Chapter Text
The wedding was finally over and, after the groom's kidnapping, Multi just wanted to head home. Between the exhaustion from the event and the absurdity of everything that just unfolded, he didn't have an ounce of energy left to deal with any more chaos. Or people.
Yet, the moment he stepped into spawn, there he was.
Cucurucho.
After taking Tomate, Multi had assumed the bear would be long gone by now, hiding from Katie and Mike's rage. Instead, the bear stood in the middle of spawn, radiating an unsettling, menacing aura.
Though this time it was directed towards someone Multi doesn’t think he’s ever seen before.
A guy standing in front of the Island’s manager, brown hair, wearing a multi-colored hoodie with a teal spiraling swirl, black pants, and purple shoes.
It doesn’t look like he’s from here.
"How are you even here, Rat? And what the heck is wrong with your voice?" The brunette asked, his tone frantic.
"You’re not supposed to be here," Cucurucho’s robotic voice replied.
Before Multi even had a chance to slip away into the shadows, looking to avoid whatever was going with them, those cold, lifeless eyes locked onto him. Well, shit.
The guy in the hoodie turned around to face him, putting up a calm facade, betrayed by his nervous smile.
"Oh, hey! Nice to meet you."
Cucurucho ignored the greeting, still talking to the stranger. "You are not supposed to be here. You’ll be taken to Federation facilities until further notice."
"The what?!" Panic flared in the traveler's face as he stumbled backwards, putting as much distance between them as possible.
Realizing that catching this guy would earn a bit of trust from the bear, Multi instinctively reached for his sword.
"Do you need my help?" He offered.
As always, Cucurucho’s smile didn't move an inch, though the bear tilted his head as if genuinely considering the proposition.
"What? Wait, I’m not—I was about to leave, actually—"
In a moment, the bear stepped forward, blocking two of the spawn exits.
Multi quickly ran to cover the third one. "Not so fast."
They locked eyes for a second before the brunette bolted in the opposite direction, running away.
Cucurucho simply gave a lazy tilt of his head to where the stranger had fled. Multi swallowed a groan and broke into a sprint right behind the foreigner.
Thankfully, he caught him quite quickly, food on his backpack replenishing his speed. He jumped over him, holding him hostage.
"Got you." The scientist said, watching the brunette's pale face.
Then a sudden flash of vibrant colors burst into his field of vision.
Massive, broken clocks appeared floating through the void of space. Multi felt the sickening sensation of gravity disappearing; he couldn’t understand where he even was, caught in the pull of some invisible force.
A deep wave of regret washed over him.
He swore right then and there that, if he somehow survived this, he would never step foot outside his lab again.
"Dude!" The main culprit didn't seem the least bit phased by their reality-bending surroundings, turning around to shoot Multi a look that made the scientist feel overdramatic in comparison to this guy’s calm demeanor. "Don’t touch anything! Please, don’t change anything."
Multi was too speechless to even ask what that was supposed to mean.
Before his eyes, the stranger’s colorful hoodie shifted violently, morphing from purple tones then into jet-black and grey, before turning into a pale white and light grey.
Just as Multi opened his mouth to question it, he felt a violent pull tearing them both apart.
Something was dragging him back to what he assumed was his own island. Through the blur, he caught a glimpse of a green silhouette that looked like Juan, big nerdy glasses and all, wearing something resembling a Greek robe.
The next instant, he was free-falling, crashing directly into a wooden pathway.
He smashed onto the surface, staying sprawled in the grass before lifting his head, feeling sore. The sky looked normal, thank God.
The area around him was undeniably populated; many structures lined next to the endless oak path. The buildings looked lived-in and cared for.
He wandered down the path for a while, passing one bizarre sight after another: an UFO hovering idly in the sky, a strange white-and-purple church, and an odd ‘shed’ with an even stranger name. There was even a hill with two random wooden doors inside the dirt grass with a flowery front garden.
Crossing a bridge over a river, he finally caught sight of something resembling a proper city, and the second he stepped past a rusted grey van, he saw him.
A familiar beanie paired with a grey suit that swallowed his frame, looking several sizes too big. A young man was stepping out of a building made from an odd mix of white quartz and stone bricks.
Even with the dark sunglasses, Multi could recognize him everywhere.
It was Quackity, standing tall and looking impossibly young.
Multi approached, feeling relieved.
"Hey-"
Quackity cut him off with a quick, defensive chatter. "Are you here to see the president? Did he ask for a doctor?"
He had a lisp, and he sounded incredibly young. And God, he also looked painfully younger the more he looked, shorter and lankier. Yet those eyes sparkled with the same fire Multi had seen a thousand times before.
"Damn, dude, you don't look good enough to be a doctor. He might be a drunkard, but don't you dare try to scam him."
"Huh?" The scientist could only manage to mutter a sound.
He had to be having a fever dream. Maybe radiation exposure had finally cooked his brain into generating his weirdest hallucination to date.
“Who the fuck is making that noise?” Schlatt stormed out of the weird house, looking furious, his suit a mess. "I already told you I'm not seeing anyone today, stop being so fucking useless."
Quackity looked momentarily embarrassed, but quickly shot back, "Sorry! Yeah, I don't know why this asshole came by. I'll take care of him, sugar-pumpkin, go back inside."
"Whatever," Schlatt grunted, turning on his heel and retreating back inside.
What the fuck. Multi kept his internal screaming strictly internal, feeling like he was high.
"Quackity?"
"Do I know you?" The avian narrowed his eyes, looking thoroughly disgusted. Up close, he noticed he had his tie knotted all wrong.
"Yes! Why is Schlatt—?" Multi cut himself off when he caught the look on Quackity’s face, lowering his voice. "What the fuck is his problem?"
"Hey, watch your fucking mouth. That's the president, and these days we aren't as lenient." He threatened quietly.
"President? What the fuck are you on about, Quackity?"
"Dude, I don't fucking know you. I've never met you, so don't act as if you know me either."
A muffled grumble echoed from inside the house.
"I’ll be right back, babe!" Quackity yelled before turning back to Multi. "Let's go somewhere farther away, you're being fucking annoying."
As they walked a few meters away toward some conveniently placed seats, Multi instinctively reached for his sword. While his inventory was mysteriously empty, his main items remained secured on his body.
"Who the fuck are you? You’re not my Quackity."
"Whoa, what the fuck is that? Is that... diamond and netherite embedded? What the fuck! Also, I’m taken, you freak." Quackity stepped back, putting distance between them. "I'm the first lady and vice president of Manburg, so be careful who you’re threatening, asshole."
"What the fuck is a Manburg?" Multi asked, begrudgingly pulling his weapon away from the avian’s neck, though his grip remained tight and steady.
Quackity stared at him, looking genuinely horrified. Multi’s expression did not falter.
"Wow, you’re actually serious." He glanced around nervously, checking if anyone else was standing nearby. "Where do you even come from? Hypixel Realm? Minecraft Mondays?"
"What?"
"God, you don't know anything—Hey, can you lower the fucking sword? I'm not into that stuff, sorry."
Multi lowered the blade, though his brows remained locked in a deep, suspicious furrow.
"This is Manburg, our country. Previously known as L’manburg, stupid fucking name, I know. But yeah, welcome." Quackity offered a fake smile and stretched out his hand. When Multi ignored it, the hybrid rolled his eyes.
He was so achingly familiar, yet so deeply strange.
"You should start serving your country, you know. By the way, are you a doctor? And why is your hair green? Is there a new fashion style going around?" Quackity began pacing in a small circle around the scientist, happily inspecting him top to bottom.
Multi knew in his soul this was Quackity, but he had no way of knowing if it was his Quackity.
While this version looked younger, he had never mentioned anything about this past; the previous island, yes, but never this. Yet, the easy bond with Schlatt from day one lined up, perhaps this was where it all started.
Could it be time-travel?
He thought back to the strange hoodie guy's parting words. To not change anything.
"Yes, I’m new. I don't know how I got here." But Multi could never really lie to Quackity, not about things of this magnitude. Besides, stranded in an unknown land, he needed an ally. "And I know you. Another version of you."
That stopped the younger hybrid dead in his tracks, looking utterly stupefied and mind-boggled.
"WHAT? Another me? How? How is he? Are we—? Tell me everything!" He looked utterly thrilled, buying the impossible claim without a single ounce of doubt, young and naive.
"I don't think I can tell you much, I don't even know— I don't even know how I got here. There was this guy... Juan and Cucurucho—"
"Cucu-what?" Quackity tilted his head. "There’s no Juan here, sorry."
"The Federation?” Multi tried asking, feeling more hopeful about this one.
Quackity pulled a dramatic, awkward face, biting his lip and shaking his head. He was far too jolly, which was jarring because the Quackity Multi knew was happy, sure, but never quite like this.
"Look, man, do you know anything about L’manburg?" The younger questioned anxiously, scratching at his cheek as if bracing for a bad answer.
"No. Nothing at all."
At that, Quackity visibly relaxed, breaking into a grin as he threw a casual arm around Multi's shoulders.
"Then you’re clean! Probably. As long as you don’t try to start a rebellion or something." He chuckled, flashing a bright smile. "Are you interested in working with our beloved president?"
Multi rolled his eyes. "Sure, but I need to research why I'm even here and how to get back."
Quackity just laughed, as if he'd just been told a grand joke.
"In the meantime, you’ll live with me. Or at least in my house. I usually stay in the White House, so my old place is free to use." He explained, casually guiding him along. "I’d inform Schlatt, but I’ve finished my paperwork for today, and he’s in a foul mood, so it’s probably better not to push it. I’ll introduce you to him tomorrow."
"Okay."
It still bothered Multi. The small, toxic interaction he’d witnessed between the two earlier, it reminded him of their bickering back on the island, but there was a heavier, sharper edge to it here. It just didn't feel as lighthearted.
Multi remembered the offer he’d made to Quackity back then, when he couldn’t stop looking at the ram hybrid, and wondered if he should repeat it.
There were also the weird pet names, but he chose to ignore that.
“I’ll talk to him now, tell him I’m leaving for a bit, give me a minute.” The younger said, standing in front of the building.
The avian looked slightly tense as he pushed open the door to the White House, quickly shutting it behind himself.
For a few seconds, it was dead silent, then came the sound of rustling papers and a few harsh yells. They were brief, giving Multi just enough reason to stay outside until he heard a glass shatter, prompting him to walk straight to the door.
Just as his hand reached for the handle, it turned from the other side, and he found himself face-to-face with the hybrid.
"Oh, sorry." Quackity looked flustered by their sudden proximity, immediately avoiding eye contact. "I’m ready, we can go."
"Sounded bad. I was going to come in," Multi said, begrudgingly taking a step back, his brows furrowing.
Quackity looked momentarily surprised by his boldness, then let out a laugh. "Don’t worry, he’s just been having some rough days. Health issues and all."
"Uh huh." The scientist wasn't convinced in the slightest, the avian seemed amused by it.
"C’mon, let’s go to my place. I’ll settle you in."
They reached a house that was extremely ugly. Quackity let him inside, gesturing for him to take a seat on the bed.
Multi kept his thoughts to himself. He figured it had to be his Quackity, considering he also possessed a liking for hideous living spaces (if you could even call that claustrophobic box full of chests a house).
"So, what are we? That version of me and you." The avian asked, his small wings preening excitedly behind his back.
Multi chuckled at his antics. "We are partners." He watched Quackity's expression light up. "Work partners."
He was too easy to read; the little wings connected to his head immediately drooped, and a pout formed on his lips.
"Oh."
"We make a great team. We just managed to capture DNA from a bunch of people, it’ll be useful in the future," Multi explained softly, successfully distracting him.
"DNA? So you’re a doctor or a scientist?" Quackity blinked, visibly confused.
"I'd say a bit of both, but mostly a scientist." He answered, taking in the other's awed expression.
"Woah. And am I a scientist too?" He seemed thrilled, his smile widening.
Keeping his face as straight as possible, Multi decided to tell a white lie. "Yes, kind of. You’re my research partner right now."
"I’m so cool," Quackity declared. "I’m probably a better scientist than you, though. I’m really smart."
Multi snorted. "Sure."
Quackity flashed him a smirk. With the mood lightened, Multi started his questioning.
"And how did you and Schlatt... win?"
"Oh, I personally think SWAG2020 was too good of a slogan to lose. Also the coalition—"
"2020?" Multi asked, feeling sick.
"Uhm, yeah?" Quackity answered, tilting his head before his eyes went wide. "Wait! Oh my God—don’t tell me! Wait, no, do tell me! Are you from the future?"
He was practically vibrating, wings perked up, eyes filled with curiosity.
"I think so? I’m not actually sure. I just... I don’t think the Quackity from my time went through all this." And if he had, Multi was going to have some very serious questions about why he was still hanging around Schlatt.
"Oh? Damn. I guess you never really know," Quackity mused, pausing to think. "Well, to be fair, I’m with Schlatt right now, and you don’t even know what Manburg is, which is weird, because I definitely would've mentioned one of my greatest achievements."
He wandered off, a frown replacing his excitement. Multi watched him quietly as the sun went away, night finally setting outside.
"How weird. Still, it’s really cool. I wish I could meet me." Quackity rambled, looking curious and giddy. "Oh, well. Look at the time!"
He checked his watch, reaching up to loosen his crooked tie, as Multi stared silently.
“I’ve gotta head back to the White House, there’s some stuff I need to take care of. Vice-presidential duties." He said, grabbing some bread from a nearby chest. "I’ll be back tomorrow morning."
Multi remained seated on the edge of the bed, watching him closely. "I’ll see you tomorrow, then."
"I’m sure we’ll have a great time while you’re here. Sleep well, there are monsters outside, so don't go wandering out there."
"I'll be fine," Multi murmured, letting a small smile slip through.
Quackity returned it. "You’ll be working with me tomorrow, so be prepared."
"Of course." A heavy wave of relief washed over him, and he felt more at home, tiredness setting in and finally dragging him down after what felt like more than thirty hours without sleep.
"Byeee!" Quackity sang out in a high, cheerful voice as he shut the door, his footsteps fading into the night.
As Multi rested his head against the pillow, a sudden realization hit him: he had never actually told the boy his name.
Tomorrow, he would.
—
He opened his eyes to a shift in reality.
"Doctor?" Quackity’s voice cut through the air.
His suit was now an absolute mess, stained with dirt, and he glared at Multi with suspicion.
"Quackity?" Multi tried to find his footing, his head spinning as he struggled to find his balance.
Around him, dozens of trees surrounded them.
He was so lost.
"What are you doing here?" The avian demanded, accusingly.
"What? I'm so—" Multi started, quietly getting cut off by the avian.
"You left me, so what the fuck are you doing here now?"
"What?" The hybrid just glared at him. "Quackity, I just woke up, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I was just sleeping in your house and—"
"What?" Now it was the younger's turn to look baffled.
"I literally talked to you last night! I don't know how I got here- I don't even know where here is!" Multi protested, glancing around.
"Oh, buddy. You’re in for a wild surprise." Before Multi could process the warning, Quackity grabbed his arm, dragging him hard through the forest. "Anyway, let’s go. There’s a fucking psycho pressing buttons, literally. This place could still blow up at any second, who knows."
Multi struggled to keep his pace. As they reached the base of a cliff, Quackity climbed it effortlessly and turned back, extending a hand.
"C’mon, we don’t have much time."
Multi reached out to grab his hand and froze.
His hand was translucent.
He could see straight through his own fingers, as if his physical form was dissolving into thin air.
"Whoa, what the fuck?" Quackity stared in disbelief.
Freaked out, Multi tried to hold him anyway.
"Oh my God, that’s even weirder," Quackity muttered, successfully catching his unseeable hand. "Dude, did you drink an invisibility potion?"
"No! No—I don't know!" Multi stared down at his hands, watching them flicker erratically between semi-viewable and completely invisible.
Quackity frowned, letting out a heavy sigh before deciding to just go with the flow. "Okay, whatever. I need to get to Tubbo."
"Tubbo?" Multi stopped dead in his tracks, forcing the avian to turn back.
"You know him?" Quackity asked.
"Yes. Is he... the regime—" Multi began cautiously, only to be cut off.
"Regime?" He repeated, confused. "I don’t know what that is. He’s helping Pogtopia now. Wait, I guess you don't even know what that is, and honestly, it’s too much of a mess to explain right now, ugh." Quackity groaned, looking up at the darkening sky as the sun began hiding.
The avian quickly chopped down a few logs, crafted an axe, and tossed it to Multi.
"C’mon, help me out. We need at least a roof over our heads for tonight."
Reluctantly, Multi picked up the axe and started chopping. He handed the gathered materials over to Quackity, who slapped together a provisional shed and poorly lit a campfire.
As they both sat down, he started talking.
"Okay. Long story short, we are going to take down Schlatt.” The avian announced, staring at the fire.
Multi was taken aback. While Quackity looked undeniably more hardened than the version he’d met hours ago, the change in his character felt insane.
Still, he supposed it had been inevitable all along, and a quiet pride thrummed in his chest.
“Yeah, yeah. I’m no longer his vice-president.” It seemed Quackity could read right through him, rolling his eyes with amusement. “It’s going to happen soon, we have a spy on the inside and everything. He stands alone, no one is by his side."
His tone shifted into something more melancholic; it wasn't guilt or shame, more like hurt. Yet it was rapidly replaced with rage.
"The fucker is going down, that's a given. There are just more people involved than we expected, it’s delicate, so we have to play it safe." He finished, crawling inside the small shed, pressing his shoulder against Multi’s.
"That's good." Even without the full context of the conflict, Multi felt entirely supportive of his decision.
It all felt dreamlike, this whole realm.
"Do you think you’ll stay?" Quackity muttered, his voice dropping as exhaustion finally caught up to him.
"I don't know, honestly." Multi wished he had a better answer, he wished he had asked at least one question to the travelever before getting pulled into this place.
Quackity went quiet, leaning his head tiredly against the scientist's shoulder as they sat together on the grass floor, illuminated by a single torch. He gently tapped their boots together.
"At least stay until I fall asleep.” The hybrid murmured, his words slurring with exhaustion, followed by what sounded like a muffled laugh. "Also, what even is your name, anyway?"
Multi paused, wondering if he shouldn’t reveal it, before ultimately surrendering his truth to the younger version of his closest confidant.
"My name is Multi."
Though he couldn't fully see his face in the dim light, he could practically hear the smile in Quackity’s voice as he whispered it back like a secret between them.
"Multi."
With that, his breathing changed, signaling he had fallen asleep. Shortly after, Multi drifted off to sleep to the sound of rustling leaves outside.
—
This time, Quackity wasn't anywhere to be found when he opened his eyes.
Instead, he stood before a massive, menacing structure that was floating in the middle of a lake with only a single path leading to it. Built from blackstone, each corner had watchtowers where lava poured down the walls.
Multi had to admit it was a breathtaking piece of architecture, he’d never seen anything quite of that magnitude. It reminded him of the North Mansion and their own empty train station, yet this one was probably bigger.
Once again, time seemed to be shortening; the sun was already falling.
In front of the entrance, Multi noticed a vivid blood trail leading him away from the building.
He walked for what felt like miles. The trail gradually disappeared, but red footprints remained, guiding him far beyond.
The trail stopped in this artificial plot of land.
Right in the middle of it, he spotted the familiar wings fluttering frantically as he tore at the manmade mountain.
Nearby stood a ruined ‘welcome’ billboard, destroyed by an axe, its message completely ruined and unreadable.
"Quackity!" Multi shouted.
As he closed the distance, he noticed that his own arms were fading out of existence, his legs dissolving into mist.
It was getting worse.
When the avian spun around at the sound of his voice, Multi’s breathing stopped. Quackity’s clothes were soaked in blood, splattered heavily across his chest and shoulders. But just by the look of his face, Multi didn’t need to check to know that none of it belonged to him.
Quackity’s face lit up with genuine surprise, he raised a bloodstained hand and waved.
"Multi!" He yelled, his tone achingly familiar.
As Multi stepped closer, he finally noticed. The blood on his face was distracting enough that he hadn’t noticed the avian’s new scar.
It stretched across his face, from the corner of his lips all the way past his eyebrow. It was angry, raw, and painful just to look at. Multi felt his stomach drop out of his chest as he hurried the last few steps.
"What happened to you? Who did this?"
"What? Oh—" Quackity’s excitement vanished, he raised a hand to cover his face, looking away, feeling embarrassed.
He turned his whole body aside, desperately trying to shield his face from Multi's view. Shame radiated off him, making the scientist angrier.
"Who the fuck did this to you?" Multi demanded, reaching out a hand, only to watch his fingers pass completely through empty air as he tried to gesture.
"It’s unimportant, I—oh!" Quackity gasped, caught entirely off guard as two invisible hands gently cupped his face. A flush bloomed across his cheeks. "Hi, hello. It’s... don’t worry about it. It’s been a while since it happened."
Multi clicked his tongue in disapproval, earning a small smile from the hybrid. It was nothing like the naive grins of their past meetings; this smile carried something heavier.
"What happened?" Multi asked gently, inspecting the tender flesh.
"Oh, a lot of things," the other muttered, refusing direct eye contact. "...Many deaths. Including my own."
"What? How—?"
"Don’t worry! I still have two lives left," Quackity reassured him, though his smile looked forced.
"Two lives?" Seeing Quackity nod with eerie calm, Multi didn't dare ask more. "Does this have to do...?"
His thumb, or rather the ghost of it, carefully traced the newly healed skin, feeling the strange texture. It couldn't have been that long since the wound was inflicted; it still felt fresh.
"Yeah..." Quackity sighed. "It was a private affair. It needed to be done. Still... I’m going to need the help of the person responsible for this somewhere down the line."
Concern flooded Multi’s face, but the hardened, unyielding look in the avian’s eyes made it clear: his mind was set, no matter the cost.
Above them, a full moon in the starry night signaled the end of another day.
"I wish you’d stay," Quackity admitted, a broken, helpless smile pulling at his lips. He suddenly looked so young. "I really need a friend right now."
Multi felt useless. "I wish I could stay."
That seemed to be enough. Quackity let out a breath and lunged forward, crashing into him.
While Multi usually disliked unprompted hugs, he didn't hesitate to hold him tight this time. Something felt haunting, and the loneliness this version of Quackity held didn’t make it any better.
The shift in the world was tangible, and Multi knew their time was up.
"Well, looks like you’re about to go," Quackity noted quietly, stepping back just enough to watch as Multi’s body began to glitch out of reality.
Neither of them fought it. There was no point in struggling against it when their remaining seconds were slipping through their fingers.
Better to make the most of them.
"Take care of yourself, Quackity," Multi pleaded.
The avian showed him a soft, bittersweet smile. "You too, Multi. See you in a second."
—
This time, he woke up inside what felt like an abandoned restaurant kitchen. The absence of staff made the space feel dead, but as he got used to his surroundings, he noticed muffled voices in the distance.
He tried to get close, to find an opening to hear what was being talked about. He managed to hear two voices, one yelling and mocking. It was when he heard his partner's name that the conversation turned clearer.
“—Quackity, you forget where you stand next to me. You’re in my shadow. Act like it." A strange, venomous voice said with superiority. "Maybe it’s not a coincidence that every single idea you’ve had has failed under your guidance."
Multi stepped forward, peering through an open window. Outside stood Quackity, Multi was only able to see his back, facing an impossibly tall man wearing a mocking smirk.
"You’re a walking second-place medal." The tall man sneered, drawing out every word, clearly trying to inflict pain, his voice filled with vitriol.
Already annoyed, Multi scanned the room for an exit, about to interrupt their argument, before the avian spoke.
"And yet you’re the one who lost an election even when you tried to rig it." Quackity’s voice cut through the air like glass.
Instantly, the smug, superior expression vanished from the brunette's face, replaced by shock.
"Get out of my nation."
The words were spoken with terrifying calm. Multi couldn't help the small smile that pulled at his lips as he watched Quackity's unmoving stance. His massive wings flared out behind him, imposing and utterly menacing.
By this point, he could recognize Quackity anywhere. Yet, back on their island, he had never once heard him command a room like this.
"You’re kicking me out?" The tall man sputtered, sounding offended and looking entirely flabbergasted.
"Yes. Leave." The tone was absolute, devoid of emotion.
A suffocating tension filled the air. The tall man frantically looked around, desperately trying to change tactics. Gone was his pride, replaced by panicked anxiety.
"How about—ha! How about we organize a way for me to lead a branch of your government?" He pleaded, forcing a nervous, high-pitched laugh as his shoulders slumped, trying to make himself look smaller.
Multi felt a sharp spike of satisfaction mixed with mild pity.
Quackity remained unmoved. "Any more words used on you would be a waste of both our time."
The other man’s voice cracked. "Look, Quackity, you’re a smart man—!"
"If you really valued my intelligence, you wouldn’t need to remind me."
Multi desperately wanted to see the avian’s face, but the devastation in the taller man’s face was reward enough.
It was satisfyingly pathetic.
"I’ll be out of your hair! You won’t ever need to think about me again, I—"
"I don’t think about you at all," Quackity interrupted flatly.
He dealt the death blow; the tall man’s face completely collapsed.
Distracted by the exchange, Multi accidentally hit his head against the window. He instantly ducked back into the shadows, hoping he hadn't been spotted.
"What was that?" The tall brunette asked nervously, scrambling to appease the hybrid. "Maybe I could check—"
"Leave."
It was the voice of a true leader. There was a heavy weight to his tone that commanded respect, not through mocking cruelty or screaming rage, but through finality.
A moment later, the sound of an elevator door opening and closing echoed, leaving the room wrapped in silence once again.
"You know," Quackity’s voice called out casually into the empty room, "it’s incredibly rude to spy on other people’s conversations."
His tone was sultry, laced with a dangerous confidence that made it feel like he could bend anyone to his will.
Multi stepped out from the shadows. "Quackity."
The avian, who had been lazily flipping a poker chip between his fingers, let it slip. It hit the white quartz floor a few times, loudly, before finally stopping.
"Multi!" He rushed across the room, his face breaking into a wide smile.
Beneath the conniving facade and the sharp edges, he clearly still saved a soft spot just for the scientist.
"I’m back," Multi said softly, knowing full well that his limbs were already turning transparent. Outside, the sun still shone, but this meeting felt like the final curtain call.
"You are!" Quackity exclaimed, his eyes shining.
He couldn't hide it, he might control his voice, but his eyes gave him away entirely. Red-tinted sunglasses hung from the collar of his shirt.
"When was the last time...? God, it’s been so long. Too long!"
"Yeah. To me it’s only been a minute, but you look..."
He looked like nothing Multi had ever seen before, he looked like a finished masterpiece that had reached its absolute peak and refused to look back. He had a sinking feeling that this was the last version of him he would ever witness.
Quackity offered a gentle smile. "I clean up pretty well these days."
The contrast was staggering when compared to their first meeting: gone was the young, naive kid drowning in a suit too big for his shoulders. In his place stood a man tailored to perfection in a white dress shirt and suit, collar unbuttoned, wearing black suspenders with gold details and a delicate golden chain hanging from his belt loops.
"You do. You do." Multi conceded, glancing around. "Where are we?"
They stood in the center of the restaurant. Through the glass wrapping around the entire structure, the only view was the deeply blue sky. It felt as if they were flying, thousands of meters from the ground.
Quackity chuckled softly, tilting his head toward the east side of the window before strolling over. Multi followed right behind, staring in wonder.
"This, my friend, is my nation," Quackity said, gesturing broadly to the cityscape below. "Welcome to Las Nevadas."
As Multi looked down, he was struck by the sight of a massive city slowly flickering to life beneath the slow evening sky, the sun not quite gone yet.
"Here, the nights are longer," Quackity murmured with a devious smile.
Multi smiled right back, feeling hopeful for what was to come.
Then, entirely out of the blue, the avian added. "Wouldn't you be interested in being my vice president?"
Multi was left momentarily speechless.
"I’m kidding, I’m kidding..."
"Okay, bro." Multi deadpanned, catching the teasing glint in Quackity’s eye, though he missed how quickly the hybrid looked away to avoid holding his gaze.
"Would you like a burger?" Quackity offered. "Tubbo is in charge of the kitchen these days, and he’s actually surprisingly good at it."
Multi frowned. "Tubbo?"
"Mhm. He’s working with me here, in Las Nevadas." Quackity smiled, gently guiding him towards the elevator. "C’mon, I’ll show you around before the day ends."
Descending to the ground level, they stepped out onto smooth black concrete. The place was colossal, yet possessed an eerie emptiness.
"Oh, hey Big Q." A voice called out from a nearby structure. "I’m done for the day."
If Quackity had looked young during their first encounter, Tubbo looked like an absolute toddler. A toddler who had somehow survived war, hell, and now, apparently, Las Nevadas.
The boy looked desperately curious, trying to sneak sideways glances at Multi, but Quackity casually stepped in front of the scientist to block him from the boy’s view.
"Perfect. See you later, then."
Tubbo threw one last lingering look over his shoulder before disappearing into the night.
"Sorry, the grand opening hasn’t officially happened yet, but I want you to see it," Quackity explained easily. "Who knows? Maybe we won’t get another chance."
There was something chilling about the loneliness of the place, yet the power radiating from every corner was undeniable.
"Careful with the scorpions," Quackity noted casually, crushing one under his boot heel as it had stumbled across their path. "They set the mood just right, but man, they’re annoying."
"Can’t you just kill them off? Plague control?"
"Why would I? I’m the one who imported them." The avian smiled.
Multi let the subject drop. "So, why do you even have a replica of the Eiffel Tower?"
"Why wouldn't I have one? It looks cool."
"Is that also why you built a massive water fountain?"
"Of course. I have an aesthetic to maintain!” The avian exclaimed proudly. “People love throwing coins on a fountain, so that’s useful.”
“So it’s just to steal people’s wishes?” Multi jokes.
The hybrid shrugs. “Maybe”
They stop beside it.
Water ripples softly beneath the dim city lights; there are some sparkles reflecting the bluish-orange sky, a dozen coins glinting at the bottom.
Quackity absentmindedly fishes one out of his pocket, rolling it across his knuckles before flicking it into the fountain.
They watch the coin sink.
“Did you just make a wish?” Multi asked, the hybrid nodded in response. “What did you wish for?”
“If I tell you, it won’t come true.” Quackity smiled without looking at him.
As Multi was about to say something, the avian turned around.
"Now. Look at this." The avian stares out as the final rays of the sun disappear.
In a single, synchronized motion, the entire country lit up. Hundreds of beacons, lamps, and lanterns lit up, dazzling the whole nation.
It was stunning.
Before, it had been slightly dim, but now the city had fully come to life. A whole new realm of possibilities seemed to start beneath their feet.
"C’mon, I’ll show you the casino."
"I don’t have any money," Multi said, distracted.
"I’m just giving you a tour—I don’t want you gambling away everything you own," Quackity laughed. "Yet!"
Inside, the lights flashed, the slot machines chimed and tinkled, and the air buzzed with life. It was almost overwhelming.
“Here, I’ll share.” The avian handed him the currency coin.
It was a red, black, and gold coin with Quackity’s characteristic smiley face design. Almost weightless, a poker chip.
“I think I’ll save it as a keepsake.” The scientist said as he safely put it inside his pocket.
Sensing the near sensory overload, Quackity gently steered him back to the exit.
As they strolled back to the Needle Restaurant, Quackity occasionally pulled out his communicator to tap out quick messages.
His device looked remarkably rustic compared to the models most islanders carried back home, it had a weird antenna and fewer buttons.
His Quackity back home kept a communicator full of stickers and ridiculous keychains, while this one looked quite lifeless.
And it’s not like Multi was blind to the isolation around him, surrounded by a desolate country and lingering enemies, the brutal climb to the top had clearly left him broken.
But could Multi really preach to him about loneliness? Was this even his place to speak?
Lately, he felt more disconnected from the Hussars than ever. Graf was distant even with the chip, Nexe was missing in action, and Ewroon was someone he could no longer place his trust in. Enemies multiplied each day, and the number of people trying to break into his lab only increased.
Multi firmly believed it was far better to be alone than in bad company. And loyalty was one of the few virtues both he and Quackity held to the highest standard.
So he wasn’t going to say anything, because it wasn’t his place to do so.
The night was reaching an end as they both went up the elevator, back to the restaurant.
They sat by the window, staring at the horizon.
"I think about you all the time," Quackity said softly, breaking the silence. "Your memory is a legacy you’ve left me with, Doctor, one that I hold dear."
"This feels like the last time." The scientist stated.
"It does."
"I'm glad it is." Quackity smiled, though Multi couldn't mask his sudden sting of hurt; the avian rolled his eyes as he explained himself. "Not like that! I just think it’s great we managed to have a nice goodbye, although I’d love it if you were a permanent resident.”
“Wow, demoted me from vice president? You hate me.” Multi teased.
“Hate you? Quite the opposite, actually.” The younger one laughed. “You’re making me break my own rules."
The scientist looked confused, prompting the avian to elaborate.
"I’m glad you were my only exception, and I’m glad I met you during this lifetime. I just hope it’s me you meet in the future, even if I don’t remember."
They both have the feeling it’s not the same Quackity, yet they ignore it.
"You’re important to me, Quackity. So take care of yourself. I’m glad I got to see a different version of you, I’m thankful you trusted in me again in this lifetime... I trust you just as much, even if logic says I shouldn't."
Quackity’s smile widened so much his eyes crinkled at the corners. He looked young again, and for the very first time, they watched the sunrise paint the sky.
He felt his physical form start to pull apart, realizing he only had seconds left.
Before the universe claimed him entirely, Multi spoke. "You were a wonderful experience."
The last thing he saw was Quackity’s bright smile faltering, turning wobbly and undone.
—
This time, he didn't wake up gently; he was violently shoved back into consciousness.
"¡Ey! ¡Ey! ¡Arriba, wey! ¿Por qué hay un viejo crikoso enfrente de mi tienda? Más te vale que no hayas tocado mis bicicletas. (Hey! Hey! Get up, dude! Why is there a old junkie in front of my store? You'd better not have touched my bycicles.)"
He felt himself being shaken, the blinding morning sun completely blocking his vision.
"No mames... ¡Ey! ¡Arriba! ¡Despiértate, cabrón! Esto no es un hotel, pinche viejo borracho. (No way... Hey! Get up! Wake up, fucker! This isn't a hotel, you damn drunk old fart.)"
The voice was loud and demanding. Yet, as always, Multi recognized it instantly.
"Quackity?"
Slowly, his eyes adjusted to the light, finally seeing the figure in front of him.
He was wearing his familiar blue hoodie, his face younger than ever, his hair choppy and messy. On his head was a beanie unlike any Multi had ever seen before, with red and grey strips.
"¿Y tú quién eres? (And who are you?)" The hybrid asked, his expression a mix of defensiveness and confusion.
And right beneath that confusion, familiar mischief began to brew.