Horizon-Bound

--Story--

"Geez, this is way further than I've ever gone out here," Chester mumbled, tripping over a few roots as he spoke, "Us scouts don't come way out here 'cause well--- Why would anyone make it out here?"

"I can see that, I guess," You stumbled as well, stopping short to look at the thick, overgrown vines, "I think this is as far as I can go without breaking my ankles."

"Shocked you haven't already broken any bones since you haven't stopped at all!"

"Maybe you're just lazy," You snarked back with a chuckle, settling against a vine as you thought of where to go next. It seemed like Subcon never ended...

"Hey! You take that back! I've been a loyal minion for centuries now!"

"A loyal minion who's still a kid."

"That- that isn't even how that works! Only dwellers stay as kids!"

Your eyebrow quirked up, rolling your hand around as you spoke, "Okay, then enlighten me. How does it work?"

"Dwellers can't do anything, most of them can't even speak...so they can't grow up and mature...But us! We're given bodies and voices and---Well all the time to grow up and learn things. You're looking at a fully grown person here! I may have died when the Queen froze things, but that doesn't make me a kid now. You're the kid to me!"

You paused a little when Chester mentioned the Queen. Vanessa, wasn't it? ...From what little you had known about her, you greatly disliked the woman. This, this was an added reason to disdain her.

"She-...Killed the village children?" You paused, taking a solemn tone.

"...She froze everyone she could," Chester bluntly replied, "Most of us turned into dwellers after, and Snatcher made contracts with the rest of us."

"Chester," You inquired, "Was there ever a...a third ghost around Subcon?"

The doll stiffened somewhat, opting to take a seat on a vine higher above the one you had rested on. His head tilted away from your gaze with a hum.

"Boss said we're not supposed to talk about him."

"...Moonjumper?"

"Where in the world did you hear that name, kid? You're a lot weirder than I first thought."

"It's...it's a long story"

"Well, clearly we've got time. Spill it."

------

It hadn't taken as long as you had expected to explain the story of how you had met the strange ghost, especially when skipping over unneeded details or detailed explanations of things. Afterwords, your traveling companion had gone somewhat quiet, as if in thought.

"He was always in charge of stuff way out here," The subconite glanced up towards the treelines, "and we always knew he was part of the prince, I mean--- It was always obvious."

"Chester," You half pleaded, "Do you know what happened to him?"

"..Tensions got high between Snatcher and the Queen," He leaned back as he spoke, "Moonjumper thought he could talk things out with her."

Your body tensed a little at the thought, after the way the  ghost would react to just her name at times. Or how he'd awake from a nightmare of being back in that awful mansion.

"And?" 

"...He never came back," Chester  mumbled, "After a while, Snatcher just barred conversations about him and the forest grew back. He never really liked him to begin with, so it wasn't of his concern I guess."

"I see," You hummed, remembering how even Moonjumper had no idea how he ended up in the horizon back then, "...Do you think---"

"I don't know, kid. Don't finish whatever you're about to ask, I don't have the answer."

"Right, sorry." You sighed.

Did...He end up back there? That was the lingering question in your head, a solemn mood coming over you.

No. He was...Just lost. Just lost. It was fine. You'd find him.

"Hey!" You glanced up just intime for a ball of leaves to hit your head, "Catch."

You grumbled, rubbing  the foliage from your hair with a snort, "That is not funny."

"No? How about another? Is it funny then, sad-mc-sadface?"

"Don't you dare-"

Smack.

With a growl, you began scooping up your own pile of leaves, crunching them into a ball as well.

"Chester, are you sure you're not still a kid?" You chuckled, tossing your own leaf-ball full force at the doll.

"I told you, I'm- Agh!" You couldn't help but laugh when the subconite fell from his perch, rolling headfirst over the ground, "Ok! Now it's not funny."

"I don't know," You snickered, "I think it's starting to grow on me."

"Ugh. You know what, can we just go already."

"I thought you were tired of walking."

"Well! It's better than getting knocked over!"

----

(Something a little lighter and filler this time. I just wanted more bonding with Chester, I'm fond of him. Next chapter we go back  to the moonman and cc. :) )