CW: none, please tell me if there's anything that should be warned about. i am unbelievably dense.

Series: Legend of the Balancers - Balancer Productions × Ruined Reality - InfiniteRinzler

AU: Body Swap (Crossover)

Characters: Balance, Louis, Cliff, ProfessorRed, SteveLeader, GeneralProxima, VioletLeader, PinkLeader

Short description: Steve Leader is projecting what he felt about Light onto Balance and gets surprised when Balance doesn't act like Light, even though he has said multiple times he's not Light. Things happen. Angst.

btw extra context, this is kind of a continuation of Day 9. the entirety of the RR crew thinks Balance is an infected Light, with said infection that they're still getting info on.
they're taking everything Balance says with a grain of salt because they mostly think he's crazy. Cliff is somewhat the exception and Professor is figuring it out pretty quickly.

Oh i am so frickin' up all of their characters. forgive me for the sins am about to write.
i kinda went through Balance's dialogue as i just.. went through it. so it probably sounds a bit off. ending is also semi rushed because i can not handle to keep going at this anymore. aaaaaaaaaa

this took so long hagxgahjzd

"Is there a reason Red Leader is so..." Louis raised an eyebrow at the infected Light as he waved his hand in a so-so motion. "Passive-aggressive when talking to me?"

Cliff pops from behind the light, startling the rainbow steve and merely getting a head turn towards him from said light steve. "JesuschristCliff—" "You don't remember that? It was a pretty big thing."

‘Balance’ blinks, his eyeless eyes staring into the light aqua steve. The cracks in his skin seems to glow and dim like a broken lightbulb. "I just got here, no?"

Nodding, Cliff rests his pickaxe on his shoulder. A finger tapping his lips before lighting up with his figner raised in the air. Putting his hand on his hip as he started explaining.

"Well basically, we had a group of people go get the rainbow shards from this Void guy. You were there, I was there, a green steve was there, and some others. The green steve died while we were leaving andd the Leader blamed you for it ever since."

"... I was there too, but that's the gist of it, yeah." The hero agreed, albeit hesitantly. Is he a bit weirded out that Cliff seems to go along with it so easily? Yea, but that's how he always has been.

The ‘Balancer’ let out a “Huh” before nodding. Pausing for a moment before clicking his tongue. "I feel like I shouldn't be used to this. Okay, do the other leaders agree orr..."

"The other Leaders are trying to get it through him that he's being stupid." The hero's friend shrugs. "Not doing too well, but they're trying."

"Well, at least they're trying."

⠀
The meeting room is quiet, for the most part. The Steve Leader is sitting in his chair with his arms crossed as he glared into light's very being. The other Leaders present around the table, each of them waiting for the meeting to start. There weren't many of them, but there's enough to hold said meeting.

‘Balance’(he kept insisting that's his name now but doesn't care if he's called Light either, Louis is still weary of him,) stands in front of the meeting table, with Louis, Cliff, & Professor Red standing by his side. The Professor seems to be vibrating in his spot, definitely excited to share Light's sudden change.

"So," the general started, "What happened?"

ProfessorRed: i think Balance here can tell you!

The ‘Balancer’ blinked. "Yeah, sure, uhh. Where do I start?"

"When you woke up. We're not doing a repeat of that again." Louis spoke, side eyeing Light, who simply nods. "Alright."

"Okay, so, I woke up in pain in your Light's bedroom. I think I was in a bed? I saw Louis & Cliff enter but I didn't know them so I think I tried running away. Then I got knocked out, Professor put me in a machine and when I woke up again Louis threatened me before the two start introducing themselves.

I explained some stuff about myself, like me being from an alternative universe and what the black spots & cracks on me are, which is just Balancer stuff. And then Professor dragged me out, Cliff found us on our way here, andd here we are!"

The Rainbow steve held his head in his hands throughout Light's explanation, with the Professor giggling at the absurdity of the whole thing. Cliff is processing everything.

Slowly, Cliff turns towards Louis, almost offended. "You threatened Light??"

"I didn't know he was Light!" He argued, before ‘Balance’ dismisses him. "It was a really weak threat, don't worry about it."

⠀
A silence fell on the entirety of the meeting room, the Leaders staring at the ‘Balancer’. Who, surprisedly enough, didn't even weaver beneath it all. ".. Do I need to explain more?"

VioletLeader: excuse me?

PinkLeader: what

"... Please do so." Proxima gives the Light the go ahead, and he nods. The Steve Leader doesn't say anything.

"Okay, which part? I said a lot."

The Violet Leader took a deep breath in before asking, in the most dumbfounded tone he could muster.

VioletLeader: ‘Balancer’?

ProfessorRed: i think that's my cue!

The former Light nods and backs away as the Professor steps up, bringing out a clipboard from beneath his coat. Flipping through a few pages before speaking.

ProfessorRed: so
ProfessorRed: Light here is infected

The Leaders immediately looked panicked, expect for the General who's glance hardened, before the Professor raised his finger.

ProfessorRed: HOLD ON LET ME FINISH
ProfessorRed: it looks like it but it's not by darkness, or the soul eater infection

General Proxima slowly takes a deep breath, before leading into his chair. "By what, then?"

ProfessorRed: no idea!

The Red steve slams his hands onto the table before standing up fully, his eye twitching. Startling almost everyone, with Balance only raising an eyebrow at the action and the Professor stared at him, still smiling.

SteveLeader: excuse me?

ProfessorRed: Balance here says it's Balancer Energy
ProfessorRed: might as well name it that

The Pink Leader looks over at Light, his eyes softening slightly. The ‘Balancer’ looks back, blinking before giving a small wave at him. The Leader returns it, before looking towards the Professor.

PinkLeader: .. is that why you're calling Light, Balance?

"It's been my name since I became a Balancer." He shrugs, before pausing. "... I'm not helping my case, am I?"

"Nope!" Cliff chimed in, patting the ‘Balancer's’ shoulder. "You're trying, buddy."

⠀
SteveLeader: why is he still here?

VioletLeader: Leader.
VioletLeader: we're not doing this

SteveLeader: no
SteveLeader: get him out of here

"... Why am I not surprised." ‘Balance’ muttered, sighing. The Professor shook his head, putting his clipboard back into his lab coat.

ProfessorRed: he can't really infect anymore unless he purposely does it
ProfessorRed: so we can keep watch if you're really that paranoid

SteveLeader: how can we know he's not acting to lower our guards?

"I think I would've killed these two already if I really wanted to cause harm." Louis snapped his head towards ‘Balance’, who hesitantly raises his hands up in surrender. "NOT. HELPING."

SteveLeader: SEE
SteveLeader: GET HIM OUT OF HERE

PinkLeader: Leader, calm down

SteveLeader: NO
SteveLeader: HE'S INFECTED
SteveLeader: HE'S A DANGER.
SteveLeader: GET. HIM. OUT.

The Professor pitches the bridge of his nose and sighs, again. Already getting tired of all of this. The ‘Balancer’ thought for a moment before speaking, calmly.

"Why would I still be here if I was a danger? I could've spread the ‘infection’ already, I could've fought against the Professor the moment he let me out, but I didn't."

‘Balance’ walks towards the meeting table and rests both of his crossed arms onto it, his eyes on the Steve Leader. Said Leader glared.

"I don't even know where I am, believe it or not. I don't know who you are, where I am, when I am, or whoever Light was supposed to be. I just wanna go home. So, help me or not, I won't be here to hurt anyone. Lock me up if it'll make you feel better, I'll still be here."

"... You'll let us cage you." The General stated simply, the question underlining it clear as day.

Light shrugs, turning away from the Steve Leader who shakes slightly. Louis isn't sure if it's from anger or not. "Wouldn't be the worst thing, I've been through worse." He said, nonchalantly.

VioletLeader: hm
VioletLeader: you should leave before Steve Leader blows up

"Yep, don't have to tell me twice!"

And the ‘Balancer’ is already out the door, with the Professor calling for him unsuccessfully. Origin save him, Louis thought. He just wants Light back.

⠀
⠀
(1463 words? sure, okay.)