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Stranger stared at the saturated, damaged boy, trembling in front of him. “Help… please…”
It was far from the first time he saw this boy. He had seen him in rooms and rooms he didn’t dare explore ever since he was bound at the beginning of Black Space, along with all of the little rooms he was scattered across to say the same tiring lines in the same tiring voice over and over.
He had seen this poor boy get sent here time and time again, and he had seen this poor boy wander, terrified, until he found the source of his looming demise in one of these desolate doors.
It was never, ever, EVER had Stranger actually felt real sympathy for him. After all, he was just another part of himself. He was just another fake thing, set in the Dreamer’s mind to bring him towards, or further away from, the truth.
But Stranger couldn’t help but look into his big, glassy eyes, and wonder what the poor flower boy did to deserve his fate.
Stranger had seen the truth before. He knew how much the Dreamer disliked- even DESPISED- him. He had seen how much he feared the truth. Yet still that didn’t justify what he did to this boy over and over again.
Stranger had said it himself in one of his little predetermined lines. “I have seen what you have done to him before, and pray you do not find him again.” So yeah… Stranger was practically built, with code, to feel sympathy for this guy, if only for that one line. But he hadn’t really, ACTUALLY felt it before.
So why was he feeling that now?
The flower boy stared at him with a horrified expression and shaky legs, making Stranger feel even worse. With remorse, Stranger let the boy fall into his arms and be held in a tight hug. He could feel the boy’s fear from every slight movement he made.
What was his name again…? Basil? Yes, Basil.
Basil held tightly and whimpered. For a moment, Stranger was annoyed, but not at him. ‘Is this really what you think of me, Dreamer?’ he thought. But regardless, he sighed and said, “Fine. I’ll protect you.”
Basil just held tighter. Stranger was surprised he wasn’t asking more questions. ‘Who are you?’ ‘What are you?’ ‘Why are you here?’ ‘Where am I?’ and the like. He supposed he was too shook from pure fear to even think about those questions.
But what shook him up in the first place? The spiders? The raft? The watermelon fields? There was no way of knowing what he had been through, because of the fact the Basils sort of just… infinitely respawned. Stranger wanted to ask, but…
The Basil suddenly stepped backwards and out of the hug, but still held Stranger’s arms. He whispered, “What just happened to me?”
Oh.
Stranger didn’t really expect that question.
Stranger thought for a moment, but still responded awkwardly, and with less confidence than he wanted to. “Describe what happened, if that’s alright…”
“Well, um… me and Omori… we were at this- we were at this treehouse, and-“
Stranger cut him off there. “Okay. I know what you’re talking about. That… must’ve hurt. Do you want to talk about it…?”
“N-not really…”
“Okay.”
…Stranger was surprised (and sympathetic) the poor boy had retained his memory at ALL from that. Immediately he pulled the boy back into the hug and just let him cry for a little bit.
A few minutes later, Stranger noticed Omori looking towards the door they were next to, and he immediately brought them behind it, hoping he hadn’t seen them. If he had, Stranger and the Basil would likely have their memories wiped and be put back to their regular positions, or be eradicated entirely. Neither would be very good, but one was much, much better than the other.
Basil mumbled and shoved his head into Stranger’s chest as they sat down behind the door. Stranger shushed him gently and listened carefully to Omori’s footsteps.
He went straight past the door and to another, farther along.
As soon as he opened the door and left, Stranger sighed deeply in relief and got up from the floor, still holding Basil.
He didn’t really know what to do with him now. Maybe being wiped would have been a better idea than this. Hmm…
An idea popped into Stranger’s head. “Here, come with me,” he said, releasing Basil from the hug and holding his hand to bring him to one of the doors. Of course, he was unable to open it, but luckily Omori was already being brought back to the beginning of Black Space by the Red Hands. All that was left was to hide and wait until Omori entered this door specifically, and then they’d be alright.
Eventually, Omori went to the door, and right before it closed behind him, Stranger caught it with his lanky black hands and held it open ever so slightly all the way until Omori was brought back by the Red Hands. And as soon as he saw Omori reach out to touch a hand, Stranger dashed in with Basil and hid for a moment as the door slammed closed behind them and promptly disappeared.
“Uhm… shit. I didn’t think much past this.”
They were in the Beach Area. It was just a sweet little room, one of the calmest of them, and it had “company” (Bluegirl). It was fine for Basil to stay there, even if only temporarily.
“Here, uh, Basil… this is where you’ll stay. It has little fish houses, a nice beach… someone to talk to waaaayy down there…” Stranger pointed lazily in the direction of where Bluegirl walked around. “…And uh, just don’t really look at the photos on the ground and you’ll be fine.”
Basil mumbled, “What about you? Will you be here?”
“Uh… yes, actually. I can stay here, just on that beach. You’ll have to remember to run back to a fish house or hide somewhere if Omori comes by, though.”
“What.. what do you mean? I mean, Omori wouldn-“
“Stop. No. Remember how he left you at the elevator? He doesn’t like you. He will hurt you if he gets the chance. Do not listen to him. Okay?”
Basil nodded swiftly and fearfully, then stopped completely and shuffled over to the seaside to check out the view. I went over with him and sat down next to him. They just admired the glittering, bright ocean for a bit, right from the safety of the pink sand, the cloudy white waves lapping at their bare feet.
Fish houses were everywhere, and Basil waded out into the ocean to look into one. He laughed warmly as he pushed his away around in the tide. He seemed to be having fun. A lot of fun, actually. He then turned to me, a wide, toothy grin still lingering on his face.
“Hey… uh, what’s your name?”
“Stranger.”
“Do you… do you want to play w-with me?”
Stranger hesitated, but then got up and waded into the tides with him. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to have a little fun. If only just for a little bit.