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Shelby was not having a good night.
Her flowers died. Again. She tried so hard to keep them alive. She even visited Katherine for advice earlier in the week! Shelby did everything Katherine said: watering the flowers at the correct intervals, getting the correct soil, even putting light in the house so they could get enough nutrients! But nothing, nothing Shelby did seemed to work.
To cope with the frustration, she warped up into her roof to look at the stars. She always found some comfort in the night sky, like it’s the only one on this server who accepts her for who she is.
Meghan hates her, which is somewhat justified due to Shelby “gatekeeping” the mushroom aesthetic, but it wasn’t worth trying to kill her over it! She thanked the stars that Mika was still on her side, but she doesn’t want them to get too involved; she’s having a hard time with her sweet and sour sides. Wouldn’t want to add more onto Mika’s plate.
Sausage was scared of her, Lauren and fWhip talked about making a task force to kill her, and thanks to Meghan’s tendency to spread rumors, who knows how many people she’s turned against Shelby?
Joey is still with Shelby, thank goodness. He might be… shorter, and less bulky, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t helpful. Their conversations always manage to light up (in a good way) her day, and Shelby’s more than thankful Joey’s new origin hasn’t changed that.
Shelby looked down at her hands. They were pitch black, wisps of shadow warping them to almost seem alien to her. Maybe if she tried hard enough, she could see her hands with actual skin like how they used to be.
Oh, who is she kidding? She always be the terrifying Shadow Demon, forever loathed by the citizens on this server.
At that thought, she began to sob, and the tears she’d been holding back ever since her and Meghan’s rift in their friendship spill out of her.
Subconsciously, Shelby curled up into a ball, hugging her legs. She cried into her knees, not caring to move to a more comfortable spot or to where no one could see her. All she wanted to do was scream.
Scream at Meghan for their broken friendship. Scream at the flowers for not blooming like they were supposed to. Scream at the the people trying to kill her. Scream at whatever cruel god made her what she is.
Eventually, the sobs spaced out, allowing for even breath and windows of time to wipe the snot off her nose. She uncurled from her fetal position and sat up, continuing to look at the stars as if nothing happened.
“Shelby?”
Shelby tensed up. She whipped her head around, looking for the owner of the voice, specifically the owner of a voice with a Scottish accent.
“Down here!” Scott said.
Oh, Shelby winced, right. I’m on the roof, and Scott is small.
She looked down, expecting to see the Mothling form of her friend, but instead saw a normal-sized Scott. Her was incredibly pale, with hair as white as the poet shirt he had on under the vest and cape.
“Hey, Scott.” Shelby jumped down, hoping whatever new origin Scott had didn’t contain mind reading powers or super hearing. “You look different. Did you get a haircut?”
Scott laughed, putting a gloved hand over his mouth. “Yes! How did you know?”
”How did I know!?” Shelby crossed her arms in mock offense. “I’ve been you best friend for about seven years now, I think I can tell the difference.”
Scott shrugged and flashed a smile, showing off two sharp fangs that weren’t there before. “Darn, you got me.”
”So what’s the new origin?” Shelby asked, really hoping Scott didn’t bring up her stuffy nose or cried from earlier.
”Vampire. I know, you wouldn’t expect it. Especially with this getup.” Scott dramatically flipped his hair. “You’re actually one of the first people to not act scared of me. Or are you? And just good a hiding it?”
Shelby shrugged. “What’s there to be scared off? I’m not an expert, but Shadow Crawler blood doesn’t exactly sound nutritious for vampires.”
Scott raised an eyebrow. “Do you even have blood?”
Shelby opened her mouth to provide an answer, only to realize she didn’t have one. “I… don’t know, actually.”
Scoff stayed silent for a moment, seemingly weighing his options on what to say. “… Do you want to find out?”
Shelby tiled her head with a smirk. “Are you asking to drink my blood, Smajor? Is that what you came all the way here for?”
Scott barked out another laugh. “If you’re offering, I won’t turn down free food—“
”Who said is was free?”
”—and thank you for reminding me why I’m here.” Scott pursed his lips together and stared at Shelby, concern shining in his eyes.
Uh oh.
”I had just got back from Jimmy’s house—“
”Oh, how is he, by the way?” Shelby desperately changed the subject. “I heard he’s a cat now? Is that true?”
”He is actually, but—“
”Oh, no way! That explains the cat tower. I just thought he made one for Norman.”
Scott pinched the bridge of his nose. “I know what you’re doing, Shelby. Stop.”
Shelby attempted to feign innocence as much as she could. “Doing what?”
”Dodging the question, Shelby.” Scott looked irritated, eyebrows knitting together and gritting his teeth.
“Well, you didn’t exactly ask a question for me to answer, now did you, Scott?” Shelby smiled, hoping to get Happy Scott back in place of Serious Scott. “How can I dodge a question that isn’t asked?”
”Shelby.” Scott took a step closer to her. “I heard crying in this direction.”
Goddammit.
Shelby attempted to play it off. “All the way from Jimmy’s base?” She let out a tense laugh. “Wow, does vampirism come with supernatural hearing? That’s awesome! What are your traits, by the way?”
Scott didn’t answer, only staring at Shelby with a disapproving look. “I’m trying to be a good friend, okay? Now please tell me: Are you okay?”
Shelby nodded, maybe a bit too much and a bit too quickly. “Yep! Everything’s good. I mean my flowers died again, but that’s not something worth crying over!”
Scott looked down, a sad look on his face. “So you were crying on the roof…” he muttered.
Shelby took this as the cue to stop avoiding the topic. “I really can’t lie to you, huh?” She laughed darkly.
Scott looked back up at her with wide eyes, not expecting Shelby to give up the jig. Shelby saw tears forming in his eyes, threatening to spill over. He put his hands over his mouth. “Oh, Shelby…”
”What are you worried about, Scott?” Shelby bit her lip as her own tears nearly poured out. “It wasn’t anything crazy. I was just going a bit crazy from having to stay inside all day. And, like I said, my flowers died, and I’m still a bit down about what happened with Meghan, but it’s fine. You don’t—“
Shelby’s spiel was interrupted by Scott rushing towards her and wrapping his arms around her neck in a hug. It was then she realized that she started crying again.
She allowed herself to no longer hold back, crying into Scott's shoulder and clinging onto him like there was no tomorrow.
The pair stayed like that for what felt like hours to Shelby. Eventually, they sunk down to their knees, still latched onto each other. Shelby managed to get rid of most of her tears, with only quiet sniffles remaining. Scott still hugged her, putting a quick kiss on her temple.
Shelby felt a smile creep on her face, glad that no matter what server she and Scott are both on, that they will always stick together.
The bittersweet moment was momentarily halted by the sight of the sun rising slowly above the horizon. Shelby huffed and pulled apart from the hug. “The sun’s coming up.” She told Scott, pointing at the aforementioned bane of her existence.
Scott groaned and rolled his eyes. “Not that ugly bitch.”
That caused a choked laugh out of Shelby. “You get used to it. Would you rather make your way back to your base or stay here for the day?”
Scott gestured to the building behind Shelby with an extended arm. “Lead the way, Shubble.”
Shelby’s house isn’t as beautiful or spacious as the other bases, but that doesn’t mean she’s not proud of it. It’s functional, it’s full of the items she needs to survive, it has moss that never not feels soft to walk on, and it has a lovely hammock that couldn’t be more comfortable. Sure, she might need to get some furniture, but that’s a problem for another day.
“No one else is on at the moment, and I have enough materials for a spare hammock.” Shelby walked to a chest she remembered having those items. “Do you wanna sleep through the day?”
”I wouldn’t say no to that,” Shelby could hear Scott walking up to her, “but can we talk? I can tell there’s a lot more than tears you want to let out.”
Shelby gripped the edge of the chest she was at, pursing her lips as she weighed her decisions. “Well… it’s not like there’s any going back after you watched me ugly cry like that.” She turned away from the chest to face Scott and sunk down to the floor. “What would you like to know?”
Scott slumped down next to Shelby, never breaking eye contact. “I want to know what the tipping point was. The straw that broke the camel’s back, so to speak.”
All Shelby did was point at the dead bushes where her flowers used to me. “Flowers died. Again.”
Scott sucked in a breath. “Oh yeah, I remember you saying they died earlier. How long have you been?”
Shelby looked away, not wanting to see the pity on Scott’s face. “Those were my third attempt.”
“I’m sorry about that, Shelby…” Scott squeezed Shelby’s shoulder, “… maybe in your next life, you’ll be a Floran?”
“Maybe then, people will actually like me.” Shelby mumbled.
Scott stayed silent, but Shelby still refused to look at him. “What do you mean?”
Shelby raised an eyebrow at Scott, whose own eyebrows were knit together in confusion. “You mean Meghan hasn’t visited you?”
Scott’s eyebrows widened but a margin. “No…” he said slowly, “not since I helped you guys when you first logged on… what happened?”
Shelby looked away and closed her eyes tightly, as if Scott would simply disappear so she didn’t have to tell him.
“Shelby…” Shelby could hear Scott shift to in front of her; he put his hands on her shoulders, “Shelby, I need you to look at me.”
Shelby couldn’t tell if it was some mystical power that Scott’s origin granted him, or if it was how tiring it was to keep her eyes shut, but she found herself opening her eyes as soon as Scott said so.
Scott looked very concerned as he cupped Shelby’s face, wiping away any stray tears. Goddammit, how long will it take for me to stop crying?! “I remember you saying something happened with Meghan last night. What. Happened?”
Shelby sighed. And told him everything.
By the end, Shelby was, once again, a crying mess. Scott, on the other hand, was staring into the distance in disbelief and anger as he licked his lips, putting his fangs on display.
“Shelby,” Scott said; Shelby could nearly hear him. “How would you like to join me in being the bad guy?”
“Wha-what?” Shelby sat up, straightening whatever jointed were hunched over. “What do you mean?”
Scott grinned. He adjusted his body to sit crisscross and excitedly rubbed his hands together. “It’s obvious that everyone on this server thinks we’re villains. Why not… prove them right?”
”But what exactly would that do?” Shelby asked. “Or prove? How would that help us?”
Scott shrugged. “I dunno. Revenge, maybe? To show that we aren’t to be messed with?” He leaned forward. “Don’t you want to show Meghan who the true Mushroom Queen is?”
“Of course I do!” Shelby nearly yelled. “I don’t want to have to worry about some dumb task force!”
”Then join me!” Scott held Shelby’s hand in his. “We could make sure no one messes with us again!”
Shelby bit her lip, thinking of the right thing to say. “Can Joey join us?” She asked. “He’s been nothing but kind to me, and he would help us with no arguments.”
“Absolutely!” Scott smiled. “The more the merrier! As long as he doesn’t try anything funny.”
“He’s a valuable asset,” Shelby tried to say what she thought Scott wanted to hear, “he could even be a man on the inside.”
Scott hummed. “You’re not wrong.”
”I’ve also been thinking of this plan of how to spread my shadows across the entire server so I’ll never go blind again,” Shelby said, “maybe we could fit that into our agenda?”
Scott gasped with delight. “Oh, you are an evil one. I’m glad we’re friends. So it’s a deal?”
Scott extended his hand in a handshake.
Shelby didn’t hesitate to shake it.