𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘 𝐆𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐐𝐔𝐀𝐃𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐋 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓'𝐒 𝐁𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍 𝐏𝐔𝐒𝐒𝐘

Chapter One: Imbroglio

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im·​bro·​glio | \ im-ˈbrōl-(ˌ)yō

(n.) an intricate or complicated situation

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He ran. He didn't know where he was running to, or what he planned to do when he stopped. He just ran. Though his speed was great, his mind was racing far quicker than his feet were. The moment he had realized what he had done, there was no other course of action for him, other than to abscond the scene of the crime; his crime. His rage of losing everything he had worked for in one day to a woman who he thought he could trust had overtaken him, and had caused him to pull the trigger. Now he was fleeing, quite literally running from the consequences of his actions.

Breath quick, chest pounding, he forced himself onwards, converting his guilt into energy as he fled from Pepe Lake. Shouts of his name followed him as he ran, but he ignored them. The grassy ground blurred beneath him as he willed his legs to push harder, beads of sweat beginning to drip from his forehead as his burst of adrenaline began to fade. Pain was beginning to blossom in his chest as a side effect from his rapid movement, his lungs straining to appease his need for oxygen. Cramps began to form in his legs and torso, causing his muscles to stiffen and seize up.

He needed to stop.

As he did so, leaning heavily against a tall oak tree, gasping and panting for breath, he heard his name being called once more, and the sound of footsteps as his friends drew nearer to him. He could not bring himself to look at them, to face the disappointment in their eyes, to answer their angry questions, but alas, he had to. Turning back to where he had come from, he saw his boss, Monty Burns, and his boyfriend, Waylon Smithers, running towards him.

"Quackity!" Monty panted, beginning to slow down as he reached his friend. "Wait- don't go-"

He stopped, resting his hands on his knees, attempting to catch his breath before he spoke.

"Quackity, I-"

"I'm sorry, okay?!" Quackity snapped. "I didn't want to shoot her, I was just pissed! My casino was everything to me, and she took it from me!"

He tore off his beanie, running his hands through his jet-black hair, causing it to become even more disheveled then it had been.

"Quackity..." Waylon began, having just caught up to the two. "I don't think-"

"That Wonder girl had already pissed me off, and now to hear that someone I trusted was the cause of Las Nevadas' destruction- I couldn't stop myself in time! I didn't-"

"QUACKITY!" Monty shouted. "Neither of us blame you! We understand!"

"I- wait, what?" Quackity paused, confused.

"We understand that you're upset, Quackity." Monty said. "I would do the same thing if, say, Waylon had blown up the Nuclear Power Plant."

"Monty, you know I'd never do that." Waylon protested.

"I know, it's just an example." Monty reassured his boyfriend. "You love me too much to even think about doing that."