#calixo

(This takes place during Calixo's statement to the RB Foundation. Calixo has already given most of it - this is the last segment. He’s been struggling to get through the statement without repeating himself - he’s clearly quite scatterbrained, though whether this is a normal thing for him or it was because of his experience, Russo doesn’t know yet.) 

[CALIXO] As I said, the longer I was in there, the more lost I felt. I wasn’t sure what was a real door and what was fake, whether I could pass through the wall or not - one minute it’d be rock solid and the next minute it would disintegrate like sand. My eyes were starting to hurt from all the bright colours and fractals and stage lights, and none of the things inside would talk to me in regular, normal words. Just riddles and laughter.

I don't...exactly remember how long I was in there or the events that led to me escaping, but...I can give my best guess.

I heard that monster’s voice on the tannoy, it mentioned about the next show starting soon, and to please wait - he’ll pick us all up shortly. I didn’t want to get on that show again. I wanted to get out. So I kept running around, trying to find an escape route.

Eventually I ran into a room filled with TVs. There were millions like it before and likely after, so I wasn’t going to pay it much mind, just move on- but they all showed its face, so I paused. I couldn’t see its eyes through the TV screens, it was almost like it was being censored, and it was covered in static. Then I spotted it- a blank screen, a screen that simply showed my reflection and nothing else. I don’t know what it was that told me that it was my escape - I guess I didn’t really know, but it stood out, it looked normal, or at least what reminded me of normal, so I had to try. Either way, I- I threw myself at it.

I blinked, and I was laying against cold, hard concrete, staring up at the sky. It was starting to rain, I think. I didn’t care - I was out. Out of that horrid place. Where colours are desaturated and walls are made of real material and you aren’t being forced to act. I was near a pile of junk and trash, right by an old TV. I still couldn’t get up, I was feeling so dizzy, could still see those spirals in the corner of my vision, still hear its laughter ringing in my ears, so I ended up crawling away from it as fast as I could. I ended up dragging myself around and trying to find help, but it was so dark in those alleyways, I kept getting turned around to that pile of junk. So I ended up just sitting there, screaming, hoping that someone would find me.

They did- I don’t remember their names too well, and I feel horrible about it- they saved my life. Uh, Kreek and Bella, I think? They were the ones who found me, got me something to drink, tried to calm me down, called the emergency services to get me checked out and a way home. They were the first tangible people I’d seen in- god knows how long, so I think that only made it worse. I- (deliriously laughs) I...I was even a little embarrassed that they saw me like that, I thought they were tourists, thought I was still back home. I- well, I mean, I’m not, clearly. Though I’d rather be here than still in that horrible place.

I don’t know if they believed me when I explained how I got here- the cops certainly didn’t. I was in the hospital for a few days - I think they thought I was a delusional kidnapping victim.

(Quietly) Maybe I am a delusional kidnapping victim.

(Louder again) So I’ve been here, laying in hospital, while the police try to figure out what to do with me. Don’t have any relatives I’m still in contact with, and none of my friends back at uni are picking up- so I’m just sort of stranded in the hospital bed, barely sleeping because of the nightmares. Apparently I had such a bad reaction to realising there was a TV in my room that they covered it up with a curtain. I- I know it’s there, I’m not stupid, but at least it’s not turned on.

But- but when I said my side of things, one of the cops told me to go to you. So…so here I am. Maybe you can make sense of all of this. 

[RUSSO]

(Comforting.) We’ll do our best, Calixo. I promise you, we will ensure that you get, at the very least, an explanation for what you’ve gone through. 

[CALIXO]

(Tearful and genuinely touched.) You…you believe me, then. 

[RUSSO]

As I said. You’d be surprised what I believe - and I have no reason not to believe you. 


[CALIXO]

Thank you…

[RUSSO]

It’s my job, after all.

Do you have a way home? A plane ticket or anything?

[CALIXO]

Uh, no, not yet.

[RUSSO]

Alright. If you don’t get anything sorted out soon, let me know. I’ll pay for the plane ticket. 

[CALIXO]

You…you will? 

[RUSSO]

Of course. You want to get back to your normal life soon, don’t you? 

[CALIXO]

Yeah. Yeah, I do. Okay…(Smiling, somewhat.) Okay.

I…I think I need to get back. To the- hospital, I mean. Uh, I’ll…leave you to it. 

(Calixo gets up, the chair he’s sitting on screeching. He leaves through a creaky door, as Russo focuses on his work.) 

[RUSSO]

…Statement ends. 

The story that Calixo’s told me here sounds familiar. I think…I think I may recognise just who he might have met. Which gives me a good head start on confirming his story, and at the very least, beginning to understand a certain someone’s methods. 

(Russo opens a drawer and pulls out some papers.)

Sketch. A Distortion, The Gameshow Host, an avatar of Oneirophobia. Runs a nightmarish TV show-

(Suddenly, there’s increased, ear-splitting static on the recording, causing Russo to jump.) 

Ah-!



[SKETCH] 

(Voice somewhat obscured by static.) Sorry to interrupt, Archivist-

(Static increases and then sharply falls, but Sketch’s voice now sounds a lot clearer.) 

But I happened to notice you were talking about me!



[RUSSO]

(Unnerved, but mainly annoyed.) …Hello, Sketch. What do you want? 

[SKETCH]

Well, I was just taking back what was mine, of course! You know me, I’m not one to leave a joke hanging without the punchline. 

[RUSSO]

Well, good for you- wait, taking back what was yours? 

[SKETCH]

The ‘wanderer’, the one who entered my domain, whatever fancy ways you want to put it. 

[RUSSO]

You mean…Calixo Bu-Breezy? (Confident) Too late for that, he’s already gone. 

[SKETCH]

Oh, really?

(Sketch laughs. It sounds like multiple laughs overlapping himself, almost like a laugh track.)

Here's a question for you. Which door did he leave through?

[RUSSO]

That o-

(Russo falls silent in shock.) 

[SKETCH]

Oof, incorrect. You should check your memory. (Mocking.) There's never been a door there, it's just a wall!

[RUSSO]

(Angry.) Why you little-

(Russo stands up, his chair screeching against the floor as he does so.)

Let him go! 

[SKETCH]

(Laughs harder.) No! 

[RUSSO]

(Static rises on the recording, as Russo tries to use his powers.) I said, let him g-

(Russo yelps as he’s pinned against the wall using a cane pointed at his throat.) 

[SKETCH]

Wrong answer! Again.

You’re funny, Archivist. But you can’t hope to win against me.

(Sketch releases Russo, leaving him choking for air.)

But I have no reason to stick around and play with you further. I have better things to do. Such as playing with a certain Investigator.

See you next show! 

(There’s a flurry of static, and Sketch is gone.) 

(Russo takes a few seconds to get his breath back, before standing up and dragging himself back into his chair.) 

[RUSSO]

…Who the hell is the Investigator? 

(Click.) 

~~~~~~~~~~

I really struggled to figure out what to write for this prompt, I'll be honest. Obviously the 'Wonderland' is Sketch's domain as a Spiral avatar in this context, but there's only one scene I have ideas for that takes place inside of that Wonderland, and it's extremely spoilery so I probably won't write it for a while, and I wanted to focus on canon audio-transcripts first. Eventually, I settled on doing this AU's version of that one scene from MAG47. Which led to me needing that exposition from Calixo at the start to fit the prompt. Yknow how it is.

Some of the characters have the same alignments / concepts as before, them being:

Albert is still a Flesh avatar, a weird 'artist' who sculpts people into his masterpieces

Sketch & Calixo are still our Michael/Helen stand-ins just with a slightly different concept this go-around

Ashley is still associated with the Buried, Tanqr still ends up as a Slaughter avatar

Mr B is now an artefacts scientist rather than books scientist, because why not?

JP is still the Head of the RB Institute RB Foundation, they're just actually present as the head now instead of using Russo as a trenchcoat / Jonah Magnusing Russo lol. I'm quite proud of how I blended their canon cyberpunky design with the formal vibe I wanted em to have here.

And some have entirely new concepts, those being:

Megan was originally not really gonna appear, and she was aligned with the Desolation - now she's an Eye avatar! A seller of artefacts, ones that Mr B hasn't gotten ahold of yet.

Denis is now a Stranger avatar instead of an End-aligned archival assistant! Honestly, he'd be a fun one to write a statement from the perspective of.

Poke & Hyper are now associated with the Corruption instead of the Stranger! Hyper just cannot catch a break in my AUs even if he's less of a main character huh