Chapter Text
A shadowed figure hurried along the empty streets of Hometown, illuminated only by the circles of light the street lamps provided. By all means, it was one that cast suspicion. Head down, shoulders hunched like there was something to hide, hands stuffed into pockets in a last ditch attempt at casualness. Hastened footsteps carried the shadow closer and closer to the closed school, where upon reaching the double doors, it slipped inside.
Susie might indulge in a bit of delinquency from time to time, but she was no thief in the night, though she certainly felt as if she might be caught at any time. Her shoulders relaxed when the doors shut behind her, and she slowed to a stroll as her shoes squeaked on the linoleum floor.
The beauty of Hometown being so small was that security in places was ridiculously low. Susie wasn’t sure if it was laziness, the comfort that everyone knew everyone, or some sort of arrogance that familiarity might have bred. Whatever it was, it left the school unlocked after hours more often than not, and that made Susie’s life a hell of a lot easier.
She stopped before the storage closet’s familiar double doors. A grin crept onto her features. No matter how many times she came here, that spark of excitement never failed to strike in her chest. As that matchstick burst into flame, anticipation flooded her limbs and with a running start, she threw open the doors and jumped into the Dark World.
The cool wash she felt as the wind whipped past and the glisten of magic shimmered over her never got old either. It made her feel alive, made her bare her teeth in a grin and her eyes sparkle with the promise of adventure.
The Dark Worlds were always an adventure, whether they were some grand quest where she and her friends had to face impossible odds, or it was simply strolling through Castle Town and seeing what new hi-jinks the citizens were getting up to. They could be having a damn tea party and Susie would have just as much fun as she was if she were bashing heads. The Dark Worlds just had a way of making the everyday and boring so much more whimsical. Recently, Susie had been finding herself preferring the more mundane kind of adventure.
Soft lilting music greeted her as she approached, and she couldn’t help but smile. One kick-ass feature of the Dark Worlds was the sick music that just… played. Battles, shops, meeting new people, even hanging around; there was usually some kind of tune to accompany the scene. Susie had more than a few of the themes stuck in her head, but for all the awesome battle music and the beats that got her tapping her feet, Castle Town’s was probably her favorite.
At first she’d been more taken by the battle music (one had a really awesome guitar riff that she wished she could hear again), but in the last few days, especially since fighting the Titian… Susie found Castle Town’s gentle and comforting melody to be a sort of balm to her soul. The soft piano, the way the notes seemed to twinkle with hope and comfort, it made her feel… Safe. Like she was truly coming home.
Susie shook off the sentimentality before it could settle and have her feeling all soft, and she set her shoulders while a new focus narrowed her vision. Right. Susie was on a mission tonight. She’d come to Castle Town with a purpose.
She stopped in the middle of the street, turning in place as she scanned the area for the building she was looking for. Several Darkners passed by, waving to her and calling out friendly hellos that she returned. It was kind of weird having people look happy to see her and greet her like they were old friends, but… it was the good kind of weird. A really good weird. Like Kris or Ralsei or Tenna. They were weird in their own ways, but those quirks were what made them awesome (and she’d never admit it aloud, but Susie supposed she was weird too).
The thought of Tenna had her getting back on track, and amongst the predominantly cerulean background tones of Castle Town, she saw the pop of yellow and red that had her brightening. The TV Studio. Bingo!
She darted past the bustle of their little Castle Town, admiring the way it was growing, before she pushed through the red doors of the studio. Inside she was greeted with the familiar star patterned wallpaper and the warm glow of the lights above. A few Darkners milled about. Some Shadowguys playing, a Mizzle floating nearby and harmonizing with them, and a Rudinn haggling with a Pippins behind the counter.
Further into the building, Susie waved to the Zapper behind the counter, glancing over at the Lightners Live door. The swirling magentas stood out against the greens of the wall, tempting her to play a few rounds, maybe try and beat Kris’s score. She shook her head and approached the counter, where the Zapper perked up.
“Hey there, Susie! Howzit goin’? Here for another round of Lightners Live?”
Susie grinned. “Hey dude! Maybe later. I actually wanted to talk to, uh…” She trailed off as she scrambled for a name but only drew a blank. Should she say Mike? Or should she ask for the little green Pippins guy specifically? Did he have a name or was he just Pippins? Ugh, she should have thought this through more…
“Youse lookin’ for Mike?” the Zapper said, sparing her any more trouble.
A relieved smile graced her features. “Yeah! The, uh, the smaller one, specifically. Is he here?”
“Yeahs. Just in dat room over there. He’s usually in there, to be honest with ya.”
“Cool.”
Heading west past the Lightners Live door (which she’d totally be back for, who was she kidding), she found her nerves building with each step, like pinpricks over her scales. Ignoring the weird prickle of anxiety, she stopped at the large doors engraved with cats and peered up.
Here she was. At the Mike door. She chewed her bottom lip, her hands curling into fists at her sides as she pondered her game plan. When she’d first had this idea about thirty minutes ago, it’d seemed so great. Fired up and set on her new goal, she all but shot out of bed and ran all the way to Castle Town in the dead of night. But now that she was actually here, it was hitting her that she had no idea what she was gonna say. She kind of wished Kris were here now. They would know what to do.
She imagined them beside her, their familiar presence filling her with strength, and she thought of what they might say. Something cool, something encouraging…
Hell, who was she kidding? Kris would probably turn to her and meow repeatedly, that dumbass grin on their face.
She snorted at the thought, rolling her eyes fondly, but feeling oddly reassured all the same. She took in a deep breath and pushed her hand against the door. It opened with little resistance and a rush of air that made her sneeze and rub her nose. She stepped through, glancing around, noticing that the room had changed since she’d last been here with Kris and Ralsei.
The smaller room for the mini games had grown to a larger space. The mini games were still there, but they weren’t the main focus, blending in among homier decor. A large, rounded table was down one end of the room, scattered with empty coffee cups and pages. Four chairs surrounded it, all in various states of haphazardly pushed in. In another corner was a little kitchen, where that Shadowguy was currently digging through the mini-fridge. An old couch was across the table, its fabric a faded blue, and a large coffee stain was splotched on one of the cushions. The Maus who’d helped them was peacefully dozing there.
Susie took in the space with the same wonder she had the Dreemurrs’ house. Something about seeing a place all lived in and well loved, it made Susie’s chest twist with an ache of yearning.
A sudden loud thud had her jumping in surprise, and the Shadowguy Mike was staring at her with equal shock, a hand to his forehead and a bottle of soda at his feet. The liquid inside fizzed dangerously.
Susie blinked. She made herself relax.
“Uh, hey,” she said lamely.
The Shadowguy recovered quickly, perking up then pointing at her in what she guessed was recognition.
“Yeah, heh, it’s me??”
The Shadowguy picked the soda up and set it on the counter, then came around the corner and excitedly took her hand in a shake. Just as quickly he dropped it and began signing rapidly, his hands a blur. Susie didn’t react immediately, her mind scrambling to process everything, before she finally held up her hands to get the guy to settle down.
“Hey, uh, dude? It’s nice to see you too, but like, I can’t understand you,” she stated, raising a brow and scratching the back of her neck sheepishly.
The Shadowguy smacked his forehead in an exaggerated gesture that had Susie cracking a smile.
“All good man.”
He smiled at her, then tilted his head while gesturing at her.
“Why am I here?” Susie guessed.
She was answered with a nod, and a sudden wave of self consciousness had her looking down at the floor. Susie didn’t really thank people often, definitely not for something so important, but she was here now, might as well get it over with.
“So, uh, I actually wanted to come say thanks. For helping with Tenna a few days ago. You were a big help back there, and I don’t think we could have saved him without you guys… Especially the little green guy. I wanted to thank him too, if he’s around?”
The Darkner had gone still, the line of his smile gone and leaving a dark void staring at her blankly. Susie felt her hackles raising and her heart began to race. Did she say something wrong?
Before she could react, the Shadowguy practically jumped with joy, then began to do a happy little dance. Susie startled, her head spinning from the whiplash. Just as she considered stomping her foot to get the guy to simmer down, he ended his show with a bow and tipped his hat to her. Underneath the hat sat a shadowy pair of cat ears.
Susie relaxed with a snort and waved him off, feeling kind of fond of this guy, even if he was odd.
“Yeah, yeah. You guys did good that day. So, uhm, about the other guy?”
The Shadowguy sprung up, replacing his hat. He gestured for her to stay in place, then pointed at the hallway a few paces away. Susie nodded and he grinned, then darted off. Susie watched him disappear around the corner, assuming he was getting the Pippins, and she was left to awkwardly scuff her boot on the floor.
Now would be a good time to figure out what exactly she was gonna say. Genuine as her thanks to the Shadowguy was, it was a pretty sloppy, spur of the moment thing. While he did seem to appreciate it, Susie had a feeling the other guy would prefer something more prepared. Besides, he deserved something somewhat thought out, for all he’d done.
The Shadowguys and Pippinses had been a great help in repairing Tenna, from bringing him back to the Green Room, to gathering the supplies and materials needed for the job. Susie didn’t know how they would have moved him to safety without everyone’s help, but if it weren’t for one Pippins in particular, Susie had a feeling they would’ve never gotten Tenna repaired in the first place.
Susie had found the green Pippins searching for Tenna along with the Shadowguy and a Zapper (who had yet to petrify, oddly enough). They’d both looked equally shocked to find each other, even more so that they had the same goal, but they’d quickly teamed up. Using a mix of Rude Buster blasts to clear the snow, a few lucky rolls of the die (Susie wondered what getting your head spun around like that felt like), and the power of sheer stubbornness, they’d found Tenna.
He’d been in rough shape. Arms severed and strewn away from him, half buried in the snow, and a tangled mess of sparking wires and a dark oily substance spilled from his wounds. It’d been bad, and Susie feared they wouldn’t be able to fix him. She didn’t know a damn thing about fixing any kind of TV, much less one that was living like Tenna. But the Pippins, after getting over his own initial stunned horror, had taken the charge. He’d commanded the Shadowguy to go get help, while instructing Susie and the Zapper to help dig out as much of Tenna as they could. He’d been stern and bossy but decisive and level headed. Something about his tone made her feel at ease, enough that she could push past the whirlpool of worry and fear swirling inside her to focus on what needed to be done.
The Shadowguy had returned after a while with a bunch of other Shadowguys and Pippinses. They’d been a little uncertain at first, given everything that happened just hours ago, but Susie and the green Pippins managed to convince them to help. Well, the Pippins more scolded and berated them, until Susie had to step in and smooth things over. She gave her best rallying speech, how Tenna deserved a second chance and how they were all still coworkers despite everything, and some other sappy stuff about friendship and teamwork she’d definitely ripped off from a movie, but… it’d worked.
Everyone had been fired up by the time she finished. Working together, they managed to bring Tenna and his arms back to the Greenroom through a series of coordinated heavy lifting and several short breaks. They’d only taken a moment to breathe after getting him settled down, then the green guy was taking charge again, barking out orders and promising various point rewards for those who could bring him what he needed.
Once they had everything, Susie worked with the Pippins to delicately repair Tenna’s inner workings. There was no way in hell she could have done any of that without him. She didn’t have the knowledge nor the skill, and as the Pippins explained, a healing spell alone wouldn’t cut it. They had to repair any internal damage first or Tenna could malfunction or worse.
He’d walked her through everything, removing the back panel of Tenna’s head, showing her that they had to discharge him first, or risk a really nasty shock. Once it was safe, he then delicately went through all the inner workings. It was honestly kind of cool, even if most of it went over her head. Electron guns, the tube, phosphor… So many things that Susie never heard about before, but the Pippins knew it all, and explained everything and what needed repair. Susie was no expert by the end of it, but with the Pippins’ guidance, she was able to serve as a decent enough assistant.
Fortunately, Tenna’s inner workings hadn’t been too banged up, and most of the damage came from the impact of the fall. They replaced some parts, repaired others, until the Pippins was satisfied with their work. From there they moved onto Tenna’s arms, which involved a lot of tape and welding and sweat, but Susie found herself falling into a rhythm. Gradually the Pippins had to correct her less and less, allowing him to focus in on his own work, and they were able to finish Tenna’s repairs in decent time.
With a few final touches, including taping up his snapped antenna and checking the adaptor cables connecting the back of his head and neck, it was Ralsei’s time to shine with a healing spell that would fix up all the magical aspects of Tenna, along with any remaining scratches or seams that their repair had left behind.
Ralsei’s spell cast without a hitch and restored Tenna to max HP. Susie watched as the Pippins slowly approached Tenna, a bit of anxiety breaking through his carefully blank face. He reached out, the barest tremble in his fingers, and he pushed the power button gently, almost reverently. Susie watched the interaction and wondered for the first time just how this guy knew so much about fixing Tenna.
Any questions she might’ve been forming were thrown out the window the moment Tenna’s screen flickered to life. Everyone cheered as the television came back on, groggy and sore as hell, but alive.
Susie had been ecstatic, they’d done it! They’d saved Tenna! She’d rushed over and been the first person to greet him, Ralsei at her side and staring up at Tenna with wonder. Lost in her excitement and the surrounding cheers and celebration around her, she completely missed the green Pippins backing away, relief and weariness heavy on his face as he watched the celebration. Something bittersweet lingered in his eyes while he turned away and handled the repair clean up with his companions.
She hadn’t been able to spare the Pippins much thought since then. Not that she was ungrateful, she was so glad he was willing to help, that he’d known so much, that she’d found him. He just got lost in… everything else that happened in the following days.
But when she, Kris and Ralsei had finally investigated the Mike room earlier today, and the costume had been ripped away to reveal that little green Pippins, she was hit with something like a gut punch. She’d been speechless, only watching as the little guy ranted about Mike, pulling out a conspiracy board before finally deflating and shrugging it off. He’d left the room with the others, and Susie had agreed there was no reason for her and her friends to be in there either. Her attention had been taken by other things, but she kept finding herself looking around for the die, her thoughts returning to a snowy landscape and the small hand that’d patted her shoulder and reassured her that they could—would—fix Tenna up.
Things had mellowed out enough that he’d returned to her mind that night. When Susie reflected back on those long hours repairing Tenna, it truly hit her how screwed they would’ve been without him. Tenna would have died, straight up, and she’d never even gotten to say thanks. That just didn’t sit right with her. The discomfort stewed in her gut until a thought sprung to mind. The hell was stopping her from just getting up and finding him?
It’d been such a quick decision, no second guessing or hesitation involved, but now Susie wished she’d spent at least a couple minutes thinking about it. What did you say to the guy that saved your friend’s life? Hey man, thanks for the hand back there, was pretty cool of you. That was so… simple. Too simple for such big thing, but teary eyed and sappy speeches weren’t exactly her style either.
She frowned, uncertainty swimming in her gut when she heard a soft rhythmic click from down the hall, along with a voice.
“…honestly, Pluey, we can’t just let anyone come wandering in! We got an operation we’re running here!”
Susie’s head perked up.
There was a brief pause, followed by a sigh. “I don’t care if it’s the Lightners, you still gotta keep an eye on the door. What if Tenna had just barged in?! The jig would be up!”
Another pause.
“I know Jongler’s with him now, that’s not the point and you know it!”
Susie’s head tilted to the side, before she remembered the whole Mike costume, secret identity deal. That was a whole other can of worms she’d have to toss to Roulxs Kaard for the time being—Wait. Ugh, why’d she think of him?
The click of heels against tile grew closer still, and a moment later the Shadowguy (Pluey?) and the Pippins entered the room. He was out of the costume, a fact she was glad of. After all, it’d been him who’d saved Tenna, not “Mike”.
Pluey had his fist over his chest, moving it in a circular motion while looking a little down, and the Pippins sighed.
“Alright, it’s fine. Just keep a better eye out next time, won’t ya?”
Pluey perked up and nodded, then turned to Susie rather pointedly. The Pippins’ gaze settled on her, and Susie found herself wanting to stand up straighter for some dumb reason. Susie wasn’t one to really give a crap what anyone thought of her, or she liked to think she wasn’t, but this guy… well, he saved Tenna, and that made him cool in Susie’s book. His eyes lit up with recognition, but an impassive expression remained dominant on his face, as he waved Pluey off.
“So it’s you,” he said as he walked over, giving her a nod as he went into the kitchen. “Pluey says you wanted to talk to me?”
She glanced over at Pluey, who gave her a thumbs up before walking away toward the hall. She huffed a small laugh and returned her attention to the Pippins, taking a seat at the barstool by the counter.
“Yeah…” She trailed off, tapping her claws on the shiny orange counter, watching as he dug through the cabinets and pulled out a mug. He paused and shot her a questioning glance.
“Want anything? We got soda or some tea from the cafe.”
Susie blinked and thought for a moment. “What kind of tea?”
“That special kind they have, based on people you know. Granted, you don’t really know any of us, so it might not taste like anything to ya… Ah, well, maybe the Tenna Tea’ll do. Heads up, it’s kinda… fizzy.”
Memories of Cyber City and Kris pushing various teas in hers and Ralsei’s faces came to mind. She perked up and nodded.
“Sure. Tenna Tea sounds cool.”
The Pippins grunted and got to work. She watched him flit about the kitchen, moving with the same steady efficiency he had back in TV World. He was making two drinks, her tea and what must have been coffee.
It was honestly kind of impressive how he juggled both. The water boiling on the stove, ground coffee in the pot, two mugs ready, water poured in one, tea bag dunked in. He went back and forth between the two tasks like the world’s most efficient ping pong ball and minutes later, he was pushing a mug of tea before her. His own coffee was done and he poured it into his mug, which read, “#1 Mike” with a graphic of a microphone accompanying the word art.
Susie was surprised when he didn’t bother adding anything to his coffee, simply hopping up on the barstool next to her and taking a sip. He caught her raised brows, leveling her with one of his own.
“What?”
“Dude. You’re just drinking it black? In the middle of the night?”
“What can I say? I need the caffeine.” The Pippins shrugged, and took another sip.
Susie found a little grin tugging at her lips. “Hardcore.”
He snorted softly into his mug, took a long drink of it, then set it down. He swiveled the seat to fully face her. He sat straight, one leg crossed over the other and his hands folded on his lap.
“Alright, have a swig of that then tell me what’s gotcha comin’ in here and interrupting my work.”
Susie opened her mouth, then closed it, suddenly feeling a little bad. She hadn’t considered he might be busy, but who the hell was busy in the middle of the night? Then again, it was the Dark World, so it could be different.
Still, she did as told and took a sip of the tea. Like he warned, it was fizzy and popped in her mouth in a curious way, almost like soda, but it undoubtedly had the smooth quality of tea. It was sweet, kind of like vanilla, but a hint of something bold and citrusy. It was really good, and Susie eagerly took another gulp, ignoring the heat. She set down the mug, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.
“Hell, that’s good! It’s like orange cream soda!” she exclaimed.
“Orange cream soda, huh…? Interesting, I’ll have to jot that down,” the Pippins muttered to himself, before focusing back on her. “Now that that’s outta the way, what do you want?”
Susie grew serious, setting the mug down as she collected her thoughts. She took in a deep breath, remembering what the Old Man had taught her, that he’d trusted her to write his important letter… If he could trust her to do something like that then… she could trust herself with this.
“I wanted to say thanks, for helping us with Tenna a few days ago.” Susie started, staring into the tea at her blurry reflection, before meeting the Pippins’ gaze. She caught the tailwind of surprise that flickered over his features. “It was cool of you to help us like that and… honestly? I don’t think we would have been able to save Tenna without you. So thanks. Really.”
She watched her words settle over him, his surprise turning into something thoughtful and soft, that was quickly replaced with nonchalance as he cleared his throat and shrugged.
“Well, sure. No sweat really. Just part of the job…” He trailed off, gazing into his coffee while his brows furrowed. “Tell ya the truth, I think I owe you a thanks too.”
“Huh?” Susie tilted her head, thick brows shooting to her hairline.
He waved a hand and took a long gulp, then cut her a serious stare.
“I don’t think we would’a found Tenna in the first place without you and that attack of yours. And, what’s more, I don’t think we could’ve convinced those other bozos to help us even if we had found him. So, don’t sell yourself short there, miss. We all played our part.”
Susie was quiet, absorbing what he said, and something warmed in her chest. He tapped a finger on the table and took up his mug again. “I’ll take the thanks though. It’s… It’s appreciated, kid. Especially seeing as you came all the way here just to say it.”
“Uhm. Yeah. Sure. It just… didn’t feel right, not even saying anything to you, y’know? Plus, I wasn't expecting you to be, uh, ‘Mike’.” She gave him a curious look. “Actually, what’s your name? Is it Mike or just Pippins or…?”
He paused mid sip, the mug lowered as something startled overtook his features. He glanced off to the side, a rueful smile touched his lips, and Susie felt a little bemused at his reaction. Just as she wondered if it was a touchy subject or something, he relaxed quickly, his face falling back into casual indifference.
“You can call me Battat, kid.”
Susie turned the name over in her mind, glancing back at where the mini games were. “Like the game over there?”
“Yep.”
“Are they, like, named after you guys or something?”
“Or something.”
“Huh. Ok.”
If this was Battat, and the other guy was Pluey, then the Zapper must be Jongler, if Susie was following all this. Kind of funny to share names with the games, but she had them now, so that was a win in her book.
“Nice to meet you then, I guess.”
Battat snorted, a soft sarcastic sound, but he nodded at her. “Same to you. Susie right?”
“Yup. Or Susiezilla if you wanna be badass.”
“Fearsome scourge of TV City,” Battat mused, the tiniest smile crossed his lips.
“Hell yeah!” Susie exclaimed, pumping a fist, a wide grin on her face.
Battat softened some, leaning on an elbow as he nursed his mug.
“Heh, it was a fun set. Tenna had us make it specially for you.”
“Really?” Susie asked, then she thought for a moment. “Actually, yeah, that makes sense, heh.”
“Mhm. It was a bit of a last minute idea, so we were kind of peeved at first, but it ended up being pretty good. Might be my favorite one actually.”
“Damn right.” Susie grinned, before his words sunk in more. She remembered all the times Tenna had called on Mike for the boards, effects, and various other things. Susie sat up a little, giving Battat a curious look. “Wait. So all those sets of Tenna’s… you guys are in charge of all that?”
Battat raised a brow at her then made a seesaw motion with his hand.
“Yes and no. Tenna’s magic does some of the work with bringing whatever set he needs in quickly, but we still have to make the set first. Can’t snap in something that ain’t there.” He paused to take a sip and he leaned back into the seat some. “That’s where we come in. Being Motormouth Mike, I’m in charge of directing everyone about the sets and everything. I keep them in line and on schedule.”
“Huh. And all that other stuff Tenna asks for? And the stuff you mentioned earlier today? You seriously do all that too?”
“Most of it. Like I said earlier, either one of us does it, Tenna does it himself, or it just… happens. Either way, it gets done.” Battat lowered his gaze down to the floor and adjusted his tie. “As for the other stuff I mentioned, yeah, that’s all me.”
“Damn,” Susie said, processing all the information. It kind of made her head spin. “Sounds like a lot of work, man.”
Battat was unfazed. “I suppose. But I got help. Pluey’s good with the lighting and sound, and Jongler’s good with moving props and junk. I do all the organizing and planning and… whatever else Tenna needs me to do. Sometimes Pluey or Jongler will take over, but… I do the personal tasks best.”
Susie took a swig of her tea, relishing the way the bubbles fizzed and tickled her throat while she gathered her thoughts up. The idea of doing so much for one person, all the time, was kind of wild to her. Tenna had called on Mike a lot during their TV World adventures. That along with everything else Battat brought up seemed to make for a packed schedule. No wonder the guy was so… efficient. He had to be.
“I guess you also do his maintenance then, since you knew so much about fixing him,” Susie mused, gazing off to the side with furrowed brows.
“Ding, ding, ding. 20 points to you, or whatever.” Battat frowned when he realized his mug was empty. With a grunt, he hopped off the barstool and made his way to the coffee maker.
“So like, why do you do all this? The pay that good or something?” She paused, then cut a sly smile. “Or do you owe this Mike guy a favor?”
Battat scoffed. “If anything, Mike owes me a favor. He owes me several favors actually, for how long I’ve filled his shoes.”
“Probably why he hasn’t come back yet,” Susie snorted, “he’d have to deal with you tearing him a new one.”
Battat met her gaze, something near feral sparkling in his eyes. “Oh I’ll have words for that chump if he ever shows his face. Who does he think he is?! Coming back like everything’s all hunky-doody after he just left Tenna in the dust like that?! Who the hell even is he?! UGGGH!”
Susie snickered while he threw his hands up and deflated just as quickly.
“Dude.”
“I know, I know,” Battat grumbled, reaching for the coffee pot and pouring the rest in. “Cut a guy some slack, will ya? This has been driving me crazy for years.”
“Years huh… That’s… a long ass time.”
“You’re telling me,” Battat sighed, scrubbing a hand down the side of his face while he returned to his seat. The barstool creaked under him.
Susie frowned into her mug, claws tapping the porcelain with a soft series of clinks that were made louder by the quiet that had settled between them. Susie gulped down the rest of her tea, then let out a burp as the carbonation hit her stomach. Some of it burned her nose, but Susie always liked that about carbonated drinks.
She supposed she could leave now. She’d said her thanks, gotten some good as hell tea, and knew the names of the dudes who helped her that night with Tenna. There wasn’t much reason to hang around really. Yet the seconds ticked on by and Susie’s ass stayed firmly planted on the barstool, while she let her thoughts drift around like they were scattered pages caught in a breeze.
With a settling sort of clarity, she realized he hadn’t answered her question, but she wasn’t gonna make a fuss about it. If he didn’t wanna talk about it, then that was fine. She figured the pay was probably good as Mike, and maybe he liked his job. He seemed to like Tenna, and maybe the costume thing was fun, like Halloween. Though, Susie couldn’t imagine wearing a costume that often or for that long would be fun.
Her snout wrinkled at the thought of running around in a hot, stuffy costume all day. Layers weighing you down, foam and fabric bunching up in all the wrong places, it probably stunk too. Sometimes when Susie hadn’t been able to take a shower for days, she’d stink, all musky and funky. She shuddered to think about all that trapped in a costume. But maybe Darkners didn’t get sweaty and smelly like that?
Eyeing Battat beside her, she took note of the dark circles under his eyes, the wrinkles in his poncho-suit thing, the slight crooked set of his tie. Yeah, no way this guy got in a shower everyday, stinky or not.
But it was none of her business, really. If he liked wearing a costume and doing a crap ton of work as some guy who dipped on their crew years ago, then that was his deal. And he helped Tenna out… so no harm, right?
Still, something was bothering her, like it was rubbing against the grain of her scales, scratchy and irritating. The heavy toss and turn of discomfort inside her. The pit in her gut that told her something was wrong, and the annoyance that came with not knowing what.
It was a very similar feeling to the one she had in the Dark Sanctuary, when Ralsei had been all jumpy and side glances and preoccupied frowns. Or even back in TV World, when Tenna had clearly been keeping something from them, but still refused to let down his veneer that everything was fine, thin as it was.
Why was she feeling this now? It made sense back then, because two people she liked were actually keeping important things from her, but as far as she could tell, Battat wasn’t lying to her. Sure, he wasn’t telling her everything, but it was stuff that had nothing to do with her, so it shouldn’t be itching her scales like this.
Susie resisted the urge to groan and plant her forehead on the counter, opting to glare into her empty mug instead, before letting it tilt back to inspect the design. It was a coral pink with streaks of golden yellow bolts and stars, all framing an image of Tenna pointing up with some rounded text reading, “SHOOT FOR THE STARS! (And your next cup of coffee)”.
A snort left her and she rolled her eyes. Tenna was so goofy, but that was part of his charm. He always tried so hard to make other people smile, wanted everyone to like him so desperately, it was almost sad. Susie could understand the feeling, even if she’d given up trying to get people to like her forever ago.
She cut a small glance over to Battat, turning some of his words over in her mind. He was kind of Tenna’s emotional support too, right? Maybe that was good for Tenna, to have someone there for him like that. Like a friend, maybe more obligatory, but still. It was odd though, for someone to have been his friend, and Tenna not really acknowledge that he’d changed. Was the real Mike Tenna’s friend? And how would Tenna feel knowing that Mike wasn’t actually Mike?
With a dawning sort of clarity, the puzzle pieces slotted into place. Oh. That’s what was bothering her about all this. Susie wasn’t being lied to, but Tenna was. Even if it was coming from a good place, the Mikes were still lying to him, and it didn’t seem like they planned on coming clean anytime soon. Susie couldn’t really blame them but…
She remembered the weight of the prophecy on Ralsei’s shoulders, how heavy the burden was on him, and how he almost seemed lighter despite himself after they’d talked. A life defining prophecy was different to the almost cartoonish situation Battat found himself in, but glancing at the Darkner beside her, she had a feeling the emotional toll was still pretty high.
“…Do you ever think you’ll tell Tenna the truth?” Susie asked softly before she thought better of it.
Battat jolted as though her words had sent a shock through his system, and he shot her an incredulous look. “Uuuh, no?? Why the hell would we??”
“Why the hell wouldn’t you?” Susie retorted. “It’s not like anything important would change. ‘Sides, wouldn’t it be nice to not have to wear a costume all the time?”
Battat bit the inside of his cheek, not meeting her gaze as he stared ahead.
“Don’t be stupid. Everything would change if we told him. Tenna doesn’t need any more major changes right now.”
Susie huffed, frustration mounting and having her next words come out with a thin layer of sarcasm. “So what? You guys are seriously gonna keep doing this Mike thing forever?”
“So long as Tenna needs a Mike, and the real Mike ain’t keen on doing it himself, we’ll play our role.” Battat shrugged, feigning apathy.
Susie clenched her jaw, but was quiet for a moment, before she spoke the thought out loud.
“I guess… but… does Tenna really need a Mike?”
The bug eyed shock Battat leveled at her would’ve been comical, if he also didn’t look damn near like she’d gutted his entire family tree.
“Doesn’t need a Mike—?! Are you crazy?! Of course he needs a Mike! Who’s gonna help behind the sets? Who's gonna get his coffee? Who’s gonna do his shock therapy? Antenna massages? Huh?? Who??”
“Uh you. Duh,” Susie snorted, rolling her eyes.
Battat froze, eyes wide, pupils dilated, making him almost appear feline. “…Me?”
“Who else? You’re already doing all that crap, might as well be yourself doing it, right?”
Battat was silent for a moment, then he rapidly shook his head and waved his hands.
“No, no, no! That wouldn’t do! Tenna needs Mike! Mike. Besides how do you think he’s gonna react when he realizes his favorite employee, his right hand man, has been a fraud this whole time? Worse, three frauds?! In a trench coat?! Meanwhile, the guy he thought was his friend left him years ago! You really think Tenna’s gonna handle that well? Do ya?”
That made Susie bite down the retort hanging on the tip of her tongue. Back in TV World, Tenna hadn’t exactly taken any time they wanted to leave too well, nor had he when his employees quit on him. It all reached a boiling point when he’d trapped them, then later fought them… She couldn’t exactly blame Battat for being hesitant to fess up, but that had also been different. Tenna had been desperate, at his wits end, feeling like he was on the verge of being tossed out like trash. Didn’t make any of what happened okay, but Susie got it, she really did.
She also knew what it was like to have a friend keep secrets from her, even if they meant well. She didn’t know his whole deal, but Susie had seen enough to guess that Battat’s reasons for sticking around weren’t solely fueled by good pay or the Mike bullshit. She remembered the way he’d handled Tenna when he was hurt. The tight set of concern that pinched his brows, the gentle and dare she say tender way he touched Tenna’s casing. The care with which he did the repairs, all the knowledge he had on Tenna’s inner workings. The near reverence that hung over him like a mantle as he pressed Tenna’s power button.
Susie was kind of oblivious to that stuff, but she got the feeling that Battat cared about Tenna a hell of a lot more than he let on. They were friends, in a weird complicated way, but friends. And friends didn’t hide shit from each other—or they shouldn’t anyways.
“Look man, I’m not gonna force you to do anything, and I won’t tell Tenna either. That’s something he should hear from you, but I do know what it’s like to have friends keep secrets from you. And I know how it can mess you up.” The weight of knowledge heavy in Ralsei’s eyes flashed in her mind. “I’ve seen it. Tenna deserves the truth… and you deserve it too.”
She was quiet for a moment, letting her words settle between them, before she gave him a small grin.
“I know it might be hard, but I think it’ll be worth it. And hey! If you need help, let me know! I’m sure I can get Kris and Ralsei on board, and we can help you out. Plus, you got your other guys too, so you aren’t alone, y’know?”
Battat watched her, his expression unreadable, but something small and vulnerable hovered under the surface. After a moment he sighed and looked away.
“… I don’t—it’s not—! Whatever…” He blew out another breath and gave her a tired look. “I’ll… I’ll think about it, alright kid?”
“Yeah! Don’t think too hard, though. Quick way to give yourself a headache,” she chuckled, her expression bright. A tiny smile wobbled on his lips, before he covered it with a cough.
“Alright, alright. You done with that tea? I’ve still got work to do.”
“Oh. Right.” Susie slid the mug over to him, rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly. “Sorry for crashing on your night like this. I would have come at a more convenient time but I, uh, don’t really know your schedule.”
“Don’t sweat it. I’m always busy. I’m sure the others wouldn’t mind me getting a break like this,” Battat said as he slid off the stool and made his way to the sink.
Susie stood up herself, taking a moment to stretch, before flashing a wicked little grin. “So what you’re saying is I can crash in anytime?”
Battat raised a brow at her. “You’re planning on coming back?”
“Sure. I mean, if you’re cool with it. I wouldn’t mind visiting or whatever,” she said, looking off to the side and feeling small under his scrutiny.
Truth was, Susie was already starting to see him as a friend despite herself. A good part of that was thanks to fixing Tenna together, but sitting here and just talking with Battat, well, she found herself liking him and his company. Normally, in the past, she’d be alarmed at that fact and be pulling up all her old walls… But now? To hell with all that.
Maybe Kris and Ralsei were getting to her, but she wanted to be able to make friends without worrying about any backstabbing or leaving, to push those fears aside, and leave her usual defenses at the door. It was risky, dangerous even, but Susie had done plenty other stuff involving both those things in the last week alone. It was vulnerable, but maybe that was okay. Here in Castle Town, Susie could let down those walls, let herself be exposed.
Still, didn’t make the discomfort of possible rejection any easier.
Battat chewed his bottom lip, before shrugging and focusing in on his task.
“What the hell. Sure, kid. Feel free to stop by anytime. Just knock on the door and know that I can kick you out whenever I want, capiche?”
Susie grinned, bright and melting away any reservations Battat might have been having. “Heh, sure man.”
A few seconds passed, the gentle shush of running water filling the quiet, before the squeak of the facet punctuated the end. Battat grabbed a nearby hand towel and dried the mug, giving Susie a curious look.
“So didja have anything else you needed from me? Or ya just gonna hang around and mooch off me some more?”
“Oh! Uh, nah. I’m good. I might play Lightners Live for a bit but otherwise…” She trailed off and shrugged. Maybe she could rope Ralsei into something, but she had a feeling he wouldn’t approve of her late stay on a school night.
“Lightners Live? I can get Pluey to help ya set it up then.”
“Oh, sure.”
Setting the mug and dishtowel down, Battat cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted, “HEY PLUEY!”
Nothing happened right away, but moments later, Pluey came sliding out of the hallway. He nearly tripped as he made a sharp turn toward the kitchen, holding onto his hat as he hustled over.
“Mind helping Susie out with the music stage?” Unfazed by the Shadowguy’s scrambling, Battat simply jerked a thumb back in Susie’s direction.
Pluey nodded with a salute, then he was gesturing to Susie to follow as he walked past. Susie cut a glance toward Battat, who’d resumed clean up, but undoubtedly felt her gaze.
“See you around?” she asked.
Battat grumbled out something that sounded like an agreement, already getting preoccupied. Susie snorted with amusement and followed Pluey out the door.
Her steps were light and quick as she walked alongside Pluey, buoyed by her high spirits. That went… pretty well, actually. She didn’t need a plan after all. Susie felt pretty damn pleased with herself.
They stepped through the doors leading to the rhythm games, and the faint thump of music had her perking up. Pluey stopped beside her, sweeping his hand out before him, where the 3 doors were lined up. He then closed his hands into fists, save for his thumbs which pointed upwards, and he moved them up and down in an alternating pattern a few times, tilting his head at her curiously.
Susie’s brows furrowed for a moment, smoothing out once the question clicked. “Which one…? Huh, let me think for a sec.”
She pondered the different doors, tracing the signs above them with scrutiny, and found her gaze lingering on the middle door. Hell, with all this talk of Tenna tonight, why not? She grinned at Pluey and pointed toward the middle door. He returned the smile and shot her a thumbs up.
“Hell yeah! Hey… actually, wanna play with me? I’d get Ralsei, but I think he’d lecture me for being over here so late on a school night. Plus, Shadowguys like playing music, right?”
She chuckled sheepishly, wondering if it was dumb to ask, but the way Pluey lit up had any doubts flying out the window. He nodded vigorously and looked as if he were about to break into dance again, causing her to laugh.
“Alright, alright. C’mon, lets see if we can beat Kris’s record. We’ve gotta crush them into dust!”
Pluey saluted and together they walked through the double doors. He went to get the technical junk set up, and Susie went to change her costume, which really just meant walking into the changing room and back out with magically different clothes. Dark Worlds were fun like that.
She joined Pluey on stage once he gave her a thumbs up, and together they took up their instruments. Susie grinned down at the drum set, the sticks raised in her hands like twin daggers. Pluey had his saxophone, practically vibrating in place with excitement. It was silly, but his excitement was infectious.
As a wash of neon lights fell over her, and the music began counting down, anticipation began to swell in her, building up until she was able to slam the drum sticks down somewhat in time with the beat. To her right, she heard the steady melody of a saxophone as a jazzier rendition of Tenna’s battle music played. Huh, cool.
The two of them played through the whole song, and despite Susie’s claims of serious business and needing to beat Kris’s score, she found herself laughing and just enjoying the moment. Pluey was fun, he could change up the melody on a whim and add a unique twist to the song, and Susie found herself doing the same. She wasn’t musically knowledgeable enough to do it well, but she enjoyed doing her own remixes, and Pluey always joined in no matter how nonsensical.
It was really freaking awesome. Pluey was pretty cool. Battat too. They were odd guys but they were good. She’d totally be down to hang out with them more, and maybe properly meet Jongler next time, they seemed chill.
And… she hoped that Battat took her words to heart. Tenna might be surprised by the news initially, but she had a feeling he would take it better than whatever Battat thought. Plus, she was sure she and Kris could help smooth things over if needed. It’d be scary for the guys sure, but she had a feeling that Tenna would think that the Mike Gang, the real guys behind the masks, would be cool too.
She hoped so at least, for their sakes, and Tenna’s too. Maybe being honest was a bad idea, maybe it’d end in disaster, but it could also be really great. They could be real friends, without lies or masks getting in the way and muddying the waters. Time would have to tell, she guessed.
But all that could wait this second. Right now, Susie had a concert to rock.