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A blank room, average wooden planked floors and blank white walls. A table and chairs sit in the center of the room. A whiteboard with a couple dry erase markers that lay upon it.
Suddenly as the room was shown, a few things started to pop up. An anthromorphic mutant soft-shelled turtle with a purple adorning him. A 13 year old black girl with an afro-puff coming out of her blue and yellow helmet. An armed and legged chemistry vile of sorts that held bright green acid. A white blonde girl with grey eyes, and a bright orange shirt with a Pegasus of sort. Lastly, a teenage Taiwanese-American with short black hair and a rather striking outfit that would appeal to one into DnD.
"Huh...? Where am I?" Says the 13 year old, her eyes spinning from the unexpected teleportation. Everyone slowly stands, a tad disoriented.
"That definitely didn't feel Nico's shadow-travel... Who summoned us here?" The blonde shouts, she goes to grab something from her pocket but finds it not there, "Huh... guess you thought of that."
A speaker in the corner starts to blare, everyone momentarily covers their ears from it screech, "Sorry for the unexpected teleportation. Be aware, you will only be in here for an hour before being teleported back." The voice pauses, "You should soon be aware of your several similarities. Honestly, I just wanted to see all of my favorite smart characters interact! You're all from seperate worlds so don't worry about any identity stuff being spilled. And Annabeth? The mist doesn't exist here so there is no need to hide! Anyways, I'll leave you be to converse, I'll come back in 15 minutes to give you all something!" The voice sounded anything but malious, just someone who is happy. None of the words had an edge of deceit or malice.
"Okay then, I guess we are all 'smart' Though I doubt any of you are smarter than me." The turtle cries, he seems a tad arrogant and self-absorbed to them, but means well.
"Ooh, you wanna bet? My superpower is my smarts-" the 13 year girl says in response, her face accepting the challenge, though being interrupted by the animate inanimate object.
"Oh golly gee! Other smart characters! I must of hit the jackpot this time! This time none of them are objects! What are you all supposed to be, anyways?" The test tube looks over to the turtle, "I mean, you are clearly a mutated turtle of sort."
"Yeah, yeah, I'm a teenage mutant ninja turtle, my brothers came up with that name. Took a lot of workshoping." He pauses, looking over at the blonde girl who is apparently named Annabeth, who is shooting daggers at everyone, "What is your problem?"
"My problem is, I don't trust any of you. What even are your names?" Annabeth asks, looking over at the short-haired girl with clothes of a DnD character "I mean, I can probably trust her, she has weak arms."
That girl just jots down in her notebook, not noticing the commotion, "Oh, sorry! You are just so interesting! And I thought an amphibian world was the only parallel world! I need to write down as many notes as I can!"
Annabeth bends down to look at the notebook cover, seeing the girl's name, "Marcy Wu, huh?"
"Oh- yep! Pretty aware aren't you?" Marcy says, her voice showing no fear of their current predicament.
"Yeah, the person did say nothing we say with come back with us, and that the mist isn't here-" Annabeth coughs, reaching her hand out to Marcy "Well, I am Annabeth Chase, a daughter of Athena!"
"Athena? The goddess of wisdom? Wow! That- That is unprecedented! Incredible!" She takes Annabeth's hand and shakes it, "I was honestly just an average girl before being transported to a frog world with her bestfriends because I didn't want to move. Crazy?"
"You got straight to the point, don't you?" Annabeth says, looking over to the whiteboard where the 13 year old and turtle have started a math-off, the test tube analyzing them. She starts to walk over, Marcy following her.
"Golly, I hope Fan and Bot are okay... Not too worried." The test tube mutters to herself.
"Who would those be?" Annabeth asks, peering over the test tubers shoulder.
"Oh, hi! You are Annabeth, right? My name is Test Tube! I am starting to realize that though we may be the smartest in our worlds, we are different kinds of smart. I, myself, am a scientist who works on multiple facets. Those 2 are tech wizards, you seem rather wise, and she seems to be analytical more than anything else. Though we all excell in the knowledge portion, I think." Test tube says, seemingly ignoring the Annabeth's question.
"I could've guessed that. You still didn't tell me who this Fan and Bot are."
"Oh... Fan is my significant other, and Bot is our robot child we made! They are sort of like my family..." Test Tube shares, fiddling with her fingers, "We were sort of making upgrades to Bot as we were taken here. I doubt Fan could handle it on his own. He is smart in his own way, just not with welding or coding. Other than HTML that is-" she closes her eyes and let's out a small laugh, her love for Fan apparent as can be.
Annabeth goes to sit next to her, Marcy still standing behind her, occasionally taking glances to draw them. "I was actually helping my own boyfriend when I was summoned, I was helping him with some homework. He studies Marine Biology, while I study Architecture. He means a lot to me. He probably thinks some evil creature rook me or something, wouldn't be the first time if it was." Both happy to talk about their loved ones, the ones they love dearly evident in their eyes. Annabeth's careful demeanor slowly being brought down.
"Sounds like you truly love him. I must ask, what do you mean by that last part. I mean, it isn't like I'll be able to spill the beans to anyone you know in your universe, right?" Test Tube lays a hand on Annabeth's shoulder, a smile evident.
Annabeth sighs, "I was once captured by this Manticore named Dr. Thorns, who was working for the Titans, who used by old friend who betrayed me as bait to make me hold the sky for days. Like, the literal skies, pretty sure I look a few weeks to truly recover from the strain. Got this grey streak in my hair ans everything. My boyfriend also got one, even after only holding it for a few minutes. It was a whole thing...
"Oh golly. That sounds-"
"Horrible? Honestly, yeah. But I can argue, I'm a demigod. We go on missions for our parents and stuff, blah blah blah. I've had worse, imagine being stuck in Tartarus for like... a week? I'm unsure. Me and Percy still have nightmares about it..." Annabeth says, letting her guard break. Not like anyone could hurt her here. No weapons and they were being watched. Maybe the person was watching while eating popcorn, loving this cruel showing of emotions.
Before Test Tube could continue, we hear an excited yell, "HA! I BEAT YOU!"
"What- NO! YOU CLEARLY AREN'T AS SMART AS THE DONATELLO!"
"WHAT?! I CLEARLY GOT MORE POINTS THEN YOU? IT IS FAIR!"
"YOU KNOW WHAT?-"
Test Tube stands up and gets between the two, maybe her skills as a mother might come in handy.
"Both of you, sit. Come on. We are just going to converse, that is what the speaker, said, right?" Test Tube asks as she sets the two of them down in a now forming circle. Marcy noticing and taking a seat between Annabeth and the 13 year old. All of them nod.
"Okay, let's go round in a circle. I have a slight feeling this person who got us here wants us to talk about our similarities, not argue over who is the smartest. It would be anyone's game to be honest." Test Tube pauses, "Let's share our name and one fact about ourselves. I'll start, my name is Test Tube and in my world we were created by a mistreated Mephone to be contestants on his reality tv competition show, which he used to rebel against his creator, he also found out he created us at the same time as us. We also killed his creator, who has a cob of corn named Steve Cobs because he tried to kill all of us. Okay! Your turn, Annabeth!"
As everyone just awkwardly looks over at the blonde girl they assume is Annabeth, a small package of Smarties appears in Test Tube's lap. Test Tube essentially just trauma dumped on them because they assumed that is what the person behind the speaker wants, which was correct.
"My name is Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena. My life is just chaotic, being a demigod is just- Ugh! I've been through quest after quest doing what the gods want me to do! I've gained fame for it within demigods but also so much baggage. Luckily, now, I am in college with my stupid boyfriend. Okay. Happy now?" Annabeth groans, a smartie appearing in her lap. She turns her head to Marcy Wu.
"Oh, it's my turn- My name is Marcy Wu, my life was pretty average until my parents said I was moving away from everyone I cared about. So I may of convinced my friend to steal a music box that transported us to an alternate dimension full of Amphibians, we all got split up and I made my way up the ranks in the capital city, and eventually made my way back to my friends, and then we got trxiked by the king, I got stabbed, and possessed. Once they saved me, I helped my bff's save the Amphibian world after they saved me, which was during when they were saving our main home. Those Newts used to travel to parallel universes and conquer them for resources. Is that enough trauma bonding for ya, voice?" A smarties pack fell into her lap, showing it is true.
They look at the next one, the 13-year old who looks as if she was cosplaying superheros with high-tech gear, "My name is Lunella Lafayette, aka Moon Girl. I am a registered superhero who protected the Lower East Side of NYC, honestly, before I showed up, crime was rampant. The Lower East Side was my home... My grandparents were a staple in the community with their roller rink. I also may of built a portal and got myself a pet Dinosaur. It didn't take long to learn his speech, apparently his name was 'Terrifying Fire Beast Who Will Bring About the End of All Things' but I nicknamed him Devil Dinosaur. He is the brawn, and I am the brains!" She pauses, looking the smarties, nothing appeared, she groans,
"Also I once had to battle my Mimi's old coworker, as she was apparently a genius herself. Though, it went south when he tried replicating the portal I made, because apparently my Mimi was the one who designed it- I got sucked into the portal and expirenced the Beyonder, someone who is annoying as can be. He lost his powers and we were trapped, this villian, Molecule Man tried to kill me. I felt... helpless. Though I was able to make it back home, I still feel the emotions that came with." She stops, closes her eyes, then suddenly she feels both a hand on her shoulder, and a now present package of Smarties on her lap.
"We have all been through alot, I think. We don't know about that Donatello there but hey. Don't feel guilty. Pretty sure all of expirenced our own near-death expirences once or twice, right?" Marcy says, though she normally sucks at comforting others, she has learned how to with her therapist as she showed clear signs of trauma after her return from Amphibia.
"Thanks, I appreciate that. I suck at emotions. I miss my home but I am doing really hero work now, working with SHIELD and stuff." Lunella shares, taking off her helmet and replacing it with a pair of pink glasses. She is smiling, glad for the comfort.
"Okay, your turn, turtle man." Annabeth says, her arms crossed in a smug way.
He looks around, "Hi, my name is Donatello. I am a member of Mad Dogs, and a teenage mutant ninja turtle. I myself, due to beinva mutant, don't get recognition for my work, but I do also fight ro New York City as well. Whether is be from Baron Draxum who apparently created me and my brothers, even mutating our father into a rat man. The Foot Clan, annoying as they may be. The Shredder, which was something- Honestly, the worst one was fighting the Kranng. They..." he pauses, tears slightly forming which he quickly try to hold back, "Why is this person so cruel. Forcing us to share this stuff... I had to fight my own brother! Then my other brother sacrificed himself! He knew what he was doing! I- My youngest brother risked his own time, learning his teloporting powers, if it wasn't for me and the brother we saved the Kranng's mind control, I might've been the only one left..." he stops, unable to continue. Suddenly, a small package of Smarties, just like everyone else, appears on his lap.
The speaker starts up again, another screech before they start to hear a semblance of language, "Okay! You shared some trauma! My goodness do I love trauma bonding! One of my favorite tropes between characters!"
"What you are doing is cruel... inhuman!" Test Tube blares, clearly upset, looking at pretty much everyone who had to shed a tear because they wanted them to.
"Oh ignorant Test Tube... Did you know, you aren't real? You are just a peice of fiction, I can make you say whatever I want! This is my fanfic! You are just an object from a show!" The speaker shares, everyone looks rather perplexed, but shocked.
"I am real! I-" she stops unable to control her mouth, "I am Test Tube! I am not real! Only a figment of a show your love dearly, voice on the wall!"
She looks down at her hands and up, visibly shaking. The voice on the speaker, starts ro speak again, "Now, did you know? There is multiple fanfics of you, Test Tube, locking you friends in a room and running expirements? In my world. You are all just fiction in a media. Whether it be books or a show. Your lucky I didn't include some of my other favorite smart characters. As much as I love the idea of Peridot, Ono, Princess Bubblegum, or maybe even Expresso Cookie being here, I chose only 5! You should consider yourselves lucky to be pulled form the depths of non-existence."
Everyone is stunned. Unable to react or move. What they were talking about it insane. Preposterous.
"Annabeth, did you know? The book series you are in, Percy Jackson and The Olympians, has been turned into a TV show. I would've included her, but she only has 2 books of trauma. All she can talk about is her expiences with Thalia and Luke. While you... You have so much trauma in your core. I truly love seeing characters go through anguish! My favorite tag is Hurt No Comfort afterall!"
Annabeth looks confused, like her whole world shattered, is this voice going to go one by one. Doing... this?"
"And Marcy Wu! You know, you were my favorite in Amphibia. Unlike Test Tube and Annabeth, Taco has a special place in my heart and so does Nico. Regardless, Amphibia was my comfort show, til it wasn't. That ending left me with so many tears, truly a masterpiece of writing! They also mass-produced your journal for the fans! Extremely fun read! So glad they showed a time-skip of our future. You did only just move, correct?" Marcy nods, unable to speak, "Well, it showed 10 years into the future, Anne was a herpitologist, Sasha was a child therapist, and you? A webcomic artist and author. It was heartbreaking to watch it end, truly it was."
"Why are you telling us this?" Annabeth asks hesitantly.
"Oh Annabeth, I wasn't finished talking." The voice directs it words to another in the room, "Lunella Lafayette, also know as Moon Girl, love the show! Though Disney can suck, they cut a whole episode about trans-people, luckily people leaked it. That coach truly was rude to your friend, transphobic she was. Regardless, did you know? You have another adaptation, before the show, you were a comic. I haven't finished reading it so I can spill much, but in that, you knew you were a mutants, you learned you powers was your intelligence. Smarter than the Hulk, whose real identity was a scientist. Also, a superhero or anti-hero, im unsure you may hang out with occasionally is Gwenpool, in her issue though. She apparently came from my world! Isn't that interesting? How our worlds bleed into eachother. I know Test Tube visited the cast of The Power Of Two, meeting Gold Ball and such. An interesting concept. Though unreal to my reality of boredom and such."
Lunella fidgets with her fabric, one that she custom made with her Mimi's friends that is fire-proof and the such. She looks to the rest in there, coming up with a plan to shut the speaker off and potentially force them to send them home.
"Lastly, Donatello! Donnie! You don't mind that right? Honestly, your voice actor, he voices like one other character I like, this Mark Beaks from Ducktales, the 2017 version though. Maybe I could've included Huey? Does he truly exporence that much trauma for a kid so young. Who knows! Regardless, you, out of everyone here, has had the longest running franchise! 1998 to current year! As long as you count reboots that is. Reboot after reboot, im partly sad the Rise only had 2 seasons, it deserved better. I love the characterization of you, plus I HATE April x Donatello, I just don't get why they included that. April was ugly in the reboot before yours, sorry, they sucked at designing people. Regardless, they did not give you like any episodes to bond with Ralph. Fan fics had to fix that. Honestly-"
Suddenly the speaker cuts out as Lunella and Donatello fly straight up into it. Hoisting up Marcy who uses the pencil she was allowed to keep and stabs the speaker.
"Wow. I got the message. Though I did write you to do that. I guess I should send you home." The voice pauses, they all look skeptical of the promise, "After I erase your memory of this. I am not dealing with these fake consequences. I don't need you remembering this and trying to meet up. I am NOT in the mood to write all this. This is supposed to be a single one-shot fan fic, not a series of revenge on a kid who just wanted to rant about their favorite fandoms!"
Before anyone can protest, a snap could be heard. Suddenly, everyone was asleep. Their minds forgetting of this situation and notebooks cleared of their previous notes. Not knowing that their realities afterwards will not be recollected. A figment of your own imagination that is.
With another snap, they are transported back to their worlds as if time never stopped. Test Tube back to upgrading Bot with Fan. Annabeth back to helping Percy study. Marcy back to journaling at her desk about who knows what. Lunella back to being on call with Casey, Devil Dinosaur at her side. Donatello back to having a pizza night with his brother's and father.
Nothing has changed for them. The cruelties of a fanfic writer forgotten by everyone, but you. Maybe the lull of your outburst could grant light on the forth wall. You never truly interacted with these characters. Maybe all you did was use your heart and brain to make you think so.
The true lulls take you in, only interrupted by a sigh and a click as you post the fanfic you just finished. Maybe writing or reading another fanfic can fill your heart like it once was.