This chapter was created together with Firehedgehog.

I had loads of fun writing this with them 😸. 

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Karma ends up with the Traveller, another immortal child. Recovery might be slow but the meeting may end up changing Karma for the better

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Between Omniverses- The Travellers space

The sounds of a fire crackling in a campfire filled the air, with the smell of simmering soup filling the air. Traveller hummed happily stirring the pot of food, he was taking a break between multiverses right now.

He was on one of the many islands that seemed to float there, most were barren but he'd found a nice one with a small lake and trees surrounding it. He'd even set up a tent, he'd gotten it from one of the weirder crossover multiverses that was bigger in the inside.

A Hairy Potner?

Well whatever, probably wasn't important.

It was then that he felt a tugging sensation on his magic.

"Huh.." he said confused.

Concentrating, he frowned as whatever was tugging seemed to be coming towards him.. from one of his gifts?

"Karma?" Traveller worriedly said as he felt the magic linked to the gift, he reached out and allowed the pin to take more his magic and moments later an unconscious form settled into his arms. They looked exhausted, and in need of a bath... and for a lot of preening.

Carefully he brought the other child into his tent and placed him on his bed, cleaning him up as best he could while he was unconscious.

"The soup!" he cried running back outside, he rescued the soup in time and snuffed out the campfire deciding he'd just use the magical kitchen within the tent.

A bit later he was back to Karma and soup in a mug, the child's magic was much too exhausted. He placed the mug down briefly and adjusted Karma's form, then tilting the eternal child's head and carefully fed some of the soup to him. Thankfully Karma drank it, but didn't wake.

"Just how mentally and soulfully exhausted was he, for the pin to force him to me?" Traveller mused worriedly.

This continued on day after day, carefully feeding and caring for Karma and cleaning him better. Slowly the shadows under his eye sockets vanished, and his breathing became better as his body struggled less to provide what it needed. Traveller carefully kept a bit of magic going towards Karma, as he had yet to adjust properly to create his own magic. Hopefully soon, as depending on randoms AU'S he travelled could not be healthy and confusing on the body.

It was almost a shock, when almost three weeks later Karma started to stir from his almost comatose state.

Traveller sat down on the chair next to the bed, it was far enough away it wouldn't frighten Karma.

A small moan left the child as they wiggled to a new position, clearly stiff from not moving so long. Bleary eye lights stared around, not really seeing anything.

"Karma.. are you awake enough to hear me?" Traveller asked softly.

"Pretty..." Karma managed to say, staring at Traveller's rainbow like wings as his eyes started to focus.

Then his eyes dropped close, as a more natural state of sleep claimed him.

"Well... it's a start."

------

Karma wanted to stay in the darkness, that hid him away from all that had hurt him, but he knew he wouldn't be allowed. They could already feel themselves rising to consciousness, no matter how hard they fought against it.

They weren't fully aware what was going on, during the small snippets of time they awoke, but they could sense no ill will towards them, so let themselves relax and fall back into the darkness.

This pattern continued, only further confusing his tired mind about where he was. He let out a gasp, as full awareness slammed into him and he could feel all the aches of his body. He was surprised how he didn't feel much worse, as he could still remember the discomfort he had been in before.

Karma's mind 'helpfully' reminded him what had started this whole mess, that had led him to grow weaker. He could still feel the purple eyelights watching him in fascination during the 'tests' he was given. He might not have been with them for long and had endured much worse in the past, but he still felt a shiver run down his spine at what they did to him.

He never told Oneiro or Nova what had happened and was sure they didn't know, but he still felt vaguely betrayed at them for not protecting him. They had promised to care for him...but perhaps it was a lie? Or was there a time limit to it?

Feeling for the bonds in his SOUL he was unsurprised when he felt nothing. His mood soured and the urge to bypass his scarf and pull on his feathers instead grew.

He froze when he realised he sensed someone nearby and was horrified with himself, that he had gotten distracted by pointless thoughts.

Pushing himself up from a soft surface his skull snapped towards the weird SOUL and he tensed in fear. His eyelight swiftly scanned around the odd room before freezing on the small cloaked figure sitting on the chair.

They didn't look scary but he knew how looks could be deceiving. He could feel his bones start to rattle in fear and let out a low whine. He was prepared to summon his magic, to keep them away, when something bright caught his attention. It originated from behind them and when he spotted what it was, he felt his terror decrease.

He grew mesmerised at the beautiful wings attached to the small being and cooed when they were slightly raised, showing off more of the feathers. He couldn't tell how many different colours there were but Karma still fell in love with them. The way they even seemed to sparkle with each movement, further enthralled him and he could feel his fear be snuffed out.

"Karma... can you hear me?" The stranger asked gently.

Karma's eye light snapped towards the voice. They didn't sound angry so he hesitantly replied.

"Y-yes. W-who are y-you?" He cursed at his stuttering but still kept eye contact with the stranger.

"My name is Traveller, you are at my camp... you've been almost comatose for a few weeks,"

A few weeks? That didn't sound right. He had just moved to lay down for a nap. How could it have been so long? He wanted to harshly deny these claims but paused and took stock of his body. He looked much cleaner than he remembered and the tiny cuts he had gotten on his hand were now healed.

"I see... Why did you take care of me? What do you want from me?"

No one ever truly did things for free. He had learnt that the hard way.

"I'd say you sound jaded, but you have reasons enough for that Karma. As for I want from you, nothing but for you to recover, if my gift to you brought you to me things must have reached a breaking point," Traveller said gently before their hand reached towards him.

Karma prepared himself for pain when they moved but was surprised at how gentle the hand was on his skull. He leaned into it, feeling a purr build up at being touched again. He had missed this and could feel tears gathering in his sockets, due to all the emotions he had bottled up, wanting to break through.

He was initially confused at what gift they were talking about but a flash from his scarf reminded him of the cookie pin that had mysteriously appeared one day.

"Can I have a h-hug?"

He could feel a blush forming on his cheeks at the question but Karma wanted to confirm he wouldn't be rejected before he tried.

"Of course," Traveller said, opening their arms.

Karma's arms curled around Traveller, melting into their warmth. He felt a sob start to build and buried his face near their neck to hide the sound. He tucked his wings behind him and pushed further into the hug, as if he could melt into them if he tried hard enough. Their SOUL felt wonderful to his senses and he could easily stay like this forever but he still had questions.

He started pulling away, feeling as if he was ripping apart his SOUL doing so, then wiped away at the moisture that had gathered in his sockets.

"What happens now? I-i m-mean i can leave, if you have others things to do"

Karma made sure to add the last bit, as he didn't want to be annoying. He would like to keep the memory of a kind stranger rather than ruin it, by his selfish wish to spend more time with them.

"None of that, you can stay as long as you want, Karma. I have eternity, time means nothing to me,"

Traveller said softly, reaching out and gently wiped away the wetness around Karma's eye sockets. They reached out and pulled Karma into their lap, starting to rock him.

Karma watched as the others wings spread around them, glimmering in the light in the room.

"It's okay, I am here.. you're allowed to cry."

As soon as Karma heard the kind words he let his tears fall freely, clutching onto their clothes and letting his body fully relax into them. His sobbing changed to chirps of distress, as if begging the other to not let go of him. The rocking movement they started felt wonderful and the feeling of safety grew, due to being cocooned in their wings.

Karma soon grew quiet and passively felt his magic tugging at the others and absorbing the excess, as if it was routine. No wonder his body was in better condition, if the other had been actively feeding him as well.

"I'm tired, Traveller.."

He was unsure why but it felt safe to confess his true feelings to the stranger. Perhaps it was due to the gift he was given, with no demands attached to it, that made him trust their words of wanting to help him.

"It's okay to be tired Karma, close your eyes and sleep,"

"I will be here or elsewhere in the place, when you wake up."

Karma let himself sleep, still in their hold, letting out a small smile at the kiss placed on his skull.

-

Sadly his dreams were not as peaceful as his current reality and he felt himself awaken, much too soon for his liking.

Opening his sockets he shook off the dream and had to remind himself he was somewhere safe and that he would sense if someone new had come near. He fiddled with his scarf and stared at a random point, wondering what would happen next. When he felt Travellers grip get tighter he twisted to look at them, chirping in greeting.

"Thank you for staying with me...can I have some food?"

He wanted to be proven his trust wasn't misplaced and waited eagerly for the response. 'How far could he push till he was thrown away?' Karma darkly wondered.

"Of course, you must be starving. Are there any types of food you can't eat?"

...Karma got to choose? Thinking about it, it was simpler to state what he could eat. He knew it was partially his fault for how he reacted to most food, as he had spent so long without it.

"Lots of magic in food makes me ill...apart from certain chocolate. I-is that o-ok?"

He knew some monsters could take offence when he rejected their food, as it was like denying a part of them. Magic was deeply personal after all.

"You seem to react okay to the soup when you were unconscious, so how about a bowl of soup and a cup of hot chocolate?"

When Karma heard chocolate he started rapidly nodding in agreement. He was shocked his body had been ok with soup, so perhaps the others' magic was just very compatible with his.

"Yes please!"

He started wriggling in glee but stopped when he realised, he would have to let go of Traveller, in order for them to get the food. It didn't look far to the door from here but that still meant he would lose sight of them. Would they decide to leave for good, once they left his sight?

He internally berated himself for his paranoia and prepared to stand, to let them move. Laughter from them stopped him, as did the tight grip on him when they stood up.

"I'm glad your feeling better,"

Karma was thankful they held him while they left the room and rested his skull against their neck in content. His eyelight scanned the new room they came to but focused on Traveller, when he saw them take out ingredients from the kitchen cupboards.

He didn't feel awkward being held, despite the other looking like a child. He knew he was small enough, that most found it easy to lift him and Karma appreciated all the kind attention he could get.

He admired how efficient they were at slicing the ingredients and felt saliva gather in his mouth, at the smells starting to come from the soup.

His wings twitched in anticipation, accidently bumping into the others wings. Moving his gaze away from the food, he studied the others feathers and felt slight shame at how his were much messier than theirs.

He wasn't making the best impression to someone he hoped to be a friend. Maybe they wouldn't mind? He remembered Blot saying that appearances shouldn't matter, when meeting new people and hoped it applied to this situation.

"Do you need any help?"

He needed a distraction and a conversation sounded like a perfect one.

"Nope, all good,"

Traveller said, pulling the now boiling water off the stove and pouring it into the hot chocolate mix. They placed the cup on the table, then pulled a chair over and adjusted its height for him.

"I'm going to have to place you down so you can drink your treat and get our soup"

Karma pouted but easily allowed them to place him in the seat. It was a novelty being at the right height to see everything, as usually he had to get some pillows to make it work.

He looked at the cup and chirped at seeing marshmallows. Bringing the cup closer he took a sip and felt his eyelight change to a star, at the sugary goodness. He kind of wished he could be like Nova and live off chocolate but knew he needed more than that.

He observed Travellers' visible bones and realised they looked much smoother and healthier than his own. Maybe eating other things would make his body feel better? He should ask Oneiro to help him with food later.

Living forever with a weak body didn't sound enjoyable. He slurped the last of the hot chocolate and patiently waited for Traveller to bring the soup.

He covered his mouth when he started to yawn but shook it off when he saw them coming towards him.

"Here you go nestling"

Traveller said, placing their meals down as well as spoons by each dish.

The soup placed in front of him smelled delicious but he still felt slight mistrust for it. Grabbing the spoon he was given he took a sip of the soup, waiting to see if it would be rejected. Karma relaxed, at how his body happily accepted the warm offering and enthusiastically ate the rest.

He made sure to watch how quickly Traveller was eating and copied it, as he still remembered human Dreams warning of what could happen if he ate too fast.

He was a bit disappointed when it was all gone but knew he wouldn't be able to eat any more anyway. He put his spoon in the bowl unsure what he should be doing now. He started fidgeting in his seat and winced when he felt a pulling sensation behind him.

His feathers must be in worse condition than he thought, as it had been a while since he let someone touch them. Playing with the beads on his scarf he pondered on asking for help. They wouldn't laugh at him.... would they?

Karma's fingers passed by the cookie pin and he felt his resolve strengthen. 'They are nice, the worst thing they could say is no'.

"Traveller, could you maybe help with..."

He hid his face in his scarf, unsure why he wasn't able to finish the request. Stretching his wings slightly he discreetly glanced at them, hoping they understood what he meant.

"I'm more than happy to help you with your wings, Karma. How about you have a bath while I arrange fresh clothing for you so we can do your wings?"

Karma grinned at the acceptance and perked up at the idea of a bath. The longer he was awake the more he realised how gross he felt. Freshening up did sound like a good idea but he had a small issue. Did he still have any clothes in his inventory?

When he tried to check his magic spluttered out, making him bewildered. He wasn't in that bad condition...was he?

"I would love a bath but i don't have any clean clothes.."

He stared at his clothes in contemplation, with the idea of putting them on after a wash, seeming more likely by the minute. They looked fine...ish. A little dirt never hurt anyone.

"I can create clothes for you easily Karma, while those wash. You've been travelling awhile, and who doesn't like new clothes,"

Traveller hummed, putting their dishes in the dishwasher before offering their arms to him.

"Do you like bubble baths?"

He was thrilled when he was picked up again, humming in thought about the question, while they left the kitchen. He hadn't really had many but he was sure he enjoyed them.

"I think I like them but I would love some new clothes!"

He wasn't picky with what he wore, as long as it felt nice he would wear it. When they arrived at the bathroom Karma cooed at how big it was. Perfect for his wings to fully stretch out. When he spotted multiple bottles on a shelf he started feeling overwhelmed, at the possibility of having to pick something himself.

"What do I need to use?"

He rarely paid attention to the products, when needing to clean up. Whatever was nearest was usually chosen. It had led to some odd situations in the past.

"We're just going to use bubble bath and bone strengthening powder in the water. Unless you want a certain colour bubbles, you don't need to choose," Traveller told him.

Karma was placed on a chair across from the tub, watching as the other started grabbing the supplies he would need.

Karma was sceptical of the powder they wanted to use in the bath. He did sometimes have white dust fall off his bones, which he didn't think was usual, so maybe this would stop it occuring.

He kind of wanted all the coloured bubbles but thought perhaps he should try something simple, for his first bath in a long while.

"Now... do you need help bathing?"

"Help please"

Karma admitted to himself that he wasn't the best at self care, so sometimes needed assistance, for basic tasks that others magically understood how to do.

"Alright then, since you didn't say a colour we'll just use the rainbow bubbles for now"

Karmas SOUL felt warm at getting all the colours. It was such a contrast, to the pure blackness he experienced between lives, but it almost made it worth coming back for. It was why he usually found most Creators magic fascinating.

While Traveller was getting the bath ready he started taking off his clothes, giving up on folding them, as they were about to be washed soon anyway. He shivered at how cool the air felt without any covering, looking forward to the warm bath even more.

"Ready?" Traveller asked, offering to pick Karma up for the bath.

When the other had turned around he was unsure what the look they gave his bones was about, but easily reached towards them to get into the water. He chirped in happiness, as the water soaked his bones, warming him up fully since he had woken up.

He poked one of the multi coloured bubbles, puffing his wings in startlement, when it burst into mini rainbows before disappearing. Magic was amazing!

He slowly dropped his wings to fully soak in the water, grimacing at how it made the water darker. Should he just sit here or could he play more? Glancing at Traveller didn't help, so he went back to poking the bubbles, feeling childish at the simple joy he was gaining.

"I'm glad you're having fun, baths should be fun"

Karma grinned at their approval, happy to continue playing.

"Now, I know you're on your own a lot but do you want to learn how to wash yourself in case adults are not about?"

Karma stopped his 'game', unsure what part of their question was confusing his mind. He finally realised it was that they didn't assume he would always be around an adult. He was used to never being taught or ignored, just because he looked small and helpless.

Most forgot he spent most of his life looking after himself, even if he wasn't the best at it. Others also liked to ignore what his magic was capable of, just because he felt no need to fight back.

He had survived so far but appreciated being asked if he wanted to learn something, just to make his life a little easier.

"Please"

His voice came out quite but he hoped they understood how grateful he was at being given a choice.

"Alright, for this bath I'll show you how to clean your bones and wings okay. I'll teach you how to prepare a bath in a tub or wild later"

Traveller softly said, gently rubbing Karma's skull. They then started to instruct him on how to wash efficiently and what products were best to use.

Karma was absorbing everything he was being told. Studying the others moves as they explained things and mentally saving it in his mind. He observed that Traveller often stopped, waiting to see if he needed clarification, before moving onto the next topic.

This was much better than the short time he had spent at school and much more useful in his opinion.

In the end his bones looked white and not the muted grey, that he had thought was normal for him. It was when they got to his wings that his anxiety grew.

He could remember how he had temporarily lost his largest wing feather, when he took it as a sample. They might have healed him straight after but the memory still lingered.

He watched in slight trepidation when Traveller, on their own wings, showed how to efficiently wash feathers in water. They hadn't pushed any of his boundaries so far but he wanted to get over this new fear, of others having prolonged physical contact with his own wings.

"C-Can you show me what to do on my w-wings?"

"You mean preening them, of course.. I'll show you while your wings are drying after alright?"

Karma liked how calmly they answered his questions and even the brief soft touches they gave to his feathers. He suppressed a flinch, when they rinsed off the soap from his wings, disliking how heavy they now felt.

He kept them held above the soapy water, to let the excess water drip off, no longer wanting to stay in the bath. He had enjoyed this experience but was ready to be dry again.

"Can I come out now? Or is there more I have to do?"

"Shake your wings like this"

Traveller said, leaning down and pulling the plug in the tub, showing with their own wings what they meant.

"It will get more water out of your wings"

Karma copied the way Traveller shook his own wings, giggling at how the water splashed everywhere with his movements. It reminded him of seeing wild birds cleaning themselves, making it much easier to remember.

When the water in the tub was all gone a large fluffy towel was given to him and he fully covered himself, purring at being clean. Traveller helped him fully dry off and easily lifted him out of the bath.

Looking around he couldn't see anything to wear, making him look at Traveller in question.

"Clothes now?"

"Nothing to see?"

Traveller said, as they showed their empty hands and that they were only wearing jeans and a tank top. Flickering their hands, they instantly created pyjamas out of magic.

"Ta dah! fluffy kitty pyjamas for you"

Karma was in wonder at the items created. Those had to be the most adorable clothes he had ever seen and he was delighted at the design. The rainbows that dominated the outfit fit perfectly, with all the tiny cat images scattered on it.

That it even had cat ears on the hood was amazing. This was even better than the cat onesie, an Ink had made him. He felt like he was in a trance when he grabbed the outfit, purring at the softness and colours. An outfit made just for him and the way he liked it.

Checking that he was fully dry he pushed the towel off and started to put on the new outfit. When he was done, he was in awe at how comfortable it felt. He could even feel traces of the others magic in it and could feel the care that was put into it.

He was definitely going to bully Oneiro for more outfits like this. He knew the other already liked playing dress up and Karma would get more of this type of clothing. Sounded like a win-win to him.

He ran up to Traveller, hugging them tightly in sheer joy.

"Thankyouthankyouthankyou! I love it!"

"I'm glad you're enjoying it, I rarely get to make clothes for others"

Traveller said softly, hugging him back.

"Now... did you want a nap, or work on your wings?"

While Karma did want to have his wings groomed, as even after the bath they still didn't feel great, he was starting to feel tired. He grumbled at how his body was failing him so soon. He had hardly done anything since waking up!

Leaning more into the other, he mumbled into their clothes.

"Can I have a quick nap first? I'm not sure I will stay awake otherwise"

He wanted to be fully present when they groomed him. They had offered to teach him and it would be rude to fall asleep during it.

"Don't worry we have time, you just have a nap, little nestling and when you wake next if you're up to it we'll preen your wings"

Traveller told him and right after, picked him up.

"Let's get you back to your bed okay"

Karma loved that they picked him up so often, as it made him feel so much safer. He shivered at the feeling of loose feathers falling off, when Traveller briefly ran his hands through his wings.

Even that small action helped lower the annoying itchiness from his back, letting him relax easier. His sockets were starting to lower more often and he just managed to stay awake, when they reached the same bed that he had woken up in.

As soon as he was laid down he curled under the covers, trying to get as warm as possible. Glancing over at Traveller he wondered if they would cuddle with him if he asked. They did say they liked hugs and they didn't look like they were lying.

"Cuddle?...Only until I fall asleep! No need to stay the full time"

"Who says no to cuddles"

Traveller said, kissing his skull. He hummed in content as they joined him in the bed, pulling him closer to them. Their magic and scent soon caused him to drift off, making him hope he would have a dreamless sleep.

-

The rest he got was wonderful and when he started waking up, he smiled at how energetic he felt.

The paints were probably all out of his system by now, so were no longer causing weird effects on his body. It had been unpleasant coughing up paint but he did enjoy how they made him fall asleep easily....he should probably ask Nova to check if they did any damage to him.

This self care thing was annoying but he knew it would mean he felt better in the long run.

Travellers hand was gently patting his own and he was surprised that they stayed with him the whole time. What a weird being. He had no idea what they got out of this but he wasn't complaining.

"Morning?"

He had no idea what the time was but it seemed appropriate. He squirmed a bit at how uncomfortable his back felt. Now that his main needs were met, his wings were becoming more of an issue, as nothing else was overpowering the feeling anymore.

"Morning Karma, let's get your wings done and then we can get some breakfast, okay?"

He whined a bit when the petting stopped but knew he had been pushing this off for too long. Sitting up he waited for Traveller to tell him how this would go. He had seen many different ways of it being done but looking over at their pretty wings, he was interested to see how they did it.

He tried to lower his wings from their alert position but each time he did they tensed right back up. They hadn't even started yet and he was already doing this wrong.

"Should I turn my back t-towards y-you?"

It was the most common way he had had it done but he was still a tad nervous to do it.

"Right now, we'll start at the edges then go towards the back area. I'll put you by a mirror for that part, so you can see," Traveller said sitting up.

"I want to make sure you see all the steps, in case you're alone and don't have help."

That didn't sound too bad. It did mean he could watch their hands carefully and they didn't feel like they had the same magic as him, so it should be fine. Now if only his hands would stop shaking at the thought of them looking, let alone touching his feathers.

He decided to instead focus on the items they were putting on the bed, recognising the majority but a few were items absolutely alien to him. It was growing more tempting to just pluck his dirty feathers out and wait till they regrow again. He might be unable to fly for a while but he could get used to it.

Karma's fingers twitched at his idea but looking at his hands, he spotted the cute cat gloves that Traveller made for him. He clenched his hands and let out a deep breath.

He could be brave about this. He would trust Traveller, as he had repeatedly done for everything else.

"I'm ready to start"

He hoped that he didn't sound like he was lying.

"First thing we're going to do, I'm going to show you how to recognize feathers you can remove. This tool here is meant to tug out much too damaged feathers that can't be saved. You can get it in most multiverses in Birdtale, if you lose one. The magic in it keeps the pulling of the feather painless and makes sure not to damage the rest of the wing"

He eyed the tool in distrust but when certain feathers were pulled off by it, it didn't hurt, just like they promised. This was a much nicer method to do it and much easier, than using his hands. When they encouraged him to try it with their help, he was surprised it was so easy to use. He puffed the wing that had been partially done and approved of how nice it felt.

"How does that part of the wing feel with those feathers gone?"

"It's much better. Can we do the rest now?"

Now that he knew that tool wouldn't hurt him, he was much happier with it being near him. Maybe the rest would be similar?

"Alright, let's get all the damaged feathers. then I'll show you the feather brush and trimmer"

Karma enjoyed the companionable silence, as they removed all the damaged feathers from his wings. Looking at the pile of feathers he was unsurprised at the size of it, as it usually ended up looking like this.

He could go months without proper grooming, as the ones who said they would help ended up being too busy. He only knew the basics himself, so it was never a thorough job. His Reaper had 'taught' him once but that was when he was very young and they never repeated the lesson again.

"Now this is a feather brush, and this one is a trimmer,"

Traveller said showing the next two tools.

"Pretty much one cleans off dirt and grime baths don't get to and the trimmer helps trim feathers that grow wrongly but not needing to be plucked. This bottle and brush still next to us is a type of oil you can add to your feathers if you're not producing enough on your own. It promotes healthy growth and helps your feather glans start hopefully producing your own. It will also mean in baths your feathers won't suck up as much water."

He listened to the wealth of information Traveller gave, on all the tools he could use for his wings. It was fascinating how many items could aid in wing care and Karma thought he should probably start keeping some in his inventory for the future.

While Oneiro and Nova were so far happy to stay in one place, he knew he would grow bored without exploring some more...Also he would admit his luck wasn't the best at times, so he should be prepared for any surprises.

This time he had no issues pushing his wing towards Traveller, ready to watch how grooming should be done. He could tell even his magic felt less prickly, at his wings no longer being in constant discomfort anymore.

"Which part do you do first?"

"We brush them first to make sure there's no hidden damage or growths that need trimming. Then we oil them"

He eagerly watched as each task was done and even had a go trying it himself. He was sure with a bit more practice, he would be able to be as quick as Traveller. The brushing felt wonderful and was reaching the same levels as petting in his mind.

His favourite however was the oiling. He always thought his wings looked rather boring but thanks to the oil, it let him see the hidden colour that he usually only saw in bright light. Grooming now seemed to be the perfect way to always have something colourful on him.

He gently flapped his wings and cooed at how much lighter they felt. He got a new outfit and had his wings done! This was turning out to be one of the best places he had ended up, so far!

"All done now?"

He had no idea what else that would need doing. This had already seemed excessive, but he would trust their expertise on the subject.

"Just one more, I want to show you what to do for infected areas under the feathers to avoid feather Rot. I saw one spot that needs to be treated, unfortunately this will sting,"

Traveller apologised, pulling out a spray bottle.

"This can be made with fruit juices of all things if you can't buy some. So I'll show you how to make it later okay."

Traveller said unhappily, showing Karma how to identify the spots and how to spray the infected areas.

He was displeased about hearing he had feather Rot but braced for the pain, unable to suppress a flinch at the liquid touching his wings. Wings were turning out to be a lot of effort to look after, almost making him want to just rip them off.

Of course he wouldn't do that, as they were the only part of him he currently loved about this body. When the spray bottle was pulled away he was relieved and hoped they would be able to do something more enjoyable now...after another cuddle of course.

This had been mentally exhausting and he wanted some comfort. Shuffling closer to Traveller, he made sure they had put the items down, before wrapping his arms around their neck.

"You are very nice, Traveller. I wish i had met you earlier"

He whispered this like it was a secret, that needed to be hidden from the world. He had too much happiness ripped away from him to try and jinx this.

"I wish I could have stayed and greeted you when I left the pin for you Karma, but the Omniverse you travel in, its magic is poisonous to myself. Just as the Omniverses outside would make you ill also"

It was nice hearing that they felt the same but he was a bit sad they would never truly be able to stay with each other. He had to remind himself he wasn't truly alone in his Omniverse, even if it could feel like it. Maybe he should try and reach out more?

Oneiro had certainly shown their care with how far they had travelled to find him. So had Pales' connection to him...which he still couldn't feel. Perhaps it was this place interfering with the bond and not that they had grown bored of him.

Hopefully he will be able to meet up with Traveller again in the future. He had a long life ahead of him and felt that so did the other.

"Are we friends?"

He could never be sure when a friendship would start. He thinks he was friends with Azure, Blot and Sunny but he had been rather out of it these last few weeks, so wasn't sure.

"Of course nestling, were birds of a feather even if we came from different nests," Traveller promised.

"And.. with the way your pin evolved, you should be able to find me anywhere or call upon me even if just to talk." Traveller paused.

"You know, it should be easy enough to ward this border island in the between and keep this place here, if you ever want to visit even if I'm not here."

Karma was overjoyed at the idea suggested. Having someone to talk to, who didn't want anything from him, sounded wonderful. The pin had been an amazing gift, that just seemed to keep on giving.

"I would love that but...who else would be able to get here?"

The idea of true privacy sounded heavenly but if others could follow him he would not risk it. He knew some of the beings he met were a bit...overprotective of him. He did love the affection he was given but it could get a bit too much.

"It would depend on their magic and how you feel about them, if they wish harm to you or the area they will not be able to get here with you. And they would have to come with you,"

Traveller said, studying the pin on his scarf.

"So if.. say you were being held hostage and used the pin to come here, only you would come here... even if they separated you from the pin it would still work as it's linked to you."

Traveller hummed for a brief moment, clearly in deep thought.

"Yet.. if you're hurt or just want to take someone you trust, you'd have to be touching them to bring them here and when you left they'd be forced back to the last place they were."

That sounded simple enough and very useful. Karma had stopped counting the number of kidnappings he had undergone, as most turned out fine or led to truly odd situations.

An emergency way to escape would be a perfect last resort, as he had no desire to tell anyone about the pin's power. He could already imagine Nova trying to destroy it due to suspicion. Oneiro would be much worse, especially if they somehow convinced Pale to help.

Hunger distracted him from his darkening thoughts, reminding that he was told breakfast would occur after grooming.

"Can we eat now? I am strangely starving"

This hunger thing was irritating, now that he knew it was easy to fix it. He should start hoarding food like he did with pillows. He visited enough places that he was sure he could obtain a large variety of snacks to try. Maybe he would find something better than chocolate!

"Do you like Blueberries... I was thinking Blueberry pancakes for breakfast?"

Traveller queried, while looking at him intently.

"And of course you're starving, your body is converting food pretty much straight to magic right now as it heals you."

What they said about hunger did make sense, maybe he was just used to ignoring it, as he knew it wouldn't kill him. He never had Blueberries before but was more than willing to try. He had loved the soup he was given earlier, so trusted this would taste good too.

"No idea! Would love to try it though"

He should start making a list of food he liked, now that he could eat. It would help him deal with the boredom of his long existence. It could even be a hobby!

"Alright, let's go get breakfast. Out of curiosity, has anyone ever taught you how to cook at least the basics?"

Traveller asked, while getting up with him still in their arms. He hummed in thought, trying to think if anyone in this life did. Nothing was coming up as even auntie, who he had mainly lived with, always said he was 'too little' to try.

It was baffling to hear that, as he knew Palette could cook some things and they were basically the same age. He remembered cooking things in his past life but that had been so long ago, that he wouldn't trust himself to not screw it up.

Being a monster didn't help things, as magic was now a factor in food preparation. Looking up he realised they had already made it to the kitchen, while he was deep in thought.

"Nope. They were too worried I would hurt myself"

Which sounded like a lie they told him, just so they wouldn't have to show him how to cook.

"Yeah... I was afraid of that, it took forever to convince my parents I should learn to cook because I was so small," Traveller sighed.

"Well.. either way we have time, once you can do more than sleep and eat and bathe, without sleeping all the time, I'll show you how to, okay?"

"Ok. I'm looking forward to it"

This was a promise he could feel he could trust. It also meant they would let him stay here longer...that did bring up a rather important question though.

"Traveller, how does time pass here? If I stay too long my...recent caretakers might get a bit...worried?"

What he wanted to say was that they would become feral and most likely destroy a few multiverses, in their quest to find him. He knew that Oneiro and Nova weren't what you would call...reasonable monsters.

Whatever Nova had done to Asy had made them twitch and sometimes cry, whenever Nova's name had come up in conversation....The less said about Oneiro the better.

A lot was hidden from him but he could sense the death toll increase, whenever those two were around.

"As we're between Omniverses we're out of sync with our own timelines. Your pin should bring you back within seconds to minutes of when you left. You got lucky there, as normal travelling like mine means you could be six months off going back. As in the past or future. I'm a bit envious there and I'm going to have to see if I can figure out how to do it myself"

Karma giggled at Travelers' excitement at the idea. He was glad he could help them in some way, even if it was unintentional. Now that his worries were soothed he wanted to see what blueberries taste like.

"Can I help this time? I feel much more awake"

He also wanted to try blueberries before they went in the pancakes..unless they were put on at the end? He chirped in excitement at this new food, even if he was unsure how it was made.

"Hmm... we'll start with mixing things and how to measure and follow recipe's today and oven and safety,"

Traveller said as they arrived in the kitchen.

"Depending how you feel around lunch or dinner time, we'll continue then okay?"

When he was put down he decided to follow Traveller, watching what items they grabbed and listening to the useful tips they gave, as they were moving around. It didn't look like a lot was needed to make pancakes but his eyelight focused on the main ingredient, blueberries. He could just reach the counters, so he sneakily grabbed one, when it looked like Traveller was occupied.

Hmmmm, not bad. Wonder if he could have some more or if they needed them all for the pancakes? He bet chocolate would make them even better! He couldn't spot any in the kitchen but he wasn't that heartbroken. They said he was allowed to stay here with them for longer, so there would be more chances to try it.

"What else can you put in pancakes?"

"Mostly fruits, but once you're a bit healthier I'll show you how to make chocolate chip ones. They're a bit heavier, so I'm waiting till you can take heavier meals to make that one"

Karma was a tad disappointed at the food restriction but he understood. He instead focused on all the fruits and syrups being put on the table, with Travellers blue magic. He was still annoyed that his magic wasn't responding to him but he guessed it was all focused on healing him.

He went over to the chair he was on yesterday, managing to get on it by himself. He might like being small but it could be rather tiring doing certain tasks.

He chirped when a plate of fresh pancakes was placed in front of him but now was the hardest task of all. What to put on it? He stared at all the food items, as if waiting for one of them to jump out at him in response....Why not try all of them?

Nodding at his genius plan he cut the pancakes into tiny portions, adding different things to each one. He cooed in happiness at the taste of each one, mentally adding them to the list of approved foods. His wings fluttered with each bite, trying to savour the new tastes. He was sad when it was all gone but he did feel rather full now. He probably should have stopped a while ago...

"That was tasty. Probably the most I've eaten in one go in years!"

His human phase didn't count. That was just creepy and he wanted to burn it from his memory as soon as he could.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it, but.. that's the size of a meal you're supposed to eat to keep yourself healthy and your magic going"

Traveller said as they picked up a napkin and wiped Karmas face.

That seemed like a lot of food to have each meal but he supposed it lined up with what he saw of others. He assumed that it was what a mortals portion should be but being next to Traveller, who had eaten the same amount, made him reconsider. He was having to do that a lot here.

"Now did you want to have another bath, or just change clothes or head to bed?"

He was a bit confused why he would need to change his clothes but looking down at himself, he saw he had gotten rather messy when eating. He let out a sad little chirp at ruining his outfit but Traveller did say they could make more clothes easily.

"Clothes and bed....with cuddles"

He felt less shy in his request, after having so many accepted.

"Alright, let me put away the remaining food and put the dishes in the dishwasher"

Traveller said, getting up and quickly cleaning the table.

"Now, do you want animal themed sleep clothes again?"

He watched sleepily as things were put away and clung on to Traveller, when he was picked up.

"Yes please"

He had loved the kitty pjs and was happy to stick to the theme of cute animals.

"Can it be a dog this time?"

He might have been slurring a few words but he was feeling drained again. He thought most of the healing was finished already. What more did his body want from him?

"Dogs are fine"

Karma was glad he was helped into his new pjs, as he did not have the energy to do it himself. He didn't have time to look at them before he found himself curled up in the others laps, while they were sitting on the chair. He fell asleep before he could think more, just enjoying listening to the others SOUL.

-

Waking up alone was a bit sad but what he found in his arms made it all better. It was a rainbow patterned bear and he could feel protective intent in it. It was much better than the yellow stuffed bird toy he had, as it felt much less oppressive to his senses.

Sitting up he looked around, seeing he was still in the bedroom but now there was a cute star shaped night light. He shook the last bits of sleepiness, when he realised he could now see what he was wearing.

Standing up he grabbed onto the bed frame, as his legs felt a bit wobbly, then looked down at his new outfit. He squealed in joy at being a Dalmatian and using his hands to feel his hood, he could tell this one also had ears on it.

Exploration done now he needed to find Traveller. Stumbling to the slightly open door he pulled it open and his eyelights caught the bright coloured item on it. He was sure that hadn't been on it last time he looked.

Gazing at it he stilled at seeing his name, on a butterfly shaped nameplate. This was for him? He could feel tears gathering in his sockets but he let them flow. He had been experiencing a lot of positive emotion lately and he was starting to feel overwhelmed.

Maybe he should just ignore it like he does with his negative emotions? Being numb sounded preferable to this. It almost made him feel like a baby again.

Karma started to try and use his magic again and while more successful, it was not at the level he was used to. It did help him pinpoint Traveller though, so he started going straight towards them, trying to wipe the tears away that just wouldn't stop.

This place was much bigger than he expected, as he seemed no closer to the other than minutes earlier.

"Traveller? Where are you?"

Karma perked up when he saw a skull peek out from one of the many doors but slowed down his walking, as he got closer.

"Karma?"

He stopped a few feet away from them, looking over them in uncertainty. They felt different than before, even if their SOUL confirmed who they were. It almost reminded him of being near X and their mixed SOUL.

The way they were leaning against the door was also strangely familiar and a memory of a bigger monster doing the same, popped into his mind. Why were they acting like this now though? He might not be great at emotions but he didn't believe that he was being played with before.

"Are you sick, Traveller?..is it fine to still call you that?"

He grew a tad nervous waiting for the reply. He tugged at his gloves and curled his wings tightly behind him. Maybe if he looked smaller the new being? wouldn't be too angry at him. He had gotten used to Traveller but this didn't feel like the same monster, so he counted it as being near a stranger until proven otherwise.

"I'm still the Traveller, but part of me still sleeps. Technically we're two beings souls synched entirely into one,"

They crouched down so they were face level.

"Long long ago our multiverse ended, we were dying, the last survivors. I was the local Goth and the Other was my Palette. To survive, as my SOUL was fine but I was dusting and his SOUL was shattering, we became one, there is no separating us. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, it's.. just rare were not both awake," They apologised.

"So I rarely think of telling people of my two parts."

Karma felt himself untense at the explanation. This was still the same monster he grew to trust, even if they felt different. No wonder their magic soothed him. He had felt something similar with the few adult Goths he had met but the Travellers magic was on another level.

It must be due to their age and experience, as that was the voice of someone recounting things long since passed, even if they ached the same as when it happened. It also explained why their SOUL felt rather unique to other variants he had met.

Creeping closer he put his hands on their skull, pulling their faces closer together, whispering his next words.

"I'm glad you survived and I am so happy that in this life, I got to meet you, Traveller"

He put his arms around their neck and curled his wings around them both. He started to purr in happiness, at how they shared something like this with him. Even if he could feel the way their SOUL ached, when telling him what they had gone through.

In the early days of his reincarnation he had wished someone had been pleased that he had lived and that he was not just seen as a burden. Traveller would never have to worry about that, thankfully. He was glad Traveller would never be truly alone for their existence, as he wouldn't wish that fate on anyone.

"Thank you Karma, I'm glad I survived to meet you also,"

They whispered next to his skull, holding onto him tight.

"Once Pally wakes up, I'll get him to meet you officially also.. I'm sorry I upset you."

He was looking forward to meeting their other half, as he wanted to know all parts of the Traveller. He was their new friend after all.

"That's ok, I can get upset way too easily. I just thought you were someone else....Do you need to sleep more? I am unsure how long I napped for..."

He hadn't seen any windows yet to tell the time, so it almost felt like he was back in the AntiVoid, where time was abstract.

"It's been two days, your soul needed rest.. but it is still the middle of the night so that's why I'm sleeping,"

Goth yawned, offering Karma his arms to be picked up.

"I'll have the tent spawn a window in your room, afraid other than the floating islands there isn't much to see here."

He had been sleeping a lot! No wonder he was feeling like this. He readily accepted the offer to be picked up, then nuzzled into their neck when they stood up.

"I don't mind just seeing that. I'm fine to have a nap again. You sound too sleepy to move around right now. Do you want to sleep in your bed?"

He wasn't letting go no matter the choice. He was warm and content, that was all that mattered right now.

"Probably best, come on then," Goth said walking back into their bedroom.

He had a quick glance around at his surroundings, mainly spotting the many pictures on the back wall but he soon gave up in his snooping, as sleep beckoned him. It felt like their sleepiness from Traveller infected him, as he soon felt his body go limp when they made it to their bed.

"Sleep well Karma..."

He snuggled closer towards them, approving at how big the bed was. He hoped he didn't sleep for days again, as he wanted to actually move around again. Soft snores from beside him made him smile at how quickly they fell asleep.

He noticed that their face looked just as relaxed as when they were awake, filling him with delight. They were living proof that living long didn't have to be a curse. It might take him many normal monster's lifetimes to accomplish, but he hoped to become just as happy as them to live.

Lifting a wing he covered Traveller, closing his sockets and drifting to sleep. They could use all the comfort he could give right now.

-

Karma was a tad disorientated at all the activity occurring. He had been happy to be cuddling Traveller in bed, so was unimpressed with all the movement going on. He clung to his heat source when they stood up, feeling he could easily drift back to sleep in no time.

The smell of something sweet made him crack his sockets open and he squinted at spotting hot chocolate being made. Now he had a very tough decision to make. Go back to sleep or eat the delicious treat?

"Hot chocolate....t-t-time?. Hmmm, warm"

He was unsure if he was making sense but was too groggy to try again. He did wonder if Palette was awake now but couldn't help the way he slumped his skull back into their neck in tiredness.

"Both awake? No sleepy?"

"Yes we're both awake sleepy one"

Karma accepted the words but wasn't fully present yet, so was a tad confused why he was suddenly sitting down. When delicious smelling drinks were placed on a table in front of him, he grabbed the closest one and downed it. A tad disappointed when he finished, he perked up when he smelled another hot chocolate nearby and drank that one too.

It helped give him some much needed energy to push his sleepiness away. He looked around and was puzzled when they had gotten to the kitchen. His seat was also warm and he suddenly realised he was in Travellers lap.

Looking at the two empty mugs on the table, his brain wasn't fully computing what had just happened. Did he drink theirs as well? Now that was weird. Leaning back into them he looked up into their face, feeling unworried what their reaction would be.

"Sorry..thanks for the drink"

Karma felt no fear for what they might do, like his mind already knew they could be trusted. Sniffing the air he could smell something else.

"Soup?"

"It's fine, you were clearly thirsty," Traveller giggled, "and we have at least five more minutes till soup is ready."

A break did seem like a good idea. Hopefully he would be able to eat what he was given after his consumption of chocolate. Swinging his legs he grabbed Travellers hand and started playing with their fingers.

"Does Palette want to talk now?"

He had never been close to any of those variants, as even the one at 'home' had seemed to grow apart from him.

He was distracted from his thoughts when he felt his magic stir. He made sure to quickly cover his face, eventually coughing something out. Looking at his hand he grimaced at it turning out to be more paint, making him idly wonder if this Palette was able to control paints, like others of his type.

Just how much paint had he drunk, if it was still coming out?

"I made a mess. Can I have a tissue, please?"

"I am"

He could tell Palette was now in charge and let them wipe and clean his face with a tissue, removing the paint that had come up.

"Did... you want me to remove the remaining paint from your system?"

They seemed rather worried about this, so he saw no issues with letting them try.

"Hi Palette. I just wanted to greet you too, as I met Goth. That would be great if you could. My magic doesn't like it"

The paint felt like it was clogging parts of his body. It didn't even work like it was 'supposed' to, according to Ink, making him bewildered why they kept feeding him more of it then.

He was intrigued how Palette would get rid of it though. He hoped it wouldn't hurt, like parts of grooming did.

"That's because beings with emotions already aren't supposed to consume them, they are like a drug to those with souls,"

Palette explained this while directing their magic into his body. The process didn't hurt and he could even feel his magic start to flow smoother, as time passed.

Their words did make sense but it was not like he had a choice in taking them. Now he knew to avoid them in the future, if he met any other crazy Inks...why did he feel like he just jinxed himself?

"And done.. it should have only tingled from what others have told me."

He stretched his body, rather pleased for all the paint to be finally gone. When he even managed to flare his magic, he chirped in joy.

"Thanks Palette....is the soup going to burn? It feels like it's been awhile"

"Wha... oh no!"

Palette cried out, putting Karma on the chair adjusted to him. They then rushed to rescue the soup before it burned.

"I'm not as good at cooking as Gothy, I'm okay when we're both in charge.. but don't ask me to start cooking it's just me.. I have bad luck cooking."

He giggled at how panicked Palette looked at dealing with the soup.

"That's ok. You have your own talents as does your other half. You can go back to being one, if you prefer. I'm happy with whoever wants to be in charge".

In his mind they were all his friends, even if they shared one body. Not the strangest thing he had witnessed, that award went to Azure trying to eat a normal sized taco, by themselves. How they managed it in the end was a mystery.

"The soup still smells good, so you aren't that bad"

"It doesn't matter who's in charge to us, we're both the Traveller. So I can stay out or we can both be about"

Palette dished up the soup and placed two bowls on the table along with spoons. Then with a grin, placed another hot chocolate next to Karma.

Karma felt drool gather in his mouth at the hot chocolate in front of him. His hand wanted to grab it but he knew he should eat the soup first. Grabbing the spoon he ate the soup, feeling himself warm up at the taste. Such nice magic they had, it made him wonder what his own magic felt like to others.

When the soup was gone he grabbed his chocolatey prize, slowly drinking it to make sure it lasted. Staring at the now empty cup, he hummed in content.

"Can I groom your wings? I'm much better at doing others! Just in case you were worried.."

It was relaxing when he was allowed to do it. He might not care for his own well being but he tried not to hurt others, if he could help it.

"I don't mind, but let's get you a bath and clean clothes.. or you can always have a shower?"

Karma liked how he was given choices here but the other continued, before he could voice an option.

"I'll even do a quick check to see if we need to treat any of your feathers or oil them."

Karma looked over his wings, unsure why they needed to be looked at again. Just how often were you meant to groom them? He always waited till they hurt or someone else he trusted was free, to do them for him.

Traveller had said he had been sleeping for a while, so another wash did sound good.

"Shower please"

He might like baths but he preferred the way the water fell on his wings, when he showered. It was a very relaxing experience and one of the few things he indulged in.

He lifted his arms in preparation of being picked up, wiggling in his seat in happiness, at how calm this surprise trip had gone for him. Being held also helped his slight fear of randomly being grabbed into a portal again. His feathers puffed up at his jolt of fear, before quickly smoothing out.

This place was safe and he doubted anyone else could get here easily.

"Alright then, here we are,"

Traveller said once they arrived at the bathroom, and soon enough had the water to Karmas preferred temperature.

"I'll be right back, as I need to get a towel, as apparently I forgot them in the dryer and fresh clothes"

Karma enjoyed the shower and made sure to get rid of all the grimness that had accumulated in his sleep. Turning the water off he shook his wings, like he had been shown, rather pleased at how clean his wings looked.

He sat on the edge of the tub, growing a tad bored waiting for Traveller to come back and started to summon his magic to his hands. He hummed at how dark it looked, feeling this would be perfect for later but swiftly cut it off, when he felt a SOUL come near.

He chirped in greeting when they entered the room and soon was patted dry with the towel, with longer time spent on each of his wings. Once that was done he wore the cute new outfit he was given, that was still warm from the dryer.

When he got the last piece of clothing on he cuddled into Traveller and soon they left towards where he thought their room was. This place was still confusing to his senses, even after a few days.

"Which room are we going to for grooming?"

"Your room, unless you'd rather elsewhere?"

"That sounds good"

It wasn't long before they reached his door and he felt his grin stretch larger, upon seeing his door plate again. As Traveller pushed the door fully open he brushed his fingers against the butterfly, loving the reminder of having somewhere safe to stay.

Traveller soon placed him on the bed and he waited for them to get all the items needed for grooming. It shouldn't take long to finish his wings, then he can show Traveller how he does it!

As soon as Traveller looked comfortable sitting on the bed he pushed his wings forward, feeling less nervous as he now knew what was going to happen.

"How do they look?"

"Looks like we only need to oil some of them which is good, most of them started producing their own oil again,"

Traveller quickly treated the feathers needed, with Karma glad he didn't need any more of that horrible burning liquid on his wings.

Karma was feeling excited to finally preen Travellers wings, making him vibrate in anticipation.

"Alright, have at it"

Traveller laughed, shifting so Karma had full access to their own wings. Karma moved his position slightly, to be able to comfortably reach both of the others wings with no issue.

He did the normal comb through with his fingers first, unsurprised there was nothing that needed attention. Once he had finished his initial inspection he focused on their right wing and summoned his magic to his finger tips.

He knew the other could withstand his magic, so had no fear of using it on them. He had done this with Oneiro as well, but at a much lower level; as they weren't a Death God, no matter their powers over Destruction.

Karma started to individually coat each feather in his magic, making sure it was fully absorbed, before moving on to the next one. It was a time consuming process but it was one of the ways he could clearly show his affection without using words. He didn't hide the intent of CARE/PROTECT in his magic and when he pulled back, he admired the slight glow the wing now had.

Switching to the other side he started humming a tune, finding this rather relaxing to do. This method had the added benefit of granting the receiver a small protection against malicious intentions, until the magic ran out of course. It was one of the least lethal ways he had learned to utilise his magic but so rarely got to use it.

Leaning back he observed both wings, pleased at his work.

"All done! Sorry it took so long...Do you like it?"

This reminded him that he hadn't infused magic to his own wings in ages. He had been a bit worried about the mortals he kept being around but perhaps he should trust his control more. Nothing bad has happened so far.

"I love it, little one,"

Traveller said, turning and pulling Karma into a hug.

"Do... you want to learn how to permanently imprint magic like that?"

Karma was thrilled his gift was enjoyed but the question startled him. He cuddled deeper into the hug, in order to hide the way his face switched to indecision. He really did want to learn but wondered what the point of him learning it would be.

He knew his magic type wasn't always treated as the freedom it was meant to represent. He had seen how it was often scorned or feared by many beings...but he had also met a few who did understand what it truly was. Some even didn't care and still chose to be near him.

"...yes"

Karma wanted to do something for himself for once, without others worries dragging him down. Pulling back from the hug he made sure his voice was clearer.

"I would love to"

"Okay... so by imprinting I mean using pieces of your magic and making it.. well permanent. It's a good way to place magic that won't fade, and if you're feeling ill or in need of magic you can pull it from the imprinted item... or even wings,"

Traveller said as they shifted their wings, so they surrounded both Karma and himself.

"And if... magic is gifted, you can imprint it too"

Karma felt he had missed something important with that explanation, due to the soft way he watched Traveller touch their wings during it. He had however been struck speechless when he watched them make his magic, a permanent part of their wings.

He felt his emotions surge, with many conflicting feelings occuring, after watching this process. Karma was not ready to verbally acknowledge, what he now knew to be true in his SOUL.

So when he was handed a piece of paper to try it for himself, he pushed down his emotions, focusing on this new task instead.

Holding the paper in both hands he could sense Travellers magic, playfully flowing in it. He listened intently to the instructions and chirped when he managed to sense his magic mingling in the paper as well. He stayed quiet as he sensed how the two magic interacted, finding it beautiful the way they flowed together seamlessly.

Travellers hands on top of his, helped reel him back from watching this any longer.

"Thank you"

His voice was quiet, feeling if he was any louder he would ruin the moment.

"Would you.. like your wings done?"

Karma's head snapped sharply towards the other's face, looking for any traces of deceit in their offer. His wings quivered as he nodded in agreement, feeling unable to speak without fear of a sob bursting out.

He relaxed his wings and kept his focus on Travellers hands, as they started to do his wings, not wanting to miss any part of this.

"Now.. you only need to imprint it, or.. I can for you,"

Karma could feel so many different types of magic being placed onto his wings. Most he recognised but one he knew he would have to practise with, as it reminded him of the magic in Judgement Hall. His smile twitched at how well it matched his name. He truly had the oddest luck for managing to gain 'Karma magic'.

The overall feeling he got from the magic was pure safety, as if nothing would truly harm him without dire consequences. He forced his eyelight away from his wings and shyly looked at Traveller.

"I would like you to do it"

"Alright then"

Karma felt the others magic join his feathers permanently but grew concerned at the widening of Travellers eyelights.

"What is it?"

"Spread your wings Karma"

Karma gasped at the changes his wings had undergone, falling in love with his wings all over again. This was physical proof, that no one could take away from him, that he was cared for. He moved his wings around, mesmerised by the shifting patterns his feathers now displayed.

The light in the room went off and he admired the small moving lights, now dotting his wings, reminding him of stars.

Now he would always have the night sky with him, no matter where he ended up. He turned his skull towards Traveller, admiring the way their skull reflected the light from parts of his wings. He felt his resolve strengthen at this priceless gift and shuffled closer to Traveller, enveloping them both in his wings, as if isolating them from the outside world for a short while.

"Thank you..brother. Love you"

He whispered his new truth, feeling his SOUL settle, at no longer being alone in this life.

"I love you too little brother, I only wish I could keep you... but we are both wanderer's of the cosmos"

Karma felt heavy, at having the truth spoken out loud but refused to let it drag his mood down and instead settled onto the other's lap.

"We might not always be together but this just means we will have lots of stories to share, when we do meet up"

He started purring, wishing to lift up his brother's darkening mood. Traveller gently rubbed his skull and kissed it, before picking him up and sitting in the chair in the room.

Softly they sang to Karma, about wandering stars who sought their final destination. How they'd meet or leave words of their journeys within the nebula of space.

Karma felt his breath slow down as he was drawn into the stories, feeling himself fully relax. He leaned into their chest, drifting off to sleep and having dreams of his personal darkness, now filled up with brighter moments in his life.

Maybe he wouldn't rush to his end so soon, now he had someone important to stay for.

-

Karma paid little attention to the time passing and focused more on enjoying daily life with Traveller. He was taught many new skills and now he could even cook simple meals, if he needed to! He was even allowed to help tend the vegetable patch that was growing outside, while wearing gloves of course. He didn't want to kill them by accident.

His body felt stronger than ever and he even got into the habit of grooming himself, without prompting. It was much easier now that he could feel his new siblings magic in his wings, feeling the care they had for him. He felt like he could have stayed here for eternity but then a strange pulling sensation started to occur.

He would sometimes feel compelled to look in a certain direction, as if feeling a call from someone. It only became more obvious, when Traveler had to start shaking him out of his trance-like states more often, as the days went by.

He didn't want to leave this safe haven but knew they both couldn't stay here forever. They both thrived on seeing new things and he finally acknowledged that certain beings would miss him if he never came back.

It all came to a head when eating breakfast, when the bonds in his SOUL started to flare to life. It felt like the final push he needed to know he wouldn't be alone, even when he left Traveller.

"I think i'm ready now"

He looked at his brother, smiling in joy even if they would soon depart.

"Your gifts will keep me safe and I hope mine helps you, even in a small way"

He pushed out of his chair and climbed onto Travellers lap, cuddling his sibling with all the love he had for them.

"We already knew you'd have to leave, just remember even if we're not here when you visit we're thinking about you," Goth said taking control.

"And remember while Fate and Destiny might pull you everywhere..."

Palette said, pulling out a large bag filled with supplies and more clothes for his journey.

"There is always a chance, more paths you can take. Just as my gift gave you a chance to change your path to meet us," Traveller continued together.

Karma accepted the new items and put them straight into his inventory. He was not chancing losing them on his trip back.

"I will miss you, Traveller"

Putting his hand into his pocket he pulled out the small item, which had taken him a few attempts to make.

"This is for you. I know my magic is in your wings but I wanted to give you something else"

The small bead didn't look like much at first glance but if you moved it just right, it would light up with tiny stars, just like his wings. He liked that they could match in a small way, as the second one was already attached to his scarf.

"Thank you,"

Traveller said, taking the bead, smiling over it. Carefully they added the bead to their Gaster Blaster pendant, it looking like it belonged there.

"Did you remember to pack your teddy bear?"

"Yep! I always keep it in my inventory, when not in bed. Don't want to accidentally leave it behind"

The magic was still strong in it and he knew he would need it the most in the next few days, he would be away from his brother.

"How do i l-leave this place?"

The truth of being alone again hurt but he had to remind himself that he would soon be with Oneiro again, who was an adult who actually wanted him.

"Concentrate on the feeling the pin gives you, it will return you to the same place you left. To everyone else time would not have moved on, so you popping up so healthy may shock people"

He followed the instructions, feeling a strange sensation start to envelope him. He made sure to give a wide grin to Traveller, just as he felt the magic in the pin react to his intentions.

"This is not a goodbye, Traveller. Instead it's a see you later"

"See you later, Karma,"

The light surrounding him nearly blinded him but he thankfully heard his brother's last words, before he disappeared.

"Good luck little nebula."

~~~~~~~~~~

*Karma being given many choices and affection by Traveller*

Karma: *Suspicious*
-
Karma: So much food! It's all for me?

Traveller: Yep *internally planning homicide for Karmas past caretakers*
-
Karma: Wait...i have to groom my wings how often? Seems a tad excessive..

Traveller:....what were the names of your caretakers again?
-
Karma: I get to choose what to wear?...everyday?

Traveller:....What type of beings have you been around?
-
*Karma being given a magical gift*

Karma: The magic doesn't feel like it's suffocating me! How strange

Traveller: *internally crying* Thats normal