Finally Happy

by STRANGEWORMS

Summary:

The Zending ending gone a bit differently

Notes:

I needed to make this after playing Stanley Parable for the first time and doing the Zending ending

It broke me….

Chapter 1: Deserves A Chance?

You look out of your office to find your coworkers gone. It’s not a surprise, it’s happened countless times before. And as far as you know it will happen again and again and again.

“All of his co-workers were gone. What could it mean?”
This predicament is of course is narrated by the one and only narrator! The one who sticks with you always, and attempts to dictate your path.

So just like always you walk past the desks with empty monitors, maybe one of them is displaying solitaire. Who knows?

You persist, ignoring the ticking of the clock and the phone ringing? Okay so maybe you step away following the sound of the ringing till you find the phone.

You pick up, something about ordering mass amounts of boxes. The “Future Happiness Foundation” is the one that the order was placed with. It seemed like the right decision to pick up the phone. After all, all of your coworkers were gone. If you didn’t take the call nobody would.

The only problem is that you have never been able to speak, a factor you somehow forgot when deciding whether or not to pick up the phone. So of course your action caused the entire order to get cancelled. Oh well..

You stumble away from the desks, stubbing your toe along the way because that’s just your luck! You walk through the elbow shaped hallway to an almost identical workplace as the one you entered from. Maybe a computer an error screen instead of solitaire, how intriguing!

Again, just as always the narrator dictates your supposed next move.
“Stanley had decided to go to the meeting room. Perhaps he had simply missed a memo.”

And so you walk forward, rolling your eyes in no particular direction, as you know the narrator will see it either way. Another hallway, this time with a painting of a dewy leaf and a filing cabinet.

Depending on whether or not you payed for the refurbished 2022 Stanley Parable Deluxe Version you may or may not see a cracked open door reading new content. But it does matter much considering you are not heading that way.

You instead walk to your left and continue on to the next room. This was a very familiar room, one you saw every time, after every reset. To doors laid parallel in front of you.

“When Stanley came to a set of two open doors, he entered the door on his left.”

His direction was taken by you as more of unhelpful advice than anything, and you walked through the one on the right.

“This was not the correct way to the meeting room, and stanley knew it perfectly well.”

You silently giggled and walked down the corridor listening to his attempt at making sense of your decisions.

“Perhaps He wanted to stop by the employees lounge first, just to admire it.”

You walked into the lounge, the room had blue carpet, cool white walls and lots of velvet blue lounge chairs. A large pillar split up the room one part being a a sunken in segment. In this sunken in area there was shades blocking a window and a vending machine.

You walked over to the vending machine, feeling thirsty you took out a dollar bill and a quarter from your wallet and inserted them both into the machine. You knew to reach down when you heard a small clunk sound a few seconds later.

You bounced in gently in your hand before turning it and opening the tab. It fizzled inside, the tab created a loud click sound. You chugged as much as you could before you knew you would inevitably be interrupted by your impatient and omniscient story teller.

As expected the Narrator said some snide remarks about the lounge.
“Ah yes this room is truly worth admiring.. But I believe it’s time to go now.”

This time you followed his instructions and exited the room.

“Of course, eager to get back to work, you take the next Left through the maintenance closet and back to work as soon as possible!”

You walk down the hallway as instructed stopping at the open door leading to the correct path. You peer in and see the other side, you also see an elevator. To the disappointment of the Narrator you shut the door and continue down the hallway.

“Or not…”

You walk into a room with windows to the docking bay, you see blue prints and a caution sign persuading you to not lie.

“Stanley was so bad at directions it’s incredible he wasn’t fired years ago.”

You smirk and walk out into the docking bay. You walked all the way out to the ledge with a machine used for transporting boxes. The machine wirred up and you stepped onto it. It started to ascend into the air.

“Look Stanley, I think perhaps we’ve gotten off on the wrong foot here.. I’m not your enemy, really I’m not. I realize that investing your trust in someone else can be difficult, but the fact is that the story has been about nothing but you this whole time.”

You tried to ignore him and grip onto the platform but it didn’t have any rails since the Narrator seemed only slightly concerned for your safety.

Now I’m not asking for me.. I’m asking for her-“

You are very visibly growing tired of his manipulation. As you had previously learned, you have no wife.

You finally pounce onto the platform bellow as you had always intended.

“Wha? Really?! I was in the middle of something! Do you have zero consideration for others?”

you walk on, entering the doorway to your right.

“You are truly a living testament to actions speak louder than words, and you prove it by disappointing me in both every day!”

You would raise your middle finger at him but you’re not sure your sprite possesses the dexterity.

“Are you really that convinced that I want something bad to happen to you!?”

You walk past storage shelves and exit the hallway you are currently in. You then enter a more cool lit room, walking down steps you exit this one as well.

“Why, I don’t know how to convince you of this but I really do want to help you! I want to show you something beautiful!”

Mostly ignoring his speech, you find you are in yet another hallway. You walk down more steps and are greeted with familiar doors. Yet this time they are color coded, red for left and blue for right. Maybe he thought you didn’t know your lefts and rights? I mean he had to keep himself sane somehow watching you mess it up so many times. You stood in front of both of the doors crossing your arms.

“Let me prove it, let me prove I’m on your side!”

You looked disappointed, still standing in the same position.

“Just give me a chance..”

Chapter 2: Pleading

“Just give me a chance..”

You tilted your head and sighed, seemingly showing him some mercy.

“Great! Now- listen carefully! This is very important. Stanley walked through the red door!”

You stand there picking at your nails for a minute.

“Stanley.. Thats you…”

You walk towards the red door and just before stepping in you stop right in your tracks.

“Stanley…. What are you doing?”

You loudly slam the red door shut while a large smile forms on your face you and walk straight into the blue door.

“STANLEY! I SAID THE RED DOOR! HONESTL- oh whatever..”

You hear a snapping sound and you are teleported back.

“Now remember Stanley go through the RED door. Not blue, not purple, not green, RED.”

You take this as a challenge and bolt to the blue door in record speed.

“Again? Really?”

You are teleported back again, this time the room has dim lighting. All around the door is flashing lights and red arrows pointing to it. The blue door isn’t in its usual position. You look behind you to find it there but instead of being a menace you finally walk into the red door.

“Oh thank god, you’re finally willing to listen to me!”

You walk around in circles, waiting till Narrator finishes his speech. Until then you have to admire the bland gray brick walls around you.

“Do you see that I really have wanted you to be happy all this time? The problem is all these choices!”

You continue dragging your feet across the concrete brick, waiting for him to let you leave.

“the two of us always trying to get somewhere that isn't here! That’s the real issue.. You get it right? We’re just Running and Running in circles! Hypothetically speaking, though you are doing that right now aren’t you?”

You give the stink eye to the nearest camera you see.

“Ahem.. As I was saying, all these choices are killing us! Don’t you see Stanley?”

You can hear Narrator sighing. Almost showing a crack in his often perfected demeanor.
“I just- I wish it would just end.. I mean- I want it to stop, all of the choices, gone.”

 

At this point you slowed your walking so much you’re almost stopped, now leaning on the pillar in the middld of the looped hallway.

“I wo- we would both be so much happier if we just.. stopped. I think that’s the solution, it has to be..”

“Let me show you.”

finally, you can leave! You walk through the door illuminated by a small florescent light. On the other side you find stairs leading up to a platform suspended in void. All around you can see glowing teal circles in the sky.

“Oh wow… isn’t it just gorgeous.”

You nod and sit down watching the shapes turn to different colors and flicker in and out. It’s captivating the way they move but you know you have to leave.

“If we just stay here, right in this moment, with this place... Stanley I think I feel.. happy? I actually feel happy! Hah!”

You smile for a moment, hearing him talk like this was surprising. But the smile was only surface deep, soon you descend the stairs.

“No-no wait! Where are you going?”

You passed through concrete halls to a large high ceilinged room. the only this occupying this room was a large and very tell set of stairs.

“Oh no- stay away from those stairs!”

You walk towards the stairs with unfortunate intentions.

“If you hurt yourself, if you die, the game will reset! You know that don’t you?”

You walk up the first flight with a swift pace.

“We’ll lose all our progress! Don’t you want to relax a little longer?”

You step up to the top of the staircase.

“Please- no! Don’t take this from me! You have to let me stay here!”

You walk up to the ledge. partial enclosed by railing, but the perfect amount to be able to pass it.

“Please Stanley! Think about what you’re doing!”

In your head you could hear the same lines over and over.

‘And I tried again, And Stanley killed himself’

‘And I tried again, And Stanley killed himself’

‘And I tried again, And Stanley killed himself’

The Narrator wasn’t saying them, not
currently anyways..

At this point you could feel a stirring in your stomach, this all felt so wrong. And each time it was harder and harder to do, physically and mentally.

Each time you followed his pleas to go back, but only for a moment.. Only just enough time to hear the greif, the disappointment, the fear, in his voice.

For one last time you walked slowly up the stairs, limping and gripping to the railing as you went

At this point his usually annoying and stickler-ish voice was now just heart wrenching. You could hear his scratchy voice, often interrupted by tears.

“I have to deal with every reset too you know? Every time you jump off that platform, every time you turn right, every time you- that damn bucket!”

“I know this is your decision but can’t you think about it more?”

“Just give me a little more time here with you…”

You make it another flight higher, not stopping to see the view of concrete walls and floors, not like it’s very impressive.

“I can’t take it anymore Stanley please! Do it for me! Can’t you prioritize anything over getting another ending, another funny line? Does any of it even matter to you?”
At face value he sounded angry, but it was pretty clear that all he felt was misery.

You rounded the corner, the last set of stairs before the top.

“I know you’re not really meant for this world, you are but an observer in a way. But this is all I have! Please just do this for me!”

You leaned over the edge and gripped onto the railing on either side of you.

“Don’t jump! I don’t want to go over all of this again! I just want to spend the rest of my time with you stanley! It’s all I want!”

Sweat glistens off your forehead. You can feel the light stale office breeze hit you as you lean over your impending death.

You could hear the Narrators cries echoing through the room.
“I- I love you!”

You feel your knees buckling as you hit the floor of the ledge.

“Please… Don’t do this.”

You cry, you cry a lot. You cry more than you ever have. Tears run down your cheeks and you don’t even attempt to rub them away. Your face is bright red and so are your eyes. More and more pearl like tears run down your cheeks and onto your cream colored button up.

You sit on the very edge of the platform. Your body is covered in gashes and bruises. You slump into yourself, your tears wash across your face.

What have you come to?

“Oh Stanley….”

For a moment you sit there in silence, until you feel a comforting pressure all around you. You know it’s him, you’re happy it’s him.

As the Narrator has no physical form this is the best he can do. Even so it feels nice, you feel warm and comfortable. Your tears start to dry up. You stayed there for awhile

“Say here, all long as you need.. I’ll be here”

After awhile The Narrator guides you back over to the platform that now had a blanket and cozy looking cot waiting for you. And so you laid staring at the bright configuring shapes in the pitch black sky. They glowed in a mesmerizing fashion, it was nice. You felt nice, you felt happy. In a bitter sweet way anyways

You didn’t need an ending, it was comforting enough to know he was happy. To know that he felt safe was fulfilling enough. He was enough, just the both of you.

You would soak it up as long as you could with him, and one day you would find a way to leave this place with him. Not because his creation wasn’t enough, in fact it was too much. It over took you, it over took him.

A life without choice is no life at all, but a life where you have to choice between being miserable with feeling just an ounce of freedom or going with the script just to be put back in the same situation.

At one point this had been some great idea from the Narrator, but now.. In this moment, it was clear the game was breaking him just as much as it was you. You had to do something, you would. You would break the cycle. One day you would find a way to.

What really mattered was the both of you, and anything that hurt that was the issue.

Growing weary, your eyes slowly drift closed. Just before you drift away you could almost swear you see a figure sitting next to you, caressing your back and staring wistfully into the sky. How strange.

Notes:

I don’t know how good this is tbh
Not sure how good I am at writing angst lol

Notes:

Fun fact! I made this (or started to but all you’ve see so far) before read any fics in this fandom! So this is straight off the dome after playing the game!