Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Beep… Beep… Beep…

It’s been three days now, give or take a few hours, since Simon was bitten on the arm so badly he needed medical attention for it.

Beep… Beep… Beep…

Only two days since Jevin had tried to give him a wide array of homemade brews and medicines which failed, the first time he’s seen them not work for somebody, and Jevin threw in the towel and sent him to the hospital.

Beep… Beep… Beep…

Less than twenty-four hours since he was told by the doctors he couldn’t be sent home once he was patched up since some unexpected complications came up, no more than twelve hours since he started to pick up on the hushed whispering of the nurses who looked at him oddly, looked at him with what could only be fear.

Beep… Beep… Beep…

And, most importantly, it’s been less than a second since the last shrill beep of that annoying heart monitor that hasn’t stopped making noise since he’s been hooked up to it. Being an annoying shit was his job as ascribed by Raddy, thank you! He didn’t like being on the receiving end of it and from a machine no less. Every single noise it made he swore was raising his blood pressure, not that he could check since he was stuck on bedrest and someone would tell him off if he dared take even a step away from the bed.

With a grumble and some choice words that would make his brother give him a look escaping him, the lemon-colored Sprunki rubbed his hands against his head as he patted down the barely groomed fur there to distract himself, little else to pay attention to but the muted TV ahead of him. It was playing some random romance film that was simply not his style, some story about cheating lovers and all sorts of drama that fit Pinki’s tastes more than it ever would yours. There was a fifty percent chance that the reason the dog-eared Sprunki on screen was crying was either because they just confessed their love to the scrappy underdog or that the affair was just discovered by the original wife, but it didn’t really matter to him. The captions were moving way too slowly to keep his attention, and it was more fun to just imagine that they were all about to brawl, a boxing match to decide which girl got the guy, but even that was starting to run thin on entertainment value. He was probably being childish not just changing the channel or trying to find a book to read from the shelf, rule against him leaving the bed be damned, but in his defense he doubted this place had anything good and, wow, it just clicked in his head why Raddy had been so pissy when he had sprained his ankle and was stuck in bed until it healed… maybe this was all just karma for the endless teasing he gave the hothead during than… or maybe doctors just had really poor taste in TV.

Regardless, to say he was miserably bored may just be the understatement of the century, even more so when he thought he was all but ready for the morgue when he got one of his antennae stuck in a doorway, which had certainly not been a fun phone call to Oren to come home and get him unstuck. How anyone could spend all day sitting still, however, was still a mystery to him, and not one he was intent on sticking around longer than he had to be here to solve. He was someone who thrived best moving around, or racing about or playing games with his friends, not stuck in some bed in a boring hospital room just waiting for the OK for when he can leave! He could be out there making some sick beats for crying out loud, like all Sprunki wanted to do! It was literally in his DNA or whatever to be free and be loud and yet here he was! It was because of this that, when he heard footsteps in the hallway stop outside his door, hope quickly flushed by that burning feeling in his chest as he crossed his fingers, mentally and physically, that there would be news he could go home. Said hopes lasted for about three seconds when he saw the grave look on the nurse’s face.

She was like an armadillo in look, and she reminded Simon of Tunner with her scales, although hers were a darker colored brown instead of tan and were much less scratched up. Her claws were tapping anxiously against the back of the clipboard in her hands, and she didn’t seem to want to look him in the eyes as she shuffled anxiously on her feet in place. It was the opposite of the professional and calm look one would expect from a nurse, but it was one he was quickly growing familiar with as she always had it when she looked at him. It probably meant something serious, perhaps the risk of an infection was higher than expected, or the guy who bit him had some disease he might catch or whatever. It didn’t matter to Simon, all that look meant was that he wasn’t going to get any news on when he could get out of this bed and go home. A sigh escaped him as he leaned back onto the bed, not even needing to hear her next words to know he was going to be left disappointed at the end of all of this.

“Hi, you may already remember me by now, but as a refresher, my name is Dr. Mila. I’m just here to help check in on you and help change your bandages again, nothing too complicated.” and despite her clear anxiety, she did at the very least keep a professional tone, clearly practiced and well rehearsed to always seem at ease around patients even if no other part of her matched it, “Oh! And I was told to let you know another custom treatment was sent in for you, but it was confiscated so I am required to ask if there was anything within it that may be important for you to take, to ensure no issues will be caused if you don’t drink it.” and he raised an eyebrow at that one.

When Jevin failed to help him with his brews, he seemed to take it rather personally and had been down in the dumps the whole way over to the hospital when he dropped him off. It was rare when something he made didn’t fix something as he seemed to just have the sense to figure out how to make medicine. If he failed at curing something, then that’s when everybody knew it was serious, and ever since he dropped you off, he’s been sending all sorts of different experimental medicines. None of them have worked, of course, unless tasting disgusting was the goal but that didn’t explain why one would suddenly just be taken.

“Confiscated? Why was it confiscated?” and she seemed sheepish, fingers tapping a bit faster.

“O-oh, that’s information I’m afraid I’m not allowed to share, it’s confidential.”

“My medicine got snatched! I think I’m allowed to know why it got taken!” and that burning feeling was back in his chest again, momentarily replaced with confusion but now back with a vengeance, having been there since you got bitten and not looking like it’ll leave anytime soon at this rate.

“I’m sorry, not allowed to share! I can only say it got confiscated, and I am only supposed to ask if you knew the contents of it!” and while Simon wanted to keep arguing, this odd anger in him wanting to push it further, it was clear he wasn’t going to get any answers like this so he relented.

“No, I don’t know the contents of it. Now, can we just get this bandage changed?”

She seemed to return to ease a little at that, hastically approaching and signalling for his arm to be raised, which he did without complaint. His entire arm was covered in pure white bandages and gauze, intended to cover up the results of a bite not from a wild animal but from another Sprunki. It had been a birthday party for Vineria, and everyone had pinched in to rent out an entire restaurant for the whole friend group so she wouldn’t be bothered by anyone. Vineria had always been… bullied, to say the least, the strange vine growth that portrayed from her head making her the subject of ire. It was entirely undeserved, but it’s not like anyone listened to him or anyone else in the friend group when they all said there was nothing wrong with her, so they wanted her to just have a night where she didn’t have to worry about it. It had all gone so well, but as they were leaving, that stranger had charged at them, clawing and scratching like a rabid animal, clawing up Vineria and Owakcx pretty good. When Simon stepped in to help pull him off, he became just another thing to attack and a good chunk of his arm was hurt when the stranger twisted their head and dug their teeth right in. A good punch from Raddy was enough to make them flee but the damage had already been done and now he was stuck here. As the nurse started to unwrap the bandages, she seemed to be thinking about something, and before Simon could ask what, she was already speaking.

“The council took it.”

“What?”

“The elected members of the council, they’re the ones who took your medicine from your blue friend.” She spoke quietly, quickly, like the information itself was dangerous.

“The council took my medicine?” Simon spoke equally as quietly, ears eager as he leaned his head in close to listen, “You’re not pulling my leg right, what reason would they need my medicine?” and she seemed hesitant, glancing at the door before continuing.

“Do you remember the Sprunki that attacked you, yes?” He nodded. “There is something wrong with him, something very wrong they don’t know how to fix. I hear the other doctors speak, the head one says he’s gone mad with something and that he wasn’t the only one.”

Simon thought back to the stranger that attacked him, how strangely they had acted. While these isles weren’t perfect and he knew that first hand, violence was a rarity. Heck, the only true weapon he’s ever seen was a single pistol owned by Tunner, which was used only for target practice or hunting small game as there’s never been a case he’s had to use it on another Sprunki. At best, some people would fight to a point where it’d have to be broken up but never has he seen or heard of someone going mad… except for the stranger who bit him so hard he drew blood and landed him in the hospital, whose biting seemed to be magical as it made his whole body sore. Since when do normal bites make one’s jaw hurt so much?!

“They call it an infection of madness,” Dr. Mila continued, drawing his attention again, “and the problem is there is no cure they know of. They think your doctor friend might be working on a cure, so they wanted his medicine he made for you.” and Simon tilted his head, confusion as well as suspicion spiking.

“If they are looking for a cure for this infection or whatever, why did they need to take my medicine?” and she looked away for a moment, debating, before turning back to him as her words were stuttered yet careful.

“They took your medicine, I-, I’m sorry, because they believe that you-” she was cut off when the door to the room opened again without warning and she was instantly silent, gaze on the bandages as she undressed them like she was never talking to begin with, and Simon was no idiot and was quick to mask his own expression for her sake.

“Hello, Dr. Mila, have the bandages been changed yet? I’m supposed to be doing a check-up on our patient now,” he spoke, this Sprunki looking more like a mouse. His fur was incredibly well-groomed and had a spotted black and white pattern, his teeth filed down to not be distracting as his tail dragged across the ground in what Simon could only assume was a safety hazard. He took notice of Simon’s gaze and was quick to turn their attention to him, “Ah, Simon, correct? I’m Dr. Ritchie, nice to meet you,” and his entire schitck felt fake, especially compared to Dr. Mila, who all but wore her heart on her sleeve.

“Hi… nice to meet you too, I guess,” Simon spoke with little enthusiasm, distrust instantly in him as he felt his teeth gnaw together, uneasy. It didn’t help that Dr. Ritchie didn’t react in the slightest to his discomfort, still speaking in that cheery tone despite how much it aggravated him.

“That’s good to hear! Now, I’m here to check up on your mental state, we all know that nobody likes to spend their free time in the hospital getting their bandages changed, and here we all like to ensure the comfort of our patients!”

“Does your idea of comfort include bad movies you keep muted?”

“If that’s what you desire! Of course, we can change it for you if you desire,” and Simon rolled his eyes.

“I think I’m good. What exactly are you here to ask me?” and he could feel his hand clench in annoyance as the other spoke too loudly even for him, and he could feel Dr. Mila’s grip on his arm tense at the other doctor’s obviousness.

“Nothing much, just a few short questions to help gauge how you feel about your treatment and to ensure everything is going A-OK! Now, first question, have you found yourself happy with the treatment you have been receiving so far under our care?”

“I guess.” It could be worse he supposed, not that it really meant anything.

“Question two, have you found yourself having a harder time as of late regulating or controlling your emotions?” And he took a moment to think. He has been getting angrier as of late, normally something like this wouldn’t make him so angry, and yet…

“Yes?” and Dr. Ritchie hummed, writing something down.

“Third question, do you find yourself with violent thoughts, or with a new urge to hurt others in any capacity?” And that one made Simon pause, a glare on his face.

“What exactly is that supposed to mean? What kind of questions are you trying to ask me here?”

“Just answer the question, please.”

“I- No, of course not! Why would I want to hurt anyone!?” Simon was standing before he realized he was off the bed, the last of the bandages on his arm dislodging as Dr. Mila let out a gasp at the state of the wound. He turned his attention to it at her noise and it looked horrid, the veins around it a pure black as something that wasn’t certainly wasn’t blood was leaking out of it. Simon was no doctor, but it didn’t take a medical degree to know that wasn’t good in the slightest, and the way his hands kept twitching didn’t give him any peace of mind either.

“Oh dear! I should probably get some other doctors and-” she tried to speak but he was too focused on Dr. Ritchie as things were piercing together in his mind.

“Why are you asking me if I want to hurt people?” He spoke with venom, not wasting any time stepping toward the black and white Sprunki, “What are you not telling me?”

“I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about. Now, if you could please lay back down? It’s not healthy for you to be walking around because-”

“You’re lying to me.”

“Excuse me?”

“You’re a liar. You know exactly what’s going on with me, don’t you?”

The burning feeling in Simon’s chest was getting worse, almost too much to handle already, and yet more fuel seemed to be thrown onto it. They were terrified of him getting an infection, and what just so happens to be the name of the disease that stranger had? An infection of madness?! They weren’t even trying to hide it! The way they were looking at him, the way they spoke in hushed tones when they thought he couldn’t hear, and the way they never fully took their eyes off of him, they should he would go mad too! The fire was starting to glow so brightly in him that he didn’t even notice the way Dr. Ritchie was trying to placate him… or that Dr. Ritchie was getting smaller and smaller with every passing moment.

“Now, Now! I know things are quite tense right now, but there is nothing to be stressed about. Why don’t we all just calm down?”

“Shut up, just shut up, and stop lying to me!” he roared, feeling like he was about to burst as Dr. Mila’s nerves got the better of her as she ran off, closer to the door and not the center of your attention, calling for help, “You think I’m going mad, don’t you! Why don’t you just say it!”

There was the taste of iron in his throat, and it was like he was choking, the pain in his form becoming unbearable as it felt like something was erupting from his back, wet streaks trailing down from spots that hurt the most like something was piercing out of his skin. His hands claws scratched at his jaw as it suddenly felt too tight for his face,but he was too focused on the fact he was burning up inside to focus on the fact he was falling apart, and the next sounds to come from him weren’t words but a pixelated roar, as Dr. Ritchie seemed to realize he was in over his head and tried to back up, everyone of his steps met with one of Simon’s longer strides.”

“We can talk this out, I swear! T-there’s no need for upset, why don’t we all just-” he never got the chance to finish whatever he was intending to say, cut off by the sound of crushing flesh as Simon's jaw split open, and were clamped down on a face as he fell into a haze.

*****

When Simon came to, it was to the sound of nothing but his own rapid breathing, his face drenched in something that felt… addictive. He could’ve sworn he was just doing something, that he wasn’t alone like he was now, but he was more focused on the fact he couldn’t see a thing. It was like there was a blindfold on his face, nothing but a little bit of light touching his eyes but otherwise, he was blind, but he hardly dwelled on it as he focused on flexing his fingers.

They felt long, too long yet at the same time, they felt right. That same thought could apply to all of his body, his limbs outstretched and his mouth far too open with teeth far too big that made it so he couldn’t close his mouth all the way. Some part of him deep down felt he should be bothered by this, that this body wasn’t his and he’d done something horrid, but the rest of him didn’t care and simply enjoyed how at peace he felt. That burning felt quenched, and he felt fed, and the feeling of viscera stuck to his hands felt like heaven.

As he stretched his new form and shifted his shoulders, he could suddenly see, no, feel another presence watching him in silence. He turned his head with curiosity towards it, but it was impossible to discern a single thing about them except for a feeling of raw, ancient power. Simon couldn’t help but feel compelled by it, but his feelings didn’t seem to be returned as, for a split second, he felt connected to it, a feeling of confusion and guilt suddenly flashing through him so fast he would’ve thought he imagined it had it not been so intense. An image accompanied it, a figure of pure black that felt familiar, yet like most things, the name slipped his mind and the significance of it all escaped him. Huffing, Simon shook his head a little and shrugged it off, not feeling the need to stick around no longer as he felt the sudden urge to leave this place, wherever he even was.

He couldn’t even recognize it for what it really was, a command in his head demanding him to leave that wasn’t his own thoughts because he couldn’t tell the difference anymore, too far gone. Disinterested, he was quick to turn and run blindly, nearly ramming straight into a wall as he escaped out the open window, glass shattering as he was too big to fit through otherwise as the forest sat in the distance. He shouldn’t stick around lest he want to be caught so soon, he needed to escape, needed to avoid being captured. By who? He had no idea, he just couldn’t be caught, and so he ran, the burning feeling in his chest reigniting. It loved whatever he had just done, whatever his mind had blacked out from him. He had a feeling he’d be able to feed that feeling soon, because he already knew he wanted to feel that high again, and again, and again, no matter what he had to do to achieve it.

Chapter Text

From all the way back from when he was still a child, Gray had always been the odd one out, a darkened spot amongst a hoard of brightly colored children. Young Sprunki were often quite cheery, and more noticeably, very loud. For a species that revolved around a love for music so deep that every individual had a mastery over an instrument at birth, staying in a room of young Sprunki would probably leave one deaf within minutes and make them lose their sanity even faster as they let out musical sounds without rhyme or rhythm. It was because of this that Gray both stood out so much but also was so forgettable, because on top of being so dull-colored, his sound was just as boring and easy to miss. Sure, it was an important sound according to the others, and he played a big role in keeping the chaos of his friends in line when they made music together, but at the end of the day it was always him who blended into the background, and it was something he was grateful for.

With little else but the sound of his TV playing throughout his darkened living room, he was curled on the couch and wrapped by a multitude of blankets that he allowed himself to snuggle into. All sorts of advertisements for all sorts of random junk were playing in between segments of a comedy show. An ad one moment was speaking of medication that would surely improve your musical abilities, so great and wondrous that you’d even be able to do the impossible and gain mastery over new and different instrumental sounds. The next moment, there was an ad promoting a book about how to fix a struggling harmony bond because yes, if you and the people you were closest with were having issues, you should just buy a book to solve all your problems for you… actually, now that he thought about it, that didn’t sound too bad.

His mind wandered to his own harmony bond which he still felt he was only a part of thanks to luck. It’s expected that as a Sprunki ages, they will just naturally find others that they are able to easily make music with, forming these large lifelong bands they’ll be close friends with for the rest of your life. Gray had been convinced he was never destined for one because he never meshed well with anyone as a child, preferring the comfort of himself over others. Through a chance meeting, however, he had become a witness when Wenda had been spraying graffiti over someone’s house and dragged him along with her when the sheriff came running around. Of course, there wasn’t any actual danger of going to prison since even then Tunner had already been a member of the isle’s near non-existent police force, but she had told him it was the principle of the thing to run later on… whatever that meant. Cue a night of hopping fences before he accidentally fell into a pool and she had to take him back home, and after that, she simply refused to leave him be ever since and he just integrated into that group as a result. It was… nice, being around them, but that didn’t mean Gray didn’t need time to himself.

Speaking of, that was the exact reason he’s been holed up in his little shack of a house for the past week, not leaving for even a moment ever since Vineria’s birthday party, even though his doorbell has been ringing for the past five or so minutes now. He knew it was probably unhealthy, that he was liable of quite literally being dragged out kicking and screaming since Raddy would and has kicked down his door before, but that didn’t give him any more motivation to get up. In his defense, at least, this time he had a reason for doing this, because how in the world was he just supposed to ignore the fact they were attacked?! Vineria had to be sent to the hospital on her own birthday alongside Simon and Owakcx and they wanted him to be out of the house now?! Nuh uh, no thanks, he was perfectly fine staying inside where it was perfectly safe, he didn’t need to leave the house to get updates on the world because Oren was already calling him every other day to speak of their conditions… well, except for yesterday… but Oren texted him saying there had been no news as the doctors didn’t give him any so that didn’t count. He already had enough anxiety thinking of all the worst possible scenarios of what’ll happen to them, his mind often making him think they would die like they got stabbed when, at worst, it was just a nasty bite.

The doorbell rang again, this time accompanied by some slams against his door, as a person outside yelled through it.

“We know you’re in there Gray, get off your ass and open the door up already!” A voice shouted, annoyance obvious based on volume alone. “If you ask me to go and get food for you, I am not going to stand around here all day waiting for you to let me inside!”

“Yeah, what Raddy said,” came a voice that, unlike Raddy’s, belonged to someone who would probably pickpocket your door instead of breaking it down. “Your door’s nice and all, but I don’t feel like staring at it all day, and it’s probably not going to stay in one piece for long if Mr. Pinhead gets any angrier.”

“What the hell did you just call me?” Gray could hear Raddy start up, and he forced himself off the couch and towards the door, knowing that a fight might break out if he didn’t.

“I’m coming, just don’t break down my door again, please,” because really, for as much as you loved this little gang of misfit outcasts as they called themselves with no irony, you really didn’t feel like having to call them all over to install a new door, because one time was enough and you didn’t need to be reminded of that nightmare.

Ugh, but now that meant he had to… socialize. He could already feel himself shuttering.

The sunlight was a painful presence as he unlocked and opened his door, looking like he had undergone hibernation in the time he’d been cooped up as his fur was all greasy, filled with knots in some places as he kept his blanket draped over himself. In contrast, the other two looked completely normal, Raddy’s bristly fur looking messy in that way that was intentional, whilst Wenda’s fur was groomed and styled, which was essentially to say he looked like a mess compared to them. He was never one for style, but he probably looked especially pathetic right now.

“There you are, Gray! Don’t tell me you were planning on leaving your favorite person in the whole world waiting all day, especially when we gotcha those groceries like you told us to.” She said, voice sly and teasing, only a single bag held by her as Raddy held four in each of his hands.

“We also stood outside for nearly ten minutes as you ignored us,” he deadpanned, eyes in a glare, and you rubbed at your face.

“Sorry, didn’t hear the doorbell ringing,” you said weakly.

“You could hear us talking outside but not your doorbell?”

“Anyways,” Wenda piped up, “it’s alright and all, we know things are a bit… tense right now with our friends at the hospital, we know how you tend to get,” and Raddy looked ready to disagree, but bit back his tongue as he let out a huff and walked past you. As he put the bags down, he took your garbage can and sweeped all the junk you had on your counters right into it, knowing from experience you had a tendency to just leave wrappers everywhere as you always forgot to throw them out.

“Yeah, we know, but next time you ask me to go on a grocery run to the store where the cashier hates me from when I accidentally smashed one of their windows, I better be let in right away next time.”

“Yeah, maybe don’t do that next time,” and Wenda whispered the next part, “because next time we might just break your windows to get in faster.” she joked as she chuckled to herself.

“What is with you guys and causing me property damage?”

“Hey, just our form of showing we like you,” and she sat herself down on the couch, poofy tail swaying behind her after as she laid back and looked smug. “Maybe you’re the one who needs to get less destructible furniture, not our fault it’s so easy.” And Gray rolled his eyes before the smallest of a smile was on your mouth, and he joined her as Raddy kept working on putting things away.

“Heh, maybe I’ll get Clukr and Garnold to make me a door, if I did that, you’d never be able to break it down.” and she let out an offended gasp.

“My, I’ve never been so underestimated before! Please, as if any door could defeat us, right Raddy?” and the red-furred Sprunki walked over, done putting things away as he leaned over the top of the couch, looking a bit more calm now.

“I’m hurt you think so little of us, Gray.” and the cat-like Sprunki couldn’t help but snort, a rare sound from him, but it was simply nice just being able to take his mind off of everything.

“Hah, there’s that cat I did crime with! Nice to know we’ve still got our touch for cheering you up,” Wenda spoke fondly, leaning over to give you a tight hug, “we just wanted to make sure you were doing all good, I-, what’s happened with those three has got us all stressed out, ya know? Just want to make sure you’re doing ok,” and her tone turned a bit more sadness, and his happiness was quick to fade as Gray thought of them again. They really didn’t deserve this, Simon was so kind and sweet-hearted, same with Vineria! Owakcx being bitten felt especially cruel since he tended to be so paranoid. Once he was out from the hospital, he was probably going to be back to trying to run away from his own shadow again.

“Yeah, I’m… fine,” he muttered, rubbing his shoulder awkwardly. “Heh, just a bit anxious about them and all. I just don’t get why it happened, I’ve spent some of my time on the laptop Garnold made for me trying to see if there was anything like this that’s happened before, of Sprunki just suddenly attacking each other for no reason, or in such a savage way too, but there’s nothing! Am I… overthinking things? I can’t help but feel like it’s a bad sign, that you guys should be sheltering down too, if that makes any sense.”

“Hmm? What do you mean by that?” Raddy questioned, one of his eyebrows raising.

“It just doesn’t feel right that it’s a one-off thing, I mean. There are no recorded cases of anyone just snapping like that, meaning whatever caused it had to be serious, and if something that serious is out there, could that mean others might act like that too?”

“I think you’re being a bit too worried about it, Gray,” Wenda piped up, patting your shoulder, “the guy probably just had a bad day, maybe Vineria just looked like someone he was mad at and it was all an accident! No point in all this theorizing when nothing’s ruled out so far that it was a one-time thing.”

“I guess you’re right, but still. What causes somebody to just… do that? To act more like an animal than a Sprunki and try to maul someone? Even when he gets mad, Raddy doesn’t ever get that physical with anyone.” And at that, Raddy suddenly looked very uncomfortable, picking at a loose seam on the couch.

“Well… I may or may not have bad news,” he said hesitantly out of the blue, words slow and careful, “Durple may have told me something earlier today when we met up for coffee, about something he overheard by the elected council when he was over by the plaza yesterday. The public’s getting into a tizzy over the attack and have been wanting answers, so they’ve been talking a lot about it.”

Gray’s mind stuttered as he suddenly felt stupid. Of course, of course! How could he not realize? Why wouldn’t the council be looking into this whole ordeal?! A Sprunki just tried to attack another without warning and bit someone so hard they drew blood, in what world would they not already be looking into it and trying to find both the cause and solution to whatever made them nutty?! He should’ve just been asking Durple if he’s heard anything to satisfy his worries, as the dragon-like Sprunki was practically an aristocrat and was always close to the council due to his parents. Well, technically, they weren’t actually royalty, but they were the closest thing to it on these isles as his family was from a long line of brass players, an instrument type on the rarer side that people adored, so the attention and treatment they received might as well have made them royalty. Durple just so happened to be the youngest of that family, so he was well-respected, of course, even despite hanging out with all them, and that gave him access to pretty much whatever he wanted, even the gossip the council shared.

“Wow, Durple trusted you with secrets before me, the guy who can’t keep a secret to save his life?” Wenda spoke up before Gray could press Raddy for more details.

“Oh, Shut up! I can keep a secret!”

“You mean like your secret little crush, that literally EVERYONE has picked up on except for the guy you're crushing on?”

Raddy sputtered, caught off guard, and yeah, not even Gray could make a defense for him. He practically melted whenever Oren was around and tended to follow him around like a lost duckling at times, the orange Sprunki being the only one that could truly keep Raddy calm. Oren was incredibly oblivious to things that involved himself, however, as while he was already great at solving the problems of others, he was entirely blind to not just the crush Raddy had on him, but Pinki too, somehow noticing the two had a rivalry but not the fact said rivalry was over him. That wasn’t the point, however! The point was that Raddy had information he very much wanted to hear right now!

“Ok, that’s great. Now tell us what Durple told you!”

“Don’t yell at me!” He snapped, making Gray and Wenda go silent, “Good, now, he didn’t give me a whole lot of details as we couldn’t meet up for long… but he told me that the guy who tried to attack us on Vineria’s birthday was sick.”

“Sick? Sick with what?”

“No clue, he didn’t elaborate. I just know that, apparently, the guy snapped because he was ill, not because he had a bad day or anything, and that he wasn’t the only case.” Gray swore he felt his heart stop.

“It… wasn’t the only case? There were multiple cases of it?” and Wenda look sheepish, perhaps already regretting trying to calm Gray down by saying it was probably a one-off case.

“Now, I know that sounds bad, but don’t worry too much about it. Durple didn’t tell me much else, but he said they’ve apparently already found a cure for it. In fact, from what I remember, that presentation they’re having soon was actually going to be over it, and…” he turned to look at the dusty clock on the wall behind him. “Huh, seems to be starting in a couple of minutes.”

Gray barely registered what Raddy said, thinking of the fact that it was a disease, bits of pieces of the last conversation he had with Oren over the phone flashing through his mind, about how the doctors were suddenly refusing to tell him anything new. All three of them were doing worse than how they should’ve been for the injuries they had… could they be…?

“Have they told Durple anything else?” Gray spoke before getting too into his own head, “how could they have found a cure already, it’s only been a week since the incident?”

“You’re asking the wrong guy these questions. Durple didn’t tell me anything else before he rushed off. He was all hush-hush about it, probably not allowed to say much else, they’ll probably talk more about it in that presentation.”

Gray turned his attention back to the TV, it suddenly feeling a lot more ominous as more and more advertisements kept playing. Something deep within him was skeptical of feeling hopeful, dread crawling up his spine as he suddenly felt sick to his stomach. A week felt too fast to cure a disease that changed someone’s behavior so much, a disease that changed how you acted and made you violent. Oren had been so tense last time he called… the doctors had no reason not to give him updates unless… the disease had spread. Could they be violent right now, bloodthirsty, and wanting nothing more than to dig their teeth into something right now? Didn’t they all go to Jevin at first, only for the doctor to not be able to help them? Jevin was the best doctor he knew, and he didn’t think that just because they were friends, he’s seen him be able to make a cure for something in minutes on what seemed to just be vibes to him, so if Jevin couldn’t make a cure for this disease had they gotten it… could anyone?

“Hey uh, you ok there, Gray?” Wenda piped up behind him, Raddy’s face softening into a rare look of concern, “You’re shaking.”

“I-,” Gray paused, taking in a deep breath, “It’s nothing, just a bit anxious, but I’m sure everything will be ok, just need to see what they show off before my nerves are calmed.” he finally spat out, the words feeling wrong on his tongue as he gave off a slight chuckle to make them but it.

“That’s the spirit!” and Wenda rubbed the top of his head teasingly, ruffling up the already ruffled up fur, “Just a few more minutes and everything will be ok, like it always ends up being.”

“Yeah, have some faith, Gray! They’ve clearly got something good to show off if they’re willing to show it off like this.”

“Yes, like always…” and he stared at the TV in dread, because deep down he doubted that, doubted they had something they work because it was just too soon, and he felt nervous…

No, he didn’t feel nervous.

He felt terrified.

Chapter Text

For as long as Tunner could remember, he found that there was nothing more he wanted than to become a sheriff, just like the cowboys he would see on his favorite TV cartoons he watched as he grew up. The way they rode around on those mythical horses, fighting for justice and taking down all sorts of evil, he was envious of their lifestyle and wanted little else but for it to be his own. Every birthday, minus his eighth when he was in an astronaut phase, when Tunner blew out that candle, he wished that when he grew up he’d be just as great as all of his heroes.

Oh, there were no words to describe just how much Tunner now missed that optimistic version of himself, the one who marched into the sheriff’s office the day he turned eighteen and demanded to be made a sheriff right then and there, as he felt he had already proved himself through his mediocre training. Had the position actually been important, he would’ve been rejected just based on the disrespect alone, but instead, a pretty little star badge was thrown in his face alongside an old pistol as the current sheriff said, plain and simple, that he quit, and the job was all his. It had been the happiest day of his life at the time, but now that he knew better, it was perhaps one of the most regretful things he’s ever done. Instead of a life of adventure where he saved the day and was a hero amongst his people, upholding lady honor as he destroyed all evil, his life consisted mostly of doing paperwork the council was too lazy to do and occasionally having to pick up and detain a rowdy teenager or a drunken pair who decided to fight each other and lock them up for the night. It had taken him maybe two weeks at max to understand just why the previous sheriff had thrown in the towel without a fight for the position after he had to shoo off the same idiot who kept stealing bagels from the coffee shop seven times in the same morning.

The truth is, when you lived on a set of isles that was nothing less than a paradise, there stopped being a lot of reasons for people to commit crimes. In the cartoons he used to watch, the worlds they showed were far from perfect, filled with poverty and injustice, but that simply wasn’t how the real world was. There was an abundance of food and technology thanks to one of the three isles being devoted entirely to production, and there was also plenty of space for everyone to do whatever they pleased on the second isle, whilst the last isle was relatively untouched, full of wildlife and plants to marvel at. While he wouldn’t exactly say he wished for all of this to go away, deep inside, he wished for at least a little chaos, because there was only so many times he’d have to break up a harmless petty fight between two Sprunki fighting over the same person before he’d lose his mind.

Letting out a sigh, he went to look over some more paperwork only to realize he just finished signing off the last piece, which meant he was on break for the rest of the week unless some teenagers tried to shoplift from the candy shop again. He didn’t really have the right to complain to anyone about how unfulfilled he was, given the pay was great and he was often left with an abundance of free time, but this simply wasn’t what he was looking for when he dreamed every night of filling this role.

Rubbing his hands over his face and leaning back in his chair, Tunner was about to leave for the day and just go home for the night when there was suddenly a knock at his door, making him pause. Someone… might need him right now? How odd. If there was a petty crime being committed right now, normally he would just be called, it was rare someone visited his office for anything, and he was more confused when the door opened without waiting for him to let him in, and a certain regal Sprunki walked through the door.

“Hey, Tunner? Are you busy at two today?” Durple asked, hands kept to his side as he looked awfully small compared to normal. Normally, the winged figure showed off little more than an aura of nonchalance, part of how he was raised under such a powerful family, after all. If he ever dropped it, it was because he was in the privacy of only him and the rest of the friend group, and it would normally be replaced with a ferocious wildness, able to finally do as he wanted without needing to look good for the public. Now though? He just looked meek.

“Watcha need? Keeping my fingers crossed you didn’t come in here ta let me know you just had more paperwork from the council to work on, just finished everything I needed to do for the next few days.” Tunner spoke casually, tipping his hat to him in a polite way.

“Oh, nothing too important, the council is doing a presentation today if you haven’t heard, just thought it might be good for you to be there,” Durple continued, playing with some of the scales on his arms, and you raised an eyebrow at him.

“Ok, let’s just get to the point, I haven’t seen you this upset since you puked on your mother’s shoes two New Years’ ago, what’s up with you?”

Durple simply sighed, and it was only now Tunner noticed just how tired he looked compared to normal. He had bags under his eyes and he generally looked unwell, his scales unpolished and a slump in his form. Mr. and Mrs. would be pissy right now if they saw their precious son in such a state before a member… well, the only member of the law enforcement. Even though people practically kissed the ground they walked on and showered them in adoration for their well-kept looks and their beautiful mastery of brass instruments, that didn’t stop them from acting just like the snobby rich people from your old cartoons to a comical degree.

“Ugh, look, the council is planning on doing something really stupid today and I don’t feel safe there without someone who can actually fight nearby.” and you tilted your head at his admission.

“Doing something stupid, or doing something dangerous? Those fools are always doing something idiotic, like when they tried to make a holiday about wearing gold even though almost no one wears the stuff, but I get the feeling if they were only doing something like that, you wouldn’t be here right now.”

“Well, you remember a few days ago how some guy attacked us when we were heading home from that restaurant on Vineria’s birthday?” Tunner nodded his head, “Well, they caught the guy, and there was something seriously messed up with him. I managed to get a glimpse of them and it’s what prompted me to come here, but they barely even look like a Sprunki anymore! They kept trying to bite at the nurses and it took three doses of the strongest sedatives they keep around for surgeries to knock them out!”

“Woah, woah, slow it down there a little! Whatchu mean he barely looks Sprunki anymore? What exactly happened to that ankle biter?”

“It’s hard to describe but it’s like he underwent a sudden growth spurt, he was like, two heads taller then me and all sorts of crystals had bursted from his back. He kept looking at me like he wanted to eat me, and ugh, I don’t want to be around them, but they’re planning on bringing them out in that presentation today.”

“Really? They’re bringing someone that dangerous out before the public?”

“Yeah, they’ve got him in all sorts of chains and they’ve been saying they’re going show the public they’ve got a cure for him, but they haven’t actually tested this so called cure from what I can tell, and I’m worried they’re just going to do something very stupid today with that infected guy.”

“And I assume the fact I’m one of the few people on this isle who can use a gun is why you want me there?”

“You know it, you’ve always helped to watch all of our backs, was just hoping you’d be able to watch mine today, just in case.”

“I wouldn’t worry too much about it, just stick by me during the presentation and if the worse happens, I’ll keep my gun loaded. Just remember, don’t count your chickens before they hatch, everything could go right, and you worried for nothing.”

“I know, but better safe than sorry,” and Tunner nodded.

“Yeah, better safe than sorry.”

*****

The walk over to the town pavilion was a slow one, as Durple dragged his feet and overall seemed like he would rather be walking anywhere else. Tunner would’ve loved to tell him to just blow it off, tell him if he was that stressed that he should just leave and deal with the consequences later, but he knew there’d be a big stink if that happened. Durple could get away with a lot of rebellious behavior, but blowing off such a meeting would probably be the thing to tip over the line and really get him in serious trouble. Regardless, it was hard not to feel the same anxiety as he saw a crowd already swarming the place, an oddity considering the average citizen never went to these presentations the council would set up. They really must be terrified of that fellow that went crazy.

It was clear that they were running late as the main councilman, a hay-colored and spiked Sprunki, was already on stage, speaking to the crowd who hanged on to his every word. What really grabbed his attention however was the monstrosity on stage, snarling and chained up to the ground, and Tunner couldn’t help but feel stupid for underestimating Durple’s fears.

There was no doubt this beast was the same Sprunki who had tried to attack their friends a few days prior, as their fur color was the same, and they still had the distinct pointed ears, but otherwise, they had transformed since the time they were seen last. Their limbs were elongated, too stretched out for their body which had also grown, and a set of curled claws rested at the ends of their fingers, which were currently digging into the wood of the stage. Another notable trait was the strange crystals that protruded from their body that would’ve been a spectacle to admire had they been on anyone else, but looked malformed and dangerously sharp here. What was really haunting however were its eyes, as not a single shred of thought could be picked out between them save for pure hunger and malice, a stare that made it seem it saw the crowd as little more than prey rather than its own kind. Truth be told, had he not seen who they had been before their body twisted into this, Tunner doubted he would’ve even recognized them as a fellow Sprunki, and he struggled to find what good reason there was to leash them like a dog in front of this crowd. Whatever they were planning had to have been good because this felt like a disaster waiting to happen.

Trying to avoid a potential migraine, you walked off into the corner and felt a glare on you and Durple, no doubt from his mother up onto the stand who probably wasn’t expecting him to come at all, probably taking this all as an insult. He never liked the woman, but what was he supposed to do? Despite her flaws and controlling behavior she was still Durple’s mother, and like hell he were gonna mouth off to someone on the council. Speaking off, he realized he should probably be listening to what the main councilman was talking about before he ended up missing everything.

“Yes, I am afraid to confirm that many of your fears are justified, and there are indeed maddened Sprunki roaming the streets,” they spoke with grandeur, hands expressive as everyone except Tunner and Durple seemed to watch with bated breath, “this beast before me used to be just like the rest of us before being corrupted by savagery, and I must advise that if anyone comes across anyone who displays similar behavior should report it promptly to ensure no damage is caused by these monsters, for they have no motive but to devour each and every one of us!”

The crowd, in response to his words, all muttered to one another, some holding onto one another as the whole group seemed to take a collective step back away from the monster and, by proxy, the stage itself. Tunner didn’t think too highly of those councilmen as most of them were elected purely for their musical talent instead of their ability to lead, but if he had to say something positive, it was that they were great at getting the attention of others, for better or for worse, but he couldn’t stop himself from raising his eyebrow skeptically as his next words.

“There is good news, however, as while this monster is a danger to all, we have found that the cause for his actions is the result of a powerful disease rather than a break in their mind, and as a result, we have developed a cure to reverse his transformation.” and with a snap of his fingers, a nurse walked by his side holding a bottle of who knows what, handing it over to the man, “this special brew right here, developed by our best doctors and nurses when drunk will cure this beast and turn him back into his true self!”

“Tunner, I’ve got a bad feeling about that bottle.” Durple nudged him and whispered, “I don’t know where they got it from, but there’s been no evidence of any of the doctors or nurses actually making it, I don’t think it’ll work.” Tunner squinted his eyes, taking in as many details of the brew as he could from so far away, when suddenly he realized it felt familiar. That bottle wasn’t one he’s ever seen the hospital used, no, that was one he’s only ever seen Jevin use due to how cheap they were, and that mixture… the way it fizzled and it’s bright orange coloration… no, he recognized that medicine because he’s taken it before. It was a simple thing as Jevin had told him, a medicine intended to serve as a pick-me-up and energize someone and was equivalent to six energy drinks, just without the large risk of your heart giving out and it was good for the immune system if someone was ill. You’ve taken it plenty of times because you would always get sick in the winter due to having scales instead of fur, and that brew was essential for you to function that time of the year.

But… wait, if that potion was essentially an energizer, what was going to happen if they gave it to the…Oh.

Oh.
Those sedatives were going to wear off fast, weren’t they?

Out of instinct, Tunner reached his hand out as the councilman approached the infected, their mouth held open by the nurse, but it was already too late and his words died in his throat as the drink was chugged down in one fell swoop. For a second, all was still as the beast thrashed against its chains and snapped at the leading councilmen as Tunner reached for his gun, ready to pull it out and draw at a moment’s notice as everyone seemed to watch whilst holding their breath, before its eyes suddenly rolled back into its skull and it collapsed, seemingly unconscious.

One second passed… nothing happened.

Five seconds passed… nothing happened.

Ten seconds passed… nothing happened, and a nervous chuckle left the councilman as he turned away from the beast and faced the crowd. “W-well, sorry for the confusion folks, it should be working right now, I’m afraid that it seems there are some complications and-”

Twenty-one seconds passed… and the beast’s eyes shot open and in one singular motion, it lunged forward as his chains snapped from the ground, claws outstretched and digging straight through the form of the councilman.

Twenty-four seconds passed… and all hell broke loose.

In an instance, as the leading councilman’s words stuttered off into bloody gurgles and the infected started to rip him apart, the crowd was suddenly in a panic as it turned into everybody for themselves as they ran in everywhich way, a mistake as it caught the attention of the beast who tore his claws free from the freshly dead and pounced onto the crowd. Tunner felt frozen despite his hand being on his gun, terror erupting in his form only broken by the shouts of Durple besides him.

“Tunner, Tunner come on! We can’t just stand around here!” and that snapped him out of it as he pulled free his gun and let out a few shots, the creature roaring in pain as bullets pierced flesh… but it didn’t seem to do a damned thing to stop its rampage. He pulled the trigger over and over until his gun was doing nothing but making clicking noises, his trusty weapon completly useless and he didn’t realize he was running until he realized he could feel Durple dragging him by the arm, having taken the initiative to get moving before they caught the attention of that monster.

He couldn’t focus on anything but the screaming, or the equally as haunting way some yells would suddenly get cut off and replaced with the sound of gnashing teeth, and his legs felt like they would threaten to give out at any moment’s notice if he tried to think about it, and so he did his best to ignore it all, to ignore the fact he had failed in his duty and was running away from what was meant to be his duty as a sheriff. Deep down he knew there was not a thing he could do, it took six bullets and didn’t even react due to the influence of that energizer, but even deeper down he felt like it was all his fault. By the time the two of them finally stopped, he couldn’t stop himself from collapsing to the ground as his gun fell from his hands, and it took everything not to pass out then and there.

“Fuck, what the fuck was that!” Durple shouted, but it was muffled to Tunner as he simply struggled to breath, “I knew it, knew something was going to go bad, but shit! What were they thinking bringing it out like that!” and he could just barely register Durple falling to the ground besides him.

The two of them just sat there, Durple ranting to someone who couldn’t currently understand them as Tunner slowly regained his breath, fingers trembling as his head felt like it was threatening to split open. Fuck, he felt like he was going to go unconsious if he stayed out in the open like this for too long… what if it followed them? It wasn’t safe to stay out here!

“Durple, we need to get back to my office, somewhere we can shelter in.” Tunner interrupted whatever rant Durple was currently in, “If it followed us, o-or if there’s possibly more of those things around here, we can’t stay out here or else we’re dead meat, we need to get moving.”

“Yeah, yeah we can’t stay here,” Durple nodded, lifting himself up and nearly stumbling over, before helping Tunner back up, “we talk about this later, I think… I think if I try to think about what just happened, I’m not going to be able to keep walking.”

Tunner couldn’t help but agree, he already felt sick enough and his mind kept thinking of that image, the leading councilman turning his back for just a few seconds and then being dead not even a few moments later. It was the first time he’d seen someone die, and he doubted it would ever leave him if he survived this whole mess as he came to a realization. That monster was resistant enough to shake bullets off, and was strong enough to kill a man within moments and just one of them was enough to be a threat… but they called it an infection, a disease, and what else do diseases do but spread? One of those monsters was a danger and a threat to their entire kind, if that madness truly could spread, and there was a hoard of them…

Tunner shook his head, no point in thinking about the end, he had an office to get to.