Chapter Text
King was blinded. Out of everything he expected of Green's hideout, it was colors, maybe (a big maybe) music and a lot of things scattered about in organised chaos.
Instead he was hit by an isolation room. That was the only explanation for this pure white, minimalistic room. There were no secondary colors or accent pieces that green would fuss about to Purple when she wore outfits, insisting art was art no matter the form. There were no books littered on tables, no gadgets and half started projects in the corners. No ribbons and stickers put up for aesthetics, no rug with a burn that was never replaced because it made the room feel more ‘lived in’, as Mango had once seen back in Green's room in the desktop.
All in all, it didn't feel like Green wasn't here at all, more like it was built entirely for someone who values functionality over artistry. And Green nothing if he wasn’t an artist, even while excluding his musical theatrics.
At least, he used to be. With the recent developments, King barely recognised the sticklet anymore, although he definitely was improving from his previous mindset.
… but would it be improving if this was what he was doing under wraps? If he was letting his anger stew and simmer like a pan of oil? If Green refused to let go?
King shook his head, accidentally undoing his bun. He put the freeflowing bangs back up with a grunt, and continued his trek into the dangerzone. Every squeak of his steps had him sweating and slowing his steps, ears picking up on noises that didn't exist. He dearly wished to be anywhere else right now, but Mango needed to find out what Green was doing down here.
Passing door after door, King was caught off guard when he came across an iron door. The rest were Pale oak, what was Green hiding behind a door that can only open to redstone?
King broke the door and entered the room, creating a door behind him. The shut door triggered the torches and Redstone lamps, revealing the room to be a complete eyesore. Random blocks on all six walls, all of contrasting shades and hues. Wood textures crammed between wool and dirt, monotone stones stuffed next to vibrant coral blocks caught his sight when Mango whipped his head around, feeling his eyes become dry pieces of paper as he witnessed this monstrosity of a room. He may not have the most immaculate sense of style, but he wasn't entirely tone-deaf in the sense of colour combinations.
Through his stumbling, King stepped on a daylight sensor, flipping its mode from night to day. He nearly kicked it to turn it back when he saw a wall of the patchwork of blocks part and sink into the ground. A couple of satisfying kicks later (that definitely wasn't to take out his frustration), he was completely certain the daylight sensor was the lever to activate the passage.
Mango paused. He could.. Turn around right now. Pretend he never saw this, he never snooped. That Green hadn’t fallen while under his care. They all can go back to the house for dinner and act like they were a normal, completely ordinary family. Keep the pretense of obliviousness for a while longer before Mango knew too much and had to confront Green and Purple.
Then again, he already knew too much, and Green was suspicious of him knowing about his relations with Rocket. What was a little more snooping around going to do?
Seeing the pieces of paper on the wall which worked as security cameras, King felt his poor heart splash around in his stomach acids, leaving a cold hollow behind. It seemed to monitor a building, made of wood and cobblestone, although several squares depicted a forest with a building in the distance. Across several of the glowing boxes, Stick figures moved from one camera’s sight to another as they walked around and navigated the premises.
He could recall seeing these sticks before, his mind associating them with Chosen. King had no clue why his brain just gave those clues and gave up from that point, but he knew this is something too important to shelve away and figure out later.
Mesmerised, King watched as the sketchy stick fought a Wither, bare handed, and won. On a normal day, King would have taken some time to admire and observe the sheer power and strength, the unshakable confidence in the form, but today was not that day, sadly.
Off to his side, he saw another stick move in range of the camera, this time going into a gym from some hallway. King found the connecting area, right next to it, spotting another stick in the corner, working on a single frame for each action. From the odd angle, King couldn’t tell if it was a warm up, or if the stick had accidentally dropped something.
Turns out, Snooping can expose sides to Green he didn't even know. Who would have thought?
“This… isn't good at all.” King whispered, watching the pixel stick wrestle with the geometric one, just as the back of his neck bristlied with the micro hairs on his cheeks. King needed to get out, he needed to get out now.
“I disagree.” King barely managed to react, using his staff to break the potions. Green flung himself at King, clashing both their staves together in a bind. “I’ts going pretty well, actually. The timeline is definitely moving farther than I planned-” Green kicked off King, sending a fireball that King deflected. “-But I’m not complaining.”
“Green!” King shot webs at him, trying to capture without collateral damage. “We can talk about thi-”
“That period’s long past, King.” Green snapped, commanding some blocks to rise and attack King. King took control over them and tried to make a wave to knock Green off his feet. Green used a fishing rod to hang to the ceiling. It seemed he was still unable to let go of his past completely, as much as he tried to act that way.
“No it isn't." King said, ducking to avoid the plethora of sharp weapons sent to him. “Trust me, it’s never too late to call it quits and turn away. It doesn’t matter how much work you put into this, your decision that calls the final shot.”
Green’s hand with the staff faltered, eyes glancing down. “...You think so?”
“I know so.” King mentally cringed at the cheesy choice of words. But hey, he didn't practice this speech before, nor does he have time to think of more inspiring words in milliseconds. If it works, it works. He simply held out his hand. “Let’s go home kid. Forget this happened, let them go, get things back to normal.”
Green brought his stance to a relaxed stand, extending his own hand. “Nah.” He then pulled King’s forearm, throwing himself at King and hooking the staff under King’s chin. King used select codes to grab Green and fling him through the door. He can't let himself be cornered, no matter how much he ached to help Green see reason. And Green was a formidable fighter, he can't go too easy unless King wanted to get caught.
So King ran out to greet Green with arrows ablaze.
Green commanded the blocks in waves to shield him, then used a fishing rod to swing from blocks that protruded out of the walls, zipping along around King to throw attacks without either of them getting too close. Dodging fireballs and using a shield to ricochet the arrows, King managed to sneak his way out the door and into the open hall of doors.
“I've got you this time!” Green hissed, summoning swords and fishing rods to try and take the staff away from King. King responded by building up a wall and dashing behind a corner, creating a small ledge near the ceiling to hide as Green shot through the hall below. Destroying the slab with a quick punch, he ran back out into the area with doors. King ran to find the elevator he saw on the cameras, trying to keep an accurate map of the area for teleportation. Not waiting to see if the elevator was here, King blasted his way into the winding space.
He hit a wall and fell, vision blurring for a second in the dark shaft. Looks like the elevator wasn't here after all. King managed to get his mind under control and float just as one of the walls became glass. King felt his heart vanish from his chest briefly as he took in the scene below him.
It looked like a whole Minecraft world by itself. On the edges of the horizon, King could see the edges of another terrain with its snow covered trees on the side of the perfect valley for a sunset, while cacti littered the other. Below him, the tunnel led into a construct, something that looked like a modified woodland mansion.
What was Green doing? What is happening? What had King missed? How did he fail yet another sticklet this badly?
He smashed through the glass, being sure to replace it before flying to the roof. The longer Green was running around searching, the better, since it gave King more time to foil whatever was happening here. King was almost certain Green didn't know the player teleport cheat, otherwise Green would be abusing that ability.
Wind whipping at his face, King flew into the foliage as fast as he could, mentally both cursing out and thanking the branches for catching at his shirt to slow his fall. But now that left a King-shaped hole (as much as minecraft trees can make shapes anyway) in the foliage.
Step one was ‘find Green's hideout,’ step two was ‘break in,’ step three was ‘break out with Chosen,’ and step four was ‘grill the twins for answers.’ He could still follow his vague outline of a plan, but with step three replaced with dont get caught and four as break everyone out. Grill the twins can be dealt with after Green is placated.
King hadn't been wandering for long when heard the dull thunks of breaking trees. Peeking behind a tree, and leaning much too far in King's opinion, a black hollowhead collecting wood came into view, leisurely crunching an apple as he did. Although King would usually be thrilled to see such a sight, having someone older to join him in his endeavours is much wished for, he has a different priority at the moment.
“Psst. Psst, Chosen!" King waved an arm, trying to keep the ruckus down while his eyes darted around for Green. The few moments it took for Chosen to notice him grinded on his internal alarm, which was screaming at him that Green was right on his tail.
Chosen ran over as soon as he got over his initial surprise of seeing King in the prison. “King, what-”
“Shh! I'm running from Green, and I'm going to break all of you out.” King reached for his hand, but Chosen stepped away. “Chosen?"
"You need to run. The others and I will only slow you down.” Chosen pushed him, sending King stumbling into a tree as Chosen hissed. "Get out, get the colour kids, Rocket, the game squad, everyone. Just take Green down. We're bait, to lure you all in, but separately.”
"You’re bait… Which I just took." King felt his mind snap to attention, the sense of danger that was previously niggling in the corner King banished it to become apparent as it bounced against his skull as he realised what it was screaming about.
This is a trap! Get out now! NOW!
A wall of bedrock erupted between them, creating a wall, layer after static layer suppressing the sharp whining of Chosen's laser before King could process any of the sudden developments. A sudden numbness enveloped the back of King’s mind, blooming and clawing from the back of his head to cover his eyes. Something went missing from his hands as he felt more things shatter against his back, vision stretching and distorting.
The sky was covered, block by wobbly block, and King was left in pitch blackness for a few seconds as he passed out.
Green panted as he teleported the bedrock cocoon and himself to a spare room, gently setting King on a bed as he healed the orange stick from the effects. He also made sure King was set to respawn at the bed before he deemed his work done for the moment, door creaking as Green left for the main room of the mansion. The stick in his left folded at the welds, contracting into its pocket size as Green admired his newest spoils.
The Original Minecraft staff was now his. Curiously, he noticed, this one didn't feel wrong nor right, neither did it whisper and beg to be used. There was no urge to claim and take, nor to create and destroy. It just felt like a tool. Neutral.
He decided to keep it as a back up and continue as he was, using his own creation. It felt better in his hands anyway.