"Greetings Father! my most august creator! Ohh! And Touch-Me-sama as well! Truly it is a honor to have you stand within these revered walls once again."
As Ainz walked down the treasuries vast hallways with Touch-Me, he pleaded that his greatest shame, his past, was out playing his Momon persona, and would not be here for all to bear witness to.
Unfortunately, Ainz soon found himself with his head in his hands as his dark past reared its head to one of his closest friends. He simply wanted to crawl into a hole and die. If Touch-Me could make facial expressions, it would surely be morphed into a cringe.
Why did I have to tell Touch-san that the NPCs take after there creators! What can I even say to this? "Oh, all of the NPCs are like there creators except mine." who the hell would buy that excuse!?
"Ah, yes, Touch-san this is my NPC, Pandoras Actor. I created him after you left, so you likely wouldn't know about him. Feel free to ignore his shenanigans." he whispered to him, hoping that Pandora would not pick up on it.
"Oh, I always wondered what kind of NPC you would make if got the chance. A doppelgänger huh, not what I would of expected. Still, it seems that you've got a great fashion sense Momonga, that military garb seems to fit his race unexpectedly well!"
While Ainz was a bit shocked to be told he had a good fashion sense, he let it slide as he was relieved that Touch-Me did not seem to notice his over exaggerations. This was good as he didn't want his friend to realize his dark past. The wound left by Shizu's "uwah" had not yet healed, and he could only imagine that the fictional scar would be ripped open and torn asunder if one of his friends did the same.
"Wonderbar! I'm glad to hear that Touch-Me-sama! It goes without saying that the leader of the supreme beings would naturally know how to create a truly marvelous garment, as I so deeply cherish the garb that I have been besto..."
"Pandoras Actor, while we would love to stay and talk, I feel it would be best if you performed your duties as Momon at the moment. Don't you normally leave around this time?" Ainz interjected, hoping to get his personifications of his chuunibyou faze to leave as quickly as possible.
"Indeed I do Ainz-sama! However I normally leave 2 minutes and 37 seconds from this moment. Would you like me do depart earlier?"
You don't have to be that exact! Ainz thought to himself. "Umu, I feel that would be best Pandoras Actor. I look forward to your return."
"As do I nnnnAinz-sama!"
Over-dramatic. What other word could possibly fit this situation. What other word could possibly fit his personality. Everything about him was meant to scream, 'I am cool', but he way he acted seemed to be a kindergartens way of expressing that.
"as they watched him teleport away, Touch-Me asked Ainz, "So that was your NPC huh? I like him. Seems lively."
you don't know the half of it. "Ah... yes, he certainly is isn't he. I made him to be a memory of the guild so that he would embody all of us, by making him have all of the 41 as his forms. But when I think about it, having him be what represents the guild is a bit... well anyway, lets go and get you gear." he quickly stated, trying to steer the conversation away from him.
As they walked towards the mausoleum, Touch-Me asked, "By the way, what was that Momon persona that you were talking about? Something to help the great tomb?"
"Ahh... when I first came to this world, I had become a adventure named Momon to learn more about it without seeming suspicious, and throughout my time as a hero, I have become renowned as the raven black hero. While I used to use that as a excuse to escape work for a bit, Pandoras Actor tends to fulfill that role for now, since I have to play the part of the sorcerer king. Now Momon is more of a way to get a heads up on those who wish to conspire against me." Ainz said, purposely omitting the part about how Touch-Me was what inspired the idea.
"Wow, Momonga, Momon, seems that you still suck a creative names don't you? Well, I'll have to watch him sometime and see what he's like. Oh, it seems were here." as they reached there destination, Touch-Me took the time to take in the view around him. They were flanked by grotesque forms of the old guild members. Each one oddly proportioned in a weird fashion, such as limbs being elongated from there natural size, to mismatching eyes. It almost seemed like a creature from a nightmare, taking on a familiar shape, only to reach out with its body morphing and shifting to inspire fear. Though when one disregarded that fact, the atmosphere in the room felt very somber. The dim lighting in contrast with the statues of old friends gave it the air of...
"A mausoleum." Ainz said to Touch-Me. "while this was originally the deepest parts of the treasury, meant as a last stand against intruders, I renamed it, since it felt more like a memorial to all of you the more of you left. Each time I came down here to build a new statue, it felt like a part of me was lost. You were everything to me, as my life outside of YGGDRASIL wasn't much outside of work. So I always hoped that at least one of you would come back one day. Which is why I kept the tomb, ready for any of you to return."
After hearing this heart wrenching cry, which most surely came from the depths of his friends soul, it reminded him of how he got here in the first place. "... I'm sorry I wasn't here for you on the last day."
"It's fine Touch-san, barely anyone did. I recognize that you had other matters to attend to in your life. Some things just take priority... here, you should put on your equipment." accessing the inventory of the statues, he pulled out all of Touch-Me's old [World Champion] gear and watched as his friend donned the shining white armor, the luster of which seemed to brighten the room by merely existing within its walls(though how exactly the scythes on his arms fit into the gauntlets was a mystery) he felt a burst of nostalgia, seeing his friend the way he always remembered him, though his presence being amplified by the fact that this was no longer a game.
At this moment, he remembered a question he should have asked the moment he arrived. "Touch-san, I want you to know that I changed my name to Ainz Ooal Gown, to both honor the guild and as a way to find any of you who may have come to the new world as well. But are you okay with me using that name? This was the name that represented all of us, the guild, so I don't feel like it is something that I can take for myself. If you have any issues with it, I will immediately change my name back to Momonga to everyone!"
"... Momonga-san, I feel as if that name couldn't have been better to represent you. Even after everyone left, you stayed and maintained the guilds home until the end. In a way, you ARE Ainz Ooal Gown. The fact of the matter is, the fact that you would even ask that question shows that you are worthy to bear the name."
These words, said by one of his closest friends, had a deep affect on Ainz's soul. Hearing how much his friend appreciated his work that he had spent all of his free time to maintain, brought a immense amount of joy to his heart. "Thank you, Touch-san." he said.
"I should be the one thanking you, Momonga-san. Anyway, now that we have gotten my gear, what now? Is there anything that we can to pass the time in this world?
"Well, unless we want to go exploring this world, which doesn't seem like that bad of a idea, all things considered, you mentioned interest in the Momon persona right? Why don't we just watch him act out his duties through the mirror?"
"Alright then. I'd like to see your take on a hero." he asked warmly.
"Then lets not waste anymore time. Oh, before I forget, here." As Ainz said this, he handed his friend a ring of Ainz Ooal Gown. "Welcome back Touch-san."
.
.
.
"Momonga-san... is that...?"
"Please stop."
As Ainz went to turn on the mirror to view Pandoras Actor, he was somewhat excited to see how his friend, who was known for being a superhero fanatic, would respond to his own created hero. However, when the mirror began to focus in on the designated target, he realized he forgot one fatal error.
"That Kinda looks like..."
"Don't."
"A giant djungarian hamst..."
"STOOOP!"
How could he have forgotten about Hamsuke? While Pandoras Actor was bad enough in its own right, he completely forgot about how Momon, a warrior of song and story, rides a child's pet into battle.
"Hey Momonga... did you have to ride that thing when you were playing the part of Momon." though Touch-Me was trying his best to hide it, he was snickering slightly under his helm.
"I had no choice! This world seems to thing that he is a fearsome beast for some reason, and I'm the only one who seems to think otherwise! Even the guardians say its eyes gleam with power! I felt like a old man on a merry-go-round when I had to ride that thing!" Ainz, finally having someone who could understand were he was coming from, poured his soul out regarding the strange aesthetics of this world, and how people seemed to think that Hamsuke was a terrifying creature.
Ainz couldn't tell if Touch-Me's silence after his rant was due to understanding, pity, or a mix of both. Though whatever the reason, he was sparing Ainz any further embarrassment. Instead choosing to ask some questions about the character.
"So you mentioned that you wanted him to be a ideal hero. What does that entail exactly? Like my ideals of "helping the weak is common sense", or something else?"
"Well I tired to go by your rules when I can, but I just make sure I'm someone who is modest about their strength to the masses, while at the same time, defending those who need it. Honestly I don't know what I did before this to get so many supporters, but right now, I'm the defender of the city for standing up against the Wicked Sorcerer king. Honestly I don't think it even matters what I do. I could go for a walk and solve world hunger it seems like."
Touch-me simply responded with a "hm" as they continued to watch how the hero Momon had established himself. From helping random passerby's, to his regular patrol, and at one point the conversations people had about there worries about the sorcerer king, which Ainz smiled evilly, seeing how the plan was working how he had intended.
Suddenly, a idea struck him on what they could, or rather should do before they got to carried away. "Touch-san, I feel like you should meet the other NPCs before we go any further. Honestly I feel like its a necessity, since you'll soon learn that the word 'alone' has no meaning to us most of the time. Plus you can see how they have evolved from when they first started as mere data."
"Yeah, that does sound like something I need to do. I'd think the first thing I should have thought of doing that already, but I guess some things needed to take priority. Well who should we see first?"
"Normally I'd call a meeting with the guardians to have them all see you at once, but I think you should speak with Sebas before we go to the others. He is your own creation after all. Based on how they all seem to treasure our existence, it would be cruel to delay a meeting with the to of you after all. Though I should cancel the maximum security mode though."
After sending a message to Albedo to resume normal activity, he thought of what he wanted to say to sebas, then, after some thought, cast his [Message]
{"Sebas, are you free at the moment?"}
{"Ainz-sama, it is our duty to respond to your call no matter the situation. What do you need of me at present?"}
{"I don't need anything from you, I would just like for you and Touch-Me to talk to each other before I hold a meeting announcing his arrival to the guardians. You are his creation, so I feel it would only be fair if a gave you two a bit of time to catch up before we continue with our operations."}
{"Thank you for this opportunity Ainz-Sama! Truly I could ask for no greater reward! I am eternally grateful!"}
{"Umu, he is in the guest room of Nazarick when you are ready."}
After terminating the message, he turned to Touch-Me. "well I'm going to finish my duties in Nazarick to give you to some time alone. After that I'll summon the guardians to the throne and you can meet them all at once."
"Got it Momonga-san. I'll message you when were done."
As Ainz left the room, Touch-Me couldn't help but wonder how his creation would have turned out. He hadn't added any backstory to him, so how much inspiration from himself could he really have?