Chapter Text
The end of the world starts with an ice coffee. Nibblenephim sucks the straw noisily, slurping up all the souls he's collected the last month. Ice coffees are the best way to consume people, he's recently decided. The way the souls' screams are frozen to scream forever? Perfection. In the semi-interesting Black and White, ice coffee makes it worthwhile. Well, and bullying his brothers. Being the youngest doesn't come with many perks, but trouble with Wiggly is something he'll never get.
Nibbly sees Tinky, the brother who has always stayed just under the expectations the others set. Middle child syndrome, the rest have speculated.
"Winky-Tinky, don't you have any souls that I can lick?"
Tinky seems unresponsive - sullen, even. Nibbly pushes him playfully, which in the Black and White corresponds to a shove that for mortals would mean iminent death.
"What's bothering you, Tinky?"
"No souls. Only the box. The box is gone. Where is my BOX?" Tinky laughs loudly, as one does, but the laugh rings empty.
"Your box with souls, Tinky?" Nibbly grins. "Blinky must've seen it. But aren't you sick of your box?"
"Ted Spankoffski is mine, and all the souls will be mine in the nick of time." Tinky starts laughing again, then his laughing dies and frowns.
"The box will hold all the souls I ever need. But the box is gone. The box is gone..."
"Try an apocalypse, it's fun." Nibbly's grin widens as he tries to comfort Tinky. T'Noy seems to turn the thought over in his head. His frowns loosens, and he shrugs.
"It would be my first time."
Together they watch Sniggles scamper through the landscape of the Black and White. There's something calming to it - well, except for the loud slurping of Nibbly's ice coffee, but nothing can be perfect.
"And it's way past due, Tinky! Kill, maim, torture, it's all in the game! Have some fun - forget your box."
"Maybe you're right. Maybe I should start an apocalypse. For the Box, of course. Ted will have many new playmates to scream with soon..."
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Max Jägerman, on a good day, is a force to be dealt with by letting him beat you up. On a bad day, you just hope really hard you don't meet him. A totally emotional genius, and a fucking asshole, Jägerman is terrifying to everyone but himself. Better you never run into him - ever. Richie Lipschitz, however, had never been a lucky boy.
"You're on my street, bitch." Richie cowers and folds in on himself. There's no way to escape what's coming for him - oh, if he'd only been like Eren, he'd have been out of here in no time.
"I'm so, so sorry Max, I didn't mean to upset you-"
"Oh, so you're gaslighting me now? That's not very cool, bitch." Max's face splits into a grin. Somehow, his EQ seems to be above that of everyone in school - probably why he can run it so well. "You know what happens when you upset me. I'd say I'm sorry, but you know better, Shitlips."
"I'm so sorry - Max, can't I just go home? Please, I'll never walk here again-"
Richie wonders why Max is like this. Maybe one day he'll have a character redemption arc. For now, Max seems to be content just abusing his powers for now. Richie takes one punch in the gut and doubles over, groaning in pain. It goes on for a few minutes - punch after punch, until Richie's only thoughts are "Jesus Christ, that fucking hurts". Fairly average for Jägerman. What's next, a kick to the head? To the stomach?
"What's happening here?"
Instead of further abuse, Richie's ears are graced by an awkward - oh my god, how does he sound so awkward saying just that? - voice. The abuse stops. Shaking, Richie lifts his head and is met with Max being confronted by a tall, lanky man who's showing off his city watch badge.
"Paul Matthews, city watch. Physical abuse is not tolerated in Hatchetfield. You will be brought to the police - just wait a minute, I called them five minutes ago." Max's brow is furrowed. He hasn't ever been caught before - well, that he has, but he's never had consequences for his actions.
Paul gives Richie a hand and helps him up - Richie's eyes are wide with wonder. Someone who stands up to Max Jägerman? He's a real-life All Might, that's for sure - a hero to all in Hatchetfield High.
Max looks guilty - it's strange, seeing him like this. Of course, there's still a glint in his eyes that says he'll get away with everything because he's the quarterback. Fucking Clivesdale up is more important than stopping bullies in Hatchetfield. Fuck Clivesdale.
"Are you alright?" Paul asks the kid. He seems to be hurt, but he isn't bleeding, so it must be alright. That's how medical urgency works, right? Unless he's bleeding internally. Hm. The other kid - Max, Paul knows him, he's always on the news - looks way too proud of bullying kids that are half his weight class.
"I'll be fine. I know how to deal with things like this," the kid responds.
"Has this happened before?" Jesus fucking Christ, these high schoolers are a mess, Paul thinks to himself. There's a bully with this much certainty in school that it happens that often? Paul hears sirens coming from down the street and smiles awkwardly when Sam steps out.
"Show me those hands, Jägerman - you're coming with us."
"Thank you so much, Sam," Paul says. He sees nothing will happen with Max, but at least he helped the kid for the moment. It's Hatchetfield, of course it'll happen again. Maybe he should claim all patrols around the high school.
Paul and Richie watch the cop car drive off in awkward silence.
"Do you, uh, like coffee?" Paul asks. "A nice caramel frap always helps. Did you get hurt bad?"
"Eh, I'll bruise, but it's fine. Nothing's broken, nothing's bleeding. I think." Richie's brow furrows. "Why did you stop him?"
"That kid, Max?" Paul chuckles. "He's just a future high school has been. He was hurting you."
"He's Max Jägerman," Richie pronounces the name slowly. "He's the star quarterback of the Hatchetfield High team."
"I went to Sycamore. Fuck Clivesdale, but keeping Hatchetfield residents safe is more important than endangering those of Clivesdale."
"You're a hero, Paul Matthews."
"Don't call me by my full name - don't call me a hero. I'm just doing the bare minimum, really. Do you want coffee or not?"