Chapter Text
14 years ago
Cellbit trudged through the forest, his footsteps muffled by the thick layer of fallen leaves. Normally, he would be exploring those woods with his twin sister, Bagi, but that day was different.
That day he needed space.
They had argued over a silly Gravity Falls book that morning. Bagi said he was too serious, and he'd called her childish. And though they were inseparable, Cellbit couldn't shake off his irritation. It wasn’t like them to argue, but when they did, it always felt strange. After all, they were each other’s only friends.
Living in a secluded part of the island, far from the other islanders, they didn’t have many options. Their dad worked for the Federation (an institution that ruled and controlled everything on the island) and because of his role, their family kept their distance from others, leaving Cellbit and Bagi with only each other.
So even if they argued and annoyed one another every day, they always came back as friends by the end of it. That’s just how they were.
Cellbit had to admit, though, he was usually the "evil" one; the troublemaker, always finding ways to bother Bagi about every little thing. But Bagi wasn’t far behind. She fought back whenever she could, quick to argue if it meant getting the last word.
But that day, which had just begun, had started off in the worst way.
The book, or the cause of their fight, was a special edition Cellbit had ordered over a month ago, and it had only just arrived. But Bagi had taken it without even telling him it was there.
As soon as Cellbit came downstairs that morning, heading toward the kitchen, he saw her sitting at the table, sipping a milkshake and laughing as she read his book.
His blood boiled.
Without thinking, he dashed toward her, snatching the book from her hands. In the chaos, her milkshake spilled all over the table..and on her.
“What the hell, Cellbit!” Bagi shouted, jumping up with sticky hands and an equally messy shirt.
Their mother had to step in, taking the book from both of them. "Enough, you two" she said firmly. "You need to learn to share. And apologize!"
But Cellbit didn’t see what he had done wrong. It was his book. He had waited forever for it, and Bagi had just taken it without asking, like it was hers.
So instead of apologizing, he stormed out of the house, his frustration simmering with every step. The cool forest air brushed against his face as he trudged deeper into the woods, hoping the quiet would calm his temper.
Lost in his thoughts, he barely registered the figure ahead until it was too late. They collided hard, sending the figure tumbling to the ground.
“Whoa, watch it!” Cellbit exclaimed, irritated while stumbling backwards, still angry from the morning’s event with his sister.
“I- I’m sorry” the other murmured, his voice small and shaky.
Cellbit blinked, looking down. The stranger -a little boy- sat on the forest floor, his wide eyes filled with fear. He trembled as though the collision had knocked the air out of him. His lips quivered, and tears clung to his lashes, threatening to spill.
He was unlike anyone Cellbit had ever seen. Dressed in a surgical gown with a bandage wrapped around one arm, the boy looked lost and bewildered. His fluffy brown hair was held back by a blue bandana, slightly crooked from the fall, yet somehow it suited him perfectly.
There was something sweet about his brown eyes, even though they shimmered with sadness, tugging at Cellbit’s heart.
“I didn’t mean to-” Cellbit’s voice faltered, guilt creeping in. “Hey, I didn’t hit you that hard” he tried, awkwardly offering a hand.
But the boy didn’t take it. He sat frozen, completely lost.
Cellbit sighed and tried again, crouching to the boy’s level with a gentler approach.
“Hi there! I’m Cellbit. Sorry for crashing into you” he said with a friendly smile, hoping his softened tone might ease the tension.
The boy hesitated, glancing nervously at Cellbit’s outstretched hand. After a moment, he tentatively shook it.
“Roier” he replied softly.
Cellbit’s smile widened. “Hi Roier! Nice to meet you” he said warmly. “What brings you out here all alone?” he asked, masking his curiosity with a tone of genuine concern.
Roier shifted uncomfortably, his gaze dropping to the forest floor. “I’m- I’m looking for my puppy. Have you seen him?”
Cellbit frowned, shaking his head. A lost puppy in the woods was strange enough, but paired with Roier's peculiar appearance, it was downright bizarre. His curiosity sharpened.
“No, I haven’t seen any puppies around here…” Cellbit said, eyeing the boy warily. “Are you okay? You look hurt.” His gaze landed on the bandage wrapped around Roier’s arm.
Roier stiffened, glancing down at his arm before quickly hiding it behind his back. “It’s nothing” he muttered.
Cellbit tilted his head, clearly doubting that. “Doesn’t look like nothing to me.”
Roier forced a gentle smile, cutting off further questions. “It’s really just a scratch. I’ll be fine, don’t worry.”
Cellbit narrowed his eyes, unconvinced but deciding not to push... at least not yet. There was no place in the world where Cellbit could buy that answer. He knew, definitely knew, that Roier was hiding something, but he didn't want to push too hard. Instead, he changed the subject.
“I’m out here because I had a fight with my sister,” he admitted, a smile tugging at his lips despite himself. “We’re usually joined at the hip, but today, I needed some time to cool off.”
Roier’s eyes widened with curiosity, his expression softening with interest. “You have a sister?” he asked, his voice picking up a bit of confidence as his eyes sparkled.
Cellbit nodded, the smile still lingering on his face. “Yeah, her name is Bagi. She is actually my twin sister, and we’re practically inseparable. But even the closest siblings need a break sometimes, you know?”
Roier gave a small, shy nod, a gentle smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “I don’t know what it’s like to have a sister… but I have a lot of friends who feel like that. I love them, even during the worst times.”
The quiet moment hung in the air, but for Cellbit, it sparked something.
He felt the pull to know Roier, to dig deeper. Cellbit couldn’t shake the feeling that something was seriously off. The bandages, the weird clothes, the fear in Roier’s eyes; it wasn’t just a lost puppy.
Cellbit’s thoughts swirled with questions. How was it that a kid around his age was standing there, alone, in the middle of the forest, dressed like that? Where were his parents? Was he lost? Did he need help?
There was something big -something wrong- and he needed to know more.
Cellbit took a deep breath, the tension of the morning slowly fading away. He looked at Roier, still sitting on the forest floor, his eyes downcast, as if the weight of the world was pressing on him.
“I’ll help you find your dog” Cellbit said, the words leaving his mouth almost before he thought about it. He was hoping to build some trust, get to know the boy better, and maybe, just maybe, figure out what was really going on.
Roier looked up in surprise, his eyes wide as if the offer was something he didn’t expect. “You… you will?” His voice was a mixture of relief and wariness.
“Of course” Cellbit replied with a grin, though it felt a little forced. “I mean, I won’t leave you out here, all alone, looking for your puppy?” He tried to sound casual, but his heart was racing with the excitement of having Roier’s trust, even if just a little.
Roier hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “Thank you” he said softly, a tiny smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “I’m not sure where to look, though.”
“No worries” Cellbit said, pushing him off the ground. “I know this place like the back of my hand.”
As they started walking, Roier stayed close, his steps hesitant at first, but he began to relax, his curiosity growing.
“Do you know this forest so well?” Roier asked, glancing around at the towering trees, the thick undergrowth.
“This is like a second home to me” Cellbit said with a laugh, the familiar scent of pine and earth filling his senses. “Bagi and I like to explore it every evening. We usually look for cool stuff, like abandoned things or things people lost in here. It’s like an endless treasure hunt” He grinned, feeling a bit of pride.
“That sounds so cool!” Roier said, his eyes lighting up with excitement. “I wanna find treasures too.”
Cellbit grinned at his enthusiasm, the boy’s excitement contagious. “It’s actually easier than you think. You just need to look very carefully at every single corner” He squinted as he glanced between the trees, as if hoping to spot something. “Like this. I found you.” He grinned, looking over at Roier, who chuckled.
Roier laughed softly, his face brightening. “This is my first time out here… I don’t think I’d be able to find anything” His voice lowered a little, and his shoulders slumped. “I’m not even finding my own dog… Actually, I think I’ve also lost myself too, because I don’t even know where we are”
Cellbit’s smile faded slightly, sensing the frustration in Roier’s voice. He stepped closer, trying to be reassuring. “You’ve never been to this forest?” he asked, his brow furrowing in surprise.
Roier shook his head. “No… I didn’t know this place was so big” He looked around, seeming a little lost.
Cellbit narrowed his eyes, curiosity sparking in his chest. “Wait, are you new to the island? I don’t remember seeing another house around here”
Roier laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’m not new. I live… somewhere around here. I just don’t know in which direction” He spun in a slow, uncertain circle. “I’ve always been here. I just never went outside.”
“You never leave your house?” Cellbit asked, his voice rising in disbelief. “Are your parents insane!?”
Roier’s eyes widened, clearly taken aback by Cellbit’s blunt reaction. He opened his mouth to respond, then shut it, as if struggling to find the right words. His lips parted again, but no sound came out, uncertainty flickering across his face.
“Seriously?” Cellbit pressed, unable to contain his shock. “How do you not go out? What about exploring, going to the market, playing in the rain, or just… living?”
Roier’s gaze dropped to the ground. “It’s… it’s not like that” he mumbled, his voice barely above a whisper.
Cellbit’s irritation softened as he realized he might have pushed too hard. He exhaled slowly, scratching the back of his head. “Hey, I didn’t mean to sound rude” he said, trying to backpedal. “It’s just… that sounds kinda new to me.”
Roier shrugged, a faint smile ghosting his lips. “I guess I got used to it just being like that”
“Well…” Cellbit said with a grin, hoping to lighten the mood, “You’re out now. And trust me, this forest is way better than any house.”
Roier glanced up, his brown eyes still unsure but a little brighter. “You think so?”
“I know so.” Cellbit assured him. “And by the end of this, we’ll find your dog and some cool treasures” He nudged Roier playfully. “That’s a promise”
Roier laughed softly, some of the tension lifting from his shoulders. “You’re kinda weird, you know that?”
Cellbit grinned. Yeah, he was weird, he knew that. But still, it was funny hearing it from a kid who had literally appeared out of nowhere, in the middle of the forest, looking like he’d just escaped from a hospital, and searching for a dog that, for all Cellbit knew, might as well be invisible.
But he didn’t say any of that.
“Yeah, I get that a lot” he laughed.
They started walking again, their footsteps crunching softly against the forest floor. The trees stretched high above them, their branches forming a patchwork canopy that let in streams of golden light.
But Cellbit’s mind was everywhere except in the forest or finding the puppy. Roier was definitely something. Every time he spoke, it felt like a new riddle to solve, another mystery waiting to be uncovered. And Cellbit wanted to find every single answer, no matter how long it took.
As Cellbit was caught up in his thoughts, trying to find the best way to approach Roier without scaring him, a stern voice suddenly echoed through the forest, shattering the peace.
“0037! Are you over there?”
Roier froze, his entire body going rigid. Panic flashed across his face like a bolt of lightning, stripping away any hint of the playful confidence he’d shown earlier. Without a single word, he spun on his heel and bolted into the trees, his movements wild and desperate.
“Wait- Roier!” Cellbit called, his voice cutting through the air. But Roier didn’t look back.
Cellbit stood frozen for a moment, torn between respecting Roier’s obvious desire to flee and the gnawing worry clawing at his chest. Curiosity burned hot in his veins, but concern was present too. In the end, curiosity won.
He darted after Roier, weaving through the trees with practiced ease, his feet light against the forest floor. Years of exploring those woods with Bagi had made him nimble, and he had no trouble keeping up. Through the dense foliage, he caught glimpses of Roier’s figure, a flash of brown hair and blue bandana bobbing ahead.
Roier’s movements were frantic, as though he was being chased by something far worse than Cellbit could imagine. The fear radiating from him was palpable, and Cellbit’s heart clenched.
What could make someone run like that? Who was that voice calling for Roier, and why did they sound like that?
Cellbit pushed himself harder, ignoring the sting of branches whipping across his face. His lungs burned with each breath, but he didn’t care. He couldn’t let Roier vanish into the forest like a fleeting shadow.
“Roier, wait!” he called out again, desperation creeping into his voice. “It’s just me, okay?”
But Roier didn’t stop.
Cellbit gritted his teeth, refusing to let the boy slip away. Whatever was going on, he wasn’t going to let Roier face it alone.
“Where are you going? Who was that? Please wait!” Panic laced Cellbit’s voice. There was too much happening and far too few answers.
Somehow, Roier seemed to hear him this time, because during what felt like a life-or-death race, he yelled back, “I have to go! I- I shouldn’t be here. They’ll find me. They’ll find you.”
Cellbit froze, his heart pounding wildly. They?
He didn’t understand anything that was happening, but those words were enough to scare the crap out of him. Fear mixed with confusion as his mind raced. Who were they, and why was Roier so certain they would find him too?
Before he could call out again, Roier’s figure disappeared into the dense trees, leaving behind nothing but rustling leaves and a trail of unanswered questions.
Cellbit stood there, breathing heavily, his thoughts spinning. His chest ached, not just from the run but from the gnawing sense that something bigger was at play there: something Roier was desperate to escape from.
And now, Cellbit felt he was tangled up in it too.
He stopped for a moment to think about what he was going to do next. He was definitely worried about Roier, even though he had just met him, the panic he saw in the other’s eyes was enough to leave a mark in his head. Eventually, gathering courage that he didn't even know he had, he decided to continue in the direction Roier had gone, trying to stay hidden and without making any noise.
Soon, he stumbled upon a clearing he was sure he had never seen before. It was like a huge patio, fenced off with a tall metal gate that gleamed faintly under the filtered sunlight. In the background, imposing gray cement structures loomed over the open space, stark and unwelcoming against the natural beauty of the forest. Cellbit furrowed his brow, questioning how he had never stumbled upon this part of the woods before. A group of children played amidst the place.
But something was off.
The children’s laughter echoed through the trees, yet it carried an eerie hollowness that didn’t match their smiling faces. They all wore the same tattered gowns as Roier, each with bandages covering various parts of their small bodies. Despite their carefree movements, something about them felt wrong, like puppets with invisible strings.
Cellbit’s instincts screamed for him to run, but he stayed rooted, curiosity overpowering caution.
Then came that voice again, deep and authoritative, slicing through the unsettling serenity. Cellbit froze, his heart pounding in his chest as he spotted Roier a couple of meters away, turning toward the source of the voice.
“0037, where have you been?”
Cellbit’s blood ran cold at the voice. A deep, commanding tone that echoed through the trees. His eyes locked onto a towering figure emerging from the shadows, clad in a stark white mask and a laboratory coat that billowed like a cloak with each step. The man moved with an unsettling authority, exuding control over everything in his path.
Roier stood frozen, his face pale and stricken with fear. Cellbit’s pulse quickened as dread clawed at his chest. The boy looked cornered, like prey caught by its hunter. Instinctively, Cellbit ducked behind a tree, covering his mouth to stifle any sound, but his gaze never wavered.
“I- I got lost” Roier stammered, his voice trembling with poorly masked anxiety.
The man tilted his head slightly, his gaze unnervingly sharp despite the plain white mask obscuring his face. “You know the rules. Stay within the fence.” His voice was cold, devoid of any warmth or understanding.
Roier flinched but quickly forced a mask of composure. “It won’t happen again”
“It better not.” The man’s tone shifted into something almost sinister. “We wouldn’t want any… accidents, would we?”
Cellbit clenched his fists, protective instincts flaring. Whoever this man was, he didn’t like the way he spoke to Roier... or the strange, unsettling dynamic between the children and this apparent authority figure.
The man’s gaze swept across the clearing, and for one heart-stopping moment, Cellbit thought he had been spotted. He pressed himself tighter against the tree, hardly daring to breathe.
“I won’t report you since this was the first -and only- time you ran out. Now come along, we have work to do.”
The figure placed a heavy hand on Roier’s shoulder, a silent command that left no room for defiance. Without waiting for a response, the man turned and strode back toward the gray compound.
Roier hesitated, his feet rooted to the ground. Then, as if sensing Cellbit’s presence, his eyes darted toward the trees, locking onto him with heartbreaking precision. His expression softened into something fragile, apologetic. His lips silently shaped a single word: Sorry.
Cellbit’s breath caught in his throat as Roier turned away, trailing reluctantly behind the man in white. He watched helplessly as they disappeared through the gates, swallowed by the grim expanse of the compound.
Questions and unease churned in Cellbit’s mind. Fearing discovery, Cellbit turned and fled, his breaths ragged as branches scratched against his skin. The echoes of Roier’s trembling voice rang in his ears, mingling with the pounding of his heart. The forest blurred around him, shadows stretching and twisting with every frantic step. But no matter how far he ran, the image of Roier’s frightened face clung to his thoughts like a brand, searing into his memory.
By the time he burst through the front door of his home, his legs were trembling, and his lungs burned. Relief washed over him for a fleeting moment, until his mother’s worried voice cut through the air.
“Cellbit! Where have you been? We’ve been looking for you for hours!” she exclaimed, her voice sharp with panic. “Oh, my sweet boy, you’re all dirty and hurt” Her eyes glistened with worry as she reached out to gently touch his face.
Bagi stood just behind her, her eyes red and swollen from tears. The instant she saw him, she darted forward, throwing her arms around him in a tight embrace.
It was then that Cellbit realized he was actually hurt —multiple cuts and scratches lined his arms from running through the branches, and the tight squeeze made a sharp sting radiate through his body. He winced but didn’t pull away.
“I’m so sorry about this morning” she sobbed, her voice muffled against his shoulder. “I didn’t mean to upset you. I was just being stupid”
Caught off guard, Cellbit hesitated before wrapping his arms around her. The warmth of her hug and the honesty of her apology cracked through the weight of the day.
Cellbit’s heart softened as he hugged his sister back, guilt gnawing at him for his earlier irritation. In that moment, the argument over the Gravity Falls book seemed so trivial, so small in comparison to everything else.
“It’s okay, Bagi” he murmured, his voice soft with emotion. “You can keep the book. I don’t care about it anymore. I’ll read it later.” His words didn’t fully match the storm of thoughts swirling in his head: thoughts of Roier, the compound, and the strange man in the white mask.
But right in that moment, Bagi was there, and she needed to know he was safe. So Cellbit tightened his hug just slightly, feeling the familiar warmth of her presence. “I’m here, I’m fine and we’re good, alright?”
Bagi sniffled and pulled back, her tear-streaked face softening into a tentative smile. She gave him a tearful nod, a silent understanding passing between them.
Their mother sighed, brushing a trembling hand over her face, her gaze softening when she saw the two of them. “Please don’t ever do that again, honey” she pleaded, her voice filled with a mix of relief and exasperation. “I was worried sick”
“I won’t…” Cellbit promised, though his voice held an absent quality, his mind already far from the moment.
That night, as Cellbit lay in bed, the weight of the day kept him wide awake. His mind raced, replaying every scene, every word, and every strange look Roier had given him. His thoughts kept drifting to the compound, to the masked figure, and to the terrifying fear that had clouded Roier’s eyes. No answers came, just more questions.
The quiet of the room did little to calm the storm inside him. He needed to find Roier again. He needed to understand what was happening, why Roier had been so afraid, why he was so different, and what he was hiding.
With that thought burning in his chest, Cellbit eventually drifted into a restless sleep, his dreams filled with the haunting memory of a lost friend and the promise of an unspoken bond, still waiting to be formed.