It began with a fight. West had gone to...

Investigate, the chakra device, the new

kids at Shell had captured Guuzy, and now things were just... Not going according
to plan. Everyone was captured- West, Abel, Bina, Julie... All of them, wrapped
in... It felt like skin, which... Made sense, given their captors monster. Locked
in this dark, dangerous lab, like test subjects. Guuzy unconscious, hooked to
some... Contraption, Kera trapped in a glass dome. Dr. Rjinder, Lulenski, the
director (Bina remembered his name, Maugras, that-), they were all... Arguing.

"... You say this is my son... This is not him. This is just some grim mannequin...
Why would you show me this?" Maugras said.

"Sir, it's not like that- We're trying to bring you back, don't you see? And we're
almost there! We just need-" Lulenski said. She sounded almost frantic.

"Shut up. I don't know what's more offensive- That you think I'll buy into this
nonsense, or that you already have."

There was venom in his voice now. "I'll see to it that you both rot in prison. Even
if I have to rot there with you."

"Sir, you're not listening- We've done something good here, I- Rjinder, show him!"
She sounded desperate, now.

Rjinder stood by Ayo. Tubed slotted into oversized veins and arteries, monitoring
equipment and restraints stuck all over the so, so tired monster.

"I just finished hooking up the heart monster, we should be able to harvest a great
deal already."

"You can't- She's already-" Abel tried to interrupt, holding Bina up.

But words weren't enough. The machine turned on with an ominous buzzing noise,
amping up to something like an oversized microwave- Ayo was straining, just to
stand, just to breathe, as their body was forced to produce more and more arma
energy. It hurt, it hurt Ayo, their body on fire from the strain, it hurt Bina, who
could barely breathe, barely withstand it as her heart beat harder and harder, too
hard, for longer than she could endure.

A stop in the flow, eventually came, enough for her to speak. "A-abel...?" "It's
okay... I'm here." He was solid, at least. Something to hold on to.

Maugras tried to interrupt. "Wanda, stop-" But, she just kept going, pushing aside
his words. "Now, Roger's not ready yet, but we have more. This is the proto-chakra
machine. It can safely return the monsters back to their host- As if they'd never
been created in the first place!"

She smiled, forced, exhausted. "Now, we have enough healing substance to use it a
hundred times, so it's safe to unhook the stomach. All we need now is the heart's
energy, but soon we'll have enough of that, too." And then, her focus turned to
West. "Since you helped us so much, you can go first!" He almost recoiled as she
grabbed him. "What?! No!"

She hoisted the struggling teen into the Chakra machine, strapping him and guuzy
in, even as he begged for her to stop. "Stop! I don't want this- I want to keep
Guuzy! Don't!" But she wouldn't stop. "Oh, Desmond... I was there, the night it
happened to you." She was close, too close. "I saw it with my own eyes how horrible
it is, how disgusting... I told myself, I'd give anything to undo this. It may not
seem like it now, but I promise, you'll be glad this happened." He struggled more,
harder, even as guuzy could barely open their eyes. "No! Please!"
Julie shouted- "Guuzy-"

And Kera acted. They spiked out, shattering the glass confining them, before
rushing to slash apart the ropes binding Julie. "WHAT-!" But Lulenski was too slow
to stop them. "Hold on!" Julie and Kera rushed to West, pulling and biting and
tearing at his and Guuzys bindings, desperately trying to free him. "Oh, for the
love of- Rjinder, just turn the power on and get it started!"

Rjinder got to work, even as Ned grew more and more concerned, and Maugras
continued to voice his concerns. "Wanda, this proves nothing to me..." "No, just
watch- You'll see!" And, the machine turned on, with that same microwave noise. "I-
is it happening?!" "I don't know- I've almost got you-" SLAM. Enid opened the door,
the monstrous child looking at theg roup. "THERE YOU ARE!" She yelled, as she
charged at Julie... Right into the Chakra machine.

FWASH.

It felt like an eternity. It felt like forever. Just watching, hoping, praying that
Guuzy was still there, that Kera was still there, not even sure about Enid. The
acrid steam cleared, as everyone huffed and puffed, trying to recover. And then...
"Mommy? I had a bad dream." The one and only relief of this situation. Everyone
stared. "... YES!" Wanda jumped, grabbing onto Rjinder, all but jumping for joy.
"It works! WE ACTUALLY DID IT! And now that we're sure... WE can do you!"

"... what?"

"You! You, Rjinder. WE can save you."

"Save me from...? Oh! Oh, but why?"

"No." He said.

"... Are you sure you hear what I said?"

"... I love my skin."

Silence. All Wanda could do was to was stare at Micheal. At, Rjinder. This man,
slowly dying at the behest of his own detatched skin. Loved it? "You... WHAT?!"

"But... You said it's just a tool."

"A precious tool, and very useful."

"Useful HOW?"

"Well... She comforts me... I don't have to feel alone."

"You said she- IT could kill you in an instant."

"Yet she doesn't! What better proof is there that-"

"Rjinder, it whispers horrible things!"

Silence. All Micheal could do was to stare at Wanda. At lulenski. She knew? She
knew of the seecrets he and his skin shared? That innermost privacy? "... You heard
that?"

"Forget it, Wanda." Maugras said. "It's pointless to try and get a sensible answer
out of him."

"... Ha ha." Micheal chuckled. "You don't even care about hiding your disdain for
me, anymore. I thought of you like a brother, you know... But now you ignore me and
my work. You allow my creations to be lost, destroyed..." "You are the only one
that allows that, Micheal." Maugras was furious, gritting the words through his
teeth. "Oh?! How many of my ghosts were killed because of you?!" "What?! It makes
no sense to blame me!"

"WHY SHOULDN'T I BLAME YOU?! Even now, you're going to shut down my life's work,
destroy it, leave it forgotten-" "Rjinder, STOP! That doesn't matter now. You don't
understand. You have to be healed. It will kill you if you don't-" Tears in her
eyes, desperately holding onto Rjinder- She almost didn't jerk away in time, when
his skin retaliated, lashing out and ripping through his sleeve. "DON'T TOUCH HER!"
He screamed, whirling around before-

POW

"ENOUGH!!!" Ned punched him- Wilbur growing to thrice his normal size, enough to
knock Rjinder on the ground from just the one blow. "NED?! Why did you do that?!"
Lulenski yelled, reaching out to hold Rjinder. Ned just held Wilbur close. "He...
He was going to hurt you." Lulenski was crying now, guarding Rjinder as best she
could. "Are you kidding me?! HE'S A SICK MAN!"

"This is all getting out of hand." Maugras said, even as Lulenski lifted rjinder,
slowly, carefully, his skin limp and drooping off of him. "We need to-" And then.
And then the skin was not limp. It was alive, coiling around. She threw Lulenski
aside, to the kids, to Ayo, with a loud CRASH. Standing over them all.

Maugras shielded Lulenski, as she stood up, clutching her head. "Quick! Get behind
me!" "Wh-what...?" "I've seen this before." He said, looking to Wanda. "He's
unconscious, and his skin has taken over." The kids stepped back, staring in fear.
"She'll try to hurt anything she sees as threatening him. Remember, I said all
those things you noticed were NOT the work of his skin..." He just looked at the
monster in front of them, an alien skin wrapped around a human form. "**This is.**"

Wanda ran up to Micheal, reaching for him. "Rjinder- Micheal! You have to wake up!
We need to stop this *now*! You're still in there- I know you can hear me! *WAKE
UP!*" He didn't respond. It didn't respond. She didn't respond. She just put a
single strand, a single, oh so sharp strand, on Lulenskis cheek. She was sweating,
still as a statue. "I didn't know you could make them... So sharp." She was unsure
now. Terrifyingly unsure. "M-micheal?"

BZZT

"Director Maugras, are you there?" Over the intercom. Agent de Witte. Lulenski
startled even harder, just staring at... Rjinder, his skin? His skin. "This is de
Witte. Anyone there? I've tried every other room." Nobody wanted to move. Ned,
Maugras, Lulenski, they all stared, Wilbur sweating bullets as they did so as well.
Even Micheals skin withdrew, just a bit. Slowly, steadily, Director Maugras went to
the intercom, to answer. "... Yes, Ms. de Witte, I'm here."

"I don't mean to alarm you, but are you aware Shell has been infiltrated?" The
children very, very pointedly said absolutely nothing. "... I've an inkling." "Oh,
do you? Well, it's under control now. I have the offender here in the ghost room.
Nancy and I have been chatting. She admits she is the culprit behind the release
and destruction of multiple ghosts. I told her I would consult you to figure out
our next step."
"... Micheal? Are you okay...?" His skin was sharp enough that it glinted in the
light. The skin charged, ribbons of it carrying Rjinder along, too fast to grab,
too fast to stop. "STOP HIM!" Maugras yelled. "IF HE BLAMES THE GIRL- WHO KNOWS
WHAT HE'D DO IN THIS STATE!" Ned and Wilbur wrestled with him- The Skin, her, it.
Trying to stop Rjinder, even as the children just stared, unacting. Julie was the
first to speak. "Bina... What do we do?" "They're distracted, so- So we should go,
right?" She turned, to look at Ayo. "We have Guuzy, so let's free Ayo, And break
out, and- And leave." "But- What about Nancy?" Bina looked down. "Nancy can take
care of herself."

West spoke up. "But-" "AHH-!! Look out!" Julie yelled, as Ned and Wilbur flew over
them. "Let's go, now!" West grabbed her. "Bina, wait. We can't leave without nancy.
She has greenie." It was like it went through her. "... Dammit."

Rjinder ran, Maugras and Lulensky chasing. "Ahh-!! They're leaving- Um- Um- Kera's
got enid, and Guuzy's in no condition to fight- How about Rixis? Is he okay?" Abel
nodded. "I-I think so." "Okay, so we'll go. Julie, West, can you stay here and get
Ayo free? We'll be right back." West nodded. "G-got it."

Abel and Bina ran. 'It really worked for her. And now she won't... Die.' She
thought. 'That means... It would work for me, too-' "You okay? We should hurry."
"... Yeah." For the first time today, both of them were smiling.

In the ghost storage chamber, two de Witts stood. Ms. de Witte was on the intercom
phone. "Hello? Director Maugras? ... Hmm. Disconnected." She hung up. "Strange,
that he was in Mr. Rjinder's private lab. Helping to pack up, I suppose. In any
case, he should be on his way up." "Okay, mom." The second de Witte spoke. "...
There's no need to put on such a sour face. You're only seventeen; You won't be
held too harshly accountable. You'll just need more attentive supervision from now
on. I'd suggest you move back in with me- But at the moment, it wouldn't be
convenient for either of us." Nancy was silent, Red just holding Greenie like some
variety of loaf, or perhaps a cat. "... Are you angry at me, over what I said to
you?" Nancy said nothing.

"If you are, I don't think that's very fair. You held a grudge against me based on
a false assumption, and caused very real damage as a result. Is it not my right, to
try to correct that? Or should I have let my only daughter hate me for an imagined
offense? Is it just that you want to find reasons to hate me?" Nancy sighed. "...
No, mom. You were right. I'm sorry."

"... Well, that's fine. Apology accepted."

Abel and Bina ran. They ran as fast as their legs could carry them, Rixis keeping
watch from the air by them. Rjinder was *fast* like this, Lulenski and Maugras
barely keeping up, and the two kids having trouble catching up at all. But
eventually, the three seemed to slow. Fortunate.

And then they saw why.

Rjinder, with one dead monster by him- A batty looking ear thing, with... Osbourne,
bleeding from where it once was. Rjinder, standing over him, Maugras and Lulensky
on the ground, and his own skins blades covered in blood. He looked ready to
attack- Osbourne, the adults, even nate.

But just as Rjinder was about to strike... Rixis zipped in, to take the blow
themselves. And just as Rjinder was about to his Rixis? Abel charged in, unable to
bear losing his companion. The blades struck. Rixis letting out a weak "P.-.
Priii..." Abel looked at their wing, but- "Oh- Your wing- But you're alive- Thank
god." Rixis just... Booped Abel, then and there.
But Rjinder wasn't down. He turned on them. "Wait!" Lulensky grabbed him."It's the
girl you want- The one who released all your ghosts." She spoke desperately,
frantically. "Right?!" Everyone just stared. And Rjinder stared right back. Before
darting off again, skin carrying him along. "S-sorry... I didn't know how else to
get him to... Uh... Sorry." She ran to follow. "Abel-" Bina said, holding her numb
friend close. "Oh god, Rix's wing- I'm so sorry..."

"$%&# man, your foot..." Nate said, holding the wrapped up... Ear. "It was a
prosthetic. I may need help walking, but I'm fine. It's that one who needs us." He
said, looking to Ozzy. "There's a room with medical supplies on the second floor.
We must get him there at once. I haven't formally practiced for some time, but I'll
be able to patch him up before he loses too much blood."

He turned to Abel. "I might be able to stitch up that creature's torn wing, too."
Abel was unsure of how to respond. "I- Uh-" But, Bina was not. "... If they can
help Rixis, you should stick with them." "Who says we can even trust him? And what
about- You..." "..." "Bina, no. You can't go by yourself." "I have to. We promised
to keep Greenie safe. Red's there with nancy and I'm sure It'll be able to stop
that... That skin thing. I just need to make sure... And I think you can trust
the-" "Bina, don't. Don't leave." He stood, resting his forehead on Binas. But she
backed away. "I'll get greenie, and I'll come back, then we'll all get out of here,
together. I promise." She left. And Abel could only, watch.

Bina ran. A long, dark hallway, unable to stop the tears. 'I hate this... I want to
go home... That was awful, awful- But-' 'I believe anyone with a monster would be
lucky to live ten years, at most.' That was what he had said. 'At least now, he's-
He's-'

'No! It's still awful! He must be so sad...' 'You wouldn't be sad.' 'Yes i would!'
'No, you wouldn't. 'I love Ayo!' 'How do you know?' 'Because... Because I just DO!'
'Maybe you don't. Maybe you hate Ayo. Even before all this, you knew her existence
meant your death. But now you can rid yourself of her. You'll be safe.'

'No... I don't want that...'

'...'

'Are you sure?'

She recollected herself. Got closer to her goal. 'The machine will still be there,
if... If I need to decide. I can't get distracted by that now. I have something to
do.' She opened the door, at last. And, at the lab... "C'mon, c'mon-" Clak- "Got
it!" Ayo huffed and puffed, flopping on the ground. "Finally! That's the last of
it. Poor ol' girl." West smiled, weakly. "Kera, you're awesome! Now let's get out
of here." ... "Julie? Aren't you coming?" "Didn't Bina say she'd be right back?"
West turned around. "Huh...? But we should go help them, right?" "Maybe... I
dunno..." "Julie, are you scared?" "N-No! That's not it!"

West leaned down. "I mean... I'm scared too... But I'll feel better when we're all
together." "But see- That's why we should wait for them to come back. That's what
she said to do anyway." "I don't think she was really thinking clearly, though..."
Enid grabbed west. "Are we in trouble?" Julie leaned down to talk to the kid. "N-
no, Enid, don't you remember anyth- Nevermind, it's fine." West spoke to Julie,
"Did something happen? This isn't like you." "I told you dude, no! I just- don't
want to rush into anything too dangerous." West stood. "So let's ask violet what's
going on. Then at least we'll know." "..."

'''... Hello. I can't talk now. I am working on something that needs my full
concentration. I will see you later.''' And as soon as the phantom image of Violet
arrived, it suddenly left. "S-see? If Violet needs her 'full concentration'-" "-
Then that's even more reason to get out there and help! Besides, when the arm guy
wakes up, won't it be even more dangerous? Stuck in a room with him and the
machine?" "Dude, if it's bad out there, it doesn't even matter!" "..." "They'll
just bring us right back and put us in the machine anyway!" "... Then maybe we need
to do something about that."

Rjinder was standing before Nancy. Surrounded by ghosts, by tubes, by Failures, by

enemies. He reared back, ready to slaughter. "NO!" Lulensky jumped onto him, but
his blades forced her back just as fast. Everyone could only watch, as Rjinder
approached, ribbons at the ready. But then, Red moved. Dropping Grenie, just to try
and stop Rjinder. "GREENIE, NO!" Bina yelled, desperate to save the monster.
Greenie was right in Rjinders path, barely awake, bait left there by red, when-
"GREENIE, CATCH BY VOICE!"

And Bina let out a scream. A horrific scream, made worse, and worse by Greenie,
until Rjinder was sent flying back, every ghost tube in the room shattered open.
They flew out, escaping, into the world. And nobody could stop them.

Julie and West looked at the Chakra machine. That horrible, horrible device. They
had a wrench and a pipe, ready to smash it. But... "So... Are we really sure we
should do this?" West didn't even hesitate. "Yes." Julie paused. "Well, I know I'm
sure, and I know you're sure. But like- Not everyone's here, you know?" West looked
at Guuzy. "... Abel would definitely want to do it. He'd rather die than let
anything happen to Rixis." "Sure, but what about Violet?" "I dunno. I can never,
like, get a good read on her. I guess she scared me a little. Anyway, you're the
one who's like, her best friend, now." ... Julie reached out to West, hand to his
shoulder. "... You're still my best friend, man."

Julie sighed. "It's just... I could tell she's lonely. And she's really not scary I
promise. She's just a regular person who's all freaked out about stuff, just like
anybody. Once i figured that out, I thought maybe I could help." "... You are good
at that." "... But now that I think about it- I don't really think Violet would
want to use this machine."

"Cuz like, if her brain goes back in her body, then she loses all her cool brain-
powers. And then she'll never be able to bring her dads memory back." Able nodded.
"Okay, I guess that settles it. We've gotta destroy this thing before they can use
it on Violet, or you and me, or anybody."

"... What about Bina, though?"

"Um. What about Bina?" "Well, Y'know, she's always been kinda weird about the whole
thing, don't you think? It's hard to tell how she actually feels about-" "Shh! I
know what you meant! I was trying to like, be cool about it..." Ayo huffed. "oh.
Um-" In most worlds, she would ask what Ayo thought. In most worlds, Ayo would
simply destroy the machine. This was not one of those worlds. "W-we don't. Know,
what Bina would think. Or what, Ayo would want? Or if they would agree. Maybe we
should... Just wait. Just in case?" "... Fine. Just to ask Bina, but if she says to
smash it-" "-Then we smash it." Ayo huffed, again. But did not protest. Not
outwardly.

"Let's go, let's go!" "I- I don't want to make any sudden movements..." Nancy
wanted to run, to just grab her mom and get out of there, but she wouldn't move.
Lulenski was just cradling Micheal now, worried he was... Dead. But he got up.
Sprung from her grip. And grabbed Bina. "Grrk!" She couldn't breathe- Rjinder was
strangling her, killing her- "Stop- Stop-" Lulenski was just thrown backwards,
violently, as the skin slowly, slowly, started to part. "He's- He's trying to show
you his face- Don't look at it! Honey- Don't look-" But she did. Staring him right
in the unlidded eyes. A ribbon like a scythe rose.

In any other world, any other better world, someone would save Bina. A tooth
monster, guided by mind by another, and her allies, would simply bash Rjinder down,
and save Binas skin. This was not one of those worlds. As Cav charged, ready to
punch Rjinder right in the face- He dodged. And tendrils whipped out, leaving
gashes in Cav, and sending him flying. 'Isn't it great to- Oh no oh no- Cav!' Ray
had a quip prepared and everything, but Cav was struggling to stand now. If nothing
else, Rjinder only left a gash in Binas face. Rjinders ribbons flailed- Pinning
ghosts on them, before charging after Bina.

"Oh god no- Rjinder! Please! Isn't this enough?!" Lulenski followed, running after
Rjinder, desperately trying to stop him. Grabbing onto him, trying to get in his
way- But nothing worked! Eventually- Eventually they hit the second floor. Bina,
running like the devil was on her tail, Rjinder, the devil on her tail, and Wanda,
trying anything she could think of to stop him without hurting him. Maugras noticed
first. "What- He's still awake? Abel!" He pointed to him. "Rjinder is still after
Bina, do you have any ideas?" "What- But- Oh no." He froze. But just for a second.
Rixis wrapped around his arm, and Nate helped Maugras stand. "&^%$ hell, is there
anything you can use as a foot?" "Not in here, no." And so, they took chase as best
they could.

In the end, it came down to the Chakra machine. Bina hid behind it, Ayo holding
Rjinder back, even as he mauled and chopped at Kera, the only one who could afford
to take that. Everyone was yelling, everyone was shouting, and arguing- "Smash the
machine!" "Someone grab him!" "Ned, wilbur, help!" "No, don't-" Enid was pushed
aside, Wanda and Maugras both grabbed onto Micheal and PULLED, but it was too late.
All of the tendrils that the Skin had to spare, whipped out. They gashed through
the machine, pinning the ghosts within, heading straight for Bina, with no way to
stop them.

And then the world began to spin. Everything seemed to stop, as vertigo swept
through everyone. The tendrils didn't move, nothing moved, nobody could move, but
it felt like they were in a tornado, as the chakra machine sparked and sputtered,
and the world went white. The last thing anyone of them would feel for a while, was
the sense of something far, far grander noticing them, before the feeling of
vertigo stopped, and they all blacked out.

Reggie was in the woods, on this fine day. Specifically, the woods of Pando, the
Trembling Giant. He was just looking for some Pibo, fresh from the trees, when he
saw... A pile of people. An enderwalker, with his skin in ribbons, reaching towards
a far-too-young construct, a gash on the metal of her face, leaking oil. More
people were scattered about, all of different Origins. As well as... Reggie didn't
even know what those were, but he was guessing some sort of Freond. They were all
stone dead knocked out, didn't respond even when he kicked one.

So he got out his Mone (mushroom phone) and made a call.

"Hey, Ravenslove? Yeah I, I need some divination help. And maybe a sky ambulance.
Or five."