Deathling - Outsiders SMP

Quite the Mission: Apo

Of all the missions Emmy could've sent him on. Of all things. He could've been watching and making sure Owen was safe. Heck, he could be fishing or writing theories. Instead, he was dragging a freaking pig out of the maze. He had somehow made it past all the guards without them being suspicious of the snorting noises coming from nowhere. Silly pig wouldn't keep quiet. Apo wouldn't even be doing this unless Emmy had explained to him how special this pig was to Owen. He had forgotten the name by now, but he knew it was something along the lines of Muddy.

He and Muddy were both invisible, thanks to potions, which he had to pour all over a wiggly pig. It had taken him forever to find and sneak into a hallway with no cameras, but somehow he'd managed to do it.

He'd started to summon a portal when he heard something from the corner of the room.

"Man, I'm really drunk. Hello again, hallucination Apo."

Apo spun on their heels, turning towards the voice. Red sat in a corner, drinking beer on a barrel.

Red shot him with questions before Apo could do anything. "Are you going back to hell? Is that what the portal's for? Is that how you ghosts visit us? Where are you taking Puddy? Was it Puddy's time?"

Apo facepalmed. "Sure, bud. Do you wanna come with me?"

"To hell?"

"N- Sure, Red," Apo wasn't sure how to respond to him.

"So this is what dying feels like. Huh. I thought I'd feel more numb."

Apo sighed, sitting down next to Red. "What's wrong? Why are you drinking again? I thought you stopped!"

"Well, ever since you left, I got a bit depressed again, but I couldn't drink because I didn't have any beer, but then Krow told me you died, so then I got even more depressed, and then the watchers brought me here and gave me more beer."

He opened another bottle, putting it to his lips. Apo snatched it out of his hands, breaking it on the floor. They held their hands out to Red. Red looked at him with as much annoyance as he could, which was impressive because of the sock and sunglasses blocking emotion from showing.

"What the heck, man?" Red accepted Apo's help standing up anyway. Apo hugged Red, and Red jumped a bit at the gesture. Soon, Apo felt Red's arms embrace them back.

"You smell like beer." Apo said, pulling back and picking up Puddy again. They grabbed Red's hand, pulling him towards the portal.

"Hell, here I come." Red said bluntly. Apo snickered as they walked into the portal together.

On the other side, Red was looking around confused. "This is more dark and damp than I thought it would be."

Apo smiled at Red, and pulled him by the wrist towards the end of the tunnel. "Let's see if we beat Owen," Apo said, starting to run. Puddy followed him eagerly. Red stayed behind, struggling to walk without stumbling.

"Don't tell me that guy's here, too," Red said, crossing his arms.

Apo rolled his eyes. "Too bad. He is here. Now come on, I told Emmy I'd beat him here."

"Who's Emmy?" Red called after Apo, who was already running through the cave.

Apo came to a stop when he reached the opening into the cavern. He took a second to admire the scenery, and to let Red catch up. He was making no effort to run, and it was annoying Apo.

Red's pace slowed to a stop. "Wow. Who knew hell could be so pretty?"

Apo turned to Red, exasperated. "We aren't in hell!"

Red seemed unconvinced. Or maybe he was. Honestly, with the mask, Apo couldn't tell. "Then where are we?"

Apo took a deep breath. "Home."

Red, Puddy, and Apo walked up the hill together. Puddy kept trying to eat Apo's pant leg, but Apo didn't mind. He was starting to understand why Owen liked Puddy so much.

When they reached the ship, they were immediately greeted with Oeca and Mohwee having a rap battle.

"Hey Apo. How's it going?" Mohwee said, while Oeca continued to try to find a word to rhyme with month. Apo guessed he didn't know it was one of the few that in fact didn't rhyme with anything.

"Oh. Mohwee and the child are here, too?" Red said, coming up behind Apo.

Mohwee laughed at Oeca while Red surveyed everything. "Hmm. I never thought hell would be a ship."

"Is he..." Mohwee pointed at Red. Apo nodded back. "Oh. Well, don't worry Red. It's completely safe here." While saying this, Mowhee pushed Oeca off the side of the ship.

Oeca let out a high-pitched screech, yelling "CHILD ABUSE" while he tumbled down into the water.

Apo looked down at the splash. Then they turned to Mohwee. "Mohwee I swear I am not going down there to get him."

Mohwee snickered.

Apo heard a loud yell from across the cavern. They turned to the voices, and their face lit up when he saw Owen and Magic standing at the entrance to one of the caves.

When Owen and Magic reached the ship, Apo couldn't help but be annoying about it.

"I dragged a pig and a drunk guy back from the maze before you could get Magic." He smiled at Owen, holding Puddy up in their arms.

Owen's eyes widened at the sight of Puddy. Puddy started squealing loudly the closer Owen came to him, and Apo set him down. Puddy raced into Owen's arms, and Owen hugged him back tightly.

Owens' voice went up two octaves when he talked to Puddy. "Hello again!" Owen gently stroked Puddy while he squeaked and stuck his nose onto Owen's face as if to say hello again back.

Apo watched the scene smiling, happy to see Owen happy.

Someone tapped their shoulder. Apo turned around, slightly surprised to see Magic standing behind him.

"Sorry, I kind of forgot you existed for a second." Apo said.

"Are you real?" Magic said.

Owen had overheard this, and he and Apo made eye contact, then burst out laughing.

"No, this is all a hallucination!" Apo said sarcastically, waving his hands in front of him.

Magic seemed to take that seriously by the look on her face, and so did Red.

"Why are both me and Magic in the same hell? Or having the same hallucinations?"

Apo let out another laugh, before saying, "I'm kidding, I'm kidding! Geez, you took that really seriously."

"Then where am I?" Magic said, gesturing around her.

"Magic," Owen said, picking up Puddy with him while he stood up, "Welcome to the Phantom."

---Notes---

Sorry, I died for a bit. Testing season is crazy, and I got a bit burnt out, but I'm good now! 

Tysm for reading! Comments and votes really motivate me when I'm having trouble finding motivation. A!so, shoutout to Pink and Mira for forcing me to post again x-x 

I'll see you in the next one, where a certain fruit trio might be reuniting...