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The fun gang was exploring a new dark world they'd come across at the library. Not just the computer lab this time - the library. So the dark world itself seems to be a library, too, one that extends forever and seems to have no ceiling, stretching on upwards endlessly as well. It kind of reminded Susie a little bit of the backrooms. Noelle went on a rant about that for an hour or two once.
Ralsei, however, seemed to be a little too overjoyed by all the books... and he suddenly remembers something. His eyes had been glued on the infinite shelves for a long time now but he turns back to Kris and Susie, asking, "did you two ever finish that project?"
Kris grimaces. The two hadn't even started it. Hell, they haven't even thought about it once ever since the last time Ralsei mentioned it.
"Um. Maybe we did, maybe we didn't. There's no way to know," jokes Susie, nervous.
Ralsei seems to be offended, taking on an espresssion and pose comparable to someone's grandma after hearing a tier 2 swear word. Or maybe Toriel? Kris recalls she'd surely looked like that once after seeing them microwave Lego bricks a few years back... Either way, the fluffy darkner continues, "Susie!! How did- Why- When is it even due?"
Kris and Susie exchange looks, actually wondering about that now. And they both shrug at the same time.
Ralsei is about to keep ranting, but something whisks by in the distance. Everyone's attention shifts towards it, lurking in the inky darkness somewhere ahead. And it has antlers. Susie grabs her axe, gasping and pointing.
"Wuh- gh- it's the- the damn-! YOU!!!"
Before anyone can react, she stars racing towards it. And it seems to flinch, not having planned for this, running back into the darkness. Kris and Ralsei panic a little, too, and they try to follow her but they're a a bit late. They can't find her nor hear her and it's too hard to see here, too. So they try to step back out, turning to one another to plan something.
Meanwhile, Susie keeps chasing the knight, following its loud footsteps... which sort of sound like deer hoves clopping? Odd. Doesn't it usually float or someth-
And she falls... somewhere. There's a screeching sound from the knight so she can tell it's falling too... and they land somewhere, faintly lit by slowly pulsing blue lights. The knight hisses and mutters something sour under its breath, getting back on its hooves, and it turns back to face Susie. Letting out a low growl it then goes to bring out its sword - but nothing happens. It looks genuinely confused and panicks again.
Susie herself is quite confused for a moment but she'll obviously take this chance to attack. She grins and goes to summon her axe... just to pull out a hairbrush. Oh. Okay, so this is a mutual thing.
They both stand there for a moment before the knight attempts to run again.
Susie yelps, "hey! Get back here!" and she tries to follow them, which doesn't go on for long until they come across a huge puzzle blocking the path, tall and menacing spikes at the end that one can’t exactly step over while keeping all of their limbs.
And they're both standing like they were just a few moments ago, awkwardly staring at one another. Both rummage through their minds, looking for any idea of how to attack since their weapons aren't available, but nothing really comes up. And it kind of becomes more apparent to both of them that neither of them have any power here despite having their typical dark world outfits.
Susie looks beyond the knight, studying the puzzle behind them. And she puts her hands up, starting towards them, “alright, none of us can really hurt each other. I think-”
It roars at her loudly like some kind of pissed off cat.
Susie puts her hands down, sighing as she begins to put her hairbrush back in her back pocket. She adds, “can you /not/ interrupt me.”
“If I could use my bat right now you’d be dead.”
“And you can’t. Neither can I. …I feel like our only option here is to form some kind of uneasy alliance until we can find out how to get out of here.”
The knight is about to immediately say no, but… even if unappealing, it really does seem to be their only choice. It looks back at the puzzle behind them, clearly requiring two people to pass, and then back at Susie.
“Fine. But don’t try anything.”
“...I won’t? Like, I can’t.”
“Whatever.” It steps onto the puzzle and… it seems to be timed, the six buttons on the floor glowing two at a time in a weird pattern. Of course, the time runs out before they can even process what to do, but the second time, they work together, stepping on whatever buttons are glowing… and the spikes quickly sink into the floor.
As if they might pop up any moment now, the knight quickly jumps over them like a frightened deer, while Susie just… walks over them. “Not used to having to walk or something?”
“I guess.”
The two start to walk together on the path, waiting for any other puzzles to show up.
"So why are you evil?"
"Do you really think I'm telling you shit?" The knight raises its arm up as if offended, looking at her like she owes it money.
"Put your arm down. You stink."
...They put their arm down and continue, "I'm not 'evil,' anyways. It's complicated.”
“What? You’re literally trying to start the apocalypse. You KNOW what it’ll do, right? If the roaring happens? All the darkners will turn to stone, and… uhh… okay, well, I dunno if the prophecy said anything about lightners but it’s prolly gonna be real bad with a bunch of titans goin’ around and wrecking shit.”
“I know. I’m not stupid. And I’m not doing it just ‘cause I like tormenting people or something.”
“So… why are you doing it.”
The knight turns away, opening its mouth to speak but hesitating. After a brief silence, it says, “I /can’t tell you./ Stop prying.”
“Ffffffinnneee. Can I ask /other/ questions.”
“No- I mean, I guess I can’t stop you, I-”
“Oh, /really?”/
“How the fuck does Kris tolerate you.”
“I dunno, they’re equally obnoxious, probably. We share the same two braincells fighting for third place, yaknow, heheh. Wait, you know their name? The only times we’ve all interacted s’ been, like, when we’re fighting and stuff.”
“Oh. Shit.”
“...Like, seriously, how do you know- wait, you're someone from hometown, right? Is that how?”
It hesitates again, “I was. But no one remembers me, probably. I think? I dunno, most people probably stopped caring after a month.”
Susie is… confused by that, to say the least. They come across another puzzle, a timed one, and the girl just sighs as she starts the timer and they both know to stand on the two buttons. “What's that even mean?” The spikes that block the path sink back into the ground and they keep walking.
“Kris… knew me, I guess. Can't say much beyond that or it'll reveal too much. I don't remember your name, though, actually.”
Susie mentally notes down to ask Kris about it later. It could help to narrow down their suspects of who the knight really is. “Um, I'm Susie. …Should I refer to you as anything other than the knight, or…?”
“Joe King.”
“J… ‘joking?’ Seriously?” Susie giggles at that for a moment and the knight actually laughs a bit.
“Thought it'd take you a bit to catch onto that.”
“I'm not that stupid, ‘Joe.’”
“Don't… Don't actually call me that. You could say I was… ‘Joe King' about it.”
“Hehehe,” Susie laughs with them, but not long after, remembers she's joking and laughing with the knight. THE roaring knight. From the prophecy. The one destined to kill everyone. The one destined to summon the titans, to turn her friends to stone, to cover the town in eternal darkness. She’s supposed to be pissed, but… she can’t help but remember the knight is just some random person like she is rather than some supervillain incapable of change.
“Is it, like, wrong for us to be joking like this?”
“Oh… um… I think? I kind of forgot we’re supposed to hate each other and stuff.”
“Maybe we don’t have to hate each other. I feel like you’re just doing this ‘cause of the prophecy. It can’t force you to, dude.”
“Not really. I have reasons.”
“Huh… is causing the apocalypse is the only way to do what you’re tryna do? I’m sure there’s gotta be somethin’ else.”
“Not really. I wish there was but there isn't.”