Contains: Story elements and an extremely flirty Tasque Manager.
A million thanks to ImpTwins and Maharajah62 for the help with proofing this chapter!
Castle Town had changed greatly from the first time Noelle had seen it.
All those years ago, it had been a small hamlet with only a loose collection of homes and businesses, populated by a mere handful of refugees from two Dark Worlds.
Though over the years, it had grown into something grander, a proper capital filled with citizens, buildings, shops, and culture. There were musicians playing on the streets as darkners from all sorts of different backgrounds made their way around, hurrying from one place to another.
Sure, it wasn’t anywhere close to being as big as Home City but it easily eclipsed Home Town in terms of scale.
“We recently picked up some new darkners from what remains of Cyber City,” Ralsei explained, chuckling to himself. “And boy, were they surprised when they found out that Queen was still alive and kicking.”
Susie smirked. “Is she still…”
“Yes,” Ralsei answered, scoffing. “But once you get over her uh… robust personality, you find out that she has her uses as a citizen. After all, she is a walking, talking, and always calculating supercomputer and those are very helpful things to have around when you need to rapidly compute the feasibility of the various building projects that a growing city requires.”
Kris came up alongside Ralsei, brushing up against him. They were getting close, intimately close to him. Though Ralsei didn’t seem to mind, clearly being very familiar with knowing Kris in such a manner.
“And how are you handling running a proper Principality?” they asked.
Ralsei sighed. “The work is exhausting but it’s also very rewarding. I’ve thought of delegating power to the darkners but uh… they voted ninety percent in favour of having me remain in charge. So, I guess I’m a democratically elected monarch for life at this point.”
“Damn, sounds like you’re being punished by your own success,” Susie teased.
Noelle noticed a cowboy darkner approaching the gang, coming to a stop before them.
“Howdy,” he said, tilting the brim of his Stetson towards the entourage.
“Sherrif Earp,” Ralsei greeted. “I take it that you’re keeping the citizens safe?”
“That I am. Though I’d say that they’d do the job well enough without me around,” Sherrif Earp said, flashing a playful smile. “Ever since you three broke up the O.K. Gang, I’ve honestly been out of work.”
“Not the worst thing to happen to someone in your profession,” Noelle teased.
Sheriff Earp shook his head. “No, I suppose there are worse fates for a lawman than being made obsolete.” He then chuckled and moved to the side. “Anyways, I’ll leave the not-so-little Prince here to escort you around town. Just try and stay out of trouble, okay?”
Noelle smirked. “We will.”
“Thank you very much, Sheriff,” Ralsei said, nodding towards him.
They continued ahead with Ralsei changing the topic of conversation, now discussing Lancer with Susie.
Though Noelle tuned him out as she was instead thinking about how true Earp’s statement had been. Ralsei clearly was not so little anymore. Much like the town, he had also grown in recent years, really coming into his own and inhabiting a truly regal body.
He was tall and bulky with a short blonde beard and a head of messy hair that matched it. His robes were still flowing, though he required larger garbs, making him look more like a monk than a prince. Though it would be strange to see him wearing anything else.
If Noelle had to describe his appearance, she would honestly say that he kind of looked pretty similar to Asriel. Or at least, similar to him in his third year of university.
Though with that thought in mind, it did make it a little strange to think back and reflect on how small and feminine he had once looked. Though he was no longer soft but powerful and well on his way to becoming a kindly figure like Asgore. Only with a far kinglier vibe than the Dreemurr patriarch could ever hope to achieve.
It also…
Well, Noelle didn’t like to think about it like this, but it also made it a little strange to see the way that Kris cozied up to him. She understood wanting to be friendly but she knew that the two were well… they had been intimate at one point, companions for one another. And it seemed that Kris was still keen on that.
Wasn’t that a little strange? Was it wrong of Noelle to think like that?
“Oh Susie!” Ralsei beamed. “I need to show you something in this shop. The bakers here have been studying cauldron magic from me and taking it in all sorts of strange and interesting directions.”
Susie grinned. “Are you asking me if I want to get some desserts?”
“You know it,” Ralsei said before glancing at the other two. “Do you two want to come along?”
Kris shook their head. “My tummy is still a little upset from…” They snorted. “Well… you know.”
Ralsei blushed and nodded before looking at Noelle.
Noelle also shook her head, offering a sheepish grin. “Still a little full from the same thing.”
“Well, in that case, I’ll make sure to ask for a couple of boxes to take back with us to the palace,” Ralsei stated. “Hopefully your appetite returns in a little while because there are all sorts of talented culinary darkners within our walls these days.”
“I’m sure that it will,” Kris teased.
The groups then separated with Ralsei and Susie heading inside, leaving Kris and Noelle out upon the street.
“So, Ralsei has really grown up,” Noelle said.
Kris nodded, offering a thin smile. “Yeah, he’s uh… he’s kind of hot now, isn’t he?”
Noelle cocked a brow.
Kris glanced at her. “What?”
“Doesn’t Ralsei look kind of similar to someone else that we know?” Noelle asked, peering towards the café’s door as she worked her jaw. “You know?”
Kris paused for a second and shook their head. “Nope, can’t say that I know what you’re talking about, babe.”
“Kris…” Noelle looked at them. “Come on, he…” She waved vaguely with her hand. “He literally looks like Asriel did three years ago.”
Kris paused to ponder this and for a moment it seemed that maybe she’d gotten through to them. Though their jaw promptly dropped as they held a hand to their chest. They did such a good job of looking offended. It was an almost impressive performance to see.
“Noelle!” they exclaimed.
Noelle sighed. “Yes.”
“Are you telling me that all goat monsters just look the same to you?” Kris asked, shaking their head in disbelief. “I… I didn’t expect this kind of opinion from…” They were simply stunned silent, just idly wagging their head back and forth with such raw shock plastered upon their complexion. “That’s racist, Noelle! I would’ve expected better from you.”
Noelle closed her eyes and said nothing more, tenting her brow between her forefinger and thumb. Somehow, they had managed to give her a migraine.
Thankfully, she was not left to linger in the intense shame of her ‘racism’ for long as the door to the café soon opened with Ralsei and Susie promptly exiting. Susie seemed happy and the crumbs upon her cheeks betrayed why that might’ve been. She also held a few boxes in her hands, coming up alongside Noelle.
Meanwhile, Kris gave Noelle one last sharp look before coming up alongside Ralsei once again. They hooked an arm around one of his bulky biceps and held onto it, pushing their body into his. A gesture which Ralsei could only smile at, nodding towards them.
“You seem extra affectionate today,” Ralsei teased.
Kris shrugged. “Just glad to finally get a chance to catch up with you is all.”
Together they then continued ahead, leaving a momentary gap between themselves and the other two.
Susie cocked a brow and looked at Noelle. “Is it just me or does Ralsei kind of look…”
“No,” Noelle interrupted, shaking her head. “No, I promise that it isn’t just you.”
“Did you mention it to Kris?” Susie whispered.
Noelle shook her head. “They called me racist.”
“Well, you know what they say,” Susie teased, taking a step after the other two. “Denial is a river in…” She paused and looked at Noelle. “Uh…”
“Africa,” Noelle offered, picking up the pace to keep up with her. “It’s in Africa, babe.”
Together the entourage continued ahead, moving along the main artery of Castle Town. Plenty of darkners seemed to recognize them, offering cheery waves and equally thrilled smiles. Even after all these years, it was hard to shed the hero complex that being one of the lightners had bestowed upon Noelle.
It was a situation which made Noelle honestly a little uneasy. She’d never been good when it came to the whole hero thing.
Though Susie seemed to positively eat it up, grinning and waving back at everyone who offered her attention. If anything, seeing the way that Susie positively beamed at her reputation made Noelle feel a little more comfortable to engage with it.
Though maybe it was just nice to see Susie thrive.
“I do need to make a couple of stops before we head to the castle,” Ralsei explained.
Kris nodded. “Where at?”
“Well, I need to meet with Queen at the Cyber Café,” Ralsei said, counting off on one of his fingers. “I want to see if Ozzy is available to look over some reports that I’ve put together.” Another finger. “Uh… I think Lancer is attending classes so we can do that after we get lunch at the castle.”
Susie frowned at the mention of Ozzy and her expression only grew dimmer when Ralsei mentioned that Lancer was busy.
Ralsei hummed and looked at Noelle before extending a third figure. “I should see if Spear Shaker would be willing to talk to you sometime while you’re visiting.” He then shrugged and wiggled these three digits in the air. “Then I suppose we can head to the castle after that.”
Kris sighed. “By the way, I had something that I wanted to do when we get back to the castle.”
Noelle and Susie perked up. Sure, the statement wasn’t out of the ordinary but there was something about their demeanour which caught them off guard. It seemed strangely forlorn, a little sad in nature. It was a heavy request, that much was for certain.
And judging by Susie’s reaction to this statement, it seemed that they hadn’t confided whatever it was to either of their partners because they both seemed to be at a loss.
Ralsei frowned. “And what would that be?”
“I was wondering if we could possibly…” Kris worked their jaw. “I want to visit the prisoner.”
Noelle tensed.
Susie sucked in a breath.
No, they certainly had not mentioned this to either of them.
“Are you certain about that?” Ralsei asked, coming to a stop and placing a paw against Kris’ cheek. Even he seemed to know the weight that such a request held. “I can assure you that it's locked away in a secure place if you’re worried about that.”
“No…” Kris glanced away, failing to make eye contact. “I just want to see it. I want… I don’t know…” They sighed. “Closure.” They chuckled, though the note bore no genuine amusement. “Maybe a chance to gloat at it for a little while.”
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Noelle asked.
Kris perked up and nodded. “If you’re planning to have a talk with your mom then I think it’s time that I dealt with my own bullshit.”
“Want us to come with you?” Susie asked.
Kris nodded slowly. “I wouldn’t mind the company.”
“Well, if you’re absolutely certain,” Ralsei stated, looking towards the castle. “We could probably head back immediately if you’d like?”
“Nah, I need a little bit of time to uh… psyche myself up,” Kris explained as they flashed a nervous smile. “Plus, I want to see what Queen has been up to lately.”
Ralsei nodded and once more led the way. “She’s become quite the ruthless capitalist as of late, believe it or not.”
Susie snorted.
“What?” Ralsei asked.
“Next you’ll tell me that water is wet,” Susie teased, offering a coy little smile.
The Cyber Cafe was at the very heart of the Cyber District. A chunk of Castle Town that was like a little bit of its home dominion imported brick by brick into place. The buildings here all had a futuristic tint to them and were bristling with neon signage.
The café itself was the definition of such a design. It was sleek and modern with bright green signs flashing away with a glowing representation of queen chuckling for everyone to see.
Though it honestly seemed less like a café and more like a bar as they stepped inside with a décor that gave the impression that it was more suited for a night out.
Still, there were so many patrons murmuring amongst themselves over all sorts of drinks. Noelle knew many of the darkners present, seeing Werewires mingling with Tasques who were all enjoying beverages and snacks.
A Swatch manned a little coffee bar, waving to the assembled crew as they came inside.
“Can I interest you three in a drink?” he asked, winking at them. “Free for our heroes if you need me to twist your arm a little.”
Noelle nodded and came over, looking at the menu which had all sorts of lattes and cold brews with strange flavour enhancers. She also noticed that Kris and Susie had joined her, the former finally finding the strength of character to peel themself away from Ralsei.
Meanwhile, Ralsei seemed to spot someone and headed in that direction, ensuring that he pointed so the other three knew where to find him.
“I’ll have a er… CD-ROMacinno,” Noelle said. “With a digital scone.”
“I’ll have the GIF-flavoured latte,” Kris added.
Susie smirked. “And I’ll have a black coffee.”
The Swatch lifted a brow.
Susie shrugged. “I’m a simple dragon with simple needs and that need is currently needing something to help sate my caffeine addiction.”
The Swatch nodded and turned to his station, starting on the first of these drinks.
“This place is pretty cool,” Susie commented, looking around. “Kind of looks like something out of Bladerunner.”
“The whole neighbourhood does,” Kris added.
Noelle nodded. “I’d love to explore this place sometime. There were so many little stores down all of the back alleys. Kind of reminds me a little bit of those photos you’d see out of the far east.”
“Her Majesty has really outdone herself,” a familiar voice purred.
Noelle turned to see that it was Tasque Manager, sweeping at the floor.
“Long time no see, Noelle,” Tasque Manager said before looking at Susie. “Susie.” Then Kris, winking at them. “Rookie.”
Kris tensed and sucked in a breath, their cheeks warming to such a lovely shade of red. Noelle didn’t know what the hell Tasque Manager had done to them but it seemed that they had some history together.
“Nice accessory,” Tasque Manager teased, pointing to Noelle’s throat.
Noelle touched the spot and realized that she was still wearing her collar.
“Oh uh…” she chuckled nervously and rubbed at the back of her head. “Yeah, it’s a new piece of armour that we brought along with us. It had some really nice defense stats on it. So, I decided that I should probably wear it around the Dark World.”
Tasque Manger nodded though didn’t seem to be buying that narrative, her catty little smile curling around the edges. She practically purred as she leaned forwards, bracing herself against the broom as she drew closer to Noelle.
“Of course, the defense stat,” she teased, batting her lashes. “And I’m sure that you’re not wearing that for any other reason.”
Noelle swallowed a lump in her throat. Her answer came in the form of a pinkish hue colouring her cheeks.
“I…” she tried to answer.
“So, which one do you belong to,” Tasque Manager asked, looking at Susie. “My money is on her but…” Her gaze then flicked towards Kris, narrowing so mischievously. “Maybe Rookie has finally decided to follow in my footsteps.”
It was rare to see Kris stricken into silence as their mouth parted. Though they were simply left blubbing like a fish on land. A series of half words came forth, struggling to come together into anything approaching coherent.
Susie then came forwards and draped an arm over both their shoulders, pulling them in against her powerful frame. “They both belong to me.”
“Tasque, are you done harassing our esteemed guests?” Swatch asked.
Tasque Manager clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth and gave her eyes a rather pronounced roll. “You’re no fun, Swatch.”
“And you’re far too much fun,” Swatch replied. “Now be a good girl and make sure that everything is in order with our latest shipments, if you’d kindly.”
“Oh, you do love to spoil me,” Tasque Manager teased, shaking her head before looking at the trio. “Hit me up if any of you three would be interested in a good time later. I’m sure Rookie here still has all of my contact information.”
And with that she blew a kiss and turned away, sweeping the floor as she headed towards the back of the café.
Noelle was thankful for the moment’s reprieve, turning back towards Swatch who placed a series of four drinks upon the counter along with a scone. Noelle’s drink was a pretty standard cappuccino with a small CD-shaped wafer on top. Kris’ was a latte though the foam shifted into a series of small repeating frames that created an animation of a cat stretching. Meanwhile… Susie’s was a black coffee… not even the Cyber World could apparently spruce something like that up.
The last drink was a simple cup of green tea though it glimmered with a strange pixelation.
Swatch smirked. “For our dearest Prince.”
Susie nodded and grabbed it along with her own drink.
“Thanks Swatch!” Noelle chanted, waving to him.
The other two waved as well, garnering a warm smile and a polite nod in return. They then made their way across the restaurant floor, receiving more waves and kind remarks as they walked on by. It was surreal to see the amount of people who recognized Noelle, leaving her a little stunned.
Though before she could worry about the attention too much, they approached a private booth at the very back of the dining floor. One which was hidden behind a curtain.
This was the VIP space: where the big wigs would go to get away from the common café denizens.
Two voices could be heard on the other side, engaging in quite the conversation.
“So, you think we should add an additional support beam here?” Ralsei asked.
Queen chortled. “‘Should’ doesn’t really feel like the proper word, dearest. Let me put it this way, if you fail to include the support beam that I’m telling you to include, then you’re going to have quite the disaster on your hands if you go through with this utterly problematic design.” She sighed. “We’re talking about hundreds dead and thousands maimed.”
“So, I must include it then?” Ralsei asked, seemingly absorbing this information as well as someone could.
Queen chuckled. “Yes.”
Susie and Noelle slipped in first with Susie sliding in alongside Ralsei and placing the cup of tea in front of him.
Ralsei smiled and took it, allowing himself a delicate sip. “Thank you.”
“Thank Swatch, it was his idea,” Susie teased, draping an arm overtop of Ralsei’s shoulders with a smirk.. A gesture which he seemed to enjoy as he leaned into her. Honestly, she was the only person at the table who could possibly make the prince look small in comparison.
Kris was the last of the triad to slip through the curtain.
“Oh hello, Kris! The kilo to my byte.” Queen beamed. “How is my favourite human doing? Staying out of trouble?” She chuckled and held a hand to her chest. “Oh, who am I kidding, I’ve seen your internet search history.”
“And what does my internet history tell you?” Kris teased.
“That I am very proud of you for ordering testing kits and not getting a nose full of fentanyl,” Queen beamed, grinning from ear-to-ear as she clapped her hands together. “It would be such a shame to see one of your partners have to google the phone number for poison control. Though speaking of search history…”
She turned her attention towards Noelle.
Noelle tensed.
Oh… oh no.
“Noelle darling dearest,” Queen said, placing her elbows upon the table and resting her chin within her hands. “We need to talk about something.”
“W-what’s that?” Noelle asked, blushing as she heard her voice crack.
Susie hid her shit-eating grin behind a sip of coffee.
Queen sighed. “I know a girl learns things growing up and starts to experience new and exciting concepts in her life. Exciting things which may help foster some rather peculiar ideas about certain topics.
“Oh Angel,” Noelle groaned.
Kris violently snickered.
Ralsei just looked confused, glancing between his companions and obviously hoping for some sort of explanation.
“And I just want to say,” Queen reached out and placed a hand overtop of Noelle’s own, looking her right in the eye as she did so. For a moment, she looked gravely serious. Though she then chuckled and gave her head a tired shake. “That I really wish you would keep a shopping list because I am growing terribly wary of having to find you substitutions for cooking your various recipes.”
Noelle blinked. “What?”
“Yes, you ask for an alternative to corn starch here or what’s a replacement for corn meal there,” Queen went on, sighing. “It makes me feel bad that you never get to enjoy a meal as it’s intended. If you’d like I could supply you with a list of ethnic grocers to help you find some of your more obscure ingredients. Just, please, anything to stop you from using Worcestershire sauce instead of fish sauce in your various Thai recipes.” She pouted out her lower lip. “I’m begging you, Noelle.”
“Wait, wait, wait.” Noelle held up both of her hands, shaking her head in disbelief. “This isn’t about my sex life?”
Queen blinked.
“It isn’t?” Noelle asked.
Queen shook her head. “Noelle, you haven’t once googled anything sexual since I began monitoring your internet search history.” She hummed and tapped a finger against her chin. “I mean unless you do so in Incognito mode. But as we all know, Incognito mode utterly protects your information from me and the federal government. Plus, sex is such an icky thing and I, a super smart supercomputer, am beyond thinking about icky things.”
“So, you had no idea that I was into BDSM?” Noelle whispered.
Kris and Susie both looked at each other and cackled like hyenas with Kris burying their face into their hands while Susie bellowed into the top Ralsei’s blonde hair.
“What’s BDSM?” Ralsei asked.
Susie laughed even harder, finally losing her shit. There would be no hope of salvaging it at the rate things were going.
“Yes, is that a music genre of some sort?” Queen then asked, cocking a brow. Though she then held a hand to her temple as her eyes shifted to a pixelated loading screen. “Hmm, no… it seems to be hidden behind my icky filter. I think it’s best that we didn’t touch that specific subject, if that was okay with you.”
Noelle groaned and buried her face into her hands. At this moment, all she wanted to do was die.
“Can someone tell me what BDSM is?” Ralsei asked, looking between the three of them. “I feel like I’m being left out of the loop here.”
“We can talk about it later,” Susie teased.
Kris nodded. “I think it’s best to just uh… give Noelle a little bit of time to recover.”
Noelle just stared into the palms of her hands, wishing that she could burrow holes into them and somehow hide away from this discussion. She was petrified, utterly frozen by having just blurted that out.
“Plus, I care little about how you lightners procreate, it’s such a dreadfully unsanitary process,” Queen chided, shaking her head. “You people need to learn the enlightened method of self-replicating via complex computer algorithms. I assure you that it’s far tidier and more pleasurable than anything you could accomplish.”
There was a tick and no one talked.
Noelle slowly managed to draw her face away from her hands, looking across the table at Queen. She honestly didn’t know what to say to that and instead simply shook her head.
Queen shrugged and then looked at Ralsei. “Anyways, you were sharing some architectural proposals for me to approve?” She smirked. “How about we redevelop some of the scenery in that new park you’re planning, I’m thinking we could add a fitting tribute to myself?”
Ralsei scoffed and said nothing, simply giving Queen a look.
“Oh, come on Ralsei,” Queen said, holding a hand to her chest. “I think I’m due for a little recognition for helping you with all of these projects. I’m just asking for one teeny tiny little ten-foot-tall statue of me crafted from solid gold.”
Ralsei lifted a brow.
“Ralsei,” Queen added, tenting her fingers together. The word ‘honest’ filled her visor. “I’m sure we could come to some sort of arrangement. I am only looking for some due respect is all. I’m sure you could take a little pity on an old disgraced monarch like myself. My hardware is practically ancient at this point.”
Ralsei sighed and shook his head. “How about a bench dedicated to you? Would that suffice?”
Queen’s face lit up, literally, as she offered him such a warm smile. “I think that sounds like a wonderful addition to your project.” Her eyes then loaded as she pondered something. “Now how about I offer you some additional park redesigns using data I ethically farmed from darkner social media accounts? You wouldn’t imagine the kind of information that you can buy from these companies.”
Noelle learned quickly that Castle Town was a collage, a mixture of various Dark World’s worth of architectural trends and habits. The nature of buildings in this realm were as diverse as the citizens who prowled its streets.
This is why she wasn’t surprised to stand outside of a sphinx that looked like it could’ve come from a far more ancient time.
“Why are we here again?” Susie asked, sounding a little terse.
Not that this was out of the ordinary as this locale made Noelle equally uncomfortable. She was not overly fond of this Dark World nor the memories that it provided.
Ralsei glanced at her. “I have some economic reports that I was hoping to review with Ozzy. Ever since coming to Castle Town, he’s been vital with helping ensure that our coffers stay well-supplied with money.”
“I just don’t like the guy,” Susie grumbled, looking off to the side.
Noelle came over and grabbed her hand, giving it a comforting little squeeze.
“I know,” Ralsei said, looking away and rubbing at his arm. “But… he’s changed a lot since the whole fountain nonsense. He was blinded like everyone else who now calls Castle Town home. I promise, he’s gotten a lot better.”
Though not even he sounded so sure about that.
“Not his fault that he came the closest to actually stopping us,” Kris said, shrugging their shoulders. “Couldn’t hurt to give him a chance.”
Susie sighed. “Let’s just make this quick, okay?”
Ralsei nodded and moved towards the front door with the other three following behind. A pair of attendants were waiting and bowed at the waist, opening the mighty chambers and motioning for the entourage to enter. Something which they promptly did.
“Dude still rules like a king,” Susie grumbled.
Noelle nodded. “Well, he was once the king of kings. So, hopefully being a mere king has helped mellow him out.”
“But…” Susie began.
“And now he’s the king of kings serving under a prince,” Kris then offered, interrupting Susie as she worked her jaw. “I mean look at Queen, she’s still a queen and she’s pretty okay to be around.”
Susie grunted, obviously having nothing to add to that train of thought.
The interior of the building was done up in weathered old bricks with various statues and carvings littered throughout the space. It had an old and prestigious vibe to it, reminding Noelle a lot of the museum of history back in Home City.
“So can I ask a question?” Ralsei added, shattering the silence.
Susie perked up. “Sure?”
“I just…” Ralsei bit his lip. “I know that you mentioned that we’ll talk about it later but it’s really been eating at me. What exactly is uh… BDSM?”
Noelle blushed and buried her face into Susie’s arm.
Susie sighed. “It’s uh…”
“It’s a sex thing, Ralsei,” Kris promptly answered.
For once there was no amusement in their voice, no desire to toy with Noelle. It was a simple statement, straight and to the point. Had the seriousness and weight of this visit actually removed the brat from Kris’ personality?
Maybe this visit really was that dire.
Noelle nodded slowly and let out a sigh. “Yeah.”
As she managed to peel her gaze away from Susie, she saw that Ralsei was blushing bright red at this new information.
“Oh!” he yelped. “I uh… I see!” He cleared his throat and rubbed at the tip of his snout. “Well, uh… maybe I could ask some more questions about it once we’re back at the castle then. You know, after we’ve finished with our day?”
Kris smirked and came over, taking Ralsei’s free hand within their own. “Sure.”
With that, Kris stepped ahead, practically dragging Ralsei along as they made their way across the chamber and to a second set of doors on the other side. Noelle and Susie followed along, with Susie seeming more and more unsure while Noelle tried to comfort her by dragging a thumb tenderly across her rough knuckles. It was the barest amount of affection but she didn’t really know what else she could offer at this moment.
Another pair of servants opened these doors and the entourage stepped inside.
The room was a mix of modern and ancient. There were pristine artifacts and statues littered throughout, mingling with fine art done up in various styles with all sorts of different Dark Worlds and artistic eras represented. A bank of TVs filled one of the walls, playing various news and entertainment streams.
And in the very centre, was a desk with a darkner seated at it.
Ozymandias, the former king of kings, was a crocodile dressed in a purple suit with a nemes draped across his bare scalp. He was currently looking over some documents with a pen between his lips, idly chewing upon it.
“Ozzy?” Ralsei asked.
Ozymandias looked up and took the pen out from between his lips, placing it down upon his desk. “If it isn’t the young prince. What concerns could I help you with today?”
His attention briefly flicked towards the lightners and Susie’s grip tensed, almost crushing Noelle’s poor little hand in the process. Though she caught herself and saved Noelle’s bones from being turned into dust. Still, she looked predatory, rearing for a fight as her nostrils flared.
“And with such esteemed guests,” Ozzy added, his tone so woefully mundane and neutral. “I hope that you’ve been in good health.” He then offered what passed for a warm smile from a darkner of his quality. “And I hope there aren’t any hard feelings that might still be lingering.”
Kris shrugged. “Nothing that some therapy can’t fix.”
Noelle’s mind couldn’t stop itself from retreating to the memories of Ozzy’s Dark World and the various horrors that had filled his many death traps and mazes. Horrors that were far too personal to just brush off and smile through.
‘Long time no see, sis.’
A phantom of a phantom, a pain so sharp that it nearly made her stumble.
Susie snorted. “You seem to be doing well for yourself.”
“Making up for my crimes by doing whatever I can to help Ralsei,” Ozzy said, looking warily at Susie before smiling and turning his attention back to the prince once again. “Speaking of, I assume there was a matter that you wished to discuss?”
Ralsei nodded and let go of Kris’ hand, going over to the desk and taking a seat across from the other darkner.
“I was hoping to get your feedback on the latest proposal that I sent to you,” he said. “I know you’re a busy man but this is a somewhat urgent matter.”
Ozzy nodded and sorted through some files on his desk. “I’m assuming that you consulted with Queen and she has run the necessary calculations of whether or not the prisoner has the fortitude necessary to increase power generation?”
Ralsei tensed.
Kris went silent and both Susie and Noelle came over, placing a hand upon each of their shoulders.
“She informed me that the prisoner can handle it,” Ralsei stated.
“Then I think your plan is sound in terms of increasing general production and further raising quality of life metrics across the board,” Ozzy stated, flipping through a set of papers that must’ve been this report. “My only concern is whether or not the prisoner can run indefinitely. It failing would…” He paused. “It would be troublesome considering that we can no longer summon a fountain for our future energy needs.”
“I can assure you that it will remain alive and well,” Ralsei said.
Kris snapped away from Noelle and Susie, promptly storming out of the room. The display was loud and no one talked as the door slammed loudly back into place behind them.
“They’ve always had an issue whenever the prisoner is brought up,” Ozzy grumbled.
Ralsei sighed.
Susie gritted her teeth together and glared at Ozzy. “You know damn well why that is.”
“I know but…” Ozzy shook his head. “The child has had plenty of time with which to heal that wound and they seem utterly unwilling to let it do so. It’s completely ridiculous to let past events impact your life in such a manner.”
Noelle sucked in a breath.
Susie drew her hand away from Noelle’s, balling both of them into a pair of fists. It seemed that the pot was just about ready to boil over.
“We should’ve let you die,” she huffed, storming out and following after Kris.
If this perturbed Ozzy, it was impossible to tell as his demeanour stayed as neutral as ever. He studied Noelle for a moment before snapping his gaze back to Ralsei as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
Ralsei sighed. “You shouldn’t goad them like that.”
“They fail to leave the past behind and it’s clouding their ability to engage with the future,” Ozzy stated, shaking his head. “They took kingdoms from me and yet they weep over something as trivial as a few stolen years and a small collection of troubled memories. I am just thankful that I am made of stronger stuff than that.”
“Ozzy!” Ralsei hissed.
Noelle didn’t hear another word as she turned away and left the chamber as well.
She came out to see Kris sitting upon the steps with their head buried into their hands. Susie leaned against a nearby pillar, looking similarly dark. Though she also seemed a little helpless, staring hopelessly at Kris and working her jaw as if trying to figure out something to say.
“God, I fucking hate that prick,” she finally stated. “I don’t know why Ralsei let him come here.”
Kris shook their head. “Because he was useful and seemed sincere about finally seeing the error of his ways.”
“How are you two holding up?” Noelle asked.
She plopped down into a spot right next to Kris and draped an arm over their shoulder, pulling them in against her. They willingly surrendered to her comforting embrace, closing their eyes and sighing.
“Honestly, I’m a bit of a mess,” they grumbled.
Susie huffed. “I want to fucking smash something.”
Noelle nodded and looked at Susie. “I’m sure that Ralsei has some training dummies that will work pretty well for that.” She then glanced at Kris, running a hand through their hair and doing whatever she could to calm them. “Why didn’t you tell us that you wanted to visit that thing?”
“Didn’t want to worry you two,” Kris whispered. “But… I needed some closure and I didn’t know how else to get it.”
“Are you sure that’s such a good idea?” Noelle asked.
Kris sighed. “I… I don’t know… maybe?”
“Well, we’ll go with you if you want us to be there,” Noelle said, looking at Susie. “Right?”
Susie sighed and her anger quickly evaporated. She came over and plopped down next to her partner, taking their hand and cradling it within her own.
“Right,” Susie said. “I’ll kick its fucking ass if you want me to.”
Kris smirked. “Thanks, you two.” They then smirked at Susie. “Though… how exactly would you kick its ass?”
“I’d get creative,” Susie teased.
They lingered together in silence for a few long moments, just enjoying the comfort that they could provide for one another. Honestly, Noelle didn’t know how long it was until the door to the chamber opened and Ralsei stepped out.
“Sorry about that,” Ralsei whispered, failing to look at them. “I…”
“It’s fine,” Susie grumbled.
Noelle got to her feet and offered her hand, helping Kris get up as well. She tried not to see the rings of red that lingered around their eyes.
“Just… uh…” Ralsei sighed. “Just one more stop until we’re ready to head back to the castle.” He offered a weak smile to the trio, letting out a string of nervous laughter. “Though I promise that this one isn’t going to be nearly as rough.”
Susie looked at Noelle, unsure of what to say.
Though thankfully Kris seemed to have an idea. “Lead the way, big guy.” They then snorted. “I want to get out of this fucking place.”
This neighbourhood was not too familiar to Noelle, looking like a medieval town with a haphazard collection of wooden structures mixed together with brickwork architecture. This was from a Dark World that Noelle hadn’t been fortunate enough to visit before it had been whisked away by the closure of its fountain. Still, she had a good idea of what it must’ve looked like during its prime, looking like something from a thousand years ago.
The building they were now outside of was a theatre of sorts, made of bricks and looking sturdy and prestigious in its design.
A monster that looked like a rolled-up scroll walked through its front doors, beaming as he saw the entourage who waited outside.
“If it isn’t the regal prince himself!” Spear Shaker chanted, chuckling quite boisterously. “Have you come to see my latest production? It’s a daunting tale of lovers coming together through the scorn of their respective families. A romance and tragedy expertly woven into a story with such daring rogues and bold heroes as characters.”
Ralsei offered a polite smile, shaking his head. “Not this afternoon, I’m afraid. I’ve actually just come by to introduce you to one of my lightner friends.”
Spear Shaker blinked and looked towards the assembled trio. “Ah, I knew that I remembered these brave faces!” He pointed at Kris and Susie. “You were the daring duo who ensured that our keep remained safe from the dastardly Hopsburgs and their Cat Lick allies. I’ll have you know that I have a play in the works that will be preaching your tale of bravery and honour to the masses.”
Susie grinned. “Never been in a play before.”
“Well then, I’ll ensure that you are only given the most impressive introduction to the stage. I expect that the tales of your adventures will be more popular than any other play that I’ve ever had the privilege of producing.” Spear Shaker then shook his head. “But which one of these three did you want to introduce me to?”
Ralsei motioned to Noelle. “This is Noelle, she’s thinking of getting into the art of writing and I was wondering if you’d possibly have some time later in the week to talk with her one-on-one about the topic.”
Noelle offered a small wave and an equally timid smile. “It’s uh… it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Lady Noelle!” Spear Shaker gasped. “I didn’t get the chance to meet you during the Cat Lick invasion but I know that you’ve helped with some of our heroes’ other adventures. You are positively revered among the people here.”
“Revered?” Noelle whispered.
She’d never been revered before. The word felt foreign, like it belonged to a proper hero and not someone like herself. Yet… here she was standing in the middle of a town that she’d helped build, surrounded by people whose lives that she’d directly impacted.
“So, tell me a little bit about your stories?” Spear Shaker asked.
Noelle’s eyes widened and she felt her throat seize. It was only now that she realized that the only stories that she had actually worked on up to this point were a few smutty fanfics for some fandoms that she enjoyed. She’d hardly call them proper stories and they were not the body of work that she wanted to discuss with someone of this calibre.
Thankfully, Kris offered a smile as they stepped forward and brushed across her side, grabbing her hand. “She writes romantic stuff, at the moment, with a big focus on personal connections and the trials and tribulations that lovers must endure.”
Spear Shaker beamed. “Then you must come to my newest production. It’s a tale that would fit perfectly with your desired medium.” He held a hand to his chest and bowed. “How about attending the showing two days from now and then afterwards you can conduct a personal interview with myself if there are any additional questions that need answering?”
Noelle nodded. “That would be very nice, thank you.”
“Wonderful!” Spear Shaker said. “Now, is there anything else that you wished to discuss? I do not want to seem pressed for time but there are many small parts that go into a production and I am unfortunately tasked with many of them.”
“No, I think that should be it,” Ralsei said, offering a polite smile. “Thank you very much for your time, my friend.”
“Of course, my little prince!” Spear Shaker beamed. “There will always be time made for the saviours of my people.”
Though with that he ascended the steps of his theatre once again, quickly moving towards the doors. He offered one final dramatic wave and purposefully bowed before slipping inside and closing the doors behind himself.
“Two days’ time,” Noelle whispered, nodding to herself.
“Thankfully time moves differently down here,” Kris said.
Susie smirked. “Timey wimey bullshit or whatever.”
“Wait!” Noelle gasped. “Was that a Doctor Whom reference?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Susie quickly said, scratching at her chin. There was a sheepish grin on her lips as she failed to look at Noelle. “I must’ve picked it up while working a night shift or something.”
“You mean the shifts where you do nothing but watch TV shows on your laptop?” Kris asked.
Susie sighed. “Yeah.”
“My girlfriend is becoming a Whomvian,” Noelle beamed.
Ralsei laughed. “Do I even want to know what that is?”
Susie scoffed. “Means these dweebs are rubbing off on me.”
Kris drew towards Ralsei and interlaced their fingers with his own before brushing up alongside him. The action was smooth and intimate as both of their cheeks warmed just a little.
Susie and Noelle both looked at each other, relaying the message: ‘don’t say it’. Clearly Kris didn’t see it the same way as them and they just had to accept that fact and respect the choices of their partner.
“Anyways, should we finally head back to the castle?” Ralsei asked. “Get that uh… last visit out of the way before retiring for a nice lunch?”
“Works for me,” Susie said.
Kris nodded, looking unsure of themself for a moment. It almost seemed that they wanted to say something but they restrained themself, instead offering a smile that was brimming with a nervous energy. “Yeah, let’s… let’s do that.”
Ralsei looked at Susie who looked at Noelle who in turn looked back at Ralsei. Each of them knew they should say something but…
In the end, none of them knew exactly what that something should be.
So, they dropped the matter and continued with their day.
The castle’s dungeon hadn’t changed much since the first time that Noelle had visited it, being so damp and dreary. There were a number of cells that lined both sides and each was occupied by a prisoner with an environment that catered to their unique needs.
These were the darkeners who couldn’t be reformed, who refused to see the world as it was and clung to how it had once been. How it had worked when they had ruled unopposed.
Noelle didn’t know if she could honestly blame them. It couldn’t have been easy to be at the top and then suddenly have it all come crashing down.
She saw Spade King in his cell, staring down at a book in his hands with a pair of glasses resting on the bridge of his nose. Both seemed comically small though they distracted him from the guests who moved beyond his cell. He seemed more docile than he’d once been, no longer brimming with pent-up anger and resentment.
As they moved, Kris’ grip upon her hand tensed, growing so woefully firm. Still, if the worst that Noelle had to contend with was them squeezing her hand a little too hard, then it was a duty that she was willing to undertake.
Ralsei kept his gaze straight ahead, moving through the corridors. He also seemed a little shaken by the walk, dutifully putting one foot in front of the other as he forced himself to march ahead. His jaw seemed tense, his posture getting more and more rigid.
Susie tried to settle him by placing a hand upon his shoulder but this had a minimal effect upon his wellbeing.
It couldn’t have been easy for him, Noelle realized. When you pride yourself on being able to reform villains, it must’ve been hard to look at those who remained defiant in the face of such kindness.
“Hello, little prince,” a voice drawled; pure mockery dripping from it.
Noelle looked to the side and saw a cowboy smiling at them. He was a ghost with a wide-brimmed hat that he tilted towards the entourage. His cell was set up like an old west bar with a dart board that was well used. Though the bullseye was obscured by a very perforated portrait of a certain lawman.
Ralsei ignored him and continued ahead.
One of the cells contained another regal king who sat upon a literal gilded throne, staring ahead at a TV in front of him. He ate popcorn from a bowl, his bunny ears twitching gently as he consumed whatever show was presented to him.
Noelle had heard stories of this creature, remembering the tales of the damage that the Hopsburg emperor had inflicted upon her party. He’d apparently been one of their toughest opponents until the very end.
“HEY [sugar-momma],” another voice called.
Noelle tensed as she saw the little puppet looking out at them, his eerie smile spreading from ear to ear as his eye twitched.
“CAN YOU LET ME OUT OF HERE? ALL I DID WAS [a little white-collar crime],” Spamton chided, continuing to twitch. “SURELY, YOU CAN SPARE A LITTLE [mercy] FOR ME.”
Ralsei looked at him and shook his head. “I’d hardly call your crimes white collar, Spamton. Your hands are very red.”
Spamton slammed one hand against the bars, that never faltering smile refusing to waiver. His energy was so foreboding, intense, and unrelenting in nature. “SHE!” He thrust a finger at Noelle. “BOUGHT THE PRODUCT. SO, THAT’S BETWEEN [for her pleasure] AND [[HYPERLINK BLOCKED]].”
Noelle flinched and looked at her hand, rubbing the spot on her finger where the band of thorny metal had briefly resided. It turned out that strength was important but there were limits to what a person should be willing to endure for it.
Susie approached the bars and leaned against them, growling so fiercely and exposing all of her razor-sharp teeth. “Hey Muppet…” She rattled the bars, causing quite the fierce bang by doing so. It was enough that it drew the attention of a few neighbouring cells. “How about you shut the fuck up before I put my fist up your ass harder than Jim does to Kermit.”
Spamton scooted back from the bars and drew a hand across his lips, mimicking the act of sealing them.
With that, Susie nodded and drew away, coming over to Ralsei.
The prince once more led the entourage, looking down at his hands as he did so. It seemed the closer they drew to the door at the end of the hall, the more this tour was starting to weigh down upon him. It made sense as Noelle also noticed that Kris’ hand had started to grow clammy, their breathing becoming more and more frantic. It was obvious that they didn’t like this either.
Noelle hoped that whatever they gained from this was worth it. She prayed that whatever closure they derived would justify such a cost.
Ralsei spared them a look as they finally reached the door at the very end of the hall. It was made of reinforced steel with not even a window built into the design. There was a digital hand reader next to it with the only key available being a handprint.
“Are you sure you want…” he began.
“Yes!” Kris snapped, wincing at the forcefulness of their voice. “Sorry, just… yes… please.”
Ralsei once more looked like he was going to say something but stopped himself as he placed his hand against the scanner. It took a second to read his pawprint before a green light flashed and the door unlocked. He then grabbed the handle and stepped inside, holding it open for the other three.
The space within was cast in an eerie red glow, looking like a proper prison in terms of just how oppressive this specific chamber felt. There were no concessions made for this being, no comforts provided. There was simply a bank of computers that sat next to a glass window that overlooked another chamber that was utterly secluded from the outside world.
Kris faltered and their hand slipped away.
Noelle looked at them and saw the horror that was painted upon their face. Their gaze was locked upon the being under observation.
In the middle of this empty room hovered a red heart that idly beat, thudding away. Tendrils emerged from its flesh but found no surface to cling to, slipping away and falling feebly to the floor. It was desperately searching for a host though none could be found.
Though it seemed to sense Kris as suddenly a dozen tendrils launched outwards and smacked against the glass, impacting with quite some force. Though not enough to even threaten to crack the barrier, let alone break through. Still, it was enough to make Kris stumble away, shielding themself.
Noelle approached one of the computers, seeing figures and graphs that talked away energy levels.
This was Ralsei’s little sin, the secret that kept Castle Town running. The necessary evil that made this whole realm just a little tainted in nature. After all, without the fountains there was only one power source strong enough to keep a Dark World alive. That power source was determination and there wasn’t an entity that held more of that in either world than the creature who was trapped inside.
Kris approached the glass and as they did so, Noelle noticed that there was a slight purple tinge lingering within their gaze, growing even more intense than their baseline level. They seemed so strong, overcoming their fear as they now stood before the glass.
They reached forwards and touched it with the tendrils now lashing at the spot that lingered just below their palm. It was like one of those electric balls they sold at novelty stores but much grander in scale.
Still, it was strange to see them act so confident in the face of something like this
“I…” they began, shaking their head.
Noelle took a step towards them though Susie pushed out an arm, stopping her. They were here to help but only if they were called upon.
“I used to hate you so much,” Kris stated, drawing in a breath. “Back when you controlled my body and strutted me around like a fucking toy. I used to resent you for living my life, for taking away months… years… of the most important parts of my life.”
The heart didn’t respond, still lashing away frantically against the glass, searching for its host. Though it only made it seem more pathetic, like a cornered animal that was desperately trying to escape.
Only the host drew their hand back. “But when it comes down to it, everything you ever tried to push me towards never worked out for you. Every bad choice, every attempt to isolate me…” They snorted and shook their head. “It didn’t work, not even once.”
They motioned to their friends… their partners… their lovers and companions.
“Do you see my two fantastic girlfriends?” Kris hissed. “The ones you tried to take away from me? That’s right, you pathetic bitch, I’m fucking the two people you tried to keep further and further from me. And do you see Ralsei, alive and well? Would you like to hear about the brother who still loves me and his partner who is really fucking cool?”
“You…” Kris growled and smacked a hand against the glass, snarling with such fury as they did so. “You tried so hard to make me feel alone, like I only had you to rely on. But I want you to look at the life I put back together, piece by fucking piece. The life you now have no part in and only get to see when I decide to come and watch you rot in this cell, acting like a glorified battery for the people that I helped save. Me and not you.”
Noelle balled her hands into fists and wanted nothing more than to march through Susie. Kris was obviously suffering and she felt powerless to help them. Though as she looked at her girlfriend, she simply shook her head.
At the least, Susie draped an arm over Noelle’s shoulders, gently rubbing at a spot upon her arm.
Ralsei also came over and gently grasped Noelle’s hand, taking it within his own. It was strange, of the three, Noelle had the least familiarity with Ralsei. She was also the only one who lacked any history of intimacy with him. But at this very moment, she was thankful for his hand as she squeezed it back, holding onto it tightly.
Tears brimmed within her eyes, so eager to come spilling forth and add their own ration of misery to this truly terrible moment.
Kris strutted back and forth before the group, seeming tense, like a feral animal that just wanted to lash out at something. They ran a hand through their hair which was now slick with a heavy sheen of sweat.
“Fucking,” they growled, sighing as they snapped their attention back towards the chamber. “Why did you do that to me? It’s always the question I had… why did you pick me? Why did you decide to ruin some High Schooler’s life for a few years? Surely, there were monsters or humans more equipped to do whatever you needed them to do than me.”
The heart of course couldn’t respond, merely beating away within its captive little prison. Its light strobed throughout the venue and so many tendrils of red caressed at the glass. It was looking for an escape, it was reaching out for its host as if hoping the glass would magically disappear.
“I mean I have theories,” Kris explained, shaking their head. “Mostly I think you’re just a fucking parasite and I was the easiest target that you could find. The secluded little human child who barely had friends and whose parents were too busy being tormented by their divorce to even notice that their kid was acting unusual.”
Kris strutted over to a chair at one of the consoles and plopped down within it. They seemed deep in thought, rubbing their brow between their forefinger and thumb. At least, it seemed that they were deep in thought until they shuddered with the familiar twitch of tears.
“Fuck you,” Kris grumbled, their anger quickly fading to an intense misery. “I hate to think about that. I don’t want to be some fucking victim with a big ‘please abuse me’ sign on my back. I didn’t deserve that…” They sighed and looked like they were about to say something else though the sentence soon faltered upon the very tip of their tongue.
Noelle tried to draw towards them but Susie’s grip remained firm. She wasn’t about to let her go just yet.
“I lived so long wondering if you would come back,” Kris whispered, shaking their head. “I used to have nightmares where you would break free from this place and come crawling back to me, like some monster from a horror movie. Where you would take me over and make me do things that I hated to do, be with people that I hated to be with. But…”
They laughed, shaking their head. The words once more failed to materialize, left to fester into some vague sense of nothingness.
“You know I used to resent Ralsei,” Kris went on.
Ralsei tensed and Noelle looked towards him, seeing the pain that such a statement etched upon his face. Though he worked his jaw and forced himself to maintain a stiff upper lip.
“He wouldn’t let me pop you like a balloon when we finally found my real SOUL,” Kris explained, snapping their fingers together and producing a little purple flame. “Said that we needed to study you and that we needed to better understand you. Then he talked about how you were useful, just brimming with determination that could be used.”
Kris sighed and extinguished that flame from between their fingers.
Noelle squeezed Ralsei’s hand, knowing that it was now her turn to be there for him. He nodded, seeming to appreciate it as tears glistened within his eyes.
“I guess he…” Kris looked away from the heart and towards their friends and lovers, seeming to appreciate that they were there as if taking them in for the very first time. Something seemed to weigh down upon them though, seeming so heavy. They soon looked back to the heart. “I guess he was right though. You are the only reason that the Dark World still exists, some perverted little antihero who is keeping the hopes and dreams of this entire world alive and well. I bet you’d even enjoy that if you had the means to feel.”
They chuckled, the sound seeming so grim.
“You know what’s a memory that still haunts me to this day?” Kris asked.
They pushed away from the chair and leaned in towards the glass, placing a hand against it. The tendrils lapped away at this same glass, striking against the spot where Kris’ palm lingered.
“I remember when you controlled my body so utterly,” Kris grumbled, their voice sounding even more hollow than before. “When you controlled my arms and legs and stomach and could touch me anywhere that you wanted to touch me. Do you remember that?” They scoffed. “Because I sure as shit remember that, I remember that all of the time.”
“Angel,” Susie whispered.
Noelle blinked and was unsure what…
Touch me anywhere.
Noelle’s eyes widened and she once more tried to plunge ahead, only to be held back by her two companions. At this moment, she hated them so much, wanting nothing more than to be there for Kris and offer them some sort of phantom comfort.
As she looked at Ralsei, she could see that there were now proper tears dripping from his eyes and soaking into the fur on his cheeks.
Did he know about that? Had he’d been aware?
Susie’s expression was impossibly dark, nearly unreadable in its quality. She seemed furious and sad at the same time though it was a mood that Noelle could understand. After all, it was exactly how she felt at this very moment.
Kris sighed. “I don’t know why I needed to see you… I guess I just wanted to talk. Or maybe I wanted to see you locked up in here. It’s been years and I think I’m finally coming to terms with the fact that you’re not going to break free and control me again.” They snarled and closed their eyes. “Maybe it’s better this way. Death would’ve been too easy but this… this is eternal. This is your reality from now on, nothing but blank walls and a loneliness that will last forever.”
They snorted and shook their head, offering a grim smile towards the glass.
“Goodbye.”
Finally, they turned away from the window and looked to their companions, sighing as they did so.
“Sorry,” they whispered, rubbing at their eyes. “That was probably a lot.”
Susie snorted. “A little bit.”
Finally, she dropped her arm and Noelle lunged forwards, sprinting towards her partner. She threw her arms around them and pulled them in tight, pressing them into her warm and comforting body. She was happy to feel their arms around her as well.
Kris shivered and then shuddered. It took Noelle a moment to realize that this was due to them crying.
“It’s going to be okay,” Noelle whispered.
She heard heavy footsteps and saw that it was Susie and Ralsei coming over as well. Both of them placed a comforting hand upon Kris, doing what they could to be there for them.
“I think…” Kris swallowed a lump in their throat. “I think I want to go now.”
Noelle nodded and reluctantly drew back, giving them a little bit of space.
Kris wiped at their eyes and sniffled a couple of times before nodding towards Ralsei.
The prince nodded back and took the lead, heading towards the chamber’s exit.
“Are you feeling any better?” Susie asked.
“I… I think so… it’s honestly a little hard to tell. I…” Kris sighed. “I can’t tell if that was vindictive or something I did for legitimate closure. It felt petty but…” They shook their head. “I don’t know, I’m just glad that it’s over.”
Susie nodded. “No way that it’s breaking loose ever again.”
“It’s like a butterfly in a jar,” Kris whispered.
Ralsei opened the heavy steel door, slipping outside with the other three. And with that, he closed the door behind himself, ensuring that there was yet another barrier put up between them and the SOUL that was trapped inside.
“I hate that room,” Ralsei whispered.
“Yeah,” Kris replied, rubbing at their arm. “Me too.”
Though it seemed that merely leaving the room had done them a little good, managing to stir them out of their stupor. Though it was only a little good as their expression was still sour and filled with misery.
At the very least, it seemed that the various criminals knew to keep their mouths shut.
“How about we head up to the kitchen and I make us some lunch?” Ralsei offered. “Queen recently helped upgrade my cauldron to include all sorts of new and interesting recipes.” He beamed. “Oh, oh, I should totally make you some ramen.”
“Ramen would be nice,” Kris said, offering a thin smile.
Susie nodded. “Yeah, let’s go get some ramen.”
Noelle leaned over and kissed the top of Kris’ head before nodding in agreement. “I think ramen sounds lovely.”
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