Beginnings and Endings

"Lies," an extravagantly decorated Skeksis hissed. "No one can traverse planets but--"

"Hush!" the Skeksis' rotund companion clamped a claw over his beak.

The Emperor spared them only a brief glance. "I am not familiar with the world of which you speak," he said. "As I said before, such a circumstance as this is highly unlikely, but if my court does not recognize you as a native being and my Gelfling guard are wary enough of your origins to bring you directly to me, I see no reason to doubt your words." He descended the throne, scepter in hand. "Which leads me to ask, what are your intentions now that you have arrived? If, as you say, this was an accidental journey across time and space, how do you plan on getting back, hm?" The Emperor came to a stop about six paces from William.

That was the question, wasn't it?

William gave the emperor a slightly strained smile. They were all too aware of how close the emperor was right now; they were also aware that this was the moment where they would either be confirmed or denied help. The people here weren't used to people traveling between worlds. They might not have many resources.

But William also knew they couldn't bet on the Elrics or Reyes determining some way to bring them back. This was their best option.

"I would likely need some kind of alchemical miracle," William admitted. "If Thra doesn't have alchemy, it would probably take the form of whatever abilities you have here. I'm not an alchemist, so I can't begin to guess the specifics. But my arrival here must have happened for a reason, and I'm sure there is some kind of research that can guide me home."

"Alchemy!" the Scientist exclaimed. "Preposterous quackery!"

"Be silent, skekTek, or I will see to it myself," the Emperor snapped. The Scientist bowed his head and cringed slightly. "Alchemy is not a field I ever cared to study," he went on. "Our Scientist seems to know something about it; perhaps you could join him in the Chamber of Life to seek the answer. Of course, we will require something in return for our services."

William wasn't too optimistic after hearing the apparent scientist dismiss alchemy, but they knew they didn't have any options. And, despite not having alchemy, it seemed like equivalent exchange was still a principle that applied here.

"What do you require?" they asked.

The Emperor tilted his head thoughtfully. "What can you offer?"

William thought for a moment.

"I can tell you more information about my world," William offered. They would have likely had to do that anyways. It could be dangerous to share that information, but they knew they could limit how much of it they gave. "I can run errands and provide physical labor. Besides that, I'm not sure what other skills would be useful to you."

"Physical labor," the Emperor chuckled. "What need do we have for that when we have all the Podling slaves and Gelfling guards we could possibly desire? Information is marginally more valuable, of course...we are a curious race. But I will require something more...substantial." He came further forward, just a couple feet from William now so that he had to stare directly down his beak at them. "When you regain the ability to travel home, you will allow us to send along an ambassador of sorts. You will make sure your people welcome that ambassador to your home world. That will serve as a satisfactory payment for our hospitality."

The disgust that William had already been feeling multipled when the emperor mentioned having slaves. William knew they shouldn't be working with people like this, but what other choice did they have? They needed to get back to their world, and they couldn't trust two teenage alchemists to figure out where they had gone and how to get them back.

"Of course," William said, ducking their head into a nod. They were a good actor; the emperor wouldn't be able to see through their lie right now. "My people believe in a concept called equivalent exchange, and that sounds equivalent enough. A person for a person."

William would never let that happen. Ignoring the fact that the Elrics and Reyes were the only people they were close to and would probably fight the ambassador before throwing any kind of welcome party, William would do everything they could to prevent someone from coming back to Amestris with them.

The Emperor grinned and extended a long, bony four-fingered hand. "Then kiss my ring and seal this interesting new partnership."

(Sorry these are so short; skekSo isn't my MC so I'm avoiding giving you his inner thoughts. Once ya meet up with skekRa I'll be more detailed!)

Spoiler

Don't worry about it! I understand. :)

And I can't wait for William to meet up with skekRa! It's going to be fun seeing how to the two of them interact.

William leaned down and kissed the ring.

They almost immediately wanted to wash their tongue with bleach, but they could take a little comfort in the fact that they were probably the only one of their siblings who could have done something like that. Their sister might have been able to do it, too, but they were sure everyone else would have been disgusted or confused.

...They hadn't seen some of them in years. Thinking about them was a little bittersweet at the moment, but a smug sense of victory never hurt in painful moments like this one.

William straightened.

(Hey, I'm so sorry about how long this took! I made the mistake of taking a very intensive German class and starting work at Chili's at the same time, and I've had like no spare time.)

"Very good." A cold smile crossed the Emperor's long face, and his hand returned to his scepter. "You will join us for lunch and then supper, but for the moment feel free to explore the Castle of the Crystal." His neck swiveled, and his icy eyes alighted on a triple-bespectacled Skeksis and the Scientist. "skekOk, skekTek, you will be responsible for taking the human on a tour of our home." The spectacled Skeksis, skekOk, bowed low.

"It would be my honor, your Eminence," he said in a high, nasally voice. The Scientist looked displeased, but he bowed as well.

Spoiler

That's okay! I went away for a week and wasn't really active on YWS, so I totally understand. <33

William should have expected that they would be eating meals with the emperor and lords, but they had been hopeful that they would have more freedom while trapped here. That hope would be short-lived.

They resisted the urge to sigh.

"Thank you," William said, giving one last bow of their own.

(Skiparoo)

The two Skeksis had been fairly accommodating to William, giving them an extensive tour of the castle while bickering among themselves. skekOk, the bespectacled Scroll-Keeper, talked incessantly about the history of the castle, interrupting himself more than once on a tangent about minor details. Eventually they wound their way down into the catacombs beneath the castle.

"My workplace is down this way," skekTek grated over skekOk's rambling. "And there's another down here--you haven't met the Mortician, but he keeps to himself." He sniffed the air, wrinkling his nose. "Follow the stench of death and preservatives and you'll find him."

William hated to admit it, but the catacombs felt far too much like home. Not home in Central, and not...whatever kind of home they knew they were making with Reyes and the Elrics. This felt like their first home. It was the home they had spent their childhood running around and hiding in with their siblings, giggling and roughhousing in bodies that never fit their ages.

William nodded.

Suddenly seeing an opportunity to avoid listening to these two bicker any longer, William asked, "Would I be able to meet with him now? If I'm here for some time, it would be good to know everyone who lives here."

Both Skeksis exchanged a glance.
"Be my guest," skekTek said at the same time that skekOk said, "I don't believe that would be particularly wise."
"He's rather....well, he's reclusive," skekOk explained. "We see very little of him."
"I'm sure he would be positively rapturous to see a newcomer in our midst," skekTek interrupted quickly. His artificial eye swiveled irritably toward skekOk. "Please, don't let my comrade's reluctance cause you to waver. I'm sure our venerated Mortician would gladly have your company. As I said, follow the smell and you'll find your way there." He grinned toothily as the Scroll-Keeper glared at him.