Chapter 1: Prologue - Information
Chapter Text
Falsely accused of murder, sentenced to death, only to wake up in the
hands of Urbanshade. Her deep sea bunny companion is the only one
she can fully rely upon in this new cycle of death.
Name: EXR-P / Expendable
Pronouns: She/Her
Role: Survivalist / Support
Character stats:
Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆
Health: 100
Stamina: 100
Skills and Abilities:
Passive - 6th Sense
“Paranoia is both a blessing and a curse.” - EXR-P
When within 124 studs of the killer, webs slowly begin to cloud your vision,
gaining intensity with closeness.
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Ability - Bag of Tricks
“Guess my research went to good use.” - EXR-P
Cooldown: 45 seconds
Pull one of 3 random items from your pockets and into your inventory;
BL1- Heals 25 hp
Flash Beacon- Stuns and Blinds for 4 seconds
SPR-INT- Speed II for 5 seconds
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Ability - Trade
"Just… don't give me a landmine this time.” - EXR-P
Cooldown: 25 seconds
Trade your held item with Lumi and receive a random item after 7 seconds.
Don't mind the descriptions on the image below, I did some adjusting :)
Chapter Text
BANG
BANG
BANG
It wasn’t supposed to go this way. It never is. But that’s what happens when a multi-billion dollar company has a single objective and nothing to lose.
“Hold the door closed… that’s all you have to do..” she whispered.
BANG
BANG
BANG
The objective itself was simple: Retrieve the Z-2 crystal powering the facility and escape. However, it wasn’t as simple as they said it would be. Monsters, traps, and side objectives only hindered her travels. And now she had to deal with this thing… again.
BANG
BANG
BANG
Her grip was slipping quickly as her mind began to race. “This.. this isn’t Pandemonium.. It would’ve been gone by now… What is this..? Is it.. Oh no..”
The creature roared, continuing its assault on the locker. Its purple-gray face peering through the slowly opening crack in the locker doors, a toothy smile, hungry for flesh, flashed through the slits. It knew it would win, it knew that she couldn’t hold on for much longer, so it smiled wider as it slammed into the doors.
BANG
BANG
BANG
Her grip slipped for only a moment, but a moment was all it took for this thing… this incarnate of death… to strike. Its maw opened and bit down, the loud crunch of bones filled her ears, the stench or iron filled her nose and pain flowed throughout her entire body. Darkness quickly flooded her vision and she felt her life slipping away once again.
“It’s okay…” she thought. “I just hope Lady Death won’t get mad at me this time…” She chuckled at the thought. She knew that Lady Death would be there to save her from The Banlands once again. It’s a cycle she’s been through dozens of times at this point: She enters the facility, makes it through as many doors as she can before something catches her off guard, dies to whatever creature got her, and is picked up by Lady Death to be brought through the revival machine for another loop.
She felt the familiar embrace of the cold ocean as she slipped deeper and deeper into the rushing waters. Water flooded into her lungs, almost drowning her before she could breathe clearly. Her wounds were gone, her clothes were fixed, but that damned rotten coral infection stayed as usual. No worries. She’ll just have to keep looking for a cure. It’s somewhere in the Blacksite, that’s for sure.
Slowly but surely, light began to return to her vision as the surface of the water greeted her once more. The warped and warbled night sky shone through the dark blue of the sea, the stars pricking light onto her pale skin, the familiar double-faced mask of Noli standing off in the distance.
A small shock flew through her body as something pushed against her hand. It took a second before she came to realize what it was: A Deep Sea Bunny. More specifically the one that has been following her around everywhere. She had become quite fond of the creature, even naming them Lumi. Sure, Sebastian was a little jealous at first but that jealousy was quickly set aside with a full shop purchase. She didn’t need the research, but she did need the items.
She guided Lumi closer to her chest, their little marshmallow paws gripping on to her jacket, trying their hardest to not float away. One hand gently held Lumi secure to her chest while the other brushed through their fur and pushed on their antenna as bubbly giggles escaped her. The sea bunny chirped and nuzzled their head as deep as it could into her chest, very clearly enjoying the attention.
The light began to shine brighter and it felt like the surface was just within arms reach. Her head tilted to the side, looking to the familiar scythe Lady Death used to do her work. With a few small adjustments, she fixed her orientation and began swimming to the bright, golden shimmer.
The light quickly started drifting away as something began dragging her back into the depths. Her breath escaped as panic set in. She looked down to whatever could be pulling, but nothing seemed to be there. A voice spoke, harsh, raspy, and commanding,
“Your resolve is something I have grown to enjoy. . . You will make a fine addition to my games.”
The panic turned to fear as the light fully dissipated. She looked down to Lumi, holding onto them tightly, looking for anything she could do to get back to the surface, to get back to Lady Death, to get back to Urbanshade. But her attempts were futile as her body fell to exhaustion and she fell into a deep and dreamless slumber.
- - -
It was an ordinary day… night? Who can even tell anymore. Either way, it was an ordinary time at the cabin as the final round of the day ended with a victory for the survivors. Chance had somehow convinced Noob, Two Time, Veeronica, and Guest 1337 to join them in Texas Hold ‘Em. Elliot was in the kitchen fixing up dinner while 007n7 was nearby working with his c00l.gui, testing the bounds of its limits. Recently he figured out some backdoors to get new ingredients, which Elliot was very thankful for.
Outside of the main cabin, Shedletsky and Builderman were found sitting on the porch of Shedletsky’s personal cabin, enjoying the cool breeze and a couple Bloxy’s. But their attention was quickly drawn away from their conversation as lines of red and purple code began to swirl and coagulate next to one of the cabins. It began forming into the signature shape of the cabins surrounding it, and this only meant one thing.
Builderman spoke up, “Find them before something else does. I’ll let the others know.” Shedletsky gave a nod in agreement before grabbing his swords and beginning a lap around the forest clearing. Builderman quickly made his way to the main cabin, trying to keep a calm composure.
Taph and Dusekkar both sat on the dock leading out to the endless span of water. Taph was working on one of their tripmines, their legs dangling over the calm water. Dusekkar was sitting next to them, hovering slightly, watching with curiosity. The distance between the two was a lot smaller than Taph would have preferred, but the warmth emanating from the blue pumpkin was rather… comforting.
“ 🔧↩️↪️⌚📈📉 (Depending on how loose or tight the frame is, the timer will change.)”
“That is quite interesting, my demolitionist friend.”
A sharp gust of wind blows against the two, Dusekkar’s flame flickers inside the hollow, blue pumpkin while the small wings surrounding Taph’s face shiver. They both look out over the water, the moon shining and over the now forming ripples across the lake’s surface. Taph looks back to Dusekkar, tugging onto his robes and signing,
“🎃❌🤾🌊❓ (You didn’t throw something into the lake, right?)”
“You would be correct in your assumption.”
Dusekkar begins to float up, offering a hand to Taph as they put away their tripmine. They both begin to move off of the docks, down to the coast, and in different directions while peering out into the water to see what caused the disturbances. Taph noticed something under the waterline, slowly floating towards the shore. They walked closer, water lapped over their boots and began to soak their robes as the shapes slowly formed into a body.
Their wings fluttered and flapped with panic, they couldn’t notify Dusekkar or anyone for that matter, so they were on their own. Taph walked deeper into the water and reached out to grab the body before a small hiss was heard before an angry squeak.
Taph looked down towards the noise and noticed a small creature, fur puffed up, antennae pulled back, standing atop of the body.
“☝️🙂🆘🤏👥🙏 (I am here to help, tiny friend. Trust me.)”
Lumi took a step forward, sniffing at Taph before hopping into the water and swimming to the shore, watching closely but staying out of the way. Taph signed a very quick “thank you” before going back to pulling the body to shore. They flipped her over onto her back, feeling her neck for a pulse and checking her airway for breathing. Both of which were there, but faint and struggling.
A voice called out, “TAPH!”
Footsteps quickly approached from behind along with the swishes of swords. Taph’s wings perked up slightly as they looked over to see Shedletsky fast approaching. Their hands turned into a black and gold blur, signs melding into each other, making an amalgamation of being glad they weren’t alone and trying to share what happened. Shedletsky kneeled down next to the new person, gently holding Taph’s hands.
“Taph, take a breath. What happened?”
Taph shook their hands out, a visible amount of tension being released in a single breath. They started to sign slower, explaining what happened and the current situation. Shedletsky nodded along, examining the body for signs of injury or harm, before looking up and over towards where he last saw Dusekkar.
“Dusekkar! Get over here!” he yelled.
A pale glow slowly approaches as Dusekkar floats over, looking at the current situation. A small squeaky hiss is pointed his way and he turns to see the deep sea bunny in their still agitated state. He reaches a hand down, allowing his presence and being to be recognized by the critter.
“Fret not, small one. Our intentions are to assist your human friend. Please allow us to help.”
Lumi sniffs Dusekkar’s waxy hand, the tension and anger melting away from their body language, before they waddle back to their companion and curl into the crook of her neck. Dusekkar turns to the rest of the group to see what he can do.
Shedletsky started to remove her jacket, looking for any injuries. The only injuries he could find were long since healed and scarred. Taph slowly removed her beanie in an attempt to find any head injuries when two, semi-rotten antennae flop out and onto the dirt below. All three of them paused, unsure as to what they had uncovered. Taph slowly put the beanie back on, adjusting her hair slightly and signing to the others,
“ 💬❌🤫👉🙍👍👍 (We do not speak of this until she is comfortable with it.)”
“Agreed,” Dusekkar responded. The other only gave a small nod.
Shedletsky went back to sliding her jacket back on, being careful with the movements, not wanting to uncover things he shouldn’t. As he finished sliding the sleeve back on, her body began to thrash and convulse. Water filled coughs spilled from her mouth as she turned onto her side, puking up a mix of mud, water, and algae all over the ground.
Taph scrambled out of the way, quickly standing up next to Dusekkar and watching. Shedletsky adjusted his posture, supporting the now awake stranger. She stared into the dirt, tears rolling down her cheeks and onto the floor below. Her body collapsed, only being caught by her arms and the man holding onto her.
“Don’t worry, kid. I’ve got you. I’ve got you…”
He gently patted her back, attempting to comfort the scared and exhausted stranger. She looked up at the man, his deep brown eyes met with her purple ones as she tried to speak.
The stranger passed out again, but she was alive and that was enough for right now. Shedletsky wrapped his arms around her, his wings twitching slightly to balance as he stood. He began to carry her bridal style while heading back to the main cabin.
“Builder should have informed the others already. Let’s go.”
Taph quickly followed behind, their own small wings flapping with all of the overwhelming emotions. Dusekkar stayed back for a bit, looking down at the small sea bunny. They began running after their friend but started to lose pace. Dusekkar chuckled slightly, finding a small amusement in this new critter. He swooped down, gently picking up the sea bunny and following after the other two.
Notes:
2,001 words
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HERE WE GO!For those not familiar with Harbinger, it's essentially a "myth" in the Pressure lore and in gameplay it's a guaranteed death. It acts similar for Pandemonium but it goes on forever until you die. That's what she died to. Very sad :(
My goal is to have the chapters contain 1,500 to 2,500 words, so some may be longer than others. Hope you enjoyed!
Chapter Text
Her eyes slowly fluttered open as she took in her current situation; She was laid down on a couch facing a crackling fireplace, there were at least 4 other people in the room with her (one of which she could see), and she was completely drained of energy. Her jacket was fully zipped up, something she doesn’t remember doing, but the equipment given to her by Urbanshade was still present on her.
She lifted her head slightly, wanting to get a better look at where she was, and the person sitting in the chair across from her noticed. They slid over, sitting down on the floor in front of her, and she was able to get a better look at them; Black robes with golden trim, 4 small wings surrounding their face, and a small face covering.
“🫵🤕❓(How are you feeling?)”
The stranger blinked a couple times, trying to clear her vision before giving a small thumbs up to the hooded figure. She tried to speak, but was met with the shell of words. Her hands moved up and slowly began signing,
“👍👌🫀(Good enough to be alive.)”
“📍💣🫴🆘😢(Stay here, I’ll get you something to help with the pain.)”
The figure almost seemed to float off to another room, the wings on their face fluttering with seeming excitement. She took a deep breath as she sat up, stretching her limbs out and rolling her neck with a satisfying crunch.
Footsteps approached from behind her and the back of the couch was pushed down as someone leaned onto it, looking at her. The other set walked around and sat on the chair the hooded figure had just departed from. She recognized the brown eyes and the curly hair, he was the one helping her by the lake. The person sitting on the couch spoke, idly flipping a coin into the air.
“So you’re the newbie, eh? What place did you get pulled from to have all that… gear?”
The stranger looked up at them, taking note of the gray skin, expensive headphones, and golden irises peering from behind their shades. Her head tilted slightly as she examined them some more, looking for any sign of familiarity. They chuckled a bit and caught their coin mid-air, extending a hand to the stranger with a wink.
“Ah, bad manners on my part. The name’s Chance, pleasure to meet ya.”
She shook his hand with a small nod, still struggling to speak. Her eyes darted back to the brown haired man, curiosity written on her face. He was taken slightly by surprise at the suddenness but began to introduce himself,
“I’m Shedletsky. The one that just ran off was Taph, and that one is Dusekkar.”
Shedletsky gestured to the other side of her, showing off the floating man next to her. She jumped slightly, startled at his somewhat sudden appearance. He gave a small wave and reached into his robes to grab something.
“I do believe I possess something of yours.”
With a small peep, he pulled Lumi out of their hiding spot and handed them to the new person. Her face lit up as she reached out to take them. She gave a small nod of appreciation towards the mage and quickly pulled the bunny into a loving embrace. Shedletsky leaned forward in his chair, his wings stretching and shaking out.
“There are a lot more of us here, you’ll probably meet ‘em either in the rounds or in passing. I wouldn’t worry too much about it right now. What I am curious about, though, is your name.”
She went to speak, but the words were interrupted by the loud chime of the grandfather clock against the wall. Her vision became blurry and eventually fully faded to black. She could feel something happening around her, like she was in the currents of the Soul Ocean again. But her eyes wouldn’t open, something didn’t want her to view its magic.
Her body was thrown from the familiar hug of the water and into an unfamiliar place. She almost lost her footing, catching herself on a castle wall. The cold, cracked stone shifted with the sudden weight, crumbling slightly and causing her to slip and fall onto her face.
Footsteps quickly approached from behind her, “A-are you alright?”
She remained on the floor for a few moments, already not wanting to deal with whatever bullshit was going on. But life goes on and so should she. She sat up onto her knees, turning to see where this new voice was coming from.
A rather timid looking person sporting a blue hoodie and green cargo pants was approaching, crouching down and offering out a hand. She took the hand, getting pulled back up onto her feet.
“I.. umm you’re the new guy.. gal, right? I-I’m Noob! Let’s walk and t-talk, it’s not the best idea to stand around for too long, heh..”
Noob started to walk away, looking back to make sure the new person was following. She was following, slowly but surely, while also taking in the new surroundings. This grand castle, the night sky, the fresh breeze… things she hasn’t experienced in a long time.
They both found themselves crouched down next to a generator, Noob was teaching the other how the wires are supposed to go, what to look out for, and making general small talk. Even if the other wasn’t talkative, the silence was too much to bear.
“So… do you have a name? I-I don’t think I got it earlier..”
Her voice was quiet and reserved, “EXR-P.”
It tasted wrong in her mouth, it wasn’t her name. Noob paused what they were doing and looked over to her, a hint of confusion and concern present on their face. “That… I haven’t h-heard a name like that before.”
“Expendable is another designation. Use whichever you prefer.”
They both sat there in silence, Expendable working on the generator and Noob staring in poorly hidden concern.
. . .
With a loud roar, the silence dissipated and the two of them began walking to find another generator. They soon ran into other survivors, a man in a gray hoodie with an orange hard hat and another man with a.. burger.. as a hat… strange..
The man with the burger hat finished the generator he was working on and stood up, walking over to the others. He looked at Noob while speaking, “Any clue who it is this time?”
“Not yet, it- it’s too quiet. Have you seen any of the others?”
He sighed and shook his head, bringing a hand up to the back of his neck. A wave of anxiety and nervousness washed over Noob, the amount of unknown variables scared them. The other man walked over, wiping sweat from his brow and removing oil-stained work gloves.
“We should be fine for now, as bad as it may seem. Turret’s set up, dispenser’s o’er there, and I could’ve sworn I saw Shed runnin’ about. As for you,” he turned to Expendable, leaning on Noob’s shoulder, “Has this one given ya the run down?”
She shook her head, her posture going stiff, realizing how much more there is to these… games as that voice put it. “I know how the generators work”
“Well tha’s a start. Let’see…”
The group began to walk around the map, with Builderman giving the general information about how these rounds go and a little of what to expect, plus some well needed introductions. Sometime during the conversation, 007n7 disappeared off to another generator just to keep moving. The more generators that got done, the less time they’d spend in the rounds.
Builderman stopped for a moment, turning to face Expendable, “What kind of abilities do ya have, kid? Items, tools, brute strength?”
She felt into her pockets, remembering her last shopping trip, and pulled out a familiar, cyan syringe. She twirled it in her hand as Noob looked closer at the device, shock growing on their face.
“I-is that.. A needle? W-what’s in it? Why is it so… BIG!?”
“SPR-INT. It’s an injection of epinephrine, nothing serious.”
Noob’s mouth dropped open in shock at the calmness this person has when talking about a literal auto-injector of pure adrenaline. On the other hand, Builderman was intrigued by the device itself and how it worked.
Expendable’s gaze shot up as her eyes started to dart around the area around her, looking for something. Her body tensed up and white webs began to grow in her vision, just like when Angler would appear.
“Something is coming. We need to-”
The rest of her words turned into a shaky exhale as the deep slash of a machete dug into her back. Noob began to run, chugging what she could only assume to be a soda. Builderman began running the opposite direction, his eyes filled with something she could not read.
The slashes seared as it cut through her flesh and muscle as she was soon kicked to the ground. Blood started to pool around her appendages, the stench of metal filling the air, her clothes staining a deep crimson. Expendable looked up at what hit her, a hockey-like mask stared back. His stare felt just like Pandemonium’s, that same blood thirsty hunger emanating from the holes where his eyes would be.
She scrambled back onto her feet, the same primal fear of death welcoming her once again. Her hands reacted faster than her mind as she felt the sting and rush of SPR-INT flowing through her body. The movements were too smooth, too clean, too needed… Her mind became clear, the noises died down, she felt in control of herself once again.
Revving of a chainsaw filled the air as she turned a corner, barely dodging out of the way. The SPR-INT wore off and her legs slowly started to give out. He was getting closer, a red glow visible on his face before a lunge.
The slash burned more, blood flowing freely from the wounds. Her body was draining fast, and so was her hope. She already accepted that her death was soon, so she prayed that Lady Death would once again bring her back.
She turned another corner, this time into a white walled structure. Her hand cupped on a corner, keeping the turn tight and giving her a small boost. Something gripped her wrist, pulling her into a corner, pushing her against the walls, and cupping a hand onto her mouth.
Notes:
1740 words
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why are emojis difficult...ANYWAYS- I don't have much else for notes, im glad y'all are enjoying :D
If you have anything ya wanna see, let me know!!
Chapter Text
She wanted to scream, bite, kick, anything to get free but the hold was tight. Expendable looked up at the figure, noticing their scarred skin, blue hair, and military uniform. He put a finger to his mouth, telling her to be quiet, before looking up at where she just came from.
The masked man came into view, his pace slowing for a moment. Expendable’s breathing quickened, her vision nearly fully white with webs, but the man standing over her was still, calm, and focused. They stood there, watching and waiting for what felt like millennia.
He eventually walked off, the webs of white dissipating quickly, the hand covering her mouth dropping. She let out a shaky breath, holding back tears and pushing herself into the wall behind her just to stay standing. The blue haired man looked back down at her, almost examining her.
“Are you injured?”
His voice was sharp and to the point, almost cold. She looked up at him, only responding in a shaky exhale with small tears falling down her face. He let out an exhale of his own, noticing the blood stained jacket she wore. He began to walk away, gesturing for her to follow.
“Let’s get moving, Builder shouldn’t be too far.”
She followed behind him, holding onto whatever new injuries she could, trying to stop the blood loss. Something soft pushed into her neck and she let out a large exhale, relaxing significantly. She looked over to see Lumi, chirping at her in this worried tone. She only chuckled, nudging her head against them before jogging to catch up to the soldier.
They both walked in silence for a few moments, the periodic hum of generators occasionally breaking the quiet. In the distance, red mist indicated one of Builderman’s dispensers. Expendable sat on the floor next to it while the soldier stood watch, speaking after a few moments.
“I’m Guest 1337, just call me Guest. The one with the machete is Slasher. Pure melee attacks, so keep your distance.”
Expendable gave a small nod, the pain slowly subsiding as the machine spun and whirred. “Good to know. I am EXR-P. Thank you for the assistance.”
“...Just doing my job.”
His voice was a dismissive whisper. It wasn’t something he wanted to be doing, but as it stood, it was his job to protect those who cannot protect themselves. Expendable looked back at him, her mind running rampant with questions. But those can be answered later.
“Thank you, either way. I would have been dead without your interference.”
Guest gave a small nod and nothing more. She could tell that something was nagging at his mind, eating away at something deep within his thought. But now wasn’t the time to bother.
They both sat there for a long while, the tension slowly dissipated but the stress remained. Guest stood up from the wall and began to walk away.
“I’m going to look for the others. You should continue to rest. We still have a while until the round is over.”
And with that she was by herself. Her wounds were slowly healing, she was able to actually catch her breath, and she began to think. This new place was strange, to say the least. It wasn’t as stressful as Hadal but it had the same demands; Do objectives, pay attention to what's around you, and stay alive.
But there were new variables she wasn’t used to; The other people with her, times where she could stop and relax for a moment, and the open landscape. It was freeing to not be breathing the same recycled air, to be able to feel a cool breeze, to see a clear night sky.
Footsteps rapidly approached, breaking her out of the train of thought. She noticed the webs of white quickly encroaching on her vision and pushed herself into the corner, curling up as to not be seen, just as she’s done countless times before
A blur of brown and white dashed passed her with Slasher close behind. The brown haired man stopped on a dime, using the built momentum to slash a blade across the other’s chest. He reeled in pain, letting out a sickening yell as the winged swordsman continued to run.
Slasher let out a growl of frustration, looking at where the other ran off to. He ripped out his eye once more, a piercing red light emanating from behind his time-touched hockey mask, and he turned to face Expendable. Slasher lifted his arm up, machete glistening red in the moonlight, and brought it down onto her. Her arms and legs scrambled, looking for anything to grab on to, anything to help her escape.
The machete slammed into the dispenser with a horrifying crunch, the machine crumbling under the sheer force of the slice. Expendable started to run again, the unhealed wounds burning as she pushed herself to her limits once again.
Her hand dove into her pocket again, feeling around for something she could use. Her fingers brushed over something hard, gripping onto the familiar object with practiced precision. She chuckled slightly to herself as she began to plan.
She found herself in a construction area, littered with scrap materials, paints, and hiding spots. “Perfect.” She hooked around a corner, trying to gain just a bit more distance before…
FLASH!
The light burnt out as soon as it came with a loud crack when the glass bulb shattered. She dropped the beacon and began booking it towards the rock formation in the middle of this… arena. She ran up the slopes, stopping near the top, crouching down behind the wall to hide.
Expendable heard another growly scream of rage from Slasher, watching carefully as he began to chase after nothing. She took a breath, sitting down once again, only now noticing the other figure sitting across from her.
“Greetings, new comer! The spawn must have blessed you quite well to ensure your survival thus far."
They give Expendable a small wave, a wide smile beaming across their face. They hold a jagged dagger in their hands and their shirt bears the markings of… the guardian angel. Expendable couldn’t help but let out a small whisper,
“The mark of the angel?”
The winged cultist slid closer, their face beaming with pride and happiness.
“Why yes! The Spawn is an angel in itself. You seem to recognize them, who was your teacher? I am quite curious.”
Expendable sat there, panic slowly rising in her chest as this person continued to rant about this god. “...That’s not who that symbol belongs to…” They continued to go on and on about ‘The Spawn’, only pausing when more footsteps approached from the slopes.
“Friend Elliot and friend Guest 1337! It is good to see that The Spawn has blessed-”
“Stop it with the cult stuff, Two Time,” Guest snapped. Two Time glared back at him, his smile faltering slightly with rage.
Elliot sighed, turning the corner, almost tripping over Expendable. His face switched from annoyance to worry, noticing the open wounds and slowly flowing blood. He crouched down next to her while pulling out a warm slice of pizza and handing it to her.
“Here, eat. As weird as it sounds it’ll help with the wounds.”
Expendable took the slice, taking a small bite out of this strange, savory pastry. The food melted in her mouth, sending euphoria throughout her body. She nearly inhaled the rest of it as her wounds slowly closed up and the pain quickly subsided.
Elliot chuckled at the sight, “Haven't eaten much lately?”
Expendable shook her head, the last thing she could even remember eating being the dry, insulation-tasting dweller chunk she somehow bought from Sebastian. This, however, was delicious.
She let out a small mumble, “Thank you.”
“Glad to help,” Elliot responded with a smile, sitting down next to her.
A small chirp followed by the gentle pitter patter of paws garnered the attention of the others. Lumi crawled from Expendable over to Elliot, snuggling into his chest, almost as if it was saying thank you in its own way. Elliot’s hand gently brushed over its antennae, scratching its chin and generally enjoying their presence.
“Do they have a name?”
“...Lumi. Deriving from bioluminescence.”
A chuckle came from Guest, who now noticed the small creature patting its feet in joy as Elliot scratched in a particularly good spot. He looked down at his wrist, a glowing black and red watch shining onto his face.
“The round should be ending soon. Minimal losses this time, too.”
5 chimes of a grandfather clock rang off from every direction, 5 minutes remained as long as nobody died. That's what Builderman had said, at least. The group sat where they were, waiting for the time to pass. Guest watched the path up to where the group resided, Two Time sat on the ledge mumbling something about The Spawn, and Elliot continued to play with Lumi, occasionally asking questions to Expendable.
The minutes passed slowly, but the slowness felt rather relaxing. No need to watch every corner, no need to look out for flickering lights, no need to listen for quiet breathing. Expendable took a deep breath, letting out everything she didn’t know she was holding.
A singular loud chime rang throughout as the world slowly faded away. Expendable was transported back to the cabin, sitting at a large, wooden table. She looked around, noticing Noob, Builderman, Guest 1337, Elliot, and Two Time were also sitting with her.
She looked at herself, the blood and cuts on her clothes and skin had vanished. Same with the lingering pain. Lumi sat cheerfully in her lap, looking up at her with a small squeak. She gave them a small pat before placing Lumi onto her shoulder and leaning back in her chair.
The others began conversing with each other, standing up and walking to wherever. Shedletsky approached Expendable, Builderman following closely behind him.
“Sorry the conversation got cut short, ‘S’ likes to do that sometimes. We should have a while until the next round and you should probably get to know your way around this place. Come on, we’ll give you a tour.”
The three of them wandered around the cabin, Shedletsky showing off everything from the main kitchen to the tv that only shows a picture of a panda. Conversation flowed freely between them, even if Expendable took a back seat as the other two clearly knew each other for much longer.
The group soon made their way outside, Builderman talking about… something. Expendable noticed the lake, stretching as far as the horizon, and she mentally checked out of the conversation. Her footsteps stopped for a moment before continuing in the direction of the dock. Something… no, someone called to her.
- -
Shedletsky and Builderman continued to walk and talk, showing off the different cabins, explaining who was where, and even mentioning some of the smaller things that made this place feel less like a prison and more like a place to live.
“Usually each cabin’s designed to fit whoever lives there,” Builderman commented, “For example, mine has an electronics bench and weldin’ table. I’m pretty sure Joh-.. Shed’s has sword smithin’ equipment, right?”
Shedletsky chimed in, “Grindstone, whetstones, polishing brushes… the sparring arena is behind my cabin, too. Your cabin is over here.”
The two of them made their way towards the new cabin. The windows were much more dim than the other cabins and a mechanical hum could be felt in the air close to the main door. Curiosity was the main emotion felt by the two, imaginative ideas flowed freely but weren’t stated.
“It’s only fair that you get the first look into your own cabin, so have at it!”
Shedletsky turned to face Expendable, only to be met with nothing. He looked to the left, to the right, even down, and all that remained was Lumi, staring up at him with a small, curious peep. Shed crouched down next to the small bunny, patting its head,
“Heya bud… where’d your friend go?”
Lumi gave a proud squeak and started to waddle back to the main pathway. Shedletsky began to follow with Builderman close behind, both hoping for the best and preparing for the worst.
Notes:
2039 words
- -How I LOVE cliffhangers!
As much as I want to post EVERYTHING I have now, i gotta wait for my own sanity :(
Next chapter will be a fun one, tho, so its gonna be worth the wait (pressure reference :D)
Chapter Text
The air was cold, water splashing calmly against the dock, a breeze gently rustling the trees nearby. Light footsteps creaked against the wooden planks as Expendable walked closer and closer to the edge. She paused, feet hanging halfway off, listening to the whispers that called to her.
“Your path has diverged from the script.”
Her eyes drifted up to the moon, staring off into nothingness. To her left a figure melded into reality. He stood tall, wearing a dark green suit, leaning against his signature cane. His head turned to face Expendable, his glowing gaze burning into her.
“I lack the power to bring you back to your destined way.”
Her throat became dry, a sense of shame and guilt overtaking her mind. She shook her head to cleanse the ideas, yet they only dug deeper. She refused to look at him, she does not deserve to face her benefactor.
“I’m… I apologize… Mr. Lopee… It was not my intention to-”
“You do not require a reason as to your departure. However this new path requires a new script, one I cannot produce.”
He turned to face the endless lake, the moonlight gently reflecting onto the small waves. The winds grew, beginning to howl. The cold started to sting, pinpricks of pain against Expendable’s exposed skin. His form became fuzzy and transparent.
“You must create your own script. This is your adventure, after all.”
A breath hitched in her throat, “How… how do I do that?”
“You are more than just your strings, Abby. You are no longer bound by your former employers.”
Her voice became weak and quiet, “I.. I don’t un-... What do you mean?”
“You will understand in due time. Goodbye… for now.”
She turned back to where he stood, the familiar figure long gone. The winds died down, warmth returned to the air, the lake settled once more, and she was alone. Standing out over the water, watching and waiting for something, anything to happen.
- -
Lumi led them back to the main path, turning to look at the lake. There stood Expendable, dangerously close to the edge. Shedletsky wanted to rush over to her, but something held him back for just a moment.
The thin, green outline of a figure stood still next to her. He could’ve sworn it looked at him for a split second, its piercing gaze nearly burning a hole into him before vanishing into nothingness.
He approached slowly, the soft sand marking his path. The footsteps creaked as the ground shifted to wooden planks. His wings ruffled slightly in the wind and a hand reached out, resting on Expendable’s shoulder.
She jumped at the sudden contact, pulling out her flash beacon with practiced precision. Her finger hesitated on the trigger, recognizing the swordsman standing behind her. His hands raised in a surrendering way, saying ‘Don’t kill me.’
She held her position, letting her mind process all that was happening. She slowly slid the boxy mechanism back into its holster, letting out a held breath.
“Apologies, I was not expecting you.”
He let out an awkward chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck and avoiding eye contact.
“No harm done, I did kinda snuck up on ya.” He paused, his eyes flicking over the barely noticeable signs of distress; red eyes, locked jaw, tensed shoulders. “Is everything alright? You kind of disappeared back there.”
“Everything is fine,” She answered too quickly. "Someone needed me for a moment.”
Shedletsky didn’t challenge the lie. Now isn’t the time for that.
“Gotcha, gotcha… You wanna check out your cabin?”
She nodded and began to walk, following behind the avian swordsman. Lumi joined beside her, their little paws patting gently against dirt beneath them. Builderman tilted his head in curiosity, Shedletsky shook his head in response and a nod was returned.
The group walked back to the cabin, the familiar hum of fans standing out to Expendable. Her hand rested on the door handle for a moment, the mechanism somewhat unfamiliar to her. She gave it a small push and the door swung open, revealing a somewhat familiar sight.
There were the necessities, a bed, a closet, a bathroom of sorts, and a desk. There were also things that made the whole place feel more… homey. The desk itself was messy, papers littered the surface and manila folders were stacked to the side. A large fan was embedded within one of the walls, giving a comforting white noise to the otherwise quiet room.
There were pens, trinkets, little scientific baubles, everything Expendable could enjoy. She walked around the room, looking at every detail, including the small warren under her bed. Lumi immediately rushed into the vent, their peeps and squeaks echoing from within.
Expendable sat down at the swivel chair, spinning around to face the door. Both Shedletsky and Builderman were peeking inside, curiosity written across their faces.
“...You may enter if you wish to.”
Shedletsky nearly jumped at the idea, waltzing in and looking at everything, Builderman was still curious but took things at a much slower pace. They each looked around, Shed taking a closer look at the documents that presented themselves on the table.
His voice was filled with curiosity and excitement, “Man, that's a lot of documents, not as many as Builder would have scattered in his office but still…”
The other admin shot a gaze filled with daggers at Shedletsky, who returned it with a small chuckle.
“Did you used to work at an office or something?” he continued.
“There were office portions, specifically administration. I was not assigned to work there.”
“What was your work like anyways? You have rather strange gear for workin’ in an office or somethin’ like that,” Builderman chimed in, looking at one of the spare BL1 injectors.
Expendable hesitated for a moment, a monotone and practiced speech ‘playing’, “My work at Urbanshade is classified. I would be terminated if any person outside of Urbanshade were to gain knowledge of my work.”
Shedletsky spoke up again, hints of confusion and concern audible in his voice, “Well, I don’t think they’ll be able to do much considering you’re here and not there. What’s the worst that can happen?”
She froze, remembering back to what her benefactor said, “You are no longer bound by your former employers.” Her mind argued with itself, jumping between keeping to what she was trained to do, and throwing all away by starting fresh. Change was inevitable, so she might as well start somewhere.
Expendable’s voice became strained, her own mind fighting with itself, “My designation is EXR-P. I was sent to take care of whatever Urbanshade needed me to. My most recent requirement was the retrieval of the Z-2 crystal.”
Shedletsky leaned against the wall, examining one of the strange, double helix tubes that was sitting on her desk. “That sounds like an important job, how’d you get into that position?”
. . .
She didn’t respond. She didn’t want to respond. Her body stiffened, her mind began to spiral, everything was too loud. She couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move.
Builder picked up on the shift, “Story for another day?”
That simple line snapped her out of whatever trance she was put in. She gave a small nod, “Preferably.”
“Well I think it’s best if’n we get out of your hair. Next round should be happenin’ in a while. Rest up before then, you’ll need it.”
Builderman grabbed Shedletsky’s arm, nearly dragging him out, leaving Expendable to her own devices. She spun around in her chair, now facing her desk, taking a closer look at the documents.
Bright red text was stamped on the front of each folder, a small reminder of what lay inside. There were the files she was familiar with: Voidmass, DiVine, p.AI.nter, Eyefestation… all of which was fully readable, no confidentiality.
But there were other folders, new ones without a name or classification. The words were all blacked out, same with the photos. Only one of them had any sort of information. The file was titled “The Slasher” and had a photo of the masked individual from the round before. Everything else was redacted and the watermark on the page was different.
The symbol resembled a red, blocky ‘S’ printed on a black tophat. “Was that who they meant by ‘S’?” More questions flooded her mind, none of which could be answered. She set aside the folder, placing it in a separate stack along with the rest of the new folders, until one caught her eye. She opened the file and began reading what she could.
The title was “Abyssal Runner” and two photos of… herself were clear on the first page. The first is her mugshot, the memory came back in an instant, standing in front of the bright lights, armed guards surrounding her, scientific personnel observing from a distance. It wasn’t a good memory, being inducted into Urbanshade, but it was hers.
The other photo she didn’t recognize. It was taken at a far distance, almost from behind a large pane of glass. The location was dark, the only lighting being from large floodlights. She was standing next to a steep cliff, her hair floating slightly as if she were underwater, and her antennae were floating freely.
It seemed extremely familiar, but she couldn’t remember anything from it. It looked like the Let-Vand Zone, but she couldn’t be sure. The rest of the document was blacked out, something didn’t want her knowing everything just yet.
She sat in silence for a while, asking questions that couldn’t be answered, thinking about what these new files held, remembering back to what Mr. Lopee said.
. . .
A clock ticked faintly in the background. It chimed, not as loud as the grandfather clock in the lobby, but enough to break her line of thought. She looked over to where the chime came from and noticed a small, wrapped box sitting on her bed. The paper was black and it was tied neatly with red ribbon.
She sat down on the bed, placing the small box into her lap, examining it closely. A small note was attached to the ribbon,
“Greetings, dear Expendable. As a welcoming gift, I present you with your very own redline.gui! It is of my own design and I think you will enjoy its abilities in your rounds. Use it wisely!
Best Regards,
- S
P.S.: Do get to know your new companions, I know you’re used to working alone but my games don't work that way ;)”
Expendable placed the note to the side, slowly untying the bow of red ribbon, and sliding off the lid. Inside lay a watch, similar to the one Guest was wearing. The glowing red outline made it stand out from the rest of the shadowy box.
Her hand gently wrapped around the watch, its square screen resting perfectly in her palm. Red light glowed from it as it began to boot up and register to its user. She slid the device onto her wrist, tucking it under her jacket sleeve while it continued to activate.
Another clock chime rang out, this time significantly louder. She felt herself become dizzy as the world faded to black again. The next round is starting now.
Notes:
1849 words
- -Mr. Lopee, I'm sorry but The Spectre is just too strong in his own realm.
Anyways, I hope y'all enjoyed. I am having SO much fun writing this (even if i hit a small bump in the story) and I have a lot of ideas
See ya in the next roundUPDATE: I FINALLY FIGURED OUT HOW TO POST IMAGES ON HERE!!! Check out the Prologue, I added the drawing I did of Expendable :D
Chapter Text
The same swirling feeling surrounded Expendable as she was thrown into the next round. Her feet landed on soft grass before her balance was lost and she fell to the floor, again. “How many more times must it take…”
She slowly stood up, her mind cloudy from the transport. Her hands moved to brush herself off, the dirt and gravel coming off of her pants rather easily. Next to her was the loud ping of a coin, followed by a quiet victory noise. She turned, noticing Chance as the source of the noise.
They kept flipping it, each time leading to another victory noise. Each win leading to an even larger smile growing on their face. They looked towards Expendable, giving a wink and a chuckle,
“Seems like Lady Luck’s on our side this time!”
Chance began to walk off, continuing with the coin flips as Expendable stood still, taking in the new surroundings. The world was a mix of purple and black, tall stone statues were scattered around. On the far side of the map seemed to be a temple and a crumpled tower. A sense of familiarity washed over her as she approached one of the statues.
She looked up towards the statue’s face, seeing the split comedy and tragedy masks. It was unmistakably the face of Noli, the gentle giant of the Banlands and the writer of the Necrobloxicon. Didn’t do much for conversation but when he did talk, it was meaningful.
“Earth to Exie, you there?” Chance teased, holding back a chuckle. “We have things to do, you can stare at the statues later.”
Her body twitched, not knowing how to respond to the teasing. It wasn’t mean, but it wasn’t fully nice? She let out an exhale, following Chance to a nearby generator. It was hidden within a smaller temple, just up a small set of stairs and next to a drop. Easy in, easy out.
Chance stood next to the generator, watching the pathway to them, protectiveness visible in their eyes. Expendable crouched down next to the generator, slowly bringing their hands up to the wires.
Her hands were wrong, trembling, slick with sweat. She dryly swallowed, determined to get these wires connected. Her fingers moved slowly, as if tar covered every joint.
“Blue to blue… red to… red… yellow… to.. yellow…”
The flicking of the coin became ear piercing, the world around her turned dull and blurry, her muscles felt weak. The wire slipped from her fingers, falling into another with a loud pop. Sparks flew in all directions, charring Expendable’s jacket and alerting Chance. They rushed towards her, pulling her away from the machine.
“WOAH WOAH! Hold on there!” They yelled, panic defined in their voice.
Chance fixed the wires before shutting the panel. They turned back towards Expendable, crouching down in front of her limp body. Her breathing was shallow and irregular, her skin was cool to the touch, her pulse stuttered. Chance tilted her head up, looking into her pin pricked pupils.
“You’re cold… Are you okay? What’s going on?”
She tried to respond but her stomach twisted. She tried to speak but her lungs seized. Her hand trailed down to one of her pouches only to find nothing there. What was she reaching for?
“Hey, breathe with me Exie. In and out… slow and steady… in… and out…”
She tried to follow their breathing, it didn’t feel right. It wasn’t fast enough, wasn’t deep enough, wasn’t good enough. She hated herself, hated this feeling, hated not being able to do the bare minimum.
Two hands cupped her face, forcing her eyes to meet Chance’s. They were breathing deep and slow and she slowly began to match it. The world quieted, she could only hear their breathing, she could only feel their hands on her face, she could only focus on her breathing.
“There ya go, just like that. Good job.”
Their hands released the hold, patting gently onto her shoulders as she continued to breathe. Her muscles relaxed, her thoughts slowed, but the weakness remained. Everything was still cold and dull, slow and painful. Her hands still shook and her vision was still blurry, but the spiral wasn’t as deep as it had been.
She looked back at Chance, their eyes were darting from her to the stairs and back to her. The panic on their face was obvious, something was coming and they needed to move. She noticed the webs encroaching on her vision once more. They were purple this time, similar to Blitz’s, but it wasn’t as quick.
“Can you move?”
Chance’s voice was but a panicked whisper. Expendable nodded, starting to stand with the help of the wall before stumbling back to her knees.
“You don’t have to go fast, but you’ve gotta move.”
Chance wrapped their arm under Expendable’s, helping her to her feet. Her speech was quiet, reserved, strained, “If I’m slow, I’ll die.”
They looked into her eyes again, no judgement or anger, but… heartbreak. “...How long have you been running?”
The question was cut off with a loud boom, a void star slammed into the wall behind the two of them. Glitchy laughter was fast approaching,
“1 $3e y0U, g@mbL3R-r-R!!! L3t’$ m@-a-akE th!S FVN~!!!”
With a push, Expendable started to hobble away, the weakness in her limbs beginning to burn. Chance pointed their flintlock towards the stairs, a cocky smile painted across their face trying to hide the panic.
“I’ll hold him off as long as I can, you keep moving.”
She slid down from the elevated platform, moving as fast as she could across the bridge. A loud click followed by a wet crunch echoed from behind her. She didn’t look back. She couldn’t look back. If she had just been quicker, Chance wouldn’t be dead.
Expendable’s vision tunneled, not out of fear but out of training. The webs still flooded her vision, so he had to be close still. Her sloppy footsteps eventually dragged her into the collapsed tower, leaning her body against the wall. The pain became this searing heat stretching up and down her body, nothing that she could fix right now.
Her curiosity got the better of her and she took a peek back to where she came from, trying to see where the killer ran off to. Nothing was there, but the webs were still strong… She turned back to face the inside of the building and was met by a half masked face way too close to her own.
“H3ll0 n3wB!3!! Y0U se3M l1k3 a FuN 0n3~! L3T’$ PL@-A-AY!!!”
They threw a punch, a tendril lashing out and hitting Expendable as she tried to run. She was only able to get a few feet before her legs gave out completely. Her hands dug into the dirt below, catching the rest of her body.
“@www… t1r3d so s0-oo-0n? 7h@t’$ t0o bAd~!”
She rolled onto her back as a foot planted itself into her chest, pushing any air that remained in her lungs out. He smiled above her, a half comedy mask glowing under the purple moonlight.
Noli…?
His hand came down, tendril slashing her shoulder. The area became warm with blood but she didn’t scream. The tendril struck again, digging deep into her chest. Her lungs began to fill and all she did was watch. A third strike to the head and the world snapped to black.
. . .
The cold feeling of the ocean hugged her close, clinging to every surface. She found herself in a metal chair, sitting in front of a familiar desk. A light flickered on, a file slid open on the desk, mostly blacked out but some of it revealed.
“Oh, hello again. Guess you died? What a shame that must be.” He chuckled in that same sadistic tone, clearing his throat before continuing. “I hope you don’t mind the… lack of information. It’s a little stingy on how much I can give you at a time. Now onto what you died to… Oh… him…”
Sebastian’s voice ended off with a disgusted tone, one that Expendable knew quite well. She took a look at the document, two pictures of him were clear as day and the title read “Noli.” Simple as it was. Most of the document was hidden for now, but highlighted near the end was something rather important.
“Noli deals in both fake and real, make sure that the generator you’re working on isn’t a misdirection. Sounds, colors, even false symbols make it clear as to which ones will work and which ones will make you see double.”
Expendable slowly closed the document, watching Sebastian’s clawed hand pull it back.
“Maybe double check next time before connecting those wires…”
Her chair tilted back until she fell, sinking deeper and deeper into this endless abyss. The darkness was peaceful and welcoming, giving a well needed escape from what just happened.
She looked down at herself, noticing the wounds healing just as they had in the Soul Ocean. The scars stayed, a reminder of what she was, and so did that infection. It pulsed and glowed in the darkness, aching as it took more flesh for itself.
Light returned in an instant as she fell onto the lobby floor. A gasp escaped from her mouth as she began to cough up water that wasn’t there. She laid there, shaking, face to the floor, not wanting to get up. Lumi nuzzled against her face, worried chirps echoing in the empty room.
Footsteps cut the silence as someone approached her. It was Builderman, offering a hand to Expendable. She hesitated for a moment too long, her shaky hand slowly reached up to grab it.
“First death’s hard on e’ryone, don’ take it too harshly.”
His smile was soft, warm, almost comforting. Builder hoisted her up and onto her feet, guiding her over to the kitchen and sitting her down at the table. He quickly left, heading into the kitchen to grab something. Across from her was Taph, face down on the table. Noob sat next to them, empty glass in hand.
Then she saw Chance sitting next to Noob. Guilt filled her stomach, she couldn’t look at them, she couldn’t face her failure. She wasn’t made for failure, she was made to go again and again and again until success… and she couldn’t even do that.
Chance spoke up, “Hey, Expendable.”
She looked over to them for a moment, looking into their eyes then darting away. Her voice was quiet and short, “Yes, Chance?”
“Ya did good. Don’t let that one round get to ya. Noli just got the jump on us, nothing that could’ve been done about it.”
They took a sip from the Bloxy Cola in their hands, a faint smile visible across their face. It felt too calm, too dismissive of the reality of the situation, but it eased the tension.
Her hands dove into her pockets, feeling the tremors rising once more. She stood up, wanting, no NEEDING, to leave this place at least for a moment. That’s all she needed, a moment.
“Understood. Excuse me for a moment, I must attend to something.”
Her footsteps were rapid as she exited the lobby, Chance let out a sigh, the smile on their face going away as they took another swig. Builderman returned, a Bloxy and a bottle of water in hand, “Gone already?”
“Unfortunately.” Chance leaned back in their chair, “I was hoping to, I don’t know, talk to her? That round did not go well for either of us…”
“I was hopin’ for the same,” Builderman admitted. “She’s a curious one. Reserved. Quiet. On top of that I’ve never seen that typa gear before, makes mine look like scraps.”
He sat down, cracking open the Bloxy Cola and taking a sip from it, contemplating his next steps. Noob finished the last of their drink, running their fingers around the lip of the glass while speaking up,
“S..should we even do anyth-thing? There isn’t a reason t-to press, she’ll talk when she’s ready.”
Chance nodded, their own mind deep in thought, “I mean, her name is Expendable. That’s gotta mean something, right?”
They chuckled, not from humor but from discomfort. Their eyes dropped back down to the can rocking between their fingers. Eye contact was too much.
“Name’s don’t always mean what we think they mean,” Builder muttered.
“I-I mean.. she did refer to it as a.. umm… designation at first,” Noob added. “Maybe it’s not her name?”
Silence settled. It made sense in a fucked up way, but why keep it if it wasn’t hers? Why stick to a designation from a world she would never return to?
Taph looked up at the group, bringing their hands up to sign,
” 🤔❌📛❓ (What if she doesn’t have a name?)”
Notes:
2134 words
- -
Aaahhhhh I may need to slow down posting for a bit since school is ramping up BUT I'll still be uploading at least once a week >_<
Also! Go check out the Prologue again! I finally figured out how to post images sooooooo I added the drawing I did of Expendable!!Little lore(?) dump- Seb exists here but its not the same one from Hadal. Instead of Mr. Lopee watching him, its Spectre (but shhh, dont tell Expendable that)
As kind as Spectre may seem now, don't expect them to stay that way ;)Final thing, thank y'all for reading! I love looking at the comments and it just gives me more energy to keep writing :))
See ya in the next chapter! (this next one is a long one so prepare)
Chapter Text
Expendable nearly shoulder-checked the door to open it, desperate to get out, to run away. Her breathing turned shallow, shaking spreading down her limbs. Her hand drifted down her side, resting on the empty satchel where her injectors stayed. What does her body need?
She was barely able to get onto the stairs before her legs gave out, slipping on the second step. She landed on her ass, giving up on walking further and just deciding to stay sitting there.
Expendable’s hand pushed against her sternum, feeling the elevated and irregular heart beat. She went to take a deep breath, anything to calm herself down, only for it to be jagged and painful.
Her hands pulled at her beanie, frustrated, angry, disappointed. Lumi crawled onto her knees, pushing gently into Expendable’s abdomen, trying to ground her. It wasn’t helping. It wasn’t enough.
The porch boards creaked behind her as 007n7 stepped into the flickering lantern light. His steps were slow, cautious, similar to how one would approach a scared animal. He sat down next to her, giving her space but still nearby.
“You’re shaking,” he said simply.
Expendable’s voice was jagged and rough, “I am aware.” She took another breath, even more jagged than the previous, “Something is wrong.”
He nodded. No judgement, no disappointment, just understanding. He brought up his hand, sliding open a floating red and black interface, clicking on it a few times. Next to him a small, worn, metallic tin spawned from a bubble of red code. He opened the tin, setting down a single wrapped mint between them.
It wasn’t forcing anything, but the show of it hit Expendable a lot deeper than it should have. She looked down at the candy, then up to 007n7. His face was void of major emotions, near completely neutral.
“Something sharp to get your mind to focus on one thing,” he explained. “Some use a pointy object, others use the snap of a rubberband…”
He paused for a moment, continuing in a much softer tone, “I use mints.”
Lumi jumped off of her chest, waddling over to the wrapped mint. They sniffed it gently before grabbing it in their mouth and bringing it back to Expendable. She took the mint from Lumi, her shaky hands slowly and messily unwrapping it before popping it into her mouth.
The sting of mint was instant. The cold of the menthol froze her systems for just a second, and that second was all that was needed to reboot herself. Her lungs seized, then loosened. Her heart stuttered, then evened out. It was still too fast, but it was manageable.
A tear fell, running all the way down her cheek and landing on her lap. The shaking lessened. Things felt calm again. Her voice was barely there when she spoke, “I do not understand why this is happening…”
The hacker looked at her, his eyes filled with years of wisdom. Something about his body said that he’s done this hundreds of times before, “You’re used to running. Full throttle, no stopping, no breaks.”
“He’s not wrong…” she admitted to herself.
“Your body… it doesn’t know what to do when it doesn’t need to run.”
It wasn’t condemning. It wasn’t blaming. It was just a truth. A harsh one, but a truth no less. 007n7 slid closer, wrapping his arms around Expendable, pulling her into a hug. Not a tight one, she could leave whenever, but she didn’t want to.
He continued, “You’ll get through it. You already have.”
Expendable slowly reached one of her hands up, wrapping her arm around 7n7, holding him close. The embrace was warm, comforting, and calming. She had not experienced anything like this before, but it was nice.
Lumi crawled back into Expendable’s lap, pushing their entire weight into them to physically keep them grounded. They began to gently purr, hoping to help anything that was hurting. Expendable pulled back from the hug, finally centered, finally calm.
The door to the cabin swung open, Shedletsky stepping out with a couple cups of something hot. He opened his mouth, planning to say something snarky about the cold, before he noticed the former hacker. Seven wasn’t the one to converse with others, he normally stuck to the background, keeping things in check without directly interfering.
His words died before they were formed and he was stuck in place. 7n7 turned to face the door, catching his eyes in the process. He gestured for the admin to sit down with them. Shedletsky complied, sitting down next to Seven, wanting to give Expendable some space.
Shedletsky broke the silence, holding out the mugs to the other two, “Coffee?”
Seven took the mug in both hands, “Thanks.”
Expendable took the other one, her once shaky hands now still. She gave a small nod, looking into the steaming, brown drink with confusion. “What is… coffee?”
The admin turned to her, tilting his head and chuckling slightly, “You’ve never had coffee?”
“Not to my recollection.”
She stared into the mug again before taking a small sip. The bitter flavor and high heat sat on her tongue for only a moment before a single word made itself clear:
Disgusting…
She tried to keep her neutral expression, but something made it easy to tell she did not enjoy it. Shedletsky let out another small laugh while 007n7 smirked, sipping on his own mug.
“Imma take it that coffee is not for you?” Shedletsky asked between chuckles.
Expendable handed the mug back to Shedletsky, trying to shake the acrid taste off of her tongue. He gladly took it, occasionally sipping from it, watching the steam rise and escape into the cool night. The three of them sat in silence for what felt like hours, enjoying the cold air, watching the trees swaying in the wind.
. . .
The door creaked open again. All three of them turned around to see Noob, standing in the doorway with their signature nervous demeanor.
“I.. uh.. Elliot said to grab you g-guys for dinner. Only if you’re up for it! I.. I’d rather not in-interrupt anything..”
Shedletsky was the first to stand, stretching out his limbs and wings, “I could eat, how ‘bout you two?”
Seven turned to Expendable, looking for her opinions on the matter. A loud growl from her stomach answered for her. Flushes of pink grew on her face as the others chuckled slightly at the timing. Expendable stood up quickly, offering a hand to Seven, helping him up. The group returned inside, Lumi following closely behind.
The cabin was much more lively with everyone there. The same wooden table she spawned at was crowded with all of the different people she’s met. Plates, glasses, drinks, and food littered the table. Stories and conversation were passed around freely. Something resonated within her, a long lost memory pulsed.
It felt like family.
Expendable took a seat near the end of the table, subconsciously wanting to stay away from the crowd. 7n7 sat down next to her, a silent but gentle reminder that she no longer had to be alone. Elliot approached, plates balanced in his arms just as he’s done hundreds, if not thousands, of times.
He approached the two, going to set down a plate in front of Expendable before his eyes noticed something; The stiffness of her posture, the unsureness in her face, the way her eyes darted to someone else before she moved.
The placement of the plate was gentle, silent, close enough to say ‘you are wanted here’ and far enough to not crowd. He gave her a small smile and nod, “Eat up.”
Their eyes met for just a moment before Elliot moved to 7n7, setting the other plate down in front of him. That small snap of the eyes made a shiver crawl up her body. Her eyes stuck to the plate, her body tensed up, her foot began to tap.
These feelings, these emotions… they weren’t bad. But they were certainly different. A part of her wanted to run, this kindness never goes without reason, without requirement, but the other part told her to stay. Maybe this time it was different?
She let out a held breath, deciding to stay. There were no reasons as to the kindness. No demands or requirements either. She brought her hands up, grabbing onto a fork and looking at the food she was given.
…She had no clue what it was. It smelled like a mix of herbs and oils. It looked hand made, with bits of dough formed into uneven shapes. It felt like it was made with care. She stuck her fork into some of the pieces, staring closer at it before carefully taking a bite.
The noise of the world around her faded as the taste melted into her mouth. It was buttery and cheesy with the perfect hint of salt. The flavors by themselves were gentle, but together they created something comforting, something… familiar.
Warmth spread through her entire body, it almost felt like too much. Her stomach clenched for a moment, expecting another nearly-inedible chunk of wall dweller, but that never came. There was only warmth.
Her eyes drifted around the table as the noise faded back in, echoes of laughter and stories flooded her ears. Chance was sharing a much exaggerated recollection of the round before, hands waving in chaotic motions. Noob was laughing along to the story, adding their own memories of the events.
Elliot returned from the kitchen with a plate of his own, sitting down by Guest who was listening intently to the stories the others were sharing. 007n7 was quietly eating his own food, subtly reacting to the stories and Two Time was getting up from the table, empty plate in hand.
Taph, Builder, Shed, and Dusekkar all sat at the other end of the table, having a separate conversation. She was able to understand small blurbs from Taph’s signs, something about how the rounds went on their end along with wanting to talk to someone about something.
Expendable stopped paying attention after that, not wanting to intrude on private matters. Her mind turned back to her plate, back to the warmth that continued to spread throughout. Her shoulders dropped ever so slightly, her lungs didn’t feel just as full, that need to run finally faded away.
“Exie was there, too! Back me up!” Chance yelled, suddenly bringing her into a story she could not follow. “You saw Noli eat shit from Taph’s wires, right?!”
She froze mid-motion, fork hovering in front of her mouth, unsure what to respond with. She felt the sudden attention of the room turn towards her. Every single pair of eyes were locked onto her. The room didn’t go silent, the smaller noises just became sharpened, louder, and deafening.
She remembers what she saw, she knew the memory, it wouldn’t be difficult to describe but… her mind wouldn’t move to it, like it was locked. Her lungs remember running, not watching. Her mind remembered wires, not the faces.
That internal buzz, that feeling of needing to run, began growing. Lumi pushed into her abdomen, grounding her, reminding her where she was. She forced out a whisper, “...Yes,”
It was an obvious lie, but Chance went along with it. They laughed, pointing towards Two Time, “SEE! I told you! It was amazing to see!”
The attention turned away from Expendable, the tightness in her chest loosened as she let out a small, barely noticeable breath. The noise faded out again, her attention turning down to Lumi then back to her food.
…
The lobby became quiet as dinner died down. Running water and plates clinking filled the air as Chance was standing next to the sink, sleeves rolled up, soap covering their hands. 007n7 was next to them, also with his sleeves rolled up but a towel in his hands as he was drying the dishes Chance handed him.
Expendable lingered nearby, not helping or talking, but existing with the people she deemed safe. Lumi, on the other hand, was zooming around the kitchen and dining room; diving between legs, under furniture, and almost crashing into the island on several occasions.
Chance paused their movement, a soapy plate still in hand. They turned over to Expendable, not fully but just enough that she was able to see the curiosity lining their face.
“Hey, Exie, mind if I ask somethin’?”
Expendable tilted her head just a few degrees to the side, giving Chance permission to continue in her own way.
“You said your name is Expendable… well designation.” They shrugged, turning back to the dishes in hand, “But it doesn’t really feel like a name? How’d you choose it?”
She froze for just a moment, but it was a moment too long. Seven took note, opening his mouth to speak before being interrupted. Her voice came out thin around the edges,
“My ‘employers’ gave it to me.”
It almost hurt to say it out loud, to admit what she was. The grip on her sleeve tightened, her breathing turned robotic, her gaze switched towards Chance’s face. A small frown was present, not out of disappointment or shame, but from processing.
She continued quickly, like she had to give a reason,
“‘Expendable’ is efficient, easier to say than EXR-P. There was no need for another name.”
The words felt clean, clinical, and practiced. They hung in the air, it was something that belonged in a sterile environment under fluorescent lights, not a kitchen smelling of soap and spices. Chance’s hands slowed, water flowing freely over their knuckles.
“...Thats fucked up,” they said softly.
It wasn’t pity, but rather truth. 7n7 continued to dry the dish in his hands, not looking up but chiming into the conversation,
“That’s not a name someone gives, it’s a label.”
It made sense. Labels are something you wear, names are something you are. The difference wasn’t made clear to her until now.
“I… did not mind it,” she replied. Her words felt unsteady now, “It is simply what I am.”
Chance turned off the sink, drying off their hands and turning around to directly face Expendable, “Well, you’re not that anymore. So you can choose differently if you want to.”
There wasn’t any pressure or expectation behind the words, just possibilities for the future. Her brain began thinking, debating… She didn’t know how to respond, but maybe she didn’t have to this time.
The grip on her sleeve loosened, and that was enough.
Notes:
2411 words
- -
FISH-Anyways, since Thanksgiving is next week I might take a break from posting for a week? Just two days (gives me time to catch up on writing lol)
I'll still give the next chapter on Saturday since I kinda made my schedule Wednesday and Saturday postings (and it leaves off on a fun note for a longer break)
I hope y'all enjoyed this chapter :P
Chapter Text
She was already running, boots pounding into the concrete, the sterile hallways of Hadal flashing past in white streaks. A familiar warmth flowed through her body, a mix of fear and adrenaline. Her hand released from the SPR-INT injector, letting it fall and clatter against the floor.
Loud roaring shook the hallways from behind her, making her ears ring in pain. She kept running. Slowing down only meant death.
Her lungs began to ache, her legs grew tired, a metallic taste clawed at the back of her throat. Her hands dove back to her pockets, finding nothing to grab, nothing to save her. Eventually the path split, leaving her in the middle of a fork. Left or right? She didn’t get a moment to think, her legs began moving on their own, acting on instinct.
The roars got louder, ear-piercing scrapes against metal had her hands clawing at her ears. It was getting closer, but she couldn’t look back. The overhead lights began to flicker, the shaking intensified, it was almost on top of her.
Her feet kept moving, desperate to stay alive, desperate for safety. Then a sound cut through the air. Not sirens, not claws, but a voice,
“Z-4192. Halt.”
Everything stopped. The world around her flicked to nothingness as if someone hit a light switch. Her breath caught in her throat, her body froze not in fear but in recognition. She knew that voice.
She stood there among the vast emptiness as a new place snapped into the world like a puzzle. She was standing in a clear chamber, opaque water up to her ankles, machines humming in the distance. Silhouettes of scientists and guards surrounded her, watching her, examining her.
Floodlights hummed around her, highlighting everything right and wrong about this, about her. She knew this place. It wasn’t from memory, but from instinct. She tried to step back, her body did not obey. Restraints locked her in place, or maybe she didn’t need them anymore. Maybe obedience was enough.
The silhouettes moved and shifted. Some bodies became clearer but the faces were blurry. A speaker crackled to life,
“Begin cycle.”
Icy water rushed into the chamber, surging upwards, nearly pulling her down. Her lungs seized for a moment before loosening. The water filled her lungs, breathing coming naturally to her. The darkness lightened as her eyes adjusted naturally.
Shapes swirled around her in the darkness. They were familiar; Not companions, but targets. Her hands started to move in precise and practiced motions. Her spine aligned and her breathing became mechanical. The voice spoke again,
“Z-4192, proceed with your test.”
Her body reacted well before her mind did. She cut through the water like a knife, chasing after the figures with a predatory instinct. She didn’t feel fear, she belonged here.
Until something flickered at the edge of the containment, a reflection of a dim, green hue. The figure faded in more, revealing the man with his cane, a large grin strung across his face.
Mr. Lopee…
A crack formed in her composure as his gaze burned into her. The calm she maintained crumpled instantly as their eyes continued to look into the other’s. Everything around her blurred, the floodlights shattered, darkness took over her surroundings.
Everything vanished except him. Staring. Watching.
She felt breathing down her neck, a loud growl vibrating the air around her. She turned to look, and teeth glinted back.
. . .
She woke up.
Her body jolted up, already running for the door. The tangle of blankets caught her legs, yanking her to the floor. Lumi jumped down from the bed next to her, pushing into her face, purring loudly in a frantic way.
Her skin was slick with sweat, she was breathing fast and uneven, her hands trembled. The room was too quiet. No alarms echoed, no roars shook the ground, it was just the slight rattle of the fan. It didn’t feel real.
Lumi curled into the crook of her neck, chirping softly. Her hand reached up to them, resting gently on their soft fur. It pushed their head into Expendable’s hand, similar to how a cat would. Her other hand rested against her chest, feeling her breathing and heartbeat as it slowed. This was real, everything she found herself in now was real.
But that dream… it clung to her thoughts like velcro. The voice, the containment, the water. It was all still there, replaying in her mind. She wanted to let it out, set it free, but it stuck to her like it was afraid to let go.
“Just a dream,” she mumbled to herself. But she didn't really believe it.
Expendable laid there for a long time, gently patting Lumi, letting her body calm itself down. The smell of rain-filled the room as droplets of water hit the window. She looked up at her redline.gui, the red screen reading 4:24am. Too early to start the day, too late to go back to sleep.
The lingering adrenaline didn't help as she started to get up. Her hands still trembled as she removed the blanket from her legs. She stood up, walking over to her chair to grab her jacket. She hadn't even bothered to change out of her normal cargo pants and tank top before sleeping. The feeling of being unprepared made her stomach twist.
She reached for the door. Lumi nudged her leg, looking up at her and giving a small peep. Expendable sighed, letting out a faint chuckle as she picked them up and placed them upon their “perch”, which was just her shoulder. The door opened with a creak. The cold, rain-filled air pushed against her, sending a shiver throughout her body.
It cleared the fog in her mind and she began her way to… somewhere. Anywhere to take her mind off of that dream. The rest of the camp was dark, no lights, no sounds, just the pale moonlight reflecting against the droplets in the air.
Her boots crunched against the gravel, rain pattered against her clothes. It was still too quiet. The hairs on the back of her neck stood, the adrenaline from earlier still having control over her fear.
She could see movement ahead of her, approaching her at a constant pace. The shape of someone emerging through the fog. Expendable’s hand crept down to where she kept her flash beacon, something deep within her mind screamed to run, to fight, to do anything but stand there.
The silhouette angled slightly, the bright blue hair shone through the fog. She started to recognize the posture, the stride, the stance. It was Guest. Her white-knuckled grip on the flash beacon loosened. It wasn’t something to run from. The relief was there, just barely overpowered by the panic that remained.
He slowed down as he approached, stopping a few paces in front of her. His eyes drifted over her figure for a moment, taking notes; The messy hair, drying sweat, and subtle trembles. Something gentle smoothed his expression before he spoke,
“Rough night?”
Expendable dryly swallowed, “I… yes. I needed some air.”
Guest nodded once, understanding but not prying, “I get it.”
Expendable shifted her weight, the tension still stuck like water in a sponge. Lumi pushed against her face, chirping softly, trying to calm the waves from a storm they didn’t fully understand.
Guest looked over at Lumi, then back to Expendable, “You seem ready to get on with the day.” He nodded his head back to the path he came from. “You wanna walk with me? Or run, whichever works better.”
She blinked. The kindness of the offer caught her off guard and her mind did a double take. Guest never spoke in long stretches, but when he did it really meant something. It reminded her of someone.
“...A run,” she quietly stated. “A run would be good.”
Guest nodded, almost expecting her to answer that way, “Alright, keep pace with me. Yell if you need me to slow down.”
Expendable stood beside him, waiting as Lumi got situated. Guest took the first few steps, unhurried and calm. Expendable followed his lead, keeping her steps light. The gravel crunched underneath the rhythmic pattern of their footsteps as they went further into the forest.
It was silent at first, just the two of them listening to the patter of rain and crunching of the leaves beneath their feet. It was comforting not standing in the silence, but moving through it with someone else.
A low branch skimmed across Expendable’s shoulder and Lumi jumped at it, swatting and chirping angrily at the offending leaves. Guest let out an exhale-covered chuckle, turning to Expendable while keeping pace,
“Your little creature seems to have some good reflexes.”
She let out a faint breath, “Lumi is protective. They seem to know when I’m not… stable.”
He turned back forward, giving a nod, “It’s a good instinct to have.”
Expendable pulled her hand up to where Lumi sat, pushing her fingers gently through their fur, “They kept me steady back then. They still do now.”
Guest gave a nod of acknowledgement, thinking back to Matt and how they would help each other through the rough patches. The memories came back for just a moment. Gunshots, explosions, and yelling flooded his mind. His pace slowed to a walk.
Expendable took notice, slowing down to stay next to him. She recognized the shifts in his posture, the way his eyes darted around to look at things she couldn’t see. He shook his head, trying to clear his mind of the memories.
She didn’t speak. Instead she plucked Lumi off of her shoulder and handed them directly to Guest with both hands. Guest looked at the critter, then to Expendable, then back. He carefully took Lumi into his hands, being cautious in the movements.
Lumi was protective, wary of strangers, and rarely left her side. Expendable offering them over so easily said I trust you with the one thing that steadies me. He looked down at them, Lumi gave a small trill in return before snuggling and pushing into his chest.
And it worked. The memories were still there but the stiffness lessened. Guest let out a slow and steady breath, “Thank you.”
Expendable gave a small nod in return.
Guest carefully repositioned Lumi in his arms, glancing down the path, “We’re close to the turn around point. Figure we can head back now.”
She stepped beside him, ready to follow once more. They walked a few paces before a smirk grew on Guest’s face. An idea formed.
“You know… I haven’t done a full sprint in quite some time.”
Expendable tilted her head, curious.
He nodded his head over to the distant glow of the cabin, “Race you back.”
“A race?”
“You said a run would be good, might as well make it fun,” he said with a chuckle.
Expendable looked back to the path, giving a small nod to accept the challenge. Guest adjusted his stance, letting Lumi hop onto his shoulders, “Three…”
She slipped into her own stance, one that felt natural and practiced.
“Two…” Guest continued.
Both of them looked forward into the dimly lit pathway, their eyes set straight for the cabin.
“One…”
Expendable took a breath, her legs crouching down, ready to spring.
“GO!”
Guest bolted, moving with all the force in his body. And she… well she disappeared. Her legs launched the rest of her body forward with a speed that seemed inhuman. The trees blurred around her, her feet found exactly where to plant even though she’s never been on this trail before.
But deep in her mind she wasn’t racing. She was running the only way she knew. A way to survive. A way to not get caught. A way to escape. Her training took over, keeping her breath steady, arms loose, and pace wide. She didn’t look back. She didn’t think. She just ran.
Guest kept pushing, determination driving him to keep going. He was losing ground, not quickly nor embarrassingly, but enough to make it a significant gap. Hell, she might be faster than Elliot at this pace.
Expendable kept moving, the gap growing and growing until she heard him behind her. His heavy, steady footsteps pulled a memory from deep within. The same memories that have been haunting her for months. Something was chasing her, something was hunting her. She knew it was Guest behind her… but what if it wasn’t?
What if the man that saved her from a bloodthirsty murderer wasn’t the one closing in? What if it was a wall dweller? What if it was the Noli of this place? Her steps faltered. She turned around, just to double check, just to make sure it was still Guest.
And it was. He was still here, still holding Lumi, still running with her. She wasn’t running from danger. She was running for fun.
And that slight hesitation nearly cost her.
Guest surged forward, quickly closing the long distance between the two. Her mind snapped back to the now, quickly getting herself back into running towards the cabin. They were neck and neck for a while, Lumi’s chirps and trills of excitement fueling them both.
The porch quickly came into view, closer with every breath. Expendable pushed harder, and Guest matched her. With every step each of them took, the gap tightened. She looked to the side, and saw him look back. Pools of purple met seas of blue.
Two war-torn souls, finding comfort in each other, finding fun in something that had once meant survival. A smile creeped onto her face and she turned back to the cabin, it was right there.
But who would reach the porch first?
Notes:
2283 words
- -
Uhmm... HI
I know its later in the day but I forgot it was Saturday for a bit lol (i mightve also woken up late and had stuff to do)
BUT HERES THE CHAPTER!!!Anyways, I will be taking a week break from posting because Thanksgiving is coming up here in America!
So have a happy thanksgiving if you celebrate and I will see y'all in December.
(on a side note the Grace OST is a bop)
Chapter Text
Her foot slammed down onto the wooden platform just a half second before Guest, but she didn’t stop. The dampness of the planks gave her no friction to stop, leaving her tumbling through the front door.
It flew open with a bang, the squeaky sounds of wet boots echoed in the mostly empty room. She skidded and stumbled before losing her balance, slamming into the floor, rolling a few feet until her eventual halt.
Expendable landed on her back, staring up to the ceiling, completely out of breath. A thin and shaky laughter escaped her lungs, one she couldn’t hold back.
Elliot, who was mid-sip and struggling to not spray his coffee everywhere, looked down at her, “Uhh… Good morning…?”
Silverware dropped onto a plate as Taph rushed over to help, crouching down to her and signing, “🫵 🆗❓🫵 ⚠️ 🆘⁉️(Are you okay? Do you need help??)”
She continued to lay there, catching her breath, weakly raising her hand to show a thumbs up. More breathless giggles slipped out as Guest walked in, his stride as slow as a stroll in the park.
He looked around the room, Elliot standing off to the side with a mug in hand, Taph crouched down and signing somewhat frantically, and Expendable starfished on the floor, smiling and chuckling. Lumi wriggled their way out of his arms, hopping over to Expendable.
Guest sighed, letting out his own string of chuckles at the mess. Elliot looked over to him, "Do you have an explanation for all of this?”
“She won,” he said plainly.
Taph looked over at the soldier, tilting their head with panicked confusion, “ 😧🏁⁉️(THAT was winning?!)”
Guest looked back down at Expendable, her small laughter and smile becoming contagious, “She got here first. Stopping wasn’t a part of the rules.”
Elliot let out a chuckle, looking down at Expendable, “Okay, but, do you need help? Or do you plan to live on the floor now?”
She took a breath, looking towards Elliot, “I will get up… eventually.”
Elliot shook his head before retreating back to the kitchen, Taph helped Expendable sit up, checking over her again for wounds, and Guest stepped further into the cabin, walking up to Expendable. He reached his hand out, palm up.
“C’mon, Ex. Up ya go.”
She grasped his hand, getting pulled up onto her feet. They proceed to walk to the dining room, Guest walking slowly next to Expendable in case her legs failed her once more. Taph glided next to them with light and quick steps. Lumi perched happily on her shoulder as if nothing had happened.
Breakfast was simple. Warm, quiet, and full of calm chatter that comes before a storm. Most were talking about old rounds and risky stunts, others spoke regarding who they thought the next killer would be. Expendable didn’t say much, but she didn’t need to.
- -
The stillness quickly vanished once the next round started. Expendable and Taph found themselves spawned next to each other. The rain continued its gentle patter while the two of them moved into a two story house that was nearby.
Taph got to work, setting up a nest of tripwires and subspace mines. Expendable began working on the generator upstairs, the wiring seemed to be a lot easier this time around.
A loud whistle shot through the air, making both Expendable and Taph jump. She looked at the other with confusion.
“ 🤔❓(What was that about?)”
“ 👉️⚔️.🕴️♥️🙋♂️💡(It’s the killer. Mafioso loves to make himself known.)” Taph responded.
She gave a nod in understanding, even if that understanding was minimal. The generator roared loudly as the last set of wires connected. A pair of footsteps echoed from downstairs, followed by a loud boom. Taph began to run, grabbing Expendable’s arm in the rush, urging her to just run. She followed, not questioning their judgement.
There were no webs, which was weird, but Taph’s mine did go off, a harsh smell of gunpowder filling the air. Something was there, something hostile, but she couldn’t see it. They stopped running once behind a nearby wall. Taph was already prepping another mine, peeking over their shoulder to watch who they were running from.
Expendable stood there, confused, trying to figure out her next moves. She reached into her pocket, pulling out a yellow injector. “Neloprophine..” she thought to herself. It wasn’t useful right now, probably useful later, but not now.
An idea popped into her head, something that might be able to help. “Lumi, trade,” she commanded.
She held the injector up to the sea bunny who gladly took it and ran off with it. Taph looked over at her, confused but going with it. Lumi returned quickly, excitedly hopping back over to Expendable with a vial of SPR-INT.
It was exactly what she craved needed. She picked them up, giving a small scratch while taking the vial and sliding it into her pouch.
“ 👉🔆🔄📦️❓(Can they do that with anything?)” Taph signed.
“ 📦💰👉🔆, ❌🫤(Everything has a value to them so I would not doubt it,)” She returned.
The tension broke with a distant yell. Heavy footsteps approached rapidly, so did the painful screams. Out of nowhere, Chance was slammed into the wall across from them, a flaming sword sticking through his chest.
On the other end of the sword was a tall shadow, wearing a fitted suit and a fedora that perfectly covered his eyes. Two long, black bunny ears were slicked back underneath.
"Thought you could run after what you stole from us?!" he yelled as Chance’s body went limp.
His eyes flicked over to Expendable and Taph. A toothy smile formed on his face, “Found ya.”
Both of them began to move, scrambling to get away from Mafioso. Taph threw down their prepared mine. It quickly exploded in a large cloud of pinks and purples, covering their escape.
Mafioso reeled back, dazed by the explosion. "You won't get far with this!" he growled.
The two dashed off, running past the house they found themselves in earlier and up a small hill. Two others stood in their path, one has a fuzzy hat and holds a crowbar, the other has a white top hat and holds a sword similar to the one Mafioso has.
“Hold it right there! Boss doesn’t want ANYONE leavin’ alive!” Soldier demands.
Expendable looked at Taph and Taph was looking right back at her. Her hand slipped down to the satchel containing the cyan-tinted injector, waiting for the perfect moment.
“ 🐰⬅️💣➡️❓(You go left, I go right?)” Taph suggested.
She nodded in response, jamming the needle deep within her thigh. The cold fluid shot into her, fueling her, satiating a need deep within. She ran directly at the two goons, it looked like she would crash into them. At the last moment, she dodged to the side, ducking under their swings as a taunt.
“OI! GET BACK ‘ERE!” Consigliere shouted, chasing after her.
Soldier followed behind, leaving Taph by themselves but safe. They quickly moved to another spot, knowing that Mafioso wasn’t far off their trail. Checking the redline.gui only made things worse;
Chance- DEAD
Veeronica- DEAD
Elliot- DEAD
Noob- DEAD
Half the team was gone already. Something in Taph’s stomach twisted but they remained strong and determined. On a somewhat brighter side, Guest was low on health, Shedletsky seemed to be healing, and somehow Expendable was still in good condition.
Taph pulled out another mine, knuckles turning white with the grip. They quickly assembled it, tossing it into a corner with a soft thump. They walked back a few feet, pushing one of the tripwire stakes into the ground and pulling back.
A voice behind them disrupted the calm, “Cute trap, who’s it for?”
Taph’s entire being whipped around at the sudden voice. A shadow loomed over them, staring into their featureless face with his signature grin. Smoke billowed out of the shadow as Mafioso pulled his cigar from his mouth.
“You tried your best, kid. I’ll give it to ya. But nobody escapes from the Sonnellinos.”
He grabbed Taph by the neck, picking them up and snapping their neck with ease. He tossed the body off to the side and began to walk off, humming a small melody to himself.
- -
The light returned as soon as it vanished. Their feet landed on the wooden floor of the cabin, echoing through the empty main room. They stood there for a moment, taking everything in; the lingering smoke on their robes, the burning sensation in their lungs, and the slowly dissipating pain in their neck.
Taph quickly worked their way up the stairs, walking into the recreational room where the television sat. Everyone was there except for Guest, Shed, and Expendable. They slowly approached the group, tugging onto Dusekkar’s robes,
“ ❓⭕👀📍(How’s the round looking from here?)” they signed.
Dusekkar could only respond with the shake of his head. It wasn’t looking good. They turned to the television just as a sword slashed through Guest’s neck. There was a collective recoil at the scene, with gasps and mumbles to ease the strained silence.
The screen switched to Shedletsky, he was in the middle of a sword fight with Consigliere. It was an even match for a moment, Shedletsky threw a backhand swing, sparks flew as the two swords collided.
He followed it up with a circular parry, sending the other sword flying off to the side and stabbing into the grass. A single kick to the chest sent him flying down the hill, Shedletsky pointed his sword at Consigliere.
“Get lost,” he spat.
His sword raised up, glimmering in the lantern light, readying for a final strike that never came. Another blade burst through his chest from behind, streaks of crimson turned into pools, staining his white shirt.
The sword was ripped out with a sickening, wet scrape. Shedletsky fell to the floor, his sword clattered next to him. The television snapped to static, sitting at the grey screen for a moment before switching to Expendable.
Everyone could feel the hope drop as they realized the situation. The newest survivor, her first LMS, and it was against one of the more brutal killers. They all sat in silence, watching, waiting for the inevitable.
- -
Expendable reached into her jacket, pulling out her flash beacon, when her wrist buzzed. She glanced down at the GUI,
Shedletsky- DEAD
That only left… her. “Shit…”
A timer appeared on the red and black screen, 2:00. Two minutes to survive. Two minutes by herself. Her eyes scanned the surroundings, noticing a red aura far in the distance. It began moving towards her slow and methodical.
The aura faded and she started moving, trying to stay one step ahead. She passed a broken sailboat, looking out over the more open field. She saw the goons, all grouped up together, walking in a line and scanning everything.
Probably best to move the other way. So she did, moving back the way she came, following the shadows, and staying out of sight.
1:26
Orange webs slowly encroached on her vision. A hard jolt of cortisol flowed through her nerves. Expendable pressed herself against a lone wall, just as heavy and calculated steps got closer and closer.
“I know you’re nearby,” he said, voice calm, cold, and close. “You can’t run forever, you know.”
Her lungs locked, holding in a breath way too tight. The footsteps paused, turned, and slowly approached the wall.
1:04
Metal scraped against stone as Mafioso rounded the end of the wall, staring directly at Expendable. She bolted, tearing past him in a blind sprint. His gaze followed her as she moved, a grin pulled onto his face.
A blur of blacks and whites dashed at her, closing the gap instantly. The sharp blade bore into her back, causing her to stumble forward and into the dirt. She rolled onto her back, looking up at the towering man in front of her.
“No need to make this difficult,” he rumbled, annoyance clipping at the edges of the words.
Expendable’s breath was jagged, her muscles felt like tar, but she needed to stay alive. What else was she made for, anyways? A hand dove into her jacket, gripping the flash beacon as hard as it could. She pointed it at the man and clicked the trigger.
Slight sun-spots formed in her vision as Mafioso reeled back, an arm covering his face. Her fingers dug into the dirt, pulling the rest of her body up and away.
0:37
She peeked at her .gui, just a little longer. Mud splashed under each step, staining her pants and boots. Her legs burned, her lungs wanted to quit, but she couldn’t allow that. A faint click of metal echoed throughout the area, a clear sign that he was about to dash again.
She rounded the corner and he slid right by, the heat of the sword tickling her skin.
"You can't run forever!" he yelled, anger tinting his voice.
Her eyes lingered behind her for a moment too long and she ran straight into one of the goons. They both tumbled away from the other, Contractee was caught by Caporegime and Expendable rolled down the hill.
0:19
She stared up at the sky, rain pattered against her face, she felt winded. Her arm grasped at the grass around her, trying but failing to get back up. The two other goons stepped next to her, yelling for someone, but all she could hear was ringing.
A fist slammed onto her collar and wretched her upwards, splitting the fabric at the seams. The ground disappeared from underneath her, leaving the rest of her body dangling. She weakly clawed at his coat sleeve, gasping for air, trying to focus on what stood in front of her.
He looked over to his gang, "Good stuff, boys."
Mafioso’s gaze turned back to Expendable, anger and bloodlust burning a hole into her. His hand gripped the hilt of his sword, pushing the tip of the blade into her chest. First pressure, then pain. Her body reacted instinctively, thrashing, kicking, punching… anything to get free.
The sloppy strikes never caused him to falter, but it made her jacket twist, made his grip tighten, made her beanie slip. It loosened, teetered, and fell, splatting into the mud below. His sword pushed a fraction deeper before stopping, the red dripped off of the blade, staining her shirt, tinting the rainwater below.
0:07
His eyes widened at the sight, confused but curious as to what in the hell was up with this new survivor. The antennae stood tall, both glowing a dim green. One was half rotted away, the other showed the same signs.
The grip on Expendable’s collar stayed, but that rampant bloodlust washed away in the rain. The blade didn’t push deeper, but stayed where it was.
0:05
Expendable’s face filled with fear, her once secure secret was revealed. Something she was told to hide, something she was shamed for… and now others knew.
0:03
“...that’s interestin’,” he muttered under his breath.
0:02
The edges of the world lightened, something made her head feel light.
0:01
The grip on her jacket loosened slightly, but she was still stranded in the air.
0:00
The world flashed white.
Notes:
2551 words
- -
BOO!
I really wanted to post it so here's the next chapter a day early!
I will admit, I didn't want this chapter to go on for so long butttttt it needed the extra kick.
Hope you guys had a good Thanksgiving if you celebrated, see ya later :DExtra note- I just realized I've been posting for a month now and holy hell a part of me thought I wouldn't get this far
Chapter 10: Chapter 9: More… Faces?
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The world shifted and warped, but the grip on her jacket stayed consistent. She felt something pull at her, trying to tug the two apart, but they stuck together.
The blinding white faded into a subtle gray. As her eyes adjusted she took in the surroundings, cold stone walls, dimly lit lanterns… this wasn’t where she belonged.
A rainbow of webs clouded her vision, every single color imaginable attacked her mind. It was overwhelming and painful. She let go of Mafioso’s sleeve, pushing her hands against her eyes, clawing at the skin.
A voice spoke in the background, “The hell’d you bring this time?”
Footsteps approached and the rainbow webs thickened, pulsing with every heartbeat. She curled inwards, the grip of her fingers dug deeper, trying to peel the sensation away. Her antennae twitched and trembled, pressing back against her head.
Mafioso’s grip softened, slowly lowering her to the ground but still holding her up. “Easy there, tesoro. Take a breath.”
Another voice chimed in, “What’s with the… ya know.”
Her hands were forcefully pulled from her face, the grip of Mafioso’s hand was firm but surprisingly gentle. Her eyes darted around the room, smears of color made blurred shapes, big and looming but no faces.
The air felt different here. Heavy, stale, and hostile. Her breathing only quickened, her fingers began to tremble, her legs felt weak.
“Just breathe through it, in… and out…” his voice was gentle, unusual for someone of his stature.
A breath caught in her throat, she wasn’t able to breathe. The colors continued to smear, like oil on water. She couldn’t make out shapes but the voices sharpened.
“That ain’t one of ours,” someone muttered.
“Why is it shaking?” another joked.
They stepped closer, too close. Expendable tried to run, tried to move, but her muscles wouldn’t listen. Her knees buckled and her body dropped, only being held up by Mafioso’s grip on her jacket.
“Back off,” Mafioso snapped, the warmth and gentleness gone in an instant. “You’re crowdin’ her.”
The room paused for only a moment before everything shifted again. Mafioso’s demands were ignored and people kept approaching. Someone reached for something, another stood up, and a more familiar figure approached way too quickly.
Their half-comedy mask stood out among the blur. He chuckled, tilting his head to the side, “Y0u 5uRV1ved!? H0w’d yOU m@nag3 7h@t?!”
Expendable flinched, her hand sliding down to her pocket, reaching for something. Yet it was met with nothing. No tools, no injectors, nothing.
Noli leaned in, the distortion radiated off of him like an uncomfortable heat. They reached a hand out, wanting to touch the strange features of the survivor. He’s seen wings, plants, and technology. But never something so… bug-like.
And that closeness was enough for Mafioso. He moved, not a step but a displacement. A hand yanked Expendable behind him, gentle in the grasp but quick on the movement, planting himself between the two.
“Non toccarla.” A simple, venomous warning, Don’t touch her.
“O0h, CoM3 O-0N!1! Y0u’r3 Cur1Ou-” Noli’s glitchy voice was cut short.
“Ti sto avvisando…” Mafioso growled, “Back. Off.”
Someone in the room snickered, another exhaled loudly. Noli stared at Mafioso, their expression glitchy and unreadable. Mafioso stared back, calm, collected, and not backing down in the slightest.
Noli lifted both hands in an exaggerated surrender, taking a few steps backwards before completely walking off.
Mafioso turned halfway, peeking over his shoulder to check on Expendable but still keeping his peripherals on the others. His voice dropped back to a gentle whisper, only for her to hear.
“Andiamo,” he said. “Come with me.”
The words didn’t reach her, but the tone did. Not soft, not optional. A directive. Expendable’s body subtly stiffened. Her spine straightened, her hands dropped to her sides, and her eyes unfocused. A conditioned response made over years of work.
Don’t ask questions, just follow orders.
Her breathing steadied in the same way a machine would. She didn’t look up at Mafioso, she just followed behind him, staying within arms reach. One step after another, deeper within the confines of the castle.
Expendable’s vision flickered, the rough stone morphing to the white halls of Hadal, the dim lantern light flashing to the fluorescent lamps that filled the testing chambers. A voice, faint but present, clipped in her head,
“Z-4192, proceed.”
She could feel the internal spiral as it tightened and tightened, but her body showed nothing wrong. Mafioso placed a hand between her shoulder blades, guiding her through the maze of stone. She didn’t flinch, not because she was calm but because her mind had dove to somewhere else entirely.
The two of them approached a large set of wooden doors, much more ornate than the rest of the building. Mafioso pushed one of the doors open, guiding Expendable inside.
The room was warm with velvet curtains, black leather furniture, and lit candles strewn about. The four goons were also there, Soldier and Contractee were playing cards, Consigliere leaned against the wall near the door, and Caporegime stood near the desk in the center of the room.
They all looked up and over to the door as they entered, straightening their posture and giving small greetings.
“Evenin’ boss.”
“Welcome back, boss!”
“Heya, boss,” Caporegime stated, his eyes drifting over to Expendable. “Is she alr-”
“No.” Mafioso cut him off, his words snappy but more gentle compared to how they were with the other killers, “But she will be.”
He removed the guiding hand from her back, gesturing to the chair in front of his desk.
“Sit down, please.”
Expendable lowered herself into the chair, posture rigid, hands placed neatly onto her lap. Her eyes avoided Mafioso, instead choosing to look at the flickering flame of the candle on his desk. Mafioso leaned against the edge of the desk, facing Expendable with a calm but attentive demeanor.
“Alright, first things first, what’s your name?”
“...My designation is Z-4192,” she replied flatly.
His eyebrows scrunched at the response, “And… where are you from?”
She thought about it for a moment, letting the question process, “H-Hadal Blacksite. Under orders from… from the doctor.”
“Do you remember anyone you’ve worked with?”
“Other operatives… were occasionally present. Standard parameters included.. solo work.”
The rest of the room quietly tensed. The card game paused, Cosilierge looked over, and Caporegime paused what he was working on.
Mafioso’s voice softened, “And how are you feelin’ right now?”
Expendable’s eyes darted around, her antennae twitched, “...Stable. Physiological status substandard. Minor Stage-1 Lazarophora viridis infection present… Psychological status substandard. Memory… Memory degradation present.”
Mafioso’s jaw tightened, the clinicalness of her words set something off. “You’re still runnin’ around with all that? Infections, memory loss… You shouldn’t even be walkin’ like that.”
“Mobility remains functional,” she stated, no hesitation in the words. “Pain suppression protocol compensates.”
That phrase made the air turn still. Caporegime slowly turned to work on something else, Concigliere turned fully to the door, Soldier and Contractee turned back towards each other. But they still listened. None of them wanted to interfere but everyone was curious.
Mafioso exhaled sharply through his nose, anger present in his tone but not directed to Expendable, “Kid, this ain’t normal. Pain suppression… that’s not..”
He stopped himself, noticing the rising malice in his tone. He relaxed his shoulders and took a breath, combing his fingers through his hair and straightening out his bunny ears.
He tried again, gentler this time, “So when all did this start? The memory problems, the infection, the… protocols?”
She blinked once, slow and mechanical, “Symptoms began… in early operations. Only treatments assigned are to… to treat Lazarophora viridis infection. Other treatment… deprioritized.”
“Deprioritized by who?” The anger was back. His hand curled into a fist and he let out another sharp exhale.
She hesitated, not out of fear but almost like a computer was loading an old file. “Ov-… Overseer. Primary directives were to com..complete objectives no matter deterioration.”
Her fingers twitched against her legs, barely perceivable, but its "humanness" stuck out like a sore thumb. Mafioso picked up on it.
He leaned forward against the desk, “Okay. Look at me for a moment, tesoro.”
She didn’t move, her gaze still stuck on the dancing flame of the candle.
“Non posso credere che lo sto dicendo...” Mafioso muttered under his breath. “Z-4192, look at me.”
Her head turned towards him with the stiffness of a machine. Their eyes met, but behind hers was nothing. No fear, no recognition, only the hollowness of something awaiting another command.
“Are you in any pain right now?” he asked.
Her eyes didn’t move, her expression didn’t shift, only the smallest flick of her antennae showed that she even heard the question.
“Pain is… managed,” she answered.
“That’s not what I asked,” Mafioso said quietly.
A shiver ran up her arms and down her spine. Incorrect answers are not tolerated. Unsatisfactory responses are to be fixed.
Mafioso saw it all, the tightening posture, the tremor at the base of her neck, the way she braced for a blow that would never come. It was something he’d seen hundreds of times before, but he wasn’t smiling this time.
“None of that, tesoro. You’re not bein’ punished,” he said gently. “I’m askin’ you as a person. Are you hurt?”
Her antennae twitched instinctively, a reaction she couldn’t hide. She went to speak but the words never formed. A hint of fear formed behind her blank eyes, afraid of what would come if she didn’t respond.
But Mafioso was patient. He continued to sit, watching with a delicate stare, waiting for Expendable to gather her words and speak on her own.
“Physiological…” the words came out gravely and slow. She shook her head sharply, needing to respond, “Pain is… managed.”
. . .
Another harsh sigh broke the silence of the room. Anger radiated off of the mafia boss, not directed at anyone in particular but rather the situation at hand. Expendable flinched at the sudden noise and curled up tighter, looking away and shutting her eyes, bracing.
From the corner of the room, Contractee shifted uncomfortably in his chair. Everyone was thinking it but only he decided to say it.
“Don…” he leaned forward in the chair, elbows to knees. “She looks like she’s gonna pass out or somethin’.”
Soldier punched him in the shoulder, whispering behind closed teeth, “Shut up, man. Let the boss do his thing.”
“Alright, alright…” Contractee whispered back, his voice low but not low enough. “I’m just sayin’ she looks bad. Like sick bad.”
Expendable’s grip tightened, the fabric nearly ripped at the pressure. That word… sick… it meant she was useless. It meant she was deprioritized. It meant that she was removed.
“N..no sick- No sickness.. present… No tr-treatment nesce..nescessary..” Her breathing quickened, shallow and panicked. She was scared.
“Hey, hey look at me,” Mafioso said, leaning in closer, “Don’t listen to those idiots, focus here.”
Her gaze jumped directly to his. The eye contact felt artificial.
“Are you in any pain right now?” he asked again, voice soft and controlled.
Her mouth clicked open… and no sound came out. But she gave a small nod. It might have been tiny, but it was a response. One that felt more human than machine.
He let out an exhale, not out of frustration but relief. “Good. That’s all I needed to hear. Thank you.”
But she didn’t calm down. It didn’t make sense, why was she being allowed to express her needs? Why was she being allowed to express weakness? Did she fuck up? Was she being punished?
Her eyes flicked back to the candle flame. Its movements grew harsher and more violent until it split into two. Then four. Then six. The room melted around her, bleeding into red streaks that smeared her vision.
The skies opened above her, black clouds and strangled red stars stared down at her. Her hands trembled, fingers clawing into her palms, nearly drawing blood. Her head turned dizzy, her body became unsteady, she could feel herself slipping away from her body.
More muffled words filled the air, it felt too loud, too harsh. Shapes leaned closer, shadows sharpened into something inhuman. Her antennae trembled, pushing against her skull.
Her vision tunneled, colors collapsing inward like a dying star. The red bled to white at the edges, then brighter, harsher, consuming the room and everything in it. A loud crack echoed through her skull.
Everything went dark.
Notes:
2077 words
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Teehee more character interactionsssss :P
I wanted to add more to the killer's so why not add in some rules for the realm!
Plus you get to learn more about who Expendable used to be, so its a win-winalso small spectre moment (hate that guy, frfr)
extra note- y'all are gonna hate me for next chapter... and the one after that
Chapter 11: Chapter 10: Come with Me
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Cold metal shocked the skin on her back, leather restraints wrapped around her wrists and ankles, muffled chatter echoed in the empty room. Expendable’s vision was blurry but she could make out the various tubes and wires stuck across her body, leading somewhere she couldn’t see.
A faint, rhythmic beeping sped up from behind her. Someone shouted across the room, “Subject awake!”
The figures scrambled to surround her. Some checked the tubes, others injected her with something. It… it really hurt. Her wrists pulled at the binds, trying and failing to get away from everything happening.
A hand was placed against her shoulder, gently pushing her into the table. It was meant to be calming but the touch felt suffocating.
“Z-4192,” the voice was too familiar. “Do not resist treatment. This is for your own good.”
The memory sharpened. Hands moved around her with practiced precision. Someone adjusted a valve, another wrote on a clipboard. Needles slid into ports and a monitor chirped with small warnings.
Her blurred gaze turned towards the flashing red monitor above her,
Behavioral Instability: Elevated. Recalibration Required.
Voices spoke up, talking not to her but about her.
“She’s reacting too strongly this time.”
“Increase dosage.”
“She’ll settle.”
Another voice broke through the muffles, one of strong familiarity,
“Just breathe, Abby.”
Doctor ████████…?
A burn surged through the needle in her arm, her body thrashed against the table.
A hand slammed down onto a desk, cracking the world around her. The echo slammed through both reality and memory at once, a loud rattling BANG dissolved the memory she found herself trapped in, leaving her in a blinding white.
She jolted awake, quietly gasping for air, eyes darting around the room.
The first thing she noticed was the softness trapping her. A cushion below, a heavy blanket above. It held her tight, kept her warm, it was a comfort she hadn’t felt before.
Her vision slowly adjusted to the rest of the room. She was on a couch in the corner of what seemed to be Mafioso’s office. Someone stood across from the mafia boss, angry but speaking in an eerily quiet way.
He stood tall, hunched over with his fist on the table, pointing at the other man. He was dressed in red armor, a spiked hammer of sorts slung on his back with a red, horned bucket hat covering most of his face.
The chains that wrapped around his body rattled as the conversation turned into an argument. A red glow emanated from the helmet, casting Mafioso in a crimson shadow. His gauntlet slammed against the table again, his voice began to rise.
“You should’ve sent her back,” Doombringer snarled, voice low and metallic. “She’s not supposed to be here. She’s caused enough problems already.”
Mafioso didn’t falter, didn’t even flinch. “I’m not discussin’ this with ya any further,” he shot back, ears pinned back in irritation. “You ain’t touchin’ her while she’s here.”
The argument continued, words low and sharp like knives being thrown. But Expendable couldn’t focus on it anymore. Her pulse sped up, her breathing shallowed, that familiar feeling grew in her chest.
She didn’t belong here. She wasn’t wanted here. Not in this room, on this couch, not in their presence. A wrong piece in the wrong puzzle. Causing more trouble than what it’s worth.
Her eyes instinctively drifted towards the door. Nobody was focused on her, they were too absorbed in their own actions. If she was quiet enough she could slip out, no longer causing problems, no longer causing issues.
A single, conditioned word echoed through her mind:
Run.
RUN.
RUN.
Expendable stood up, slipping the blanket carefully off of her legs and resting it on the couch. Her movement was light, almost as if she was floating. She carefully slid the door open just a bit more, slipping out and into the hallways of this eerie castle.
It was certainly colder than the room she found herself in previously, darker too. But it was quieter, away from the problems she was causing, and it felt calm. She continued walking, unsure as to where to go, unsure as to how to get out.
Her bootsteps echoed throughout the narrow halls, the sounds were swallowed by the shadows. She tried to breathe slowly, tried to hide the rising panic, tried to ignore the obvious trembling of her body.
Expendable was only able to get a few turns in before something scraped behind her. Glitchy footsteps closed in followed by an almost musical laughter.
“Hel10 ag@in…~”
Her body stopped responding, a glitch in the system. Her eyes passed over to where the words came from and she was met with the glowing half-mask of Noli watching from the shadows. They stepped forward, hands held behind their back, cloak swaying as if stirred by a nonexistent breeze. His face was painted with a smile, warm, welcoming, and uncanny.
Her throat tightened, letting out a forced whisper, “...hello…”
Noli approached with an unhurried grace, slowly gliding down the hallway. “Y0u wa1k so qu13tly,” he said, voice trickling with glitchy static. “I wa5 w0rri3d you m!ght ge7 lost in th3se hal1s.”
“I… I’m sorry…” she murmured, her body slowly folding in on itself. “I.. I’ll head back. I’d rather not cause more issues.”
Their head tilted one way, then the other. The mask glinted under the lantern light, warping and glitching into tragedy.
“No n3ed to @poLog!ze,” he said softly. “Y0u’r3 no7 in tRoUble.” His mask quickly flashed back to comedy, “Not w!Th M3, a7 le@st.”
She swallowed hard. He stepped forward, not imposing but inviting.
“I c@mE,” he whispered, tapping their temple with two of their fingers, “bECau5e yOur t#ough7s are L0uD. Th3y echo, Ach3, aNd huRt, c0rr3ct?”
She swallowed hard, trying to dampen the rising panic. “I’m fine,” she said automatically.
He grinned, wide and malicious. He knew that she was lying, but he didn’t care.
“Th@t’s what 3veryOne sAyssss~,” he mumbled, a sing-song tune weaved into the words. “E$pec!ally the OnEs wHo @re breaking.”
The halls warped and twisted with a pixelated distortion. A knot formed in Expendable’s stomach, she felt… no. She couldn’t be sick.
“Y0u’ve been carRrYing f@r too MucH for F@r to0 loNg,” Noli continued, their voice softened into something tender and caring. “MuCH m0r3 7hAn yOu or @ny0ne wouLd l!k3 tO adM!t.”
Expendable blinked hard, the tremor in her hands grew. And suddenly she realized that something was wrong. This wasn’t the Noli she met before. This version of him was intentional.
When she arrived, they were full of noise, bouncing and glitching around, a mess of loud, chaotic energy. Her mind dug back to when he first got too close, hands reaching out to touch, words barely understandable, reactions overdone.
But now? Now his actions were measured. His words were practiced. His speech was soft and rehearsed, like a sermon rather than a glitch. It made the hair on her arms stick up. It didn’t feel right… it felt more dangerous.
He watched her closely, his smile warm and sympathetic. His gaze pierced through her, watching the subtle facial changes and realizations taking place.
“S33?” he whispered, taking a small step towards her. “ThE pa!n is 3Asier 7o reMeMber tH@n thE saFe7y. THat aL0ne teLl$ me 7ha7 thE w3!ght y0u b3ar is T00 mUch.”
Her breath hitched, she didn’t know how to respond. Pull back? Or fold inward?
“AnD thAt…” Noli extended a glitchy and gaunt hand. It rested in front of Expendable, patient but inviting. “…iS Why y0u sh0ulDn’t haVe to wAnDer tHe$e h@lls aLon3.”
. . .
Expendable didn’t move. Her boots stayed planted, knees beginning to lock, hands still gripping at her sleeves. Her eyes panned down to the offered hand before flicking up to meet Noli’s gaze with the small tilt of her head. Her antennae flicked, curious but cautious.
Her mind couldn’t decide what to do, so she did the one thing she never dared to do. She asked a simple but challenging question.
“Why are you being nice to me?” she whispered.
The moment the words left her mouth she wanted to puke. The question tasted of regret and disobedience. Her hands shot up to her mouth, covering it in shame.
But Noli didn’t react harshly. Instead his posture softened and his smile grew warmer.
“BeC@us3,” he began, voice gentle but growing with a determined glitchiness. “I kN0w wH@t !t’$ l!ke t0 h@Ve vOIcEs oV3rwH3Lm!nG eV3ry w@K!ng m0Men7 0f L!f3.”
The words hit her like a truck, causing her entire body to stall. Her antennae curled downwards, pressing tight against her head. She wasn’t prepared for kindness, especially not spoken like a truth she didn’t deserve.
“I…” her voice trembled, “I just don’t want to be a problem.”
His smile deepened, warm and understanding. “Y0u aRen’7 @ pr0bLem, [Expendable],” he whispered. “YoU aR3 meREly s0me0ne !n pA!n. A p@iN thAt y0u shOUldn’T HaVe to c@rRy aLOne @ny l0ng3r.”
His hand extended again, asking to be taken into hers. Before she could grab it, thunderous bootsteps and a voice echoed down the halls.
“Expendable!”
She flinched hard, whipping her head around to see who it was. Noli’s gentle smile faltered with anger. Consigliere appeared from the end of the hall, moving with an indescribable determination. His face was painted with panic, flooding with relief when their eyes met.
“Expendable,” he said, voice low and urgent. “You shouldn’t be wandering these halls alone. You’re not supposed to leave the room like that.”
Her gaze darted away from eye contact. She opened her mouth to apologize, but Noli stepped between them with a pixelated flicker.
“ShE w@sn’t aLoooneeee~” he chirped, his voice warping like a stretched tape. “I w@s s1mpLy heLp!ng herrr~”
Consigliere’s jaw tightened, his hand pulling into a tight fist. “Move.”
“Oh c0me onnnn!!~” Noli laughed, syllables skipping like broken code. “Sh3 c@m3 t0 me. Sh3’s p3rf3ctly s@fe… p3rf3ctly f!neee~”
“That isn’t your choice to make,” Consigliere snapped back. His voice wasn’t loud but it carried the same sternness of Mafioso’s… must run in the family.
Expendable pushed herself away from the two, bumping into the wall behind her. Her hands were trembling again, heart racing, mind unsteady. The two men stood in front of her, one steady and grounded, the other shifting like unstable code.
Noli chuckled, shooting a mocking stare at Consigliere, “Funnnyyyy…~ sh3 d0esn’t l00k sCaReD of me…”
Her back pushed itself further into the wall, wanting to get away from… this. Her fingers clawed at the sleeves, tearing the fabric ever so slightly. She didn’t want this. She didn’t want them arguing at each other. She didn’t want to be the reason for the yelling.
This is my fault.
I keep causing problems.
If I had just stayed put…
Consigliere adjusted his stance, leaning closer to Expendable with a gentle but strained tone. “Expendable. Come with me. You don’t have to deal with him alone.”
Noli laughed softly, glitching toward her with a near-angelic tilt of his head. “I’m n0t hUrT!ng herrr at alllll~” he cooed, vowels dipping and bending. “Jus7 heLpiiing h3r un-der-staaand the m!nd’s lil tr0ublesss~ Isn’t th@t r!ght, liTTle bunnnny~?”
Her chest tightened. Her antennae pinned back. Her throat burned. Two hands extended towards her, one steady, the other distorted. Two paths, two dangers, two types of attention that she did not want.
Stop hesitating! It’s making this worse!!
Make a choice already.
Just pick someone so they stop arguing.
“You’re not a problem,” Consigliere softly said. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”
Noli’s voice overlapped like a sweet, rich poison. “Y0u’rE n0t @ buRd3n, “Y0u @re s1mpLy… hURt1ng. I c@n h3lp y0u.
Their words tangled together, fracturing what was left of any clear thought. The hallway narrowed, her vision narrowed, her pulse pounded against her ribs like it was trying to break free.
Expendable leaned forward in a helpless wobble, her hand raised slightly on instinct alone. It hovered there, between the two, shaking and pleading to not be crushed by the world around her.
She didn’t know which direction she was reaching for. Only that she had to choose something before the walls crushed her. Before they did.
Notes:
2049 words
- -
Sooooooo yea :3
Decisions, decisions... what will happen to our dear main character?
Don't worry, it won't be too bad. Hell, she might find a way to help! Just have to wait and see.
I'm curious, what theories do y'all have? A part of me really wants to reveal more but I know that the mystery is making this good.
See ya later!
Chapter 12: Chapter 11: Decisions, Decisions
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Her hand fell. Not towards safety. Not towards steadiness. Not towards the voice begging her to come with.
Her hand gravitated towards the flickering, familiar chaos she had grown so used to being around. She stepped towards what she felt was home.
The air around Noli pixelated only slightly, but the weight shifted around them. It felt warm and cold at the same time, suffocating yet reviving. His smile widened, hints of triumph and bragging glitching at the edges.
Yet she still hesitated, afraid that this may be the wrong choice. But with the walls closing in once more and the overwhelming pressure of choosing too slowly or not choosing at all, she moved.
Her fingers brushed against his first. Just the smallest contact, a trembling skim of skin to glitch. Their hand was cold, boney, and distorted. But it was also gentle, inviting, and dangerous.
His fingers wrapped around her hand, holding it snugly. The static emanating from his body crawled up Expendable’s wrist, threading a shivering warmth through her arm. Something deep in her chest finally let go of a tension that had been there for a long time.
“Th3r3 yOU @re~” Noli whispered, voice thick like syrup. “S33? Y0u kNoW wH!ch p@th yoU w4n7.”
Behind her, Consigliere gave a short exhale, his hand dropped disappointingly.
“Expendable,” he said, quiet but cracked. “You’re choosing the wrong person.”
Something deep within believed him, believed that she was wrong. But she couldn’t turn around. No matter how much she wanted to, she couldn’t do it. She was afraid that if she turned around, she’d split in two.
Her hand tightened around Noli’s ever so slightly. It was enough to show that she had chosen, enough to hurt Consigliere, enough for Noli’s smile to flicker with a sense of pride he didn’t bother to hide.
But all good things must come to an end, even if it wasn’t good in the first place.
The chime of a grandfather clock echoed throughout the stone halls, making everyone freeze where they were.
Expendable felt that pulling feeling once more, those nonexistent ocean currents tugging at her body. Her eyes felt heavy, noticing the growing red code slowly consuming her body.
“...Noli…?” she whispered, breath trembling with fear.
Something stuttered across Noli’s face, a glitch of panic, quickly stapled over with his usual smile, but not well. His fingers clamped around hers, colder, less playful, almost trembling.
“W-wA!t,” he murmured, a quiet glitch folding through the word. “N0, st@Y…just… h0ld 0n.”
Another chime of the bells rang in the halls. The red code surged, taking more and more. She pushed her weight onto Noli’s hand, desperate to stay standing.
He jolted forward, taking the weight given, supporting her from her shoulders. His grip tightened, trying to anchor her in place as if that would stop the realm’s pull. His movements were still gentle, but threaded with a subtle, rising urgency.
Behind them, Consigliere snapped, “Noli, stop it!” His voice cracked off the stone, “You can’t stop the cycles! You of all people damn well know that.”
Noli didn’t even look at him, “$hu7. Ʉp.”
“What part of ‘this is bigger than you’ have you never understood?” Consigliere barked, stepping forward. “The round is starting. You can’t glitch your way out of this.”
Noli dragged Expendable closer, allowing her to rest her entire weight onto him. His smile thinned, teeth gritting and trembling. His head whipped towards Consigliere with a sinister smile, “! s@iD $HɄ7 U₱.”
Three chimes. Expendable shuddered in pain, not daring to make a sound. The pull became stronger, like hooks digging at her joints.“Please…” her voice shook, not with fear this time but exhaustion “...please stop arguing…”
For a heartbeat, both of them did.
Then the fourth chime rang. The code pulled tighter. The world blurred. Noli’s fingers stretched around hers as the weight tugged at her body, and the next moment, she was gone.
The embers of red vanished into the shadows, leaving behind only a ghost of warmth. A small metallic clink echoed in the darkness. Both looked down to the floor to find a single rose gold coin, spinning and eventually falling flat against the tile. Consigliere moved first, crouching down, looking closer at the token.
Engraved on its surface was a human skull with a hook passing into the eye socket and through the bone. The surface of the water rested right above the skull. A single sentence lined the bottom of the curve,
“A TOKEN FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO RETURN”
The moment his fingers brushed against the icy cold metal, whispers slammed into the back of his mind. A shiver crawled up his spine as his vision tunneled.
“Do you really think you belong with them?”
“They didn’t choose you, why do you think she will?”
“Family? You were never theirs.”
His breath hitched. His knees buckled. The world slowly tilted, edges blurring, shadows dancing. He tried to steady his grip. He tried to remind himself he knew who he was now… but the voices weren’t interested in truth.
“You’re the outsider. The replacement.”
“Always looking in.”
“Always hoping.”
“Never chosen.”
Dread stabbed into his spine like a knife, causing his grip on the coin to slip. It hit the ground with a loud crack, spinning once more. Noli snatched it before it was allowed to settle. He caught it with his bare hand, and the whispers surged immediately, sharp and invasive.
“You weren’t enough for him.”
“Not even as a friend.”
“Discarded. Abandoned. Forgotten…”
“Why would she be any different?”
A muscle in his jaw tightened. But that was it. Compared to the thundering storms of noise from the Voidstar, this was just a drizzle. Their own madness was more deafening than whatever this decided to spit at them.
Noli’s fingers glided against the rough edges of the token, taking in every part of it before slowly closing a tight fist around it.
“Sh3 dRoPP3d 1t,” Noli said quietly. “5H3 d!dn’7 gIv3 !t 70 u5. Sh3’LL wAn7 it bACk.”
Consigliere, still recovering, reached out. “Then I’ll take it to her.”
. . .
“[No.]”
Noli’s voice cracked in a way that wasn’t mortal. It was deep, resonant, and threaded with the echo of something old and voidborn.
“Sh3 rE@cH3d f0R M3. SHe cHOs3 ME. I c@n cARrY !7.” His gaze sharpened, unnervingly steady. “[You’ve already proven you can't.]”
The whispers started biting again,
“He didn’t choose you either.”
“You tried so hard… yet he left you behind.”
“Just like she will.”
Noli exhaled slowly, letting it slide through him like a routine pain. He’d lived through far worse. His footsteps echoed down the halls as he left, leaving Consigliere where he was.
- -
Expendable’s eyes flickered open to darkness and quiet. Not the opaque shadows or the complete silence of the castle, but the dimly lit and white noise-filled quiet wooden cabin she called safety. Her knees buckled underneath her, legs like jelly from the harsh transport. Her hand barely caught onto the edge of her bed, keeping herself upright and standing.
For a moment, she couldn’t breathe. Her chest tightened inwards, her ears rang as the echoes of the last moments in the castle replayed in her mind. The way Noli’s voice drew her in, how she reached out to him, how she chose chaos over calm.
She chuckled to herself, not in a joyous way, but in a tired sort of way. Her body slowly lowered itself to the floor, leaning against her bed. She pulled her knees to her chest, resting her forehead against the worn kneepads. Her fingers combed through her hair, wrapping around the edge of her beanie. Must’ve returned in the reset…
“What did I just do…” Her voice barely existed, cracking at the edges.
She let out a long sigh, turning to the side, staring off into nothingness. A small sting grew in her eyes, wetness began to form, but she didn’t dare let it fall. The room seemed to twist and creak, reacting to everything Expendable was feeling.
A soft peep and the pitter patter of paws approached from next to her. Lumi squeezed out of their warren, bounding over to Expendable, and squirming into her lap. They pushed against her chest, purring deeply, demanding pets and attention.
Expendable looked down at the little critter, smiling slightly as her fingers brushed through the dimly glowing fur.
“I… don’t know… why I did that…” she whispered, not talking to anyone in particular.
Lumi looked at her, tilting their head in understanding. They gave a small trill in response.
Her head fell back against the mattress of her bed, eyes staring unfocused into the ceiling, fingers continuing to mindlessly brush through Lumi’s fur. A warmth gathered in her chest, not sharp, not alarming, just there. Like a strangely familiar need she didn’t recognize she had.
A hand subconsciously drifted down to her thigh, brushing over the leather pouch once more. The fingers curled around the cyan colored casing on one of her injectors, tracing against the glass phial within, brushing over the button.
She pulled it out of the pocket, holding it up to her face, staring into the clear liquid inside. Her grip tightened for a moment, whispers of something clawing at the back of her mind. Then another voice spoke clearly, There is no danger right now. You don’t need this.
Her grip released with a sigh. She lowered the injector with a slightly shaky hand, letting her arm rest against her knees before moving to put it away.
Halfway there, she froze. Light caught on something. Something on the back of her hand.
“…What?”
Heart tightening, she pushed herself upright and stumbled to her desk. She flicked on the lamp. The sudden brightness filled the room, washing over paper stacks, folders, scattered trinkets, then her hand.
A four-pointed star burned faintly under her skin. Dark violet. Holographic. Glitching at the edges like a corrupted file.
She lifted her hand closer, breath snagging in her throat.
This hadn’t been there. This wasn’t hers. The warmth she felt earlier pulsed once beneath the star, like something responding. Expendable swallowed hard.
“…Noli…?”
The word slipped out before she could stop it. The mark flickered once, like it heard her.
Notes:
1709 words
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I don't have much to say for this chapter. Noli's a... character to put it kindly.
What I will say is that I have hit a large writers block (I know where the story is going but I don't have the words for it)
So I may be slowing down on posting until I can get past this block
I'll still be posting on Wednesday again since this next chapter is almost done but I may need more time for the following chaptersAnyways! As per usual I hope y'all are enjoying and I'll see ya later :)