Archive of Our Own

Rui floated in that sea of not-quite black again, surrounded by echoes of his own voice. His body felt heavy, trapped in a way that forced every muscle to stay still. He couldn't move, couldn't turn to face that which only seemed to taunt him.

"You found me."

I did.

"But there's more. You haven't seen it all yet."

What are you talking about?

"Find me. Come find me."

The weight of the not-void turned suffocating. I found you, Rui tried to say. I unearthed you with the workshop. What more is left?

"Rui-kun."

"Find me… please."

How was Rui meant to search for something he couldn't see?

"Rui-kun!"

He choked, unable to breathe. The pressure felt like it was crushing his limbs.

"Rui-kun! Wake up!"

Rui jolted awake with a shuddering gasp, almost falling off his stool in the process. The dark images from his strange dream swirled in his head, leaving him with nothing but a sense of unease, and all of his limbs were aching.

Rui turned his attention to his desk, still taking desperate gulps of air. He spotted Luka hovering worriedly on his phone.

"Luka-san…? What are," another shaking inhale, "what are you doing here?"

Luka gave Rui a comforting look, which eased the tension in his chest slightly. This was real. His breaths began to come a little easier. "I couldn't sleep. It seems you weren't able to either."

The inventor wheezed out a laugh, taking a look at the state of his desk. He had passed out in the middle of upgrading a prop from one of their older shows, and now its guts laid scattered over the scratched wooden surface. A few imprints from the mess had made themselves visible on his arm.

"Sleeping while working is dangerous, Rui-kun." Luka gently chided.

"I know that, Luka-san. I was simply… a bit exhausted."

Ever since the workshop with ArcLand had concluded, Rui had been unable to rest peacefully. The still-raw feelings he had rediscovered through the play with the monster ran deep, deep enough that it continued to eat away at his mind. After all, the monster had been a projection of Rui at his worst points in life. A mirror of the past, dragged painfully into the light of the present. It was no wonder that those same thoughts continued to torment him in the form of nightmares, even as he tried to make peace with them.

Come find me.

What else had he missed?

"Well then," Luka said, trying to distract the director from his spiraling thoughts. There was a twinkle in her eye. "Why don't you come over to-"

A bright flash interrupted her. It emanated from Rui's phone, briefly bathing the two in white. The director winced.

"…What was that?" Luka giggled slightly, looking at herself as if she were the cause.

"I'm not quite sure," Rui mumbled, rubbing at his eyes a bit. His brows furrowed in thought. "Isn't that Sekai's cue for reaching out to one of us?"

"Yes!" Luka stopped twirling about and faced Rui, clasping her hands gently. "Which saves me from having to invite you myself. I was just about to extend the same offer." She looked mischievous, eyes twinkling with delight. "I'll see you in Sekai, okay?"

"Of course, Luka-san, I'll see you soon."

"Hehe~ I'll find you by the bench!" And with a shower of triangular shards, she was gone. The afterimage from the flash was still painted to the backs of his eyelids.

Rui took a few precious moments to simply breathe.

In. The breath expanded his lungs, the sensation bringing a tingling awareness throughout his body.

And out. Tranquility washed over him.

In. Sluggish sleep no longer weighed his eyes down.

And out. At last, his mind felt clearer.

Though he was still exhausted, he didn't quite want to return to the land of dreams. So Rui picked up his phone, ignoring the notifications that had piled up over the past two-or-so hours. He scrolled through his music library, and soon enough an upbeat melody began to play. His eyes slid shut to comforting melody, and he reopened them to a magical world. The familiar chaotic sights before him brought a warm smile to his face.

From eccentric rides flying through the air with no need for tracks to ground them, to bright Ferris wheels that would turn perpetually, to even a multitude of sentient plushies (each with their own unique personality) - all of Wonderland Sekai's color greeted him. With the nighttime ambience, everything seemed much more vibrant.

Though he wasn't here for the hot-air balloon rides, nor the train in the sky. Locating one of the slightly overgrown paths (which was mildly reminiscent of the path to the Wonder Stage, back when the troupe had just formed), Rui navigated towards the slightly quieter area of Sekai.

There, he found Luka surrounded by a few… clouds?

A closer look revealed their true nature: a cluster of pillows.

"Welcome, Rui-kun!" Luka called out, rising to meet him. The director offered a little wave in return.

"I'm aware you wanted to talk to me, Luka-san, but I would like to find the root of Sekai requiring my presence first, if that's okay with you. I'd love to sit and chat once that matter has been taken care of."

Luka nodded, stepping gently around the bed of clouds. "Then shall we go together?"

"Of course. I would like to ask about these clouds, though," Rui inquired as they started walking.

"Oh, those! Hehe, I helped Kaito make them as props for this play we were putting on. Smoke simply wasn't capturing the fluffy feel and form of clouds, you see…"

"So you resorted to a more tangible yet softer material, I understand. Is it cotton?"

"That's a part of the magic~ it's actually a blend between…"

The two chatted amicably as they explored Sekai, looking for anything out of the ordinary. Perhaps a new structure would catch their eye, or a new type of flower would be in the beginning stages of its bloom. They even kept watch for any unfamiliar plushies - but no matter where they looked, Sekai yielded no hints, and soon Rui's exhaustion caught up with him.

He apologized profusely after swaying a tad too dangerously into the pink haired virtual singer. Luka caught him, her dark azure eyes gazing at him with concern once more.

"How about we call it here for tonight?" she offered. "Perhaps Sekai will manifest what it wants later. For now, you should get some sleep, yes?"

Rui hesitated, recalling the haziness that smothered his lungs. Falling asleep meant going back to that vulnerable state of mind, one he didn't want to risk revisiting for the nth time in a row. But Luka was worried for him, and Rui felt worse leaving her with such concern.

"…I can try."

"Great!" Luka immediately took his hand, leading him back to the bench. It wasn't too far, as the duo had circled through most of the major locations in Wonderland Sekai. "I explained how comfortable the pillows were, right? You're simply going to love them!"

"Fufu, I don't doubt it. Perhaps the clouds will whisk me away to new dimensions."

"That would make for another interesting play concept~ but for now, we're here!" She settled herself on the bench, surrounding herself with the pillows (while mindfully leaving some for Rui). Once she had done so, she patted the pillow on her lap, inviting Rui to come and lay down. "Mei-chan and Kaito-kun have both had the best sleep ever with these pillows, they said so themselves! I'm sure it'll be the same for you, Rui."

So the inventor climbed onto the bench and laid down, albeit a bit awkwardly. He was too tall for it, so he tucked his legs up to his chest, letting his arm dangle off the edge. His other arm curled loosely around one of the extra pillows, and fluffy comfort surrounded him on all sides. A hand began to gently card through his hair.

"The softness level really is perfect," Rui marveled, shifting slightly to bury himself further in the fabric.

"I know, right? It feels so amazing…"

She was still talking, but the purple haired boy couldn't quite make out her words anymore. He felt himself relax fully for the first time in days, letting the soothing balm of Luka's hand whisk him off to dreamland.

"… So you can let me know if you want to use the pillow anytime, okay?" Luka continued running her hand over soft purple strands. When she heard no response, she paused her ministrations, leaning over Rui.

"Rui-kun?"

His eyes were shut, exhales coming long and slow. The lingering stress that had pinched his face since Luka first saw him had smoothed out, replaced by tranquility.

He's already asleep, she wondered to herself with a slight smile. "What a reversal of roles; usually you and the others watch over me in my sleep."

She shifted back into the bench, careful as to not jostle the boy on her lap. "Well then, Rui-kun, I hope you get some nice rest. Good night…"

And just like that, Luka fell asleep as well, heart finally content once more. A faint breeze blew through the Sekai, and everything was peaceful.

That is, until the yipping of a dog broke through it.

"Pass it here, pass it here!"

A shiba inu plushie, sporting a red bandanna around its neck, tumbled into the clearing. He didn't spot the sleeping duo, and soon after a pink rabbit and a little green bird had squeaked and burst into the area as well. The bird shook off her ocean-patterned fabric feathers, looking up at the dog - only to spy a sleeping Luka.

"Guys, shh!" She whispered, flapping a wing. "Luka's asleep, we can't wake her up!"

"But surely she'd wanna know about the glowy-wowy ball?" the fluffy rabbit countered, peering at the bench. "And - look! Rui's asleep there too! Maybe we can ask them for help!"

"I still say there's no harm with the ball!" the dog declared, jumping back to his feet dramatically. "It just glows, it's not like it's gonna hurt us! It's probably just a new prop!" He shook off the dirt on his fabric fur. "Kitty, where are you?"

The final member of the group - a calico cat with mismatched blue and yellow eyes, holding onto a not quite spherical orb - rolled from the bushes. A swirling mix of vibrant purple and blue immediately illuminated the clearing. "Here!"

The bird covered her eyes. "It's still so bright… it feels a little unnatural."

"It's a fascinating prop, right?" the cat gushed. "I wonder how it was made!"

"Which is why I'm saying to take it to Kaito. He would know what to do with it! And he can tell us about how it was made."

"Well," the bunny pouted, "Luka's right there! We can play with it until she wakes up, right? I bet she'd know too!"

The cat batted at the orb, passing it between himself and the bunny. A particularly strong swipe sent it flying at the shiba inu, who jumped after it. But he miscalculated his landing, and the bright orb continued bouncing along towards the bench.

"Oh no!" the dog yelped, "it'll hit Rui!"

The little green bird launched herself at the orb, trying to grip it with her claws, but only succeeded in scratching the surface. It slowed down a bit, until it bumped to a stop against Rui's dangling hand.

"Good save!" the bunny cheered, half muffled by the dog's paw.

"Be quiet, they're still sleeping!"

"Uh, guys…? The orb, it's…"

"Oh dear," the cat mumbled. "Why is it glowing brighter?"

And with a sudden intensity, the light exploded outward, blinding the plushies.

"I can't see-!"

"Oww…"

"Geh! My eyes-?!"

Only the cat was able to see briefly in that moment. The searing light from the orb concentrated around Rui's limp form, swirling around him until the light grew too overpowering for even the cat to see through.

When it died down, the four plushies were left stunned, and Luka was awake.

"Kitty…? And the others, too… what happened?" Luka looked around slowly, drowsiness still marring her vision. Rui still appeared to be asleep without a concern. The poor boy really had been exhausted, after all.

She watched the plushies exchanged anxious glances.

"Everyone…" Luka frowned, sitting upright. "What's wrong?"

The calico cat crept forward guiltily, tail flicking in agitation. "Luka… I found this glowing orb, and we," he gestured at the rest of the plushies, "were playing around with it. But it bumped into Rui's hand and disappeared…"

"A… a glowing orb?"

"Yeah!" the rabbit chimed in. "It was so pretty purple and blue! Kinda like Rui's hair!"

A slow realization washed over the virtual singer. She glanced down at the sleeping boy once more, before tapping the side of his head. "Rui-kun? Can you hear me?"

"Is he okay?" the bird asked, hopping over to nudge at the inventor's limp hand.

"Ruiiiii, wake up!" the dog exclaimed, leaping onto the bench. The motion jostled the director's arm, and the pillow he had been holding fell without fanfare to the ground. The rabbit sniffed at it, before looking back up at Luka.

"A glowing orb, right?" Luka asked after a few moments.

The cat nodded guiltily.

"I see… don't think Rui-kun will be waking up anytime soon, everyone."

After all, she had found the reason Sekai called Rui here.

"We'll just have to wait for Rui-kun to come back himself."

-~-

Rui, meanwhile, was dreaming once more. Though this time, it was a lot more comforting. No longer were his limbs trapped by unseen restraints, and he was free from darkness's embrace. He found himself in the middle of a serene lake, surrounded by a clear and pure blue sky. The water reached his ankles and only rippled when he shifted, seemingly unaffected by the light breeze that blew through the area.

But for some reason, he felt strangely lucid. He had just been in Sekai… maybe this was an effect of the mysterious pocket dimension?

In the distance, he could see a faint light glowing. It was the only other unique object in the dreamscape, so Rui decided to gently wade over to it.

With every step, the light grew brighter, until it manifested as a blue and purple orb. Its light pulsed gently, in time with Rui's heartbeat.

So Rui reached out for it. But it shied away, as if it were almost hesitant to be accepted into Rui's palms. He watched the little orb grow dimmer, sinking under the floor he stood on until it disappeared entirely.

Well. Nothing I can do about that.

He kept walking.

Step after step was taken, but nothing changed. The breeze had died down now, and the water remained still even as he disturbed it with every motion. The atmosphere itself had become stiflingly still. If he was lucid dreaming, why couldn't he wake up?

The hairs on the back of his neck raised slightly.

Rui whirled around, eyes widening at the sight of the now-searingly bright orb barrelling towards him. The inventor frantically raised his hands as if to stop the thing in its tracks, but instead it hit him with a force that had both the orb shattering as well as him falling backwards into the water.

Limbs flailed about frantically as Rui sank down, going past the nonexistent floor. The oily darkness started suffocating him once more, and he reflexively closed his eyes.

His back slammed into something plush and the last of his breath was expelled from his lungs. Rui began hacking and wheezing, trying to recover from whatever just happened. His eyes watered from the force of his coughs, tears slipping down his face as he tried to blink his eyes open.

Rui was seated in the dark, with the only major source of light being at the front of the little room. The source being… a series of three spotlights. They illuminated an abandoned stage, with curtains on either side failing to hide clutter of various types behind the wings. Small aisles snaked through the front and the sides as the stage gave way to a series of plush red seats, circling up and around the theater. Each and every seat was unoccupied and pristine - not even faint specks of lint could be seen.

Rui turned slowly. The entire place seemed entirely impersonal - it was as if the little room had never had a chance to be occupied. Even the exit signs that decorated the tops of the doors were dimmed, with all of the doors shut tightly.

Rui himself sat in the center of it all.

And if one thing was obvious, it was that he wasn't leaving the empty theater anytime soon.

-~-

Rui didn't know how long had passed since he got here. He had already confirmed himself to be out of the dream, since all of his worldly belongings were in his pockets and working as intended - sans his phone, which was stuck playing The World Hasn't Even Started Yet in a glitching loop - and he still felt pain (a slight pinch had been enough to test this).

Was it perhaps the magic of Sekai acting up again? He had fallen asleep in it, after all, but nothing had pulled him into another dimension like this before. He recalled the flash from his phone earlier, as well as the orb from his dream, and tentatively concluded that he was in a fragment of Sekai.

But fragments usually took time time to form.

And were, more notably, made from feelings - whether they were completed or not. Sekai fragments were notoriously picky with who was allowed to visit as well, and usually limited entry to just the creators of the fragment.

Which meant Rui had to be the owner of this Sekai. He decided to explore the little room.

So far, the purple haired boy had walked up and down the aisles, tried all four exit doors, and even attempted to force his way onto the stage. All three actions had yielded no information.

The aisles revealed no hints, guiding floor-lights darkened to almost nothing. Each and every exit was locked shut, with no visible locks to pick. The VIP seating was darkened behind the glass panel on the back wall, allowing zero visibility beyond the first few chairs. Even the stage was inexplicably blocked off by an invisible barrier, denying him access to the wings as well.

His attempts at trying to peer behind the curtains were foiled as well, as each of the items began to turn into a hazy mist if he stared at them too long. All he was able to catch was the fact that most of the items seemed to be toys of some sort - or even inventions of his own. Without a proper close up, he couldn't be certain.

Though he did recognize one item: the little pink drone that had accompanied the start of his robotic guerrilla performances.

(He had tried experimenting with the strange phenomenon. Using his wristwatch, he timed how long it took for the items to fuzz out in his vision, and tested it from different angles. Observations were jotted into the little notebook he kept handy.

Each and every result ended up being completely random - the only consistency was that they all fuzzed out between four to eighty-seven milliseconds. Each item disappeared in a number of strange ways as well, from blurring into ripples of watercolor to being scribbled out by pen ink.

Physically, nothing about the item changed. It was simply his perception that did.

"Fascinating," Rui breathed to himself. He could've sat there and studied the phenomenon forever, but he forced himself to continue exploring the fragment Sekai.)

So now he was seated back where he started. Failed attempt after attempt had only strengthened his stubborn curiosity, but after a while, the inventor had run out of new things to try.

It's just a small break, he had promised himself. While he was starting to piece together the nature of the fragment, it wasn't enough. I'll take this time to come up with more approaches.

But his main goal had gone overlooked.

What had possessed Wonderland Sekai to call him here in the first place?

Rui was at a loss for answers.

He leaned back in the cushioned theater seat, eyes roving over the empty stage once more. The spotlights hadn't wavered in the entire time he had been exploring, all three fixed into a single circle on the center of the stage. They were dim, however, and other stage lights made up the rest of the fragment's ambience.

It almost reminded the director of the anticipation before a show, when the audience would wait restlessly, promises of a dazzling performance echoing throughout the room. His explorations had supported the fact, as the fragment seemed suspended in some sort of waiting mode. Something was about to happen soon.

But understanding the technical aspects of this fragment meant nothing if he couldn't dig deeper and to find the emotional influence that caused its birth in the first place. He forced a wry chuckle at the thought, recognizing the double faced irony of the situation. It was the very scenario he had just worked through at ArcLand's workshop.

But he hadn't been alone then. He'd had Tsukasa, Emu, and Nene by his side. The girls had brought him a basket of treats and snacks, making sure he continued to take care of himself as he struggled to put his emotions and thoughts into his directing assignment. And Tsukasa had been a constant voice of support, taking Rui's visions for the monster and turning it into a tangible vision on the Center Stage.

His thoughts drifted further. If the rest of Wonderlands x Showtime were here now, how would they react?

Emu would surely bounce through the entire room, excitedly exploring every corner. She would probably be similarly fascinated by the disappearing stage props - Rui could almost hear her exclamations as he imagined the scene. Perhaps they'd dissapear differently depending on who viewed them.

Tsukasa and Nene would definitely be put off by the barrier around the stage. They would both want to climb onto it to see the view and test the acoustics of the room. Then, taking the barrier as a challenge, Tsukasa would challenge Nene to see who could break onto the stage first.

And then Nene would say something like, "Wait, wouldn't breaking and entering be illegal?"

To which Rui would go, "But this is an alternate dimension of sorts. Surely the logic and rules of the outside world don't apply here."

The diva would be miffed by the loophole, as well as Emu's teasing laughter, but it would transform into mirth as Tsukasa tried something stupid again.

Rui sighed a little wistfully as the mental picture faded away. If all four of them were together, then he was certain leaving the fragment would become much easier.

Just then - as if to reflect his thoughts - a buzzer resounded throughout the space. It was the very same used to signal the start of a show. Usually the lights above the audience would dim to bring attention to the stage, but they were already shut off, so instead the spotlights brightened and began dancing about.

The curtains drew shut, and the theater went dark. They opened again with little fanfare, and the entire stage had been transformed into… Rui's workshop.

It looked much newer and well organized - save for the random scattering of Christmas decorations. It wasn't nearly as personalized as he had it now. Is this… in the past? Around elementary school, if I had to guess. Rui glanced around the stage, which seemed less like a stage and more like a slice from the real world itself. Not even a television screen could mimic such a real sense of depth. The only indicator of the scene being set on the stage was the return of the spotlights, lighting up one by one at the garage's entrance.

Sure enough, an eight year old boy ran out onto the stage, giggling while holding an oversized lightbulb. He plopped onto the ground in the messiest corner, quickly soldering a few wires to the bulb's base. A few trails of smoke drifted into the air, which the little inventor blew away. He then waved at the device, wincing when the bulb began to glow brightly in front of him.

Then he started laughing.

"It worked!"

The little boy began to go through the pile of circuits and half assembled parts with a newfound vigor, making his way through each sensor or alarm as the scene sped up. The spotlights followed his child self in a train as he turned into a purple and teal blur, connecting several devices and propping up little confetti canons and precariously placing buckets on the edges of doors.

Not too long later, the scene slowed back to its normal speed. Two of the spotlights broke away from the formation to focus on the far end of the stage.

A gentle voice was heard. "Rui, its time for lunch…?"

Out walked a fairly young woman, followed shortly by a taller man - Rui's parents had entered stage left. The director took a moment to observe his parents, who appeared roughly a decade younger. The sight brought back a flood of nostalgia.

Rui's mother stopped to scan the messy floor of the garage. "Geh, it's messy again… I had cleaned it just this morning too."

Rui's father was more enthusiastic about the mess, stepping around his wife to inspect the creations littering the room. "Did you make another fun device, Rui~?"

The younger Rui leapt up with excitement, running over his parents to give them both a large hug.

His child self's enthusiasm brought a warm smile to Rui's face. Of course he remembered that special Christmas when he tried to catch Santa Claus, driven by a need to thank the man who showed the shunned little boy nothing but kindness. He watched the scene play out exactly as he remembered, but caught the minute changes in his parents expressions this time. The genuine surprise at the mechanics of the the flash bomb, their shock when he declared his intent to catch Santa.

As well as the little glances exchanged over the oblivious child's head as they tried to find support in each other to let their son down lightly - especially since he seemed so dead set on meeting someone who didn't actually exist. Of course Rui knew the truth now, but his younger self had clung to that belief very tightly at the time.

(And now that he was older, he also realized he used it as a form of salvation. The belief that someone, beyond his parents, would be willing to accept the little boy for who he was and show him kindness with no strings attached.

But the statement held the same level of truth as the existence of Santa did. For a period of time, anyway.

Rui had found himself believing in the impossible a lot more within the past year.)

In the end, they had the young boy explain all of his traps in order to expertly dismantle them later. The present was thus delivered without any fuss. Rui watched with mirth as his younger self woke up peacefully the following morning to a box and a note. He looked around the room before focusing on the note, his expression of concern melting into a happy one.

But then the scene shifted. As the stage transformed into a school classroom, the joy in Rui's heart was doused by a bucket of icy cold recognition. The little inventor was unpacking his bag at his desk, and other students were slowly trickling in.

The spotlights split off from the show's lead to highlight a young girl, reading a book at her desk, and an energetic boy who practically ran into class.

Rui leaned forward heavily as the memory came flooding back to him.

"So what did you get for Christmas, Hana-chan?" the boy burst out the second he entered class. His voice startled Rui, who was unpacking his own bag at his desk. Rui found himself listening in on their conversation as he got his desk ready for the school day.

Hana, a shy seven year old with blonde hair done in a braid, nervously adjusted her glasses as she looked away. "I-I got this new dress," she murmured, so quiet that Rui had to strain his ears. She had never been particularly loud about herself, so Rui barely knew her despite his attempts to befriend her (among others) at the beginning of the school year.

"Whoa, that's awesome!" the boy, a brunette with piercing green eyes, exclaimed. "Is that clip new too?" he gestured at the flower accessory in Hana's hair.

"Y-Yeah!" she brightened up. "I also got it with the dress…"

"Cool! I got the new action figure I've been asking for! Remember the hero I was telling you about?"

Hana tentatively nodded.

"I think Santa really heard me this year 'cause he even added the limited-edition figurine of his sidekick!" the boy finally took off his backpack, flopping into the seat next to Hana. "I just wish I woke up in time to see him, y'know?"I really wanna meet the legend himself!"

Rui had never turned around faster in his life. "You also wanted to meet Santa Claus!?" he burst out before thinking.

Hana flinched slightly in her seat, and the little inventor hastily apologized. The brunette glared slightly at Rui. "I mean, yeah, but who doesn't?"

"No, because…! Wait, I can just show you…" the purple haired boy quickly dug around in his bag, until triumphantly locating a bundled up roll of papers.

"So you see, I thought I could catch him!" Rui unfurled the papers on Hana's desk, starting to point out some details in the mechanisms. "I made some motion sensors - that's here and here - along with a variety of noise and light makers to both stun Santa and make sure I woke up in time to talk to him!"

He didn't notice the blonde's rapidly paling face. "Then I'd be able to find him, depending on where the sensor went off, and thank him in perso-"

"That's so scary!"

Rui was taken aback by Hana's outburst. "What…?"

"Santa does nothing but nice things for us, and y-you're gonna catch him? H-How is he gonna get to everyone else…?"

"Hey, wait… I never said-"

"She's right!" the boy jumped in surlily. "Santa's a busy guy, you can't keep him like that! What if some kids can't get their present 'cause you made him slow down? I bet you'd never let him go either!"

"But- Santa wrote me a letter, he said h-he liked the attempt and-"

"He's just trying to make you feel better. Take your weird drawings back!" the boy shoved them off of Hana's desk, before consoling the shaking girl.

"I just…"

"Go away!" he snapped. "You scared Hana-chan too! Can you stop hurting others for once!?"

Rui gasped, snapping out of the memory. It continued to play on stage as the spotlights above the two children faded, leaving young Rui in a lonely silence. He stared at his papers coldly, before shoving them with an uncharacteristic carelessness into his bag.

As his younger self started pensively out the window, head drooping over crossed arms, Rui rose from his seat. He slowly made his way down to the base of the stage.

The entire room was left unnaturally silent - only the echo of Rui's steps could be heard. Although no inner thoughts were being revealed in a dramatic soliloquy a scene like this would call for, Rui still knew exactly what was going through the younger's head.

"Did I do something wrong?"

"Why does no one like my inventions?"

"I never meant to hurt anyone. I thought it was harmless."

"…"

"Why can't I be like the other kids?"

And those were the defining questions of his childhood, weren't they?

Rui reached the bottom of the stage, pressing one mournful hand against the invisible barrier. He stared at the child turned monster, wondering why the monster had to be born in the first place.

Was that simply what everyone saw of him? A case of misunderstanding after misunderstanding piling on until the rumors were indistinguishable from the person beneath?

Even if the monster happened to cry and laugh with the rest of the children, it was still that - a monster.

Maybe he had been cruel from the start, when he asked his classmates to try the tree-jumping stunt with him. Of course such a leap of faith would only lead to pain and injury, whether it was for the participants or the misguided director of the show.

(A flash of pink briefly crossed his mind. An extended hand framed by the sun, a comforting lullaby softened by the grass.

He wasn't alone anymore.)

His thoughts continued to wander as the curtains swished to a close, just a fraction away from his reach, although he hardly noticed the change.

Maybe the title of "monster" had been his since birth, a mere self fulfilling prophecy come true during his years in junior high.

After all, nothing could hurt him worse than himself. To get to grips with the forced isolation, he had to sever his relationships and live in that cage of loneliness himself.

…

Maybe it had been a combination of all of these factors.

The inventor's attention was stolen once more as the curtains opened on a new scene, this time following a junior high-aged Rui as he left his home on a cloudy and gray day.

His hair was already quite disheveled, in the beginning stages of its neglect, and the knot had begun forming on the side of his head. He was just locking his front door when a spotlight flickered over to his side. It highlighted the neighbor's door opening.

Out walked a familiar sage haired girl, sporting a different uniform from Rui's own.

Nene.

Ah, Rui realized, and his heart ached with an indescribable pain. This is before I met Mizuki. Before Nene finished her final year in elementary school…

"Hi, Rui," the girl called out, hustling over after locking her own door. "How are you? I haven't seen you-"

"Ah, Nene," younger Rui interrupted. "My apologies, but I need to hurry to school today."

Their voices were higher pitched and slightly nasally - just as Rui remembered them.

The younger girl's brow furrowed as she stopped in her tracks. "But that's what you said last time. And then you left for a month. I didn't see you at all…"

"I have an assignment due-"

"Junior high can't be that hard."

"I've just been a little behind…"

"No you aren't," she snapped. Even Rui winced at how weak his excuses sounded. "This isn't the first time you've done this, Rui, so can you seriously tell me what's wrong?"

Nene began to fidget with her hair a bit. "Did I do something to make you sad? Or mad, or-"

"No," younger Rui reassured, "Never. I've just been busy. You know how it goes, inventing and all-"

"But school was never an issue for you before! Your grades are fine, and I can join you in your workshop when you make your robots! Like before, remember?"

She took a step forward, hesitating when the younger inventor took a step back.

Rui, even from the audience, felt the echoes of distress that radiated from both children.

"Please," she whispered. "What's wrong?"

Young Rui ran a hand through his hair, conflict flickering in his eyes. His posture was already slumped, but it gained a certain sense of hopelessness in that moment. The spotlights bore down on him. "It's in your best interests if you stay away from me, Nene."

"Huh…?"

"You know how rumors spread. I wouldn't want you caught up in that."

He stared at Nene. The words I've let this bond drag on too long remained locked in the recesses of Rui's memory. The figure on stage didn't dare to say it, the thoughts too cruel for him to verbalize.

"Rui, what are you talking about-"

"Answer me this."

Nene stopped moving. All three spotlights focused on her, leaving the disheveled inventor in the darkness.

“Don't you want the world to see you on stage one day?”

Nene sputtered, hands flailing out slightly. "W-well, yeah, but what does that-"

"Then stop talking to me. I'll only drag you down."

With those final words, the younger Rui turned on his heel and walked away, expression lost to the shadows.

"Rui, wait-" she called out, making a stumbling half-step in his direction. But she caught herself, and her hand fell back by her side as her eyes filled with frustrated tears. "Why…?"

Why indeed, Rui mused. He remembered how Nene hadn't heeded his warning, continuing to try and reach out to him even after all he had said.

(But more importantly, he thought about how she finally succeeded in high school. How, by placing her trust in and following the lead of a king and a clown, the songstress helped drag that lonely alchemist from his self imposed isolation.)

The stage swirled into a nauseating mix of colors and light and reformed on junior high Rui once more, now walking through the familiar halls of school. Mocking whispers and mean giggles haunted him as he trudged, step by step, through the corridor. His posture was perpetually slouched, his hands tucked away into his pockets, and his backpack barely hung onto his shoulder.

One by one, each spotlight slowly fixed itself to glare down at the young boy, not disappearing even as he escaped into the rooftop access. Climbing up the stairs was a monumental feat. At the top, he pushed his way through the final barrier and let the door clang to a close behind him.

The wind whipped harshly around his form, trying in vain to tousle his hair. He made his way over to the fence and sank down against it, dropping his bag by his side. Unseeing eyes briefly glanced upon the audience. He had achieved solitude, but at what cost?

"At least I still have you," he whispered to his backpack as he rummaged through it. A little robot was brought out from its confines, but the hand holding it hesitated, until it was gently cast aside.

Defeated, the young inventor curled his legs to his chest, forming a rather pathetic looking ball. He kept tugging at his sleeves as he gazed out over the school.

"What am I going to do with myself?" he chuckled without humor. The wind offered no response.

As the boy sat there, one of the spotlights broke away from their formation to dramatically sweep across the stage.

It settled on the older Rui. The light was blinding as he raised a hand against it, squinting to clear his vision.

He tried to shift backwards, out of the radius of the light. It followed the minute movement.

Rui shifted to the side. Same reaction.

How curious.

He gripped the cool wooden edge of the stage, intending to lean forward, before halting in his tracks.

…wait a minute.

Fingers traced the grain pattern in the planks, slowly wandering further and further. The spotlight widened as he crossed deeper into the stage, encompassing him.

…The barrier was gone.

Rui raised his gaze slowly to find his younger self staring directly at him. The scene had melted away while Rui had been distracted, returning the stage back to normal. The only change was a stack of wooden boxes in place of the fence the younger inventor had been leaning against.

Well then.

Rui invited himself to the stage, walking around the side to access the stairs. The spotlight continued to follow him even as he moved through the back area, despite no way for the light to penetrate through the heavy drapes. Behind the wings was the multitude of toys and inventions that continued to fuzz out of existence - almost as if they were saying we aren't the focus for today.

As Rui settled next to his younger self, the boxes creaked and the spotlights swirled and dispersed. The stage returned to its mellow pre-show lighting, and both of the boys relaxed minutely at the change.

Rui quietly got comfortable and waited for his younger self to acknowledge the impossible.

Soon enough, a faint but heavy sigh was heard. "Why are you here?" That despondent tone - Rui remembered it very clearly.

"Straight to the point, I see," Rui responded, a slight grin tugging on his lips.

"Well, yeah," his younger self responded. "You're me. You likely know what I'm thinking. So why here?"

Rui hummed noncommittally. "Where else would I go?"

The purple haired boy refused to answer, choosing instead to look off into the distance and fidget with his fingers. A tentative silence fell over the pair. The director pulled out his notebook, deciding to take the time and let loose his inspiration onto the pages.

He began to write. At first, the pen simply flit about like a hummingbird, until it gained a sense of direction and took flight. A rush of ideas poured from his mind to the ink, decorating the once bare notebook pages with endless scribbling. Rui allowed himself to become fully immersed in the task, and the stage around him faded as inspiration consumed him whole. It took a while for the flood to slow down to a trickle, and when it did, he cautioned a glance at his younger self.

He was mildly surprised to see his tactic had worked. The boy's eyes were trained on the paragraphs of ideas, soaking in every sentence. But at Rui's pause, he glanced up - only to meet the older's eyes.

The young inventor quickly turned away.

Rui smiled softly and continued writing. A little tune began to fill the silence between the pair, courtesy of the older male. He watched from the corner of his eye as his younger self began to slowly steal more and more glances.

Finally, curiosity won out over caution. "What are you doing?"

The melodic humming paused. "Oh, I'm just jotting down a couple of ideas for some shows," Rui responded noncommittally. "This place acts as quite the source of inspiration, you know."

"Shows…? As in…"

"Theater plays and the like, yes."

"So… you're still into scriptwriting."

A soft laugh. "But of course. It's our lifelong passion, is it not? 'It doesn't matter if you're rich or poor, clever or foolish, among the majority or minority...'"

"'All people laugh, cry and feel anger in the same way. That is what ties us all together after bearing witness to a truly marvelous spectacle,'" the young inventor finished a little less dully. "But what do you do with them afterwards?"

Rui smiled at this. "We perform them, of course!" A skeptical stare. "Such plays deserve to be seen by an audience, no matter how small."

"…But with our reputation, no one would willingly participate in them. Who would want to work under such an… eccentric director?"

"Oho, but that's where you're mistaken," the older boy smirked. His younger self only looked on in doubt, bangs partially casting a shadow over his eyes.

"You see," Rui stated, tapping his chin with his pencil, "I'm no longer alone. Did you know that many like-minded individuals exist out there? More than you realize."

His younger self ran a hand through his bangs, trying to push them back in vain. The strands kept trickling through his fingers, refusing to budge.

Rui hadn't cared for his appearance much back then, but he had despised what his hair had turned into. It was a sensory nightmare through and through, but even that hadn't been enough for him scrounge enough energy to cut it.

Nowadays, he maintained it in a style he had come to love.

(The rest of Wonderlands x Showtime had to remind him when it started getting too long - though sometimes, he did it on purpose just to hear them fuss over him.

It made him feel seen.)

"…I'm just a monster, though," the younger boy whispered at last, each word falling like a physical weight between them. "One who is better off alone, for the sake of both myself and others."

Rui could almost see the waves of hurt that radiated from the boy - a turmoil so familiar it made his own heart ache.

Seclusion had never been the answer. When his attempts at connection weren't reciprocated, he had turned solitude into a shield to protect himself. Though over the years, it had become more of a cage, bars thorny from the numerous failed attempts at letting someone through his defenses.

And when he threw away the key for good, he had accepted becoming one with the feeling of loneliness.

Yet…

Rui hummed. "Would you remind me about the relationship between the officer and the girl from the forest dwellers and townspeople play?"

Taken aback, the young inventor stared in veiled shock. "…Pardon?"

Rui simply smiled, motioning for the other to go on.

Young Rui's eyes narrowed. He was likely trying to gauge what game his older self was playing at.

He must have seen something, however, for he began to explain, eyes dropping back to the wooden floor of the stage.

"The two, despite being at odds, managed to form a meaningful connection that bridged the gap between their values and their people. Even when it was tested, the girl didn't doubt the loyalty of the officer, instead choosing to take the leap of faith to save him." In that moment, he looked up, anger faintly flickering through his eyes. "But you and I both know what happened when I tried to do the same."

No, wait. That's not anger, Rui thought, just the same pain as always.

"…Then what if I told you that in the future, you'll find three people willing to make that leap of faith for you?"

No response. The younger boy took the words and turned them around in his mind, trying to process them. Right now, it would feel unfathomable, as this was the monster who had no expectation of ever being freed.

With expectation had come hope. And with hope came inevitable, crushing disappointment.

People with passion were plenty, and Rui had met several who shared the same love for theater beyond his own troupe. A few of these people had come during junior high in the form of the drama club. The leader of the club had stumbled across a few of Rui's alleyway guerrilla performances, and being inspired by the display, he had asked Rui to help out with the club's next show.

Rui had smiled, ever polite, and turned the boy down. He knew what to expect from people like him. Really, it was likely another attempt to make fun of the already shunned boy.

But he had begged the aspiring showman to give their club one chance, and in that moment, Rui felt flickers of a connection like never before.

Maybe things could turn out differently, he began to hope.

And they almost had.

The head of the club was resolute in his belief, willing to implement almost every idea Rui came up with. But the members muttered discontentedly, worried about safety.

"I have schematics to assure those-" Rui would try, only to be shot down by an "it's simply not feasible."

"Then how about we approach it differently - a new angle?"

"No," they denied. "It'll only scare everyone."

"I see," Rui had said. "I'll take my leave then."

It was in that moment the key to his cage had been turned and cast away for good. Even when the club leader ran out after the inventor, insisting that it was simply a matter of conviction, Rui had realized one crucial fact. Sure, all of the club members desired the same thing deep down: to put on the best show possible. But when the same level of passion wasn't shared across the actors, then any direction would be meaningless.

The solution was simple, in the end. Robots wouldn't say a word. They'd just follow their creator's will.

And if he had to sacrifice connection, then so be it. If no carriage driver could keep up with the monster's excitement, then the monster would stop trying to find entertainment from the ones who so clearly feared his passion.

A shaking inhale dragged Rui from his thoughts. The young inventor's gaze was still lost, and a thumb ran repetitive circular motions over his hands.

"So… we were truly able to put on that play?" his younger self finally whispered, the quietness of his voice nearly masking the tremble that snaked through his tone. Rui felt his heart shatter all over again.

"Yeah," he replied, equally quiet. "We did…"

A faint smile traced his lips as he was reminded of another memory. This one took place after their showing of the forest dwellers and townspeople play. It had gone perfectly, each line delivered beautifully with Emu's stunt being the cherry on top. As the rest of Wonderlands x Showtime celebrated, Rui was left in a daze. Emotion welled up strongly inside him, running from the tips of his fingers and coiling tightly around his heart.

Emu had noticed his withdrawal not too long later, and had come running to where he was seated in the tree. He was working on removing the safety measures he had attached from the branch to the window, and her rushed yelling was incoherent to the director. Tsukasa and Nene trailed behind the energetic pink haired girl, translating her worried words as a shared concern for his oddly calm mood - especially after a show as successful as the one they had just put on.

Their worried antics caused a little laugh to bubble out, and-

There. That joy that circled through his very being, lifting him up so high he was genuinely convinced he was about to float off into the sky. It wasn't like anything he'd experienced before, and he wanted to hold it tightly in his chest forever.

But at the same time, he had no idea how to express such a strong feeling.

Or maybe he didn't know if he, of all people, could be accepted for feeling this happy.

Nene seemed to understand in that moment. With a soft look on her face, she reassured him that the rest of Wonderlands x Showtime was ready to support their director, that they would all be there for him.

That he was allowed to acknowledge such feelings.

But… that refusal to be honest with himself had led to many more dilemmas. The ArcLand workshop had been the biggest example of this.

And then it hit him.

…this fragment was likely born from the same denial.

It was created from feelings of… not forgetting that time of loneliness, no, but rather his suppression of the times that brought him such pain. He thought he had come to terms with it months ago, in the other strange Sekai - but maybe there had been feelings yet to be uncovered. Ones that were left in the shadows.

Rui understood everything now.

"Not only that play," the director continued steadily after a beat, "but many more - all starring inventions and ideas of our own making." He finally shifted from his relaxed lean on the wooden crates, sitting upright to face his younger self properly.

"You'll meet several like-minded individuals over the years, ones who are willing to put in the effort to connect with you and see beyond the rumors. It will take time, and it will take effort from everyone…. but you will find them."

The young inventor shrunk back, uncomfortable under his older self's sudden conviction. "But… me? Surely I cannot be deserving of such a kind fate. Not when I've…"

Rui shook his head. "You're so incredibly selfless, yet that same kindness made you retreat from connection, fearing the same pain you've felt all these years. And I know it's difficult to be vulnerable like that again, after everything that's happened while trying to connect with others. For every step you have taken for yourself, it only backfired and hurt you."

The words clearly caught his younger self off guard. "So what changed?" he cautiously ventured.

The director smiled. "Somewhere along the way, you found people that became just as important to you as your dream. Somewhere along the way… you allowed yourself to become selfish, because you were surrounded by those who wanted to support your happiness that way. And by doing so, you found joy so strong that no other treasure could even dream to rival it."

"And these people… they haven't left."

"No," a shake. "They haven't."

"They haven't left," the boy repeated, as if the act would summon these mysterious people. "But they will someday."

"It's true we may have to part ways one day," Rui agreed, "but that won't erase your connection to them, or their undeniable impact on us."

"…"

"It'll be a hard few years yet, ones that will seem to get worse with no end in sight. And even after that, I cannot promise that everything will be okay. But I know you well, now, and I know you're strong enough to make it through."

Around them, the fragment had started crumbling. Seats began to fall apart at the seams, disappearing into nothing; the aisle lights went out one by one. Their time in the fragment Sekai was almost up.

"I don't know how much of this you'll remember," Rui continued, words tumbling out a little faster now. "But I know how painful it is to slowly lock yourself into a cage. I am you, after all," he said with a teasing wink.

"Someday, that cage will be fully formed. But those people will see beyond its bars, and will reach through the thorns to return the key that you tried to bury. They will unlock more than the cage, for they'll allow you to properly trust in yourself and others again. When the time comes, cherish them like nothing else."

The decay had reached the stage, and Rui stood. He offered a hand to the younger, who accepted after only a moment of hesitation. And although he was never one for physical affection, Rui dragged his younger self into a secure embrace. "Above all else, remember to keep believing. You're stronger than you give yourself credit for. Use that genius brain, alright?"

The spotlights returned, shining down on them both with a renewed intensity - though the light was no longer isolating. The young inventor separated himself from the hug, staring up slightly at the director.

"I'll try," the purple haired boy promised, expression softening into the slightest of smiles. "I won't lose sight of what's important to me, either."

"Good. Now, I'd like to leave you with a little fact."

A puzzled look.

"Fufu~ one day in the future, you'll have a chance to be mentored by your idol himself."

"I don't believe you," his younger self breathed, eyes widening. It was the most emotion he'd outwardly displayed during their little meeting.

"You don't have to," Rui laughed freely. "You'll see it for yourself. You'll see it all."

The spotlights grew in their intensity until everything was bathed in white. He could barely see his surroundings anymore.

"Keep holding onto hope, little me. I'll see you again," Rui said with a little wave. The stage finally crumbled away beneath their feet, and the void rose up to swallow them both.

-~-

There was a weight on his legs. But it wasn't restrictive, not like before.

"…be back soon…"

…right! and we'll… all about…!"

A hand was running through his hair, occasionally pausing and scratching his scalp in an immensely satisfying way.

"…ask him first… the one who's been…"

"Yeah. It'd certainly…"

Someone's hand was wrapped around his own, tapping a little rhythm on his palm. His own grip tightened momentarily.

"…-just squeezed my hand-!…"

"…is… waking up?…"

Awareness trickled into Rui's mind slowly for once. It felt nice, to be able to wake up comfortably, surrounded on all sides by fluffy comfort.

Hold on. On all sides…?

He had gone to sleep in a half-curled up position on the somewhat rough bench, but now he was lying straight-backed on some sort of plush surface. He could also feel the weight of four extra objects on his chest. More pillows, perhaps?

His other hand curled into the blanket laid over his body.

"Rui-kun," a robotic voice rang out, "Are you awake?"

The inventor finally opened his eyes to somewhat faint lighting. He was no longer surrounded by the open outdoors - instead, he was in a tent. The night must've passed as well, as light was flicking in through the gaps in the fabric.

Sitting by his feet was Luka, who beamed when Rui made eye contact with her. On his side was Nene, laying over his legs; Emu, holding onto his hand; and Tsukasa, whose hand had stilled in Rui's hair.

"Welcome back to the world of the living," Nene said with a fond smile, siting upright.

"Wha'?" Rui mumbled, ever so eloquent with his speech.

The weight on his chest shifted, prompting Rui to look down.

There was a plushie cuddle pile on his chest, for some reason. A dog, rabbit, and bird were fast asleep, limbs tangled together. Only the cat was awake, and he was staring intently at Rui.

Why had he been moved to the tent? And why was everyone here?

"What happened…?" Rui croaked out, using his free hand to rub his eye.

Immediately, tears flooded the mismatched eyes of the calico cat. "You're alive!" he wailed quietly, and then broke into uncontrollable sobbing.

Rui's heart lurched, adrenaline shocking him awake fully. "Hey now, what's wrong?" He tried to sit up without disturbing the other plushies, succeeding somewhat with Tsukasa's help. Rui scooped the cat into his arms, trying to pat his head to calm him down.

"I thought you died!" the cat gasped between sobs.

…What?

"You weren't waking up no matter what bunny or birdie or doggy tried, and… and even Luka and I tried to wake you up! I'm so sorry for playing with the glowing ball even if I thought it wasn't dangerous! I should've waited for Kaito, or-!" he hiccuped.

"I don't blame you one bit, Kitty," Rui consoled. Glowing ball, huh…?

"But I thought you were gonna die and it was gonna be because of me!" he sniffled, clenching Rui's shirt in a paw. His tears began to soak Rui's sleeves, and the inventor hugged the plush a little tighter.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Emu lurch forward a bit, as if she wanted to help. Nene held her arm, shaking her head.

This was something only he could say.

"Sekai is unpredictable, but it always helps in the end," Rui murmured. "It's not your fault - in fact, I should thank you for bringing that orb to me. You helped me find something important, which I otherwise may have lost forever."

The calico cat finally unburied his head from the crook of Rui's arm, a watery shine wavering in those blue-and-yellow eyes. "Really…? I… didn't hurt you? I… helped?" he asked, voice trembling.

"Yes, really. So, Kitty, thank you."

"Now, now," Luka leaned over, arms open, and Rui shifted the calico cat over to her arms. She began to rock the plushie gently. "Sleep now, little one. You've done enough for today."

With Luka's help, the sniffles died down into a quiet snoring. She huffed fondly. "He's been waiting to talk to you for hours, now," she said idly, laying him with the rest of the plushies on Rui's lap. The cat unconsciously snuggled further into the warmth of the pile.

Rui relaxed a little bit. "What exactly happened?"

"Kitty and the others found what they thought was a new and fun prop. It ended up being a fragment Sekai - the reason Sekai called you in the first place, Rui-kun. Only the plushies found it first."

"And you weren't waking up, no matter what we tried," Nene added.

"Apparently even Rin-chan, Len-kun, and Miku-chan all tried playing bang-bang horns and crash-crashing cymbals and stuff around you! But you were deep asleep, just like a log. That's when Miku-chan came to get me!"

"That's right, Emu-chan," Luka nodded. "I also asked Kaito-kun and Mei-chan to reach out to Tsukasa-kun and Nene-chan respectively."

"And I am deeply grateful you did, Luka!" Tsukasa interjected. "All three of us were worried when Rui didn't respond to our messages. Imagine our surprise when we were all asked to come to Sekai. On our day off, no less!"

"Fufu, my apologies. I'm sure we can still continue with our day as we planned before…" Rui paused. "Er, how long have I been… out?"

"A couple of hours, give or take. It's around late morning now," Nene answered. "Do you remember what time you entered Sekai?"

"Uh… it was quite late?" he offered unhelpfully.

Nene gave him a flat stare. "How about you, Luka-san?" she asked in a much kinder tone. Rui pouted.

Luka apologetically shook her head. "I can't recall either."

"Well, anyway… care to fill us in on what happened?" Tsukasa asked.

"It was as Luka-san said," Rui replied, motioning towards the virtual singer. "I found myself in a fragment Sekai."

"A fragment? Like the one we all had that shared dream in?"

"Yes, like that. Although the contents of this one were different…"

"Oh no, that couldn't be anything good. Not right after the workshop…" Nene muttered, concern flickering in her violet eyes.

"Those must've been some not-wonderhoy dreams then!" Emu cried out, making a large X shape with her arms.

"Fear not, we are here now!" Tsukasa declared, following up with a quiet edition of his characteristic laughter.

"We'll chase away the bad dreams for Rui-kun!"

"Don't overwhelm him, he just woke up…" Nene grumbled.

"Ah… it wasn't a bad dream or anything of the sort," Rui tried to interrupt. It likely wasn't even a dream. But there was no stopping Emu and Tsukasa when they were on a roll.

"Point us towards the bad guys! We'll beat them up for you!"

"All ka-pow and boom-smack!"

Nene sighed. "At least let him speak? And you can't physically fight what's in his head."

Rui watched their antics with a wistful smile. This was it. Everything he had ever wanted.

This connection.

The empty theater flashed across his mind, housing a boy who had nothing.

But now… now, he had everything.

Emu noticed the change in his demeanor, and the look on her face became an adorably determined one. She cut herself off mid-sentence, leaping into the air. "I initiate… the Super Wonderhoy Group Hug!" she proclaimed before positively launching herself at the taller boy.

"Emu-kun, wait, the plush- oof!"

She landed on his chest, almost knocking him flat, while strategically avoiding the sleeping plushies. "Mmm, you're so warm~!"

Two more pairs of arms soon joined in, a lot more gentle in their embrace. They were all laughing and giggling, Nene scolding Emu for tackling Rui until Tsukasa defended the pink haired girl. He only succeeding in derailing Nene's stern talk at himself.

Rui just sat there, arms hovering awkwardly by his side. He looked up at Luka, stunned. Luka just smiled passively and leaned on the wall, eyes sliding shut.

Underneath their embrace, four plushies continued to slumber, arms woven around each other. They were content.

He laughed a little then, breathless chuckles tumbling past his lips, and brought up his own arms to reciprocate the hug. The warmth of his troupemates tangled around him, and Rui couldn't be more grateful.

Grateful not only for the fact that he was able to express himself as he wanted, with no restrictions to his revisor of ideas, but for the people who had made it possible in the first place.

The monster who had paced in his too-small cage for years had finally found the key, revealing his spot in the tapestry of the world. Placed next to the people he could call home, he had found where he was always meant to belong.

Even if it had taken the inventor years to see it, he had people who were willing to stay patiently by his side, guiding him all the way.

And Rui wouldn't trade it for the world.