Chapter Text
Paper let out a deep sigh as he stared blankly at the lump of what he assumed would be his dinner tonight.
He was well aware that he was in no position to be ungrateful, though; many denizens of Clementinia wouldn't even be able to afford crumbs for dinner. Sure, Box wasn't the best cook in the kingdom, but at least she had the heart to make him anything at all.
The miserable excuse for a stool scraped the uneven floorboards as Paper dragged it out from its position underneath the shoddy table. He carefully positioned himself on the section of the stool that he knew wouldn't tear his page apart and grabbed the loaf Box had prepared for him - fighting back a wince as he dragged his fingers across its surface and realised it was tough as nails - and gave her what he hoped was an appreciative smile.
"Thank you."
Box gave him a subtle nod, huffing to herself as she tore through her own bundle of bread.
"It's nothing. The least I could do in return for your help today."
Paper shook his head, finally having the courage to bite into his food. It wasn't much softer on the inside than on the outside, but at least it was edible. Cold, but edible. Definitely better than digging through garbage, anyhow.
"Nah, you're the one that saved my ass back there with that spatula. Knocked that guard right out, huh?"
That comment earned him a chuckle, Box's lips cracking into a smile as she spoke.
"You'd be surprised at how much damage you can do with just some basic utensils."
Paper took another bite out of the bread, letting the room fade back into silence. The air was drier than the loaf itself.
Though honestly, neither of them were all that sure of what to say. They'd had a close call that day; one of the palace guards had almost discovered that they were both members of the resistance wishing to overthrow the king, but Box had managed to knock him out cold before he could inspect their 'delivery'.
It was a… strange encounter to say the least. They'd been operating on the outskirts of town, an area that was normally untouched by the king's forces. They had the guards' entire patrol schedules mapped out and memorised to avoid confrontations as often as they could, and no guards ever operated outside the town's walls - why were they suddenly popping up here now?
It was something that bothered Paper, more than he'd like to admit. Him and his crew had always been careful to cover up their tracks whenever they intercepted any of the kingdom's many deliveries… they couldn't have possibly caught on, could they? Sure, the king and his forces were… perceptive, almost scarily so, but usually they only dipped their toes in lower-class waters whenever they felt threatened in any way.
"Paper? Hello? Earth to Paper?"
The sheet shot up straight from his seat, eyes darting around like a startled animal on reflex, before landing on Box as she continued.
"Hey, is everything okay? You've barely touched your food."
Her tone trailed towards sarcasm by the end of her sentence, but Paper could tell that there was genuine concern hidden in her voice.
He glanced at the crumbly loaf, trying to sort out the messy amalgamation of thoughts plaguing his mind, letting out a deep breath.
"I… I'm fine, yeah, it's just… weird, right? That we even ran into that guy at all. This was supposed to be one of our safest operations, and yet…"
Box let out a soft hum, drumming her fingers idly against the wooden table as she thought to herself.
"I get what you mean, but I don't think it's anything to worry about. The guy was probably just straying from his regular duties, y'know? Maybe he was on break or something."
That answer didn't exactly soothe his concerns, but he nodded along nonetheless and continued munching on the loaf.
"Right, yeah… that makes sense."
Neither of them had much to say after that, so Paper decided the best course of action to take was to finish up his food and turn in for the night. Box had already broken the news of today's incident to Taco, and she'd given the two of them the rest of the day off as she and Knife headed out to scavenge for supplies. He got up from his seat at the table after finishing his bread, giving Box a wave as he headed out of the small room they called a kitchen.
He passed by Test Tube and Fan as he headed up the slanted steps, catching the glisten of gold out of the corner of his eye and assuming they were probably just inspecting the guard's uniform and making sure it wasn't too damaged.
"Are you heading to bed, Paper?"
Fan's curious voice tore through the quiet breeze flowing through the building as Paper turned to face the source of the noise, meeting Fan's eyes for a moment as he simply nodded, not really having the energy to manage much else.
"Alright, I'll uh… let Taco know, I guess. Makes sense after the day you've had. You didn't lose any arrows, did you?"
Paper shook his head. He hadn't even taken his crossbow out that day, it was still stashed under his bed, safe from any patrol guys willing to whisk it away at a moment's notice.
The moment he opened the door to his room, he flopped down on his rudimentary straw bed without a second thought, heaving out a long, drawn-out sigh as he forced his eyes shut.
On some days, he didn't really see the point in fighting for a better future. Life out here was rough. Almost everywhere you looked you'd see heartache, pain and misery written into objects' faces. It really felt like they'd never be free of the endless cycle of fighting to even make it through the night, knowing that just one wrong move could earn you a brutal execution.
The king had absolutely everyone under his thumb. If he wanted something, he was just a quick lie and a rumour away from clutching it in his suffocating grasp. None would dare oppose him. None could dare oppose him. All learned to dread his silver tongue.
He traced small shapes with his finger into the straw, watching as the setting sun's rays bathed his finger in a gentle warmth. A warmth that felt oddly… artificial. Empty.
Perhaps he'd never truly feel that pure, genuine warmth his soul ached for. Maybe he'd be stuck with stale bread and half-eaten vegetables for the rest of his life… but was it foolish of him to hope for something more? To hope that their subtle defiance would one day lead to something… greater? A kingdom where the poor weren't forgotten, where they weren't constantly tossed aside and discarded, or viewed as worthless…
…He had to believe it wasn't.
That hope was what'd brought the resistance together in the first place, wasn't it? Fan, Box, Knife, Bot…
One day, all this scavenging would be worth it.
It had to be.
-
Paper woke up the next morning to the sound of someone incessantly banging on his door. It definitely startled him, his heart thumping in his chest twice as fast as the sound, but it soon settled into a calmer rhythm when he recognised the practiced pattern of the knocks. Four slow knocks, followed by three faster ones. Constant. Calculated.
"Taco?"
The resistance's leader gently pushed the door open after hearing Paper repeat her name, giving the sheet a moment to rub the last of sleep from his eyes as she spoke.
"Good morning, Paper. I'm so sorry to disturb you so early in the morning, but this… couldn't wait."
Paper blinked at Taco for a few moments in pure confusion, wondering what she could possibly have to say as he got the rest of his thoughts in order.
"Huh? What's… going on?"
"Come downstairs. Fan and Test Tube… they found something with that guard from yesterday, and…"
Taco let out a quiet sigh, motioning for Paper to follow her. He was out of his bed in seconds, trailing behind Taco like a confused duckling as she led them to their 'meeting area'. They walked down the steps and pushed aside a crate to reveal a concealed hatch, opening it and heading down another staircase.
Really, their meeting area was little more than a drab, dripping cellar, but it got the job done. It was the most soundproof room in their quarters, after all.
Fan, Bot, Test Tube and Knife were all crowded around what Paper could only assume is what they'd found, their voices blending together in a concoction of angry yells and worried pleas. The second Taco cleared her throat, the racket completely stopped, and the group all pulled away from their circle to face their leader.
Now that they'd pulled away, Paper could see that the object they were holding was some kind of… scroll? He was still a tad too far to make out what it said, but…
Taco walked towards the group, gently taking the scroll and looking back to Paper as she spoke.
"Yesterday, Fan and Test Tube found the guard to be in possession of this note when they searched him."
She tapped the note in question to emphasise her point, pausing for a moment before she began to read it out loud.
"King Orange Juice.
I am pleased to inform you that we have found an object that is willing to serve you as the replacement guard following Bookcasey's execution. They perfectly match your request of 'make this one smarter, quicker, and less stupid. Y'know, the kind of guy that can actually shoot'. He is a male object known as Jack, and he is very proficient with the crossbow. He will be arriving on Friday, carrying this letter as proof of his identity.
Your Royal Secretary,
Ballpoint Pen"
Taco looked up at Paper once she'd finished reading the letter, watching the sheet's expression closely for any sort of reaction.
Paper's eyes flickered across the group, every one of his fellow resistance members gazing directly at him, all just waiting for him to say something.
"I… that's good information, but… I don't understand how it's supposed to help us at all. It's just another guard transfer, right?"
The group exchanged worried glances, and he could've sworn he heard Knife mutter 'he doesn't get it, does he' under his breath. Test Tube was the next to speak up, meeting Paper's eyes as she spoke.
"Paper, don't you understand? This is an opportunity for us. Today is Friday. You're the only one here who can wield a crossbow. If we have this letter, this 'Jack' guy obviously won't be able to prove he's the real deal, but you…"
Paper searched Test Tube's eyes, looking for a hint of levity in her gaze. Something to tell him that this entire thing was just a joke they'd all stitched together… because there was no way what he was thinking at that moment could be the truth.
"I… you couldn't possibly mean…-"
"Paper, think about it!"
Knife stepped forward, crossing his arms over his chest as he spoke, his voice laced with a sense of urgency and determination Paper couldn't quite place.
"We all know that you fit that description perfectly. It'd be a chance for you to become closer to the king, and earn his trust! Work your way up, get a clear shot… and then we could all be free! It's flawless!"
Paper shook his head rapidly, taking a step back and attempting a chuckle.
"Knife, I… it's a great opportunity, I know, but I can't act to save my life! To be defending him, living among those castles jerks… for who knows how long…!"
Bot jumped in, nodding along as they interjected.
"Exactly! It's too risky! Sure, Paper will be closer to the king, but the king will also be closer to Paper! If he's caught, we all know that menace wouldn't hesitate to have Paper sliced in half for treachery."
"But this could be our only shot! Face it, we've made no progress these past few years. This could be our chance to actually do something!"
Fan shook his head at Knife, sighing to himself.
"Paper's not ready to be a guard, Knife! He's a great fighter, sure, but none of us know what it's actually like in there. He'll get himself killed in an instant. We'd have to send him off today!"
"Fan, Knife may have a point… we could get so much information with a mole in the castle! Even if things go south, Paper can look out for himself."
"Test Tube, are you hearing yourself?! This is the KING! Y'know, the same guy with eyes absolutely everywhere! The guy who killed a woman just for flirting with him! We all want to take him down, but this isn't the way to do it!"
"…Wouldn't it be worth taking the risk, to finally make progress? To finally be just a step closer to-"
"PEOPLE. PLEASE!"
And just like that, the room was filled with silence once more. Everyone looked to Taco, who sighed and gently rubbed the middle of her shell.
"We don't need all of you causing a ruckus and getting us caught. This is Paper's decision. No matter what it is, we will respect him and support him as one of our own, to the very end. Clear?"
The entire group let out a collective sigh, each member scratching their heads or looking away in shame before nodding and speaking in unison.
"Clear…"
With that, Taco turned around to face Paper, still holding the letter in her hand. But this time, it was outstretched to him, almost as if it were an offer. Because it was one, wasn't it? Choosing whether or not to take that scroll would likely determine his fate for… who knows how long. Weeks? Months? Years?
Every bone in his body was screaming at him that this was a terrible idea. That he'd get himself killed within minutes, or lose his life fighting for a tyrant he'd never believed in. Millions of scenarios flooded his mind, all of them ending in his death one way or another.
Even so… there was a small part of him - a part that'd almost been extinguished many times before - that wanted to accept that offer more than anything.
Because really, when he thought about it, Knife was right. This could be their only chance. His poor acting skills be damned, he'd always been a quick learner. This way, he could actually do something. He could help catalyse that future he'd been dreaming of for so long now…
"I'll do it."
The words slipped out of his mouth before he could even fully register them, but the slight sting in his chest didn't snuff out the growing embers in his soul telling him this was the right thing to do.
Those embers were the same ones that guided his hand as he took the scroll from Taco, reading it over once more as he took in a sharp breath.
"Are you sure this will work, though? I mean… what happened to the guard who was supposed to deliver this? The one we knocked out?"
Fan scratched the back of his neck, chuckling awkwardly as he spoke.
"Oh, I guided him out and convinced him there'd been a misunderstanding with you and Box. That she'd only hit him because she thought he was trying to steal her food. He didn't really look like he bought it, but, uh… the guy sorta just accepted it and told us to make sure we delivered the letter to Jack. I think he's just as fed up with his job and the king as we are."
Paper let out a quiet hum, rolling up the scroll as he nodded.
"So, do I just… show up at the castle with this? How would they believe that I'm actually this 'Jack' guy? Surely this note can't be enough."
Test Tube shrugged, placing her hands on her hips.
"I mean, the guard who brought you that letter… he's still around. We told him we'd bring Jack to the town square by noon, and he said he'd escort him straight to the king."
Paper furrowed his eyebrows at Test Tube, confusion etched into his face.
"…What would you tell him if I said no?"
"We'd find Jack, of course! He can't live too far from here."
Paper gently slapped his face, groaning as he ran his hand down it.
He shouldn't be saying yes to this… he really shouldn't be saying yes to this. The entire thing was so… flimsy. But he'd already made up his mind, so…
"…Alright. Let's… let's just go, then."
Paper turned around, heading back up the steps as he pushed the hatch open, watching as everyone else crawled out after him.
He made his way to the front door, resting his hand on it as he waited for Fan to catch up. Before he could even take another step towards Paper though, Bot ran right up to him, giving him as tight a hug as they could manage without crumpling him.
"Paper… you can't! What if you don't… what if they… what if…!"
Paper shook his head, sighing as he gave their head a gentle pat.
"I'll be okay. You don't have to worry about little old me."
Box soon joined the group after stepping out of their kitchen, frowning ever so slightly as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"So, is he really…"
Test Tube nodded along silently, and Box could only sigh as she walked up to Paper, placing a hand on his shoulder as she spoke.
"I… I'm gonna miss you, pal. You'll stay in touch, right? Send letters?"
Paper let his lips curl up into a saddened smile, letting out a noise somewhere between a chuckle and a choked sob.
"I… I'll try..! Not sure how possible it'll be, but I swear I'll try!"
She joined in on his and Bot's hug, followed shortly by Test Tube, Fan, Knife and even Taco all joining in on their embrace. It was a hug full of hope, love and faith that this would all work out. That one day, they'd reunite in a world better than this one.
But time didn't wait for their hug to end (and that guard wouldn't either) so eventually they did have to separate from one another.
Taco gave him one last stern look, trying to harden the softening of her face, but she eventually just shook her head and didn't bother with masking her worry. It was probably the most emotion he'd seen her willingly display in years.
"Paper… you are one of our most valued members. We can't lose you. Please… don't do anything reckless. Don't get yourself killed."
Paper shut his eyes for a moment, taking in one last deep breath and giving Taco a sharp nod. The same nod he'd usually give her when setting off for missions. He didn't want to think about how it'd be the last one he'd give her for… who knows how long.
"I won't. I'll make it back here, safe. I promise."
He and Fan pushed the door to their little hideout open with one last wave goodbye…
…And then just like that, they were off to the square.
-
Just as Test Tube said, the guard who was meant to deliver the letter was waiting for Fan and 'Jack' by the town's fountain. Paper had to admit that he'd never really been to the town square for the sake of it. If he ever stopped by, it was usually just to intercept goods or to hide from some guards. It was always just easier - safer - to stay in the outskirts, after all.
It was lively, and people were excitedly exchanging all sorts of food and clothing at their stalls, but Paper could feel the gloominess tainting the air. He could tell that they were all just acting, faking their smiles for the king like they were nothing more than his puppets.
That's what all of them were, wasn't it?
Well… that was all about to change. Soon. Potentially, at least.
Fan gave the guard a gentle wave, and he waved back, getting up from his spot at the fountain to meet them halfway.
"Hi there, Fan! This must be Jack, right?"
Paper nodded along, attempting a bow, but quickly being waved away by the guard with a laugh.
"Hey, there's no need for that! Save it for the king, he's the one who actually cares. Name's Pickle, by the way."
Paper speedily stood up straight once he'd been told to, smiling and nodding along.
"Ah, alright, nice to meet you Pickle! I'm-"
He internally bit his tongue before he could say his actual name. How was he only ten steps away from the hideout and already about to blow his cover?
"-Jack! But uh, you already knew that, hahah…"
Pickle held out his hand for a handshake, which Paper eagerly took with his free hand as the guard gestured towards the castle.
"Alright, we'll just head to the castle now… once the king officially appoints you a guard, you can start your first shift."
Paper's eyes widened in surprise at that, tilting his head as his mouth opened before he could think.
"Wha- straight away? Isn't there some sort of training procedure, or…-"
Pickle chuckled at his confused sputters, rolling his eyes lazily as he started walking towards the castle.
"Oh, nope. The king's way too impatient for that. 'The sooner they can get to their jobs, the better', or something."
Paper let out an acknowledging hum, nodding along as they walked along the perfectly paved path towards the king's castle.
Honestly, up until now, Paper hadn't actually truly considered the weight of the mission he was about to embark on. He was about to leave everything he'd known behind and pretend to be a guard. How was this even possible? How would he genuinely manage any of this?
He took one last glance at Fan, who was still standing right where they were at the fountain, giving him a solemn smile and a simple thumbs up of approval.
There was no going back now.
"Right, well, we'll get you your armour and crossbow when we get to the castle - uh, you said that was your preferred weapon, right?"
"Yep, that's right."
Paper stated, resisting the urge to take another peek at the scroll clutched tightly in his fist.
-
Eventually, they'd made it to the castle's front doors. Paper had never managed to get this close to nobility - to the king, to his advisors, to freedom - in his entire life. He hoped the sweat beads rolling down his arms weren't too noticeable as he stared at the intricate, golden swirls and patterns woven into the doors' design, glancing at the two other guards blocking his and Pickle's path. All it took was a nod from Pickle for the two to step aside and allow them both entry.
Paper's jaw absolutely dropped the moment he walked through those doors. He'd heard stories of what the inside of the king's castle looked like, but they'd always seemed like distant, unattainable myths to him more than anything else. Now? Now the amber lining the walls, the room-wide stained glass windows and lush, velvet carpet beneath his feet were real. Pickle surely noticed his dumbfounded expression, as he'd given him a gentle nudge as he walked about the place without a care in the world.
"Yeah, it's pretty gorgeous, isn't it? You'll get used to it, but I get it, it was a lot for me too when I first started working here."
Paper didn't dare utter a single word, too concerned with trying to not make a fool out of himself. He simply followed Pickle wherever he went, always looking out for his helmet and tuning out the constant chatter of every other maid and castle employee, their voices blending together in a buzz reminiscent of bees in a hive. He watched as Pickle navigated the seemingly endless halls with perfect precision. Would there be a day where he knew these halls so well, too?
"I know someone's probably going to give you the grand tour at some point - or, well, maybe a map, that'd probably be a bit more useful - but it can't hurt to tell you what some of these rooms lead to, right? See, that door leads to the bakery, that big one's the dining hall, that even bigger one's the ballroom - well, it hasn't really been used for a ball in a while now, the king kind of stopped having those, but…"
Truthfully, Paper couldn't really find it in him to keep up with what Pickle was actually saying. He'd tried to make a mental note of where at least a few of those doors led, but he hadn't really been able to truly wrap his head around anything. The way Pickle's voice echoed within these walls was probably enough to give him a headache on its own, but coupling that with all the other castle blabber and the overwhelming changes happening to his life right now, and it was… a lot, to say the least.
"…And here's the armoury! We can pick up your crossbow here, and probably find you a spare uniform that fits."
Pickle gracefully opened the door for him, and Paper stepped inside without a second thought. Dozens, maybe even hundreds of axes, spears, swords and bows lined the walls, and Paper didn't even want to attempt touching one out of fear of sending all of them crashing down onto the floor, so he waited patiently for Pickle to pick out his crossbow and gear.
"I think these will do! Try 'em out for me, yeah?"
Paper nodded along, quickly slipping on the pieces of armour and forcing down a groan at how heavy the steel felt on his shoulders. Under any other circumstance, he'd likely complain that this sort of gear would only slow him down in a fight and throw it right off his thin frame, but he resisted the urge in favour of keeping his limbs attached to his page.
"You look great! We should be all good to see the king in the throne room now."
Paper let out a quiet mumble, taking a moment to adjust to the newfound weight and soon hurrying after Pickle.
"Wait, we're just going straight there?"
"Mhm! Like I told you, 'The sooner they can get to their jobs…'"
"'-the better'. Right."
After about a million tight twists and turns, they'd seemingly made it; judging by the fact that these doors were about twice as large as every other set of doors they'd seen so far, and even had patterns resembling waves of what he could assume was meant to be juice carved into each and every crevice.
Pickle slowed to a stop as he placed one hand on the iron handle, turning to face Paper as he spoke.
"You ready?"
Paper took one last glance at the door, steeling himself. In just a few seconds, he was going to meet the king. Ruthless tyrant, cold commander, and probably the most powerful object to ever live.
He was never going to be ready.
"Yeah."
And with that, Pickle pulled the doors open, revealing an absurdly large and tall room with designs and care pouring out of every inch of space visible to the naked eye. Decorative armour stands, paintings, tapestries… and it was all themed around, and delicately framed, to centre on…
King Orange Juice.
Sitting there, unimpressed and unbothered, on his giant golden throne, a crown embedded with all sorts of expensive jewels resting comfortably on the rim of his glimmering glass and a sceptre gleaming in his right hand.
Pickle gestured for Paper to step forward, and Paper saw no other choice but to comply, taking the slow and steady steps towards his superior.
He continued to step forward until the king quickly gestured for him to stop, just before his feet. He kneeled, on instinct, and the glass stayed as still as a statue.
"Do we really have to do this every time…?"
Those were the first words he'd heard directly from the king's mouth, laced carefully with impatience and bitter distaste. Another object he hadn't even noticed was in the room, one resembling some sort of award, nodded along to his words.
"It is the protocol you insisted on, your majesty…"
An irritated grumble left the glass' mouth as he stood from his throne, stepping towards Paper and taking the scroll from his hand.
The king looked it over quickly, barely raising an eyebrow as he stared down at Paper.
"And you are Jack, then?"
"Yes, your majesty."
Paper replied, managing a slight nod from his position on the floor.
There was a brief pause, then, a thick tension gathering in the room, threatening to suffocate Paper right there and then. Surely this was the moment? The moment where everything came crashing down around him and he realised the true gravity of the brash decision he'd made as he was to be sent off to his death.
But in just a few moments that tension was gone, the king briskly placing his sceptre on both sides of Paper's shoulders and reciting the words he'd likely spoken thousands of times before.
"I, King Orange Juice, hereby appoint you, Jack, a royal guard of Clementinia. With this responsibility, you will swear to defend and serve our fair kingdom until your dying breath."
That… was a lot more brief that Paper had thought it'd be, but he supposed he should've expected that with how much Pickle was hammering it in his head that the king liked to get things done quickly.
"You may rise, Jack."
Of course, he did so, bowing immediately before the king.
"Pickle, Groscer, escort him out, will you?"
Pickle nodded without a second thought, but Groscer was slightly more hesitant to leave.
"But- sir, surely you'll need help with preparing for-"
"Groscer. You and Pickle will escort Jack out of my throne room. Afterwards, you will both see to it that he is reassigned to Bookcasey's post immediately. Clear?"
Groscer could do nothing but nod along, placing a hand on Paper's shoulder and helping guide him out of the room.
"As crystal."
The king watched as the trio left his throne room, waiting for the sound of the door slamming shut behind them to echo for a few seconds before he allowed himself to sigh and return to his throne.
He felt a dry, but amused chuckle leave his throat, gears starting to turn in his head as he gently traced the lining of his sceptre. He quite liked the quiet his throne room was filled with when no other object but him was around. And of course, nobody would dare come in to disturb them. He'd taught his people what would happen if they did.
Jack, huh? Yes, the object he'd seen seconds ago definitely looked just like the playing card he'd seen training with a crossbow on his walk last month. He definitely had the same hubristic, grating voice, the same design on his object, the same ego and insistence on being paid attention to… there was no denying it whatsoever.
If this were any other occasion, he likely would've had the fake executed on the spot, just as he would any other object. Perhaps make an example of him. But a different, less impulsive side of his mind had convinced him of a different idea.
It wouldn't be too much of a stretch to say this object would have ties to some sort of… rebellion, would it? He doubted anyone could hatch a scheme this elaborate on their own. Who knows, maybe Pickle was tangled up in this business too…
Clearly, though, this object must have some fighting experience. He looked like the sort that had the skills to survive out on the city outskirts. Besides, it'd be quite idiotic to send an object with no prior experience to join his forces; they wouldn't last a few hours, if even that.
Perhaps, just this once, he would hold back. Grow closer to this object, maybe learn of his secrets and desires… and twist those desires to fit his own. Flatten any spark of rebellion, of opposition, before it has a chance to grow into a passionate blaze.
If this 'Jack' wanted to keep his lies and secrets from him…
Well… two could play at that game, right?