Chapter Text
It was cold and quiet when Niki woke from her restless slumber. Nobody making sounds, the grand library being a vessel of such quietness. But that is nothing new for her.
If someone was to mine into the space she would surely hear it. But who would care to visit her anyways? She moved away for a reason, so people can't hurt her. But in turn, she was hurting herself. Her neighbors wouldn't care to show her any signs of persons.
They all leave you, especially him. They don't care for you. If they did they would show it.
Sitting upright she stretched, empty and numb to the world. Niki has no real reason to go on, well, debatable. Niki was like this before the Syndicate, before Technoblade has reached to her about it. She was like this since Dream, Techno, and Philza blew up her twice dead homeland. She was like this when she was teaming with Jack to kill Tommy, she's been in this state before.
But why does it hurt more now than it did before?
Because the man who used to be her best friend, the man who was granted one final death by his fathers hands, the man who is now alive and roaming in what was her new found safe space, the man who she could confide in, left her on the most bitter bite of friendship is now back and alive.
Wilbur Soot; Creator of L'manberg.
Wilbur Soot: First President of L'manberg.
Wilbur Soot: Niki's best friend.
Wilbur Soot: Leader of a Nation Held Together by the Idea of Freedom.
Wilbur Soot: The President Gone mad.
Wilbur Soot: The Cause of the Current Problems in the World.
Wilbur Soot: Now Alive Again.
Why does everything lead back to him?
What reason does it have to lead back to him? Why does he get to affect the world, long after his death? Why does he get to do that?
He's Wilbur, that's why.
Bastard, fucking bastard.
Niki got up from the spot she was sitting in, her numbness having turned around into anger and hatred. Hatred for the man that left her and took her in when tensions were high. The man who gave her safety, shelter, and unforgettable friendships. He gave her so much good, but then he took all of it and threw it out the window like it was a piece of fucking trash.
Trash, that's a good metaphor for him.
Her body moved without her thinking, going into her ender chest and pulling out the few diamonds given to her by Wilbur, caringly named 'Wil's Diamonds'.
"I need to get these away, they can't stay here," She spoke, "I need to get rid of the memories, I can't keep thinking about it, about him, I need to get them out." Niki's voice was hoarse and rough from her not speaking since finding out about him.
Diamonds in hand and panic starting to settle in the pink haired woman started to rush in finding a spare chest and carving out a space to hide the diamonds. She threw them in the chest and left, cursing Wilbur's name to any gods who were listening. She didn't even care to close the hole back up either. Niki then ran out of the room, panic settling in fully now.
In a blur of pink hair and tattered clothes, Niki rushed out of her library. Fury coursed through her as if it was setting her on fire and hot tears made way down her cheeks as she ran. Where to? Somewhere, anywhere but there. Anywhere that those diamonds have touched.
Sapnap was at the top of the mushroom sprouting up from a building, a gold and silver ring in his hands as he looked u at the sky, lost in his thoughts. There was no signs of his usual armor on him, but what reason does he have to wear it? His kingdom is empty.
There is nobody here but him and sometimes Karl. Quackity has been missing for months now with nothing shown to at least say ‘hey, I’m alive’.Bad doesn't care to visit now, having ran off after the red banquet. George was off somewhere, either sleeping or trying to appease some sort of god. Sapnap could care less about the god anyways. They're finicky creatures.
A lone tear left his eye, closing his oak brown eyes and taking a deep breath. 'They still love you, they still do. They're just busy doing their own thing.' He thought to himself, sitting up and shaking his head. "They still love you, Sapnap. They're just--busy." He told himself softly, wiping away the lone tear with a sniffle and sigh.
This place could have been a safe haven for the three of them and whoever else decided to join them. Its away from people, and the only other person around is Niki. But she's off doing her own thing too.
Does Sapnap keep tabs on her? Not at all. Why should he? He has no reason too.
Standing up, Sapnap dusted off invisible dust from himself and started to make his descent down the giant mushroom. Sapnap turned towards the first building in Kinoko, frowning slightly at the sight of it. The library, the first building built, the space that was made to be home.
It was an empty home.
Karl always left without a word, typically leaving a note behind telling his fiancé that he is going on a trip to find a new space for a better Party Island. But whenever Karl came back he almost always emerged from the one space Sapnap is not allowed to go into (He doesn't go in there because it feels wrong to go somewhere that seems highly personal--especially without permission).
Quackity—Quackity. Big Q. 2/3 of a trio. Missing since Doomsday. The brains of them. The golden duck. The one who Sapnap loves along with Karl.
Sapnap hasn’t asked to much on Quackity and his whereabouts, not knowing where to start. As far as he’s concerned Quackity slipped out amongst the chaos that was the days long war, he doesn’t know of Las Nevada’s.
He doesn’t know of a whole new country being formed. He doesn’t know his fiancé is the ring leader. He doesn’t know that his fiancé is also the very person who is making Dreams life a living hell. Sapnap knows none of it.
Being away from people has its perks, but one of the downfalls is the fact that he is kept out the loop about it all.
His mind wandered as he climbed down the mushroom, going to his fiancés and his dad, then to George and Dream, then to everyone and everywhere else. Why did being alone have to hurt so much?
Does Dream even care about me? He had a place for Beckerson and Mars in that creepy ass vault thing, thousands of miles away from the main bustle of life. Does he even care for any of us? Is Quackity alive even? Is Karl okay? Are they both still alive? Are they leaving me? Did they leave because they don’t care?
The thoughts ate away at his mind with no hesitation, like a power washer getting dirt off concrete. It hurt to think about, gods why do feelings have to be so conflicting? Why do feelings have to hurt and cause pain?
Why can't life be as simple as it was before everyone joined? Where they all lived in the community house, all sharing a room and existing in the same space together. Just the six of them.
Him and George goofing off in some dumb competition the two of them created, Alyssa and Callahan fishing in the middle of the pond and joining Dream and Sam in whatever they come up with. Then the six of them sitting around a campfire retelling the day. Laughing and eating without worry or fear or heavy hearts weighed down by dread.
Memories hurt the most when they’re people who haven’t been seen in years.
It was quiet at Kinoko Kingdom, the soft sounds of the world acting as a white noise to void out and amplify any sounds made. Sapnap had gotten used to the quietness at the kingdom, until there wasn't. At first it was quiet and soft, almost blending in with the surrounding area, then it grew in loudness and ended with a splash and small scream.
His head shot up at this, rushing through the quiet city to see who fell into the large handmade mushroom pond. What Sapnap was hoping for was to see Karl or Quackity fall in. That would be a blessing.
Instead it was Niki, a lively shade of bubblegum pink hair standing out in the clear, blue water around her. Niki? Why is she here? Doesn't she have—Oh its because shes his neighbor underground. That's why.
Various coughs left Niki, her swimming to the edge of the pond and climbing out with Sapnap's help. "Hey uhh Niki, are you okay?" Sapnap asked her, helping sit down on the ground as she got the rest of the water out of her lungs. Once Niki was finished she replied, taking time with her answer. "I—I don't know." A sad chuckle left her, a soft sniffle leaving her.
Sapnap gave her a confused look at her response, standing up and holding out a hand to her. Niki waited a moment before being helped up off the ground. She took that moment to look around where she was.
The kingdom was very well done to say the least, the bright red and warm light brown mushroom being skillfully weaved through the town as to not over power the senses with vivid life. The spruce and stone helps to compliment and accent the red and white, adding just the right level of a homey feeling around them. There was a giant mushroom that was growing into the sky, looking like it’s always been there.
“It’s very pretty, Sapnap.” Niki said simply, doing a slow turn around to see everything. “It’s warm here.” She added, a glint of—something—in her eyes.
“Thank you, uhh, Foolish helped build this place. He did amazing.” The other looked around the place as well before his gaze settled back into Niki.
There was a nod at his words, so that’s why it was so nice. An experienced builder of a gods who is seemingly on a quest to build all of Egypt as fast as he can.
“It’s lively here. Very different than my home.” Niki told him. There was a tiny sad note to her voice when she said that, almost unnoticed. Almost.
“Lively? There’s nobody around, Niki. It’s—quiet if anything.” Sapnap was confused on this, taking his arms and casually resting them behind his head. Something is off. Every time he’s seen Niki she’s always had a certain air of life around her. It was the air that nobody else carried.
“Mmm.” The pink haired girl responded, a nod leaving her.
“Niki are you okay?” Sapnap blurted out, the both them being caught off guard by this question. The demons cheeks went red
Niki, looking with wide eyes before smoothing the expression over. “I’m fine, Sapnap,” there was hesitation in her response, “Are—are you okay? Is everything okay with Quackity and Karl?”
“Uh—uhm every—everything is fine with them. Just, missing them . . A lot.” He said, his hand absentmindedly twirling the two rings on his fingers. Silver and gold. Karl and Quackity. The loves of his life. He smirked softly and sadly at the thought of them.
Niki was very careful with what she was telling Sapnap, for he was against the side she was on for some events. They may be neutral currently, but it doesn’t mean that she fully trusts him.
“Want to—talk about it?” Niki asked.
Who knew that five simple words could be the start of something?