Small Differences - Chapter 8 (OLD)

	'Behold, the Maze of Death! Prepare to GET LOST, clowns!!!
	SIGNED, LANCER'

	Another sign erected by the goofy darkner child resides next to the light. As Kris and Ralsei continue their journey onward, they stumble upon an incapacitated creature. It's pink, is wearing a small helmet, and somewhat resembles a jigsaw piece. They don't appear to be injured, but the faint sound of high pitched sobbing is audible from the creature's general direction.

	"*He'll be fine."

	"Kris, should we help him? He seems hurt..."
	"...I'm sure he's fine."
	"...Well, alright...You're the boss, Kris...!"

	As the duo reaches another crossroads comprised of three paths. Kris takes the path that leads to what looks like a chest,  approaches it, reaches down, and unbuckles it. The contents of the box seem to be a singular white ribbon. "That ribbon is armor, Kris!" Ralsei blurts out before Kris can pocket the ribbon. "It increases defense!"

	Kris examines the ribbon thoroughly with skepticism. "...How is this going to help me, Ralsei? It's a piece of fabric."
	"W-well...if you look cuter...maybe the other darkners won't hit you as hard...?"
	"..."

	"*You should totally put it on, Kris. I bet it'd make you look hot."

	Kris but can't help but scowl at the soul's suggestion. He stuffs the ribbon into his inventory with a smirk beginning to form on his face. He decides to save it for a certain someone that he knows wouldn't react all too kindly to being given a cute ribbon. Perhaps with a little persuasion, he might have something to hold over that certain someone's head if the need should ever arise. With the ribbon awaiting its fate in Kris' inventory, the lightener takes the eastward path. It's a dead end littered with the unconscious and otherwise incapacitated pink jigsaw creatures, with a lone creature standing over his fallen comrades with tears in his eyes and anguish smearing his little face. As the two heroes approach, they are startled as the creature begins yelling at them.

	"W-woah! Wait a minute! Even if you're my enemy, I've got to warn you! A purple beast is roaming, clobbering anyone who dares block her way...!" The creature's warning is interrupted by a small sob, but it continues. "We don't even like fighting...th-the king left us no choice..."
	"O-oh...Kris, we need to stop Susie, quick!"

	With only one path remaining to be explored, Kris leads Ralsei to the southern, purple-carpeted path....with ANOTHER fork in the road. To the right lies a lone Lancer-made sign, and the other actually contains the rotund goofball himself. He lets out a small gasp as he sees the heroic duo approaching.

	"Ho ho ho! Somehow, you survived the maze! But don't count your blessings before they hatch! Let's see how you fare against THIS team!" Lancer announces in his child-like hubris. He quickly darts behind a trio of Hathies waiting to attack.

	"*You know what to do."

	As one Hathy is warded off with a miniscule amount of flirting, Lancer grows impatient and barges into the battlefield. "Hey, why aren't you guys thrashed!? You're totally outnumbered!"
	"...Lancer, there's only two guys fighting us right now, so I'd say we're pretty even...unless you want to buck up and join in."
	"Nah, I'm good! I'll wait until you guys get totally THRASHED by my lovely dude-ohs right here!"

	The battle ends as expected, but without any magical impalement as Kris has learned from his mistakes from before.

	"Look, Kris! We got 84 dark dollars!"
	"Sweet!" Lancer bursts in. "How much do I get?"
	"You...lost, Lancer. You don't get any." Ralsei responds plainly.
	"Oh...Can I have some of yours?"
	"No!"
	"Hey," Kris replies. "maybe if you...I dunno, actually manage to thrash us, you might get some money."
	"Good idea, you sweet little buttermuffin! I'll think about that! Anyway, I gotta split! Later, losers!"

	Lancer runs at a full sprint away from the two heroes, only to stop a few short feet away. Kris stares at Lancer for several seconds as he's somehow struggling to catch his breath.

	"*The little guy's quite a handful isn't he?"

	"Uh...Lancer?"
	"Sup."
	"Aren't you supposed to be running away?"
	"Oh, but I did! I just got done running, actually!"
	"........"

	Kris motions Ralsei to keep up and approaches a second timed box puzzle just ahead. Thinking they'll be able to solve it like last time, Kris presses the button on the clock and tells Ralsei to help him. It ultimately leads to failure as it appears that a third person is required to complete the puzzle. Noticing the lack of floor spikes blocking the way, the human lightener spots the one and only Susie pounding on a large black door.

	"Ugh! Why won't you open, stupid door!?"
	"...Susie?"
	"Ah!...Uh, er...sup, nerds? The hell do you want?"
	"...For starters, maybe you could calm it with the path of destruction you're on."
	"Psh, as if! If someone's trying to kill ya, you gotta kill em back!"
	"Uh, Susie..." Ralsei attempts to explain that the world that he currently inhabits is not one where fighting is necessary before Susie cuts him off.
	"Besides, it feels pretty good to show those a-holes what for!"
	"...I assume you walked over the spikes from earlier, right?"
	"Hell yeah I did. I'm the best at stepping over spikes." Susie says with a cocky grin. "Too bad I'm not the best at opening sucky doors like this one."
	"The spikes lowered when we solved the little puzzle. I think the door with function the same way." Kris concludes.
	"Nice. Tell me when you dorks finish it."
	"...I think we need three people to solve it, though."
	"Susie," Ralsei interjects, "sometimes, proceeding will require all three of us. Furthermore, only Kris can seal the Dark Fountain."
	"...Didn't you say that a monster and a prince from the dark were required for all this?" Kris points out.
	"Well, yes! B-but the monster and prince are needed for the journey..."
	"...Alright..."
	"Anyway, Susie, if you don't follow us, you won't be able to make it back home!"
	"...So you're saying I HAVE to stick with you guys."
	"Yep!"
	"........Let's just get this over with."
	"Yahoo! Susie's back on the team! Cue the fanfare!"

	"*Looks like Susie joined the party...aaand she looks like she's gonna follow at a distance such that no one can tell she's associated. Amazing."

	Using Susie, the group of two heroes and one reluctant antihero complete the puzzle. Upon completion, the sound of a door opening rattles through the air. Before the trio can pass through, they notice a large red checker-pawn shaped creature with a puppy-like face. As the heroes approach, the round opponent jumps forward, kicking its feet in the air in a fashion that it seems to be dancing to a rhythm, probpting Kris and Susie to draw their weapons. As he recalls the fact that Susie attacks everything in her sight, Kris decides that the best course of action is to warn the enemy about her attack.

	"Hey, careful! Susie here's about to start swingin' at you!"
	"Fucking...KRIS, STOP HELPING THE ENEMY!" Susie shouts with a hideous snarl.

	With an angry and predictable swing, the circular creature dodges the attack and runs away before Susie can follow up with another attack. The lighteners' weapons de-materialize, leaving behind 11 dark dollars.

	"Come on, Susie. We gotta keep moving."
	"Uuuugh, why won't you ever let me kill anything?"
	"I'd rather not have any blood on my hands. I've never seen anything die besides a few bugs, and I'm not going to start now."

	A light is visible next to a makeshift cotton hut with the word 'shop' stitched near the top. To the left, a shady looking blue jigsaw creature wearing an itchy looking hat watches from a distance. Kris approaches the light, and...

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