Seras little snippet thread

Eventually I left my Jagers and followed Mama Gkika into another room where Adam and Lilith were already planning.

“We can go in through the old sneak path, you remember the one Barry always liked.”

“No no, dot gots sealed durink de explosion.” Mama Gkika denied, with a sigh.

“Then we go through that access point.” Lilith offered and Mama Gkika just grinned a mouth full of teeth.

“Hy’ll gets hyu a map uf vot ve know.”

“Thank you.” I cut in, looking over the Jagerwoman. “I should have the tools I need in the cart.”

“Then ve’ll brink you shtuff along, don’t vorry.” Mama Gkika nodded to one of the Jager girls who nodded and disappeared in a rush.

“I’ll need some things I couldn’t get along the way.” I mumbled writing down a list of some parts that should be accessible from the town.

Gkika took it from me as I held it up and looked it over. She looked confused for a moment, but I shook my head.

“Then… That should be everything I need. Just time, and access to the castle.”

“We’ll help you Agatha.” Lilith said smiling as she walked over and pressed her shoulder to mine. “I know you can do it.”

“Can she?” A new voice echoed out and I turned, an older man with a rather unfortunate lack of hair hidden behind a flat hat entered the room.

“Seneschal.” Lilith greeted, not quite warmly, but with a hint of nostalgia.

“So it’s true. Judy, and your husband as well. Punch.” He greeted.

Adam waved a hand in exchange and then everyone was silent as they stared at each other.

“Really grandfather? This again?” A younger voice. Oh, it was the grandson. “How many times have we dealt with False Heterodyne just this year? Twice?”

“Yes, well most of them don’t show up with Punch and Judy vouching for them.” The older man growled out and even as his grandson startled looked up at me. I approached him and let him take a look.

“I didn’t catch your name?” I asked the old man.

“Carson Von Mekkhan, Seneschal of Mechanicsburg. And even with Punch and Judy… Nothing is proven yet. Only the Castle can do that. This is my grandson Vanamonde.”

“I know. Nice to meet you.” I said back, not hesitating. “I’m going in, but I’ve heard the Castle is broken. I just need a path in.”

“Getting in is easy.” He grumbled.

“Not what I mean. I’m gathering what I need, but it’ll take a few days to fix the castle. Preferably faster if I can get in without word getting out. Without anyone trying to interfere. I need a few days of quiet to get this done.”

“That I can do.” He grumbled. “If anything gets out we’ll just say it’s another stupid imposter going to get themselves killed.”

“Perfect.” I agreed and then I wasn’t surprised when he continued.

“If you are who you say you are. Then there is somewhere I need to take you.” He grumbled, grimacing as he spoke.

Ah right. The brain stabbing thing.

“Fine, let's get going while everything is gathered. I don’t have the time to waste.”

—--

I’d been led through the catacombs below the Red Cathedral. Through the tombs below where I’d been shown my older brother's tomb.

One of the reasons Lucrezia would pay. Meaning to or not she got her own infant son killed by being a damned fool.

Then I’d watched as Carson had activated a massive machine, put on a helmet and let the Castle slam into his brain and speak through him.

It had already been a minute of this and I was growing irritated.

“I AM AGATHA HETERODYNE!” I roared as the castle speaking through Carson just refused to believe me.

“It’s just so rare for a girl to be born.” It whined at me, and I rolled my eyes.

“It doesn’t matter. I’m going in to fix you, you and your multiple split minds.” I pointed out and the old mans face turned into a rictus grin.

“Then you must reach the library. That is-”

“Obviously where I’ll go eventually, but you just want to verify I’m a Heterodyne, and what good will that do when you’re BRAIN IS ALREADY BROKEN YOU MISERABLE BROKEN MACHINE! No. I will focus on getting you working, first power, then getting your mind re-aligned, I already have some ideas for that. One that will definitely work but I’d rather not use that one unless I must.”

“So you already know? Well that’s a surprise, but unimportant. The Library is still where you must go. Verify yourself! Or every part of me will continue to try and kill you.” The Castle laughed at that and I just rolled my eyes.

“Fine, I’ll consider it as an early stop. Is there anything else? Or was this all a waste of time?” I asked and the Castle despite being a helmet with glowing red eyes sort of felt like it blinked at me for a second.

“A waste of time?”

“Yes. Because nothing you’ve said here has changed anything. I already have my goal. I am going into you, I am repairing you, and then I am claiming back my Jagers, my city, and my people. You will have your Heterodyne again, and EUROPA WILL REMEMBER WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE HETERODYNE TO BE IN MECHANICSBURG AGAIN!”

“Oh… Oh my I think I like this one.”

“Don’t get your hopes up. I’m not like my father and uncle, but I’m not like my grandfather Saturnus either. You’ll have to get used to an all new sort of Heterodyne.” I grumbled at it, and there was a smirk spreading across Carson's controlled face.

“Oh that’s always fun. We shall see!”

I blinked as Carson disengaged and actually started laughing and delighting in ‘winning’ against the Castle.

Okay. Time to get to work.

—---

“This is it.” The access door opened up and I looked down…

“It’s a slide?”

“Yes. I can’t say how safe it’ll be anymore.”

Adam interrupted Carson as he stepped forward and threw a thumb at himself.

“Are you sure?” Lilith asked, obviously Adam wanted to go first.

He nodded and they had a moment.

It… I didn’t like it either, but it was a good choice. The fact was the castle would recognize Punch and Judy even if the mind was shattered. They’d probably have a safer time than I would.

Adam slid down into the darkness and we all waited until we heard a banging noise.

Morse Code.

“It’s clear.” Lilith offered and looked at me.

“Alright, I’ll go next, then push everything down. I’ll tell Adam to prepare for it.” I said and then took a step forward before I could hesitate and I dropped.

The long slide was pitch black and I felt a tension in my stomach as it went on and on, before finally spitting me out and Adam was there catching me, slowing me down and keeping me from smashing face first into a pile of old… Coal?

“Ah, it’s a coal deposit.”

Adam nodded, patted me on the head and then tapped a bolt on the slide to let Lilith know it was clear.

Okay, we were deep into the castle, which was sort of good. We needed to head towards the Library, or… There was a secret path thanks to my Mother. Her rooms.

“Adam, what’s closer, Lucrezia’s room, or the Library?” I asked and he blinked at me in surprise. “I doubt that Lucrezia, the Other, didn’t have secret passages, or a lab somewhere near her room.” I explained and he nodded. A moment later a Steamer Trunk slid down and Adam grabbed it and set it aside, as another, then a bag, then more.

I went to the first trunk and pulled it aside, and then popped it open.

“Ding?”

“Yes, we’re here. Let’s get fixing. But focus on the path forward.” I told the trunk full of Dingbots. Who started climbing out in a horde of tinkling brass on the old stone.

A moment later Lilith was swept up in Adam’s strong hands and both smiled at each other before she was settled on her feet.

The rest of the trunks of Dingbots were opened, and then I grabbed the bag of parts, as did Adam, and Lilith. I nodded looking at them.

“Let’s get this done.” I said confidently, I wasn’t entirely confident. The Castle was… Murderous, and right now even more insane than normal.

We headed out of the old coal stockpile room through a massive door that Adam had no trouble managing and into a hallway that was dim and short, no doubt this was a servants corridor.

That didn’t mean it wasn’t full of traps.

“Hello Castle. Can you hear me?” Lilith spoke and waited for a moment but nothing came, and she frowned. “Castle, It’s Judy, Punch and Judy, we’re here with Bill’s daughter.”

Still nothing, just a quiet uncomfortable silence.

“Slow and steady then. I’ll go first. Adam, keep Agatha close.” Judy spoke and then strode forward confidently, no longer in her burlesque disguise she moved like a woman that knew how to fight.

We made it down the hall before the first problem.

We hadn’t been the first to enter this way. Dusty and horrid were corpses. Skeletons, and rotting meat, laying in the middle of the hall.

“I think I remember this area.” Lilith muttered. “Castle, it's Judy.” She called out, and once again her voice echoed down the hall, she took a step forward.

I blinked and between one moment and the next spikes had shot out and Judy had tumbled back spinning in the air like a top before landing in front of me fists clenched, but… The spikes had stopped before reaching us.

“We’ll need to disable the trap if the Castle isn’t listening.” Lilith offered, and I nodded.

“Dingbots!” I called out and walked over. The tapping on the wall. “Adam, can you?” I asked, when I found a hollow, and a moment later hands that were so gentle wiping away tears, or fussing over bruised knees smashed into solid stone, clearing a path into the hollow in the wall.

I held out my hands, as I deposited a team of Dingbots inside.

Slowly I heard tool sounds. Wrenches and screwdrivers. And then a loud ding from inside.

Lilith once more stepped forward and this time the spikes came out, but limply as they had no pressure behind them.

“Let’s keep moving.

—--

We were stopped a few times, but usually not for long. If Adam and Lilith couldn’t stop the traps which they usually could, then the Dingbots got to work.

Finally we made it out of this section of the servant quarters, and into the much more grand hallways full of much more dangerous traps.

We also finally got a response.

“Castle? It’s Judy.”

“Well now, isn’t that interesting.” The castle spoke from above and we all jumped a little.

“Castle. This is Agatha. Bill’s daughter. We’ve been protecting her. Barry left her to us.”

“The Masters?”

“We don’t know. Barry left to do something, he wouldn’t speak of it. It’s… Been a while.”

“A Shame, and a daughter? How odd? Why don’t you come closer then girl? Just down the hall is-”

“Traps meant to kill me. No thanks. Your core wanted me to go to the library.”

“Oh yes, do that. Definitely. It’s just through that door to your left.”

“Castle we both know that doesn’t lead to the library.” I grumbled, looking at the door that went down, when the Library was above us.

“Tsk. Well if you don’t want to just walk to your death, I’ll just have to do it without the fun!” It called out sounding cheerful and I doubted it was having any less fun with whatever it was about to do. Adam grabbed me and we ducked back as a howl came down the hall.

“That’s the Fun-Sized Mobile Agony and Death Dispensers.” Lilith explained as we rushed back and then down a different way. Only slowing when we came to a path that had more traps.

“That’s not a reassuring name.”

“It’s not. We can stop them if we must, but I’d rather avoid them. If you see them just don’t move. They only track movement.” Lilith explained looking at Adam who nodded.

So we went the other way. Bravely.

I wasn’t entirely sure how much repairs the Dingbots were actually getting done behind me, but I kept a large crowd of them with me, even if I saw some split off from time to time and start making more of themselves.

Honestly it was a good thing. I had an entire castle to repair even once I actually finished getting the Castle's mind back together.

Back into the main hallway, but in a different section Lilith once more stopped us.

“Castle. It’s Judy, are you there?”

“Why now, this is interesting, Punch and Judy, back inside me… The Masters?” It asked, almost plaintive and Judy frowned and shook her head.

“Master Barry was the last we saw. He… Left and was meant to return. He never did, but he left Agatha in our protection.”

“Oooh? Is that what I think it is? You believe it?”

“Agatha is Bill’s daughter, with Lucrezia.” Lilith confirmed and looked to me.

“I am Agatha Heterodyne. I’m here to fix you. To finally restore you to what you are meant to be.”

“Hmm, very well. You’ll need the library. I’m rather annoyed at being this broken for so long.” It informed me sounding actually rather cross and a wall opened up showing a door.

Lilith actually nodded to me as we looked it over. I was about to walk over but something an instinct maybe had me stop and the wall slammed down.

“Oh shoot… Well you can’t blame me for trying.”

“Castle, if you don’t raise this wall right now, and stop hindering me I’LL TEAR YOU APART TO THE BEDROCK AND TURN YOU INTO DAYCARE FOR CHILDREN. EVERY DAY FOR THE REST OF YOUR MISERABLE EXISTENCE WILL BE SPENT WATCHING BABIES CRAWL AROUND YOU WIPING THEIR DIAPERS ON EVERY SURFACE!”

The wall opened, and the castle was silent for a while.

I stormed passed, ignoring the fact it could slam the wall on me at any moment and hurried through the door. Adam and Lilith rushed to keep up.

This castle was going to get an attitude adjustment if it still acted like this when it was fixed!

—--

“This isn’t the Library.” Lilith added as we opened a door to an open space.

“Yes I figured that. The Castle wants to verify me, so even the shattered pieces are directing me here.”

“You aren’t very fun. You could have at least played along.” The Castle grumbled but I ignored it as I took a step before it had a chance to say anything else, and just as I knew, a cobblestone rose up and matched my foot, slowly a bridge, narrow and wobbly of floating cobblestones created a path across the open drop.

“Yes yes, you’re very cute.” I grumbled at it as I crossed without hesitation. Only when I was on the other side did I look behind me. Adam and Lilith stayed behind.

I nodded to them, and they nodded. They’d be there when I was done.

“Open the chute already.” I told the Castle, and once again the Castle seemed irritated.

“You’re supposed to fall down the chute and be surprised, screaming all the way.”

“Even if you surprised me castle, it wouldn’t be a surprise. I know how you think, I know how my family thinks, even without having lived here. Now I’ve warned a part of you before. Stop wasting my time.”

“Yes yes. Alright.” It grumbled and the floor opened revealing a slide downwards. I jumped and rode it until it dropped me onto an entire floor of skulls.

Empty spaces were here and there, but not many of them.

“Alright hurry and verify me. Enough Theatrics. Save it for later Castle.” I demanded sticking out my hand as a Massive Clank rose up from the skulls and it’s sinister smile was just about to start talking to threaten me again.

“Must you? I don’t get many minions through here. I barely ever get to do anything fun.”

“That’s because you're broken, and instead of wasting time with theatrics I could be actively fixing you.” I reminded it and a moment later it’s mouth opened.

“Stick your hand inside.”

I did so and winced as it clamped down, and then something stabbed me.

There was silence for a moment.

“Welcome home, My lady! How may I serve you?”

The Clank released my hand and I winced at the blood dripping from the back of my hand.

“First, keep things quiet. I don’t want anyone to know I’m here until the Doombell rings. We fix you, and get everything sorted and then we inform Europa that a Heterodyne has returned, at the moment that they no longer can do anything about it.”

“Ah, a shame, I’d love to do something with a bit more pageantry, but I understand. Let our enemies not know of our weakness until it’s too late.”

“Exactly. The prisoners fixing you. Keep them working as if nothing has changed. But do your best to keep them out of my path.”

“Your path?”

“I need to reach the library, but first, I’ll need something from the Great Movement Chamber. I need to go to Lucrezia’s old room.”

“Hmm, her room? Whatever for?”

“She created a secret passage in you. Didn’t you know?”

“No.” And for possibly the first time I heard actual anger coming from the Castle.

“Well it’s there, straight to the Movement chamber, and then to her secret lab. She has a piece of you there, that I can use to resync the rest. So we go there first.”

“Very well.”

—---

“Agatha!” Lilith called out as I crossed the bridge, which wasn’t just a small path of shaking cobblestones but more ornate and impactful.

“Castle, stop showing off. I don’t want someone catching sight of this.” I grumbled at the Castle and most of the ornateness of the bridge sunk back down to rest among the waiting floating parts.

I reached Lilith and was pulled into a strong hug, and even as Lilith immediately started bandaging my hand which really hurt! Adam also pulled me close.

“The Castle knows now, at least this part of it. And it’s going to keep things quiet and Not cause me any issues while I fix it, is it Castle?”

“Me cause problems?” It teased and I rolled my eyes.

“Congratulations Agatha.” Lilith said and I blinked in surprise at the words.

“What why?”

“You have at least part of the Castle on your side. That’s… Much bigger than you think.”

“Thank you Judy, see my Lady? I’m important. You should heed me, an-”

“That’s not going to happen. I’m the Heterodyne, you’re the castle.”

“Good. Perhaps you might make a fine Mistress after all.”

I ignored the Castle and moved on. “The bedrooms are the next stop.” I said and once Lilith was satisfied with my bandage she nodded.

We made good time across the castle, Lilith able to catch onto any trap that could get us. Adam for anything that needs pushing, or any dangerous clanks, and the Dingbots to unrepair anything stopping us.

It was quiet though when we reached a wide staircase deep into the castle. Down into a hallway of ornate doors, ruby handles on some of them, the sort of wealth that was meant to show off.

“Which one was Lucrezia’s?” I asked and Lilith pointed.

“That one. I only remember because I showed up for young Klaus’s birth. This whole wing had been taken over by her.” Lilith muttered darkly.

I walked to the door and Adam held a hand on my shoulder stopping me from entering as Lilith and Adam went to work checking over the door before nodding and opening it.

The room was… Normal. I walked in, and looked around. Lucrezia’s room. My Mother.

I honestly only knew Lucrezia from my past life, and the Heterodyne Boy stories in this life.

She was evil, turned good ‘by the love’ of my father.

Of course she hadn’t done anything of the sort.

I closed my eyes. She’d always been… Evil. Quick to seem sweet and sultry, only she always carried a knife in the other hand, quick to stab the moment she could.

Lucrezia was an arrogant, haughty woman. So confident in her own superiority she’d gone to war with all of Europa. No even beyond that.

Someday I’ll face her and I would take a knife to her when I did.

I realized I was at a vanity, large mirror wide and expensive with just a hint of dust, well made. With ancient flowers long dead in a vase. Pictures, and even a bottle of perfume.

I touched the bottle and the smell inside came out. I brought up the scent, memorizing it.

“Agatha?”

“Lucrezia’s perfume, right?” I asked, offering the bottle to Lilith whose nose twitched and she nodded.

“Yes… If you-”

“Good, I’ll remember this scent. I know that woman isn’t entirely dead. She’s arrogant enough that if she comes back in another body I bet she’ll wear the same perfume. I’ll warn the Jagers when they get back too.” I told her, as I closed the bottle.

The scent was terrible as well. The sort of sickening sweet scent that you could smell the expense that went into making it.

No doubt Lucrezia picked it because it was extremely expensive.

That bitch.

“There should be a secret door somewhere in here. Let’s find it.”

And my mother, my real mother, Lilith nodded, reaching out and putting a hand on my shoulder reassuring me before we all three turned and started exploring.

It didn’t take long until a panel opened up, revealing a staircase down.

“Castle are you there?” I asked, before entering and there was silence. “Alright Dingbots, go forth and search for traps. I don’t trust this.” And my small horde of brass clanks rushed down the steps.

I didn’t hear anything. No traps, or cries from the Dingbots. Just the sound of them exploring around.

“Maybe she didn’t trap it?” I wondered. I knew the lab was trapped, but not the access point? She could have just been too arrogant, never thinking anyone would ever find it… She was the Lady Heterodyne at the time she made this hidden passage. Who would dare search her room?

Finally we all headed down, and I walked past plenty of Dingbots exploring around. There were a lot of pathways splitting off from the stairs. Hidden passages through the whole castle, until finally I just caught up to the bottom Dingbots as we landed in what I’d been looking for. Lucrezia’s Lab.

And there. Strapped to a table, Held down was what I’d come down here to find.

“You will die.” It promised me, The face was ornate like a doll. A fleur de lis on the Clanks forehead. Glowing green eyes glaring with hatred, and a body of complex machinery and madness.

“Hello Castle.” I told her as I stepped down.

“Lucrezia! I will- What?” It cut itself off as Lilith and Adam came down behind me. I walked up to the clank even as Lilith’s eyes widened and she hurried to stop me, I reached its side.

“I’m not Lucrezia. I’m Agatha, Heterodyne, Bill and Lucrezia’s daughter. I hate my mother, and I’ll destroy her, but first we need to fix you.” I checked the table and only when I was sure it wasn’t trapped did I pull the lever and the metal manacles and magnets that kept her locked in place.

Lilith just reached me to pull me back when the Clanks hand reached up and wrapped around my throat, but I didn’t struggle as it tugged me down glaring into my eyes.

“Easy Lilith.” I called out, as she looked ready to start fighting. And I could feel Adam’s bulk over me, as he prepared to smash down on this clank.

I don’t think he’d win though.

This was the Muse of Protection. A clank created by practically THE clank maker. One of the most complex creations in the world, and she was the Muse of Protection. The one designed to fight.

The green eyes stared into my own for a long while.

“You, are a Heterodyne?”

“I was confirmed by part of the Castle already.”

“Not by me.” It hissed but I just rolled my eyes.

“But a part of you. Lilith an… Punch and Judy as you know them, can verify it. Look.” I raised my hand and showed the bandage. “I stuck my hand into the Clank's mouth and everything. So let me go, and come along. We’re fixing you back up.”

“You will release me from this clank?”

“Of course. I don’t need a Muse of Protection. I need my dread castle.”

“Good. Now explain everything.” It demanded, but it did let go of my neck, and as Lilith and Adam worked through the explanation.

Seriously I had a feeling this was going to become a common thing, explaining my origins.

I looked around the lab. Soon. Not yet, but soon, I would come back down here.