aww look at them
i want them to explode together

seen from Serbia
seen from China
seen from Canada
seen from Canada
seen from Mexico

seen from Russia
seen from Netherlands

seen from United States

seen from United States
seen from Italy
seen from United States

seen from Singapore

seen from United States
seen from China

seen from Canada

seen from Malaysia
seen from United Kingdom
seen from China
seen from Poland
seen from United States
aww look at them
i want them to explode together

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Pink City AU: Hunt for the Boxman
Chapter 3 - Fixing whatâs been Broken
Hoonis and Dento team up amongst the discord and havoc of the Pink City to fix what they themselves and others have torn apart.
â
NOTICE: This AU is partially based on my ideas/interpretation. If anything appears to be inaccurate, I apologize. I tried to work with what little I had to make smth. I also took a few artistic liberties.
Another thing: THE PINK CITY AND ITâS CHARACTERS DO NOT BELONG TO ME!! IT BELONGS TO GOOSEWORX!! Some canon lore for The Pink City has also been implemented in this story. This is just an AU/story I made based on it. If youâd like to check out The Pink City series itself, check it out here!
The Pink City
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TRIGGER WARNING: This fic contains nightmares, threats, arguing, caps, swearing, an apocalypse, screaming, crying, death, stabbing, self hatred, and daddy issues. If you arenât comfortable with these things, please donât read this.
It hasnât been long since the disaster that occurred live on television. Right on Bepâs showâŠ
All she wanted to do was get her head back in the game. Get back into making her show. Forget all that had happened, forget that emotional breakdown with that⊠nosy little shit show host.
The stress hammers at Bepâs head like a mallet. She canât help but stress over her show. How people will perceive her⊠all the disgust, confusion, rageâŠ
Itâs an absolute nightmareâŠ
âŠA literal one.
Bep wakes up with a sudden gasp. She rises up and glances around, and hears her phone going off. She scrambles to her phone and picks it up. She holds the phone in her hand.
Her eyes squint angrily.
Someoneâs calling her.
Hoonis is calling her.
âŠThat blasted, dense man⊠the man the couldnât help but press on about her deadbeat father. The man that couldnât shut his trap about the person she hated with every fiber of her being.
The phone eventually stops ringing, going to the lock screen. Bep then goes into her messages and types out a message to Hoonis.
'Leave me alone'
Bep chucks her phone to the edge of her bed and lays back downâŠ
âŠThe nightmares continue to rage on in her head.
â
Itâs the next day.
Everyoneâs preparing for Bepâs next show. Setting up lights, doing sound checks. Everything must be perfect.
Perfect for her.
Bep storms around the small studio room, checking in on her employees. Although, sheâs more uptight than usual.
âHey!â Bep exclaims, pointing at a camera man. âDo NOT keep that lens cap on! I swear to God, you arenât going to see the end of my wrath if you do!â
âYes, ma'am!â The camera man says worriedly, fearing for his life.
Bep then turns to a sound guy, fiddling with the sound board. She storms to him, to which the employee responds by shivering in terror.
Bro slams her hands onto the sound board. âYou better not fucking miss your cues, you hear me?â She says in a harsh whisper.
âYes, Ms. Nemeni, ma'am.â Says the sound guy, his fear overtaking his voice.
Bep then turns to her small tech crew. Only few have actually stayed, including the teamâs lead, since they need the money.
Bep struts over to the tech lead, Bendle. He quickly notices her approach.
âBendle!â Bep begins. âKeep an eye on the tech team, please. We donât need a light flickering or falling!â
ââŠMs. Nemeni?â A tech guy questions. âWhy are you always so hard on us?â
Bep averts her gaze to the questioning man. She forgot he was new here.
ââŠWell, thatâs because I NEED TO BE!â Bep exclaims. âIf I donât keep you all in check, WE ALL PLUMMET TO THE GROUND!! We lose our AUDIENCE!! We lose our SOURCE OF PROFIT!! We mess up, we have NOTHING!â
âBut why do you yell so much?â The tech guy asks. âI donât think thatâs a good work environmentâ!â
Bep proceeds to the yank the tech guy to her face. She stares him down, and he stares back, complete horror in his eyes.
âSometimes I NEED TO BE LOUD!!â Bep exclaims. âI have to be the army general because people like YOU canât get your work done! I need ALL OF YOU to get to work, RIGHT NOW, or so help me, I WILL TEAR YOU APART LIMB FROM LIMB!!â
Most of the tech team scatters to their positions.
All but one.
One of Bepâs most loyal employees. Practically her right hand man.
Bendle.
He stays in place, not even daring to move. Bep looks to the young man with fury. Bendle firmly glares to his boss.
ââŠBendle?â Bep asks. âDidnât you hear me?â
âI did hear you, ma'am.â Says Bendle.
ââŠThen why arenât you moving?â Bep asks, voice seething with fury.
âBecause Iâm tired of the stress you put us through.â Bendle responds.
Bep quickly becomes infuriated and lost for words. As she stammers, trying to make a coherent sentence, Bendle speaks up again.
âYouâve done nothing but stress us out for ages.â Says Bendle. âYou never seem to care about our emotional well being.â
Bep tries to retort, stammering, trying to make a good enough argument.
âŠBut as she tries, a thought pops in her head.
âYouâre a terrible boss, thatâs what you are.â Says Bendle. âAnd I am so, so, so, tired of putting up with your shit. We all are. We could all leave, but we donât. We need the money. If you want us to stay as bad as you do, why donât you try to improve as a person?â
Everyone in the crew stares back at the brave man and his powerless boss. All Bep does is stand there, completely motionless, as a memory of old reappears in her headâŠ
âŠA terrible memory. One that would make her seethe every time it popped up in her mindâŠ
~~~
'Why not?'
'I donât want to work on your stupid show!'
'But why? Itâs done so well! You could get a lot of money!'
'Itâs not what I want to do with my life!'
'But what about what I want for you?'
'What about what I want!? What I want to do with my own life!?'
'I am your father! You do as I ask!'
'But this is my life!'
'What about what I want for you?'
'âŠYou donât love me.'
'âŠWhat?'
'You donât love me. You donât care about me⊠you just wanted me for your stupid show!'
'No! I do love you!'
'Then why are you pressuring me to do something I donât want to do!?'
'It would be good for you!'
'But what if I donât want to do it!?'
'Then suck it up!'
'Thatâs what I mean! YOU DO NOT LOVE ME!!'
~~~
âŠThat same argument⊠that same talkâŠ
That same talk Bep had with her fatherâŠ
âŠDarlesâŠ
The memory rings in her head. Reflects back to her.ïżŒ..
Suddenly, a loud and thundering rumbling is heard from outside.
The ground begins to shake, causing equipment to topple and fall. The crew catches their equipment just before it hits the ground.
âThe hell is that!?â A sound guy exclaims.
As the rumbling continues, loud bangs are heardâŠ
Then, a sound that resembles the aftermath of a bomb slamming into the ground.
The ground vibrates even more, causing the crew to fall forward on their faces.
âEVERYONE!! GO!!!â Bendle exclaims.
As everyone scurries to the exit, banging is heard against the studioâs roofâŠ
Suddenly, dark and inky tendrils protrude through the roof of the studio, quickly cornering the crew.
Bep watches as her crew is swiftly lifted into the air. Thrown against the wall. Chucked around the room.
âŠAnd slowly becoming disgustingly distorted.
Losing their logic and reason. Losing their ability to think. Losing their ability to keep a proper form.
Corrupted.
âCome on!â Bendle exclaims, running to Bep. âWe gotta go!â
As Bep turns to face Bendle, she watches as Bendle is lifted into the air through the hole in the roof. Bep watched as the young man is carried into the sky.
And Bendle watches as Bep becomes further and further away from his view.
The tendril carrying the young man comes to a halt. Bendle quickly turns his head around.
And comes face to face with something that would forever lurk in his nightmares.
A thin, magenta-suited man with a box for a head, said box being covered in a black ooze with spider-like legs protruding from the sides of the head. Front and center, looking directly into Bendleâs soul, colorful yet petrifying eyes. The types of eyes that haunt you while you sleep.
âŠBendle feels as if he could pass out.
Suddenly, the tendril holding the young man up slams him back down into the building.
Bep watches as the man falls back to the floor of her studio, complete horror in her eyes. A crater is created in the floor of the room she stands in. Bendle lays practically unconscious, his body glitched and distorted.
The young man slowly brings an arm up. He then begins to rise to his feet, much to Bepâs horror.
Bendle isnât who he was anymore. None of her crew were.
They were all like mindless, bugged out zombies. Completely void of whatever proper mental state they had left.
Bendle stares at Bep, his eyes a bright blue aura. His body glitching and distorting beyond what Bep can comprehend.
Bep swiftly turns to the exit and scurries out of the studio. She runs almost aimlessly through the halls and eventually skids to a stop by a closet. She shoves herself into the closet and shuts the door. She sits back against the door and curls up into a ball.
âŠShe begins to sob.
âŠAll of what she had caused her employees⊠the anger, the fear, the stressâŠ
âŠShe had become the very person she hatedâŠ
âŠHer father⊠the one who caused her all the stress, the pressure she enduredâŠ
She had done the sameâŠ
âŠWhat had she wroughtâŠ?
â
It hasnât been long since the carnage had started to rain down upon the Pink City.
Hoonis huddles away in his home, within a closet, protecting himself from the danger outsideâŠ
He can hear all of it.
All of the screaming, crying, bugged out terror. People getting slammed against buildings. He can feel the quaking hits against the walls outside.
âŠItâs terrible.
At least he knows Dentoâs safe in his home, with his family⊠very likely mourning Elain.
âŠPoor ElainâŠ
She had been taken by Darly. Lord knows if sheâs still okay, wherever she in sky she was. Wherever in that void she was⊠maybe she was okayâŠ
âŠAlthough, it may not be likely.
Darlesâ or Darly, is not the man he once was. Heâs been bent to Darlyâs will. Insane, sick in the head⊠Hoonis can only imagine what heâs done with herâŠ
âŠHe needs to get her back. Get Darles back⊠that was what he settled out to do anyway, find Darles and just speak to him. Just that time⊠but Elain, she and Dento had helped him. He was grateful for them. They were his friends.
âŠHe canât sit in his closet like this. He had to do something to help his idol and friend, along with the dying city outside.
âŠHe needs to find DentoâŠ
Wherever he livedâŠ
Hoonis goes through his pocket and grabs his phone. He texts Dento.
'Hey. Whatâs your address?'
âŠFor a bit, nothing.
Thenâ
'What do you need it for?'
'I want to talk to you. Iâll explain when I get there'
â
Hoonis scrambles through the streets of the Pink City, trying to evade whatever could suddenly decide to chase after him and get to Dentoâs home.
Nothing really seems to be on his tail⊠at least, for a time.
The glitched citizens roaming amongst the carnage quickly take notice of the one unlike them. The small group eventually forming into a mob of people.
Hoonis doesnât dare look back. He continues to run, not even paying attention to where heâs going.
He needs to hide.
As he turns into another street, he swiftly slides to his right and enters a random building. He shuts the door behind him and rushes deeper into the building.
As he runs, the place quickly becomes familiarâŠ
âŠBepâs studioâŠ
âŠSurely if she doesnât notice heâs here, heâll be fine⊠right?
He rushes down a hall and enters the closest room to his left. He slams the door shut and slams his back to it.
ââŠThe fuck are you doing here?â A voice asks from Hoonisâ left.
Hoonis glances to the voiceâs origin. His eyes go wide.
Bep is looking directly up to Hoonis, her eyes watery with tears⊠what happened to her?
ââŠH-hey, Bep.â Hoonis says worriedly. ââŠSorry. I didnât know I hadââ
âNo, no.â Says Bep, softly. âYouâre fine⊠they likely wonât find us here anyway. They donât have any of their sanity left, it seems.â
ââŠAre you alright?â Hoonis asks as he sits himself next to Bep, since he knows heâs now allowed in the room.
ââŠIâm sorry.â Says Bep. âFor⊠breaking out at you the yesterday.â
Hoonis suddenly appears surprised. He never expected to hear her apologize. Before he can speak, Bep continues.
ââŠIt was wrong.â Says Bep. âI only inflected hell upon you⊠just as I did to everyone else⊠just like my fatherâŠâ
ââŠWhat do you mean?â Hoonis asks. âI-if you donât mind my asking, heh.â
Bep quickly appears hesitantâŠ
She canât keep it away forever. Sheâs done that long enough.
ââŠMy father, you know him, along with what he did, if you rememeber. Heâ he didnât want me to do what I wanted.â Says Bep. âWhat I wanted to do with my life. He wanted me to continue his show, and I didnât⊠Iâve felt for years that he never truly loved me because of that. Despite my efforts to separate myself from him, I think I only became him.â
ââŠHow?â Hoonis asks.
âI-I stress my employees out constantly. I never give them time to relax, take a mental break.â Says Bep. âIâm pushing them beyond their limits, and I was completely blind to it⊠my father did the same to me, stressed me out to my breaking point⊠I did the same to my own employees⊠Iâm just as bad as my fatherâŠâ
Hoonis almost couldnât fathom what he heard.
âŠHe knew Darles loved his daughter, he said so himself⊠he never intended this.
ââŠHe never intended you to be upset.â Says Hoonis.
âWhat?â Bep asks, almost fiercely.
âI-I-Iâve seen him.â Says Hoonis. âHe said he loved you with his lifeâ he feels genuine guilt for what he caused you.â
âHow do you know that?â Says Bep. âYouâre making that up, arenât you?â
ââŠHeâs up there.â Says Hoonis, pointing upwards.
âI-I donât understand.â Says Bep.
âIn the sky.â Says Hoonis. âHeâs stuck up there.â
âWhat?â Bep asks.
Suddenly, banging is heard. The corrupted have found them.
âSHIT!â Hoonis harshly whispers. âTake my hand!â He whispers as he turns to Bep.
Before Bep can even retort, Hoonis rushes out of the room. He barely escapes the corrupted hoard, just before he can even get hit. He and Bep eventually scurry out of the studio and into the outside world.
âLook up!â Hoonis exclaims, looking back to Bep. âDo you see what I mean now?â
Bepâs eyes go wide as she looks upon the carnage. Buildings are cracked or partially crumbled. Citizens limp around the streets, completely void of an actual mental state. As she gazes upon the city, she spots something in the sky.
âŠSomeoneâŠ
The figure is faint, yet close enough to be visible. A man with an eye-covered box on his head, coated in a thick black ooze with spider-like legs sticking from itâs sides. The physique of the man is thin. FamiliarâŠ
Darles.
Bep can only pray that he wonât see her.
Suddenly, Hoonis and Bep find themselves in darkness again. Hoonis found an unlocked door to a nearby building. Theyâre safe now.
The duo quickly sits themselves down, breathing heavily.
ââŠI-I saw him.â Says Bep. ââŠWhat the fuck happened to himâŠ? You know, donât you?â She asks, turned to Hoonis.
Hoonis hesitates before finally finding what he wants to say. ââŠHeâs a god now.â Says Hoonis.
ââŠWHAT!?â Bep shouts.
âShh!â Hoonis hushes. Bep silences, letting Hoonis speak again.
ââŠHe made a deal with these gods to make his show succeed.â Says Hoonis. âThey took him, as part of their deal⊠and now heâs a god.â
Bep quickly appears suddenly confused. How did he even come across them in the first place? What are these gods?
ââŠHe only gets worseâŠâ Says Bep. ââŠHe canât improve⊠and if he canât, then I canât eitherâŠâ
Hoonis processes her words⊠if she feels sheâs like him, and he canât changeâŠ
âŠShe wonât change eitherâŠ
ââŠDonât think that way.â Says Hoonis.
âWhy?â Bep asks, voice strained. âIâm just like him. I-Iâm part of himâ his genes are in me⊠I canât change, just as he canâtâŠâ
âBoth of you can change, I know that.â Says Hoonis. ââŠEven if I have a terrible father who never loved me, who is a lost cause⊠whose to say your father canât change? Why not give him a chance? Give yourself a chance?â
Bep processes Hoonisâ wordsâŠ
âWhy not try to actually change instead of wallowing in your guilt?â Hoonis asks.
âŠWhy not change when you still have the time to do so in your life? Why not work to be better? Why not learn to grow as a person?
Suddenly, Hoonis places a hand on Bepâs shoulder. Bep swiftly turns her head to face the show host, her eyes wide with shock.
âYou can do it.â Says Hoonis. âJust try.â
Bep hesitates before placing her hand onto Hoonisâ. She doesnât say anything, she only nods⊠she will try. She wants to try. She can only become a better person if sheâs willing to try.
âŠNot only can she change⊠Darles can changeâŠ
The only way to know was to see him again⊠if she got to truly see his guilt⊠she wouldnât believe it unless she actually saw it before her. To start her change, she can actually be less judgmental. Unlike Hoonisâ father⊠maybe herâs can change.
âŠAlthough, she appears hesitant to believe it. All that had happened in the past stays with her. All that she had done stays with her. Hoonis notices her hesitancy as she looks down to the ground.
ââŠI know that your hesitant...â Says Hoonis. âBut I know youâll see change in him, youâll see change in yourself too. I promise.â
Bep doesnât respond, appearing uncertain. Hoonis quietly accepts it and pats her shoulder⊠he knows sheâll see it. He knows so⊠he then gets to his feet and rushes out of the building and back into the city.
âŠBep is conflicted⊠Can she change? Can Darles changeâŠ?
âŠAll she can do is wait⊠All she can do is try. Instead of wallowing in your sorrows⊠she canât sit here in guilt forever, right? âŠJust be less stubborn for a second. You can start your change there.
âŠYes, she can change. She wants to change.
She just has to wait and see if he wants that change too.
As Bep sits, she hears a sudden banging on the door leading inside the building⊠along with the sound of bugging staticâŠ
â
Dento sits in his home, on the couch, moping quietly. Danina sits next to him, giving him comfort. Despite the assistance from his sister, Dento canât help but feel like garbage.
If only he had known Elain would do that to herself, act ignorant toward her pain⊠he shouldâve known⊠if she had known⊠this wouldnât have happened.
If both of them knewâŠ
âOh, dear!â Says Dentoâs mother, who is pacing around the living room. âOh, where is your father!? I called him, he hasnât come homeâ!â
âMom!â Danina exclaims, cutting her mother off. âHeâll be home, Iâm sure of it.â
âWho knows what dangerâs out there, Danina?â Says the mother. âHe couldâve gotten shot, or beat up, orâ!â
Suddenly, someone knocks on the door.
âSee?â Says Danina. âHeâs home. You can shut up now.â
The mother seems to ignore Daninaâs remark as she hurries to the front door and unlocks it. Suddenly, someone no one, except Dento, expected to see.
Hoonis slams the door open, causing the mother to get smacked onto the wall. âWhereâs Dento!?â Hoonis exclaims.
âWhereâd you come from!?â Danina questions as Dento swiftly moves his head to face the show host.
Hoonis closes the door behind him and notices Dentoâs mother behind it. He gasps a bit as the mother recovers, completely fine yet dazed. âSorry, ma'am!â He says.
ââŠY-youâre alright, sir.â Says the mother with a slight chuckle.
Hoonisâ eyes quickly notice Dento sitting on the couch next to his sister. He rushes over to the Bounty Hunter, who jumps back in fright.
âDento!â Hoonis says in a hurry. âWe gotta talk, come on!â
âHold it!â Says Danina, putting a hand in front of Dento as if to protect him. âWhat do you need him for?â
âYou suddenly barged into our home without a purpose to be here.â Says the mother.
Hoonis turns to the mother. âI need to speak with Dento, miss.â He says. âItâs an emergency!â
âA-about what?â The mother asks.
ââŠI-itâs a lot, Iâm sorryâ!â Hoonis begins, before being swiftly cut off.
âYouâre sending him back out there, arenât you!?â Danina exclaims. âYouâre crazy if you think heâs going out there, itâs a war zone outside!â
âI know, but I need him for this!â Says Hoonis. âItâs for a friend of his!â
âWhaâ oh, her?â Danina asks, knowing who Hoonisâ referring to. Dento quickly notices who heâs talking about as well.
Elain.
âYes!â Says Hoonis. âI need his help to get Elain back!â
âHeâs mourning right now.â Says Danina. âI donât think heâdâ!â
Suddenly, Dento hops off the couch and walks up to Hoonis. He looks up to the show host with a stern expression. He wants to help, even if heâs in mourning.
Elain is his friend. Even if she hurt him, he knows she didnât mean it⊠they can speak about it later. Learn to improveâŠ
âAre you sure?â Danina asks.
Dento locks eyes with Danina and nods.
âItâs dangerous out there, hun.â Says the mother to Dento. âI donât want you getting hurt.â
Dento looks to his mother and shakes his head. He lowers his hands from the top of his body to the bottom, displaying what he was wearing: Bounty Hunting gear. Heâs a Bounty Hunter. Heâs seen a lot of terrible things in his life. If he can handle taking down a bounty, then he can handle this.
ââŠYou have faced a lot in your life.â Says the mother. âM-maybe I should let you go.â
If Dento had a mouth, heâd have the biggest smile on his face. He slowly nods to his mother. He rushes to his mother and hugs her.
ââŠOh, my little boy.â Says the mother. âYour father would be applauding you right now.â She picks Dento up into her arms and hugs him back.
Danina then gets up from the couch and head to her family. She faces Dento. âYou better come back alive, you hear?â She asks.
Dento looks to Danina and nods. He wraps an arm around her, giving her a side hug.
Hoonis looks at the scene tenderly⊠he can only wish he and Bepâs families had that bond⊠even if his father canât change, Darles can. He can see it in him.
They just need to find a way to get him back.
Dento separates from his family and the mother sets him down. He rushes over to Hoonis with a confident look.
âAre you ready, friend?â Hoonis asks Dento.
Dento nods confidently. Heâs ready.
Hoonis nods back, then looks to Dentoâs family. âIâll be sure to bring him back. Heâll make sure of that too.â He says. Dento nods in response to Hoonis.
âJust be careful.â Says the mother. âPlease.â
âWe will.â Says Hoonis. He then turns to the door and points at it triumphantly. âTo the city!â
Hoonis and Dento rush to the door and swiftly exit the house and rush into the city. Danina and Dentoâs mother wave them goodbye as the rush out of the door.
âWe love you, hun!â Say the mother.
âDonât get yourself killed!â Says Danina.
â
Hoonis and Dento scurry behind buildings and through alleys, trying as best as they to avoid any of the mindless civilians roaming the streets. None of them seem to notice theyâre there, walking in straight lines like NPCs, completely lifeless and without their free will.
As Hoonis and Dento run though, they slow down and come to a stop, right behind a vacant building, as if realizing something.
Hoonis turns to Dento. He leans down to the Bounty Hunterâs level and whispers. ââŠWhat are we gonna do?â
âŠDento eventually shrugs, unfortunately uncertain⊠neither of them thought far ahead. Just how were they going to take down Darly and end this carnage?
Suddenly, two floating hands appear behind the show host and Bounty Hunter. The hands swiftly grab their backs and lift to the air. The duo then gets pulled away from their spot at a tremendous speed, they can barely process whatâs happening to them as they suddenly enter a forest.
The hands quickly come to a halt, causing the duo to jerk forward slightly. The hands slowly lower the two to the ground, back on their legs, only for them to immediately fall to their bottoms. As they recover, the hands retract, and a slight rustle is heard from the bushes in front of them.
From the bushes, an old companion appears.
Hoonis and Dento see Vondu exiting the small pile of shrubs, another familiar person in a third handâs grip.
The librarian.
âYou! Itâs you!â Hoonis exclaims, pointing to the Bounty Hunter and cult leader. Dento only stares, not looking shocked, although he is.
Vondu plops the librarian down to ground, although not as gently as Hoonis and Dento were placed. The librarian thuds to ground with a grunt. His gaze shifts to the show host and Bounty Hunter.
Suddenly, breaking the slightly uneasy air, Dentoâs phone vibrates. He takes out his phone and spots a text from Vondu.
'He can tell you everything you need' One text reads.
Another text suddenly comes in. 'I heard you from here. I know you want this carnage gone'
Vondu then gazes to the librarian, his look demanding. He needs the cult leader to speak.
The librarian appears hesitant, not wanting to speak of the secrets of the Elders. He turns to Vondu, wanting to retort against him, before Vondu swiftly pulls back his coat, revealing his mighty gun artillery underneath.
The librarian shrieks. âFine, pest!â He says. ââŠI shall speak of true word.â
The librarian turns to Hoonis and Dento, who await an answer. He steps to the duo, pulling out a ritual knife from inside his robe.
The librarian holds the knife before Hoonis and Dento. âPierce the leech that sits on the showmanâs head, and the world will be cleansed of this carnage.â He says.
Dento gradually takes the blade in his hands. He stuffs it deep into the pockets of his Bounty Hunting gear.
Hoonis turns to the librarian, appearing grateful. âThank you.â
The librarian doesnât seem to respond. Heâs not happy that he had to share any of that. Heâd rather live to preach of his gods than be dead.
Vondu then swiftly swipes the librarian in a jar⊠heâs a bounty. He averts his ominous gaze from the jar to Dento and Hoonis, who stare back.
ââŠT-thank you, sir.â Says Hoonis. Dento nods, also saying thank you.
Vondu continues to stare before ominously creeping back into the shrubs. Hoonis and Dento slowly back away before Hoonis suddenly dips the scene, sprinting away. Dento quickly follows.
As they run, they spot the faint figure of Darly hovering over the Pink Cityâs center, the world appearing slightly distorted and apocalyptic, the large gaping hole in the sky aiding the terrified feeling within them.
â
Dento and Hoonis stay hidden behind a building, away from the pedestrians. They peer over to the street, not seeing anyone, but the carnage being most apparent.
ââŠWe still donât have a plan.â Says Hoonis.
How were they going to get to Darly? It wouldnât be easy to get to him, since heâs so high up⊠what would they do?
Suddenly, Dento looks to Hoonis with a stern gaze. He places the knife in front of the show host and swiftly bolts away.
Directly into the street.
Hoonis peers over the building with a gasp. âNo! wait!â He exclaims to Dento. His plea falls on deaf nonexistent ears as he watches Dento bolt into the street.
As Hoonis desperately watches Dento bolt away, he feels something tap his shoulder. He turns and yelps at the sight of Vondu suddenly appearing behind him.
âYou!â Says Hoonis. âWhat are you doing here, friend?â
Vondu points forward, and then glances to Hoonis, asking what he was looking out to the street for.
ââŠDento left.â Says Hoonis. âHeâs entrusted me with the dagger⊠I donât know if I canâ!â
Vondu places a hand on Hoonisâ shoulder, as if to console him.
Hoonis sighs. ââŠYouâre right.â He says. âI need to do this. That isnât Darles⊠I will do it! I have to!â He says as he turns to Vondu with confidence in his eyes.
Vondu nods. He then averts his gaze to the street ahead. He steps to the alleyâs edge and peers over the building to the street. Hoonis huddles just behind him as watched Vondu and waits for him to act.
Vondu then points upward toward the cityâs center, having spotted Darly a decent distance ahead.
ââŠWhat about Darles?â Hoonis asks.
Vondu looks back to Hoonis and points at the dagger, then points back to Darly.
âHow am I going to get there?â Hoonis asks.
Suddenly and swiftly, Vondu picks Hoonis up and holds him in the air, as if preparing to chuck him to Darly.
â
Dentoâs been running for awhile. His legs hurt, but heâs willing to do this⊠if Darly has Elain, then wouldnât that make Darly want Dento too? If he wanted her so bad, and since he seemed to know a lot about her, heâd know Dento is Elainâs crime fighting buddy.
Dento runs through the street a bit, before stopping and coming to a halt. He turns a heel and stares upward, directly up to Darly.
âŠHeâs offering himself up as a sacrifice.
Darly is so high up, Dento can barely see him⊠yet he can feel those petrifying eyes staring down at himâŠ
Then, something pushes Dento down to the floor. He can barely process whatâs happening as he slams onto the road⊠Dentoâs eyes then come upon a horrifying sight.
Elain.
Elain remains on top of her former partner in justice, keeping him pinned to the ground. She then picks Dento up by the arms, letting him hang in the air. Dento only stares in shock and disbelief, looking deep into Elainâs dead blue eyes.
âŠWhat had happened to her?
âWell, well, well!â Says a voice from above. An awfully familiar one.
Darly.
Dento looks over Elainâs shoulder to see Darly looking down to the ground, looking upon his partner and her former friend. âLook at who we have here!â He says. âThe puppetâs little partner? Coming to be almighty and safe his friend? Delightful!â
There is then a suspenseful, long pauseâŠ
âDESTROY THE PEST!!â Darly suddenly shouts. âBEAT HIM UP!!â
Suddenly and swiftly, Elain begins punching her former partner across the face. Dento can barely avoid Elainâs attacks as she swiftly chucks him into the air and kicks away with a leap.
Dento skids to the ground, his back grinding against the road. He slowly picks himself up to see Elain quickly approaching him. He swiftly pulls a gun out from his side⊠but hesitates.
Heâs never had to shoot someone such as Elain. He didnât like the thought of it.
She may have hurt him, and was still hurting him now, but he knows she doesnât want any of this⊠she never didâŠ
Before Dento can even move again, Elain throws him into the air once more. While Dento falls through the air at the absurd high altitude he had been thrown to, Elain mercilessly begins to smack and slap him around like some kind of toy. As the two approach the ground, Elain holds onto to the barely conscious Dento, allowing him to fall back to the ground first.
Elain holds Dento down to the ground. They lock eyes again as Dento hears an evil maniacal laugh approaching them. Dento turns his head slightly to spot Darles slowly descending to them.
âPathetic!â Says Darly. âYou couldnât even lay a scratch on her! And I thought you were good at beating people up! Ha!â
Darly then goes into another round of awful laughter. As Darly laughs, it descends into an odd shriek.
As Dento stares upon Darly, he waits for Hoonis to strikeâŠ
Nothing.
âŠUntil he suddenly sees the show host slam onto Darlyâs back, the dagger in his hand.
âWhat in the FUCK!?â Darly shouts. âGET OFF OF ME!!â He exclaims as he struggles to get Hoonis off of his back.
âIâm doing this for you, Darles!â Hoonis says in an overly dramatic tone. He holds the dagger just above Darlyâs head, but he appears to be shrouded in anxietyâŠ
He just canât do it. Not to Darles.
A tendril then yanks Hoonis of Darlyâs back, causing the dagger to almost fall out of his hand. Just as he clings onto itâs handle, another tendril yanks the dagger from Hoonisâ hand and brings it to Darly to inspect.
Darly inspects the dagger in a cartoonish manner, rubbing his chin with his hand. He then turns to Hoonis. âAh!â He says. âPublicly executing me, I see? How futile!â
âWhy canât you just stop this?â Hoonis asks, a terrible tinge of desperation in his voice.
âUnlike you, Iâm not letting my feelings get in the way of what I need to do!â Says Darly. âThat ungrateful man must see what his gift can bring onto himself! You are only a hindrance in what he needs to understand what a TRUE celebrity is!â
Darly then turns to the tendril wielding the daggerâ he notices it has suddenly disappeared. His eyes glance around, wondering who couldâve taken it.
Suddenly, a large entourage of bullets soar through the area, causing Darly and Elain to retreat, Elain taking Dento with her as she hovers into the air and stops beside Darly. As Hoonis is brought into the air, the tendril heâs in gets shot at and eventually disappears, causing Hoonis to fall to the ground. Hoonis lifts his head, spotting a quickly approaching figure.
Hoonis sees Vondu rushing toward him, his artillery of fire arms revealed. The guns continue to shoot, as if they have unlimited ammunition. In one of his floating hands is the dagger. He had taken it when no one was looking. He stuffs the hand holding the dagger in his coat.
Vondu stops in front of Hoonis and glares at him, angry that Hoonis didnât do his job. His eyes are like daggers staring directly into Hoonisâ soul, piercing his very spirit like a red hot spear.
Hoonis flinches. âI just couldnât!â Hoonis says desperately. âIâm sorry!â
Suddenly, pedestrians begin flooding the streets, racing for the sane people standing in the road. Vondu begins to fire his artillery aimlessly at the hoard. All of them trip and fall as the bullets pierce their skin, only making holes with no blood seeping from them.
Hoonis stays huddled behind Vondu, not certain of where to go. Out of nowhere, a tendril grabs Hoonis by the waist and pulls him up to Darly.
âThree little lackeys in one day?â Darly asks himself. âWhat a show!â
On the ground, Vondu continues to shoot at the pedestrians. Most of them have been taken down and lay on the ground unconscious. With a few more shots, the city goes dead quiet. The zombies remain on the ground while everyone else stays entirely silentâŠ
âŠUntil the sound of another hoard is heard.
Vondu swiftly turns his head around. He spots a few bugged out office workers chasing after an unarmed woman. As he watches, and before he can swiftly react, he suddenly gets pulled into the air by a tendril. As he gets pulled away, the dagger falls out of his coat.
âYouâre too slow there, pal!â Says Darly. âThereâs nothing you can do! This world is MINE!! And MINE to own! âŠNow, where is that dagger?â
Tendrils then begin to shake Vondu, causing various random items to fall out of his coat.
âŠAll but the dagger.
Down at the ground, Bep continues to run from the workers. She had been running from them for who knows how long, but she still tried to run away from them.
As she runs, she spots a dagger sitting in the road. She bolts to it and swiftly grabs it, holding the weapon triumphantly in her hand. She rushes to the zombies and begins to ruthlessly stab them until they fall unconscious.
âWhere is that dagger!?â Darly shouts into the air.
Bep turns. Her eyes quickly face the demented man hovering above her.
Darlyâs eyes swiftly glance down to the woman on the ground. He spots the dagger sitting in the womanâs hand.
Darly wants to attack⊠and yet, he doesnât⊠he only stares at the woman. Not with any anger, no⊠he stares on with regret.
âŠHe could never hurt her⊠not again. He had yet to attack her all this time, and he wasnât doing so now.
His feelings are getting the better of him.
âNo!â Darly suddenly shouts. âLet all your MORTAL compassion die down! You do not need it! WE NEED THAT DAGGER!!â
Suddenly, tendrils shoot from the sky hole and launch forward to Bep. She barely avoids them and begins to run⊠until the tendrils halt.
Bep continues to run, not trusting the tendrils sudden stop she sees as she turns back. She faces forward, running forward.
As the sane trio in Darlyâs grasp watch Bep scurry, floating hands from within Vonduâs coat hurry toward the woman and pick her up. The hands carry Bep away for moment, out of sight from Darly as he struggles with his head.
Bro is swiftly hovered over the Pink City and swooped over to a safe distance behind Darly, before halting. A hand taps the dazed Bepâs shoulder. Bep turns to Vondu, the source of the hand. Vondu points to the dagger, then to Darlyâs head.
Go for the head.
Bep, appearing slightly confused but determined, nods. Bep is slowly lowered to Darly. Once sheâs there, the hands let go of the woman, allowing her to plop onto the demented manâs back.
Darly suddenly shrieks and hovers away from his captors, trying to get Bep off of him. Bep can barely hold onto Darly, but she tries to keep herself clung to him.
âGET OFF OF ME!!â Darly shouts. âHE DOES NOT NEED YOU!!â
As Darly says that, Bep becomes uncertain again.
She could totally jump off and end this fight nowâŠ
ââŠTell me you love me, damn you.â Bep says desperately. âShow me that you can change⊠please.â
âŠDarly then goes quiet⊠before suddenly speaking again.
ââŠI loved you with my life, Bep.â Says Darly. âI didnât want this, I did it to myself⊠and I fucking hate myself for it⊠please, understand me, when I say that I love you with all my heart⊠you are my daughter, and I love you.â
âŠBep only stares upon the back of Darlyâs head. She notices that Darly is beginning to slow and hover back down to the ground.
âI wouldnât be letting you shank me in the head right now if I wasnât willing to change for the better.â Says Darly. âWe can end this hell, and start over. Right here, right now.â
Bep continues to stareâŠ
If she wants to change, she has to prove it. Take his word⊠she knows he wouldnât be saying any of this if he didnât truly care.
her expression goes stern. She slowly lifts the daggerâŠ
âŠThen she strikes.
A hard blow directly to the back of the parasiteâs head. Darly shrieks with gut wrenching agony⊠the city then begins to distort and bug out. Colors and unknown sounds fill the Pink City grounds as the world practically falls apartâŠ
âŠThenâŠ
âŠNothing but darkness.
Horrendously quiet, deafening silenceâŠ
âŠAnd then⊠light.
Everything in the Pink City is quiet, practically dead, but it isnât. Everyone that was once a dead brained zombie lay in the cityâs center, so do the saviors of the city and the mad man. Everything is quietâŠ
Until everyone slowly begins waking upâŠ
Everyone glances around. Itâs like the entire universe suddenly reset⊠whatever god or legion may have allowed this change, they are eternally grateful for it.
As everyone wakes up, Darles slowly rises to his feet, the parasite no longer clinging to his head⊠his deal was broken, and the damage it caused was undone⊠he could actually change, even when he never thought he could⊠he can now.
Everyone in the city, including the idol hunters and Vondu, look upon the scene.
As Dento stares, he has a swift realization⊠he turns his headâŠ
Elain stands directly next to him⊠Elain slowly processes the eyes looking to her, but she slowly sets her eyes back down, appearing ashamed.
âŠThis shame stays, until Elain feels something cling to her side. She looks down to see Dento tightly hugging her leg, being too short to reach any higher. Elain only stares at the sight, appearing to be caught off guard by the sudden act⊠she wasnât expecting this at all.
She expected heâd be upset with her, not even daring to look her in the eye, but he isnât.
All Dento could focus on in that moment was his closest friend being alright. He could care less about what had happened, what they both caused.
That was in the past now. And they were going to use the future to improve. Change for the better.
Darles, in the crowd of citizens just coming to, stands in almost complete disbelief⊠it was done⊠he could actually try and live his life. A second chanceâŠ
âDarles!?â A voice shouts from the crowd. âOh, golly, whereâd you go!?â
Darles quickly recognizes the high pitched sound. His eyes dart around, trying to spot the voiceâs source.
ââŠT-Thlouretta?â Darles exclaims softly into the crowd.
Suddenly, Thlouretta pops out from the crowd, appearing panicked. Her eyes glance around, until they halt onto the tall suited man in the middle of the crowd⊠a smile creeps up on Thlourettaâs face.
ââŠDarles?â Thlouretta asks in disbelief. âIs that you?â
ââŠI-Iâm all thatâs here now.â Says Darles.
Thlouretta, still smiling, slowly walks over to her old friend. As she stops, Darles gets down on one knee to be close to her height.
ââŠI missed you so much.â Thlouretta says softly.
âI did too.â Says Darles. ââŠIâm so sorry I left⊠but now thatâs behind us. I can actually live againâ!â
âDad!?â Another voice shouts. Darles and Thlouretta look back to the crowd as Bep races through the citizens, marching directly towards her father. Bep gives Darles a stern look as she approaches him. Thlouretta steps to the side to give them so room.
Bepâs expression the softens. Sheâs almost in disbelief at what sheâs seeing⊠her own father, actually willing to change. Bep and Darles exchange the same soft but awkward look.
ââŠIâm sorry, my daughter.â Says Darles. âI did you wrong, and I didnât know⊠what I did was stupid⊠I canât change what I did, but⊠I can at least change now, right?â
ââŠYeah.â Says Bep, voice cracking slightly. âYou can⊠so can I.â
The crowd softly gazes upon the the three in the center as Bep and Darles tenderly look to one another before Bep slowly brings out her arms, appearing hesitant. Darles never liked physical contact, and she knew that.
To Bepâs surprise, Darles tightly clings to his daughter in a hug. Bep gradually wraps her arms around Darles. Everyone begins to gush at the sight, including the idol hunters. Vondu though still appears stern, as usual.
Hoonis would love to ask to speak with Darles, but he believes he should give him time⊠he may not even want to be in showbiz anymore.
That doesnât mean he still canât speak with the showman⊠maybe, with time, he could befriend him.
â
Itâs been a few days since the apocalypse had happened.
The Pink City has gone back to its regular cycle, for the most part. Some still appear traumatized by the attack, but with time, they will improve. A bunch of news reports had come out on the situation and itâs causes. Some didnât pay attention to them, not wanting to think about the treacherous day.
Elain and Dento sit in their apartmentâs kitchen, quietly eating the breakfast Dento prepared. Dento turns to Elain, who appears to look ashamed.
Suddenly, Elainâs phone goes off. A message from Dento.
'You ok?'
'No'
'Whats wrong? You can tell me'
'I feel horrible'
'Why?'
'All that crap I did to you. I hurt you'
'Yea?'
âWhy do you still keep me around after all Iâve done to to you?'
'Bc you are my friend Elain. I care abt you'
âWhy? I hurt you?'
'Bc youâre my friend'
'Friends care for each other. I know you care abt me. You didnât mean to hurt me'
'You were just being stupid. I was too, but ppl do stupid shit all the time'
'We just have to learn how to improve'
'You get me?'
Elain appears hesitant to respond. Dento gives Elain and stern look and rises from his seat. He walks to Elain and jumps into her lap. He rightly hugs her. Elain is swiftly taken aback.
Dento picks up his phone again.
'You werenât telling me things you shouldâve'
'And I wasnât paying enough attention to you'
'We both did smth dumb, but that doesnât mean we canât change'
'We just gotta learn from what we did. I know we can do that. Work together to change, just as we always have'
Elain looks to the messages from Dento on her screen as Dento remains in her lap. Dento turns to face Elain, giving her a look that says 'You get me?'.
Elain turns to Dento, still appearing hesitant, before Dento gently hugs her⊠a realization then comes to her. It all finally hits her.
She can change. She will change.
Change for the better.
âŠElain gently returns the hug, promising to Dento that she will change for the better. And she imagines Dento promised the exact same thing.
They make a great team.
â
After preparing for the day, Hoonis exits his apartment, heading to Bepâs studio. She was quickly beginning to get her show back together after the tender meeting with her father, and she was having her first new airing that morning.
As Hoonis steps away from his small apartment complex, he pulls out his phone and goes into his contacts. As he finds Bepâs contact, he gazes upon the contact for his father.
âŠUnfortunately, not everyone can change. Not everyone wants to.
Hoonis swiftly deletes the contact from his phone. He doesnât need that sour, unchangeable man in his phone anymore.
Hoonis presses on Bepâs contact, and his phone begins to ring. It takes a moment, but Bep eventually picks up.
âHello, Bep!â Says Hoonis. âAre you ready?â
âAlmost.â Says Bep from the other line. âGive me a moment.â
âAlright, see you in a bit!â Says Hoonis.
âYou too.â Says Bep.
Hoonis hangs up and proudly struts down the street to Bepâs studio.
â
Bep sits in a small dressing room, prettying herself up for her first airing in days. All while she prepares herself, Bendle stands outside, directing the crew.
Suddenly, there is a knock on the dressing room door.
âWhoâs there?â Bep asks her from seat.
The door slowly opens, allowing Bendle to peek through the door. âSomeone wants to see you, Ms. Nemeni.â He says. Bendle steps aside and lets the guest in.
Darles steps from beside Bendle and slowly enters the dressing room. As he approaches Bep, Bep turns to Bendle.
âThank you, Bendle.â Says Bep.
âNo problem, Ms. Nemeni.â Says Bendle. He shuts the door, giving Bep and Darles privacy.
Darles turns to face Bep. If he had a mouth, heâd have a wide smile on his face. âYou look wonderful, Bep.â Says Darles.
âThank you.â Says Bep. âI appreciate it. You look great too with that new look.â
Darles looks down at himself. He had bought a new suit and tie, the suit being an emerald green and the tie being an vibrant yellow, colors contrasting and pairing with his body tones of teal and magenta.
âThank you!â Says Darles with a slight chuckle. âI thought it would be a nice change. Iâm not wearing that old shit suit anymore.â
âHey.â Says Bendle, peeking through the door again. Darles and Bep turn as he begins to speak again. âYouâre almost on. And Mr. Boogieâs here.â
âThank you, Bendle.â Says Bep. âWeâll be out shortly.â
âNo problem.â Says Bendle as he exits.
Bep notices Bendle didnât call her 'Ms. Nemeni' like he shouldâveâŠ
She doesnât mind though. She knows it was an accident.
She had changed. She no longer snapped at people.
She changed for the better. Something she never thought she could do.
Another knock on the door is heard. âCome in.â Says Bep.
Hoonis peels in through the door. âItâs about to be showtime!â He says. âCome on!â
Bep and Darles look up to each other with confidence. They both them head to the dressing roomâs exit, now being backstage. They stand next to Hoonis, who stands next to Bendle.
âIâll let you know when youâll be on.â Says Bendle.
The trio nods. Bep then looks to the crowd, gazing upon them with wide eyes.
âYou ready?â Hoonis asks Bep and Darles.
Bep and Darles nod confidently.
Suddenly, intro music is heard.
âYouâre on!â Bendle whispers.
The trio then slowly walks out onto the stage and take a seat as the intro music ends. They all look out to the audience.
âHello, again!â Bep announces to the audience. âItâs been awhile! Welcome back! Todayâs very special, as I have not one, but two guests here today! Do you two want to introduce yourselves?â She asks as she turns to face Hoonis and Darles.
âHello, everybody!â Hoonis dramatically exclaims to audience. âI am full-time show host Hoonis Boogie! A pleasure to see you all again.â
Darles appears slightly hesitant to speak. ââŠHello.â He says. âI am Darles Nemeni, former showman and Ms. Nemeniâs father. Itâs nice to be here.â
âToday, weâll be interviewing these two beacons of entertainment, discussing their lives since the recent apocalypse and where theyâre going from there. Do either of you have anywhere youâd like to start?â
âOh, wellâŠâ Hoonis begins. âIâve been fine, mostly⊠nightmares are a pain, but thatâs life! Am I right?â The audience chuckles.
Darles chuckles softly. âIâve been okay.â He says. His eyes trail off a bit. âIâve been at home, getting used to⊠living again⊠itâs refreshing.â
âSince recent news broadcastings after the initial attack, most people know about the involvement you two had in it.â Says Bep. âHow do you feel about that?â
ââŠWeird.â Says Hoonis, chuckling slightly. âI never thought Iâd be a city-wide hero. Now my dad can shut up about me being a failure!â The audience laughs, with some cheers sprinkled throughout.
Darlesâ gaze averts again. He appears ashamed. ââŠI was almost surprised no one looked at me funny.â He says. âI caused that mess and yet⊠Iâm not being attacked.â
âI think thatâs because they saw that you wanted to change, dad.â Says Bep.
Darles chuckles. ââŠMaybe.â He says.
Bep then turns her head to face the audience. âTo my audience, I want you all to know this.â She begins. âAnyone can change, if theyâre willing to. To truly change means to show that you want to change, you want to be better. And thatâs what my father and I have set out to do.â
âNot everyone can change, and thatâs okay!â Hoonis butts in. âFocus on the ones who actually want that change. Like Darles and Bep here!â
âExactly, Hoonis!â Says Bep. âYou took the words right out my mouth.â
ââŠI may have another chance, but not everyone gets that.â Darles butts in. âUse whatever chances you have to improve. Itâs good for you, for others.â
Bep nods. âYou have the opportunity to change for the better.â She says. âUse it.â
The sound of the outro music then cuts through the motivational air. The interviewer and showmen look to the audience.
âOh, itâs time for a commercial break!â Says Bep. âWeâll see you all real soon!â
As the outro music comes to a close, everyone who had been watching is left in a quiet awe.
Anyone can change. Everyone has the ability to be better, but not everyone can be better.
Such is the way of life.
Imperfection is very prevalent in our world, but that shouldnât stop you or others from seeking great things.
- END -
Previous Chapter:
Chapter 2 - Breaking Boundaries The idol-hunting trio tries to find out how to reach the Pink Cityâs outer plane. Only along the way do the
Couples Color Vibe Aesthetics whatever I don't know.
This is just what color some of the couples give off. In my opinion. This is not all of them. Because I don't have a color for every couple.
Nienke and Fabian:
Nienke and Fabian for me is green. Kinda light green. Reminds me of nature as they are both down to earth people. I also associate it with Spring. Being the first Season and also being their first relationship alot of the stuff is still new. Like a beautiful meadow with yellow flowers that's how I see them. As I mentioned being their first relationship they still have alot to grow but eventually become something beautiful like flowers. ( that's so chessy oml). They are both sunshine characters which also fits the color.
Nina and Daniel
Nina and Daniel for me is pink. Different from Nienke and Fabian their relationship feels alot more childish and fake. This isn't to trash pink as a color. But when I think of pink I see something kid like, which their relationship also feels like very childish at times. It's also very superficial in a way, fairytale like. In a way fairytales can be still kind of magical. On the other hand pink is a very cute color which they can be. Their relationship kind of reminds me of bubblegum, It's sweet at the beginning but after a while you get bored of it, in my case that is.
Mara and Magnus:
Mara and Magnus to me are purple. Which I kind of see as very mysterious and secretive. And their relationship is very mysterious. Atleast in the eyes of the others, because they are suddenly together and nobody really knows how it happened. Purple also is a very deep color which fits as they both form a deep connection with eachother. As they are the only people who understand eachother emotionally. I also see it kind of as a moody color. Which they are (or used to be) both. I also see it as a vulnerable color. Which also fits as they both get really vulnerable around eachother and open up.
Noa and Jeroen
I see them as red. As their relationship starts quickly and get's intense at a very short time.
But it's also blue like the ocean as they both flow with eachother. Like Jeroen, Noa said she also never really had a real family. ( If I remember it correctly). So they were both kind of lost. Like in the ocean. And they found a place with eachother, aka the land. ( Jesus.). Blue is also a very stable color. As they both found this stability with eachother. As Noa never had a place where she belonged to and Jeroen never felt like he could really open up to someone (except Mara) . So they both found this stability with eachother.
Patricia and Joyce
I see them as red. Not because they are started quickly. But because their relationship seems to be very passionate and intense. Patricia doing everything to get Joyce back in S1 and then her jealousy issues when someone else hangs out with Joyce in S3 just scream red to me. Red is also a very vibrant color. I also see them as very vibrant energetic people.
Two Tailed Green-banded line butterfly specimens. Not sure why the second was touching the leaf with its abdomen.
Nacaduba cyanea
18/05/22
But seriously, why were Nina and Daniel always marketed as the main couple. They are boring, childish and awkward. They only do things, which got to do something with the club and Nina literally cheated on Daniel just a few episodes after they got together!?
Meanwhile, Mara and Magnus are a perfect enemies to lovers story. The Badboy, who gets soft for this one girl. She is the choosen one, he works for the dark side. At least sometimes. They make each other better people. They support and love each other. They are mature. They have fun together. They go on dates. They sleep in the same bed multiple times like the married couple they are...
No honestly, they are just so much better. Even as a kid I didn't understand what everybody sees in Danina...
They had to tone down the Mara/Magnus relationship in the movie in order for Daniel and Nina to look good...
The movie was about true love, so it should have been about Mara and Magnus â

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Tu podrås creer que me dañaste tanto que no tolero ni pensarte, pero no.
La Ășnica que me hace tanto daño soy yo.
Solo yo conozco mis debilidades y fortalezas, se que me duele y hasta que punto lo hace. Solo yo sé que zona golpear para hacerme sufrir y que zona ignorar para hacerme mås fuerte.
Yo soy la Ășnica que tiene el poder de decidir que me hace tanto daño como para ni si quiera querer pensarlo, soy mi peor enemiga y la mĂĄs amarga de mis memorias. Conozco cada cicatriz que me hice a mi misma, cada corte que me provoque por fuera y por dentro, cada golpe que di y que me di.
Soy mi peor recuerdo, mi mås temido presente y soy lo que mås me asusta de mi futuro, porque solo yo tengo tanto poder como para dañarme al punto de no querer volver a verme.
Pink City AU: Hunt for the Boxman
Chapter 2 - Breaking Boundaries
The idol-hunting trio tries to find out how to reach the Pink Cityâs outer plane. Only along the way do they begin to break the fundamentals of their own lives and worldâs rulesâŠ
â
NOTICE: This AU is partially based on my ideas/interpretation. If anything appears to be inaccurate, I apologize. I tried to work with what little I had to make smth. I also took a few artistic liberties.
Another thing: THE PINK CITY AND ITâS CHARACTERS DO NOT BELONG TO ME!! IT BELONGS TO GOOSEWORX!! Some canon lore for The Pink City has also been implemented in this story. This is just an AU/story I made based on it. If youâd like to check out The Pink City series itself, check it out here!
The Pink City
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TRIGGER WARNING: This fic contains flashbacks/callbacks to traumatic experiences, panicking, a split personality, mentions of drugs, grieving, mentions of rituals/speaking to the dead, organ removal, a cult, caps, and swearing. If you arenât comfortable with these things, please donât read this.
Hoonis, Elain, and Dento walk down the street, discussing what they could do to find the Elders⊠more so Dento and Hoonis are discussing it.
âŠElain is too busy being stuck in her headâŠ
She canât help but think about meeting the Elders againâŠ
âŠDonât think about itâŠ
ââŠMaybe some kind of ritual?â Hoonis suggests.
Dento shakes his head. He and Elain are committed to doing good and helping the general public, but not to the point that theyâd sell their souls for it. Theyâre young and have lives to live.
âHow about one of the ghost board things?â Hoonis suggests again.
Dento shakes his head. Heâs heard those things are fake. Theyâre also for speaking to the dead, not unfathomable horrors that they arenât capable enough to properly comprehend.
âA seance?â
Again, Dento shakes his head. Seances are also for speaking to the dead. Itâs not what they need.
âThen what are we to do?â Hoonis asks.
Elain is snapped out of her head when she hears the question. She taps Hoonisâ shoulder.
Hoonis turns to face Elain. âHm? Do you have something in mind?â
Elain nods. She then pretends to open a book. She looks to Hoonis, trying to see if heâll get it.
ââŠA book?â Hoonis questions. âAâ a library?â
Elain nods.
ââŠHm.â Hoonis hums. âWe could give it a shot. There could be something on these beings there, right?â
Elain nods.
As the trio walks, Dento checks his phone. He notices the time.
Itâs 3:00 am.
They need sleep.
Dento taps Hoonisâ arm. Hoonis looks to Dento. âWhat is it?â He asks.
Dento shows Hoonis the time. His eyes widen in shock. âOh! We need sleep!â Says Hoonis. âYou two can head back to your apartment, if you want.â
Elain then taps her phone screen. Hoonis notices.
She wants his number.
Hoonis looks over to Elain. âYou want my number? Iâd be glad to give it to you! We can be more in touch!â
Elain nods. Hoonis and Elain exchange phone numbers. Dento does the same.
The trio then seperates, heading to their homes.
â
Elain sits her room, dressed and ready for bed.
Although, she isnât really wanting to get in bed just yet. Sheâs texting Dento.
'You doing okay?' Dento asks.
'Yea' Elain responds.
'You sure?' Dento asks.
'Yes' Elain responds.
Think happy thoughtsâŠ
Doing good for the city, going out to the beach, getting boba with DentoâŠ
âŠDentoâŠ
âŠWhen you hurt, I hurtâŠ
No. Stop thinking about all that.
Youâll be okay.
'Alr, let me know if you need anything' Says Dento.
'I will' Says Elain.
'Gn Elain' Says Dento.
'Gn to you too Den' Says Elain.
Elain sets her phone down and gets herself in bed. She sets her head down on her pillow and closes her eyesâŠ
âŠDarknessâŠ
âŠPeaceful, terrifying darknessâŠ
Itâs almost agonizing.
As Elain begins to drift off, she canât help but hear somethingâŠ
âŠWhispersâŠ
âŠAll too familiar whispersâŠ
âJOIN THE CREED.â
âJOIN THE CREED.â
âJOIN THE CREED.â
They become more and more prominent.
She canât see a thing.
She can only hear the whispers.
âŠCalling to herâŠ
Elain jolts awake. Her breathing quickens. She sits in her bed, staring into the darkness.
âŠOh, noâŠ
Itâs gonna be a long nightâŠ
Elain lies back down.
âŠThink happy thoughts⊠think happy thingsâŠ
âŠThen itâll all go awayâŠ
~~~
Hoonis lays in bed, staring up at the dark ceiling.
âŠHe wonders how Bep is doing.
How she feels after that showâŠ
âŠAll of what she saidâŠ
âŠDarles wasnât like that, was he? Hoonis refused to believe itâŠ
âŠNo way in hell was he an unloving father who wanted nothing to do with his own kids⊠a father who never supported his kids⊠a father whoâŠ
âŠHoonisâ mind had trailed off.
âŠHe could never help but think of his own fatherâŠ
His unloving, uncaring fatherâŠ
âŠNo way in hellâŠ
â
Hoonis slowly wakes up, blinking a bit. He rises up in his bed and stretches. He spots his phone and picks it up. Itâs 12:00 pm. He decides to text Elain.
'Hi!' Hoonis texts. 'Are you ready for our adventure today?'
He waits a bit.
âŠNo response.
Maybe sheâs still asleep.
Hoonis exits his messages and stares at his Home Screen for a bit.
âŠHe could give Bep a call.
He opens his contacts and taps the contact for Bep he had left there. He never deleted it.
His phone rings. He waits for an answer.
The ringing continues.
Keeps goingâŠ
Until it stops.
Bep didnât pick up.
Hoonis sighs in disappointment⊠then his phone buzzes.
Itâs a text. From Bep.
'Leave me alone' The text reads.
Hoonis stares at the text, full of guilt.
âŠHe lays on his back and sighs before getting up.
â
Itâs the next day.
Elain slept okay.
âŠEventually.
She picks up her phone and looks at the time.
âŠItâs 2:00 pm.
She also sees texts from Dento.
'Hey' Says Dento. 'You gotta get up'
She also spots some texts from Hoonis.
'Hi!' Says Hoonis. âAre you ready for our adventure today?'
âŠShit.
She overslept.
âŠItâs not really unusual for Elain. Sheâs not very good at being organized or having a routine.
Her eyes widen. She rushes out of bed, not even giving herself time to stretch. She smacks open her door, and hurries to prepare herself for the day.
After scurrying out of the bathroom, she heads back to her room and slaps her Bounty Hunting gear on and grabs her phone. After that, she almost slips into a small kitchen.
She stops.
She sees Dento sitting at the dining table. He had been waiting for her.
Along with some food he had cooked. He made breakfast.
Dento looks to his phone. He types.
Elainâs phone buzzes. A text from Dento.
'I heard all that noise' Reads the text. 'We arenât really in a rush'
'Sry' Elain responds.
'Youâre okay' Says Dento. 'Now eat. Donât want your breakfast getting cold'
Elain sets herself down next to Dento. As she prepares to eat, Dento taps her shoulder. She looks over to him.
Dento looks to Elain and turns his head. Are you okay?
Elain thinksâŠ
She nods.
Think happy thoughts. Happy things.
Dento nods back.
He almost feels as if he doesnât need to ask her that as much as he does, since sheâs so insistent that sheâs okay.
However, thatâs what friends do.
You keep an eye on each other.
They make a good team.
â
Elain and Dento walk over to Hoonisâ apartment. Itâs not far off from their own, they found out after Hoonis spilled his address to them through text.
As the duo approaches the door and Elain prepares to knock, Hoonis suddenly swings open his door, almost smacking Elain across the face.
âGood morning, good people!â Says Hoonis. He quickly takes notice of the duo in front of his door. âHello! Are you ready?â
Elain and Dento nod, not really displaying the same kind of enthusiasm Hoonis is.
âGreat!â Says Hoonis. âIâll be leading us to the library! Itâs a long way away! Come on!â
Hoonis quickly steps past the Bounty Hunters and makes his way downstairs. Elain and Dento quickly follow suit.
â
Itâs been a few hours since the trio had set off. A bit longer than Hoonis expected.
Itâs 5:00 pm.
Yet, theyâre still walking.
âI didnât realize it would take this long.â Says Hoonis. âI thought weâd be there by 4 at most!â
The three continue to walk, not really certain of how to keep on with the conversation.
As they walk, Hoonisâ phone buzzes. A text from Elain.
'Hru?' Reads the text.
âOh!â Says Hoonis. âIâm good! Howâve you two been today?â
Hoonisâ phone buzzes again.
'Good' Reads a text from Dento.
'đ' Reads the text from Elain.
âWonderful!â Says Hoonis, not looking up from his screen.
As he walks, Hoonis suddenly bumps into someone.
âAh!â Hoonis yelps as he stumbles back.
The other slips back a little. He almost falls. âWatch where you going!â He says. âIf you young people werenât always on your DAMN PHONES, youâd see where youâre going!â
âIâm sorry, sir!â Says Hoonis.
âMalarkey, thatâs what it is!â Says the man. âHow about you good read a book every once in awhile! Your local librarian is losing money out here!â
Before Hoonis can speak up again, realization hits the three of them.
âŠThis man is a librarian.
As the librarian begins to walk off, Hoonis speaks up.
âWait!â He says. âWeâre actually heading for the library!â
The librarian turns his head. ââŠReally?â He asks.
âYes!â Says Hoonis. ââŠAre you on break?â
ââŠI donât have to be.â Says the librarian. âIs there any particular book youâre looking for?â
Hoonis looks around before whispering to the librarian. ââŠDo you have any books on Gods?â
ââŠHmm. I may have something piled up.â Says the librarian. âI think I remember someone dropping a book discussing such things. Iâve kept it since.â
âOh! Good!â Says Hoonis. âDo you mind finding it for us?â
âI most certainly can!â Says the librarian. âFollow me.â
The librarian then leads the trio to the library, which really wasnât very far from where they just were.
âI didnât realize we were that closeâŠâ Says Hoonis.
âI was just preparing to leave when I had met you three.â Says the librarian. âBut Iâm perfectly fine with helping those who desire knowledge from the printed word!â
The librarian heads up a small staircase leading to the libraryâs entrance. He opens the door, allowing the trio to peak inside.
The libraryâs interior appears to be slightly run down. Cob webs are scattered on the floor and roof. Chandeliers light up the area, making it dimly lit.
âOoh.â Says Hoonis. âFancy!â
âShh!â The librarian hushes.
ââŠSorry.â Hoonis whispers.
The Bounty Hunters glance around. Elain is amazed by it. Dento, on the other hand, is slightly weirded out by it.
âLet me lead you to my counter.â Says the librarian in a whispering. âI have that book locked up tight back there.â
The librarian leads the trio to his counter. As they walk, the trio glances at the long and large book shelves. Various colors and and covers catch their eyes.
âHere we are.â Says the librarian as they approach the counter. âWait here.â He walks behind the counter and into a backroom.
The three wait. Dento looks around a bit. He takes a peek behind the librarianâs desk.
âWhatâre you doing there?â Whispers Hoonis.
Dento looks back. He takes out his phone and types. Heâs texting Hoonis.
Hoonisâ phone buzzes. Dentoâs text.
'I donât entirely trust him' Reads the text. âHeâs got an air to him I donât like'
âHe seems like an innocent man.â Whispers Hoonis.
'Not to me he doesnât' Responds Dento.
Before Hoonis can retort, the librarian returns. âHere.â He says, handing Hoonis the book they needed. âLet me know if you need anything.â He then walks back to his desk.
âThank you.â Says Hoonis. The trio heads to a table nearby.
Dento looks over to the librarian. He glares at him. The librarian doesnât appear to be paying attention.
âŠHis evildoer senses are tinglingâŠ
âŠAlthough, he seems innocent enoughâŠ
But every bad guy is like that. Bounty or not.
Elain and Hoonis look at the bookâs cover as Dento eyes the librarian.
â'Ghosts and Gods: A Book on the Unfathomable'.â Says Hoonis. âThatâs an interesting title.â
Elain nods. She looks over to Dento. Heâs still eyeing the librarian.
As Dento continues to look on at the librarian, his phone buzzes.
'You donât trust him' Says a text from Elain.
'No' Says Dento.
'You think that man is an evildoer?'
'Yes' Says Dento. 'Heâs got an untrustworthy air. And we know every bounty is like that'
'Youâve got a point' Says Elain. 'But he hasnât acted too weird or anything. Maybe just keep an eye on him?'
'Sure' Says Dento. He turns back to the librarian while Elain looks back to Hoonis, who is soaring through the book.
âIâve heard of most of these.â Says Hoonis. âI think Iâve covered someâŠâ He turns to Elain. âHave you ever seen Ghost of the Year?â
Elain shakes her head, a no.
âThatâs a shame. You should!â Hoonis says in a whisper. âItâs a good show, and I host it!â
Hoonis continues to look through the book. Many ghosts, ghouls, and other beings catch their eyes.
Eventually, Hoonis stops at a particular page. âAha!â He whispers. âHere!â
The heading on the page reads: 'The Elders of Lost Eyes'.
Elain stares at the page, eyes wide.
âŠKeep your mind off it.
âLook at this!â Says Hoonis. He begins to read the paragraph underneath the artist depiction of the creatures, long dark pillars with various eyes. Among other depictions, such as more 'human' looking creatures with heads, shoulders, and a single pair of eyes on each head.
Just like the creatures Thlouretta saw.
'Not much is know about these beings, as there arenât many witnesses. Although, from the few who have allegedly seen or heard these creatures amongst odd whispers, these creatures appear to show interest in expanding their 'Creed'. We would know more, but with each new witness of these beings comes a new disappearance. We may never know more about these Elders if more witnesses keep suddenly falling into a missing status.'
ââŠOdd.â Says Hoonis. ââŠThere doesnât appear to be any information on how we can see them, thoughâŠâ
Elain canât help but stare.ïżŒ
Suddenly, a sharp pain enters her head. She feels the back of her head.
âŠSomsthingâs impaled it.
She takes out whatâs stabbed her.
âŠA dart.
âŠA tranquilizer dartâŠ
She quickly begins to feel dizzy. She looks over the the librarianâs desk.
Heâs still there.
âŠIf it wasnât the librarian who shot at herâŠ
âŠThen whoâŠ?
Before she can even get up to warn the others, Elain begins to pass out. Her head slams onto the table, snapping Hoonis out of his reading and Dento away from the librarian.
âElain?â He asks. He looks over to see Elain with her head down, unconscious.
âExcuse me.â Says a voice from behind.
Hoonis turns. âHm?â He hums. Dento also turns back.
They look on in shock.
They see a two cloaked figures behind them, each of them have a bat in hand.
âI thought there wasnât supposed to be any noise in a library.â Says one figure.
SuddenlyâŠ
*WHACK*
âŠDarkness.
â
âŠ
âŠThe trio slowly comes to.
They look up to see large trees covering up the sky. The sun has set. Each of them attempt to look over to each other. They all appear to be lying down. Tied up.
ââŠW-where are we?â Hoonis asks.
The trio looks around. Torches are scattered around a small clearing.
Theyâre in the woods.
Suddenly, rustling is heard from nearby shrubs. The trio tries to look over to spot the cause of the sound.
From the bushes, a cloaked and hooded figure emerges, holding his hands up in the air. âFriends!â He shouts. âThey have awoken!â
From the bushes, more cloaked figures emerge, all talking amongst each other. They circle around the tied up trio and look down upon them.
The tied up idol hunters face the supposed leader. âWhere are we!? What happened!?â Hoonis asks.
âIt appears you donât remember.â Says the leader. âUnfortunate. Perhaps they hit you too hardâŠâ
Dento listens in on the voice⊠itâs familiarâŠ
âŠToo familiarâŠ
The leader then brings down his hood to reveal a familiar face.
The librarian.
âYou!?â Hoonis shouts. Elain looks in shock.
Even though Dento, anticipated something was up with the man, he still was in shock. He didnât know that man was aâ
âŠOh.
The librarian then puts his hood back up. âNever mind introductions, my dear sheep!â He says. âThey require sacrificesâ can I get an amen?â
âAmen.â The cult says in unison.
ââŠDear, GodâŠâ Says Hoonis. âA cult leader!â
Besides thatâŠ
âŠWho was this 'They'âŠ?
ââŠThey will be pleased with your arrival.â Says the librarian. âEspecially you.â He looks over to Elain.
Elain begins to panic again.
âŠNo.
Donât think about it.
âŠDonâtâŠ
âFriends!â Says the librarian. âBring them to the Worldâs Edge! The Elders shall ask, and they shall receive!â
The cult members then huddle and pick up the captives and carry them through the woods.
âŠElain continues to keep her mind off thingsâŠ
Donât think about it.
Donât think about it.
Do. Not. Think. About. It.
âŠBut, itâs difficult.
The thoughts plague her mind. She canât seem to shake them off this time. No matter how hard she triesâŠ
The thought of it allâŠ
The drugs. The Elders. The eyes. The pain. The confusion.
âŠEverythingâŠ
It feels so fresh in her mind, just as it was when it first happened.
Just thinking about seeing those eyes again is driving her nuts. She wants to forget it ever happened⊠although, she canât.
Dento looks over to Elain, concern glossing his eyes.
Donât think about it.
Youâll be fine as long as itâs not constantly on your mind. Eating at your mind like termites. Slapping your very soul across the face until itâs bleeding.
You donât have to tell him as long as you arenât thinking about it.
Youâll be okay.
Stay optimistic.
Elain nods to Dento.
âŠDento almost feels uncertain about Elain.
Suddenly, the trio begins to fall.
Theyâve been thrown over a cliff.
They fall. Hoonisâ shrills of terror smacking their heads like a ball in a pinball machine.
As they fall, howeverâŠ
They rise.
They shoot past the cliff they had been dropped from and into the skyâŠ
Into the atmosphere.
Into the stars.
Into the great beyond.
Hoonisâ screams become inaudible once they reach the outer limits of the world.
Past various lights and voids, all of them a terrifying sight to behold. They pass by planets, asteroids, solar systems with no sun. All of what the world hasnât explored shoved into a few a minute trip.
The trio then enters a small hole with a large court house in the middle of it.
Elain begins to panic even moreâŠ
âŠYouâll be fineâŠ
Stop thinking about it.
The trio enters the court house. Hoonisâ screams also become audible again. As they pass large white pillars and deeper into the court house, Dento kicks Hoonisâ leg, getting him to stop screaming.
âOw! Whatâs the big idea!?â Says Hoonis. âIs that not a natural reaction to getting shot through space!?â
Suddenly, a loud buzzer goes off.
The rope tied around the trio unravels. Dento and Hoonis get sent downward.
Oh, noâŠ
Hoonis and Dento stand next to each other. âWhatâs happening!?â Hoonis questions.
Two mouse cursors appears. They hover over the menâs bodies and click them. The cursors pullâŠ
And the top layer of their bodies pop off, revealing their internal organs. Each one not an organic organ, but a shape one. Like something out of a cartoon.
ââŠAAAAAAAAAAHH!!â Hoonis shouts.
The cursors hover over the organs until stopping on their hearts and clicking it. The hearts are removed and odd creature appears off to side. It gobbles up their hearts in one bite. Their covers are then slapped back onto their bodies.
Hoonis and Dento are then brought back up to Elainâs level. Both are terrified. Hoonis especially.
The trio then begins to hover forward.
They enter a large void-like room. Large, shadowy pillars coated with colorful eyes look upon them. Above the pillars appear three eyes, which slowly open as the trio enters. The eyes look down upon them. The trio takes in the sight.
The Elders of Lost Eyes.
The trio is horrified.
âŠElain especially.
âŠDonât think about itâŠ
âTHEY ARE HERE.â Says the pillars. âSHE IS HERE.â
âTHEY SEEK HIM.â They say again. âSHE SEEKS HIM. HE SEEKS HER.â
âBRING THEM TO HIM.â They say, echoing.
The phrase repeats.
âBRING THEM TO HIM.â
âBRING THEM TO HIM.â
âBRING THEM TO HIM.â
The trio then blasts upward. They shoot past the Elders and into another dark room. Theyâre all set down, and are able to stand. Thereâs a floor here.
âŠSilence.
ThenâŠ
âHey, there!â Says a peppy, high pitched voice. âYou seem confused! Allow me to introduce myself!â
Out from the shadows, clacking footsteps are heard.
The trio looks into the shadows.
Out from the shadows, a very familiar man emerges.
âŠOr, at least, a man who is very familiar to Hoonis.
A spindly man dressed in a magenta suit, paired with a teal bow tie and yellow undershirt comes out of the shadows.
And the most defining feature he hasâŠ
Elain looks in shock.
âŠA cube headâŠ
âŠNo, a box headâŠ
âI am Darly Boxman!â Says Darly. âA pleasure to make your acquaintance! Weâve been waiting for you!â
Elain and Dento are completely frozen in shock.
Hoonis, on the other handâŠ
He looks on in utter excitement and shock. He begins to tremble as excitement takes over his brain and body.
He couldnât help but squeal.
âAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAH!!!â Hoonis laughs maniacally. âIâVE BEEN WAITING TO MEET YOU ALL MY LIFE, DARLES NEMENI!!â
As Hoonis races toward Darly, The boxman lifts an arm into the air. Hoonis is brought into the air. He looks on at the other man in confusion.
âAh, ah, ah!â Says Darly. âI donât go by that anymore! Call me Darly!â
âI never knew you could be so committed to your character!â Says Hoonis. âBut why donât you go by Darââ
Darly pulls Hoonis close and shushes him. âThatâs not important.â He says. âAnyway, thank you!â
âY-youâre welcome!â Says Hoonis.
Darly then looks back over to the Bounty Hunters. âOh, interesting outfits!â He says. âThat reminds me, I wonder how the times have changed down there. He hasnât been there in years, not like he needs to.â He chuckles.
âŠWhat does that mean?
Elain and Dento are suddenly lifted into the air and paired with Hoonis.
âLook at you all!â Says Darly. âSo moldable! I could just completely alter your code to fit my own image!â
The trio are suddenly coated in a bright blue aura. Their forms begin to alter and break apart. The aura eventually fades, revealing the trio now with different body types or limbs.
Darly continues to repeat this process of change.
Each time getting more and more painful. Each time Hoonisâ shrills gettting worse and worse.
Elain canât help but think of the sheer pain she had to experienceâŠ
âŠStop it⊠stop thinking about itâŠ
Darly eventually lets go of the trio and sets them down. They fall to their knees and take a breather.
Hoonis looks up to Darly. âWhat was that for!?â He asks, still trying to recover and catch his breath.
âOh, I just like doing that!â Says Darly. âWhy not do it when youâre a God?â
âŠA GodâŠ?
ââŠWhatâŠ?â Hoonis questions. ââŠI never found anything like that in my researchâŠâ
âThatâs because that old, burnt out coot went missing!â Says Darly. ââŠIt appears you all have some catching up to do!â
Shadowy tendrils rise up from the ground and stab the eyes of the trio, causing them to see visionsâŠ
Elain isnât liking it one bitâŠ
âŠNo. Donât think itâŠ
'The man who you know as Darles was a desperate man, willing to do anything to make himself popular.' Darly narrates as a depiction of Darles on his knees begging appears. 'Even make a deal with the Devil.'
Eyes begin appearing around Darles. The vision fades.
'The Elderâs interest in the man piqued, and they helped him.' Says Darly. 'They gave him success. He got power. Fame. Ascension. All of what he wanted⊠All for a priceâŠ'
A new vision appears: Darles surrounded by eyes within a dark mass looking upon him.ïżŒ
'If they helped him, he had to join themâŠ' Says Darly. 'And such a hungry man took the bait.'
The mass surrounds Darles, trapping him within it.
'And now, Darles and Darly have become one.' Says Darly.
Darles pops out of the mass, a box now replacing his dual-triangle head.
'He had achieved God-hood, he ascended, just as he wished.' Says Darly.
The tendrils then pop out of the trioâs eyes. They each fall to the ground.
'Now look at him! Look at me!â Says Darly, floating in the air. âHe can do anything! He HAS everything! Just as he had wished for!â
âBut what about his friends? His family?â Hoonis asks.
ââŠWhat?â Darly asks.
âThlouretta? Bep?â Hoonis asks. âWhat about them? Does he miss them?â
âWhy would that matter?â Darly asks. âHe has everything he wanted!â
âBut they loved him.â Says Hoonis. âThey miss him⊠well, maybe Bep doesnât miss him outwardlyâ but still, doesnât he still love them too?â
âAs Darly Boxman went on, he became hellbent on it!â Says Darly. âAll he wanted was to ascend! For his show to succeed! He didnât care about them!â
âThere must be more to it! Thlouretta spoke of how kind and caring he was! He was never like this until work on his show started!â Says Hoonis. ââŠAnd I remember hearing a voice one night, someone calling for help⊠it sounded like Darles⊠heâs still in there⊠in your head.â
Darly isnât sure of how to continue.
ââŠTell me, Darles.â Says Hoonis. âTell me you loved Bep like your daughter. Tell me that you were a kind and caring man. Tell me that you arenât a piece of shit father.â
Elain and Dento look to each other. Theyâre surprised that Hoonis is acting so stern about this. He spoke with such passion they had never heard from him.
Darly pauses.
ââŠPlease.â Says Hoonis, desperately.
âŠDarly hesitatesâŠ
âŠHe then begins to float back down to the ground. He tries to pry the box off of his head.
It takes some time, but the box is removed.
âŠDarles looks up, pain in his eyes.
Hoonis looks back, desperately anticipating the truth.
ââŠI loved Bep with my life.â Says Darles.
Hoonisâ eyes widen a bit. Elain and Dento rise to their feet, surprise in their eyes.
ââŠI-I was a good man. Thlouretta and I were great friends⊠and I⊠I let it all go.â Says Darles. ââŠI threw it all away for a stupid show, for fame⊠I ruined my life, and for what? To be in constant suffering with this parasite clinging to my headâŠ?â
The trio stares at the man as he vents.
âI never wanted this⊠I didnât want those who I cherished to leave meâ I didnâtâŠâ Says Darles as he falls to knees. ââŠWhat in Godâs name did I do to myselfâŠ?â
Faint sobs can be heard as Darles lowers his head. Before anyone can approach him, he lifts his head to the box he had set down.
Darles then proceeds to pick up the box. He squeezes it slightly.
âMy STUPID lust for YOU, GOT ME HERE!!â Says Darles. âI AM HERE BECAUSE I JUST HAD TO WANT FAME!! I LOST WHAT I LOVE BECAUSE OF MY STUPID ACTIONS!! âŠI FUCKING HATE YOU!!!â
Darles then proceeds to stand back up and throw the box into the void next to him. He falls to his knees again and begins to sob.
Hoonis then tries to approach the sobbing man, only for Elain and Dento to restrain Hoonis and pull him away.
âWait!â Says Hoonis. âWe can help him!â
The duo pulls Hoonis back further.
There isnât a point in helping a man thatâs lost his mind.
Hoonis struggles to escape the duoâs grip, but theyâve got a tight hold on him. He tries his hardest to pull away from them, until he eventually pops out of their hold. He rushes over to Darles and begins to hesitateâŠ
âŠAfter a bit, Hoonis gets down on his knees and sits beside the sobbing man.
ââŠIâm a horrible friendâŠâ Says Darles through his sobs. ââŠIâm a terrible fatherâŠâ
ââŠI donât think you are one.â Says Hoonis.
ââŠWhy not?â Darles asks. âI sacrificed who I loved for this. I hurt people. People I cherished. And now look at me⊠Iâm broken man. Why try to waste your time with me when I can just send you all home?â
âBecause I want to help you.â Says Hoonis.
âWhat about what I just said do you not get?â Darles asks. âThere isnât anything you nor I could do about this⊠Iâm stuck here, and I canât leave. I took the bait, and this is my punishment.â
ââŠI can try. We can try.â Says Hoonis. âWe can help you become a better man.â
âNo.â Says Darles. âI doubt I can change. Iâve ruined so much⊠just leave me beâŠâ
Nearby, a small portal opens on the ground. It leads back to the Pink City.
âYou can change! We can get you back home, help you let this go!â Says Hoonis desperately.
âYou canât break a contract with the Devil just like that.â Says Darles.
âBut, I donât want to leave you!â Says Hoonis. âIâve wanted to learn from you all my life!â
âAre you dense?â Darles asks. âWhy learn from a man who ruined his life chasing after fame? âŠJust leave.â
Elain and Dento step to Hoonis and pick him up. They drag him toward the portal.
Hoonis desperately tries to escape the duoâs grasp, but to no avail. Darles keeps his head to the ground.
The trio eventually trips into the portal. Hoonis yelps as they fall.
Once the trio is gone, the portal in the floor closes.
Darles sits there, alone, and on his knees.
ââŠI am nothingâŠâ Says Darles. âNothing but a puppetâŠâ
âŠDarles then begins to chuckle a bit.
ââŠHehehe⊠he is nothing⊠you are nothingâŠâ Says Darles⊠or really, Darly. ââŠIs this not what you wanted, Darles? You wanted fame, so why donât you embrace it?â
ââŠYou stay away from me, you fucking leech.â Says Darles, sounding more like himself.
âŠHe and Darly are in a predicamentâŠ
âOh, no, that wonât do!â Says Darly. âI thought we were friends!â
âWe may have been, but we arenât anymore.â Says Darles. âI want you to leave me alone.â
âWhy?â Darly asks. âYou made that deal, now youâre stuck with me! Itâs like you said, you canât break the Devilâs contract just like that!â
ââŠLeave me alone, you wretched piece of shitâŠâ Says Darles.
âOh, dear!â Says Darly. ââŠI think you need a helping hand!â
Suddenly, approaching clicking sounds are heard. Darles looks up.
He sees his box head, covered in a dark ooze. Itâs crawling with itâs six shadowy, spider-like limbs.
Itâs quickly approaching Darles.
Before Darles can even react, the box head lunges onto Darlesâ face, trying to attach itself to him.
Darles screams and quickly rises to his feet. He attempts to pull the box off of his head, but to no avail.
âGET OFF OF ME, YOU FUCKING PARASITE!!â Darles screams, his hands mounted to his head, trying to remove the creature from him.
âYou know I canât do that!â Says Darly.
Darles continues to struggle with the beast as it slowly crawls itâs way onto his head, attaching to it like a leech.
Darles falls to his knees again and struggles to combat the creatureâs hold on him, both mentally and physically.
From the center face of the box, seven vibrant eyes sprout and slowly open.
Darly begins taking hold of the poor manâs body. He takes a look at his hands and slowly rises to his feet.
âI think you need this, donât you think?â Darly asks himself. âWhat else do you need, I wonderâŠ?â
Darly begins thinking to himself⊠before something comes to mind.
ââŠI know!â Says Darly. âYou need a refresher just to show you what great power they gave you!â
â
The trio falls plummets from the sky, Hoonis still squirming in Elain and Dentoâs arms.
âI couldâve helped him!â Says Hoonis as the trio falls.
The hunters eventually slam into the pavement. The citizens walking around jump and quickly take notice of the large hole made in the road. They all begin grouping around the hole and gazing upon the still bodies within it.
The three slowly rise and massage their temples. Hoonis looks up to the sky and no longer sees a way back to Darles.
ââŠI couldâve helpedâŠâ Says Hoonis. âHe can changeâŠâ
Dento looks to Hoonis and pats his back. He then looks over to Elain.
âŠShe doesnât look well.
Elain knows heâs looking at her.
âŠStop thinking about it.
Youâll be fine.
Dento reaches an arm over to her.
Before, he can reach her thoughâŠ
*BANG*
Dento stops. Everyone looks around.
*BANG*
Nothing is around them. Nothing.
âŠThe only place they havenât lookedâŠ
âŠUp.
Everyone looks up to the sky.
âŠNot much happens.
UntilâŠ
*BANG*
*BANG*
*BANG*
The sky explodes apart. A large hole in the sky appears. And oddly enough, it begins to bug and glitch outâŠ
The civilians begin to panic and run away. The trio remains in the hole, not moving a muscle.
From the hole in the sky hovers an approaching figure. The figure quickly approaches the Pink City, and stops right in front of the hole in the road.
The trio stares in disbelief.
Darly.
Although, his box head is covered in a black, dripping substance. At the sides of the box, spider-like legs remain. And for the manâs face; vibrant, multicolored eyes. They could bring utter fear to anyone who dared to look upon them.
âHey there, everybody!â Says Darly. âWelcome back to the show! Did you miss me?â
No one seems to answer. Only screams are heard as the civilians scramble to their homes.
âIâm sorry for my sudden intrusion, but itâs come to my attention that a friend of mine needs a lesson in being grateful for the power theyâve been given!â Says Darly. âIf you donât mind, Iâd like to show you all what a REAL God looks like!â
Darly raises his hands, and out from the hole in the sky, shadowy tendrils shoot out and charge toward any unsuspecting civilians. The tendrils attack and hit at the civilians. Many are shot around against walls or slammed into the road.
The more the civilians are attacked, the more 'glitched out' they become. Slowly becoming horribly distorted and broken.
Darly then looks down into the trio still stuck in the hole.
âOh, look at the menagerie!â Says Darly. âIâve seen you before! You look like youâd be fun to play with! Especially YOU!â
Tendrils shoot toward Elain and grab her wrists and ankles. She begins to get dragged back. Dento grabs onto her. Both of them quickly get dragged out of the hole and toward Darly.
Dento pulls at Elain, trying to free her from the tendrils. He looks to Elain, she looks back.
Dentoâs expression shows that of desperation.
'Donât you let go!'
Hoonis then begins to struggle out of the hole to reach the Bounty Hunters. He can barely get back up.
Dentoâs feet dig into the pavement as Elain gets dragged back. Both ends are tugging so hard, that Elain feels her body could be snapped in half.
âOoh! Weâve got a fighter!â Says Darly.
The tendrils then begin to tug at Elain even harder. So much so, that Dento can barely hold on anymore.
In a snap, Dentoâs hands give out, no longer able to hold on to Elain. Elain is shot up into the sky, completely disappearing from Dentoâs view in a matter of a seconds.
Dento canât help but watch as his dear friend is sent into the sky.
Lord knows if sheâll ever return.
Dento remains on his knees. He lays his head down as tears fall from his eyes. He silently sobs, his chest heaving, even if no audible sound is heard from him.
Hoonis is eventually able to climb out of the hole in the road. He spots Dento sitting alone, Elain nowhere to be found.
âWhereâs Elain?â Hoonis asks as he approaches the sobbing man.
Dento doesnât answer.
ââŠIâm sorry.â Says Hoonis. âYou donât have to tell me.â
Hoonis looks up to the sky. Dento does the same.
âŠTendrils shoot out from the sky hole and quickly launch themselves toward the city.
Toward the duo that watches the sky above.
Hoonis and Dento spring up and quickly try to evade the approaching tendrils, trying to pass the hole in the road without falling in.
Once they pass the hole, the two stay fairly far apart. They run off, trying to find somewhere to hide.
As Dento runs, the sound of something approaching him catches his attention.
Too late, however.
A tendril smacks Dento on the back of his head. The force of the hit slams him into a nearby wall.
He falls unconscious before he even hits the floor.
~~~
Dento slowly begins to come to. He blinks a bit before slowly rising up.
He looks around.
Nothing.
Nothing but darkness.
As he turns his head, he spots someone.
Someone familiar.
Elain.
Elain sits alone, head down. She looks as if sheâs ashamed.
Dento quickly gets to his feet and rushes toward his partner. As he approaches her⊠he hears somethingâŠ
âSHE WAS NOT READY.â Says an unknown voice.
Dento stands nearby his friend, confused. He glances around, looking for the source of the voice.
âSHE WAS NEVER OKAY.â The voice says again.
Suddenly, out from Elainâs head, a vapor appears. From the vapor emerges a collage of shapes. Shapes and colorsâŠ
Shapes and colors that would remind one of stress. Of anxiety. Of fear. Of something underlying that is left without acknowledgement.
The collage takes up the void. Only Elain and Dento remain.
âHER MIND WAS NOT READY.â Says the voice again. âSHE IS CURSED WITH A TERRIBLE BLINDNESS.â
âA BLINDNESS YOU FELL FOR.â
âA BLINDNESS SHE FELL FOR.â
âNEITHER OF YOUâŠâ
âNEITHER OF YOU ARE SAFE FROM WHAT SHE CAUSED TO HAPPEN TO HERSELF.â
As Dento glances around, he begins to hear a different voiceâŠ
'Iâll be okay.'
'Iâll be fine.'
'Iâm okay.'
'Stay optimistic.'
'Stay optimistic.'
'Stay optimistic.'
The phrase, 'Stay optimistic', continuously lingering within the void.
âHER OPTIMISM IS A CURSE.â Says the other voice.
âA CURSE YOU BOTH MUST BEAR WITNESS TO.âïżŒ
Dento glances around again.
âŠWas this trueâŠ?
âŠOr some kind of trickâŠ?
As he glances, he notices Elain slowly raising her head. She stares at Dento with horribly desperate eyes.
He stares back.
âŠA new phrase lingers.
'Iâm sorry.'
'Iâm sorry.'
'I am so, so sorryâŠ'
âŠElain.
Sheâs speaking through her thoughts.
âŠThose thoughts of desperate optimismâŠ
âŠThey were hersâŠ
And she never said a wordâŠ
Leaving both of them in the darkâŠ
If she had said somethingâŠ
She wouldnât be stuck in the sky. The city wouldnât have been put in dangerâŠ
âŠHe shouldâve known sheâd be this ignorant.
Dento suddenly feels himself being pulled away. He quickly exits the colorful amalgamation of stress, barely able to hear Elainâs thoughts.
~~~
Dento jolts awake. He quickly rises. He glances around.
âŠHeâs in his home. On the couch.
âŠSomeone took him homeâŠ
âDento?â Calls a voice from a nearby hall. âYou okay?â
Dento turns over to the hall. He sees his sister, Danina, peer out from the hall. She notices her awakened brother and rushes toward him.
âOh, thank God, youâre okay!â Says Danina, hugging her brother. âSome guy was carrying you, we just got you and took you home⊠what even happened?â
Dento thinks about who the hell couldâve been carrying himâŠ
Hoonis.
âŠHeâs grateful for him.
Dento can only hope Hoonis is okay.
Dento then begins to think about how to answer Daninaâs question.
ââŠItâs a long story, isnât it?â Danina asks.
Dento nods.
âAlright. Oh, also, I want to make sure,â Danina begins. âYou arenât hurt, are you? Mom looked at you, but I want to hear from you.â
Dento thinksâŠ
âŠNot exactlyâŠ
Not only did he lose his friend, heâs had to learn about how she functions. Her ignorance. His ignoranceâŠ
âŠSometimes, he hates how Elain worksâŠ
â
Elain sits alone. Alone within a dark void. Stuck in the sky. Unable to leave.
Not certain of how to leave.
âŠShe feels awful.
âŠIf only she had said somethingâŠ
Realized how ignorant she wasâŠ
She didnât want any of this.
She had set out to be a Bounty Hunter to bring good to the city. Bring down ne'er-do-wells and serve them sweet justice. All she wanted was to do good⊠not bring the city down to destruction and ashesâŠ
All of this. All of itâŠ
Is it not all her fault?
If she hadnât decided to go on this goose chase. If she had said something. If she had taken better consideration into the inner workings of her headâŠ
The city wouldnât be crumbling.
People wouldnât have been getting hurt.
A practical God (hopefully) wouldnât have been unveiled unto the city.
Dento wouldnât haveâ
DentoâŠ
He wouldnât have been hurtâŠ
Mentally hurtâŠ
âŠWhen you hurt, I hurtâŠ
âŠ
âŠWhat has she doneâŠ?
âOh, dear!â Says a voice.
Elain turns her head, glancing around. She quickly rises to her feet.
âŠItâs familiarâŠ
âŠDarly.
âOver here, dear!â
Elain turns.
Darly hovers behind Elain, staring down upon her with his seven vibrant eyes. His look paralyzes her, freaks her out.
âŠHe looked awful.
Darly then bends down a bit. His box head hovers off of his shoulders and toward Elain. It stares into her eyes and pierces her soul.
âYouâre tired, arenât you?â Darly asks.
The box head slams back into its rightful place on Darlyâs shoulders. He continues to stare Elain down.
âHave you thought of an answer yet?â Darly asks.
Elain thinksâŠ
She was tired.
Tired of these thoughts. Tired of the guilt. Tired of the stress
She nods.
âI thought so!â Says Darly. ââŠWhy donât I lend you a hand?â He puts out a hand.
Elain stares at Darly in disbelief.
âŠWhy would she make a deal with him?
ââŠHmmâŠâ Darly hums. âPerhaps you need a refresher!â
Suddenly, familiar visions and whispers fill Elainâs head.
âJOIN THE CREED.â The whispers yell. Over and over. The phrase echos.
Visions of what sheâs seen. What sheâs experienced. What sheâs faced. All of it hits Elain like dodgeballs.
Elain curls up into a ball and wraps her arms around her head.
She wants it to go away. Thatâs all she wants.
âŠBut it appears she canât get it to go away on her own anymore.
âYou want this all to go away, yes?â Darly asks. âThen why not make a deal?â
The whispers are unending. The visions are infinite.
âI need an answer!â Says Darly.
âŠWhy not make a deal, when you can no longer face these issues on your own?
Elain looks up to Darly. She stares into his eyes before slowly and hesitantly bringing out a hand.
âThere we are!â Says Darly.
Darly takes Elainâs hand. The visions and whispers quickly fade.
Nothing happens for a moment.
âŠUntil Elain starts feeling a buzzing sensation on her hand.
She stares at the hand Darly had taken. The buzzing feeling doesnât go away. The feeling travels up her body. She begins to feel numbâŠ
Not only that.
âŠHer head feels fuzzyâŠ
She canât think straight.
Her thoughts become indescribable. Her consciousness feels as if itâs slipping.
âŠShe almost feels deadâŠ
Her body and mind are numb. She can barely think cognitively.
Almost like some kind of zombie.
Elainâs body has become that of a glitchy, buggy mess. Her body canât keep a proper shape, as it often bugs out and loses a proper form. Her eyes void of sentience, glistening in a bright blue.
Darly chuckles. âHaha! Look!â He says. âYouâre like me now!â
Powerful.
Exactly what Darles wanted.
A hungry person very easily and quickly takes the bait.
- END -
Next Chapter:
Chapter 3 - Fixing whatâs been Broken Hoonis and Dento team up amongst the discord and havoc of the Pink City to fix what they themselves a
Previous Chapter:
Chapter 1 - Unboxing the Meat and Potatoes Hoonis, Elain, and Dento discover that a particular actress of old has returned to the Pink City
Gif Tropes HHA and DHA Part 2
Right Person, Wrong Time
"Just Friends"
Second Chance
Opposites Attract
Belated Love Realization







