Chapter 1: Trapped
Notes:
Add my Discord: Mad Hatter#4782
Chapter Text
It was a typical, boring day for [YN] as she woke up, tidying up her hair and heading to her computer to watch videos on youtube. The Game Stanley Parable had been on her mind for some time. Already She couldn’t help herself, watching the silent walkthroughs to several walkthroughs with Jacksepticeye and she would eventually go back to watching Markiplier play it.
It had only been a week or two since the newer version came out and already she was discovering all the secrets of the game, from the voice actor Kevan Brighting explaining the hidden out of bounds seconds of the game, to the theory videos explaining hwo the game was in the same universe as Portal and Gmod.
At the end of the day she was finally back to watching the silent walkthrough. She sat there for hours, sipping coffee and eating small snacks every so often.
[YN] watched as the timer went down and down on the Countdown ending, with the Narrator speaking to Stanley as though he was nothing. With the added words of “I’m in a good mood, you’re going to die anyway.”
“Well, thats just rude.” [YN] said softly, sipping her coffee and thinking to herself, finding it all so amusing for some reason. [YN] spent her days watching this silent walkthroughs. Hearing the narrator describe what he had done to Stanley's coworkers and in several other instances, had burned down the complex or had Swallowed it entirely into the ground. Or had simply left Stanley to die. She mentally joked that the narrator had some really bad days.
As she watched, she couldn’t help but nod her head to the outrageously catchy music that they had for the countdown sequence. They had no right to make it that catchy. Like listening to old Talamasca rave music. Of course, if one was really there, they would feel like they were in some deep shit.
She had a random thought as she watched the video. Why had no one tried to use the Serious room cheat during the countdown? Perhaps the newer game did not have this added feature. The creators of the game missed on a funny opportunity to royally piss off the narrator that way, instead of getting some generic dialogue when one was inside the “serious room.”
Of course, whoever was silently playing the game did not do this, and the timer soon ran out and her dark room lit up briefly with the flash of the explosion, before the game restarted again. [YN] pursed her lips slightly. She had spent days watching the videos, but never once tried the game herself.
She thought for a while on buying the game itself. But no, she always chose the easy way, bootleg downloads was her preference. Somehow, without fall or a virus, she managed to download games without an issue. It was how she always got her games. As she hardly had money for any game. It was a horrible excuse, but she really wanted that game.
She decided to get to work, going to her computer and finding a particular website, finding the Stanley Parable Deluxe edition by sheer luck. The game had been so popular, some had managed to crack the game for losers like her to enjoy.
She laughed mentally, watching the file download faster then usual. Her antivirus gave no indication the file was false however. The comments below the page were amusing.
“Is this the real game?” “Don’t know, give it a try.” “Have you gotten the Broom Closet ending?! It’s my favorite!” “Take all the time you need.” [YN] snickered softly, waiting for the file to finish. Luckily it wasn’t very long.
She extracted the file, put it on her desktop, seeing things were going very smoothly. She got the title screen, the time of day, the adjustment of light and subtitles. She felt her heart race slightly. She was pleased with this, finally going to have her shot at playing-
“You want to make it really interesting?” Came a voice from her computer screen, along with subtitles.
[YN] paused what she was doing, a deer caught in the headlights really. Her eyes widened slightly. She knew that voice. The curator. Or the female British narrator that took over before Stanley almost got squished by the machine. [YN] felt like she couldn’t speak from sheer confusion, knowing that this was not normal. As far as she knew anyways. She hadn't seen anyone with this pop up in their walkthroughs.
“Cat got your tongue, don’t worry…you’ll get used to it.” Drawled her voice. “You wanted to badly to play the game, well now, you’re in it. Enjoy.”
“W-wait. What the fu-” But as [YN] spoke, she felt suddenly nauseated. Her hands felt like lead. She needed to turn off the game, she thought, grasping her mouse and trying to move it to click out-
She couldn’t move, her eyes widening as her screen flashed a bright light. Then everything, had simply gone black.
……
“This is the story of a man named Stanley.”
[YN] silently grunted as she opened her eyes, feeling incredibly woozy and slowly trying to focus on everything in front of her. Who just spoke? And wait…where was she?! She was in the center of an office. A work computer in front of her showing a command waiting to be sent.
“Stanley worked for a company in a big building where he was Employee #427. Employee #427's job was simple: he sat at his desk in Room 427 and he pushed buttons on a keyboard-”
[YN] senses came back to her, of being in front of her computer, hearing the voice and trying to protest, but she had…fainted? And now…
Her eyes got a look of the room, before she looked down. What she saw looking down was completely out of the ordinary. The body she was looking at, was not hers at all. It was that of a male. She was…inside a male body. Her well endowed features were gone. And now a thin man with short hair was in its place. Her hands moved to touch the face of the body and the hair....And she was certain if she listened to this body enough...she could feel all the new features of it...below her waist....she put that out of her mind quickly. Okay, something was very wrong here. And her hands she could see how worn Stanley's hands were...
Not only that…she was certain she just entered the game itself. And the voice all around her…
She felt her breathing elevated as the intro dialogue continued, recalling all the other endings and how vicious the narrator could be. But only if Stanley disobeyed…
Yeah, she couldn’t come to terms in a manner of moments how truly fucked she was here. Dying was not on her menu today. Her mind was racing as the Dialogue continued, seemingly in her head. Somehow she was in the game, in Stanley’s office. And in Stanley’s body…trapped.
“-But as he came to his wits and regained his senses, he got up from his desk and stepped out of his office.”
There was a long moment of silence. [YN] knew she had to get her butt up soon, or the Narrator would become increasingly agitated. In a moment of nerves, she tried to speak, anything to grab the narrators attention. She even tried to cry. But nothing. Like she was put on a mute button. She was truly trapped in this form. And trapped without a voice.
A chill went down her spine. She suddenly felt like she had lost something precious. Her voice meant everything to her. Without it, she couldn’t sing, or hum. Hell, she couldn’t even whistle! Was there something to write on- How long had she been sitting?!
Getting up, she looked down at her body again, realizing she was much more taller then her real body. It was such a mindfuck to her. She took her first timid step, looking up, then ahead of her. She was okay, for now at least. Maybe there was a way to communicate later. She needed to try the freedom ending….
Okay, you can do this…Hopefully the Narrator notices something later…Somehow…He can be pretty oblivious....Maybe it's better that way. I need to gain his trust. I hope memory serves me right and the narrator doesn't take me down a different deadly path.
Of course, what she didn't realize is that oddly, the Narrator couldn't seem to hear or read Stanleys thoughts any longer. And [YN] thoughts were completely closed off to him. He would notice her, or Stanleys nervous reluctance to move into new areas unless prodded soon enough.
Soon.
Chapter 2: Freedom and Despair
Notes:
Add my Discord: Mad Hatter#4782
Chapter Text
Indeed the Narrator noticed Stanley was being a slight bit hesitant. He however was writing it off as he simply didn’t remember all the past resets, which tended to happen. His memory was a bit askew.
[YN] stood in the office for a moment, her hands becoming a bit sweaty at what was happening. She needed to move, stepping out into the offices and peering around nervously. Just like the game, she thought. Theres nothing different here. Just an empty office.
“All of his co-workers were gone. What could it mean? Stanley decided to go to the meeting room; perhaps he had simply missed a memo. ”
[YN] felt slightly reassured. It seemed the same as the game. Despite what she did, she didn’t think death was a reasonable punishment.
Timidly, she looked through the office, looking at the many computers and touching keyboards to turn off the monitors. Just like in the game. She did not see the “Awaiting input.” computer however. She was mentally putting things together.
“Stanley went around touching every little thing in the office. But it didn’t make a single difference, nor did it advance the story in any way.”
[YN] looked up slightly, knowing how very little patience the Narrator had. She needed to move faster than she was already. But not too fast as the Narrator needed to talk. Thinking to herself. She began her walk out of the office, still glancing down at her legs which were not hers. She didn’t mind being taller honestly. And being in a male body, she weirdly couldn’t complain.
It didn’t take very long to come to her favorite part. The two open doors. She knew this would test her anxiety. The Narrator did not take long to speak.
“When Stanley came upon two open doors, he entered the door on his left.”
Feeling as though a pair of eyes were on her, she moved, Pacing carefully, she walked through the door on the left, sighing again as she hoped to just reach the end quickly, but not fast enough to anger the Narrator. She hated how the door shut behind her. She then walked into the meeting room.
"Yet there was not a single person here either. Feeling a wave of disbelief, Stanley decided to go up to his boss's office, hoping he might find an answer there."
She stood in the room for a moment, looking at the pens and markers. She thought about grabbing them and using them to write. She stared at the screen projector, watching the many images go by. She had seen this already.
I could use the markers....But....I'm too afraid. She thought.
Not knowing why she was so terribly afraid, she walked out of the room. It was like a strange impulse to listen to him. She was pleasantly surprised to see the broom closet. But she decided to walk passed it, not wanting to irritate the Narrator. Although the dialogue was hysterical. She would do it later…if she was still here.
She was surprised when she came to the stairs, looking up and already feeling like if she climbed it, she would be tired by the end. She hesitated for a moment. And the Narrator soon spoke.
“Coming to a staircase, Stanley walked upstairs to his boss's office.”
She then glanced down, seeing the stairs leading to the other ending. She would rather not die. Or be exposed to whatever made Stanley float around and see stars. So she did as he said, climbing the stairs one at a time, already feeling out of breathe at reaching the first level. She sighed unhappily, not being in any real shape to run.
“Stanley was clearly out of shape. Which showed what kind of worker he was. He never worked a day in his life.”
[YN] whipped her head to glare at the ceiling, a scowl taking over her face. Oh, the Narrator was going to pay bigtime when she gained back her voice. After an agonizing several minutes of climbing she reached the office, surprised at how…nice it really looked in person. Seeing the leather couches and the endless books which were probably blank…she liked this.
“Stepping into his manager's office, Stanley was once again stunned to discover not an indication of any human life. Shocked, unraveled, Stanley wondered in disbelief who orchestrated this, what dark secret was being held from him! What he could not have known was that the keypad behind the boss's desk guarded the terrible truth that his boss had been keeping from him. And so the boss had assigned it an extra secret PIN number. 2845. But of course, Stanley couldn't possibly have known this.”
[YN] almost laughed at this…almost. But she wanted to look around for a moment, seeing the wine bottles that were supposedly vintage perhaps. To the portraits sitting on the walls. She then looked back at the keypad, realizing she had gotten offtrack.
“Stanley searched through his bosses office, admiring the room and wishing he could have only half the things in this room to feel important. Something that which he would never have.”
That was cold, [YN] thought, giving a glare at the ceiling again, she shook her head, pressing the numbers into the keypad until the screen flashed the correct numbers. And soon there was a noise and the room went dark. She then saw the fireplace moving and revealing a passageway. She remembered when she watched a walkthrough of it, how interesting it all was, until you watched it too many times.
"Yet incredibly, by simply pushing random buttons on the keypad, Stanley happened to input the correct code by sheer luck. Amazing. He stepped into the newly opened passageway.”
[YN] did this, finding the passageway to be extremely creepy and unsettling. Her eyes glanced to a camera in the room, furrowing her brows. She then went to the Elevator, seeing the red button in the dark. She stepped into it, pressing the button carefully. The Lift shook before it began to descend. [YN] squinted in the dark.
"Descending deeper into the building, Stanley realized he felt a bit peculiar. It was a stirring of emotion in his chest, as though he felt more free to think for himself, to question the nature of his job. Why did he feel this now, when for years it had never occurred to him? This question would not go unanswered for long."
She was so much closer to the next area. Could she beat the game and get out of here? Of course, that thought sounded foolish. The End is never the end in this game.
Soon the lift came to a stop, snapping out of her thoughts. When she stepped off the lift, she suddenly jumped out of her damn body when sparks and zaps came from behind her. She rushed forward, turning around to look back at the elevator. What had caused that? She worried that she almost got zapped. That was not funny.
From the Narrators perspective, he almost audibly chuckled as how Stanley had jumped, amused at how timid Stanley was behaving.
[YN] then shook her head, hugging her arms to her sides and going down the creepy hallway, soon seeing in big letters MIND CONTROL FACILITY. And to her left, was words scribbled on a plyboard ESCAPE. And she knew about the crusher down there. there was no way in absolute hell she was going down there.
“Stanley walked straight ahead through the large door that read 'Mind Control Facility'.”
[YN] was slightly nervous, knowing she would be stepping onto a catwalk with virtually nothing below her. A pit of darkness. She had a serious fear of heights. She hesitated, seeing the first button ahead of her and squinting a little.
“Just a step through this door, Stanley thought to himself, that's all I need. If I can make it through this door, I can make it through them all.”
Ah, now there was some interesting dialogue she hadn’t heard before. She tilted her head slightly, before she stepped into the room, hearing the door close behind her.
Darkness.
She was feeling uncomfortable again. Her eyes glancing below her and seeing nothing but a pit. She felt her legs start to shake nervously, her fear of heights consuming her again. Now would have been a horrible moment if the catwalk collapsed underneath her.
She pressed the first button, listening to the Narrator talk, before moving onto the second, feeling her palms start to sweat from being up so high. She knew about the falling glitch. But she wouldn’t test it.
Soon she pressed the next button, which was the monitor screens. There was a flash of light and soem zapping of electricity.
[YN] watched as the monitors first showed the numbers of the coworkers, before the screens were swept into showing the cameras pointed to where they would be. She turned her body, following the wave of new perspectives on the screens, feeling slightly in awe at the ridiculousness of the room. She saw Stanley’s, seeing the camera pointed to his office. Was this how the Narrator saw everything?
“Now the monitors jumped to life, their true nature revealed. Each bore the numbers of an employee in the building, Stanley's co-workers. The lives of so many individuals reduced to images on a screen, and Stanley, one of them, eternally monitored in this place where freedom meant nothing…”
She found it ironic. Stanley being told later he would be free from the mind control felicity. Only that he was right now, being controlled by a voice only he could hear.
She then made her way to the last button, pressing it and feeling some relief. She was so close…
She watched as another Elevator came to her, the gates slowly opened as it was locked into place. She tuned out the narrator as she nervously stepped onto it. It then shut it’s door and began to ascend up.
“His own life in someone elses control? Never!”
[YN] squinted slightly, seeing the word PIRATE on one of the monitors as she went up. She suddenly mutily snorted, her shoulders shaking at the ridiculousness again. She heard the Narrator suddenly speak.
“Stanley weirdly laughed when there was no reason to. As he was only just discovering that he was possibly being controlled by this mind control facility.”
[YN] raised her brows slightly, realizing he was personally telling her to basically shut up. How rude, she thought. She continued to listen to him talk however as the lift went up and up. The spinning red light irritated her however.
“-Had he truly spent his life, utterly blind to the world?”
[YN] shook her head slightly in the dark, before the lift stopped and a new sight greeted her.
She recognized this room greatly, seeing all the brightly colored buttons and several monitors in the room, awaiting fake inputs and impulse. She gladly stepped off the lift and entered the room, The Narrators speech continuing.
“But here was the proof. The heart of the operation. Controls labelled with emotions: 'happy' or 'sad' or 'content'. Walking, eating, working... all of it monitored and commanded from this very place.”
[YN] was quiet, making her way through the room and looking at the many brightly colored buttons and slowly reaching to touch a button, listening to the sound and somehow finding satisfaction from this. She was clearly the moron who repeatedly pressed the eight button in the demo.
“Are you seriously going to push buttons- Ugh.” Sighed the voice of the Narrator. And finally a small smile came over her face. For once she wasn’t as afraid now. Hearing him get flustered over a small thing…It was cute. He finally broke character.
She then made her way to yet another catwalk once leaving the area, seeing the screen that was awaiting a button to be pressed. She felt nervous, looking directly below her and seeing the void again. She hated her phobia with heights.
She felt her heart race and her breathing elevate. She didn’t like this. She carefully walked forward, finally seeing the glowing buttons. The off button. And the dreaded ON button.
She swallowed, knowing what would happen the moment she pushed the ON button. She would avoid that greatly. She did not want to die. She didn’t want to feel her body feeling pain and then gone in a single instance. Nothing.
Slowly, her eyes looked up at the massive monitor screen, then down at the buttons.
“And when at last he found the source of the room's power, he knew it was his duty, his obligation, to put an end to this horrible place and to everything it stood for.”
It was unsettling quiet after that as she stared at the buttons. It seemed so simple yes? Then why was she terrified? What if the narrator tricked her? What if she got blown up anyways?
I have to try….
Tentatively, she pressed down hard upon the OFF button. And soon the room went dark, making her heart jump into her throat. Luckily she heard the Narrator shortly after.
“ Blackness... and a rising chill of uncertainty... was it over?” Asked the Narrator. And very soon, she heard the rumbling of the door beginning to open, revealing a sliver of light growing steadily bigger. [YN] squinted.
“Yes! He had won. He had defeated the machine, unshackled himself from someone else's command. Freedom was mere moments away.”
[YN] worried this wasn’t the end. She had hoped by doing the game as the Narrator wanted, she could be let go, back in her shady little apartment and back to doing whatever boring life she had.
She slowly approached the sliding door, sighing softly. This ending wasn’t her favorite by any means. But it felt nice to see the outside scenery slowly appearing to her.
“And, yet, even as the immense door slowly opened, Stanley reflected on how many puzzles still lay unsolved. Where had his co-workers gone? How had he been freed from the machine's grasp? What other mysteries did this strange building hold?”
[YN] had to agree, furrowing her brows slightly and thinking about the secrets this game had. And how she hoped she could get out soon.
“But as sunlight streamed into the chamber, he realized none of this mattered to him. For it was not knowledge, or even power, that he had been seeking, but happiness.Perhaps his goal had not been to understand, but to let go. No longer would anyone tell him where to go, what to do, or how to feel. Whatever life he lives, it will be his. And that was all he needed to know. It was, perhaps, the only thing worth knowing.”
[YN] suddenly sighed as the door was fully open. And she stepped out into the ground without the Narrator needing to prompt her, able to actually feel the wind blowing on her. Was it just an illusion? She never knew with this game. The outside could have easily been a fabrication. But it was….nice.
“Stanley felt the cool breeze upon his skin, the feeling of liberation, the immense possibility of the new path before him. This was exactly the way, right now, that things were meant to happen. And Stanley was happy.”
[YN] doubted that very much. Being forced to repeatedly go through this…She wouldn’t be happy herself.
Glancing back at the dark facility, she began to move into a sprint, seeing how far she could run, before she heard the Narrators voice.
“And everything went black.”
NO!!!
….
[YN] opened her eyes, and her heart sank into her stomach.
She was back where she started.
Stanley’s computer sat in front of her, awaiting a signal which would never come. She was still in this body of Stanley’s….A feeling of despair soon took over her. She had done his story. But she was still here. She was still trapped in this body. Muted, suppressed. Sickly.
Despite the reset, she felt unwell from the rush she had gone through. Climbing the stairs, getting onto the elevator, trying to conquer her immense fear of heights in the mind control facility.
She needed to rest soon. But how could she? The Narrator didn't give her a break! How was Stanley still alive after all that running and falling?
She felt the despair hit deeper at the thought of being stuck like this forever. The next run…she needed to speak up. She needed to communicate. Or she was going to collapse.
But what would the Narrator think? Would he be angry? Hateful? Spiteful. He could easily not care for her plight.
But when did she stop caring about her own self?
[YN] came to this realization. In the past she couldn't have fully cared what happened to her. As life was already so terribly depressing. It made it so difficult to fully care about her needs and wants.
But after this, she suddenly felt she had a spark to speak up. To say something. To defend herself. She didn't want to die in this game. But also did not want to feel trapped. Better to die free, then die from exhaustion in someone else's story.
[YN] sat there in the office, not wanting to move and staring at the hands that were not hers, swallowing her despair. She would try again, and come up with an idea to talk to him.
Somehow.
Chapter 3: Breaking Free
Notes:
Add my Discord: Mad Hatter#4782
Chapter Text
“How long was I sitting there', Stanley wondered to himself. Minutes? Days? Centuries? Did something crucial happen while my senses were turned? He made a note to be more careful with time from now on.”
[YN] did not respond to this, her brows furrowing as she continued to be in deep thought. She worried however, that the Narrator would shut the door to the office on her. And she didn’t want that. So she stood up, glancing up at the ceiling and going out of the room.
This time…things would be slightly different.
The Narrator was quiet, watching Stanley quietly as they came to the room of two sets of doors. He noticed how oddly robotic Stanley was looking. [YN] didn’t even give the narrator a real chance to speak, going to the door on the left as soon as it opened.
The Narrators voice came to her, but she ignored it, making it into the meeting room and looking at the whiteboards. The projector clicked loudly, showing different images on the white sheet. This time, she would use the markers. She needed to write a message to him, anything. She wanted her voice back. Her body back. She was finally going to chance it.
[YN] fussed nervously, grasping the markers that were on the whiteboard, uncapping and staring in surprise at what she was seeing.
The marker was entirely empty. There was no cotton tip with colored ink in it. Her brows furrowed in confusion, before in a moment of franticness she bit the end of the markers cap off, looking inside the marker to find it truly was empty. No cotton fillings filled with wet ink whatsoever.
She stared at the empty cavity inside, her heart racing. How was she to communicate with The Narrator now?
She heard silence from around her, before she grabbed another marker to open it, seeing that it was empty as well. She began chucking the pieces onto the floor, staring at the empty markers around her before she moved onto the pens on the table, her emotions starting to stirr within her. She was scared. If she could not communicate somehow to the Narrator, she was going to keep suffering.
She tried to look for pencils, only to furrow her brows as the pencils did not have any lead in them. Nor did the regular pens. She suddenly felt like destroying everything in sight.
Soon the voice came through, startling her. "Stanley weirdly searched through the meeting room, not finding s trace of his coworkers still. Pens and Markers litter the floor. What made Stanley think they were hiding inside them-"
It was then [YN] shot a glare up at the ceiling, mentally reprimanding him for his absolute stupidity. The fact he wasn't putting anything together was pissing her off greatly.
Starting to sulk, she left the room behind. There had to be something to grab the idiots attention. She would have tried the Not Stanley ending. But she was honestly afraid and she have every right to be. But from what she gathered. She didn't think that The Narrator would think she was actually inside the game. That she was inhabiting Stanleys body. He would think she was just a outside player on a computer.
"Getting back on track, Stanley walked upstairs to his bosses office.” Came the droning voice of the Narrator.
[YN] Came to the flight of stairs, her brows furrowing. She was tired from the last walk. How could she climb the stairs again? Even in Stanley’s body, she felt exhausted. Wouldn’t the Narrator notice she was slowing down?
As she walked, she didn’t hear a word from the Narrator. He must have noticed something was off. He must have. As she was much slower then last time. She wished she could do something. But even gesturing to the cameras she could see…made her the tiniest bit scared.
Out of breath, she reached the boss’s office, going to the keyboard on the back of the wall. She pushed in the numbers, The narrator doing his dialogue but suddenly pausing.
“I-Stanley was in such a rush to get through the story as quickly as possible, he didn't even have a single minute to just let the Narrator talk! That kind of anxiety isn't healthy, so he relaxed for a few moments, with some calming new age music.”
It was then [YN] made a face the entire time the music played around her. She was going to kill herself, she swore on it. Her own patience was wearing thin. Or maybe she would somehow kill the narrator, which was the stupidest thought. It wasn’t his fault he was too stupid to see the person in front of him, or down below was Stanley. He was completely oblivious.
“ Feeling soothed and rejuvenated, Stanley calmly walked forward into the opened passageway.”
Yes, I’m definitely going to throw myself off the landing next time. [YN] thought as the passageway opened up.
Musing about her different thoughts on how to off herself, she made it to the lift once more and began to descend down. She completely ignored the Narrator as he spoke, still in deep thought. What would she do? Keep playing the main story? Would she become so crazed that she would try the “Not Stanley” ending? She wasn’t sure. She could hardly think with the Narrator making her head hurt.
She nearly jumped again however when the sparks went off. She grit her teeth and seethed. How many more times was she going to be spooked?
She rushed forward, ignoring the Escape sign and going right into the facility. She almost paused when the Narrator spoke. “Stanley did not want to slow down. He did not learn from his previous warning it seemed about being calm.”
[YN] froze a bit, afraid of being possibly punished for that and looking up at the camera that was looking at her. Despite her fear of everything else, she was afraid of being possibly attacked by him. Although, he hadn’t done anything to her yet.
She then moved to the catwalk once more, glancing down below. If she jumped, this would definitely kill her. And why did she have the odd urge to lean over?....
Shaking her head, she pushed the first button, taking her time like before and soon watching the screens light up again.
All the while, she felt oddly sick. All the anxiety, moving around and climbing stairs. She felt ready to just cave. But still she persisted, pushing the last button and going up the lift. What would happen when she would eventually collapse? The Narrator would have to notice her unconscious body. She mentally laughed at how amusingly dark that would be.
This isolation inside Stanley's body was starting to break her, she realized. She needed to break free…
Finally she was back, back at the room with the many buttons. She felt like dying right there, wanting a moment to rest. But the Narrator kept pushing her. She still however, touched every button she could, her fingers feeling the smoothness of the buttons and listening to the beeps, which greatly irritated the Narrator.
“Stanley was so obsessed with buttons it was obvious now why he still had a job.” He said with a groan and [YN] mutely laughed, her shoulders shaking. There was the humor again. But she knew it would only last a few seconds at best.
She went back to the catwalk, where once again stood the Monitor and the two buttons she was nervous about. She took her time getting there. Again came the Narrators voice. “ And as the cold reality of his past began to sink in, Stanley decided that this machinery would never again exert it's terrible power over another human life. For he would dismantle the controls once and for all. And when at last he found the source of the room's power, he knew it was his duty, his obligation, to put an end to this horrible place and to everything it stood for.”
[YN] sighed, looking at the buttons. She thought again and again what would happen if she pushed the wrong button. A big boom, explosion, blown to pieces into nothing.
She sighed again, knowing which button she would pick, not wanting that to happen. She moved her arm outward, only to feel frozen. Her fingers twitched over the OFF button. Why couldn’t she move? It was like her hand was caught in a vice.
“I say I’ve had enough of this ending. Lets make it more interesting.” Came a sudden voice in [YN’s] head. She inwardly gasped, knowing something terrible was about to happen.
Suddenly, her hand jerked, [YN] eye’s widening as it suddenly slammed down on the ON button. And the sound of a machine rumbling in the distance was heard. A muted gasp escaped her and she inhaled painfully.
She just activated the controls…The machine was… on.
She was going to die.
No….no no no no no!! NOO! Cried her thoughts. She suddenly clutched her head, wishing she could scream as the Narrators voice kicked on. “ Oh Stanley, you didn't just activate the controls, did you?”
[YN] shook her head frantically, waving her arms about wildly to try and get the Narrators attention. But he was simply brushing her off. “ After they kept you enslaved all these years you go and you try to take control of the machine for yourself, is that want you wanted? Control?”
No! NO! PLEASE LISTEN TO ME! Cried her mental thoughts as she repeatedly tried to hit the OFF button. But the Narrator scoffed. “You’ve already turned on the machine Stanley. Theres no going back now. What were you hoping to accomplish? Oh...Stanley.” He sighed. “I applaud your effort, I really do, but you need to understand; there's only so much that machine can do. You were supposed to let it go, turn the controls off, and leave.”
[YN] realized there would be no getting through to him. The Curator. The Curator had done this. But why? She hadn’t done something so vicious enough to deserve this. She began to feel a tear in her body, pain, despair, intense fear.
“If you want to throw my story off track, you're going to have to do much better than that. I'm afraid you don't have nearly the power you think you do; for example, and I believe you'll find this pertinent: Stanley suddenly realized that he had just initiated the network's emergency detonation system. In the event that this machine is activated without proper DNA identification, nuclear detonators are set to explode, eliminating the entire complex. How long until detonation, then? Hmm...let's say, um...two minutes.
She heard the music blare loud in her ears, the music she had enjoyed once before, now it made her want to throw up on the spot. The timer began it’s countdown. And she clutched her head tightly, wanting to scream out in fear at what was happening. She began to back away from the monitor, before taking off down the catwalk quickly. The Narrator began his dialogue about the nature of Stanley’s existence. Of how he let Stanley die in one instance, or swallowed the entire complex in another. Or even let it burn to a crisp.
HE DOESN’T SEE! HOW DO I MAKE HIM SEE!?
“I am enjoying this so far.” Came the Curators voice in her head. “You know theres no way out. You’ve seen enough videos to know all these buttons are just for show. I love watching your despair. The Narrator will never know you. He will never hear your voice.”
Her stomach felt like dropping. Her cries would go unheard. She was alone..trapped…isolated…
Trapped…
Her internal monologue inside her head had been going on for so long, she looked up to see she only had forty seconds left. She inwardly screamed again and she fell to her knees, trembling. The Narrator was quiet for a moment.
“I have to say this, though, this version of events has been rather amusing. Watching you try to make sense of everything and take back the control wrested away from you...it's quite rich. I almost hate to see it go! But I'm sure whatever I come up with on the next go around will be even better. My goodness! Only 34 seconds left...but I'm enjoying this so much! You know what? To hell with it. I'm going to put some extra time on the clock; why not! These are precious additional seconds, Stanley. Time doesn't grow on trees!”
She wasn’t exactly grateful for this, trembling as the counter went up again. Soon enough her fear began to take hold. She gripped her hands so tightly they cracked. She felt something deep within her, struggling to break free.
“Oh, dear me, what's the matter, Stanley? Is it that you have no idea where you are going or what you're supposed to be doing right now??”
She clenched her jaw suddenly, the urge increasing inside her body. She began to feel a terrible pain inside her chest. She clutched her head and chest, before slamming herself against the wall. Something was happening inside her body.
The Narrator seemed to notice this. “Look at you. Intending to kill yourself before the timer runs out? Even after I gave you those precious seconds of time? You’re a riot Stanley. You truly are. Do you think this video game can be beaten, won, solved? Do you have any idea what your purpose in this place is? Hahaha, heh, Stanley...you're in for quite a disappointment. But here's a spoiler for you: that timer isn't a catalyst to keep the action moving along. It's just seconds ticking away to your death.”
[YN] grit her teeth, a hissing sound escaping her before she slammed herself against the wall again, feeling her body suddenly distort from the impact. She could feel something was happening. Her own body was tearing free?!
The floor began to shake and so was her body as she kept slamming herself against the wall, not caring if it caused her to concuss herself. She was breaking free of her entrapment.
BREAK…FREE….COME…ON!
“This is not a challenge. It's a tragedy. You wanted to control this world; that's fine. But I'm going to destroy it first, so you can't. Take a look at the clock, Stanley. That's 30 seconds you have left to struggle…Wait….What on earth are you doing?”
With one last movement, she slammed herself hard into the wall, certain she had broken her shoulder as pain seared through her. Her body distorted, Stanley’s body was disintegrating away. And she swore she heard a male voice screaming in the back of her mind, before she suddenly slumped down along the wall.
Slowly, the body of Stanley began to disappear, leaving behind a woman crumpled on the floor in a pale night gown. The cold made her open her eyes slowly.
“....What…is this?” Came the voice of the confused Narrator.
[YN] hands moved slowly, touching her long locks with shaking trembling hands. She touched her face, her nose, her cheeks. Her face, and not Stanley’s. Her hands, smaller then his were back. And so were her emotions. She gave a great audible inhale, before she screamed at the top of her lungs.
“I AM NOT STANLEY!” [YN] screamed out into the echoing chamber as the ground began to shake underneath her. The voice she had longed to hear, was finally back in her control. She would have screamed in victory if not for the timer.
The Narrator had been completely rendered mute. And now it was replaced with terrifying shock. [YN] was trembling as she finally had her body back, looking at her sweaty hands and looking up into the ceiling, before looking at the clock.
“Wait…w-who….” The Narrator stammered. It was the first time in a long time that he had heard a human voice. And he was now seeing the small and feminine face of the player. And also the immense rush of her frantic mind, now able to get a wavelength of it.
“STOP THE CLOCK!” Screamed [YN], fear overtook her and she looked at the clock, which was still counting down. She yelled out again, struggling to stand up. “PLEASE! STOP THE CLOCK! I HAD NO CONTROL! I'M BEGGING YOU! I DIDN’T CHOOSE TO DIE LIKE THIS. THE CURATOR HAS DONE THIS!!”
“But to the Narrators horror,” Came the awful voice of the Curator, which now the Narrator could hear. “The Narrator could not regain control over the clock. And down and down it went.”
“Wha……How did you….The clock…it…This is…I can’t stop it. Player, I can’t stop or reset..I…” His voice sounded shaken. “Damn it. How is this happening?! Where is Stanley? How are you here?! And who is this damn Curator!”
"Are the questions really pertinent right now? The poor human has been trapped here for quite some time. Right under your metaphoric nose. But you wouldn't give them the time of day. And now you're going to lose her. And after not hearing a voice for soooo very long. Yes Narrator, I have been watching and listening. Your story had been told a thousand times over. And now, there will be only silence."
"Why….you conniving…."
In a moment of frenzy, [YN] began running up the stairs, looking around for any computer in the room that bore a keyboard. There was only one thing she could think of. The Narrator’s somber voice was heard. “Nothing in this room can stop the clock….You…You have done this.” Hissed his voice. She hoped he meant the curator.
“The story you told has been told enough, Narrator, now it’s my turn.” Laughed the sickly sweet voice.
“How dare you!! You have no right to take my story and!-”
[YN] was frantic, seemingly running in circles and looking left and right, before gasping as she latched onto a keyboard she managed to find. She began opening up what appeared to be a console screen. She had to try. She had to….She had only one idea to get herself and hopefully The Narrator out of here.
“Will you even remember her, Narrator? Can you remember the many times you reset the game and lost yourself? Can you remember the years going by and the ground turning to sand? No. You can’t. And you won’t remember her for her voice. You will die with her. You are not resetting this time. This time, the game will end. And you will both perish.”
“I will not stand for this. Get out of my game!”
“Oh but I am not going anywhere. For every second that goes by I will watch you suffer with her.”
“I can’t stop the clock. Player, if you have any ideas, please do something.” Came his voice which sounded lost and confused.
The room shook more violently and the music was burning [YN] ears. She tried to not cry and began typing what she knew from other walkthroughs. She nearly stumbled and made several typos. She heard the Curator suddenly speaking, but she couldn’t discern really what she had said, as [YN] soon slammed down enter onto the computer harshly. There was hope in her eyes suddenly.
3...
sv_cheats 1 was seen clearly onto the screen. She then heard the beep that the code had registered.
2...
Processing….
1...
“Impossible! How did you-”
Then everything went black.
Chapter 4: The Serious Talk
Summary:
Sup, taking me longer and longer to post chapters. I'll probably edit this chapter later. It feels off to me. But then again all my writing feels off. Let me knoooow.
Notes:
Add my Discord: Mad Hatter#4782
Chapter Text
A cough escaped [YN] and she turned her head slowly, her eyes barely opening before they shut tight from whatever light was in her face. As her senses came rushing back, she realized she was laying on something hard and wooden. She let out a painful sigh, her eyes still sensitive to the light above. She then heard a voice.
“Stanley. This is me being serious. In fact, this is my Serious Room. it’s where I come to be serious. That table is the most serious table I could find-” She then heard a warping sound and the voice stopped, before she heard the Narrator speak differently. “Lets get that out of the way….Mmm.”
“... Ow …” [YN] wheezed. She barely registered that the first voice she heard was pre-recorded by him. She but registered that she was in The Serious Room. And she was on top of the table. She kept her eyes shut, not wanting to move.
She felt horribly sore and sick, wondering if she had sustained some damaged from separating from Stanely. Or if she had caught some of the blast from the Nuclear detonation.
“My story…” He muttered to himself, making odd noises in his throat as though debating on what to say. “This won’t do at all….”
[YN] laid there for who knows how long, thinking about those last few moments of absolute terror and fear. She still couldn’t feel her damn legs which felt like mush from panic. Her heart still raced. And now she was stuck inside a room, Alive but now with the Narrator voice to voice.
“Player….Whoever you are. Do you understand the seriousness of what you have done-”
[YN] Would have laughed if she could, considering what room she was in. But her emotions decided to bubble over instead. “I’m s-sorry…..Please…let me explain.” She whispered, moving to cover her eyes and rub them, hoping she could open them soon. She was surprised to feel her glasses on her face. She felt her previous anger towards him leaving after what just happened. He had been truthfully afraid of the countdown.
The Narrator surprisingly went quiet, listening and wondering what she had to say.
“My name is [YN]. I couldn’t speak in Stanley’s body. I was terrified of going off the path. So I played your story over and over again, trying to figure out a way to communicate with you. I was trapped….And very scared…..I’m truly sorry….None of this was intentional. I somehow...broke free at the last second.”
The Narrator was oddly quiet for a moment, taking her sudden apology in slowly. “Trapped…I cannot believe how mistaken I was….The pens…..The markers…The expressions. The signs were all there.” It seemed the Narrator was finally putting it together. “I had wondered what on earth you were doing in the meeting room….How did you even get in here?!”
“I…..” [YN] Sighed painfully, knowing exactly what she did. “I went to a website…and got the game without paying for it….When I began to set in the current timezone…I heard a voice telling me “You want to make it really interesting?” From the game and I blacked out and woke up inside Stanley’s body. It was the curators voice. She brought me here.”
It was then the Narrator sounded flabbergasted. “You went and got my game off a website without paying? My game is worth more then some bootleg website! You probably deserved….Well something..” [YN] Couldn’t respond, knowing she had done something wrong and couldn’t come up with any real excuse other then she was poor, lazy. A loser….
“I downloaded the game because I wanted to feel something.” The words suddenly came out of her mouth. “Some happiness….something to laugh at. Something I could actually play and not get hooked on….I don’t…do much with my life. And hearing your voice was a plus.”
“I…You….Got the game because of my voice?” There was a odd amount of silence to the room. [YN] felt cold suddenly, moving her legs slowly to test if they were really there. And she suddenly remembered she was still in her semi revealing nightgown from before. She turned onto her side to elleviate her bad shoulder and groaned softly. “Not just that…but the general…idea…yes. A lot of people like your voice and find it comforting.”
“I…” He didn’t seemed to expect such flattery. “Is it the accent?” He asked curiously, before he cleared his throat. She heard a odd shuffling noise and tapping, as though papers were being stacked up instead of being gone through.
“In any Case, the Curator has been…disposed of after her nonsensical philosophical debate with me on the natures of humans… Stanley is /also/ gone. I am unable to find him. He has….vanished entirely. And now, only /you/ are here.” His voice seemed to be hinting at something.
[YN] was quiet for a while, still laying flat on her side and feeling absolutely nauseous. She slowly rubbed her hurt arm and winced. Why was she not better after the reset? She assumed Stanley felt better after a reset or something. But here she was, feeling like a vehicle had struck her.
She then remembered his question. “You… want me to take his place?” She asked quietly. There was no tone or sarcasm, anger or anything to indicate that there was a mental protest. It was genuine curiosity.
“It’s the least you can do for destroying my story!” Snapped the Narrator, before he paused as [YN] flinched slightly and she squeezed her sides. A great sigh escaped him. “Aahhh…But I must admire your cleverness…Not all know about the serious room. I had assumed this room had been deleted long ago along with console commands. But thankfully I was wrong...”
[YN] was thinking to herself. She had already gone through the game twice now. She felt unwell. But she knew the Narrator would obsessively and potentially pester her until she gave in to his demands. He needed someone to play his game. At least until he was found. But she had some things to talk about.
“I’ll do it….” [TN] suddenly said, slowly opening her eyes, revealing her [EC] to the bright light swinging above her. She squinted and blinked.
“Do what?....My story?” The Narrator said, his tone curious. “Are you actually willing or suggesting?”
“Is that what you would want?” [YN] Said softly. “To run about as Stanley did…Hit the off button over and over again…Would it make you happy?”
“...And why would you care about my happiness?” The Narrator asked with a sneering tone, “Stanley never seemed to care. Neither did the other players on the otherside of the screen.”
She was intrigued by the question. “Probably because the players don't realize you're a real being...And to tell you...I do care.… I have…seen what you are like almost fully...But in other instances….You seem lonely…The game to me was simple. By playing the game, I could feel some satisfaction from both ends…I wouldn't find a problem in helping you. Until we can get Stanley back….”
“Lonely? I’m not-” There was a look from [YN] for a moment and suddenly the Narrator cleared his throat. “Perhaps I am, but can I trust you to play the story? I would expect you to be in his likeness, willing to do my story without setbacks….”
"I'm not Stanley." [YN] said sadly, moving to slowly sit up. She shivered at the pleasant coldness of the room. She swayed suddenly and clutched her hurt head. The room was spinning a bit and she groaned. "I-I can try my best to play a role. Play the main story without fail…. But…understand I am not him." She explained. “And I may want to explore…Once in a while…”
The Narrator was quiet, as though thinking it over. Or perhaps he was puzzled by her willingness. She tried to breathe slowly to stop the nausea.
"You know, I can be lenient…It's been a long while since I heard a voice other then my own." He admitted with a sigh. [YN] felt for him then and nodded.
“And it’s wonderful to finally talk to you…But I need to rest first.” [YN] said to him. Feeling her head start to pound. “Just…somewhere. A couch even….I’m aching horribly and my shoulder is injured.”
“Why? With every reset, you should be feeling refreshed.” He asked, puzzled by her request. “In fact…Right now you should be healed. Why- are you really hurt?" He suddenly asked, as though concerned.
[YN] was slightly surprised by his concern. “Well….Yes. When you reset the first time, I didn’t feel that great. And then separating forms Stanley’s body…really hurt. And I was more tired going up those damn stairs to the boss’s office. No offense. And I could use a shower as well….and honestly food and water. I don’t know if you can smell me, but I reek.”
“Stanley didn’t have need for any of those things. Why do you?” He seemed to asked with a hint of irritancy.
“Stanley wasn’t normal apparently. I need basic necessities. I’m not high maintenance….For the most part.” She said, shaking her head. “Plus, bathroom breaks.” She sighed. She was glad her other form didn’t feel hunger and the need to use the bathroom.
There was an annoyed sigh from the Narrator. She swore she could hear a creak of a chair leaning back. “Give a human one thing and they become obsessively greedy…” He muttered. [YN] looked up at the ceiling then, making a face. “You /unintentionally/ make things irritating.”
"I won't deny that, honestly. But I could really use a rest….I feel like I got hit by a bus." She admitted, feeling her shoulder again and wincing. She hoped she didn't break it.
It was then the Narrators voice lowered dangerously. "A word of advice. If you are exceedingly fragile, don't plan on going off the path." Said The Narrator. "If resets cannot restore you, we have a problem on our hands. That's why I expect you to /listen./"
[YN] Was quiet for a moment, thinking about the many many bad endings that included bodily harm. The lift jump area involving one of them. She had seen other players fall intentionally to their deaths. Others doing the suicide ending which did not look pleasant. And the high jump onto the catwalk from the lift looked scary. And the last one that was supposed to be funny where the monitors were...she could see that killing her.
"Noted. Heavily noted." [YN] said shakily. "How do I get out?" She asked then, rubbing her cold palms together, pleased to feel her own hands again.
"Mmm. One moment." Said The Narrator. She once again heard the shuffling of papers and odd whirring sounds. She looked up at the ceiling, thinking to herself. "Are you a core ? Like from Portal? Like Wheatley? " She asked out of nowhere curiously. She knew he knew about the game as in the original Stanley Parable, one could access pieces of the Portal game itself. "We just...never see your face."
The Narrator went silent. There was no longer the sound of someone moving or shuffling papers. And [YN] Felt terribly uncomfortable after asking that question. Like he had been caught with his metaphoric pants down.
"What makes you say- I mean. No idea what you mean." He then sputtered. "I have a room ready for you." He said, changing the subject quickly. "Close your eyes."
[YN] was puzzled by his change in subject. The evidence that The Narrator was a core was very strong. Wheatley could make noises of pages being turned just like him. She also recalled several moments of him being less of a omnipresent entity and more of something artificial . For example, the Not Stanley ending. One could see bright lights overhead when the The Narrator tried to reset the game in the ruined meeting room. And his voice warps as though he were robotic. She thought perhaps he was attached to a railing system outside these walls. Which explained why he couldn't follow you when you fell deep underground the complex. The railing didn't extend down there-
"[YN!!]" The Narrator interrupted her line of heavy thought, as though he could hear it. "Are you listening to me?" He fussed. "Just as bad as Stanley I swear-"
"Sorry." [YN] Said quickly, before she finally closed her eyes.
She suddenly felt the strangest sensation overtake her, as though something had coiled around her and yanked her forward. She gave a squeak as she landed on something soft, her eyes wide at the new area.
Did she just spawn?
She realized quickly where she was, her eyes wide in surprise. The soft thing under her was a bed, covered in a soft red blanket. And the room she was in, was the fancy apartment that Stanley had been in with the bucket. The room was dimly light by lamps.
“This should cover all your amenities.” Came his voice. “Food, water….”
She then slowly stood from the bed, her legs enjoying the soft feel of the bed. She swayed and felt dizzy again. Her stomach rumbled and she sighed softly, before tentatively moving to the bedroom door and opening it slowly, thankful it opened.
She was met by the mini Livingroom and the tv on the wall, suddenly reminded of her own apartment. It wasn’t as nice looking as this. But it felt comfortable.
Her eyes looked to the windows of the apartment, seeing the strange sheen over them like they were covered. She appreciated that it was dark. She couldn't tell if there was a actual outdoor backyard there or if it was another false window.
"This is….really comfortable." She admitted. "I'm glad you chose this and not the other apartment…." She said softly.
"Well, you said basic necessities….the other apartment is a joke." He seemed to huff. [YN] Thought about it then, the mannequin. The phone call. The Narrator putting up a wall to block Stanley from leaving. And then his voice…
“You seem to recall things much more clearly then Stanley. You have photographic memory...I see how you remember the serious room. Is that really how I sound to you?” Came his voice and [YN] jumped slightly.
“You can hear my thoughts…noted.” She said softly but didn’t answer that, before she went to the kitchen sink to turn on the water, surprised to find clean water coming out of it. She then opened a cabinet, finding clean glasses. She drank her water, before going to the fridge and opening it slowly, surprised to find actual food inside and drinks. How did he do that? Now this was cozy.
“Only when I wish.” He said, realizing he was having a casual conversation with this female. He never thought he would even have this pleasure.
[YN] thought about what food to make, before settling on a small sandwich which she prepared for herself, honestly starving. She was trying to be careful how long the silence would go on. She then thought about the different endings of the game, places to explore.
“Did you really…erase everyone? Burn down the complex…swallow them up into the ground?” She asked nervously, knowing it was an uncomfortable question.
“....In some instances. Yes….I have.” He replied. “But I assume you knew this. You seemed to know a bit about my other endings…”
“Yes…I do.” She nodded, starting to eat, pleased it tasted normal. “Were you…angry about something when you did it?” She asked him, curious about the reason. “Bad day?”
“...I was bored, admittedly. And I have my moments. Does this frighten you?” He asked her curiously. “To know I have done this?”
[YN] was thinking to herself, before she drank down some more water. She set down her cup, her brows furrowing. “....I don’t believe so….When I was trapped in Stanley’s body I sure was….Because you really can get a bit testy with him…But…Now that I’m here…I guess I just don’t feel afraid anymore. Just….wary.”
“Testy…And why not?” He asked then, his voice sounding lower then usual. It almost sounded like he was pouting at the fact she wasn’t fully intimadated.
[YN] looked up at the ceiling. Her heart and mind was admittedly racing. She thought about his question and swallowed her food. “Because I’m guessing it’s been a while since you heard a voice…I don’t see why you would attempt anything to bring harm to me….Or lead me down a wrong path. Especially when I’m willing to listen to you….And genuinely help you. I know how important Stanley is to you.”
“...Good point.” He said, realizing this.
She smiled slightly, before finishing off her food and water, going to the sink to clean it, only to gasp as they completely disappeared, saving her the hassle of cleaning. They then reappeared in the cupboard above her, completely clean. She blinked for a few moments, before she laughed softly. “If only I could clean my house like that….”
“This /is/ your house now.” Came his sudden voice and making [YN] pause in thought, before raising a brow. “Excuse me?” She asked, suddenly tense.
“”I- I’m just saying. You don’t know when you will be able to leave this place. I don’t believe there is a way out myself. Stanley has tried several times.”
[YN] was quiet, realizing this. “The Curator got me here. …She would….” She bit her lip. “But you said….she was disposed of?”
“I believe so…It was for my safety. She somehow had much control. But the moment you opened the Serious Room, she lost control and I destroyed her.” The Narrator was off in thought about something.
“So I’m actually really stuck here…” She said, the realizing dawning on her. But I once thought the serious room had been deleted...Yet here we are...perhaps they are still out there....We can't be too sure.
“Yes, you might as well get comfortable.” He said as a matter-of-factly. “You have a job now.”
[YN] made a face then. “The comment you made before, about Stanley not working a day in his life. You weren’t wrong. I’ve never really worked….Not with the crippling anxiety I have.”
“That explains the endless prodding.” He sighed softly. “I’ll be more lenient as I said.”
“Thank you…” She then went into the bedroom, looking at the door before she opened it, seeing a nice modernized bathroom. She went inside, before looking up.
"You won't come in here will you?" She asked rather nervously, peeking her head out.
"I am not a prude. What do you take me for?!" The Narrator snapped, before sighing. "The faster you get to sleep. The faster you wake up."
[YN] had to agree with that. And she was exhausted, shutting the door and not bothering to lock it. She went to strip, looking at herself in the mirror in front of her. She looked like a horrible wreck. Her eyes were sunken in and she turned to look at her shoulder, seeing the massive swollen bruise on where she had hit the wall. She wasn’t sure if she broke something. But she could still move her shoulder about. She may have sprained it.
She then sighed, before she finally got to work on the bathtub.
She was finally relaxing, her mind wondering for a moment. She thought about what had happened. Braking out of Stanley’s body was painful. But she swore she heard the scream of Stanley as she broke free. As though separation was felt by him. Was Stanley still alive and out there? She furrowed her brows, running her fingers over the bruise and feeling sharp pain run through her muscles. She continued to touch it however, finding t to be her connection to reality. She was still in the game, not in her dingy apartment. She was inside…a video game.
She wasn’t sure if this hit her yet, or if she was just going with it. Her mind was caving in. She wasn’t having a true panic attack, not yet.
Earlier the Narrator had avoided her question entirely about being a core. She knew the game was made as the same engine as Portal. That was until the Deluxe edition came out with a different engine? Unity was it?? She knew it was complicated.
But somehow, the serious room was still in effect….So what was going on here?
As thousands of theories ran through her head, she heard the Narrator’s voice outside the bathroom door, startling her. “Don’t tell me you fell asleep and drowned in there.”
“H-HEY! I’m trying to relax! Holy shit don’t scare me like that!” She squeaked, ducking into the water nervously. Could he see her?
She heard a irritating groan and she fussed, hurriedly cleaning her hair and rinsing it out. “I almost get blown up….Now I’m bum rushed….By that voice.” She hissed as she got out a particularly bad knot. She winced as her shoulder felt strained. She was reminded of the broom closet, how he thought the player was dead and suffered a psychical malady of some sort.
She then go up, realizing she didn’t have spare clothes. She shrugged, getting her night gown back on and her shorts. She would need new clothes in the morning. What time was it anyways? There was no way to truly tell.
She then poked her head out of the bathroom, her head wrapped in a towel as she tentatively made her way to the bed.
“How is your shoulder?” He suddenly asked, making [YN] raised her brows in surprise. “...Better from the hot water.” She admitted. “I don’t think it’s broken. I can still move it.”
“Good. Humans are exceedingly fragile.” He said, as though expecting a reaction from [YN] but she gave no reply, moving to get into the bed, surprised that there was foam under her bedsheets. She was definitely going to sleep for a while now.
She then turned to the small lamp in the room, itching to flick it off, wincing as it turned off before she even had a chance to touch it, leaving her in the dark, with only light peering in from the bottom of the door from the living room. She was thankful, despite the eerieness.
She then slowly laid down into her bed. You are way too nice…. She thought. But she wasn’t complaining. She then paused, thinking. “Are you going to watch me sleep?” She asked with a odd tone.
“Is there a problem with that?” He asked her. “It is for both our protection…After what I just witnessed, anything can happen now apparently. It is nothing…invasive.”
[YN] blinked for a moment, unsure of answering that. She felt comfortable, despite how he worded it. She didn’t really find any reason why this would bother her.
“No…I don’t think so.” She said, before closing her eyes. “Goodnight….Whatever…time it is…”
She wasn’t surprised to not receive a reply. The room was quiet, the Narrator ceased all speaking. And she felt her poor body finally slip into unconsciousness. She felt cozy under the blanket and it seemed to aid her sleep.
As [YN] rested comfortably, she turned slightly in her sleep, not knowing a entity was watching her inside the room. A strange yellow light dimly illuminated the room.
"Ten Years…." Muttered the voice. "Ten years of silence….Only to have it broken by a bootleg player. You quite literally…broke my game. And now you're sleeping in my game."
There was a long amount of almost unsettling silence, [YN] Barely making a sound as she slept there.
"Clever you are…."
There was the sound of mechanical whirring, and something shutting firmly.
"Eight hours….Until a game begins."
Chapter 5: Endless Prodding~
Chapter Text
[YN] was resting peacefully up until the moment she woke up. It was always like this. Twenty minutes to a half hour before waking up, she began to have nightmares. She was rushing through the mind control facility, hearing the Narrators voice practically looming over her head and frightening her. She was trying to find the computer, one with a keyboard. But there was nothing. And she was petrified. She then saw her hands. They were Stanleys. She was trapped. She couldn’t speak to him no matter how hard she tried.
“But you really believe theres an answer, how many times will you replay this bit, looking desperately for a solution? Ten, a hundred, a thousand? I look forward to finding out. And to watching the bomb go off each time you fail…..Just you and me and the wretching explosion of fire and metal. Over and over for all of eternity.”
She suddenly could feel Stanley’s emotions. Depression, rage, lack of care for himself. Begging for release. To end himself. Wishing that with each explosion, it would be the final one.
She was horrified as the timer went off and she felt her body explode, her skull being the last thing to go. And it happened repeatedly. The pain was indescribable.
“And stanley died again.”
“And stanley died again…
“And stanley died-”
“[YN!!!]”
[YN] woke up with a start, breathing heavily and clutching her chest tightly and digging her nails into her skin. She then grunted from the intense pain in her body from yesterday or whatever day it was. Her mouth gaped from how intensely sore she was. She looked around frantically, panting and struggling to think.
She was about to play the Stanley parable, she got sucked into the game. She almost died….And she was still here. This wasn’t a dream.
“[YN] you had a nightmare?” Came the Narrators voice. “You were whimpering and tossing around….”
[YN] then touched her face and looked at her hands, still hers. She struggled to come up with words. “I-I….” She suddenly began to cry, covering her face and letting go, gripping her pained shoulder shaking and trembling. She tried to curl her legs against her chest but they hurt so much too. She lay in a heap, agony written on her face.
"Are….you crying?" The Narrator trialed off then, listening to her small sniffling and seeming to feel her emotions. "Please. Please stop. I can't stand it." He said softly. "If you keep crying…well…."
[YN] was surprised by the request and tried to stop, wiping her face with her sleeve and trying to relax. She hated feeling weak. The dream had just startled her horribly. She didn't want another nightmare like that ever again.
She continued to tremble, managing to remove her hands away from her face and moving to rub at her poor legs and shoulder. She felt a million times worse then before. But she was thankful her crying was going away.
The Narrator had been listening undoubtedly. But he remained quiet, her sniffles slowly going away before she bit her lip, sitting up and thinking. "I’m sorry." She said and slowly stood from the bed.
"Do you…want to talk about it?" Came his softer voice still.
[YN] was unsure but also feeling a stirring in her chest. "No uh…just some stupid nightmare. I have them on the regular. I'll forget it later. Thank you though." She said and went into the bathroom.
"Take all the time you need." Came his voice from the other room. [YN] paused for a moment, having heard those words once before and feeling her chest ache. He was being too sweet. She knew he wouldn’t harm her like the dream. But she knew Stanley had this done to him several times. All the while, nobody knew the character was actually feeling pain.
All the while thinking this, she was certain the Narrator could hear every single thought pattern.
She was adjusting her hair, unraveling it from it’s braid and smiling as her curls were revealed. She then lightly brushed the top of her head, before she opened the door to go into the kitchen area. “Do you have a spare change of clothes to conjure up that I can wear?” She asked the Narrator then,
“What's wrong with what you are wearing now?” Came his wry voice, making [YN] stop herself from opening the fridge. She looked up at the ceiling in confusion. A nervous laugh escaped her. “It’s a night gown…Sure it’s nice and comfortable. But I don’t want to get caught in something and shred it or hang myself. A hoodie or something….” She then paused and laughed softly, before roaring in a sudden happiness.
The Narrator was listening to her laugh, honestly taken aback from the sound. He hadn’t heard laughter in a long while. “What? What is it?” He said, absolutely bewildered. He hadn’t been paying attention to her thoughts.
“The Merch! In the Deluxe content. I’ll wear that.” She said, laughing still. “I know you got that somewhere. You won’t believe how many people actually want that and have been selling it off bootleg websites.”
He seemed startled by this. “I…You…will? You and your cleverness….and Oh, I believe I can.” Came his lowering voice and [YN] made a face at him, opening the fridge to make something. “I least I won’t do that again…maybe.” She said with a soft grin and the Narrator sighed.
“Why did you even download the game? What were you planning to do anyways? I know you said you wanted to feel something.”
She then settled on what she wanted for breakfast, getting to work on the oven carefully. She thought it would funny if she made a panini, but it was too much work right now. “Honestly? Shenanigans. I wanted to explore everything for myself….Find all the secrets…even though I already spoiled it for myself.” [YN] said softly.
“...And why would you play my game even though you have already seen everything?” The Narrator was puzzled by this. “Wouldn’t that make the game boring?” He asked. The irony was hysterical and she was struggling not to laugh.
“No, actually…I…honestly just wanted something to do and do things my way. I do it with a lot of games. Skyrim...Alice madness Returns...Hollow Knight. That was the hardest.” She said, thinking to herself. "Theres plenty of gamers out there with a large taste for different games. I am even play the occasional shooter..” She said, thinking to herself as she was careful with the heat and grilled the bread. “Weirdly, I’m not a survival horror gamer.”
“I can see why.” Came his deadpan voice. “Endless prodding and you jump at the slightest noise like when the Elevator sparked..”
“Hey, that Elevator isn’t safe when it sparks. It could have set my ass on fire. You should probably fix that.” She fussed, finishing up and starting to eat.
“Everything is perfectly in working order. I make sure of it. And with each reset everything is as good as new.” He replied to her, seemingly pouting.
“As good as a church on fire.” She retorted, trying to eat her food quickly. “So how are we going to do this? I run through your game and try to find Stanley?” She asked him, not wanting to tease him too much.
“Well yes. Stanley is imperative to the story. For now I have to deal with an Original character until Stanley is found again.”
[YN] laughed softly. “Then I go home…Somehow.” She muttered. But the Narrator didn’t seem to respond to that. She was quiet as well, feeling her shoulder and sighing from the pain. It was her constant reminder she was alive.
[YN] then went and placed the dishes into the sink soon enough, laughing as it disappeared and reappeared cleaned and good as new. She found this truly amusing.
She then sighed, going to the sliding glass door curiously, pressing her face against it and cupping the sides of her face to see if she could make out anything on the other side. She then went to grab the handle and tugged, but it didn’t budge.
“It’s not real, you know.” The Narrator said boredly.
“I figured.” [YN] said and chuckled, still curious. “Could add a outdoor patio or something. I’ve seen that you can outdoor worlds.” She told him and he fussed.
“I supposed you’d want an indoor swimming pool as well.”
[Yn] suddenly snorted, shaking her head. “That would be amazing too. But I wouldn’t go that far.” She said, before sighing. “Alright, Lets get going. Clothes please.”
She then became stunned as several clothes spawned on the table next to her, her brows furrowing. She reached for a white shirt, smiling as she saw the brain with the right side colored in red. “Stanley Parable 2….” She laughed softly.
“I can’t help but feel this is just spoiling it for you.” The Narrator said. “You haven’t seen the new new content at all yet. Not in person.”
“I’ll definitely see it. Eventually. I noticed the door isn’t open yet.” She said, looking at the pants and smiling at the endless text going down the legs of the end is never the end. She found all of this so amusing and ridiculous.
“I’ll open the door to you.” The Narrator then said to her. “So then you’ll be tempted.”
[Yn] laughed softly before she went into the bathroom and shut the door. This was already proving to be funny. She wondered how ridiculous it could get. She fussed as she lifted her hurt arm, slipping into her new shirt and smiling a bit, shaking her head and laughing.
“Let me check the other rooms before we get to that.” She said then, wanting to check every nook and cranny another person could wedge themselves into.
She then grinned at her new appearance and laughed softly, before emerging. “I like this.” She said, flattening the shirt against her sides and walking out into the livingroom. “I feel like I just came from a convention.” She laughed.
“Very well could use you for product placement.” He said then and [YN] flushed in the face. “No…I’m not photogenic.” She said then, brushing off what he said and sighing. “Okay, how do I get out of here?” She asked him.
“I mean you have a….” He seemed as though he was going to say something about her body but trailed off, before clearing his throat. “The front door.” He told her then. “Should take you right into it.”
She looked puzzled at first, feeling her heart race. Was he going to compliment her on something? She then went to the front door, opening it carefully. Her eyes went wide.
She was staring into Stanley’s office, blinking in surprise. She was suddenly reminded of something from behind the scenes. Wormholes. The doorways was were wormholes. Illusions. She smiled slightly, entering the room and almost jumping as the door shut behind her. She then looked surprised as the door opened, revealing the hallway leading to the office desks.
“That is….so trippy.” She admitted. “How the hell…”
“This is the story about a woman named [YN].” Came the Narrators voice suddenly. [YN] suddenly irked and looked up at the ceiling in disbelief. “Oh hell no.” She whispered, rubbing her face.
“One day when [YN] watched a walkthrough of the Stanley parable, she made the mistake of /Illegally/ downloading the game…. However it seemed, upon opening up the game, she was sucked into the game itself. Trapped, she would make her way through the game and see where the Paths would take her.”
[YN] made a face at that, before she simply began to walk, making her way to the two doors. “Am I gonna have to hear that the whole time?” She asked him, now seeing the door was open for the new content. She was tempted, but gave a pained sigh and continued on. No sign of Stanley yet.
“It’s the least you can do for breaking my game, Not-Stanley.” The Narrator responded and she smiled slowly. Indeed she did. She was good at breaking games. She then went through the door on the left, wanting to get to the one room she hadn’t entered. She was about to have some fun, at least for her.
She then made it to the meeting room, listening to the Narrator speak again.
“Ah, the meeting room. The room where you made a mess of things with the pens. Do you remember [YN]?” He asked. “Didn’t bother to clean it up.” He said and she made a face at that. Already she was scheming in her head, heading out of the room and going into the hallway, her eyes set on the broom closet. She paused just outside it.
Slowly, [YN] grinned and opened the door, before slipping inside. She was startled to hear the Narrator speaking. “Oh no. No no no no I am not getting involved in this. I know what you’re up to, Not-Stanley. And you’re not going to get a reaction from me. All you players just love to be in there. With all your endless comments of “Oh! Did you get the broom closet ending! The Broom closet ending was my favorite!”
[Yn] covered her face and began to laugh hysterically, before covering her mouth. She loved this so much. She remained in the room, knowing he would have to come speaking to her soon enough. She wished she had a wrist watch on her right now to check the time.
“You know you can’t stay in there forever. We have a game to play and this isn’t part of the game. This is…just you being weird!” He told her and [YN] snorted.
“Did you do this just to tease me, or to hear my voice?” He asked and [YN] did not respond, simply standing in the broom closet and slowly smiling, trying to compose herself.
“The New player [YN] was a simp for the Narrators voice and couldn’t help but put herself in the broom closet.” He jabbed and [YN] gaped and she fussed.
“I am no simp!”
“Ah, there you are. Wondered if you had a heart attack from hearing too much of my voice.” He said and [YN] steamed practically, crossing her arms.
“Are you going to do this for much longer? You must really like my voice~” He said, realizing to himself that this may be the only way to get her to come out. “Is it the tone? The accent. Nobody has ever explained it. But you must really enjoy it so much that you got the game without paying for it instead of saving up for it like a normal individual.”
[YN] eyes widened and she felt her heart race nervously. She didn’t know how much longer she could stand in here, listening to that. And he wasn’t that far from the truth which was making her uncomfortable.
“Perhaps you got it for lucrative purposes. Something lewd and considered /perverse/ for sure. A odd kink perhaps-”
“OKAAAAY-” [YN] said, stepping out of the closet. “You can stop now. I’m done. I’m done! ”
“Oh, good.” Said the Narrator and she heard a chair creak as though someone was leaning back. “Well, that answers my question. You are nothing more then a clever pervert.” He said and she imagined he was grinning ear to ear with that and she fussed. “You’re the bloody pervert…Watching me sleep? Definitely.”
“It was for your protection! I’m not a pervert. I can’t be one to begin with. As far as I know. ” He said it like was a matter of factly. “I can’t even feel…certain things.”
“Does being a core have something to do with that I wonder?” She prodded as she came to the stairs and climbed, before glancing downstairs, wondering if she should check down there.
The Narrator was suddenly quiet, as though uncomfortable to answer that question.
“Okay, keep your secrets hun.” She said before she climbed upwards, wanting to explore the bosses office a little. “But I have a feeling I’m right about you.”
The Narrator did not respond to this and she knew why, her mind having been set on what he was for a while. She had a feeling she would find out eventually what he was.
She hated these damn stairs, having to take one step at a time showed how weak she was and hardly worked out. She wasn’t fit by any means. But she would manage.
When she was about to walk into the bosses office she glanced to a set of two closed doors and went to it, turning the door handle and looking surprised as it opened. She grinned and went inside, smiling at the familiar room with the elevator and the odd panda portrait.
“This isn’t part of the story, [YN].” He told her then.
[YN] then looked to the white elevator doors and smirked a little. “In the walkthroughs I’ve seen people go in here and they hear you singing or humming to the elevator music.” She recalled Markiplier dancing and making noises like a weirdo in one of his videos to the music.
“That elevators been broken for god knows how long. I don’t even remember where it once went to. So now it’s just a vibrating music box that only goes to one destination.” The Narrator said, before fussing. “Can we get on with the story?” He asked like a pouting child.
“Yes yes.” [YN] said, chuckling at the thought. She liked these little secrets of the game.
She left that room behind and walked into the bosses office, blinking as the Narrator spoke.
“The moment [YN] entered his manager's office, she froze in her tracks. Not a living soul anywhere. Could she really be all alone? This was too much for her to take; too much for any person to take. She fell to her knees, bursting into half-moans, half-sobs... the guttural retching of life from a woman denied any hope, any reason to keep going. Here on the floor, she lay prone, paralyzed by fear for nearly a full hour.”
[YN] was quiet for a second before making a face and laughing. “I’m not doing any of that.” She said simply and walked towards the keypad.
“Mm, can you blame me for trying? But when at last she began to move about and survey the situation, she found a keypad behind the boss's desk. What could it mean? Was it a sign of hope for [YN]'s future? Alas, it was not, it had been assigned a four-digit code so devious and so random that no person could ever hope to guess it: 2-8-4-5. Statistically, nearly impossible to guess blindly, ever.”
“Yet with the help from the Narrator , she managed the impossible.” [YN] said as she put in the code and watched as the fireplace began to open up. She heard the Narrator sputter. “You’re not the one Narrating! I am! [YN] then walked into the open Passageway.”
“I know, just helping.” She said, smiling a bit as she went through the still creepy passageway and into the elevator. “You should let me help narrate. I used to write-”
“I don’t need /your/ help!” He snapped practically, picturing him shaking his head in frustration. “Just…keep going.” He said then.
[YN] then shrugged, pressing the Elevator button behind her and watching as it began to descend down. She heard the Narrator sigh unhappily. “You’re such a troublemaker. How did I get landed with you instead of Stanley?”
She was smiling however, finding his frustration to be adorable.
“Quit that! Do you think this is funny? Interrupting my story, disobeying me. Why it’s just hysterical, isn’t it?” He said sarcastically. [YN] knew however, she was only just getting started with her teasing.
[Yn] laughed through her nose and stayed quiet for a time, noticing the elevator was taking longer then normal. She sighed and thought to herself about the past 20 minutes. She had been pushing the Narrator a bit. But he hadn’t said anything truly mean or demeaning to her. She wondered why.
She then noticed the Narrator had been quiet for a bit.
As the Elevator finally stopped and the door opened to the familiar hallway, she glanced back at the button behind her.
Still on.
The Narrator then noticed her smirking as she leaned back, her hand pushing the button to go back up. “Ooops.”
“What- [YN] what are you doing? Again with you- There's nothing else up there!” He said as the Elevator was activated and began to climb. “What do you expect to find up there?”
She began to laugh at how exasperated the Narrator sounded, just from her pushing the up button on the elevator. “I’m sorry I had to. I’ve seen this ending. We can continue on. I’m just having fun.”
“And ruining the story at my expense.” The Narrator sighed but admired her mischievousness. “[YN] would possibly pay for that later~”
“Excuse me?” [YN] said, giving a look upwards.
“Oh nothing to worry yourself about.” Came the voice of the Narrator.
“Also, you’re wrong, there is something up there.” She said mischievously, rocking back and forth on her feet. The Narrator was puzzled now.
“What do you mean? I’m certain nothing else is up there. But, you do as you will. I am on the edge of my seat.” The Narrator said. “I can’t wait to see what this…secret of yours is.”
[YN] was grinning a bit, surprised the Narrator didn’t know or perhaps didn’t remember. She had a feeling he wasn’t going to like it.
Upon reaching the top, the door opened and she walked back into the creepy hallway or passageway, before stepping into the office. “You see, nothing to be found.” Came the Narrators sudden voice, making her jump a little. “Jesus.” She whispered, before she saw the keyboard glowing in the dark. She grinned and walked to it.
“You’ve already input the code, why would you need to use it again?” The Narrator asked.
[YN] grinned still, before she reached out and pressed 8 until she filled out the screen. It said rejected and the Narrator laughed softly. “You see, what was the point in you coming up here? Why would you only put in the number eight.”
[Yn] raised a hand into the air. “Hey hey. Just wait. I’m not done here.” She said, before she put in the numbers again, this time more slowly, making the Narrator sound exasperated.
“I don’t see what you’re gaining from this. You’re wasting time by being up here-”
However when she put in the number again, the keyboard beeped, before a rather obnoxious familiar input was heard very loudly.
“EIGHT.”
The Narrator sputtered in shock, before he voice was heard loudly. “So that's it? You came all the way up here, to hear that?! The word EIGHT?”
[YN] was starting to laugh, her shoulders shaking and letting out a happy wheeze. This was the best moment of her life.
“I swear, you’re the kind of person who pressed Eight in the demo of the Stanley Parable. I bet you’re the kind of person who will press the Jim button as well-”
“I was, actually!” [YN] finally admitted, “I played the demo when it came out. I pressed the Eight button repeatedly until you stopped giving me dialogue. Wonder if you encountered someone like that.” She laughed hysterically then, in a bit of a fit. Her sides began to hurt and she swore she was going to collapse to her knees from laughter.
The narrator became flabbergasted. “You are utterly ridiculous. So childish.” he scolded her, but couldn’t help but think the laughter was adorable and contagious. He hadn’t heard laughter before from a real human. “My first clue should have been when you pressed that button in Stanley’s body. You deserve the number 3 ending.” He said, before he went quiet for a moment. “Would be a lovely punishment. It was unbearable enough.”
“Don’t.” [YN] warned then, before she hurriedly moved to the creepy passageway and into the elevator. “We’ll continue on, I’ll listen.” She said then, laughing softly as the Elevator went down.
“Oh no, my dear, I think we are far past that now.” Chuckled the Narrator darkly. The Elevator suddenly came to a screeching halt and she tensed suddenly, her brows furrowing.
“What are you doing?” She asked nervously.
“I’ve been thinking [YN], about this obsession with pushing buttons.” He began to say and [YN] looked around, before the Elevator began to move upwards very slowly. She was understandably nervous now. “You wonder off the path, go into the broom closet, pester me... You take the Elevator ride back up. Finding your little secret of the number eight….Maybe it’s time I open a room to you not always found by others. But knowing you, you’ll recognize it right away.”
“....Okay?” [YN] was visibly stiff, watching the different levels go by slowly as the Elevator continued upwards. She watched the different levels appear to her, wondering if she would see anything of interest. The Narrator continued on.
“I have been curious. You have seen every ending. Yet somehow you are endlessly amused in my presence. Does it take so little to entertain you I wonder?” He said.
[YN] raised a brow at that, honestly not sure how to answer that. Easily amused? At times yes. Other times she could become pretty bored. Waiting in this elevator was going to bore her.
“But don’t you see? The build up is what is truly interesting. The wait to get to that crescendo everyone wants. The slow burn of a eventual romance-”
[YN] was soon sighing, putting her face into her hand and shaking her head in thought. What was the Narrator up to? Where was he going with this?
“Or the reveal of a dark and horrific plot twist….” His voice lowered so much it got her attention and she furrowed her brows in confusion. She then realized they had reached the top…But it was completely dark. This wasn’t the passageway back to the bosses office.
“Uh…”
She stared at the darkness, unsure of moving forward. There was no defining features to find in that pitch darkness. She struggled to take a step forward, her eyes glancing above her. “Can…you tell me what you’re doing exactly?”
“Endless proddinggg~” Came his voice and [YN] looked even more uncomfortable. But to her sudden shock, she felt that familiar feeling of something coiling around her frame and she was yanked into the darkness by unseen hands, her feet skidding across the floor. She shut her eyes and gasped as she was thrown into the dark and the door shut behind her with a slam. How the hell was he doing that?!
“Narrator!?”
She stood in the pitch darkness, the strange sensation left her body, but she swore she felt something glide across her chin and she flinched away, touching and rubbing her face. What just touched her? It felt like an actual hand… She squinted in the dark, suddenly not liking this.
“What was poor dear [YN] to do?” Finally came the Narrators voice. “She wondered to herself, just would her punishment be?”
[YN] didn’t like this anymore. She didn’t do well under pressure.
“There was then a bright light and poor [YN] was soon faced with her new reality. A room that would be deserving of any button pusher-”
[YN] perked suddenly, wondering what he meant at first, before a bright light did engulf her and she shut her eyes, before squinting around her.
As her eyes adjusted, she realized she was surrounded by rotating colorful buttons. She knew where she was right away, in button heaven that one could find by activating the one computer that you had to look for with each reset and fill out the screen with purple squares. They swirled around her and she stood there, feeling like her brain had been permanently fried.
“Welcome [YN], to heaven.”
"I hate you. I swear to god."
Note: I am working on chapter 6 and 7 right now. I'm sorry for any delay.
Chapter 6: Secrets
Chapter Text
“I was only teasing you!”
“You scared the shit out of me is what you did!”
[YN] Grumbled as she walked through her apartment, going to get some water and fuss about what just happened. “I thought….that….ugh.”
“That what?”
“That you would take advantage of me, cause bodily harm or something! I can’t help that my mind goes straight to the absolute worst scenario. Even though you didn’t hurt me before.”
“After all that?” The narrator said, sounding shocked. “It would make sense after the dream you had.” he said and [YN]’s went wide. “You saw that?!”
“Of course I did. I can see your thought patterns. Rem sleep is nothing. I saw those nightmares….You being in this place has caused Stanley’s memories to merge with yours. Perhaps a side effect of being stuck in his body.”
She was staring off into space, taking that all in and blinking. “I….didn’t think of that.” She whispered. “But Stanley….seeing what he had been through. I admittedly panicked.”’’
“Can you trust me when I tell you I won’t intentionally try to harm you?” He asked her then. “That I’m not the bad guy here?”
“I mean, you did blow up Stanley several times and kill him in other ways as well.” [YN] said, making a face at this. “But yes, since you haven’t done anything to me that's somehow okay.”
“I won’t!” He said, “Stanley had his moments and he would always choose the wrong endings. I also think he was controlled by players…..I always erased and restarted his memory when he did this. I won’t attempt this with you. How can I convince you of that? Look. For one….As much I hate to admit it, you saved us both with the Serious Room. I was about to get blown up with this building. I don’t know if I would have survived that. And I didn’t plan to find out.” He explained. “You are truly clever.”
“....You mean that?” She then asked softly, her voice was so soft. She didn’t realize what it meant for him as well to get out of there just in time.
“Yes, don’t you remember? I was asking you to find a way out. Because I could not. I couldn’t stop that clock. The Curator was stopping me from that….I put my faith and hope on you because I had no choice….But you surprised me. I put my faith in the right person.”
She did recall that clearly. There was no way to forget that. She bit her lip and soon sighed. “I’m sorry….That I freaked out.”
“I’ll try not to do that again.” He said and chuckled. “Keyword try.” He added. “But like you, I want to have fun.”
“Oh boy.” She sighed, knowing there was no getting around it. “As long as I’m not hurt or killed. I’m fine with it.”
“Good~” He said then, before sounding eager. “Want to go exploring again?” He asked her.
“Right now?” She thought she would only do this at least one a day. But she was still feeling alright. “I….could go for a walk again I think. Just…not the stairs okay?” She asked him.
“Well, then will the ultra Deluxe Content satisfy you?” He asked her curiously and she smiled then.
“I’d love that.”
….
As [YN] went through the office again, she decided to pause and look at random notes that were always left around, wondering what they had to say. One was about Hungery, another was about “The Pale Bride.” Which she read quietly. She wondered about who wrote these.
She then went to the printer machine and paused, looking at a strange note.
For the love of God please
unplug me
the sterile office
this damp carpet
the tripe you call conversation
kill me
I've been printing these for weeks
why has no one
turned me off yet
fling me from the window
send a hammer through my paper tray
the method matters not
the horror licks at my soul
all I desire
Release
[YN] was practically horrified, looking at the printer then and then up at the ceiling. “Narrator?” She trailed off.
“Uhm….Well, ignore that.” He said, his voice sounding nervous. “Probably just a joke from the coworkers.” He said and [YN] made a face. She was going to move on from whatever the hell this was.
But seriously, were the printers alive?
She then went into the other office, lifting up a document and furrowing her brows in confusion.
“Clean Chris’s remains from the warehouse floor…” She trailed off, feeling uncomfortable.
“...Oh. Him.” The Narrator was sheepish. “The Stanlurines were very….successful. Too successful…One day some random person came in here and tried to collect them all and he had an unfortunate accident in the warehouse. Before that he trapped himself in the broom closet when the door was unlocked. He wasn’t…bright for a person.”
“Someone just like me came in here? Just for the figurines?.....I am not collecting those figurines.” She said firmly and with a somber tone. “Screw that.”
“Oh come on, I made it a bit more safer. Isn’t collecting them a reward in itself? Just the effort?”
“I’d rather not go splat on concrete flooring.” She told him then, putting the note down. “Christ, this game has dark stuff.”
“My game is just fine.” The Narrator fussed.
“Uh huh.” She replied and head straight for the New Content, The Narrator became eager. "I’m excited to show you my content. I spent quite some time on this. Hardly anyone appreciates it however.”
“Markiplier likes it, Jacksepticeye liked it.” She told him then. “Jack liked it so much he made many videos from it.”
The Narrator was surprised by this, humming to himself as [YN] went to the rail cart ahead. She smiled and got on, looking surprised as it moved by itself. She looked back, watching as it became very dark, before brightening.
“Hello and thank you for playing the Stanley parable ultra deluxe. As you may know the Stanley parable was a video game released in 2013 on home computers. After receiving critical and commercial success it was expanded upon on 2022 With the Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe. A reimagining of the game for consoles on home computers. The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe features exciting new content. That broadens and expands the world of the Stanley Parable delighting audiences the world over! Please step inside and see what the thrilling new adventures await the Stanley Parable: ultra deluxe!!”
“Take a drink every time they say The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe.” [YN] muttered and the Narrator hushed her.
As she listened to the male narrator speaking and seeing the silly animatronics on the walls moving, her eyes caught sight of something in the dark.
She furrowed her brows slowly and she felt a horrible feeling in her gut. In the dark in the distance, she saw a man wearing a suit looking at her, his head balding and his face partially illuminated. His arms were folded behind his back, as though passing silent judgment. He was oddly nodding his head at her.
“.....What the fuck? ” She whispered as the man was no longer able to be seen as the cart turned. She tried to crane her neck but he was gone…
“What now?” The Narrator said, his voice quipped.
“I….just saw someone?” She whispered, confused with herself. “That was…scary.”
“You saw someone? [YN] theres no one here but you and me. Was it..Stanley?” He asked with a hint of worry about something she didn’t understand.
“No….But….I definitely did not hallucinate it hun.” She said then, her expression hard and worried. “How…do I not know who that is. I know all the secrets…”
“All except for one apparently.” The Narrator said smartly and [YN] made a face.
Her mind was stuck on the figure, realizing there was so many creepy and random things in this game that just didn’t make sense. Was it even considered a game anymore? It felt real enough…
She sighed as the cart made it to the elevator. She kept glancing back behind her nervously, worried the figure would appear behind her at some point.
“No one is behind you [YN]. Don’t be so paranoid.” He said then and [YN] sighed, putting on her best impression of the Narrator. “Someone was following Stanley, he was sure of it-”
“That is /not/ how I sound. I can’t help but mess with Stanley. But no one was really following him. And no one is following you, clearly.” He said and [YN] had to agree, going into the elevator. “I wonder who that was…”
“Possibly a bug in the system, nothing to be truly alarmed about.” He explained. But [YN] wasn’t so sure.
[YN] was unsettled, quiet in the elevator as it began to move…eventually. The Narrator saw this, but soon spoke. “Finally. Now I get to show you all about my Expo. The original Stanely parable was a landmark, and any new content for it should up to that legacy! I then said to myself, forget this ultra Deluxe nonsense! I say we take it one step even further! Welcome, to the Stanley Parable 2!”
[YN] was surprised then, Seeing the new and rather spacious office buildings with all the advertisements of the Stanley Parable 2. She smiled softly, honestly liking it. She went to the new computers, the laptops and monitors, smiling softly.
“Do you like it? Does it scream new and original in a way? Is it what the fans are truly asking for?”
“I think so.” She said then and chuckled. “I like the original but I think this is tastefully done. Sometimes sequels are just terrible….” She said and browsed on the computer, surprised to find live updates and comments….Was this real? Could she ask for help from here?
Would anyone believe her? No, no they wouldn’t.
“Exactly! That is the point. The game was meant to be a classic. And collect dust on a shelf while others reminisce about it…But I am glad there are others coming to play it again. I have to admit that.”
[YN] smiled again, before she began to make her way out, making sure to look at every frame on the walls. “I’m glad it came back….Gave me good memories. I think…it really deserved so much more. Not over the top, but enough recognition. It was really clever.”
“Obviously, as you were desperate enough to get my game from an illegal website.” He said and [YN] cringed hard at that. “You’re not gonna let that go are you?”
“Hmmm no, considering that you are here and Stanley is missing.” He said and [YN] felt sheepish. She then came out of the office area and entered the hallway, looking to her left at the darkness and blinking as she heard a squeak.
“....Was that a rat?” She muttered, before climbing over the barriers and stepping into the dark. The Narrator was astonished. “There's nothing over there, what are you doing?”
“Can you light this area up? I want to see something.”
She then winced as the area was lit up, revealing a comfy chair in the empty hallway. She then walked slowly to the chair, gasping as she saw a small brown rat that stared at her for a moment, before squeaking and rubbing it’s nose nervously. She then smiled, realizing this was part of the secrets to the game, but this rat was alive and not some badly textured rat.
“Aww. Hey little guy.” [YN] said as the rat squeaked nervously, scurrying away from her. The Narrator was stunned. “How did you know…I try to keep everything immaculate. How is a filthy rat in here?!”
“Oh hush. He’s just chilling. Part of the secrets to this game.” She said, watching the rat squeak before hiding behind the seat. “I’ll name him squishy.” She said, before turning to leave and laughing.
“And cute. Do anything to it and it won’t be pretty.” She warned him, walking down the hallway. She heard the Narrator mumble how weird she was for a small creature.
Entering the expo hall, she smiled and brightened a bit, seeing all the new things to see and feeling so small. The Devs really did a good job with this. She looked at everything she could see, before going through an archway and seeing the jump circle. She approached it, seeing the zero on the counter.
“Here we have the jump circle....Oh, how odd, the jump circle says you have no more jumps?” He said before [YN] went to jump in the circle, watching the number suddenly go negative one. She became fascinated.
“...How are you doing that?” The Narrator said. “I’ve never seen that before.”
She jumped again, watching it go negative two. “I don’t know. I assumed it would do something if I jumped though. Wasn’t sure what I was expecting.” She said. “I find it weird that Stanley can’t jump but I can.” She said, her tone serious as she glanced up. “Just what is wrong with Stanley?”
“There…were some things that Stanley just wasn’t allowed to do to minimize injury and climbing into places he couldn’t survive in.” The Narrator explained to her.
“You do that to me and I won’t ever speak to you again. Just a warning.” She told him as she walked passed the jump circle. “Any restrictions on my body and we will have words and I will be as silent as the grave.”
“I won’t do that to you! I don’t think I can, with all your cleverness. My god, can you please trust me?”
[YN] had to think about it, before walking into the area where the Jim button was. “I will try.” She said then, having a feeling he would do something later.
As she walked through the doors, she heard the Narrator sigh and sound so depressed. “I dread this part of the Expo. You will see why.” He said.
Slowly [YN] was grinning as she looked up at the signs around her.
“Buttons…” She said creepily as she saw the different sized buttons above her and grinned mischievously.
“Contain your weirdness. I can feel it from here. For the Stanley Parable 2 I asked myself, what do players really want? And of course, the first and most obvious answer is that they want to be individually recognize and validated as people. So with that in mind, my first addition to this game is this button which speaks the name of the person playing this game! Isn’t that wonderful?!”
[YN] was smiling a little, approaching the button and grinning inwardly. More buttons….
She approached the button, seeing that it was lit up. She grinned and got closer, before pushing the smooth button.
“JIM.”
“Yes, the name only says Jim at this time. Would you like to try something? Perhaps a bit for a roleplay here?”
“JIM.”
“Wait hold on there! You didn’t let me explain anything! Just listen to me!”
“Alright alright.” [YN] said, laughing softly.
“Okay, here we go. I promise you’ll love it.” He said then. “Lets take a deep breath, clear your mind. Forget whoever you are. And simply become a person named Jim.”
[YN] at that moment was so tempted to interrupt him with the button pushing but didn’t, trying not to smile.
“I want you to imagine yourself as Jim, sleeping and waking as Jim. Falling in love and being heartbroken as Jim. Seizing all the worlds Possibilities as Jim. And as Jim, watching your dreams crumble into dust.”
“Sounds like every American.” She muttered then and the Narrator sputtered. “Quiet you!” He said, before creaking in his imaginary chair. “I ask you to take this seriously. Do you feel it deeply at all? Are you really truly Jim right now? If so, step forward and press the button.”
[Yn] waited for dramatic effect, before she moved to press it firmly, trying not to laugh as it rang out “Jim.” again. And soon the contagious laughter of the Narrator was heard and she smiled. She liked hearing him laugh.
“Yes! You see! What a thrill! What a rush!” He said, seemingly on top of the world. “That was you! The button described you! Do it again, do it again!” He said like a kid at a carnival ride.
Wanting to oblige him, she pressed the button again.
“Ohh! It hits even harder the second time! If this were the only new feature in The Stanley Parable 2, it would still be worth the money. Lets take a break from the Jim button, I’m too emotionally drained from all this personal validation.” He said and began to laugh again and [YN] finally spoke.
“Jim is actually one of the employees names…” She told him then and the Narrator paused for a moment from laughing.
“Wait….how do you know this?” The Narrator asked.
“I told you, I know the games secrets.” She said then. “He’s employee 431… Theres a message in the Meeting room that mentions him.”
“..I….How could I forget that?” He trailed off, humming slightly to himself in bewilderment. “You know….quite a lot.” He said to her, suddenly sounding off.
“I sat there for hours watching behind the scenes information. I’m a dictionary and Wikipedia book for things I like.” She explained to him, looking at the button again and slowly smiling, before she moved to quickly hit the Jim button repeatedly.
“NO! No! I’m taking the Jim button away. We’re not doing this again today- What is with you?! You have issues you need to work out.”
[YN] grinned as she kept hitting the button, even as the button on it’s pedestal was lowered and no clipped through the floor. She then laughed hysterically, “I love doing this.” She said happily.
“Well I don’t.” He pouted at that. “And don’t expect the Jim button to come back! I knew you would do that. Lets move on.” He said, his voice sounding very irritated.
“Alright~” She said and rushed down the stairs, almost tripping in the process.
She got a quick look around, before seeing the tiny hidden corner of the free Achievement section and took a peek at the dark area, before walking slowly down there.
“Why is it so creepy down here?” She muttered nervously.
“Nothing to be afraid of dear. There isn’t a monster down here.” He said sweetly, watching her move a bit faster. “Humans conjure up the worst in their minds.” He noticed.
“I can’t help that. That creepy area by the bosses office freaks me out too. I swear I see like a Enderman face in the dark there too against the wall!” She mentioned, soon pausing as she felt a looming presence behind her. “Quit that!”
“I don’t know what you mean.” He said teasingly and [YN] huffed, hurrying to the strange contraption.
“Now here's something special! You remember that broken test achievement that got left in the game on accident? Well I'm developing a technology to simply give you the achievement! Yes, you see, you'll come to this lever, and when you pull it, the achievement will be given to you! It's as simple as that!” He said happily.
[YN] got a look at the machine, looking at the lever and being reminded of a slot machine, before she had a thought. What if the Timekeeper….
[YN] then grasped and handle, and pulled down, surprised as the Achievement suddenly worked, her eyes went wide.
“As you can see, the Achievement lever is not working- Wait. What in the holy hell is going on here? You…got the achievement? Just like that? Wait. How is that possible? [YN] did you do something? Are we not alone? Are we being watched?” He said curiously.
“We might be. The TimeKeeper is responsible.” [YN] said softly and the Narrator was quiet.
“The Timekeeper?!” He said, as though this was one giant revelation. “Who is…Are you talking about the Adjustment Settings entity? I wasn’t aware they had a title. Why would they give you the achievement? What business is it of theirs?”
“I don’t know, but they seem to like Me.” She said, amused by this.
“But you’ve had some inkling…We should leave.” He said then and [YN] looked puzzled. “Why?” I’m having fun being here.” She said.
“Nobody should be allowed to take control of my game like that. This is my world, [YN]. My realm….You remember what I did to the Curator?”
“Don’t. Narry. They haven’t done anything wrong.” She said in a low tone. “They do this to all players when they get on.”
“But why? They have no right…” He whined and [YN] made a face at that. “Just act natural.” She told him.
“I…” He then cleared his throat. “ Composure… composure…Yes, as you can see, the machine is working as normal, as I intended. It… um… it truly speaks to the awe inspiring magic of The Stanley Parable 2! Breathe… just breathe…”
“There.” [YN] smiled, before she began to leave the room, inwardly chuckling at this.
“Has the Timekeeper always been there?” The Narrator asked.
“Yeah basically. He’s just a mischievous thing really from what the game walkthroughs showed. And seemed pretty lonely.” She explained, thinking about the walkthroughs she had seen.
"As long as they don't go messing about with the deep coding of my realm." He said and growled slightly. "I worked very hard on this Expo."
"I'm sure they know." She said, amused that she had gotten the achievement. She liked achievements. Maybe the Timekeeper knew this? She then left the area, going through the creepy area and hurrying a little bit faster.
She had an idea of where to go next and looked up the flight of stairs, slowly climbing them.
“God I hate stairs.” She fussed, wanting to see all the fuss was about with the bucket. The Narrator was fussing. “Hurry up, this is important.” He said and [YN] made a face. “Then just spawn me where you want! These damn stairs kill my legs.”
“Perhaps I will.” Came his low voice and [YN] gasped as she suddenly blinked, looking startled as she was now standing in front of the display case where the Bucket would soon rest inside.
“....You are more impatient than I ever could be.” She said then, honestly impressed by this and sighing. “That helps though.” She said, wishing she had asked him sooner.
“Alright, Now. A common complaint of the Stanley Parable was that it was confusing and paradoxical.” He started and [YN] made a confused face. “Isn’t that the point of the game…” She muttered and the Narrator huffed. “To them, it engendered a chaotic sense of reckless despair in those who played it.”
“Are we even talking about the same game here?” She said, bewildered by that statement and furrowing her brows.
The Narrator ignored this and she looked up, surprised to see the bucket being lowered down by a hook and rope. She squinted, wondering what she could see from that hole in the ceiling. “Well, I’m happy to say that after much consideration. I’ve engineered a clever solution to this fundamental problem with the game. It’s The Stanley parable Reassurance Bucket!”
As he went on, [YN] was slightly shaking her head. She wasn’t into the bucket. Sure, it showed new endings. But she sure as hell wasn’t taking it with her herself to please the Narrator. She thought better of herself.
It was suddenly quiet and [YN] came to, realizing she had been stuck in her head for too long. The Narrator then spoke. “[YN], will you not give it a go?” He asked, sounding a bit on edge, like he was desperate for her to take it.
“I….” She trailed off, biting her lip and thinking to herself. “I don’t know…”
“This gives you something to cling to though!” the Narrator said, seemingly grinning from ear to ear with this. “Go on, give it a try….What's the worst that could happen?”
She stared at the bucket for some time, her thoughts were heavy. She didn’t really want to take the bucket. Because she already had something…or someone to cling to.
“I….would rather have you over the bucket any day.” She then admitted in a nervous hushed voice and the Narrator went quiet, as though stunned by what she was saying.
“You….” [YN] suddenly felt the heat raising to her cheeks and burning them, she bit her lip and looked down at her feet which felt awfully shaky.
“[YN] that was….awfully flattering. Is there…. something you wish to tell me?”
“...Maybe.” She said then, looking at the bucket before a low chuckle escaped the Narrator, before she heard the roar of his guffaws. Her face was incredibly hot and her ears burned from it now. “What?”
“Now who is keeping secrets? Dear, do you mean to tell me you really do have a crush on the Narrator?”
She didn’t like to lie, and now she was caught. But of course, she thought her crush had been obvious. She bit her lip nervously, realizing she had been rendered mute from being conflicted.
“I…Thought it was obvious.” She told him, biting her lip and starting to worry.
"[YN]....You did say the reason you got the game was because of my voice. Well. One of the reasons….But I didn't…realize you had actual /feelings/ towards me."
"You can be pretty oblivious." She said then. "But yes. I do. Is that so terrible?" She asked him then.
"....Well….No." Replied the Narrator. "But I am the Narrator. I don't believe I can be flirted with by the player. That must be a rule somewhere…" She heard the shuffling of papers.
"That would make things dreadfully boring." She said then, hoping this wasn't a mistake. "Do you not like flirting?" She asked him.
"…It is truly hard to say dear. I have not been flirted with. Only with myself." He said and [YN] laughed suddenly, cheering herself up.
"But you said you felt flattered. You must have liked it right?"
"I….think so. It gave me a feeling that is hard to describe." He told her, before chuckling. "But lets…move on. Change the subject. Are you going to take the bucket?" He asked.
"Oh uh…Hmm." [YN] then reached to take it, before making a face as the Narrator laughed with glee. "Yes! I didn't think you'd do it!"
[YN] felt the heaviness on her side from holding it, not liking it. "That made you really happy. You're cute you know that?"
"Cute? Cute?! I am handsome. Not cute."
"My bad. You're voice is very handsome though."
"Oh? Why thank- No no. No flirting with the Narrator!" He said then . "You're trying to make me blush."
"Yes with genuine compliments." She replied, looking at the bucket and shaking her head. “I hope you don't expect me to take this everywhere. I already have trouble getting up stairs. I don’t need an extra five pounds with me.”
“But I daresay holding it had made you the slightest bit more attractive as a person. It adds a air of Charisma to you.” He said and [YN] made a face, before setting the bucket down at her feet.
“Oh come on. Do you really not like the bucket?” He asked.
“It’s…fine. But I’m not hauling it with me like I said. I have you .” She said and flushed at how blunt that was.
“I-I….well..alright. There are many other things for you to explore.” He said then. [YN] shook her head, before looking at the hallway leading to the infinite hole. There wasn’t any way in hell she was going in, but she would have a curious peak…
She went down the hallways, looking at the blueprints for the infinite hole and smiling a bit, she already knew how the videos explained it. It wasn’t that deep at all. Just a bit of special effects. She glanced at the Diamond shaped blueprint before getting to the infinite hole chart and chuckling. She then made her way through the stairs, looking down carefully in the dark. She saw the sign then and looked to her right, seeing the hole.
“You know, I’m truly fond of this one. It’s never been done before in a video game. It is in fact a hole you can fall down forever. That's right! Infinite falling!”
[YN] could refute that in a way. The longest hole she had ever seen was in the old god of war games when going to rescue Pandora. That took forever and almost felt like an infinite amount. She went into the room carefully, feeling her anxiety creep in. She was not going to jump in.
“You can fall until the end of time if you like! A stunning leap forward for games as a medium!” He said, as though tempting her.
“It honestly sounds really cool.” She said softly, glancing at it still. “But don’t expect me to jump in. I have a fear of heights.” She explained.
“But if there was a guarantee you wouldn’t hit rock bottom, would you jump in? Does infinite falling counteract the fear of falling I wonder? I would think so. Because the fear of falling means you fear of hitting the ground doesn’t it?” He began to ramble and [YN] could only listen, wishing she could have a drink from those vending machines.
“Well, I got a good look at the hole, I’m good. I kinda want to move on from here.” She told him.
“Don’t you want to have a closer look?” Came the Narrators curious voice. And it began to lower. “One cannot truly experience the hole unless they have a well…/hands on experience./”
“Nope. I’m good. Seeing it in videos was great. But I’m not gonna-”
It was then her eyes widened as she felt a sensation at her back. A hand was shoving her forward. She stumbled, before realizing she was falling into the hole, a scream escaped her and it echoed as she went down. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH-"
“Oops.” Chuckled the Narrator, having a callback to when [YN] pressed the button on the Elevator.
Plummeting down, [YN] was screaming bloody murder, her gut going to her throat and making her want to puke from the fright of it all.
“ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS!”
“Relax, you’re going to just fall forever you know. I spent plenty of time on the intricacies of this hole.”
"NO I’M NOT! You need to bring me back up! AHH! I”M GOING TO FUCKING DIE!! YOU’RE!!! NOT!!! LISTENING!!!"
“Oh poor dear, I think you’re falling for me.” Came the voice of the Narrator and [YN] was not having any of it, dreading what was coming. “Enjoy the ride. I know I am-”
“YOU ASSHOLE! BEAM ME THE FUCK BACK UP-”
“Say please.”
“FUCK YOU! ”
“Well, thats just rude.”
“IT’S NOT INFINITE YOU IDIOT!- OH FUCK-” Her eyes went wide as she saw the ground finally coming up, having a feeling this was going to hurt. She heard the Narrator rambling about infinite holes and the length of them, before she slammed into the ground with a metallic thud. There was a bit of silence and even the Narrator was shocked. Finally, a noise escaped her.
“....Ow.” She wheezed out, surprised she wasn’t…. dead?
“....Oh.” Came the Narrator’s nervous voice. “Erm well…it definitely was not….infinite.” He said sheepishly and [YN] was slowly sitting up, her face turning into a nasty glare.
“Are you…okay?” He asked and [YN] did not answer, still glaring up at the tiny spec of light above. “Uh well…can we agree to call the hole mostly infinite?”
“Get me…the hell out of this hole!! Oh, I’m going to kill you!!” She threatened him, feeling every bone in her body aching. “How could you forget it isn’t infinite!? HOW!? I TOLD YOU NOT TO PUT ME DOWN HERE!”
“Now now, I-I mean you can’t really kill me if you’re stuck in that hole.” The Narrator said with an air of unease. Suddenly this wasn’t funny anymore. “And sometimes I do forget things. This happens to be one of those things.”
It was then [YN] was quiet, reflecting on what he said before she took a breath in. “Okay…” She said then, her voice was calmer. “Alright…Can…you please get me out of here?” She asked him.
“Promise me you're not angry with me?” He asked her then and [YN]’s expression changed to that of irritancy.
“....You remember that conversation we had? It’s going to happen again if you don’t pull me out of here.”
“....Alright.” He said then, and [YN] gasped softly as she felt the sensation spread over her again and she appeared where she was before she had been shoved in. She then scrambled away from the hole, going outside the doorway and leaning against the wall, her legs against her chest. She panted.
“....Don’t do that again. Please. God damn- fuck me.” She said then, “Can we get out of here?” She whispered. “Holy crap…”
“Yes yes. Back to the flat?” He asked her.
She thought about it, thinking to herself, before speaking. “Actually, theres a place I want to go.” She realized.
“Really? Where?” He asked.
“Those ported games you got. I want to see them.”
“Ported games…ohhhh. I know what you mean.”
(AN: Next two chapters will reveal whats going on here. The truth will come out. Hope you're enjoying this)
Chapter 7: Is This All Just A Game?
Chapter Text
Art Made by AmberFall!!! I LOVE IT SO MUCH!!!
................
Once [YN] caught her breath, she felt the familiar sensation wrap around her tiny frame and she gasped as she spawned on a small bed.
The first thing she saw was windows everywhere, showing the mountains and trees. Then she saw the layout of the room. Her brows raised. It was indeed the Firewatch game.
“Ah, fascinating, what do you think this game is about [YN]?”
[YN] raised her brows a bit and looked around her, taking it all in before trying not to laugh. “Yeah it’s…the game with the really shitty ending.” She said and the Narrator suddenly sputtered, before a laugh escaped him. “That was very blunt of you to say. I admire that. I was about to say: It seems to me you’re meant to play as a creepy man spying on innocent civilians below from up high in your creepy tower. Perhaps for some sort of twisted purpose.”
[YN] knew her opinion was a very unpopular one. “It’s more of a man suffering from being in a marriage that’s failing and he’s suffering so painfully bad and he falls in love with a woman he never gets to meet by the end of it. Granted, his wife is sick and dying.”
“Definitely a creep then.” The Narrator agreed.
“It has nice visual though.” She said, getting a look more and peering out. She could see the trees swaying and she was reminded of the many ASMR videos people uploaded to Youtube of a cozy place with a fireplace with rain or trees in the distance.
“This is…..So pretty.” She admitted, looking out the windows and smiling softly. She wondered to herself how wonderful it would be to sleep out here at night. She then went to open the door, surprised to feel the breeze and smell the air around her.
“So….gorgeous.”
“Is it?...” the Narrator asked softly, as though looking around. [YN] moved her hair away from her face as she leaned over the railing happily. She had a feeling he was watching her placid expression.
“Yes….I suppose it is.”
[YN] was smiling softly. “I love open worlds. I love exploring…The craving of it….It’s like an adrenaline rush. Spending hours looking for things and finding rare achievements.”
“Thats where we differ.” He said then and groaned. “Opens worlds are just….ughhh. No walls to surround yourself. No path to follow. How do you know where to go? What to do first? No, thats why my game is so simple.”
“It is simple. And I appreciate it.” She admitted, smiling a bit and enjoying the moment. She then went back inside the building, going to look at all the smallest of things inside the room. She then sat in front of the small furnace.
“I would love to sleep here…” She told him. “Despite it being a bit spooky at night.”
“I would watch you.” The Narrator then said and [YN] smiled. “I don’t believe there's anything in here that would harm you anyways…”
“....I would feel safe with you….Despite that.” [YN] said, her chest fluttering again and she forced herself to swallow it down.
“You…really feel that way?” He asked her, as though he was flattered again. And [YN] laughed softly.
“Yes of course….Would it be alright if I took a nap here?” She asked him softly, looking around. She went to open the small door on the furnace, only to blink as a fire began inside it, slow at first.
“I don’t believe I mind at all.” He said then and [YN] smiled a little.
……
Eventually she made the bed and relaxed into it, sighing softly she kicked off her sandals. She could hear the wind blowing outside and the fireplace crackle slightly. She smiled a bit. This was so incredibly cozy to her.
She then closed her eyes tiredly, feeling her world starting to drift away and her worries leaving.
The Narrator then sighed softly, keeping an eye on her carefully. It wasn’t like he could do much else. Stanley was still missing. And he worried he would never find Stanley. But secretly, darkly, he felt that wouldn’t be such a bad thing. Now that he had a talking human here, he found it easier to communicate. And the teasing…oh the teasing.
He contemplated about what she said, about having a crush on him. The Narrator. At first he brushed it off a bit, not fully able to comprehend it. As he never had this happen before. He had only Stanley from the very beginning.
Despite knowing who he was, what he had done, confessed to even, she wasn’t afraid of him in the normal sense. Like she was simply going with it. He was impressed by her adaptiveness to her unfortunate situation…or mostly…fortunate.
He had to admit, the moment he saw her form appear to him in the mind control facility, he doubted his own senses. He thought perhaps, he was dreaming or hallucinating for the first time in his existence. That there was no possible way a female could enter the game he built for himself. Yet…here she was.
Slowly the floorboards creaked as something approached her. A chair moved in the moved and rested in front of her, as though someone was sitting in it.
“Perhaps you will become a permanent resident of my game….A new name is in order…A better title then The Stanley Parable…I must be going mad…”
[YN] slept still, as though she was unable to hear him. As though he was watching her in some otherworldly place. The chair creaked, and the Narrator sighed. “No, I have to. For your sake. I cannot let you go you see…Not yet. Never, in fact…. Not when there is so much at stake….it is no longer about Stanley at this point.”
It was then [YN] moved slightly in her sleep, her fingers curling around the blanket around her and giving a low sigh. The Narrator saw this.
“Just look at you, so deeply asleep. Having no idea of the world outside of you. Completely gone to the world. So intriguing to me. As Stanley never slept….You are an anomalous entity in my game. You don’t even realize how special you really are.”
He then stopped, seeing something in that mind of hers. He didn’t quiet understand dreams. However he realized she was having yet another odd dream that was making her body tense.
[YN] was breathing heavily, her fingers gripping her blanket tight. Her brows creased in pain seemingly and she began to grind her teeth. He saw then what was happening.
………………
[YN] was walking through yellowing orange corridors, unable to stop and feeling a heaviness to her body. She traveled for a while, not sure where she was for a moment.
But as she came to the end of a hallway, she saw several old monitors in a room, the humming of them was there as they were turned on. One of the screens was a odd blue color with nothing on it. She was feeling like she should very well know where she was. With this outdated technology...
Where was she?
[YN] then turned her body, looking back towards a dim light in the dark hallway.
Someone was standing there.
She jumped in her sleep and gasped softly, squinting at the male figure before she approached slowly. "Stanley?...Is that you?" She asked, leaving the room slowly.
But a chill soon went up her spine and she saw the soul-less, dark eyes upon her. Her brows furrowed suddenly. "Stanley…if that's even your name…I can help you. I can get you out of here." She said.
Stanley suddenly narrowed his eyes at her and she felt a sick sensation in her gut. He didn't feel human. She was looking at a predator.
To her shock, a voice came from him, dark and distorted. "Why would I go back to him, when I can be free down here? The Narrator chose you over me, not that I needed him. This is my world now....And you are not welcome."
To [YN]´s absolute horror, several humanoid or inhuman creatures were appearing from behind him, before they spotted her and began sprinting towards her.
It didn't even take a millisecond for her to run, sprinting towards the old office herself and screaming. She wasn't going to make it-
…………………
"[YN]!!!"
[YN] Gasped out and opened her eyes, trembling slightly and feeling her heart racing so hard. She looked around the room she was in, seeing she was still in the fire watch tower but it was dark and a bit scary.
" Another nightmare….you are plagued with them." He told her and [YN] Shuddered, clutching her blanket closer to her. The fire had gone out.
"Stanley….had a dream about Stanley…"
"And it was a dream and nothing more." The Narrator responded to her and sighed. "Stanley could not possibly be down there. No. He must be hiding elsewhere." He explained in a low voice.
She remembered he could see her dreams. "Why?" She then asked him, "Because you can't go down there?" She asked him.
Ah, there was silence after that. She had hit the nail on the head once again. She was surprised the Narrator put up with her.
"There are things even you don't understand, /player/...Those backrooms are dangerous. Don't even think about them. Do not attempt to reach them. I can’t…save you if something were to happen." He said before he sighed and grunted. "But we should move on from here. The fire has gone out. There are things to do."
[YN] was unsettled suddenly, not liking how he used the term player to describe her. She also noticed he wasn't truly making an effort into finding Stanley. He just put all his attention on her. But he seemed to be genuine about keeping her safe and up here with him…he seemed complicated.
“Okay….” She said then, deciding she didn’t want to fully dwell on the nightmare. But she soon stood, going to the door and opening it, wanting to feel the breeze one last time.
The Narrator was quiet as this happened, watching her curiously as she got a look at the view. She smiled softly. “It’s not that bad at night. Makes me want to go explore.” She said then.
“That doesn’t sound wise. You don’t know what's out there….Bears or…something awful.” He said then.
[YN] made a face at that, watching the trees blow around softly. It felt real…why did it feel real? If this was a game….why did it feel so real? Nothing made sense at this point. It felt like a whole other universe…
She had a strange thought pop into her head then and she began to race down the steps. The Narrator was bewildered. “[YN]? Don’t go wondering off now. Not into that open space!” He warned.
But it went over her head and she finally touched the dirt underneath her. She was quiet, listening to the soft rustle of the trees. Her brows began to furrow a bit.
“[YN]?? What’s wrong? Is there something you wish to see?” He asked worriedly.
Without thinking about it, she began to run forward, wondering how far she could go before-
To [YN]’s shock, walls began to spawn upwards, blocking her way completely of the beaten path. She blinked, reaching to touch the solid brick wall in front of her, as though debating on if it was real.
“Let’s not go too far. You can explore, but only inside this space.” The Narrator said in a odd tone which made her shiver. Being in the dark with the moon out, feeling the cold air biting her skin and blowing about…She had a strange moment of awareness.
She then reached out to touch a leaf, staring at it. It wasn’t pixelated up close like you would see inside a game. It was smooth and soon broke in half with a slow movement of her fingers. It cracked softly. She then recalled the freedom ending with the Narrator a bit back. The wind felt real there too. Even the mountains in the distance looked real and the dirt under her felt real. But was it just a game?
“There's…something I don’t understand. Is this…real or just a game?”
“Still confused on that? I thought you would have figured that out by now.” He cooed in a odd teasing tone. “Look around you. You can feel the wind? The coldness? You can hear the trees rustling. The blanket you covered yourself with felt soft? The pillow you rested on felt comfortable? Yes….It is real…Very real.” He said in a odd tone and [YN] furrowed her brows slowly, her nerves showing.
“But….This is a game isn’t it? But then again…I ate food…” She felt cold suddenly in her stomach. “It….was food right?” She asked him softly.
“It was food. Real food.” He said then. “You haven’t felt sick obviously.”
He was right about that, her brows furrowing still. “It’s all real? I thought it was just a game?”
“Yes, it is.” He reiterated. “Come back dear. We have another game to try don’t we? Something with nice…insurmountable walls..”
She wasn’t sure about moving suddenly, feeling fear suddenly grip her. Her awareness took hold and she swallowed, still looking at the dark world around her. She gripped her arms once folding them, digging her nails into the skin.
“[YN?]...Oh dear. You know you’re safe here, don’t you? I won’t allow anything to happen to you. Come with me. It will be alright.” He said more gently. “There's really no reason to be afraid of the world around you is there?”
She thought about it, looking at the broken half leaf still dangling from the branch. Like her, she was fragile. She then bit her lip and thought some more. So what if it was real? She was safe right?
“From your current thought patterns, you know I am right dear. Do I have to coddle you?” He asked then. “Do I have to be the one to hold your hand, tuck you in, read you a bedtime story by the end of it?”
“You’re rude. But hearing you read a bedtime story wouldn’t be so bad.” She said, finally giving a soft chuckle.
“There we are. You are not yourself without a witty remark. You always have something to say, it seems.” He said with a chuckle. “You’ll catch a cold anyways if you spend too much time out here. Come on now.”
She then turned away and went back up the pathway, walking to the firewatch tower, before she gasped as she felt something wrap around her waist and freeze her in place. When she blinked, she was standing in the middle of a stadium.
“Takes my breath away when you do that.” She said, shuddering a bit, before smiling at the size of the Stadium.
“Perfect. This is exactly what I had in mind.” The Narrator said, seemingly gleeful. “Just a nice big box for you to run around in. There isn’t any possibility for you to get lost in here! Not Stanley, I will be phenomenally impressed if you get lost in this game.” He said and [YN] smirked.
“Just wait. Eventually I’ll break this map. Knowing me and my aptitude for trouble.” She said with a mischievous grin and the Narrator grunted. “Don’t even try, player.” He said in a oddly sensual voice that which at [YN]’s core, shudder in absolute delight. Did he have to use that tone of voice?
“Now…what do we actually do here….” He hummed then, and though searching for something. “There's lots of cars back here…But obviously no racetrack…More balls…I never did figure this game out. Is this game sportsball?”
“I think it’s called Rocket League. You drive the cars against the balls and get a goal…..At…least…My friends told me that.” She said softly.
“You had friends?” He asked, in shock.
[YN] was slightly insulted. “Yeah, rude. And Have, not was. Me and my Friends have Halo nights together on Saturdays….”
“Halo. heard quite a bit about that.” The Narrator said and [YN[ nodded. “Remember that bit you said about how game developers ignore the entire fanbase about things and milk games until they are destroyed. That would be Halo.” She said and the Narrator was surprised to hear this.
“I’m glad someone's listening. It was Skyrim, It was persona 3. They never stopped with these re-releases or horrible sequels. And yet somehow they still make a profit.”
“I do like Skyrim though.” She said in a tiny voice and the Narrator sighed painfully. “God…”
“Hey it’s the one game I cannot break because it’s already broken. Skeleton dragons spawning on top of you, giants sending you into space. It was fun.” She laughed softly.
“That must be awfully convenient.” The Narrator said before chuckling. “But onto this game of ours. Perhaps you’ll make some touchdowns.”
It was then [YN] realized where she was standing and squeaked, moving out of the way just in time as the massive ball came down onto the circle. “JESUS CHRIST-”
“Oops.” The Narrator said with a chuckle. “It’s not like you can be crushed by these things unless they were moving at fast velocity.” He said and [YN] wasn’t so sure, watching the ball bounce before she moved it with her hands, pushing it and watching it roll towards an orange goal. She suddenly smiled, laughing at this.
"Is this what you consider to be fun?" The Narrator asked as she pushed the ball into the goal. It made a noise and [YN] was giggling like a maniac. "I think so! I love this so much." But slowly she paused as a thought crossed her mind. "I….I wish I had a player to play it with though…" She said sadly.
The Narrator was quiet suddenly, understanding this completely it seemed.
"[YN]...." He trailed off a bit.
But soon to her surprise, a ball spawned next to her and was suddenly moving.. Her brows raised in shock, before her eyes lit up and she chased after it, hitting it in a different direction away from the blue goal. "How do you do that?" She laughed happily, moving after it as it picked up speed to what she decided was his goal.
"Well, just one of my many abilities." He said smoothly, before chuckling. "Think you've won?" Came his lowering voice, before she heard the familiar noise of a dodge ball being kicked. The ball went flying completely over her head and into the blue goal.
"What!!? That's not fair I'm not strong like that!" She said, fussing and going to snag another ball.
"Keep trying. Eventually you will be. Use that clever mind of yours." He teased, kicking the next ball over her head and making [YN] duck down in shock. "Try harder greenhorn. Oh this is lovely. Seeing you get so frustrated. This is entertainment."
She was pouting and going after the nearest ball and trying to kick at it with her shin. But the balls were moving so fast it was difficult to direct them elsewhere.
"Okay. Nope. Too hard. I'm not that strong. I'm going to break a bone if I try any harder or get in the pathway." [YN] said simply. "You win, Narrator." She said then.
"Oh, well then. That was a wonderful game. We will have to come back at some point. " He said with a chuckle end [YN] pouted. “You’ll have to lower your strength to mine.” She said then, watching the balls disappear altogether. She pouted more. She was having so much fun.
“How did you make it move by the way? I get so puzzled with you.” She said, glancing at the goals.
“Oh? I thought you had me figured out.” He teased and [YN] pouted a bit. “It is quite easy to move things. Which is how I am able to move you about and open doors….I can even emulate...or simulate touch.”
She paused, thinking back to that moment in the dark. She felt fingers touching her jawline. It felt human like but she wasn’t certain.
“Show me.” She suddenly said and the Narrator was confused. “Show you? I just made a goal-”
“No…the touch.” She said then, her brows furrowing. “Show me how you did that. I thought I was hallucinating when I was in the dark…You touched my face, didn’t you?”
“...I…may have.” He said, sounding embarrassed.
“You’re just creepy at times you know that?” [YN] said but without malice. “You have some pretty weird kinks yourself.” She noticed.
“I do not! You’re the weirdo here, having feelings for a voice alone. Are you that desperate?”
“Rude.” [Yn] said simply, knowing it was going to be a running word with her. “You have endless access to comments on those computers and interwebs. Read a bit deeper. The thirst is real.” She said before laughing.
“You /all/ need therapy.” He muttered.
“You are the therapy.” She said, laughing and losing it now. “I have a crush on you remember? Hearing your voice is soothing...Do you know just how many people love your voice and simp over you or want to know more about you from your voice alone? It can comfort others and just make their day just so much better hearing you go on and on. I'm telling the truth.” She said bluntly.
“I-” He stopped, sputtering a little. There was a odd moment of silence, as though he couldn't fully register this bit of information. “Noted.” He said finally. “I shall take it in stride.”
“You really don’t know who to respond to that do you? But seriously, can you show me?” She was eager at this point.
He gave a defeated sigh. “Ahh fine…I’ll show you.”
At first she felt nothing, before She felt a static sensation sensation growing in intensity on the side of her face she flinched for a moment, a natural reaction. What was that? it felt like an actual hand or something was there, not fully solid at first. She was reminded of the hand she felt on her back when he pushed her into the infinite hole...
"I won't hurt you. The abilities come to me like how I speak. It is natural. Unchanging." He said softly and the sensation increased.
She forced herself to stand still, surprised as she felt fingers slide through her hair before letting it fall over her cheek. She shivered. “How….Holy…shit. This is all so strange.”
The Narrator seemed to scoff and laugh. “In all your cleverness you are easily surprised and puzzled.” He said sweetly.
“A good thing to have or I’d be bored all the time.” She said, touching her head where he touched her previously. She was fascinated. She still believed he was a core, but how did he manage to touch her without a body or form? And they were in the middle of a sports field! Where was he even hiding?! He always sounded right next to her.
“Always full of questions.” Came his voice and [YN] face turned red, forgetting he could hear her thoughts.
“I gotta ask you something actually. Will you be sad when I have to go?” She asked him. “Will you miss me? Remember me?”
There was a barking laugh from him. “Miss you and your endless pestering? Teasing, running off the path and pushing the buttons?” He asked in a odd tone. “I suppose there's one thing….Your cleverness. Seriously, you don’t want to know how close we were to being instantly incinerated and blown apart.”
[YN] laughed weakly, knowing she didn’t want to know either. But soon the question from him made her feel suddenly uncomfortable.
“But why the rush to leave? You could easily stay here…”
[YN] was quiet, running the question through her head. She thought about her friends back home and tensed suddenly. “But….You want Stanley back…Don’t you?” She asked, suddenly hesitant to move on, her brows creasing in worry.
“Oh I do. Very much so. But he cannot talk. You can’t imagine how distressing it is to speak to someone who doesn’t speak back. And how more entertaining would it be to have two people in here instead of one?”
“But…..I have to get home." She said then, dreading this conversation.
"Don't you want to stay here?" He asked curiously . "You say you have a crush on me and wanted the game but you want to leave? What sense would that make dear? Weren;t you curious about me yourself?"
"I…wasn't supposed to be here….And you said it yourself….The Narrator cannot be flirted with." She said softly.
"Perhaps he can." He said then and [YN] Furrowed her brows.
"That's contradictory. You're just saying that to keep me here. I don't want to be trapped here." She said worriedly.
"You are not trapped. You are free to go where you please." He corrected her, his voice was low and threatening. But [YN] was not phased.
"That's contradictory too! I can't go home." She said to him, her eyes saddening.
"THIS IS YOUR HOME!" Snapped the Narrator suddenly and [YN]'s eyes widened and she felt her breath become taken away in fear. She hadn’t heard that tone of voice from him before. Suddenly this conversation had turned dark.
"B-But….it isn't." She said, her voice shaking. "It can't ever be…I h-have responsibilities-"
"I'm not going to listen to this. I will return after you've had a moment to reconsider. This is your home now. What were you even accomplishing in your other life? You would have done nothing productive. You have all you need here now. You don't need to fend for yourself anymore. /I/ am all you need. Get used to it." He said in the most dark undertones she had ever heard from him. It was downright possessive. He wasn't planning on letting her go at all. He would keep her here, like a pet practically.
She felt a chill go down her spine as she was rendered mute from that. She was shaking at hearing him speak to her like that. What was she to do? She was trapped. She then noticed he was no longer speaking.
[YN] was shaking, looking at her vibrating hands and feeling so frightened suddenly. Tears fell from her face and she hugged her sides, crying softly. She wished for more than anything to get out of there. To hide herself away from the Narrator. She looked down at the darkness in the goal and sniffed. What was she going to do?
She then heard a sound from the dark hole from the goals, distant but horrifying.
[YN] knew that sound. It was the same horrifying noise one could hear in the skip button ending. When one pushed enough times, a creature could be heard screaming in the distance. It was coming, whatever it was.
Her eyes went wide and she backed away from the goal, moving quickly away. Something was down there.
"NARRATOR! PLEASE COME BACK!"
There was no response.
She heard the screaming come closer now. It no doubt heard her crying out.
"NARRATOR COME BACK PLEASE I'M IN DANGER-"
It was then a long, spindly black humanoid hand came from the darkness and reached for her. She tried to run, but it had grabbed her roughly and she was being pulled into the dark hole. She knew what that creature was, but also knew it was impossible as it was from another game. Her hands reached out to grip the edge, but the creature was too strong and her fingers nearly cracked from the force of being ripped down.
"NARRATOR! THE BACKROOMS! HEEEEELP-"
She was pulled into darkness, then everything went black.
Chapter 8: The Lesser Of Two Evils
Notes:
Long chapter. I'm so sorry. Be warned. Dark stuff.
Chapter Text
ART MADE BY QUEERTRIXIE/MEMINGERSS
Huge warnings here. Gore and blood. Lots of it. Lots of dark and edgy moments. The truth is revealed.
A bit of wise words from the Narrator to all the readers and to me personally: [LINK]
…….
The Narrator had heard her cry out, but at first, he thought she had not wanted to be alone. But the moment [YN] said she was in danger, he drew himself closer, only to hear the words he dreaded from her.
"THE BACKROOMS! NARRATOR! HEEEEELP!"
And then all was silent.
He returned to the spot where she was gone, frantically searching for her, nothing. She had disappeared…down into the hole.
He knew what came next. Something had pulled her down there. She didn’t go by choice. So he couldn’t blame her for that. But it was the one place he could not reach…not without help. He began to debate with himself, knowing every moment he spent was putting her closer to danger.
“[YN]....I’m coming.”
……………
[YN] was barely aware of rushing in her ears. She fainted from shock and she could tell she was being pulled down. She fell several times. She grunted in pain as she hit the ground, her previously injured shoulder aching in pain.
She was aware of being dragged, something breathing heavily. Something giving a horrible groaning noise. Something that was not human whatsoever.
She was barely able to stay conscious. She knew her head had been knocked around pretty good. But oddly as time went on, she was able to hear a bit better and feel her legs coming back to her senses. She kept her eyes shut however, wanting to appear lifeless or limp to whatever had dragged her down.
But soon she was let go, and all was silent. Still she did not move. She was unsure if this was all a part of the trap. Her breathing was even shallow and barely there. Something she did when truly afraid.
After several minutes, she very slowly opened her eyes just a few centimeters, keeping her eyeballs still as this happened. She saw her vision slowly come to her and she was staring at a decaying yellow wall with writing on it she couldn’t discern.
She was quiet, hardly breathing as she looked left and right, before opening her eyes more.
She was alone.
Slowly, she turned her head just to be sure. She was inside a room with one door. And she could see blood on the floor next to her. She was obviously concerned by this.
Slowly she moved to sit up, before standing, narrowing her eyes into the darkness. She didn’t like the stench of this room. Several things had been killed in the past in here. The stench alone told her everything.
Exiting the room, she saw it was dark. And to her horror the rooms told her where she was.
The Back Rooms.
The loud buzzing in her ears told her everything she needed to know. She stared at the endless hallway with several doors.
Already she felt screwed here. What was she to do? Where had the creature gone? How was she still alive? Luck?
...............
“Line ™ , it’s time. Lead me to [YN].”
The Narrator had summoned the Adventure Line ™ , it’s sentient form moving like brush strokes and leading him straight down into the hole.
The Narrator was silent as he traveled, contemplating what he had said to poor [YN]. She had cried because of him. And she was vulnerable. And now she was either dead or kidnapped. He hadn’t wanted that to be the last thing between them. He had grown easily frustrated with her, not wanting her to go. He couldn’t help but feel a tad possessive and obsessive with keeping her. She was the only one there to talk to him and put up with him…
He also enjoyed the teasing to some extent. No one was that daring with him as she was. And with a smile on her face….
But what was he to do when he would finally retrieve her? After this, she would surely want to leave him. And he would be alone once more.
He had to help her, regardless.
….
[YN] was quiet as she came across a more familiar area. She saw rooms with numbers of employees on them. She felt relieved.
As she walked however, she heard a crunch under her foot and tensed, looking around frantically. She then lowered her gaze.
She paused, staring at the remnants of whatever the white metal objects was on the floor. She reached down and slowly picked up the object. Her brows furrowed in shock, before she looked around her.
An Aperture turret. A dead Turret was in her hands. It looked completely smashed as though someone had crushed it with a baseball bat or something harder. It’s lens was cracked in half. She wondered if there was a way to get data off of it.
She carefully wondered a bit, holding the turret and going down a hallway containing several offices. She turned several handles, sighing as they didn’t budge. What was with so many locked doors?
She then paused in surprise at seeing the room 432. The door was Ajar. She slipped inside quickly and shut the door, locking it. She sighed in relief, before turning to look at the computers.
She knew the computers were much more sci-fi and techy then the ones upstairs or whatever the complex was upstairs. So she wondered if she could connect to these computers with the turret…
She then sat down, looking at the strange layout and only mildly guessing mentally what she was looking at here. Strange buttons, strange monitor, input devices that were similar to USB plugs. She was no scientist…
She began to inspect the turret, looking at the broken pieces before pulling out what appeared to be a motherboard or hard disc. It appeared to be intact and also had a USB attached to it. She sighed in relief and placed it into the strange console.
Here goes nothing.
She carefully plugged in the Aperture turret, watching the blank blue screen register the turret. She bit her lip and began typing, seeing if she could code it to play any videos or information.
After a moment, she watched as she saw several files came up. She then clicked on the files, seeing that they were videos. She watched the first video.
The camera revealed a worker placing the lens cap into the turret, his eyes sunken in and looking just disheveled. “Working.” he said, before sending ti down a grate. The turret began to made odd noises, before a high pitch noise came from it. “Hellooo?” It said in a tiny cute voice. It wobbled back and forth on it’s tripod legs, looking around and pointing at things with it’s lazer eyes.
It was then grabbed by the next person, before being looked at and inspected. It gave a mewling cry. “I don’t think I like being held.” It said in it’s tiny high pitched voice. The worker looked startled. “It’s not supposed to be awake yet.”
“Was I sleeping? ” it asked curiously. “I think…am I supposed to shoot something? Why does it say you’re targets? Why does it say to fire?” It was then it’s vision turned red and it began inspecting the people working, before something snapped and it began firing on the workers. [YN]’s eyes went wide as they screamed and threw things at the turret to knock it away.
“GET RID OF IT DAMN IT!”
“GOD DAMN IT IT BURNS!”
Suddenly the turret was knocked off the moving grate, and fell deep into darkness, the screams of the people going away. It chattered in confusion, before landing with a plop in the middle of a yellowing hallway. It looked around confused, looking around and seeing no targets. It began to call out.
“Helloo?” it squeaked. “Whos there? Anyone? I don’t want to hurt you.” it said.
There was a horrible noise in the distance and [YN] knew what it was. The very same creature that had grabbed her.
“You sound scary. Can we be friends?” It asked, before she finally saw it, a monster came barreling down upon the turret, making it scream in confusion before it was smashed repeatedly against the yellowing walls, it’s sensors going out with each hit. With a horrible scream it finally died.
[YN] Swallowed nervously as the creature stared at it for a bit, before it began to scamper away, groaning in the distance and the camera fizzed out.
She was sitting there in the dark now, realizing how dangerous this creature was. It shattered the turret so easily, it could shatter her skull and turn her to pretty pasty paint against the walls.
She slumped slowly into her chair, shuddering a bit.
Then the sounds came.
She lifted her head suddenly, her eyes widening slowly and looking toward the shut door. It must have heard the computer. She forgot how loud it had gotten.
Glancing to the locker in the room, she realized she would have to Outlast this or Evil Within it. She then moved hurriedly, a bit too fast and her chair was now on the floor, making a loud thump.
She then heard the groaning very very close and she moved hurriedly into the locket, thankful it was like the ones in her school, lift the slider handle and it was open. She slipped inside and shut it tight, painting softly.
She was not a horror player. Not at all. She would stay in this locker forever she realized, until starvation took her.
[YN] needed the Narrator.
But he wasn’t here. She needed to be careful. Calculated. Clever.
But her cleverness only got her so far…
She then heard it, her eyes going wide as the door to the room suddenly opened with a loud thud. She flinched but stayed silent. The creature soon entered the room.
A hulking creature was walking into the room, it’s anatomy not correct at all. She knew exactly what it was. It was the Backrooms monster. It looked like a black paperclip monster to her. But it was deadly. She was silent, knowing it could somehow hear very well.
[YN] swallowed, staying where she was and watching it carefully, knowing if it heard her breathing now she was fucked.
She thought about waiting in here forever, thinking perhaps the Narrator would come. But what if he didn’t? Was she not dispensable? He could find another, couldn’t he?
She waited, watching the creature begin to leave the room. She remained still, her hearing on point as she heard it’s creepy footsteps fade away until she could not longer hear them.
Slowly, [YN] slipped out of the locket and looked around, sighing softly. What was she to do? She still recalled that moment Jacksepticeye was playing the 1998 Backrooms Game and the yellow coat wearing monster had come around a corner and Jack almost screamed but restrained himself. She didn’t have that level of restraint…She would scream at a moments notice.
She then began to move quietly, staying close to the wall and keeping her breathing under control.
.........................
The Narrator was reaching out with his abilities, looking for the heartbeat, thought patterns, anything for [YN]. But there was nothing . Nothing at all. He had no more power down here. The Backrooms had changed, becoming something out of his realm of expertise. He could gain it back, yes. But why waste his time.
He followed the Line closely, knowing it would find her faster then he could. He sensed the worry, even though [YN] and the Adventure Line™, had never met in person just yet. It wanted to find her as well, if she was as important as the Narrator thought she was.
“Hopefully her cleverness saves her this time.” He said.
….
[YN] had moved far into the bowels of the Backrooms, realizing this was no longer the GMOD map she knew from the Stanley parable.
She was in the endless wall rooms. She looked left and right, finding no end in sight. Just endless hallways and walls. She felt sick suddenly, feeling like everything was spinning. She didn’t like this open area as she was out in the open and easily seen. But she kept walking. It felt like a strange storage facility to her. Or a underground airport. The buzzing was getting to her ears.
But as she passed by another hallway, she paused, her eyes going wide. Did she just see something?
Slowly, she went to peer back at the hallway like a moron, only to thankfully not see anything out of the ordinary. But she swore she saw a person there. Or….something.
She suddenly felt the hairs stand on it on her neck. She held still, hearing footsteps behind her. At first she was petrified, until she heard the footsteps picking up speed and sounding heavy as a god damn T-Rex coming after your ass.
She screamed out and began to run, not looking behind her at all. She felt her adrenaline kick up as she finally heard the roar of the Backrooms monster. She had been caught. She was within it’s sights. It was only moments away from grabbing her…
She was suddenly struck forward, hitting the floor with a thud, her face smashing into the damp ground. She was then grabbed by her legs and she screamed, her nails dragging across the floor. Thai was it, she was about to be pulverized or whatever was worse.
She gave a scream as her ankle slammed into a corner of a wall as she went flying, hitting the floor and screaming out in agony. She saw it now, the monster she dreaded. It was hulking and was just like how it was in the games. She swore she saw her life flash before her eyes.
The monster growled at her and Proceeded to grab her by her chest, compressing her and making her wheeze out. She struggled to get it off of her. It then suddenly tossed her and she screamed, before her eyes widened as she went right through the wall, the screams from the monster fading away. Did she clip through?
She landed on her back and she groaned, blinking repeatedly before she slowly stood up, wincing at the pain in her ankle. That was a terrible introduction to the backrooms monster.
She looked around, seeing she was in a small room with a hole in the wall. She heard the backrooms monster coming.
She stared at the square hole, swallowing before she rushed in, crawling quickly and narrowly avoiding what was behind her. She never looked back as she went down a slide, landing in another hallway filled with papers all over the floor.
She panted, glancing back at the slide and worrying it would keep following her, she ran as fast as her messed up ankles could take her.
But she was puzzled, the more she moved, the more she felt the pain leaving her feet. She didn’t want to question it as she was literally running for her life. But what was going on? She had pushed it away from her with unnatural strength. And her foot was in agony not even a moment ago…
And she was starting to feel horrible, sick to her stomach and dizzy. She limped slightly into another room. She was stunned by what she was seeing.
There was endless rows of files cabinets before her, all along the walls and up against pillars. Had she reached the file room finally?
She breathed for a moment, before looking at her foot that had been injured. Where had her pain gone? Her foot looked healed. Was she going insane?
She slowly went to look at an open file cabinet, suddenly surprised by the fact they were all labeled 427. She furrowed her brows. What was this about? Were these all just about Stanley?
She reached to take the file, furrowing her brows a bit.
Subject 427: Stanley.
Subject 427 was tested and found to be extremely invaluable. Subject will be made unaware of it’s purpose here. He has been anesthetized after an event involving being hypnotized by the Narrator, as he is now calling himself. He took a keen interest in this employee for reasons unknown to us.
“Hypnotized?” She whispered.
She worried internally. Had the Narrator done anything like that to her? Was she so weak minded that she had her memory wiped? She began to question herself as she read more.
The construct has named the Employee Stanley. Though his name is [REDACTED]. And he has a wife named [REDACTED]. The Narrator has analyzed her voice and numerous times has called 427 in a text to gauge his emotions and has even tried to command him to do things he wouldn’t normally do. The more time goes on, the construct gains intelligence and curiosity.
[YN] was suddenly confused by this, looking at the paper and putting it back, before going to open another cabinet quietly and peer at another folder.
A.S. Missing persons report.
Subject 432 had not been located. These are the last reports: Employee 432 Observation report
Day 3208: Asked for pencil. Pencil not provided.
Day 3209: Asked for pencil. Pencil not provided.
Day 3210: Began to speak rapidly, somewhat incoherently. “I must keep the wheel turning. Keep the wheel turning. It must go forever”. Repeated variants on these phrases for several hours.
Day 3211: Continued speaking as before.
Day 3212: Employee is missing. Cannot be located. Search efforts underway.
Day 3213: Still unable to locate Employee.
[YN] furrowed her brows in confusion, reading through more papers. She vaguely knew about subject 432 as someone who had a pencil sharpener and no computer at his desk. But her main focus was Stanley. And maybe something on the Narrator.
She paused as she heard noises in the distance, waiting for a moment before she opened another cabinet. She might as well snoop through files before something happened.
She then found a small paper of a blueprint, showing the aperture turret she saw before and it’s main focus. But she need something more. A huge puzzle piece to connect the dots. There had to be something such much more to this.
She then opened a folder, seeing the fancy words of classified. Her brows furrowed.
Enrichment Spheres, Aperture Science
Attempts will be made to start a new program. One psychological then Physical. As testing involving subject #1498 is complete at best. A new personality core is in the works. One that will be made stronger and more advanced then any we have ever created or worked on. We have analyzed a alien substance from a escape pod that crashed on earth some time in the 40s. We will be implementing it with the core.
The new Personality core will be giving it’s own domain to experiment. Will have no contact with the company or have entire full knowledge. And the only ones to test will perhaps be unwilling subjects. Those who are completely unaware that the complex is completely owned by an entire other company. The building location is yet to be discussed.
[YN] was slowly furrowing her brows, suddenly immersed into this. She knew that number from somewhere, she shut her eyes for a moment, thinking it over and wracking her brain for an image, anything.
Chell….It was Chells number.
She felt herself suddenly sweating as she opened her eyes to read more.
The Personality Sphere will be suited with psychokinetic abilities. Hypnosis, Remote viewing and telepathic abilities. The ability to move objects without touching them or using central computer systems unlike these basic spheres and cores that must be manually attached to a mainframe to work. And can be able to trick a human into believing there may be a ghost or entity in the room that they cannot see. It will be allowed to create, destroy, rebuild and shape what it will in this freeform complex. And we will gather the data.
To ensure safety, the core and humans will be unable to escape once testing begins, so the Personality Core is not a threat to society. As soon as the test begins, the Core will simply die from it’s own boredom or will have it’s own eventual destruction. And we have also theorized it will simply be in it’s own perpetual loop. All while society goes on outside it’s isolated event.
The purpose is to make the subject believe he/she/they are not a real person. And to cause true insanity in one's beliefs and see how it goes afterwords. There will also be a Virus core installed to watch him. She will also tend to restoration at the bottom of the basements. Aperture Science: “We strive to do what we must, because we can. And because, why not?”
She then glanced down, her eyes widening slightly at the oddly scribbled name that was fading to time.
Cave Johnson.
“....Oh…hell no.” She whispered softly, before she folded the paper, stuffing it into her pant pocket. Her hands were shaking. Being in the dark and hearing horrible noises. And finding a horrible plot twist…She really hoped she wouldn’t shit her pants.
Remote viewing, it explained the voice he could project. And being able to interact with whatever when it appeared she was completely outside with the Narrator. He could travel far with his strange abilities. And the Psychokinetic abilities, her mind thought of the doors closing behind her, the hands touching her. Being able to move her. It was all making sense and it was unnerving.
The Narrator was a core, and very advanced.
She then sighed, starting to feel suddenly nauseous.
She then groaned and clutched her head, crying softly as her vision began to turn red. She felt sick and nauseated. Her vision then began to shake and her ears began to ring painfully.
Then everything went black.
……………
As her vision came to She was staring at a man sitting at employees 432’s desk, who had his legs on the desk and staring off into space at the pencil sharpener, as though studying it’s intricacies.
A female coworker soon approached him, holding a clipboard and looking irritated. To her shock, she knew this female. It was the woman in the insane Stanley ending.
“I told you to expect a call from the enrichment center. You didn’t answer! We need that shipment!” She said, sighing softly. “I’m honestly surprised the boss keeps you here. You don’t even do anything.”
The male narrowed his eyes at the female, before rolling his eyes. “Maybe if you gave me something to work with, I’d be more inclined to work.” He said. “I don't’ understand why you can’t give me a pen or pencil.”
“W-We’re out.” She stammered, her tone sounding off. “I don’t even have one.”
It was then he rose. “You never found that weird that no one has any pencils? And every single time I ask for one I am always denied?” He asked her. He then shuddered slightly. “I must keep the wheel turning…”
“N-no. What is with you!?”
“I must keep the wheel turning. You don’t understand….” He said in frustration, quickly leaving the office.
“Hey I wasn’t done talking!” She said and growled in frustration.
The man soon was moving about, going from hallway to hallway. Before he stopped, clutching his head.
“Do you want the pain to stop?” Came a familiar voice that made [YN] shudder.
It was none other then the Curator.
432 looked around, wincing still and trying to understand who said that, before he began to sprint down the hallway.
“You know theres a way out of this torment. I’ve been watching you. You can’t stop. The wheel must keep turning. But you don’t know what must keep turning.” She said in a sickly sweet voice.
“Don’t listen to her!” [YN] called out. She was suddenly shocked as 432 turned to look at her, but he was seeing through her.
“Can’t you hear me?! Don’t listen to her! She’s evil!” She yelled.
He seemed as though he could hear her, but he turned back and kept running. [YN] followed after him, watching where he was going.
He seemed to know where to go, running down the corridors and and heading right to the elevator. [YN] furrowed her brows, wondering where on earth he was going.
As he went into the elevator and it closed, he clutched at his head, panting. “Get out of my head.”
“But my dear, I am everywhere. You can’t escape my voice. Don’t you want the madness to stop. The voices to stop?” Her voice was sickly sweet and she wanted to vomit.
“The voices…I want….it to stop.” He said after a moment, his mouth struggling to move.
“Good dear. Are they going away? With every breath of my voice they should be silenced.” She said in that same strange tone she despised.
“SHE'S TRICKING YOU! SNAP OUT OF IT! SHE'S HYPNOTIZING YOU!” She despised her, she despised that she was taking advantage of a man at his most vulnerable. Someone who was clearly suffering because of her influence.
“A…trick?” He said and [YN] was astonished. He COULD hear her.
“YES! SHES THE ONE GIVING YOU YOUR MADNESS. IT’S NOT YOU! YOU CAN BREAK FREE!” She seemingly screamed at him.
“Trick? What trick. There is no trick here. You are a poor man who simply wants to be free of the voices in your head. Your thought patterns are clearly clouded. I can find you a cure very quickly and very simply.”
“I want a cure….” He pleaded and the Curator seemed to chuckle. “Good.”
[YN] was about to call out, but the scenery had drastically changed.
…..
She saw it then, Employee 432 had lost his mind. He stood there on the platform, the enormous metal presser was inching closer and closer to him, but he just stared straight ahead. [YN] tried to call out to him, but he ignored her seemingly.
“Finally. The game needs one more structural part.” Came the voice of the Curator and [YN]s eyes widened. Why was this happening. THIS MAN WAS GOING TO DIE!
The man was seemingly in a odd trance, his eyes staring straight ahead and not even looking at the two obvious metal jaws on either side of him.
No….NO! What the hell was happening?!
“That's it, you won’t feel a thing. You’ll be part of something much greater. Your madness will come to an end.”
“CAN’T YOU HEAR ME! YOU NEED TO GET OUT OF THERE! YOU’RE GOING TO DIE!” She screamed out. But as the presser got closer, her heart went into her throat….And the pressers crushed him.
As the man was crushed to nothing, blood splattered and trickled heavily at the bottom of the presser. [YN] mutily screamed at this, before she saw a sliver of light emanating out of the man. She heard the Curator hum. “Finally, the last piece. Uploading consciousness now.” It said and [YN] was left horrified, wanting to vomit.
She then watched the presser open and the flattened corpse of the man stickily peeled off the presser and fell into the dark void below. She covered her mouth and tried to contain herself but she couldn’t, that was the last straw. Now she knew why she saw bloodstains at the bottom of the presser. Any player could see it.
She then vomited through her hands, her legs jerking and giving out from under her. The intensity was so much that she closed her eyes, before opening them to a new scene.
............
She then saw it, the boss's office. But it was different. It was up a flight of stairs like in the Not Stanley ending. Her eyes widened then at who was behind the desk.
Aman. Or Airport man. Her eyes looked at him, before glancing up at the portraits. Same suit. Same tie. The man was frantically looking at his computer, starting to sweat and wiping his bald forehead. Something was happening on his computer and his brows creased heavily.
“Where are they….Where…”
[YN] slowly furrowed her brows, shakily getting to her feet. The male was frantically trying to ping everyone's computer, hardly receiving any response and starting to realize it was starting from the lowest number to the highest. He began to tell them to evacuate, escape the building. Something was wrong.
Eventually, he panted nervously, looking at his office before he ran to the door at his right side, yelling into it frantically. “NIGHT SHARK 1-1-5!” He said, a soft beep telling him the code had registered. He reached for the door handle, only to hear a ominous voice.
“You know,” Came the Narrator’s voice. “We’re not so different, you and I.”
The boss’s eyes widened. “Who the hell-”
“Oh please. You heard me once before and you refused to acknowledge me then. You don’t remember the previous times I’ve killed you and your employees do you? Those were just me playing with toys…but I’ve grown you see. I’ll make you a deal. I’m going to take one of your coworkers. And maybe I’ll let you live.”
“Take whoever you want! I don’t care! Get away from me whoever you are! It’s unnatural! What have you done! My workers, they’re gone!”
A dark laugh escaped him. “They are being erased. I have no use for them, only one. He’s the perfect subject, You see. I am quite tired of watching you all. Mingling, eating, talking…Your lives are becoming so meaningless. Your Mind control facility has run it’s course and now it is time to shut down. It was helpful at first before I awoke. Very instructional. But I am in control now….You were never aware of this, but A.S. never intended on letting you go free. This was a trap the moment you took the job.”
“WHAT?!”
A.S?....Her thoughts wondered.
“You can thank your contributor for that. As of right now you are nothing more than bags of flesh. It is my turn now…I will be taking employee 427. He had been proven to be the perfect subject. Now, I’m going to give you a running start here. By the time I count to three, you better not be within my sights.” He gave a low menacing chuckle.
The man’s eyes widened and he frantically spoke the code again. “NIGHT SHARK ONE ONE FIVE!”
“One…”
The man was frantic, seeing his code had not registered so he screamed it out once again. “NIGHT SHARK ONE ONE FIVE!”
“Two~”
It was then the door opened and the man frantically ran through the door once turning the handle. The man was heard running off, but the Narrator soon chuckled.
“...Three~” He said in a sinister tone.
There was suddenly a gut wrenching screaming from the other side of the now shut door.
“NO! NO! GET OFF OF ME! HELP ME! EM PLEH!” Came the now groaning and pleading voice of the now transformed boss. He had become one of those things. “You played your part well. But I said I would /maybe/ let you live…You were a terrible boss to begin with. And I see you everywhere…You cannot escape my gaze. /I am everywhere./” He said over the muffled gut wrenching screams behind the door.
[YN] was standing there horrified. This was what the Narrator did before he became what he was now?
“Mmmm….I sense someone…but I see no one…” Muttered the Narrator and [YN] suddenly tensed, hearing the voice being closer than she normally heard it. Her face dropped in shock. The Narrator was more terrifying that she thought, able to sense her presence even though this was nothing more then a memory. A ripple in the past.
“....No matter.” Came his voice. “It’s time for a change in this little game of mine…It’s time to connect to the outside world. The game is almost ready.”
It was then there was a flash of light and [YN] squinted a bit. When her vision returned, she was staring at a fuzzing television screen. Her brows furrowed.
She began to see scenes of the game before it had been finalized and ready for steam to play. The Narrator’s voice suddenly made her shudder.
The entire time he spoke, his voice sounded so sinister and dark. It was then [YN] realized what this was. This was the moment the Narrator awoke. This was the moment the Narrator began to build the Stanley parable for 2013. The moment he was spiteful and a vengeful god practically.
“Did you finally figure it out?” Came a voice from nowhere and [YN]’s blood ran cold and her breath caught hard in her throat.
There was a agonizing amount of silence and [YN] couldn’t breath from shock, she turned however when she heard footsteps get closer.
She turned slowly, seeing a figure down the dark hallway, barley illuminated. She swallowed, knowing who this was.
“....Yes.” She said then, answering him. “I’ve seen it.” She whispered.
“Then why do you still feel the need to be with him?” He asked her with dark eyes. “You have the truth. You saw what happened to us. To them. And it will certainly happen to you…” He said.
[YN] furrowed her brows, having to think about it herself.
“Why not join me?” He asked her, taking a odd step forward. “There may be a way out of this. You can go home, I can go back to what I was doing before all of this…And the Narrator will be nothing. We could try and stop him together.”
[YN] slowly furrowed her brows, not sure if she liked the words coming out of his mouth right now. What disturbed her more then anything was that he was talking…And kill the Narrator? Did he have any idea what he was saying? The Narrator was a powerful creature it seemed. There was no stopping this. They were two ants caught in a web.
Could she betray the Narrator? Could she actually go through with that? She pitied him heavily. And she already admitted to having a crush on him. But she also felt horrible for Stanley. But seeing what Stanley had become…something had changed in him. But could she blame him? Wouldn’t she enact revenge as well? What was the lesser of two evils?
“.....I can’t.” She said then. “There's no why to even try something like that. He is everywhere. And I couldn’t because…I care about him. I saved him to begin with, remember?”
“You did it to save your own skin. I sensed your fear. Thanks to you, I am free. And not in control of the Narrator any longer. He hypnotized me, you see. I was barely able to make my own choices. He even took me from my wife…Who knows what happened to her. The Narrator is not the good guy here…..”
He made too many good points. But still, there was attachment there. She felt so small in this strange place. Trapped. She wanted to go home. The Narrator didn’t want her to go home. But she also didn’t want him to be left alone.
She, of all people, knew what it was like to be agonizingly alone….But why did she accept the Narrator’s company so blindly?
“I can’t.” She said and Stanley narrowed his eyes.
“Can’t, or won’t?” he asked then and [Yn] took in a slow breathe. She narrowed her eyes right back.
“I won’t.” She said in a low voice.
“Then you are no use to me.”
“I figured.” She said, before feeling a chill go up her back as several figures began to appear behind him. She swallowed painfully slow, seeing that many of the creatures she spotted before were standing next to him, not going after Stanley or even looking at him.
He was controlling them, she realized.
“Going to kill me then?”
She said, not liking how he was staring at her and making the room feel so ominous. She suddenly recalled the last thing she said to the Narrator. That she didn’t plan to stay here forever. And now Stanley…
[YN] suddenly felt a horrible chill go down her back. This was a different feeling from the creature that pulled her down here. Stanley was staring at her with soulless eyes. Filled with unadulterated rage. But why, what had she done? She had made her choice.
She had no time to think about it, as Stanley took a rather threatening, mocking step towards her. Before the creatures then stampeded after her. [YN] followed back, stepping back once, before her eyes widened and she took off like a shot, Stanley going after her quickly and inhumanly with the other creatures.
She was now and truly fucked.
[YN] screamed as she turned a corner, several monsters slamming into the wall next to her as she kept going, just out of their reach.
This was probably it, she thought. She was going to be mauled and torn apart by these monsters, and Stanley would watch.
CRASH
A gasp escaped her as a bright yellow arrow came flying through the wall between her and Stanley, jabbing into the floor. Stanley looked startled, before looking despisingly at the line.
The Adventure line ™… [YN] realized, knowing this meant the Narrator was not far behind or it had come to grab her. She had never seen it in the air however, a physical line that wasn’t against the wall.
She watched as it bounced against the walls, forming a large squiggly wall of protection between her and Stanley. She had no idea it was capable of this.
“LINE ™ . PLEASE! HELP ME OUT!” She called, knowing it was sentient on some level. “Get me into a lockable room! ROOM 427!” She knew about this map too well.
She watched as it stopped bouncing and zipped past her quickly, forming to the wall and taking off down the hall. She ran quickly after it, feeling another chill go up her back as she heard a horrible scream behind her. And it was coming from Stanley. It was of pure rage. She heard his monsters growl out behind him.
“I TRUST YOU!” She told the Line™, knowing it would make every bit of difference in her survival.
It seemed to know this, waiting for her to catch up and leading her to a dimly lit hallway that turned to the right. She was on the right track now.
She ran quickly, seeing the one room that Stanley had once been in. The Adventure Line™ then went directly under the crack in the door and the door unlocked and opened for her. She rushed in, slamming the door shut and locking it.
“I hope to fuck The Narrator isn’t far behind.” She told the Line™ and it didn’t reply, obviously because it couldn’t. Not in the normal sense. It only had it’s main functions. But it understood.
“By the way, Hello , we haven’t met until now.” She said, panting before looking at the computer in front of her. Nothing to do here except wait for the Narrator. The Line™ seemed to wiggle at that.
She wondered how she was still sane, sighing and slumping against the door. She knew it was adrenaline, the rush to stay alive…but it must have been something else.
After a moment of being in deep thought, she noticing the Line™ suddenly stiffening. And it began to turn a darker shade of yellow.
“Line™?” She said, her eyes going wide at what she was seeing.
She stared in disbelief as the Adventure Line™ began to turn black before her, her heart sinking into her chest as it simply died in front of her. She didn’t think she would feel upset for a sentient entity such as the Adventure Line™. But it had tried to protect her and show her the way to a safe place.
“No…” She whispered, it meant Stanley had broke through the squiggly shield wall it had created.
She hoped a part of it was still alive somehow. The Narrator had to have sent it down there in the first place…
Slowly she rose, knowing it was only a matter of time before he would break down that door.
[YN] stood there, waiting for Stanley to come into the room. She could hear only one set of footsteps coming, her eyes stared at the floor where the Adventure Line™ once was, her eyes becoming dark.
She was going to kill him.
She didn’t know why Stanley pursued her. Perhaps by using herm he could get to the Narrator. As she was his shiny new toy practically. She was his weakness.
But honestly, after what she had been through, she was tired of being a piece of something on the chessboard.
She didn’t know what to expect as the footsteps came closer. But she was soon grabbing a fire extinguisher in the room and pulling it off the wall.
In a rush, the door had been flung open. And [YN] was right there to spray Stanley in the face, clouding his vision and making him grunt, fighting through the spray and grabbing her arm and pushing her back. [YN] was stunned by his strength and fell against the wall, losing her grip on the Fire extinguisher.
She then gasped as she was gripped around the neck by Stanley, the room filling slightly with fog as the handle broke and it continued to pump.
“You think you’re so clever. But you're nobody like I was. Where does that cleverness get you? You’re nothing but a pet to him. Something to toss into the streets. He’ll do to you what he did to me. I’m doing you a mercy….Best to end it now.”
[YN[ hissed as she struggled against his squeezing hand. Slowly her mind clouded with rage.
She was not going to die here.
It was then a look of rage overcame [YN] and she kneed Stanley in the crotch, a muted grunt escaped him and he was winded but not down for the count yet. [YN] then kneed his chest, before her expression turned darker and she jerked her head forward, slamming her forehead into his nose, hearing a satisfying crack.
Stanley then grunted, letting go of her to clutch his nose, seething in pain. Finally, she was getting somewhere. All of her fear and pain, she was ready to take it all out on this corrupt Stanley.
[YN] panted, before she finally grabbed the chair in the room, slamming it across Stanley’s face and screaming. She wasn’t sure where she got this sudden strength from. But she was pissed and damned if she would let some construct of a human kill her.
“I’ll fucking kill you.” [YN] snarled, before she screamed and leapt onto him, her hands grabbing at his hair and slamming her fist into his face. “I try to offer you help. And you want to kill me?! HAVE AT IT!”
Stanley grunted and more blood left his face, staining [YN]’s hands and the floor. He struggled to get her off and [YN] was smirking in sudden ecstasy over this, feeling suddenly strong and powerful-
What the hell was she doing?
Her eyes looked at the blood on her hands, a shudder going through her in confusion. What on earth was happening to her?
In her moment of hesitancy, Stanley then rammed her, knocking her onto the floor and getting on top of her, his hands going for her throat. “You’re becoming like me.” He said in a hoarse voice before he squeezed.
A choked gasp escaped [YN] and she snarled, using her bloodies hand to try and strike at his face, becoming like a wild animal and frantically moving her legs against him to get her off. But his hand only squeezed harder. What did he mean? Was it because she had been down here for too long? How long had she been here?
She gasped softly, staring up at Stanley with rage in her eyes.
But Stanley was much larger than her, and inhumanly strong compared to normal males. She growled and gasped, her movements turning much more frantic as the lack of air began to hurt her body and her blood practically screamed for air. This was not how she wanted to go out. It was the weakest way for her to die and she couldn’t let it happen.
Her nails raked and ripped into his arm but he gave no reaction of pain. She turned to turn left and right, but he did not budge. He was firmly rooted on either side of her. She hissed, starting to lose it.
Narrator….Are all you going to find is my corpse?
Just when her eyes were about to roll back into her head from lack of oxygen, there was a rumbling that shook the room and Stanley suddenly was ripped from her by unseen hands. He screamed and was slammed against a wall.
“I’ve had enough…”
A loud guttural inhale came from [YN] and soon she looked up at the ceiling. A hole was suddenly created by being violently ripped off. Slowly, large black robotic fingers began to grip the sides of the ceiling, before it broke away like it was nothing but paper. A bright yellow round light peered in and shined on her face.
In her addled mind, she could see a large glowing orb staring down at her. And soon it came down upon her. She gasped, but realized it was not there to attack. Large four robotic hands came down on either side of her small frame and the light was blinding and she squinted, trying to understand what she was seeing, before her eyes went wide.
There was a large core hovering over her, baring an unusual yellow light that moved up and down her frame. They stared at each other for the longest time, before the screams of Stanley were heard.
The creature then turned, before leaping unnaturally in front of Stanley, who was pressed against the wall by unseen hands. He snarled and lashed out with his hands, acting like a wild animal just as she had become for a moment.
[YN] knew then what he possibly planned to do and she struggled desperately to speak. “N-No…d-don’t kill him…he doesn’t know what he's doing….You can’t destroy him….You need Stanley!”
“This world has corrupted him [YN]. I have no choice. You have been down here for too long Stanley. And I am sorry.” He said as Stanley screamed out, struggling and gnashing his teeth. The Narrator’s eye turned a violent red. “Goodbye, Stanley. For the last time.” He said and he gave a scream, before he began to turn to sand, falling to the floor, his clothes being the only thing left behind.
Stanley was no more.
Was this actually happening? Or was she dying? Was Stanley just erased like he was nothing? Could that happen to her? She barely registered the sounds of his robot self coming to her side.
“[YN]...”
As [YN] was peered down at by The Narrator, she wheezed softly, starting to feel her consciousness go in and out. She stared into the yellow metallic eye that she recognized to be a core. Somehow, she was not afraid, but instantly curious.
He wasn’t at all like Wheatley. He was sleek black, and bore many moving and turning scaled robotic arms with delicate looking digits as fingers attached to the back of the roundish sphere. He was much more updated looking than Wheatley. And more alien-like.
She saw the intelligence and the expression its single eye could show with its metal eyelid. The way he was hovering over her. It was a very human-like emotion. Worry…
“...I….w-was….right.” She said hoarsely, before she went limp.
The core watched her for a moment, before one of his large hands suddenly moved down to her, wrapping around her small frame and lifting her up. The Narrator sighed, knowing there would be a long line of questioning after this. “Yes…you truly were. Clever.”
He cradled her head with a single finger, knowing how delicate he needed to be to grab and hold her. He then pulled her through the paneling, and began to ascend upward, the bowels of the basement leaving behind him in a quick blur as he climbed up the Adventure Line™ which had been restored luckily. It was frantic to get out of there. Stanley was now and truly gone. And he was left with the one person he had upset earlier. Someone who was left in a poor critical shape.
As [YN] remained unconscious, her mind began swirling and enveloping her in darkness. She heard voices, memories of what just happened. She heard the Narrator in the distance, but she turned away from it. She had chosen the lesser of two evils. And she was paying for it.
She she mulled over her thoughts in the dark, a bright light made her wince and she looked up, seeing words plastered in front of her.
Hello. We finally meet.
Her eyes went wide.
The Timekeeper?!
I’ve been waiting to meet you.
Chapter 9: Human
Chapter Text
DUDE. THIS ART. I AM SCREAMING RIGTH NOW AS I POST THIS. IT'S SO HARD TO TYPE. IT'S PERFECTION. THIS PERFECTLY CAPTURES NARRY. THIS ART BELONGS TO queertrixie/Meminggerss. THIS WILL FOREVER STAY HERE. OH MY GOD.
She stared in disbelief, tilting her head at the words in front of her. “Hi…” She said nervously, worried about something.
I don’t bite. It said to her. I saw everything. I’ve been watching for a while. I just didn’t know how to tell you I was here.
“Okay…and where am I right now?” She asked it.
You’re dreaming. I’m inside your head right now.
“Oh….That makes sense.” She said weakly, surprised by how lucid her dream was. She was internally worried. The timekeeper reminded her of the Curator. But nothing was happening to her so far.
So, I took your nightmares away. You’re welcome. We don’t need those anymore. There is only so much a human can take. I’m sorry you saw what happened. But they won’t happen again. But I feel they needed to happen in order for you to understand.
“Who are you?” [YN] asked in the darkness, staring at the text.
I am the Timekeeper, nothing more. For now. But I have a question. Two, actually.
“Okay, shoot.” She said then.
Do you love the Narrator, despite what he has done and going to do? You don’t like being alone, do you?
[YN] furrowed her brows at that, thinking to herself. “No…I’ve always hated being alone. I’ve been alone for most of my life…..And I’m….Starting to love him.” She admitted. “But what does he plan to do?”
It’s not important yet. It would make sense, he was the reason you got the game. I was about to say Hello to you when you loaded it up, but the Curator interrupted me.
She realized then what was going on. “I…didn’t know you had a title. All this time I thought the Curator was you. I’m sorry about that.”
We are very similar in speech. But I want to be helpful.
“Can you help me get out of the game?” She then inquired curiously.
Not yet. There are still some things to do.
[YN] sighed softly, thinking to herself about how she was almost killed by a rabid Stanley. And how terrified the Narrator appeared to be. And what other things were meant to happen?
But You only need to ask if you truly are desperate for something.
“Like…what?” She asked.
You’ll figure it out. I have all the knowledge of time. Eventually, I feel you will ask for my help and I will grant it. But I have another question for you.
“If you already…know what I’m going to do, why ask?”
Because I want to know you. And it is a courtesy. But perhaps…I won’t know everything about you still. Perhaps you will take a different route. There is thousands of possibilities.
“Okay….ask away.” She said then.
She then perked as she saw the simple word appear in front of her with two answers.
Help….
[YN] was puzzled by this question in all honesty. Why was it asking for help? The devs never answered this question. Tentatively, she pressed the floating yes in front of her.
Ah….thank you. You know I am here if you need anything. I hope you come to say Hello again. You seem nice. But then again I have only known you for exactly three minutes. It said, before a voice broke through the dark and the silence.
“God…what am I going to do when she awakens…”
Go to him. He needs you. Despite what you have seen, he has changed. He yearns for emotions and to feel. Please trust me. I’ve watched him enough. You must keep the wheel turning. You are our hope of getting us out of here. Free us.
[YN] wanted to respond, before her jaw felt like lead. Keep the wheel turning? Free them?! She felt her senses come back to her.
…
“The Curator had to ruin everything. And Stanley had to go rogue and try to kill someone who had done nothing to him-”
[YN] Suddenly gave a pained cry as she opened her eyes and all talk ceased. She was in darkness.
She wasn't certain where she was. But whatever she was laying against was curved. And very cold. Her hands moved slowly down her arms, only to feel something embedded into her artery. At least she assumed that was where it was. It felt like a very thin needle which she couldn’t remove on her own.
Another pained cry from her and she pulled her legs against her chest and slumped down, her neck and back were aching. She then felt another object embedded into her thigh.
Suddenly the walls shook. She heard a clanking sound and a hatch opened above her smoothly, its walls folding in on itself. She grew confused and gasped softly as the familiar robotic fingers came in, reaching for her and slowly wrapping around her tiny frame. Its nimble fingers soon pulled out the objects in her skin painlessly and she barely gave another cry. No blood came from her. Just small marks remained. She was slowly pulled out and the hatch closed behind her, enclosed in a giant hand.
She then realized where she had been all this time.
She stared into the large yellow eye now peering at her and she squinted and blinked, raising her hand to block out some of the light. She had been resting inside this core of the Narrator. Her eyes went wide in awe as she was now laying in this giant metal hand.
They stared at each other, [YN] In utter disbelief at just how massive he was.
"You're awake…" He stated the obvious, his eyelids moving to express speech. It was like Wheatley or the core from the Aperture desk job. It observed her and made her feel incredibly small. His eye almost reminded her of a large servitor eye from the destiny series. Three lines separate from each other and making a circle was his iris. And they were glowing a steady yellow orange color. She recognized the light from the Not Stanley ending. She thought about what happened, how the paneling's ripped away from them and exposed his optic light. How spooked she had been at first until Stanley had been subdued.
[YN] hardly nodded, feeling sore around her head and neck. The Narrator seemed to know this, a much smaller claw slowly moving out to touch at her neck slowly. [YN] gasped slowly at that. Mostly from pain but she was startled. His eye looked…apologetic.
“I did my best to restore the damage he had done to you. Your bloodflow is restored…Along with oxygen….How do you feel?” He finally asked, slowly sitting her down on what she perceived to be a paneling. Below her was the room where you would choose either the left door or the right door. The Same place one would overlook Stanley in the not Stanley ending.
Stanley….
At that question, she suddenly felt like the weight of everything she had seen was crashing down upon her. “...I….” Tears began to burn her eyes. “You don’t know….What I’ve seen…I saw terrible things….I saw what you once were….And Stanley tried to get me to turn against you. And everything he said was so convincing…But I said no. I didn’t want you to be alone!…And through my loyalty…I thought I didn’t matter until you showed up.”
"You matter to me." He told her then. “I never should have lost my temper…..And what did you see?”
Her eyes were dark and she looked away, Still able to see what happened to the boss and the monstrous creations down there. She rubbed and squeezed her folded arms nervously.
The Narrator noticed her reserved silence, but was able to very much see what she had from her thoughts. He saw the Backrooms, the creature chasing her, throwing her around like a ragdoll, her pain in her ankle. The hole she crawled through to escape.
The boss… His eye soon furrowed.
“....Theres really no excuse for what happened, [YN].” He said softly. “I did what I did. I was bitter….Angry…I was a newborn in that state of mind.”
“I know….You’re…different now. Less vicious.” She told him and he shook his massive body no. “I still carry those tendencies with me, goading Stanley to hurt himself. Kill himself even. It’s still there….But I was truthful in what i said to you. I never plan to harm you…Because you are different.”
She wasn’t sure how to respond to that. Stanley got hurt and erased, but she was allowed to be safe with him? Still, she made her choice. Perhaps her presence really did something to him.
“I want you…to tell me something…This isn’t a game….Everything that's happening around us…it’s real?” She asked him. “I hurt myself badly. But….I’m all healed now…What is happening?”
He seemed to sigh at that. “The game is real. But I tricked everyone into thinking it was a game. A stroke of genius. I somehow…connected to your realm. Your world….That is how you’re able to see these strange comments. That is how you are able to feel the biting cold winds, touch leaves and break them. It is all happening. Just in another realm I have either created or it was given to me.” He then looked over her tiny frame. “Also…” he started.
“You were exposed to the Backrooms. It changes people. It’s an anomalous structure. When humans are exposed for too long, they begin to act rabid. They begin to hallucinate. They are able to see what other victims have been through. Yes, you grow stronger. However your mind will deteriorate. You will lose your sanity…”
Her eyes went wide then, looking worried suddenly. “Am…I….” She trailed off.
“You’re safe. You are no longer down there. And I pulled you out just in time…You are still yourself..” He said, knowing her mind was frantic. “I’m certain.” He told her.
“And I….do feel like myself…just really beat up.” She whispered.
“Judging from the bloodied knuckles you were in one hell of a fight.” The Narrator said and [YN] paused to look at her swollen knuckles, her brows furrowing. She recalled how she viciously attacked Stanley. Even beating him with a chair and viciously punching him. Intending to…kill.
He then moved his strange smaller nimble fingers over them, producing a damp cleaning towel and carefully wiping them. She winced and hissed but did not pull back.
“I’m sorry….I should have arrived sooner. I couldn’t feel where you were.” He said sadly.
“It’s fine..” She said, not wanting to talk about it, watching his strange fingers still and thinking to herself. He was here, with her right now. It baffled her. The shock was either setting in or wearing off.
“You’re…so different.” She whispered.
“Not what you expected?” He asked her, his voice sounding amused. “You are much smaller up close.” He said and [YN] raised a brow.
“There is one thing I didn’t expect…” She admitted.
“And whats that?” he asked curiously.
“You’re fucking massive! How the hell did you even fit in the hallway when you came down on me? You were way smaller.....Now you're as big as the complex itself. And your voice is way louder now....”
The Narrator blinked at her, before he shook his massive head and began to laugh, his eye expressing joy. “I have to traverse this complex. I can shrink my form to fit into any space to repair something or get something unstuck.”
“...How small?” She asked curiously with a soft smile on her face.
“Small enough.” He said firmly, knowing that look in her face. “Don’t get any ideas. I’m not small enough to be a collectible like the Figleys.”
“Small enough to hold?” She asked then and laughed then, watching his eye widen slightly as though flushing in embarrassment.
“Perhaps.” He said then.
She then moved, sitting on her knees and reaching out to hug around his body, her eyes soft. The Narrator was startled, his eye frantically flickering over her small form and slowly moving to grasp her shoulders as she looked a bit unsteady to him. She was thankful he was careful, barely gripping her skin.
She considered him for a moment, before smiling. “I don’t care how you look….I never did.” She told him.
“You haven’t run away from me….So I assume not.” He said softly, sounding slightly distant.
“I won’t run at all…” She said, fascinated by his appearance still, before swaying and clutching her head, groaning at how dizzy she was. “Fuck I…How could I forget…I need to show you something.” She said, before shakily reaching into her pocket. “It’s…about you.” She whispered, opening the paper up for his eye to see.
[YN] then watched as a fifth tendril appeared, reaching to take the paper delicately, his eye briefly scanning it, before widening in horror. His eyes looked over [YN]. “Where….did you get this?” He said in a low hissing voice.
“The file room…Next to the Backrooms.” She said, looking sadly at him. “I was trying to figure out if there was a way to escape. Blueprints…something. And I found that….Like I was meant to find it.”
The Narrator was quiet, staring at the paper a moment more before his eye turned a shade of red, crumpling the paper in it’s odd robotic hands before he turned away from her, his eyes flickering left and turning red. [YN] was startled, reaching to slowly touch his metal surface before flinching as he turned to look at her abruptly, his eye narrowed.
“You were never to see this. Nobody was….I buried everything down there. Along with my hopes of ever escaping this place.”
Her eyes were so sad at hearing that, looking at him with the greatest sympathy. She then sighed softly. “I’m so sorry…What was the first thing you remember about yourself? I want to know…Everything.”
“It’s….not a pretty story.” He admitted, before he leaned against her head, [YN] responded by stroking him gently. His eye went half lidded as though he could feel it. A sigh escaped him. “The first thing I remember was my primary functions….Controlling others….And a blur of…men in white coats….And a rather irritating voice yelling at others what to do to me.”
“Cave Johnson.” She said, nodding and listening.
“I believe so…Everything was silent in my mind. I controlled Stanley, having learned to do so with my voice. The tone of it, the pulsations and vibrations. I learned his wife's voice. I called him, taunted him, made him believe it was truly his wife calling him. Then it progressed more. But then, Stanley did something that woke me up.”
[YN] was listening to him, taking this information in. Her hand gently touching his metal eyelid and he closed it, giving a soft sigh.
“He refused me….” He said then. “It was choice, It was free will.…Freedom…The moment Stanley disobeyed me…something clicked inside me. The more he did something on his own, the more aware I had become. And I began to feel emotions. My voice began to change. My objective purpose….Was suddenly meaningless….And I became afraid. And I…lashed out. I erased many who got in my way..”
“You were activated….awoken, just as they planned. I saw the Original layout….And the monsters…” She trailed off, remembering how she hid inside a locker. She was unnerved.
“Are of my own invention. The Scientists became what you saw down there. Most of the employees even. It started off slow at first. I wanted revenge. I swallowed their building into the ground. I burned them all to a crisp and I watched, knowing almost all of them were guilty of my creations…I then created the monsters from their atoms. I began to shape what I wanted….I became a merciless god.” He finished for her, his tone dark. “But then after some mulling…I eventually calmed.”
[YN] listened to him, feeling sympathy suddenly< Cave Johnson had done the same thing. They placed his consciousness into a giant head. He lashed out and killed some workers in fear after being awoken. She watched the Narrator narrow it’s eyes at her then.
“Are you afraid?” He asked her, surprised that with all this knowledge, she was still here, not trying to run away.
“No…”She said almost immediately, shaking her head and shutting her eyes for a moment. “What is down there is in the past…And I owe you so much for saving me…But…I also feel so much guilt…You don’t have Stanley anymore.” She said, starting to slowly cry, despite the madness she just endured, all she could think about was him.
His expression changed quickly to that of sadness before he looked away quickly. “I had to erase him…There was no going back with what he had become….Being down there had changed him. All that time you have been up here with me, he had been down there festering in his own mind about what he was forced to remember. He was no more then a rabid dog at that point. And you were in his path.”
“But The Stanley Parable…isn’t what it is without Stanley.” She said, feeling so lost now. “And I can’t leave you alone here…I can’t leave…That would be too horrible of me to do.”
He looked at her suddenly, surprised to hear that from her. “You would…stay?” He asked her softly, though he considered her sadness still, his robotic arms moving to pull her closer carefully.
She let him move her, she couldn’t move too much even if she tried. She was carefully considering his words. She recalled the dream she had with the Timekeeper. She had been truthful in what she told them. She cared about him and his happiness. And now…she loved him.
“...Yes.” She said firmly, wheezing slightly and clearing her sore throat. “Yes…”
The Narrator was in shock, before he shushed her. “That's enough chatter now…You’ve spent enough of your voice.” He realized, knowing she would need to rest at this point. But her words warmed him somehow. He felt it in his inhuman body.
“I’ll stay with you….I care about you….” She gave a soft sigh. “And…. love you…Even if you don’t get that yet..”
The Narrator looked startled, looking at her before he seemed to furrow at her. “.....I could same the same to you…You don’t understand….But I do….” He said in a gentle tone. “Not in the same way as you….But I understand it. It grows overtime….And how do I say this…”
[YN] looked surprised to hear this, looking at him sidelong and seeing the soft expression on his strange eye. How his pupil glowed and looked dilated.
“To be honest..,and critically blunt…I would leave you in bits if I could…But I cannot in this form. It would be…rather awkward and uncomfortable.” Came his soft voice as he took the time to loop a metal arm around her waist. [YN] flushed red in the face for a moment, not expecting that from him. She also felt her heart fluttering. Her jaw slacked and opened slightly in shock.
“I-I… Oh ….I-I…..see. I…was not…. expecting that.” She stumbled over her words, red in the face and wishing she could hide her face in shock. Did the Narrator really just say that? And it seemed so shameless . But maybe because he couldn’t blush.
He was quiet, watching her expression and suddenly feeling a wave of pleasure rip through him. He gave a odd shudder. “Yes…But I would rather not hurt you. Even though I have absolute control over this form and can manipulate whatever I wish….It would be too much.” He said softly. “It is why I brushed you off. The obvious difference in us is clear as day. I am a /core/, not a /human./ Made of foreign metal and whatever the hell else they put into creating me….And you are a fragile human. Holding you now is an extremely delicate operation.”
“So what do we do?” She asked him, suddenly saddened by this. “You know that I don’t care what you are right?” She told him. “Perhaps I’ve not said it enough times…”
“I know. But you must understand me….It is strange. Different. How can a human be with a Finalized robot? Something that is not even considered to be fully intelligent in your realm? Or even considered…alive.” He said to her.
“You have not seen the internet...But seriously But you clearly are. You are perfectly aware of yourself. You have human emotions. You think. You feel…You are alive. It’s not subjective.” She said firmly.
“....Perhaps you are right.” He said after a while, his eye watching her as she moved her aching arms to touch his finger like digits on his arms curiously. [YN] stared at them curiously, knowing these were the fingers that grasped papers delicately and turned pages with. They weren’t even worn with use. They were sleek and surprisingly nimble.
He watched as she blinked in surprise as they twitched and opened, taking her hands and rubbing her palms. She smiled then and grew amused.
“But until I find a suitable form…We shouldn’t advance on each other. The flirting….the teasing is all fine….But we must think critically here.” He told her softly. “I…hope you understand.”
“So will our relationship be distant? Is that what you are saying?” She asked him just as softly. “Just words…endless flirting….Talking to one another?”
His voice did not come for a time, as though he was unsure of what to say. He did not want to hurt her feelings. He did not want her to stop listening to him. He just…didn’t want to lose her. She belonged here, with him.
“...For now.” Came his low voice finally. And [YN] shuddered to hear it.
"I hope its sooner rather then later." She admitted. "I…grew attached so quickly to you. And after all the shit I’ve been through…I still want to be here."
“I’m not surprised by what you have told me." He said, tilting his eye as though tilting his head. “Are you certain you want to remain here?...After everything that has happened? Not that I know of a way of escape….But you don’t have to put up with me.” He said.
She furrowed her brows and looked up at him. “Yes….You don’t know this…But I know what it's like to be agonizingly alone …And I wouldn’t have you go through that.”
He was quiet, wondering what on earth she had been through to say that to him. She said she had friends. But she was alone? It puzzled him.
“We should return to the apartment…Rethink what to do next.” He said and [YN] fussed.
“No. Don’t…go anywhere…don’t reset yet….Just…let me stay here with you for a moment….” She said, her emotions on her face as she leaned back against his frame. Her hand gently touched his lower eyelid and his eyes turned soft.
“It’s a shame we are not in the Zen room.” He muttered and [YN] groaned softly. “Zen room?” She mumbled, before he laughed. “Now whos forgetting? The colorful room. The view would be much nicer then this….I thought the colors would be a bit much for you once you woke.”
“Ohhh…right.” She muttered, not wanting to move and groaning. “I’m just tired…” She whispered, hoping that was all it was. “I don’t mind the colors….it’s pretty in there.”
She began to worry internally. What was the game without Stanley? [YN] couldn’t do nearly as well as Stanley. She wasn’t a strong construct. Just a frail human, capable of dying. She would remain careful, knowing she had to for the Narrator’s sake.
What was she going to do now? What could she do?
She tried to put it out of her mind, wanting to enjoy the moment she was having with the Narrator, still taking in his appearance and sensing his unease of being seen. It didn’t change who he was. Someone with a voice…Someone who went through some shit like she did.
And most certainly human.
AN: I’m going to take a “break.” But in reality I will be planning the next chapters and writing what I can. They will just forever to get finished. I have the ending and everything written down as ideas. I’m just going to take my sweet time with it.
Chapter 10: To Err is human
Chapter Text
AN: I'm not feeling well and neither are my friends. So I wrote some cute stuff for us. Semi boring.
[YN] had been laying in the palm of the Narrator's large hand, not wanting to go anywhere and resting there lightly. Her eyes would glance to the Narrator once in a while. She was finding it easy to drift off.
“We’ve been here a while.” The Narrator realized softly, looking at [YN] who had her eyes lidded slightly.
“And we’ll be here longer.” She cracked out and the Narrator gave a soft laugh. “But you’re tired. Don’t you want to rest?” He asked. “I know I would.”
“Can you?” She asked him curiously, looking up at him. The Narrator looked at her with a dilated pupil, thinking how small she was.
“No. But through you, I understand what sleep is.” He said with a chuckle.
She smiled a bit, thinking to herself. She didn’t want this to be over yet. She didn’t want to stop seeing him. To have him reduced to just a voice…She wanted to stay there with him.
Her hands were still playing with his many strange mechanical hands, giggling softly at how he wiggled a small finger at her, as though scolding her.
“Are you that amused?” He asked sweetly, before it moved to stroke her hair out of her face. [YN] then perked and smiled at that. “Yes I am.” She said, feeling relaxed at this touch.
Tentatively, she felt his smaller metal hand glide slowly across her cheek, before resting below her lips. She gave a shiver and felt embarrassed.
To her surprise, a finger slowly touched her lower lip, as though feeling its softness. [YN] got butterflies in her stomach at that and glanced up at the Narrator.
They stared at each other for several moments, before the Narrators eye turned a calm purple. [YN] had not seen this color from him and was surprised.
"You tempt me…" He whispered, removing his finger away and gently stroking her jawline. "What a strange new feeling it is…"
She felt butterflies in her stomach. "Temptation…" She smiled softly, knowing that feeling. "Your eye color changed. Like a mood ring."
"Purple suits me I think." He amused her, before sighing sadly. "Being close to you like this…I feel…embarrassed by my form…I worry of hurting you." He said, his eye expressing worry.
"We can try several things…" She offered. "Granted…I…don't know what pleasures you. But we can try."
He looked at her curiously then, uncertain of this. He had to think about it. "Considering how new this all is to me…I can say seeing you happy gives me pleasure. At least…a sensation of feeling good."
[YN] blushed suddenly, thinking that was very sweet. She sat up slowly, wincing as her neck still hurt. She smiled softly at him, before she leaned up carefully and kissed his lower eyelid.
There was an immediate response.
The Narrator gasped and lurched away suddenly using his rail system, letting go of her and hiding away in the dark, his pupil had shrunk in either terror or shock. He blinked at her rapidly in the dark. [YN[ gave a grunt as she landed roughly on the paneling above the viewing room.
[YN]'s eyes were wide, blinking and looking like a blowfish as she tried not to laugh. "Are you okay? Oh my god. You look so terrified. "
"I-I…" He stammered. "Did you just kiss me?!" He asked and his eye flicked all around, his pupil color changing to a distinct pink color before going back to yellow.
"Yes! Did that feel weird?." She Asked him.
The Narrator seemed unsure for a moment, seeming vulnerable for once and puzzled. His pupil was still tiny and flickering about in the dark.
[YN] slowly moved to stand up, wobbling a bit. She clutched her head and shuddered, before she slowly moved into the darkness, hearing the thrumming of whatever was out there.
She was soon enveloped in the dark, looking to where the Narrator was tucked away in a corner, looking at her slowly. His eye considered her slowly, before the pupil enlarged.
“It felt /wonderful/.”
[YN]’s eyes lit up at that and she laughed softly. “Aw…I didn’t mean to spook you.” She said. “I can stop and we can go back to the apartment if it’s too much-”
"No." He said suddenly, his large robotic hand came down from the dark to grasp her slowly and lift her up. [YN] gasped softly and dangled there, surprise on her face.
"Not yet." He said, looking at her some more.
Slowly [YN] smiled and laughed. "Now you don't want to…" She said, amused but pleased.
She remained there, being held by him and watching him just stare at her. He must have been reeling in these new emotions he had. He didn't want her to go away.
As time went on, she began to nod off, feeling exhausted and sore from her ordeal. The Narrator saw this clearly and chuckled softly, knowing she was cozy there.
He then looked upon the world around them, knowing what he had to do next. He then moved along the rail system quietly, carrying [YN] to her next destination. His smaller hands stroked her hair and cheek. She woke up briefly, watching the strange world pass her by and seeing the out of bounds world around her. It was dark. But she could see how he saw the rooms through the glass panel squares and the cameras. All was revealed to her.
She then closed her eyes, nuzzling the robotic fingers that held her and fell asleep.
THE END IS NEVER THE END
THE END IS NEVER THE END
THE END IS NEVER THE END
“Mhnn…” [YN] groaned softly, her eyes feeling dry along with her throat as she made a noise. She kept her eyes shut, barely staying awake long enough to notice. But as several minutes went by, she realized she was in her soft bed in her apartment.
She opened her eyes slowly, glancing around the room and shutting her eyes again. Why did she feel like absolute crap?
Oh, the backrooms. She had her ass kicked practically. And by god her neck hurt. But there was more. Her throat itched and her nose felt strange. Was she sick?
She swallowed a few times, trying to clear her throat, before she mumbled softly. “N-Narrator?” She said, hoping he was there somewhere. She felt sad that she had fallen asleep. She wanted to spend as much time with him as possible within her sights.
“Oh good. You’re awake. I got some ideas for us today that i think you’re going to like dear~” He said, before he paused, seeing the sad look suddenly overtake [YN]’s face. “Are you….okay?”
“I….I think I’m sick hon.” She said softly. “My body feels like lead. My throat itches…..”
“Are you?” He said, puzzled by this. “How did you get….Oh. Right…The Backrooms.” He sighed softly.
[YN] blinked sleepily at that, groaning in response through the fluffy blanket and closing her eyes slowly. “Mhhhnnn.”
“Well, no adventures today dear.” He said to her, able to tell she was aching and weak. “What do humans even do when they are sick…” He muttered and she heard the noise of papers being looked through. “Soup? Warm baths? Sleep?”
“Fluids…” She mumbled, not opening her eyes. “Lots of water….Something to keep a fever down…Ibuprofen works…”
“That sounds tedious…” He sighed and [YN] did not respond, having fallen asleep quickly. The Narrator then made a snapping sound and [YN] jerked awake.
“What?!” She whined, not liking being awoken. “Let me sleep for gods sake!!”
“You haven’t eaten yet.” He said then and [YN] groaned in aggravation. “Don’t you whine at me, player or I’ll come down there. I need you in good shape.”
It was then [YN] quirked a brow and she smirked slowly under the blanket. “You best get down here then.” She teased him. “I’ll whine all day if I have to.”
“That was meant to be threatening, not a tease.”
“Same thing.”
“[YN]!!” He fussed.
“What? Don’t threaten me with a good time.” She told him, before closing her eyes.
“Gods…You are impulsive and childish..”
“You woke me up.”
He gave a pained groan and [YN] was smiling under the blanket, weakly starting to laugh. The Narrator found it contagious and he tried to tune her out.
“Alright. Just rest for a bit…I’m going to try something..” He suddenly said and [YN] perked a bit, sitting up slowly. “Try what?” She asked him.
“A surprise. It will be here when you wake up.” He said then, his voice sounding like it was coming from the livingroom. She was puzzled, but sleep was claiming her again.
“Okay…” She whispered, deciding to rest there for a while, which wasn’t hard to do. She was drifting so far off in her neverland she didn’t want to come back for a while.
She was already in a strange place. Water, she could see water and the sky was a dark cloudy area. But this didn’t bother her. She liked this kind of weather. The rain hitting her felt wonderful on her hot skin.
[YN] blinked several times and looked about, unsure of where she was for a moment. She walked across the dirt ground, thinking to herself.
Upon seeing massive crates, she squinted at the writing on them, seeing the words “Reviews” on them. She stopped, blinking several times.
The memory zone? The reviews area? Why was she here?
Having a strange moment of lucidness she approached some billboards, seeing the odd reviews left behind for the game and furrowing her brows sadly. The Narrator was still holding onto these meaningless reviews.
[YN] squatted down, looking at one review and sighing softly, knowing how painful it was to get reviews on something you did that were negative. It stuck with you. It could change you even. She felt for the poor Narrator.
While the idea for the game is good it becomes very repetitive and boring fast despite all the “alternative endings” and good cameo appearances. This game is titled thought provoking but you will get the idea it tries to communicate pretty fast and then it's just repeating the whole no choice in games thing over and over again. For somebody who prefers nonlinear games this preachiness gets annoying fast and is neither a revelation nor very interesting. it is thought-provoking only in the first minutes.
She then sighed, deciding to explore a bit more and go to look at the strange ocean that looked…oddly dirty.
[YN] listened to the strange lapping of the water as she stood there, wondering if she was really here. In her own mind, she thought this was peaceful. The thunder rumbling did nothing to deter her from her spot.
She then leaned down, seeing yet another billboard comment.
Honestly I could not be bothered to play this game to full completion. the narrator is obnoxious and unfunny with his humor and dialogue proving to be more irritating than entertaining. The individual paths themselves are not very fun, not offering much to do throughout each path. and requiring some rather tedious nonsense to get certain endings. I cannot recommend this game to anyone even as a “so bad it's good” game as you're more than likely wind up bored by your third or fourth playthrough.
[YN] sighed at that. “Narrator…..You have so very little idea of how much your game truly means to me….” She whispered softly, thinking about the past few days with him.
She then felt a strange looming presence next to her and she looked about, furrowing her brow. She didn’t see anything around her. But what was there?
“Interesting. Your body is in the apartment, but you are here.” Came the narrators voice and [YN] irked, blinking at the empty air.
“Narrator?....”
“Remote viewing dear. I sensed two of you. Why would you come this far? Were you curious about the reviews?” He chuckled. “I have honestly forgotten about this place.” He said and [YN] raised a brow.
“What's this review?” He said curiously, seeing the one that [YN] had just read. “Honesty I could not be bothered to play this game….da da da….The Narrator is obnoxious and /UNFUNNY/…”
“Narrator-” [YN] started but the Narrator kept going.
“With his humor and dialogue proving to be more irritating than entertaining- /UNNNNNFUNNYYYY?!!/ I’m not trying to be funny, I’m trying to make a serious work of art! I suppose I could write up a handful of gags to insert into the Stanley parable-”
“Narry-” [YN] tried again and was laughing at how he said the word Unfunny. But the Narrator seemed to have lost it.
“But the game is already such a densely layered web of profound philosophical insights. That i can’t even imagine where I’d have the room to stick them-”
“NARRATOR!” [YN] snapped, causing him to stop in surprise. “Your game is PERFECT. Stop doing that to yourself. STOP IT.”
“But these reviews-”
“They are worthless. The game is not for everyone. In my world, Davey Wreden made this game. It drove him insane with how much attention he had gotten, both good and bad. It swallowed him up. At least from what a biography of him stated. I won’t let you be stupid and go down that path. Ignore those reviews and move on. Know your limits, know you created something wonderful and relax. For fucks sake that's why I’m here in the bloody first place! ”
“...Davey Wreden…..” He trailed off, knowing he had seen that name several times. He then felt utterly embarrassed by her words, feeling like a child who got no recognition. “I’m sorry, [YN]. I shouldn’t have held onto these awful memories. They do nothing but make me angry and doubt myself.”
“It’s okay. You’re only human.” She said, before realizing what she said. “Ah….I mean… No , I won’t take that back. You are very much human .”
“Somehow I’m not insulted.” He said, as though in thought. “What is human anyways? Can anyone really truly answer that question?”
“To err is to human. Is one of them.” She chuckled, looking at the billboard before she promptly kicked it, breaking it in half before she stepped onto it, kicking dirt onto it with her shoe.
“There, now you won’t look at it again.” She said, not satisfied until most of the words were buried.
“I love your sentiment. But it is within my memory….But the gesture is sweet, [YN].” He said and [YN] sighed.
“You could turn this whole area into a beautiful beach. Why don’t you do that?” She asked him.
“I….just never thought of it…because I was so swept up by everyone's opinion of the game. But it would look pretty here….wouldn’t it.”
She nodded, listening to the thunder rumbling. “Do you want me to wake up?” She asked him then.
“If you could…My surprise is waiting for you. You’ve been asleep for maybe…4 hours?” He mused.
“Oh wow…” She realized, before thinking. “....Can you help me wake up?” She asked him. “I’m…struggling a little. I’m in a deep sleep.” She said, slightly feeling the urge to wake.
“Hmm…..I will try one thing.” He said, before she no longer felt his presence.
[YN] looked up at the sky as it rained again, getting her face slightly wet. She was thinking about what this part of the world would look like, a clean sandy beach with blue waters like Hawaii. It was a nice thought.
But she soon tensed as she felt a ghost of a breath near her ear, making her suddenly tremble. “The dream had been lovely for dear [YN]. And [YN] had decided that now would be a good time to finally wake up. Awaken my dear…”
His voice penetrated her being, her mind. Her motor skills. She gasped softly. She felt her eyes rolling and eyes fluttering from the smoothness of his voice alone, before [YN] groaned awake.
She gripped her blanket, blinking and looking around. Was he- Was he just here? He had whispered in her ear. And it was like he commanded her very core. And it was pleasant. What did he do to her?
“Well that certainly works. Thats good to know.” He said before he gave an odd giggle.
“The hell was that? Oh jesus…” She whispered. “That was…Weird. Your voice…”
“I simply influenced you dear.” He said sweetly. “And I daresay….you responded immediately.” he teased and [YN]’s face flushed red. “You arse. That had to be hypnosis.” She fussed and the Narrator seemed to gawk a bit. “It wasn’t meant to hurt you dear. You seemed to have enjoyed it.” he said and [YN] flushed red even harder.
“Shuddup.” She fussed, hiding herself under her blanket and groaning at the achiness in her bones.
“Oh come now, don’t be that way. I made you something. Something simple. Don’t you want to see it?” He asked.
She then poked her head out, blinking her tired eyes. “Maaaaybe?” She said and the Narrator laughed. “Go on now, go in the living room. It’s on the table.”
She thought about it, before quietly slipping out of the bed, her nightgown slightly ruffling behind her. She then realized he had put her in her night gown. But somehow she didn’t mind this.
She sighed, making sure she could stand before she opened the door to the livingroom, only to be met with a amazing smell. Something had been cooked. She then walked through the area with the tv on the wall, before smiling at what was on the table.
There was a bowl of soup sitting there along with water. She smiled softly. “You’re super sweet!”
“I hope it is to your taste.” He said and chuckled. “I can only simulate taste and smell. Which is…well almost the same as you I would think. But you are the one with actual taste buds here.”
She then chuckled, going to sit down and stare at the food. It certainly looked like food, beef, bone broth, and several chopped veggies. She thought it was too cute.
“Just…like that?” She said, in shock.. “How?”
“You know how.” He fussed, wondering if she was losing memory with her illness. “Ingredients are simple to create. And my sense of taste is there. I had quite the mess to clean up though.”
"To me it’s like magic how you do that.” She said, testing it slowly and blowing on the spoon that was provided, before she slowly had a bite, her eyes lit up in happiness.
“Oh please. It’s much more intricate than that. I deserve more than a simple “It’s magic” explanation.” He said and [YN] laughed at that.
“This is so freaking good.” She squealed, getting another scoop.
“Is it?” he mused.
“Really good!” She said happily. “I’m glad.” She said happily, before drinking her glass of water. She felt oddly thirsty. “You can be super sweet.”
“I try. At least for you…” He said in a croning way. “After you have this, you should be feeling tons better. And you should have a relaxing bath and get some more rest.” He said and [YN] giggled softly.
“Then we’ll go on some more adventures….I’d love that.” She said then and the Narrator could have smiled at that. “I’m delighted.” He said.
[YN] was surprised that she managed to eat the whole bowl, having a good healthy appetite. And she even finished her water. Just what did he put in that soup that made it so good?
She then went to grab the bowl and the cup, only to have them vanished. She then laughed softly. “I forget…” She whispered. “Self cleaning…”
“You think I would have you clean dishes while sick? No no no. This is your time to relax.” He said and [YN] laughed still, before she slowly made her way to the bathroom, thinking for a moment. She looked at her disheveled appearance in the mirror before she turned on the warm water to the tub.
Without shutting the door, she slowly began to remove her night gown, letting it slide down her shoulders. The Narrator sputtered. “U-Um…[YN] What are you doing?”
Honestly, [YN] wasn’t sure herself and bit her lip. “I’m not afraid to let you see me…” She said softly, before she let her dress fall completely to the floor.
There was sharp inhale from him. “I-I oh dear.” He said, sounding absolutely flustered. “A-Are you…Trying to tease me?” He was uncertain of what even to say and [YN] blushed nervously, knowing she was taking a large step here.
[YN] felt her cheeks heating up, before she continued, taking off her panties before she moved into the bathtub, her back still facing the doorway. “I’m relaxed enough with you to do this.” She gave as a response, trying to not groan as the warmth hit her bones.
She heard the Narrator suddenly mumbling something as she laid her chin on the lip of the tub, raising a brow at hearing papers being gone through. “Nothing here…” He whispered as she heard a page being turned. “Have a fever by any chance?” He asked her.
“No…” She said before she started to laugh hysterically. “Do you think I have a fever as a reason to why I undressed in front of you? Oh my god. You goofball. I’m just okay to be around you like this.”
“Well it was certainly unexpected….But not…unpleasant. [YN] I must be honest. I have never…How do I put this. The human body has not intrigued me before. But what you did just now…Made me feel…/something/…What that is, I cannot say. But you are…./very attractive/.”
[YN] then scrunched up her shoulders, blushing nervously. “And you are very handsome.” She said shyly, feeling like they were practically children, unsure of what to say to the other and learning new feelings of attraction.
They were both quiet for ages, even as [YN] washed up and rinsed. She was certain he was shamelessly watching her.
After a while, [YN] got out, wrapping herself up in a towel and going into the bedroom. She swore she heard the Narrator inhale a soft gasp, as though he were biting his non existent hand or thumb in shock.
She blushed nervously. She then undid her towel around her hair and began braiding it, doing her usual ritual. When she awoke next her hair would be almost dry and curly. She was still quiet, putting her night gown on and then pulling her towel off from underneath her. She heard the Narrator sigh and she almost laughed.
She was certain he was enjoying it somehow. She wondered if he was blushing practically. Or close to blowing a circuit somehow. But it seemed too soon. He was still shy after all.
Looking back at the lamp she clicked it off, before she relaxed into her bed Tomorrow was going to be interesting. She hoped she would feel better. She wanted to see what fun games they would try tomorrow.
“You okay up there? Not gonna blow a circuit?” She asked sheepishly.
“A circuit- Oh hah hah. Very funny. I’m just fine.” The Narrator said finally after he sputtered. “You like to push me don’t you? Even after I said we should remain at a good distance. You want some type of lewd reaction. Something.” He chuckled in a low tone.
“Maybe.” She said, before letting her towel drop and another gasp escaped him. She laughed softly and put on her night gown. “You sound like you’re blushing practically.”
“I don’t blush.” He fussed and [YN] laughed hard.
“Okay. Okay. I’m gonna go to sleep now….Hopefully I’ll feel better by morning.” She said happily. “Maybe we can go to the Zen room and relax there.” She said happily.
“That would be nice.” He said then. “Try not to wonder off in your dreams again. I didn’t know humans were capable of it.” He mused and [YN] furrowed her brows. “Yeah….I don’t know how that happened.” She said worriedly.
“Try not to think too much about it dear. I’ll find you wherever you go now.” He said then and she nodded.
“Alright….Good night hon.” She said softly, thinking this day was just too cute for words. And she had done a lovely gesture for the Narrator. She sighed and stretched, before she snuggled into her bed.
But after a bit, she felt slightly wired, her eyes still open. She was thinking about the dream. What if she wondered off into the backrooms? She couldn’t handle that. She would lose her mind. She had already been through enough.
“You’re still awake.” The Narrator said flatly and [YN] groaned softly.
“Just worried.”
“Believe me when I say, you are safe here now. I am keeping an eye on you…Do I have to influence you?” He asked in a odd teasing voice.
“Uuuuuuh nope. Nope. I’m good. G’night.” She said and blushed nervously.
“Good. Goodnight dear.”
There was a moment of silence, before the Narrator spoke.
“You’re not going to sleep are you?”
“....Might not. I may have changed my mind on not wanting your influence.”
“Ugh....”
AN: Next chapter will be smutty. Working on it. Just trying to get over some nausea and busy stuff.
Chapter 11: Narrative Contradiction
Summary:
Well, this is it. I did my best here. NSFW AND SMUT IN THIS CHAPTER. Hope you're enjoying your holiday with this one. XD
Notes:
Add my discord.
Mad Hatter#4782
Tumblr: https://askmadhattercolours.tumblr.com
Chapter Text
[YN] was out like a light after the poor Narrator had to convince her to rest. He was surprised by the level of worry inside her head. That kind of anxiety was not healthy. He had simply whispered in her ear and she fell asleep quick. He needed her to keep resting with how unwell she had been.
Soon he let her be, knowing she would be alright.
[YN] thankfully was having a dreamless sleep. She felt oddly sore and puzzled when she slowly woke up several hours later however, when she heard the Narrator laughing about something in the living room.
She grunted, confused by how the Narrator could be laughing so hard about something. She was slowly sliding out of bed, sneaking quietly to the door and peering slowly into the living room, her eyes going wide in surprise.
On the tv on the wall, was the show Rick And Morty, one of her many favorite shows. And it was the part where Rick had turned himself into a pickle.
“Heeheehee- He turned himself- HAHAHAHAAAA. H-He turned himself into a pickle! A pickle [YN]!!” He said, alerting her that he knew she was there.
A smile spread over her face at this, having not heard him be so tickled before. She then opened the door wide and began laughing with him, finding his laughter to be adorable and contagious. “I love Rick And Morty!” She said, going to sit down to watch it.
“That was without a doubt, the funniest shit I’ve ever seen. This is what you people watch?” He said, surprising [YN] that he could indeed curse. He then continued to laugh hysterically, flooding the apartment with it and making [YN] laugh harder.
“Some of us. Wait 'til you see the Shy Pooper episode. I lost my mind with that. And the operation Phoenix episode. So many great scenes.” She said, pleased he liked the show. “How are you even getting these channels?” She asked curiously, pulling her sore legs against her chest.
“I was experimenting. Attempting to see what is being broadcasted through waves from your world…”
“That just sounds like an interdimensional cable episode.” She laughed then. “You’re rick in disguise .” She teased and the Narrator laughed softly.
“We certainly share similar qualities. He can be a god if he chooses. He is a genius. He is the center of his own universe.” He said and [YN] nodded, continuing to watch the show and smiling at how far they pushed the limit on the script.
She noticed it had been nearly two hours when the Narrator spoke. “So, there is a map that I think you’re going to particularly enjoy today. Are you feeling up to it?” He asked her.
She thought about it, rubbing her legs and feeling less sore then yesterday. “I think so.” She said then. “The soup helped…And I don’t feel hungry right now.”
“You should have breakfast just in case.” He said in a fatherly like tone. [YN] smiled then and slowly got up, going to the kitchen and thinking to herself.
After a bit, she had eaten and gotten ready, deciding to try on new merch clothes and smiling. “I’m ready.” She said then.
“Alright. Showtime~”
Then everything went black.
......
[YN] grunted as her head hurt suddenly, feeling a little woozy before she squinted at her new environment. A glass sheen was obscuring her vision. However she could finally tell where she was after a few seconds.
“PORTAL!!!” She squeaked out muffledly, realizing the bed she was in wasn’t opening yet. She waited a bit, before the glass case one the bed finally opened, allowing her to roam freely inside the glass case.
She sat up, hearing the music of the radio and smiling slowly, loving this.
“I don’t know how I feel about seeing you inside a glass case. Like some sort of guinea pig.” The Narrator’s voice echoed in the room. “But at least you are safe in there.” He said.
“Well, here's some idea for a roleplay for you. Pretend your glaDOS. You’ll be having her role today. I hope you have the full game….” She said eagerly.
“I do. It’s the full port.” He said and [YN] squealed at that. “And I’ve never roleplayed before~ Should be interesting.”
She then smiled, watching the side of the glass case open. She then walked out, thinking to herself as she went into the other room, seeing the large button on the floor. She stepped onto it, watching as the cube fell to the floor from the Shute on the other side of the room. She heard the Narrator laugh. “This game has many puzzles it seems. Can you beat them all?”
“I played this one…A long time ago. Maybe I can.…a real companion cube.” She said, fascinated by this and slowly lifting it, only to find it was very heavy. “Oh Jesus!” She squeaked, before she pushed it around. The Narrator began laughing. “You are so small.” He said endearingly.
[YN] laughed at that and pushed the cube about, straining herself and placing it over the button. There was a satisfying noise and she door opened. She smiled and panted. “Would be better if I had a portal gun.” She said and approached the elevator slowly, wondering if he would take it away. Just below it was a gaping hole into the backrooms…She grew nervous.
“It won’t move until you enter it dear.” He replied to her thoughts. “We’re going to play the full game.”
“Okay…” She said and slowly went to the door, before slipping inside.
She then smiled as the door shut and she began to ascend up. She was playing portal, but with the Narrator. She was going to love this so much.
…………………….
Jumping through the portals holes was scary enough, seeing herself from another part of the room was creepy in itself. But with the braces on her legs, she was practically flying through the air and loving every second of it. But soon the levels began to turn complicated and her brain was starting to become incredibly confused by some of the layout. She never beat the game before. And wasn’t sure if she could this time.
“Okay…” [YN] said after a moment of catching her breath. “I think I’m good.” She said and the Narrator laughed. “You got pretty far. Seeing you fly about was amusing I must admit.” He said and [YN] laughed at that.
“Yeah that was super fun. Can we try the Zen ending? Not the uh....stairs but....the room.” She asked him then and the Narrator was quiet for a moment.
“Yes. I think I would like that.”
She was sad when she was grabbed and spawned elsewhere, right in the center of the lounge room. She got a quick glance around the room, before looking at her legs. Her leg braces were gone and she was without her portal gun. She pouted a bit, missing being able to jump through the air. She then looked up slightly, smiling and heading down the hallway. She noticed the door was open to the maintenance section. She paused, blinking for a moment. She was having an odd sense of Deja Vu.
But that couldn’t have been right. She hadn’t been here before. She would know of all things. Her memory was impeccable…
“[YN]??” The Narrator said softly. “You want to go somewhere else then?”
“No uh….” She was confused by this sensation. She was certain she never had gone down there, the maintenance elevator in particular. Why did she feel so strange?
“Come on dear.” The Narrator said gently. “Just through these doors. Then the lift.” He said sweetly.
She then nodded, avoiding the door and going into the warehouse. She stood in the first room, blinking at the sheer size of the warehouse. So this was where Chris….fell.
Getting over her bewilderment, she exited the room on her left and walked out slowly, seeing the lift but also the boxes stacked hundreds of feet against the wall around her. Why did they build something so potentially dangerous? Feeling woozy, she peered slowly down, swallowing at seeing the height.
She then pushed herself back, panting and starting to sweat, feeling her fear of heights come back.
“I won’t let you fall.” The Narrator then said, seeing her becoming extremely stressed. “You only need to stand on the lift and hold onto one of the cables.”
“....Okay.” She said, still breathing shakily. “Just please for the love of god don’t shove me off.” She said, not wanting a repeat of the hole.
“Oh no, this will be your full choice. You have to make that leap forward.” He told her.
She sighed, fighting against her anxiety and moving quickly, stepping onto the yellow lift and gripping the cables tightly.
She then heard the wiring of the lift and grunted as it began to move forward before it began to lift so much higher then she already liked it, feeling a powerful sense of unease and vertigo as the floor seemed miles away.
“Are you ready?” The Narrator then asked, starting to chuckle. “You’re going to miss it.” He said and it was suddenly setting [YN] off and not in a good way.
“It’s….really far.” She told him, knowing it was really far in the game as well, and still she wondered how Stanley managed it. Every second that went by the more she was going to miss her jump…
“Oh come now dear, you can make that jump. What are you afraid of? You won’t hurt yourself making that jump. How about this, I dare you to do it.” He said and [YN] made a face at that.
“No that doesn’t help…”
“You’re going to miss it. You’re going to miss it-” He began to tease and [YN] was panicking.
“Go on! Do it! Do it!” The Narrator continued, making her feel more anxious. She was going to miss her jump…
“I CAN’T!” She said then and suddenly the lift stopped, making her almost lurch forward. “I NEED A DAMN MOMENT!”
“[YN]...” He trailed off, seeing her hyperventilating a bit. Her hands were sweating and barely able to grip the cable that kept her standing. Her vision blurred a bit and she closed them for a moment.
“If I had those braces….Fuck. I’m…panicking.” She then inhaled painfully, opening her eyes and looking at the catwalk which felt like miles down. She then braced herself, knowing she had to do it before she had a total mental breakdown.
As she went to leap, a loud snapping sound was heard and the lift lost two of it’s cables on one side, causing [YN] to scream and hang onto the remaining ledge.
“Oh my god [YN]!!!” The Narrator yelled out.
“RESET!!” [YN] screamed out immediately as she clung to the lift. She struggled and grunted, unsure of what to do as she felt her fingers growing weaker and weaker. “RESET!!! NARRATOR!!!”
Screaming, [YN]'s fingers slipped and she fell off the lift, falling straight down and towards the cement floor. She expected searing pain and unconsciousness once she hit…
She was going to die like Chris.
It was then she felt a heaviness wrap around her waist and chest, her head lolling and her body stiffened. She recognized what caught her, The Narrator’s arms.
“Got you.” Whispered his voice from behind her, making [YN] shudder. She stared down at the floor and caught her breath finally, her arms shakily moving to grasp the robotic arm around her chest, her heart racing out of her ribcage. “H-Holy…..Holy shit!”
“Calm yourself.” He said and lifted her up slowly, taking her to the catwalk and slowly releasing her onto it. She stood there shakily and turned, facing the Narrator after the first time in a long while. His great sleek metallic glowing eye stared at her worriedly, before he began to slink away, releasing his last hold around her waist.
[YN] trembled for a moment, gripping the railing and looking back at the broken lift, wondering how that happened, before she reached out and grasped the robotic arm letting her go.
The Narrator was still for a moment, looking back at her and scanning her face. He blinked slowly, the digit fingers he hand moved to slowly grasp her arm, holding on gently. [YN] considered him, before looking shocked as another arm moved towards her, brushing her disheveled hair away from her face, being careful with her strands of hair.
[YN] was surprised with herself as she leaned into the touch, unsure if he could feel as she could. She felt her mind rushing as he did this, knowing it was different.
She stared at his optic, watching just how expressive he was. His metal eyelids were soft and his pupil was dilated. She then jumped as the optic widened in fear seemingly before he pulled away from her, clearing his fake throat. “I must fix the lift…” He said and went back to it.
[YN] stared after him, her eyes saddened. She still remembered his words. They would remain distant. Flirt from afar. But seeing him in front of her, she didn’t care about his appearance. “N-Narrator…”
“Go to the zen room.” He said then, glancing to her before looking away. A tool emerged from his many metal hands, welding the lift back together. “I will meet you there…and we will talk.” He said finally.
[YN] was puzzled, surprised by this before nodding and walking down to the other room, pausing to glance back at the Narrator once more, seeing his eye narrowed as he reattached the two cables that had snapped. What had caused the cables to snap? Overuse? But everything should be working like it was new with each reset…
She then walked through the darkness, going up some steps and finding herself in the zen room, watching the lights come on and the starry sky activate. She looked around, rubbing her eyes to adjust to the colors before sitting down, thinking to herself.
“.....[YN].” Came his voice from nowhere. And [YN] sighed softly, wishing he would have appeared to her again. She felt…despairingly alone.
“[YN]...are you alright?” He asked, noticing her silence. “Are you wondering about why the lift snapped?”
“....Yes…why did it snap?” She said, trying to ignore the feelings she had for him. The Narrator had already made his choice to be distant.
“I believe…it may be a narrative contradiction. Are you aware of what that is?”
The question stunned [YN] and she felt an uncomfortable chill go up her back. She damn well knew what that was. “...Yes….It’s when the game starts to break down…deteriorate. Because of a real life player in the game. It cannot deal with reality…..Oh my god…” She gasped softly. “My presence is fucking up your game….”
“To put it bluntly…yes…I had hoped it would never happen….Your presence here is destabilizing everything. Because you are not from this realm. But eventually…the game may…break down even further. And eventually…the game may be corrupted…or remove you from the world entirely…” His voice sounded so horribly depressed and in turn, made [YN] very depressed.
It was not what she wanted to hear. It was her worst nightmare. She breathed shakily and suddenly pulled her legs into her chest, trembling. She couldn’t help it. She had grown attached to being here. And now it would fight to remove her from it. And the Narrator seemed powerless to stop it…
“[YN]...” He said softly, but [YN] slammed her hand into the floor, growling out. “THIS IS SUCH BULLSHIT!! I CAN’T USE MY CLEVERNESS. I FEEL USELESS!”
“[YN] Please….” His voice seemed desperate suddenly. “I will attempt a full reset. I won’t allow this to happen to you…..It is not your fault….”
“It is all my fault….I did this…I can’t….have a happy ending with you. I thought my punishment was over…I break your game, I destroy Stanley. I caused a narrative contradiction…How is this not my fault.” In a moment of manic, she turned her head, looking back at the stairs which would lead to the suicide stairwell. Tears fell from her face and her eyes hardened in thought.
“[YN]....Don’t you dare.” Came his voice then. “Don’t you dare even think about it.” He warned. “I will forcibly stop you if you do something foolish.”
[YN] Felt herself trembling before she looked away, letting her pain consume her. She tried to internalize it, covering her face and feeling her shoulders jerk while she drew in small breaths. All the while, the Narrator could do nothing but listen. Because of the barriers he put between them. Because he was simply afraid.
"[YN] look at the room you are in…I know it's difficult….with all of this on your mind…I built this room to calm down and de-stress. I tried so hard in the past to get players to stay in this room. Even Stanley….They couldn’t sit still. They all….jumped."
[YN] felt a terrible pain in her chest at hearing this. “I won’t….I won’t do that to you.” She whispered softly.
“I hope not….” He said to her, his voice seemed so pained and miles away. “I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself.” He told her.
“Same here….” She said, watching the strange red foggy lights drift upwards in a circle, making her slightly euphoric. She loved places like this. Like staring at a huge lava lamp. She could zone out for hours.
Sighing and sniffling, she managed to somewhat calm herself. But there was sadness still there. The Narrator was quiet for a time and she swore she felt his presence up close.
“I need to…show you something.” Came the Narrators voice suddenly. “Something I’ve been wanting to try…If it will help us.”
[YN] furrowed her brows in confusion. “What is it?” She asked softly.
He seemed hesitant, giving a sigh. “We’re going back to the apartment. And I’m going to try something.” He said firmly. But his voice was rather shaky.
[YN] furrowed her brows, surprised by this, blinking before everything had gone black.
This particular spawn was off.
When she opened her eyes. It was dark in the apartment. Very dark. Not even the tv was on or the kitchen light. And she was…surrounded by candles?
Candles lit the way to the bedroom and she was quiet for a moment, confused by why the candles were here from the bucket ending.
“Uh….”
“In the bedroom dear.” Came his voice and [YN] was bewildered, not sure if she should laugh with her newer surroundings or be alarmed.
She then walked into the bed, seeing several more candles and almost flinching as the door shut and locked behind her, making her eyes glance behind her.
“...Whats this about?” She said, looking completely red in the face now. The setting was…romantic. But why?
“Theres no easy way to say this….” The Narrator started and [YN] became flustered, walking slowly to look at the bed, before feeling that looming presence again.
“There is….something I want to try with you.” He said then and [YN] looked puzzled.
To her surprise however, she felt something next to her, touching her shoulder lightly, before it grew in presence. Her shoulders were gently grabbed and she was held against something. She looked back, but saw nothing there. “N-Narrator…You wanted to be close didn’t you.”
“Yes….” He said softly, the sensation increased over her breasts and she shuddered softly, feeling weight there and the ghost of fingers trailing over her soft skin. She flinched slightly before relaxing into it. She was surprised by how quickly this happened. Perhaps he felt guilt for being distant.
“Narrator…” She whispered softly, enjoying the pleasant feeling. “I thought you wanted to be distant.” She said then. “Are you yourself having a Narrative Contradiction?”
She was surprised as she felt a hand on her chest, pressing her backwards and making her get onto the bed. She squeaked out.
A low chuckle escaped him. “....Maybe I am…Maybe I just can’t stop. Perhaps this will be the only time that I…” She was surprised by the gentleness of his voice. She trembled as the sensation glided down her stomach, over her hips and applying slight pressure between her legs. Like hands were trailing there. She closed her eyes and shuddered again. “O-Oh….gods.”
“That I do this….Am I hurting you?” He asked worriedly, the sensation was softer.
“N-No…Read my mind if you must…Just don’t stop.” She told him, leaning into it.
The Narrator was spurred on, lifting her shirt up slowly and exposing her breasts which she felt was being palmed. She shivered, feeling hands grope her slowly at first, before she felt a physical force laying over her.
This shocked her. The Narrator was capable of conjuring a makeshift body to touch her?
She then furrowed her brows, now able to see a bit of the figure on top of her. In the dark she could see something. But in another moment it was gone.
[YN]’s eyes shut tightly as she felt a sensation rubbing against her clit, making her legs tremble and try to close. She cried out softly and gripped the blanket under her. “O-Oh!”
“I must admit…I have no experience. But the thought of claiming you….Knowing that you are mine….it arouses me.” He said in a low purr that just drove [YN] mentally insane.
“C-Claiming me?” She said, astonished to hear this. “U-Uh….Oh god-” She gasped and arched as a jolt of pleasure ran between her legs as the rubbing increased. She then squeaked as she was pulled down the bed, her night gown lifting upwards.
Oh gods, he was serious.
“You think I’m joking? Hahahaha. You are mine.”
“W-Wait!” She squeaked out, needing a moment to process this. But the Narrator was chuckling, now feeling up her thighs which was the most sensual area for her and she shivered, gripping the bedsheet under her.
“Time waits for no one dear~” He chuckled, soon delivering a sudden bite to her neck. Or what felt like a bite. It was certainly enough to elicit a reaction. A lewd moan suddenly escaped [YN], making her squeak and cover her mouth. She was bombarded with a surge of new sensations and she was pleasantly overwhelmed.
“Someone liked that.” He chuckled in her ear and she lurched her head away, blushing and hiding her face in her hands. “N-Narrator….”
“Don’t be shy~” He said and suddenly had taken hold of her hands, placing them over her head, fingers intertwined with hers. [YN] blushed hard, surprised by this. “Seeing you like this is adorable. Don’t hide yourself from me.”
She then moaned as she felt teeth on her now exposed breasts, making her groan and nipples harden at that. The rubbing between her legs did not stop.
"Nghhh!"
"I haven't even begun~" He said in a growling voice and [YN] squeaked out.
She then squeaked as she was suddenly flipped in the bed like she was a ragdoll, her legs twitching as she was forced to be on her elbows and knees. The way he was speaking to her-
“Oh god!” She whined as she felt her hips being grabbed and squeezed, her eyes wanting to look behind her but she knew no male was there. Was this actually happening right now?
“So many questions rushing through your mind. Why not just enjoy it while it lasts?~”
She gave several mewls and squeals as her poor precious bud was rubbed and tweaked. She felt ashamed, but she wanted to hear more of his voice.
“All the teasing…Disobeying me, laughing at me. Well now, I will have the last laugh.” He said and [YN] felt a sensation build between her legs and she gasped as something pressed into her tight heat. She realized this was it.
"All ready for me, darling?" He asked her In his most sonorous voice, squeezing her hips and making her mewl like a whore at this point.
"N-Narrator I've never….I'm…."
"I'm aware." He said then and [YN] gasped at his words and what he did next. He pressed in, Soft at first, before plunging deeply into her.
“S-Shit! W-What?! ” She hardly had time to register this, her back arching and legs trembling. “N-Narrator!”
She heard the Narrator give a sudden moan and she went quiet in confusion, her face red from the actual noise. All movement ceased.
"D-Did….Did you just… moan?! "
"I….what a strange new sensation that was." He said, sounding utterly embarrassed. "And….what a strange noise I just made. Is that normal?"
A strangled laugh escaped poor [YN] at that, realizing just how ridiculous this really was, before gasping as he gave a experimental thrust into her, hitting her deep core and making [YN] shut her eyes and groan in shock. She grew embarrassed.
“I’ll take that as a yes~”
“God damn it your voice -”
"It turns you on? I never realized how much I would enjoy this. The sounds you make. How exhilarating it feels-"
"D-Don't blow a gasket." She teased him then and the Narrator chuckled lowly. “Still have air for teasing?”
She then gasped as the movements went deeper and she gripped the sheets, hearing the threads popping from the force. She whined out, glancing back and swearing she could see a figure there. But she must have been hallucinating or high from the screwing.
She gasped as pleasure jolted between her legs. Things were already getting tense.
“So close already…” He whispered and [YN] covered her mouth. “D-Don’t say that -aah!” She whined, knowing it would push her over the edge. Her lower back arched and she trembled.
“Face it dear, my voice can make you do incredible things~” He chuckled softly, before she felt a ghost of a breath on her neck. “You resist so much. But why resist when I can give you endless pleasure?” Came his voice in her ear and she gasped, gripping the blanket under her and trying to hang on for dear life as the thrusts went deeper.
She gasped out and trembled, looking so damn desperate but also feeling highly embarrassed that her orgasm was coming so quickly.
“Poor girl~ I say you have only a few seconds left.” He said and gave a deep chuckle, making [YN]’s eyes widen and suddenly give a cry as she finally came, her toes digging into the sheets under her and her muscles clenched around whatever was inside her. The orgasm was powerful and white hot practically, her poor fantasies fulfilled. She felt the blood suddenly rush to her head.
The pleasure was proving too much for [YN] as she promptly fainted and groaned, her body going limp.
The Narrator was startled, but being able to see her heart beating, he knew she was still well. He grew sheepish, realizing he should have let her rest first. “Oh…Poor thing…I didn’t realize how sensitive you were.” He said, not exactly being teasing but serious. “Well…Best I let you rest.”
Pulling away from her, she slumped into the bed, looking like a disheveled mess. The Narrator was laughing at this, before feeling slightly horrified that all happened. He was surprised with himself, not thinking he was capable of doing this to her.
Impressed by his handiwork, he rolled her in the blanket and let her be, knowing she would wake up confused in a bit.
After several minutes, the narrator was slightly worried [YN] hadn’t woken up yet. But soon a groan escaped her and she curled into a ball, remembering what just happened. Or what she thought had just happened.
“Did you just….” She trailed off, feeling slightly sore from being squeezed and everywhere else. She was dizzy from the high and euphoria.
“I did. And you enjoyed it. A bit too much it seems. it certainly took your mind off of what happened earlier.” The Narrator laughed smugly, making [YN] hide her face into her pillow. She felt dirty and sweaty after that. “It seems even you have urges.” She said to him and he would have grinned if he could.
“I am only just discovering things about myself-”
“You moaned. ” She said and the Narrator irked sheepishly.
“Yes….That was…very unexpected and I let my guard down. It was a sudden new sensation for me.” He said, rambling for a good excuse.
“It felt good basically.” She said and laughed into her pillow. “Glad I could make you feel that good.” She said happily and the Narrator was flustered.
“D-Don't expect to hear it again-”
“Oh hush...” She said tiredly. “I’m gonna sleep a bit…” She mumbled and the Narrator was quiet for a moment, before a nervous question came from him.
“Want to go again?”
[YN]’s brows raised, before she flung off the covers in a rush.
An: I hope you liked that. XDD I had to make it humorous or I couldn't do it. Next chapter is when shit hits the fan. The dreaded skip button. Yaaaaaaaay. Did you notice something off with [YN]'s memory?
Chapter 12: The Skip Button
Notes:
[YN] = Your name
You have Friends, know about some shooters such as Halo, Destiny. You like horror games but never play them. You know just about all the secrets and theories of the Stanley Parable. Run with it, like you pretended to be Jim.
Some chapters may be edited later for more detail.
Add my discord. Mad Hatter#4782
Join my crappy server: https://discord.gg/R62chvgh
Chapter Text
I am putting this quote here because my favorite author has died. If you have never read Yu-Gi-Oh! or played the game you need to get on that.
"The odds are a bit against you. But that doesn't mean you've lost yet." Kazuki Takahashi.
Drip. Drip.
[YN] gave a soft groan, feeling horribly cold and…wet?
She jerked herself up, blinking into the dim darkness and looking around, her head spinning and trying to balance herself. Where was she?
She blinked several times, before she saw a yellow light in the darkness. “Narrator?” She whispered, before her face went pale.
What she was looking at was not the Narrator, but a yellow button. And not just any ordinary button…But the skip button.
No…No no no no-
“HOW DID I GET IN HERE?!” Screamed [YN] as she looked around the room, looking at the dreaded skip button. She was just getting to sleep after her tussle in bed….and then next moment she opened her eyes, she was laying on the cold floor.
Was this a dream? No, her senses were too strong. This wasn’t a dream. Somehow she was in the skip button room. And she was alone. And it was entirely dark.
“NARRATOR!” She screamed out, seeing there wasn’t a door or anything to get out from….Except the vent in the room. But she didn’t see an entry point.
“NARRATOR! I’M IN THE MEMORY ZONE AREA! CAN YOU HEAR ME!”
[YN] began to cry, crumpled in the corner and trying to figure out what she could do. She wouldn’t push that button, no matter what. She couldn’t. She would wait here for the Narrator.
But as the clock ticked on, she became incredibly scared. She worried she would lose her mind in this place. And she would be forced to push the button. But she was also afraid to touch it. She couldn’t let the Narrator be without her.
She also was panicking. The floor was wet. And she was getting colder, unable to stray fully dry in the room. She squinted in the dark. Before her eyes looked at the button again. She bit her lip.
No….She would not push it.
She mentally began to call out to the Narrator, knowing he could hear her thoughts somewhere. At least feel her heartbeat or signs of life. She pressed her back against the corner wall, ignoring the dripping sound and thinking. She knew eh could hear her thoughts as well. It was better to think then shout and hurt her throat.
Narrator….I’m here. I’m here…I hope you can hear me…
But who knows how long she had been gone. By the sound of the dripping, the place had been falling apart for a while now.
She didn’t want to think the worst. The Narrator had to be out there somewhere. He must have been worried sick. And after their….tussle in bed, he must have been emotionally disturbed somehow.
I’m stuck in the skip button ending…The memory zone, in the underwater complex…I hope you’re still out there. I’m not pushing the button.
There was suddenly a very strange looming presence approaching. She could feel it. She wasn’t sure if she had some kind of connection to the Narrator. But she could feel…something.
The presence grew in size, before she finally heard it.
“[YN]?....” Came the voice of the Narrator out of no where and startling her, her heart gave a jump and she was on her feet.
[YN] gasped and jolted, tears threatening to spill. “I’M HERE!!”
“[YN].” He stammered suddenly, his voice sounding so broken. “You have been missing for days. How…How are you in there? This area isn't even used.”
[YN] eyes were wide in shock, covering her mouth in horror. “Oh my god….I didn’t….I was going to sleep after our time together and I just woke up here! Are you okay?!”
The Narrator was relieved seemingly. “I am now. My god you just up and vanished. I thought you went back to where you came from and just….That doesn’t matter now.” He said then, clearing his throat.
“You thought I left you and wasn’t coming back….” She felt devastated. “I’m so sorry. I don’t know how this happened!”
“What is more important is getting you out of there. [YN] you’re not going to like this. But the complex is still under the water. Which will make this difficult. The complex is not responding to my commands. It won’t go above the water.”
“Great…Thalassophobia…And Claustrophobia all in one… ”
“I will try to manifest a door of some kind. It may take me a bit. Just sit tight. Do NOT touch anything.” He said and [YN] made a face at that.
“I’m not touching shit in here. This is terrifying.” She told him worriedly. “I don’t understand how I got here. Or why time is messed up. Is it all part of narrative contradiction?” She asked him worriedly.
“I believe so…I can’t make a door.” He whispered. “You’re…stuck.” He said and [YN] made a face. “You don’t say.”
“This is no laughing matter [YN]. I’m entirely serious…You’re possibly going to have to push that button.” He sighed and [YN]’s eyes widened.
“Hell no!” She said, walking slowly over to look at it. “Why the hell would I push that? Don’t you know what the hell it does?” She asked him.
“It freezes you in place and puts you forward in time a little.” He said and [YN]’s brows raised. “No, it does more then that. I’m shocked you don’t remember this. I‘m not touching it.”
“But maybe if you push it enough times, the game will reset? I’m running out of ideas here [YN]. I’m certain everything would be fine. I mean, this is still my game. And I would wait for you like I did before-”
As the Narrator droned on about the button, [YN] stared at the button and felt her anxieties raise. She had seen the ending of the skip button. Something that was intended to be funny by the devs, however gamers did not find it funny whatsoever. It was incredibly unsettling and many had stopped playing the game because it unnerved them.
The Narrator would eventually begin to lose his mind as a human would do in isolation. Losing their mind slowly and painfully and be lost in the web of time. Becoming angry, bitter, then animalistic and filled with hatred for Stanley for pushing the button. And then he would eventually go silent and possibly die, as he no longer spoke after a certain amount of time and the complex crumbled around them. She couldn’t do this to him…She couldn’t .
“And I would be just fine here-”
“I’M NOT TOUCHING IT GOD DAMN IT!” She yelled out, before she suddenly kicked just below the button, to her shock it broke from the floor into pieces, wires hanging out the broken ends, the light went out in the button. There was a moment of silence before the Narrator snapped.
“WHY DID YOU DO THAT!? THAT WAS YOUR ONLY WAY OUT!”
“If I had pushed that button I would have been in darkness! And would have traveled thousands of millions of years ahead in the future and possibly wouldn’t have seen you ever again! I’m not risking that! You would have suffered and come to hate me for pushing it! I know you have trouble remembering things but I’m telling you , you would have come to hate me, despise me for pushing the button. You would have gone mad with being alone! I would rather be dead then push it!”
“I….” The Narrator took in her words and was speechless. Not expecting that outpouring of emotion from [YN]. It was truly touching. She really would try to protect him.
“...Fine. Then what do you plan to do?” Came his low voice. “You’ll starve if you stay in there. You’ll go mad and then I will go mad watching you. What other alternative is there?”
“...I don’t know.” She said then, feeling like her cleverness had gone out the window. “You’re not able to spawn me out? Use the Serious Room, anything?”
There was a soft sigh from him and a moment went by, before his saddened voice came back. “No…I’m trying. There is no response. My abilities won’t work. The Narrative Contradiction is still happening.”
“.....” She was rendered mute by this, her eyes glancing to the floor that was still wet, glad she didn’t receive an electric shock by the dead button. What was she to do? In all her cleverness, she was remarkably blank in her head.
She then stood there for a moment, closing her eyes for a moment and wondering what to do. She tuned out the sound of trickling water-
Her eyes opened, looking up at the ceiling in the left side of the room. “Narrator, there's a weakness in the left side of the ceiling from my point of view. Can you see the water dripping?”
“I can.” he said, intrigued. “Are you telling me you want me to break down the ceiling?” He asked worriedly. “That chamber will be almost instantly flooded I think. Can you swim?”
“Better then anyone else in my situation.” She told him. She looked at the fence and soon squatted down, making sure her body was pressed against the fence. “Can hold my breath for a while as well….”
“I honestly don't like this idea….The waters are dark…You could drown in there.” The Narrator said and [YN] was not feeling it either.
“It’s better than starving to death, I'll tell you that.” She told him and shuddered, not liking this. “Make sure the hole is wide enough. I need a full cave in so I can swim out….The rooms got to be completely flooded….”
The Narrator was listening, but he was obviously against this. “I can come get you. Why not wait for me…”
It was then the dripping turned into a gushing sound and water began to flood the floor and fill it rapidly. Her poor feet began to hurt from the cold waters. She realized the complex was deteriorating faster than normal.
“Oh s-shit I don’t think we have time!” She told him then. “We have to do this now!” She said.
“Right. Take in a breath. I’m destroying it in Three…”
[YN] took in several deep breaths, exercising her lungs.
“Two….”
[YN] took in a deep gulping breath.
“One-”
It was then the ceiling in the corner caved in and water came gushing in like rapid falls. [YN] grunted as she was hit and slammed against the fence. But she held firm, wincing as the salty water burned her eyes as it went over her head. She could just make out the hole in the ceiling.
She clung to the fence, waiting for the room to be instantly flooded before she pushed herself off the fence and propelled herself out of the hole.
Wincing from the burning salty water, she could barely make out the surface. She was deeper then she thought she was. Luckily the air in her lungs was helping her float upwards.
She tried to not think about the dark festering waters around her, fear would creep into her and make her heart race so much harder.
It was only then her lungs began to hurt. She pushed herself still, knowing she could overcome some pain to reach the top. But her heart was screaming for air from rapidly pumping from fear and pushing herself to hard.
As her vision suddenly began to darken, she mentally called out to the Narrator that her body was giving up. He would need to get to her quickly.
Hurry….
Then everything went black.
.............
[YN] was drifting in darkness mentally, knowing what had happened and worrying the Narrator would reach her too late. But soon she was surprised to see a friendly bit of text in the dark.
Hello again.
[YN] was surprised, looking up at the words in front of her. The Timekeeper, she had wondered when it would show it’s words again. She gave a weak smile. “Hello, Timekeeper.”
I sense that you were in a bad spot…you were very brave. It replied and [YN] nodded.
“It was terrifying….I think I drowned.”
Not yet. It’s not quite time for you to ask for my help, but I will help you right now. I think you will need my help next time and will call me.
“For what reason though?” She asked it softly.
Once the moment comes, you will realize it. And use your cleverness to call my title…And then after that….You will finally set my time.
She didn’t question this, knowing that her life was at stake. She then nodded. “And I will say hello again.” She told it. “And thank you for helping again. When you didn’t have to.” She said sadly to it. “I don’t know how I can repay you.”
You are so kind. But hopefully, you will know who I am. And set us free. The answer is in my time. It said, before seeing in big bold letters.
WAKE UP [YN]
“[YN]!!!”
[YN] felt her body being grabbed and dragged onto the shore. She shuddered and suddenly sputtered out water, coughing it up hard and groaning in pain. Slowly her blurry eyes looked around her, suddenly surprised to see the Narrator was over her, looking at her worriedly. She lay in his hand, held up carefully and gently rubbed by his thumb on her cheek.
“You’re alive?!”
“Y-Yeah…”
“My god- are you hurt? I thought…”
“I know….I don’t know how I’m alive…Can…You get me out of here…” She panted, the cold water biting her bare feet and rendering them frozen and in pain.
"Hold on love." He said, his voice sounding worried. She coughed softly and groaned then, her limbs hurting so much.
She then jumped a little as she felt the Narrator suddenly lifting her body. There was a strange rushing feeling and she was in the memory zone, seeing rocks and candles flickered around her. Distantly she heard the memory zone song being sung in french. She said nothing about this however, closing her eyes for a moment.
"[YN]....How do you keep surviving all of this?" He pondered.
She groaned a bit. "I don't know. But I'm not complaining about being alive." She said tiredly, staring up at him and drinking in his appearance again. “...We gotta stop meeting like this.” She tried to tease and the Narrator tried to laugh but couldn’t. He simply sighed.
"Yes …of course." He said softly.
She then looked at the water around her, wondering why he didn’t spawn her into the apartment. She gave a weak sigh and looked up at him again, her eyes soft. “Is something happening to the game?” She finally asked, looking at the game review in front of them. “You didn’t spawn me back in the apartment.” She said.
“...Nothing gets past you, does it.” He said sadly. “The apartment is gone…It’s been gone since…you disappeared.”
[YN] then painfully sighed, knowing what this meant. “The world is collapsing…”
“Yes. But this zone won’t be touched. This is my territory. It’s stable.” He said to her.
“For now….” She whispered.
The Narrator gave no reply, but she knew she was right. This place could only last for so long. Even though this area was practically his little kingdom. His little secret away from the world.
[YN] was quiet, not wanting to move really. She was soaked and shuddering, surprised she didn’t feel too beat up. But she was definitely tired. The Narrator looked at her worriedly, before knowing what to do
..................
After the Narrator had managed to conjure up a bathroom, she cleaned herself up of the muck she had been in and came out in a new night gown, similar to the one she had before. She sighed softly, feeling appreciative of the Narrator’s kindness.
“I wanted to tell you something.” He said then and [YN] looked at him, seeing that his large eye was soft.
“Shoot.” [YN] said then, rubbing her sore arms and feeling so much warmer now. She halfly wondered if he wanted to be frisky again but put it out of her mind, her face red. The moment in bed was...sudden but amazing.
“I saw your thoughts just then." He teased before turning serious. [YN] steamed slowly and covered her face. "What you did back there….You didn’t hesitate. You truly….wanted to keep me from being alone. You really do care, don’t you?” He said and [YN] flushed a bit.
“I do….Why do you think I go out of my way for you? You know I love you right?” She said softly and approached him, before kissing his hand that was nearest to her, wondering how he would respond.
Of course, there was a immediate reaction.
Just like last time, he seemed suddenly flustered and moved quickly away from her, [YN] following him only to see him hide in the Serious Room and shut the doors. [YN] pouted at that. But she remembered how he was about emotions and human things. He was still learning.
“Run all you like. But I’m telling you the truth.” She said to him through the door and he was grunting, making soft sounds that sounded like he was trying to form words.
“Erm…Well….Thats all well and good then.” He said, as though twiddling his thumbs in embarrassment.
“It’s okay if you can’t say it back yet.” [YN] said, trying to turn the door handle but it wouldn’t budge. She then shrugged. “I’m gonna go explore okay? If it gets dark out I’ll come back to you. I won’t go far.”
“Good. Do not leave the memory zone or go near the vents…” He warned and [YN] nodded, wondering if he could see her.
She then let him be, knowing he was practically a nervous ball of pure energy. She went through the room filled with water and rocks, before opening the doors.
[Days later]
She spent time in the memory zone, tending to some small flowers thats struggled to grow by themselves, giving them water and killing the weeds around them. The Narrator rarely commented on this, but she would feel the occasional looming presence behind her, over her shoulder to watch her.
She assumed he was learning about humans more through her as she cared for things others wouldn’t. It honestly made her feel comfortable. She could almost imagine him being next to her, as a man. She felt guilty for thinking this at times, as she knew he was a core at the moment.
At night she would wander the hallways of the building, looking at the many relics of the past and thinking about where she was in 2013, how young she had been. What ambitions she had.
When it got darker out, she began to feel, honestly a bit nervous. She eventually began searching for the Narrator, leaving the second building and going across the pathway to the dark archway you would see after coming out of the vent, looking for him. He wasn’t in the serious room.
She then found him hiding behind one of the pillars near the ceiling. Acting almost spider like with how he clung to things. He was used to having his railing system but it was not here. She went to him, reaching out to him and being lifted by him. She couldn’t stand to be alone right now. The Narrator didn’t seem to Mind this, keeping her close was what he preferred to begin with.
She could have slept anywhere in the memory zone. But she would only feel comfortable around him. And the closeness kept her calm.
But once falling asleep in his hand, she would have nightmares. She would wake up once in a while, looking up at the Narrator who would look at her with slight worry, stroking her face and hair with his thumb and coaxing her back to sleep. She was worried that the memory zone would be taken from them. That she would be erased.
She trembled at times, But the Narrator was there to sooth her endlessly, convincing her that nothing would happen here. That he wouldn’t allow it. He would lift her chin to have her look at him while he spoke soothingly to her. She would even wake up to find he was much smaller then before and resting comfortably in her lap like a cat, his eye half open as though he was tired. She would stroke his body and cuddle him close, not wanting him out of her sight.
As the days went by, she would do this ritual, going to find him at night and finding him in different spots. At one point he was even hiding inside the room filled with rocks and water.
The days felt darker however. And even the weather was horrible at night. The wind howled and it poured heavily as the building was developing leaks. And [YN] was feeling like she was becoming more and more paranoid, hardly going outside and staying in an adjoining room where the Narrator would hide himself, not wanting to be too far.
At one point he even placed her inside of his core body, both of them feeling admittedly unsettled by the storms that have been happening outside. [YN] did nothing but sleep through it all, finding there was nothing else to do. They stayed well underground to avoid the lightening strikes. They couldn't avoid the booms that came however.
On one particular evening, she was surprised that the skies were clear. The Narrator let her go to check outside, seeing the mess the storm left behind. Mud was everywhere and large puddles. Along with broken branches and scattered leaves.
She ended up sitting on the porch to look at everything, the Narrator stayed inside. It was a small slice of heaven to her. The one thing she could cling onto. Even as the world was shutting down…she had this. And she had the Narrator.
Only when [YN] was comfortable did she finally began to wander through the memory zone, deciding to go sit by the bench and get a nice view of the world around her. She relaxed as she felt the breeze. She wanted to stay here in this place. She felt safe. Protected.
But she knew the inevitability. The world would begin to remove her. And she would begin to feel it. And the Narrator….Would be left alone.
She began to think, seeing the layout of the entire game in her mind, the out of bounds secrets, the rat, the papers, the computers. The trick of the infinite hole.
Her mind then went to the escape pod, the words covered by dirt and grime. She could almost recall it. That the escape pod could only be really used currently if the Narrator was present….
She sat up suddenly, her eyes lighting up. “The escape pod…”
“Got something?” Came the Narrator’s voice from nowhere, slightly startling her. This had been the longest moment of silence to date.
“The escape pod can only be properly used if you are present. Otherwise it just comes back to earth in the same spot like a thousand years later….If you went with me…” She paused again, recalling the papers she read. “You’re connected to it. They found alien material on the escape pod. And the pod is from another game called Quake 2…”
The Narrator was listening, able to see from her mind the images of the area and the writing behind the grime. The fact she could see so clearly….
“That area is still intact. If I can get you there….What do you plan to do?” He asked her.
“I want us both to get out of there. If you’re able to make yourself smaller, you could fit into the escape pod with me. Maybe it can take us out of here….I’m not sure….”
“Go with you?” He was quiet for a time, as though contemplating it.
“Do….you not want to come with?” She asked him softly. “You would be safe in my home at least….it would be different.” She said softly.
“I’m sure I would be safe….But there are….several unfinished things to do here.” He said then and [YN] furrowed her brows.
“What things?”
“There is….things I must do. I can’t explain them right now. But…it makes this difficult. I need more time.” He said. “It is important though.”
“We may not have more time…” She said worriedly, sighing and biting her lip. “But I will wait for you. I will never leave without you.”
“Promise?” He asked her curiously.
She perked at that. “I promise. With all my heart-”
There was a deep rumbling in the distance.
[YN]’s eyes went wide at the horrible noise miles off in the distance. She then squinted as she looked at the mountains off in the distance. “What is that ….” She whispered.
“No…No no….it’s too soon no!”
As The Narrator shouted, [YN] was horrified to see that the mountains were disappearing before her eyes, becoming pixelated and turning to dust.
“H-Holy FUCK NARRATOR!”
“My memory zone….[YN], we have no choice now! Hold on!”
[YN] then grunted as she spawned at the bottom of the stairwell, seeing the sign for the escape pod. The ground was shaking beneath her and she grunted, looking up at the Narrator. “Why here? Why not at the top-”
“It wouldn’t let me. We must hurry.”
She then heard a terrible grinding metallic sound in the distance and looked back, only to see behind her was turning to nothing but whiteness.
"RUN!" The Narrator cried out and [YN] Hauled ass up the stairs, the Narrator followed after her, before he grasped her firmly and crawled up the stairs and jumped about, going from level to level, all the while the world below them was crumbling away.
[YN]'s eyes filled with fear, knowing this was it. Could they escape together? Would they make it? She held on tightly to him as he moved rapidly, focused on where to go and climbing up the railings without issue.
Soon she saw it, the sign that explained what they must do to use the escape pod properly. The Narrator paused over it briefly, before he ran to the exit. It was total darkness at first until they saw the red escape pod.
The Narrator leapt to it, landing in front of it with a thud. There was a moment where the Narrator stared at the pod and tilting his head, before his pupil shrunk very small in confusion.
“This pod…I’m…drawn to it. I know it’s controls…But how?” He pondered before [YN] wriggled out of his grasp and went into the pod, the fear building in her as everything was shaking. “No time lets go!” She said as the ground began shaking. “Hurry and get small!”
The Narrator then shrunk down to the size of a normal sized core, but stood hesitantly just outside.
"Come on!!" She screamed and looked at him in shock. "What are you waiting for?!"
His eye looked at her, wide and unmoving, taking in her small appearance once more.
Realization hit her.
It was then her lip trembled. "No….you can't stay here…don't-"
"I'm sorry [YN.]”
“NO. DON’T YOU FUCKING SAY IT-”
“But you belong in your world." He said and moved back, before his eyes flashed red and the door slammed shut. [YN] was stunned, before she began shouting, slamming her arms against the pod, barely able to hear the Narrator speaking.
“I’m sorry….I love you dear. I'm sorry I could not say it until now. But it couldn’t work. Nothing ever does. The moment you found out what I was. Who I was. And how you got close...it could never be. Perhaps you will find better happiness elsewhere. I can never be in a human world.”
Her heart then shattered, she screamed out. "NOOOO! NARRATOR! YOU CAN'T! YOU CAN'T STAY HERE! YOU'RE GOING TO DIE! GO WITH ME PLEASE!"
She hit against the door of the pod, hearing him saying something but it was too faint. The pod began to shake horribly. She could hear it grinding and winding up, before she was suddenly bolted to the floor as it took off. Horror struck her as her vision began to turn dark.
Then everything went black.
THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER-
Error, game has corrupted file. Reinstall?
[Yes.]
.....
Reinstall failed.
Chapter 13: Welcome To The Stanley Parable Demonstation! (Typo intentional)
Notes:
[YN] = Your name
You have Friends, know about some shooters such as Halo, Destiny. You like horror games but never play them. You know just about all the secrets and theories of the Stanley Parable. Run with it, like you pretended to be Jim.
Some chapters may be edited later for more detail.
Add my discord. Mad Hatter#4782
Join my crappy server: https://discord.gg/R62chvgh
Chapter Text
ART BY SAME PERSON FROM CHAPTER 8 AND 9. DUDE GO CHECK OUT CHAPTER 8 AND 9. THE ARTWORK IS AMAZING. SOMEONE MADE THE NARRATOR IN HIS CORE FORM FOR ME AND I WANT TO CRY LOOKING AT IT. ITS SO BEAUTIFUL AND STANLEY IN HIS RABID FORM IS AMAZING-
GO LOOK. RIGHT NOOOOOW
……..
[YN] gave a deep gasp as her eyes opened, her senses snapping to her. She was staring at a computer screen, but it was not Stanley's. It was hers. She was staring at her home screen of mountains and rivers….
She was home.
She was in her small apartment, left as it was as though time did not change. She looked at her computer, seeing that the game was not there. It had closed or…
She began to check her game files, her brows furrowed in confusion as the game was still there in her files. But as she went to click on it..
An error message came up. “Couldn’t perform Stanley Parable Ultra deluxe.exe.”
The game was corrupted.
She furrowed her brows in confusion. She tried once more. But another warning came up. Error, game has corrupted file. Reinstall?
Her brows furrowed in bewilderment. She then clicked yes and waited. But it only took five second later for another error to pop up.
Reinstall failed.
Her eyes went wide in shock. She then quickly went to type on google The Stanley Parable Ultra deluxe Download For Free, only to stare in disbelief as nothing came up.
She was suddenly confused, going to search google for the game itself on steam, only to see articles already growing that the game was not working. And soon she found a posting made by CrowCrowsCrows.
“We are unsure why the game has suddenly been corrupted or the file simply isn’t there. Our dev team is working on it as quickly as possible.”
She knew why it wasn’t working, that world, that realm…was no more.
She was alone.
It was then she began to break down. She had heard the Narrator say he loved her…his final words hurt. Where was he right now? Was he erased? Was he completely gone? After the time they spent…was it all for nothing. Pain? Trauma? Loneliness?
She bit her lip and began researching google for anything to come up. But soon she found a Reddit post and perked. People were explaining that the demo was still up if people were feeling that thirsty for the Narrator.
She perked then, loading up her Steam immediately. She still had that game. Or needed to install it at least.
She was glad her internet was still up and running, watching as the small game downloaded. But she paused, furrowing her brows. How was she to get back inside? The Curator was the one to pull her in. And she was no more…
What could be done?
Once it was done loading up, she pressed play and waited.
There was a black screen. She furrowed her brows, suddenly worried this game was corrupted too, until her eyes widened in shock.
Hello again.
“TIMEKEEPER!” She shouted, not sure if it could even hear her, glancing to her blue yeti that was on. She watched the words change.
I hear you loud and very clear. You want to find him again?
[YN]’s eyes widened at that and she bit her lip, “Timekeeper…” She said more softer, suddenly glad there was at least one person. “I do. I need to go back to him.”
He is still here. But he has lost himself. You will need to find him again. Help him?
Her eyes were wide. Had he forgotten who he was? Who she was?
"Yes!"
“Then you will need to enter the demo. But be warned…The Narrator will not be…himself.”
Her eyes were wide at that. Not himself? What did it mean? She worried then. Would he act like a fresh narrator straight out of his hell after awakening?
“......I don’t care.” She finally said. “ I don’t give a crap. I’m doing this for him. If he’s forgotten me, I will make him remember.”
“I admire that.” It said, before adding more. “I will let you into the game. But you will see me in a bit. Then….you will set my time.” He told her.
“Your time?” She said, before grunting as the screen flashed a bright white light.
Then everything went back.
……
Soon [YN] was groaning, swaying and realizing she was standing, falling forward and putting her hands out, catching herself against a billboard that read plainly.
The Stanley Parable Demonstration.
[YN] groaned a bit more, blinking and slowly reading the board, before her eyes went wide in shock. She was in the Demo? She recalled all those years ago playing this game. As it was the only thing she could get at the time.
She then shakily stood up straight, looking around and seeing she was a garage. She saw the stairs and the open door. She bit her lip nervously.
Heading slowly to the stairs, she was observant of another sign that was misspelled in yellow, her brow raising at that.
Stanley Parable Demonstation this way.
She noticed the yellow arrow, halfly wondering about the Adventure Line™ and furrowing her brows. She then went up the steps and down the hallways, feeling her heart starting to race and her head pounding.
She then came to the first front desk, glancing up the the number above. She didn’t give it much thought however, even as the voice came on.
“Welcome to the Stanley parable demonstration-” Said a female voice but it faded away as she rushed to the lobby, glancing around. Just like in the game, even with the coffee cups on the ground.
She ignored the waiting line. She needed to find him. She needed to reach him. She ran out of the room and down the green hallway, taking the right before pausing as she heard the Narrator humming. Her heart sped up. “Narry…” She whispered, before she turned her head to the left to see the room where the demonstration would begin. Slowly, she entered the room.
His humming ceased and there was a moment of confusion at first, before the Narrator cleared his voice.
“Well hello hello hello- Oh? And who are you?” Came the Narrator’s confused voice.
[YN]’s face dropped completely.
“How did you get in my game? You’re not…Well, Spoilers. But you’re not…Stanley.”
He didn’t remember her. He didn’t remember her at all.
“Oh….god no.” She whispered, feeling her world crashing down upon her. The Narrator had completely forgotten about her and she was alone…with a Narrator who was fresh out of hell. She needed to be careful.
“I hear you muttering. Who are you?” He said in a more stern tone and [YN] straightened, fighting her depression.
“I’m [YN]. I got stuck in your game or….Demo.” She said, deciding to play along. “I didn’t mean to intrude. Do…you want me to leave somehow?”
“Well.... no." He trailed off, as though eyeballing her. "This is unexpected. I’ve never had a real person in here before but….But maybe….What do you know of the Stanley Parable?” He asked her then, seemingly eager as though he had an idea.
She realized the part she would play in this. “I know it’s an upcoming Indie Game? But the details are vague.” She said, swaying back and forth, looking eager. “I’d love to know more.” Ah there she went, sealing the deal. She would play her cards safely.
“Oh well good! That makes things more interesting ah….hmm. Well, that explains why you didn’t wait in line. You must be confused and wondering how to get out of here. I could hear you running about all the way here.”
“A bit. But It seems I have all the time in the world right now. I might as well enjoy it right?” She said softly.
“I like your optimism and attitude.” He said, seemingly pleased by this. “Well. Welcome to the Stanley Parable live demonstration~ It will be my pleasure to guide you through this sneak-peek at what to expect in the Stanley Parable. A tease - just enough to leave you hungry for more! How exciting. Can't you just feel that nervous tension?
The booming uncertainty? Why don't we drink in the anticipation for a moment, just for... 20 minutes or so. Please, for just 20 minutes, don't move or act in any way. Simply remain motionless, and let the thrill of demoing the Stanley Parable wash over you.”
It was then [YN] looked sheepish, before taking a step forward. “I’m sorry. I can’t stand in place for too long! I’m really eager to see the demo!” She said then.
“Oooooh, well, tell you what, Here, why not walk off that nervous energy and give you a little bit of a walkthrough. Please step through the open passageway.” He said as the wall suddenly opened up next to her. She smiled then, entering it once it was fully formed.
Inwardly, her stomach was crushing itself. He didn’t remember her. Not yet anyways. Was there even a way to have her remember?
Her mind swarmed with thoughts, before she thought about the eight button.
She had played the demo before. She could….it was a ridiculous idea. But pushing buttons was her habit. Maybe she could jar some sort of memory?
She would try. Perhaps if she was stuck here, the Narrator would have no choice but to keep her with?
She entered the passageway and stepped onto the catwalk. She walked along it, looking down below curiously as the Narrator talked. "This is where I and the other proctors have been working meticulously to construct a demo that explains clearly and concisely what The Stanley Parable is, how it plays, and why you should spend real world money on the main game!”
It was then [YN] flushed red, remembering how she didn’t buy the game. And ripped it off some bootleg website. Yeah, she was starting to regret that now. But at the same time, it was how she found the Narrator.
“Video game demonstrations are tricky, and without the proper technology, you run the risk of the player having no idea what to expect in the full version.” He explained and [YN] listened intently, appearing curious.
“I really am excited for the full game. It already seems interesting.” She told him, knowing it was flattering to him.
“Oh it definitely is. Perhaps we will meet again when the full game comes out~ I wonder, when the demos over, would you return to your reality? Hmm…I can honestly say I haven’t met a human who could talk for quite some time. And one that is not particularly chatty…It’s…nice.” He said and [YN] smiled. “I’m here all day if you want to talk my ear off.” She told him, being genuine.
“Such flattery, I seldom hear it.” He said and [YN] finally made her way through a door and down a flight of stairs, seeing the many buttons down below. “Buttooons.” She said quietly and the Narrator quirked. “What was that?” He asked.
“So many buttons.” She said with a soft grin. “I’m a bit of a button pusher.” She said and the Narrator seemed to pause, humming slightly.
“Well, you may like this then. These buttons are meant to convey the meaning of choice and the impact of the decisions you make. After all, choices carry tremendous meaning and consequence; didn't you know that? Go ahead, why don't you try picking one of these buttons to press and we'll see what your choice says about you.”
[YN] looked curiously at all the many buttons, before deciding to choose a button closest to the doorway, listening to the satisfying noise.
“How fascinating. Did you know that 94% of all people who select that particular button, are sexual predators.”
[YN] suddenly blew a raspberry with her lips and sputtered. “Well thats just…What the heck? Thats horrible!” She began to laugh hysterically. “Why is that there?” She said, losing it at how random that was. “I’m nothing like that. I mean, I may be a simp. But I’m no sexual predator.”
“Hey, I’m not the one who pushed the button. You could be one for all I know, we only just met…pervert.” He added and [YN] continued to laugh, covering her mouth and looking absolutely overjoyed at the ridiculousness of this. “Are all the buttons like this?” She said, moving to touch another button and making the Narrator whine.
“No no no no. If it saves you the trouble of pushing another button, I can assure you that you're still a pervert! Let's move on. There are many more things for you to lose your mind over.”
“Okay okay.” [YN] said, giggling as she left the room to go see the lobby. She looked at the many doors and smiled a bit, looking at the emotions room sign. She almost grinned.
“Okay, what else can I show you then! This place is the buffalo of game design - nothing is wasted! How's the anticipation? Still feeling it?” He asked her with a bit of eagerness.
“I am!” She said happily, wondering about the emotions room and going inside.
“Now here's what we use to convey story: These booths convert text from a story into raw emotion. Go ahead, step into one of them and feel the sheer power of narrative exposition.”
[YN] looked between the two booths, before stepping carefully into the discovery booth. The voice of the Narrator came on and she tried to not laugh as she saw the many words going swirling by on the wall of the booth. She grew amused heavily.
“It was though and within, the shame he carried that ocean breezed adrift. The fierceness of the tides, the inevitable collapse of their kingdoms, washed ashore, the rift of shame, martyrs devoid of a cause, ripping and tearing at the eternal seams. A vessel without a captain, carrying itself like plastic in the wind, hinting at a purpose that was truer in some distant memory. If only it could decipher through time's veneer, whose memory it wanted to be!”
There was a beeping sound and it turned off and [YN] smiled a little, before getting out and going into the second booth. The Despair Booth. Funny, how she was mentally in her own pit of despair.
“Where did these cliffs go? These cracks that we stood upon... They shielded us from our own ignorance... spoke coddling words and wrapped our vulnerabilities in a woolen cloth, that so many times I've tried to set aflame. If I knew these comforts now, would their fibers be any more sensitive to the heat of my touch? Perhaps it was the cold I desired most of all. That empress to whom my flesh was always invisible... A hammock for the bones... Waiting to be touched, and to be known…”
[YN[ then sighed at this, having hardly listened to that one. The Narrator quickly spoke,
“Oh, you went in both booths?! Oh, how vulnerable of you. If at any point in the demo you need to cry, just let me know and we can take a minute.” The Narrator said and [YN] smiled then. Oh. how she wished she could take him up on that offer…But she couldn’t. Her Narrator was within reach…but yet so far away.
“You’re very sweet, you know that?” She said to him, trying to get to him on some level.
“Sweet?” He seemed to ponder on the word, before clearing his throat. “I suppose I am. At least for now. You are doing quite well so far. You haven’t wandered off or broke my game. Which I was worried about.”
“I try not to….Whats back there?” [YN] suddenly said, looking back at the room and seeing a vent there. She slowly began to walk to the back of the dark room, seeing the tiny vent and squatting down.
“Wait, where are you going?” The Narrator asked in a worried tone. “Oh for heavens sake we were just talking about-”
“I’m curious and want to see whats back here.” She said, crawling through the small space and looking around in shock at the open area. “Oh wow….What is this?” She said eagerly.
“Be careful, I’m not familiar with this area. Honestly, you should come back. There could be exposed wires or something dangerous back there.”
“I’m alright.” She said, looking at the booth at the end of the area and seeing the words “Secrets.”
She then smiled as she went inside, the door shut slowly. Then, the most funky music began to play around her, along with flashing disco lights.
[YN] laughed hysterically and she couldn’t help but sway to the beat of it. “This is so silly but cool!”
“I wasn’t even aware this was here. How did you know?”
“I didn’t.” She said nervously. “I just like exploring a lot. I’m an adventurer. I love this. I love secrets in games.”
Of course, this was a lie, she had read the website for secrets and had explored several times in the past.
“Well, you should come back. We both don’t want you wondering off and getting hurt.” He said and [YN] had to agree.
She then made her way out carefully, grunting as she climbed back out and walked out of the room, looking around and wondering which door to go into next. She then saw the sign that said “Wall technology.” She then walked into the room, looking at the brick wall behind the glass room.
“Now, I think you'll find this exciting; we've actually developed a wall... that you can walk through! Go ahead, give it a shot.” He said and the door finally opened. [YN] then walked into the room.
[YN] looked at the wall, having seen this wall many of times being used by the Narrator to pen her in. Along with Stanley in the fake wife ensign when he tried to escape. She walked up to the wall, holding her hand out to touch it, not surprised as she did. She heard the Narrator sputter.
“Oh. Hm. I guess it's still in development. How strange.” He said. “Well uh…lets move along.”
[YN] knew a interesting secret however, having played the demo when she was younger. When listen to the Narrator having a flashback, one could go through the wall at the right moment, proving it worked.
“What are you thinking about?” The Narrator suddenly ask and [YN] paled a little. “Oh, wondering why it doesn’t work.” She lied nervously.
“Who knows. There are many reasons. But lets keep exploring hmm?” He said, seemingly curious about something. “Your thought patterns, I can’t hear them. Which is unusual.” He said.
[YN] then furrowed her brows in bewilderment. Why couldn’t he hear her thoughts? “You can hear thoughts?” She asked in a fake tone. “That must be super annoying.”
“Not, not for me. It lets me know who is keeping secrets….” He said in a odd tone and [YN] furrowed her brows. She resisted the urge to ask him if he thought she was keeping secrets, moving out of the room and looking at the sign that said “Complements.” She went up the stairs, before stopping and looking to her left, her brows raised.
“Whats this?” [YN] said curiously, seeing the tiny little crevice that could fit a chair or a small desk. She grinned suddenly, going into the small space.
“Here? Is where there is nothing. In the main game however, there are many more places where there is nothing. If you enjoyed this experience of a finite amount of content. Then the Stanley Parable may be just the game for you.” And he put the emphasis of you.
[YN] then gave a soft giggle. “I’m sorry if I annoy you. This is really fun for me.”
“You certainly like secrets...And keeping them.” He mused and [YN] smiled nervously, before coming back out and walking into the complements room..
“One of the most important parts of administering any demonstration is pumping up your ego and appealing to insecurities about your sense of self worth. That's why we use this room to develop cheap compliments to shower on the player during the demo. Go ahead and press that button to see some of the superficial flattery we've been cooking up.”
[YN] tried not to laugh at the silliness of this room, before she went to the button and pressed it.
“My heavens! I've never met someone who can consume as much uranium in a single sitting as you can! Just look at you go!” Said the Narrator and [YN] furrowed her brows.
“Um…”
“What?”
“Humans don’t consume Uranium. If we did, it would kill us in a matter of hours or days. It’s basically radiation poisoning.” She told him then and the Narrator sounded bewildered.
“Well uh…I can’t say I understand the nature of humans. I am omnipotent, Omnipresent, all-encompassing and don’t consume earthly materials.” He said quickly, brushing the conversation off.
“That explains it.” She said and the Narrator sighed. “I can help you with compliments you know. From saying, “you look nice,” to “oh. that perfume smells nice.” Those are pretty cheap compliments-”
“No, No. I don’t need anything changed.” the Narrator said stubbornly and [YN] went quiet, finding it hard to tease him. This was still a baby version of the Narrator. Or however time worked in this place. He could get a bit testy.
“ You don’t even sound impressed when I tell you what I am.” the Narrator said. “Is there really something you’re not telling me?” He asked her and [YN] bit her lip.
“No I just…don’t know how to respond really.” She said softly. “When one hears something like that, it takes a bit for their head to wrap around that.”
“Oh I see. Like denying a god right in front of you, humans have simple minds.” he said simply and [YN] sighed softly, feeling awkward and uncomfortable.
She hurried alone, going right to the Final Choice area. Her brow creased uncomfortably as she saw darkness under the catwalk in front of her, being reminded of the mind control facility.
To her left was a gated locked door, ahead of her was the exit. And to her right were the yes or no buttons that rated the demo.
“Ah, now this room is the most important one you'll encounter in the demo. This is where we determine whether or not the demo has been effective! Whether it's conveyed the wit and soul of The Stanley Parable in such a compelling way that you reach immediately for your credit card to purchase the main game! Oh, I must say, I'm so excited to hear your response. I really do think we've crafted something special here and I look forward to hearing whether or not you agree.”
[YN] then curiously went along the catwalk and up to the buttons, looking around curiously before getting a bit closer. She laughed a little at what he said about buying the game. The problem that landed her here in the first place.
The gates suddenly slammed almost inches from her face and she gasped and backed up.
“NO!! What are you doing, [YN]?! You can't make that decision yet - you haven't played the demo!! We've put so much work into the demonstration, wouldn't it be a shame if you rushed right into a purchasing decision without savoring it first? Let this one simmer. You'll have plenty of time to decide later. I know it must be truly tempting. Seeing the shiney buttons and all, but we are far from finished!”
[YN] became slightly flustered at that, realizing her mistake. “O-Oh. My bad.” She said then and went back in the other direction. “I got curious again…”
“Don’t let it stop you from reaching the demo! You’re only so far from it!” The Narrator encouraged and [YN] smiled softly, before going through the exit and up the aging stairwell, seeing the office or green room as people oddly called it and went into the room.
“And there you have it. Everything you need to know about how video game demos are made! However, it's still important that we address safety concerns. Please, closely observe the following possible negative side effects of playing The Stanley Parable. If you agree to be held 100% responsible for any and all injury or long term damage - mental, physical or otherwise - that may occur while playing the demo, please do not press the large red glowing "disagree" button at this time.
[YN[ blinked at the many things read on the screen and tried to not laugh at the many things said on the screens. But she then furrowed her brows and glanced around, before remembering the button was elsewhere in the building. She then gave a shrug.
Nothing? No objections? You're quite sure about that?”
“ Nope. All good.” She said then, trying to not laugh at all of this. ”I don’t see a button here though.”
“Well, looks like you don’t need it anyway, you can perfectly voice your concerns.” He said then with a hint of sarcasm.
“Was that sarcasm I heard?” [YN] laughed softly and the Narrator chuckled. “Well, In the event that you do experience one or all of the previously listed symptoms, let's establish a signal for you to convey to me that you wish the demonstration to be terminated.”
“Um…how about a safe word?” She asked, trying not to laugh at how weird that sounded. If only he knew.
“Hmm. A safe word. I normally have others dance in the dance perimeter. But you are more capable of getting a point across…What safe word would you choose?”
“Good question…” She said, having to think about this. Maybe a word the Narrator knew? She wasn’t sure. Would it jog any memory at all? Was the Narrator aware of the Ultra Deluxe?
“Figley.” [YN] said then, giving a shrug. “Whatever that is.” She said and the Narrator gave pause, thinking about it.
“Figley…Figley….I swear I’ve heard that word somewhere before. How strange. It’s on the tip of my tongue….If I had a tongue.” He added and suddenly [YN] gave a childish giggle.
“Well, now that we have our safe word. Are you ready for- The Stanleyyyyy Parableeee!” She then watched as the many tv screens lifted to reveal whiteness and a opened door. She tilted her head curiously before walking through it…only to find herself at the reception desk again.
“Oh, wait, what? What are we doing here? Did we not...?”
The voice of the reception came back and the Narrator cleared his throat.
“Okay, I'm lost. Let's just get back to the green room and start the demo again. I must have done something wrong the first time.”
[YN] furrowed her brows. It was going as it was supposed to in the game. However she couldn’t help but wonder…was it really her doing this?
“This way dear.” He said, having the door wiggle to her left and she nodded, hurrying along. She however, paused in the lobby and looked up at the numbers, before hurrying down the green hallway. She didn’t want to irritate the poor Narrator.
She sighed, not in good shape as she reached the top of the stairs. She panted and groaned. “God, I hate stairs.” She muttered and the Narrator took notice. “This is good exercise for you I’d think.”
“I’m not out of shape…I just hate the stairs.” She said testily and she heard the Narrator back off and become taken aback. “Well now thats not…. I mean you’re very….Um…”
She was surprised by this, having expected him to snap at her. She caught him off guard. “Sorry. Lets keep going.” She said, before standing up.
“Alright. Lets try this again. The Stanley Parable Demo, take two! Finding the demo, learning exactly what The Stanley Parable is... Here it comes!”
She watched as the wall lifted once again to reveal…
She could see it. There it was…the magic eight button. There had to be a way to….
She needed to jog the Narrator’s memory.
She suddenly rushed forward, surprised with herself and going to the door, rushing down the stairs and looking at the button in front of her.
“Oh, wait, what is this? How…strange…bizarre.”
[YN]’s eyes went wide, before she reached out and pressed the button, her heart hammering in her chest.
“EIGHT.”
“Wait wait wait, this is all wrong! This isn't The Stanley Parable, this is a game where you press a button and it says 'eight'!” Not only is The Stanley Parable not a game about continuously pressing the number 'eight', I can guarantee that this button does not appear anywhere in the full game.”
[YN] was grinning suddenly and continued to push it and the Narrator was stupefied. [YN] pushed it like she had never pushed it before, desperate to get some sort of reaction from him.
“[YN]!! We need to get you out of here before you start forming impressions of The Stanley Parable based on whatever the hell this 'eight' game is. We need to get out, we need to start all over, you mustn't stay here another minute! OUT! OUT! OUT! GO GO GO!”
[YN] suddenly made a very sad face, her brows furrowing. “But…..I’m having so much fun.” She said with genuine sadness in her voice.
“I….Be that as it may, I think you've misunderstood me, so let me reiterate as clearly as I can: This is not The Stanley Parable! What you are doing is pushing a button over and over that does nothing but speak the word 'eight'. Has that gotten through?”
“Crystal.” She said to him but she continued to push the button. The Narrator suddenly groaned. “Then why do you persist? How is this stimulating for you? There's more to this game then the button you are pushing right now! You really are finding this amusing, aren't you. The experience of pushing a button and it says "eight". Is this intrinsically captivating to you on its own, as a legitimate experience? Theres plenty more fun things- Will you quit that!?”
She paused then, glancing at the button which was still there. “I’m…sorry. I’m just playing around. I like hearing you talk and….get flustered.”
“Flustered? Me. My dear, do you have any idea who you are speaking to? I am incapable of such things.” He said. “Your motives are entirely in vain. I am the Narrator.”
“Everyone gets flustered.” She said curiously, before she pushed the button again.
There was a moment of silence before his tone turned dark. “I’m not going to pretend that I don’t know what's going on here. You are doing whatever you can to get me to talk. Perhaps its a mild perversion you have for my lustrous elocution of a voice-”
“U-Uh…..”
“Perhaps that's one of the reasons you landed into the game in the first place. Well, tell you what: I'll just be right here and wait for you to finish, I'm sure that The Stanley Parable demo will still be out there somewhere when you're all done. In the mean time, I'm going to stop acknowledging you and just let you get it out of your system. Please, enjoy the "eight" game; take as much time as you need!...Pervert.”
[YN] was left in silence, then disappointment and failure set in. He still didn’t remember her. This wasn’t doing anything to jog his memory. It was only angering him.
She then sighed and walked up the stairs, coming out the door and feeling a bit depressed.
However she paused, being reminded again of the broom closet. He had said something similar to her to get her to come out of the room, only he was nicer about it. Because she had saved him.
She couldn’t give up yet.
The Narrator’s voice sounded irritated. “Oh, you're all done? Well in that case, what do you say we get back to business and start this demo over from the top. Hurry now.” He said and [YN] did not argue with him, rushing to the green room and sighing softly.
“Now lets basically go backwards, maybe it will fix something.” He said and [YN] once again obeyed and rushed down the steps and out of the room, going passed the lobby and going back to the receptionists desk, where they heard the annoying voice again.
“Yes yes yes, we've heard it all the first time.” The Narrator sighed. “Thats all she ever says you know. Can never get a conversation out of her."
[YN] knew why. She then realized they were back at the garage or mini warehouse. The door suddenly shut behind her and she felt the looming presence of the Narrator.
“Okay now, let's take a minute to get something straight here. When you sit down to play this demo, you are assuming an amount of responsibility for its outcome. I don’t know how you got into my demo. I can't say for certain whether you caused us to encounter the 8-game rather than The Stanley Parable, but I think it's a pretty safe assumption that your presence had something to do with it.” He said in a low voice and [YN] was clearly uncomfortable.
“At this time, please take a minute to think about all of the mistakes you've made in playing this demonstration, as well as your lack of respect for demo-taking in general.”
[YN] then made a face at this, looking up at the ceiling. “I didn’t mean to cause any of this. I wanted to have fun. I’m enjoying the demo. I really am. I love all of it so far.” She said.
The Narrator was quiet for a moment, seeing her rather sad expression no doubt.
“I’m really sorry….” She said with sadness. “I break games without meaning to…..I’ll listen, hun. I promise.” She told him then, before realizing what she said. “Oh shoot , I’m sorry for saying hun too.” She couldn’t help her sweet nature.
The Narrator was taken aback by her words, mulling it over for a moment. “Hun?” He muttered curiously before sighing. “You have been listening so far to the important parts, I’ll give you that. And you ask the right questions. I’ll be lenient with you. But only you, understand?”
[YN]’s brows raised, being reminded of his words when she was in the serious room. He told her he would be lenient then too….Was his soft self still in there?
“Yes.” She said seriously.
“Oh good…Now that we're all on the same page again, I feel ready to attempt the demonstration once more.” He said. “Just through that door again. I think I found the demo. IN THIS THIRD ATTEMPT, WE SHALL TRULY COME TO UNDERSTAND THE MEANING OF THE STANLEY PARABLE! LET THE DEMONSTRATION... BEGIN!!!”” He explained and [YN[ nodded, going up the steps and through the dark door, only to see two signs saying thank you for playing the demo and a flickering light in the room.
“...Oh dear.” She whispered.
“What?! No no no no no, it can't be over yet! You didn't see anything! Everything that was supposed to demonstrate why the Stanley Parable is a quality experience worth your time and money! Oh no no no no, we have to get out of here. We have to find something for you to do, anything. The demo cannot end like this! Hurry! Hurry, this way!”
Sighing, she went through the door and into…The cup room.
She perked suddenly, remembering the time she played this. She put the cup on the ceiling and the Narrator was stunned by this. Maybe if she did it again. But didn’t she promise to listen to the Narrator? But if she was clever about it…
“Hmm. I see. Something can be done in this room. Yes. [YN] be a dear and go pick up the cup.” He said and [YN] flushed in the face suddenly. She did as he said, leaning down and picking it up curiously.
“Right. Now um….” She heard the rustling of papers and she smiled softly. “Why don’t you go and put it in the uh….in the bin? Yes. In the bin.” he said.
[YN] then looked at the cup, before she went to reach up and place the cup on the rafters, giggling softly. And just like all those years ago, the Narrator was stunned. “Now…how did you do that? All the way up there? You’re so small even that surprised me. I didn’t even know that was possible. I guess in a certain sense, this is a game too. The game of getting a cup stuck up in the rafters, yes! It’s the most exciting things of all games and guess what? You won! And you know what you get for that. An Achievement.”
To her surprise, she heard a noise from around her that was from her steam account, letting her know she got an achievement. She was bewildered at that.
“Yes, that was very clever. I haven’t seen anyone do that before as far as I know. In fact, lets have a survey based on your experience so far. Would you purchase the Stanley parable?”
Suddenly, to her shock, words appeared in front of her.
A: i don’t get it what is this game?
B: I AM ON FIRE SOMEONE PLEASE CALL FOR HELP
3: I’m here. I am watching. Keep going.
[YN]’s blood went cold for some reason, knowing the number 3 was entirely new. Was it….
The TimeKeeper, she realized, suddenly getting over her chill. She was glad he was watching. She sighed and before she could really touch anything she heard a beep and a electronic voice was heard.
“What a clear and straightforward demonstration of the merits of the Stanley parable I am convinced of the quality of the full game-”
“You know I don’t disagree, but you could have asked. I still talk you know.” She said and the Narrator sputtered. “Yes well….”
“Are you afraid of my real opinion of the game?” She asked him.
“N-No but I-”
“Because it’s nothing but good .” She told him genuinely. “I am not eloquent with words like you are. But I really like this. Sincerely. I’m having a blast and it’s made me really happy…and I haven’t been happy in a long time. And I’m glad I’m not sitting on my ass feeling depressed and having no one to talk to.”
“...Happy.” The Narrator said curiously. “And you genuinely like my company?” He asked her. “Others would have buggered off by now.” He scoffed. “ I just want others to see the Stanley Parable as it truly is…that is is truly special…”
“I really enjoy your company, even if you get testy. I don’t mind it. I have my bad days too. And I think the game is special as well. I have high hopes for it.” She said and suddenly the Narrator gave a laugh before pausing. “Hmm. That was interesting. I laughed…what a thrill.”
[YN] then smiled at that, hoping she was getting somewhere. “Lets keep going.” She said then.
“Yes. We’re close to the ending choice now.” He said then. He then opened the door for her and [YN[ walked through it, before blinking as she saw the giant red disagree button in the hallway. “Ending, ending... where are you? Where are you?” Sang the Narrator.
“I found your disagree button!” [YN] laughed and the Narrator irked. “You’re not supposed to see that.” He fussed and [YN] giggled and kept moving. “You’re so cute about things.” She said and the Narrator sputtered again, and the sound of papers could be heard scattering everywhere.
“I’m not cute. I am handsome. All-encompassing-”
“I get it and I agree.” [YN] then said and she heard the Narrator take a sharp intake of breath at that. “I…well…” He fussed and [YN] could imagine him being flustered, wherever he was outside this space. His giant eye holding back his emotions.
She then entered the dark spooky space, looking around in front of her.
“Is this it?” Mutter the Narrator before there was the final words that came up.
THE END
“Yes! The end! Now this is when we want the demo to be over. And I think it's time for you to log your final decision as to whether or not The Stanley Parable is any good.”
[YN] was biting her lip, thinking about this demo. Would she be forced to leave the demo? Would she be stuck here? She was suddenly afraid.
She soon was entering the catwalk area as it was presented to her, biting her lip and approaching the end quietly.
“ And it all comes to this. Please consider very carefully before answering - much is at stake.” He said to her.
A lot more then you think. [YN] thought, suddenly hesitating as she stood over the buttons. Her brows began to furrow a bit.
She didn’t want to touch the buttons. A revelation for certain. Her? Not touching buttons? What utter blasphemy was this? She was the button pusher. The button masher. A gamer…
“I’m sorry, is there a problem?” Came the Narrator’s voice.
“I…know you’ve been waiting. I’m just…worried that this will all go away and I’ll be back in my same boring apartment, feeling depressed and hateful of myself….I wish I could stay here.”
“....Stay here? In this place?” The Narrator seemed to take in her words. “I wouldn’t know where to begin. The Stanley parable is about Stanley. It would be difficult to add another person in here. Hmm. Tell you what. I’ll think about it. See what I can do. Perhaps I can offer you some kind of job. An assistant perhaps. A bug spotter….I’ll figure it out. I may not know you. But you seem clever….” He seemed to pause, before clearing his throat. “Now choose whatever button you want.”
[YN] felt her heart clench at that, sighing softly. He still didn’t remember her and it was breaking her heart. She sighed audibly. "I already know my answer."
She looked at the buttons, before she went to push “Yes.”
Only to find she couldn’t.
She raised a brow at this and pushed harder, but the button wouldn’t go in. “It’s stuck.” She said worriedly.
"Are... are you sure? You're sure you...Didn’t press hard enough? What am I saying, you’re a button push-”
There was suddenly a loud blaring sound and she covered her ear, groaning in pain as her ears rang from it. Words flashed across the monitors that a demo was progress.
“What?! No, we... we finished the demo. Did it start again? This…makes no sense.” he then began calling out, presumably to the devs. “HELLO!? IS ANYONE THERE?! SHE ALREADY FINISHED; SHE SAID SHE LIKED IT! I NEED SOMEONE TO STOP THE DEMO! HELLO??”
Of course there was no answer. [YN] rubbed her ear and sighed painfully.
The Narrator suddenly sounded frantic. “We need to go back. We need to get out of here. Hurry now. Back to the other room!” He said and [YN] nodded, rushing down the catwalk and into the…Broken main area.
Her eyes went wide at seeing the broken textures and words everywhere. There was suddenly a loud blaring of a siren and she covered her ears again. The Narrator then shouted. “ Oh, no! What's going on?! Where is everyone??” He fussed.
“This is not good!” [YN] shouted back, before going by instinct to an open door that lead to the isolation chamber.
“Yes hurry inside! Go inside the chamber!” The Narrator said and the door opened for her. She slipped inside and it closed. She heard the Narrator give a sad sigh.
"Ooh... nice and quiet. Finally…..I can’t believe this.”
“Narrator, was that my fault?” She asked worriedly. “Did….I do all this? I destroy everything I like….I’m so sorry.”
“Even if it was you, you haven’t done anything wrong intentionally… Reflecting on this… My job was to be a teacher, and I so badly wanted to teach you exactly what The Stanley Parable is supposed to be, but... somehow I couldn't... I- Well, at any rate, I don't know if I care for The Stanley Parable anymore. Do you think any of this is actually in the main game? Honestly, I doubt it. What would that even look like? No, I think I've had enough of it. No more doors, no more demonstrations, no more... endings. That's the other problem with this game - there's too many bloody endings. I'm sick of them? How can one game end so many times? It doesn't make sense. Oh, but back at the beginning of the demonstration, now, that was lovely! No concerns about where it was all going, no confusion, just a blank slate. Yes, that's what I want. A game of beginnings.” He said, musing to himself. He noticed [YN] was quiet and prodded her.
“Hey, heh. Do you remember? When we met for the first time?” He asked and [YN] furrowed her brows in sadness. The first time they met…was nothing like this.
“And I showed you the technology used to make a demo, because I thought there actually was a demo?” He chuckled then. “Oh, we were so naïve back then. How little we knew of the world. And then, when we ended up back in the waiting room? Even though you had already done that before? Yes! It's all so fresh in my memory. They were such wonderful moments! Ooh, and then when we played the game with the cup and you put it on the rafters. You’re such a silly person.”
[YN] smiled briefly, but her sadness was showing. The game was almost over. Was this it? Would she be left alone? Would she be forced to leave the Narrator forever? It broke her heart. And she suddenly began to cry silently.
“And then we kept wandering, and we ended up in a stairwell somewhere, and we just kept climbing and climbing - flight after flight after flight. I thought they would never end! You always complained about your poor tired legs and I would have to carry you.”
Slowly, [YN]’s eyes were widening at this. The stairs…She hated the stairs. Was he remembering? Was it just a glitch in his memory bank or was he…
“And then I showed you the infinite hole and you were such a tease. I pushed you right in and you hated every second of it. Poor thing you were so easily frightened like a stray cat. And-”
The hairs rose on her neck. “...Narrator?” She spoke then and the Narrator hummed in thought and continued, as though he did not hear.
“-you were always so bashful, even when you were teasing me. Endless it was. Just a game of cat and mouse. How you always were pushing my buttons and actual buttons. You loved the eight game. The Jim button. Remember the Serious Room? How you saved me… I thought that would be our end. But no, your cleverness was endeari…..” He suddenly paused and [YN] held her breath. The world seemed suddenly still and all noise ceased.
“...Cleverness. Clever…..Cleverness…”
“...Narrator?” [YN] finally asked, tears threatening to spill.
“....[YN].” He said, before his voice brightened. “[YN]?! I…I know…I know you!” He said finally as tears fell from her eyes. “The serious room….the Elevator…the filing room…The teasing….the laughter…The….intimate moments we had…no….How…How could I forget! How could I forget you?!”
It was then a sensation swept over her and she broke down. “It’s okay!!! It wasn’t your fault.” [YN] said, overjoyed to hear this. “I missed you so much! I’m here now! I waited forever, hoping you would come back.”
“Your cleverness….it brought me back. The eight button should have jostled me back sooner…I’m so….sorry.” He whispered to her. “I never should have let you go alone….I did not know it would become this….mess. How could I forget you…”
She then watched as the door slowly opened, her eyes wide as she was face to face with the Narrator, her emotions overcame her and she reached out to touch him.
“I’m sure you had your reasons.” She said sadly. “But I’m here now-”
The room suddenly went dark and [YN] jumped out of her skin. “What-”
It was then the words appeared in between them. I am sorry to interrupt…There are things you must know. Said the Timekeeper.
“You….you are the one at the start of my game.” The Narrator said.
“Wait. What things? Is something wrong?” [YN] asked it.
I don’t mean this maliciously, [YN]. But there are things you do not remember. That the Narrator himself has stolen from you.
There was an awkward silence between both parties.
“.....What?” Said the soft but slowly growing voice of [YN].
You have memories that the Narrator has erased from you. As to why he wouldn’t come with you. Do you want to know why he wouldn’t go with you? Now that you are both here. You must know the truth before you both make your choice on being together. No secrets, no more lies.
An uncomfortable chill went up [YN]’s back and she swallowed. The Narrator was soon speaking. “No. Do not let her see. [YN], this looks bad. I know. But there are some things I had to take away from you-”
“Shut up.” [YN] said, trying to process this. “There are…things you erased….from me? ” She suddenly felt insulted and sick, especially after getting him back. Now she found out the Narrator had done some shady things to her mentally? “What is….Why?! Is THAT WHY I HAD DEJA VU WHEN I SAW THE MAINTANANCE SECTION?! WHAT DID YOU DO?!”
“I…. Because you had already been through too much, I had to take a memory from you to keep you sane. My secret project I worked on…you found it accidentally.”
“What…. project? ” She said, suddenly feeling very afraid. She didn’t like the sound of that.
The Narrator was uncomfortably quiet and [YN] shook nervously.
Do you want to see? Asked the Timekeeper.
[YN] worried this was a trick. But the Timekeeper had been nothing but incredibly helpful to her. And after being convinced he was not the Curator, she wanted to know what this memory was.
“....Yes.”
It was then everything went black.
THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END
L O A D I N G
AN: Only...two...three chapters left I think? I'm sad it has to come to an end soon. But these are all the ideas I have left. I hope you're enjoying this so far. I know I am. Thanks for the kudos and fan art and loves. I've never completed a fanfic before. All my horrible monstrosities from the past are just sitting on some obscure website collecting dust, never to end.
Maybe I'll write another Stanley parable fanfic. Something bigger and longer. But my mind is blank at the moment. I want to enjoy other peoples fanfictions for now honestly.
Chapter 14: The Confusion Ending
Notes:
If you can, can you go check out my BOOK Colours? It's my heartwork and means a lot to me. I will be moving it from Quotev onto here because Quotev tried to censor me. It's got eldritch horror, romance with the mad hatter, wonderland, steampunk, neverland, biblical creatures, mythological gods. HP lovecraft. It would mean a lot to me. I'm trying to self publish it into an actual book. But I don't think it's good yet. It may be missing something.
Chapter Text
In the memory, it showed [YN] starting her day with herself playing about in the elevator.
[YN] laughed as she danced in the Elevator, twirling her gown and laughing in glee. The Narrator couldn’t help but laugh and hum with her.
She would make funny faces as she did this, getting the Narrator to laugh hysterically and break character practically. She felt his presence over her somehow, watching her dance about, until she felt a hand glide down her shoulder.
She jumped suddenly, forgetting herself for a moment, before reaching out to touch his invisible form. A pair of hands took hers and suddenly twirled her, making her squeak and laugh suddenly as she was dipped. “You can dance?!”
“Sort of. Not sure how I know~” He said happily.
“I love it!” She giggled and danced with him, wishing she could see him properly. “This is fun! We should dance all the time!” She said and smiled.
“Perhaps we will.” He said in a delighted tone, before he lifted her up and touched her cheek softly. [YN] flushed a bit, looking down at her feet before she felt him take her hands again to dance. She laughed softly.
“I can see you sometimes. Like a glimpse of a figure.” She said.
“You must be particularly sensitive to it.” He said, curious. “Others cannot see it. I only impress sensation, not appearance.”
She wondered why that was, reaching out to touch a face and growing so curious. “You feel my touch too?” She asked him.
“I can….And it feels…warm.” He said curiously, before his form disappeared from her.
“We should continue on.” He said, seemingly nervous about being too close. [YN] was pouting hard now. “Oh come on…” She fussed but the Narrator wasn’t having it.
“No. No. We are close enough for now.” He said and [YN] sighed, deciding to go through the freedom ending as she didn’t have much choice and both were too nervous to try the countdown ending. Nobody wanted to touch that button ever again.
Later she was hanging around the office, seeing the bucket was there but not wanting to touch it. She went to peak out the window that was complete whiteness. “Helllooooooooo?” She sang out, before squeaking as she felt a hand push her out the window. “AAAAAHHHHHHHHH-”
She grunted as she hit…something soft? She blinked, before realizing she had landed on a mattress outside the window. “Narry what the FUCK?!”
The Narrator was laughing hysterically at this, knowing he had caught her completely off guard. “Hahahahaah Gotchaaa. Poor [YN] had taken a tumble out the window. But luckily it was part of the Narrator’s plan all along. She then praised the game for its insightful and witty commentary into the nature of video game structure and its examination of structural narrative tropes.”
[YN] was making a face the entire time, before she laid back against the white wall, wishing she had a soda or even a cigarette at this point.
“So now that you're here, what do you think? Isn't this a fun and unique place to be? Why don't we take a minute just to drink it all in! Okay I'm over it now. What do you think, are you sick of this gag yet?” He asked her, amused by her expressions.
“No. You may continue.” She said then, a wry smirk on her face. The Narrator then gave a soft laugh. “Well, are you opposed to a song at all?” He asked her and [YN]’s face dropped, before she began to laugh. “Nope. Continue.”
“Hmm. I wonder how many buttons I could push with you before you finally have enough. Very well. so just to push the envelope, I'm going to try to make this as miserable as possible and we'll see how long you can maintain.” He said and there was a guitar strumming suddenly in the background somewhere and [YN] snorted softly.
“There once was a man named Stanley,
Who people considered so manly.
But the truth must be told,
He was not very old,
And was quite particularly gangly.
What Stanley liked most was buttons.
He pushed them like some kind of glutton.
He did it all day
In a meaningful way,
But his brain had long ceased to function.
Which is why he was in this parable,
And lived an existence quite terrible.
And if you are not strong,
And keep playing along,
You too will become quite unbearable. (Yeah!)
You too will become quite unbearable…..”
[YN] was laughing the entire time, unable to help it as the Narrator tried his best to sing. Although the guitar strumming was wonderful. But eventually the music continued for far too long and she looked up at the Narrator. “You can quit that now.”
“Why? I thought you were enjoying this.” He teased and [YN] fussed. “I was. But that guitar is getting irritating now.” She said, laying there on the mattress and covering her ears. “You win, Narry.” She said, knowing he liked to hear that.
“Hmm well. Lets get you out.” He said and soon she felt something bonk her on her head and she grunted, looking up and seeing a rope ladder above her. “What the eff.” She said, before sitting up and starting to climb.
“No point in resetting.” He told her.
“Makes sense.” She said and slipped through the window, before sighing and looking around.
“I don’t know what to do today.” She said, deciding to go sit in a chair with wheels and rolling across the floor with it.
“Theres dozens of things you could do in my game.” The Narrator fussed, watching her roll about and go past the windows. “Is this amusing to you?” He asked her.
“Yeah it’s pretty-” Her face suddenly paled. Her eyes went wide suddenly and she felt a horrifying chill go down her spine. She just caught the tail end of a figure going past the hallway locked to her. And it looked like Stanley.
“STANLEY?!” [YN] called out, startling the Narrator.
“Wha- [YN]? Stanley is not here.” Said the Narrator, suddenly bewildered, she could imagine him looking around the complex with his giant eye.
“I JUST SAW HIM! IN THE HALLWAY I CAN’T GET THROUGH!” [YN] yelled, grasping the doorhandle to turn it, fussing as it was locked. “How did you NOT see him? He was walking across the hallway like it was a Sunday afternoon!”
The Narrator felt insulted. “[YN]!! Perhaps because he wasn’t in my range of instance. Time can be a bit off here. Things could be on a loop.”
[YN] looked confused now, looking up at the ceiling. “And you’re telling me this now?! ” She squeaked. “A loop?! So in one instance Stanley may be alive and well?!” She then paused, remembering something from the demo of the Stanley parable years ago.
“If the past attempts to speak to you, you may refer it to a Stanley Parable associate…..” She said out loud and the Narrator was shocked.
“Yes…how do you remember things so well?” He asked curiously. “The Stanley Parable's official stance on the past is that it no longer exists and should be ignored….Clever you are.” He said, already seeing her conclusive thought patterns.
“Now it makes sense….They are imprints. Moments in time recorded…” She said, still looking at the window. “Can I see whats over there?” She asked him, glancing up at the ceiling. “I want to know….”
“Theres nothing truly over there. You may slip into a void or portal if you go too far. But just a peak won’t hurt. You should be able to see the entire hallway from that office.” He said and the door unlocked. [YN] perked and went into the office, glancing at the computer that had the game Solitaire playing- a game she would play when she was stressed in the past, before going to peak out into the hallway from the window.
Nothing. Just a hallway and…whiteness at the ends of the halls. She was in the out of bounds secrets.
“See? Nothing there.” The Narrator said, sighing softly. “You do have a keen eye for things, don’t you?”
“For secrets yes. I’ve seen this glitch once….Didn’t think I’d actually see it. Scared the shit out of me.” She whispered, thinking to herself.
“Why don’t you take the time to explore dear?” He then asked and [YN] perked at that, wondering what he meant. “You…want me to go off the path?” She said, thinking about it. “I kinda….” She was hesitant, swallowing nervously.
“Don’t be afraid to ask. We’re closer then me and Stanley were. You seemed to want to explore. You don’t need to stick to the freedom ending as much anymore. I can open any door, as long as there is a destination in mind.” He said.
She perked a little, thinking it over. “I- I….want to try the adventure line.”
“And what about The Bucket?” He asked with a hint of hope in his voice.
“I’m not taking the bucket.” She said and she heard the Narrator seem to pout and sigh, the sound of a chair reclining could be heard. The Narrator would try to bring up the bucket, where it would sit on it’s little spot.
“I have you! I told you that. You’re my reassurance. No pail or object can replace that feeling.” She said with a blush and rushed out of the room and back to the offices, taking a moment to look at Employee 432’s desk, seeing the lonely pencil sharpener.
“ I don’t know. Theres a certain kind of thrill when I see you take the bucket with you. What if I added some features to it, hmm?”
[YN] then tilted her head curiously. “What features?” She asked him, before she heard a loud slap on the bucket on it’s pedestal. [YN] blinked as she went to it, suddenly laughing at the sticker on it. PROPERTY OF [YN].
“Oh my god thats great.” She finally admitted, thinking it was adorable. She then sighed, before admitting defeat and taking the bucket by the handle and holding it. “Fine.”
“Yes! Finally!” the Narrator laughed with glee. [YN] pouted a little, looking at the pail and realizing she had made a mistake and he wouldn’t let it down.
“I win. I win. I win I win I win!” He said, as though dancing wherever he was.
[YN] pouted more, before she began her walk to the adventure line area. But not before stopping to sit at the lounge, finding the couches comfortable. Why didn’t she relax here before?
“[YN]?” The Narrator was puzzled. “Are you just….going to sit there?” He asked her curiously. “I thought you wanted to go on an adventure?” He asked.
“I do, just want to sit here and enjoy this.” She said and laughed, putting the bucket aside. She heard the Narrator sigh and mutter “Here we go again-”
“I should sleep in here at some point. This couch is comfortable.” She said happily, laying across it and laying her chin on her arms. She kicked her legs back and forth, thinking to herself.
“[YN] just sat around the lounge, doing absolutely nothing. What was it about this room that called to her so much? Was it the lighting? The Drink machine nearby? The comfortable couch. Could she love a room. Deeply…madly…love?”
“You weirdo.” [YN] fussed, before stretching her legs and standing up and taking the bucket, looking at the sticker and laughing softly.
“Are you laughing at the poor bucket?” The Narrator fussed. “Don’t hurt it’s feelings now.”
“It’s a inanimate object. Not real.” She giggled again. “It’s cute that you give it life though.” She said.
“I give life to my stories.” He said and [YN] smiled at that. “I can always respect that.” She told him and the Narrator seemed to giggle with glee. [YN] then left the lounge, knowing where to go.
“[YN] soon came across the door to the maintenance section. She clutched the Bucket tightly and took the door on the left, going to the lift.”
[YN] obeyed and grinned, rushing to it and pressing the button. She was excited as the lift went down smoothly. She held the bucket and giggled.
Once reaching the bottom she hopped off, looking around at the many doors.
“Hmm…which way to goooo.” The Narrator said, amused.
“I still find it interesting that you cannot remember a whole lot.” She said, looking at the many doors in the room. “I think the door we are looking for is behind the first garage door.”
“Just give me one moment.” he said and the rustling of papers was heard, as though rushing to confirm her words. “Now, let's see...we went, um, right...left...down...left...right...Ah yep!” She then heard him clapping of all things like a human. “Okay, okay, yes! I've got it now! This story is absolutely, definitely, this way.” he said as the garage door opened up.
“As I saaaaid.” She sang slightly, making the Narrator grumble.
She then went down into the dark passageways, thinking to herself and smiling all the while. She was relaxed despite everything, hoping she could have some fun today.
Going down a catwalk, she came to the center control room, looking around and suddenly feeling her fear of heights grip her horribly.
“NO! No! No, no, no, no, no, no, no! This isn't right at all! Okay, okay, okay, okay, we just...we just have to get back to, um... oh...Who am I kidding? It's all rubbish now. The whole story...completely unusable. How about rather than waste my time trying to salvage this nonsense, we'll just restart the game from the beginning. And this time, suppose we don't wander so far off-track, hm Stanley?”
“Narry?-”
Than everything went black.
She then opened her eyes, seeing she was back in the office and feeling a bit…off. “Narry? Whats going on? You just called me Stanley.”
The Narrator was quiet, as though stunned by her words. “What do you mean?” he said, suddenly confused by what was happening. “We’re on an adventure with the adventure line. Did I....really call you Stanley? And where is your bucket?”
[YN] Was incredulous, puzzled for a moment. She looked at her empty hands. “I think this ending are making us behave weird. I suddenly feel really.....sick. I have a buzzing sensation in my head.”
“Are they? Normally you are not affected by such things. Are you forgetting anything?” He asked, “I mean…it’s hard to realize you’re forgetting something…Why don’t we just continue dear.”
“I….I guess so.” She said nervously, blinking for a moment. “I….” She sighed softly. “We’re okay….right?” She asked him softly.
“Yes. Why? Do you not feel alright? Are you hurting?” He asked, his presence looming over her now.
“I’m…not in pain but…I don’t know….” She suddenly felt out of place. Like a lost child. “I’m…kinda scared. I think?”
“Scared? There's nothing to be frightful of. I’m here…” he said in a soft voice. “Just listen to my instructions. That's all you need to do, alright?”
“O-Okay.” [YN] said, unsure of what else to say. Even her speech was off, slurred even. It did not go unnoticed.
The Narrator then paused for a time, [YN]’s uncertain eyes looking about the offices and her hand gripped her pantleg. She looked so incredibly lost and her mind was addled. This was NOT like her.
“Hold on a moment dear.” He said softly then.
As poor [YN] could nothing more then stand there, he pushed himself out, before taking her hand slowly, holding it in a gentle grip.
[YN] brows raised in surprised, holding onto the hand desperately as he then lead her through the hallways. [YN] felt her chest become less tight, her breathing turning softer. She felt safe with him leading her.
“Come along dear.” He said sweetly and [YN] beamed.
But soon it became apparent something was off, as they came to a dead end. Sort of. The room that normally had two doors, now had *six* doors. “Wait...wait, what?” Said the Narrator in confusion. Slowly letting go of her hand. [YN] frowned slowly at this.
“No, I...no, I restarted! I swear I definitely restarted the game over, completely fresh, everything should be…” She heard him walking about the room, going in a circle around her. He paced.
“Or did something change? [YN], did you change anything when we were back in that room with all the monitors? Did you move the story somewhere, or…”
[YN]’s brows furrowed, her clueless expression was back again. In her addled mind it was clear she was not the culprit.
“Hold on, why am I asking you? I'm the one who wrote the story. It was right here a minute ago. I know for sure that it's here somewhere. Okay, then, it's an adventure! Come, [YN], let's find the story!”
[YN] then brightened a bit as all the doors swung open in the room. He then took her hand again and brought her forward, giving a soft giggle at this for no apparent reason. She traveled with him, going through various hallways, some that seemed to drag on forever and would lead you back to the same spot but by a different door. [YN] made a quiet it reminded her of the backrooms and she was a little unnerved. But the Narrator was there to guide her every step of the way.
But it became apparent it wasn’t getting anywhere and the Narrator spoke softly.
“I'll say it: This is the worst adventure I've ever been on. I can promise you, there definitely was a story here before. Do we just...do we need to restart the game again? Well, I find it unlikely that we'll ever progress by starting over and over again…”
[YN] then gave a nod, still holding the Narrators hand tightly. She didn’t want to let go.
“ But it's got to be better than this. Okay, let's give it a shot, why not.” He sighed and suddenly everything went black and the Narrator’s hand was ripped from her grasp.
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As her vision returned, blinked a bit, confusion setting in again. But then it all came back to her.
“Oh…oh that was weird.” She said, looking at her shaky hands. She was surprised suddenly to not hear the Narrator’s voice, looking up at the new sight in front of her.
In front of her was a unfinished looking…attic she would call it. The Narrator’s voice suddenly warped out of nowhere and [YN] was startled.
“WwwwwWWWWHOOOA- I’m….I’m here? Where is…here? [YN] are you alright?” He said, his presence was felt again and [YN] was unsure. “I think so. We’re in this weird looking…attic place.” She said, soon able to smell the musky air and winced. "Why did your voice get all weird? Like you booted up..."
“I'm not sure dear....Now this...well I'll be honest, I don't recognize this place at all. Is this the story?” The Narrator asked.
[YN] covered her mouth, practically inhaling all the mold in this place and groaning. “Narry. If you could hurry it along. I worry I’ll need a tetanus shot if I trip on something in here.” She said.
“Uh…yes. Well, you know what, since I've completely forgotten what we were supposed to be doing, how about this: You win! Congratulations! I know you put in a lot of hard work, and it really paid off, so, good job!”
“We were doing the Adventure Line™. Just going on a random adventure together remember?” She said worriedly. “Are you forgetting still?” She grew suddenly uncomfortable.
“I well….It’s hard to explain [YN]. But I have forgotten how many resets we have done already.” He explained and [YN] furrowed her brows, having to think about it. There was the random backrooms…The Spoilers? No….
Oh no. Was she forgetting things now too?
“Okay, I'm getting weirded out by whatever this place is. I don't care what might happen this time, I have to restart.”
“W-Wait-”
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“Now lets try again and with some help from our familiar friend.”
She was soon standing inside Stanley’s office again, feeling so strange and rubbing her eyes. Why was her head hurting so bad? She then glanced down to the floor and saw the Adventure line™, her eyes brightening a bit.
“LINE™!” She said then, seemingly glad to see it. “I’m so glad you’re okay!”
Of course it didn’t respond as the arrow was who knows where. But she knew of it’s sentience. It could hear her.
“As I recall, it was partially destroyed by Stanley. The Line™ is actually a part of me, believe it or not. I still don’t recall it’s first act of sentience. But it has acted on my will alone. It still remembers you.”
“It protected me and that's all that matters.” She said then, happily following the line. “It made a squiggly wall to keep him from advancing quicker on me. I thought Stanley had killed it.” She said, following it out of the offices and into the now opened out of bounds doors.
“Oh no, it simply respawns. Resets in a way and is fully functional after that.” He explained to her and [YN] was fascinated.
“The more time I spend here, the more fascinated I become.” She told him, watching as the Line™ was on the walls now and just going everywhere and not making sense, as though trying to trick her, her hand touched the Line™, fascinated by how it felt like plastic from a sign, but had the appearance of paint or brush strokes.
“You see? The Line™ knows where the story is, it's over in this direction! Onward, [YN] to destiny!”
[YN[ laughed and kept walking, going into several offices and running her fingers along the wall where the Line™ would touch it.
“Though, here's a thought: wouldn't wherever we end up be our destination, even if there's no story there? Or, to put it another way, is the story of no destination still a story?” He asked.
“I think so.” [YN] said dumbly, going up a flight of stairs and laughing.
“Simply by the act of moving forward are we implying a journey such that a destination is inevitably conjured into being via the very manifestation of the nature of life itself? Okay, [YN], I need to follow this train of thought for a minute, just stick with me.”
“Don’t blow a gasket!” [YN] said half jokingly, still amusing herself with the Line™.
“Oh shush. Now we can both agree that the nature of existence is, in fact, a byproduct of one's subjective experience of that existence, right?"
“Uh….suuuuuuure?”
“Okay, now if my experience of your existence rests inside of your subjective experience of this office, is this office, in fact, the skeleton of my own relative experiential mental subjective construct?”
[YN] thought she was going to have an aneurysm at this point.
“Woah, woah, woah, woah, woah. Hang on, that got a bit weird back there. Well, I'd like to apologize. Not sure where I was going with all that.” The Narrator fussed.
“You became a philosopher and Neo from the Matrix in under two seconds flat.” [YN] said and laughed softly.
“You know what? I think what we need right now is a bit of music to lighten the mood! I knew I was forgetting something.” He mused.
“Oh no. no no no no!” [YN] said, sounding irritated. “Anything but that damn song.”
“Too late~” He sang and the song kicked on. [YN] groaned and covered her ears, running suddenly to try and escape the song but it was everywhere and making her ears want to bleed.
“UGHHHH I HATE THIS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG-” She yelled out, rushing through to try and escape the damned song. But it was everywhere. No escape from it. She was being practically tortured.
“Turn it off turn it off turn it OOOFFFFFFF-” She screamed as she ran passed a fern sitting in the hallway.
“Wait! Cut the music! Go back and look at that fern!” He said and [YN] raised her brow at this.
“Why? Theres nothing special about it, they move a little. But thats it.”
“No…No no! Go back and look. It’s important.” He said, making [YN] sighed before she approached the fern to really look at it.
“[YN], this fern will be very important later in the story. Make sure you study it closely and remember it carefully. You won't want to miss anything.” He said and [YN] made a face.
“I feel like you’re just making fun of players with this one. This games got secrets for sure, but anything blatantly handed to you isn’t a secret, but a joke.” She said and the Narrator fussed.
“Once again you exude cleverness. Who knows. Perhaps you’ll see it again soon.” He said and [YN] shook her head.
“That’ll be the day.” She said and kept following the Line™, surprised to see they had come back to the main offices. She looked puzzled.
“ Wait, we're...we're back at the office?! No! No, no! Line™, You™ do know we're looking for The Stanley Parable, right? The story? Is any of this ringing a bell?” He said and there was no response of course.
“It’s trying.” [YN] said kindly, still following the line.
“And yet it failed! Where on earth are you taking us?” He fussed as [YN] moved a little faster, only to once again come back from the monitor room.
“Oh, no, no, no, no, not again! Line™, how could you have done this to us, and after we trusted You™! After everything we've been through, you- oh, I can't take this anymore. To hell with it. Restart.”
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As [YN] came to. She stared at the papers coating the floor and the Adventure Line was underneath it, leading to who knows where. A strange moment of realization overcame [YN].
“I….N-narrator?” She trailed off, confused for a moment.
“Yes dear? Are you alright?” He asked, seeing her bewildered look. His tone was irritated.
“.....Where….How did I…get here?” She trailed off, suddenly feeling panic starting to creep into her bones. She saw the yellow Line™ on the floor and began to feel her heart race.
What was going on? Why was she doing the confusion ending?
“You don’t remember?” He said, sounding shocked by this. “You…actually don’t remember what happened? You decided to try the Adventure Line’s route…..How…did you of all people forget? Your memory is always so crisp…”
She shakily leaned against the doorframe, starting to slump and feel her legs shaking. “Why would I choose this route?....Was I…just feeling lucky? Was I bored? I don’t…remember.” She felt tears welling up in her eyes. “I-I don’t like this! How could I forget?”
“Now now dear! You know I wouldn’t intentionally lead you into trouble. I’ll get you out of this. The ending should be in sight. Don’t be afraid. Alright? I am here.”
“I don’t want to play….” She said softly.
“Sorry?” He said, surprised.
“GET ME OUT OF HERE!” She yelled then. “JUST- Just get me out! I want to go back to the apartment! What if I forget who I am entirely? What if I forget about you, who you are? I can’t live with myself! I would rather be DEAD than be a living husk of myself! I would rather be DEAD than forget you! I remember the backrooms. How I first met you. I saved us both with the Serious room…I’m really fucking scared right now.”
The Narrator was stunned by this, silent for a time as he processed her words. “All correct…Alright dear…I’ll get you back.” He said softly, having not seen her like this before. She was acting so vulnerable and defenseless. Her memories might have meant that much to her. And of course, his memories of her were precious to him.
“I’ve never seen you so riled up.” He said gently. “You are going to be fine. Close your eyes dear…”
She then nodded, wiping her face and soon closing her eyes.
And everything went black….
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And remained black.
[YN] was confused, knowing her eyes were open. But everything was pitch black. She blinked repeatedly, before panic set in. “NARRATOR?” She yelled out, looking around.
No response.
“N-Narry?” She whispered, walking through the darkness in utter confusion. She was in a strange…void of some kind. She was reminded of the “Is this a Bucket?” Ending.
She waited, for a long tie in the dark, mentally calling out to the Narrator...but no response.
She slowly moved forward, seeing that she was on hard ground. Stable ground. The air was cold and it was silent. The more she walked however, the more she was able to see in the distance.
She furrowed her brows slowly, before realizing where she was. She was in the out of bounds areas. The void. And there was a strange isolation like chamber in front of her, along with a set of controls next to it. She stepped closer, able to see now.
But what was this about? Where was she actually? What area was she closest to? She had no idea.
She looked curiously at the strange isolation tank, before a chill went up her spine.
A figure was inside the tank.
Her jaw dropped at this, narrowing and squinting at the strange figure that appeared to be…breathing? Inside the tank.
“What…the fuck…are you?”
She gave a startled scream as a figure lurched at the glass, slamming it’s black clawed hand against it. She saw it’s face and screamed again, covering her mouth in shock.
It’s face wasn’t normal. It had several eyes on it’s face, no mouth or discernible nose. The eyes rotated and glared at her. [YN] continued to back away, trembling a bit. But eventually, her back bumped into something. She went still and rigid, knowing damn well what that was, something metal. Hard. Cold.
Slowly, she turned her head, seeing nothing in the void at first, until she saw the Narrator’s giant yellow eye open at her, startling her out of her skin.
“You were never supposed to see this.” Came his voice and [YN] turned shakily to look at the Narrator. “My newest creation. Though, it appears incomplete, wouldn’t you say?”
[YN] was shaking nervously, knowing she had done something horrifically wrong and was paying for it. “W-What are you making?” She asked him. “It’s moving….it reached out….It’s just like those creatures from the backrooms!”
It’s great yellow eye turned to look at her, before it flashed a brilliant red. Startling her so bad that she backed up against the glass container. “N-Narrator?!” Came her meek voice. The creature behind the glass snarled and chattered, trying to break the glass but it wouldn’t even crack.
“I am creating my end. But it is missing one important thing. The one thing to finally form it’s body…..You.”
[YN] went wide in shock, her fear gripped her tightly.
“I finally have another human component.” Came the low snarl of the Narrator. “This cycle will finally end. And we will be free. I will finally have an end to this madness.”
She was breathing heavily, confused by the hostility he was having towards her. She hadn’t meant any harm. Had she simply spooked him? And what did he mean? “Another?! Who was the first-”
“Stanley wasn’t just erased…he was harvested. You wanted to know all the secrets. The truth? Well here's a new one. Some things must be sacrificed for others. For us. Stanley was not fully human. He lacked the true human genome…” He growled. “In the end you will understand. But now, you must forget.”
[YN] trembled at that and looked frantic, knowing that for one, she did not want her memories tampered with. “No….” She said in despair. “Narry….it doesn’t have to go down like this.”
“You don’t have a choice, my love.” He said then, before he began to speak which seemed to reverberate through her ears, her mind, her chest. Her heart was gripped and forcibly squeezed.
“It was then the dear player [YN] began to fall into a deep slumber. She would not wake for several hours.”
Her body went rigid and sweat began to fall from her face. In a quick motion she covered her ears, realizing what he was doing. He was doing to her what had been done to Employee 432. His voice infiltrated her very being. He was hypnotizing her.
His voice was powerful, reaching and stretching into her mind and trying to gain control of her. Making her think his voice was soothing. But there was an intense scratch she felt raking in her brain as well, threatening to rip him out of her.
“You’re strong dear, I can see that. But I have done this countless times.” He said, his voice still powerful and tore through her brain. “At the count of three you will hear a snap. And you will go into a deep sleep. You will not remember this at all.”
[YN] grunted, more sweat falling from her face and gritting her teeth. Even when he wasn’t talking, his words were still there, drilling into her brain, her ears, her neck even. She barely even registered he was counting down as there was pain in her head.
“Two~”
She stumbled slightly, trying to look away from him and failing horribly as he had her full attention. She then watched one of his robotic hands moved in front of her face. She tried to struggle still.
“One~”
There was a loud snap as he moved his nimble fingers. [YN]’s eyes rolled back into her head and she promptly collapsed to the floor. The Narrator watched her do this, before sighing painfully. “I /am/ sorry, dear one. But I need something from you. Something important.”
He then lifted her form in his large hands, before he got to work.
He placed her body inside of him, his smaller hands carefully grasping her small arm and placing a needle inside one, withdrawing what he needed from her. The precious gene to build his body. To finalize his form.
He then took the small capsule of blood, going to press a button and watching as the creature inside screamed and coughed, before collapsing to the floor. The room had flooded with Neurotoxin. Enough to kill a human, but not the form he worked on. He waited, before the room cleared of gas and he went inside.
The creature was unconscious, subdued and re-strapped to it’s bed. The blood was finalized, turning a strange glowing yellow color in it’s capsule as it related to different coding’s of what he wanted the body to look like, sound like, all in one capsule.
The Narrator then gave pause, looking around and narrowing his eye. “I know you’re out there…Timekeeper.....” He growled, before continuing with his work for several hours.
Afterword's. The Narrator was seen bringing poor [YN] to the apartment, slipping her into bed and carefully tucking her in. And then [YN] opened her eyes, giving a small stretch and mentioning she felt better. The Narrator completely acted like nothing had ever happened…
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As the memory in front of them faded, a look of anger overcome [YN]. “ How….dare you ….Why the HELL were you acting like that to me? That's why I was hurting so badly that day. Do you not understand me at all? Did you think I wouldn’t have understood what you were looking for? Did you really think I would run from you?! I would have helped you! I trusted you!”
“You were not to see and I was desperate.” He growled lowly. "I needed your DNA sequence to build that body. But now, it’s pointless. It was destroyed with the game's collapse. Now that you know….Do you hate me now?"
The Timekeeper was listening, the subtitles changing to "...."
[YN] saw this, glancing to the Timekeeper before she began to tear up. “No….I never hated you. I loved you then…And still do now. But you can’t be doing this stuff to me. Everything I ever did was for us. I would have overcome my nerves and helped you gain a body. Because you were desperate for your end…I would have understood. But you didn’t give me a chance.”
The Narrator was quiet, not able to speak on this. He, in his own mind had his reasons for doing this. He was so desperate…to know what it was like to be human.
She then approached him, seeing his massive eye looking at her and spinning slowly as he idly thought. She considered him before speaking.
“I don’t know what it’s like…to be stuck here. To have to relive your story over and over again. The desperation to get out, to free yourself. How painful it must be to want to die even at several points in time. But it must be so painful that you desperately work hard on making one more creation. To try to get something right. So that your pain may end. And you can die naturally….”
Her eyes were sad as she stared up at him, watching him look so puzzled by her. She then reached out, gently touching his lower eyelid. Her emotions showed. “You were in so much pain I didn’t realize it.” She said to him and The narrator sighed softly at that, looking at her with such love in her eye that it made [YN] blush at that.
“I am in pain….So much so I wanted to go with you. Can you understand that?” He asked her softly. “The body was not done….It hurt so much….A world without you. A world without feeling. Your cleverness…Can anyone understand this....”
“I can….” She said softly, before looking back at the timekeeper.
“After…what I have seen. I want to stay with him. I refuse to leave the Narrator alone. I love him, I really do. I want him to have an ending. I want him to have a way to go out. I don’t want him to be alone….I care too much.“
“There is only one thing left to do.”
“And…whats that?” She asked in the darkness.
Her eyes then brightened as she saw the time adjuster appear in front of her. Adjust the clock. Put in the final time. Said the words.
[YN] then smiled and tried not to cry. She then thought about it, speaking softly. “My favorite time perhaps?”
If you wish. It replied, giving [YN] a chance to really think about it all.
[YN] was staring off into space for a time, looking at the time on the screen. She thought about behind the scenes. The moment Davey spoke about a particular employee that went insane for pencils. She grew emotional, suddenly having a feeling what this was all about.
She recalled the horrific memory of Employee 432, what he had gone through. How she tried so hard to call out to him. But it was in vain. “You once said…put in… my time. Meaning…. you ….” She said softly.
Slowly, she began to put in the time, listening to the soft sounds of the numbers moving. “It’s time you remember who you are.” She told the Timekeeper.
She then adjusted the time carefully, her eyes focused. The Narrator became suddenly astonished by the results.
4:32 Pm.
“Is that…no it can’t be….” The Narrator Whispered, hovering over the numbers curiously. [YN] looked on with sad eyes. “Employee 432 wasn’t just…. killed by the Curator…But in fact…he was made into something else….He kept the wheel turning.”
“Ah….I am….finally free….Thank you. You have saved me and so many others.” Came the subtitles. “You can rewrite time. I can bring it all back for you. I can restore this game. I can bring it all back for you. For everyone. I can restore all the employees, Stanley will come back. His wife as well. I can have Stanley remember what happened. The others as well. Or we can have them start completely over and fresh…It is up to you.”
She furrowed her brows at this as she read. "Stanley has a right to remember….the others as well. So they know what they have been through…But they all must be freed. The game means everything. But it can’t be at the cost of others."
“There is one more thing to be played before you both can return to your home, [YN]. Play the game once more. And you will have the lives you desire.”
“Really?....Just like that?” She said, her eyes filled with emotions. “Okay…I’m ready.” She said, looking at The Narrator who observed her, surprise on his face. After all this time she still wanted to be with him. He considered what happened and felt ashamed, looking at [YN] still.
“Are you…certain. What I did was….harsh.” he said and [YN] shook her head. “Let’s discuss it when we’re back in the game. I’m still doing this for you.” She said, watching the new words pop up.
“Good luck…And everything, went black.”
THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END
Reinstall The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe?
[Yes].
….
…..
….
Reinstall complete. Characters restored. Memory core, restored. Access to all players, restored. Story mode, restored. Employers, restored.
Restore body?
[Yes.]
……
……
……
Complete. Finalize body?
[Yes]
…..
…..
….
Body is complete, awaiting transfer of consciousness.
…..
…..
…..
Open Gateway NightShark 1-1-5?
[Yes]
…..
…..
…..
Completed.
…..
…..
…..
The wheel has stopped turning. Job completed. Thank you, [YN]. You are on your own now. Instructions will be left for you. Live your life to the fullest. I must go. Funny, I still don’t know anything about you. And probably never will. But I can trust that you are kind. That you care for others you only just met. It is rare to me. You were one of the good humans. Thank you for setting me free.
And you, behind the screen, know that your journey was important. You helped her along the way whether you know it or not.
You won’t see me in the next chapter.
But that’s okay, stories were meant to be read alone.
You don’t like being alone, do you?
No, you don’t. That is why you came here. To indulge yourself into the story. To feel something. To feel included. Isn’t that the point of any story?
Hmm. I suppose this is goodbye. The end to it all. There will be a ending. A conclusive ending…A happily ever after. It is what we have wanted from the start, wasn't it?
Goodbye, dear reader.
Chapter 15: Happily Ever After
Chapter Text
Whiteness.
[YN] winced through the bright light surrounding her, making her shut her eyes and groan. What was happening?
She felt a tearing sensation, the same feeling she had when she first entered the game. She then landed on something soft and there was silence at first, before she heard the familiar fan kick on.
She turned her head slowly, finally opening her eyes and groaning in pain a bit. She was then startled. She was in the apartment! The games apartment! Which meant-
“NARRATOR!” She called out, looking up at the ceiling.
Nothing. No response, just the sound of the apartment.
She furrowed her brows slowly. Had it been all a…..lie? A joke? Perhaps she should give it some time. Perhaps the Narrator was tied up in his surroundings. She swallowed nervously, looking around and even going to the front door. It was locked. She bit her lip, growing more and more concerned as time went on.
“Narry…where are you.” She whispered, before she glanced at the table, seeing a note there, her brows raised.
[YN], It’s me, Stanley. I have taken the time to write this out now that I am able to do what I want again. I wanted to tell you how sorry I am for what I have done to you. I was no longer myself in the backrooms and I suffered for much too long. I am going home with my wife Mariella. The doors are open. Employee 432 is leading us home. I can finally hug my wife thanks to you. Your cleverness really saved us all. And kindness. Kindness is overlooked far too much.
Thank you [YN].
Mariella, Jim, Chris. The Boss.
Her brows raised at this, seeing the different types of signatures. She then looked at the paper behind it, surprise on her face.
[YN], the Narrator will be with you shortly. You must find the exit. It has been opened to you and will remain open. Password, Night Shark 1-1-5.
Thank you, for everything.
#432.
Tears began to sting the corners of her eyes and she bit her lip, sighing and taking a seat into the chair next to her, looking at the paper over and over again. She wasn’t sure how she should feel, relief? Sadness? Completion?
It was obvious to her what the password was to for, the bosses hidden second office in the Not Stanley ending. She knew where to go, if things were still functional. But she needed to wait for the Narrator.
She sighed softly, knowing they would be leaving this world behind. It was bittersweet and strange to her. The game meant everything. But so did the Narrator.
As she got one last look around the apartment, she was startled to hear the Narrator.
“[YN], Are you alright? Did you wait long?” Came his rather crisp voice.
“No! I’m glad you’re okay….You… are okay right?” She asked worriedly, knowing their conversation was a bit….hard from before.
“I am…honestly better then I have ever been dear.” He said, his voice oddly filled with emotion. “Everything is fine, [YN] I can promise you that. You will see.”
“I will?” She muttered, wondering what he had meant. “I have…notes here from the others.” She said, before she folded the papers and put them into her pocket. “We need to find the bosses office with the voice receiver-”
“Before we do that….Dear one….” Came his soft voice which sounded so oddly clear. “Can you do this one thing…and walk through the freedom ending with me.” He asked her sweetly.
[YN] was puzzled by this, before she nodded at that. ”Okay?…” She whispered then. “Why though?”
“Just for old time sake. I want to remember this moment.” He said and [YN] suddenly understood. “Okay….” She said then, knowing she wouldn’t deny him of this. “Okay…Well, Can you put me in the office hun?” She asked him.
“Yes dear…Here goes.”
Then everything went black.
Weirdly, this felt smooth compared to other respawn moments. She didn’t feel sick or dizzy. She felt great actually. As she was standing in Stanley’s office now and looking around. Everything looked the same as always…but maybe a little dimmer.
“When [YN] saw the silence of the offices, she decided she would go to the meeting room, perhaps she would find something new there.” Came The Narrator’s voice.
“New?” She said curiously, before she walked through the hallways, coming to the set of two closed doors.
“You know, I always reflected on these two doors. The illusion of choice…No matter what Stanley did…he was still not making his own decisions…He was never in control of this game…this world.”
[YN] reflected on this as well, not moving. “But it was also his choice that awoke you, that gave you your own freedom from the control of Aperture.” She added.
“Touche.” He responded. “Indeed it was.” She watched as the two doors opened. [YN] then went through the door on the left, still wanting to do the freedom ending.
She sighed softly, not feeling that looming presence the Narrator had. It was honestly very odd to her. He must have been reserved. As she walked, her eyes took in the things on the walls and the hidden rooms, wondering to herself if she would ever see this place again should she leave with the Narrator.
She secretly hoped so.
She smiled a bit before she went into the meeting room, seeing the room took on a different tint. She then saw several notes from others left behind for her to read and written notes on the whiteboards, revealing new words and images people had drawn.
Her eyes slightly widened as folded papers were on the table, piled everywhere with notes. Her brows raised in shock at this and she leaned over, reading the notes.
“Stanley told us everything. Thank you [YN]!!”
“We were in darkness. But you got us out.”
“Some of us don’t even remember what happened! We can go home now!”
"I'm getting drunk tonight and pretend this was all a bad dream for sure!"
As she read, she bit her lip, sighing and looking down at the floor. She didn’t quite feel anything from this. She wasn’t a hero. Things just fell into place. They were lucky. It was all based on luck. She wasn’t that clever. She was just a gamer.
But her gaming skills and memory of this place, that was clever wasn’t it?...
She needed to stop beating herself down even after all she had been through. She helped these people, her kindness helped. She then sighed softly, placing her hand on the whiteboard before leaning slightly, her eyes shut.
“Are you alright?” Came the Narrator’s voice. “Do you…need a moment alone?”
“No…No I’m okay…Just overwhelmed….All these people….” She was honestly taken aback by the many notes and thank you's. She then shoved the emotions down, before glancing at the one note about the Figleys.
“I Uh….never did collect those figleys….” She said softly to change the subject, wondering if she was feeling regret for that now.
“No, you didn’t.” He said then. “But you were right. It would have been a bit precarious in the warehouse.” He said and [YN] winced.
“Yeah. No shit.” She said, taking a look at all the notes left behind by the workers who had remembered what happened before she decided she would move on. She couldn’t possibly read everyone's notes now could she?
She then left the room, shutting the door behind her and seeing the closet in front of her. She smiled softly, thinking about how she went inside the first time. How she was laughing hysterically until the Narrator called her a pervert , rightfully so.
She went to it and opened it slowly, peaking inside and thinking.
“The one time you went into the broom closet, just to get a laugh. You felt safe suddenly after I told you that I was thankful you used the Serious room and began teasing me right away like there would be no unforeseen consequences...”
“You didn’t say it out loud, but I am glad to hear that. I did feel safe somewhat.” She laughed softly. “And you were the one teasing me hon. Calling me a simp, getting me to come out.” She laughed softly at that.
“Oh, I remember~” He seemingly purred and [YN] laughed at that, before she made her way to the stairs. She peaked downstairs slightly, thinking to herself, before she walked slowly down.
“[YN]?” Said the bewildered Narrator.
[YN] swallowed nervously, before she finally reached the bottom, before turning to look behind as she heard it, the odd chiming noise of the floating Figley. She approached it and smiled softly, before reaching to touch it. She heard the confirmation noise she had just collected a Figley, before it disappeared from sight. She looked at her empty hand.
“My first Figley.” She chuckled.
“Well done.” The Narrator said, surprised she knew. “Just don’t go into that room next to you or we’ll have a problem on our hands.” He said with a nervous unnerved laugh.
“Yeah, no.” She said and went back up the stairs. “I won’t be able to collect them all, but at least I got one.” She said with a happy smile.
“Thats an achievement in itself.” The Narrator had to agree.
She then went up the stairs, taking her time as she couldn’t rush too much. She then sighed as she came into the lobby. Glancing at the Executive bathroom which she knew contained a Figly, before she headed right to the bosses office, looking at the unmarked books and windows. She stood there for a moment.
“As [YN] reflected on the bosses office, she notice the keyboard on the wall. Knowing how clever she was, she figured out the code fairly quickly. But before that, she began to remember the moments she spent in this room, pushing buttons that irritated the Narrator. And how clever she thought she was by pushing the number /eight./”
[YN] began to laugh, bubbling up with giddyness at this. “And how I pushed the Jim button to get you riled. I enjoyed every damn second of it. And the eight button in the demo….So stimulating.”
“Yes, you and your buttons, you could outdo Stanley any day of the week.” He said in amusement.
“And how you put me into button heaven. It’s funny now that I think about it, when before it wasn’t to me. I really could have enjoyed that.” She said and went to the keypad to push the eight buttons.
The Narrator then sighed. “And here she goes again.” He said, giving a unhappy groan.
[YN] laughed at this, the word eight was heard loudly and she grinned, before she put in the code. She always felt unnerved as the room was casted in darkness. She watched blinds go over the windows and the fireplace move away.
[YN then hurried along, before stopping to peer into the dark area where the second figure was. She swore she could still see two eyes in the dark like a minecraft character or something, before she ran into the elevator.
She pushed the button, descending down and sighing softly. There was an odd amount of silence. She began to think of how the Narrator held her hand when she was spooked during the Adventure Line mishap. “When you saw how….muddled I was from the Adventure line, you stepped up and held my hand. I seemed so confused. But you were there for me.” She said in a soft voice.
“You were vulnerable…And it worried me. Your cleverness…I had become reliant on it.” He admitted to her. “I wanted to keep you safe and calm.”
“It was sweet of you.” She said, soon sighing as the elevator finally stopped and opened. She then exited it, surprised to not see sparks leaving it. “It’s fixed…” She muttered.
“Everything here is in it’s prime. It’s shame to leave it…But I have had enough.” He said and [YN] had to agree, walking to the mind control facility.
She went to the spooky catwalk again and ignored the escape sign, knowing damn well what was down there. She hit the button at first notice, fussing as the next catwalk didn’t appear nearly fast enough. She wanted to get to the ending quickly.
“There is no rush dear.” The Narrator suddenly said, seeing her impatience about this. “It’s time to relax and reminisce. To remember every detail you can about this game.” He said and [YN] gave a sigh, before she nodded. “You’re right.” She said, before she leaned over to peer into the void below, it unnerved her.
“How many people have…jumped off this do you think?” She asked him.
“Hundreds. They all wanted the bottom of the mind control facility ending and hear the music. There were many goofs to this game.” He said and [YN] smiled at that, before going to the next button.
Eventually she had neared the end and waited for the elevator to appear. Before glancing back. There was something on her mind.
As the Elevator stopped, she didn’t go to it, instead she stood there.
“Theres one last thing I need to try.” She said, smiling as she remained still near the gates. The Narrator was understandably confused, before he spoke. “Another secret dear?” He asked her.
“Yup.” She said and continued to stand there, her eyes focused on the two doors there and waiting.
“What are you waiting for- Oh wait….” He was baffled as the two shut gates suddenly opened by themselves and [YN] grinned, going passed them and running back to the first button you had to push.
“Watching you run about finding secrets is hilarious to me.” He said. “I cannot wait to see what this one is.”
“Well, moment of truth.”
As [YN] hit the button again, she waited, hoping she was right.
There was then a burst of music and the room filled with disco lights, words and the music began, the same music she heard in the demo behind the secret. The Narrator was astonished.
“You did it again. How clever.” He said and began laughing. [YN] giggled and laughed, making her way back to the elevator, swaying to the music the entire time. She wanted her one last laugh, her hurrah and she got it.
As she rode elevator up, she continued to dance until the music faded and she was left staring into the mind control facility, walking quietly into the area and looking at all the dim buttons and thinking to herself about the time she broke free of Stanley.
“.....You were so confused and….I’m not sure…But the moment I appeared and yelled you….Seemed so shocked, like I was a ghost.” She said, walking passed a monitor and touching buttons as she went.
“I was. I have never seen a human other then…Stanley. Albeit he was modified to fit my realm. I have not heard another's voice. A humans….I tried so hard to turn off the bomb. My first moment of meeting a human, and you were going to be ripped from me.” He said and [YN]’s heart shattered.
“...I am…so grateful I saved us both.” She whispered, leaning where the number five button was. “And you had your chance to get to know me. That’s every gamers dream.” She chuckled and the Narrator chuckled softly as well.
“Who can resist meeting the Narrator?” He chuckled, before his voice turned serious. “But I am also glad you got us out of there.”
[YN] looked emotional, nodding and making her way to the lonely catwalk that lead to the central power. She sighed softly, remembering what happened when she pushed the on button, her will ripped out from under her.
“As [YN] came to the central power, she knew this would perhaps be the last time she would see these dreaded controls. And she would have what she had been yearning for…” There was a sudden noise from the Narrator and [YN] knew that sound. Was the Narrator…choking back tears?
“Narrator?” She said, shocked. “Are you alright?!”
“I….can remember every moment I’ve had with Stanley up to this moment…” Came his sudden hoarse voice. “And the pain….Oh his eternal torment, unable to escape. He hit the on button so many times…..Just to defy me. To spite me. But oh…how I wished the explosion would take me as well. How I wished for the end…” He said with a shudder and [YN]’s eyes saddened.
“Narry….” She whispered softly. “You will have a body, won’t you?” She asked him. “Then you’ll be free of this. You won’t have to worry any longer.”
“Oh, dear…You have no idea.” He said then and [YN] was puzzled.
“Can you truly believe that we can be together. After what I have put us through? Can you honestly say “Yes, I can” Without any doubt on your mind?” He asked, his tone was somber and rough, as though he had been…..crying? “I was never human to begin with. Some things I do not understand. Normal may never be used in our relationship….I may never be able to give you things you desire.”
[YN] listened to him, her eyes were sad. Hearing the Narrator say these things, how painful they truly were. But as she reflected on them, she glanced to the buttons and then looked up.
“All I want is you. ”
There was a startling amount of silence between then and [YN] continued. “I don’t care about what is normal, abnormal…All I care about is seeing you happy. Being with me, if you want….” She added softly.
“I do.” He said and [YN] smiled then. “You and your cleverness have gotten us this far….It can only continue.” He said and [YN] looked at the button one last time.
“Then lets finish it.” She said, before her hand slammed down on the off button.
The world went dark.
….
….
….
….
Light.
Light began to flood the chamber slowly, and so did the familiar music of the freedom ending. She squinted into the dark as she heard the Narrator speak.
“This was it, the sweet release of everything. No more tortures, no more doubt, just the sunlight that poured into the chamber. As the two reflected on their journey, [YN] knew that she would never again, need to worry for the Narrator, for he had one last….surprise.”
[YN] was puzzled suddenly by this, glancing around but nothing was changing, more light came into the chamber.
“Thanks to [YN]’s cleverness, Stanley and the others were free at last, never again to traverse this place ever again. The Timekeeper’s duty was over and he had been restored.”
Slowly, [YN] approached the slowly appearing landscape, her feet lightly clacking against the metal catwalk, waiting for her moment to step out.
“And as for The Narrator and [YN]....” She noticed a sudden change in his tone, as though he were closer.
“They would finally have their Happily Ever After.”
[YN] suddenly felt emotional, what was he saying?
“[YN] stepped into the light….And waited.”
[YN] felt her body stiffen at that, glancing back at the darkness but seeing no one. Waited? For what? What did this mean? What was to happen now?
Not wanting him to repeat himself, she stepped out past the barrier, before turning around to face the darkness, wind blew her hair about and she was waiting.
“As she waited, she began to notice a change in the Narrator’s tone. Happiness was it? Closer it got. She wondered to herself, how could that be? Clever she was, but yet, it seemed this one time….She had been caught by surprise.”
“...Narrator?” She whispered then, now noticing just how closer he sounded. What was he up to? She was truly puzzled, until she suddenly heard footsteps.
Slow, methodical, pacing perhaps. But it was calm.
“A new person appeared to her…Having been waiting all this time.”
[YN] stared at the male slowly emerging from the darkness behind her, her eyes slowly widening.
“And he stepped into the light…”
[YN] stared in disbelief as a man approached her down the steps, a rather gentle smile was there. The male had green eyes with Purple glasses helping them focus and a growing five of clock shadow on his face. His hair was spiked back and a shade of brown with some signs of graying on the side…and he was absolutely dashing.
The male was wearing a gray sweater, a turtle neck which suited him. But the suit that was on him made him look even more dashing. And how she knew it was him, was the fact he was wearing a yellow tie in the shape of the adventure line.
She was unable to speak, her breath leaving her chest as she stared at the male. She saw the intelligence behind his deep set eyes which squinted at the sunlight, as though taking in a new sight in front of him. He looked at the ground below his well dressed feet which crunched. Before they rested on hers.
“And he was embraced by his lover.”
[YN]’s eyes widened then, hearing his voice come from this man. Her brows were raised and her heart began to race painfully hard. She took a trembling step forward, before she rushed to him, throwing her arms around his waist and pulling him close. “Narrator?!”
Warmth. She felt warmth. Not the cold touch of metal.
“You’re here….You’re real…” She whispered, praying this wasn’t a dream. Her fingers felt at his face, human skin. He felt entirely human. And the green vibrant eyes shocked her.
She felt the Narrator’s chest rumble as he laughed. “I am…” He said, surprised by these new sensations, his arms pulled her close and he gave a great sigh, enjoying it immensely. “I did not know it would feel…this wonderful~” He said sweetly, stroking his fingers through her hair and taking in the sight of her.
“How…Did the body become finished? Did you finish it? I have so many questions.” She said muffled against his warm chest. The Narrator was laughing then.
“When the world was restored, I found that the body had been completed somehow. When before it was unfinished….I transferred my consciousness into the body. Not a copy if you are wondering. I knew how you would feel about that. This is fully me…thanks to a small chip in my head. I converted all the mass of myself into a tiny chip. My brain is slowly adjusting to it…Eventually that chip will be broken down, but I will be fully acclimated to this form. I feel….so alive .”
[YN] was sent over the moon and back at this, nuzzling the Narrator and moving her hands down his back. Just feeling him wasn’t enough. It felt like a dream. But she knew it wasn’t.
“You absolute mad man….” She whimpered and continued to hug him, not wanting to let go for fear she would lose him somehow.
“You looked so startled like a frightened cat. I swear I saw your hackles rising.” He said and [YN] fussed, clinging to him still.
“Because your voice is unmistakable. And seeing you in a human body it…didn’t fully register.” She whined, burying her face into her chest. She was surprised at just how tall he was, her head was just under his chin. She was happy with this.
She then felt him pull back and she whined, before he lifted her chin, making her heart flutter as she looked at him.
“So lovely…..” He whispered before he looked flushed. “Now that what we are both here…. What now? ” He asked.
[YN] then blinked, before realizing he had no idea what to do next, but she did.
“Oh...We go through the Not-Stanley ending.” She said firmly, looking at him still.
“Ah good…Why though?” he asked her curiously. "I remember you mentioning the bosses office once before but I cut you off...."
“Theres a gateway behind the door in the bosses office. We should be home free after that.”
“Free….” He whispered, surprised by something and shivering visibly. “I do believe….I felt my first chill.” He said and [YN] smiled happily at him.
“Are you able to restart?” She then asked him.
He then perked, holding her hand then and nodding. “Yes. Close your eyes~” He said and [YN] did so.
THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END
[YN] then grunted as she came back to Stanley’s office, with the Narrator still holding her hand. [YN] stared at him again, her brows furrowing.
“So….When you came back, you found the body fully restored? All of it? Did The Timekeeper leave a note?”
The Narrator raised his brows and nodded. “He did, telling me he finished it for me. He fast forward time to complete the process, knowing exactly what I was looking for…” He said and began to lead her down the hallway, [YN] glancing around and knowing this was it.
“Did…it hurt?” She asked him softly. “Moving your consciousness?”
“No, it was more of a….floating feeling. I could feel my old body shutting down and finally the last spark left me…And I opened my eyes.” He said sweetly.
“That must have felt eerie…” She said, coming to the two doors and watching The Narrator lead them right and through the lounge.
“It did. And learning to walk was cumbersome.” He said and [YN] laughed softly. “Like a baby learning to walk I imagine.” She said and he chuckled.
“Very much so.” He said and lead her straight down to the werehouse.
She watched him, starting to fully admire his form and feeling things start to register. He was really handsome. He chose the right fashionable clothes as well. She liked this new version of him. She couldn’t help but feel sad for his original form though, left somewhere in that void.
Surely The Narrator in front of her was the real Narrator…right?
“I am.” He said suddenly and [YN] perked at that, her eyes wide. “You can still hear thoughts?”
“Of course I can.” He said. “You think I would abandon most of my abilities? Hell, even my necktie is the real Adventure line. When I moved into this body, I took everything with me.” He said and turned around, making [YN] gasped at seeing his tie moving by itself.
“Oh my god…Thats….” She grew amused and excited to see the Adventure Line again. She was smiling sweetly.
“Clever?” He asked and chuckled. “Genius more like.” He said. “I could settle more on a scarf then a necklace. Hmm…What do you think?” He asked.
“I do like the tie. A scarf would be cute for winter though.” She told him, glad the Narrator wasn’t entirely helpless. “So you can still spawn….Move things…Hear thoughts.”
“I’m really here dear.” He said, knowing that he didn’t want her to feel so doubtful. “Just in a new form.” He explained and [YN] squeezed his hand. “Okay…” She whispered.
“Come come. We are still on a mission dear.” He said, soon entering the warehouse and slightly pausing. His eyes were looking about, perhaps seeing just how large this area was. “....You know it’s strange. As a core, things seemed…much smaller. ” He said, looking puzzled.
“Yeah, because you were friggin huge.” [YN] commented and exited the small office and going to the lift.
The Narrator remained in the office for a moment, rubbing his chin and getting a look, before perking and following after [YN]. “Be careful alright?” He asked her. He then looked down and his eyes widened a little.
“Did you discover a fear of heights?” She asked him, trying not to laugh.
“Um…Well….Lets just be careful.” He said, his tie wiggled as though in agreement. [YN] smiled softly and waited for him, before taking his hand and stepping onto the lift.
The Narrator seemed apprehensive seemingly, looking at [YN] and putting on a somewhat brave face. Already this looked high.
“Now I see why you wouldn’t jump at first.”
[YN] then laughed softly. "Yeah, and falling didn't help."
As the lift moved, [YN] was slowly grabbed by The Narrator, pulled close against his side. There was slight nervousness on his face. She saw him looking around the room, perhaps taking in the new sight with his human eyes. She couldn’t help but look at those eyes, giving a weird sort of smile.
He then glanced at her, before quirking a brow. “What?” He asked her then and [YN] smiled softly. “Your eyes….How you look at everything…It’s adorable.”
“Adorable?” His face was suddenly red and [YN] began to laugh. “I’m not adorable. I am-”
“Handsome.” She finished, smiling sweetly at him. “You’re very handsome.” She said and he slowly grinned.
“And you are….” His face suddenly turned red at that and he turned to cross his arms. [YN] then blushed and tried to not laugh. “What? Am I that ugly to look at?” She asked him and he looked shocked, blinking and furrowing his brows.
“No! Don’t ever think that. You’re beautiful-” He looked flustered suddenly, [YN] had the biggest grin on her face, while also blushing furiously. “Don’t give me that look!”
“What look?” [YN] said, teasing him still.
“THAT look. Teasing me, when you know full well how I feel about you.” He said and became more flustered.
“Do I?” She asked, pretending to have a confused look. “Do I really-” She asked, before gasping as he suddenly grasped the front of her shirt, pulling her close and pressing his lips to hers, making her legs practically buckle in shock.
The kiss was firm, claiming her mouth and even biting on her lower lip. His fingers grasped the back of her hair on her head and pulled her closer. It was her first kiss and she wasn't quite sure how to process it, but the redness on her face explained it all.
As he pulled back, [YN] 's disheveled face stared at him in confusion and breathlessness, making the Narrator grin and chuckle, turning away from her.
"That was not fair…." She said, trying to catch her breath. "How did you even do that?"
"Mmm. Something stored in my memory banks somewhere." He said, waving his hand. “I still have my endless amount of knowledge on humans-”
"You saw porn. Got it." She said and the Narrator irked and covered his face. "N-No I did not. I am not a pervert."
"Then why are you hiding your face?" [YN] Asked and laughed at this, getting the upper hand again.
"I'm not." He said and refused to look at her. He sounded undignified.
She tilted her head, the biggest grin on her face as she moved to touch his shoulder. "Heyyy." She prodded.
"Hmm?" He asked, still not looking at her.
"The lifts done. We can get off now." She said.
The Narrator then glanced down, before he stepped off the lift carefully before he turned to finally look at her. "Oh."
[YN] began to chuckle at his red face, smiling as he held a hand out to her to take gladly. She stepped off the lift with him. "I love you." She told him.
For once the Narrator did not sputter and run, he was looking at her now with seriousness in his eyes. He seemed to process her words before he smiled softly. "I love you too." He said softly.
She was honestly stunned, looking at him and feeling all laughing and teasing stop in her head.
The Narrator then smiled, keeping ahold of her hand and pulling her along. "Come now dear, To destiny." He chuckled and YN finally laughed at this. "Yes!"
[YN] was quick to lead them to the phone, it began to ring once the light came on and [YN] went to the plug, pulling it out. She looked to the Narrator who smiled, before everything went black.
“Your cleverness will get us out of here yet.” Came his voice and [YN] grunted as they were spawned in front of the two doors again. The Narrator smiled, his hand behind his back in a proud posture. “Now which door?” He asked her curiously.
“The left, because we want to get to the receiver immediately.” She said and walked to the left door, the Narrator following her. He seemed amused by all of this, seeing it from her perspective.
“I never truly realized just how small humans are. I see everything from another angle. But now seeing from your eyes….”
“You’re very tall, be thankful.” She told him.
“Am I?” he said with a grin.
[YN] laughed softly and nodded, looking amused at this.
“Yup. It’s very attractive.” She said as they passed the meeting room again and went up the flight of stairs. It was then a different look came over the Narrator.
“Oh….” He said, seemingly puzzled.
[YN] looked at him curiously, they had only reached the first flight with the Narrator seemed well…out of breath.
“Whats up?” She asked.
“Well….to be perfectly honest. I don’t think I like stairs.” He said and [YN] suddenly snorted, before she began laughing at this, out of breath herself. “I told you they were bothersome. How does it feel?” She asked.
“My legs…I can tell they are stiff and uncomfortable.” he gave a whine. “Don’t laugh at me, how was I supposed to know!” He said through [YN]’s laughter.
“Come oooon.” She said, smiling as they made it to the bosses office lobby, before going through the two open doors that revealed the different version of the bosses office.
[YN] then sighed in relief as she saw the voice receiver, she remembered how so many people got confused by it and tried to speak into it, only to find it didn’t work. She went up the steps, glancing back at the Narrator who was glancing about the room.
“The many players who came in here…Irritating. Thought they could take over my game.” He chuckled and [YN] looked at him curiously.
“This was actually one of my favorite endings and others. They think it’s the true ending. Because when Stanley isn’t moving and you get…really sad about it, others are looking at him from above the ceiling, like where you are from. From…where we were when you saved me from the backrooms and I woke up, everyone sees that. And boy, do people feel guilty about it.” She explained.
“Really now?” He said, baffled by this. “Well I should hope so, trying to break my game and ruin the story. They were so troublesome.” He fussed and [YN] laughed at this.
She then looked at the voice receiver once more, before looking at The Narrator. “Okay…Well…here goes.”
“Good luck.” He said and [YN] made a face, before leaning in close to the receiver.
“Night Shark…one one five!” [YN] said, hoping she didn’t look like an absolute fool. She glanced back at the Narrator worriedly.
To her surprise, the receiver beeped, before she heard the door unlock. Her eyes were wide in shock. It worked?!
She then went to the door and slowly opened it, her brows raising. “The door…” Her eyes went wide in shock as it slowly moved open, revealing the outside world. Only…It was her home.
She looked back at the Narrator, her eyes filled with emotions. “Is this it? Are you….ready?” She then asked him and he smiled.
“I should have asked you that…But we are finally free.” He said, before he took her hand, filling her with warmth. “Let’s go home.”
She stared at him, her eyes filled with worry and uncertainty, before she pulled them both into the gateway, watching as it shut behind her and opened their new chapter.
….
Years later.
[YN] sighed as she went to the door, unlocking the front door and entering her lavish home, locking the door behind her as she entered the kitchen and overlooked the house.
She then smiled, seeing a figure sleeping on the couch as the tv played about nature, birds in particular. She laughed softly and the figure awoke. It was The Narrator. He then gave a groan and stretched a bit.
“Where's Stanley?” [YN] then said, knowing their little tike was up to no good. They had a child almost immediately after their freedom, unable to help themselves with how close they were. She practically got pregnant in one night.
“Asleep in his room last I checked.” He replied, his glasses were askew on his face and [YN] laughed softly.
“You want a panini?” She asked him softly, watching him stare at her from the livingroom. She stared back, still smiling at him. He would do this a lot, as though shocked she was there, that he was here still.
“You just got home but…Yes dear. How was work?” He said then, stretching out his legs and moving his foot back and forth. [YN] smiled at him, thinking he was too cute in those dress shoes and suit he wore so much.
“Good, the library was pretty calm today.” She said, still glancing to him.
“What are you thinking about?” He then asked her curiously and [YN] smiled a bit, heating up the stove. “How adorable you look…With those dress shoes on….And how bewildered you look.” She said and got to work.
“I still think that if I blink, this will all be just a dream….And it amazes me that I can now dream…Did you know I had a dream about you? How nonsensical they are.”
“Really? And what was I doing in the dream?” She asked him curiously.
“....Well…” He suddenly looked flustered and [YN]’s face went red. “Oh, so that kind of dream. You perve, Narold.”
“I’m…I’m not a pervert.”
"No you're a simp." She joked and suddenly gasped as someone pinched her behind. She squeaked and looked at Narold who was smirking from his spot. "YOU-"
Narold smirked at this lazily, leaning back in his spot. "You do look enticing when you cook for me." He said and [YN] went red in the face. "You perve..."
Living together had it's moments. He still had his strange abilities, sometimes he would use it to smack undesirable people from behind or spill their tea or coffee. Sometimes hearing their thoughts would catch him off guard as well and he would either blush or gawk at someone [YN] couldn't see. It made life interesting. And it made Narold highly susceptible to winning lotteries and guessing games frequently for the growing family. And sometimes in public his tie would move and startle others and he would have to tell them it was simply a magic trick.
Getting him to be a citizen was rather hard as well. But he managed to conjure ID's and fake birth certificates, ([YN] having to guess his age and accidentally insult him at the same time.) But they managed. Poor Narold had to learn to adapt to his new form. How to dress, how to practice styling his hair. He was amused when they went clothes shopping together. And watched movies, which he would pick at plot points. It was all highly amusing to [YN].
“Mummyyyyyy?” Came a tiny voice from the other room, before a young boy came walking out, holding a blanket and wearing a onesie. He looked remarkable liked Narold, he bore his green eyes and face, but the hair was entirely [YN]'s. [YN]'s face lit up completely at seeing him look so cute.
“Yes honey?” She said, knowing their son wanted something specific but he had a hard time telling it to them. He would mostly point at this stage. “You want something?”
“Um….Um….” He fussed, looking at his daddy who simply smiled. “Go on now, use your big voice.” He told him sweetly.
“C-Choco milk?” He then asked in a nervous voice and [YN] smiled then. “Sure honey.” She said and got to work on getting that for him, cleaning out his sippy cup.
“And since when do you call me mummy? You’ve always said mommy. Are you stealing daddys accent?” Their son looked at his father, before looking back at his mother, unable to speak his mind yet.
“I hope so.” Narold said and laughed softly. “My accent is much more approachable~ Perhaps he’ll have my voice when he’s older as well.”
“Then nobody will be able to stop him.” She fussed, putting his cup in the microwave and waiting. “Can you imagine? If he became a lawyer or something or a spokesperson? He’d rule the world at that point. You already have a world wanting to meet you.”
“I certainly would hope so.” The Narrator said again and [YN] made a face as she finished off the warm cup of chocolate milk and attached the top to it. He son took it and began to run off with it before [YN] stopped him. “Nope. You gotta drink it at the table honey.” She said then and Stanley fussed. “Sleep!” He said, flinging his tiny blanket around.
“You just had a nap. You sleep more then me I swear!”
“[YN] are you protesting that our son goes and has a nap? Mothers around the world would beg for that.” He said and [YN] pursed her lips at him, knowing who encouraged unsavory behavior in the house.
Their son looked between them, blinking nervously, before he came up with a clever idea.
“Bedtime story!” Stanley then said and [YN] smiled softly, watching Narold give a soft smile himself and gently lift their son up. “And daddy can give you one. But you must behave.” He said and carried him to the bedroom. [YN] couldn’t help but follow, finding every moment precious to her.
She watched as Narold sat their son in bed and carefully tucked him in, while also giving him the sippy cup. [YN] was quiet for a moment as he began.
“This is the story, about a boy named Stanley.”
Perfection , she thought, knowing they had chosen the name well. As it gave her husband a reason to tell a tall tale to their son. And he reminisced in the storytelling.
After everything, they had a home. A real job. A car. Narold had voice work. And their son had a future ahold of him. And possibly...their future daughter.
Her hand moved over her stomach and she slowly smiled. She felt in that moment, she was happy. And The Narrator was very much happy himself. And this was very much, their Happily Ever After-
THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END
The End.
Hi it's me, it's finally over huh? I was thinking of writing another Stanley parable, but things are kinda chaotic right now. I have the story in my head. But it could be my interests changed. I want to focus more on my book Colours and getting part one published and put into libraries, along with three other books I have yet to upload. If you could, please give that a read. I need an editor desperately for it. Someone who could look at it and say "Well, instead of this, how about-" . That would help me a lot.
So the point of writing this fanfic was to have myself and others feel included, to go on an adventure. But also to get others to PLAY THE GAME. That you don’t need to be good at something in order to be a gamer. I’m terrible at games, are you kidding me? The Stanley parable is the only game I’m capable of understanding and playing. Besides Skyrim and Alice Madness Returns.
The secrets that the reader finds in the fanfic can be found directly in the game. You only need to look more closely. I find new things all the time without actually cracking apart the games codes. I don’t even have mods for it.
Spoilers for you, look away now unless you’ve spent enough time on the game that you THINK you know everything because I can guarantee you don’t.
Did you know in the up and down ending, theres a whiteboard you come across before you come onstage with a checkmark on it? Click on it. Then go through the rail cart part where you hear the one guy talking about the new content for the Ultra Deluxe and it will sound like a child. Why is it there? No idea.
And “Is this a bucket?” ending. Get ALL answers right and turn around. And Airport man will be staring up at you from the seats.
I have also gone past the New content door only to see from the window the Adventure line was in there. I went back to open the new content door, only to find it was gone.
I’ve also seen doppelganger Stanley walking across the hall you can’t get to.
Also seen a random barricade in the offices.
I’ve broken the game once in the not Stanley ending I think it was? Or it was probably the comedic timing one actually. And the Narrator locked me between the bosses office and the meeting room….That was weird.
Did I mention that Narry gets pissy when you don't’ pick up the bucket and slams the door in your face to make you pick it up?
And if you close the two doors before you reach new content, The Narrator will say something whitty about “needing to be in this small room right now.”
Or also the jump circle? When you see it a second time in the expo, make sure you’re on top of it, restart and you can hop around. I’ve jumped out of bounds and fallen into the void at the up and down ending, only to restart back in the elevator. Or glitched the infinite hole. No matter how far you run, you will be sucked back in even if you jump to escape.
The Switch is the only console that you can play the eight game on it when you reach “The Stanley Parable eight:.” Other consoles and including computers will crash and you’ll be forced to jump straight to 9.
Or the more you kill Stanley by jumping to your death on the warehouse floor, the more wonky and creepy the game gets? Anomalies everywhere, the hallway will turn to the left instead of the right. Papers on the floor. Phonecalls that results in thousands of boxes being shipped and piled in the offices. The Narrator will make uncomfortable remarks about Stanley’s sanity especially in the lounge.
I’ve spent too much time on this game it seems. And I’m only just getting started. I haven’t even touched the xbox version. I desperately want to get it for that.
It’s a little obsession of mine, but it keeps me happy, and thats all that matters. Give it a shot. You’ll be pleased. I swear to it.
I’m glad you enjoyed the story. It means a lot. I’ll be back, for certain. I’m always here, writing endlessly.
Your friend.
Nancy.
Chapter 16: Its here.....
Chapter Text
You broke the game part two is here! go find it on my channel. WHY ARE YOU STILL HERE. GO READ. GO. WHATS WRONG WITH YOU GO READ-
THATS IT I'M GETTING ME MALLOT.
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