#oooh nobody likes you and everyone is just keeping you around out of convenience

[wonderfulxhappiness]

its not even 9pm why am i having the 9pm thoughts :(

[danieyells]

Thanks for answering my questions! I know it was a lot lmao but I Am Have Questions and very few people informed enough to discuss them with xD

I suppose it is possible they Oniwaka and Co. were being rent from their exceptions and not to Tokyo itself, but I thought the way it worked was that MC rent their connection to Tokyo itself and overwrote it with their own! I hadn't considered your angle before; something to think about haha

If I remember right though, Sitri's wings, and with them his powers, only grew in recently right? Like, a little while before the first Valentine's Event? That's why he had so much trouble controlling them if I recall correctly! But sustaining himself on that energy is one thing that can be explained (though! It's possible that part of Sitri's deep desire for chocolate in general, but valentine's chocolate especially, is the love that gets put into them? Not to say he sustains himself solely on it or anything, but it might explain the strength of his desires ahaha)

Wait. Do those character quests mean that collisions can literally send people into the pasts of other worlds?? Like fr?? And also, does that mean collisions are like, direct overlaps with other worlds and not just illusory versions?

Part of why I'm trying to sort this all out is because I want to write a TAS fic, but I needed a better understanding of how, exactly, the system works, and was basically about to throw my hands in the air and say that actually nobody goes home at all until they've fulfilled their contracts ever and that's that xD I've finished all the story content btw! Including chapter 11 and most of the translated events, except for the Canaan one (gotta get on that, pray I get myself a Dagon 5★)

Does that mean that we contracts are *unfulfillable*? Like MC's connection with Agyo was basically like "I want friend lmao" and then they got their friend, but does that mean that Agyo is trapped in Tokyo until MC decides that they don't want to be friends with him anymore?

Also, do you think that if a Stray Transient does eventually run out of energy to sustain themselves in Tokyo, they get booted back to their world permanently, or do you think they just recover their strength in their home world and then get pulled back over?

Thanks again for answering my questions! I hope that this is proving as interesting to explore to you as it is to me hahaha

I don't mind that it's a lot at all! Lol it was just a surprise. I'm honored to be approached about this kind of thing, and I find it very interesting, yeah! 'u' I love worldbuilding and characterization so thinking about/sharing my thoughts on it for things I like is always a pleasure.

I mean it's possible they're rending their connection to Tokyo, but I feel like that wouldn't take the exception away? Because it came from an interaction they had, not Tokyo itself. I figured they were torn from the exception and the exception and fighting robbed them of all their energy in the proccess of making them a. . .screaming, mindless fighting machine lmao. Like rending a familiar from someone? But that familiar is inside them? If that makes sense? I don't remember if this was explained to begin with let alone how lol I should reread it lol

Sitri's wings did come in pretty recently, and they're implied to be a puberty thing. The problem is that he says they came in "the other day"--which doesn't necessarily mean "two days ago" as convenient as that'd be. The Japanese is even more vague, just saying "When I was taking a bath" without giving a timeframe. But I kinda figured that, until the wings popped in, love from his family was enough to sustain him. Because Bathym doesn't have a family here, really, he has his fans and the guild. But also since his family knew about the wings, saying they were a sign he was growing up, maybe they have a similar power that pops in during puberty and thus were able to feed him others' feelings. But yeah they were new which is why he couldn't control them.

As for the pasts in other worlds. . .time doesn't flow in other worlds the same as it does in Tokyo necessarily. El Dorado isn't even around anymore, time in Shangri-La flows slower than in Tokyo, etc--but these places still participate in the Game despite that. So worlds and timelines aren't entirely stable--after all time's been reset over and over. Also, we have time travelers from Utopia(which is the future???) so if they were forced to conform to a single space-time path that'd be kind of difficult? So, yeah, time and space and memories aren't necessarily stable in collisions. I mean, if a world collided based on memories, who's to say those places are still exactly as remembered? It works for the jungle in Shangri-La because it's a jungle and how much will that change--but the collided oceans are connected to towns in other worlds? Dagon connected islands from various worlds into one, too--those can't all be his own memories or from the same timeframe. Collisions are pretty unstable by definition so it doesn't surprise me that time can get screwed up along the way.

But yeah collisions seem to be actual overlaps of some sort--since Macan remembered that he heard MC's voice that happened in the collision, Xolotl met and saw himself in the collision, etc. And those things had effects that brought them to Tokyo to begin with.

Oh, there's also Nomad's character story where MC was invisible to everyone but Nomad--Nomad could feel them too--because the worlds were unstable under Ikebukuro Coliseum and they reminded Nomad of the prison he was in, causing the Collision.

MC could travel the collision/memory without Nomad around and get accurate information about its layout to help him escape.

If the collision doesn't alter the actual past then there's no way they'd know without Nomad physically with them. . .and there's no way Nomad would know where to go to escape the prison if MC weren't able to get actual information.

Then MC breaks the lights--only Nomad can see them, but they can affect reality/the past in a way that influenced everyone in it. And they're able to escape thanks to information MC gathered about and influence MC had on the world that Nomad would have no means whatsoever of getting/doing on his own.

Then they saw present Nomad who said MC was his, MC tried to reassure past!Nomad that it was okay, they were the same person, and past!Nomad felt betrayed.

Past Nomad sees MC through the transient light and chases after them, bringing him to Tokyo in continued pursuit of revenge.

. . .and present Nomad, now home with Mc and having had resolved the collision, remembered that he'd been chasing MC through the transient light but had travelled to Tokyo to find them--but had not travelled to them. He'd likely forgotten who he was looking for because he was kind of out of his mind at the time and thought he was chasing after his own hallucination to begin with.

Now that he remembers he wanted to kill MC for leaving him but also knows that he's the one who MC left him for, he deems them half a traitor for only betraying the him of the past not the him of the present and lets them off the hook for now.

(nice kabedon--DAMN THE TEN IMAGE LIMIT.)

MC was the one he wanted venegence against when he left Utopia, although he still has to get revenge against the people who turned him into a tiger. But he went to Tokyo to get revenege against MC and made a contract with them without remembering they were the target. He says he won't kill them for now but someday, when his other revenge is done, he'll come after them for betraying him. Until then they're his assistant and they'll be helping him get revenge. If they betray him again--betray him "one and a half times"--they'll become the new priority and he'll kill them first.

But even he said that he thinks that he's crazed for revenge is stupid so MC figured out that he wants them to keep him in check. (He calls them 'traitor' fondly(? He smiles while doing it, I think it's pretty fond) and I wish he kept doing that but it'd probably reveal more to people than Nomad is comfortable revealing lol so he calls you by name instead.)

Also, canonness note, he declares them his detective assistant when he declares them his accomplice--and in the Beach House Andvari he reiterates that's your relationship too. Which means that his character quest is canon across events. And if events are canon--whether through your choices or not(at one point in the story you know Gyobu but you only met him in events until that point???) that means Mc making pacts with everyone could be canon too.

. . .but yeah collisions are just time and space freaking out. Maybe they're past resets of sorts.

And oooh fanfics are exciting 'u' I'll give it a read if you link it! And congrats on reading everything! *U* I've gotta do that myself lol and good luck getting 5★Dagon!! I wanted 5★Tangaroa(someone I have added has him and. . .holy shit he heals himself, he heals allies around him, he's practically invincible) but I ran out of transient stones and I'm poor irl 8'D The Canaan event is fun and also chaotic and will probably give you even MORE questions about how the fuck timelines and collisions work. Because it kinda introduces a new mechanic into the mix. So uh brace yourself?

The problem with "nobody goes home until they've fulfilled their contracts" is that some people just don't have contracts. And their own desires only seem to cause gates to open and take them, not actually bind them--someone from Tokyo(or in Tokyo in MC's case) needs to be their binding agent if they're not like. A World Rep or someone similarly powerful enough to stay on their own(this is a guess--they're probably sustained by being the System and thus stand on the faith of all their people from their world. Alternatively they're bound to Tokyo via MC as the trophy.) Otherwise they wouldn't note that transients disappear eventually if unbound by a contract.

Gullinbursti isn't attached to MC by contract anymore not because MC said "I don't want us to be friends" or anything but because MC refused to make a proper contract with him because he'd misinterpret it. But he's still hanging out, so. It's not immediate. But, yeah, there are probably unfulfillable contracts that can only be broken by death or declaration. Agyo is stuck with MC until MC says he can go lol--I mean they're friends now but it'd defeat the purpose of the pact if they went away as soon as that happened. Because MC wants more and more companions they'll never truly have their desire to have friends fulfilled probably. So anyone summoned that way gets to stay in Tokyo until MC is no longer in it or maybe until MC decides "I don't want people around me anymore/I don't want to see anyone ever again" and truly means it--which will declare their contracts fulfilled and send them home, if they have a home/life to return to.

As for if Stray Transients go back permanently, yes and no. I think they go back and recuperate their energy and they stay home if they don't have an outstanding pact(whether they're aware or not)--however if they were just there because they went into the light and had nothing binding them to the land but that energy/will that brought them, they'd go home without bwing sent back unless they really wanted it again. Thus they can be resummoned, intentionally or otherwise. If MC one day dismisses everyone, regrets it, and says they want their friends back, everyone would come back. But if they didn't ask for everyone to return they'd stay home(disregarding that they'd probably all go NO WE WANNA GO BACK TAKE US TO MC and the transient light would bring them back to Tokyo again lmao.)

So. Yeah, they'll stay home until summoned again, even after they get their energy back, I think. If they don't have a home to go back to maybe they float in the void for a while, kinda like how MC just kinda existed as the Exiles without a home or like how Robinson says they can't stay anywhere forever because they're Wanderers.

(Somewhat related, Shiro mentions in the Apprentice Santa event that it must be hard to import turkey to Tokyo. . .import it from where? Tokyo is closed off on all sides INCLUDING THE OCEAN. That means someone's bringing turkey from other worlds into Tokyo--a business-like summoning contract lol. "Come to Tokyo, bring goods from other worlds, and you can go back until I need more" basically. Using another world like a manufacturing plant lol. . .little things like that make me consider that you can go and come back at the will of a summoner, assuming you donct have an artifact or ability that allows you to traverse worlds as you please.)

Another thing for you to consider if you wanna be a bit more puzzled: remember how much belief plays a part in how things work in Tokyo. Consider. . .if someone claims they're not a stray transient when they actually are and everyone around them believes that they have a contract or guild or something keeping them there even though it's not true. . .are they bound to Tokyo by that belief as long as they're around more people who think they're bound to somebody? Will they disappear if people stop believing them or they're around people who believe they're a stray? Consiquentially if people believe a stray will disappear sooner than later does their timer run out faster? If Ose somehow ran around telling people that transients won't disappear with his ability to make people believe everything he says, do they stop disappearing because no one thinks they will? I suppose he can't lie to nature, but can those beliefs sustain people? I mean belief can cause Oni to be hurt by beans, can cause Behemoth to regain his sense of taste, can cause people from worlds that've been destroyed to become demons because the Angels invading will it to be so. So where does belief's power end and the power of the System kick in? Does the game end if MC puts on Ose's crown and tells the Representaives it's over and they all lost? Or would the alternation of belief on a mass scale cause an Exception by clashing with something more powerful than it? What, since they so value Systems and the Faith that sustains them, to the point that losing Faith in your System causes a full on collapse of the world it holds together(see:Canaan), is more powerful in this game than the power of belief?

[zikadraws]

🌼Chara's Resort - Chapter 1 :'' ''I call monkey business on this hotel, partner'' or 'the Introduction' ''🌼

''*Are you 100% sure about that, partner ?''

Frisk eye rolled and with a big sigh made Chara understand that yes, they were and no, there was no need of asking that for the 387th time.

''*A-Alright then. Sorry, I shouldn't be the nervous one.''

Frisk gave their little undead partner a patient smile, and then a global look at the hotel. It was absolutely huge. Like, real huge. In the night they could barely even see the roof, and there was too many windows for them to count. It gave the young human a slight feel of anxiety, wondering if they would really be able to take care of something that big...

''*...why is it so little lightened ?''

Huh. Good question. The building was indeed barely lightened outside as for inside, and Chara completed their question with the observation that it was weird for a construction that seemed that brand new. Perhaps every customer was already asleep...?

''*At ten in the evening ? Every window ? Seriously, partner ? What do you think it is, a military camp ?''

Hmpf. Cut off the sass, Chara. There was anyway only one way of learning more, since whatever Frisk would say, their hirer didn't told them anything about the job yesterday.

''*Aaand right in the problems Chara & Frisk are bulling agaaain~'' crooned Chara ''Team-Rocket'' like, while their partner eagerly swinged open the front door of the building, ready for everyone and everything... Except for finding the check-in hall to be as darkened as the windows, and maybe even emptier than Jerry's personality -Chara !!!!

''*What ? He HAS the emptiest personality. And I'm the narrating one here, so frick off. Beyond of this, you gotta admit, this is like, really abnormal... Make me think of a horror movie scenario... y'know ? With the clueless guys who enter in a isolated recently bought house, and then- Nonono, don't close the door !! It's always once it's done that freaky stuff happens... Wha- NoI'mNotScaredButSeriouslyPleaseLetThatDoorOpen.''

Low-key laughing at their friend's nervousness, Frisk stepped deeper in the entrance, checking around for any clue of someone, in vain. The hall was inconfortably spacious... The silence didn't help, and Frisk rapidly felt their partner gripping their suit's leg, having decided to ground themselves in the hope to feel less exposed. The aspiring janitor frankly smiled at this sight. They did not know Chara still had scared child instincts.(*muttering*''*Mrrrmmrr....As if you didn't, you stupid mrmgrownup...(pfff)'')

Openly giggling this time, Frisk reached the check-in office and officializing the lack of reception, got ready to wait, gently messing the incorporeal hair of their pouty ghost friend.

Five minutes passed. Five more.

As it was getting to a quarter-hour, Chara had calmed down and Frisk was getting less and less sure about anything concerning their job. Their partner started swinging playfully around the deck, happy to feel getting closer the possibility of leaving the place, as they've been arguing about it during the whole wait.

''*That's just as what I'm killing myself in telling you, partner~ Nothing about this stuff is right ! 🎶Huge place, dark place, no one around...🎵 Nothing is right, yet here you are...🎶 Hmm hm hm hmmm... Oooh yeah~...🎵''

Hearing Chara starting to sing almost got the best out of Frisk, making them stand up all of a sudden and eye-dagger their smuggy brat of a friend, who promptly tempered.

''*Woah- hey, cool partner ! I'm just saying that apparently no one was warned you would come. That Gadd guy probably didn't bothered to get someone... (And honestly, for how he behaved yesterday, that would not surprise me...) ...Huh- wait, don't make that face !! Don't be sad, it's probably just an oversight... (...) Tell you what : let's ring the bell here, and if really nobody shows up, we'd get out of here, how about that ?''

Frisk sighed but had to admit it was the best option... Though before reaching out for the bell, they hesitated and then, to Chara's startlement, turned to them and bowing, waved in the bell's direction with a wink. After some confusing seconds, Chara understood : their partner offered them the first hit.

''*Wha-- But Frisky, I am a ghost. It won't do anything and you know it, right- oh.''

Of course they knew. But Chara could see it in Frisk's eyes. They wouldn't just get away with fifteen minutes of whining. And perhaps even wouldn't get away at all, if they didn't lowed themselves in that reminding of their incorporeal misery. Not while knowing how Frisk was.

''*... Alright then...''

Chara loomed over the bell, arm raised, eyesiding their partner's already satisfied grin. Swallowing their indignation, the little ghost sighed hard and hit that humiliating call bell with all of their frustration. ''*Here goes nothing-"

"Diiiiinnngg~🎵!!!''

...

...the echo of the ringing rolled in the entire hall. Leaving the equally stunned duo in a deafening silence.

---

''*...Waitwaitwaitwait. How the fuc-''

Despite being genuinely confused, Frisk had that reflex of reminding language manners to Chara. For who it was really the leastest of their problems.

''*Partner, I just did physically interact with a material object after one hundred ghostly years of not even being able to interact with magic. I can talk however the hell I want. What- NO I have no idea. I did not do anything special- I wasn't even fricking expecting it to ring... No I don't think there's anything special with it. I mean it's a goddamn bell ?? It's not even glowing or anything... Oh danggit---I'm so damn confused !!! Why does it have to happen now...''

''...Hum, hello, and err...How may I help you ?''

The unknown voice caught the arguing duo off guard and, turning up towards the origin in unison, opening baby owl eyes, they faced an... unexpected figure. It was a skinny man-like creature, standing behind the desk, with a blue and transparent body ; whose eyes and mouth, and general being actually, was strangely glowing ; and was dressed as a groom ; and manifestly waiting for a response.

After a couple of seconds Chara broke the silence. ''*...You, huh. 'You encounter... (Wait lemme *CHECK...) ...Stuart Gangers.''

The newcomer suddenly looked like choking on that name evocation. ''Wait wha- How- how do you know-''

''*...Said 'Steward'. Like his fonction, which is outrageously convenient...''

''Hey !''

''*...Basically the ghost equivalent of Burgerpants ; doing his very best.' ...Hooold on : 'ghost' ??? But wait, then does that mean...''-

''HEY !!!''

''*----OooohMyGodI'mSoSorryIDidn'tThoughtYouCouldPerceiveMe.''

...

Some seconds of overwhelming tension passed between the more-lost-than-ever duo and the rather mad bellhop. Finally, this last one decided it was not worth keeping up such an atmosphere if it didn't ended with anything good from those two unexpected visitors, and with a big sigh suggested them to forget about it and start over instead. So hello visitors, you can call me Steward, welcome to the Last Resort, new version, and how may I help you ?...

''*... Yeah'', croaked that strange-looking little petty ghost of a brat (having to be polite to customers didn't forbid him to think his mind) who guessed his true identity. ''*Yeah. Good idea. That's surely better. (Sorry). So, hum... Greetings mister... The names are Chara and Frisk Dreemur, and huh... Frisk here came in this place because they got hired as a janitor yesterday by some weird gu-(ahem)-Imeansomeone of the name of E. Gadd ; youuu...might have been warned...?''

Seeing the young spectrum getting shyer and shyer, to the point that their words gradually sounded less and less audible, restored Steward's sympathy ; and so that was honestly smiling that he informed them that indeed, he has been warned that the new janitor would come tonight, though the professor did not care to tell at which time. But on the other hand, he had in fact warned the entire staff hotel, including the residents, about this and that he wanted them all to meet the new employee (''for some reason -I don't really get it... they never did something like that before ??...-ahem-'') and so he had gathered them in integrity in the reception room, a bit next to the hall. May he leaded them in...?

A perplex silence fell through the ghosts and the human, before a steady-as-a-broom ghost kid finally asked : ''*...the 'professor' ? ...And... What do you imply by... The residents...?''

Steward squinted. ''...What...You mean that he did not told you ??''

As he faced the embarrassed look of the duo, it occurred to the incredulous bellhop that he had to brought himself to give them a summary on his own. How come the professor did not warn them... ??

''...god is it a funny story... So... Let's see...''

...

Ten minutes of wide explanations later, Frisk had to sum up to Steward. Did he really just said that 1) their hirer was a scientist focused on ghosts studies ; 2) the hotel itself was inhabited specifically by ghosts ; and 3) they were about to meet them all at once ??

''That's the long and the short of it, yes.''

But it was amazing ! It meant that Chara could for once meet up plenty people who could actually see them, hear them ! They could even make friends, finally !

Turning up to share their enthusiasm with the said children, Frisk brutally felt their happiness fade to concern. Noticing the human sudden worried face, Steward followed their eyes... and felt his chest tighten.

Chara was standing on their feet, abnormally steardy, eyes wide open and darting the ground, the whole spectra ran by violent shakes, their aura producing small red zaps of energy - an expression of fear iridiating from their whole being. It was a major panic attack, like Steward never could bear himself. No need to be a genius to understand that the kid wouldn't be able to interact with anyone in those conditions.

That establishment done, Steward turned to the alarmed human and suggested them to begin heading to the reception room by themselves, while he would take care of this. The young mortal hesitated but consented at the empathetic look on the bellhop's face. Giving a timid wave at their -oblivious- partner, they slowly engaged in the hallway. Once Frisk was out of view, Steward flew around the desk and crouched himself next to shuddering Chara. ''Hey kid. Are you feeling okay ?'' ''* . . . '' ''It's alright, okay ? I'm just sitting there. I swear I won't hurt you or anything else. Nobody will.'' ''*... I...I-I'm---...'' ''...There... See ? I'm just going to touch you on the shoulder... Here. Take a breath.'' Steward has cautiously began to open his arms, and Chara, still intensely shivering, instinctively moved themselves in. ''*I'm...I-'' they stuttered, as Steward very carefully closed his arms on the child's back. ''There, there... Shhh. Don't worry. You're safe. It's gonna be okay.'' Chara stared in shook, then their voice cracked down as they given back the ghost's hug, with all the force their violent shudders allowed them to use.

''*I'm sorry...''

---

Meanwhile, Frisky has already reached the reception room door.

They hesitated at the entrance. Being without their little partner felt so wrong... Having grown up with that constant -although sassy, and overly curious, and sometimes kinda annoying- presence, the young human felt unusually lonely. And worried for them. Would they really be alright...?

As Frisk was lost in their thoughts, the doors suddenly BUSTED open. Brutally brought back to reality, a startled Frisky eyecatched an obviously out of patience Professor E. Gadd, blabbering aggressively while being followed by some blue ghost.

''It's been almost an hour now since they should have arrived, what in the world is that guy doin- OH ! It's you !'' exclaimed the scientist, radically changing their tone at Frisk's recognition. ''We weren't expecting you anymore ! What took you so long ?'' As the newest janitor timidly attempted to remind Gadd that he literally did not told anything about what the program would look like, he interrupted them and grabbing them by the arm, dragged them towards the room ; ''Yeah yeah whatever. Anyway, we're so glad to finally have you here. You'll see : everyone's been waiting for you !'' Then practically pushed poor Frisky through the entrance.

Bursted up suddenly into the large place, bewildered Frisk reduced themselves to that latest rough treatment, and, blinking at the sudden relative amount of light, eyed the room... And almost let fall their backpack in amazement. Here, in this room, were standing (or more floating for some ominous reasons) dozens and dozens and dozens of ghosts, all sizes, all forms (perhaps as varied as monsters species), who were all doing (it wasn't the least astonishing thing to Frisk, knowing Chara) who were all doing normal corporeal people stuff, including eating for some !!...aaand were, hum. All staring at Frisk. The young human felt briefly their chest tighten at that last realization. But really briefly, as a ghost of tall stature, with blue sweater, cap and body (and a rather massive chin and pointy nose) approached to greet them -with the friendliest behaviour :

''Why, bonjour ! You must be the new concierge, n'est-ce pas ? Pleased to be meeting you, I'm Morty ! If you want, I can present you to everyone ! ^^''

Relieved by the reaction of the spectre, Frisk smiled widely and felt their loneliness flew away. Perhaps it would in fact not be as terrible as foreseen actually...

E. Gadd discreetly grabbed his captors.

---

In the meantime, back in the hall, Steward finally managed to get Chara to calm down... Well, sort of. If you can call calmed down a child sitting in ball-like position against the check-in desk, hidden under their hood, sobbing (gradually quieter, gotta admit). The bellhop was sitting right next to them, gently patting them, and wait for their hiccups to fade off to prudently ask them what got them to stress out that brutally.

''*...'' ''You don't have to tell me, but I think it would be better for us both to clear that up. If it's okay with you.'' ''*...I'm sorry... it's just that... (Hic) it's just that it's all happening at once... That's all.(snif)'' ''What are you talking of ?'' ''*But everything, whined the young ghost. We just came up in this creepy place and then... Then I'm able to touch things out of nowhere ? I just can't understand...'' ''...you mean it was the first time ever for you ??'' ''*Ever since I died, yup...'' ''How long-'' ''*One hundred and fifteen years.'' ''... Woah. Seriously ?'' ''*Huh-hu. ...Why ?'' ''Well actually, I did never heard of ghosts on the late...I was personally physically fully interactive hours after my death, in fact.'' ''*...'' ''Buuut I mean, it's okay. You seem to be an unusual...hum, special type of ghost anyway, so it's probably not that weird.'' ''*... what do you mean, exactly ?'' sneaked the little ghost, squinting. ''... Well... By example...''started the nervous bellhop, feeling he probably shouldn't have come up with this subject. ''I mean your appearance -and aura- is radically different from ours. Like you see, I have a tail and you seem to naturally have legs.'' ''*Oh yeah, smiled the small ghost. I did not notice it at first. It's funny.'' Encouraged by his achievement in getting a smile, Steward continued. ''Also, unlike mine, your eyes got pupils... (And your mouth is not glowing)'' ''*Yep... but, doesn't red pupils look a little weird though ?'' wondered the kid, suddenly sad. Getting that it was a sensitive topic, Steward eluded by assuring them it gave them an interesting look, and quickly switched to another subject (''And are those actually ears under your hood ?? Man, kid, you don't get your luck !!'' ''*Heee~ ! Quit it, it tickles !!''), effectively getting them to laugh, finally.

So after having managed to get Chara finally better, the blue ghost dared, after a short pause, to ask them if they wanted to head to the reception room with him, as he had to go there anyway. The little ghost shrinked on themselves. Then quietly confessed to Steward that in one hundred and a bit, they've never been able to interact with anyone but Frisk (''*and some rare exceptions... -ahem-''). So the perspective of having to meet plenty of new people able to perceive them in one shot, just like that, was a terrifying one. They just could't do it.

''*I'm really sorry...'' apologized the kid, rubbing their eye.

''... it's okay. I feel for you.''

''*I'm already happy to have met you today. I'd met the others, but like... Eventually'', stated the kid with a frank smile.

Steward felt his chest warm up at this one... ''Awww, thank you kid. That's fine, take all the time you need. We're all staying here anyway. And by the way, if you really have trouble with developing your ghost abilities we could teach you how it's done'', he added with a friendly wink ;).

Chara's eyes (and hair) bloomed with stars (and flowers (??)) at this unexpected offer ; but then, got melancholic...

''*...Do you really have to go ?''

''...yes, kid. Or else they'll be looking for me, sorry.''

The look on the child's face pitied the bellhop as he was getting up. Then an idea came to his mind, and with a wide smile he suggested Chara an alternative at being alone. Would they mind to try ?

''*...huh... Yeah, I guess ?''

So turning up, Steward clapped his hands, and a quartet of blue, yellow, red and purple glowing forms appeared from the walls. The bellhop informed the stunned kid that those were Goob, Slinker, Hammer and Sneaker. And as they gently approached the little ghost, and as the said 'Goob' managed its way through the very arms of that curious-looking new kid, Chara nearly teared up in awe.

''*Awww~ Oh my god they're so CUTE- thank you Mister !!!''

Steward nodded and, after making sure that the kid was in good escort, -gloriously- initiated his way to the reception room.

Plenty satisfied with himself for once.

---

Within the said reception room, Frisk was living their glorious hours. The guy named Morty knew indeed everyone and nobody got forgotten. The residents were globally really satisfied with the new janitor ; although being a little confused about if it was a boy or a girl, they all recognized their obvious ability to adapt to any given situation, their friendliness and, which wasn't the leastest of qualities for some, their quietness. In fact, the ghosts were really wondering how that human managed to be understood by everyone ? They did not see him/her open their mouth to actually talk even once !! But ah, in the end it didn't really matter. They were optimistic about...-well, in doubt- them, anyway. The atmosphere was sincerely light (ironically---hum.).

But as the presentations went along, the professor E. Gadd, who was keeping himself apart from the assembly, in a corner where he had a wide sight of the entire room, surrounded with complex instruments, seemed himself, less and less satisfied. The goobs who were providing the service were gossiping between themselves about how much he looked like he was searching for something and couldn't find it.

To the point where the friendly festivities got brutally interrupted when he jumped out of his seat and bulled towards the ghosts, arguing that something was not right.

''Wha- What's wrong, Professor ??'' asked the gal called Chambrea, confused. ''Everyone is having a good time. What's the matter ?''

''If something is wrong ? Yes something is definitely wrong. Don't you fellows ghosts sense like, I don't know... There's something off in that room ?''

''... ... ...''

''... Steward's... missing ?'' risked someone, bewildered.

''I don-''

''Not anymore~ !🎵'' whistled the interested, who just made his entry through the door-

''I DON'T FRICKING CARE ABOUT STEWARD !!'' shouted the professor, way more violently than he intended. Ignoring the shook he just caused in the gasping audience (and without even a look for poor Steward), he went on : ''What I mean is... Did really none of you guys perceive some strange presence, or aura, around 'Frick' here ?''

''...No, professor. ''Answered a tall purple ghost in costume in the coldest of tones. ''Why ,professor ?''

''Really ?'' enchained the said professor, totally oblivious to the inner menace. ''None of you did notice anything unusual with 'Frick' ? Nothing else than him (or her...?) ?? Utterly, positively, absolutely sure ???''

''Yes, professor.'' completed a rich-looking yellow ghost lady, in a similar tone. ''None of us. Why that question, professor ? Was there something you did not tell us, professor ?''

''...Bad timing.''

The scientist brutally turned away, gathered some of his instruments, and busted out of the room -nearly jostling away poor Steward, who glared at him suspiciously- while repeating over and over : ''Bad timing. Bad timing. Bad timing.''

Bad timing.

-----

🌼~End of Chapter 1~🌼

-----

Thank you very much for having read it all until the end. I hope my style did not bore you. And that you liked the plot.🥰

Love you all.

(Phew, it was really exhausting... Hope it was worth it at least^^''')

[italicwatches]

GAMERS! Episode 09

Good god that was a lot of recycling I had to take in. But now, we can work. It’s GAMERS!, episode 09! Here we GO!

-We begin in the stark light of day, at a certain apartment. In the Past. Chiaki is narrating. The first time she ever made a game, she was in the fourth grade. Some slapdash little RPGMaker thing, by the looks of it. It was there she learned the cycle; the creator creates something out of love and passion, and the player takes that passion and rides it out. When it all works, it’s…amazing.

-Almost before she knew it, it was her main hobby, almost on top of even playing games. But even then, she would admit, it wasn’t always fun. Creation takes a piece out of you and puts it out for the world to see, and if the world rejects it…It hurts more than anything you could possibly imagine.

-And yet…She couldn’t stop. Because there was one person, one fan, who was always there. One soul who she knew she’d be letting down if she turned away. That, that dear and precious Yama-san, made it all worthwhile…

-Cut to the Now, as Chiaki knows everything and is just groaning on her floor. And Konoha calls her out on looking like some kind of weird slug.

-When Chiaki realizes she’s on the floor, and she can’t, quite, remember what was happening…Wasn’t she just playing board games with everyone? Then it all went, hazy…The last thing she remembered was…

-Was…

-Oh dear.

-Konoha. You know how in shoujo manga, the heroine sees the delinquent saving a dog out of the rain or something, realizes he’s a good guy, and falls in love with him? And how dumb that is? …Yes, where is this coming from…?

-Isn’t that a cheap storytelling trick? A cheat built up through shock value even though it’s a huge cliche? And definitely, absolutely, positively couldn’t happen to a real person SO WHY IS IT HAPPENING TO HER RIGHT NOW KONOHA TELL HER SHE’S NOT WRONG TO KEEP HATING HIM! TELL HER SHE CAN KEEP HATING KEITA! Um, er, you’re…A…A little scary…Who’s this about?

-Yama-san. Well Yama-san is just messing with y—

-WHAM

-SMACK TO THE FACE

-NOBODY TALKS BAD ABOUT HER YAMA-SAN. Wait. Shit. Konoha quietly realizes her sister is not just tsundere, but also yandere. And Chiaki realizes what she just did and puts it back together to her image of Keita and FUCK. She just kinda collapses into the fetal position, making angry grunting sounds. Guys I think we broke Chiaki.

-Opening! Oooh, I’ve been waiting for this one. It’s the rhythm genre, with Japan’s favorite game that never quite made it out to the West, Pop’n Music! One of Konami’s classic franchises, Pop’n Music is a rhythm action game where you’re trying to hit the notes in time with the beat…But unlike most rhythm games, the big schtick about Pop’n is it’s not built on an instrument, a dance platform, or any sort of imitation of musical action at all. Instead, it’s this abstract interwoven pattern of huge smackable buttons, and you smack these bright colorful buttons in time with the beat. You might recall that in Watamote, Tomoko is really fucking good at it. It’s a much beloved franchise…That, hasn’t had a home release since 2011 on the PSP. Where you can’t even use the controller and have to play with buttons unless you emulate it. As they say all around the world, FucKonami.

-DAY 09: Hoshinomori Chiaki and Account Hack

-Cut to Chiaki hiding in her room, trying to figure out what to say to Yama-san. Who, she now knows is Keita. Does she keep up the illusion? Does she speak as Nobe-san? He, he doesn’t know what she knows. Does she confront him about it? Does she, just, hide and not do anything? Ugh, she doesn…doesooH GOD CHAIR

-Aaand Chiaki is on the ground. DAMMIT! This SUCKS! Okay, deep breath. She goes to talk to her sister…Who has a panic of her own, frantically making noise in her room, and…

-So, uh…

-How do I put this gently…

-Konoha came to answer her door sweaty, panting, and having shoved on a hoodie with no sign of anything underneath that hoodie. Draw your own conclusions, as even Chiaki realizes her sister must have been doing something and Konoha insists she was just doing some light exercise. Oh, is that what the kids call it now. Yeah, light exercise. Nothing suspicious! Just some wholesome, innocent exercise, complete with innocent whistling and innocent cries of “Oh god”! So what did you need?

-Chiaki is going down to the store, do you need any—

-You’re going to go buy the latest Famitsu, aren’t you.

-…Okay yes. And she goes to head out, when Konoha stops to ask if she can borrow Chiaki’s PC! Um, okay, but why…? Well, you see, that is to say, er…This video isn’t working right on her computer! Oh, sure thing. Whatcha watching?

-DEFINITELY NOT PORN

-NOW GO HAVE FUN AT THE STORE

-SAFE TRAVELS

-It is a burning grim heat outside, as Chiaki makes her way through the furious summer heat down to the convenience store…And there it is! The latest Famitsu! Perfect, now she can just get—

-Knock knock.

-Knock knock? She’s in a convenience store, who the hell knocks on…

-…Keita is on the other side of the window. Looking at her.

-PANIC

-They end up out around the corner in the shade, as she keeps trying to be all tsuntsun, but it’s not fucking working because she knows his other sides now. Which is how he ends up with a cold treat, and insists he ran into her on his way to get his transit pass which he left at her place. Not stalking. Not being weird. Just, needs, his pass so he can get on a damn train again. Hell, he even tried to text and call! You what?

-…Oh god her phone’s dead why is her phone dead? Don’t you remember to charge it? Hell, don’t you play mobile games or something? Um, er, well, you see…! S-S-S-She just gets asked out by so many boys that she forgot to charge it!

-…Don’t be ridiculous, Chiaki. FUCK YOU WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT HER?

-He knows your body.

-And Chiaki just drops her freezy treat, as her brain locks up. Wh-Wh-What wa—

-You’re as pale as he is. You’re not out doing stuff and getting asked out by boys over the summer, you’re hiding indoors and playing games, same as him.

-And thus begins the awkward walk back to her place, as she says she did find a wallet…But what’s he even need it for if he’s at home playing games all day? Well…Things might be different this summer. And she flashes back to him, with Karen, and oh, right, she had her chance and she fuckin’ lost it. She tries to get tsuntsun again, acting like he’s so self-conscious it makes him come off as creepy…

-Well, he admits he’s not the most cool or stylish guy. But he wants to push himself out of his comfort zone, and be a little braver…A little more worthy of standing next to Karen. Hell, trying to be more than he was, was how he ended up talking to Chiaki in the first place! And seeing how much of a gamer she was back on that first day, that really took out all of his nervousness…It just got easy to talk to her after all that…Oh, oh poor Chiaki. She locks right up, as Keita says how they’re just too different in the end to truly be friends…

-And she tries to act like he was an annoyance from the start, only useful for how it got her to meet Tasuku…But it’s not really working at this point, especially not for her.

-And then it’s back to her place where she says he should at least stay and have some tea, since she still has to find the fuck it’s right there HIDE IT um as she was saying, she should at least put some tea on to be polite, while she tries to find where your wallet went, it’s definitely not behind her back, just have a seat and she’ll get to looking…

-Oh god he’s seeing her undergarments hanging out to dry on the balcony QUIT LOOKING. H-He’ll just go, you can text him when you find the wallet—NO STAY! LOOK IF YOU MUST! That doesn’t even make sense! So Chiaki’s broken inside.

-Um, er, she’s gonna go charge her phone! Be right back! But he should really YOU STAY ON THAT FUCKING COUCH RIGHT NOW MOTHERFUCKER. And then she sprints into her room, finally getting her phone plugged in…And looks through all of the messages from Tsucchie on her phone…And can’t help but smile. Dammit, what is she feeling for this jackass who was so important to her life without her even knowing…

-Which is when he comes and knocks on her door?! Hey it’s starting to look like rain out there you should get your laundry in. Right, right, she’ll be right…

-And her phone bumps her computer. Where her Nobe-san game site is up. OH GOD DON’T LOOK and her phone flies out of her hands. Landing at his feet. With her MMO account up DON’T LOOK AT THAT EITHER she tries to stop him, but hits her foot on a copy of Famitsu and that goes flying and she hits the ground HARD.

-And in the chaos, Keita ends up with her phone in his hands, and OH GOD DON’T LOOK AT EITHER OF THEM QUIT LOOKING AT HER THINGS! She grabs his foot, trying to drag him down with her, as Keita spots Nobe-san’s site…Oh, you’re a fan of hi—

-Wait, you said phone. Wait that account says Mono-san. What is…

-Oh god, she’s screwed. Okay. Deep breath. To her feet. Keita! …Yes…? She never intended to tell you this, but…But…It’s exactly what it looks like!

-Nobe-san the freeware developer…And Mono-san your guild-bro…They’re both…

-Konoha awakens, having done something so enjoyable that she dozed right off on Chiaki’s bed after she finished. What a wonderful nap! What happened? …Why is this guy here?!

-…An out. She has an out! Nobe-san and Mono-san are BOTH HER SISTER! Wait what. Chiaki, no. Chiaki you’re just making this worse! Are you even listening to me?! (She’s not, she’s a fictional character)

-So this is the first Konoha is hearing about this.

-Commercial break!

-And we’re back! Keita got out of there and is now with Tasuku having lunch and telling him everything…And this, makes, no, sense! Because he knows the actual truth and now KEITA BELIEVED HER?! Lord, what happened to Tasuku’s normal life? So…what happened after that? Well, Chiaki locked him down in the living room and refused to let him leave its confines until she was done dealing with the laundry and handling everything…And it took a good ten minutes before Chiaki brought Konoha back out to properly ‘introduce’ her as Nobe-san and Mono-san…

-Explaining how, having recently learned of their connection, she wanted to find a way to tell Keita and thus came off as weird. Uh huh. Sure. That’s what happened. Even in the moment, Keita was left feeling like she was talking to one of those chatbots that aaaaalmost manages a perfect imitation of a Cute Girl, but is just a little ‘off’…And He definitely saw both Nobe-san’s page and Mono-san’s account…But he can’t quite connect them to Konoha, from what he’s seen to her.

-Of course you can’t. Tasuku knows that that’s because Keita’s sense of a person is actually working. But he can’t rip the wool off those eyes now that Chiaki put it there…This is the path she chose to try and get herself out of her situation, and every other time he’s interfered it’s just fucked his life even worse…

-But now, now he can’t even be happy for Keita and Karen…Wait, what was that? Oh god he said the quiet part loud and the loud part quiet he’s, uh, gotta get to work, yeah! Here have the rest of his fries GOTTA GO

-And cut to Tasuku on his delivery scooter, trying to just pull himself as far away as possible from the situation, as he tries to figure out what the hell to do…

-And Keita, Keita is left assuming that Tasuku must really like Karen. Which means he’s left in a moral quandary. What to do. This girl who’s a thousand miles above him but somehow smiles when she looks at him, and the only friend he has…Is he going to lose one of them no matter what he does?

-Or…Could there be some other girl in his life, someone who Tasuku was trying to back?

-Don’t be absurd, that’s ridiculous! That would never happen! No, he’s just got to work with the actual truth as he knows it! (Oh my god you fucking aaaaaargh)

-Hard cut to Keita at the game shop, grabbing a copy of MOON STORY from the dating sim section. Don’t think him disloyal, Karen…! Oh hey, we get to see the real name of the PZ Vivio. It’s the PZ Tiva. …Mine’s better. I’m gonna keep calling it the Vivio. And then it’s up to the counter, to buy his copy of the Vivio version of MOON STORY—

-And an 18+ PC version slams down on the counter next to him. Held by Konoha.

-The ONE day she didn’t disguise herself! THE ONE FUCKING DAY! As they end up around the corner and WHY DOES THIS KEEP HAPPENING WHY DO YOU KEEP BEING IN HER LIFE?! And Keita tries to parse this, with his understanding of Nobe-san and Mono-san…And this is just not the same girl as them.

-And she tries to catch herself and don’t pay attention! S-She’ll be fine later when you talk to Nobe-san and Mono-san! So, yeah! That makes sense quit questioning iT SHUT UP YOU STUPID HALF-ASSED DATING SIM FAN WHO WON’T EVEN BUY THE NAUGHTY BITS VERSION!

-…So…This is multiple personality disorder, then?

-…SURE! Yes, sure that is what is going on! Makes total sense, they’ll use that! Just think of them as two different people! Yes, she can use that! …Uh…Huh.

-Anyways that’s how they end up both walking together, and finally getting to interact, as she realizes he’s got a year on her, so she should probably respect her as a senpai…But even Keita admits, that ship fucking sailed. It’d just be weird at this point. Even better! She can just keep being like this! Now, keep the adult games a secret. From everyone. Or you die. …Yes ma’am.

-So what do you think of her sister? Huh, Chiaki? Well…He…Doesn’t really. OH MY FUCKING GOD WHY DID SHE HAVE TO BE ROPED INTO THEIR STUPID DRAMA. Ahem. That is to say…What do you think of Mono-san and Nobe-san, then? …You mean you. Just answer the question! He’s really happy…He loves her work as Nobe-san, and as Mono-san she helped him through some really hard times!

-…Fuck fuck FUCK. She’s not sure whether to be happy at the praise, jealous of Chiaki, guilty with the lie, or frustrated with being stuck into this because of her fucking idiot sister! This SUCKS! Let her hit you! Right now! That doesn’t eve—

-KONOHA PUUUUNCH

-And Keita goes flying.

-Cut to Chiaki. Who is goofing off on her phone when OH GOD A KEITA. Why are you here?! How does he even answer that.

-So Konoha explains she was already planning to meet up with her sister her. Oh, that explains why you were at that shop buying an erotic game so close to you—

-SPEAK NOTHING OF IT IF YOU WANT TO LIVE. Yes ma’am why you…ran into him…While he was at that shop! Alone! Buying an erotic game!

-Chiaki is disgusted by it, and also since when are you two that close? …W-Well, since Konoha’s revealed now, lots of times! They’ve talked about her work, and been guild partners for so long, you know, of course you know…And Konoha tries to figure out how to get out of this. Whyyyyy don’t you tell Chiaki all about your admiration for her work as Nobe-san!

-And now Chiaki is deeply judgmental of this porn-buying freak(Hey, HEY. We all buy porn except those of us who have free sources, back off) palling around with her innocent, naive, gentle little imouto. I’m not entirely sure it’s physically possible for a younger sister to not be a secret pervert in anime at this point. And that’s when Chiaki gets a phonecall, which pulls her away, and Keita sees his chance to leave…And now Konoha feels some complicated emotions for Keita who did indeed cover for her like that, and isn’t what SHE thought he was either…

-When Chiaki gets a little panicky, and mentions Tasuku’s name, and suddenly her line goes dead. Tasuku just, just blurted something out super serious and hung up…He said…”I’ve decided I’m choosing you”! Wait…Is…Did he just…Did he just confess to you?!

-And miles away, Tasuku sneezes.

-Credits! New credits, with new scenery of the whole gang.

TASUKU YOU FUCKING STUPID oh my GOD what have you done?! What, have, you, done?! This was almost working! It was almost stable! AAAARGH

[tmntreasures]

Honor Among Thieves Ch.19

Authors Note: Happy Halloween! There’s more we have to say at the end of the chapter! So make sure to read all the way through. (Or just skip to the end if you want. XD)

The rest of the day went as it normally did. The girls kept the boys company during the day, and when it came to nighttime, the turtles went out to patrol. Bonnie and Aida left the next morning, though Aida came back the following day. She saw the turtles just about every day for the next two weeks, while Bonnie came around about every three days.

As the days passed, the nights grew colder. Leaves dropped from the trees, and candy went on sale at local convenience stores, along with scary decorations. Finally, it was Halloween night and everyone was dressed up for the parade. While this was a fun time for the humans, it was more of a stressful night for the turtles. There was always an increase in crime on Halloween night, so patrolling would go on longer than usual.

Even though they needed to be extra attentive, the girls managed to pull them away from their duties for a short amount of time. Michelangelo was sitting on a ledge of a rooftop, staring down at a cellular looking device in his hand as he sucked on tootsie-pop he managed to find. He furrowed his brows as he read the words that popped up on the screen. Leonardo noticed his reaction and he swiftly walked over to him.

"What's it say? Are the girls alright?" He asked.

"Yeah, yeah!" He pulled out his sucker and waved him off. "Bonnie just says that 'What Color is This Dress' just won for best illusion... Like, what the hell? That was a two thousand and fifteen meme! It shouldn't even be a contender!"

Leonardo let out annoyed sigh. "Are they coming up or not? We do have work to do." He crossed his arms.

"Well, the text says 'Yo bitches. Meet us above in fifteen, or else.' I'll ask them how close they are now," He said and then popped the sucker back in his mouth so he could type.

Raphael was doing tricks with his sais as they waited, trying his best to keep his mind off the night at hand. Everyone was going to be wearing a mask tonight, which will make catching bad guys harder than usual. It made him tense, but if the girls needed something then they had to find out what. "Tell 'em we've been waiting and to hurry up!" He grumbled, flipping a sai in the air.

Donatello had his goggles on, using them to scan for the girls on the streets below. So far it had been a bunch of younger teenagers or stumbling adults dressed in outfits that were either too big or too small.  "Well, it is a busy night..." he tried to defend them. ”Maybe the subways are acting up?"

Bonnie clicked her tongue as she climbed up the fire escape. "What would Splinter say, huh? Patience is a virtue..." She said in her best old man teacher voice and then laughed a little. "Also, it's hard to climb these things in heels." She pulled herself up on the rooftop and revealed her costume. She was wearing a blue colored play boy bunny suit with matching heels and mesh stockings. Her hair was down for once and styled into Goldie lock curls. The outfit was complete with bunny ears headband and a cottontail on her backside. She threw up her hands and struck a pose, "Playboy..." She started.

"Bonnie!" Michelangelo finished with a grin that slowly fade away. "...But that ain't scary."

She clicked her tongue and put her hands to her hips. "It doesn't have to be."

Raphael stared at her for a moment, trying to convince himself that was really her. She looked so different with her hair down. "Better be careful with the candy people give you." He pointed his weapon at her before sheathing it.

Donatello looked at Bonnie with his goggles still on and pointed. "Wait, you were the playboy? So Aida's Little Red?"

“Way to ruin it Donnie!" Aida called out as she hoisted herself onto the rooftop. The girl had her curly hair tied up in pigtails, peeking out from the red hood that covered her head. She had a short red and white dress that stopped just a few inches above her knees on underneath the crimson cloak. She also had fishnets and matching heels on as well. The only thing out of place wee the orange earrings that she hid underneath her hair.

Leonardo examined the twos costumes before speaking. "Yeah, I have to agree with Mikey. Not very scary girls." He nodded.

"Well, you guys would know what qualifies as scary, huh? Ooooh!" Bonnie teased.

Leo snorted. "Har har. Like we haven't heard that one before."

"That's cold-blooded Bon." Mikey said and then stood up on his feet. He walked up to Aida and touched her hood. "Oooh..." He cooed. "I can't lie, red does look good on you. Buut-"

Bonnie folded her arms and leaned her head on one shoulder. "Don't say it."

"Orange would look better!" He grinned.

"Really? You think so?" Aida looked down at her cloak, acting genuine for a second. "I always thought purple looked better." She held her hand up just as the lean turtle stood.

"I mean, purple is pretty awesome." Donatello gave her a high five as he spoke.

Raphael grumbled and frowned at the girls. He couldn't lie, their outfits were nice to look at, but he knew he wouldn't be the only one with the same opinion. "You sure you guys'll be okay out there in that?"

"Well, I don't know. There are a lot of crazies out on Halloween." Bonnie shrugged and walked to the edge of the rooftop. "So many people wearing masks to hide their true identity." She said as she bent over to look over the edge. "A couple of beautiful girls like us," she snapped back up. "Well. Society would say we are asking for trouble." Her heels clicked loudly as she circled the turtles.

Leonardo narrowed his eyes at her when he figured out what was coming next. He repeated her words, "Don't say it..."

"If only there were four strong guys who were skilled in martial arts, and we're already disguised to escort us around town safely." She tapped on her arm with a finger.

"No." Leonardo said sternly.

Bonnie stopped next to Aida and clicked her tongue. "See? I told you he wouldn't go for it."

Donatello finally pushed his goggle to the top of his head to show the surprise in his eyes and the smile on his face. "Wait, you wanted us to go with you?"

Aida grumbled and crossed her arms. "Well yeah! It's Halloween! Who's actually gonna think you guys are mutants?"

Normally Raphael would agree with Leonardo; even though everyone was dressed up, there were just too many people out tonight. The chances of them being discovered was just too high. But if they were with the girls, then maybe it would draw less attention to them. "Well...one night wouldn't hurt, right?" He shrugged a little, still unsure of himself.

Mikey’s eyes lit up in excitement and he jumped over to Leo, grabbing one of his arms. "Oh please, please, please Leo! They're right, nobody would notice us, and even if they did, it's just like that police chief said! We should give the people a chance!"

Splinters words echoed in Leonardo’s head, and he knew that this was exactly what he had meant by 'make sure they don't do anything stupid'. Without hesitation Leo knocked Michelangelo off his arm and gave him a stern look. "No! Even if it is Halloween, it's too risky! Besides we have a job to do."

"Aaw, c'mon Leo!" Donatello whined. "The city will always be in trouble. An hour break won't hurt right?"

"Yeah hermano," Aida hoped the brother tag would pull at the leader's heart strings a little. "The city will be fine for a couple hours!"

Raphael walked over to the Latina girl and grabbed her shoulders, looking at Leonardo. "Besides. You don't want anything bad to happen to our lil' sister right?" He shook her a little. "Look how vulnerable she is!"

Every time someone used the word 'sister' to describe Aida it made Michelangelo want to gag; but knowing that it made Leo more sensitive to the matter, he would play along as well. "Ye-Yeah! Gotta look out for our little sis!" Mikey quickly switched sides and stood next to Aida.

Leonardo stared at them and sighed. He knew exactly what they were trying to do, but he had to put his foot down. It was too dangerous for his family, and for the girls as well. "... Don't make me the bad guy here. You know why we can't."

"Leo, please." Mikey clasped his hands together and begged. "Just fifteen min--"

"No!!" He roared.

And with that, the others dropped the subject. Raphael stomped off and Michelangelo threw his arms down in defeat before walking away.

Donatello patted Aida's back."Well, it was worth a shot ..." he mumbled.

Aida sighed and held her hands up in defeat. "Okay. Fine..." she grumbled. "We'll just have to shank people ourselves."

Leonardo waited a moment before stepping up to Aida. "Stay out of trouble." He said and patted her on the head.

Aida crossed her arms and turned away from him. "Yeah, yeah..."

Donatello paused and turned to Bonnie. "Don't be afraid to call us if something happens."

Bonnie sighed and took a step forward. "Nothing is gonna happen... Sure people egg and toilet paper people’s houses, but we're not that crazy on Halloween." She rolled her eyes.

"Still..." Leonardo rubbed at his chin. "You should probably be in by eleven."

She snapped her attention to him and glared. "First off, you're not my brother, and second, I'm older than you!"

"By one year!" He responded.

"It still counts!" She shrugged. "You know what? Just because of that, I'm gonna do all the bad things!" She threw up her arms and then wrapped one around Aidas. "And I'm taking lil' sis with me!"

Leo crossed his arms but smiled a little. "I think we all know whose rules she's gonna follow."

Aida winced but smiled anyway. "Well I mean...it is Halloween."

Donatello pointed at her and scolded. "You are eighteen! No drinking!"

She scoffed and feigned insult. "Donatello! I would never drink...! Unless someone offered," she looked over at Bonnie and grinned.

“Come on," Bonnie tugged at Aidas arm. "It's time we ditched these losers." She stuck out her tongue.

"It's not us that's losers!" Mikey threw up a hand. "That guy is the loser." He pointed at Leo and grumbled.

Leo rolled his eyes. "You'll understand my decisions eventually..."

Aida frowned at them before she finally followed Bonnie. "See ya later guys," she waved at them. She was really hoping they would go out this night. It was the perfect time for them and she felt they would get some stress out if they had a little taste of the world above.

"Seriously! Call if you're in trouble!" Donatello called after them before lowering his arms in defeat.

Raphael huffed and crossed his arms. "Hope nothing happens to them..."

"They'll be fiiine." Leo lowered his arms and stepped to the edge of the roof. He watched them as they descended the fire escape and went out into the streets. "Plus, Bonnies still chipped and they both have our emergency line. So we got them covered."

Despite the words of encouragement, Raphael could not shake the feeling of danger off. It wasn't necessarily how the girls were dressed, but something about tonight felt wrong.

"Yeah...that's true." Donatello sighed and turned to follow Leonardo. "I'll check on them every hour."

"Alright!" Leonardo clapped his hands together and then pointed off in another direction. "Let's start off with the west side of the city."

"I told ya your boy in blue wasn't gonna go for it." Bonnie said as she got her phone ready to take a selfie.

Aida sighed and got in close to get in on the photo. "I know. But I had to try for the others ya know?" She smiled at the phone for the picture and continued. "I mean, they need a break at some point."

Bonnie snapped several pictures of them, then a couple of herself, and then a few of her cleavage. Once she was finished, she stuck the phone back in her bosom. "Well maybe... I don't know... Maybe instead of going back down to the sewers, we can all go back to my place. I mean, I have a couple of scary movies..." She scratched at her head and mumbled.

Aida's eyes widened at the suggestion and nodded. "Yeah! Wait...are you sure that'll be okay? Won't your neighbors hear 'em and complain?"

"Well yeah, but fuck them! They play Just Dance at eight o'clock in the morning! They can deal with us being rowdy for one night!" She huffed.

The girl laughed and shook her head. "Oh yeah. Fuck that! Oh!" She smacked Bonnie's arm and grinned. "We gotta watch Alien then. Mikey's terrified of that movie."

"Ugh... Me too. Those face huggers?" She shuddered and shook her head. "Uh-un."

The girl grinned and wiggled her fingers at her. "Awww, you don't want to play tonsil-hockey with a spider alien?" She began to make slurping and kissing noises at Bonnie in an effort to tease her.

"Ugggh, stooop!" She whined and lightly pushed her away. "We can put it in, but unless you want me sleeping in the same bed with you for a week, don't expect me to keep my eyes open." She wiggled a finger at her.

"Ooh, careful with that. Ya might make Raphael jealous ~." The girl teased, moving out of the way for some pushy guys. "Seriously, that boy acts tough, but he probably misses you the most out of all of them when you're gone."

Her eyes grew a bit and she took a deep breath. "Yeah well," She crossed her arms again and played with her hair. "He's got his little sister to keep him company while I'm gone." She tapped Aidas nose with a finger.

The Latina cringed a little and shivered. "Euch! You make it sound so dirty!" She smacked her arm.

"Well, they are a bit dirty." She giggled and pulled her phone out again. "Sooo... I'll tell them to meet us back at my place after the parade?" She asked with a brow raised as she typed in a message.

Aida nodded and smiled. "Ooh! Send that picture that looks like we're taking shots! I wanna scare Leo." She giggled and hovered over her shoulder.

---

Michelangelo perked up when he felt a couple buzzes go off in his pocket. He quickly finished tying up the criminals they had found, stealing from a local convenience store, and pulled out his phone. He was silent for a moment as he read it, and his eyebrows perked in surprise when he saw that Bonnie was inviting them over. "H-Hey!..." He walked over to Leo. "So... I know you said we couldn't go out with the girls, buuut--"

Leo rolled his eyes and let out an aggrivated sigh. "Mikey!"

He put up a hand in defense. "Now hold on! It's better than you think! Bonnie invited us over to her apartment for scary movies!"

Leo's eyes widened and turned to him to look at the phone. He was even more surprise when it turned out to be true and he raised a brow. "We wouldn't even fit, would we?"

Mikey shrugged. "It's a little tiny, but I don't know. We could probably do it." The phone buzzed in his hand again and he clicked open the message. His eyes widened and he smiled a bit when he saw the selfie of Bonnie that was particularly focused on her chest region. "Ohoho... Donnie! I think this one's for you!" He said and tossed the phone over to him.

Donatello paused in his work to catch the phone. Of course, he almost dropped it when he saw the picture and his cheeks managed to turn a light shade of pink. "I-I highly doubt it. Have you been on her social media pages? Bonnie posts stuff like this all the time," the tall mutant tried to dismiss the photo. Though he had to admit, the costume did accentuate a lot of her features very well.

"Lemme see," Raphael snatched the phone out of his brother's hands and felt his eyes widen. He had tried not to make a big deal out of Bonnie's costume when he first saw her in it. After all, April had worn similar get-ups so he figured this was just how most women dressed on the holiday. But there was just something about the outfit that drove him crazy; not in the good way either. All he could think about were the weirdos and creeps out there that would love to harass her over her choice of attire, and how he would love to twist their arms if they tried anything. Now that Bonnie had been hanging out with them more, he realized that she may like to start some shit but had a tendency to get in over her head.

Of course now all he could do was try to push the fire down in his gut. Of course this was for Donnie; the leaner turtle had a better relationship with the girl than he did. He had no right to be upset about it but he just couldn't help it. He shook his head and tossed the phone back to Michelangelo before speaking to Leonardo. "You sure we shouldn't check up on them?" He asked, genuinely concern for the girls' well-being. "You know those two love to get into trouble."

"Of course we'll check up on them." Leonardo said as he strung up the criminals. "But let's give them a bit of breathing room, okay? I know we're all excited to see them and their costumes, but they're adults... And they have some experience in self-defense now; nothing is going to happen to them." He finished, trying to sound convincing,

As soon as Leo finished his thought, a loud exploding noise went off in the distance and soon after that the power went out in the area. Michelangelo’s eyes widened in fear and his heart felt like it dropped into his stomach. He immediately jumped up on a building and climbed it quickly. "No, no, no, no!" He said as he reached the roof, and ran to the other side of it.  He could see a large cloud of smoke emerging from the direction the girls were in. His mouth fell open and he grabbed his head, staring at the scene wide eyed. Leo was right behind him and he stared in utter shock as well, unable to get a word out. An explosion? And in New York? He thought. It just couldn’t be real!

The moment Raphael saw the cloud of smoke, he was already on the move. He knew it! He knew something was going to happen tonight! Of course, he had hoped it was just going to be another mugging or a gang bang. But an explosion that big? He never would have guessed it. He did not wait to see if his brothers were following as he jumped from rooftop to rooftop, all he knew was that they had to get there and fast. Either to make sure the girls were okay or to catch the criminal before they got away.

Donatello was already trying to tap into the police scanners in the area of the explosion but frowned when he got nothing but static. He felt his body shake from the adrenaline rush and licked his lips nervously. "Mikey..." He snapped his fingers to get his attention. "Mikey, try calling Bonnie. Now!" It was getting hard for him to think, but he knew he had to keep his composure.

Mikey reached for the phone in his pocket and frantically pulled it, almost dropping it a couple of times before making the call. The phone played an automated message saying something along the lines 'Due to network difficulties,' "No..." He breathed, trying to make the call again but got the same message. "No... No!!" He said and chucked the phone at Leonardo with all his might.

 Leonardo managed to dodge the cellular device and he threw out his arms. "How is that going to help?!"  He snapped.

"This is your fault!" Mikey ran up to him and pushed a finger in his face before shoving him back with both of his hands. "You just had to be the typical asshole leader! If we were there!" He stopped and grabbed his head again, pacing back and forth on the rooftop.

Leonardo frowned and swallowed again. He looked to Donnie with concern, "Donnie, can you... Bonnies chip? Can you pick it up at all? Maybe that can tell us if they're okay?"

"They're?!" Mikey exclaimed. "Bonnie is the only one with the chip! It won't show us if Aida's moving!"

"If we can find Bonnie, we'll find Aida!" Leo snapped back at him again.

The purple-clad turtle knew it was going to be useless, but he tried anyway. If the phones were down that meant an EMP had gone off with the explosion. A little hologram appeared on his device, depicting a red "X" instead of the typical map of the city. His body went numb at the implication and he did nothing but stare at the glowing red light. "...Nothing's coming up...." He forced the words out, but they were barely a whisper. He cleared his throat and spoke a little louder. "Nothing's coming up, Leo."

Leonardo’s mouth fell open and his blood ran cold.  They were completely in the dark for the time being. No way to contact the girls and find out if they were okay. He shook his head, needing to get into action. "Oo... Okay." He held up his hands. "Let’s get over to the scene. We'll scour the streets from the rooft-"

"What?!" Mikey interjected. "Leo we're already in the dark here! I don't give a fuck who sees me! I'm gonna find Aida whether it’s on ground, or not!" He said and then ran off.

"Mikey!" Leo called out, but he knew he couldn't stop him. He growled and nodded forward. "Let’s go Donnie!" He said and ran off after Michelangelo.

The leaner turtle nodded and chased after the leader. "To be fair, we might have a better shot on the ground," He called out as he kept trying to get any sort of information. "It's still Halloween. People will still think we're in costume." Just as he finished his sentence, the device on his wrist went off. He could feel relief when he saw it was April calling and tapped at the headphone he kept in his ear. "April! Please tell me you got something about that explosion. We're completely blind here."

"April? Is she okay?!" Leonardo hollered back at him.

April sighed. "I'm fine," she answered, overhearing Leo. "But no, nothing yet, but I'm on the scene right now. I can't really see anything due to the smoke and dust." She coughed a little."...Are you guys okay?"

Donatello jumped to the next rooftop before answering. "We're fine. We were further out dealing with other criminal activity." He stopped and looked around for any sign of his large red brother but found none. "Raph ran off without us when he saw the smoke. If you see him, call us back as soon as you can. And make sure he doesn't hurt anyone!"

"Of course!" She said. "I'll try to call Casey, see if I can get him to find Raph and help out any."

He sighed in relief. The more people they had on the ground, the better. "April, can you do us one more favor?" He didn't wait for her to answer before he continued. "Bonnie and Aida were in the parade. Their phones aren't working and the chip I put in Bonnie has shorted out. Could you keep an eye out for them? And tell us if they're safe?" His heart raced at the possibility of their demise. It was still hard enough for him to accept the fact that an explosion just went off. He wasn't sure how he would handle it if the girls were...

Aprils was silent for a few seconds. She was surprised they were still hanging out with those girls. She thought they'd definitely be gone after the week was up. But this was no time to be bitter, people were hurt and in need of aid, even if those people were criminals. She swallowed and nodded her head. "Yeah... I'll keep an eye out for them."

"Thanks. We'll keep you posted if anything comes up. Be safe," He ended the call and looked over at Leonardo. "Alright. April and Casey are gonna be on the scene too."

"Good... L-lets head on over." Leo nodded and jumped to the next roof.

Bonnie was lying on the ground, moaning and tossing her head. Her whole body ached, and there was a few scratches on her but nothing fatal. She coughed the smoke and dust out of her lungs as she sat up. Her ears ringed and everything sounded muffled. She watched as silhouettes passed her by through the fog and she rubbed at her eyes and picked at hear ears to clear her senses. "Aida?" She croaked out. "...Aida!" She said louder when she got no response.

"Dios mio...Bonnie!" Aida cried out when she finally heard the girl's voice. The red cloak she had been wearing was torn to shreds. Her legs and arms were covered in scrapes, cuts and bruises; but she ignored the burning pain to find her companion. "Bonnie! Holy shit, are you okay?" She stepped over the rubble and crouched down next to the girl to help her up.

"I'm okay," she answered and stood up. She felt off balance and looked down to find that she was missing one of her heels. She groaned and looked around for it, but cursed when she couldn't find it. "Are you okay?" She finally turned back to Aida. "What even happened?"

The girl nodded, grabbing her arm to help her friend walk. "Nothing a band-aid and ice can't fix luckily," She paused and looked around. She had never seen the city so dark before, and with the thick clouds of dust still lingering, it was terrifying to look at. "I think...I think a bomb went off." She gulped, keeping her eyes peeled. Her heart was racing and her limbs were stiff. "W-we should get moving..." She said, not realizing her grip was tightening on Bonnie's arm.

"Ow...ow!" She said louder and snatched her arm away to rub it. "That hurt mami!... Are you sure you're alright? Maybe we should get you to a hospital?"

Aida nodded and snapped a little, "Yeah, I'm fine! I'm just..." She rubbed her head as the events suddenly hit her. They survived a bombing, somehow. They were alive but others weren't so lucky. The need to help others overwhelmed her; if they were busy, then she wouldn't have to think about what happened. "W-we should help some people ya know?"

Bonnie looked out onto the scene again. Her vision was clearer and she could see people strewn about the street, injured or worse. There were some people trying to help others, bust mostly everyone was in panic. Running around aimlessly, not knowing what to do. Bonnie jumped in surprise when she heard glass shatter next to her and she turned. Two kids, looking to be no older than fourteen were breaking in to a jewelry store. She growled and took off her other heel, grabbing one the kids and hitting them with it on their backside.

"This is not. A time. To be looting!" She scolded them.

"Ow! Ow!!" The kid cried. "What the fuck?!"

She kicked him in the bottom before letting him go. "Go help someone else instead of yourself!"

The kid stared at her confused. "Al..Alright, geeze." He stuttered before pulling his friend out of the store and leaving.

Aida shook her head in disappointment as she watched the two kids run off. Her and Bonnie might have been thieves once, but they would never use a tragedy like this for their own gain. The Latina girl heard some grunts coming from the rubble and she did her best to hurry over and help them out.

Raphael grabbed a man by the collar of his coat and slammed him against the brick wall, ignoring his cries for mercy. "Who did it!?" He roared at the quivering figure. "Who set the explosion off!?"

"I-I don't know man!" The guy whimpered out.

"Don't gimme that bullshit!" The turtle clenched his jaw and nodded at the man's neck. "I see that tattoo! You're with the Foot's greatest rivals and you guys have been fighting for control of this city for a looong time. Wouldn't surprise me if you boss did something this nasty to show off." He tightened his grip, putting pressure on the man's neck.

"I-I don't know, I swear!" He choked out, his hands scratching in vain at the giant green hands. "Just...please! L-lemme go!"

Another man tried to sneak up on the larger turtle but was grabbed and thrown against another wall by Michelangelo. He stumbled and looked up at the orange turtle with wide eyes.

"Trust me... I'm saving you from a lot of pain. Now get." He nodded at him with his chin and the man ran off. He turned back Raph and walked up next to him. "Get anything out of this guy yet?" He asked and leaned against the wall with his hand.

Raphael growled and kept his eyes trained in his victim. "Not yet. But I'm hoping to pop something out of him..." he squeezed tighter, getting a pained gasp from the gang member. At this point he didn't care if he killed the man. Someone had to pay for those lost lives. It might as well be this criminal.

"P-please...!" His words were strained and his clawing became weaker with every stroke. "I d-don't...kn-know..."

Michelangelo watched with big eyes as the man struggled in Raphs’ grip. Normally it wasn't something he condoned, but someone had to be blamed for this. If Aida and Bonnie were hurt or worse because of some gang move... His fingers clenched into fist at the thought.

"Raph, let him go!" Leo ordered as he jumped down from a rooftop, landing next to him. He pried the man free from his grip and pushed him back.

"Leo, what the fuck?! We were about to get something out of that guy!" Mikey growled.

Leo scoffed. "You were about to get a corpse in your hands!"

The man slumped to the ground, rolling onto his side as he gasped and coughed for air.

"So what?" Raphael growled, bumping Leonardo with his chest. "If he does, that's one less crook we gotta worry about.

At that moment, Donatello landed next to the struggling man. He crouched down to make sure he wasn't dying before turning his attention to his angry brother. "You gonna hold Bonnie and Aida to that standard too? They were thieves after all."

He snapped his attention to Donatello and pointed a finger at him. "That's not the same! They didn't just kill hundreds of people!"

"We don’t kill people!" Leo tapped his own chest repeatedly with a finger. "We help people! And strangling out this crook is not helping anyone right now!" He threw down his arm.

"Well maybe if you had just let us go along with the gir-" Mikey started.

"Oh come off that!" He groaned.  "I'm sorry that I didn't let you go with the girls, okay? I'm sorry! I know it's easier for you to put the blame on me and make me look like the bad guy to them, but we chose this life! Not just me! We all chose to be ninjas! Warriors of the shadows!" He emphasized. “So again, I'm sorry that I didn't let you parade in the light, but for now can't we just focus on what’s important! Which is helping this city and the people in it! And looking for Aida and Bonnie instead of picking fights where they're not needed!"

Mikey went to speak, but had nothing to counter Leonardo’s words. Instead he looked to the ground in thought before rolling his head and shoulders in defeat. "Fine." He growled, still a bit bitter.

Raphael seethed with anger and punched the wall, making the bricks crack and break. His katana wielding brother was right. It wasn't his fault; hell, something like this was no one's fault except the group that did it. Now it was just a matter of who. But for now, they had two people to find. "Alright. Where we heading then?" He grumbled, ignoring the man on the ground.

"April is starting coverage south of the explosion," Donatello looked down at his arm, seeing the little news feed being projected. "Casey lives on the west side, so he should be looking toward that area."

"Alright, so we've got the north and east side to cover then." Leo clasped his hands together and nodded. "Donnie, Mikey, can you guys cover the north side, and Raph and me will cover the east?"

Mikey nodded. "No complaints here."

Donatello nodded, "Sounds good to me." He patted the groaning man's back and smiled. "Feeling better?" He asked.

"Yeah...yeah I think so," he answered.

"Good," Donatello then smacked the back of his neck, knocking him out cold.

Raphael cracked his knuckles and huffed. "Then let's get going then."

The four of them split into their group of twos and went there separate ways. They searched high and low not worrying too much about anyone seeing them, but still making it a point not to be seen if it wasn't necessary.  They went on for about two hours before checking in with each other again through their cellular devices. Neither of the groups had found the girls yet, or the culprit of who set off the bomb. It was two o'clock in the morning, and they hadn't gotten anywhere. In about five hours it would be daylight.

Leonardo sighed tiredly and leaned up against a brick wall. He held his phone above his head as he spoke to Donatello. "Has anything come back online yet? Bonnies chip? Or maybe her cellphone?" He asked.

"Nothing," Donatello answered. "I keep trying every thirty minutes, but I just get static." He poked at a couple of buttons and sighed. "There's nothing on the police scanners or hospital records either."

Raphael paced back and forth and growled. "Any physical sightings?"

"No..." Michelangelo answered for Donnie as he looked over the text messages he had sent to Bonnie. They all had been delivered, but none of them read. He grumbled as he stared at the text messages. "M-Maybe it's time we go to their homes? They did say they wanted to meet up after the parade."

Leonardo stared at the wall in front of him for few seconds before standing up straight. "Actually... That's not a bad idea."

Donatello nodded in agreement, impressed that it was Michelangelo who came up with it. "Y-yeah actually it is. You guys wanna go to Aida's and we go to Bonnie's?"

Raphael shrugged his shoulders, "Sounds good to me. We'll keep lookin' for a couple more minutes then head on up there." He nodded at Leonardo for approval. "Sound goo to you?"

Leo nodded back at him. "Check back in, in a hour." He finished and hung up the call. He sighed again and started walking forward. "Why did it have to be on Halloween night? I've seen five other playboy bunny costumes, and three red riding hoods; but not our Playboy Bonnie and Little Red Aida. "

"Guess we should be thankful they didn't dress up as cats or witches," Raphael grumbled and stepped forward before he saw something. In the rubble he saw the glint of a familiar blue shoe. He hesitated for a moment, thinking that the chances of finding something of Bonnie's to be slim; however, he had to go look. If he didn't, it would just haunt him.

The giant turtle stepped over the piles of concrete and bent down, picking up the broken piece of apparel. It was broken, but it definitely looked like the one Bonnie had been wearing. He turned to Leonardo and held the shoe out to him, needing a second opinion. "Yo Leo! This was Bonnie's right?"

Leo stared down at the shoe, raising a curious brow. "Uuh... Check the brand. If it's expensive, then it’s hers." He nodded.

Raphael scoffed and shrugged. "Leo. Does it look like I know shoe brands? Everything she wears looks expensive!"

Leonardo chuckled and took the shoe from him, examining it. He held up the shoe and pointed at the inside where there was logo printed on the insole. There were two gold colored 'G's' overlapping the other. "See this? It's Gucci. Which means it's... probably hers. I'm ninety-five percent sure."

He shook his head, looking completely dumbfounded. "How...how do you know any of this?" He waved him off and stepped. "Ya know what? Forget I asked. That means she was here....somewhere." He looked around, not seeing any other sign of the girl. The area was too far away from any fatal damage to be done to any people. And luckily, he did not see any bodies on the ground. Perhaps she really did just go home?

"Well hold on to that. Once we find her, I'm sure she'll be grateful that you found her shoe. Even if it is broken." He mumbled and continued on. They walked in silence for a while. They eventually wandered into Aida's neighborhood which was relatively cleaner compared to the area of the city where the bomb went off. Leonardo’s eyes scanned the area, not only looking out for Aida, but her siblings too. She had told him about her older brothers and how they like to get in trouble. With what happened tonight, he hoped they would stay inside, and not be tempted to scour the streets.

The red turtle, on the other hand, had never been to Aida's neighborhood. He whistled a little at how the place looked; as if straight from a movie depicting the harsh urban areas of town. "Geez...no wonder she stole shit..." He mumbled before looking at the house his brother was fixated on. None of the lights were on as far as they could tell and the streets were completely empty. "You think anyone's home?" He asked in a hushed tone.

"Hopefully they all are. It's too dangerous to be out tonight." Leo responded as he tried to peer through the windows, but the curtains were making hard, if not impossible to see anything. He sighed. "I can't really tell."

Raphael went to peer through another window, but it did not reveal much. He clicked his tongue and shook his head. "Maybe they're all asleep?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, two high pitched screams could be heard from inside the house. He wanted to jump through the window to get to them quickly, but he restrained himself and looked at Leonardo for instructions. "Leo?" He hissed through clenched teeth, bouncing on his feet to keep himself contained.

Leonardo’s brows perked when he heard the screams and he snapped his attention to Raph. "Go!" He said without hesitation. He didn't care anymore about staying hidden anymore. If Aida was in danger, or her siblings, he had to do something about it regardless of being seen.

As soon as the words left his brother's mouth, the large mutant took a few steps back before running forward, jumping through the glass window and rolling on the floor. He looked up when he heard the screams again and paused.

He was in the living room, the only light source coming from the glow of the TV. There was a horror movie playing and the actress screamed just as a chainsaw revved up. On the couch were two small children dressed in matching pajamas, who were huddled together and staring at him with wide eyes. There were candy wrappers littered on the couch, floor and coffee table where their haul of sugar laid.

The giant turtle sighed in relief, thankful that no one was actually getting hurt. However, now they had a couple of other problems at hand. "It's just the kids," he reported.

"Raph! The window opens from both sides!" Leo hissed as he carefully climbed through, avoiding the broken glass and waved meekly at the children. "Uh... Hey. You haven't seen your sister Aida, have you?" He asked.

He cringed a little, "I panicked! I thought they were in danger!" He gestured to the twins.

The two kids stared at the giant turtles, completely speechless for a while. "No way..." Riqui finally spoke.

"Yeah..." Rosa gulped.

Raphael prepared himself for more screams of terror and tried to think of a way to silence them without hurting them.

"Real super heroes!" They both exclaimed as big smiles formed on their faces. "Is Aida really your sidekick?" They asked in unison.

"Uuh... Yeeeeah." Leonardo said cautiously as he looked around for a broom to sweep up the glass with. "But uh... We're more like the Batman type of Super heroes. Not meant to be seen or talked about so-- Aha!" He said excitedly as he found the broom in the kitchen. He returned to the living room and looked to the twins. "You guys have any duct-tape?"

They both nodded and ran to the kitchen to get the requested item. As the two kids argued over who should give him the duct tape, Raphael went over to his brother.

"The girls ain't here," He grumbled. "One of 'em would've come down at this point." He paused and furrowed his brow, remembering that the Latina girl had mentioned having four siblings. "Seems like the other two aren't home either."

Leo frowned as he swept up the glass. "Yeah... Hopefully this just means they went to Bonnies place." He looked around for a clock and saw that it was a quarter till three.  "Hopefully Donnie and Mikey are having better luck than us."

He nodded and caught a glimpse of the clock. It would be sunrise in a couple of hours and there was still no sign of the girls. Dread began to fill his stomach and he tried not to linger on their possible end. Luckily for him, the twins came darting back into the living room. The girl had the duct tape in her hands while the boy stopped right in front of Raphael, staring at him with wide-eyed wonder.

"Here you go!" Rosa chirped, holding the roll up to the blue-clad turtle as she flashed a tiny smile at him.

Riqui reached for one of Raphael's sais, but the larger turtle poked his hand away. "Don't touch that. You'll hurt yourself," he told the boy.

"Could you teach me how to use one?" He asked, pointing at the three-pronged weapon.

He smiled down at him and shrugged, "We'll see. Maybe." Normally he would try to humor the kids more, but this was not time nor night for it.

"Thank you." Leonardo smiled back at the girl and took the duct tape from her after he dumped the glass into a trash can. He patched up the window several times and over with the tape, making sure no one else would be able to get through.  He turned back to the kids once he was finished, crouching down to them. "Alright, we gotta go now. Stay inside, and don't open the door for anyone... Unless it's your siblings. Oh-and uh... If you do see Aida, can you tell her to call us?" He gestured between himself and Raphael.

They both nodded at him. "Yes sir!"  They chirped in unison.

Raphael realized what time it was and waved a finger at them. "Hey! Go to bed too! It's late!"

They both gasped, feeling guilty for getting caught but they both nodded. "Okay..."

Raphael nodded at his brother and sighed in disappointment. "Alright. Let's get out of here."

Leonardo stood up and nodded at him, "Right."

---

"They're not heeerrrre!" Michelangelo groaned when examined the last room in Bonnie’s apartment. Originally he was surprised and excited that it was much cleaner than the last time he was here. He figured it would be easier to find the girls, but he was disappointed when they were nowhere in sight. He picked up the apartment phone and tried dialing Bonnie's cell phone number, but the phone gave off a 'dead tone'. "Uggh!" He groaned again loudly. "What the hell happened?!' He snapped to Donatello. "Why wont the phones work?! It's been hours now!"

"It was an EMP Mikey," Donatello began, reminding himself to use small words for him. "Any electronic that was in the area when it went off is now useless. That's why all the power's out." He rubbed the back of his neck and called Leonardo. He only hoped that his brothers were having better luck than they were.

---

When Raphael heard the phone go off he felt his heart leap into his throat. "Is it Donnie?" He asked, making his way next to Leonardo quickly.

Leo nodded his head in response. He hesitated on answering, not wanting to be told that they were unsuccessful as well. It was getting pretty late, and they still hadn't found the girls. The sun would be rising soon and they wouldn't be able to look for the girls until the next night. He clenched the phone in his hand, wanting to be hopeful but he had a bad feeling in his gut.  "Anything?” He answered.

Donatello felt his heart drop at their leader's response. They had no luck either. "Nothing..." he answered. "How about you guys?" He might already know the answer, but he wanted to be wrong.

Leo lowered his head and sighed in defeat. "Nothing..." He repeated.

Mikey's whole body tensed when he heard the words and he could feel himself being on the verge of tears. So much time had gone by since the explosion and they still hadn't found the girls. He couldn't help but think of the worse. He clenched onto his straps and took in a deep breath to stop himself from crying. "They've gotta be okay..." He breathed

Donatello frowned over at Michelangelo and licked his lips nervously. "What should we do?" He spoke into the speaker before walking over to his little brother, patting his arm comfortingly.

"We'll scour the city one last time before sunrise... Everyone will take a direction. I'll take the west side of the city. Raph East, Mikey North, and Donnie south. Does that sound good?" He answered.

"Yeah..." Mikey croaked and nodded his head slowly.

"Alright. See you guys at the lair," Donatello turned off the device and let out an exhausted sighed. He ran his hands over his head as a swarm of thoughts flooded his mind. The city may have been huge, but there was no way they could have gone far. The fact that Bonnie's cellphone and tracker were offline was proof enough that they had been near the explosion. Then again, there was also a lot of debris. It was quite possible they were there too...

He did his best to swallow the lump in his throat and let his arms drop, shaking them out in the hopes of ridding himself of the panic and dread that filled his veins. "C'mon...let's get going." He hit Michelangelo's shell before walking off.

Raphael covered his face, his fingers pressing hard against his forehead. This was unbelievable. There was no way this was happening, he just refused to accept it. And yet, not even Michelangelo or Donatello had found any trace of the girls. Not to mention Casey and April hadn't reported anything either. And the fact that all they found of the girls was a broken shoe was not encouraging either.

Finally he lifted his head and stared at Leonardo. "...What if we don't find 'em?" He forced the question out.

Leonardo's blood ran cold at the words and he turned his back to Raphael. They had never loss anyone important before. What would this do to him and his team? Not knowing the answer terrified him. He was silent for a while before coming up with something convincing to say. "If we don't find them tonight..." He emphasized on the word, trying to give his brother some hope. "We'll be back out tomorrow, as soon as sundown hits. If forty-eight hours pass, then we can have April file a missing person’s report. That way, the humans can cover what we can't." He finished, avoiding going over the possibility of the girls having been in the explosion.

It was a better answer than Raph had expected and it calmed him down enough for him to think. He was thankful that it was Leonardo he was paired with instead of Michelangelo or Donatello. Even though he clashed with his blue-clad brother a lot, he always seemed to know exactly how to handle high-stress situations.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath in before exhaling. "Okay," He breathed and opened his eyes. "Sounds like a plan, bro." His hand clapped Leonardo's shoulder roughly before giving it a squeeze. This was going to be one of the hardest nights they ever had, but at least they had each other to lean on.

Leonardo looked to his hand and then to Raphael with a small smile. He patted his brother’s hand with his own a couple times before pulling away. "Alright," He started and jumped up on a fire escape, hanging onto it with one hand. He nodded at Raphael. "I'll see you in a bit." He finished and climb the rest of the building, disappearing into the night.

While the turtles were searching for the girls, Aida and Bonnie were helping other survivors out from the rubble and comforting those who could not handle the stress. They did all that they could, but hours later they too became exhausted. Instead of going home, they wandered into a make-shift shelter and waited in line to get their wounds sanitized and patched up. As they waited, Aida managed to borrow someone's cellphone to check up on her siblings. Unfortunately, no one had answered the home phone, but the girl left a message. She told her siblings she was safe and gave Orlan a list of things to do to make sure everyone would be fed and ready for the morning.

Once she returned the phone, all she could think about was the lair and how they needed to go down there. It would be safe underground and with Bonnie's phone being dead, their friends were no doubt worried about them. Luckily, Bonnie had the same idea and once the two girls had been properly bandaged they made their way back outside. They were both shocked to see the sun rising, its brilliant rays peeking in between the skyscrapers and illuminating the damage done. Aida did her best not to focus on the rubble and ruined roads as she followed Bonnie towards the sewers.

"You think they'll be asleep?" She asked as they dredged through the tunnels, her legs feeling heavy.

"I don't know..." Bonnie mumbled as she played with her phone, trying to get it to turn on, but it was useless. She sighed and stuck it back in her costume. When she thought about how long they had been awake, and how exhausted she felt, it triggered a long yawn from her. "Ugh... I'm ready for some sleep though." She rubbed at her eyes.

Aida nodded in agreement and smiled weakly. "Never thought I'd ever be saying this but...I'm glad we got our own room in the sewers." She tried to laugh but it was interrupted by a yawn. She heard the turtles before she saw them as they got closer to the lair. Although she couldn't quite make out what they were saying, she could tell it was starting to get a little heated.

"What do you mean 'it doesn't work that way'?" Raphael's voice echoed out.

"It's exactly what it sounds like!" Donatello argued. "I can't just ask the computer 'who set off the bomb'. I need more info than that to get started. And right now we have no leads."

"Start with a gang!" The red turtle growled. "It was probably one of them!"

"Raph, Donnie, calm down!" Leo enunciated and rubbed at his face with his fingers. "You're both-- We're all just a bit tired and needing some sleep. You all should get some rest. I can stay up and watch out for-"

"I can't even think about sleeping right now!" Michelangelo interjected, throwing his hands up.

"I know..." Leonardo sighed and put up a hand in defense, "But the suns out right now. There's nothing we can do at this time. We might as well get some rest."

"I don't wanna be asleep if they show up! I don't want them to think that I don't care!" Mikey insisted.

"Mikey, they're not gonna think you don't care!" Leo argued back.

Normally, Bonnie would announce her arrival in the lair, but she was too exhausted for just about anything at this point. She stopped at the entry way and looked to Aida tiredly. "How do you think we should go about this? Should we even tell them we're here or should we just let them figure it out on their own?" She joked.

Aida smiled at her, too tired to laugh. "Hey, this is the first time I'm doing this too." The girl shrugged.

"Yeah, Mikey." Donatello patted his brother's shell and smiled a little. "I mean, if you want I can tell them how you almost cried?"

Raphael kept his arms crossed and grumbled. "Guys, let's just...go to bed," He shook his head, trying to fight off sleep.

Donatello nodded in agreement and looked at Michelangelo. "Until we get a call from April or Casey, we gotta believe they're still out there. And we're no help to them if we can't even stand, okay?"

"That's right." Leonardo nodded and soon after a yawn escaped him.

Michelangelo grumbled and crossed his arms. "Looks like someone else needs to keep the first watch."

Bonnie managed to sneak her way over to the turtles without any of them noticing. She placed a hand on Leonardo's shell and rubbed at it softly. "How about, you guys get some sleep." She yawned again. "Aida and I will keep watch."

"No, no..." Leonardo grumbled and rubbed at his eyes.  "I'm good, I just need some coff--EE!!" He jumped when he realized who he was speaking to and turned to the girl. "Bonnie!!" He exclaimed.

Aida followed suit, waving meekly at the turtles. "Nah, really it'll be fine. You guys look tired, you should get some rest."

Donatello felt his eyes brimming with tears at the sight of the girls. A wave of relief washed over him and he felt his legs shake, ready to give out at any moment. They were safe; they were actually safe and here in the lair. He went and wiped at his eyes before pinching himself to make sure this wasn't a dream. When he saw they were still there, his smile grew and he let out a relieved laugh.

Raphael could only stare, however. He felt absolutely paralyzed with utter shock and awe. Was this really happening? Was that actually Bonnie and Aida? They had spent hours searching for these girls. It seemed too convenient that they would just show up to the lair, and so quickly too. Why weren't they at home? Why did they come here first and just as the sun was rising? He wasn't upset that they had come down here, just surprised. Though he wasn't complaining; he was happy he could actually see them and know for sure that they were alive.

"Aida! Bonnie!" Michelangelo screamed and ran over to the Latina girl first, picking her up and squeezing her tight. He then placed her down on the ground and pulled Bonnie in for a group hug. Tears wear over flowing from his eyes, but he didn't bother to wipe them clean. His heart was beating so fast, and he felt like he was going to explode from happiness. They were alive! He smiled and laughed so hard that his cheeks hurt. "You're okay! You're okay!..." He whined.

"Agh... I won't be if you keep hugging me so tight!" Bonnie said as she tried to pry herself from his grip.

 Leonardo couldn't believe what he was seeing, and had to rub at his eyes again just to make sure that this was actually real. When he saw the two girls still in front of him, he let out a big sigh of relief. "Oh thank Kame..." He said and then joined in the hugged. He easily wrapped his arm around his brother and the girls. "We we're so worried about you! Are you guys okay?" He squeezed them tight.

Aida squeezed her eyes shut and held back her tears. They were already worried, she didn't need to make it worse by crying. She gripped Michelangelo's arm tightly and managed to grab one of Leonardo's fingers in an attempt to return the hug. "Y-yeah," she forced the word out. "We're okay."

Donatello took a step forward to join in before he felt his larger brother push him into the group. Raphael managed to stretch his arms around the large group hug and squeezed them all. This was real. They were safe and that was all that mattered.

"I know this is a Kodak Moment but... I can't breathe." Bonnie wheezed out.

"Oh! Sorry!" Leo cringed a little and released from the hug, forcing his other brothers off as well. Michelangelo was still holding onto them however. He smiled a little and put his hands to his hips. "Mikey, let go." He said.

"No! Never!" He cried. His bandanna was becoming soaked with tears. "I don't want them to disappear again!"

Bonnie groaned and grunted as she tried to get out of his hold. "We're not gonna disappear again! We're staying here!"

"What? Really?" Donatello perked. "I thought you just came down here to tell us you're okay?"

"Well, considering the explosion happened on the surface," Aida grumbled, starting to feel the same suffocation from the mutant's hug. "We'd feel a lot, well, safer here."

He smiled a little at what she said, feeling a little prideful that they thought so highly of them. Of course he furrowed his brow as he thought about it more. "Wait. How long were you planning on staying?" It wasn't that he didn't want the girls to stay, but he would feel guilty if they had to focus on work and left them here alone. Now that they knew the girls were safe, they had to focus on finding the culprit.

Bonnie rubbed at one eye and yawned again. “I’d just like to get some sleep, if that's alright with you Donnie?" She raised a sassy brow at him.

"Oh! Yes!!" Michelangelo said excitedly and finally released the girls. "Stay here and get some rest!" He clapped his hands together and nodded. "I'll get extra pillows and blankets! And I can even get Donnie’s secret stash of poptarts for when you wake up!"

"Yeah, of course," Donatello nodded. Normally he would have argued with Michelangelo, but for the girls he would let them have anything tonight. "Alright then. If you guys don't mind, I got some digging to do. " He cracked his knuckles and made his way over to his station.

Raphael grabbed the smaller turtle by the shoulder and pulled him away from the girls. "Alright, alright they get it. Now put some action to your words. Go!" He shooed him off and looked at the girls, holding the tears back. "It's good to see you two."

Mikey chuckled a little and rubbed at the back of his neck. "Okay, okay. I'm good now." He made sure to smile over at Aida before leaving elsewhere to retrieve the items.

"Yeeeah..." Bonnie rubbed her arm and winced a little. "Sorry we didn't call. We were helping others who got injured in the explosion, and well-" She pulled out her phone; trying once more to turn it on but to no avail. "My phones broke now." She sighed.

He raised a surprised brow at her story. "Wait, wait, wait," He held his hands up and faced her. "You guys actually helped others out?" He jested. "But seriously that's actually really cool of you guys." He pointed to Leo and continued. "We split up and went to your guys' places and got real worried and none of you were home." He paused at the memory of what happened at Aida's place and he cringed. "Also, uh...sorry about the window."

Aida's smile quickly turned to a frown and she snapped at him. "Window? What window?"

"You mean you haven't been home yet?" He asked.

"No, we came straight here. What happened?" She asked quickly, feeling a little anxious.

The red turtle tapped his fingers together and pointed at Leonardo once more. "He told me I could."

The Latina girl quickly snapped her attention to the blue-clad turtle and took a couple steps toward him. "What happened to my window Leo?"

Leonardo’s brows perked in surprise and his shoulders stiffened at her voice. "Ah... We heard screams, so we went and inside and..." He scratched at his cheek nervously and looked away.  "In the process the window got broken." He mumbled then snapped back to her before she could say anything else. "But we cleaned up the glass, and duct-taped the window shut! So there's nothing to worry about!" He held up his hands in defense.

Bonnie snorted and giggled. "I would say that's not very ninja like." She crossed her arms and smirked.

"It was Raphs big head that broke the window..." He mumbled again.

Aida's mouth fell open and she looked between the two giant turtles in shock. "That's not--! I gotta replace it! I don't have that kind of money!"

Raphael rubbed the back of his neck and shrugged nervously. "Well, we can try to find one from the junkyard for ya?"

"That's not--" She stopped herself and held her hands up. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly to calm herself down. "Nope. Conversation for another day." She turned on her heel and walked off to help Michelangelo get blankets.

Raphael grinned a little and looked at Bonnie. "On the upside, Donnie and Mikey didn't break anything at your place!"

"That's good!" She nodded and smiled innocently. It's a good thing I organized all my shit and put it away. She thought.

Raphael nodded and couldn't help but stare at her. It was then he finally noticed that she was still in her costume with Band-Aids and other bandages littered across her legs and arms. He frowned a bit and reached out to touch one of the bruises forming on her shoulder. "Hey. You sure you're okay? You don't need any ice or nothin'?"

"I don't know... Probably." She shrugged. "But I'm too tired for ice right now. I just wanna sleeeep!" She pouted and her shoulders slumped.

Leonardo patted her head. "Soon, little rabbit."

Bonnie glared up at him and puffed her cheeks, "I'm not little!"

"Compared to us, you are." He chuckle and looked to Raphael. "I'm gonna go see if Donnie's found out anything yet. Maybe get her some Advil?" He said and walked off.

Raphael nodded. "Yeah. You're definitely gonna be sore here soon," he went over to the cabinet and grabbed a large container of pain killers. He shook two onto his palm and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. He made his way back over to the girl and gave her the bottle of water and held the pills out for her. "This should at least get you through the night." He stared at her outfit again and remembered the broken shoe Leonardo had found. "So, weird question but...did you lose a shoe? With big gold G's inside it?"

Bonnie took the pills and washed them down with the water he gave her; sticking her tongue out and sighing when she was finished. She perked when he mentioned her shoe. "Yeah, I did! Did you find it?" She asked excitedly.

He chuckled a little. "Yeah, pieces of it." He chuckled some more and shook his head. "I can't believe Leo was right about it being yours though. I mean, I kinda figured it would be, but he was spot on!" He tapped his nose and became lost in thought. When they had found that shoe, he thought for sure it meant she was under the rubble. To see her here in the lair made it seem like he was still in a dream. He lifted a fist and pushed it against her arm gently. "I'm glad you're okay bunny-girl."

Bonnie blushed lightly, but smiled at him. He was really worried about her. After all the trouble and hassle she had put him and his brothers through; they still cared about her. The feeling was... nice. She didn't really have anyone in New York before all this, and that was mostly her fault. It was hard to get close to anyone, being a thief and all; but the secret was out with them, and it felt so good. She put a hand on his arm and rest her head against his bicep. "I'm so tired." She sighed.

Raphael smiled down at her, remembering how she tried to punch him when she was first down here. Now she was using his arm as a pillow. "Alright, let's get you to bed then." He nudged his arm to get her head off and put a hand on her back to guide her to her room. "Aida and Mikey should be back soon anyway."

---

Michelangelo was off in one of their storage areas, collecting the extra blankets and pillows for the girls to have. He put one of the blankets to his snout and sniffed it, cringing a little at the smell. "Oookay... Not that one." He balled it up and threw it to the side.

Aida watched him for a second, a rush of thoughts and emotions hitting her all at once. Last night could have been her final moments on this planet. As she thought about her life she found herself thankful and happy for most of it, despite her family's situation. She had siblings and a father who loved her, as well as a handful of unexpected friends. The only thing that had bothered her were these strange feelings she had been having for him.

Though she knew what they meant she just felt like she shouldn't be having them for a mutant ninja turtle. It was the main reason why she never acted out on them like she would for a normal human boy. But after surviving that explosion she felt like life was too short to not do something about it. At the very least she wanted to know if he felt the same. He may be a flirt but he did ask her to find a girlfriend for him; as far as she knew, she was just a sibling to him.

The girl walked up next to him and began to help him rummage through the blankets, her sudden nerves keeping her silent.

Michelangelo perked up when Aida entered the room and he gazed over at her. He thought about what happened last night, and how they spent so much time searching for her, and how after a certain amount of time it seemed hopeless; but here she was... Right here with him. Alive and safe. His eyes began to water again at the thoughts. He didn't know what he would do without her. She was part of his life now, and there was so much he wanted to experience with her. Especially one thing in particular. Love.

His heart began to race, and his cheeks burned red. If there was ever a time to let her know how he felt about her, it was now. Without hesitation, he took on of her hands into his, and rubbed it with his thumb. "Aida..." He started, looking down at his feet.

The girl felt her breath hitch in her throat, making it impossible to speak. It was now or never and she knew it; however her mouth refused to make words. Instead she squeezed his hand as she gathered up some courage and planted a quick kiss on his cheek. She felt her heart race and her legs shake the moment she made contact and felt like she had to keep herself busy.

"Th-these should be good right?" Her voice cracked as she pulled out a blanket and held it between herself and the mutant.

Michelangelo’s mouth dropped and eyes widened when she kissed him. It was only on the cheek, but still. It was more than anything he ever got before, and that was nothing! He blushed even brighter, and could swear his heart was about to burst out of his chest. He couldn't even remember what he was going to say before. Now all he wanted to do was return the favor. He grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her into him. Planting a hard one on her lips.

"Mmph!" She winced a little at how hard it was but tried to give him the benefit of the doubt. However, his hands were pressing a bruise and she had to pat his arms before pulling away. "Ow, ow! Too tight Michelangelo," She explained, nodding at his hand with her head.

He cringed and cupped his hands over his lips. "I'm- I'm so sorry!" He spoke through his fingers and shook his head. "For hurting you and... that."

"It's fine. You were just on a bruise," She told him. The girl licked her lips nervously, suddenly feeling nervous about what they just did. "I-I mean...I didn't mind it that much," She muttered, grabbing a pillow this time. "Just maybe not so rough next time?"

"Sorry. I've never kissed a girl before... Or guy! N-Not that I want to kiss guys! I'm just saying, I haven't k-kissed anyone...before." He laughed nervously, stumbling over his words. It took him a couple seconds to realize what she had said, and his eyes lit up at her words. "W-Wait..." He cocked his head to the side. "N-Next time?"

Aida bit the inside of her cheeks to keep herself from laughing at his nervousness. It reminded her of when she kissed the first guy she really liked. A little pang of guilt twisted at her stomach at the fact that she had had boyfriends before him but she shrugged the feeling away.

"Well, unless you want your first kiss to be your only kiss." She smiled at him. "Then yeah. Next time."

"Uuh.." He stuttered again. He couldn't believe this! He had actually kissed a girl, and the girl he like none the less, and she was going to let him do it again! "Sooo... Can I kiss you again?... Right now?" He asked, raising a curious brow.

She stared at him over the pillow in thought and to hide the smile on her face. Never in her dreams did she ever think he would be the one to make her smile like this. Then again, she never would have thought she'd ever act on these feelings either. It was amazing just how human he was.

She looked around the lair, making sure no one was around first before turning back to him. "Sure you can." This time she was the one to start, making sure to be as gentle as possible.

Michelangelo gently placed his hands on her waist, and pulled her in slowly. He met her lips softly with his, and held them there for a few seconds. Her lips were so plush and warm, he thought; and she tasted so good! He felt his blood rush and his heart beat again as he kissed her. Without even realizing it, his tongue forced its way into her mouth.

The moment she felt the wet appendage brush against her lips her eyes shot open. It had been a cute moment but now it was going too far too fast for her. She pulled her head away and pushed the pillow into his chest, making him take a couple of steps back. "Aaaand that's as far as it's going tonight!" She announced, trying her best not to be too mad at him. This was his first intimate encounter and he probably doesn't know human etiquette for this type of thing either.

"Aaah!" Mikey held up his hands in defense. "Sorry... You're.. right. It's probably for the best. Plus, you need some sleep." He chuckled nervously and picked up all the blankets he dropped when he went to kiss her. He looked back up to Aida and smiled meekly. "Sorry, again. I'm new to this so... I have a lot to learn."

For a moment his admission made her heart melt. Of course, that lasted only a moment after she reminded herself who she was talking to. "Yeah, and your first lesson will be about boundaries!" She smacked his arm halfheartedly. "No tongue until the third date!"

Mikey grinned and looked away innocently. "What is it that Bonnie's always saying?" He scratched at his cheek. "No promises?"

----

Raphael led Bonnie to the spare bedroom and stood watch from the doorway, just in case she needed assistance getting in the bed. However she climbed into the bed without much issue and sighed of relief once she layed back. She seemed to melt into the mattress and a wide smile spread across her face. "Finally..." She said and just layed there for a couple of seconds with her eyes closed. She opened her eyes slightly and looked to the larger turtle; patting the bed a few times gesturing for him to 'come forth'.

At first he looked around, thinking she was gesturing to a hidden Aida. When he couldn't find the little woman he looked at her and pointed at himself. "Me? Really?" He asked, still unsure that she was directing the offer to him

"No, the other turtle covering the doorway-- yes, you!" She slapped the mattress once more.

He clicked his tongue at her in annoyance but began to walk over to the bed anyway. It was an odd invitation, but he figured she just wanted some company until Aida appeared. He sat on the edge of the bed, careful not to sit on her, and sighed. It was weird, being alone with her in the impromptu guest room. He knew in movies it meant something romantic would usually happen, but he did his best not to think about it. A moment only became awkward if he made it awkward, so he tried to be as normal as possible.

Bonnie just stared at his shell for a while in thought. She wasn't exactly sure why she had invited him into the bed. It just felt right to have him near... Safe. Which was ironic because all the times she had been around him before she'd ended up getting hurt, but something had changed about the turtle. He wasn't as rough as before. She wasn't sure if the exhaustion was what making her think this way, or if she was just crazy, but she held out an arm and tapped on his shell. "You know I don't bite, right? You can lie down... if you want."

"Yeah. I know!" He said a little too quickly. Her offer made him pause, however. It was like how he used to ask Splinter if he could stay in the same room to sleep whenever he had a nightmare as a kid. Was she really that frightened? He was so used to her tough girl act that seeing her a little vulnerable like this was new.

He nodded and began to shift his body and lay down on the bed. He put his hands on his stomach and looked at her. "Want me to stay until you're asleep?" He offered.

Bonnie closed her eyes and nodded her head with a smile. She then pulled up the blanket and threw it over the two of them, even though it barely covered Raphs’ large body.

He chuckled a little when the blanket hardly covered him, but he didn't mind. Bonnie's body was surprisingly warm against his, so the fabric was not necessary. He lifted his arms and tucked them behind his head, trying to give her more room. "Alright. I'll be here if you need me," he smiled at her.

Finally Michelangelo and Aida had shown up to the guest room, only to be surprised by the sight in front of them. Raphael had fallen asleep pretty quickly himself; the whole ordeal had exhausted him and finally laying down in a bed with someone next him had knocked him out. One of his arms had found itself wrapped around Bonnie's waist, keeping her close to his gargantuan form.

The latina girl's mouth hung open in shock, surprised that the woman had allowed him to lay next to her. Then again, last night's events had been terrifying, so she could sympathize with the need to be near someone now. Very carefully, she tip-toed into the room and put a second blanket over the two, making sure to cover more of Raphael before retreating back to Michelangelo. "Well...guess I'm going on the couch," She whispered, her eyes never leaving the two.

Michelangelo stared at the two in complete utter shock. He dropped the blankets and patted down his body for his phone, hoping to take a picture. He groaned a little when he couldn’t find it. "Ooooh... I'm telling Donnie in the morning." He teased and grinned over at Aida. "What? N-No! You're not sleeping on the couch! You can--" He stopped and licked his lips. "You caaan... sleep with me!" He grinned again and laughed a little. "I-I promise I won't do anything!... Unless you want too..."

She stared at him and shook her head. "You keep that up, you're gonna have to wait for the fourth date for anything else," She hugged the pillow and thought for a moment. She was a little nervous as to what Leonardo or Splinter may have to say if either of them caught the two in the same bed. However, if Bonnie and Raphael were doing it then it wouldn't look too suspicious. Not to mention she really did not want to sleep alone tonight and the couch sounded cramped. The girl shifted her weight from one foot to the next, "Fine. But no fooling around. Just...hold me?" She pushed her hair behind her ears and felt a little silly at the request.

It was then that he noticed the orange earrings she was wearing, and his eyes lit up. "H-Heeey... Are those for me?" He grinned and reached out to touch them.

She furrowed her brow in confusion, forgetting that she had the earrings on in the first place. "What are you...?" She reached up and touched one and the memory hit her. Her cheeks burned in embarrassment but she straightened her back, trying to look casual about it. "I don't know what you're talking about. They just happened to be my favorite pair."

Mikey huffed. "Right, because you've been sporting orange all along." He smirked and nicked her shoulder with his knuckles. "C'monnn. You can admit that you like me a liiitllle bit. I mean, you did kiss me first afterall."

She smirked at him, "Oh I've liked you for a while." She turned and began to walk toward his room. "But I'm glad the earrings actually did get your attention. I wasn't sure they would be obvious enough."

Michelangelo chuckled again. "Sometimes I need a little hint." He said and led her to his room. He plopped down on his bed and sighed happily, wrapping the extra blankets around him. "Aaah... Feels like it's been forever."

Just the sight of the bed made her legs shake as exhaustion finally hit her full-force. The adrenaline from tonight's events was starting to wear off and she could actually feel just how much pain she was in. The bandages on her wounds felt like they were chaffing the exposed skin beneath, the black and blue bruises beneath her clothes began to throb, and her eyelids began to droop as they were eager to close.

Very carefully, Aida pushed away the remaining covers and lowered herself in, not wanting to cause any concern. The girl never realized just how soft and plush the bed was until now, making her sigh in relief at the comforting feeling. "You're telling me..." She muttered, pulling the blankets over herself and gripping on to them tightly. "Thanks for letting me bunk here tonight." She smiled a little, her eyes closing the moment her head hit the pillow.

Michelangelo smiled over at her and threw on another blanket over the both of them. He gently pushed away some stray hairs dangling over Aidas’ forehead and planted a soft kiss on it. "Of course," he whispered and closed his eyes to sleep. 

Post Authors Note: So... ThisiskindofthelastchapterofHonorAmongThieves. Sorry! There’s just a little bit more after this but not enough to make a chapter out of. Like I said before, this is all directly from a rp me and orange were having, but that rp has kind of stopped. We started something new but Idk if it’s gonna go anywhere so I don’t think I’ll be putting it up.We hope you guys enjoyed it. I know it’s not much of a conclusion, but at least one of the girls hooked up!... Kind of. XD I don’t know if we’ll come back to making more or not, but if you guys have questions, send them to us! We’ll try to answer to our best ability! Thanks for sticking with us! We love you guys! <3

[diamondsareapearlsbestfriend]

Sans/Toriel 30 Day OTP Challenge: Day Thirteen

AO3 | Day One | Day Two | Day Three | Day Four | Day Five | Day Six | Day Seven | Day Eight | Day Nine | Day Ten | Day Eleven | Day Twelve

day thirteen: our song

prompt: “Your OTP and music. Do they have a song? Do they sing? Do they dance?”

The thing about the music in the Underground is – when you've been hanging out here your whole life and through multiple different timelines – there isn't really much variety.

Once you've heard a few songs, they're pretty much all the same, whether Sans is lazily flicking through the channels or sitting through Mettaton's latest vehicle with Papyrus even though it feels like he's slowly being buried alive in rose petals – loud, flashy and fake, whether it's thumping dance beats or grandiose, swelling strings. It's maybe not exactly what he would've chosen, but Sans can just about deal; the unrestrained joy lighting up in his little brothers' sockets whenever a familiar rectangular figure sashays across the screen makes it worth it. And on some level, he gets it, why half the Underground's so in love with Mettaton despite him being so...well, Mettaton, because he's literally all they've got. Sparkles and symphonies and aggressively manufactured positivity – it's all an escape, a chance for everyone to forget their problems for a couple of minutes and believe whatever the repetitive robotic lyrics are telling them: they're fabulous, they're shining stars, they're whatever they want to be. They're free, even in the face of the obvious reality that they're most likely stuck down here for the rest of their lives.

For Sans it mostly just feels like background noise – most things do these days. He's not one to judge, if everyone's happy (okay, he kind of is, but not on this particular subject); he just can't help wondering, sometimes, if he'll ever get to hear anything that sounds like it comes from somewhere more...well, real, whatever that means any more. But he isn't expecting to find out when he dozes off at Grillby's yet another night, somewhere around his second ketchup bottle, and wakes up to this melody floating through his skull – slow, sad, hauntingly beautiful. It's like nothing he's ever heard before, definitely not MTT-brand, and for a moment Sans thinks he's still dreaming until he lifts his head and glances around at the empty bar. It's just him and Grillby, perched elegantly at the piano in the corner – Sans didn't even know that dusty old thing was a piano – with his fiery fingers dancing along the keys, filling the room with a tune as light and delicate and delicate as the falling snow, but slowly sliding into something more sinister, like an unspoken threat looming over them, and Sans feels it, somehow, every note sending a chill through his bones. It feels like Snowdin, like the creeping threat of the next day he knows so well, like...home.

"Dude, Grillbz," he says finally as Grillby finishes, glancing back over his shoulder to meet Sans' sockets as he widens them in awe, “what was that? You write that? How come you never told us you could play?" 

Grillby hesitates for a second, before his face flickers into a smile as he tells Sans – in his crackly dialect that he's just about picked up by now – that he doesn't usually like an audience. And even if he did, it's not like he has a spare moment to play for them in between running the whole place himself and keeping on top of all his customers' demands.

Sans shrugs, flashing him a sympathetic grin – Grillby can't be talking about him, he's the least demanding customer ever. “Yeah, okay, I hear ya. Still – you should get some staff in to cover sometime, 'cause that was great. No joke, I felt it in my bones. Gotta be better than some of the crap Bun puts on the jukebox, am I right?"

Grillby hisses a reluctant laugh and nods, standing up from the piano bench and smoothing down his clothes. Sans is waiting for him to tell him to go home – it's way after closing time and Papyrus is probably getting worried by now – as he walks back over to the bar and starts gathering glasses, but he says he'll think about it. Or – if Sans wants – maybe Grillby should teach him how to play sometime instead. Then Sans can be the new entertainment, or at least a convenient target for the regulars to heckle and throw fries at.

"Heh – why do I feel like this is payback, somehow?" Sans chuckles, but actually it's a pretty generous offer, and he's kind of touched. “I mean – sure, when you're not busy, why not? That might be cool, or at least something, uh...different.”

They never do get around to those lessons, though because things end up getting super busy and their world gets a whole lot bigger – and brighter, and that's not just because of the sun. Where the Underground was quiet, the surface has music everywhere, with as much variety as anyone could possibly want or need, pouring out of every store on every street corner. Some of it's pretty good, some of it's just as bad as any of Mettaton's bleeps and boops and some of it's worse – but somehow it doesn't feel quite so fake any more, not up here where they're actually free to feel good, or whatever the songs say.

It probably helps now he's with Toriel, who unapologetically loves all of it – the Ruins were always so quiet, she tells him, so it feels so good to be able to surround herself with music. No matter how awful it is, and it shows pretty much every morning when she's making breakfast and singing along to the radio. She doesn't know half the words, but she improvises, making up nonsense as she bounces to the beat with her little tuft of tail bobbing up and down. Sometimes she makes Frisk faceplant into the table, groaning Moooom, it's too early, do you have to be so disgustingly cheerful? Sans sympathises, because he's not even sure what he's doing awake at this time – up until Toriel catches his socket and winks, always as she's braying along with the cheesiest, corniest, most nauseating love song, and he remembers some things are worth getting up for.

They still end up in Grillby's most nights, because some things don't change; just the amount of songs on the jukebox for everyone to fight over, and the weird human-brew wine Grillby's got in tonight. It's kind of disgusting, but it also makes Sans feel warm and fuzzy inside – although that might just be Toriel, as he's been leaning against her since they reached the stage where just about everything the other one says is the most hilarious thing ever.

"Grillbz, Grillbzzzz," Bun slurs, leaning over and thumping the bar like he's just had a revelation, "you know what we should do? You know what would really bring in the hot guys?"

Sans only has to catch Toriel's eye to know they're thinking of the exact same joke, and the slightest nudge is enough to set them both off, snorting and spluttering uncontrollably into their drinks before either has a chance to state the obvious. Everyone else, as usual, ignores them.

 "Karaoke night!" Bun squeals, and a groan immediately ripples through the room, with a few lone murmurs of interest. "C'mon, you sad sacks, it'll be fun. Grillbz, aren't you always saying we should  liven up this place?"

Grillby raises his glasses in his 'I said nothing of the sort' expression; undeterred, Bun reaches out and slings an arm around Sans' neck, pulling him into something between a hug and a headlock. "Sansy! You'll sing with me, right?!"

"Oh, yes, Sansy," Toriel joins in just a little too eagerly, her eyes glittering with amusement as she slips her arm around Sans' ribs from the other side, so he's effectively trapped, "now that you mention it, I do not believe you have ever blessed us with your dulcet tones! We should put that to rights, should we not?"

Sans is starting to feel unfairly victimised here; he looks to Grillby for help, but he just snickers quietly behind the bar, the traitor. "C'mon, guys," he laughs, holding up both hands in a vain attempt to defend himself, "trust me, no one wants to hear me sing."

"I wanna hear it!" Big Mouth yells out, unhelpfully. "And whoa, hey – you disobeying an order from the queen, Sans? Shouldn't he be, like...executed or something for that, Your Majesty?"

"Goodness, what sort of queen do you take me for?" Toriel gasps in mock offense, before sliding her hands up to Sans' skull and resting her chin gently on top like a warm, furry hat, subtly nudging Bun away in the process – turns out she's a handsy drunk, not that Sans has any bone to pick with that as he feels her smirk. "I am sure I can think of a much more suitable punishment.”

Everyone whoops and hollers as Sans' brow bone shoots up in simultaneous alarm and intrigue at this threat/promise, while Bun hops off of his stool and over to the jukebox. It's right next to the old piano – for some reason, Sans is glad Grillby kept it, even if he hasn't heard him play anything since they moved to the surface. He still occasionally thinks he should take Grillby up on those lessons, or at least get him to play one of his old pieces for Toriel sometime, even if it's just the three of them, because he feels like she deserves to hear something so beautiful – wants to be the one to share it with her, even. He's grinning to himself just from the thought and wonders when the hell he got so mushy, anyway. Must be the wine. Definitely the wine.

Sans' train of thought is interrupted as a familiar, upbeat tune blares out; there's a few half-hearted protests from the bar, but nobody gets up to change it as Toriel's hands fall from Sans' skull to excitedly seize both of his hands.

"Oooh – I know this one! Let us dance!"

Even if Sans could say no to those eyes, he figures he's probably not getting much of a choice in the matter anyway so he lets her drag him out of his seat and onto the not-exactly-dancefloor where Bun's already busting some moves by the jukebox, his ears flopping wildly back and forth. Sans isn't exactly a dancer at the best of times, and now he's just a total disaster, tripping over the floor and Toriel's feet, but she barely seems to notice or care, her eyes and cheeks glowing with joy as she moves their linked hands up and down while singing that she just met him, and this is crazy, but  – she goes to twirl herself under their arms, temporarily forgetting their height disparity, and misses, stumbling forwards and landing with her full weight right on Sans' foot.

He lets out an involuntary yelp of pain and Toriel gasps, pressing one hand to her mouth as she abruptly skids to a halt.

"Oh, dear, I am so sorry! Did I hurt you? Let me see..."

She kneels down and lifts Sans' tibia before he can reassure her that he's fine, her brow furrowing in concern as she squeezes his foot gently as though checking for broken bones – just as Bun, happily oblivious to it all, spins around and bumps into Sans, knocking him off-balance so he falls forward and straight into Toriel, sending them tumbling to the floor. Toriel lands flat on her back, Sans sprawled messily half on top of her, and he's not sure who starts to laugh first but soon neither of them can stop, clutching each other and giggling hysterically until Sans' ribs ache, there are tears rolling down his cheekbones and it must be pretty bad because even Bun stops dancing to look down at them with concern.

"Uhhh...you guys okay, or what?"

"Oh...oh my, yes, sorry, excuse me," Toriel splutters, the last of her laughter eventually petering out. “I think – I think, Sans, that perhaps it is time for us to go home.”

"Uh-huh." Home sounds good; the only flaw in that plan is that Toriel is really soft and warm and Sans doesn't really feel like being separated from her right now. "Tori, Tori, Toriiii," he whines, trying for the sympathy vote as he nuzzles his face as far into her neck as he can in an attempt to bury himself in her fluffy fur, "my foot still hurts, I don't think I can walk. You gotta carry me home, 'kay?"

Toriel snorts, goodwill evidently evaporating as she sits up, pushing Sans off of her before hauling them both upright and dusting herself down. “Do not be a baby bones. You will be fine – I am quite sure I would have felt if anything was broken."

That's what he gets for dating a teacher, Sans figures as Grillby leans over the bar and enquires whether he should call Papyrus to pick them up.

"No – no, Grillbz, don't do that. We're good to walk, right?" He glances up at Toriel for confirmation, who nods emphatically. "Yup, all good here. Same time tomorrow, guys, yeah?"

The regulars mumble their goodbyes with varying degrees of enthusiasm, leaving them to stagger out into the cold night air onto the luckily-not-that-long path home.

“Probably should've mentioned,” Sans says as they approach the door, “I, uh – don't really dance. Too much energy.”

Toriel laughs softly, shushing him not to wake Frisk up as she lets them in. “Think nothing of it. You made an...admirable attempt.”

Sometimes, it worries Sans a little that this woman is tasked with ruling over monsterkind, even if mostly hypothetically these days.

But tonight – if it's her occasionally questionable judgement that leads them both back to her bed – he supposes he can't exactly complain.

From the moment the music started up as Alphys shuffled awkwardly down the aisle as though scared of tripping over her dress, Mettaton on her arm and her eyes darting nervously all around the room before they landed on Undyne and instantly lit up, her mouth curling up into the hugest, goofiest, most genuine grin like there was no one else in the room but her soon-to-be wife waiting in her tux at the altar, today was always going to be emotional. Toriel's eyes were already starting to mist over before they'd taken their seats, and by the time they got to the vows she was almost as much of an emotional wreck as Papyrus, who was practically vibrating with excitement as he took his place as best skeleton besides Undyne. The tears of pride glistening in his sockets started flowing freely down his cheekbones when Undyne impatiently burst out that yes, obviously she took this giant dork to be her lawfully wedded wife, before taking Alphys in her arms and dipping her into a kiss so passionate Toriel probably would have covered Frisk's eyes if they hadn't been up there with them, clutching a blue and yellow bouquet and grinning from ear to ear.

"It is terribly cliché of me, I know," she says later at the reception, dabbing delicately at her eyes with a tissue. "It is just...such a wonderful day to be a part of, to witness the love between these two young monsters. Just to imagine the lifetime they will share together..." She sniffles, before flashing Sans a watery, self-deprecating smile. "Oh, do not mind me. I am just a silly old goat."

"I don't mind. I got a thing for silly old goats." Sans winks at her and Toriel snorts, bumping her foot affectionately against his as they fall into a contented, companionable silence. It is pretty great, he has to admit, looking around the room at everyone; Undyne's idea of dancing is basically tossing Alphys around like a pancake, and she couldn't look happier about it, shrieking with delight as Undyne whirls her around with her arms wrapped around her neck like she's never letting go. On the other side of the room, Asgore looks like he's deep in conversation with that creepy-cute spider girl from the bakery, while Mettaton is leading Frisk, Papyrus and a whole crowd of others in a series of increasingly elaborate poses, until Frisk catches Sans' socket and takes the opportunity to turn and point dramatically at them.

"Sans! Mom! Come over here and dance with us!"

"It seems we have been summoned," Toriel says, smiling fondly as she waves back at them before offering her hand to Sans instead, an anticipatory twinkle in her eye as she nods towards the dancefloor. “Shall we?”

He grins back at her, throwing in a defeated shrug mostly for show before accepting Toriel's hand, linking their fingers together as it closes around his with a warm, reassuring squeeze. “I guess we shall. If you can't beat 'em...”

Just as they make their way over to join Frisk and the others, the song changes; something Sans doesn't recognise, slow, yearning guitar chords rolling in and making them both hesitate for a moment, smiling awkwardly at each other like teenagers at a high school dance.

“You, uh...remember how it usually works out when I dance, right?”

"I do, and I shall take my chances." Toriel lets out a soft chuckle, warm and soothing as her touch as she manoeuvres them gently into position, moving Sans' hand up to her waist while hers settles on his hipbone. "Do not fret, I believe we will be fine. Just...go with what you feel is right, yes?”

From anyone else, it'd probably be pretty useless advice – but Toriel's not everyone else, and from the moment they start to move together, slowly at first, back and forth with the music, it doesn't feel the same as all those other times, either. It's almost like the song is moving them, falling into a natural rhythm as the song builds around them to something stronger, sweeter, more uplifting and Toriel smiles back at him encouragingly, like she's proud of Sans for not screwing up or stepping on her toes yet. The DJ's actually pretty good, he thinks idly – he's Mettaton's cousin or something, but he can't help that. Sans is definitely going to find some way of convincing Grillby to play, though, when it's his –

...wait, what?

Maybe that really is when it hits him – the most cliché of moments, gazing up into Toriel's huge, beautiful eyes, shining as they catch the light and soft with the kind of love that's still almost too much for Sans to handle, that he still can't really believe he has, or deserves for that matter, with the singer crooning about their true colours shining through, and that's why I love you...and yeah, of course he does because it's Toriel and she's the best thing that's ever happened to him in any timeline, how much of a bonehead would he be if he didn't want to be with her for the rest of his life, or as much of it as she was willing to put up with him? Because no one makes him laugh like she does, and no one makes him feel safe like she does, like even if he screws up, even if they stumble and fall and bring the whole place crashing down with them, everything's going to be okay as long as they're together, but – holy shit, he does, he wants this. He wants to marry her, and it's amazing and terrifying and probably totally insane and Sans feels like his soul's about to burst just from keeping it in, trying and failing to stop the huge, stupid grin stretching his skull like an idiot because Toriel is definitely onto him.

“What is funny?” she asks, arching a suspicious eyebrow and smiling too despite herself.

"You," Sans tells her automatically; Toriel lets out a little huff, equal parts indignation and amusement, but before she can reply he continues, more seriously: "Tori...you trust me, right?"

Toriel blinks, the question seemingly catching her a little off-guard. “Why, Sans, of course I do. For why would you ask such a thing?”

It's a little risky, he knows; they haven't really tried anything like this before, but then there's also never been a time where it felt so right, until now.

"I just...wanna try something."

Before Toriel can respond, Sans lets go of her and steps back, just for a moment; the magic flares up from his soul and into his hand as he reaches out again and Toriel bleats in surprise at the new sensation, the soft blue glow enveloping her. He hesitates for a split second, just long enough to meet her eyes and realise it's okay: she trusts him, even like this with her soul almost literally in the palm of his hand, her energy intertwining with his before he flicks his wrist – a simple but carefully timed movement, spinning them both in a circle and twirling Toriel around and away from him before bringing her back and dipping her low to the floor so Sans catches her neatly in his arms and his magic, their faces barely an inch apart.

"My goodness, Sans!" Toriel exclaims, wide-eyed and breathless as she gazes up at him before breaking into a huge, exhilarated grin, her eyes and her cheeks flushed with pleasure. "And here you have been telling me you do not dance..."

"I don't." Sans can't keep from smirking as he gives Toriel a moment to catch her breath before lifting her again, right up off her feet and into the air so her dress billows spectacularly all around her as he twirls her one last time; it's not really in time with the song any more but he couldn't care less, catching hold of her hands in the air as the magic dissipates around them and he brings her back down to earth. It's Toriel who catches Sans this time , stumbling to an inelegant finish as he falls into her, their hands still interlinked and laughing a little already with sheer joy before he even drops the punchline: “But sometimes I still need to practice my pickup lines."

"You guys – you know you're not supposed to upstage the brides, right?" Frisk interrupts the moment, bounding over and shaking their head mock-disapprovingly as they somehow manage to wriggle right in between Toriel and Sans like a self-appointed chaperone. “Even if that did look super fun.” Predictably, they turn their biggest, most hopeful puppy-dog eyes on Sans. “Saaans...can I –“

"Absolutely not,” Toriel interrupts swiftly, planting her hands on her hips and fixing them both with her sternest 'don't even think about it' look. "You, my child, are to remain firmly grounded. I mean that in the sense that you are to stay on the ground," she clarifies, "not that you are not allowed to leave the house, of course."

"But Mom –"

"Sorry, kiddo - your mom knows best." Sans backs her up, reaching out to ruffle Frisk's hair with a sympathetic wink. "We don't want any broken bones here  - yours or mine."

"Hey, little punk, c'mere –" Before Frisk can protest any further, Undyne pounces on them from behind, scooping them up and whirling them around so their legs go flailing through the air. “You didn't really think you needed puny skeleton magic for this, did you?!”

Frisk squeals with delight, Toriel clutches at Sans in alarm and Alphys giggles sheepishly as he catches her eye, glowing with happiness, and they grin at each other in what's obviously the universal “how did a couple of dorks like us end up with such ridiculously amazing girlfriends/wives” expression.

That one, Sans still hasn't figured out – but he'll get around to it some other time, because the next song's starting up and he's already being pulled into a mass dance-off, Toriel on one arm and Frisk on the other. It's one of Mettaton's old hits, but remixed into something more spookwave, with more of an edge to it but the same ecstatic euphoria, an incredible energy pumping through the air that feels like – as cliché as it also is – the souls of every monster and human in the room beating together as one.

Sans looks at Toriel, illuminated with laughter and love under the strobe lights as she twirls Frisk around under one arm before reaching out to do the same with him, and nothing has ever sounded better.

[dialux]

1) I am so on board for the new "marriage of convenience" fic, awesome work as always, and 2) "huddling for warmth" pre-jonsa? I've alway had this image of ten sitting (snuggling) together in one of the tents, several days before the battle of the bastards, and desperately want someone to tell the story behind it.

OOOH let’s try to turn that image into words, can we? 

(Also, nonny, funny story: I always thought the “share body heat” trope was absolute bogus and just fandom’s wishes, but turns out that it isn’t, and I AM SHOOK.)

[Sansa’s cold. Jon does his best to help. They never talk about it afterwards.]

...

Sansa’s cold.

Not so cold that she won’t survive, she tells herself. And it isn’t as if she has anyone to complain with- Sansa knows what they think of her, knows it well. Lannister, Stone, Bolton; it’s a miracle the Stark underneath hasn’t crumpled already, broken from the weight of her masks and griefs. The Northerners distrust her for her past, and the wildlings distrust her for what she represents, and in the end all Sansa has is herself, as it’s always been.

But, really, in the end, it all boils down to the fact that they just don’t like her.

So she keeps herself calm, unflappable, even in the fact of their utter contempt. Sansa’s suffered to get here. She won’t let herself falter now. She won’t complain, because she’s a Stark and a Northerner and she’ll show these thrice-damned people that if it kills her.

And yet- there’s a difference between facing off against lords’ disdain and being soaked to the bone in the only good clothes you have. The puddle she slipped and fell into was accidental; nobody had seen her fall, and she’d brushed herself off easily. The problem was in the tear of the furs which opened it up to the thinner layers below, and in the snowfall that came on later- they couldn’t find a proper place to camp for a few hours, and by that time her clothes almost froze solid.

Another violent shudder ripples through her, but she only clenches her jaw firmly and draws her hands closer to her torso.

She can’t call for more wood. Tormund was complaining to Jon just a few hours ago of the shortage in firewood; Sansa already has a private tent and a proper fire, which most of the wildlings don’t. Asking for more feels utterly selfish.

Just a few minutes, she thinks, eyes drifting shut under a bloom of warmth in her gut. I’ll take the furs off in a few minutes, and…

She’s asleep, or nearly there, when she hears the rustle of cloth outside her tent. Sansa flinches, jerking upright, and Jon enters.

“The Mormont’s have offered some more wood,” he says, stripping off his gloves as he strides in, heading to the basin of water. “I’m sure it’s just because they want us to leave, but it’ll ease some-” he turns, and Sansa isn’t sure of what he sees on her face but it must alarm him, for he moves towards her quickly, brows furrowing.

“Sansa?” He says. Then, when she lolls her head back to look at him: “What in the name of-”

Jon’s voice fades into a sort of dull murmuring, too soft for her to identify. She feels his hand hover over her furs, then flatten over her heart, resting over the damp cloth. He swears, loudly, fluently.

“When did this happen?” He asks. “Sansa. When did your clothes get so wet?”

“S-snow,” she manages to reply, dredging up the thought through a mind that feels slow and thick as molasses. “St-st-storm.”

“It’s been snowing for hours,” he snaps. “You couldn’t have said something?” He sighs, though, and steps away briefly before returning. Sansa feels him brush her shoulder, impossibly lightly. “Do you trust me?”

Sansa’s tired. She’s tired and cold and she can’t even find the energy in herself to shiver. She looks up at him, at her bastard brother whom she’s never much liked but always loved- she looks at him, and she wonders, How can I not?

“Yes,” she says, and the syllable drops between them like a stone. 

Jon nods; one of his hands come up to cup her face, all sword-callused and warm, and the other does some fumbling things with the clasps along her furs. Sansa feels weightless, drifting along on a wave of syrupy sweetness, when something cold and sharp touches the inside of her elbow.

The abrupt jerk of her body startles Jon, but he soothes her, one hand cupping her cheek firmly and the other rubbing concentric circles along her palm.

“We need to get these clothes off you,” he tells her lowly. “You’ll freeze, Sansa, if we don’t. I know you’re probably not hearing me now, but…” his voice trails off again, but this time she’s more aware of the rustle of cloth falling off her, the rasp of the knife against her cloth. 

Ramsay had, once, held a knife to her eyes. He’d taunted her with it, terrified her. Jon’s just as close as Ramsay ever was; but Sansa can’t feel even a drop of the terror that had surged through her only months previous.

When her clothes are off, Jon draws away.

Her eyes flicker open, tracking him lazily: Jon’s hesitating, and Sansa doesn’t know why. Then he reaches up to his neck and undoes the clasp, draping his fur over her shoulders. 

“Sansa,” he says, leaning down and gripping her chin. “Sansa, listen to me: the wildlings know how to treat this kind of cold. They say-” he swallows, throat rolling, almost nervously; he looks like he’d once done in the godswood, she thinks suddenly, dared by Theon to swim in the black pool and afraid but still determined to measure up- then the memory fades, replaced by the tent and flickering shadows that are her homes now. There’s a faint warmth in her chest at the thought, though the rest of her is still comfortably numb. “-they say the quickest way to fix this is to- to touch each other. To be lying next to each other. To share the warmth of my body with yours.”

For a moment, Sansa wonders why he’s telling her all this; then she realizes: Jon can see the scars that Ramsay had left her, along her arms and belly and legs. The scars she’s hidden from the world for so long- Jon can see them, now, he has seen them, and though there’s anger and bitterness and grief in his eyes there isn’t anything resembling pity.

She nods, and he takes that as some sort of permission- Jon picks her up and takes her to the cot set up not a few feet away, and steps away. 

Sansa curls further against the wool of the bed, turned away from him. The blankets and Jon’s furs have started little pinpricks of heat along her chest and belly, and it’s as painful as the pins-and-needles sensation that comes with trying to walk on a foot that’s fallen asleep. 

And then he approaches, pushing her further on the bed so he can have some space with her, and wraps his arms around her- his bare chest to her back, broader shoulders hunching over her slighter frame, one arm slipping beneath her body to curl back over her waist and the other resting a handspan above the swell of her breasts. 

Briefly, she thinks on what Robb would have said to see his sister and brother in such an embrace; on her father- their father- and her mother. But then, they’re all dead, gone, vanished. 

All Sansa has is this man, this brother who died and then came back- and in his arms, she feels the pain of her family’s destruction lessen, just the tiniest bit.

They fall asleep like that, or at least Sansa does. 

When she wakes the next morning, Jon isn’t in her tent. She’s warm, though, and the blankets are pulled up to her chin- Sansa picks herself up, reaching for her clothes. Jon was thoughtful enough to leave them in front of the fire to better dry.

She winces, inwardly, when her bones click like Old Nan’s used to- she’d always thought that disgusting, and now it’s happening to her. But then again, she’s alive, and that hadn’t been entirely guaranteed for a good portion of the previous night.

The normal camp rush is ongoing; Sansa picks her way through them, heading towards the commander’s tent where Jon will be with Ser Davos and Tormund, struggling to make a paltry army thrice as big as it’s actual size.

She enters, and they all pause when she does; it’s for a spectrum of reasons- she knows that much- distrust from Tormund, disquiet from Davos, and worry from Jon. The reason varies, but the result very little.

Sansa draws her furs together, inhales, and steps further in.

“You were saying, Ser Davos?” She asks, taking her usual position in the corner. 

They just don’t like you, she thinks, and the thought is weary. One day, Sansa will just crumble under the weight of their expectations.

But when she skims the people’s faces, trying to understand the shift in dynamics that have taken place over the hours she’s been absent, she realizes that Jon is watching her instead of listening- there’s worry plastered all over his face, obvious as a painted mask.

Davos continues to talk. Jon doesn’t pay attention to him- he tilts his head, just a little, to the side. 

Sansa never knew him very well at all. There are times when her knowledge of Jon’s emotions are on par with that of a rock’s. But she knows exactly what he means with that single look: are you alright?

Her muscles ache; she feels foolish; she’s tired, a pillar that’s slowly being worn down by everyone’s anger and hatred. Sansa dredges up a smile for Jon and nods, once.

One day, she thinks, she’ll crumble. One day, she’ll be all alone.

But that day is not today, and so long as she has her brother here, Sansa will not let herself be anything less than her blood.