The Stage is Set

Chapter 11: My boy, Karma is tainting your home

Karma - AJR
My Boy - Billie Elish
No place like Home - Todrick Hall

"Wh-what?" Bani snaps their strings before kicking off Liam's arm. Stumbling back in panic as they look around. They look back at Liam with hatred. Red eyes glow with vexation through the slits of the mask, and their pupils constricted to a pin. "How do you know that name?! No one should know that name!"

Ink's eye sockets widen at the mentioned name. His expression changes to one of disbelief. How could they do that? Why would they do that? He thought they were supposed to be friends. His expression settles into one of hatred. They were never friends.

"What? Do you not like that name, Bani?" Liam stares directly into Bani's eyes with defiance and hate.

"Stop!"

"Huh? I'm sorry. Did you say something, BANI?!" Liam comes closer, and Bani steps back.

"Shut up! Don't say-"

"You want me to speak louder?! Okay, BANI!" Liam screams in their face as their face grows red with rage. Bani growls loudly before throwing a punch at Liam. Liam steps back at the last moment, throwing Bani off balance before punching them in the gut. "You don't like me calling you by your name? I don't like you messing with my babies. I may not have created the others; however," Liam punches Bani in the gut. "You. Will. Not. Touch. Them. As. Long. As. They. Are. Here. In. MY. Multiverse!" Liam punches Bani with each word. Bani only grunts before grabbing Liam and throwing them onto the ground.

"I said SHUT UP!"

The grounds shake with the scream as Liam cries out in pain; the blast from Bani's voice alone cracks the floor beneath them. Liam brings a hand to their shoulder, only to find it dislocated. The others stare in horror and disgust. Dream and Blue bring a hand to their mouths, watching as Liam wince away from touching their shoulder. Leo barely opens his eye sockets; he can't move. And it isn't because Grillby is holding onto him, but he's so tired and hot; he can't bring himself to move, not to grab his spear, only a few inches away. Everything is fuzzy, and he can't tell who is who by sight. The others brace themselves against the walls, and Cross and Error work together to protect Ink's soul as Bani continues to lash out at the nearby structures and surroundings. Liam, distracted by the pain, becomes tangled in Bani's strings. Bani quickly knocks them out before throwing them somewhere else.

"No!" Ink cries out as he reaches out to Liam's falling body.

The resounding crack silences everyone. The damage and the seal are gone. It's only a matter of time before the two of them unravel once more. Bani chuckles before standing over Ink and staring down into Ink's eye sockets. The distinct sound of a pressed button rings out, the sound of an ACT button, before seeing a glitching button under Bani's hand. Ink's sockets widen, and the others can't see why since they can't see the button.

"No, don't-!"

Bani presses the button.

Silence.

No one moves. Not until Error and Cross notice Ink's soul glitch for a second. Then comes the screams. Ink screams in pain as his body falls back into ink and Bani turns to the window. They don't need to see their face to know that they're smiling.

"Let's take a look into the past."

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The screen clears and shows a small tree. An unfamiliar fox stands there, paint covering parts of her face as she continues to work. She sighs as her ear flicks. They watch as the pretty creator lady moves her tail. She wipes sweat from her face before continuing to paint branches and leaves. Her tail moves to show another person sitting there, surrounded by the protective fluff of her tail. He sits there watching her and looking around, wary of any other creators. If other creators would try and see this tree in progress or taint it. They all notice that the figure has a green bunny mask. Ink sniffles as he wipes his eye sockets and stands there for a moment before closing a window from another multiverse, one deeply tied to the one he now belongs to. The Ink there is deeply tied to Rewrite, they just experienced what he has twice already. It never gets easier. Everyone notices two of his vials seem to have exploded onto him. Deep Navy and magenta.