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Though the rain had long since stopped, Quackity's anxiety didn’t disappear alongside it. The night that seemed as though it would continue on forever finally gave way and let the sun rise over the island once again. It should have been a good sign, filling all the residents with hope for a new, better day, but the rays of sunshine could never hope to reach the underground reactor.
The doors to the observation room opened swiftly and Quackity was blinded by the cold lights reflecting off of every surface in the sterile interior. For the first time he understood just what Nexe had meant when he talked about Multi’s office having this haunting, eerie feel to it. How come he’s never noticed that? Walking in here was so easy before, but now each step he took echoed louder than the last one and his heartbeat grew in volume alongside the reverb.
It suddenly felt like all the worries and fear that had been kept at bay by the adrenaline coursing through his body back at Camp Fatal wanted to remind him they had not left. Quackity wondered if that’s how others usually felt in Multi’s presence.
No, it probably wasn’t the same. The cause of his apprehension was not the man before him but rather the information he possessed. Multi has always had this air of mystery around him, like anytime he revealed anything about himself, he just allowed you to peel back one of a million carefully constructed layers that would still leave you with more questions than answers, but with Quackity, it somehow felt like he started revealing them backwards. Ever since their first meeting, Quackity felt like he knew the most inner and intimate parts of Multi’s character and each new thing he learned only served to slowly hide and cover them up. He still refused to let that fundamentally change his understanding of the scientist, but knowing he might be about to learn something that only pushes the two of them apart again felt scarier than facing the entity outside.
The rustling of paper, the only other sound in the room, could in no way drown out his movement. Multi must have been made aware of his arrival, even if the scientist’s eyes remained glued to the sheets of paper spread out before him. He was sitting in his office chair, slumped over a fold-out table placed right in the middle of the room. Quackity couldn’t recall seeing it there before. Must have been a new addition, probably a temporary one too, with how much the mess all over it stood out among the meticulously cleaned and organized shelves and desk.
A small sigh escaped Quackity’s lips as he folded his hands and took another look around the room. Bad idea. His eyes quickly fixated on the artificial village on the other side of the glass pane and the uneasy feeling washed over him again. Looking at the villagers running around in that enclosed space, not realizing they’re being watched through the one-way mirror up in the observation room, just felt wrong.
With a swift motion, Quackity tried to avert his head, to look anywhere else, to forget the village was even there for a moment. His eyes landed on Multi once more.
“I think you owe me an explanation.” Quackity’s voice finally rang out through the room. The rustling stopped immediately as Multi slowly laid the sheets of paper in his hands back down and placed his palms on the table with a soft thud. Raising the upper half of his body and tilting his head, his eyes finally met Quackity’s. A small chuckle broke the unnerving silence between them.
“I don’t believe I ‘owe’ you anything, I simply offered,” Multi replied, leaning back in his chair. “I offered because I trust you and think you deserve to know. It may be a small difference, but still, parvus sed potens.”
Quackity’s eyes narrowed slightly at Multi as he could feel his fingers involuntarily grip onto his arms and a few feathers at the top of his wings stand up. Even when he tried to keep quiet, his body gave Multi enough of a response to the smirk plastered on his face.
“But first, please relax. You’ll get your answers, no need to be so on edge.” Multi glanced across the table once more, a particular page buried among the others seemed to have captured his attention. With one quick motion, he lifted it up and brought it closer as his expression grew somber once he began reading.
Quackity opened his mouth to speak up again, but upon looking down at the paper in Multi’s hand, the voice died in his throat. The document had obviously been written in Polish, but even while looking at it upside down and without fully understanding the language, a few words looking suspiciously similar to ‘clone’ and ‘cloning process’ weren’t easy to miss. The connections he had already made but didn’t want to accept couldn’t be ignored anymore as his mind filled in the blanks. All the anxiety and uneasiness were suddenly replaced by something stronger. Quackity forcefully grabbed onto both edges of the table, digging his nails into the cheap plastic.
“What the hell was that in the forest?”
Completely unmoved by his actions and the sharp tone of voice, Multi got up from the chair and took a few steps towards his desk. Eyes still on the piece of paper.
“That depends on who you ask, really.” He dropped the page onto a folder lying on his desk and turned towards the glass pane. Hands tucked behind his back in his signature pose. “I would call it a proof of my genius.”
“So it really wasn’t the Federation’s doing? You’ve made the clone?” If Multi was able to feel the daggers Quackity had been staring at him, he was great at hiding it.
Multi slowly turned around to face him again, a slight smile tugging at his lips. Quackity could have sworn he saw the lights flicker the moment their eyes met.
“You’ve only caught glimpses but still could tell he was different from their creations! Incredible, right?” Multi’s stance fell apart as his arms swept forward from behind his back. “He could speak, in my voice, nonetheless! Managed to escape from the lab, evade me and the whole search party, minutes after gaining consciousness! Truly a perfect copy!”
His voice grew more akin to laughter with every word.
“I know I should still strive for even greater progress, spero meliora, et cetera, et cetera, but it’s hard not to think of this as my greatest achievement. I’ve created a sentient creature! You understand how phenomenal an accomplishment this is, right?” Multi’s previously composed demeanor seemed to fall apart in the blink of an eye. His hands were no longer steadily kept behind his back but close to his chest and gesticulating wildly, the meticulously trained straight posture gave in to the slouch and a wide, almost maniacal smile topped all of it out.
It was the first time Quackity’s seen him in such a state. Without a word, he dug his nails deeper into the plastic table while trying to slowly steady his heightened breathing. Finally noticing the avian’s expression, Multi coughed into his hand, trying to make the transition back to his regular disposition seem natural.
“It really is a shame we failed to capture him again. Jeremy took pictures and I still have the security footage from the reactor, but,” he sighed, “it would be so much easier if I could just have him back. I’ll work on a proper report, of course, but with how much they just love to question my every move, I’m not sure if it’ll be enough.”
Every feather on Quackity’s wings suddenly shot up straight in tandem with his heart sinking. A drop of sweat slowly slid down his forehead as he suddenly felt like more than just one pair of eyes was on him. He had been aware of the cameras in the room since before entering, they couldn’t have caused that. The villagers on the other side of the one-way mirror had no way of actually seeing him, even if the way they all suddenly seemed to be looking up towards the observation room only worsened his fear.
Multi continued his monologue, but only bits and pieces about ‘another clone’ managed to get through Quackity’s mind screaming at him to keep calm, desperately trying to convince him there was nothing and no one in the room aside from him and Multi. He was still safe.
The scientist may not have said the name out loud, but there was only one logical assumption as to what he could have meant by ‘they.’
Quackity had been naive, thinking the Federation wouldn’t take an interest in Multi of all people. Had he really been so stupid as not to think of it until now, or has he known the whole time, somewhere deep down, but just refused to let the thought actually reach him? His legs felt like they were about to give out under him. Thankfully, still holding onto the table was enough to prevent the fall, in a physical sense at least. No matter how frantically Quackity’s mind tried to come up with another explanation, nothing aside the Federation’s involvement made sense. Only a handful of people were privy to even the smallest details regarding anything Multi had been working on. There’s no way any of the Hussars would question Multi’s craft. Not to his face, at least. The Regime may have been aware of the reactor and everything going under the Polish Cave a bit more than the average person, but Multi would never let them supervise any of his research this way. There was no other option.
Was it really the Federation that reached out to him, though? Could it have been the other way around? Was this whole clone fiasco just a ploy to get their attention? A taunt?
No, no, that shouldn’t even matter. Either way Multi had to have simply been deceived, he-
“Ubi anumus tuus est, Quackity?” A snicker suddenly brought him back to reality.
A fucking snicker. How could he be acting so carefree when… The man before him really had absolutely no idea what he was in for and the fear and anger that came with this realization were getting harder to suppress by the second.
“Could you stop with the phrases, I don’t understand any of this shit!” Quackity’s voice boomed through the room almost as loudly as the thud his fist made when colliding with the table. The sudden spread of his wings sent a rush of air through the room and swept some of the papers off the table alongside the noise. Quackity only looked down, staring at his trembling hand as Multi took a few steps towards the table.
“Someone’s not a fan of Latin, I see. Sorry, sorry, I was just checking if you’re still here with me or on another planet,” Multi chuckled as he leaned down to pick up the pages off the floor.
He really shouldn’t be panicking this much. Sure, the Feds may have been powerful, but he’s faced them before and managed to survive each time so far. You’d think he would be less scared after learning they can be fought back against, so why was a mere insinuation of their involvement causing such an extreme reaction? Was it just because Quackity wasn’t the one at risk of crossing paths with them this time?
He raised his head again, only to see Multi standing with the folder from his desk in his hand. Slowly flipping through the pages.
He’s still here. The Federation may have taken the clone, maybe that’s why it disappeared, but Multi is still here. Quackity had to do something to make sure it stays this way. Sure, maybe he had been stupid to grow so attached to the mad scientist of the island of all people and maybe he had been naive to think this affection wouldn’t only grow stronger with time and they could just stay as they were without anyone meddling, but what’s done is done. He couldn’t exactly change the past. Wouldn’t, even if he could. There was only the future to look forward to.
And the only future he’d accept was one where the Federation would not take Multi away, whether he’d go with them willingly or not.
“You said something about another clone, wouldn’t that be dangerous though? You had to have extracted your DNA once to make the first one, right? Isn’t doing that twice too big of a risk?” Quackity tried his best to keep his voice from shaking.
He slowly stepped towards Multi but stopped in his tracks the instant their eyes met again. They stood like that for a moment. Maybe more. Enough for Quackity to feel like he could try to reach for Multi’s hand with his own, but as soon as he did, the scientist moved again. His eyes momentarily fluttered towards Quackity’s outstretched hand, though, or perhaps Quackity only thought they did.
With the folder left on his desk again and after putting his hands in the pockets of his lab coat, Multi swiftly turned around. While making sure to hold eye contact, he took a few steps backwards, stopping around the middle of the room.
“It probably would be, but where’s the fun in science without a little risk?”
He spared a passing glance over to the pages of research still spread over the table next to him before looking back at Quackity. The furrowing of the avian’s eyebrows served as the only reply he was willing to give.
“I’m joking,” Multi added and raised both his hands in a gesture of surrender, “it doesn’t have to be my clone, you know? As long as I can recreate the basis of my magnum opus, anyone's DNA should be fine.”
Quackity sighed. Fine, he’ll try another approach.
Seeing the man before him get lost in his own thoughts again, Multi couldn’t hold back the smile tugging at his lips.
“If you focus on cloning someone again, then what about the cure for radiation poisoning?”
“Why is that still on your mind? I thought we had established you’re immune? Radiation’s not a threat to you.” Could he stop having a rebuttal to everything Quackity thinks of? Or at least stop looking so smug when crushing his entire line of argument before even giving him a chance to get started?
“What about Haiper? And Nexe? You wouldn’t just abandon Nexe, would you?” Quackity pleaded. Multi has made his indifference to Haiper known before, but surely he at least cared for the fate of one of his fellow Hussars. Not to the same degree as he cared for Quackity, though. Not even close. They both realized that. The moment there was even a slight chance of the radiation harming him, of all people, Multi seemed almost single-mindedly focused on creating that cure and the task was put on the back burner immediately after it came to light he was actually immune. Curse whatever DNA mutation caused that.
“Of course not. You know me, I don’t leave friends behind. Truth be told, however, as much as it pains me to say it,” Multi muttered, each word getting quieter, “the progress has been slower than expected. I don’t have much to show for all my work.”
Multi shook his head and kept his eyes on the floor, refusing to look Quackity in the eye. His delivery was so full of shame and regret, it almost sounded rehearsed.
“So what? You said yourself that the cure is not something that can be completed overnight, maybe with a little more time-”
“What I mean to say is,” Multi interrupted. His voice suddenly firm and commanding, quite the switch-up from mere seconds ago. “I think I could really use some help here.”
The lights in the room flickered again. The implication of who he was hoping to get the help from couldn’t have been more clear. Quackity leaned on the desk, this approach didn’t seem to be working either. Why did Multi have to be so stubborn? This would have been so much easier if they could just talk like two adults, but Quackity knew that if Multi thought the idea of giving up on working with the Federation came from anyone other than himself, he’d probably toss it aside without any consideration. No matter how much the avian, or anyone else for that matter, would beg him not to.
Fine, he’ll change his strategy again. As many times as it takes.
“So you’re saying you can’t do this on your own? You’re just not capable enough?” Even if questioning his supposed genius wouldn’t grant the result Quackity was hoping for immediately, at least it could wipe this smirk off Multi’s face.
In response, he heard a sigh.
The typical, annoyed sigh Multi let out whenever something did get under his skin, but he couldn’t afford to break character and show just how much the comment truly infuriated him.
“I could. I could, it’s just…” Multi’s eyes wandered around the room. “If I was working with someone else, it would probably speed up the process, you know? And you seem to be really worried about the time. I’d like nothing more than to ease these… uncertainties of yours. This alliance would probably lead to more benefits as well, it’s just better in the long run.”
“What other benefits?” Was he lying, or did he actually have more reasons to work with the Feds than to appease his own ego?
“Everyone on the island is really, really great… They’re all lovely people, but…” He prolonged the last syllable each time and tried to look anywhere but at Quackity while playing with his hands. Seems Multi was trying to choose his words even more carefully than usual. “Unfortunately, some are also stupid enough to keep lurking where they are clearly not welcome.”
The cat was finally out of the bag.
“If all the cameras around the reactor, all the radars and passwords I have put on just about everything are not enough to deter the worst offenders of the bunch, maybe… having a powerful ally behind my back would finally get the message across.”
Oh, so this is what all this was about? The local mad scientist was simply scared that the people trying to pay his reactor a visit would finally find a way in and he could do nothing to scare them away? So that’s where the Federation was supposed to come in? This time it was Quackity’s turn to laugh.
“So you’re just afraid?” Multi tried to keep his composure, but Quackity didn’t miss the way his eye twitched at those words. “If you’re so above everyone else then it’s only natural they’d get curious, no? This seems a bit paranoid to me, nobody is out for your head and maybe, just maybe, if you’d try to open up to at least a few people you wouldn’t need so many precautions in the fi-”
“You, out of everyone, really have no business telling me this is all in my head.”
“I- Huh? And what’s that supposed to mean!?”
“You have literally been kidnapped and yet you insist on preaching how safe and welcoming this whole place is?” That was a sentiment Quackity… couldn’t really argue with.
Well, no, not exactly. He could argue, easily at that, but would that really be a good course of action here? He’d love nothing more than to be able to yell out how that’s all just because of the Federation Multi seems so infatuated with and watch the scientist’s face fall when the realization truly hits him, but then their whole quarrel would probably end right then and there. On the surface that might have seemed like a good thing, but Quackity didn’t feel like his efforts thus far made any lasting impact on Multi. In the worst-case scenario he could see him revealing that Quackity let this information slip to one of the Federation workers. There isn’t a world in which that would end well for either of them.
“Oh, of course. I forgot you can’t even speak about that, can you?”
He was only met with more silence in response.
Composing himself again, Multi put his hands behind his back and took a step towards Quackity.
“Around here, trust is not a commodity, but a privilege. I can’t afford to distribute it to everyone, but…” he spoke softly, “I’m not incapable of giving it, either. Aren’t you the living proof of that?”
Quackity raised his head to say something back but before he could utter a single word, Multi continued. “You know I really try to go out of my way just to show you how much I trust you, how much I care… how much not receiving even an ounce of that trust back doesn’t bother me. Because I don’t expect anything in return. I just want you to be safe.”
The smile Quackity was met with looked oh so sweet and innocent. How could anyone not believe that every one of these words was said with full sincerity? For everything Multi did for him, for every gesture that showed how much he truly valued Quackity, he did not get much in return.
And he did not award this level of trust easily, either. Quackity wasn’t even sure if any of the Hussars were this close to Multi. It certainly didn’t seem like he wanted them to be, at least. There’s always been this weird tension in the air whenever he and Ewroon talked, no matter what the conversation concerned, they both seemed ready to jump at each other’s throats within a moment’s notice and made sure the other understood that. Graf was weirdly distant and very matter-of-fact whenever Multi was near, which Quackity never noticed about him around other people and Nexe… He was probably the one Multi trusted the most out of the three, but even that didn’t exactly make him a priority in the scientist’s eyes, not when it came to deciding between working on the cure or his other projects, at least.
All this only reinstated the belief that if Quackity failed to keep Multi away from the Federation nobody else would be able to step in.
Quackity’s eyes wandered around the room again until they landed on that damn artificial village. Standing above it and just observing the villagers go about their mundane tasks still gave him the creeps. There wasn’t even anything remotely interesting to look at, they only kept marching back and forth between their houses, the tiny fields and the… Oh. Quackity absolutely hated the idea that had just appeared in his head, but this one might have a chance to work and his desperation was growing by the minute.
“I’m not the reason you’re so adamant on getting their help, am I?” Quackity asked and looked at the other man again. Trying to continue the conversation before Multi had the chance to notice just what he had been staring at and connect the dots, ruining his last rebuttal before it even started.
“If you’re worried that I’m somehow looking down on you, please don’t be. You have no reason to. In my eyes we’re pari passu, I swear. Do you know the meaning of that one?”
“I’m assuming it means equal?”
“Exactly!” Multi clapped his hands as he responded. “It’s something along the lines of standing on equal footing or moving in tandem.”
Quackity took a breath before speaking up again. Come on, this had to be convincing.
“Good, I… that’s good, because I would hate to be the reason you suddenly started doubting your own abilities.” Quackity put his hands behind his back, mimicking Multi’s signature pose, and tried to make his voice sound as sincere as possible. He took a step towards the scientist, making sure to hold eye contact. Multi only gave him a confused look.
“Oh, you don’t get it?” the avian continued, “I’m just trying to say that… you’ve been obsessed with this idea of seeing yourself as a god, right? And I think you’ve basically proven you deserve the title already. I mean, what says ‘divine being’ more than creating sentient life from nothing?” He took another step forward.
Multi still didn’t reply.
“I saw the clone, half the island saw it, actually and you said yourself that it’s far beyond anything the Federation could have created. So, why do you need their help with… anything, really?”
One more step.
“I don’t think you need them. No, I know you don’t need them. What you need is just someone who’ll believe in you, so let me.” Quackity reached out and took Multi’s hands in his own. “I know how much trust you have in me, let me prove to you I care just as much. I’ll be your first, most devout follower. It’s okay if it’s me, right?”
Be my god and I’ll be your salvation.
They remained still for a moment, maybe more. Did it even matter? Time seemed to stop to a halt the moment Quackity grabbed Multi’s hands anyway. The room was quiet save for the gentle buzzing of the lights above and their slow, synchronized breathing. It was as though the world outside momentarily stopped existing because nothing happening outside this room mattered anymore, nothing but the two of them. Quackity focused entirely on trying to read Multi’s expression. The other man, however, kept his eyes on their hands. Bound together. He made no attempt to break the contact.
Quackity was just about ready to break this serene silence when he heard Multi’s laughter.
Unsure how to respond, Quackity just gripped Multi’s hands tighter, to which the scientist finally took them back and stepped away from the avian. Fearing he had just messed up his last chance at convincing Multi, he tried to follow suit but was gestured to stop. Before he could protest any further, Multi started explaining.
“You seem to be misunderstanding something fundamental here. I’m not after followers or worship, especially not from you.”
Oh.
Did he misjudge the situation? Has he been mistaken about their relationship the whole time, actually? Has Multi seen through him and only now decided to give up the act? Quackity let out a shaky breath, getting ready to explain everything, salvage what they’ve built, somehow. If it was even still possible, but no voice came out of his mouth and instead he could feel his eyes start getting glossy.
“I’ve told you already. In my eyes we’re equals… or maybe… we’re not there quite yet, but you’re certainly the only one capable of reaching my level.”
One moment he felt like the ground he stood on had disappeared from under his feet, yet a second later he was back on solid ground, completely unharmed and back in control of the situation he could have sworn he felt fall apart. His heightened breathing almost turned into laughter as his heart was preparing to jump out of his chest, at least that’s how it felt. He did it. Holy shit, he did it, that’s what it meant, right? He’s the only one capable of reaching Multi’s level, so he’s the only one he needs? They’re fine on their own? Just the two of them? No need for any outside intervention, especially not from ‘them’?
The excitement almost made Quackity forget he was still taking part in a conversation and thus, Multi probably expected a reply. God, what does he even say to that? ‘Thank you, I’m glad me indulging your delusions worked wonders’? No, no, Quackity should probably give him one, final push. He’s already been invited in and is standing in the doorway, now time to make sure the door closes shut behind him.
“Guide me then, please. How do I prove myself, how do I reach you? Do I need to follow your example, create a clone?” The words kept flowing out before his mind even registered anything he said, the excitement of actually succeeding was truly blinding.
“No, no, there’s no need,” Multi chuckled. Quackity kept staring into his eyes, desperately trying to make sure they held no sign of mockery or anything that would prove Multi actually saw through him and didn’t believe a single word. Instead, he saw a glint that almost made his breath stop. “I remember how against it you were the first time and I would never go against your wishes. Besides, we both know how dangerous that could be.”
“But…” Multi continued, “since you’re still so worried about the radiation sickness, why not help me with that? Who’s better fit to develop a cure than the immune one?”
No one. Quackity was the special one, the one with immeasurable potential, that’s what Multi’s been saying all this time. Right, he’s always been reminding Quackity just how exceptional he truly is in every sense of the word. Time to prove him right.
Quackity’s breathing quickened again and he let out a laugh. A full-on laugh. “And you really think I can do it?”
“I wouldn’t go somewhere I knew you couldn’t follow.”
“So I am a follower, your only one? And you’ll guide me to greatness?”
Not too long ago, the mere idea of Multi aspiring to reach divinity was one of the secrets that Quackity could feel slowly tear them apart upon learning it, but now? There was nothing he was more thankful for than Multi’s god complex. It’s only thanks to that they’re as close as they are now and will only continue moving forward, together. Ends always justify the means, don’t they?
Another realization hit Quackity. He was actually an amazing actor, wasn’t he? Not only did he manage to convince Multi of the full sincerity of his words, but now even to himself the whole idea of becoming gods together sounded surprisingly not terrible.
“For you I suppose I can make an exception. Until you feel worthy of calling yourself a god, donec dignus fias,” Multi whispered and gently caressed Quackity’s cheek, still staring deep into the avian’s eyes.
What was up with his infatuation with that damned Latin? When did he learn so much of it? Quackity only knew a couple of religious phrases, none of them that impressive or fit to use during a regular conversation, but… No, wait. One might have actually fit perfectly. Since he’s already sure Multi would pick him over the Federation he needed to show he’s just as loyal.
“Totus tuus.” Quackity laid his hand on Multi’s.
“...Accipio te in mea omnia.”