Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

How long has he been here?

It feels like years since he first arrived in the endless abyss. The fluorescent surroundings had begun to feel like a second home. But at this point, he could barely remember his real one. He could hardly remember his friends and family if he had any. Faceless silhouettes replaced the objects he once held so dear as their voices became unrecognizable, the conversations they once had felt like nothing more than fading memories.

The one thing he could remember was the crash. The headlights blinding him as a truck rammed straight into him. The sensation as he felt his face shatter into hundreds of pieces before it all faded to numbness. But even that memory was becoming distant, he could barely remember his own name. Who was he?

The buzz of the radio interrupted his thoughts. Attempt… one hundred seventeen? Maybe? He lost track after a hundred. As the radio’s antenna was slowly pulled up, he was teleported to a new world. This time he hoped to not die in less than five seconds.

Before him was an endless void, with white specks covering everything. It reminded him of stars, oh how he missed those. Every step he took rang throughout the area. A shade of dark blue shrouded the entire abyss. Where did the floor stop and the walls begin?

Before long, there was light. An actual light, not a slightly illuminated speck or a hallucination. It was an actual light. Before he could even think, he felt his legs begin to drag him towards it. He began to sprint, but the light scarcely inched closer.

They felt their legs give out, falling into a fit of quick breaths as they struggled to regain their composure. He forgot that he didn't have the best stamina. As their breaths sped up they could feel tears brimming beneath their eyes. Slamming their fist down onto the ground, speckles of ivory white scattered at the contact. He chokes out a hoarse cry, tightening his grip on the floor below them.

They didn't know how long they had been weeping, but soon his eyes were sore and he couldn't even force himself to continue. They were stuck here. He lies face down on the cold floor, listening to a buzz that seemed to have no exact reason to be there. But something drew their attention, the hum grew louder as blazing lights reflected off of his metal base. It was blinding.

They struggle to sit up, shielding their eyes from the light. But before they could adjust to it, the light disappeared and everything was silent once more. Slowly they move their hand down from their face, blinking rapidly at the sudden change. But, when they finally resurveyed their surroundings, something was different. There was an object. He hadn't seen another one in so long he could barely recognize that it was something he once knew.

The object before him resembled a lamp, covered in charms and a golden casing. Their eyes emitted a dim glow as they approached, towering over him. The lamp stares at him, two sets of arms limp at its sides. It felt like an eternity was spent where the two just stared at each other.

“You are from Earth, yes?” the lamp spoke, their voice echoed. He felt tiny in the presence of whoever this was, fear coursed through their veins with every word it spoke. All he could do was offer a shaky nod.

“I see. I’ve been watching you, you're quite determined to leave,” their voice booms, white dust speckles scatter away from them as if in fear.

“You most likely do not know who, or what, I am. But I know you. Quite well, actually.” His eyes widened. They quickly looked up, meeting the cold eyes that watched them.

“...What are you…?” was all he could bring himself to say, his voice hoarse.

“I am many things. To some a curse, to others a blessing. I am life and I am death. I am a god,” their voice boomed with pride, echoing through the empty space.

“But, you may refer to me as Thanatos.” Thanatos reaches one of his hands out to the other object, who quickly takes it.

“I uh, don't… really remember my name.”

“Not a problem, I’ll think of something. Follow me.” Thanatos began to walk, dragging him by the hand. It walked with pride, seemingly having memorized the entire abyss. He didn't know how that was possible.

“How about Airy? Your head’s practically filled with nothing but air,” the lamp chimes in, breaking the silence.

“...Okay,” Airy quietly responds. Airy. He could probably get used to that.

“Now, introductions aside, I have a deal for you, Airy.” Thanatos suddenly halts, turning to the smaller lamp. “You see, being a god can be quite boring. There are only so many ways to torment someone,” it shrugs, crossing one of their pairs of arms. “You know what a game show is, yes? They’re quite common on Earth.” Thanatos stared at Airy, embedding a relentless sense of worry in them, despite the fact they weren't being threatened in any way. Airy nods.

“Perfect. I’ve been overseeing some things on your puny planet, and I personally deem them much too boring. So, that’s where you come in!” Thanatos snaps its fingers. The surroundings rumble as Airy struggles to keep his stance. A small yellow orb emerged from the darkness, landing before the two.

“This is a planet, Airy. It may look small to you but creatures can thrive on it. I can give you the power to create these. All you have to do is entertain me. Give me a good show and you’ll have another chance at life. Even a wish for anything you want.” Thanatos grinned, crushing the planet in his palm before turning to the smaller lamp.

“Do we have a deal?” He outreaches his arm, its eyes emitting a brighter hue than before. Airy shakily reaches their own arm out, grasping at the golden lamp's hand. Laughter echoed throughout the void as Thanatos’ grin widened.

“Perfect, I’ll be in touch.” Before Airy could reply, Thanatos was gone. So was the void. He was in a forest. Slowly, Airy walks through the woodland, arriving at a small clearing. The area was surrounded by large cliff overhangs, one of which was covered by a waterfall. They couldn't remember the last time they drank water. Before long, he was hunched over the small pond, scooping water with his hands up to his mouth. It was delicious.

They huffed, standing back up. Although they hadn't noticed it, there was a cave. Vines that previously covered its entrance were precisely cut to reveal its contents. Inside there was a wooden table. Atop it sat a computer. It seemed like one of the newer models, but he didn't really know what was considered new or old anymore. As they took a step forward, they noticed a small cassette player placed front and center on the table, a golden yellow note placed atop it.

With this, we may communicate. - T. They remove the paper, crumpling it up and placing it to the side with the cassette player. They had a lot to learn, but he felt he could live with this.

Chapter Text

They didn’t know how long they spent perfecting the show. It was definitely a long time, at least since their first attempt at the show. The lamp talks to him sometimes, usually through the cassette. Airy didn't want to admit it, but he had already forgotten their name. Subconsciously calling them Cassettey was easier to remember.

The planet he had set up was finally ready, and despite everything he was confident. This would be better, they just need the perfect contestants.

—

“You seriously think I'm going to forgive you?! I hope you rot in a dumpster, you filthy piece of garb-” the slice of bread is cut off as a green backpack is flung into her, ricocheting off and skidding across the floor. Liam shakily stood, two other objects coming to his side in case he was harmed. Whom of which was a blue candle and a soda bottle.

“Hello, contestants,” a voice rang throughout the empty field, causing Liam to fall back in surprise.
“My name is-” the voice becomes quiet, fiddling with some sort of machinery.

“Is this better?... Hello, contestants. I am your host Airy and welcome to my competition - called ONE.” A button clicks, filling the silence with slightly distorted music.

“ONE? Is that an acronym or something?”

“Yeah, it stands for-”

“Where are we?!” the soda bottle perks up, anger and confusion filling his tone.

“Uh, you're on the plane, here to compete in my competition, called ONE.” The soda bottle bickers back and forth with Airy, never getting a straight answer and turning away in frustration.

“Enough chitchat, let’s take a look at your new names.” A wooden table slams onto the ground, breaking on impact as nametags scatter across the grass.

“I should… probably drop it softer next time.”

“My name is Tayl-”
“How do you like your new name, Magazine?” The magazine looks at the nametag again, staring daggers at it.
“What is wrong with this guy…?”

Mutters of confusion and agitation can be heard coming from almost every contestant.

“Are these names just based on our objects??” Scenty speaks up, holding the tag tightly in her hand.
“Yes..! It makes it easier… to remember.”

“This is stupid, take me back!” Soda Bottle throws his tag onto the ground, stomping it into the grass.
“Wait- don’t you want to win the competition?”
“I don't care! Why should any of us care?!” The soda bottle goes on a long rant, explaining how his life is a mess.

“You wouldn't even want to stay… for the chance to win a prize?”
“What kind of prize would be worth taking us from our lives to play a ‘little’ competition, like some sort of mentally deranged serial killer?!”

“One wish... for anything you could possibly imagine… riches, immortality, whatever your heart desires…”

“...Stand back, please…” Six circular shadows rapidly grew. Backpack watches as six large wooden stakes are jammed into the ground, but something was wrong. A small tomato, clearly an infant, was sat below one of the rapidly approaching stakes.

“Tomato, get out of there!” Backpack yells, sprinting towards the child. He was too late. The stake digs into the ground and crushes Tomato. Liam feels something splatter onto him, but he refuses to look down and see what it was. Everything goes silent, the other contestants staring in horror.

The silence is broken by the sound of a child laughing. Tomato was somehow okay.

“What happened? What just happened?!?!” Backpack’s breath hitched, fear and confusion swarming in his head.
“I regenerated him, or respawned him is a better term.”

“So… we can't die here?”
“Yes, as long as you are here you can't die.”

“Okay, this challenge is simple, don't hit the ground. If you are one of the first two to fall you will be put up for elimination... Ready… go…” Airy cuts off Soda Bottle’s angry ranting as each contestant is teleported onto a stake, a majority of which struggle to keep balance.

Tomato falls immediately, considering he's an infant, but the others are not doing well either.

“No, nono no n-” Backpack yells, falling from his pole and clinging onto Soda Bottle’s in desperation.

Hours pass as the contestants struggle. Before they knew it, Scenty, Soda Bottle, and Backpack were falling from their poles, approaching the ground rapidly.

Scenty shatters on impact, sending glass shards across the grass. Soda Bottle bounces, being made of plastic. A sickening crack can be heard as Backpack hits the ground, his leg twisted into shapes that should be physically impossible. Backpack does not speak or cry, but instead stares into the distance.

“And it seems that Backpack hit the ground first… so he and Tomato will be put up for elimination to see who will be the first eliminated from ONE.”

“Oh my gosh, are you okay?!” Scenty rushes towards Backpack, hovering over him. As Soda Bottle approaches, Backpack falls unconscious.

Backpack wasn't sure how much time had passed, but more contestants had joined and Magazine had been eliminated. The newest contestants were… weird to say the least. A living text box, a computer program, an amalgamation of neon fluorescent triangles, and a literal atom. Only two of them were even slightly normal, being Stone and Circle. However, Stone never spoke, always seemingly staring into nothingness instead. Circle claims to have been in a previous competition.

“Anyways, I am your host Airy, and welcome to this competition… called ONE.” Airy can be heard struggling with something, mumbling things that could barely be picked up. Immediately, Stone’s face turned into pure panic. They sprinted towards Soda Bottle, attempting to communicate with him before pushing him.

“Hey! What the hell is your prob-” Soda Bottle is cut off as a cassette player crashes onto the plane, shattering into pieces on impact.

“Anyways. Now that we've introduced all of the contestants… we can start making teams..!” Worried whispers are heard from several contestants.
“Since there are sixteen of you, we’ll have four teams… of four. You can start picking them now.”

Many groups form, Soda Bottle, Liam, Stone, and Texty in one. Scenty, Tray, Bassy, and Contact Lens in another. Moldy, Circle, Whippy Creamy, and Subway Seat in the third, and lastly Airline Food, Folder, Atom, and Abstracty as the last team.

“Now that we have all of the teams situated… we can start the next challenge...! The next challenge is to… uh… run to the tree… and back.”

Texty had won immunity for their team, while Stone was seemingly focused on something else. Stone slowly approached Scenty’s team.

They grabbed Contact Lens, breaking into a full-on sprint towards the treeline with Scenty following close behind them. Scenty yelled and cursed as Stone kept their pace, making it to the tree line, making Contact Lens touch one of the trees, and throwing them back.

“Contact Lens has won immunity for their team leaving Airline Food and Mol-”
“We already did it,” Moldy crossed her arms, standing with her teammates.
“Oh, Okay. That means Airline Food’s team is up for elimination.”

It had been a few hours, maybe longer. Liam limped towards Scenty, who was watching Abstracty.
“What is it doing..?”
“I don't know, it's been doing this since the challenge ended.” Abstracty was emitting a sort of white noise, their form rapidly changing.

“Okay…, I’m gonna eliminate someone now…” Abstracty seemingly began to panic, their form shifting at an even faster rate. The neon triangles slowly shifting into golden and teal hues. It struggled to keep this form as if something was forcing it to stop as Airy counted down. It began to somewhat resemble a fancy lamp, star-like specks surrounding it, but then it was gone.

Chapter Text

“Okay… now that the elimination is over, we can introduce the new challenge…” Backpack sighed, limping towards a sleeping Soda Bottle.

“Hey, the challenge is about to start.”
“I don't care, just make sure Stone doesn't do anything,” Soda Bottle groans, turning back and attempting to get comfortable in the grass.

“Okay, this challenge is to… draw on these sticky notes… the team who makes the worst drawings in five minutes will be put up for elimination… three, two, one, go…”

Blue pieces of paper fall from the sky, accompanied by a pencil. Immediately, Stone began scribbling on the pages.

“Stone, don't do the challenge for us,” Backpack demands, as a note is shoved into his hands. Reading ‘Stone’ followed by a series of incoherent numbers.

“What the heck is th-” the note is pulled from Backpack’s hand. Before he could say anything, Stone had run off and examined the other teams. Soon enough, he had gotten to Scenty’s team. They attempted to take the sticky notes but quickly were denied.

“Ten seconds left,” Airy’s voice rang throughout the field. Immediately, Stone darted back to the others.

They sprinted towards Backpack, unzipping him and hiding the notes inside before quickly zipping him closed again.

“Okay, times up… let me see all of your drawings…”
“Backpack and Scenty’s teams both did not draw anything… which means Moldy and Airline Food’s teams are safe…” Stone stared into the sky, seemingly watching something in extreme anxiety.

“I, uh, couldn't actually find any of Backpack’s teams' sticky notes… so I guess Scenty’s team is saf-”
“What?! Airy, no, I saw Stone writing on their sticky notes! We should be up for elimination!” Scenty yells, standing up and flinging her hands into the sky

“I didn't see them writing anything..?” Scenty begins to yell, ranting about how Stone had hidden the notes before quickly being cut off.

“I… didn't see that. Uh, Backpack’s team is up for elimination.”

—

Airy stands up, switching the microphone off as he tunes out Scenty’s rants. They hadn't noticed it before, but a figure watched them from the shadows of the cave. A golden lamp stepped forward, although his appearance was different. His glass was slightly shattered and his golden base was dull and scratched, He appeared to be transparent.

“Oh… Hi, Cass,” Airy smiles at the familiar silhouette.
“I'm uh, working on getting Stone out, they're up for elimination…I know you can't talk anymore since I uh… dropped it.” It nods, crossing its arms before being enveloped in a cloud of blue mist and fading away.

—

Stone silently approaches Scenty.

“Just take it,” Scenty pushes the blue notes towards Stone, shoving her face into her hands. Stone watches her for a moment before beginning to write.

“Okay. I’m gonna eliminate someone now.” Stone begins to write quicker, pushing past Soda Bottle and Backpack. Their movements were erratic, scribbling onto each note as quickly as they could. But before anyone could ask any questions, Stone had thrown the notes into the air and disappeared.

The notes slowly fall to the ground, revealing a message.

“The votes are fake. He has full control.”

—

“Your next challenge… is to do one hundred push-ups… The last team to do one hundred push-ups will be put up for elimination… three, two, one… go…”

Only one of the teams began, Moldy’s team. Airline Food’s team stood there, confused.
“I definitely can't do a hundred push-ups. I’m pretty sure I can't even do one!” Airline Food throws his arms up, further exaggerating his sentence.

“Wait, I have an idea,” Atom clears his throat.
“Airy, we’re done.”

“Huh? Oh, okay. Airline Food’s team is safe…” The team stare in disbelief, but still relieved they didn't have to do anything.

Backpack and Soda Bottle sat together, mindlessly watching the horizon. Backpack’s leg itched but considering it was sealed inside a wooden makeshift cast he’d have to deal with it.
He could overhear Moldy yelling. It was something about money and caves.

“Okay… Moldy’s team is safe. That leaves Backpack and Scenty’s team to do one hundred pushups…” The plane went silent.

“Uh… well if neither of you is going to do the challenge… both teams are up for elimination…” Scenty’s eyes widen as she bursts into a fit of excitement, begging the viewers to vote for her.

—

“Okay, it's time to eliminate someone.” The contestants are all teleported, forming a line.

“The person I’m eliminating is going to go back… right… now.” Texty disappears, leaving Scenty stunned. She falls to the ground, covering her eyes. She bursts into tears, clinging onto Soda Bottle and Backpack.

“I thought it would work! They chose a text box over me!” She wails, bringing the other two into a tight hug.

“Scenty… We, uh, probably should have told you this when it happened... but…”

“Wha-” Scenty is immediately cut off, a massive hollow stump slamming into the grass next to them. Water immediately splashes into it, filling the stump entirely.

“Your next challenge is to stay afloat in this pool…”
Backpack's heart sunk, his gaze landing on the large wooden cast attached to his leg.

“Help me get the cast off,” he demands as Soda Bottle and Scenty begin to try and tear away the thick vines. All three yelled at Airy to wait, panic filling their voices. Backpack could feel tears brimming behind his eyes as he tried to tear at the cast.

“Airy, don't go yet, w-” Backpack yells as he is teleported above the pool. The cast immediately dragged him to the bottom. He already did not do well in water, considering he was made of fabric. He thrashed in the water, tears brimming in his eyes. He could barely make out the shape of Scenty desperately trying to get to him.

Why was everything so cold now..?

He could feel every part of his body, but it all felt wrong. His limbs grew tired as he struggled to keep his last breath. The feeling of water filling his lungs is too much to bear as his eyelids grow heavy.

Everything was cold.

Backpack sat there, holding his breath. But when he finally opened his mouth, something unexpected happened. He was alive. Or, at least he thought he was. Everything was a shade of pale orange that slowly transitioned into pink. Where the floor and walls met was a blur. It seemingly went on forever.

Before him were two armchairs, separated by an end table with a radio on it. He silently walks forward, settling into the chair. He never realized how much he had missed cushions. He sat there for a moment, but something caught his eye.

A tall lamp was hunched over what seemed to be a planet of sorts. Holographic screenlike shapes surrounded it. The lamp had two sets of arms, each pair busy with something. It was hard to make out, but there was a screen displaying a photo of each contestant, some crossed out. Others displayed what was happening on the plane. Scenty and Soda Bottle were yelling, but he couldn't hear what they said. The lamp moved again, pulling a screen towards him, it clicked something and a photo of Backpack popped up, which was in greyscale. Before he could question anything he was back on the plane. Soda Bottle and Scenty huddled towards him, shouting, but he couldn't hear them. There was only one thing he could think about. As he was teleported, he swore he saw the lamp meet his gaze.

Chapter Text

“So, you're saying you saw a guy in there..?”

“Yeah…” Backpack sighs, coiling his arms around himself.
“Do you remember Abstracty’s elimination..?”

“Yeah?? Wait… you saw Abstracty?”

“No! I mean, I don't think so? It looked like what Abstracty was trying to turn into right before it was eliminated. Tall, four arms, golden.” Backpack shudders. Soda Bottle places his hand on Backpack’s shoulder.

“Hey, it’ll be alright. Can you tell me more?” Backpack takes a deep breath, breathing out shakily.

“I was in an armchair, there was a radio. It was one of those older ones.”
“It was hard to see it, but I could make out a little bit of what it was doing. It was like, surrounded by screens. Not normal ones, the kind you see in super futuristic movies. The ones that should definitely not work.”
“It was hunched over something, believe it or not it looked like a planet.” Soda Bottle looks at Backpack, slight doubt covering his face.
“Look, I swear I’m not crazy. But, what if thats Airy?? What if he’s some otherworldly being? I mean… He literally can bring people back from the dead!” He throws his hands in the air, further exaggerating his statement.

“Hey, even if he is we dont really have much control. Shouldn't spend what could be our last minutes together worrying about something we can't change.” Soda Bottle yawns. Backpack takes a deep breath, a slight smile spreading onto his face.

“Yeah, Okay.”

The two sat in comfortable silence, which was quickly interrupted.

“Okay… Time for the next elimination…”

Backpack turns to Soda Bottle.

“Promise to come visit me in San Francisco once this is all over?”

“Yeah.” He smiles, before disappearing from the plane.

—

“Okay… I’m gonna eliminate someone now…” Airy adjusts their position, hunching over the computer.

They begin to type into the old computer, hovering their finger over the enter key.

“The next person eliminated will be sent back in… three… tw-” They feel their seat pull out from behind them, falling onto the table. He screams in pure agony as the edge of the table slams into his glass face.

They bring their hand to his face, pricking their fingers on the sharp pieces. Cassettey pushes past him and frantically types something, deleting the command Airy was about to enter.

He couldnt find the words to say, the questions to ask, the only thing he could feel was the sting of his face. Something tugged at their arm, most-likely Cassettey but he couldnt bring himself to open his eyes.

He felt himself being lifted, a constant ringing filling his head as he slipped in and out of consciousness.