Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Drip… Drip… Drip…

Bowba turned their attention towards the sound to find exactly what they expected. It was a leak. They struggled to comprehend how one like this could form.

The water was seeping in and dropping from the corner of a light panel. Bowba didn’t dare touch the water, they just walked over to the phone on the desk.

“Hey, it’s Bowba Tee down in Deli. Yeah, we have a leak from one of our lights.”

“That’s not good. We’ll be right over.” The other voice crackled before the call ended.

Bowba sighed and looked to their coworkers, who’d just found the leak.

“Don’t worry, I already called the STLs. They should be over any minute. Just don’t touch the water.”

Bowba’s coworkers nodded and returned to their various tasks. Bowba just turned back to the counter and watched the people walk by, completely ignoring the pink frog behind the counter.

In their boredom, Bowba’s mind conjured a familiar thought. I have been here too long. Bowba wasn’t sure if their mind meant today or in general. The days at this job all bled together in an endless stream of monotony. Always the same, always a pain. How long had this shift been? Eight hours, or six years?

Bowba was roused from their dreary thoughts by the STLs finally arriving. They turned to the team leaders and pointed towards the leak.

“Right up there. Just found it before I called.” They told them, a monotone to their voice that only seemed to exist on the job.

“Yeah, we’ll have to look into that. But it shouldn’t be too big of a deal.” The higher up told them.

Bowba turned to the counter and found, to their relief, a customer was standing there. Finally, something to do. Not that Bowba cared about helping customers. More often than not it was the worst part of the job. But at least it was something. They approached, a fake smile and a faker tone of voice.

“Welcome to the deli, how can I help you?” They asked, the world blurring around them once again.

***

Bowba finally clocked out and only fifteen minutes after their shift was supposed to end. The new hire was so slow that this was one of the better times they got out. But it was finally over, they could go home.

Bowba pulled out their phone as they walked to the bathroom to change out of their work clothes. Their expression brightened a bit as they found a text from their friend, Slushi.

Hey bestie! How’d work go?

The text arrived fifteen minutes ago. Bowba chuckled at their friend’s punctuality.

I just got out. Feeling incredibly drained, per usual.

Bowba changed out of their work clothes and into something more casual. They wore a white bow tie with a matching skirt that had a green ribbon wrapped around the waist and tied into a bow.

They splashed some water on their face before meeting green eyes in the mirror. It was their own gaze and Bowba could see the strain on their body. Bowba was definitely on the tall side, but was hunched over. Their skin was a light pink that grew darker the lower on their body they looked. They bore black dots on their stomach and back that made them look like a glass of Boba Tea. Freckles littered Bowba’s cheeks and the frog’s bags felt heavy as usual.

Bowba groaned and forced their eyes away from their reflection. When they were free of the mirror’s draw, they felt a buzz in their pocket.

Sorry to hear that. My offer still stands to move out to West Haunt with me! I have a little money saved up to help you until you’re on your feet.

Bowba smirked and walked out of the grocery store they worked at. Slushi had been trying to convince Bowba to move to her town for a while now. They had to admit, the idea was interesting, if not terrifying. It wasn’t super far, but it was far enough that visiting their home town would be a whole trip.

You really want me down there, huh?

Oh come on! It’d be so fun! We could see each other every day, we could go out for lunch, we could work on projects together in person. It’d be a blast!

I’ll think about it. How was your day?

Bowba let themselves get lost in the conversation as they walked back home. It healed them just to talk with a friend after such a long shift.

***

Drip… Drip… Drip…

Bowba glared at the droplets falling from their ceiling. The water dripped from their ceiling and right down on their bed. Of all places for a leak. In the cramped studio apartment they lived in, there wasn’t really anywhere else to keep their bed. The landlord was also cheap and procrastinated dealing with the leak Bowba knew was there for a while now. It had unfortunately become something they were used to.

Bowba sighed and grabbed a bucket, placing it under the leak and trying to focus on something else. They turned to their little makeshift studio. Maybe that would help get their mind off the leak.

They turned on their computer and mic before browsing through their usual casting site. New voice acting jobs were posted, so Bowba decided to give them a shot. Unfortunately, their auditions were unusable due to a dripping sound in the background.

They tried to play some games instead, but no matter how loud they had it, the dripping was pervasive. No matter what they did to ignore it, the rain outside kept pouring and the drip remained in their mind.

The rhythmic liquid sound reminded them of the monotony of work. They’d been in this crappy apartment for too long, but fear of the unknown kept them from leaving. They’d rather cling to a familiar pain than embrace an unfamiliar change.

Suddenly, the dripping stopped. Bowba turned to the bucket on their bed. They stared at the liquid’s surface, stagnant and gross. In a way the bucket reminded them of their apartment.

A new desire swelled in Bowba. They grabbed the bucket and dumped the water outside. They then started a call with their friend Slushi. Before either could even say hello, Bowba let their feelings flow.

“I want to move to West Haunt.”

Chapter Text

One Month Later

Bowba stepped out of the moving truck and observed the small house in front of him. Even though he wasn’t that far from home, the differences already started to stick out. West Haunt felt just a little bit warmer and greener than Bowba’s home town. There was a nice breeze that kept Bowba from overheating. It was very peaceful.

Once Bowba got all of his things out of the truck, the driver got his attention.

“You need any help moving in, miss?” The burly bear asked.

Bowba just waved a hand dismissively and shook his head. “Oh… No, thank you. I have some friends coming over soon.” He took a beat before pointing to the light blue bow around his neck. “Also, I’m a guy.”

The driver seemed surprised, but not hostile. “Ah. Sorry about that, man.” He tipped his hat and drove off, revealing the exact friends Bowba was waiting for.

Slushi and Milkshek caught sight of Bowba immediately and ran over to him. He ran towards them as well, but stopped a few feet short before giving them a hug.

Slushi and Milkshek looked at each other before turning back to Bowba.

“Not a safe day for hugs?” Slushi asked.

Bowba chuckled nervously and shook his head. “No… Moving is stressful so I wouldn’t risk it.”

“Air hugs then!” Milkshek said, hugging in the direction of the poison dart frog. Slushi did the same.

Bowba returned the gesture. Bowba had to admit, he really needed this after that long truck ride.

Once the three were done, Bowba pulled out a pair of gloves and turned to his friends. “You guys ready?”

The two foxes smiled and the three got to work. Bowba didn’t own much, which was why he opted to only pay the movers for the truck. It only took about an hour to get everything set up.

Bowba’s new house was a once in a lifetime miracle. The second Bowba decided to move to West Haunt, this house went on sale. Sure, it was on the small side, but it was affordable, even on Bowba’s less than impressive wage. It was like fate itself wanted Bowba here.

The pink frog stretched out on his couch and yawned loudly. There were still a few boxes to unpack but he was satisfied for today. He looked at his friends and flipped on the TV. “You two want to watch some anime before you go?”

“Actually…” Bowba felt his heart drop a bit when Slushi said that, but then she and Milkshek pulled out some blankets and pillows. “We planned to sleep over tonight!”

The pink fox continued with a giggle. “We figured you could use the company. First night in a new house and all.”

Bowba’s heart swelled as he wiped a tear from his eyes. “Thanks girls… I would love some company tonight.”

The two were quick to hop in front of the TV for some fun before the night’s end, though not before some chatter about their excitement about living in the same town.

“Oooo~! I can’t wait to introduce you to my boyfriend in person Bowba~” Milkshek swooned.

Both Bowba and Slushi cringed at the reminder of Old Pea.

“Right… I forgot you’re dating Benjamin Button.” Bowba snickered to Slushi.

Milkshek took the light ribbing on the chin and smirked at both. “Oh haha, but last I checked, I’m the only one in a relationship of the three of us.”

Slushi just shrugged and leaned back. “I’m just not looking for one right now.”

“Rude.” Was all the frog responded with. But he kinda deserved it after his comment. “Just hope he doesn’t live super long. Don’t think you’ll want to explain that your 80 year old husband looks like he’s thirteen.”

Slushi cracked up, even though she knew she shouldn’t. The pink fox just smiled smugly.

“Bowba, I say this with all the love in my heart. We’re sleeping in the same house tonight. Watch it.”

Bowba giggled and gave her a grin. He missed the back and forth he had with Milkshek. Even if the two dug a little too deep at each other sometimes.

The three then decided what anime to watch before settling in for the night. None of them really stayed awake for long. The move left each one exhausted. Bowba didn’t even move from the couch to his bed. He just let himself drift away in the comfort of his couch with his best friends.

***

Bowba was the first up that morning. The first thing the polka dotted frog did was grab a light pink bowtie from her bags and fasten it to her neck.

She did her morning routines and found her friends were still asleep. She walked to the kitchen and lamented not having anything in the fridge. She wanted more than anything to treat her friends to breakfast, but it seemed she’d have to settle with a restaurant.

When her friends did finally wake up, Bowba was already ready to go. She turned to the foxes and slung a bag over her shoulders.

“Get ready girls. We’re going out for pancakes.”

Milkshek started to move, but Slushi was still mostly groggy. “I don’t get paid till friday Bowbs…”

“Did I say you were paying?” Bowba asked pointedly.

That got Slushi up and moving.

It wasn’t long before the crew were ready to leave in Milkshek’s overly expensive looking convertible car. Bowba stared at the vehicle with bemusement. “Milkshek! How did you afford something like this?!”

Milkshek grinned and pulled out a pair of sunglasses before sitting behind the wheel. “Benjamin Button, my friend.”

Bowba grumbled softly at the brag. She would get lucky enough to date someone rich. Slushi took the front seat and Bowba took the seat behind Milkshek.

It wasn’t a long drive, but Bowba’s ears were still ringing when she finally stepped out of the car. Milkshek was blasting music so loud it made it nearly impossible to even talk with either of them on the ride over.

The three were seated near a window and were quick to decide what they wanted. They each put in their own orders and were left to their own devices.

“Is it always so sunny here? You’d think with a name like West Haunt it’d be more… Gloomy.” Bowba asked, squinting just a bit as she looked out the window.

“It’s probably ironic. That or some joke by the town’s founder.” Slushi responded before she whipped out her drawing tablet.

Milkshek leaned over to see what she was working on. “That another commission, Slushi?”

“Naw. This one’s more… Personal.”

Bowba snickered as she recognized the character in the art piece. “Ah. Your zoo animal as it were. Is this drawing with or without the peanuts?”

“I wouldn’t draw anything like that in public! Anymore…” Slushi blushed a bit as she was reminded of how she and Bowba met.

The other two friends at the table had a quick laugh before something caught Slushi’s attention.

“Hold on guys, I think some of my other friends are here. I’m just gonna go say hi.” Slushi stood up and was about to walk over but suddenly stopped. “Actually, you should meet them, Bowbs! I think they’ll like you.”

“Oh… Uh, alright?” Immediately, a wave of anxiety washed over the pink frog. She stood and slowly followed behind her friend, partially using the fox as cover for as long as she could.

Slushi led her to a group of four, a cute yellow dog with massive black eyes, a calico in a cheezburger hat, a red squirrel and what Bowba could only assume was a sheep in a wolf costume.

“Hey guys, nice to see you! What are you guys doing here?” Slushi asked cheerfully.

The cat spoke up first. “We’re here on a double date! What about you?”

“Oh, I’m here with Milkshek and a friend who just moved to town. Speaking of, come on and introduce yourself!” Slushi took a step to the side, no longer allowing the frog her cover.

She stuttered a bit, watching as all four eyes landed on her. She gave a nervous wave and did her best to keep her voice steady. “H-Hi! Name’s Bowba Tee. I’m… A friend of Slushi’s from the con scene. It’s nice to meet you all.”

Immediately the cat and dog seemed to be awestruck. Both of their faces lit up with delight.

“You’re so pretty!” The dog blurted out before sticking a paw out to her. “My name’s Chikn Nuggit.”

Bowba was so shocked by the unprompted compliment that she almost forgot to shake the dog’s paw.

With a new red glow to her cheeks, she responded back. “N-Nice to meet you, Chikn.” Chikn squee’d with glee when Bowba shook his paw. How is he so cute?!

The squirrel seemed to scoff a bit and turn away from Bowba. She wondered what she did to offend him. He just let out a huff and spoke in a very matter-of-fact way. “Name’s Hawt Saus. And she’s not that pretty.”

Bowba recoiled a bit, but she suddenly understood. Chee did mention this was a double date. Was Hawt Saus Chikn’s date?

The large sheep in wolf’s clothing gave the squirrel’s ear a flick. “Be nice, Hawt Saus. Name’s Cofi, by the way.”

Bowba gave Cofi a nervous wave. She definitely had an intimidating aura to her, but seemed nice enough.

“And I’m Cheezborger, but you can call me Chee! I love your style.” The little calico chimed in.

Bowba’s nervousness started to fade a bit with each introduction. They all seemed like a pretty nice group, minus the squirrel.

“Thank you. It’s basically my go-to outfit. I love your hat.”

Chee giggled and held her paws to her face. “Compliments from girls are the best!”

While Chee was right this time, Bowba felt it made sense to explain something to them. These were Slushi’s friends after all. They’d be supportive.

“Actually… While I am a girl today, I’m genderfluid, so my pronouns might change from day to day. But don’t worry too much about it! I have a little system to let people know how I’m feeling each day.” Bowba pointed to the tie around her neck. “Light Pink means I’m feeling more feminine. Light blue is masculine and White means I’m not really feeling either and would prefer they/them.”

The small group listened with respectful curiosity, all except the squirrel who just seemed confused.

“How does that work? How can you just decide you’re a different gender each day?” Despite the hostility before, Bowba didn’t sense any in this question.

“Well, it’s kinda hard to explain. And it’s not always each day. Sometimes I just wake up and think… ‘I am my parent’s’ and then my mind will automatically fill in what I’m feeling. I guess it’s less of a feeling more that I am? I understand it’s complicated, hence why I have the tie system.” Bowba thought more about it. "I also tend to shift more based on who I hang out with. If I've spent a lot of time with girls, I tend to be more feminine."

Hawt Saus still didn’t seem to get it, but he didn’t ask any more questions.

Slushi looked back to their table and saw the waitress approaching. “Looks like our food is here. Better get back before Milkshek sneaks a few bites of our food.”

Bowba nodded and gave a wave to the group before heading back with Slushi.

Before they made it back to the table Slushi gave Bowba a cheeky grin. The frog looked at her with suspicion.

“You like Chikn, don’t you~?” Was all she asked.

“N-No I don’t!”

She most certainly did.

Chapter Text

“Alright girls, I gotta go! It was great getting breakfast with you two!” Milkshek called from her car after dropping Slushi and Bowba off at the house. With a kiss to her hand and a wave, Milkshek took off, music blasting once more.

“I should’ve made her pay for her own pancakes.” Bowba commented, watching her steer off in her luxury car.

“Oh yeah, Bowba. Rookie mistake. You’ll remember next time.” Slushi lightly patted Bowba’s back, giving her a playful smile.

Bowba sighed and looked back to her new house. It still hadn’t really sunk in that she moved here. That she’d get to see Slushi and Milkshek every day. It was a comforting thought… But there was still something off about the building.

“Hey, Slushi. What are you up to today? Anything I can join you with?”

“Well, I’m babysitting for Sody Pop today. I could ask Mrs Sassparilla if you could tag along.”

“I’d like that. I’m not quite sure I’m ready to be alone just yet.” The thought alone worried the frog.

Slushi smiled and gave Bowba a quick side hug. “You’ll get used to it. Just give me a sec to give her a call.” Slushi pulled away before retrieving her phone.

Bowba gave the fox space to take the call. She took a moment to examine the sky. It looked like the bluest sky she’d seen in years. The grass felt more lush and vibrant. The wind blew in Bowba’s ears, calming her nerves just a bit.

She stayed in the moment of peace for longer than she expected, only being roused from it by Slushi’s hand on her shoulder. “You alright, Bowba? Sass said you were good to come with me.”

“Oh! Uh, yeah! I’m alright. Just… This place doesn’t feel real.” Bowba sighed and let the winds take her again for a brief moment. “Like, how can this place feel so much more alive and well than back home? I didn’t go far.”

Slushi smiled and gently rubbed the frog’s shoulder. “I get that. I felt something similar when I moved here too. West Haunt is definitely very different from anywhere I’ve been before. Just remember to keep your head on Bowbs. This is real. You’re actually here.”

Bowba took a moment to think about what Slushi said. They thought about the unpacked boxes left in their house for the briefest second before turning back to Slushi.

“So, is it time to meet this amazing kid you keep telling me about?”

***

The pink frog and blue fox soon arrived at Sass and Sody’s house. It was on the smaller side, but that made sense. From what Bowba knew, it was just Sody and his mother. While Slushi approached the door, Bowba stayed back, allowing her friend to do the talking once more.

An older, yet still very pretty, red panda answered the door. She had a voice like honey that helped soothe the frog’s worries about meeting new people. “It’s so good to see you, Slushi.”

Slushi gave the woman a hug before turning to introduce Bowba. Instead, the frog decided to try for herself.

“Hello, Mrs. Sassparilla. My name’s Bowba Tee.” She offered her hand to the smaller panda.

Sassparilla giggled and shook Bowba’s hand with mirth. “Oh aren’t you just adorable~? Slushi, you never told me your friend was so well mannered~”

Bowba’s face lit up just a bit as she could swear she felt a pair of intense eyes staring at her.

Luckily, Slushi was there to bail her friend out when words failed. “Bowba’s always been a kind person. Thanks for letting her join today.”

Sassparilla pulled her hand away and waved it dismissively. “Oh, I trust you sweetheart. So long as it’s not those other friends of yours, I’m okay with them helping out with Sody. I know he can be a handful.”

Bowba wasn’t sure what Sassparilla meant when she brought up other friends, but was at least happy she seemed to like her.

“Anyway, I gotta jet! I’ll see you two later!” Sassparilla skipped off, past the frog and fox and down to her car.

Before Bowba could step inside, she caught a look from Slushi. Her face lit up again as she knew what her friend was thinking.

“Really, Bowbs? You too?” Was all she asked.

Bowba deflated, their face burning more. “I’m hopeless, I know…”

Slushi rolled her eyes with a playful expression. “Let’s just hope Sody didn’t see that. He’s very protective.”

The two walked inside and found the child on the landline, dialing a certain three digit number.

“Alright, Sody. Let’s not start the day off with that. You haven’t even met Bowba yet.” Slushi said, walking over to the small panda and putting the phone back on the receiver.

“I don’t care! She was weird to mom!” Sody huffed and ran from Slushi.

“I-I wasn’t weird! I didn’t even say anything.” Bowba said defensively, not really helping her case.

“I’ll only listen to you if you can catch me!” Sody started running around the room, bouncing of of furniture, sliding under tables and generally making himself hard to track.

Bowba sighed, but watched as Sody ran around. Even if he was trying to be evasive, there was a pattern to his movements. She narrowed her eyes and waited for her chance to strike.

Just after he darted from under the table, Bowba leapt at him, scooping the child up and holding him in her arms. “Gotcha!”

“N-No! Let me go!” The small panda started to glow with a strange energy, Bowba only had a moment to cock her head to the side in confusion before Sody blew up in her arms.

Bowba dropped Sody, recoiling a bit as her ears rang. When her vision cleared, she stared in horror at her hands, trying to figure out what the hell happened.

Did… Did he just…?

“Na-na-na-na boo-boo! You can’t catch me!” Sody taunted from the ceiling.

Bowba had to take a moment to process what she was seeing. Sody just… Blew up! And now he was on the ceiling.

N-No… There has to be some kind of explanation. He… He must’ve had a firework or something! Sody Pop just flashbanged me!

“Sody, get off the ceiling. Bowba caught you fair and-” Before Slushi could finish her sentence, Bowba acted.

She charged at the wall, running up it with her naturally sticky webbed feet, before running towards him on the ceiling and catching him once more. She held him in her lap and sat on the ceiling.

“No more fireworks for you little man! I caught you again!” She said, triumphantly.

Sody was so stunned by her speed and display of abilities that he didn’t even try to break free this time.

“Woooooah! How are you so fast?!” The excited little panda asked with awe.

“Good diet and 4 years of track and field.” Bowba smirked and looked down to Slushi, the only animal not currently on the ceiling.

“Guess you got it, Bowba.” Slushi chuckled and rubbed the back of her head. “You… Guys gonna get down from there any time soon or…?”

***

The cool air of the freezer sent a slight chill down Bowba’s back. Being cold blooded often meant being susceptible to particularly low temperatures like this. She was glad she had Slushi with her to help with the shopping.

Once they were done babysitting, Slushi offered to help Bowba fill her fridge, remembering it was completely empty.

Slushi helped Bowba grab some ground beef and placed it in the cart, along with her other items.

As they passed by the aisles, Bowba’s eyes caught on something, making her stop in place. Slushi caught the frog’s momentary pause and followed her gaze.

“Bowba… You know what Milkshek would say.” Slushi warned.

The amphibian groaned and turned back to Slushi. “I’d only get one. I’m not gonna overload on snacks. I do know how to take care of myself.”

“Bowbs… Do you really have enough money to throw around right now to spend on junk food? You said money would be tight for a bit.”

“I have enough for one! It’s just a little treat for myself. I deserve that after a stressful move, right?” Bowba pleaded, giving Slushi her best puppy dog eyes.

Slushi finally relented and waved her friend off. “Fine, fine Bowba. Just remember your diet.”

“I will!” Bowba sprinted towards the bag of hot chips that started the whole debacle.

Just as she was about to reach the bag, they were quickly swiped away by a white paw. A shrill, high pitched voice spoke after.

“Too slow! They’re mine now!” Bowba turned to see a short white rabbit with a smug look on their face.

Bowba was about to speak when another person showed up, tugging on the bunny’s ear. “Iscream! I get you’re evil, but do you have to be rude to everyone?”

This figure seemed to be… Flying? But how was that possible? She didn’t see any wings on the horned individual. They looked almost like some kind of fluffy goat dragon?

Bowba’s day was just getting weirder and weirder. They decided to speak up before the two could get into a full blown argument.

“H-Hey! It’s alright. I probably shouldn’t be getting some anyway. I’m on a diet.” The words hurt. They really wanted a comfort snack, but maybe life was telling them something.

The dragon examined the frog, but didn’t let go of the bunny’s ear. “Still! Doesn’t excuse this one’s behavior. Apologize to her.”

The bunny, who Bowba had pieced together was named Iscream groaned. “Fiiiiine. I’m sorry whatever your name is.”

“Bowba. The name’s Bowba Tee.” Bowba said, curtly.

“Wait… Bowba? I think I know that name. Do you know Slushi?” The dragon asked, releasing Iscream’s ear.

Right when Bowba would’ve answered, Slushi walked up behind her. “What’s taking so long Bowbs?” It was then she saw her friends and lit up. “Oh hey, guys! Didn’t know you’d be here today.”

“Hey Slushi! I knew this had to be the same friend. Nice to meet you Bowba! I’m Fwench Fwy the wish dragon!” Fwench Fwy said with a flourish.

“Wish dragon…? That’s a thing?” The frog asked, doubtful.

“And I’m Iscream! Demon of the darkest pits of hell!” The bunny’s voice went deeper as they spoke, disturbing the poor frog more.

“O-Oh…? That’s… Nice.” Bowba remembered being told about these two. They always thought that Slushi meant they were just an odd couple when she mentioned an demon and angel dating. But they even called themselves that.

“You wanna make a wish~?” Fwench Fwy floated closer to Bowba.

“I-” Bowba thought for a second. Sure they didn’t believe in this whole wish dragon thing, but it couldn’t hurt to play along, right? They looked to the empty shelf of hot chips. “I guess I wish there were more chips to buy.”

“Wish granted!” Fwench Fwy raised their hand as magic sparkled around the shelf. Suddenly, the shelf was fully stocked with chips and other snacks.

Bowba jumped back a bit, almost falling over. “H-How did you do that?!”

“Maaaaaaagiiiiiiiic~” Fwench Fwy cheered playfully.

Bowba stared at the shelf, her brain spiraling a bit. “Oh… Magic’s real… Cool.” Suddenly, another thought crossed her mind. “Wait… Does that mean you’re actually…?” Bowba didn’t finish her sentence, just pointing shakily at Iscream.

They gave a smug look and a nod. “Sure am! Wanna see~?” Their voice grew deeper again as they started to grow in size.

Bowba covered their eyes and looked away from the ‘Bunny.’

“N-No thank you! I’m good!”

Iscream just laughed and tossed the bag of hot chips they took in Bowba’s cart. “You know what, have those. I think I can have a lot of fun with you. Bye Bowba!”

Fwench Fwy gave a wave and was quick to follow after Iscream.

Bowba whined and slumped a bit. “Angels and demons are real…? What am I even supposed to do with that info…?”

Slushi chuckled nervously and patted Bowba's head. “Try not to think about it too much, Bowbs. Let’s just finish our shopping and get you back home.”

Bowba simply nodded, wanting to distance themselves from the fact they met a literal angel and devil today.

***

Bowba dusted her hands off after, finally done loading up her fridge with everything they got from the store. It wasn’t super full, but it was enough to keep her fed until she got her first paycheck.

She debated grabbing the bag of hot chips, but resisted for now.

Slushi yawned, feeling the events of the day weigh on her, now that she had a moment to relax again. She looked out the window and saw the sun starting to set in the distance.

“Alright, Bowba. Everything’s away, it’s late. I should get back home. If you need anything, just text. See you later.” Slushi gave the frog a wave before stepping out the door.

“I will, bye!” Bowba waved back, but there was an uncanny silence when the door shut behind her.

Bowba stared at the door, completely motionless in the house that didn’t feel like home.

She looked somewhere else but it didn’t look right either. The walls weren’t the walls she was used to. Even her TV and computer didn’t look right. Sure they were the same TV and computer from her old house but something was off.

Then she turned her attention to the unpacked boxes in the living room. Essentials were already unpacked, fridge, bed, couch. These boxes held the rest. Pictures of Bowba’s friends and family, figurines from the various conventions Bowba attended, a console or two that hadn’t been set up yet.

Bowba reached for their phone and quickly shot a message.

“Can I stay at your place tonight, Slushi?”

Chapter Text

Bowba awoke to the sound of rain outside the window. It was a sound that used to calm her as a child, but these days it always held another, more negative, connotation.

The frog scanned their surroundings but found she wasn’t in her own house.

Bowba sat up on the couch and eyed the nearby pictures on the table. She saw Slushi in various cosplays over the years, most of which she recognized. She even saw a framed photo of the first time Milkshek, Slushi and her all met.

Bowba reached for the photo and admired it. That day was one of the happiest in the frog’s life.

About six years back, Bowba decided to go to their first ever con. They weren’t particularly excited about the con itself, but they had plans to go with their partner at the time. He cancelled last second. It felt like a waste to buy the tickets and not go.

The first few hours made Bowba feel the most lonely and sad they’d felt in a while. It was depressing watching everyone else have fun while they just watched, too shy to engage with anyone because they didn’t have someone to enjoy it with. There was a part of her that wanted to leave and give up on the other days, but then Slushi showed up.

She approached the shy frog, and complimented her cosplay. It was messy and put together last minute, but that compliment made Bowba feel seen for the first time all day.

The two got to talking and Bowba clung to the outgoing fox like a lost puppy. Slushi never questioned it, just encouraging the frog to hang out with her and doing what she could to pull her out of her shell.

Later in the day, they met Milkshek. She was at a panel Bowba was interested in and got paired up with her. The two made a surprisingly good team and they won their event, but Bowba didn’t think she would’ve had the courage to volunteer without Slushi.

A small tear landed on the old photo. Bowba owed so much of what she had to Slushi. She looked around the house once more and sighed.

It wasn’t much longer before the blue fox joined the pink frog downstairs. She waved to her friend before walking to the kitchen with a yawn.

“I’ve got some tea I can make. I can only imagine how stressful the move must’ve been.” She called from the other room.

Bowba responded back with something that gave her an odd sense of Deja Vu. “Tea sounds great Slushi!”

The frog shook off the strange sense of dread and joined Slushi in the kitchen, just as the tea kettle went off.

“Tea’s ready!” Slushi turned and jumped a bit when she saw Bowba behind her. She didn’t even hear the frog approach. “Did I ever tell you, you can be freaky quiet sometimes?”

Bowba chuckled and took the cup of tea from Slushi’s hand. “Yeah, once or twice.”

The two sat at the table and enjoyed the tea. Neither said much, just enjoying the silent company of a good friend in the morning.

Bowba was first to finish her drink. “I should probably get out of your hair. You’ve got work today and we’ve basically hung out non-stop for two days.”

“Hey, it’s alright, Bowbs. You know I love spending time with you. You ever need someone to talk to or a place to crash, I’ll be here.” Slushi’s tone was encouraging as always.

“Thanks… I don’t deserve someone like you.”

“Yes you do, Bowbs. I’ll see you later.”

“Right. See you later~” As Bowba stepped out of Slushi’s house, she remarked how much more meaningful those words felt, now that they were in the same town.

***

The rain let up by the time Bowba stepped out of Slushi’s house, so the frog decided to wander today. She wouldn’t start her new job for another few days, so she wanted to get acquainted with West Haunt.

It was certainly an interesting place, both near a bay and a dense forest. The landscape was diverse to say the least. Though there was something off about the place she found herself in.

The “off” feeling came from the fact that Bowba found herself staring at nothing. An empty, colorless void that stood before her. The street she was on just faded away into pure, white, light.

She rubbed her eyes, hoping to clear away any grogginess from the early morning, but the void was still there when she looked again.

Bowba got down on her knees, inching closer to the edge of the world. She reached a hand out and tested to see if the nothing was solid. Her hand met a solid, yet non-descript surface.

The frog leapt back to her feet, looking around to see if anyone else was having the same reaction she was. They all seemed to ignore it, going about their day as if nothing was wrong. Was she the only one who could see it?

Suddenly, her gaze landed on someone she recognized, and her face lit up when she did.

“Why were you on the ground like that?” Chikn asked, placing a paw to his chin and cocking his head to the side.

The yellow dog stood in the void, seemingly oblivious to the lack of anything around him.

The frog’s cheeks burned, but she had to know if she was going crazy. “Uh… Maybe this is a weird question but… What are you standing on? To you, I mean.”

Chikn cocked his head more, his large pupils angling down to the ground. “You mean the void?”

A wave of relief washed over Bowba, quickly followed by a sea of new questions. “W-Wait! So you do see it? Is it just us who see it? Why do you say that like it’s normal?”

Chikn chuckled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. “Oh… Yeah, sorry about that. I forget it’s not normal.”

Chikn held a paw out towards the void and the street and buildings returned. Nobody else even reacted, almost like they were used to this strangeness.

Bowba was befuddled. She looked back to Chikn and remembered what Slushi told her. She deflated a bit, the weirdness overwhelming her fragile brain.

“I thought Slushi was just exaggerating when she said you could do thaaaaat…” She whined.

Chikn seemed to back up, shame filling the puppy. “Is that too weird…? I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

The sad display immediately knocked some sense into the frog. “N-No! It’s not too weird I just… I’m not used to that is all..” She tried to comfort him, but he still seemed a little hurt. “H-Hey! I can’t judge. I’m weird too. I mean, at least compared to most people.”

Chikn’s curiosity was piqued. “How so? Do you have super powers?” The excitement made his small body tremble.

“I… Wouldn’t consider them powers. It’s fairly normal for a poison dart frog.”

Chikn scratched his chin. “So you have a poison?”

“Not just ANY poison! The deadliest poison known to man! With no cure!” Bowba made a spooky, ‘Ooooooo~’ sound for emphasis.

Chikn stepped back, in equal parts fear and awe. “R-Really?”

Bowba nodded as she stepped a bit closer. “It’s called Batrachotoxin! One touch could paralyze you and cause death in just 3 minutes!” The frog raised her arms in mock aggression.

Chikn stumbled back, his eyes wide with realization. “W-Wait! I shook your hand! I’m infecteeeed! I'm gonna die!”

Bowba recoiled a bit and shook her head, holding her hands in front of her. “Ch-Chikn! You’re not gonna die… Even if you were infected, it’s been well over 3 minutes.”

Chikn looked at his paw and let out a simple. “Oh.”

“I’m not constantly producing the poison. My body only produces it when I’m in a bad mood or I’m not eating properly. Don’t worry. If I knew I was having a bad day, I wouldn’t touch anybody.”

“That’s so cool! I wish I could produce poison!”

“Aren’t you a… Nevermind. It’s really not all that great. It just makes my bad days even worse…” Bowba held her arms to her chest, looking wistfully to the side.

“At least it means no one will mess with you?” Chikn’s voice pulled the frog out of her longing. “No one’s going to mess with a frog who could easily kill them. You get to go anywhere and feel perfectly safe!”

Bowba chuckled at the thought and nodded a bit. “I… I guess that is a benefit. Not a lot of girls have that luxury.”

The two shared a short laugh. “We’re BOTH all powerful beings!” Chikn cheered.

“I don’t know about all that~ But I see your point.”

“Wanna come play with me? I like you, you’re fun!”

Bowba’s cheeks lit up at the offer. “I… Guess I don’t have anything planned for today. Why no-”

Before she could finish her sentence, the frog was grabbed by the arm and dragged away down the street by the playful dog.

***

The rest of the day was a blur. Bowba’s time with Chikn was so wonderful she hadn’t even realized how long she was out. The sun was starting to set when the sky opened up in a downpour.

Bowba said her goodbyes and rushed back home.

As she fumbled with the keys to her door, a sense of dread washed over her. She felt like she was being watched. The frog turned around, only for her eyes to land on a strange figure in the dark.

The figure was tall and seemingly vulpine. Their eyes seemed to almost glow in the dark as the rain poured down on their trench coat. Lightning flashed filling the air with booming thunder as Bowba got the slightest glimpse at the fox’s face.

She pressed herself against the door as her heart started beating at an alarming rate. She fumbled with her keychain, finally finding the key to her front door.

She unlocked it without taking her eyes off the figure and slipped inside as quickly as she could, slamming the door behind her.

Usually, Bowba would leave the front light on when she left the house, but she hadn’t been home since yesterday. She didn’t dare turn on any lights right now. She couldn’t allow him to see her.

She stared through the peephole breathlessly, just watching the figure. Even with the thunder and the rain, the loudest sound was Bowba’s own heart pounding in her ears.

After what felt like an eternity, the vulpine figure walked away, heading further down the street.

Even with him gone, Bowba couldn’t calm down. She reached for her phone, but her shaky hands made it slip from her grip. She hissed as she found a new crack formed on her phone screen.

With trembling fingers, she texted Milkshek.

He’s back!

Milkshek’s response was almost immediate.

Are you sure?!

100% I saw him outside my house.

Bowba paused for a second, hearing a strange sound that seemed to be coming from deeper in the house.

Swallowing hard, the frog carefully inched forward, listening for the sound to guide her.

She slowly cracked open the door to her bedroom, the sight making her phone slip from her grasp again.

Bowba wanted to run to Slushi or Milkshek, escape the reality of what she found, but with who was outside, she couldn’t risk being found. She just fell to her knees in tears, as she heard an all too familiar…

Drip… Drip… Drip…