Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

For as long as he remembered, Duke had been a resident of Queen Vanessa's manor. As the lone resident that wasn't the Queen herself, his duty was clear-- he was to be her companion, her friend, and her assistant. After all, no one else was quite suited to the task as well as he was. He wore the clothes she gave him with pride, though they were more likely made for a doll than a fire spirit like himself. They still looked the part of a proper servant of the Queen of Subcon, after all, and it wouldn't do for him to wear something less than pristine. 

As he hurried about the manor on his daily duties, he noticed a new footprint on the floor. Too small to be that of the Queen, too clear for his own as well. After all, he had never left the manor-- it was impossible for him to track dirt inside!

He sighed as he knelt to the floor, using a dustpan and brush to sweep up what he could before taking a spray bottle from his kit, working to clean the stain before she could even notice it. It wouldn't do for the Queen to see a spot on the floor, even if he wasn't sure how it had gotten there. He remained silent, his ears alert for the sound of his name, but instead he heard a different noise-- the fridge door closing.

Odd. She rarely used the fridge, since cooking was mainly Duke's job. Even so, he crossed the music room to the kitchen, putting his tools away in his kit again.

There was no sign of his Queen. Instead, a small girl waved at him from under the table. He shook his head.

“Young miss, the Queen is not accepting visitors at the moment,” he said, as he knelt to face her. “I can--”

She pulled him under the table as the Queen approached, keeping his mouth shut by using a hand on either side of his mouth. Even as he tried to pry her hands away from his face, he tried to make a sound. By the time he managed more than a dull thud from kicking his feet, she had left the room. The girl let go as quickly as she grabbed on, and he rubbed his face, checking his hands for any dirt.

“Oh, this won't do. Miss, I'd recommend that you leave immediately. This isn't--”

“Train?” She interrupted. He blinked, trying to understand where that had come from. Train? Was she practicing hiding? Honestly, he couldn't care less what she was training for! It was interfering with his duties!

He stood up, brushing off his clothes to keep them from wrinkling (a shame the dust still got to them, despite his efforts. He'd have to clean the kitchen sooner than he expected.) The young girl looked at him, bewildered, as he walked back to the music room. Then, he looked towards the door.

I should alert my Queen about this… but if my clothes are as dirty as I fear they are, it could be trouble…

The girl ran past him, jamming a key into the piano and opening it before jumping onto the piano. The noise, frankly enough, left his ears ringing in pain.

It would bring my Queen here too. I don't know if I can tell her anything when I can't hear…

He hurried to the side of the room, pressing a button hidden in the brickwork. A bookshelf slid aside, and he hurried into the passageway to his room. Unfortunately for him, the young girl followed him up the staircase just before the bookcase moved back.

He sighed at the sight of her in the tiny space, and he lit the candle on his work desk to see better. With a bit of light, it was a lot easier to see any stains on his clothing. Luckily for him, there were none that were obvious.

“Oh, wonderful. I can tell my Queen about you being here.” He blew out the candle and began on his way down the stairs again. Though the girl followed, he could tell it wasn't because she was accepting her fate.

He still pushed the interior button to move the bookcase, and the pair exited his small space. As he turned to face the girl, she grabbed his arm, pulling him along. She was much stronger than he anticipated (or perhaps he was weaker?) and easily hauled him to the basement door, where he barely managed to stop.

“Miss, are you attempting to kill me? I'm a fire spirit; the basement is flooded--”

She handily picked him up, carrying him down the stairs. There was no escape for him now-- if he set foot in the water, he wasn't sure what would happen, but he didn't feel safe enough to try. Screaming wasn't an option either-- if the girl dropped him, it could be fatal.

He clung to her for dear life as she waded through the basement and to the back exit. For some reason, the doors were wide open. 

I need to close those before anything else gets inside. We can't have creatures taking up residence in the basement.

Duke tried to get out of her arms to fix the problem as soon as he was sure he wouldn't be dropped back in the water. Instead, the girl kept running-- through the icy town, through the woods, back to a large hollow tree. There, she finally set him down, though she kept a firm grip on his arm.

Duke's heart raced. He has to get back to the castle-- the Queen would be furious if she found him missing! And his duties, how would she fare without him? As much as this girl seemed determined to take him elsewhere, he just wanted to go back to his little room, back to his Queen. He struggled to break free from her grasp, to escape and--

With a flash of light, the two of them were transported to another place. A bedroom, it seemed, with a sea of pillows and a telescope. A child's drawings covered one wall near a desk, though blueprints were also present. He didn't stick around to look at the details. 

Duke ran through the door, trying to get out of this place, only to find himself staring out a massive window. His planet spun slowly before them-- the forests of Subcon, the sprawling desert, the Alpine mountains, the small towns and islands dotted everywhere… everything looked so small from here.

He was horrified.

I need to go back. Now. How do I get this girl to let me go? She's taken me from my home and--

“Ta-da!” She cheerfully interrupted, gesturing to a small model train. Duke looked between her and the model for a moment.

“...Miss, I need to go back. I'm not sure what you want from me, but if I’m not at the manor--”

She grabbed his arm and pulled him into another room, then onto a platform in the floor. She adjusted where he stood for a bit, then hit a button on the wall.

“Boop!”

He opened his mouth to try again to beg for freedom, when instead, he plummeted out of the sky. Duke screamed, while the little girl only cheered in excitement. He closed his eyes, begging for this all to be a dream. 

Thud.

The two of them landed on the ground, somehow still safe and able to stand. He wasn’t sure how that worked at all, nor did he want to know. He didn’t recognize where they were, either-- According to a sign, they were just outside of a “Dead Bird Studio,” whatever that meant. 

…Dead bird? That isn’t exactly a name I’d call any place.

The girl took his hand, pulling him inside before he could argue. The entryway had a long hallway, but it quickly opened up to a lobby. 

“Hi!” she cheerfully greeted the people already there-- birds, who were very much not dead. He stared at some of them, trying to identify the species. He’d seen a few of the one… Birds? Maybe they were crows? Parakeets? He didn’t really know. The other, however, was alien to him-- With sunglasses over their eyes and no feathery fingers to speak of, he mostly just wondered how they were able to snap like that.

“Conductor?” one of the parakeet-crow-whatever birds asked. Duke looked around, trying to find who they were referring to. “Um. Are you… okay? You look… different.”

“...I’m sorry, are you talking to me?” Duke asked. “I’m not a conductor, sir. I’m just being pulled places by this young miss.”

“Oh.” The bird looked at him. “...Sorry about that, you just look like the Conductor. You’re right. It’s just a bit confusing to me.”

Two people entered the way they had come after a moment. One, wearing a red jacket, large star-shaped sunglasses, and shoes that made them almost another foot taller, and the other, in a black suit, purple tie, and black hat. They made an odd pair, especially with how the suited one spoke to the taller one.

“Oh, peck off, yer tellin’ me that isnae a good twist? I’m tellin’ yeh, the victim nae bein’ dead is a great one--”

“You just pulled that one in your last movie, darling, that’s all I’m saying. If you’re really going to use a twist in your mystery, at least make the protagonist the killer instead. Oh, wait.”

“Oi! That was the lassie’s own choice, nae mine--”

“But you still wrote that as an option.”

“Hey!” the little girl called, and she ran up to them. Both smiled.

“Lassie! I was wonderin’ if yeh’d show up again. Grooves here has been healin’ nicely since yeh punched him ‘round, an’ he better have somethin’ ta say ta yeh.”

“Ah, right, about that.” The taller one-- most likely, Grooves-- rubbed the back of his neck. “I… I’m really sorry, darling. I don’t know what came over me--”

She hugged him quickly, accepting the apology with ease, then grabbed the other’s hand, pulling him over to Duke. He seemed to stare at him, though it occurred to Duke that it was likely impossible due to the fact he didn’t seem to have eyes.

…That’s rather eerie.

“Walter?” he asked, his voice softer than it had been with Grooves. “Yer… Alive?”

“I’m sorry, have we met?” Duke asked, after looking around for anyone else he could be talking to.

“Of course we have! Yer me peckin’ brother, I-- Yeh died, back in Subcon, how’re yeh--”

“No, you must have me mistaken for someone, sir. I live in Subcon.”

Grooves slowly backed off. “...Um. I’m going to… Go get another coffee…”

The little girl awkwardly nodded, and ran off, abandoning Duke with the… whatever he was. 

“I know what happened, Walt-- Somethin’ froze all of Subcon! Yeh died-- Granddad died--”

“I really don’t know what you’re talking about, sir--”

“Yeh just forgot everythin’..?” the man asked. Duke shook his head.

“I don’t know you. I was created from the ice to serve my Queen.”

He grumbled, shaking his head, and crossed his arms. “Walt. I’m yer brother. I go by Conductor now, but it’s still me.”

“Oh. The one the bird over there was talking about.” Duke nodded, looking at Conductor. “...I don’t see the resemblance, though…”

“Yeh-- WHAT.” Conductor stared-- or, well, would have if he could. “We’re near peckin’ identical! ‘Cept yer dressed like yer from some peckin’ thrift shop’s costume section, an’ yeh look like yeh got hit by me train.”

“Well, that’s not correct-- I’m a fire spirit. You are… I don’t know. You’re aware you don’t have eyes, though, correct?”

“I got peckin’ eyes. Yer just nae seein’ ‘em. They’re under me feathers.”

“And I happen to have fur. We’re not the same species, sir. We aren’t related.”

Conductor huffed. “Walt--”

“My name is Duke, sir. That’s the name the Queen gave me.”

“Yer name’s nae Duke! It’s Walt! I-- I was there when yeh peckin’ hatched! Eh, five minutes later, but close enough. Walt--”

“Sir, I just want to go back to Subcon. I don’t want to argue with you.”

“Back ta-- Yer tryin’ ta go back!?”

“Of course. It’s where I live. I’ve lived there my whole life.”

“ARE YEH INSANE!?” 

Duke jumped, and immediately stood tall, waiting for the Conductor to freeze him in place. His whole body shivered slightly as he stood how he’d been told, a perfect pretty statue. 

“...What are yeh doin’?”

“Aren’t you going to freeze me? If you're upset at me, then--”

“No! Peck, no, what the peck-- I’m nae gonna hurt yeh, I just… how’re yeh…” Conductor flailed for words, his mouth falling open and closing again a few times before he just wrapped his arms (wings? If he had feathers, were those wings?) around Duke. “...I missed yeh, Walt.”

“I--”

“Please dinnae ruin this fer me right now, lad. Yer freezin’ ta the touch.”

“...Alright, sir. But I really must be going back to Subcon…”

“Did I miss anything?” Grooves asked as he returned, holding two cups of coffee. The little girl trailed behind him with a cup of her own, though Duke wasn’t sure she’d actually drink coffee. “We’re back. Got you one too, Connie.”

Conductor let go immediately. “Grooves, I told yeh, dinnae call me that--”

“You still call me peckneck, darling, so that’s a moot point.” He handed off the cup. “This one’s yours. Dark as a broken TV.”

“So yeh remembered. Good ta know yeh got a few thoughts in that head of yers.”

Grooves only chuckled as he shook his head. “I'm happy you two seem like you're getting along a little better now. Could you fill me in, darling?”

“He doesnae remember anythin’ about me or the family, but he's definitely me brother. And… he's tryin' ta go back ta Subcon.”

“In that case, shouldn't we help--”

“No!” the little girl exclaimed, interrupting him. She pouted, shaking her head fervently.

“But I really do need to be getting back-- My Queen is likely furious that I'm missing. I'm already likely in trouble for letting an intruder into the manor, and then there's the mess that would be made by me returning… I need to go to the manor and make things right, it's the only way to do what I'm supposed to.”

“Darling?” Grooves asked, his voice calm and soothing. Duke looked at him.

“Yes, sir?”

“I… I may not understand exactly what you're going through, but has it occurred to you that most people don't treat their friends like that? Being upset is normal, but with how much you're shaking… what does she do when she's upset?”

“Usually, she freezes me for a while. It's perfectly alright; it's usually my fault after all. If she's upset, it's my duty to help her feel better. Just as a good servant would.”

“A servant? Is that what yeh are now?” Conductor asked around gulps of hot coffee.

“No, not exactly. She prefers to call me her pet.”

Almost immediately, the other three tried to talk all at once. The girl’s complaints were quick and easy to ignore, while Grooves’ calm tone was replaced with panic. Conductor, on the other hand, choked on his coffee, pounding a fist on his chest to try to breathe again.

“Darling, you shouldn’t be a pet to her, you’re much more than that--”

“No! No no no!”

“Even if we don’t know each other well, you clearly have your own life you could live--”

Grooves was interrupted by Conductor finally clearing his throat. “Lad! Walt, listen-- I know yer nae gonna care what I say here, but yer still me brother, an’ I cannae just let yeh be some peckin’ murderer’s pet!”

“She hasn’t killed me, though.”

“The bar shouldnae be that low!” 

“For once, darling, I’m with Conductor on this. Just stay with us for a bit, okay?”

“No, no, I can’t stay-- My queen needs me--” Duke shook his head, stepping away. “Please, just let me go home!”

“If you’re just going back to that-- That monster --”

(The girl stepped away from the others, messing with a piece of paper. What was she doing? Was that dangerous? She looked like she had a plan, and she’d already taken him from his home, dragged him so far from everything he knew-- He had to do something--)

“I’ll peckin’ fight yeh, Walt! Ta keep yeh safe, I’ll fight yeh--”

Duke ran past the birds he didn’t recognize, taking off for the exit. The hallway was long, but he approached the door quickly. All his practice to avoid upsetting his Queen had helped-- he was fast enough to nearly reach the exit, to have his hand around a doorknob--

“Who’s this loser?” an unfamiliar voice asked, and a hand grabbed his cape, dragging him back into the lobby as he struggled to breathe. The small chain that held it on was strong enough to hold, unfortunately, meaning that it strangled him like a noose as he tried to get his footing again. Conductor’s yell was louder than his usual speaking volume, somehow, but Grooves barely seemed phased by whatever had happened. “Oh, come on, like you haven’t seen a ghost before.”

“I-- I’m nae--” Conductor sputtered as Duke turned around, facing the ghost that had pulled him back. It wasn’t hard to recognize him.

“You’re the Prince, aren’t you?”

“Yeesh, it’s been years since anyone called me that. And based on your outfit, you’re a fan, huh?”

“Er, yes, and no. My queen--”

The ghost pretended to gag.

“She gave me these clothes and told me about you. She still wants to have you back, sir.”

“Yeah, don’t call me that either. Prince, sir, whatever you’re gonna say next. It’s Snatcher. Ever since she killed me, that’s what I’m going by.”

Duke stepped back a bit, looking up at him. “...Alright, si-- I mean, Snatcher. Is there anything I can do for you?”

“Yeah, there is. Stay with these dorks for a bit.” Snatcher gestured to the birds. Grooves waved, while Conductor had gone back to drinking what was left of his coffee. The small girl grinned, rocking on her feet.

“...But… Wouldn’t that be the opposite of what--”

“Nope. She never gave you a command about what to do if you were stuck in an unknown place with no obvious way home, did she?”

“...No.”

“Then that’s your order, kid. Stay with these dorks, and take a day off. If you still want to go back afterward, maybe then I’ll get you back to Subcon. If you do a few things for me, that is.”

“Of course, Snatcher.” Duke bowed, and Snatcher scoffed.

“Yeah, that’s not needed either. Just do your own thing. I’ll go figure out what to do about my ex.” 

Snatcher vanished with a snap, leaving Duke with the birds and the little girl.

“Soooo… I’m hearing that you’re here for the day,” Grooves said, mostly to break the silence. “Do you like coffee? Tea? Hot chocolate?”

“Tea, please.”

“Great.” He paused a second. “...Conductor, darling, do you know how to--”

“Of course I know how ta peckin’ make tea. Yer tellin’ me--”

“No, I don’t. Please?”

“Someday, I’m gonna teach yeh how ta cook,” Conductor muttered. Duke was barely able to hear it, and the other birds clearly reacted too, a few exchanging glances as Conductor left with his cup.

“...Is… something funny?” Grooves asked the girl, confused. 

“If you don’t know how to cook, sir, that’s not a problem. My queen hasn’t cooked before, but that’s due to having me there to fix her food,” Duke tried to help. Grooves just raised his eyebrows higher.

“I-- Well-- I know how to cook!” he lied, clearly flustered. The girl laughed out loud, as Grooves flapped his wings. They didn’t bring him any further into the air. “It’s-- Now, I don’t know where you heard that rumor, Duke, but there’s no merit to it! None at all!” 

“...Alright, sir.” Duke nodded. “Is there anything I can do for either of you?”

“No, no, it’s alright. You’re our guest, darling. Why don’t you come with us?” Grooves extended a hand to him. “There’s a wonderful little spot in the back, past all the sets… Oh, and darling?” He turned to the little girl. “Can you go find Conductor? Tell him we’ll be in the den downstairs. He’ll know where that is, and he can show you the way.”

“I can--” Duke offered. The girl interrupted, brandishing an umbrella at his face.

“No!”

“No matter how good you are at getting around, this little darling is a master of it,” Grooves explained. “And, of course, she knows where the break room is.”

“...oh.” Duke nodded, accepting it as he wrung his hands. “Alright, sir.”

Grooves looked at him as the girl ran off again, his beak a frown. “You don’t have to do anything for us. I promise.”

"I--"

"I know it's hard to take in. But just for today, take the day off, darling. Please."

“But… I…” Duke stammered, then sighed. “...okay.”

~

(And here's art of Duke, too! Thought it might help to see him as well.)

Chapter Text

Grooves guided Duke through what felt like a million hallways, keeping an eye on him the whole time. Uncomfortable, Duke tried to find something he could offer to help with, something he could do to lessen the tension, but it didn’t help one bit. Finally, they walked to a metal doorway. Duke stared at the small, boxy room that was on the other side when the doors slid apart, even though Grooves entered and held a wing between the doors.

“...Darling, the doors are going to close soon. You should get into the elevator.”

Elevator?

Duke did as told, nevertheless, despite how uncomfortable the metal of the room made him. He watched as the doors closed on them, and Grooves pushed a small button. Though the room shook a little for a second, it quickly calmed down, except for a little whirring sound.

“...What is this?” Duke asked. “The… elevator.”

“You haven’t-- oh my stars, you don’t know what an elevator is… Basically, it’s a big box, and when you press the button, the box goes up or down depending on which one you press. Right now, we’re going to the basement, so the box is moving down.” 

The elevator shook again, and with a pleasant beep, the doors slid open. The world outside had changed-- now, it was much more of a mess. Letters remained unopened on the floor, with a few crates nearby lying with their lids slightly ajar and packing materials all over the floor. Cameras had been left by the door, and Grooves set them out of the way as he walked along.

“Pardon the clutter, darling-- this is where Conductor and I usually work, so… we don’t tend to take much care to keep it tidy.”

“That’s quite alright. If you’d like, I can--”

“Darling. You’re doing that thing again. Snatcher said you had to take a day off.” Grooves shook his head. “Don’t worry about it, really. We’d just make it messy all over again. Come on, now, we’ve got somewhere to be. If we don’t get to the den before those two, Conductor will likely start freaking out on us.” 

Despite the words sounding like a threat, Grooves was smiling, something that made Duke smile as well. He led the way to the den, like he said he would. 

The den was a warm room, akin to the music room in some other, much less dusty timeline. A large fireplace adorned one wall, with a screen hanging on the wall to its left. The bookshelves around it were crammed to the brim with both books and movie reels, some of which were stacked on the edges of the shelves just to have more space. Two couches sat near the TV, with a couple of bag-chairs in the middle. 

“This is the den. We don’t usually use it that often, since there’s not much seating, but it’s a lovely place to rest overnight,” Grooves explained. “That, and it’s a wonderful space for just existing in the off-season. When we’re not creating movies, and I need a space to just be… This is where I’d always go. Conductor, on the other hand, tends to prefer his train, but that’s just who he is.” 

“It’s a lovely room, sir.”

“We do our best to make it homey. Feel free to take a seat-- there’s couches and beanbags for a reason!” Grooves sat down on one of the couches, and Duke took one of the beanbags. It didn’t take very long for the others to appear-- Conductor with a new cup of coffee and a cup of tea, and the little girl with a big pile of blankets that nearly buried her. 

“Here we go, lassie. Jus’ drop ‘em wherever yeh like.”

She immediately put them down, then fell into the stack, knocking it over. She laughed, and Conductor shook his head despite laughing as well.

“Lassie… That’s nae what I meant. Peck, I should’ve thought before sayin’ that.”

“You really should have,” Grooves confirmed as he stood to take the tea, handing it off to Duke. “Here you are, darling.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Conductor moved to the fireplace, lighting a fire, and the girl walked to the other beanbag, lugging a set of blankets with her. She threw one over Duke’s head, and he barely moved the cup out of the way in time to protect it from the fabric. 

“Please be careful, young miss, I don’t think they want to clean the blanket later!”

Conductor chuckled. “I dinnae know the last time I washed any of these things. We got dozens, dinnae worry about it. B’sides, we gotta pick out a movie!”

“Oh, for goodness sakes…” Grooves sighed loudly. “You’re not going to show him one of yours, are you?”

“What? They’re good movies! Nae just noise, like yers--”

“Puh-lease, darling. You wouldn’t know music if it took your hat.”

“An’ yeh wouldnae know film if it got stuck in yer peckin’ hair!”

The two continued arguing, but the girl only rolled her eyes, focusing on two dolls she took out of her hat. One was a bird, akin to the ones he’d seen before, while the other was a man of some kind.

“...What bird is that?” he asked, simply, trying to make conversation. 

“Owl!” she answered, smiling. “Hoot, hoot!”

So that’s an owl. Hm. I suppose that makes sense.

She handed him the owl, pointing at him. “Owl!”

“I’m not an owl, miss. I’m a fire spirit, I said that--”

“Owl,” she repeated, pointing at Conductor, then at Duke. “Owl.”

He sighed, and accepted the doll, looking it over. It wore a little lab coat and tiny plastic glasses, a familiar look he couldn’t quite place. 

…Did I see someone like this in the manor before? 

The girl stood as he looked it over, walking to the shelves while the two birds continued arguing. She grabbed one at seemingly random with a “yoink!” and then brought it over, handing it off to Duke before smiling at him. 

The Case Files: Cold Case? Hm. Maybe it’s a mystery novel.

He opened it up, taking a sip of tea. The first few pages told him what he expected-- It certainly was a mystery novel. Though he couldn’t remember finding any mysteries in the manor, he still curled up in the beanbag, ready to get deeper into it. Then, as he flipped the page, a picture fell out from between the pages.

Two small yellow creatures sat on the shoulders of an owl wearing Conductor’s hat, and while the one on the right wore a hat like it, it was clearly more focused on waving to something off-camera than on the camera itself. The one on the left had white markings on its face, a smile cracking the facade set by the white coat it wore. The owl in the middle had a hand on each of the smaller creatures, supporting them while they sat on its shoulders.

“...Conductor?” he asked, finally interrupting the argument. “Is this a picture of you?”

Conductor walked over, took the picture, and looked it over. He cracked a smile at the sight. 

“Ah, yep, that’s me, you, an’ Granddad. He was the conductor b’fore me, y’know.” Conductor sat on the ground, and Grooves joined them, looking at the picture.

“I can definitely see the resemblance. You look just as small then as you are now, darling.” 

“Wha-- Oh, peck off, Grooves!” Conductor shoved him away, but Grooves just laughed, leaning back a bit on his wings. “The one on the right, that’s me. The left is you, Walter.”

Duke nodded, though he honestly doubted it. Walter looked nothing like him, according to what he’d seen. The books in the manor were quite specific about what a fire spirit looked like, and as Queen Vanessa had told him, that was certainly what he was.

“Heh, I remember when we took this picture… It was the middle of summer, hot as the lava cake in the Alps. Even I was sweatin’, an’ we were gonna go ta get some ice cream fer us an’ the science owls. I started complainin’ about how hot it was, an’ I didnae want ta walk anymore, so Granddad picked me up, an’ a few minutes later yeh wanted up too, so he got both of us up there as we walked ta the ice cream truck. One of the owls got a picture, I suppose-- I was busy tryin’ ta point out somethin’ I thought was important. Been what, sixty years? I forget what it was, but the ice cream was good. ‘Cept you dropped yers, so we had ta share a cone, but it was fine.”

Duke smiled at the thought of the scene, and Conductor continued at the sight of any positive reinforcement.

“Now, that’s nae even one of the better stories-- We used ta be homeschooled, remember? You, me, the science owls tryin’ ta teach us about how ta do experiments? They kept squeakin’ the chalk on the blackboard, one of the worst sounds-- Yeh told me it was nothin’, but I know yeh’d flinch too when they did it!-- so one time, when the lesson was done an’ we were left ta deal with the classwork b’fore we were allowed ta go back ta doin’ what we wanted, I finally had it. I locked the door ta the owl’s carriage, took the block out from behind the wheels of the blackboard, an’ started pushin’. Yeh thought I was jus’ tryin’ ta flip it, but yeh figured it out eventually an’ tried ta talk me out of it. I still pushed that peckin’ thing right out the door, out the back of the train, an’ off the railin’! Aaaaand then yeh told me I shoulda just tossed the chalk instead.” Conductor laughed. “That was what yeh were tryin’ ta tell me the whole time-- That it woulda been better if I just threw the chalk instead of the board!” 

Grooves shook his head, while the little girl laughed as well, and Duke couldn’t help but keep smiling too.

“An’ then there’s how many times I stole experiments-- they had those peckin’ fruits from Subcon, the ones that with a bit of agitation, they’d just blow up in yer face! So one time, I took a few of ‘em, right b’fore we were about ta stop, an’ I took ‘em outside-- Yeh were there fer it, jus’ because yeh were curious too, dinnae lie-- An’ we threw rocks at ‘em ‘til they blew up in our backyard!” Conductor chuckled. “Granddad was so peckin’ furious-- Told us we coulda started a fire in the desert, with how dry everythin’ was, an’ he grounded us fer weeks . D’yeh remember…?” Conductor looked at Duke. 

“...I… I don’t. I’m sorry, I enjoy the stories, but I can’t remember any of them happening.”

“...oh.” Conductor’s ears lowered, and his smile vanished. “...sorry. I… hoped it woulda jogged yer memory.”

“I’m really sorry, sir.”

“I--” Conductor tensed for a second, then handed over the picture. “I’m gonna go fer a walk! Dinnae worry about me, I’ll be back b’fore yeh know it!” He quickly walked out of the room before anyone else could stop him. Grooves sighed, and he stood. 

“Well, darlings, I’m going to worry about him, so you two take care. Enjoy the drinks, enjoy the fire, and please… Stay safe, okay?”

“Okay!” The girl gave him a big smile and a thumbs-up, while Duke only nodded.

…He told us not to worry though? Why is he worried if Conductor said not to? Isn’t it normal to follow orders?

Before he could ask that, Grooves followed after Conductor, leaving them alone. The little girl curled up in her beanbag, taking her second doll and holding it close to her chest, and she closed her eyes. After only a few minutes, she was asleep. With the warmth of the fire, the blankets, and the tea by his side, Duke couldn’t blame her. He adjusted them for his comfort, picked up the book, and continued reading, sipping the tea every now and then.

Chapter Text

Duke hadn't realized he'd fallen asleep until he woke up, the fire long since burned out and a set of blankets draped over him on top of the one he’d been given. The girl was nowhere to be seen, but Grooves had returned, lying on the couch with his jacket over his face to block any light. The book had been put aside with a bookmark to mark his page, though what was more interesting was the paper it was holding down. He gently lifted the book to take the paper silently, watching Grooves for any sign he was waking up. Nothing. Good. He'd probably be furious if I woke him…

Duke looked at the paper, finding it to be a scribbled map of the basement, according to loud black letters at the top. Stickers adorned the page with arrows pointing to rooms-- a fire for the den, a cookie for the kitchen, and one of Snatcher attaching it to a note in a different handwriting from the one writing the labels for the map.

“If you still want to go back, make sure you tell Snatcher! He set up a trap over here, so it'll summon him if you walk there. He's kinda scary when first summoned, but don't worry! He's nice if you bug him enough.”

Duke smiled. Even though the girl had brought him here instead of letting him stay where he belonged, he couldn't help but feel happy she had left him a way home again. Finally, he could leave.

…But… shouldn't I leave a note for Conductor, at least? He seemed convinced I was that brother of his… and it's quite rude if I don't thank them for their hospitality… I should at least make a note. Tell them goodbye, and all that.

He left the room, following the map to the kitchen. It didn't take long to find it, and as soon as he got there, he found a little pad of paper attached to the fridge. Though the top said “Shopping list,” the notes dotted with magnets were more reminders of events and threats if someone else stole lunches. He took one of the pages and the pencil on top before leaning against the counter.

How should I address it… “Dear Conductor and Grooves, I…” um… “while I enjoyed my time in the studio, I am still needed back in Subcon. As such, by the time you're reading this, I will have gone home.”

Duke paused, trying to come up with the next line. As he thought, someone else entered the kitchen.

“Ach, yeh makin’ breakfast or are yeh just standin’ in the way, Walt?”

“C-Conductor! I didn't think you would be here!” Duke quickly hid the paper behind his back, feigning a smile.

“Eh, I go where I want. Mind movin' ta the table? I'm gonna be makin' somethin' ta eat so I dinnae want ta chew me own hand off.”

“Of course. Sorry, sir.”

“I told yeh, just call me by me name.” 

Duke moved aside, but as the paper rustled, Conductor's ears twitched.

“What yeh got there?”

“Oh, um--”

Conductor snatched it, looking it over in barely three seconds. “...oh. I… I see.”

“I'm sorry, but I really do have to--”

“I know, Walt. Yer nae gonna change yer mind if I ask yeh ta stay again. I… I just wanted yeh ta see what yer missin’. Everythin' yeh used ta be… everythin’ yeh meant ta me. But… alright. I see.” Conductor sighed, and he took off his hat to rub his face in areas Duke only assumed were his eyes. “...Let's go. Yeh wanna head home, an’ I'll take yeh ta the Snatcher.”

Conductor led the way, not even glancing at the map and the notes the girl had left for Duke when he offered it. Instead, he took a direct route, cutting through the middle of sets and taking thin platforms over rooms where props were too large to fit in the usual storage areas. The quiet between them was uncomfortable, as Duke expected Conductor to yell or argue. He never did. Instead, he let the silence hang.

The two finally reached a back room, where purple thorns grew in a circle. Conductor stood next to it, and gestured for Duke to enter. He stopped just outside.

“...Thank you for letting me stay the night, sir.”

“I’d… I’d do it anytime yeh need a day off, Walt. Just… dinnae forget me?”

“I’ll try.”

He stepped into the ring of thorns before Conductor could reply, and they grew to an enormous height, surrounding him as Snatcher appeared again.

“FOOOO-- oh. Hey, kid.”

“Hello, sir.”

“Still just Snatcher. You’re already trying to go back?”

“...Conductor and I said our goodbyes.”

“Eh, whatever, I don’t care about that old thing.” Snatcher waved a hand. “You’ve still got a debt to pay before you go.”

“Right. The… few things, you mentioned?”

“Yeah. You knoooow… you gave me some time to think about it. So I’ve figured out a few simple enough tasks. Congratulations-- you get the super easy tasks.”

“Alright. I’ll do my best.” Duke nodded, putting his hand over his heart with the most genuine smile he could muster. There was a brief pause before Snatcher leaned down. 

“ …Let’s be honest, I’m just being nice just because you remind me of myself, in that stupid outfit of yours. You’re so stupid and naive about things… It’s going to get you killed, kid. You’d be dead already if you were anyone else.”

Duke only stood still, waiting to hear what he had to do. He tilted his head slightly, and Snatcher sighed.

“Fine. Since you’re not taking my advice… Let’s make a deal.” He clapped his hands together, and a paper and quill pen appeared in the air. “Just sign your name on the line, and we can--”

Duke immediately did as told, his tail wagging slightly. Home. He was finally on the way home.

“Wow. I really don’t think I’ve seen anyone sign a contract that fast. That was… You know, I just told you I could kill you.”

“You said that you wouldn’t kill me, and you already told me what it was supposed to be-- a few easy tasks.

“Yeah, but if you’re going to do something that stupid… Yeesh. Read the fine print next time, kid.”

“I just need to go back home.”

“Sure, after the tasks. Or, rather… you're going to see a few things. And what I want you to do is think about it, and answer a few questions. If you answer wrong, you die. Got it?”

“Yes, Mr. Snatcher.”

“Ugh. Stop being a suck-up.” Snatcher made a face, most likely trying to roll his eyes, before the two of them were dragged through the ground. Duke held his breath the whole time, unsure if he could even breathe as they fell through what felt like mud or slime, even if it barely touched his mouth. They finally landed in Subcon, though the place felt… different .

The forest wasn't cold. The sun still shined through the trees. People stood around a village, cheerfully talking to each other. 

“...This is Subcon. Same day you were frozen. Same day I died,” Snatcher explained. “And they can't see you, before you ask. Think of this whole thing like that old story about the Mafia Boss and holidays.”

Duke didn't admit he had no idea what Snatcher meant. Instead, he simply nodded, and folded his hands behind his back as he looked around.

“So. There's two places you need to see for my questions, but I'll tell you this much-- Only buildings you'll need to go into are the places you and that Conductor call home.”

Duke nodded again, and began to walk through the town. Everyone seemed overjoyed, preparing for some grand festivity. Among the masked dwellers were owls in white coats and glasses, cheerfully conversing with others as they wandered the market. Dozens of goods were on sale-- fruit, clothes, badges-- anything that a soul could possibly want. Though the wares had prices laid out beside them, no one manned registers or watched for thieves. 

As he neared the edge of town, a long line of train tracks led him to the station. Though he couldn't remember seeing one before, it simply made sense-- If the queendom was thriving, of course people would come by train to move in or simply visit. Even from outside, he could hear someone complaining. Duke boarded the train, quickly finding a trio there-- two yellow things, and another of the multitude of owls.

“But it isnae me own weddin’! Why do I need ta go, I dinnae even know ‘em!” one of the two yellow things argued. From voice alone, it was clearly Conductor, yet the others took his complaints far less seriously than Grooves and the little girl had.

“C’mon, this is nae a discussion we’re having! It's a royal wedding, we got invited, now shut yer yap!” the other yellow one-- likely Walter, if Conductor was to be believed-- snapped back.

“It's nae like it'll matter ta them if I'm there, an’ the peckin’ awards are on--”

“Watch yer language, laddie, yer nae allowed ta say that near the Queen,” the owl warned.

“But Granddad--”

“Dinnae “But Granddad” me. Yeh knew this was comin’ up, yeh shoulda gotten changed outta yer work clothes an hour ago--”

“Granddad, if we dinnae hurry, we could be late--” Walter warned. Granddad checked his pocketwatch with a sigh.

“We dinnae have time ta argue, either yeh hurry up or yer gonna be grounded fer a couple months, lad. No movies, no television, just helpin’ the owls an’ yer brother.”

“I'll take bein’ grounded!” Conductor exclaimed. “Jus’ let me stay on the train--”

“Ugh. You're the worst,” Walter complained. “You're gonna regret nae going to this wedding, Con, and when you do, I'm gonna laugh!”

“I'll regret it when the peckin’ desert freezes. Yeh get ta yer weddin’, Walt, I've got awards to catch!”

“You're also more grounded for swearing!!” Walter yelled as Conductor sprinted off, running into one of the many rooms. Granddad shook his head.

“Yeh gotta let the lad be foolish, Walter. He's nae like yeh.”

“He could at least think fer once! He's always like that-- putting his own needs over everyone else's-- He's annoying, and rude, and--”

“Deep breaths, Walter. It's nae the end of the world. He’ll figure it out someday.”

Walter huffed, and stormed off the train, followed by his grandfather. Duke only watched them go.

“... Y'know, that's the last conversation those two had in years,” Snatcher's voice said from nowhere. Duke whirled around, finding the spirit standing in front of him, having taken Walter's shape, though he was still made of shadows and staring with two bright yellow eyes. “That, or they never met again. Depends on if you think that Conductor is right or not, and honestly, looking between you and Walter, I can see where he finds the resemblance.”

“But my name is Duke. I--”

“Sure, that's what Vanessa tells you.” Snatcher shook his head, and held up a mirror. “Take a look at this, then at that guy.”

For the first time, Duke looked at himself in a mirror. He blinked a few times, looking for his eyes in the mirror, but there was no sign of them. White streaks marked his face, and what fur clung to his cheeks had white patches. His ears looked rotten with blackness, cutting them off roughly at the top. The rest, however?

He looked like Conductor.

“...this… doesn’t make sense… Why did she tell me…?”

“Because she knows of fire spirits. She doesn’t know what you are. I don’t either.” Snatcher shrugged, and he crossed his arms. “Question one. Do you really think that you’re not Walter?”

“...I don’t know,” Duke said, softly. “I… I thought…?”

“Good answer.” Snatcher patted his shoulder, then vanished into the ground, leaving Duke alone on the train. 

After a moment of quiet, Duke turned, and followed where Walter had gone with his granddad. The town itself was lively, welcoming, and bright. People cheerfully greeted one another as he passed, clearly invisible to them. Duke almost felt out of place, adrift in a sea of people who didn’t know he was there. 

Usually, he’d be fine with that. Now, walking through the town as the white-coated owls cheerfully chatted with dwellers and fire spirits alike. They didn’t look like him, according to the mirror, yet they still were the only ones who gave him looks, winking at him with eyes he could feel rather than see.

“I’m nae sure why he’s like that,” Walter complained, the first thing that led Duke to finding them again. “He’s always so focused on himself…”

“He’s got a dream, lad. Yeh ken what that means fer him.”

“It means he needs ta grow up, Granddad.”

“Walter. It means he should be allowed ta chase it. Let the lad try it. He’s nae the best, sure, but he’s still young. He can try. He’s got us on his side, so he doesnae have ta worry about comin’ home ta no one on his side. B’sides, even if it fails, there’s the train, an’ yeh ken he loves it.”

“Hello, Conductor!” One of the owls greeted. The granddad tilted his hat with a smile, but Duke felt wrong when he tried to correct his mental perception.

…I can’t call him Conductor. Not just because I know Conductor’s there, but…

“Hey, laddie, got any news?”

“Getting some extra apples for the way home. Thought it could help to get some mushrooms too, for cooking… Any thoughts?”

“Ask the dwellers; they know better than us what’s edible.” 

“Got it!” The owl hurried off, and Walter and his granddad continued on.

“...Listen, I know what yer saying, but… He’s supposed to--”

“He’s a bird in this bloodline.” His granddad took his shoulder. “We got a habit of findin’ a dream an’ chasin’ it. Wantin’ ta map the world, or runnin’ a train, or makin’ movies. I know yer gonna be the one ta stick with the science part of it, lad, but that’s nae what’ll make him happy, yeh hear?”

“...I know, I know…” Walter sighed. “But--”

“No buts. Yer nae the boss of yer brother, alright?”

“...Alright.”

“Yeh’d do good ta remember that.”

“I know, I know, but… I worry. If he goes fer it and then it fails and--”

“Then it fails. So?”

“So what happens ta my brother then?! He’d-- He’d fall apart. What happens if yeh try fer a dream and then fail, Granddad? He’d… I dinnae know. He’s nae the best with failure. Yeh remember when he tried showin’ that movie ta the owls?”

“Walt--”

“He nearly cried when they didnae laugh at the jokes. If he failed it on a big screen, then what? He’d barely know what to do. An’ I cannae let him just--”

“Walter!” Granddad interrupted, and Walt stopped. “...If I told yeh that you couldnae be a scientist on the train, then what would yeh do?”

“I… That’s different, he has a backup--”

“It’s nae. Tell me, what would yeh do?”

“...I’d… I dinnae know. Just… go with whatever I could.”

“Exactly. So… let him try.”

Walter fell silent as they neared the manor, and though they turned to look around the town some more, Duke didn’t follow. Instead, he entered the manor, and looked around.

The place was warm, welcoming, just like the town, but decorated even more ornately. The whole place was beautiful, just as he always wished he could restore it to being.

Even though, he found himself looking at the door to the basement, the one he had been dragged down the day before. 

He opened the door, and crept downstairs, where the water hadn't yet pooled on the floor. Instead, there was dust between the stone bricks, and a figure hanging from the wall by his wrists. Duke hurried to his side, though it didn't take getting close to see who it was: The prince, long since worn down and starved. He lacked any energy to do much, though he looked up at any sign of someone coming.

“...Ness? Can… can I leave now?” he asked, pitifully. “...I need food, too… and… and water?”

“But… but she loved him--” Duke said, shaking his head as he backed off. “She wouldn't just leave--”

“Please?” the prince asked. “Anyone…? I… please…?”

“She wouldn't just leave him-- she loves him-- she loves him more than anything--!”

The prince lowered his head, sighing deeply. Though he was hung up by his biceps, he still slouched as best as he could, his feet sliding on the ground until his arms held him entirely. His head dropped, and he shut his eyes.

“He can't have died like this--!” Duke exclaimed. He backed off, bumping into the wall, and stared, waiting for the prince to move. He didn't even breathe. 

He's gone. Just like that. Trapped in this basement.

It took time that Duke couldn't quantify for someone to open the door again. Vanessa breezed in, though she didn't look like what Duke knew-- her hair was a golden hue, her dress a bright green, and she had a smile that would make any suitor blush.

“Today's the day, my dearest prince!” she cheerfully exclaimed, hurrying past Duke to the prince. “It's finally time for our wedding! Oh, I'm so happy, my dear, it will be perfect-- I've invited everyone to come see us, and the best chefs, and the best musicians from around the world. Nothing can possibly ruin this perfect day!”

He just hung there, limp as a doll.

“...my prince? My dearest darlingest prince?”

Nothing.

“No, no, you're supposed to answer me! I order you to answer!”

He didn't even move. She raised a hand, hitting him across the face, but it was too late. He was gone.

But… she loves him… why would she..?

She let out a wail, recognizing the situation, and fled up the stairs. “No, no, NO!” Duke hurried after her, ready to help to dry her tears as he always had before, but instead, he came face-to-face with Walter and his grandfather, entering the manor.

“That's the queen, yeh?” Walter asked as she ran by. “Why's she--”

Duke ignored the rest of what he was saying, trying his best to make his way through the crowd. It was nearly impossible to reach the bedroom thanks to the servants attempting to usher people to the venue (the royal courtyard, the only place big enough to hold all the people she had wanted) but Duke had practiced moving around quickly, making it easy to hurry past the servants and up the stairs. He ducked into the bedroom just in time to see Queen Vanessa crying as she knelt on her bed, tearing out pages of her journal.

“Why?! Why couldn't he be better ?! If he hadn't been with that girl, then I wouldn't have put him there! He's so selfish !”

Wherever her tears fell, they solidified into ice. She noticed after a moment, and sniffled loudly before steeling her gaze and standing again.

“He’s ruined everything I had planned for us. It was going to be perfect-- how dare he die?!”

The ice grew with her rage, spiking through the room. Duke knew the way it was going, and he hurried out of the room and down the stairs before it could catch him.

The servants weren't so lucky. They were some of the first to be caught by the waves of ice, followed by the wedding-goers. Most of them didn't even see it coming until they had been frozen in their seats, though an unlucky few managed to spot it and feel fear before they inevitably froze as well. The screams began soon after, with people catching sight of what was happening and trying to run-- the owls, the Subcon residents, dozens of others, screaming before being forever silenced.

Duke ran to the main hall, attempting to reach the exit, when he spotted two familiar shapes running just a bit slower. The owl was falling behind, his stamina running dry, and he finally slowed to a halt.

“Walter-- RUN!” Granddad ordered. Walter, however, stopped, his feet skidding on the wooden floors. He reached out for his grandfather, ready to take his wing and run.

“I'm nae leaving y--”

He didn't make it through the sentence before the ice caught up, freezing the two of them only a few extra yards from the exit. Duke only stared at the chaos, at the spikes of ice cutting through the kingdom. The smoke of the train began, with a loud screech of the wheels on the rails, but outside of the noise of the train and the cracking of the ice, there was silence. Even those noises stopped soon enough.

“...But… I don't understand. She always told me…”

“She lied, kid,” Snatcher said, appearing from nowhere. He stood just outside the gate, taking the form of his human self just as he had with Walter before. “She told me she loved me. You saw how that went.”

“B-but-- but if she loved you-- and she always wanted you back-- how could she-- but the--” Duke stammered, barely making it through any thoughts.

“Question two. What’s gonna happen if you go back?”

Duke stared at Snatcher, his mind reeling. “...Is… is she going to kill me?”

“She already tried a thousand times. I wouldn't put it past her to find a way to finally do it, after running off like this.” Snatcher clapped his hands, and the world fell away, leaving the two of them in the Subcon he knew again.

Chapter Text

They stood in the hollow of a dead tree, where a small room had been set up. Snatcher, back to his usual look, sat down in the lone armchair, smiling down at him.

“You're a third of the way done. Good job answering those questions. It's almost like you're starting to get it.”

“...a third…?” Duke asked, trembling. “I'm only a third of the way done?”

“And the last third is easy! Don't even worry about that part.”

“But--”

“No buts. You signed a contract, kid!” Snatcher laughed.

…and this is him being nice to me? How is any of this nice?!

Duke took a deep breath, then pushed his fur out of his face, nodding. “... Alright. Then… then we should continue.”

“You're that eager to get back, huh?” Snatcher looked him over. “That desperate ?”

“...I should get back to the manor.”

“Sure. Wanna go check in on her? That's where I was planning on showing you next anyway. That, and another little place.”

Yes, I do, he thought, but for some reason, his mouth wouldn't speak the words. Instead, he just opened it, then closed it again. 

“Fine then. Be that way. We'll get it over with.” Snatcher stood (rose? He couldn't exactly stand without legs) and took Duke by the cape, dragging him along once more. Though he expected it to be the same choking as before, this time it felt more like someone pulling him by the hand, whisking him off towards the manor. By the time they arrived, Duke could see why-- his body had turned to shadows.

“Wh-what--”

“It’s exhausting to teleport you all the time. When you’re like that, it’s so much easier-- Besides, no one can see us like this.” Snatcher shrugged. “And besides, take a look at the doors.”

Duke glanced around, finding the problem immediately: A massive chunk of ice now covered the door, blocking the main way in and out, while another cinched the trapdoor shut, making there no way that the little girl could return.

And there, pacing the hallways in her torn green gown, was Queen Vanessa, her hair wild and tangled as she searched for something that wasn’t there. Though it was hard to see her in the darkness of the house without the light of the candles, he still recognized her as the same queen he’d seen every day he remembered.

“My queen--!” Duke exclaimed. She didn’t even turn.

“Remember, she can’t see us. Hearing us is just part of the deal.” Snatcher crossed his arms. “Like a real spirit. Don’t try shoving things though, she could definitely still feel it and freeze both of us.”

“Oh. My apologies.”

She searched the hallways, stepping over the multiple tears in the fabric Duke had never managed to fix without the materials to do so, and huffed with anger when she found nothing. 

“Where is that pesky key? I need it back in place…”

“...the one the little girl stole,” Duke mumbled. “She might still have it on her ship.”

“And those doll clothes! How could he steal my prince’s clothes?!”

“...What about me?” Duke asked, stepping a bit closer. Snatcher moved away, avoiding any connection with him to avoid being frozen. “My queen, I-- I thought--”

“Stupid intruder! They took everything! The little wretch even stole my doll!”

A doll. A plaything

That was all he was. 

“Ugh! He’s the worst! If he’s still in this house, I shall freeze him myself! Just like all the other intruders in my home, just like every other horrible person who tried to take what was rightfully mine! What a horrible, horrible being!” 

Her rage only grew, though Duke tried to reach out, to soothe her anger like he’d done for decades. As his hand grew close to hers, though, he stopped, looking at her.

…She won’t even care either way. All I’ll be to her is another intruder, something she knows is there-- but she won’t even know it’s me. And even if she did, she wouldn’t care.

He lowered his hand, and stepped away, shaking his head.

“...no. I… I’m not… going to say it’s alright. Because… because I’m not some plaything.”

He took off his cape, leaving it in a pile on the ground. 

“And if you won’t view me as a friend, or as someone important, then-- then--”

He stepped back, and turned to Snatcher. 

“Ask your question. Please, just ask already.”

“Yeah, this one’s actually a two-part question. One more place to go.” Snatcher grabbed him, pulling him along once more.

By the time they stopped, Duke's head was spinning. He finally managed to blink away the dizziness after a moment, finding the scenery just as familiar. Dead Bird Studios, the same room he had left from.

And there, just a few feet away, stood Conductor. Silent, still, and staring, his mouth slightly agape. Though the clock behind him said it had been a few hours since Duke and Snatcher had left, he still stood in the same place Duke had last seen him.

“...Darling? I brought some food.” Grooves walked over, holding a pair of sandwiches, and he handed one over. “...I know you're not going to leave this room, but can I at least interest you in a chair? There's one right over here.”

Conductor only took the sandwich, shaking his head. “I… if I dinnae watch, I could… I could miss when…”

“I understand. I can guide you over there, and you won't have to stop looking at all.”

Conductor nodded after a moment, and Grooves took his other hand, guiding him to the bench and helping him sit down.

“There you go. Just like that, darling. Hopefully you weren't locking your knees…”

Conductor didn't respond, only took a bite of the sandwich. 

“...If you need to talk, I'm here.”

The silence lasted for what felt like hours as both ate their sandwiches, slowly and methodically chewing (or, in Conductor's case, swallowing it in large chunks.)

“I'm the worst brother ever, Grooves,” he finally said. “I let him die twice.”

“I wouldn't say that.”

“I let him die when we were lads, an’ I jus' let him run right back inta danger like-- like some idiot! An’ it's all me own fault-- I knew what happened, I knew it was dangerous, I should've saved him-- I should've gone back fer him before, an’ I shoulda talked him out of goin' back now, an’ I'm a peckin' failure! I cannae even protect me own family-- I cannae even help one peckin' person-- ”

Conductor's shoulders shook more than his voice, until he finally lowered his head.

“An’ I know he's nae comin' back, Grooves, but-- I cannae help but hope he’ll jus' walk right back in an’ remember me, an’ the train, an’ everything--”

“Breathe, darling, breathe.”

“An' instead I know he's gonna go an’ forget everythin’ an’ just… he's suffering there, Grooves. What’m I supposed ta do? How do I help him?”

“...I really don't know.”

“Fat lot of good yeh are then! I-- I'm tryin' ta find what I can do--!” Conductor stammered slightly, his voice trembling more with each word. “Walt's gonna-- he's-- it's--”

Finally, he broke, falling again into mostly silence except for a noise Duke recognized not from Vanessa, but from somewhere else he couldn't place-- crying.

“...You've done all you can, darling. He… if you tried to keep him here, he'd have resented you for it. It's his decision, in the end. You offered help, told him what you could, and let him make his choice, darling. That's what you said you'd do.”

“I-- I said I'd h-help him, Grooves!”

“And you did everything you could to help.”

Conductor looked at Grooves for a moment, and finally wrapped his arms around him, holding him tight.

“...I'm always here if you need me, darling.”

“Peck off, Grooves.”

The two stayed like that for a while, just sitting and watching where Duke and Snatcher had been before and now were again. Duke looked at Snatcher, who was watching him intently.

“Alright, I'm sure you know what's coming. Question three: Who do you think actually cares, kid?”

Duke looked at the two birds, then at the once-prince of Subcon. “...I think that they care about Walter. And…. I think you might care about me.”

“I-- you're not wrong , but I don't like that answer.” Snatcher sighed. “You know what you saw before, right? You are Walter. It's just a name.”

“...But I'm not him. Not anymore, even if I was before. I-- I was. But I'm not. And… I don't know how I feel about them caring about me, or about my name, or anything, it's a lot all at once, and… I don't even know. I've not had to come up with my own thoughts for so long that I'm not sure how.”

“...Do you need some more time? I got all the time in the world, since I’m dead, so.”

“No, I… I just want to finish this.”

“And then where are you going to go?”

“I don’t know. I can’t go home again. Do I even have a home?”

“Kid, let me tell you the truth here-- I don't care if you do the last part of this. I was going to just show you what happened to you and me, prove that she couldn't care less, and then let you decide what you want to do with the information you've got.” Snatcher leaned back in the air as if sitting on nothing. “So. It's your choice if you want to see anything else, too.”

“...Why did I live?” Duke finally asked. “Out of everyone, I… Walter… I shouldn't have been able to survive either. So why…?”

“I don't know. Luck? Something in you? Some magic?”

“...maybe both Conductor and I were right about what we are. It would explain why we don't look like either.”

“Sure, go with that.” Snatcher shrugged. “Would explain why she hasn't been able to kill you despite how often she's tried.”

“...right.” Duke's heart sank. “I… didn't even realize that she was trying to kill me, to be honest.”

“Eh, you were being told it was fine, so you just assumed it was.” 

“...if he’s right about me-- about who I am… I’d like to stay here, at the studio.”

“Sure. If that's what you want.” Snatcher started to raise his hand to snap, but Duke interrupted.

“ And to come visit you too.”

“What? Why would you--”

“You've been kind to me. And I think it would help both of us to have someone there.”

“...” Snatcher narrowed his eyes, then sighed. “Fine. But don't expect it to be a common thing, kid.”

“I won't. It'll just be nice to see you when we have time.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Snatcher waved his hand. “Just go. See you whenever that is.”

Before Duke could say anything else, he found himself falling once more, until he finally landed on the ground, only feet away from where he had been when he left. Conductor jumped to his feet immediately, though he still held Grooves' wing.

“Walter, you're-- you're actually--”

Though he still wasn't sure of much, his heart soared at the sound of Conductor's voice. A memory clicked into place, one of the pieces he'd been missing for so long.

“Hello, Connor. I'm home,” Walter said.