A Messy Array of Stories, AUs, Covers and Many More

SSV-mas Day 24: Grinch (SSV)

Reflections and truths come out, can one say no to their own destiny?

SCHRIK: *walks into the control room of the Super Robot* Hey, guys. We got Antauri's text... Is he...? 

GIBSON: *closes eyes* Yes, well, he hasn't come out of his room ever since this morning...

SPARKS: I swear, if that Amaris kid shows up again, I will DESTROY HIM! *looks absolutely pissed*

NOVA: LEMME AT HIM! *angry* How DARE he...! *Leo places a hand on her head* Leo?

LEO: We'll take care of this. Don't worry. 

SCHRIK: *frowns, he's also very angry but he wants to focus on helping his brother. Amaris is lucky that he hasn't gone after him...* Let's go.

MK: Right! Cyan, you know where his room is?

CYAN: Yeah, let's go. *walks in, the rest follow*

FRAN: Will he be okay, Shishou?

SHISHOU: I wish I could tell you, but truth be told, I... don't know. 

KATARINA: Oh, Chiro...

MAPLE: I just hope he'll feel better... "This is a really sad event..." 

SCHRIK: *arrives at the room, the doors open* Chiro?

CHIRO: *is a cute lump on the bed, pokes head out, panicked* B-Bror?! *has been learning Norwegian again*

MK: Hey, bud. We... heard from Antauri about what happened in Anonymous Souls of the Myst. 

CHIRO: *immediately retreats* O-Oh... *curses a bit in Norwegian, Schrik's face looks horrified, must be bad*

SCHRIK: "Alright, you can scold him later, right now, he needs comfort..." *awkwardly sits down on the bed* Wanna... talk about it?

CHIRO: *voice is slightly muffled* Antauri told you already right? W-Why ask?

SCHRIK: Cause it's not what you experienced. He wasn't right next to you when Amaris said what he said, so he can't be sure. Plus, all he said was that you were helping out there and ended up facing Amaris, he said... something and it seemed to hit you hard. *hesitant* I... get it if you don't want to talk, but... honestly, it's a lot better if you tell us. 

CHIRO: Yeah, maybe that worked for you, but not for me! *pauses, looks down* S-Sorry... I...

SCHRIK: no, it's fine. I shouldn't have forced it... 

CYAN: *sighs* Don't sweat it.

CHIRO: ... *pokes head out of blanket, leans against wall* I... They were making a grab for Oni again, and maybe even Sonic. I just happened to be checking on stuff in the world, so I decided to help them fight against Amaris. Only issue is...

AMARIS: Oh, so you're the one who betrayed your master, right?

CHIRO: *fist tightens* Skeleton King kidnapped me as a kid and made me his weapon. He had it coming...

AMARIS: *snorts* Oh, you remind me of someone who used to work with Sir and I, but wimped out cause he couldn't take it either. *rolls eyes* Aren't you just the same? 

CHIRO: N-No! I turned against him because I came to realise the error of my ways! 

AMARIS: *is suddenly behind him, has claws to his neck* Awwww, that's so cute! *leans in, tone goes dark* Good. Keep pretending like you care about protecting others. It's almost cute how you act so high and mighty despite how messed up you are inside.

CHIRO: *freezes* W-What are you talking about!? I... I'm not!

AMARIS: *smirks, his eyes glow, his voice now sounds so tempting* What if you just, give up here? No one will blame you if you suddenly got cold feet, you know. Let us do our business here, and no one gets hurt, you know. 

CHIRO: W-What?! *eyes widen* 

AMARIS: *smirks* Let me give you a tip. Once you've been touched by darkness, you can't get rid of it. It just sticks and sticks and sticks. *touches his back, right behind where his heart would be*  You know it, don't you?  This Soul Tumour was why you were chosen. And it only accumulates as you go. Soon... Soon it'll overtake you, and just like how the darkness had ruined your little friend, Sparks, was it? it will ruin you too. *hears the Dark Creature losing, curses, retracts his claws as he backs away* Well, that's unideal. *looks up at Chiro as he turns around, smiles* Well, regardless, do consider what I've said. I'm sure someone will want to take you in if you chose to embrace the darkness too~  *waves, disappears* 

CHIRO: *falls to his knees, detransforms, shaking*

CHIRO: That was when I realised, he... he had a point. *hugs blanket tighter to himself* I... I started off sabotaging the team's missions. I had to be talked to just to realise the error of my ways, to fully cut off contact with Skeleton King... *grip tightens* I'm scared. I'm scared I'll actually get so cowardly I'll turn against the team again... 

LEO: *silence, he sighs* Well, to be honest, for someone who supposedly is scared ****less every time you fight against the person who you used to work for, you have a heck ton to bravery. That and self-restraint.

CHIRO: H-Huh? *surprised* 

SCHRIK: *chuckles* You're... you're quite strong, Chiro. You've managed to beat back Skeleton King a few times. Must say that's crazy. 

MK: And hey, you could turn against them. But it's only a possibility. *shrugs* People keep on thinking Cyan and I could go crazy, but we're still here, right?

CYAN: *nods* You can't let the darkness control you. Dad used to say, "YOU control the shadows." whenever I struggled to control my powers. *shrugs*

LEO: I totally get feeling so helpless. I've felt it myself multiple times before I finally broke free of my "programming". *air quotes* It doesn't define you, though. Don't give up. 

SCHRIK: And hey, people've called me Ratatoskr cause in their eyes I was an evil creature. But it doesn't mean we have to live up to it. *smiles, pats his back* You're not alone, ChiChi. You don't have to be strong all the time. 

KATARINA: *smiles* Plus, destiny actually wanted me to be a villain, but I've been unlocking a lot of special routes for my life! 

EVERYONE: ... Wait, what? o.o

LEO: *smiles a bit* Telling them, huh?

KATARINA: Yeah. *locks door* Look, I... I'm actually from Schrik, Maple, and Shishou's world. Though I think everyone knew that.

SCHRIK: I-I suspected, that's all. 

KATARINA: When I realised I had been reincarnated as Katarina Claes, the one destined to be the "villain" of the story I'm in, I panicked. Big time. *snorts* But I changed things up, I guess. So what if you were bad before? The person you are today is who you've become from the past.

MK: *eyes sparkle, is up in her face* OOHH OOHH HOW DOES THAT WORK?! 

LEO: *facepalms, unlocks the door* MK-

CHIRO: *laughs a bit* T-That's funny. *smiles, emerges a bit from the blanket* But thanks guys. You are way too nice for me.

SCHRIK: Bror, you're being dumbdumb again. *messes with his hair* We're friends and comrades, of course we'll help. And I'm your brother so...

MK: GROUP HUG! *suddenly tackles Chiro*

CHIRO: WHA- *the others join in* HEY GET OFF AHHHHH!!!! *laughing* 

ANTAURI: *smiles, flies back to the others* He'll be alright. 

OTTO: That's great-

ANTAURI: We need to discuss about how apparently he had been sabotaging our first missions, though. 

OTTO: *squeaks* Oh...