The Stage is Set

Chapter 10: My Starmate, your love makes me powerful

Powerful - Major Lazer
Someone you like - The Girl and The Dreamcatcher

The screen flickers on and everyone's attention is drawn back from the floor to what might happen. A shorter cloaked figure silently makes its way to a certain spot not too far from the window. They look side to side before looking up.

"Ink? Can you hear me?" They cup their mouth as they murmur. There isn't any response before the figure reaches into their hood. They pull their hands away to reveal chartreuse strings on their fingertips. "Hold on, I can get you down."

They slowly extend their strings to Ink and wrap around him gently. They don't tug him down but use their other hand to slowly create an outer shell around Ink so then Kitsune doesn't suspect anything. With their first hand, they bring Ink slowly back into their arms. Ink looks at them and his eye-lights shine with recognition. They smile down at him as they absorb their mask, a full creator in their outfit. Their ears twitch as their eyes tear up.

"What do they do to you?" They lay him down on the ground and start to patch him up. Ink smiles.

"It's you. Leo... Sage... And Green... This multiverse was hers... She gave it to you." They smile as Ink stares at them. "You're covered with Lea's magic."

The three mentioned perk up in awe and confusion. This was their creator? They look so... kind. Not like what they had made the three of them come from. Those feelings of awe become bitter and hardened. The others stare in awe, how does Ink know this creator? Blue pauses at the name Lea, it sounds so foreign yet familiar, but she was the one to create the multiverse? It's interesting. He'll ask about it later.

"Yes. Thank you for watching my children. Thank you so much, I could only do so much as the second creator of them. Thank you for doing what you did even when you told us that you would never try to interfere again."

Their tears drip onto the ground as they hold Ink closer. Suddenly it clicks for the three. This isn't their only creator. This is the one who wanted a happily ever after. Or at least wanted them to be happy. There was someone else who had more say than them. And Ink played a role in their creation? What was that about? The others are stumped. What did they mean that Ink had said that he would not interfere anymore? Dream and Cross both look away. They saw the results of what happens when Ink tries to help where he wasn't a part of. It wasn't pretty and Dream feels guilt and regrets bubbling in his non-existent stomach as he shifts in Cross's arms. He knows better now, but he can't help but hate himself for what he did in the past.

They pull away for a moment, "call me... Liam." Ink smiles. Now they have a name. Ink grins their name is so close to Lea, they must've been related.

"It's okay, Liam. You tried your best, and so did I."

"So. You went behind my back?" Liam tenses and holds Ink closer to themselves before turning to face Kitsune.

"No more. They have suffered enough. Their stories need to end happily! Look at them! You're hurting everyone."

"They are toys. Things for amusement. And I'm enjoying this game I get to play with them. Do you want me to make your punishment worse than it is? You should know better, traitor." Liam shrinks back as Ink holds onto them tighter.

"No! You're ruining everything! With all of your interference and being forceful! I don't like to get involved... And I seldom created my children because of you! I loved watching their creation and seeing their adventures... But I hate you!" Liam turns their back to them before looking down at Ink. "After what you did to them... To Ink... I made this tree, this multiverse, to hide them from you. To save them from you. But now you're back and harsher than ever." Ink stares back in confusion. They didn't make the multiverse. Lea did. He looks them in the eyes before more confusion washes over him. Were their eyes yellow before?