Chapter Text
A Purple portal opens up, Dan piggyback carrying a Sleeping Ren walks through it.
[Timeline Interference Detected]
Seriously? This is what his narrator wants him to do? Guess he'll have to reread everything. Again.
Dan looks around seeing Ink? And Fresh? Never thought those two would interact...
[Initializing Split]
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Fresh notices the two humans(?) and waves at them. "Sup, ghosty pals! Wha' brings ya ta dis place?"
Dan raises an eyebrow. "Yo?"
Fresh grins and jumps to his feet. Ignoring Ink for the time being to greet the new people to his multiverse. "Wass happenin', broseph?" His grin turns kinder when he looks at the child on Dan's back. "Heya, kiddo. How ya doin'?"
[Interaction Engaged]
[Increase Protocol Speed]
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"Nothing much, just existing for the time being. How've you been?" Dan asks.
"I'm doin' fantastic, brolio! Thanks fer askin'!" Fresh smiles wider. "Just checkin' in on da kiddies 'round 'ere."
"Don't see any around here... But I'd assume you're doing a good job at it." Dan says looking for any children, he doesn't see around here.
Fresh chuckles and points to his right. Just through the trees you could make out a red color. "'dere probs down in da clubhouse."
Ren wakes up and looks around, looking at the place.
"Finally awake kiddo?" Dan asks Ren.
"Yea" He nods
"Coolio, we're somewhere called Littleverse. Not sure why, but we're here nonetheless." Dan says blandly.
"Hmm... Where ya two's from den?" Fresh asks.
"Can't tell you that I'm afraid." Dan shuts him down quickly.
Ren watches them converse.
"And why not?" Fresh has enough to worry about without adding a couple unknowns to the mix. There's something about the adult that makes him... uneasy. Something about his voice.
"It's uh, very complicated. Nobody is in danger just... I'd rather not talk about it. Anyways I have a question I'd like to ask you..." Dan says the last part hesitantly.
Fresh's smile returns tenfold, as if he weren't worried about a thing. Why did he need to be worried? He gives Dan two finger guns. "Shoot, ma friendo!"
"There's a universe that I'd like to know if it exists... Do you have the capability to find them?" Dan hesitantly asks, he already knows the answer but... This is the most hope he's got in a while.
Fresh's face softens. He knows that look all too well. "I know all da verses 'ere. Which one ya lookin' fer?"
"TowerTale..."
Ren is still riding piggy back, watching them have their conversation.
Fresh shakes his head sadly. "I'm sorry. We don't have a TowerTale here."
"Thought so, well it was worth a shot man. Anything interesting going on?" Dan attempts to change the subject.
"Inky kiddo finally came home." Fresh informs him. He looks in the direction of the clubhouse. "I've been meanin' ta meet da kiddo and his pallies fer a while now. Now seems like a good time!"
"Sounds fun, I uh... I'd better get going, probably... Ren kiddo, you wanna stay here?" Dan looks nervous.
"I'm staying with you, so no."
The kiddo in question, Inky, came running through the forest in search of his older self. Following him was Swappy.
"FRESH!" Swappy exclaimed. He crashed into Fresh's legs.
"Oof! Sup, kiddo? How's it hangin'?" Fresh chuckles, scooping up the seven-year-old and propping him on his hip. "Stayin' out of trouble?"
"UH-HUH!" Swappy nodded.
Fresh looks back to Dan and Ren. "Was nice meetin' ya, peeps. Safe travels now."
"WHO ARE YOU TALKING TO?" Swappy asks. He can't see anyone other than Ink.
Inky also looks confused. But for a different reason. He points at Ren. "Who's that? Who are you? You talk funny."
Fresh laughs. "Da name's Fresh, little Inky. And dees two are... Actually, I didn't catch yer names."
"Name's Dan." Dan replies bluntly, he probably shouldn't be here...
"I'm Ren" He introduces himself and smiles.
"Hi, Ren! I'm Inky! I'm a skeleton!" He points to his friend and says. "And that's my friend Swappy! He's also a skeleton! Are you a human?"
He nods, "Well, does ghost count as human-"
"Cool! Dusty's brother is a ghost! He's funny." Inky says.
He smiles again, "That's cool!"
Fresh watches the interaction with a thoughtful expression. He can't help but notice Inky isn't greeting Dan. He asks lightly. "Hey, Inky kiddo. Arentcha gonna greet Danny boy?"
"Who? Is that another one of your friends? Can I meet him?!" Inky looks excited to meet someone new.
Fresh gives Dan a knowing look.
Dan just looks back, giving an exhausted look. "Didn't expect anyone to see me in the first place bud." Dan says way too casually.
Fresh chuckles humorlessly. "A, who is this?"
He receives no response.
"Don't give me that." He snaps. "Who is this? Someone you know?"
...
Would you believe me if I said I don't know?
"Nope!"
...that's fair. He's, uh... Someone a friend knows. She asked if he could come over.
"Aight." Fresh shrugs, smiling again. "We're talking later though. Got it?"
...
...
...okay.
Fresh grins brightly at Dan and Ren. "Ya one of dem, den?"
He's not exactl
"I said later, A."
...
...sorry.
Dan just raises an eyebrow at the two.
Inky tilts his head at the colorful adult. "You're weird."
"Yep!" Fresh reaches down and rubs the child's skull, causing Inky to giggle.
Turning back to his guests. "So, do ya gotta head out now, or ya got time ta kill? Ya looks like ya could us da break."
"I'm just doing whatever my nephew wants to do, All I have is time after all."
"We could stay here for a while, I have no preference, to be honest."
"Well, ya heard the kid. So what now our new wonderful host?" Dan asks, kicking off of the ground. He's floating now.
Fresh sets Swappy down and the children run off to talk to Ink. The older Ink has been strangly quiet since the other two showed up.
Fresh nods to them, satisfied they'll be okay for now. If something happens while he's gone however... Heh, no reason to talk about that right now and make things unpleasant.
Fresh points further into the forest. "Let's walk. Or in yer case, float."
"Sure..."
Fresh leads them through the forest, hands in his pockets and looking for all the world to see, relaxed. "Whatcha wanna talk 'bout, Danny boi? Renny lad? Got any fun stories to tell? Anywhere ya wanna visit tha' we go' 'ere?"
"I've got nothing pleasant I'm afraid, Ren? Got any light to share on this Dark situation?" Dan makes a horrible joke. Laugh now-
...
...
...why does everyone gotta be scary?
Fresh glares at me.
...
...sorry.
Fresh huffs, shaking his head. "You two have been through the wringer, haven't ya?"
"Sure, let's go with that."
"Wha's yer fav color?" Fresh asks.
"Blue? Blue and White? It's been a staple to my clothing for years, even my suit is blue and white." Dan replies, looking at the trees... It reminds him of Cody's Ocean.
"Dem's sum nice ones. Partial ta green myself." Fresh says calmly.
"Green ain't a bad color."
"Yeah... Wha' 'bout you, kiddo?" Fresh glances over at Ren.
"Think he's tired." Dan sighs, Ren's been sleeping a lot. It is slightly concerning...
Fresh frowns in concern. "Does he do that a lot?"
"Sometimes, it's not a bad thing it's just... Times haven't been that great lately."
"Hmm... I know you said you don't want to talk about it..."
"Yep! Just yep!"
"Okay. So... We got a host of Littletale varients. Ya just wanna chill", Fresh smirked, kicking up a pile of snow. "Or do ya wanna check one out?"
"I'm following you, whatever you wanna do bud." Dan says annoyed, this could go great or badly.
"But what do you want to do?" Fresh insists. "What do you want to do? That you currently can?"
"I can do anything... Anything that I... Actually... I..." Dan stumbles his words, he doesn't really know what to say.
Fresh stops walking. They're in a small clearing. "Ya want a hug?"
"That's an odd question to ask a stranger."
"You were allowed in this multiverse for a reason. Maybe this is it?" Fresh shrugs, staring out at the snow with a tired expression. "I don't know what you've been through, and I'm not asking. But you look like someone who needs to take a break. Who needs comfort." He looks back at Dan and eyes Ren on his back pointedly. "And the kid can't always be your source of comfort. He's just a kid."
"And I care why? He's a child, a [BEEP] infant in creator years. I don't care... No I don't care, I will die before he does. And as for the comfort part? I'm not using him for comfort, he's my nephew. He has no one else, I'm doing what I can alright!?" Dan yells at Fresh, disregarding his censor.
Fresh raises a brow. This fellow is fortunate he isn't like his alternates. "I'm sure you are. Ya got a lot on your shoulders, Dan, don't you? Take a break."
Fresh sighs and snaps his fingers. Three bean bag chairs appear in the clearing. He sits down and waits for Dan to do the same.
Dan reluctantly puts Ren down on one of the bean bags. He himself sits on one.
Fresh stares up at the sky, unsure what to do now. Dealing with kids was so much easier. When was the last time he actually spoke to an adult? Had an actual conversation?
Hmm... Eh, it was fine. He would just use what he knew from dealing with the kiddos.
"What's your favorite cookie?" He asks.
"Chocolate chip, not really much of a debate." Dan says boredly. What was the point behind this?
"Agreed. Double chocolate is the best, though."
"Sure."
"Favorite noodle shape?"
"Udon or Ramen..."
"Ramen is good..." Fresh sighs, sinking further into his bean bag. "I like the bowtie ones. They're fun."
"Cool. Fresh what is the point of this? It's going nowhere."
"Giving you something else to think about." He explains, looking up at Dan. "Help get yer mind off yer troubles."
"It's impossible to do that I'm afraid. If I forget them, then there's nothing left."
"No one said to forget them. But if you keep pushing yer self, then yer gonna stress yerserlf out even more. That's when you'll make the most mistakes, hurting yourself and doing no one any good." Fresh explained. "Would they want you to do that?"
"Probably not." Dan shakes his head. "But I mean... It's not like they care anymore, they don't even know who I am. And, I can't make mistakes. I'm just... Their perfect [BEEP] puppet."
Fresh's face twitches at the curse word, but he doesn't comment on it. Now isn't the time for that. "Then take my advice and take a moment to relax. You'll make less mistakes then."
"Relaxing? Nah... Can't do that either. If I lose track of something, something else will happen." Dan says with certainty. "And if more stuff starts to happen, and I'm not there to see it? I won't be able to do anything... I can't even do anything, to begin with..."
Fresh takes a moment to consider the other's words. "How much time do you think you have until you have to get back to work?"
"Dunno. They seem to be doing stuff at random." Dan looks back at his phone, noticing the lack of activity on the server. "Seems they've stopped for now though... Maybe they're doing something important?"
"Maybe they're taking a break too." Fresh gives Dan a look, trying to get him point across. "Even they need sleep. So while they're resting, you should take advantage of the situation."
"Maybe." Dan sighs, leaning back into the bean bag chair. "Wonder what the plan is next... I wonder when my oh so great power will be introduced, I wonder if I'll ever see Noir again..." Dan rambles to himself.
Fresh lets the man talk, choosing not to interupt.
"Seriously... Where did you end up Kid? Even I can't find you..."
Fresh wonders who this Noir is to Dan. A friend? A brother? A child...?
"You're not in StarTale, OverTale. [BEEP] you weren't even in Epictale... You can't even see!" Dan is looking at a Panel. "Where did you end up buddy?"
Fresh wishes there was some way he could help Dan. But this is the best he can do right now. Getting him to sit down. Man can't even relax!
"Did you end up in the Void...?" Dan asks himself.
Fresh winces. The Void can be an unkind place to wind up. Maybe he should try to distract Dan again. He seems intent on worrying himself to an early grave.
Pun unintended.
"You didn't end up in the Anti-Void, something would have gone off if you did. God [BEEP] brat..." Dan is summoning more panels.
"...what does he look like?" Fresh finally speaks up.
"What?" Dan snaps his attention to Fresh.
"This Noir kid, what's he look like?" Fresh asks softly.
"Real small... He tends to wear the color blue. He has slashes over his eyes, he's blind. His eyelights are Blood Red. He can use Minor Chance Manipulation Magic."
"I'll keep an eye out. I don't know if he'll end up here, but I'll keep an eye out." Fresh tells Dan, his face solemn.
"Thanks, but I don't think he can travel the Omni-Verse... You'll likely never find him anyways, he's a little [BEEP] sometimes..." Dan's panels are constantly changing colors.
Fresh snorts. "Hmm... He good at hiding, then?"
"He's good at anything he puts his attention to. Being a soul of Dedication makes it incredibly annoying to face him in it. Especially if he's passionate about it."
"Sounds like a handful."
"Yep! How do you think I feel? When my one passionate hobby is wrecked by a Skeleton as tall as my [BEEP] hip?" Dan groans, remembering all of the poor chess boards that were lost that day.
Fresh shakes his head in annoyance. What was it with others and cursing? And he was getting past the censorship...
A, ya better fix that in editing.
...
"Kids have a habit of getting to you." Fresh huffs, smiling fondly. "They know all the right buttons to push. But ya can't really get mad at them too much. 'Cause they give ya that little look. The one that makes ya wanna both ground them for eternity and hug them tight."
"I'm not mad, not annoyed. I'm scared... He doesn't have that much health, even with Chance Manipulation if he gets tired, or if he slips up..." Dan doesn't want to continue. Nope! Dan will break this filter, it's his right at this point! "He's a fighter, someone who won't stand others junk. Even if it means getting himself hurt, he'll fight. Just like the rest of us... I should have raised him differently..." Dan sighs, facepalming. He only now realized his mistake.
"Hug 'em tight and never let 'em go..." Fresh whispers to himself. Speaking up, he says. "Don't give up. I doubt you will, but I'll say it anyway. Don't give up."
"Buddy... I already have. Not searching for him I mean. I meant with just, living... I'm not even me, the version of me that's supposed to exist is probably radically different. I'm a literal mistake. From my very birth, I knew I was different." Dan says. He sounds hopeless. "My very soul was designated as a failure. My actions somehow scared people. I could hear things others couldn't, read things others couldn't. And even do things others couldn't. I'm not supposed to exist, I was fated to die... Such a long time ago. Yet here I am, the last one standing. It's ironic, the one with the weakest soul. Is the one who lived the longest..."
After a moments thought, Fresh moved his bean bag chair closer to Dan's and laid a hand on his shoulder. He gave it a gentle squeeze. "I wish I had the words or the answers to make it all better. To have something that made the world make sense again, but I don't. I'm sorry..."
"Nah, it's not your fault anyways... Besides I still have someone to live for bud." Dan looks at Ren, smiling a little bit.
Ren wakes up again
"Sup, kiddo." Fresh greet Ren.
He waves at Fresh.
"Sorry I fell asleep. What were you guys talking about?" He sits up, noticing he had been moved to a bean bag chair.
"Nothing too important kiddo, just life. Cookies too." Dan informs him.
Fresh pulled a box of cookies from his inventory and passed it to Ren. "In fact! Aye got sum radtastic ones wit me!"
"Nice-" He pulls one out then passes it to Dan, mentally noting that he can actually hold it.
Dan grabs two, before handing the box back to Fresh.
Fresh accepts it, taking five out for himself. He may have a sweet tooth...
"So, kiddo. Have a sweet", He winks. "Dream?"
He shrugs, "Didn't dream, it was mostly just darkness. Been like that for a while now." He gives a slight smile.
"Bet' Dan a wack one, I s'pose." Fresh says, taking a bite of a cookie. "Yer name's Ren, yeah? Whatcha like doin', Ren? Ya got any hobbies?"
Dan snorts at the joke.
"I don't have any now but, I used to love making bracelets with beads." Ren tells Fresh.
"Yeah? Ya got any on ya now? I'd love ta see 'em."
"Sadly no, I lost them all when...lets just say I lost them all."
"Hmm... Ya wanna try makin' sum new ones?"
He looks up and nods.
Fresh grins and snaps his fingers. A box of beads and other bracelet-making supplies lands on Ren's lap. It's solid in his grasp.
Ren immediately starts making a blue, pink, and white bracelet.
Dan just watches. He really needs to pick a hobby again..
"What 'bout yerself, Dan-the-man? I don' think ya mentioned a hobby." Fresh tilts his head as he addressed the other adult.
"Don't have any, not anymore at least." Dan replies blandly.
Ren finishes his cuff bracelet and starts making others.
"Wat did ya do before?"
"Chess, dancing, Sparring and so much more... I don't really have time for those anymore. Heck, it's being discussed if I should die or not."
"Ya ain't dead yet, do!" Fresh says brightly, but his smile is strained as he eyes the phone in Dan's hand. "And ya like dancing? Ta wat sort of music?" He snaps his fingers.
An 80's jukebox appears in the clearing.
"The classics are nice, not really a big fan of dancing anymore though. Not a big fan of anything at this point..."
Fresh jumps to his feet and skips over to the jukebox. "What era? Got a fav?"
Sup Dan.
K bye
Fresh raises a brow and looks at the new Writer. Who let that one in? He shakes his head and hopes no more enter the story. That would be annoying. He looks back at Dan, waiting for his answer.
"Queen and Micheal Jackson are pretty good. I'm not sure about the era though... 1990s? I guess?" Dan says finally giving an answer.
Fresh smirks and pushes a few buttons on the jukebox. A toe tapping beat started to play and Fresh started to move to the music.
"YOOOW! ~"
"As he came into the window ~"
"It was the sound of a crescendo ~"
"He came into her apartment ~"
"He left the bloodstains on the carpet ~"
"She ran underneath the table ~"
"He could see she was unable ~"
"So she ran into the bedroom ~"
"She was struck down ~"
"It was her doom ~"
Dan snorts. "Smooth Criminal? Really? Good choice, kid."
"Felt like da right choice." Fresh grinned at him as he shimmied his way back to the beanbags. "And 'kid'? Heh, haven't been one in a looong time..."
"To me, everything is a child. Even the ones with eons of experience, they were only made weeks ago. I'm technically one of the oldest things alive period... At least in canon." Dan shrugs, it's pretty much true.
"Heh, 'spose I can get dat. All's 'bout perspective, eh?"
"Yep! It's literally all about perspective. Even your very decisions, are from someone else's perspective."
"Oof! Maaan... yer gettin' too real now." Fresh winces. He does a twirl, still dancing as he talks. "Ya need ta learn ta relax man. Ya can't keep goin' like dis."
"Even Ren's actions are from someone else's perspective... Even I'm being controlled from someone else's perspective..." Dan rubs his face, sighing. Fresh isn't wrong, he's getting a little too real.
"Annie, are you okay? ~"
"So, Annie, are you okay? ~"
"Are you okay, Annie? ~"
"Annie, are you okay? ~"
"So, Annie, are you okay? ~"
"Are you okay, Annie? ~"
"I know dat. I know 'xactly what we are." Fresh dances his way into a one-handed hand stand, somehow his propellor hat doesn't fall off. "But worrin' about it ain't gonna change dat."
"You're not wrong, it's just uh... If I don't worry about it, who will? I'm the only one with my abilities. I'm the only version of me. I can't afford to not worry, especially when I know that someone is acting, not like themselves." Dan huffs, he doesn't even know where he's going with this. What is his narrator doing?
Fresh returns to his feet and spins again, kicking up the snow as he slides across. "Worryin' means ya care. Dat's good! But da way yer goin' 'bout it... Yer gonna be so stressed out ya get tunnel vision. Ya gonna miss somthin'. And then where will ya be?"
"Probably dusted... It won't be the first time!" Dan says with a fake cheerfulness.
Fresh stops and stuffs his hands in his pockets. He huffs and gives Dan a look. "I'm serious. Minus da literal song and dance, I'm bein' serious. If you don't, at minimum, take a moment ta sleep, den yer gonna kill yerself. And ya won' be any help ta no one." He pauses, looking over at the sleeping teen in the other bean bag. Kid really did sleep a lot... "Dat includes him."
"I'm fine, probably. Being a ghost means you can ignore sleeping for the most part... And besides... They won't let me die. Trust me I've tried." Dan says while huffing.
Fresh was quiet for a moment, his face solemn. The music played forgotten in the background.
"You need to take care of yourself, Dan." He tells him quietly. "If you want to take care of your family, then you need to take care of yourself too."
Dan points to Ren. "He's my only family at this point in time. And as you can see, he's fine." Dan looks annoyed.
"Then who else are you so worried about? Hm?" Fresh raises his brows. "Who doesn't know you anymore? If Ren were da only one ya were worried 'bout, an' he's fine, den ya wouldn't be so stressed. Ya mentioned ya've always been different. Fourth Wall sensitive an' all's that, yeah? So dat ain't anthyin' new. So who you still worrin' about?"
"Try an entire Multiverse..." Dan admits dectately. "All of the good... All of the bad, all of it. That's what I'm worried about."
"A Reset?" Fresh asked, brows creased. "Or... a rewrite?"
"Both, or neither. Things are changing at a rate that I'm not even sure that Abyss could keep track of it." Dan keeps a hand on his face, at this rate he's gonna get wrinkles.
Fresh sighs, sitting down in his bean bag. "My point goes triple den. Ya got a big responsibility on yer shoulders, an' if ya don't take a moment, then there'll be consequences. I'm not tryin' ta put more worries on ya, but like I said... Ya can't take care 'o dem if ya don' take care 'o yerself."
"Then the funk do you suggest!? They're already done with the first chapter, I'm not going to have long before I have to go you spiffy ______funker!" Dan yells, he's tired of the same response.
Fresh didn't respond to the curses. He knew from experience people said a lot of things when stressed. "I already told you. Take a break. Get some sleep." He then turned to me. "A, what time is it out dere?"
About one in the morning where I am.
"How many are awake?"
Tree says there are two others online.
It is true. It is terribly late on this side of things.
"...good to know." Fresh isn't sure how to feel about other writers in here. Especially this one. He turns back to Dan. "Well, there ya hav' it. Ya got time. Get some sleep until they start back up."
"We're in the middle of nowhere. In a random universe, with a literal tyrant not that far from us. A real nice place to fall asleep at." Dan wants to cry at this point. But who would care? We wouldn't.
"Hmm..." Fresh chooses not to mention what he had noticed. How things had... changed after Dan and Ren arrived. He moves his seat closer to Dan's. The other man looked like he would need a hug. "Ya got a better idea? Somewhere else where ya can get some sleep?"
"I've got my Domain or the Nothingness..." Dan answers quietly. He's already tired of this, and he can only persevere for so long...
"Then maybe its time ya headed back." Fresh lays a hand on Dan's shoulder and gives it a gentle squeeze. "I'd come with to make sure you actually got da rest ya needed, but..."
"Didn't know you could touch me, that's neat." Dan comments. He must have been out of it earlier and missed the other time Fresh touched him. "You're probably right though. I've probably missed something." Dan sighs standing up, he stretches a little bit before standing up at full height.
"Learn something new ev'ry day." Fresh replies, standing up as well. "'Member what I said now. Get da rest ya need, 'fore ya wear ya self inta da ground."
"Sure sure, brat." Dan picks up Ren, carrying him piggy back style, he'll probably be doing this much more in the future. "Well it was nice meeting you Freshy Boi. But uh, I've probably gotta go."
Fresh huffs, smirking lightly. "I 'spose so. Nice meetin' ya too, Dan-the-man."
Dan snorts. "Ya got a phone kiddo?"
Fresh pulls it out of his inventory and hands it to Dan. "Gonna giv me yer deets?"
"Yep!" A note flies directly into Fresh's face. It has Dan's phone number.
Fresh lowers his phone with a sigh and reaches up to grab the paper. "Dat's one way ta do it..."
Dan again, snorts. "Well, call me if you ever need something. Or if you wanna talk, don't ask but I already have your number kiddo."
"Thanks, Dan." Fresh smiles genuinely. "An' ya better believe I'll keep in touch. Gotta make sure ya actually listen to my advice."
"I'd expect nothing less from a brat like you. See ya later, kid." Dan falls over onto his back, blipping out of existence in front of Fresh.
Fresh shakes his head and adds the new number to his phone. This is not how he expected his day to go when he decided to check on the Murder Club kiddos.
"Yo, A? Mind explaining whach'er gonna do 'bout the split? I can't exactly jus' walk back to the clubhouse."
I don't know. I didn't think far ahead.
"...ya always know jus' how ta make me feel better, don' ya?"
...sorry.
"This'll probs be a dream, den. Yeah?" An idea pops in his head and Fresh snorts. "Unless dere's two 'o me now."
I mean... maybe?
His sockets widen behind his glasses and he shudders at the thought. "Sweet mother of cherry cola, no! Don't you dare do that, A!"
Hey! Its not up to me and you know it!
Just...
It'll work out, okay?
"Don't you dare make two of me, A!"
...
"A!"