Chapter Text
Shuriken had experienced death a million times over. Stab wounds, explosions, flames, you name it. But NOTHING compared to the pain he was feeling at that given moment.
It was about 30 degrees fahrenheit, or 1 degree celsius. Normally when traveling to the Blackrock mountain range, it'd be assumed common sense to wear warmer clothing. Though, there Shuriken and Vinestaff were, shivering their boots (or in Shuri's case, sandals) off.
Shuriken HATED it. The SNOW got into his SOCKS and now everything was SOGGY. It didn't help that he was wearing a sleeveless hoodie (well, he wore it everyday but that WASN'T THE POINT). Why did it snow during SPRING? SPRING. IT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO SNOW IN SPRING.
And even WORSE they were visiting that STUPID EVIL SCIENTIST. This was possibly the worst outcome Shuriken could've thought of. But luckily, he had an idea! Something that would get them out of this forever!
Vinestaff gave Subspace’s door another knock before giving her phone a quick check. After a long moment of silence, a metal face opened the door, blinking at the two.
“Oh, hello!” Vinestaff began. “You must be-”
“STATE YOUR NAME, AND REASON FOR BEING HERE,” the Biograft said.
Vinestaff blinked a few times. “Ah, uhm, I’m Vinestaff and this is Shuriken. Subspace invited us! But it has been a while, I’m not sure if he remembered!” She gave a small laugh but Shuriken felt like part of it was out of actual fear he did forget.
The Biograft made a small robotic ‘HM’ noise and opened the door. “I REMEMBER YOU. COME INSIDE, CREATOR WILL BE WITH YOU SOON.”
Vinestaff gave a small ‘thank you!’ before following the Biograft inside. Shuriken squinted at the Biograft before trailing after his sister.
“SIT. I WILL BE BACK.” The Biograft scurried off, leaving the siblings inside a grandiose living room. A fireplace was lit on the far end of the room along with some fancy-shmancy couch on the other. A couple of paintings and - were those SERIOUSLY portraits of Subspace?
Talk about self-centered , Shuriken thought bitterly.
Shuriken assessed the danger levels, scanning the room effortlessly and skillfully. Before he could even stop her, Vinestaff was already taking off her boots and making herself comfy.
Shuri let out a squeak before scrambling after her. He sat down on the couch beside his sister, squinting at the room suspiciously.
“I don’t trust this guy,” he whispered. “He’s gonna try and kidnap you or something!”
Vinestaff gave him an amused expression. “I’ve been friends with Subspace for almost a year now and I haven’t been kidnapped. Besides, don’t say that about your host.”
Shuriken grumbled something under his breath, retreating. After a long moment of silence, there were loud footsteps from upstairs.
Shuriken turned his attention to the stairs, seeing Subspace hop down cheerfully.
“Oh golly!! I am so very sorry for not realizing you were going to be here so early!!" He walked up to the two, whispering something to the Biograft from before. The Biograft nodded and scrambled off to another room. “It's quite cold out there, I'm thankful you didn't contract pneumonia!!" It felt a whole lot like Subspace was talking more to Vinestaff than Shuriken. Shuri squinted his eyes at Subspace.
“It’s alright!” Vinestaff waved a hand. “It wasn’t that long of a wait.” It had been about two hours. “How are you? How’s your arm?”
Subspace quickly put his hands behind his back. “I’ve been fine!! Mostly just catching up on work and all that nonsense, you know.” He waved a hand. “413 didn’t leave too much of a dent on Shuriken, right??” He gave a STUPID grin through his STUPID face to Shuriken.
Shuriken simply glared back. Vinestaff clapped her hands together. “A rest did him good, anyways!” She punched Shuriken in the arm, a very SUBTLE sign that Shuri had to be polite. He gritted his teeth, rubbing the area.
“ It’s good to see you, Subspace, ” he muttered, avoiding any and all eye contact.
“Good to see you too, Shuriken!!” Subspace tapped his chin. “Now, what would you two like to eat?? Biograft is already making us tea in the kitchen but I’m sure you two are hungry!!”
“We’re not a very picky bunch,” Vinestaff stood up and started to follow Subspace to the kitchen.
“ I am,” Shuriken muttered, crossing his arms.
“Well, what would you like, then, Shuriken??” Subspace shot a glance behind him, running chills up Shuri’s spine.
He frowned. “ Spaghetti. ”
“Shuri, you’ve had spaghetti for the past week-” Vinestaff protested.
“That’ll do!!” Subspace and Vinestaff continued talking but Shuriken had stopped listening. His attention turned to the hundreds of thousands of ROOMS they kept passing. Did he seriously need THIS many rooms for his one-thousand-nine-hundred-seventy-whatever Biografts? It both made Shuriken ANGRY and also a little small. Very small. Like ten of his apartment could fit in Subspace's STUPID HOUSE.
Suddenly, Shuriken’s mission seemed a lot less plausible. Shuri frowned. He would get it complete one way or another! Even if it took going through an entire maze.
The three FINALLY entered the kitchen to about five Biografts, rummaging around and putting together…tea?
The Biograft from before scrambled up to them, giving Vinestaff and Shuriken scorching hot mugs of tea. Shuri let out a yelp and nearly dropped the cup. He looked into it. To give the Biografts credit, they did…try…
“Oh, wow,” Vinestaff blinked at the cup. “What, uhm, what type of tea is this, Subspace?”
Subspace frowned, turning to the Biografts. “What did I tell you about tea!! The tea bags go IN the water!!” He waved his hands like a disappointed father. “Swords, all of you may go to your charging stations for the night!!”
The Biografts all let out a collective sad robotic hum before walking away. Subspace shook his head.
“Apologies for that!!” He turned around. “I suppose we’ll be making our own spaghetti!!”
“That’s alright!” Vinestaff placed the mug down on a counter nearby. “It’s nothing we can’t handle.”
Oh, Swords, this was Shuriken’s chance! Before he had to get roped into COOKING!
“Hey, Subspace, I have to use the bathroom, okay bye!” He blurted, turning in a random direction and scrambling off.
A perfect escape.
Shuriken stumbled down the long, long, LONG hallway. There had to be SOMETHING. SOMETHING that would prove that Subspace was a HORRIBLE person and that he should be put in BANLANDS. Or something. At least to get Vinestaff to stop hanging out with him! He wasn’t a good person! And Shuriken could prove it!
He slowed down to a stop, looking around. There were WAY too many rooms. Where would he even start? If only there was an ‘EVIL SUBSPACE PLANS’ sign somewhere.
“THE BATHROOM IS NOT THAT WAY, SHURIKEN.” A robotic voice came from behind him.
“EEEAAA!” Shuriken shrieked, jumping back and waving his arms wildly to attack the enemy. After a few seconds of hitting absolutely nothing he opened his eyes to see the Biograft from before, again.
The Biograft simply blinked, giving a small head tilt. “WHAT IS THE MATTER, SHURIKEN.”
Shuriken blinked at the Biograft before coughing, quickly fixing his posture. “Nothing! I am just…uhm…very lost! Mhm. So…so lost.” He nodded. The perfect cover-up.
“THE BATHROOM IS TO YOUR LEFT, DOWN THE EAST HALLWAY,” they stated.
“Goootcha! I’ll be right there!” Shuriken swiveled around and began to march back down the hall. After about 3 more seconds, Biograft tapped him on the shoulder. He jumped back again.
“THE BATHROOM IS NOT THAT WAY EITHER, SHURIKEN.” Shoot! Shuri would have to come up with a more believable lie at this point. His mission would NOT fail!
“Errr, yeah! I knew that!” He paused, twiddling his thumbs and looking around. “Wait a second.”
“YES?”
“You’re 413, right? Like the one that knocked me out!” He pointed at the Biograft.
“AFFIRMATIVE. I HAVE BEEN ACCOMPANYING SUBSPACE IN ALL HIS TRIPS TO CROSSROADS.” 413 nodded.
“Sooooo you’re the closest one to Subspace, right?” A very MISCHIEVOUS and CLEVER plan was slowly forming in Shuriken’s mind.
“AFFIRMATIVE.”
“Do you perchance know…” Shuri looked around. “a room that Subspace would be hiding his SECRET plans? Possibly EVIL plans?” He raised his brows hopefully at the robot.
“CREATOR DOES NOT KEEP ANY ‘SECRET’ OR ‘EVIL’ PLANS, AS FAR AS I AM AWARE.” Shuri frowned. “HOWEVER.” Shuri looked back up. “CREATOR HAS BEGUN ON A NEW PROJECT INVOLVING YOUR SISTER.”
“Yes!” Shuri pumped his arm in the air. “Show me where it is!”
“NEGATIVE. ALL BLACKROCK OFFICIAL PLANS AND TACTICS ARE TO BE KEPT PRIVATE UNTIL SAID OTHERWISE,” 413 nodded, crushing Shuri’s amazing beautiful idea to mush.
“AAarrghgh,” he spun around on his heel, rubbing his eyes. “Whatever! I’ll find it myself then!” He began to march back down the hall.
“THAT IS THE WRONG WAY,” 413 beeped. Shuri jumped again, furrowing his brows as he turned around toward them.
“To…where exactly?”
“THE ROOM.”
Shuri frowned. “What if I went…this way?” He turned a corner to a different hallway.
“THAT IS THE CORRECT WAY, YES,” 413 began to follow Shuri down. OHOHO, turns out this Biograft was NOT completely useless! Shuri grinned EVILY (not evily).
He continued walking through Subspace’s STUPIDLY long hallways, following 413’s innocent directions.
After a minute or so of walking, Shuri came across a room. THE room. 413 peeked around the corner.
“THE DOOR IS NOT USUALLY OPEN,” they commented. Shuri slowly stepped inside, a dark hum coming from the other end of it. He frowned, feeling about as uncomfortable as he could get.
The room was illuminated by barely anything but a stack of canisters on a shelf. A pink glow came from them. He glanced back at Biograft only to receive a small head tilt.
This was it! This was the proof Shuri needed!
Why did he feel so BAD?
He stepped further inside. Wires upon wires upon wires spiraled along the ground. You’d think a guy would clean up at least a LITTLE. Then again, Shuri wasn’t much better with his own room.
He glanced around, spotting a large computer on the far end. He slowly approached. To his surprise, it was already logged in. His brow furrowed as he began to scroll through whatever page it was open on.
This was it .
He got to the bottom of the page. On it, he finally read-
In only a moment, the dim lights - including the computer - flickered.
And then everything turned off.