Chapter Text
Neon lights and honking cars was what made Cyber City. However, what made Cyber City alive was its residents. From software to hardware, Darkners of all shapes and sizes inhabited one of the most diverse places in all of the Dark Worlds. Speaking of software... Two Addisons walked side by side, one looking confident, and one much more timid. Pink and Lilac. Although this Lilac went by Limi.
The two walked past another Addison, giving out advertisements, or more like pamphlets, on some new virus going around. Limi was too distracted by what Pink was saying to pay attention to whatever else was around them, and Pink was too distracted by themselves talking.
"I'm telling you, you-flavored teas will make it big! Sure I gotta figure out how to make them last longer, but imagine the possibilities! They'll be hip and trendy, everyone will want to know what you taste like!"
"Ha, Pink, you might want to find a better slogan than, 'everyone will know what you taste like'."
"Oh please, what do you know? Sure it's not the most... family friendly sounding thing, but come on! It's the 90s, cool and sexy are what's in!"
Limi chuckled and scoffed again, they really couldn't picture themselves buying a product promoting your friends and family tasting magic infused water designed to "your flavor".
As the two continued their walk, suddenly Limi spotted something in a nearby alley way. It was small, white and blue, and...
"PINK!! LOOK!! A BABY TASQUE!"
Limi was about to run over and pick it up before being yanked back by Pink.
"Lilac, are you stupid? Look at it, it looks all... weird! It's probably diseased, come on."
"But Pink, shouldn't that mean we should help it? Look at it, it's all small and sad.."
"..."
"Like... really small... Huh?"
The Tasque in question was certainly... bizarre? It was about the size of a baby Tasque, yes, but it had strange proportions more akin to an adult Tasque. The situation became stranger when pixel sized Maus ran past, causing the Tasque to chase after them.
Pink looked startled.
"What the..?"
Limi suddenly darted into the alley after the runaway Tasque. An action soon followed by Pink.
Pink was much faster than Limi, and quickly grabbed their arm to pull them back once more.
"Limi, what has gotten into you!? Can't you see how weird this is? We need to get out of here!"
"But... Pink, those were so cute! I want-"
"Oh for Queen's sake, Limi! Who cares what you want! Whatever made those Darkners tiny is probably lurking around here! That must be what the new virus going around is, dammit, I should've-"
"Did someone say virus?"
Limi and Pink froze. At the entrance to the alley stood, although more like floated, a Virovirokun. Its jagged smile seemed a lot more intimidating at the moment.
"Can you help me? I think I'm sick..."
The Virovirokun floated closer as the two Addisons backed up.
"S-Stay away! We can't help you!"
It floated even closer, its spear getting dangerously close as well.
"Please, I feel like I'm burning up! Don't you have any coolant on you?"
The two Addisons are backed against the wall of the alley, nowhere else to go. Pink suddenly pulled out their phone, the newest model, a modern flip phone.
"I-I'm going to call an Ambyu-Lance on you, get back!"
"EEK! I can't let you do that!"
Suddenly Pink was stabbed with the spear, it was magic of course so it didn't exactly leave a mark or anything, but…
"OW?! WHAT WAS THAT FOR-"
Limi yelped as Pink suddenly grabbed them for support. In the process Pink dropped their phone, clattering to the floor.
"EEP!! I didn't see the other one!"
The Virovirokun quickly stabbed Limi as well, eliciting a yelp from the Addison.
"Sorry about all this! But I can't have you calling those quack docs on me! Sorry, so sorry!"
The Darkner quickly floated out of the alley, leaving the two Addisons alone once again. Limi looked at Pink, who looked pissed.
"Damn Virovirokuns, I wish the Queen would actually take getting rid of them seriously..."
Limi's mind was on other matters than bitching.
"Are you alright?"
Pink quickly brushed themselves, although they hadn't exactly gotten dirty. They were looking over themselves for any changes the Virovirokun might have made.
"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. Ugh..."
"I don't look glitched anywhere, do I? Or anything else?"
Limi looked around Pink, everything looked fine. No stray pixels, no areas changing colors, nothing.
"You look fine to me! Maybe it wasn't using its magic..?"
"Maybe, but that wouldn't make much sense, now would it?"
Pink reached down to grab their phone, finding it ever so slightly heavier in their hand. They felt tingly all over, but part of them chalked it up to just nerves.
"Pink... you don't think..?"
“Think what? I hate it when you trail off, think what, Limi?"
"...You don't think that the Virovirokun was responsible for those tiny Darkners, do you?"
The conversation from earlier clicked. Frankly it should have been obvious, that yes, this was that particular Virovirokun carrying that particular virus. Pink put their head in their hands. The tingling sensation was getting worse, coupled with a sinking feeling in their chest.
"We probably need to call the others, we don't know how fast acting this... is?"
Pink looked up at Limi. Pink has never looked up at Limi before. Pink was shorter than Limi.
Limi was amused.
Pink was not.
"Aw.. I'd say it's pretty fast acting by the looks of it..."
“You’re going to be looking like Spamton soon…!”
Limi went to pat Pink's head, a hand that was quickly grabbed by the slowly shrinking Addison. They looked flustered.
"Don't be teasing me now, Limi! It got you too, look!"
Both of them were obviously smaller than their former sizes at this point. The phone looked more like a bulky laptop in Pink's hands. A nearby dumpster was slowly beginning to tower over them both. Second by second, the city was looking larger and larger.
"Yeah, but you got struck first! So.. you'll get smaller first!"
Pink puffed in irritation, feathers poofing out to appear bigger. Not like it was helping much at this rate.
"We need to call the others, we can't get home at this rate- SHIT-"
A sudden bout of quick shrinkage made Pink fumble, and the now too-large phone fell to the ground once more.
"Aww, you're so cute, Pink! Still shorter than- EEP-!"
Limi soon felt the effects of quickly shrinking as well, now being on par to Pink's height. The two Addisons looked at each other, neither able to form a coherent thought at the moment. They dwindled... and dwindled... Until.
It stopped. The world was no longer growing around them. Finally, they could take in the perspective of the new world they'd been thrust into. Everything was far too large. The phone was larger than them, even in its shut state. Street litter resembled small buildings, a nearby bottle looked like it could be climbed into. Everything was huge.
Everything was terrifying.
Limi tried to huddle next to Pink, who seemed as pissed as they were scared. Pink, who quickly shoved Limi to the ground. Their face was red, with all their rage directed at the purple Addison before them.
"GODDAMMIT LIMI!"
Pink’s voice squeaked with anger. It’s possible that Limi would have found it comedic if it wasn’t aimed directly at them.
"THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT! If you didn't go after that stupid Tasque, we wouldn't have ended up like this!"
"Oh Angel above, you are so annoying!"
Limi winced and looked hurt, they tried to speak but...
"You'd be just as bad as Spamton if your sales weren't good, the fact I keep both of you around is a blessing!”
“P-Pink-”
“I don’t want to hear it from you right now! You’ve done enough damage as it is!”
Limi turned their back to Pink to cry, but frankly didn't want them to hear it either. They just curled into a shaky ball, trying to muffle the sound of their sobs. Pink scoffed and went to open the phone, if they were going to do anything first, it was to call the others.
Well.
Pink was certainly trying to open the phone. It was so much heavier now at this size. Every time they tried to open it, the weight would come crashing right back down. Damn brick phones.
Pink huffed and puffed. They couldn't open this on their own. They looked to Limi, whose feathers were puffed out as they were still curled up. Pink grimaced, they probably should've saved the bitching for later.
"...Ahem... uh.. Limi?"
Limi made a sad noise, akin to that of a sorrowful chirp.
"...If you want to be useful for once, come over here and help."
Probably could've worded that nicer, but Pink just wanted to get home. Was that so wrong? It wasn't their fault! It's never their fault! Pink is the victim here, can’t you see?!
…
The purple Addison stook up shakily and sniffled, their facial feathers wet with tears. Pink hated when they looked like this, it wasn’t professional. Regardless, they went over to the phone with Pink.