Chapter Text
Waking up as a whole being was odd, looking quite different from the rest of the residents was odd, and having one more finger from everyone else is supposedly odd, but it feels right.
Why, why are they the only ones able to notice the odds from the right?
Why do they sees these things but be unable to say anything about it?
Who in this messed up world thought adding 2 new residents was a good idea, and why must their heads be boxy looking movie cameras? They couldn't communicate or eat that way!
"Viewer! I have something to tell you!! Viewer!"
Viewer, an odd nickname, very odd, much like everything else in this place.
With nothing better to do the viewer stiffly waved as one of the more cheerful neighbors made her to her, as nice as Julie is, viewer found her constant energy exhausting and draining to be around for longer periods of time. She is endearing, she really is, she was the one who granted the two residents their now name, viewer.
It was confusing when both were in the same room as they never knew who was being called for but it eventually worked out. How they felt about each other, they can't say. When they randomly showed up the residents have already thought of them as siblings cause of their camera heads but viewer has never seen him a day in her life! Which was frankly have been just 5 minutes at the time but still telling.
Yes, they've grown closer since then but she wouldn't go as far as thinking of him as her brother and she doesn't think he would either.
It was just comforting to have someone who notices the odd things too, even if they can't say so as well.
Viewer tilted her head at Julie, prompting her to continue.
"Well Viewer, before I do anything else I really have to tell you something first"Julie continued, her eyes suddenly containing a pleading gleam.
Viewer felt a sudden dread pull at her stomach, if she even had one.
"Now, I know, I know, I know! You don't like being around Wally much-"
And there it is, the reason for everything wrong in her life.
"But he really likes you! Not in the romantic way of course!" Julie giggled at the thought. "And I want to hold a picnic with everyone, absolutely everyone. Barnaby, Frank, Poppy....." She counted down the name with her fingers as she spoke.
Viewer was surprised Julie caught on to her discomfort towards Wally, that seemed like something the towns people wouldn't pick up on, the thought of disliking one another seemed like a concept ungraspable to them, well everyone but Frank.
Julie hangs out with him a lot, right? Maybe she learned that way.
Viewer found herself being pulled from thought at the feeling of someone opening up her hand, startling her, she moved to pull her hand back before quickly realizing it was just Julie, again.
"Sorry! I just couldn't help it, you just have more fingers I wish to use for counting." She smiled up at viewer apologetically before going back to her counting, using viewer's fingers this time.
If she could she would sigh, when are these people gonna get use to them having one more finger on each hand? Perhaps she did just want some help with counting, but ask first next time!
"10 people! 10 people will be there! That is....if you choose to go?" Julie pleaded slightly once again, voice going quiet to seem more convincing.
Viewer thought, "10 people, if I go, it would be 10 people, if I don't, it would be...9? That doesn't make sense..."
Her conclusion felt odd, the numbers weren't adding up, unless...
"Pink?! Pink is going?!" Her friend, her practical twin- not brother! Was going?
They both shared a slight discomfort towards Wally so why would he go?
"Sooooo.... Will you go?" Julie smiled widely, her cheerfulness almost rubbing off on her and against her better judgement she gave in. Nodding her head she could see the very moment the switch went off in Julie's mind.
Julie smiled grew bigger, almost scaring viewer at it's size before it returned to a normal cheerful one again.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!!" Julie squealed in excitement, launching herself to viewer for a big hug in her happy glee moment.
Viewer was already beginning to regret this.
"We need to go, we need to go now!"
Julie cheerfully pulled back before grabbing viewers hand to pull her towards her home.
"Wait, isn't it later, where are we going?" Viewer helplessly thought. With the context she was given she thought the picnic was going to be held a little later so why are they going now?
Is everything already set up, are they setting things up as they speak?
Keeping up with Julie wasn't that difficult on normal days, she was significantly taller and infact had to walk slower for her to keep up but with Julie seemingly determined to pull viewer all the way home made walking slightly harder at the angle she was bent at. Viewer felt a slight ache growing in her lower back the longer the walk went on.
Finally the sight of Julie's home came into view and in front of it was of course everyone, including Wally.
If viewer wasn't so quick to be standing back upright she wouldn't have found herself being seated next to, you know who, Wally.
Wally, in the beginning was a charming fellow, adorable even, but he always seemed to know something everyone else did not and that scared viewer. The way he was so keen on keeping eye contact with her or pink may have just been a odd personality trait in the beginning slowly turned into something more.
If it have stayed the way it was in the beginning it would have been fine, just something else they would have gotten used to, but it didn't.
Sitting stiffly next to Wally it was hard to ignore his persistent staring before finally turning her camera head to look at him head on, no reaction.
He continued staring for a second before widening his smile and greeting viewer, "Hello there neighbor, haven't seen you in a while" Came his monotone, yet soft voice.
Maybe the calmest of his natural voice relaxed Viewer a little as her shoulders lost some of it's tension.
She nodded in acknowledge of Wally's greeting, she wasn't rude after all just cautious. She quickly turned back towards the rest of the group, anxious to see her fellow companion.
Luckily, sitting right across from her was who she was exactly looking for.
"Pink!" She fondly thought in relief.
She waved at her twin as he happily waved back, both glad to see each other. They felt more normal that way.
"I was starting to expect that you wouldn't show up Julie." Barnaby spoke up teasingly, raising a brow at Julie for her late arrival to her own picnic.
He was happily seated to the right of Wally, his best friend.
"I needed everyone to be here! I was able to convince Viewer to come, see!" Julie proudly announced, gesturing to the now seated viewer. "This is gonna be one of the best picnics ever!" Julie looked like she was over the moon at this point. Making her way towards the last empty spot she plopped down next to Frank, his frowned deepened but something told viewer that he didn't really mind have her sit next to him.
How sweet.
With everyone seated the conversing immediately broke out, laughter occasionally filling the air as jokes start being made, everyone was happy.
Maybe viewer judged Wally too quick, maybe these town people's energy wasn't too much, perhaps it was their way of thinking that got in the way.
Perhaps.
"Are they here?"
Viewer flinched, as did pink. That odd question again, it always made them feel a deep dread.
They didn't need to see who asked the question, it's always him.
Wally gave a close eye smile as they turned their attention to him, neither able to give a response.
"The light is on."
Viewer hand went up instinctively, feeling the warm of a light immediately with contact.
The dread grew, they felt themselves slipping, slowly losing the sense of self they've grown used too. The things around them grew fuzzy, no longer did the laughter of friends bring them comfort, it just added onto the panic, and there was Wally, smiling like he knew exactly what was happening, knowing something he would never share. How they wish he would, how they wish he would just spill the beans already and tell them so they wouldn't be afraid anymore. The fuzziness persisted, it was already tunneling their vision, now dampening their hearing, it was all too much as they felt themselves being pulled further back the panic slowly sided as the feeling of a sticky black ink took hold, putting them to rest for no one knows how long.
She regrets agreeing.
He regrets coming
They both fear what they don't understand.
What they don't understand is that they are, and what their purpose is.
How lovely.