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Anonymity came with a lot of perks, especially to a person with a reputation as rotten as his. Stepping outside of his laboratory usually entailed suspicious glances, carefully measured words, and painfully obvious attempts at escape. Very few islanders dared to approach him openly, striking up a conversation or trying to cut a deal. They had to be either very stupid or very desperate.
Or, as in the case of a certain gold-winged little bird, starved for the exhilaration, the danger of interacting with someone like him.
Multi still didn’t quite understand what exactly drew Quackity toward him; what made him join a plan as reckless, as absurd as his. After all, many yearned for divinity. Not many were ready to risk it all for its sake, however.
At first, he was wary of the avian. He saw his decision as impulsive, caused by his adrenaline being heightened, having seen the inhumane experiments conducted by CNE. Or maybe it was fear? Maybe he thought the crazed doctor would try to silence him, afraid of his secret operations becoming known to the masses? Maybe he lied only to get out of the laboratory unscathed, hoping that the scientist would forget his empty promises of partnering up?
After all, he did not seem to be the kind of person who would desire divinity. He was easygoing, striking up conversations with everyone around him. Becoming instant friends with anyone he barely exchanged a few words with. A golden ray of sunshine, attracting everyone’s attention. A star, shining brightly in the dark night sky. Someone like him was more likely to oppose his plans, outraged by their cruelty and selfishness. Ready to strike him down for the good of everyone else. Like a guardian angel, watching over the island’s wellbeing. Protecting his friends.
That image of him made his behavior at Katie’s wedding all the more surprising.
As soon as the crowd of guests moved from the church, happily running to the venue, ready to begin the celebrations and drink themselves to death, Multi turned to his partner in crime. And he was stunned.
He did not expect to catch the familiar glint in the avian’s eyes. The same one he saw whenever he glanced into his own reflection in the reactor’s glass after a particularly successful experiment. The spark of pure, crazed ecstasy. A breakthrough on his path to godhood. One step closer to absolute control.
Quackity kneeled on the grass, his suit stained green from the crushed blades, giggling wildly as he rummaged through the samples he managed to collect during the ceremony. Showing each and every one to his partner in crime with a manic grin, listing their victims one by one. The names of his friends rolling off his tongue without a shred of regret or concern.
That’s when Multi realized just how similar they were.
And that’s when he felt his dead heart skip a beat because of a person, not a scientific discovery, for the very first time.
An equally psychotic laughter escaped his lips.
———҉———
He couldn’t sleep. Whenever he closed his eyes, he was haunted by strange, grotesque images. His laboratory, engulfed in flames. The leader of the Regime, standing above him, his sword covered in greenish, discolored blood. Cucurucho’s mask, and behind it a feral, monstrously stretched grin. Fistfuls of golden feathers gripped in its clawed fingers.
Quackity, blood streaming down his chin, his hands outstretched towards-
It has been a recurring thing for a while now. He didn’t remember the last time he got a good night’s sleep.
It didn’t matter.
The less he slept, the more time he could dedicate to his precious research. The faster he would achieve his goals. The closer he was to his well-deserved godhood.
Nevertheless, the pounding headache impaired his thinking, which, considering the hazards of his workplace, was not ideal. The stark, blinding white of his office’s walls made his eyes water. The never-ending buzzing of the lamps made his ears ring. The corrosive smell of the chemicals made his sensitive nose burn.
He’d already caught himself making stupid mistakes, almost dropping precious vials, or mixing the wrong components multiple times. He was too distracted. He needed a break.
“A break”, however, to a person like him, simply meant a change of environment. Lab duty was only a part of his work. There were samples to gather, points of interest to secure, things to investigate.
Errors to correct. And those have been growing in numbers, much to his dismay.
The Nether, while not particularly an error of his, was an oversight on his part. Its influence on his devices, to be more specific. Both Haiper and Graf have been disobeying him lately. Slipping through his fingers, running their mouths to people who could pose a threat to him. People who could become obstacles.
It all started when the doors to that hellscape had opened. It was as if, as soon as they stepped foot into the strange dimension, they somehow escaped his grasp. His trusted employees have already been working on the solution, of course. But sometimes it is better to handle certain problems on your own.
He needed to step out of the laboratory anyway. Get some fresh air. A change of scenery.
He stood up from his desk, rolled his sore shoulders, and left his office.
———҉———
It was supposed to be so easy.
Decontaminate, get to the waystone, go to the Nether. Do your thing. Come back, continue the experiments. And yet, somehow, as soon as he reached step two, an anomaly ruined his plans completely.
The doors of the decontamination chamber opened, but instead of a waystone, he saw a pair of golden wings, ruffled in shock.
Quackity, who had almost crashed into him, stared at him wide-eyed. He shook his disturbed wings off, giggled nervously, and stepped out of his personal space.
“Hi! Is your boss in there by any chance?”
Multi did not respond, staring at him with surprise instead.
Did the bird hit his head on the way to the laboratory? Or did the endless work mess the doctor up to the point where he was unrecognizable?
He reached up to brush his hand through his hair in confusion, but it bounced off the hood of his hazmat suit instead.
Ah, he thought, the mask.
Quackity scratched his cheek and furrowed his brows, “You… Don’t understand me?” He bit his lip, thinking about something really hard for a moment. Eventually, he started in broken Polish: “Ch-chy twooy… shef-?”
Multi had to fight really hard not to laugh at his friend. He cleared his throat to conceal his amusement and cut him off with a stern voice, “Doctor Multi is out. What do you want?”
The avian immediately lit up, giggling in relief, “So you do speak English! Can you tell me where he is? I haven’t seen him in a while. I feel like a bad business partner, letting him do all the hard work and shit.”
Multi felt that weird pang in his chest again, as he usually did whenever the duck was involved.
They haven’t seen each other in quite a long time; that much was true. He hadn’t told Quackity that he required any assistance, however. For the most part, they only met when it was necessary or whenever they stumbled upon each other by chance. Any meetings that weren’t work-related were a rarity, considering Multi’s tight schedule and Quackity’s rather nomadic lifestyle. While he mourned those lost, simple moments spent together, he knew their shared goals took far greater priority for the time being.
He did not dwell on it for too long, though. Soon, they would share an eternity. Soon, nothing would stand between them anymore. Soon, he would have Quackity all to himse-
For now, however, he stared at his friend with a puzzled look concealed by his mask.
Did he come over simply for a chat? Or was it strictly professional?
Did he miss-
Multi weighed his options for a moment.
He could reveal his identity and entertain his friend. Spend some time with him. Maybe pull a few stunts around the island.
As much as he yearned to do so, however, he knew that his current task was far too important to be put on the back burner. He couldn’t let his precious test subjects run around with minds of their own. They had to rely on someone smarter guiding their choices. Otherwise, they were a liability.
He bit the inside of his cheek, mourning the forfeited, rare chance to simply hang out with the avian.
“Doctor Multi did not disclose his location to me. He is conducting confidential research. He cannot be disturbed right now.”
Quackity instantly deflated, his wings drooping a little, “Damn. I missed him again…” He scratched his neck, disappointment clear on his face. Multi felt like slapping himself for making him sad.
“If you wish to meet him, you have to make an appointment. He doesn’t have time for unannounced visits. Now, excuse me. I have to go.” He gave him a curt nod and moved towards the waystone, not wanting to drag this unpleasant conversation any longer.
“Wait!” The avian caught his wrist, “What are you up to? Maybe I can help?”
Multi blinked at him, not expecting Quackity to offer assistance even to his lowly employees, “I- My task is also confidential. I can’t disclose it to any random guest.”
At that, Quackity suddenly strengthened his grip, squeezing his still trapped wrist, an angry grimace on his face. He hissed in a low, flat voice, “Watch yourself. Your boss won’t be happy if he learns that you’re disrespecting his partner like that.”
The scientist was really grateful for the tinted mask that obscured his face. Otherwise, Quackity would have surely noticed the redness spreading over his usually pale cheeks.
It was exhilarating, watching those unexpected, abrupt changes in his demeanor. One moment, he wore a bright smile, dazzling everyone around him. Another, his gaze turned icy, somewhat crazed. Borderline insane.
Not many could witness those true colors of his, coming out whenever he felt like his power and authority were being questioned. Multi was truly blessed to bear them witness.
He still turned his head away, for if he stared at the avian’s cute, annoyed, domineering face any longer, he feared he might do something really, really stupid.
“I apologize. But I really have to go.”
Quackity finally released him from his vice-like grip, then scoffed softly, “Give me a sec. I’ll get dressed, and we can leave together.”
Multi watched him make his way to the storage closet, his eyes wide. While working alongside Quackity sounded much more pleasant than sweating his ass off in the Nether on his own, he doubted he would get any serious work done with the duck around. Not that he was a bad partner, of course.
It’s just that… Together, they usually got distracted very easily.
“You’re… Not going with me. Doctor Multi said-”
Having already put his mask on, Quackity simply patted his shoulder, “Yeah, yeah… Well, I’m his closest friend and partner, so I’m kinda your superior too. You can just tell him that it was my order. Now, lead the way.”
———҉———
It really was just as he had predicted.
While, yes, they did manage to collect a few crucial samples from the Nether, most of their time was wasted on pointless banter and close calls. Having Quackity around meant that Multi had to be especially cautious, his eyes glued to both the duck and any potential dangers.
Not that he had to protect him in any way, of course. All things considered, when it came to physical strength, Quackity was far superior. He was always on the move, his arms and legs nicely toned from his never ending adventures and the troubles he consistently got himself into. Multi, on the other hand, had gotten more twig-like the more time he spent in his laboratory, rarely leaving his desk. His strength lay not in physical might but in his manipulations and inventions.
Still, although unnecessarily, he worried about the avian’s well-being, especially in the uncharted, unpredictable depths of the hellish dimension that was still new to them all.
That, and, Quackity was often far too reckless for his own good. Just in their first hour in the Nether, Multi had to catch him mid-fall or drag him out of a shallow pool of lava multiple times. Not to mention the unpleasant encounters with the ghastly, fire-spitting giants and the sword-wielding, humanoid pigs.
But even those were not as bad as his constant blabber.
“Does your boss talk about me?”
“Did he eat his dinner today?”
“Has he been sleeping enough lately?”
“How is he doing? He looked bad the last time we met. Well, not bad, as in ugly or anything, but like, you know, he was even paler than usual. He needs to get out more. Some sun and fresh air might do him good. I gotta drag him out of his lab more often. His ass will get sore from sitting in that damn chair all the time. What if he gets hemorrhoids? Haha, can you imagine? The scary, crazy scientist having to worry about hemorrhoids? He really shouldn’t stay holed up in there for so long. People will start to talk. We don’t want anyone getting suspicious, do we? Is anyone bothering him?”
Multi wanted to bash his head against the walls of netherrack that surrounded them.
Yes, he thought, someone is bothering him. Right now. Very much.
Still, it was nice knowing that, even when he wasn’t around, Quackity cared about his well-being. That he really worried about him. That he wasn’t spilling his secrets to any person he met. That he wasn’t talking behind his back, slandering his already poorly perceived persona.
His cheeks were warm again, and he doubted it was from the Nether’s warmth.
———҉———
Multi crouched beside the corpse of a strangely overgrown pig, examining its gigantic tusks and razor-sharp teeth. The longer they spent in that bizarre dimension, the more confused he was. Countless questions popped into his head one by one, yet no answers were ever given.
Why did his chips fail as soon as they went through the portal? Were the two worlds simply too far apart? And why were his test subjects so drawn to the Nether anyway? Was it the clarity of mind, undisturbed by his orders whispered into their ears? Or some strange force, calling for them?
Were the creatures dwelling in this space some mutated specimens that came from the overworld? Or were they not related at all? Did they have any sort of consciousness, or were they only acting upon their simple, animalistic instincts and urges?
There were ruins inside this place. Fortresses, bastions, houses. Books and treasures alien to their world. Did it have a civilization of its own, once upon a time? Was it wiped out by some calamity? Or by the ruthless environment?
And, most importantly, did the Federation know about all of this?
As he collected samples from the slain monster, the avian hovered around him, stepping from place to place, visibly bored with the new dimension already.
They have spent a considerable chunk of time there by now, the bloody, gruesome scenery rarely ever changing. The only entertainment it provided at this point wasthe occasional monsters they encountered or the structures that weren’t that interesting anyway.
Quackity was growing restless. And, as a consequence, starting to bother his companion.
He crouched beside him, their knees slightly brushing against one another, and watched him work from up close.
“So, uh… Do you think your boss will be free tomorrow?”
Multi glanced at him with a raised brow, the swab hovering midway to the empty vial, “He’s probably going to be busy. A lot of strange things have been happening on the island lately, as you’ve probably noticed.”
The avian hummed softly, fiddling with his gloves, “Do you think he’ll need some help?”
He considered it for a moment but, in the end, deemed the unstable situation too dangerous to involve his friend in his investigation. Who knew when the Fatal Error, his clone, or some other entity would decide to attack him?
“He prefers working alone. Especially when the course of action is hard to determine.”
Quackity stood back up and kicked a stray pebble of blackstone around, hands clasped behind his back, “And does he, like… ever talk about me or something?”
“Sometimes, I guess…?”
He turned to the CNE worker, a small spark of hope in his dark eyes, “What does he say?”
Multi was absolutely taken aback by the course his questioning had taken. It was, however, a good occasion to also ask some questions of his own, “He… He said that you’re brave. Few people would interact with him so… Openly. Let themselves be so vulnerable around him.”
The duck seemed surprised by that answer, “Well, I trust him. Why wouldn’t I be honest with him?”
He bit his lip, his hand trembling slightly as he gathered the next sample, “Do you… Really? Aren’t you even a little scared or… suspicious?”
Quackity answered with no hesitation, “No. If he’s still hiding something from me, then I’m sure it’s either for my own good or simply too difficult for me to understand. Besides, if I didn’t trust him, would I pay him unannounced visits and stroll around the reactor like I own the place?”
His breath stuttered, “He… can be a dangerous man, you know? Some say he isn’t even human. Some… Call him a monster.”
The avian stared at him for a moment, then giggled softly, “Then I hope that one day he’ll trust me enough to reveal that side of himself before me. And no matter how gruesome, I will welcome it with open arms. I, too, have some skeletons in my closet after all.”
Multi’s eyes snapped to his friend. The vial he was holding shattered under his fingertips.
He had known that Quackity was a good partner in crime. The man never gave him any reason to doubt him, unlike all the other fake people who surrounded him. Even those he once called his brothers seemed to be slipping away from him lately, either distrustful of his actions or too focused on their personal agendas. Spinning lies of loyalty right to his face, then betraying him behind closed doors.
But he never expected Quackity’s trust to run so deep. He never thought the avian would yearn to one day see every single part of the puzzle that made his complex persona whole. The good, the bad, the ugly. The scary. The monstrous.
His cold heart stuttered in his chest once more. The dull pressure in his fangs made itself known for the first time in forever. He wanted to bite, to claim him, to mark Quackity as his. To show everyone that, no matter how hard they tried to sway him, the man would only ever be loyal to him. To put him on a leash, bind their souls forever, never to be separated again.
He felt the avian grasp his bleeding hand and examine the cut, his lips curling around words Multi did not hear. Soon after, everything went dark.
———҉———
Quackity stared at the poor worker’s mask with squinted eyes, his gaze so intense you’d think it could pierce right through the glass, revealing his true identity. There was something very familiar about the man who lay on the couch beside him, still unconscious after his fuckup in the Nether. His posture, his mannerisms, the way he spoke. Even his voice reminded him of someone, yet it was so distorted by the mask that he could not pinpoint where exactly he’d heard it before.
Still, despite his curiosity, he did not dare to remove his new friend’s hazmat suit. If he wished to stay anonymous, then so be it. His boss had plenty of enemies, after all. Who was to say that he wouldn’t become a target, were he to show his face?
All he did was wrap his mangled hand in gauze and unclasp his mask, making it easier to breathe. He then sat on the floor nearby, guarding the unconscious man, waiting for the doctor to come back.
It didn’t take long for Multi to stir back to life, his blurry eyes scanning his surroundings in confusion. He sat up slowly, the memories of what had happened coming back to him one by one. Groaning, he was about to lift the mask off his face when he noticed Quackity, half-sitting on the floor, half-lying on the couch right next to him. He was snoring softly, his skin still damp and flushed from working in the Nether’s hot climate for a few hours. His hair was sticking out in every direction, so were his golden feathers. Multi caught himself wanting to smooth them back down, but suppressed the urge just in time.
Instead, he left the room to shed his mask, and with it the blissful anonymity.