Chapter Text
DARKER, DARKER, YET DARKER…
THE DARKNESS HIDES MANY SECRETS.
BUT CAN IT HANDLE ONE BORN OF LIGHT, YET HOLDS DARKNESS WITHIN?
THIS NEXT EXPERIMENT SEEMS
VERY INTERESTING.
Tenna had had it up to here with Spamton's antics. He tapped his foot impatiently, watching as the salesman yapped away on the phone.
Firstly, he insulted Tenna's passion for Lightners, refused to give Tenna the information he promised him, and now he wouldn't stop talking on the phone. To who? Gosh, that's what Tenna wanted to know, too!
Tenna decided enough was enough. He grabbed Spamton and dragged him outside, into the city streets. God, Tenna hated the Cyber World. So tacky, and way too flashy! Nothing like the sophistication of his TV World.
"CATHODE!" Spamton snapped. "I WAS IN TH E MIDDLE OF A [[Business Deal]]!"
"Like I'll believe that nonsense," Tenna dropped Spamton like a bag of sand. "It's that… whoever it is on the phone, isn't it?"
"YOU WOULDN'T U NDERSTAND," Spamton said. "HE'S GOING TO OFFER ME [Everything]"
"And I'm not enough?" Tenna asked, genuinely hurt.
Spamton scoffed. "JUST WAIT, CATHODE. THIS WILL BE [All you could ever ASK FOR]"
Tenna gritted his teeth.
"THERE ARE NO LIGHTNERS UP THERE [[9/10 Dentist Recommend]]," Spamton said. "MOVE O N."
Tenna turned his head, feeling himself shrink. He couldn't move on. He wanted the old times back, more than anything. He was so empty. Just one viewer. Just one viewer, watching him, that was all he wanted.
That was when he noticed something odd, a few feet away.
There was something on the ground: a white blanket, wrapped around something small and round.
"What is that?" he asked.
"PRO BABLY JUST SOME T RASH," Spamton replied. "THIS IS [Cyber City, Home of the Best Salesman 1997] AFTER ALL"
But there was something… odd about the bundle. It was sentient, but it wasn't a Darkner. It was something else - a force, pulling him in. He couldn't just leave it alone, so he walked over to investigate.
"CATHODE," Spamton grumbled.
Tenna leaned down. If he had eyes, they would've bulged out of their sockets. Because, sitting in the bundle of blankets…
"Is this… a baby?" he asked.
Spamton came over, observing the tiny figure.
"NO WAY [Jose]" he scoffed. "WHAT KIND OF BABY WOULD END UP [On the wrong side of the Tracks]"
Tenna reached out towards the baby. It was so tiny; he could probably carry it with a single finger. It had blue skin, a tiny nose, and the tiniest mop of dark blue hair.
Tenna felt the realisation hit him like a shock to his chassis. "A Lightner baby?"
"OH [%@#&!]" Spamton added, helpfully.
Tenna was so confused. How in tarnation did a Lightner baby get into the Dark World? Where were its parents?
Spamton leaned down, adjusting his glasses. The baby reached out a small hand, grabbing his nose.
"HANDS OFF THE MERCHANDISE [Baby Sponge]!" Spamton snapped, pulling away.
The baby made a quiet 'eh' sound in response.
Tenna felt like his screen would shatter. A baby. A real life baby Lightner, sitting right in front of him. What was he supposed to do? All the Lightners were supposed to have left, so how did this baby even get here?
Oh shoot. The baby was staring at him. Its eyes were a bright, vibrant red.
Tenna reached out a finger, ever so tentatively. The baby held out its own hand, grabbing his finger.
Tenna didn't want to breathe. He didn't want to move. He just wanted to stay there, frozen in time. He forgot how wonderful it felt, to have a Lightner look at him.
"HEY CATHODE!" Spamton snarled. "ARE YOU JUST GOING TO SIT THERE AND [[StairMaster]] AT THAT [[Baby Sponge]]?!"
Then Tenna noticed something odd. The baby… had a knife right next to it. A long, sharp blade, radiating darkness, wrapped in the blankets.
What in the world was going on here?! Parenting programs never prepared him for this!
Either way, there was no way Tenna could just leave a baby unattended. He was family friendly! He couldn't just ignore a child!
"CATHODE?!" Spamton demanded.
And so, Tenna reached out, gently picking up the baby. It was so light, so fragile.
"ABSOLUTELY NOT," Spamton crossed his arms. "WE ARE NOT [Parental Groups Available] A BABY"
"We can't just leave it here, Spammy!" Tenna argued. "An Electro-Dasher could run over it! And besides, my programs are for ALL ages!"
Spamton shook his head. "JUST GIVE IT TO THAT [[Q-Tier Laptop]] INSTEAD"
Tenna held the baby closer. If this was the only Lightner around, he didn't want to share it with Queen.
Spamton sighed. "YOU'RE TOO SOFT, CATHODE. NO WONDER YOU [Lost everyone you love]"
Tenna decided to ignore him, instead focusing on the baby.
"It'll be temporary," he said, "just until we find its parents. I mean, this could be a good sign! Maybe the Lightners are coming back…?"
But Spamton was already going back inside. Tenna held the baby in the crook of his arms, smiling down at it. First things first, it was time to find all the baby programs he could get his hands on.
