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There are many universes where monsters have surfaced from a version of their Underground.
A few existed where monsters were already on the surface instead of ever being underground.
There were some, where ‘Bitty’ versions of monsters existed, or were made.
And a few, where only these Bitty monsters existed but not larger monsters.
And then there were universes like yours; where no monsters existed, or had ever existed, outside of fables and myth. Daily life plodded on mundanely for humanity. You had no hope or expectation of ever meeting a monster.
Except.
In one of the worlds where Bitties existed, there ran a desperate little creature.
He had always been a little odd, even for a bitty. It was what helped him escape. As was the fact that he was only a Sansy type. No bells and whistles. Just… ordinary. If he felt like he was a little unusual for a Sansy, he just dismissed it as simply being something all Sansys probably felt. After all - he’d done nothing especially different.
So the latest humans who bought him treated him as such. Thrown in a cage with a basic magic nulling collar.
The thief who saw him innocently getting to know the big wide world from the assumed, unguarded safety of an outer pocket in his new young human’s backpack; saw Boodle. And this was what his so called ‘new owners’ were apparently throwing around as his Pit-Bitty name.
He was terrified. He had gone from a hopeful and trusting in a new life straight out of the Bitty store with a barely verbal little stranger he was only just getting to know, to being told none of what he knew counted for shit; they weren't his real owner anymore if they couldn't even keep hold of him; they obviously didn't care about keeping hold of him; they’d told these big humans they didn't want him anymore (he could tell that one was a lie), and ‘welcome to the real world’.
He was poked and prodded and threatened, told he’d get food that wasn't dog food if he won his first fight, and had the collar deactivated only when made to summon the magic constructs he barely knew he had. So called training, under threat of being crushed by a fist that very day if he was going to be a trash non-fighter.
The guy who’d ‘trained’ him sold him on again, as a Pit-ready Bitty, cowering enough to pass as obedient, and ‘Boodle’ was looking to be the insulting name the new guy was going to use too.
He wasn't any sort of ready. He didn't even want to hurt another being. It had only been a couple of days, not that the trainer let on to the guy who bought him. Easy cash for a quick flip of stolen goods.
He was sold still wearing the clothes he had been bought just before he left the Bitty Store. The human had noted the high quality Outer-style white fluffy hood and trim, and briefly considered keeping the premium version blue jacket to sell on Ebay, but settled on getting a better price for a fighting bitty who looked superficially more pimped out and established.
But the poor bitty could barely focus on anything beyond the warehouse right now. It seemed to stretch endlessly, to such a small creature.
High metal shelves in repetitive straight lines that his owner breezed straight through, to an open space that was more cramped by human standards. Large bodies moving about, other cages with hollow eyes staring out as they were hefted past his own cage. Loud voices, arguments, the floor coming up with a jolt as his carrier was dumped there, feet stomping past. The vague awareness of other bitties talking, crying, shouting, underneath the rabble of human noise.
And there; a couple of patio space heaters and a standing spotlight, glaring brightly down into a space made of four chain link fences tied together with one on top, tyres stabilizing the base. One of the wall fences having a human sized gate, and the whole setup woven with a magic-nulling wire binding, to block teleporting away from that dusty floor. His fate itself.
The placid little bitty flipped. A few amused looks lasted only a second from the humans ignoring the sudden violence of the Sansy physically climbing up and attacking the corner of his carrier desperately, and with the metal of the bars crashing uselessly with his efforts. Tears were in his eyes as he blindly tore at it. To the humans he must have looked like a cat flipping out at a vets.
Prying at the bars with all his strength. A weakness in the corner where the bars broke away. The other bitties watching silently as the gap grew and the Sansy managed to squeeze through the open corner.
They didn't dare to hope. But they didn't look away.
He was out. One of the humans had still been looking, and he was seen outside his cage looking up, frozen.
“Shit that one got ou-”
“Run!” A little voice piped up, followed by a few others. “run dude it’s worth a shot.” And “Go! Get away!”
More quietly; “pfft… wont make it…” The eyelights watched though.
“Hey guys who’s got the Sansy there? It got out.” A slovenly hand pointed in that direction as the Sansy finally ran. Some of the other humans were a lot faster once they heard that.
But the Sansy was unusually fast too. At least right now, fueled by mindless fear and little direction. He still had his slippers, but those little feet pattered across the floor at a full sprint that was almost as fast as a warehouse rat could go.
He dodged past clumsy human feet that were pointed the other direction to the one he went. It gave the barest advantage. But that advantage was only an easily caught-up to couple of meters. And the humans started the chase.
Even at such a run he had only reached far enough to make the turn down the second set of shelving, when the humans bearing down on him were ready to make a dive and grab, as the non-chasers watched them go.
He didn't even have a chance. He was terrified. He was alone.
His eyelights flicked from place to place of where to hide or where to escape. A couple of seconds to climb over the floor level metal rim and climb up underneath? No. -A couple of boxes to squeeze between? No. Too little time and long arms ready to grab him each place he saw.
He was hopeless. He couldn't do anything but run. His instinct to get away so strong.
Run run run.
The little bitty’s viewpoint tilted and twisted on the edge of something like madness, and the too-tight collar was reminding him he couldn't teleport, but it was as if he sidestepped instead, and something broke, and reality wasn't real.
-BLIP-
But nothing seemed to change.
With pursuing footsteps echoing only in his mind, In the sudden quiet of the metal lines of bleak warehouse shelving ran a desperate little creature.
It seemed to stretch forever. He rounded a corner.
-BLIP-
A door was there, and realizing there were no more shouts and footsteps behind him he dared to slow down to a jog and look over his shoulder. Empty? He made it to the door, beyond which was an empty room with faded yellow walls.
In a yellow wallpapered set of rooms ran a confused little creature. Every room only led to more of the same.
-BLIP-
In a maze of an endless seeming, empty Bitty store with pens but no products or bitties stumbled a trembling little creature.
-BLIP-
In a maze of an endless seeming, empty Bitty store with pens but no products or bitties peered a similar creature, but not the same. The torn and stained blue jacket had yellow sleeves and little star toggles. The creature had a jagged head-wound, and a huge red eye followed where its lookalike had vanished.
Into a windowless library with shelves upon shelves entered a weary, so weary, little creature.
He wasn't alone. Something had noticed him.
…
…
Echoes of horror, of wrongness, might have warned an errant traveler that monsters dwelled in this place between places.
But Sansy was a monster too.
The creature was static glitches that moved, and static that spoke. The words stuttered and repeated like a skipping record as it spoke, softly snapping a book shut in its hands as it part-turned to him.
“HeLLL-O- o LItTLe - - - friE-e-enD.” He wore a white coat over a black top and shorts, one melty red eye, and one blue with broken writing appearing in both like a computer screen. Red and pale blue glitches running through the air almost fully distorted the monster before settling down intermittently.
“I -I -ISeEE YoU aaare. New H erE. It… S S Ss Okay. I WOnT hArrM You -ou-ou-.” It assured him with what came across as gentleness.
The Sansy felt safe. There was something in this creature that felt familiar in himself, even if it was just an echo of lives that weren't his own.
“where… where am i? ah- p-please? can you help me?” he chanced asking.
“SaF-e HeeeRE. Th-i-iis pLACe-WEL-c-c-0MeS Mon5tErs; iT CRav-Es oUr PR-rE-senCe… in A W-a-ay…
iT CraVEs -hU-man-s T0o… Bu-T THeY-Don’T D-d-D0o so Well… D-donn’t-K now WHy.” He appeared to shrug.
“Who are-?” he asked as he looked up at the skeletal seeming distortion.
“SaaaA-ans. B -buT-S-oME… Calllll me-FaTAaaL Errr-
RREERR o0 -OOR -ER-
OR-R- R.”
The Sansy did the best he could with that, and instead of trying to confirm that name, looking at the red gash that was like an echo of the red scarf higher up, and asked, “are you hurt? is there anything i can do?” He doubted he could help, but wanted to at least ask.
The creature huffed. At least that came through its static fairly clearly. “MY-yy NaAMe. DOesn’T Ma-a-aT er. nOt HEre. Iiiiii-i-i FinaLly B-bbrOke thinGs so- o 0- BaDLy… i -Ha-aHAa- i no-0-o 0oo-CLip-B-roKe oUT -of-F Th-E Mu-l-TiVeRrrssE.
ss000o-Did-d You.”
He paused while the Bitty showed understanding of the pieced together words. “B-bUt IT is-s-s - GOiNg T-to Be O-o-Kay Now. H-h- Ere I AM=m able t-to ChanGE ThINGs-s… ChANgInng My-y-y-SElf. Thiiss-s PlaCe. HElp-ed me-see. Cou-ou-ldn’T FI-x Th0Se aa-rRRound me. It wAaas -meE That nEEd-ed FiXi-ng. Ca-a-an FInaLly do -That n0w. Ju-u-Ust GoonnnnA-a TAke. Time.”
“the rooms are so big, they're not normal human places are they? it’s something… else?” asked the Sansy. “how do we get out?”
The skeleton who had been Geno, and Error, and Fatal Error smiled at him. “Yo-uU AllREady kn0-w H0w. Ju-s-us-T ThiNk -of -HOw-you G-go-T hhhEre. I-ii-i CAN hElp -you BuT…”
He grinned softly, “i don’t think you need my help”
The Sansy had already blipped away, those last words following him with warm clarity.
The skeleton in the library mused that he could bump any less adept bitties he encountered the same direction in future. The idea of any of the little guys trapped alone didn't sit well with him.
There was some sort of rat skittering by some bins outside your apartment complex. Agh.
You shook off the gross scene of wind scattered debris from torn open trash bags and carried on home. It didn't bother you really, as long as it didn't mean there was some sort of infestation at your building. The trash would be collected soon and hopefully whoever left the extra bags wouldn't make it a habit and attract more scavengers.
The next day you passed by again, and again you caught sight of movement by the bins. This week’s collection must have happened, seeing as the area was tidy and clear now. Maybe the complex management had been by. Must be a desperate little rat to still be hanging around.
“Sorry little ratty, not much for you today is there?” You couldn't help entertaining your empathy by voicing the thought, before picking up the pace again.
On cue as if it understood you, a bit of fluff peeked out from behind one of the bins, and you paused with a wry smile to add to the whim, “Hey, I’d love to give you food, but with rats that’s how one turns into fifty, my little friend.”
It was an unusual looking rat though from a distance. Looked like it was missing some fur but had a light colored head and fluffy ruff around its neck. It darted back behind the derelict bin area and you walked on home.
Its appearance didn't sit right at the back of your mind though, enough that later in the day you worried about ‘what-ifs’ on it actually being some sort of malnourished kitten.
You didn't need anything in particular. But hey, Halloween candy was on reduced sale, and you wanted some chicken, for a sandwich, so the next day you had stopped at the nearby convenience store and the route home happened to pass by the trash area again.
Well it couldn't be a cat, seeing as it was stood up on its hind legs reaching little hands up the side of a discarded Halloween pumpkin this time, you assumed its attention fully occupied on working on eating that. Looked… off still, somehow. No tail?
Curiosity is a jealous hoarder of thoughts. So you stopped, and looked back, then decided to wander closer. There was a small wall nearby at shoulder height which you subtly crouched close to.
Holyshit. The rat has no flesh? Those are bones?! It’s… What the heck IS that?
It has a little person face.
A little
Skull.
Human and Bittybones couldn't have timed their reactions better if they tried. Both made eye contact looking at each other at the same time, and both jumped in sync and scattered in opposite directions. The human went up the wall and clung on top with their arms and legs, the shopping bag falling at the base of the wall. The bitty ran to go behind the large metal bin.
Out from behind the bin came an actual rat.
The not-rat creature’s escape route was gone. It stopped instead with a surprisingly heart-rending cry, and retreated backwards shakily, hugging a piece of pumpkin in front like a shield, while the rat advanced, possibly just focused on the food item.
From your frankly embarrassing perch, you saw. The creature was stood like a person and looked human-like, except more bones than anything else. It was in a little jacket and shorts, and was wearing pink-ish footwear.
It threw away the pumpkin piece to the rodent and crouched defensively as you climbed down. The creature was in a little t-shirt and the fluff was lining the jacket’s hood, mostly covering a spiky collar-like thing. Oh. It was shaking and hugging itself.
You slid back down and approached oh so slowly, and thankfully the rat saw you and ran off. The little guy-thing- just stood there looking up at you as it shook. It had big, big eyes for its size, black, with tiny glows in them.
It wasn't fair. He’d finally found food, and he had to throw it at that damn rat. If it hadn't been for that human who thought he was a rat too, it might have tried to get at him again. Rats were persistent, and with so little food he wasn't going to be able to keep this up forever. He only had a long rusty nail he’d found to fend them off in the absence of any usable magic. And he’d left that at the pumpkin in his panic just now.
He was tired, he was cold and grimy. He was scared… but.
The human seemed to radiate warmth and care beyond their own initial panic, and the Sansy was hit by a sudden longing, despite his fear that any human might only want to return him to the bitty fighting rings. Maybe he could ask them to take him back to a Bitty Rescue Center, but he couldn't trust them enough yet to take that chance.
This human was the one that had spoken to him. Would they really give him food since they knew he wasn't a rat? Welp, he supposed he could try a shot at begging. Still, he stood up first and ran to a gap in some boarded fencing you couldn't grab him through if it came to it…
But he was too afraid to ask aloud, from where he shyly clung to the edge of his escape point.
“i , uh, don't s’pose you have any food for a bitty, buddy?” How hard was that?! But he just couldn't.
“Okay, it’s okay! I wont hurt you!” You held a hand out placatingly, crouching a couple of meters away. He flinched away. You didn't know what you were doing even as you automatically reassured him. You just couldn't not. It, he, looked so scared and alone, whatever he was.
He was trying to get food, wasn't he? You reached back into your shopping bag on the ground and fished out the chicken you’d bought for a potential stray cat. Tearing open the package, you pulled some out, then thought again and just placed the whole thing for him on the ground as near as you dared. “Wait! Here, can you eat chicken? Oh! I got some cheetos too… lemme just… ”
He couldn't believe his luck. The Sansy nearly waited for the human to finish getting the other stuff out of their bag before deciding that grabbing and dragging the container back to his escape route while you were busy was safest.
As you turned back to pull open your cheetos packet, you were relieved to see your new friend already pulling apart and eating the first offering with those tiny hands of his. You really wanted to take him in, but there didn't seem much chance of that at this point. So you placed the open bag near him too.
He looked up at you, then you turned as you heard a dog walker coming by. When you turned back, he was gone. Hanging round for what must have been twenty minutes talking to the air and trying to call him back bought no joy, so with a final promise to come back tomorrow with more food, you hoped dearly that he would survive and be there, and very reluctantly left the food on the ground and went home for the night.
He probably didn't understand you anyway.
You didn't sleep well.
The bitty slept better than he had the last few days. There wasn't much left of the snacks when he managed to drag the bag into the wall gap later, but with the rain spotting down it had made for a safer shelter of sorts, with him tucking in the ends under himself to prevent unwanted visitors. Just a littered chip bag stuffed in a wall gap to any human eyes too.
He woke the next day feeling the loneliness more than ever. Scared of this human coming back, and scared of you not. But it was relief that won through when you did turn up again.
This carried on for the next few days, you bringing various items of food down to your little friend and talking for a short time, and while he didn't speak, or probably despite being all dressed up was an animal that just wasn't able to, you could have sworn he seemed to understand what you were saying. He seemed to be warming up to you, but it was hard to tell if you were really making progress.
On a day when you voiced aloud your idea of possibly just making a grab for him to take him home, he ran and hid, and only briefly peeked out after you apologized and promised not to if he didn't want that.
Today the clouds were crowding over darkly and the wind was getting up, looking like the forecast on a coming storm was correct. People weren't hanging around outside. It started raining more heavily, and you both looked up while the creature tried to hold a hand up against the drops over his face.
He’d surprised you by crawling out of the chip packet on the ground this time. It was the same brand you’d left him the first day. Had he been dragging it round to shelter in? It hurt your heart.
You had chatted away like usual, and he had finished what food he wasn't going to drag away when he retreated as usual, so it was looking like time to leave again. Maybe you shouldn't have said it. You were scared for him. And sad to think of it, but.
“Please don't die.”
The creature’s little eyesockets widened like the bone was malleable, and you couldn't stop yourself. “I just wish I could take care of you, I really mean that. You could stay in my apartment, you know?” And then, very quietly, you really confessed:
“I just wish I could keep you.”
“you…”
He!-
“you really want a bitty like me to stay with you? can i- you want to adopt me?”
Holyfreakingshit he was really speaking wasn't he?
“You’re a -what? “
He looked confused for a moment, “i’m a bitty.” Then followed up when your face showed no recognition. “a monster? a bitty monster.” This was odd. All humans knew about bitties and monsters from Ebott.
This one didn't. “Uh, are you like a little fairy then or something? You could make the news if anyone knew about you! Not that I’d tell! If you didn't want that. I haven't told anyone, by the way.” you threw in quickly.
The Sansy relaxed a little and stepped cautiously closer to you, despite his face flinching with every large raindrop landing on his head. “i don't understand, bitties are common, aren't we? humans know about my kind. and monsters, from mount ebott. i learned that in the store i was sold in.” He paused a moment at this, as if something had just occurred to him.
“Uhhh, no. What store? I’d have totally bought… aaaahh actually no. Wow, that felt wrong to say. I mean we have laws against selling humans and I’m pretty sure we would have huge protests if sentient non-humans turned up and didn't get covered by that too,” you considered. “I have never heard of bittys or real monsters before. Or Ebott. Where is that supposed to be?”
The pinprick white lights of his eyes flicked down to the side in thought, “…there… are no monsters in this world,” he seemed to realize with slowly spoken enlightenment.
It made sense now, why he’d come across no other stray bitties to join, and had seen no humans carrying any. He hadn't come back to his own world from that other place.
You had no idea what he was talking about, did you? But seeing the bitty’s hesitance had made you worried he was going to run off and end up never being seen again if you didn't manage to help. Dying somewhere, all alone. He didn't look like he was doing well out here, based on the dirt, scavenging, and competing with rats. And he’d asked if you wanted him, right?
You knelt down on the wet asphalt, and held a hand out gently, and with promises to look after him as an adopter, asked if he would like to come home.
From across the street someone watched the smiling human cradling the stray bitty as they chatted and walked away from the area to go home, leaving with the rest of the trash, a collar the Sansy had asked his human to remove.
The watcher shot forward violently and grabbed the dumped trash bags at each side, from where he had been hiding to watch the two interact this time.
They were leaving?!
The bitty with the single large red eyelight grit his teeth in an angry little scowl. It was easier to panic angrily at least. Two little star toggles swung out in front of him from his bloodstained and grubby blue and yellow hoody, as he leaned forward to see.
They’d been his ticket to sweet scraps every time the other bitty had ran off with what he could manage. And that soft-headed Sansy choosing to accept the human as his own now, well it hammered home what Cosmic had been in denial about with every kindness they had been showing; the Sansy had found a good one! He didn't even know how much Cosmic had been doing to protect him did he?!
Well if they thought they were getting away without adopting him too!...
Cosmic may have been starving, but he had no collar. And thanks to these few days food he had enough magic again to do this.
The small pile of discarded trash was left empty of any little monsters. Just a small pile of dead rodents and a few crows feathers.
Unnoticed by you until you reached your door, a second bitty appeared at intervals behind you all the way.