Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“I know…

I know…  I’ve asked a lot from you…

… But I need you to do… one more thing…

…

I promise… this is… for her own good…

… you want to protect her… don’t you…?

…

… I do.

…

Please…

You don’t have to stay… just make sure she’s safe… in there…

…

Don’t… look at me like that…

… There’s… an old friend… waiting…”

-

Noelle pulled her knees to her chest as a slight chill brushed over her hooves. 

Despite her love for the cold, her mother’s refusal to bring the thermostat above freezing was the perfect excuse to bundle herself up under the vast collection of blankets and pillows that adorned her bed. It was a special kind of warmth; better than the fireplace or a cup of hot chocolate. Being curled up under the covers, her antlers barely visible, imbued Noelle with an immense sense of safety. Like nothing or no one could touch her. It was childish, she knew that much, but feeling every inch of her body slowly grow warmer and warmer as she held herself gently was often the closest she got to true calm.

The only problem with such an intoxicating warmth was that it made the cold so much harsher to wake up to.

Refusing to open her eyes, Noelle traced her hand along the quilt, trying to find something to cover herself with. She must have had a restless night; none of her blankets were in their usual positions. Her eyebrows knitted together slightly, frustrated as she continued to palm at the plush fabric to no avail. Maybe she had tossed one onto the floor. Eventually, her hand crossed something loose enough to pull, but when she tried to cover her hooves, she only found herself getting colder. She tugged at it again, harder this time, but still couldn’t seem to shield herself from her chilly bedroom air.

With an aggravated huff, she pushed herself upright and rubbed her eyes, bracing herself for the sunlight that would inevitably be pouring through the gaps in her curtains. Much to her surprise, however, what she awoke to was anything but. 

It took Noelle a moment to realise that the room she was sitting in wasn’t her own- or at least, wasn’t how she left it. The layout was exactly the same- her bed in the corner, the long sofa along the back wall, a spacious closet- but something was different. For starters, her computer was missing, substituted by a small bookshelf, populated with hymnals, picture books, and sheet music compilations for violin and piano. Her desk on the far side of the room was more like a dressing table, complete with a large mirror outlined with small lightbulbs; the string lights hanging from her ceiling were now glow-in-the-dark stars, casting a warm gold hue across the pink and blue palette; and, most notably, her flatscreen had been replaced with a small, chunky CRT TV. It reminded her of how her room used to look when she was little. Cautious, Noelle moved to the edge of the bed, but not before realising that the fabric she had been pulling wasn’t a blanket, but a long white dress she most definitely didn’t go to sleep in. The dress from her dream. Was this a dream? Was this the same dream she had the other night? If it was, this room wasn’t the one she was given before. Regardless, the depression in the blankets suggested she had been sleeping there for quite a while. She hesitantly straightened her skirt and continued to examine her surroundings. 

Behind her, on the shelf above her bed, stood amongst the familiar trophies and Christmas ornaments were a collection of small photo frames. In fact, when she looked again, there were photoframes dotted all over the room. Noelle stood and hesitantly walked to her ‘desk’, picking up one of the photos. It was a picture of her and Dess. Specifically, a picture she used to have displayed on her windowsill before she disappeared. It was taken just after one of her baseball games. Noelle remembered it like it was yesterday; Dess had just made the final homerun, solidifying a victory for their small, mediocre Hometown team. She let Noelle hold her bat and wear her helmet while she held the trophy. She swallowed heavily as she gently placed the picture back. Where did this come from…? Not even her mother knew where she had stashed this. Her heart began to race as she picked up a different frame. Another old photo, this time of her and Kris onstage at the Christmas pageant rehearsals. It was an undeniably cute photo, one she still looked at in fact, but she had never gotten it framed. Noelle emitted an anxious chuckle as she moved on to the third and final photo sitting on the dressing table.

The sight made her eyes widen.

She had never seen this photo before.

In her hands sat a grainy picture of everyone- her parents, Dess, Kris and the Dreemurs- at Kris’ house… all sat on the sofa. Together. If she wasn’t trembling before, she was now. Who could… How could this have been taken? Everyone’s poses and expressions were so candid, almost blurred, and all the adults’ heads were barely in frame, if not literally cut off then far too dark to recognise. The picture quality was so bad it couldn’t have been taken on the same camera as the others. It almost looked like someone had applied an overlay to make the picture seem warmer than it was. Studying it closer, Noelle couldn’t help but remember that day. The Dreemurs had just gotten a brand new VCR for Christmas and invited the Holidays over to watch some festive specials. She knew that’s what they were doing in the picture, because the only figures truly illuminated were her and Kris as they sat far too close to the screen. For as shoddy as the photo was, Noelle could see the reflection of the movie in their eyes. It was almost as if the TV itself took the picture.

She quickly put the photo back face down, her hand on her now pounding heart. This was just like the other dream, far too real for her liking. She had to get out.

After taking a few deep breaths, Noelle snuck over to the door, keeping close to the furniture so as to not cause any of the floorboards to creak. She carefully turned the doorknob and slowly eased the door open, only to be momentarily blinded by the lights in the corridor. Blinking her vision back to normal, Noelle creeped out into the hallway. As she quietly closed the door behind her, she noticed a large gold star decorating the centre, engraved with her name. It was odd, but not any more so than everything else she had stepped into. Beneath her hooves lay a luxurious red carpet, running a path down the hall, and the walls were decorated with posters for a variety of movies and TV shows.

Noelle stayed where she was for a moment- half taking in her surroundings, half petrified of what to do next. Wringing the fabric of her dress in her hands, she looked up and down the corridor for any signs of life.

“Hello…?” She uttered, barely audible. “K-Kris? Susie?”

She took a reluctant step forward, thankful for the usually sharp click of her hooves on tile being muffled by the carpet.

“H-Hello?” She repeated, a little louder this time. “Is anyone there?”

…

Nothing.

Noelle sighed, disappointed. Even if it wasn’t real, Kris and Susie made her last dream so much fun, but it seemed she had to brave this one alone. Clasping her hands in front of her, Noelle reluctantly made her way down the hall, her gaze cycling between the posters and the carpeted path. Aside from the quiet jazzy music emanating from nowhere, the stillness of the corridor made Noelle wary. Every time she neared a corner, she half expected something to jump out and scare her awake, but instead she was greeted by another stretch of red. 

Just as she began to think she was walking in circles, she finally spotted something. Standing by a set of double doors was a pair of small figures with diamond-shaped heads, one holding a clipboard and the other wearing some kind of headset. If they were talking, they were barely uttering anything above a whisper. Noelle edged forward, her face twitching between a polite smile and a nervous grimace.

“Um, excuse me…?” 

The two creatures turned their heads, flinching at the sound of her voice. 

“C-can you tell me where-“

Before she could even finish her sentence, the pair did a quick double take and dashed into the next room, prompting Noelle to chase after them. 

“Hey! Wait!” She shouted, trying to run. “Where are you going?!”

Stumbling to a halt, Noelle pushed the heavy doors open and slipped inside, but the second they slammed behind her, the room was immediately plunged into complete darkness. For all she knew, those creatures could have vanished into thin air. Judging by the silence, they might have. She stretched out her arms, attempting to find some kind of support or indicator of her surroundings, but there was nothing there. After a few hesitant steps, trying to stay in a straight line, Noelle began to storm forward. Her nerves, while undeniably present, had been pushed down by an instinctive need to escape. Despite clearly being a larger space, the darkness felt claustrophobic and the further she walked, the more intense it became. She clenched her fists as she quickened her pace, frantically looking around for a source of light. The sound of the floor was changing beneath her hooves, which suggested she was going somewhere, but the darkness remained the same.

Her chest grew tight. Something about this felt familiar. She couldn’t pinpoint it exactly, but Noelle couldn’t help but feel like she had been in this situation before. All encompassing darkness; no one to guide her; the feeling of something watching or waiting to strike. It was like a cruel prank. A bad dream. Like the scary games she’d sneak a peek of in Dess’s room. The fur on the back of her neck prickled up at the thought.

‘Please,’ she pleaded to herself, ‘i-if you can’t make me wake up, please just turn a light on at least.’

Just as she was about to cry for help, Noelle found herself stopped in her tracks. 

Almost on command, a bright light flickered to life. A spotlight, pointed directly at her. She placed a hand on her chest, attempting to calm her breathing as more lights slowly began to show themselves, dotting a line by her feet and casting brightly colored beams from different angles. It was almost as if they were giving her a moment to compose herself rather than all switching on at once. The only place that wasn’t illuminated was the vast expanse in front of her. 

With a measured exhale, Noelle was finally able to survey her surroundings. She was… onstage. Centre stage, in fact, standing in the spotlight like she was about to sing a number for the pageant- but, this was no school auditorium or church pulpit. The inky blackness she was looking out on wasn’t just endless darkness, it was a massive group of shadowy beings dressed in dapper attire. The sheer number of them made her stomach drop. They didn’t have eyes, but she could tell by their smiles they were patiently waiting for something to start. 

Something she may have interrupted.

She looked around again, the weight of her situation suddenly dawning on her. Embarrassment began to flush red in her cheeks as she backed away from the expecting audience. Much to her chagrin, the spotlight followed her. 

“Um.. Uh…”

Noelle covered her face, her knees turned in. There was nothing worse than going onstage when it wasn’t your turn. She would have scurried back off to the wings, but she was practically frozen in place. The audience began to murmur amongst themselves; their multitude of voices almost sounding like thrumming music. Noelle knew what came next. She braced herself for the crowd to erupt into jeering laughter.

Much to her surprise, however, they all began to clap.

It wasn’t an uproarious applause or a standing ovation, but an enthusiastic, encouraging clap.

Noelle peered through the gaps in her fingers, casting her gaze across the smiling faces of her audience. She lowered her hands, an awkward smile breaking through her tense expression. Chuckling nervously, she waved, which caused a few members of the crowd to cheer- and a voice to emerge from offstage.

“Give it up for our lovely little star, folks!”

Almost out of nowhere, Noelle found herself accompanied by a very tall man in a bright red tailcoat, holding a microphone in one hand and gesturing to her with the other. Everything about him seemed ordinary enough, but his head looked just like the TV that had been placed in her room. She looked between him and the audience whose clapping had intensified.

“W-what’s going on?” She asked, still waving.

The TV man turned, his screen casting a soft warm light. “Why, you’re on TV, little lady!”

Noelle swallowed heavily, only now noticing the cameras dotted around the room. “TV?!”

“That’s right! TV! Television! Live in Technicolour!” He did a strange little dance, eliciting another bout of cheers from the audience. “Admittedly, we weren’t expecting you to be up so soon, so apologies for your unfortunate experience backstage.” He put a hand up to his mouth, as if to whisper directly to his public. “Someone’s getting fired for that, folks!”

The crowd laughed, but Noelle didn’t feel any more at ease.

“I’m sorry, but- uh- who are you exactly?” She asked.

A few members of the audience gasped, making it the TV man’s turn to chuckle. “Ah, I thought you’d never ask.” He pointed to nowhere in particular, beaming. “Mike! Play the VHS-!”

“No! No, no, no!” Noelle squeaked, flailing her hands wildly. She didn’t mean to interrupt, but she couldn’t help herself. “I-I’m sorry, I’m sure your VHS is lovely, but- uh- this has been very overwhelming and I would just like some answers… please.”

The TV man’s expression turned dour, his antennae drooping. Noelle didn’t realise it was possible to look disappointed without eyebrows. He almost looked smaller.

“Oh… I just… thought you’d recognise me,” he sighed, putting the back of his hand to his forehead. “You and Kris used to love my VHSes…”

Noelle raised an eyebrow. “You… know Kris? A-and me?”

The TV forced a sniffle, causing the audience to emit a canned ‘aww’. “Know you? I saw you grow up! You and Kris used to spend so much time with me.” With a wobbly smile, he struck a theatrical pose. “Don’t you remember your old pal Mr Ant Tenna?” He said in a sing-song-y voice.

“Mr… Ant Tenna?” Noelle repeated, trying not to say it in tune. “That’s what we used to call the Dreemur’s TV-“ She paused for a minute. “…You ARE the Dreemur’s TV, aren’t you?” She ran her fingers through her hair, her brain frantically trying to connect the dots. “T-then that means you’re the one who took that weird photo in my room!”

A loud correct bell sound rang out above her, causing her to flinch as the room erupted into another bout of applause. Mr Tenna adjusted his tie nervously. “I don’t think there’s anything weird about precious childhood memories!” He cleared his throat, a more confident grin decorating his screen. “And that’s what this place is all about!”

Noelle felt the corners of her mouth twitch. “R-right, but why am I here exactly?”

The lights dimmed as Tenna pulled a cue card from his back pocket, but the spotlight on Noelle stayed just as bright. “Well, a little birdy told us that you weren’t having the best time at home.” The audience let out another unanimous ‘aww’. “You must have some guardian angel out there, kiddo, because they thought you deserved an all-expenses paid trip to TV World!”. A screen lit up at the back of the stage, flicking through pictures like channels. “Here you can play games, watch all your favorite specials, and have fun to your heart’s content! Just like you used to! There’s nothing we won’t do for our little star!” Tenna crouched a little, his voice softer as he spoke. “You just say the word, and we’ll make it happen, sweetheart.”

Noelle looked over her shoulder, her fingers intertwined as she gazed at the screen and its bright, exciting imagery. She had a new feeling in her chest now, but it wasn’t the dread and panic from before.

She knew this was ridiculous. She knew all this was fake, just like the computer world dream, but it felt… different. Something about Mr Tenna’s tone and the pictures on the screen filled her with a sense of relief. Of joy almost. Warmth. She glanced down at her hooves for a moment, pondering; a twinge of guilt pricking at her heart. It felt wrong to enjoy herself without her friends. Without her family. It was especially a shame Kris wasn’t here to have fun with her- Tenna was THEIR TV,  after all- but they knew her situation. They’d want her to have fun anyway… wouldn’t they?

She looked at Mr Tenna, a genuine smile emerging on her face, but before she could say anything, he put two fingers to where his ears would be and shot back upright.

“Stop the presses, folks!” He exclaimed. “I’ve just got word that our special display is ready to go! Are you all ready?” He gestured back to the large screen, causing the audience to lean forward in anticipation. “Mike! Let’s see it!”

Noelle watched eagerly as the screen hummed with static for a split second before cutting to a clip of the same diamond-headed creatures from before, alongside a few new faces, putting together a stop-motion sequence of letters falling into place. They gestured proudly to their work, big smiles on their faces, as a festive jingle played out alongside the big reveal:

“WELCOME, NOELLE!”

The audience were finally allowed the clap at full volume, giving Noelle a moment to take it all in. She didn’t know what to say. Her eyes burned slightly, but it wasn’t from the lights. She patted her cheeks with her sleeves, trying to stop her tears from glistening. It was hard to believe they had done all this for her.

She hadn’t felt this special in a long time.

Suddenly, Noelle felt something push lightly at her shoulder, prompting her to look to Tenna. He put his hand to his mouth again, speaking in a stage whisper: “This is the part where you bow, kiddo.”

With a deep breath but no hesitation, Noelle crossed her feet and curtsied, the crowd still applauding fiercely; Tenna bowed alongside her. She couldn’t quite read his expression, but she chose to see it as a proud glance.

The words remained onscreen as the main lights of the studio eventually came up, the Shadowguys making their way out in an orderly fashion, still smiling. One even had to be tugged away by another after refusing to stop clapping; it made Noelle giggle.

“That was fun wasn’t it, Noelle?” Tenna chirped, putting his hands behind his back.

“Y-yeah! It was!” Noelle replied. “I mean- It was just- Wow!”

Tenna laughed, a pink fuzzy hue flickering on his cheeks. “Don’t worry, we’re just getting started.” He extended a hand to the left of the stage. “I know this has been a lot for you, so why don’t we head to the Green Room for a little break and then we can give you the tour?”

Noelle followed his gesture and spotted a small group of what she could now assume to be Tenna’s staff gathered in the wings. They looked so happy, riding the high of a successful performance. Literally and figuratively patting each other on the back and toasting little plastic cups of water.

“Yeah,” she sighed dreamily. “I think I’d like that.”

Chapter Text

The Green Room was a pleasant departure from everything Noelle had dealt with so far. It was still bustling with life, but the pleasant mint and peach hues and soft lighting created a much calmer atmosphere. Mr Tenna shrunk as he made his way through the door, a hand on Noelle’s shoulder as he gently guided her inside.

“This is where our co-stars come to freshen up before the next show,” he explained, gesturing around the room. “You can get snacks, relax- oh! And play games, of course!”

Noelle took a moment to look around, not just at the amenities, but also at the variety of staff.

“Hey, I saw some of those guys earlier,” she said, trying to subtly point to a pair of small figures sitting on a sofa. “Who are they?”

“Ah, those are the Pippins,” Tenna replied. “They’re just some of my many employees here. They do odd jobs and help keep things running smoothly.” He chuckled. “Nothing too exciting to you, I’m sure.”

Before Noelle could respond, Tenna ushered her over to what looked like a combination between a carnival prize table and a bar, being manned by a stout creature in bright orange overalls. Up close, his purple hair almost looked like floppy ears.

“Ramb!” Tenna chirped, taking a seat. “I’ve got someone here you might recognise!”

The bartender put down the glass he was polishing and looked over to Noelle. His face was reminiscent of a power outlet, making his expressions difficult to decipher, but he seemed to be smiling- and smiled even wider when he saw her.

“Bloody ‘ell,” he exclaimed in a gruff accent.

Tenna forced a laugh. “Haha, language please.”

Ramb waved a hand dismissively, not taking his eyes off Noelle for a second. “‘Ello, love. I ‘aven’t seen you in years. You’ve certainly grown a bit.”

“You know who I am too?” Noelle asked, sitting herself down.

“‘Course,” he continued. “Everyone here knows you. If it weren’t for you and li’l Kris, none of us would even exist.” He folded his arms, a wistful look on his face. “Once upon a time, I was just a humble, borin’ power strip, but Kris played with me anyway and that’s why I’m ‘ere. You’d be surprised what a li’l bit of special treatment’ll do.”

Noelle let out a quiet giggle. Of course Kris of all people would find a way to play with something as mundane as a power strip. They were funny like that. Kris always seemed to have difficulty reading people, but they could spot a face in an inanimate object on a first glance. For all their scary pranks and morbid interests, their heart was in the right place. They cared so much about everything, but sometimes it felt like she was the only one who could see it.

The sound of glass sliding across marble brought her back to the present. In front of her sat a tall glass of red soda with a large scoop of ice cream floating on the top, adorned with gold star-shaped sprinkles. Noelle couldn’t help but stare; she had never seen anything like it. Ramb leant forward and delicately placed a curly straw in the glass, winking. 

“On the ‘ouse, love.”

“Ah! Uh, thank you!” Noelle held the drink with both hands and took a small sip. The second it touched her tongue, she had to restrain herself from squealing with delight. It was delicious. Cinnamon flavored. Her favorite. She swirled the straw around, mixing in the ice cream, and took another drink. Her mother would have been furious if she knew she was having sweets so late at night, but that wasn’t her problem. She couldn’t get mad at her for dreaming- or at least, she couldn’t if she didn’t know.

Tenna watched intently as Noelle enjoyed her drink, shooting Ramb an approving nod. “That was made especially for you, you know?” He declared. “When I said ‘just say the word’, it didn’t mean we don’t already know the things you love.”

Noelle ran her straw along the bottom of the glass, slurping up the last blobs of ice cream. “It’s kind of amazing,” she said. “All this just because of-“ She hesitated for a second. “- everything going on at home?”

The two men chuckled warmly.

“Listen, love,” Ramb began, handing Tenna a cup of coffee, “it’s hard out there, innit? Sometimes you just need to get away from it all.” He took away her empty drink only to immediately give her a fresh one; a green beverage with a candy cane hooked on the rim. “You’re only young. Stressin’ out all the time isn’t good for you.” He waited for Noelle to have a taste before continuing. “Nothin’ wrong with a bit’a fun and freedom every now and again, is there?”

Noelle looked down at her beverage- a minty cream soda- and examined her reflection in the bright liquid. There was that feeling again. That shame from onstage. ‘Freedom’ was such a strong word. She had freedom back home. She had the house to herself most of the time; she could wander anywhere she wanted before dark; her mother would buy her anything she asked for as long as it was appropriate- some of her classmates would kill for that freedom. Her shoulders drew upwards, guilt writhing in her chest. How ungrateful. How disrespectful of her to wish for more. To ask for more freedom was to practically abandon everything- abandon everyone. To fly away and never look back, except to admire the pretty lights she was leaving behind. It was selfish. Needlessly indulgent.

She took a long, contemplative sip of her drink, rallying her thoughts. As she put the glass down, a single question arose in her mind: 

‘Is that truly so wrong?’

The sight of Noelle’s pensive expression filled Tenna with a horrid mix of panic and despair. He knew that look. He had seen it on her too many times. Kris was a tough crowd, hard to read, but Noelle wore her heart on her sleeve- and if he had a heart, her sad little face would have broken it in two. She couldn’t be upset, she couldn’t be glooby, she had only just gotten there! What happened?!

Tenna glanced at his coffee, tapping his finger on the counter, then to Ramb.

‘Ramb.’

He turned his head slowly, giving Ramb a subtle but aggravated glare. The corner of his mouth twitched, momentarily displaying his teeth, while his grip tightened on his coffee cup, making the crumpling material squeal. 

‘You should really be more careful with your words.’

It took the bartender a moment to realise he was being stared down. 

Ramb looked back at his boss, unaffected, and softly placed a hand on Noelle’s forearm. Thankfully, she didn’t notice their silent exchange.

“Don’t think too ‘ard, love,” he cooed, giving her a light pat before folding his arms again. “Can’t ‘ave fun if you’re thinkin’.”

Noelle sighed. “Yeah… I guess that’s true.” She took the candy cane from the glass and turned it in her hands before placing it in her mouth. “I’m sorry,” she said between crunches, “I guess I’m just not used to this place yet.”

“Oh, don’t worry, sweetheart,” Tenna said sweetly, tossing his cup behind the bar, “you will be soon enough.” He slicked back his antennae only for them to immediately spring up to their original place. “TV World can really grow on folks.”

Ramb let out an audible grumble as he bent down to clean Tenna’s mess, muttering more curses under his breath. Noelle tried to see what he was doing, but Tenna slammed his hand on the countertop as he stood, causing her to flinch.

“Now that we’ve had a quick refresher,” Tenna began, “I bet you’re aching for a tour of the studio, aren’t you, little star?”

Noelle looked between Tenna and the bar for a second before cheerfully hopping off her stool. “Um, sure!” She said. “Where should we start? This place seems pretty big.”

If his heart was broken before, her enthusiastic tone and bright smile had glued it back together. That’s what he liked to see. What he loved to see. 

“Excellent question!” He exclaimed. “Gosh, there’s just so much choice! We could check out some sets or maybe-“

“Ah! Where is she? Where is she?”

Tenna managed to catch his expression before it dropped as a shrill voice cut him off. It seemed his freshly repaired heart would have to wait. Noelle tilted her head as they were approached by a pair of employees in dark blue uniforms.

“Ey up, power couple’s ‘ere-“ Ramb announced sardonically.

One had white cloud-like hair, while the other’s head was shaped just like a crescent moon; the former seemed more excited than the latter, practically bouncing up and down in her yellow rainboots. She took Noelle’s hand with a gleeful squeal, shaking it vigorously.

“Oh my stars, it is so lovely to see you again, Noelle! Gosh, it’s been forever!”

Her partner put a hand on her shoulder, pinching the bridge of his nose with the other. “For goodness sake, dewdrop, you’re scaring the poor girl to death. Give her a second to breathe at least.”

“Oh,” She let go of Noelle’s hand, putting hers behind her back sheepishly, “sorry!”

Tenna cleared his throat, drawing everyone’s attention.

“Elnina, Lanino,” he said through a clenched jaw, “what are you two doing here? I thought you had rehearsals.”

Lanino tugged at his collar. “Ah- well- we did, sir, but as soon as we heard there was a returning star, we just had to come and say hello.”

“‘Returning star’?” Noelle chuckled awkwardly. “Do uh… you know me too?”

“Of course!” Elnina cheered. “I remember when you used to watch the weather forecast so intensely just in case there was a chance of snow.” She cupped her cheeks, swaying bashfully. “When it was even the slightest bit cooler in the summertime, you used to ask Kris if the rain would freeze!”

“Oh, I did do that, didn’t I?” Noelle said, embarrassed.

“Yes! It was so cute!” Elnina flicked her hair buns. “It’s always nice when someone appreciates my branch of the weather.”

“Yes, yes, but it’s much better to play out in the sun, isn’t it?” Lanino asked playfully.

Elnina furrowed her brow. “Ugh, it’s like you don’t even know who you’re talking to. Noelle is all about the snow and rain,” she scoffed. “Honestly, you can be so ridiculous.”

Lanino rolled his eyes. “Regardless, we’re very happy to have you here-“

“-SO happy to have you!” Elnina interrupted.

“-And we’ll be here to help ensure you have the best time possible.”

Noelle couldn’t help but trip over her words as she uttered a clumsy ‘thank you’. Seeing all these people so thrilled to see her, smiling ear to ear and eager to spend time with her was… unusual, but not uncomfortable. It was so conflicting. On the one hand, she knew she had people who loved her at home- especially since Kris seemed to be warming up to her again- but, on the other, she knew it wasn’t the same as it used to be. Before they stopped visiting the Dreemurs. 

Before her father got sick. 

Before Dess disappeared.

She instinctively gripped at her dress, bundling the fabric so as to not drive her nails into her palms.

‘What a horrible thing to think,’ she spat at herself. ‘You can be so selfish sometimes.’ 

She inhaled deeply through her nose, shaking her head and trying not to alert her new acquaintances as they chatted amongst each other. She just had to reason with herself. It wasn’t selfish if they were doing it for her. It couldn’t be. She didn’t ask for all this. Someone, somewhere just wanted this to happen. They thought she deserved this, like Tenna said. So…

‘It can’t be wrong for me to enjoy this… right?’

Noelle was able to squeeze in another measured breath before the attention was thrown back on her.

“Well now,” Tenna began, straightening his tie, “it’s been lovely to see you all, but our little star and I really need to get moving with our studio tour!”

Noelle nodded enthusiastically; half genuine, half shaking loose her troublesome thoughts. She stopped when she felt Elnina take her hand again.

“I hope we can see you around soon, Noelle,” she said, her tone strangely sincere.

“I’m sure we will,” Noelle replied.

“Hey! There’s an idea!” Tenna snapped his fingers. “Elnina, why don’t you treat Noelle to a snow day sometime soon?”

Noelle’s eyes lit up. “W-wow, you can do that? I always did wish it could snow-“

“-whenever you wanted?” finished Tenna, a smug grin on his face.

Noelle used her free hand to fidget with the bells on her hair ties. “Y-yeah.” She looked away as she felt her face grow warm, equal parts flattered and embarrassed that he remembered something so silly. So personal.

“I’d love to,” Elnina said. “When you’re ready for a bit of snowy fun, you just head on down to my dressing room and I’ll whip up a blizzard for you.”

“- And I’ll be there to melt it away once you’re done.” Lanino added, running a hand through his hair proudly.

Elnina released Noelle’s hand, glaring at her partner for a split second before switching back to her usual cheerful expression. “Ignore him,” she whispered with a wink.

With a kindly chuckle, Tenna took a couple steps out of the group, placing himself behind Noelle. “We really should be going,” he said. “Don’t want to cram too much into one day, after all.”

“Y-yeah! I’ll see you all later, everyone-“ 

Just as Noelle finished her sentence, she felt Tenna’s hand on her head, gently ruffling her hair. 

She couldn’t help but let out a small, stunned gasp that, thankfully, no one heard. She could barely remember the last time someone had tussled her hair. Her dad did it to Dess, and Dess did it to her; it was the Holiday way of saying ‘I care’. Even when her father told her she was too old for it, Noelle always hoped he would do it again; if not out of habit, then to fill the void left by her sister. But he never did. Then, he got sick. Her ears flicked as Tenna retracted his hand, unable to deny the joy such a small gesture had brought her. It was just for a moment, but it meant so much.

And she didn’t even have to ask.

It was like Mr Tenna already knew.

“Alright, kiddo” Tenna began, “I say we check out all the technical stuff first. That way, we can leave all the fun for last! Sound like a plan?”

Noelle blinked a few times, reorienting herself. In the time she had spaced out, the Weather Duo had left, and Ramb was back to cleaning glasses. 

“Oh, uh,” she turned, looking up at Tenna, “that sounds good to me!”

“Great! Let’s get our Marvelous Mystery Tour started then!” Tenna gave her a smile before performing a theatrical pivot and pointing towards a door guarded by an employee with an array of buttons decorating their chest. “Right this way! Follow me, little lady!”

Noelle allowed Tenna to walk a few feet before following. She couldn’t explain why, but it took everything in her power to resist reaching out and trying to hold his hand. She rubbed the lace of her sleeves between her fingers, ashamed. It was normal to reminisce and Noelle knew she did it more than most, but this was ridiculous. She wanted to pull at her antlers, tell herself that she wasn’t some little kid anymore, but she couldn’t. Not just because she was in company, but because it wasn’t true. Or at least, it didn’t feel true.

She tried to match Tenna’s pace, lingering just behind him as the guard let them through. He rambled as they walked through a dimly lit corridor, Pippins and Shadowguys running past them with various equipment and papers, but Noelle couldn’t hear him. She wanted to, but her mind was too loud. All she could do was nod, follow his gestures, and hope it was an appropriate reaction. Thoughts raced around her head, wailing on her brain like hail on a rooftop. 

‘How dare you think about your family like that,’ her inner voice hissed. ‘They have done everything for you and it’s still not enough? Some daughter you are.’

With a defeated sigh, Noelle looked back to Tenna, who was still unknowingly talking to himself. She continued to stare at him as they walked. She didn’t know why, but the gentle glow of his screen made her feel calm. She hadn’t noticed before, but the sound of his voice, while still muffled by her demanding mind, began to remind her of the presenters on the kid’s channels; kind and patient, but enthusiastic and earnest. Even just walking beside him, watching him gesture and flourish, was grounding her somewhat. 

She clenched her fist for a second, then released and stretched her fingers. Regardless of what she was thinking, she couldn’t ignore how she felt. How wonderful it was to be where everyone knew her and acknowledged her presence. For as restless as her mind was, she was happy. Happier than she’d like to admit- and she had barely been there for a day.

As they walked through to the next room, a single thought rose above all else, clearing her mind:

‘I’m going to enjoy this.’

Chapter Text

“-And through here is where the fun really begins.” 

Noelle shook her head a little, blinking slowly as her eyes adjusted to the new lighting and reality came into focus. Everything from the last hour felt fuzzy. She knew she had been paying attention to Tenna, but she couldn’t seem to remember exactly where they had been. The backstage hallways and rooms of studio equipment must have looked so similar she zoned out again, but their new location piqued her interest. 

It was a far cry from the rather plain surroundings behind the scenes or the mellow palette of the Green Room. Before them stood a trio of pink double doors, patterned with softly glowing stars. In fact, the wall itself looked like a starry night; deep blue and sparkling, all contrasted against that familiar red carpet. It was as if someone bottled the feeling of leaving a movie theatre and decorated with it. Noelle couldn’t help but stare, taking a step forward to get a closer look at the shifting colors.

“Noelle,” Tenna said softly, drawing her attention back to him. “You can let go if you want to look around.”

“Huh?”

Much to Noelle’s embarrassment, she looked over her shoulder to see she was clinging to Tenna’s sleeve. She didn’t remember when she had grabbed on, but she hoped it wasn’t too soon into the tour. With a bashful squeak, she withdrew her hand and clasped it behind her back. 

“I’m sorry!” She exclaimed, her face flushing through her fur. “I, uh, don’t know how that happened!’

“It’s alright, sweetheart,” Tenna chuckled, his screen briefly adopting a light pink hue. “You should never feel bad for needing a bit of extra support- especially in a new place.”

If a stage light suddenly fell from the ceiling in that moment, Noelle would’ve let it crush her. 

“You’ll have lots of fun here though, I promise!” Tenna continued. “This is our Physical Challenge Zone! I usually reserve it for my marvelous game show, but you can come here and play to your heart’s content.”

“‘Physical Challenge’?” Noelle asked.

“Yes! You know: Games! Activities! Unadulterated, unreplicated, family-friendly fun!” 

Despite the embarrassment still burning in her cheeks, Noelle couldn’t help but giggle as Tenna enthusiastically struck a new pose on every word. Even when he was done speaking, he did a few more for good measure before walking to the first door with Noelle in toe. Beside it was a large poster of a goat-like monster in a bright purple apron, presenting a pie with a bright smile. 

“Hey! That looks like Miss Toriel,” Noelle observed.

“Good eye, kiddo!” Tenna said excitedly. “This is the Cooking Channel! Inspired by Toriel’s many afternoons of scribbling down recipes.” He sighed dreamily. “You were there for a few of those, weren’t you?”

A draught crept from under the door, brushing Noelle’s face with the delightful scent of cinnamon and warm butter. “Yeah,” she replied, “Kris and Asriel would always do this silly narration over the top of it, but I just liked watching.”

Tenna pushed the door open. “Would you like to take a look?”

The warm, sugary air practically swept Noelle inside, inviting her onto the set. As expected, the stage was decorated like a large kitchen, complete with an oven, fridge, and a variety of pots and pans hanging on the wall. Laid out on the countertop was a tray of gingerbread monsters and a single gingerbread human, as well as a variety of icings, candies, and sprinkles, all organised into piping bags and jars. Despite the sweet and spicy smell, the cookies were cool enough to eat. 

“Wow,” Noelle gasped. “This is… so lovely!”

“And that’s not all!” Tenna exclaimed, pulling a microphone out of thin air.

The lights cut out for a split second and, when they came back up, Noelle found herself in a completely different outfit. Her white robes had been swapped for a new dress styled like a baker’s uniform, complete with a green and red frilly apron and a tiny chef’s hat. Stunned, she did a small spin, watching the fabric whirl around her body and settle back into place. It fit perfectly.

“Stylish, right?” Tenna asked playfully. “Can’t have your pretty gown getting all dirty, can we?” He pointed to nowhere in particular, speaking into the mic. “You’re in for a treat tonight, folks- literally! Our little star is going to put her decorating skills to the test and jazz up these poor plain cookies in only one minute!” 

“W-what?!”

As Noelle frantically reached for a batch of icing, Tenna lowered his microphone and chuckled. “Just kidding!” He said. “That’s how a Physical Challenge WOULD go, but- for today- why don’t we take it easy?” He sauntered onto the set, settling next to Noelle and carefully picking up a piping bag. “Which one do you want to do first?”

Noelle cast her gaze across the selection of cookies, but already knew which one to choose. “Can I, uh, have the human?” She asked, sheepishly.

“Of course!” Tenna replied. “I’ll do one of the monsters then.”

The cookie looked comically small in Tenna’s hands, but Noelle couldn’t help but smile at how gently he placed it on his plate. She waited for him to start before focusing on her own. She immediately reached for the yellow and green icings and began to pipe an outline, leaving space at the top for the hair. After meeting so many new people in a strange, new place, it was refreshing for Noelle to take her time and do such a calming activity. It had been a long while since she had done something like this, but she never forgot the techniques. How could she forget something that made her so happy? The monsters always had more complex shapes, so decorating a human was easy- especially when you had a design in mind. Noelle stuck out her tongue a little, concentrating on piping a thicker line of yellow across the middle and straightening it out with some extra green.

“May I have the yellow when you’re done with it?” Tenna asked.

“Oh! Of course!” Noelle replied. “Let me just fill in the face-“ She quickly worked inside her outline before placing the bag into his hand. “Here!”

“Thank you!” Tenna beamed. He started decorating a new section for all of 10 seconds before speaking again. “So, uh… You said you enjoyed watching the cooking shows?”

“Oh, yeah,” Noelle said, not taking her eyes off her work. “Honestly, half the time I wasn’t paying attention to what was going on, I just liked the noise, you know?”

Tenna glanced over. “How so?”

Noelle sighed. “Well, for starters, my mom never cooked, not like Toriel anyway. So, being able to sit by her side and help her take notes of all the ingredients and stuff, and even getting to sample some of the recipes sometimes was… exciting, I guess.” She laughed weakly at the thought. “The other kids in my class were always jealous of how often I got to eat fast food or be left home alone, but they didn’t get it.”

Tenna reached over for a jar of sprinkles, but kept his gaze locked firmly on Noelle. Her expression had soured.

“My house is always quiet. It never used to be, but…” Noelle hesitated a little. “But, after Dess disappeared, it was like she took all the sound with her.” Her hands trembled as she piped a small smile onto her cookie. “Kris’ house was always so vibrant. If they weren’t being silly with Asriel, Mr Asgore would be humming or Miss Toriel would be baking or-“ She glanced at Tenna out of the corner of her eye. “The TV would be on.” Her shoulders drew upward as he held her finished creation in her hands, cradling it like it was made of gold. “Mom didn’t let us have a TV in the living room. She said it was distracting. So, Dess and I used to love going to Kris’ just to watch theirs- or uh, you, I suppose.” She paused again, forcing another quiet laugh. “It’s embarrassing, but sometimes I used to fall asleep sitting upright, because the sound of all the static-y voices and music would just make me feel so relaxed.”

“Yes,” Tenna said softly. “I remember.”

The set fell silent for a moment as Noelle placed her cookie back on the plate, gazing down at it wistfully. 

“Wow! Amazing job, kiddo!” Tenna exclaimed. “Why, it looks just like Kris!” He carefully picked up his own creation, trying to balance it between his fingertips. “It’s a lot better than mine, haha.”

Tenna’s cookie was a rather messy rendition of a deer-like monster in a white dress with a red sprinkle for a nose and two pieces of pretzel for their antlers. He placed it onto the plate next to Noelle’s, making sure their nubby gingerbread hands were touching.

“Aww, look at that!” He cooed. “Don’t they look so cute together?”

Noelle couldn’t stop herself from smiling, a twinge of bittersweet joy pricking at her heart. “Y-yeah,” she said, her tone wavering a little. “They look like they were meant to be next to each other.” Her eyes snapped wide as she realised what she had just said. “Fahaha! I mean, uh, it makes sense when you think about it!” She squeaked, running her hands through her hair anxiously. “They were made from the same dough and, uh, baked in the same oven and stuff! So of course they would go together! You know what I mean?”

Tenna snickered. “I know exactly what you mean.” He patted her on the back as gently as he could. “Why don’t we leave these little cookies to get acquainted? We can give them some friends later.”

“Huh? Won’t they go stale?” Noelle asked.

“No, no, things work differently here,” Tenna replied, ushering her off the set. “Nothing goes bad in TV World!”

Somehow back in her long white robes, Noelle followed Tenna out the door and into the hallway. She couldn’t help but have a spring in her step after such a lovely activity. If she zoned out during the first half of the tour, her mind was buzzing with anticipation for the next. 

However, the second she stepped back onto the red carpet, something brought her thoughts to a screeching halt. She hadn’t noticed it before- or perhaps it wasn’t even present when they first arrived- but the ambient music in the corridor sounded familiar. Very familiar. It was a simple melody, but one she had heard over and over again. A melody from her childhood. An unfinished melody. Incomplete not out of laziness, but out of circumstance- and it only got louder as they approached the next set of doors. 

“Mr Tenna,” Noelle began, staring at where the poster should have been, “what is this?”

“Oh, this?” He replied. “This is the Music Channel! I think Toriel would kill me if she found out, but I simply couldn’t resist including a Challenge inspired by those rowdy music videos you-“

“Dess.” Noelle clasped her hands together as if in prayer. “This is Dess’s song.” She turned slowly, gazing up at Tenna with widened eyes. “How… did you get this?”

In an instant, Tenna’s cheerful expression dropped, switching to one of absolute panic. Not again. Not that look. He could feel his components heating up as he desperately searched for the right words to say. “I, uh- Well, you see-“ He shrunk a little as he spoke, his hands trembling as he anxiously gesticulated. “Your sister meant as much to me as you, Kris, and Asriel did! Hearing her play, seeing how happy it made you all, it made me happy too! So, I, uh…” He shrunk a little more, putting himself almost at Noelle’s height. “… I wanted to find a way to honor that, I suppose. Preserve it.” He put his head in his hands, his nose poking through his fingers. “I-I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I should’ve known this would upset you. Of course it would! Why wouldn’t it?! I just thought…” He trailed off, murmuring against his palms.

“Upset…?” Noelle looked around uncomfortably for a moment before gently placing a hand on Tenna’s head. His plastic casing was warm to the touch. “I’m not upset, silly. Just, uh… confused? Surprised?”  

Despite his lack of eyes, Noelle could feel Tenna glancing at her through his hands. “Really…?”

“Yeah,” she said softly. “I thought I’d never hear this tune again. So…” She glanced at the door. “The fact that it’s here is kind of amazing.” She touched her fingertips together. “Can we, uh, go in?… Please?”

Tenna stood upright, wringing his hands. “… You’re sure you’re not upset?” He whimpered.

Noelle nodded, flashing him a small but earnest smile and tugging at his blazer. “Come on! I wanna see!”

Delighted, Tenna sprung back to his usual size, almost lifting Noelle off the ground as they practically leapt onto the new set. Despite their enthusiasm, however, the room they had just barrelled into did not match their energy. It stopped them both in their tracks. Before them stood a darkened stage, illuminated by a single teal-hued spotlight. Bathed in the light, centre stage, sat a bright red guitar, propped up against a stool.

“N-no way…”

Almost in a trance, Noelle walked- then ran- to the edge of the stage. It was taller than it looked from a distance. She stood on her tip toes, peeking over the top like a child at their first concert. This was her first concert… once. The guitar’s bright paint against the blue light almost made it look like it was glowing; it reflected in Noelle’s widened, starry eyes. The music from the corridor was louder now, playing the tune in its full glory. How it was meant to be heard. Noelle could practically hear her sister’s nails on the strings as she gently plucked each note and strummed each chord. If she listened hard enough, she swore she could hear her breathing, snickering at her little sister’s starstruck face. Every time she blinked, Noelle would hope to see Dess sat on that stool, smiling down at her. For a split second, she thought she could see her in the dark.

“I-I’m sorry if this wasn’t what you were expecting,” Tenna began, dimming his screen. “I know I said this would be rowdy, but-“

“No,” Noelle said. “This is… lovely.” She remained in her spot, staring. The bits of dust floating around the spotlight looked like stars against the pitch black backdrop. Stars… or falling snow. “Dess used to practice this melody all the time,” Noelle continued, resting her head in her hands. “She thought it was the best thing ever. That she was sooo smart for coming up with something so catchy.” She giggled to herself for a moment.. “Only problem was… she could never fit it into a full song. She tried everything, but she thought it worked best as an independent melody. So…” She closed her eyes, listening intently. “This is the version I’m used to.” 

Tenna kept his distance as she spoke, watching intently. Her white dress and blonde hair sparkled under the cool light. She looked like an angel, praying at a makeshift altar. Even though it was his world, in a room he created, Tenna couldn’t help but feel like he was witnessing something private… and he loved it. After years of dead air, of radio silence, of the emptiness of being unplugged, he finally had not only an audience, but an original viewer ready to watch again. To feel again. His components hummed contently, filling his head with static excitement. A tangible eagerness to entertain that he had to contain, at least for a few more minutes.

He held himself as he glanced into the void, looking past Noelle’s ethereal presence and staring directly into the darkness. A thankful grin spread across his face.

“You know, Noelle,” Tenna began, keeping his tone as soft as possible, “when I was looking through my memories of you and your sister, I did manage to find a more complete version of this song. She performed it at Kris's birthday party.” He took a few steps forward, but Noelle paid him no mind. “If you’d like, we can play it… You could even give an instrument a try! I know you’re more of a singer, but maybe-“

“No.”

Tenna tilted his head. “No?”

Noelle looked over her shoulders, her misty eyes glistening like fresh snow. “Can we just… keep listening to this one?”

Tenna softened his expression. He walked over to Noelle like he was approaching a lost child, which- in a way- he was. Slowly, he sat himself down, his back against the stage. Noelle looked down at him for a moment, tears dotted on her eyelashes, before kneeling by his side. 

The pair sat quietly, allowing the music- Dess’s music- to fill the room. Every pluck caused the very air to tremor; every strum could be felt through the floor. Despite its simplicity, its repetitiveness, the melody hung in the atmosphere with the power of a hymn and the gentleness of a lullaby.  Despite being recorded years ago, it played as if she was in the room. Her song rattled Noelle’s heart in her ribcage, forcing her mind to the past. To her childhood. To when everything was simply… better.

She drew up her shoulders, making herself as small as possible as she pressed up against Tenna.

“Hey, Tenna?” Noelle murmured, her face buried in her hair. 

“Yes, little star?” Tenna replied.

“Before… You… said you had memories of my sister, right? As in, memories you could physically look back on?” 

“That’s right.”

Noelle rolled the bells on her hair ties between her fingers. “That’s how you got that weird photo in my room, right?”

Tenna snickered. “Not weird; sentimental- but yes.”

“Then…” Noelle hesitated, her ears flicking anxiously as she tried to find the right words. “Could I… take a look at them?”

Tenna emitted an intrigued sound, causing Noelle to stiffen.

“I-I mean, I understand that it’s very personal and maybe invasive, but uh-“ She took a deep breath, exhaling slowly through her nose. “I would just… really like to see some of that stuff, you know?”

Tenna switched his gaze between Noelle and the vast darkness surrounding them, a long forgotten feeling permeating his very being. 

“If you could let me see her, see us, even just for a moment…”

The feeling of approval. 

“It would mean the world to me.”

Of being needed.

“Please…?”

Tenna lowered his head, speaking almost reverently in response.

“Of course, Noelle. Whatever you want.”

Noelle let out a contented sigh, putting her full body weight against his arm. “Thank you…” she whispered, clinging to his sleeve.

Chapter Text

It felt like an eternity had passed when they eventually emerged from the Music Channel. The lights in the corridor had dimmed slightly, making the exit from the darkness easier on their eyes. Noelle was unsure if there was any passage of time in TV World, but she felt as if it was late. Like she had woken up in the middle of the night and went for a walk. Then again, despite all the lights and music, TV World always had a feeling of late-night calm. 

The pair moved silently to the next set of doors, which was also missing a descriptive poster.

Noelle emitted a curious sound. “Where does this go?” She asked.

“Well, this WAS meant to be the next Physical Challenge,” Tenna began, “but we simply couldn’t decide what it could be.” He twirled his antenna around his finger, bashfully. “There’s just so many things you enjoy, I couldn’t pick just one!”

“What about the snow day with Elnina you mentioned before?”

Tenna scoffed. “That’s not a Physical Challenge! That’s just a bit of fun! You can do that outside where you’ll have all the space you need.”

Noelle glanced at the door. “So, this room is just empty?” 

“For now, yes,” Tenna affirmed. “But, that makes it perfect for what we’re about to do.”

The vacant set looked exactly as one would expect. Exposed, scuffed vinyl on the floor; stage lights pointing nowhere in particular; half drawn stage curtains; and a pile of boxes brimming with odd props and script drafts. It was hard to believe the other Physical Challenges started off this way. 

Noelle scanned the labels on the boxes. “So, are the photos in here?”

“Photos?” Tenna repeated. “No, no, I’ve got something even better.” He gestured to the centre of the room. “Can you go ahead and stand there for me?”

Noelle did as she was told, smiling nervously.

“Great! Now, let me just…” Tenna looked around for a moment before positioning himself a few feet away. “Okay, now close your eyes- and make sure they’re closed really tight!”

Letting out a quiet giggle, Noelle squeezed her eyes shut and covered them with her hands for good measure. 

“Alright, no peeking!”

Slowly, the air began to fill with the sound of static, growing louder and louder by the second. Noelle could almost feel it tickling and prickling at her exposed fur, as if she was being surrounded by it. Excitement tingled in her stomach as she anticipated what she’d see. Whatever it was, she knew it would blow a photograph out the water.

“Okay! You can look now!”

As she opened her eyes, Noelle couldn’t help but gasp. 

Before her stood a familiar room, golden yellow like a field of buttercups and scented like warm cinnamon. It was the Dreemurr’s house. Everything was exactly as she remembered it. The large, plush couch; the archway into the kitchen; and the TV sat right between two armchairs. She looked around in amazement, putting her hand up to the sunlight pouring through the windows and feeling its warmth. 

“Oh my gosh, Mr Tenna,” she said softly, barely audible from astonishment, “how in the world did you do this?” She glanced around the room. “Mr Tenna?”

“Over here!”

Noelle’s ears twitched as she tried to locate the source of the muffled voice. “Mr… Tenna?” She repeated, crouching by the television.

“Hey! You found me!” Tenna said cheerfully. His bright voice sounded as if it was coming from inside the TV through layers of static. “What do you think? Groovy, right?”

“It’s amazing! I-it’s like I’m really here!” Noelle looked around again. “But, uh, where are you?”

“I AM the TV, remember?” A crackly chuckle emanated from the bright screen. “This is just how I look in your world. A bit less impressive, I know.”

Noelle patted his casing softly. “I always thought you were cool!”

“Aww, you make me blush, kid,” Tenna cooed. “Anyway, welcome to my memories- or, should I say our memories.” Suddenly, the room began cycling through different versions of itself. One at night; one with birthday decorations; and one with moving boxes, before eventually settling on a scene decorated for Christmas. “Everything you see here is what I’ve been able to see over the years. When I project it like this, I can watch it all back whenever I want.”

Noelle stood, reflecting for a moment. “So, when you said you saw me grow up…?”

“I meant it. Literally.” Tenna said, smug. “I remember everything. Every squeal of laughter, every game, every special, and every time you kissed my screen before you left.”

“AH! I HAD FORGOTTEN ABOUT THAT!” Noelle shrieked, her face flushing. “T-that’s so embarrassing! If I had known you were-“ She gestured frantically at the TV. “You know! Alive or whatever! I promise I wouldn’t have done that!” Noelle ran her fingers through her hair, looking down at her hooves. “I-I just… I just liked to thank the TV for doing such a good job.”

“Aww, don’t feel too bad, sweetheart,” Tenna said warmly. “The way I looked after you all, why, you may as well have been kissing a family member goodbye.” Almost on command, the doorbell rang. “Speaking of-“

Gradually, the room began to fill with sound. Clattering silverwear, festive music, and- most importantly- familiar voices. 

“One moment!” A warm voice shouted from the kitchen. “Kris, dear! Can you get the door? The Holidays are here!”

Noelle looked up, following the sound of muffled footsteps as they quickly made their way downstairs and a little human in a green and yellow sweater came running into view. Their messy brown hair was pulled half-up into a pair of ear-like pigtails and a large grin decorated their face, showing a missing tooth. Noelle watched as they jumped to reach the doorhandle, adjusting their red horned headband as they landed, her eyes already growing misty. 

“Kris…” She murmured barely above a whisper, as if her voice would bring the memory crashing down. “I forgot how small they used to be…”

After a few attempts, Kris finally got the door open, only to be immediately scooped up by a deer monster in a garish festive-themed suit. His face was blurred, like it was in the photo in her room, but Noelle could still make out his gleeful expression.

“Meeeeerrry Christmas, Krismas!” He shouted cheerfully. “Get any cool presents this year?”

“For Heaven’s sake, Rudolph, put them down,” a sharp voice snapped. “We don’t want any accidents before we’ve even walked through the door.”

Instinctively, Noelle began to grasp at her skirt. She couldn't believe her eyes- or her ears. She wanted to dive behind the couch and hide, but she was frozen in the middle of the room. It was her mother; her face, obscured by a black aura. It almost looked like a burned hole in a piece of film. The absence of a face made her troubling to look at but, just from her body language and general tone, Noelle could tell she was happy. Both of her parents were happy. Together. She didn’t know what made her more uncomfortable.

“Oh, come on, Carol, it’s Christmas!” Rudy jeered. “You’re not in the office, remember?”

For the first time in what felt like forever, Noelle heard her mother laugh. “Perhaps, but I will be tomorrow- and I don’t want to be calling in late to check anyone into the hospital.”

A shudder ran down Noelle’s spine. The very sound of that word made her stomach turn at the best of times, but hearing it here, knowing her father’s current circumstances, forced bile into her throat. She swallowed, watching intently as her parents sauntered in and almost dissolved into the kitchen. Two more voices could be heard greeting them; the motherly voice from before, and a much deeper but equally friendly one. 

Before she could listen in on their conversation, another voice caught her attention.

“Elly, what’s wrong?”

A voice she hadn’t heard in years.

“Come on… Don’t you wanna see Krismas?”

In an instant, her hooves pulled themselves from the floor like they were being ripped from mud as Noelle frantically ran to the door. The second she laid eyes on the monsters in front of her, a flood of emotions took hold. If she hadn’t been clinging to the doorframe, Noelle would have fallen to her knees and sobbed.

Standing outside in the snow were two more deer monsters. A pair of sisters. The younger one fidgeted with the bows in her braids, her free hand clasped tightly to the older one’s coat. She wore a bright red dress and a sheepish expression, glancing between the open door and her little hooves. It was hard to believe she was related to the confident girl beside her, with her choppy dark hair and eclectic attire. Despite her rugged appearance, she looked down at her sister with a warm smile. Her face was clear as day.

“I know,” the older girl said. “Lotsa grown-ups make you nervous, don’t they?”

The little doe nodded.

“Don’t worry! I’ve got somethin’ that’ll help!”

Noelle watched in awe as the older sister pulled off her backpack and rummaged around for a moment before carefully removing a pair of sparkly, fabric angel wings and a halo attached to a headband.

“Here we go!” She exclaimed. “Put out your arms, Elly-“

An icy breeze brushed against Noelle’s face, but the warmth of her tears counteracted it instantly. She held herself as she continued to stare, transfixed by the scene playing out in front of her. The looks on their faces, the way the elder adjusted everything so carefully, while the younger sniffled in the cold; it all made Noelle’s chest ache. A flurry of joy, astonishment, and agony swirled inside her, making her unable to truly cry. All she could do was simply feel.

“O Little Angel of Bravery,” the older girl announced in an exaggerated regal voice, “are you ready to go forth?”

“O-okay!” The little girl giggled, looking over her shoulder at her wings. “Let’s go, Dess!”

Noelle stepped back as the two girls entered, holding hands.  She never thought she would see the day she and Dess were the same height. The fact that this version of her sister was younger than she was in that moment made her light-headed; her mind torn between wonder and anguish. When she was little, Dess was practically a grown up- tall and brave; cool and smart- but now she looked like any other teenager. Her eyes sparkled with youthful innocence, despite her well-known rebellious streak. How long had it been since she saw that light? Patting her tear stained cheeks with her sleeves, Noelle resisted the urge to reach out and hug her, backing further away.

“Hello?” Dess said loudly. “Anybody ho-ho-home?”

Suddenly, Kris came barrelling in from the kitchen, almost slipping on the wooden floor. They made a beeline straight for little Noelle, picking up even more speed before stopping inches from her face. She looked petrified for a second, before erupting into high pitched laughter. 

“Kris used to do that a lot…” older Noelle lamented. “They’d run at me like they were going to knock me over, wait until I got scared, and then stop and-“ She paused as she watched the two children hug each other tightly. “… give me the biggest hug.”

Dess put her hands on her hips, shaking her head sardonically. “You kids are nuts, I swear,” she chuckled. “Hey, Krismeister, where’s your brother?”

Kris pointed to the ceiling, still clinging to little Noelle.

“Ugh, seriously? He’s still upstairs?” Dess scoffed. “Typical. Bet he’s listening to his dorky ska stuff and couldn’t hear everyone come in.” Flicking her ears, she reached for the TV remote and switched the channel to one showing a stop-motion Christmas special. “Why don’t you two get comfy and watch some TV while I go and grab him?”

Without a word, the two children immediately ran to the rug in front of the television, hand in hand. Noelle hopped out of the way as they passed her, unable to stop herself from smiling weakly at their cheerful little faces. As they walked, they left a trail of glittering particles behind them, like shimmering snow. They were practically glowing in each other’s presence.

“Hey, careful down there,” Dess said, making her way towards the kitchen. “If you sit too close, the TV will make your eyes go square!”

“Nuh uh,” little Noelle replied, straightening out her dress as she sat, “Mr Tenna’s nice. He wouldn’t do that.”

Kris nodded and crossed their arms, as if to reiterate her point.

Dess rolled her eyes. “Okay, okay. Well, have fun.” Before she disappeared into the next room, Dess looked back for a moment, smiling warmly. “I’ll be back soon, okay, Elly?”

As she faded out of view, Noelle felt her heart drop. She glanced over to her younger self, sitting and smiling; her eyes wide, illuminated with the pictures on the screen. Unaware of how precious that phrase would become. One day, she never came back- and Elly grew up into Noelle. 

Tears began to burn in her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away, removing any stragglers with the back of her hand. 

“You remember this, don’t you?” Tenna said, his voice intermingled with the sounds of the special. “Toriel got distracted from making dinner, so your sister and Asriel had to help- and you two ended up being sat here for hours.”

“Yeah…” Noelle murmured, slowly passing the children to stand beside him. “Dess was so proud she had actually cooked something. She bragged about it for weeks.” She chuckled seeing her younger self shake Kris by the shoulders and point at the screen. Her favorite character must have come on. “I… can’t tell how all this makes me feel though.”

The CRT hummed a little louder. “What do you mean?”

Wringing her hands, Noelle continued to stare at her younger self as she rested her head on Kris’s shoulder; her little antlers just small enough to avoid jabbing them in the cheek. 

“Being able to see all this is wonderful,” Noelle began, putting her back against the wall. “I know it’s awful to admit, but… I had almost forgotten what Dess sounded like.” She held herself again, rubbing her arms and grasping at the fabric of her sleeves. “Seeing all this play out in real time is amazing. I-I would’ve loved something like this as a kid, but… it also makes me feel a bit sick.”

The room began to darken, its previously golden hues melting into soft purples and blues as if nighttime had suddenly drawn in. 

“Sick…?” Tenna whimpered. “D-do you want me to stop?”

Noelle drew up her shoulders, shaken by his worried tone. “No, no, it’s just…” She looked back at the children. Despite the change of palette, they were still glowing bright in that nostalgic golden hue. “I… I wish things had stayed this way.” Noelle stomped her foot as her eyes began to water again. She chewed at her lip to stop it from quivering, but her body had decided to do what she should have done at the door. Unable to stop her legs from buckling, Noelle slid down the wall and started sobbing into her knees. Not just crying, sobbing. She felt her ribcage rattle with every wail. It was different being able to cry without worrying about her mother hearing; without worrying about what people thought; without holding back. “I-I’m sorry, Mr Tenna,” she mewled. “I-I know you’re just trying to make me happy, b-but…” Another rasping sob prevented her from finishing her sentence.

Slowly, the other voices from the kitchen began to fade away, leaving only a soundscape of dreamlike music from the TV and Noelle’s uncontrollable cries. Before long, the music stopped too, leaving dead air in its place, but Noelle didn’t stop.

Not until she felt a hand on her back.

She looked up from her knees, eyes reddened and wet, to see Tenna kneeled beside her in his regular form. Rather than his usual face, his screen instead depicted a calm snowy scene.

Noelle sniffled, grimacing at the wet patches she had left on her dress. “I-I’m sorry,” she repeated. “I didn’t mean to… I just…”

“It’s alright, Noelle,” Tenna said quietly. “This is just like the situation with the Music Channel… I should’ve known this would have been too much for you.”

“N-no, I wanted to see this. I did, but…” Noelle stammered. “I just… wish things didn’t have to change.” She rested her chin on her knees, fighting the urge to tear up again. “I miss it all so much. I miss Kris. I miss our families spending time together. I miss…” She squeezed her eyes shut, causing a single tear to run down her cheek. “I miss my sister.” 

With another stifled sob, Noelle slumped against Tenna, the corners of her mouth twitching as she clinged to his blazer. The feeling of him gently rubbing her back only made her want to cry more. “Mom doesn’t let me talk like this, you know?” She said. “Mom AND Dad both act like nothing ever happened. I know they’re probably hurting too, but…” She felt Tenna hold her tighter. “They don’t even let me go in her room.” Noelle sniffled again. “When Dess disappeared, the first thing I wanted to do was sleep in her bed and hope I’d wake up to her picking me up and taking me to my own room… but Mom didn’t let me- and I never woke up to her again.”

Tenna turned his screen off entirely as Noelle continued to sob into his suit jacket, leaving dark red tear stains across the fabric. He pulled her even closer, her small frame trembling under his palm. He knew why Noelle stopped visiting the Dreemurrs, he even knew about her home life, but hearing it from her directly- hearing the agony in her voice- tore him apart. His mind raced, conflicted between his own selfish desires to be needed, to continue seeing her vulnerable and asking for his help, and the longing to purge her of the sadness she carried. His antennae twitched as he lingered on his thoughts a little longer, gazing at Noelle intently through his hollow screen then shifting his attention to darkened haze on the edge of his memory. 

‘What am I saying?’ He thought. ‘I AM needed. I AM. She was brought here BECAUSE she needed me- my TALENTS, right?!’ 

Sharp, thin veins of deeper darkness crept into the cooler hues of Tenna’s projection, crawling into the scenery like disembodied hands before just stopping short of the children. Perhaps it was the dim light, but they seemed to accumulate around little Noelle, pointing. Maybe this was the closest he’d get to an answer. To permission. Maybe this was his sign to proceed.

Before he could gather his thoughts, Tenna heard Noelle’s tearful murmurs become audible.

“I-I’m sorry, Mr Tenna,” she repeated. “I just… I’d give anything to be a kid again. I wanna go back.”

After a measured breath, Tenna’s screen flickered back to life. He had an idea. “If that’s the case,” he began, “how about I show you one more memory? I promise it’ll make you feel right as rain.”

Noelle glanced up at him, only able to muster a small ‘mhm’.

“Alright. Can you sit up for me then, little star?” He asked, keeping his tone as warm as he could. “Close your eyes too, just like you did before.”

Once again, Noelle did as she was told; sitting upright and covering her eyes with her hands as Tenna repositioned himself. 

The air buzzed with static for a moment, before fading out to the sound of excited whispers and giggles. She didn’t need to be told when to look this time. Rain pounded against the windows as Noelle tried to get her bearings in the darkened room; the only light was the soft glow of Tenna’s screen, displaying a near silent sign off. She was still undoubtedly in the Dreemurr’s living room, but something seemed… different. Perhaps it was just the perspective from where she was sitting, but everything looked bigger. Before she could look for Tenna and ask, the whispers got louder, prompting her to sit perfectly still as four figures drew near. 

One, a goat monster in a pair of green pajamas, had their face obscured just like her parents. It looked like someone had scribbled on him with red crayon. “Dess,” he said in a stage whisper, “I don’t think this is a good idea. What if my parents wake up?”

Any stray thoughts Noelle had dissipated the second Dess came into view, as her attention was drawn to the red guitar in her hand. “Oh please, Azzy, your parents are wasted,” she chuckled. “Even if they did wake up, they probably won’t remember it tomorrow.” With a wry smirk, Dess threw herself onto the couch, tuning her strings. “Come on, you two!”

Carefully, Kris and little Noelle tiptoed in and headed straight for where Noelle was sitting. She held her breath, waiting for them to phase through her like ghosts or, worse, bump into her and erase her from existence like in those sci-fi movies but, much to her surprise, they simply sat right beside her. Strangely, her child self didn’t seem as small anymore.

“Ready for a little late night concert?” Dess asked with a wink.

Noelle’s heart pounded in her chest as she couldn’t help but join in with the kids’ unanimous ‘yeah!’. She never thought she’d hear those words from her sister again.

With a dramatic crack of her knuckles and a spirited laugh, Dess began to play.

Just as Tenna said, there it was: the preserved song. Dess’s song. The golden glow that enveloped the children was now weaved within her guitar strings, flinging bright sparks into the air with every pluck and lighting up the room with each strum. It was magical, but so was watching Dess play in general. Noelle sat as her child self did: cross-legged on the rug, eyes wide, and utterly captivated. Hearing the melody in the Music Channel was one thing, but seeing and hearing it a mere foot away- like it was meant to be heard- filled her heart with an unspeakable joy. The sight of Dess’s proud smile; her ears twitching as if trying to catch the notes as they entered the air; her ability to close her eyes and still play perfectly was mesmerising.

The longer she sat and stared, the more tension fell away from Noelle’s body. The dark pit in her stomach, full of anguish and longing, began to empty; replaced by a warm, nostalgic feeling only something like this could bring. It spread around her body, pushing comfort through every clenched muscle and aching joint before eventually reaching her troubled mind. 

She couldn’t remember the last time she had felt so at peace.

Her shoulders slouched as her sister continued to play; her eyes, half open and sparkling with the radiance of her guitar. Each time she blinked, she felt more and more relaxed. The bells on her hair ties jingled softly as she began to unconsciously sway with the music. After a while, Dess started to hum along. Despite her wayward attitude, her voice was so calm and gentle. The warmth of the room caressed her like a weighted blanket, whilst the rain and static harmonized with Dess’s guitar to create a tranquil soundscape. The longer she listened, the more Noelle’s body began to succumb to the need to sleep, unable to stifle a yawn or truly open her eyes.

It was all so peaceful. So comfortable. So… perfect.

As her heavy eyelids finally closed, a tired smile crept across Noelle’s face. She couldn’t help but think how wonderful it was to be able to fall asleep sitting up just like she used to.

Chapter Text

Typically, Tenna hated when his audience fell asleep in front of the TV. At best, it indicated they were simply too exhausted to be entertained; at worst, it suggested they were bored or intoxicated. The very sight of closed or wandering eyes made his components whine, but he couldn’t bring himself to feel that way about Noelle.

Noelle was different.

While his other viewers dozed off with no regard for his broadcasts, Noelle fell asleep because she loved TV. Even when she was small, her mind was such an anxious place, and nothing silenced it faster than sitting before his inviting glow. He had watched her drift off many times over the years, but he never imagined he’d be able to see her peaceful, slumbering face as he held her in his arms. She wasn’t the little girl from his memories anymore, at least not physically, but what was a teenager if not a bigger child? The second he scooped her up off the floor, she instinctively clung to the lapel of his blazer, but didn’t wake up for even a moment. 

The entirety of TV World was darker now. Not pitch black but comfortably dim, only illuminated by a ceiling of softly glowing stars. It’s what she would have wanted. Small groups of his employees scattered as Tenna slowly made his way down the hall back to Noelle’s room; each step taken with precision and care so as not to jostle her awake. Every so often, she would emit a contented murmur before readjusting herself slightly, but she never loosened her grip.

Entering Noelle’s room filled Tenna with a sense of pride. Even if it may have startled her at first, he knew this was what she needed. A familiar place, filled with memories. He snapped his fingers as quietly as he could, prompting an array of red and green Christmas lights to spark to life along the edge of the room, intermingling with the glow-in-the-dark stars to cast a soft, festive hue. Carefully, Tenna drew back the duvet with his free hand and gently placed Noelle into bed. As soon as her head touched the pillow, Noelle fumbled around for her bedsheets, pulling them up to her face and turning over into a fetal position. 

Tenna stood over her for a moment, watching intently. In the Light World, Noelle wasn’t the heaviest sleeper. While the cacophony of domestic and static-y sound was what sent her to sleep, the smallest sudden raised voice or slamming of a door would snap her wide awake. Here, though, she was sleeping like a baby. Like an angel. A slight twinge of guilt pricked at Tenna’s core as he heard her let out another sleepy whimper. He knew it was wrong of him to use his abilities on someone so vulnerable, but it was clear she needed the rest. She needed the peace only he and his mesmerising, nostalgic showings could bring. Real peace. She didn’t have to know he was responsible.

Slowly, Tenna moved away from the bed, stopping every few steps to listen for any changes in her breathing. Just as he was about to leave the room, something on her dresser caught his eye. One of the photographs had been turned over, face down on the table. With a wry smirk, Tenna made his way over and took the photo into his hands. It was his photograph; the one Noelle kept calling weird. He stifled a scoff, running his thumbs over the glass as if petting the children's hair.

‘There’s nothing weird about this,’ he thought to himself. ‘Of all people, Noelle should understand why I keep hold of these things.’

The longer he lingered on the photo, the more he found himself scowling at the shadowy figures in the background, repulsed by the light of his screen being reflected in their blurred wine glasses; the only indicator they were even there. It was a shame they had to share space with Kris and Noelle’s sweet, beaming faces. He delicately placed the frame back in its spot, nestled between other precious moments, before heading to the door. As he slowly pushed it open, blocking as much incoming light as he could, he looked back over his shoulder at Noelle, smiling.

“Sleep well, little angel.”

Closing the door as quietly as he could, Tenna set off back down the corridor. As he walked, he couldn’t help but snicker to himself, unable to contain the exhilarating mixture of excitement and pride buzzing throughout his body. After all this time, he was finally able to do what he loved, what he was made for. Not only was he entertaining a Lightner, a returning viewer no less, but he was helping her too. Providing service AND smiles- and he was doing it well. His grin only got wider as he rounded each corner, the spring in his step growing so strong he could have danced his way across TV World. 

By the time he entered the Green Room, Tenna was humming loudly, snapping his fingers with no real discernable rhythm. 

“You seem ‘appy,” Ramb muttered, still diligently keeping his post at the bar.

Tenna turned to face him with a joyous twirl. “Oh, I am,” he said, taking a seat. “I don’t think I’ve been this happy in a very long time.” He eyed the contents of the darkened shelves. “Say, got any of that cinnamon stuff left? Think you could whip me up a spiked version? Only one though! There’s children about!”

Ramb let out a dry chuckle, but did as he was told, mixing the red soda he had offered Noelle with a large splash of whiskey. 

“Hey, hey, hey! Can I get some of those little gold stars on it too? I AM celebrating after all.”

Begrudgingly, Ramb accepted his request, half-heartedly shaking a container of star-shaped sprinkles over the short glass. Tenna held his drink up proudly, marvelling at the color.

“Cheers!” He exclaimed.

Ramb merely scoffed in response, watching Tenna take a long sip of the unnaturally red beverage. 

“What exactly are you celebratin’, mate?” 

“Is that even a question?” Tenna asked. “Noelle’s visit, of course! It’s already going better than I could have ever imagined.”

Ramb crossed his arms over the counter. “Yeah?”

“Yes!” Tenna exclaimed, almost spilling his drink. “I think she really loves it here- and why wouldn’t she? TV World is a paradise for a girl like her. Here, she can fully immerse herself in all the joys of her childhood with no nasty grown-ups breathing down her neck.”

The bartender grimaced. “Are you sure about that, mate?” 

Tenna paused mid-swig, swallowing heavily and placing his glass down with a firm tap. “Of course I am,” he said, his tone wavering. “Why do you ask?” 

Ramb’s gaze cast down to Tenna’s free hand as it drummed on the countertop. He knew there would be claw marks if he wasn’t wearing gloves. He then scanned the room for any lingering colleagues, ensuring the place was empty before he continued. His mind raced as he cleared his throat, choosing his next words as carefully as possible. “Far be it from me to judge the way you do things, boss, but uh-“ Ramb focused himself back on Tenna’s screen, trying to keep his expression as neutral as possible. “You’re torturin’ her, you know that, right?”

The lights in the Green Room flickered for a moment, suddenly unable to reach their usual luminosity. Tenna’s screen was the brightest thing in the room.

“That’s a strong word, pal,” Tenna said, nonchalant. “Care to explain yourself?” 

Ramb narrowed his eyes, monitoring his boss’ body language. “Everyone likes to reminisce every now and again, don’t they?” He began. “But Noelle’s had it rough. She still has it bloody rough. Constantly takin’ her back and showin’ ‘er what she’s lost, makin’ ‘er feel all these things- it’s torture, innit?”

The corner of Tenna’s smiling mouth twitched, pulling back to reveal his teeth. “First of all,” he snapped, somehow keeping his tone uncomfortably cheery, “Noelle asked me to show her those memories. I told her many times if she was upset or uncomfortable she could leave, but guess what? She didn’t. She loved it.” He took another long, drawn out sip. “Second, do you know what’s real torture, Ramb? Going through something as devastating as losing a loved one and having no one to turn to about it.” Tenna held his drink up again, swirling the ice around the glass; it cast a sickly red glow across the bar, spilling onto Ramb’s puzzled face. “Neglected by your parents; abandoned by family friends; and all the while ignored by everyone else because they think you’re just so well behaved.” He leant forward, still grinning. “That is torture.” 

Ramb shrunk into himself slightly, furrowing his brow. “But what do you gain from making ‘er cry?”

Tenna downed the remaining alcohol, slamming the empty glass back on the countertop, before spreading his arms wide like he was welcoming an invisible audience. “The greatest strength of television is its ability to make people feel. It’s- I’m a shoulder to cry on. A loyal friend who always knows the right thing to say. Make ya laugh; make ya cry; make you feel.” Tenna laughed for all of five seconds before dropping his hands into his lap. His screen had switched off. “I watched Noelle grow up… Just like I watched Kris.” His crackling voice echoed in his plastic casing. “I understand her. I know what she needs… that’s why she was brought here.” 

The sound of dead air in between Tenna’s words made the hair on Ramb’s neck stand on end. He couldn’t tell whether he was saddened or furious; either possibility made the bartender’s stomach turn, but he couldn’t let it show. “And what does she need, exactly?”

Tenna looked back at his employee, his screen flickering back to life with a grim smile plastered on it. “To be here, with me.” He started drumming on the bar again, slower this time. 

“Tenna,” Ramb began, stifling a disgusted expression, “the girl has a family. I know what you’re tryin’ to say, I do, but you can’t keep her ‘ere forever-“

“Why not?” Tenna interrupted. “What is there for her out there? A cold, controlling mother? A father who’s well enough to go to church, but not to ensure she’s not locked out? Friends who treat her like some academic accessory?” 

Ramb raised an eyebrow. “How do you know all that…? Did it-“

“This place can be whatever she wants- whatever she needs!” Tenna continued, gesturing around the room with his free hand. “She can have companionship and catharsis all under one starry roof! Excitement one moment, and true peace the next! Away from that miserable, silent house; free to feel without judgment; free to-“ Tenna paused, his expression softening. “Free to… be a child again. To… take back what she lost when her sister went away.”

The room fell silent for a moment. It troubled Ramb how he was still unable to truly judge Tenna’s demeanor. His tensed shoulders said anxiety, but his rigid arm movements said anger. His voice emanated empathy one moment, but dripped with troubling obsession the next. All the while keeping that horrid toothy grin.

“Again, I understand what you’re tryin’ to do, mate,” Ramb said, cautious. “I just don’t know about your methods. The projections are one thing, but using ‘em to send ‘er into some kind of trance is-“

A shrill, manic laugh cut the bartender off. “Why am I even listening to you?” Tenna spat. “You don’t know Noelle like I do. I know what I’m doing.”

The sight of Tenna’s crooked, twitching antennae made Ramb’s skin crawl. “I know you do, that’s the worst part,” he muttered under his breath.

With a patronising smirk and a flick of his wrist, Tenna sent his glass over the bar and onto the floor, causing it to shatter instantly. “Oh dear,” he said sarcastically. “I’m sorry, pal, my hand must have slipped!”

Ramb looked between the broken glass at his feet and his boss’s jeering screen. “Fine, do whatever you think is best,” he sighed, unable to disguise his aggravation, “but at least give her the option to leave, yeah?”

“I will… if she brings it up,” Tenna huffed as he stood. “Until then, she can stay here as long as she likes.”

The petulant tone in Tenna’s voice made Ramb uneasy. He turned away, taking a dustpan and brush from the wall, but could feel his boss’s attention burning a hole into the back of his skull. 

“You know, Ramb,” Tenna hissed through a saccharine veneer, “you should really learn to be more considerate when talking to your employer. We wouldn’t want anyone being let go, would we?” 

An uncomfortable chuckle escaped Ramb’s wavering mouth, but he didn’t look back. “You raise a good point, mate,” he said, sweeping the glass into a small pile. “How is your employer anyway?”

While the tension in the air turned his stomach, the sudden sheer silence told Ramb he had won- for now. As Tenna paced out of the Green Room, the bartender dumped the remnants of his glass into the trash and continued with his duties. Despite the rarity of him getting the last word, he couldn’t bring himself to feel smug, not after what he had heard.

The second he knew he was out of earshot, alone in the corridor, Tenna growled into his hands, practically shaking in anger.

“That lousy little good-for-nothing,” he rasped to himself. “Thinking he can tell me how to entertain- how to do my job!” He clenched his fists, his mind racing. “I know those kids better than anybody. I’m doing what’s best!” Without thinking, Tenna kicked out at a nearby trashcan, sending it hurtling down the hall. It hit a wall with a loud crack, colliding with one of his posters, shattering its frame, and causing it to flop meekly onto the ground. When he eventually passed the mess he had made, he couldn’t stop himself from sneering at the smiling face at his feet. “Mike,” he said loudly, “get someone to clean this up.”

Pinching at the bridge of his nose, Tenna pushed his way into the next corridor. The walls were lined with doors, all decorated with golden stars bearing the names of each of his employees. He put his hands together and took a deep breath; it didn’t do much to calm him, but it was just enough to face his more tolerable staff. He followed the doors until he eventually reached the one he was looking for, knocking a tune. The sound of frantic footsteps from inside distracted him momentarily from the putrid mix of emotions pulling at his wires. Putting on a smile, Tenna straightened his tie as the door slowly opened. Before him stood Elnina, out of her usual uniform and instead clad in a white bathrobe with her cloudy hair stacked on her head in an array of multicolored curlers.

“M-Mr Tenna,” she said, a bashful expression forming on her face, “I-I’m sorry. If I knew you were coming, I would’ve put on something a little more presentable!”

Tenna forced himself to laugh with her. “Oh hush! I’m the one who should be apologising for dropping in so late!”

Elnina twirled the belt of her robe around her finger. “So, uh, is there something I can help you with, sir?”

“Actually, yes,” Tenna began. “Would you be a dear and treat our little angel to the snow day we promised her tomorrow? She’s had a big day today, and I think she would really love it.”

“Oh, of course!” Elnina chirped. “Admittedly, I’ve been waiting for you to ask since you mentioned it. Noelle is such a sweet girl; it’s really lovely to have her here.”

The earnestness in his colleague’s voice made Tenna’s smile a little more genuine. “Yes, it is, isn’t it?” He folded his arms, attempting to disguise how he was holding himself. “I just… want the best for her. She’s so miserable in the Light World. I know I-“ He hesitated for a moment, clearing his throat. “I know we can show her a good time and make her forget about all that.”

Elnina put her hand on Tenna’s arm, gazing up at him with sympathetic eyes. “I know, Mr Tenna,” she said softly. “For what it’s worth, I think TV World is perfect for her. I don’t think she’s had many things made just for her, so… being here is probably pretty special.”

Hearing such sincere, positive words made Tenna’s screen burn pink around the edges. That’s what he needed to hear. What he deserved to hear. A flower would have bloomed at the end of his nose if he didn’t restrain himself. “Oh, Elnina,” he cooed, tapping her snout with his fingertip. “This is why you’re my favorite.”

A dash of purple tinted Elnina’s cheeks as she put her hands behind her back, swaying sheepishly and murmuring to herself; dismissive, yet flattered. The sight made Tenna chuckle. It always puzzled him how a single conversation could change his emotions in a matter of seconds but, in this instance, he welcomed it. 

“Well!” Tenna clapped his hands together, causing Elnina to stand at attention. “I won’t interrupt your evening any longer.” He backed away from the door, giving her a small, exaggerated bow. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Elnina. Hope you’re ready for some fun, fun, fun!”

“See you, Mr Tenna,” Elnina giggled. “I’m… really looking forward to spending time with Noelle.”

As her door closed, Tenna found himself alone in the corridor again. Just as he turned to walk away, his antennae pricked up to the muffled sound of Elnina squealing excitedly, which only added to the returning spring in his step. 

Wandering the studio aimlessly was practically a hobby of Tenna’s. When he wasn’t writing schedules or designing challenges, he liked to peruse his domain, like a king overseeing his kingdom. Most of his staff had retired for the evening, but strolling through the empty rooms was ideal for clearing his head. The conversation with Ramb still chewed at his mind, causing his shoulders to draw upwards, but any and all aggravation it caused dissipated the second he thought about Elnina’s words about Noelle. She was right- just like how he was right. TV World was perfect. A safe haven of fun and relaxation, tailor made for a neglected girl like her. He snickered to himself, riding the high of vindication. Ramb was already on two strikes and, if he knew the conditions of his contract, he would know better than to step out of line again. 

‘He may have been there, but he didn’t know those kids,’ Tenna thought to himself. ‘I know what’s best for them- for Noelle.’ A self-satisfied grin flickered onscreen. ‘I don’t even think her parents know her like I do. Why, we’re practically family.’ 

He let the word bounce around in his head for a moment. ‘Family’. Such a lovely word. ‘Fa-mi-ly’.The mere sound of it made Tenna’s components go all fuzzy. He brought a hand to his face, feeling his casing grow warm. 

“We… could be a family. A big happy family,” Tenna said aloud, absent-mindedly. “Perhaps that’s what she needs…”

When he eventually got his thoughts together, Tenna found he had looped back around to the Physical Challenge Zone. Everything was exactly as he left it; the air thick with the smell of gingerbread with Dess’s song still playing quietly in the background. Despite only making those memories mere hours ago, reflecting on his time with Noelle brought Tenna an immense sense of joy. He ran his hand along the wall as he walked, caressing Toriel’s face on the poster and tracing the stars on the doors until he reached the last one.

Much to his surprise, the third door was open. Just barely, but enough so a slither of the darkness within could ooze from the gap. 

Tenna couldn’t help but stare. Even in its empty state, the room wasn’t so dark before; not without his memories. He took a few steps closer, peering inside. The light of his screen did little to illuminate the empty space through the crack in the door; any possible shapes of furniture or set pieces, undiscernible in the inky blackness. He may as well have been gazing into the night sky.

Tenna pushed the door open a little wider, standing at the edge of the void. The hallway wasn’t well-lit to begin with, but it may as well have been pitch black with how little it repelled the shadows in the room. For a moment, Tenna thought he could feel something tugging at his blazer. First his coat-tails, then his sleeve, then his tie. The space was undeniably empty, but it felt like there were eyes everywhere. It was as if the room itself wanted him to enter. As if it was beckoning him in for another screening of precious moments. As if it could sense his longing to see it all again. Sharing it.

‘Just… one more time…’

Straightening his tie, Tenna stepped inside, smiling warmly.

“Alright, alright, settle down…” he chuckled. “I suppose one more couldn’t hurt… just for you, okay?”

Chapter Text

“…have… fun.

I’m here for you, okay, Elly?”

Noelle’s brow furrowed as she slowly began to wake up. Pulling her hand from the bundle of bedding by her chest, she patted the mattress, sleepily hoping to find someone cuddled up beside her or protectively slumbering with her back-to-back. Unfortunately, as she expected, she found herself alone. With a quiet grumble, she pushed herself upright, stretching her hands over her head and letting out a small yawn. She had never slept so well in her life- or at least, not recently.

As she rubbed her eyes, adjusting to the soft festive lights, her nose began to twitch. Something, somewhere, smelt good. Really good. Before she could try and find the source, however, a soft knock at the door drew her attention.

“Good morning, little angel, are you awake in there?”

It was Tenna. Good timing.

“Ah, uh, yes!” Noelle squeaked, frantically brushing her hair with her fingers and straightening her robes. “Come in!”

With a bright smile, Tenna entered pushing a small trolley full of different breakfast foods and beverages. It filled the room with an array of tantalising scents.

“Good morning, good morning! Sun beams will soon smile through! Good morning, good morning, to you and you and you-!”

Tenna tapped Noelle on the nose as he finished singing, causing her to giggle.

“Is it really morning already?” Noelle asked, stifling another yawn.

“TV World doesn’t have day and night, per se, but it’s a new day for you, little star!” Tenna replied excitedly. “Now, what do you fancy for breakfast, hm? We’ve got all sorts!”

Noelle perused the food trolley, unable to stop her nose from determining where she looked. It was all a delicious treat for the senses. The fruit, while unlike anything she had seen before, looked fresh and ripe, while the pancakes and pastries smelt sweet and buttery, with everything having the slightest hint of festive spices. She imagined the breakfast buffets at her mother’s conferences were just like this.

“Gosh, this definitely beats the cereal I have at home!” Noelle chuckled. “Could I, uh, have the pancakes please? With a little bowl of those berries there- uh, if you don’t mind…”

“Of course- and to drink?” Tenna asked, passing her the requested plates.

Noelle scanned the lower tray, amazed at the sheer array of beverages. A rainbow of juices; all types of unusual teas; and, of course, a sizable pot of coffee, just to name a few. She already knew what she wanted, but she pretended to give each option the same amount of consideration.

“Could I get a cup of hot cocoa?”

“Okie dokie, little lady!” Tenna leaned in close, smirking. “Just don’t tell your mother, okay? I know she’s a little salty about sugar.” 

Noelle laughed again as Tenna handed her the cup. Basking in the sweet scent, she took a small sip, leaving a blob of cream and a single star sprinkle on her nose. Tenna couldn’t help but coo at the sight, pulling a handkerchief from his shirt pocket and wiping it away; Noelle would have flinched, but she was too amazed by the taste of the cocoa. Not only did it have a delightful, cinnamon undertone but, somehow, while the cocoa was piping hot, the whipped cream hadn’t melted at all, allowing her to taste every part individually. Placing her beverage on the bedside table, Noelle turned her attention to her food, cutting off a chunk of the pancake stack and delicately placing it in her mouth. Unlike her experience in the Green Room, Noelle was unable to restrain herself from emitting a high-pitched joyous squeal as she chewed. They were delicious. Beyond delicious, even. Fluffy, syrupy, and just sweet enough to accompany the cocoa without being overwhelming. Part of her wanted to savour each bite, but the urge to devour it as quickly as possible was equally strong.

“Good?” Tenna asked, resting his head on intertwined fingers.

Noelle nodded, her ears flicking excitedly as she continued to demolish the pancake stack piece by piece. Tenna watched intently as she ate, lingering on the smallest indicators of joy. The way her eyes lit up when she speared a stray berry; how her hands clung to her cup of cocoa when she paused for a drink; and, most importantly, the way her smile never left her face, even when she was chewing. The longer he stared, the warmer his components became. This was a precious moment in the making.

“You know, breakfast time is even more beneficial when someone is there to share it,” Tenna said warmly. “It’s an opportunity to talk about last night’s dreams and today’s plans!” 

Noelle couldn’t help but giggle at his enthusiasm. She couldn’t remember the last time she ate breakfast with someone. “Yeah?” She asked, scraping up a dollop of syrup from her empty plate. “So, what did you dream about, Mr Tenna?”

Tenna’s screen burnt pink around the edges. “H-huh? Oh, uh-“ He cleared his throat, twirling his antennae around his finger bashfully. “Don’t you know good TV never sleeps, kiddo? I have a sign off, sure, but I never stop working!”

Narrowing her eyes, Noelle moved her plates to the side and picked up her cocoa again, shooting Tenna a cheeky grin. “Sounds like a cop out to me.”

“Why, I never!” Tenna exclaimed, dramatically putting a hand to his chest. “If you must know, little missy, I simply couldn’t get those lovely memories I showed you out of my head. So, I suppose you could say I was dreaming about the good old days…”

Noelle giggled against the rim of the mug, licking a blob of whipped cream off her chin before speaking. “It’s okay, Mr Tenna, most of my dreams are like that too.” She stared at her reflection in what remained of her drink. “I don’t know if it counts but, before I woke up, I swear I heard Dess’s voice. She was… reassuring me, like she used to- like she did in the memory.” After downing the last drops of cocoa, Noelle swapped her playful smirk for a sincere smile. “I forgot to say it yesterday- or uh, earlier, I guess, but… Thank you for reminding me what she sounded like.”

‘Thank you’. 

Tenna could do nothing but smile as he lingered on those words. Never did he ever think he would hear those words from her again. There was once a day where she kissed his screen, patted his casing, and thanked him for the final time, never returning to the Dreemurr house- but that was many years ago; enough time had passed to warrant a reboot. His fingertips twitched against his knees, fighting the temptation to ruffle her hair; to promise her they could have wonderful family moments like that every single day-

“So,” the sound of Noelle’s voice suddenly derailed Tenna’s train of thought, “what are today’s plans?”

With an awkward smile, Tenna lightly smacked himself on the side of the head, trying to refocus. “Good question, kiddo!” He exclaimed. “I’m going to be working on a third Physical Challenge for you but, in the meantime, somebody else is going to keep you company. Somebody very special!”

Almost on cue, there was a soft knock at the door.

“Ah! That might be her now!” Tenna practically sang. “Come iiiin!”

Snout first, sniffing the air curiously, Elnina strolled into the room. “Good morning! Something smells delicious in here,” she said, smiling brightly. “It’s a shame I’ve already eaten!”

“Even if you hadn’t, this food is for little stars only.”

Excitement began to build in Noelle’s stomach as Tenna and Elnina spoke amongst themselves. This could only mean one thing. She shuffled to the edge of the bed, practically bouncing up and down on the soft mattress. “Are we going to have our snow day?!”

The two adults turned to look at her, almost stunned that a sweet, polite girl like Noelle was capable of interrupting them. After a second of astonished blinking, they laughed. “Of course!” Elnina chirped. “In fact, I’m here to escort you to a very special set outside the studio!” She took Noelle’s hands and pulled her to her feet. “Do you want to go now?”

A twinge of embarrassment reddened Noelle’s cheeks. She couldn’t remember the last time she had spoken out of turn. The fur on her neck pricked up as she imagined the glare her mother would give her if she was there- but she wasn’t. Instead, she was greeted with only smiles. It made any and all shame melt away, being swiftly replaced with even more anticipation. “Yes! Let’s go!”

With a quick goodbye to Tenna, Noelle pulled Elnina out of the room and into the corridor before allowing her to lead the way. Tenna followed, but lingered in the doorway, waving with a large, toothy grin on his screen. “Have fun, you two!” He exclaimed. “Remember: you can still call me if you need me!”

As Elnina continued onward, Noelle looked back over her shoulder to return a wave. When she turned her head forward again though, she swore she saw something move.

“That’s weird,” she muttered. “I think Mr Tenna just went back into my room.”

“Oh, uh-“ Elnina grimaced, but tried to keep her body language light and cheerful. “He was probably just clearing up all the mess from breakfast! Can’t let all that extra food go to waste now, can we?”

Noelle giggled, rolling her eyes at herself for being so paranoid. “Yeah, you’re right. Maybe he’ll give the rest out to the staff!”

‘I wouldn’t count on it,’ Elnina thought.

As the pair walked through the studio halls, Noelle found herself scanning the framed posters. They had changed since the first time she woke up. Most of them seemed like excuses for Tenna to plaster himself everywhere, but the ones that weren’t his smiling screen depicted all sorts of fun movies and shows. The cooking and music programmes from the Physical Challenge area; a variety of Christmas specials Noelle recognised from her childhood; and the times of the weather broadcasts- but one caught her attention more than any other. Between the bright colors and wacky text was a completely black poster decorated with nothing but red scratchy lettering reading: ‘HORROR CHANNEL. COMING SOON.’ Noelle lingered on it for as long as she could before following Elnina into the Green Room. The pair waved to Ramb, who was diligently rearranging concessions, and wished him a quick ‘good morning’ as they passed through another set of doors.

Then another.

Then another, with each connecting hallway feeling colder than the last. If Noelle wasn’t excited before, she certainly was now.

“Here we are!” Elnina announced, pushing open the final set of double doors. 

An icy wind swept in, billowing Noelle’s robes and hair up into the air, and causing the bells on her hair ties to jingle softly. Her eyes lit up as she took in the scenery, slowly making her way to the centre of the set. All around her, save for a dug-out path, there was nothing but snow. Piles and piles of bright, white snow. At the end of the path sat a large Christmas tree, covered in twinkling lights and gaudy decorations, just like the ones at home; it made everything surrounding it sparkle. On top of the tree sat a little, angel-like ornament, not dissimilar to the ones she and Dess used to make together. Its frail, hodge-podged form looked silly on top of such a magnificent tree, but she knew it wouldn’t be complete without it. After all, what was Christmas if not for the personal, familial touches? The snowy landscape seemed to go on for miles, only being cut off by a wall of near endless darkness. That fact would have been off-putting, if not for how gorgeous everything looked. Noelle had dreamed of places like this.

“So,” Elnina said, “what do you th-“

Before she could finish, Noelle threw herself into a large pile of snow, giggling manically. It was delightfully soft and cold, but- somehow- wasn’t getting her dress wet. She grabbed a handful and threw it into the air, watching it float from the inky sky like falling stars. While they didn’t affect her clothes, the icy droplets melted on her warm cheeks the moment they made contact. Hometown wasn’t the most temperate place in the world, but- even during winter- it was a complete potluck as to whether they would get snow or not. Being able to see, feel, and play in it so freely made Noelle feel like a little girl again.

“Elnina,” she said, almost out of breath from excitement, “can you make snow angels with me?”

Elnina tilted her head. “‘Snow angels’? Why, I don’t think I’ve ever made one of those!” She laid herself down next to Noelle, smiling. “Can you show me?”

“Of course! It’s super easy!” Noelle’s ears flicked eagerly as she got into prime Snow Angel Making Position. “All you do is put your arms and legs out like this- nice and wide-“

“Okay, alright,” Elnina murmured, copying her pose. “Then what?”

“Theeen you just-“ Sticking out her tongue in concentration, Noelle began to move her arms up and down and her legs side to side, sweeping the snow away. “- do this!”

Elnina glanced over and mimicked Noelle’s movements, trying not to get any snow into her rainboots. “Like this?” She asked.

Noelle giggled. “Yeah! You’ve got it!”

As the pair continued to perfect their snow angels, Noelle couldn’t help but think about her position. She never imagined she’d be the one to explain how to make snow angels to someone. It was almost uncomfortable to think about. That was Dess’s job. Dess was the one who knew everything, who taught her and Kris new things. Sometimes those things weren’t appropriate, but hearing it from Dess was always better than having it explained by a grown-up. Noelle shook her head. ‘An adult’, she corrected. Regardless, the pleasantly surprised look on Elnina’s face as she stood and admired her work was enough to bury the twinge of unease in her gut.

“Hmm,” Elnina brought a hand to her chin, bashful, “I, uh, don’t know if I did this right.”

“Don’t say that, let me see!” Careful as to not disturb her creation, Noelle picked herself up out of the snow and stood next to Elnina, glancing between their snow angels. “What are you talking about? You did great!”

Elnina tapped her fingers together. “Aha, you think so? I think my hair made the head look strange…”

“What?” Noelle let out a playful scoff. “Don’t be silly! It would be boring if they all looked the same! I mean, look at mine-“ She pointed to a pair of indentations on her angel’s head. “My antlers always affect the shape of my snow angels, but Dess used to tell me that’s what made it mine!” Reflecting on her sister’s words caused Noelle to laugh, a familiar warmth beginning to creep around her body. “You know, me, Dess, Kris, and Asriel used to have snow angel competitions whenever it snowed. I was the smallest so mine were never big enough to win, but Dess would always help me out and push away the snow I couldn’t reach.” Almost instinctively, Noelle held herself. “It’s kind of weird seeing my snow angel at this size,” she murmured, barely audible. “I wonder if it would be bigger than Dess’s now…”

Noelle’s nose wrinkled a bit at the thought, and her eyes narrowed as she looked past her work and down to her hooves. As much as she adored the memories Tenna had shown her the day before, being reminded of the passage of time- that she was now older than Dess was when she disappeared- made her skin crawl beneath her fur. She had never thought about it before, but the stagnant nature of her home, of her family, made her forget just how old she was. How many years had gone by. How she felt. Noelle had spent many nights lying awake feeling like a horrible sister or inconsiderate daughter for hoping and praying for things to simply go back to the way they were, rather than continue to march forward and make any progress. 

For some reason though, she didn’t feel as guilty about it in TV World.

Suddenly, Noelle felt a cool hand on her shoulder, jolting her upright. “What else did you and your sister like to do?” Elnina asked in a soft, warm voice.

“Um,” Noelle blinked a few times, pretending to look around in a contemplative manner. “Well, we used to have snowball fights! It was usually me and Dess versus Kris and Asriel, or me and Kris versus Dess and Asriel. Bet you can’t guess who won the most out of those set-ups, huh?” Giving Elnina a second to giggle, Noelle examined her surroundings, properly this time. A snowball fight from each side of the path would undoubtedly destroy their snow angels but, beyond the snow drifts, the terrain was too flat. “Hmm…” After a minute of careful consideration, Noelle had an idea.

“You said you could whip up a blizzard, right?” She asked. “If we moved to that side of the path, over the snow bank, do you think you could make another one so we both have something to duck behind?”

In an instant, Elnina’s face flushed purple. “Um, well, about that-“

Noelle cocked an eyebrow, emitting an inquisitive noise. 

“I think it would be better if I just showed you,” Elnina sighed, walking over to the untouched snow with Noelle following anxiously behind. After distancing themselves from the path and their angels, Elnina pulled a retractable pointer from her skirt pocket, took a deep breath, and drew a diamond shape in the air. From seemingly out of nowhere, tiny glistening crystals began to swirl above them, carried on the breeze before eventually settling on the ground. Upon first glance, they looked identical to splinters of ice, but closer inspection revealed they were more like shards of glass. After a few seconds, they disappeared, giving the illusion of melting away when, instead, they simply poofed out of existence. Shamefully, Elnina clasped her hands behind her back. “I, uh… can’t make snow,” she said. “I can’t even make ice! That sort of magic isn’t really a thing anymore.”

Noelle stared at the tiny hole Elnina’s crystal left behind, a puzzled expression slowly taking over her face. “I… can do ice magic.”

Elnina’s eyes widened; half amazed, half petrified. “What?” 

“The last time I came to a world like this, I was able to do ice magic- or uh, snow magic, whichever,” Noelle began, rolling the lace on her sleeve between her fingers. “I don’t know how I did it, but I could. Kris helped me. I was pretty good at it too, somehow.”

“But that doesn’t make any sense,” Elnina retorted, anxiously extending and collapsing her pointer. “Lightners can’t do magic- or, rather, I don’t think they can just know it innately. Learn it, perhaps, but-”

Noelle shrugged. “I don’t get it either, but I’m telling you the truth.” She kicked up a small pile of snow and positioned herself a foot or so away from it. “Look, I’ll prove it.”

After giving the snow pile another quick look, Noelle closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to keep her heartbeat as slow and measured as possible. She had to concentrate; Kris wasn’t here to intervene this time. She just needed to prove she could do it. Carefully, she extended her arms, fingers stretched, before turning her hands palm up and slowly raising them higher and higher. Much to Elnina’s shock, the snow pile began to gradually lift itself off the ground, piece by piece, dancing through the air towards Noelle. The chunks swirled amongst one another before converging into a perfect sphere and settling into her hand, shimmering. An immaculate snowball. 

The first thing Noelle saw when she re-opened her eyes was Elnina’s slacked jaw. “T-that’s incredible!” She shrieked. “Gosh! I need to be careful, otherwise you’re gonna steal my job!”

“Y-yeah,” Noelle stammered, staring at her new creation, “it is pretty neat, huh?”

“‘Pretty neat’ is the understatement of the century!” Elnina replied, clapping excitedly. “Can you do anything else?”

“Um…” For some reason, when she tried to cast her memory back to her previous adventure to remember her spells, Noelle’s temples started to ache. While some recollections were clear as day, others looked distorted, like someone had run it through a cheap glitch filter; the ones people used online to make Cat Petterz gameplay look spooky. She truly didn’t know what she could do, just that she could, but she couldn’t tell Elnina that. “Uh, watch this!” 

Thinking on her feet, Noelle launched the snowball into the air and pointed at it, squeezing her eyes closed and envisioning the snowball suddenly disappearing. In an instant, the snowball exploded into a miniature flurry, drifting softly back down upon the pair’s heads. Unlike the snow on-set, it did dampen their clothes. They were both as surprised as each other. 

After another enthused clap, Elnina put her hands on her hips, shaking her head exaggeratively. “Gosh, Noelle, I can’t compete against you in a snowball fight when you have magic like this! It’s simply unfair!” she said. “Why don’t we create a new game?” Putting her pointer away, Elnina began gathering  up her own snowball. “I’ll make a bunch of snowballs and try to get you, while you use your magic to get rid of them. If I tag you, I win, but if you exhaust my supply or even throw one back at me, you win. Sound fun?”

“Huh? What?” Noelle replied, still baffled by her own abilities. “S-sure! I don’t see why not!”

As Elnina continued to create her snowy arsenal, Noelle began to walk away to create adequate distance for their impending battle. The further she walked, however, the more intense her clashing emotions grew. On the one hand, she was so excited to have more winter fun. For as long as she could remember, she had always dreamed of being able to go out in the snow whenever she wanted and here it was, manifest. Not only that, but the fact her magic actually worked filled her with an odd sense of pride- especially given Elnina’s comments. However, she still couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. Why couldn’t she remember the last time she used magic? Why did it hurt to even try and remember? It was like the entire latter half of her last escapade was completely blocked from her memory, but- whatever was missing- something in her stomach told her it was bad. 

Horrible, even.

As she turned back to face Elnina, who had now amassed a sizable pile of snowballs, Noelle took a long, deep breath, recentering herself. She had worked through more significant anxiety back home, she wasn’t going to let it ruin a day of fun.

“Ready?!” Elnina called, rolling her shoulders.

“You betcha!” Noelle replied. “Let’s go!”

With a gleeful shout, Elnina launched the first snowball. The second it reached the top of its arch, Noelle pointed, causing it to explode into a sparkling cloud, quickly carried away in the wind.  As Noelle marvelled at her magic, Elnina threw the next one, aiming at her legs. All Noelle could do was hop out the way as it hurtled towards her, emitting a small ‘eek!’ as she stopped herself from tripping. She shook her head, preemptively putting her hands out in front of her. This may have been a game, but she still wanted to win- if not purely to impress Elnina with her skills. With each subsequent snowball, Noelle found new, more elaborate ways to destroy them. A twirl into a point; finger guns; waiting until the last moment to act only to walk away from the blast like an action movie hero- all performed between the odd duck or dodge. In the few moments she had between throws, Noelle could practically feel her body vibrating with an exhilaration she hadn’t felt in years. Her heart pounded in her ears, her hooves tapped impatiently, and her fingers twitched, eager to cast another spell. 

“Alright, last one!” Elnina declared, trying and failing to hide how out of breath she was. “Ready, Noelle?”

Noelle took a second to recuperate, bending forward slightly and putting her hands on her knees. “Uh huh!” She replied, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear. “Make it count!”

As Elnina reeled back to land her final throw, Noelle stood back upright and smiled to herself. This would be the one she sent back. She furrowed her brow, watching intently as the snowball rocketed into the air, trying her best to follow its path. Just before it reached its peak, Noelle closed her eyes and visualised the snowball turning back on itself and hitting Elnina. She couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought, imagining the weathergirl’s Muppet-like shocked expression as she was beaten by her own artillery. Noelle practically bounced up and down as she focused on her spell and, in one swift motion, swung her arms into the air.

But as she opened her eyes to revel in her inevitable victory, for a split second, she saw nothing but white.

And when it cleared, what lay before her made her blood run cold.

A jagged line of splintering, icy spikes had erupted from the ground, only growing in size the further away they were from Noelle. They didn’t sparkle like the surrounding snow, standing tall and dull like monoliths of glacial ice. The longer she stared, the deeper the pit in her stomach became. Her hands trembled as she brought them back to her sides, grasping at the fabric of her skirt. She tried to swallow, but her mouth was too dry. This felt familiar. Hauntingly familiar. 

“Oh my God, Elnina-!”

Resisting her body’s urge to sit and tremble, Noelle ran across to the other side of their makeshift battlefield, frantically searching for any indication of Elnina’s presence. Much to her relief, behind the tallest, serrated icicle, was Elnina, folded into herself and clutching her arm. Noelle could hear her breathing through her teeth. 

“Elnina!” Noelle repeated, crouching by her side. “Elnina, are you okay?”

With a pained gasp, Elnina looked to Noelle and shakily lifted her hand to reveal a deep, oozing gash across her forearm. Her blood looked like liquid static, black and thick like molasses and catching the light in unusual, unnatural ways. Just as Elnina didn’t think Lightners knew magic, Noelle didn’t know Darkners could get hurt. Not like this. Some of her ‘blood’ had frozen to her skin, only to be thawed slightly by the fresh fluid.

“I-I’m so sorry!” Noelle stammered, her body unable to decide between crying and vomiting. “I-I- don’t know what happened-“

“Noelle, sweetie, it’s okay,” Elnina said weakly. “Don’t panic. It’s only a little scratch.”

The corners of Noelle’s mouth quivered as she found herself unable to tear her eyes away from Elnina’s wound. The wound she had caused. “M-maybe we should go. I can call Mr Tenna and-“

“No,” Elnina protested, shaking her head. “That won’t be necessary. I can handle this myself, I promise.”

A flurry of words competed for attention in Noelle’s mind, but none seemed to capture the despair and horror pooling in her guts. Instead, she silently helped Elnina to her feet, allowing her to throw her good arm around her shoulder. She wasn’t certain, but Noelle swore Elnina’s hair had turned a darker shade of grey.

Slowly, the pair trudged through the snow bank and back onto the path towards the studio. Noelle couldn’t even bring herself to look at their snow angels. She didn’t deserve to.

“I-I’m so sorry, Elnina,” Noelle whimpered. “I swear, I-“

“It’s okay, Noelle,” Elnina murmured. “I’m not angry or upset with you. It was just an accident.”

Noelle looked away as she shouldered through the double doors, barely flinching as it slammed behind them. For once in her life, she was thankful to be out of the snow.

“Accident or not, I’m still sorry,” Noelle said through a tightened throat. “I should have known this wouldn’t end well. I had a feeling-“

“Noelle,” Elnina stopped dead in her tracks, giving herself a moment for her legs to stop trembling before cupping Noelle’s face with her uninjured hand. “I’m fine. I’ll go back to my dressing room, patch myself up, and the next time you see me, I’ll be right as rain.” She took a few steps forward, clasping her hand back over her wound, and gave Noelle an encouraging smile. “Please don’t worry yourself. I still had a lot of fun- honest! Besides,” she forced a warm chuckle, “it’s not like you wanted to hurt me, right?”

The dull pain in Noelle’s temple suddenly made itself known again. It crept down her neck and arms before settling in her fingertips, causing them to twitch uncomfortably like they did before. Eager to cast a spell. Noelle’s jaw tightened as she tried to smile her way through the rapid flood of unpleasant sensations plaguing her body. Despite her rising levels of discomfort, her mind suddenly felt much clearer. 

She could remember.

“Of course not,” Noelle said, clenching her fists. “I-I’ll go back to my room too. I-I think we both need to relax a little.” She pushed her smile a little wider, trying to ignore the images clawing at the inside of her skull. “I’ll check in on you later, okay?”

Chapter Text

Tenna had many eyes around TV World. Hundreds, even. If he so wished it, every single screen in his studio could be a means of surveillance. Every dressing room; every set; every random hallway- they could all be monitored by him if he desired. There were only three exceptions to this: the S Rank winners room; the abandoned Z Rank room; and the outside stages.

After today, however, that would have to be changed.

The studio lights flickered as Tenna bolted down the hallway, just barely saving himself from slamming into the wall as he rounded a corner. His screen flickered anxiously between a petrified grimace and shapeless static; most of his power being used to stop himself from shrinking. Small groups of Pippins’ clung to the walls, trembling as their boss’s heavy steps came down beside them. Despite their concern, they knew better than to try and mediate. A horrible hissing sound emanated from the inside of Tenna’s casing, like someone hyperventilating through gritted teeth. Self-depricating words and needling questions ricocheted behind his screen, but he couldn’t afford to focus on them, regardless of how relentlessly they gnawed at his components. He couldn’t think about himself. His audience came first.

As soon as he saw Noelle’s dressing room come into view, he screeched to a halt. Clapping his hands together, Tenna took a long, measured breath and began slowly walking towards the door; each step more deliberate than the last. As he drew closer, he couldn’t help but notice the air growing colder. It made him nervous. Back in the Light World, the smallest change in temperature would affect his performance, but none more so than cold weather. As much as he adored the winter months and the festive joy they brought with them, someone leaving the door open for a little too long could render him useless- or, at the very least, restrict him from performing at his full capacity. Either option was petrifying. Tenna tucked his hands under his arms, trying to warm himself up a little as he came within a foot of the door. It was freezing now. Veins of ice crawled from the doorframe, spreading frost across the painted wood. Strangely though, Noelle’s engraved star was untouched. 

Inhaling deeply once more, Tenna knocked softly. “Noelle?” He called out. “Noelle, sweetie? Is everything okay? Can I come in?”

His antennae twitched, listening for any signs of life. 

Nothing. 

He sighed.

“I… I’m not angry at you, little star. I promise!” He inched closer, hovering a hand over the icy doorknob. “I just want to make sure you’re alright. Can I please come in?”

After a moment of further silence, the smallest, faintest ‘okay’ reached Tenna’s receptors.

Flecks of ice snapped from the hinges as he pushed the door open. Somehow, Noelle’s room was colder than the hallway. Everything had iced over- the books, the pillows, even the string lights- turning the once warm, festive room into a pale blue shadow of its former self. The sight of the frosted glass in the photo frames, blocking out the faces of his former viewers, tugged at Tenna’s wires, but what mattered most was right in front of him.

Sitting on the bed, knees to her chest and pressed firmly against the wall, was Noelle.  Frozen tears clung to the fur on her face, while her ragged, panicked breaths hung in the air, only fading away when another escaped her trembling mouth. She gripped at the fabric of her skirt, her fingertips quivering and twitching with each stifled sob. She didn’t even look at Tenna as he cautiously approached her.

“Noelle…?” He said, barely above a whisper. “Sweetheart, what’s going on?”

Noelle didn’t respond. She just stared forward, tears continuing to well up in the corners of her reddened eyes.

“Oh, sweetie…” With a concerned expression, Tenna carefully sat himself on the end of the bed, the frozen wood creaking loudly under his weight. “I promise, whatever you tell me, I won’t be upset. Elinina is okay, I swear. Please just talk to me…”

Much to Tenna’s dismay, the room remained eerily silent, only emphasised by the oppressive temperature. His antennae drooped. 

“Alright…” he conceded, wringing his hands. “I’ll… leave you be for now. I can come back later if you-“

“I was afraid this would happen.”

Tenna’s shoulders drew upward. Her voice sounded so fragile. “What was that, kiddo?” He shuffled closer, but not too close. “Afraid what would happen?”

Noelle unfurled herself slightly, but remained silent, her hooves clicking together anxiously. Seeing Tenna frown made her chest ache even more than it already did, but she refused to let it show. She had cried in front of him too many times during her short time in TV World, and she hated to be doing it again. Though, this was a much more dramatic display than simply shedding a few tears. To her embarrassment, she couldn’t hide this with a quick wipe with her sleeve or a well-timed blink. Her feelings were literally plastered across the room, their frost shimmering in the limited light. She sighed, shakily opening her mouth as she prepared to speak. To explain herself.

“The last time I was in a world like this, I-“ Noelle took a deep breath. “I used my ice magic to hurt people.” She averted her gaze, desperate to avoid even the slightest change in Tenna’s expression. “I-I didn’t want to, b-but Kris was with me and they said it was the right thing to do! It was how these worlds worked. It would… make me stronger…” She clasped her right hand over her left, unconsciously tracing her ring finger. “I hate to admit it, but… it did kinda make me feel good. It was like beating a really tough boss in Dragon Blazers or something. Even though it made me feel sick at first, at the end of it all, I felt almost… powerful.” A slight smile crossed Noelle’s face for a split second. “When I ‘woke up’, I felt like I could do anything, e-even though I couldn’t really remember what happened, b-but now I can remember and… um…”

Tenna tilted his head as she trailed off. “So… what’s the problem?” He asked. “Kris is your best friend. Sure, they’re a little prankster, but they would never make you do anything that wasn’t in your best interest- and if it made you feel more confident, then I don’t-“

“That’s the thing though,” Noelle interrupted. “Kris isn’t here. Kris didn’t tell me to use my magic this time a-and I wasn’t even being attacked; I did it by myself.” She shrunk in on herself again. “I hurt someone- I hurt Elnina- on my own.”

The temperature of the room dropped a few more degrees, sending a literal chill down Tenna’s spinal column. He took a moment to carefully consider his next words.

“Listen, kiddo, we all make mistakes,” he began, offering a compassionate smile. “Sometimes you gotta hurt folks and sometimes you do it by accident. It doesn’t make you a bad person.”

“B-but…” Noelle murmured. “I-I got so wrapped up in our game that all I could think about was winning.” She sniffled, trying to fight another round of tears. “I thought I just wanted to impress her with my magic skills, but what if I didn’t?” Noelle swallowed heavily. “What if I just wanted to beat her? To win? What if I wanted to prove that…” A sudden icy breeze swept across the room, catching Noelle’s hair and causing the bells on her hair ties to rattle quietly. They didn’t sound as jolly as before. “To prove that I was the strongest…? W-would that not make me bad? I-it’s a pretty selfish thought, right?”

Tenna lingered on her question for a moment. It would be hypocritical of him to critique someone on wanting to be the best, but something in her tone told him this wasn’t just about winning. It reminded him of something. During school vacations, Toriel would often watch a certain daytime talk show, which occasionally included segments discussing childcare. When the rest of the Dreemurrs were out of the house, Toriel would make notes whenever those topics came up before hiding her diary between the cushions of her beloved chair. In the beginning, Tenna used to ignore that sort of programming since it bored the children to tears, but he started paying attention when the children the hosts described began to sound an awful lot like Kris, especially as they grew up. The reserved demeanor; morbid interests; questionable behaviors; a complicated relationship with control - it was all classic Kris. 

He didn’t realise until now how much it could apply to Noelle too.

Tenna folded his hands in his lap, leaning down to Noelle’s eye level. “Sweetheart,” he began, “you’re still a child. It’s okay to have all these big, complicated thoughts and feelings.” As he spoke, Tenna’s screen began to emit a warmer glow, standing out amongst the cool tones of the icy room. “You and Kris have been through a lot. More than kids like you should. It's only natural you would behave in ways that aren’t always perfect- even if that’s what the grown-ups expect of you.”

The soft, golden light sparkled in Noelle’s teary eyes as she gazed up at him. “Y-yeah… I guess so,” she said, barely above a whisper.

“You don’t need to worry about that here,” Tenna continued, noticing the tension slowly falling away from Noelle’s shoulders. “TV World is a place where those pesky expectations don’t matter. Even if the results aren’t always pretty, here, you can deal with those feelings on your own terms. Through play! Through your favorite shows!” For a moment, Tenna’s sympathetic smile was imbued with a twinge of pride. “Through me.” He reached out, wiping away a stray tear with his thumb to prevent it from freezing to her face. As he did, it was hard to ignore how Noelle pushed herself against his palm. “After all you’ve dealt with, you deserve an escape, Noelle. A place full of all the things you love and people who care about you and would never, ever judge you. That’s why you were brought here. To us. To me! Your old friend!” 

A quiet affirming noise crept from Noelle’s mouth as she continued to stare intently at Tenna’s screen. It was all she could muster in that moment. She couldn’t explain why, but the soft, warm light made her relax almost instantly. The way it caught the dust in the air, transforming it into tiny, hovering fireflies, mesmerised her. It was the same golden glow that enveloped her younger self and sparked from Dess’s guitar; comforting and nostalgic. Just admiring the way the color varied ever so slightly on Tenna’s display made her eyelids heavy and her breathing slow. Second by second, stress began to melt away from her body, causing her to slump against the wall; the anguished thoughts plaguing her mind slowly but surely being replaced with tender, fuzzy memories. But just before she unclasped her hands, Noelle’s nose scrunched up. She closed her eyes and shook her head, the tension in her shoulders returning almost instantly. Something wasn’t right.

“Mr Tenna,” Noelle murmured, “I… think it would be best if I just went home.”

Tenna’s components began to buzz frantically. “H-home?” He repeated, stunned. “After all we discussed? W-why would you want to go home?”

Noelle’s ears drooped, unable to ignore the distressed tone in Tenna’s voice. “I’m sorry, Mr Tenna, but I just-“ she paused for a moment to take a deep breath. “I don’t want to hurt anyone else.” Forcing a smile, she placed her hand on top of Tenna’s. “I’ve really loved my time here, but I don’t want to ruin it any further. I-If I did all that with Kris’s supervision last time, what more could I end up doing on my own?” 

“Counterpoint!” Tenna placed his other hand on top of Noelle’s, doing everything in his power not to grasp it. “If you’ve enjoyed your time so much, why would you want to end it on such a melancholy note?” An uncomfortable, anxious grin crept across Tenna’s screen. “Come on, kiddo! You can stay one more day AT LEAST, can’t you? Please, sweetie…?” 

For some reason, Tenna’s terms of endearment suddenly put a pit in Noelle’s stomach. Her brow furrowed. “N-no,” she said. “I’m sorry, Mr Tenna, b-but I don’t want to risk causing more harm.” Snatching her hand back, she shuffled to the edge of the bed and stood, looking around the room. “Can you please tell me how to get home?”

Tenna’s antennae twitched uncomfortably as he gripped at the bedsheets, only narrowly avoiding tearing a hole in the soft fabric. The earnestness of Noelle’s question twisted his innards. He let her out of his sight for one day- one day!- and she already wanted to go home. Words of self-doubt and degradation began to worm their way through his circuitry, making his whole body tremble as they collated into one simple message: he should have known better. If Noelle wasn’t standing a mere few feet away, he would’ve torn out his antennae there and then. His underlings could always put him back together, but he could never truly recover from the emotional pain of knowing he should have prevented this. That he failed. Failed as an entertainer, failed as a caregiver, and failed as a Darkner. 

He couldn’t let it happen again. He wouldn’t let it happen again.

“Y-you can’t go,” Tenna whimpered. “So you slipped up- so what? Everybody makes mistakes! Y-you can’t just pack up after one mistake!”

Noelle backed away as Tenna clambered to his feet, looming over her. “I just…” She considered her next words carefully, her gaze drifting between the door and Tenna’s off-putting posture. “… TV World has been wonderful and I’m so thankful for everything you’ve done for me, b-but I don’t think I could sleep at night knowing I had scared everyone away with my ‘mistakes’, even if they would forgive me.”

With a sorrowful whine, Tenna’s screen shut off, draining the room of any remaining warmth. The sound of static began to fill the air, but it didn’t have the cosy quality it had before. It was suffocating, claustrophobic, like intangible hands tugging at her clothing. It made the fur on Noelle’s neck stand up as she inched closer to her bedroom door.

“Don’t make me beg, sweetheart.” Tenna’s voice was barely audible amongst the sea of white noise. It was hardly a voice at all, more like auditory pareidolia. “Please just… stay a little longer. I can make you forget about all of this… make you happy like you used to be.” He stepped forward, his hands shuddering in front of him. “Just give me one more chance.”

In a sudden act of fight or flight, Noelle scrambled to the door and bolted into the hallway, almost slipping on the ice she had created. Every bone in her body was telling her something was wrong.

“Wait! Come back!” 

Noelle knew Tenna was calling out for her, but she could barely hear him over the sound of her heartbeat pounding in her ears. Part of her couldn’t believe she didn’t freeze up as she so often did in moments of stress, but it was as if a new part of her had kicked into gear. A braver part- and, perhaps, a wiser one too. She bunched her skirt in her fists, lifting it to her knees as she tried to pick up the pace, even though she had no real idea where she was running to. Much to her surprise however, when she quickly glanced behind, Tenna wasn’t pursuing. He simply lingered at the door, trembling. Though his screen remained off, Noelle could read the despair in his body language. Despair… or boiling anger.

“No…” Tenna murmured to himself, clawing at the doorframe. “No. No. No!” He took a single step into the corridor, his components sparking beneath his casing. “Y-you don’t get to leave! I’m- We’re not done! I-I have so much more to show you!” In one swift motion, Tenna raised his arm above his head with an anxious laugh and snapped his fingers loudly. “Cut! Time out! I think you need a nap, little star!”

Before she could even process what he said, Noelle suddenly collapsed onto the red carpet. The bells on her hair ties rattled discordantly as she hit the floor; her arms outstretched as if she was about to pick herself up and crawl away, but she couldn’t. In an instant, she was fast asleep. Out cold.

The hall was deathly quiet, devoid of even the smallest sound. No distant chatter; no disembodied background music; not even the hum of an active screen. All that remained was dead air.

It made Tenna’s realisation of what he had done all the more crushing.

Ensuring no one was around, he dashed down the hall and brought Noelle into his arms, holding her close to his chest. His screen flickered back to life with a frown as he gazed down at her; any and all feelings of frustration and upset quickly dissolving into anxiety and regret. As he made his way back to her room, his antennae drooped further. ‘I… should have handled that better,’ he thought to himself, ‘but what choice did I have? She can’t leave… not yet.’

Back in the cold dressing room, Tenna gently placed Noelle back into bed. He brushed her hair from her face, searching for any signs of bruising or bleeding to ensure she hadn’t hit her head on the way down. Thankfully, she had not, but it didn’t do much to absolve the guilt swirling in his conscience. After tucking her in, Tenna slowly and shamefully backed away, withdrawing into the hall and closing the door as quietly as he could. 

He pressed his back against the wall, running his hands down his screen and feeling the static prick at his fingertips. If he wasn’t so afraid of being heard, he would have screamed. He clutched at the rim of his chassis, having to restrain himself from ripping it clean off. Guilt strangled his wires as he attempted to compose himself, shakily standing upright and straightening his tie. As much as he wanted to shrink down and cry, Tenna knew that he couldn’t. Not until he had a solution.

Giving Noelle’s star a final, dejected look, Tenna walked away. 

He couldn’t help but hold himself as he wandered through the studio, alone once again. Though his employees had seen him in this state more times than he could count, Tenna chose to avoid the more populated parts of his domain. He couldn’t bear the thought of explaining all that had transpired, especially not to Elnina or Ramb. It was times like this where he was thankful for the maze-like quality of TV World, and his ability to manipulate it at will. 

Before long, Tenna found himself back in the Physical Challenge Zone and, much to his surprise, there wasn’t a colleague in sight. Construction had just begun on a new set, one unlike anything they had produced before, perfectly catered to Noelle’s tastes, but everyone seemed to have clocked off for the afternoon. On any other day, this would have saddened Tenna but, right now, there was nothing he welcomed more than an empty space. 

With a sorry excuse for a smile, Tenna paced over to the third door. At the very least, the new poster had been put into place. It depicted an antlered girl holding a flashlight, surrounded by nothing but endless darkness; the only color being bright red, typewriter-style text reading: ‘Horror Channel’. It wasn’t the most elaborate poster in the world, but it perfectly encapsulated the vision Tenna had in mind. 

Thoughts of Noelle’s excited little face as she saw what he had planned caused a glimmer of pride to emerge amongst Tenna’s plethora of negative emotions, but he knew that wasn’t the reason he had returned to the Zone. 

He had a meeting.

Chapter Text

Perhaps it was natural for someone so accustomed to the spotlight to be petrified of the dark. Darkness to a performer, after all, meant empty seats; a curtain call; being taken off air. Opening the door to the Physical Challenge room, Tenna couldn’t help but wince as he took a step into the endless void before him. As a Darkner, darkness was home, but this was no usual darkness. This was darker than dark. An inky, never ending blackness.  It wasn’t a set anymore. At least, not his. The doors slammed shut as Tenna stepped further into the darkness, his screen barely illuminating even a few feet in front of him. It reminded him of the shapeless limbo he was trapped in whilst unplugged; standing in a sea of nothingness- a darkened theatre- waiting for a single viewer to show. Unlike before though, his audience had arrived early. Once he found the closest thing to centre stage, Tenna stood as upright as he could, one hand behind his back and the other on his chest as a voice crept from nowhere in particular. He bowed at the sound.

“… need to… talk…”

Tenna’s antennae twitched, instinctively attempting to locate the exact position of the speaker, but he knew there was no real point in trying. They were nowhere and everywhere.

“… catch me… first…?”

“As much as I’d love to play, there are other matters at hand,” Tenna said, uncharacteristically stern. “Please just come out. I know you know the severity of the situation.”

What could only be described as an attempt of a laugh echoed through the void, crackling and screeching. “… no… fun…”

Swallowing an aggravated huff, Tenna glanced around the ‘room’. Each way he looked, he caught the back end of something dashing away- a foot, a hand, a shoulder- with no real logic to the position it seemed to be in, just missing it by a fraction of a second each time. The only indication something was moving at all was a slight draught, and the occasional sound of something heavy hitting the floor with a metallic thud. This carried on for a number of minutes before Tenna’s glow finally settled on something whole. 

Something tangible.

Someone.

“Fahaha, you found me! Guess I’m it!”

Standing before him, outlined with a faint golden glimmer, was a young deer monster resting a baseball bat on her shoulder. Her fawn-spotted face, framed with choppy dark hair, beamed up at him smugly, displaying a chipped tooth. Adorned in studded bracelets and festival wristbands, her free hand sat on her hip, buried in the red flannel shirt tied around her waist. Despite her dark attire and muted fur, her bright blue antlers practically shone against the void. 

A twinge of unease ran through Tenna’s very being. Unease and sorrow. Seeing her smile so brightly with such dull eyes rattled him every time. He never understood why they didn’t reflect anything.

“December,” he murmured. “Before you say anything, I just want you to know that-“

“Cut the crap, old man, I already know what you’re going to say,” Dess sneered. “‘Wah, wah, wah! I’m so sorry, Dessy-doodle! I didn’t mean to knock out your little sissy-wissy! Please, oh-please forgive me!’”

Tenna’s expression wavered at her mocking tone, hoping the embarrassment wasn’t showing on his screen. “I don’t sound like that.”

“Yes, you do,” Dess snickered, turning her bat in her hand. “You were trying so hard right now not to put some corny petname on the end of that sentence.”

Tenna allowed her to laugh for a little longer, unable to stop himself from lingering on the sound. Even though he could replay it anytime he wanted, hearing it in-person was always more wonderful. Unfortunately, he knew he wasn’t there for a fun little catch-up. 

“I am sorry, Dess,” Tenna said. “I promise you, I didn’t mean any harm, but I panicked.” He clenched his fist behind his back, digging his claws into his palm. “I thought I had this planned perfectly. The Challenges, the food- even when she asked about the memories I knew exactly what to do, but magic?!” The corners of Tenna’s mouth twitched as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “I-I could never have anticipated that. If I had known, I never would have suggested that damn snow day!” With a frustrated hiss, he pushed his claws deeper against his palm, feeling them puncture the fabric of his gloves and begin scraping against his casing. “I mean, a Lightner? Knowing magic? And ice magic of all things? Preposterous! I’m sure it’s not impossible to learn, but knowing it right from the start-“

“Must be a Holiday thing,” Dess interrupted. “Elly has always been the smart one, so it makes sense in my book.” She brought her bat down to her side, leaning on the base of the handle. “Though, I never woulda thought she’d use it to hurt anyone. I mean, she can barely even say no to people.”

Tenna’s antennae pricked up. “Did you see what happened outside?”

“Of course I did,” Dess scoffed. “I see everything that goes on in your creepy little world.”

Tenna grimaced at her wording. It seemed it was also a ‘Holiday thing’ to denounce all of his displays of affection and sentiment as ‘creepy’. The temptation to pry for the full details tugged at his wiring, but Elnina had told him enough- even if he had to push it out of her. He cleared his throat, trying not to dwell on his intimidation tactics. “She said she used her magic in a different Dark World. Do you know anything about that?”

In an instant, Dess’s smile dropped from her face. “Cyber City… Ugh, I told that laptop to keep an eye on things,” she muttered. “She went AWOL long before the fountain was sealed. I should have known she was too scatter-brained for the job.” After grumbling expletives to herself, Dess shot Tenna a wry glance. “Guess you can’t rely on modern tech to get the job done, huh?”

A bright hot pink burned at the edges of Tenna’s screen. If he knew Dess wouldn’t belittle him, a whole bouquet of flowers would have sprung from the tip of his nose. There was truly nothing like a compliment from an original viewer. It took everything in his power to resist the urge to pull her into a hug and spin her around, thanking her over and over for seeing his efforts, but he knew, if he tried, he wouldn’t like what he found in his arms- or rather, what he didn’t. Giving himself a quick smack to readjust his coloring, Tenna continued. 

“You know, Noelle also said Kris told her to use her magic to attack people. Can you believe that?”

Somehow, Dess looked even more aggravated. Her brows furrowed, darkening her already lightless eyes. “Ugh, how do we always end up talking about Kris?” She asked. “I swear, you’re obsessed with that little creepshow.”

“Hey now! It’s relevant this time!” Tenna exclaimed. “And don’t be cruel. You know Kris is a good kid, they’re just a little… troubled.” He contemplated his next words for a moment. “After you… left, I think Noelle was the only source of normalcy they had but then, of course, she stopped visiting too…” A bittersweet, wobbly smile emerged on Tenna’s screen. “Maybe they’re just… trying to reconnect.”

Dess’s expression softened. She let go of her bat, causing it to disappear into thin air with a crackling pulse of sound. “Kris was always… different, I guess,” she began, hands twitching as she folded her arms tightly. “When I first met them, they were kinda all over the place- Toriel called them ‘rambunctious’- but one day they just sorta… changed. They got real quiet and their pranks got kinda weird.” Her bangs cast a shadow across her face as she looked down to where her hooves would be, reflective. “I used to smack ‘em- hard- when they’d freak Noelle out. Gave ‘em a nosebleed once. Little shit deserved it half the time, but… somehow it never drove them away. ” Dess smirked half-heartedly. “After whatever happened, they only wanted to spend more time with me- and Elly was just along for the ride. Guess some things never change, huh?”

Tenna forced a chuckle, torn between the joy of reminiscence and the horrible image of Kris getting hurt. “If only…” 

“I don’t trust Kris as far as I can throw ‘em, but right now? They’re doing exactly what I need them to,” Dess said. “They won’t step out of line if they know what’s good for them. They owe me. Besides, it might do Elly some good to get out of her comfort zone. Cause a bit of chaos with a friend. Then both the Holiday sisters could have super cool all-powerful magic!”

“I’m not so sure,” Tenna murmured, beginning to tap his foot. “I understand what you’re saying, but Noelle seemed really rattled by all this. I doubt Kris had any bad intentions, but I don’t think she saw it that way. I tried to talk to her about it, but… now we’re in this mess.” With a dejected sigh, Tenna began to fidget with his cufflinks. “I… I’m at my wits end. I don’t know what to do.” An abrupt wave of anxiety and regret had washed over him. Despite Dess’s compliment, he couldn’t let himself forget why they were having their talk in the first place. “I messed up. I know I did. I ruined it all for my poor little angel… and we were just starting to have fun…”

Dess rolled her eyes as Tenna’s words turned more and more tearful. “Yeesh, maybe you care a little TOO much,” she scoffed. “You act like Elly won’t just wake up and forget any of this even happened.”

“But what if she doesn’t trust me anymore?!” Tenna asked, wringing his hands. “W-what if she still wants to leave? What if she prefers that cold, lonely house over me? What does that say?! She’s going to hate me. I-I can’t watch her drift away again! W-what if she-“

Without warning, something smacked Tenna upside the head, causing his display to waver for a moment.

“God, suck it up, old man. This is getting kinda weird,” Dess sneered, grimacing slightly. “I think Elly would prefer anything to our house. Why do you think we used to come by so often?”

Ashamed, Tenna emitted an affirming grumble, folding his arms like a scolded child.

“Look, any other time, I’d be pissed you had to knock her out like that, but I can’t afford for her to leave either,” Dess said calmly. “This place is perfect for Elly. Whenever we’d go to the Dreemurr’s house, the only thing she wanted to do was sit next to Krismas in front of the TV. It was, like, her happy place.” Almost unconsciously, Dess’s hands crept up her arms, allowing her to hold herself. “Since the day she was born, Elly has had huge expectations on her shoulders- including not ending up like me. She doesn’t have to worry about that here. She’s safe,” She looked over to Tenna with an uncharacteristically caring glance, “and loved. Free to be herself, and cheer up that kid inside her.” A more sombre expression washed over Dess’s face. “The kid that died when I disappeared.”

The air went cold as the conversation fell silent. The look on her little face tore Tenna apart. Deep down, he wanted nothing more than to reach out to her, to give her a pat on the shoulder or ruffle her hair and tell her everything was okay, but he knew that she couldn’t. It would only hurt her more. 

“She misses you a lot, you know?” Tenna said softly. 

“Yeah,” Dess replied. “I know.”

The pair stayed quiet for a moment; the darkness only insulating the emotional weight of their words. So many of their previous conversations- if they even spoke at all- had been exclusively business, it was rare to have a genuine heart-to-heart. They were the moments Tenna treasured most, but he knew December merely tolerated them.

“I… know it’s a big ask, but maybe-“ Tenna’s next words became lodged in his throat for a moment, carefully monitoring every micro-expression on Dess’s face as he spoke. “… maybe you could go and talk to her…? I think it would benefit you both.”

Despite the room having no determinable size, it suddenly felt very small. Tenna immediately regretted his question. Dess’s saddened eyes turned dull, staring holes into Tenna’s screen and chassis, but she hardly reacted- or, at least, her face didn’t. Her mouth hung open for a split second, but no words came out. Instead, she simply took a step to the side and stretched out her arm. Tenna watched in restrained distress as her hand began to contort and elongate as it left the light, the fur on her hands shedding to make way for blackened claws; sharp, jagged joints jutted out from her stretched limb like armor, whilst a hole ate through her palm, distorting the shape of her hand even further. Throughout her wretched transformation, Dess only winced when she tried to put her arm down to her side. It was as if it was now too big for the socket- or entirely dislocated.

“I think you know why I can’t do that,” Dess said.

Tenna tensed up, trying not to dwell on the indicators of discomfort slowly growing on her face. “B-but, I could help! We could make it work!” He exclaimed, his tone turning desperate. “I could keep you in the light- in my light- in this form, like I did during the memories-!”

Without warning, Dess inhaled sharply through her teeth, grasping her changed arm. As she did so, her other hand began to shift. Her fingertips, now untouched by Tenna’s glow, stiffened as those same black shards pierced through, forming knife-like appendages. “I already told you, old man. It hurts.” 

“I- I know, Dessy, but Noelle would-“

“Agh! Shut the fuck up already!” Dess hissed through gritted teeth, ink-like liquid tainting her saliva. “Don’t you think I want to talk to her in this body? Like normal? I would if I could, but…” She stepped back, now unable to stand fully upright. “You saw how she looked at me in that memory… Seeing me like this… hearing about it all… it would…” Tenna tried to follow as she inched further into the darkness, desperately trying to brighten his screen, but stopped when Dess shot him a commanding scowl with what remained of her face. “… Elly’s been through enough…” The more she retreated back into the void, the louder the sounds became. The snapping; the slicing; the tearing. The sounds of transformation. Emergence. A horrid, twisted form bursting from a now ill-fitting body and discarding it in the void.

After what felt like forever, the cacophony of visceral sound went eerily quiet. 

Amongst the white noise of the darkened room, something dripped onto the floor, softly at first, then louder, then quiet again; rhythmic like a ticking clock. Tenna squirmed, tensing his jaw as guttural breaths filled the air, scraping against his receptors. It was as if he was standing in a ribcage.

“… can’t… see… like this…” A voice- like interference crawled from the stillness. December’s voice, but just barely. “… can’t… traumatise her… again…”

Just as he prepared himself for another apologetic bow, a sudden chill jolted Tenna upright. A presence loomed behind him. Above him, almost. 

“That’s why… need you…”

It ran a finger along the rim of his chassis, causing him to shudder. “Y-yes, I understand,” Tenna stammered, loosening his tie. “I-I’m sorry, that was a stupid, STUPID thing to suggest. I just-“ He sighed, unable to stop himself from shrinking ever so slightly. “I-I just… didn’t expect all this. It frightened me. Do you think I can still move forward according to plan? Will everything be okay?”

The air rumbled with a contemplative hum. “Yes… continue… next Challenge looks good… scary…”

Tenna finally had an opportunity to take his second bow, only more thankful than atoning. A feeling of relief weaved through his components, but vanished in an instant with the sound of something sharp being unsheathed. He froze, still bent forward as a knife-like weapon hovered within his line of sight.

“Need… to ask though…” It spoke directly into Tenna’s receptor. “Before… mentioned family… what did you mean…?”

While it was near impossible to read its tone, Tenna couldn’t help but feel he was being presented with a loaded question. It wasn’t often he was the one being quizzed. The blade continued to hang ominously in front of him as Tenna attempted to gather his thoughts; family was one of his favorite topics, deducing a single instance was not an easy task. There was no timer or countdown, no discernable penalty for answering incorrectly, but it certainly felt like there was. 

“Uh… are you referring to when I said Noelle needed a big happy family? After my argu- friendly disagreement with Ramb?” Tenna asked anxiously.

The room fell silent. Tenna could only assume the lack of rebuttal meant he was correct, but restrained himself from seeking assurance. He couldn’t look up. Not yet.

“W-well, it’s true, isn’t it?” He continued. “I have so many fond memories of watching over you and Noelle and Kris, while Toriel sat by my side in her chair, reading. It was so perfect, l-like something out of a sitcom.” Tenna clasped his hands together, unable to stop himself from trembling. “We… We were a family. We were. Even when things were hard, being together- being with me- used to bring you all so much joy. Like you said, Noelle never wanted to go home!” A bittersweet chuckle escaped from the vents in his casing. “I was just thinking aloud, but… I figured if we could be that wonderful, loving family again it would make her so, so happy… like before.”

As he finished speaking, a weak, scrambled laugh resonated around the room. Familiar embarrassment twisted itself in Tenna’s wires at the sound. “Leave… to me…”

“Huh?” Tenna murmured, stunned. “You… actually like my idea? What are you going to-“

Tenna’s antennae crumpled in on themselves as a horrid, high-pitched ‘shh’ scraped against the air like a faulty radio signal. The discomfort made his screen flicker, flashing between test screens and random channels until the noise stopped. Keeping his head lowered, he shakily raised his hands to readjust his receivers, eliciting another laugh-like distortion.

“… worry not… continue with… plan… will have something for you… soon…”

“Oh… thank you,” Tenna said, wincing as he bent his antenna back into place. “I’m so happy you see my vision. I know I’ve been a bit of a wreck, but I swear, I haven’t been this happy since you all were children- and I know Noelle hasn’t either. That’s why I thought-“

“Enough.”

Before he could say another word, the weapon positioned itself under his chassis; the tip only narrowly avoided his neck, sitting just above the knot of his tie. 

“You… look at me now…”

As commanded, Tenna slowly began to raise his head, guided by the tip of the blade. Sharpened, skate-like appendages hovered in the air, inviting his gaze upward with their pointed armor. The form before him was a mess of contradictions. Intimidating and elegant; imposing, but frail; deific, yet profoundly sinister. Twisted antlers adorned its head; a jagged halo atop a hellish body. A body, seemingly composed of nothing but concentrated darkness. Hardened like crystals, but ever-shifting like water.

It was beyond anything neither Darkner nor Lightner could comprehend. Only spoken about in hushed, prophetic murmurings.

“My Knight,” Tenna said, barely above a whisper. “I… I truly appreciate all your help. Thank you for giving me this opportunity. F-for making me useful again! For allowing me to live up to my title as the Lord of Screens and not just some… some obsolete waste of space.” He clasped his hands together, almost in prayer. “You are truly all-loving.”

As expected, his praise was met with silence. 

The Knight’s face- if one could even define it as such- remained stern as it slowly moved the weapon from Tenna’s chin to his shoulder. Without further instruction, Tenna kneeled. 

“Remember…” The Knight spoke. “Make… Elly happy… any means necessary… I will be watching… always.”

With an acquiescent hum, Tenna turned his screen off, plunging the room into complete and total darkness. He felt the knife press harder against his shoulder. “As you wish, my Knight,” he said with reverence. “I will not fail you again.”

Chapter Text

“…have… fun, Elly…”

I’m here.”

Noelle’s brow furrowed as she slowly began to wake up. Pulling her hand from the bundle of bedding by her chest, she patted the mattress, sleepily hoping to find someone cuddled up beside her or protectively slumbering with her back-to-back. Unfortunately, as she expected, she found herself alone. With a quiet grumble, Noelle pushed herself upright, stretching her hands over her head and letting out a small yawn. She had never slept so well in her life- or at least, not recently.

As she rubbed her eyes, adjusting to the soft festive lights… the strangest feeling of deja vu came creeping out of nowhere. 

Minutes passed, and that deja vu mutated into an intrusive discomfort. Her head didn’t exactly hurt, but something felt… off. The inside of her skull pulsed with a dull ache, pushing against the back of her eyes and permeating through her jaw. Perhaps she had been grinding her teeth in her sleep? It wasn’t an unlikely possibility, but it didn’t explain why it was so difficult to pinpoint how and when she went to bed. It reminded her of when she awoke in the library computer lab, disoriented, except this time she was still in the Dark World. 

Noelle ran her fingers through her hair absent-mindedly with one hand, and massaged her temple with the other, trying to recollect the sparse vignettes of memories floating around her mind, but before she could determine how real they were, there was a soft knock at the door.

“Good morning, little angel, are you awake in there?”

It was Tenna.

Noelle hesitated for a moment before answering. “Uh, yeah. Come in!”

With a bright smile, Tenna entered holding a small plate of pancakes. In an instant, the room was flooded with the sickly sweet scent of maple and cinnamon.

“Good morning, good morning! Sun beams will soon smile through! Good morning, good morning, to you and you and you-!”

Tenna tapped Noelle on the nose as he finished singing. Despite her unease, she couldn’t help but giggle.

“It’s… morning?” Noelle asked.

“TV World doesn’t have a day and night, per se, but it’s a new day for you, little star!” Tenna replied excitedly. “Here! I brought you some breakfast. Your favorite, right?”

Noelle wasn’t hungry when she awoke but the second Tenna placed the plate into her lap, she felt her stomach begin to rumble. The golden syrup practically sparkled as it dripped down the sizable stack, oozing into every gap it could find, leaving no layer untouched. Watching it only made the hunger pangs louder. Cutlery in hand, Noelle sliced off a chunk and shoved it into her mouth. The moment it touched her tongue, she couldn’t help but squeal in delight. They were delicious; buttery and sweet with a perfect pinch of festive spice. 

The bed creaked under Tenna’s weight as he sat himself down. He watched intently while Noelle gradually took apart the pancake stack; resting his head on intertwined fingers and lingering on the smallest indicators of joy. The smile; the flicking ears; her little squeaks and excitable hums. They were even more precious the second time around. 

“You know, breakfast time is even more beneficial when someone is there to share it,” Tenna said warmly. “It’s an opportunity to talk about last night’s dreams and today’s plans!” Putting on his best gossipy voice, he twirled an antenna around his finger. “Sooo, what did you dream about, little star?”

Taking a moment to swallow, Noelle contemplated the question. “I don’t know actually,” she said. “I don’t usually remember my dreams, but… uh…” A twinge of familiar discomfort arose again, causing her to wince. “I must’ve had some pretty crummy ones last night, because I woke up with this really weird headache.”

Tenna’s expression softened. “Oh dear! That’s not good, is it?” He put the back of his hand to Noelle’s forehead, tutting to himself. “Brr! You’re a bit cold, kiddo. Are these blankets not snuggly enough for you?” Before Noelle could even consider how he felt temperature through his gloves, Tenna took his hand back into his lap, shaking his head. “Gosh, I hope you’re not getting sick. I’d hate for you to miss out on our new Challenge.”

As soon as he finished that word, Noelle’s ears pricked up. “The Horror Channel?!”

Tenna’s screen flickered for a moment; a jolt of surprise ran through his body, snapping his posture and antennae upright. “Wh- huh?! How did you know about that?!” He stammered, grasping at his tie.

His overdramatic reaction elicited another laugh from Noelle. “Fahaha! I saw a poster for it when I-“ Before she could finish her sentence, a sharp sensation shot from temple to temple; painful enough to notice, but not to make her truly react. “When I, uh…” She took a moment to recompose herself. “I don’t actually know when I saw it, but I swear I did!”

Gritting his teeth, Tenna tugged at his collar. “Ah… I see,” he said. “Someone’s getting fired! That was supposed to be a surprise!"

“Aww, don’t worry, Mr Tenna!” Noelle chirped, picking up the last chunk of breakfast on her fork. “I’m not the best with surprises anyway.”

With a thankful smile, Tenna allowed Noelle to finish her food, only moving the plate to the side once she had scooped up the last blobs of syrup. 

“So!” Tenna said, practically leaping off the bed into a proud, theatrical pose. “Are we ready for today’s Physical Challenge?”

Bright eyed, Noelle followed, matching his enthusiasm; scrambling to her feet and straightening her dress. “Yes! Let’s go!”

With an excitable hum, Tenna threw a hand into the air and snapped his fingers, plunging the room into complete darkness. When the lights came back up, the pair found themselves standing in the glimmering hall of the Physical Challenge Zone. 

Noelle’s mouth hung open for a moment, only able to emit baffled squeaks and half-questions. “You- have you been able to do this the whole time?!”

Tenna laughed. “Never question the magic of TV, kiddo! That’s how you ruin all the fun!”

Cocking an eyebrow, Noelle looked to the floor, then to the end of the hall, then to the floor again. First confused, then utterly enthralled. Tenna had already shown her so many amazing things, but the prospect of him having even more wondrous abilities sparked a fire of child-like curiosity within her; her body growing giddier by the second and erasing any trace of discomfort or ache. She wanted nothing more than to bombard him with questions, to ask about the limits of his abilities, but she kept herself quiet. If this next Challenge was anything like the last ones, she’d be getting her answers on a silver platter. 

“Welcome to the Horror Channel!” Tenna began. “Even though it’s, uh, not much of a surprise anymore, this Challenge was made just for you!” 

Beside the third set of double doors sat a new poster, which Tenna gestured to proudly, inviting Noelle to look. It was different from the vague memory she saw before. Instead of simple text, it depicted a stylised drawing of an antlered monster girl- of her- holding a flashlight in a dark room, just like the covers of the retro horror games she and Dess used to hide from their mother. The thought of someone taking the time to not only diligently draw her, but also emulate a style she loved so much made her cheeks flush beneath her fur and excitement well up in her chest. 

“Why don’t you go inside and take a look?” Tenna asked, patting her on the back. “I can explain the rules once you’ve settled.”

With nothing but an affirmative squeal, Noelle pushed herself through the doors. The soft pats of her hooves against the red carpet turned into harsh clicks as she crossed the threshold; not too dissimilar to how they sounded on the tiles at school. As the door slammed behind her, a cluster of dangling lightbulbs flickered to life, illuminating a small table littered with a variety of objects in the centre of the room. Anxiously, Noelle crept forward. As she came into the light, she noticed her outfit had changed, much like how it did during the Cooking Channel Challenge. A frilly, layered red dress with green accents, and a cute, poofy-sleeved blouse complete with a necktie; it really was like she was in one of those horror games. If she knew her mother wouldn’t scold her for the long socks and short skirt, Noelle would have asked Tenna if she could keep it when she eventually went home… if she went home.

Noelle shook her head at the thought, refocusing herself on the task at hand.

On the table sat a small leather shoulder bag with Christmas-themed pins on its strap, some batteries, and a flashlight. If Noelle wasn’t already eager enough, connecting the dots only fueled her anticipation. She knowingly slipped the bag on, crammed the batteries into a side pocket, and took the flashlight into her hands but the moment she turned it on, the ceiling lights sparked and cut out. Noelle stayed quiet for a moment, casting the narrow beam around the room in an attempt to get her bearings. Grime and peeled wallpaper covered the walls, giving the illusion of something being there just beyond the reach of the flashlight, whilst shabby, overturned furniture and scattered papers littered the cracked tile floor. It was a far cry from the bright colors and mellow atmosphere of the rest of TV World. 

“Creepy, right?” Tenna’s static-y voice called out from seemingly nowhere. “Ah, I remember when Dess would sneak you all downstairs and put on a scary movie or two while Toriel and Asgore were sleeping. You had to muffle yourselves with pillows when the really scary parts came on!” He laughed. “But there’s no pillows here, little star. This time, you’re IN the movie.” 

“Gosh… this is so exciting!” Noelle grasped at the bag strap, unable to stop herself from fidgeting. “You gonna tell me what my challenge is?”

“Oh, that’s right! The rules!” Almost on cue, a door creaked open, revealing a pitch black room. “You are in an abandoned manor. Where there was once family fun and laughter, there is now only emptiness and some spooky goings on- maybe due to a lack of TV!” 

Embarrassingly, Noelle couldn’t help but chuckle at that remark.

“You have two goals: find three special objects and escape!” 

“That’s it?” Noelle asked.

“For now,” Tenna replied. “Good luck, kiddo!”

As he finished his sentence, a high-pitched click pierced the air, like a TV being switched off. In a matter of seconds, the set had been rendered completely silent. Noelle hadn’t noticed it before, but TV World had near constant white noise. The sound of soft, fuzzy static, distant employee chatter, or quiet, ambient music was almost impossible to avoid. She couldn’t remember a time where it had been truly quiet.

Noelle’s ears twitched and turned as she cautiously approached the darkened room, listening for what could be awaiting inside. Much to her surprise, and partial relief, she heard nothing but the sound of dripping water and the growing thump of her heart pounding in her ears, equal parts thrilled and frightened.

The shaky beam of the flashlight revealed some kind of kitchen- or rather, what used to be a kitchen. All the cupboard doors had been torn off and the fridge had been left open, revealing itself as the source of the repetitive dripping; spilling melted ice and liquified food waste onto the floor. Surprisingly though, the drawers were all perfectly intact. Noelle had played enough games to know what that meant. Trying to remain vigilant, she approached one of the cabinets and slid a drawer open. Empty. Then she tried the next one. Empty again. Only the third one had something of value: a small key and a folded piece of paper. 

‘Too easy…’ Noelle thought to herself with a smug grin.

Before she could unfurl her findings however, something else caught her eye. Across the room, beyond a dilapidated dinner table, sat a grand piano. Unlike its undesirable surroundings, the instrument showed no signs of real wear outside of a thin coating of dust, which almost sparkled under the light. In fact, beneath its exposed strings, there seemed to be a faint golden glow. 

Cautiously, Noelle crept around the counters and made her way towards the piano, instinctively keeping close to the furniture so as to not cause any of the floorboards to creak.

Sitting inside the instrument’s wiring and wooden components was a single red apple, surrounded by a glittering aura. 

“This must be one of those ‘special objects’,” Noelle murmured under her breath. “Come on, Mr Tenna… I thought these were meant to be challenges.”

Standing on the tips of her hooves, she leant over the top and reached into the instrument’s innards, but her fingers could barely brush the top of the stem. She huffed as she scampered to the other side, only to find that the apple was now even further away and blocked by the lid. Her prideful words had been swiftly humbled. Circling the piano and turning the flashlight in her hand, Noelle contemplated her options. She needed a different approach. Another angle. She cast her light around the room, surveying for anything she could have missed. The drawers, despite screaming ‘open me!’, left little to be desired aside from what she had already found, and the empty cupboards were just that. Empty. There was no convenient length of wire sticking out of the ceiling or vaguely-hook-shaped implement lying around. Tenna had really thought of everything. 

It was only after the second glance around the room Noelle spotted an obvious solution. 

The toppled chairs around the dinner table were just light enough for her to lift without much effort, and fit in front of the piano perfectly. Despite the task at hand, Noelle couldn’t help but take a moment to stare at the scene she had created. It reminded her of the piano at home; dusty, unused with a vacant chair where an eager musician should be. Where Kris used to be. To say how poorly she could recall going to bed, the memory of them playing was clear as day. It made Noelle smile, but she could dwell on those thoughts later. She had a challenge to win first.

Carefully, Noelle eased herself onto the chair and peered into the piano, trying to keep herself stable as the uneven legs wobbled ever so slightly beneath her. Placing a hand on the action frame, she slowly began to lean forward, pausing every few seconds to regain her balance. She reached out her other arm as far as she could, fingers stretched, but the apple was still just barely out of reach. 

“Come on…” 

Noelle tried to lean down even further, the frame creaking slightly under the pressure. As the seconds passed, her core ached more and more, strained between stretching over the keys and keeping upright. She wiggled her fingers between the components, but nothing she did seemed to help. 

“Agh! Come on-!”

Without thinking, Noelle raised a leg and pushed herself forward, inhaling sharply through her teeth as she was finally able to pluck the apple from the instrument. Before she could revel in her victory and risk-taking, however, her knee collided with the keys, sending a loud, inharmonious chord reverberating around the room. The cacophony rattled through Noelle’s ribcage as she hurried to her feet, filling her with an undeniable dread.

This was a scripted event.

“Oh, silly me! I forgot to mention something.” The sudden reemergence of Tenna’s voice made Noelle flinch. Though, calling it a voice was generous. His usual host-like tone had been replaced with what could only be described as a channel-switching cadence. Each word sounded like it came from a different place. A different show. All being pushed through a layer of heavy, unstable static. “ I’ve heard there’s a creature lurking around here- and he doesn’t like it when you take his special things!” A loud thrumming sound emanated through the room, knocking loose dust and bits of plaster from the ceiling. “It’s got four arms, a TV for a head, and an insatiable need… for hugs! Why, if it catches you, it may just squeeze the life out of you!” 

“So, uh…” Noelle slowly pushed the apple into her bag, as her eyes darted around the room for possible exits. “I’m guessing the only way I can lose is if I get caught.”

Suddenly, a large gloved hand crept around the doorframe, clawing at the exposed wood. “That’s right.” Then, another crawled across the floor. She couldn’t go out that way anymore. “If it gets too much, you can shout ‘cut!’ at any time.” Then another. “But, I doubt you’ll need to do that.” As her flashlight trembled in her hand, it caught the glimmer of something on the wall above the fridge. The air vent had been knocked open. “I know how much you love this sort of thing.” 

When the final hand scampered into the light, Noelle steeled herself and barrelled back towards the kitchen. Plates and glasses smashed onto the floor as she mounted the countertops and pulled herself atop the fridge. The vent wasn’t exactly spacious, but it was just wide enough for her to fit and she didn’t have time to consider other options. With a deep breath, Noelle climbed inside, crawling as quickly as she could until the sound of claws on tile was barely audible. She quickly glanced over her shoulder, squeezing her eyes shut for a split second in case a hand was skittering towards her but, thankfully, all she saw was the darkened vent. 

“W-wow,” she whispered through a long exhale. “T-This is so cool!”

With an excited shudder, Noelle continued to crawl forward, occasionally pausing to cast her flashlight from side to side. Despite the abysmal state of the rooms, the vents were surprisingly clean. Perhaps Tenna didn’t want her to get her dress dirty.

After a few minutes of shuffling through the narrow crawlspace, Noelle found an exit. A vent in the room she started in had been ripped open. She held her breath as she poked her head out, her eyes darting from floor to ceiling before slowly casting her gaze over to the kitchen door. A long drape of red fabric, like torn coattails, slinked into the darkened room, accompanied by the sound of clattering silverware and shattering glass. The ‘creature’ was still searching the kitchen.

Noelle used the sound of the table being thrown aside to ease out of the vent, keeping her flashlight low to the ground as she formulated her route. To her left, she spotted a small staircase. The kitchen was clearly a lost cause, and she couldn’t afford to test the other two doors with the creature on the same floor, so her only option was up. With her back to wall, Noelle sidestepped to the stairs, putting her hoof on the first step as delicately as she could. As she slowly ascended, the brief moment of respite made her suddenly remember the paper she found in the drawer. For all she knew, it could have been a solution to the piano debacle and she was simply too distracted to check.  She mentally punched herself at the thought; she wouldn’t be able to get angry at horror movie protagonists and their questionable decisions anymore. Fishing it from her bag but still keeping her eyes and ears open, Noelle unfolded the paper. 

To the relief of her dignity, it wasn’t a puzzle solution. It wasn’t even a cryptic note. It was a map. A floor plan of a house. Two houses, in fact, connected by what appeared to be some kind of underground tunnel. At first, it appeared to be an arbitrary illustration- maybe one Tenna had pulled from a movie or TV show- but the longer Noelle looked, the layout of the houses became more familiar. One with three floors, three bedrooms, and a sizable basement, and the other with only two floors with a bathroom next to the kitchen. She had made the comparison before, but she assumed it was just a coincidence. Surely other families had pianos in their dining rooms. A bead of sweat began to form on the fur of her forehead as Noelle continued to analyse the map, down to the placement of the doors and ventilation system.

“H-how in the world…?”

Noelle couldn’t even finish her sentence as a loud creak suddenly screeched out from underneath her. The house was silent for a second, then alive with the sound of heavy footsteps and violent static, causing what felt like the very foundations to tremble.

“fOUnD YOU.”

Heart in her mouth as she ran up the remaining stairs, Noelle darted into the first room on the left, slamming the door shut behind her. There were two doors at the top of the stairway but, regardless of which door she had chosen, it wouldn’t have mattered. The wall between the neighbouring rooms had been destroyed, leaving a gaping hole and rubble and dust everywhere. Noelle could only hope that the other door was locked. Stabilising her flashlight with both hands, she tried to get a grasp on her new surroundings. It appeared to be some kind of child’s bedroom- a little girl’s room, complete with faded pink wallpaper and scratchy drawings of smiling monsters and uneven flowers covering the walls as high as a kid could reach. An empty toy chest sat overturned in the far corner; half its contents were strewn across the floor, covered in debris, while the others were lined up eerily neatly on an unmade bed. An unmade bed with a strange glow beneath the pillow.

Settling her breathing, Noelle crept forward. The sounds from the creature had gone quiet, but she knew better than to assume she was safe. She slowly lifted the pillow, her eyes widening as she discovered the second object. Nestled atop the mattress sat a pair of Christmas tree ornaments; cloth, with round heads and makeshift angel wings. One ever so slightly bigger than the other. Just like the ones she and her sister used to make. The ribbons around their necks keeping their shape had been tied together, making them impossible to separate. Counted as one, despite being two unique entities. 

Noelle cradled them in her hands for a moment, admiring the craftsmanship- or lack thereof. Seeing the messy, uneven knot reminded her of how Dess would get irritable at the last few steps and rush the bows just so she could see the finished product. It brought a bittersweet smile to her face as she delicately placed them in her bag, positioned as if they were hugging the apple.

With a wistful sigh, Noelle turned back towards the door. It seemed like the obvious option to attempt to navigate into the next room but, if the piano had taught her anything, choosing the clearest path didn’t always garner the best results. 

Her mind was made up until a harsh thump knocked her hand away from the doorknob.

Wrong choice.

Almost instinctively, Noelle stumbled back and shot under the bed, turning off her flashlight and making herself as small as she could as the hinges snapped off onto the floor, with the door following soon after. Screeching feedback filled the air as the same four hands crawled into the room first, their clawed nails cutting through the carpet and scraping the floorboards beneath. The room flickered with multicolored light of varying brightness as the creature bowed its head to move inside, scanning the room from corner to corner. It couldn’t stand upright in there, forcing itself onto all fours- or rather, all sixes. Noelle could only see half of its shadowy, hulking form draped in a tattered red suit as it prowled across the floor, twitching uncomfortably. Garbled words, like poor reception, dripped from its chassis, filling the air with heavy, nonsensical noise. She clasped a hand over her mouth as one of the creature’s hands creeped to the edge of the bed, close enough for her to see the dirt embedded in the white fabric of its torn gloves. Just as she was about to hold her breath, a noise from the other room caught its attention. With a static-y growl, the creature clambered through the hole in the wall, disappearing into the dark with nothing but its faded, blinking screen to guide it.

The second she heard the other room being torn apart, Noelle crawled out from her hiding spot and dashed into the hallway. Her mind raced as she fumbled her flashlight back on, adrenaline seeping into every inch of her trembling body. Her heart was ready to break through her ribs, beating on her diaphragm as if it was begging her to stop, but she couldn’t. Her fur glimmered with cold sweat, but her eyes sparkled with burning exhilaration.

One more to go, then she had won.

At the end of the corridor was another, even shorter stairway, leading up to the third and final floor. There was only one door at the top of the landing. One way in, one way out. Just like it was at home. Noelle closed her eyes as if bracing for impact as she grabbed the door handle and pushed her way inside, only opening them again once she heard the door click shut behind her.

Unlike the other rooms she had escaped from, this final one seemed more abandoned than destroyed. There were no bits of debris or broken furniture littering the floor; no grime or signs of wear on the walls; it didn’t even appear to be particularly dusty. It was as if the homeowners had just gotten up and left, leaving everything as it was- or maybe the creature just liked this room too much. Strangely, the lack of damage made the atmosphere even more uncomfortable. Suspicious, like something was going to leap out of the wardrobe or fall from the ceiling, tearing the illusion of normality down in a matter of seconds. However, as she looked around, something else was jumping out at Noelle.

Even if this set was indeed meant to mirror her house, this was not her parents’ bedroom. 

It was too… lived in. Too comfortable. Even though it was uninhabited, Noelle could practically feel the warmth of love emanating from every well-used pillow and aptly placed trinket. Her mother, for all her affections towards heart shaped things, could never create such an atmosphere- absent or not. She couldn’t quite pinpoint why, but lingering on those thoughts made her chest ache.

As she continued to gaze around the room, she spotted her target. A locked drawer in the bedside cabinet outlined with that same sparkling glow. 

This was it.

The last object.

Using the key from the kitchen, Noelle opened up the drawer. Sitting inside, amongst a small collection of junk and loose jewellery, was a book.

“‘How to Care for a Human’…?” Noelle read aloud, trying to stay quiet. “Is this… Miss Toriel’s?” She took a step back, looking around the room one more time. “Is this Miss Toriel’s room?”

Her brow furrowed as she glanced at the book cover again. The ache in her heart had spread through her abdomen, forming a pit in her stomach. Two possibilities swirled in her mind, swimming through the ever-draining adrenaline, and neither brought her any comfort. On the one hand, it was distressing to think her mother would ever have a book like this in her possession. Her mother was fond of Kris, yes, but owning a book specifically about raising humans felt invasive. Intense. Especially given how dismissive she could be of her own children. On the other hand, the thought of Toriel owning the book filled Noelle with a deep longing. In Toriel’s hands, it was a tool of compassion, of care for her child. An indicator that she wanted nothing more than to connect and understand. Something her own mother never even tried- at least, not before it was too late.

Noelle shook her head, cramming the book in her bag before she could get too attached. Now wasn’t the time for sentiment, it was time to escape.

With a determined huff, Noelle paced back to the door and valiantly stepped into the hallway only to find a crackling, smiling screen staring up at her from the bottom of the stairs.

“HEllO tHEre-!”

With a high pitched scream, Noelle immediately retreated back into the room, her loud, quickening heartbeat pounding against her skull. She was proud of how brave and resourceful she had been so far, but she wasn’t brave enough for this. She had her limits. Hyperventilating, she crouched by the side of the bed, hoping to duck under like she did before but, beneath the pleated valance sheet, there was nothing but solid wood. Her only other option was the wardrobe, but she was frozen to the floor, petrified.

The creature’s limbs thumped against the short stairway, slow, methodical, and rhythmic like a tolling bell. The sound of its incoherent speech and screaming static grew louder and louder, bubbling up from under the door like poisonous gas, stripping the claustrophobic room of breathable air.

It had suddenly become too much. Too real.

She didn’t want to play anymore.

As claws began to scrape at the doorframe, Noelle clasped her hands over her eyes. Unfortunately, she only had one way out. 

 “Ah! Enough!! Cut! Cut! Cut!!”

…

Suddenly, the set fell silent… only to be broken by the sound of a single party horn.

“Wow! Well done, little star! What a fantastic job!”

Slowly and shakily, Noelle brought her hands away from her face. The lights were back on, she was in her white robes, and Tenna was holding her in his arms. 

“W-what?” She stammered, looking herself up and down in disbelief. “‘Fantastic job’? B-but, I didn’t even escape, a-and I chickened out at the end!”

“Are you kidding?” Tenna scoffed. “You were like a real Final Girl out there! You really know your stuff, huh?”

Noelle felt color rush to her cheeks, still unable to truly process what had just happened. “I like to think so! Dess and I used to watch all sorts of scary movies- but I know you know that already…”

Tenna gave her a little squeeze. “I bet Dessy would be super proud if she saw you in action! You’re a real superstar, kiddo!”

A small giggle escaped Noelle’s trembling mouth as Tenna began to walk offstage. “T-thanks, Mr Tenna,” she said softly. “I know I got a bit scared back there, but that was so much fun! Honest! You really thought of everything- and you play a very convincing creature.”

“Aww, shucks, I’m glad you enjoyed yourself, sweetheart. You deserve it,” Tenna cooed, shouldering his way through the door. “Now, why don’t we go and relax in the Green Room for a little while? You can tell everyone about how great my horror challenge was!”

Tenna continued to ramble as he carried Noelle away from the Physical Challenge Zone. In any other circumstance, being cradled in someone’s arms at her age would have been embarrassing, but Noelle couldn’t help but melt into it. His usual friendly voice and warm, glowing screen, as well as the quiet sounds of his components, were the perfect white noise to ground her back in reality. Her heart was still beating hard and fast, but slowed with each length of hallway the pair passed through and every minute Tenna spoke. 

Scary things weren’t the same without Dess, but Noelle couldn’t deny how lovely it felt having a challenge all to herself. 

After all, when was the last time anything was just for her?