Game Week of the Multiverse: Orbeetle's House (Lance, Kora, Harvard, Brian)

[IFBench]

The interior of Orbeetle's house was a strange place.

Above the entryway into the house was a painted portrait, of an Orbeetle, Eevee, and Ledian together. It looked old, but remarkably well painted.

Books were scattered everywhere. The title of the closest one to the door was, "Illusory Grotto: The World's Most Elusive Mystery Dungeon".

There was a room off to the left that was boarded up. A sign was in front of it, reading "Mystery Dungeon inside! DO NOT ENTER"

Next to it was a small glass container, containing what looked to be a scale model of a floor of a mystery dungeon.

At the back of the room was a very large parchment of paper, hung on the wall. Various intricate symbols of the sun, moon, stars, planet, continents, types, and more were drawn on it. . A lot of writing was also on the paper, though most of it was hard to read. A few words and phrases were clear, though, including "ley lines", "tree of life", "entercards", "mystery dungeon", "anywhere in the world", "even beyond", "pillars of red light", and "What was Keldeo's secret?"

Scattered beneath the paper were several metal squares with designs inscribed on them, matching the symbols on the parchment. Nearby was a stone square, with an indent on top, just large enough for four of the cards to fit. One card was already inside, with a symbol on it that resembled a jagged lightning bolt coming down from a cloud in the sky. A pencil was on the ground next to the stone.

In the corner, two straw beds lay.

 

[Navar]

Being carried by Kora was, surprisingly, enjoyable for Lance. He spent the entire time staring at Kora's face, and his lustrous mane. Oh, how that was beautiful and adorable. So much that Lance didn't even think about complaining. He was liking it too much, anyway.

However, that might change. Kora having a fear of bugs was... understandable, but even so, Lance wanted to enjoy his time there. He flashed a smile, still looking at the fox's face, too distracted to notice how the house looked like.

"...Amazing," he finally said.

 

[Fusion]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

Every fiber of Kora's being wanted him to run the very moment he saw that house. It was even worse than he imagined. All his fur stood on his end, his eyes dilated, he took short, sharp breaths, and his heart felt like it was just about to burst through his chest. He held Lance higher, burying his face into Lance's fur so he didn't have to see the monstrosity he was going to have to live in.

"Nononononono..." he whimpered. "Why this house?" It felt like the house was going to attack him at any moment, he could feel it. This house was dangerous. Even if it wasn't, he had already convinced himself that it was.

 

[Navar]

He held Lance higher, burying his face into Lance's fur so he didn't have to see the monstrosity he was going to have to live in.

Okay. Okay. Okay. If Kora wasn't panicking right now, that would be great. But sadly, that wasn't the case, and Lance knew very well how that feeling of helplessness was.

"Nononononono..." he whimpered. "Why this house?"

This was worse than Lance thought it would be. Kora was desperate. And without any other options, Lance did the first thing that came to his mind: he held Kora's hand and grasped it tight.

"...Calm down, Kora. We'll be fine! Deep breaths... in, out, in, out. Okay? We'll be fine, it's safe... it's safe. No one will attack us!"

He could only hope that would help Kora calm down.

 

[Fusion]

Kora's knees locked up, and he held Lance even tighter. He kept muttering into Lance's chest, hoping his muffled pleads would do something.

"I-I can't... I can't do this, I can't live here..." he whined.

Lance did the first thing that came to his mind: he held Kora's hand and grasped it tight.

He suddenly felt something grab his paw, and let out a yelp. Was it a mandible? It was an Orbeetle, wasn't it?! It was gonna tear him to pieces! Kora was about to pull his arm away and run for it when...

"...Calm down, Kora. We'll be fine! Deep breaths... in, out, in, out. Okay? We'll be fine, it's safe... it's safe. No one will attack us!"

Hearing Lance's voice helped, somewhat. It calmed him down enough that he didn't immediately run away. "Lance?" Kora muttered, bringing Lance's paw to his chest and holding it tightly. "L-Lance! I can't... th-the Orbeetle's gonna..." he whimpered. "I-I'm sorry I just..."

 

[Navar]

"L-Lance! I can't... th-the Orbeetle's gonna..." he whimpered. "I-I'm sorry I just..."

Lance's ears drooped, but he raised his head to look at Kora. He was blushing again, but that didn't stop him. Lance grabbed Kora's paw tighter. His own heart started to beat faster and faster, but he wasn't anxious. It was... something else.

"Don't... worry, Kora. I'm here, there's nobody here but... us. We're going to be okay. Alright? Please, try to calm down... I know how it feels, but trust me... there's no danger in sight."

 

[Fusion]

"Th-There's... w-we're..." Kora's breathing started to level back out, before his eyes drifted back up to the Orbeetle house and he snapped his eyes away. "N-No... I, I don't think..." He gritted his teeth, trying to take a deep breath.

In...

Out...

In...

Out...

In...

Out...

It... was working? His heartbeat was starting to slow, his fur flattened back down, his eyes stopped darting around... But just in case, he kept his eyes away from the house. The only other thing there really was, well, Lance. He was much nicer to look at anyway.

"S-Sorry..." Kora chuckled nervously, still holding Lance's paw to his chest. "I don't... think I can stand looking at this house, hehe..."

 

[Navar]

The only other thing there really was, well, Lance. He was much nicer to look at anyway.

"S-Sorry..." Kora chuckled nervously, still holding Lance's paw to his chest. "I don't... think I can stand looking at this house, hehe..."

Lance smirked, happy that the breathing exercise worked out. "If you want, you can keep looking at me, and I'll look at the house, okay?"

...That came out the wrong way.

"N-Not that I wouldn't want to look at you."

Not only that, but when he noticed they were holding paws, making Lance's blush grow deeper .

"I-I mean... this is nice and all, and we can keep doing this if it makes you feel better about entering this house..."

 

[Fusion]

Lance smirked, happy that the breathing exercise worked out. "If you want, you can keep looking at me, and I'll look at the house, okay?"

...That came out the wrong way.

"N-Not that I wouldn't want to look at you."

Not only that, but when he noticed they were holding paws, making Lance's blush grow deeper .

"I-I mean... this is nice and all, and we can keep doing this if it makes you feel better about entering this house..."

Kora snorted. The mix of relief and flustered-ness coming from Lance helped calm he further. "I would much rather look at you than the house, honestly," he chuckled. "But are you going to be alright? It sounds like you're melting down or something?"

Kora set Lance on his feet, still holding onto his paw. "Could you... lead me inside?"

 

[Navar]

"But are you going to be alright? It sounds like you're melting down or something?"

Lance chuckled, looking at their paws pressing together. That brought a sense of happiness inside Lance. "I'm fine, it's nothing bad, really... I like being with you. It's just that this hasn't happened in a long, long time."

Kora set Lance on his feet, still holding onto his paw. "Could you... lead me inside?"

"Of... course I can. Don't worry about it. Just... look at me, okay? We can do this."

With that being said, Lance began to walk towards the door, still holding Kora's paw.

 

[Fusion]

"I like being with you."

Kora hiccupped. "O-Oh, yeah, right..." His fur floofed up a bit, making his dress a tad bit uncomfortable. He tried to focus on being embarrassed, it was the only emotion he felt other than fear and fear was not something he wanted to feel.

"Of... course I can. Don't worry about it. Just... look at me, okay? We can do this."

"Th-Thank you..." Kora muttered, bringing his eyes up to the Lucario and nothing above that. Just him. Lance was his friend. He could trust him. They were fine. They'd be fine. It was just a house, and nothing more. He was fine. He was fine. He was fine.

 

[Navar]

"Th-Thank you..." Kora muttered, bringing his eyes up to the Lucario and nothing above that. Just him. Lance was his friend. He could trust him. They were fine. They'd be fine. It was just a house, and nothing more. He was fine. He was fine. He was fine.

"Yeah. We'll be alright."

And then, step by step, Lance entered the house. Still clutching Kora's paw, he took a look around.

There was a room off to the left that was boarded up. A sign was in front of it, reading "Mystery Dungeon inside! DO NOT ENTER"

Next to it was a small glass container, containing what looked to be a scale model of a floor of a mystery dungeon.

"...A mystery dungeon? Inside a house? Weird."

Well, they could investigate that later. For the moment, Lance focused on giving Kora a sense of safety. He looked around again.

At the back of the room was a very large parchment of paper, hung on the wall. Various intricate symbols of the sun, moon, stars, planet, continents, types, and more were drawn on it. . A lot of writing was also on the paper, though most of it was hard to read. A few words and phrases were clear, though, including "ley lines", "tree of life", "entercards", "mystery dungeon", "anywhere in the world", "even beyond", "pillars of red light", and "What was Keldeo's secret?"

"...Again, weird. Is this Orbeetle a scientist or anything like that? Why do they have all... this?"

 

[Fusion]

"...A mystery dungeon?"

No... don't give him hope...

"A D-Dungeon?" Kora blinked and rubbed his eyes. Ok, maybe give him a little bit of hope. "No way... No way!" his face lit up and he sped on over to the boarded up room, still holding onto Lance's paw. "There's a dungeon in here!" He put his face next to the model of the dungeon floor, stars in his eyes. "And it's mappable!"

He zipped on up to the wall of adventure stuff, laughing excitedly. "Was this guy an explorer? This is so cool!" None of the stuff with writing on it really interested him, but the drawings were where it was at! "Gah! This is awesome!" he cheered, wrapping Lance up in his arms and twirling around. "We have a personal dungeon! And we're in the house of an explorer!" His mane accidentally brushed some papers off the table, but he didn't notice.

Scattered beneath the paper were several metal squares with designs inscribed on them, matching the symbols on the parchment. Nearby was a stone square, with an indent on top, just large enough for four of the cards to fit. One card was already inside, with a symbol on it that resembled a jagged lightning bolt coming down from a cloud in the sky.

Kora did notice those strange card things. "What're these about?" he asked, leaning away from Lance instead of letting go of him. "Fancy card thingies? I've never seen 'em before, but they do look kinda pretty."

 

[Navar]

"Was this guy an explorer? This is so cool!" None of the stuff with writing on it really interested him, but the drawings were where it was at! "Gah! This is awesome!" he cheered, wrapping Lance up in his arms. and twirling around "We have a personal dungeon! And we're in the house of an explorer!" His mane accidentally brushed some papers off the table, but he didn't notice.

"W-Whoa, calm down! I-I guess he was, but... well, at least you're fine."

Lance was happy that Kora seemed to be getting better, back to his excited self. His tail wagged a bit, and he couldn't hold back his smile.

He looked at the cards, raising an eyebrow. "I have... no idea. You don't have either, do you?"

 

[Fusion]

"I have no idea!" Kora laughed. "But I bet they got somethin' to do with dungeons, so..." he leaned in close to Lance, brimming with excitement. "We should totally use them!" he giggled. "Gah I'm so excited! We're gonna have so much fun!"

Kora span around again with Lance, laughing and giggling like a teenager. He seemed to forget that he had a dress on and slipped on the end of it, pulling him and Lance down to the ground. He snorted and laughed again. "Sorry, I'm kinda just aaaaaaah! Other than the outside of the house, this is the perfect house!"

 

[Navar]

"I have no idea!" Kora laughed. "But I bet they got somethin' to do with dungeons, so..." he leaned in close to Lance, brimming with excitement. "We should totally use them!" he giggled. "Gah I'm so excited! We're gonna have so much fun!"

Lance flinched once Kora leaned in, but didn't back away. "W-Well, probably? If I had to take a guess, I'd say that—"

Kora span around again with Lance, laughing and giggling like a teenager. He seemed to forget that he had a dress on and slipped on the end of it, pulling him and Lance down to the ground. He snorted and laughed again. "Sorry, I'm kinda just aaaaaaah! Other than the outside of the house, this is the perfect house!"

Now on the ground, he eyed Kora from top to bottom, blushing all over his face, while his tail wagged like crazy, and quickly got up, but extended his paw so Kora could stand up.

"A-Alright. I'm glad you're enjoying this... I'm too. It's been so long since... I allowed myself to just... relax."

 

[Fusion]

Now on the ground, he eyed Kora from top to bottom, blushing all over his face, while his tail wagged like crazy, and quickly got up, but extended his paw so Kora could stand up.

"A-Alright. I'm glad you're enjoying this... I'm too. It's been so long since... I allowed myself to just... relax."

Kora gladly took Lance's arm. "I feel that, yeah. Life back home's been nothin' but fightin' and runnin' for a good while. Having a bit of fun every now and then is exactly what I need. You know, like..." he quickly pulled Lance back down, wrapping the Lucario up in his arms and giggling. "Cuddling's pretty fun, right?"

Maybe not as comfy as cuddling on a bed, but he was already on the ground so like... whatever, right?

 

[Navar]

Kora gladly took Lance's arm. "I feel that, yeah. Life back home's been nothin' but fightin' and runnin' for a good while. Having a bit of fun every now and then is exactly what I need. You know, like..." he quickly pulled Lance back down, wrapping the Lucario up in his arms and giggling. "Cuddling's pretty fun, right?"

What. Did that actually happen? Lance didn't even say anything once he got pulled down, instead, he just mumbled some unintelligible words. At that point, his entire face was red, but his gaze remained fixated on Kora and Kora only. He abruptly stopped, pulling deep into the cuddle.

"...It is pretty fun. I haven't done this for... so long.'

 

[Fusion]

Kora locked eyes with Lance, and he gave the Lucario a warm smile. Being this close with someone that didn't despise him was a vast improvement in Kora's eyes. "Well that's no good. But, luckily for you, I got cuddles to spare!" he chuckled. "I can... sort of tell you need a few. And I don't mind helping you out. You are my friend after all, and you've been... v-very nice to me. Totally outta no where too."

He rubbed Lance's back, purring. It was nice to unwind, even if it was inside of a bug house. Well, and explorer bug house, there's a big difference. "...Are you comfortable? I kinda just realized we're both on the floor."

 

[Navar]

"I can... sort of tell you need a few. And I don't mind helping you out. You are my friend after all, and you've been... v-very nice to me. Totally outta no where too."

Of course. Not like Lance was good at hiding things near someone... he really liked.

Lance whined. "...Thanks. I've been trying to heal from, well... everything that happened to me. Mom says it's a slow process, but I'm getting there, somehow. And of course I'm being nice to you, I told you before, I like you."

He rubbed Lance's back, purring. It was nice to unwind, even if it was inside of a bug house. Well, and explorer bug house, there's a big difference. "...Are you comfortable? I kinda just realized we're both on the floor."

Lance chuckled a bit more, tail now wagging even faster than before with the rubbing.

"With you? I'm... comfortable. Wherever we are."