Chapter Text
"Ah, a rat!"
Days of planning has led Spamton to this moment.
Finding Tenna alone isn't an easy task as one might assume. Darkners of Castletown might see Tenna always out and about. To catch the guy alone is almost impossible. It feels like Tenna is trying to catch anyone's attention with anything he could think of. Spamton thinks he's like a sad TV version of a ragebaiter in Tweeter. All attention is good attention, even when it is objectively not.
And when Tenna was actually alone, he always screamed and ran when Spamton tries to talk to him, always calling him a rat. Spamton tried talking in the castle, the bakery, the shops, and then Tenna starts going to Swatch's stupid cafe because he realized that Spamton isn't allowed in there.
But the puppet isn't giving up yet. He strategized. Noted where Tenna usually goes. And in his observations, Tenna actually looked.. happy, with more and more darkners Kris and those sponges recruited, which Tenna tried to befriend. In the middle of everyone's attention, Tenna's in his element, joking and talking and having merry fun. Spamton is almost happy for him.
Spamton kept planning and found the perfect place Tenna would sometimes go for some peace and quiet; outside the town, near the cliffs.
"CAN Y0U [Press to stop] [Play Pretend]ING Y0U [Don't you recognize-?] ME?" Spamton can't keep the annoyance and exhaustion out of his voice.
"I'm not pretending, I'm trying to move on!" Tenna explodes, literally growing bigger with anger, and Spamton can't stop himself from stepping back in fear. "Everyone is moving on so I am too! And that includes moving on from business partners who abandoned you when they need you the most! Right after they signed a very important contract!" he continues, pulling onto his antennae harshly. Back then Spamton would have tried to stop him from hurting himself, but now the puppet is too shocked at the bullshit Tenna is spouting. "So yes, I'm moving on. And things would BE easier if you stop bothering me."
The puppet's heart aches. Why? Why does it still hurts like so? Does Tenna truly think that way? He really hates him this much? Sure, he didn't explicitly stated that, but every sign points to that conclusion. Tenna has the tendency to obscure the truth in desperate times, but Spamton couldn't bring himself to even belief in the chance it might be otherwise. Spamton thought the kids' steadfast determination had rubbed off on him, and he too had been optimistic to mend things with Tenna. But now..? Does he mean so little to him?
Silence stretches for a long, tense moment. Spamton barely recognizes him anymore. Not at their split, not at TV World with Kris, not here. The Tenna he knew was understanding and charming and kind. The Tenna he knew was optimistic, and while he wasn't perfect, he was willing to see the bright side of things when it came to Spamton. And Spamton had felt so special under Tenna's light. The real Tenna made Spamton feel hopeful, protected, warm. Now he can't recognize him anymore.
The ugly barbs in Spamton's heart starts growing bigger, tighter. It had always been a mangled little thing; there had always been thorns in his ribcage, gripping his heart, choking him inside out, threatening to tear him apart. But after years of feeling this way, in constant physical and emotional pain, yet, yet, nothing had ever hurt as much as this moment. After all Spamtom had done for him, after all the attempts to talk to Tenna, not only was he not fucking good enough, but now it’s being rubbed in his face.
“I CA;Nt. [#%^]ING [Bee leaf] Y0U,” Spamton breathes.
Tenna falters, antennas drooping. "Wh- what?"
Spamton's balled fists shakes with anger. “I CANT [#%^]ING BELIEVE Y0U,” he says again, louder and harsher. "AFTER EVERYTHING. AFTER. EVERYTHING," he hisses. “NO. NO, Y0U [No] WHAT? ACCTU4LLy [Eye] CAn. [You cared about him too, Mike]," his voice box suddenly played a scene he saw through the Dealmaker. He hears Tenna gasp. "BULL. [#%^@]. THIS HAs :;;NEV3R [bin] AB0UT US. OR HAVE Y0U STARTED. BELIEVING. Y0UR 0WN [Liar, liar, pants on fire]?"
Tenna looks shocked. "How did you--"
Spamton's grin widens, struck with a crazed, sharp feeling. It feels like he is slowly sinking back in that years long state of mania. "[Y0u really think] I D0N;t [Now] THE [Garbage] Y0U'VE BE;;en SAYING? OH, [You really did care!] AB0UT ME, OH YOU WANTED TO BE [Big Shot]S TOGETHER. HAEHAHAHA!!!" He throws his head back and laughs, feeling sick in his hollow joints. "BULL[$#&^], ALL 0FF IT!!!" He stomps his foot forward and delights in watching Tenna takes a cautious step back. Good. Good. He wants him to be afraid. He wants him to feel hurt.
Spamton continues. He can't stop now even if he tries. "HOW LONG WILL Y0UR [Shiny New Toys] FR1;:/[End]S REALIZE H0W MUCH OF A [Selfish, self obsessed] [Narcissistic] [Freak] Y0U ARE? H0W L0NG UNTIL Y0U [Squeeze out the juice] THEM UP AND [Abandoned for the slime you are?] THEM LIKE WHAT Y0u did to me?"
Spamton physically felt his voicebox shook in an unnatural way, but never did he expected to hear his real voice come out. Staticky beyond the usual, but his voice nonetheless. What would be a happy moment is quickly soured by the situation he is in.
Tenna looks shocked as well, like he just took another blow. Like he's really having a hard time believing this truly is his old partner.
“That is not what happened,” says Tenna fiercely through gritted teeth. His fists are clenched, shaking slightly like he’s restraining himself from launching himself forward and attacking.
Spamton spreads his arms wide. Fear has left him completely. “Then [Enlighten me]! Cause I’d [LOVE] to know why my partner dropped me after everrything I have done for yo:;_u, after you begged me [Over and over] to sign that damn contract, and when I finally gave in, you placed all the blame on me when EVERYTHING [Stock market crash]!!!" he screams. He's screaming at the end of his words. He realizes he has never heard himself like this. "YOU [Ruin] ME!!!"
“You were the one who abandoned me! When I NEEDED you the most!” screams Tenna suddenly, raising his voice for the first time, sounding just as desperate as he looks. He then says nothing else, opening and closing his mouth like he's confused. Just stares at Spamton with that same desperate pain he’d worn every time he tried to approach him. Waits for Spamton to defend himself against the accusation. All that time to self-reflect and Tenna hasn’t learned a fucking thing.
And Spamton finally realizes right then that Tenna is never going to change for him. Maybe Spamton is far more stupid than he thought he was. Or Tenna was just so charismatic that he blinded him decades ago. Spamton has never been and will never be someone worth changing for.
Distantly, Spamton also realizes he didn't mean to hurt Tenna, emotionally or physically. If that’s literally what it took for Tenna to really, truly listen, would Spamton have had the strength to do it? Before coming here, he didn't think he would have. He loves him far too much, despite everything. But now?
“Is that still what you think?” Spamton asks after his voicebox cleared, words falling into a quiet, faint breath, resigned. He then laughs, still as quiet, the sound ringing sharp and humourless. “You never really did care about me at all, did you.”
Tenna's whole being flinches, like he’s only now realizing what Spamton's been upset about. “Sp-Spamton, that is NOT true—”
“Isn’t it?” jeers Spamton. “Isn’t it? All you have ever cared about is yourself. I'm so stupid. How did I never realize? The answer's been riGHT IN FR0NTNOF MY [Long nose] [The whole time]!!!!" He glitches violently. His hands grasp and pull on his hair.
“Spamton, stop, listen to me,” says Tenna, taking a step forward.
“No, YOU LISTEN T0 ME!!!” Spamton yells, letting go of his head, wildly gesturing to himself for emphasis. He needs Tenna utmost attention. His whole body is prickling with something more than just a bad glitchy episode. “I AM D0NE WITH Y0U CONSTANTLY BRUSH;:/ing ME OFF LIKE I AM [Nothing]!!! I HAVE GIVEN YUO [Second chance] AFTER [Second chance] THINKING, [Oh], MAYBE [It's time] WE;ll BE ABLE T0 [Talk ] LIKE [Adult male human]S!!! [May Bee] THIS TIME WE'LL HAVE [Closure]!!! MAYBE THIS TIME HE'LL REALIZE THAT [Boff] OF US [Mistakes were made] AND WE CAN MOVE [Past the dark] TOGETHER!!!" His voicebox aches in his throat. He's never exerted it this far and long. "BUT I [Guess] IT D0ES;Nt [$^&%]ING [Feeling like nothing in your life matters?] SINCE HE NEVER REALLY [Care] AB0UT ME [@all]!!1!"
His body is thrumming with an unpleasant but powerful energy. His magic is reacting to his emotions. While he's not new to emotional outbursts, this one felt different, like a new element has been added to the mix. A familiar song sings for him, calls his name; a call of a lightner's dream, but this time, he's hearing it from inside of him. He finds that he doesn’t care enough right now to pay it much mind. He’s so angry that his magic is getting louder, stirring the wind, ruffling his hair. And Tenna still isn’t fucking listening.
His screen is facing his way-- Spamton only just realizes how small Tenna had got. He's only a foot taller than him now, with his screen dimmed to its lowest setting but not yet turned off. Tenna is staring at him, but his mind is far away, layered in static. He’s frozen, haunted, by something, like he’s being injured by Spamton's words but still not hearing their true meaning.
“I [Devote yourself] MYSELF TO Y0U!!!” Spamton howls. "DID I THINK THE CONTRACT WAS A [Great idea]? N0!!! DID I SIGN ANYWAY? YES!!! BECAUSE I TRUSTED Y0U T0 D0 RIGHT BY ME!!! I TRUSTED YOU TO HAVE MY BACK!!!" he cries, his anguish as real as his anger. "W0ULD YOU RATHER I HAD ABANDONED YOU EARLIER??? WOULD YOU RATHER I LEFT THE SECOND YOU SHOWED ME THE CONTRACT??!?"
Tenna is silent. Spamton can only hear his harsh breathing. The TV looks away from him, stricken. He can’t even look at him anymore. It only makes Spamton's anger corrupts faster.
“[Trash heap], LO0K AT ME!!!” Spamton yells and glitches before an unexpected shock wave of his magic explodes out from him, not strong enough to knock Tenna over, but enough that he braces himself against it and looks up at Spamton with a new rising apprehension. He’s scared now? Good. Looks like TVs can listen after all.
“S- Spamton, you need to calm down,” says Tenna, raising his voice against the hum and static of his magic that’s getting louder and louder, whipping the air into a digital frenzy around them.
Something in Spamton snaps. How dare he. After running away screaming everytime he saw him? After pretending he doesn't exist like a fucking loony? And now he's telling him to calm down? “CALM D0WN???” Spamton asks, hysterical, “CALM D0WN??? [Eye] NEED T0 CALM D0WN??1?!?"
Another shock wave explodes out of him, stronger this time. He’s not concerned about it. He feels good. He feels like he’s finally standing up for himself against the one person who truly matters. His emotions are finally strong enough to help him get through to Tenna. Not love, but blinding rage. Not that that matters anymore at this point. Right now all of Spamton's plans are thrown out the window. He’s furious.
Tenna looks afraid. Not a trace of that exaggerated disgust. He actually looks more afraid than Spamton thinks he’s ever seen him before. “Spamton, stop!” he yells over the screaming of the wind.
That’s the final straw for Spamton. “STOP??” he shrieks, his voice breaking before he also breaks into manic laughter. “STOP??? STOP??1? [Press to sto-] [Are you sure you want to st-] [St-]:;;;//_;:” His voice and ads distort mercilessly. He feels he's going insane once more. Glitches cover and gnaw at him, breaking him and reshaping him over and over. But there is no pain, only his anger and Tenna. His voice breaks and pops again as he screams, “YOU’RE THE ONE WHO MADE ME LIKE THIS!”
He keeps screaming as his body breaks and builts itself anew. Whatever he is made of twisting and pulling and shaping himself into a familiar figure; a fallen angel that is rising once again. This time not for salvation in the [Light] of [Heaven], but in deeply personal revenge. No strings hold him up this time, but he lifts off the ground regardless through sheer power of righteous fury. Spamton roars.
Through the haze that is everything, he watches Tenna grow and takes a fighting stance. Stars brighten the air, all aimed at Spamton and ready to fly. It all makes sense now. He'll make Tenna listen with the one way he hasn't tried. This time Tenna has no choice but to respond.
...
..
.
In the end, Spamton leaves Tenna for one final time.
Once again, it isn't by his own choice.