#multiple mcs

The little nook for the bathroom sink had three mirrors - one in front of Duck, and the other two facing each other on either side, reflections going back and forth, smaller and smaller. An infinite number of sleep-deprived Ducks on display.

Duck personally thought it was a poor design choice. The House of Lamentation was already creepy enough, why add to it? Now she had to deal with constantly seeing movement out of the corner of her eyes while she just wanted to brush her damn teeth.

They would complain to Lucifer, but Duck had already used up that good will when they'd tried to convince him to make their room accessible only by secret passageway. No matter how much the brothers loved them and they loved the brothers, they'd appreciate some privacy now and again.

Duck spat and reached for her wash cloth, her thoughts drifting along a familiar path. It was nice to be loved by the brothers. It felt good knowing they had chosen Duck. And yet, it didn't always make sense to her. It wasn't like Duck didn't know she had good qualities. Duck was aware that she was lovable. But she was human, and they were not.

Would they have loved any human that was dropped into their home? Any descendant of Lilith's?

That wasn't fair on the brothers, Duck knew. It wouldn't be just anyone. Maybe anyone who had freed Belphie, who had sorted out Lucifer and Satan, who had listened to and laughed with Mammon and Levi, who had shown Asmo and Beel genuine love and care. Someone who could draw out their power, who they could trust with their pacts.

None of those were easy feats.

With a sigh, Duck pulled the washcloth away, looked to the side, and froze.

In the main mirror - the one facing her, she saw herself. Green eyes, wavy brown hair that picked up red in the warm light, round features, one of Beel's shirts she'd repurposed as a nightie.

To her right was someone else.

Someone with brown-red hair like Duck's, but deep red eyes. Sharper features. They looked just as surprised as Duck did.

Behind the person with red eyes was someone with dark brown hair almost shaped into horns. Behind them was a person with a half-green buzzcut. Looking away, Duck only found more strangers in the left mirror. Someone with tired eyes and black hair. A girl with fluffy hair and bright eyes. Further back, Duck caught glimpses of red-black hair, of purple eyes, of RAD uniforms and nightshirts and-

Stretching out into infinity, different people - no rhyme or reason in gender, in appearance, in clothing.

The only thing Duck could clearly identify on some of them were pact marks.

Duck's hand lifted to the blue clearly visible on her neck, the gold mark on her hand reflecting in the light. She could see some with Mammon's, with Satan's, with Lucifer's. That didn't make sense. Duck was Lucifer's only pact.

A thousand mouths moved as one - who are you?

A thousand replies - am I you?

All the reflections moved independently. Some reached forward, hitting their mirrors. Some spoke more, lips moving too quickly - or reflections too distant - for Duck to read. Some seemed simply stunned, swaying on their feet.

Duck themselves leaned closer to the red-eyed reflection they'd seen first, a move the reflection echoed - their body tense, like they were ready to fight, ready for Duck to reach through the mirror and grab them. Duck's eyes zeroed in on the hint of deep blue at the back of their neck, the shirt she was sure had once belonged to Satan, the way the reflection's red eyes fixed on Lucifer's mark on Duck's neck.

Duck knew somehow that this reflection - all of these reflections, these people, these potentials - were her and not her, like she was them and not them.

Did you die? Duck blurted out before she could stop herself.

The reflection narrowed her eyes - as did buzzcut, another reflection with heterochromia, someone with purple eyes.

How did you know?

Did you?

Yes.

It hurt.

Was this what vertigo felt like?

The same path, walked over and over-

Did all of the reflections practice dancing with Satan?

Did they all let Asmo and Mammon drag them out to Majolish?

Which brothers did they love? Which had they kissed? Did they bake with Luke and Barbatos? Did they study with Solomon and Simeon? Had they walked with Diavolo through the park at night?

What parts of their story were unavoidable? What was unique for each of them?

Their eyes all focused on something behind Duck, and her head whipped around - in the left mirrors, someone was crying. The one with tired eyes ran a hand through their dark hair. The girl with fluffy curls tried to reach out to the crier, but her hands hit the mirror - her mirror, in her world.

"Duck?"

A knock on the door made her jump - and as she turned, she caught a glimpse of a sea of people all turning with her.

Lucifer stood in the doorway, brow furrowed. Confused, but not trying to drag her away from the mirror and shatter the reflections.

He hadn't seen them.

"Are you alright?" he asked cautiously. All the mirrors reflected only Duck, with her bedhead and her dazed expression.

"I'm fine," they said, and Lucifer didn't believe them. Frowned, stepped forward, took off one glove before placing a hand on their forehead. Duck leaned against it, too relieved at his steadying presence to protest.

"Barbatos messaged requesting a meeting, but if you are feeling unwell..."

Barbatos?

"I'm fine, just a little tired." Duck smiled in a way that was mostly convincing, and though Lucifer looked distinctly unconvinced, he knew better than to argue.

"Do kick my brothers out if they are interrupting your sleep. You have the pacts for a reason." Lucifer tucked a lock of hair behind their ear, eyes searching for any hint of what was really wrong.

"You know what would help with your brothers?"

"Don't."

"A secret passage."

"Maria, we have been through this-"

With one last glance at the mirror, only their own eyes staring back at them, Duck followed Lucifer into the hall.

An infinite number of reflections - of realities, of... of human exchange students.

"Duck," Lucifer called to her once more. "You are not going to the castle in Beel's shirt."

An infinite number of demon brothers, troublesome sorcerers, odd angels, and demon princes with their butlers, too.

"I'm getting changed!"

Sans would honestly be in despair. He can barely handle one Mc, but now you're telling him there's more. Ones that his machine displaced, making it his fault too. He can't handle this news, he'll retreat into the basement and try to hurry up in getting the machine fixed.

Papyrus is wary. He doesn't get how you got mixed up in the whole machine thing and wonders if this has happened to more humans. The volatile personalities of the other Mcs are very off putting, but he is used to dealing with such people so it wouldn't be too hard for him. Though it would get exhausting at times.

Blue isn't really happy about this. A group of humans were displaced too? What universes are they from? Where do they belong? Why are they like this? He'll help Papyrus deal with all of them, grimacing the whole way. He does have to admit though, the Mc they're used to, and one other Mc, is like a breath of fresh air. Even if he's a little wary of their intentions.

Stretch is on the same level as Blue, though more wary of the entire group. Along with the fact that they thought the machine only brought the Sans and Papyrus of the universes here, but now they learn some humans were displaced too? He's worried if some other humans were displaced as well and how they'll find them if there was. He's more stressed thanks to this.

Red is not happy. They already had problems with one Mc in the house, but now there's more. More volatile humans that are obviously no good, even Mutt steering clear of a lot of them. Though he does still hang around two of the Mcs. Red's not happy about the implications Mc being dragged into their mess implies. It all gives him a headache.

Edge is basically the same as Red, though a lot more annoyed. He hated having to deal with the Mc that lived with them in the first place, but now there's a whole lot more he has to wrangle. Just what he needed. He doesn't like the alternate versions, one in particular just knowing how to get under his metaphorical skin and enrage him even more.

Black is about the same as Edge, though he's less surprised. He is a whole lot more annoyed. Of course Taylor was right about Mc, they apparently just had the wrong one at first sight. But they're all the same to him, and he has a problem with the two hanging around his brother. He wants to know what their deal is. Why they're pretending to be so nice and kind, he's not buying it.

Mutt is shocked to say the least. He gave the other versions a chance, but he doesn't like them. Only two of the versions of Mc alright in his eye lights. He can't believe that those two and the others are the same people, they're all just so different! Seeing Mc acting in those ways is uncomfortable.

Grey is surprised, though he's not a fan of the majority of the versions. They're nasty and he doesn't have the patience to deal with their crap. Most of them aren't allowed in his house, and he'll make their stay as unpleasant as possible if they dare to come around. He won't mess around if they try anything with his brother though.