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Chapter 3 - The dorms

After her check-up, Ruby was escorted down the dimly lit hallway by Makima. The atmosphere was colder now, the stone walls rough and damp, with the occasional flickering torch casting eerie shadows. Makima led the way with her usual quiet, commanding grace, her yellow eyes glancing back at Ruby now and then.

"You'll be staying here," Makima said as they reached the end of the hallway. She pushed open a heavy wooden door, revealing a spacious room with several simple beds arranged along the walls. "This will be your permanent living space. Keep it clean."

Ruby nodded. The room had a strange mix of simplicity and utility—wooden floors, white bedsheets, a single window letting in faint sunlight. The dorm was functional, but nothing more. Ruby let out a small breath as she realized this would be her new home for the foreseeable future.

Inside, two figures were already seated on one of the beds, talking quietly. The first was tall and muscular, with blue-green skin and a single, intense yellow eye. She had an air of defiance about her, like someone who had fought more battles than she could count and wasn't about to back down from another. Ruby instinctively felt that this one was not someone to cross.

The second person had bright red hair, tied back into a practical ponytail, and wore rugged, adventure-ready clothes. Her expression was calm, and though she had a sturdy, no-nonsense appearance, there was a quiet warmth in the way she sat and observed her surroundings. Ruby had no idea who either of these people were, but given everything else in Obama Land, she wasn't too surprised.

Makima's gaze lingered on Ruby. "These are your new dorm mates. You'll be living here from now on. Get used to it."

Ruby stepped inside, feeling a bit awkward under their stares.

The blue-skinned one stood first, her yellow eye locking onto Ruby. "Name's Undyne," she said, her voice strong and commanding. "I've been here long enough to know the ropes. If you need something, just ask, but don't get in my way." There was a clear edge to her tone, but it wasn't hostile, more like a warning not to mess with her.

Ruby gave a small wave, trying to ease the tension. "I'm Ruby. Nice to meet you."

Undyne's lips curled into a grin, sharp teeth flashing briefly. "Good to meet you, Ruby. Just make sure to pull your weight around here, and we'll get along fine."

Before Ruby could say anything else, the red-haired woman stood up and walked over, extending a hand. "I'm Alex," she said with a friendly smile. "From a place called Minecraft. Don't know if that rings a bell for you, but it's nice to meet someone new."

Ruby shook Alex's hand, feeling a bit of relief. "Nice to meet you, Alex. No idea what Minecraft is, but sounds cool."

Just then, another figure appeared from the shadows of the room—a woman with sharp features, blue skin, and glowing markings across her body. She had an intense, predatory air about her, and as she approached, Ruby couldn't help but feel a rising tension.

The woman stopped in front of Ruby, extending her hand. "I'm Azula," she said, her voice cool, almost too calm. As Ruby reached out to shake her hand, Azula's grip tightened, her fingers curling around Ruby's hand in a way that was just a little too firm. Ruby winced as Azula squeezed, her smile sharp, eyes glinting with something passive-aggressive.

"I'm the best one here," Azula said, her tone as sweet as honey but with an unmistakable edge. "You'll see soon enough."

Ruby pulled her hand back, subtly rubbing it as she met Azula's gaze. The tension in the room grew thick. There was no mistaking it—Azula wasn't just introducing herself. She was making a statement.

Undyne, watching from the side, let out a short laugh. "Going on a bit of a power trip already, Azula? For someone who just got here, you seem pretty full of yourself." The way she said it, her words were light, but the subtext was clear—I don't like you, and you need to back off.

Azula turned her head toward Undyne, her expression calm but her eyes narrowing slightly. "Confidence is necessary, Undyne. Especially around those who don't know how to keep up."

Undyne's eye flickered with irritation, but she kept her cool, her arms crossed. "Yeah, well, confidence is one thing. Acting like you're in charge is another. Maybe try not to crush every hand you shake, huh?" The undertone was clear—I'm not impressed.

Ruby stood there, caught in the middle of the silent battle between the two. It was obvious that Undyne didn't like Azula and wasn't afraid to show it in her own way. The tension between them was palpable, like the two were constantly circling each other, waiting for an excuse to fight.

Alex stepped in, smiling awkwardly, trying to diffuse the tension. "So, Ruby, let me show you your bed. It's over by the window. You'll have a nice view of the village."

Ruby followed Alex, grateful for the distraction. As she settled onto the bed Alex had pointed out, she couldn't help but feel a little on edge. Between the sharp rivalry brewing between Undyne and Azula and the cold, watchful presence of Makima, this place was already feeling more like a battlefield than a dorm.

"Thanks, Alex," Ruby said, offering her a small smile. "It's... nice to have a guide through all this."

Alex nodded. "No problem. Just stick with me, and you'll figure it out. Just, uh, watch your step around those two."

Ruby chuckled nervously. "Yeah, I can tell."

As Alex walked away, Ruby glanced toward Undyne and Azula, who were still quietly sizing each other up from across the room. This wasn't just going to be a place to sleep. It was going to be a test of survival.

And Ruby had the sinking feeling that she was going to need all the help she could get.

---

 Ruby, Alex, Undyne, and Azula stood on a gravel path that wound through the grassy expanse, flanked by strange, towering trees. The trees, at first glance, seemed like any other, with tall trunks and thick branches stretching toward the sky. But as Ruby looked closer, she noticed something unsettling: the bark on each tree was subtly carved with faces, each one an identical likeness of Obama. The leaves rustled in the breeze, and the faces seemed to shift slightly, watching them, observing their every move.

The flowers lining the gravel path were no less strange—brightly colored petals of all shapes and sizes, but every flower had the unmistakable smile of Obama nestled in the center. The faces were calm, peaceful even, but their presence added a layer of Obamanes to the otherwise serene environment.

A small pond sat off to the side, reflecting the strange trees and cloud-filled sky, where Obama's face was also mirrored in the drifting clouds. The air was still, aside from the occasional chirping of birds—which, Ruby half-expected, might also carry the same uncanny resemblance to Obama.

Off in the distance, a man walked his dog, cutting through the peculiar tranquility of the park. He wore a simple jacket and jeans, his head turned down as if lost in thought. The dog—an ordinary-looking golden retriever, to Ruby's relief—trotted happily beside him, its tail wagging. The man paused by one of the Obama-faced trees, letting his dog sniff the base, seemingly unfazed by the oddness of his surroundings. His posture was relaxed, as though this strange world was completely normal to him. He nodded politely in their direction before continuing his walk, the dog happily following.

Ruby watched the man for a moment, wondering if she'd ever feel as at ease in this place as he seemed to be. The oddness of it all was so heavy in the air, and it tugged at her sense of reality, making her miss home even more.

Undyne brought the group to a halt near the center of the park, where the gravel path split into several directions. There was a small circular plaza here, with a stone bench around a tree—of course, another one with Obama's face etched into its bark. The bench was carved with ornate patterns, and though it looked inviting, the whole setting felt more like a dream she couldn't quite shake.

Undyne turned to face the group, her one yellow eye gleaming in the sunlight. "Alright, listen up," she said, crossing her muscular arms as she stood tall before them. "You've probably realized by now that this place is… different. And you're not like everyone else here. You're what they call Distorias—people from other worlds. You don't fit in, and that's exactly why you need to make this place better."

Ruby's gaze shifted back to Undyne as she listened. The park around them seemed to pulse with an eerie calm, the faces in the trees and flowers swaying slightly in the breeze. But despite the odd surroundings, Undyne's words began to make sense.

"You're outsiders," Undyne continued, her voice strong but carrying an edge of wisdom. "And that gives you a responsibility. The people here—they live by their own rules, but we see things they don't. We've got a different perspective, and that means we can help in ways they can't."

Alex, who had been quietly absorbing everything, nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, that makes sense. Being different means we can bring something new to the table." She smiled at Ruby, her tone warm. "We can help this place, even if we don't completely understand it."

Ruby gave a small, hesitant smile in return. "Yeah, I guess we can… It's weird, but maybe it's not all bad."

But as soon as those words left her mouth, Ruby's smile faltered. The strange world around her, with its odd trees and flower faces, was a constant reminder that she wasn't home. Her heart sank, and a wave of sadness swept over her. She missed her friends—Weiss, Blake, Yang. Her team was always with her through everything, and now she was here, alone in this strange dimension.

Alex noticed Ruby's change in expression and stepped closer, her red ponytail swaying gently as she did. "You alright?" she asked quietly, her voice soft with concern.

Ruby bit her lip, trying to shake off the sadness, but it was hard. "I just… I miss my team. My friends. We've been through so much together, and now I'm here, without them. It feels... off, like something important's missing."

Alex's face softened in understanding. "I know how that feels." She let out a small sigh. "My boyfriend, Steve—he's back in Minecraft. I'm used to facing everything with him, and now… it's just me. It's hard, you know? It's not the same without him."

Ruby blinked, surprised at the mention of Steve. She didn't know much about Alex's world, but it seemed she was going through the same thing. "Yeah… I guess we're both kind of in the same boat."

Alex smiled gently. "Yeah. But we've got each other now, Ruby. It's not the same as having our friends from back home, but we're here, and we'll figure this out together."

Ruby's heart lightened a little. She nodded, feeling a little more at ease. "Thanks, Alex. That really helps. I guess… I'm not as alone as I thought."

Undyne, watching from a few steps away, gave a small nod, clearly pleased with their growing camaraderie. "Exactly. We're a team now. Maybe it's not the team you're used to, but if we stick together, we can handle whatever comes our way in this weird place."

Azula stood nearby, her arms crossed, her sharp blue eyes watching but not engaging. She had been quiet the entire time, her expression unreadable. Ruby couldn't shake the feeling that Azula was measuring them, judging silently from the sidelines.

Undyne glanced at Azula briefly before turning back to Ruby and Alex. "Anyway, don't let it get you down. You might be different here, but that's exactly why you matter."

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