Lost Soul: Extras

5: Two of a Kind

"Hey! What are you doing!?" Genesis shouts as he registers the scene. There is a monster tearing holes into the AU! Genesis reacts quickly and without much thought when he sees this world in danger. He breaks into a run to try to get to this stranger and stop them.

The other monster jerks around at the shout. His eyes go wide in surprise. Genesis slows a little when he realizes how startled the other seems to be. They turn to move away but only manage to trip over their own feet and fall to the ground. Genesis almost falls right on top of him trying to stop. The two of them lock eyes. Genesis has spent many, many hours watching monsters from the different AUs he creates. He can immediately tell that this stranger is different from them.

"........You're like me," Genesis breaths out. He stares in shock and awe a the face so similar to his own. Genesis can sense more than see Fate's influence on the other. Genesis's face quickly turns giddy in the gleeful way that only a child is able to express.

"Who are you?" the black-bones skeleton asks, weary of Genesis's sharp flip in mood.

"My name is Genesis! I am a Balance Keeper." Genesis delivers his chosen title with a blindingly bright smile. He extends one hand to help the other off of the ground.

The stranger hesitates to take the offered hand. He does not have the same trusting naivety as Genesis. Deciding to play nice in order to get out of the situation, the skeleton finally takes Genesis's hand. "Call me Encryption. The..... other Balance Keeper." The Creator seems to get even more excited when Encryption uses the title. Genesis isn't alone anymore! There's someone else just like him. As soon as Genesis lets go of his hand, Encryption makes a run for it. He whips around lunges a few steps forward before ripping open a portal.

"W-Wait!" Genesis shouts. He tries to run after Encryption, but the portal snaps closed fast enough to keep him out. Genesis stares at the empty spot of air for a long while surrounded by the crumbling AU.

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Encryption is not a fool. Though he doesn't remember it, he's had more than a lifetime of experience and practical lessons. He knows better than to trust the first friendly face that he sees. Encryption grumbles to himself as he plops down on the floor of the Antivoid. This was his first time destroying an AU, and he completely messed it up.

The first thing Encryption remembers is a disembodied voice barking orders at him. He woke up in the Antivoid with no memories and a sore body. Fate spoke to Encryption in the same matter-of-fact manner as she did with Genesis, though Encryption does not feel any inclination to please her like the Creator. Encryption almost spat at the disembodied voice when Fate called him the Destroyer. He is no one's butcherer.

And then Fate told him about the limits of the Multiverse. She explained how many hundreds of people have already died because the Creator didn't know how to do their job. Encryption felt angry at first, but now he is conflicted. He could tell that that Genesis is the Creator with one look. It could all be an act, but Genesis seemed so.......... young. The way that he held himself and lets every feeling show on his face comes off as very odd. Genesis reminds Encryption of a naive child. Encryption is much more guarded. He, the Destroyer, expects to be enemies with the Creator. Genesis' actions seems to convey the exact opposite. He seemed so happy to meet Encryption.

Nothing bad happened in this brief meeting, but Encryption still isn't convinced that he can trust this childish Creator.

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Eventually, Genesis was forced to leave the AU. Enough damage had already been done to collapse it. Genesis couldn't bring himself to repair it as much as he wanted to. He belives that Encryption must have had a good reason. He must have known that Genesis creates too much. The Creator actually smiles at the thought. In all of this struggle, he now has a partner to help him. Genesis is thrilled even if their first meeting didn't go perfectly.

Too excited to sit, Genesis bounces around the void to check on AU after AU. Encryption has to be staying somewhere, after all. Genesis searches every corner and crevice of the few existing worlds. After hours of searching, he still can't find any trace of Encryption. The lack of any sign frustrates and saddens Genesis. He looks around at the near empty void in disappointment.

Genesis is not the type of soul that's meant to be alone. Loneliness continues to drag him further and further down. Fate rarely spares a moment to speak with him. Genesis is also too anxious to try and speak with a regular monster again. They're too fragile, and they can disappear along with their worlds at any moment. Like a young child, Genesis is desperate for someone to find comfort in. He needs someone to tell him that he's doing something right instead of Fate's constant rebukes. He needs someone he can form a connection with.

Wether or not Encryption wants it, Genesis has decided that person has to be the God of Destruction.