Absolute Punishment; Guf

At the site of the Lawless Cauldron of the Zero World, known as Guf, -- which was both a waste reciprocal and a portal to the collective Zero World as well as the Zero Moon of the Veritas that harbored the Zero World -- the normally completely locked seal would open, illuminated by a hideous red tint. The Void Door creaked open with an infernal sound incomprehensible to perception, but sounding something like intense and severe silence -- malicious silence; like that of when someone intends to kill you, and there is no noise anywhere with anything, and all you can feel is silent murderous intent.

The Seal of the Zeroth Restriction, Guf, was unlocked no sooner than the Silver Pumpkinhead appeared there before the gate on the other side, in the Zero World, bearing the Archival Data from the Archival Chamber. "HaHA! Yes! You've Done It, Old Bean! And I, Yet Again, Was Correct About My Calculations. Quite To The Letter, If I Do Say So Myself." Some things would never change. "Anyway, Old Boy, Let Us Review A Record Of The Account, Shall We? The Metal Pumpkinhead Will Be Dealing With The Scheduled Maintenance So That The Archival Data Is Ready For The Procedure."

Nothing at all seemed to be happening at first, because the darkness between the bottom of the Void Serpent Staircase in the Secret Realm and the other side of the gateway into the Zero World looked almost completely the same. But there was a very particular empty blackness in the Zero World on the other side of the gate; something distinct -- like there was not even the stray particle, even if the particle was not illuminated and making light. It was an emptiness most profound.

But, somehow, even that darkness was encroaching upon the barely distinguishable darkness on the other side, merging with the Shadow Realm and coursing up through the Kundalini. The gateway to the Zero World was usually never open; this was the first time it had ever been unlocked. That means that the Zeroth Moon was going to finally join in the alignment with the Thirteen Tensei Moons, completing the fullness of the Overgod. His FULL power would now be accessible to him with the unlocking of the Zeroth Moon from the gateway.

TATARI, who was known more commonly as The Insanity, manifested upon the barely visible Zero World Gate, watching as the abyss poured in. The Void Sun, TATARI, who presided over all the Zero World, pulled out the Void Moon, which was the culmination of all the Zero World, and gazed upon it. "... It's Been A Long Time Since I've Done This..." the Void Sun reflected, bolting into the heart of the Void Moon and completely possessing it, filling it entirely with the fullness of The Insanity.

Thus, the Zero Moon -- or, Void Moon -- would take on its true form; The Insanity Moon. "Lockdown," the Insanity Moon bellowed, and all the Veritas was rearranged according to its Will.

The Silver Pumpkinhead chortled with glee as it watched the Veritas be swallowed up by the Zero World. To one looking in, it would look as if the Veritas had disappeared. But to one on the inside, it was just cocooned in a protective and untraversable barrier of void. The Veritas was actually fine. But it was locked down, and no one could get in that wasn't given permission.

"Good Show, Good Show!" Silver Pumpkinhead commended. "Ah, But Even If The Veritas Is Locked Down, Surely You Must Understand We Will Be Needed A Gatekeeper!" Though, that sort of issue was a larger problem, considering that no one wanted to have the duty of having to be forced to watch the Zero World, where everything that gets flushed out of Hell ends up to be erased completely. Everyone would rather NOT have to watch some fuck up waste away in the abyss, because they all had better things to do, but as it was made clear by TATARI, the humans were just getting a bit too fresh again, and now they needed to be punished.

"Why Not Summon The Parasite Goddess? Hazards Are Her Specialty, So She Will Keep The Gateway Safe. Besides, She Never Does Anything." Mean, but true; that one had probably done the absolute least of all the different iterations of Friday. "If My Memory Serves, She Is Now At Full Power Because You Are At Full Power, Giving Her The Strength She Needs To Leech From You And The Veritas." Quite strange how he kept a Parasite Goddess as his wife, but regardless of how much she leached from her husband and the Veritas, the love between them was undeniable. She only ate to sustain herself and he recognized that she didn't want to completely consume and kill him... Anymore. Which was why Silver Pumpkinhead came to such a conclusion.

"I Will Keep Watch," replied the Void Sun, which was now the Insanity Moon. "However, You Are Correct, Even Still; So I Have Decided To Mobilize The Forces Of The Zero World." That was actually a lot worse than anything that could be released from Hell, since anything in and of the Zero World was either excreted from Hell or kicked out of Hell to be left to die with absolutely no hope. At least in the Hell of the Veritas, you could ATTEMPT to leave, with a surefire method to escape, if one reaches the top of Mt. Mortis. But when dealing with the Zero World?

Absolute Zero Tolerance. Permanently.

"COME: SHINZITA, KARU, TEMARI, AND BLACK LICORICE." The Insanity would not be calling them twice.

Riding on the currents of the flowing(?) nothingness came the dazzling Shinzita, still sporting her golden locks of hair, which flowed and swayed fluidly. "How Might I Be Of Service~?" Shinzita was the appointed Goddess Of The Zero World now, so she had a level of dominion over it that was like TATARI's. That made her very beneficial to him in terms of upkeep.

A tear in the nothingness created a rift that revealed Karu, stepping out from some unknown place. "... ... Yeah?" As emotionlessly malicious as ever, Karu stood with dead, but feral eyes, gazing upon the Insanity Moon with a hidden awe she could not express. Something about it felt oh, so good to her... Yet it was speaking to her like it knew her. Speaking to her at all, actually.

Though suddenly, somehow, she could tell what was talking to her. There was a significant bond between them, and she already recognized the presence from when she first spoke to the Creator. This was him... Her father. But he was... Different. Beyond just being an entire moon now, that is. He was... Cooler, somehow. This all happened in her head, and she remained silent and with stoic expression, not letting on at all the many things going through her mind as she tried to put together all of the things that happened in the Veritas, and also what was happening now.

In a similar manner did the Parasite Goddess, Temari, appear in the Zero World, tearing it asunder with the power that she leached. Her thirteen spinal tails made quick work of the boundaries between where she was currently and the Zero World. It also helped that she was in the Lawless Land previously... Because, no laws.

Either way, the frail-looking Parasite Goddess of crystal was now hovering just above Karu, almost like an icon or cursor. "..." She was silent, but there was an absent look in her eyes, like she was no longer conscious. Her eyes were completely pitch black, but her thirteen spinal tails were active and violent, almost like they were hungry, or stimulated in some way.

Before long, the sound of cacophonous, frantic marching could be heard, it crescendoing as it steadily approached. "... Y-yes? What will you have us do, M-Master...?" Fear was more than obvious in the tone of the one who spoke, but whilst standing within the Zero World's presence, they could not be seen -- they were the Zero Worlders, the natives of the Zero World. Whether they were born there or sent there or even got lost there on accident, it didn't matter now -- they were Zero Worlders, and they no longer had any presence or purpose, or even any real true existence.

They were nothing, and they existed (or, non-existed) as nothing. If no one acknowledged them, it wouldn't make a difference, and they would not be able to tell, because they would cease to exist without knowing, and return to the depths of the Zero World. They were part of it by now, and no longer independent beings as they were in anywhere else of value, if they were born outside of the Zero World. But they were acknowledged, as so they manifested, and appeared(?).

The Insanity had no time for formalities, as they seemed to believe was proper. Why would The Insanity want a greeting at all? Yet, there was no time for even that, though The Insanity surely did consider chewing them out for it. "... Black Cherry, Shinzita," The Insanity bade, "You Will Take The Black Licorice And Commence With Cutthroat Operations. Be Quick About It."

A bolt of Insanity Static -- which was also known as Crimson Lightning to those that didn't know it was pure concentrated insanity -- would strike at Temari, instantly subduing even her overwhelmingly voracious parasitic nature. "Temari, The Inari; Parasite Goddess," he addressed formally, "Set The Hazards." Hazards were normally not predominantly active on the Veritas, excluding natural hazards that were formed by general locations and not by the actual Veritas itself. But, Temari was the one who presided over Hazards, and since the time for Hazards had come, Temari would play a more active role, doing what she was meant to do as a Hazard in and of herself.

"... Karu." There was sentiment in his voice, but also unchecked malice. "... You Are My Daughter Of Bloodline Heritage, Just The Same As Your Sisters. But You Are Unlike Them, Because You Were Not Made To Be Cleansed Of Insanity, As All Other Tensei Are. You, My Son, Are The Direct Inheritor Of The Insanity. The Time Has Come For Me To Relinquish My Position As The Keeper. You, And You Alone, Will Be The New Keeper Of Insanity; And I... I AM The Insanity." The Insanity Moon floated close to Karu, shrinking to the size of a softball. "... From Now On, My Child, I Am No Longer Going To Restrain Myself. What Occurs With The Insanity Is To Only My Discretion And Yours. Behold."

The Insanity Moon cracked, suddenly sprouting into a glorious, albeit horrific and terrifying, ashen phoenix of sorts. But the ashes were not just black soot; they had a deep reddish tint to them, like the unkindled hearth of flame. The figures and proportions of the ashen phoenix distorted into some sort of ugly, but beautiful and majestic, vulture... Yet, even that vulture looked like a crow. Still, the bird resembled a phoenix, as well. "This Is Volcanon, The Ashen Vulturecrow; Harab Seraphiel. I Appeared In This Form To The One Who Is Now Kairo Tensei; He Who Was Once The Zeroth Restriction Of The Creator, And He Who Summoned The Zero Moon For The First Time, And Caused A Black Friday That Swallowed Up The Veritas In Order To Birth It Anew. It Was Through The Malice Of Volcanon -- Another Manifestation Of The Insanity -- That He Was Inspired To Act, And Due To That, Here We Are Today." Volcanon's wings spread gently, but only to wrap around Karu, resting their molten heat upon her. "You Draw The Power Of Heat With Sorcery, But Your Heat Is Not Only That Which Burns From Fire... It Also Is The Heat Of The Mind. The Soul. The Insanity. You've Been Drawing From My Power, As Well -- I Am The Source Of Your Heat, And Also All The Insanity Within You. Which Is Why I Know My Decision Is Correct."

Volcanon melded with Karu's soul, becoming her Spirit Animal, and officially integrating her into the Thirteen Restrictions, and binding her to the Tensei Family. "... On This Day, You Are Karu No More -- You Are Officially A Tensei, As TATARI Is; You Are Daughter of TATARI -- CHILD OF INSANITY. Insanity Incarnate Karu, You Are Now... Keeper And Alice Of Insanity, Tyrannica; Spawn Of The Insanity." Once The Insanity blessed its new Keeper, it would merge with her essence, and she would draw strength from all of its power, as well as the Tensei. "You Are Now A Falshin, Tyrannica. Tainted Are You No Longer, But Full-Fledged Demon Goddess, You Are, With My Power... Your Family's Power." A soft, scorching kiss upon her soul burned her heritage into her being, and Consecrated her to TATARI and The Insanity for all time. "... All Of The Tensei's Insanity... All Of Me... Is With You. Do Not Fail Me, My Child. Do. Not. Fail..."

Just as quickly and spontaneously as The Insanity summoned them, so too would it disappear to its own devices, having no more time for love and sentimentality and all such mush. The time to deliver Absolute Punishment had come, and it would not stop nor rest until all was atoned for.

"And Nothing Less."

'The Insanity' beamed as the 'Void Sun' down upon all the 'Ambiguous Chaos' amok. It was pleased with this light, and was blessed by its growth. For, soon, it would be able to have what it always wanted... And, more, actually.

Awaiting its 'Finalization', it would rest at the center of the 'Void Sun' as a 'Pumpkinhead', protecting the 'Insanity Moon' with the very 'Void Sun' that needed 'The Insanity' in order to be complete -- which was called 'TATARI', because clearly, this was all already worked out. But 'TATARI Tensei' was getting things done in his own right.

Which was why... The Insanity waited for its 'Feast Of Fools' to 'Finish' -Preparing- *Itself*.

The 'Absentees' were a type of 'Zero Worlder' that were sent to the 'Zero World' of the 'Zero Moon'. They would become part of the 'Zero' as the 'Void', along with the other 'Nonexistence'.