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Phil took a steady breath and again let himself fall into the void, his large wings catching him and steadying him.
He let the stale air of nothingness distract him as he found end city, after end city, one just as similar as the next.
But then things weren't the same. An end city, seemingly ripped apart, the purpur bricks embedded into the stone terrain. A small house, built with the rubble of the city, clearly built in a panicked frenzy. Phil circled in the sky, and slowly landed, the lack of local enderman sending a chill down his spine. "Hello?" The old man called out, throat hoarse from not speaking for so long.
"Leave us alone! Please! We don't mean any harm, let us live!" The voice was feminine, and shaky, but it was followed closely but the vwoops of an enderman. Phil span on his heel on instinct, looking for the source, sword out. "My name is Phil. Philza Minecraft, I'm not here to hurt you." Phil assured, putting his sword away.
There, in the archway of the small hut, stood a young woman, hair a lightened pink, faded with time. Behind her stood a short, and seemingly young enderman, who's eyes were trained on the ground. "I'm Niki…" the young woman said, raising an arm across the enderman's chest. "This is Ranboo, he's my little brother." The young boy peeked out from behind Niki, and Phil found himself mesmerised by the split-coloured face. "⟟'⋔ ⏃ ⊑⊬⏚⍀⟟⎅." The boy vwooped, and Niki flushed red with embarrassment.
"Boo, the nice man can't understand you," she chuckled awkwardly, "he said-"
"He's a mix? A change?" Phil thought hard of his travels, the small bit of enderman he'd picked up over the years.
"A hybrid," Niki finished for him, "I'm completely human, though we only know what enderboy's enderman half is."
Phil nodded, another awkward silence passing between the three. "What brings you out here?" He offered the young girl some golden carrots, which she hurriedly took, and offered one to Ranboo, who instead takes a bite of a chorus fruit, immune to its teleporting effects. "Adventure," she smiled softly.
"What keeps you from home?" Her smile dropped, and she gazed at young Ranboo.
"A great tragedy…"
Phil hadn't stopped thinking about the siblings. He offered them travels closer to the main island, in the hopes he could build them a better house, and keep them protected. They accepted.
The end was cold and dark, and Phil tried to restrict himself from staying there as much as possible, his perception of time and space warping when he stayed. He'd receive regular letters from his son in the overworld too. It was nice for Ranboo to experience the real world, even if being out of the end took a toll on hybrids like him. Phil told himself to keep them safe, just for a month or two. How wrong he was.
"Phil, don't you think I'm getting a bit old to stay here with you?" Niki chuckled, pulling out of a hug with him the morning of her 19th birthday.
"Niki! You know you're welcome to leave!"
"I know but what about-"
"Ranboo. Yeah, yeah, talk about me like I'm not here," the teenager waved off, hardly looking up from one of Phil's diaries.
The pair smiled at each other, as Niki handed Phil another letter, written in the same scrawled handwriting as usual. He smiled at the letter, “you and Will would get along great you know. His personality is similar to yours. Tommy might not be as easily persuaded.”
“Phil, are you suggesting I go live with Wilbur?”
“I can send off a good word to him, see if he can talk to Dream and get you a place to stay?”
“I swear Niki, if you say no, I will ⏁⏃☍⟒ ⊬⍜⎍⍀ ⌿⌰⏃☊⟒,” Ranboo butt in.
“You are not going anywhere mister. Give me my diary, and go back to the End Island for a while, you’re talking in enderman again.” Phil chuckled as Ranboo traded the diary for his latest memory book and walked away, grumbling something in Enderman about not being able to teleport at will. Niki smiled weakly and watched the hybrid leave. She flipped a nearby notepad over, the blank pages staring back at her, and Phil picked it up, and pushed it into her hand. “Take it. Go pack, and take that book with you. If you start the journey now, I have no doubts the whitelist will be open to you by the time you get there. Time works differently in the changeover.”
Phil settled into his desk chair and sped through reading Wilbur’s letter, chuckling about the supposed new nation he and his best friend were making called L’Manberg. He wrote a short but neat response: “Can you talk to Dream about Niki staying within the whitelist? Myself and Ranboo can handle ourselves and it’s time she branched out. Say hi to Tommy for me, and make sure he’s taking good care of Schlatt’s kid.” Phil whistled out the window and several large crows swooped towards him - he tied the note to one of their feet, fed it a small piece of golden apple and let it fly back up into the sky and out of view. “You belong out in the real world Niki,” he said as she reentered the room, a small bag packed with different outfits on hand, and headed to the kitchen to pack some cookies she’d made the night prior.
“This is the real world-”
“This is one small world of many, Niki. And when I die, all this,” he gestured to the world around him, “dies with me. A land like the DreamSMP is bigger and better. When all members inhabiting the world die, the world will stay, and will thrive in the absence of people.” The words quietened Niki, and unannounced, Ranboo creeped back into the small house, watching the pair. He walked around the back of the pair, out of sight and settled into a chair. “What if Boo’s still here when you die?” The question came from a place of curiosity, not of spite, but Phil still let the question go straight to his heart.
“He’d either die with the world, or he’d go back to the end? I can’t say I know, I’m not well-read into hybrid theology.”
“He can’t go back-!” Niki began, but she took a deep breath, looked at the counter and then looked back up at a concerned Phil. “Can you promise to get him out before you die?”
Phil nodded, “Although Wilbur will always be my main priority, you guys have become my second family, and I’ll do what I can to keep you guys safe.”
Ranboo suddenly felt guilty that he’d sat through the conversation, and hasn’t announced his presence sooner, and his anxieties got the better of him, “⟟'⋔ ⌇⍜⍀⍀⊬.”
“Holy shit, Ranboo! You scared me! You don’t need to apologise mate, take a deep breath.” Niki took a seat next to her brother and took his hand, squeezing it lightly. “⊬⍜⎍’⍀⟒ ⍙⟟⏁⊑ Phil ⋏⍜⍙. ⊑⟒’⌰⌰ ☍⟒⟒⌿ ⊬⍜⎍ ⌇⏃⎎⟒, ⟟ ⌿⍀⍜⋔⟟⌇⟒.” Niki mumbled, the foreign language flowing off her tongue with ease. Phil recognised his name, but he tried his hardest not to listen in to the words of assurance between the siblings.
“I’ll send you a letter when I can.”
“You better,” the teen giggled.
“Thank you Phil-”
“Just leave before I cry.” Niki nodded, and watched her little brother hug Phil’s side as she walked from the small house, towards the limits of the world.
The border was cold as Niki pushed through, but it was comforting, like a chill breeze on the beach. Beyond the border, it felt like the void, yet she still found herself walking along a pleasant path in some form of spruce forest. She’d read books on travelling between worlds, and she’d had multiple sessions with Phil on the process of getting into whitelisted worlds, how dangerous it could have been if she wasn’t accepted, but she just needed to focus on where she wanted to go. She let the cool breeze flow around her again and she found herself surrounded by tall walls of wood and cobblestone, visibly uneven, and an overall eyesore. And she saw him. A tall, laughing British man, followed behind by a younger looking boy, almost as tall, but much louder. “Wilbur?” Niki called out questioning. He said something to the shocked looking younger boy, before they both hurried towards the woman, smiles on their faces. “You must be Niki! Dad told me about you!”
“Hello! Welcome to the DreamSMP! I’m Tommy, and I’m the boss around here-”
“Tommy, no- Tommy, that’s not-,” he sighed, “Follow me, let me take you on a tour.” And for the first time in a while, Niki felt free.
Niki didn’t write, Will did, and he wrote about their adventures, but Niki never did.
Then Wilbur’s letters stopped. The last few spoke of war, and a revolution, L’Manberg gaining independence. Of an election. But that was the last letter. Phil didn’t even know who won.
When Niki’s letter finally came in, Phil didn’t know what to say. The letter was personal but Niki never truly signed it, and never addressed it to Phil. The letter was simply addressed to a “friend.” Phil knew his family was in danger, but what could he do?
“I can’t handle it anymore Boo! I think Wilbur’s losing his mind, and I’m scared for Tommy’s sake! He’s still impressionable, and he looks up to Wilbur...he has no-one else. And Techno! He’s an old friend, but he sent me a letter and said he was with them, planning to get back at Manberg, and Techno always was an anarchist, but what about the people still stuck in Manberg? Tubbo- you’d love Tubbo, he’s a kind soul...and Niki!” The name caught the teen’s attention, and he started paying more attention to Phil’s ranting, though his eyes still scanned the pages of his memory book, trying to piece together the smaller details he was struggling to remember. “I mean, I want to help! But the whitelist...I can’t just break in.”
“Has anyone even tried? Have you tried?” Ranboo didn’t even look up, assuming the questions would be rhetorical. Phil took a moment to think of his research.
“N-not that I know of.”
“Well then. What’s the harm of trying?” Ranboo looked up to see a new energy behind the old explorers eyes, a spark. The same spark that shone that first day Phil found the abandoned siblings.
“I’ll take a radio, I’ll keep talking as long as possible,” Ranboo nodded at Phil’s panic, he had no doubts Phil would.
“Are you ready Phil?” Ranboo said, pacing back and forth by the world border.
“I’m fine, I’m fine. How are you? Memory good?”
“Phil, I haven’t left the end in a while, you know my memory only gets bad when I’ve been out for extended periods of time,” he glared at the hybrid’s attitude, “but yes, I’m keeping my memory book updated.”
Phil nodded and pushed his fingers into the cold, spongy border, “I’m gonna talk to Will.”
“I’ll be here.”
The journey didn’t take long for Phil - he was determined to help save his family. “I’m hacking in…” he finally mumbled.
“What do you mean?” The crackled voice of Wilbur came through the radio.
“I’m getting in.”
“Do I need to co-?” The line went quiet. Ranboo couldn’t hear Phil or Wilbur.
“Phil? Are you-?” Silence. He got in. The world’s whitelist must have cut off all forms of external communication. Ranboo nodded to himself, “He did it.” He smiled weakly. He lost the one person he had left, but Phil did it. He was with his family, his real son. And he was with Niki. Ranboo’s half sister, his protector after the incident. Phil was with Niki.
It’s been a month. Ranboo hasn’t heard anything from Phil or Niki, and his anxiety peaked with every crow that squawked at him, watching him on Phil’s behalf. But it’s not enough. He needs his family back.
It was then Ranboo wished he’d paid more attention to Phil’s lessons with Niki about world changes. He clutched his memory book to his chest and ran towards the border, the cold wind, sharp on his skin. “If Phil did it, I can do it too.” He took a deep breath, “I’m coming Niki,” and he was pushed out into the tattered wood and stone borders.
[Ranboo joined the game]
Dream was there in moments, threatening to kick out the unwelcome newcomer. “Who are you? How did you get here?”
“Uh, well, I’m Ranboo…” The teenager frantically racked through his memories, feeling the insignificant ones fade from his memory. The trip between worlds must have been longer than predicted. He pulled out his memory book and flicked to the page, showing it to the masked man. “Yeah...Ranboo...my name is Ranboo..I know Phil...a-and…” He watched in desperation as the words faded from the page, the book imbued with End magic. “I-I’m sorry, I don’t mean to cut this interaction short, but ⍙⊑⟒⍀⟒ ⟟⌇,” he coughed lightly, “where is your end portal? I just need to get in.” The half enderman smiled awkwardly.
“The End Dimension is closed in this world.”
Ranboo shook his head, the basic memories he needed still revolving in his brain. The incident. A girl. His sister? A friend? He couldn’t remember the details.
“Please Mr…-”
“Dream,” the masked man finished. Ranboo nodded, smudging dirt onto his hand spelling out D-R-E-A-M.
“Please Dream...I know this seems strange, but I must know someone here- I must! I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t!” He stressed, collapsing onto the floor. Dream looked at the broken teen and a smirk crossed his face. He summoned a book and quill in front of him and scribbled ‘do not read’ on the front cover. He flipped to the book’s first page and wrote ‘My name is Ranboo. Dream is in control :)’ before handing it to the hybrid. “It’s not much, but write down anything you remember,” he pointed to a tall brick castle in the distance. “That’s King Eret’s castle, they can offer you sanctuary until you get settled in,” Dream explained before disappearing without a further sound.
“Phil!” Niki shouted at the old man, running towards him. “He’s here! I don’t know how, but I overheard Dream talking about someone else breaking through the barrier!” Phil applied slight pressure to the young woman’s shoulders.
“Niki, breathe. Who is here?”
“Ranboo!” Phil’s eyes suddenly widened, first in shock, then in fear.
“Niki, this is bad.”
“What- why?” Niki asked innocently, her accent exposing her concern.
“As you’re aware, Dream closed all access to the End Dimension on this world,” Niki nodded, but tilted her head in curiosity. “Without the End, Ranboo has no way to remember. His memory book will most likely fade due to its connection to the realm.”
Niki shook her head, her eyes welling with tears, “But he’ll remember us right? He’ll remember me?”
Phil looked at her sadly, “With my limited knowledge of Ranboo’s condition, I have little faith he’ll remember us at all…”
Tubbo smiled at his newfound friend, as Ranboo clumsily pulled on the armour. “Why did you want this gear again?” Ranboo looked at Tubbo with a lopsided smile, before he dipped his finger into the nearby river, his black skin steadily bubbling, before purple particles engulfed him and he appeared behind Tubbo. “Half enderman. Extended exposure to water can be deadly, and armour apparently helps. Tubbo nodded, both shocked and awed at his new hybrid best friend. Niki didn’t know what to think when she saw her little brother walking by the river, iron boots on, and Tubbo trailing behind asking questions about his enderman side. “Ranboo!” She called out, and he smiled as he looked towards her, a flash of recognition behind his eyes.
But it’s Tubbo who smiles and waves, inviting her over. “That’s Niki! She’s really nice!” Ranboo nods as she jogs up to them, a wide smile on her face.
“Hi, you’re Niki, right?” She simply nodded, and avoided trying to smile too wide.
“Better write my name down in your book before you forget it!” She chose to say, but Ranboo narrowed his eyes, pulling out the book in question.
“How did you know about my book?”
“Dream told me! I came to introduce myself but it seems Tubbo has already done that job for me.” She smoothly lied, ruffling Tubbo’s hair and watching as Ranboo made a note in his book. She wished she didn’t have to leave but a distant voice could be heard over the hill, yelling for help with something, and Tubbo rolled his eyes but smiled. “Come on Niki, let’s go help Tommy. Bye memory boy!” He called behind him, leaving Ranboo quiet and confused by the river bank.
“Techno,” Phil started, “Now L’Manberg is a chunk error - Ranboo doesn’t have a place to live. And I thought maybe we could take him in?”
“Phil, I have no reason to trust him, other than him checking on Tommy in exile-”
“I’m all he’s got left Techno. You remember what that was like? He lost Niki, he lost his sister because he can’t remember she ever existed! But now with Will gone...Niki’s kind of losing it too.” Techno took a moment to evaluate the pros and cons, and he looked at his best friend, his father figure. Everyone deserves someone like Phil. “Fine, but he can’t stay in the house, there’s only room for Edward in this house.” Phil nodded in understanding, and he sent out a crow to Ranboo.
Techno yawned, the day catching up to him, Phil wandering by his side. “I hope Ranboo’s settled in nicely,” he mumbled, pushing open the front door. In the middle of Techno’s house sat Ranboo and Edward, Ranboo laughing like mad. Edward looked at the now open door and vwooped, “⏁⊑⟒⊬'⍀⟒ ⊑⍜⋔⟒ ⏚⍜⍜, ⊬⍜⎍ ⌰⍜⍜☍ ⟟⋏⌇⏃⋏⟒.”
“⊬⟒⏃⊑, ⊬⟒⏃⊑. ⍜☍⏃⊬. ⍙⟒’⌰⌰ ⏁⏃⌰☍ ⌰⏃⏁⟒⍀ ⟒⎅⍙⏃⍀⎅.” Ranboo turned back to Phil, his expression unreadable. “Hi Techno! ⍙⟒⌰☊⍜⋔⟒ ⊑⍜⋔⟒ ⎅⏃⎅. ” Techno shot a confused sidewards glance at Phil who looked like he was about to cry. “Hi mate,” Phil whispered in shock, eyes trained on the book that Edward held in his hands, surrounded by dark purple particles, and adorned with a small red heart hand-painted on the cover all those years ago.