beeline for the door. Leading ❤️ to crash into the desk. Digging long lines into the wood from their missed swipes.

✨ rushes to block the door. Spy slams into him, trying to bowl him over. ✨ stands strong. Holding Spy back and meeting their terrified gaze as their shades slide down their nose.

Arachne comes up behind Spy and gently deposits something on their back. 

“Ack-!” Spy pulls away from✨ and throws a hand up to the back of their neck. Where they felt a sharp prick of pain. Something scuttles onto their hand, causing them to scream and flick out their arm. 

A black widow falls to the ground. Stunned for a moment, but then scuttles over to Arachne’s awaiting palms as she kneels on the floor. 

Spy stumbles back a step and shakes their head. Their limbs begin to feel heavy. It gets harder for them to put one foot in front of the other. Spy sways in place before collapsing to the ground. Sunglasses skittering away from their prone form.

Spy desperately tries to get up, but finds their body to be unresponsive. Not even their tongue will obey them.

Spy: What did you do to us?!

Arachne: Natasha has a very potent paralytic. :)

The sounds of popping and cracking fill the air as ❤️’s body contorts. Their spine elongating to support two new sets of arms that spring from their sides. The same black color as their original pair and tipped with dagger-like claws.

“Goodbye darling. You won’t be missed.” ❤️ grins before descending on their hapless victim. 

The hivemind connection is filled with Spy’s screams as they are torn asunder. The RAs in the main group cringe in various ways due to the second-hand pain sent their way. Causing the group to take pause. The connection serving as a double-edged sword. It’s only when one of ❤️’s hands plunges into their chest and crushes their heart does Spy go silent, and all the pain ceases.

“What just happened?” Bubby looks out across the recovering RAs.

“Are ya’ll alright?” Barney asks, concerned.

Creative waves them off, straightening back up from where they were hunched over. “We’re fine, just had to cut out a problem.”

Chell frowns at this. “Cut out a problem?”

“It was useless, we got rid of it. It’s already been dealt with.” Tabby says coldly.

“Don’t worry about it!” 🌵 chirps with a wide grin.

“You all just doubled over in pain! That wasn’t nothing!” Bubby stands firm.

“Really, we’re fine,” 🐉 assures. “We should really be focusing on finding Dr. Coomer. Who knows what state the military left him in.”

Mags catches on. “We hope he’s not hurt or bleeding out,” she grips her shirt over her chest.

Bubby pales then his face contorts into a snarl. “He better not be!” Bubby then charges down the halls at a faster pace than before. Leaving the group to rush after him in an effort to not be left behind.

Mags and 🐉 share a smile, one that does not go unnoticed by Vox.

Chapter Text

Past a loud factory floor filled with many conveyor belts, tubes, and wires galore. Bubby leads the tired group down a hallway of doors. Walking on aching feet from the hours they’ve trekked through the bowels of Black Mesa. 

One RA lets out a yawn, starting a chain reaction of yawns from within the group. No one is safe from the infectious action.

“We there yet…?” ✏️ whines for the fifth time. Dragging her feet against the ground with each step.

Bubby sighs. “Yes, now stop asking that.”

“Wait, really?” Stellar perks up from her slouched posture.

Bubby opens a side room and everyone files in. Inside, the centerpiece of the room is a machine hooked up to a glass tube. Resting inside, is Dr. Harold P. Coomer himself.

“Alright, let’s get him out of there.” Bubby says. Stepping up to a control panel next to the glass and going about pressing buttons and turning dials.

There is the distinct sound of claws on tile, and before anyone can react, 0wl is bowled over by a peeper puppy. One with a yellow sash tied to their leg.

0wl gasps happily, “Peeps!”

Peeps lets out happy warbles in reply.

“Looks like… like they were waiting for- for you,” Tommy smiles at the heartwarming sight.

0wl laughs. They go to pet Peeps, only to see the curse marks snaking near their palm. 0wl pales and quickly shoves off Peeps. Peeps whines and presses forward, butting their head into them. 0wl shoves them back again, this time putting distance between them.

“Sorry Peeps, but we can’t touch you. You need to stay back,” 0wl warns.

Peeps whimpers, taking a step forward. 0wl stands their ground and shakes their head. “We said stay back,” they repeat firmly. 

Peeps warbles sadly, but stays where they are. Leaving a gap between pet and caretaker. Neither able to comfort the other.

“Maybe we can find some gloves somewhere so you can pet Peeps,” Stellar offers.

0wl nods. “Yeah…” Their voice sounding dull.

An electronic beep cuts through the air. Originating from the control panel Bubby was working on. He stands back and watches Dr. Coomer be released from his tube.

Dr. Coomer shifts before slowly opening his eyes. He frowns, clearly disoriented and confused. Taking in the room and everyone in it. “Hello… Everyone?”

✏️ chirps excitedly at him.

Dr. Coomer laughs and smiles at her. 

Bubby offers Dr. Coomer a hand. He accepts the hand and lets Bubby help him out of the tube. Once out, he goes through a few stretches.

“Glad to have you back, Dr. Coomer,” ♠️ smiles.

“Glad to be back,” Dr. Coomer beams.

“So, who’s doing the honors of catching him up?” M asks.

“No need, I heard everything through my clone.” Dr. Coomer said.

“Ah, about that. What do we do with the clone? Are they coming with?” Mags points to the clone in the corner.

It was at that moment the clone sizzled and decided to dissolve into goo. Leaving a puddle on the floor.

A movement of stunned silence passes.

“Is that normal for your clones ta do that?” 🌙 asks.

Dr. Coomer stares at the puddle for a second before grinning. “My power grows!”

“Alright, everyone. Let’s find a place ta rest,” Barney speaks up. “We’ve been walkin’ for long enough.”

“Finally, our feet were about to fall off.” Creative complains.

“𝕋𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖 𝕚𝕤 𝕒 𝕓𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕜𝕣𝕠𝕠𝕞 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕥𝕠𝕠 𝕗𝕒𝕣 𝕗𝕣𝕠𝕞 𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖,” ☣️’s voice comes from a grate above.

Barney nods up at the grate. “Good, then we’ll head there.”

The trip to the breakroom is rather uneventful. ☣️ guides the group with their voice coming out of a vent every so often. They travel down the way they came so there isn’t any aliens to fight. The room itself isn’t all that special. There’s only two couches, some counters, and a small table for employees to eat at. The only appliances in here are a microwave and a clock.

“It’s four in the morning?!” Tabby exclaims, seeing the time.

“It’s almost the time to get up for work,” Reaper comments.

Barney frowns at the couches. “There’s not goin’ ta be enough room for all of us. I’ll sleep on the floor, I’m too big in Xenian form anyway.” 

The RAs share a silent conversation with each other before coming to a decision. 👑 steps forward to speak for the group. “We’ll sleep on the floor too. We wouldn’t fit on the couches anyway and... we don’t want to hurt you… Again.” They hug themself.

“Give yourselves some credit, I doubt you all will.” Chell says.

👑 avoids her gaze. “We don’t know…”

“Ya’ll are good folks, we can see you’re tryin’,” Barney adds.

“Yeah…” Stellar rubs an arm. Noticeably standing a foot away from her fellow RAs.

”Let’s eat something, we’ve been moving for hours,” Chell says. Unslinging a bag from her back and rummaging around in it. Passing out snacks taken from other rooms along their travels.

“Who-Who wants soda?” Tommy asks the group.

Immediately, several hands in the RA group go up. Tommy laughs and goes about passing beverages as well.

Goat goes to the wall opposite of the couches and slides down it. Their face twisting in a pained grimace as they lay their injured leg straight.

Mags turns to Chell. “Do you happen to have a medical kit in there too?”

“Hm?” Chell looks at her after giving food to Bubby. “Yeah, I have one. Here.” She pulls one out of her bag and holds it out to Mags.

“Thanks,” Mags says. Not looking as she takes the kit from Chell. Their hands brushing for only a moment.

Mags takes the kit over to Goat and sets to work. 0wl and 🐉 join her without any outward prompting. Peeps sits nearby, simply watching as they set to work.

The rest of the RAs gather along the wall near Goat to eat. 🧿 places Nema right down beside them. Bubby and Dr. Coomer settle down on one couch, while Chell and Tommy sit down on the other. Barney lays down next to the armrest of one of the couches, lower half doing a cat loaf.

Vox hesitates for a moment on where to sit, before going cross legged about a few feet in front of Goat. Trying to see the injuries around the three helping her as they eat.

“Good news, the gash on your leg is healed,” 0wl reports. Pulling away the last of the bandage to reveal only a faint line of a scar.

🐉 frowns at Goat’s ankle. Which is clearly still swollen and bruised. “Geez, their ankle sure is not. Wouldn’t be surprised if you ended up with a limp after it’s healed.” They set about gathering supplies to make a brace.

“Already lost feeling in it awhile back,” Goat admits. Cracking open a Sprite to distract themselves.

“You should not be walking on it,” Vox frowns at them.

“Didn’t Chell tell them not to before?” 🐉🐈 asks as they sip their own Sprite.

“Don’t want to be carried. Will slow others down as a dead weight.” Goat looks down at their lap.

Vox’s frown deepens. “Don’t call yourself a dead weight.”

🐉 finishes the brace with Mags’s help. “Goat, you are anything but.” 🐉 refutes as they look at her.

“You have Us to lean on for help,” Mags adds.

“We do not mind,” 🧿 states.

Creative turns their eye to those on the couch. “So what’s the plan right now? We just collecting people?”

Barney nods, “We still need ta get out of here and find a way to fix ya’ll.”

“Fix us? As in the curse?” Tabby looks up from her meal.

“Yes, there is a way to fix it, right?” Chell narrows her gaze at Vox.

Vox shifts uncomfortably. Head ducking down shamefully. “I haven’t been able to find a way. If I had, we wouldn’t be in this situation right now.”

“Are you actually going to help us find a cure?” 🦔 looked over their mug incredulously.

“Of course, you think we’ll leave you like this? Who do you think we are?” Bubby raises a brow.

“We’ll get you-you cured in no time!” Tommy smiles brightly.

“You sound pretty confident about that,” 💀 comments.

“We’re scientists! I’m sure we can figure out something,” Dr. Coomer says.

Vox stares down at their lap, picking at their food.

“You know what, you’re right,” 🐉 puts on a smile. “We just have to hang in there.”

“Like the cat poster?” 🦔 asks.

“Exactly!” 🐉 nods.

👑 sits a little bit taller. “Yeah… Maybe we can do this…And Vox could teach us!”

Vox’s head snaps up at that. “Huh?”

“Would be useful to know tricks around this curse,” 💀 agreed.

“Well, I can teach you about what it was like under the curse. Give you something to look out for. Though it is a bit late for it.” Vox thought aloud.

“Not… tired,” ✏️ puffs out her cheeks in a pout.

“Have no need for sleep,” 💀 says regarding themself.

“Can we do it now? We could really use it,” Stellar adjusts her mask, glancing at the other RAs.

Vox sighs, “Alright, fine. But then we’re going to sleep.”

“Teacher Vox!” 0wl throws their hands in the air.

“Class is in session!” 🐉 cheers.

“Should we take notes?” Tabby asks.

Vox shakes their head. “No, you just need to listen.”

“What will we be learning first, teacher?” 🧿 inquired.

“You don’t need to call-” Vox shakes their head. “Let’s just start with what you shouldn’t do. You already know that about skin contact, but you need to be careful when you fight things too.”

“What do you mean by that?” Goat asks as she crumples up her snack bag.

“When drawing blood by biting or clawing the victim, it makes it easier to infect them. Pressing skin against the wound makes the curse travel faster,” Vox explains.

A few RAs glance at Barney finishing his bag of snack food.

“He’s fine, you didn’t hold on long enough,” Vox assures their troubled stares.

0wl raises their hand.

“You don’t need to raise your hand,” Vox deadpans. 

0wl continues holding their hand up.

Vox exhales deeply, “Yes, 0wl?”

“If we go feral again, what could we do to help ourselves stay lucid?” 0wl asks.

Vox clasps their hands together. “Don’t know if it works for you, but for me, I find just taking a step back from everything helps.”

“We know some breathing exercises that could help if anyone needs it, “Goat tentatively speaks up. 

0wl brightens up, remembering something. “Comfort beans!” They chirp as they show off the paw-like pads on their hands.

🌵 leans close to 0wl to look at them. “Permission to squish?”

0wl offers their hand to them. “Permission granted.”

🌵 smiles and proceeds to get distracted by squishing paw beans.

“Anything else we should know?” ♠️ brings things back on topic.

Vox nods, face set in a serious expression. “You can’t let the power get to your head. This curse will make you feel powerful, and it will tempt you.” Vox leans forward to lock eyes with the RAs. “I mean it, it’s addicting. Promise me you won’t give into it.”

“Promise,” Goat says with no hesitation.

👑 puts a hand over her heart, “We promise to do our best.”

🐉 raises a hand and mimes an X over their heart with the other. “Cross our hearts and hope to die.”

Vox leans back, some tension easing out of their shoulders as they nod. “Good.”

“𝕋𝕠𝕞𝕞𝕪, 𝕨𝕖'𝕣𝕖 𝕙𝕦𝕟𝕘𝕣𝕪. 𝕎𝕖 𝕨𝕒𝕟𝕥 𝕤𝕠𝕕𝕒.” ☣️ says from a vent from high on the wall.

“What soda would you like?” Tommy asks the vent grate.

“ℍ𝕞𝕞... ℙ𝕖𝕡𝕤𝕚, 𝕡𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕖,” ☣️ requests.

“Team Pepsi we see,” Reaper comments.

“𝕐𝕖𝕤, 𝕒𝕟𝕕?” ☣️ says. Reaching out with void black hands to grab the Pepsi Tommy holds out to them.

“Nothing,” Reaper says before slurping their coke loudly.

“What’s wrong with Pepsi?” 👑 asks.

“Pepsi is a copycat,” 🔪🦀 states.

“It still tastes nice,” Stellar speaks up.

“Coke is the superior soda, and not because of the drugs,” 🐉 rebuffs.

“They both taste the same though,” 🐉🐈 said.

“No they don’t,” Tabby frowns.

☣️ watches the debate from the shadows of the open vent. There are sounds of metallic crunching as they consume their drink.

“We’re getting off topic,” Vox tries to corral them back.

“Vox what side are you on?” 🐉 asks.

“We really should be focusing on the curse,” Vox stressed the importance.

🔪🦀 notices the coke sitting next to Vox. “They have a coke! They’re team Coca cola!” 

“Hah! Teach is on our side!” 🐉 gloats.

Vox’s shoulders slump, “They aren’t even listening.”

Goat chuckles, “Let them have their fun. It’s been a rough few days.”

Vox just crosses their arms and pouts, which looks really strange on Rowan’s face.

“Someone on the science team has to agree Pepsi tastes fine,” Stellar looked over at them.

Barney raised his hands. “Don’t look at me.”

Chell’s nose crinkles, “I hate both.”

“S-Sorry, I prefer coke.” Tommy sheepishly smiles.

“I like Pepsi!” Dr. Coomer smiles.

“Coke tastes better,” Bubby says.

“Well you’re wrong my good bitch!” Dr. Coomer grins with no real bite to his words.

“No I’m not! Coke is better than that shitty knock-off!” Bubby argues back. 

“Pepsi!”

“Coke!”

“Pepsi!”

“Coke!”

“Wish we could see Rowan’s reaction to this,” ♠️ laughs.

Vox goes silent at this, mulling something over. They fiddle with Rowan’s labcoat sleeves.

“Would love to see how he deals with this nonsense,” M chuckles to themself.

“Is Rowan awake? Please tell us he is.” Goat leans forward, looking hopeful at the prospect.

Vox takes one look at Goat’s big eyes and glances away. “Yeah, give me a moment.” Vox closes their eyes, and becomes very still. The golden marking fade away. When their eyes reopen, they are now brown in color.

Rowan looks around, looking very confused. Taking one look at the RAs arguing amongst each other about soda, and Dr. Coomer and Bubby are still going at it. “What are you all doing?”

“Rowan! You’re okay!” 👑 moves to hug him, but stops themself and pulls back.

Rowan raises a brow at the weird behavior. That is until he notices the red eyes and the curse marks decorating the RAs skins. His eyes go wide and he scrambles to his feet.

🌙 is up in an instant, standing in the way of the door as they hold out a placating hand. “Rowan, it’s okay. It’s still us. Don’t run.”

“Bullshit,” Rowan glared. Then paused as he looked away. “Why should I listen to you? You-” Rowan goes silent, listening to some unseen voice. “What? How…?” More silence. Rowan relaxes his stance and rubs at his eyes underneath his glasses. He drops his hand and fixes his frames, finally looking up at the RAs again. “So, this is a shitty reunion.”

“Welcome to the club, it stinks here,” Creative’s eye is half-lidded.

“Are ya still gonna run?” 🌙 stands down from their guarding.

Rowan shakes his head. “No, Voxis explained the situation.”

“Dr. Rowan, you're alive!” 🌵 pulls away from squishing paw pads. “Thank goodness! How are you feeling?!”

Rowan rubs his forehead. “Like I have a massive migraine.”

“Let one of the science team check you over to make sure you’re fine. You’ve been out longer than most of us,” Goat suggested.

“I’ve been awake since the trash compactor. They lied about me not being awake.” Rowan said.

“What…” Tabby stared at him.

“Pardon?” 🌵 said.

Another... lie?

“If you've been awake since the compactor then...you've seen and heard all of it. ....Hope you don't think less of Us.” 👑 speaks up, clasping her hands together. Sensing the negative emotions that came with that thought.

“It admittedly is a little fuzzy, seems Voxis wanted alone time with you all for whatever reason. As long as you all keep yourselves in check you’re fine,” Rowan says.

The connection eases at that.

“That’s the plan,” Reaper salutes with a smirk.

“Okay, but Rowan, important question. Which side are you on. Coke or Pepsi?” 🔪🦀 asks with utmost seriousness.

“At least I know it’s really you all,” Rowan shakes his head and rolls his eyes..

“He’s avoiding the question,” 🐉 says to their compatriots.

Rowan let’s out the heaviest sigh known to man. “It’s too late to deal with this…”

The clock ticks in the silent morning. Only two hours have passed since the rambunctious group has settled down. If they were on the surface, they would’ve been able to admire the sun’s early rays. However, all they have are these blank static walls.

Dr. Coomer uses the armrest of his couch as a pillow. Bubby is laying on top of him, with Dr. Coomer’s arm curled around him in his sleep. They had not fallen asleep this way, but their faces look content.

Tommy is curled up on an armrest of the other couch, sleeping away peacefully. Chell, sleeps next to him in the middle, leaning sideways into the back of the couch. Rowan had settled on that couch too and occupies the other armrest. Where he sleeps on folded arms.

Barney leans against the side of the couch near Rowan. Ears drooped and face squished against the fabric. A position he has stayed in since the RAs watched his tired eyes fall closed during his watch. He had been looking pretty tired lately.

While sleep came easily to the Science team, it sure did not for the RAs.

The RAs themselves are packed together in the corner. Using each other as a means of something more comfortable than the ground to lay on. Trying to seek warmth from the more warm bodied RAs in the pile. None of this helped. 

Even if some of them appeared to look asleep, they were far from it. It is hard to sleep when their thoughts are so incredibly loud. A static cacophony of noise and feelings. Thoughts they’ve been pushing away rise to the surface in the silence of the room. The sting of betrayal resurfaces again, and it’s not so easily ignored. Spy may be long gone, but the echoes of their words still rings in the hive’s ears.

The Science team is the closest thing the RAs have to any kind of family. None of them remember their own since Black Mesa stole their previous lives from them. This group of people showed them extensive kindness, and they latched on. Even Voxis, who they hated vehemently before, has become part of their list of those they care dearly for.

It’s why this hurts so much.

Before they could’ve shrugged it off no problem, but the curse likes to make dark thoughts linger. Fanning the flames the RAs desperately try to snuff out. They just want to escape with their friends, not deal with this.

If only the Science team understood what they are going through. If they knew how much they cared and trusted them. Does Vox even truly understand the extent they all would go? 

The hivemind wishes they could just show them. Make them understand. No more frustrating misunderstandings. No more tragedies that could’ve been avoided had their warnings been headed. No more secrets. No more lies. Just the love of one dysfunctional found family.

Looking over the Science team now, they look so peaceful together. Quiet breaths making their chests move up and down. It made their cuddle pile feel insufficient. It’s so tempting to just get up and walk over there. Join their side. Indulge in their touchy feely nature again. And if they accidentally formed a connection, well, then at least they’ll finally understand.

Several RA’s eyes widen and they back up further into the wall, horrified at what they just collectively thought.

👑’s hand has flown to cover her mouth. 

👑: We’re getting worse.

🌙: I can’t believe we thought that!

Stellar: That isn’t right. We can’t do that to them. They don’t deserve this.

0wl: Bad thoughts, bad thoughts!

✏️: Broken…?

Mags: No, you’re not broken. We’re just… sick is all.

🐉🐈: We’re going to hurt them! What if we don’t catch ourselves in time?

The RAs are in varying levels of distress. Some people are shaking, some are hugging themselves or each other. Whimpers are barely suppressed as the RAs have a silent meltdown. Being careful not to make too much noise that could wake the team.

We can’t stay here. We need to leave.

The RAs cannot tell who the thought originates from amongst all the conflicting emotions. It could’ve been one person or multiple. They don’t know. Maybe they should find that concerning, but they all can’t help but agree with the sentiment. They are a danger to the Science team, and there’s no guarantee they’ll stay safe with them around. Get away so they can’t be tempted, so they can get a better grip on themselves. 

After all, wasn’t that one piece of Vox’s advice?

Quietly, the hivemind disengages from their cuddle pile. The RAs get to their feet as they help each other up. ✏️ is scooped up by 💀, who she curls against. Nema is picked up by 🧿. 👑 helps Goat to their feet. 0wl puts their finger to their mouth, before gesturing for Peeps to follow. The peeper puppy gets up obediently, claws lightly tapping against the floor.

The RAs cringe and glance at the science team. Barney’s ears flick at the noise, but he remains soundly asleep. A silent sigh of relief is shared between them.

On tip-toes, the cursed hivemind sneaks away out of the room. One by one the slip away out the door. The last RA turns around, carefully closing the door behind them with extreme slowness. Then they turn and leave, leaving behind the Science team with heavy hearts. 

Not knowing if they’ll even meet again.

Chapter Text

On achy feet, a hivemind walks.

A light overhead flickers as they pass beneath it. Even some spots all the way down here are affected in some way by the cascade. 

It is nearly dead silent, aside from their multiple footsteps on tile. No chatter from the science team to accompany them. Bubby isn’t urging them forward. Coomer isn’t throwing around facts. None of Tommy’s smiles to light up the place. No Barney to watch over them. No Chell to be the fierce warrior she is and smiling the next. Nor Voxis by their side or Rowan to dad them. It’s just them.

Their numbers may be large, but they’ve never felt so alone.

Still they place one foot in front of the other. Lengthening the distance between them and the Science team. They needed to be far away before they could even settle down for a nap. It’s better they aren’t found.

They have no set designation in mind. Any maps they pass are ignored in favor of just continuing ever onward. What point is there for them to strive to leave these concrete walls when they are cursed?

Thunk, thunk, thunk.

Everyone freezes at the sound coming from a nearby vent grate.

“Uh… vent friend?” ♠️ asks hesitantly.

☣️: 𝕋𝕙𝕒𝕥'𝕤 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕦𝕤...

The vent broke open with an alien screech. A blur flies from it and lands right on 🌵. She lets out a startled scream, hands flying up to grab the creature on their back. 

Another shape comes flying from the vent, latching onto Reaper’s face. He stumbles back into a wall as he pulls against the headcrab clawing at him.

“Hold still!” M gives as her only warning as she swings a bag at the headcrab on 🌵. Knocking it away, sending it flying into a wall. Where it dies on impact.

Reaper gets his hands underneath the crab and rips it away from his face. It’s claws leaving behind red lines. He glares at it, red eyes glowing.

A blade sinks right through the middle of the alien. Splattering Reaper with green as it stops inches from his face. 👑 stands there in front of Reaper, brows furrowed as they hold the handle of their knife still impaled in the headcrab.

“👑! Careful!” Reaper scolds.

👑 yanks their blade out of the headcrab, spraying more alien blood. “Sorry,” their voice is monotone.

Reaper chucks the body away before using his labcoat sleeves to clean his face.

“Will you be alright?” 🧿 asks them, bringing Nema close.

Reaper nods, “We’ll live.” The scratches on his face slowly closing once Nema is near.

“Wish we took a gun,” M grumbles. Looking over the one they killed.

“Right, alien invasion is still a thing.” 🐉 helpfully comments.

🌙 looked to the now open vent. “Vent friend, can ya keep an eye out for enemies?”

There is a feeling of confirmation from ☣️ in the connection.

“We should have lookouts, it’s not safe out here.” Stellar points out.

Tabby nods in agreement, looking at the aliens with disgust. “Little pests.”

👑 silently continues onward, clutching her knife tightly. Lips pressed into a thin line, eyes shiny.

The hive follows her lead and they walk on. Now more awake and alert than before. It doesn’t take them loing for their rotten luck to catch them again.

☣️: ℍ𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕤 𝕦𝕡 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕪𝕠𝕟𝕖, 𝕤𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕟 𝕙𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕔𝕣𝕒𝕓𝕤 𝕚𝕟𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕗𝕣𝕠𝕞 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕧𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕤.

The RAs snap to attention. Staffs are gripped, knives are revealed, claws flex. By the time the vent grate is broken off by the first headcrab, they are ready this time. It hits the ground and only has enough time to turn and screech before it’s beat by 🌙’s staff.

More pour out, and a RA meets each one. 

Reaper launches at one with his flashlight. Bludgeoning it with a grin.

🔪🦀 pulls out a knife covered in flower designs, slashing at another.

Mags impales one jumping at her with her makeshift spear.

🐉 grits their teeth as they slash at a headcrab jumping at them.

🦔 yanks out one of their quills and uses it to stab at a hissing headcrab.

One leaps for Tabby, but she catches it and slams it into the wall.

It took less than a minute for them to be dealt with. Killing them with complete ease. It wasn’t even hard with the numbers on their side. It left them with an adrenaline rush, only yearning for more.

Stellar stops and shakes her head at the rising bloodlust. “Guys… Wasn’t the entire purpose of leaving to not give into the curse?”

M crosses her arms. “Yeah we get that, but this is self-defense.”

Stellar frowns, “Not that, we mean the feeling in the hive. We should be careful not to look for violence with us being like this.”

🐉🐈’s ears lay down submissively. “We know, but what else can we do?”

“What? You expect us to just talk to these things?” 🦔 quirks a brow.

Stellar puts a hand to the forehead of her mask. “No, we-” 

🌵 taps their chin, “We did tame a peeper puppy.”

“0wl tamed it,” 🌙 corrected. “It was a runt, we don’t think it will work on wild ones.”

“The wild ones are quite viscous,” 🧿 agreed.

Stellar turns to them. “That is true but-”

“Honestly, this is a good thing.” 🐉 interrupts.

“How so?” Some of 🧿’s eyes focus on them.

“We’re clearing the way for the Science team in a way. They won’t have to deal with the aliens if we kill them first.” 🐉 says.

“🐉 makes a good point,” 🌵 nods.

Stellar opens her mouth to argue.

“So it’s like we would be helping them even without being there?” 👑 says, tentatively hopeful.

🐉 snaps their fingers at her, “Precisely!” 

Mags nods along, “Yeah, they won’t have to worry about a thing if we get rid of enough of them.”

Reaper beams at the prospect, “Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go!” They take off down the hallway.

Stellar gives up speaking with a sigh. Following along as the rest of the collective hurries to catch up.

They charge down deeper into the facility. At first, they let the aliens come to them. After taking down another wave, they start actively searching out hostile aliens. Taking them down with the same fluid unity each time they find more. Growing increasingly lost in the heat of battle. Blows becoming more brutal. Labcoats are splattered with more green. Weapons becoming saturated with the stuff. 

Headcrabs, peeper puppies, zombies. It didn’t matter what. It was a corpse soon enough.

And still they crave more.

Reaper flings the blood from his flashlight after another successful kill.

Reaper: Any more aliens ☣️? We were just getting started.

☣️: 𝔾𝕠𝕥 𝕒 𝕡𝕖𝕖𝕡𝕖𝕣 𝕡𝕦𝕡𝕡𝕪 𝕒𝕣𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕔𝕠𝕣𝕟𝕖𝕣.

“Got it!” Creative shouts, running for the corner through the recent massacre. 

There is a lone peeper pup standing there at the other end. Almost like it’s waiting for something. It warbles before taking off in the opposite direction of Creative. 

Creative takes pause at this. “Huh, anyone else finding that weird?”

A flash of yellow flies past them as Peeps gives chase. 0wl not far behind their pet, running on all fours with teeth bared. 

“Hey, wait for us!” ♠️ calls after them. Racing with the other RAs to catch up.

The wild peeper puppy runs through the crack left open by two large doors. Peeps follows without hesitation. Followed soon after by 0wl. 0wl skids to a stop at the sight just inside the doors.

There is a hoard of zombie aliens moaning and shambling about in here. Headcrabs screech from on top towers of crates or shelves carrying boxes of things. The wild pup joins the side of it’s pack just waiting inside.

That’s all 0wl is able to see before they are attacked. The pack descending upon them. 

The scene the other RAs burst upon is 0wl fighting valiantly underneath a wild pack of peeper puppies while Peeps does their hardest to help from the outside. 

“0wl!” Several RAs call out. Red hot rage floods the connection and they all leap into the fight.

🐉, ♠️, 👑, and 🌙 rush in to help 0wl. Stabbing with knives at exposed backs, or wacking the eyes of those on 0wl with a staff. Reaper literally jumps into the fight, smacking at the hounds and prying them off of 0wl with his own two hands.

Zombies gurgle and groan as they turn to the commotion. Claws reaching out for the group helping owl. 💀 aims xyr gun at them and opens fire.

The headcrabs screech and they leap for the remaining group.

Mags brandishes her staff against them. Goat stands their ground despite their injury and swats a headcrab coming at them with their own staff. 🔪🦀 duel wields knives, a lethal force to be reckoned with.

0wl is bit, scratched, and bruised but they fight back with just as much ferocity. Pupils nonexistent in their glasses as they snarl and claw at the aliens. A peeper puppy yelps as they rake their claws across it’s face. Another whimpers as Peeps chomps down on it’s leg and drags them away. A good portion shift targets on those assisting after a few of their brethren are taken down. 

One peeper puppy pushes 0wl onto their back to the ground. Snapping at 0wl as they hold them at bay with their arms. The RAs are only able to fight to keep any others from reaching 0wl. Becoming caught up in the thrill of their own battles. Leaving 0wl to fend for themselves as they grapple the alien. 

The battle roars with growls, yells, gunshots and even a few cackles of insanity. Knives glint under artificial light, metal poles meet flesh, bullets are flying. Amongst all this chaos, something strange begins to happen.

As 0wl and the alien exchange hisses, dark runes start to appear on the peeper puppies skin. Burning themselves into it. Glowing a vibrant red hue as more of them spread. The alien only fights harder to get to it’s prey. Even as it’s eyes become a brilliant scarlet.

0wl let’s out a frustrated growl, “Get off!”

The peeper puppy freezes in place, and to 0wl’s utter befuddlement, it backs off. Stepping off of 0wl to stand beside them quietly.

0wl cocks their head at this.

“Gah-!” Reaper cries out from a pup chomping on his leg. He kicks at it, pounding on it with his flashlight, but it refuses to let go.

0wl turn to the peeper puppy still standing there. An idea forming in their mind. “Help him.”

The cursed alien is up and hissing in seconds. Tackling the hostile hound on Reaper and dislodging them. Absolutely tearing into the already beaten thing. Following 0wl’s command to a scary degree.

0wl grins, then turns on the closest peeper puppy remaining and lanches at them. Bare hands clutching at whatever skin they could get without getting bit. The pup growls and claws at 0wl angrily, but 0wl refuses to let go. 0wl pins the creature to the ground, a wide fanged grin stretching their face.

Once again the marks begin to spread. The peeper puppy now whimpers and whines, scrambling to get away. However, 0wl holds fast and keeps them still. Watching with sick glee as the marks cover it’s olive skin.

The sounds of battle around them lessen as the RAs dispatch their enemies. Successfully taking down the hoard. 💀 pops off one final bullet into the last zombie. Tabby gives a dead hound one last kick. Breathless laughs and victorious smiles are shared between each other.

Goat pants as she leans against her staff. “Are you okay- 0wl!? What are you doing?!” They look at them in wide eyed horror.

0wl looks up at Goat as the peeper puppy stops struggling beneath them. Completely assimilated.

“Whoa…” 🐉 steps closer to 0wl. Looking over the peeper puppy curiously. “Did you just assimilate it?”

Reaper hobbles close to Nema. Looking at the other cursed peeper puppy standing over the corpse of it’s own species. “Helpful, but kinda fucked up.” 

0wl looks down at their prey before standing and giving their head a good shake. Pupils reappearing. They step back from the cursed alien, letting out a whine. Looking to the others.

🧿 stares for a long moment. “We were hoping we would last longer.”

“They are quite useful,” Tabby thinks aloud.

Goat vehemently shakes her head. “Do you hear yourselves?!” they exclaim to the group. “This is what Vox was warning us of! This isn’t right! This is the curse!”

🐉 glances away guiltily. Glancing over the carnage they all wrought.

0wl doesn’t look much better as they stare at the two aliens under their command.

💀 puts xyr gun away. “Let’s find a place to rest. There are wounded and you all haven’t slept in over a day. We can deal with this when we are more rested.”

“Sleep sounds good to us,” M stretches.

“𝕎𝕖'𝕝𝕝 𝕝𝕠𝕠𝕜 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕒 𝕟𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕓𝕪 𝕖𝕞𝕡𝕥𝕪 𝕣𝕠𝕠𝕞,” ☣️ voice comes from a floor grate.

💀 nods, “Thank you.”

Goat only frowns to themself, not moving from their spot as the hive starts to move out again. 

👑 places a comforting hand on her shoulder. Making her look over. 👑 offers a reassuring smile, but it’s shaky. As if they themself aren’t convinced things will be okay.

Goat leans into 👑 and lets herself be led to rejoin the group.

It didn’t take ☣️ long to find a new room. Nor to lead the group to it’s entrance as it was not far. Someone brushes their hand against the room’s label: Storage room 7.

They pushed open the door to find a dark room, light from the hallway illuminating barely anything inside. That being only a pair of chairs with some broken rope hanging off of them.

 The first RA that steps in feels around the nearby wall for a light switch. They find one and flick on the light.

“Why… Can’t anyone get some beauty sleep around here?” Complained a familiar voice.

Next to a wall, now illuminated by the ceiling lights, is a very disgruntled trio. The hivemind recognizes them instantly by their eyes and curse marks. ❤️, ✨, and Arachne are all squinting against the light as they wake up. 

🐉🐈 wings give a little flap of excitement. “It’s you!”

Arachne lifts their hands.“Hello, but did you really have to wake us up like that?” She signs tiredly.

Stellar frowns, a bit confused. “Can you not speak? We thought we heard you in the connection.”

Arachne lets out a silent sigh, fully sitting up now. “No, I can’t speak, vocal cords are removed.”

✨ accesses the group. Taking in all the alien gore they are covered in. “What happened to you all?”

“We kicked alien asses!” Reaper grins.

“Aw, we missed all the fun being asleep,” ❤️ playfully pouts.

“There has been enough excitement for one day. We are resting now.” 💀 says firmly.

Everyone finds a place to settle down on the floor. Finally allowing throbbing feet to rest. Those with medical knowledge go around to patch up the others. 0wl gets quite a bit of bandages from their ordeal. The assimilated peeper puppies chill nearby them, Peeps too, but not touching anyone.

The wounded make a circle around Nema after the plant has been placed on the floor. Some converse with the trio, catching them up on what they missed while asleep. Others figure out their own sleeping arrangements.

Eventually everyone winds down, and this time when the RA hivemind tries to sleep. Whether it be exhaustion finally catching up, or all the fighting they just went through. They find themselves succeeding in capturing some well needed shut eye.

“What do you mean you lost them?” A voice hisses from the hallway outside.

🌙’s eyes snap open and they quickly sit up. They go to ask a question but are shushed softly by 💀. Who holds out a hand to any who start to stir. Red eyes glowing in the darkness of the room as xe watches the closed door.

“I tied them up with military grade knots. They must have gotten loose when we were helping Voxis.” Another voice defends themself.

“We executed plans perfectly. Everyone was in place. This should have gone accordingly.” The first voice says.

“In retrospect, we really should have had a contingency plan in place.” The second voiced.

Mags: Vent friend, can you see them?

☣️: 𝕋𝕙𝕖𝕪'𝕣𝕖 𝕡𝕒𝕤𝕤𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕦𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕣𝕟𝕖𝕒𝕥𝕙 𝕦𝕤 𝕟𝕠𝕨, 𝕠𝕟𝕖 𝕞𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕥.

The hivemind receives a mental image through the connection. It’s a man and a woman dressed in military uniforms wearing a pair of shades. The woman has blonde hair pulled up into a ponytail. Her name tag reading Milli. The man has short, dark brown spiky hair and has a bandaid over his nose. His nametag reading Tary.

They are recognized to be among the ones that ambushed them. Making the connection bristle with anger.

🔪🦀: They worked for Voxis (derogatory).

🌙: That’s the one that knocked me over the head!

♠️: Bootboys…

Stellar: What should we do about them? Are they heading this way?

☣️: 𝕋𝕙𝕖𝕪 𝕒𝕣𝕖.

🦔: You know what, we should give them a piece of our minds.

✏️: Big meanies…

🐉🐈: They did hurt us….

👑: They hurt everyone.

🔪🦀: Feeling stabby.

“Any word from your group where Forzen ran off to?” The first voice asks. ☣️ mental feed supplying that this is Milli.

“Negative. He clocked one of them good before runnin.” Second answers. Coming from Tary.

“More work for us,” Milli sighs.

🔪🦀: Feeling double stabby.

Tabby: second that 

0wl: Triple it

☣️: 𝕋𝕙𝕖𝕪’𝕣𝕖 𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕕𝕠𝕠𝕣.

The RAs scramble to get to their feet in the darkness. Those with night vision help the others move around as a plan begins to formulate in their minds.

“Let’s check the room one more time before searching the rest of Tau. He couldn’t have gotten far.” Milli says.

The door swings open, lighting up the only furniture in the room. Milli steps inside first, flicking on the lights before making her way over to the chairs. Tary trails after her. Neither of them notice anyone in the room. As there somehow isn’t a trace of a single RA being there.

Milli picks up one of the ropes, inspecting it with a frown. “It snapped.”

“See, I knew it wasn’t my knot skills.” He holds up a rope with an intact intricate knot still on it. Smiling proudly at his work. 

Milli only hums thoughtfully.

From behind, along the wall they entered, are several figures pressed against it, eyes watching their backs.

Tary scratches at his neck, noticing the open vent nearby close to the floor. Grate laying discarded on the ground. He frowns and steps over to it, crouching down to look into the depths. Squinting into the darkness. 

Over a dozen red eyes stare back.

Tary startles backwards, reaching for his gun on his side before he’s tackled by a peeper puppy. He falls onto his back with a grunt.

Milli pulls out her weapon from her holster and aims.

Goat comes from behind and slams her staff down on Milli’s hands. Knocking the gun from her grip.

Milli grits her teeth and pulls back an arm for a punch. 💀 steps in and catches the punch, meeting her eyes with a glare. She kicks at xyr gut and wrenches her arm free, quickly stumbling back from xem.

Tary shoves off the peeper puppy and scrambles to his feet. Eyes trained on the three peeper puppies surrounding him.

Both take a glance at the door they came from.

They see 🐉🐈 close the door, blocking the only way out. As well as the other RAs rushing right towards them.

Tary whips out his gun and fires. One cursed peeper puppy hisses as the bullet grazes its shoulder when it jumps away. There’s a harsh bweep behind him and he turns, gun aimed right for Peeps.

0wl leaps and snaps their jaws down on his arm, making him cry out and instinctively drop the weapon.

🌙 takes a swing with their staff at Milli, she sidesteps that only to be punched in the face by Tabby. She clutches at her nose, backing right into ❤️. 

“Hello darling.~” ❤️ grins. Wrapping his arms around her to pin her arms to her sides. She tries to kick out one of his legs but he remains standing strong.

Arachne calmly walks up to Milli and drops Natasha on her shoulder. The black widow finds a patch of skin and sinks their fangs into it. 

Milli tenses before finding her body giving out on her. Legs no longer supporting her weight. ❤️ being the only thing holding her upright now as she struggles to keep her own head up.

Arachne simply holds out her hand to the spider and lets Natasha climb back up her arm to hide in her hair.

♠️ has joined the fight against Tary once he shoves 0wl off. Tackling him to the ground. The two cursed peeper puppies each take hold of a sleeve and aggressively bite into it like rabid dogs. Leaving him unable to get up.

💀 stalks towards Milli, fists crackling with black energy. ♠️ raises their knife, prepared to stab straight into Tary. 

“Are we really going to kill them?” Stellar says but makes no move to stop anyone. Though it’s enough for ♠️ to give pause. 

“Is that not what we’re doing?” ♠️ asks. Not paying Tary struggling under them much mind.

🐉 glances at the cursed pups, a smile snaking it’s way onto their face. “How about we take them?”

“What?” 👑 looks at them.

Goat blinks, a little bit of themselves coming back. “What, no! We shouldn’t.”

Mags looks over the two, now helpless and vulnerable. “We’re listening.”

“Think about it,” 🐉 says. “They get to live, and we get to make sure they don’t harm anyone else. It’s a win-win.”

“This is not what we meant,” Stellar frowns.

“What a wonderful idea!” ❤️ agrees. Rubbing his cheek against Milli’s as he hugs her close. 

“Suppose, they could be useful after all,” Tabby says as she apprassies the two.

“We could keep the others safe…” Even 👑 starts to agree with the hive’s sentiment.

“👑,” Goat looks a bit shocked at that.

Milli is only able to grunt in pain as the marks start to spread to her skin.

“Leave her alone! Milli!” Tary yells as he struggles.

Tabby walks over and crouches down beside him, pushing him down against the floor by the back of his neck. Bare hand to his skin. “You should be more concerned about yourself bootboy.” Tabby says, face devoid of emotion as she stares him down.

Soon enough, Milli gains full curse marks, her eyes changing from green to red. There is a rush through the hivemind connection when the assimilation is complete.

“Wow, that sure has a kick.”  ❤️ comments.

“Whoa…” 🌙 is left stunned at the feeling.

🐉🐈 tail twitches.

Goat puts a hand to their head as they try to take deep breaths.

Again there is another rush that passes over them when Tary’s assimilation is complete.

🐉 hugs themself, their smile now manic from the feeling.

Tabby’s lips quirk up.

♠️ blinks and lets out a breathless laugh.

Skull’s shoulders are tense as their eyes glow brightly.

👑 is looking off into space as the rush overwhelmed her senses.

It’s as the RA hivemind is stuck riding the high washing over them all that the door opens.

In the doorway stands Forzen. His eyes widen at the scene in front of him. Obviously not expecting it.

Every single head snaps to look at him, eyes ablaze.

Forzen turns to run.

🐉🐈 tackles him, being the closest. Frozen falls to the ground, but is quick to twist around with a scowl and sock them in the jaw. 🐉🐈 is out near instantly.

“We got him!” Is Forzen’s only warning as he pushes himself up to his knees before Reaper is on his back. Arms trying to wrap around broad shoulders to stop him. Forzen throws back his head, landing a hit on Reaper’s face but he holds strong.

Milli is dropped unceremoniously onto the ground as ❤️ joins to help Reaper. Sprouting more arms to hold him in place. “Well hello handsome.~”

“Let go!” Forzen growls. Fighting with every bit of strength he has.

Aranche: Do you need Natasha to bite him?

“Think they’re good,” M answers as they watch the scene.

“Don’t fight Us, Forzen. Aren’t we friends?” 🐉 walks up and leans over to be in his view.

“I can tell something is wrong with you, now get off!” Forzen tries to reach his taser.

🐉 plucks the taser from his belt and walks away from him. “Tasing friends is rude you know. Anyone want this?” They hold it out to the group.

🌵 jumps up at the opportunity. “Oh, we do!” They take the taser from them.

The marks start to spread to Forzen, and now he fully realizes just what is happening. 

“No! I’m not being taken again!” Forzen shouts, fighting even harder. The marks flare angrily at his use of singulars.

❤️ only hugs him tighter. “Don’t worry that pretty head of yours. We aren’t like that Voxis fellow.”

Forzen only continues to struggle, refusing to give up the ghost.

“You really should just give up, marks are on you,” 🦔 crosses their arms.

Forzen doesn’t listen.

“We’ll protect you now.” ❤️ says.

Forzen glares with ruby eyes as the marks settle into place.

The hivemind immediately pushes on the new connection with feelings of reassurance and comfort. There are promises of protection mingled in within it. No can tell who these feelings or thoughts come from exactly but it does it’s job at overwhelming the poor man. Slowing his struggling as he tries to sort out his own head.

🐉 chuckles. “Welcome to the hive.”

Chapter Text

“What did we just do…” Goat mumbles into her hands.

“You still stuck on that?” M raises a brow. A baseball bat resting on her shoulder. 

Goat lifts their head to glare at them. “We are not going to gloss over this! We just assimilated people. We assimilated Forzen. Our friend!”

“Not much can be done about that now,” Forzen says, eyes kept forward as the group travels.

Mags rubs at their neck, more towards the shoulder blades with a grimace. Antenna twitching. “We know that, but can we not fight?”

“This isn’t helping our headache.” 🐉🐈 whines, gingerly holding an icepack to her jaw.

“Sorry,” Forzen apologizes for socking her into next week.

“It’s fine,” 🐉🐈 said.

“Thanks for the weapons by the way. This will help us greatly.” Tabby smiles as she inspects her new tranquilizer gun.

Forzen gives an affirmative hum. 

❤️ comes up beside him, brushing shoulders as he offers Forzen a smile. “What’s wrong, hun?”

“Getting used to being in a hivemind again. You all are loud.” Forzen grumbles.

“Ugh, tell us about it. They never shut up,” Creative rolls their eyes.

“Don’t ya start. We hear ya complaining in here all the time.” 🌙 retorts, pointing at their own temple.

“You shouldn’t be having to get used to this in the first place,” Goat crosses their arms.

“The deed has been done. No need to stir up an unwelcomed commotion.” 🦚 says. Hands clasped behind him as he walks with his head high.

Arachne glances at him as she speaks telepathically.

Arachne: You’ve been in the group for less time than us.

“And? Does our point not still stand?” 🦚 glances at her through his feathered masquerade mask.

“He is kinda right. Don’t think we could undo this.” ♠️ concedes.

🦚 smiles smugly to himself. “Of course we are right. Our wits are infallible.”

“You locked yourself inside a weapons closet.” 🧿 points out.

🦚 huffs and turns up his nose.

“Lighten up Goat, didn’t you feel that rush?” 🐉 elbow’s her with a grin.

Goat frowns and pulls away from them. Rubbing her arms. “How could we not?”

“Exactly, don’t lie to us, you enjoyed it too. We saw that look on your face.” 🐉 smirked.

Goat looks away, guilt written on her face. “It had… But that doesn’t make this right. It just isn’t.” Goat shakes her head firmly. “We made a promise. We aren’t going to break it.” 

“Shouldn’t have made one you couldn't keep,” Tabby says as she holsters her gun. 

This time Goat doesn’t respond, instead only shooting Tabby a look. Letting the silence settle over them all. Interrupted only by their footsteps hitting tile.

“So what’s the game plan here?” Creative pipes up. “Are we just wandering the halls or are we actually going to try to leave this place?”

“We don’t know,” 🐉🐈 says softly. 

“Where are we right now?” 👑 looks to the walls for any directional labels.

“We’re entering the Lambda labs,” Milli answers.

“Huh, isn’t our lab down here?” M thinks aloud.

“Oh, it is!” 🔪🦀 exclaims excitedly.

🐉 gasps. “We can see Croton!” 

✨ frowns, looking a tad confused. “Croton?”

“Codiaeum variegatum. A plant that keeps secrets we tell it.” 💀 explains.

“We can introduce Nema to Croton!” 0wl flaps their hands.

In 🧿’s grip, Nema’s leaves shiver at being mentioned, or is that the air conditioning?

“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go!” 🌵 cheers.

With a destination in mind, the collective pushes onward. A skip in some of their steps. Slowly the hallways become familiar to them. Old paths some have taken to work, seemingly untouched by the destruction that wrought the rest of the facility. Like this place was left intact the way they left it. The door to the ERD lab is just in sight.

✏️’s ears perk. “Hear people.”

🔪🦀 frowns. “That can’t be good. How many?”

“...Two,” she answers. Little nose twitching at the air as she sniffs.

“What’s happening? Why is the kid smelling the hallway?” M looks to the others for an explanation.

“The feline seems to have picked up a trail,” 🦚 watches the child’s face screw up in concentration.

“Why are we relying on a child?” Tary just looks confused.

“Best not question things,” 🌙 says.

“Do you recognize them?” 🔪🦀 asks.

✏️ perks up and nods her head excitedly. “Friends!” Then she dashes off straight for the lab doors.

“✏️!” Several RAs shout before the group gives chase.

She slips through the doors with no hesitation. Giggling with a smile on her face. The others race right after her, RAs first and slamming open the doors as they crowd the doorway. They stop in place, seeing two figures jump at their arrival.

Looking at them with wide startled eyes, is Benrey and Gordon.

Except, they look different.

Gordon has gained long pointed ears covered in fur and green stripes. Two horns sprout from the top of his head, the back pair holding pink swirls down it’s length. His sclera has turned a light green and his pupils have become more cat-like in shape. His hands have gained sharp claws, the tips of which have ripped through the thick fabric of his gloves. Fangs peek out from a surprised gaping mouth. Freckles lit up like a sunrise.

Benrey’s most notable change is the fact he now has six eyes. Each a different color except for the original two that are now a vibrant yellow with black sclera. His hands have blacked and are equipped with sharp claws. Sweet voice escapes his fanged mouth with a high note, it being the same colors as Gordon’s freckles. 

✏️ is found latched onto Gordon’s leg. Purring away happily.

Goat: ✏️ get off of him!

✏️: No! Miss… friend!

0wl: We do too, but let’s not hug them quite yet.

✏️: No!

Mags: Let her, the HEV suit protects him just fine.

✏️ only clings tighter to Gordon’s leg. He looks down at her and gently pats her head. Extremely mindful of his claws. “Uh, hello there.”

Benrey’s shoulders lose their tension. “Oh, It’s just you all. Don’t scare us like that bros.” 

Goat is quick to push through the crowd to get inside and walk over to ✏️, grabbing her under the armpits and trying to pry her from Gordon. “Sorry about her.” She smiles apologetically at him.

“No!” ✏️ yells, ears flat against her head, staying firm.

Gordon lifts his hands to wave Goat off. “No, it’s okay. She can stay. Just… wasn’t expecting it.”

Goat frowns as she looks down at ✏️ clinging to the HEV suit plating.

Mags: Just leave her there. She isn’t hurting anyone.

Goat reluctantly relents, taking a step back but keeping an eye on the child.

Reaper gives the two xenians a once over. “Looking pretty alien there.”

Gordon grimaces, “Ugh, don’t remind me.”

“You look weird too bros. What happened to you?” Benrey takes in their eyes and marks.

“Long story,” M says.

“Can we come into the room now? We can’t see shit.” Creative’s voice travels from near the back of the group stuck in the hallway.

“Oh right, yeah. Come sit down. Tell us what happened.” Gordon says. A concerned frown on his face.

Everyone piles in through the doors, spreading out a bit once they are in the room. Forzen, Milli, and Tary being the last to enter.

Gordon’s freckles turn bright red as his eyes slit. A growl rumbles from his throat at the sight of him. “What is he doing here?

Benrey bares his teeth and snarls at them. Claws flexing as he stomps forward. “I’m gonna kill them.”

♠️ steps in his way. Hands up in a placating gesture. “Wait, no, they’re fine now. Please don’t kill them.”

Benrey’s eyes flick back and forth from ♠️ and Forzen. “He’s got the same stuff as you all. Did he do that to you? Is he forcing you to protect him? Don’t worry, I’ll deal with him.” Benrey shoves ♠️ aside causing them to stumble.

🌙 is quick to replace them. Staff held out to block the way. “Benrey listen ta us. He’s good. Things are complicated. Just let us explain.”

🐉 joins their side. “Don’t jump to conclusions just yet before you hear the full story,” they put on an easy smile.

❤️ stands behind him. “We can’t let you kill this handsome man.”

“Did you all forget what they did?!” Gordon gestures angrily at the military personnel. “They fucking ambushed us! They tied me and Benrey up!”

“That wasn’t me,” Forzen scowls. Curse marks flaring red, but he doesn’t even flinch.

“We were following orders,” Milli crosses her arms.

“Bullshit,” Gordon’s ears pull back as he growls.

“I wasn’t myself.” Forzen shoots back. Standing his ground.

“What does that even mean?!” Gordon exclaims.

💀: Careful not to give too much away. Last time someone found out about the curse we got into a fight.

♠️: Can we not fight the xenians?

“Maybe you should apologize to them. They deserve one at least.” ✨ suggests to Forzen.

Forzen thinks on it for a moment. Looking at the ground.

“Why should we for just doing our jobs?” Milli said.

“So you don’t die,” 🦔 deadpans.

“I’m sorry.” Forzen speaks up. Meeting Gordon’s and Benrey’s glares. “For what I did to you two. To everyone. I’m sorry.”

Gordon grits his teeth. “Like I believe that shitty apology.”

“We thought that was a good apology,” 🐉 comments to themself.

Forzen’s brows turn downward and his hands clenched into fists at his side. “I’m trying to be genuine here, what do you want?”

“For you to actually mean it,” Gordon snaps.

“I do,” Forzen growls back.

✨ steps forward. “Gordon, he really is sorry for what he did. Do you think we would let him travel with us if he wasn’t truly sorry about ambushing us.”

“What about those two?” Benrey nods his head at the military pair.

“We aren’t apologizing.” Milli crosses her arms.

“It’s being considered.” Tary is quick to add on with a sheepish smile.

“You’re being childish. You’re grown adults, apologize for hurting them before I make you.” 💀’s eyes flash in warning. Marks flashing red but xe stands strong against the burn.

Milli meets xyr glare defiantly.

“They’ll just say it to say it. It won’t change anything, they still ambushed us.” Gordon's voice raises.

“Then what do you want us to do? I’m trying to mend things after what I did under them. What do you not understand about that?” Forzen’s voice raises to be heard.

“I don’t care if you were under orders or some other bullshit. You betrayed us!” Gordon yells.

“I didn’t want to!” Forzen shouts back.

“It sure looked like you did!” Gordon retorts.

“Boys, boys, you’re both pretty.” ❤️ steps between the two. “Forzen, getting angry is not going to help. Gordon, just stop and listen instead of being stubborn.”

Both men stay standing where they are, growls rumbling in their chests but no more words fling from their mouths.

“Hey assholes, you got something to say?” Creative gives the two military a look.

Milli refuses to meet their gaze.

Tary lets out a resigned sigh, rubbing his neck. “Alright, we’re sorry too. Most of the things we do aren’t very ethical. So, we apologize.” 

“Was that really so bad?” 🌙 said.

Tary thinks for a moment. “No, not really actually,” he shakes his head. “Look on the bright side. Things could’ve gone way worse if things went as planned.” Tary smiles.

Milli elbows him in the ribs, causing him to grunt in pain and shoot a confused look at her. “You aren’t helping,” she hisses.

“Neither are you with not apologizing,” Stellar points out.

She harrups and still refuses.

“Apologize,” 🔪🦀 asserts.

Milli freezes in place, her eyes growing dull behind her shades. “We are sorry for the harm we have done to you and your companions. Going forward we will not repeat the same mistake.” Her voice comes out in a flat monotone.

“Milli?” Tary looks at her concerned. Reaching out a hand to her shoulder.

“Quiet, the adults are speaking,” Tabby says to him.

He too stills, his hand sliding off her shoulder to hang limp by his side. No more words come from him as he stands there idly.

Benrey raises a brow at this, some eyes remain watching the two while the others turn to the RAs. “Hey bros, you never did tell us why you are covered in scribbles.”

“It happened during the ambush.” M answers. “Why do you two look like aliens, hm?”

Gordon interrupts his glaring contest to sigh and look at his clawed hand. “We aren’t sure. Best guess is because I was in the chamber and Benrey came and helped me. Must have been some radiation that leaked through the suit from the crystal.”

Several RAs are mentally pressing “X” to doubt.

“Three day old radiation?” Reaper looks unconvinced.

“I don’t know! I’m not happy I look like this!” Gordon throws up his hands.

“You didn’t answer my question. What are the marks and spooky red eyes about?” Benrey presses. There’s an edge to his voice.

Stellar: Guys, we think he’s catching onto Us.

👑: What should we tell him? He might attack us like Barney and Chell.

Arachne: We don’t have enough spiders to deal with this.

Mags: Maybe we can twist the truth to better suit us.  

✨: How? 

Mags steps forward with a placating smile on her face. “Let us explain. When we got ambushed, we were attacked by the evil hivemind we told you about before. In the scuffle, they tried to take us but failed because of us being a hivemind ourselves. As you know Benrey. This is just the aftermath, we’re still us. Didn’t even end up with a piece like Rowan did.”

“You’re a what now?” Gordon looks baffled.

“An unethical science experiment, come on keep up.” Tabby said.

“You’re part of it?!” Benrey exclaims. Red sweet voice spilling from his mouth.

Mags holds out her hands. “No, we just said-”

Benrey cuts her off with a snarl, taking a threatening step forward. Claws flexing by his sides.

Creative facepalms. “Goddammit.”

Gordon’s eyes fall upon the child still on his leg. Gears turn in his head and a thought strikes him. Twisting his features in anger, freckles turning lime green and sclera going black. “You took a kid ?” 

 ✏️ freezes, letting out a whine as she looks up at him with big frightened eyes.

Goat takes this as an opportunity to reach over and pull her off of him in one move. 

Gordon responds to the sudden movement by lashing out with his claws, tearing through their right sleeve like paper. Ripping it off their arm and grazing the skin as Goat scrambles backwards. 

“Goat!” 👑 cries out.

“W-We’re fine! We’re fine!” Goat quickly steps back to the safety of the hive. Clutching ✏️ close as the child starts to cry.

0wl’s pack of peeper puppies starts to hiss sensing the rising tension in the room. Claws digging into the ground as 0wl holds out a hand to keep them at bay. 

Gordon’s eyes flick to them and he only growls louder.

Arachne’s ears lower and she takes a step back. “Mags, I don’t think that worked as well as you hoped it would,” she signed.

“No, what gave that away?” 🦔 asks sarcastically. Plucking a quill from their head.

“Wait listen, we don’t need to fight. How can we prove to you it’s really us?” Goat pleads with the aliens. “We could tell you about something from the past.”

Stellar comes up to Goat’s side to whisper. “That won’t work since neither of them remember the first lab.”

“We have to try something,” Goat desperately whispers back.

🦚: Why not assimilation?

Goat: NO

Tabby: for once something not complete garbage comes out from your mouth.

🦚: We take some offense to that

Tabby: good

Stellar: That sounds terrible

👑: We’re… We’re not sure that’s a great idea…

🦚: Would it truly be as bad as you make it to seem? You’ve already taken three. We don’t see the problem with two more.

🌵: Hmmm

♠️: We can’t take them, we’ll literally die.

🐉: But, let’s say we did manage it. It could fix their little memory problem. Wouldn’t that be nice?

Goat: And they’ll just be cursed like us! They wouldn’t be able to go back to Xen. We’d be no better than the collective.

🦚: You say that like we aren’t the collective ourselves.

🦚 turns his head thoughtfully to the two military personnel. A smirk tugging at his face as his eyes glow. “Milli, Tary, take the dissenters down please.”

The two draw their weapons on the aliens, who leap to the side at the sight to narrowly dodge their fire.

“Don’t shoot them!” 🐉🐈 exclaims.

The two freeze and Gordon takes this opportunity to tackle them to the ground. Benrey rounds on the rest of the group and lets loose a stream of sweet voice.

The RAs move quickly to avoid the sweet voice bubbles touch.

✏️ whimpers curling her face into Goat who holds her close as they dodge with a lame foot.

 “Those two are so dead,” ♠️ comments as they duck.

“Dammit,” 0wl curses.

Gordon digs his claws into the two’s shoulders as he roars in their faces. 

❤️ body cracks and pops as his other sets of arms emerge as he grabs at Gordon. “We just got those two. Don’t ruin our new toys.”

Gordon responds by snapping his jaws down on the closest offending hand, making ❤️ jerk back and grit his teeth in pain. Gordon doesn’t let go. Waves of pain are sent to the rest of the hivemind from the injury.

💀 glowers, hands blackening at a fast rate.

Forzen launches past xem before xe can act. Transforming into his xenian form and launching at Gordon. Who releases his bite in surprise as he is shoved to the ground and engaging in a fight with Forzen. He struggles to do more than scratch up Gordon’s suit that covers the majority of him.

Tabby raises her tranquilizer gun and fires at Benrey. The dart sinks through his shirt and into his shoulder. He cuts his song short with a snarl, ripping out the dart and throwing it aside before he charges. 

Tabby scrambles to load another dart, before Benrey rakes his claws down her arm, breaking through her plastic skin. Revealing some of the red strings inside that have been frayed and severed. Tabby’s hand goes slack, dropping the gun as she quickly steps back, gripping her shoulder.

She gives Benrey a crooked smile. “Was that supposed to hurt?”

He moves to advance again, only to let out a roar of pain as metal slashes at one of his legs. He whirls around, claws cutting through the air inches away from another grinning face that jumps back from the blow.

“Ah, ah, ah~” 🐉 wags their blood stained knife. “Let’s play nice, little Rascal.”

Another slash cuts through a forearm from a different angle has him turning yet again. “Over here big guy.” Reaper taunts. Brandishing both his flashlight and a knife.

♠️ steps forward and tries for another go at the legs. Benrey quickly sidesteps the attack. His multitude of eyes looking in various directions now.

“Aw man, we missed.” ♠️ shoulder’s slump.

More and more RAs surround the xenian. He swipes at them to keep them at bay. They simply leap back as if it’s all a morbid game. Eyes glowing scarlet as insane giggles escape a few mouths. 

Gordon and Forzen are still locked in an intense fight. Having disengaged from their ball of limbs and now standing to exchange quick blows. 

Forzen looks worse off with the amount of lacerations decorating his skin and the feathers that litter the ground from being ripped out of his wings.

Gordon’s HEV suit paint is absolutely scratched up and dented, but it has held strong. Doing it’s job of protecting it’s wearer well.

✏️’s ears are flat to her head, tail puffed up in fear as she whimpers. She struggles in Goat’s hold. Pushing and squirming in desperation to get free. Goat has a hard time keeping a grip on her.

“✏️, stop struggling. We’re in the middle of a fight.” Goat tries to reason with the child. 

Benrey’s hair over his ears twitches in their direction.

The child gives a harsh kick in reply and shimmies out of Goat’s arms. Hitting the ground running.

“✏️!” Goat calls after the kid. Lame leg slowing them down significantly, letting the child escape through the door of the lab. Before turning to shoot the rest of the group around Benrey an exasperated look.

“Will someone with two good legs get the child? And stop fucking messing with Benrey. Leave him be!” Goat scolds. Standing in a gap made by the restrictive circle.

Benrey charges for this weakest link in the line.

Goat only has enough time to throw up their arms before they are body slammed. They land on their back, getting the wind knocked out of them as Benrey crouches over them. Reassessing the room and the fight with Gordon happening on the opposite end. An approaching group of armed RAs blocking the way between them.

Something about seeing 🔪🦀, of all RAs, advancing with a familiar knife against him hurts in a way he cannot explain. He lets out a growl as lime green bubbles are sung into existence.

Benrey grabs Goat and harshly pulls them onto their feet. Using them as some sort of human shield to buy himself some time. Hands pinned to their sides by his strength.

The RAs stop getting closer. Now just holding the line between the two victims.

“Holding hostages now to stop our advance? A cowardly move. Not one that will do you much good.” 🦚 says.

“Gordon, we need to go!” He yells to the other man.

Gordon doesn’t give a response, busy with slamming Forzen into a table. Knocking a microscope to the ground with a loud crash.

Goat’s eyes travel down to Benrey’s clawed hand on their sleeveless arm. Now bare to the world for all to see the curse marks running down it’s entire length. One he is touching skin to skin.

“No, no, no, nonono! Benrey, let go! Let go, Benrey! You’re going to be assimilated if you don’t!” Goat thrashes in his grip. Kicking, twisting, doing anything to get free.

Benrey ignores their desperate pleads. Eyes narrowed at the group in front of him. “Let me through, you body snatchers.”

🐉 taps their chin in mock consideration. “Hmm… Nah.” They shake their head, smirking tauntingly. “We don’t think so.”

“Let me through,” Benrey swipes at 🔪🦀, who is closest. They slash the hand in defense with a knife, cutting open his palm. Benrey hisses in pain and pulls his hand back.

Goat runs for it, but Benrey has a good grip on their left arm, so they don’t get far. He easily drags them back into his hold. Using his injured hand to grab their right arm and hold them still again.

“Benrey! Let go! Please!” Goat screams, on the verge of tears.

Benrey flinches at the volume, and then flinches again. Gritting his teeth as he hisses in pain. The runes are starting to burn into his skin.

“Huh, wha-?” Benrey sees this and immediately lets go. Dropping Goat back on their feet, which sends a spike of pain through their leg. Even through the pain they hobble away from Benrey as he backs into a wall.

“I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!” Goat cries as their marks flare in protest.

The curse marks don’t stop appearing.

Gordon lands a solid punch to Forzen’s cheek. Knocking him to the ground and doesn’t get back up. Knocked unconscious. 

Panting from his fight, Gordon steps back and looks over to all the commotion. The black in his eyes fading away. His freckles turn green tea at the situation. “Benrey?” 

Benrey holds a hand up to his head. “Gordon… Gordon you need to run. Get out of here.”

“Please don’t run,” 🐉🐈 ears lower.

“If he runs, we would love to chase him down,” ❤️ grins. His hand stitching itself back together under tendrils of red magic.

Gordon shakes his head and stands his ground. “I’m not leaving you here alone with them.”

“Might as well, it's already too late for him.” 🧿 speaks up.

“Shut up!” Gordon snaps.

Benrey shakes his head. Now covered in the marks. “They're right it’s too late for me-” He lets out another hiss of pain as the marks turn scarlet. “Get out of here! Run while you can!” He urges.

“No,” Gordon remains stubborn.

Benreys multiple eyes become varying shades of red as assimilation completes. Sending another rush through the hive. This one hits Goat harder than the ones before.

Goat’s breathing hitches, and then they start to laugh. Tears still fall down their face, but laughter stretches their lips into a deranged smile. They look over at Gordon. “You should’ve ran when you had the chance.”

Benrey catches Gordon’s concerned gaze. “I’m sorry.” He says earnestly through the pain.

🐉 grins darkly. “Benrey, assimilate Gordon.”

Benrey freezes, his eyes become glossed over, and he charges.

The RAs are quick to move out of his way as he pounces on top of Gordon. Slamming his back into the ground. Claws digging into Gordon’s suit, making the metal creak and bend.

Gordon struggles to push Benrey away. 

Surprisingly, it starts to work. As Benrey’s movements start to slow and become uncoordinated. Letting Gordon shove him off completely.

“Of course now it kicks in.” Tabby rolls her eyes. “Gotta use a more concentrated dose,” she mutters under her breath.

“This calls for our greatest move, dogpile!” Reaper shouts and jumps right on top of Gordon. Winding both Gordon and himself. “Oof, forgot about the metal suit.” Reaper wheezes.

“Dogpile!” 0wl cheers, before joining in on the action. Their peeper puppies give loud bwooping howls.

Gordon’s ears go flat against his head and he cringes. Benrey flinches but still tries to push himself up. Even as his arms fail to hold him, he still tries to comply to the order given to him.

More and more RAs join in on the dogpile. Rendering Gordon unable to get up, much less move his arms or legs. 

Benrey, now laying beside the pile, weakly raises a hand towards Gordon. He drops it right on his face just as he passes out.

Gordon is left to lay there, a blacken clawed hand covering his face, unable to move no matter how much he struggles. Soon enough, he starts to feel the marks appear on his skin. A few seconds later, Gordon is assimilated into the hive with a rush. Still, he struggles beneath them all.

“You are going to tire yourself out,” 0wl says casually from where they are smooshed.

“You’re one of Us now. Don’t have to fight anymore,” Mags says from somewhere on top of the pile.

Gordon refuses to stop.

“Dude, chill.” Comes the muffled voice of Reaper pressed against Gordon’s chest.

Gordon stills and stares blankly at the ceiling.

The RAs disperse their dogpile and get to their feet.

“Honestly, seeing as no one died. We’d say that went really well,” ♠️ says.

“Yeah.” 👑 looks down at the two Xenians on the floor. “Don’t… Don’t think we can return them to Xen now.”

“The crystal broke though. We couldn’t even if we wanted to before.” 🐉🐈 points out.

“There’s another crystal in sub floor Lambda 50 they saved for separate experiments.” Milli says as she finally sits up from where she was knocked down.

“You’re telling us this now?” Creative deadpans.

“You didn’t ask before,” Tary says.

Creative just sighs.

“Then what are we standing around for?” Tabby picks up her gun with her remaining hand. “We got a goal now, let’s move.”

Chapter Text

A clock ticks in a silent room. Counting the minutes of the late morning. It’s almost peaceful in this employee break room.

Dr. Coomer and Bubby are still cuddled up together. Bubby making an excellent heater, being held in Dr. Coomer’s strong arms.

Tommy is sound asleep. He looks like he is having a nice dream from the smile on his face.

Chell is curled up against the couch. Using her lab coat as a makeshift blanket.

Rowan’s glasses are pressed against his face in a way that certainly will leave an imprint.

Barney’s face slides forward off the arm of the couch he’s been leaning against. He jerks up, startling to wakefulness. Quickly realizing he fell asleep on his watch. 

To make up for it, he takes stock of the room, and one thing is glaringly apparent. His freckles shifting to tea green at the realization.

Instantly, Barney is up on his four paws. Wincing from accidentally putting weight on his injured hindlimb. “Everyone wake up! The RAs are gone.” 

“What...?” Bubby tiredly grumbles. Opening his eyes in a glare at the rude awakening.

Chell quickly uncurls and looks around. Her eyes widen for a moment, seeing that indeed they are gone. “What happened? Where did they go?”

“I don’t know,” Barney gives a helpless shrug. “I woke up and they aren’t there.”

“Oh dear, that can’t be good.” Dr. Coomer says as he sits up. Moving Bubby with him.

Bubby’s brain catches up with where he is and his face goes red. He quickly sits up straight on the couch, out of Dr. Coomer’s hold. If anyone stares at him, he shoots them a look to keep quiet.

Tommy rubs an eye and yawns, sitting up. Frowning deeply at the RA’s absence. 

Rowan is slow to rise as well. He fixes his glasses to their proper place. Frowning a bit at the glass being smudged. “What’s with all the como-” That’s when his brain catches up at the same time his eyes land on the corner the RAs last were. The only remnants that remain are the empty soda cans they drank. He just stares at the empty spot. “No…”

“Who the fuck was supposed to be watching them?” Bubby snaps. Distracting himself from his fading flush.

“Barney, you never woke me up,” Chell looked at said person.

“No, that’s my fault. Didn’t realize how tired I really was.” Barney admits.

“You fell asleep?!” Bubby rounds on him. “You’re a security guard, you have one job!”

Barney’s freckles turn red as his tail flicks. “Hey now, no need to yell at me.”

Dr. Coomer puts a hand on Bubby’s shoulder. Bubby glances back at him and relents. Huffing and looking away as he crosses his arms. 

“We need to go and find them.” Dr. Coomer urges the group. “It’s not safe for them out there on their own.”

“They seemed able to hold their own,” Chell points out. “They took down those aliens before without a problem.”

“They shouldn’t have wandered from the group. Again,” Barney sighs.

“Good riddance, never liked those punks anyway.” Bubby says even as his eyes slide to the door. Foot tapping the floor.

“There has to be a reason they left, right?” Chell tries to reason. “They wouldn’t just do this for nothing.”

“They’re cursed,” Rowan finally speaks. Still staring at the spot with his shoulders slumped. “They’re gone, it got them.”

“Now that can’t be true,” Chell frowns. “They would’ve taken us in our sleep. That’s how it works doesn’t it?”

“Would’ve liked to see them try,” Bubby grumbled.

“Then why else are they gone?” Rowan gestures sharply to the corner.

“I don’t know, but I’m not giving up on them yet,” Chell stands tall.

“Neither am I,” Barney agrees with a nod.

“They’re not-not gone yet, b-but we have to hurry,” Tommy speaks up. Wringing his hands together.

“Then there’s no time to lose,” Dr. Coomer gets to his feet. Already moving for the door. “Come on everyone, we have some Research Associates to find.”

With Dr. Coomer in the lead, with Bubby by his side, the science team makes haste through the halls of Black Mesa. Searching for clues as to where their missing friends have gone.

At first, there isn’t anything that gives away what direction they took. Just a winding path with branching pathways. Just guessing which one to take and hoping it’s right. 

Following Tommy’s guesswork soon pays off however when they spot the first corpse. A headcrab that looks like it has been stabbed clean through. Another one lays at the bottom of a wall, it’s green blood spattered where it must have impacted. 

No one bats an eye at this. Two headcrabs aren’t really a threat.

Not even a few minutes later, they stumble across the bodies of several headcrabs in a similar state. Then some more, and more, as they follow the trail of bloody bread crumbs.

It ranged from the common headcrab to zombie hoards. Each sporting brutal wounds that certainly caused their deaths. Getting more and more mutilated with each new corpse they find. The bottom of their shoes get caked when they are forced to walk through the puddles around them when there is too much.

“That answers why we haven’t been attacked yet,” Barney comments.

“Did they have to make such a mess?” Bubby complains.

Dr. Coomer frowns at it all. “It is rather concerning with how much there are. Hopefully no one is injured.”

“This is the RAs we’re talking about, I’m sure they’re doing fine.” Chell sounds like she’s trying to convince herself more than anything.

“Plus, th-they have each other,” Tommy adds optimistically. Even as he fiddles with his sleeves.

Rowan presses his lips in a thin line as he lingers at the back. He says nothing.

Barney perks up a bit, recognizing the area. “Looks like the RAs are heading back for the lab.”

Dr. Coomer brightens at the news. “Good eye, Barney. If they were to rest anywhere it would be there.” With that he speeds up his pace.

The team makes it to the ERD lab in record time. Only when they open it’s doors, the room is devoid of any people. What it isn’t devoid of is the signs of a fight. There are a bunch of large feathers too big for any normal birds laying about. The floor is splattered in not only red blood, but green and blue as well. Pieces of a HEV suit are thrown into a pile in the corner. A table is toppled over by the wall and it’s contents lay around it.

“Oh dear…” Dr. Coomer murmurs.

“The fuck happened in here?” Bubby says.

“Nothing good,” Barney frowns as he pads into the room. Freckles back to tea green.

Chell squints at a wall near the back of the room and steps up to it. Running her fingers over holes in the wall. “Are those bullet holes?”

Tommy picks up one of the feathers. He looks deeply troubled.

Barney nudges the wrecked microscope with a paw. Looking down at the box of fallen rock samples spilled on the floor. 

Rowan gravitates towards the plant corner, which is untouched by destruction. They still look nice and healthy, dirt in their pots still damp. There’s even his cactus sitting there. He’s almost tempted to touch it with how horrible this morning has been.

“Isn’t that the plant they wouldn’t stop dragging around?” Bubby points out. Looking at Nema sitting right next to Croton. There’s a sticky note attached to Nema’s pot now. It reads ‘Stay safe, brb OwO’.

Rowan stares at it unamused. Yeah, they’ve been here.

“Great, we missed them.” Bubby huffs.

“I don’t like this,” Chell shakes her head to herself. 

Barney signs. “Don’t think anyone does. They may be hurtin’.”

“All the more reason to keep going,” Dr. Coomer says. “They can’t have gone far.”

Bubby is already making his way towards the door. “Let’s just find them already so you all stop worrying so much.”

The Science team decided to go deeper into the facility in search of their friends. They found more dead headcrabs so they’re on the right track at least. Presently descending down several flights of stairs.

Tommy suddenly brightens up. “Oh, Darnold’s lab is close! We should check up on him to make sure he’s alright.”

“If he is, I’m asking him why he hasn’t been answering any texts,” Bubby says. Already stepping onto the Mixology floor.

“Probably busy with managin’ the invasion. He’s resourceful, bet he’s alright.” Barney says.

“Still isn’t an excuse,” Bubby counters.

Tommy pushes open the door to let everyone in. Where Darnold stands conversing with seven research associates gathered around him.

“If that one doesn’t work, we can try anoth-” Darnold stops mid sentence at the interruption. Turning away from his guests and smiling at the science team. “Oh hey, we were just wondering about you.”

Goat finishes downing a red potion. The visible scratches on their bare arm heal near instantly, and they stand more solidly on their feet. “Just the one is enough. Thank you so much. Feel much better already. It will be nice to walk again without pain.” Their eyes flick to the group and they grin. “Hello everyone.”

✨ gives a smile and a wave. “Hello, nice to finally meet you.”

“Took you all long enough,” Reaper teases.

Dr. Coomer rushes forward and engulfs the closest two, 👑 and Mags, in a big hug. “I’m so glad to see you alive and well! You had us worried.”

Rowan’s eyes are wide. “What are you doing?! Put them down!”

👑 laughs and pats a arm. “Happy to see you too.”

Mags smile is strained. “As nice as this is, you’re crushing our wings.”

Dr. Coomer sets them both down immediately and steps back to give them room to breathe. “My apologies. Got a bit carried away there.”

Mags’s wings flutter as they settle back into their rightful place folded up against her back. “It’s alright, we’re still getting used to having them again.”

Bubby stomps up to the group. “Why the fuck did you all run off? Where’s the rest of you?”

0wl taps their claws against their own empty potion bottle. “They’re not too far ahead. We just stopped to say hello.”

“But why did you leave? We woke up and you were all just gone,” Chell asks.

“We needed to step away for a bit. Clear our heads. Just following Voxis advice,” Goat smiles sweetly.

Rowan’s eyes flash gold and he fidgets in place.

“I keep tellin’ ya not to run off, and now look at ya. Folks got hurt.” Barney gestures to the group. 

All of their clothes are stained in alien blood, and even some blood of their own. Reaper’s clothes are torn up and have half a chewed pant leg. Goat is missing a whole sleeve. 0wl’s labcoat is gone and their uniform is scratched up. Mags is also missing her labcoat, uniform shirt sleeves rolled up. She has a second pair of arms that weren’t there before with fuzzy hands. Only ✨’s, 👑’s, and Arachne’s clothes are intact.

Reaper waves off the concern. “Mixologist master here took care of it no problem.”

“Thank you. I’m glad I could help.” Darnold says.

“Oh, you should give Barney one too!” 0wl turns to Darnold. 

“If it’s no problem, I could use one,” Barney nods sheepishly.

Darnold eyes drift to Barney’s bad leg, frowning in concern at the blood soaked bandages. “Of course. I don’t mind. There should be one on the wall behind the RAs. Can you get it please?” Darnold points to another red bottled potion on the shelf.

👑 is quick to move. “We got it!” She plucks it off the shelf before walking over and holding it out to Barney. “Here you go.”

“Thank ya,” Barney takes it. 👑’s hand doesn’t move out of the way, forcing Barney to have skin to skin contact for just a moment. She only gives a small smile as Barney drinks the potion.

✨ takes notice of Rowan’s tense posture. He strides on up to him. “Are you doing okay?” 

Rowan takes a big step away from him. “I don’t find fearing assimilation a good way to spend my time so no.” 

Chell hits him lightly on the shoulder. “Rowan, don’t be so harsh. We just reunited.”

“Why worry? The big threat is gone now, and we took care of the aliens so there should be nothing to worry about.” Mags assures.

Reaper leans a shoulder onto Dr. Coomer. “Yeah, just relax.”

“Stop being so close!” Rowan tugs on Dr. Coomer’s arm to move. Getting him to move away a few steps, causing Reaper to stumble without his support.

“That was rude, we weren't even doing anything.” Reaper frowns.

Dr. Coomer pulls his arm back. “Now it’s quite impolite to pull people.”

Bubby raises a brow at Rowan. “What has gotten into you?”

“What has gotten into me? It’s what’s gotten into them!” Rowan snaps as he gestures at the group.

Arachne raises her hands. “So this is the lab dad I’ve heard so much about.” She sarcastically signs. 

“We’re lucid, we’re not gonna do weird shit.” 0wl speaks up. 

✨ raises his hands. “Please, let’s not fight. Can we just have one meeting go nicely?”

Darnold looks between the groups. “Am I missing something?”

There’s a loud thud from the corner of the room causing a few to jump. Two peeper puppies are nudging a barrel they just knocked over, while Peeps sits to the side just watching them like the good boy he is.

“Hey, those are dangerous chemicals!” Darnold exclaims. Rushing over to pick the heavy barrel back up. ✨ is quick to help him with it.

“Hey!” 0wl wags a finger at them. “No, bad dogs. We do not knock over people's things. You know better.” Said two whine and sit in shame. 

Rowan’s eyes catch on the curse runes on the aliens skin, and his eyes turn gold. Golden markings reappearing on his face as it pales. “You didn’t…” 

“Hmm?” 0wl tilts their head. 

Chell eyes the peeper puppies wearily. “They have the marks, why do they have the marks?”

“It was an accident,” 0wl shrugs.

Chell looks to the others for a second opinion. Dr. Coomer smile looks strained. Bubby looks more alert. Barney’s tail has started to swish. Tommy is fidgeting with his sleeves even more, and hasn’t gotten close to the RA group at all since entering the room.

“Vox!” 👑 practically lights up and jumps up into their space. Going for a hug. “Good to see you again!”

Vox takes several steps back, shaking his head. “No, no, Rowan can’t be right.”

👑 looks a bit put out at being left hanging. 

Darnold thanks ✨ before straightening his lab coat. “Right about what? I’m lost on what's happening.”

The RAs exchange a look, and a silent conversation passes in the fraction of a second. 

Mags saddles up to Darnold as he dusts himself off from putting the barrel back in place. “It’s a long story, but we have time if you want it,” Mags says. Pulling him into a one armed hug around his shoulders. Bare skin touching the back of his neck.

“You’re a little in my space,” Darnold looks uncomfortable. Trying to pull away, but Mags holds a firm grip.

Rowan wrestles back control. “Darnold, get out of there! They assimilate people through contact!”

“What?!” Darnold’s eyes go wide and he immediately starts to struggle. 

Mags pulls him closer and grabs him from behind. Locking her lower set of limbs together around his arms, preventing movement. While the upper hug him around the neck, hands holding his head. She sighs. “Hard way it is then.”

“Someone help!” Darnold cries out.

Bubby bares his sharp teeth in anger, storming over. “Get off of him!”

Reaper intercepts him and grabs onto his forearms. “How about you join instead?”

Dr. Coomer’s hands clenched into fists. “Hands off him!” He grabs Reaper by the shoulder and easily rips him off Bubby. Throwing him to the side where he lands on the floor with a pained grunt.

Barney unholsters his gun and aims it at Mags. “Let him go right now.” A growl rumbles from his chest.

Mags eyes lock on the gun barrel, and suddenly she disappears from sight. The only sign she’s still even there is because now Darnold looks like he’s just fighting against the air.

“Dammit,” Barney doesn’t know where to aim.

Darnold grits his teeth and his face scrunches up in pain. The runes have started to spread.

Chell rushes forward staff in hand, shifting into Xenian form. Goat meets her and they clash staffs. Only this time Goat stands strong on their two feet and gives Chell a wide grin. “It’s already too late, but don’t worry. We’ll take good care of him, just like all of you. With Us you’ll be safe and protected.”

“I don’t know what happened to you all while you were gone but you need to snap out of it!” Chell yells back. Chell steps back and goes for a swing. 

Goat sidesteps it and whacks her across the head. “You don’t know the half of it.”

Chell stumbles from the blow, but she recovers quickly and evades Goat’s touch.

Meanwhile, ✨ and 0wl stand in Bubby’s and Dr. Coomer’s way. 0wl’s peeper puppies hiss loudly as they snap at the two’s legs. Bubby snarls, hands aflame, swinging them at the aliens. Making them whimper and keep their distance.

0wl giggles madly as they lunge for Dr. Coomer. Dr. Coomer swings at them, but ✨ grabs his wrist with both hands, throwing him off course. “Why fight us? Come on, we can be one happy family.”

Dr. Coomer responds by punching him in the gut. Making ✨ double over wheezing, clutching his abdomen.

To the side of that, Arachne pulls out Natasha and holds out her hand over Barney’s centaur back. Barney is quick to notice and he moves away just in time to avoid a stowaway. Switching his aim towards her.

Arachne puts up her hands. The black widow crawls down the back of her arms.

Vox has taken the wheel over Rowan again, but they aren’t much help as they stand there petrified.

👑 skips on over to them, much to their horror. “It’s okay, we won’t hurt you Vox.”

“Why..? You promised.” Vox asks as they step back.

👑 matches each step back with one forward. A frown appears on her face at their words. It almost looks regretful. “We’re sorry…” Her hands clasp together. “B-But we can make up for it. Do better. Make a new promise.” 

Vox’s back bumps into a wall. 👑 takes in their scared expression and her face turns stoic as she stares up at them, her eyes aglow. “You won’t leave us, would you Vox?”

“Welcome to the hive, Darnold.” Mags says as she becomes visible again.

The Science team watch as Darnold is released, and his now red eyes meet their’s.

Rowan shoves 👑, making her fall on her butt as he sprints for the door. “Everyone run!”

Everyone disengages from their fights and makes a break for it right after Rowan. Evading grasping hands and peeper puppy snapping jaws.

Barney pulls ahead to the front with his lion half. “Follow me!” He leads them away from the stairs they originally came from and down some halls.

“The stairs are that way!” Bubby points.

“If we take the stairs we’ll just be cornered at the bottom. I don’t have access for that way. We have ta go another way.” Barney explains.

Bubby glances back only to see the RAs bursting out the doors and coming in hot on their tails. 0wl and their pack at the front howling at the thrill of a hunt. Bubby pushes at those in the back to go faster.

“We need to lose them!” Chell yells to the front.

“Trying!” Barney leads them down several corners trying to lose the RAs, but they never sound that far behind.

Bubby throws a fireball behind him, there’s a faint “oh shit!” as it hits a wall. “Fuckers don’t give up,” he grumbles.

The vents clang up above, or more specifically above Bubby.

Dr. Coomer grabs a stilling cooling hand and yanks him to the side just as a vent grate is punched open. A shadowy hand lashes out and claws through Dr. Coomer’s left shoulder as they pass under.

“Harold!” Bubby shouts.

Dr. Coomer smiles reassuringly despite the pain. Giving Bubby’s hand a squeeze. “I’m okay, keep going.”

Tommy spares a glance back then focuses forward. “I-I know how-how we can lose th-them. This way!” 

Barney nods and lets him take the lead. It isn’t long following Tommy’s way that they come across a dead end.

“Uhh… Tommy.” Barney looks to him worryingly.

“Don’t stop running, and close-close your eyes!” Tommy slows down to the back of the group.

Chell looks at him like he’s crazy. “Tommy what the fu-”

“Trust-trust me!” Tommy smiles.

Left without options, the science team closes their eyes as they run full tilt for the wall. Space warps around them. Then soon they find themselves in a completely different area then they were. A wall at their backs as they stop and open their eyes to look around in confusion. There are no RAs in sight.

“What?” Barney looks absolutely baffled.

“Not going to question that,” Rowan shakes his head to himself. Trying to regain his breath.

Chell leans heavily against a wall, “Don’t know what you did, but I owe you one Tommy.”

“It was no problem,” Tommy beams.

Dr. Coomer assesses his shoulder injury and grimaces at the severity. Covering it from sight by adjusting his labcoat. “This curse is concerning.”

“Yeah,” Chell exhales. Trying to process what they went through. “Just- What happened to them?” 

Bubby scoffs. “They lost their damn marbles is what. Guess you had the right idea back there, Rowan.”

Rowan frowns and looks away. “Where are we?”

Barney looks around. Noticing how differently these hallways are built. Looking down one doesn’t reveal the rows of lab doors they’ve grown used to. It’s more akin to barracks. “I think we’re in Zeta.”

“The military area? Great,” Bubby rolls his eyes.

“Actually, it’s the-the administration wing,” Tommy helpfully pipes up. “It was just easier for-for security to keep the military here-here too.”

Chell pushes herself off the wall. “Alright, let's focus on finding a safe place to rest. I think we deserve that at least.”

The door makes an angry beep. Denying the card offered to it. Bubby slaps a hand against it in frustration. “We are in the middle of an invasion, who the fuck has time to lock the doors?” 

Dr. Coomer puts a hand on his shoulder. “Bubby dear, hitting it isn’t going to make it open.”

Barney is surveying the area, now out of xenian form. “Should’ve known my card wouldn’t work on all of them. Admins never liked open doors.”

“More like they didn’t like people knowing what they got up to,” Rowan comments bitterly. 

“Hey, guys. I found something!” Comes the voice of Chell further down the way. The group can see her just barely by a bend as she waves them over. 

They make their way over to find human Chell standing beside a sliding door slid halfway open. There is a hole with exposed sparking wires next to it. There are claw marks gouged into the wall around it. The card reader lays discarded on the floor crumpled up in a heap.

“That’s not ominous,” Rowan says.

“Tell me we aren’t stupid enough to go in there,” Bubby says.

“Trust me, if I could go another way I would.” Chell responds.

Barney puts a hand over his gun. “Then we ought ta be careful.” He leads them in.

Inside the room is broken up by office dividers. There are desks with computers to work at in cubicles off to the side. Open floor space it’s taken up by lab tables either holding lab equipment, covered in open boxes, or blueprints for experiment plans. Poking around reveals that many filing cabinets are also left ajar.

They make good progress, getting halfway through the giant room before luck runs out.

“Did you find it yet?” Whines a familiar voice.

“Be patient, I’m looking,” snaps another.

The science team tenses, sharing a look between each other. Dr. Coomer responds by slowly bringing a finger to his lips. 

“If we came all this way for nothing-”

“You going to do what maple leaf? Complain our ears off?”

Rowan sneaks forward and uses a nearby cubicle wall to see into the next lab space. Able to see a full view of a metal table, but not the source of the voices just yet. 

Barney peers over his shoulder, trying to see too. Chell joins Rowan’s side crouching by the floor. Dr. Coomer also wants to see so he pops his head above Barney’s. Bubby tries to squish in too, and at this point they’re crushing poor Rowan against the wall. He shoots a “Really guys?” glare to those around him.

Tommy calmly uses his height privileges to lean over the entire group to watch.

 “Wait! We found something!” 

“Come on then, don’t leave us hanging. Show us the goods.”

🐉🐈 bounces into view carrying a case and sets it down on the table. Popping it open, tail wagging in excitement.

Six more RAs crowd around her, as well as a clearly assimilated Forzen.

“Wow, there’s so many,” 🔪🦀 points out.

“Look at that, they even labeled them with cute stickers.” 🐉 commented as they poked at things in the case.

Tabby reaches in and plucks out a memory card no bigger than a large coin. “Hmm, not very impressive.”

“You were the ones who wanted to detour to get them,” Forzen says.

❤️ slides one of his six arms over Forzen’s shoulders, another on his back. “And we thank you for telling us about them, handsome.” He purrs, the tail he now sprouts curling behind him.

Forzen’s face turns red and he looks away flustered.

🦚 makes a face as he holds one with his name. “We cannot fathom that this miniscule thing contains our data.”

“We’re still stuck on the wii thing,” Creative says.

Rowan bats at those on him to move and they get the message. The team disengages from their pile and takes a step back. Looking around for a way to sneak around.

Chell waves a hand to get the other’s attention. “I have an idea. Follow my lead,” she signs. She gets nods in response.

Chell grabs a metal thermos sitting on a desk and looks around with a calculating look in her eye. Stepping lightly over to a divider, she tests the weight of the thermos and then chucks it right over. It goes sailing.

A loud metal clang rings out as it hits something far down the left side of the large room in some other office space. The chatter in the area next to them stops. 

The case slams closed and there’s a rush of activity and the sound of footsteps running deeper into the room.

Chell makes a sharp beckoning motion and is on the move. Her steps fast but light, running through the now empty lab room with the others not so far behind. She pauses at an opening in the dividers. Hearing the cursed down the left pathway, so she takes the right.

“Where are you? We know you’re here.~” ❤️ calls out.

“Are we playing a game of hide and seek?” 🐉’s voice cuts through the air.

Ignoring the way their hearts hammer in their chests, they continue forward through the maze-like room. Ears perked and eyes peeled as they navigate around cubicles and lab spaces. 

Chell nearly runs past a large stack of boxes before Barney yanks her down. She looks back bewildered for an explanation. 

Rowan, who’s crouched behind them, points at Tary who has now entered the space. Gun drawn as he moves to the side of the boxes the team isn’t hiding behind.

Despite some crashing noises coming from other areas, his bootsteps are deafening. The team becoming hyper aware of where his purposeful steps fall. 

Dr. Coomer clenches and unclenches his fists and checks on Bubby behind him. His eyes lock onto something on his shoulder and slowly he raises his hands in a “stay calm” manner.

Bubby raises a brow at this and makes the mistake of looking. Natasha stares back.

He jumps in fright and slaps the black widow off of himself. She hangs off his arm now by a thread of webbing. Dr. Coomer is trying to help as the others quickly take notice of the situation happening behind them.

Chell’s hands fly into signs. “Bubby don’t-!”

Bubby let’s lose a blast of fire. Burning into the boxes and setting them aflame. He stares at it wide-eyed and frozen. Natasha, unharmed, just cut from her web, simply crawls away. 

“Shit.”

“Over here!” Tary calls, before a gunshot rings out. It penetrates a box and flies just above Barney’s head.

“Jesus Christ!” He exclaims. “Run!”

The science team doesn't need to be told twice, and they take off. No longer caring who sees them. It’s time to survive.

Smoke trails up to the ceiling as the fire spreads. Catching onto the flimsy dividers and quickly eating up the ludicrious amounts of paper everywhere. Growing in size and giving the place an orange glow. 

The team rounds a corner to see 🦚 and Milli waiting for them. 🦚’s eyes widen at them and he points. “Seize them!” 

Milli lunges, grabbing onto Barney. He grits his teeth, and with a hand, pulls the taser out and jabs it into her side. She convulses and collapses to the ground twitching. 🦚 feathers puff angrily as the team pushes on past them.

A knife flies just past Chell’s face, making her flinch back in surprise as it embeds itself in the wall next to her. Whipping around to see the perpetrator reveals 🔪🦀 already pulling out another. She gets dragged along to keep running. 

The next knife just misses Tommy’s foot.

Tabby stands up on a desk, loading a dart as her eyes track the team dipping in and out of her sight. Now trying to avoid pathways being eaten by fast moving flames.

She lifts the gun, aims, and fires.

Barney cries out in pain when it nails him in the back, just above his bullet proof vest. Rowan quickly rips it out of him, but it’s already deposited it’s payload.

Tabby loads another, aiming for Dr. Coomer who stares right at her. She fires, but he’s quick to throw up his arms to defend himself. The dart clinks off of the metal of his robotically enhanced forearms.

“Stay down!” Rowan warns the group. Pushing them to cover and out of the line of fire as they run.

Tabby frowns in disappointment but is forced to move to avoid getting burned.

The team comes upon a crossroad. They choosers go right, only for Creative to throw down a filing cabinet in their path. “Did you really have to set shit on fire?!” 

The team skid to a stop and bolts in the opposite direction.

Rowan startles when 🐉🐈 races just beside the group. Clutching a metal case to her chest. She shoots the team a nervous smile before disappearing down a path.

Barney stumbles over his own feet and shakes his head, blinking rapidly. He’s starting to lag.

“Come on! We have to be close to getting out of here.” Chell says before coughing. The smoke is piling up in the room with nowhere to go.

“Don’t breathe the smoke!” Bubby tugs up his shirt over his nose. Rowan and Chell follow his lead, Dr. Coomer and Tommy use their labcoats.

“Found you!”

🐉 climbs onto a desk, vaults over a divider, and lands directly onto Barney. Tackling him to the ground.

“Barney!” Rowan exclaims.

Barney grapples with 🐉 who is grinning madly, eyes brightly glowing. They manage to grab an arm and forcefully interlaces their fingers with his. Digging in their claws with how hard they are squeezing his hand.

“Get off!” Chell stomps forward and swings her staff down on 🐉. They flinch, but they hold strong. “Ow, rude.” They frown up at Chell. “Wait your turn.”

Barney knows it’s a losing battle. He can feel the tranquilizer in his system slowing him down. His movements are growing uncoordinated and it’s only been getting harder to focus. Even if he were to escape, he was sure to collapse.

“Y’all need to run!” He yells to them.

“No!” Chell swings again. All she gets is another “ow”.

Bubby lets out a stream of swears, looking back and forth between the path and Barney.

Dr. Coomer steps forward looking like he’s about to pry the cursed RA off himself.

Barney shakes his head, it makes him dizzy. “Just go! Can’t run anyway. Don’t worry about me, worry about yerselves!”

Chell hesitates. Dr. Coomer looks at him sadly just as the first rune appears. He tugs on Chell’s arm to move. She does, her eyes suspiciously shiny as she is forced to turn her back on a friend.

🐉’s mocking cackle can be heard over the roar of the flames as they run.

The room is hot now, sweat is building up on their brows. They can taste the ash on their tongue from the clogged air. They are coughing more frequently now.

Taking a turn, they see a ray of hope. It’s the exit, but ❤️ and Forzen stand in the way. 

“There you all are, you kept us waiting,” ❤️ grins.

“You don’t have to make this more difficult. Give up.” Forzen says.

“Get the fuck out of the way!” Bubby growls.

❤️ steps closer. “Not until you all join Us. We have enough hands to hug all of you.”

“No thanks,” Rowan replies sharply.

A glance back shows the fire has engulfed most of the room behind them. An inferno born from office supplies.

“I said no!” Bubby blasts ❤️ with flame. He hisses in pain and stumbles back into the wall, clutching at his burns.

Forzen charges forward. Dr. Coomer throws a punch, which Forzen dodges. What he doesn’t dodge is the metal pole to his face from behind by Chell. Effectively stunning him.

Taking the opportunity, the team is able to make it through the doors and back into the hallways of the facility. Where the air smells clean and feels smooth to breathe after the ordeal. However, they don’t dare stop. Running because their lives depend on it.

Door after door. Hallway after hallway. 

They don’t notice the signs have gone from Zeta to Lambda.

“Tommy!” Bubby yells. “Now would be a good time to do that trick again!”

“Um…” Tommy is panting as he looks around.

“Just- Just keep running.” Chell sounds like she’s telling herself this more than anyone else.

Not even a minute after, a pair of large doors blocks the way.

“Really?” Rowan says exasperated.

“I-I got it,” Tommy says. Already pulling out a card and scanning it as everyone crowds around it. Taking the moment to catch a breather.

“This sucks. This fucking sucks,” Bubby complains loudly.

Dr. Coomer frowns deeply. “Their behavior is too unstable. They aren’t even themselves anymore.”

Chell shakes her head as she eyes down the way they came. “They took Barney. They took Darnold and Forzen. They’re not going to stop. I hope Gordon and Benrey are far away from here.”

Bubby taps his foot, watching the doors. “Liked it better when the punks were on our side.”

“Once we’re out of here, we can still try to synthesize a cure.” Dr. Coomer remains optimistic.

“There is none,” Vox speaks through Rowan. “I’ve told you before there isn’t. I’ve tried everything I could think of and it didn’t work.”

“There has to be something you didn’t think of,” Chell says.

“Yeah, we’re scientists!” Dr. Coomer chimed in.

“Nothing can cure this!” Vox snaps. Then their shoulders sag and they curl back into themself. “It’s just more lives I’ve destroyed.”

The door gives an affirmative beep.

“Got it!” Tommy smiles.

The door slides open and the team’s hearts drop.

Inside are not only the last missing RAs, but those from the first group they encountered are there. Along with an assimilated Darnold, Benrey, and Gordon. Gordon is missing his HEV suit, and both he and Benrey are in full Xenian forms.

💀 sports another set of blackened arms with claws as a tail moves languidly behind xem. “Hello, science team. Let’s talk. Don’t bother to run.”

The second group enters the hallway to the doors. Blocking the way back. Covered in a dusting of soot and reeking of smoke. All are accounted for, even Barney who is passed out in Creative’s arms.

“Enter the room,” 💀 demands more than says.

“Don’t linger by the door, go on.” ❤️ urges. Stepping closer and shooing them forward with his hands.

The team shares a look and begrudgingly steps inside. Keeping a good distance from both groups as the second files in and closes the door behind them.

The room itself is massive. It has to be to contain the centerpiece of a large yellow xen crystal.

“Alright, you surrounded us. What do you want?” Rowan scowls.

“To do this peacefully without needlessly fighting anyone. We don’t have to be violent and start another fight. We’ve had enough of those.” Stellar says.

“Not it would be much of one with Our numbers,” Arachne signs before accepting Natasha from Tary. Giving the spider one finger pets.

“Now you’re pacifists? Where was that energy five minutes ago for Barney?!” Bubby grits his sharp teeth.

Tabby rolls her eyes. “He’s perfectly fine. It wasn’t enough to overdose him. He’ll wake up in a few hours.”

M twirls her bat around. “Honestly, this would be easier on everyone if you just let us assimilate you.”

“Better idea, you let us go.” Chell says.

“𝕎𝕖 𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕥𝕠𝕠 𝕞𝕦𝕔𝕙 𝕥𝕠 𝕕𝕠 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥.” ☣️’s voice echos from a wall vent. “𝔸𝕝𝕤𝕠, 𝕤𝕠𝕣𝕣𝕪 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕔𝕝𝕒𝕨𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕪𝕠𝕦. 𝕀 𝕘𝕠𝕥 𝕖𝕩𝕔𝕚𝕥𝕖𝕕.”

“If you let us go free, we can find a way to fix you,” Dr. Coomer tries to reason.

“Who says we need to be fixed? This curse isn’t as bad as it’s made out to be.” 💀 says.

Vox looked horrified. “Yes it is! It’s already clouded your minds! This is what it does. It’s what I warned you all about, but you didn’t listen.”

“Guys, they don’t seem too jazzed about the idea.” ♠ comments to the others.

“But we want them to join Us,” 🌵 pouts. “If they join Us, we’ll all be friends again. They’ll see it isn’t so bad, like Gordon and Benrey did.”

“I’m not joining your cult.” Bubby crosses his arms.

“Bubby,” Gordon speaks up. Tilting his head as his eyes bore into the man. “Aren’t we family? Or did those moments 20 years ago mean nothing?”

Bubby looks uncomfortable at that.

“Just let them do it,” Benrey says. “No point in fighting.”

“I’d rather die than join them,” Rowan glares.

“Well then,” 🐉 claps their hands together, smiling far too sweetly. “This is going nowhere. We tried your plan 💀. Let’s just go back to good ol’ plan A.”

“Plan A!”

“Yes!” 

“I like that plan!”

“A! A! A!”

The team huddles closer together, sensing the rising excitement from the RAs. Shifting into their Xenian forms, aside from Tommy who doesn’t have one. All eyes are on them.

💀 let’s out a heavy sigh. “Fine. Plan A it is.”

“A for Assimilation!” 0wl cheered before launching themselves at the team. Peeper puppies bwooping at their side. 

All hell breaks loose.

Bubby’s tail flame burns brightly and his forearms are set aflame. Using blasts of flame to deter 0wl’s pack. As they circle the group, snapping and hissing.

Reaper runs up to Dr. Coomer, aiming a flashlight blow to the head. Dr. Coomer catches it with a webbed hand, and delivers a right hook to his chin. Leaving Reaper to see spots as he stumbles clumsily.

Tabby latches onto his back and raises a syringe posed for his neck. He just barely stops it by grabbing her hand, and then flipping her over his shoulder entirely. Throwing her to the floor where she ragdolls on impact.

He only gets one breath in before he is forced to block a knife with his arms. It clangs against his enhancements. 🐉 dashes to his side for another go, but jerks back with a pained yelp as he pulls on their braid.

Reaper stabilizes on his feet and looks absolutely murderous. He gets 🐉 thrown into him by their hair. Crumpling to the floor in pain.

❤️ approaches the group and Tommy pulls his gun on him. ❤️ snickers and doesn’t stop his advance, “You wouldn’t shoot me.”

Tommy responds by firing a bullet into his knee.

“Ah-!” ❤️ roars in pain as he falls to the ground. Clutching at his wound with a hand. 

“D-Don’t get close,” Tommy says firmly.

Goat slips through Bubby’s defense, staff swinging at Rowan. He leans back, narrowly missing it. Ducking under a second swing and grabbing the staff with all four hands to stop more. 

“Offer still stands, Dad. We will keep you safe and well cared for.” Goat offers.

A growl rumbles deep in Rowan’s chest. “Never.”

“Pity.” Goat gives a harsh yank and pulls Rowan off his feet. Losing his grip on the staff and falling to the floor. Goat stalks around him.

👑 joins the scene. Grabbing one of his arms and pulling him up. “Let us help,” she chirps.

“Get off of me!” He shoves her off, tail lashing.

👑 stumbles back, shocked for a moment, then her face darkens. “We just want to help.” She pulls out a knife as her eyes glow bright. “This is for your own good!” She lunges, and Rowan is forced to dance to dodge.

Chell is preoccupied with fending off her own group. Hitting the hands of 🦔 away with her staff.

♠ nicks her forearm with a knife swing before she smacks him across the head. 

Crackling of electricity fills the air, and she whirls around in an instant. Sweeping 🌵’s legs out from underneath them. They land on their back with a grunt. Taser falling out of their hand.

Bubby fires blast after blast of flames. Keeping the rest of the RAs at bay. Gordon and Benrey are growling and snarling at the group edge. Tails lashing in frustration. Unable to get close because of Bubby keeping a close eye on them.

🐉🐈 looks down at her hands, and a determined spark enters her eyes. She takes off full sprint for Bubby. He sees her coming and throws a fireball her way. She runs straight through it. Ignoring how it burned on her cursed marks as she tackles Bubby to the ground.

“Bubby!” Dr. Coomer’s brows furrow and he readies a fist. Already rushing to his side. ✨ moves in the way, and much like ❤️ and 💀, is sporting more arms and a tail.

“Sorry, can’t let you through,” ✨ says.

Benrey and Gordon act as a barrier behind ✨. Keeping Tommy, Rowan, and Chell from helping Bubby. Leaving him on his own to push against 🐉🐈 on top of him. Holding fast to his arms despite them still being on fire like it is nothing.

“Move!” Dr. Coomer throws a jab. ✨ sidesteps, and swipes in retaliation. Dr. Coomer ducks under it and delivers a swift upper cut. ✨ reels back i from the blow.

Dr. Coomer tries to make a run for it, but feels sharp claws dig in deep to his right bicep. He cries out in pain.

“Stop making this so difficult. We wouldn’t even have to do this if you just joined Us.” ✨said.

Bubby has made no headway as he pushes desperately at 🐉🐈 with burning hands. “Fucking get off me- Ack-!” The runes forming on his skin glow red in protest.

Seeing that, something in Dr. Coomer snaps. In one quick movement, he turns and punches ✨ in the chest with his full strength. 

CRACK!

✨ screams, releasing Dr. Coomer from his hold. The RAs grimace and whimper, collectively clutching around their chests at the feeling of ✨ several definitely broken ribs. Each breath he takes shooting splinters of pain through him. 

Darnold runs up to him, already fumbling for a healing potion.

Black creeps all the way up 💀’s arms and xyr neck. Xe grows in height and the air feels cold as xe stomps over to Dr. Coomer. The scientist raises his fists, bracing for a fight. Xe doesn’t give him the chance. Hand lightning fast and closing around his throat.

💀 lifts Dr. Coomer before slamming him into the ground. Winding the poor man. Xe grabs his injured shoulder with another hand and squeezes. Dr. Coomer’s face scrunches up in agony, teeth gritting as he cries out.

“Harold!” Bubby reaches out an arm to him. Curse marks littering his limbs.

“Do not hurt my family,” 💀 growls, ignoring the burn from xyr marks. Eyes glowing blindingly bright.

Tommy turns his aim on 💀. 

Forzen grabs the gun and redirects it, making Tommy misfire at the ceiling. The two wrestling over the weapon’s aim as it is pointed wildly around.

BANG!

Forzen drops to the floor, clutching his shoulder.

Tommy aims again for 💀 but now Gordon and Benrey stand in the way. Benrey singing red orbs at him that he has to avoid.

Chell’s head is practically on a swivel with how she’s trying to keep an eye on everyone. Defending herself on all sides with her trusty staff she wields masterfully. Swinging at 0wl and their pack nipping at her heels on top of the ones already on her case.

0wl snaps their jaws down on the end of the staff. Tugging on it and not letting go like a high stakes tug-o-war.

“Let go!” Chell tries to shake them off but they do not budge.

Arachne spots this opening and rushes right past. Hand just barely grazing against her neck. She gets away in time to avoid being kicked by a hoof.

Chell glares after her. Arachne locks eyes with her and pulls down her mask just enough to let her see her smug smile. Mandibles and all.

Chell feels something bite her neck. She flinches and swats at it. However, her hand becomes hard to move. Her limbs feel heavy and numb. The staff slips from her grip.

“Whatss happeniiing…” Chell slurs before collapsing to the ground. Completely paralyzed.

Natasha skitters off of Chell’s back and climbs up Arachne as she fixes her mask. Calmly walking over, crouching down, and taking Chell’s hand in hers. 

Rowan slips under 👑’s and Goat’s swings and runs to Tommy’s side just as he escapes Benrey’s sweet voice. Both backing away as they watch the curse marks spread over their friends' bodies and become assimilated.

“It’s just you two left. There’s nowhere to run, so really you should give up now.” 🦚 says.

Their backs bump against a wall. The door is all the way on the other side of the room. 

“You’re surrounded,” Mags points out. “We know assimilation sounds scary, but you’ll be okay. You’ll still be yourselves. You’ll just understand our side of things more.”

Tommy looks between Rowan and the group closing in on them step by step. They’re only a foot away now.

“Join Us.”

“Rowan,” Tommy speaks up. 

“Yeah?” Rowan is too afraid to take his eyes off the hivemind.

“I-I’m sorry.”

Rowan looks at him confused. “What?”

Three things happen in the span of seconds. One, the hivemind pounces. Two, something opens behind Rowan. Three, Tommy pushes him in.

Rowan lands flat on his butt and looks up in time to see a portal. Tommy smiles on the other side, his eyes shiny as he is grabbed by multiple hands. RAs are rushing for the quickly closing portal.

“NO!”

The portal seals shut before anyone gets through.

The silence that follows is deafening.

Rowan is alone.

If he even counts as alone with Voxis in his head. They are in a small hallway. The usual Black Mesa tile flooring and cement walls. Bare from ceiling to floor, except for a fluorescent sign hanging over a door in front of them where the portal used to be. A sign that says exit in big red letters.

“Dammit!” He screams at the air. Clutching at his hair. “Dammit, dammit, dammit.” Each one growing quieter as he repeats it. Tears threatening to spill down his face. Fluffy tail curling around him.

He sits there in this position, fighting off tears for a long time.

Voxis: Rowan… Rowan, we should get out of here.

Rowan: … 

Voxis: Rowan?

Rowan: They took everyone. It’s just me.

Voxis: I know. But we need to go before we’re next!

Rowan: They fucking- Why?! Why did Tommy do that?! He could’ve come with me instead of pulling that self-sacrificial bullshit. Why did this have to happen?

Voxis: I don’t know! I… I don’t know...

Rowan: …

Rowan: Let’s… get out of here.

On the surface of the Black Mesa facility, an emergency door opens to the afternoon sky. Rowan X. Corrison steps out, human once more. He gives the facility one last look before he takes off through the New Mexico desert.

The lone survivor escapes, while elsewhere, a song is sung and a portal to another world is opened.