Chapter Text
I flew down the hillside pillaging the trees for their resources, carefree as the wind itself.
I could never have imagined the life that lurked in this forest, nor had I ever wanted to. Shadows clawed at my feet, roots arose to trip me, and leaves whispered my coordinates to anything that listen.
However, at this time, I studied a cave opening, crunching on an apple, beyond oblivious. Shushing the communicator at my hip, I let the gaping maw of earth swallow me at the mere hint of riches.
Not for nothing, this world may have more overlooked thoughts waiting in them, and those who once created them, but the stone was seasoned with ores. Bodies at various stages of rot could crawl from any crevice. Amalgamations of plant spores crept across the depths, looking to spread.
My greed was not deterred in the slightest, and not from ignorance! I had walked worlds much like this one many of times, most far worse off, this was standard procedure. The people dealt more harm, for much pettier reasons. I say as if I am not the Queen of petty, myself.
The worm hollows twist and turns into jaw-dropping caverns. Iron practically rained into my backpack. Using a makeshift furnace, I clumped together scraps hoping for them to form nicely into shiny armor. However, disturbing the formation of my new and approved tools, a voice bounded across stalactites to stalagmites.
“Half health, while I was fighting a skeleton.”
“No way! Your soulmate is clearly very daring”
I could not discern who was below me but, they seemed preoccupied in their conversation, and unaware of me. How could I pass up such an opportunity?
With my enforced pick-axe I, gently as possible, tore away at the walls down towards the voices.
“Jimmy, you almost die every twenty seconds.”
“Don’t insult me! That is less than normal, I’m trying man! No one wants to come face to face with an angry teammate.”
“Are you not used to that by now?”
The bickering covered me breaking into a crawl space some feet above them.
“I have no experience with that, this time around. And I have no plan too!”
“Don’t Make Promises You Can’t Keep, Jimmy!” I shouted loud enough to hear my own voice banging about in my ears.
Jimmy screamed louder.
“Where are you?” I could hear him spin on his heels, and his friend try to climb up to me, but I was too satisfied to care, instead, I cackled hard enough to bruise my ribs. I rolled to their level, wasting no time to dust off the cave germs on to the avian and the sarcastic, averaged height-ed man.
They were more kitted out than me! Full iron everything, shields to boot 10 minutes in.
Joel was not nearly as impressed with me.
“You sound like a witch.” I failed to stifle my laugh.
Screaming and laughter apparently attracts an audience. Three more men entered the room all sporting green. I stretched out my arm to see the three traffic light hearts on it.
Wondered how long it last, but no need for those thoughts now.
I walked deeper into the caves avoiding the punching fest, finding a dilapidated chest that six, no nine there is more coming around east, had not found. Chest like these were nothing special, we weren’t the first adventurers down here. Plenty of bodies to show that, even walk up to you if you’re not careful.
“So, Joel, what does that mean for us, together forever?” A tall man with white hair approached Joel with open arms.
“Together and always.” Joel did his best to fight off the hug, well Etho wasn’t a hugger more of an amicable choke-hold, but he surrendered begrudgingly.
“Aww look at you two love bugs, almost feel envious.” I butted in while digging through the copious amounts of coal contents.
“So why were you taking so much damage earlier, huh? I was in the middle of a fight!” He shook free, swipping the strand of green hair out of his eyes.
“Yeah Pearl, really missing out.” Etho dunked his hands into his pockets, he smiled with his eyes at her. Due to the face mask, it was a little hard to read him otherwise.
I did my best at silent yet sociable response back, but my attention was captivated.
The overwhelming chaos blanketed meas I, wide eyed, dug through more coal for some shimmering thing. An unblemished fruit! ‘Fruit’, I should say, truly a medicine. An ancient one at that. I bite the inside of my cheeks in stress. A fairly forbidden one at that. I opened a spare compartment on my backpack and stashed it as deep as possible.
I scampered out of the main group lower into the earth. That many people in one spot was stupid, she didn’t look out of place to leave. I shouldn’t have let myself get that comfortable around the others either, least I forget why we are all here. To survive, at any cost. In fact, that should my first goal, do not go out first.
I have met my death. In these realms everyone becomes quite close to it. Our lives are defined by it, literally. On our arms are indicators to how many we have left to spend until we join the ghouls. I shudder at the thought. The only fate worse is when we all slip away to watch erosion in real time, the footprints you left get swept up by the wind.
But the universe never forgets, even if the worlds do, because one day we will be granted another chance. We may never rest; we do have this moment and our bounded this time around. I survived my first world, for some time at least. To the final four, but failure feels like my nerves melting away and my vocal cords shredding themselves. My soulmate will not feel that due to me. After every arrow launched into my shoulder, follicles bursting in my nose, I whispered apologizes.
Finding a breath between all the mobs I slumped over onto the wall. There are not many places quieter than an empty cave. Your blinks could sound deafening! Therefore, not much can hide in a cave, ie.another wispy voice.
“My MODS these cave spiders won’t leave me alone!” A distorted Jimmy said through the walls. His hollow footsteps suggested wood, which suggested mine-shaft. I perked up. I had not gotten as far as I thought. Stepping carefully till I was directly below. I hoped my bruised ribs could learn to forgive as I took a deep breath.
“Don’t Let The Cave Spider Get’ca!” His jump thundered in her little stretch of cavern.
“Wha- Where do you come from, Pearl?” His voice distorted downward.
“Just handing out other worldly advice, Jimmy!” I chided in return.
“Jimmy look, she’s right below us, that’s what the Comm. says,” As another joined I felt It bitter at all the people that jimmy seemed to have around him at all times.
“I dare you to see who can get to her first.” The Martyn-ish voice teased as he burrowed towards me. Their wrecking of stone almost ruptured my ear drums.
“It’s a massive cave. You’ll die doing that.” I lied, and for no real reason. There was no danger in friends, this early on.
“Oh? Are you down in deep slate?” Jimmy asked, closer than before.
“Nope, got iron though.” My reply just left my mouth as the roof above me opened up and a blur of green fell next to me.
“Not for long!” Martyn, ha I was right, said as he jolted up.
“Oh wait,” Martyn almost fell from how quickly he turned around. “Did you take any damage earlier, like when we were clumped up?”
“Nope.” I popped my lips.
“Okay that’s cool.” He pushed my backward and sprinted down the mine.
All three of us ripped the earth of any materials. We didn’t notice then but the underneath our level, the ground squirmed.
“I could fashion my own saddle out of all the zombie flesh we now have.” I waved my hand behind me towards the boys.
“No one has ever said that.” Martyn’s face twisted up in disgust.
“Seriously.” Jimmy agreed, face just as disgusted.
“Well, what would you do if your enemy showed up on horseback, sitting on the flesh of the dead? It’s a brilliant plan. I won’t give it up because of ‘morals.” They gagged.
“See! You pr- “Looking back at them I hadn’t seen the fall awaiting me. The world was spinning when I got up. I saw people above me frantically trying to get my attention. I worried for my hearing when I hadn’t heard a sound leave their mouths, until I looked to my right. Shit. The deep slate was enveloped in blue ooze. Little crystals glittered despite the darkness. Sculk spread towards me, worst of it latching onto my arm through my jacket. I did not dare to scream; I couldn’t alert more of it to my position.
In the hels of the world, a substance now ruled overall. Its crystals were not for aesthetics, but remnants of its victims, and it did not discriminate.
There was a pint of hope, however. It only held one sense, hearing.
I gently backed up onto my heels, hoping I wasn’t forgetting something. A hoard of its ‘ears’ sprung to life. The antenna of a moth-looking tentacles traded the news of an arrival. My telltale heart luckily was silent enough for them not to care. I took my axe and cut away the sculk leached on me, a whisper of its imprisoned souls wept at their freedom. I could deal with the gunk still on me later.
Luckily, not a single sculk shrieker was in range. My shoulders relaxed. I backed towards the wall and climbed up; the real dangers oblivious. At the top, I crawled into safety and finally screamed. The stupid jaws of garbage did not like that, but it couldn’t affect me anymore.
Deciding the events for the night be over, Jimmy wandered back, for his partner's sake, he insisted. Martyn studied me to see if this strand of sculk gained duplicative abilities. I brushed my legs off with my jacket, then donated it to its conqueror. I ravaged my bag to find a hoodie with an eclipsed moon on the front, but the moment I put it on, green bleed into the fabric. It matched all our eyes.
We stood in silence, peering into the floor. Him watching me desperately try to heal from the fall with the copious amount of bread I was shoving down my throat.
“… Want to go enchanting?” He pointed a thumb behind himself. I think my laughter startled him. My brain let me think of magic in the center of a living hell. Crisp pages fluttering loud enough to alert death’s sirens.
“Nah, don’t have the levels.”
We drifted around the caves looking for our entrance, leaving me plenty of time to ponder the irony. The crystals in sculk form from the living. The personification of your life experience. When one takes a life, a fraction of the victim’s experience is granted to them and all of it expunged from the victim. Or whoever it saunters to first. They are a part of the body, as mobs will drop them, and the scum evolved to live off it, culminating life and whatever else it can scrub you of, till overflow expands into the container around it. If you kill it, the sculk steams away, leaving the experience.
Enchanting is an art of survival. To even use the table of enchantments one must have a healthy level of experience. This starts the cycle of killing more, enchantments granting you more of a chance to win a fight, so on, so forth. Their existence based on the same force, but radically different endings if you provide it.
I was dragged from my thoughts when Martyn and I’s Comms. made a mock cannon sound effect. There was only one reason, but we wanted reassurance.
“Tango blew up
Solidarity’s heart’s broken”
Martyn chuckled in dismay.
“It’s been like a couple of hours, how are they dead?”
“What an awkward talk at spawn, ouch. And I just noticed, it’s not even Jimmy’s fault this time!” Martyn appeared fascinated.
Jimmy had a track record for death. Their favorite punching bag, if you will. Tango got hooked in the crossfire.
“I taking this as a sign for some fresh air.”
I felt as if the caves were going to constrict us into the next tragedies any second. Best to leave Jimmy with the grief of taking someone down with you.
“Hold on sec, we still have tons of raw iron. Let’s get that all smelted first.” Martyn took his pick to the walls to make a shady base.
“Didn’t we already have a smelter?” I groaned
“…Did we ever get that stuff back?” You could hear a water splatter somewhere for off.
“Alright well here,” He shoved all his iron into my hands. “You smelt that; I’ll retrieve the stuffs.” He fled down the stairs, torch in hand.
This left me with plenty of time spare. Too much. I gazed up at the ceiling and studied its marks. A lot of time, in fact. I shuffled the coal around in its chamber, making sure the iron would cook properly. Tapping the stick on the ledge, I hummed a tune. Then murmured one, leading up to me full-on belting out a song.
“Chillin’ with my iron. Watin’ for my iron to smelt, do-do boop, do-do boop oh waum.” I grandiosely spun around only to meet eyes with a star-struck Martyn.
“Don’t mind me.” I spat out.
“Don’t stop, I was enjoying the little musical!” We laughed, giving Martyn time to return, finally.
“Can it, helmet head. It’s done! Both of you took forever.” I picked up the furnaces with their contents into my inventory.
“Are you telling me,” Martyn picked up my tune,” finished all your iron, finished all your iron? Now you’re high in supply in a boat full of iron.” He finished it off with
jazz hands. Our laughter echoed out in the hollow.
“Someone thought I was wearing a helmet last season. Guess my hair does have a lot of yellow going on.” Martyn continued.
“Last season…?” I trailed off. My brain was fuzzy, that’s the harm with server hopping. Get’s better with time, I’ve heard. For now, however, very little that hadn’t happened in these last few hours was not getting through. I put together hints of a purple sky accented with blood. Far in front of me a cavalry knight rode next to someone with a crown. Blood stained the yellow covering their heads. I waved the memory away; not only was it mostly irrelevant, but this life was just beginning! Human’s will try to keep the peace for a while. They will.
“… I think that was me?” I tried to laugh off my daunt pause.
“Really, is that so? Well, I think it’s time we really get out of here, and with no helmets! We aren’t rule-breakers.” He smiled getting his stuff together. Nice enough to not mention it. Some things are taboo for a reason, I guessed. What was even the point of no helmets? This was a hardcore world, after all, the protection would be needed.
A brick of a memory hit me. I stood in the branches of a tree. A rustle of leaves introduced a warrior, armor chipped and worn, walking into my sight. I focused on their face, but I could no longer make it out. They never noticed me pull the bow string back. My pride enveloped me.
Did they the feeling too? Were they just innocent? A laugh boiled up in my stomach, entranced with my own denial.
I was in this slum till we reached the surface, when I heard a faint bark.
“A doggie!” I rammed Martyn out of the way as I went ventured out. The grass that brushed my ankles felt calming as if it was welcoming me back. The breeze in my lungs asked why I ever left. And as if to make sure I was the surface’s, I found the wolf. Precariously above the gaping maw of a cave, the pup bravely stared down the warped, tattered sky.
“Quite a mob to be wondering about the border.” I offered them a single bone, and they accepted gratefully. Poor thing alone out here, not much can stand the ring of the border.
“Pup-o, my best of friends!” I carried the wolf up from its cliff edge to its summit.
“What about me?” Martyn shouted as he clambered up the hill.
“Hmm, too yellow.” I patted pup-o on the head.
“You’re joking!” When Martyn dramatically rolled his neck, he locked eyes with a mighty steed.
“Screw you, I’ve got a better ride or die. Its fate, got the saddle to prove it!” Martyn charged the donkey down, ignoring the fear in its eyes.
“You say a friend that’s destined by fate? Sounds familiar,” The dog tilted their head with me.
“Well, a donkey is way better at being a quadruped than any of the rest of ‘em so, am I really at a loss?” Martyn proudly sat atop the petrified stead.
“What? Quadruped? That’s the deciding factor?” I looked at him only to be blinded sided by his smug aura.
“Of course, can’t hop on a bounds shoulder into battle, or run away looking nearly as majestic!”
“You look like a tea kettle with your arm on the hip like that.” I tried to sound deadpan, but neither of us were good at hiding smiles. We almost didn’t look at our Comms.
“Joel was killed by an enderman
Etho has soul has been crushed”
How do you reply to that? Its barley begun but we are dropping like flies. Martyn read my thoughts.
“Shame with partners, series goes twice as quick.” I could only nod in response. Picking up the dog, I held them close to me.
Our mood lightened as we trekked to where we ‘spawned’, a birch trees clearing. I jogged in tandem to Martyn’s unhelpful donkey, dog barking at its heels. Our traveling was interrupted by a pair of canary wings attached to a not so bright and cheery man.
“Martyn and Pearl! Did you guys see Joel get crushed by that enderman?” Jimmy stepped out of the woods, eyes with a gold gleam to them. His clothes were noticeably rugged and worn, a little singed as well.
“Oh boy, tells us about the soulmate first. How was the talk at spawn?” Martyn lit up bright as the sun.
“Oh yeah, uh it was awkward.” Jimmy rubbed his arm.
“Well yellow suits you! First out again, and it’s not even your fault. Tsk, tsk, tsk.” He sneered.
“Yes, and it’s not even the worst part! I went back to where I died, and it’s all gone! This is all I have! Can you spare some things?”” He pulled at his pack’s straps, light as a feather.
“Despawned, ey? That’s just your luck.” Despawning was the worst consequence of living in these realms, if one is to abandon something and didn’t properly store it, it would disintegrate. Same goes for bodies, except the fact there is no way to store them. I look at it as a free cremation. “So, I would appreciate that you give me all you can part with.” Jimmy held out his hands. I scavenged my backpack overwhelmed by pity and the idea of making an enemy.
“Here Jimmy.” And threw him ten pieces of iron. He blinked, visibly astonished.
“Martyn, Pearl gave me stuff so you should too.” He immediately went to face Martyn for more bargaining.
“How about a firm handshake?” Jimmy’s wings flinched in disgust.
“I see you hold no sympathy for the poor.” Jimmy sulked back towards the trees.
“Well don’t waste your chances, Jimmy.” And with that Martyn slapped him on his.
“I didn’t even get the handshake!”
The world was green, flourished in bushes and undergrowth. We got caught in brambles once or twice, it is Not fun to pull a donkey nor dog out of those by the way, so we changed course to open land.
“Where’d you get a saddle?” The plains greeted us. An imp by the name of Impulse jogged over to greet us. He was heads taller than me and bigger too, yet completely unimposing. He waved a hello. From behind Impulse, a figure easily hidden due to his stature gleefully caught a glimpse of the saddle.
“A dungeon, I believe.” Martyn brought the reigns up to his chin, pulling the donkey to stop.
“Does anyone got food?” I asked unthinkingly, but Impulse hurried over to hand me watermelon slices.
“IMPULSIVE!” The small man shrieked. Impulse practically flew into the air.
“They have saddles to trade!” Impulse bent down to be at level with BdoubleO.
“Oh! Right!” Umm, there’s more where that came from,” Impulse lifted himself up and perked his lips. “If you give us the saddle.” Bdubs attempted to pat him on the head but settled for the shoulder.
“Don’t do it,” I replied before Martyn could think.
They were odd, to say the least. Most people here are odd (those who weren’t the oddest) but something about the tiny man head to toe with bandages and bruises, not from anything in particular, next to the perfectly healthy imp that towered over all just took the cake. Maybe it was Bdubs’ elaborate outfit, nicely layered and clearly thought out, to Impulse’s black jeans and a graphic t-shirt with a yellow ‘i’ in the middle.
“I don’t get a smidge of hunger up here, so!” Martyn chirped.
“Oh GREAT!” If you had the gall to call Martyn dramatic, Bdubs was a high school romcom. He managed to roll his eyes with his entire body. Beyond Buds’ audience, a speck frolicked in their wheat.
“Frog! Look at it!” I ditched the barging, much to Bdubs’ appall, to spin around the frog. My spun until vertigo sent me down, frog safely placed on my stomach.
“Not on our crops!” Impulse and Bdubs ran over exhausted.
I did seem to have fallen in a wheat field. My dog walked over to lick my face.
“And the dog too? Just call up the whole zoo to trample ol’ Bdubs wheat!” He pushed her out of the soil with a hoe, disturbing the frog further into the miniature farm.
“One more thing tramples my crops, I’m killing it!!” He said, stomping in the middle of his field.
“I’ll kill you!” I mocked in a terrible accent.
“I will” He started to replant in anger.
“Don’t touch the froggie!” I carefully glanced before each step to lessen the wheat trampling, to scoop up the frog and deliver them to my hoodie hood.
“You can’t be all that mad Bdubs, they were just tilling the earth.” Martyn approached the chaos.
“Just little tillies.” Martyn continued.
“Tilly,” I sparked with joy, the frog taking its chance for freedom. “Perfect name for a pup like you, right Tilly?” Tilly barked in presumed agreeance.
“Well, that settles that, Buds keep the frog and hubby happy, alright?” I dusted off my hands. Somehow, his eyes got bigger, “WhaaaAAAat!”
“We didn’t even tell you we were bounded.” Impulse said with a flick of the tail.
“No not that, that frog is NOT my problem!” Bdubs pressed his hands into his chest.
I got my battle axe out and traced the edge, “Really, Bdubs?” He botched at least twenty different unintelligible sentences.
Before he could find a response, a couple of boats cascaded down the mountain behind us. Bdubs’ nagging was not nearly as interesting. They, perfectly fine, skated across the earth leaving deep gutters behind themselves.
“Can tell that your partners!” Martyn tilted his donkey over into earshot.
“Two boys in boats!” A voice branded with sunlight cheered.
“Boating all about!” The other farther back spoke in equal joy.
They died moments ago! They should not be this chipper, I thought, lost.
I could tell it was Etho and Joel now that they were boating over Bdubs’ pasture. Attracted by their happiness, the frog hopped into Etho’s muddy boat.
“Pearl, look I got a frog!” He yelled over Bdubs.
“Keep ‘em safe, please!” I replied.
“And you’ve got a saddle.” Joel sidestepped out of his boat, axe in hand, towards Martyn.
“The donkey, with the saddle, for the frog’s life!” Joel declared, pointing the axe at the poor froggie.
“Well actually,” I piped in before Martyn could agree. “I was just harassin’ Bdubs, so keep ‘em.” I did my best to sound casual. Joel slumped and dragged his feet over to his boat. As they continued tilling the earth, Bdubs regained interest in us.
“Pearl,” He yelled even when I was a mere meter away.
“Pearl! They took the frog. It’s no longer my problem.” As he said that, the Boat Boys ditched their namesake after a sheep.
“To me, it appears to still be on your property, and thus your problem.” I popped her lips. Bdubs fell to his knees in arrant tragedy.
“I am in need of resources.” His head hung low. I noted the bandage around his skull but had an inkling he was always like this.
“Tough.” I turned to walk away when my stomach betrayed me. I regretted not settling for rotten flesh.
“HAHA! You need food, I have food, give resources,” I lifted an eyebrow at him.
“Please.”
“I’ve got full armor and tools so I could lend you 51 iron.” I browsed my inventory.
“%!!” His jaw hit the floor.
“Yep, gave ten to Jimmy too.”
“Here’s four steaks.” So, they had cows.
“Thank you!” I waved but Bdubs grabbed my arm still looking for tradables.
“32 melons.”
“Okay, okay! I’m intrigued now.” Even at full height, I must bend my head down to gaze at him.
“Mangrove Propagates!” New stuff, nice.
“Where did you get these?” I needed to work on hiding my interest.
“Yes.” He answered confidently. I flattened my lips.
“Let’s see… How much?”
“Up to you.”
I browsed my inventory, not that I cared to lose the iron, just seeing if I could get a bit more from him. A diamond, a disc, mainly beginners’ trash. I tested luck by tossing a lone iron at his feet.
“How dare you! I’ll go kill the frog right now.”
“Noo, no, here you are.” I snickered as I handed him 10 more.
“Perfect, just perfect. Exactly as I need!” He pulled out a collapsible crafting table and got to work, crisscrossed on the dirt.
“Welp thanks for coming in clutch, actually my stomach was annoyed ‘cause I was out of food.” I shoved a melon slice into my mouth.
“Really!” He looked away from his work, amazed by the timing.
“Couldn’t even run, so thank you.”
“Wish you well on your travels, alone, with Ruffus, no what’s his name.” He said peering around for who I assumed to be helmet head, who had disappeared.
“Martyn. Hope you get some health for that eye.” She gestured to her own for reference.
“NO, THE DOG! Tilly, you called her Tilly, right, and thank you! I’m looking for some aloe.” He prodded his own bruised eye.
We shared a laugh as I walked away.
I had a plan. See, I didn’t mention them, but every once in a while, worlds will provide new entities. Be it a gross ooze with a taste for blood, or helpful blue spirit, they appeared without explanation. The captive of my attention today was a top the mountains. Goats yodeled hellos when I approached their plateau. If the goats charge at you and miss, they may break their horns, which have been co-opted into noise machines. They sounded constantly, and I was going to join in the misery making.
I baited the goats towards me, back facing a wall, but none would bite. And if they did, they were exact with their hits, then my dog would track them down in revenge. I tried for a good hour, sun ending up painting the sky, to no avail. Dejected, I grabbed my axe and went to the base of the mountain to see if I could find anyone else.
You wouldn’t believe my luck.
“Pearl! Congrats, you are going to the nether!” Martyn shouted from a hill side. Lave sizzled at his feet when he showed me a jagged portal to hell. A purple cool-feeling mesh radiated a glow, beckoning you in, from the obsidian.
“Martyn, I’ve seen like two people and you’re one of them.” I sat asked Tilly to sit.
“Well, have you considered it’s an adventure?” He smirked
“We could.” I pulled out my axe.
“We could! Come on!” We both already had our feet in the portal.
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I crept through a cave following voices. They were practically incoherent, but I could tell they were fighting creepers, due to the 'boom' sounds. I waited for the festivities to calm down before breaking the wall between us. A werewolf and a zombie, stood in dismay at the demolition before them. They still were talking about something as I ran up behind them.
“Watch Out!” I jumped between them.
“Smajor!” The wolf yelped.
“Woah!” The zombie cried, taking their sword out and facing me. I cackled in reply.
“Smajor.” Ren the dog still sounded happy to see him.
“Hey Scott!” ZombieCleo more so.
“Well while you here, want to trade in hot gossip?” Ren covered his smile. His sunglasses reflected me in all my armor. I hated it.
“I’ve got none to trade, besides Jimmy and Tango.” I crossed my arms.
“Jimmy and Tango.” Cleo noted
“That’s more than us!” Ren bolstered while Cleo took out her Comm. and gasped.
“Tango blew up
Jimmy’s heart is broken”
“Oh,” Ren peered over her arm, jaw agape. “We didn’t even see that!”
“We made a zombie farm!” Ren said proudly, hastily changing topic. Zombie spawners were another weird thing that just existed in the universe. In the darkness, most hostile mobs can materialize. This chance is changes to certain for one type of mob when close to a spawner.
“Another one, I saw one near spawn?”
“Yup! But first, information,” Ren uttered, dramatically putting his fingers together. “I saw Bdub’s and Impulse in the woods up to no good.”
“Oh, so they’re together, together than?”
“Yes, that and they told me that they were soul bound” Cleo interjected.
“Well than that leaves us with… each other I believe.” I peered at the server’s member list.
“Scott! Do the honors.” Ren laid is head out for me. I pinched his ear and felt nothing.
“Well, how about this?” Ren smacked my arm.
“Nope, nothing.” Cleo lamented, hand at her hip.
“Well, it’s not us either.” Cleo and I sighed in unison.
“What a shame, it could have been great!” Ren’s ears faced downward as he rubbed is neck.
“Wait!” A voice from outside the ravine called.
“Wait, again. Is it safe for me to come down?” Big B leaned in over them.
“You can make it. Got a bucket?” Cleo called back
“Hmmm. I don’t know…” Big B started to walk back.
“Here, I have some.” I slide my pack off my shoulder and grabbed the water. In the weird and marvelous way this world works, it infinitely poured where you spilt it.
Well not exactly infinitely, more of spread for a while but the logistics of water does not matter. I threw some to the floor.
“Come on Big B you can make it!” I reassured. He finally leaped down and by our world’s miracles, he didn’t break his legs.
“Anywhozel, why’d you tell us to wait.” Ren ears perked back up.
“Oh right!” And with that Bing B decked Ren.
“What was that for?!” Ren covered his bleeding nose. Big B’s nosebleed with his.
“We’re soul mates!” Big B exclaimed bringing Ren in for a hug.
“Really?! Best friends Forever! Now can you all leave me and Big B’s big hole, please.”
…………..
“Then we’ve meet everyone!” I turned my Comm.’s server members interface off in frustration.
“But Pearl and Martyn.” Cleo offered bitterly.
“Except Pearl and Martyn.” I threw myself on to the grass. A poppy greeted me after my fall. I crushed it. Dye stained my hand like blood. Cleo came to sit by me but
the Comms. lit up, causing her to jump.
“They just don’t shut up do they?” They brought the troublemaker to her face, and squeezed it.
“Scott, they're in the nether nether.”
“You’re kidding” I checked mine.
“I wouldn’t lie about that, to you at least.” Cleo sat down, resting her head on her arms.
“I know, I mean them. The nether? Potions are banned! Why go?” I bent my head back to see how mesmerizing the stars above us were, even when upside down.
“I know, I don’t get it either. And it’s Pearl too, didn’t expect that from her. What if we claimed each other as our soulbounds, well soulmates I guess?”
I chuckled. “And what? Find them at the end of the session and be like, ‘Welcome home, cheaters’ ?”
“Yes! We have been out here all day looking for them!” Cleo smiled as she swiped hair out of her face.
“Serves them right!” I sat up with them. “I wouldn’t hope to star gaze with anyone else.”
“Sweet, but mobs will try to kill us if we stay here.” With that us soulmates took out our weapons and ventured for shelter.
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I almost fell flat on my face running from the nether, Martyn hot on my heels. The portal whisked us away into sanctity. Might as well been heaven when the cutest of dogs was awaiting me. I scratched her head trying to ignore the scorch marks on my arms and the memories that came packaged with. In stead I focused hard on the softness of Tilly’s fur.
“Here we are, alive and well!” He twirled a blaze rod like a baton, the rest peeking out of his backpack.
“So now what.” I plopped next to Tilly on the dirt.
“We scam! In fact, we’re right next a couple of suckers.” He jumped onto his steed toward Bdub’s and Impulses’ home with me in pursuit. Martyn pulled out a horn and blasted it.
“Can we kill whoever is causing that racket?” A distance voice groaned.
“No! It’s the sound of a bargain! May I present to you, a blaze rod.” Martyn bowed as he showed pulled it from his bag. The crowd ooed.
“Positions this early on will be an annoyance to make.” Impulse thought aloud.
“Alright, alright. What do you want for it.” Martyn shrugged his pack off.
“Nothing.” Bdubs stated but Impulse mouthed to him something.
“Oh right! We want a mushroom. A Brown mushroom, got one?” He heckled with arms crossed.
“Got it right here!” I dangled it in front of him but pulled it back before he could snatch it.
“What can we give you?” Impulse stared with wide eyes.
“Hmmm” I theatrically put my hand to my chin.
“We have two cattle!” Impulse lifted his hand.
“Hmmmmmm” Me and Martyn did together.
“… Bdubs’ do we have anything else.”
“Come on, you’re hungry! You have no food. Admit it! And think of the leather, for books…! And other things... I can’t think of.” We huddled in silence.
“We’re scrapping the bottom of the barrel.” I huffed with my entire chest.
“Too poor!” Martyn agreed pulling leather strands from his bag.
“YOU’RE THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL! Sorry, I shouldn’t shout.” Bdubs slid back behind Impulse.
“We’re going to find something better; I have a plot.” As we trotted off, I implored.
“Okay, okay, we haven’t got a clue of who our soulmates are right?”
“That’s rig-”
“That’s right! So, we collect all the people who haven’t found their soulbounds yet and,” He waved his fingers. “Have A Game Show!”
“Game show?” I wasn’t sure I was following.
“To find our soulbounds!” Martyn repeated in vigor.
“I’ll send out the message for all of single ladies to meet at spawn and explain further.”
But else where in the world, sour smiles snared at their screens. They’d come alright, how could they pass up this opportunity?
“Cool, they said they’ll be right here!” I sat in a tree as Martyn configured his stage.
“Just the two of them, how ‘bout everyone else?” He said half-minded while pressuring the netherack to cooperate.
“What about everyone else?” He pryed.
“Just those two replied.” I jumped down to the clearing. A goat bleated in the distance, probably summoned by all the horns sounding off in the distance.
“But we need three for this to work. I have to host, there has to be someone else.”
“I could?”
“Oh, my mod, you could!”
“Hello, guys! What are we doing today?” Scott cheered from the woods hounded by Cleo.
“Hello! I have here a game show.” Martyn presented the structure to them and the giggled. Something was up.
“Get into the stalls I’ll explain further.” He ushered into random spots.
“What lovely mats you have here Martyn, went to the nether for them? Scott’s and Cleo’s sneers would not leave them.
“The netherack! Just a quick trip. In and out, y’know.” He hoisted him self on top of the stalls.
“In and out, eh?” Cleo remarked, hands behind her back.
“Hello contestants!” Martyn stole a stick for a microphone. Bits of walls crumpled as he walked on them.
The goat came over to explore the conundrum.
“Infront of you is a chest with items. You will use them to find your soulmate!” Scott whispered something to Cleo. They failed to suppress their laughs.
“Hey wh-“I was thrown to the floor. The victor, the goat, stood above me strikingly. Scott laughed from the other stall. I could see threw the gaps that Martyn
overlooked that Scott was clasping his stomach, where I had been hit. I joined them in their hysteria.
“Hard to start a game show when all the contestants won’t shut it. What did I say?”
“No, no you worked hard on this keep going.” Cleo could barely get the sentence out.
“What did I do?” He begged
“Look, Martyn,” Scott told him before slamming his fist into the wall, causing some of it to fall away. I grasped for my fist at the sudden jerk of pain. “And.” He
punched Cleo. Martyn clasped at his arm.
“You are joking… How did you know!” He sprung down.
“Because you are the only ones left! Everyone else has their partner.” Cleo shouted, she sounded exhausted.
“You left us for each other! Off to literal hell!” Scott continued for her.
“We were getting resources.” Martyn yelled back.
“What Kind Of Resources, They Are All Banned!” Cleo shot back.
“Valuable ones!” His excuses were too pathetic, I couldn’t help but grin.
“What are you laughing at, we’re in this together!” Martyn looked grisly.
“Pearl, you left us too.” Was Scott’s stony answer.
“W-What? But we’ve been together since, well a while at least!” I fought back.
“And you left us for the nether! You weren’t eating! Did you ever think to look for us, ‘cause we met everyone before you two bothered to present yourselves!”
“i-I I was looking.” I never was a good liar.
“Do you know how painful it is o know that your universe decided fate didn’t even bother to find you? The pain of watching everyone else hook up and having to bear a lone grin?” Scott fought back better.
“Scott-” But he wasn’t interested. He dragged Cleo by the collar out of the fight Martyn pulled her into.
A horn blew in the distance, followed by a mocking chorus of responses. Martyn turned himself towards the sound.
“Can they just shut up!” He threw is stick in that general direction.
“I’ll add to it since you love it so much” Martyn’s anger was flushed out by the horn.
“I hate you!” He retorted.
“Feelings mutual!” Cleo growled back. We watched them trail off for a moment.
“I guess we are united now…” I felt like a ghost again, just watching everything fall. Having no say over it.
“Are you kidding? Pearl, you’re great, but you are no soulmate.” I stared back daunted.
“Where is this interest coming from now!” I tried to say it with the same conviction.
“You wouldn’t get it. I’m going alone now.” I was parallelized, shock maybe.
The moon was almost full that night letting me stare in clarity. The woods a mist about them. He never looked back. How long I stood there? Couldn’t tell you. Tilly whimper at my feet. Branches were all entangled in her fur, guess she hid from the fighting.
“It’s you and me now, girl” I combed off the twigs.
“Just us.”