The Dark Place.
The quiet paranormal shift that had trapped Roivas. No one, not even Roivas knew exactly what it was. This black space was as desolate as it was eerie. The cold breeze being the only sigh of the material world. If this place had more than one occupant, they hadn't made themselves known yet.
Anna had been sitting under the mysterious light source for quite some time now. She had no real idea as to how much time had passed. It could of been hours or maybe even a few days. There was no way for her to tell. She didn't feel tired. She had not been hungry. All that was there was the crippling loneliness. Even the fear seemed to dissipate.
If she did feel any fear, it was about letting the others down. Her head in her hands, thinking about the choices she made. Letting Mesay down. She shouldn't have probed into her dreams. Now she was trapped. Powerless to do anything. To fix anything.
"And we have to get her out of there.", Mesay insisted.
Back in the Mess Hall Mesay was back to her normal self. Save for the new eye color. The blue seemed to glow as she said that. Which made everyone flinch a little bit. The others didn't want to end up like Anna, Zero or Dox. Not to mention how strange it made Mesay look. Her eyes flared and ebbed which left the butterflies a little scared.
"Come on guys.", She said frustrated. "I'm not gonna zap you."
"Not on purpose.", Chouji chimed in.
"I told you. It's under control now.", She insisted. Muse teleported next to her.
"Yeah, see?", Muse started. He disappeared then reappeared on the other side of the room. "Nothing un-butterflied about me!" He was like a kid with a new toy. Muse loved this new ability he gained. Especially since it broke the long distance part of his relationship with Mesay. It seemed strangely appropriate for him. When the two started dating, they often had dreams of randomly appearing next to each other. He figured it was just their mind's way of closing the gap between Australia and the United States.
So when Muse woke up to the shrinking patch of land with Mesay running toward him, he thought it was just one of those dreams. When they teleported back to the kitchen, he realized it was more than that. He had really done it. His friends he had only talked to online were here right in front of him. Mesay was right here in front of him.
He appeared right behind Mesay and gave her a huge hug from behind. He held tight and nestled his head in on her hair. Nuzzling on her neck. Smiling broadly as he did so, and enjoying the scent of her shampoo. Mesay's eyes widened in surprise at the sudden affection. She lowered her eyes to almost closing. Slowly reaching up and holding onto Muse's arms with her hands. She grasped tight and squeezed.
“I didn't think I was going to see you again.”, she said. Almost breathing it as she took a deep breath in and sighed in happiness. “I'm so glad you're here.” She squeezed her eyes shut as thin streams ran down her cheeks.
“I can't understand any of you except Mesay!”, Zero yelled breaking the moment.
“Wait...what?", Chewie asked. "You can understand Mesay?"
“Stop talking weird Chewie! I have no idea what is going on!”, she insisted.
Izzie rolled her eyes and walked to a nearby table where Dox's clipboard laid. She picked it up and thrust it in Zero's face pointing at the decoded, backwards, alphanumeric scrawlings he had put on there. Zero took the clipboard and looked at it for a second before realizing what was going on.
“Awwww really?”, She asked. “But I suck at doing Roivas code.”
Izzie ignored the comment. “I'm just going to chalk that up to all the random weird shit I've seen today. Chewie, why don't you get Zero out of here while you can. Safely. We'll keep you informed as to whatever it is we're doing.”
“Alright.”, Chewie agreed as he escorted an irate Zero out of the room.
“Do we have kind of plan going on here?”, Izzie asked. “We may want to work on that.”
“Well I think first of all we need to assess Mesay's situation.”, Zander chimed in.
“What situation?”, Muse asked. Now having broken his ultra hug from Mesay. He studied her as she wiped the tears from her face.
“I had an incident. With Roivas.”, Mesay started. “They were controlling me while I slept.”
“Yeah and power zapping everyone in between.”, Chouji added.
“That wasn't our fault. They tried to keep us from doing that. Apparently it was a side effect of coming through me.”, Mesay explained. “But they're gone now. And I have a grasp of it.” She was trying to assure the group but Mesay didn't have a much better idea as to what was happening to her as the others did. All they could really do was theorize.
“So now you can make people's powers go away?”, Zander asked.
“Sort of. It doesn't feel like that though.”, Mesay scratched her head a bit in awkwardness. "Everything is different in that place."
"The Dark Place.", Zander continued.
"Yeah. They tried to warn me with the promise I had made.", Mesay continued. "But I can't remember it. I don't know what I promised or did. The whole thing is still very confusing."
Muse held on to her. "How did Mesay get there?", Muse asked.
"The same way I got here. Through my dreams.", Mesay paused. "I think."
Home suddenly started to shake. As if some kind of earthquake had started up. It made everyone assume a stance that would keep them steady.
"What was that?", Izzie started.
"Oh God.", Zander spurted out loud.
"What?", Izzie insisted. Then another tremble shook Home. This one was more violent than the last. So much so, that it made everyone grasp things around them for balance.
"How many of us have been de-butterflied?", Zander asked.
"Three.", Izzie answered.
"This is so crazy. I don't even know where I'm going with this.", Zander rambled.
"What?", Izzie pushed.
"What is Home? It's a place where we are kept safe from Help3r and all of his drones. What if Home is falling apart.", Zander stated. Everyone's eyes got really big at the thought.
"How could Home just fall apart?", Chouji asked.
"Home has everything. Food, materials, countless rooms and access to just about anything. All we have to do is think of something and it appears. What if we created Home? What if Home is us." Zander had hardly stopped talking when it had clicked for everyone. Home as a byproduct of the butterflies. As random as it felt it also made sense. That kind of deep knowing that you can't logically describe. The kind that gives you goosebumps. The kind that makes your stomach drop.
"Izzie. You had started it.", Zander offered.
Izzie was shocked. She felt like she was being accused. "Me? Home was here before we were.", Izzie defended.
"But it was you who was looking for refuge. You were looking for safety.", Zander continued.
"There's no way...", Izzie tried to talk.
"You were the one who found the door. You were the one who got hungry first. You were the one who brought Mesay here.", Zander stopped. He could see Izzie was getting upset.
"So what are you saying? That this was all my fault? That I did this to Mesay? How could I even do that?", Izzie questioned.
"I don't think you meant to do it. It just happened.", Zander answered.
"This is ridiculous. We all do things here. Make our own rooms and places. Make our own things. It's not just me Zander."
"Not now, but you began it. And now, everyone is a part of it. We are all responsible for Home's existence. So what happens when butterflies start leaving or disappearing?", Zander stopped.
"Home starts disappearing...", Mesay finished. That's what happened back in that strange room. It was created by Zero. So when Zero was....zapped by me. She wasn't a part of Home anymore. So the room went away.", Mesay hung her head. "Izzie may have created Home, but I'm destroying it.
"You didn't destroy anything.", Muse defended. "Home is still here."
"It's falling apart. The signs are all there. Dox's fall from his room. Home not letting him leave the Mess Hall." Home rumbled again. "These tremors. The ones who are gone are effecting Home."
"If we make Home what it is. Then it can't exist without us.", Chouji finished.
"Exactly", Zander agreed.
"I'm.....so sorry.....", Mesay apologized. "I didn't mean to do this."
"Neither did I.", Izzie said.
"Nobody is to blame here.", Zander tried to console everyone. "I think what we need to do is gather ourselves and get a plan together so we don't have to worry or panic."
"Oh you can go ahead and start panicking.", Hoop retorted in the Hivemind.
"Now what?", Izzie started.
"We got big problems guys. Dox and I are outside here and we're looking at a rather large storm coming our way. Help3r's army is coming.", Hoop continued.
"Army?", Muse questioned.
"How many Hoop?", Zander asked.
"If I had to guess....a lot. Like hundreds a lot. This doesn't look good guys.", Hoop reported.
"How far away are they?", Mesay asked.
"I'd say an hour, max. They aren't moving terribly fast.", Hoop paused. "This is worse than we thought. I can't see how we're going to get past all these things at once. There has to be at least thirty of those giant golem things. God knows how many dolls and drones."
"Like we didn't have enough problems.", Xuch chimed in from the doorway. Paul was right next to her.
"Yeah, is that what all this shaking is about?", Paul asked.
"Hardly, we got three major problems that absolutely need to be dealt with like now.", Chouji retorted.
"Hoop, stay out there with Dox. You guys need to keep an eye on that army. We're going to try to think of... something.", Mesay ordered.
"Aye Aye Captain. Whatever you guys cook up, make it fast alright? I doubt Help3r is going to wait for an invitation.", Hoop dropped the Hivemind.
"What are you thinking Mesay?", Zander asked.
"I'm thinking we need to get the hell out of here.", Mesay offered. "But we can't just scatter. A bunch of us will have to stay and defend what we do have while the others leave."
"That means we'll need volunteers.", Xuch stated. "I guess you'll expect me to come and help huh?" Her sigh mid sentence was only half grief filled.
"You can count me in too", Paul said.
"Me too.", Muse responded.
"Even with all of us here we'll still need more.", Mesay continued. "We need to get everyone here. We need to let everyone know what is going on."
***The quiet paranormal shift that had trapped Roivas. No one, not even Roivas knew exactly what it was. This black space was as desolate as it was eerie. The cold breeze being the only sigh of the material world. If this place had more than one occupant, they hadn't made themselves known yet.
Anna had been sitting under the mysterious light source for quite some time now. She had no real idea as to how much time had passed. It could of been hours or maybe even a few days. There was no way for her to tell. She didn't feel tired. She had not been hungry. All that was there was the crippling loneliness. Even the fear seemed to dissipate.
If she did feel any fear, it was about letting the others down. Her head in her hands, thinking about the choices she made. Letting Mesay down. She shouldn't have probed into her dreams. Now she was trapped. Powerless to do anything. To fix anything.
"And we have to get her out of there.", Mesay insisted.
Back in the Mess Hall Mesay was back to her normal self. Save for the new eye color. The blue seemed to glow as she said that. Which made everyone flinch a little bit. The others didn't want to end up like Anna, Zero or Dox. Not to mention how strange it made Mesay look. Her eyes flared and ebbed which left the butterflies a little scared.
"Come on guys.", She said frustrated. "I'm not gonna zap you."
"Not on purpose.", Chouji chimed in.
"I told you. It's under control now.", She insisted. Muse teleported next to her.
"Yeah, see?", Muse started. He disappeared then reappeared on the other side of the room. "Nothing un-butterflied about me!" He was like a kid with a new toy. Muse loved this new ability he gained. Especially since it broke the long distance part of his relationship with Mesay. It seemed strangely appropriate for him. When the two started dating, they often had dreams of randomly appearing next to each other. He figured it was just their mind's way of closing the gap between Australia and the United States.
So when Muse woke up to the shrinking patch of land with Mesay running toward him, he thought it was just one of those dreams. When they teleported back to the kitchen, he realized it was more than that. He had really done it. His friends he had only talked to online were here right in front of him. Mesay was right here in front of him.
He appeared right behind Mesay and gave her a huge hug from behind. He held tight and nestled his head in on her hair. Nuzzling on her neck. Smiling broadly as he did so, and enjoying the scent of her shampoo. Mesay's eyes widened in surprise at the sudden affection. She lowered her eyes to almost closing. Slowly reaching up and holding onto Muse's arms with her hands. She grasped tight and squeezed.
“I didn't think I was going to see you again.”, she said. Almost breathing it as she took a deep breath in and sighed in happiness. “I'm so glad you're here.” She squeezed her eyes shut as thin streams ran down her cheeks.
“I can't understand any of you except Mesay!”, Zero yelled breaking the moment.
“Wait...what?", Chewie asked. "You can understand Mesay?"
“Stop talking weird Chewie! I have no idea what is going on!”, she insisted.
Izzie rolled her eyes and walked to a nearby table where Dox's clipboard laid. She picked it up and thrust it in Zero's face pointing at the decoded, backwards, alphanumeric scrawlings he had put on there. Zero took the clipboard and looked at it for a second before realizing what was going on.
“Awwww really?”, She asked. “But I suck at doing Roivas code.”
Izzie ignored the comment. “I'm just going to chalk that up to all the random weird shit I've seen today. Chewie, why don't you get Zero out of here while you can. Safely. We'll keep you informed as to whatever it is we're doing.”
“Alright.”, Chewie agreed as he escorted an irate Zero out of the room.
“Do we have kind of plan going on here?”, Izzie asked. “We may want to work on that.”
“Well I think first of all we need to assess Mesay's situation.”, Zander chimed in.
“What situation?”, Muse asked. Now having broken his ultra hug from Mesay. He studied her as she wiped the tears from her face.
“I had an incident. With Roivas.”, Mesay started. “They were controlling me while I slept.”
“Yeah and power zapping everyone in between.”, Chouji added.
“That wasn't our fault. They tried to keep us from doing that. Apparently it was a side effect of coming through me.”, Mesay explained. “But they're gone now. And I have a grasp of it.” She was trying to assure the group but Mesay didn't have a much better idea as to what was happening to her as the others did. All they could really do was theorize.
“So now you can make people's powers go away?”, Zander asked.
“Sort of. It doesn't feel like that though.”, Mesay scratched her head a bit in awkwardness. "Everything is different in that place."
"The Dark Place.", Zander continued.
"Yeah. They tried to warn me with the promise I had made.", Mesay continued. "But I can't remember it. I don't know what I promised or did. The whole thing is still very confusing."
Muse held on to her. "How did Mesay get there?", Muse asked.
"The same way I got here. Through my dreams.", Mesay paused. "I think."
Home suddenly started to shake. As if some kind of earthquake had started up. It made everyone assume a stance that would keep them steady.
"What was that?", Izzie started.
"Oh God.", Zander spurted out loud.
"What?", Izzie insisted. Then another tremble shook Home. This one was more violent than the last. So much so, that it made everyone grasp things around them for balance.
"How many of us have been de-butterflied?", Zander asked.
"Three.", Izzie answered.
"This is so crazy. I don't even know where I'm going with this.", Zander rambled.
"What?", Izzie pushed.
"What is Home? It's a place where we are kept safe from Help3r and all of his drones. What if Home is falling apart.", Zander stated. Everyone's eyes got really big at the thought.
"How could Home just fall apart?", Chouji asked.
"Home has everything. Food, materials, countless rooms and access to just about anything. All we have to do is think of something and it appears. What if we created Home? What if Home is us." Zander had hardly stopped talking when it had clicked for everyone. Home as a byproduct of the butterflies. As random as it felt it also made sense. That kind of deep knowing that you can't logically describe. The kind that gives you goosebumps. The kind that makes your stomach drop.
"Izzie. You had started it.", Zander offered.
Izzie was shocked. She felt like she was being accused. "Me? Home was here before we were.", Izzie defended.
"But it was you who was looking for refuge. You were looking for safety.", Zander continued.
"There's no way...", Izzie tried to talk.
"You were the one who found the door. You were the one who got hungry first. You were the one who brought Mesay here.", Zander stopped. He could see Izzie was getting upset.
"So what are you saying? That this was all my fault? That I did this to Mesay? How could I even do that?", Izzie questioned.
"I don't think you meant to do it. It just happened.", Zander answered.
"This is ridiculous. We all do things here. Make our own rooms and places. Make our own things. It's not just me Zander."
"Not now, but you began it. And now, everyone is a part of it. We are all responsible for Home's existence. So what happens when butterflies start leaving or disappearing?", Zander stopped.
"Home starts disappearing...", Mesay finished. That's what happened back in that strange room. It was created by Zero. So when Zero was....zapped by me. She wasn't a part of Home anymore. So the room went away.", Mesay hung her head. "Izzie may have created Home, but I'm destroying it.
"You didn't destroy anything.", Muse defended. "Home is still here."
"It's falling apart. The signs are all there. Dox's fall from his room. Home not letting him leave the Mess Hall." Home rumbled again. "These tremors. The ones who are gone are effecting Home."
"If we make Home what it is. Then it can't exist without us.", Chouji finished.
"Exactly", Zander agreed.
"I'm.....so sorry.....", Mesay apologized. "I didn't mean to do this."
"Neither did I.", Izzie said.
"Nobody is to blame here.", Zander tried to console everyone. "I think what we need to do is gather ourselves and get a plan together so we don't have to worry or panic."
"Oh you can go ahead and start panicking.", Hoop retorted in the Hivemind.
"Now what?", Izzie started.
"We got big problems guys. Dox and I are outside here and we're looking at a rather large storm coming our way. Help3r's army is coming.", Hoop continued.
"Army?", Muse questioned.
"How many Hoop?", Zander asked.
"If I had to guess....a lot. Like hundreds a lot. This doesn't look good guys.", Hoop reported.
"How far away are they?", Mesay asked.
"I'd say an hour, max. They aren't moving terribly fast.", Hoop paused. "This is worse than we thought. I can't see how we're going to get past all these things at once. There has to be at least thirty of those giant golem things. God knows how many dolls and drones."
"Like we didn't have enough problems.", Xuch chimed in from the doorway. Paul was right next to her.
"Yeah, is that what all this shaking is about?", Paul asked.
"Hardly, we got three major problems that absolutely need to be dealt with like now.", Chouji retorted.
"Hoop, stay out there with Dox. You guys need to keep an eye on that army. We're going to try to think of... something.", Mesay ordered.
"Aye Aye Captain. Whatever you guys cook up, make it fast alright? I doubt Help3r is going to wait for an invitation.", Hoop dropped the Hivemind.
"What are you thinking Mesay?", Zander asked.
"I'm thinking we need to get the hell out of here.", Mesay offered. "But we can't just scatter. A bunch of us will have to stay and defend what we do have while the others leave."
"That means we'll need volunteers.", Xuch stated. "I guess you'll expect me to come and help huh?" Her sigh mid sentence was only half grief filled.
"You can count me in too", Paul said.
"Me too.", Muse responded.
"Even with all of us here we'll still need more.", Mesay continued. "We need to get everyone here. We need to let everyone know what is going on."
It took a few minutes for every butterfly to get to the Hall. Home's instant thought travel service was starting to feel the effects of the three missing butterflies. The shaking of Home being only one of a few things that they all needed to worry about. Mesay got on top of one of the tables in the room. Muse helped her up.
"What are you going to say?", He asked.
"Hopefully not much.", She smiled back.
Mesay stood on the table and thought about what she had to say. What she had to ask. And how to say it in as coherent a way as possible.
"Hey, everyone!", She said. Trying to get all the butterflies attention. "So uh...yeah you probably want to know what is going on. And frankly, we don't have the time for me to really explain it so I'll just tell you the important parts.", Mesay took a deep breath. "Help3r's army is going to be here within the hour."
Everybody started to talk a little.
"We don't know exactly how many but we guess there are over a hundred various dolls, drones and golems that want to get rid of Home. And perhaps ourselves. You've also noticed the random tremors that have been shaking our place today.We're not exactly sure what that is from but we are sure that Home is not necessarily a safe place to hide anymore. So we have two choices.
To run or to fight.
Personally, I'd rather everyone get out safely before we do something stupid like try to fight a bunch of robots. But there is no guaranteeing our escape unless we have a distraction. And that is where you all come in. We basically need a bunch of volunteers to stay here and fight these things as long as we can while another group gets the others to safety.
I know that we don't always feel confident or useful. But everyone here has a role to play. And now you have a chance to choose that role. All of us have something to offer. And I'm not saying this isn't fucking dangerous. But I wouldn't be asking this of you if I didn't think we weren't all capable of helping.
I want all of you to know that you have a choice still. And no one will think less of you no matter what decision you make. Because while they may have an army, we have a family."
"Meeeeooooooooooooooooooow!", Called Opie from the other end of the room. Everyone looked back and watched Mesay's three cats, Opie, Sovy and Dulcet run through the crowd. They weaved between the small crowds legs and to the front. Mesay knelt down as the three jumped up on the table. Opie tackled Mesay, the force almost throwing her on her back. She grunted as the fifteen pound cat hugged her shoulder and rubbed against her cheek. The other two rubbed against her legs and meowed desperately.
"They were worried about you.", Sunni chimed in.
"No kidding?", Mesay laughed.
Suddenly a whinney came from the doorway. Tex the horse trotted in with Lucy riding on his back. All the other cats, rats and pets of Home came in and came to their respective owners.
"I want to help get the pets out safely.", Sunny volunteered.
"I want to stay and help. If that's okay.", Blue offered. "My hand is still a little messed up but I could help anyone who gets hurt. Maybe buy us some more time."
Others raised their hands and offered to help. Soon everyone had a job. A place where they were needed. They were all working together. Just like a real family. Soon two parties were formed. Those who would stay and fight and those who would help everyone else escape. Plans were made and soon everyone was working to get ready to leave Home.
Chouji had grabbed Kim and separated from the group. He had a plan of his own but needed Kim's help. Kim had a special talent much like the other butterflies. But hers was one of the most complicated. When Chouji told Kim of his plan she jumped at the chance to help.
"Now we’ve got our own way to help.", Chouji said.
"We're going to get Anna.", Kim added.
***
Outside the army was getting closer. Hoop tried his best not to panic before finally making that fated Hivemind call to the others.
"Uh...guys. You think of anything yet?", Hoop asked.
"Sure did.", Mesay answered behind him.
Hoop and Dox quickly looked and found Paul, Xuch, Chula, Muse and Mesay armed and ready to go, thanks to Envoy's stock of weaponry and armor. Chewie and Zero walked up to them.
"Ooooo." Chewie mocked curiously. "Can I play?"
"I figured you couldn't stay away." Mesay chided.
"So this is the plan then. Fight to the death." Dox discouragingly offered.
"Hardly." Mesay retorted.
"Mesay?" Dox inqured. "You....you can talk normal. Oh thank god for that! Do you know how hard it is to not be able to understand what Hoop is really saying?"
"Tell me about it.", Zero quipped. She handed the clipboard to Dox. "Here, you're better at this than me."
"You and Zero need to go to the back of Home. There you'll find a bunch of us getting ready to leave. Go with them.", Mesay told Dox.
"Ah, the old hold them off so the others can get away bit hmmm? Where does fight to the death not apply to this?", Dox asked.
Mesay put an arm around Muse. The two disappeared and reappeared on the other side of the courtyard. Then came back.
"Ah again.", Dox repeated. "So once everyone is safe you guys teleport out of here. I suppose we can only do a few at a time right?"
"Pretty much.", Muse said.
"I don't like leaving you all here.", Dox said.
"Me either! I'm staying!", Zero proclaimed.
Mesay walked up to Dox and Zero. She put her hands on their shoulders. "I'm sorry friends. But we need to get you out of here. We can fend for ourselves. We have a few others backing us up too, if it makes you feel any better.", Mesay offered. "They will need your help too. Somebody has to keep everyone calm Dox."
"I suppose so. Besides these wings are more dead weight than an asset in a fight now. I can't even lift them.", Dox responded.
"Thank you Dox.", Mesay said with a smile.
Dox began to walk off. "Come on Zero. We need to go help the others."
"What can I even do now?", Zero followed.
"What if we got you to ride Tex in front. Leading the group.", Dox said.
"Oooooo! That would be cool!", Zero responded.
***
About twenty minutes later the six butterflies stood outside the closed gate. Not a hundred feet in front of them was the massive army. Tons of dolls flanked by the massive golems. With an airstrike of drones above. The six put on their brave pokerfaces. Not willing to let Help3r get to them. Though inside they were just as scared as they were brave.
Beyond the gate stood the others. Hoop had his telescope still out watching them closely. He was to give orders to the others as soon as things got sketchy.
Paul, Xuch, Chewie, Chula, Muse and Mesay stood facing the immense army. All waiting. All gearing up for the first launch. None of them had any official training but they had a plan. A plan with armor, weapons and powers. This wasn't going to be pretty. It was going to be a mess. But it was also going to be worth it.
They had to make it worth it.
