Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Infected was never the type to keep secrets, from his perspective at least.

He'd always seem like an honest guy when not faced with the smugness of the cool persona he keeps up. Always walking into the elevator and holding his palms up to receive what seemed like a wave of endless high-fives, like some sort of celebrity at a function, always complimenting the gals and the guys with a wink and speaking with such conviction it'd make you believe he really had the confidence to do anything.

At least when unpleasant wasn't the main subject.

Of course, no one liked unpleasant, who would? the quiet old man at the end of the corner with his viciously ugly looks and seemingly bitter behaviour towards everyone didn't quiet help with his image and the rumours surrounding him and his mysterious nature. Some say he likes to feed off of the suffering of others with the cause of his extreme apathy, some say he's a monster who goes out and eats the unfortunate ones behind the closed doors of the elevator, while the logical ones imposed that he is just what he is: a bitter old man with no purpose of riding onto the elevator other than what seems like personal deed's only beneficial to himself.

And yet despite the irks he'd caused with the nasty smell of his old cologne or the uncanny thousand yard stare, it'd seem to bother infected the most, who'd constantly avoid questions of it when once he'd accidentally slipped onto the fact that the thing that's was the gradient was in fact; living with him in the small apartment. Something only meant for a conversation with poob and pest over at UNO quickly turning into a wildfire of whispers among the crowd, but of course, for poob couldn't help but ramble on.

Despite that Infected had kept a good reputation away from the conspicuous link with the gradient. And now there he was, over at the elevator coner, staring down at nothing as if he had zoned out. Un-noticing of anyone besides maybe poob and pest within the corner opposite to him.

"and dats wut I tuld him!" Poob pouted "anywayz dey left meh alone after dat, but leik, ut was the point of evr coming up 2 meh to ask dat??"

"mhmm" pest absently nodded to whatever poob was talking about as he scrolled through his phone, much more interested in the sweets than of poob themself, he figured if he couldn't get them to leave him alone through force then he'd have to get them to drift away.

"..r u even listening??" poob furrowed their eyebrows as pest gave them nothing. "wutevr then.." poob blew out their blowhorn in disappointment before noticing infected, still a bit taken off guard as usually he wouldn't really wind up like this, especially for this long. So poob approached him, seeing as infected didn't really notice him.

"ey man" they started "u gud? U've been been here for uh...a pretti long time acktually-"

No real answer so poob waved their hands in front of infected.

"infected???"

"HUh. 0H-" infected jumped surprise, a if he has been snapped back into reality "s0rri 1ts jUst...1ts n0th1n-" infected groaned.

"No it's alright Man U can tell meh!"

"...4lr1t3....m3h d4d w4s jUst bUgg1Ng m3h s34rCh f0r A c0ll3GE BC h3 th1Nks IM b31N "L4zi" 0r wUt3vs..s0 I c4m3 h3r3 4 a br34k."

"awh, dat sucks- sry buildermans doing dat-"

infected looked aside "y34h..h1m.."

"But hey! I'm sure he's only doing that 2 look afta ya!" poob said "and besidez a college might b good for u!"

"1 kn0w 1t 1z 1tz jUzt..." he sighed "f0rg3t abt 1t I d0nt w4nn4 t4lk abt 1t.."

Poob frowned in sought concern but figured that leaving infected alone this time would be best "alritey then.." they muttered before walking back to pest, still scrolling on his phone "and wut r U even looking at?" Poob said to him as pest looked up slightly.

"None of your business that's what."

"You sure itz not sweets again?? I juzt took u to crem's!"

DING!

As the two bickered a bit, the elevator just stopped to its next endless destination, albeit when the doors opened, infected froze up.

It was unpleasant gradient.

"Ok yeah and? Is it a crime to wanna look at cookies once in a while??"

"DAT? Dats not a cookie! Dats a hole diabetes buffet! Why wuold u need 2 have dis much Nutella!?"

"As if YOU know anything my health! Go back to drinking like 6 bottles of vodka or whatever."

"EXCUSE MEH!?"

The old man Unpleasant walked in and gave a scowl to both poob and pest, even if they didn't notice. Before turning to infected as he quickly looked away to advert his gaze from the gradient opposite of him, why did god have to give him the worst timing in the world?

"You heard me! You and your blogsy can go fuck off if you think- oh great."

Poob arched an eyebrow before turning to where pest's gaze lingered, and cringed a bit at the sight of unpleasant "ouugggghhhhhhhh....."

But of course, unpleasant didn't care, he stared down at infected before giving a scoff and tapping his feet when the elevator descended down further. Poob leaned in to whisper to pest.

"You think he's here to eat da cats??"

"With teeth as sharp as those..I don't doubt it."

"Damn I'd didn't kno u believed the rumors?"

"I mean yeah, but, just look at him!"

"He probably buzted the roof of dat one elevator.."

"Ok maybe not that far."

"Wut!? Oh c'mon it's not NOT possible!"

"I mean, it could be true that he was the one who completely shred that elevator, but with his physique it makes it seem unlikely."

"Still..He lookz liek a demon!"

"And if he really was one I doubt mozelle would take him back." The two giggled at the last comment before quickly shutting up as they noticed unpleasant's creepy stare landing on the two of them, he heard them, so they quickly shut their mouths and sat in the tense silence.

"..it's so quiet.." poob said to pest, quieter than last time.

"Yeah.." pest nodded "honestly I'm surprised we're the only people in here."

"Yuh but...Why does infected seem so scared of dis guy anywayz??"

"Well with the rumors you'd think he'd be scared of the person living with him who's y'know. Eating cats and causing havoc-"

"WuLd u 2 SHUT UP??" infected yelled from across the elevator as it stopped again "I'm s1ck & t1r3d 0f u ppl juzt ann0y1nG m3h abt h1m!!"

"...we didn't even talk to you."

"Y4h 0k but st1ll!! I'm s0 t1r3D 0f c0M1ng h3R3 and 0nl1 h34R1ng "unPl34s4nt unpl34S4nt UNPL34S4NT!""

The elevator doors squeaked open as unpleasant watch infected lose his mind, he was seemingly about to do something before getting grabbed by a familiar pink hand and pulled away quickly, leaving only infected, poob and pest alone as the three went back to back.

"Listen here! We were just talking to each other, what could possibly be bothering you so much about this guy you have the AUDACITY to yell at us when we never even mentioned him to your face once!?" Pest yelled, deciding to continue the argument on his own.

"BC 3V3RY0N3 H4Z B33N UP MY ### TRYN4 G3T 1NF0 0N D1S TH1NG!!" he tried to point to where unpleasant was "1 C4NT 3V3N G0 T0 GL0RPNG0 W/0UT S0M3 1D10T Y3LL1NG 1N M3H @BT H1M!!"

"Sounds like a you problem! If you've got it problem with people being 'up your ass' you should take it out on them not me and poob! And what are you even pointing at!?"

"1m p01nt1ng @t h1m duh!" Infected turned back but froze as he realized that unpleasant was gone, he looked out the elevator doors to see the entirety of Jeremy's domain up front, the color on his face draining "wh3r3-??"

"Oh I think it got taken buy Jeremy!" Poob inquired, and before they could say more infected bolted out of the elevator and hurriedly tried to get to the end of the level "D0NT C0M3!" he yelled out.

"....wut da fuck??"

"Yeah no this is getting too strange-...we should follow him.."

...

Unpleasant grunted as he landed in the cage, already fashioned in the pretty pink tutu and princess hat, the one's he'd hated so much, all while enemy rose and looked over the case with the same maniacal grin and annoying laugh

"HAHAHAHHAA! GOTCHAAA!" They taunted as they picked up the cage to look at unpleasant closer "why hello there, OLD FRIEND! Aren't you happy to SEE ME?"

Unpleasant gave a deep scowl, pulling out his fist wit give Jeremy the middle finger, not wanting to deal with HER of all people.

"TSK TSK TSK, didn't your parent's teach you any manners?" Jeremy pulled the cage closer, only to be met with unpleasant sticking his arm out of the cage to poke his eye in, "OWOWOWOOWOWOW!! WHAT THE FUCK!" Jeremy pulled back and blinked the injured eye away as unpleasant started to laugh at his predicament, and Jeremy, obviously pissed, started to shake the cage; watching unpleasant bounces off the bars and tumble around, now Jeremy was the one with the last, albeit maniacal, laugh.

"H3Y!"

Jeremy stopped and looked below her, it was infected, he stood below her before pointing a finger "L3T H1M G0!"

"Oh.." Jeremy's grin dropped and she scowled as she let go of the cage "it's YOU."

Infected yelped and jumped away before the cage could flatten him, and he went to it with his hands gripping the bars, looking at unpleasant inside "D4D!" he called out "D4d d0nt w0rrY 1'LL g3t u 0uT!"

"DAD?!"

Infected froze.

He turned around slowly, seeing the shocked faces of both poob and pest, the ones who followed him here, he grimaced and his grip tightened around the bars as a surge of both shame, embarrassment and anger went through him.

".....d1dnt 1 t3ll u gUys n0t 2 c0m3."

"Well you were acting hella strange! What did you expect??" Pest pointed out "and you're also telling me that this THING is your FATHER!?"

"N0!" He quickly jumped away from the fence, "H3S N0T I W4S UM...UHM....1 JUST...[content deleted]"

infected stumbled over his words, not noticing unpleasant sit back up and recollecting himself.

"Dude itz fine u can tell us-"

"N0 1TZ N0T!" He yelled, clenching his hands into fists "1 D1DNT 4SK F0R H1M 2 B MY D4D! 0K? 1 D1DNT 4SK 2 H4V3 A BURD3N 0N M3H 3V3YT1M3 I H4V3 T0 C0M3 H0M3 JUZT CUZ IM TRY1NG MY B3ST!! I D0NT L13K H1M 31TH3R! I N3V3R D1D..1..I.." he slowly stopped as he realized that neither poob nor pest were really buying it, instead looking up, he turned around and saw unpleasant standing on Jeremy's palm, a hurt expression on his face.

The clarity hit infected like a truck, he saw how devastated his own father was. He couldn't speak, he couldn't hear "D4d?" And before he knew it, Jeremy gently pulled her hand away as she walked away, leaving a confused and guilty infected stranded.

"..what was up with him?" Jeremy whispered to unpleasant as he carried him and all unpleasant could do was simply shrug.

Back to infected, he turned around to pest and poob, begging for a semblance of understanding from them, begging for his entire image not to be shattered, but poob couldn't keep their gaze lingering on infected and pest seemed indifferent, if not , a little disappointed.

"Tch. You didn't have to go THAT far y'know?"

And for once, pest wasn't lying.

...

It was so quiet when infected re-entered the apartment, no blaring of the tv or the noise of his father inking his thoughts down onto the living room table, none of that, infected basically had to drag himself as the guilt ate him up alive, he adverted his gaze towards the living room...nothing...so he continued until he reached his room, that, and he slammed the door shut, locking it.

He plopped himself on his chair and ran a hand through his hair, god, how stupid was he?? Why would he say that?? Was he just THAT desperate to keep his ego intact? He looked up and squinted at the bright screen within the dark room

Dear Infected,

We regret to inform you that, unfortunately, we are not able to offer you admission to our University. We received a record number of applications this year, and admission decisions were very difficult, as there were many incredible candidates.

Furthermore, we would like to take this time to acknowledge your accomplishments and the time you spent during this application process. We understand that you might be frustrated during this time.

Although this decision is disappointing, it is important to remember that your hard work and dedication will take you as far as you-

He tabbed out, he didn't need this, not now, that and all the eviction letters..

Leaning back on his chair, he stared up at the ceiling for what seemed like a century, thoughts running wildly through his head as he tried to recollect himself, he then leaned back onto his computer and stared at the faint reflection through his screen, before refocusing his gaze onto the background of him and unpleasant in the carnival, a huge smile plastered on unpleasant's face whilst infected remained rather grumpy.

"I pr0m1s3 1ll m4k3 1t r1Ght, D4d."

Chapter Text

"So I've heard the news...not exactly an a-peel-ing image for you right? Imean- it's not a bad thing it's just um...why didn't you tell us earlier haha?"

"Oh...so he IS your father....ahaha....uhm...please pardon me and my words about him from earlier, I didnt exactly mean it you know-"

"HAHHAHAHHAHA THERES NO ZLOPRING WAY HAHAHAHHAHAHHAHA BUT AT ZE ZAME TIME IT MAKEZ ZO MUCH ZENZE!!"

"Mew mmeow hiss meow meow meow....meow meow mew! Meow meow hiss meow (oh sugar there's nothing wrong with um...being his son! I just have to check if you've got any other diseases on you now-)"

"SO ITS TRUE...HE IS YOUR FATHER! NOW TELL ME...DOES HE EAT CATS OR NO!? BETTER YET! DOES HE WORK FOR THE CLOWN MILITIA!?!?"

"he's m'best bud. I kinda knew 'tat already..I don' think the others will take yer so kindly' though.."

"SNIFF we've been dating for 6 months and you never told me?! :0("

"B4b3 1 w4s 1tz jUst [email protected]..."

"D'ough...I think I need some time to think about this.."

Infected stared dumbfounded as pilby exited the elevator, he desperately wanted to explain the situation but couldn't in time as the elevator shut its metallic doors, he sighed in defeat and turned around to go back to his corner of the elevator, seeing pest has stared at him the entire time.

"...wh4t."

"Nothing, it's just amusing to see you all grouchy since the morning."

"Y34h, g33, 1 w0nd3R WHY." He sneered as he shot a glance towards pest "h4v3 U s33n P00b 4nYw4ys??"

"Nope. Haven't seen them since the morning, if you ask me that's a miracle by all means."

"UGH 1 JUST KN0W TH3Y R4N TH31R M0UTH 0N D1S!" he clenched his fists as the elevator stopping again to the subway, this time poob had unfortunately shown, and they blew their horn to signal their arrival, carrying a comically large present that half obscured their view.

"Parti time!"

Infected tensed and looked around, his eyes widened "Y0U!"

"Huh? Yuh itz- AAAAAAAAA" poob had practically jumped out of their skin and dropped the present as they felt infected grab them forcefully by the shoulders and shake their entire body with an angry force "WHY D1D U RUN UR M0UTH 0N 3V3Y0N3!!!!!????"

"LET GO OF ME YOU PSYCHO!!"

Poob yelled out of fear as they tried to push infected away, only for pest to do that instead "Hey HEY. What the hell do you think you're doing??"

"& wUt r U d01ng!?" Infected shoved away from pest "1 th0Ught U s41D u d1dNt l13k tH3m!"

"Yeah well I'm the ONLY person who can't like them!"

"UGH! ENOUGH!! itz fine pezt I can defend muyself-" poob brushed themselves off as they picked up the present again "wut was that for anyways!?"

"1 th1Nk u kn0w WHY!"

"LOOK I DIDN'T THINK ANYONE WOULD MIND! BESIDES I ONLY TOLD RETRO AND WALLTER!"

"R U SRS? R3TR0!? W4LLT3R!?!? TH3S3 2 CANN0T K33P TH31R M0UTHS SHUT F0R ####"

"I mean well- uhm.."

"UGH F0RG3T 4BT 1T! M3H LYF3 1S RU1N3D!!" And like he drama queen that he is, he dropped on his knees and covered his face with his hands, pest simply rolled his eyes and walked out the elevator, grabbing poob by the wrist.

"Ah- hey!! I wanna go 2 da parti!"

"We can take the metro, I don't want to deal with this baby."

"..alrite then..?"

Infected didn't even look up, but the knew the two were leaving based on their footsteps and the elevator closing its doors, moving on downwards.

"..[content deleted]"

...

Lampert sighed as he took steps towards the elevator, despite this permanent smile, he was never happy to enter the elevator. And yet he still found himself doing that, maybe he one day he can walk back in and find Kasper standing there, the man all fine and dandy.

But no, of course not, instead he found a dramatic infected sulking and sitting in the corner, his head in his knees, he silently walked in without a word, but still, infected seemed to recognize him.

"L4mpy?" He lifted his head "1S d4t U?"

"Who else would it be.." he muttered and tilted his shade to face infected, seeing him looking all pathetic on the ground, it made lampert feel disgusted, or a semblance of that, "What's up with you anyways? You don't worse than you usually are."

"W3ll..um..." he sniffled, wiping this nose with the back of his hand "U..U kn0w m3h D4d r1Ght..?"

"Unpleasant? What about him? Don't tell me he grounded you again.."

"N0 n0- 1ts n0t d4t." Infected got up and rubbed his other arm nervously "ppl f0unD 0uT h3 1S m3h D4d.."

"Oh...well-"

"& 4ls0 1 m1gHt h4v m3ss3d up & uhm..."

"Insulted him?" Lampert disinherited, earning a flinch and a guilty nod from infected "figured, it's nothing new."

"..wut d0 u m34n??"

"Well, you constantly agree with the others when they shittalk him. So I'm not surprised you'd do such a thing."

"...bUt..d0 u n0t c4r3 @t 4ll?"

"What?" Lampert gave a quizzical tilt before he realized "I mean- yeah, I kinda feel sorry for you, but like, what did you expect?? Did you not know anything about something called 'the consequences of your own actions'?"

"UGH 1 KN0W ABT D4T 1 KN0W 1TZ JUST D4T..." he sighed "I dunN0 h0w 2 m4k3 1t uP 2 h1m.."

"Well I don't either." He said, albeit a bit too bluntly "All I know is that a simple sorry probably won't get through."

Infected sniffed again, lampert's words were true, but it just felt like he was just being dismissive at the same time "why d0 u alw4ys h4v3 2 b s0 m34n..?" He muttered under his breath.

"I'm sorry what was that?"

"Uh-! N0th1ng!"

"Oh now don't think I'm an idiot! I heard that!" The silence that filled in after was demeaning until infected burst out.

"0k4y 4nd!? Ur 4lw4yz l13k d1s l4mp3rt! 1st 1tz 4ll d4t 'k4sp3r' t4lk & n0w 1t f33ls l13k 1m a bUrd3n wh3n 1 t4lk 2 u!! Lyk w4ts Up w/ d4t dUd3??"

"Nothing is up that's what." Lampert scoffed "as if you know anything, you can barely remember your name for god's sake.."

"M3h n4m3 1S 1nf3ct3d!!"

"Oh yeah sure it is! You don't know what you're talking about!"

"W3LL 1TS L13K U D0NT KN0W M3!!" he yelled "& 1 TH0UGHT U W3R3 MY B3ST BUD! I H4T3 Y0U!"

And just as infected was going to turn around to leave, he was met with the face of Emerson through the drive thru ..or rather...the 'elevator' thru.

"...infected? You good bro?" He said with a grimace.

"..c4n 1 jUmp 1n?"

"What?? OH MY GOD!"

Emerson threw himself out of the way as infected basically jumped in with him and ran off "HEY! HEY! INFECTED! GET BACK HERE!" And when Emerson realized it was futile to even try to call him he turned to lampert, bewildered.

"..it's a long story."

...

Do u think we can still meetup at da red ball diner :[??

Lampert read the message as he walked through the lobby, the place where a majority of the elevator riders come from, he didn't even know why he would be caught dead in a place like this, but he just needed to get off that damn elevator after that argument with infected, he hastily texted on his rather old phone to respond.

I don't know.

Then he opened up his chest compartment to throw the phone back in before shutting it and leaning against the painting, feeling the need to rest for a minute...or maybe he was gaslighting himself that he needed to. He can't eat or sleep, let alone feel tired, maybe it was those emotions messing him up, he never liked emotions, too scary for him.

But instead of overthinking he found himself going taken off guard as he went through the painting; bumping his shade on the ground, he groaned and propped himself up, confused.

"What the??"

He stood up, seeing that he was in a room, a room that probably hasn't been tough in years, he looked around in confusion until his gaze locked onto a peculiar group of silhouettes.

Mannequins.

He tilted his head again, taking tentative steps towards the odd batch, his cord tail dragging behind him as he inspected one of them closer.

"Wow. They're just like mark.." he whispered, finding himself oddly attracted to it, almost so that he would have poked it, something he would never do.

But of course, he didn't, as his phone buzzed in his chest, causing a large rattling, he quickly jumped away and hurriedly tried to open his chest to get his phone again, seeing it was just a message from poob again; confirming they were still going out to that diner in about days time, infected had somehow agreed.

"Are you-" he groaned and gave a thumbs up reaction before shoving the phone back in, backing off from the mannequins "...I shouldn't be here...maybe..." he looked back to where he came from, noticing that the painting could he rotated from where it's hung, looks like it was used to cover the hole connecting his room and the lobby, he was surprised he managed to get through even though he was just leaning over it..he made sure no one was watching before he slid himself out of the room, hastily making it back to the elevator so that no one would suspect a thing.

Still, he found himself thinking about those strange mannequins and had a feeling that maybe..just maybe..he should go back in there one day.

Chapter Text

Unpleasant rolled around on his bed, pulling the cover over him to seemingly shield him from the world outside, he hated it anyways.

How long had he been rotting on his bed? A day? Week? He checked his phone...ah...only two days..

He groaned, and buried himself into the covers again, he seriously didn't want to deal with all this drama, all the hurt...his son...

His son.

Infected.

God, he felt like such a terrible father, was he that bad at his only job his son had to go over and absolutely embarrass him like that? To attack him? Even if it's just in front of poob and that pest, but even if no one saw it, it still hurt. It hurt so bad.

But of course, nothing lasts forever, and that includes rotting in bed all day, he was a grown man in his 60's, he should act like it! So with a heavy heart and a heavier sigh, he sat himself up and got off of the bed, realizing it's still quiet...infected must've locked himself in his room again. Not like unpleasant could do much, he knew infected was never the confrontational type.

He went out of his room, and walked aimlessly, noticing each and every framed picture that took up the hallway walls and stopped in the middle of the hallway; staring onto a rather old photo of him and builderman from their 30's, how much time has flown by..and to think builderman wasn't here anymore.to think that this moment is long gone too, the moment of which the two clung onto each others shoulders like best friends would and smiled wildly, unpleasant was looking at builderman, but builderman was looking at the camera.

He remembered faintly of what they did after they took that picture, they had set off the rest of the day going to a secluded, rather small beach, just sitting on the sand and singing old tunes from back then, like they did when they were teenagers, how they talked about their lives, what had happened when they got split off from all the college work that builderman had to do..his marriage with Jane doe..everything, and it ached unpleasant, it hurt him so badly, he didn't know why, but when builderman started to ramble about Jane doe, talking so lovingly of her, a sentiment that would make any woman swoon with softness, yet to unpleasant, it was like a stab had went through his heart...like...like...

No, unpleasant shook his head, he didn't need those damn flashbacks again, he was already starting to sweat and shake a bit, he needed fresh air, the memories always left him worse than he was before...but...what is he supposed to do really? Well, he didn't particularly set a mental appointment for any type of activity, much less so even consider it, but he half heartedly decided to go outside onto the elevator, even if the people there hated him, and he was technically banned from like half of the levels the elevator usually stopped at, maybe a nice walk through toolbox speedway would help, it did have a park, and it was the only area where no one minded him hanging out and about (albeit he'd have to dodge the plethora of oncoming cars that keep flying off everywhere.)

So he sighed, grabbing along the old jacket he wears all the time, wasn't even his to begin with but he figured it'd do, and walked out of the apartment, praying that infected didn't hear him leave and get the wrong idea already, he couldn't make it to the apartment back in time before he arrived anyways..

...

But of course, things didnt go as he planned, it never would, it never will.

He found himself within the grasp of Jeremy again, this time he was too tired to actually fight against her grasp or bite her till she bled, he squirmed a bit but gave up as Jeremy's face came into view.

"HELLO THERE AGAIN! YA MISS ME?" He bellowed out, unpleasant flinched at the loud yell and just squinted his eyes at him, still sour he had to get shoved back into that cage and put in this ridiculous princess outfit. But even as Jeremy laughed maniacally, a signature move on her part, unpleasant couldn't help but just sit there and slap, sulk even. He just didn't have the energy to fight back, to be sneer...how could he?

He was so in his head about everything that had happened, he didn't notice Jeremy's laugh dying down, the pink cube's smile dropped and her eyebrows furrowed as he leaned against the cage, the bells on her jester cap jiggling a bit.

"Oi?? What's yo with you in there?? You look a bit less...angry than usual." He squinted his eyes at the tiny gradient, no response, just a sigh and unpleasant dropping his head low.

"...is it about infected??"

Unpleasant nodded.

"I knew it! That rat!" Jeremy sneered but quickly zipped her mouth shut as she noticed the unamused glare unpleasant shot at him, he got up "oh come on! Ya know him! He's NEVER gonna apologize for the shit he did! And you can't just sulk and pretend like it'd be fine after a few days just cuz he's your son! He's a man! He's gotta learn to apologize like one! Better yet! Just act like one in general!!"

Unpleasant scoffed at the scolding and crossed his arms.

"Ey you can ignore me all ya want, I know you hate me a lot, but I ain't exactly lying when I say that now, am I?"

He shrugged a bit, Jeremy was right, it's just...he was stubborn..that's all..and Jeremy knew that too as she rolled her eyes at his lack of attention "ya stubborn man." She scowled at him, before giving a frustrated sigh and flipping the cage lid open, grabbing him out of the cage, catching him off guard.

"Oi, ok, I know you won't talk to me, you never talk anyways..but if you're gonna keep acting like a pathetic wet cat then I might as well rack some stuff into yer brain to set the record straight. YOUR. SON. IS. AN. ASS. I don't know why he's acting the way he does, but you better go back to that apartment and whip his ass or SO HELP ME LORD-"

Jeremy stopped as he noticed unpleasant's expression of annoyance and confusion...why would Jeremy care so much? Weren't they sworn enemies for like..45 years? Since when did she care about his problems?? Well..that's what happens when you know someone for too long...Jeremy caught on and looked away a little "Look I know it's weird that I'm shoving up my nose in you're business but, c'mon, we've known each other for like, decades! And besides this ain't the first time we've interfered with each other now is it??"

Unpleasant recounted the time when Jeremy had been sulking herself due to a situation regarding someone she knew..how he spent the day having to deal with whatever soap opera she was in as she cried about it and blew into comically large tissues, unpleasant nearly getting squashed into one of the crumbled up balls, he looked back at Jeremy, his expression softened a bit, before being replaced by one of guilt as Jeremy mentioned having to 'discipline' him in such a way.

"Now don't give me that look! He's like- already in his 20's! he'll be fine and well adjusted after ya talk him straight out of it! Ya hear me??"

Unpleasant nodded

"Good!" Jeremy plopped him back onto the entrance of the elevator "I trust ya on this unpleasant."

He grumbled a bit under his breath and just threw off the hat and skirt before recentering the elevator, having it take him away, leaving Jeremy alone, alone to realize how embarrassing he'd been in front of unpleasant, why did he act like he cared so much!? They hated each others guts! And this has been happening more often than Jeremy would like to admit..

"...GOOD GOD! WHY AM I LIKE THISSSSS!?!?"

...

When the elevator doors finally opened up to the toolbox speedway level, he sighed and stepped out, seeing as night had already fell, he lifted his arms up in disbelief before letting them fall back against his sides in disbelief and defeat, deciding to just take it, he needed to prepare himself mentally, or rather, just rest for a minute, before he tries to talk matters with infected..maybe Jeremy was right...infected wasn't little anymore, he needs to take his own responsibilities, not like he doesn't or anything, it's just a bit tricky whenever the "responsibilities" tied back to any situation with unpleasant, but it's gone be alright...he just..needed a walk for now...a walk into the dead silent darkness of the raceway..

...

"Are you sure we're supposed to be out here??" One of the astronauts asked, the group of three little kids having to sleepily drag themselves out in the dead of night in their astronaut costumes to meet up with the red astronaut: Gwen.

"Pfft yeah! This rocket is NOT gonna build itself! We're so close I can feel it!! We just have to fix some stuff up, she squeaked as she held up all the pieces of cardboard and other equipment you'd see in an elementary school art room "now who's up for fixing the engine?!"

"Gwen.." the yellow one; calico, spoke up next "can't we just...do it in the morning.."

"NO! IF WE DO WE'RE WASTING TIMMMEEEE!" Gwen threw a fit, stomping her feet "the sooner we get this done the sooner we can ride it! Come on guys i'm just dying to meet the aliens! Aren't you all too??"

"No." Calico said bluntly "no- no we're not-"

"Actually we are!" The green one, Sunday, chimed in "but as your royal king I announce that we all go back to sleep! Isn't that right Larry?" He turned to the blue one, the littlest of them all as he made a sound in agreement.

"Well your majesty, guess what! I'M the leader! I established this group so technically you all bow to ME!"

"Ugh! You and your fancy words!"

"Well we're gonna need it once we get to keep the aliens on mars!"

"But what if..." calico looked around in nervousness "what if the feather man catches us.."

"What?? You really believe that thing??" Gwen said as she set the tools down for preparation.

"Well yeah, my mom told me so!"

"Well it's not true!"

"How would you know that??"

"I don't have parents to tell me it's true! So I assume it's just a buncha nothing! Also a bird human guy? PFFTT" She scoffed as she brought a plastic hammer "now help me! Come onnnn!"

Rustle rustle

The four stopped and turned around to the sound. Larry made a whine in fear and hid behind calico as she is the tallest.

"...what. Was that."

"Fear not fellow subjects!" Sunday broke in, adjusted his makeshift crown on his head and puffing ip his chest "your fellow king shall look into this sound!"

"Well hurry up then we don't got all night! We don't want the racer man to find us" Gwen whispered and saw as he treked off into the bushes, Gwen rolled her eyes and silently worked on the rocket.

"...it's definitely the feather man-"

"It is NOT!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

All three jumped at the sound of the piercing scream, seeing Sunday run back with tears in his eyes "wuh wuhwuhwuhwuhwuh!"

"Wuh wuh wuh WHAT!"

"AAAAAAA!" Sunday couldnt form a comprehensible sentence and screamed at the sight of a tall figure behind them all, he pointed to it with shaky hands, and as the three turned around, they screamed in terror too...

It was racerman, Anthony.

He'd caught them. His eyes narrowed at the group of small children, his posture tall, then he spoke:

"Now what in the world are you four doing out here so damn late!" He scolded, crossing his arms as the three settled down, with the exception of Sunday "you and your darn rocket always gotta make me drag you kids back to your parents!"

"I don't have parents-" Gwen corrected

"And the orphanage!"

"Well it isn't that big of a deal anyways!" Gwen argued back, "we were just finsihing up some things and-"

"WE HEARD RUSTLING AND I WENT TO GO AND I FOUND SOMETHING EATING SOMETHING IT WAS BIG AND SCARY AND IT ALMOST GOT ME!" Sunday burst out, crying his eyes out as he rapidly spoke, catching everyone off guard.

"....what?" Anthony's face twisted with confusion.

"M-M-MONSTER!"

"It's the feather man!" Calico yelled in fear "ITS COME TO EAT US! WAAAA"

"OH GET IT TOGETHER BUMBLEBEE!" Gwen slapped them across the face before Anthony pulled them apart "woah woah WOAH now. It's probably just an animal! Or...something..the feather man AIN'T real."

"Told ya!"

"Whatever, just- just show me where you found it." Sunday nodded and led grabbed Anthony by the wrist, the others soon followed as they went through the bushes and a few trees, and Anthony froze at the sight before him.

"OH MY GOD!"

"Woah!!"

A dead body. Mauled and spewed across the floor of the raceway, fresh and with gleaming with deep red blood, the expression on its face horrified, or that's what Anthony could make out from this unrecognizable pile of hunk with its guts all laid out for show.

"No way! Is that a dead body!"

"OH MY GOD THE FEATHER MAN-"

"Ey! Anthony just said it wasn't real, right Anthony?"

Anthony stared in shock, not muttering a single word until now, and even then, he just let out a shrill horrifying scream.

Chapter Text

"THERE WAS AN INCIDENT AT THE TOOLBOX SPEEDWAY!"

Bive practically yelled as she slammed a newspaper onto the table, the headline and small text detailing the brutal animal attack that had happened last night.

Split blinked at the newspaper before she looked up bive's crazed face from within the dimly lit basement, aka bive's 'lair'.

"Um...and what does that have to do with everything else?"

"CANT YOU SEE SPLITSY!? ITS SO OBVIOUS! THAT GRADIENT IS THE ONE WHO CAUSED THIS!"

"...unpleasant?? That old, grouchy man?"

"WELL YEAH! PEOPLE ARE ALREADY SAYING HE EATS CATS! WHAT STOPS HIM AT JUST THAT!?"

"Well, that sounds um..interesting, but how do we know if that's true in the first place?"

"GLAD YOU ASKED!" Bive cracked a wider grin as she turned around and rolled her billboard out of the darkness, the photos and news paper clipping all connected with pins and red strings towards one single subject; a half ripped photo of unpleasant tiredly smiling at the camera, "NOW LISTEN CAREFULLY! FIRST OFF- THE MISSING CATS AROUND THE AREA BEING NEAR INFECTED'S APARTMENT!" She pointed at the multitude of missing cat posters, one in peculiar being poptart's "INCLUDING THEIR OWN CAT! AND ACCORDING TO INFECTED, HE'S HAD THAT CAT FOR AS LONG AS HE CAN REMEMBER! NOT TO MENTION THE MULTIPLE ANIMAL ATTACKS HAPPENING NEAR THE SAME AREA"

"..huh.." split stared at the billboard and blinked, taking in all that Bive had spoken up. "Alright, compelling evidence, but what makes you think it's unpleasant and not any of the other residents?"

"WELL...I SAW THAT GRADIENT LEAVE THE ELEVATOR RIGHT AROUND LAST NIGHT!" She turned towards the billboard and pulled the ripped picture before shoving it to splits face, leaning in "AND JUST LOOK AT HIM!"

I SAW THAT GRADIENT LEAVE THE ELEVATOR RIGHT AROUND LAST NIGHT!" She turned towards the billboard and pulled the ripped picture before shoving it to splits face, leaning in "AND JUST LOOK AT HIM!"

...did he always have purple eyes?

"um...I mean...he looks considerably normal? I think?" She squinted her eyes and adjusted her glasses "where do you even get that anyways?"

"OUTSIDE OF THE APARTMENT BIN" Bive pulled away the photo and pinned it back onto the board "AND I DIDN'T EVEN NEED TO BREAK IN..HEH."

"I'm sorry what??"

"Nothing." Bive stared at split for a moment before split leaned back on the small stool of hers "oookkkayyyyy...bivey, I get where you're coming from but I don't think it's the old man-"

"YUH HUH IT IS!" she yelled "WHATEVER! IM NOT DONE COLLECTING EVIDENCE YET! THERES JUST ONE MORE THING I NEED TO PROVE.."

"..and that is?"

...

Bive slowly tiptoed around the alleyway in which the apartment sandwiched another one, the night had already settled in, and so did the silence, making the only noise within this street to be bive's shuffling and the crickets in the unknown crevices. She looked around her before looking upwards towards Infected's window...only problem is..that thing is almost 5 stories high, and she had almost no way of getting up.

Almost.

She squinted her eyes to adjust to the darkness, seeing the fire escape ladder was within her reach, if only she could jump once..twice...and...got it! She clung onto the edge and yelled as she fell down with the ladder, now it should be easy to get there, only problem is it made such a loud noise, Bive nearly froze at the realization that she might have woken someone up, but after laying there for a few minutes, she realized that no one was there to get her...yet...so she set herself up and hurriedly climbed up the janky ladder onto the balconies of the other windows, ducking under them and climbing up up up until she reached Infected's balcony.

She stayed ducked under it until she slowly arose, peering into the window without making it too obvious, the room was empty, and really dark too. The only light sources being the moonlight outside, bive exhaled in relief before she shakily tested if the window was open, and sure enough, it was.

As she slowly climbed in, making sure that minimal noise was to be made, she was hit by the string smell of body spray and something she couldn't identify "oh GROSS! AND THEY SAY I NEED TO SHOWER!" she sneered to herself, leaving the window open incase she had to run out in a hurry, of course.

The door to infecteds room creaked as bive peered out, seeing it's dark as well, like the entire place wasn't occupied, so she stepped out..one step..two step..no noise, no body in here. She exhaled again and looked around, wandering a bit in the dark to get ahold of where she is, until she touched upon a wall, her eyes adjusting to the framed picture in front of her, one of builderman and unpleasant smiling...unpleasant was looking at builderman, but he wasn't.

"How peculiar!" She whispered, she looked around some more, there were more framed pictures, pictures of infected as a baby, or what she assumed was infected, builderman and Jane doe's marriage, unpleasant and builderman on the beach, looking much younger than the picture front of her, and so much more...happy memories hung up upon the wall, all gone from long ago.

She turned away from the hallway as she realized it lead outside and explored the apartment some more, living room? Nothing, the most interesting thing being the dead plant in the corner. Kitchen? Nothing there as well, though bive did appreciate the strawberry candies that unpleasant had left out (a seemingly nameless candy from Home Depot) and then proceeded to peek into unpleasants room and search there when she realized it was truly unoccupied, nothing as well, just piled of old books and a bed too big to be owned for one person.

Then there was the closet, or, what looked to be a closet, bive entered it expecting something small, nope, the thing almost took the entire width of the apartment, but was slim enough, some great architecture there as bive said sarcastically to herself, not to mention there was another smell in here, worse than whatever infected was sweating up in his room. But bive didn't have time to complain, she needed to find. Fast. She looked side to side and decided to go left of where she stood, frantically looking through the boxes, the fear of being caught still fresh in her mind.

"No no no! Delayed birth certificate?? NO!" She groaned in frustration, going through the piles of documents and old manuscripts of stories she'd never seen before she stopped, staring at the peice in front of her before cracking a wide grin.

"GOTCHA!"

She took the newspaper out of the box and blew the dust out of it, coughing furiously as it flew back into her face before she finally settled down and stared at the newspaper.

Residents found dead in apartment due to animal attack!

At 7 PM, the police have received a call from a terrified mother, complaining about noises from the room above her; saying 'it's as if a wild beast is in there! I even hear screams!' And as the police arrived, they have stumbled across the grizzly scene of a crashed and bloodied apartment, done with paw prints and all matters of unidentified splotches of diseases and fluid, the two residents, Jane Jaharr doe and Manny 'builder' Duncan were both unfortunately confirmed dead at 12:13 AM at only 43 and 45 respectively.

"I'm honestly surprised he kept it for that long!" Bive said as she got up "how strange to keep this in here.." she looked around again and prepared to bolt out of that room until..she had a feeling...something told her to look at the other side...she looked to her left, the pile of boxes obscuring whatever it was that her brain was screaming to find. So she looked at the door, then at the boxes again, then decided to approach whatever it was behind them, she slowly pushed the boxes away with the newspaper still under her armpit and..

She stood there shocked. Noticing the dead carcass of a cat. It wasn't fresh by any means, otherwise why would it make that smell? But it was still new enough that you could still tell it was a cat. Now a normal person would freak out and flee away from here as far as they could..but bive..

...

She threw the carcass onto the table, proudly presenting it as she crossed her arms and smirked "I TOLD YOU!" She said, expecting an onslaught of questions and maybe even some praise. But of course she didn't get that, all she got from split was a confused and incredibly horrified look on her face.

"WELL?" Bive said, opening an eye "YOU BELIEVE ME YET?"

Split tried to form a sentence, but not enough that she had passed out.

"....SPLIT?" Bive said as she stared at her unconscious body "....SPLIT!!!!!!"

...

Unpleasant walked back in the apartment again, tired, so tired, and this time it was physically, he shit the door behind him and grumbled, not knowing when infected would come, he's been avoiding him like how people avoided his infection all day now. But of course, it's not like unpleasant did anything, he couldn't even bring himself to talk to infected, he threw up out of stress and that was enough to set him off for the rest of the day.

But something felt off this time..

Unpleasant turned to look at the same old photo again but stopped as he noticed something....it was crooked.

No biggie, he thought, he'd just fix it up like that and..there! He smiled a bit to himself before he decided to go ahead into the bathroom to take a shower, and as surprised as people were to figure out he did in fact take showers almost twice a day, it was just something to help unpleasant relax, even if the smell of his cologne didn't make it apparent enough.

But then he stopped again, the feeling of unease growing as he looked over to the end of the hallways and noticed the closet door...it was slightly ajar.

He immediately put on a slight scowl, so help him god if he was in here again...he swung the door open and looked around, noticing nothing out of the ordinary at first until he looked to his right and..

The boxes were moved.

And that carcass was missing.

The amount of alarms that went off in his head when he ran over to the spot and looked around, where the HELL could it have went?? He couldn't have possibly..

Those strands of hair..

Unpleasant stared at them before kneeling, noticing how much black hair there was..land that cat was white.

He picked up some of them, it was definitely crusty and disgusting...but...he also recognized how it gleamed in the light..it was like someone's hair...like...bive's hair.

Bive.

That fucking hairball.

He clenched his fists as he got up, pissed, REALLY pissed, he stared down at the spot again before his eye twitched a bit out of anger, out of the realization of what might have happened.

And oh how he will make that thing pay.

Chapter Text

Lampert was nervous.

But of course, lampert wouldn't admit that, he'd very much rather shove those nasty scary feelings deep down like he always does...then again, something kept bugging him. It was mostly a feeling about infected, he hadn't seen him anywhere really, poob mentioned he'd been actively avoiding them despite their planned night out, it made lampert feel worried in some weird twisted way. And the growing rumors about unpleasant didn't help either, lampert would honestly give less of a damn about them, but all this was started simply because of the fact that the gradient was his father, and people knew about it now, so this predicament really didn't help at all.

Then there was mark.

As lampert was entering the elevator form his home level; the rokea, he had bumped into mark, the old mannequin had stood in his usual spot front of the power plug.

"Heya lampert!" Mark tipped his hat "eh- sorry didn' notice this was yer spot- here ya can have'it-"

"No it's fine." Lampert said dryly a he simply moves to the corner front of him "it's fine.."

"...hmm..." mark didn't respond, but simply observed him from his corner as he caught on that something was off "son, ya seem'a bit more standoffish, is everythin' alright??"

"Huh?" Lampert turned to mark "I'm not your son-"

"I kno'tat I just call everyone son-"

"Even unpleasant?"

"...everyone youngerh than me-"

"Seriously?"

"LOOK I'm just askin' ya if yer doing alright! No need'ta get to the specifics!"

"Not really actually." He cracked a bit

"Aw well m'sorry tah here that" mark said with a frown "ya mind tellin'me why?"

Lampert made a disgruntled noise "It's none of your business.." he said "but if you really wanna know..me and Kasper simply had..an argument...that's all."

"Kasper?"

"Infected." He spoke strainly, if he had teeth he could've broken them from clenching them so hard.

"OHHH. Him! Harhar! Ah m'minds been a bit rackety lately-" he knocked on his head and shook it, but lampert was unamused.

"I can tell."

"Ey no need'ta get all salty! I'm sure yer friend will get right back with'ya! Have ya tried err...talking out with em?"

"you think!?" Lampert said "he won't even ride the elevator, I haven't seen him all day! And it's..kind of stressing.."

"Sounds like yer worried-"

"I am NOT!" He said, before immediately trying to re-compose himself in fear of his bottled emotions bursting through. He really didn't know what would happen if it did. And he REALLY didn't want to know "I'm not." He sighed, going back to his usual monotone voice , "actually, I don't even care what happens to him! He's the one that started it anyways!...I think..."

"Ey now don' say that-"

"Why would you even care?" He snapped back towards mark, "you're not my dad or anything. So stop trying to act like you care so much about my situation."

Mark's eyes widened a bit in shock and he had a slightly disappointed look on his scribbled face "but...I'm jus' kinda worried 'bout ya-"

"Well worry about something else." He scoffed and turned around, already deciding to leave on whatever is the next stop "you really need to stop caring for the wrong people, mark." And as the elevator hitched and its doors slid wide open, lampert dashed out before mark could say another word..

...

And of course it was the lobby again.

Honestly, lampert was surprised that mark didn't chase after him this time, which was a good thing, he never liked anyone being so upfront about his problems to the point where they'd go after him to try and "comfort" him. Hell, he himself didn't know how he feels most of the time, any and all emotions go straight down anyways.

He went near the painting again, the same one from when he discovered that secret room full of mysterious mannequins, he contemplated its existence and how no one would have noticed such a passageway for so long but figured it must be because people are dumb. Either way, he knew about its existence now.

But...Why was he so drawn to it?

There was an almost inexplicable feeling towards this room, something that nagged him harder than any overthinking did, it told him to get it, to get near the mannequins. It was overwhelming. So he looked around him and gave in.

As he stepped into the dust filled room, pushing the painting away to hop in with minimal noise, he looked to his right again, seeing the group of mannequins again..and he swore they'd moved the last time he was in here, but he didn't have the energy to think about that weird detail.

He approached the strange mannequins again, getting near and analyzing them a little bit, they all looked the same, a little bit, same structure and wood.

Except for one.

The mannequin in the middle looked strangely old and rotten, it's faced being nailed in with a type of new wood, and yet its face was strangely drawn unlike the rest, it was so erratic...it was missing an arm, looking like it got clawed up by some beast, lampert stared at it for a moment before he approached it, getting near its face, leaning in more to the point he could almost touch it with his shade...

"Hello lampert"

Lampert yelled, taken off guard, he fell onto his bum as he tried to jump away from the seemingly talking mannequin, its voice so many yet so few, so old and young, it was strange and glitchy, its head snapped down to stare at lampert, moving like an old, rusty machine, "miss me?"

"What??" Lampert was dumbfounded at the statement "missed you..? I don't know you! What the hell!"

"Aww why so surprised now?" The mannequin tilted its head "it's like you have never seen a talking mannequin before!"

"I have." He grumbled " I came here to go away from one..wait...why the hell am I talking to you?? At least he doesn't look like a zombie!"

"Awhahaha how cute." The thing chuckled before it leaned its head in towards lampert, even though its face was unchanging, it felt like it was staring right into lamperts white hot soul, making him stumble over his words.

"H..how do you even know my name??" He managed to sputter out "I've never seen you before- or ever!"

"How rude..it's almost like you I don't recognize your creator."

Creator.

Lampert couldn't even begin to describe the feeling that hit him when that thing sputtered that sentence.

"No."

"Yes." It shot back, "I've been waiting for you, lampert...we all have been, actually." And as if they have shared a mind; all the mannequins snapped their heads towards lampert, who started to scramble back.

"No- NO! You're lying!" He whispered, shaking his head "get away from me!"

"Aww now don't be like that Lampert, we're just here to talk, you know, something that the 'Kasper' guy couldn't do" the mannequin chuckled, taking pleasure in the utter confusion and horror that lampert was going through. "Just come a little closer, would you?"

"no no NO NO!! STOP IT I DON'T WANT TO TALK!" He felt his body tremble, everything is going wrong, everything is going wrong, everything is going wrong.

And that thing was front of him again.

"Hmm, disappointing, but if you wish." It said, lifting its claw up towards lampert, "But I know you'll come back here another time" it gave one more sky chuckle before saying "sweet dreams!" And tapping on lampert's forehead.

Then he awoke.

Lampert couldn't breath, literally, but he felt like he was going to burst at any moment, his gears churning in fast as he shook, before settling down as he realized he was laying across one of those large rokea sofa's.

Wait..why was he even laying down on it in the first place??

Why was he even..sleeping? For that long?

He hid his face with his hand and tried to calm down by tapping his feet furiously, trying to remember what had happened before, but the more he tried to grasp at the memory, the more it seemed to slip away, its edges getting softer, like it was all just a bad dream..

He sighed and slumped, letting his hands fall to his sides before he stood up and dusted himself, mentally noting having to wipe himself with some bleach later on, he looked around, the rokea was empty per usual, no customers or anything..

Still, it was so strange, everything that had happened just now, he scratches at the back of his lampshade before groaning a bit "my head hurts..", but he just ended up shrugging it off, he can't eat or drink, what was the point of taking medication then?

Still...he kept on wondering...and wondering...maybe he should take a look into all this after the night out today..

Chapter Text

Poob awaited outside of the red ball diner for what seemed like an eternity, pest next ti them as he leaned against the wall, flipping around a rogue coin he had.

"Where ARE dey??" Poob groaned as they checked the time on their phone. Both lampert and infected were late by 30 minutes. They should have known, especially ever since infected was avoiding them both and lampert was acting way weirder than he usually does.

"I told you, they ain't coming." Pest mumbled "you should seriously lower your expectations sometimes."

"But-"

"But-but-but- shut it." Pest sneered as poob looked away, disappointed, they stared down the street for some time before sighing, preparing to just either leave or go in with pest until they noticed something run towards them at such an unnatural speed...

Lampert!

Poob's eyes lit up and they waved at him "LAMPY! UR HERE!"

He stopped front of them, it almost startled pest, especially with how fast he was going, "Yeah." He said boringly, like always "Sorry I was late."

"Itz no biggie!" Poob waved it off "the important thing is dat ur here now! But ehe...what about infected-?"

"Oh..I haven't seem him actually."

Lampert mentioned, pest scoffed "of course not, no one has, he's a coward."

"Hey! Dunt say dat!" Poob scolded pest "itz kinda our fault anyways.."

"Correction, it's yours."

"Rlly??"

"Well you're the one who decided to run your mouth over, duh."

Poob shut their mouth, pest wasn't wrong...but, it still left them really guilty.

"..so do I just leave then? It'd be a waste of time anyways." Lampert asked.

"Uh..I dunno if u wan...wait- is dat-??" Poob gasped "Infected!"

Lampert and pest both looked over to where Poob's gaze lingered seeing infected run over towards the trio, albeit he did seem more tired than usual, or maybe he was just plain depressed, and once he arrive he panted and put his hands on his knees "h44hh..1 m4d3 1t!" He sighed and straightened himself up, but not before giving a small sneeze, lampert flinched away from him.

"Holy shit he actually came?" Pest's eyes widened a bit in surprise but lampert just tensed a bit, he was praying all day that infected wouldn't come near the red ball diner but here he was; real and standing.

"H3y.." he muttered "srry 1 w4s l8- Xd uh- 1 k1nd4 h4d 2 g0 4rOund m3h d4d-"

"It's..fine.." poob nervously reassured him "at least u came! God! I've been waiting for dis for soooo long!" They happily exclaimed, happily going inside the building as the rest followed, "oh yeah I was TOTALLY looking forward to this.." pest grumbled "I don't know why I came here..ugh."

"Ey now dunt b liek dat! U agreed leik a long tiem ago! So Itz on u." Poob managed to find a table big enough for the 4 of them and they all sat on their respective seats, well, not before lampert insisted to furiously clean it up with wipes. poob and pest next to each other, with lampert and infected on the opposite side huddled up. "Well I should've bailed."

"Ur saying dis leik you couldn't do dat. How strange."

"..don't mention it."

"Wut3v4h m4n 1 d1dnt w4nt 2 b h3r3 31tH3r." Infected grumbled and stared out the window, resting his head against his palm, whilst lampert simply stayed silent, he didn't have much words to say after all.

Poob looked around a bit anxiously, hating how the night out was starting already "aw c'mon guys hum..juzt think of dis as liek a parti!" They awkwardly smiled.

"...isn't this a hangout technically?" Lampert pointed it "it'd be useless to pretend like we're all here to pretend like we're partying and drinking..whatever you guys chug down."

"Well da point of a parti is da fun spirit! Not whatevah we drink-"

"..seems pointless then. And stupid."

"-IF IT RLLY MATTERS." Poob interrupted lampert with clenched teeth, catching all of them a bit off guard before they sighed to regain their composure "I think da time we spent together is more important than anything. Isn't that right, infected?" The partygoer turned to infected for his input.

"Uh-? 0h y34h...t0t4ally-"

"See?"

Pest rolled his eyes "whatever", lampert shrugged.

"Wutever, when r we gonna get out food-"

"Heyyllooo!" As if on cue; Emerson popped up from around the corner and went towards the group, a notebook in hand, including his cheerful personality "oh! It's you guys!" He said, before turning to infected "and infected."

"Uhm...do you know this guy?" Pest turned to infected as he fumbled around.

"...y34h.."

"Yeah." Emerson said "especially after he jumped in my goddamn kitchen."

"...you WHAT?"

"It's a long story...but honestly I'm a bit surprised you didn't know that....or that you would assume infected wouldn't know EVERYONE."

"Hey I don't keep tabs on every living being like you do!"

"Well I don't either."

Emerson cough to get their attention before preparing himself to write "if it matters, I'm assuming you all came here to EAT. Right? Not bicker about some stupid shit."

"Y34h 1'll jUzt h4v3 a sp4g3tt1-"

"Me too" lampert chimed.

"If it makes any difference I'll get two double burgers, with fries of course." Pest leaned back on the crushing chair as poob smiled awkwardly "um...a salad n some sprite pls!"

Emerson wrote it down in record time and nodded before heading off, leaving the four alone in silence..But poob noticed it, they were NOT letting that slide "so how is everyone? Anything special to say? :3" they coughed out, looking intently towards infected.

"nothing much other than having to deal with you."

"Heyyyy!!!!"

"Eh I've been in the Rokea for a while. You know, my job. It's fun being the janitor, having an excuse to constantly tranquilize the grimy filth" lampert tapped a finger in the table, he contemplated talking about the creepy mannequins from a few days earlier and that hallow nightmare, but decided he'd rather keep his image intact rather than potentially out himself as a maniac.

"Isn't dat nice! Wat abt u infected!!"

Suddenly, it's like everyone was staring at the sickly boy, infected gulped a bit, wanting to shrink away into the couch, but he managed to take a deep breath.

"3rm....1'v3 b33n 0k m0ztly, 1v3 b33n gr1nd1ng my st4ts 1n rUn3sc4p3-" he awkwardly mentioned, smiling widely, trying not to crack under all the pressure regarding his disappearance.

"No one wants to hear that." Pest muttered as poob gave them a light punch by the shoulder, Infected's smile flattened, for the comment that pest made out of spite really did hurt him a little more than infected would like to admit, but he didn't want to cause some petty drama and probably end up with a broken bone, so he kept his mouth shut before Poob chimed in again.

"Uhm...we juzt...wanted 2 talk abt ur liek...distance-"

"Yeah man where have you been?" Lampert immediately asked, knwoing infected would probably just get salty with him...especially with that unresolved argument of theirs.

"L00k 1 juzt n33d3 s0m3 sp4c3 0k??" He gulped "3sp3c14ll1 w/...3v3rytH1ng d4t h4v3 h4pp3N3d.-"

The silence was tense as the three looked a bit guilty and uncomfortable to what infected was alluding to, poob in particular.

"Look man I'm sorrie-"

"N0 1ts 0k!" Infected said, it wasn't ok at all but what could he do "d1s 1s a h4ng0Ut. L3ts jUzt uh..3nj0y 1t!"

Another silence broke in before poob shifted "oki then.." but pest was simply unamused, and soon the group started to talk again, and infected zoned out of the conversation entirely, before a question from poob rooted him back to reality harshly.

"So did any of u guyz hear abt da elevator thing!?"

"The..what?"

"You know!! When mark opened it, and zaw like huge scratches on da walls an da roof was busted n all!!"

"Oh...that"

"Yeah, I heard mark talk about it,he told me that whatever did that was...beyond an animal probably." Pest mumbled.

"Mmh..p1lbz t0ld m3 abt it....1tz pr0b4bly n0th1ng..." he snorted as a different waiter came to place their food, infected immediately was the first one to wolf down, lamoert looked over at him, feelings twinge of confusion as infected was usually never such a messy eater, not like this..

"はぁ? 真剣だね? "It's nothing"?" Pest repeated whilst he squinted his eyes "but this isn't the first time something like this happened..it's becoming concerning honestly."

"Yeah!! Leik remember da other time when dr.Retro said dat a big monster dragged one of her patients away in da forest RIGHT after she healed dem an dey're still missing!?"

"Yeah...she went on a 'vacation' for three months straight after that, I don't blame her."

Infected finished his plate, and as he licked the crumbs off, he furrowed his eyebrows "w41t rlly? "

"Yeah...wait are you already finished-?"

"Y34h...st1ll k1nd4 hUngry.." he peeped over and looked at lamperts food "yu0 g0nn4 f1n1sh th4t?"

Lampert looked down at his spaghetti and meatballs, as much as he loved them, it really didn't serve any benefits, why bother at this point.."...you can have it.." he slid the player over to the boy as he quickly made work of the now cold food. Pest watched with a subtle face of disgust before perking up, remembering something.

"Wait- does anyone remember when that thing attacked spud in the woods?"

"Oh shit yeah-"

"Yeah..geez...spud really looked out of line back there.."

"U think all these attackz are liek connected??"

"Seems like it." Lampert shrugged his shoulders. "What do you think infected?"

Infected, who'd been intently listening to everything, but pretending to be busy with his food, just raised his head up and gave an unsure look "3h 1dk gUyz s0Undz l1k3 a bUnch4 n00b stUff 2 m3.."

"Oh c'mon don't say dat, ur usually rlly excited if something DIS weird is happening-"

"W3ll n0t 4nym0r3.."

Lampert's shuffled, seemingly glaring at infected for a moment before speaking up on his concerns "infected."

"Wh4t n0w-?" He snapped.

Lampert flinched again. "Are you sure you're doing ok? You're still not upset over all that petty drama right?"

"Wuh..?..y34h y34h, 1m f1n3..."

"Infected."

"I s4!d 1m F1N3." He banged his fists against the table, causing it to shake a little, poob jolted back and pest found himself instinctively holding a hand against poob, almost like he's protecting them.

Infected stared at the two in disbelief before he turned to lampert, who was a little shocked despite his permanent face... he'd...never seen infected snap like that. Much less so get angry over someone being concerned about him. Infected just let out a gruff and ran off to the bathroom "1 n33d 2 g0. Brb."

No one said a thing on the table, lampert looked at poob, who was frowning, their eyes big and sad "waz it smth I said..?" Pest was quick to let out a little huff and shake his head "no. Don't beat yourself like that. It's okay...I think."

Lampert just stared through his shock "I think....uh....I should check after infected.." he quickly got up and zoomed to the bathroom, making sure to avoid people and the potential grime of course.

—

Infected locked himself in a bathroom stall. Using the crammed walls to support himself, he felt sick. His head was ringing...god he really couldn't do this anymore...he held his head in his hands, trying to recompose himself, his heart was hammering he felt like he was going to—

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

He flinched, the knocking having pulled him back to his senses, he called out.

"Wh0-!?"

"It's me kas- fuck- I mean infected.."

"G0 4w4y.." he huffed out, beads of sweat raced down his forehead, his hands shaking a bit.

"....you know we're worried- like, really worried.." Lampert voice echoed from beyond the thin door, "you haven't been yourself since..well.that...it's kind of concerning, even for me."

Infected stayed silent before he let out an exhale, rubbing his temples.

"1m jUst...n0t f33l1ng g00d 0k?"

"Huh? Really?"

"Y34h 1 f33l s1ck...m0r3 th4t 1 4m UsU4lli.." he groaned, it wasn't an exaggeration either, he really did sicker than usual.

"...you should have told us, you know...Is that why you've been cranky?"

"Mhm.."

"Hm..well..you can just call unpleasant to pick you up, and I'll inform the others, how does that sound?"

Ugh. Unpleasant. Him. But infected didn't know what to do in this situation, and right now, this seemed like the best way to get out of here, so he just sighed "s-s0Unds g00d.."

Lampert lightened his tone "good...now get out of that bathroom, it's unsanitary..."

Infected chuckled a little as he unlocked the stall and stepped out, giving a small yet tired smile to lampert, before furiously coughing. Lampert flinched hard and stepped away from infected, keeping in mind to immediately clean himself once he gets his hands on the wipes again.

It was going to be fine.

—-

It wasn't fine.

Lampert found himself standing front of the painting again, a heavy weight in his chest. You can't keep your feelings bottled up for so long now.

He saw infected leave the building, lying that he'd called unpleasant. Lampert knew he was lying. It was obvious with everything that has happened, But what could lampert do? He didn't know how to feel about all this, about infected's freakout, that damn argument...everything...so he turned to the mysterious room, the one place where his feelings told him to go.

He stepped in as he slid the painting away, per usual, seeing the group of mannequins, seeing how they've definitely changed positions, but lampert just slowly walking over to them and going on his knees.

for the first time in a while, he felt tired.

Like, really tired.

The type of tired that completely drains you of your soul and self, he curled up and hugged his knees, placing his shade on them, rocking himself for a bit before he found himself speaking.

"...I don't know what to do..."

His voice was small and almost cracking, it was so humiliating, so pathetic. But he couldn't help it, there was no one here, no one but these mannequins, the ones he felt strangely at ease with.

"He's changed..he's changed too much. He doesn't seem like he's getting better." He started "Is he gonna leave me? Forever? Is he gonna die at some point? Is he really gonna die without apologizing to me for dragging me into this SHITTY lifestyle? Boarding the elevator day in and day out..how does one even do this for years without getting bored? Where are the benefits to this?! It's so crummy and disgusting, germs everywhere and incompetent people just coming in to ruin everyone's day like it's their job. I don't even know if I'll last this long without breaking one of these days...I miss Kasper so much...he was the only reason I came to the elevator, he protected me, he was funny, he was..actually bearable...then he of course had to get sick with that FILTHY parasite."

Lampert's voice started to quiver, like he was about to cry. But he couldn't cry, he never could. "I just want the old Kasper back, the one with matching shirts and bracelets, even if it felt so itchy in my skin somehow..it was so worth it. His smile..his laughter..his eyes...I miss him so bad." He shook "I miss how things used to be..how long has it been? I'm just...I'm just so lost..I don't know what to do without him anymore...and now he's acting even more weird. Weirder then he should be...all cause of his dad, at least he has a dad. A family. What do I get? Nothing, that's what....fuck."

Lampert simply sat there trembling, the weight of everything finally settling in, including the weight of a hand pressing down against his shade, stroking it, like trying to comfort him "I know." The voice...it was the one from his nightmare. But it wasn't a nightmare was it? It was real..he just couldn't wrap his head around it "I know how it feels son."

Strangely enough, lampert didn't pull away, he was too mentally wrecked to care anymore.

"Do you..?"

"I do, trust me, I've lived long enough to know the crushing air of loneliness, but you don't have to go through that.."

"I don't..?" Lampert tilted his head slightly upward, just enough to look at the rotten mannequin.

"No, my dear lampert, you have us." He motioned towards all the other mannequins in the room "we all care for each other here, we care for you." He looked back at him. "You can be part of a family."

"..and how do I do that."

"My dear, just get up." Lampert was strangely inclined enough to stand up just like the mannequin said, he lifted his head away from his shade, lampert made a mental note to clean it later on "you don't need to do anything, just a few favors from our part, but it will be for the better, for all of us, and for Kasper.."

Kasper..

"I don't even know your name.."

"Just call me glevil." He said "you are my finest creation yet lampert, I knew you'd come back to me one day, I was so patient..thank the stars it's over. you'll make a great addition here.."

"You think so?"

"I do, you have potential, you'll never have to be alone again. I know best. I am your father after all.."

Father.

That word would've made lampert recoil in discomfort, but, he didn't...he couldn't stop trembling, the words were soothing instead, and he found himself leaning against glevil, the mannequin wrapping its arm around him as he whispered to the lamp.

"Welcome home, lampert.

Chapter Text

Unpleasant paced around the living room, phone in hand pressed up against his ear, desperately waiting for an answer.

Nothing.

He growled in frustration and threw the phone on his couch, staring at it hopelessly until he eventually just threw himself on the couch too and buried his face into his hands, the dread gnawing at him like a cancer.

Infected hadn't been home. For 2 days. No text message no call, the last thing he heard from was a "1m t4k1n d4 tr4sh 0uT!" And then just disappeared. Goddamit, he always pulls this off, running away off to somewhere and not coming back for hours at a time, gave unpleasant a heart attack each time.

But this was different. This is the longest he'd gone on without coming home, which was obviously concerning, he thought maybe infected had gone lost in the elevator, it wasn't impossible to speculate that as infected was a bit of a dummy sometimes, but something told unpleasant it wasn't that, it was something deeper, something like..the strain in their relationship.

Unpleasant gave a frustrated sigh as he lifted his head up, looking over to his phone again, deciding to quit being so secretive and worrying and pick it up, he'd need some help. Probably.

—-

Mark knocked on the wood of the tree, a smirk plastered across his face "aint she a 'beaut!" He said, turning to spud "a hackberry too! Now ya don' see 'em very often 'round areas like these!"

"Spud spud...it's so pretty..spud.." he wobbled over to it and looked up at it, "I heard spud they grow for spud up to spud 200 years!" Spud turned to mark.

"Ey I know, an' they're strong as well!" He slapped the wood one last time before turning away, "she'd make for sum' good carvin's! Just needa get my tools sometime-"

"Oh, very." Spud gave what seems to be a smile from their deformed face "spud honestly spud spud spud your stuff is spud. Good."

"Aww no needa say that- ehe-" he scratched the back of his head as spud turned to him, flustered "I mean I do take pride 'n my stuff but if it was as good 's I wanted it ta be I wouldn't hav' ta shut down my company.."

"At least you got spud commissions!"

"Yeah, say, ya got any otha' trees 'round this area?"

"Uhh spud not really I spud think...but spud there's a forest of spud aspen trees near this place spud...thought it's spud for tourists or something...spud."

Mark froze a bit at the mention of aspen trees...a whole forest of them, but quickly shook it off and just gave a nervous chuckle "how erm..interesting! Uh- say I wondah' whats th' time!" before reaching for his phone that was buckled up on his belt, honestly he rarely used the thing as he wasn't well versed in it but unpleasant had been as kind enough to give it to him for his birthday one time, so mark thought it'd be rude to just leave it out.

And thank god he decided to take it with him, because he froze again at the sight of a bunch of notifications, something he almost never got..all 40 of them were from unpleasant panickingly asking mark if he's seen infected and spiraling into a delirious cesspool of doubts and anguish.

"Er...Jesus.."

"Spud? What's wrong spud spud-"

"Oh we! Nothin'!" He gave another awkward smile "jus' erm...I needa go! Family 'mergency!" He quickly hopped away, leaving a slightly surprised and disappointed spud.

"But...." Spud muttered "the spud aspen trees..."

—-

Mark hopped off of the elevator, landing on the subway, he grabbed his hard hat as to not fly off as he searched frantically for unpleasant, he didn't want him to do something stupid, especially in this current predicament.

That was until he bumped into pest, nearly tumbling off of his stand until he readjusted himself "sorry!" He sputtered as pest simply gave a sneer "watch where you're going! You're running around like a monkey!"

"Sorry-" mark said again, embarrassed "I was jus' lookin' fer someone- uh- unpleasant- have ya seen him around??"

"Oh, that old man..?" Pest crossed his arms "we saw him right before he boarded the elevator again."

"Really?" Mark perked up

"Yeah, he was putting up missing poster signs like there was no tomorrow."

"It was kind of gettin out of hand." Poob spoke from behind pest, Mark looked over and went a bit wide eyes as he saw a missing poster plastered on their literal face. "Give me 'tat!" Mark snatched it away and held it close, seeing it was a poorly done poster begging for any information on infecteds whereabouts, you know, like any other missing persons report.

Mark sighed "oh god.." he looked up at pest again "yer know where h' could've went next??"

"Don't know, don't care" pest scoffed "honestly this entire thing amuses me."

"Are ya SERIOUS?" Mark furrowed his eyebrows "infected's missin' an' yer not even concerned??"

"No. Not like he was willing to be with us anyways. Now if you'd excuse me, I was just heading for a snack." He grinned mischievously "and I think I just found it."

Mark yelped and frantically hopped away from pest, terrified, pest gave an evil chuckle as poob scrunched their face up.

"Rlly??? Why so mean??"

"What? Have you learned NOTHING poob?"

"I have." Poob rolled their eyes "and also I know u r concerned for infected."

Pest stopped, his smile dropped as he narrowed his eyes "no I don't. Tch."

"Yes you dooooo" Poob poked his cheek, pest felt them burning lightly "just shut up with you!?" He snapped "I just want to get my snack from the vending machine. I don't know WHY I have to keep bumping into you."

"Dats just fate pest" Poob smirked and shrugged "maybi were destined, ooohhh-"

Pest frowned hard and looked away from poob to hide the burn again "you're really fucking annoying. もう死んでもいいよ." He grumbled before walking away, poob trailing behind.

—-

Lampert stood in the corner of the elevator again, he was planning to go to the lobby and meet up with glevil just as a small visit, but the elevator of course had other plans in store, groaned a bit in boredom as the elevator stopped again and it wasn't for his desire floor, the only interesting thing being mark hopping in with a poster.

"...hey..." lampert muttered as mark tried pressing the buttons to get the darn thing to move "hey'" mark said, not really paying attention to lampert all too well. Which was a bit strange on his part.

"...what do you have there." Lampert pointed at the poster as mark looked at him "huh? Oh-! That! Erm..l" mark bringer a bit "y'know infected?"

"Yeah? Why?...wait...is that-"

"A missin' person report." Mark finished "yeahhh, unpleasant set 'em up, 'm tryna fine him before he tries anythin' drastic and ends up in sum' deep shit..an' also am kinda concerned 'bout infected as well....have you seen either of 'em?"

Lampert stared at mark for a bit "no." He said bluntly "well, I tried looking for infected in the rokea but. I couldn't find him, and even if he was deeper in there I doubt he'd survive. Probably cuz of those employees and his terrible skills for rationing. So I'd say he's either dead or somewhere in Germany with a new ridiculous name like Eugene."

"Ey now Eugene's not 'tat bad of a name.." mark mumbled "and...shit....how am I gonna tell unpleasant THAT?"

"You know him, not me." He shrugged again before the elevator stopped, finally arriving at its lobby "now if you would excuse me, I need to be somewhere." He pushed past mark, and saw as he got engulfed within the elevator doors and carried away.

—-

Unpleasant slumped against the walls of the elevator, he felt sick, sick to his stomach. Sick everywhere. Sick out of sheer worry and anguish. He felt like he was going to throw up again, but he had to compose himself just enough to get back to the apartment.

But of course, as always, nothing ever goes his way.

Jeremy, that retched woman, she appeared in his line of sight, and before he could do anything he was grabbed yet again, but it was a tad bit different this time..it was a bit softer, unlike the vice grip he's usually used to.

Jeremy brought unpleasant near his face, the maniacal grin still plastered on as always "GOTCHA!" She said, but unpleasant didn't even look up, Jeremy's smile flattened into a frustrated look and she squinted her eyes a bit "well? What's up now??"

Unpleasant looked up, he started trembling as his eye was glossed over with tears. Jeremy seemed surprised and his eyebrows shot up, he's..never seen unpleasant this close to crying, he's never really seen unpleasant this upset in general, but that look of shock turned into a slight scowl "is it about that rat again?? What did he do this time?? Argue with you?"

Unpleasant shook his head no

Jeremy arched an eyebrow "uhh...he- tried to spread lies!"

Nope

"..ran away?"

Unpleasant nodded

"For how long??"

Unpleasant squirmed in Jeremy's grip but managed to get his hand out to put up two fingers.

"2 hours???? Really?"

No

".....2 days?"

Yes.

Jeremy's eyes widened again "oh..." she cringed "ok that doesn't sound that good actually...he's probably gone forever."

Unpleasant let out a sob.

"THATS NOT WHAT I MEANT!" Jeremy panicked a bit and tried to control the situation at hand "I meant-! Oh no! He's p-probably gonna come back!" She forced a smile "you just gotta.um.....pray? Uh. Hope for the best!" He wasn't exactly used to being so comforting. Or positive in general, but she tried for unpleasant, and he really didn't know why, and seeing the disbelief in unpleasants face made her smile falter.

He sighed "ok look I ain't the best at this, but I'm sure he's gonna come back, or at least, found. I mean he's an ass but he's your son, and I know how it feels to lose your own child.." he spoke the last part genuinely, And after a bit unpleasant just sniffled and blinked back his tears before slumping against Jeremy's hand again, hey, at least he looked like he was calm enough now.

"well....I'll just- out you back in-" Jeremy lowered his hand, dropping off unpleasant, but as they were going to pull away they felt a slight tug and looked down, seeing unpleasant cling onto her hand, hugging it, like he was showing gratitude towards her, for what exactly? He didn't know, no one would, but Jeremy swore he saw unpleasant mouth the word 'soft' before quickly letting go and riding back at the elevator. Leaving him stunned for a moment before he became bright red, covering her mouth with her hand "..that damn gradient..." she mumbled.

—-

Unpleasant finally arrived at the apartment after ages, weakly opening the door and closing it behind him, standing on the hallway.

He took out his phone. It's been hours already, the only notifications on his phone were of mark asking, no, begging him not to do anything stupid to himself. At this point he definitely would, out of spite, out of anger, out of despair, but the encounter with Jeremy left him a bit more calmer, he set the phone aside and lazily dragged himself through the hallway, looking at the picture yet again.

Builderman.

Oh how he missed builderman, he missed him so much, he'd know what to do, he'd know how to confront infected and deal with all this stupid shit.

But he wasn't here, he never will be either, not anymore.

Unpleasant remembered back in high school when he, builderman and Jane doe were inseparable, 'the ultimate trio' as they joked, and then university hit, unpleasant had to stay back thanks to the fact he was born unnoticed by the government, spending long years have to get some darn security number whilst the two went away to pursue their education, builderman promised to never leave him in that day, taking in unpleasant shaky hand.

He did keep it, but not for long.

Had it not been for unpleasant bumping into him in the bookstore after all these years, he wouldn't be standing here, maybe he should've stayed home that day, maybe he should've went to that store another time.

But there was nothing he could do now.

He lifted his hand and traced his fingers over builderman figure, trembling a bit, the emotions were too much. Too much. Builderman was his everything, his reason to keep going, and now that he was gone he felt wrecked and empty, no matter how many years pass. And that showed as unpleasant finally let the waterworks flow out.

"I'm sorry."

Chapter Text

The campfire cackled with heat as the trio gathered round it, poob kicked their legs up as they held a stick with a marshmallow stuck to it, letting it roast over the fire, pest was munching down on a chocolate bar, slightly unamused by his predicament whilst lampert stood still, silent and unmoving, per the usual.

"Man, it waz rlly nice for spud to let us hang out here!" Poob said, bringing their marshmallow down towards them, blowing at it, "plus itz been a while since I've had a camp out!"

"I can tell.." pest narrowed his eyes and bit down on his chocolate again, licking his lips "I don't know why I came here honesty, I've got better things to do."

"Welllll I meannnn u only said yes when I mentioned we got s'mores." Poob said "u rlly do liek sweets huh??"

"....shut it."

"Alrite big guy" poob snickered and bit down on their marshmallow, before turning their gaze towards lampert.

"...what abt u lampert?? Do u liek da woods?"

"Huh?" He lifted his shade "oh...I don't know actually, it's really peaceful and quiet, on the other hand though it's also a magnet for bugs and other disgusting things..."

"Aww c'mon don't b liek dat! Nature is rlly pretty, even with all da mud and bugs and fungus-" poob said as they munched down on their roasted marshmallow.

Lampert shivered at the thought, he HATED how there were germs no matter where he turned to. Like his problems..

The fire died down as the three sat in comforting silence, pest was the first to notice, “we should probably get more logs.” He said, poob made a sound and looked down, “oh. Yuh.” They gulped down the mouthful of sticky marshmallow “I’ll go get some!”

“I’ll come with.”

Poob raised an eyebrow “wait rlly?”

“Yeah I mean…I’m kinda bored…don’t look too much into this.” He sneered lightly before getting up, he turned to look at lampert “you coming too?”

“No, I’ll just keep watch..” he said, looking at pest who just shrugged

“alright then, don’t die.”

And this the two went into the forest, engulfed by its darkness.

—-

The sound of leaves crunching echoed through the forest, bouncing off of the noise of crickets and small animals within the distance “it’s cold..”

“Yeah.” Pest shivered “I guess winter’s coming soon.”

“OHHHH wait! That’d b great for ice skating parti’s!” Poob said happily “or maybe a gathering for hot choco an movies!”

“Well don’t expect me to be around .”

“Hmmm we’ll see!” Poob smirked as they bent over to pick up sticks along the way, before letting them go at the sound of an owl hooting

“AH!”

“Pfft really?” Pest snickered as poob picked up the sticks again “it’s just an owl, you really get that scared easily?”

“Shut up!” Poob grumbled “It juzt caught meh off guard!”

“Hmm..” poob smirked mischievously as he decided to take advantage of this situation for something “y’know…they say that owls hoot when something’s in their territory..they can get real aggressive with other animals over their land, so imagine if they got a taste for human blood…” He chuckled lowly as poob yelped “PEZT!” they yelled “NOT FUNNI!”

“BAHAHAHA OH COME ON! You should’ve seen your face! The color basically drained!” He snickered as poob frowned “ur such a meanie!!”

Poob scoffed “I dunno why u always gotta b mean! Why not b whimsical? For once?!”

“Because there’s no need to. It’s annoying and drains your energy, besides there’s no real good benefits to acting like that.” Pest rolled his eyes as the two continued down deeper into the forest “dats not true!” Poob protested “making other ppl happi is a benefit! So is seeing their smiles! And it makes u feel good 2!!” They smiled and skipped along “u feel so much happier with ur lief as well. An it’s good to distract urself from ur trauma!”

“What??”

“Nothing.” Poob’s smile faltered into a line and they side eyes pest, pest simply gave a confused face and sighed “whatever, you’re still annoying to me either way.”

“Den why do u hang out with me so much?”

“I do not.” He scoffed.

“But u do! Especialli recently!” They pointed out “usually it’s bc of da sweets sometimes but u also seem to just b willing to go out with me randomly! It’s kinda unliek u pest, but I’m not complaining!”

Pest felt his face grow a bit hot and he scoffed “yeah well I’ve just been bored lately, it’s not like I still like you or stand you, I just need something to do and you’re my best bet!” He snapped “DONT get any wrong ideas about this..”

Poob rolled their eyes and smirked “okay big guy”

“Will you stop with the “big gu-“WOAH” his sentence got cut off as he tripped on something and fell with a hard thud “OMG! PEZT!” Poob immediately dropped the sticks to try and help him “u good??”

“I’m fine I’m fine!” He swatted Poob’s hand away and got up himself “ow- I don’t need your help see! I’m good! What the hell even- oh my god.” He looked down and his eyes widened as he saw the thing he’d tripped on.

A dead deer.

A mauled deer.

Poob looked down and gasped, their eyes widened “holy shit!” They backed off “that poor deer!”

Pest, genuinely shocked, stumbled over his words “did- we trek too far in here?”

Poob looked back for a moment “no-? I mean- I can still see lampert from dere, but liek- spud said there isn’t supposed 2 b any dangerous animals here! Like wolves and stuf…so liek….whats this doing here??” Poob pointed at the deer and pest adverted his gaze to poob “I don’t know…”

Then the two heard a noise, but it wasn’t any hoot’s or crickets, it was a howl, the howl of some inhumane thing. And it was close.

Too close.

“…do u get da feeling smth rlly bad is gonna happen right now??”

“..yeah…..WE GOTTA RUN.” Pest immediately hopped over the deer and ran off, poob stood shocked for a minute before calling out “h-hey WAIT!” And swoon they ran after him, hearing the trees rustle behind them “OH SHIT OH SHIT!”

“ITS CHASING US!?”

“I THINK! FUCKKK!” Poob tried to run faster, but tripped themselves, this time they hit their head first “owwwwwiieeeee” they tried to get through the shock and headache, rolling around and getting on their ankle before feeling their leg get caught by something. Something big. “AH!”

pest stopped and looked back as poob screamed, his eyes widening, he couldn’t see the thing as it was fully shrouded in the darkness, but he could see the glowing purple eyes of its shining through, its gaze locked on poob, shrinking back as it dragged them “HELP!” Poob choked out, in tears “HELP ME!”

Pest froze, normally he’d say ‘FUCK IT’ and run off, he never cared for what happens to people anyways.

But for some reason, he just, couldn’t leave poob here.

His heart raced, he had to make a decision, quick. And after a bit of cursed breaths he groaned and ran after poob, pulling them by their hands “I GOT YOU!” He pulled, finding it surprisingly challenging to get poob out of the growling thing’s grip, but once he did he heard the shrill scream of poob, and saw as their skin from their leg had been torn off.

“FUCK! HOLD TIGHT!” he managed to hold on poob like a sack of potatoes and turned to his heel to run off, but not before the angered beats clung onto his arm and scratched it. Real deep.

“ACK! SHIT!” He couldn’t stop, not now. The blood dripping down his left arm flew past as he ran, ran ran ran, the sounds of Poob’s voice and the thing fading behind his beating heart as he managed to get near the campsite, lampert got up at the sight of the two, bloodied and looking like they just went though hell.

“What the?”

“NO TIME TO EXPLAIN! RUN! SPUD! WE NEED TO GET TO SPUD!” pest said, and lampert couldn’t even begin to question as he heard the faint growl behind him and ran off “oh hell NO!”

—-

Sarah gently brought the bandage over Poob’s leg as they hissed in pain, her face contorted in concern and mild anger “that thing again!” She muttered under her breath “that fucker’s been attacking this place since last week!”

“But spud said..”

“Yes I know what he said!” She turned to spud who sat next to a bandaged up pest “and he’d right.” She sighed and looked at Poob’s pained expression “but recently there’s this…wolf? Animal? That’s been attacking the camp..it started with dead animals left near the cabin’s then kids crying and coming back all scratched up.”

“Have you tried calling animal control?” Lampert asked from a corner.

“We’ve tried everything! It’s useless! No one could get to that thing..” she grumbled as she finished up, allowing poob to sit right back up. “We’re just praying that thing either dies somewhere or runs off and leaves us…or we might have to shut the camp down.”

“Spud- no..”

“Yeah..” Sarah turned to spud, the two knew very well the consequences of this situation, but they stood there silent.

“..our supplies!” Poob yelled “oh shit we left em back there!”

“I’ll go get it.” Lampert sighed and turned around, but not before poob called out “wait! What if dat thing gets you too!?”

“I can outrun it, I’ll be fine.” Lampert reassured before going out of the cabin, poob turned to pest, pest looked at them, for the first time in a while, he looked unsure himself.

—-

Lampert slowly maneuvered to the campsite they just ran out of, peeking his head over a tree before stepping in when he realized the coast was clear “now where’s that…ah! there we go!” He bent over and picked up the duffel bag, putting it around his shoulder, he definitely needed to clean himself up after all this mess “goddamit. I just wanted to do something, of course it’d get ruined..” lampert cursed to himself, preparing to quickly leave before he froze, staring at the floor near the forest entrance.

Splotches, splotches of pink and black, looking like missing textures from a game, it rippled as lampert felt a pit form in him.

“..Oh my god.”

Chapter Text

“—and then I saw those weird pink splotches! It was like..like-“

“The ones that Kasper has?”

Lampert looked up from his knees to glevil “exactly.”

For the past hour or two, lampert had talked about the weird incident at the campsite to glevil, the two sitting next to each other in the floor as lampert just kept rambling and rambling. It felt so good to have someone listen to you. Someone who actually knew you too.

“Well I wouldn’t worry too much about it.” He said “you did say it was an infectious disease in some way, maybe it simply passed over to an animal, or maybe it’s something else, but I doubt it’s Kasper..”

Lampert nodded weakly “yeah..guess you’re right…it was still so strange though..”

“Well, I’m still glad you told me that.” Glevil patted lambert back, lampert flinched slightly but didn’t pull back, he couldn’t bring himself to “thanks..”

“Well.” Glevil got up, helping lampert too “look, you’ve been such a great addition here, unlike some of the others, you actually trust us, don’t you lampert?”

“Yeah..I guess so..”

“Well that’s good, but since you are pat of the family, I’d have to ask you for a simply favor.”

A favor?

Well..he has been venting to glevil all week, lampert felt like he had a strange sense of responsibility and payback due to this, so he looked up at glevil.

“Um…sure…just please don’t make me touch filth.”

“Oh you won’t have to worry about that..yet..”

Lampert shivered a bit “whatever, what’s the favor anyways?”

—-

First, you want to get to the two stud camp, then and only then do you immediately turn left and descent into the forest, do not change directions, do not get distracted no matter what. Head straight through.

Lampert walked through the pathway, fiddling with his fingers a bit, usually he wouldn’t be one to follow incredibly shady instructions from some rotting mannequin; no normal person would. But he found himself trusting glevil for some reason. Maybe it’s because it listened to all that lampert had vented out, or maybe because it’s his father. Either way he wouldn’t possibly lead lampert to danger like this. Right? Right..?

He walked with his doubts, hearing the leaved and grass crunch under his feet until he heard the cackling of fire somewhere, which lead to glevil’s next point.

When you reach a clearing, you'll see a dummy, that's Dave, you will have to ask him for an axe, if he asks why, you know what to say.

And just like glevil had said, he'd peep over the tree to see that there was a huge test dummy, a sentient one of course, sitting down on a lord, roasting marshmallows over a stick, but then lampert noticed that there was a mannequin sitting next to him, dark brown oak with a purple hard hat, smoking a cigarette and nuzzling onto the dummy's arm.

Shit.

Well, there was no backing off now, lampert mentally prepared himself before walking over to the duo, noticing the mannequin immediately sit up once they'd both noticed him, it was awkward, but lampert elevated it with a shy wave.

"Hi, Ahem. Excuse me" he awkwardly stood "are you Dave?" He pointed, the dummy looked over at him and nodded, the mannequin leaned over to look at lampert with a quizzical look, arching a draw eyebrow.

You know what to say 

Say WHAT?

He started to feel panic bubble up but shoved it down as he exhaled "I uh- I work with mark!" He spouted out "I'm his...'apprentice' in a way...he sent me over here to chop some trees down and...told me to ask you for an axe...if it's not too much trouble of course."

"ah! dia dengan pakcik! Dia memberitahu saya tentang lampu itu, dapatkan dia kapak." jimmy said, Dave seemed to have understood as he nodded and got up, handing the tick to Jimmy before walking off to somewhere, Jimmy looked back at lampert and gave a half hearted smile "mark talks about you all the time, I'm his coworker Jimmy. Nice to meet ya brah."

"Ah...I can tell...nice to meet you too.." Lampert shifted a bit uncomfortably, waiting for a while before flinching as a huge axe got thrown in his direction, getting stuck just meters from him, it was huge too, he grumbled a but before picking it up "thanks.." he muttered before quickly going deeper into the woods, Jimmy leaned over to see where he was heading, a look of knowing in his eyes.

—

"Well this is totally not creepy." He muttered to himself as he looked around, the normal trees now engulfed by the aspen ones, he felt watched, watched by something ancient and greater, but he had a job to do so he could care less about whatever entity is looming over him.

He wandered for a bit, making sure not to stray too far from where he originally entered as to not be completely lost, until he spotted a silhouette in the distance.

A mannequin.

One tangles in vines of eyes, like the aspen tree it’s leaning on wanted to engulf it, he approached it slowly, tentatively observing it like it might pounce on him unprompted.

Once you enter the aspen forest, you shall find our brothers and sisters trapped in the embrace of those wretched trees, use the axe to free them. No need to drag them out there though, they’ll come back to us, they always do..

“This must be it..” lampert muttered, raising the axe and hitting one of the veins, it fell onto the floor as a black goop took its place, like it was bleeding, lampert flinched and immediately backed off  “oh what the fuck?!”

Rustle rustle

He froze. The rustling got louder, it was behind him, he turned around, clutching the axe tightly. At first there was nothing, lampert almost thought he’d lost his mind there until.

Purple glowing eyes.

And it pounced.

Lampert screamed, the axe having flung off of him, he couldn’t reach it as whatever it was that was above him was pinning him to the ground, he started to flail, to kick, to punch, to squirm. Anything.

"INFECTED!" lampert yelled, punching and shoving at the beast "INFECTED GET OFF OF ME!"

It was infected. 

That thing was infected.

Even through the matted yellow fur and shaggy hair which covered his face, he could tell. He could tell it was him, if his ripped clothes and beanie didn't give away it was the splotches he'd left at that campsite, the disappearences, the strange behavior's he'd exhibited. Everything.

Lampert tried to get him off, tried to snap him back into reality, to make him aware. But he couldn't. Infected had animal strength, he just snarled louder and raised a claw, ready to strike.

"KASPER!"

He froze.

Lampert shook, seeing as the monstrous infected just..stared at him, his eyes peeking through the hair, they were wide…and shook. Like he suddenly realized what he was doing.

“Kasper..” lampert shakily said, bringing his hands up “i-its me! Lampert!”

The beast lowered its claw.

“Your…best friend?”

Infected leaned over and sniffed him, the blood running down its nose dropping onto the edges of his shade. lampert had to stay still and not swat him away out of instinct, in fear he’d anger it more, then he heard a whine from it, a confused and pained one, before feeling it press his head against lamperts chest.

And he didn’t move.

He brought a shaky hand and placed it atop of infecteds head, near his now pointy furry ears, he felt as infected shook and whimpered, it hurt lampert. It hurt lampert so much to see his best friend freind suffer so much.

Maybe he did care after all.

He rested his shade against the grass, looking up at the night sky, seeing the stars that danced across the Black Sea, and the moon that shone brightly, like an everlasting unblinking eye. Watching. Watching like the trees, it unleashed lampert, but at least he had Kasper again.

“It’s fine.” He sighed “it’s fine…we’ll be fine…”

Chapter Text

Prototype swayed from side to side as the elevator descended, joyous as ever, waiting to go see scag as he does everyday.

But something was a bit different today, usually he'd keep his head out of drama, but the air was tense with unease, everyone looked either concerned or on edge, like something was bound to happen, something that'd tear away at everyone. Prototype didn't like that, it felt him feeling a bit confused, and even when he went around asking what was up, it was either answers of denial and false reassurance or him simply being told to back off.

Still, he wasn't going to let some paranoia get to him..right? Besides, the elevator had just stopped at the floppy shop, he happily skipped inside and greeted scag from afar "SCAG!"

"Aha! my fav friendpilled visitmaxxer!" Scag snickered and waved her only flimsy hand at him as prototype "what's upppppp"

"Hi hi!" Prototype jumped before closing the proximity between the two "I'm doing good! What about you??"

"Ehhh I'm kinda bored." Scag mentioned "how 'bout we ditch this place and head somewhere more funpilled...hehe."

Prototype shrugged and leaned over to unscrew scag's head from her discarded body, once undone he'd hold her head to his chest, as per usual "well maybe we can go to crem's place again!"

"Pfft? Really? What about that campsite? You know..the one's where all the gaypilled people come for some reason" she snorted, but prototype simply shook his head.

"No I'm afraid we can't go there, spud said they're not accepting visitors right now.."

"What?? Are you serious?" Scag seemed a bit surprised for once.

"Yeah, apparently something like..happened there? [BZZZT]..I'm not really sure- but from what I could gather, it seems like there was an animal running rampant and terrorizing everyone!"

"UGH! I swear to god if they start yapping about it being about that so called monster. "Oh my god what if it's that thing that killed that patient!" Yeah what if I take your teeth off."

"..what monster?" Prototype said, narrowing his eyes as scag looked up at him "oh you sweet summer child....stay naivecore."

"No I'm being genuine what is it?? I mean- I've heard people talk about it but from the way you're saying it, it sounds like that thing's been around for forever now."

"Well I mean..kinda?" Scag said, continuing to explain to prototype as the two entered the elevator, "I guess it popped up a few weeks ago- it started off like small, then people started to die and elevators came out all messed up so people were tryna figure out what was going on."

"Oh! So- it's kinda like that one time when that mind controlling fungus spread around the levels?"

"Oh yeah like that, except this time the thing they're all crying about ain't real. SMH" she said, "boy who cried wolf ass type of situation."

"Yeah but..they all seem so worried though.." prototype looked concerned as he looked around, split seemed to be talking with dr.retro, lampert was off in a corner per usual.

"Meow hiss, meow meow purr, meow meow meow meow, purr meow meow, meow meow meow,... meow meow hiss meow, meow meow meow meow meow meow...(Well sugar, I'm just saying, from what I'm suspecting that gradient hasn't been showing signs of any type of virus, or at least one I know of, for as long as he's ridden this elevator, and with how close he is to infected all the time seeing as...he's his father, I'm really starting to suspect other things..)"

"So you're saying you think he's that monster terrorizing everyone?"

"Meow! Hiss meow! Meow meow purr... meow meow hiss purr meow-(What! Pfffttt no! Of course not! That's silly! But...even if he is...it's not like it'd be the end of the world, it'd uh...simply be an explanation to his behavior, maybe then he'll actually get the help he needs-)”

"Well I'd doubt that doc, doesn't really seem like an a-peel-ing conclusion to me! Ehe!" Dr.Retro simply looked unamused "..man I kind of do need to work on my timing-"

Scag rolled her eyes and looked back up at prototype, "so like, what have ya been up to?"

The two started to talk about how their week has went, at this point dr.Retro and split have left to their respectful floors, leaving them alone with lampert; the one who hasn't said anything for a long while.

"You think that guy is like. Deadcore."

"..what?"

"Ya know. Him"

Scag motioned to lampert and prototype lowered his voice "scag! I told you it's rude to talk about people out loud!"

"Ok and? I don't even think he's breathing."

"Oh I don't need to breath."

The two froze and prototype turned to lampert, who was staring at them, well, as far as a pair of scribbled mark eyes could.

"Aha...very sorry lampert we didn't mean to-"

"Eyyyy! So you're not dead!"

"Scag!"

"I can't die anyways." He said coldly "you might as well not get your hopes up."

"Geez I didn't want you deadmaxxing I was just sayin'" scag rolled her eyes as prototype groaned.

"ok that's enough! Ehe- again- sorry lampert-!"

But he didn't respond, prototype found it a bit off-putting. He'd seemed so much more colder, so much more distant than before..it was, unlike him, surprisingly enough. Prototype furrowed his eyebrows and turned back to scag "so um..you were saying about that new floppy you got?"

"Oh yeah! Haha! It's like this old werewolf movie from the 70's! That stuff's like litcore, it's cheesy and fun to laugh at." She chuckled "but then again it's got some gruesome gore, even for it's time-"

"Where'd you even find it?"

"Ah it was an old thing from like back then, when there was a hysteria for like monsters or whatever-" scag scoffed "it's kinda like now except a 100 times worse! Maybe the others would like a peek at this movie."

"I still don't get why they're so worried."

"Well I wouldn't be in the trenches like them, I'd rather be joymaxxing than worrying about some crusty monster."

"I guess you're right.."

"I mean like- imagine if it was all just some stinkypilled animal from the woods! People these days will believe ANYTHING it's fucking hilarious.”

"Would you two. Stop talking about that??"

The two looked at lampert again, but he didn't turn his gaze back, he rather seemed tense, like the entire conversation set something off in him.

"Erm...what the sigma.."

"Scag-"

"Nah it's okay I got this. YO. What's your problem this is like the second time you come and buttmaxx in on our convo!"

"That's because I'm sick of hearing about that monster all week."

Lampert scoffed "everyday it's just that same thing! And..” he trailed off, realizing how ridiculous he was starting to sound “…it’s whatever…sorry.”

“Nah, why would you even intervene in the first place? That’s kinda suspiccioouuussssssss” scag arched an eyebrow “unless you know something we don’t?”

The silence cut through after like a sharp knife, tense and uncertain, lampert slowly tilted his shade to stare at scag once more, watching as she tried to suppress a smirk.

“Oooohhhh- the silence is DEAFENING.”

“Will you just shut. up.”

“What’s a gonna do? FIGHT ME?” She cackled “I’d like to see you try germy boy.”

“Ok that’s ENOUGH!” Prototype shook scag, but not before stopping at the sight of lampert stepping forward, hands clenched into fists, shaking fists.

“Ohhhh big guy tryna look intimidating, pfffttt please- I’ve seen these types of tri-WOOOAHHHHHHHHH HEY LET GO OF ME!” Scag COULDNT even finish her sentence as lamperts hand clung onto her, trying to pull him towards her, but prototype pulled back “LAMPERT! WHAT THE HELL!”

He called out as he struggled against him, he had a good vice grip that’s all he could admit as the two played tug of war over the talking tv.

“LET GO!” Scag managed to yell “DAMN IT I SAID LET GO OF ME YOU B-“ the momentum was too much, the two managed to lose control and she tumbled, falling screen first as a large crack echoed through.

Prototype stared down in disbelief, thier hands shaking as they looked up at lampert, who simply stared at the possibly dead scag for a bit before looking up.

“Look what you did.”

“W-what??[BZZZTTT]” prototype recoiled a bit and his expression was replaced with one of devastation “YOU’RE THE ONE WHO STARTED THE FIGHT!”

“Correction. She did.” He pointed at scag’s body “and also, it wasn’t your business to come in and try to save your girlfriend.”

“WHAT?? WE’RE NOT DATING! SHE DOESN’T EVEN LIKE GUYS! AND ALSO IT WAS MY BUSINESS!! HONESTLY WHATS GOTTEN INTO YOU!”

Lambert simply stared at him, the words of glevil replaying in his head.

Fight for what’s right. Words and all. Even if you have to get dirty, you can always clean the blood off, but never the disgusting wrench front of you.

He shook his shade a little. No. No that was too far..right?

“So emotional…And for what? All that for a rumor?” Prototype said

“It’s NOT a rumor.”

“Then what is it??”

Another silence plagues it’s way into the air, lampert was out of words to say in this situation, he simply clenched his hands again and growled in frustration “you wouldn’t understand just SHUT IT!” He shoved prototype, perhaps a bit too harshly, as he slipped on his feet and banged his head on the railings, lamberts flinched as his body hit the ground with a thud, and oil pooled out of where he’d hit his head.

No.

No no no no.

Lampert stared down, the oil reached to his feet, like snakes about to pounce on their prey, he took a step back, the clarity hitting him like a truck.

What..did he do?

He looked back at scag’s tv head. His shoulders slumped.

Is this..what happens when your emotions are out of control?

Is this what happens when you feel?

What..why did he even do that?

Lampert felt himself panicking, he doubled over and shook his shade, no..no he had to get out now. Without thinking, he ran out of the elevator as soon as it hit its next stop, uncaring of what it might be, uncaring of the potential bodies he might have left by.

—-

“This is the LAST time I go collecting those fucking pages with you. ESPECIALLY with that THING on the loose.” Pest grumbled, a he stepped out of the dark funny maze with bive shaking next to him, per usual, waiting before the elevator chimed its arrival “WELL YOU OWE ME AFTER YOU STOLE MY OBLITERATOR 2000!”

“It’s called a GUN- oh my god.”

The two turned and gasped at the sight of oil everywhere, the body of prototype jerking and spazzing, short circuiting perhaps, thanks to a gash on his he’s,d scag on the other hand was completely unresponsive, pest was caught off guard and shocked as he managed to mutter.

“What…the hell happened here..”

“..THE BEAST STRUCK AGAINNNNNN!!!!!!!”

—-

“I- I didn’t mean to..” lamperts voice cracked as he rocked himself on the floor, glevil stood over him, watching as his creation had a mental breakdown over the consequences of his actions “it was an accident! I don’t even know what came over me! I just felt so…angry? Like something else was taking over me then suddenly I’m standing over a pool of oil-“

“Oh lampert..” glevil hushed him, stroking behind his shade “you were only doing what’s nessecary to protect your dignity and Kasper..”

Kasper..

Lampert looked up, unable to stop the nervous tremors that wrecked his body “what..? Are you serious?” He said in disbelief.

“Of course I am my dear,” glevil explained “you see, sometimes you need to do what’s best for your loved ones. Even if it does mean you have to get some oil spilled, remember-“

“Blood can always be cleaned…but never the wretched..”

“Ah! Something like that! See? You’re already learning so much..” glevil caressed his shade “I’m so proud lampert..”

Proud..

He was..proud..

No one was ever like this to lampert.

Lampert felt a wave of warmth in his chest, leaning into the touch, no matter how disgusting it would have been to him, the germs and everything..it didn’t matter, all that mattered was his creator..no..father..and this moment of pure validation, the one thing he craved most.

Chapter Text

Bive was uncomfortable.

She always was, but this time it was for a good reason, that gradient, the one who was forced to ride with her to their makeshift 'meet up' on that infinite cardboard palace, was just staring at her, not in the usual unfocused way, he seemed to be targetting her, his gaze lingered in as a bit angry, like he knew she did something.

And she knew he knew.

Still, neither had said a word in this dense atmosphere as the leverage rolled down, before it stopped at their intended destination, bive immediately being the first one to bolt out of there, leaving the gradient to sluggishly follow behind, seeing that they were already in the main passageway, all huddled into a group around a table, seemingly in the midst of an argument.

"Well SOMEONE must have done it! There's no way that prototype could have 'accidentally' slipped and dropped scag! He's got some good balance if I say so, he cannot be that careless!" Pest yelled, flailing his arms around before slamming them onto the table; lucky that it was sturdy like an actual one.

"Meow, meow meow, meow meow hiss meow meow meoww... purr! Meow meow hiss meow meow meow meow meow! meow hiss meow hisss- (Sugar, I know, but there's simply no other way to explain it-...oh! The others arrived! And of course it's these two..)"

"IM HERE!" Bive ran towards split and stood next to her, cowering, trembling harder than usual, unpleasant gave a roll of an eye and stood somewhere near lampert, unamused by the fact he had to get dragged into this, if it wasn't for mark, he would've simply been at home with infected, he'd just come back and unpleasant would hate to leave him alone..he just hoped infected wouldn't wake up from his nap by the time he came back.

"UGH finally. YOU." Pest pointed at bive, who flinched at the sudden callout "you said you had an idea on who could've done this mess!"

"Well yeah, it's...THE BEAST!" She said, dramatically throwing her hands up "that thing is going after us now! WE'RE ALL DOOMED!! DONE FOR! WE'RE GONNA GET MAULED BY THIS MONSTER UNLESS WE CAN KILL IT OFF."

Pest stared at bive, rolling his eyes "oh yeah sure, great, problem is, where do we find it?"

"Heh...we wouldn't need to be looking far, because I suspect that the BEAST IS UPON US!"

The group was silent, bive looked around for any shocked faces before coughing "you see, the beast only appeared recently, in close proximity to this elevator...AND! not to mention! There hasn't been any records of it, but one from 20 years ago, in one of the more..common destinations! which means it's probably boarding the elevator to get around! Maybe even...STANDING IN THE ROOM WITH US!"

The group murmured to each other, the air growing thicker with anticipation as poob called out "so...who is it??"

"Heh, good question..." she raised a finger up, preparing to spell out her answer with pride, before something made her stop, a cold, icy pit formed in her stomach as she caught on the intense gaze of that gradient from the corner of her eye. A threatening one, like if she dared to even utter the first word, she'd be done for. She froze for a bit, her hands shaking as she could only mutter out "...I STILL NEED TO INVESTIGATE THAT FURTHER!"

Split blinked in confusion "but.,didn't you say to me-“

"I SAID I STILL NEED TO INVESTIGATE THIS FURTHER!" Bive yelled as she clasped a hand around bive's snout, silencing her, bive glanced back at the graident, his gaze still wavering, but not as intense, she gave a small sigh, but dr.Retro simply looked at bive in a slightly suspiciously yet knowing manner before bive coughed "but if I had to guess...it'd be the last person to board the elevator.”

"Meow meow meow hiss! (Well that does it!)" Dr.Retro folded her arms as she scanned the group "Meow, meow meow hiss meow meow meow purr meow? Meoww?(Now, who was the last one to leave the elevator?? Lampert?)"

Suddenly, the air felt tense, lampert felt as if all eyes were on him, staring down, making him feel exposed, vulnerable.

He couldn't admit it. He can’t.

"...It was unpleasant." He said, pointing at the now shocked old man "I saw him enter the elevator as I left."

Unpleasant slowly turned his head towards lampert, his expression in utter disbelief and anger, his eye twitched as the air shifted towards unpleasant, all eyes gazing upon him now, unpleasant tensed as dr.Retro took a step forward.

"Meow? Meow meow meow? (Well? Care to explain?)”

He frantically shook his head and tried to prove himself innocent, unfortunately, when you hate everyone so much you can't bring yourself to speak, it really doesn't make things any easier, dr.Retro arched an unamused eyebrow as unpleasant had to explain he never even entered it that day, he was with infected who'd JUST come back.

But of course, no one listened, no one ever will.

"Meow hiss meow, meow meow meow meow meow meow hiss meow? (You sure you didn't go in, or are you saying that because you're hiding something?)"

Unpleasant stared up at dr.Retro in silence, he gazed down a bit, seeing if anyone would try to step up and defend him. Maybe even mark?

But no one did. No one dared to even meet back his gaze, and mark looked unsure himself.

Unpleasant snapped. He shoved the cat away before stomping off, trying not to have an emotional outburst. Not here. Not now. Whatever he was going to do back there would be a hundred times worse than him stomping off angrily, the voices of some of the others drowning in the background until he reached inside the elevator and slammed against the buttons, watching as the doors slid over, swallowing him whole, leading him down, and away, far, far away from any of those idiots, far away from these make believe problems.

He glanced up, looking at the faint reflection the elevator doors provided, the purple in his eye seeping away, but he still looked so tired..so miserable. His shoulders slumped as he let the anger away, revealing only the ache underneath it all. He just wanted it to end. He just wanted everything to stop. But unfortunately, he could only go forward..

—-

The rest of the elevator riders had since long gone home, bive had stayed behind to 'investigate' the cardboard maze around her, in reality she just needed a safe space to calm down from that intense meetup, that gaze...those eyes...it actually scared her, she didn't know why, but it did. So badly. It reminded her of something terrible from long ago..

Still, she managed to get a grip, remembering the breathing exercises split had taught her, and then turned around, but her heart stopped again as a looming figure immediately blocked her pathway back, she slowly looked up.

Dr.Retro.

She didn't look irritated or suspicious anymore, she looked a bit unsure, Dr.Retro looked around before leaning over.

"Meow, meow meow meow meow, hiss meow, meow meow purr; meow hiss meow meow meow hiss meow. (Look, I know you don't really trust me, but I just want to say; I know you were referring to unpleasant when you said he was the beast.)"

Bive's eyebrows shot up, surprised "you...suspect that too?"

“Meow meow purr meow... meow meow hiss meow meow meow meow meow meow, meow meow? Meow’s purr meow meow hiss meow meow meow meow. (Have been for forever now..I knew something was up the moment I boarded the elevator, and now? It’s more obvious than ever..)”

For the first time in forever, bive didn’t actually feel so threatened by Dr.Retro..she shuffled on her feet a bit before looking up at Dr.retro again.

“What are we ?”

“Meow meow hiss... purr meow meow meow. Meow hiss meow meow meow purr, meow meow hiss! (I don’t know sugar…but if there’s one thing we need to do, it’s to look deeper into all of this. We can’t let him get away Scott free, not now.)

Chapter Text

"D'ohhh I don't get it Mach!" Pilby said as they paced across the room "first he goes missing for who knows how long! Then he just comes back out of nowhere and now he won't text me! :0( WAAAAAAHHHH" pilby cried out before sniffling into a tissue, the sadness that ached them continue to spread as Mach simply leaned against her office chair, watching as Pilby had a full blown mental breakdown.

"Well maybe he's uh..grounded? I don't know how this works actually-"

"No. No it's okay." They said, trembling just a little "I'll just- call him one more time just to check-"

"Pilby-"

"ONE MORE TIME!" They objected and dialed infecteds number again on FaceTime, waiting for what seemed like an unbearably long time before surprisingly, infected picked up, albeit his camera didn't great and it looked like he was hiding in a closet, Pilby's eyebrows shot up.

"Infected??"

"H3Y!" he yelled, pressing his face closer to the camera "C4N U H34R M3?"

"Barely! What on earth's going on!" They yelled back as they squinted

"S0 l13k. 1m c4ll1ng u thru m3h DS."

"What?? Is that even possible?!" Pilby's face twisted in confusion, "why are you even calling me from there??"

"W3ll 1m l13k. M3g4 gr0Und3d." He said "sUP3R gr0Und3d cuz uhm...y'kn0w-" he gulped "but h3y!! 4t l34sT I c4m3 b4ck R1t3? H4h4h4! H4-"

Pilby's expression went from mild sadness to irritation as they held the phone close "don't you dare laugh about this!" They scolded, but it softened into sniffles as they continued "d'ohh I was worried SICK about you..why did you even think it was a good idea to leave us all behind like this?"

"W3ll uhm- I jUst-"

"Listen infected, I don't actually mind the gradient being your dad, but going as far as to just disappear for lord knows how long just cuz of a stupid drama isn't funny at all!" Pilby blew their nose again. "Can't you take anything seriously?"

Infected fell silent at that statement, his face contorted in what seemed like guilt and shame before a harsh voice rang out from his side "INFECTED!"

"[content deleted]! 1 G0TT4 G0!"

"WAIT! WAS THAT YOUR-" the got cut off and Pilby was just left with the faint reflection of themselves, they honked sadly before turning to Mach, looking at her with defeat.

"Told ya."

"Not. Helping."

—-

"And I blamed him." Lampert continued, walking around the room "he looked pissed and Dr.Retro questioned him, but he just ran off and we barely saw him after." He finished, turning to glevil who was listening intently.

"Hmm, how interesting." He said, and lampert just sighed and groaned "I couldn't admit it alright! I felt like if I did I wouldn't hear the end of it! Or maybe they'd attack me? It was like I was-"

"Scared?"

Lampert looked over at glevil "..kind of?"

"Well, that's a pitiful stance, but anything to protect yourself, right?" He shrugged, jumping over to lampert, "besides, you did what you did to protect Kasper, think about it, if they'd taken you away from him.."

"I'd be alone...I wouldn't be able to see him anymore.."

"Exactly."

"But what do I do now?" Lampert asked, scutching at his lampshade just a little "this entire thing is stressing me out too much and I don't know if I can TAKE IT anymore-"

"Hey hey" glevil shushed lampert, gently holding him with his one arm despite lamoert’s discomfort “it’ll all go well, trust me, you just have to keep upright and protect you and your friend from any danger possible.” He tilted lampert’s shade up “I trust you.”

Lamoert’s shaking stopped as soon as he muttered those final few words. I trust you. Struck him in an oddly endearing way, but also like he had a sense of responsibility, something he should do to preserve that trust.

And he knew just what to do.

—-

The forest was still and dark, the moon wasn’t there to shine brightly anymore per its cycle, only the dim stars, so lampert had to tread through the thick blackness, axe over his shoulder, weighing him down like the aspen trees watching his every move.

He looked around, reaching for the string on his shade to open his lightbulb, much better, he continued to walk with his own light until he spotted a familiar figure in the distance.

A mannequin.

Lampert couldn’t quite tell if it’s from the last time he entered here, or if it’s another one, either way it didn’t matter, he had a designated job to do. He had to do it. He felt like he owed it to the family. He raised his axe and swung it at one of the curled vines, it dispatched and the same thick, velvety substance sprayed out, causing lampert to flinch. But not stop.

He continued to chop, and chop, and chop. He kept on cutting through until the mannequin fell, untied from the tree’s grasp, lampert felt a chill go through, but he ignored it..probably just the wind.

Crunch

He froze.

It was behind him, he spun around, expecting Kasper, maybe another mannequin for some reason.

But no, it wasn’t either, it was a woman.

A hunter.

She looked like she’d been stuck here for days, her coat hanging off of her body in slight tatters, a shotgun pressed against her chest like it was going to run off if she let go of it, and her amber dark hair sprawled across her face, her confused and shocked face.

Lampert couldn’t move, the two had a stare down as a beat of silence went through…lampert then slowly shuffled, backing off a bit “what the-?”

“AAAAAAAAAAAH!” The woman screamed, and then lampert did, she braced herself to shoot, lampert noticed her stance and panicked.

SHIT!

He quickly swung the axe, he wanted to deflect it, to try and maybe dodge the bullet. Definitely not the best option but it was a moment of desperation.

It didn’t hit the bullet.

It hit the woman.

Blood sprayed and gushed everywhere as the axe dug into her side, she gasped, dropping the gun before she could hit the floor, and when she did, her head lolled to the side, she gasped, for air, for anything, but she couldn’t, and thus, her eyelids fluttered over her soulless pupils.

Lampert stood in shock, in terror. His finger twitched as he leaned over to inspect the woman.

She was dead.

He couldn’t believe it.

Him? Lampert? Killing someone?

The same person who’d never even get near a stair railing, let alone a person, had ended someone’s life already? Soaked in their blood? Literally? Did he go too far in? 

For a moment lampert felt as if this moment wasn’t real, he felt as if he was in a nightmare, that it was all just a bad dream.

But it wasn’t.

And that made something snap in lampert.

He twitched, and then he started to make some soft sobs, but it turned into a chuckle, lowly at first, before it heightened into a maniacal laughter.he shook, it was too much. Too much.

He went onto his knees, everything was blurry, it was shaky. How was he going to explain to glevil this? How was he going to explain that it felt right to swing that axe, to watch the life leave this poor woman’s eyes, she probably had a family waiting, friends to look after. But no. He took it away, and it felt exhilarating.

At least no one gets to witness this, his laughter simply echoed through the void of aspen trees and dead grass, where the mannequins were.

Chapter Text

Unpleasant watched his faint reflection on the tea, rippling as he shakily held the tiny cup in his hand before he took a sip, looking up to see mozelle still angrily staring at him from her throne.

Jeremy had dragged unpleasant into one of mozelle's tea parties, unaware that he was considered such a filth to her, he offered to leave but Jeremy insisted that he'd stay just for this day. To see that he's not really as bad he was, honestly, unpleasant was surprised Jeremy would stand up for him like that. It made him feel embarrassed, but also a bit flustered.

Still, he sat my idly, silently, with Jeremy chatting along to Mozelle about the new torture method he found and laughed about how painful it'd be to his victims. 

Right, unpleasant almost forgot Jeremy was a sadistic bloodthirsty maniac.

"I mean- just IMAGINE all the blood that'd gush out of their body once I rip them! And they'd still be alive! at least for 90 seconds- AHAHAHAHAAA!

Mozelle simply rolled her eyes and sipped her tea, her focus much more on the tiny old man next to her rambling maniacal friend.

But he just stared down, focusing more on his tea again. His reflection.

He felt tight. He was shaking and sweating a bit.

When Jeremy mentioned ripping the person apart, it's like something just creeped up into his mind, whispering, it scared him a bit. It reminded him of something. Someone.

Blood, flesh tearing, the sound of screams. Faces contorted in pain and fear.

Builderman's face.

He flinched, it hurt, it hurt so bad. He shook his head lightly and dragged a hand down his face, trying to calm down, he didn't want to freak out already on the two, he didn't want to have some embarrassing emotional breakdown. He simply either had to deal with it now, or leave.

"..and I mean, from what lampert told me, that animal around the elevator was really adamant on fuckin up everyone, heh, now I'm just saying this..buttt if I can maybe capture that thing, I'd have a useful little pet with me! if it does turn out to be an animal of course-"

Unpleasant's eye twitched.

Animal?

His son wasn't an animal.

No.

He isn't.

He exhaled shakily as he took another sip, forcing himself to take it. He didn't want to retch all over the place because of some silly flashbacks.

But..It wasn't even silly. It made unpleasant feel like an impending sense of doom.

The way he had to see buildermans life leave his eyes when he held him close. The way he had to tread around, afraid for Kasper, the way when he found his small, blood soaked frame curled up on itself, trembling, how he looked at unpleasant with his big teary eyes.

I didn't mean to! I don't know what happened! I'm so s-s0rry!

That was the last time he never heard him speak normally.

Unpleasant?

He kept his gaze down, it was like he couldn't even hear the voice running in his head as he just kept remembering, and remembering. It was like a never ending train of thoughts that kept crashing in.

hey

Hey

Hey

HEY

Unpleasant snapped out of it, he blinked softly and looked up at Jeremy who arched an eyebrow, Mozelle simply squinted her beady eyes.

"Are ya good?" Jeremy asked, actually sounding concerned "you've been having that thousand yard stare for a while-"

Unpleasant just nodded weakly, waving a hand as he got up, turning on his heel to walk away to the front door. He could already feel eyes staring at him, confused and maybe suspicious. But he didn't care, he had to get out, he had to get out NOW.

"Unpleasant???" Jeremy managed to gasp as unpleasant walked away further "unpleasant! Where are you going!?" He didn't hear them, no, he did, he just didn't want to deal with this right now, he gave another wave of dismissal before he went past the hall into the elevator and just slammed his fists against the buttons again, watching as it closed, watching his reflection stare back at him, all shaky and sweaty.

This was the second time.

He groaned and rubbed his face slightly in frustration. Why was he like this? Why did the smallest of things have to trigger him so bad? Why did he have to get triggered anyways?? He leaned against the familiar elevator wall, looking at it and it's chipped exterior. He remembered when he first got in the elevator, the look he and builderman had when they looked at each other when they realized it could go anywhere in the multiverse itself, it was such a priceless memory. But it was long gone now, what was once a beacon of exploration and adventure was now nothing but the same dull chore to be done and a convenient transportation method. Still, unpleasant would rather take the bus.

He looked off to the side again as it reopened to infected's apartment, his, apartment. at least he didn't have to wait long, but he froze a bit as they saw lampert walk out from it and take a corner, looking more weary and anxious than usual..

Except he didn't even enter the elevator, for Lampert froze when he saw unpleasant. He backed off a bit before looking around awkwardly.

"Uhh...wrong way!" He then dashed to the left hallway, branching off away from unpleasant who simply scowled and stomped towards his apartment again, creaking the door open, and immediately he was hit with a stench, something like..

Blood.

That alarmed unpleasant immediately, he looked around for infected, or at least the source of the smell, but instead he stumbled across infected's door wide open, blood pooled out of the room, he peeped over, letting out a gasp  in shock.

Infected was eating a body.

A full blown adult body.

The poor woman had been mangled as a transformed infected ate through the guts and bones. His sharp teeth tearing and munching down until he stopped, sniffing the air and turning to stare at unpleasant.

Nope.

Unpleasant closed the door slowly.

Fuck fuck fuck FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK.

He started to pull at his locks in both frustration and panic, how the HELL did infected manage to drag an entire woman's body here?? He didn't see any blood on the hallways...

That lamp..

No..he couldn't have.

Maybe he just saw infected like this?

Fuck. If he did then.

He gagged, his body lurching forward slightly as he clutched his stomach. God did he always have the worst reactions to everything.

Scratch scratch scratch 

Unpleasant froze, turning around slowly to the door. Infected was scratching at it, he could easily unlock it, but of course he wouldn't know how to. Not in this state. Unpleasant felt a bead of sweat slide across his forehead. Will infected attack him? Or is he just looking for something else? Unpleasant knew the answer to that but it still scared the shit out of him either way.

It lifted a shaky hand and held the doorknob, lightly twisted it until it clicked, the door creaked a bit and he saw infecteds wide animal eyes staring at him.

They stared back. Clearly afraid and nervous.

But infected didn't growl, he didn't even make a noise, he simply crawled towards unpleasant, pressing his bloodied head into his legs, like a cat seeking reconciliation.

Unpleasant melted, his shaking slowed as he simply stared at infected and heard his small whine, he brought a hand and rubbed at infecteds head, slowly and softly, and infected leaned in with a purr.

he didn't know how to react yet, his son was all bloodied, he probably murdered that person, exposing himself to lampert like that.. it shook unpleasant, and he was also pissed that infected would put them in such a position of danger...but it knew that he wasn't aware. They knew that he'd forget. Forcibly. that retched parasite always fucked him over, brought he'll upon their lives, and all this from a dusty used couch.

But yet..he couldn't get himself to be mad at him...he teared up ever so slightly, he should be scared, he should've been panicking. Yet he wasn't. He can't. Not in front of infected. He had to be strong, he had to show infected that he was a responsible dad, even if he failed miserably at being a decent person.

For no matter how messed up infected was, he was still his son. His little boy. And he knew he would always love him no matter what.

Chapter Text

Jeremy sat in the edge of the platform filing his nails, it'd been such a boring day today, barely anyone in the elevator, and for the few that she had caught, no one would save them, hey, at least her torture methods were just as good as she expected.

But still, there was just a lingering feeling of tension in the air, like Jeremy was meant to be with someone right now and not just sit around and wait.

Ding!

As if on cue to her thoughts, the elevator opened, Jeremy snapped her head towards it, seeing as it was just the lowly gradient unpleasant, stepping out of the elevator looking all tired and saggy like he hadn't slept last night, Jeremy simply threw his nail filer and leaned over towards him, now, normally he'd grab at the old man and pull him in like a squeaky toy, but Jeremy didn't even lift his hand as he squinted at the gradient, who didn't even bother to look back at Jeremy.

"Unpleasant! You're here!" Jeremy said, surprised. "Where have ya been since yesterday!? I had to drink the rest of your tea before it got cold-" he rolled his eyes and put her hand on her chin, watching as unpleasant shrugged awkwardly, unsure himself, but he still couldn't help but feel a bit bad for it, Jeremy's stance softened a bit as unpleasant fumbled a bit "so...why are ya here?"

Unpleasant looked up at Jeremy as he had an unreadable expression, Jeremy stared at him for a moment before bringing a hand out, extending his fingers, like he was offering unpleasant to step on his palm, and he did, Jeremy lifted his hand to get nearer to unpleasant and sighed "Look I don't know if you're gonna keep mopping around or just tell me what's wrong-"

Then unpleasant hugged her.

Not really, he was too small to properly do that, he just clung into Jeremy's cheeks and nuzzled into it, Jeremy froze and instantly felt the heat rise in his cheeks, more red than pink, but what really flustered him was he heard unpleasant muttered "sorry" against her cheek, this was one of the very rare times he'd heard him speak...Jeremy slowly looked over to him.

"What are you doing..-" he squeaked out, wanting to sound gruff but definitely failed as it came out higher than expected, and more flustered. But unpleasant simply stayed close, absentmindedly clinging onto her, as if seeking Jeremy's warmth, his presence, especially after everything. But Jeremy couldn't process that, he was freaked out, so he simply pried unpleasant away from him, holding him by the scruff, watching as he yelled and flailed around a bit before Jeremy squinted his eyes.

"What's gotten into you!? First you act all distant and even bail out on me and Mozelle in the ONE tea party she allowed you to attend- and then you come in and start clinging onto me like a goddamn cat!?"

Unpleasant simply stared at Jeremy before he goes red himself, grumbling a bit, giving another shrug, Jeremy groaned a bit before she looked off to the side "although...I suppose I don't mind it.."

Unpleasant seemed to soften at this as he was let down and looked up to see Jeremy already close up to his face, seeing that she'd dropped his intimidating act for a minute "seriously if there's anything bothering you...you can come to me." He turned red again and looked away "but DONT GET ANY WRONG IDEAS!! NOT THAT I LIKE YOU I JUST uh.." he gulped "need you to be mentally stable enough so I can- torture you some more! Um uhm." He glanced back and forth between unpleasant unchanged face and the wall next to her before unpleasant hugged his face one last time and walked back into the elevator, seeing as it swallowed him whole again and lifted him up, and soon Jeremy was alone again...

She stared at the elevator before slowly covering her face with her hands and then screaming out in frustration; all of it muffled, then he groaned and pulled down at his face before punching one of the walls "FUCK!" She let out a huff before slumping over, noticing the dent she'd made on the old brick walls, and also how fucking embarrassing she acted with unpleasant, AGAIN.

Although to be fair..they were both pretty awkward themselves...maybe...

NOPE NOPE, she shook those thoughts away, not again, she can't have another situation like last time.

But maybe he's different..?

Jeremy groaned again, and just rubbed his head, he'll deal with this later.

—-

Unpleasant stepped out of the elevator, the heaviness in his chest elevated just a twinge after seeing Jeremy, he didn't even know what went through his mind, he just ended up on Jeremy's floor, the way she looked at him, the way his skin felt against his, his scent, everything, it drove him a bit insane even though he'd hate to admit that.

He sighed, rubbing his temples..god, the way he acted like a lovesick teenager back there, it was shameful, and unpleasant was sure he wasn't going to get a good nights sleep tonight, he then exhaled and brought out his keys from his pocket, opening the lock to the apartment door and going inside, seeing that it's empty.

Infected was probably just sleeping...maybe.

He shut the door behind him with a soft click and flopped onto the couch, maybe he'll just pass out here and sleep through the rest of today, he wished he could sleep through his entire life instead of having to experience the same thing over and over. But alas, there was nothing he could do about it, he curled up and set his glasses on the coffee table before he closed his eyes, already feeling the numb slipperiness set in...

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

He jolted awake, nearly tumbling off of his couch, he quickly out on his glasses and grumbled as the knocking persisted.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

He growled under his breath as he stomped off toward the front door, who DARES even interrupt his sleep, he swung the door off of his hinges, preparing to smite whoever was on the other side.

But then he froze as he slowly looked up. Hiseyes widening as he saw every. Single. Resident of the elevator standing by his doorstep, save for Pilby, lampert, mark and infected, all glaring angrily at him. 

Suddenly, he felt very small, and very VERY anxious.

What the hell.

The group stood there in tense silence before unpleasant cocked an eyebrow, and as suddenly as they arrived they all exploded into a cacophony of words and noises, each one seemingly raging and complaining about something over the other, that was before Poob blow his party horn with extreme force that the group settled, and unpleasant, who'd been staring blankly in confusion the entire time, flailed his arms in confusion, and so everyone went one at a time..

"YOU." Pest pointed at him "LOOK AT WHAT YOU DID TO POOB AND ME. YOU FREAK!"

"muh armmm :["

"You SPUD SPUD YOU KEEP TERRORIZING US AND THE CHILDREN SPUD SPUD. THE FUCK!"

"My stack of gray stuff got ruined! and now I have no more! Do you know how much it costed to make all of them?? plus, my kitchen's a MESS now!!"

"I honestly don't even have the words to make a joke about this...uhm.."

"I'm juzt here to witnezz you getting zumped on hehehe....zoorple.."

"Our ZZZRRTTT premise got infiltrated and property damage was found. We thought we made it clear you were banned from ZRRRT all sites."

"Wait, why is HE here?" The group turned to reddy before pest shrugged "who cares??! WE NEED THAT GRADIENT GONE!"

Unpleasant frantically looked around in shock before he waves his hands, as if saying he had nothing to do with this and that everyone was spouting none sense, then bive stepped up, shoving him.

"I KWE KNOW YOU'RE THE MONSTER THATS BEEN KILLING OFF EVERYONE!! YOU FREAK!! I COULD SMELL IT ON YOU!!"

It shook his head

"OH DONT PLAY FOOL!! ESPECIALLY NOT WITH- THIS!!" Bive accused as she pointed at unpleasant. Before she pulled out a the stolen newspaper, the one of buildermans death, it's details about the crime scene highlighted in bright yellow. Unpleasant stared wide eyed and snatched the paper before being met with the angry faces again.

Unpleasant just had the most dreadful and confused expression he could muster, turning to Dr.Retro who hasn't said anything yet.

"...meow meow meow hiss meow, meow meow meow..(I suspected that too, it's so obvious."

"And who was the only one in the crime scene besides that tiny infected?? YOUUUU!! THE JIG IS UP UNPLEASANT! WE ALL KNOW NOW! HAH! I KNEW THEY'D BELIEVE ME! I KNEW SOMETHING WAS UP WITH YOU. EVERYBODY DID!"

Unpleasant just tried to deny again, but he couldn't even signal his thoughts before being grabbed by the collar and risen on the air, he made a small terrified yelp before flailing and kicking his legs, watching as wallter was the one who picked him up. "It wasn't me!" He managed to squeak out, but it was too quiet, still wallter responded, "alrighty then. If it wasn't you. Then we'll prove it."

"We??" Poob asked

"Yes. We. We'll tie this gradient fellow onto a tree at the forest. Tonight is the full moon, and that, will decide whether or not he is truly lying."

Unpleasant squirmed. He HATED being tied up. Much less so in the open dark forest with potential danger, being watched by a bunch of people he LOATHED, he tried to get out of Walter's grasp, but he wouldn't bother.

God, if only infected was here now..where even was he?

"Good idea! zen I'll BLAZT HIM WIZ MY ZHOOTER!! HAHAHAHHA!"

"NO! no blasting! We'll find a more fitting punishment than turning him into dust!." Split said, bonking gnarpy on xer head, which prompted a hiss and a warning glare.

"Good idea. Banana one."

"Split."

"I mean, split. But that is if he IS the monster, for now, time shall wait." Wallter said as she dragged the terrified and confused unpleasant, kicking its legs and making strained noises of distress. But no one helped, instead following wallter like a parade into the elevator once again, and as the elevators metal jaws closed, unpleasant gradient reached out, choking for help, but it was already too late, and now, there was nothing but silence reverberating the halls of the empty and quaint apartment hallway.

Chapter Text

Infected wasn't supposed to be here.

He pulled the hoodie to his black jacket over his head as he ducked into the glorp'n'go store, needing only a few supplies before he heads back into his apartment unnoticed by unpleasant. Hopefully.

He just wanted some extra energy cans, and yum zlurpile always had the best ones in stock, it's quick, it doesn't have to take that long, at least that's until he bumped into someone, he apologized before his blood ran a bit cold at the sight of the other.

It was swibbledib.

Dibby (AKA Swibbledib) flinched but instantly relaxed as they realized it was infected, suddenly happy seeing one of their good friends here.

"OMG Hey infected!" She greeted, waving happily, making the poor boy to chuckle a little and wave back, god, he was going to be here for a LONGGGG time.

"HHHHHHH3y D1b-"

"my glorp did you almost gave me a heart attack-" dibby laughed"Sooo, what brings you here?" She mentioned, fiddling with her earring on one of her antenna's.

"0h n0th1ng, I w4s jUst k1nd4 b0r3d 1n th3 3l3v4t0r..& Um...I k1nd4 n33d 4 r3st0Ck 0n m0nst3R-"

"OH we got some in the back actually- they ain't cold but they'll do." She shrugged "follow me."

Infecte nodded lightly, fiddling with his fingers as she followed him to the back, noticing yum zlurpile just reading a weird looking magazine as he entered the small walk in closet type of room, seeing dibby open boxes and mess around, keeping up the small talk.

"Bro...I kinda always wondered, how IS the elevator like?"

"W3ll..ch04t1c s0m3t1m3s? BUt 1n a gud w4y! L1k3 ppl thr0w t0m4t03z 4t 34ch0th3r!"

"Damn really?? Eugh must be a glorpin mess to clean."

"Y34h h4h4, l4mp3rt k33pz l0z1ng h1s ##!" He laughed slightly, earning another from Dibby, but the weird feeling in his chest became heavy as he remembered about lampert..sometimes gnawing at him, but he couldn't identify it.

"I'd hate to be him haha- Oh yeah have you heard about the new Pokémon shiny glitch they found?"

"0MG Y34H!! 1'v3 b33n abUs1n' d4 h3ck 0Ut 0f it- M4yb3 1 c4n sh0w U wh3n I g3t my DS n3xt t1m3 ^_^"

"HELL YEAH, AND EY, you haven't been at my place since like FOREVER. Maybe we can go and play some Pokémon there."

He shuffled a bit, a hangout? While he was stuck in the middle of all this mess? It's not like he had the time to explain everything to her..maybe she'll forget.."S0undz pr3tty c00l 2 m3-"

"Sold! So which day?"

"A..." infected suddenly stopped, feeling his chest churn slightly, like his own body was starting to get even more sick as it warmed up slightly, he quickly wiped the excessive drool pooling around the corner of his mouth "uhm...thUrsd4y 1m fr33..s0 m4yb th..3r3.."

"Alright seems good enough for me! Aha!" Dibby happily exclaimed, finally getting a pack of monster and turning around, up until they noticed infected sweating and hunching over slightly "huh? Dude you good?"

"0h...m3? 1'm...f1n3..." he exhaled, feeling his chest tightening.

"I don't know about you bro but you look a lot...like...sicker than usual-"

"N0 n0 jUst my...4-4ll3rgI3s pl4ying w1th m3.." he mentioned, pretending to sneeze and sniffle out his bloody nose. Dibby on the other hand knew he was clearly lying.

"Bro. It ain't cool to lie y'know, I'm like- your buddy- you can tell me what's wrong-"

"Uhm- 1-" infected gagged and quickly covered his mouth, trying to stay still as his body wobbled a bit.

He had to get out. Now.

"G0TT4 G0-"

He quickly bolted out of the store, stumbling into the elevator and frantically pressing the buttons. Forget the monster energy, forget dibby's voice calling from afar, he just needed to be home. He gasped as he leaned against the elevator wall, watching dizzily as its doors closed on him.

Meanwhile back at the store, dibby,p confusingly got out of the back of the store, still holding onto the pack of monster as yum zlurpile finally set aside the magazine, eyeing her.

"What waz zat about?"

"Uhm...nothing...I think? I don't really know." She shrugged disappointingly "at least he's coming over at Thursday....I hope."

—-

Infected could barely register what was going on, he just knew he wanted his dad, he wanted to be in the comfort and privacy of his own home. To not hurt anyone. But instead he found himself in some different part of the "HALL OF", leaning against a metal ladder that led up to Pilby's room.

Pilby.

next thing he knew he was stumbling across the blinding white hallways towards their room and frantically knocked on it, watching as their former lover opened it with wide surprised eyes.

"Infected! D'ohh- I didn't expect you here-!"

"H3Y.." he stumbled in, trying to appear normal, but as soon as Pilby closed their door his shoulders sagged and he went on his knees, groaning in pain, Pilby immediately got alarmed and ran up to him, "oh dear what's gotten into you now?!"

"N0th1ng..1m f1n3 1 just.." he looked up at Pilby with pained eyes before he hugged at Pilby's short body "1 jUst m1ss3d U. 1 w4nt3d 2 s33 U"

Pilby didn't reply, rather they blushed at the sudden gesture but choosing to rather cling onto infected as he buried his head onto the crook of their neck, "D'ohh that's so sweet of you.." they faintly smiled before they returned to a questioning tone "but still- you don't look so fine-" they were about to say more but froze at the sound of very faint..cracks? Coming from infecteds body.

"Uhm....I-Infected-?"

Infected's breathing grew ragged and he growled, making Pilby flinch, then he pulled away to reveal his rather scrunched up and angry face, his fangs bared at Pilby's now horrified face.

"AAH! THE HELL?!"

they pushed away but not before blinking at infected transforming in front of them, hiding his face as he seemed to regain some sense of embarrassment and fear. But Pilby was still shit scared of him, scrambling back before infected finished and raised his head, his obscured eyes blazing purple and feral. Angry. He growls louder and approached a trembling pilby on all fours, all before they screamed.

—-

Mach flipped though the pages of the magazine she was holding, a valentine's special one, seeing all the couples framed in hearts and all the matching outfits they wore. She sighed a bit, Valentine's Day can be so annoying but..honestly, it made being in a couple not look so bad.

Then she heard Pilby's scream.

She froze and slowly turned to the alternative door leading to their room, her eyes wide, then she heard some crashing, she immediately dropped the magazine and instinctively reached for her glowing red hammer, running over, panicking, squeezing through the tight halls until she managed to elbow the door open.

"PILBY? WHAT ON THE UNIVERSES NAME-"

Mach got cut off as she saw the disarrayed state of Pilby's room, and someone, no, something, that thing in question being a mutated infected, his stance clearly angry and scared, yet they still held an equally terrified Pilby up in the air by the scruff of their vest, watching as they kicked and screamed, all before the two noticed a looming Mach.

"What. The fuck."

"MACH!" Pilby yelled "HELP!"

She narrowed her eyes at infected, who ever so slowly set Pilby down onto the floor before a growl bubbled deep in his chest, flicking his tail, clearly ready to take the taller Mach onto a fight.

"Oh you rascal."

Pilby shook and curled up on themselves before Mach launched at infected, and now suddenly, the room was up in chaos as both the woman and the beast started to collide, Mach swinging her hammer at him before he tried to bite down at her ankle, and when Pilby managed to snap out slightly out of their scared state and sat up, they gasped at the sight of Mach nearly knocking out infected over the head.

"NO NO WAIT STOP!" they yelled, immediately getting up and running at Mach "I FORBID YOU TO TAKE ANOTHER SWING OF THAT DAMN HAMMER!!"

Mach looked over at Pilby, rolling her eyes and shrugging non-chalantly "okay." Before she raised a leg up and kicked infected across the room, watching as he hit the wall, Pilby squeezed and covered their eyes in terror, feeling like they might pass out at any moment.

Infected simply slumped over, defeated, Mach took thundering steps towards him and lifted him by the scruff like one would do to a wild animal, watching as he still growled and tensed a bit "Now. What to do with you?"

Pilby finally had the courage to scramble up towards Mach, watching their boyfriend through tears "what the HELL even happened to him!? I've never seen t-this before!"

"My guess is that infection of his, or maybe he was just always a werewolf thing" Mach shrugged as she continued to simply analyze the furry thing before Pilby swallowed down the bile raising up their throat. "M-maybe his dad knows about this?"

Infected ears flicked as they mentioned his dad, and it went down as he whined.

"Oh he MUST know of this." Mach said, prepping up their hammer and swinging it at the wall, Pilby yelped as they watched one their walls disintegrate into a portal, one which led right to infecteds apartment, the two hesitantly stepped out, with Mach holding infected away from her face as she furrowed her eyebrows, noticing the apartment door already open.

"Huh?"

Then a voice rang from inside, one thick with a southern accent.

"THEY TOOK 'EM! GRADIE! THEY TOOK GRADIE!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!"

it was mark, the mannequin was soon frantically jumping around inside the apartment before he ran out of it, devastated, but instead he bumped into Mach and fell back, shaking his head and looking up, then he froze, his scribbled eyes wide with both body freezing shock and horror "THE HELL?!"

"Heyo." Mach said as she waved her hand a little, mark simply stared in pure confusion, at her, at the portal, at Pilby, and especially at infected who whined softly and curled his tail inwards between his feet from being looked at like that.

"WHAT IN'THE TEXAS FUCK IS GOIN' ON!? WHO 'RE YA!?.!!?"

"well WE should be asking you that." Mach squinted her eyes and leaned over at the scared mannequin before Pilby chimed "oh t-that's mark- he's the uh...mannequin I talk about sometimes."

"Oh." Mach pulled back "well in this case we're here for this...things father" she signaled at infected "although judging by your reaction I don't think he's here..."

"WELL NO SHIT! HE AINT! THEY TOOK EM!"

"W-who?"

"THE OTHERS! THAT HAIRY BASTARD WAS TALKIN'BOUT JUMPIN HIM AS I LEFT THAT DAMN ELEVATOR! AND NOW HE'S GONE! GOD KNOWS WHAT THEY DID TA POOR GRADIE!!"

"...and why's that???"

"They think he's that darn monsta' that's been terrorizin' us all this time! But uh.." he eyes infected, just slightly "now I know 'tat DEFINITELY aint true.."

"Oh." Mach's eyebrows shit up and she looked over at infected "ohhhhhh wait so the beast Pilby was talking about was himmmm...huh, why didn't I come to this sooner?"

Pilby made a sound of distress and almost fainted.

"Okay okay but I still gotta find my buddy!" The mannequin finally propped himself up and dusted his vest "my next guess 's probably the two stud camp.."

"The..what?" Mach's face scrunched in confusion as Pilby looked over at her.

"The camp with the children in it! You know? Where spud is?"

"Ohhh that creepy alien guy...yeah actually I don't know where it is-" she looked over in awkwardness as Pilby groaned "that means we're gonna have to take the elevator!"

"Oh hell NO" Mach suddenly tensed "I don't need to take it, I definitely WONT"

"But we needa get t'gradie before they shred him to gradient bits er somethin'!!" Mark flailed his arms, and Mach looked over at the now silent infected who stared wide eyes at her, his expression unreadable, but it left Mach a little conflicted but she groaned.

"FINE. But if anyone else catches me dead in there I'm going to kick your asses. ALL of you."

Chapter Text

The full moon floated above, shining brightly as the stars around it swam with it in the dark endless nothingness, overseeing the dark two stud camp residing below it, watching it in the silence.

Except this silence wasn't the typical one where everyone was asleep, nor was it the one where people would admire the nature and scenery, this one was tense, as it should be, for the usual elevator riders had all gathered up, watching as the Unpleasant gradient squirmed uncomfortably within the confines of the ropes that held him to a tree in the distance. Sighing at the audacity of this situation, he could see every one of their beady eyes, staring in anticipation, waiting for the 'big' reveal.

This is NOT how he was expecting its weekend to go.

Unpleasant squirmed harder as bive pulled out her binoculars to watch..as if she wasnt already near enough to see, she'd worn them the wrong way anyways.

"...sooo....we're just gonna wait like this?" Wallter noted, deciding to ease the mood with a little chitchat.

"Yes." Bive non-chalantly replied, stayed fixated on the tied up, uncomfortable old man.

"..but this is quite boring I must say.."

"Patience brickyard."

"Well excuse you.." Wallter scoffed

"the gray guy iz right....I WANT ZO BLAZT THIZ THING ALREADY!!"

"NO. BLASTING." split bonked gnarpys head yet again, earning another warning hiss. "I already said, we'll find a better punishment!"

"Lock him in our basement and inspect his fucked up condition!?" Bive said enthusiastically as she turned to split, grinning widely.

"NO!"

"Tch. Alright then" bive scoffed and turned back to stare at unpleasant, split sighed.

"So..no death penalty and neither an experimentation gag. Tell me, what do you think is the fitting punishment for this beast?" Wallter inquired.

"Um...I'm guessing we could just get Dr.Retro to help him? I mean- She can practically cure anything! You can help us right retro?"

"Meowwww meow meow meoww mew mew mew! meow, Meow mreow mew meow meow meow meow- (Awwww now you're just making me flustered! but, I can definitely help-)"

"And then can we ban 'em from the elevator?"

"Eeehhh maybe for a little while? So, yes."

"AUGH. This isn't our focus now. This is for when he is revealed to be a monster."

"Wait...if he iznt da monster then what do we do??"

"Uhh..." split was stumped "good question.."

"There is a slim chance of that ever happening, but in case it ISN'T him....we might be in a bit of a pickle."

"Still, with everything we know so far, I doubt that he's just a normal "being" whatever that creature is.." Wallter shivered a bit "but I'm quite curious, if he isn't the monster let's say, then who'd it be-"

"SHHH SHHH EVERYONE STOP ITS GONNA HAPPEN." Bive frantically tried to shush the group as the clouds parted, revealing the rays of the full moon.

And-

Nothing.

Nothing happened.

...

...

Bive just kept staring.

"Uhh...bivey-?"

"GIVE IT TIME!!"

A minute passed.

Then Two.

Then three.

Soon it jumped to ten, and everyone was getting quite impatient and confused, especially unpleasant, who just decided to menacingly glare at the group huddled behind that bush.

Bive felt a theoretical sweat run down her forehead as she slowly put down the binoculars and gulped, soon feeling everyone slowly staring at her for an explanation.

"......uhm,,,,,I'm sure there's a slight miscalculation-"

"Zou mean you were WRONG!?" Gnarpy intervened, snarling.

"SPUD! spud I had to deal with this stupid spud cat for this!!! Spud you LIED!"

"meow meow mew meow meow mreow hiss?? (Ya allah what is even happening??)"

Split flinched and instinctively reached a hand out to separate bive from the clearly group "look so maybe she was wrong, sure. But uhm..then again-"

"Move." Wallter intervened, stepping forward, his large over bive. "I don't blame you for being wrong, we all make mistakes. But I demand to know, WHO IS THE MONSTER!? I NEED COMPENSATION FOR ALK MY GRAY STUFF!"

"Well I can uhm.....I'M WORKING ON IT I SWEAR!!"

"Working on WHAT huh? Your zilly 'lil scenerio in your head??"

"Gnarpy. Stop." Split said, before sighing "ok so unpleasant gradient isn't the monster- but I have a feeling that we're just so so close to figuring out who it is! I just can't out my finger on it.."

"....wait a minute." Poob said, suddenly turning around, looking everywhere. "..Where's infected.? And mark?! A-and Lampert!"

"Uhm... wasn't he at the apartment-?" Split said, furrowing her eyebrows as the others shook their heads or shrugged, she scratched the back of her head "well at least I'm guessing that mark is busy- and- for lampert- maybe he's not in the mood-?"

"Yeah well..only time will tell-"

—

The elevator doors chimed open as mark, Pilby, Mach and a fucked up infected being held up by her all stepped out, Mach herself looking more disgruntled and annoyed than concerned.

"Okay can we PLEASE just get this over with??" She said, watching as the furry thing that is infected squirmed in her grasp, she shot it a threatening glare to make him stop.

"I-I'm sure they're here somewhere-" Pilby nervously said, unaware that all four of them were being watched in the distance by a singular individual.

Lampert.

He held a bloodied axe in his hand, having spent the night crying out glevil's twisted plan to "protect the mannequins" and "free them...and by protecting it meant killing off the people that wandered in.

And lampert had obliged, he was too far deep to care.

But now, here he is, having just come back to hear pilby's voice and went to check on what was happening, seeing infected just being held like that, seeing how terrified he looked..

He held the axe tighter before succumbing back into the darkness, already having a plan. He cannot leave infected like this.

Mach looked around before groaning "man are they not here as well!?"

"No I'm sure 'tey are!" Mark said, hoping forward "maybe we just needa look 'round a bit-"

Then, just as suddenly as they arrived, Pilby yelped as a thick branch nearly tumbled into them, thrown from somewhere near the forest, having almost hit them on the head, Mach noticed and gasped "Pilby! You alright?" But little did she know, that single second distraction was all that infected needed to hit into her hand and run off "OW! THAT-" she clenched her jaw and saw him run off "GODDAMIT!"

"INFECTED!" Pilby called out as he disappeared into the darkness, mark watched shockingly before he felt his stomach drop "...fuck.."

"do we follow him!?" Pilby asked as they turned to Mach for answers, who simply scrunched her nose.

"The forest can't be that deep, let's find the others first."

—

The others had already untied unpleasant from the tree, but with that came an explosion of arguments, everyone throwing accusations, suggestions on who it might be and others trying to deal with this in a timely manner, like split, before failing miserably.

"GODDAMIT SHUT IT! ALL OF YOU!" bive managed to yell at the top of her lungs, a bit surprised when the others did in fact, shut it, and they all looked at her begrudgingly, she chuckled a little awkwardly "OK LOOK, maybe we should just uh- uhm.." bive trailed off as her shoulders slumped "I actually don't know what to do-"

"ITS ALL YOUR FAULT! YOU LITTLE-"

"ENOUGH!"

A voice thundered and echoed, causing the group to silence once more, this time out of shock as they all whipped their heads to see Mach standing over, with Pilby behind her and mark nervously shuffling "You." She pointed at unpleasant, his eyes widened a bit "are you infected's father??"

He looked around a bit before he nodded.

"Good...we came here in regards to your son."

"WHAt??" bive said "what's up with infected..?"

"Well- we've got something to tell you all-" Pilby stuttered, and unpleasant's heart dropped, fearing the worst as he should-

Then-

AAAAAAAAAAA

A scream.

It echoed through the forest, breaking the tension, with spud immediately turning his head to the noise, his weirdened eyes widening, recognizing the voice.

It was Sarah's.

"SPUD SPUD SPUD SPUD SPUD SPUD SPUD SPUD SPUD SPUD-" he immediately ran towards the noise, making sure to extra aggressively shove gnarpy out of the way

"Whatz hiz problem??" Gnarpy exclaimed, baring xeir teeth as they got up, dusting themselves off.

"I don't have a good feeling about this.." Split gulped.

"WAIT WHAT ABOUT INFECTED!?" a poob yelled as Mach turned to Pilby, they nodded in response

"..we'll go look for him." Mach said, in the meantime, go check what's going on."

—-

The small campsite has been demolished. But this time not by weird green alien cats, but by something clearly animal and of this world, albeit huge. Sarah was screaming as the other kids panicked and ran. Chaos was in the air, spud immediately ran to Sarah

"SARAH SPUD SPUD SARAH! THE KIDS! WHAT HAPPENED?!?"

"T-THE MONSTER-! IT TOOK ONE OF THE KIDS!" she burst out crying, sobbing into spuds should as he hugged her.

"SPUD!? WHERE"

Sarah weakly pointed at the direction, with clear footprints. Spud slowly turned to the others who'd caught up, all were staring in shock at the sigh before them.

"....WELL? SPUD WHAT ARE YOU SPUDS STANDING SPUD THERE FOR? GET THE FUCKING MONSTER!!!!!!!!"

"RIGHT-!" Mark was the first one to jolt and run (or more like jump) toward the direction, the others hastily followed, gnarpy just chuckled at the sight before spud snarled at them, causing xem to flinch and run off too, not wanting to deal with spuds aggression right now funnily enough.

—-

Mach pushed the leaves and branches away "where'd that dastardly thing go??" And just as she opened up to a clearing, he froze in shock "what the....oh lord..-"

"What-?? what's up-?" Pilby came in and their eyes widened, and they let out a terrified exhale

"Oh my goodness!"

And there, standing clear and bright in the moonlight, with blood bashed everywhere...

Was infected, and lampert.

The two looked over at the other duo before noticing the heavily injured kid behind them, bleeding, seemingly passed out as its body heaved for air. Infected slowly turned around, Blood on his hands and his face, and he looked terrified. Terrified of what he has done.

Lampert? Not so much, he scoffed "oh..it's you."

Mach furrowed her eyebrows and looked over at lampert "what in the world??" She clenched her teeth, holding the hammer tightly to her chest as if she was preparing to attack "You! What's the meaning of this!"

"Hah..as if you'd get it." He said, spinning the axe with a hand as he looked over to the kid p, "I'm just doing what's necessary, we are actually." He then looked over to infected who whined softly, backing off.

Then came the rest, all of them gasped, bive especially as her jaw dropped, and it caught lampert off guard..he didn't expect them...

"..shit-!"

"I-infected..?" Poob stepped forward a bit, letting go of a frozen pest, so lost and shocked for words as they felt tears well up in their eyes at the sight of one of their closest friends like that, but not before lampert crossed an arm, separating the two.

"Back off."

"But-"

"I said. Back. Off." He brought the axe near as if he was preparing to attack poob, who backed off, but not before pest growled and jumped, pouncing on lampert. Which alarmed infected.

Then. Chaos.

The whole group erupted into a dangerously physical fight, with the only people not engaging being split, she then looked over and saw the gradient limping towards them, as if trying his best to run. He'd stayed behind out of pure shock, and it seems like its processed the moment enough to catch up

Meanwhile, lampert was swinging his axe at pest, who dodged effortlessly whilst trying to get in a punch himself "YOU BASTARD!" Lampert exclaimed as pest just kept sizing him up, making him back off "GET AWAY!"

"Not until I turn you into SCRAPS!"

"WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU EVEN CARE!?" Lampert ducked "YOU WOULDNT EVEN BAT AN EYE AT EVERYTHING, AND NOW YOU WANT TO BEAT ME UP?!"

"you think I don't know!?" Pest yelled "about what you did to prototype!?"

Prototype.

That damned robot.

"I was in charge of fixing him. I saw it in his memories file while I was backing up his mother board! It was you!" He growled "I only didn't say anything because I hadn't seen you! But now! I'll KILL you!"

"WHAT!! YOU'RE A PSYCHO!" Lampert exclaimed.

"And so are you! You and your bloody axe!"

That was it.

Lampert yelled out "GET. AWAY!" As he swung the axe to pest, who dodged it, watching as it flew past the others and hit infected's side.

The group stopped.

Unpleasant then seemingly popped up, pushing aside the others as they stared at infected collapsing, unpleasant himself obviously noticing it and going silent. Feeling like the world has stopped.

—

-

.

Unpleasant gradient knocked on the door, holding a small handmade card and a present for infected, for it was his 12th birthday!

But no one answered.

Huh.

Strange..

they'd always answer within the first three knocks.

So unpleasant knocked again.

No answer yet again.

Unpleasant arched an eyebrow before he froze a bit, seeing the door creak slightly inwards.

They'd NEVER leave the door open...

Unpleasant stared and contemplated for a moment before deciding to enter the property, setting his commodities on a nearby table before shutting the door behind him, walking through the empty hallway.

"Buddy? Janneee? Where are you guys?"

No answer.

"Manny- this- this isn't funny-"

thud.

Unpleasant almost jolted and looked around, then he saw it.

A patch of liquid red blood slowly crawled and seeped through the floor, like a venomous snake alluring to its presence. Right around the corner.

Unpleasant felt their stomach drop and he instantly ran towards the puddle, seeing as it took up the room, and it almost stumbling on his knees as he finally saw the horrid crime scene.

Jane doe and builderman. Both of them ripped apart to bits, their organs and bits sprawled on the floor like a canvas of blood and death. Their horrified faces indicated something much bigger happened.

Unpleasant felt himself choke on his sobs and vomit, he stared at the massacre for a moment before he stepped towards buildermans body, his knees finally gave in and he held the body against his chest.

"M-manny?"

It trembled as they looked down, watching builderman's gaze flatter a bit, the last bit of light leaving them.

"Buddy..?...wait..wait WAIT KASPER-!"

...

A sob.

There was a sob coming from the corner.

It slowly turned around and saw the small frame of infected huddled in the corner, hiding within the darkness, he was half transformed as he sensed unpleasant's gaze and looked at him, unpleasant had an expression of denial and shock, slowly muttering under his breath.

"Kasper?"

—

"MY BOY!"

He shoved the surrounding people aside as he ran over to infected, collapsing and crawling towards him, hastily pulling out the axe lodged inside of him before holding him with tear ridden eyes, feeling like his world was crashing.

"MY SON!"

He sobbed into the body of infected as it laid limp, his expression unreadable, the group stood in silence and watched in horror, lampert himself felt like he has his soul knocked out of his body...no...

Then. Infected's fingers twitched.

It was barely noticeable, before his arm jerked lightly, the group's gaze turned to confusion before Mach gasped as she saw the gaping wound restricts itself, closing up like it was never there, watching as infected looked down at a mourning unpleasant.

"UNPLEASANT!"

"ZTAY BACK!! IM GONNA TAKE CARE OF THIZ THING!!"

Unpleasant almost jolted up and looked back, seeing gnarpy push away bive and hold xer blaster onto the pissed off beast infected.

"GNARPY NOO!"

And just as gnarpy released the trigger, Pilby ran over to knock xem over, making the hot ball of plasma collide with unpleasant instead of the beastly infected.

BLAM!

Gnarpy held xer gun down and stared in shock, as the others almost screamed.

"Ohhhh goodnezz-"

Unpleasant gradient was sprawled on the floor, his die almost completely torn and blown off, patches of burnt skin and the chunks of flesh spreading around him like a ring as the red seeped through half of its colored skin, leaving a gruesome sight.

But unpleasant wasn't dead. Just simply panicked and scared and in intense pain, seeing it's life flash, seeing all the terrible, terrible memories from this hometown. Almost like he was re-experiencing it.

The beast scurried back and slowly walked towards the burnt off gradient, everyone expected him to take a bite out of it or lick the blood, but the beast stared in disbelief and dread as the gradient twitched and choked out in pain.

He watched as his father was suffering.

His FATHER.

Safe to say, he was NOT happy, he felt the rage inside it boil over ten more times, seeing nothing but a tint of red as infected slowly raised his head and looked into gnarpys big beady eyes.

That STUPID alien's eyes.

And before xe could even react, infected pounced onto xem, making sure to swipe and bite at them. To tear them apart. To make xem PAY.

The others screamed at infected, trying to get him off, others simply watched him, others passed out or gagged out vomit in disgust.

Meanwhile, lampert was struggling to process infecteds quick recovery before he felt a fist connect with his shade, punching him, sending him flying onto the ground, he shook his head and wearily looked up, expecting pest.

No.

It was unpleasant.

He was barely holding himself together, seemingly shaking and looking like he was about to pass out, but he still had that rage in him, so much so that he was willing to beat up lampert in this state.

And beat him up did he.

Lampert could barley defend himself as the old man kicked at him, beating him until his shade was disfigured and his metal was all scratched, seeing the little pools of blood that came with it, and it was only once lampert was shaking and begging for forgiveness did unpleasant stop, he huffed and limped deeper into the forest.

Fortunately no one noticed except for mark as Mach was the one who finally stepped up, grabbing the monster by the scruff of its neck, seeing as he hissed at everything and everyone, tears and even more blood dripped down its muzzle, shaking as it let out yowls of anger and pain.

"I think that's enough drama for a while." Mach huffed, staring at infected, who was having a full blown meltdown, squirming and letting out squeaks and roars to be let out of her grasp.

"I'm. Going to take him so he can calm down. You all take care of the gradient and the cat thing over there" she motioned her hammer to the bloody and groaning gnarpy, but infected wasn't going out that easily, he bit down at Mach's hand again, harder this time, nearly tearing off her fingers as Mach yelped and let him go, then he scurried off into the forest.

"FUCK! THIS IS THE SECOND TIME!" She hissed, noting the slight blood pooling out of her hand, mark adjusted his hard hat and hastily hopped after infected

"WAIT! MARK!" Wallter called out "WHERE ARE YOU GOING!?"

"SOMEWHERE!" he shouted back before the forest swallowed him whole.

—

Unpleasant limped and limped until he stopped, he'd ended up in another clearing, this time near a cliff, watching the bright moonlight illuminate everything below, the aspen forest included. He clutched at his side shakily, feeling the blood pour out, tears still threatening to leave his wide eyes as he watched the nature, like time itself just..stopped.

Then he felt a slight nudge at his legs.

He looked down to see infected again, this time nudge and pressing up against his legs like he did back at the apartment, looking up at unpleasant with big worried eyes. Unpleasant gave a sad smile and raised his hand to pet him, his shoulders slumped, seeing as infected leaned into the touch happily.

"My little boy.." he muttered, his smile faltering soon "You need to go soon,"

Infected whines confusingly, he looked up at unpleasant again as he backed off.

"You need to go. Run. They can't find you here."

Infected seemed to get what he was saying as he prepped himself up, looking at the oath that twisted further down the forest, he looked up at unpleasant again and whimpered, unpleasant sighed and went on his knees, pressing his forehead against Infected's to calm him down "it'll be okay, I'll find you. I promise. I can't let them take you...I'm so sorry baby..." he stayed like that before he gave a kiss to Infected's forehead and pulled back, hearing the sudden rustle of the leaves, he gasped and flailed his arms "Go!" And this time, infected listened.

Mark finally came through just as infected left, gasping at unpleasant's state.

"What the hell.." he gasped as he went by unpleasant's side "what'ya come here for!?"

"...I'm so tired mark.." and with that, unpleasant had fainted.

—

-

.

"Interesting..."

An orb shape showcasing all the precious events glowed in the darkness, a clawed hand swiped over it as she squinted her eyes, seeing Dr.Retro tend to unpleasant's wounds as Pilby cried to Mach.

"very interesting.."

The parasite chuckled lowly, bringing a claw and resting it under her chin, or rather, where her chin should be, "this'll come very useful later...but for now.." she swiped it over the orb again, making it focus on pest's disgruntled face as he held a broken lampert, his stance hunched over and tense, but the parasite simply went near to the orb, chuckling more.

"It's time to meet up with an old friend.."