Deep within the depths of Torrezora, Pixller is hard at work within his personal inner sanctuary. His special place... his Lab. From wall to wall he has racks of glowing potion vials: anti-grav boosters, healing serums, etc. In the center he has his Main Containment Vat housing the base sample of his greatest Technological creation, the Glyphic, Organic, Operator, or G.O.O for short.
There are various insectoid robots securing about, some crawling on the wall, plugging and unplugging wires. Some Bee-bots pick up vials of G.O.O and place them where they need to go.
On the far right wall is his Beetle Drones Roosting Shelf. Small, beetle-shaped drones with segmented carapaces, tiny antennae like sensors, and iridescent panels chip, chirp, and buzz, hanging on the shelf while they charge.
Sparks flicker and fly from a corner of the room, where Pixller is toiling away at his workbench Tinker Station. Face covered by the hood of his black tech jacket with glowing Cyan and Purple circuitry patterns. That doubles as a welding helmet and Witch hat.
In one hand he has an Arcane Welding pen and is tinkering with one of his drones. He raises the other hand, snaps his fingers and the bug bot start dropping various vials in a medium-sized personal cauldron.
Occasionally, one of his Bug Bots will stop in front of his face carrying a vial, and he will nod or shake his head, then back to welding. His cauldron is bubbling brewing something.
Another set of Beetle Bots are flying around his room packing items into a large overnight bag.
A cute little albino snake crawls from out of his jacket and wraps around his wrist. Pixller takes a finger then lightly rubs him affectionately.
PIXLLER
Noodle, bracelet mode.
His Familiar immediately changes into a spiral coil bracelet wrap around his wrist. From the hallway, HUNICA knocks on his door, as she comes waltzing into his room.
Hunica
Knock Knock. Yo Pix you good in here?
But Pixller doesn't respond, he doesn't even acknowledge her existence, hell he doesn't even see her. He's too focused on whatever he's working on. He looks up for a moment but only to check the levels from one of his holographic interface screens for whatever he's brewing.
He rolls over in his chair to his spell rack, studies the items on the shelf, grabs a very tiny vial, nods. Then rolls back over to the cauldron, drips just a tiny bit in, and the concoction turns red with a black outline. He takes a ladle and pours it into a vial.
Pixller
(Triumphantly)
Finally! It's ready.
Hunica waves a hand over his eyes.
HUNICA
(Mildly annoyed)
Uhm, Helloooo!?
PIXLLER
(Dismissive)
Huh? Oh. It's you. ...What do you want, Hunica?
He rolls his eyes, as he turns his back to her. He waves the drones away from his overnight bag, and begins putting stuff in it himself.
HUNICA
(Mildly Offended)
Uh, Rude. I came in here to check on you. You've been acting weird since the Uri thing.
He stops packing for a moment... he stands there very still for what feels like minutes. Then slowly turns his head to look at her for a moment.
PIXLLER
(Scoffs)
Weird, huh?
(Irritated Disbelief)
...Are you fucking kidding me right now?
(Scoffs)
...I'll ask again. What do you want?
Hunica rolls her eyes at him.
HUNICA
I can't check on my Coven mate?
PIXLLER
Nope. I will not mince words with you. I have nothing to say to you.
HUNICA
Excuse me? For what reason would you have, to be mad at me!?
PIXLLER
You're kidding... right? I cannot BE-LIEVE you did that! How could you do that to him!?
HUNICA
Are you seriously still mad about that!? The way I see it, you're the one in the wrong here. You should've just dropped that re-ject back in grade school.
Pixller immediately freezes, he turns his whole body to face her, locking piercing eye contact with her, as his voice deepens with a strong sense of reserved aggression.
PIXLLER
(Reserved and Angry)
I am sick... sick and fucking tired of you and this stupid fucking Coven...
Y'all are a bunch of stuck up, snobby, Nepo babies, who think you're better than everyone else cause your stupid families are Rich~ and Magically Elite~
Pixller slams his fist on his workbench!
PIXLLER
(Fed up)
And I. Am. SICK of it! I wouldn't even had told that damn lie in the first place, if YOU just let him join when-I-asked!
HUNICA
Stop trying to put this on me!
PIXLLER
(Intensely)
This IS your fault! You NEVER fucking liked him! Never! You were always mean to him, and I tried to chalk it up to jeering, but NO!
He glares at her with such intensity, something deeper in his face, then turns back to his bag, and he continues to pack.
PIXLLER
(Hurting)
And now... I might've just lost the only real friend I ever had...
Hunica mildly stunned by his tone takes a step back, as she takes a moment to steady herself. Her eyes gazes over to his bag.
HUNICA
...What are you even doing in here anyway...?
PIXLLER
You seem to think you know everything. Figure it out.
ASTORIA
He's going after Uri. Obviously.
ASTORIA emerges from the shadows into the room, Hunica jumps back startled.
HUNICA
(Startled)
Ah! Astoria! I told you, you gotta stop doing that, girl!
Astoria just stares at Hunica with her normal glossy deadpan stare, when Hunica fully registers what she just said.
HUNICA
You. Cannot. Be. For real!? You're serious!? He's serious!?
ASTORIA
And you're~ overreacting... like always.
PIXLLER
Thank you.
HUNICA
You cannot seriously expect me to believe, you're planning on following that IDIOT into the Enchanted Forest!?
Pixller finishes putting things in his bag, then turns around to her.
PIXLLER
Do not call my best friend an idiot. If anyone is the idiot, it's you!
MEWARD enters the room wearing a black cat Familiar around his neck.
MEWARD
(Yawning and being overdramatic)
What's all the racket going on in here? Pepe and I are trying to sleep.
HUNICA
Apparently, Pixller is going after Uri.
MEWARD
(Sleepy yawn uninterested)
Why?
PIXLLER
(Losing his cool)
Why?
Did he REALLY just ask me, WHY!? What is wrong with you people!?
(Beat)
(Hurt)
You know what, you guys might not care about him... but I do! Uri has always had my back! More than I can say about any of you fake-ass fuckers!
HUNICA
How are we fake!?
PIXLLER
All y'all ever did was talk shit behind his back! Tried to use the poor guy... he's been through enough!
Pixller looks at his hands shaking…
PIXLLER
And I'm no better... cause I let you...
(Heartbroken)
...Uri was right... I AM a bad friend...
There's a long beat as his words hang in the air.
At that same moment, one of his spider bots, carrying a small glowing cylindrical container of Goo.
PIXLLER
(Sadly)
Thank you, Spidey... timely as always.
Pixller kneels to pet the head of the robot, he rises then takes his hand, then plunges it deep into the Technological Goo. The Container glows brightly as he pulls his hand out, slime dripping from his hand, revealing his Cybernetic Goo Glove. He holds the hand up, his eyes begin to glow Cyan as his cybernetic jacket starts to illuminate a matching Purple and cyan as well.
All the robots stop in their tracks. With a wave of his hand a bunch of hologram screens open at the same time around him. He types something in, and robots all begin moving in a more organized fashion.
PIXLLER
Initiate Operation: 1771 Travel mode.
One drone grabs his bag off the bed and takes off, some of the others lock into the Roosting Shelf, then the shelf slides down into the ground. Another attaches a full bag of his shuriken to his utility belt. Pixller's lab transitions into a condensed state. He closes all his screens, pushes past Meward as he heads for the door. Hunica grabs his wrist to stop him.
HUNICA
So what you're gonna go after him, you don't even know where he is!
PIXLLER
(On the verge of tears)
So what? ...I'm not gonna let him get killed out there trying to prove a point to you guys!
He yanks his arm away from her.
ASTORIA
Oh please. This has nothing to do with us or Uri. And has everything to do with you and how you feel about him.
(Beat)
You act like you're better than us, but You aren't even listening to him. He told you not to go near him ever again.
MEWARD
Yeah man, Astoria is right. It's not our fault if something happens to him.
ASTORIA
That is not even almost what I said.
PIXLLER
Oh, Go brew it, Meward.
HUNICA
Enough!!! No more fighting!
PIXLLER
You're right, I'm done fighting. Because I'm leaving.
He continues out the room to the main chambers.
With his Goo Glove Pixller summons a portal, when Hunica poofs to right in front of him, blocking him from leaving.
HUNICA
You are out of your mind if you think we're letting you go in there by yourself.
PIXLLER
(Serious)
Move. Now.
HUNICA
I don't care, if you're mad or not! I don't care, if you never wanna talk to any of us ever again! You are NOT going in there alone.
He refuses to meet her eye line.
PIXLLER
Oh but it's ok when he does it? Please. Get out of my way.
HUNICA
Let me come. You need back up, and you know it.
PIXLLER
I can take care of myself. Now, move!
HUNICA
Please. If something happened to you because of me, I'd never forgive myself.
He just stares at her with a blank stare, he thinks about it for a second.
HUNICA
We are a Coven, we are strong when we stick together.
Pixller rolls his eyes.
HUNICA
You can still be mad at us or whatever.
PIXLLER
(Long, exhausted, and irritated Sighs-groan)
Fine.
But hear me and hear me good, if you are planning on coming with me? That means, you understand then, when we find him, we are going to beg for his forgiveness.
HUNICA
Of course.
He locks eyes with her.
PIXLLER
I'm not joking, Hunica. I don't want any funny business out of you.
HUNICA
(Fake sweetly)
You got it. I'll do whatever you say, You're in charge.
PIXLLER
I mean it... If you do anything to hurt him... I'll-
HUNICA
What, you don't trust me?
PIXLLER
(Scoffs)
We saw what happens when I trust you.
MEWARD
Whoa, Whoa, Whoa!! If y'all are going on a journey, I want in!
HUNICA
Oh please, can he!? Safety in numbers.
PIXLLER
Fine....
MEWARD
Come on Pepe let's go get our fancy travel cloak!
PIXLLER
(Sighs)
Astoria you wanna tag along too?
He places a hand gently on her shoulder. Instantly, Astoria’s eyes flash a vivid shade of violet, brighter than ever before... unnatural, powerful. Her body tenses as a shiver of energy runs through her, subtle at first, then building in intensity.
Her feet lift slowly off the ground, hovering a few inches as waves of purple light pulse outward from her chest in steady, rhythmic bursts. Her braids begins to rise slightly, caught in the quiet pressure of the magic building around her.
Behind her, a large purple sigil in the shape of an open eye flickers into existence—silent, glowing, and watchful.
ASTORIA
I... I'm having a premonition...!
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