Medonia

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/35169100.

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning: Choose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Category: Gen
Fandom: Deltarune (Video Game)
Relationship: Ralsei & Susie (Deltarune), Berdly & Susie (Deltarune), Noelle Holiday
& Susie (Deltarune) (mentioned), Kris & Susie (Mentioned), No
Romantic Relationship(s)
Character: Susie (Deltarune), Ralsei (Deltarune), Berdly (Deltarune), Noelle
Holiday, Kris (Deltarune), Original Characters, Lancer (Deltarune),
Seam (Deltarune), (both mentioned)
Additional Tags: Snowgrave | Pipis | Weird Route (Deltarune), Fan Dark World, Talk of
Character Death, comatose character, Needles, Angst, Tension, Fights
Friend and Foe, pain and illness, Hurt/Comfort, Drama, Awkward
Teenage Conversations, Confusion, Anxiety Attacks, Big Stress,
Nonbinary Kris (Deltarune), Not Beta Read, (MISGENDER KRIS AND I
DELETE YOUR COMMENT AND YOUR KNEES)
Series: Part 3 of Thaw the Darkness
Stats: Published: 2021-11-16 Chapters: 1/3 Words: 17308

Medonia
by Pollyannam3

Summary

A soul encased in darkening ice. A knight with the will to SAVE. A world under threat of
frosty destruction.

Susie, after an impulsive decision for the sake of her friends, finds herself in a brand new
dark world of her own creation. Can she and Ralsei brave the cold and find Berdly within
before it's too late?

Notes

Welcome welcome welcome!! Aghhh this took so long!!! A couple things to say!!

First of all: Thank you all so much for all the hits and kudos and comments on both "Stay
Strong, Bird Brain" and "The Coldest Confusion" !!! They all mean so so much!!! Each
little bit of love made the making of this dark world a little bit easier and I appreciate it so
much!

Second: This took a lot of energy and time and physically pained me to get out to you! So if
you enjoy it, please let me know all your thoughts! Either in the comments, or hell: I'm
Pollyannam3 on Tumblr! Send me things! Thoughts, art (of Berdly or Susie in general >:-
 0!!) I am open to fanart though gjdif asjdsaaa!!

Third: I'd like to thank two friends for being big inspirations and great supports during the
highs and lows of this fics development!
Alienpep (on Tumblr) for being just a major good influence and inspiration. Thank you,
Pep: for letting me ramble your ear off about all of these silly lil guys!
And
A-big-chicken-nerd (on Tumblr):For giving me the damn idea in the first place!! I had no
idea what to make with this idea after "Stay Strong, Bird Brain" and you just. "What if
Hospital Dark World?" and now here we are!! Thank you so much, Hen!!

Lastly: please enjoy this world. I made it: for you.

See the end of the work for more notes

Ever darker: the ice grows.

Without a crack or flaw: it grows.

Perfect and praised: it grows.

Never to be broken.

It Grows.

The darkness subsided. The Dark Knight lay still.

A chill tickled her nose. Awareness of her body being pressed against cold rock spread through
her.

It was absolutely frigid and all she could do was snap her eyes open and-

“A-CHOO!” Susie sneezed, sitting up quickly. “AH-” She covered her nose, shocked at the sudden
feelings.

“What the HELL!” She shook her head, trying to come to her senses. She could almost still see the
blinding light, but it was just the ground beneath her being white.

She blinked a couple times, sniffing. Her head ached. She could see her breath.

She looked around, very confused. She certainly was in the Dark World: her outfit was what she
usually wore there! But Hell knows she doesn’t know what to expect from a fresh Dark World.
One thing she could tell was that she was very high up.

She stood and took in the scenery.

Snow grazed the area, flecking around her intermittently. In the near (but still quite far) distance
seemed to be a weird glass forest connected to a field, all at the bottom of the steep mountain she
found herself atop of.

In the vast distance...was a giant ice crystal that glew an intense cyan blue, but the fountain behind
it was casting a ghoulish reflection. Some sort of wires ran into it, running up indefinitely into a
pitch black cloudy sky. All Susie could do was stare for a second.

Until she remembered why she was there in the first place.

“Uh!” She jumped, looking around faster. “Ralsei??? Berdly???” She called. “Where are you
guys??” She didn’t expect Berdly to answer, but Ralsei had to be around! “Ralsei! Ralllseeiii!
Rals!!”

She cupped around her mouth, calling once more. “Ralsei!” She called for a length of time. She
stopped for breath, and huffed when she noted her calls were not being answered. The snow might
be muffling her sound.

She was on her own.

“Arright…” She blew upwards, flicking some of her hair out of her face. “Why do all of these
places have us slide down a big ass cliff...ughk…” Susie approached the cliffside and looked
down.

Steep. Almost as steep as the first cliff she slid down to meet Ralsei. Most she could see at the
bottom was white.

That wasn’t going to be enough to stop her. She took a deep breath and allowed herself to start
sliding down the mountain side. The thrill instantly took her and a smile broke out on her face
despite the circumstances.

"YEEHAW! Ahaha!"

Her heart pounded as she increased in speed and she squinted below to try to see the bottom
properly.

Instinct kicked in when the bottom looked like it was nowhere in sight. She shifted her foot to try
to slow her rapid descent, but that just made her begin to lose balance. She yelled and twisted her
body to try to sink her claws in the wall, but she merely left falling scratch marks within it. Her
claws did little to slow her down. This loss of momentum made her completely lose her footing.

“AGH!” She yelped as she began tumbling down. She attempted to kick off the wall to be in a free
fall.

She wasn’t sure how long the fall was or when she’d hit the ground.

None of that mattered, however, as a big pile of snow was ready for her to crash right on into.

She laid there for a while, head spinning. She was pretty much submerged in the snow, but it was
soft. It was practically begging for her to have snow-cones, but she had no syrup or fucks to give.

She slowly moved her arms, groaning. Despite it obviously being super cold, she smacked the
snow away from her head, poking it out of the pile to look around.

All of this snow looked like it was shoveled over here, like it wasn't meant to be here. Susie didn’t
care. She just tried to pull herself out of the pile. She blinked, feeling a little bleary.

She gasped roughly when she saw a cloaked figure in the distance. It was looking around the
barren snowscape with an urgent demeanor. Against her better judgement, she impulsively yelled.
“Hey! Who the hell are you!”
This made the figure look up quickly, posture snapping to attention. The blank face hole stared
right at her.

She flinched when the figure started to run towards her at a high speed. “Wait- STAY BACK!”
Susie screamed at it, trying to stand up faster but falling backwards out of the snow pile. The figure
kept rapidly approaching, feet crunching against the snow.

“Get away!” Susie yelled at it as she stood quickly, almost falling over again.

The figure stepped over the pile that used to trap her, squishing it below its feet. Susie, with fearful
anger, summoned her axe and held it above her head to whack the figure.

However, she faltered when the figure wrapped its arms around her torso.

“Are you okay?!” Susie’s mind blanked at the voice. She looked down, anger disappearing
quickly. The figure squeezed tighter and looked up at her with big pink eyes framed with those
bright green glasses.

“RALSEI???” She yelled, moving him off of her. She dropped her ax and it made a soft paff noise
in the snow before magically disappearing. “Dude, I almost wrecked you-”

“Are you hurt?” He ignored her, looking over her for injuries. Susie could just feel how high strung
he was feeling.

“No- no- '' She lifted her hand, “I scraped by hand a little bit but-” Before she could finish her
sentence, Ralsei’s hand hovered on hers and it was healed.

“Dude, you didn’t have to do that. It’s okay-” Susie shook her hands. Ralsei shook his head. “It’s
nothing, Susie.”

He fretted over her a bit more, lightly brushing snow off her shoulder. He then continued to look
around, as if still searching for something.

“I sensed the shift of the balance and it was so sudden so I came as quickly as I could-” He was
wearing his old blue cloak, but she could tell it had been modified. It no longer fully encased his
frame, so she could see his legs if they weren't standing in the snow. It was much longer than his
normal one, though. There was a light pink heart shaped patch on his chest, but it wasn’t fully sewn
on. Just enough for it to not immediately fall off. The sleeves were long and floppy still.

“What’cha hunting?” She asked, kicking some snow off her boots and allowing it to fall off her
hair. He looked at her like she was crazy.

“Where is Kris?? ” He stuck his arms out, concerned. He kept looking around, and Susie was
shocked at how he just scanned the floor as if Kris was being a snow carpet.

She wouldn’t put that past them, though.

“They aren’t here, Rals. If they were, I’d probably know.” Susie saw fear in his posture and
amended: “They aren’t in this dark world , they aren’t lost!!”

Ralsei looked at her, face cloaked in shadow. "Oh...you found it alone. I'm so sorry, it must've been
such a shock!" Ralsei ruminated on this for a moment.

"...Oh no: how are we going to seal this fountain without them!! Without them...how ever will you
get home?!"
Susie waved her hands and put one on Ralsei's shoulder. "Ralsei, buddy. Calm down, okay?" She
gave Ralsei a tiny smile. "I made this Dark World, I'm sure I can find us a way out of it without
Kris, alright?" Susie said Kris's name with a touch of misguided malice.

"You...what?"

Susie didn't like Ralsei’s blank stare. "I…"

"You what?!" A brief flash of anger passed Ralsei’s face before simmering fast into utter fear and
disappointment. “H-how- What???”

He lightly pushed Susie’s arm off of him. “What do you mean? Susie???”

Susie put her hands up in shock. Ralsei loved getting a gentle touch from anyone: it was so strange
to see him reject it and give her a look like that.

Last time he looked at her like that was when she attacked that little checker…

“It- I- I made this place.” Susie stood her ground. “To try to make shit better.” That made Ralsei
put his hands over his face and her ground to falter. It was as solid as snow.

“You tampered with the balance… ” Ralsei spoke, muffled into his paws. “Susie...why would
you-” Ralsei uncovered his face and stuck his arms out in disbelief. He started to pace around.

“Do you not...listen to me?” He waved his arms up, trudging around. “Do you not understand what
danger you’ve potentially put the entire world in?! Will you when all Darkners turn to stone and
the Roaring comes…?”

This tone from Ralsei made Susie rub her arm awkwardly. It was made worse because his tone was
not direct anger, it was fear and worry. It still made her feel shitty…

“Look. Ralsei. I did what I had to-'' Susie held her forearm and squeezed it. “And I know it was
stupid and dangerous, but I made a promise to a friend and this was the best way to get you here to
heal Berdly in a way that won’t put me in jail!”

Ralsei sighed deeply. He pinched his temple, thinking.

“Susie…” He pulled his hood down, revealing frazzled fur and stressed eyes.

“Even though you're threatening the world-” He took a step towards Susie, pointing a finger up at
her.

“-and endangering the prophecy I was born to try to uphold, enforce and protect… ”

He put his hand on Susie’s shoulder and gave her a very strained smile. “I am so proud of you for
doing it all for a friend.” Susie’s heart was stabbed with regret. Fluffy, pink and neon green regret.

“Is that...sarcasm…?”

He shook his head, but the stress in his eyes made it worse. Susie winced, shaking her head.
“...nah, can...can you make it sarcastic? You being genuine with that is worse-”

“I could try but then that wouldn’t be genuine.”

“UghhHHHH. You’re a NERD.” Susie said with a blush.

“And you are a stellar danger to this world, literally.” Ralsei gave her shoulder a pat.

Part of her wanted to laugh at that even if it was technically true. She huffed, and grabbed Ralsei’s
wrist to move his hand off her shoulder.

“Okay- Look. I’m sorry for stressing you out so bad...but can you still heal Berdly?”

“Of course: I’d love to.” He looked around a little bit, making Susie let go of him. “Where is he? ”

“...That. I do not know.”

“ Susie.”

“He’s around here somewhere! We can fix this!” She put her hands up when he gave her another
blank look. “It’s not like he’ll be able to go anywhere…” Susie thought, even though it was
morbid.

Ralsei sighed, shaking his head. “I guess we should start looking…”

“Yep…”

After a few awkward beats, Susie started walking away from the steep mountain. “Welp! I saw a
forest from the top of the mountain this way before I fell off. It’s our best bet to the fountain. We
can start looking on the way!” She beckoned him to follow.

Ralsei hummed and looked behind him, scoping the scene once more. “Kris…” He said, quietly so
Susie could not hear.

“...stay strong, wherever you are.”

“Rals?” Susie called, looking back. Ralsei was surprised she even stopped. “I’m coming!”

He caught up with her after a few moments and only then did it register.

“You fell off?”

“Sorta on purpose but that doesn't matter, you already healed me .”

Ralsei facepalmed again and Susie could only laugh a bit at her own shenanigans.

---

Susie and Ralsei walked towards the forest, with Susie trying to ignore Ralsei needling her into
admitting if she needed more healing.

“I’m fine, Ralsei, literally! I fell on snow and you already healed me. Don’t worry.” She didn't
mention she cut herself by mistake on the “blade” used to make the fountain, but it was a tiny
scratch on her finger she didn't care much about.

“I feel like I have several reasons to worry.” Ralsei said with that soft, genuine tone that sometimes
pissed Susie right off. This time it just made her sigh because she knew what he meant.

“Yeah well, just...stop, for right now, okay?” She waved her hand as a shadow began to encase
them both.

They both looked up at the giant glass forest that laid before them. The snow didn’t run into the
sprawling grass. The ground was a dark blue, it almost looked like a plastic lid.

“Yo…” Susie looked around, and spotted a sign.

She spun it towards her and read it. “It says, uh- “Needletail Forest” right here!” Ralsei hummed,
and asked. “Anything else?”

Susie could see some small print on the bottom, but she just twisted the sign back. “Nothin’
important. Might be warmer over there.” She sure hoped so, a sleeveless jacket wasn't exactly
protecting her from the cold. She crossed her arms and made her way inside, enjoying a touch of
shade even though the whole area was shadowy.

Ralsei tried to peek at the sign while following her. He could spot some red on the sign and a bad
feeling ran down his spine.

They walked around, and every now and then Susie looked up to try and see the sky. It was all
blacked out by the strange trees. "These trees are weird...Weirder than the pink ones from Lancer's
place, y'know?"

"I don't think these are trees, to be honest." Ralsei hummed, looking up at the glass "tree". He
walked over and touched one. He looked down and saw they were stuck in the ground in a strange
way. Pinched at the bottom. Susie peeked over his shoulder and hummed.

"Ohhhh...these trees…” Spanning up to the sky, these glass trees were gigantic thin needles
stabbed into the ground enmasse. Creating hills and winding paths with their sharp ends and
rounded edges. They were empty so all the two could see through them was clear, repeating
darkness.

“Yikes…” Susie crossed her arms. “Wouldn’t want to get a jab from one of these pricks...” She
pointed up at it.

“Me neither...at all.”

“You don’t like needles at all?”

“Not particularly.”

Susie nodded, she didn't like the doctor in general so she wasn’t going to rib on Ralsei about it.

They walked slowly along, the silence not nearly as comfortable as usual. Ralsei walked behind
Susie and tapped his fingers together. “I’m concerned about what will happen if we get in a
battle...without Kris, you know? The structure of turns will be all off!”

“The structure of-? Ralsei, we don’t need whatever turns are when we have two things. Ax and
Scarf!” She waved her hand a bit, accenting her words. “And sparing- but you know what I mean.”

“Hmm…” Ralsei didn’t seem comforted by that statement. “There doesn't seem to be any enemies
around at all...so that's good. Did you see any Darkners before I found you?”

“Not a soul.”

Ralsei nodded, looking around. “Maybe we can just avoid battles, just in case something goes
wrong.” He took a small step closer to Susie. “And if something does: we’re together. That’s
exactly where I'd like to be.”
“Yeah, we’ll be fine, Rals. Big weenie.” She gave him a playful little push. “We were fine in the
Cyber World when...we went off all alone.” Susie looked away from Ralsei, not wanting to think
about what happened at that time.

“...I suppose you’re right. Enemies didn’t really bother us then...I guess they won’t now!”

“That’s the spirit! And if anyone tries, they’ll get a taste of the sick-” Susie dramatically posed,
holding out her claws. “Power Beast S Turbo Form!!!” She kicked upwards, roaring playfully.

Ralsei gave her a soft laugh, voice still sounding a bit strung. “Very sick indeed, Susie. Very sick.”

Susie smiled a bit, happy to see Ralsei calmed down a little bit.

She looked at his outfit, and had to ask. “So what’s with that get up? I haven't seen you wear that
since we first met.” She pointed at it, making Ralsei grab the fabric and swish it around. That
revealed his original outfit was underneath it.

“Oh...I was looking at it and figured I’d try to give it new life! I was trying to make it into a proper
dress.” He let it go, letting it flop near his feet again.

“I was actually doing it with Seam because I...no longer have a mannequin, aheh...” He tapped his
fingers together. The sweet little worm had eaten through the mannequin, and the thought of that
Ralsei statue with a worm for a head made Susie snort.

“I felt the shift in the balance while we were doing that, so I rushed here as quickly as I could. I
sort of...left Seam in charge of the Castle in my haste.”

“Oh. Did they say yes?”

Ralsei blinked a little bit.

“...I have no idea.”

Susie chuckled. “Well, they got Lancer to do princely bullshit too, so hopefully only 75% of it
catches on fire by the time we get you home.”

“That’s. I hope- Zero percent goes up in flames, ideally.”

“Sarcasm, pal.”

“Oh! Oh yes, alright- Maybe then...80%?”

“Ha!” Susie snorted, bursting into little giggles. She gave Ralsei a little shove. “Yeah, you’re
alright.”

“Hah...hah...yeah, I hope so…” Ralsei looked ahead, and it felt like this forest was unending.

“Speaking of...flames...or...y’know lack thereof? How did uhm...Would this-” Ralsei gestured to
the world around him. “Tell me how that conversation with Noelle went?” Susie bristled, giggly
mood shifting quicker than a sheet of ice under a socked foot.

“Oh uh...that...yeah yeah that...that went-”

Susie rubbed the back of her neck, shrugging. “Noelle...I made a couple mistakes with it. Was
kinda. “””Aghhh”””, you know?”
“I’m sorry you struggled then: did it not turn out alright?” Ralsei stepped closer to her, noting that
it felt weird walking in a line behind her without Kris. Maybe he could try to stay more directly by
her side.

“Well, yeah sort of? It did sort of turn out alright, I mean.” Susie hurriedly clarified herself. “It’s...I
found out some things that’re...hard to describe? Not fun things. Bad things.” She flicked him.
“You’d understand it more than me, like usual.”

Ralsei put his hands together, even though his sleeves covered them. “I’d certainly be willing to
try, if you want to talk about it…”

Susie sighed, thinking about it hard.

Did she really want to just drop it like this?

In the middle of a creepy forest made of needles, she was going to tell Ralsei that the other Delta
Warrior... one of his best and only friends, tried to get Noelle to murder someone? That they got
her to freeze the city into disrepair?

That while they were joking around together, learning healing spells and eating cotton candy,
playing games ...Berdly was hurt badly, frozen solid and is now fighting for his life?

That Noelle was forced into it...and she didn’t know if Kris was as well.

“Well...it was...Noelle-” Her heart started to beat with anxiety when she looked into Ralsei’s
concerned yet hopeful eyes.

How could she tell him this story before it has a happy ending?

“I’m not sure where to start...Kris did some...things...you wouldn’t be proud of. It’s strange and
shitty.” She picked at her cheek, and started trying to walk faster. “Maybe I should just tell you
later. After we settle Berdly’s deal.”

“Something I wouldn’t be proud of? Susie, you know I’d always be proud of Kris and their
achievements.”

“Not this pal. Not this...just. Noelle did something she regrets towards Berdly. I’ll give you the
details later.”

Ralsei was very confused. “Susie, please tell me what Kris did. You can’t just bring it up and drop
it.” Ralsei waved his sleeves around.

“I will! Just...when we’re out of this forest. Maybe. Probably.”

Ralsei narrowed his eyes in disbelief at Susie. “Susie...I won’t pry anymore if you won’t tell me:
but I feel like I can repeat what you said to me earlier. I need to know what you know. So I can
help. But do what you will.” Ralsei shrugged, looking away.

“Rals, don’t be like that.”

“I’m being as you were to me earlier today.”

“Exactly. ”

Ralsei hummed at her, crossing his arms. They walked in silence for a little while longer. The quiet
filled them with the noises of the forest. Clicks of glass and the crunch of the ground, fast and
slow. Distant arctic winds making the needles shake and creak lightly. The ache of Ralsei’s silence
eventually made Susie let out a groan.

“Okay! Fine: I’ll give you the short and simple, best I can.” She pointed at Ralsei. “When you go
quiet, you’re damn scary in how persuasive you can be.” Ralsei played with his ear a bit, thinking
about that.

“You don’t need to tell me everything just yet: I’d just like to know what Kris did in this.” Ralsei
put his hand on his heart.

Susie sighed, crossed her arms and nodded. “Okay. Alright. After we split up...Kris made Noelle
get...stronger by freezing the city. They...hurt-”

Before Susie could get another word out, before she could even fully process what sentence she
was going to say, a quick stab pulsed up her leg.

“AGH! What the?!” Susie lurched to a stop, surprise making the paraphrased events of the Cyber
World leave her mind.

“Susie! What’s the matter!?” Ralsei yelped, reaching his hand out to possibly heal her. Susie
looked down and saw a needle had been blown straight into her lower leg. She reached down and
yanked it out, making Ralsei gasp.

“Who the hell-” Before Susie could finish her threat to the unknown, her vision swam. “Oh..”

World tilting, she stumbled backwards, near collapse. The needle fell from her hands, clinking
against the ground. Fear rushed to Ralsei’s heart and he grabbed her back. “Oh, Susie! I’ve got
you!”

She fell back with Ralsei trying to help her to the floor. “Ughh...jelly…” She mummurred, trying to
grab onto Ralsei and stay up. Her legs twitched as she attempted to get back up.

“It’s warm…” Her eyes were closing, and all Ralsei could do was try to ease her onto the floor. Her
head hit the ground and she let him go.

“Susie- Susie wait, Susie! Susie, wake up! Susie!” Ralsei called to her, but she didn’t answer. He
tried to pat her face around, but whatever was in that needle was stronger than any lullaby he could
sing.

She was out.

As soon as Susie fell unconscious, Ralsei felt himself become frantic. It took all of his will power
not to scream for help because obviously they weren't with friendly company. Ralsei knew this
needle did not appear out of nowhere.

Instead he scooted closer to Susie's side and shook her shoulder. "Susie...Susie please! Come on!"

He pleaded, voice cracking. Ralsei held his breath and waited. Nothing. She didn't stir. He let the
breath out, sharply.

His ears flopped when he heard more crackling around them. "Susie, fight it, please- Wake up- I
can't do a battle alone..." You're alone, Ralsei.

I'm not alone...not anymore.

You're alone. Face it.

I'm not alone. I am not! I am not!

Ralsei yelped when another needle whizzed by his shoulder, cracking the glass behind him.

"AH! YEP I'M NOT ALONE!" He shook Susie once more, the urge to run welling inside him. The
option to run wasn't something Kris had…

But Kris isn't here. Just you.

He had options. He could run. He could totally just bolt away all the way out of the forest.

He looked down at Susie, prone and unconscious. He couldn't just…A look of strong resolve
passed Ralsei’s face, and he grabbed Susie’s arms.

“I’m not leaving you alone.” He promised, as he attempted to gather her onto his back. He pulled
as hard as he could to get her to be steady, but she was quite taller than him. He took a lurched step
forward, bracing his arms and back for the extra weight.

Once he felt somewhat secure holding her, Ralsei started dashing as fast as his legs could carry the
both of them. His heart beat erratically as he heard more and more shuffling within the false trees.

He could hear the crack of more needles being fired in his direction, but whatever was sending
them was certainly not trying to hit Susie twice. He tried to ignore it.

He heaved breaths as he leapt off of the small hills, evading the needles as best as he could.
“Please, get away!” He yelled to his assailants, trying to run faster.

At one point, he decided to shoot a spell towards the unknown, calling out “I’ll pacify you!”
Straightening his arm to send the light that way made him stumble with Susie, so he quickly
grabbed her leg again and went back to running.

The lights bounced around, being amplified by the glass of the forest, obviously at least disturbing
the attackers. Ralsei could tell because the needles were being fired at a much less careful pace.

Whatever it was, they certainly weren't tired yet.

“Nghh…” He tried to run even faster, making swift turns. As fast as he could until he no longer
could see the shadow of this forest. “Mmm!”

Ralsei tried to just focus on the space ahead of him, but straightening his head to get a better look
gave the attackers an opening.

“AGH!!” Ralsei screeched when one needle found its way straight into his neck. “Ah!” He
tripped, dropping Susie onto the ground with a harsh thud.

He caught himself roughly, not wanting to go down, and quickly removed the needle. Its tip was
stained the color of his blood: a strange deep dark red.

“Hhh...hhh…” He squeaked, vision turning blurry despite wearing his glasses.

He dropped the needle and grunted while he pushed himself back to his full height, stumbling
backwards. He took deep breaths, trying to fight the drowsiness immediately plaguing his mind.

Fight it. Fight it. Fight it!

Little Prince, do not let yourself go gentle into this good night!

He shook his head and grit his teeth. “Hhh...If..if you’re gonna b-battle...at least...show
yourself…!” He called to the clear woods as it shrunk in on him. He felt like he was standing on
air. He looked down at Susie, splayed ungracefully on the ground.

He had to act for her. Face this battle for her. Defend her.

He’d do one better.

With heavy breaths, the ground under Ralsei glew a golden-white. He gasped when the magic
rushed to his head like a hot flash. “I’ll...I'll! Pacify…!” He sent two more spells into the forest, in
opposite directions to him.

The whites of Ralsei’s eyes flashed black for a moment as his heart beat so fast he felt he couldn't
feel it pump anymore. Warmth spread over his body, but most he could do was stumble and try to
keep up the light.

“I’ll...I’ll!” Ralsei squinted into the brightness and could faintly see fuzzy lines staring at him.

A proper target...was it?

“Pacify! Pacify- Spare!” Ralsei spun, sending a circle of light all the way around him. It blew
outwards like a harmless, beautiful flame.

...but the enemy wasn’t tired. Ralsei didn’t know...he couldn't see...any yellow...

Ralsei started to sway, confusion slamming around in his brain. He smacked one paw to his head
with a groan, not permitting himself to fall. He started to set another spell to glow.

Right as he raised his hand, pain jolted through his back. He tensed when two more needles
entered his body and no willpower of his could stop him from falling onto his knees.

“Hhk- Ah-” Ralsei tried to hold himself up with his arm. Trying so hard to stay awake for Susie.
He failed, falling on his side.

He held out his hand, aimlessly reaching. For what? He didn’t know.

“I’ll...i…” He charged the spell and looked at his hand, blurry fingers moved tiredly before him.
His paw pads glew bright white and it mesmerized him. “...pacify…” He whispered, beaming his
own magic into his face.

He was asleep before his face hit the floor.

She could smell...mostly pine needles. It eased her awake, but the bed was warm and she didn’t
want to move.

Wait...bed?

Susie gasped as she tried to push herself up, but drowsiness still clung to her brain. Her head
smacked against a pillow when she made a second attempt.

Where am I…

She rolled onto her back and blinked, trying to get a grip on her surroundings. She stretched a little
bit and her vision focused slowly.

“Whoa...hm…”

Looking at the ceiling, she could tell it was made of some sort of fabric. Like a blanket fort
stretched into a full tent. She sat up on her arms and saw that there wasn't a proper door, but she
was in a secluded area of the tent. It was blocked off with another blanket acting like a partition.

“This is kinda nice…” Susie mumbled to herself. It smelled nice. It was toasty, like a roasted
marshmallow clinging to fire or fresh brewed coffee...Much better than...that...forest…

“Oh hell, I’ve been kidnapped.”

She sat up fully, that thought sending shock through her. She looked at her leg, and pulled up her
pant leg to see a bandage with a silly cat face stuck where the needle struck her. “Shit...shit shit
shit... Okay...”

“Okay...Don’t talk to them. If they try something, try to bite their arm so they can't use any
needles...Well, in action movies, saying some snappy stuff could make ‘em talk...but this ain’t like a
prison, it's actually pretty nice still- WHERE THE HELL IS RALSEI?!”

Susie’s thoughts slapped her across the face, forcing her to properly focus. She jerked her head
from side to side to look around the room. She let out a small “Oh” when Ralsei was literally just a
few feet to her left, laying away from her on a similar bed.

“Oh thank fuck-” She muttered, not letting him hear it.

“Ralsei- Ralsei are you awake?” She couldn't reach him to shake him, so she moved to sit on the
side of the bed. Her leg felt a little weird still.

Ralsei didn’t respond to her, but he shuffled a little bit. He was Scarfless. Quiet.

She took one of her pillows and used it to give him a gentle whap.

“I’ve been awake, Susie. I’ve been for a while…” He pushed her pillow away and sighed,
snuggling deeper into his own pillow.

“Oh...then...what’re you doing? Did you find a way out and waited for me?”

It took a bit for him to respond and when he did it was not what Susie wanted to hear.

“...I’m failing, Susie.” Ralsei’s voice was softer than usual, almost like he had been tearful not long
ago.

“What in the world are you talking about?”

Ralsei sat up and spoke while looking down. “I’m failing. I’ve failed. ”

“Ralsei...You haven’t failed anything ?”

Ralsei looked at her with stressed pink eyes and said. "I failed Kris in the Cyber World by splitting
us up and not being there for them. I failed us both by letting us get taken…" He put a hand on his
heart for a moment and then pointed at her leg.

"I failed you by letting you get hurt!"

Susie could only stare at him blankly for a second. "Okay...first of all, you aren't a failure." She
pointed at him, giving him a stern angry look. “Don’t you talk about my friend that way.”

She gestured at her leg, before tucking the pant leg back in her boot. “This is nothing I haven’t had
worse. It’s nothing , Ralsei.”

“I still let you get hurt!”

Susie pinched her nose, shaking her head. “Ralsei- Literally. It’s fine. I got a prick and a scare.
Maybe you made one mistake by, what? Not beating up whoever did it? Not being all-knowing?"
She gestured at him, and then pointed to herself.

"Anyways-..This is all my fault anyways. This whole mess, So: Who cares what prick I got??”

“I DO!” Susie was shocked that Ralsei had the ability to yell at her. She got to watch him look up
with tears in his eyes. “Why would you think I wouldn’t...?”

“Ralsei...come on now...Don’t cry, dude.” Susie said, genuine concern in her voice. At this, Ralsei
closed his eyes and flapped his hands towards his face.

“I won’t! I won’t!”

Susie shook her head at the distressed tone of his voice as he hiccupped once and tried to hold it
down. “Don’t! Do that either!” Susie tried to stand to go to his bed, but her leg was weak. She
made him yelp a little sob by tripping but caught herself on his bedside.

“It's fine , Ralsei. It's fine- Chill out. It’s all gonna be fine-” She said but struggled adding pure
reassurance to her tone. She pulled herself on the bed and grabbed Ralsei’s shoulders.

Ralsei sniffed, shaking his head. The tears bled into his fluffy cheeks, making his fur wet. Susie
shook his shoulders a little bit. “Hey. Hey you look at me and you say “It’s gonna be okay.” y’here
me? That's a Ralsei thing to say!”

“Is it?”

“Yes! We’re together and not dead so everything’s okay! That’s something a Ralsei would
definitely say.”

“ Really? ” A sob hitched in his throat but anyone could tell he was still trying to stuff it.

“I wouldn’t know…” Ralsei said, mostly to himself, making Susie’s grip on him loosen. When it
did, it allowed him to pinch the bridge of his snoot, pushing his glasses up. He hissed as if he was
in pain. He rubbed at his eyes, trying to take a deep breath.

“D-damn it…” He muttered less under his breath than he realized.

Susie’s eyebrows rose at this. Was that Ralsei’s first curse?!

Everything in her wanted to throw her head back in laughter, just out of friend-instinct. But the
miserable look on her friend’s face prevented her from feeling the immense glee she would’ve felt
in this scenario if it was in any other context.

Susie took a deep breath. Her friend was hurting right now and she could see that, and she felt like
each thing she said made that hurt worse in different directions.

But she could not shut her mouth.

“Ralsei...look.” Susie crossed her legs on the bed, as a show that her leg was not as bad off as
Ralsei thought.

“We’ve both...done some things these past couple of days...and hours...that haven't been the... best
things in hindsight. I fucked up a lot! Big time, even! Just like an hour ago or whatever, does that
mean I’m a failure? Are you gonna call me a failure?”

Ralsei looked up, completely flabbergasted. He removed his hands from his face and waved them
about.

“Ah! Oh no no no- Susie, I would never-”

Susie put her finger in his face, almost threateningly.

“So why are you calling yourself that for less?”

This made Ralsei’s breath catch and he slowly closed his hands and mouth. He looked down, fully
away from Susie.

“ Why?” Susie pressed, looking angry but truly feeling concerned. Ralsei turned and tried to hide in
a scarf that wasn’t there. “I...I don’t...I’m not sure…” He played with the neck of his big cloak,
debating on flipping up the hood.

“Do you think I’m better than you? If that’s so, that’s a fat lie you’re telling!”

“Ah! No it’s not!” Ralsei reflexively retorted, pointing at her. He hissed when a bang of pain hit
against his skull. “That’s not true! You’re great but-”

“Don’t you dare look me in the eyes and tell me you think I’m as good as you, Ralsei. You have no
clue how hard that is to pull off.” She grabbed his wrist, making his sleeve slip down and turned it
as if she was trying to expose a vein in his arm.

“I swear to god, your blood is royal icing and your fur is made of powdered sugar.”

To Susie’s surprise, Ralsei snorted. He snorted twice, pulling his arm down so he was attempting
to hold Susie’s hand. Susie gently went, “Oh.” as Ralsei snorted and chuckled hoarsely. He slowly
laid down from his sitting position, taking her hand with him.

“Uh...you uh...so…” Susie debated saying. “You good?” but honestly didn’t know if she needed to
say it.

“You think I’m sweet...ahaha…” Ralsei was blushing and this made Susie retract her arm.

“I THINK...you’re a cavity incarnate. A trip to the dentist!!”

Ralsei just giggled at that, but he still sounded incredibly tired and...a little lost. Susie looked away,
trying to hide her flustered face.

Eventually, Ralsei sighed. “I...I’m just...I’m so tired, Susie...Everything’s...confusing.”

“Tell me about it.”

Ralsei didn’t try to answer that, despite Susie half-expecting him to try. Instead, he scooted himself
up and over so the side of his head was on Susie’s shoulder. Silently asking for a hug but merely
leaning on her for some sort of support. Susie sighed, and put her arm around him.
“One hug for a couple seconds just because you’re feeling bad.” That was all Ralsei needed to
hear. He took that couple of seconds to bury his head into her shoulder and Susie tried so hard not
to smile at how soft it was.

He really was a living teddy bear. He was also a teddy bear that respected her boundaries. He
swiftly let her go when she nudged him, but she allowed him to continue leaning on her.

That sort of support she was always willing to give. She was no hugger but she always wanted to be
a tower to lean on.

"You know...I didn't think a kid who probably lives off of cake and sugar could even get sick. If
you're uh, sick I mean. You kinda seem…”

Ralsei chuckled lightly, shifting to sit a little more on his own. "I eat my vegetables, please don’t
worry...it's a headache. Just...just a headache." Ralsei said while touching his forehead, head
feeling a bit spinny.

"I just need...do you have any healing items?"

Susie hissed, patting her pockets. "Shoot...no I think Kris...took all the snacks when they sealed the
Cyber Fountain…" She thought Ralsei was a giant nerd for calling snacks that.

"Oh...I see...I will just! Tough it out!"

"Now hold on, candyfloss." Susie poked him, opening her coat up to search for little treats. "Oh!"
She reached into her inner jacket pocket where she kept her Amber Card stuck and pulled out a
box. It had a stunningly bright, translucent red lid and a clear outer casing that was bedazzled with
red and green gems.

"Susie! Are those-?!"

"Noelle's cookies!"

"Champion Crisps?!"

Susie gave Ralsei a bewildered look. “What-ion’s what?”

Ralsei tapped the top of the box, excitedly. “This box is full of Champion Crisps! They’re a
specialty here! Only given to a person’s beloved champion!”

“Oh damn...Noelle’s snickerdoodles must be that good.”

“Oh- They’re a gift from Noelle?...can I uh...still...have some? For Healing!”

Susie rolled her eyes, opening the box up. “Come on. Like I’d share this.” She smirked, taking one
and popping it in her mouth. Ralsei looked confused and a little disheartened.

Susie hit his stomach with the container, shaking the cookies around. Sarcasm…

“Oh! Thank you…” He laughed a little bit, taking one gently with his claws. He slowly enjoyed his
first bite.

The cookies were, in fact, quite crisp. Delightfully sweet with red sprinkles atop their crunchy
exterior. Ralsei could taste the love inside each ruby fleck. It slightly eased the pain in his skull.
That was good. It felt like something in his soul got jammed and the sweets were helping.
He couldn't help but realize Susie held off on eating until he finished his first cookie and took a
second. When he grabbed his second, she grabbed hers and ate it quickly.

He knew she could just: eat through this whole tin in nanoseconds but...she waited for him. To
take it two to three bites at a time. For every cookie he ate.

He smiled a little at that. Susie really was a good friend…

Good friend…

...friends...

The crunchy crumbs felt heavy in his mouth. His other friends.

Susie didn’t...get to finish her sentence before... the dull ache in his head persisted ...before she got
hurt...She said something about Noelle and Kris...freezing the city...and said Kris hurt someone?
They wouldn’t do that after everything they did together... he felt like he was rocking slightly
forward then backwards... not after all their talks in Card Kingdom about Mercy! Surely
not...surely they…

Surely they listen to him too?

Surely they wouldn’t go that far.

Surely warmth would follow their heroic heart...

Surely they care…

Surely they…

Snap snap snap!

Ralsei blinked, a touch startled at the purple fingers near his face. He looked at Susie who was
giving him a concerned look. “C’mon, don’t you do that on me now too, Ralsei.”

He zoned out. Straight up dissociation. He gave a little chuckle, shaking his head for clarity. “Oh
no no, I’m just...just thinking.”

“Cookie for your thoughts?” Susie held up one of the cookies while making this joke. Surely an
attempt to keep him zoned in with humor.

Susie bit half the cookie while Ralsei sighed. “...can you...finish what you were saying about Kris
and Noelle in the city…? Before we uh…” Ralsei gestured vaguely around, alluding to the strange
but cozy place they were in.

Susie coughed on the cookie, making Ralsei pat her back. She held her other half loosely,
coughing into the side of her hand. “Oh yeah that- That was a thing I was cough cough- totally
doing!!”

She cleared her throat. “Damn- Champion Crisps with no Champion Milk. What a cruel set up.”

Ralsei didn’t laugh at that one. She sighed, not expecting him to. She decided to scoot so she could
swing her legs off the side of the bed, but was still in a position where Ralsei could remain leaned
on her. She looked down, sighing once more.

“It’s...not a fun story. And...I don’t understand most of it. I can try to remember the fast and easy
since it’s a whole big damn mess. Just...try to keep a level head about it, okay?”

“I’ll do my absolute best to keep my mind bright and open.”

Susie took a deep breath.

“Noelle told me everything she could remember. She told me she blacked out most of it and
judging by what happened...I don’t blame her.” Ralsei looked very concerned at that. Susie stared
at the floor instead of looking at his face, knowing that if she did she could break.

"I'm not sure where to start...It was uh...after the coasters."

"Mhm?" Ralsei hummed in his teacher-voice. That dumb sweet teacher voice made Susie's mouth
hesitate.

"It was then, yeah. When we split up and went into the city and had fun and stuff.” She muttered
the last part, not wanting to feel that guilt just yet.

“Kris...found Noelle. She asked them to truce and wanted them to keep her away from Queen."
Susie fiddled with the other half of the cookie, hesitant to keep eating due to the stressed feeling in
her gut.

"Kris apparently was uh...turned to other plans."

Ralsei tilted his head. "What…?"

Susie waved her hand back, scooting a little away from Ralsei. "They...used Noelle's new powers
to freeze the Cyber City. Solid.” This part Ralsei could remember her saying. The picture of all
those darkners frozen and petrified stabbed his heart but he tried to hold that reaction back so Susie
would continue talking.

“Mhm?”

“She told me they...talked to her in this strange voice and kept telling her to “”proceed"" and to
“Get stronger”...sounds like it was freaky as hell…and..."

Ralsei couldn’t believe what he was hearing and shook his head. All he could do was ask the
obvious.

"...And…?"

Susie sighed once more. "...and Kris…” She fiddled with her hair a bit, not knowing how to phrase
the sentence.

“They hurt a lot of people, y'know? Probably them- it's weird its- they uh. Hurt...you can tell they
and Noelle hurt-Berdly. Really badly." Ralsei gave her shoulder a pat when she spoke with small
animations, waving her arms about. Her arms found her lap after that.

Her eyes felt heavy relaying this and she knew it wasn’t finished.

“...She was told to hurt him. By that. Whatever. Thing. Whatever Kris got into. It told her to use a
spell on Berdly. She said it was called…” She looked down at her cookie again, thinking about
how the same hands that baked this treat that tasted so great and warm despite its far-off bake
time...was forced to do that to one of her best friends.

“... Snowgrave…” The word rolled off her tongue as vilely lowly as it had Noelle’s and Ralsei
was stunned. Intense ice magic...

Susie could feel her eyes water with confusion, but she held her eyes open for a bit to keep things
from getting ugly. She couldn’t get outwardly angry. Not here, not now. Not directly at Kris.

She looked at her hand once more, and squeezed the cookie into dust. “And now we’re here. In
this place. I made.”

She let the crumbles go and they littered the ground with their still sweet smelling goodness. Susie
let her hand go limp, the crumbs sticking to it. “And...I promised Noelle I would fix this…
somehow.”

Ralsei took the lid of the cookies and clicked it shut. He took a slow deep breath. In truth, he hated
everything he had just heard and wanted to turn to scream into the nearest pillow.

But he didn’t. He just steadily controlled his breathing.

“This is...sure... something ain’t it, Susie?” He tried to lighten his mood with a sensible nervous
chuckle, but it didn’t fly. Susie just kept avoiding eye contact. She bit her cheek for a second,
before saying.

“Man- I just- I hate this. I’m-I want someone to yell at for it… ” She said, anger lacing her tone.
She closed her eyes, huffing a deep breath of her own to try to simmer it.

“Do you...want to yell at Kris?” These words from Ralsei made Susie finally look at him.

“No! It’s- I don’t...Noelle said that this isn’t- actually- them. And I believe her! They didn’t do this
but they also sorta did it-? With a different voice?” Her face was a mess of confused anger and fear
for her friend. She hated stammering like this too but she was a fast talker with no direction in her
sentences.

“So like- I don’t know! I don’t want to yell at them or be mad at them but I am! I’m- Mad At
Whatever Their PROBLEM is!! And that problem’s sketch as hell!!” She waved her hands, doing
sarcastic jazz hands. Ralsei looked down, and rubbed his arm.

After an awkward pause of silence, he said softly. “...I believe her too…”

Susie sighed at that. “...I know.” She toyed with her claws with her thumb, trying to think of what
else to even say. Her anger wasn’t as large as she thought and her bigger fear drove her to say.

“...Do you think I can fix this, Ralsei?” She hated (but respected) how he hesitated for a few
seconds, before saying “I do. One-Hundred Percent. I’ll be here helping you each step of the
way.”

She nodded. Ralsei put a paw on her shoulder, as if trying hard to hammer the point home. “We’ll
do it together, okay?”

A firmer nod.

Ralsei nodded too, and gave her a small smile. That smile made Susie copy it, just slightly.

“We’ll fix this.” She started, looking boldly into Ralsei’s eyes.

“We’ll find Berdly-” Ralsei continued, his smile getting a touch bigger.

“We’ll heal him so hard he won’t know what hit him!” Susie wiped her hand on her jacket so she
could pound her fist into her hand.

“Then we’ll get you home-”

“And I’ll- Do... something about Kris!”

“You’ll bring them to me so we can all sit down with tea and talk!”

“Yeah that!”

“And after that, we’ll uh- We’ll…” Ralsei hummed, looking down again.

“Finish Noelle’s cookies and hang out! Like before!” Susie pumped her fist.

“Yeah! Because we are!”

“SUSIE AND RALSEI: S AND R AGAINST THE WORLD!” They said at the same time,
smiling widely at each other. Susie flopped her hands down “But first! We should get the hell out
of here-” She crossed her arms, nervous. “Ralsei, something kidnapped us-where the fuck are we-”

Ralsei’s smile faltered, as he realized this was 100% true.

“aH-YEAH-”

Susie stood up and wobbled a bit. She stamped her foot, forcing the odd feeling out of her leg. “I’m
good. C’mon, Let’s go thrash whatever’s keeping us here.”

Ralsei scooted to stand and said. “Thrash with Mercy if they deserve it?”

“Yeah yeah- Peaceful Thrashing.” Susie made a “c’mon” motion with her hand and Ralsei stood.

Only to immediately have his legs cave out and he fell forward. “Oh-!” Susie caught his arms
before he fell onto his knees.

“My bad- My bad, It’s just, oh-” Ralsei let Susie hold one of his arms to support him so he could
hold his head. “Big Ole Teacup Brain!”

“Things are spinning?” Susie raised an eyebrow at him. “Do you- like...want to wait an extra
second? I can go on ahead and-”

“No no no, I’d be happy if we stuck together!” Ralsei held her arm tighter, and straightened. He
blinked a few times to steady his vision and clear his head.

After a couple seconds, he let go of her arm. He took a small step back, almost tripped backwards,
but stuck his arms out to balance himself.

He took a solid deep breath, copied Susie stamping her foot and put his hands on his hips.

“I’m alright.”

“You sure?” Susie asked, already feeling the need to lovingly threaten him rising in her heart. She
was currently getting one locked and loaded.

“Positive!” Ralsei swooped his arm in a “It’s no big deal” motion. Still a little jammed, but fine.
She gave him a tiny squint, but decided to not fight with him.
“Let’s get the hell out of here.” She approached the partition-blanket and grabbed it.

She pulled it sideways while Ralsei slowly moved her way.

“..Whoa-” They both breathed at the same time.

Before them was a tent that felt way larger than should’ve possibly been allowed.

The walls were the same homey, warm tan/beige color that went easy on the two’s eyes.
Everything looked like a blanket. The walls had a loose wavy texture akin to hung curtains.

Even below their feet, everything felt like a blanket. The floor looked like a checkered tablecloth!

Paper lanterns hung from the ceiling, but it seemed like they didn't glow at all. They were that
same tan that reminded Susie of graham crackers.

On the far left side of the tent there was a giant wall of cubbies in which supplies of some sorts
were stored. Running the floor was a ton of small cloth people. Floppy, tan and washcloth-textured,
these strange rounded rectangles ambled about with zoomy purpose.

They barely reached Ralsei’s knees and there were loads of them. They were quite a noisy bunch,
their mumblings were loud and all over the place. It surprised Susie and Ralsei that they didn't hear
them through the partition!

What were these blankets made of?

Several of them leaped up into the cubbies, grabbing things like pouches of liquid, containers
(likely of food) or another creature like them. They did all this with seemingly no arms.

From the Cubbies they ran to what looked like a large exit flap and fluttered off underneath it. That
was their goal.

“Are these Darkners…?” Ralsei asked, tilting his head.

“They look like if you picked up a rag and jiggled it around like a person- What little weirdos...”
Susie couldn't help but smirk at the thought.

She tapped Ralsei (who was still taking in the view) on the shoulder to get his attention. She
pointed at the flap and said. “There’s our ticket out, we can dip!”

“We shouldn’t interrupt traffic, Susie.” Ralsei stated, gesturing to the little creature's directional
flow. “Plus…” Ralsei touched Susie’s shoulder back.

“This place looks like a triage base! For a place for weary and injured to rest! I think something
attacked us and these kind souls took us in when we fell unconscious!”

He held his hands out with a smile. Susie hummed, nodding. She kinda wished she was able to
kick the shit out of the weird needle enemy that did it, but they were here now.

“We can ask about this Dark World here too, and show our gratitude to these sweet little guys!” He
put his hand on his heart. Susie nodded once more.

“Guess we did follow Kris around while they stuck their head in every single little thing. S’pose
we can do the same, just a lil bit.” She agreed.

Ralsei gave a small laugh and looked around. He spotted a loose little fella and waved to them.
“Excuse me!”

The small darkner skidded to a stop to look at him. A single line for an eye was etched onto their
face. They looked like they had a collar, but it was just a small fold in the cloth that made up their
body. They also had stringy little legs that ambled up to Ralsei. Their eye wavered as if they were
observing him intently.

Ralsei crouched down. “Thank you very much for taking care of us! It was very very nice of you
all!” The line morphed into an upwards curve. A mouthless smile!

“We had a pretty big scare before we met you, and while you all seem swell! We really need to ask
some questions and be on our way. Do you think my friend and I-” Ralsei gestured behind himself
to get Susie to come closer. She stood at his side and tried not to make a scary face at the little
thing.

“-Can speak to whomever is in charge here? We won’t be in your hair for long!” Ralsei smiled with
his eyes closed and caught that he did the hair thing AGAIN. Did they have hair???

They were vaguely fuzzy. That probably counted.

“Oh oh hm!” The small creature jumped up and down before bouncing on one leg. “Yes! You’re
very welcome!” Their voice was small but commanded quite the busy bee. They zipped around.
“Follow me, then! I’ll take you straight to her since you’re feeling better!”

Ralsei and Susie exchanged a glance but Susie’s turned to her giving a panicked point as the little
thing started zooming away.

“Go, follow it!” Ralsei almost tripped on his face when Susie pulled him up. They both followed
the darkner as it ran amongst beings that looked just like it, so Susie and Ralsei were forced to
block the traffic of little guys swiftly in order to keep up.

It seemed these bunch were used to weaving between each other, but not two big strangers!

A couple of them ran into Ralsei’s legs, making his balance fall off. He caught himself but called
an apology to the group as they straightened themselves up. They didn't even care and just kept
rushing. The little ones behind them helped them straighten and it was like nothing even
happened.

Luckily: Susie didn't squish any of them.

They both tried to keep their eyes trained on the specific one as it led them through the middle of
the tent.

The small darkner led them to an area close to the exit but just a touch towards the middle edge of
the tent. They had stopped with barely any skidding, so Ralsei hurriedly stopped as well. Susie
bumped into him because he was arguably faster than her. She could see the outside briefly but her
attention was grabbed by-

“Go go go! C’mon, you- Get the water contained or dripping! You, start funneling to the western
snow piles and check for anyone trapped! And can someone please start getting more food for
those still stuck in Peregrine’s Piano?!”

“Yes, Thermallory!”

“Yes Thermallory!”
“Yes, Thermallory!”

Barking out orders but in a stressed cheery voice, a much taller blanket-esque darkner paced about
the floor. “Great job! Keep on keeping it on! Here, take this with the tunnelers!”

This darkner, Thermallory, bent over a table to pack a box with a thermos and what looked like
warm biscuits. She had no hands but did this with a flopped motion of the chest. She used her head
to slide it off the table for one of the many small ones to catch and ample off with.

She resembled the smaller creatures, but was closer to Susie’s height. Her body was a thick fluffy
blanket folded to resemble that of a dress. Her neck was tied with a pink cape that fell behind her in
a poofy lump, but didn't touch the floor. Her head resembled that of a hood but a blackened void
was all that was inside it. From the bottom of the “Dress” scarf-like feet held her steady as she
busied herself with more care-packages.

“A-hem, Thermallory?” The guiding one cleared their throat (if they have one?) to try and get her
attention. She didn't turn around but said. “Yes, Thermarie?”

“There's two people who wish to speak with you!” The little one hopped a bit, gesturing their foot
to Ralsei and Susie.

“If you’re here to make a donation, check the eastern part of the Cubbies, someone will see you
shortly.” Without even looking at them, Thermallory pointed her foot to the left, nudging it
backwards.

“No, Thermallory, its-” The little one stomped a bit for emphasis. “The lightner!”

Thermallory snapped to attention and quickly spun around. Susie and Ralsei could see a bright
white line resembling an exclamation point for a brief moment before morphing back into a neutral
straight line floating within the face void.

“Oh!!” It beamed for a second and Susie could practically see her vibrating.

“Oh, you’re awake!!” Thermallory cheered, rushing up to them. By the way they all moved, one
would think there was absolutely nothing inside them giving them structure, yet they stayed up.

“How’re you feeling? Are you warm enough? The forest is so cold now-a-days, let me know if you
need something! Hungry?” Thermallory set to circling around Susie and Ralsei, making them both
a little dizzy with her questions. “We have soup, bread and fruit! Hot drinks! Tea! You don’t have
to answer any questions if you want to go and rest!!”

“Breathe, Thermallory.” The little one suggested to make Thermallory quit stalking around them
like a concerned mother. She straightened while Ralsei and Susie stopped spinning with her, Susie
holding Ralsei’s arm because it made his head spin faster.

“Ah, yes- yes yes yeah- Okay okay. Square one! Square one!” Thermallory shook its head,
balancing itself as well. She bowed to them, and spoke clearly. Her hood flopped forward almost
comically empty.

“My name is Thermallory, leader of W.A.R.M.T.H. Welcome, consciously, to our humble

headquarters!” Ralsei lightly scooted out of Susie’s loose hold and stepped a little forward. He put
his hand on his heart and bowed as well. “I am Ralsei, very well met!”

Susie awkwardly tapped the tip of her foot behind her, and gave a peace sign.
“Susie.”

Thermallory straightened, nodding its head. “It’s fantastic to properly meet you both! Especially a
lightner! Wow- wow wow wow, It’s been such a long time since I’ve met one standing!”
Thermallory practically bounced, confusing Susie.

“Nice to meet you too?” Susie raised an eyebrow at her strange behavior. Thermallory’s thin “eye”
shook as she seemingly inspected Susie. After a moment, she turned this look to Ralsei, examining
him.

“Thermarie, you can go join the line in getting food to the Piano.” Thermallory dismissed the little
one with a flick of her foot, not looking down.

“Yes, Thermallory!” They sped off so Thermallory could close a bit more distance between them.

“So, what did you want to speak to me about?” It chirped, bouncing some more. Ralsei and Susie
looked at each other. “I’ll ask some questions first, alright?” Ralsei asked, and Susie gave him a
nod.

Ralsei put his hand back on his heart and asked with a guestly smile. “I am quite curious about this
base of operations! What is it that you do here?”

Thermallory’s fabric blew around for a moment as she made a noise of excitement. “Oh, yes.” She
gestured for Ralsei and Susie to look behind her.

“Here at W.A.R.M.T.H: We strive to bring, well, warmth to all those cold in Medonia who may
need it! The Thermlings and I specialize in transporting hot drinks, distributing toasty blankets,
slash hugs and ensuring everyone in this land is comfortable during a hard point in their life!”

Ralsei beamed, truly feeling their pride and accomplishment watching the Thermlings rush back
and forth. So this was the land of Medonia!

“That’s wonderful! You are all such a wonderful, kind sort! May I ask...Is W.A.R.M.T.H an
acronym? What does it stand for?”

Susie gave Ralsei a look like “Is that relevant to literally anything?” but didn’t interrupt because
he had that bright look in his eyes. He barely knew these people but he looked like he was already
their proud prince.

“Ah, yes. Yes it is! It stands for “Warm Association Remedying Many Thing’s Hypothermia!”

Ralsei’s smile twinged as his confusion became quickly apparent. “Pardon?” Thermallory’s eye-
line morphed into a question mark. “What is it?”

Ralsei put his hands together and took a short step forward. “Well, it’s that. It’s not bad but...that
simply makes no sense! The end word is “Warmth” but there’s Warm inside it?”

Thermallory’s question mark eye wavered, indicating that she was not even the one to come up
with the damn acronym but she didn't want to change it! Ralsei didn’t notice this, nor a single
Thermling stopping to listen to what he was saying.

“It simply could have a better word flow...Warm in the start...that’s honestly a touch redundant!”
He said this with a smile, not realizing how insulting he’s presenting himself. “Pointless even!”

The thermling hopped up, getting in Ralsei’s face. “YOU’RE POINTLESS!”

“Ah- Ah ah ah- I didn’t mean to be rude!” Ralsei waved his arms as the Thermling repeatedly
jumped up and down.

“I worked HARD coming up with that, AAA!!” The thermling started arguing about the WEEKS it
spent being the one to come up with the group name, sounding near tears of anger.

“Hey hey now! The Acronym is good!” Thermallory joined in, fabric vibrating attentively as she
tried to kneel and grab the Thermling.

“You don’t know true wordestry!!”

“Is that even a word??”

“WHAT WOULD YOU KNOW?!”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry aah!!”

“Thermaiko, get out of their face! Unless they’re feeling cold, you shouldn’t-”

“THEIR HEART IS COLD AND THEIR BRAIN IS EMPTY!!”

“I’m sorry!!”

This arguing kept up for a good solid while , between the thermling repeatedly jumping into
Ralsei’s face, Ralsei apologizing and Thermallory trying to compromise. It didn't even seem to
bother the bustling line behind them.

It, however, was making a certain purple girl pinch above her snoot and shake with annoyance.

“OKAY I’VE HAD ENOUGH!” Susie burst and with a solid stomp she waved the Thermling into
taking a couple paces away from Ralsei.

She roughly stood in between Ralsei and Thermallory and held up a single finger. “I have one
question.” She stuck the finger towards the blanket-darkner and spoke firmly.

“If you’re a base for people who are cold to come and recover: Have you seen a bird monster?
He’s a lightner like me. Yay high-” She loosely gestured to a bit Taller than Ralsei and then waved
her hand down “-most likely very unconscious? Blue?”

Thermallory’s eye continued to be a question mark for a few moments before turning back into a
line. She knelt down to the simmering Thermaiko. “Field duty.” She spoke directly to it.

It sighed out a “Yes, Thermallory.”

Thermallory straightened and shook her head towards Susie. “I’m afraid I have not spotted another
lightner, nor one in a condition like that. I will be happy to have eyes out for him-”

“Okay, got it. C’mon Ralsei, let’s go.”

Ralsei jumped at this statement and Thermallory fully flinched back, an exclamation point once
again shifting her face.

“Susie, I think-” Susie didn’t listen to Ralsei, only grabbed him by the collar and tugged.

“Let’s just go look for Berdly, we probably don’t have a lot of time. If we make a break for the
Fountain, we’ll probably find a vantage point-”
At this, Thermallory moved swiftly to block Susie’s way.

“Miss Susie. I can allow a lot of things in this establishment but you going towards that fountain is
one thing I cannot condone!”

Susie let Ralsei go and Ralsei could just feel the tension sparkle within his fur. “Listen.” Susie
pointed towards Thermallory again.

“I have a promise to make good on and I think it would be best if you stepped out of my way and
let me and my pal go search by ourselves, arright?” Susie spoke with a firm malice Ralsei knew
well. A real show of teeth.

Thermallory bristled and seemingly tried to take on a bolder stance.

“I will not allow you to leave when you will not be warm. Everywhere outside of this tent is in a
catastrophic freeze! ”

Susie and Ralsei both gave a startled blink, Susie still showing her teeth. “What? I mean- I saw that
frozen mountain but, Mountains are usually frozen, dude.”

Thermallory’s eye became a horizontal line. “That’s not a real mountain. We Piled That
Ourselves.”

Susie and Ralsei took a step back. Thermallory’s warm voice chilled in a way that made the
thermlings slow down, but not quite stop.

“Ever since that KNIGHT showed its face here, it’s been nothing but cold-blooded trouble.” Susie
raised her eyebrows, shocked guilt bubbling at the bottom of her heart. Ralsei put his hands
together over his chest, fearful.

Thermallory started floppily pacing about, barely breathing as she spoke. “Medonia used to be oh
so wonderful as it helped people! It was a typical temperature. Temperate even! And then one
day...a teeny tiny crystal showed up on the edge of our world.” Thermallory’s voice pitched high
and it bent down.

With a thrust she threw her body back into a straight position and barked. “And then the Knight!!
That knight!! With it’s thin and shaking blade created that frosted FOUNTAIN!! And that Fountain
spurred the crystal to GROW!!” Thermallory was shaking, taking a step closer to Susie.

“It grew and grew, louder and louder until a frigid storm welled inside it. It burst out into the
world and now it threatens to bury us all within its wing-wrapped grasp of ice AND SNOW!” Her
voice broke for a second and all Susie felt was dread. Dread because...she did this. Dread because
she was determined to fix it.

Thermallory’s shaking grew more worrisome as she spoke sharply. “Now it stands as The Iciyu and
all it wants to do is grow, crack and consume.”

That name punched Susie in the gut with an odd feeling. Both fear and “Are you serious right
now?”

“The Iciyu…? Really?” Susie pronounced it slowly, still off put by Thermallory’s shaking. She
shifted her fabric as if she was pointing towards the door.

“Yes! And I Hope It Burns!” Thermallory’s eye became a pow symbol for a moment. “It’s a
terrible TERRIBLE place! Degrees in the negatives!”
Thermallory gave Susie a glaring pleading look as she tacked on. “It’s no place for a fragile
lightner!”

Ralsei sucked in a harsh breath because that was not the thing to say to Susie. Ever.

“I am NOT FRAGILE.” All pretense and dread was dropped as anger smacked Susie hard. She
took a rough step forward, swiping her hand forcefully.

“-and I am not letting some strange, cotton-candy, dryer sheet hand towel get in my way of making
good on my promise. So if you know what’s good for you, you’ll let this “”fragile”” lightner and
her friend on by, capiche?”

Susie didn’t wait for a response, but she stunned Thermallory into silence. She grabbed Ralsei by
the arm, huffed, and started to stomp towards the exit.

“Susie but- wait, they might have my scarf! And-”

“We’ll get you a new scarf, Rals.”

Before Susie could stomp any further, Thermallory suddenly shouted.

“PITCH IT!”

This code phrase made the line of Thermlings skid to a complete stop and the silence that came
with it was deafening.

Working just as quickly, the Thermlings by the exit flap pulled the curtains together and tied the
exit shut. At the sides of the exit, a single Thermling pinned it down so it couldn’t be easily forced
open.

Susie and Ralsei could see a couple stray Thermlings run into the shut flap and get pulled in from
the bottom.

“HEY-” Before Susie could bark another threat its way, Thermallory stood between her and the
exit once again.

“Miss Susie.” Warmth tried to creep back into its voice, but she simply came off eerie. “ Please
allow us to keep you warm here while my little ones search for your friend. It’s really no place for
you to go out there and freeze.” Thermallory gestured her foot out, making a circle of Thermlings
start to gather around them. They stacked on top of each other in a sort of gate formation.

“Let’s just! Calm down! And make you comfortable! We have hot chocolate!”

Susie started to show her teeth again, and Ralsei tried to put a hand on her shoulder but she waved
both her hands. This made him wince and step back a little bit.

“No!” She proceeded to get in Thermallory’s face and poke her on the torso. Susie glared at her.
“I’m not doing that!” Susie clenched her fists at her side, looking down.

“I didn't come here to sit on my ass and goof off! I don't care that I could just sit and drink hot
cocoa with you-” She pointed angrily at Thermallory and punched the air below her. “I came here
to fix shit and I'M GONNA BE THE ONE TO FIX SHIT!"

Normally this level of initiative would make Ralsei so so proud of Susie. Normally it would make
him so happy to see her take responsibility instead of lazing around and expecting others to do the
work she took on willingly.

But right now? Those feelings were there but were also combined with intense worry as the anger
pierced the air in a purple hue.

It mixed violently with Thermallory’s unsteady pink. Several more Thermlings gathered around
their shaking leader, caging Ralsei and Susie in.

“I will not be covering another face, Susie. Let us keep you warm.” This chilling sentence spurred a
growl from the teen, and she took a step forward. Her hair falling in her face, covering it with a
shadow.

"Look if you want to do this the hard way…”

“Susie…” Ralsei tried to caution her, but once more he was ignored.

“We can do this the hard way." Her glare was sharp and before Ralsei could object further, Susie
flipped her hand into the air to summon her ax!

The tension peaked in the air!

And...nothing happened.

“H-huh?” Susie blinked. She raised her hand again, this time truly focusing on summoning her ax.
Once more, nothing happened.

“Susie…?” Ralsei held his paw out, but Susie just kept waving her arm in an angry attempt to
swing her ax. It just! Wouldn’t Summon!

She growled more, confused. Thermallory could only start laughing. Thermallory tapped a
Thermling and they nodded. From a mysterious magic void, they dispensed a needle and handed it
to Thermallory. Through the static touch, she held it up.

Susie and Ralsei stared at her, stunned.

“I see you don’t know the side effects of TPS. I’m sorry, we really should’ve warned you.”

“TPS…?” Susie held out an arm protectively shielding Ralsei, subtly.

“Tension Point Suppressant! Keeps all magic on the down-low!” Thermallory allowed the needle
to float to her other side. “Hostile spells... magic summons. ..Like contraband weapons. It’s quite
strong and good for delirious friends or people who can’t control their magic in their illness! A bit
of a sedative, even!”

Susie’s arm moved closer to Ralsei, but he couldn't back up much further without running into a
Thermling. “Feeling ill, need a rest asap? Boop!” She moved the needle up, making Susie flinch.

“You...You were the ones who attacked us?! You fucking drugged us?!”

Themarllory’s eye turned into a curved smile. “Well, I was told you said you felt sick, so I feel it
was more for your safety, especially out in that frigid forest! I put a lot of trust in my thermlings to
bring in anyone they think is struggling!” This confused Susie. She made a glib remark about
being sick as in cool but…

...Oh these little things did not get that memo, huh...
Ralsei took a shuffled step to the side, trying to back up as far as he could. “You were out like a
light as far as I know, but your little fluffy buddy there apparently has quite a resistance.”

Thermallory pointed the needle at Ralsei, making Susie look at him with concern. If she could see
his sweat, she knew it would be dripping down his head. He looked around at the crowd of
Thermlings and his headache resurfaced, pulsing.

They all looked hazy...hazy lines staring right at him.

Chasing him through the cracking glass forest...

His eyes wavered, unsure what to say or do. So he just tried to step closer to Susie and not fall
down.

“Oh, don’t you dare point that towards him! You stay the hell away from him, you hear me?!”
Susie made sure she was firm in front of Ralsei. A big ole purple shield!

“You think you scare me?...You think I need my ax to take your ass down…?” She said in a deep
tone, one scary white eye peeking through her bangs. She gritted her teeth to show that they were
sharp and ready to bite. “If you do, you better watch your face.”

Ralsei put up his hands, unsure what to do. “Susie- You don’t mean that-” He blurted, blinking
harshly and quickly held his head.

“Oh like hell I do in cases like this. ” She sneered at Thermallory because of Ralsei’s pain.

At this threat, the rest of the thermlings produced needles and they were surrounded. Susie growled
louder, opening her hands to show her sharp nails and gnashing her teeth. She didn’t want to tear a
darkner to shreds in front of Ralsei but at best she could be angrily intimidating.

Ralsei didn’t know this was all intimidation. Genuine fear boiled in his heart that Susie really was
about to thrash Thermallory into next week and he could do nothing but feel anxious about all the
little lines on him.

Was this a battle? A frozen battle of glares and inaction?

Was the battle broken? Is he broken?

Could Ralsei truly act on his own? Was it his turn?

R-action…R-action...Reaction…

What’s his action?

As Thermallory and the thermlings raised their needles to send the first bullet strike, Susie bent
slightly down with her fists clenched. A stance clear of Attack.

Smells like pine needles…

The smell is too strong.

Before Susie could charge, his action was set. His head lulled as he put the back of his hand to it
and fell forward onto his knees, shifting onto his legs. This made the needles point upwards instead
of down towards them.

“H-huh-?” Susie’s growl died down and she looked behind her once more. “Ralsei!” She was about
to drop to his side when she saw him just barely open his eyes and give a wink.

R-action: Feign.

“Oh-” Susie couldn’t help but give him a tiny smirk before playing along with an S-action of her
own! While the group was staring at Ralsei, she snatched a needle from one of the thermlings and
fell next to Ralsei.

S-action: Swipe.

Ralsei closed his fingers, hissing a little bit. “You can’t...give us any more of that stuff! My health
can’t take all of it so soon!” The feigning was actually hard because he did still have a headache
from what he assumed was the TPS.

“Yeah! You’re here calling me fragile and you’re going to stick us with like 40 million needles
with uh-” Susie looked down at the needle in her hand. “What is this, like 50 milliliters? Is this
milliliters or liters?” She showed it to Ralsei, making him stop with his sad posing.

“Ml is milliliters.” He pointed at it, tapping the letters. He swiftly put the back of his hand back to
his head.

“50 milliliters! You trying to kill us?!” Susie sniped, not knowing if that would actually kill them.
She didn’t know needles aside from comically large ones for silly little virus criminals.

She really just wanted to scare Thermallory.

Thermallory’s eye was an exclamation point again, before it looked like sweat drops for a moment.
“I uh- Well- No- You just need to-”

“Let my friend rot out in the cold and sit here worried sick while hanging out with you? Fat
chance!”

“We can keep your friend! He can stay warm! With you!”

“Different friend, jackass.”

Ralsei raised an eyebrow at this. So Berdly was a friend to her? Maybe a new habitual saying,
maybe not.

Maybe it just sounded better than “This guy I go to school with.” He didn’t care: he was just
slightly happy to hear her affirm that he’s her friend.

Thermallory flinched at this insult and took two steps back. She completely lowered her needle.
Her hesitation made the thermlings point their needles away.

“So it seems...mm...” Ralsei feigned a bit more, pushing his glasses up to the brim of his nose.
“You have a choice.” He looked at Susie, allowing her to give the choices with her sharp tongue.

“You prick us to try and keep us here, overdose us and we escape anyways.” Susie held up one
finger, and Ralsei said “Or-”

“Or you let us go with our half-steady blood-whatever so we don’t have to deal with the headache
of your batshittery.” She held up two fingers and pointed them at Thermallory.

“I...I... can't… ”
“Third option, you play games with us and I kick your ass.” This made Ralsei feign a little harder
to grab Susie’s short sleeve and tug it. Leaning a little closer to her to silently say “Reel it in. Give it
a second.”

Thermallory turned around, making a pained squeaking noise. It closed its eye tightly, shaking its
head. She jumped a little bit, curling into herself. She couldn’t bring herself to harm a lightner like
that. She knew Susie would slip away before they could give her a new dose at an appropriate
time…

She opened her eye, line forming into a teardrop shape. Its head was bent to signify that if she had
arms, they would be holding her head.

To harm her now or let her go to harm herself in the future?

Could Thermallory let that happen? To lightner after lightner? What could she do if Susie ran cold
like the rest…?

...Susie would run cold no matter what she did...her choice didn’t matter. It was just a matter of
when. A matter of what Susie wished and what she could do to make it harder or easier.

Run the coldness herself or let Susie sign the acceptance…

“Nnn.. agh! Okay! ”

Thermallory spun back around, stuck her foot out and waved it backwards. Susie and Ralsei tensed
and braced for an impact.

It never came, the thermlings retracted their needles completely and backed up. Susie and Ralsei
both gave Thermallory a pleased look. Though Susie was more smug than Ralsei’s relief.

“I’ll...I’ll let you go- If-!” Thermallory’s eye still resembled tear drops. Susie flashed angry for a
brief moment until the sentence finished. “You stop at the clothing corner and wear something
toasty. ”

Susie tossed Thermallory the needle she was holding and stood up so fast she wobbled back. She
righted herself quickly and said. “Deal. Get out of my face.”

Thermallory caught the needle as the teardrops wavered, making Ralsei feel pity towards the
darkner as her possible to-be prince. He stood slowly, folding his hands over his chest.

Susie ignored Thermallory’s fabric tears, walking past her briskly. She assumed Ralsei was
following her but peeked behind her anyways. He walked halfway to Susie but hesitated. He turned
and held a hand out to Thermallory, cautiously.

“Thermallory, if you’d like-”

“Just go. Go and be warm, please.” Her pink cape closed comfortingly around her as she looked
down. Ralsei held his chest, sighing.

He’d bring up recruitment later…

While he made his way to Susie, Thermallory called in a very cracked voice. “Back to the line!
Keep your previous orders going, go go!”

As suddenly as it stopped, the noise picked back up and the Thermlings opened the door to keep
rushing to and fro.

Susie made her way to the corner once Ralsei caught up with her. “What a freakshow, huh, Rals?”

Ralsei’s heart warmed a bit at his nickname, but he could only bring himself to smile a touch.
“Yeah...sure.” He itched at his neck a little bit.

“Hopefully this ain't some sort of weird trap plan- If it is I’ll be double pissed.” Susie crossed her
arms, rubbing them. “Let’s just grab a sweater and get out of here.”

Ralsei nodded, looking around to try to find where the alleged clothes were. They were standing in
a far corner of the tent near the edge of the cubbies.

Susie tapped her foot, which made her realize something. She bent over and pulled up her pant leg
a bit to tear the bandage that had been on her leg this whole time off.

“Ew.” She stuck out her tongue a little bit as she turned it over to see the touch of dried blood that
typically accompanied injection sites. Yikes...

“Dare me to try my own blood?”

“Susie- please don’t that's actually gross-” Ralsei made a grossed-out face, which just made Susie
jokingly stick her tongue out more and slowly move it towards the bandage.

"Susieee!" Ralsei laughed slightly before grabbing her by her shoulder, stopping her from getting
any closer.

They joked lightly, obviously trying to shake off the weirdness of earlier. Ralsei appreciated it. He
didn’t like sitting in uncomfortable feelings for long and Susie was good at stirring something up.

“One second!” This call from a thermling startled Susie into dropping the bandage. She tensed and
closed her fists at them. Ralsei picked the bandage up, as tense as the relations were now he was no
litterer. Nor would he condone it.

He pulled it into his cloak to put it in a pocket underneath it. Into Trashy it’ll go!

Three thermlings ran by the two of them and towards the cubbies. As a team they pulled the cubby
out of the wall and towards Susie and Ralsei. It took them a moment despite the box being a little
less than half Susie’s height.

Once the cubby was out, the three of them one by one leapt on top of each other, creating an image
that they were close to Ralsei’s height. They stood behind the box as if it was a counter and the one
on top smiled at them.

“Welcome to the Clothing Corner! How may we prepare you for the chill tonight?”

Susie and Ralsei looked at each other, suspicious. These little guys went from pulling needles on
them to being hospitable again in a heartbeat?

Is this a shop?

“...Uh...do you...have the dark dollars…? I think...Kris carried them-”

“I had a few but I think I gave them to Joe cause I felt bad for all of them…”

The thermling on top of the stack jumped lightly, annoying mostly the bottom most one. “Oh oh!
No worries! Here at W.A.R.M.T.H: We’re a charity organization. The three of us are just here to
make sure what you pick works for you!”

Susie and Ralsei gave each other that nervous glance once more, before Ralsei hummed. “Alright.”

“No funny business or needles in this box, right?” Susie pointed at the top one, making it a bit
nervous.

“We keep all our needles stored in several different cubbies for sanitation purposes! No funny
business unless Thermallory asks for the business to get funny!”

Susie hummed, putting her hands on the sides of the box. “You guys would do whatever the hell
that weirdo says, huh?”

The thermling just nodded, smiling once more. “Thermallory does her best so we make sure to
always do ours!”

Ralsei stepped closer, looking in the box. About yourselves? “Who are you three, if I may ask?”
This made the top thermling pip and the one on the bottom moved so they could all be seen.

On top, the thermling bounced a bit and bowed forward. “I’m Thermanto!”

In the middle, moving its legs so Thermanto didn’t make it fall. “I am Thermarcelo.”

On the bottom with its own angry pow symbol wavering for its face. It said nothing.

Thermanto bounced a bit more. “That's Thermakoto. It’s a little shy.”

Ralsei nodded, understanding. Susie pulled out a hat and scoffed at it, putting it back down.

Thermanto kept talking while they looked in the box. “We really like manning the Clothing Corner
because we often don’t have to face The Storm or have to go to Peregrine’s Piano, but if
Thermallory asks: we totally would!”

Thermanto tapped its foot, making Thermarcelo’s legs shake a bit. “It’s just...we sorta hope she
doesn’t. We’d hate to see her stress harder…”

Susie looked up at them, toying with the end of a light blue overcoat. She looked behind her
towards Thermallory.

It was shaking still, but went back to calling out directions like nothing happened. Thermallory’s
Goddamn Deal. “Yeah, what’s her fucking problem? Is she the person who goes stupid-nuts crazy
from the fountains bullshit?” Ala King and Queen.

Thermanto looked annoyed, judging by its line turning sideways. “Do not speak about her like that!
She’s not “stupid-nuts” or “crazy”!! She’s just...having a hard time right now. She was right in
saying Medonia used to be nice."

Thermanto pointed its leg at Susie. "And she is still nice! To us! She tucks each and every one of
us into our warming cabinet to sleep and always makes sure everything is comfy and good for
everyone and everything!” Thermanto jumped up and down, making Thermakoto grumble.

Ralsei looked down into the box out of some weird sort of shame, grabbing the first pink thing he
saw. It was a scarf, but it had white patterns adorning it that looked like clouds. Pillowh Scarf.

“It’s just...always had trouble with Lightners. The Storm in the Iciyu just made it worse…”
Thermanto continued. From below, they heard from Thermarcelo. “...we worry about her…”

Ralsei felt the fabric, feeling guilty even though things were not his fault. It was thick and soft.

“What’s her deal with Lightners then? Thinkin I’m fragile...” Susie asked with a grumble, raising
an eyebrow. Ralsei moved to put the scarf on, folding it slowly around his neck with practiced
motion.

"Thermallory always wants to keep everyone safe and warm...Especially Lightners…” Thermanto
started, slightly hesitant.

“...Whenever a Lightner was here, she'd always keep them happy and warm, to make their scary
experience a little less bad! But...More often than not, they left cold and not...Not awake…”
Susie’s eyebrows dropped, a very small level of guilt stirring around in her. Ralsei’s eyes went
misty, this making his strange guilt even worse.

They could still hear Thermallory give orders with a strained voice. She was still going.

A darkner who tries to fill a purpose but the lightner unwillingly rejects it due to nature...

“...I think it tries to be strong about it but...Well...We all have our bad days, don't we!"

Thermanto hummed, while Ralsei rubbed the back of his neck. Susie went quiet. So she dealt with
death...likely each and every day at a point...didn’t have to be weird with needles and wanting to
sedate her! She’s firm in thinking Thermallory’s a little crazy...but...she couldn’t help but feel the
same way she felt for Queen.

Pity. Strange Pity.

She looked at Ralsei, who was itching the tip of his back through his new scarf. She sighed, hoping
she wouldn’t regret this.

“Okay you three, lissen. We have a really nice place called Castle Town, it’s much warmer for
everyone there. Why don’t... after we leave, you let her know she’s welcome there. Y’know, if you
guys want, you didn’t hear it from me. If you guys can reign in the needle-ness, that is.”

Thermanto and Ralsei both gave Susie a little smile. “That’s nice of you...we’ll talk to her!”

Susie gave a bit of a smile back to them, reaching to grab what looked like a deep red jacket out of
the box. She observed it for a bit, and got close to ask. The Storm of the Iciyu. “So I want you to tell
me what you know about this storm…” The silent “I want to stop it.” rang only in her head.

She held the coat up to her torso while Thermanto started. Quite the talkative thermling!

“Ever since The Knight spurred the Iciyu to grow, it hasn’t stopped snowing.” Thermarcelo spoke
up from below, making Thermakoto grumble in the balance. “I think the wires are running higher
and higher into the clouds!”

Thermanto nodded, and continued. “The snow turned to ice spreading against the ground and even
though Peregrine’s Piano is so close to it. It’s the second warmest place to be right now. First is
here, of course!”

Susie held the jacket down and asked. “Why did the Knight make it bigger in the first place? How
dumb of it.” She said this knowing full well she was calling herself dumb.
Thermanto tilted its head. “I’m not sure. Maybe to go inside?”

Susie looked down, taking that in. She reached up and undid her upper cuff, and then the one on
her wrist too. “That’s weird.” A simple answer to brush it off.

She held them out to Ralsei, and he helpfully took them. She swung the coat over her shoulder so
she could take off the other two.

Once Ralsei was holding both sets, she could start changing.

“I hope the storm settles soon. With all the ice it’s popping up, it could shatter the Piano! Or
worse...all of us...Thermling Popsicles don’t sound like they’d taste good!”

Probably would taste like laundry detergent. Not that Susie would know what that tastes like.

Ralsei looked down at Susie’s cuffs and since sadness was in his heart at the moment, he decided
he’d play a little joke. He spoke to distract Susie. “I’m sure while we look for Berdly we can see
what we can help with about the storm.”

“Mhm...” Susie started to take off her sleeveless jacket. She didn't notice Ralsei putting on her
cuffs, meticulously.

“Is there anything else you’d like to know?” Thermanto spoke up, and Ralsei answered so Susie
wouldn't look at him.

Peregrine’s Piano. “What exactly is “Peregrine’s Piano” anywho?”

Thermanto hopped a bit once more. “A bit of a lobby arrangement! A lounge of sorts where all of
Medonia can go in and relax while they wait for any unpleasantries in their lives to melt away.
With whatever they need this land for! Warmth from ones like us, some medicine, fluids to stave
off an infection, whatever!”

Thermanto attempted to walk around while speaking, making Thermarcelo shift with it.
Thermakoto walked the way Thermarcelo leaned so Thermanto could cross its legs.

“It’s actually pretty nice without the suffocating ice and gigantic hike through a field that's been
frosted over getting in the way.”

Susie smoothed down the deep red fabric of the jacket, her typical one sitting at her feet. She
buttoned it up before deciding that looked stupid and unbuttoned it. The sleeves fit a little better
than her light world jacket, so that's a plus. It’s probably better if she needs to scrap for real.

She didn’t respond verbally to the talk of the ice out of not exactly knowing how. They’d have to
face it eventually.

She turned to Ralsei to point at the jacket. “I think Red might just be my new- What the hell. ”

Susie gave Ralsei a bewildered look and he looked startled for a moment before committing to the
bit.

“Well uh!” He artificially deepened his voice and flexed towards Thermanto. Boy barely had a lick
of arm muscle to work with, but he flexed nonetheless. “Don’t you worry your uh...weird...egg-
shaped egg...face! Cause Ah-m Susie! A Hero Of Legend!”

Susie cringed as he did a silly little pose that mimicked one she often pulled, but her smile was
clearly evident given she had to cover it with her mouth.

What a bad attempt at her subtle accent-

“We’ll face that dumb-dummy field and do our best to help this land while we help our friends! If I
don’t eat a whole lot of snacks first! Balanced nutrition is important, arright!” Susie snorted,
covering her nose. He definitely wanted to swear there but chickened out. Thermanto just looked at
him like “What are you doing?”

Susie picked up her usual jacket, transferred Noelle’s cookies to her new pocket and folded it in
half. She held the ends tight and spun it around like a wet towel. Ralsei kept jokingly flexing and
posing.

“Yeah! And! Uh! I...have really nice hair as heroes deserve! And- AH!” He yelped when Susie
flicked his side with the wound jacket.

He let out a laugh when Susie used this to grab hold of him. She proceeded to noogie full knuckle
on the top of his head. She made sure to go in sideways so as to not bump her hand between his
horns.

“You cheeky little shit!”

Ralsei laughed openly as she pressed in harder. This kept up for only a little bit until his head
reminded him of his previous aches. He pulled his head back with a little wince, making Susie ease
up for once.

“Give me back my junk, you “dumb-dummy” dingbat.”

Ralsei snickered while he did as told, trying to ignore his aching head. Once Susie was putting her
cuffs back on over the sleeves, she hummed.

“What can I do with this? I kinda can’t tie it around my waist.” She picked up her usual coat once
more, and Thermanto jumped up. “We can hold onto it for you! Thank you for your donation!”
Thermakoto moved forward so quickly Susie could feel the static grip as it grabbed her jacket.

“Hey! Don’t give it away, that's my coolest coat!”

“Coolest indeed. No Sleeves, No Warmth!” Thermanto plopped it in the basket, making Susie
grumble, “I’ll be back for it.”

Thermanto smiled at her. “Don’t worry. I’m sure people will be smart to not pick it in that storm.”
Thermarcelo hummed in agreement below it.

Susie clicked her tongue, shaking her head. “We’ll do our best in the storm, but I’m sure we can
handle it. C’mon, Ralsei, let’s bounce.” She adjusted her new coat and started walking away.

Ralsei moved to join her when Thermanto called. “Wait! Wait a moment, you’re missing
something!”

“What?” Susie turned around, done with these blankets and their nonsense. “Not you! Thick pants,
heavy boots and coat. You’re golden to brave the field! You however-” Thermanto pointed its foot
at Ralsei. “-are still a touch underdressed!”

Ralsei put up his finger towards his face. “Me? What do you mean?” He touched his scarf. “This
scarf is very warm.” He touched the side of his face. “My fur is thick and made for a chilly dark
world in the first place!”

And for good measure, he grabbed the bottom of his cloak and moved it aside to show his usual
green outfit was underneath it. “And I’m double layered! I appreciate the concern but I wouldn’t
call myself underdressed!” Ralsei gave a little bow, blushing.

“Kid, you aren’t wearing shoes.” This quick blunt statement from Thermakoto made Ralsei look
down and blush even harder.

He shook his head when Susie laughed a little bit. “Oh no no no, you see...I don’t really need
shoes!” He spoke but Thermanto leapt into the box to look around in it. “I actually have paw pads!
They help me balance and wearing shoes is possible but not exactly comfortable- and-”

His words were ignored when two pansy purple boots with a vibrant pastel green rim on the top
were tossed out of the box. “They won’t be comfortable frozen chapped to hell and back so put on
the boots!”

Ralsei thought about this for a second. He mentally agreed but gave a sigh. He sat down on the
ground and grabbed the boots. “Yes. Alright, Mx.”

Snow Boots. He slid them on and uncomfortably flexed his toes within them. He hoped he wasn't
the one breaking these in. He’d hate to get a blister on top of this experience.

He stood up very gently and timidly balanced with them. They weren't too tight and that was a
plus. He stamped his foot down as to adjust his pads to the new texture that would be their
consistent feeling now. It took him a while.

“You good now, your highness?” Susie quipped at Ralsei’s slow adjustment.

“I think I am, your Susieness.”

“Then let's get the hell out of here before Thermallory changes its mind.”

Thermanto gave them another smile. “Hope we won’t have to find you out there! I’ll let
Thermallory know about the little town!” They unstacked to begin pulling the cubby back where it
belongs.

“You do that- See ya.” Susie ignored the creepy nature of that statement and gave them a small
salute before making a brisk pace to the exit. Ralsei followed suit, giving them a small wave. Susie
sighed deeply as they approached the exit flap.

Thermlings were still running in and out, the ones running in shaking snow off their heads.

“Little creeps, heh. Glad that's over, huh Ralsei?” Susie looked at Ralsei, who in turn simply
looked behind him. She saw him look at Thermallory and rolled her eyes.

“It’ll be fine, Ralsei. Let’s just go and leave it be. Take care of our own stuff first.” She said,
exiting the tent with the flap fluttering behind her.

“Alright! Alright, I'm coming!” Ralsei grabbed the flap to pull it open and around himself, but he
found himself holding it gently. He looked back once more.

He saw Thermallory still struggling to keep pushing out the orders, but he couldn’t hear her from
the distance. Just the sound of far off voices.
He got to see Thermanto approach her, tapping her to get its attention. She looked down at it,
tilting her empty head. Ralsei could tell by its subtle little body movements that it was talking to
her.

Then, suddenly, Thermallory fell onto its knees, putting her head against the ground.

As if grieving. As if crying.

But Ralsei could see Thermanto’s line become a smile and it walked into Thermallory, giving her a
hug of sorts.

This turned to several more thermlings rushing off the line to pile atop her. He couldn't hear it, but
he figured she was sob-laughing.

His fragile heart strings tugged as the three needle stings bothered him in the back of his mind.

Could he call that recruited…? He wasn’t sure. He’d figure it out.

For now, Susie was right. He needed to focus on helping her. He made his way out with a heavy
heart and the crunch of the snow made everything make a lot more sense.

It was cold as hell out here, it made his glasses fog up instantly. He took them off, startled and saw
the blurry silhouette of Susie standing ahead of him. She was looking ahead and up as if in awe.

Thermlings were running past them still, not giving them any mind. Ralsei rushed to Susie’s side,
wiping his glasses off on his new scarf to get a clear look at what she was seeing.

Both their breaths sent wisps of clouds above them as they took in the sight of the storm.

Coloring the air around it with its intense cyan aura, the Iciyu stood taller than Susie could even
imagine from when she first saw it on top of the Mountain.

It would only get taller.

Dark clouds drew above it, obscuring its wires with its snowy demeanor. It was too foggy to even
see Peregrine’s Piano through the field, but the Iciyu grew above the fog. It grew with the fountain,
higher and higher.

All Ralsei could do was stare at the fountain. Beacon of darkness flowing pure black and
shimmering dark blues. Bringer of the Roaring if they didn’t fix this soon.

Susie stared more at the intense neon blue itself, almost hypnotized.

“I’m not sure. Maybe to go inside?”

Ralsei blinked as the cold became comfortable. “Susie…?”

She took a second to process his question, but answered. “Yeah?”

“...I don’t think this is over...I think we’re just getting started.”

That statement made her shake her head, snapping her out of the mesmerization. She gave Ralsei a
bright red determined look.

“Let’s go get it started then!!”

 She took the lead, beginning the trek into the field. Ralsei followed suit, crossing his arms in his
front rather than behind his back.

Wherever could Berdly be in this field of frosted white? Maybe ever deeper in than one would
think…

He’ll be found. He has to be found.

It’s a promise as strong as the thickest ice and it was not going to be broken. That’s the last thing
Susie would allow.

End Notes

And promise is a promise is a promise..

I hope you've enjoyed the point of this promise. It'll be a bit til the next chapters will come
out. I need a BIG break.

Goodnight.

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