I can feel your presence, yet you're still absent. || [SMG34]

Chapter 5

"What the hell is this?!" Desti yelled, looking among the surrounding area. It was a mess, full of colours, even somewhere they shouldn't be. "This isn't fair, you know!"
SMG3 looked at Terrance, then towards his gloved fingers. A vicious grin on his face, soon resting smug. "These Splatfests have teammates, right? I'm just practising being a good sport, Desti."
"Being teammates with your 'son' doesn't count." She snarked, causing SMG3 to gasp dramatically. He covered Terrance's ears on the top of his head. He looked at Desti.
"How could you say that... he is not only my son but he is myy...  2nd favourite person in the entire universe!"
Desti rolled her eyes, but a soft smile rested on her face. She sighed. "You're right. I can't argue with that logic." Dropping her splattershot, she smiled and clapped. "Alright, you won. Good job."
"So... That means you'll teach me how to go visit SMG4, right?!" SMG3 asked, letting go of the weapon to (platonically) hold Desti's hands.
"Yes, yes. I'll teach you. It's actually kind of easy to understand." She sighed, before pulling her hands away from him. "Get your hands off me!"
"Geez, sorry." He mumbled, sighing.
"Just, follow me." She replied, leading SMG3 back to where they were before. The spiral looking tree. From there, he could see Spudnick painting a purple that SMG3 wore sore fiercely onto a rock, adding his to the collection.

"Alright, behind the tree is a golden ring." Desti started explaining, before being interrupted.
"Like from Sonic?" SMG3 asked.
"Everyone asks that," Niles joined in. "yes, like sonic. Apparently the person who created this divider is a sonic fan."
"Which says a lot since the world mainly consists of a Nintendo IP." Desti mumbled, crossing her arms. "Anywaays... the ring will deem you worthy or not based on your own morals and how you impacted the world. If you're like me, you'll enter perfectly fine. If you're like Niles... you won't be allowed to leave."
SMG3 thought for a moment. "So... if I threatened someone who probably still has some resentment against me, will I be able to see that specific person?"
"Gay ass." Desti commented, not answering. SMG3 frowned in response. "That depends on who it is, though. Only Guardians and Avatars — whatever those are — are able to see you. You can see everyone, though. I was also told you're able to interact with the world, but only with other Guardians and Avatars. You can't touch anything with anyone else. Not like I'd know, though. Meggy is always mourning in the most obscure places."
"Gay ass." SMG3 snarkily replied, crossing his arms and smirking.
"Kill yourself."
"I did, Gaylord."
"Not enough!" Desti exclaimed, soon sighing. "You're going to have a time limit, though. You have the equivalent of 3 to 4 months to interact before they can't see you anymore."
SMG3 sighed. "That's stupid."
Desit also sighed in response. "I don't make the rules. Plus, I don't know everything about that since I never used it all up. I actually like it here."
SMG3 nodded in response. He looked at Desti, his walls shattering down. A soft smile rested on his face. "Thanks, Doosti."
"Desti." She gritted her teeth, her eyes closed as her body relaxed. "But... you're welcome. Feel free to come back when you're wondering something or want to hang out. It truly isn't all that bad when you get used to it."
He nodded once more in response. "... 'Kay." It was kind of an awkward ending as SMG3 looked down towards Terrance, tugging at his overalls. Terrance was going to miss him for the time being. He knew this. Who wouldn't know this. But, SMG3 smiled. He picked him up, holding him against his cheek. "I'll be back, son. Don't wait for me."

Terrance nuzzled his face against SMG3's cheek, nodding. SMG3 set him down and walked behind the spiral tree that centred the area. The golden ring was very visible. It shined in the broad daylight, the trim glistening. SMG3's hands twitched, his right reaching out towards the ridge. His gloved fingers lightly touched them before it started to glow the same purple that Spudnick was painting the rock. A short yet surprised gasp left the Guardian as he stepped back out of shock. The ring's glow grew, it spun in circles. He couldn't tell what it was doing. The spinning soon stopped as he watched small shapes emit from the centre.They were different colours, but he recognized who they represented. Red was for Mario, Green for Luigi, Orange for Meggy, a Light Green for Melony, Brown for bob, Teal for Fishy Boopkins, so on and so fourth. But the one that caught his attention most was the combined colours of a sky blue and a lighr white. He knew the blue had to be for SMG4, but the white he couldn't tell. Was it supposed to continue the representation or was it supposed to show someone else? SMG3 couldn't tell, but he took a deep breath in. His eyes glowed red as he entered the ring, the last thing he felt of the dead realm was his hand touching the outer ring.

SMG3's eyes shot open, gasping for air as he looked around. His body felt alive for once. He couldn't stop gasping for air. Short and hasty exhales and intakes. He looked around, seemingly to be in the centre of a city. A rebuilt one. Seriously, SMG3 could hear the blaring noises of construction as if he were in New York Time's Square. His eyes darted to a nearby park, a small connection he could feel. His body made it's way towards that connection. His body phased through objects he didn't think there would be in the way. The potted daisies and oak trees didn't matter as he watched a happy blue and white dressed man play catch with a green and blue dressed taller figure. A dog in the shape of an egg running around between the two. Laughter filled the park, causing SMG3 to smile. The dog looked over in SMG3's direction, before running up to him. The blue and white man looked at him, his eyes widened in shock. All that was left was a sympathetic curve on SMG3's lips as the two stared at each other.
"Did you miss me?" He asked to SMG4.