Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was the same thing, over and over again.

“ You shouldn’t be here! ”

He should’ve been used to it by now.

“What do you want from me?!”

But everytime, it still hurt. It hurt him so much that he could never save him.

“ I...I am... seeing! ”

Every time he saw that poor boy’s stained, rain soaked body...the way he shuddered in pain, and yet relished it with a grin on his face.

Lenin thought that there was nothing more hellish than seeing that over and over again. Like a personal purgatory.

For the others, it was different. Dimitri and Horace had deserved what happened to them...and at times, Lenin thought that maybe they had made their peace with that. Amir and Liane...he didn’t know them that well to be honest, but they were still kind to him, and they were more than willing to pass on if it meant the best for their mansion and those who lived in it.

But something about Phuny never felt right. He never passed on with a smile or a peaceful expression. Whenever he said his final farewell, there was this look of... guilt on his face. As if he could’ve done more. As if Lenin could’ve done more. But could he? Was it really possible...to rescue him from his fate?

He was going to find out as a flash of lightning reminded him of where he was. The shadowy beast loomed over, cackling with a maw full of razor-sharp teeth.

“You’re a fool, and fear will cover your heart!”

Panic always unnerved Lenin- he always would -but even now as he was pursued by his two man-sized claws, there was almost a sense of triviality to this scenario. He had gone through this before, knew everything that needed to be done, and could probably do it all in under two minutes flat if he put his mind to it. It wasn’t just Panic, either. He had faced the others countless times as well. It puzzled him how he was able to be so brave in the face of something that had always terrified him. 

Well, he knew it wasn’t Panic he was afraid of now. It was what came after . Lening clenched his fists, knowing what he would have to witness again once he was victorious. Still, it needed to be done. He racked his brain over and over as he dodged paw swipes left and right, trying to figure out how to change things, how to make things end differently this time. The way Phuny looked before...his skin was all purple, just like the water was until…

The water ...could that be it? Maybe if he drank some of it…

With the final press of a switch, the pipes were reconnected. Panic’s once maniacal grin now bore one of pure horror. Ironic.

“No! What...what did you do?!”

Sometimes Lenin felt a twinge of pity in his chest when he saw the now-former patriarch cry out in anguish, but he pushed it away. Those shadowy...creature... things ...would probably never even think of giving him that same sentiment. As what remained of Phuny collapsed to the ground, he angled himself a little. He wasn’t really sure how to do this. Should he just...tackle him into the water or actually try to talk him into it? No, that probably wouldn’t work. Lenin knew from his previous futile attempts that words never changed anything.  Besides, what would he say? ‘Hey, Phuny, I know you’re trying to have an emotional moment here, but would you mind dumping yourself in the lake?’

“I... I’m sorry… ”

The lion always felt horrible whenever his thoughts had taken him away from Phuny’s last words. True, he had heard them many times, but he deserved to be listened to. At least, Lenin thought so. And Magnolia...seeing her watch her own son die...he wondered if that was worse than anything he had ever gone through.

“I would never leave you, Phuny. Never! ”

...Lenin wished his mom would say things like that to him.

“ Take care, Lenin…”

This. This was it. Lenin could see it happening already. The hyena’s body shuddered, as if it was about to shatter like glass. But he wasn’t going to let that happen. Not this time. He hoped he was lined up right...and also that it was football lessons he was taking rather than basketball. Tackling was not something he was well-versed in but he couldn’t afford to mess this up. This was what he’d come back here for so many times.

He had to do this.

“Lenin boy, what are you-”

Phuny’s back was turned. He didn’t even see it coming. With a yelp and a splash, the two of them plunged into the lake. The water was freezing but Lenin didn’t care. Phuny, on the other hand...Lenin practically choked when he saw him gently drifting to the bottom, not even bothering to fight back. He didn’t even want to swim back up to the surface. His face was... calm , like this was what he wanted, like he wanted to…

NO! Lenin screamed internally, frantically diving further into the water. He was not going to let this happen, not after everything he’d done for him. The young lion swam as fast as he could and practically tore Phuny’s arm off trying to pull him up. Lenin was starting to panic. He could feel his breath starting to slowly escape his lips as he tugged at his limp body, eventually managing to lift him off the bed of the lake.

Phuny’s crimson gaze pierced through him as they both finally began to approach the surface. Looking back to face him, Lenin saw his lips move. He was saying something.

“Why?”

The first thing he heard when his head burst through the surface of the water was Magnolia gasping.

“Dear god , Lenin! Don’t ever do that again!” Lenin could feel a paw strongly placed on his shoulder as he was promptly (and rather harshly) pulled out of the lake. “What were you thinking?! You could’ve...you could’ve.. ” Squinting his eyes against what now seemed like harsh sunlight and coughing up what had to be at least a few ounces of water, he saw Phuny being dragged out as well. “Phuny...Phuny, please talk to me. Are you alright?”

He said nothing. His face was blank as he suddenly stood up.

“...Phuny?”

The young man’s blood-red eyes widened and his lips quivered. “I…” He began, now dropping to his knees. His head whipped towards Lenin with an almost pleading look on his face, as he again mouthed something.

“ Why?”

The young lion finally felt a tiny bit of happiness enter his heart, knowing exactly what the answer was.

“Because we’re friends. ”

Phuny stared back at him for a long moment, looking just about ready to burst into tears. Then he gagged. Then he didn’t stop gagging. Then, in an instant, he was now violently retching up what seemed like gallons of some vile, purple sludge that hissed and sizzled against the muddy ground like acid. Magnolia was horrified .

“Oh...oh god …”

As more and more of it escaped his mouth, his fur slowly began to regain its color as did his eyes. Lenin could’ve sworn that he saw something writhe in the violet puddle for a split second, but soon his disgust was replaced with relief. Maybe he really had done it! Phuny seemed to be turning back to normal.

Of course, that relief turned back into terror as the hyena stood up, wiping his mouth, only to crumple over onto the ground with a whimper. His eyes were closed tight, and he didn’t get back up. The young man’s mother was immediately at his side. She could barely bring herself to place her shuddering paws on him.

“L-Lenin boy…” Without even turning to look at him, she addressed the younger boy beside her. “Please...h-he needs help…” Her voice was barely a whisper as her snouted face now pointed towards him. “Help...help me get him back home…” She had gently grabbed one of Phuny’s arms and put it over her shoulders

“R-right…” Lenin himself wasn’t sure what to say either as he joined in lifting up the hyena’s unconscious body. He was trying to look on the bright side of things, but it certainly wasn’t easy. Phuny was still alive, but just barely it seemed like. Had he not done enough?

With time, he managed to shake off that dreadful feeling. He’d set out to save someone who never got a happy ending, and he’d done that. He should feel proud of himself. But even with that, as the two of them slowly carried Phuny back to the umbrella maker’s house, something deep inside Lenin made his blood run cold.

Something that told him that this was the beginning of something he’d never be prepared for.

Chapter Text

“Lenin, dude, are you alright?”

The teenager found his thoughts being interrupted by one of the taller lions sitting with him at the lunch table. He hadn’t touched his food for a solid five minutes. Not because of a lack of appetite (thankfully), but his mind was elsewhere. He kept telling himself, how could I possibly think about eating at a time like this?

The rest of Lenin’s day prior to lunch was about as “uneventful” as he could call it. Not that nothing strange happened, but it was all stuff he’d re-lived over and over. Storming the castle, saving the mansion, and soon he’d be flying through the desert. It was all the same. But now...maybe this time he could finally take a break from all of this world-saving stuff for good.

Lenin was perplexed when the remaining members of the Triad told him the amulet he had been lovingly gifted with had the power to “restart” the fantastical realm he’d been traveling to and from (Esty insisted that it was not time travel, but Lenin found that a little hard to believe). He’d been waking up to this day for what felt like forever now, just for another shot at saving his friend. And now, finally having a successful attempt under his belt, he could rest easy for once.

Except there was one problem.

Phuny still hadn’t woken up.

Lenin had been visiting the village nonstop whenever he got free time during the school day, but each and every time he still found him unconscious in his bed. He was alive though, even as Lenin and Magnolia painstakingly took him back to her house he could notice the gentle rise and fall of his chest. Yet, his eyes refused to open. Still...he had managed to make a difference now. Even if Phuny was in poor condition, he was far from gone. That was a major upgrade from how things usually played out, and Lenin had to remind himself that.

“ Lenin! You listening to me, man?” This time it was the other taller lion who had snapped him out of his thoughts rather than his brother Leandro. Or...was it Anton who was talking to him before and Leandro now? Lenin was starting to feel exhausted…

“Yeah...yeah, I hear you. I’m fine.” All he gave was a simple nod.

“Are you sure?” This time it was Edward who chimed in, a look of concern beneath his glasses. “You’ve been staring off into space for a while...oh, I’m not trying to be rude or anything! I was just...you know, worried.”

Lenin shrugged. “I’m just...thinking.” He knew he should force himself to eat. He’d need all the strength he could get before facing Horace once again, and after finally saving Phuny, failing against the cold-hearted peacock wasn’t something Lenin could afford.

“Geez, do you ever stop thinking about stuff?” Anton joked, earning himself a flick from his brother.

“Oi, be nice! We made a promise!”

“Oh, and was that nice, knucklehead ?”

“ Hey! Don’t call me that!” 

Lenin shook his head and smiled as the twins continued their usual bickering, but at the same time he felt something else. The two of them looked like an innocent pair of brothers, and even when there were just moments ago teasing him, now they had promised to make amends and even cook for him for a week or so.

So what the hell took them so long? He knew that it was partially Isaac’s fault, since they’d already mentioned how he seemed to have some sort of vendetta against letting his “friends” actually do what they wanted, but still...after they’d been so... hellish to him, should he really give them a chance? Even when Isaac wasn’t around they always ganged up on him, and now they wanted to be friends?

The albino lion tried to push those thoughts away. He was probably just frustrated about Phuny’s condition, he shouldn’t take it out on others. Still, tiny little thoughts like those lingered in his mind. It almost felt like his fists were clenched and his face was getting hot. Lenin found this... strange . Since when did he ever get angry? Upset, sometimes. Frustrated, he was used to. But genuinely mad? That never happened.

He wondered how Phuny would deal with something like that.

~~~

There was nothing but shadow around him.

He was submerged, drowning in a lake of darkness.

He was terrified . He tried to scream but something gripped around his throat and stopped him.

He was sinking deeper and deeper with no way out.

Deeper and deeper in the abyss.

Air escaping from his lips.

He could feel his own body starting to become cold.

Lifeless.

Dying.

But something stopped him.

Something shone into the depths from above. A blinding, almost heavenly light. Something pierced through the darkness, slowly reaching down to him. A single, pure white paw, held out in front of him.

“Because we’re friends .”

Phuny woke up screaming. There was nothing else he could do. An entire day of fear and sorrow, hours and hours of pain condensed into a split second, had coursed through him the moment he regained consciousness. An especially sharp pain hit the back of his head as he promptly fell off of the bed he was apparently laying on and landed on the floor with a loud thud. The sound of his mother opening the door to his fallen body came next.

“Oh my god...Phuny?! Are you awake?!” She could barely contain her happiness and her worry, but at the same time she didn’t know what to do. She just...stood there.

After a solid minute of silence, the young hyena pulled himself off the ground, still panting. He looked around the room with a panicked expression, and almost screamed again when his eyes rested on Magnolia.

“Y-you…” Slowly, his gaze averted from hers. “...What are you doing here?”

“What kind of question is that? I’ve been taking care of you, that’s why I’m here.”

He shook his head. “I was fine. Didn’t need your help.”

“Phuny…”

“Why didn’t you just leave me?”

“ Phuny… ”

“I...I don’t deserve to be-”

“ PHUNY!”

The boy stopped, finally looking his mother in the eye. There was so much sadness in his eyes...it broke her heart to see him like this. Phuny saw that same sorrow in her eyes as well.

“Phuny...don’t you remember what I said at the lake? You’re my son . I’d never leave you. I’d never let you get hurt.”

“Then what the hell took you so long?”

She visibly flinched. She could practically feel the venom in his voice, and it stung . “What are you talking about? Phuny...what’s wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?”

Now he had sat back down on his bed. “What’s wrong? ” He echoed, glaring at her. “I...I was like... that... for years. Why didn’t you do anything? Why didn’t you try to help me? All you did was sit around and wait for someone else to fix things.” Looking away from her again, he found his eyes wandering towards the bedroom window. “...And why is it so green outside?”

Magnolia’s paws were shaking. She couldn’t look him in the eyes either. “Phuny, I...I looked for you. I looked everywhere in the woods for you, I broke the rules just to try and find you. I was worried about you.”

“Not that worried, I’d imagine.” He snorted.

“Phuny, that’s enough!”

“Look.” He held up his paws as if to stop her. “I just...I can’t deal with this right now, alright? Just...just go away.”

The silence stretched on for minutes before she finally sighed. There was no way she was going to get through to him like this. Maybe Lenin would be able to...but Magnolia hadn’t seen him for a few days at this point. It was hard to tell when he would show up. She’d just have to let him be for now and hope for the best.

“Fine. You want me to leave, I’ll leave.”

“...Leave?” He repeated, almost with a hint of fear in his voice. Magnolia had turned to the door to leave, but yelped in surprise when her son was suddenly right next to her, grabbing her arm. “W...wait! Don’t go!” His grip was tight, desperate almost as he tugged at her like a lost child. “I..I didn’t mean what I said! I SWEAR! Please...please don’t go! Don’t leave me!”

All of this... frightened her. It was almost like he hadn’t even changed at all. What if he really hadn’t? What if everything she and Lenin had worked towards didn’t mean anything?

Magnolia had to stop herself. Her son...her own child...he was still alive, and he was safe. She had to remember that. She just...she needed to work through this. They needed to work through this together. Gingerly, she removed Phuny’s paw from her arms and placed it between hers.

“It’s alright, son...it’s alright. I’d never leave you, especially not when you need me the most.” Her hooded face slowly turned away from him. “I...I know I wasn’t exactly there for you when you did need me...and I’m sorry for that. But I’m here now, and I promise that we’ll work through this. Together.”

He blinked at her, seeming to calm down.

“O-okay...okay. I...I believe you. I just...I need some time, alright?” The young man slowly pulled his paw from her grasp as he turned to stare at the window once again. “...Everything’s changed.”

With a single paw she patted his shoulder. “Of course...now, why don’t you stay in bed a little bit longer? You still look tired, son.”

As if on cue, Phuny let out a yawn. “Y-yeah, sure...Mo-” He paused to avert his eyes once more. “...M-Magnolia.”

Magnolia sighed, but with a smile. She’d just have to be patient with him. Right now, though, it seemed like he needed some time to himself. And as she left, she promised herself that this time, she’d be better at listening to him.

Phuny spent the rest of the day alone with his thoughts. Well, not entirely alone. News about his condition- and by extension, recent awakening -had spread very quickly through the village, and many of the villagers were eager to see their former patriarch. Gott gave him a little...plush...doll... thing in his likeness, claiming it was in lieu of a get well card. Jonas came by and said they could talk together if he ever wanted to. Even the local village guard stopped by his house just to reassure Phuny that everyone was safe.

He didn’t have it in his heart to say it to them, but these were all the last people on earth Phuny wanted to see right now. They’d changed so much, but they were all still so... afraid. He could see it in their eyes. And every time he did, a horrible thought entered his mind.

I did this to them.

This is all my fault.

These thoughts consumed his mind for the entire day, until…

“Phuny?” He knew that voice. He knew that voice very well. No, it couldn’t have been him...it was just his imagination. Lenin had better things to do than hang out with him. He had goals, aspirations, interests. Phuny wasn’t like that. He was dead weight. A burden.

“I...I’m sorry if I woke you up. Were you sleeping? Magnolia told me you’ve been resting all day.”

He wished he’d been sleeping all day. Then no one would bother him again. But, of course, that was never the case. He always had to suffer through something. Then again...Lenin was like that too, and he never let it get to him. Phuny wondered why that was.

“So...how are you feeling?” Lenin had found his way into the bedroom and now stood over the titular piece of furniture. He seemed...different from before. Like he radiated confidence, almost. Much less sheepish and quiet. “How have you been?” Phuny hated the expression on his face. It was calm, like nothing had happened. What was wrong with him? Where was the frustration, the pain, everything that Phuny deserved ?

“Horrible. I feel like everyone hates me and I hate myself.”

Lenin’s calm expression faltered instantly. Maybe he shouldn’t have said that…

“O-oh...I’m sorry. Did you want me to leave?” The poor lion barely managed to get his words out. This wasn’t how he thought things would go. He thought Phuny would be happy to see him, not... terrified . “We...we can talk about something else, if you’d prefer.”

Phuny sighed. “How are you , Lenin? Are you alright? Why did you come back?”

Lenin blinked, taken aback, but didn’t refuse his questions. “Well, I’m better!” His face was cheerful for once, or at least in Phuny’s eyes. “Much better than when we first met. Today’s...today’s been...not great, to be honest, but it’s still been good.” He paused for a moment, staring deep into the hyena’s eyes. Phuny hated that. It was like having someone peer into your soul or something. “I’ve been visiting the village day and night, Phuny. I was worried about you.”

“...Alright, you win. We can talk. For a bit. ” Slowly, Phuny sat up as Lenin followed, pulling up a chair. “So...um…” His voice trailed off as he scratched the back of his head. “...You do have a home, right? Is it far away?”

Lenin bit his lip for a second. This wasn’t a subject that came up a lot in the realm, mainly because he wasn’t sure how to answer it. “No, it’s not far. Besides, I like coming here.” That was probably as much as he could say. “I..I’m really glad you’re okay, Phuny. I still want to be friends, if that’s okay! Would you be alright with that?”

No answer. Then, after what seemed like minutes, Phuny every so slightly shook his, looking at Lenin with an expression that broke his heart.

“Lenin...thank you for saving me...”

“...but I wish you hadn’t. ”

Chapter Text

Lenin couldn’t believe what he was hearing. All this effort, all these do-overs to save the one person he always wanted to save...and he didn’t even think he should’ve been saved? All of that...for nothing?

“W-what...what the hell are you talking about?!” The lion’s tone was, to be honest, far more aggressive than he thought it originally sounded.

Phuny immediately began to back off. He wasn’t expecting a reaction like that. “I...I’m sorry! It’s just..I don’t think I…” Slowly, as he regained his composure, he looked away. “I’m really glad that you want to save people, but it’s wasted on me. I’m...I’m no good. I can’t do anything. I couldn’t even be the Patriarch anymore! You deserve someone else, someone better…”

Lenin wasn’t taking that for an answer, not after everything he’d done for him.

“That’s enough, Phuny! I don’t accept that!”

The young hyena shook his head. “Don’t waste your breath on me, I’m not worth-”

“ I wasn’t finished! ” Now it was Lenin who had to take a moment to calm down. He hadn’t expected himself to get so heated, and quickly at that. But he knew how to fix this.

“Look, you might not know this, but when we first met, I....I had just gone through something really bad. I was in an awful place. But you were there for me, Phuny! You wanted to be friends with me when no one else in my village did! That gentle, caring part of you, it never went away even when Panic came, don’t you see that?”

The albino lion gently walked towards Phuny’s taller figure, which had paled a little at the mention of his former ‘master’, and placed a white paw on his wrist.

“Phuny, you saved me . What kind of friend would I be if I didn’t return the favor?”

Phuny stared back at him, dumbfounded. “I...I don’t know what to say. I was just... I was trying to be nice to you. I was confused...and a little frightened to be honest. But then I found you, and I just...I don’t know.”

Lenin gave a laugh. A real, genuine, happy laugh. “It’s alright if you don’t know! I’m happy to be here for you. I really wanted you to know that, and I really want you to feel comfortable being honest about your feelings with me. So…” With a gentle smile he sat back down and gestured to his friend across from him. “...what’s up with you?”

Said friend stared back at him with an eyebrow raised.

“What’s up with me? I feel horrible, that’s what’s up. Everyone’s been coming here and telling me that everything’s fine, but I don’t feel fine.”

“Well, um…maybe that wasn’t such a good idea after all…” Lenin racked his brain, trying to figure out some way to bring Phuny out of his shell a little. “I’ve, uh...I’ve been taking care of your plants, you know. Magnolia’s been helping me.”

Phuny stared back at him deeply, but there was no change in the expression on his face. “...Thank you.”

“You, um, wanna go outside or something?”

“Uh...I don’t know. I don’t think so.” The hyena gently kneaded his paws against the face of the bed. “I mean, I do, but...you know.”

The lion nodded back. “Yeah. Been there.”

That certainly seemed to pique his interest a little. “R-really? You know what that’s like? You always seem so cheerful.”

And that made Lenin give another laugh. “Are you kidding? Did you really think that when we first met? I’m, like, the poster child for isolation.” Was , he added silently in his head. He could tell that story to Phuny later. “People kind of...make fun of me in my village.”

Phuny gave a dismissive wave. “Lenin, stop, you don’t have to make this up just to make me feel better. Someone like you has a bunch of better friends than me, probably.”

“Well, it was the opposite really…” Lenin didn’t particularly like recalling those days, but for Phuny’s sake, he could muster the strength for it. “I used to stay in bed for weeks...I was terrified of going outside. But one day...I finally faced my fears. That was the day I met you, Phuny.”

His young friend gave him a skeptical look. “...How do I know you’re not making that up?”

“I mean, I could take you to my village, but that’d be a problem for a bunch of reasons I don’t have time to explain. Besides, don’t you know that most lions don’t have white fur?”

Phuny shrugged. “I...I dunno. I don’t know anything about lions. But a village of them lives nearby? How did I never know about that ?” He stopped for a moment, then sighed. “Though I guess that would kind of make sense given the past.”

Over the next few minutes, Lenin managed to at least coax him into coming out of his room, while simultaneously trying to deviate the subject away from his village. He didn’t want to be dishonest with Phuny, but at the same time explaining that he came from what was essentially an alternate version of his village didn’t seem like a good way of keeping him calm.

“You painted that, didn’t you? It’s nice!” Honestly, the albino lion was glad he finally got to ask about the painting of a flower in a vase that sat on the wall near the kitchen counter. It reminded him of a piece he’d tried making once.

“Y-yeah, I guess. Thanks.” Phuny walked out, fiddling with the doll he’d been given in his paws while looking at the floor. “I’m not really good at still life. Can never get the shading down right.”

“It just takes practice. You’ll get there, I’m sure.” The lion reassured him, having had his own art troubles far too many times to count at this point. Nowadays he was just happy to be creating things.

His hyena friend shrugged. “I dunno...I’m not sure what I’m cut out for these days. I don’t know what I’m gonna do with myself. I don’t really think I’ll have much of a future after what happened…”

“Hey, don’t say that!” Lenin had sat down on the couch. He motioned for Phuny to do the same, but he stood still. “I’m sure you have a good future ahead of you. Just...find what you like doing and pursue it.”

“You make it sound easy . The only thing I really can do as any kind of profession is making umbrellas, and I doubt anyone in the village actually has money or anything like that anymore.” Thanks to me , he thought to himself.

“Well...do you like making umbrellas?” The albino lion recalled his little sewing session with Magnolia. It had gone...better than expected, if he was perfectly honest. Some hiccups along the way, but she told him that she was proud of what he had accomplished. So did his mom when she saw the umbrella he’d helped make.

Phuny gave another shrug, setting the doll down on a shelf. Lenin thought it was super cute, but considering it was something made by Gott, there was still that rather strange look to it. “Sort of. I’m not that great at it. I usually always had Mo...I mean, Magnolia help me.”

Lenin sighed. “I mean, I get where you’re coming from. I’m not too sure what I want to do with my life either. Kind of feels like as soon as high school’s over, they just kind of throw you into the fray, doesn’t it?” He flashed his companion a weak smile.

“I wouldn’t know. Never went to high school.”

“Wait, seriously?”

“You’re surprised? Don’t you know how small the village is? Like we’d ever be able to have a school…” The hyena let out a snort, looking off in some random corner of the house. “We did have one before. The village itself was just kind of bigger back then. Lots of people...lots of them just up and left when all the rules started being made. I think I was in...sixth or seventh grade when that happened. We just...stopped having a school.”

“Wow...well, I hope you start having one again someday. I don’t think I could ever deal with never getting to learn French...or a Geography class.” Those were probably the two classes Lenin liked the most. Biology was pretty cool sometimes, too but some of the nitty-gritty stuff in it kind of bored him (was it really necessary for them to spend two weeks on amino acid chains?).

“You live in a village too, don’t you? It must be a pretty small school.”

Lenin laughed and shook his head. “No, it’s pretty big actually. There aren’t too many students, though, I don’t think. Let me think…” He paused for a moment. Phuny stared at him, though seemed to look away whenever Lenin stared back. “I think the smallest class I’m in only has 10 students: 4 lions and 6 lionesses.”

“...Lionesses, huh?” The hyena stopped for a long moment, and then gave his friend the closest thing to a smile he had given him in a long time. “Are any of them cute ?”

“W-what?” Considering the color of his fur, Lenin found it very hard to hide how pink his cheeks were getting as he gave a slightly confused smile back. “What kind of question is that ?”

Phuny’s face flashed a shade of red as well as he awkwardly looked away and scratched the top of his head. “I...I dunno! Aren’t teenage boys supposed to talk about girls or something?”

“Maybe if they’re jocks or something…” Though, looking back, Jackson was never crazy about girls even when he had a crush on Alice. Brandon was a bit more of your typical jock in that regard, but at least he wasn’t obnoxious about it. Usually. He never really heard Edward talk about that kind of stuff, nor the twins or Harry either. “I wouldn’t really know either way. That’s not something I usually pay attention to.”

“Yeah...I’m sorry. I was just trying to find something to talk about. It’s harder than you’d-”

A knock sounded at the front door, promptly cutting him off.

“Phuny, are you up still? It’s me, Magnolia. Is Lenin there?”

Her slightly perplexed expression seemed to lighten up when she saw Lenin’s bright white face at the entrance. “Yes, to both. What’s up?”

In response, Magnolia seemed to slowly shift back into her puzzled state as she casted her snout away, almost as if looking for something. “W-well, Lenin boy...this is going to sound a little strange, but I think someone just...fell from the sky. They were all white...and kind of...poofy?” Phuny couldn’t help but snicker as he saw his mother making some kind of awkward hand gesture. “Lenin boy, do you know anyone like that?”

Based purely on those two words, the sheep of Nausea Fields were immediately brought to mind. But which of them was it? And why would they come here? Lenin had heard about how there were apparently ways to get into each different area of the Realm, but aside from the cliff in the fields that led to the mansion, Lenin never really saw any.

The fact that this sheep would’ve been reckless enough to fall all the way down to the woods- presumably just to find Lenin -gave him a better idea of who it might be.

“Did they, by any chance, have a strange blue symbol of their forehead?”

“Yes! I believe it was a... semicolon? ” Both of them could practically see her face furrowing in confusion beneath her hood.

That was about as much information Lenin needed to know he should start running. And run he did, with a very befuddled Magnolia a good distance behind him. He gave a knowing glance to Phuny, who gently nodded back and went back inside. As the two of them neared the fenced entrance to the village, he could hear murmuring.

“Is...is it dead? ” That rather uneasy young voice was probably Jonas.

“Oh, oh! If it is, I must use some of this beautiful white fluff in my next creation!” Honestly, Lenin could pick Gott out of a crowd of several hundred hyenas based on his voice alone.

His pace quickened and his heart raced when he saw the small, unmoving frame of Harriet lying on the ground. She didn’t look hurt, but...after finally saving Phuny, he wasn’t going to take any chances. He...he couldn’t . Not after all that he’d done.

“ Harriet! ” He yelled a little louder than he thought he did, now suddenly crouched over her and slightly shaking her. “Oh my god, are you alright?! Harriet?! Wake up!”

With an equally loud yelp she seemed to wake up with a start, frantically looking around, at first with a bit of fear upon seeing creatures she didn’t recognize, but soon relaxing as her gaze settled on Lenin. “Oh, Lenin, it’s you! Thank the seer I managed to find you!”

Lenin shook his head fervently. He almost thought she was dead . “W-what’s gotten into you, Harriet? Why did you just fall down here? You could’ve found a safer way, don’t be so reckless !” The lion started to feel his face getting warm again, but not like before. It was this almost burning-like sensation he got in his chest.

A paw was placed on his shoulder. “L-Lenin boy, calm down…” Magnolia told him between breaths. The hot feeling eventually started to die down, and he regained his composure. Maybe Phuny’s situation really was getting to him...but that didn’t make any sense. It seemed like they were making at least some progress.

So why did he always feel so... testy?

“Lenin, are you alright?” Harriet’s concerned voice took him out of his thoughts. “You seem kind of upset. Is now a bad time? Because I’ve...I’ve kind of got something I need to talk to you about.”

That at least explained why she came here, but if she was going to put herself in danger to do it, then…

“It must be urgent. What is it?”

Harriet frowned and then flashed Lenin somewhat of a guilty smile. “W-well...it’d be better for me to show you.”

~~~

Phuny was once again left with his thoughts, though this time he somehow found it a bit more pleasant. It was like Lenin had brought a bit of color back into his life. He chuckled at that. His lion friend would appreciate the irony.

And so now he sat on the couch, twiddling his thumbs. There wasn’t really much for him to do in here. The TV was broken. He’d already read every book in the house a million times. He didn’t feel tired.

He felt...lonely again. The old sting of isolation was starting to come back, and he hated it. Maybe he had been too harsh on Magnolia and Lenin...they were just trying to help him. But part of him just couldn’t help but feel he didn’t deserve that. Then again, he knew Lenin. At least, he thought he did. He probably wasn’t going to give up on him no matter what he said. Phuny kind of liked that about Lenin. Even when they first met, he’d also put his mind to something and then see it through to the end.

Suddenly it wasn’t just an emotional sting he was feeling. His head was starting to hurt, too. Was this just...exhaustion or something? He’d been out cold for days, supposedly. Was this just the result of that?

No, it was getting worse...he could feel his forehead starting to pound. His legs buckled underneath the weight of his own body, his vision was blurring, he felt himself stumbling onto the ground. He gritted his teeth, trying to stand back up, but found himself unable to.

And then he heard something.

LET.

ME.

OUT.

This...thunderous, booming voice that belonged to... something . He could feel every syllable pound its way into his skull.

And then he heard a voice he wished he had never heard again in his life. That horrible cackle...

Oh, so that’s where you’re hiding. Well, if you’re going to hide…

...I’ll just have to find you myself.

~~~

Lenin didn’t recognize the path towards the cloudy fields that Harriet was leading him up, but right now that seemed like it would be the least of his worries. Whatever she wanted to show him was important, but she refused to say anything about it. Considering how much Harriet loved to talk, Lenin didn’t see that as a good sign. Thankfully, it wasn’t long before they reached the windy fields the lion was familiar with.

He wanted to talk to the rest of the sheep and see how Rudolf and Sapphire were doing, but Harriet was still rushing him towards the tent that used to hold captured soldiers.

Finally, she turned to face him and spoke.

“You’re not going to believe this, but you’re going to want to see it.” A single hand gestured towards the entrance.

Lenin’s heart sank. It was just one thing after another...why couldn’t he have peace after finally saving Phuny? He’d done everything right now, saved the Realm, and got his best friend back. So why? Why did it seem like things were going wrong?

Slowly, and with both bated breath and a twinge of fear, he stepped into the tent.

And he couldn’t believe his eyes.

“Y-you?”

Sitting on what was probably a very uncomfortable bed, behind a set of makeshift jail cell bars, was a short figure dressed in white and blue robes, bearing a tiny smile.

“Well, well. We meet once again, child. ”

Chapter Text

Lenin’s head was spinning and spinning. Once again, he couldn't believe his eyes. This was... impossible . He had done everything right , done everything exactly the same in the past, so why? Why did it seem like the world was intentionally punishing him for finally getting everything right? He could feel his body start to lean sideways.

“E-easy, Lenin.” Harriet gently placed a hand on his shoulder and tried to keep him steady. “This has been...difficult to process for all of us. We can hardly believe it as well.”

Dimitri threw his head back and laughed. “What is there to believe? You trust your own eyes, do you not? I have returned, it is plain for all to see!”

“ S-shut up!” Lenin suddenly found himself tightly gripping the makeshift bars that lined the former priest’s cell. “Tell me how this is possible! How are you here?!”

Harriet was giving Lenin a very worried look, while the older sheep on the other hand didn’t seem particularly frightened by the outburst, although he did look... skeptical . “If I knew the reason for that- and I am neither confirming nor denying that I do -you have no means by which to make me dispense that information.”

The lion felt his face turn red-hot as he gave the bars another shake. “ Don’t give me that bullshit, just tell me!”

He would again feel Harriet’s hands on his shoulder as she pulled him back a little. “Easy, easy! We won’t get anything out of him like that, Lenin. I know you’re mad, but please, try to calm down a bit.” Lenin almost swore under his breath for letting himself have another outburst like that. It was almost like it was getting worse . Maybe he should talk to Esty and Zurego about this later…

Dimitri shook his head with an eyebrow raised at Lenin in particular. “You won’t get anything out of me period . Besides, you would not need any information I possess; the Realm is at peace, is it not?”

“It was , until you and your cohorts turned up again.” This time it was a new voice who responded, and turning towards the entrance of the tent, Lenin saw Rudolf enter. He regarded him and Harriet with a solemn nod. “We sent some sheep to scout out the mansion, and someone in some kind of ship landed nearby and gave us an update on the desert. It’s the same on both ends as it is here.”

Lenin felt himself lurching forward with a nauseous feeling in his stomach. All of them were back? Even... Horace? His insides began to knot at the very thought of having to deal with that cold-hearted peacock. Though, the horrible feeling began to subside a little upon realizing this did mean he’d get to see Amir and Liane again.

The priest crossed his arms and snorted. “You say that as if this is all some sort of scheme that we had planned from the start. You couldn’t be farther from the truth, none of us knew this would happen. Well, actually…” He placed a finger on his chin and turned to his side. “I do not believe we ever were very ‘organized’, so to speak. Only myself and Horace ever competently conversed with one another about such manners. Amir and Liane knew not of what we spoke of, neither did that young boy half the time....” His voice trailed off, immediately realizing he had just contradicted himself.

The daughter of his former queen caught on, and gave him a confident smirk. “What was that you were saying about how we wouldn’t get anything out of you, period? If you ask me, ‘my priest’, I’d say you’d be better off cooperating with us. Not like you have anything better to do than just sit around, right?”

Dimitri frowned at this, arms still crossed. “A valid point, but not one I have to agree with. It depends on what exactly you wish to know from me...and who exactly is asking.”

Lenin gritted his teeth, still trying to wrap his head around all of this. He did, however, at least have an idea of how to make things a bit clearer. “You’ll answer to me, right? I’m...aren’t I technically your king?” He pointed out. He wasn’t entirely sure if being the head of the Sovereign Triad gave him any kind of actual power, but considering Dimitri answered to the Realm’s previous king, it seemed like it was worth a shot.

The priest held his gaze for a long moment, seeming to think it over.

“...I will answer. To you alone. But not with them around…” With a hand, he gestured to Harriet and Rudolf.

“Lenin, do you want us to…?”

Lenin sighed. Staying in here alone with Dimitri didn’t sound like a great idea, but...if he really was going to divulge important information, then it was probably worth the risk. He nodded. “If...If you don’t mind…”

They exchanged glances with each other before wordlessly nodding and slowly exiting the tent.

The lion and the priest sat across from one another, eyes locked in silence.

“Well, go on.” Dimitri spoke. “Ask.”

It wasn’t that he didn’t have any questions, the opposite in fact- he had too many. Telling where to start was impossible, and the fact that he still felt rather dizzy only exacerbated the problem. 

“Um...so…” The priest’s face turned up as Lenin spoke. “...What are you, exactly?”

“The Priest of Dreams. What else?”

“N-No, I mean…” The albino lion groaned, still stuck for a question. “Like...that stuff. Back in the castle. When you…’became’ Drowsiness. What was that?”

Dimitri’s face finally changed after a long while, into a puzzled expression. “Why are you asking me? Surely you found other beings such as him.”

That answer did nothing but confuse him further. “But isn’t Drowsiness you ? And for the record, it’s not like I could ask them while they were busy trying to kill me . I’ve seen them, but I don’t know what they are. Is that something Iczog gave you all the power to do?”

“That is...a difficult question to answer. It is not as if I fully understand it myself...however, I do understand this: I am Drowsiness, but Drowsiness is not me. There is part of me in him, but he himself is not me. I am unsure of his true nature, or their true nature for that matter. I believe they are aspects of the Mad King, but of course, thanks to you, it is rather hard to confirm that.”

“Well, if there’s a difference between the two of you, then how exactly do you transform into him?”

“This is only an educated guess, but...I believe it has to do with you, child.”

Lenin bit his lip, turning away in thought. He was kind of expecting this, and yet, it still didn’t clear up much. Was that the case for Phuny as well? Was Panic some kind of...otherworldly being that existed separately from him? If...If Phuny was alive now, did that mean that Panic was as well?

“But I...defeated them, right? Alongside Iczog. They’re dead now.”

Dimitri chuckled. “Dead implies they were ever alive. I do not think that they were…they are like... parasites . Attaching to a creature, spreading the desired emotion, and dissipating when they cannot sustain enough of it.”

“Like parasites…” Lenin repeated to himself. That made a bit more sense… “So...they feed on emotions, right? They’re named after them, after all...but when there isn’t enough of that emotion, they disappear?”

The priest nodded. “Essentially, yes. They cannot exist without emotion, without desire . When the host and the shadow become one in the same...they disappear together. I believe they have existed since time immemorial, but whether or not we were the first hosts...I’m not sure about that.”

“Is...is that all you know?” It was useful information under the right circumstances, but part of Lenin was expecting a little more. He was disappointed, almost.

“Unfortunately, yes. If you were not aware, having a rebellion at your doorstep makes it rather difficult to conduct a personal study, especially when you have very few sources on hand.”

“W-well...thanks for telling me all this, but....why would you? Why are you even bothering?”

He thought it over for a moment before letting out a sigh. “I’m not sure, to be honest. It’s not like I have much else left to lose, or that I was expecting to have been brought back to life. I cannot say I regret what I have done, but...what else do I really have to do?”

“So...just to clear things up...you really don’t know why you and the others are alive again?”

He sighed again, this time with a mix of both frustration and amusement. “ Yes, child, I have no idea how this happened.”

Figures. Right when he was getting some good info, it ran dry…

Well, if Dimitri didn’t know...he’d just have to find someone who did.

And he had a decent idea of who might.

~~~

Phuny’s head hurt. His vision was blurry. He could still hear each word of that phrase pounding its way into his skull. He screamed for it to stop, but nothing happened.

He was in a dark place, barely able to see around him. The walls were cold and frigid to the touch, the very air seemed to be still. He stumbled forward in the darkness, compelled by something unseen to him, like he was being dragged further in. His body shivered, and yet he trudged onward.

The young man didn’t know if he was dreaming or not, but...there was no way this could be real. It couldn’t be. He squinted his blurred eyes, seeming some obtuse shape in the endless abyss he felt himself stumbling through. It was...unlike something he had seen before. Or had he recognized that shape from somewhere?

It was like a large stone pillar, but the shape at the front was odd...it was bound with long lengths of some glistening material.

Suddenly he felt his blood run cold. He knew what this was.

It was a coffin .

S-so...so cold…

The eerie voice called out, this time not in thunderous shouting but in a tiny, pitiful whimper.

I’m s-so lonely…

Phuny wanted to scream. He swore the voice was coming out of the chained box before him. He seized his head in his paws and internally yelled at himself over and over again to wake up, but to no avail.

Y-you…

He froze. The way it spoke...was it talking to him?

Who are...you?

Now he wanted to run away. And also scream.

P-please...won’t you...let me...let me… let me...

“S-stop…” He cried under his breath.

L-Let….me...out. Let me out. Let me out.

“Stop it!” His knees buckled beneath him, so dearly wanting to sprint in the other direction, but unable to do so.

Let me out. Let me out! Let me...L-let me OUT!

The chains that bound the coffin loudly rattled. Something inside pounded endlessly on it, on and on, with more and more vigor as time passed.

Let me OUT! Let me OUT! LET ME OUT!

“ Stop it! ”

LET ME OUT LET ME OUT LET ME OUT LET ME

Phuny bolted. He couldn’t take another second of it. The voice cried and howled like it was right in his ears, even as he ran for what felt like hours. It practically hurt to hear it go on and on, repeating over and over again. He clamped his paws over his ears, but much like everything else he’d tried, it did nothing.

“P-please, stop! ” He shouted back.

With a yelp, he suddenly tripped and fell face first into something slimy and gross. It clung to his face and his paws and made him feel like he wanted to vomit. Looking at his hands, they were now stained with this sickly purple substance that Phuny recognized all too well. He shrieked and tried to get it off, but that too had little effect. 

“Are you scared? Do you want to scream?” It wasn’t the same voice as before. There was something chillingly familiar about it…

“Well, don’t worry. I’m close by. I can smell you already…”

“STOP!”

“Phuny, it’s alright! I’m right here!”

In an instant the hyena no longer found himself with that cold, dark place anymore. Now, he seemed to be lying up in a bed, sweat dripping from his face as he panted heavily. Someone was gently grasping his trembling wrists.

It was Magnolia. She sat besides his bed with a worried expression. “It’s okay...it’s okay…” She soothed, gingerly rubbing up and down on his arm. “...It was just a nightmare.”

“...M-Magnolia...you’re...why are you…”

She sighed. “I’m...sorry for invading your privacy. I wanted to see how you were doing after Lenin left, but I...I found you screaming in your sleep again…”

“I’m f-fine…” He muttered, trying to keep his hands from shaking as best he could.

“Are you, Phuny? I promised myself I’d take better care of you...but I need you to be honest with me, too. Can you please do that for me?”

He averted his eyes, pulling his arm away from her. “I said I’m FINE!”

“Phuny...please…” She stared at him for a good long while in silence. They’d done this same song and dance already, and it pained her everytime they did. He had night terrors practically every night these days and the fact that she was never around to comfort him...it made her feel horrible.

“I...I’m...I’m sorry.” Her son gently mumbled, taking a deep breath. “I was just...freaked out, is all…”

“Please, are you sure you don’t want me to stay with you? You’ve...been having bad dreams so much lately. I’m fine with sleeping on the couch, if that makes you feel better.” She suggested. “I’m here for you, son. I want you to know that. I want you to be safe .”

“I know, I know…” He sighed. “P-please, don’t leave...stay with me...” Feebly, he reached a paw towards her wrist, as if he were worried his hand might snap off.

“I will, I promise.” She replied with a smile, gently placing a hand on his in return.

“....Thank you….Mom.”

~~~

“Really? Are you certain?” The shrew’s surprised demeanor mirrored Lenin’s to an extent. It seemed that the whole revival thing was a shock to them as well, but the lion was kind of expecting this. After all, Amir and Liane had been completely unaware of Anxiety and Anguish’s existence.

“How frightening…” The scarlet-red elephant echoed his sibling’s concerns from across the large dinner table, shaking his head slightly. “I thought it was odd that we were back at the mansion once more...but to think that all those troublemakers are as well...oh, how uneasy it makes me!”

Lenin found himself internally having a laugh. He always had a hard time telling whether or not Amir’s over-the-top inflections were genuine or if he was just being melodramatic, but he kind of thought it was funny nonetheless. Even if it was to share troubling news, he enjoyed getting to spend time with the two of them again.

“It’s certainly an unforeseen development.” The lion practically jumped when he heard a third voice chime in. He knew that Zurergo was there, but he would probably never get used to how his slightly metallic voice echoed throughout the mansion. It felt... weird .

Both he and Esty were a bit taken aback when Lenin suggested they accompany him to the mansion, but they saw no reason not to. The latter in particular did admit that they were curious as to what had become of the Realm in their ‘absence’, so to speak. Besides, though he knew he could always trust them and just generally felt like he was on the same wavelength as them, Lenin had to admit that the duo wasn’t well-versed in being very casual like Amir and Liane were.

It was sort of like he was taking his parents along for a visit to a friend’s house, though this wasn’t really awkward or embarrassing for him at all, just something he wasn’t familiar with.

“S-So…” Lenin cleared his throat, trying to figure out how to ask something he’d been wanting to ask for a bit now. “Please...tell me...do you know why this happened?”

The mech-wolf and his companion exchanged glances, seeming to think it over before turning to face the lion. “...I am...afraid not.” Esty slowly shook his head. “You must remember, Lenin, you are the true ruler of this Realm. If there was something important that you want even us to forget, even subconsciously, there would be little that could be done about it. But tell me...do you yourself have an idea as to why? Have you found out anything?”

The lion sighed. He was afraid they would ask him directly, and this was pretty close to it. “...I...I think…” The boy paused to swallow, feeling a little nervous with four different gazes now on him.

“...I think it’s because of me.”

“L-Lenin…” Amir gasped. “What on earth do you mean by that?”

“...I did everything the same. Except…” Lenin tried to keep his voice tad quieter as he spoke. This whole ‘time travel’ thing would probably be too much for Amir and Liane to handle. “...Except Phuny. He’s here now. He’s...alive. And now they are too…”

“And you sense that you share the blame for this?” Zurergo knew where the boy was going with this, even if he didn’t want to say it outright.

“...I don’t know, I just...it feels like it might be my fault...I mean, if it’s really the only thing I did differently...then how could it not be my fault? I wanted to-”

Lenin stopped. He felt the wolf place a gentle hand on his shoulder, his eyes full of that wisdom he always seemed to hold as his gaze stood firm.

“Lenin. You wanted to save your friend, and you succeeded. That is commendable…” A smile slowly crept along his half-metal lips. “...Not everyone can say that they have a companion willing to move time and space for them. If you feel the consequences of this action are your responsibility, then take responsibility for it. But no one can know the future. Do not blame yourself for something beyond your own control. I know it can be... frustrating ...at times…”

The lion blinked. The both of them really did read him like an open book even without him saying a word.

“...but you have many to help you through that. Frustrations are a part of life, at times. You simply need to find the right way to deal with them.”

“Don’t shoulder every burden on yourself.” Liane chimed in with a nod. “You know how much we all appreciate your kindness, your willingness to help others, but don’t let that be the be-all end-all solution to every obstacle you come across. Let us help you once in a while.”

Esty cleared his throat almost as if he felt his presence was being ignored. Lenin couldn’t help but stifle a laugh at that.

“It is still important to keep in mind that you are the sole decider of many things, Lenin. While letting your companions, the bonds you’ve made, guide you at times is helpful, even a necessity in some cases, it is ultimately up to you to change yourself...and this world.”

The albino lion fidgeted in his seat just a little. Hearing either of his fellow Triad members speak to him like that always gave him such a warm feeling in his chest...he wasn’t sure why, but it was a feeling he liked. Yet, there was still one, little, nagging doubt he had…

“...You talked about frustrations...but, I feel like lately, I’ve been too frustrated.” He shook his head, almost ashamed to count how many outbursts he’d had in just one day. “I get so... furious sometimes...and I don’t know why. I feel more than frustrated in those periods, like there’s this burning inside of me...and not the anxious kind. It’s something else.”

His four tablemates looked at each, seeming to struggle to come up with a response.

“Well, I don’t know if this is much consolation…” Amir began with a conflicted tone of voice. “...but often, I’ve usually found that simply taking a moment to relax helps with any lingering doubts in my mind, even if they’re ones that sort of make me rather upset.”

“And, of course, again, your friends are an excellent way to at least find a solution.” Zurergo added on. “They surely have their own frustrations and doubts and anxieties, at the very least, I’m certain they’d be willing to let you confide in them about your insecurities. Get it off your chest, take a deep breath, and let go of any anger that you feel still clings to you. That is my advice.”

Lenin nodded, slowly processing what the two of them said to him. Was it really as easy as just taking a deep breath? He realized that throughout his life, despite all the hardships he had endured, he’d never really ever had to deal with real, genuine anger. Sure, he got upset at the unfairness of his situation loads of times in the past, but even when he would lie on the ground after one of Isaac’s beatings, he never got... mad .

“...Thank you...that’s...that’s useful. I’ll remember that.” He always had so much trouble trying to express his gratitude to other people.

“So, Lenin!” Amir began with a cheerful tone, one that seemed to generally lighten the mood, as he took a bite out of a ripe apple sitting within a basket in front of him. “What’s next? Anything else you need to talk to us about? The mansion’s doors are always open to you!”

The lion shook his head. “Sorry, but...that’s kind of all I needed right now. I can’t stay. There’s...one more place I’ve gotta go to.” Without much else to say, he got up out of his chair with a slight smile and a nod to the elephant and his sister. “Thanks for lending an ear...I...really appreciate it.”

“Of course.” Liane returned his grin in kind.

“Lenin.” The boy froze upon hearing his name called as he was practically halfway down the steps of the mansion lobby. Turning to his back, he saw Zurergo standing there, humor in his eyes.

“Perhaps you should take a coat. The desert may be hot, but...well, that bird’s personality certainly is quite frigid , no?”

Lenin just had to laugh at that. He forgot that the wolf could show unexpected sides of himself at times, and he appreciated the fact that he was willing to do so in front of him.

Like an open book, indeed.