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“Grizzly, have I ever lied to you?” Condi doesn’t think he has. Why would he? He doesn’t have a reason to lie to his brother, nor a reason to betray him. He’d never do that.
And yet, he realizes after they beat the game that...he did betray Grizzly. By allowing Charlie to banish Grizzly...and keeping him there for 200 years, allowing him to wallow in his loneliness for so long without a brother, without anyone that cared for him….he betrayed Grizzly that way.
By sitting back and allowing Bizly to make a decision that he would regret for the rest of his life, he betrayed Grizzly that way too. He let Grizzly die, and he betrayed Bizly too.
He realizes too, that he betrayed Charlie too. By allowing Charlie’s power to overrun him, Charlie went into a state of depression ever since Grizzly died. He’s been stuck like that for weeks, and he can’t seem to get out of it.
Bizly also went into a state of depression, only differently. He couldn’t be around either of them, for different reasons. And Condi understood it, because he found it hard to be around them both as well. But for a different reason.
He couldn’t stand to be around traitors, because he was a traitor himself.
---
The Nether is quiet.
Condi is sitting in his chair, goggles on the top of his head, and a sigh escapes his throat. He listens to the lava bubbling, humming to himself as he scratches his head a bit.
He’s been keeping himself busy to distract himself from everything that’s happened. Whether that be heading into the forest and fighting some wither skeletons, careful to not get hit, or simply tinkering with objects, enchanting things, or lava fishing, he does something each day to keep him from wandering back into his thoughts.
Condi isn’t sure why he ran here, maybe because he couldn’t even manage to be in the Overworld, but he's away from his brothers. And he’s not sure how to feel about it.
He sorta forgives Charlie. He knows he’s sorry, and often wonders how he’s doing. Bizly...he just feels sorry for.
Unlike Charlie, who’s built a cabin, and visits Grizzly constantly, or Bizly, who visits when he can, but decides to travel the world, Condi doesn’t visit at all. The Nether has a connection to Grizzly, at least, Condi can sense it, after Grizzly fell, there was still...the same feel of Grizzly’s energy there. And if Condi wanted to visit, he goes to where Grizzly’s throne in the Nether is. It’s painful to do so, but Condi can’t go back to the Overworld, not yet anyways.
Condi stands up, walking out of his warped wood house, making his way over to the netherrack cliff edge, looking at the lava below. It’s his version of what he used to do with Grizzly, where they would sit on the edge of Molympus and point at the clouds and buildings in the distance.
Nothing is distracting him, this time, and Condi starts thinking. Maybe...he could start a new project, and figure out a way to fix things. Maybe he can find a solution to fix his brothers and him. Even if Grizzly can’t come back, there has to be a way to get them all to talk, surely?
Condi’s conflicted. For one, they’re all traitors, and despite being one himself, Condi can’t stand being around his brothers, but yet, he wants to fix this. He wants to go back to skipping stones in the ocean, watching the sunsets, eating cake and taking it easy as gods.
He wants to go back to being a brother to his brothers, and he wishes none of this ever happened. But he can fix it, even if it kills him. He will fix it.
“Condi?” He hasn’t heard his name in awhile, besides from inside his own head. He turns his head over his shoulder, and there he sees it. Blue hoodie, sunglasses, messy brown hair and...a dog? It’s Bizly.
He stands up swiftly, nervousness aching throughout his chest. “What are you doing here? How did you even get through? I broke the portal.”
Bizly offers a sad smile, and Condi recognizes the unspoken words. Bizly used the thing that caused Charlie to punish Grizz in the first place.
Sighing, Condi removes his goggles, sliding them down to his neck. “Well, what do you want?” It’s harsher than he attends to say it, but Bizly doesn’t take any hurt from it.
“I...I think we both need someone to talk to, right?” Condi very slowly nods, and sits back down. Bizly kneels down and pats the dog on it’s head, before muttering “Beewee, stay there, okay?” and then walks over to take a seat beside Condi.
“So...what’s….up?” Condi asks awkwardly, looking out into the distance of the Nether, seeing Striders stroll around the lava.
“Nothing, really. Just been...travelling. And I met Beewee.” He points to the dog, who wags its tail happily, panting a bit.
“What about you?”
“Y’know...just...doing things. Little stuff, to keep busy and not think about…” He trails off, clearing his throat. “How’s Charlie?”
“I...not good, to be honest. I think we might need to talk with him sometime. He’s really struggling, I think. I feel bad, but I don’t forgive him either.” Bizly clenches his fists, shaking his head a little bit. Condi frowns, but nods. It doesn’t surprise him that Charlie isn’t doing too well. He’s always been too hard on himself.
“I...I’m not sure if we should talk with him. Do you think he’ll even reply?” He asks, and Bizly shrugs. They sit in silence for a few minutes, tensions rising before Condi asks Bizly a question.
“Bizly, do you think there’s a way we could fix this? Whether it just be...this whole aftermath or...or Grizzly’s death all together.”
“We can’t fix Grizz’s death. The lever is gone. As for...you, me and Charlie, I’m not sure. I...I want you guys back more than anything, I miss having my brothers, but, it hasn’t been enough time yet.” At that very moment, an idea sparks into Condi’s head.
“What if we could fix Molympus? And build a lever for Grizzly?” He glances at Bizly, whose eyes are glancing down at the lava uncertainly.
“I’m not sure. Sacred god places when destroyed usually can’t be fixed. As for the lever itself, well...it was tied to his soul. We’d have to locate his soul in order to put it into a new lever and bring him back.”
“Do you want to try?” Condi’s determined. This is his new project. His new goal. He’s going into the Overworld, and he’s going to bring Grizzly back.
“I….” Bizly stands up, looking at Condi. “I don’t know. Just...give it time. I gotta go.” He walks away over to Beewee and picks him up. He begins to walk, before stealing one last look at Condi.
“Don’t do anything stupid, Condi.”
And then he leaves. Condi stands up and stretches, a smile wide on his face.
This plan is anything but stupid.
Condi places his goggles on his eyes and enters his house, gathering up a bag.
He’s heading to the Overworld sooner than he thought he would be. He hopes Charlie won’t mind seeing him again after so long. And he hopes that Bizly will be okay with him working on this right after their conversation.
Condi’s patience has run out, and he’s finally figured out what he can do to fulfill his main goal. And he will do it.
No one can stop him.