Chapter Text
The last several hours were the most they've worked in years, and yet this past one was the most important thing he's ever done in his existence.
Battat never took his eyes off Tenna after he and Pluey helped that lightner fix what they could. At least they got everyone to help haul his…body…back into the studio. With Jongler still in their Mike costume they at least got most people to listen to him when he started rattling off tools and parts.
Even if to everyone else, he was just some random Pippins. Hell, he just worked in the costuming department when off Mike-duty.
Tenna only turned back on for a brief moment, spoke to that lightner in short breaths before shutting himself off again. He's sure he double checked everything, and dried off any of the snow that got stuck inside his shoulders.
Maybe he's just…tired.
Yeah.
Hopefully.
"Hey. Uh. Thanks." the lightner says to him, looking off towards the dark fountain in the distance to hide her eyes, "For helping. Fix him, I mean."
"It's my job." he replies before he can catch his words, "Well. Not really, I work in costuming. But, it's important Ten—the boss, is uh. Y'know…"
"Alive? Yeah." the lightner finishes for him, a slight smile forming on her face, "Just... Thanks. For teaching me some things. I'll make sure to fix some things in the Light World, best I can. Get him back up and running."
Not like Tenna has a manual, but as one of the three darkners around here helping him with regular maintenance he could write one in his sleep. Honestly, weird that Tenna even allowed them to dust off his internal wires and rearrange them all nicely. Are all tech guys like that?
"…Once you guys seal the fountain, what's next?"
"If you're willing, we'll bring you guys to Castle Town. There's a bunch of darkners we recruited over there from all over, Ralsei would probably get you guys all settled. It's uh… It's a good place. I hope you guys will like it there."
"Probably beats whatever we got here, huh?"
"I mean—"
"It's fine, kid. The way this place has been, I don't know how long TV World could have kept going. Nevertheless if Toriel threw the boss out. Maybe abandoning the studio's our best option if nobody wants to watch the shows anymore."
The lightner doesn't have a response to that, frowning as she looks off into the snow.
"—Hey. Hey. Kid, if anyone's got the drive to find Tenna a new audience you sure got my vote. Heck, maybe that bluebird kid's got the gusto to maintain a TV like the boss if he came around here to play as much as he did."
That at least gets the lightner's mood to shift, her laugh loud enough to fill the emptiness backstage,
"Pffft, Berdly?! Nah, I'm not subjecting Tenna to a dumbass like him."
Before they can say anything else, a bright light fills the sky. The way it reflects off the snow almost blinds him.
And in one fell swoop, everything disappeared in a flash.
"Well aren't you cute!"
Battat swore he felt a shiver down his spine hearing that voice. Especially since he nearly dropped the tray he was holding and processed who that voice belonged to.
Looking up at the growing shadow above him, the Diamond King had slithered up behind and gazed upon him with a dazzling smile.
"M-My liege."
"I haven't seen a Pippins quite like you around. Rarely any of you decide to work within Card Castle."
"Well—I just-! Happen to enjoy working around here…?" Does he?? Does he???
Diamond King picks up the pot on his tray and settles it on a nearby table, "Follow me, surely there is a better place for your pips than being a simple servant."
Ahaha…what??
Diamond King slithers off, and without fail his legs begin to follow after him. Even with having to keep a fast pace to truly walk side by side the king, it's thrilling for this opportunity to even happen.
"Well aren't you a big shot?" One of his fellow Pippins grins, leaning over the table nearly disturbing their game, "Hows the quarters in the Capital, huh? Not like you have to shack it up with us anymore."
"Isn't it lonelyyy? We all miss you, you know? Not many Pippins get rolling in the Capital. We’ll all be here if your luck runs out…" Plaster hums,
"Hey—Not like it's all sunshine and rainbows over there." Battat quickly refutes, "Bunch of high rollers trying to cheat my tables. And Diamond King runs me ragged with all the paperwork I'm handling behind the scenes."
"What's the king like up close, huh? Huh?" Mobia asks, "Does he really really like us like he said?"
"Uh—"
For some reason his mind goes blank, imagining just the other day when Diamond King had pat him on the head for all the good work. That feeling quickly dissipates when Plaster gets right up in his face with a wide grin.
"Oh!!! I never knew you could get that green!"
He quickly pushes her out of the way, "Hey! HEY! What are you doing!!"
"Tee hee! I don't get to see a new tell from you so often!"
"SO—! You're—You're just trying to read my hand again, aren't you?!!"
He's… Never felt like this before. Whatever this feeling is. It's as thrilling as gambling tends to be, but makes his head swim confusingly. Nothing tangible to put his mind to other than having to pay attention to court sessions now. And take notes on whatever bullshit of the week the Kings are up to. And now he's the main guy to come and complain about Diamond King to, and he's sure that the Rudinns around here hate that he's suddenly in charge of this stuff. He didn't ask to immediately jump from some common servant to the right hand of the King himself!!
He isn't even qualified for this kind of work— The hell is Diamond King thinking that he believes in a Pippins of all darkners not to screw this up!
He screwed up.
Would you call this screwing up if it meant throwing everyone else under the bus instead? It makes him sick to his stomach if he just sat there and did nothing, yet even trying to argue with Diamond King he felt like he was going throw up right then and there. Just…seeing the expression on Diamond King's face.
The darkness of this jail cell allows him to sit and try and forget everything. Blank out his mind and ignore the chatter of the other Pippins stuck in here with him. The lightners locked them away, thus everyone in charge of these troubling games must be locked away too.
"Hey, you doing alright?" Mobia comes up to his corner of the cell, "I know the food's terrible."
"…Don't talk to me."
It must be gold for the rest of these guys, knowing the loser kiss up secretary's also here with them. A Pippins who gambled too big for his britches and lost everything.
No one likes bad luck.
Diamond King only visited them once. Battat didn't have the will to argue again, he felt too exhausted. Just looking at him was enough for Diamond King to notice and quickly look away.
His chest hurt and he doesn't know why.
He remained quiet for the longest time, until the old court magician came along and whisked them all away to another Dark World with a single spell.
When they all landed in the fields of TV World, it was the first time in a while he landed on anything but a one.
Castle Town was vast, and bigger than Battat would have thought. Though that probably came with living in TV World for the past few years. That prince was guiding everyone from the studio past the main plaza and towards the residential buildings between it and the castle. The land was surrounded by large far off cliffs, and a sky full of glittery stars unlike the glow-in-the-dark ones he became familiar with.
It was like the ones in Card Kingdom, yet still positioned entirely differently.
"Hey boss, does that mean we can all live together now?"
He raises an eyebrow at Jongler, "Do we even need to? It's not like we can really be Mike anymore."
Pluey quickly grabs him and picks him up in order to run towards the prince, much to his argument. A cheerful tune rings out with the new jingling keys in Pluey's hands as they head down the thin streets with Jongler not far behind.
Looks like he's not getting rid of the roommate moniker this time.
Not like he would tolerate living alone nowadays…Still the loser he ever was.
Some of their old coworkers were setting up a TV building in the main square. He supposes these guys need their entertainment like any other darkner. They'd also moved all the Mike stuff into a new room, just to keep up appearances. Don't want to spread rumors that Mike had disappeared again. And it took a bit, but Tenna had finally been brought to the storage closet once the night went by. A collective sweat wiped off of everyone's brows.
He wouldn't know what he'd do, knowing he screwed up again. But Tenna's got a room in the castle now, and he hopes that lightner keeps her promise on getting him a new home.
That prince had come by again, apparently he lost a pair of pink and yellow glasses somewhere? Neither him or the other two have seen it, not like they've been doing much but get settled in a new home.
They must be stupid though, trying to keep up Mike appearances. Well mostly him. He hasn't seen the other two put their costumes back on since they came to Castle Town. Other than Pluey wearing the thing recreationally and happily joining the other cats around here to dance in the Cafe on their weird themed days. From his and Jongler's point of view at a table in the back, it seems like Pluey's having the time of his life here.
He chats every so often with his old coworkers, but he can never gather the courage to go see Tenna while he's resting in the castle. He's…resting right? He hasn't see the guy around like, at all.
He can't even wind up the courage to even chat with the other Pippins out of costume. They've been all celebrating being reunited with the sparse remains of the ones who managed to stay in Card Kingdom. At least he isn't the odd one out like he has been for the past few years. How long has it been since he's seen another color of Pippins, anyway?
They still all look at him weirdly, all smiles and weird laughs trying to string him into stuff. Hell, he'd take wearing the Mike costume more to avoid talking to them right now.
"Huh, you're looking for Tenna?" Elnina mentions on one of their chats, "He's been doing somewhat better after getting some rest in his room…me and Lanino have been checking on him ever since he arrived."
Lanino looks back behind him towards the castle, "I believe he was heading down to the prison for some reason… Rouxls' kid invited him, apparently? Perhaps he's still there. I'm sure he would love your company, Mike. He could…use it."
He knows that tone, looks like Tenna hasn't been doing well here either.
"Well, I best be going then, huh?"
For some reason, a chat with Tenna sounds easier than anything else right now.
A step down into the prison of the castle still makes him uneasy, just heading down these steps itself.
It doesn't sound like Tenna's down here, usually there would be more noise than this. Why did that kid want to meet in a prison anyway?!
By the final step he makes down into the prison, he immediately decides this was a bad idea.
"Hark! Another new darkner here I see, I suppose they did seal another fountain. Perhaps the other kings were right to escape out the back of this cage, if that strange man is anything to come by."
Diamond King. Behind bars.
In uh. Some strange animal makeup.
Just. Find Tenna. Main job right now. He's on the (nonexistent) clock.
He finds himself putting on more of a voice than he usually does. He's performed this role for years, practiced getting this voice more distinct than his own.
If he were out of costume he isn't sure if he would be able to speak a word.
"Hey…" he swallows down a voice crack, "That uh, strange guy. He had a big TV for a head, right? Heavy footsteps?"
"Bah! As loud as they can be! Made Spades laugh however, it's been quite a while since I heard that. You just missed the joker."
"…Right, right. Uh…Was there some sorta revolution or something? You kings—uh, in prison. I mean."
Jeez, how much did he miss?
"Revolution? Hah! More like that fool of a Spades overthrew us all. With help from that strange Knight, it took no time for us to be stuck within these Goulden Sam. Ahh, perhaps all my treasure is gone too, now that everyone has left…"
Treasure, huh? That's it?
"That's uh— I…"
Needless words stutter out, and when the script doesn't come to mind there's only one option that he falls back on.
ABORT ABORT ABORT ABORT ABORT
He needed to get out of there.
He needed something else other than to let his mouth run without his head. The Mike costume was getting sweaty again, and he abandoned it within their room before Pluey or Jongler could even question what was up.
Where were they anyway?!
He needs to smoke.
The familiar sight of dumpsters greet him, even if it's not the same TV building it's as private as he can get for a place as sprawling as Castle Town. He had saved a pack from TV World, the sugary kind the lightners liked to pretend to smoke and forgot about post those Halloween nights. Perhaps the last he'll ever have of them if they're back in the building he once lived in. Not like the kids to leave their candy around in a storage closet.
The second he lights the stick the dumpster next to him slams open, nearly spinning him out of his britches as he screams.
"HEY- HE Y HEY !!! IS THAT [Walk a mile for a Camel!] IN YOUR H4NDS OR IS THAT JUST [[Number 1 Rated Salesman1997]]?!"
Battat's first instinct is to throw the rest of the pack at the weird darkner, only for the guy to open his jaw and swallow it whole.
"YUM YUM . N0W THAT"S THE [[Smooth Taste of]]—" The darkner then forcibly shuts his jaw close to stop the sentence from going further, a frustrated scream gritting through his teeth instead.
That was Tenna's voice…?
"…Don't think I ever saw you around the studio." He gives a once over the darkner again, "Aren't you sales guys from Cyber World?"
"WRONG!!! I"M [Big] COMPARED TO THOSE [[Microscopic]] FREAKS!" the darkner spits in his face, "AND WHAT ARE YOU, ONE OF THAT [Cathode]'S CREW?!!"
To be honest, he's been yelled at worse than this over the years. Experienced weirder. Must be some weirdo from the times those kids brought the laptop in the house. Probably got one of those Cyber World illnesses or something? Not like he understood much technology other than what he had to manage for TV Time.
"So what, you a TV Time fan? Not like we're his crew anymore, show's off air now that TV World's been sealed."
"YOU THINK I'M A [[HAHA!! I LOVE WATCHING TV!!]]??? GGRRRRHRHRHHHH[$!$?] [$!?!] [$#!!??!] 0N!!"
Another recording of Tenna's voice was spouted out, heavily distorted like the rest of the darkner's speech. A balled fist slams against the open lid before the darkner hops out of the dumpster next to him and spits out a single cigarette into his jointed hand.
"YOU GOT A [LIGHT.]"
"You ate the rest of the pack, you think I'm lighting that for you?" But he pats his pocket to find the lighter already stolen and being used right in front of him, "HEY!"
It's hard to read the darkner's face through his nearly opaque thick glasses, but he takes a long drag of the cigarette before tossing the lighter back at him. Those glasses reflect off the stars that dot the sky, and toward the dark fountain that stands center of the castle.
"…What the hell you doin' in a dumpster, anyway?" he decides to ask, because hell if he's doing anything else other than hiding like a coward, "Pretty sure that prince is hellbent getting everyone settled 'round here?"
"YOU TH1NK I;M LETTING KRIS SEE TH3IR GOOD PAL LIKE THIS??!? THAT [Marketable Plushie] WILL DO ANYTHIGN T0 TELL KRIS I"VE GONE DOWN THE [[Drain]] AGAIN!!"
He raises an eyebrow, "And what, is Kris going to judge? Doesn't sound like the kid."
Clearly it strikes some nerve in the darkner because he immediately avoids answering, "AND WHAT ARE YOU DOInG [Card Shart]?? [[All Alone On A Late Night?]] UNEMPLOYED MUCH>?!! HAEAHAHEAHAHAEH!!! THAT [Boob tube] REALLY THREW YOU ALL UNDER THE THE THET HE THE THE THE—"
The darkner forcibly shuts his mouth again, the pink and yellow of his glasses fading into a static before snapping back into color.
Wait, pink and yellow—wasn't the prince looking for something in those colors?
Sweet smelling smoke gets forcibly exhaled out into the air through the darkner's teeth, with the absence of any sort of lips.
"SMELLS LIKE [[Good Ol'Days]]."
He shrugs, taking another drag, "Mr. Tenna liked the sweet smellin' stuff I think, uh, before he quit. Anyway, what are you then, a hate watcher? You record his shows or something? I don't know how you Cyber World darkners work to be frank, you guys barely visited." Not like he doesn't have his own archive of recordings still sitting around in the Mike Room…
The darkner's eyebrows narrow at him, "YOU [Card Shart]'S SHOULD BE BACK IN THE [GAMES, GAMES!], WHO TOLD THE KIDS THEY CAN [Bet it all on red!]. WALK IN AND SUCK UP TO [[Anything You See On TV!!]] HUH???"
WHAT THE HELL DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT??!!
"HEY WE DIDN'T ASK TO BE STOLEN! Blame that crap on the lightners who locked us up in a drawer!! You think kissing up to the highest bidder would help, but apparently a King isn't enough to save your ass from landing in a cell," he grumbles, thinking back on all the weird bullshit Tenna had him get up to, "And what the hell am I supposed to do when your new boss asks you to dust his insides?! Can't that guy just rearrange his own wires or something!? And what's with the cupboard I'm not allowed to open!?? 'Oh, just sing to it every night!' What are you talking about!!?"
"HE LET YOU WHAT."
"Sing to a cupboard! It sound's crazy right?!"
The darkner grabs at the lapel of his overcoat, voice growing distorted by the second, "THE [[Silly Strings]] YOU [$#!?]!!!! THAT [trash heap] JUST LETS ANYONE IN THERE [[Buy Now!]] DAYS??!!"
"What—"
"TAKE IT FROM A [[Number 1 Rated Salesman1997]], [pipsqueak]. [[Big Shot]] ADVICE FOR THE [Walk a mile for a Camel!]. A DISCOUNT [Low Low Prices]!!!" The darkner presses his finger into his chest, teeth gritting as another voice clip of Tenna's comes through, "IF ANY [[King Of]] TRIES TO [Pull the Strings!] YOU ALONG THESE DAYS, [DUMP] THAT [#@!&?] STRAIGHT INTO THE GARBAGE CAN!!!!! ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE EYES ARE TOO [[It Burns! Ow! Stop! Help Me! It Burns!]] TO RECOGNIZE YOU!!"
The darkner chews on the lit tip of the cigarette before throwing it into his mouth, swallowing it whole before he marches off. Oddly, toward the castle where that prince is probably running around right now.
Battat nearly screams again when the back door of the building opens, a familiar face holding a broom as if it were a weapon.
"Swatch! Didn't— Didn't know this was your establishment…!"
Swatch looks at him oddly, lowering the broom, "Oh, I thought I was hearing someone else. Are you one of the new hires? Nevertheless, it's rather unsanitary to…smoke back here."
Right. Swatch knows Mike, not him.
"Ah—Was just… talkin' to someone. I'll just, uh. Be on my way."
So much for privacy…
He deliberated in the Mike Room for a while, standing by his corkboard as if it was going to give him answers. Not that he could get new evidence now that TV World was gone. All those old records… gone. He's already trawled through his own recordings thrice over.
Was this mystery even worth it anymore?
No… No! That's the doubt talking! All this work can't be for nothing! Right!! 90% of theorists quit before they find answers!!!!
Gazing at the costume sitting on the rack though…he really doesn't have to wear this anymore does he?
He… he liked the suit though. The one Mike wears. He designed it that way, even if the Mike costume feels awful to sit in for long periods. Compared to the other stuff he owns, it's probably his best outfit.
…His favorite.
Tenna's favorite, right?
QUIT THINKING BOSS THOUGHTS!! IT ISN'T THE TIME FOR—
"MIKE! ARE YOU IN THERE?"
Tenna's voice carries through the door, "Is this door on?! I thought I was LOUD enough! What?! What do you mean there's a PASSCODE NOW!? Mike, you know I could never figure out the Parental Locks!!"
Craps! CRAP CRAP CRAP!
He slams a button on the console in the Mike Room to alert Jongler and Pluey of Tenna's presence as he quickly puts back on the Mike costume. The snugness of the suit and gloves on his arms and hands is almost welcome to quell the chill he normally wears his overcoat for.
Time to face the music…
"Mike! Oh, I am glad to see you! You—" Tenna's nose scrunches as he bend down under the doorframe, "…You smoke?"
He quickly tosses the cigarette on the floor and stomps it out, "Not anymore! How you doing, boss? You need some maintenance?"
"Mike, you don't have to call me boss now that TV World's gone! Er, since you all also got rid of your contracts…ahhhahaahaaaa. (Gee—why did I think this was a good idea?)"
"No problem…Tenna?" How does the Weather Duo manage being on a name basis with him this is awkward as hell!!
"PERFECT! I mean—! You can call me Tenna, Mike! We've been friends for how long, I'm surprised we haven't truly done that sooner!"
Friends?! FRIENDS??
"Yeah, why haven't we?" he laughs, little too forced, "But don't mind the cigarette, I know you're not so fond of those!"
"Huh? When did I say that?"
Tenna scratches at the base of his antenna, probably blushing at some old memory, "I don't smoke as often as I used to, WHEW the nineties sure were something! But I didn't think that specific brand was still around! Haven't smelled that Sweet Sugar in forever!"
YEAH, he pilfered them from the Z-Rank Room! Not like anyone else was using them!
"Oh, just an old thing from the move. Been just tryin' to unpack in here, ya know? Biiiiig mess, how about we walk and talk around the town instead?"
Tenna glances back at the door, "Actually, I was hoping to ah—hide in here? If you don't mind! It's just…Well. It's been a little uneasy around the castle?"
"Sorry?"
"Ahhh, it's like—Well you know, different darkner's visited the studio from time to time! And Kris and their friends, I'm just so happy they've connected with so many people! Just…some people, well. I'm sure not everyone entirely loved TV Time, you know!"
You sure it was just darkners outside the studio?
"…Mike, you ever see someone you thought you would…never see again?"
Tenna's nervous laugh is softer than he would have thought with the current mood he's in. Often when he's nostalgic he cannot help but have a warm smile on his face and a twirl in his antenna. However now, everything feels…hesitant. Fearful even.
The same sort of things swirling in his stomach.
"…Don't tell me someone is threatening you."
"Oh! No, no— well, maybe? Sounds little like his M.O. to be honest." Tenna says with a chuckle, "I've just been hearing a name around…and if anyone could bring him 'round, Kris is one of them! I was just talking to ol' Swatch and he's made me…realize…some things. About yesterday."
Tenna shrinks, "To think he…And I SCREWED EVERYTHING UP!! He saw I… And I just—If I talk any more I'm sure I'll just—mess it all up all over again!"
He ends up placing a hand on Tenna, patting his back while his mind is going a mile a minute. The corkboard was thrown behind several boxes in a panic, but he's already connecting red strings in his head.
WHO THE HELL IS TENNA TALKING ABOUT???
And he can't just ask, maybe Mike is already supposed to know who he's talking about! Was there anyone in Tenna's past this could be?! It's some darkner from another Dark World, surely this name would've come up in their therapy sessions if he's This worried or something—
Oh god is it his ex??? HIS EX IS HERE?? He's spent ages getting little clues about the guy from all over the studio and he's just HERE?
"Would it be…good if I was there? Just as your…! Friend! Backing you up, ya know?"
Tenna looks up at him in his shrunken state, "YOU WILL?"
"Y-Yeah? What are friends for, huh? Would be kinda crappy if I didn't check up on ya since you're not my boss anymore, right? I've got your back, whenever you need it!"
What is he doing??! They don't need to be Mike anymore—They're not even paid for this shit!
However, Tenna picks him up as he shoots up in size like a blooming flower. Battat's head spins in the process, making everything he's thinking more dizzying than before.
"THANK YOU MIKE! I don't know what I would do without you!"
Doesn't help whenever Tenna does this it makes him more dizzy than whenever someone throws his head around.
"I'm glad." Tenna whispers, pulling him into a hug, "You didn't…disappear. …I was afraid when things changed again you all would—"
" 'Course I didn't! Was talkin' to one of the lightners when we were fixing you up! If I wasn't moving with the rest of the studio, who would I be?"
Tenna's hug grows tighter just for a moment before he lets him go.
"Mike… if you ever need to talk about things, don't be afraid to call, alright? Never really…Well, we don't really talk about you, do we?"
"I'll keep that in mind! Though I've gotta get back to cleaning this place up, we'll see each other later, right?"
Tenna's smile is bright yet still full of nerves as they say their goodbyes. It all but leaves Battat in the same state he was in before Tenna came in.
It's hard to make sense of their relationship after all this time. Now that it doesn't make sense for him to even care, what does Mike even do for him nowadays? Be a…friend? Tenna's going to leave this place anyway if that lightner's going to do anything about it!
All this time and he's no closer to who Mike is than where he started.
They're friends…
Could he just…simply ask what Mike was now? In character of course, he isn't just going to blow the lid on this operation just cause the contract's ripped up! He's got to deliberate on this with the other guys, they've got their own priorities regarding this Mike business. Whatever that is. Why do they even stick around anyway? They've got a free ticket to do their own crap around here now they're all unemployed.
Heading back to their dressing room, he finds all of Jongler's hats sitting on the high shelves. Pluey's weird cat statues sitting between them, too high for him to pet.
Sitting on one of the clothing racks is his old uniform. The green poncho, his waistcoat, and the weird spandex-y pants he's glad they all abandoned.
What is this doing here? He thought he threw this stuff out years ago.
He however has an idea forming, to take his mind off things. It gets his head spinning a little, just the thought of it.
A very very bad idea.
But since when has he ever denied his own curiosity?