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They stared at each other, neither knowing how to react. Quackity had gone to visit Talullah when he noticed a shadowy figure standing by the back of the house. Prepared to protect Talullah, he drew his sword and approached, but relaxed when he saw it was Wilbur. But immediately tenses again. Wilbur was supposed to be away. And this Wilbur didn’t look right. He wore a heavy overcoat, one that seemed to be covered in what looked like soot. The bottom ends of it were singed, and it overall looked like it had gone through hell. Definitely not something Wilbur would wear. Then the man turned to fully face him and Quackity realized, this wasn’t the Wilbur he knew. His face had medical sutured on it, as if it had been sewn back together, and he had a white streak in his hair. And his eyes; his eyes were dark, as if he had stared into the End and some of the void was placed into those eyes. The man smiled.
“Ah, Q, good to see a familiar face,” the man’s smile grew more unsettling.
“Who the fuck are you?” Quackity growled.
Wilbur raised an eyebrow at him, “You don’t know who I am?”
“Of fucking course I don’t!” Quackity spat, “You’re just a random guy that looks sort of like my friend. And you’re in a place he wants to keep safe, so I suggest you leave.”
The man opened his mouth to speak when they both heard a door creak open, and Quackity turned just in time to see a streak of red, brown, and yellow run past him.
“Papa!”
“Talullah no!” Quackity tried to grab her, but she slipped through his hand.
The little girl stuck like Velcro to the side of the Wilbur look-a-like, who looked very confused at the little girl.
“Talullah, that’s not Papa, get away from him!” Quackity shouted, reaching towards him.
She looked back at Quackity, then up at the strange man.
“Papa?” She asked.
The man chuckled.
“I’m sorry little one, I’m not your papa,” he said, smiling softly at her.
She slowly took a few steps back, before running into Quackity’s arms.
“Who is that? Why does he look like papa?” She asked.
Quackity knelt down so he was eye level with her.
“I don’t know, by why don’t you go back inside and get a snack while I talk to him, okay?” He said.
She smiled and nodded her head before rushing back into the house. Quackity stood up and brandished his sword.
“Who are you?” He said firmly.
“I am Wilbur Soot,” the man answered.
“Bullshit,” Quackity snarled, “Wilbur doesn’t have face stitches or white hair. He doesn’t wear a burnt coat. And definitely knows who his own daughter is.”
The man stared down at Quackity before laughing.
“What’s so funny?” Quackity asked, a scowl still on his face.
“I never thought when I left that place I would find this,” the man walked up to Quackity, seeming unafraid of the diamond sword in his hand. “I never thought I’d find another you.”
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” Quackity looked up into the man’s face, refusing to back down.
“Why don’t you message your Wilbur, ask him,” the man said, a saccharine smile drilling from his lips.
Quackity glared at the man before taking a step back to pull out his communicator. He glanced down to quickly type out a message before looking back at the man, who wore a smug look in his face.
“What?” Quackity said.
“You remind me of him,” the man claiming to be ‘Wilbur’ said.
“Who are you talking abou-“
Suddenly, his communicator started ringing. He quickly pressed answer and held the device to his ear.
“Quackity, listen to me, keep him away from Talullah. Whatever you do, keep her safe.”
Quackity heard the voice of his dear friend warn him from the other side of the communicator. He looked away from the man.
“Wilbur, what-“
“He’s a different me. I don’t know much about him, but I know he can be dangerous. I don’t think he’ll hurt her, he had a kid of his own, but still, he’s unstable. Keep her safe.”
The conversation ended with a click as the line went silent. Quackity looked back at the man- at Wilbur.
“What did he say?” Wilbur said.
“That… that you might hurt Talullah,” Quackity said hesitantly, unsure if he should share the conversation.
He tsked, “Now, why would I hurt a child? I have a son of my own, and a younger brother that I love dearly. Why would he call me dangerous?”
Quackity raised an eyebrow, “I don’t know. Why don’t you tell me?”
Wilbur shrugged.
“I’ve done many things I’m not proud of; moments I wish I could re-write. But that’s all I’m the past. I’m a new man! Reborn… literally,” He chuckled at that last part.
“Whatever, I don’t care. You need to get out of here. Phil is coming soon, and if he sees you, you’ll be dead,” Quackity raised his sword at him once again.
The man laughed, loud and jaunty.
“Oh, I have personally been aquatinted with the bite of the great Philza Minecraft’s sword,” the man sneered.
“Then you know how much it stings. Now, leave,” Quackity said strongly.
Wilbur shrugged again.
“Fine, but tell dear old dad that Soot says hi.”
“Who-?”
“What are you doing here?”
A voice spoke behind Quackity and he turned to see Phil, who was being trailed by Chayanne, who immediately raised his sword.
“Babysitting, are we?” Wilbur asked.
“You shouldn’t be here,” Phil said.
“Neither should you,” Wilbur retorted.
“Phil, what is-“ Quackity tried to say before he was cut off.
“Quackity, take Chayanne inside. Wil and I have to talk.”
“Phil-“ Quackity said a bit more forcefully.
“Now!” Phil snapped before regaining his composure.
“Now, please.”
Quackity nodded.
“Okay.”
This was serious, that much he knew just by the way phil was acting; and he knew better than to anger Phil while he was like this.
“Come on Chayanne, let’s go say hi to Talullah,” Quackity said softly.
“But-“ Chayanne said, looking over at Wilbur, but Quackity cut him off.
“This is something between them. And just them. We have to leave.”
Chayanne looked between him, Wilbur, and Phil with a few more ‘buts,’ but backed down. Quackity smiled at him.
“Okay, now let’s go inside.”
Quackity lead Chayanne inside of Talullah’s house, and watched the two men stare at each other as the door closes behind him.