//Idiot...//

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Ray ibispaint fun from last time I discord streamed

Too tired to edit so enjoyyyyy


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I was still smiling when in a flash, Day and Night was spread out in front of me. I glanced around myself– I was alone.

Propping my hands on my hips, I shook my head with a sigh. "If you wanted to talk, you should've pulled me directly here," I said. "It's not fair to keep the others blocked out."

X whisked into existence in front of me. Their adolescent form leaned close as their mouth pulled into a pout. "What makes you say I blocked them? That you're not first?"

"Please." I raised a sardonic eyebrow. "You're telling me not even Emma is here yet? Even with that potential miracle aside– I've been through here enough to know a real Ray when I see one."

X puffed out their cheeks. "And here I thought I was doing you a favour..."

"I appreciate the sentiment," I said, "But I'd like it if you would let them in."

The demon deity huffed in that same childish way; ever so unbefitting of their lifetime. "You're no fun..."

"I know," I said. My lips pulled into a smile as I raised a hand to their head, giving it a little pat. "I wanted to say thank you. You saved my life, when you certainly didn't need to."

X hummed. "Interesting you should thank me, since I played a key role in said near-death experience."

"Baby steps," I said, "Baby steps. So... can you let them in now? Please?"

X rolled their eyes and snapped their fingers. "Fine."

In an instant, the others appeared– all of them, to my surprise. Did they all technically make it here before me; even with my "experience"...? Yeah... I'm definitely not going to volunteer that information.

I noticed the poorly-concealed look of horror in their eyes as they saw me standing next to the deity. I rushed to shake my hands in a dismissive gesture. "I just got here," I said. "Nothing's been done yet." Hesitant relief passed through the crowd.

 "I must admit," Norman said, "I wasn't expecting that after all of that, we'd get here at the same time."

I jabbed a thumb in X's direction. "For that, you can blame this one. But what's done is done. Everyone, meet X." The reception of the deity was certainly... mixed, at the very least, with expressions ranging from disinterest to curiosity, with a few settling on downright hatred. "So, X..." –I glanced between my family members and the god– "You know what we're here for, right?"

"Of course!" X said. "You human children wish to rewrite the promise, not even a century after the last. How fickle-minded you lot are... So let's hear it then; the proposition."

I glanced once more between the others and the god. "We want for all humans, as they are now, to cross to together to the human world." I took in a breath, "And after that, we want crossing to be impossible from either side."

With a deliberating hum, X kicked their legs back and floated cross-legged. As their smile deepened, they rolled onto their stomach, and propped their chin up on their clawed hand. "Interesting... I see you've put careful thought into the wording... Now, you're not supposed to be able to refuse once I've stated by reward, but I'm the omnipotent god, and I make the rules. So how about I give you a proposition?

"For a promise with so many terms," they continued without pause, "It's only natural the 'reward' of sorts reflect that. So here's my proposition– One," –they raised a long, bony finger, and then pointed it in my direction– "I want your past."

Of course. I'd seen that coming.

"That's simple and easy; I only need permission for a peek. Two is where it gets a little complicated. See, I must say I really enjoy your little games of tag. So I want one more– a big one. I'll agree to all of the terms of your promise, minus one little technicality– you'll all go to the human world together, yes... Minus this one," –they gestured to me yet again. "Mind you, you'll in the human world, but somewhere entirely random. Once you've all safely arrived, you'll have two weeks to find each other."

My eyes narrowed. "The condition?" I asked. "What happens if we don't manage?"

"Failure to complete the game within the time limit of two weeks means game over!" X said. "You lot– and the rest– will go back to believing Y/N's dead– and this time around, there will be no room for doubt, if you get what I mean. Y/N's memories I'll just wipe completely and whisk her back to the demon world. Henceforth, you can be certain no one will travel between the worlds.

"That's my proposition," they said. "This time, the choice to refuse or accept is yours– though I can't say that I'll accept another promise on similar or better terms."

I looked back to the others. I thought it was a best-case scenario. But... "I'll let you all decide," I said.

Eyes glanced back-and-forth, toward me, and back again, until finally, some sort of silent agreement seemed to pass through them. Together, they all looked to one. "Ray?" Emma asked.

Ray's forest green eyes flicked to me. I felt my neck prickle in anticipation. Wordlessly, he looked to X. "I have one other condition," he said. "If we win the tag game, I want Y/N to be able to cross between worlds."

I facepalmed. "Brat. That wasn't the..."

"I won't sacrifice one of your families to bring you back home," he said.

"...Idiot," I sighed.

My idiot...

"I'll say!" X cut in. "You certainly are asking a lot of me. But... I suppose with an additional condition, I can make it happen..." They raised a finger to their lips as they parted into a spiky-toothed grin. "But until the time comes, it'll have to be our little secret."

With a look back in my direction, Ray let X pull him out of earshot. He listened for a moment with his back turned, then finally walked back. He stopped in front of me, wearing a resigned expression. "Y/N, do you trust me?"

I opened my mouth and then shut it again.  I couldn't read anything from his face. "Ray, that's... What kind of a...?"

"Do you trust me?" he pressed.

"I– with what?" I said, glancing between his eyes. "The future? Yourself?"

He pulled one of my hands into his. "Can you trust me?" he corrected.

"...You'll be okay?"

He smiled a rueful sort of smile. "I don't think I can answer that."

My brows furrowed as I watched him. After spending 11 years living in that house; if there was one thing Ray excelled at as a result, it was lying. No matter what he said, there was no way I could be certain.

But trust goes both ways. And there was something about the small, reassuring smile he gave me– he let me see he was nervous, yet sure of himself all the same.

"Okay," I relented, "Okay." I grabbed a hold of his sweater as he turned away, "Just... don't die."

"What..." he flashed a grin, "it'd make us even."

I swiftly kicked his shin. "Don't joke about that!"

With a snort, he walked back over to the deity. Following a nod and a handshake, they both returned, side-by-side. "That's settled!" the god said cheerfully. "And you'll be taking the deal?"

When I looked between the others, I found them looking to me. I turned to X. "Yes," I said.

X clapped their hands together. "Excellent! I shouldn't need to tell you that any 'hints' about the tag game before you begin will result in an immediate failure, no?" As they saw our resignation, they nodded. "Very well." They extended their hand to Ray, who replied with a firm shake.

"It's done!" the god said. "I'll give you time to say your goodbyes or whatever. You know what you have to do to enact the promise. Toodle-oo!"

And the world went dark.








When I opened my eyes again, it was in a tangle of limbs.

With a quiet groan, I pushed myself up off of the ground, pulling myself apart from the bodies that too began clamouring awake.

Yuugo looked around a little skeptically, dark brows pulled close to his dark eyes. "That's it?"

"Yep," I said. "All we need now is for someone to return and ask it be enacted."

Emma suddenly let out a loud, complaining sigh. "I think Norman jinxed us," she said. "He said he'd miss the 'misadventures' we had– I guess you got what you wanted, Norman. We get another tag game, with even higher stakes!"

"I didn't ask for this!" Norman said.

I snickered. "Nah, I'm sure X has been planning something like this for a lo-ong time."

Poppy rested a hand on my shoulder. "Y/N, you're really okay with this, right?" she asked. "It's your memories that are on the line..."

"Yeah," I said. "I'm not worried about it. More importantly, I want to go say goodbye to Sonju and Mujika. Are you coming with?"








"Alright," Mujika said. Her eyes were crinkled around her bittersweet smile. "Good luck getting home, kids. I'll miss you all very much."

"I'll miss you too, Mujika," I said, pulling her into a hug. "If all goes well, I'll be able to visit at some point." I gave her another squeeze, resting my chin on her shoulder. 

"Thanks for everything," I said softly. "Without you, I'd probably be dead so many times over I couldn't count it. I love you like a sister... Or a mother, even."

"Of course," she said, returning a squeeze. "I love you too. And... in a way, you've saved my life, as well."

I pulled away from her to look to Sonju. He stood a pace back or two, towering over the both of us. "You've been a pain in my ass!" I snarked. "But a welcome one, I guess. I'll miss you, too. And... I'm sorry about your brother."

Sonju's burgundy hair shook along with his head. "No need. Leuvis made his choices, just as I've made mine. Plus, our relationship was never... stellar, in the first place." He raised a hand to the back of his head, his head bowing closer to his chest. "I am, however, sorry for allowing such a thing. I never thought it would get as far as it did."

"That's fine," I said. "It all turned out okay..."

With one long arm, Sonju reached down and pulled me to a hug. I felt so safe there, tucked close to the folds of his cloak. "See you, Pipsqueak. Hopefully you'll be in condition for a sparring match or two by the time I see you next."

I laughed. "Ha! You wish. I might be okay with never picking up a weapon again." He raised his fist for bump and I obliged– explosion noises included. "Bye, Sonju."

As I stepped away from him, Mujika leaned in close. "By the way..." she said, "There's someone here who wants to see you." As she gestured to the open hallway, I saw the flowing pink hair marking Aurelia. Beside her stood Cozbi, who waved in my direction.

"You found her fast!"

Cozbi shook her head, taking a few strides forward. "Nah. Apparently she came to the castle herself some time back. Mujika caught me on my way out and told me." She glanced back to her friend, flicking her head toward me. "She came here 'cause she wanted to see if you were okay, apparently."

I watched as Aurelia stepped forward. Her head remained bowed as she glanced up to me. "I would like to apologize for my actions, Y/N. After everything you did for my people... I know it's no excuse, but I wasn't in the correct headspace at the time. I wish I could go back and make a different choice, but since I can't... I figured I might as well make time to express my regret." She bowed her head to me. "I'm very sorry, Y/N."

I glanced to the side. "Er... It's really alright. You did kinda save my life a few days later, so let's call it even." I raised my hand for a peace-gesture of a high five. Uncertainly, Aurelia raised her hand to meet mine.

"Very well... Thank you."

Cozbi nodded in appreciation before turning to me in question. "You're going back home?" she asked.

"Something like that," I said.

She grinned a spike-toothed grin. "Good! You'd better drop by someday. But in the meantime, I hope you're able to enjoy your time with your family." She leaned in close to whisper in my ear. "I know you've missed them a lot..." –Her eyes flicked to Ray– "Especially that one," she said.

I shoved her away as my ears and cheeks burned. "Shut it!" I hissed.

She laughed and slung an arm around me, turning us away from the others. She propped an arm on my head, her cloak shielding me entirely from view. And then, before I quite knew what was happening, she kissed me.

She leaned close to whisper in my ear. "He may have your heart... but now I have your kiss." With a sly little smirk and a wink of our shared secret, she released me. Taking a few steps in the direction of the hall, she gestured to the sword at her hip, nodding in Ray's direction one last time. "Remember, my offer always stands!"

I couldn't even utter a final "No stabbing humans!" before she and Aurelia turned out of view. 

I think that was the only time Cozbi ever beat me at a mind game. I was completely speechless.

"Y/N?" Mujika called.

I cleared my throat and blinked a few times. "Um"–my voice cracked– "Yes?"

"There's one last thing, if you don't mind..."

I followed her and Sonju up some stairs and then through a tunnel. After some twists and turns, we emerged onto the stage Mujika had been coronated at. The sun shone brightly from above, and I shielded my vision. My ears rang as a roaring sound grew louder... and as I lowered my arm, I realized the roaring was really the collective cheers of a crowd. They were throwing flowers and shouting blessings in the demon tongue, standing gathered around the stage, sitting atop shoulders and roofs. Prominent in the cheers were words of thanks and "Princess."

I looked back to Mujika and Sonju in question– What exactly was going on here? Mujika smiled. "Their idea, not mine." She gestured to the cheering mass, "They wanted to thank you. I told them you had to go, but they insisted....

"Y/N, these are all people you helped save," she said. "People who's lives you changed, whether you know it or not."

Sonju gestured to the mask I now wore to conceal my face. "You can take it off," he said.

I looked between him and Mujika. They looked confident... Slowly, carefully, I reached to the mask and pulled it off of my face.

I'm not sure what I was expecting. There was a moment of silence– noises of fervent confusion, but Mujika took my hands. Bowing, she touched my knuckles to her forehead. Sonju kneeled at her side.

"What are you doing??" I panicked.

Mujika clicked her tongue. "Thanking you," she said, "So try to not look so terrified, hm?"

As they kneeled, I watched in astonishment as the crowd did, too. And as Mujika rose to her feet, the cheering resumed– louder than before, if that was possible.

The deafening roars of thanks all but died in my ears as I watched. These were people I'd spent the past two years hiding from... They now spilled out of the square and into the streets. They saw me now, and still, they were thanking me.

I think I might've started crying. But if tears were falling, I was too shocked to notice.








The next thing I knew, I was hugging Mujika one final time, back at Grace Field HQ after she'd arranged us a ride. Sonju pushed a crude dagger into my hands to make up for the one I had lost at Goldy Pond so long ago. 

We bid our final goodbyes, and then we gathered in the basements cave. Before us lay the pond of golden water; with a staircase descending into darkness in the midst. I snaked Sonju's blade across my hand and let it splatter into the jar at my feet. I placed the gupna inside, and it soon bloomed crimson red. The landscape around me changed to Day and Night.

"Ready?" X asked.

I nodded. "Yeah. But one thing..."

X listened to my request. They nodded with a subtle smile. "That can be arranged."

They raised a hand in front of them, particles from the landscape converging together to form a swirling golden ball. I was suddenly back in the cavern. The golden water exploded from the bottom of the pond, splashing up around the sides of the cavern. It spread up around us until it formed a dome, swirling and swooshing. Bits of water flicked across our bare skin, but still we remained dry.

We watched as, through the mist of the golden water, various clips flashed like spliced film. It was pieces of my old life... What I remembered of it.

Walking to school, crying after falling from the playground equipment. Brushing my teeth in the mirror, laughing with friends... And clips of me reading the TPN manga... Of me watching it.

"This is who I am," I said. "Rather... Who I was may be more appropriate.

" To be honest, most of this past life feels more like a dream than something I really lived. I died when I was several years younger than I am now. I was born again, you could say; able to continue my life... But I didn't remember anything until I woke up from that fever back in 2045. Though... I figure that you lot probably have this mostly figured out." The looks on their faces only confirmed that fact. I fiddled with the cuffs of my sleeves.

"I'm sorry for not telling you sooner, even if I did have my reasons. I'd be okay with talking more about it when we get back; telling everyone, but... Until then, thanks for all of the memories until now, and... I hope this doesn't change how you think of me..." I rubbed the back of my neck. "I'm still the same Y/N, you know?"

My apprehensive gaze was met with smiles of reassurance. "We know," they said to me. I exhaled in relief, as a great weight was finally lifted off of my shoulders. A knot in my stomach lessened; the same one that'd been present for all those years.

I sighed. "Then... Would you guys mind doing me a favour?"

"Anything," Emma said.

"Could at least one of you look like you're gonna see me again?" I complained. "C'mon guys! It's just a game of tag! Except the player is trying to get caught! That's like easy mode compared to what we're used to. And you have Norman and Ray on your team! That's like, downright unfair."

I was met with blank stares until Poppy pulled me in to a hug. "See! You! Soon!" she urged, crushing my ribcage.

Cringing through the pain, I patted her shoulder. "That's what I'm talking about! It's barely over ten days, people. Surely you can live without me that long."

Emma piled in the hug next. "See you soon!" she repeated the mantra with an equally-bruising squeeze. The others trickled in– Hannah and Yuugo begrudgingly, pulled in by the sunshines. Zack neglected to join, though he did offer a noogie in replacement.

Lastly, I pulled a hand out of the hug to ruffle Ray's hair. "Don't take too long, Loverboy," I said.

He squinted down at me. "That's my line."

I grinned. "Alright!" I said, pulling out of the bone-crushing group hug. "Let's get out of here!"

The swirling dome exploded, stairs rupturing out of the water and twisting toward the ceiling. The water shone brighter and brighter and I covered my eyes, squinting them shut. As the golden water sprayed my face and arms, my vision suddenly flooded with black.





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They drifted awake to the crashing of waves against the sandy shore. Standing up and brushing the sand from their clothes, the humans recognized the familiar landscape as the one they first encountered upon entering the human world.

"Two weeks to find her somewhere on the whole planet..." Yuugo griped, "Can we do

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