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Castle Town is getting loud. Very… very loud.
"Come Along Lancer Sweetie We Need To Dunk The Court"
"I want to (be) dunked!"
Even up here, in his room, the usual breeze is joined by the noises of his kingdom's growing Darkner population: their voices, their songs… even the castle itself echoes with more than just his footsteps. And his room…
He doesn't hear his every breath echo in here anymore. Not as much, anyway, with all the furniture he's been gifted muffling the noise. Instead, he hears a busy rumble, that of shops and games and concerts. And he feels… the soft fuzz of carpet against the fur of his paws, the melded plush of his pillow supporting his head, his ears drooping down it. A moment of respite, even beneath the noise.
A moment for him to… wait. For the next part of the prophecy to come, for the next fountain to open, for the next time he’ll need to play his role. Because he'll hear it… he'll know. The faint roaring noise of a fountain, the Dark World it creates burning into the Light. He, if anyone, can not ignore it. And then, with its arrival, he'll be needed. Needed to live out the very words ingrained into his being, if only they happen how they should. If only… whatever comes to pass is the best it can be…
Ralsei's paws rise to slap at his cheeks, shooting him out of his ruminating stupor. He has more to do than lie here sorrowing! The next Dark World isn't supposed to open until after the Festival so, until then, he's here. And what does here, his Castle Town, need from him?
A Prince. A leader. A mediator. So long as Kris isn't here to fill that role, at least. There are Darkners from four (four!) different Dark Worlds trying to coexist here, on top of the existing difficulties to that peace that were present within those worlds. There have been arguments, spats, fights.
It's not a simple problem to solve, but it's the responsibility the Prince has to the Kingdom of Darkness. It's the good he can bring, besides helping out the heroes…
He’d started doing these rounds right as Lancer had convinced the last holdouts from Card Kingdom that it was worth engaging with the project Castle Town presented to them: a different peace, no longer under King's rule.
Of course, there was some idealism in the idea: almost immediately, the Rudinns and Rangers clashed. Soon after, the Cyber World had been created and subsequently sealed, leaving more recruits to bring to Castle Town afterward. Then began the next clash: a Maus and Rabbick fighting over ownership of a small burrow. And so it went.
It’s an imperfect peace, yes, as it always would have been; nor does everyone always give his efforts at intercession their due consideration. But, he appreciates the purpose he's been given (or, is it that which he's taken?) to fill these spaces between. Something to pass the neverending night.
But, yes, his rounds. They bring him beyond the castle's grounds, of course. He stops by the Dojo, ensuring nobody's been unduly injured. By the studio, the café, the bakery. He responds in kind when greeted, gives thanks when gifted. Top Chef even gives him a little cupcake as a snack.
(It's delicious, and the man beams with a spin when he says as much.)
He eventually makes his way to the newly established church, home to many recruits taking refuge from the sanctuaries. The murmurs of prayer and philosophizing echo through the building's grand halls as he approaches its grand entryway. A pair of Cuptains dashing out to head elsewhere reminds him of a favor he'd done for a group of them earlier that morning.
Which… he's embarrassed, in hindsight, but he enjoyed it. Presenting as a princess for Kris or Susie to save, either of them playing the role of a hero rising up to rescue her? He had honestly been a little enchanted with the idea. It wasn't hard, after all, to picture her dashing heroes scaling the walls to sweep her off her feet, away from the clutches of a villainous interloper.
A flight of fancy, he supposes. And he loved the dress the Cuptains had pieced together for him, all pink and ruffled. And, well, Kris seemed interested in giving it a try…
Even still, he can't quite shut down the hint of mortification he feels for it, now that he's less caught up in the moment.
"Lo, please step aside, o' dear Prince née princess," a gallant voice beneath him calls, pulling him out of his thoughts. "I must make passage beyond this temple."
"Oh! Apologies, please go ahead," he says, fighting a small blush.
The Cuptain marches past him while he regains the presence of mind to move beyond the entryway. The closing door draws the attention of two philosophers, who proceed to question amongst themselves.
"Hmm, why has the Prince returned to this place yet again, I wonder?"
"Indeed, what does he seek from our chapel of curiosity?"
Ralsei puts on a smile, his 'kind, helpful Prince' face. "I was, um, just checking in. Hoping that everything here is, well, peaceful. Offering any help if needed. I have some time to pass."
"The boy has time to pass, is that so?"
"Indeed, I wonder what he may fill that time with?"
(They're not going to be particularly helpful, are they?)
Regardless, he surveys the foyer. There's no signs of unrest, largely just peaceful reflection and piety. The biggest disruption is the two sitting by the organ.
…the organ. Kris had tried it out that morning, testing out its different tunings and replaying some of the songs they had played in the Dark Sanctuary. It hadn't been as artful, as… beautiful as when they'd played before. But it had been nice: their performance, a small one just for those who had been in the lobby that morning, was much more fun and investigative. He'd caught people passing through with a smile.
Somehow, Ralsei finds himself in front of it. In fact, he finds himself sitting down. He's… he's curious, alright? He was rather sure he could have done this before, and after seeing Kris…
He places his hands, left somewhere just above middle C, right about an octave higher. He's not… sure of the exact placement, but he's sure he can remember how this melody goes. It's ingrained into his being, in a sense, to be fair.
And he's not… wrong, exactly. He does know this tune, but he's struggling. To keep his hands in sync, to get them where they need to be comfortably. He knows this. At least, he thinks he does, but it's— it's not— it's not working. Not enough. And even besides that, it sounds… okay, but it's lacking. A quality, something that was there when he heard Kris play, but isn't here.
His hands… feel warm, like the frustration of that lack is emanating out of them as heat. He needs something more.
He sighs, pushing himself away from the organ. To his side, Sweet and K_K are still swaying themselves to the tune, replaying it. They're enjoying themselves, huh?
"Ooh, you could dance to that! It's, like, slow and sensual."
"Yeah, not bad, dude."
"Oh, um, thank you?"
(It's not good enough.)
Ralsei leaves hurriedly. There are other places he may be needed, after all.
He's waiting praying by the Great Door hours later. It's a halfhearted endeavor, if he's to be honest with himself. He hasn't really felt the drive to pray since the start of the afternoon.
So he's taking a moment of rest, one which ends when he feels the next Fountain being formed.
"This door is Pissing me off…"
…
"Okay."
The original star walker is here too. They'd formed a small ritual—he usually wants to see the other Dark Worlds, so they wait together.
But, of the two of them, he's pretty sure he's the only one who knows when it happens. It's a feeling that infects the periphery of his senses, passing through him with a sensation he can best describe as sooty, of all things. As far as he knows, none of the other residents of Castle Town experience it.
He starts making his way over, aware that he's being followed but uncaring about it. His companion will end up where he does, as he has. Ralsei's journey, though, is somewhere between the realm of minutes and seconds, eventually ending at the edge of a dark path of purple grass.
Hmm. Now, it shouldn't be too long before he finds Kris and Susie—they might have even already entered. And, if not, he shouldn't be too far from the entranc—
"Howdy."
A voice comes from behind him, and (unsurprisingly, he should suppose, if a bit sooner than he expected) it belongs to the flower man, the one from the prophecy. The one that's supposed to…
"Huh, you look a bit different than I expected, there. But, still, nice to finally meet you, Raly!" the man says, his face literally sparkling. A theme of fanfare pokes at the edges of Ralsei's conscience whenever he makes eye contact. Perhaps he should have expected that.
"It's, uh, Ralsei." Ralsei corrects. "And you, um, are?"
"Flowery," he responds with a grin (and a voice clip, another auditory sensation designed to grate at him just a tad). The world suddenly shifts, Flowery’s form shifting into a mass of color before he settles on one knee before Ralsei.
Before Ralsei can respond, Flowery kisses the back of his hand. The responding heat in his cheeks barely has a chance to settle before… a flower bud blooms out of his fur.
"Star sign: the Flower. Golden eyes. Blood type: SSS. Pleased to make your acquaintance."
Ralsei's only half listening to this, a bit more focused on carefully removing the plant from his hand with minimal harm, but has enough presence of mind to respond with a mildly belated "…likewise."
Anyway, things to do. Important things. He prepares, again, his fluffiest, cutest, most 'helpful, kind Prince' smile and voice.
"Well, Mr… Flowery, if I understand correctly, you know where the Dark Fou-"
A yellow hand shoots towards his face, a single finger placed against his mouth with a "shsh". He falls quiet. In the distance, he can barely make out a deep voice calling out Flowery's name.
Flowery sighs, "Sorry, newbuddy. Can't let you ruin the magic for ol' Gorey. I'll make sure your friends can get you later, though."
"Huh?"
With a wink, Flowery crouches down, getting a grip on Ralsei's leg and back, then scoops him up into his arms, almost like a princess very princely carry. That same kaleidoscopic shift happens again, too fast for Ralsei to even begin to react, and suddenly they're in front of a wardrobe.
He's unceremoniously stuffed inside the wardrobe.
Click!
He is locked inside the wardrobe.
(Oh that cheater!)
The wardrobe is stuffed with hats. Dozens of them. Dozens of… pointy… hats.
(He at least could have unlocked RALSEI RANCHER, if he's going to do this!)
Through his annoyance, and out of some hope that somehow the locked door will just open, he shoves at the door. He shoves harder, banging at it. He even feels around for the inner side of the locking mechanism. Unfortunately, he finds nothing.
Left with little else to draw his attention, he's more than aware of the heat in his palms. The warmth radiating from them up against the wood. He… shouldn't. It could, no, it would make everything so much worse.
But what are his options, then? He could wait, he supposes, and Susie and Kris would come by sooner or later, no? That guy even said he'd make sure they'd find him, if he was telling the truth. So shouldn't he, well, let them? Isn't it really up to Kris as to when this part of the story should start?
…
(Quiet…)
……
Then again, it wouldn’t technically be anything he shouldn't do, would it? What could happen, that he can't let happen? It's to happen later, under different conditions. He's toed that type of line before, hasn't he? So can't he… again?
Ralsei tenses himself up. Just a little, though. Just enough, as he places his hands more firmly against the wood. He stretches a little, and his feet hit the back wall, and he pushes, pouring in just a little mag—
"Ah… ahh!"
Unexpectedly, the world around him tilts forward, landing him face-first onto the ground. As he tries to get his bearings, he catches hints of blue and pink to his sides.
"Kris! Susie!" he exclaims.
"Woah, why were you in there?" he hears Susie ask, barely making out her turning to peek at the wardrobe. "… something good inside? Think I can fit?"
"No! That… that stupid flower guy stuck me in here! He… he didn't want Asgore to see me, so he…" Ralsei trails off, a blast of fury growing out of his annoyance as he pulls himself to his feet.
"Ugh! What is his problem, anyhow?"
"Yeah," Susie agrees, "talk about a pain in the ass! That guy was— Wait, Ralsei, since when were YOU such a hater!?"
He catches himself, feeling the anger fade just enough to remind him of where he is and who he's talking to.
"N-no, I just… err… Nevermind!" He stutters out, electing not to explain his outburst. He turns to Kris, to the direction they need to go.
"Let's just go."
"Got i— hey, wait, what's up with these marks on the door?"
Ralsei turns back to Susie, following her gaze to the… very conspicuous scorch marks on the inner wood of the wardrobe. Oops.
"Oh, that's just… um, I tried to use my magic to get out."
Susie's eyes widen, her face shifting into an excited grin. She shoots him a familiar expression, one that never ceases to spurn little butterflies that dance in his stomach. The one that says "I think you're rad as hell", to put it in words she might use.
"I didn't know you could do something like that! Were you, like, gonna mel—"
"No," he says, cutting her off. "I, uh, can't do that. I don't have any kind of magic that can—it didn't work. It never would have. So, um, thanks for helping me!"
He punctuates his words with a smile, the 'helpful, kind Prince' smile.
He put him in the hat! He put him in the hat again!
Okay, in fairness, Flowery has a good excuse… in theory. Yes, they need to keep things simple and safe for Lightners who get wrapped up in this. Yes, it would… complicate things.
BUT HE'S NOT DOING THAT!
He is breaking the rules! Blatantly breaking them, sometimes seemingly just to annoy him! Between the maxed out stats, the horrible voice clips, the made up attributes, and getting Kris to turn off his voice!
(It… okay, it hurt that they did that, especially with so little hesitation. The entire moment had driven him crazy, and being unable to say a single thing while Flowery was telling Susie who knows what? It was awful. Ralsei knows it's ultimately a small thing–they've always been kind to him, but it leaves him wondering what they really think of him.)
(…not that it matters, of course! What they think is… all up to them.)
(Still, he hopes it was out of curiosity rather than out of malice…)
"…so this… brings us back?"
But now Flowery's trying to kick them out?! Trying to completely go against what has to happen and ignore what they're here to do? Ignore what he's supposed to do?
No, that's not for Flowery to decide.
"…we're not going back."
Asgore forced them back. Well, he forced Kris and Susie back. Ralsei had expected it the moment they'd made it to the mountain's peak, and had hidden himself to avoid it. Even still, it was yet another wrench in things proceeding smoothly today.
And, ugh, now he needs to make his way around to—
A hand suddenly grips at the scruff of his neck, yanking him out of his hiding place in the hedges.
“H—hey!”
He flails at the arm behind him, trying to reach back and push it off of him to no avail. Instead, he’s carefully lifted. His feet lose purchase with the ground beneath him, just as the sight of yellow skin makes its way into his peripheral vision.
A familiar, increasingly grating fanfare makes itself known at the edge of his mind as he struggles to meet his captor’s eyes.
"Hey there, Raly! No need to dash off just yet, little guy."
Flowery's smile, pristine and handsome as always, oozes with… frustration? Distaste? Disdain, even? Something very recognizable, whatever it may be.
Ralsei whips the end of his scarf at the unwelcome hand, breaking his grip and allowing him to drop to the ground and shove the larger man away.
"I quite disagree," he seethes out. "There's somewhere I need to be for things to go as they should, something which is something I'm sure you're unable to appreciate. I'll be making my way there now, in fact."
"Oh, you mean… here?" Flowery asks with a lilt in his voice, before doing that infuriating charge-up thing to shift them both into the castle, far, far from the entrance point.
"What are you playing at?" Ralsei presses.
"Couldn't leave you right where Asgore would see you, could I?" Flowery responds, turning to leave. "Now if you'll excus—"
"No! You keep messing around, not doing what you should—"
"Hmm, is that so? What is it, oh Prince, that makes you think I should listen to you? Are you the one calling the shots now?"
"W-well," Ralsei stammers, "I-I at least know what I should—"
"Says who?"
"The prophecy, the one you're ignoring just to—"
"Oh, right," Flowery cuts him off again, his voice laced with sarcasm, "I should be a good little boy who listens to his leader, just like you. So, why not listen to me? See anyone else in charge here?"
Before he knows it, he's pulled yet again, the unpleasant sensation of Flowery's powers mixing with a storm of petals. He feels himself constricted and wrapped, changed and covered, and suddenly, he's back in his butler outfit from Queen’s mansion.
Oddly enough, it feels a lot less fun than when the Swatchlings dressed him up to match them.
"Now be a good servant, if you want to be one so badly," Flowery says with a tilt of his head. "Unless you think otherwise? Want to step up and fill the void yourself?"
It's a taunt. Bait.
Ralsei had asked Kris earlier today what they thought of Flowery. Hell, he'd offered to try to like him, to make peace with him, if Kris wanted him to. He'd even gone so far as to say he didn't hate him, just held his misgivings.
He thinks, in hindsight, that he was lying.
"Or, oh! Is it the suit? Would it make you that much happier if someone let you wear something else?"
The familiar heat beneath Ralsei’s skin returns, heat with which she just needs to reach out and grasp to make a very fine, very controlled point at this distance. But no, the only way to make this better is with her words.
But what words are there to say? Is there anything she can do but give ground, give credence to the stupid ideas Flowery keeps insisting upon? Does he not understand that these obvious omissions need to stay that way?!
"Flowery! Where have you gone?"
He misses his chance to respond, as the deep, booming voice of Asgore echoes through the castle's halls. Flowery perks up at the summons of his king and, without a moment's hesitation, shoots himself away.
Ralsei can barely make out him yelling one last taunt about "finding the other princesses".
Prick.
Despite everything, it's surprising how well their gang has gotten along with the other flowers. "The Boys", as Flowery had been calling them, "even when some of them's girls."
Honestly, Ralsei would be annoyed if he were one of them.
But all of them have been having, well, fun! Yes, there's been some conflict: some over Asgore; some, infuriatingly, because of that guy, whom the flowers all, frustratingly, seem to think rather highly of. Some even his own fault, for losing his composure and mistreating Orange.
At the moment, though, things are calmer. Green had welcomed the three of them into their café, offering them pastries and eggs and tea, and the entire space had become a neutral zone of sorts. They'd still oppose each other on their way up the castle, but be able to return for some tea and a chat.
Even Seth had mellowed out a little bit, willing to try to get along rather than FIGHTing every time they bumped into one another. Ralsei had even found some points of agreement with them! They'd caught onto Flowery's misuse of information! His disregard for terms and his abuse of authority!
His lack of care for what they think should happen… something easier said than done from their positions.
(Okay, in fairness, he's also found that there are some… mildly less horrible aspects to Flowery. The free drink was nice, especially the option Flowery had encouraged him to, ah, let himself have. It was a tea not on the typical menu, rather milky and sweet, with little balls in it. Nice.)
(He supposes the… other encouragements are something worth thinking about, too. Even if Flowery had all but given up on subtlety and dropped to arguing the obvious. Perhaps that's best for after this adventure, though.)
But, yes, back to the positives. Of which there are a good few, with Seth and Yellow even giving him a chance to make up for the lack of RALSEI RANCHER! Well, sort of, anyway.
(He lo… likes Susie a lot, but he's really disappointed that she won't let them unlock it!)
"Uuu, Kris, can you block Susie's axe? Do all purple humans have axes? Seth, Seth! Can I have an axe, too?"
Of them all, Aqua in particular has been a notable bundle of energy, having taken a strong liking to, ah, playing with Kris and Susie if there's nothing else to occupy her.
Ralsei, meanwhile, has been continuing his rather pleasant chat with Seth, who'd found their way to his table after being… mildly extorted by the other flowers.
(They couldn't provide the $5 they owed Green.)
The purple flower is still slumped over the table, panting from apparently running through much of the castle to evade capture. A plate of cheese had been left in front of them, small indents on the top of it reading out an apology.
"Th—they're all quite passionate… are they not?" Ralsei asks.
Seth chuckles a bit, turning their head to make eye contact with him. "I've been with them my whole life… even as we existed in the light." Their eyes grow fond. "They're all family to me… but sometimes they manage to scare the shit out of me…"
"…even though I know they're just joking around," they finish with a sigh.
Ralsei doesn't think he'd appreciate it all the time, himself. "It did seem like their questioning got a bit… intense. I imagine the pressure isn't the most comfortable."
"No, not really," Seth says, shaking their head. "I've only had a little bit of time to really think about this stuff. And t-there's—", they blush a bit, and their tone turns bashful, "—so much I don't know yet. So much to learn about what humans… what people do. So much about how they define themselves…"
They push themself up and lean back, staring at the ceiling. "Aqua's not really wrong—I was the purple flower, yes; but I wonder if there's room to figure out whoever 'Seth' might be?"
Ralsei takes a moment to consider this. Then, a second moment, in which their hands take to fidgeting with their scarf. This sounds… familiar, doesn't it?
But his chance to reply is preempted by Seth. "T-that's how Blue put it to me, at some point. When I first brought up the idea to him. I-I'm sure it's not very interesting to an actual human."
(Huh?)
"Huh? I'm… I'm not a human?"
"Oh, yes, you're a, um, monster, yes? Though I don't think I've ever seen you enter the flower shop before…"
"I…" Ralsei hesitates. "I'm a Darkner. Not quite you, not quite a monster. I don't exist beyond these Dark Worlds. Not like this, at least," he explains, feeling a peculiar ashiness to the words.
"And," he pivots, donning a small, genuine smile, "I do find it interesting. I've only just begun trying to really figure out who 'Ralsei' might be, myself."
Seth raises an eyebrow, then leans forward. "Oh, did you pick that name yourself, too?"
"Oh— I—?"
"Wait, are you not a 'guy' or a 'girl' either? I thought Flowery said you were a Prince, but maybe I misheard. Or could that be a neutral title? Apologies, I have much to le—"
"No, um, no. No need to apologize, either. I'm just, uh, Ralsei… formally the Prince of the Kingdom of Darkness. Not a neutral title, at least not for me. I'm a boy, to be clear, I guess."
The Prince punctuates his recitation with a smile.
"Ah…"
"I mean, sure, but—"
"Hey, Ralsei!"
His attention is brought back to the opposite corner of the cafe, where Susie and Kris are no longer occupied with an intermittently tuckered-out Aqua.
"Yes, Susie?" he rises from his seat and calls back to them.
"Kris and I were thinking it's probably time we go deal with Fl— I mean… get going. You ready to?"
"Oh, um…" he trails off, sparing a brief glance down at Seth, whose expression is… hard to interpret. "Yes, of course."
He retreats off after them.
Damnit, damnit, damnit! He was right, of course he was right. Why does he have to be right?!
The moment Flowery dashed off after the Knight, the second he jumped at a chance to keep being this world's hero, Ralsei knew. An awful sinking feeling spread through him, that the exact thing he said would happen, was about to. Flowery couldn't take the Knight, not legitimately. It was an absolute shot in the dark that his bending the rules would do him any good.
So, knowing that, why did he?
He's the first one to run, the second he sees the Knight's sword make contact; his focus on the Knight itself shattered as Flowery’s torn form falls much too fast for a flower.
He tenses up, and that anger—the burning anger that had been simmering in him this entire time—he refocuses it. He prays, prays like he always does, like he said he does. Praying for something better, praying for life, for bounty, for healing.
[MISS]
He reaches Flowery and focuses it, again, and again, and again.
He has to try, he tells Flowery, even if it shouldn't work. Even if it never could… he can't stop himself.
[MISS]
But it's… not working. And he falters, as Susie and Kris join him. And Flowery's… warning them. Of what darkness he and the other flowers have felt lurking beyond. Warning Kris and Susie, expressing his faith in them.
He's only half listening beneath his focus on prayer, kneeling over Flowery while he recites his devotion.
"Restore their health, heal them, strengthen them, and revivify them. Send them speedily a complete recovery…"
[MISS]
"I… just wish I wasn't… so useless…."
…
But he's…
"You aren't useless, Flowery. Having something to take care of…" Ralsei trails off.
The words that come to mind feel… tainted. Wrong, somehow. Even if he thinks they’re true, thinks they’re worth noting. Something about them seems… insufficient. But, despite everything, they're what he thinks Flowery might need to hear.
"…that gave Asgore purpose too. Just being a flower… that's enough for him! It's… okay to not do more than that."
Flowery's gaze shifts towards Ralsei, worryingly hazy. The edges of his mouth, open and panting and groaning in pain, tilt into a small smile as he tries to focus on him.
"…ah, Raly," he breathes out. He reaches out an arm, and Ralsei leans towards him, thinking he's trying to give him something. Isn't something like that prescribed?
Instead, a finger (or a petal?) brushes against his eye, coming back wet.
"You're not half bad yourself, you know that?"
The flower man leans back, closing his eyes.
"Maybe in another life, we could have… been friends…"
Then, there's a light. A shine and a spark growing out of his form, leaving behind a small yellow flower. Its stem is torn in the middle, and the upper half succumbs to gravity.
Perhaps it's just the wind, just him hearing things that weren't said, but a faint whisper reaches Ralsei's ears.
"It'll be alright, ok, princess?"
The remaining strength in his legs fails him, his body falling from an upright kneel back against heels. He tilts his head towards his friends.
"You two… go seal the Fountain, okay?"
He hears them shuffle uneasily next to him, especially Susie. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees concern on Susie's face.
"I'll… stay here."
He can't read Susie's response to that quite as well, her hair falling over her face as she bends her head. He can feel Susie hovering around him, and he feels a hand briefly fall on and squeeze his shoulder before the girl moves back towards Kris.
"…alright."
The crunch of footsteps in grass slowly fades beneath the dull roar of the fountain.
God, he’s tired.
"You idiot… just had to go and be dramatic, didn't you?"
He gently cradles the broken flower, lifting its petals off the dirt and propping them up against the base of the tree. Hopefully, putting a little less strain on the bare thread of tissue that still remains. It's… the least he can do, now.
Actually, no, maybe it's not. He couldn't heal, but he has other magic, no?
He focuses. Not on the heat beneath his skin, not on the life he can bring. But on the fading light in the fabric of his being.
"Thanks for showing me your dream… Thanks for showing me what it meant, even if I wouldn't listen. I won’t forget it.”
“Now, let me show you one, okay?"
With a smile, she lets him rest.