Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The first help center request was from boredom. Boredom with the weak tamers everywhere he travelled, and boredom with the small settlement of Graphite Lodge.

Even the tree he waited by was boring. It sat on route 4 unassumingly by the other foliage.

He thought they were boring too.

Wearing a cap and a smile just as unassuming as the tree, they silently approached him.

He bet that they fought just as boringly as the few others who had taken the request before them.

Oh just how wrong he was.

They wiped his team with ease, all while wearing that same smile, which was feeling more otherworldly than unassuming now.

They didn't speak throughout the whole battle, and yet their doodles knew exactly what to do.

This person was anything but boring. This person had the same level doodles as him, and yet they were so much more stronger than him.

This person was exciting.

He handed over 500 gems as listed on the request, along with a friendship ribbon as a sign of good will.

Then he left to train, he would need to if he ever wanted to reach their level.

The second help center request Jack just wanted to test his strength. He wanted to gauge if he had reached the level that person from before was when they fought.

He never expected that they themself would show up, and he most definitely didn't expect that they would be the first one to take on his request this time.

Again, they beat him without a sweat.

They had also gotten stronger in the time between their first meeting and now, and he wouldn't have it any other way.

Like before, he handed them their easily won reward of 500 gems, as well as a sniper scope.

But before they could wordlessly leave again, he stopped them.

"We've seen each other twice now, so I figure I should learn your name. It isn't really fair that you know mine, yet I don't know yours, right?"

They stared for a moment, then began shifting their hands around.

"...I don't know sign language, sorry."

They blinked in response, before rummaging through their messenger bag and taking out a passport, handing it to him.

Awkwardly, he opened it.

"...[PLAYER], huh?"

They nod.

[PLAYER]. He reread the name again in his mind, the name of his rival.

"I hope to see you again one day, [PLAYER]."

He handed their passport back, and they left again.

He had learned something new about them, for some reason it made his heart feel lighter.

The third request was a call out to [PLAYER] specifically. 

He was originally at the academy to check up on his sibling, but when he caught a glance of [PLAYER] fighting one of those Squed kids at the track, he felt... jealous, for some reason.

They should be fighting him, not these boring half baked tamers, and especially not ones who only use Squed and Moyai.

When they finally arrived at the fountain he felt a bit stupid for it though. They were allowed to battle whoever they wanted, they were their own tamer.

But he wanted them to battle only him, he wanted them to look at him and only him.

He wanted that just as much as he only wanted to battle them, just as much as he found himself only wanting to see them.

He wanted to be the only one who could stand as their rival.

During their battle, he could swear their smile twitched for a moment, were they actually struggling for once?

Had he reached their level?

He watched as they took out his Marigrimm once again. It might've just been the sunlight reflecting in the fountain water, but he could swear they were shining.

No. He hadn't reached their level just yet, but he was getting close.

This time their reward was another 500 gems, and then an unwashed plushie.

He watched their brow raise at the stained bear, he flustered a bit.

"...It inflicts disease on the user at the end of each turn."

They look back at him. This was a stupid reward, he should've just given them something else.

"It.. It's a good pair with the detox trait, since doodles with it heal from disease and poison. Um, I made it myself so I thought- No, I'll just give you something else-"

They stop him, pulling out a notepad and scribbling something down.

'You made this?'

He blinks at the words, a bit surprised that that was what they wanted to ask about.

"...Yeah. Then Noxvul got its claws on it when I wasn't looking and it became... that. There has to be a different item you had in mind right?"

They were already writing again before he could finish.

'I'll keep it, thank you.'

Oh. Why did his heart feel so light again? 

They walked off silently again, looking over the plushie like it was the most interesting thing in the world.

He wished they stayed longer.

Chapter Text

Though [PLAYER] read through all of the requests, there was really only one they were interested in.

They didn't know how, but in every location's Help Center they've been to, Jack's name always showed up. Alongside that, it was a surprise to see their own name on the board at the academy, and it was an even bigger surprise to see Jack actually pose an obstacle for once.

"Their" eyes returned to the request's title; "Doubles Challenge". Was he trying something new?

[PLAYER] really wanted to find out, but they wanted to keep the best for last.

~

They began going through requests in the morning, but the Sun was setting by the time [PLAYER] had finally arrived at Doodle's Ledge.

Jack was sat at a table by the back, idly sipping his drink as he scrolled through his phone. His Marigrimm floated next to him, nibbling on a donut.

Despite still wearing shades in somewhat dim lighting, Jack noticed them immediately.

"Ah, so you came."

[PLAYER] already had their notepad out as they walked towards him.

'Are we battling in here?'

"Of course not, we shouldn't battle in a small space like this." He got up, popping open a capsule for Marigrimm to enter. "Follow me, there's a place not far from here."

They went up steps and through a gate, and [PLAYER] internally thanked themselves for deciding to do Jack's request later in the day.

Route 7 was nightmarishly hot during the day, but during sundown it was much more bearable. The winds had settled around this time as well, so sand wasn't kicking up their face.

After finding a suitable spot near the gate, they both stood in position.

"Since our last battle, I've learned double battling."

So it was just as they assumed then. They held their capsule tighter, the only thing they were unsure of was Jack's current team composition.

"I wonder if you'll battle just as well as you do for single battles?"

[PLAYER]'s smile strained.

After multiple attempts, they had managed to get Jack down to his two last doodles, but they were on one doodle and low HP.

"Guess you aren't any good at double battles" Jack teased.

[PLAYER] just stared. He wouldn't remember this.

They shut their eyes, and when they opened them again, they were back at the Oasis Doodle Station.

[PLAYER]... no, Player, didn't know why this always happened whenever they lost a battle. They wondered if the Puppeteer - as they've taken to calling them - did.

What Player did know, was that the world simply wouldn't allow them to lose.

As their doodles healed, Player stretched their fingers. It was during moments like these that the strings loosened enough for them to control their body.

Were they strings? It was another thing they weren't sure about, but they felt and looked like strings, so that was they called them.

As soon as the capsules were back in their bag, the strings took back over and pulled them straight back towards Jack.

That was another thing Player didn't understand, the Puppeteer's odd obsession with beating Jack no matter what. 

Maybe it was because he was one of the few tamers out there with any form of strategy, but if they just wanted challenge, they were already fighting tough tamers as they moved forward. Jack was optional as far as Player could tell, and honestly if it were up to them they wouldn't fight him at all.

But of course, they weren't the one controlling the strings.

"What's the strategy this time?"

The strings tightened around their hands, using them to sign a response.

"...Uh huh... Hey, why not just... not do this request this time?"

Player's body came to a halt and their hands signed again, this time just the word 'No.'

"Why no?"

The strings loosened, then tightened, then loosened again as the Puppeteer struggled for a response.

That was unusual from them. No matter what, they always had an immediate and certain response.

"...Hey, Jack won't wait all day."

This spurred them to finally answer.

'He's a good challenge.'

"And the ones we fought in the laboratory weren't? What makes this guy so special?"

Another moment of hesitation.

'...He fights good.'

"You're just rewording what you just said."

'I don't know what else you want me to say.'

"There's gotta be more to this than him just being a good tamer. My only guess is that you have a crush on him, but there's no way that's possible."

The strings loosen completely, and Player begins to regret ever bringing up the topic.

"...I was joking.." they laugh awkwardly, "you don't actually, right?"

. . .

"Right??"

The strings take back full control, continuing their path towards Jack, and giving Player zero room to move or speak.

Chapter Text

Player felt the strings release their hold in what they presumed to be relief. The Puppeteer was binding them so tightly during those last moments of battle. Finally, they defeated Jack. All it took was nearly all of their team and an extremely lucky crit, but they did it.

Jack recalled his final doodle back into its capsule, exhaling in disappointment. He was so close... if he was just a little stronger, it would have had been his win for once. He could see the strain in their usual unassuming gaze, how tight their grip was on their capsules. 

"I guess double battles wasn't the strategy." But he's catching up. Noticeably so.

Player felt the strings take back control as soon as Jack began speaking, all attention clearly being directed towards him. That crush joke was starting to feel more like a feasible theory and they REALLY didn't like it.

They watched as Jack dug a hand into his bag, presumably to get their promised reward. His hand stays there for a moment longer than usual however, fidgeting with something inside.

"...What's your favourite colour?"

The wayfarer hoped that the warm glow from the sunset hid the growing red on his face.

Luckily for him, the warm tones combined with two options appearing in front of [PLAYER]'s eyes and distracting them, his expression went unnoticed.

[Red]

[Blue]

After glancing the two colours over, [PLAYER] cocked an eyebrow towards him.

Jack tried to hide the tension rising in his body with a "nonchalant" look to the side. (Honestly, he was just too embarrassed to look straight at them)

"Just tell me."

Honestly, Player had a preference for orange, but obviously that wasn't a choice here. Though, red was a close second favourite. But before they could even try for the option, the strings tugged their hand towards [Blue].

They weren't really that surprised. If anything, they were only wondering if the reasoning behind the decision was because well, y'know... blue strings, or...

They look to the blue haired man who probably has pronouns in front of them.

Yeah, actually, they don't want to know the reason.

As [Blue] was selected, Player felt the usual strings wrap around their throat and force the word out of it.

It never starts feeling any less constricting, any less helpless, having control of your vocal pipes be taken so easily. As if the physical sensation of it alone wasn't enough. The first few times it happened, they nearly choked or gagged. These days, they've grown to expect the sensation. Pretty easy to when it only occurs when those options appear, another fun mystery that came along in the package deal of The Puppeteer commandeering their entire life.

Regardless of Player having already expected it, Jack very much did not. Before now, he had never heard [PLAYER]'s voice, and he was entirely convinced they either weren't able to speak, or just chose not to. And while the fact that they spoke over a question as simple as a favourite colour was definitely a surprise, their voice itself was an even bigger surprise.

It was clear, immensely androgynous, and firm. Like an immovable, solid stone. When they say something, you listen.

Jack was expecting - if [PLAYER] spoke at all - a soft voice, maybe a bit raspy from possible past injury. As strong as the drizzling fountain they fought beside at the academy at most.

Not that he didn't like their voice of course, he liked it quite a lot actually. It matched how they battled to a T, and he almost wanted to hear it again as much as he wanted to get straight back to battling them again.

Before he can impulsively challenge them, [PLAYER] hesitantly taps him on the shoulder and halts the train of thought.

They look down to his bag, and then back up to him, and he quickly remembers what elicited their voice in the first place. "Right-"

After digging through the many capsules and battle related items, he pulls out the typical good ol' cash prize, and a deep blue gem, with a tassel attached.

"When a doodle holds this, their magical attack is boosted, but they can only use one specific move."

It glitters in the setting sun as he hands the rewards over.

The money is tucked into [PLAYER]'s wallet immediately, but they stare at the jewel in their hand for a bit longer.

As usual, their expression is unreadable to the wayfarer, who can only watch them anxiously.

"...Do you like it..? I was going to give this other one to my sibling, but if you want-"

"Blue."

Jack blinked behind his sunglasses. They had spoken again.

"...Yes. Blue." he repeated on instinct.

[PLAYER] brought the sapphire up, looking at him through the gem.

"Blue. Like you."

And he swore their constant smile had softened as they said this.

Though, their statement was a bit incorrect. He was blue and red now.

Quickly, he turned away, desperately hoping [PLAYER] hadn't noticed. "I should get going now, my doodles need healing-"

But a hand grabs the hem of his sweater and stops him from walking out of reach.

"Wait."

His legs reactively stop.

"...Did I-" he cringed silently at the crack his voice made "-uh... forget something..?-"

This is probably- no. Absolutely, the most impulsive The Puppeteer has been since Player felt the strings tie around them. While their actions seem odd more often than not, there was always a logical reason or two behind them.

There was literally no reason to hold Jack back for longer, not when he had already given them their rewards for going through that awful battle. And there was absolutely zero logic in taking control of their vocal chords to point out two things having the same colour, without even putting out the options prompt.

Much to Player's dismay, string tightens around their throat yet again, without a pop up once more.

"Let's go together."

'I'm becoming a homophobe.' Player thought to themself.