tsams au fics

It startled him when it happened for the first time again, as much as it had the last time he felt anything in his body.

His body was rebooting, the familiar screen lighting up in his optics, and the electricity began to course through his body to move him.

The world around him began to come into view, his head eyes and fingers and feet moving on their own briefly- the mobility test, he thought.

Wow, it was weird now, having his thoughts sound and feel like thoughts again. And once his optics were tested and cleared to be working properly he looked around a bit more.

He hadn't been in this position before, at least not in this dimension.

He was inside the repair station of Parts and Service.

And then his memories began to catch up- the house, Sun And Moon, Ruin, and feeling his internal mechanisms and circuits beginning to shut down and a wave of fear and sadness washing over him-

“Hey, you're moving. Hurry up and wake up already so you can get out of here and get back to those losers.” A familiar, slightly rougher voice was picked up from outside the chamber.

He looked over, seeing Puppet and, to his surprise, Eclipse, at the terminal watching him.

Puppet was watching particularly close, tilting their head and seemed to be waiting.

Solar sat up slowly, bringing a hand to his head before he slowly got up, holding onto the chair before his legs buckled and he fell, a swear leaving his mouth.

“Ah- fuck…coulda warned me I might be unsteady, Eclipse…”

He heard a soft gasp then a hiss as the door opened.

He noticed Puppet enter as he pulled himself up again, taking a deep breath. There was an underlying ache in his joints that he'd deal with later.

But right now…

”Solar? You hear me, buddy? Can you see me?”

They took hold of his arm gently, and Solar immediately held onto them back, beginning to walk out with them.

Solar nodded.

“Yeah…yeah I can see you and I hear you…God everything is sore…I know dying can be painful but I didn't think full body evaporation hurt…”

A scoff nearby.

“Oh please, just about any death is painful. Anyway, you're moving again, talking just fine, optics are fine…”

He looked over to Eclipse. “I'm surprised to see you down here. Not that much really but…” he trailed off.

“Believe it or not he did have a hand in helping rebuild you. Moon's been pretty busy with some stuff between getting you back and dealing with Molten. But catch up can wait for now, you have a family to get back to.”

Solar listened, and he smiled a bit. “Yeah…I can't wait. I missed them…and thank you.” He glanced over to the terminal. “Even you, Eclipse.”

Eclipse rolled his eyes. “Whatever, I only did it so Moon could let me kill that idiot Ruin…speaking of which.” The other turned to the cell, grinning.

Solar followed his gaze to a cell.

Ruin was stood inside, seeming to be frozen but looking right to Solar.

He was silent for a moment before he spoke in a soft voice. “...Hello again, Solar.”

Solar didn't reply until he looked away. “Hey, Ruin. Come on Puppet, let's go. The time to get there should be enough to get my joints working right again.”

“Yeah, probably.” Solar felt a squeeze on his arm and he looked at Puppet, who had a small smile on their face. “I missed you too…twink.”

Solar blinked and then chuckled. “Oh no don't start with that already, Puppet.” Solar said but he couldn't help the small smile of his own. “And I missed you too.”

“Ok Moon just set them down and…I don't know” Sun trailed off a bit as he thought, holding a container of cleaning supplies before he set them on the desk.

“Uh…I think we can get away with just wiping them down a couple of times. It's relatively clean in here for once.”

“Oh that's because I cleaned on break. It helps with the overall mess and…I guess helps with my obsessive cleaning habits too. Gives me less to distract myself with I guess.” Sun shrugged as he took a rag and bottle, one of the barrels and sprayed it before he began to clean it.

Moon shortly followed suit.

They were at it for about five, eleven minutes before the daycare doors swung open.

Sun looked up to see Puppet enter. “Hey, Puppet what’s up?” He set the barrel down on the other side of the desk.

“I have a surprise for you two. And Earth and Lunar, could you text them to come by please?”

Sun And Moon glanced at each other before Moon sent the message.

“So what's the surprise?”

“More like who.” Puppet smiled and reached back to the door, pulling Solar in.

They both stared at him before they gasped and Moon stood from his seat at the desk and stepped close.

“Is that…?”

Solar smiled. “Hey wolf boy. Did you miss me?”

Moon's eyes widened a bit- anyone else, any other circumstance he would have snapped about it, but this…he'd make an exception this once.

He threw his arms around Solar in a tight hug, the force making them both stumble a bit backwards.

Solar brought his arms around him, hugging back.

“Easy Moon, legs are still a bit shaky…”

“It's you…it really is…Solar you're actually back.” Moon said, his voice shaking a little bit as his eyes grew wet with tears and it wasn't long before Solar felt them fall and begin to soak into the shoulder of his new daycare theater shirt.

Solar moved back slightly, just enough to look at him. “Hey, look at me Moon. There's no point in crying, I'm here. I'm back, i'm…I'm home.”

Moon reached up and wiped at his eyes and sniffled. “I…I know, I just…I missed you so much and…hell I was starting to think I really couldn't get you back, I would have even accepted a blank slate clone like Eclipse but…”

Moon shook his head and hugged him again, and this time Sun joined in once the shock and relief finally passed enough to let him move.

The doors opened again and Moon looked up, wiping his eyes again.

“Hey guys. Look who's home.”

He stepped back, tugging Sun's ribbon gently as Solar turned to face Lunar and Earth.

At first they seemed a little confused before Lunar caught on first.

“Solar?”

And then Earth caught on, looking between Lunar and Sun And Moon and Puppet and Solar himself, almost like she couldn't believe it.

“Is…is it true? Is it really Solar? This isn't some really mean, cruel joke?” She asked, her breath already hitching between breaths and trying to reign herself in a little, to not get her hopes up in case this was a mean prank.

“Nope, no joke, no prank. This really is your candy corn twink. Eclipse and I finally managed to figure out how to make the whole revival thing work. And don't worry, all his memories seem to be intact.” Puppet gave her a reassuring pat. “I told you guys I'd find a way to bring him back for you. I meant entirely, too.”

Earth looked back to Solar before approaching him, her eyes watered and her lip quivered before she fell to her knees and hugged Solar around the waist and started crying.

She clung to him, and Solar just held her back and stroked her hair, letting her cry it all out.

“I-I missed you so much and I- I was so scared you wou-wouldn't remember me if you did…if you did come back and-and-” She cried out between sobs.

“I know…I missed you too Earth, I missed all of you. It's ok now, though. I'm home and I don't plan on leaving again any time soon. I promise I'm not gonna leave you guys again ever.” He looked down a bit feeling something on his leg, resting his other hand on Lunar's head.

“I'm happy you're back too Solar…”

Sun and Moon joined the little group hug and Solar couldn't help but smile and relaxed into them.

He was going to miss his Sun and Moon, sure.

But he still had them here too, and the rest of his wonderful little family.

It first happened when Moon was out getting more blood for Solar.

He was home with Sun, and they were in the back yard talking.

But Solar wasn't really listening to Sun, instead staring out over the ocean surrounding their island for miles in every direction.

And he was thinking.

Well more like listening to something whispering in his mind, repeated calls and begs for blood, bloodshed, run the sea crimson with all the blood it can hold.

He shook his head clear, but soon another thought came to mind.

He knew Moon was getting him some more, but…well the craving never really went away for too long. He didn't think he could wait for much longer…

His gaze slid to Sun beside him, watching him go on and on about the daycare kids and those stupid foam barrels they couldn't just toss out already.

The whispering in his head grew louder, the craving throughout his body growing until he felt the urge to pounce in every circuit, wire and joint he had.

He ran his tongue over his aching fangs in his mouth. Then he spoke.

“I hope he gets back soon…I'm starting to feel a bit hungry already…” he caught the way Sun flinched ever so slightly, no doubt a nervous or paranoid habit he's developed.

Not surprising given all he's been through so far.

“Are you? Well…m-maybe I can fix you something real quick? A snack until he gets back?” Sun suggested, the shakey, uncertain lilt of his voice a little more obvious.

Solar didn't speak for another moment, eyes glued to Sun, and following his face down to his neck.

He started thinking, “that ruffle would do a good job hiding the bite mark. And it shouldn't be too hard to make him forget it happened…”

“No. This craving can't be satisfied by normal food…probably make me sick more than likely. No…I want something fresher. Richer. Livelier…”

He stepped closer to Sun with each word, which made him step back each time.

The nervous look and tone of his voice grew as Solar drew closer, fixing Sun with a gaze all too familiar, yet all too strange.

And very unsettling, like he was staring through his body.

Sun swallowed hard, trying to keep himself calm and remind himself that this was his friend. He wouldn't hurt him, right?

Right…?

“What do uh…what do you mean, uh Solar…?” He asked, but got no response. Solar's eyes were now intensely fixed on his neck, staring wide eyed and oh so hungry, a gaze he's only seen a few unfortunate times before.

“Solar…why are you looking at me like that?”

When Moon returned, he called out to let them know he was home, but no one answered.

At first he thought everyone must be asleep, thinking so as he put the blood bags in the fridge.

But as he stepped towards the back room the dying sunlight glinted off of something outside.

Turning, he saw Sun laying on the ground motionless. Moon hurried outside to him, noticing the pooling blood beneath him.

He dropped to his knees next to him, worry then panic filling his voice as he tried to wake him up, but nothing worked.

“Sun! Sun come on this isn't funny, wake up…! Damn it Sun get your ass up now…! Please…I just got Solar back, I can't lose you too already…” his voice quickly went from terrified yelling to tearful begging as he held his brother's body close.

After a few minutes a thought came to him and he set his body down, rushing through the rest of the house looking for Solar, but he didn't find any sign of him in the house.

But whatever had been through here had gotten Sun's cats too.

And whatever it was had possibly had Solar.

As he rushed out the house and threw a portal to the pizzaplex down he called up Lunar first, a sigh of relief leaving him when he answered.

“Yeah? Moon, what's up?” came the sleepy voice- he must have been napping.

“Sun's dead. Whatever got him might have Solar too. Get Earth and both of you get to Monty's place and stay with him. Don't tell them about Sun, not until I know Solar is-”

He stopped at the door to the Parts and Service, staring down at the ground.

“I gotta go. Take Earth, go to Monty, stay there, keep quiet about Sun until I say so.”

He hung up, his voice and hands shaky as he leaned down and plucked up Solar's goggles.

There was also a small trail of dripping blood leading into the room.

He almost hesitated until he heard a crunch and a short, slightly muffled scream and he rushed inside, bursting through the doors.

It was dark, but he could just barely make something out in one of the darker corners.

Whatever it was heard him, and dropped what it was eating. He wished he hadn't interrupted. Whatever it was dropped someone he didnt recognize, just some poor, unfortunate security guard lurking down here, blood pouring from a huge wound in the side of their neck similar to the wound Sun had.

Maybe this was the thing that killed him.

And he wished he had been wrong about that too.

Because the thing that turned to him, eyes bright, blood red and piercing, the only other thing visible in the darkness besides a set of huge, blood-dripped, sharp fangs, lining one another like a shark, was-

“Solar…?”

Moon stood there at the door, eyes wide and his voice, his whole body shaking.

Solar stood from his spot, towering above the body, and turned to Moon, a strange effect in his voice, almost like multiple people were talking at once.

“I'm sorry…I was so hungry…I couldn't wait anymore…I needed something now…”

“So you killed them?!” Moon, now having found his voice again, noted the change in his voice, but that was the last thing he was worried about right now.

“I'm sorry Moon,” he said again, though like the first time he didn't sound sorry in the least.

“But I was so hungry, the craving got too irresistible. But…they were so good~”

Solar licked his bloodied lips as he walked closer to Moon.

“And they were so beautiful, thick, luscious red streaming from their half-eaten corpses and dripping all over. Oh and their screams~ that might have been just as good as the blood~ Sun cried for you, begged and screamed for you to help him. But where were you? Why didn't you save him, Moon?”

He taunted him now, laughing quietly, then quickly cackling like a madman.

Moon growled, pushing aside his own emotions at the moment to grab a wrench and swung at him.

This wasn't Solar.

Not anymore.

Maybe it never was.

But right now it was just another Bloodmoon.

Bloodmoon mixed with an Eclipse, a horrible combination already.

Solar stepped back, laughing again. “You missed~ I always wondered what they tasted like. I wonder how Earth or Lunar will taste? Or the gator? I think I want to find out~”

He quickly struck Moon, hard enough to make him stagger, giving Solar enough time to run through one of the doors and escape through the vents.

Moon swore and started for the door but stopped and looked back at the guard before he ran after Solar, this time calling Puppet.

“What's going on?”

“I don't know if you can see anything right now but Sun and a guard are dead, Solar killed them, and I think he's going for Earth, Lunar and Monty next. He blitzed me and got away from Parts and Service, I need you to get eyes on him or something, fast!”

He stopped in the lobby and placed another portal to Monty's house.

Puppet's voice came through again.

“He's at the house! Hurry up before he gets away again!” Puppet urged him, though Moon didn't need it.

The adrenaline fueled panick for his family was more than enough.

When he arrived at the house the door was open.

He already didn't like that.

He entered slowly, just in case he was jumped. He kept quiet so as not to alert Solar he was there, but he did faint sounds of crackling electricity.

He approached the sound, already preparing himself for the worst.

Unfortunately he found it, unable to stop himself from dropping to his knees in the door way.

They were all dead.

Lunar and Earth were huddled together, small currents of electricity running along Lunars body and some across Earth's.

Like Sun and the guard they also had the neck wounds.

Same with Monty, who was laid out in front of them.

“Moon? Moon are you there?” Puppet's voice came through the phone but he didn't answer, couldn't find his voice as tears began to fall to the ground as Moon leaned down, hands on his head as he began to sob.

He had lost his entire family and his best friend.

No, he lost Solar the day Ruin killed him.

What he had now was nothing more than a bloodthirsty imitation.

That wasn't his family anymore.

After a few minutes of heartbroken sobbing he got himself together enough to call Puppet back, asking her to come to Monty's house and warning her they were all dead.

There was a long pause on the other end, and he was almost worried Solar had gotten her too, until he heard faint crying.

Not surprising, she and Monty were fairly close too.

Soon enough the crying stopped.

“Alright. I'll be over there in a few minutes.” She hung up and Moon was left to wait, sitting against a wall on the opposite side of the room facing away from them, waiting.

He had taken some time to at least put them all together, tried to make it at least seem more peaceful and easier for Puppet to handle.

“Where are they at?”

He looked up, seeing Puppet standing over him. He gestured to the room behind him.

“I tried to…clean it up a little? Never been good at that…tried to give them a little dignity than what he left them with…” he muttered.

Puppet just rubbed his head and went into the room. He heard her gasp and what sounded like choking back tears. She left the room as quickly as she went in, standing with her back to Moon for a moment as she took deep breaths to keep herself under control.

“What happened.” She asked.

Moon didn't answer right away.

Puppet whirled around, staring down at Moon.

“Answer me, what the hell happened with them?”

“I don't know! But…I think it might be some issue with Bloodmoon's code in Solar's body. I haven't been able to look into that yet, but it seemed fine when I first tested it. On false, study code, and not with Bloodmoon obviously. But it always worked, stayed the same. And he was fine for a while, save a migraine or two, and then eventually the blood cravings came…he was doing just fine with the blood bags, until today…” Moon sighed, hugging his knees to his chest.

“I wanted him back so bad…and instead I lost everything…”

Puppet sighed, sitting down next to him. “I know…I wanted him back too,” she leaned her head back.

“But no matter what we'll find him, understand? We'll find him and…well I don't think we can fix him.”

Moon looked at her. “You can't seriously be suggesting-”

“I am. You used Bloodmon's code. And he's already killed five people, maybe more between them. Do you want him to go off killing more? Do you want to deal with Bloodmoon again?” Puppet asked, looking at Moon but knowing what his answer would be regardless.

“No, I don't…”

“I'll find him, Moon. And as soon as I do we're going to him and we're putting an end to this before it can become another problem.” She said with a hand on his shoulder.

Moon sighed and closed his eyes. “Yeah. They deserve that much at least…I can't believe I left him…I couldn't…I wasn't fast enough to save them…” Moon said as he buried his face in his knees again.

“Yeah but…you couldnt have known this would happen, Moon.” He simply nodded, leaning more into Puppet for comfort.

And Puppet let him, lightly rubbing the top of his head to try and help comfort him.

Once they put them all to rest they'd start hunting down Solar and put an end to him for good.

"Will it stop? If I go with you?" The celestial animatronic asked, his voice low and tired as he looked up at the taller, Lunar animatronic, his black and orange eyes meeting purple and red. Well maybe "lunar" wasn't the right word anymore. He looked more like a mad scientist, complete with goggles hanging around his neck, the same pair Solar owned before he died. Nexus shrugged then nodded a little.

"Sort of? The voices and hallucinations won't ever really stop but there's enough to distract from those things, for a while anyway."

For the last few months Solar had been hearing and seeing things, but any time anyone asked him he'd say he was fine. He couldn't even bring himself to tell Earth everything. But this...while he didn't doubt her ability to handle heavy stuff, he didn't want to worry Earth with ALL of his problems.

A light chuckle left his lips as he realized how Ironic this was. From what he'd heard of Nexus doing Solar was doing the same things he did- hiding or lying about how he felt, bottling up emotions or even forcing himself to work on projects until he was well under 50% charge, and Jack or Earth would drag him to bed to rest. All of this certainly wasn't helped by the part of his own code that was made and intertwined with Eclipses', a familiar yet strange itch to constantly prove himself itching under his skin, insecurity and inferiority buzzing through his circuits.

He glanced up, and for a moment he stared behind Nexus, seeing Sun. But not this dimensions Sun, no.

Sunny. His own original Sun.

Sunny stood behind Nexus, silently shaking his head as if he knew what Solar was thinking. Maybe he did, even in death Sunny always seemed to know no matter what.

Then he heard a voice, raspy and familiar near his ear.

His Moon, Moonbeam.

Moonbeam was whispering to him over his shoulder.

'You should do it.'

'Go with him, Eclipse.'

'You've already lied to your family, hidden things. The same things he experienced and they think he's crazy. What will they think of you?'

'Why not say fuck it, be an Eclipse. Sooner or later you all fall to madness no matter what. And you'd be with your best friend again, too. You know I'm right.'

Again, he saw Sunny shaking his head and even mouthed 'please, don't do it Eclipse...'

Solar shook his head and covered his ears, fingers moving up to grab and lightly pull his rays, only for a moment before he felt hands gently grab his wrists and pull his hands away from his head. His eyes rose to meet purple and red, something like concern etched on his face.

"Solar? You with me?"

Solar took a few deep breaths, closed his eyes, and nodded.

"Yeah, I...I'm solid, Moon."

Nexus smiled a bit. Solar was the only one he'd ever allow to call him 'Moon' again. No one else had that privilege.

"Good. So, Solar? Do you have an answer?"

The Eclipse looked at him, then away, then closed his eyes and took a breath.

"Yes."

Moon looked at him, a wider grin forming on his face and a hint of eagerness and excitement in his voice. "Really? Even though you'd be leaving Earth? Jack?"

A twinge of guilt settled in his core at that thought, feeling a bit bad since they went through so much to have him back, but if Moon couldn't be here, neither could he.

"I'm sure."

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sunny shake and lower his head and vanish, Moonbeam taking his place with a sharp grin, but he said nothing.

"I'll meet you outside then, if you need to take anything." Nexus said as he stood and handed him a small box before he teleported away.

Solar took the box and teleported to Moon's lab.

At a counter he felt for a switch underneath, pressing when he found it, which opened an adjacent panel. Inside were five purple crystals crackling with energy. Putting them in the box he went home to get ready.

Solar sighed as he returned home, tucking the box and his blueprints and notebooks into a bag. He left his toolbox and clothes behind. He'd get new ones in his new home later. He left a note on the bed.

'Sun.

I'm sorry but I left. I don't think I can stay here without Moon. I'm alive but I just can't stay without him. Please tell Earth, Jack, the others that I'm sorry. Sorry for leaving, sorry for lying and hiding everything, sorry I didn't say goodbye this time. Please, don't look for me this time. I love you guys, all of you.

-Solar'

With that, he shut off the lights, closed the door, and made his way outside, joining Nexus at a portal. With one look back, he entered through with him.

Yeah, it hurt to leave his family again. But he'd rather have just Moon and no one else than everyone but Moon. After all, Moon was something extra special to him. Moon was safety, warmth. His own little safe space.

Sun was in the middle of cleaning when a text popped up on his screen.

‘Sun, meet me in the atrium please, near Gator Golf. I wanna talk to you about something

-Moon’

Sun thought it was a bit odd that Moon texted instead of called, but maybe he was a little busy to focus on a lengthy call. He shrugged and finished his work before heading off to the atrium.

When he arrived and looked around for Moon, at first he thought he saw him and approached. But as he did he noticed he was more purple than usual…he stopped short when he felt a wave of negative energy roll off him, nowhere near as thick or suffocating as he had expected, but still startling.

It was then he realized this wasn't Moon. Not his Moon, at least.

It had to be Nexus.

Sun kept his distance a bit, a few feet between them, as Sun started looking around for an exit. Maybe he should leave, sneak away before he's ever noticed. As he looked for a quick, stealthy exit (admittedly hard since the whole area was pretty open) he did notice Nexus move a little, and saw his leg bouncing out the corner of his eye. But he couldn't bother to really think on that.

No Moon he's met could ever sit still after all.

Unfortunately for him he didn't get away in time. Nexus had glanced over, presumably to see if he was there yet or not, and stood when he saw him.

“Hey…Sun…hey, hey hold on a minute! Before you start freaking out hear me out first! I swear I'm not here to cause any trouble or hurt anyone or anything, I swear. Look I'll keep myself right here. I'll even back up some more,” as he said he took a few steps back. “Just please, listen to me for a few minutes, ok?”

Sun was, understandably, nervous and tense. He'd heard about Solar's interaction with him, after all, and of course Moon's. Not to mention with his own problems related to Nexus he wasn't all that thrilled to see him again. He even had Moon's number half input before Nexus seemed to plead for him to listen.

That did make Sun pause. He knew Nexus was arrogant, cocky, full of himself and insane. And yet here he was almost begging to be heard. Sun swallowed hard- he really shouldn't listen to him, hell he shouldn't be sticking around to find out…

…Yet some part of him compelled him to. He finished putting in the number but didn't dial it. “Five. Five minutes. Then I'm calling Moon if you don't leave after.”

To his surprise Nexus nodded. “That…that's fine, that's fair. Five is about all I need, so I'll keep this quick…” Nexus took a deep breath and fixed his eyes on Sun.

“I'm sorry, Sun.”

“What…?” That threw him. What was he apologizing for? Well he knew what it could be but it wasn't possible right? No way he'd actually apologize for everything? He couldn't be…

“I'm sorry, Sun. For everything. For hurting you, hurting Earth and Solar and pushing you all away and…I'm sorry for how I acted. What I did, what I said. I know no amount of apologizing could ever fix what I did, and I know you aren't the only one I need to apologize to but I don't think Earth would want to see me any time soon.” He said, looking away and holding himself.

Sun was a bit stunned. He really was apologizing for everything he'd done to them. Looking at him in this moment he didn't see a crazed, grieving genius, but his brother, grieving the loss of his best friend.

Sun shook his head. No he couldn't do that, he couldn't feel bad for him, right? Could he…?

“...Why should I believe you?”

“Believe me or not, that's up to you. I know you probably won't, might not ever believe me. And I don't expect you to just forgive me and act like everything's fine. I don't expect any of you to do that. I know you all probably hate me at best, wish I was dead at worst. But I get it. Like I said I've done things I can't ever really come back from, said things I can't take back…I'm sorry it took me this far to realize what I was doing.”

Sun was…conflicted. On the one hand he could tell Nexus was being genuine. He could tell in his voice, his body language. But at the same time he couldn't believe him…and yet part of him wanted to forgive him.

Maybe that was a part of him rooted further than his code could ever reach in his systems, a compulsion to just take Nexus in his arms, forgive him, comfort him that everything would be ok.

But it wouldn't. He couldn't just lie to him like that.

Sun took a hesitant step towards him, then another, then another, until he was arm's length away from Nexus.

“I know you know this whole forgiveness thing won't be easy. Might not ever really happen, honestly. But…if you're genuinely sincere about this…” he paused. “Give me some time to think. Maybe talk to the others about it.”

Nexus looked at him, and the faintest glimpse of hope sparked in his eyes, a faint smile on his face. “Really? Like I said I don't expect any of you to just welcome me back but…even if you all agree against it I'll be fine just knowing you considered it.”

“Yeah…so what are you going to do? I can't exactly bring you home.”

Nexus shook his head. “Don't worry, I'm staying somewhere else. I'm gonna keep my distance until You've made your decision. And if need be I'll leave the dimension. Won't have to worry about running into me anywhere.”

“Well…I guess that works for now…does anyone know you're here?”

“No. Solstice is dead, Ruin's off on his own little…adventure, I guess. I haven't seen or heard from him since Solstice died. None of the others know either.”

Sun shook his head. “No, I didn't say anything to anyone. I figured it was fine since I was meeting Moon here.”

“Ah, yeah. Sorry about that, by the way. I just…I knew you wouldn't come if you knew it came from me and I didn't know how else to get you here…” Nexus rubbed the back of his neck.

“It…it's fine.” He shrugged. Now that most of the tension has ebbed they were left in a bit of an awkward silence until Nexus spoke again.

“I guess…I guess I'm gonna go ahead and leave for now. Use the number I texted you with when you have any news for me. Oh, and one more thing.”

Sun looked back at him as he was about to leave.

“Call me Comet, please.”

Sun tilted his head a bit. “What happened with Nexus?”

He shook his head. “Moon was right. Nexus was the dumbest idea for a name I think I ever had. Plus, whether I come back to you or not I want a fresh start and the name Nexus is not only stupid but it's got all kinds of unpleasant baggage attached to it. And if it matters any, I am gonna try and stick to some therapy. I think it'll do me some good either way. And I hope even if we can't be brothers again, maybe we can at least, y'know, still talk. I miss hearing you go on and on about your cleaning or your shows. And Dazzle. I miss her too.”

“Maybe You'll see her again. She has a new body though, her old one gave out on her finally. It's a lot easier on her than the old one was.”

“Really?” He smiled a bit. “That's good to hear. You should head back before they start worrying about you. Hopefully I'll see you later, Sun.”

“Yeah. Maybe. Bye…Comet.” Sun bid him farewell as Comet vanished in a flicker of purple and blue energy, and Sun began to head home to think.

Comet paced around his little apartment, biting at the silicone of his fingertips. He had been talking with Sun lately, mostly mundane things like how their days were, if anything interesting happened, how Comet's therapy was going. And he'd been given some…decent news.

The family agreed to see him again, start slow with at least interacting with him again. He wouldn't question how Sun convinced them to do it but he'd take it.

Any chance to rebuild his family is one he'd take, and he was determined not to fuck it up this time. Sun had even dropped in with Dazzle a few times.

She seemed to be the easiest to get back in touch with since she never really understood where he went or what happened at all. But he was happy to see her new look and to know she was doing leagues better than he had last seen her.

Today was something…special? Nerve wracking? The reason he was pacing a hole in his floor no thanks to the nervous ball that settled in his stomach and had him wanting to vomit even thought he couldn't?

All. All of the above is good.

Sun was bringing Solar by. And even though he's wanted some time with him again, he was starting to get cold feet. He figured Solar would be right up there with Earth wanting nothing to do with him, yet when Sun had called to let him know Solar wanted to see him he'd been excited, happy.

His pacing stopped and he took off the goggles he'd worn round his neck since the day he died, lightly running his thumb over the protective lens and leather frame. He'd kept the goggles in as pristine a condition as he could, he'd never worn these himself either, only kept them on him at all times.

And it wasn't until he started getting his sense back, or hell maybe even some time before he died, did he realize something.

He realized he had loved him.

Maybe that's why his death hit him so much harder. He hadn't loved him as a brother.

He loved him as a partner. And he died before Comet could ever confess to him.

He'd never really felt like he fit with Moon being aroace. He did some research but still seemed a little confused about how he felt exactly, but demiromantic seemed like a good fit.

Comet had been so lost in his thoughts he barely heard the knock at the door or it being opened, turning just as Sun came in.

“Hi, Comet. Sorry if we're a little late, Jack was…well, being Jack.” Sun said with a bit of a sigh.

Comet put the goggles back on. “It's fine. I lost track of the time a bit myself.” He looked around a bit, leaning to peek behind Sun, but saw no one there. “Where is-”

“He's coming. Just…getting himself ready for this and all. I'll tell you like I told him, if you want me to go, make this a one on one talk, I will. If not I'll hang around.”

Comet nodded. “Yeah, that's fair. Um…maybe? At least if we start off with a serious talk cause I have some stuff to say to him and…I don't know, it feels…God I feel like a teenager with their first crush explaining it to their parents. I have something I gotta get off my chest to him sooner rather than later.”

Sun nodded a bit, seeming to pick up on what he meant, but said nothing about it. “Alright then. I'll be on my way once he's in then.”

“Ok…thank you, Sun. For all of this. It really does mean a lot.”

Sun smiled a bit and turned away. “It's nothing, Comet. I figured one way or another we'd all get our closure about the whole situation. I'm just more surprised they all agreed to it.”

“Yeah, me too. But I decided against questioning a good thing like that.”

“Yeah probably best not to.”

The both of them looked up when they heard footsteps. Sun smiled. Comet's breath caught in his throat and he felt his nerves kick into overdrive as Solar finally entered the room.

He was dressed a little differently than the last time he'd seen him, a plain shirt in place of his daycare theater one, no gloves, the jacket still around his waist.

“Sorry I took forever, Sun.”

“It's fine, Solar. We were just talking a little, nothing too important. Comet did ask me to step away so you two could have some privacy. Is that alright? You can message me or something if you need or want me to come on back though.”

He seemed to think before Solar nodded. “Yeah, that's fine.”

“Alright then. I guess good luck then. I hope it goes well with you two. See you later.” Sun lingered for a moment before he left, closing the door behind him.

Solar and Comet were left in a tense, awkward silence for a moment before Comet got his nerves together. “Um…you can sit down, if you're hungry or thirsty I can grab you something?”

Solar stared at him before taking his offer and sitting on the couch. “No, it's fine. I'm good.” Solar silently cursed himself for being so nervous and tense. But he felt it was justified given Comet's past actions. He also didn't fully believe Sun when he said Comet was trying to change though.

Comet eventually sat down himself, staring down at his shoes and fidgeting with his hands before he spoke again. “This is off to a bad start already…I know how you probably feel about all of this. I'm sure Sun's filled you in a bit from our first talk in the atrium. I'm glad you decided to do this, Solar. Even if it's the last time we ever talk.”

Solar looked at him, sitting forward a bit. “Yeah? I'm pretty on the fence about this whole thing. I don't know if I believe everything you told Sun. Not yet anyway. Maybe if I can see it I might. But until then…”

“Oh yeah no I get it. After the whole Solstice thing was finished I've been trying to get somewhat right again. Even picked up with a professional therapist and he's been really helping me. I finally managed to process a lot of stuff I'd been repressing and pushing down. It's a little rough of course, but it never is, is it? The whole processing trauma and healing thing.”

Solar made a noise of agreement. He was right about that. He'd been trying to work through his own feelings with Earth, both playing therapist to each other now and then.

The hardest parts had been when they discussed the entire betrayal, and when Solar came to terms with how he felt for Comet. By the time he'd realized that though it was too late.

Comet had gone off the deep end and nearly killed Earth. As far as he'd been concerned those feelings would absolutely mean nothing now.

“Yeah…” Solar sighed. “Y'know I hated you. After I heard what you did, I couldn't believe it. Not until we met again. I…didn't want to believe it. I'd already lost my first Moon, I couldn't handle that again…but at the same time, part of me didn't hate you. Couldn't, no matter what.” He chuckled a bit. “I don't know why. But in a way I still cared for you despite everything…suppose I still do too.”

Comet looked at him, tilting his head a bit. “How? How could you still care about me?”

Solar paused. He didn't think he could tell Comet the real reason. “I don't know. Maybe it was Sun's hope you could still be saved. His optimism is a little contagious.”

Comet chuckled a bit. “Yeah, it is…so what now?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean…what do you want to do after this? Because I'd love to talk some more. I missed it. I missed talking to you, doing projects with you. I missed…I missed you, Solar, I think more than I missed everyone else. I missed what we had.” Comet sighed softly.

“I just…even if we can't be that close anymore I at least want to talk. I'll be fine with that.”

Solar watched him and thought. “I missed it too, Comet. And…I think we can try being close again. I'd like that, honestly.”

Comet smiled. “Really? That'd be great!”

Solar tilted his head with an amused smile. “I don't think I've ever seen you that excited before.”

Comet blushed a little and rubbed his head. “Yeah, sorry. But I am excited to spend time with you again.” He smiled.

“Me too. Do you wanna do that now?”

“Sure! Do you wanna go out or stay here, watch a movie or something?”

“Let's stay here. And hm…I'll let you pick the movie.”

Comet hopped up and went to a small shelf, immediately plucking three DVD's from the growing collection he had and presented them to him. “I know it isn't just one movie but if you're still into it…?”

“I'm surprised YOU'RE still into My Little Pony…let's start here.” He pointed to the first one.

“Alright! And of course I am. I might have gone nuts but I still like what I like.” Comet said as he put the movie on, stepping into the kitchen and returning with a few snacks and drinks for them.

————————–—––––——––––——————

When Sun arrived hours later to get Solar, he found the door unlocked and heard something playing. He entered with a soft knock in case they were busy, coming to a stop by the couch.

Solar had moved to sit with Comet at some point, and at some point they'd fallen asleep, Solar leaning into Comet with his head on his shoulder, Comet with an arm loosely draped over his shoulder.

Sun couldn't help but smile at the sight and turned off the TV, plugged them both in, shut off the lights, and left them to sleep.

Sun was at the house playing with Jack, Dazzle and even Molten had joined in with them, when he heard muffled shouting near the door. Looking up he saw Monty and Solar. Monty was carrying something that he quickly realized was Moon.

As he stood he asked Jack, Dazzle and Molten to go up to their room for a bit, the three agreeing and going up as Sun went to open the door.

“Monty? Solar? Moon, what's going-”

“Ask questions later, move.”

Sun stepped back as Solar and Monty rushed inside to the couch, Sun following.

“Guys what's going on?” He stopped and looked down at Moon.

He was curled up tight, the back of his head lightly smoking and his whole body shaking. Sun could feel a faint wave of negative energy coming off of him.

The feeling made him grip the back of the couch as he asked again.

“What happened to him?”

Solar left to get something cold for Moon's head, leaving Monty to answer.

“I don't know entirely but I heard screamin’ from Parts and Service. I went to check it out ‘n found Nexus holdin’ him down. Threatened to shoot ‘im if he didn't step off and he left. I don't know what the bastard did to ‘im but he nearly broke his circuit board in half. I think the bastard tried to kill ‘im.”

That made something tighten in Sun's stomach. This was twice now that Moon had encountered Nexus, but this is the first time he's actually hurt him so badly.

“Is Earth here? Or Lunar?” He heard Monty ask.

He managed to shake his head no, stuck in his thoughts as he stared down at Moon, shaking horribly like he was freezing.

“Luckily we managed to hold ‘im down long enough to saulder the board together again and had to repair a little in the cylinder thing.” Monty said.

“And he kept screaming “I'm sorry, I'm sorry Johnathan. No idea why though.” Solar mentioned as he came back with a cold cloth.

Sun swallowed hard as he sat down next to the couch.

“Johnathan was one of the few kids that wasn't scared of Moon. He took a liking to the kid. He found out things weren't good in his home and one night he snuck out, followed him home to see what the problem was…whatever happened there Johnathan never came back to the daycare. He never left that house alive again…I don't know if Moon killed him, or someone else did. But it's torn him up ever since. Not as bad as it used to but it still bothers him now and then…”

“So that's why…” Solar muttered to himself..

“His system is cooling down a bit…his battery's pretty low too…”

“S…un…?”

He looked over to Moon, his brother trying to weakly reach for him.

Sun moved to kneel in front of the couch and placed a hand on his shoulder, firm and comforting. He saw now that Moon's eyes were completely dark- had the encounter left him blind too?

Trembling fingers lightly grasped his wrist, the shaking easing a bit when they did.

“S…ta…y…”

Then he completely shut down, body relaxing a little as he did.

Sun sighed, staying for a moment before going to get the portable charger.

“Someone…hurt Moon?”

Sun looked to the door of his bedroom, Molten standing at the frame.

“I thought I asked you to stay with Jack and Dazzle.”

“They are…napping. Who hurt him.”

Sun sighed. “Molten, you can't go after him. As much as we'd like to see someone hand his ass to him, if you tried he'd kill you easy. Not to mention the dragon…we aren't entirely sure where he even is anyway so trying to find him right now would be pointless.”

“But Moon will be fine,” Sun said, more to reassure himself than anyone else. “We'll make sure he's OK, Molten. For now just stay with the others. If they ask just…tell them Moon isn't feeling too good right now, ok? Please?”

Molten was quiet. He made a promise to himself to protect his friends, his family.

“Fine…but will you…tell me…if you find…anything?”

“I don't know. Maybe? That might be more for Moon or Solar to decide though. We'll cross that bridge when we get to it though. For now just go on to your room, alright? Moon will be ok, he just needs to rest for a few days is all.”

Sun left the room, coming downstairs again. Solar had already covered Moon with a blanket, while Monty was trying to explain to Earth, in the best way possible, what had happened.

Telling Lunar would be trickier, to try and not let him get too worked up.

Sun hooked Moon up to the charger and sat by the couch again, watching Moon silently as he charged.

“Next time you meet him, I'll be there. Maybe this time I can protect you from him…”

/All he heard was screaming, all he saw was fire and blood. But he couldn't move. He couldn't quite tell where he was or who was screaming- was it Sun? Jack? Dazzle?

Then he heard what they were screaming.

Moon!

Moon!

MOON!

moon help me, please, it's so hot and it hurts, I can't breath!

A chill ran through his systems. He recognized those words. They plagued his mind on sleepless nights like a ghost hanging over him.

Johnathan's last words before he died.

Now Moon found himself trying to move, struggling against whatever was holding him back.

Moon looked down at himself, finding he was trapped by purple ropes of energy.

Then, out of the fire stepped a tall, lanky figure.

Nexus.

Why was he here?

Nexus leaned down, taking hold of Moon's hat and made him look up at him.

"I will make sure you suffer if I can't have the information I want. And if I can't get any from you, maybe I can make Sun be more cooperative."

"Bastard...if you even try to lay a hand on him-"

Nexus laughed.

"Oh please, what can you do against me? You're weak and pathetic. You can't do anything you me, Moon. You'll never stop me. Now,"

"Wake up."/

Moon suddenly woke up with a start, trying to sit up.

The lights, though low, still irritated his eyes, and he hurt all over.

Mostly his head, though. God he hadn't felt a migraine this splitting since he had Killcode active in his body.

He held his head as he tried to get up.

"No, no Moon lay back down." He heard someone say as he felt someone pushing him back down.

He immediately started trying to push them off, still disoriented by his encounter with Nexus and coming out of rest mode, so he was still getting his bearings, which wasn't helped by the person pushing him and telling him to stay down.

"Moon, seriously, knock it off and lay down, please, you still need to rest."

The voice was finally registering in his head.

Sun.

He finally opened his eyes and looked up at him.

Sun looked at him, worry etched on his face. Slowly Sun brought his hands to Moon's face, gently holding him.

"Moon? Are you ok? Are you gonna listen to me now?"

Moon leaned into him and curled up a little, nodding slightly.

"Head...killing me..."

Sun sat back a bit and grabbed something and handed it to him- some ibuprofen and water.

Moon gladly took it, chugging down the bottle until it was empty.

"Yeah I...I'm listening..." He muttered.

"Good. How do you feel? We've been worried about you..." Sun said, his hands leaving Moon to settle on his lap, fists clenching tightly against the fabric of his pants.

An old nervous habit Sun had, Moon remembered. He must have been really freaked out.

"I feel...fine? My everything hurts though..." Moon said, closing his eyes again.

"Yeah, I imagine so. You were pretty damaged by that dark star power stuff. Solar sort of filled me in about what happened to you. You've been out for like...three days, Moon."

"Wha- three days?!"

"Yeah...Solar said you were really messed up. Your circuit board was almost cut apart...you nearly died, Moon."

Sun looked away from him a moment, not wanting to think about it further.

Moon watched him, carefully sitting up and taking his hands to comfort him a little.

"Honestly? I probably would have been if it weren't for Monty. Idiot threatened him with a shotgun." He laughed a bit before coughing and groaning.

"Yeah that...that probably wouldn't have ended well for them." Sun said and sighed.

"I was terrified, Moon. I thought you were gonna die again..."

"Nah, you won't get rid of me that easy again." He smiled a little before it fell. "I was scared too, Sun. It was awful, mostly how it felt. But I...I remembered things, too. Things I don't like thinking about." Moon leaned in and rest his head against Sun's shoulder.

"I remembered Johnathan. John, the kid that liked me."

Sun looked down at him, eyes a little wide.

Moon brought his arms around Sun's waist.

Sun hugged him back and held him.

Sun then felt Moon shaking, then heard a quiet sound and felt something wet on his shoulder.

Moon was crying.

Sun hugged him a little tighter.

"That was all I could see and hear, the fire, all the blood, and the last things he said..."

"He was crying for me, Sun. Begging for me to help him, Sun, but I couldn't. I couldn't do anything to save him..."

Sun listened, holding him and trying to comfort him like he had for him months ago, when he learned Dazzle was Evelyn.

"It wasn't your fault, Moon. You did what you could for him. He knew you cared about him. You tried to help him from his home. He knew you were trying to help him."

"Trust me, I know how it feels to blame yourself for someone dying, how it feels to think it's your fault and clinging to all that guilt and shame for years. But it doesn't do you any good to hold onto it forever. I know that's easier said than done, believe me. But it helps having someone to lean on to help you get there easier."

"I know it doesn't ever really go away, but having someone can make it easier to deal with. And you know if it ever gets too bad for you, I'll always be there for you, Moon."

Sun hugged him close again.

"I know. It's just hard not to think about when you're forced to remember it. But thank you, Sun. I mean it. That actually does make me feel a bit better."

Sun smiled softly. "I'm glad I could help. Guess Earth' therapy sessions rubbed off on me a little. Now you should get some more rest. Solar and Molten have been taking shifts outside the door in case Nexus comes here to try anything. I've been sitting in here with you. And don't worry, I've been charging too."

Moon nodded. "Okay, good, I was gonna say...are you gonna stay again?"

"Yeah, I'll stay until you're good to go again."

"Ok, thank you."

Moon looked at him and could tell he was thinking something.

"On the off chance you're thinking about it, you are not going after them yourself. We aren't doing all that again."

"I'm not, I promise I'm not! Mainly cause it ended so badly the last time I tried, and I gotta watch Dazzle now. I'm not gonna go after Nexus or Dark Sun myself."

"Good, good, thank you..." Moon muttered, finally laying back down, his battery still a bit low.

Sun settled back into his spot by the bed and closed his eyes, loosely holding Moon's hand as they fell asleep.

He would keep his promise and not run off, but he would beat Nexus into the ground for what he's done to Moon the next time they meet.

Moon followed after Monty, Solar close behind them, though Moon's mind was somewhere else further away than here.

He didn't know how to tell any of them. Hell he's barely accepted it himself.

They stepped inside. Why did they have to be here already, at least give him some time to prepare himself...

Monty went over and took Earths’ hands, pulling her from her baking. "Turn it all off, hon, and come sit down. I gotta tell you somethin'."

Earth seemed a bit puzzled and a little worried, seeing the looks on Solar and Moon's faces, and noticing a lack of Sun.

She didn't question it though, turning everything off as Solar collected Lunar, joining the rest of them in the living room.

"So what's going on?" Earth looked at Monty.

He sighed. "Think you can handle some really bad news?"

Earth looked at Lunar, both giving each other a very concerned look. "I don't think I like the sound of that, Monty."

"You won't. I mean I got good news too but it's attached to the bad news."

"Then start with the good news, please? Maybe it'll make the bad news less bad?"

She was as hopeful as Sun sometimes...Moon lightly shook his head at that.

Monty sighed again, taking a moment to steel himself before speaking.

"Dark Sun is dealt with. He won't be an issue anymore. Nexus is being held somewhere he can't escape from."

'Now came the harder part' Moon thought, his mind wandering as he stared at the floor, thoughts running a million miles a second.

How would they react? Besides the obvious, of course. Earth was sensitive, one of the two closest to Sun- shed been there when Moon died, when everything was going wrong. Would she have another breakdown like when Solar died?

Lunar was pretty detached from his emotions. Maybe due to his trauma, his training, both. But he was also close with Sun. Sun had been there for him when he was getting away from Eclipse, built his gift, Lunar went to him when he couldn't go to Moon or Earth.

And Dazzle...Gods Dazzle won't understand where Sun is, what happened to him, why he isn't here or coming back...

He was pulled back to reality as a sudden sob tore through the air. Coming back to his senses he saw Monty holding Earth close as she sobbed against him.

Lunar was staring off past them, hands gripping at the fabric of his pants. Finally he forced himself to look at Moon, a smile on his face and a disbelieving laugh on his lips.

"This...this has to be a joke, right? A terrible, horrible, no good, very bad joke...p-payback for the computer thing, right? Right, Moon, tell us it's an awful joke...!"

The silence from Moon, Solar and Monty told him it wasn't a joke.

His smile and laughter fell into quiet crying.

"What's wrong down here?"

And just like that, the moment Moon dreaded had come.

He looked up to the stairs seeing Jack, Dazzle and Molten all peering down at them, worry across their face.

Moon sighed and gathered his nerves, excusing himself briefly before heading up, ushering the three back into Jack and Dazzle's room.

"What' wrong? Why is everyone so sad?" Dazzle looked up at him as he shut the door and sat by the bunk beds.

It took a moment before he finally spoke.

"Sun died."

As expected Dazzle seemed more confused than upset. Jack and Molten however...

"What...do you mean...died?"

"Who." Jack placed a hand on Dazzle's shoulder like she was the one they could hear sobbing and screaming from downstairs.

"Dont...don't worry about it right now you two. Please, this...isn't the time, Solar or I will fill you in later...can you two go downstairs, please? Dazzle, you stay for a bit."

She looked at her two friends, both nodding slightly before they left and closed the door behind them.

Dazzle approached Moon, sitting with him, hugging her Sun plushie a little tighter.

"What's going on...? Why's everyone so sad? What happened to Sun?"

"The best way I can explain it, Dazzle...what happened to you, you know what happened to you, right?"

She nodded. "Mhm! Some meanie hurt me and then I was a ghost and you guys found and fixed me up....is Sun a ghost?"

Moon nodded. "Basically, yeah..."

Instead of sad, however, she still seemed hopeful. "Then you can just fix him like you fixed me, right?"

She moved closer and hugged him. He hugged back, closing his eyes.

"I'm certainly gonna try but...there's no certainty it'll work. Sun might never come home again, Dazzle."

She seemed to understand that a little better.

"Oh..."

She then held up her Sun plushie. "Do you want him, Moonie?"

"Are you sure, Dazzle? Isn't this your favorite toy?"

"It is. But it always makes me feel better when I'm sad, and you're sad too now, so it'll help you feel better too!" She gave him a big smile.

He couldn't help the small half smile of his own as he took and hugged the plushie close. "Thanks, Dazzle." He ruffled her hair a bit before she hugged him again, and he held her.

A few hours (minutes, maybe, he wasn't sure- all he knew is that all the commotion quieted down downstairs by then).

Dazzle had fallen asleep.

Moon carefully tucked her in with another of her toys and stepped out of the room.

Peering over the banister he found Monty, Earth, Solar, Lunar and Jack all huddled up together sleeping, with Molten silently standing over them, watching.

Suddenly he looked up at Moon.

"Are you...ok...Moon?"

"...No, I'm not." He said before disappearing into Sun's room.

Molten followed.

Moon was sitting on the bed, staring at the plushie.

He hadn't registered he was crying until he began to notice dark, wet spots on the doll.

Molten changed his form, carefully coiling around Moon and resting his upper body and head across his lap, wrapped around him like one big hug to comfort him.

"I am...sorry I was not...there to...help you."

Moon sniffled and shook his head.

"I don't think there's anything you could have done, Molten. I barely managed to make it out of there alive myself...only reason Sun didn't is he stayed back to make sure I got out...damn idiot..."

His body began to shake, tears starting to fall down his face as he started to sob, clinging to Molten a bit.

"It's not fair, damn it! Why did he have to go and do something stupid like that for...? He's gone...my twin's gone..."

Moon sat up first, looking around. The place they ended up was dark but he could see bolts of color here and there.

Namely purple.

He kept looking around until he saw a nearby pile of yellow and hurried over.

"Sun? Sun are you ok? You awake? Answer me!"

Moon was met with a groan.

"I don't...know about fine...I'm awake though."

Moon helped him sit up, noticing a faint tinge of purple creeping into his eyes.

"What do you meanby "I don't know about fine"?"

"I...I can feel Wither Shards. I can feel so many in every direction, they're literally everywhere here."

"That might not be good then." Moon said as his body scanned the area before he looked around, pulling Sun up with him.

"C'mon we gotta hide. Something's coming."

"W-what do you mean something-" Sun was cut off by the distant sounds of snapping branches.

"Ok never mind. Hiding now...where, exactly?"

"I don't know, just somewhere. I'm picking up...shit, two signals?...Oh fuck-" Moon risked an upwards glance behind him as they ran, spotting two rer, piercing, beady eyes following from three tree tops, one of which was accentuated with a purple scelera.

On the ground Moon saw red eyes swirled by purple on the right side and black on the left, chasing just as close as the ones in the trees.

"Fuck, keep running, there's a building ahead and two things after us!" Moon shouted as they sprinted.

For a brief moment, then, the sounds of running behind them stopped.

Then Sun went down with a loud yelp, making Moon slide to a stop and whirl around to him.

"Sun!?"

Sun kicked and struggled against what had tackled him down, feeling hands at his arms and shoulders.

"Why do you fight us, Sol?"

The recognition of the voice was followed by silence, then a low growl.

"This is not our Sun."

He heard the grin in his voice, and felt claws tap against his back.

In a moment of panicked thinking he released a wave of electricity across his body to stun Bloodmoon.

Then he heard metal hit metal and felt Bloodmoon's weight leave him and he quickly got up with Moon's help.

"Are you ok?"

"Uh yeah I-I think so? Where'd he go?" Sun grabbed hold of Moon and looked around for the blue and red animatronic and froze.

"Uh...M-Moon, I think we're in worse trouble..."

Moon looked to Sun and where he was looking and stared.

"Oh fuck."

Standing over Bloodmoon, who had gotten back up, was a huge lanky figure crouching over Bloodmoon, big red eyes piercing through them.

A chill ran through Moon's system.

Even from another dimension Moon didn't think he'd ever forget that face.

Killcode.

Killcode took his gaze from the two, reaching and picking up Bloodmoon, examining the faint scuffs on his body and dent in his face plate.

"Moon? Do you...I think he's distracted, should we try to run?" Sun whispered lowly to Moon to not alert either animatronic before them, as well as trying to contain the way his voice trembled.

"I don't think it would matter. Killcode is huge and Bloodmoon is fast. They'd catch up and kill us before we could blink." Moon whispered back to him.

Suddenly Killcode looked to them and started reaching for them, Bloodmoon now tucked and settled under his hat like a blanket.

Sun and Moon stumbled back a bit as they were grabbed and picked up, held surprisingly gently, and began to walk.

Moon was muttering to himself, going over every piece of data his system haf compiled about the dimension, keeping one hand on Sun's wrist.

He could hear his panicked mumbling and gave him a reassuring squeeze.

"Try to calm down. I'm not gonna let us die here."

"Moon. Do you see the size of this thing? Not to mention the both of them are like...drenched in Wither Shard energy...oh my god I think I can feel star power in Bloodmoon too."

"Yeah? Fuck that isn't good then..."

"Yeah no I don't think it is...I think I feel worse, Moon..."

Moon looked over at Sun to see him slightly swaying. With Killcode's current gait the way he swayed wasn't caused by the walking. Looking closer he saw the purple creeping into his eyes more.

He remembered a similar thing happening when they encountered Solstices' dragon for the first time.

"Sun? Hey, Sun stay with me now, c'mon." Moon gently shook Sun to get him back in his own head.

"Sun, come on, wake up damn it!"

Sun jolted and blinked, shaking his head. "Ugh what are you yelling for?"

"Sorry, but you zoned out again. Like you did with the dragon?"

"What? But why? There's no dragon here is there?"

"I don't think so, no. But it may be the energy coming off of these two that's affecting you instead..." Moon ran a quick diagnostic on Sun.

"Hm...yeah. After the dragon thing I upgraded the systems to pick up on negative star power or Wither Shard Energy, mostly to keep track of it, and make it easier on you for us finding them. System says it's settled inside you. Not a lot to really do anything, but we should try to not be around these two that much if we can."

Above them, Killcode softly growled, which they took as a warning to finally shut up.

It wasn't long before they reached a large, dark building.

Killcode set Sun and Moon down.

"You stay."

He then carefully took Bloodmoon from his hat and set them away from the two.

"You. Blackout. Go."

Bloodmoon looked up at him, then Sun and Moon and growled.

Killcode responded with a low warning growl of his own.

Bloodmoon huffed and turned to leave, then suddenly turned and jumped at Sun and Moon.

Sun jumped himself and nearly fell if not for Moon catching him.

Bloodmoon cackled before running off on all fours.

Behind them, Killcode had shrunk down to a far shorter height, but still stood over the two.

"Inside."

He stepped past them through the door.

"Follow."

Sun and Moon looked at one another before they followed Killcode.

As they walked Sun kept a hold on Moon, looking around.

There were photos hung here and there of a woman that looked like Earth but with short hair, a Moon, Sun, Eclipse with horns, Bloodmoon and Killcode. The photos were shot like family photos- mostly Halloween ones but also a few Christmas ones too.

Odd to see in a world like this, but maybe that was a common trait among Earths,, trying to be happy with their family no matter how messed up things were.

Killcode finally led them to a set of double doors and knocked. When a voice called from inside, they entered.

"Gaia? Found...guests." Killcode said, going up to the woman- Gaia, not earth, Moon presumed- in a taller height than he was before now, still smaller than their first encounter.

Gaia smiled and pat his cheek, offering him a chunk of something red.

"Thank you, Grimm. Here, have some lung as a treat."

Grimm (seems everyone here had a different name) let out a happy little growl and snatched up thr meat into his mouth, making Gaia giggle slightly.

"Easy now, remember our talk? You almost took my fingers off that time." She then turned to Sun and Moon and paused.

"Oh...you are...definitely not of this dimension."

Moon stepped up, keeping Sun behind him out of habit.

"Uh yeah, ending up here was an accident. If it's no trouble we'd like to get out of here, no problems."

Grimm tilted his head.

"No problems? Harmed Erythros."

"Oh?"

"That was purely for self-defense. Also we've been attacked by a thing that looks exactly like them a lot so it's kind of a self-preservation habit at this point."

"Hm, I see. Where are they now?"

"Blackout."

"Alright." She came around to them and ushered them from the room.

"How about we go somewhere more suited for having guests? Can I get either of you anything? A drink, snack?"

"Uhm...do you have any tea? Maybe green?" Sun spoke up, hesitation in his voice.

"Of course! And no need to be so nervous, I don't bite. Also, even if you don't plan to stay long," As they entered a room with a fireplace, tables, chairs and bookshelves, Gaia grabbed a small box and took out two small bracelets, each black with purple crystal.

As she put them on the two, Sun found himself just stating at his, Moon's voice suddenly oddly distant even though he swore his brother was right next to him.

Though the distant, out-of-body-experience type of sensation wasn't nearly as strong as it was before, he assumed due to the bracelet.

Sudden shaking pulled him from his stupor, and he looked at Moon.

"Seriously, we gotta find a way to stop you doing that."

"You'll want these to help regulate the energy here. Although it seems like it already affects you. Perhaps I can ask why?"

Moon shrugged.

"It's a complicated thing that even we don't know why it happens. I started teaching him magic, like a day or so later he's sensing these Wither Shard things. No idea how or why, if it was the magic or something caused by his killing a baby Wither Storm or what."

Gaia sat some tea down for them, then herself.

"Hm. That is interesting. I believe Soleil has a similar ability. One person may have an answer but none of us are particularly fond of him. Us and him are always fighting." She sighed.

"It's like a never-ending battle with him..."

"Yeah, we've been there more times than we can count. So far our longest issues have been Eclipse and the Creator, but the Eclipse issue's sorted itself out finally. He moved to a new dimension, and by then he was less of a threat and more of a slight nuisance. Mostly stayed out of our lives by then. Anyway you said someone might be able to help? Even if you don't get along maybe we can talk to him?"

Gaia shook her head. "I don't know. Everything we know about Nexus tells us he isn't a kind or patient man, especially to strangers."

Moon was the first to choke on his tea.

It took Sun a moment to process before he choked too, clearing his throat and hit Moon's back to clear his, looking at Gaia.

"I'm sorry what did you say?" He took hold of Moon's hand loosely, just in case he...had a reaction again.

"Nexus? He isn't a man that just gives his help...or any for that matter. Why?"

"God why is he here too...?"

"Oh? You've met him before?"

"Sort of? Not the one from this dimension. We've been dealing with our own for a while now. It' a long story but to keep it short, he really hates us. Almost killed Moon and our sister, nearly kidnapped me. He wants my Wither Shard sense ability."

"Yeah...his existence is basically my fault. I quote unqoute "died" a year ago, and Nexus was my reset version." Moon hugged himself a bit.

"He wasn't the way he is now at first though. I think what really made him spiral was Solar' death cause he just...fell apart after that. Breakdown and all." Sun said, looking away and he couldn't stop the guilty feeling creeping up inside him.

"Even if it isn't the same one and he doesn't know us I don't think I- we could handle seeing him again." Moon said, trying to keep his voice from shaking too much.

It was hard not to be scared of Nexus in any dimension now. He almost died to one, after all.

"I see. Well, in that case you don't need to go see him if it'd be too much." Gaia said, sitting back in her seat.

"And even if they aren't the same person, it seems we have a common enemy. Would you, perhaps, be open to a deal? The matter of getting you home isn't part of it, we can help with that whenever you're ready. But if you're willing, perhaps we can help each other with out Nexus problems. What do you say?"

Moon and Sun hesitated, whispering between themselves.

"What do you think Sun? She doesn't seem immediately dangerous. I mean she's offering us help to get home and help with our current problem. I'd say we take it. I mean better than going around for months or even years just to make a little progress. I mean all we have right now is the star shells and Lunar. We don't even know where Nexus exactly is yet."

Sun thought to himself for only a moment. "Yeah...yeah you're right. Y'know I wonder if there's an Earth out there that's actually evil. Like doing what she does just for her own benefit, no one else. I mean even dictator earth is doing her mission to make everyone happy...whether it's willing or forced but still. Anyway, it might be a good idea to take her help, yeah."

They sat back and Moon took her hand and shook it.

"We have a deal."

Gaia smiled.

"Wonderful. Now let's get to work."

Astrophel nervously paced back and forth, muttering to himself that Supernova was going to be fine, Monty was gonna get him, it would be fine.

He had to be.

He stopped and looked up when he heard the door open, but his stomach dropped when he didn't see any signs of Nova.

"Monty...where's Nova?"

Monty was silent, setting his shotgun down and sat, his head in his hands.

"Monty. What happened." Astrophel asked again, voice low and starting to shake as he began to imagine the worst.

Finally Monty spoke.

"I'm sorry, Astro. I got there too late. Bastard dragged him through his portal as I got there. I got a few shots in Nexus before he vanished but...I couldn't get Nova..."

Astrophel felt himself shaking, starting at his hands and quickly spreading across his body.

Even if Supernova was taken alive, he didn't know how long Nexus would keep him that way.

He sat down, gripping at the chair arms to try and ground himself enough to try and think of a plan.

He'd been so lost in his own panic and thoughts that it took him at least a minute to register Solar knelt in front of him, holding his shoulders and calling his name.

"Astro, God damnit, do you hear me? Come on, talk to me, say something...!"

Astrophel blinked, also noting the tears down his face. He reached up and wiped them away.

"Yeah...I-I'm here, Solar..." He hung his head, lightly taking hold of Solar's wrists since the arm chair wasn't working- he figured something more alive would help ground him more.

"Ok good, finally. You good to start talking?"

"Monty can tell you more, I had him go get Nova."

Solar stayed by Astrophel and looked to Monty.

"Astro called me, told me Nexus was with Nova and asked me to get her. I got there just as Nexus took her through. I shot him a few times but I couldn't get Nova back in time."

Solar listened and sighed.

"Ok. Well, at least we know you can damage him. How did you, exactly, actually?"

"Star powered shells. Got some from Nebula, and the gun might explode if I shoot off too much, so I'll need a few more to make sure the job gets done."

"Star power huh? Might have someone that can give us some extra help then." Solar thought aloud.

"Lunar?"

"Yeah. If he's able to that is, but that should be fine to handle."

"Alright. He' downstairs. Monty, you wanna talk to him or should I?"

"I will." Monty said as he stood. "You stay with Astro." He headed downstairs.

Lunar was sitting on a beanbag watching TV and eating Nurella, looking up when he sensed Monty.

"Hey, what's up?" He paused his show.

"Hey, little guy. Question, can you ask one of your Astral friends if you can use your power against Nexus?"

"Uh...yeah I can ask, why?"

"Uh, well...he kidnapped Nova and I injured him with star power infused shells from Nebula."

Lunarbpaused mid bite of Nutella, eyes locked straight ahead as he processed what Monty said.

"He did what."

"He kidnapped Nova. I tried to save her but I was too late..."

Lunar set his Nutella down and stood. He could feel electricity sparking all across his body, then took a deep breath to calm down and not electrocute the house before he stepped outside.

"Gemini! Taurus!" He shouted.

It didn't take long for the two (three?) Of them to arrive. Taurus commented first.

"Your power and energy seem to have spiked, little puck."

"Yeah, what's going on Lunar?"

"I need a favor. Nexus kidnapped Nova and I'm VERY pissed off. He can be damaged by positive star power. He's a threat to my family, this world, this whole dimension due to his abuse of negative star power. Do I have permission to use my power to it's current fullest extent to deal with him once and for all? After all he's basically a dark star being now, and that'll be my job eventually right? Dealing with things like him?"

Gemini and Taurus looked at each other, then stepped aside to briefly discuss, and it didn't take long before they turned back to him and nodded.

"You are correct. I suppose, then, you may consider this your first real mission. You have my permission to do what you must and put an end to this threat once and for all. And before you ask, yes, you can charge your power into weapons." Taurus said, gazing down at Lunar.

Lunar nodded, electricity running along his body again. "Thanks Taurus." He headed back inside.

"Ok guys. I got the all clear to use my powers on him. When do we leave?"

"I gotta prepare my guns first. Then we make a plan and we're off."

"I can get you some more guns, Monty." Astrophel said, sitting back in his seat and now more calmed down. Still upset and worried, but no longer in a panic now.

"Solid. Alright. Let's get started."

Nova groaned softly as he began to wake up, trying to move but he couldn't. Looking around he found his arms and legs restrained by ropes of purple energy and saw he was in some sort of facility.

Then he heard footsteps and a voice.

"Are you finally awake yet, dear brother Nova?"

He jolted slightly as Nexus' voice met his ears, and he tried to look at him.

"What do you want? I already told you I'm not going to help you!"

"And I told YOU that you don't have a choice in the matter." Nexus growled, grabbing some cables and forcing Nova's head down as he started plugging them into the back panels.

Nova squirmed, trying and failing to get away from Nexus before he stepped back and started typing away on his computer.

"What are you-" Nova was cut off as waves of electrical shocks shot through his head and throughout his body, making him tense up tight like a seizure, a loud cry of pain tearing from his throat.

"Oh yeah, I forgot to mention this is probably gonna hurt." Nexus said with a twisted grin as his computer began to scrub through Nova's system trying to find any of the info he wanted, how or why Nova can sense the shards, or where the ones he had already found were stored, anything.

And if he had to he'd force Nova to be his compass. It was the only other use he had for him.

It didn't take long for the computer to ping with an alert.

Nexus quickly turned to the screen and pulled up the compiled note file it had made for him. "Well that was fast...guess I-"

He was cut off by an alarm going off in his sector of the facility. Pulling up the cameras he saw Monty, Astrophel, Lunar and Solar.

"Well, well, looks like someone came to save you. Let's see if they can find you in time."

Nexus pressed a button, changing the intervals of the shocks to endless, each wave shooting through her body, making her cry out in pain again as Nexus left.

The four of them had split up. Their main goal was to find Nova and finally do away with Nexus for good.

If they ran into Equinox or Solstice they'd also be dealt with.

Astrophel was with Monty, briefly freezing up when they heard screaming from somewhere deep within the facility.

"Hey, Astro. We're gonna find her. She'll be ok."

Astro nodded, but his anxiety kept telling him she wouldn't be.

They rounded the corner and stopped.

Standing just ahead of them in the hallway were Solstice and Equinox.

Solstice put his hands up as Monty raised his gun.

"Easy, I'm not here to cause any trouble this time. If anything I'd like to help you."

"Why? Why would you?" Monty asked.

"Because everything Nexus has done up to now is causing me problems and frankly I'm tired of it. His plans are interfering with mine."

Astro and Monty looked at each other.

"As for why I'm here," Equinox began. "I plain and simply put do not care for Nexus whatsoever. If you can put him down then I will do what I can to help you do so."

"What do you think? Should we trust them?" Monty asked Astrophel.

Another scream echoed through the halls, making Astrophel jump and shut his eyes tight, trying to ignore the "worst case scenario what ifs" before he sighed.

"We don't have time to question it. If they can help find Nova, I'll take it. But if either of you are lying-"

"I promise we're not. On the Graves of my friends, Astrophel. I swear on nothing less." Equinox said as they began to walk.

Astro and Monty fell into step behind them.

The screaming got louder.

They were getting closer.

Nexus returned to the lab he had Nova trapped in one last time to finish what he started.

There were faint marks on Nova's body now where the electricity ran through her.

Oh well. It wouldn't matter in a few short minutes anyway.

"Y'know, I probably could have been helped before all of this happened, but no. None of you tried enough. And now your blood is on their hands."

She managed to look up at him, not noticing the shocks had stopped.

"We did try, Nexus. You didn't let us help. You didn't tell Earth about your breakdown the last time we did family therapy. I didn't tell her because I didn't think you'd want me to tell her."

"She wouldn't want me to tell her your private business like that, no matter how much it would do you good. I didn't say anything because I didn't want to go behind your back. You weren't fine, Nexus. None of us were, but you were worst. We did try to help you. You just didn't want it."

Nexus listened, only half-heartedly and not really caring for what she said, before he growled and punched him.

"Shut up. I'm done listening to you and your bullshit excuses."

Nexus stepped away, his back to her. Part of him, buried and hidden away deep inside, knew she was right.

That in his grief he unintentionally sabotaged himself, dooming himself to his actions and the following outcomes.

But the person he was now would never admit it, never address it. And dealing with Nova would ensure he never thought about it all again.

With his back to her still he raised a hand, a ball of purple energy swirling into his palm.

"Nexus...? What are you-"

"Goodbye, Nova."

Nova felt the panic rise in her body as she began to frantically try one last time to get himself free, closing his eyes when he didn't and braced for the impact of the attack.

Except it never came.

Hesitantly he opened his eyes, his eyes widening at the sight before him.

Lunar stood before him, a shield put up and deflecting Nexus' blast, throwing it to the side, hitting and destroying a part of the wall.

Nexus stumbled back slightly as he stared at Lunar, almost in shock.

"Lunar? What are you-"

"We came to get you back. What, you think we're just gonna leave you here?" The smaller animatronic looked at him with a grin, which fell when he saw the marks from the shocks and bruising from Nexus.

He turned back to Nexus.

"How did you find me so fast?"

"Did you forget I'm an Astral? A youngling maybe, but still an Astral. I can feel your dark star power almost anywhere." He began to approach Nexus.

Nexus backed away, throwing another bolt of energy at him, then another, and another and another.

Lunar deflected each attack.

"W-what do you think you can do to me, anyway?"

"Monty hurt you with some shells, right? Star power infused. Positive energy is like poison to you, doesn't feel very good." Lunar charged up a quick attack, throwing a bolt of lightning at him.

Nexus barely managed to deflect it.

"What the-"

"My emotions and powers are connected, remember? And right now I'm VERY pissed off. You tried to kill my sister, you sent one brother into a heavy depression spiral, and you kidnapped and hurt my other brother. So yeah, I'm pretty pissed. But I won't kill you." He approached until Nexus was backed against the wall.

"No. I'll let them handle you. But if you ask me, even that's too good for you."

Taurus and Gemini appeared behind Lunar.

Taurus snapped his fingers, trapping Nexus in blue energy ropes.

Nexus tried to use his powers but couldn't.

"What the hell did you do to me?!"

"Anti-matter and anti-star power bindings. Your powers are now rendered useless."

Nexus struggled against the bindings still. Taurus turned to Lunar. "Go to him. We will deal with this one."

Lunar nodded and hurried over to Nova and unplugged the cables, then started untying the bindings.

Taurus, Gemini, and Nexus vanished just as Astrophel and Monty arrived.

"Nova!" Astrophel ran over as Lunar got her free and she fell forward into Astro.

"Woah, hey easy, I got you. It's ok, you're safe now." Astrophel held him close.

Nova clung to him tightly, burying his face into his shoulder.

"What did he do to you? Where did he go?"

"He plugged me up to these cables that were constantly shocking me, trying to find my Wither Shard connection thing in my system. He left me here to be shocked. When he came back he almost killed me if it weren't for Lunar. Taurus and Gemeini took him away."

"They're most likely gonna have a trial for him like they did with me. Except they might end up just killing him."

Nova looked away. "I'm guessing there isn't much we could do about that?"

"Probably not for him."

"Even after all this time, everything he's done, you still want him to live?"

"Whether he wants to be or not he's still my brother..." Nova said as Astro helped him stand.

"Sometimes I think you're too nice." Astrophel shook his head.

"Heh. Maybe I am..." Nova muttered before she suddenly collapsed against Astrophel.

"Woah, hey, Novie? Nova!?" He paused and knelt down with her, checking her over briefly to make sure he was alive.

"I think he's fine, just finally passed out from everything." Solar said, scanning her as well. "Electric damage mostly. Nothing that can't be fixed."

Astro sighed and picked Nova up, carrying him out with the others.

They were met with Equinox at the entrance.

"What are you doing now?"

"I'm leaving this place. Nexus is gone, Solstice has no use for me anymore. So I'm leaving."

"And where will you go?"

"I don't know. But rest assured, for the most part, I am out of your lives." Equinox said with a shrug.

"Hm...alright then. Let's head home, guys." And with that, they headed through the portal to go home.

He stared, eyes wide, watching as Sun fell to the floor and didn't move.

Nexus felt something inside of him, and suddenly he was transported back to that island house, in the back room with Sun, Solar and Equinox, holding Solar as he disappeared from existence.

He'd almost forgotten how it felt to see the person he cared so much for just...die in his arms.

Or in this case in front of him.

And now he was feeling it again, but not for Solar.

For Sun.

Part of him felt horrible. He had no right to mourn him, not after everything he's done to his family. Ex family.

He couldn't quite tell which one of them screamed for Sun.

But it was Astrophel that moved, stumbling slightly from shock, falling to his knees beside his brother's body, gently touching his face with trembling hands, checking for any signs of life.

He didn't find any.

Astrophel clung to Sun, half laid across him as if shielding him from anything else that would hurt him, body shaking as he sobbed, begging Sun to wake up and not to leave him like this.

And suddenly a familiar burning spread across Nexus' body, energy beginning to pool into his hands.

Anger. Despair. Pain.

Nexus whirled around and threw the energy at Solstice, who barely dodged it.

"Nexus, what are you-" He stopped short to dodge another attack, stumbling back as he did.

Nexus continued to throw bolts of energy at him, powers heightened by his anger and despair and rage boiling over the edge.

Now Nexus had him cornered, towering over Solstice who was cowering.

"Aw what's wrong Sol? Are you scared? Good. Look at you, nothing more than a cowering, pathetic coward like every other Sun. Why don't you stand and fight me yourself?"

He charged up one final blast and was about to kill him when Astrophel caught his arm.

"Nexus, that's enough."

Nexus looked at him and growled. "He killed our- your brother. You can't tell me you don't want him dead for this."

Astrophel was quiet then nodded.

"I do. Of course I want him dead. But it won't do anything to bring him back. This wasn't a dimensional death, I might be able to fix this..."

Astrophel glanced to Sun's body then away.

"Don't kill him. Leave him to the Astrals."

Nexus stared at him before sighing, the bolt of energy dissipating from his hand before he reached a hand towards Solstice.

"Won't kill him." He mumbled just enough for Astrophel to hear before the energy seeped into Solstice.

The yellow animatronic froze up, a faint purple glow around him.

"Paralyzed." Nexus said, his voice low, shoulders slumped as he stepped away, falling to his knees with his head low.

His body language said he was exhausted, resigned, giving in.

"You know they'll take you away too?"

"Yeah, I know. Probably kill me while they're at it...you think they'd grant me a final request? Like a human prison?"

Astrophel shrugged. "Maybe, depends on the request I guess."

"...I know it means next to nothing by now at this point but I'm sorry. For everything I've done and said to you, Sun, Earth. I know I can't take any of it back either."

"...I'm sorry too. I realized that, when we last spoke, I put way too much pressure on you to be like me but better. And The whole "die for them if you have to" was a bit too much, not to mention trying to be me, fix all the problems I made...I'm sorry for basically making you deal with it all."

Nexus only gave a noise of acknowledgment before they were quiet again.

Then a dry chuckle left Nexus' lips, then another and again and again until he was in hysterics, then turning to deep cries as his body shook, wracked with sobs and hiccups, head buried in his hands.

After a few minutes he was reduced to sniffles, wiping at his eyes.

"Astrophel?"

"...Yeah, Nexus?"

He gave him a tired but stern look lacking any heat.

"Do us both a favor and don't end up like me. One of me was enough, even for me. And one more thing."

"Hm?"

"Tell Earth and Solar I'm sorry, and that even if they wanted to hear it from me themselves I may not be alive to."

"Yeah...don't worry, I got you Nexus...goodbye."

"Bye Astrophel. Goodbye...brother."

Moon woke up in the middle of the night one day. He'd been a little restless ever since the incident with Nexus.

But that wasn't what woke him up this time.

He took a minute, upping his audio receptors to make sure he heard what he heard.

He picked up the sound of soft, muffled crying.

He got up and carefully stepped out of his room.

No one in the living room or kitchen or garage. Lunar's basement seemed quiet save for something left playing on the TV.

It was coming from upstairs.

His old daycare attendant code began to kick in as he wondered if it were Dazzle or even Jack having a nightmare.

He slowly, quietly crept up the stairs, tilting his head slightly as he came to the top of the stairs.

Dazzle and Jack's room seemed silent, save for Jack muttering "kill...Ruin...for father..." in his sleep.

That left only one other person.

He made his way to Sun's room, a bit concerned to hear him crying but with everything he's been through since...hell since they came online he isn't surprised.

And with the past few days he's sure he has an idea why.

He stopped at the entrance of his room, turning his receptors back down and peeked in and spoke softly.

"Sun?"

Sun jumped slightly on the bed, reaching up and wiping at his eyes.

"M-Moon? Its late wh-what are you doing up, i-it's like midnight..."

"I couldn't really sleep, and I heard something up here, came to check it out." He half lied.

He didn't want Sun to feel bad for waking him up, even by accident.

Moon came and eased onto the bed next to Sun, watching as he tucked into himself a bit more, his hands tight around his knees, and noticed some faint smudges on his rays.

He reached up to wipe the smudges off.

"You've been pulling on them again...you wanna talk about it?"

Sun tensed slightly at his touch and turned his eyes away. Of course he wouldn't be so open.

He wasn't good at talking about his issues.

Luckily, with some help by hanging out lots with Earth, he didn't need to tell him directly.

Moon scooted a bit closer, placing a hand over Sun's to ease his grip on himself.

"You've been thinking about Nexus still, haven't you?"

The sudden, slight shift, trying to retreat further into himself, and following sniffle told him he was right.

Then Sun began to speak.

"It's just...I tried so hard, y'know? I tried to help him, I did everything I could for him and still he just...it's like no matter what I did for him he just ended up hating me. And yeah everything was fine at first but..."

"I can't help but feel like there was more I could have done for him...like I should have done more."

"And then...for it all to end this way...I killed him, Moon. I didn't want to. I still wanted to try and help him...and instead I killed him."

Sun had moved to sitting next to him, his hands apart and one laced with Moon's, leaned into him with his head on his shoulder.

"It's like no matter what I can't stop killing my family...I killed you, Lunar, and now Nexus..."

Moon looked at him.

"Lunar?"

"If I hadn't yelled at him or been angry or upset I wouldn't have snapped at him and he wouldn't have been alone and-" He stopped and tried to take a deep breath.

"I indirectly killed him. I indirectly killed you too...I didn't want to lose another brother..." Sun turned his face into Moon's shoulder, his body shaking as he started to cry again.

"Every brother I've had has died in some way because of me, Moon...I'm tired of it. I'm tired of everyone around me dying. And I'm tired of it being my fault..."

Moon brought his arms up around him, hugging him close.

"Sun..." He wasn't sure what to say to him, so he opted for holding him, and letting him cry.

"I'm so tired, Moon...everything this happens I hear everything, I see everything...I keep hearing Nexus screaming, I keep seeing him burn...hell I've started hearing Eclipse and Bloodmoon again too..."

Moon glanced at him. He'd known about Bloodmoon, but not Eclipse.

"I...I've been hearing everything from everyone I've killed. Everyone...everyone this body has murdered... even Evelyn...I'm tired, Moon...I'm so tired of it all..."

As Sun spoke between cries his voice got lower, slower, until he was quiet all together.

Moon looked at him, and noticed he had fallen asleep.

Moon sighed softly and cleaned his face, plugged him up to charge and tucked him in, moving into the chair near the door and curled up in it, the music box in his chest slowly coming to life with a soft lullaby.

He wasn't good with emotions or talking about them, but he can still what he can for his brother when he's hurting.

Nothing filled him with more rage than this.

Well there may have been a few in the past- Moon, Lunar's betrayal (though that was more pain and hurt than anger), not knowing who rebuilt him or why- but this.

This sparked a new, primal, fierce rage.

The two jackasses, EK and Mimic, had taken over Sun and Moon and his own body respectively.

That was fine. It gave him time to think of a way out, and what questions he wanted answered.

But the minute EK and Mimic had cornered Stitchwraith, his boys- his SONS- was bad enough.

EK grabbing and holding onto him, hearing them beg and cry for Eclipse to help them, had him seeing red.

Fuck whatever plan he originally had. He was acting now.

Outside the mindscape, Mimic tilted his head. It suddenly went quiet up there.

"What's the matter, Clipsey? Don't want to watch us tear your children apart? Too bad, get in here."

But there didn't seem to be any reaction. No voice, no pulling, nothing.

It was like Eclipse had suddenly vanished.

"What the-"

Before Mimic had time to properly question what was happening, he felt a searing pain through his endoskeleton, his circuits, wires, board, his very, twisted soul.

It felt like he was slowly being ripped apart.

"What are you doing," He heard himself begging, his filter switching between Sun, Moon, Roxanne, Charlie, Eclipse himself, Puppet, even Jake and Andrew. "Stop it you're going to kill us both! You're splitting me apart, you're going to kill me!" He screamed.

All he got was one word in return.

"Good."

Eclipse tore himself free from the Mimic, ejecting himself from his own mindscape.

The process hurt like hell, but right now that pain was a dull, faint throbbing compared to the searing, blinding rage he felt coursing through his circuits, like supercharged electricity through his arms and fingers and legs, buzzing in his head like a current.

He glanced past Mimic briefly to Stitchwraith and EK behind him.

Stitchwraith was watching, and Eclipse could see them trembling, their hood fallen from a failed escape attempt.

EK had an arm around their throat, claws out by his chest, watching Mimic and Eclipse with something of a twisted grin.

"Yes, yes, show them who you really are, Eclipse. Nothing but a violent, ruthless killer." The false Moon giggled and laughed like the maniac he was, free to behave as himself in such private company.

Eclipse snarled, his eyes fully white yet Mimic and EK and even Stitchwraith could feel the hatred emanating off of him.

"I'm the violent one? Says the one attacking innocent children. Pathetic too. Trying to kill someone that can't even fight back yet. You should know fighting back makes it more fun. And lucky for you I'm giving you that fight you wanted."

A second set of arms sprung from his waist, and his body began to elongate, springing forth suddenly like a coiled snake. The arms at his waist grabbed Mimic, the other attached to his torso grabbed hold of EK, slamming both animatronics down and giving Sticthwraith a chance to run away.

Eclipse glanced back, silently thanking them for running. He was going to get real violent and he didn't want them to see him like that...if they didn't already just from his buildup.

But he didn't think about it right now.

All that mattered right now was tearing out every wire and snapping every board and processor they had.

But he had to be a bit more careful with EK. That was still Sun and Moon's body, not his original.

No, that was in one of his pods.

They'd be switched back once he was done with Mimic.

Then he'd destroy EK.

But for now he'd focus on detaining EK and killing Mimic

The arms holding Mimic down lifted and slammed him back down as had as they could.

"You dare come to my dimension-"

Slam!

"-steal my face-"

Slam!

"-live my life-"

Slam!

-threaten my friends-"

Slam!

"-And threaten MY CHILDREN-"

SLAM!

"All for what? For some psychopath craving revenge? Tch, please. Like he wouldn't kill you himself when he didn't need you anymore." Eclipse towered over Mimic, lifting him up.

Bits of a shattered back panel and even pieces of board fell away, leaving the Mimic to twitch slightly, oil or blood dripping down his face, some even splattered across Eclipse' own. He didn't care which one it was.

As long as the son of a bitch was bleeding.

Mimic tried to speak, tried to emulate Foxy's voice, but instead came out barely understandable, though only one syllable was all Eclipse needed.

"M...mer-"

"Mercy? You don't deserve my mercy. You hardly deserve my shit talk. But you certainly deserve my anger. So do me a favor, Mimic. Turn up your voice box."

Eclipse leaned in close, a wide, wicked grin showing off rows of fangs.

"I want to hear you scream."

One hand slashed through Mimic's chest, then reached in with another to start ripping out wires, the second set holding his arms down so he couldn't get himself free.

Mimic screamed, his filter frantically shifting between voices until it cut back to his original voice.

"P-please...-"

"It's too late for begging. You lost that chance when you stole my body." He grabbed Mimic's jaw and ripped it off, tossing it aside.

"Y'know I changed my mind. I can't stand your voice anymore."

He reached into Mimic's chest, grabbed the voice box and ripped it out as well, even going so far as to crush it in his hands.

Finally he turned him over, sitting and holding his legs down with his weight, his second hands still holding his arms down.

"Don't worry. You'll see EK and your master soon enough." With one final motion he tore out the processor and motherboard, crushing them as well, as though they were nothing more than paper.

Finally, the Mimic went still, and Eclipse was greeted with silence finally.

Wait, silence? That wasn't quite right, yet, there was still one more.

He turned away from the Mimic's skeleton, and his eyes widened.

Somehow, during his killing the Mimic, EK had slipped away.

Then he heard a scream.

The boys.

His body clicked back into place before he ran after the screaming.

Stitchwraith had run away the second Eclipse got the two off of them, darting away into their room and hiding in the closet and shut the door, tucking as far into a corner as they could get.

It wasn't long before they could hear screaming in different voices and metal crashing against metal, then quiet, though they didn't dare leave yet.

Then they heard footsteps coming through the room and he stayed silent, listening quietly.

They stopped outside the closet for a minute before walking away. He let out a sigh.

Suddenly the door ripped open, and EK reached in and pulled them out.

Stitchwraith screamed for Eclipse, trying to pry EK's hands off of him.

"It's no use boy. You're not getting away from us again. Now hold still, this will only hurt a lot."

EK scratched his arms where he was holding them down, making them whimper as they struggled and shut their eyes tight.

Then they felt the weight leave them and heard EK stammering, then Eclipse.

"Fuck it. I can fix their body. Jake, Andy, keep your eyes shut."

They did what he said, even covered their closed eyes. They heard the sounds of metal creaking before hearing it crumple as it was crushed.

"Maybe this will keep your hands off my sons."

They heard more noise before it was finally quiet again, save for some heavy panting, though they couldn't tell if that was them or Eclipse.

They flinched when they felt a hand on their arm, though it was far more gentle than EK or Mimic had been.

"Jake? Andy, you can open your eyes now. It's ok, it's over now. You're safe now."

They slowly peeked their eyes open and looked up at Eclipse.

Oil dripped down his face, covered his hands and arms, some splattered across his torso.

He slowly sat up, glancing at the oil on his body before he turned to where EK was, though Eclipse stopped him, gently cupping his face to turn him away from the sight.

"Don't. Don't look at it. Are you hurt? Are you ok?"

Eclipse could see and feel them shaking. He figured his own state wasn't too helpful, covered in what was essentially EK and Mimic's blood.

But that didn't seem to stop Stitchwraith from throwing their arms around him in a tight hug, burying their face in his shoulder as they cried.

All four of Eclipse's arms came up around him just as tight, holding them as close as he could.

"E-Eclipse...! We were so s-scared! M-moon grabbed me and I couldn't get away from him or y-you and they said they w-would get rid of us..."

Eclipse rubbed his back and his head, trying to soothe him as his parental instinct and attendant code kicked into overdrive. He gently shushed him, ignoring the way his own body ached and trembled now that adrenaline was wearing off.

"It's ok. You're safe now, they're dealt with. Mimic won't come back, and I'm going to fix Sun and Moon and deal with EK. You're ok now, Jake, Andy. I'd never get rid of either of you. You're my boys. You'll always be my boys. My kids. And I'll always protect you."

Stitchwraith sniffled and looked at him.

"You promise...?"

"Yeah. I promise. Do me a favor. Go stay with the others while I clean this mess up."

"Ok...in a minute, please. I don't want to leave you yet..."

Eclipse sighed softly and moved, bringing them and sitting against a wall with them, cradling them against him a bit.

"Ok. We'll stay here for a bit then."

|Everywhere he turned he saw bodies. He heard screaming, pleas, begging. Yet he felt nothing. That was strange. Where was he? Why couldn't he feel anything? Where was his father?

He began to walk, with no clear goal in mind until he saw a house.

His home.

He went through the door. Inside was quiet, empty, except for a little girl in overalls with small antlers.

"Dazzle!"

He tried to call to her, but instead what came out was:

"I'm not your friend. I never was. I never cared for you or anyone in this house. You don't matter to me at all."

She disappeared, leaving Jack to shout at himself to shut up, what was he doing, he was her friend, he cared about her so much, begged for her to come back.

Then he heard another voice.

"Jack?"

Turning he saw Solar, his father, watching him. And Jack began to move towards him, dagger blades replacing his fingers.

Jack tried to move himself, tried to walk away from Solar knowing what was coming, trying to plead with himself to stop before trying to tell Solar to run.

But he couldn't.

Solar gave him a sad, tired smile and said "it's ok. I'll forgive you, Jack."

And suddenly the blades were buried in Solar's stomach, the other animatronic gasping and coughing up oil which fell across Jack, though he didn't flinch.

He pulled away from Solar and caught the corner of his eye on a mirror. And as he looked into it everything around him went dark except himself and the mirror.

His reflection almost looked the same, except for his eyes and mouth, filled with a dark, dangerous purple glow.

The reflection grinned wider and waved as something crept into view behind him and Jack turned and looked up.

The Beast, towering over Jack and opening its disjointed jaw wide, purple energy spilling out like a river over Jack while he could hear the Creator laughing all around him yet somehow simultaneously far away from him.

The energy quickly flooded the space, and what felt like hands wrapped all around Jack to drag him down under as he tried to reach out for anything to grab onto to pull himself out.

But there was nothing.

He gave one last helpless plea for his father before he was fully submerged in the energy.|

Jack suddenly shot awake in a cold sweat, breathing heavily like he really had been held underwater for too long. He slowly sat up and looked around.

He was in the box fort in the basement, tucked away near the string of star lights. Dazzle was still fast asleep, curled up with her Sun stuffie.

Jack watched her for a moment, unsure why he was so worried all of a sudden about her. She was fine, breathing and turning over, even muttering about Sun being the king of Mac and Cheese Land.

She was ok.

But Jack wasn't.

He silently crept away, crawling out of the fort and into the basement. Since Lunar left it was a bit quieter, no snoring in the other room or TV left running or Nutella jars everywhere.

But that didn't matter right now.

Hugging himself Jack went upstairs. The living room wasn't empty, only occupied by Sun's cats Cleo and Muffin. Muffin approached him, meowing and rubbing against his legs.

Perhaps Muffin could tell he was troubled and wanted to comfort him. Cleo simply stared with a slow blink before he lay across the back of the couch.

Jack almost hesitantly pet Muffin, as though he'd hurt him if he did. And if he did Sun would be beyond upset, like he had been when Jack first tossed them in a dumpster. Though that was hardly his fault, at the time he perceived them as a threat to Lunar's safety.

He had just been following his orders then.

Just like he had this time too.

But he had tried to fight if off as hard as he could, he hadn't wanted to do any of it despite being built to harm.

To kill.

He shook his head hard to shake away the thoughts.

No. What happened wasn't his fault. He was forced to do such awful things. His original programming was to protect, and even then harm or kill was a last resort tactic.

His only fault was rushing the beast that bit him in the first place.

He left Cleo and Muffin, making his way to Solar's room and opened the door carefully. He didn't intend on waking him. Shutting the door he went to the bed and began to climb in carefully.

"Mmm...Jack? What're y'doin'...?"

Dang it, he woke up anyway...

He kept still for a moment in case Solar was simply talking in his sleep.

"Jack I can see you on my bed. Your face glows in the dark, remember?"

Oh, right. He actually did forget that. Jack sighed and crawled in, settling right up against him.

"Wha-Jack? What are you-"

"I had a nightmare..."

Solar looked at him before turning on his bedside lamp. And when he did he saw streaks of oil down his face from his eyes, and a few fresh drops forming as well.

Solar brought a hand up to brush the tears away and Jack leaned into it.

"Do you...wanna tell me about it? It's fine if you don't."

Jack hesitated, burying his face against Solar a bit before he spoke. "Well...first there were bodies everywhere. And so much blood and screaming. Then...then there was the house. This house. I went in and Dazzle was there. I tried to talk to her but all I could say was the things I last said to her, how we weren't friends and that I didn't care about her at all. That she didn't matter to me or anyone else...she disappeared then there was..." He hesitated again, gripping onto his shirt tighter.

"Then you were there. I couldn't run away or tell you to run either. And you said...you said its ok, that you'd forgive me-" He stopped himself, squeezing his eyes shut tight as more fresh tears welled up and slipped down his cheeks.

"That's ok you don't need to tell me anymore Jack." Solar hugged him close.

Then he felt him shaking, and wetness on his shirt before he heard the soft sounds.

Jack was crying against him. It made his heart and circuits ache for his son.

Jack looked up at him, sniffling and pouting.

"Dad...am I a bad person?"

The question slapped Solar and made his entire being ache with the guilt of not being able to protect him better.

"No. Jack of course you aren't. You're a child. You were forced to do terrible things. You didn't enjoy them, even if part of your code would be satisfied that you did. You were made to protect, not kill. The Creator twisted your programming to do his bidding just to be petty to me. Nothing that happened to you was your fault. And I'm so proud of you. I'm proud of you for trying to fight it off for as long as you did. Despite what you've done you never gave up trying to save yourself when I wasn't able to. You're so strong Jack. You're not a bad person. You're my son, and I wouldn't ever change that."

Jack sniffled again and wiped his eyes. "Even though I do or eat things I'm not supposed to? Or because I'm not finished?"

"I don't get why you do that, but at this point your habits are part of your charm, your little quirks. It was weird going to the kitchen and seeing the sponges still in one piece. So yeah, despite your imperfections I still love you. I'll always do my best to protect you, Jack." Solar hugged him close.

Jack smiled and hugged back, yawning a bit. "Thanks dad..." Jack said before he fell back to sleep finally.

Solar stayed awake a bit, rubbing Jack's back as he slept.

"I promise I'll protect you, Jack. Even if it costs me my life."

Sun couldn't breath. Which was strange because he was an animatronic, he didn't need to breath at all. Yet here he was feeling like he was drowning all of a sudden.

The figure before him, familiar yet not quite the same, taunted him in its seperate voices, briefly complaining they couldn't kill him.

But they could torment him.

They taunted him, moving suddenly and grabbing one of the barrels Sun had been going for, making the animatronic jump back from him, the shorter, blue clad killer laughing at him.

"Look at him jump like a terrified animal. His fear smells delicious, and I bet it tastes even better...we can't kill but we can hurt." The red and white face broke with a cat-like, vicious grin lined with razor-sharp teeth.

Sun began to step back, stumbling slightly as he did, and he could feel his hands, his body shaking and his breath catching before it began to pick up, faster and heavier until it was sporadic, uneven, before he was grabbing at himself, one hand on his ray, the other grabbing at the ruffled collar around his neck.

All of a sudden it felt way too tight and constricting. Then he shouted, and he heard the panic and fear and trembling in his voice.

"Moon! M-Moon!"

Aside from his own voice and the cackling in front of him he could hear a strong current of buzzing in his receptors like blood rushing through his ears, heard and felt his fans kick up to cool his systems, heard his gears turning and clicking faster like a speeding heartbeat.

He didn't know what Bloodmoon said before he slunk away, crawling up and out of the daycare.

All of a sudden Sun felt everything shift as he found himself fallen to his knees, still trying to rip the collar off of himself, his other hand gripping the ray so tight he barely managed to register a creaking and then a cracking sound under his fingers. But he hardly felt it.

All he could feel was an intense, burning fear and panic running rampant through his circuits.

He barely registered Moon coming up behind him calling his name, feeling hands on him trying to pull him up.

He glanced towards Moon before whipping his head back around like Bloodmoon would suddenly reappear and lunge at him if he looked away too long.

"Sun? Hey, hey hey hey look at me, ok? You hear me I need you to look at me, Sun. Try and take a deep breath for me, please, I need you to calm down for me."

Sun tried to listen, closing his eyes and taking a few short, shallow breaths before taking a deeper one to try and settle his breathing. He didn't even have breath to lose.

That's how badly Bloodmoon affected him already.

But slowly, he began to ground himself, trying to focus on what he could hear (Moon telling the computer to do something); the smells of bleach and crayons; the lights above, the colors of the structures, and the netting around the daycare; the rubber mat underneath him, the fabric of his ruffled collar, Moon's hand slightly warmed against his arm and the pads of his fingers.

Sun closed his eyes, taking another deep breath before sighing, his fingers finally leaving the collar and ray to instead hold himself, opening his eyes when he felt something knock against his arm as it fell.

During his panic attack he'd snapped a ray off, he hadn't even felt it crack he'd been in so deep.

Moon carefully picked it up, taking one of Sun's hands from his arm, running his thumb over his knuckles gently.

"Don't worry, it's an easy fix. Some glue and paint, it looks good as new. The computer scanned and found nothing, but it's gonna be on high alert for him or anything else. I'm gonna go ahead and close up so we can go home and relax a little, ok?"

Sun nodded but found himself grabbing onto Moon as he tried to stand.

"Not...not yet, please? Just stay here for a minute with me?"

Moon looked down at him briefly before sitting back down with him, hugging Sun close to him.

"As long as you need me, brother. I'm not gonna leave you any time soon."

Sun looked around the now empty house, silent as he thought about everything he's experienced since waking up in this dimension.

He would miss some things about the place, the daycare, the kids. This dimension was the only home he really knew, and moving to another would...well it wouldn't be too hard.

If anything he would be more focused helping Dazzle and the cats adjust.

He shut off the final light and shut the door for the last time, and approached the portal. Everyone else had gone through already, Moon patiently waiting for him.

Sun cast one last glance back at the house and paused.

He saw four little ghosts waving from the windows, one gazing at him with a fond, almost sad or regretful look, one scowling from the door, two identical ones waving almost mockingly at him from the garage, and one just in front of the porch, larger than the rest and billowy even though there wasn't any wind and simply standing there staring at him.

The July 16th kids, Old Moon, Eclipse, the Blood Twins, and Nexus. All his ghosts came to see him off, even though Old Moon was standing just behind him at the portal.

Even moving to a whole new dimension wouldn't wash away all the blood on his hands.

But he wasn't doing this to run away from his guilt and sins. He was doing this for his own wellbeing, for his family and his daughter.

Suddenly, one of them, Nexus, began to speak.

"You know this won't change anything. We'll come back. We always do. We always will. It doesn't matter where you go, we'll always find you."

Sun sighed softly. "I figured. But that's fine. I've come to terms with everything I've done. Even if it wasn't exactly me that did it." He cast a glance at the Blood Twin ghosts now chasing the four child ghosts around, before they were caught by Old Moon.

"But that's fine. I'm not running away from this, that's never helped me or did me any good. I'm just leaving for a safer place with my family."

The vision of Nexus snorted and laughed, a distorted sound that reminded him of Eclipse and Killcode in his more vicious days.

"Safer, huh? Danger follows this family like a curse, you'll only be bringing trouble with you anywhere you end up. Especially you. People die all around you, Sun. Lunar, Moon, Bloodmoon, Eclipse, the kids, myself. You're cursed, Sun. And it hangs over you like a shadow you can't ever erase."

"Maybe you're right. Maybe I am cursed or this family is cursed. But at least they understand and they're willing to help handle it. They always have, and they always will."

"Hmph. We'll see. I'm sure they can only handle so much more of this, Sun."

Sun watched as the other visions began to disappear, leaving only Nexus behind.

"I'll handle it if it ever happens then...goodbye, Nexus. I wish I could see you one more time without all the hatred or animosity."

"Yeah, fat chance of that ever happening, right?"

Sun smiled slightly. "Yeah, who am I kidding right?"

"Sun?"

He looked back to find Moon closer, reaching and placing a hand on his arm gently.

"You good, Sun? I can hear you talking to yourself for so long, buddy."

Sun looked back to the house, finding the vision of Nexus gone, and silent emptiness left behind.

Sun shook his head and turned to him again.

"Seeing things again, Sun?"

"Yeah, but...it's fine. Just saying goodbye one last time before we go."

Moon gave his arm a gentle squeeze and let go. "Ok. You ready then?"

"Yeah, I'm ready." He took a deep breath and followed Moon into the portal, finally ready to start their lives over.

A soft flutter of wings just behind him caught his attention. Solar glanced over his shoulder, dropping his right wing slightly, just enough to see who had come along to him.

It was merely Sun, glowing and radiant and emanating warmth. Solar shielded himself slightly with his wing, the Astral's brightness mildly agitating his eyes.

"Hey Sun. Do you need something?" Solar turned back to whatever had his attention before, gloved hands moving deftly as he worked on molding a ball of energy.

"Nothing really, just a bit bored. Watching the mortals all day gets old after a while, only so many times I can watch Terra and Monty too as cute as they are. But she doesn't like when I spy on her too often." Sun leaned over his shoulder, Solar muttering as he pulled his goggles down to protect his eyes from the closer shine. "What're you making?"

"I'm not sure really. I got bored and just started working." He showed Sun the little form he was sculpting. It somewhat resembled Moon, with a little shaped head, formed after an earth fruit, a pumpkin, Terra had said they were called.

"Whatever it is it's a little cutie. Are you going to let him live? If you don't keep him here maybe Terra would like a new friend. I think the little thing would like earth...assuming he doesn't have Moon's snark and sassy attitude."

Solar smiled slightly as he formed a little hat from light and placed it on the form, then added some eyes and clothing shapes. "There. Maybe? I'm not sure where he'll stay. But...I want him to find himself out I think."

"He's the first thing I think you've actually made isn't he? What are you gonna name him?"

Solar stared down at the form, vibrating with energy as he placed a small orb of power into its chest, smiling slightly as he pushed his goggles up, gently cradling the small thing like it could break any second with even a slight twitch.

"I like Jack."

"Seems to fit pretty well. Let's take him down somewhere and get him up and about, yeah? Let him know his creator." Sun's wings fluttered and spread before he was taking off to the planet.

Solar shifted before he was following, the small form cradled to his chest. In almost no time to them they were landing in a clearing, surrounded by flowers for miles all around, the sky already darkening and stars beginning to shine through.

Solar gently placed the form among some tulips, and with a slow circling of his finger, light orange magic flowed from his being into the form. After a few moments, it began to move, the energy and light covering its body falling away and revealing a more detailed outfit, gold star detailing on a long cloak, a star at the end of the hat, patchwork pants and patched overalls.

The form slowly opened its eyes, black and piercing orange with a faint glow in them. He sat up slow and looked around, then down to his hands, flexing his fingers as he seemed to realize he had them. Then he tried to stand, stumbling and wobbly like a newborn deer.

Solar and Sun watched, Sun smiling wide and grabbing onto Solar with a little shake. "Oh my stars, Solar! You did it! You created life! And for your first one it came out so good!"

Solar watched as Jack stumbled and fell, and he instinctively reached out to help him back up. "Easy now, your legs are brand new, but we can help you learn. My name is Solar, and this is my brother Sun. You should be able to talk and understand me. Your name is Jack, do you understand?"

Jack gazed up at the two far taller beings who, even though they were shrunken down to a more human height, still towered over Jack. But he simply smiled and nodded, holding onto Solar's arms for some stability.

"I do. Are you my creator? Or father?"

Sun quietly cooed beside him, and Solar nodded a bit. "I am. And I guess calling me your father isn't that wrong. We'll stay for a while, help you discover some things and introduce you to our sister. Later on you can meet more of your family but they're busy right now."

Jack nodded again and started pulling on Solar, trying to climb up his frame but obviously didn't know how. Sun smiled a bit and picked Jack up, handing him to Solar who immediately put his arms around and under him so he wouldn't fall.

"I'll help you learn everything, Jack. Don't worry. I'm glad I ended up creating you."

"Really?" Jack lay his head against Solar's shoulder, staring up at his creator and occasionally at Sun.

"I am. You're my first creation and you turned out so wonderful already. I can only hope you continue to be wonderful in your life. And before I forget. You have a very strong power inside you, but you likely can't access it yet since you're brand new," Solar said as Jack curiously played with his wings where he could reach.

"What are these?"

"Those are my wings. We all have them, except you. But don't worry, yours will grow in once you start using and improving your powers. My friends and I can help with that as well."

"Ok father. I can't wait to learn everything."

"And I can't wait to teach you everything too."