Butterfly Apocalypse: An explanation of the accepted.

"At the time, it was just the four of them. Chewie, Hoop, Beat and Banana."

Mesay told them everything she knew. At least as much as any of them knew. It was more an explanation of the accepted than what was really going on. When everything started falling apart Banana, "borrowed" her Mom's car. It was the only way she could think to be safe after showtime made an attempt on her life.

"Wait! Showtime tried to kill Banana?!", Sage interrupted.

"Yeah, pretty fucked up huh?", Mesay  quipped. "Anyway with the other butterflies out of communication she went to the closest friend she could think of. Beat, who wasn't near to her at all mind you, but had been quite worried after receiving the call from Banana. She printed out all the logs and put them in a giant file folder. When Banana finally did arrive she already had a saddle bag packed. This was real, and if they wanted to get through this, they would have to stick together and figure something out. They decided that going to Caught was the quickest way to get answers.
They got pretty far until the car broke down in southern Wyoming. In the middle of flippin nowhere. Beat and Banana tried calling out for a tow truck or anyone but the cell phone reception sucked so they started walking."

Hoop was actually on his way to visit family. He was wandering around the train station when he found Chewie unconscious on the terminal floor. When Chewie finally came to, his eyes were as wide as saucers and he had no idea how he got there. Hoop explained where he was but the whole thing just confused him more. He had nothing on him except a letter in his pocket. In an odd writing it said Wyoming on the envelope. When he opened it up, all it said was 'Your family is waiting for you'. Chewie decided to follow the note and Hoop couldn't help but tag along. Even though he didn't know the area at all, Chewie led the way. He felt pulled in the direction to go.

Mesay continued. "They found Banana and Beat walking away from a car and joined up with them. Strange coincidences are strange."

Home itself is a huge building. It stuck out of the landscape like a sore thumb. A giant tan polygon with no noticeable doors or windows. Save for the gate and actual entrance into the building. The actual count of how many rooms or levels was up for debate. The Main Hall, where they were now, was about the size of a small church. There were tables and chairs every few feet and two separate rows on each side. The group crowded around, listening to her tell the story. Clearly Tarvok, Sunni, Sage and Blueeyes were just as confused as when they had started. But they allowed Mesay to finish before tackling her with a slew of questions.

"When they got here they looked around the entire area and couldn't find any doors or windows. It wasn't until Banana started talking about a door that one suddenly appeared. After coming in and walking around a while they started talking about being hungry. Then they found the Mess Hall. It was like every time Banana thought of something it just showed up. The really bizarre thing is that the fridges and cabinets were fully stocked. And it was all real, fresh, food. Just about anything you could ask for. Then Banana started wondering what happened to me."

They all paused. Mesay seemed put off by what she was about to say.

"I apparently landed on one of the tables. As if I was dropped from fucking nowhere. They said I started moaning. Probably from the pain of the fall. I was mumbling and gasping for air. And....my eyes....they were this bright neon blue for a few seconds.
All I remember is being dizzy and confused. I have no idea how I got there. Remembering my last thought outside this place is almost impossible without me getting a massive headache.
Honestly, I don't like talking about it."

Despite all the questions in their head they couldn't voice any. None of them wanted to grill Mesay about whatever she had experienced. But between her display this morning and now this story, they were a little at unease. But this had been the safest place they had seen in days. Since even before Chewie found them.

"Well....", she started. "Let's go get some food huh? I get super hungry after saving people and being all badass like that." She snickered as she walked past them seemingly fine again. It broke the tension just enough for the others to just go with it. Lord knew they were hungry as hell too. All those canned beans Chewie had weren't very satisfying. Especially split between five of them.

***

Mesay led them through the narrow hallways. Tarvok looked up at his new surroundings. The hallways were ridiculously tall and oddly narrow. The light bounced and diffused off the walls so evenly, that the ceiling was practically invisible. But he figured it had to be up there, somewhere. At least wherever the light was coming from. Where was the light coming from?

He touched the walls and felt the slightly textured surface. Everything had a light peach hue to it. This building must have been brand new. No scuff marks, no dings, no repairs. In fact there were no signs or indicators of where they were in the building. As they turned a corner Tarvok stopped and looked down the one they had just been in. Then at the one they were walking down now. They looked exactly the same.

"Hey Mesay!", Tarvok started. "How do you even know where your going? Every hallway looks the same."

"That is an excellent question Tarvok. It seems that you don't need to know how your getting around. You just need to know where your going."

The confusion silenced everyone until Sunni finally blurted out, "What!?"

Mesay stopped in her tracks, sighed in frustration and then turned to everyone. "This would be a lot easier to show you than to tell you. So let's just go back to the main hall."

She turned and walked off again in the same direction. Tarvok hurried to catch up with the group.

"But isn't it back that way?", he offered.

Mesay stopped at a doorway and opened it. She motioned them to look in. It was the Main Hall. 

"We went in a big circle?", Sage suggested.

"Nope.", Mesay responded. "Now lets go to the back to the entrance." She started walking again this time quicker. Mesay had to explain this at least 10 times before to the other butterflies. Normally she was patient but her stomach was starting to hurt from being so hungry. 

They turned the next corner and arrived at another door. When she opened it the evening light was coming through. When did it get so late? Envoy was in the courtyard, finishing putting doll parts into a giant trash can on wheels. 

"Yo Envoy! Hurry up huh? Dinner is almost ready!", Mesay chided. 

Envoy held up a middle finger. "Oh yeah I'll hurry and clean up your mess Mesay!"

"Hi Envoy!", Blue called.

"Fuck all of you!", he offered back in the cheeriest of voices he could give.

Mesay snickered as she shut the door.

"You see? All you gotta do is think or say, I'm going to my room. And you'll get there. You just keep walking. Nothing here is very far from anything else. Now can we please get something to eat? To the mess hall!", she cried and quickly walked off. They all tried to keep up.

"How did you figure this out?", Blue asked.

"Trial and error. And Dox and Chewie theorizing. One time those two tried measuring this place."

Mesay started laughing hysterically.

"I'll have to tell you about that later. Eventually the others started showing up. Some of us remember how we got here, some of us don't. What you experienced out there were Help3r's drones. So far all we've seen are the dolls and brick things. He's a literal little fucker when it comes to weaponry huh? Help3r has been trying to get in here almost as long as we've been here. But I think our lack of communication outside is what helps keep him out. That and this huge fucking fortress!"

Mesay motioned largely with her hands and arms and started laughing again. The four of them were all taken aback by the the outlay of Home. It's funny that she had been explaining things for the better part of the day and they all still had no idea what was going on.
Just like old times.

***

When they finally reached the Mess Hall, everyone was there. The hall was very long and wide but with a short ceiling that made the place look longer than it was. The whole place was busy. Beat, and Euph were in the kitchen at the far end. The smell emitting from there was out of this world. Beat apparently was a fine cook. And it was Euph's turn to be sous chef. Xuch and Banana were just outside joking about something. 

Zero, Avi, and Roses were doing the finishing touches on what could be best described as decorations, while Tiro gave them direction. Zero had been working on them all day and was very proud of them. Avi rolled her eyes every time something wasn't just quite right to Tiro. He loved to pester her with that kind of thing. Mesay interrupted the action by opening her arms and announcing their arrival. 

"Ladies and gentlemen! Four more have come home!", she proclaimed.

Everyone walked up and greeted with smiles and remarks. Hugs and handshakes. Sage, Tarvok, Sunni and Blue were overcome with happiness and comfort. Things may have gone to shit but here they were. Roivas wasn't messing around when they said this was a family. It really felt like that. Envoy, Chewie, Dox and Hoop were the last to arrive.

After some time Kirsten rang the bell nearby. Dinner was ready. They all gathered at the kitchen window and one by one helped themselves to the sweet spread of food. Everyone picked a spot and started. This was Home. Their new home. And the odd thing is that it didn't feel odd at all.

***

As the night came so did the jokes, conversation, laughter, artistic sentiments and general catching up. Soon though a number of them started getting tired. Sage approached Mesay to find out where he should bed down for the night.

"So, where does a butterfly get some shut eye around here?", Sage asked.

"Just go to your room.", Mesay responded with a smile.

"Uh.....I don't know where it is.", he sarcastically replied.

"Uh....you just go remember?", she retorted. "Look I'm not going to baby you guys all through this stuff. It's easy Sage. Just leave the mess hall with the intention of going to your room. You've gotta figure this out sometime."

Mesay shooed him away and out. Sage looked on down the hall. He was a little spooked. She may have been sure that he would of found his way but he seemed less convinced. Regardless Sage started walking. He went down the hallway. Observing everything including how quiet it was. No hum, no clacks, no bumps, no echos, nothing. This just made his nerves worse. Regardless Sage kept it in is head to just keep walking. 

Keep walking.....

Keep walking....

.....keep walking.....

...........

He had seemed to have been walking for quite some time but without a watch he couldn't tell. He couldn't tell anything at this point. He could be anywhere. Who knows how long he has been walking. 

He was lost.

Oh god he was lost.

Lost in a place he didn't know. And couldn't find.

He probably couldn't find the Mess Hall again. 

He couldn't even find Mesay or Hoop.

He might even be lost forever.

..............

Lost forever in this place! God what did he walk into? Why didn't Mesay just walk with him?

God why couldn't he just find his room?!

Just then Sage noticed a door. He rushed up to it and opened expecting the Mess Hall. What he got was.....a bedroom. Tons of shelves lined the walls but they weren't filled. A drawing board was at one corner. The shelf above it had any number of drawing supplies including paper and pencils. A few empty notebooks lined a shelf above his bed. A nice bed, already made. 

This was....his room. He found his room. Sage looked back out into the hall. He suddenly realized what had happened. He shut his door and stayed inside for quite some time afterward. This was Home, his home. And it might take some getting used to.

End part 2