ARC 2: IDOLISTIC EXPRESSION

If you’ve forgotten, here’s what happened before this episode. Urchiri and Stress were both trying to get away from the ruined fairground to get to Urchiri’s “cave home” for some shelter and a place to stay away from the police who were on the scene when they left. However, we’re going to wind back the clock just a bit. Do you remember that after Stress shouted about Time Bomb Theory, there was another time rewind? Well, what if I told you that after that he didn’t go straight back in? Well, he didn’t. After that event, Stress was worried that he wouldn’t get back to his house in time for his parents to not be suspicious of what he was going outside for.

The events that are told in this episode take place in between episodes 4 and 5, specifically between the Time Bomb Theory shout and Stress’s most recent entry.

…

It was Saturday. His meeting with Curio and Wonder was today. Despite that fact, Stress was still relentlessly thinking about…

“I said this was “potentially dangerous” however after all that mascot nonsense I’ve found that this is most definitely dangerous. Even despite my crazy spark attack (Which was pretty cool all things considered), if I didn’t have that trump card I don’t think I would’ve been able to save the Urchin.

Anywho, I spent most of last night trying to think of things to talk about once I get to the VcDonalds where they arranged we meet. I plan to talk about more than just the in-world stuff, as that online account still has me intrigued. However, if I’m gonna do this right, I’ve gotta make this seemingly fantasy nonsense believable! Alright! Lets do this!”

…

“They just constantly keep messaging me all this stuff and I’m sitting here just like… eh? They just don’t slow down and just unload literally everything onto me and I’m just thinking… like… this is just too much. You probably don’t really get what I’m talking about but it’s just frustrating…”

“Yeeeah, that sounds just a little annoying. You told them that?”

“But I don’t want to just lose them you knoooow…. I worked so hard for these connections… and it’s ju- OH STRESS!”

“Oh hey Stress!”

“Well, here you both are. Time for the talk.”

“Mhm!”

“Right.”

“Actually, do you want anything?”

“I’ve got a drink in my bag don’t worry about it!”

“Nah, I’m good.”

“Alright. Let us commence.”

…

“These two are my two friends. They are both definitely not normal on many levels. Despite that, they are both absolutely great friends that I’m going to try to quickly introduce.

The sharp guy opposite me is also the guy who my mum has mentioned I get along with quite well. Mr. Curiosity is the name, however we all just call him Curio (it rolls off the tongue better). This guy is honestly pretty great. We mainly just have conversations about whatever random shit we decided to watch in our differing amounts of free time as well as some other stuff but mainly just that. It’s still banter at the end of the day so it’s all great.

Now, this one sitting next to me? That’s Wonder. I know I said we’re friends, however they’re actually my partner. Gender? Neither of them, I just like them for them. They are incredibly bright, however not in the smarts way (They are not stupid) they are just in general a beacon of a person. Bright hair, bright personality, and I love them for both. However, we literally do nothing that a couple normally does considering I’m not really comfortable with that stuff yet. I still worry about them way too much and often though.

Alright. So now that I’ve introduced you, let us get into the actual conversation.”

…

Curio initiated the conversation.

“So, what is this dangerous thing?”

“Basically, to put it bluntly… I got isekai’d”

“…”

“…”

“HUH? WH-WHA?”

“Yes I know it sounds stupid but hear me out here.”

“You got WHAT now? Are you OK?”

“Yes yes I’m completely fine.”

“Are you sure you weren’t dreaming?”

“Pretty sure.”

“Hallucinating?”

“Definitely not.”

“You got hit by a truck?”

“I see what you did there, but no.”

Curio was lost for words. He talked with Stress about this type of stuff all of the time yet he’d never thought he’d have to deal with it in reality. Wonder was also just incredibly befuddled as they didn’t really know how to respond to something so bizarre. Curio started to think of all the common troupes to try and help understand literally anything.

“Is there any form of magic?”

“Definitely yes.”

“Fantasy world?”

“Not what you’re thinking. It’s not typical fantasy.”

“Dark fantasy?”

“Closer, but not exact. If I were to say, it feels more like a parallel dimension. The terrain, structures and areas are all basically the same as here but just altered in a weird way.”

“Weird way?”

“Like, it’s more surreal? It’s like our world but with fantasy elements sprinkled in.”

“That seems… really not like an isekai at all. Plus, you are here with us now so that means you went back.”

“Oh yeah, I’ve been in and out of that world many times already.”

“HUH? How?”

“Weeeeeell, it didn’t really take me long to figure out the trick to it.”

Stress reached into his coat pocket and pulled out the kinetic sabre sticking right up out of it. He them slammed it on the table dramatically before proceeding.

“This. Opening this seemingly normal water bottle in the trigger for entry.”

Wonder put their head on the table and looked deeply into the bottle and it’s weird wire-like structures and straw-like stick poking out the top. They then decided to pick up the bottle to try and open it.

“WAIT NO DON’T DO IT HERE!”

“But I wanna see!”

“I really don’t want you going over there, especially if I’m not with you. I said it was dangerous for a reason.”

“Only potentially right?”

“No, it is actually dangerous. I have been burnt alive and have exploded thrice now.”

“W-WHAT! AND YOU LIVED?!”

“Not really. The only reason I’m here right now is due to me dying in that world.”

“Huh? So you’re a ghost, or are you immortal or something?”

“I dunno. When it seems like I die in that world I just get transported back here with no injuries or traces of damage. That’s the only way I know how to exit that world.”

Wonder still had a firm grip on the sabre, the temptation in their motions not hiding a single bit of eagerness. Curio gave his opinion, oblivious of the eagerness.

“So like Return By Death kinda, but you get sent back afterwards. Sounds actually kinda… wait no NO NOT YET!”

It took him a while to notice the half unscrewed cap of the sabre. Luckily Stress, who was sitting right beside the holder, lunged right over to take the sabre right out of Wonder’s hands.

He was a tad too slow.

“WONDER! STOP THA- wait… where’d they go? Don’t tell me… IT WAS ALL REAL?! HUH? WHERE’D THEY GO?!”

Curio looked over at the opposite seat where they were both sitting. Wonder’s bag was the only thing that remained.

“So… are they in the other world right now? What the hell could be happening to them right now?”

… 

“WELL THEN… YOU ARE BOTH JUST HOPELESS…”

Stress and Wonder both simultaneously fell onto a blackened carpet, the dust flying right off it as they made contact with it. They were now inside an extravagant hallway, a long one at that with a large black door at its end, the patterns on it not visible from their distance.

“Wonder. What did I tell you?”

“But you’re with me! And also where are we actually?”

“I seriously don’t know, but whoever built this hallway and decorated it must love greyscale.”

Indeed the hallway had not a single hint of colour. Along it’s walls were many portraits of people neither of them recognised with plaques underneath all of them all will differing messages. The messages weren’t insightful at all, like some random opinion of the person just plastered on at the bottom (Despite them mostly being positives). The walls they hung on were engraved with smooth, wavy, sheet music-like patterns all converging into the large black door, which upon a closer look, had a large treble clef carved into it and the door itself was about nearly double Stress’s height.

“I still can’t believe this is all real Stress! You weren’t just insane? This is frickin’ awesome!”

“I would’ve hoped you would trust me the most out of all people… Also I don’t know what this even is but it’s definitely part of the other world.”

“TWO PEOPLE THIS TIME? DAMN HUMANS ARE UNSTABLE LITTLE THINGS AREN’T THEY?”

This voice. It was vocal. It was deep and putrid, sounding like it came from a sickly old man. Yet by his use of “HUMANS”, it was obvious he was anything but, however the voice did have an origin; behind that door.

“Wonder wandered through the door, pushing it with relatively good force, enough to make it loudly creak open in a cliché fashion.

“I AM JUST AN INSECT, HOWEVER I HAVE ANOTHER NAME TO YOU FOLKS…”

The door was wide open.

“YOU PEOPLE WOULD CALL ME…

ANXIETY.”

Shock ran through their bodies. An immense pain plagued their stomachs as they both went into a cold sweat.

The room stood before them was a large cylinder with a domed ceiling. The doorway had a walkway in front of it which led to the centre of the room. In that centre lay a lone stool, and atop that stool lay a rounded disgusting shape. This shape had many fleshless spindly arms with contrasting fattened hands. It’s presence alone was enough to chill your soul. However, the walls of this room were all mirrors that reflected Stress and Wonder’s dead eyed stares into the shape’s putrid skull reflecting a ginormous projection over them both which gave a piercing stare, whilst a giant flute was wedged inside its broken jaw. Wonder turned to Stress before quietly before quietly mumbling…

“I really don’t like this… How do we get outta here?”

“I’m hoping I can make this work out, ok? Please trust in me here.”

“… Mhm… Ok…”

“Have I let you down before? Yes. But this won’t be one of those times trust me.”

“CAN YOU STOP WITH THE REASSURANCE; I HAVE NO REASON TO HURT YOU BOTH.”

“Oh really? Then why ar- Wait no you probably don’t know why we’re here considering we probably teleported into your pro-“

“YOU ARE HERE DUE TO AN ENTRY GLITCH. TWO PEOPLE ACTIVATING THE SAME KINETIC CONDUIT AT THE SAME TIME SHOULDN’T BE POSSIBLE, THEREFORE CAUSING A INTERDIMENSIONAL FAULT.”

“Ooooooh, so due to us both entering at the same time through the same device, we ended up here instead of where we should’ve gone to.”

“I JUST SAID THAT. ALSO, IF YOU WERE GOING TO ASK WHERE THIS IS, THIS IS A ROOM LOCATED INSIDE THE COLLECTIVE SUBCONSCIOUS OF MANY PEOPLE, INCLUDING YOU TWO WHICH IS WHY YOU ARE EVEN HERE.”

“Subconscious? So this entire room is just in our heads? Like a dream?”

“NOT A DREAM. YOUR BODYS ARE IN THIS ROOM, NOT IN THE REAL WORLD RIGHT NOW. THE ROOM IS CREATED BY BRAIN SIGNALS AND RESPONSES, TURNED INTO A PHYSICAL FORM VIA ME, ANXIETY.”

“Anxiety? So you are a physical form of anxiety or a symbol of it or?”

“I AM ANXIETY. THE MENTAL FEELING EXHIBITED IN A LOT OF HUMANS. WELL, THAT’S WHAT HUMANS CALL ME ANYWAYS.”

“On second thought, this is a lot of information to take in. Can yo- “

“I WAS GOING TO GO ON BUT IT SEEMS LIKE YOU DON’T WANT THAT. I MIGHT AS WELL SEND YOU BACK AS YOUR FRIEND IS WAITING ANYWAYS FOR YOUR RETURN.”

“Wait! I would like the information but maybe just a bit more… digestible?”

“DON’T REALLY FEEL LIKE IT NOW, YOUR ATTITUDE BUGS ME. HOWEVER… IF YOU ARE REALLY DESPARATE TO SEE WHAT I HAVE TO SAY AGAIN, JUST REPEAT WHAT YOU DID TO GET HERE THIS TIME AND YOU SHOULD BE GOOD. THE BRIGHT HAIRED ONE HAS TO BE THE ONE YOU DO IT WITH TOO, OTHERWISE YOU WON’T BE SEEING ME, THAT’S FOR SURE.”

“Alright then… insect… Anxiety?”

“BUG OF THE FUTURE. JUST CALL ME BUG. OK SEE YA- “

…

“What? Did you go to the other world? What happened to you two?”

Stress and Wonder were both back in the same seats as before, however Stress had reappeared halfway across Wonder’s lap with the sabre in Wonder’s left hand. Stress looked like he wanted to say something but he just sat up straight interlocking both his hands and placing his head on top of them.

“So. We just met Anxiety.”

“How? Like a person called Anxiety?”

“No, like actually Anxiety the mental thing but in a physical form.”

Curio was lost. He just didn’t really know how to respond to that. So he asked Wonder for a little help.

“Is he actually ok?”

“Yup! It was actually Anxiety! THE THING I HATE AND HAVE TO DEAL WITH ALL THE TIME!”

“Wait he’s not insane?”

“Same ol’ Stress right here.” they said while poking his cheek.

“Yes, that is me.”

“Your face is squishy.”

“Oh really now? Anyways, I was gonna show you both something else real quick, I just gotta find it.”

Stress pulled up his phone screen and showed them both that forum account.

“SanityShadxw1310?” Wonder stated what they saw on the screen.

“This is supposedly a resident of the other world, however they are able to post stuff despite being there. I found out about them not long ago.”

“So this was to find information? I’m assuming anyways.”

“Yeah. I want to find them to see if they are who they say they are, cause I’m interested to see more of that world.”

“I mean, who wouldn’t be?”

Stress looked blankly at Wonder.

“Hmmmm, maaaaaaaaybe I am interested…”

“Knew it. So I wanted some outside opinions so that’s another reason I gathered you here.”

“Hold on. What’s this about a concert?”

Stress didn’t know what Curio was talking about so he looked back at his phone. The account had posted something completely new.

“Upcoming concert at Poppers Dome!” – by SanityShadxw1310”

“hello again! On Sunday I’m going to see a concert! It’s at the Poppers Dome and it’s the home turf of this SUPER popular performer/idol, and she’s the one performing! She’s called Popster and performs with the group Mellows. She’s famous for her flashy kinetic abilities that make artificial lighting look cheap! I’ve not seen much of her but I wanna see her abilities blind so it REALLY surprises me! If any of y’all are going too, say hi! I  may not be as recognisable due to me having to layer up (shadow humanoid living is not easy :,) ). PLEASE SAY HI! That’s it.”

 They were all silent. They knew what was going down.

“Yep. I’m heading there, wherever that is.”

“And you’ll be fine going there?”

“I’m still standing now, aren’t I?”

“Good point.”

…

They all started to head home. Curio had to split off from the other two as his house was in another direction. Wonder and Stress both sat at a bus stop waiting for Wonder’s bus to arrive.

“Hey Stress.”

“Yeah?”

“Guess what?”

“I love you?”

“Damn it.”

“I’m honestly surprised you both were so nonchalant about this whole thing.”

“What does that word mean again?”

“Doesn’t matter.”

Wonder stood up, bag in hand. Stress and Wonder shared a hug, with Wonder saying during it.

“Lend me that bottle some time ok? I wanna see all this stuff for myself!”

“If you stay safe, it’s a deal.”

“Ok!”

Deal made, Stress was off to put Rudy in his place. (This episode was a flashback if you forgot.)