Chapter Text
Second opened their eyes the next morning (which was more like afternoon by the time they woke up) feeling hopeful for the first time in forever.
The energy and determination that had filled them yesterday still carried in their body, and they bounded downstairs. Even though it was well past noon, it indeed felt like a new day, a new dawn in their life. Their eyes shone green with energy as they slid into the kitchen, nearly slipping on their makeshift cape.
“You're up!” Chosen exclaimed as they saw Second.
“We thought you were dead.” Teased Dark from the couch.
“We did not.” Chosen rolled his red eyes at Dark and turned his attention back to Second. “Want some food?”
Second nodded cautiously. It had been a long time since they had eaten, and even longer since they had been hungry. But something had changed. With their hate gone, without worries and butterflies filling their stomach, they were positively starving.
Chosen had already gotten to work before Second could even sit down. He grabbed some bread and butter and glanced at Second. “You like toast, right?”
“Yeah, toast is fine.” They replied. “Although I'm not sure how well it could hold up compared to Blue's cooking…” It almost made them lose their appetite again, the thought of Blue, but they shook it off. This was a fresh start. They couldn't let their thoughts weight them down. They needed to stay focused, to stay persistent. They needed to show their friends how much they cared.
Snapping out of their daze, they glanced up to see Chosen toasting their bread… with his hands.
A flame burst out of Chosen's palm, searing the bread with a crackling heat. Second watched in elder as the bread browned perfectly.
Chosen placed the fully buttered and toasted bread on a plate in front of Second’s wide eyes. “How- how did you do that?!” Gasped Second in wonder.
Chosen cocked his head at Second. “Fire… powers?”
“You have powers?” Second breathed.
“You don't?” Dark had risen from the couch and was now by Chosen's side.
“I… don't think so…” they muttered. Unbeknownst to them, their eyes were glowing a gentle green.
“Interesting.” Chosen shrugged, and returned to the couch.
Second stared for a moment at the food on their plate. It had been a while since they had eaten. It had felt… wrong, like they hadn't deserved to eat. And for the first time, the food they were eating wasn't Blue’s. But still, the hunger rang in their stomach, and so they gently picked up a slice of toast and brought it to their lips.
Even after just a bite of the dry bread, they felt a million times better. They had gotten to the point where they hadn't even realized how hungry they were, and quickly chomped the rest of it down.
When they were done, they sat back in strange relief, full and happy. They could do this. One step at a time.
They stood up slowly. What now?
Right. They had to go. Find their friends. Apologize.
But where to go?
They paced a little, their brain a whirl of thoughts. Eventually, they caught the attention of the older two sticks.
Dark looked them up and down. “What are you doing?” He said in a blank tone with a smirk.
“Trying to think.” Second sighed, slumping their shoulders.
“About what, exactly?” Chosen inquired.
Second bit their lip. “Well, before I came… here, wherever here is…”
“The outernet.” Chosen interrupted.
“Yeah, that…” Second nodded. “I had some… friends.” They said the last word softly, eyes glistening with memories.
“Right, these friends.” Dark stood up. “Did Alan make more?”
“No! They're not… like me. They're not animated.” Second said defensively.
“Solid headed?” Chosen guessed.
“Yes!” Second snapped and pointed at Chosen. “They left… the PC was getting too dangerous. It's my fault, and I need to find them!”
“Okay, slow down, kid.” Chosen began. “These friends of yours just up and left? Where would they go?”
Second thought for a moment. They had been so focused on the idea of actually finding their friends that they hadn't stopped to think about where they might be. They shrugged.
“Know anyone from the outernet?” Chosen said after a moment of thinking.
“I don't think so…” Second muttered. “We didn't really leave the computer, except for when we played-” Suddenly, realization struck them. “Minecraft!”
“...what.” said Dark.
“I know where they are!” Second smiled. “I- I have to go. Thank you, so, so much.” They gave Chosen and Dark a quick hug, much to their surprise, before waving and rushing out the door, cape billowing behind.
Chosen and Dark stood stunned for a moment. “Nice kid.” Chosen said.
Dark nodded.
“We should totally beat up Alan for what he did, right?”
Dark nodded again.
Second bounded across the ground. They weren't exactly sure where they were headed, but something told them that they were headed the right way. They dashed forward, love fueling them. A sparkling city shone in the distance.
Sec felt the sun on their skin, the wind in their face as they ran. Was this what they had been missing? All that time, waiting in the desolate desktop, they could have had…
This.
They could have had sparkling cities, warm sun, cool breeze. They could have felt the way they did when they were animating, or when they played Minecraft, just standing free.
When they finally reached the edges of the city, they took a moment to breathe. They couldn't let the past weigh them down.
What mattered now, at this very moment, was their friends.
Second found themself in a small town, the suburbs. Houses lined paved black streets. To Second, it was the most beautiful thing they had ever seen. To the dozens of people walking up and down the sidewalks, it was every day.
Sec stared in wonder. Sticks, the likes of which they had never seen, were everywhere. Some were children, some had grocery bags, some walked hand in hand with others and some walked alone. Some shot Second looks of surprise, or glares. Others smiled and waved. The only thing that mattered to Second was that none of them were their friends.
They frowned. This might be harder than they thought.
Second had only been to Purple’s house once before, and Green had led the way the whole time. They couldn't remember exactly what they were looking for, but at least they knew where to look.
They had to be there.
They had to be.
Of course, where else could they have gone? Purple was the only stick figure they knew that didn't live with them, and they were one of their closest friends. Second smiled and clutched their hoodie. They cared. They knew what was going on.
Second wandered along the streets, keeping an eye out for anything familiar. Green was the only one who ever really went to Purple’s house. How Second wished they had gone along now!
They shook off their worries and kept their eyes on the prize. A seed of doubt grew in their mind as they passed yards full of toys and vegetable gardens.
What if they don't want me back?
The thought scared them so much they stopped in their tracks for a moment. They pushed it out and kept going.
But the thought persisted.
It would make sense, of course. Second had left them… just like Alan had left Second.
The thought tore at their insides, dragging them down. Why would they take them back?
After all, they had just… ignored them.
Even when the virus attacked… even when the PC was falling apart…
Second slowed to a stop.
Were they any better than Alan?
All of that waiting had not changed anything for the better, but…
Had it changed things for the worse?
They stood for a moment on the street, a light breeze on their face. Their chest felt tight, and they breathed slowly.
“But there's one difference.” Second glanced around for where the words came from, only to realize that the voice was their own. “I care. I care about them.” Second began moving again, motivation flowing through them.
“I care enough to find them. I care enough to tell them.” They were almost running now. “I care enough to apologize. And Alan would never do that.”
“And I thought it was my fault. But it's not.” Their cape billowed behind them, and their eyes were glowing as bright as the sun now. People shot strange glances their way, but they paid them no mind. All that mattered right now was-
Them.
Second skid to a stop across the street from a small house. It wasn't a particularly interesting looking house, rather normal in fact, with a brown door and brick exterior, complete with white shutters and a garden out front.
But what the house looked like didn't matter to Second.
The garden was full of cherry blossom plants and blue orchids, both from Minecraft. There was also a small section of the garden completely donated to growing netherwart. A small petting zoo had been set up, with a pig napping inside. The porch lights had a redstone circuit so that they would turn off when it got dark. Second could hear faint music coming from inside.
Second knew it immediately. This was not just chance. This had to be it. This was where their friends were.
This is where they belonged.
And almost involuntarily, their feet moved. They stepped forward into the street, not bothering to look to see if any cars were coming.
And they took another step. And another. Their bare feet pounded against the hot asphalt, sending pain up their soles, but they kept running.
I’m sorry, they thought, for everything I've done.
A car swerved around Second, missing them by a couple inches. Second didn't bother to look up. They kept their eyes trained on the house.
Alan doesn't matter.
They leapt over the curb and onto the sidewalk, rushing up the stairs into the front yard.
The world doesn't matter.
The pig stood up, noticing Second tromping into the yard. It oinked happily, but Second didn't stop. They promised themself they would pet Reuben later. Now, they ran up the front stoop and took a deep breath.
My inhumanity doesn't matter.
Tears in their eyes, they thrust open the door. Hope and love was all they felt now.
Please. Come back to me.
“Second?!”
That’s where it all ends.
That’s all I've been told.
Second made it.
How it all happened...
Whether their friends accepted them...
Whether Alan got what he deserved...
Whether anything was ever the same again...
That is for you to decide.
It is the end of this story.
But of course, where one story ends, another begins.
Where one ends happy, another is torn apart.
There is still so much untold.
And, if you wish to do so...
You may tell it yourself.
Their future is in your hands.
Tell their story the way you want to tell it.
Or tell a new story.
Create a new world from the depths of your mind…
Or make another one’s world bigger.
Truly, it is a magical ability, to create a whole new life from nothing.
And I encourage you to take advantage of this gift.
Take it as far as you want.
Make us smile.
Make us cry.
The choice is yours.
And I can't change what you choose to do.
I wish you luck on creating your journey.
But for now, goodnight.