Chapter Text
The sun began to peek over the mountain and shine on the small town of Roseville. What makes this town special, one may ask. To answer such a question, it is home to monsters and humans. After the monsters were freed from Mt. Ebott years ago, coexistence hasn’t been too much of a challenge nowadays. This town is also home to the human ambassador herself that made it all possible and has ensured the safety of the town and her family members alike.
Within a two-story household, sunlight was peeking through the windows to signal the residents that it was a new day. One human girl was at least ready as she was awake and already getting dressed. Equipped with a pink shirt with golden music notes that made the shape of a heart and denim jeans, the 11 year old human ambassador herself seemed excited as she also made sure her brown short curly hair was fixed up as she looked in the mirror. She had to look her best on this particular day because she had a Girl Scout meeting today.
“Hey Mel! Breakfast is ready!” Melody perked up to the voice coming from downstairs and shouted back, “Coming!” She swiped her Girl Scout junior vest and slipped it on as she exited her room. Heading downstairs, she could already smell breakfast. Her favorite no less: french toast. As she peeked into the kitchen, she smiled brightly as she said, “Good morning, Dee.”
Deana Dreemurr, Melody’s 15 year old sister, looked at Melody with a small smirk as she handed her a plate of french toast and tousled her hair. “Someone must be excited if it means she has her vest on already,” she said as Melody tried to swat her hand away. “Deeeee. I just fixed it,” she said with a pout. Deana chuckled and continued cooking.
Breakfast didn’t take long as Melody eventually finished and headed to the door. As she bidded Deana a hearty goodbye, she made their way to their Girl Scout meeting point. As they kept walking, Melody took the time to think things over on how it was going to go. She’s, of course, excited to earn some badges and prove her worth as a scout. She’s eager to try new things that they have to offer. Above all, there are going to be many new human friends her age to continue getting acquainted with.
Melody’s smile then started to lower as a small worrying doubt crossed her mind. When she approached the troop before, there was a girl or two that weren’t exactly very supportive of her being friends with monsters. While it didn’t amount to the majority that did want them to join, that worry still nagged at the back of her mind. She’s been around the monsters so much, she has questioned if she could even get along with other humans nowadays, especially ones her age. What grand feats would she have to do to get them to like her?
She tried to hide her worry with a tiny smile though, attempting to reassure herself that it would be fine. But deep in her heart, that worry still lingered. And something from the shadows of the alleyways was beginning to notice as it tilted its head and quietly followed her.
Deana, meanwhile, cleaned up around the house. It was a quiet day today…as it has been the day before. And the day before that. And the day before that too. Her eyes shifted to the note left on the table that’s been there for almost a year now. Papyrus, Swap to be exact, letting her and Melody know that trouble came up in the lab and he and Sans had to leave the timeline for a while. She picked it up and stared at it for a good minute, an ache in her chest. It’s been too long now. They should be fine, but the house feels too empty now without their adoptive father and uncle.
She then huffed and set down the paper. “Y’know what…I’m gonna go shopping.” With that statement, she slipped on a jacket and made her way out the door. But deep in her heart, there was still that lingering pain that she tried to numb with this distraction. She looked back at the house before sighing, then continuing forward. But a little further down the street, she stopped, seeing something small hop down an alleyway. It didn’t look like a cat or a bird.
Meanwhile for Melody, she was getting closer to the park. But then out of the corner of her eye, she spotted something hop along the sidewalk. She took a second glance and stopped, seeing it was something small and round with bunny ears and a sort of cotton tail. But it looked like a little baby-chick-like animal with small circle stubs for hand appendages. What kind of creature was that? She looked back to the path of the park, then to the creature that began heading down an empty alleyway.
Perhaps the meeting can wait, Melody thought. She then began following this strange little creature.
[MUSIC CUE: “Horizon” from Runescape 3 Soundtrack]
Deana tilted her head as she stepped closer. The little creature then showed itself. A sort of yellow puffball of a baby-chick-like creature with stubs for arms and a tail. It peeped up to her and began hopping down the alley. Deana looked back to the path that led to the supermarket, then back to the small creature. She didn’t have anywhere to really rush to, so...maybe it wouldn’t hurt to follow this creature and see if she could get a better idea of what it is and where it came from. Just for a little bit at least. With that in mind, she began following it.
Melody, meanwhile, followed after the little bunny-chick-like creature down a different alleyway. It surprisingly moves pretty fast, hopping quickly down one path to another. While the two girls were going down different paths, they eventually came to a meeting point a little outside the town. Deana realized this as she spotted the bunny creature Melody was following. It hopped over to the creature Deana followed right as Melody exited the alleyway saying, “Where are you adorably hopping away to, little-”
She then stopped and looked up to Deana, who questioned, “Melody?” Melody answered back, “Deana?” The two then went back and forth.
“What are you doing here? I thought you had your scout meeting.”
“I saw that thing and followed it. Why are you out here?”
“Groceries. But uh, same.”
The two then stopped as the creatures peeped and began heading to the woods. Melody, now feeling a small thrill of adventure, smiled and began following, asking Dee to follow her as she said, “C’mon, let’s see where they’re heading.”
Deana seemed hesitant as she looked back to the town, but before she could argue that they should head back, Melody was already following the creatures into the woods. Deana sighed and followed behind, saying to herself, “Here we go again.” Somehow there never comes a day where the two don’t end up on some sort of adventure.
The two began trekking through the woods, Melody getting more curious and eager to see where these strange yet adorable creatures are leading the two girls. They climbed over logs and brushed past bushes. As the creatures managed to get through a creek by hopping on small slippery rocks, Melody was about to make the same attempt. Deana though grabbed Melody’s wrists and carried her over by flying her over the creek. It was faster and less dangerous that way.
That’s something special about Deana: she isn’t exactly a human herself despite her human appearance. Rather, she is a fallen angel. Originally meant to be Melody’s demonic counterpart, the two grew and bonded over the course of the years and adventures they endured. She also had some strong magic in her spiritual state, but she wasn’t going to use them on the creatures yet. If they get too far into the woods though, it may be best to either turn back or just use magic to hover the creatures over.
For now though, she tucked away her gray feathered angelic wings and continued following Melody on foot. They didn’t have to walk much further though as they stopped. A strange sight was to be seen in this small clearing in the woods. A theatre. A stone structure with sparkling blue and white lights and a sign that had the words “Wonderworld” lit up. Deana could also see the word “Balan” above it that wasn’t lit up.
“‘Balan’s Wonderworld’,” Melody questioned out loud as she looked up to the sign as well. Deana crossed her arms. A theatre in the woods? And it didn’t look abandoned either. It didn’t look worn and the lights were working fine for the most part. She added to her thoughts by stating out loud, “I’ve never heard of a theatre like that. Nor did I ever hear of one opening up. And on the edge of Ebott Woods?”
Melody noticed the creatures nudging themselves inside through a small open crack of the door. Curious, she began to approach. Deana grabbed her wrist and said, “Hey, don’t you find this a little weird?” Melody timidly smiled and answered, “A little, but don’t you want to at least see why it’s here and what it has to offer?”
Deana looked up to the theatre. She could sense some kind of strong magical energy from it. Not a kind she was familiar with, but strong regardless. She hated to admit she was curious too, but knowing Melody, she wasn’t going to take no for an answer so easily. She took one more glance back to the town and sighed as she stepped forward to the theatre. “Fine. We’ll take a look around for a few minutes, then we gotta head back.”
Melody nodded with an eager smile as she and Dee stepped to the doors and pushed them open. It didn’t exactly look too elegant inside, but it had a comforting atmosphere of sorts. A small wooden desk with a desk lamp, a potted plant or two, and warm lighting. Once the two were inside, the doors shut behind them.
As the two stepped further in, Melody began looking around and calling out for the little creatures or for someone that could possibly work here as she said, “Hellooooo? Little buns? Is there someone here?”
Her voice echoed down the halls, but that didn’t stop her from venturing further in. As Deana quietly followed behind her, she took a good look at her surroundings and kept her guard up. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary so far. She did at least look at her reflection in a mirror and fixed her straight black hair a bit. As she did though, she spotted a hallway that seemed to have posters set up.
Curious, Deana was about to go down the hallway and take a quick check to see what those posters are about. But then she heard Melody softly gasp and whisper, calling out to her. Deana took one more glance and went to Melody’s side. Melody then quietly pointed into a small open room and Deana bit back a small gasp as well. They weren’t alone.
A tall lean figure was sitting back in a chair, looking at some sort of teardrop-shaped gem they held in their gloved hand, having their right leg crossed over the left in their low-heeled white shoes. This figure’s most distinct feature was the tall white top hat with a red hat band strapped around it. Their green dreadlocked hair was showing from underneath the hat as well. They also wore a sort of white suit with a few gold patterns on it and with frilly red cuffs at the wrists.
The figure tilted the gem to look at Melody’s and Deana’s reflections and said, “Oh?” The voice confirmed that the figure was male at least. His head turned to the girls and a small grin showed. The figure then stood up and continued, “Why hello there…” Then to the girls’ surprise, he did a flourishing twirl and bowed to the girls while shouting, “And welcome!”
[END OF MUSIC CUE]
Deana puts Melody behind her a little while Melody looks up at this stranger with a mix of astonishment and surprise. Not only did this person have his golden eyes showing through the red band on his top hat like a mask, he had a sort of showman personality showing. Melody would be lying if she said she wasn’t intrigued. Deana though was suspicious. Who was this magic man and why does he have a theatre in the woods?
The figure then stood back up straight, Deana quietly figuring he had to be over six feet tall even without the top hat. He then outstretched his hand and the yellow chick creature Deana was chasing earlier magically appeared in his hand. He stated, “Here children, have this,” as he then made the white bunny-like creature Melody was chasing appear in her arms. Melody gasped and Deana took a small step back in surprise. This man really does know magic.
As the figure handed Deana the chick, he then spun a few times and began looking them over as he asked, “Now tell me: what is it that you miss?” He checked Deana’s eyes and gave one of Melody’s curls a small tug to have it bounce, having her chuckle a little. Deana though tried to put Melody behind her once more in a protective manner. She had a lot of questions about this person.
Melody was about to question what the magical showman meant by what they miss. But then the figure perked up and declared, “But of course! It’s a piece of your heart!” He then wrapped an arm around Melody and the other around Deana. Before the two knew it, the figure quickly dragged the two down a hallway with a hearty laugh. Both the girls yelped in surprise as they were in a more open room with a stage. They stumbled when they came to a stop, both not expecting such a quick sudden action, but the figure ensured they stayed on their feet.
He then ensured there was enough room for the girls as he kicked aside a chair and brushed off a small table. He also took off Melody’s Girl Scout vest and Dee’s black jacket and tossed them onto a coat rack. He then hopped onto the stage and was about to snap his fingers as he declared, “Then it is time for the show to st-”
“Wait whoa whoa whoa, time out!”
The figure stopped and looked down at Deana, raising an eyebrow. Deana continued as she said, “We’re not doing anything until we get some answers. We don’t even know who you are!” The figure blinked, then chuckled as he stepped down from the stage. As the girls set down the little cute creatures in their arms, the figure then stated, “Apologies, I supposed I did get a bit carried away. I figured once we entered Wonderworld though, then there would be more to say.”
The figure spoke in rhymes. The girls kept a small note of that at least. Melody questioned first though by asking, “Wonderworld?” It was the name of the theatre outside. Isn’t it where they are now? The figure hummed; he quietly supposed he truly was rushing this a bit. He then stated, “I suppose this situation would leave your heads spinning. Then I guess I can start from the beginning.”
He takes another flourishing bow with a bright grin as he said, “I am, what you may call, Wonderworld’s maestro. And Balan is my name that you have the honor to know.” Melody smiled a little, happy to have a name for this magical person. Deana quietly realized that name was on the sign outside. This must be his theatre then. The girls introduced themselves as well and Balan’s grin seemed to grow upon hearing them.
Deana then said, “So now that we’re properly introduced, why do you have a theatre out here at the neck of the woods?” Melody then added, “And how come I haven’t heard about it and all?”
Balan continued to explain. “You wouldn’t have heard of it because it can appear out of nowhere. For those that need to have a heart in need of repair. Passing through this theatre brings you to such a place. A gateway to Wonderworld, between time and space.”
“Heart in need of repair,” Melody questioned out loud. Was her soul broken or something? Balan seemed to know what she was thinking as he shook his head and said, “Not like the heart you’re used to, but rather the one that beats inside you. Think of Wonderworld as the ‘collective consciousness’, where it calls to the person whose heart is a mess. A heart is made of two pieces: a positive and a negative. Without balance for them both, how does one properly live?”
Deana crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow as she argued, “I think our hearts are fine.” Balan raised an eyebrow back at her and counter-argued, “Dear Deana, I’m sorry but what I say is true. I know you have an aching heart from you-know-who.” Deana blinked and her eyes narrowed. She paused on this, then grabbed Melody’s hand as she said, “Well it’s something we can deal with on our own. C’mon, Mel. We gotta get to your meeting before it gets late.”
Balan sighed as he watched them go. Melody was about to argue back to Dee, but as Deana attempted to open the door, it remained shut. She blinked and tried prying it open with both her hands. She then tried to blast the door open with magic, but no magic came from her own hands. She seemed surprised at first, but then groaned. She had a feeling the world interfered with her magic, but now it was clear. She sharply turned back to Balan, who followed the two, and was about to demand him to open the door. But he spoke up first saying, “I’m sorry to say, but you can’t leave. Not until you pass the test that is causing your heart to grieve.”
Deana seemed to be getting angry as she said, “So you’re keeping us here against our will?” Melody now stepped forward before Deana could blow her top and asked, “What test?” Balan sighed and explained, “I’m not keeping you trapped here. This is what the theatre is made for: to protect your hearts, my dear. As I explained, the theatre calls those with broken hearts. So for you to leave, you must play your parts. Face the negativity that throws your heart off balance. Your test just requires you to take the stance.”
Deana was starting to calm down as she sighed and crossed her arms. “So all we gotta do is just fix our hearts and we can go?” Balan nodded with a small grin, then glanced to the side. “But I admit, I called you two here for more. Knowing your adventuring history, I hope my request won’t be too much of a chore.”
Deana knew she couldn’t argue the request already because knowing Melody, she was willing to help. And just as she predicted, Melody asked, “What do you need help with?” Balan explained, “You two aren’t the only Wonderworld residents here. Some have arrived months back, but others over a year. I’m afraid the negativity is corrupting their mindsets, turning them into monsters that will become a threat. They don’t want to leave their stage. Thanks to the Negati, they are trapped in their own personal cage.”
Deana raised an eyebrow and asked, “So let me make sure I got this right. There are more people in Wonderworld, some that have been here longer than others. Their negativity has overtaken them and turned them into monsters, making Wonderworld dangerous to be in?” Balan nods, “That would be correct. Which is why it was you two I chose to select. I believe in aiding the residents, you will be able to pass your tests along the way. So will you help? What do you say?”
Deana hummed in thought, then put an arm over Melody’s shoulder as she said, “Give us a moment to think on it.” Balan sighed, but nodded and gave them space to talk.
[MUSIC CUE: “Balan’s Ballad” by Ryo Yamazaki]
Deana started by whispering, “Are we really going to go along with this?” Melody shrugged and replied, “I mean, we can’t really leave even if we want to. Besides, what harm is there in helping?” Deana sighed and the two went back and forth once more as Dee added, “That may be true but I don’t exactly trust Houdini here. We get lured to this theatre and can’t even leave. What if this is a trick?”
Melody hesitated a bit, but said, “I...we don’t know for sure. Look, I know this situation’s strange. Maybe even stranger than what we’re used to. But he seemed pretty genuine in explaining this place and asking for our help. He didn’t even ask us that first; he wanted to ensure we get our hearts fixed too. And if there’s people in trouble, how can I turn my back on a chance to help them? I can’t. It goes against everything I’m working towards. Everything I believe in.” Melody then held Deana’s hands and tried to offer a reassuring smile as she added, “Besides, it’s not like we’ll be missing anything this time. Since, like Balan said, this place is ‘between time and space’, by the time we leave, home will still be there just as we left it.”
Deana seemed to be running out of arguments at this point as her gaze turned downward. One would figure after going on enough adventures, she would just end up rolling along with whatever crazy scenario arose. But she still chose to be cautious for her sister’s sake. She didn’t want to be trapped here, forced to endure a sort of test that involves her facing her issues with Nishiki. But without her magic, no way the two could leave even if she kept insisting. Plus, Melody did have a point. If there are people in trouble, it is their job, in a way, to help anyone in need. At least that’s what Melody always insisted.
Deana did feel the need to check though if what Balan said was true about how the theatre was between time and space. To her mild surprise as she took out her phone, the time was still the same. There may be no cell service, but it was still around 12:30 in the afternoon on the same day and year. It was like no time had passed since they entered. Deana pocketed her phone as she thought it over for another minute, then sighed and said, “Alright. We’ll play along for now.”
Melody smiled brightly, happy Deana agreed. The two then walk back up to Balan and Deana said, “Alright, Balan. We’re willing to help, I guess.”
[END OF MUSIC CUE]
Balan showed a really bright grin as he let out a hearty laugh. He then grabbed the girls’ hands and pulled them back to the stage. Balan then hopped onto said stage and snapped his fingers. “Then without further ado, it’s showtime!” Lights flickered on and a spotlight showed on Balan as he took a stance, seemingly ready to perform.
[MUSIC CUE: “It’s Showtime” by Ryo Yamazaki]
Balan then proceeded to a cartwheel and used his magic to split into multiple selves. Melody watched with amazement as they did a sort of twirl. Two of them then flew to the girls and spun around them, having the small creatures appear in their arms once more. Balan’s performance was only the beginning though. As his multiples then vanished and more of those small creatures appeared and hopped on the stage, he used his magic to have a rainbow wave of teardrop gems and light rush around the two girls. The settings then changed on stage, from an underwater scene to a city landscape.
Balan then seemed to open up the landscape and tilt the whole theatre forward as the girls fell forward into a sort of sparkling portal. Both girls let out surprised screams, of course, but were quickly caught by Balan. He splits into multiples once more and dances with the two of them as the area shimmers. Melody couldn’t help but go with it as she laughed a little, dancing along. Deana was basically twirled and spun, even if she didn’t intend to dance as enthusiastically as Mel.
The two girls then came to a stop next to each other as a multitude of doors appeared. One set of doors opened up to them. Balan then announced, “Now, let us go find your heart, little one! A journey to Wonderworld we shall embark upon!” He then grabbed the girls’ hands and pulled them to the door. The girls’ visions were soon blinded by a bright white light as they found themselves swept away.
[END OF MUSIC CUE]
A new adventure awaits.