———

The four slowly walked into the hotel. Soldiers were rushing about... Wounded being tended to...? And many were going through files and searching the hotel. Mepad stood confusedly, not recognizing anyone here. Dough nervously twiddled his thumbs, absentmindedly spiralling into panic. Many other men stopped and looked over to the two objects brought to them, asking many questions and bringing their weapons out in case. Dough immediately became alarmed and it his hands up, while Mepad just narrowed his gaze wearily.

"That's the one that was on the beast!" A Soldier pointed out, which made Dough flinch as a finger was pointed in his face.

"What...? What beast...?" He questioned, trying to think back to what they could be referring to... Was it that dragon that Lightbulb brought in??? "I—..." He couldn't find the words to explain himself.

Mepad took a bold step in front of Dough. "Now, I do not believe that this is the same object you are searching for." Mepad insisted. They did not stop their bickering and discussion on the matter. Mepad couldn't actually tell if they paid much attention to what he SAID rather than what he DID. He grumbled to himself. "I would appreciate if you were to listen. As, I do not know what has happened here...But I do know we are no threat to you." Mepad informed slightly louder.

"As of now you both are a risk to public safety, and otherwise in possession in supernatural ability." One informed in a low agitated voice.

Mepad blinked and shifted to concern again. "We can assure you that we mean no harm... I understand that you may be required to take action and likely detain us due to whatever situation you are in... However all I request is you do so peacefully? Please...?" He muttered.

Some of the soldiers step back and talk into their radios. Some others talk amongst themselves.

Dough nervously lowered his hands a few inches, keeping them next to his head. "What do we do...? Run...?" He whispered
to Mepad, trying to seem inconspicuous.

"What? No. We stay and follow direction. We have nothing to hide." He replied, looking forwards as the men pondered what their next course of action should be.

"I doubt they'll—like, decide something that's in our best interest...!" Dough grumbled in a hushed voice, his face scrunching up into slight panic and anger.

"Perhaps not, but, It is better than being clueless or harmed..." Mepad eyes dropped sadly, worried. He didn't want Dough to die a second time. Though he was skeptical of his situation, he didn't want Dough to be harmed.

The Soldiers eventually quit their banter and turned to the two objects. One of them grumbled something to themself, and pointed the some of the others to go. He sighed and walked over to the two of them. "Follow me." He then directed them to the roof.

"Whats going on?" Dough narrowed his gaze skeptically, dropping hands. Looking past Mepad to the soldier.

He looked back briefly, before opening the door to the roof pad for them. "My orders are to take you to the mainland for diagnostics and testing. We will determine if you share qualities with those that are supernatural, and if not, question and... Keep you in a secluded location." His voice low and serious.

Mepad nodded.

Dough bit his lip nervously, "What if we... Do have the 'Abilities'? Uh— hypothetically?" He smiled, knowing he sounded suspicious.

The Soldier remained silent.

"Right..." Dough huffed, nervously tapping his fingers together. Knowing whatever that would follow potential discovery couldn't be good.

Mepad noted Dough's comment. He sighed to himself nervously, Dough's lack of caution in his words only made them both seem more suspicious. Her worried for both of their safety. He was also concerned for Mephone4, who was nowhere to be seen. In fact, there was no trace of him at all. Did Cobs get to him in his absence? How did this happen...?

When did things come to this?

The fact Dough was even inhabiting a 'vacant' body was already concerning to him, how the body became vacant was a potential threat to the safety of everyone here. And Mepad wasn't very good at protecting people. He couldn't even protect himself... The stress of this pressure to be the mature one, the one who always knew what to do. He didn't even know how to FEEL. How this stress even effected him was enigmatic in itself...

"Dude... I'm kinda like, nervous..." he whispered to Mepad, which snapped the tablet out of his train of thought.

Mepad sighed and looked back at Dough, "We will be fine. As long as we cooperate we should remain untouched." He informed, trying to give a smile he couldn't give.

Dough groaned to himself.

They got on the helicopter, normally two regularly sized objects would be sitting knee to knee, but due to Dough's small size, and Mepad's larger scale they sat without touching for the most part. Mepad didn't really feel much, since he had no nerves to feel with, but wanted to respect Dough's space as much as ossicle. It was the polite thing to do after all. Dough nervously tapped his finger's against his knees... He didn't know what to do with himself, he didn't even really know how to feel about being alive again. He forgot how much it sucked. He hated all the bad things— and his body ached for some reason...

The helicopter took off, Dough didn't really mind the height at all, but he HATED helicopters. He began to shiver slightly, trying not to look out the window. Mepad quickly took notice and raised a brow, "Is something wrong? Your heart rate has increased by 15%..."

"Wh-what? No I'm totally fine..." He forced an awkward smile as he tried to avert his eyes from Mepad, only for them to fall on the outside of the vehicle and he snapped his head forwards again.

"Are you, by any chance, scared of heights?" Mepad asked, narrowing his eyes with suspicion, which made Dough flinch slightly.

"What?! N-no! No— I'm not scared of heights— I just... I don't like... Being in a flying death machine...!" Dough spat, shaking nervously.

"The crash of a professionally flown helicopter is very unlikely." Mepad informed, blinking with confusion. He didn't understand Dough's fear. "Statistically it won't—"

"—STATISTICALLY I HAVE A CHANCE AT DYING, AND THATS ENOUGH FOR ME!" Dough cut in, griping the side of the aircraft, since the handles were out of reach.

Mepad didn't expect Dough to cut in like that, but didn't flinch. "I see, well, fear and anxiety are natural responses that once kept us alive. It's okay to be afraid."

Dough clutched the metal wall, his teeth grinding. He felt bad since the body wasn't his. Then again, he didn't even know who this was. Though, they seemed to have some sort of familiarity to him, he really didn't know who the body belonged to.

The pilot of the helicopter leaned into his radio, stating their distance. "We're thirty minutes out... Be ready upon arrival."

Dough's eyes twitched. Thirty?! He breathed heavily and groaned once more. "Dude... I have to sit in this coffin sized death box in the sky for, like, half an HOUR?!" He chuckled bitterly. "That's freakin lovely..." he tugged at his eyelids with his other hand.

Mepad tried to not show that he himself was beginning to feel on edge, "Perhaps it's best to get your mind off things, how about a road game?"

"The road is where I'd rather be..." He growled bitterly, which made Mepad wince back in his seat.

"I apologize for the inconvenience..." Mepad muttered, swaying his legs uncomfortably as he tried to now avert his gaze from Dough entirely.

"Yeah, you're the one who insisted we go to em! Not cool dude..." He said through gritted teeth. His knuckles white.

All Mepad did was continue keeping his eyes on the ocean below. He didn't know how to respond... Was it truly his fault? He felt somewhat bad for Dough, but didn't know how to help. Emotional situations wasn't really his strong suit. As, he couldn't sympathize with them properly. Any words that came to mind wouldn't do much, so he swallowed them back down and stared out the window. Giving Dough some space, or at least, mental space.

———

Fries stared at the scene before him, watching the light show as the two conversed mentally, Paper's eyes glowing white similarly to Balloon's which were still illuminated with the rainbow sheen. Eraser and Tree stepped towards him, which made Fries snap his back. "What the hell is going on?!"

Fries didn't have an answer, he had a feeling... But was unsure. "By the Crowned's grace..." He muttered astonished and taken aback. "I wish I could tell you, Tree..."

"What the hell...?!" Screamed a female voice from behind them, as she trudged, clutching her fractured glass. She glared with a narrow gaze at the three men. "Like, what THREW me ba-..." Her eyes landed on Balloon and Paper. "Oh em gee..." She muttered, as sweat poured down the side of her face.

Tree looked back at her, "Kid! Get back! It's not safe!" He demanded, which made Pepper flinch. She stood her ground and shook her head. Tree through a hand back, pointing to the forest for cover. "GO! You're injured!" Tree screamed.

"NO WAY!" She responded, trudging through the thick wind current as she approached the men. "These are the first people I recognize since Salt SHATTERED! I'm not leaving!" Pepper spat.

"Wait..." Eraser muttered, pointing at the two of them. "You know these two?!" His eyes widened.

"Uh, duh! Yes! They were with me before I fell out of the fucking sky!" She grumbled, jabbing a finger at his arm naggingly.

Fries narrowed his eyes, "Who... Are they really?"

Pepper groaned, "Well... That's OJ's stupid husband... What was his name again? Diaper or something..." She waved her hand, "I don't care much about him since Salt was always so hyper fixated on those two... I'm too jealous to give a fuck what his name is... Lucky bastards..." She stuck her tongue out. She then grumbled, "The only reason I care about OJ at all is because he lets me and Salt go to the salon on the weekends."

"The What—?" Eraser was cut off by Fries who shoved him aside.

"And the other?" He pointed at Balloon, which made Pepper groan.

"UGHH! Him? He always bugs me and Salt...." She whined, "one time, he got feathers stuck to my wet nail polish!" She screamed in outrage. "I wish he never got that stupid magic card... Me and Salt would've obviously been better with the whole super power thing..."

"Wait— hold on... He wasn't born with those wings?" Tree flinched looking back at Balloon and Paper. "A... Card?"

"Yeah... And Of COURSE he wasn't born with those things! The weird ice power thing, and wind stuff is also not a born with thing..." She narrowed her eyes. "Why? Is it a NORM for people to be bird people?"

"You are such a dumbass..." Eraser groaned to himself, not wanting to put up with the teen's bullshit.

"Wind, and ice—?! Wait— weather... what about the weather?!" Tree asked, grabbing her shoulders, which made her wince.

"Ow— like, stop grabbing me!" She slapped his hands away, "But I mean, I guess? He can make it, like, snow and whatever..." She shrugged, then winced once more. She muttered; 'Damnit' under her breath exasperatedly.

The three exchanged nervous glances, "Is—Is that even possible...? There's no way..." Eraser rubbed the back of his head with a panicked glare.

"We're so fucked..." Tree was silently freaking out.

Fries was more worried about their safety. "Relax... Maybe they don't know themselves? Let's just focus on deescalating the situation for now..." Fries huffed, looking back at floating father and son.

Tree scoffed taken aback, "how are we supposed to relax?! There could be a fucking WIND GOD staring us in the fucking face!"

"What...?! WIND WHAT?" Pepper perked, "Was— how?! They—HUH?!" She had a very concerned glare.

"Tree! Calm down! We gotta try and stop the kid's panicking if any of us want to stop this!" Fries retaliated, gripping Tree's sides with a bitter glare.

"SOMEONE EXPLAIN TO ME WHATS GOING ON!" Pepper screamed, throwing her hands out, her glass clicking as it cracked once more. "ARGH...!" She gripped her eye, which had a crack snapped through it.

Tree gasped, "Kid— you need to get out of here!"

"No, I like told you I'm not leaving! Were you even listening?!" She screamed back, which only frustrated Tree.

"We don't— know! They just..." Eraser pointed at the two, then staring briefly, unsure how to even explain.

"Tree, take Pepper into the forest, me and Eraser will handle things here." Fries glared at Tree with a trusting stare. Tree looked at him, then Pepper, who seemed alarmed.

"What?! NO!" Pepper tried to protest further, but tree hauled her over his shoulder as she kicked and punched at his back. Tree ran off away from the chaos along with a few other bandits.

Fries sighed to himself, then narrowing his eyes and glanced back at the others as they ran to safety. He didn't even know who these two were... Why did he... Care so much? He didn't know. He just had a feeling... That this was bigger than he thought.

He couldn't just... Not help.

———

Lightbulb dragged her heals along the pavement as the three of them walked through the city. She was bored and skeptical of this entire thing. This whole ordeal with 'X' just seemed too good to be true. Lightbulb looked ahead at Paintbrush and opened her mouth to speak. The large gulp of air she took before hand gave away her attempt at protest.

"No Lightbulb... for the last time we aren't 'going in there guns-a-blazin'... Jeez... I don't even think guns exist here." Paintbrush muttered to themselves, they then pinched where the bridge of their nose should've gone.

Lightbulb grumbled to herself, "But what if they get the jump on us first? We gotta be expectin it! But we can't be drownin..." She protested.

"What the hell does that even mean? That's not even a real thing people say!" Paintbrush threw their arms out with a critical glare.

"It's a real thing and I'm a real person...! Saying... It... so then it is! Or.. Was..." Lightbulb thought for a moment and Mephone let out a grumpy scoff.

"Was she always this dumb? I feel sorry for you..." He crossed his arms with a annoyed glare, which was pointed up at Paintbrush.

They shot a angry gaze down to the child size object. "Listen... You may have been the host before... But now it's every object for themself... So don't be a douche bag, eh?!" They spat, "You're lucky we put up with you after some of the shit you pulled."

Mephone4 flinched back, a bit startled. It's been a while since he's been talked to like that. He felt... hurt... But he swallowed his nerves and looked away with a forced 'hmph...'. Not wanting to show that kind of vulnerability at the time.

Lightbulb frowned, "how much longer? I feel like one of them sleeping geese..." She'd ran up further ahead after the small exchange between the other two.

"It's sitting ducks, Lighty..." Paintbrush corrected, wondering if it would've even been worth it to correct her any longer.

"That's what I said." Lightbulb raised a brow, which then made Paintbrush's flames flicker red.

The group made their way to the centre building and stopped before it. All of them unsure how to approach this situation. Would it be wrong for them to just... Walk in? Mephone eventually just bit the bullet and walked right up to the door, opening it. Paintbrush was startled by the suddenness of his action, and backed off. The inside was gilded and beautifully decorated. Markings and professionally chiselled walls, statues of figures they didn't really recognize. It was just as breath taking as the first time Mephone4 had been there.

"Hello?" Paintbrush hollered while they cupped their hands around their mouth to emphasize the noise. They got no response, which was to be expected. This building was massive, and, they weren't even sure if 'X' was there at the time.

"Maybe they aren't here..." Mephone4 shrugged which made Lightbulb grumble to herself as she ran up ahead.

"No! Then our lead is gone... Some detectives we are..." She whined as she looked through the different artifacts and felt the pleasant presence of the velvet carpets that laid beneath her feet.

Paintbrush simply sighed.

Lightbulb continued to explore, along with the other two. Long halls were difficult to navigate. They were confusing and maze like to the teens. Lightbulb knew she'd been in similar situations, but this was a bit different... excessively long temple like walls kept distracting her.

"At this rate, we won't even find a way out of this forsaken place, let alone any answers." Paintbrush huffed to themself, looking over to Lightbulb. They hoped for reassurance.

"Maybe we could split up?" She raised a brow, giving an awkward shrug.

"Mhm... I'm sure that'll work great..." Mephone4 clenched his fists with furrowed brows. "And if you are right, and I get attacked, how do I protect myself?"

Lightbulb frowned, knowing Mephone4 didn't have any powers, "I mean... Mh..." She didn't really have a solution to this issue.

Mephone4 tapped his foot against the ground bellow with narrow eyes, as if trying to convey his annoyance through body language, which, was working.

"Guys...?" Paintbrush half whispered, which made both their heads snap to them. They glanced back and waved for them to come closer. A door was cracked open, and they were glaring into some sort of meeting room. A conversation was held within it.

"Listen— I just... Have a feeling! Okay? It's not something I can just explain!" X huffed, crossing their ghostly arms. They laid pressed against their non physical body.

"This isn't something you can... Joke about... If you're wrong we won't have someone to hide behind anymore..." A voice very different in contrast grumbled.

X scoffed, they turned their head away with a hurt but aggressive look, "I told you I wanted nothing to do with that..." They frowned.

"There's no use dwelling on the past. What's happened, happened. We have to focus on what's best for us, now." The other person reminded.

"And this could be! If I'm right, we won't need to hide anymore!" X conveyed, turning back and lifting a hand backwards as if to point at the hypothetical objects they were speaking of.

There was a gruff sigh, "And if you're wrong?"

"—I-It...It still wouldn't hurt to at least give it a shot!" X whined, they then hugged themself, and averted their gaze down to the floor below. "We could fix... Everything..."

Another sigh.

"Please...?" They folded their hands in their lap, pleadingly glaring up at the figure before them.

"If you're so sure... I guess... I'll trust you on this." The ghostly figure crossed their arms and huffed. "Just... Don't tell anyone yet... I don't want to get their hopes up."

"Right!" X cheered, then flinching as there was a small knock on the door.

Paintbrush knocked as they opened the door slightly, "What exactly is going on here?" They asked, suspicious the conversation they had witnessed was about the three of them.

X snapped around and chuckled nervously. "O-oh! It's you guys! Hi!" They rushed over, and abandoned the other to try an explain.

"Ah! I knew it! The jigs up! You're gonna try attack us like the corn guy, aren't you?!" Lightbulb placed her hands firmly on her hips, the bow on her neck swaying as she took a aggressive and dramatized stance.

"What? No! No—?!" X waved their hands in front of them. "Who would I—?"

"SUSPICIOUS—!"

"—Lightbulb!" Paintbrush pushed her back with the back of their arm, and sighed. "We're you talking about us just now? And if so, what are you 'right' about..."

The person from behind X began towards them, "X—... Don't—..."

"—Four... If we're going to figure this out, they need to too." X raised a hand as to tell 'Four' to stop their approach. They then turned back to the other three, "You, Lightbulb, right?"

Lightbulb's critical gaze faded as her name was called and she softened her stance, "Me?" She raised a brow, "Yeah... Whatzit to ya?" She growled.

"When I... First saw you... I resonated with you in a sense." X explained, "I'm not just a leader... to this city. Me and— Four here... We're Gods. The 'Crowned'" X explained to them.

Paintbrush's brows furrowed and they stepped back, to stay closer to Mephone and Lightbulb. "Crow—GODS?! YOU'RE GODS...?" They blinked, completely dumbfounded... "No— No no! That sort of thing— it's in stories...! It's not real!" Paintbrush jabbed a finger at them.

"Listen to me!" X placed their hands up defensively, "I think Lightbulb is my successor!" X conveyed.

Paintbrush's eyes snapped wider again, and they turn back to Lightbulb who's in equal if not, more shock.

Lightbulb stared into the large round eyes of the variable before her. Shocked at this complete change in circumstance. God? She could be a God? Was this how people felt when she spilt her silly nonsense? This has to be some sort of joke! Or prank! She wasn't— She wasn't godly in the slightest. Her wings folded against her back and she shook her head, bitterly laughing and didn't bother spilling her normal goofy shenanigans. "No... Mh-Mh... you got the wrong girl... Im not some... God like thingy... you've got it all wrong!" Lightbulb shook her head.

"You don't just— you... This has to be... Gods— They aren't real!" Paintbrush looked at the two before them.

"I warned you... They don't get it..." Four crossed their arms with a narrow and gaze nearly snakelike. Their once perfectly round pupils slit lines.

"Four..." X frowned, then turned to Paintbrush and Lightbulb. Mephone4 had already stepped aside. "You are gods... And I know that may seem... unbelievable—!"

"—Unbelievable?! It's untrue—!"

"—PLEASE!" X snapped, "I—... I'm sorry I just...I-I need you to listen. Okay...? Please..." X reasoned, looking near on the brink of tears. "Lightbulb, were you born, with those wings? And— can you do things nobody else can?" They asked.

Lightbulb was about to protest in some way, but she thought for a moment. "Well... No..." She looked back at the small wings, feeling them out and then let them flutter slightly. "I got them after absorbing a weird Pokémon card into my chest, I think... And..." She closed her fist, watching a bow form in her grip. "Can summon this thingy..." She shrugged.

X flinched, recognizing that immediately.

Four followed in suit, "That Bow..." They muttered beneath their breath.

X gasped, running up to Lightbulb, "That's it! That's the one! Four! It looks almost just like—!"

"—your divine weapon." Four walked over... their ghostly figure up close was different than X's. A black mist, nearly. They reached to touch the bow, but Lightbulb took it away, making it dissipate.

"Now hold on just a minute! Who's this guy?" She twirled a finger at them, a skeptical glare trying to pierce their stone cold soul.

Paintbrush and Mephone4 nodded, wanting to know too.

X flinched, "O-oh right! He-heheh... You haven't met Four yet...! They are uh— a God! A Crowned...! like me! Also— uh.. dead... B-but still lingering." They explained.

"There's— there's more than one?!" Paintbrush gasped looking between the two of them.

Four sighed, "Yes... Idiot... you thought she was the only one? We'd be doomed if that was true." Four rolled their eyes, still weary of the new company that essentially broke in.

"Do you have, titles then? Or something?" Mephone4 cut in, curious to know if they had specific traits depending on the 'Crowned'...

X nodded, "I'm the Crowned of the Light. Fourth class." They informed, "And Four is the Crowned of the Dark!" They stuck their arms out as if to show off their friend.

"I can talk for myself, X..." Four patted their arms down. The shorter one apologized afterwards.

"So that means... I'm like... a Light God?" Lightbulb raised a brow.

"If this is true, you may be able to interact with the physical world through her presence, X." Four informed, "Which means we can train her sorry ass..." They got up in Lightbulb's face with a mean glare.

"Hey! Back off..." Paintbrush pulled Lightbulb back. "You'd think Gods would get more respect, yeah?" They muttered... Chuckling bitterly as if to Spite Four.

"I'm a higher Class than X and Lightbulb." Four informed.

"By a little..." X reminded with a narrow glare.

Paintbrush flinched, and blinked a few times. "Wait classes mean—?"

"What limitations your power has. The top 4 classes barely have limits." Four explained, "Everyone knows Crowned of the Dark is Stronger than Light..." they smirk.

Paintbrush gave a nervous smile, "a-ah..." they stuttered and stumbled to find words for a moment, "We-well up to this point I didn't know She even was a god... s-so..." They frowned to themself.

X shook his head, "It's fine... Four is just messing with you...! Ahah... They don't uh... Really like... Much of anyone."

"They would get along real well with Mephone then..." Paintbrush chuckled.

"What?!" Mephone shouted exasperatedly, as Lightbulb and X chuckled after Paintbrush's sly remark. Mephone scoffed and glared at Paintbrush.

X cleared their throat... "Anyways... Lightbulb, do you... Know of anyone else that might have a similar circumstance to you?" They asked.

Lightbulb thought, then nodded, "Oh yeah! Painty! Their hair didn't always become the colourful fire thing!" She pointed up at Paintbrush's flaming bristles. She then perked, "—Wait—Uh yes they did? But they weren't always fire y'know?"

X raised a brow, "They change colour?"

Paintbrush nodded, "Uh... I'm not really sure how, they just kinda... Do?" They said as they talked with their hands too.

X they looked to Four.

"Sounds like Firey..." Four replied in response to X's confused glare.

"Hmm There's no way to tell for sure unless we can get you to him somehow..." X muttered, then giving a subtle shrug.

"Road trip?!" Lightbulb asked excitedly.

X shook their head. "Too dangerous... I'll... Ask him to come here instead." X replied, an unsure glance back to the Lightbulb then followed. "We can risk you getting hurt... Not yet."

"Not yet?!" Paintbrush hissed, taken aback.

"N-no— I didn't mean it like—!"

CRASH

The ground tumbled, shaking the entire floating land mass. lightbulb tumbled to the ground and Mephone grabbed onto the wall while Paintbrush barely sustained their balance.  Four whipped their head to the wind and moved the curtains open. X followed behind.

"Oh damn it..." Four grumbled to themself.

X seemed panicked. "You guys need to hide! The island is under attack!" X screamed, running back over to guide them back deeper into the temple like castle.

Four growled to themself. "I'll try to get everyone inside... They hopped out the window shortly after.

Lightbulb, Paintbrush, and Mephone all followed X deeper into the temple. But... Lightbulb soon froze as she realized something. And turned back to the room.

She'd left Baxter outside...

———