Child's Play

Smoke. Fire.

People yellin' in decrepit streets. A mother clutchin' her baby.

Meteors rainin' down from the sky.

It wasn't real. I knew that much. Even though the meteors were rainin' down like hellfire, I couldn't smell a thing. Couldn't feel nothin' neither. I'd bend down 'n touch the dirt, and it'd slip through my talons.

I'd seen this scene so many times now.

"Ma!"

There she went again. Some lil' girl... could never see her face, only hear her cry. She was all dressed up in a fine white dress, like a weddin' dress for elementary kids, always the one thing here that wasn' filthy an' dark. Her mother hugged her tighter, shieldin' her with her body as various rag-tag soldiers ran t' shoot at somethin' above 'em, coverin' the girl's face with her thick dark hair. "It's okay, sweetheart. It's okay..."

I felt myself startin' towards the couple, but stopped t' look up.

The entire skyline was on fire.

I could see somethin' in the distance, some giant figure...

"Where is he? Where's Danny?" The girl cried again, forcin' her head outta her ma's lap an' over her shoulder. "He's still with us, isn' he?"

I couldn't take my eyes off the sky. My heart started pumpin' quick 'n fast, doin' more laps than my friends at track 'n field. The figure was gettin' closer, an' it was trailed by a pair of somethin's.

"No, sweetheart, relax. He's been gone for a long time now," the mother comforted. "We've got the soldiers with us. We'll be okay!"

The men shouted some more. For some reason, despite them def'nitely bein' closer t' me than the girl, I couldn't hear 'em. They just sounded like they were sayin' some slightly militant gibberish.

"We'll be okay!" The mother repeated, like she'd never said those words before.

I was jus' stuck in place, again, starin' at the orange sky. A black circle started overtakin' my vision, but I couldn' make out what it was yet.

"We'll be okay!" She said again.

The circle grew. Its edges were rough'n pockmarked, lookin' less an' less like a circle an' more like a deformed rectangle as it got closer...

"We'll be okay!" Her voice began to echo.

All I could see was the rectangle, i's edges slowly fallin' away, an entire side've it startin' to vanish--

"We'll be okay!"

There was a loud crash, like a heavy rock on glass, an' I woke up.


Hmmm, hmm hmm...

I couldn't tell whether the humming came from inside my head or from my lips.

Hmm... hmm hmm...

It continued on. I tried not to give it much thought. I had heard plenty of this kind of singing since I had first woken up here... though I found it peculiar that such humming would only begin after entering this dungeon.

I descended down the staircase and onto another floor. I was still not used to being able to see the next floor down as I went. Nor was I used to how the staircases here looked. Even as I could feel the air shifting to a new floor, I couldn't quite grapple with the idea that this new floor was any different from the last.

The stairs I took to get here vanished behind me, their strange railings disappearing into nothingness while their crumbling steel steps fell to the floor like paperclips thrown from a balcony. A voice rang out from the small square nests dotting the walls here and there.

"Welcome to Floor Two! Please enjoy your stay."

...the announcement wasn't an attack. It didn't damage me. Another oddity. With how loud it was, it was certainly supposed to be an attack. Perhaps it was just Normal-typed.

I took a turn, away from the wide open square I had found the stairs in, into the endless corridors that made up most of this dungeon. Broken glass and half-working lights shone at me from every side, littering the cold marble floor and coating every surface. The cold air pushed me forth, drowning the dungeon in silence, grazing my ghostly form as if it were a natural gust of wind and not the odd dungeon-bound phenomena I knew it to be.

...as time went on, I slowed to a crawl. I could feel a shadow following me closely, attempting to hide in the corner of my eye. I whipped around--

--to see nothing whatsoever. Just an endless square expanse from whence I came.


Somewhere else in that dungeon, a distant laugh could be heard. It was a cruel, twisted thing-- high-pitched and melodic, almost like a songbird's call or a pair of wind chimes, belonging to a body that barely possessed the vocal chords to emit it.


"...and you just clonked out! Like you'd been sleeping for hours!" Diana kept snickerin'.

"Yeah, that's what hypnoses do. Of course I fell asleep." I didn' get what was so funny.

"But you should've seen it! Your head just flew back, ninety degrees," Diana imitated the gesture with a malformed talon, "like you'd smelled something terrible. You slept on that rock like it was a pillow."

I shrugged. "It may as well've been at that point. You've seen all the seats here. Covered'n mold... I'd rather sleep on a rock than that."

The two of us kept chattin', enjoyin' our nice reprieve from the hellish Monster House we'd jus' been through. I still had my eyes out for any freak Haunters or Hypnos tryin' to put me back into a coma... but, eventually, we found someplace too bright t' really worry 'bout those.

Di'n I slowed to a halt, both our eyes lookin' up at the most attractive thing 'bout this room... the giant, half-broken skylight.

"Whoa..."

I couldn't keep my mouth shut, 'n if Diana had a mouth I figured she'd be flabbergasted plenty too.

There was somethin'... very strange about this skylight. I could tell the sky it showed wasn't real. But I saw somethin', in the distance, through its portal to the outside world. I wondered, then, if it'd be possible for proper fliers to go take a look... maybe fly outta the dungeon through that hole, an' see what it was really showin' us. I was sure as hell that it wasn't the City.

"D'you think I could make it up there?" Di commented offhandedly.

"Sure, if you could find some way to get up there," I replied.

Neither've us could peel our eyes away from the skylight. It bothered me-- all I could think 'bout was that dream while I was starin' up there. I could'a sworn somethin' even flew past the skylight-- somethin' like the figure from the dream. But I blinked while it was still coverin' the damn thing, an' it was gone...

I felt some sort'a puff've air nearby, 'n finally managed to turn my head to the left t' see... Di hoppin' up an' down. "What're you doin'?"

"Well I-- I don't know." Di spat. "I've been feeling a lot less like I should lately. More ghost-y. You've seen it, right? With all the phasing through walls and turning heads?"

I blinked. I... somewhat knew what she meant. Back in the suburbs, she'd been a bit weird. An' I'd seen her tossin' a lot in her dreams while I was sleepin', but that was more an uncomfortable form'a body horror, from a girl who loved nothin' more than to bother people with body horror, than it was me suspectin' somethin' was wrong with her.

I nodded, halfway understandin' what she was gettin' at. "...I guess. What's that got t' do with the skylight?"

"Well, ghosts float, don't they? I figured I could just... float up there and take a look," Di crossed her tentacles. She wasn't lookin' at me. Was I s'pposed to have picked up on that?

"Oh. Sorry." I tried my best t' be sincere, but the apology prolly came off more disinterested than anythin'. I had a hard time believin' she'd really be any different than usual. Frankly, she'd been the same for as long as I'd known her. What would have changed in the pas' few weeks for her t' start gettin' all floaty?

The two of us resolved t' continue on, abandonin' the skylight for good... but never lettin' it fully leave the back've our heads. We kept on goin' through the endless corridors, the broken windows that beckoned us in t' try an' forage through the piles've junk that covered whatever'd been behind them before. Everythin' was quiet.

Too quiet.


Hmmm.... hmm hmm...

The voices had yet to calm themselves. I carried on, no longer disturbed by their innocent tunes, scouring the dungeon's ruins for keepsakes. There was something very precious to a girl, somewhere in here, that I needed to find.

Hmmmmm...

A careful step and hop over another fallen pole led me down a different path; a corridor even more narrow than the rest, lined on every side by mysteriously untouched corkboards.

I stopped for a moment just to stare. It was hard not to. I hadn't seen much quite like this before. What seemed to be a completely untouched group of relics from the past... just standing here, hanging on a wall, as if nothing had happened to the building surrounding it.

I couldn't help but think that i'd seen these before. Something bothered me-- poked the back of my brain. I traced a paw over a paper slip stuck to one of the boards, trying to place whaat I was feeling... as if touching the paper would help.

No. Of course it wouldn't. Instead, I was just left with the same ancient runes I couldn't understand. Some colorful imagery that I couldn't quite grasp: multi-colored shapes, some kind of attire... that was the most I could make out.

I growled in frustration. I wanted to put the paper back where I found it, but the pin it'd been attached to the corkboard with soon vanished. The paper was then crumpled up and thrown to the ground, before being kicked away and forgotten about. I'm sure I said something very loudly in-between those actions, but it would be best if nobody were to hear it.

Hee-hee!

...the voice laughed at me. It'd finally stopped humming... purely to laugh at me.

Was this one really inside my head?

"Come out, wherever you are!" I barked, throwing my head to the sides to make sure I was alone. The pitch-black darkness I was met with almost unnerved me-- but I steeled myself and remained as intimidating as I could be, teeth bared and all.

"I'll tell you now, I don't appreciate being mocked! If you don't come out now, I will find you!"


"...do you hear that?" I whispered t' Di.

"Hear what?" She didn't bother to whisper back.

"Shh! That laughter!"

Ha-hah!

There it was again! "Like that!"

"What, you mean--"

Both of us felt chills down our spines.

"BOO!"

I jumped up 'n turned round, right away settin' fire to my beak, forcin' some anger t' make sure I had some method've attack--

Di was lookin' at me funny. But I wasn' lookin' at her back. To her left, right across from me... floated some kind'a blue puppet thing. Its eyes were some psychedelic kaleidoscope of colors, blue 'n yellow 'n white, an' its only real limb... was some kind'a giant horn under a blanket.

The thing stuck its tongue out'n giggled like a child. "Wow, I really scared you! I'm getting good at this!"

T' my great concern, the thing didn' seem t' be a feral. It wasn't outright attackin' us, anyways, an' it was actually speakin' words like a normal mon would.

"Come on, you've got to admit I'm great!" The thing proclaimed, spinnin' in a circle 'n strikin' the best pose it could.

"Well, you did catch me handily off-guard..." I admitted, tryin' my best to entertain the stranger. "But... who are you? What're you doin' in a dungeon?"

The thing tilted its head, confused. "Whaddya mean dungeon? This is my home, silly! I'm a shopkeeper, like everyone else is!"

It turned its attention to an empty storefront full of junk. "I work the register over there. I get paid eight dollars an hour! What a treat, right?"

Diana seemed... off-put.
"Hey, Apollo," I could tell she was just talkin' to me, cuz the thing didn't even notice. "I have a bad feeling about this. Wanna scram and see if she notices we're gone before she stops talking?"

I nodded back. She was practic'ly readin' my mind.

The two of us started sneakin' away while this... thing went on about some nonsense. It seemed very enthusiastic, but neither've us could shake the feelin' that this was a trap.

As we backed away and eventually made a run for it, the two of us started t' realize that either end of the corridor was covered in darkness.


I'd managed to find my way back onto the main path after that eerie detour. Nothing had ever answered my shouts, which I now found myself grateful for. It would have done nobody any good to have paid witness to my frustrated yelling.

As I trailed along the endless corridor, I found myself reviewing the mission note I'd come in here with. It had a scribble on it that almost looked similar to what I'd seen on those corkboard papers.

The sketch was of a strange toy, not unlike a Bewear, with crossed eyes and no neck. It looked plush, but it must have been worn out. It had no tail, and its ears were droopy. A bow-tie could be seen on its chest, with ribbons long enough to reach down to its legs. Perhaps it had on some kind of explorer's gear, used as an accessory for this toy...

I cut out the speculation and continued forth.

Eventually, I began to notice that the corridors were repeating themselves.

I looked to my right. I saw a broken sign with water spilling out of some glass tubes. There was a broken window, a split bench, and many various pieces of garbage littered around it.

I started forward for another few minutes, then looked to my right again.

No change.

"...I know you're out there," I mumbled. Whatever was doing this to me could surely hear my voice, I figured. "Face me."

That's no fun, silly!

I turned on a dime-- nothing was there. Again.

Still growling, I spun back-- to see nothing more than darkness. What...?

"Hey, hey! Come take a look at this!" A different voice called out. It was to my left, inviting me into... another very well-preserved area.

"I'm not stupid! Try harder," I spat. I kept forward... only to find myself back at the same storefront.

"Hey, hey! You're really gonna wanna see what I've got!"


Another laugh rang out across the dungeon. It came from a place dark and muddy, almost seeming like nothing at all, barely defined as anything more than shadow. And yet...


"Where do you think you're going? Tee-hee!"

Di'n I screeched to a halt as the thing reappeared before us. Di wasted no time, immediately lashin' out with a tentacle--

--that went right through it.

"Shit. Ghost," she mumbled.

"Of course it's a ghost-- it's floatin' right'n front've you!" I panicked, tryin' to walk backwards as the thing stuck out a tongue'n started approachin'. A long, ectoplasmic, salivatin' tongue.

Just before it touched my beak, I jumped back 'n Slashed at it, tryin' to put the thing down with the same darkness swallowin' the corridor behind us. It worked, thankf'lly, puttin' the thing out've its misery an' throwin' it to the floor. Just one Slash...

"...t-that was too easy. Somethin's not right." My eyes drifted away from the thing, now on the ground unconscious, 'n back to the ever-darkenin' corridor. I couldn't see anythin' in there. "Can you... see what's there?"

Di shook her head. I was unnerved at how comf'rtable she seemed with this. "Nothing there, 'pollo. Just darkness. I guess we took a wrong turn," she said.

The two of us turned 'round... 'n we were met with similar, creepin' darkness.

"Di?" My voice heightened... as I noticed little spots beginnin' to form in the darkness.

Hehehe!

"Already on it," she said, readyin' her tendrils. Readyin' her tendrils... that she couldn't use.

"No, jus'-- get back, alright? I'll handle this fer us!" I jumped forward, puttin' myself 'n front've her, lowerin' my stance an' readyin' a Night Slash...


I took one glance back at the dark corridor, then got an idea. Maybe... maybe this stranger did have something I wanted to see.

Unsure of what else to do, I stumbled into his shop.

The shopkeeper was an odd man, seemingly limbless save for a horn atop his head. He wore all blue, draped atop his single weapon, with bright blue eyes and stripes of yellow cutting between them. He had on a giant grin, but his mouth was completely devoid of any teeth. "Good, good! I'm always glad to get more customers!"

I decided to get straight to the point. "Are you the one who's been mocking me? Humming in my head, laughing at me in the corridors?"

The shopkeeper floated back, confused. "What? No! Why would I harass such a good patron like that? Come, now, buy something! Anything!"

I didn't believe him, but I did as he said. His store was... odd, to say the least.

Colored discs lined the walls like paintings would a grand castle's halls. Giant pictures of strange creatures dotted the empty spaces they left, and the store itself was populated by shelves and shelves of... boxes. Very thin, square, boxes.

"Well... I am looking for something in particular, but I doubt you would be the one to carry it," I mused. I eyed the shopkeeper, noting his diminuitive height, trying to guess his typing. Likely Ghost, but if he was related to the corridor darkness...

"Nonsense! I carry anything you may need, friend. Just tell me what it is and I'm sure I'll be able to find it for you," he insisted.

I showed the shopkeeper the mission notice, gripping it tightly, and pointed to the sketch of the toy. "Whatever this may be, I would like to purchase it."

This seemed to cause the shopkeeper great offense. His cheery demeanor died instantly, replaced by shock and horror. His salesman's pitch was replaced by a deep baritone, his giant smile now sharing a face with a furrowed brow. "I must apologize, we don't sell such things here."


BOO!

A swarm've things came flyin' at us!!

HEHEHE!

I Slashed n' Slashed 'n slashed, tryin' to hit as many as I could, tryin' to defend Diana from the storm of strange mon flyin' at us for seemin'ly no reason.

HAHAHA!

"DI!!" I yelled, one've their giant tongues tracin' its way across my cheek. "DI, ARE YOU ALRIGHT?"

HOHOHO!

A cacophany of laughter swallowed us whole, chitterin' 'n chatterin' and makin' it hard t' think even the simplest things, overridin' anythin' I could hear an' presumably anythin' Diana could say. I never got my answer, so I just kept fightin'. Slash here, slash there--

"Ugh!" One've them slammed full force inta me, throwin' me to the ground, forcin' me to scramble back up 'n keep fightin' even with a pained leg. Here, there-- the storm've things never seemed to end...

...'til I saw a light to my left.

It was flickerin', sure. And definitely suspicious. But... it highlighted some kind'a store where none'a this was happenin'.

BWAHAHAHA

My sight was averted from the store by more've the swarm, throwin' themselves at me, drownin' me in some sort'a heavy feelin', makin' it hard to even lift a talon t' hurt 'em.

Barely, as I pushed back Slash by Slash, I tried t' make my way into the store. I could feel Di floatin' along behind me-- or somethin' floatin' along behind me, probably not Di-- but didn' care. I needed... t' get... t' safety...


I soon found myself back in the corridor, trying my best to outrun the incensed shopkeeper. I stopped for a moment, turning on my heel, hoping he wouldn't lose momentum--

--and Crunched down on his giant bulbous head, hearing the tell-tale CRACK that indicated the move had hit its target, hearing the shopkeeper scream something foul while feeling his ectoplasmic cloak slip through my fangs.

I knew it was only a matter of time before he got back on his feet, so I continued back down the corridor. I ran and ran, almost wanting to levitate before remembering about the roof, running until my legs were sore...

...and I stumbled into some place I couldn't begin to describe. Some kind of nothing-space, made of nothing but darkness...

...at the end of which, I was met with an ungodly sight.

I recognized the bow-tie immediately. The legs, too, seemed to fit the kind of stumpy that the mission sketch had described.

But this was no toy.

Whatever had taken the toy's form grinned an awful grin, the zipper at the end of its mouth slowly coming undone, and cackled an awful cry. Its cry rang out, enveloping the area around me, making my feelers go wild and my head hurt. I had to shut my ears with my paws to get a little bit of a break, and before I knew it--

I was thrown backwards, surrounded by a cacophany of laughter not unlike a child's.

Strange creatures swarmed me. It was as if the shopkeeper had doubled himself over a thousand times, becoming more of a force of nature and less of an opponent. They never closed in for the kill like he had, but they enveloped every single inch of the corridors. I could see nothing more than their blue and yellow eyes, their overlong grins, and their giant horns.

With no better option, I threw myself forward with a Shadow Claw outstretched, aiming for the creature's throat--

--only to be blown back once more, much further into the corridor.


They jus' kept comin' 'n comin'. I tried my hardest, slashin' everythin' I could possibly see, but they were winnin'. The crowd of strangers was pushin' me further 'n further into the darkness, farther 'n farther away from the shop. I was just about ready t' stop, t' try 'n reevaluate how I was goin' about this--

--when I saw somethin' fly past me an' into the crowd.

Whatever it was, it caused most've the things t' scatter. They continued flyin' at us, but seemed t' be avoidin' the guy who now sat 'n front've us...

"...Lushian?" I stopped, recognizin' him quickly.

I didn't get 'n answer. The guy was cringin' like he'd broken a leg.

"Lushian! A-are you alright?" I asked, stumblin' forth to try 'n see if he was.

The Riolu quickly forced me back, his shadowy claw now pointed at me, his teeth bared 'n his expression pained. "Get away from me, now."

I did as he said, stumblin' away, watchin' Lushian run back down the corridor--

--only to watch Lushian get flung back again, next t' me. "Damn it!"

"I can help! I can-- Di, have you got--?" I turned 'round, only t' see Diana phasin' into a wall.

"Diana, have you got the bag?" I tried to ignore her cowardice.

"Haven't... haven't got anything!" She yelled through the dyin' cackles 'n laughs that enveloped the hall. "Just get to the end of the corridor! There's-- there's something there, I don't know what, that'll stop this!"

I turned t' Lushian, still tryin' to extend a talon of friendship, only t' be rejected as he ran down the hallway a third time.

As soon as he left, another thing smacked me in the back've the head.

I had t' follow him. "Di, come on! We're-- we're gonna chase after it with him."

I didn't know whether she'd heard me or not, but it didn't matter. She was comin' with.


One, two.

Every time I got closer to the toy, I managed to land another hit. I could see it faltering, now... I just had to ignore the overwhelming presence behind me. The deep emptiness emanating from behind the corridor.

As I kept clawing away at the toy, watching it cackle and scream every time I dug my shadowed claws into its sides, I felt like I was being compressed. The toy was malignant, sure, but whatever I felt coming from behind was much worse. It was so suffocating that, at one point, I had to stop to catch my breath--

I kept clawing and clawing. With each attempt at throwing me back further, the toy fumbled. Eventually, it was starting to lose power--

WHHHH-CRSH


"Whoa!" I shouted, narrowly missin' Lushian goin' flyin' again. This time was much more violent-- as he flew threw the corridor, the strange things swallowin' its walls started to disband-- but when Lushian finally landed... it was in a giant pile've glass.

The scream that followed curdled my blood, but I tried my best t' ignore it. I stumbled over t' Lushian, noticin' the hallways growin' lighter... only t' realize I'd left the bag with Diana.

I ran back t' Di. "You've got it, right? The bag? I need two Orans, get'm out."

Diana... remained within the walls. I could actually her limbs stickin' out've there, but she refused t' show her face. All I got fer an answer was a pair've tendrils extendin' from inside've there, 'n the bag bein' dropped at my feet.

"Thanks," I nodded towards her. I wasted no time 'n swallowin' one myself, 'n then ran over t' Lushian with the second one.

"Here, take it." I said, droppin' the remainin' Oran at Lushian's feet.

He didn't say thank you, nor did he really do much at all. He jus' sat up, ate the Oran berry... 'n watched as his cuts healed an' the glass fell outta his arms 'n fur.

Unsure of whether he meant t' say it, I responded as if he'd thanked me already. "...don' mention it. You're hurtin', right?"

Lushian shook his head. "...not anymore, thanks to you."

His voice was... strained. I didn't know why. "It's the least I could do-- you... I dunno what just happened, but you didn't deserve t' get caught up in my own fight."

"Your fight?" Lushian questioned. "Those... those things came about because I'd found their leader. You had nothing to do with it."

I was about t' say somethin', but he got to his feet 'n walked passed me. "Don't take credit for my own victories."

"I... didn' mean to," I mumbled. What was he on about?


Slowly, forcefully, I made my way across the corridor.

I could feel the pressure getting stronger and stronger, pressing down on me like a rock, flattening me the closer I got.

But I needed to get that toy back. And I could see it at the end of the hallway from here. I could see it, though warped, mostly untouched... and very similar-looking to the toy I needed.


I could see Lushian strugglin' to get to the end of the hall. Even after the Oran, he must've been hurtin'.

I sped up as best I could, my lingerin' Speed Boost from the battle givin' me the upper hand, dashin' to the end've the corridor 'n comin' across... "...some toy?"

I plucked its neck as best I could, holdin' the toy tight, 'n ran right back to Lushian.


Apollo dropped the toy at my feet.

I didn't know what to say. I wanted to thank him, but I knew what he was attached to. I knew the thing making me feel this burdened in the first place was, for lack of a better term, his.

I just looked the Torchic in the eyes, and nodded. "Much appreciated."

I knelt down, picked the toy up, and soon after... smashed an Escape Orb at my feet.


And then, jus' like that... he was gone.

I heard a sigh've relief behind me.

"Finally... Apollo, are you alright?" Diana chimed in, her words almost lilting. She stepped next t' me, throwin' her tendrils over my shoulders, an' grinned.

...why she'd waited so long to ask whether I was fine, I didn't know. "...fine, Di."

I looked 'round, confirmin' that nothin' was still here t' threaten us... an' my eyes soon got caught on the shop.

The shop whose light was still on.

It was flickerin', an' there was nobody there t' sell us anythin', but... it was open, alright. "Think we can find anythin' interestin' in there?"

Di nodded, takin' the liberty of walkin' in before me. "Shiny stuff on the walls. Discs, I think. Let's take a look."

I wandered in after her, admirin' the plethora 'a colors linin' the dull, cracked walls... before I noticed somethin' interestin' in the back.

I stumbled over to it, hoppin' over piles of rubble 'n some broken discs and their shards, climbin' over the countertop and findin' myself face-to-face with some strange artifact.

It looked familiar. It looked like a big box, half-opened, with a black stick shoved inside. Underneath the stick was one of those discs, but... partly black. Scratchy-lookin'. It was set inside the box, somewhere I could barely reach...

"Di, could you move that stick off'a this thing for a minute? I wanna see what this disc is," I asked of her.

Diana, already messin' with some orange-colored disc, came over 'n did as I asked. "I wish you could just grow arms already. I'm getting kind of tired of doing these things for you."

She sounded like she was jokin', but I could tell she wasn't. I just sighed 'n nodded. "Me too. Don' know when it'll happen, but it better."

As Di brushed the stick aside, I gave her a soft smile. "Thanks."

She jus' nodded, 'n went back to playin' with her disc.

I jumped atop the shopkeeper's chair, made've some kind'a wood an' creakin' real loudly, 'n tried to take a look at the more interestin' disc behind the counter...

...only t' realize that the whole thing was beset with grooves like some kind'a filigree. Grooves, I noticed, that were jus' big enough t' fit the pointy bit of the stick into.

Curious, I moved the stick back onto the disc... and, to my great surprise, sound filled the room.

*They call me poor boy, poor boy, poor boy

But I ain't lonesome, and I ain't blue

'Cause I could never be a poor boy

As long as I've got a dolly like you*

...

"What's that noise?" Di objected, immediately alarmed. "Is there someone else here? Apollo-- you're ready to fight some more?"

*Ain't got a crust, ain't got a cent

Can't buy a jug, can't pay the rent

I got a heart full of dreams and a lot of memory

And that's enough for me*

Why'd I... understand the lyrics?

"Diana-- Di, I'm fine," I assured her as she rushed over. "It's-- you get what it's sayin', right?"

"What?" Diana gave me another look of alarm. "No, of course not-- Apollo, what's making that noise?"

My eyes drifted to the disc again.

*Can't buy a house, can't buy a lot

Ain't got a bean, ain't got a pot

But what I got is a heart full of love and memory

And that's enough for me*

I felt a deep, empty pit open up in my heart. I couldn' understand why.

"That-- that's it, isn't it?" Di prepped an attack, but I held her back--

"Don' touch it! It's-- it's not harmin' us, leave it alone," I insisted.

Di paused, her fist already raised, an' instead used her tendrils t' push me away. "How'd you... how'd you get it to start?"

"I jus'... I jus' pushed the stick..." Better she ask that than jus' punch it t' hell--

Di moved the stick again. When she picked it up, the sound stopped. She picked up on this, 'n kept it in the air for a moment. She noticed a part near the middle, without any grooves, 'n moved the stick there.

The song continued again, clearly havin' skipped some parts.

*They call me poor boy, poor boy, poor boy

But I ain't lonesome, and I ain't blue

'Cause I could never be a-a poor boy

As long as I’ve got a dolly like

I've got a dolly like

I've got a dolly liiiiike youuuuuu!*

Silence filled the air. The pit grew deeper, 'n I felt like I was made'a rocks as I sat back down.

"...you know what the song means, don't you, Di?" I tried again, hopin' I wasn't jus' goin' crazy.

Diana looked at me with a strange mix've emotions. If I was any meaner, I'd have said they were ones've contempt an' disgust. But... no, she wouldn't feel that way about me. I didn' think she would. She was jus'... lost.

"I... can't understand a word. I hear noise, but that's... about it. Apollo, are you sure you're okay?" Her doting voice overpowered my speculation, and Di wrapped her tendrils 'round me like I was her baby.

"I'm fine, I'm fine-- let me go, won't you?" I struggled t' get outta their grip.

"No, no. Calm down. You'll be fine. Look-- I learned a neat technique from this little thingy," she slipped me into one makeshift claw 'n used another t' dangle the orange disc 'n front've my face. "i'm sure it'll fetch us loads."

She slipped the disc into our bag, then started towards a wall in the back've the store. "Forget about that weird crap," Di punched the wall, "it'll just... spook people. It won't be worth anything."

Diana punched the wall again, this time makin' a dent. I was still tryin' to get out of her grasp, but I felt her tighten her tendrils to make sure I didn't. I at least managed t' throw my head over her shoulder, starin' at the disc that'd once played such wondrous sounds. "It doesn't matter if it's worth anythin' to you-- I want that thing, Di, 'n I don't want you jus' leavin' it here for the ferals to come across."

Diana punched a third time, 'n I became uncomfortable. I could feel, with every punch, that she was gettin' tighter. I had t' squirm just t' breathe, let alone get outta her grip. The wall had a dent now--

CRASH

A fourth punch did it. A decent-sized hole in the wall appeared b'fore us... 'n before I knew it, we'd jumped right through.

Before I could object, Di had thrown an Escape Orb at our feet... an' we were outta there, never t' see the strange disc again.

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Pub: 30 Jun 2025 01:55 UTC

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