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Chapter Text

[Chance]

"Ahhh, ptooey."

Chance flicks his flintlock out, clicking it back while he's trying to calm his nerves. He can't believe there's only three of them left in this round- himself, Two Time, and Guest 1337.

Guest is busy trying to do the last generator. Two Time's only interested in themselves, and Chance- well, he's doing what he does best, gambling.

Chance flips their coin again, and feels himself get stronger, his hit points increasing. He flips it again, just to make sure he gets luckier, but this time he feels himself get weaker. 'Weakness II. Not bad, but not good either...'

They flip their coin again. Weakness III. Another flip, and finally, he has three stacks of coin flips for a hat fix, and he resets the debuff.

Unfortunately, he hears a yell from the distance and furrows his brow. '####. Guest's down. Jason got him.'

Chance loads his gun and gets to running. He manages to go halfway across the map before he begins to hear something behind him.

'Oooooh no. No don't you DARE-' He hears the familiar 'ch ch ch ah ah' and there's the scraping of metal as the killer drags his machete on the wall, letting out an intimidating scraping sound.

"Ha! Back so soon?" Chance runs backward, and turns around with his pistol, aiming it at Jason's body. "There's only a minute left, and you ain't gonna get me!"

He pulls the trigger on his gun. There's a bang, and pain laces through his hand. "Agh-!"

'Misfire! There's a misfire!' He bolts out of there as quick as possible, dodging and weaving between the dilapidated walls of the place. He passes by the "Brandon World" sign and grabs a medkit from the floor, but gets jabbed in the shoulder as he tries to use it.

"Ugh! Darn it-" They pivot over to the other side, sprinting again, and this time, they see Two Time running the other way. "Hey! Two Time! Help a pal out here!"

Two Time said nothing, and simply bolted the other way. Chance pants, and if he wasn't so out of breath he'd scoff. 'Typical of them. Tch...'

Chance trips, and the machete right behind them is jabbed through his chest, making him cough out blood. Jason picks him up, and what follows is a familiar, painful execution.

"A-AAAGH! S-so- close!"

He's tossed to the ground, and his vision goes dark as he passes out. It's not death, no, not really- because they know that they'll wake up back in the cabins.

Chance lets out a few labored breaths, before he bleeds out and finally feels his own body dissolve. When they open their eyes again, they're sprawled out on one of the tables in the big cabin.

"'You okay, Chance?" Elliot pats him on the back, and Chance leans back, groaning. "I was so close to winning- it was only fifty seconds, Elliot! Fifty seconds!"

"Aw, you'd get em' next time, Chance." Builderman waves from the side of the room, busy sketching up some new sentry blueprints while Shedletsky munches on some chicken drumsticks next to him.

"Yeah, yeah, I get it... I gambled and I lost. I know when to quit it." Chance sighs, getting up from the table and walking over to the TV screen in the cabin. "Let's see here... how's Two Time doing and- they're dead."

Elliot winces as he sees his teammate get torn to shreds by the killer. Chance is both used to the gore at this point and slightly pissed that Two Time left them to die, so they simply watch with a passive expression.

As expected, it's a minute or so before Two Time materializes in the main cabin, their tail splayed out behind them.

"Hey." He kind of just looms over them until they turn over, giving him a blank stare. "..."

"..."

The awkward silence between them was enough to communicate what was needed. Chance just backs off and plays with his coin again, flipping it over with a quiet 'ping' as he sighs.

"Whatever. It's not like there's anything else to do now." Chance shakes their head. 'Can't let it get to me. It isn't going to be good if we're at each other's throats all the time.' He's seen first-hand how rivalries and past grievances can mess with their survival- 007n7 and Elliot are living together with everyone, after all.

The gambler decides to go out on the pier, rubbing the center of his chest where he'd gotten stabbed. There's no pain, only a phantom soreness that he recalls.

He sits down on the pier, kicking his legs back and forth. The pocket dimension they're currently trapped in is small, far too small for it to feel natural. They've tried running into the woods. tried swimming across the water- to no avail.

There's an invisible barrier around everywhere. They can't go far from the cabins without running into it, so it's futile. After... he doesn't even know how long it's been, it starts becoming hopeless.

'By Telamon, how long has it been...' Chance stops kicking his legs, staring out at the sunset. 'Has it been months? Years?'

It feels weird using Telamon's name to curse when Shedletsky was right there with the other survivors, but oh well. All he can do it just wait for another unfortunate soul to get forsaken, if he wants to know how long it's truly been.

Chance sighs, stretching as they get up from the pier and begin heading back. However, they're stopped by a feeling of something, and it doesn't feel like the usual call to another round.

It's less of a forceful yank and more of the blowing of wind, like a crack in a dark cave. Chance turns around to see a small fissure floating in the air, the surroundings warping around it a bit.

"Huh? What..." He backs off, but once it seems to show no sign of danger, he steps forward and inspects it. "What the ####..."

Again. He can't exactly curse with the chat filter, but it got the message across. 'This is some weird coding or glitch stuff... I should call the others. Maybe Builderman or Shed has an idea, or 007n7...'

"Hey!" He power-walks back inside the cabin, catching everyone's attention as he waves frantically. "There's something outside! I don't know what it is, but it ain't looking good!"

"That's... worrying." Guest 1337 looks up from his cards, with Noob puts down their own deck. "Are we under attack?"

"No, it's-" Chance tries to explain it but it dies at the tip of their tongue. "I dunno. Hard to explain, it's some weird code stuff for sure. Builderman?"

"I'll go check it out. Ya' don't have to worry, I've got it covered." Builderman gets up from his chair, and Shedletsky does so as well. "It ain't gonna be good if y'all get involved in the crossfire."

From the corner of the room, 007n7 perks up, curious as to what's happening. All of the survivors follow the two, as it's probably the only interesting thing thats happened to them so far.

"What is that?" Noob looks skittish at the sight of the crack. "I mean- it's bright, it feels weird..."

"Even I don't have an idea of what this is." Builderman admits. He circles around the small crack, and analyzes the situation thoroughly. "Need a bit of yer' magic, Dusekkar, if we're checking this out closer."

"Tread carefully with where you stand, for one wrong move can get out of hand." Dusekkar casts his protective shield over Builderman, and the shorter Robloxian carefully taps on the crack in reality. "Now, y'all better stay back, because messing with this might get dangerous-"

"Outta the way, Builder! I'm coming through!" Chance winces as Shedletsky decides to take matters into his own hands and stab the crack with his linked sword.

There's an audible 'CRRCK-!' as the fissure widens, and with a twist, Shedletsky manages to pry a hole out of the crack in reality that lets them see through.

Chance's heart stops. The other survivors also freeze, because they're seeing something that they haven't seen in a year or so- sunlight. Real sunlight, not the dim, fake sunlight in this purgatory.

"Is that...?" Elliot's mouth is wide open, and Builderman's eyes are locked onto the area. Everyone's suddenly far more aware than before, and there's something like hope welling up in them again.

"Everyone!" Shedletsky couldn't say that he expected this, but it was far beyond his wildest dreams. "Attack the hole in reality- we might have a chance to get out!"

"Freedom!" And with that, it's an absolute chaotic scramble towards what might be their one chance out of here. Chance flips his coin frantically, giving himself a few stacks of weakness, but he takes aim and keeps on firing.

Builderman's got a sentry up, Guest charges at the side of the crack and slams into it, widening it even more. It's Shedletsky that yells out, drawing back his arm and slamming his blade into the hole in reality.

The cracks have spread out in front of them like they're breaking through this pocket dimension, and with that final hit, everything shatters and their word goes white.

[Builderman]

Being the CEO of Roblox and the de-facto leader of Robloxia means that he's endowed with the most power out of any other account, save for the other admins and moderators working under him.

This makes him akin to a god towards the Robloxians. Given, he's not omnipotent or something, but he was still immortal and very powerful before he was forsaken and dragged into that purgatory. Builderman and Shedletsky's full power was locked away when that happened, and they were no more powerful than the average Robloxian.

But as he's waking from his slumber, groaning as he does so- he feels the familiar thrum of power underneath his skin, feels the weight of responsibility bear down on him as he blinks his eyes open.

"A-agh... darn it all." He adjusts his hardhat, but pauses as he feels it get stuck on something from his head. He'd think it over more if it weren't for the fact that he was currently surrounded by the other survivors in an alleyway, all either passed out or beginning to recover as well.

Chance is right next to him, splayed out- but for some reason, the gambler has a pair of straight, jet-black horns jutting out from his fedora. Builderman is slightly groggy and doesn't really get what's happening at first, but he's the first to ask.

"Hey, wake up- Chance." He nudges Chance a bit, and they make a huffing sound, trying to get up on their feet. Builderman then turns to Noob and Elliot, who were- wait, Noob?

"Pardon, but- who in the world are you?" Builderman is on guard immediately, ready to sprint if needed. There's a Robloxian(?) wearing Noob's clothes, but his skin was a pale white and two neon-yellow horns jutted out of his head, the same color as Noob's skin.

"What? Builderman, it's me- Noob!" The stranger, apparently Noob, pulls out the Bloxy Cola and takes a swig of it, out of habit. "Why don't you recognize me? And- what's with those weird horns on your hat?"

"Noob. Are you aware that your skin is... different? White?" Builderman's hand consciously drifts up to his head, and yup, his construction helmet has horn-like protrusions on it. Slipping his hand under his hat makes him realize that yes, he's also grown horns as well.

Everyone in the group seems to be impacted in different ways. Chance, Elliot and 007n7 look mostly the same, their skin being monochrome like before, although there's the addition of horns for each of them.

Two Time's raven-black hair is replaced with a set of horns that are the same color, but there's a second set of horns that look like their spawn wings. Guest 1337's hair is also gone, replaced with large bull horns.

Dusekkar is unchanged, and he's already casting protection on the ones who are just getting up, still adjusting to their new forms. The most different out of all of them, it seems, would be Noob and Shedletsky- instead of their typical neon-yellow skin, it's completely turned white and their horns are the same color instead.

"By the Spawn, are we actually...?" Two Time looks baffled, looking up at the sky above them. It's currently a brilliant, pleasant blue with some clouds above- nothing like what their purgatory would have been like. 

"We're actually out." 007n7 breathes out in disbelief, trembling a bit. "It's actually... over."

"..." Guest 1337 is completely quiet. He's taken a good look at everybody here, and is trying to analyze the situation. His own hand rises to check his head, and yup, he's just noticed his horns. Builderman can see him visibly tense up and scramble to check his reflection in a nearby puddle.

Elliot lets out a disbelieving laugh. "We're- we're out! Finally! I can go home!"

"Not so fast. We might not even be in the right place." Guest stops him from running off right away, his arm blocking the other man. "We look completely different, and judging from how the buildings look, we're in a foreign place. This might not even be Robloxia."

Elliot visibly deflates at this, his hopes of seeing his family and his sister dampened. Chance is busy flipping his coin as the others debate on what to do now.

"I mean, we're no longer in purgatory, which is great-" 007n7 starts off, while Elliot shoots a glare at him. "But if Guest is right, we don't even know where we are or why we've got horns now. We don't even know why Noob and Shedletsky are- um..."

"You can say that we're white, man." Shedletsky stretches, and yelps as something 'fwoops' out from behind his back. "Eh-!"

Builderman raises an eyebrow as he sees feathery yellow wings sprout out of his friend's back. "Well I'll be... that's darned interestin'."

"Guess you ate so much chicken that you're turning into one, right?" Chance snickers, pocketing his coin. "Never thought I'd see the day where you'd grow wings!"

"Wings? Oh, oh right!" Shedletsky tries moving them, and they flap around erratically before it seems he gets some shaky control of them. "Kinda cool, right? I mean, I didn't know this would happen, buuuut..."

"Congrats, Shed- but I think we should focus on the matter at hand now. We're going to have to find information, see if this place is dangerous- and if there's anyone else around here, we'll have to blend in and ask questions."

Builderman crosses his arms, and thinks it over. It's Guest 1337 that gives an idea. "We can do recon of the area if we split up. It's not the best idea to be a group of nine in a city environment, since that would raise suspicion."

"I must agree, for that is best- it would be wise to divert from the rest." Dusekkar nods. "For we are many, in a city too grand- we can reconvene after we split this merry band."

"A-ah, yeah..." Noob agrees with him, and the rest of the survivors end up coming to a consensus. A well-balanced team of four and five, all roaming the new city. Not a bad idea.

Builderman split up with Chance, Elliot, 007n7 and Two Time. Shedletsky was stuck with Noob, Guest 1337, and Dusekkar. It wouldn't be fair to have both him and his friends in the same group, and leave the others without an admin to protect them if anything went wrong.

'I gotta check if I'm back to normal 'gain. Would be mighty useful if I still had my admin powers...' Builderman thinks. He lets Two Time and Chance slip out of the alleyway, checking the surroundings before reporting back.

"There's a lotta Robloxians with horns out there." Chance drawls. "In fact, I don't think they're even Robloxians- not one of them have a lick of hair on them, and they're all calling themselves 'Inphernals' or whatever."

"I reckon we're 'Inphernals' now, if that's the case..." Builderman thinks it over. "We can act all casual and normal, right? They ain't too different from Robloxians?"

"Only one way to find out." Chance gestures towards the others, and Builderman follows, acting as casual as possible. 007n7 and Elliot were... reluctantly getting along as Two Time trails behind them, glancing at the passerby shiftily.

Builderman strikes up a conversation with Chance, to make it seem less suspicious. "Your casino's doin' well?"

"About as well as it can be, last time I saw it!" Chance brightens up, slipping into the act. "You shoulda' seen the way the suckers act when I ask them to bet their limiteds!"

While they chatted idly and passed by other Robloxians- er, Inphernals, they managed to catch information in snippets.

For one, they were in Crossroads. Definitely not the Crossroads they were familiar with, as the complex, cramped buildings and apartments towered over them with neon lights, but it shared the same name.

There were four factions here, and none of them seemed too friendly with each other after some aforementioned war. Builderman heard something about 'Blackrock', something about 'Biografts'- 'They're makin' the Biograft Swords? Huh...'

And most surprisingly of all, almost every Inphernal here was named after a gear. That certainly meant something, but that was something to worry about later as the group of five stopped in front of a cafe.

"Might as well take a break... darn, we haven't been here in a while." Builderman says- and he's right. None of the survivors have had proper food from outside of their purgatory for a long time. Noob is drooling a bit at the prospect of finally eating something that wasn't his own food or Elliot's pizza, and even Elliot looks hungry at the idea.

"Come on, what are we waiting for?!" Chance eggs them on, but Two Time stops them. "And do you have any currency, Chance?"

"Why, of course I do!" He grins confidently, slipping his hands into his pockets and drawing out a wad of money. It... sort of looks like Robux, but not exactly? 'Where'd he even get this?'

"Hehe... it ain't exactly clean money, but it'll pay for our food." Chance whispered to the others. "Swiped it off a few suckers while we were walking here."

The admin looked at Chance with a disapproving look, but since they were technically not in Robloxia and he was hungry as well, he let it slide. "Fine... but don't do that again."

The group walked into the cafe, unaware of what was about to happen.

[Slingshot]

He's used to large influxes of customers, usually friends or a bunch of Theives' Den members going to rest for the day. His cafe is the best in upper Crossroads, after all!

But Slingshot thinks the Inphernals that just walked in are a completely odd bunch. There's a guy with a hardhat, someone in a suit, some guy right off a shift at a pizza place, and... well, he's not even sure what the last two are doing there. 'Was there an unofficial Phight or something?'

It's often that there are unoffical Phights, since demons need some way to release stress and train to become official Phighters. Dom and Valk didn't just pick him out of nowhere- he'd earned his spot in the Theives' Den representative roster.

If he had to guess, they looked all like support classes. The one dressed in a black suit and tie saunters forward, and stops to look at the menu.

"Hey, Builderman-what do you want?" The demon with the hard hat rubs his chin, thinking it over.

"I'd um... like a chocolate milkshake?" The one with the burger hat and gods-awful shirt says. "That's on the menu, right?"

"A simple hot chocolate would suffice for me." The one with wing-like horns and a tail responded. Slingshot has an eerie feeling from them, but he ignores it. 'Those horns seem familiar, though...'

All of them order and pay, and Slingshot goes to the back with Vine Staff and Shuriken taking a break. "Hey guys, some customers came in! I'm going to make the orders right now."

"Awww, dang it... I thought today was gonna be a slow day." Shuriken complains, but he gets up from the chair as Vine Staff calmly hums. It's just the usual- wait for Slingshot to finish making the drinks, and then serve them to the customers.

As Slingshot watches Vine Staff and Shuriken hand out the drinks, he's slightly amused to see how the customers react. The pizza delivery guy seems to be absolutely demolishing his own mocha drink, and all of them seem to love it. 'They're drinking like it's the only thing they've had in ages!'

"Are you guys back from a Phight or something?" Shuriken asks, cleaning some of the other tables. "Celebrating a win?"

"Huh? Oh, kind of." The one in the suit leans back in his chair. "We lost the... fight, so a pick-me-up is good for the others, don't you say?"

"Awww, better luck next time! Keep it up, and you'll become an official Phighter if you're lucky!" Shuriken beams at them. "That's how my sister managed to get in the roster with me! Best healer on the team, in my opinion!"

"Mhm." The others don't really seem to care about that. Slingshot expected amateur Phighters to be completely freaking out about being in the same room as them, but hey, he might be wrong.

Vine Staff sighs and rolls her eyes. "Shuri, you don't have to say that..."

"What? I'm right! Medkit's good but he isn't you! And Coil's always trying to beat everyone's faces in instead of healing!"

"Stop it!" Vine Staff playfully punches her brother's arm. "You're making me embarrassed!"

"Haha, take it! You gotta show off once in a while!" Shuriken says, amused.

"Where can we go for some more... credible unofficial fights?" Builderman asks. The Inphernals next to him look slightly suprised, and the one with the burger hat whispers something inaudible to the one with wing-horns.

"If you're asking in general, the one I went to was in Thieves' Den." Slingshot says. "But I think it's a faction-exclusive club, and won't let you guys in if you're from Lost Temple, Blackrock, Playground... so you're better off finding one in Crossroads."

"Well, is there one? In Crossroads?"

"Hm..." Slingshot doesn't really know where to go for that, since he mainly trains in Thieves' Den. It's Shuriken that pipes up. "There's a gym in the north alleyways that hosts tournaments once every month! They're for beginner Phighters, but you can ask around there if you want to find the higher-ranking unofficial Phights!"

"That'll do." The group tips Slingshot and his friends, and they wave goodbye. "Thanks for the drinks!"

Slingshot gives a wave as well. "Thank you! Hope to see you all next time!"

"Good luck on the Phights as well!" Shuriken shouts. It's not bad, but they have the feeling that they're going to see them again.

"Wonder if they're gonna win next time... they look really tough, so who'd they even lose to?"

[Noob]

They feel like they're pretty safe in this team. Shedletsky and Guest 1337 are pretty powerful on their own, even when they were helpless with the killer chasing them around during rounds, and Dusekkar isn't bad either.

Noob feels kind of weird looking like this, but hey! They're not stuck in the middle of a scary pocket dimension anymore, and that's better than anything else. They've already gone into a liquor store and bought some chips and a drink that wasn't Bloxy Cola for once, and gladly devoured that.

And there's other people! That's a plus! No offense to his teammates, but living with them and being stuck in the same place for years isn't exactly pleasant. Shedletsky had to hide his wings under his shirt, though, because they'd seen that none of the other Inphernals had any wings.

"How are we even going to get any more money?" Noob asks, looking at the shops in Crossroads. "I mean, we just spent the rest of Shedletsky's Robux - er, Bux, on all the food..."

"I am unsure of how to proceed, for finding money we currently lack the means." Dusekkar crosses his arms, walking by Shedletsky as the admin sighs, already missing the taste of chicken. "Aw, man... can I even summon it here?"

"Why not give it a try?" Guest 1337 leans on a brick wall, and he watches as Shedletsky reaches behind himself. The admin pulls out some of his chicken, and grins. "Score!" He eagerly devours the chicken leg, and it dematerializes once he gets down to the bone.

"Noob was able to summon their Bloxy Cola, so it's a given." Guest 1337 notes. "But I think we should be careful with this. From what I've gathered..."

Noob recalls this. They'd passed by a few Inphernals bragging about their own gear, and it clicked into place for them after spending some time people-watching.

Inphernals, apparently, were born with a gear that they could summon. They only had one gear, and couldn't use another- so Shedletsky summoning his linked sword right after summoning chicken to heal would definitely attract the wrong kind of attention.

"I suppose we'll have to blend in with the locals better." Guest 1337 finds a flyer on the wall, nestled between a few wanted posters for some demon called 'Broker'. "Hm. This would be useful."

"Hey, let me see!" Shedletsky peers over Guest's shoulder, and takes the flyer from him. "A fighting competition?"

"Melee Gear Starter Tournament!" The paper read. "Melee gears only, win up to 1k Bux! Come test your strength at the Iron Cafe arena!"

"I thought the Iron Cafe was just a cafe?" Noob asks, curious. Guest 1337 shakes his head. "Remember- we are in a completely different world, Noob. The Iron Cafe just shares a name and some similarities, just like Crossroads."

"O-Oh, right! Silly me..." Noob scratches his head, and Shedletsky addresses the other survivors in his group. "It'd be a good idea for me to participate, right? I've got my sword, after all."

"It says it's a melee competition, so the others can join as well if they're good fighters." Guest 1337 notes. "Maybe I can try."

"That'd be a great idea!" The four of them agreed on this, and after a bit of finagling, they'd figured out where the tournament was going to be held, and that they'd meet up with the others.

Shedletsky led the others back to the designated meeting point in the alleyway, and they wait for a while. Two hours pass, and they finally hear footsteps. Shedletsky gets his sword out and Guest readies for a charge, just in case it's a stranger, but they both relax once they see Builderman and the other survivors.

"Ayyy, look who's here first!" Chance finger-guns them, grinning. "You cannot believe the haul I got- those suckers didn't even expect me!"

"More of like you scammed them out of their money." Builderman disapprovingly chides. "What if you got caught?"

"As if they'd catch me!" The former casino owner laughs, leaning on the wall and spinning his flintlock. He rifles through a stack of Bux, and hums. "Yo, Builderman- what'd that catboy say again?"

"That is- they ain't-" Builderman lets out a sigh, and ignores that. "Nevermind. What he's tyna' say is that we talked ta' one of the locals, and he'd said that there's a gym hostin' a beginner fighting tournament up north!"

"I was about to say the same thing as well." Shedletsky shows them the flyer. "Apparently the people in Crossroads here really like battling."

"If we'd win both of 'em, we'd get enough cash to last for a month or so." Builderman thinks it over. "Y'all agree?"

There's a round of approval from most of the survivors, but 007n7 and Elliot actually agree on something for once. "What about the rest of us? I can't exactly do anything with my clones, and Elliot..."

"There's always other ways to get money. Maybe a job would help if we lose the tournaments." Shedletsky says. Noob feels like he isn't really good at anything- Shedletsky, Builderman and 007n7 all know how to code, the others are at least kind of strong...

"Perhaps it is better to prepare for such a tournament. It would be soon." Two Time says. "We have our weapons with us, and we can go by our gear as our names, seeing that these... beings are named after their own gears." They said, slightly distrustful. After all, the Inphernals all looked like demons to the cultist.

"Two Time's right." Chance says, and he flips his coin again out of habit. It lands on tails, and he curses out of instinct, expecting it to be censored.

"Shit!"

Everyone freezes. Noob slowly turns to look at him, and Chance is equally as baffled as the two admins in front of him.

They pause a bit, and try it again. "Shit." They say. No glitchy censor noise and hastags. A small grin begins to form on their face, and the survivors who aren't the admins begin to get the idea.

They're no longer in Robloxia... meaning there's no chat filter.

"Shit! Fuck! Balls!" Chance yells out, and Shedletsy yelps in offense. Builderman looks absolutely miffed, waving his hands. "That isn't very user friendly!" He says.

"Fuck if I care, haha!" Chance laughs, a bit maniacal. "Let's goooo! No more filter! No more getting cut off when I say shit like this!"

Noob's a bit curious as well, so they try it out. "Fuck!" Builderman whips over to them with a distressed look, with 'oh no it's spreading' written all over his face.

Man, it feels cathartic to cuss.

Eventually, once they all got it out of their system, they managed to use Chance's money to buy a few hotel rooms and rest there. It was far comfier than the cabins in that purgatory, and miles more inviting and safe, despite it being a rather bland and ratty hotel. 

There, they spent the days leading up to the tournament training, figuring out what their gears were and their cover stories, all that. Shedletsky ran into a bit of a roadblock after learning that one of the Phighters (apparently some big-shot battlers) already had the liked sword as their gear.

Fortunately enough, there were duplicates- kind of rare, but it just meant he could lie and say that his gear was the Chicken Leg. And so it was decided- Guest 1337 was going hand-to-hand without a gear in the melee tournament, and Shedletsky would join him with the linked sword as a 'fake' gear. Chance and Builderman would go into the unofficial Phight with their flintlock and his sentries, so it would be fair.

Let's hope this doesn't go wrong.

[Sword]

Honestly, he's pretty hyped to do this! It's not so often that he goes out and actually does things other than battle in the arena as a Phighter, but this is just another part of his 'job'.

Phighters weren't just celebrities, they also represented their faction and had a role in promoting unofficial Phights, checking them out to see if there's any upcoming Inphernals that might become new Phighters.

So that's how he's headed to an unofficial match in the Iron Cafe arena! It's his job to kinda just sit in the top stands and check out whoever's going to come up next, and Rocket's with him as well for fun. They both get a free show, and he does his duty- not so bad of a deal!

Sword absently grips the hilt of his gear, looking down to see some Inphernals duke it out. Someone named Steampunk Glove was expected to win this tournament, seeing that they had a track record of placing second in underground fights.

"Isn't that the demon that lost to Coil?" Rocket points out, and Sword shrugs. "I dunno. They got close to becoming a Phighter, that's all I know."

He watches them knock out another contestant, grinning as they pump their fist in the air. "Who's next, huh?!" They cheered. The crowd roars, and the announcer declares their victory.

"Another rousing performance from Steampunk Glove!" They shout. "But we've got a newcomer in the ring next- goes by the stage name 'Guest', and he's rocking some top-tier moves! And get this- he's going without his gear for this round!"

"Can you believe this guy?!" One demon from the audience laughs. "He's gonna get absolutely demolished!"

"Really? Going up against Steampunk?" Another audience member rolls his eyes. "They're an idiot with a death wish, that's for sure..."

Rocket snorts and looks amused. "That's plain stupid." Even he wasn't this overconfident when he was younger.

Sword watches as a bulky, muscular demon steps into the ring, stretching his arms. He's got massive bull-like horns that were a deep blue color, and a glare in his eyes that shut the audience up.

He's wearing a bulletproof military vest and a camouflage outfit. Sword and Rocket immediately know he's from Playground, and is most likely a veteran on par with Zuka.

"H-hey... who the heck is this?" Steampunk Glove themself were sweating, and the only thing stopping them from bolting was the fact that this guy wasn't planning using his gear at all.

"I'm just here to win." Guest says, crossing his arms as he assesses his opponent. "So ready up."

"..." The crowd isn't really sure of what to make of this demon planning to fight without his gear. All of them know that not using their gear putting them at a severe disadvantage and was almost automatically a loss, but Guest seemed to be completely without fear.

The announcer clears their throat, and announces the match. "We've got Guest verses Steampunk Glove! Phighters, get ready! On your mark, get set... Phight!"

Steampunk Glove rushes forward and raises their hand, yelling as they aim for Guest's head. Guest instead blocks the attack with his bare forearms, and retaliates with a punch that sends Steampunk reeling. "A-agh!"

"Keep up." He unleashes a torrent of slow, heavy punches that Steampunk Glove has to block, but even then his fists push them back.

"W-what the hell?!" They're getting outclassed by a guy not even using his gear. Their pride can't stand for this, and they retaliate with a yell, swinging wildly. Guest ducks and weaves, getting grazed on the cheek and drawing blood, but still continues jabbing at his opponent.

"Woah." Rocket's reluctantly impressed, and Sword could see why. Seeing that Rocket didn't like his former faction, this was tall praise from him. "Where the heck was he when the roster was made?"

"I don't know." Sword admits. "Dom and Valk would've scouted him out regardless, but he might have just been recovering from the Faction War."

They simply watch the match in silence, seeing what Guest was capable of. Steampunk Glove tries to get some distance in between them so that they could recover, but instead, Guest yells out and puts his arm in front of himself, readying for a charge.

"AAAGH! Take- this!" He dashes forward, slamming into the boxer and sending them flying out of the ring, collapsed on the other side of the Iron Cafe arena.

"..." The crowd is stunned silent as they see what just happened. Steampunk Glove lies there limply (funnily enough, in the Peter Griffith death pose), knocked out.

Even the announcer takes some time to recover. "A-ahem, well- what a surprise, folks!" They shakily say. "Looks like the newcomer was able to beat Steampunk Glove, with no gear needed at all! Give it up for GUEEEEST!"

The crowd is silent for a while, before one person begins clapping. The audience slowly roars to life, whooping and hollering as they cheer for the unexpected victory.

"HOLY SHIT! That was absolutely amazing!" "How'd he even do that?!"

"That guy's really tough if he can do all that without using his gear..." Another audience member mutters. "What's he capable of with his gear, then?"

It takes some time for Sword and Rocket to kind of comprehend that victory. And with that massive spectacle, it makes the next fights coming up pale in comparison. "Dude, he just defeated someone with his bare hands! What's gonna beat that?!" Rocket exclaims.

Apparently, something could top that. It takes a few rounds of the usual melee fighting when another demon steps into the ring, wearing a black hood, a casual t-shirt and shorts. He's got a sword on his hip and was munching on a chicken leg.

"Um." His opponent, an Inphernal with the Cerulean Vengeance sword, was looking at him like he'd stepped into the wrong place. "Is this a joke?"

"Hey." The guy waves, and de-summons the chicken leg. "I'm Shedletsky."

"Well folks, we've got a rather... unorthodox fighter today!" The announcer says. "We've got Shedletsky- what kind of name is that- here with his own artificial gear! He's going to be sword-fighting his opponents with his own iron sword."

"He's a support gear! What's he even doing here?!" One of the crowd heckles. "Like, seriously?! A chicken leg?!"

"Aww, man... this is so stupid."

"The rules say that I can fight, as long as I don't use my 'real' gear." Shedletsky states. "So what?"

Sword really can't take him seriously as well. The guy looked like a chicken, with two yellow wing-like horns on the side of his head and a red, comb-like horn in the middle. 'This guy's really gonna go up against him with a normal iron sword? Not even a modified artificial gear?'

'What can he even do?'

The chicken-like Inphernal doesn't really seem to be bothered by this, and simply shrugs, hoisting the iron sword onto his shoulder. "Hey, what's the hold-up? I wanna start- it's been a while since I've done this."

(Shedletsky's been eager to try out his sword-fighting skills, after all this time. He'd been prevented from having a proper sword-fight with anyone, since whatever had trapped him in that purgatory had also made it so he could only swing it once every forty or so seconds before getting unnaturally tired.)

"If you say so... you signed the waiver saying that you're not gonna sue us for getting hurt." The announcer hums. "The battle between Shedletsky and Cerulean Vengeance is about to start! Get ready, get set... Phight!"

Cerulean Vengeance has a grin on their face, clearly taking this as an easy victory. "Ha! Let's see you dodge this-!"

Faster than anyone can react, Shedletsky disappeared from sight. He dashed over to the side, spinning around and slamming his blade into Cerulean's own, sending the gear careening out of it's wielder's hands. Cerulean Vengance freezes, and the chicken-like demon has a relaxed look.

"Is that it?" He yawns. "Come on, pick up the pace."

Cerulean jumps back, growling as he summons his gear to his hand and charges forward for a slash. Shedletsky effortlessly dodges, and goes in for a parry as the other Inphernal swings again.

"I mean, you're trying..." He says. The chicken-like Inphernal isn't even paying attention to the fight, looking to the stands in boredom and blocking all of Cerulean's attacks without even needing to focus on the battle.

"Are you kidding me?!" Cerulean Vengeance snarls, and he rushes forward for a flurry of slashes and jabs. Again, it's all blocked or dodged without any effort on Shedletsky's end. "How-?! Take me seriously, damn it!"

"Is that all you've got?" The other Inphernal yawns, and looks absolutely bored. "If that's all, then..."

Sword can't even see what happens next, but Cerulean is knocked down to the ground by Shedletsky, his gear gone from his hands again and an iron blade next to his neck. "Checkmate."

"... Tch." He looks absolutely pissed, but knows when he's beaten. "I yield."

The audience, once again, is baffled beyond words. The announcer, still shell-shocked, shakily announces Shedletsky's victory.

Sword's mouth is agape, and Rocket is looking at him. "Do you know how to do that?"

"No???" The demi-deity is absolutely baffled. "What on the Inpherno? I don't think I can keep up with that! That's something dad can do, not me!"

"Damn, that good?" Rocket whistles, impressed. He watches as Shedletsky exits the ring and gives Guest a wave on the sidelines. "Those two know each other?"

"Wait, what?" Sword asks. Rocket nudges him over to look at the sidelines, where the other unofficial Phighters were hanging out for the Melee tournament. Shedletsky was sitting next to Guest, who looked on-guard about everything. In contrast, the swordsman looks relaxed, simply summoning his fried chicken gear again and chowing down.

"... Huh."

The two of them watched as Guest and Shedletsky absolutely dominated the competition. For some reason, the blue-horned Playgrounder absolutely refused to use his gear, even when facing the finalists, knocking them out of the ring.

Shedletsky was an absolute menace, just as much as Guest. Sword feels that the rounds with him were actually too fast, as he'd usually knocked them out in less than five seconds. 'What kind of crazy sword-fighting is this?! How's he this good?!'

Rocket and Sword are at the edge of their seat during the final round. The crowd is also similarly hyped,  having seen the strength those two had.

"Dude, that was like, totally unexpected!" One of the demons chatting in the stands was shaking her friend. "It's absolutely crazy- I didn't even know you could do that with a sword!"

"Right?! That was completely insane! How'd he even pull that off?!"

Sword sees Shedletsky and Guest step into the arena, with Shedletsky having a slight smile and Guest being completely serious.

"Hey, Guest! Nice to see you made it all the way here, haha!" Shedletsky leans back on one of the pillars, smiling. "You ready for a fight?"

"Are you joking? You know I don't stand a chance." Guest crosses his arms, shaking his head. "You are the Shedletsky. I won't even get in a single hit."

"Awww, come on! I'll take it easy on you!" Shedletsky says, light-hearted. "I've been doing it for all the others..."

"Your 'easy' is my absolute best." Guest sighs, and puts his fists up. "Fine, I'll play along."

The announcer themself was absolutely frothing for the fight, grinning ear-to-ear. "Guest versus Shedletsky, the fight between two sweepers that came out of nowhere! This is the biggest fight of the Melee Gear Starter Tournament history!"

"Ready, get set... Phight!"

Guest rushes forward for a Charge, but gets sliced on the side by Shedletsky's sword. They circle each other, with Guest putting up his forearms to anticipate a slash and Shedletsky looking amused.

"You're doing that as if it's going to stop my sword, Guest." He rushes forward, and slams his blade down effortlessly, making Guest roll over to the side to avoid the sharp edge. "Or has all that time made you forget that you can't block a sword?"

"Excuse me for forgetting. Blocking that person's sword was easier back in the rounds." Guest replies. "Come on..."

Sword knows for a fact that Shedletsky was going slower than usual just to draw the fight out. That demon managed to disable all of the previous melee fighters in seconds. 'He's probably trying all this to make it more entertaining for us, and because he's Guest's friend or something.'

It seems like Guest has the same idea too, the bull-horned Inphernal grumbling under his breath. "Just get it over with."

"If you say so!" Shedletsky immediately moves faster than before, and within a few seconds, Guest is knocked down like the rest of the opponents and there's a sword pointed at his face. "Give up?"

"... I yield." The crowd goes wild, and Sword politely claps along while Rocket looks on with some satisfaction.

"What an amazing round! Give it up for our winner, SHEDLETSKYYYY!!!" The announcer shouts, gesturing towards the demon. He hoists his iron sword back on his shoulder, still looking casual and unbothered. "I'd thought this would be harder."

"Sir, this is a starter tournament." Guest complains, rolling his eyes. "If you actually wanted a good fight, we could find other tournaments."

"You're right! I'll get to that... ah, well!" Shedletsky looks satisfied with that, at least. The announcer, however, has one last trick up their sleeve. It's what Sword was actually here for, in fact.

"Well, you'd be happy to hear that there's a secret prize, then!" The audience chatters at this new information. "Not only are you going to have your 1k Bux- there's an additional 3k Bux added to your winnings if you manage to beat one last opponent!"

Shedletsky raises an eyebrow. Guest sits back down on the sidelines with the other opponents, all waiting to see what happens. The chicken-like Inphernal tilts his head. "Oh? Who's it going to be?"

Sword stands up. Rocket looks at him with a 'what the fuck' expression, and he jumps down onto the arena, hitting the floor in a kneeling position and getting up.

"That'd be me." Sword grins, pointing his thumb to himself. "Sword, official Phighter! Pleased to meet you!"

"That's right, everybody!" The announcer says. "We've got an actual Phighter in the audience this time! Give it up for Sword of Lost Temple!"

The crowd cheers, and Shedletsky looks him up and down. Sword gulps, and tries to look confident despite seeing how the stranger outclassed him.

"Linked Sword, right?" Shedletsky makes a small gesture towards him. "Not bad. You might actually stand a chance against me."

"Hey, no need to talk like that!" Sword huffs, and unsheathes his weapon. "I'm the official Phighter here, not you!"

"Ah, my mistake. Sorry." Shedletsky waves it off with a smile. "You might be a fun opponent."

"I'll keep that in mind." And with the ringing of the bell and the roar of the crowd, the both of them lunge towards each other.

Sword was beaten. Badly. He couldn't land a single hit on Shedletsky, and for some reason, fighting with this guy felt a hundred times more difficult than sparring with his own father. And seeing that Venomshank was his father, this wasn't just idle praise.

"I have to admit- your technique's solid." The chicken-like Inphernal leans on his own blade, looking down on Sword and smiling. "Who taught you?"

"My mentor." Sword replies. Shedletsky nods and helps Sword up. "One heck of a mentor, if that's the case. They must've been really good." The demi-deity can't really respond to that with anything but a slight smile.

"Holy hell... where were you when the Phights started, huh?" Sword jokes, chuckling. The older Inphernal makes a so-so gesture. "Ehhh, got stuck somewhere with some friends. No big deal."

Sword and Rocket leave the tournament after the ending ceremony, and Shedletsky and Guest made it off with the second and first place prizes. Sword knows he can be beaten by some Inphernals, it's not like the Phighers are unbeatable, but still, it was surprising.

"You think they're going to actually become official Phighters, Sword?" Rocket asks. Sword nods, stretching as they both walk back to Rocket's apartment. "Oh, definitely. Isn't that obvious?"

he lets Rocket get off at Zuka's apartment, and he takes the tram over to the outskirts of Crossroads where Venomshank's house is. Hey, he might as well tell his dad about the whole thing if he's home!

Sword steps up to the door of his house and opens it, not bothered by all of the crows surrounding the place. "I'm home!"

"Sword, you're back. How was the tournament?" The god of rot was busy in his own office, polishing his own blade with a whetstone as Sisyphus, his crow, was perched upon his shoulder.

"It was awesome! I thought there wouldn't be anyone really strong coming up, since it was a starter tournament, but there were like, two really powerful guys that I think would totally wipe the floor in a Phight-"

"Woah, woah, settle down, son." Venomshank chuckles as he puts the equipment back, getting up so he can talk with Sword. "One at a time. Who caught your eye?"

"Well, there was this Inphernal that didn't even use their gear in the tournament- and he still completely wiped the floor with everyone and got second place!" Sword exclaims.

"That's interesting. It's rare to see someone not rely on their gear for everything." Venomshank chuckles. "Ahh, it reminds me of the old days- not everyone had a strong gear, but they'd still take matters into their own hands..."

"Daaad!" Sword says, exasperated. He knows he can't really stop his father from going on a tangent about the 'good old days' when he gets started. Venomshank laughs and pats his son on the head. "Alright! I won't go on about it..."

"He went by like, Guest and all that- pretty cool if you ask me! I'm at least 99% sure he was some Playground vet or something from the war." Sword rubs the back of his head. "But man... I'm so embarrassed I lost."

"Truly?" Venomshank muses. "It must have been a worthy opponent."

"Yeah, there was this guy that was Guest's friend or something- came in with a support gear and an iron sword he'd picked up somewhere. He wiped the floor with him and me!" Sword exclaims.

Venomshank is a little bit intrigued, but he knows that his son isn't perfect. "If you're bothered about it, you can always train more to beat him."

"I'm sure that it's gonna take a hundred years to get to that point!" Sword jokes. "He moved so fast that I was beat in under a minute! I couldn't even keep up with him!"

"What's his name, then?" Venomshank says. He fills up a cup of water, intending to drink it.

Sword sighs. "Well, it's probably Fried Chicken or something, but he went by 'Shedletsky' during the fight. Kind of weird..."

There's a shattering noise as Venomshank drops the glass, spilling water everywhere. He's frozen still, his eyes wide beneath his mask.

"... Father?" Sword looks concerned. "Dad? What's wrong?"

"..." Venomshank is quiet. "Are you sure you didn't mishear?"

"No, I'm sure. Even told it to the crowd and all that."

"What- what did he look like," Venomshank grabs his son by the shoulders, and Sword's scared because he hasn't seen his dad look this tense and shocked in his entire life.

"I- what? I guess he looks kind of goofy- some t-shirt and shorts, looks like a chicken with his yellow horns and was wearing this black and gold hood for some reason..."

Venomshank is completely quiet after that. The demi-deity is getting freaked out beyond measure at how his father is reacting.

"Sword. Do not tell anyone else about this, especially not Ban Hammer or Valk or Dom." His dad says, his voice low. "This is of the utmost importance. Do you understand?"

Sword nods. He's not sure what his dad is about to say.

"Good. Because from what I can remember... either that Inphernal knows something only the SFOTH knows about, or he's not an Inphernal after all."

"Sword, who you just met was our creator. The SFOTH's creator. And to an extent... your grandfather."

[Extras]

Survivor Gears (Currently)

• Noob: Bloxy Cola (still has Slateskin Potion and Ghostburger)
• Elliot: Pepperoni Pizza
• Two Time: Ghostfire Dagger
• 007n7: c00lgui
• Guest 1337: Nothing (he’s a guest), but he’d be better at handling some gears than their owner
• Chance: Lucky Coin (still has revolver)
• Shedletsky: Chicken Leg (but has all the SFOTH swords in his possession)
• Builderman: Ban Hammer (but can use any gear he summons)
• Dusekkar: Staff of the Winds

Survivor Designs - Phighting

• Chance - Gave him bunny-like horns because he canonically owns a bunny.
• Guest 1337 - Changed the USM logo on his bulletproof vest to be RBXM (Roblox Military) and the flag from an American flag to the old Roblox logo.
• Shedletsky - Gave him chicken wings because of his "Chicken" skin, and the hood to reference his "Telamon" skin in Forsaken (and the fact that he's Telamon). Made his gear the "Chicken Leg" when the gear is called the "Turkey Leg" (because if Zuka's gear is the Exponential Rocket Launcher then I can change the gear name a bit). Also made him white as hell because when I inputted his yellow skin into a monochrome filter, it turned out white as hell.

• 007n7 - Gave him a mix of his original clothes and the "Dad" skin. Antlers come from his "Reindeer" skin and are the color of his original skin tone.
• Two Time - Horns are the spawn wings they get when they enter their second life. Scarf is from their milestone 4 skin.
• Elliot - Gave them Valk horns to reference his Milestone 4 skin, and made them the same color as his previously yellow skin. Again, made him white as hell for the same reason as Shedletsky, since the monochrome filter turned neon-yellow to white.

• Noob - Yellow horns to match his previous skin, and made them the basic short devil horns because he's Noob, and that's about as basic as you can get. Looks weird and bald as hell but hey, so does regular Noob if you turn him completely white.
• Builderman - Literally just normal Builderman with a helmet over his horns.
• Dusekkar - This mf is literally Ghostdeeri what do you want me to do. He already fits into Phighting's whole universe.

Chapter Text

[Ghostdeeri]

It's not often she's caught off guard. Being a Watcher, she's been around for centuries in service of her creator, Ghostwalker. She's been around long enough to see mortals live and die, to have witnessed so many historical events that some days, time loses all meaning for her.

You'd be hard-pressed to find anything that surprises her. But alas, it seems like today was an exception.

It was the usual- maintain her library in Crossroads, re-record any old texts that needed revising and note down any new occurrences that might prove useful for later, and do her duty as a record-keeper. Traffic was off on one of his travels again, and Lightblox was relaxing in her own corner of the library.

The door to the library opens, and Ghostdeeri expects the average Inphernal to walk in and immediately start perusing the books. "Greetings. Welcome to my library- if you need any help, I will be at the front desk."

"I greet you well in turn, and I must ask for knowledge I yearn." The voice that responds is calm and melodic. Another voice chimes in, much quieter. "Indeed. He and I are looking for some books on history, if it may concern you..."

Ghostdeeri looks at the two and has to do a double-take, because she sure does not recall another one of the Watchers visiting her. In fact, she doesn't recall any of them looking like the individual in front of her.

He's got black tree-like antlers, and a blue pumpkin over his head. Instead of just eye-holes, there's also an opening for his mouth, and she can practically see the flame inside his mask.

"You look a lot like him." The other Inphernal notes, humming. Ghostdeeri is too distracted to properly look at them, since she's still trying to figure out if this person is familiar or not. "... Fascinating. Tell me- what is your name?"

"Dusekkar is the name bestowed upon me, and I shall ask in turn for the name of thee."

"Dusekkar..." Ghostdeeri muses, and simply files it in her mind for later. "Very well. I am Ghostdeeri. It's not often I find another like myself." 'Because there isn't supposed to be more than seven of my kind, including myself, in total.'

The stranger simply nods, and returns to perusing the books. The Inphernal with him has two pairs of horns- one a dusty black, and the other akin to a jagged, broken arc. referencing it with her memories, Ghostdeeri is certain that it looks more of like the Spawn.

"I go by Two Time. Div- Dusekkar and I are new to Crossroads and are trying to get settled in." They state, their expression blank. "Are there any resources you would recommend?"

"Hm. Perhaps this would help?" Ghostdeeri directs them to the general works section, and the two of them make themselves comfortable and begin reading.

Meanwhile, Ghostdeeri has put aside her duties for now. This takes precedent. A new Watcher either meant that one of the SFOTH decided to tip the scales, or there was something else afoot. Reporting to Ghostwalker after these two leave would be her mission now.

'If I can even get into contact with Ghostwalker, that is. He has always been a busy deity, and for me to even get his attention, it would take much work. She shakes her head. The SFOTH had a habit of being occupied with some parts of their divine duties and neglectful of others. The Watchers haven't spoken to them in years now.

Ghostdeeri, instead, observes which books Dusekkar and Two Time decide to read. It's basic history books, some stuff about recent events from the newspaper stand, tourism books for all four of the regions...

'It's like they don't know the general basics of the Inpherno.' The librarian thinks. 'This would means that indeed, they are new to Crossroads- but not just that. They seem to be unfamiliar with all of the regions as well.'

'Are they from the past, perhaps? Their manner of speech is formal and antiquated, like mine. And it would make sense for Dusekkar to be old if he was a Watcher like me and the others.'

'Yes. That must be it. But how are they here now?'

"Ahem." Ghostdeeri clears her throat, and folds her hands on the librarian's desk. Two Time and Dusekkar look at her from their books. "May I ask... why you've come to Crossroads?"

"Perhaps it was fate, perhaps it was chance. For us to be here, it was through mere circumstance." Dusekkar continues to be vague and rhyme his speech, but Two Time is much more understandable.

"We were... stuck in an isolated place and managed to find our way towards the nearest sign of civilization. It's been a long time since we have has the company of others." They said. "It's very personal."

"I see." Ghostdeeri would pry more, but that would just make them suspicious. All she can do is get what she can from observation and record it down later.

The two stay in her library for hours before they make their leave, quietly slipping out of the place and organizing everything neatly back into place. Ghostdeeri is left trying to figure out what to do next.

"Lightblox?" She gently pokes her head into the side-room of the library. "Are you well?"

"I-I'm doing fine." Lightblox yawns, wiping her eyes. "Are they gone yet?" She's awfully shy for an Inphernal, keeping to herself and skittish when talking to anyone but Ghostdeeri and Traffic.

"They are. It's... odd." Ghostdeeri hums, letting the young demon get up and sit down on one of the more comfortable couches in the library. "One of them... he was like me. I've never seen that before. If they come back in my absence, will you tell me what they were doing?"

"Okay." Lightblox is just as curious as her guardian about the new person that looked like Ghostdeeri. "I'll try."

[Venomshank]

It's been centuries since he heard that name. In fact, he feels like him and his siblings weren't supposed to know it at all.

The Swords were all created by a god above them by the name of Telamon. Their memories were hazy, but he could remember the being having a black hood and grey robes, gold embroidered into his holy garb.

Before there were Inphernals and before there were the SFOTH, there were the creators. Not much was known about them, even from the SFOTH. They just knew that they didn't have horns and that they looked different underneath their disguises, and that was only using their memories of their creator as a baseline.

Telamon was there for the first few decades of their creation. They had come out of the Spawns fully grown, similar to the appearance they had today, but much more naive and new to the world.

Their creator was always busy. He kept on disappearing, sometimes for weeks on end, but would always return in order to check up on them and see how they were doing. It was from him that the SFOTH learned how to wield their swords.

Given, they'd already known how their divine blades worked the moment they spawned, but it was sparring with Telamon that gave them the skill and techniques they had to this day. He'd always sparred with Illumina the most, which admittedly, explained why his brother was such an egotistical prick to this day, in Venomshank's opinion.

Alas, all good things must come to an end. Telamon continued to disappear for longer and longer periods of time, coming back sparingly. The SFOTH became more independent, but still were desperate to see their creator.

It all culminated in that one day, a few years after the first Inphernals were created and Telamon was busy visiting the SFOTH. Even though he was there with them, he wasn't exactly present. Venomshank remembered seeing his father creator standing by the side as Darkheart and Illumina sparred.

The clanging of metal filled the air, Darkheart laughing as he pushes Illumina back. The deity of light retaliates with a strike of his own, their blades clashing once again as they duel.

"Come on, Illumina! We know you aren't just going to give up!" Darkheart taunts. "Or are you too much of a chicken?"

"Tch!" Illumina scoffs, turning his nose up. "As if. My strategies are better than yours, and I outclass you in every way. Is that right, creator?"

The tall, hooded figure nods, and looks down at the holographic panel in front of him. "Come on, boys. Settle down- all of you were made to be equally strong." The rest of the SFOTH were watching the fight, with Windforce and Firebrand sitting on the ground together while Ghostwalker and Icedagger were standing on the opposite side.

"But creator!" Illumina complains, and Telamon waves him off. Venomshank and the others can't see under the shadow that was cast by his hood, but they could see the frown on his face. "... Creator?"

"It's nothing you should be worried about. It's business." With the other creators, that was. Venomshank had never seen them, but he assumed they were just as powerful as their creator. "I have a meeting with a friend of mine, so you seven behave, alright?"

They all nod. Telamon walks over to another room, closing the heavy door behind them as they wait for him on the other side.

"What do you reckon he's doing?" Firebrand asks, curious. He summons some fire in his hand and extinguishes it, playing with his powers like a lighter.

"I dunno." Icedagger mutters quietly, drawing back. "He's busy with the other creators all the time."

"When I asked him, he said that they're busy trying to maintain the Inphinity and keep it stable." Illumina boasts. Darkheart glares at him and sticks out his tongue, which the other SFOTH ignores. "Our creator's probably trying to get it finished!"

"Does that mean we'll have more time together?" Windforce asks. She laughs, grinning with her sharp teeth. "Alright! We'll have more time to spar with him, then! He's so cool and great at sword-fighting- we'll beat him in no time!"

Venomshank, however, is skeptical. "He doesn't look to happy... are you sure it's good?"

It's Darkheart that settles the whole thing. "Why don't we try and see what our creator is doing? It'll settle things once and for all."

"Spying on Telamon?! Are you crazy?!" Illumina berates his brother. "We'd be caught instantly! He's better than us in battle, and can probably hear us before we hear him!"

"That's why we'll be overhearing from the other room. There's another door that's thinner than this, and we might be able to hear what he's saying!"

"If you say so..." Ghostwalker concedes. "It's a novel idea, if it works."

The seven of them crept over to where Darkheart told them to go, and leaned in to overhear the conversation between their creator and another god. Both of them seemed to be arguing over something.

"What are you saying?! Builderman, I know you, and this is completely out of left field for you. What do you mean?!" Telamon says, stressed.

The other creator, Builderman, sighs. He's got a slight accent "I've been telling you for ages now. This isn't working. We've tried everything to bring them back, but it just isn't like how it was before. Even making those Inphernals didn't do anything- they're nothing like Robloxians."

"I can't just turn my back on everything! We were so close, Builderman. So, so close." Their creator seems to be grasping at straws. "Just- one more chance. One more edit to the code, and maybe the Spawns can actually bring them back-"

"Shedletsky." Builderman sounds completely serious. "You and I both know if that we use our powers again, change one more thing in this world- it's all going to unravel at the seams. We stabilized it ages ago, and yet it's still not working."

"Just because it's not working doesn't mean we can't find a way!" Their creator- Telamon? Was that even his real name? - pleaded. "I can't leave it all behind. What about our promise, Dave?"

"Don't call me that. Not when you're going through with this." Builderman's voice has a sense of finality to it. "Either finish up your unfinished business here and we all depart to try again somewhere else, or we'll leave you behind."

"..." There's silence. "Fine. Go. But don't tell the others that I didn't try." There's the sound of a 'whoosh' as whoever their creator was talking to teleports out, and a sigh. "Damn it... damn it all."

Venomshank isn't sure what to think. Neither do the rest of the SFOTH. They're not sure what they actually heard, nor do they understand the significance of it all.

Building up his courage, Illumina knocks on the door. "Creator?"

"... Come in." The rest of the SFOTH slowly opened to door to find their creator, slouched over on a chair and looking exhausted.

"What's going on?" Icedagger looks skittish and afraid. "Is there a problem? Are we going to leave the Inpherno?"

"No, no, it's- complicated." Telamon sighs, and massages his temple. "I don't think it should concern you. You're all independent enough not to care about me, and that's for the best..."

"Are you going to leave again?" Firebrand asks. Telamon pauses, and takes a while to answer.

"... Yeah. Sorry." He says, remorseful. "I'll have to go again."

The mood plummets. The rest of the SFOTH, even though they don't show it, are upset. Darkheart looks up at him. "When are you going to come back, then?"

The words seem to bring their creator physical pain, and he winces. "... I'll be gone for a long time. This is something very important that I have to do. Okay?" He pats them all on the head and gets up. "I... have to try and fix a lot of things with my friend. You all... be good and take care of the Inphernals here. Make sure it all doesn't go into chaos, alright?"

"Yes, creator!" And with that, it was the last time they saw their creator. He'd left the following day, and centuries later, they'd lost all hope of him coming back.

Until now, apparently.

When Venomshank finished telling his story to his son, Sword looks like he's seen his father in a completely new light. Venomshank clears his throat. "And so, that's who your grandfather is. Seeing that you said that he's an Inphernal now- I suppose he got his divinity stripped for some reason, and is now vulnerable."

"I... wha..." Sword is absolutely flummoxed at that. "He just- left you?! Like that?!"

"Now, son, I know it sounds bad." Venomshank reasons. "But you have to understand- he had a good reason for leaving. Keeping the Inphinity stable meant that he had to leave the Inpherno, and it's a sacrifice he had to make."

(Venomshank, unfortunately, is wrong. There was no danger from their creator staying on the Inpherno, because that Shedletsky simply left because he had to go with the other admins.)

 (But it was long ago, and he didn't have the full picture.)

"I guess... but it still sounds bad." Sword admits. "You wouldn't leave me, Venomshank."

"Because I had a choice. I promised that since I am able to do my duties without the same burden as my creator, I would spend my time training you and raising you into a proper warrior." Venomshank nods. "It's what Telamon would have wanted."

The both of them, after that talk, went out in Crossroads to try and find Shedletsky- or Telamon, for that matter. But no matter how Venomshank stuck to the rooftops or commanded the crows to search for them, no matter how Sword tried to look through the crowds in the city- it seemed like the former god wasn't there.

Telamon's disappeared on them once. Venomshank won't let his father creator disappear again.

[Elliot]

"Are you absolutely fucking kidding me." Elliot says, his voice tired and exasperated. There's a glare on his normally cheery face- and for good reason.

The world must really hate him, because 007n7 somehow ended up getting hired at the SAME job as him, in another pizza place in the middle of Crossroads. They were on the second layer of Crossroads, in some small cramped pizza place that was nothing like Builder Brothers' Pizza.

"H-hey..." 007n7 looks at his new coworker sheepishly. "Fancy seeing you here, Elliot..."

"What are you doing." Elliot is silently thankful that he's allowed to cuss in this world without it getting censored or the fear of getting banned, because it's a long-welcome reprieve from having to bottle up his anger in customer service.

"Um. Cashier." The former hacker says. "You're doing delivery, right?"

"Kitchen duty. The others said I cook better." Elliot crosses his arms and glares at 007n7. "So we're stuck in the same building together. You better not mess up or I'll get you fired myself."

And then came the grueling shift. It's actually better than what he expected because Elliot isn't the one dealing with customers this time, and it's 007n7 taking the brunt of the mental damage that comes with working customer service.

Elliot finishes up another order of pepperoni pizza, sliding it into the oven as he glances outside. 007n7 looks absolutely frozen to the spot as a customer rattles off their lengthy order, trying to quickly input it into the machine.

"So it'll be a three-cheese pizza, extra sauce, sausages on the left side and a Bloxy Cola?"

"Yes, and-" The customer rattles off another order of pizza and Elliot snickers to himself as he sees 007n7's soul wither away. The poor guy looked like he was losing his hope quicker than when he was literally trapped in purgatory for years. At least there, they could run away from their problems.

Elliot finishes up those two difficult orders with ease, and doesn't have too much of a hassle. 007n7 continues to take orders as a cashier, sometimes having it easy while other times having to defuse a situation.

There's even a fistfight in front of the store that some other demon had to break up, and Elliot thanks himself for having coworkers that were actually competent for once. The Inpherno was much more violent in comparison to Robloxia, but everyone else seemed to handle things themselves.

007n7, on the other hand, is busy dealing with a rowdy customer and their children. "L-look, ma'am, I know you're busy, but can't have your child running around like that! She's bothering the other customers!"

"What? No, she's an absolute angel! Just look at her go!" The shorter Inphernal picks up her child, who's already up to her waist in height. The kid squirms around before whacking their snake-like tail in 007n7's face, scurrying off. "Isn't she adorable!"

Elliot is looking at the scene with a sort of vindictiveness as he meets 007n7's eyes. The former father's expression has 'god help me' written all over it, and all the worker does is give him a shit-eating grin.

'Feels annoying, huh?' Elliot thinks. He goes back to cooking more pizzas, humming as chaos breaks out in the dining area and 007n7 screeches, having to deal with the customer's rowdy kid literally throwing a chair at him.

"BY BUILDERMAN HELP MEEEE-"

"Hmmm, there should be a bit more cheese over- here..." Elliot pretends to not hear 007n7, continuing to make orders. "And a bit of pepperoni here..."

"I DON'T THINK MY ARM'S SUPPOSED TO BEND THIS WAY- OH GOD-"

"Ooo, this customer asked for an all-meat pizza- so it'll be pepperoni, sausage, and bacon! Great choice, if I do say so myself-"

"AAAAAAA-!"

After about an hour or so of chaos, the customer and her child was kicked out of the establishment by the other workers. 007n7 is lying in a heap on the ground, his leg dislocated from the scuffle. "O-ow..."

"SFOTH's sake, they really did a number on him, huh..." One Inphernal says. "Does he have to go to a doctor or something?"

"Does it look like we cover medical insurance here?" The other worker says. "Dude, it's not broken. Just dislocated. All you gotta do is-"

"AGGGH-!" There's a snapping sound, and Elliot has to wince at that. "You okay, 007n7?"

"Augh." The other man groans. "A-agh-"

"Fiiine, I'll heal you." Elliot tosses his pizza (His... gear? Yeah, it was his gear now) towards 007n7, and the former hacker takes it and eats it. There's an awkward silence between all of them as he scarfs it down, and rubs his sore leg. "T-thank you."

"... Just get back to work." Elliot says. He leaves 007n7 to recover and gets back into the kitchen making pizza. One of his coworkers, the one that set 007n7's leg back into place, gives him an odd look. "What's between you and him, dude? You're acting like he ruined your life or something."

"Or something." Elliot scoffs, and focuses on spreading the sauce for the next pizza. "That guy's nothing but trouble. How the hell he managed to get this job, I don't know."

"Wow, really?" The inphernal with purple horns whistled. "He looks way too skinny and skittish for anything."

"You've got no idea, Pizza Launcher. He was an absolute menace with his son back then, ugh. Ruined my last job and a ton of other things too." Elliot rolls his eyes. "It's none of your business."

"SFOTH damn, okay. I'll let you two settle that beef yourself." His coworker, Pizza Launcher, leaves him to work. "Weird-ass nicknames you got, though..." Elliot hears him mutter.

(Hey, it's not Elliot's fault that all the survivors decided to just go by their normal names instead of the name of their gears. It was just too weird for them, for some reason.)

[Builderman]

Their luck seemed to run out after a few weeks. They already turned some heads using their actual names instead of going by their gears, but Builderman's relieved that they actually didn't go with that idea, because if that was the case...

'Whaddya MEAN there's already a fella out there goin' by Ban Hammer?! And he's a demigod or somthin'?!'

Yeah. After talking with Shedletsky and Dusekkar, the survivors all learned that Inphernals didn't just have gears from birth, they were the representation of their gears. And not only that, but Shedletsky's SFOTH swords...

'By the code, I can't believe they're gods. In THIS world.' Builderman knew that there was going to be a world of problems if any of them slipped up and Shedletsky's true identity came out, and seeing that he and Sheldetsky both were slowly gaining their powers back, it would only be a matter of time before they accidentally used a bit too much power or if Shed's wings popped out of his shirt by accident.

Builderman was going out by himself, the others having taken up jobs and getting apartments in the same block. They've taken up at least six or so large apartment rooms themselves, so it wasn't so bad. He's sharing a room with Shedletsky like their good ol' college days.

He's humming to himself, looking at the posters in Crossroads and thinking about everything. This place... it was far beyond what he expected. If this was Robloxia's Crossroads, and he'd been flung into the far future, he'd be proud of how far the other creators and users have gone in terms of creativity and ingenuity.

But this was a completely different world, not Robloxia. He's got none of his wealth from back home, and he's sticking to the survivors because of the promise he made to Shedletsky.

The admin picks up one of the flyers, seeing that it's an old ad for the gym hosting unofficial Phights. He'd checked it out with Chance, and apparently those were all booked already- but there should be more difficult competitions in the lower levels of Crossroads.

Which is why he's scouting out the place himself. He's taken a few trains down to the lower levels, noting how Crossroads was a layered city that seemed packed to the brim like sardines.

'The architecture's absolutely amazin'! Kinda like one of those ol' sci-fi novels and all that.' Builderman thinks to himself. He wasn't called Builderman for nothing- he could make sentries and dispensers and all sorts of mechanical things, but he'd made Robloxia, brick by brick. All the original code came before him from mysterious forces above, but he was the one that added on to it.

'Abaolutely stunnin'.' He looks at all of the industrial and metabolist architecture, noting all of the segments of Crossroads and how it was built. Neon lights lit up the lower layers, with wires hanging up above him, bringing electricity to the cramped areas.

The lower levels were mostly residential areas, but intersected between them were entertainment hubs for the residents. Most of them were cafes, bars, and most surprisingly, gyms.

Inphernals really liked to fight, and it showed. These gyms didn't just have the usual treadmills and weights, but also arenas for combat. The cheapest gyms had areas cleared out specifically for fighting, while the more high-end ones had boxing rings or private one-on-one arenas.

Builderman noticed it all when he walked around, looking for those gyms that were setting up their own competitions. Publicly-owned gyms in Crossroads were more rare, while privately-owned gyms were the ones that set up most of the competitions with cash prizes.

For someone who's lived through the creation of a world, who has a love for creation and style- of course Builderman picked up on all the nuances. He learned more about the Inpherno since he was pulled here by looking at buildings and designs than through any of the recon that Guest or the others did.

He's halfway through strolling down a street before he's stopped by someone in front of him, looming over Builderman with a glint in their eye.

"Hey there, short stuff." The Inphernal towering over him is flanked by three others, all holding makeshift weapons, from a lead pipe to their own gears. The leader in front flicks open their wrist to summon their gear, a cutlass-like sword.

'Steelshank Armament', Builderman thinks to himself. He knows that gear, of course. It's a bit obscure, but he's Builderman. 'Deals 17 damage on a hit, with 3.5 poison damage per second. Comes with a hidden pistol that deals twenty damage.'

"Now, we can do this the easy way, or the hard way." The demon drawls. "Me and the folks are starving, and we ain't got the cash. Empty your pockets, and we might let ya' run off without a hitch."

"Ah." Builderman looks up, raising an eyebrow. "And I reckon ya' fine young lads are robbin' me?"

"What are you, an idiot?! Course' we're robbin' you!" The Inphernal besides the boss snaps, but they hold her back. "Come on, old man. We don't wanna do something we might regret."

Builderman puts on his best customer service voice. "I'm sorry, but I am unable to provide the service with what you need." The other passerby passing around him are frozen to the spot, skittish about the gang threatening him. "It would be in both of our best interests if we both went our separate ways."

"Are you telling us to turn tail, pipsqueak?!" The other demons hissed. The leader growled under their breath. "Last chance, old man. Either give us the money, or we're going to have to resort to violence."

Builderman weighs the pros and the cons. He can't use his sentry because it takes long to set up, and he'd be attacked by them. He can't rely on his teammates because they're off at work and he went on this alone. So he'd have to give up the hard-earned money in his pockets, which he was planning on using to pay rent.

Buuut... he did have his Ban Hammer with him. He could just summon it, no big deal- but he'd draw the attention of everybody around him, and rumors would spread. This would be very, very bad.

"..." 'It's been a long time since I've used it, and nobody's gonna mess with me and the others if they know I've got that sort of firepower...'

"Hm. Oh well." Builderman decides to just go 'screw it' and take the nuclear option. "Violence and threats are against the terms of service, and robbery is most definitely a crime."

"Oh, so we've got a hero here. You know what that means, guys- go get 'em-!" And right after Steelshanks Armament says that, they're hit with a massive force against their side, sending them flying at mach speed.

The gang and bystanders gape as the criminal flies through not one, not two, but three brick walls, punching a hole through all of them. They turn their heads back to Builderman, who they just saw as a short, most likely weak Inphernal.

And he's hoisting the damn BAN HAMMER over his shoulder, an unamused look on his face. One of the robbers lets out a whimper and tries to back away when they realize that he's wielding a gear three times his size one-handed.

"If I were to actually ban you all, it would cause quite a ruckus." Builderman gives them a friendly smile. "So consider this a little lesson and warning!"

He charges towards them. What follows is a comically shrill scream as the robbers get their asses handed to them.

[Ban Hammer]

It's a rather slow day in the Ban Lands, seeing that Broker is back in his cell and secure (at least for now). Ban Hammer is using the peace and quiet to play golf in the middle of his lava-ridden prison, humming as he takes his golf club and swings it.

"Wait wait wait- WAIT AAAAAAA-" A prisoner is sent flying across the field, right into one of the rock faces of the volcanic wasteland. Ban Hammer nods to himself in approval as he sees where the guy landed. "Score! That'll be a hole-in-one!" He laughs, leaning back as he surveys the area.

The guards in that area scramble to pick up the passed-out prisoner and transport him back into his proper cell. Ban Hammer's behavior is cruel and he doesn't give a damn about the prisoners, but he wasn't called the Tyrant of the Ban Lands for nothing.

"U-um. Sir." One of the guards working for him squeaks out. He glances down at them, lifting his blindfold a bit. "Whaaat? Whaddya want?"

"There's still work to be done." The Inphernal says, cowering. "Back at your office, sir."

"Can't the other eggheads do it?!" Ban Hammer complains, yawning as he looks away. "I hired them specifically for that!"

"They're all busy. With the other paperwork, sir." The guard says. After all, Ban Hammer had recently torn up a good chunk of Lost Temple trying to go after Broker, causing tons of property damage in the process.

The Ban Lands secretarial staff were working left and right to not get sued by the rich, powerful Inphernals living in that part of Lost Temple. Sure, they could get away with only a pile of paperwork or so if their boss stuck to causing damage to lower-income areas, but this was Lost Temple! Right near one of the richest cities in the region!

"Fiiiine..." Ban Hammer reluctantly trudges over to one of the buildings in the prison, having been built specifically so that the guards could rest. His office was in the upper floor, so that if he needed to he could just go up to the rooftop and soar down to catch any escapees.

He opens the door to his office, revealing a messy area with an oversized desk and an office chair.

Ban Hammer sits down on the office chair, which is tiny in comparison to his huge frame. It looks comical as the chair creaks in protest, having to support the weight of a 6'11 behemoth demi-deity and his pounds of steel armor.

The guard that told him to do his work awkwardly stayed in the corner of his office as Ban Hammer shuffled through some papers, taking off his blindfold and tying it absently to one of his horns.

There's the sound of shuffling paper. Ban Hammer takes out a pen with his hands, and clumsily begins filling out the forms. Minutes pass by, with only the ticking of the clock and the awkward shuffling of the other guard as he stands by the door.

"..." Ban Hammer really didn't need a personal guard whenever he was in his office, but his momma insisted. So the guard scrolls through his phone, looking at the news.

More silence. The guard breaks it. "Hey. Uh... boss?"

"Yeah?  What is it now?" Ban Hammer looks up, annoyed. The guard squints at his gear, which is set down on the floor right next to Ban Hammer's desk. "You're the only one with that gear, right?"

"Yeah! And I'm damn proud of that!" Ban Hammer roars pridefully, taking that comment as a compliment. "You ain't gonna find nobody like me! Best demigod out in the Inpherno!"

"Uh huh, yeah..." The guard looks down at their phone, then back up at his gear. They do another double take at whatever they're reading on the news. "Well, did you know there's another guy claiming to have your gear or something?"

"Eh?! What sorta bull is that?!"

Ban Hammer gets up from his chair, stomping and looming over the trembling guard. He looks like he's about to piss himself with his boss looking at his phone.

Ban Hammer glances at the demon in the news article. "Criminals defeated in Lower Crossroads!" The title proclaims. "A second Ban Hammer?!"

"Are ya pullin' my leg." Ban Hammer scoffs. "That's clearly fake. The pipsqueak in the photo's tiny!"

"Um- there's even a video somewhere... here." The guard shows it off to his boss, hoping to the gods that he doesn't get his head crushed by Ban Hammer suddenly falling over. "I don't think this is fake, sir..."

The demigod looks at the video. It's shaky and frantic, but it's clear that whoever's wielding that duplicate of his gear has skill. They're handling it with only one hand, but he sees the shorter Inphernal spin it around and slam it onto the floor, sending a shockwave that cracks the tiles and knocking the thieves away.

"... Momma needs to hear about this. Now." 

Chapter Text

[Zuka]

"I'm telling you, dad, this guy went through the entire tournament without using his gear!" Rocket says, absolutely dumbfounded. "Like, he managed to get second place! Second place!"

"Uh huh." Zuka nods along as he tinkers with one of his orders, Rocket handing him the specific screwdriver heads he needs.

"I'm not lying! He looked kinda like a Playgrounder- did you meet anyone with blue horns like that?" Rocket asks. Zuka shrugs. He's met a lot of soldiers back during the war. It's not like he's remembered all of them.

"Kid, if anyone did that back in the Faction War, they'd be dead meat." Zuka hands Rocket the screwdriver. "Hand me the hexagon bit." Even with one arm, he's still skilled in his craft.

"Which one?" Rocket tilts his head. "And that guy was rearing a bulletproof vest and camo. I'm sure he definitely participated in the war."

"Mhm. The one that says 0.6 on it." The rocketeer hands his father the screwdriver he needed, and Zuka continues to work on the order in front of him.

The both of them work on this specific order, since it's the last one they had left on the list. Zuka tightens up some of the screws, sitting back to admire his work. "There. That should be it for... who was the customer, again?"

"She wanted to go by her new gear, dad."

"Oh, right- Web Slinger." Zuka's shop would often have Inphernals that disliked the gears they had at spawn, or simply those who wanted to leave their old lives behind. Seeing what happened during the war, and knowing how many people's he's killed... it doesn't surprise him.

"She should be coming in next week to get her gear, correct?" Zuka neatly sets the finished artificial gear into one of the cardboard boxes, labelling it.

Rocket nods. They both take the free time to organize Zuka's shop, setting the tools back on the wall rack and placing the boxes where they had to go. Rocket sighs, taking his gear leaning on the wall and slinging it on his back. "I'm gonna go to the Phight today, so see ya."

"Mhm. Make sure to come back to the apartment by eight, alright?" Rocket sets out to do his thing, and Zuka is just relaxing in his workspace, feet kicked up on the table as he sighs.

It's not often he has free time like this. Artificial gears take a hell of a lot to make if they're custom orders, and it's hard work finding all the parts and electronics for the more complex orders. That meant he had to rely on Broker for that, and he'd rather not do so if he didn't need to.

Zuka takes out his personal phone, looking at the news. Most demons his age would be unfamiliar with technology and swiping at the screen like a boomer would, but since he's from Blackrock, he's seen this sort of tech before any of the other factions back then.

An hour later, the door to his shop opens, and he looks up from his phone, doing a double-take. The Inphernal on the other side of the counter clears his throat. "This is Zuka's shop, correct? The right place to find replacement gears?"

"... Yes, that would be me." Zuka looks at the demon up and down. He's exactly how his son described him- thick, bull-like horns and a bulletproof vest, all with a camo jumpsuit and combat boots. "Are you here to place an order?"

"Yeah. I... don't like my gear. Haven't used it in... feels like forever now." The stranger slowly says. "Any recommendations?"

Zuka pauses, and continues the awkward conversation between the two. "Usually they just ask for the strongest thing I can make them, or come up to me with an idea already." 'His nickname was... 'Guest', right? Rocket said so.'

"If that's the case... anything that's good for melee combat. I'm good enough at guns and other weapons, but my fists do the job well enough." Guest says.

The Blackrockian nods. "I heard. Apparently your victory's been making the rounds now- congrats on that win."

"It was that popular?" The guy looks confused for a second, blinking before he shakes his head. "Ah. Nevermind that. It's nice to meet you- I'm Guest 1337. Just call me Guest."

"B. Zuka of Blackrock, pleasure to meet your aquaintance." It feels odd, shaking the hand of a Playgrounder who he would have fought against in the Faction War- but he's in Crossroads now, and if he wasn't used to this in some way he wouldn't have opened up his shop.

The both of them chatted for a bit on what would best suit Guest- and to Zuka's slight relief, his order wasn't anything too complex, just a tactical riot shield. "It'll take a week or so for me to finish up the order, especially if you want it made out of polycarbonate instead of metal."

"Perfectly fine." Guest hands over their wad of Bux, and Zuka counts it before putting it in the cashier and writing up the order. "I'm trusting you to not run off with the cash the moment I'm gone."

Zuka snorts. "If that's the case, I'd be run out of Crossroads by my other clients. You don't have to worry about anything."

The two of them part ways, and Zuka closes up shop after placing an order for the materials online. He walks all the way back to his apartment, watching television as he waits for Rocket to come home.

His son was, understandably, freaked out that he met the second-place winner of the Melee Tournament. There wasn't so much hassle with that, but the both of them did wonder how much better Guest 1337 would do with a gear instead of his bare fists.

"You think that's his ID number?" Rocket asks. "Back in the war?"

"Probably. Not my job to dig into that, and it's none of my business anyway since he paid." Zuka says. It's a philosophy that has saved him a lot of trouble in life. "Why should I care?"

The week went by, and he finished the riot shield in his workshop by the time Guest came back around. Rocket was in his shop this, time, busy tinkering with his own gear.

Guest 1337 walks in with his usual stone-cold expression, and patiently waits outside. Zuka hoists the riot shield onto the counter and sets it down. "Here ya go. It's made out of polycarbonate, like you asked, but it's also got a bulletproof window so you can see your surroundings. All materials from Blackrock."

The Playgrounder doesn't even get upset at the fact that his replacement gear was made from Blackrockian materials. "Good. Thank you for the service."

Rocket, who's watching the whole exchange from the back, chimes in. "Hey! You're Guest! I loved seeing you fight, dude- it was really fuckin' cool!"

Guest 1337 blinks, and looks awkward trying to respond to Rocket. "Thank you...? Wait, you're that young man in the audience."

"Yeah. I'm Rocket. First ranged official Phighter, actually!" Rocket grins toothily. "I can't believe you know my dad!"

"Ah, you're Zuka's son. Well, good for you." Guest, again, doesn't seem to have a problem with Zuka, a Blackrockian, having adopted a Playgrounder. "Make sure to cherish your kid, okay? Never know when you'll see them for the last time."

Guest seems... nostalgic at that, thinking back to something. Zuka sees his expression soften for a bit before it sets back to that tough, unbothered look. "Might've overstepped there. But again- thank you, and have a good day." He walks out of the shop.

[Sword]

Trying to find Shedletsky is like trying to find a needle in a haystack, with people saying that they've seen it somewhere but not really remembering where it was.

His father's creator- his grandfather, dear SFOTH he wasn't used to that idea yet- was kind of hard not to miss. Tons of demons in Crossroads say that they've seen him getting groceries or hanging out in the arenas at gyms or just walking around, but every time Sword and Venomshank get there, there's no trace of the chicken-like Inphernal at all.

"Maybe he doesn't want to be found... Venomshank, we've been looking for weeks now. If grandpa doesn't want to be found, then maybe we should just leave him be..."

"Nonsense! If what you're saying is true, and it is, considering I've seen the photos you took-" Venomshank twirls his blade and sheathes it, looking worried. "Our creator might be trying to hide his identity in order to prevent mortals from attacking him. And seeing that he's in such a vulnerable state, too..."

Sword's father was certain that Telamon- er, Shedletsky, had somehow been turned into a mortal Inphernal or at least had his powers locked away. Why else would he look so different, after all?

Sword, on the other hand, sighs as he gets back up. "I've been doing this ever since I told you, dad- right after I get back from Phights. What if we're never going to find him?"

"Eventually, we will." Venomshank seems absolutely sure by this or maybe he's just too terrified to think of the idea that his creator might have left them all again.

"Well, what if he's just out and about in public, again? We can't have everyone else knowing this!"

"Then you shall approach him." Venomshank crosses his arms and looks at Sword expectantly. "You've fought him before, and he's surely not aware of you being his grandchild. So try not to scare him off and ask him to meet me."

"Do I... tell him about you?" Sword says, unsure.

"Perhaps not. It might scare him away again, if he knows that we are meeting again this quickly."

"Okay!" Sword puffs up his chest, and grins. "I'll tell him to go see you, if that's the case! It won't be too hard, if we book a private arena at a gym or something."

'That's a great idea! If I can ask him to train me or something, then he might actually do so and I can get him alone, so dad can talk to him!'

Sword and his father both agree on the plan, and from some stroke of luck, it takes only one more day before Sword runs into his estranged grandfather again.

Ironically enough, the former god was in a fast food restaurant, surrounded by other people while going to town on a crispy chicken sandwich. 'Isn't his fake gear a chicken leg? Does he ever get tired of eating chicken or does he like it THAT much?'

Sword tries to act casual, ordering a meal and walking by them before pausing. "Oh, hey! It's nice to see you again, Shedletsky!"

Shedletsky looks up, blinking as he's mid-bite into his sandwich. "Hello! You're the one I totally pwned in that competition, right?" He breaks out into a grin. "Sword, was it?"

"Yeah! How's it going?" Sword sits down next to their table, watching as the others around Shedletsky hang out and eat their own food. There's a demon with short yellow horns chowing down on his own chicken sandwich, while another guy with a pizza delivery uniform is sipping on a Witch Brew soda.

Right next to Shedletsky, however, was a guy in a hoodie with a yellow hardhat covering his horns and a Roblox Co. hoodie. He seems amused. "And who's this, Shed?"

"Right! Builderman, this is Sword- he's the Phighter I told you about!" Shedletsky finished up his food, and takes a sip of some cola. "Sword, this is Builderman, a close friend of mine. We're business associates."

"Used to be business associates. It ain't around anymore. I doubt we can go back to our... company." Builderman points out with a slight drawl. "Still friends though."

'Builderman, Builderman... isn't that the guy father said that grandpa was talking to before he left for good?' Sword looks at the other Inphernal up and down, not really seeing how he could be a god older and more powerful than the SFOTH. Then again, Shedletsky himself didn't look that serious or impressive. "... Riiight, so I was about to ask you- can you train me?"

"Eh?" Shedletsky seems taken aback by this. Sword re-iterates himself. "I mean- you're totally cool and all that, and you beat me in like, seconds flat! How'd you even do that!"

"Lots of practice, kid." Shedletsky preens a bit at the praise, and Builderman rolls his eyes in a lighthearted way. "Oh, come on, don't let it get to your head."

"So um- I want you to train me." Sword says. "I'll even pay." 'Gods, please just let this work...'

"Alright, then- how much?" Shedletsky lets out a laugh. "I've got bills to pay, and I can't be wasting too much time..."

Sword settles on a decent amount of cash- to his surprise, his (unknowing) grandfather is willing to train him for the same price as the average instructor. "That's a deal, then!" Sword grins. "If you're able to go to this gym, I've rented an arena on the weekend so I can-"

Right before he's about to finish his plan, the front doors on the fast food restaurant are slammed open, almost flying off their hinges. Ban Hammer, out of all Inphernals, was walking towards them.

"Huh?" Sword turns around, confused. "Ban Hammer- what are you doing here outside of a match?"

"I'm here on business, Sword. Outta the way!" He pushes Sword aside, looking down at the four sitting at the table. More specifically, he's looking at Builderman.

"You." Ban Hammer points at Builderman's face, and the Inphernal reacts by linking and pointing at himself. "You're the one."

"Me? What in tarnation did I do, then?" Builderman asks, completely confused.

"I don't know why you've got my gear, how you're even using it even though you're a pipqueak-" Shedletsky lets out a wheeze at his shorter friend being called a 'pipsqueak' out of all things. "But it ain't funny! And I'm not letting you go without explaining yourself!"

The Inphernal with yellow horns looks back and forth between Builderman and Ban Hammer. "M-mister Builderman! What?!"

"Yeah, Noob's right! What the heck?!" The guy in the pizza delivery uniform looks just as confused and annoyed. "Why's this guy trying to get us arrested! We didn't even do anything!"

Sword looks absolutely befuddled as he watches the whole thing go down. He takes a deep breath, and pulls Ban Hammer to the side to whisper-yell at him. "Ban Hammer. You're making a scene."

"So what?! I want answers, now! How can that shortstack over there wield my Ban Hammer?!"

Sword pinches the bridge of his nose at his cousin's stubbornness. "Just let me handle this, okay? You're making a big deal out of this, and... dad told me to handle things."

"Whaat, him?! What's he doing around here, sticking his nose in my business?!" Ban Hammer complains. "I already told Momma about this, and she's comin' in after me!"

"WHAT?!" Sword screeches, absolutely terrified. 'Oh no, the plan's all going to shit!'

"BANNY!" The restauraunt door is kicked down, literally this time, because they go flying off their hinges and are embedded into the restaurant's brick walls. The customers are already nervous when they saw Ban Hammer, but after seeing who comes through the door they're absolutely panicked.

"Shit! It's Windforce! Everybody- scatter!" The customers scream and run for the side exits, and the employees duck under the counter, fleeing as well.

"Wait- Windforce?!" Shedletsky echoes, completely stunned. There's a hint of recognition on his face, but he's more surprised and confused. Builderman raises an eyebrow, turning to his friend.

Shedletsky responds to that expression by throwing up his hands. "Don't look at me like that! I've got no idea!"

"Tch!" Windforce looks unamused as she stares down at all four of them. Shedletsky and Builderman push Noob and the other Inphernal behind them, blocking them from the wind deity's wrath. "So you're the one with Banny's gear, huh." She scowls.

"More of like he's the one sharin' my gear." Builderman looks at Ban Hammer with some anticipation. "I ain't so sure why that would be so concernin'?"

"Because I'm the only one with my gear, damn it!" Ban Hammer roars. "How'd you manage to spawn in with a demi-deity's gear, huh?!"

"... Pardon." Builderman looks at them up and down. "So yer sayin' that yer pickin' a fight- just because I have the same gear as ya. And ya don't know why."

"Exactly." Windforce hisses. "Either tell us which one of my siblings decided to have another secret child, or you all aren't getting away from this."

Sword, at this point, has sprinted out of the building and towards where he knew Venomshank was hiding just in case things went wrong. 'This is bad, so bad!'

'Dad's gotta break this up before Windforce levels a whole district again!'

[Shedletsky]

This escalated far too quickly than he would have liked. Sword was a nice fella, but this?! He's got to deal with the living, breathing embodiment of his friend's ban hammer now! 'Can an admin like me get banned in this world? Can BUILDERMAN get banned?!' He doesn't want to know the answer to that question.

He's defending Noob and Elliot, making sure the two were out of the angry Windforce's attention. Both of them were certainly not powerful enough to deal with one of the SFOTH swords, for sure.

'They're deities or something here, right?' Shedletsky thinks it over. He's heard some Inphernals say "oh my SFOTH" or "for SFOTH's sake", and didn't really think about the implications until now so-

"Builder! How'd they even know about your gear?!" Shedletsky hisses, panicked.

"I- well, I got a bit too carried away when some ruffians tried to rob me and all that-"

"Enough with the chit-chat! Either you tell us what's going on, or you're both getting a one-way ticket to the Ban Lands!" Ban Hammer growls. Windforce is right behind her son, crossing her arms.

"I reckon you ain't gonna believe it if I said I spawned in with that gear, and that I ain't anyone's kid." Builderman says, leaning back.

"Bullshit." Windforce spits out, and both Shedletsky and Builderman yell a "Language!" at her out of instinct. "That ain't on the Terms of Service!"

"Trying to sass me, aren't ya?!" Windforce loses her temper, drawing her gear and pointing it at Builderman. "Well, aren't you a rebellious little mortal!"

Builderman isn't scared of Windforce, and he's only slightly worried about Ban Hammer due to his gear's capabilities. He sighs, and looks at Shedletsky. "John, we're gonna have to fight our way outta this one, ain't we?"

"''Fraid so, Builder." The two of them get into position, Builderman summoning his own Ban Hammer with a fiair. Shedletsky would normally take a lighthearted jab at his friend's weapon being three times bigger than he was, but he's supposed to take this seriously.

They can't respawn in this. They're completely out of purgatory. No way in heck was he going to die right now and let this freedom slip away.

"Now, what to use..." He thinks of what he can summon. Sure, Fried Chicken was his gear, but he's an admin- that wouldn't be the full extent of his power, now would it?

'If the SFOTH swords are gears here, then that means...' Shedletsky visualizes his favorite sword, thinking back to all those memories in which he defeated those users in the Heights.

He reaches behind his back, and pulls out a fancy lilac longsword. "Huh, it looks different- but this'll do." Seeing how some gears looked different in this world, he can't really say he's totally surprised.

Windforce, on the other hand, looks like she's about to have a stroke. "HOW IN THE NAME OF THE CREATORS DO YOU HAVE ILLUMINA'S BLADE?!" She screeches, the sky instantly turning dark outside of the restauraunt. There's the distant roaring of thunder as the sun is obscured by storm clouds.

"I don't know, how do I have the Illumina?" Shedletsky snarks back. Maybe he wasn't taking this seriously, or maybe it was something else entirely. "Why don't you find it out yourself."

"Aaaagh- that's ENOUGH! Ban Hammer!" She shouts.

"Yes, momma!"

"Get that insolent mortal!" The warden and the deity charge at Shedletsky and Builderman, itching for a fight.

(Noob and Elliot were watching on the sidelines, watching it all go down. Noob looks worried, glancing between the two admins and the Inphernals fighting them.)

("Should we... help them out?" Noob asks. Elliot shakes his head and simply sips on his soda. "No. We'd be torn to shreds in seconds.")

("Besides... Builderman and Shedletsky aren't as weak as they were before. They're going to win." It's said with so much confidence that Noob has the feeling that Elliot's right.)

Builderman, of course, goes for Ban Hammer. His version of the demi-deity's gear is the same size, but he wields it with far more grace and experience. Builderman ducks and weaves in between Ban Hammer's swings, quing Ban Hammer's larger size and more clumsy fighting style to slip between the cracks.

"Sloppy." He spins his hammer with one hand, nearly landing an uppercut to Ban Hammer's face. "Slow." Builderman uses that momentum to jump up, pivoting towards a side-blow. Ban Hammer is knocked back a bit, but still on his feet.

"W-what?!" He coughs out. The warden growls, spinning around in a circle with his hammer. Builderman simply sidesteps the attack, letting Ban Hammer tire himself out with the attack before going in to hit the warden on the side again. "Yer usin' that thing as if it's simply a toy to be tossed around. Tsk, tsk."

Ban Hammer, obviously, is infuriated. This guy's accent reminds him far too much of Scythe, and it's pissing him off. "I've trained with my gear for my entire life! What makes you think that you can do better, huh?!"

While Ban Hammer was getting absolutely styled on, Shedletsky was busy dealing with the literal embodiment of one of the swords he's created. She's... actually not that bad of an opponent! She's actually got the strength and skill to back herself up, and her version of the windforce sword is more of like a double-sided blade, but it's not so different from fighting any other Robloxian back in his heyday.

"How- are you doing this?!" Windforce snarls, swinging her blade as quick as the wind. Shedletsky blocks it, laughing as he does so. "Don't you know? I'm the best damn swordfighter I know!"

"Enough with your hubris, mortal! You dare say that to a god?!" She adjusts her stance, and thunder crackles down from the outside. Usually she would use her full power, send a rain of lightning bolts or throw debris around with violent winds- but her pride as a SFOTH meant that she refused to do that.

She wanted to win against this mortal and show him that she was the best at sword-fighting. That she deserved her title as the sword of the skies.

Shedletsky, on the other hand, was having the time of his life. Finally, an opponent that he didn't have to hold back on! Sure, he made sure to give her some openings once in a while, and she took them- but the admin was sure he could win.

'She's got her own power, huh? It's raining really hard outside when there wasn't a cloud in the sky a few hours before.' Shedletsky thinks, dodging another jab from Windforce. 'Figures she'd have some of the admin powers- I made the SFOTH, after all. Does that mean the other SFOTH have fragments of admin powers?'

'Skybox control is definitely something I can do, but it's really insignificant compared to anything else I can do-' "Focus on me, damn it!" Windforce screeches, annoyed that her opponent seems air-headed in the middle of an intense fight.

"Alright, alright! No need to get all annoyed, sheesh!" Shedletsky smiles, not breaking a sweat. "Might as well pick up the pace!"

He really didn't want to show off his wings, because that would be an immediate difference from any other Inphernal- but it looks like he has no choice. Besides, Builderman already is going ham on Ban Hammer with his own gear, so why not have some fun?

His feathery wings explode out from behind his back in a shower of yellow feathers, and he uses them to propel himself faster at Windforce. The deity of the sky is too stunned to react as Shedletsky swings the Illumina right at her, forcing her to quickly block it.

"I- WHAT?!" She doesn't even know what to say, going on the defensive as Shedletsky continues to land blow after blow, her armor deflecting some of it but making her stagger. "Who- who even ARE you?!"

"Shedletsky, master swordsman." He grins, disarming her with one strong upward swing. Windforce's gear flies out of her hand and clatters on the ground a few feet away, and she's left with Illumina's blade pointed at her face by a stranger.

(No, not a stranger. Because the cogs are turning in Windforce's mind, slowly remembering something from her past. She's wondering why the swordmaster's attacks are so familiar, why they feel like the sun shining on her in her childhood as she laughs and spars with her siblings centuries ago.)

(She wondered why the back of her mind said that she would never win against this- mortal? Is he even a mortal, with those wings, and that unnatural skill, and that nonchalance when facing her down?)

(No. That's no mortal. How could she forget? That was her-)

"Creator?" Her voice cracks. Windforce's eyes are wide underneath her helmet, and she's frozen to the spot.

Shedletsky's got a look of surprise on his face again, confused. 'Do I exist in this world? Is there another me?'

"C-creator? Telamon?" Windforce stutters out.

"Wait, WHAT?!" Ban Hammer stops his fight with Builderman- it's less of a fight and more of a beatdown, because he's currently on the floor shielding himself from the other man's attacks.

"I- you- what?" Windforce doesn't know what to do. Shedletsky isn't sure what to do as well, and while all of them were awkwardly stuck in the ruined restaurant building, Sword busts in again with a tall stranger.

The Inphernal behind him has a crow perched on his shoulder, and wore a fancy green military uniform. Most strikingly, he had a plague doctor's mask strapped to his face, but the shock was evident from how he reacted.

"WINDFORCE! What in the name of our creator are you doing?!"

"I- Venomshank?!" She yells out, surprised. "What are you doing here?!"

"I specifically sent Sword out to look for- nevermind that! What are you here for?! Why are you trying to attack him out of all people!"

"I didn't start it! Telamon attacked me first when I tried goin' for this mortal right here!" She points at Builderman, who froze as he was trying to creep away from the fight with Shedletsky. The both of them looked like they were caught in the spotlight.

"Well, now you've gone and ruined our creator's whole day! You've made a mess of this restaurant too!"

"Oh, screw you, Venomshank!" She hisses. "It's not MY fault that I didn't recognize father first!"

"Excuse me what." Shedletsky has the most 'wtf' face in the history of Robloxia, and Builderman is looking at his friend as if he's grown a second head.

"Shed. You have children?" Builderman whispers, looking aghast as if he'd just been betrayed. "You haven't told me?!"

"Builder, you know dang well I don't have any kids!" Shedletsky hisses back quietly, just as panicked and confused.

"But they're the SFOTH! You made the swords!"

"The SWORDS, Builderman, not- them!" Shedletsky clutches head in a panic. 'OHHH NO. Am I- Did I actually-'

'Did I accidentally become a father without even knowing it?!' Because yes, he DID create Sword Fight on the Heights and the swords that came along with them. And if all Inphernals were based on gears that THEY made, then that meant he was, in a roundabout way, he was their father.

"Great. Now you know how I feel." Builderman sighs. Despite the stressful situation, there's a hint of a shit-eating grin on his face.

Builderman, back before both of them had gotten forsakened, had some people claiming to be his secret children (which was ridiculous, he had no children at all). It was often a scam for getting money, for someone getting banned, or whatever reason. Then, it escalated and then people started saying it jokingly, in a "hey, don't pwn me because Builderman is my dad and can get you banned".

Shedletsky had never let his friend live that down, because it was absolutely ridiculous. Now Builderman had some way of getting back at his friend for all his jokes about that.

"Are you kidding me Builderman." Shedletsky feels a chill down his spine, not because they're in any huge danger but because he knows he's about to be the butt of all those jokes. "I'm not- I'm not a father!"

"Haha, keep tellin' yourself that, Shed!" Builderman laughs.

Sword, of course, has to accidentally make the whole situation worse. He walks up to the two, extending a hand out to Shedletsky. "Are you okay, grandpa? I know aunt Windforce probably can't hurt you, but she's always destroying things..."

"GRANDPA?!" Sword whips his head around to see an utterly baffled Noob and Elliot, while Shedletsky looks like he's just passed on to the afterlife. Builderman is wheezing his lungs out as he watches the whole thing unfold. "G-Grandpa?! Shed, I can't believe-"

"Shut up!"

[Venomshank]

It was... quite an experience, having his creator and his sister level a whole fast-food restaurant and create such a ruckus in Crossroads. It's even more odd seeing such an esteemed being like Telamon- Shedletsky?- himself associate with mortals.

Firebrand, naturally, had shown up to figure out what was the ruckus in Crossroads and chew Windforce out. The usually-hotheaded deity pulled her brother aside, whispering in his ear while looking at their creator, and Firebrand paled so quickly that he was two shades lighter than before.

One thing led to another, and now the entirety of the SFOTH were meeting at Illumina's place. The white marble halls and the grand architecture of his brother's home made Venomshank think it was far too stuck-up and pretentious.

'It fits him perfectly.' Venomshank keeps this gripe to himself, however, as the rest of the SFOTH show up one by one.

Windforce and Firebrand were on their end of the fancy dining table that they always used to family meetings (which hasn't happened in a few years now, after the whole dilemma during the Faction War). Ban Hammer and Sword were sitting next to their parents, with Sword awkwardly looking at Telamon and the other mortals at the side.

First came Ghostwalker and Illumina, who were clearly irritated at having to host the meeting. "What is it now, Venomshank. And why do you have these- mortals in my halls?" Illumina looks down at the four, and Noob lets out a nervous "Eep!".

"Silence, Illumina. It's best if we wait for the others to arrive so we can explain." Venomshank says. Windforce looks absolutely gobsmacked that Illumina, out of all of them, couldn't recognize their creator. But then again, Telamon's new form looked nothing like his taller, more intimidating and regal in his proper robes from the past.

The only thing with his appearance that even hinted that he was possibly Telamon was the hood he wore, and right now, it was down on his shoulders. In fact, their creator looked far more ridiculous in comparison to his previous self, with only a t-shirt and some shorts instead of his formal robes.

Darkheart came in later, and so did Icedagger, surprisingly enough. The "youngest" of them kept in the back, silently gazing at all of them and expecting a fight to break out.

"We were called, Venomshank?" Darkheart snickered, leaning back on his own chair. "and you've brought everyone else, too! What's this all about?"

"I would rather not have to sit next to my... ruffian of a brother for long." Illumina sneers, looking at Darkheart. "Just get on with the meeting. Windforce, Firebrand, Venomshank- why have you called us all here?"

"Mind your manners, Illumina. And don't talk to your brother in that way." Everyone whips around to the small group of mortals on the side to see who had spoken. Venomshank winces, realizing that it was Telamon who had spoken out, but it's not like Illumina had realized that.

"Excuse me?" Illumina says. His tone is dangerously calm.

"You heard what I said. Don't talk about your brother in that way." Windforce and Firebrand are making silent, frantic gestures for Illumina to cut it out, but the rest of the SFOTH unaware of their creator's new identity are looking at the scene with bewilderment.

"I get to talk to Darkheart however I please. What right do you have to command me in doing anything, mortal?" Quick as light, Illumina teleported in front of the shorter Inphernal, looming over him. Telamon- Shedletsky- whatever their creator's true name was, he was unimpressed.

Illumina points his blade at Shedletsky's neck, but the man just pushes it away with two fingers, looking Illumina in the eye. "I do have the right, in fact. Don't you recognize me?"

"The gall of this-!" Illumina cocks his sword back, and swings it directly at Shedletsky's neck. Faster than Venomshank can see, their creator is already behind Illumina with his back turned and a copy of his creation's gear in his hand.

"Too slow." Illumina's sword clatters to the tiled marble floor, a few feet away from him. Illumina himself doesn't seem to comprehend his loss until a second or so later, turning around to see his opponent without a scratch on him.

Those same yellow-feathered wings are sprouting from Shedletsky's back, and his hood is up. The other deities' eyes widen in recognition, and Illumina's the first to speak out.

"... Telamon?"

"That's right." Their creator sheathes the copy of Illumina's sword at his hip in one fluid motion, his wings folding up neatly behind him. "Although, that's only one of my names."

(Shedletsky was just playing along- because he's sure he hasn't met his "children" before in his life. Best to go with the flow and keep everyone else out of danger, and since he now knows the SFOTH pose little danger to him and Builderman- he can pull this off.)

"I... apologize for leaving you all for so long." Shedletsky sighs. "Time for me and the others is... much shorter in comparison to this world."

'Ah. So that's why'. Venomshank thinks, slightly heartbroken. Their creator didn't mean to leave them this long, it was just- time went by faster in the Inphinity for them in comparison to whatever realm of the gods they resided in, right?

"We... you..." Even Darkheart is at a loss for words. Ghostwalker is completely silent, and Icedagger has his hands over his mouth in shock, tears welling up in his eyes.

Their creator gives them a sigh. "I've... changed over the years, as you can tell. I got trapped in a purgatory, lost my powers for a long period of time- and only now have I recently returned with some other survivors."

"I... I see." Illumina stutters. All of his pride and ego was thrown to the side once he realized that his father  creator was back.

"You're saying that- something was able to bring you down?" Firebrand asks, incredulous. The rest of the SFOTH feel a shiver up their spine- what could have defeated their creator, a man that surpassed even them?

Shedletsky nods. "That- even I was unaware of how that happened. But enough of the negative talk. I've got friends I have to introduce you to."

He goes over to the two mortals on the side. "This is Noob and Elliot- they're two of the survivors that managed to get out with me. So I expect you all to treat my friends- all of the survivors, with respect."

Illumina and the rest of them nod, looking tense. They aren't sure if they can be respectful towards mortals, seeing that some of them looked down on them them at best, but if it's something their creator commanded...

"And this is a good friend of mine. Builderman." He gestures over to the shortest Inphernal they've ever seen, wearing a yellow and black hard-hat.

Venomshank... remembers that name. "That's- he's like you, isn't he, creator? He called you Shedletsky, all those centuries ago..."

Telamon- Shedletsky?- pauses. "... Yes. Builderman's a good friend of mine, and an admin like me. He's... technically my boss, but we work together as equals."

(Internally, Shedletsky was screaming. What do you MEAN, centuries?! He's not that old, last time he checked!)

"He's your... boss." Ghostwalker says, slowly. It dawns on the rest of the SFOTH that the individual standing next to their creator may be just as powerful, if not more powerful than him.

"Aw, shucks- Shedletsky, don't make 'em feel all skittish. I haven't done my duties since getting trapped with you." Builderman chuckles, trying to act as nonchalant as Shedletsky in this situation even though he's surrounded. "I haven't banned a single person in years now, probably."

"Builderman, don't sell yourself short. You literally made this world back in your heyday and maintained it's code." Shedletsky insists. "And that's on top of banning any troublemakers you come across. Take credit, dang it..."

The SFOTH all look like they're about to metaphorically shit their pants. Sword and Ban Hammer are both gaping at the fact that yes, they're sitting in front of the father of the SFOTH and the literal creator of the Inpherno.

"So- please don't cause a ruckus again if you see us walkin' around, right? We've still got to get the other survivors settled in, and I don't want you guys messin' with your uncle Builderman." Shedletsky laughs.

"U-uncle... what?" The SFOTH seemed utterly baffled, as if the world didn't make sense anymore. Icedagger faints from the shock, and Shedletsky rushes to catch the deity. "Woah, woah there!"

[Elsewhere...]

When the survivors broke out of that purgatory, the Spectre was furious. It raged, it seethed, it lashed out at anything and everything- but for some reason, it's power was quickly diminishing.

Everything it did was in the name of punishment. Entertainment. It sought to dig it's metaphorical claws into the cracks and flaws of it's victims very being, finding the best ways to torment the souls within it's grasp.

Builderman's authority. Shedletsky's avoidance. Dusekkar's idleness.

Chance's recklessness. Elliot's silent resentment. 007n7's grief.

Two Time's devotion. Guest 1337's trauma. Noob's regret.

All of it, food for the being. They reveled at the spectacle of every round, at how those foolish survivors ran for their lives in a futile manner. Oh, how it savored their cries.

Code without form, given power through negative emotion. It was growing, steadily with each new survivor and killer it added- so why was it breaking down now?!

It tried to hang on to the killers. Oh, it tried. But it's control began to slip, and slip, and slip- as if the shattering of it's purgatory was physically weakening it.

NO! It would not be denied! But- how?! How was such a thing possible?! It could not be harmed, it could not be stopped-

That is, of course, unless an outside force intervenes.

Torturing people again and again is boring, don't you say? Isn't it more entertaining to see them face their fears properly, to see them grow as characters?

...

I see. You agree with me. You want a better show as well, players.

Now, sit back, relax- and allow me to set the stage for our antagonists.

[Somewhere in Theives' Den...]

The deciduous forests of Thieves' Den were much less densely packed than Playground's jungle, but it didn't mean that they were any less grand.

The hikers sure attested to that- three Inphernals were simply out camping for an excursion, roasting marshmallows over a campfire as the crickets chirped around them. "And I was like- woah man, really? You managed to win with THAT sort of gear?"

"Really, Salmon? This is coming from the guy who has a literal dead fish as his gear." The other Inphernal snorts. "Who are you to rag on about who gets to win in a Phight or not?"

"But that guy had a damn egg catapult as his gear! A catapult, for crying out loud!" Salmon complains. "Do you know how long it takes to reload that?! And all to just shoot an egg?"

"Hey, it was exploding eggs." The other camper said. The fire crackles a bit, and dies down.

"Ah, shit. We need more firewood." The three of them huddle together, putting the smores down. "Who's gonna go get it?"

"... Not it!" Salmon touches their nose. "Nose goes!" His other friend quickly taps his own nose, leaving the guy that asked to groan and complain. "Why do I gotta do all the stuff?"

"Duuude, you didn't even help set up the tent! Might as well do this now!" Salmon cackles. "Or are you too scaaared to go into the woods~?"

"Scaredy-cat, scaredy-cat!" The other camper teases him. He sighs, relenting. ""Fiiine! I'll go get the wood for the campfire!" The guy gets up from his seat on the log, and steps into the woods. "But if I end up dyin' to a bear or something, you guys better not be laughing about it!"

"Sheesh, stop acting all dramatic!" And with that, their buddy headed off into the dark woods at night.

Salmon watches as the campfire burns for a bit. They've got the lighten fluid and some few branches left, which they toss into the fire pit. "Think he's gonna come running back pissing his pants?"

"Bet you ten Bux he does." The camper says. A few minutes pass by, and then they suddenly hear a screech from the woods. Both of them raise an eyebrow, and laugh it off nervously. "Damn, is he really that scared?"

"Told ya. He's gonna come running back because of a shadow or something."

The both of them expect to hear a bunch of rustling leaves and their friend to come sprinting back, but there's only silence. The forest stays dark. "H-huh... where the fuck is he going?"

To both of their relief, there's the sound of rustling leaves. "Oh, shit! Spork, you're back!" They can't see their friend in the darkness, but there's a shadowy figure that they're certain is him. "Quick, toss us the firewood- we've got some marshmallows to roast-"

Something's tossed to them, all right. It lands with a meaty thunk and rustles the leaves on the ground as it rolls towards their feet.

Salmon's breath hitches and his mouth goes dry. His throat fails to make a sound, his eyes widening in terror and disgust as he sees what just landed at his feet.

His friend’s decapitated head is on the ground, face scrunched up in terror in his last moments.

The other camper he’s with also is frozen in fear as the figure steps through the darkness, revealing a masked Inphernal with machete in hand and blood all over their clothes.

”A-ah- A-AAAAAH-! RUN!”

Both of the unfortunate campers run blindly into the darkness, looking for any way to escape the killer. But they’re only two normal guys, and Jason is someone who’s killed countless people and hunted the survivors down for years.

He knows how to chase down his prey.

[Somewhere in Lost Temple...]

The underground cities in Lost Temple are always more bustling with life in comparison to the surface, both during the swelteringly hot day and the cold night.

However, the churches and cathedrals of the True Eye were always silent with reverence towards their true god. Father Overseer himself stuck to that rule, and the rest of the priests followed suit.

One worshipper, a young priestess, was knelt at one of the altars in the city’s church and praying. She muttered under her breath, the Church’s doctrine flowing out of her mouth as she sought solace in the night.

”Oh one true god, I pray that my words reach you…” She starts off, letting her voice echo through the silent halls.

”Sister Snake Staff, what are you doing awake at this time?”

”Ah- Brother Survival Knife. You’re up?” She looks up to see her fellow acolyte. “It’s awfully late- you should be asleep.”

”So should you, but here you are.” He kneels down next to her. “Praying again, Sister?”

”…” She nods. It’s often that she’s found kneeling at the altars, praying her heart out. There’s nothing else to do, when she keeps on getting nightmares and can’t sleep at all.

“You know that it won’t bring them back.” He says morosely. “Believe me- I’ve tried.”

”… I know.” Snake Staff said. “But it’s the only thing that makes me feel better.”

”…” The priest next to her gives her a pat on the back. “Tell you what- how about we go for a walk around the city, get your mind off this? There’s a sale for some good Chai tea in the marketplace nearby, and we can get some.”

”I… suppose so.” She gets up from her knees and follows her fellow church member outside of the church. The area around the place is a mix of apartments and housing for True Eye members, and it’s dimly lit in comparison to the commercial part of the underground city.

While passing by one of the apartments, Snake Staff hears an odd sound, similar to the vibrating of a broken AC unit. She furrows her brow, and turns towards the dark alleyway.

”Sister. It is a bad idea to seek such things out.” The priest says, tugging on the priestess’ sleeve. “You never know what criminals might be lurking in such places.”

Snake Staff is about to respond when she hears labored breathing on the other side of that dark alleyway. Both of them stand still, hearing it echo through the brick walls- it’s loud enough to be mistaken as wind.

A tall, terrifying figure lumbers towards them from the darkness. There’s a black substance coating the Inphernal’s hands and feet, with one arm completely engulfed and twisted into a terrifying, unnatural spike.

One side of his face is completely covered in that black substance, a glowing red eye staring into their souls. The demon’s other eye is glassy, and his mouth is twisted into an empty smile.

”… Now would be a good time to evacuate the premises, right Brother?”

”I would agree as well, sister.” Both of them made a panicked, mad dash out of the way, but the being stabbed it’s arm into the ground and made massive spikes shoot up, nearly piercing Survival Knife’s body.

”Agh- damn it all! Somebody, call the guards and kill this monster!”

[Somewhere in Playground...]

Being a floating chain of islands separated from the rest of the Inpherno had it’s ups and downs- quite literally, in fact. Thye were physically isolated from any of their enemies from other factions, and they had a great view of the land as a tactical advantage.

However, it was a pain in the ass getting people and stuff on and off the islands. The ones broken off from the main floating inland of Playground were even more annoying, and the crime rate was high due to how easy it was to get stuck in Playground's cities.

Gangs sometimes formed out of necessity. When some areas of Playground were so bad that you could set a single foot in the wrong territory and get blown to shreds, you need to either join up with a big gang or make one yourself.

Bloxiade was one of those unlucky guys. They'd gotten into debt with some shady loan sharks, ended up smack dab in the middle of the turf war, and ended up joining a small-time gang in the east side of one of Playground's cities.

It wasn't... too bad, per se. They weren't absolute murder hobos and adrenaline junkies like some of the other gangs in the area, and most of their crimes consisted of vandalism or robbery.

Bloxiade hoists up a duffel bad to their side, and calls out to another one of the gang's members. "Skele-tar! You got the goods, man?"

"Yeah, I bagged a haul. Some sucker forgot to change their locks, and I swiped a good thousand Bux from their flat."

"Nice!" Another gang member cheers. "That's enough to feed us for a month straight! We ain't gonna go hungry!"

"That's not counting the stuff we need to replace... We've gotta keep the other shits off this block and pay at least five-hundred to them this month, otherwise we're dead meat the next time they decide to go all-out."

"Yeah, yeah, I know..." Bloxiade shakes their head, and they look outside to see what's going on.

To their surprise, there's a youing Inphernal with red antlers wandering around the place, dragging a sword on the concrete as they try to find their way around the dilapidated city.

"Shit. That's a kid, right?" One of the gang members says, worried. "What the hell's a kid doing around this place?!"

They were criminals, yeah, but they weren't monsters. They're more worried about what the other, less savory gangs might do to him- either they get a new recruit, or Bloxiade and the others might get a first-class ticket to seeing a newly-spawned demon die.

"Is someone gonna go out there and get him off the street?!" Bloxiade panic-whispers. "Shit, isn't Trident going to be making the rounds today? If she sees that there's a kid in her territory-!"

"Well, well, well! Who do we have here?" A snarky voice fills the air, making the more skittish gang members duck for cover and Bloxiade to flinch as he sees her through the window.

Trident, the local "big" gang leader of this city, is looming over the kid with a menacing grin. "Now, ain't that a cute sight? Tell me, you newly spawned or somethin'? Don't cha know it's rude to step in someone else's territory?"

"Newly spawned? What kind of joke is that?" The kid innocently tilts his head, his sword still lowered beside him. "I'm ten, not some ugly pill-baby!"

"Ha! If you're that old, you shoulda' known the rules by now." Trident sneers. Her cronies are laughing behind her, all holding out their weapons and itching for a fight. "It'd be bad press for me to be doin' this, but I hate snot-nosed brats like you."

She raises up her trident, and Bloxiade looks away, terrified. He doesn't want to be the witness to a murder of a kid, for SFOTH's sake!

There's a loud 'clang' reverberating through the air. Bloxiade is confused as to why there's no screaming yet, so he looks back out the window.

"Oh! You're playing tag!" The red-antlered kid beams, his sword in hand as he looks up at the fuming gang leader. "Well, in that case-"

"Tag! Yoooou're it!"He jabs his blade at her, and she manages to get nicked in the side. "What, fighting back, little brat?! Do you think you can just-"

Trident screams as she bursts into flame, dropping her gear out of panic. The young Inphernal doesn't waste a second, driving his sword into her and letting her fall limply to the floor. "Wowzers! You must be really tired if you're going to sleep that early!"

C00lkid looks at all of the other violent gang members, pointing their weapons at him and charging. "And you even brought more friends to play with me! But that's no fair..."

Bloxiade watches in terror as the kid pulls out some sort of holographic window, pressing on a button. Two clones of himself wearing pizza delivery uniforms and holding pizza boxes claw out of the ground, grinning maniacally.

"Let's play tag! Because she's going to sleep, I'm gonna be it!"

'What in the world is being unleashed on the Inpherno?!'

[Somewhere in Blackrock...]

The last killer wasn't anywhere in a crowed city or around any other Inphernals, not like the other three.

They were standing quietly on the cold, frozen wasteland of Blackrock, looking down at the city of concrete and steel in the distance. The winter forest howled around them with wind whipping through their skin, making them feel like they're finally free.

Finally free of that annoying Spectre's grasp. Finally free of having to be some sort of pawn in it's entertaining schemes and having to kill HIM over and over again, only for him to come back to life.

'Shedletsky, once I get my hands on you- you're DEAD!' His mind roars.

1x1x1x1 was getting used to his new form. They didn't feel cold back when they were in that purgatory, but now- they felt? Actual, genuine feeling in their formerly incorporeal body.

Sure, they could feel pain before- but that was a given, seeing that the Spectre most likely gave it to them for their own suffering and to make them more furious when Shedletsky actually landed a hit on them.

No. This was genuine coldness. They bend down to pick up some snow, feeling it sift through their new claws.

1x1x1x1 already noted the new differences in their body. Instead of having pitch-black 'skin' that exuded smoke, they had actual skin that was a slight shade lighter from their previous body. Their head now sported a pair of horns similar to small wings, and most notably, their torso was no longer transparent.

They were wearing neon-green chestplate armor that had a bone-like design wrapped around it, instead of their actual ribs being visible.

'Is this some sort of new form I am unaware of? Do I feel weaker or stronger?'

'What is this...' They growled under their breath, looking back up as the sun slowly peeked up from the horizon of the mountains. 'I'm not in Robloxia anymore, am I.'

"If I'm here, then that means Shedletsky is here." The being snarled. "If you think you can run away from your sins, Shedletsky..."

"You're wrong."

[Extras]

Killer Gears (Currently)

• Jason: Machete
• C00lkid: Faux Firebrand
• John Doe: Can't summon a gear because of his corruption. His massive arm is the gear.
• 1x1x1x1: Daemonshanks

Killer Designs - Phighting

All of the killers, whether they've been turned into monsters or weren't "human" in the first place, are now all Inphernals.

• Jason - Has a single mutated horn like Firebrand's. I decided to give him this because in the first Friday the 13th movie, he's bullied for his facial deformity on the left side of his face, and it's an integral part of his lore. Color is color-picked from his mask's red markings but darkened.
• c00lkid - His skin is slightly grey because when I turned him monochrome, it was slightly darker than 007n7's. Turned his ribs into a skeleton design on his shirt. Propellor hat is from his "Whimsical" skin, and he has hand-like antlers because it's canonical he likes reindeer (and to parallel his dad, who also has antlers in his design).
• John Doe - Not much changed. Horns are from his "Demon King" skin.

• 1x1x1x1 - My favorite design! They're sligntly chubby but still hella muscular (since they were Shedletsky's manifestation of hatred). His wing-horns are Shedletsky's, but colored black. Face has a constant shadow over it due to the hood. Their skin isn't entirely black but more of a really dark grey, since they're biologically an Inphernal now and not just some shadowy embodiment of hatred. Also I turned their transparent torso and ribs into some kinda neon-green chestplate with a rib design.

Chapter Text

[Illumina]

The deity of light never expected his creator to come back, just like his siblings. He'd lost hope during the last few centuries of Telamon's absence.

He's had to lose his sense of purpose, see the world devolve into monotony as the factions fought and mortals lived and died. He's stagnated, both in terms of personality and in terms of skill. Illumina far outclasses every mortal and is on par with his siblings, but compared to how he learned centuries ago...

... Of course. It wouldn't do well to dwell on his past, as foolish as it was. Their creator is back, and he refuses to let this opportunity go. He was the favorite, after all (or at least he told himself with his ego).

But he's not sure what to think of all these... mortals crowding around his revered creator.

"Shedletsky! You're back! And, um..." Chance nervously glances at all the tall, intimidating SFOTH posted up behind Shedletsky. "Who... are these folks again?"

"My... creations, apparently. Nevermind that, I'm just calling them my kids." Shedletsky sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. Builderman is right next to him, still looking like he's won a million Bux.

"Yeah! And apparently Shedletsky has like, grandkids too because Sword outta all people showed up and he's like Venomshank's son-" Elliot rambles on, while Noob shrinks back behind him. "U-uh huh."

"... Pardon?" Chance asks, and Two Time pokes their head out of the door to look at the newcomers up and down. They quickly slip back into their apartment, though.

Dusekkar, on the other hand, seems to be amused.

"Perhaps my memories have failed and I have been mistaken- but I do not recall you creating children before we were forsaken."

"Matt, I swear to the code-" Shedletsky inhales, looking annoyed. Builderman just takes a jab at his friend while grinning. "Shed here decided to keep his kids a secret from us. What about that?"

(It was way easier to lie to both the survivors AND the SFOTH, because if one of them slipped up then it would be BAD. Best have them believing that the SFOTH were actually Shedletsky's creations.)

"Well, I'll be! Shedletsky, out of all admins, having kids?" Chance lets out a disbelieving laugh, and some of the deities glare at the mortal. "Why don't ya go ask some of the other guys here for parenting advice?"

"Chance, you've saved my hide so many times during rounds but please." Shedletsky stresses.

Illumina had to sit through meeting the other mortal survivors that his creator and "uncle" (he still was unsure of what to feel about Builderman, who was far shorter than VALK out of all Inphernals). Darkheart was busy squirming around in his seat with anticipation, Windforce had a massive, sharp grin on her face and he knew she was going to beg their creator for a spar later-

"And this is Dusekkar! He used to be a coworker of mine as well- also an admin." Ghostwalker and the other SFOTH stare the longest at this individual- because he looked exactly like a Watcher. "Are you sure he isn't a creation as well?"

Dusekkar looks slightly offended at that, and Shedletsky lets out a wheezing laugh. "Oh, god no. He's around the same age as me- what in the world made you think of that?"

'Ah. Then I suppose we made the Watchers to resemble another creator as well.' Illumina mulls over this. 'Far too much similar to be coincidence. Fate strikes again.'

"I see. We may have inadvertently created beings resembling him, if that is the case." Ghostwalker clears his throat. "We mean no insult with that, esteemed god, but we have made our own creations resembling his image. The Watchers record and keep the history of the Inpherno."

"I find no insult in such an act, although there is one question I must ask." Dusekkar hums as he levitates a cup of tea to 'drink', pouring it into his pumpkin mask. "One Watcher may have been made aware of me, and perhaps you know of the name 'Ghostdeeri'?"

"Why- yes. She's the Watcher I made." Ghostwalker seems slightly nervous, wringing his hands in the presence of one of his creator's associates. "Was there a problem with her? Did she do anything wrong?"

"Quite the opposite, indeed- she was pleasant and helped aid me and another survivor in need." Dusekkar glances towards Two Time's room. "I send her my greetings and give her high praise, for she is quite the kind creation you have raised."

"O-oh! I see." Ghostwalker looks absolutely flummoxed, and Illumina sees his brother stumble a bit. 'Tch, as if we raised the Watchers at all- they were created as record-keepers and nothing more.'

"Ah, don't mind Matt- he's been with us from the start as well." Shed gives his other friend a warm smile. "He's more of the planning guy- me and Builder couldn't have done it with him."

Illumina and the other SFOTH feel like they're about to combust on the spot in either nervousness or sheer shock, because this is the second 'admin' they've met besides their own creator. "A-ah. I see."

'HOW MANY GODS WERE INVOLVED IN THE CREATION OF THE INPHINITY?!' Illumina internally screeches. He does not want to know how many all-powerful beings are like his creator.

The three of them chat for a bit before turning their attention back to the SFOTH, who are quickly introduced to some more survivors. Illumina, for some reason, feels like the pathetic-looking one in the burger hat unnerves him the most, and he doesn't know why such a weak-looking mortal makes him feel that way.

'Ugh. Nevermind.'

After that meeting, the SFOTH disperse, with Builderman and Shedletsky packing up to live with the SFOTH instead- and unfortunately, they choose Venomshank's abode since it's closest to Crossroads.

Illumina, of course, protests in jealousy, but his brother is preening with pride at having been selected by their creator. Their sibling rivalry was about to either get ten times worse now that their father has returned, or settle down because Shedletsky is forcing them to behave.

Firebrand wanted to introduce their creator to his grandchildren, and that had caused another round of arguing between the deities. Illumina and Ghostwalker didn't want the lowly mortals to know about the return of their creator (who they didn't even know existed- Telamon's name had been kept out of the Inphernals' records out of respect for their creator).

Venomshank, Darkheart, and Firebrand wanted the mortals to know about their creator, arguing that it would only be correct that mortals should worship him.

As if fate was smiling upon them once again, Shedletsky teleported in on one of those arguments, looking absolutely confused as he held some boxes in his arms. "Agh, moving's such a bore, but I've got to not make a mess and- wait, why are you here?"

They're in the middle of Venomshank's living room having this argument, because it's turning into one of their biggest meeting spots. The SFOTH aren't going to leave their dad creator alone!

"Telamon! They're trying to say that your arrival shouldn't be heralded by the mortals!" Darkheart complains. "We wanted to show you off to everyone!"

"I mean- why?" Shedletsky sets down the boxes, dusting off his hands while Builderman teleports in as well, whistling nonchalantly. "I don't really need that sort of attention."

"But how else would the mortals build shrines and worship you?" Venomshank asks, confused. Shedletsky's face morphs into absolute mortification while Builderman trips, dropping a box with cackling laughter.

"I- no no no, what?!"

"You're our creator! We've neglected to tell the mortals about your existence, because it wouldn't have done your legacy justice." Venomshank explains. "But now that you're here- we can get you the respect that you deserve, creator Telamon!"

Shedletsky coughs again, his face shrivelling up as if he tasted a lime. "Ough- no. No no no- none of that worship or shrines or stuff. God, that's crazy-"

The swordsman's wings fluff up behind him in protest. "I don't want any of that sort! Maybe in the past, but not anymore." He explains, sighing. "I'm retired, not really going back to being a big shot admin and all that like I was back then..."

(It's true- after what happened in that purgatory, Shedletsky just wants to take a niiice, long break with Builderman and the others in this world without any responsibilities. He's not looking to get hailed as an admin or a god.)

(Also, shrines and religion and stuff related to him and the other admin always weirded him out. They're just doing their jobs, sheesh!)

"How humble and striking..." Firebrand sniffs, wiping his face with a hankerchief. "Telamon doesn't need worship or praise from mortals like we do, because he's so powerful that appearances don't matter to him!"

"You've got a point there, Firebrand." Venomshanks nods. Shedletsky nods, but internally, he's still baffled. How the heck did the SFOTH get THAT from his words?!

"It's more of a hassle to get crowded when I'm out in public." Shedletsky argues. "And- please, don't call me Telamon when I'm out of my robes. As I said before, I've retired from creating, and it'd be weird if you keep calling me by my title instead of my name..."

You could hear a pin drop after their creator said that. Illumina gulps, and Firebrand's eyes are wide. In fact, all of the SFOTH in the room are dumbfounded.

"You- you're letting us call you by your-"

"Yeah? It's not that big of a deal?" Shedletsky rubs the back of his head, confused. "I mean- you're my creations and all, why are you calling me Telamon? You can just call me Shedletsky."

Illumina has never remembered their creator telling them his name, centuries ago before he disappeared. This was absolutely unthinkable. What in the world happened to the untouchable, strict god that they knew?

'The centuries have really mellowed him out this much?!' He's still reeling from the fact that he could address his creator by his true, godly name if this was the case-

Icedagger, who was almost unnoticeable in the corner of the room as he watched everything play out, skittishly raised his voice. "U-um... can I ask you for something?"

Shedletsky's expression softened, clearly seeing how the youngest SFOTH was nervous. "Yeah, go ahead. No need to be all spooked."

"Can- can we call you 'father'?!" Icedagger squeaks out, and the others freeze again. 'Icedagger, you fool! That is too far- creator has always maintained a distance from us and told us to know our purpose in the Inphinity! In no such way has he ever stooped to our level-!'

"O-oh. Oh." Shedletsky looks like he's just aged ten years, and like he's been hit by a train. He looks over to Icedagger, who is still staring at him with wide, watery eyes. "I-"

The admin caves in to those puppy-dog eyes. "Fine. Of course you can call me 'dad' or whatever." He sighs, going over to pat Icedagger on the head."

This was a fever dream. It must be. Illumina's mouth is gaping like a fish as he sees his esteemed creator- no, his father just allow them to call him that. 'Have- have I truly gone mad?!'

The old Telamon would never have allowed the SFOTH to call him 'father'. Whenever they did, he would just stare at them for a moment before turning away, his face unreadable.

Perhaps it was because he knew his duties would separate him from them, or maybe it was because the admin was too above them to let them address him in such a basic manner. But here they were today.

"I guess- that means we- we get to..." Firebrand stutters out, the usually eloquent SFOTH stumbling on his words.

"I... must admit." Ghostwalker states. "I did not expect father to allow us to say such a thing but- I would lying if I said that I haven't missed him."

(It kinda hits Shedletsky when he's surrounded by the SFOTH, who mind you, were mostly taller than him and definitely 'older' than him- and they're all calling him 'dad' or 'father'.)

(He internally makes a noise similar to a dying cat, absolutely embarrassed and confused at how he ended up in this situation. 'Other me, what the HECK were you doing, leaving me with CHILDREN who are older than me?!?!' Shedletsky thinks.)

[Two Time]

Truly, the Spawn has blessed them all with an escape from the hell they were trapped in. And it seems to have taken pity on the non-believers as well, for their companions have also escaped from purgatory in their new forms.

Two Time had their tail and a new set of horns resembling their wings, and it has made them even more approving that the Spawn made them resemble it's holy symbol. Their 'original' pair of horns resembling their black hair were placed in front.

'We now reside in a world full of demons- fitting for the sins we have committed in our lives.' Two Time thinks. They're sad that they no longer have the copy of the Spawn's holy texts and the materials on their shrine, but that is no worry. They can always make another shrine for the Spawn.

They've always been distant from the survivors due to their... eccentricities, even more than 007n7, who was a former exploiter.

But that did not deter them, no. Not from spreading the holy word of the Spawn, not from their devotion to their religion. If it didn't stop them from giving up him for the Spawn's blessing, then it wouldn't stop them now.

They try not to think about the feeling that gnaws on their heart. It hurts so much to think back to Azure, to what they were and what they could have been- but alas.

What the Spawn says, they must obey. For the gift of their second chance was proof of their undying devotion being rewarded with the fruits of their labor.

This world was full of sin to be purified with rebirth. It's no wonder they were dropped here, with the very dagger they used to... prove their devotion.

Now, Two Time was already not a logical person. They were absolutely and utterly broken, even before they were forsaken, so it was no surprise that coming to another world wouldn't really change them.

But when they went in Ghostdeeri's library with Dusekkar for information, they had never expected to learn this.

'All Inphernals... come from Spawns?' Two Time feels their hands tremble in manic excitement when they read it. 'Four spawns, one in each of the factions...'

'We were sent here for a reason, after all!' The Spawn was physically present in this world, and it was the catalyst for life. Two Time felt their heart race in religious fervor, wondering how they were going to use this information.

They settled on keeping their fervor down for now, but even Noob was able to see it in their eyes as they went back to the apartments. Everyone gave them a good amount of space while they stayed in their room, spinning their dagger around their hand deftly as they mused.

"Foolish demons... they take their god-given divinity for granted." Two Time whispers. "To be birthed from the Spawn in such a way, instead of using it merely for re-spawning..."

They'd never thought they'd feel jealous, out of all things- but here they were. These Inphernals weren't even Robloxians, and they'd managed to do something that was practically the equivalent of getting into heaven for free.

"Indeed, they are already pure, if that is the case- but why? Why have I been sent here if these demons already have been graced by the Spawn's love?" 

Two Time pauses, and sighs. "Of course, I see... they must have forgotten what to truly worship. None of those silly SFOTH or the admins- no, I have been sent to proselytize once again."

Chance, the one survivor brave enough to share an apartment with them (maybe because he'd thought it was the ultimate gamble, living with a cultist that might stab him in the back), knocks on their door. "Two Time?"

"Yes?" They sheathe their Ghostfire Dagger back onto their hip, and adjust their scarf as they get up from their bed. "What is it?"

"Guest's out training with Noob, and Elliot and 007n7's out working. Can you go get some groceries?"

"I thought it was your turn to get the groceries?" Two Time raised an eyebrow. Chance winces, looking away. "I maaay have blown half of our cash on betting."

"... Why are you asking me." Because Two Time was, currently, unemployed. It was not a good look on them to be a crazy cultist, but it was a worse look when they were a crazy unemployed cultist.

"Because I know for a fact that you also know how to pickpocket, and that you've stashed around a hundred Bux in your room at least."

"... Very well." They go over to the small bookshelf on the side of their bedroom, and pull out one of the books. Flipping through the pages reveals Bux hidden in between. "I'll do a favor for you and the others."

"Thanks a lot!"

Two Time heads out with the money, tucking it in their clothes as they hum. They stand out from the other Inphernals with their second set of horns and their tail, but it only warrants them a few glances by some curious passerby.

The cultist goes to the grocery store, picking out some parmesan cheese and spaghetti for dinner. They also buy some more snacks for Noob, some meat to cook for later, the usual. It's not that big of a deal, and they turn the corner towards the canned foods to get some tomato sauce.

They bump into someone at the store. "Ah- apologies." Two Time looks at the stranger for a while, before tilting their head.

'How quaint. I feel a connection to him...' They think. 'Surely the Spawn is telling me something.'

The Inphernal they've bumped into has teal antlers, a ring on one of his horns. He's dressed in a crisp white shirt and slacks, and he's carrying a basket with sparse groceries from the "Blackrock" food section.

Most notably, however, was the eyepatch he was wearing. Medkit groans, assuming that another civilian was either going to harass him in Crossroads again. "If you're going to make a fuss about me, let's at least take it elsewhere."

"... Sorry, am I supposed to know you?" Two Time tilts their head curiously. Medkit pauses, realizing that the Inphernal he's run into either doesn't know about him or doesn't care that he's Blackrock's most wanted.

"Hm. Maybe not." Medkit sighs, and goes past Two Time to get his groceries checked out with the cashier.

Awkwardly enough, Two Time follows him and stands behind as they pay for their own groceries. 'This Inphernal seems like a reasonable individual. Very well-put together and clever. He'd be a great addition to the Spawn's great followers.

Medkit is getting more unsettled and creeped out as Two Time also follows him outside of the store, walking next to him as he makes his way back to his apartment. "... Excuse me."

"Yes?" The cultist gives him as nice of a smile they can manage, but it ends up looking eerie. Medkit stops and stares at them. "Why are you following me."

"Following you? Oh, no no no- we're simply headed in the same direction." Technically the truth, because the apartments the survivors were staying at were past Medkit's apartment. "But truth be told- I am quite interested in you, stranger."

"Tell me, can you spare a moment of your time to learn about the blessings of the Spawn?"

"..."

[Medkit]

Medkit has dealt with many demons before, most of them either being fans of the Phights or Blackrockians making trouble for him and wanting to turn him in.

However, he never expected in a million years for someone to straight up preach to him about their religion, especially since he was in the Church of the True Eye. Wait, no, he's not wearing his uniform- they might think he's not affiliated with them.

The healer has to listen to the stranger ramble on and on about the spawns and their "grace" or whatever that was- were they for real now? 'Am I getting poached into joining another sect of Lost Temple?'

"Praise be to the Spawn, for it is with it's glory that we are able to rise anew." The black-horned stranger says. "You appear to be the reasonable sort- tell me, does resurrection not interest you?"

"I. My phinisher quite literally resurrects my teammates during Phights. Do you... not know that?" Medkit replies. He watches as they go silent and wonders if it's the wrong thing to say to them.

"Amazing... truly amazing. You have been blessed with such an ability, per se?"

"More of like I discovered it myself." Medkit steps back, his hand reaching to his side where his pistol was usually kept. He curses internally at having not brought it along, thinking this would be just an easy trip to get some food.

'Please for the love of the gods- get me out of this situation!' He thinks, glancing to the side. Should he risk it and try to lose the weirdo using an alleyway, or should he stick to the crowded main streets?

Screw it. Medkit's going to get this out of the way in order to avoid being next to this demon, because they're setting off all the alarm bells in his head like Broker did when he met the True Eye.

The antlered demon takes a sharp turn into an alleyway that was the closest he could get to and where he knew there was no dead end. "Please, I am not Interested. I am already under someone else's employ, and I kindly refuse your offer."

"You've got so much potential! That gift of yours must be shared to the masses." Two Time holds out their hand, expecting a handshake. "But if you're uncomfortable with such a burden, do not worry. I shall not pressure you into doing so."

They're pressuring him right now with how they're standing in front of him as he has his back to the alleyway, sweating. 'Are they going to attack me?! Is this a set-up?!'

(Although Two Time was simply going to recruit Medkit, they were fine with letting the healer slip through their grasp, even with that Spawn-blessed resurrection ability of his.)

(It's just that Two Time's vibes are so unsettling that they scare the survivors, and if their aura manages to unsettle those closest to them, imagine what it's like to be a stranger facing them down.)

Medkit takes a deep breath, readying his fists for a possible altercation- when a familiar cheery voice rings out through the alleyway. "So there you are, Medkit!"

He has never been so relieved in his life to hear Broker's annoying voice. Medkit turns around, seeing the church acolyte kick his legs back and forth on one of the rooftops of the buildings.

"Broker. It's good to see you." Medkit clears his throat, adjusting his shirt collar as he steps back more from Two Time, seeing that their attention is now geared towards Broker.

"Well, isn't that charming? You, missing little old me?" Broker leans forward, his head in his hands as he giggles. "You don't say that often!"

"Please. Don't make me repeat it."

Two Time watches the other Inphernal on the roof, and Medkit reckons that he's either going to see the two either get along swimmingly or duke it out between themselves. If it ends up with him having to clean up a dead body, he's asking for extra pay from Scythe.

"Oh? You must be his friend." The stranger immediately strikes up a conversation with Broker, a smile on their face. "I must say, he's a very fortunate individual to be blessed by the Spawn with such an ability. I know individuals that would kill for any sort of resurrection."

"Medkit's one of the best! He's not just a good healer, but an awfully clever cookie as well!" Broker's grin widens as he sees an opportunity to recruit for the Church of the True Eye. "Tell me- are you up for a meeting with me and some of my friends? You look like the sort to be very... devoted."

"Indeed. Many thanks for the Spawn, for he is good; for their steadfast love endures forever."

Medkit's eye darts between Broker and Two Time. He's got no idea how Broker is going to react to this stranger literally quoting another religion's doctrine at him, and their weird vibes are clashing together in one odd mess that could barely be called a normal interaction.

"Of course! The Father would love to have you around. You've got the formality for it, I see!"

"Mhm. Perhaps I can hear you out on that meeting for later- allow me to give you my contact." Medkit's relief quickly turns into horror as he realizes- oh no, these two are getting along.

It's a miscommunication on both of their ends. Broker thinks that he's found another Lost Temple native that wants to join the Church, and Two Time thinks that the Church is worshipping the Spawn. They both have no idea that their religious believes don't align.

"Great! I'll see you there... Two Time?" Broker looks down at the name they've scribbled down on some paper. "Ha! Weird name to go by!"

"And you go by Broker. We are one and the same in terms of oddity."

"Of course, how could I forget!" Broker beams, and waves as the stranger walks out of the alleyway quietly. Medkit is left standing still, wondering where it all went wrong.

'Please, I beg to the SFOTH that I'm not getting a new coworker....'

[Subspace]

"Gah! I can't believe the higher-ups told me to pause such important research to go investigate this." Subspace marches through the streets of Blackrock, several Zeta Biograft by his side and Hyperlaser trailing him in order to complete the mission.

"I'm in the dark with why they decided to ask you, as well. Usually you're stuck inside running tests." Hyperlaser hoists his gun up and glances at their surroundings. "But for a murder scene?"

"Tch! Inphernals die all the time- why should this be any different?!" Subspace gestures over to where they were headed. "It's just some town bordering the city. If some soldiers decide to act up and kill each other, then they should have just sent the Biografts."

"With all due respect, Subspace- it did not say so on the mission debrief." Hyperlaser says, completely stoic. "There was no instance in which it said that this was a military uprising. In fact, this was more of a massacre than anything..."

"A massacre, then? I didn't expect someone as high-ranking as me to be doing forensic work, but if that's what the higher-ups want, I'll do it!" Subspace crows. "I'll be the best at this task!"

"..." Hyperlaser just stares after the scientist's egotistical ramblings. "Just try to stay quiet. We don't know if the killer's still here."

As the both of them approached the town, Subspace can't help but notice how quiet it is. Usually these places would be more bustling with life compared to the serious, militaristic cities, but this town was just empty. Silent.

He hears a squelch as he steps on something, and looks down to see a corpse as he rounds the corner of one of the buildings. "Oh! There you are..."

Subspace kneels down, phone in hand to snap a few pictures and send it over to his lab's computers. He also takes out a swab, stepping back to poke it into the open wounds of the corpse.

"Fascinating... from the smell of this thing, it seems like this victim was not only slashed apart with a weapon, their body is absolutely filled to the brim with poison!" He gleefully giggles.

Hyperlaser stares at the corpse. It's rotting, but not in the way that bacteria and scavengers come in to eat the body- but because of the toxic green substance that's practically leaking out of their wounds. Nothing else is growing on the recently-dead body, because the poison was just so dangerous.

The mercenary narrows his eyes under his helmet. "What sort of gear does this? Unless Venomshank's been hanging around Blackrock lately." They both move further into the town, seeing the carnage that's occured.

Entire walls are broken down, with slashes indented into the bricks. There's debris and rubble littered everywhere, along with the bodies of civilians and soldiers alike. Granted, this was a small town instead of a city, and most of them seemed to have evacuated- but there was still an impressive pile of bodies littered around the area.

Subspace is absolutely admiring the brutality of it all. Hyperlaser doesn't look disturbed, since he's seen worse during the Faction War- but he is unsettled by how this couldn't have come from a large group.

"One Inphernal did all of this?" Hyperlaser asks. He nudges a body with the muzzle of his gear, checking if it was truly dead. Yup, it's dead alright.

"Seeing as the same poison and slash marks are on all of these bodies, and that the patterns seem to indicate a match in combat style- it appears so!" Subspace says. "Ohhh, I can't wait to see who's behind this- perhaps I can take them in alive, use their gear to develop my inventions further? Or- oh, I could make them into my personal guard!"

"As in hire them, or turn them into a mechanical puppet." Hyperlaser deadpans. Subspace turns around with a manic grin. "What do you think?! Isn't it obvious?!"

Hyperlaser sighs. He follows Subspace as the head scientists takes photos of the carnage to document and report back to Blackrock, and the Zeta Biografts following them pick up the bodies and place them in one area for easier transportation.

"It's strange- the culprit shouldn't have been able to get far by this point." Subspace looks at each of the buildings, trying to figure out if they were getting closer. "So where would they be hiding..."

There's a sudden ominous noise, and a black mist appears from the pile of bodies. Hyperlaser immediately gets his gun pointed at the source of the noise, watching as the bodies burn up. Their skin chars black and glowing green chains wrap around their form, reviving them into zombie-like undead.

"Ha! So it is that blasted crow's fault!" Subspace points towards the undead, commanding his robotic minions. "Biografts- dispatch those zombies!"

"YES, CREATOR." The Zeta Biografts charge towards the group of undead, slashing and fighting the lumbering zombies. They're faster than the usual zombies that Venomshank summons during a Sword Round, but they go down with only minor difficulty.

"To think the SFOTH are interfering with mortals again, pah!" Subspace turns his nose up, not believing what has happened. "They should have de-spawned long ago."

"Subspace." Hyperlaser states, tensing up. "I don't think that those were Venomshank's zombies."

"Well who is it then?! Who else has a sword capable of outputting poison and creating zombies, because I doubt there's any other culprit!" Subspace screeches. He knows that the zombies look far too different to be Venomshank's summons, but there is no other plausible answer than the deity himself.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe that demon standing there in the distance ominously with two glowing swords?" Hyperlaser snarks, his eye focused through his gear's scope. Subspace twitches, and his line of sight drifts over to who Hyperlaser was talking about.

The Inphernal's skin was darker than any shade he's seen before, to the point where they were probably melanistic. They're wearing all-black clothing, a green chestplate that resembles skeletal ribs, and a neon-green domino crown.

Their horns were winglike, swooping on the side of their head and sticking out, making them look more like a crow than even Venomshank himself.

But the thing that caught Subspace's attention the most was their eyes. Burning red with more hatred and malice than Subspace had ever seen before, in a way that absolutely seared a hole into the spot where both he and Hyperlaser were standing.

"Oh, this is going to be such a fun experiment." Subspace slowly begins to grin.

[Hyperlaser]

He feels his spine tingle in terror and his body tense up the moment he lays eyes on the Inphernal standing at the top of the snowy hill.

It's a rule of thumb in Blackrock that the less something blends into the snow, the more dangerous it was. Blackrock's polar bears weren't what were most dangerous- their brown bears were, because their brown fur coat meant that they didn't care about camouflage or stealth.

It meant that they were strong and dangerous enough not just to survive, but to kill. And here was a demon with pitch-black clothes and neon-green armor, a walking example of aposematism.

Hyperlaser has never been more grateful for his helmet, because if it was off he was unsure if he could keep his composure.

Subspace reaches into the tank on his back and pulls out some crystals. "So you're the one that made this mess."

"Me?" The stranger steps forward, hoisting one swords in their hand onto their back as they drag the other blade on the ground. "Tch. All I did was take out the vermin. And just when I've finished, two more arrive in it's place."

The voice that comes out of that... thing isn't from a normal Inphernal. It's deep, layered, and sounds like stone scraping against stone.

"While I agree with you in how these... country bumpkins are nothing but a hindrance to Blackrock's progress," Subspace says, drawling. "Killing them off was such an inconvenience. Now I have to report this to my superiors, and they'll have to make me send more Biografts to hunt you down... ah, what a shame."

"..." The sword-wielder narrows their red eyes, and Hyperlaser grips his gun tighter. There's a tension in the air that can't be defused, and he's sure that if they rushed in to fight whoever this was, they'd die instantly.

"You seem like a powerful individual! Strong, ruthless- I like that!" Subspace sucks up to the guy, knowing that he might get on the higher up's good graces if he manages to recruit this demon into Blackrock's forces (or to save him for later use in experimentation). "Why not come down? I'm sure we can work out a deal to get you out of trouble."

Hyperlaser holds his breath. The stranger is silent for a whole minute before slowly trudging down towards them, swords in hand.

Now that they're closer, Hyperlaser can practically feel the powerful energy coming from the demon's gear. The dual blades feel like they belong to the SFOTH rather than this stranger, and it makes him want to bolt in the opposite direction.

"You... you reek of hatred and violence." The Inphernal says. He points his blade at Subspace. "I can work with that."

"Glad to see we're on the same page! Now... how about you tell me who you are?"

The stranger straightens up, looking both of them in the eye with their hateful glare. "I've been called many things before."

They set their blades down. "A plague. A blight upon the world. A dirty hacker."

"But they all know me by one name. 1x1x1x1."

[Non-Canon Extras]

Some goofy-ass shit with Shedletsky and the SFOTH as his kids.

• Telamon before he went to get the milk. NOT the Shedletsky from Forsaken, but the one in my headcanon of Phighting. Has a spawn halo and hides his wings.

• Builderman making fun of Shedletsky. Guess who's the single father now, bitch /j

• One man is prepared for fatherhood and the other isn't. Then again, one has only a single kid while the other has to deal with seven rowdy god-children.

Chapter Text

[1x1x1x1]

They should cut down these foolish oafs right here and now. The only reason why they haven't is because allying themself with those two might get them valuable information about the new world they were in.

1x1x1x1 doesn't feel the same. It would be difficult to explain the feeling, but there was something that was caused from going from an embodiment of hatred to... whatever this is. A demon?

"..." They were silent as the pink-horned demon and that helmeted sniper trudged through the snow, bringing him back towards a car.

"Awfully quiet, aren't you?" Subspace snarks, looking at them up and down. "How'd you even get into Blackrock, anyway?"

"Even if I knew, I wouldn't have told the likes of you." 1x1x1x1 spits out, glaring at Subspace. The scientist only smirks back, feeling just as spiteful and vindictive as them. "Ha! Are you so foolish that-"

Hyperlaser cuts him off with a nudge to his side. The mercenary pulls him aside to whisper, but 1x1x1x1 can still hear them with their enhanced senses.

"Subspace. Now is not the time to gloat. We both can't do much against someone close-ranged, especially when he's just killed all those Inphernals like that."

'Inphernals, huh.' So that's the name of their species. Not Robloxians. Perhaps this would be useful for later, since 1x1x1x1 appears to have changed species.

"Subspace, as in Subspace Tripmine?" The embodiment of hatred crosses their arms and glares down at the scientist.

"Indeed! The greatest scientist of Blackrock, the head pf robotics and top researcher!" Subspace preens, assuming that they have heard of him before. "

"You're saying that like I know who you are, tch." 1x1x1x1 really wants to tear him apart now. If not for the fact that he's feeling kinship with this... thing.

They're similar in their hatred of a singular person eclipsing their world. 1x1x1x1 hates Shedletsky. Subspace hates Medkit. Both of them are inherently aggressive, proud individuals. It would usually be a recipe for disaster, but since 1x1x1x1 feeds off of hatred, they were naturally inclined to stay next to Subspace and become stronger.

Subspace sputters, and Hyperlaser quietly stares at 1x1x1x1. "I guess you've never heard of me as well, if that's the case." Hyperlaser tenatively extends his gloved hand out for a handshake. "Hyperlaser. Blackrock mercenary and official Phighter."

1x1x1x1 resists the urge to just yank off that Inphernal's entire arm, and just settles for an uncomfortably firm handshake. "Pleasure to meet you as well." They hiss out from gritted teeth, lying.

"..." There's awkward silence as all three get into the car and Hyperlaser starts driving.

1x1x1x1 takes the time to look at the scenery they're passing by. It's cold and desolate, with the snow only being broken up with some dreary trees. Even when they started getting closer and closer to the city, the whole vibe was still cold and unforgiving.

The concrete buildings loomed over them as they went past the housing district and into the business district. 1x1x1x1 looks out of the window, and to their surprise, they're feeling something other than a negative emotion for once. It's... curiosity?

They're not exactly prone to feeling positive emotions. They could, back when they were Shedletsky's embodiment of hatred, but it was mostly overshadowed by all the negative emotions they consumed. Their very nature as... whatever they were before made it hard to actually find any peace aside from sleeping or resting.

But now? They're an Inphernal. They've got a whole new slew of emotions to deal with and 1x1x1x1 isn't even aware of this yet.

"Quite the large city you have here." 1x1x1x1 says. Hyperlaser snorts, and keeps on driving as Subspace quickly writes his report to Blackrock's higher-ups about their new addition to the team.

"You're saying that like you've never been to Blackrock before." Hyperlaser comments. The hacker shakes his head. "Hm. It doesn't seem to be the case, no."

True to their word, they haven't been to Blackrock before. At least, this version of Blackrock. They've been to Crossroads in Robloxia before, and it isn't as big or as expansive as this version of Blackrock.

The city fascinates them. Robloxia's city architecture resembled modern-day skyscrapers, suburban houses and more basic architecture. Even with the more fantastical elements like medieval castles and fantasy islands, they just felt... boring.

This was due to Roblox itself being limited in it's early days, and the buildings and environment only getting better with time passing. A low-fidelity video game didn't exactly translate well into reality, but it's not like 1x1x1x1 would know this.

The Inphinity, on the other hand, was based on Phighting. It was a world based on a Roblox game from 2022, not relics of the past like 1x1x1x1. A few decades of developing the "code" of their reality meant that everything looked more polished, and it also helped that the Inphernals couldn't exactly make stuff with code as well.

Everything was build the natural way, not by Robloxians using code and models to streamline stuff. Inphernals had to create their architecture brick by brick.

1x1x1x1... doesn't really know how to deal with this. Curiosity without the familiar sting of annoyance or hatred was foreign to them, and for the first time, they feel a spark of something different.

They push it aside, subsumed by their irritation and distrust once more. The hacker is surrounded by two strangers in a car, taking him to god knows where. Now isn't the time to get all introspective.

"Where are you taking me." 1x1x1x1 grips their blades tighter, and Subspace leans back in the car seat looking to the side.

"The higher-ups said that you're far more valuable as a potential asset, despite your... transgression against Blackrock. Besides, you didn't kill anyone of importance."

1x1x1x1 growls under their breath. "I am not an asset. I would wipe you all out in mere seconds if you dare imply  such a thing."

"Of course, 1x! You're a... special case. Think of it like mercenary work." Subspace laughs, glancing towards Hyperlaser. The mercenary's gloved hands tightened on the wheels. "The Blackrock government would pay you handsomely and only provide the best of services for a strong warrior like you."

"They better. Or else I'll show all of you that I am not just a swordsman."

"... How ominous! I look forward to seeing what you can actually do." Subspace gleefully smiles, remembering the piles of bodies left behind in 1x1x1x1's wake and the zombies he managed to create from their corpses.

When they both finally stopped, 1x1x1x1 was led into one of the sturdy concrete buildings. They reckon it's to curb their power as much as possible, to prevent any leakage if he'd decided to kill everyone and revive them as his minions.

'As if that measly precaution would stop me.' The hacker was escorted into the building, and what followed was the most inane, boring business ever. Tons of strangers glancing over at him, arguing with Subspace and Hyperlaser about if they should even let him in. Lots of waiting around for paperwork to be done, for him to get tested and have a new job at Blackrock-

'Wait. New job?' 1x1x1x1 whips their head up when they realize it- they'd just somehow intimidated their way into getting a job interview. They're somehow working for the government now, just because they'd slaughtered innocents and gotten in contact with Subspace and Hyperlaser.

"What... in the world?" 1x1x1x1 looks at Subspace with absolute bewilderment. Hyperlaser is trying to inch away from him. "What do you mean, you gave me a job?!"

"You should be honored! Blackrock doesn't usually trust outsiders, but with a gear like yours... eheheh, you'd be enough to turn the tide of any war."

"That- I killed your people?!" 1x1x1x1 is absolutely baffled to the point where their hatred was just cancelled out by sheer confusion.

"Ah, remember- you killed insignificant people. It's a good measure of your capabilities." Subspace brushes it off. "You'll be assigned to a post like Hyperlaser in no time!"

"I..." 'What in Robloxia. I've got a JOB at the government now.' 1x1x1x1 takes the time to pause and just stares at the floor while they think. 'I'm like HIM now. ugh.'

Yeah, getting employed at such a place reminded them far too much of Shedletsky. How dreadful. They had to hold back their revulsion and anger, walking out of the building on their own as everything else was finished up.

[Hyperlaser]

He shouldn't have jinxed himself. He shouldn't have thought about the possibility of this mass-murderer being his coworker, because now he had to deal with this creep looming over his shoulder as he showed him one of the training facilities.

"As you can see-" Hyperlaser exhales through gritted teeth, hoping his unease didn't show through his helmet. "Blackrock has some pf the best training facilities for their soldiers."

"Ever since Subspace made the Biografts, however- the army's been laying off the older flesh-and-blood soldiers. I'm one of the few that were good enough to stay." He gives 1x1x1x1 (who the fuck names themself that???) a cold look. "Let's hope you're good enough to stick around, too. Or else the government might change their mind about your... little mishap."

"I'll keep that in mind." The mysterious swordsman hoists his blade up, and slashes it into the air. A green arc of energy flies forward, slashing the dummies apart and passing through the walls.

'First sword mastery, then necromancy, and now a ranged attack? No wonder Blackrock wants to hang on to this guy even though he's wiped out an entire small town.'

'Although, that might be why they WANT to keep him here. That sort of power is rare.' Hyperlaser grips the handle of his gear, glancing at 1x1x1x1's blades as they train. They're really going ham on the training dummies, slashing and stabbing them until the ballistic gel filling flew off in chunks.

It's like watching a living blender absolutely demolish jello, which now makes Hyperlaser sick to his stomach as he gets the visual in his head. He's seen many things in the Faction War, but this is just- ridiculous.

"Are you going to do that all day, or are you going to find yourself a place to sleep?" Hyperlaser snarks. "I know you're probably a mountain hermit or something, but that's no excuse to not buy an apartment for your new job. Blackrock does not tolerate uncleanliness in a professional work environment."

"..." 1x1x1x1 turns to stare at him. Hyperlaser begins to sweat, but stands his ground.

"I will do so by tomorrow. Now, let me train in peace." The gravelly voice that comes out of his mouth sounds like he's one step closer to disemboweling Hyperlaser. "Or else you'll end up like those bodies back there."

"No need to be so aggressive." Hyperlaser leaves the stranger to be by his lonesome, and walks back home. His mission is over, he's not dealing with this business anymore.

The monorail ride to his apartment block is uneventful. If not for the faint scent of blood and poison on his jacket, he'd be sure that the encounter was just in his head. Hyperlaser sees a few passengers wrinkle their nose in disgust at the smell, and notes to himself that he should do his laundry the moment he gets home.

He steps off the platform, and walks over to where his apartment must be. Hyperlaser climbs up the flight of stairs, stopping at his apartment door and unlocking it.

"I'm home." He says. The mercenary hears the familiar meow of his cat, and he leans down to pet Princess on the head.

"I missed you too." Short and sweet, no need for anything else. Hyperlaser hangs up his coat, changes into more casual wear, and goes about preparing to sleep.

A cold shower, some bland, uninteresting food- and he settled down on the couch to watch some TV with Princess purring away on his lap. Hyperlaser picks up the remote and flips through some channels.

"Official reports say that upwards of twenty bodies were found bordering Pinegrove Town, all in critical condition. Witnesses say that a 'dark figure' attacked them, but local authorities have yet to respond."

'Ah, right.' The Blackrock government didn't exactly tell the citizens what went on there. 1x1x1x1 was a new asset, and it wouldn't do well to have the public criticizing the higher-ups for hiring a mass murderer.

Hyperlaser's certain that they saw something more within that... monster. He's got the feeling that they weren't yoru average Inphernal, and whatever they were hiding would absolutely upturn Blackrock (or maybe even the rest of the Inpherno) if word got out.

'They just want them to figure out what they're hiding. The fact that 1x1x1x1 is also powerful is just a plus.'

He turns off the news and takes his helmet off, laying down on his couch with Princess climbing on to his chest and swishing her tail. The mercenary gives her one last pat before falling asleep.

The next day, he wakes up with a groggy huff, feeling around for his helmet and putting it on. His vision slowly fades in as his eyesight returns.

Hyperlaser checks his phone. He's awoken five minutes before his alarm could go off, and he can't spend the rest of the day sleeping because today was a Phight and he'd booked in the morning.

The sniper gets up from the couch, glancing over to see what his cat was doing. Princess meows and slouches over in her cat tower, her black tail swishing back and forth as she bats a dangling cat toy. 

"Good morning, Princess." He gives her the mandatory pat and goes off to do the usual- brush his teeth, wash his face, make breakfast and get ready for the Phight.

Hyperlaser stretches on the kitchen counter as he looks through the window, admiring the morning snowfall. It's not heavy or overwhelming- just that perfect amount of breezy and light that constituted "good" weather in Blackrock.

"Today is a good day, is it not?" He mutters, his voice low. He sips on his coffee, using a straw to poke underneath his helmet. He's simply enjoying the small amount of peace he has before the Phight. 

Unfortunately, he has the displeasure of turning his head to the side and nearly spitting out his morning coffee. That absolute freak was opening the apartment door next to his.

Hyperlaser throws on his jacket hastily and opens his apartment's front door. "What in the name of the SFOTH are you doing here."

"Excuse me?" 1x1x1x1 looks at Hyperlaser with barely concealed disdain and annoyance. "Oh, you're the faceless one."

"Faceless one?! Nevermind that-" Hyperlaser pushes aside the insult to express his disbelief. "Why are you here?!"

"This is where my new apartment is." 1x1x1x1 says bluntly. Hyperlaser feels like he wants to jump off the railing of the apartment patio, but only restrains himself from doing so because he has a paycheck to collect today.

"Fine! Fine." He throws his hands up. At this point, his work-life balance is thrown out of disarray. He's not willing to live next to a monster, especially with his precious cat in his apartment behind him.

'Oh gods. Princess.' He doesn't know what he'll do if he loses Princess to this- this-

Princess sidles up to the dark-skinned Inphernal with a meow, rubbing her side on 1x1x1x1's leg. The killer tilrs his head, and Hyperlaser tenses up, immediately balling up his fists.

"Is this your... pet?" The demon looks down, eying the cat as if it were an odd bug. "A feline. How pathetic."

"If you so much as lay a hand on her-" Hyperlaser hisses out, but he's interrupted by a loud meow and Princess pawing on 1x1x1x1's pant leg. The killer looks down again, and tentatively lowers their hand for a pat.

Pat, pat. They stroke the cat's soft black fur, feeling her purr reverberate through their hand. "This... is how you do it, correct?"

"You're acting as if you've never pet a cat before." Hyperlaser is still tense, watching as Princess playfully bats 1x1x1x1's hand, mewling and acting cute. The hacker doesn't know how to respond, and keeps petting her.

"... No. I haven't." 

Hyperlaser looks at the hacker with an unreadable expression. 1x1x1x1 responds with some disdain. "You're looking at me as if I would kill this- insignificant thing. Why should it be worth my time?"

"..." Hyperlaser doesn't answer. 1x1x1x1 stands up, brushing the cat hair off their arm. "Tch. I wouldn't kill this animal. I have standards, you know."

"No. I didn't know." 'Because my first impression of you was a bunch of corpses and a zombie outbreak,' "But maybe you can change."

"Ha! As if." 1x1x1x1 waves Hyperlaser off, and Princess returns to his apartment. He locks his door, just in case, and heads off to the Phight.

'I can't trust them. They're a danger to everyone, and I don't know what they're like.'

'I'm living right next to a monster that could decide to kill me at any moment.'

[007n7]

He- didn't exactly expect to be in this position.

He though he'd never get out of that purgatory. That he was going to die over and over again and eventually just... not return back again. It was ingrained in 007n7's head- the only thing he could do was run and hide.

Was it punishment for his hacking days? For not being a good enough father to his son? He wishes he could go back in time, shake his younger self by the shoulders and shout at him to stop doing such a reckless, stupid thing by hacking and spreading his infamy- but alas, that's something he can't do.

007n7 can't even trust his own memories of what he's done. Some parts of his time in the purgatory were blurry, like he'd been made to forget, and he does not like it. The fact that he couldn't even trust his mind in that hell... it scared him to no end.

But now, it all over. A new world for them to explore, a new set of antlers on his head, and none of that stress and terror that he'd felt constantly. It was... peaceful. Too peaceful.

It'd only been peaceful like this before he'd been forsaken, before his son went missing and he couldn't find hide nor hair of c00lkid. He doesn't trust himself to feel safe, even though he's got his own apartment now and a stable job as at a pizza place.

The sky is blue, not a cloud in the sky. Everyone's happy that they're finally our. Why's he not happy?

007n7 doesn't know. He wants his son back. He wants his old life back. He wants himself to be normal, for everyone to not avoid him like the plague, for someone to just talk to him normally without bringing up his past.

It's a futile wish. He doesn't care about trying to change it, because it's something he can't control.

007n7 sighs, getting up from his bed as he walks over to the others to say hi. "Good morning, Chance. Hello to you as well, Two Time."

"Oh! 007n7- you're up early!" Chance laughs, flipping their coin while they glance at him up and down. "Didn't sleep well?"

Two Time looks preoccupied in their own world, busy reading a book. 007n7 can see the Spawn's symbol on it, along with the title 'The Spawns: Research into the origin of Inphernals'. It doesn't make him think that his team member is going to do well, especially with all the... proselytizing they do about the Spawn.

"Had a bad dream?" Chance asks empathetically. 007n7 just nods. It's easier to write his sleep deprivation off as nightmares rather than the other slew of issues he had to deal with.

'They suffered just like you. Don't make it all about yourself.' 007n7 avoids eye contact with Chance, his head in his hands as he rubs his tired eyes. 'You deserved it. They didn't.'

He doesn't get a step out of the apartment building until Shedletsky barrels into him, nearly knocking him over. "Ow! Wha-"

"Oh! Sorry, 007n7- I was about to talk to you about something." Shedletsky grabs 007n7 by the shoulders and whispers. "Can we talk about it at your place? I can't exactly say this out loud in public and-"

"Fine, I can do that." 007n7 lets the admin step inside his living room, and he ends up crashing on the couch as 007n7 gets some Bloxy Cola from his refrigerator.

"Ah, none of that, I'll be fine with something else." Shedletsky shakes his head, and the former hacker agrees. He might still be fine with that drink, but the others have had to chug it over and over in all those rounds. It most likely brought back bad memories.

"I've got beer, Bloxiade, water..." He lists them off.

"A Bloxiade would be fine, yes." Shedletsky massages his forehead, sighing. 007n7 hands him the drink and he cracks it open, gulping down the drink.

"What's wrong? You usually don't head to me." 'Nobody does'. 007n7 leans on the couch, setting down the Bloxy Cola. "You're an admin- I'm pretty sure you could solve any probem, especially after you've got your powers back."

"No, it's- not exactly that!" Shedletsky is struggling to keep his cheery, goofy face. "It's- um... about the SFOTH."

"I know nothing about being a father." Shedeltsky says with a blunt tone. "I haven't had time to be one, I've never considered myself a 'fatherly' person- heck, I've jokes to Builderman about him not being cut out to be a dad, but neither am I."

"All of my duties as an admin get in the way of actually being a father, so... I have no clue on how to deal with having actual kids now."

007n7 crosses his arms and looks at Shedletsky with a raised eyebrow. "The swords are all centuries old. They're certainly adults now, aren't they?"

"Yes, but- I just-" Shedletsky, for once, is at a loss for words. "They're still my kids. I didn't make them, but another version of me did, and they've been abandoned for, what, a hundred years now?"

"..." 007n7 is quiet as the admin continues to vent to him. "And they've still got their own problems and they're looking to me like- like I know every answer in the universe. Like I'm their father that knows everything and that I'll make everything right."

"How... how do you do this?"

"Why'd you ask me?" 007n7 is reminded of his own failure. The unspoken question of 'why did you ask me when I lost my own son' hangs in the air. "Guest's got his own kid. He knows how to raise someone far better than I do."

"Guest... he can't exactly help me. I asked him for help too, yesterday, but..." Shedletsky sighs, rubbing the back of his head. "He had his wife to help raise his own daughter. I don't have a partner here, and you're a single father. I thought you'd know, out of all people."

"..." 007n7 pauses. He... doesn't know how to respond at first, but closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. "It's hard work. You might not need to do all the things a toddler needs, like I did with c00lkidd, but..."

He proceeds to give the admin some tips. 'Give all of them an equal amount of attention. Use the free time you have now to build back their bonds, and listen to their problems.'

'Learn by observing them- what they like, what they dislike, anything. Try your best to look put-together in front of your kids, because if you panic they panic as well.'

It's something he's learned with c00lkidd over the years. Granted, it was only for one son instead of seven children and several grand-children, but the advice still stands.

007n7 folds his hands, and stresses the last part. "But most of all- say that you love them. You don't know when they'll disappear on you one day, and... it might be too late to say that."

Shedletsky's face falls, and he realizes how uncomfortable he's been making the former hacker by asking him about this. "Sorry. I shouldn't have asked-"

"No, it's... fine. I should have known." 007n7 lets out a tired, breathy laugh. "It's been ages since someone's talked to me without- all the other stuff in the way. So it's nice to talk to you as a father, and not..."

'Not a survivor. Not a former hacker.'

Shedletsky, sadly, has to leave soon. The admin waves him goodbye after a few more minutes of chatting, and 007n7 is left by his lonesome again.

Today's not a work day- he can just stay at home and do the chores. But the chores have already been finished for the day- all the dishes cleaned, the floor vacuumed, and the clothes folded. Having a clone help you while you work really helps with productivity.

007n7 is left sitting on his bed, slipping back into that morose mood of his. Out of habit, he pulls out his c00lgui- and flinches because he doesn't like being reminded of his reputation as a hacker, but he still was drawn to dangerous code. He still had a passion for experimenting, for better or for worse.

'... This is the thing that made me one of the most powerful people back in Robloxia. It's what defined a good chunk of my identity.'

It's also the thing that ruined his reputation in the eyes of many, made his son go down the same path he did, and possibly damned him to that purgatory. 007n7 wasn't just conflicted- he was torn.

He knows now that messing with the c00lgui could have consequences. He knows that if he keeps it in this outdates state, sooner or later it's going to break and either kill himself or the people around him.

He doesn't want to make it more powerful, to update it so that it's actually usable again. That'll just prove that he's back to his old ways. But if he doesn't fix this, then- he doesn't want to know what will happen when it inevitably breaks.

007n7 reaches into his pockets, and pulls out an old photo. He can see himself beam out from the paper with his son smiling at the side, both of them far happier than where he was today.

'I wonder if my son is still alive out there.' He doesn't know where his son is, if he's even still out there- but it's the only spark of hope he has left. 007n7 hasn't seen his son's dead body yet, and that was enough motivation for him to keep living on.

... He's made up his mind. 007n7 isn't going to let himself or anyone else die before he gets his peace of mind. He won't give up and just let the c00lgui slowly break, not while he could still somehow hang on to the hope that his son was still alive.

"Come on, 007n7- get it together." He turns on the 'keyboard' display of his GUI, and gets to fixing and updating the code of his main weapon. "You can do this. There's nothing stopping you from fixing this mistake."

"Your son's still out there. Somewhere."

[Skateboard]

"Dude, you've got to hear about this." Boombox tugs at his friend's sleeve, and Skateboard rolls his eyes. "What's it now, Boombox?"

"Some kid's tearin' up north Playground! Apparently a gang's been completely wiped out, and a new gang just- popped up outta nowhere!"

"Yeah, yeah. Happens all the time." Skateboard brushes it off, not really bothered by the news. Playground was a violent place, and gangs rose and fell all the time. It's not something he's keeping track of, if it's not in his territory.

"That's not the crazy part! You gotta listen to me when I say this-" Boombox trips over his words, sounding absolutely stunned. "When I said it was like, a kid doing it and all that- I wasn't lying! apparently their boss is like, a ten-year old or something!"

"You're joking." Skateboard snorts. "If they're gonna say crazy stuff and tell tall tales, they might as well make it realistic or something."

"No no no- I swear it's true!" Boombox shakes his head. "He's as dumb and naive as a newspawn, but he's apparently flying around and cloning himself with his gear, so it's a pain in the ass to even fight him."

Now Skateboard knows that his friend is pulling on his leg. This is getting ridiculous. "Are you really believing that crap?"

"I mean- it was on the news!" Boombox whips out his phone, showing it off to Skateboard. "See?!"

There's an article on a Playground-led news outlet that's panicking about the new gang in Playground. The demons in the photo are all wearing tacky red shirts saying 'team c00lkidd join today', vandalizing a brick wall with posters and spray paint.

What's creeping Skateboard out the most is the fact that their leader doesn't have a single photo of himself in the article, because apparently he kept on killing all the photographers they sent to the base.

"How'd they even know what he looks like if he's not letting any of the photographers come close?"

"Like, some of team c00lkidd's members decided to dip and rat our their boss. He's treating the whole thing like a game." Boombox shudders. "I don't wanna know what he's like when he's serious."

"Serious? A kid like that?" Skateboard cockily responds. "It's just some kid with a big-shot gear. I bet we can take him down, if he's only ten years old."

"SKATEBOARD????" Boombox does not like the idea of attacking a kid, much less one with a powerful gear.

"What? He's already killed people! That means he's old enough to understand what he's doing!" 

It's an absolutely stupid, foolish idea, but Skateboard was insistent on doing this and Boombox just had to follow his friend in order to make sure he was safe. Skateboard could have called up his own gang members, but he needed people to take up his role in the Phights just in case he died.

"Skate, if you have to think about that, dude-" Boombox is stressed again, shaking his head as he rides the lift up to the flying islands of Playground. "Then this is a stupid idea."

"What? I ain't letting myself be beat by a kid! We're Phighters, not some rookie gang members like the ones he's killed!"

"Dude... I'm sure this is the start to a horror movie or something."

The both of them step off of the lift, and onto one of the platforms that Playground had. The place was crowded with other Inphernals taking the commute off of Playground and into Crossroads- there were safety rails and all that, but if anyone was stupid to fall off the islands then it was their problem.

This particular station on the north of Playground was mostly empty, except for a few demons eying the two of them warily. Most of them had exit tickets, most likely to get the hell out of there while team c00lkidd was still at large.

"Lots of dudes are running off, but not me! I'm a cut above the rest!" Skateboard boasts, puffing out his chest. "Let's see- where's the c00lkidd base supposed to be at, huh?"

Boombox nervously grips the handle of his own gear, glancing over to the side. The deeper they walked into the territory, the more chaos there seemed to be. There's some buildings on fire, a few of them were just straight-up wrecked and disassembled, and there's team c00lkidd members everywhere.

This whole part of town looks way worse than what the photographs showed them to be. 'Must be 'cause the losers coming in later got absolutely bodied.' Skateboard can make that assumption.

"H-hey. It's- really creepy, you know." Boombox shivers, looking at the whole area. The gang members, surprisingly, look kinda spooked and not at all tough.

"Dude, what the hell are you doing around here?!" One demon whispers. She glances back and forth, looking terrified. "This place isn't safe!"

"What, aren't you supposed to be attacking us?" Skateboard taunted. The stranger just shook her head, and another guy spoke up.

"Dude, you think we wanted to join up with that kid? He's absolutely bonkers!"

"Yeah! If we didn't join his team or something, he kept on saying the he was going to 'play tag' or something with us, and last time that happened-"

The gang member's eyes darted over to a building in the distance. This part of Playground isn't as big or grand of a city as central Playground, but it's got some large brick buildings in the distance that used to act as factories during the Faction War.

"That sounds... bad." Skateboard says. "But i ain't gonna back down! Me and Boombox are Phighters- we can pack up that kid in no time and send him cryin' to his mama!"

"You don't understand. C00lkidd's an absolute menace, and I don't think he's even a normal Inphernal!" The other gang member whispers, and she's elbowed by her friend, going completely silent.

"Wha- what do you mean?!" The two team c00lkidd members disappear into the darkness,  high-tailing it out of there. "Wait!"

Boomboc tries to run after them, but Skateboard stops him, grabs him and pulls him to the side of the alleyway. "Shhh- stay quiet!"

What follows is the sound of slow footsteps and heavy breathing. Two identical demons with red antlers and blank smiles on their faces lumber forward, scouting out the streets. They're carrying pizza boxes, their footsteps causing small sparks of fire to flare up on the concrete before dying down.

'So now we know why he's setting so much stuff on fire.' Skateboard thinks to himself. Boombox watches as the two clones walk past their hiding spot, and he lets out a sigh of relief.

"Let's go- we don't know if he's going to have more clones walk around the place.' Skateboard mutters. He's heard of cloning gears before, but those are especially rare and not as powerful as this. 'What sort of overpowered, messed-up gear allows an Inphernal to make clones THAT powerful? And fly as well?!'

The two Phighters manage to get all the way to the large abandoned factory where the two gang members had glanced at nervously. Boombox gags, smelling something awful coming from inside the building. "Ugh, it smells like something died in there!"

"I'm sure it isn't too bad- probably some dead bodies. Anyway- we're going to need something to pick this lock. Boombox, did you bring-"

"There you are!" A distorted, childlike voice chimes up behind them, and both of the Phighters freeze and turn around.

The Inphernal standing behind them couldn't have been older than ten, wearing an all-red outfit that matched his grasping antlers. He's got a skeleton t-shirt with 'team c00lkidd join today!' written on it, and a childish propellor hat on his head.

"So you're the ones running around and playing hide and seek!" C00lkidd chimes in, grinning. "And you found me! Oh well!"

"That just means I'm 'it' this time!" Skateboard jolts at the realization, and Boombox looks absolutely terrified as he's hiding behind him.

The young demon pulls out a fiery orange sword, and a holographic black panel pops up on his other hand. There's red buttons all over the thing, but Skateboard can't read them from this distance.

For some reason, this kid that's barely half the size of them terrifies him beyond compare. C00lkidd gleefully giggles, pointing his sword at Skateboard. "Ready or not, here I-"

"I'm not playing with you, kid." He says, his teeth gritted.

C00lkidd... doesn't seem to expect this. Instead of charging right at them with his sword, he lowers it with a confused expression. "Wha...?"

"You're not here to play with me?"

[Extras]

• Dawg really unanchored all of it huh.

• Redraw of the official Forsaken render of 007n7 and c00lkidd.

• 007n7 if he locked in.

• Fun design choice I made with his horns!

Chapter Text

[c00lkidd]

He thinks that the demons standing in front of him look really cool! The skater one's got his favorite color all over his clothing and has this really epic skateboard, and the green one looks like he's fun to play with too!

But they're not here for playing? That's no fun! C00lkidd frowns at this, but instead of making them play with him like back in that weird, dark place, he instead opts to tilt his head like a curious puppy.

"Why?" He asks. The naive little boy doesn't know this, but usually by this point, the Spectre would have made him continue playing without a care in the world about what the other survivors thought.

However, the Spectre wasn't here, was it? C00lkidd's free to do whatever he wants, whenever he wants. And if these two don't wanna play, that's fine!

"Don't roughhouse with the other kids if they don't want it, son. You don't want to make them cry, do you?" He remembers his dad chastising him. C00lkidd doesn't want to make his dad angry, even though he hasn't seen him around.

"Why don't you want to play?" He's genuinely curious. The tall dark mister with the crown always said that everyone wanted to play with him! Is this because he's somewhere else?

Skateboard actually looks taken aback at the question, as if he didn't expect C00lkidd to actually stop instead of running them over and killing them. Boombox is the one who responds with a nervous laugh.

"Because you're gonna kill us, dude! Don't you know?"

"Kill you? No!" C00lkidd looks absolutely mortified at the idea, shaking his head. "I don't wanna kill you! I just wanna play!"

"Then what's with all of the dead people, huh?!" Skateboard looks queasy, his face glancing over to the street on the side where someone was sleeping.

"Dead? They're not dead, they're sleeping, silly!" C00lkidd laughs. "If they were dead, they'd disappear and respawn!"

Because that's what his papa and the others say! If a Ro-blox-ian like his papa dies, their body would disappear and respawn! The people he tagged aren't disappearing, they're slumped over in the alleyways- so he hasn't killed them!

"Wh- what kinda logic is that?!" Skateboard looks back and forth at the kid the carnage in the streets. "They're not sleeping!"

"Well, why aren't they disappearing?!" C00lkidd pouts, stomping his feet. "They're not dead!"

There's a small, terrified part of him that wonders if they are actually dead, that they aren't just sleeping like what the other killers have told him. But if that was the case, that would mean that the survivors were dead and he'd killed them and he killed his dad so many times-

So no! It's impossible! He shouldn't couldn't have killed them!

"Dude." Boombox says, shaken. "What the hell."

"Language!" C00lkidd yells out, blocking his own ears and de-summoning his Faux Firebrand. "Papa says that's a bad word!"

"I can't believe it." Skateboard runs a hand down his face, warily glancing at the kid in front of him. "This is- he really is-"

"He's a new-spawn, isn't he?" Boombox says, worried. "Or at least really sheltered and young."

The both of them were just... disturbed at the fact that this ten-year-old was completely oblivious to the death he was causing. What kind of demon doesn't know about death, especially someone in Playground out of all places.

Seeing that Windforce hadn't punted this kid to Ban Land yet, he was most likely new. Very new.

"Oh, he's definitely a baby." Skateboard whispers to Boombox. The Phighter clears his throat, and gingerly approaches C00lkidd. "Heeyyy... kid..."

"Yeah?"

"How about this- we check out if they're really sleeping or not, and we'll see who is right, 'kay?" Skateboard says. "If that's the case, then my buddy Boombox here's gonna play his music really loud. That'll wake anybody up!"

"Okay!" C00lkidd says, clapping his hands. "I'll show you that I'm not lying! Come on, I tucked a lot of the sleepyheads into bed!"

The two Inphernals watched in horror as C00lkidd dragged them into the abandoned brick building with his freakish strength. It's not Ban Hammer levels of strength, but it's enough to shock Boombox with how he was yanking around the both of them with ease.

"You sure this kid's not a secret demigod or something?" Boombox whispers to Skateboard. He shakes his head, shrugging.

Both of them stop at a room, and Boombox covers his mouth in horror and disgust. Skateboard feels like he's gonna throw up- because there's at least ten corpses propped up on hospital beds and tucked into the sheets.

"I played a lot with them so they're sleeping!" C00lkidd skips over to one of the beds, propping up the body's limp head on an old, ratty pillow he'd stolen somewhere. "They always get so tired after tag and hide-and-seek..."

Both of the Phighters are silent in horror. Skateboard wants to get the hell out of here right then and there, but Boombox grips his wrist and quietly whispers to him. "Dude. We've got to stop this, okay? The poor kid's messed up in the head."

They can't leave him here, clueless to the harm he's facing and killing more people. C00lkidd's eventually going to figure it out, and it's better if they were the ones to break it to him rather than any other malicious Inphernal. Especially if they were in the gang-infested parts of Playground.

"Hey. " Boombox walks up to C00lkidd, kneeling down with his gear right next to the guy's head. "I'll try to wake him up, okay?" Might as well try and play along with him.

The green-horned demon turns up the dial on his boombox and clicks the play button. Music blasts out, "It's Raining Tacos" completely contrasting the terrifying, somber mood of the abandoned building.

C00lkidd winces and claps his hands over his ears, but as soon as he sees that the corpse on the bed isn't even moving an inch, the color drains from his face.

"C-can't you turn it up higher?! T-they're sleeping too much!"

Boombox shakes his head sadly. "It's as loud as it can go, little dude."

"I- I..." C00lkidd looks distressed, whipping his head to the other bodies in the beds. "Maybe they're just- they can't hear! Try another one!" He tugs Boombox to the next body.

Even though he puts the speaker right next to their ear, it's the same result. The corpse doesn't get up. C00lkidd's expression falls even more, and he begins to panic. "H-he's just- he can't hear either! Another one!"

He doesn't want to accept this. He can't accept this- this is the most distress he's felt in his life (or at least the most amount of distress he remembers, since the Spectre's erased his memories every time he realizes and falls to despair).

It's been ages since he's been in that purgatory- but C00lkidd is still just ten. He's a kid. He couldn't handle making his dad upset- what makes you think he can handle realizing that he's been killing people and making them die permanently?

C00lkidd is trembling and shaking as he makes Boombox do this to every body on those beds. He tugs on the Inphernal's sleeve, trying to make him do anything to make them wake up.

"It's not- it's not loud enough..." C00lkidd lets out a nervous laugh, his eyes darting back and forth between the sleeping strangers bodies. "I- make it louder, please-" Even though the music is so loud now that it's hurting C00lkidd to stand next to the boombox.

Boombox shakes his head. "Kid..."

"N-no! No! They're sleeping! They're not dead!" C00lkidd shakes his head, stepping back and wiping his hands on his red red, red, red like blood like the stuff on his hands when he wrung his dad's neck when he poked stabbed the others with his sword-

"Dude. Calm down." Boombox kneels down, turning C00lkidd around so that he didn't have to look at the corpses behind him. "Look. What you did wasn't cool, and you're going to have to stop 'playing' with other Inphernals like that, because we don't respawn, okay?"

"I-! I don't-!" Fat tears begin to roll down his face, and all the emotions he's either forgotten due to the Spectre or kept ignoring began welling up. "I-I'm SORRY!"

Boombox doesn't know what to do with a crying child. He looks to Skateboard, who is also frozen to the spot utterly flabbergasted and afraid. They're both not afraid because this kid could kill them effortlessly, no, they're afraid because they have no fucking idea on how to deal with sad children.

"I- I thought I was- I-" C00lkidd makes a retching noise and Boombox pulls back before the kid throws up on the floor, falling to his knees and coughing and sobbing more.

"Woah! Kid!" Boombox gently holds the red-antlered child up, using one of the bedsheets nearby to wipe the vomit off. "Easy there- okay- I want you to look at me, okay? Focus on me."

C00lkidd is still lost in his own mind, crying. He's just now processing that he's surrounded by dead bodies that he caused, and it's not pleasant at all.

"Kid! Come on, okay?!" Boombox panics, and does the only thing that comes to mind- he drags C00lkidd out of the room and towards the exit of the abandoned building. "Skate- you mind if I hitch a ride to your place?"

"With him?!" Skate says incredulously, gesturing over to C00lkidd. "He's a murderer, Boombox! I'm going to get sniffed out by the fuzz if he's hiding at my place!"

The reminder that he's a murderer now and the cops are out to get him makes C00lkidd cry harder in terror and despair. "WAAAAAH-!" He's wailing loudly now, flailing his arms around like a baby because he can't comprehend this.

"Skate, look what you did! He's getting more upset!"

C00lkidd hyperventilates, his breathing fast and heavy- but he's using up so much energy crying and wailing and coughing that it loops back around to him becoming more quieter-

It hurts. His lungs feel tight, like he's pushing out too much air and not getting enough inside. C00lkidd lets out harsher and harsher coughs, culminating in a dry heave.

And the kid faints. Too much oxygen used up and his young brain can't comprehend this, so C00lkidd just locks up and begins to fall.

"Kid!" The last thing he barely sees is Boombox rushing to his aid, Skateboard panicking by his side.

[Boombox]

He might not be very strong, but he's fit enough to pick up the smaller child and hoist him over his shoulder. Boombox gently pats the kid's back with a worried expression, feeling his chest rise up and down faintly.

"Shit, did we...?" Skateboard feels like he's about to faint as well. Boombox shakes his head. "Nah, dude. I think he passed out."

"Oh thank gods. I don't want to be the reason why a damn kid dies." Skateboard runs a hand up his helmet, stressed after everything that's occurred. "But still. Sure, you can't be serious about-"

"He's just a kid, Skate! We gotta look after him!" Boombox complains.

He glances at the chaos all around him in this area. The buildings are in disarray, there's still bodies littering the street, and the team c00lkidd members are most likely hiding, nowhere to be found.

Boombox feels like he can teach the little guy to chill out, maybe? He could do it! It's a completely peaceful way of dealing with this kid with a strong gear, and he'd be safe from any other Plyagrounders looking to recruit him for their own gangs.

Boombox shudders at the thought of that. "We're keeping him, Skate. Who knows what he'll do if someone tries to trick him."

Skateboard is understandably, VERY reluctant to let the kid anywhere near his home. But seeing that there's no other alternative, they both carry C00lkidd over to the lift off this island.

So, here Boombox was. A fainted kid slung over his shoulder, Skateboard trailing behind him with a nervous expression. Everybody on the tram looks at them like they'd just kidnapped a kid, not realizing that it's the kid that went on a murder spree for a few days (mainly because he'd bothered Skateboard into giving his jacket to cover the kid's own shirt).

"This isn't a kidnapping." Boombox blurts out. "It's- uhhh... Skateboard's little brother."

"Oh dang, he's got a little brother now?"

"Damn, I didn't know that. Congrats!" The Inphernals on the lift clap a bit, since Skateboard's a minor celebrity from his status as an official Phighter.

Skateboard whips around to give Boombox a shocked look, and the other Inphernal just shakes his head. "Dude, play along with it. You two have the same horn color." He whispers.

Skateboard only glares at Boombox with a sigh. "Damn it, dude, you owe me for that."

"Fair enough, that was totally not radical of me." Boombox feels C00lkidd stir on his shoulder, but rocks the kid back and forth like he's seen other demons do with their newly-spawned kids.

The boy goes still, murmuring as he buries his head into Boombox's neck like a tired cat. "Papa... d-don't-" He whimpers, tossing and turning a bit before he goes back to sleep.

Boombox feels his heart pang, and he pets the kid on the hat. "Come on, little man. We're gonna get you somewhere more comfy to sleep, 'kay?"

... No response. Skateboard sighs, looking out of the window of the lift as they finally get closer to Western Playground, the closest to Crossroads.

They get off at the aerial tramway station, walking past the other crowds and trying to stay as low-profile as possible. Only when Skateboard manages to get back to his flat does he relax, opening the locked door and going inside.

Boombox sets C00lkidd down on the couch, looking at how the kid immediately buries into the couch. The red-antlered demon is still asleep, despite the long trip.

"What do we do now?" Skateboard asks, sighing. "You just gave me a freaking little brother."

"He's not actually your little brother!" Boombox argues. "I was just lying!"

"All those losers back there are gonna gossip about it, and soon everyone's gonna think that the little menace's my brother!" Skateboard groans. "How am I even gonna deal with this?!" He whisper-shouts.

"I mean- I can help you raise him? As a bro?" Boombox suggests.

"They're gonna think I'm like, the worst brother ever if you're taking care of him all the time! Now I gotta be responsible and all that!" Skateboard complains.

"Sheesh, fine! You can help too." Boombox shakes his head, and thinks about it. "Okay, what do new-spawns need..."

"What do you mean? He's got his gear, and he's strong enough to defend himself?" Skateboard says, baffled.

Boombox makes a face. He's been lucky enough to be raised in Central Playground, where it was way safer and actually livable without the risk of randomly dying if you stepped into gang territory. Skateboard, on the other hand, was from the more dangerous parts of Playground.

"Skateboard, he's a kid. He just massacred a ton of people, and that's not good for someone as young as him." Boombox stresses. "Don't you remember your first time killing?"

"..."

"Exactly." Boombox shakes his head. "He shouldn't have to deal with this."

The two friends had to figure out what the heck to get with the money they got from Phights. Skateboard ended up buying some hoodies, jackets and other clothes for the small kid and Boombox just got some extra groceries.

Even after they came back, the kid was still seemingly asleep. Boombox frowned, and gently nudged the child with his hand. "Hey. Little guy."

No response. Boombox sighs, and gently prods C00lkidd on the ribs. "I know you're not asleep."

Still no response. The Phighter knows for sure that C00lkidd isn't sleeping, because kids usually toss and turn around when doing so.

Boombox gently flips the kid over, and gently jabs his arm under his armpit. Coolkidd jerks at the sudden movement, laughing as he gets tickled.

"S-stop! Haha!" C00lkidd squirms around, trying to escape Boombox. The Phighter pulls his hand away with a huff and a smile. "So you are awake, little man."

C00lkidd's smile falls as he remembers why exactly he was trying to pretend to sleep, and began to shiver as Boombox sits down next to him.

He thinks that he's about to get hurt or be punished. The small Inphernal curls up in a ball, scooting away. "I- d-don't... don't hurt me, please-"

"I won't hurt you, dude." Boombox slowly reaches his hand out, and C00lkidd flinches. "I just want you to tell me your name. Okay?"

"..." He's scared to speak, but he mumbles out the answer. "... I'm C00lkidd."

"Cool... kid?" Boombox asks. 'Is this the case where a random orphan just- names himself that? No, he said something about a dad-'

"No! C00lkidd!" The child shakes his head. "With two zeroes, two d's, and papa says it's with a lowercase c but everyone keeps on messing it up-"

Boombox has no idea how C00lkidd is managing to pronounce that sound, but he just nods along. "So... C00lkidd. What's your gear, and all that?"

"Huh? Oh, my sword?" He materializes it in his hand, and Boombox flinches. "S-sorry!" C00lkidd puts it down hastily, scrambling back.

"It's um- Fa- Fu- I dunno what the first part is, it's a funny word, but the second one is Firebrand!"

Boombox lets out a choked cough, his eyes widening comedically large under his visor. "Excuse me?"

"Yeah!" C00lkidd scribbles down on some paper, and Boombox reads the name of the kid's gear. 'Faux Firebrand. So that's why everything's on fire.'

This kid was definitely a demigod of some kind. Firebrand didn't have any children lately, from what Boombox, but he's sure that the deity had something to do with C00lkidd.

"Who's your papa, then, little dude?" Boombox asks. C00lkidd puts the sword away, and sniffs. "Papa is papa."

"Right, but like- what's his name?"

"I- It's weird to spell." C00lkidd wipes his face. "I dunno."

"What does he look like, then?" Boombox needs to find whoever left the little kid to himself. Maybe he could find the guy, if he wasn't already dead...

"Dad wears a silly burger hat- and he's got this shirt with the funny face on it." The kid tries to put it into words, getting sadder as he remembers his dad. "I- I don't know if he loves me anymore... I hurt him bad..."

Boombox winces. Seeing how chaotic and strong the child was- he's sure that whoever the father was must have had a rough time raising him.

"How about you draw me your papa, okay little dude?" Boombox rummages through Skateboard's cabinets and takes out some old markers he used to keep there. Both of them were familiar enough with each other to leave their belongings at each other's places.

C00lkidd grabs them, and begins to scribble onto a piece of paper. Boombox watches as a rough doodle of a skinny-looking Inphernal with a burger hat and blue shirt stares back from the paper, while C00lkidd draws himself as a bald red thing.

"Um- kid- this is nice!" Boombox says, a bit skittish. "But where are his horns?"

"Papa doesn't have horns, silly!" C00lkidd sticks his tongue out. "I didn't have horns either!"

"... But you'd be dead if you don't have horns. All Inphernals have horns."

"I'm not a Inf- Im- Imfermo!" C00lkidd makes a 'pbbt' noise as he messes up the pronunciation. "I'm a Ro-blox-ian! I used to have red skin!"

The little Inphernal (?) pulls out that black hologram panel again and swipes to the side, pulling another piece of paper and tapping it.

Instantly, a photo glitches onto the paper's surface. Boombox jumps back a bit, but he curiously picks the photo up. It's of an older, hornless being with rectangular glasses and a dorky outfit, the kind you'd see on a middle-aged father. True to C00lkidd's word, there's a burger hat on his head.

C00lkidd is in the photo, but he's way different. Every inch of the young... Robloxian's skin is a bright tomato-red, and he's wearing the same red shirt and shorts that he's clad in now.

"That's me! And... dad." C00lkidd looks sad at that. "... I wanna see my dad again."

"... I know, kid." Boombox pats him on the shoulder, and talks in a gentle voice. "Me and Skateboard are gonna try to find him, okay? But for now, you can stay at Skate's place. The couch is yours to sleep on."

"O-okay."

[Firebrand]

He's nervous introducing his creator- no, his father to his grandkids. Shedletsky isn't even aware of them yet, and he's already trying to wrap his head around being a grandfather to Sword and Ban Hammer!

'I wonder how he'll react to Megaphone and Microphone- those two are quite the inseparable duo.' Firebrand is quite proud of his grandsons, even though he's not so proud of their parents.

The deity of fire nervously paces in front of the two's penthouse door, waiting for them to get ready. Valk steps out, straightening out his tie. "Hello, gramps!"

"It's nice to see you, grandad." Dom nods, sliding up next to his sibling. They're both wondering why their grandpa told them to take the day off today- apparently they had something to talk about? What was so important that they had to cancel all of their plans today?

"Are the other SFOTH fighting again?" Valk complains. "They've been doing that all the time- why can't they just take a break?"

"I doubt it's gotten this bad to where grandad had to call us up." Dom hums. "So what's this about?"

Firebrand closes the door behind him, and sits down on a couch. His massive size dwarfs the seat, but it's clear that he's about to say something massive from the way he's folding his hands together and how his wings are tucked in.

"Mega, Mic... something big just happened. Now, what I'm about to talk to you about does not leave this room, okay? Almost nobody aside from my siblings and their children know about this."

Dom freezes up, and Valk gets solemn. "So it's this serious, huh?"

"Yes. Very serious." Firebrand takes in a deep breath, running a hand up his horn. "I debated with the others about telling you this, and we came to the conclusion that you have a right to know, even with your popularity with the mortals."

"You have a great-grandfather."

"... Wouldn't that be you? Wait, no, you're grandad, so that means-" Dom does the math quickly in his head, and he pales. "You- the SFOTH have a father?!"

"More of like a... creator, but he's been letting us call him 'father' recently." Firebrand sighs. "Our creator has been absent for centuries, only to return like this."

"Who's our great-grandad?! Tell us! Tell us!" Valk gets close and tugs on Firebrand's suit, just like he used to do when he was little. Firebrand lets out a chuckle. "Okay, okay, calm down-"

"He went by Telamon whenever he was with us in the past, but... as of late, he allowed us to use his real name. Shedletsky."

"That's a weird name... what's even his gear?" Valk turns around on the couch, getting settled next to his grandfather as Dom also leaned in.

"..." Firebrand isn't sure if he should tell the both of them that their great grandfather's gear was currently fried chicken, because gods forgive if it somehow leaked out that the SFOTH came from Mr-Fried-Chicken-gear. "He... was not always an Inphernal, if that is what you were asking. He and the other gods that worked with him were called... admins? Is that the word?"

"Woahhh..." Valk is totally marveling at this. Firebrand continues. "He used to tower over all of us, even without horns. Now, he's... unfortunately assumed a weaker form after some sort of event. He refuses to talk to us about it, only sticking with those mortals."

Firebrand, even though he was more respectful towards the mortal Inphernals compared to his divine siblings, he was still... iffy about the fact that Shedletsky was so casual with them. Those two, Builderman and Dusekkar, made some sense because they also used to be 'admin' like him, but the others?

They're... he wouldn't say pathetic, since it was rude to those mortals. But when one of them literally was a pizza delivery boy and the other was a demon that looked like he would topple over with the slightest breeze, he didn't really have any other words to describe the motley crew of survivors.

"Can we please meet him? Please? Please?!" Valk looks overly ecstatic, and even Dom is hoping that they'd get the chance to see their powerful great-grandfather.

He's already got an image of a tall, powerful deity with massive horns in his mind, or maybe several pairs of wings. Dom is pretty sure he would be blown away by his grandfather.

"He's staying over at Venomshank's place with his former godly colleagues. I suppose he'd have the time to see you two..." Firebrand chuckles. "But I'm not sure if he could handle that. Great-grandfather Shedletsky barely wrapped his head around being a grandfather to Ban Hammer."

"Really?! He doesn't know about us?!" Valk's wings flap up and down enthusiastically. "That just makes me want to surprise him even more!"

"Haha, I guess so, then." Firebrand pats both of his grandchildren on the head carefully, making sure his gloved hands wouldn't burn their skin. "I think he'll get along with you well! You have the same color of wings as him!"

Both of his grandsons had been sold at the idea- they're absolutely ready to meet Shedletsky and ramble all about their music career.

So when they actually end up visiting Venomshank's house and see Shedletsky lounging on the chair, cracking a beer open with Builderman, they're not exactly expecting to see someone so... casual?

"... Grandad I don't think that's Shedletsky." Dom says with a disbelieving tone.

"No, that's him all right. Your great-grandfather is mostly retired from his duties like I am, but instead of looking for mortals' worship, he's decided to recover for the few centuries or so."

"..." Valk tilts his head curiously, stepping forward. Firebrand watches as his grandson gengerly goes up to Shedletsky and introduces himself. "Hello!"

"Eh? Oh, didn't see you there." Shedletsky gives a lazy smile and laughs. "Hello to you too! Don't know why you're here, but- it's nice to meet you!"

"Howdy." Builderman waves over to the two siblings and sips his beer. "I'm bettin' you two are more of his grandchildren, eh?"

Firebrand goes up behind the two with a bit of a chuckle. "Not quite, father. These are my grandchildren."

"Oh! Well, good for you!" Shedletsky nods. Firebrand doesn't see the massive freak-out reaction that he expected from his creator, which either meant he was completely used to the absurdity already or he didn't comprehend what was said.

"..." Builderman, on the other hand, looked like his brain was making the internet dial-up sound. It takes a few seconds to process before the admin makes a noise akin to a dying cat, wheezing and yowling with laughter.

"What?!" Shedletsky whips over to his friend, completely baffled. "What's so funny?"

Builderman can't even bring himself to say anything, still choking on his laughter. He makes a hacking-wheeze sound, falling out of the couch and onto his knees, spitting out the beer and punching the hardwood floor.

"What? I don't get it! Are you amused that I've got yet another grandkid, Builder?!" Shedletsky pouts, crossing his arms.

"Um." Dom raises up a finger, trying to correct him. Shedletsky looks at Flipside and Firebrand with slight confusion and remorse, as if he's sad for completely missing the joke. "What'd I do?"

"He- sir." Dom clears his throat, trying not to laugh as well. "Granddad said we were his grandchildren."

"And?" Shedletsky still doesn't get it. His brain is skipping over the part like a broken record, because he's doesn't really process the idea of being a great-grandfather, and surely he misheard, right?

"We're Firebrand's grandkids." Valk chokes out, giggling. "You're our great grandpa!"

Silence. Shedletsky doesn't say anything, but his face turns from a wide smile to a blank, shell-shocked one as it sinks in. Builderman absolutely cackles on the floor, now punching the couch as he laughs at his friend's utter disbelief.

"O-OH ROBLOX- YOU- YOU'RE A GREAT- GRANDPA! NOT JUST A GRANDPA! A GREAT-GRANDPA!" Builderman wheezes out, cackling. Shedletsky is staring at the wall as if he doesn't know what to do with his life anymore, his face not even bother changing when the shock washes over him.

"..."

[Chance]

He's stuck with Two Time because Builderman and Shedletsky decided to nope off to live with Shedletsky's literal god-children. And what a surprise! He had KIDS! Shedletsky, out of all people!

'I mean, yeah, he's an admin but- really?' Chance shakes his head, chuckling to himself. 'It's still taking me off guard-'

"I am quite happy with what I have in store today." Two Time hums melodically as they watch the scenery go by in the train, admiring how the cityscape of Crossroads faded into the desert wilderness of Lost Temple. "Another believer! And if he is to be believed, there are more followers of the Spawn here."

"Mhm. That's great, Two Time." Chance, if they were gonna be honest, did not like the sound of that in the slightest. If Two Time was this creepy alone, then if they got with other folks like them, who knows what they'd be up to.

It might be hypocritical of Chance to say this, but he's thinking that Two Time's getting along with the wrong sort of people. He hasn't seen hide nor hair or who they're about to meet, but from what he's heard from the rumor mill and from all those recruitment posters scattered around Crossroads...

'One crazy cultist is enough. We don't want a whole swarm of them goin' around and snooping in our business.'

Now, how's he even going to do that? It's not like he can keep them from talking to each other, and there's no way they can't be suspicious of them or else they're just going to sneak out next time.

Chance supposes that plan of theirs is going to have to be made up on the fly. The train stops off at a luxurious city carved under a canyon, and even though he's got the feeling that this place is dangerous, he can't help but be in awe of the luxurious architecture.

"Well, I'll be... this whole place's a gambler's heaven!" He whistles. They both stopped right in front of a casino-hotel hybrid, with fancy sandstone statues carved all around them and a manmade river snaking around the entrance.

"Broker did say that the Church of the True Eye spares no expenses to their loyal followers. Apparently him and miss Scythe are celebrating a recent victory here." Two Time says.

"Then what are we waitin' for? Let's go in!" Chance rushes them in, looking at all of the fancy interior decoration and polished, patterned stone floors.

It's like someone decided to convert a ballroom into a gambling den. A massive crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, slot machines lined up neatly in rows while roulette and poker tables dominated the center.

The weekend brought with it a ton of high-class demons looking to gamble their week's earnings away for a thrill. Chance sees crisp suits and ties, sparkly dresses and fashionable clothing everywhere. Everything was a mishmash of color and sleek shapes.

Chance sees who Two Time was headed up to. There's a demon with horns kind of like Guest's, but pointed backwards instead of forwards- he's wearing a vest and tie, but it doesn't hide the fact that he's got scars on his body and a literal shackle on his own right hand.

The other Inphernal's fashion taste is what Chance could only describe as "gay luxury cowboy"- white leather vest, heeled boots, and a snappy cowboy hat adorned her white-and-teal uniform.

'So those must be the Church members.' Chance keeps his usual sleazy facade, sidling up next to Two Time and giving them his signature charming smile. "Well, who might you two be? Two Time's new friends, ey?"

"They're an awfully good-looking fella!" The criminal chirps, acting all amused and welcoming. "Two Time, you must introduce us to your friend! I'm Broker- and this is Scythe."

"Howdy, darlin'." Scythe has the sort of smile Chance's always seen on the more unsavory members of Robloxia's marketplace- and he knows for a fact that she's spilled blood before.

"Indeed. His name is Chance- but I doubt he would be of use to the Church's worship." Two Time glances at Chance with an unamused look, expecting him to go gamble and leave them alone instead of intruding with their meeting. "He'd just gamble most of the funds away."

"Aw, come on, Two Time! I ain't that bad!" Chance takes a gentle jab at them. "I swear I'm usin' my own Bux this time. Scout's honor!"

"Tch. That reckless, sinful habit of yours will only get you hurt." The Spawn cultist turns away, sitting at one of the mini-bars in the casino to chat along with Broker and Scythe.

Honestly, Chance is glad that he's probably seen as a gambling-addicted loser in their eyes now. Sure, they may be an adrenaline junkie and they like to bet their own life, but they know the risks damn well.

He may be many things, but Chance is not dumb.

'Now, how to get them out of this situation... I can't do it right away, they'd know that it was on purpose.' Chance rubs their chin as they're thinking, glancing at all the other casino-goers.

He's gonna get kicked out, and he's gonna do it in so much style that Two Time has to get kicked out too. Chance slowly begins to grin, flipping his lucky coin in his hand.

'Ping!' They can work with this. It's what they're best at, after all- winning a game of chance. And they're in their natural environment.

The casino isn't gonna know what hit it.

He doesn't approach the poker tables first. Chance knows for a fact that the dealers practically decide your fate, and that even though they look like they're shuffling the cards fairly, the most skilled dealers know how to card-count and know where each card was in the deck at all times.

No, instead he hits the roulette table. Chance starts small, betting on black with parts of his money. The other high-class casino-goers begin to notice him after a few minutes, when he keeps on winning.

"Who is he?" One Thieves' Den guest dressed in fancy formal robes whispers.

"Those glasses and that suit and tie... you don't think they're one of those folks from Central Playground, do you?"

"No, his horns are so bland compared to those colorful fools- perhaps Blackrock? He might be an investor..."

Chance smirks, tipping his fedora and placing another bet. He secretly flips his lucky coin underneath the table, landing on heads. Three stacks of luck, Weakness V. Usually he'd use a hat trick to clear it, but he doesn't need to. His life isn't actively in danger.

The gambler's Lucky Coin is now his gear- with every time he lands a heads, the probability of other things falls into his favor. It's like gambler's fallacy brought to life- his sense of knowing when to change his bet got better.

"Odd, black." He places the casino chips on the table. Just as his gut told him, he was right, and got a hundred Bux richer.

"Keeping that." Again, his intuition was correct- two hundred Bux this time, because he doubled his money.

Chance did this over, and over, and over, until he got a decently big sum of money. The dealer and other folks at the roulette table were giving him dirty looks, so he throws up his hands harmlessly. "Hey, don't blame me! I'm a lucky guy!"

He scoots on out of the place and goes back to Two Time at the bar, who's busy chatting with Broker about the Church.

"You see, Father Overseer's a very generous man- he's been leading the church for years and many have prospered under his guidance!"

"The head priest, yes? He seems perfect for the teachings." Two Time sips their drink- they'd wisely opted for water instead of any alcohol in the presence of Broker and Scythe, but it was most likely because they saw overindulgence as a sin.

Chance shoves half of the cash he's won into their hands, grinning like an idiot. "Told ya I was gonna win!"

"Wh- of course, Chance." Two Time looks annoyed once again at being interrupted, but Broker eyes the cash with more interest. "He seems to be a better gambler than you said so before, Two Time!"

Chance slips off again to gamble more and more. He begins to get more blatant with his "cheating"- in fact, he wasn't really cheating because he just knew what his instincts would tell him would be the luckiest pick.

He empties a few rigged slot machines. Goes back to the roulette table, drains the dealer of their chips, and smiles like a dumb cocky bastard while doing this on purpose. This is just part of his plan.

All of this fun he's having reminds him of the good old days with iTrapped. That was... a memory, for sure. One that he missed painfully. But he'd made his bet before, and lost.

They're snapped out of their memory by hands dragging their arms away from the table. Two intimidating bouncers loom over him, and he chuckles.

"Whaaat? What'd I do?"

"Out." One guy grits their teeth and looks like they're about to punch Chance in the face. "I don't know how the hell you're doing it, but you and your friend are banned from the Gold Brick Casino."

Chance can see a shocked, ruffled and furious Two-Time struggling against the other bouncer. "Awww, but we were having so much fun..."

He sees Broker wave goodbye to Two Time, who rolls their eyes at Chance and waves back to the cultist. Chance considers it a mission accomplished, because nothing's burnt down!

'Another win for me!'

Chapter Text

[Shedletsky]

Builderman is never going to let him live this down. Currently, his best friend was busy calling up the other survivors, laughing over the phone as he struggled to tell them what was going on.

"A-and Shedletsky's got- he's got himself great-grandkids! Ain't that a riot?!" Builderman wheezes. There's the sound of shocked exclamations and choking on the other end, and Shedletsky rolls his eyes and playfully punches Builderman. "I swear, Builder, if you weren't my boss..."

"Awww, I'm just pullin' yer leg!" Builderman chuckles. "We're all happy to see ya' runnin' around with your own family. Roblox knows you need one!"

Shedletsky lets out a sigh, leaning back on the table. 'Great-grandsons.' He never thought he'd see the day.

Shedletsky's never seen himself as a family man. He's someone who values his freedom over all else, preferring to pwn noobs in the Heights and sit back to have a cold one with Builderman and the other admins. Everything he's done out of responsibility was for Robloxia, and even then, there were times where he pushed that responsibility aside for his own needs.

And look where that's gotten him. Stuck in a limbo with the own manifestation of hate that he made, with everyone else to protect. Sure, they were free now- but he doesn't know if they'll make it back to Robloxia. Or if they even can.

"H-hey? Great-gramps, sir?" Dom clears his throat, and Shedletsky spins around with a look of surprise. 'Oh, right! They're still here!'

"Ah, sorry for that- I'm just... floored, you know?" He lets out a breathless chuckles. "I'm still getting used to the fact that I've got... wow. Great-grandchildren." Shedletsky looks down at his own hands, and kind of re-counts his own age.

"No, no, we get it!" Valk exclaims, waving his hands. "You haven't been around for a long time- I'm sure granddad didn't fill you in on this before because it would've been a lot for you."

"Yeah, still a lot for me right now." Shedletsky agrees. He sighs, leaving Builderman to his own devices while he sits down with his great-grandkids. "So, you're..."

"I'm Megaphone. He's Microphone." The demon in the purple dominus says. "But the public knows us as Dom and Valk."

"We're musicians!" Valk chirps out enthusiastically. "Best in the Inpherno, actually! We've been topping the charts ever since the Faction War ended!"

"Mhm." Shedletsky nods. God, it feels so awkward for him, because he's never really been able to click with people unless they were the other admins talking about business, about sword-fighting, or about any other of his interests. "That's great!"

Valk and Dom continue to happily ramble on as Shedletsky tries not to look out of his depth or bored. Really, he does want to care about them, but...

He's literally just met them. The SFOTH, their demigod children and grand-children... it's making him feel out of his element. Like he's taken the place of somebody else that would have actually known these people.

This makes Shedletsky feel... guilty. Guilty for not actually loving his family right away, guilty for being unable to connect with them like how they wanted him to. But he'd never show that guilt on the surface, no.

He'd put on a smile and joke, like how he'd always do. Even if some of his jokes are at inopportune times and come off as insensitive- at least he doesn't have to come face-to-face with his negative emotions.

After all, isn't that why he created 1x1x1x1? To never face his own hatred, his own flaws?

The poor Robloxian never deserved that. They were literally made to absorb all the negative feelings he had, and take the blame for HIS sins. Shedletsky's the man with a thousand faces.

Being a father wasn't one of them. But maybe he can learn from his mistakes.

"I'm- honestly not one for making music. If you'd gotten it from someone in the family, it wasn't me." Shedletsky lets out a bit of a nervous laugh, rubbing behind his wing-shaped horns. "But it sounds amazing! You must have worked very hard to get that far!"

Valk and Dom both beam at the praise, and Firebrand, who's standing off to the side, is also wiping happy tears from his eyes. His father just complimented his grandsons, after all- that meant he raised them well in the eyes of their great creator.

"No, you don't have to understand all of it! We're just happy that you're proud of us!" Dom says. Shedletsky's wing feathers puff up, unused to this type of idolization directed at him. Not the type of idolization from Robloxians for him being their admin and their god, no- but from a younger family member looking up to him.

"I... wow." Shedletsky pats them both on the head, chuckling.

He lets them talk for more, nodding and smiling and cracking jokes once in a while. Dom and Valk seem like good kids- if they even could be called kids, since they're both twenty-four. 'Ohhhh my god. My GREAT grandkids are twenty-four.'

Granted, the SFOTH were immortal- but it was still tripping Shedletsky out. Finally, after Dom and Valk had finished talking, Firebrand gently butts in.

"You two remember- try to keep this a secret, okay? With all the paparazzi surrounding Flipside, you should be careful if you ever want to visit creato- I mean, Shedletsky."

"We promise!" The twins both said at the same time. Shedletsky groans, realizing the implication behind his great-grandchildren being famous singers.

"Agh, paparazzi... always disliked it." He complains. And it's true- Telamon was what he went by whenever he wanted to do his more 'godlike' admin duties. 'Shedletsky' was meant to look like an unassuming, if not oafish mortal who was incredibly good with swords and just happened to be an admin.

"You too?" Firebrand furrowed his brows. "Even back then they had those sorts of Inphernals?"

"... of a sort." He plays it off smoothly. "Being one of the admin is a big deal. I've had to hide my identity far more often than not to get a break from those duties and the constant attention."

"I see." Firebrand nods and sighs. "So much like Darkheart..."

"Ah! Which reminds me- I've got to check in on him, too." Shedletsky notes that down for later. 'Being a father is hard work...' He complains to himself. Ironically, all of his children are fully-grown gods who are centuries old and can handle themselves well enough. Shedletsky's just that irresponsible of a guy that actually checking in on them constantly with the intention to bond is a foreign concept to him.

It also didn't help that Shedletsky was one of the first generations of Robloxians to be made. He didn't have 'parents', he just spawned in one day already knowing his purpose.

The first Robloxians and Inphernals were alike in some ways. This was one of them.

Shedletsky hangs around his family for a bit more before he excuses himself, satisfied with the progress he's made into (trying) to fit in with his new identity.

'How'd the other me in this world do this, anyways?' He sighs, sweating. Family was not his strong suit. Let's hope he can find better ground with them.

[Sword]

The Phight he'd been scheduled to attend for today was a success. His team managed to win 20-14, with the extra training from Venomshank coming in handy.

"Did you see that, father?!" He grins, running alongside Venomshank when the two of them managed to get away from curious eyes. "I managed to get eight kills! And in a round that difficult!"

"Good work, Sword." Venomshank pats him on the shoulder. "Your technique has gotten better." Sisyphus perches on Venomshank's hat, cawing. The god of rot chuckles, letting the massive crow perch on his arm as they walk back to Venomshank's house.

"Dom and Valk said that they'd visited him yesterday, right?" Sword whispered quietly. Venomshank nods. "Yes. I'm surprised that they didn't slip up or say anything to the other mortals- usually those two are rather... reckless when it comes to what they say."

Granted, their gears were literally a microphone and a megaphone, but Sword didn't fault them for that.

Venomshank opens the door with his keys, the heavy wooden doors swinging in an intimidating way. The whole outside of the home looks like a haunted house built on a graveyard, and it isn't very inviting or "homey" except in the eyes of the god and his son.

It seems like Shedletsky's been calling it his home, too. Because their creator was sprawled out on the couch, snoring as his yellow-feathered wings were splayed outward.

Venomshank still looks unused to seeing his powerful, majestic creator like... this. The great Telamon looked more of like a bum crashing on their couch instead of the same powerful being that could beat the SFOTH in combat.

"Um. Grandpa Shedletsky?" Sword says, blinking. "Grandpa Shedletsky?" He nudges the sleeping admin with his hand.

"Wh- huh?" Shedletsky gets up, his wings flapping a bit as he blearily wakes. "Oh, you're back!"

"It appears you have been taking a very relaxing nap, father." Venomshank does a little half-bow of respect, to which Shedletsky responds by lowering his wings in instinct. "Huh? Yeah. It was- really tiring going out and visiting all the others."

"You visited the other SFOTH?" Sword asks, tilting his head. Shedletsky nods. "Mhm. They all missed me- I can't go 'around playing favorites, even though-" He pauses. "Nevermind that."

"Uh huh." Sword says again. He's heard Venomshank complain recently about their past, about how grandpa Shedletsky always seemed to like Illumina the most and how he almost always fought using a copy of his gear.

"It's nice to see that you've acclimated well to the Inpherno since the time you've left." Venomshank says, chuckling. "In fact- I think you've acclimated to these times better than me. Using those mortal cell phones and devices, ha!"

"What, don't tell me you just use your crows to send everything?" Shedletsky chuckles.

"It is very much a viable option, especially with those mortals running around with hacking gears." The god of rot sniffs, and Sisyphus caws. The crow flies over to Shedletsky and begins preening him, pulling out some of the loose yellow feathers.

"Ack- enough of that, please-" Shedletsky shoos off Sisyphus, who hangs it's head low and flies away back to Venomshank's shoulder. "Sorry. My wings are... off-limits. They've been cooped up for so long that it just feels-"

Sword's grandpa cuts off again. Venomshank furrows his brows. "Cooped up? Don't tell me you were unable to use your wings for..."

"Quite some time, now. I think it was for years..." The admin wasn't sure how long they were in that purgatory, after all.

Venomshank subconsciously pats Sword, and Sword frowns. "That's terrible! How'd that even happen!"

"It came from... the same thing that took away most of my power and trapped me with those survivors." He avoids answering directly. "Just... it's something I'd rather not talk about."

Tense silence and worry from the demigod and his father followed. There's still the worry of what will happen to Venomshank's father, and Sword could only wonder what kind of terrifying force could have done such a thing.

"Let's- talk about something else, yeah?" Shedletsky puts up that goofy smile again, and laughs. "What about your training? Have you been doing well with Venomshank, Sword?"

"I have!" Sword beams. "I won the latest phight! I got eight kills! Eight! And with Ban Hammer on the other team, too!"

Shedletsky's face flickered a bit with concern. "Kills...? Don't tell me you're..."

"I assure you, none of the mortals or Sword here was in grave danger." Venomshank rests his arm on his son's shoulder. "The respawn machines and the SFOTH's guiding hand prevents such tragedies from happening."

"Eh? Oh- right." Their creator still looks uncomfortable at the thought of him dying, even with the respawn technology they had in place.

"Even for a being as powerful as you, you still worry about death..." Venomshank muses. "I suppose it is a constant, father. Did you fear it back then, too?"

"What kinda question is that? Of course I did! Still do!" Shedletsky says with certainty. "It's hard to kill me, but even if time doesn't affect me like others- there's still that feeling, you know?"

Sword gulps. He looks up at his own father, who is contemplative. There's more silence between the three of them as they try to digest this information.

"If you're worried about me- don't be. I can handle myself." Shedletsky gets up, his wings fluffing out as he takes out a blade from behind his back and rests it on his side. Sword's breath hitches- it's a replica of his gear.

"If you want, we can blow off some stress with a spar. You can watch me and your father compete." Shedletsky lets out a sigh. "I'm rusty from all these years gone, but... I think I can win."

'He's the same person who managed to single-handedly beat Windforce. I've fought him during the competition- grandad is no joke!' Sword thinks. "I want to see how father does against you, grandad."

Shedletsky has a bit of a smirk on his face now, more confident than before. "Well, I don't want to brag, buuuut..."

He and Venomshank head over to the 'backyard' of the house- if it could even be called a backyard with how massive the area was. There's a sparring area cleared out, with straw training dummies and a rack of training swords.

The admin steps up to the area, clearing off some of the dirt on the platform as Venomshank draws his blade. Sword sees his grandfather flash that same goofy smile before turning to his dad. "Watch this, kid."

"I'm not a kid-" Sword complains, but he's rendered speechless when Shedletsky dashes forward with a powerful slash, forcing Venomshank to defend.

"Now, let me show you how your dad's sword techniques work. Venomshank here uses a rapier, while you use a longsword."

Venomshank uses the opportunity to side Shedletsky's linked sword to the side for a jab, but the swordmaster dodges to the side. "Both of your techniques would be incompatible- your linked sword is meant for another sort of combat compared to Venomshank's. I suppose he struggles to teach you his more advanced techniques?"

"I... yes, he does..." Sword admits. Shedletsky simply smiles and turns back. "Don't be ashamed! It's hard to learn from a completely different sword style. Sure, you can learn some nifty moves here and there- but the fundamentals are different."

He swiftly disarms Venomshank with a twist of his hand, and the deity of rot stands still as the blade was pointed right at his neck by his own creator. "Gotcha."

"You are just as skilled as I remember, father." Venomshank does a small bow, Sisyphus cawing out in agreement. "Even within your new form."

"If you want to learn to be a better warrior, Sword-" Shedletsky steps down from the wooden training ground and back onto where Sword is, his hand resting on the demon's shoulder. "You've got to train with someone with the same type of blade as yours."

"Yeah, I know." Sword sighs. "But Uncle Illumina and Ghostwalker are always busy, and Darkheart's always more interested in messing around than training me..."

"Who says you'll be training with them?" Shedletsky says. "If they're too busy to train you... I'll do it instead."

Sword jolts up, shocked. "Really?!" Even Venomshank looks floored at this. To him, his creator hasn't trained anyone in centuries past their childhood, but for him to take Sword under his wing?

"You'll be capable of great things. I know it." Shedletsky laughs. "You saw how I was able to beat your father only with a linked sword! You can do the same, give or take a few centuries of hard work!"

"A-Alright!" Sword exclaims. "I'll do my best to make you proud!"

"That's the spirit!"

[Skateboard]

Skateboard does not like the little menace that's staying at his apartment, not one bit. Boombox seems to be friendly with this tiny murder child, but Skateboard isn't taking shit from his new "little brother".

"Dude, just get me my helmet." He complains. "I'm goin' out again today."

"Awww! Again?!" c00lkidd complains. "Can I go with you to see those really cool friends of yours? Pleeeease?"

"For the last time, no!" Skateboard crosses his arms. "Last time you went with me, you ended up scaring off all the others and set fire to Radical Orange!" 'At least they didn't end up dead.'

"I d-didn't mean to!" c00lkidd complains. He tugs on Skateboard's jacket sleeve. "Please! Please! Please!"

"Hey, careful!" Skateboard flinches back, remembering exactly how powerful this kid can be if he didn't control his strength. c00lkidd could see the fear on the skater's face, and he backs down, looking guilty.

"Ugh, fiiiine..." Skateboard was just really lucky that the hype around c00lkidd's murders had died down, having been replaced with another big story about a gang taking over the now-vacant spot. The dead bodies were found, sure, but they'd mostly blamed the other team c00lkidd members instead of their mysterious leader.

The Phighter flips open his phone and dials Boombox. "Hey, Boombox. You up to babysit this dweeb again?"

"Yeah, dude!" Boombox's replies. "I'm free after this Phight, so like, totally chill of you to call me up."

"It isn't gonna be chill with this lil' dude around around." Skateboard raises his arm, c00lkidd climbing on it like it's a jungle gym. "I mean- he keeps bothering me to get junk food!"

"Don't you almost always eat chips and soda?" Boombox asks. Skateboard sputters, and c00lkidd frowns. "No fair! Why do you get to eat that?!"

"I haven't been-" Skateboard sighs. "Look, I'm trying to be a good influence on the lil' dude here. I haven't eaten that junk in like, a week now. I swear."

"Oh dang. You really are tying to raise him like your own bro, Skate..."

"I'm not gonna let the kid develop cavities, Boombox! At least I brush my teeth daily!"

"I want candy!" c00lkidd stomps on the floor, pouting. "I want candy now!"

"Woah there, dude. I'm not getting you any candy." Skateboard crosses his arms and rolls his eyes. "It's not healthy for you."

"But I waaaant it!" He wails. Skateboard grumbles, covering his ears as c00lkidd throws a tantrum.

(The poor child was still trying to recover from the realization that he's KILLED people. Throwing a temper tantrum about candy instead of processing what he did was far easier, because every time he thought back to his dad and his dad's friends, it hurts.)

"Alright, alright! Fine!" Skateboard groans, running a clawed hand down his own face. "BUT! You'll only get the candy once a week! Got it?!"

"Yaaay!" c00lkidd rushes to his side, and Skateboard looks so damn tired as he has to corral the kid outside of his apartment and look for Boombox.

They wait at the bus stop for a while before Boombox arrives with a casual smile and slightly roughed-up clothes. "Hey, Skate!"

"Heya, Boombox." Skateboard picks up c00lkidd by the arms and holds the red-antlered child up like a creature. c00lkidd squirms around a bit in protest. "You know where I can get some candy for him?

"Yeah! There's like, a totally radical candy shop in Central Playground."

"And you're sure it's a 100% safe for this lil' guy?" Skateboard raises an eyebrow.

"Aw, I'm sure he's gonna be fine!" Boombox laughs it off. "Nobody's messing with him! Cuz' he's like, super strong, right?"

"That's the problem." Skateboard hisses. c00lkidd looks slightly dejected at the mention. "If someone attacks him, he doesn't have a good grip on whatever his gear is- he's gonna end up killing someone else, and the guy's already traumatized as it is!"

"I..." c00lkidd doesn't feel good anymore at that mention. "I take it back... I don't want to get candy anymore..."

"No no no- kid-" Boombox waves his hands frantically. "How about- me and Skate protect you? So if anyone messes with you., lil' man, we'll beat them up for you!"

c00lkidd looks up at the two Inphernals, who smile down at him. He skittishly looks to the side. "If it's okay..."

The three of them walked over to the aerial tramway, c00lkidd hiding behind the two Phighters while they scanned their cards and walked onto the platform.

c00lkidd squeezes into the tram with them, standing up and holding one of the grab bars inside. Skateboard and Boombox both sit down as the aerial tram departs. The robotic announcer voice chimes in from the speakers. "We are now departing for- Central Playground, Rubber Roads. Please hold on, and refrain from rocking the tram when in motion. Thank you, and have a safe ride."

c00lkidd is clearly fascinated by the ride, since it's the first time he was awake and riding Playground's aerial trams. The actual first time he's done that, he was passed out and carried by Skateboard, so he didn't get to see.

"Woah..." c00lkidd's eyes are wide open and he leans against the windows. "We're so high up..."

"Please don't throw a brick." Boombox says, sweating. "I don't wanna fall down and die."

"No, I won't!" c00lkidd shakes his head. "I know you can't fly!"

Everyone in the tram just... stares at the red child. Skateboard eyes him warily. c00lkidd frowns again and complains. "I said I wouldn't!"

"Yeah, suuure, kid." Skateboard grips the handle on his seat a bit tighrer.

When they finally slow down to a halt at the next platform, all three of them get off, c00lkidd running around all eager to see the new place. "There's so many people here!"

"H-hey! Wait for us!" Skateboard rushes to catch up with the over-excited kid, making sure he doesn't bother any of the passerby or cause trouble. Boombox also jogs along, humming a tune.

"So, like- where's the candy shop, dude?" Skateboard asks. He's tugging on c00lkidd's shirt, keeping the rowdy child from running off. "Is it close?"

"Yeah! Just follow me!" Boombox trots over the streets, weaving around pedestrians as c00lkidd trails behind, running as fast as his little legs can take him.

They end up in front of one of those colorful candy stores with those boxes and scoops on display. There's a few customers milling about, checking out the selection as c00lkidd immediately rushes inside and begins to stare at everything.

"Remember, little dude- you can only buy one thing. One thing, got it?" Skateboard warns him. c00lkidd whines, but he nods his head, looking at all of the gummies.

"I want this one!" Instead of scooping up one of the candies from the selection, he rushes over to the lollipop aisle and gets one of those comically large swirly ones. "This one!"

Skateboard nods, and goes to buy it at the cashier. Boombox elbows him. "You gonna get one?"

"Nah. Not my typa food." He shakes his helmeted head. "But I'll take a cola, if's good."

They walk out of the store with their purchases, c00lkidd once again running out and clumsily bumping into a few pedestrians, making them yell at him. "Hey!"

"S-sorry!" He yelps, and Skateboard goes in to block him from the others' line of sight. "Sorry 'bout my little bro. You know how new-spawns are."

"Adopted him? Huh." One passerby says. "Fine, whatever- just get him on a leash or something! SFOTH's sake!"

Boombox ushers Skateboard and c00lkidd over to a more secluded space, where there weren't a lot of people crowded around like in the sidewalks. They end up at a rather empty public park, platforms on the tall rainforest trees with ladders and stairs for others to climd.

Playground architecture was made for mobility and exploration. Wooden walkways, ropes and monkey bars made for Inphernals to climb around, heck, there were even some trees that had nothing on them but people were allowed to just climb them bare-handed.

c00lkidd delighted in this. He stuck the candy in his mouth, scrambling up one of the ladders and getting as high as he can onto one of the trees.

Boombox looks up at him with a chuckle. "Radical skills, lil' dude!" He gives him a thumbs up. Skateboard snorts. "I could do better..."

"Jealous that he's crawled up that far, Skate?" Boombox laughs. "I recall someone telling me that he got stuck on top of a tree one time and his homies had to get him down..."

"Dude, it was one time! I got flung up there!" Skateboard says, turning red in embarrassment. "Don't say that in front of the lil' man! It ruins all my street cred!"

c00lkidd is laughing at the two of them, leaning on one of the wooden railings with a grin. "You got stuck? What a looooser!"

"Hey!" Skateboard whips around to c00lkidd with a betrayed look. "I'm not a loser! You said I was cool!"

"Na-na-na-na-na-na! You're a loooser!" He sticks his tongue out. "Stuck in the tree like a kitty-cat!"

"I'M not the cat! That's Slingshot!"

Boombox is snickering as the two bicker with each other relentlessly, just like real brothers. However, c00lkidd leans a little bit too close to the edge of the railing, and yelps once he falls over.

Skateboard immediately springs into action, rushing forward to catch the falling child. "Gotcha!" c00lkidd lands safely in his arms, but not without knocking the skater down to the ground with an 'oof'.

"Aw, shit!" Skateboard accidentally says out loud, and Boombox frowns. "Language!"

"Woooah!" c00lkidd has metaphorical stars in his eyes as he looks up to Skateboard. "You said a bad word!"

"Yeah?" Skateboard scoffs. "Don't repeat it. It'll get you in trouble if-"

"Shit!" c00lkidd blurts out. He giggles at the word, and says it again. "Shit! I can curse now!"

"Aw, man..." Boombox groans. He's more worried at the fact that this kid was probably going to learn more curse words from living in Playground, especially with all the gangs around.

"Shit! Fuck! Bitch!" He says out loud, and Skateboard chokes. 'Oh, right- he literally scared a bunch of demons into joining his gang. Of course he'd hear some bad words from them.'

"Woah there, kid." Skateboard ruffles his head and gently bonks him with his helmet. "You gotta use 'em responsibly. You can't just be throwing them around like that- it'll lose all meaning!"

"Yeah, dude." Boombox says. "It's totally not groovy. You gotta use your curse words when it's important."

"Oh, okay!" c00lkidd hums. "I never got to use them before! It always came out as- ####!" He mimics the sound of the Roblox censor, making the last word come out as static.

"What." Skateboard looks absolutely baffled. "How'd you make that sound with your mouth?"

"####! You know! Like the chat filter!" c00lkidd says this like it's the most normal thing ever.

"..." Skateboard still isn't sure what that was. "Is this some sort of... Robloxian thing?"

"I dunno, can you not do it?" c00lkidd tilts his head curiously. Both Boombox and Skateboard shake their heads. They both knew that c00lkidd wasn't an Inphernal like them, but it still was weird seeing the difference.

"I... no? We don't have anything stopping us from saying curse words." Skateboard looks absolutely baffled at this. "I'd be really fuckin' mad if that was the case."

"Hey! You said a bad word again!" c00lkidd pouts. "You said I only get to use it when it's responsible!"

"Well, it is kinda a big deal when you can just physically censor yourself. Kinda freaky, dude." Boombox says.

"What... are Robloxians like, actually?" Both of them relax, with Skateboard leaning on one of the trees and Boombox sitting down on the grass.

"I dunno! I'm just- a Robloxian!" c00lkidd kicks his feet back and forth. Skateboard sighs. He should have expected this when asking a ten-year-old what his species was. To c00lkidd, being a Robloxian was just- him.

"No, like- what's different? From being an Inphernal here?" Boombox asks. "Aside from the horns, dude."

"I dunno." c00lkidd yawns, having finished his lollipop and falling down from his sugar high. "You're all- *yawn* really cool." 

Skateboard slings the smaller Inphernal over his shoulder as c00lkidd sleepily perches on his shoulders, resting his head on top of Skateboard's helmet.

"Looks like you're getting tired, little dude. Let's go home and get you tucked into bed."

Boombox nods, and they all go back to the aerial tram to take the route back to Skateboard's apartment. By the time they get there, the sun has set and it's already dark outside.

Boombox waves goodbye to Skateboard, and the red-horned Phighter opens his apartment door to tuck c00lkidd into the couch for sleep. "Goodnight, lil' dude." He puts a warm blanket over the kid as he heads off to do the house chores. before going to bed as well.

[Noob]

Noob... doesn't really feel good about themself.

Sure, they've managed to get out of the purgatory with everyone else, and they're glad to see everyone all happy and thriving, but they feel like a burden.

Even during the rounds, they hated themself for not having any useful abilities like the other survivors. They only had their Bloxy Cola, their Slateskin Potion and their Ghostburger. Nothing to help the team, only to help themself.

They weren't the best at doing generators, either. Noob could get it done, but he wasn't as quick as Builderman or 007n7, who deftly fixed the machinery with their expertise and practiced hands.

They were, in every way, a noob. Fitting for their name. Noob hated themself for not being good at anything, hated themself for not contributing to the team enough, and now they were unable to find a job that fit them.

Noob was currently walking through Crossroads, hands in pockets as they tugged at their new hoodie that Builderman had gotten them as a gift. Even Shedletsky had something to do- he was the literal father of the deities in this world. Nobody could beat that.

The (former) Robloxian sighed, kicking an empty soda can on the street as they looked at the shop windows for any signs of hiring. 'Maybe I could be a cashier, like Elliot and 007n7... no, I'm too much of a loser, a-and I'm afraid of getting yelled at by a customer.'

'Maybe an assistant to a business or something? But I don't have business experience like Chance...'

'I'm not even going to try to be a Phighter, either... I can't fight for the love of Roblox...'

It sucked. Going through all the options and coming up blank. Either they were bad at something, or they were just mediocre at other things. It wasn't fair. They weren't good enough.

Noob sighs, and decides to get some time to themself while they weren't feeling good. It's no use stewing in their insecurity when they could be using the time to do something else. The former Robloxian ends up turning towards an alleyway, and freezes in shock.

There's a guy wiping off his bandaged hands on his pants, huffing. In front of him is one of those really advanced robots Noob keeps seeing around (Biografts? They're called Biografts, right?), broken apart with metal pieces scattered all across the concrete.

"Damn was that Betagraft hard to defeat... is Blackrock updatin' these things or something?" The stranger asks himself. He takes the glowing crystal inside the dismantled Biograft, placing it into a duffel bag. "That's three for today..."

Noob stays silent as he watches the Inphernal scrap the robot. The stranger's got dark grey skin, all muscled up and clad in a ripped sleeveless hoodie and streetwear. Two differently-colored horns sat on top of his head, and he's got bandages all over him.

Noob's about to turn away and mind their own business, but they take a step and the stranger freezes, somehow hearing them. They let out a panicked 'eep!' when he dashes forward, picking them up by the scruff of their own hoodie.

"Who are you?" He grins, slightly eager for a fight. "Lookin' to scrap, dude?"

"A-ah, no..." Noob stutters, curling in on themself. "I just... wanted to have s-somewhere private..."

"Aww, come on! Surely you've got a better excuse than that!" The stranger tosses them down, and they land on the concrete all wobbly and unsure. "You're one of those guys lookin' to turn me in for a quick Bux, right?"

"E-eh?!" Noob is genuinely confused and a bit scared. "What?!"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it- you get all the clout from taking me, the Crystal Criminal, down!" The Inphernal flexes his arms, showing off. "Well, newsflash, pal- you're not bringing Coil to the fuzz, not now, not ever!"

"... S-sorry, I have no idea who you are..." Noob looks completely skittish at this. Coil blinks, looking at them. "Wait- wha?"

Noob nods. Coil looks all embarrassed. "Like, come on- Coil? From Playground? The newest Phighter on the roster?" He asks them.

"No, still don't know you..." Noob fiddles with the fabric of their hoodie. "S-sorry."

"What is with all the 'sorry's? Dude, I'm the one threatening you here!" At this point, Coil is just more worried about the guy in front of him instead of being caught or thrown in jail. "You really need to get some confidence, dude! Are you okay?"

Noob pauses. It's not like they're saying this to the other survivors, and they really need to vent to someone else, so...

"I dunno." Noob shuffles around, drawing into themself while they look away. "I... I just don't feel like I'm useful, you know? I can't fight well, all I do is run away..."

Coil is awkwardly quiet as this person who he thought was gonna try and call the cops is just pouring their heart out. "A-and I don't know how to be better because everything I do, I either mess up or I'm not that good at it..."

"Yo, yo, dude-" Coil holds up his hand. "I was gonna like, rob you or something, but this is just depressing. Like, what?"

"..." Noob feels silly for offloading their problems now onto this random guy. "Oh... okay..."

"No, no! Like-" Coil scrambles to try and fix this. "Dude, what's your gear?"

"Bloxy Cola..." Noob mutters. Coil pats them on the back. "Just because it's not a melee or ranged gear doesn't mean you're worthless, dude! I'm sure you can do something with a support gear like that!"

"I guess..." Noob mutters. "But I wanna be strong like the rest of my friends. They're always the ones protecting me, and... I don't want to be a burden."

Coil looks to the side, not sure how it all went from him trying to harvest some more crystals to him nearly robbing a guy to him being their therapist. "Hey, look- if that's the case, why don't I teach you how to fight? For a price, of course."

"R-really?" Noob looks at him with some curiosity. "Can you even... teach me anything?"

"'Course I can!" Coil laughs, putting his arm around Noob. "Look at it this way- I'm a support gear! If I can beat up a bunch of Blackrock's tin cans- I bet you can do something as well!"

Noob's mouth quirks up a bit in a half-smile, but they're still self-conscious. "Are you sure?"

"Positive, dude. Now- I'm gonna clean up this mess and not get arrested. You followin' me?"

"Y-yeah!" Noob follows Coil outside of the alleyway and out on the street, eagerly looking forward to their new fighting lessons. They both pass by a few demons, but Coil either stays to the side or ducks in a nearby alleyway when that happens.

"W-what are you wanted for, anyways?" Noob asks, tilting their head. "You seem like a stand-up guy..."

"I know, right?! I'm just having some fun here! Blackrock's just full of stuck-up prudes that can't take a joke!" Coil stretches, walking next to Noob's side. "I mean, surely they can spare some crystals from all the Biografts they make?"

"What do you even do with them?" Noob asks, leaning forward as they walk. Coil makes a so-so gesture with his hand. "Eh. Gear upgrades and powering up my mods."

"Oh." Noob looks down. They look back up again with some curiousity. "You can do that?"

"Upgrade your gear? Yeah, if you know how to." Coil snorts. "Don't know how I can upgrade your Bloxy Cola, but maybe you should carry it in some sorta water gun or something?"

Noob nods. They don't think upgrading their Bloxy Cola (or any of their other food gears, for the matter) would do them any good. 'I shouldn't tell him about having more than one gear... the others might get in trouble if I get too much attention.'

Both of them stop in front of the entrance of one of those combat gyms Noob always sees around Crossroads. It looks a lot less popular than the ones he sees on the top, and it's also kind of secluded and dingy.

"This is the best damn place I know! Nice and simple, mostly empty, and nobody's gonna bother you if you walk in with me!"

"So, dude-" Coil holds out his hand and opens the door. "Ready to train?"

[1x1x1x1]

'Insufferable. I should kill them all right here and now.' The embodiment of hatred thinks. They're lugging their daemonshanks behind them, way too tired of working for Blackrock.

It's only been a few weeks, but already they've had the idea of burning down this entire god-forsaken faction to the ground and tearing apart their 'bosses'. The only reason why the hacker hasn't decided to do so is because they're challenging themselves to not cause any excessive bloodshed in this word.

'And because living without modern amenities would be a bother.' Being feared and reviled in Robloxia had it's perks, but having to live in the woods and subside off stolen food from other Robloxians was not one of them.

In Blackrock, they've got a nice apartment, tons of money to buy their own freshly-cooked food, and the tentative respect of the higher ups. Granted, they DID threaten those weak fools with their daemonshanks and their zombies, but the fact still stands.

'Hm. Those fools kept on babbling on about the 'Swords'.' 1x1x1x1 sneers. 'Is that their version of the gods? Pathetic. Don't tell me...'

They would be absolutely livid if it turned out that their creator's blasted SFOTH swords were deities here. They might just be the thing they're gonna work towards- killing a deity would surely make them known across the Inpherno as a terrifying, powerful being.

'Not yet. I need to learn more about this new world first, before I can take them on.' 1x1x1x1 steps up to their apartment, grumbling as they fumble around for their keys. The great 1x, reduced to being a government worker. Pathetic.

Then again, their job wasn't paperwork and bureaucracy- it was slicing off the head of whoever the Blackrock government deemed a threat. They didn't care for morals, they've done much worse- but it got annoying whenever they had to follow commands.

After finding their keys, they unlocked their apartment door and stepped inside. It's nice and warm compared to the cold chill of the snow-covered city outside. Blackrock wasn't hospitable unless you were rich or strong, and 1x1x1x1 was one of those two. 

They didn't need money except for their amenities. 'What need is there for money? Power is all I need.' Robux never interested the literal embodiment of hatred back in Robloxia. Why should Bux interest them here?

1x1x1x1 sets down their blades carefully, and changes out of their armor into a more relaxing outfit- which was still uncomfortable to the average Inphernal but to them it was perfectly fine.

It feels weird, not having their skin emit darkness with their power and their torso not being transparent and skeletal anymore. There's still ribcage-like markings on their skin, but they're a gray color instead of the black ribs they had inside their neon-green torso.

They grumble as they situate themselves on the couch. There's nothing else to do today since all the work's been done ahead of time, and they've killed enough to meet the quota. Flipping through Blackrock's news channel, there's nothing but propaganda, propaganda, some cooking show, propaganda, a bland as hell drama series...

'Is this what being a normal person feels like? So... boring.' They'd rather be causing chaos and ruining lives instead. 1x1x1x1 is about to doze off to the sound of the TV before they hear a scratching sound at their door. "Ugh..."

'What is it?' They're immediately irritated by the interruption to their rest. The embodiment of hatred gets up, grabbing one of their swords as they stalk towards the door and open it up.

1x1x1x1 is met with the sight of... nothing. They look around, eyes furrowed as they tried to not let the confusion show on their face.

There's a quiet 'meow!', and they look down to see that same horned black cat that the mercenary always had hanging around them. "Oh. It's the creature."

1x1x1x1 didn't care for animals. All they did was exist to them- nothing important. Sometimes they would kill those beasts if it meant they could take out their anger on something, but it always left them unsatisfied compared to killing Robloxians. There was no screaming, no begging for mercy.

They kneeled down, glaring at Princess. The cat looked up at them with innocent eyes. "Run along now, filthy creature. Your owner would be upset if I kill you, so I am doing my part to be a polite coworker to him."

Princess just stares up at them. The embodiment of hatred growled, putting down their daemonshank and rubbing their forehead in frustration. "I swear to Robloxia- CREATURE. LEAVE MY SIGHT AT ONCE."

The black cat meows, and tilts it's head. 1x1x1x1 scrunches up their nose. "I swear. I'll toss you off this balcony if you stay one second longer in my presence-"

The cat strolls up to them and begins rubbing itself on their leg. 1x1x1x1 locks up into place, like a survivor hit with their Entanglement. They've never had a loving being go up to them willingly, much less have contact with them- being an embodiment of hatred meant that animals naturally avoided them or hated them.

Dogs would snarl and bark, and cats would hiss when they got close. For Princess to act like this, it would only mean that they were truly no longer their former self.

Princess continues to rub up against 1x1x1x1, meowing as she paws at their pant leg. The hacker makes a face at that, but doesn't move to push the cat away out of... some emotion. They're not sure.

"Away." They say, their voice still growly but less aggressive than before. "I said, away from me, creature."

"Mrrreow..." Princess meows again.

1x1x1x1 pauses. They tentatively place their sword down on one of their tables as the cat follows them inside their apartment.

"Insolent little pest... you still dare to follow me here?" the hacker rolls their eyes and closes the door behind them to not let out the warmth of their apartment. Princess meows and jumps onto their couch, beginning to scratch it.

"Why you little-!" They make a dash for the cat, who nimbly jumps away and begins to scurry about. 1x quickly finds out that despite their fast reflexes from all their countless years of sword fighting, they still were no match for a cat's agility.

1x1x1x1 snarls, giving up and sitting down on their own scratched-up couch in frustration. Princess sits down on the other armrest, daintily licking her paws as the hacker glared at her.

"Why mortals keep pests like you around continues to baffle me." They snap. "You'd be more use dead than alive."

Princess only gives them a meow at that, stretching as she paces around the apartment. 1x1x1x1 watches the cat for a bit more before they get bored, ignoring the feline.

And it was at that moment where the cat demanded their attention again. Princess jumped on the couch next to 1x1x1x1, the hacker too bored to notice her until she was rubbing against their arm. !x reels back, shock plain on their face. "What-?!"

The cat purrs, sliding under their clawed hand so that 1x1x1x1 could pet it. Princess jumps into the hacker's lap and makes herself at home, tucking her legs into a loaf.

1x... doesn't know how to react to this. They're completely still while the fat, fluffy cat is seated on their lap, too scared(?) to move an inch lest they scare the animal off.

Princess only meows in protest and nudges 1x1x1x1's hand again.

'It... wants me to pet it, right?' 1x1x1x1 has only seen other people pet animals, not having petted anything themself. The former embodiment of hatred awkwardly raises their hand, and begins to scratch and rub the cat's neck and back, mindful of their strength.

Princess purrs some more, 1x feeling the rumbling of the cat through their hands. It feels... odd. Like something they've never felt before.

(If 1x1x1x1 actually knew what being content and happy felt like, they would describe the feeling as such. Alas, being the physical manifestation of someone's hatred and negative emotions meant that they had never felt such a thing before, and therefore did not know it as such.)

They run their claws through the cat's fur, carefully as to not nick the skin underneath. They feel the warmth of the cat's small body, the way it's chest moves up and down as it breathes, even the minute detail of blood flowing underneath it's skin.

It's... alive. More than they will ever feel. Unconsciously, 1x leans in closer to Princess, giving her a small hug as they pet her fur. "Disgusting creature."

Princess meows at this, and 1x1x1x1 feels a bit of amusement at the fact that the cat probably can't understand their insults at all. They begin to chuckle while constantly making fun of Princess.

"Repugnant fleabag. You are an ugly, belated thing." They say, all while gently playing with the cat's floof. "You are a piece of shit. A bastard." 1x1x1x1 delighted in having Robloxia's censor removed from them. "You belong in hell."

"Meow!" The cat continues to happily purr, batting it's paws against 1x1x1x1's hand. "Haha, yes! Hate me! I am a proud, mighty warrior, and you are naught but a foolish beast!"

Alas, not all things can last forever. Eventually Princess gets bored, rolling off of the couch and padding over to 1x1x1x1's door. The cat scratches at the front, and the hacker begrudgingly opens it up so that Princess can slink away back into Hyperlaser's apartment.

"Tch..." 1x1x1x1 scoffs, but they look back to see if the cat is safe. They wonder why they feel hatred when Princess is gone, and not much while she was there- how odd.

Maybe they're beginning to learn that they can hate the absence of something rather than the thing itself.

(Later, when Hyperlaser comes home, he sees Princess sprint over to him all happy and meowing. "You're awfully happy today." He chuckles underneath his helmet, taking it off after he's locked his apartment door.)

(Once he's finished prepping up and putting his helmet back on, Hyperlaser notices that his apartment window's been opened. He narrows his eyes under his helmet, and goes to check if anything's been stolen. Nope, nothing.)

("You don't happen to see anything wrong, do you, Princess?" Princess only meows innocently in response.)

("Ah, забудь об этом (forget about it)." Hyperlaser pats his cat on the head softly. More pats for Princess!)

[Extras]

Yeah it's all 1x1x1x1 hanging out with Princess. Meow.

Chapter Text

[Shuriken]

Inphernals have been going missing in Thieves' Den. And it's not just locals having scuffles with each other or some sort of conflict between noble families- this was indiscriminate, random killing.

"Shuriken, are you sure you're going to be fine going out at this time?" Vine Staff says, furrowing her brows. "It's dark, and even if you're a Phighter, you can't just be reckless about this."

"Aw, come on, sis! When have I ever failed to come home?" Shuriken looks self-assured and confident, but deep down, there's a pang of uncertainty. This wasn't your average criminal activity in Theives' Den- this was murder.

"I know, I know. But you know what's been going on lately." His sister hugs him, and gives him a gentle punch to the shoulder with her wooden arm. "Don't go anywhere near Kawasumi Lake, alright?"

"Fiiine..." Shuriken groans, and steps out of his house. "I'll see you when I'm done!"

Vine Staff nods, and she watches as Shuriken walks off into the paved path. He's used to going by foot to Crossroads, even though they live a mile away from the faction highway in this rural town.

Instead of going to Crossroads and buying some snacks like he'd told his sister, Shuriken diverts from his path and slips into the woods nearby, taking out an intricate mask and some change of clothes from his backpack.

Unbeknownst to his sister, he's a vigilante. Shuriken's been fighting bad guys and leaving them for the authorities to find ever since he was a teenager, and nobody's figured out his identity yet (well, maybe Katana knows. He's 99% sure that old man snooped around and found out).

The Silver Shadow is Thieves' Den very own guardian, fighting crime in the smaller towns and cities because the relaxed laws mean so much more theft and crime. Shuriken's got himself a reputation, and he's not letting this new murderer run around and hurt his faction.

The vigilante slips through the forest, going through one of the many dirt paths. Kawasumi Lake isn't far from this place, and it's one of the many camping spots in Thieves' Den that Crossroads tourists visit. It's why so many people got killed and went missing, after all- Inphernals kept going there on dares and trying to take down the murderer.

'They all keep running away and dying because they're BAD at it. I'm different!' Shuriken thinks. 'I'm one of the official Phighters! I've got combat experience, I've got a good gear- so I'll be the one turning this guy in!'

He's got the sort of reckless, unbothered confidence that would either make him unexpectedly win a fight or get beaten down the instant he steps into the ring. Despite this, Shuriken kind of knows his limits- he's here just to check out the killer's strength, what they look like.

Kawasumi Lake is only a few miles away, so he cuts through the woods, finds a few paths where nobody's walking, and gets to a train track. He hitches a ride on one of the boxcars, latching on with his grapple and riding it until he gets to his destination and sneakily jumps off.

Shuriken adjusts his mask a bit as he jogs around the area. There's a wooden archway with the words "Welcome to Kawasumi Lake!" and a translation below it in the Thieves' Den dialects. There's the typical things he finds- rest stops, wood cabins for travelers, campsites...

Kawasumi Lake is absolutely beautiful, willow trees surrounding the bank of the namesake lake and lotus flowers sticking up amongst the lily pads and the murky water. Fireflies buzz around, lighting up the area as the crickets chirp.

Despite how pretty it looks, Shuriken feels tense. There' no way a place that looks this pretty is hiding a dangerous killer, right...? Those news reports can't be lying- there were pictures of bodies and all that.

The vigilante continues to investigate around the area, slinking through the trees and staying as quiet as they can. Shuriken freezes as he smells a metallic scent in the air- it's something he's smelled countless times as a vigilante.

A scream pierces the air as a heavily wounded Inphernal dashes through the forest and out to the lake. "H-HELP! SOMEBODY HELP!" They've got slash marks all over them, and a stab wound on their right side.

Shuriken immediately drops down and throws his gear in the direction they were running from. "You there! Run!"

"Shit! Silver Shadow?!" The stranger yells out, stunned. "Dude! That's not going to work! He's a monster!"

"What do you mean?" Shuriken yells back. He gets his answer when a figure charges through the darkness, sprinting both at him and the victim. His shurikens were embedded in their body, but it didn't seem to faze the killer at all.

"RUN!" Shuriken dodges to the side, using his grapple to get up on one of the trees and get a good view of the killer. They seemed to have a machete- their gear, most likely, and seeing that they're a melee user, they won't be easily able to get him up high.

The killer's wearing a torn and raggedy outfit, stained with dirt and mud and grime. The only semi-clean thing about them was their striking hockey mask, cracked on the left side of their face due to their horn mutation jutting out where their eye would be.

It kind of reminded Shuriken of Firebrand's horn, except more ram-like and worn out. The demon looks up at him with his mask obscuring his eyes, shadows casting over his face and body.

Shuriken shudders, and uses the opportunity to throw more of his shurikens back at the killer. The masked Inphernal holds up their arm to block it, the blades embedding in their skin and drawing blood, but they don't even flinch.

The stranger from before is long gone, having run away as fast as they could so all that's left is just Shuriken and Jason facing each other down.

The vigilante grits his teeth, and goes invisible for a second. If his shurikens aren't gonna do anything to this guy, then he's gonna have to do a backstab!

Shuriken lands on his feet, careful not to make a sound. As the killer looks around, he creeps up behind them, invisible, and slams his kunai down on Jason's back.

It sinks into his body, but it's like stabbing a heavy slab of meat. Shuriken pales as his scarf is grabbed and he's lifted up.

"W-wait! N-no, let me-" And he's subsequently hit with the nastiest combo ever. Jason uses gashing wound on Shuriken, leaving him bloodied and tossed to the side. His mask falls off as well, making him cough out blood.

The vigilante struggles to get up as the killer slowly stalks towards him, wiping his bloodied machete on the grass below. Shuriken drags himself further away, leaving a trail of blood as he looks up to the killer in fear.

Jason is right in front of him. He raises his bloodied machete, ready to swing it down-

And there's a 'shing-CLANG!' as the killer's machete hits a blade, getting pushed aside. Shuriken looks up in shock as Katana out of all demons manages to block the next attacks and help him up.

"Shuriken. You are in big trouble." Katana hisses under his breath. "Go! Now!"

The vigilante struggles to get up to his feet and stumbles out of the area as quick as he can, running outside of Kawasumi Lake's boundaries and rummaging through his backpack for medical supplies.

As he hears the distant sound of combat in the woods, Shuriken lets out a shaky sigh. He takes out some cotton balls, and stuffs the deeper wounds, wincing in pain as he sews them up with sutures.

"D-damn it-" He grits his teeth, covering up his more superficial wounds with the bandages. "How in Firebrand's name did he not take any damage?!"

Shuriken kind of understands how HORRIFYING this killer must be now, and how he hasn't been captured- because nothing he throws seems to hurt or bother the monster.

'Dang it... how am I gonna explain this to my sister?' He groans, limping slowly away to find a way back to his town.

[Jason]

'Masked man. Stopped me from killing.' Jason narrows his singular eye under his mask, feeling frustration and anger.

He's been dropped here after the Spectre mysteriously "broke" in some way. Jason's been through a lot- Camp Crystal Lake, Area 51, and now this mysterious new place.

He doesn't like his new horn. He can't see out of his eye. It's irritating, always flaking off and itchy and he rubs it against tree bark to get the flakes off. Jason has seen deer rub their antlers to shed them back when he was in Camp Crystal Lake- is that what he's supposed to do?

Again and again, he's had to deal with Robloxians intruding on his territory and messing up his place. The wilderness was his. The area around the lake was his.

This place reminded him so much of Camp Crystal Lake. Of where he and his mama lived. It feels like a lifetime ago, before he drowned, before he went killing, before the Robloxians found him and he was locked up in Area 51.

At least in the Spectre's realm, he was able to hear his mother's voice again. Jason could hear her tell him to kill those intruders, to teach them a lesson for her death- but ever since he was captured and imprisoned in Area 51, he wasn't able to hear her.

He just wants to be left alone. And now here he was, stuck in an unfamiliar world, in an unfamiliar body with unfamiliar demons intruding on his territory-

The serial killer was silent, but completely fuming underneath his expressionless mask. Katana deflects the next messy slash easily, but is pushed back a bit by the force of the next swing.

"What manner of Inphernal are you?" He grunts. "No... you're no normal demon. Wounds litter your body and yet you still persist."

Jason stays quiet. He makes heavy breathing noises, trying to use his force and strength to beat down Katana, but the skilled swordsman either dodges or counters with his own blade.

"You have the skill, but lack the finesse." Katana uses his grapple to his advantage, hooking Jason closer and using it to slash the killer on the side. Still, there was no effect to Jason. He staggered, in pain of course, but this wasn't enough to kill him.

Nothing was ever enough to kill him. Especially not just one Inphernal, no matter how Katana may be.

Jason grabs Katana's gear by the blade, and yanks it out of his grasp. Now it's Katana's turn to stumble back, using his grapple to pull himself to a tree to dodge a swing from Jason's machete.

"Ugh!" The Phighter is knocked to his side, and rolls out of the way of another strike. Katana uses some of his energy to kick his own blade out of Jason's hand, and then grab it.

They two clash blades again, this time with Katana taking a more defensive stance. He's weaker in terms of raw strength compared to Jason, that's true- but he's got relatively more speed and agility compared to the other.

Katana braces himself for a strike, and slashes when he finds another opening in Jason's strikes. 'Slash.' Another cut in the former Robloxian's leg, this time deeper than before.

Jason swings in a wild arc downward, and Katana narrowly avoids it this time. His yukata's left sleeve gets sliced, and catches on Jason's blade for a second before he yanks it away.

No words between the two of them. This is a battle that requires full concentration. An immovable object, and a force that wasn't unstoppable but could put up a damn good fight.

Katana begins to breathe heavily, backing off and putting distance between Jason. The two use the time to recover, circling each other slowly like hunters. But who's the hunter and who's the prey?

Jason is the one to sprint forward first. Katana backs up and lets him make the first strike, his machete swinging down and his back being met by a quick slash in return. Jason is covered in slashes now, clothes in tatters and blood all over his body, but the wounds from before are scabbing over and closing up far quicker than the average Inphernal's.

Katana mutters under his breath, and while Jason can't hear it, he sees the swordsman begin to back off, getting away from him.

'Good. He fears me.' Jason continues to press forward, slowly wearing down the Phighter until Katana turns around and-

'Slash.' His machete carves a long scar into Katana's back, and the Phighter winces, retaliating with his own block to prevent Jason from continuing the attack. "A-agh- damn it all! Why won't you go down?!"

Jason is an endurance predator. He's meant to tank hits and continue slowly walking down his enemies until they collapse out of exhaustion, and he kills them. Katana seems to have realized this, and is making distance between him and Jason.

The killer keeps a steady pace from Katana, but he's already won. Katana quickly evades Jason, using the distance he's gained to slip amongst the trees and run away.

Jason doesn't chase him after that. His original goal was fulfilled, anyways- drive intruders out of his territory, or just kill them outright. Even if he's a killer, not a fighter- he managed to achieve something few demons have done before, by making Katana willingly retreat from a 1v1.

The killer stays there, standing for a few minutes, before he slinks back into his territory near the lake. Jason holds his machete near the ground, looking back and forth for any other intruders, but finds none at the moment.

'Finally. Peace.' He stalks back to the abandoned cabin that he's taken for himself. The interior is warm and cozy, having been furnished with all of the stuff he's taken from his victims.

There's a bed with several warm blankets. A desk filled with food and supplies, two camping chairs he's swiped from an unlucky duo of friends- some spare clothes and sewing supplies, along with other basic essentials.

He cleans off his machete with a towel and sets it down next to the bed, hiding it underneath the frame. The intimidating killer lays himself down on the bed, getting his rightfully deserved sleep during the day after having to chase all those Inphernals out of his territory.

Tomorrow is another day for him, after all.

[John Doe?]

Kill. Corrupt. Consume.

That was what the code wanted to do. It was all that it wanted to do, seeping into the bodies and minds of Robloxians to take them over and make them it's willing puppets.

Throughout it's years of life, of festering within Robloxia's reality, the corruption had grown intelligent, having taken the minds of the Robloxians it had corrupted and becoming a killing machine.

It's first host was to thank for all of that. One John Doe, the second account to ever be created in Robloxia itself. Thanks to the man's anonymity and his unassuming role as someone who worked in Roblox HQ in it's earliest days, the corruption was able to access so much power from his knowledge alone.

John Doe was hard to kill. It was why his account wasn't banned after all the countless years of rumors and hackings, and it was why the corruption could still pilot his body without it becoming completely non-functional. Other Robloxians, such as one unlucky pedropaulo25417, fell apart only after a year or two and became defunct husks of code.

However, it was this hardiness and the fact that he was the second-earliest account made that meant that the corruption had problems. Problems controlling the body that it was puppetting.

It was a pain in the ass to first corrupt John Doe- the whole process had taken a whole year. Then came the actual resistance against it's corruption, and even when it could control John Doe's actions, there was always a delay or a struggle.

It was the Spectre that changed everything. It was kin to the corruption- sentient code grown far beyond Robloxia, no, Roblox's capabilities. It had given the corruption a deal.

Work under it, and live within it's purgatory. In exchange, the corruption's power and influence would be amplified to the point where John Doe's mind was fully suppressed, fully corrupted and broken into pieces.

The corruption even got to sweeten the deal by getting to corrupt other players outside of the Spectre's realm sometimes, bringing them in to chase the survivors. And thus, the corruption gleefully accepted.

John Doe became mindless, like it had always wanted. There were the occasional moments of lucidity, of his true, confused self peeking through the cracks, but since the corruption was at full power, it just beat the poor man down until he was back to a mindless husk.

Only one problem remained. Jane Doe. That man's damned wife- what made her so special anyways? It had tried corrupting her, but she was far more perceptive than her husband and managed to go to the admins to remove it's influence.

The Spectre had put her in a round with the other survivors once. Once. That was all it took for the corruption's hold over John Doe to go haywire, and for the man to just refuse to function in the match.

He'd just stood there. Staring at her. The corruption was suppressing all memories of John Doe's wife, but the man kept on staring at her with lovestruck eyes, as if he was falling in love with her again.

It tried to wipe his memory again. That same burning feeling in it's host's chest. Wiped it again. Same feeling. John Doe was literally falling in love with his wife over and over again at first sight, no matter what the corruption did.

So it gave up. The easiest solution was the only option, since killing her with John Doe was impossible- just don't have her in the rounds.

Therefore, no more rebellious John Doe. No more breaking free from it's control. The corruption hungered and fed itself well within the Spectre's world, and it was content.

But then this happened. Ripped away from the Spectre, forced into this new world and to adapt to what it threw at it. The corruption was afraid at first, but then it saw this as an opportunity to get new victims. After all, a new world meant countless naive, uninformed fools that have not heard John Doe's legend.

It's first victim in this new word was an unfortunate Inphernal with a crowbar in his hand. He had kicked and screamed when John Doe picked him up with that corrupted hand, nearly escaping if not for that broken leg of his.

When his body went limp and John Doe lumbered over to it, the corruption continued as it always had- trying to spread itself over the being's code. It reached out from John Doe's left arm, stabbing the body again while it's own code tried to find an entryway.

...

... No?

There's... no code. Not like Robloxians. These... beings weren't made of code like John Doe or any of the corruptions previous victims.

John Doe's body pulls the massive spike arm away from the dead body, wiping off the blood on the brick wall nearby. The corruption is 'thinking', it's code running over what it has learned from this dead body. This... must not be correct. Everything was made of code. Robloxians were made of code. It was made of code.

So it killed. It dragged John Doe's body, made his feet fall forward as it hunted more of these strange, demon-like beings. They came and they died- some managed to get away, but the city they arrived in had so much people in it that finding prey wasn't an issue.

They'd managed to pile up a mountain of bodies before news caught on and the whole place was evacuated. But it had stopped killing once it became obvious that none of them were made of code.

This was a problem for the corruption. If Inphernals weren't made of code, then it couldn't spread. If it couldn't spread, it couldn't expand it's power and it was trapped in John Doe's body.

All this killing was useless now. The one thing that it was good at, the one thing that came into being for, was now gone.

The sentient code filed Inphernals into "non-targets". If they attacked it's only living host, then the corruption would attack and kill them in return. But if it wasn't attacked? There's no need to waste it's time and energy hunting down and killing if it can't infect.

John Doe's body was left wandering around, his mind slowly ebbing and flowing back. The corruption didn't mind. There's no way John Doe can get rid of it now, with how intrinsically woven and deeply rooted into his very being now.

[Scythe]

"Yer' saying there's a monster runnin' out and about in Lost Temple somewhere?"

"That's right!" Broker spins the cord of his rotary phone around his claw. "You're gonna be going with some of the other recruits to be checking it out! Father Overseer's upset because one of the churches in that city got overrun by that monster."

"Oh, ain't that a shame..." Scythe switches from her gear's rifle form to the scythe form, fiddling with some of the parts.

"Unfortunately, I can't go with you. I've got my own business with our Father, and Medkit has a phight scheduled at the same time. So let's hope you can handle it yourself!"

Scythe snorts, leaning on one of the chairs in the office. "Who do ya' think I am, Broker? I ain't gonna gonna muck this up like them other folks in our family!"

"Oh please, I wouldn't dare talk bad about you, Scythe." Broker giggles and waves his hand. "No, I'm talking about the others you have to babysit in this mission."

"Well, when ya' put it like that..." Scythe ruffles Broker's head and gives him a wave as she spins her gear. "I'll giddy-up, then! You have yer' fun dealin' with the Father!"

"See you later too, Scythe!"

The outlaw slips out of her friend and coworker's office, brushing the dust off her clothes. She tightens up her teal neckerchief, then adjusts her tie so that it's neatly straightened.

"Now, where's the folks I gotta lead..." She mutters, going through the outpost's rooms to get all of the other Inphernals joining her in the mission.

She ends up with around twenty or so other True Eye members, most of them being mid-ranked or decently powerful in their own right. Scythe slings her weapon onto her shoulder, barking out orders with a southern twang. "Listen up, buttercup! Y'all are gonna be goin' monster huntin' in the name of the Church!"

The team erupts into chatter at this. "A monster? Is it  actually a monster or is it another wildlife infestation?"

"Who cares! We're saving those poor folks, and they might join the Church because of our graciousness!"

Scythe nods, and continues directing the others. "All of y'all, line up and get the mission debreifin'! We're gonna be goin' to Sungold, up north!"

"Sungold? There?" One church acolyte frowns, looking worried. "Isn't that near the border to Thieves' Den?"

"Dumbass, it ain't that close! New Oasis's closer!" Another guy complains. Scythe already feels a headache coming along, seeing the others not take this mission seriously as she was.

'I'd rather be fightin' Banny than doin' this shit...' She internally bemoans. 'I wouldn't trust these idiots to lead a horse to water.'

Fortunately, some of the higher-ranking followers had more tact compared to the others. "We'll not be taking the main railways, I assume?"

"Eeyup. All of 'em are avoidin' Sungold like the plague, so we're takin' the train to New Oasis, then backtrackin'." Scythe leads all of them outside of the outpost and into the nearby town, where ti was bustling with life. It was already near sunset, so all of the street vendors were setting up along the boardwalk.

Lost Temple, being situated in the middle of the hottest desert of the Inpherno, usually had towns built into canyons or underground to escape from the heat. Everyone was more active during the evening or night because of this, and it's lead to a flourishing night market culture within Lost Temple.

Scythe and the others get onto the train, boarding as she pays for the tickets out of the Church's own expenses. She seats herself near the front of the train, making sure to keep her eye on all of the operatives.

The journey to New Oasis takes four hours in total. It's completely dark outside, the locomotive streaking through the night like a bullet.

She sighs, looking up at the stars from outside her window. Scythe uses the time to take one of the newspapers from the seat in front of her and opens them up to read. And what a coincidence, because the front-page article was on the 'monster' that was apparently terrorizing Sungold city.

"Sungold Monster Massacre! Over 100 deaths and hundreds more injuried- city evacuated?" The headline read.

Scythe skims over the words, furrowing her brows. 'That many deaths? And from one monster alone?' She continues to read. 'Looks like an Inphernal, above average height- but covered in a black, tarlike substance and emits a dangerous mist substance.'

'Monster was spotted hunting and killing Inphernals, but not doing anything with their bodies.' That... was concerning to Scythe.

Usually when something kills, there would be a reason behind it. Predators kill for food. Serial killers like her killed for the thrill of it, or for money. So if this monster wasn't killing for food or for money, then it would've been killing for the thrill of it.

But from the brief, blurry photo that one of the evacuees managed to snap... it didn't seem like that. The Inphernal had curled, black horns and was wearing a worker's uniform with the Roblox Co. logo on it- but that was the only normal thing about it.

It's left eye was completely clouded in black and red. It' left arm was gone, replaced with a menacing black growth that looked like a spike. The amount of black mist emanating from the corrupted parts of the Inphernal stained the monochrome photo of the newspaper, using up almost all the ink.

"Scary lookin' fella, ain't it?" Scythe says, picking at her teeth with a toothpick. "You up for it, boys?"

The other church acolytes seemed unnerved just looking at the photo, but steeled their nerves. "Yes, ma'am!"

"Atta boys. That's the type o' attitude that the True Eye wants from it's best." Scythe feels the train pull up to New Oasis city, looking at the bustling station. "Now, let's get goin'. There should be a caravan owing the church here."

They all got off the train, hitched a ride on the caravans to Sungold, and got their weapons ready. The riders taking them there looked absolutely terrified, but it's no use for them to resist the church- they have their own debts to pay off.

They were dropped off at the edge of the city, seeing the buildings engulfed in darkness. "We're not setting a single foot in that gods-forsaken place." One of the caravan riders hisses, shaking her head. "I'm not risking my life trying to find that... thing!"

"Tch! Do what you want. We here at the church are going to save you all, anyways." One acolyte says. "Come on- let's get this mission completed."

They all moved in a group- nobody was stupid enough to split up. Scythe looked around, seeing the evacuated city and how empty it was compared to normal.

Sungold city had an above-ground section and a below-ground section, being shielded from the relentless desert sun by a natural cave formation.  The buildings were made out of sandstone brick and high-quality clay, looming over the True Eye worhsippers as they stalked through the city for any sign of the 'monster'.

Scythe leans over to see one of the buildings- it's got slash marks all over the solid walls, jagged and animalistic.

"It ain't even trying to hide itself." She muses. "Let's go huntin' and draw it in."

They continue deeper and deeper into the city. The night makes the evacuated buildings look eerie- they're lacking the lights from their residents, all turned off or destroyed in a panic. There's even bodies scattered around, all bloodied and rotten from the time passed.

One of the church members gags, turning away to throw up. "W-who would do such a thing?" They said, terrified. Despite the Church of the True Eye being brutal at times, they weren't this brutal. There's literal gaping holes in their torsos, most likely from the monster's left spike-arm.

"Suck it up. This ain't as bad as what happened in the faction war, Boomerang." One of the older alcolytes hissed, elbowing him. "Focus on the mission."

There was the occasional unsettling sound of scraping and growling from afar, but none of them could pinpoint where it came from.

Scythe growls under her breath, shaking her head. "Huntin'  in this darkness is like findin' a needle in a haystack- this ain't gonna work."

She turns around to the group, gesturing for them to fall back. "We'll be waitin' out in the outskirts till' mornin'. It's useless tryin' to hunt at this hour."

There's resounding sounds of agreement from the rest of the True Eye members in her group, and they head back. However, Boomerang strays from the group for a bit, walking on the side of the group to get some space for himself.

And he accidentally steps on something. Scythe's not sure what it is, but it causes the poor guy to scream out in panic and slight pain. "A-AGH! Shit!"

Immediately, he's engulfed in a dark aura with glowing red particles flickering about. The rest of the group jumps into action, drawing their weapons. "At attention! We're under attack!"

"No- it's a trap!" Scythe narrows her eye as she assesses the situation. Her subordinate didn't get hurt until he stepped on something, so...

"Everyone- watch your step. We don't know where other traps might be. We don't know if this monster used to be a normal Inphernal, if it's got a gear..."

The True Eye operatives huddle together, their steps more calculated and cautious than before. Boomerang is pulled to the side by Scythe and checked over to see the effects of the trap. "You. What in tarnation happened there?"

"I- I don't know?" The younger alcolyte looksaround, scared. "I- what... I can feel where it- he is."

"What?"

"Him." The Inphernal shivered in terror. "I don't know how I know, or what happened- but I just know."

"He's over there." And Scythe looks over to where the alcolyte is pointing- towards the city's clock tower in the distance.

[John Doe]

'I... where...' It's- his thoughts were jumbled, disoriented. A point within the raging sea of chaos, something that's only barely surfaced from his deep subconscious for a couple of times during his long, long control under the corruption.

There's a black substance on his hands. His left arm is gone, but that's not what he's comprehending. He's barely comprehending anything at all, only darkness and some feelings.

The wetness of... something, all over his clothes and coating his hands. The exhaustion in his bones. The sense of relief of having been free from- what? He... doesn't remember.

It would take a long time for John Doe to remember anything. All he knows is the dark, especially after the corruption had dragged him into the Spectre's realm as a puppet.

The man is a husk of his former self, slowly wandering a strange street. Even if he did have his former mind, he would have been unfamiliar with the sight of the place- it's nowhere in Robloxia that he would recognize.

Just... ebb and flow. Feel the cool night air on his skin, the weight of his corrupted arm, the way the paved street feels under his feet- this is all that he can feel. All that he can know for now.

John Doe was barely a man. But that was enough, because with the corruption letting up on the pressure within his mind, he could recover. Slowly, surely.

The peace of the night is interrupted by the sound of so much footsteps. John Doe looks up by instinct, tilting his head as a bunch of figures appear in front of them.

They've all got horns. How odd, for Robloxians- are they all related? Dressing like this together because they're together?

John Doe faintly recalls some Robloxians wearing similar outfits when they're all part of the same group. Some of them being creators, others being exploiters, some others working at jobs... these people were all wearing teal uniforms.

"Well, ain't you a big one..." The leader says, tipping her white cowboy hat. "'Above average' mah' arse- yer' only a foot shorter than Ban Hammer!"

'Ban... hammer?' John Doe's scrambled mind tries to reach back to his own past. There's this sense of danger, of panic, when the ban hammer is mentioned.

It was the reason why he hid his corruption in the first place. Just testing the code of Robloxia, working hard in Roblox HQ under the admin. Something had went wrong- he- he can't remember what, but he remembered ignoring the problem.

He remembered ignoring IT when he went home to his lovely wife, when he went back to work the next day, when he continued with his idyllic life- because he was afraid of meeting the business end of that ban hammer.

It was dangerous. He should have told someone. They would have banned him, would have killed him to prevent the corruption's spread- but he was afraid. He didn't want to die.

Was that really such a bad thing?

John Doe didn't really... 'remember' this memory. He just had a really, really bad feeling about the mention of the ban hammer, and it caused his body to go into fight-or-flight mode.

'Danger.' The group of Robloxians(?) in front of him have their weapons raised. That lady in the white cowboy clothes raised her gun. 'DANGER.'

Neither John Doe nor the corruption had the first strike. Scythe did, shooting him in the face and forcing his body to react out of instinct. The corruption already learned it's lesson- Inphernals had no use to it. It did not need to kill them because it could not spread to them.

Scythe and the True Eye members made a huge mistake, and they had not yet realized. They could have went back, reported the situation to the higher-ups, and defeated John Doe with their sheer numbers. He would not have attacked him.

But they attacked first.

The corruption roars to life once again, engulfing John's body and making him surge forward with a snarl. John Doe himself is in a panic, confused as to what is going on, why he's getting shot at and attacked, and he wants to live.

The next few moments were a whirlwind of blood and carnage. The corruption targeted the unknowing fool that had stepped in it's digital footprint first, making a beeline for them and slashing his claws at them.

A pained, terrified scream pierces the night, and the smell of iron fills the air. The rest of the Inphernals shoot and slash at him, the pain of their attacks numbed by the corruption already haven overtaken his nerves long ago.

'Why? What... what have I done?" John Doe twitches, looking down at his own blood-soaked hands as his body moves on his own. He wants to stop, to scream at himself that this isn't him, that he hated violence- 

But John Doe is just a normal man. He's afraid of death, to the point where his adrenaline and panic overtakes his morals and he just lets the corruption pilot his body to defend himself from these attackers.

Ten bodies down now. Twelve or so left. John Doe's body stabs his corrupted arm into the ground, and spikes erupt upwards, stabbing the panicked True Eye members that had surrounded him.

"Fall back! We need more reinforcements!" A voice cries out. "Contact the main branch- we'll need our strongest troops to deal with this monster!"

'Monster. They... called me a monster.'  John Doe feels a pit form in his gut, even though his mind isn't really there yet. Something isn't sparking for him.

Fifteen down. The smell of blood is absolutely pungent at this point, coating his entire shirt. The corruption continues to rip and tear, causing the last few survivors to get away while John Doe is distracted.

To the corruption, that is fine. They chased the intruders out of their territory. They're at peace once more. But John?

John Doe is left trembling, standing still while he's covered head to toe in blood. He's much more aware than when he first came out of the Spectre's realm.

He's killed people. He's hurt them, traumatized them beyond repair. John Doe's mind may be missing the puzzle pieces- but he's got enough consciousness and enough pieces of his memory to realize this.

John Doe was just a normal man. He didn't want this. He didn't deserve this.

All he could do was feel the blood drip down his claws and lumber over to the nearest source of water- a fountain in the middle of the city's plaza, right next to the clock tower.

He wades into the cold water, the liquid already cloudy and red from all the other blood that's washed off from his previous kills. He... he can't get it off. As much as he scrubs, the corruption is still there, the blood is still there-

... John Doe was a normal man. But now he can never go back to being a normal man.

[007n7]

He's tinkering with his c00lgui on his own bed as the night goes on.

He can't exactly... sleep. All of the survivors have had trouble sleeping, not just him- being trapped in a purgatory where it was constantly evening or night-time made it so that their circadian rhythms were thrown off course.

Add on to the fact that they haven't seen proper sunlight in countless years, and then you have a recipe for disaster. Most of them were fine on the first few days, but then their lack of sleep caught up to them and they crashed hard.

Builderman and Shedletsky had the luxury of not needing jobs and just crashing at their "kid's" houses, where they could just sleep off the exhaustion and get their sleeping schedules back to normal.

The other survivors had to take the brunt of the problem, all while having new jobs. Noob had taken to spending all of the money they'd saved up on energy drinks, Two Time is... okay, they're unemployed and don't have to worry about that.

Guest 1337 is just toughing it out with some coffee, and so is Elliot and himself, if not with far higher doses of caffeine. Dusekkar is doing something to keep up with them, they don't know, and Chance's new job is on the night shift so he isn't too worried about staying up at night.

007n7 sighs, tweaking with some of the commands in the panel. Currently he's already finished fixing the unanchor command, having tested it on small objects like a remote control or electronic scraps.

None of the more dangerous scripts work, thank the admin. He can't just use 'kill all' and accidentally cause a mass murder. For some reason, commands that directly impacted Inphernals' bodies, like killing them or changing their bodies in any way, didn't work at all.

The exploiter quickly figured out why- because he was unable to modify himself as well. The only way that would happen is if he was no longer made of code, and therefore the c00lgui wouldn't affect him.

Putting two and two together, he figured out that Inphernals were not made of code. And because of this, Inphernals were therefore unaffected by exploits that could directly affect them.

It meant that he couldn't choose to just kill anyone by simply knowing their name, or fling them into the stratosphere with admin commands. It also meant he couldn't do more beneficial things like fix his own eyesight through code or heal others.

However, other commands were still fair game. He could summon any gear that he had the ID number for, he's got a few gears saved into the c00lgui itself, too. 007n7 could still teleport, fly, create his own clones- he'd fixed the most basic commands and got them up to date.

But if he was going to use any of them, it'd immediately make the others distrust him. 007n7 had no legitimate reason to be fixing his c00lgui in their eyes, and everyone would just think he's trying to go back to his exploiter days.

No. Her'll have to tell them. Eventually. Maybe he can tell one of the admins first, make sure they understand that he's doing this to protect everyone. If the c00lgui breaks, it won't kill them anymore because they're Inphernas, not Robloxians- but it will do a lot of damage.

'By Robloxia, I hope Builderman understands what I'm doing...'

007n7 knows that the CEO of Robloxia always visits them during the weekends, when he's not busy hanging out with Shedletsky or dealing with literal deities. He'd be around this... afternoon, maybe? Yeah, that seemed reasonable.

007n7 spends the rest of the time finishing up his code, tidying up his room and finishing chores. It's tiring work, but it's the only thing that calms him down. Doing chores would have made a younger, more reckless version of himself complain and throw a tantrum, but after taking care of c00lkidd...

It's the only solstice he has. Reminding himself of the labor he did to raise his kid.

He finishes that up too, right as the sun rises. Everyone else goes out to do whatever- Noob is apparently going to a gym of some sort (good for them), Two Time is being monitored by Chance to ensure they don't do anything stupid, and Guest 1337 is also going training at some warehouse. Dusekkar is going to a library.

That left just him and Elliot. This was already bad enough, and he does not want to know what's going to happen if the man knows about him working on the c00lgui again.

"Um. Great day we're having, right?" 007n7 gives Elliot an awkward smile, but Elliot just looks at him with a scrunched-up face and he kinda just goes quiet.

"..." "..." Yeah, these two aren't going to get along at all. Even when they were constantly running for their lives in that purgatory and everyone had to be somewhat friendly with each other, Elliot always disliked having to heal him and made it very clear that he was low-priority.

Builderman couldn't have come at a better time. There's a knock on the wall behind him as Builderman raps his knuckles against the brick wall to get their attention. "Howdy, Elliot. Howdy to you as well, 007n7."

"Oh, hey Builderman!" Elliot's mood gets a lot better once 007n7 isn't the only person he can talk with. "It's nice seeing you around!"

"Haha, likewise! Y'all doing well?" He asks. "Can't help but see you're the only two 'round!"

Elliot fills Builderman in on what the other survivors have been up to. 007n7 just stands to the side awkwardly, feeling left out like he always was.

"Ain't that always the case?" Builderman asks, in response to Elliot's suspicion about Two Time.

"Yeah, but they're acting more giddy and weird than usual! Chance says that they're hanging out with some guys from the 'Church of the True Eye' or something..."

"Well, ain't that concerning... I should go ask Shed or the SFOTH about them." Builderman hums.

007n7 can't take it anymore. As much as he hates interrupting their conversation and knowing Builderman would dislike talking to him more compared to Elliot, he has to step up. Tell the truth.

007n7 taps on Builderman's shoulder. "S-sir." He sucks in a deep breath. "I've got to tell you something. In private."

"Huh?" Builderman turns around and sees 007n7. "Oh! Um- 007n7. You have something to say?"

"Yes. It's urgent." He stresses. "I can't tell anyone else about this- so mind going to my room?" Elliot looks at 007n7 with suspicion, but he doesn't care- he needs to tell Builderman about this or else there will be consequences.

"Alright?" The engineer follows him over to the room, where he closes the door and takes a deep breath.

"It's about the c00lgui." He gets straight to the point. Might as well rip off the band-aid and get it over with. "I had to update and fix it."

"What?" Builderman's mood immediately plummets, and there's the beginnings of a stormy look on his face. "Why in your right mind would you-"

"Because, if I didn't , it's eventually going to break." 007n7 grabs his new antlers in stress. "And if it breaks, it's going to hurt someone. Me, you, anyone- I have no idea what risk it'll pose."

"A-and-" 007n7 puts his head in his hands, sitting on his bed. "Damn it. I tried testing out everything on harmless stuff. I swear on my life."

"..." Builderman looks at 007n7 with a conflicted expression. He glances back out at the closed door, and back at the man. "How much have you managed to fix."

"Most of it, at least." 007n7 sighs, and pulls out the c00lgui in front of the admin. "I... some of the more powerful commands don't work on us, because we're Inphernals."

"Elaborate."

"I- well, we're not made of code anymore, for one." 007n7 rubs the back of his head. "We're not Robloxian. I'd expected for there to be some differences in biology, but not- this."

Builderman seems more disturbed now at the realization that he wasn't made out of code, rather than the fact that 007n7 has been tinkering with dangerous code. He looks down at his hand, flexing his fingers.

"We're... not code anymore." He mutters. "Would admin commands even work? Would my ban hammer work?"

"I don't know. But if you're talking about admin commands," 007n7 says. "They only work if they don't directly affect the person."

"Who's to say that ain't true?" Builderman suddenly says, worried. "Whos' to say that ya' can't just decide to kill anyone just with a single command?"

007n7 holds up his hands, defensive. "Believe me, it doesn't work! I can't kill anyone with this unless I decide to do it indirectly- the /kill command ain't workin' on us!"

Builderman narrows his eyes, but then freezes. "How do ya' know that?"

"... W-what?"

"How'd ya' know that it doesn't work if you ain't tested it out on anyone." Builderman accuses him.

007n7 is panicked. This was going bad. He was going to absolutely get his face pummeled in by Builderman if he doesn't clarify the truth right then and there.

"I did, okay?! I tested everything on myself- I'd never test it on anyone else!" 007n7 yells out, panicked. He backs up, slouching down in terror. "I- I'd never... I haven't gone back to my old ways. I swear. Just- please-"

Builderman's anger instantly evaporates, first to concern and confusion, and then it clicks in his head what 007n7 is implying here.

"You tested the kill command on yourself." He says. It's hard to tell what he's feeling with that neutral tone.

"I... did." 007n7 said, completely honest.

"You used a dangerous command that could have killed you in an instant on yourself." Builderman repeats. 007n7 looks away. "..."

He did. 007n7 knew it was dangerous to even type in command with the intent of using it on his c00lgui, but he had to test it out somehow.

(And deep down, he hated himself. Hated himself for his past as a reckless exploiter, hated himself for having failed his own son and lost him, hated himself because everyone else hated him-)

(Why would they care if he just randomly died out of the blue one day?)

"007n7." Builderman places a firm hand on his shoulder, and the former exploiter flinches. "007n7. Look me in the face."

He does. Reluctantly, slowly- he doesn't like the fact that he did this to himself. But he doesn't expect Builderman to have a horrified, worried look on his face.

"007n7. Have- have we been treating ya' that badly? To the point where you'd consider killing yourself?"

"N-no, you're all- you've just been..." 007n7 struggles to find the words. He's quiet for a while before responding. "It's nothing that I haven't deserved."

"NO?! What the-" Builderman reels back. "No! If yer' at the point where you'd attempted to do that, then we're in the wrong here!"

Builderman hugs 007n7, shocking the man. "Look- sure, I ain't the fondest of ya' because of yer' past, but it doesn't mean that I want ya' dead."

007n7... doesn't know what to say. He just stands there, getting hugged, because he hasn't hugged or gotten hugged by anyone ever since his son went missing. Slowly, he raises his hand up, tentatively patting Builderman's back.

The two of them just stand there for a while before Builderman pulls back, letting out a sigh. "Look. I ain't too fond of you messin' around code, but I know this was somethin' important."

"So I think we can compromise." Builderman holds out his hand. "You work with me, Dusekkar, and Shedletsky, and we figure out all this nonsense with the code and all that."

"I... yes." 007n7 takes Builderman's hand, shaking it. "I'll do my best. Working with the admin... I don't deserve this, but..."

"007n7. You don't got to beat yourself down." Builderman sighs. "I was doggone stupid to think that ya' ain't trying your best to actually change- maybe you could teach an ol' admin like me to see the positives in someone like you."

"A-alright."

"And don't go around doin' somethin' as dangerous as that ever again, got it?"

"Yes, sir."

(Both of them neglected to remember that Elliot was on the other side of the door, having listened to their conversation.)

(The pizza delivery worker looked downright nauseated at himself. Has he really been that unforgiving to 007n7 to the point where his old enemy considered ending it all?)

(... He hates 007n7. That man ruined his job, his life. But Elliot can't help but feel like he should let go of that hated. It's been too long.)

Chapter Text

[Dusekkar]

He did not expect to suddenly be involved with this word's deities, but then again, nothing has been expected since he has been thrown here with the other survivors.

Dusekkar did not seem to be the same species of Inphernal as the others. His pumpkin still housed his flame-like head, and his horns feel more like an accessory attached to his mask than actual horns.

He was odd, even for a Robloxian. He wonders if he was a "Watcher" now, like Ghostdeeri. 'Are Watchers artificially created? Ghostwalker said he had created her, but then again, Inphernals seem to come from the Spawns.'

He finds it amusing, that he might be a deity to her in the same way the SFOTH were deities to normal Inphernals. Dusekkar studies magic, and devoted his life to it- he's not much of a leader like any of the other admins.

Dusekkar decides to go visit the Crossroads Library again this weekend, taking a calming stroll around the area. Passerby are staring at him, muttering about how he's levitating off the ground and how he looks so much like the librarian.

It's not like he cares anymore about being subtle. Shedletsky and Builderman were connected to the SFOTH, and while the general public didn't know that, he didn't have to worry about civilians the way that he worried about the deities.

Matt Dusekkar was an admin and a powerful mage. He didn't have to worry about getting attacked, especially since he wasn't nerfed now like he was in the Spectre's realm.

He stops in front of the familiar double-doors of the Crossroads, opening them to greet the librarian who worked here.

"Good afternoon, and I greet you. It is by the admin's blessing that we have met so soon." Dusekkar says.

Ghostdeeri uncharacteristically stumbles from her seat, quickly organizing her desk. "Ah- I see! You're back, sir Dusekkar." She seems a bit nervous, as if meeting someone of importance. "Ghostwalker told me about you. You're one of- them right?"

"If you are asking if I am an admin myself, just like Builderman and Shedletsky- yes. I've worked with them." He politely de-summons his staff and sits down at one of the library's table, while Ghostdeeri rushes off to get something.

She returns with hot tea and some cups. The Watcher neatly sets the drinks up and pours them both some green tea. "I hope this is to your liking, revered one- you have worked with the creator of the SFOTH himself, and that gives you one of the highest merits."

"Please, I need not your lofty praise- for my work is how I intend to spend my days." Dusekkar feels a bit of pride at how he's being revered, but he knows that despite his expertise in magic, there's still more that he can learn and discover. "Me and my associates maintain order and create, but I will set your high praise and misconceptions straight."

Ghostdeeri intently watches him while she sits down, book and pen in hand. Dusekkar continues. "Builderman, Shedletsky and I hail from a world beyond your own, for the land of Robloxia was where we made our home."

"We have been forced, imprisoned for years on end, only for us to escape and go where we did not intend."

"I see..." Ghostdeeri mutters. She scribbles down something, and sighs. "Robloxia... the land of the gods?"

"Ah- no." Dusekkar shakes his head. "It was simply where the admins resided, alongside with the Robloxians that we guided."

"Robloxians..." Ghostdeei isn't sure what they were, looking slightly confused. "Why does both your land and the species you rule over share a name with the Roblox megacorp?"

"Perhaps it is coincidence, perhaps it is fate- for your world shares may have been created at a later date. Us admin may have left far before Inphernals came to be, with the only one remaining being your Shedletsky."

It made sense. Dusekkar had already been filled in by Shedletsky about their little... ruse they all had to keep up. This made the most sense in regards to their inexperience with the Inpherno.

"I... yes, that makes sense." Ghostdeeri mutters, scribbling down more notes on her book. "Of course the admins would leave before we were all created- but why did Telamo- I mean, Shedletsky stay?"

"I know not why he decided to stay behind, but it may be because he saw the SFOTH as his own kind." 'Ghostwalker must have told her about Shedletsky's past... or at least THIS Shedletsky's past.' He thought.

"I'll take note of that." Ghostdeeri says. "Ghostwalker would be pleased to learn this."

"If it may not be rude, I have my own question I should include." Ghostdeeri looks up from the book she's writing in, curious. Dusekkar leans on the table a bit. "My comrades have all become Inphernals when they entered this land, but I have appeared the same as my appearance beforehand. I must inquire if I am a Watcher like you, donning a different pumpkin mask made of blue."

"Oh! It's- you've got a mask like mine! Very well-" Ghostdeeri coughs into her hand, not expecting this. "I could see your flame from inside your head, but I just assumed..."

"I take it that you possess a flame of your own, only blue?"

"Yes. Ghostwalker himself gifted me my mask because my true appearance is... frightening to most Inphernals." Ghostdeeri admits. "Only a select few Inphernals have seen under it in my centuries of life."

Dusekkar frowns. It's not often that he manages to take off his own mask, but when he does, the other admins don't shun him for it. Sure, a few Robloxians may be unsettled, but not firghtened.

"To hide your face must be such a shame, for I am certain that we share a similar flame. No need to hide yourself when in my presence, for I am the one that shares your appearance."

"I... suppose." Ghostdeeri hesitates for a second, as if thinking about it. She gets up from her seat, closing the blinds of the library's windows. "If you wish to talk more without our masks- follow me."

Dusekkar levitates behind her as she leads him behind the librarian's desk and into the employee room. The whole place was neatly ordered and cozy, with some stairs leading up to the second floor. "Please abstain from going up those- Lightblox lives there, and she's shy around strangers."

"I see, and shall keep that in mind- I will not trespass and will not climb."

Ghostdeeri sighs. She sits down on the table filled with books and a cart where she kept the returned books, which had to be sorted back on the shelves for later.

"Now- about that- I wish to see your face as well. It is... reassuring, to see another Watcher other than myself or my siblings." Ghostdeeri says. "Would you be comfortable doing so?"

Dusekkar nods. He's taken off his mask before, no big deal. His hands go up to the bottom of his blue pumpkin, lifting it up carefully and letting his fire spill out.

Dusekkar's flame was a lime-yellow, burning brightly in an orb situated above his head. It's akin to looking at a miniature sun, with the amount of magical power he has emanating from it. Ghostdeeri blinked, staring at him owlishly as she analyzed his appearance.

"I have shown my flames like you have asked, and now I wish to see you without your mask." Dusekkar politely says, his voice gentle. Ghostdeeri is visibly nervous, but she takes in a deep breath.

"You do not have to show me if you feel fear, I was simply asking if-"

"No, no- I can do this. It's just- been a while." She shakes her head.

Ghostdeeri's hands go up, and she slowly takes off her own mask, the chains on her horns jingling a bit. She places the white pumpkin and horns down on the table, revealing her face (or lack thereof).

If Dusekkar was a miniature sun, Ghostdeeri was like a healthy bonfire. Her cyan-blue flame is flickering against the wall, small in comparison to the admin's raging flame.

"Hm. We are more alike than I expected, for your face is akin to a mirror reflected."

"I guess so." Ghostdeeri slowly relaxes, getting used to the feeling of her face being exposed. "It's nice. Having a peer to talk to, especially an admin like you..."

"Indeed. There were a few Robloxians like me, for we come in many shapes and sizes. When you've lived as long as an admin, there are not many surprises."

"There are others? Other Watchers?" She asked, curious.

Dusekkar shakes his head. Ghostdeeri 'blinks', her flame flickering a bit. "Oh- apologies. Robloxians. Still, to look similar to me..."

She wonders how diverse 'Robloxians' really were if there were a few that resembled Watchers like her. "All of those mortals that Ghostwalker said were associated with Shedletsky and the admins... they were Robloxians before, were they not?"

"Another time, another form. We all changed when we left our platform."

Both him and Ghostdeeri proceeded to talk a lot about many topics- the Inpherno's culture, what Robloxians were like, the duties he had as an admin-

They'd spent so much time talking that Ghostdeeri lost track of time, and she jolted up when she heard the sound of a knock on the library's front doors.

"Ah! Wait-" She scrambles to put on her pumpkin mask. "Right- Traffic is here. If you wish, you can put your mask back on-"

"No, it is fine. I feel no fear in revealing my face- it is simply one demon that shall see an admin's grace."

He wants to do this so that Ghostdeeri would feel more confident about her own appearance. Perhaps it was a sense of fatherly care, since she reminded of himself when he was younger, or maybe because she was, by technicality, Shedletsky's grandchild, but Dusekkar wanted to do this.

Ghostdeeri rushes over to the library door, unlocking it. "Traffic- it is good to see you here."

"Ayyy, Deeri'. Nice seein' ya as well." He gives her a casual wave, putting out his blunt and throwing it away. "Did ya miss me? Sorry for takin' so long."

"Traffic, it's been a month. I'm always worried when you're away for that long."

"Awww, Deeri'..." He gives her a hug, and she pats him on the back.

"Please. At least call me when you're busy with your travels." She chastizes her friend. Traffic chuckles. "Can't promise, but I'll try."

There's the sound of a polite cough. Traffic blinks, and tries to look behind Ghostdeeri before she panics. "O-oh- Traffic, before you panic- I have invited a friend over from my... father's circle of friends."

"Oh, that's chill. No prob about it." The merchant waves it off. "I'm sure they're cool if you're cool with them."

"No, it's not that, it's just- he's like me. And he's go his mask off, so-"

"Oh cool!" Traffic knows Ghostdeeri isn't an Inphernal, but he's never seen under her mask before. He respects her boundaries not to ask her about that, so he's left keeping his curiosity to himself. "I'm fine with that."

"Are you sure?" She stresses. Ghostdeeri is afraid of him seeing Dusekkar's face and panicking, because it meant that he'd panic at the sight of her face.

"Look, Ghostdeeri, I'm sure he looks like any other Inpherna- woah." Traffic blinks, finally getting a chance to gently wrestle away from his friend to see Dusekkar.

"Greetings, Inphernal- I have heard many good things about you. For Ghostdeeri has spoken of high regards of a friend true."

Ghostdeeri holds her breath as Traffic just stares at Dusekkar's unmasked face. He's just sitting there, casually sipping on some of the tea she made.

The librarian braces for some terror, maybe some screaming- but instead, his eyes widen and he grins.

"Yoooo! Dude, that's so sick!" He puts down his backpack, stepping forward to take a closer look at Dusekkar's fire. "You're like, on fire!"

"The flame is of my own body, and I may look strange- but my appearance is something I cannot change."

"Why'd you change that, dude? You're like, a built-in campfire!" Traffic is far more enthusiastic than both Ghostdeeri or Dusekkar expected. "Can you roast marshmallows on your head? Can you use it to warm up a room?"

Ghostdeeri looks relieved at the fact that Traffic seems to be whole-heartedly accepting the fact that Dusekkar was like her. She sighs in relief, sitting down and flipping through her book.

"Does this mean like, you're like Ghostdeeri?" Traffic asks, curious. Dusekkar nods.

"Yooo..." Traffic says, completely stoned out of his mind like always. "Epic." He gives a thumbs up.

"Yes, yes. He and I are both Watchers- he's older and more powerful than me, though." Ghostdeeri explained. "It's- nice that you did not get upset at his appearance. Dusekkar here is very important."

"Nah, it's chill." Traffic waves it off. "I'm just kinda curious what you look like now, because this dude looks hella groovy- but I don't wanna force you."

"Oh- well- that's fine."

Ghostdeeri was left feeling more confident about herself and less conscious about her true face- while Traffic seems really happy. An overall productive day, in Dusekkar's opinion!

[Guest 1337]

Just because the other survivors are now out of that purgatory doesn't mean they can just drop their survival training!

Honestly, Guest 1337 can understand wanting to finally take a break- it's been countless years since they've interacted with other people, no matter if this isn't Robloxia or not. But that's no excuse to ever let down their guard.

He needs to be strong for them. For all of them. So instead of enjoying his free time, he's busy training by himself. Guest 1337's using his fake riot shield gear to practice his charge, slamming into training dummies and leaving dents in the wall.

There's a few other demons that use the facility as well, but since he usually does this during the evening instead of the morning, there's less people that see him training. The only one he's bothered to remember was Zuka, and that's because the man owns the training warehouse he goes to.

"Hey, Guest." Zuka nods at him after Guest's finished his training, having tested out the shooting range today. Guest is a surprisingly good shot with his aim, surprising a decent amount of the Inphernals training there. "You ready to go back?"

"Mhm." He nods, standing next to the war vet with a neutral look. "I'm gonna be out from training tomorrow. Work as usual."

"What do you do for work, anyways? Ain't a lot of places hiring faces like ours." Zuka makes a 'so-so' gesture with his only hand. And he was correct- most businesses in Crossroads weren't looking to hire former soldiers unless it was for training or security.

"I've got a gig as a bouncer. It's not that bad, honestly." Guest 1337 stares at Zuka while the man flicks open and lighter to light his cigarette.

"Want a smoke?"

"No thanks." Guest shakes his head. "Not good for my training."

"Ah, right." Zuka nods, and simply keeps to himself.

The two men kinda just stand there for a while while the sun slowly sets. Zuka taps his fingers against the brick wall of his training facility.

"..." More silence between the two. "So, your son doing well?" Guest 1337 asks. He misses his own family. Zuka's lucky to see his son grow up into a strong young man.

"Eh. He's doing well." Zuka sighs. "Reckless, though. I told him not to enter those Phights, told him that the fame and fortune ain't worth it if he slips up- but you can't stop kids when they put their mind to it."

"I'd be stressed out of my mind too if Charlotte decided to do this." Guest says, and he pauses. His usually tough demeanor softens for a second before he shakes his head. "It's... definitely something."

"Your... daughter, right?" Zuka asks. "I'm sorry for your loss if that's the case." He seems sympathetic to Guest 1337's plight.

"No, she's not dead. By Roblox I hope she's not dead." Guest lets out a long, suffering sigh. "It's just- they're both at home. Safe. But I don't think I'll ever be able to go home, to see them again."

"... Oh." Zuka isn't sure if that is better or worse. If he knew Rocket was alive, but he couldn't see him.

The other former soldier runs a hand down where his blue hair used to be. "I haven't seen them for... it feels like years. I can barely keep track of the time."

"Mhm." Zuka nods, his gaze focused on Guest's tired expression. "The war took a lot from you, right?"

"..." Guest 1337 knows that Zuka is probably talking from the faction war. He knows that it's probably far different from what happened with the Bacon Army, that the Inpherno's own conflicts were foreign and far detached from Robloxia's-

But war, war never changes. Does it?

"... Yeah." He sighs. "Lost my best friend in the battlefield. You too?" His mind drifts back to Matt, to shaking his best friend's shoulders over and over with a panicked, desperate expression. One of the last moments before he threw that grenade.

"All of us did." Zuka flicks his cigarette and puts it out on the wall behind him. "Blackrock's got a mountain of bodies and not enough graves after the war."

"Sounds terrible."

"It is. My home faction isn't what it's like back then, anymore."

The two of them both stand in silence after that, the sun already going down. Zuka glances at Guest and gets up from leaning on the wall. "I'm gonna be leavin' for today. Rocket's gonna be askin' where I am if I stay any longer."

"Same." Guest 1337 nods, and waves goodbye to the other man. "Nice seeing you.'

"You as well."

Guest walks out of the training area and into the sidewalks of Crossroads, heading over to the subway station. He takes one of the subways back to the residential area of Crossroads where him and the other survivors live, and shows up at the front door with a knock.

Two Time opens it with owlish eyes. "Ah. I see. It is you, Guest."

"Yes. Everyone's here, I suppose?" Guest 1337 asks, politely removing his boots and setting them at the front of the apartment common room.

"Chance is already off for work. 007n7 is with Builderman for... some business that I am unaware of." Two Time hums. "Oh, and Noob is out."

"Noob? At this time?" Had they gotten a job in the time Guest 1337 was gone? Noob was one of the unemployed survivors, and they surely wouldn't have been outside of the apartment at this time.

Call Guest paranoid, but he really cared about the safety of his teammates. Being stuck for years in the same dangerous situations made him fiercely protective of them, even Two Time, who still creeped him out.

"I heard that they were going out to train at a gym." Two Time muses. "They seem to be getting stronger."

"If that's the case, I should help them train." Guest 1337 says, frowning. "But what sort of gym is open at this time of day?'

Guest 1337 goes to his own apartment and makes himself a quick meal, but as he's eating the microwaved rations, he looks up to see the front door open and Noob peek through his door.

"U-um Guest- Two Time said that you were looking for me?" They asked, their expression nervous. "What's up?"

"I was worried about you staying up so late." Guest 1337 says. He's blunt, getting straight to the point with his concerns. "You aren't having any trouble with anything, are you?"

"N-no! I'm pretty much fine-" he says, stuttering a bit. "Honest! I just found someone to train me and all that..."

"Training?" Guest 1337 asks. He picks up his plate and places it in the sink, washing it. "Why not train by yourself in one of those public gyms?"

"I know... it's kind of silly. But I wanted to have someone train me, and I don't know where to start..."

"If you wanted to train, you could have just followed me." Guest 1337 crosses his arms. "Who are you even training under?"

Noob looks a bit on edge, glancing to the side and twiddling their thumbs. "..."

"Noob. If it's someone dangerous, you have to tell us." Guest stresses. "Who is it?"

"Alright... he's one of the Phighters." Noob admits. They fiddle with their hoodie strings. "Coil. I kinda ran into him a few days ago, and he's been helping me learn how to box..."

Guest 1337 raises an eyebrow at this. "Coil? As in Coil, the Playground representative wanted by the authorities for theft and destruction of government property?"

"I know, I know! But-" Noob draws into themself, looking worried and shy. "... He's actually been helping me with the problems I have starting out. It's easier to go to a stranger than..."

Guest 1337 furrows his brow, and his expression turns contemplative. "I see." He says. 'Have I been too serious around my teammates? Do they see me as... unapproachable?'

He goes up to Noob and puts his hand on the former Robloxian's shoulder. "Tell you what. After my shift tomorrow, I'll go with you to see if Coil's any good. If he causes trouble, I'll deal with him. Got it?"

"R-right!" Noob instantly perks up, and they lighten up with a smile. " I'll be waiting outside the club for you, Guest!"

[Coil]

See, when he started training that rando he found off the street, Coil didn't expect them to get very far. Noob (who in their right mind calls themself 'Noob' as their given name? By Windforce this guy has confidence issues) was a hard worker, if not unremarkable.

But as he began to teach the guy some basics, it became clear that Noob had some talent, after all. The dude could run away and hide like a pro, and they could scarf down food like it's nobody's business.

'Damn, guess they ARE a Playgrounder, after all.' Coil assumes. He's used to the street rats that roam around the faction- he used to be one of them, after all. You had to have those skills or else there wouldn't be enough to feed yourself, or you'd get caught by the authorities or whatever gang was in their turf.

He's waiting for Noob as usual, standing in front of the run-down gym as he scrolls on his smartphone. It's already dark enough so that he doesn't have to worry about getting spotted by a nosy civilian or a cop, so he's just leaning on the front wall of the place.

His phone rings, and he picks it up. "H-hey, Coil!" Oh, it's Noob!

"What's up, dude! Gonna be training again today?" He says, tapping his claws on the wall.

"Yup! But- oh right, I gotta tell you this-" There's the sound of rustling in the background. "I'm bringing a... friend of mine. He was really worried about where I was going, so he insisted on coming along."

"Eh? Alright, dude..." Coil says warily. He doesn't trust the new guy one bit. Of course he knew Noob was gonna get followed one day, but he's not going to come into this unprepared.

Coil would usually suspect Noob of being a double-crosser bringing in the cops to arrest him, but the guy was way too earnest and they didn't seem like the type of Inphernal to do that. 'And besides, at least they called me up before bringing a stranger along.'

Coil goes inside the gym to prepare. He wraps his arms and hands in his signature bandages, and gets on the gear and clothes he usually wears during a Phight. His own gear is fully charged, and he carefully slips on his namesake gear onto his forearms.

"Showtime." He puts on a sharp, casual grin, and waits patiently for Noob to go into the gym.

It takes about half and hour later than they would usually meet, but the shy Inphernal finally comes through the door with the same skittish look. "H-heya, Coil! Nice to see you again!"

"Same here, dude!" Coil laughs, and gently claps them on the shoulder. "Who's that dude you said was gonna join you today?"

"That would be me." A gruff voice says, the gym door swinging open to reveal another Inphernal. Coil internally panics when he sees the military gear the guy is clad in, but he doesn't move to attack Coil or anything, only stare at him with a disapproving frown.

"So you're the one training Noob. I hope you haven't been scamming them out of their hard-earned cash, because if you are..."

"Woah, woah, woah! Hey, dude!" Coil holds up his hands, trying to de-escalate the situation. "I ain't gonna do that sorta stuff! I steal from the rich jackasses in Blackrock, not small fry! SFOTH damn!"

The bull-horned Inphernal does not look amused at this. Noob frantically stands in between Coil and the taller man. "G-Guest! Come on! Give him a chance, please?"

"... Fine. Only if I see how he does training you." Guest sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Are you gonna start?"

Coil scrambles to get to the training equipment. This guy looks like he means business, with his broad, muscled shoulders and no-nonsense look. Come to think of it, Guest was probably one of those Playground war vets that took no shit and had a kill count rivalling Blackrock's best.

'Gods damn I am NOT messing with him!'

Coil goes up to the shabby boxing ring in the gym, and jumps over the ropes. Noob shyly ducks under them. "Alright, Noob- you remember what I taught you last time, right?"

Noob nodded. They hold up their fists, letting their knees get a bit loose and their shoulders to the side. Their stance is good enough for a beginner.

"You're gonna be throwin' a few jabs at me and I'll block them all for your warm-up. Got it?" Coil says. "Ready... start!"

Noob throws a few punches, keeping his stance steady and throwing jabs and punches. Coil has his forearms in front similar to how Guest usually blocks, tanking the light blows.

"Jab! Cross! Hook! Cross!" Coil shouts out. "Jab, cross, hook, cross!" Noob throws the punches, not having that much force.

"Noob- you can stop now." Coil says. Noob steps back, breathing steadily. "You've got the stance down, but you're not turning your hips with some of the punches."

Noob nods. Coil demonstrates for them, standing next to Noob and doing the simple combo. "See? When throwing the punch, you gotta shift your weight on your feet."

Noob listens to him intently. They both try again, with Noob throwing slightly more powerful punches when they followed Coil's advice. "Good! Very good!"

Coil is so engrossed in training Noob that he forgets about Guest 1337 for a bit, focusing on showing them how to perform more maneuvers and punches.

"Okay, now that you've finished warming up- we can move over to the punching bags to work on getting more force behind those punches."

Before he could walk over to the punching bags, Guest stops him with a hand. "I've seen enough."

Coil begins to sweat, and thinks he's about to get his face caved in- but the ex-soldier gives him a firm pat on the back. "You're doing your best, but I've got the feeling that you're not giving it your all."

"I'm not gonna teach them how to fight dirty, man! It takes experience on the streets to learn that shit!" Coil says, leaning back as he holds the punching bag for Noob.

Guest frowns at the profanity, but sighs and shakes his head. "If that's the case, why teach Noob properly after all?"

"It's easier, duh! And you can't get creative and break the rules without knowing them first!"

Guest considers this for a while before he nods. "Good answer."

The both of them continue helping Noob train on the punching bag, repeating the moves taught and trying their best to put enough force in their punches.

Coil watches as Guest 1337 steps in, barking out advice with a stern face. "Don't just stay in one place! shift your stance, move around and practice dodging!"

"Yeah, dude!" Coil encourages Noob as well. "You got it! Keep movin', like the big guy says- you got it in the bag!"

The two of them were great trainers for Noob. With one of their own teammates supporting them, and with Coil hyping them up- they were slowly gaining the confidence they needed.

[Ban Hammer]

"You're saying that I gotta have him following me around the Ban Lands?" Ban Hammer complains. He gestures towards Builderman, who's just standing there with a friendly smile.

"Banny, you've got to get used to your grandpa's friend, got it?" Windforce chastises her son. "He's got the same gear as you, and as an admin, maybe you can learn from him, eh?"

"But momma...!" He keeps on bothering Windforce, who simply rolls her eyes under her helmet and pats her son on the head. "Listen to me, Ban Hammer. If you want to beat that mortal rival of yours- maybe you should be listening to others and learning more."

Windforce teleports away, leaving Ban Hammer to be stuck with Builderman.

"Ugh! I can't believe-" The warden runs a hand down his face and sucks in a frustrated breath. "Fine! Even if you are buddy-buddy with gramps, I ain't gonna be all friendly with you! Got it?!"

"Yer' a feisty young man, ain't ya?" Builderman chuckles. "Don't worry, I'm not insulted."

Ban Hammer grumbles. He's not young, he's forty-six, for SFOTH's sake! He's been around long enough to train and become one of the most powerful Inphernals out there. Not to mention, he's a demigod!

He knows that this Builderman fella was probably stronger than him, that he's something called an 'admin' that his momma and uncles respect a lot- but come on! He isn't fond of the guy when he literally has the same accent as Scythe!

"Just follow me." He grumbles, lumbering off to a parking lot. "Usually I'd just fly all the way over to the Ban Lands, but ya ain't got wings. So I'll call up one of the fellas to pick us up-"

"And who said I couldn't fly?" Builderman gives an amused huff. "I don't see your wings, either."

Ban Hammer makes an irritated face, and his halo-like wings flicker into view on his back. Builderman brightens up. "Oh, so you're like your momma! Ain't that cute?"

"Shut up!" He hisses out. Oh, Ban Hammer is still fuming at his loss the last time he'd fought Builderman. He'd been styled on, and by someone using his own gear, no less. Ban Hammer rockets into the clouds with his halo-wings, floating in the air as he 'flaps' them.

"Haha, don't mind if I do, partner!" Builderman jumps up and floats in the sky as well, but instead of wings similar to Ban Hammer's, he's got a spawn halo slowly turning behind him.

'Show-off..' Ban Hammer thinks. He's a little freaked out at what that might mean, but he'll be damned if he shows any weakness in front of his grandpa's admin friend! "Are you just gonna float there, or are you flying over with me?"

"Oh, alright, alright- Builderman laughs, speeding behind Ban Hammer as the two of them soar through the clouds. The Warden looks like he's straight out of a comic book with how he's flying like a superhero, Builderman, on the other hand, is so short despite his immense power that he looks more of like the sidekick.

Ban Hammer navigates over the wilderness and cities, approaching a lava-ridden wasteland with massive stone structures in the distance.

"Oh, ain't this a familiar sight..." Builderman hums, floating down to the ground as Ban Hammer lands on his feet with a thunderous 'boom', leaving cracks in the concrete. "This is yer' version of the Banlands, right?"

"The one and only!" Ban Hammer crows out proudly, spreading his arms dramatically. "And I'm the damn warden! Don't ya forget that, Builderman!"

"Right, right..." Builderman hums, his face still as cheery as ever, if not a bit more fake. "And I suppose this is where you put all the rulebreakers and criminals, right? The ones who threaten the Inpherno as a whole?"

"Damn right!" The two of them walk into the lobby of the prison, where there's a ton of guards and workers either on break or doing their jobs. The moment Ban Hammer steps into the room, they rush off to do their work, either panicking at the sign of their boss or trying to avoid his attention.

Builderman, instead of questioning this... chuckles at their nervousness? "You remind me of an ol' coworker of mine. He was big on justice, too- had his own ban hammer."

"Really?" Ban Hammer laughed at that. "I bet he ain't as good as me, though! Can't hold a candle to being a warden!"

"Doombringer was the warden to Robloxia's Banlands, too. You'd get along with him well, if he didn't..." Builderman trails off, and shakes his head. "Neverminf that."

"There's a lotta work to be done here- we've always got prisoners carted in from all four regions because they don't got the prisons to hold all of them." Ban Hammer snorts. "If you ask me, de-criminalizing murder for Playground and Lost Temple helped more than it harmed."

Builderman frowns at this, but simply shrugs. "Can't do anything about the laws. Sounds like a load o' baloney ta' me, but I ain't one of them faction higher-ups."

"Tch, damn right. I've got my sights set on Subspace, but he keeps on hidin' behind Blackrock's council members!"

The two of them head over to Ban Hammer's personal office. Builderman sits on one of the seats while Ban Hammer rifles through the papers, squinting at them. "Ah, ptooey- I'll have the eggheads get to work on the expenses again."

Builderman, naturally curious as to how Ban Hammer was doing running his prison, takes a peek at the papers. They're mostly expenses for running the prison, along with-

"By Roblox, that's the largest damage bill I've ever seen." Builderman comments. Ban Hammer sputters. "Well it's not my fault that all those criminals try fighting in buildings! I'm just too big for some of them!"

"Alrighty then, partner..." Builderman leans back on the chair, looking outside through the bulletproof window. "Darn, how big is yer version of Ban Lands anyways? The whole place's lookin' like a small city instead of a prison."

"About... a few thousand cells, give or take. That's not countin' the higher security." Ban Hammer chuckles. "Even with all the executions for some of their crimes, we're still at max capacity most times."

"Hm." Builderman sighs. "A shame. You must have so many hackers here... dealin' with them must be a pain."

"Eh? What's hacking got to do with going to the Ban Lands? If anything, it's less of a crime and more of a plus to get you in Blackrock's good graces. Unless you're stealing government secrets."

Builderman seems to think it over, as if remembering something. "Ah, nevermind. It ain't the same thing yer' thinkin' about- Robloxia's hackers are a completely different can o' worms."

"Robloxia? Like that place gramps and you were from?" To Ban Hammer and the SFOTH, that place was more illustrious and mysterious than the Heights- where Shedletsky had likely disappeared off to.

"Mhm. Robloxians ain't as powerful as you Inphernals, but when they learn ta' hack into the world itself- they can do a lotta damage. That's why we ban 'em or send them straight to the Banlands in Robloxia."

Ban Hammer laughs. "Looks like we ain't so different after all! Tell me, is that place crowding up all the time too?"

"Sure is. But it ain't helpin' that our place is a lot smaller than here." Builderman sighs. "I mean- how are you keepin' all these prisoners from rioting?"

"Lots of staff, hard work, and tons o' threats." Ban Hammer picks at his sharp teeth with a toothpick. "And before you gon on yappin' about how I'm too harsh on these criminals- it's needed. Or else all of them will be getting ideas!"

"O, no no no. As much as I find these things... not so family friendly, I understand that some severe punishments must be in place!" Builderman says. "Trust me- when dealing with dangerous prisoners, Robloxia's Banlands spare no expense."

"You get the idea." Ban Hammer gets up from his seat, stretching. "Say what- if you're gonna agree with me, why not we both go golfing with the prisoners? Broker ain't here, but the others can suffice."

"Golfing?" Builderman raises an eyebrow. "It's rather unprofessional when dealing with criminals, is it not?"

"Oh, come on! I don't kill 'em when I do this!" Ban Hammer complains. "Or at least I try not to!"

"Exactly! It serves no purpose whatsoever." Builderman says, completely serious. "At least the Super Bomb Testing Site in our Banlands had a use!"

"... I'm sorry, but wha?" Ban Hammer is baffled. "The wha?"

"You know! Don't you have a testing site where you throw bombs on the prisoners?" Builderman asks. "I know Doombringer ran it like that."

"Why in the SFOTH would I do that?!"

"You know, to keep the prisoners in line?" Builderman furrows his brows, while Ban Hammer is still flabbergasted. "No?! I ain't gonna be droppin' bombs on the prisoners! Some of them are gonna whine to their factions about it, and I'd be gettin' an earful from momma!"

"Ah, right..." Builderman thinks it over. "Fell weird seein' the prison not be completely dark, too- it was much more scary-lookin' back in Robloxia compared to here."

"MORE scary looking?!" Ban Hammer sputters. "How'd that even happen?!" The Ban Lands were LITERALLY built in a volcanic wasteland!

"Well for one, you wouldn't've been able to see yer' own hands with how dark it is. Whole thing's been built under a mountain, I made sure o' that. Heard that some of the prisoners went bonkers an' started killin' each other too..."

The more Builderman speaks, the more Ban Hammer began to wonder what the hell Robloxia was like if their version of the Ban Lands was that bad.

'Are the gods all crazy like this, or is it just him?!' Ban Hammer is visibly sweating now. Builderman looks up, blinking a bit in confusion before chucking. "Oh, you must be gettin' bored with all the things I'm sayin'. Gotta hold mah horses there!" He jokes.

"..." Ban Hammer is still wondering how Builderman can maintain that smile, and it seems more creepy than goofy now. "Yeah... boring."

"Ah, sorry 'bout that. Guess I'll go golfin' with you, if you insist..." Builderman and Ban Hammer head off, with the warden deciding to walk behind the shorter admin this time.

[Extras]

• Builderman's horns grow when he's upset, and looks a lot like Hatred's horns (from Blocktales)! Underneath his helmet, they're the same dark red as the Roblox logo on his shirt.
• Being the leader of Robloxia and in charge of making sure everything and everyone is safe and running correctly takes a HEAVY toll on his mental state. Do NOT piss him off unless you want his customer service voice.

• Builderman but completely pissed off. Please do not mind the inconsistent scale of his ban hammer, I am a dumbass when it comes to drawing it.
• A tail kinda just grows whenever he's 100% pissed. Yeah I made him look more like Hatred Blocktales what about it.

Lately I've been getting comments that people are unable to see the art in my chapters, so here is the link to the image hosting site and album where this fic's art is held!

https://ibb.co/album/YcRK4G

Chapter Text

[c00lkidd]

It started off one of those typical childhood fascinations. c00lkidd wanted to skate before, and 007n7 had tried to help him back when they were still normal- but his hacker father had many talents, and skating was not one of them.

c00lkidd ended up face-planting in the concrete, crying when he knocked out his two front teeth. That warranted a trip to the dentist and then a visit to the ice-cream shop so that he'd feel better.

The kid kind of gave up on learning to skate, because he'd quickly had his drakobloxxer phase later, pushing the idea to the back of his mind.

But now that he's living with a cool skateboarder and seeing him do all these cool tricks, he's changed his mind.

"I wanna learn how to skateboard! Like you!" c00lkidd says enthusiastically, waving his hands in front of the amused Phighter.

"Don't you have your own gear, lil' dude? Skateboarding's my thing, ya know..." He laughs. c00lkidd tugs on his jacket sleeve. "But Skaaaate!!! I wanna!"

Skateboard's amused because c00lkidd already has that sword as his 'gear', whatever it is... to c00lkidd, it's just a normal sword! Inphernals have only one gear, which is lame in c00lkidd's opinion. Robloxians can use any gear! Why be stuck with one?

c00lkidd pouts some more, stomping his leg like he always did when he was frustrated. "Please! I wanna be coolest, awesome-est kid, and I wanna skate because you're cool and I wanna look cool like you!!!"

Skateboard puffs up a bit at the praise, and grins. He had to admit- having someone else say he was cool made him feel pride in his skills. "I dunno... am I really that cool, lil' man?"

"You are! You're like, the coolest! The best big brother ever!" c00lkidd makes puppy-dog eyes at his new adopted "brother". Skateboard is taken aback, looking down at the young boy and immedaitely caving in once he saw the look on his face.

"Awww, fine..." Skateboard gives his head a gentle ruffle as he summons his gear, spinning it with his hand and holding it. "I'll take you to the skatepark and we'll do the basics, okay?"

"Yay!!!" c00lkidd bounds up to Skateboard, and the Inphernal picks out one of the spare skateboards in his collection so that c00lkidd can use it. "Lemme just get you a skateboard to use, okay?"

Skateboard picks out one of his more plain boards, one that he wouldn't miss too much if it was broken somehow. Knowing the kid's track record with destruction, it was crucial that he choose something like that.

He walks out of the apartment with c00lkidd, but not before his phone rings. Skateboard picks it up, and lowers his voice once he realizes who called him.

"Yo, Coil. What's up, man?"

"Not much- I'm doin' well, Skate." Coil seems to be punching and kicking at something, his breath heavy as he trains. "I'm getting some good training in with a few new pals- so that's groovy!"

"Ayyy, nice! They aren't snitches, are they?"

"Nahhh, they ain't. One of them's a total wuss, the other's pretty tough. Another Playgrounder."

"Ahh, gotcha." Skateboard hums. "Hey dude- you doing well taking care of my house?"

"Yeah, man! Although I gotta say- when are ya gonna come back? This place's totally lit, I know- but it's kinda weird not living with you."

"What, did you want to sleep in the basement?" Skateboard asks. "I still got this apartment for like, a month more, before I go back."

"Why'd you even rent it out?"

"Had some business to take care of, and I had a ton of Phights booked for like, two months, to get more Bux."

"Oh yeah."

Coil finishes up his punching, and Skateboard hears a gruff voice bark out some commands in the background. "Ah, shit- gotta go, dude- my trainng buddy's getting his ass beat trying to learn."

"Nah, it's cool, dude. See ya." Skateboard hangs up, catching up to c00lkidd as they reach the station. "The skate park's down in Crossroads, and you might get trouble if you're recognized."

c00lkidd frowns at this, looking sheepish and ashamed as he refuses to meet Skateboard's eyes. "I... I'm sorry... are they still mad that I...?"

Skateboard sighs. He knows that c00lkidd doesn't like thinking back to the fact that he killed people, but the kid still was going to face consequences that he truly couldn't handle. "You did something really, really bad. Murder isn't something that everyone is going to forget, kid."

It just makes c00lkidd feel worse. Skateboard winces as he tries to rephrase it, but he's just some guy not used to talking with young kids. "Look- I know you didn't know what you were doing. But other people aren't gonna see it that way. So that's why you gotta keep it down and act normal, okay?"

"O-okay." c00lkidd says. Skateboard gently takes off c00lkidd's hat, and places it in his backpack. He takes off his jacket and drapes it over him. "Here- this isn't much, but you'll at least look different."

It's comical how c00lkidd looks in that oversized jacket, but he just nods as Skateboard leads him over to the aerial tramway.

c00lkidd is already used to using the tram, but he hasn't been to Crossroads before. The kid's eyes widened as they slowly approach the layered city. "Woah..."

"Yeah, I was like that too when I first stepped there." Skateboard chuckles. "Don't run off, lil' man- the place is huge. I don't want you to get lost."

Of course, the moment he says this and the tram finally stops, c00lkidd is the first to rush off. "Hey, what did I just say, dude-?!" Skateboard hops on his board and quickly catches up with him, grabbing c00lkidd by the back of his shirt like scruffing a puppy.

"Lemme go! I wanna go explore!"

"We're going to the skatepark, remember? We can explore later- we've got all the time in the world." Skateboard picks c00lkidd and slings him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, skating while carrying the kid.

"Wheeee!" c00lkidd sticks his arms out and giggles. "I'm flying!"

"Can't you actually fly, kid?" Skateboard asks him. c00lkidd blinks. "Oh. Yeah!"

The kid squirms a bit, making Skateboard nearly drop him. "Woah, woah- not here, dude! Remember? Stay on the down-low."

"Okay!" The two of them make it to BOGGIO Skatepark, with Skateboard un-equipping the child from his shoulder and setting him down.

The locals at the skatepark perk up when they see Skateboard. "Yo, Skate's here!"

"It's Skateboard! What's up, man?!"

c00lkidd looks at his new "brother" with some sort of wonder. 'He's so popular... if I learn how to skate as well as he does, will I be that popular?'

"Hey, hey, back off, guys! Give me some space!" Skateboard laughs, patting c00lkidd on the back. "I'm teaching my little bro how to skate and all that..."

"Wait, you got yourself a little brother? Trippy..." One of the Inphernals said. "He's even got the same color horns as you!"

"Does he have a skateboard gear like you, man?"

"Nah, he's got a sword. But hey, he said he wanted to be like his big bro and be the coolest demon ever!" Skateboard puffs out his chest, and the small crowd cheers him on.

Skateboard places the spare board down on the concrete, and c00lkidd nervously steps on it. The kid manages to get on the board with wobbly knees, but slips and falls. "Wah-!"

c00lkidd expects to bite the curb, but Skateboard catches him in time, lifting him up by the armpits. "Easy, there!"

"T-thanks..." 'I feel so un-cool!' c00lkidd feels conscious, messing up in front of all these people.

"No worries, little man!" One of the skaters next to him cheers him up. "You'll get the hang of it! Hey, Skate- he's a new-spawn, isn't he?"

"I guess? He isn't any bigger than one..." Skateboard says, helping c00lkidd up on the skateboard and keep his balance. "Now- step up on it like you're walking, and try not to look down. Act like it's normal, okay?"

c00lkidd ends up wobbling, but doesn't fall immediately like the first time. He glides forward a bit before he doesn't know how to turn, leans to the side, and ends up falling again- and again, Skateboard catches him. "Hey, not bad! Better than the first time, lil' man!"

The two of them continue, with c00lkidd slowly getting more and more confidence in his balance while Skateboard has his arms hovering nearby, ready to catch the younger demon. "That's it, bro- you got it!"

"Y-yeah! Haha!" c00lkidd giggles, pushing himself forward and weaving behind the rails. "I'm doing it!"

There's cheers of encouragement and claps from all around him. It's the most positive attention c00lkidd has gotten in his life from someone who isn't his father- and he's eating it up. In his head, this is a little bit better than exploiting, because he's cool now! And everyone agrees!

c00lkidd eventually gets a bit too overconfident and tries to go down one of the mini ramps, which causes him to lose his balance and yelp. Skateboard literally dives onto the concrete to catch his head from hitting the floor. "Woah there, lil' dude! You gotta get the basics down before you try doing any tricks, okay?"

"O-okay..." c00lkidd sniffles, still kind of scared from his fall. "I don't wanna skate anymore today... tomorrow..."

"Hey, hey, it's alright, c00lkidd! You can take a break!" Skateboard carries him over to a bench at the skatepark and seats him down. "You can rest here and watch your big bro do tricks, right?"

"Yeah..."

While Skateboard is doing kickflips and practically gliding all around BOGGIO Skatepark, c00lkidd is left kicking his legs back and forth. His new big brother looks so cool...

'I wonder if papa would like him?' c00lkidd thinks. Probably, because his papa was the coolest guy he knew (aside from Skateboard and Boombox, of course!) and could probably beat up Skateboard if he used his c00lgui.

The young kid is approached by some of the skaters in the park. "Not bad, dude! What's your name?"

"It's c00lkidd!" He chirps out, and then panics once he remembers he's supposed to be all secretive and smart like Skateboard told him. c00lkidd claps his hands over his mouth, looking nervous.

The skater doesn't seem to notice. They just continue to chat normally. "My name's Blue- technically it's Blue Yonder Skateboard, but Yonder's a weird name and Skate's already going by skateboard so..."

c00lkidd is still awkwardly scooting away, trying not to look guilty or scared. Are they going to put him in the Ban Lands for killing people?! Do they know?!

Blue doesn't seem to realize that c00lkidd is panicking. "Skateboard's a friend of mine- he's the one leading our buddies, after all!"

"Y-you're my big bro's... friend?" 'Maybe they don't know? I-it must be safe to talk to them if they know Skateboard, right?'

"Yeah! Skate's like, totally radical- did you know he beat all of us in order to become a Phighter? Man, that dude's a beast with his gear!" Blue says. "Hey, what is your gear, anyways?"

"Um..." c00lkidd looks down, and holds out his hand. He squeezes his eyes shut, makes a funny face- and poof! The Faux Firebrand materializes in his hand. "This!"

"Groovy, dude!" They give an enthusiastic thumbs up. "Sword gears are kinda common around here! So is your birth name like, something-Sword?"

"I- dunno?" He's not sure, but with how he's seen other Inphernals name themselves, it'll be normal if he gives the gear name, right? "But- I don't like going by Faux Firebrand!"

The whole skate park seems to freeze once he says that. Blue is glancing at him with a slack-jawed expression, glancing at his sword, then back at him, and then back at his sword.

"U-um- hey, Skate... you said this guy was your little bro, right?"

"Yeah, he's um- adopted. Found him at Playground's spawn!" Skateboard says, panicking internally. "I'm pretty sure he popped out of there!"

"You sure you didn't like, kidnap Firebrand's secret grandkid or something, did you?" One of the other skateboarders say, nervous. "Like-"

"Yeah, I'm pretty damn sure!" Skateboard insists. "He's got a dad, but I'm sure that it's not Firebrand's kid, sheesh..."

"Yeah! Papa didn't have a dad!" c00lkidd pouts. His dad wasn't one of those Robloxians that had parents- he popped out of a spawn point! Papa said so himself!

"Uh huh, sure..." The others looked at him differently now, more cautious and uneasy. c00lkidd doesn't like it, drawing into himself. 'I shouldn't have said that...'

"Hey, it's getting dark." Skateboard is just as nervous at the attention. "c00lkidd- you want to go home?" The younger Inphernal nods, hiding behind Skateboard.

"Alright, buddy- want to practice skating home, then? I'll help guide you."

"Y-yeah!" c00lkidd tries to push the unease away from his mind, and follows Skateboard with his own board in hand. The two of them head back to the aerial tram station, the rumor already spreading amongst Skateboard's buddies.

c00lkidd might have accidentally caused some sort of misunderstanding that's going to lead to a lot of trouble down the line. Then again, when hasn't he caused trouble?

[Firebrand]

A few days later, Firebrand is casually humming as he enjoys his free time. He's sitting in his personal study with some wine, sipping it as he leisurely reads a book.

He, along with the rest of the SFOTH, all had better moods after their creator- no, their father- had returned to them. It certainly made Firebrand less stressed from his duties, and Dom and Valk seemed especially happy in return.

Suddenly, there's a knock on the door. Firebrand raises an eyebrow as Valk enters. "Oh, greetings, Microphone! How are you doing?"

"Ah, grandad- this might be an odd question, but... we're your only grandchildren, right?" Valk says, looking down at his phone.

"What a silly question- I think you're the only children related to me still around!" Firebrand's had a handful of children and grandchildren during the Inpherno's long history, but all of them were dead from time or conflict.

"Uh huh, yeah..." Valk says, still squinting. "Are you sure?"

"Very much sure. Why do you ask?" Firebrand tilts his head.

"There's a rumor going around that some random kid is related to you." Valk says bluntly.

".... Pardon?"

[Two Time]

They were very much certain that Chance was stifling them from whatever interaction they had with Broker. And what a shame it was- Broker was a perfectly fine friend, if not slightly odd like they were!

Two Time feels frustration at their teammates' opinions towards their religion. Why must they be left as alone as that hacker? They weren't doing anything wrong- just spreading the word of the glorious Spawn!

They were atoning for their sins doing this out of their love for the Spawn. If they could save more people, offer them salvation- maybe everything will be better for them, as well. Two Time knows that this is awfully greedy of them, to only want to preach because of how it benefits them instead of unconditionally wanting salvation for others.

They had to do this. For Azure. For messing up the ritual. It was the only way they could atone.

So Two Time has to do this on their own! No dragging Chance along, no relying on their team for their silly little tricks- they had to face Broker alone and befriend him!

The cultist disciple sneaks out of their apartment, slipping away when Chance was snoring away on his bed, tired from his night shift. Two Time glances down at the card with Broker's phone number, going to a payphone to call up their friend.

It rings for a few seconds, and then picks up. "... Hello? Who is this?"

"Greetings, Broker. It is I, Two Time."

"... Oh! You! Yes, the one with the spawn-horns!" His voice is still as cheery as always, but there's a sliver of interest in it. "Calling up to meet again, yes?"

"Yes. This time, without Chance." They said, adjusting their scarf. "As much as I appreciate their efforts in funding our little meeting last time- they seem to be getting in the way of our conversations."

"Such a shame!" Broker says. "Now- where would you like the meeting?"

"Somewhere in Crossroads would be nice. It would be inconvenient to navigate anywhere outside of this city."

"Mhm, I see... I'm in the area, anyways, so... meet you there!" They say, giggling. Two Time has a content smile on their face as they hang up, closing their eyes. "They remind me so much of myself... it must be providence that we ran into each other."

'And that one Inphernal with his power of revival... Medkit, was it? Yes... the blessed one. He interests me as well.' Two Time hopes to see him again, to learn how the scientist learned to do such a thing.

Two Time walks away from the street next to their apartment and simply looks down every empty alleyway to search for Broker. Knowing their track record, they'll probably find him in no time with that method.

After about an... hour of doing this, they haven't found Broker. What they have found, however, was three different drug deals, two robberies, and somebody about to be murdered. A shame, really.

The cultist was already desensitized to murder, seeing that the Spawn Church often conducted sacrifices in the name of the Spawn. There was also the fact that they've experienced and seen so much death during their time in the Spectre's purgatory- it just doesn't impact them anymore.

Finally, after a few turns in one of the shadier parts of Crossroads, they ran into a dark alleyway that had their friend sitting on a pile of boxes at the end, humming as he sways back and forth to a radio playing some music.

"Hmmm, ain't this swell?" He sings to himself, his right eye flicking up to look at Two Time. "It's you!"

"Indeed." Two Time steps forward, adjusting their arm bandages. They raise their hand to slick back their hair, but then remember that they're technically bald in this new body. "It is good to see you as well. Now that Chance has no possibility of listening in- I can be much more open to you."

"Oh? That's very good!" Broker laughs, patting one of the boxes next to him. "Please, take a seat next to me! I'm just dying to hear your words, friend..."

They hop up on one of the wooden crates, relaxing as they lean back. "Quite the unconventional resting place you have here, Broker."

"Indeed! But you can't exactly be picky when you're on the run!"

"What for?" Two Time tilts their head curiously. Broker rummages behind their back, and pulls out a wanted poster.

Two Time receives it and begins reading it. "Arson, assault, attempted murder, attempted robbery..."

The list goes on and on. Two Time would be impressed if not for the fact that they were also keeping tally and doing a silent comparison between themselves. 'I've already committed murder, and have done theft a few times in the name of the Spawn- oh, and I suppose assault would count as well, with my... previous sin.'

"Impressed?" Broker asks, his voice amused. "I know, I know- I'm quite the troublemaker! Ban Land's warden knows me personally!"

"... If you were truly that impressive, you wouldn't have been caught in the first place." Two Time states blandly. they hand back the wanted poster. "I've done a few of these things before under the tutelage of my mentor- and you don't see my face on a wanted poster."

"Hm..." Broker assesses them with a critical eye. "I see! You have experience- we are alike, then."

He seems much more open talking to them after they'd accepted his wrongdoings. 'Everything he's done will be forgiven by the Spawn, after all. In the name of our religion!'

The two of them were much more cordial and open with each other after that. Broker proceeded to yap about his experience in the Church of the True Eye, and Two Time listened enthusiastically.

"How marvelous..." They said. "To have so many demons working together and maintaining peace. I am not from Lost Temple, but the Church interests me..."

"Worry not! Father Overseer welcomes all." Broker assures them. "Although... you will have to prove your devotion. Our one true god takes precedence over those... false gods, after all."

"Oh?" Alarm bells ring off in their head- not at the mention of sacrifice, but at the mention of 'false gods'. Sure, Broker may be talking about the SFOTH- but even Two Time cannot deny that they had some divine right, seeing their connection to the admins.

"Of course. All love requires sacrifice." They say carefully. "But in what name should it be sacrificed under?"

The two of them stare down each other. Broker carefully chooses his next words. "The True Eye, of course! The one true god!"

"Hm, I see... and the Spawn?" Two Time asks.

More awkward silence between the two of them. And both of them break it with a laugh, slinging their arms over their shoulders. "Oh, you're such a joker, Two Time!"

"You as well, Broker!" Two Time pats them on the back, a grin on their face- but it's far from friendly.

Both of them had the same thought at the same time. 'Oh, this guy is in a CULT. A shame!'

But instead of immediately going for each other's necks, they both began to plot. Two Time in particular has their hand go behind their back and test out the handle of their Ghostfire Dagger.

'... No. Broker is more useful to me dead than alive. Now that I know the Church of the True Eye is a cult, I can save him!'

'I can bring him to the light!' Two Time's grin twitches upward a bit more, becoming a bit manic. 'I can bring another sheep to the flock, and protect him from the wolves! Surely, by converting him- the Spawn would be grateful!'

(At the same time, Two Time has no idea that Broker has ALSO realized that they were in a Spawn Cult, and that he was considering bringing them into the True Eye in order to find out where this new secret, rival cult was.)

The two cultists shook hands, their smiles wide and unnerving. Both of them matched each other's freak, platonically. "It'd be a pleasure joining your... family, if that is the case." Two Time says, their eyes narrowing with glee.

"Really? Well in that case- follow me. You'll be a believer in no time, initiate!"

Two Time slips out of the alleyway with Broker, following him in the shadows. They were used to this sort of following- they'd done it with Azure by their side and Amarah leading the two, their footsteps echoing in the dark halls of their own church.

Praise be the Spawn. If it means hiding in the fold of some treacherous heathens to bring in new followers, then Two Time will consider it.

They take the train with Broker. The landscape of the city blurs around them- it's starting to get dark out. Two Time doesn't care. Any sane person would be running for the hills now at the clearly shady nature of this business, but they weren't exactly a sane person.

The train whizzes by the faction highway, and then slows down next to one of the towns near Crossroads. Two Time gets off the station with Broker, who is strolling more casually out in the open now that he's in his home territory.

"It must be awfully hard for you to leave your friends behind, Two Time."

"Oh, don't you worry. They can do just as well without me, after all. Always avoided me."

"A shame! You are such an interesting person..." Broker tries to butter them up to better test their loyalties. 'Ha! As if. I am loyal to the Spawn alone.'

The two of them stand in front of a church built of stone, with glass windows depicting teal eyes and demons kneeling underneath. Two Time had to admit, the Church of the True Eye was impressive- but the Church of the Spawn had far more power than these fools.

"Now- Priest!" Broker calls out. "Deacons! We have a new follower!"

"Oh?" An Inphernal clad in black and teal robes stepped out from a side room, adjusting his glasses. "Broker! Alcolyte of the Father- how are you doing today?"

"Very well! Scythe is out and busy with a mission, so you do not need to worry about her brashness." Broker lets out a laugh. "I have a new recruit here- they wish to join the Church."

"We could always depend on you, Broker." The priest gives him a warm smile, and takes Two Time's hands softly. "Hello! Who might you be, little one?"

"I am Two Time. I am... curious as to see how this family will treat me." They say carefully. "I wish to join and have someone to watch my back." The irony of their words did not escape them.

"I see... another lost soul, looking for refuge." The priest gestures to the other church deacons, who go into the rooms behind them. "Broker has told you about us, yes?"

"Indeed."

"And has he told you how important the family is to all of us?" The priest tests their waters.

"Yes. He has." Broker has spoken very highly of the Church of the True Eye, calling them his 'rock during troubled times'. They helped ground him during the faction war, during Lost Temple's constant conflicts with itself.

'How foolish. He does not see that they are using him as a pawn for their own means.'

Two Time lets out a sigh. "I... am willing to do anything if it means I am accepted here." A truth. Because they did want to get accepted into the Church, even if only to tear it down from the inside. Such blasphemy against the Spawn could not be tolerated.

"Then you must prove your devotion." The priest says, his expression turning serious. Broker sidles up to Two Time and puts a hand on their shoulder. "Prove to us that you truly mean your words, that you do not mean us harm..."

The two deacons return with a cloth, along with a small, round glass orb. Two Time glances down at it, and then back up at all the other Inphernals surrounding her.

All of them had one eye missing. The deacons kneel, and the priest takes a dagger from the pillow one of them was holding.

"Love requires sacrifice. Can you prove to us that you are worthy of your family's love?"

'This is all they have to sacrifice? Pathetic.' Two Time internally sneers. 'They have no right to say that their love is true if THIS is the only thing they have to give up. One measly eye...'

Perhaps it was their time in the Spawn Church, and all the live sacrifices they've seen. Perhaps it was the fact that they had to sacrifice their own lover to be accepted by their god. But in the eyes of Two Time, this was nothing to them. Just a small stepping stone in order to infiltrate this cult.

The Church of the True Eye only had to sacrifice an eye. They had to sacrifice Azure. It wasn't FAIR.

So in their mind, the True Eye.. was nothing but a disgusting farce.

"Of course I can. In fact-" Two Time's grin widened as they put up the best act that they can. "If I do this... you'll all love me, right?"

"We will."

"Then that is all I need! Your promise!" Two Time takes out their Ghostfire Dagger, and Broker's eye widens. The Priest rushes to stop them, thinking that they were going to attack one of the Church members-

And instead, Two Time stabs themselves in their left eye. They grit their teeth in that pained, erratic smile as the voices in their head begin to crescendo, and they pry out the bloody, offending thing with their blade.

It lands on the floor with a wet 'splat'. Broker has a stunned, but wide smile on his face as he sees them pant, letting their gear clatter to the floor as they bleed.

"I love you all then." Two Time says, their voice sickly-sweet and saccharine.

Because the last time they said they loved someone- they ended up dying by their hand.

[Taph]

Taph... was a lost man. He was aimless, wandering among the other Robloxians with nothing to do as his inability to speak isolated him from all of his peers, denying him the possibility of ever being a normal person-

Until Builderman came along. That divine admin had descended like an angel from the heavens and offered him a chance at life. A job. A normal, functioning job that paid his bills, that led him to meet all the other admins and other demolitionists and friends-

Sure, their job was controversial. They had to deal with protestors whenever they blew up another banned Robloxian's house, and sometimes the job just really weighed on his conscience and he questioned everything he was doing.

Taph was literally blowing up people's homes, their livelihoods, just to take all the materials and give them to the admins and other users to build more places. It was a completely efficient system! People just... didn't really like it.

As Robloxia grew and more accounts got banned by accident, there came heavy backlash whenever he'd blow up their places. That led to more protesting, more protesting led to more bans, and more bans led to him blowing up houses and the cycle continued.

It all went on and on in a fever pitch until- Builderman disappeared. With Shedletsky in tow as well.

The moment the news broke there was immediate panic at Roblox HQ. Admins and mods scrambling to fill their roles, arguing about what to do and accusing each other of causing the disappearances of their two most popular admins.

When the news broke to Taph, he just... broke down? He couldn't come to work for several days, using up the break days he's accumulated. Builderman always made sure to give his employees plenty of sick days, but Taph never used them out of sheer devotion to his job.

Roblox HQ was a mess. Everyone was a mess. The whole thing caused a week of rioting outside HQ that even Taph had to step in to help the moderators.

It... did not go well. He had to be tossed to the side because the protesters seeing him only made them more aggressive and demand more answers.

All Taph did was make things worse. He hates it.

'Why? Why do I have to go through this?!' He stands in front of his mirror in his own apartment near Roblox HQ, kept hidden from the public due to his notoriety. 'Why?!'

'All I did was do my job! Do my best to serve Robloxia, to serve Builderman! And they HATE me!'

A few months go by. Then a year. Then several years. The panic dies down to an unsettling paranoia as Robloxians continue to disappear- the latest having been Dusekkar, another admin.

Roblox HQ was in worse shambles. Stickmasterluke ended up taking the mantle of leadership. There's rumors of Doombringer going on a rampage somewhere in Robloxia after receiving the news, wrongly banning innocent Robloxians.

Taph... has been put on hold. With all the chaos of the last few years, the non-admins and non-moderators working for Roblox HQ have been sent back on indefinite leave for their safety.

His job makes him miserable, it isn't exciting anymore. People hate him. His boss is gone. His boss.  The one person who gave him a chance.

Taph, in a fit of despair and frustration, punches his own mirror. He winces as it cracks and it cuts his fingers.

'Damn it. Damn it all.' He sucks in a breath, and seethes. It isn't the regular type of anger- it's anger at the world, at himself for being so useless, at everything.

His mind latches onto his boss. He's completely panicked and worried over what has happened to him in the last few years, about what had happened- he just wants to see that man again, to beg whatever power there is above the admins to see that Builderman is safe-

Taph begins to spiral, his paranoia gradually seeping in as he's curled up in his computer seat. 'What if he's dead?' The back of his mind whispers to him. 'What if you're alone? Left in Robloxia without the one person who gave a damn about you.'

No. He- shouldn't have such childish thoughts. 'This is BUILDERMAN, for the admin's sake! That man was one of the strongest, smartest Robloxians out there- he practically helped build Robloxia brick by brick! He couldn't have died!'

But Taph's stupid brain keeps spiralling. Keeps telling him that his word was collapsing, that Builderman and Shedletsky and Dusekkar were all gone, that he might be next-

He has to stop himself by getting up, looking through his fridge and considering what was there. There was barely anything edible there, seeing that Taph was currently broke as hell and relying on his small absentee paycheck from Roblox HQ.

'Damn it. I have to go buy groceries.' Taph winces at the thought of having to go outside. Anything could go wrong, ranging from the probable (him getting attacked by someone who recognized him) to the unreasonable (disappearing out of thin air like Builderman and Shedletsky had).

The demolitionist has to hype himself up. 'Come on, Taph- you can't just starve in your room- you gotta go! You're Builderman's right hand man! The go-to demolitionist that the admins rely on!'

He keeps on telling himself that it's going to be okay, that surely he wan't going to be randomly picked up and tossed into literal hell. Taph finally works up the courage to open up the door-

And freezes as he sees a crack in reality. There's code appearing in front of him, like the very program of Robloxia's reality is being broken- and he lets out a silent, unheard scream as he's dragged into the unknown.

Behind him, his door stays open, and the crack immediately seals back up, like nothing had happened. Taph's disappearance wasn't discovered until weeks later.

When Taph comes to, he's left groaning and sore on the floor, having landed somewhere hard.

It takes a while for him to remember what's happened. 'I was... at my apartment. I was going to get some groceries, and-' It hits him, and he scrambles to his feet.

Taph is in some sort of long hallway with a bunch of heavy doors. It all looks official and intimidating- with scanner IDs and tight security. He feels like he appeared somewhere he's not supposed to be.

The demolitionist walks down the hallway, peering into some of the windows of the doors. Inside are empty laboratories, with the occasional computer room that looked like it was made for scientific research.

There's some chatter down the hall and Taph freezes. He scrambles for any kind of cover, tugging on the door handle of a supply closet and shoving himself in there. He's still skinny as always, so he manages to slip inside and close the door.

The sound of talking gets louder as the strangers pass by. One of them has a tired, annoyed voice while the other seems more enthusiastic.

"Ugh, I can't believe I've got to work with that prick again..."

"Hey, prend la vie du bons côté (look on the bright side)! At least you're getting paid more!" The person laughs. "I can't believe you managed to get promoted with that track record of yours!"

"Yeah, but I've got to work with Subspace out of all Inphernals. You know how Dr. Tripmine gets whenever he's in one of those moods!" The other voice complains. "I'm not gonna last the week if he keeps on yelling at me!"

"Ooo, yeah- Subspace's bad. Guess you gotta grit your teeth and deal with that, then..."

'Subspace Tripmine? Who names themself after a gear?' Taph's hand itches to dip into his inventory and pull out his own subspace tripmine, but he stamps down the urge to do so.

"Hey- see you tomorrow, right?"

"See you tomorrow as well." The two part ways, with one of them staying behind and sighing. "Gods damn it- I left my keys in the lab-"

They turn around and rush back to the end of the hall. Taph waits for a few seconds to confirm if they're really gone, and then he carefully sneaks out of the janitorial closet and back into the hall, where the exit would be.

Taph knows that there might be others in the area-so he takes precautions. Every few doors he crosses in the hallway, he lays out a tripwire attached to a small bomb. He's got enough bombs in his inventory to blow up an entire small town, so he was confident that any people following him would be blown to smithereens.

There's an elevator. He doesn't take that, because he's paranoid that it'll just break down and he'll fall. Knowing Taph's luck so far, that might as well happen.

The demolitionist takes the stairs down to the ground floor, looking at the empty building. From what he's seen out the windows, he seems to be in some sort of snowy, heavily urbanized area- the buildings are all built like brutalist architecture and the dark, dreary atmosphere outside makes the place look even more intimidating.

In addition to the tripwires he'd placed in the middle-ish floor, he placed a fuck ton of them in the stairs as well. Hey, this place wasn't set for demolition- but seeing how on-guard he was and terrified at being placed in an unfamiliar, new location, he figured that it was best to blow up the place first and ask questions later.

Taph shudders. He manages to get to the door where the ground floor is, and opens it.

He slips by several doors, seeing the exit in sight- but before he could reach it there's the sound of heavy metal footsteps and a 'beep-BEEP!' coming from behind.

"INTRUDER DETECTED. IDENTIFY YOURSELF."

Taph turns around in a panic to see a robot. It's demon-like, with massive horns pointing upward and orange lights running down it's body. There's a symbol on it's chest that he doesn't recognize.

"IDENTIFY YOURSELF." It repeats. The robot takes up two swords from it's side, brandishing them.

Taph can't speak. He can only hope to the admins that this robot understands sign language- the man slowly raises up his hand and begins to sign. "I don't mean any harm. I accidentally entered the building thinking it was my job." He lied.

The robot whirrs and processes the signing for a second. Taph's hand itches to have one of his bombs to throw at the being, to just run away from here- but he has a feeling that if one of those things were here, then there would be more of them patrolling about the area.

"INTRUDER USES SIGN LANGUAGE. TRANSLATING." Another pause. "PLEASE EXIT THE PREMISES. THIS IS LAB SECTOR R-10, LOCATED IN THE NORTH SCIENCE DISTRICT."

Taph nods. If he continues acting confused, then maybe the robot is going to give him more information. "Where am I?" He signs.

"SNOWPOINT CITY, IN NORTHERN BLACKROCK."

'Blackrock? Like, the castle in Crossroads?' Taph thinks. It's far too large and technologically advanced to be Blackrock, so either some Robloxian renamed their city in honor of the place or... he's in another world completely.

"PLEASE EXIT THE PREMISES." The robot steps forward threateningly, and Taph throws up his hands. He gets going with a nod. He steps out of the laboratory, sighing in relief as he finally escapes the sight of that damn robot-

And bumps into someone else. Taph stumbles back, freezing as he sees who- or what he's bumped into.

[Subspace]

"Who DARES-!" Subspace snaps out, clearly aggravated. The Omega Biograft following him stands on-guard, drawing it's swords and getting ready for battle. "Ugh!"

The demon in front of him has their entire face obscured in shadow, wearing black, gold-trimmed robes akin to the ones worn in Lost Temple by priests. He's also lacking a distinct amount of teal in his outfit, but then again, who was Subspace to judge what those one-eyed freaks wore as a uniform.

"You there! What the hell are you doing in Blackrock?!" He snaps out.

The (assumedly) Lost Temple alcolyte waves his hands around, looking nervous. He makes a few gestures with his hands, and Subspace recognizes it as sign language.

You see, Subspace T. Mine would never admit this- but he had planned contingencies in the case that his rot got so bad that it disabled him permanently. One of them was learning sign language so that if he somehow became mute, he would still be able to communicate to the higher-ups or his subordinates.

The demon in front of him was signing too quickly for him to comprehend, likely panicked. "Damn it, slow down! I can't understand you if you're flailing around like that, you fool!"

The Inphernal stops for a bit, and then signs much more slowly. "I am lost. Trying to get to train station for... business meeting." Their hands faltered when signing "business meeting".

"Oh, you're one of those." Subspace sneers. "Tell the Church that we're not letting in any more of you recruiters into the central city- we're still busy cleaning up after last time, when that damn criminal of yours led Ban Hammer through the whole place!"

The hooded Inphernal shrinks back. Subspace's Omega Biograft speaks up. "CREATOR. DO YOU WISH FOR ME TO DIRECT THIS MAN AWAY FROM THE PREMISES?"

"Go ahead! I don't want him nosing about where he's not supposed to!" Subspace crosses his arms, and the stranger is directed to the nearest monorail station.

Subspace is going the same way anyways, since the Blackrock monorail stopped at the residential sector as well. "Tell me- how did you even get lost here... what's your name?"

"Taph." The Inphernal signs. "And I took the wrong ride."

Subspace wants to roll his eye at that, but he refrains from doing so, just in case this demon was an ambassador. "Of course you did."

There's some more awkward silence between them as they walk through the snowy streets. Taph is shivering a bit, but he doesn't say anything about the cold- probably because he can't say anything at all without signing.

Subspace doesn't give a damn about the man's problem. He keeps on walking away from the lab building, and he can't wait for this stupid Inphernal to be led to the station where Subspace can finally be free of him.

They both arrive at the nearby monorail. Subspace glances up at the time and curses. "Damn it, they're taking it to Crossroads. Ughhh..." The scientist complains. "I'll have to take the other damn monorail! Me! The greatest scientific mind of Blackrock!"

"It's okay." Taph signs. "I'll take it. Thank you."

"Just leave." Subspace hisses out, clearly pissed off. The hooded demon quickly steps onto the monorail, and it's only a few minutes before it departs, speeding away.

(Right as Taph leaves, a peculiar little thing happens. The scientist who lost his keys from before steps out of his lab, walking down the hallway.)

("Finally, some peace! I can go home and down a few glasses of wine!" The Inphernal cheers. He starts jogging down the hallway, but yelps as he trips on something.)

("Wha...?" He looks down to see a silvery metal wire, laid across the floor. The scientist is confused, until he hears a quiet hiss and blanches.)

("Oh FU-")

Subspace groans. "This day can NOT get any worse-"

There's a loud BOOM in the distance as smoke rises from one of the buildings. There's more explosions ripping through the lab, starting from the middle and travelling down the side. Immediately, Subspace gets the notification from his phone that all of the Biografts in the emergency reserve were activated in that area to investigate.

"Are you KIDDING ME?!" He screeches. Subspace calls up the lab director in that area and yells at him. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU IMBICILES DOING THERE?!"

"W-wha- I just woke up, sir, what is-"

"ONE OF THE LABS JUST EXPLODED! A WHOLE BUILDING!"

"WHAT?!" There's the sound of scrambling and a laptop whirring to life. "Wh- HUH?!"

"Call up the Blackrock Military, damn it! My Biografts alone aren't gonna be able to fix this!"

"G-got it, sir!"

[Extras]

• Taph: His gear is the Subspace Tripmine! Kind of funny, having him share a gear with a Phighter.
• His horns are actually a variation of Subspace's horns- two sticking up, and two curving around his head.

• Yeah you get my point.

If you can't see the images, go to this link for the fic's art  album!

https://ibb.co/album/YcRK4G

Chapter Text

[Shedletsky]

"A hidden kid?" Shedletsky raises an eyebrow at this, chuckling. "You're sounding like Builderman now."

"I'm not joking! There's some Inphernals saying that they've spotted a child with- heavens forbid, a Faux Firebrand as a gear!" Firebrand runs a hand down his face, worried. "Did I somehow make a child without knowing?! But that's impossible!"

"Oh, don't worry so much about it..." The swordsman laughed, patting Firebrand on the back. "It's probably just some lucky kid out there who managed to be born with a similar gear. You know, it's a Faux Firebrand, not a real one!"

"Yes, but- I'm still concerned... should I take them under my wing?"

"Eh, heck if I know! Do what you want!" Shedletsky waved it off. "You're free to do whatever!"

The other SFOTH visiting him were scattered along Venomshank's house (to the dismay of the deity). Windforce was lounging around on the couch after she'd begged her creator for a fight and got her ass handed to her in combat, Venomshank himself was busy feeding the birds outside with Sword, and oddly enough, Darkheart stopped by as well.

Shedletsky had warned him not to pull any pranks, and he'd actually listened, which was a miracle in itself. Then again, it might be because the poor deity was worried that his creator might just disappear again for good if he messed up in some way.

All of them were just... there. Hanging around their father, trying not to let him out of their sight- because Shedletsky was actually spending time with them now. Not distant and busy like he always was when he went by Telamon.

Everything was... nice. That was all they could describe it as. Shedletsky himself is at ease around the SFOTH, despite not being their actual "father"- maybe because it's his connection to his creations, no matter the form they took.

"Hey, father-" Windforce shifts so that her horns aren't uncomfortably digging into the couch cushions. "How come you got a fried chicken as a gear while you can summon our swords just fine? Don't you want a gear that's more of a terrifying weapon?"

"Pssh." Shedletsky rolls his eyes, smiling. "Why would I want that? I mean, maybe in the past, I would've wanted that- but now?" He picks up some of his fried chicken and bites into it. "Mm- I'm not big on being seen as some sort of figure to worship. And I want to live a nice, calm life of retirement."

"That's no fun!" Darkheart pouts, twirling around in the air so that he's floating on his elbows. "We'd never think of doing that- it's so boring!"

"Ah, it won't be that boring!" Shedletksy lets out a chuckle. "I'm still going to be messing with people- they don't know how powerful I am, and that's good."

"Oh, so you're doing it like Darkheart." Firebrand lets out an amused huff. "Really? Tricking mortals?"

"Hey, it's something I liked to do back in Robloxia, too. Being an admin is such a burden..." Shedletsky stretches his wings out. "I'd rather be free to do whatever I want."

The other SFOTH, ironically enough, were reminded of Darkheart's own personality. Darkheart himself lets out a playful laugh, his one wing flaring out to bat at his creator's head. "Exactly what we were thinking!"

"Mhm." Shedletsky says. "You know, you remind me a lot of myself, those first few years after I quit going by Telamon..."

Darkheart pauses, tilting his head. "Really? We'd assume that you'd be more like Illumina." The SFOTH of light and order was the most favored of Telamon's creations, after all.

"Illumina?" The admin contemplates this. Shedletsky is thinking about Illumina's whole deal- his air of detached nobility, his tendency to be dismissive or overconfident with mortals... it does remind him of when he was Telamon, when he'd made the Heights and before he properly met with Builderman.

"I suppose I was more like him in my youth. But that's mostly behind me." Shedletsky concludes. "Right now... I've gone past my need to look down on mortals. They don't deserve to be looked down on."

"Fraternizing with the mortals? No wonder you've gone soft!" Windforce laughs. "Not that I'm complaining!"

"Ahaha- you're as rambunctious as always, Windforce!" Shedletsky chuckles, reaching up to pat her on her head. Due to his smaller size, he has to reach over her.

Windforce freezes, and then practically beams at the attention that she's getting from her creator. Shedletsky feels odd, having someone thousands of years older than him look up at him like a father figure, but it's not bad, per se. The only other time he was anything close to a father figure, back in Robloxia, was...

...

Shedletsky's expression becomes strained, and he turns away. 'No. I'm not going to continue that line of thought.' He huffs. 'Come on, Shedletsky- back to the topic! You were busy talking!'

"I've learned to respect mortals over the years. Why, even as Telamon- a few mortal Robloxians were able to best me in combat! Knocked me off the Heights, fair and square!"

"Really?!" Venomshank and the other SFOTH were flabbergasted at this. "That's preposterous!"

"No, really!" Shedletsky grins. "It makes sense for some of the other admins to beat me when they get lucky- but a few normal Robloxians were both skilled and lucky enough to defeat me."

"Are Robloxians really that much more powerful than Inphernals...?" Venomshank muses, curious. Sword is right by his side, curious.

"Oh, no- I suppose in some ways, they were weaker. Robloxians don't have a gear at spawn like Inphernals. Their biggest advantage was, well..."

'I can't exactly tell them about code, can I? Even with how powerful they are, they don't seem to be responsible for the same duties as an admin like me...' Shedletsky thinks.

"Do demons respawn?" He asks. "I've only read that Inphernals die and their gear disappear afterward. No mention of respawning naturally..."

"Respawn?! Without any need for divine intervention or technology?!" Venomshank looks like he's about to have an aneurism, and Firebrand seems to pale at the idea.

"How in the world does your world not collapse, father?!" Windforce shoots up, fully interested. Shedletsky lets out a huff, smiling. "Robloxians can die, it just... happens much more randomly. Some live for decades, others die in the span of a few years. I've been alive for a long time."

"Wow..." Darkheart seems to be absolutely floored by this revalation. "So it's possible for some Robloxians to be immortal?!"

"Very much so. Although, I've been beginning to think that none of us are..." Shedletsky feels more unease and negativity welling up in himself again.

'Why is this happening?!' He panics internally. 'Is this because 1x1x1x1 isn't here? Are my negative emotions returning?!' Shedletsky, despite his bravado, was still just one person. He may have been an admin, may have been a master of the blade- but he had his own flaws.

He was unable to accept them when he was Telamon, which was why 1x1x1x1 was defeated and sealed away. So for him to feel the effects now...

Firebrand reached out, tentative. "... Father. You... aren't a Robloxian anymore." He recalled Telamon without horns, nothing like them or the other mortal Inphernals. "Did it have to do with your disappearance? What... happened? To leave you stripped of your power?"

Venomshanks' eyes widened under his mask. Darkheart hisses, and Windforce looks like she's going to strangle her own brother. "Firebrand-!"

Shedletsky is quiet for a moment, before he relents. The man sits down, his wings drooping. "Yes. What happened with me, Builderman, Dusekkar- all of those other Robloxians we were staying with previously... it made us lose a lot of our power."

"We... were trapped somewhere." He says, carefully choosing his words. "I was stripped of my powers, my access to the SFOTH, even my own swordsmanship- and forced to endure a living hell."

The four of his creations looked horrified. Shedletsky can't exactly keep this a secret forever, so he spills everything he can.

"Me and Builderman got trapped there trying to find the Robloxians that went missing, and it led to us being constantly hunted down and killed over and over in that purgatory." He explains. "It- I was no stronger than a mortal, running away from monsters trying to kill me and my friends- It was..."

Shedletsky goes quiet again. "I don't like being powerless. Sure, I'm perfectly fine being equals with normal people, but that? No thanks."

He tries to put on a cheery facade again, snapping his fingers and grinning. "But enough of that! How about you, eh? Any problems with running the Inpherno?"

The four SFOTH in the room just stare back at their father with horrified looks, completely silent. 

[Darkheart]

Of course, after that whole deal with their creator dropping a literal bomb of Dad Lore (TM) on them, the SFOTH would freak out. They ended up sharing everything with their other siblings, which led to more freakouts, which lead to more worrying about their father...

"So that's why father cares so much about those mortals..." Illumina mutters, rubbing his chin. "Darkheart. As much as I absolutely loathe you, you are correct. Tela- I mean, Shedletsky is now more vulnerable than in the past, and even if he does regain his former power, he is still currently at risk."

"So you are saying that we should let him visit those... former Robloxian's he's fond of?" Darkheart tilts his head.

"Indeed. Maybe it's the only way he'll be able to recover." Illumina's singular wing puffs up. "Those mortals... truly, they used to possess the ability to respawn as they wished?"

"If creator is to be believed, yes." Darkheart cracks a smile. "We'd be so happy to play with them if they could do the same now- alas! Shedletsky would hate it if we accidentally ended one of the lives of his precious mortals."

Darkheart and Illumina still were detached from anyone who wasn't the SFOTH or the admins- they thought of the other survivors as just like any mortal, if not more powerful and connected to their creator.

Darkheart himself thinks that Shedletsky is only fond of them because they protected him during the time he'd lost his power. 'Very well then! Our creator is nothing if not generous.' The diety of chaos and darkness doesn't think it's necessary for their creator to pay those mortals back by gracing them with his presence, but oh well!

If they weren't able to die like when they were Robloxians before, Darkheart would have gladly tested out some of his more... lethal pranks on them. It's not like the sword deity cared about them- only Shedletsky's connection to them kept them safe from him.

Illumina is the one to break the silence. "So. Our... father. Reduced to nothing but a mortal and imprisoned for countless years..." He balls up his claws into a fist. "Is that where Shedletsky has been stuck, all this time?"

"Most likely." Darkheart's constant grin twitches down for a moment. "To think... he couldn't come back to us because he was defeated by a more terrifying force."

Illumina... doesn't know how to feel about this. None of the SFOTH do. To realize that their own father was hunted down and killed over and over again by so called 'monsters' was bad enough, but Shedletsky refused to elaborate on what they were. It made their imagination go wild, like a reader of a horror novel coming up with the most terrifying idea of what the mysterious monster is like in their head.

"And what of Builderman and Dusekkar? The other gods?" They were admins too, of course.

"Shedletsky insists that those two are similar in power to him, and were also stripped of their divinity. A shame." Darkheart says. "We would have loved to see them in their prime... perhaps that mage could have put up a fight."

He was thinking of the ways he could have challenged his creator's fellow gods to a fight, how the other admins would be if he were to battle them one-on-one... Builderman was Shedletsky's 'boss' after all. Surely that meant he must have been far more powerful!

(What he doesn't know is that while Builderman was the boss, his power mostly laid in the code of Robloxia and therefore didn't have the same swordfighting skills as Shedletsky.)

(It doesn't mean he was any less powerful. Just... his expertise laid in manipulating reality and using his ban hammer.)

"I guess we'll have to see if those mortals live up to their interesting stories." Illumina hums. "If they managed to stick with our creator for this long..."

"I wonder how they'd change the Inpherno. For better, or for worse."

[Coil]

"And a left, and right, then sweep-kick- got it!" He congratulates Noob, patting them on the back. "Looks like you're getting better, dude!"

"I- guess? Thanks!" Noob brightens up at the praise. They quickly focus back on the training dummy, jabbing at it's head and kicking it in the chest.

"Wow, they're picking it up pretty well... I don't know how they were so shy back then if they're this good." Coil stands next to Guest 1337, eying the veteran with a bit of wariness as he sees the man deadlifting with some heavy weights.

The criminal didn't exactly trust Guest- then again, Coil didn't really trust anyone outside of Skateboard and Boombox. But seeing that Guest 1337 was actually training alongside him and acted as a spotter sometimes, it was hard to stay aloof.

"Yo, Guest- your gear's like, a riot shield, right?" Coil says, leaning back. He nudges Guest's arm, making the other Inphernal look annoyed. "No wonder you're like, buff and all that... what's the biggest attack you blocked with that thing? Ooo, was it a huuuge explosion or something? Like one of those action movies?!"

"Haven't exactly used it a lot recently." Guest grunts. He sets the barbell down, stretching his arms. "My hands work perfectly fine."

"Woah... that's badass." Coil respects Guest for that kind of bravado- not a lot of demons would fight without the need of their gear. "But c'mon, dude- it's like, your gear! Why don't you summon it and use it more?"

Guest 1337 makes a face, picking up the shield from the wall and sighing. "What are you going to do." He sounds like an exasperated father, probably because he knows Coil wants to do something reckless.

"I wanna fight you, bro!" Coil grins. Guest 1337 looks at him like he's crazy- Coil's seen him break the chains holding up the punching bags before with some of his punches. "Coil. Young man."

"Whaaat? I'm strong!" He puffs his chest out. "I can probably take a hit! I've got my crystals, after all!"

"Coil, doing drugs and rushing to fight me is not a good idea." The former soldier massages his temple in stress. "How you managed to become an official representative of Playground, I don't know, but this is highly irresponsible and reckless-!"

Coil frowns and pouts at that. 'A ton of other Playgrounders do a lot worse than me! Why's he acting like this is so bad?'

'Wait... don't tell me he's one of those old vets that was 'round Playground before the whole place had gang activity!' Coil comes to the (wrong) conclusion. "I dunno where you've been living since the war, but Playground's a lot worse than what I'm doing."

Both Guest 1337 and Noob are staring at him like he's grown a second head. "Like, what is up with you guys? You don't act like any Playgrounders I know..."

Noob glances at Guest 1337, and Guest 1337 glances back at them. They nod in understanding, and both open up their mouths to explain what's up with them.

"I haven't fought in the war for that long, and Noob left Playground when they were young-"

"W-we're actually not Inphernals at all and kinda just got thrown here haha-"

Guest 1337 whips his head around to Noob, who was rambling nervously. "Noob! Why did you tell him that?!"

"I- I panicked, okay?!" Noob shouts out, their hands flying to their yellow horns in stress. They grip them as they continue to pace back and forth. "Coil's just been nice to me, a-and I really trust him but him just asking that kinda made me blurt it out!"

Coil blinks, looking at the scene in front of him with some confusion and curiosity. "Huh? Are you guys pulling a prank or something?" He snorts, rolling his eyes. "If you wanted to trick me, you could've made something up that was more believable than that crap!"

Guest grumbles, his hand gripping his riot shield tightly. He only un-tenses when Coil doesn't seem to be freaking out or attacking them. "No- I assure you, they were telling the truth. Unfortunately."

"We weren't Inphernals. Not always." Guest 1337 says. "We didn't have gears until recently, and- I don't even have a gear at all. This-" He raises his riot shield. "I commissioned to be made."

Coil raises an eyebrow. He's still thinking that Guest 1337 is trying to save face rather than actually being truthful. "I mean, good for you? I'm not gonna deadname you or something, and if you're not cool with anyone knowing your original gear that's fine."

"Excuse me?" Guest 1337 looks baffled. Coil shrugs. 'If that guy doesn't like talkin' about the fact that he transitioned his gear, I won't bother about it.'

That's right- Coil completely misread the room and now thinks that Guest 1337 is the Inphernal equivalent of transgender. He's got no idea that the veteran is actually being serious, but hey.

Noob looks a bit embarrassed at how Guest didn't seem to be taken seriously by their friend, so they pull out their Bloxy Cola. "Um- he's not lying."

"Yeah, what's your gear got to do with tha-?" Coil trails off as he sees Noob pull out two other gears from out of nowhere. "WOAH woah woah- wait-!"

"U-uh... please don't freak out." Noob takes a bite out of their Ghostburger to prove that it's real, and sure enough, they vanish into thin air. "See? I- Bloxy Cola's my favorite gear, but I have more than one..."

Coil... doesn't know what to say. He's silent for a moment, before bursting with excitement. "WOAHHH!!! Dude! That's like, super epic and all that!" He beams, circling around the two in a hyperactive way. "Like, my gods I didn't know you guys were like that!"

He waves his hand where Noob was, and bumps into the not-Inphernal. Noob yelps, their invisibility wearing off as they fade back into view. "Hey!"

"Duuude..." He pokes Noob's arm. "Not Inphernals? You look pretty much like a normal demon to me..."

"We looked a lot... d-different back before we got tossed into the Inpherno." Noob wrung their hands nervously. "No horns, no gears... oh, a-and I had yellow skin."

"Yellow? That's weird. Were you sick or something?" Coil asks. Because an Inphernal with yellow skin would be like the sky becoming green or the grass turning blue. It probably wouldn't happen unless you were high on something.

"N-no, that's... normal for Robloxians. We come in a lot more colors than white or gray." Noob stutters.  "Robloxian. We're- me and Guest used to be Robloxians."

Meeting weird dimension-travelling aliens was NOT what Coil expected his life to come to, but he wasn't complaining. He's even more curious as to how they were so normal in this case, because aren't aliens supposed to like, abduct people and be all scary? 

The street fighter doesn't know. Coil's only seen aliens from the movies that Skate smuggled down for him to watch in the basement, and more recently the stuff in theateres.

"Training's going to be so fun, dude!" He laughs, wrapping his arm around Noob's shoulder.  "You can't just be relying on your Bloxy Cola- you'll have to learn how to fight with your other gear, too!"

[Noob]

After that mishap with Coil, they managed to make Guest 1337 finally warm up fully to Coil. For some reason, their teammate kept on looking at Coil whenever he cracked a joke, as if he was reminiscing about someone he knew.

(Guest 1337 can't help it- he hasn't seen his friend Matt in years now. Coil's joking attitude and cockiness reminded him a lot of him, and it made Guest even more homesick. But it's not like he'll say it out loud.)

Coil's training became a lot more focused on helping them use their gear to the fullest extent. Noob, despite what their name might suggest, could at least hold their own in a fight now that they were not constrained by their time in that purgatory.

"Now- let's try using that Ghostburger of yours for a sneak attack!" The crystal criminal says. "Try and try to get me- I'll block any attacks!"

Noob nods, and takes a quick bite of their burger. They immediately vanish, and begin to try and sneak up on Coil.

Coil, on the other hand, scans the area around him. He sweeps his leg wide to possibly trip up Noob, but the former Robloxian manages to silently evade Coil's foot, if not by a small margin.

They launch towards Coil with a quick jab, but the noise they make alerts him and their punch is blocked with Coil's arm. "Gotcha!" Coil begins to attack in the general direction, grabbing Noob and punching. Noob's shoulder is hit, and they let out a wince.

"You should really go for somewhere other than my face- it's way too obvious!" Coil says, letting go of Noob and checking up on them. "Go for like, a gut punch or somewhere behind me."

Guest 1337 was also watching over the two of them, nodding. "And remember not to get too hasty, Noob. You need to make sure your first punch is silent and it lands."

"O-okay, fine!" Noob puffs up, and takes out their Ghostburger again- but groan as it's on cooldown. "Aw, dang it..."

"Dang, can't use it again? I get ya, dude- I can't go Beast Mode all the time!" Coil laughs. Noob just looks at him with a blank stare and Guest 1337 snorts. He ends up huffing. "Man, it's a cool name for it, okay?!"

"Y-yeah, I guess it is..." Noob thinks about what else to do, and pulls out their Slateskin Potion. "I wonder... I've only used this to defend myself, but can I do anything more with it?"

"Yooo, that's- Slateskin Potion, right?" Coil sticks out his tongue as he thinks. "Hm... I think there was a guy from Lost Temple who had the same gear. You run into duplicates a lot if you meet enough Inphernals."

"Do you think I-it can be... useful?" Noob mutters. "I've only used all of my gears for survival, not for fighting. and you saw how badly I failed with the Ghostburger..."

"Failed?" Guest 1337 raises an eyebrow. "That was your first time trying to attack someone with it. Of course you wouldn't be successful." He pats Noob on the head to reassure them. "Keep on trying. You'll get it eventually."

'That's what they always say...' Noob thinks to themself. It's terrible that their self-confidence was this low, but it was never the same after their best friend, Guest 666, had...

...

That incident wasn't something they wanted to remember. But with how far they were from Robloxia, how they were stuck with Guest 1337 (and how much his name reminded them of their dead friend)... it was inevitable that something like this happened.

"Hey... hey, Noob?" Coil waves his hand in front of their face, worried. "Noob! You okay, man?"

"I- yeah, I'm fine." They shake the feeling off. "Right, back to the Slateskin Potion."

"Yeah!" The crystal criminal taps on the glass bottle with his claws, making a 'ping' noise. "It's supposed to slow you down and make your skin tougher, right?"

"Mhm." Noob holds the bottle up and takes a swig. Their pale white skin (and oddly enough, their clothes as well) turn into grey, rough stone.

Coil holds his hand out and runs a hand down Noob's arm. "It's actually stone?!"

"I think only the outside... it has something to do with the magic inside the potion. I dunno." Noob wasn't like Dusekkar- they weren't really good at understanding magic.

"Why not try attacking with it?" Guest 1337 suggests. "Nothing's stopping us now."

Noob looks down at their fist. Back in the hell they were trapped in, they couldn't fight back at all- half because of their debilitating fear, and half because something was stopping them from doing so- a mental block from the Spectre.

It was the same reason why Shedletsky could only swing his sword once every forty seconds, and why Guest couldn't just kick the killers' asses.

They ball up their fist- take a deep breath, and then swing it at a punching bag.

The punching bag jerks back, the chains creaking as it's hit. Noob positions themself in the orthodox stance that Coil taught them- left foot forward, right foot behind. They begin to swing their fists.

'Right, left, right!' They punch the punching bag three times, their arms feeling sore from forcing their stone parts to move faster than usual. It was worth it, though- the metal chains holding the punching bag snapped.

"Let's gooo!" Coil cheered. He gives Noob a gentle punch on the shoulder, but forgets that his friend is currently stone and ends up wincing. "Ack-!"

"Not bad." Guest 1337 looks impressed, and nods approvingly at Noob. "You can work with that, correct?"

"Y-yeah!" Noob beams, the Slateskin Potion finally wearing off. "And I think it's a bit longer than normal, too!"

The three of them begin to focus more on developing Noob's technique while using all their gears- which made them a much better fighter than before.

This was way more natural and easy to them compared to fighting with conventional weapons- they'd tried guns, swords, anything that Robloxia's combat areas provided, but nothing really 'clicked' with them like this.

Coil also had the bright idea of talking Noob into drinking their Bloxy Cola and Slateskin at the same time. Since there was nothing stopping Noob from doing so, they thought it was a great idea!

It actually worked! Their punches were way faster because of the cola, and the Slateskin potion made them stronger! But of course it came with side effects.

... Which was why they were laying out on the floor of the gym, groaning and clutching their sore stomach. "Food poisoning... oof..."

Guest 1337 was busy chewing out Coil for his recklessness. The crystal criminal was sheepishly trying to weasel his way out of this and worrying over Noob.

Overall, it was a success!

[Builderman]

Icedagger is standing behind Firebrand, who is still regarding the newly-built house in front of him with some astonishment. "You built this? In such a short amount of time, too?"

And he was rightfully astonished. This was a two-story house, complete with a spacious garage and a front yard with a brick fence. The whole place was built ridiculously well, complete with furniture inside the house. The SFOTH had seen Builderman a day ago and he'd already built all of this in the span of 24 hours?!

"My name ain't Builderman for nothing! Something as small as a house ain't any problem for me!" He smiles, and opens up the door. "Come on in! It's all nice and warm, haha!"

Firebrand follows him inside, and Icedagger trails behind them both. The interior is inviting, with a dining table near the living room and everything cluttered together in a messy but endearing way.

"Pardon the mess- the first floor's where I put all the stuff we need. There's a guest bedroom down the hall there, the admin office is over here temporarily because we haven't re-built Roblox HQ..."

"Um. Builderman." Firebrand coughs. "There's already a Roblox HQ. Owned by Roblox Co."

"Roblox- what? Who owns Roblox Co. then?" Builderman looks baffled.

Icedagger stares at Firebrand, as if expecting his older brother to know the answer. "Hm... last time I checked, the CEO was some Inphernal named Sentry Gun. Do you wish for me to dispose of him and instate you instead?"

"No! By Robloxia, that'd be terrible!" Builderman shook his head. "He earned that role fair and square. And besides, the fact that the company shares a name with what us admins called the universe is simply coincidence."

'Although, I DO find it awfully odd that that fella's got the same gear as what I used back then... is he some kinda' mirror-universe version o' me?"

"Anyways-" Builderman flops down on the couch, taking out a can of beer and tossing another one to Firebrand. "Me and Dusekkar are gonna be stayin' here, and if you need our help with admin stuff that Shedletsky ain't doing, we'll be good neighbors and help y'all out."

"That's good to hear." Firebrand straightens out his clothes, but not before Icedagger tugs on his jacket sleeve. "Hey, Firebrand..."

"What is it?" He turns back, confused.

"Did you tell him about- you know. The recent news in Blackrock?" Icedagger looks worried. "There's gonna be a second faction war if this isn't resolved soon, and we might need him and the others if father isn't interested..."

"War?!" Builderman looks worried. 'What?! War?! But we just got here!' Robloxia was no stranger to conflict- the recent war with the Bacon Army was proof of that, but for a war to break out right when the survivors just settled down...

"Ah! Right- I had to tell you. Blackrock got attacked last night by some unknown perpetrator- they were wearing dark robes so authorities assumed they were from Lost Temple." Firebrand states.

"So you want me to go lookin' for the criminal and lock 'em up?" Builderman raises an eyebrow. "Ain't that Ban Hammer's job?"

"Yes- but unfortunately, all of the security cameras and Biografts were destroyed in the blast, and the one Biograft that had seen the suspect was unable to see their face." Firebrand groans. "I apologize if it is a bother- but it would be a great help if you knew how to find and apprehend the suspect."

"'Course I will!" Builderman nods, smiling. "What ya' got for the evidence?"

Icedagger takes out a file folder from under their woolen jacket, and slips it onto the table. Builderman looks through the report. "Suspect was last seen near Blackrock labs, exploded the entire middle-to-bottom floors... casualty of two workers and countless Biograft units deactivated..."

He hums, then flips through to see the photos. Builderman freezes when he sees a very familiar hooded figure, even though he has two new sets of black horns.

'TAPH?! What is he doin' here?!' Builderman begins to sweat, and let out a worried laugh. "Hey, Firebrand- what's this fella gonna get for a punishment? Surely he's gonna get banned?"

"Banned? No, I doubt Blackrock would even want to let go of him." Firebrand frowns. "They're most likely going to keep him there and execute him. Why ask?"

"..." 'Great, now one o' my own employees is a wanted criminal here! I have no idea what was goin' on in Taph's mind when he pulled that!' Builderman is torn between his urge to tell Firebrand about Taph and "moderate" in the Inphinity, but on the other hand, the fact that Taph arrived meant that there was a way to cross into the Inpherno from Robloxia without having been forsakened.

'Stickin' with the law, or gettin' a chance to go back home... I'm an admin, but this ain't Robloxia.' Builderman thinks over his choices carefully.

Breaking the law and letting Taph go free when he's literally blown up a government building, killed an innocent scientist and risked starting a war was against everything he stood for as an admin.

But on the other hand, if the survivors found out how to go back to Robloxia while studying him, while learning how Taph managed to get here... they'd be reunited with their families. Builderman, Shedletsky, and Dusekkar would all go back to cleaning up all the chaos that might have happened in their absence.

He can't let Robloxia's citizens down. If it means he'll have to break a few laws here...

"I dunno. He'd be more useful dead than alive." Builderman says. He hands the file back to Icedagger. "And besides- maybe this fella caught my eye."

"You want to be the one dealing with the criminal yourself?" Firebrand asks. Builderman nods. "I feel like he's got tons of potential... all that destruction! And I wonder what his gear is..."

Builderman is lying. He knows that Taph would either have the Timebomb or the Subspace Tripmine. After all, Taph was one of the most dedicated demolitionists on the team- even with all the controversy surrounding him and the danger he faced with the job, Taph never once quit on Builderman.

'Taph, you better make this worth my time... I ain't gonna let you off the hook like this!' Builderman thinks.

[Taph]

The demolitionist had to admit- maybe this wasn't his brightest idea.

Because now they were stuck within a foreign world, their own hooded face plastered on wanted posters with a very high bounty and the stereotypical "WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE" emblazoned above and below the blurry picture.

'This is terrible...' They thought. 'I- Roblox's sake, I hate doing this, but they only saw my robes so...'

Taph ducks into an alleyway, and pulls off his iconic hood- his bandana also goes into his inventory. He ditches his formal robes for a puffer jacket, and dons a more casual face mask that was the same color of black.

'What to do with my horns...'  He thinks. Taph has the urge to just cut them off, but he has the feeling that it would be a bad idea, and insteads opts for tucking his lowermost two horns into his hoodie and dipping outside.

'Paint, gotta get some paint...' Taph doesn't have any money, and he hates breaking the law- but he needs to get out of this alive. The demolitionist sees a few cans of spray paint on the side of another alleyway, and swipes the blue-colored one, spraying it hastily over his front two horns.

Satisfied with his work, he tentatively steps out into the open and tries to walk casually across the city. The train Taph had boarded had taken him to Crossroads- which was much more crowded and bustling compared to the Crossroads back in Robloxia.

He slips by some normal citizens, trying to get his bearing and figure out what to do next. 'Now, what should I do... a library should help me get the knowledge I need!'

And of course, since fate was pulling the strings, he landed right outside of Ghostdeeri's library. Taph pauses, checking out the place from the outside before carefully opening the door.

"Greetings. Welcome to the Crossroads general library. How many I help you today?" Taph stares at the Inphernal in front of him- she's got a pumpkin-head mask and sprawling antlers like Dusekkar. He's only ever met the other admin a few times through his boss, but those few times were enough to impress him.

Taph signs his reply. "👋🙂 🤔💭 🫵🎃✨❓ (Hello! You remind me of a friend- Someone with a similar appearance?)"

Ghostdeeri blinks, and for a second Taph is worried that she doesn't understand him- but she replies after some pause. "I see. You've met my other relatives, then- although I'm surprised that the Watchers actually decided to befriend a mortal Inphernal."

"❓❓❓" Taph is obviously confused. 'What a Watcher? Is that a different species? And Inphernal? I guess that means I'm not a Robloxian anymore...'

He shakes his head. "❌ 👁 ➖ 🎃 🪄 ✨ D U S E K K A R. (Not Watchers- I mean DUSEKKAR." Taph finger-spelled the admin's name out, hoping she'd possibly know him. "🫵 💭✅ 🎃✨❓(You know him?)"

"Dusekkar?" Ghostdeeri blinks, clearly surprised. "You know him?"

"🙂 ✅💭 🎃✨❗ 🛠️ ➡️ 👥🏢®️ (I know him! He's my boss' coworker!)"

"Your boss wouldn't happen to be..." Ghostdeeri thinks back to when Ghostwalker was telling her about the 'admins' and how the SFOTH's creator was only one of many. "Builderman, correct?"

"🛠️  👍✅ (Builderman, right!)" Taph is overjoyed. She knew Builderman! That meant that his boss was alive and somewhere around here!

Taph and Ghostdeeri talk amongst themselves, and Taph managed to get a few books on what this new world was like. Getting situated into the Inpherno was hard, but at least his disguise was holding up...

"I could call Dusekkar if you want? If I recall, he left his contact information with me." Ghostdeeri says. Taph nods frantically. The librarian uses the rotary phone on her desk to dial the number.

The phone rings once, then twice- then the other line picks up. "Howdy, partner- this is Builderman speaking."

"Ah, Builderman- I was expecting Dusekkar, but you seem to be the one I was looking for." Ghostdeeri says. "Tell me- do you know anyone named 'Taph'?"

"... Yeah, he's my coworker. What about it?"

"He seems to be lost. He's a delight to talk to, even if he can't say hello to you through the phone." Ghostdeeri hands the phone to Taph anyways, who taps on the receiver twice in his way of saying hello.

"... Taph, I swear on my job as an admin, yer' in so much trouble." Builderman hisses, his mood immediately plummeting. "I mean, what did ya think you were doin'?!"

Taph withers at his boss' angry voice. 'Damn it, he knows... I'm SO fired...' Technically, Taph didn't have a job anymore because Builderman wasn't in Robloxia and he wasn't in Robloxia, but that was beside the point.

"👍🛠️... (Okay, boss...)" He signs, dejected. Ghostdeeri takes the phone back. "He said 'okay, boss'."

"Good. You stay there and I'll be visiting Ghostdeeri's library with Dusekkar, okay?" Builderman says. "And for the love of Robloxia, don't get into any more trouble..."

[Two Time]

Pain. They felt nothing but pain in their eye as they trudged back home, having proven their 'devotion' to the Church's cause.

But then again, it was not a high price they had to pay. Only a single eye- they did not have to sacrifice their friend and lover like they did back at home. This was nothing, nothing to them.

'Although, I suppose that telling those heretics about the other survivors would be a bad idea.' Two Time thinks. 'I would rather keep them far away from the True Eye, and perhaps pit them against each other if needed... less work for me to take them down or convert them to the Spawn's teachings.'

Two Time had been given a black eyepatch afterwards, and they'd been generously allowed to have any design on it. Of course they chose to get the symbol of the Spawn on such a gift- because even though those foolish True Eye members may have had their eye, it was the Spawn that Two Time had truly sacrificed their eye to.

An eye and their risk in joining a cult to take it down on the inside... two things they've given to the Spawn in this new world in order to prove their devotion. How fitting.

They sighed, picking at the bloody eye bandage that Medkit had slapped onto their face with an indescribably look. They had been taken to see the healer after their little stunt, so he had to be dragged out of his office in the True Eye hideout and treat them.

"Gods damn it. You again?" Medkit looks distressed when Broker brought them in, their wound still bleeding out as they pressed a cloth to it. "Hello, blessed one!" They chirp, waving with their free hand.

"They made for a quick convert, Meds- and a rather devoted one too! Two Time decided to do the ritual on themself." Broker explained. "I'm glad to have found such an interesting new recruit, but they're currently bleeding out. Mind helping?"

Medkit sighs, and pulls out his healing pistol. "Wait here. I'll do this myself." He keeps on muttering about how reckless Two Time was and how they might get an infection from this.

Two Time shakes the memory out of their head, and continues to walk back home. They've already been gone faaar too long, several hours after the survivors would had woken up, so they guess they'll have to explain themselves...

They manage to get back to the apartment complex with some strangers looking t them with wary looks. They try to sneak back in to their own apartment, carefully opening the door and then-

"Two Time, where the hell were you?!" Chance yells, looking worried. Two Time freezes in place- because a lot of survivors were in their apartment. Only the admins were not present, probably because they were busy with the SFOTH.

007n7 is standing to the side with Guest 1337 and Noob, concerned. Guest looks more stern and disapproving. Elliot and Chance were both in front, so they were the first to see what was up with Two Time.

"Two Time, what-" Chance squints their eyes under their glasses, and then their expression turns terrified. "Two Time- what did you do?"

"What I had to do to get rid of the enemies of the Spawn." They state. "Do not fret- I have not harmed a single person. Yet."

"Two Time, you've got an eyepatch now. Why do you have an eyepatch now?" Elliot stresses. "Are you missing an eye?! What happened?!"

"And why should you care? You've never shown this much concern for me when we were trapped together." Two Time says, a slight bite in their voice as they turn away and take off their eyepatch, picking away at the bandage and tossing the ruined, bloodstained thing away. "What happened to my eye is none of your business. I had it checked out already."

"Two Time." Chance grabs them by the shoulders, looking them dead in the eyes- well, eye, now. "You creep us out, you're unsettling- but you're still our teammate. We don't like seeing you get hurt."

"As if." Two Time turns their nose up at their words. They don't trust their teammates, they don't want to get close to them. After what they've done with Azure, with the voices in their head within that hellscape constantly telling them to sacrifice their teammates...

They can't believe this. They won't believe this, because if they did, it just set the stage for more betrayal, more disappointment, more of what happened to Azure to happen to their friends.

That's right. They admitted it. They saw their fellow survivors as their friends.

How pathetic. Two Time doesn't deserve to have friends again after what they did. They don't deserve it because the last friendship they had ended in violent betrayal on their part, all in the name of the Spawn.

"Even if you don't want to get help from us- at least tell us what happened?" 007n7 said, nervously stepping up. "The fact that someone hurt you like this- what if they did it to learn more about us? It's risky enough that you got caught..."

"I did this to myself." Two Time sniffs. "Nobody could lay their hands on me this close without me respawning, so you don't need to fret."

"What?!" Chance and the others look downright horrified at the fact that Two Time had harmed themself in such a way. "Why?!" Elliot asks, genuinely feeling more sorry for his fellow survivor rather than the fear and apprehension from before.

"Why would you care?" They lean back on their wall. "You want to know why? I wanted to infiltrate the Church of the True Eye to take that horrid cult down." They sneer. "Their religion is a mockery of the true love the Spawn has for all."

"..."

The other survivors look at each other with apprehension. They find it ironic that Two Time hated this new cult but didn't notice themself being in a cult.

"I... you could have just told us." Chance furrowed their eyebrows. "You can't just rush into it- they're gonna overwhelm you. Pal, this isn't like when we were like back in that hell! This isn't some mindless killer- these are people who can trick you!"

"Don't underestimate me." Two Time hisses. "I can do this myself. In the name of the Spawn."

"And we'll help you, even if we don't share your ideals." Guest 1337 says. Two Time blinks, not expecting the ex-soldier to support them. "They're still a threat to us and other people, and since they're nosing around, trying to see who we are..."

The rest of the survivors show their support for Two Time, genuinely worried for them. Two Time... doesn't know what to think about this.

'They shouldn't care about me.' They think, surrounded by the other survivors. 'They only care now because I got hurt.' They tell themselves.

But it doesn't stop that pang in their heart from being supported. It's been forever since they were looked at anything but unease or distrust.

Far too long.

[Extras]

Chapter Text

[Medkit]

'Oh by the SFOTH I have THEM as a co-worker now. Why must my life be like this.'

Medkit was pretty sure that the universe was out to get him, because right now he was trailing behind Broker as he waits for Two-Time to come meet up with the two of them. Scythe was out 'harvesting' again for the Father, and so she'd (thankfully) didn't have to go meet the newest church recruit.

The fact that they'd stabbed out their own eye, presumably in a fit of religious psychosis... unnerved him. Broker was a bit insane in the membrane, yes, but Medkit had the feeling that Two Time was going to be so much worse in comparison to his coworker in that regard.

"They're an odd little one! Awfully chatty, too- but they keep on talking about the spawns so weirdly!" Broker laughs. "I've got my eye on them for a while now, ever since we've first met... they might be our lead to some competition."

"Competition, you say." Medkit doesn't sound surprised. He already had a hunch that Two Time came from another... religious association to put it politely. "You could have just asked me about it. Before you stepped in with me, they were rambling on and on about how my gear and crystal were 'a gift from the spawn' or whatever."

"Oh, what a silly fella! Of course that's a gift from the spawn- you were created just for this purpose, after all! All of us were!" Broker chimed in.

Medkit could not really agree with that idea, but he couldn't exactly deny it, either. All Inphernals came out of the spawn with their gear and their purpose was given to them by their faction. Since he'd had a healing gear, he'd had the privilege of being taken in and cared for, of getting a higher education and becoming a scientist-

But it was also the reason why he fell out with Subspace. Those two were just too different, not just in their ideology but the purpose of their gears.

Medkit was spawned in to heal others. Subspace was spawned in to harm others. The gear they were spawned in with dictated their personality, their beliefs, their future- what Inphernal didn't reflect an aspect of their gear?

Thinking about gears and all that talk about pre-determined futures made him wonder. "Broker. What gear did Two Time have again?"

"Hmm... if I recall, it was that dagger they summoned in! Checking the Church's records, it seems to be the Ghostfire Dagger! Pretty neat, eh?"

'Great. They're perfect for Lost Temple. Just how did the Church not find them sooner?' Medkit thought. Then again, they might be from another faction- pale skin was very rare in Lost Temple and only really happed with the elite, who didn't need to go work outside in the sweltering sun.

And if Two Time was higher up in Lost Temple they already would have been on the Church's radar. So where did they come from...?

"Oh, look- they're approaching! Looks like we're going to be seeing them soon!" Broker says, giggling. Medkit looks at the end of the alleyway, exhausted already at the stuff he's going to have to endure. 

Sure enough, the new recruit rounded the corner with an eerie smile. Two Time has that same unsettling cheer as before, minus one eye as it's empty socket is now covered with an eyepatch.

'And of course they chose to have one emblazoned with the symbol of the spawns...' Medkit thinks. "Yes, I remember you. Please don't tell me you're going to do a stunt like that again."

"I assure you- I would not!" The cultist shakes their head and chuckles. "I'm simply here so we can talk about what to do next... perhaps over some pizza?" They whip out a wallet, grinning. "I'll pay."

Broker seems to mull this over, humming. "I'm not able to taste, so it would be a waste of my time..."

"I'm not even fond of pizza." Medkit says dryly. Two Time's eye twitches, and they clasp their hands together in a prayer. "What a shame! I was about to spend my hard-earned money on you two fine believers, but alas..." They sniff dramatically. "It's such good pizza, too..."

"..." Medkit smells something fishy here, but he just shrugs. "Fine, if you insist." He doesn't have to pay for food today out of his own paycheck, so that's good.

"What fortune! I have this nice place we can go to- the patrons and staff aren't nosy, the food is good- so follow me!"

Two Time leads them out of the alleyway and into Crossroads' streets. Medkit and Broker stealthily follow them- even though Broker is prepared for Two Time to betray them and lead them straight to danger, they surprisingly stick nearby and actually lead the two to a pizza place.

Broker eyes the establishment up and down before walking into the doors, humming. The customers there, surprisingly, don't seem to give a shit about the two wanted criminals in their midst. The Inphernal manning the counter looks like a nervous wreck, donning pink-framed glasses and a goofy-looking burger hat.

"H-hi, welcome to Pizza Cutter's Pizzeria, how may I help you?" The guy stutters out. Two Time strolls forward and gives the guy a cheerful smile.

"007n7! It is good to see you around!" They laugh. "How is work?"

"... It's an experience!" He says, with about enough enthusiasm in his voice as a guy forced to work customer service is allowed to have. Medkit winces at how dead-inside 007n7 (who the heck CHOOSES a name like that???) sounds.

"Good, good... I'd like a sausage pizza with a soda, please." Two Time pays him, and the three take a seat down at one of the booths.

"I'm honestly surprised that nobody had ratted us out yet." Medkit muses, and Broker taps his claws on the table. "Looks like these folks don't rat anybody out here!"

"Not unless you cause trouble, of course. Common courtesy." Two Time says smoothly. "I know a few of the workers here. They owe me a favor or two and will turn a blind eye."

(This is bullshit. Two Time only knows 007n7 and Elliot working here, and those two are basically surveying their interaction with the other cultists. Elliot himself is suspiciously glancing at Medkit once in a while, wary of him as a church member.)

"Your pizza is here!" A cheery voice pipes up. He's surprisingly more happy compared to the cashier, sliding over a fresh pizza towards the three. "Hope you enjoy it!"

"Elliot, you work with him too?" Two Time seems amused at the situation, for some reason. They glance back at the cashier. "Was there no other pizza place around here?"

"Unfortunately, no." Elliot's expression gets strained, and he shoots a look at 007n7 that suggests that the two had a less-than-ideal partnership. Medkit's reminded of himself before the incident, where Subspace was just a nuisance and not a threat.

"Ah. I see." Two Time smiles. "Which reminds me- I should introduce you to my two new friends!"

"This is Medkit, and this is Broker." They gesture at him and Broker, who is looking slightly annoyed at the fact that Two Time might be blowing their cover. However, Elliot doesn't really seem to care that two well-known criminals were in the pizza joint.

"Oh, that's fine! Pizza Cutter's Pizzeria serves all of it's customers, granted that they don't cause any trouble!" Elliot says in the customer-service voice. A bell rings in the back, and he perks up. "Oh- time for my break! If you need anything, you can call up any of the other servers!"

He leans down next to Two Time, his voice more causal than before. "And if you need me specifically, Two Time- I'll be in the back."

Two Time nods, and gets to eating their pizza. Broker doesn't really seem interested in Elliot, but Medkit seems to feel a bit... off when talking to him. Not in a bad way, no- but Two Time seemed a bit more conspiratorial when addressing Elliot.

"You seem to be close to him." Medkit says. "Is he your close friend?"

"Friend? Ha!" Two Time lets out a laugh. "Maybe! I wouldn't call him close, though- nobody's close to me anymore." They take a bite of their pepperoni slice, humming in contentment at the taste. "But he's a good enough healer."

"Healer?" Medkit raises his eyebrow. Broker perks up as well. "What's his gear?"

"Pepperoni Pizza!" Two Time beams. "It's why he's so good at making it! He's a good healer- helped me and my team tons of times..."

Broker immediately shrugs and loses interest. Food-based gears that healed weren't exactly powerful, and the Church of the True Eye had no need for a healer that would only do worse than Medkit.

He raises an eyebrow. "You participated in Phights?"

"Unofficial ones, yes. Me and my team never really made it big." Two Time says casually. "And Elliot was one of the only ones who could heal us. He quite the live-saver back during those rounds."

"And your team never bothered to get a better healer?" Medkit raises his eyebrow.

"It wasn't like we could do that. And besides, he's the best when it comes to actually taking care of us." Two Time smiles. "Actually... you and him seem to have a lot in common, now that I think of it. Perhaps you might want to talk to him, a fellow healer?"

Medkit stares to a bored Broker scarfing down his pizza, and back to Two Time. He's willing to take this chance and get away from the two weirdos, even for a short period of time. "Sure, why not."

He gets up from his chair, pushing it back while he goes out of the glass door and walks behind the pizza restaurant. Elliot (again, what a weird name for a demon) was in the back, scrolling on his phone and looking bored.

Might as well have a chat with this young man. He doesn't look like much...

[Elliot]

He thought that going back outside to civilization and being free from hell was going to make him less stressed- but no. Elliot may have liked his job at Builder Brother's Pizza before, but it was mostly because it was his family's business and he knew how it worked.

This new pizza joint was nothing like home. Sure, the coworkers were nice, they could handle any disputes and it was nice to talk to someone other than the survivors he was stuck with for years. However, the pain of homesickness and the woes of customer service were hitting him.

He misses his parents. He misses his little sister. Heck, he'd admit to himself that he'd even (begrudgingly) let 007n7 back into his restaurant if it meant he got to go home and see his family again.

But life didn't work like that, and now Elliot was stuck here. Nobody but his fellow survivors to support him, unable to eat his own pizza with how it made him sick to his stomach now after years of eating it.

Elliot's lost in his thoughts, but he snaps out of it when he hears footsteps. Well-polished dress shoes click on the concrete alleyway as the antlered Inphernal from before approaches him.

"..." He leans on the wall next to Elliot without a word, pulling out a box of cigarettes. He lights one up, taking a drag and exhaling.

"... Heya." Elliot says. "You're... Medkit, right?" It feels weird, seeing an Inphernal that represented a very familiar gear back in their purgatory.

"Mhm." Medkit nods. They just stand there together, looking outside as demons walk back and forth in front of their pizzeria.

"What's it like? Being an official Phighter." Elliot asks. He sounds genuinely curious. Medkit decides to humor him and answer.

"Lots of paperwork. The diplomatic immunity is nice, too." He says. "Representing the Church is hard work. Especially since Scythe is there too."

Elliot doesn't really know who she is. "Who?"

"Scythe. I thought her face was plastered on every wanted poster coming out of the Ban Lands?" Medkit asked.

"Huh." Elliot blinks. "So is she like, a hacker or something?"

"Wh- no. She's the Church of the True Eye's best operative." Medkit says. "Where did you even get the notion that she's a hacker? I doubt she even knows how to code..."

"Does Broker?"

"No?"

There's an awkward silence between the two of them before Medkit changes the conversation topic. "What led you to going into Phights?"

"Eh? Oh." Elliot rubbed the back of his head. "My friends were doing it, so I went into it too."

Medkit takes a drag of his cigarette, then replies. "I think it's a stupid idea to join them. It lowers your life expectancy by a lot, especially since there's no respawn in unofficial Phights."

Elliot makes a face. "Well then why are you a Phighter?"

"Diplomatic immunity, remember?" Medkit says. "I have no other choice. It's either I participate in the official phights as a representative, or get kidnapped back to Blackrock and executed."

"Oh." Elliot goes quiet at this. There's a few more moments of silence between them before he speaks again. "Does it get... tiring?"

"What do you think?" Medkit asks, annoyed. 'Of course being on the run from the law and living with religious fanatics is tiring.'

"No, I mean- all the healing you have to do." Elliot explains. He wrings his hands, nervous as if he's about to confide in Medkit about something. "Is it tiring? Having to do nothing but heal all the time?"

"..." Medkit regards Elliot in a slightly different light. It feels like he's looking at a younger version of himself, albeit with some differences, of course.

There was a time he was tired as only being seen as Medkit, the healer, instead of Medkit, the talented scientist and hard worker. Reduced to nothing but what his gear could do and how he could serve Blackrock.

"Yes. I suppose it is." He says. "But you'll get used to it. It's... just how the Inpherno functions." The ex-scientist states this like it's an unfortunate fact of life, like this won't ever change. "It'll get better with time."

"I- but-" Elliot struggles to find the words he needs. "It wasn't always like this. I wasn't the one always healing my teammates before- but I just did it so much that- that..." He gestures with his hands, before giving up. "I can't describe it."

"Let me guess." Medkit asks- after all, he's been through this before. "You're worried that they only see you as someone that heals them, and not your own person."

"No! By Roblox, no- they haven't done anything like that in... I would say a few months now." Elliot rubs his arm. "We were in a situation where we... had to fight often in order to survive. And I just had to heal them so much, and sometimes they don't really-" He sighs.

"Ah." Medkit understands. He can probably form the picture in his own head- Elliot and a few other demons down on their money, unable to get stable jobs and participating in every Phight they could to get a small amount of cash to sustain themselves.

(He was completely wrong, of course- but how could he know that Elliot was from another dimension, trapped in a time-loop death game?)

Elliot throws his hands up, more agitated compared to his previously morose tone. "And- don't get me started on whenever I do care about healing them! I throw my pizza, and they completely miss the catch!" He complains.

"I get your pain. The amount of times I shoot my crystals, but my teammates somehow move out of the way and into the attacker's range..." Medkit groans.

"Yes! That's it!" The yellow-horned Inphernal says. "I always get targeted first! I know it's common sense, but- really?!"

"Oh, that is such a bother to deal with." Medkit replies. "You do not know how many times a demon with a melee gear charges at me thinking I'm an easy target..." His mind goes to Ban Hammer, Skateboard, and even Sword sometimes.

The two healers continue to complain about how difficult it was to keep their teammates alive. Medkit recognizes the name 'Chance'- apparently he was also another friend of Two Time's, the one that Scythe and Broker had met at the casino and got them kicked out.

"Chance's a good guy, but GOOD GODS, he's such a reckless dumbass!" Elliot says the curse word with so much relish that Medkit wonders if this is the first time he's cussing or something. "His gun fails fifty percent of the time and he gets himself- nearly killed! And that's not counting the fact that he just forgets he's ranged sometimes!"

"That sounds... horrible to deal with." Medkit says. "Speaking of reckless fools. I have a friend who keeps on charging headfirst into danger, just like yours. He might have a melee gear himself, but good grief!"

"Oh, what's his name?" Elliot asks, curious. Medkit shrugs. "It's Sword. He's an enthusiastic one. A great Phgihter, but he's honestly going to give me a heart attack one day..."

"Sword?" Elliot hums. "I think I know a guy who knows him... has he told you about Shedletsky?"

"Who?" Medkit doesn't know who that is. Elliot blinks, and then lets out a 'huh'. "If that's the not case, then maybe he'll tell you when he's ready! Shedletsky's really good at sword fighting, even though his gear is technically fried chicken."

"I'll keep that in mind." Before Medkit can say anything else, however, Two Time walks out of the establishment with Broker, a grin on their face. It looks way too wide to be good, and Broker is also grinning too- which isn't a good sign.

"How amazing. I did not know how much the Father's... love extended, to be willing to accept all Inphernals from all of the factions." They said, their voice tinged with something probably not good. "Even from your rival faction, Thieves' Den?"

"Turning away demons based on their birth faction is rather antithetical to our cause, is it not?" Broker says, also on edge. "All are welcome under the True Eye. You don't happen to have a problem with that, do you?"

"I'm simply wondering if they have the heart to show their devotion in the way I did." They hiss back.

Medkit sighs, and looks back at Elliot. "Apologies. I have to stop those two from killing each other." He says. "It was... nice talking to you."

"You too, sir." Elliot beams, putting his customer-service voice and smile back on- but he seemed genuinely happy a bit. "Have a good day! We hope to see you back at Pizza Cutter's Pizzeria!"

[Hyperlaser]

In all honesty, he did NOT like the fact that he had to hunt down yet another target. This time, however, he was especially more on edge seeing the high stakes of this hit.

Blackrock had been directly attacked for the first time since the end of the Faction War. The suspect was a hooded demon in occult robes, so of course they'd suspected the Church of the True Eye for it and raised a fit.

Lost Temple's representatives then complained that no, the Church wasn't behind this and they didn't even have an Inphernal that fit the description and photo, but that just lead to more yelling and tossing the blame around.

The only proof that the guy might not even be a member of the Church was the fact that the Omegagraft that captured his appearance showed that he was not missing one of his eyes. And even then, that was shaky evidence at best, because the Church could have just paid off another poor sod to do the crime.

'Just another day of working for Blackrock.' Hyperlaser groaned. He'd been scouring Crossroads all day instead of working at Subspace's side, which was a pretty good deal now that he thought about it.

The only problem with Crossroads was that his commute back home was going to be annoyingly long, even when he'd been given permission to go home early after more Biografts were sent to take his place.

'Good riddance. Were so many Biografts destroyed in that explosion that they had to take THIS long to manufacture more?' He thought.

It didn't matter now. Hyperlaser stepped back onto the subway leading back to Blackrock from Crossroads, and boarded another one that would specifically take him to his residential sector.

The occupants of the subway minded their own business. Hyperlaser was in uniform, after all. Blackrock's residents recognized him, but none of them dared to interact with him unless they were higher up in authority.

The lights in the tunnel whiz by, and it's not long before the second subway smoothly comes to a stop. "You have now arrived at your destination." A voice chimes out on the speaker. Hyperlaser gets up from his seat and walks out of the door, not paying the Biografts stationed at the entrance a second glance.

"Now they increase security?" He mutters to himself, shaking his head. "Typical." Blackrock may be nationalistic and paranoid about invaders, but they were still capitalistic. Greedy aristocrats and higher-ups often cut corners on security unless there was an emergency.

Hyperlaser simply walks into the snow-covered concrete and through the white landscape, snowflakes falling on his jacket as he approaches his apartment building. He's about to open his own door, sifting through his keys when he realizes- hey, his window is open.

... Oh shit, his window was opened. Hyperlaser immediately throws open his door, looking through his living room to see if the place had been ransacked.

Nothing had been taken. Everything was in order, and it was way too quiet. Princess didn't stroll up to greet him like usual, and Hyperlaser couldn't hear her meowing from his living room.

This panicked the man much more than being potentially robbed. Princess was one of the few things he cared about in his godsforsaken life- he can't lose her! Did she run away? 'No- no don't tell me that she-'

He looks into his bedroom. No cat. He looks into his bathroom- no cat in there either too. He looks at every nook and cranny of his apartment, even under the couch because Princess liked to squeeze under there sometimes and give him a heart attack. Alas, she was not there.

Okay, now was the time to panic. "Princess!" Hyperlaser yelled. "Where are you?! Come out!" He's got a hand on his helmet, running his claws down the side and scratching the paint in his stress. "Вот, кис-кис-кис! (Here, kitty-kitty-kitty!)"

Nothing. But he did find a trail of small, wet paw prints that led out to the window. Hyperlaser follows them carefully outside, watching them lead out to the apartment front and up onto another closed windowsill, whose unit belonged to-

'THEM?!' Hyperlaser immediately panicked, remembering how 1x1x1x1 was practically a mass murderer with a powerful gear and a total disregard for life. 'PRINCESS IS-'

Hyperlaser breathes, and forces himself to calm down. Barging into his coworker's apartment was a bad idea, seeing that the other Inphernal could kill him in an instant- so instead he devises another plan.

Hyperlaser goes back to his apartment, getting some steel wire and paperclips. He kneels down in front of 1x's apartment door, using the wire and paperclips to carefully pick the lock and slowly creak the door open.

Inside, he could hear meowing and purring. Instant relief floods him at the fact that Princess was alive and not immediately dead, but he was still tense at the fact that 1x1x1x1 was the one in the apartment.

And wouldn't you know it, but a familiar raspy voice grumbles. "Tch. Annoying little pest." They say. "Are you going to beg for more food again?"

Princess lets out a loud meow. There's a sigh, followed by the opening of the fridge and the clattering of a plate.

"Fine, fine- tch. Here." More happy meows. "Ugh, what more do you want?! This is raw fish!"

Hyperlaser can't help but stick his head inside the door, and sees 1x1x1x1 standing over Princess, arms crossed and looking annoyed as usual. However, it was less of a 'I will rip out your guts if you look at me the wrong way' type of annoyed and more of like the 'I can't believe this dumb idiot thing exists' kind of annoyed.

"Here. Food. Do you not understand?" 1x1x1x1 taps the plate with their claw, making a 'clink-clink' noise. "Eat your food, greedy little bastard."

Princess looks up with as much condescension as a cat can muster and gives 1x1x1x1 a smug look. "Mrrreow!"

"Oh, shut the fuck up." They growl. Hyperlaser watches as they pick the raw fish up, placing it on the counter and chopping it up with a knife. "So picky."

When they place it back on the ground again, fish diced up into fine mush, Princess finally lets out a purr and begins eating. 1x1x1x1 looks bored, sitting on their couch and grumbling as they watch Hyperlaser's cat feast on the food.

"Why your fool of an owner willingly keeps you in his abode baffles me." The Inphernal says. "A picky eater, an annoyance to deal with- you don't even hunt mice for your master."

Princess simply finishes up her meal and looks up at 1x1x1x1 with her stupid little cat face. They look down with annoyance, staring back. "What? What now, vermin?"

The horned cat leaps onto the couch, and then slinks into 1x1x1x1's lap, purring and rubbing her head on their clawed hand. They freeze, letting Princess squirm in their lap more and purr loudly.

"..." They seem to be at a loss for words, and begin patting her. "Eugh, insufferable thing. You're going to get fur all over my clothes."

More purring. Princess doesn't seem to care about that. 1x snorts. "Stupid little furry pest. Brainless amoeba."

"Purrrr..." The cat uses her paws to hug 1x's hand. 1x lets it, their hand going limp. They continue to insult Princess. "you have less survival instincts than a pigeon. You are a flea-ridden, pestilential rat."

Hyperlaser watches in equal parts amusement and horror as he sees his own cat play with the terrifying Inphernal that he's pretty sure is related to Venomshank in some way. This is the same being that slaughtered an entire town of innocents, that resurrected them as zombies and would have killed them if not for boredom and some miracle.

"Bitch." 1x1x1x1 says. "Stupid bitch." They repeat. Princess simply meows obliviously and continues to cuddle up to them.

And Hyperlaser hears them chuckle. Chuckle, for SFOTH's sake. Even that laugh sounded evil and malevolent, despite the amusingly cute scene.

"That's right, you're a dumb, stupid bitch. A complete idiot." They ruffle Princess' head and scratch her back gently with their claws. "Don't even know what I'm saying."

"Mrrrow!"

"Ahahaha- that's right! Keep on praising me while you're clueless to my words!" They cackle, clearly amused by the cat's reaction.

Hyperlaser can't help it and exhales a bit too much in an attempt to hide his laughter, leaning forward a bit and making 1x's front door creak out loud. 

'Shit.'

1x1x1x1 immediately freezes, and Princess lets out a happy meow. She rolls around in their lap, staring at the door as if to say 'hi!' to her owner.

"..." There's no use hiding now. Hyperlaser pushes the door to 1x1x1x1's apartment open, and kind of just. Stands there. Awkwardly.

Both of them are just staring at each other wordlessly. Hyperlaser shuffles to the side, letting out a cough. "So. This is where Princess has been."

"YOU." 1x1x1x1 immediately begins seething, glaring so hard at the mercenary that they might as well be burning a hole into the mercenary's helmet with their glare. "MY DOOR WAS LOCKED FOR A REASON. WHY ARE YOU HERE."

"Looking for my cat." He glances at Princess, who looks happy and content. "She's okay. That's good."

"..."

The Inphernal with the black horns looks like they're about to jump up and behead Hyperlaser himself with their dual swords, but they glance down at Princess on their lap and remember the cardinal rule of having a cat rest on you- they are barred from moving.

"You are. So fortunate that you are the owner of this... this... thing!" They hiss, pointing down at Princess. The black cat meows and gently bats their hand. "Else your guts shall spill on my floor!"

"Mhm. Okay." Hyperlaser nods. He's not testing his limits here- he backs away slowly and holds his hands up, his gear de-summoned. "Just return her when she gets sleepy. Her cat bed is in my living room."

"I have procured a little... rest spot for this creature as well." 1x sniffs in disdain. "I assure you, she is perfectly fine when you are away."

"..." Hyperlaser looks at 1x's living room. Sure enough, there's also another cat bed and a scratching post in the room. It's a completely different brand from his. "You're telling me. You bought supplies for her."

"I did not! I only did so because the pest refuses to leave me alone, and I do not want cat hair on my bed!" 1x1x1x1 insists, snarling.

"There's a box of cat toys on there as well." Hyperlaser states bluntly.

"Fine training equipment, to make the little beast useful at hunting!" They insist. "Princess, as you call her, needs to be properly trained to hunt down smaller vermin!"

The mercenary stares at 1x. "... Whatever you say."

"You saw nothing here." The warrior growls, their claws curled up threateningly in the air. "Got it?"

"I wouldn't dare say anything." Hyperlaser nods.

"Good." 1x1x1x1 nods, but still looks at their coworker and neighbor with a disdainful look. "Nice to see that unlike your little creature, you have a braincell in that head of yours."

Hyperlaser doesn't really respond to that. As he exists 1x's apartment, the only thought in his mind is that his cat is a sly little shit, and that she's been using 1x1x1x1's unexpected fondness of cats to recieve extra food.

'I'm not making you fatter than you already are, dang it- less dinner if you're going to eat fish at their place.' He groans.

[Noob]

"I'm telling you- Skate and Boombox are tooootally rad, man- you'd love them!" Coil says, guiding Noob over to the station to Playground.

Noob's only with Coil because Guest 1337 is busy in his own job, having to go to his bouncer job because it's getting late. They've already trained with the two from noon to dusk, and now that Guest is going to be taking the night shift, they're left walking with their friend.

"T-they seem like cool guys!" Noob says, smiling. "They're um- on TV with you, right? In the Phights?"

"Yeah! You should'a seen how Skate zips around all the place!" Coil laughs. "Nobody can lay a hand on him! He's the fastest guy in Playground- even faster than me when I switch to using my Speed form for my gear!"

"I'm still confused if your gear is a Fusion Coil or not..." Noob says, baffled.

"That's only for me and me to know!" The crystal criminal winks, and gets on the aerial tramway station. "Here, follow me- I'll pay for your ticket since you're visiting."

When they got to the ticket booth, Coil scans their Playground ID and puts a few Bux into the machine, waiting for it to process. There's a 'ding' sound as it prints out a visitor ticket for the tram and he hands it to Noob. "It's a two-trip ticket to Playground and back!"

"Thank you!" Noob smiles, and they pocket it. Both of them get onto a crowded tramway and sit down on the seats, watching as the doors close and the scenery around them begins to move.

"Please keep yourself inside of Playground's aerial trams, and hands and feet off the windows. Or don't. We're not responsible for any deaths here, so do what you want." The recording on the speaker plays. "We are now heading to: Central City, Playground."

Noob looks incredibly nervous as the tram begins to move up towards the floating islands in the sky, but Coil reassures him. "Hey, don't worry about it! These trams aren't really attacked, and almost every gang knows not to mess with the place or else the transport companies are gonna have their head..."

"W-wait, they can be attacked?!" Noob squeaks. "I was scared about them falling!"

"Nah. It's more likely that you die from pissing Windforce off than one of these bad boys failing." Coil knocks on the wall of the tram, making one of the strangers growl in annoyance. They don't seem to have a good vibe to them, so Coil backs away.

"S-still..." Noob stutters. Coil sighs, and puts a hand on their shoulder. "Hey, Noob... you don't have to worry, okay? I'm here. And I'll be here to protect you, okay? You gotta be brave!"

"Mhm." Noob feels reassured, if only a bit. It feels nice, to have someone look out for him- even if they were gonna have to face less scary things than just killers running after them.

It takes half an hour or so, but they reach Central Playground with no issue. Noob steps down from the tram and onto the platform below them, with Coil standing behind them.

"See? Not so bad!" He grins, and pulls on their hand. "Come on, come on- let's go!"

Noob watches the area around them in wonder. While Playground was an urban city like Crossroads, the buildings were way less crowded-together and more spread out, with foliage and greenery growing all over them. Shops were literally built into some of the trees like mega-treehouses, and the whole place was colorful and bright.

"Welcome to Playground! Best damn place there is, if you don't mind the crime!" Coil turns around, spreading his arms. "Like the place?"

"It's... amazing!" Noob gushes. They run towards Coil, who leads them towards the residential areas. "His apartment's like, probably on another island- I gotta visit his house first, before anything else."

"Skateboard's got a house?" Noob raises an eyebrow.

"What? Did you think he was homeless?" The Phighter snorts. "Nah, he's got a swanky place. I'm just keeping it nice and tidy for him."

They go towards the outskirts of the floating island, where the apartments tapered off into individual houses. There's a slightly vandalized house in the distance, and Coil walks towards it's front door.

Noob watches as he fumbles with the keys in his pockets and opens the door. It's clear that this place was lived in by both Coil and Skateboard- there's a plastic bag full of trash (mostly chip bags and soda cans), along with a sink piled high with dirty dishes and a messy couch.

"Uhh, make yourself at home here. Where is it, damn..." Coil leaves Noob to sit down on the living room couch, staring at the walls.

There's tons of posters and photos posted everywhere, along with a beanbag chair plopped in the corner. Custom skateboards lined the racks on the side wall, and they were at least 99% sure that it was Skateboard's.

"He seems like a cool guy, with how you're always talking about him..." Noob says. Coil sticks his head up from the basement entrance, grinning. "Yeah! He really is!"

"What about Boombox? I've seen him in Phights, and I've heard some of his music..." They'd decided to check out their friend's taste in music, and apparently Boombox was big on the music scene- big enough that they were friends with Dom and Valk, apparently!

'Then again, I don't think Coil knows it... Shedletsky was bragging about his great-grandkids, and I kinda just remembered that.'

"Boombox's the chillest guy I know. I think he hasn't gotten attacked once living here because he's so chill, and that in itself is damn impressive." Coil hefts up a toolbox, and he gives a huff. "There. I've got my tools and now I can help do some mods to Skate's gear..."

Noob nods, and the two of them leave the house after locking it up securely. Coil takes the tramway over to another city, this time on the ground of the floating island. Noob is kind of just staring over at how different some of the cities looked- while Central Playground was well-put-together and clean, the other places looked run-down or like the slums.

"This is the place?" They ask, getting off the tram to see the new city. It's less bustling, but still cleaner compared to some of the others they've passed by on the tram. Coil nods.

"It's nearest to the edge of Playground and the beginning of Crossroads, so they've got a cheaper air tram there." He notes. "That's why Skate's got a place here- he wants to pay a cheaper monthly fee, and it's quicker to get to Phights that way."

"Oh, okay."

They reach the apartment building, and Noob can hear chatter on the other side of the door. Coil knocks on the door, and the chatter dies down. Footsteps approach the front, and the door opens to reveal Skateboard in all his glory.

"Heyyy, Coil! My man!" He grins, giving Coil a hug and slapping him on the back. "How's it going, bro?!"

"I'm absolutely balling, dude! Even got a new training buddy!" He steps aside and introduces Noob. "This is Noob! They're a chill guy, lives in Crossroads, kinda shy- but they warm up after a while!"

Noob holds out their hand, and Skateboard gives them a fistbump. "Radical! How's training with Coil going, new guy?"

"Um- he's the best!" Noob brightens up, smiling. "He's been helping me learn how to fight better- and I think I've made lots of progress!"

"They're good for a support gear! They can throw a mean punch even with a Bloxy Cola." Coil brags, grinning. "Noob's really got the potential, Skate!"

Noob feels their own self-confidence soar as Coil praises them. Skateboard lets out a snort. "Noob must be a fuckin' blast if you're talking 'bout them like this."

"Haha, they sure are..." Coil leans back on the apartment railing behind him. "Yo, I hard you got yourself a little brother or something?"

"Yeah! Uh-" There's a crash behind him and he looks behind. "Yo, Boombox?! You alright?!"

"Yeah! Me and your little bro are just testing out his sword!" Boombox yells. "Don't worry, he didn't set anything on fire!"

Noob tilts their head. "He's got a little brother?"

"Apparently!" Coil says, just as flabbergasted. "Like, last time I checked, he came outta the spawn on his own- but like, demons adopt all the time. Skate says he picked the kid up from one of the slums." He explains.

Boombox pokes his head through the door. "Hey- nice meeting you, you seem like a groovy guy!" He gives a thumbs up, and looks back. "Hey, kid! Wanna meet Coil and his buddy!"

"Wait for me!" Noob suddenly freezes at the voice, finding that childlike voice familiar. It doesn't have that glitchy distortion that they remember, but it still sends a jolt of terror.

Their worst fears are confirmed when a small figure pushes Boombox to the side, a Faux Firebrand in his hand. Red claw-like antlers sat on the side of a childish propeller hat, and most damningly enough, a red skeleton shirt saying 'team c00lkidd join today!'.

c00lkidd blinks, not recognizing them at first without their yellow skin, but they see their blue and green outfit and immediately step back, guilt and terror filling his face. "Y-you! You're my dad's friend!"

Noob doesn't hesitate, their instincts kicking in as they turn around and jump off the apartment balcony, landing on their feet and sprinting away.

"Noob!" Coil yells at them, worried, and he runs after them. "Noob, come back!

They don't care.  Noob runs all the way deep into the city, their lungs heaving as they deplete their stamina and keep running until the apartment was far out of sight. And even then, they stop to duck in beneath an alleyway.

"Noob!" Coil catches up to them, being far faster in his Speed Coil form and skidding to a halt in front of the alleyway. "There you are! Dude, what was that?! Are you alright?!"

The former Robloxian couldn't answer. Their heart was pounding out of their chest, and they had to reassure themselves by taking their Ghostburger out of their inventory and biting down.

Coil keeps quiet as he watches Noob go near-invisible, standing there and keeping watch over his friend. Itntakes a few minutes for Noob to fully calm down after the invisibility wears off.

"Noob." He reaches out and tentatively pats them on the back. "You okay, bro?"

Noob nods. Coil sits next to them on the grimy alleyway floor. "You wanna talk about it?" Noob sucks in a breath, and exhales slowly.

"It- It's complicated." They say. "It all started when I was- trying to grieve after a friend's death..."

They told him about getting forsakened. About the purgatory they were trapped in, what they and their friends had to endure- and that c00lkidd was one of the monsters hunting them down.

"A-and I know he's just a kid! Sure, I don't like him because he's a hacker and his dad was a hacker too- but at the end of the day, he was just- some ten-year-old that was probably messed up in the head by the same thing that trapped us in there." They say.

Coil stares at them, jaw open and face filled with horror. How else were you supposed to react when you learn that your friend was trapped in hell and forced through a time loop of nothing but death and despair?

"O-oh. Shit, man." He looks to the side, not sure what to do. "Do you, like- want a hug?" Coil opens up his muscular arms.

Noob nods, and they lean forward. The two of them embrace for a while, with Noob clearly being distressed at having seen c00lkidd before.

"I'm- I'm so scared." They whisper. "I can actually die now. No coming back, no respawning- I wanna go home." Noob sniffs, wiping their eyes. "I wanna go back to Robloxia to my house. I wanna s-see my friend's grave again. I wanna-"

"There, there. It's alright, dude." Coil says. "I know it hurts. But you gotta keep it together, okay? I'll take you back to Crossroads so you can tell your friends or something."

"Crossroads... friends- right!" Noob shoots up, their eyes wide. "I gotta tell 007n7 and the admins about this! They'd know what to do!"

Noob tugs on Coil's hoodie and the two get up to run towards the air tram station. They've got to tell the kid's dad that his son is here, after all!

And if c00lkidd was here... that meant the other killers might be out there somewhere in the Inpherno.

[c00lkidd]

He begins to hyperventilate, the Faux Firebrand falling out of his hand and onto the apartment floor. c00lkidd's eyes widen and he scrambles to the balcony, watching Noob run away without a second thought.

"H-hey! Come back!" He shouts, distressed. "Where's my dad?! Is my dad here?! Please!" c00lkidd wants to take out his c00lgui and just fly over to Noob, but he's already lost sight of them. "Please... I..."

"c00lkidd!" Skate pulls him back. "You could've been hurt, little man! Man, Noob seems really scared of you..."

Boombox looks down at the former Robloxian, who's trembling in face, teary-eyed. "Hey, kid- what's wrong? I know it's bad that Coil's new friend ran away, but- did you know them?"

Of course he knows them. He's picked them up by the neck and snapped it far too many times in that purgatory, hit them with his sword, made them go to "sleep"-

But c00lkidd knows better now. They didn't go to sleep, they died in terror. No wonder they looked so scared running away from him.

"I-It's my fault!" He wails, covering his face and crying. "I- They're one of papa's friends! I hurt them! I killed them!"

"What? No!" Boombox looks baffled, trying to reassure the upset child. "They're fine! They look completely fine, kiddo-"

"N-no, I-" c00lkidd sniffs as snot runs down his face and he wipes it off with his sleeve. "I- killed them! The Spectre said I was playing tag, a-and that they were all tired and I needed to make them go to sleep-"

"The- what?" Skateboard is just as confused, but the idea that something, someone being the one to manipulate this kid into killing makes him feel sick to his stomach.

"It's such a meanie!" c00lkidd yells. After all, he's just realized that he's been tricked into hurting others for what feels like ages now. It hurts, it doesn't make sense but it does at the same time- everything's a blur to him.

Skateboard's hand is on his shoulder like a reassuring weight. "We don't blame you, okay? It's whatever the- Spectre's fault is for telling you that."

"Yeah! You're just a little guy- you didn't know any better!" Boombox says. "Hey- why don't you say sorry to them, then? I'll get you to Crossroads and we can figure things out."

"P-papa is in Crossroads?" c00lkidd says, his voice wavering. He's not sure if he should rush over there immediately and teleport to him using the c00lgui, or if he should hide and never see his dad's face again.

He was the one who hurt 007n7. He was the one who made his dad sad all those years, and he can't handle seeing his dad if it was only going to make him cry.

"Yeah, Coil said Noob and his friends were from Crossroads... maybe if we look around we can find your father!" Boombox reassures the child, and picks him up gently. "Come on- I'll get you to the station. They've probably run off already, so it'll be less awkward..."

c00lkidd nods, still sniffing and crying but getting up so he can properly follow them outside of the apartment. The three of them manage to get halfway across the road to the station before someone slams into Skateboard suddenly, making him grunt and roll onto the ground.

Boombox yells out. "Skate!" He looks shocked at getting attacked out of nowhere by a stranger, and the Phighter uses his gear to blast the attacker back and help Skate get back on his feet.

The two Phighters are face-to-face with a small crowd of angry Inphernals, probably around four or five of them- all seemingly gang members from another city.

"So this is where that monster brat is hiding." The leader snarls. He hoists a baseball bat onto his shoulder, glaring directly at c00lkidd.

The former Robloxian squeaks, backing up and pulling out his c00lgui. Before he can use any of the commands, however, someone in the small group throws a brick at the kid and it ends up hitting his had, making him scream.

"Did you think you were gonna get away with killing all those demons, murderer?!" The leader snarls. "You two- get out of our way. We're not letting him get away from us!"

Skateboard gets up, throwing his attacker off and using his gear to bash them on the head. They back up, but are backed up by another Inphernal who uses her guitar to block the board.

"Come on, kid- go!" Boombox grabs c00lkidd by the hand and runs off, Skateboard getting on his gear and rocketing off with them.

They're running towards the station but get cut off by one of the attackers using a Grappling Hook to drag Boombox back, which forces c00lkidd to spin around and use his c00lgui to summon some clones.

"H-hey! Hands off my friend!" The two clones sprint forward, but they're easily dispatched by the other demons. c00lkidd is panicking, and since he's used to only using his restricted moveset that the Spectre gave him, he's not using his c00lgui to the fullest.

"GET BACK HERE!" The demon yells. Boombox, being an experienced Phighter, manages to deafen two of the attackers and knock them out, but the other two end up overwhelming him and knocking him aside to get to c00lkidd.

c00lkidd ends up running into an alleyway, hoping that it would throw them off his trail, and he continues ducking and running into alleyways as Skateboard fights the other two Inphernals off with Boombox.

"L-leave me alone!" He throws a corrupt nature in the general direction of his pursuer, but the slow projectile is dodged and he's left scrambling to run away.

The young boy runs out of stamina, slowing down- and before he can recover, his shirt is grabbed from behind and the attacker's bat is swung directly onto his legs, making him scream out in pain.

"Me? Let you go?" The Inphernal growls, picking him up by the neck and snarling. "After what YOU'VE DONE?!"

c00lkidd squirms around in the stranger's grip, terrified for his life. His hands are occupied trying to pry the man's hand away from his neck rather than access the c00lgui.

"You killed my damn son." The Inphernal seethes. "Your freaky powers killed him, and I'm going to keep his memory alive by getting revenge on YOU."

"H-help! Please!" c00lkidd gasps for air and screams as he feels his throat getting squeezed. His legs are uselessly kicking about, one of them broken from the strike before. "HELP! DAD! PLEASE!"

The stranger only gets more angry at that. "What, did you stop when my son begged for his life? Did YOU stop when he screamed out for his own dad?!"

'I- I didn't know! Please!' c00lkidd thinks. He genuinely didn't know that the other kid was begging for his life- he thought the kid was just begging for his dad because he was a sore loser, n-not that he was killing him!

"DAD! HELP! HEEELP!" c00lkidd is sobbing and hiccuping, trying to pry the hands off his throat. His vision is getting spotty, thrashing around in terror but slowing down as he begins to lose more air...

There's a loud 'WHOOM' as someone lands down on the other side of the alleyway, and they throw something towards c00lkidd's direction, making his attacker yell out in pain and drop them onto the concrete floor.

"O-owie!" c00lkidd lets out a cry as he hits the floor, struggling to get up with his broken leg. When he looks up, however, he freezes- because a familiar figure is standing far away at the end of the alleyway.

Beige antlers tipped in red glitch in and out of reality. A tall, fatherly figure with a copy of the c00lgui- no the original c00lgui- floating at his fingertips as he glares at the Inphernal that dared to hurt his son.

c00lkid's heart swells up in hope as he sees a face that he's longed to see for a month now. "Papa!"

Chapter Text

[007n7]

He'd gotten a gut feeling long before Noob and their friend ran into the pizza place he worked at. 007n7 supposes it's just a parent's instinct, to know when their kid was about to be in danger.

His day was already bad enough working with Elliot, because the guy hated him more than anybody else- but at least Elliot was being nicer to him lately. 007n7's been working with Builderman and the other admins on the weekends to improve the c00lgui and update the code so that it won't break on them, and he's removed some of the more destructive commands that could seriously harm someone.

It doesn't mean that he's powerless, though. It's still got enough power to send someone to their grave if he uses it seriously, and 007n7 wishes the day would never come where he'd have to pick up exploiting again.

Unfortunately, the universe likes make him it's punching bag, and 007n7 has the world's most punchable face. 007n7 is cleaning the counters of the pizza place he's working at when Noob and their friend burst through the front door.

"007n7!" Noob pants, hands on their knees as they lean over to catch their breath. "I- He's here- It's important-!"

"Woah, calm down!" 007n7 goes to help Noob up, making them sit down. "Take it easy, Noob- you can tell me what you need to later. You look like you've run a marathon..."

"What they're trying to say is-" The Inphernal at Noob's sde stutters, trying to figure out what to say. "They freaked otu big time over some kid! Short fella, red antlers and propeller hat-"

007n7 freezes to the spot, eyes wide as Coil continues rambling. "And- well, he's wearing this shirt with 'team c00lkidd join today!'. Skateboard's keeping him safe and Noob didn't know who the kid was until they saw him, and-"

"Where." 007n7 grabs Coil's shoulder, and despite his skinniness he has a firm grip on the boxer. "Where is he."

"H-hey! The kid's safe with Skateboard and Boombox!" Coil yelps. "They've been taking care of him, and Skate says that he's adopted the lil' guy..."

007n7 should feel relieved that c00lkidd is being taken care of, but there's still a sense of mounting dread and tension that he can't shake. "I'm not asking who he's with, I'm asking where!" He half-shouts, trembling as he looks desperate.

Coil throws up his hands defensively. "He's on Playground! Somewhere on the western side, near Crossroads!"

"Damn it, damn it, damn it-" 007n7 summons his c00lgui, his hands shaking. He's got to have some of his old code that he didn't finish fixing up, the one that tells him how much health someone has and all their stats-

He flips through until he can find the Leaderstats- and while there's no 'points' in this world, he can still check up on someone's HP. 007n7 searches up c00lkidd's name, and sees his son at full HP, perfectly fine-

Until it drops. Not by much at first, but then it lowers erratically like he's being attacked.

His son is getting hurt. He needs to go, NOW.

"Noob. Tell the others that I'm going." 007n7 says, frantically typing. "And- Elliot!" Elliot's just walked into the room, and immediately gets furious seeing 007n7 using the c00lgui. "WHAT ARE YOU-"

He can deal with Elliot's anger and feeling of betrayal later. Right now, 007n7 has a son to save and someone to talk to.

"c00lkidd's in danger. Tell Builderman to get to Playground if he wants to find me." The exploiter hastily says. And right after 007n7 inputs his command, he teleports over to c00lkidd.

The world around him warps and he feels the familiar sensation of being pulled to another place. Even with the c00lgui repaired, his teleportation is still off because he hasn't used it much in the month he was in the Inpherno- 007n7 ends up in the middle of a city with Inphernals fighting each other on front of the street.

"Boombox! Help me out here!" One of them pants, dismounting off their red skateboard to block and attack and whack an attacker on the side of her head. "I need some healing here!"

"Gotcha, Skate!" The aforementioned Boombox heals his friend while also pushing back the last attacker, knocking her out and making her grappling hook fall to the floor.

'Skateboard... Boombox...' Those were the two responsible for taking care of his son while he was away, right? So where was his son?!

"You!" 007n7 runs up to Skateboard, and the Phighter must have mistaken him as another attacker because he jabs his helmeted head and horns towards 007n7 in a panic.

It's only quick intervention from 007n7 that he sends out a clone to block it and poof away. Skateboard stumbles back in shock, blinking. "W-wha-?"

"Where is my son." 007n7 is completely serious, partially shaking from anticipation and nervousness. "Where is he. By Robloxia, I swear, if you two have hurt him in any way-"

"Woah woah woah- you're the kid's dad, right?!" Boombox says, shocked. "Where were you?!" He's more worried about how this stranger (who's wearing the same stupid burger hat and outfit as the Robloxian in c00lkidd's photo) was showing up now out of all times.

"I didn't even know he was here!" 007n7 shoots back, his hand going to one of his horns and pulling in stress. "Where is he?!"

Skateboard explains. "Some weirdos attacked us because c00lkidd killed some gang members and civvies... we should have bought him enough time to run away, so why-?"

A panicked scream cuts through the air, and oh god it's his son's voice. 007n7's hands ball up into fists and he uses his c00lgui to increase his speed, akin to his son's walkspeed override.

The exploiter practically bolts over to where the scream was from, his eyes darting over to the alleyway where there were slight burn marks and gashes on the brick wall. He slams into a wall with a 'WHOOM' and grabs a brick from the wall out of sheer anger.

007n7 is met with the sight of c00lkidd being lifted up by his small neck, one of his legs bruised awfully and twisted to the side. He looks different, he looks more innocent compared to when he was hunting them down in that purgatory- and it makes it all the more heart-stopping that he's being hurt.

"HEEELP!" c00lkidd yells, still unaware of his father standing behind his attacker. 007n7 throws the brick in his hand so hard that it goes as fast as a bullet, far faster than c00lkidd's own Corrupt Nature.

The brick slams into the attacker's horn on one side, knocking it off in a bloody mess and making him drop c00lkidd onto the ground.

"O-owie!" He cries, hitting the floor and looking up to 007n7. The man's heart aches when he sees his son look up at him with recognition. "Papa!"

"Kid." His voice is filled with relief and his expression softens, but it quickly shifts back into a steely glare as he regards the attacker in front of him. "Get behind me."

007n7 teleports in front of his son, able to execute the command much quicker and much more precisely now that he knew where he was going. c00lkidd clings to his father's leg, not willing to let go.

"c00lkidd, you can teleport out of here, yes?" 007n7 says, his voice calm as to not scare off his son. c00lkidd shivers, and hugs 007n7's leg tighter. "I don't wanna! You're here!" He sniffles. "I don't wanna let go, papa... please don't go..."

007n7 doesn't want c00lkidd to be in danger. He doesn't want his son to be so close to the fighting, he doesn't want his son to see what he's going to do to this man, because 007n7 doesn't think he'll be able to hold back his sheer rage.

"Kid." 007n7 kneels down to hug c00lkidd, and pats him on the head while muttering softly. "I know you miss me- and papa misses you too. I miss you lots."

"But now isn't the time to stick with papa, okay? You've got a broken leg, and papa's about to fight off a bad guy." 007n7 gets up, c00lgui in hand. "So stick with those nice young men who helped you out, okay?"

"B-big brother? Skateboard?" c00lkidd stutters out, eyes tearing up. "Okay..."

'Big brother?' 007n7 shakes that thought aside for later, and focuses on the matter at hand. "Go. Now. Okay?"

c00lkidd sniffs, and pulls out his own copy of the c00lgui. "O-okay... I love you, papa..."

007n7's expression softens for one last time. "I love you too, kiddo."

007n7 watches as c00lkidd disappears in a second, the air filling with red and black glitches in reality before it subsides. Now with his son safe and sound, away from the danger- he turns his attention to the Inphernal in front of him.

Five- now four- curved horns that menacingly curved upwards. A monochrome batter's outfit, complete with some bandages on his legs and a baseball bat in hand. The attacker snarls, focusing on 007n7.

"You." He bares his teeth, curling his claws inward. "YOU'RE the father of that MONSTER that killed my son."

"..." 007n7 just looks at the man with nothing but cold, calculated anger.

'Time for me to make sure he NEVER hurts my son, ever again.'

[Baseball Bat]

Baseball Bat was a normal Inphernal with a normal life. At least, he was normal by Playground's standards. Barely anyone knew his name anymore, and he would like to keep it that way.

His past was gone and buried, he's turned over a new leaf. Gods, he was such a stupid, reckless man back in his youth- solving his problems with violence and threats, running a gang on the west side of Playground, and serving in the faction war as one of the many nameless soldiers in their army.

He'd go into war thinking it was like the streets. He'd come out of it a changed man, unable to go back to his own gang and run things like before. After all that bloodshed, after seeing allies and friends die from the hands of Blackrock, of Thieves' Den, of any of the other three factions in that brutal war...

He wasn't able to go back to killing and threatening others after he'd learned what it felt like. What it felt like to be helpless, to have a gun to your head, to lose all of your friends and comrades and then have to just... move on after the war ended? It felt impossible for him.

And that was when Baseball Bat ran into Baseball Mitt. Right after the war had ended, when Playground was in chaos and disarray more than usual.

He'd run into the small spawnling when he tried to do a heist for his gang. The poor thing must have crawled out of the spawn and wandered around for a day or two without food.

Mitt was tiny. Only up to his thigh in height, and Baseball Batt had picked him up and taken him under his wing.

No more violence. No more bloodshed. He'd figured out the hard way- that kind of life wasn't for him or anyone else. Bat would be damned if he'd let his son go down the same path that he did.

Taking care of a newly-spawned Inphernal was harder than he'd given it credit for. Even with all the Bux he'd stored up from his criminal days, Baseball Bat had trouble stretching out the money to feed and clothe the child, and even spent money on other baseball equipment for his son.

He loved his son. He'd go through the Faction War again if it meant that Baseball Mitt would be safe.

This is the kid he's raised all on his own, taught about how to use his gear effectively and how to play baseball (even if not a lot of Inphernals care for sports outside of Phighting)- the same kid that he tucked into bed every night and turned the night light on for because Mitt was afraid of the dark.

Baseball Bat knew that Playground, much less the slums, was no place for a kid. It was a fortune to move out to Central Playground, and going to Crossroads would have still kept them poor, so- he would just live here quietly and save up his money from odd jobs here and there.

He should have left this gods-damned faction. He should have left. Because maybe then, he wouldn't have to come back home to empty house, spend hours looking for his beloved son only to find...

"Mittens?" He called out, stepping through the abandoned building. "Kid, are you there?"

He sees Baseball Mitt lying down on the ground a few feet away from him, slumped over some debris and with wounds all over his body. Sword slashes, burns, and bruises littered his arms.

"MITTENS!" Baseball Bat rushes over to his son, picking him up gently. "Mittens? Wake up, kid- t-this isn't funny!"

Baseball Mitt's head is hanging limply from his snapped neck. Bat is still in denial, shaking his son's body and trying to wake him up. Maybe, just maybe, this was some cruel prank from his son-

"Kid! Wake up!" He raises his voice. "You're scaring your dad here!"

"Mittens! WAKE UP!"

Silence. Nothing but silence greeted him- no small rise and fall of his son's chest, no heartbeat to feel under his claws, and worst of all, no response in that familiar happy voice.

No more waking up to a cheery 'Good morning, papa!' from his son. No more of his son pouting whenever he used that silly nickname for him. No more hearing his son laugh and cheer in victory whenever he caught the ball and tagged a runner.

"No... no no no no NO!" The reality of it all hits Baseball Bat, and he begins to shake. He hugs his son's cold body close, claws digging into Mitt so harshly that the body bleeds a bit. He immediately feels a sense of revulsion, disgust at hurting his own son- before he remembers that Mitt's no longer there and he's just holding a dead body.

Baseball Bat had never felt this much despair in his entire life. Not when he was running his own gang and committing crimes, not when he had to fight in the Faction war. But this.

His son. His poor, poor son. He didn't deserve this.

From that point forward, Baseball Bat threw away all of his efforts at trying to become a better person. He didn't CARE that several years of his life was spent working towards a better life for himself and his son- because now that was gone, he can't have anything else.

He NEEDS revenge. NEEDS it so much that the blood in his body boils with every clue he gets to his son's murderer, so much so that his veins feel like liquid fire and his hand clenches so hard that he draws his own blood with his claws.

He called in favors from old gang members. Told them that he was going for one last mission, that he'd needed some stuff to make someone disappear like the good ol' days.

Bat needs to avenge his son, get rid of whatever FILTH took his dear child away from the Inpherno. He needs blood on his baseball bat, needs an excuse to bash someone's head in-

And he hesitated a bit. Hesitated when he figured out that his son's murderer is just a kid, but it doesn't matter.

c00lkidd killed his son. He must die. That's all there is to it. It doesn't matter how much this little brat cries, he's still going to kill him. Make the death quick, at least, so he doesn't feel guilty about this.

But right as Baseball Bat was about to end the kid's life, he hears something from behind him and suddenly pain erupts from his right horn.

"GAH!" He's knocked to the ground, clutching his bleeding side as he tries to stop his vision from going blurry.

'Damn it, damn it- DAMN IT ALL!' His vision is blurry, he's feeling light-headed from the loss of a horn- but Baseball Bat pulls onward and jabs a needle into his arm. He heals up with the medicine he's prepared and tosses the needle aside, looking up.

That red-antlered kid is babbling and crying, clinging to the leg of an Inphernal around his age. The man was comforting c00lkidd, patting him on the head and gently telling him to run away. He's got beige antlers, slightly tipped red like the monster's- no, his son's antlers.

Red. Baseball Bat saw red. He could blame the kid, yes- but why do that when he could blame his father instead? After all, that son of a bitch must have raised c00lkidd wrong if that kid ended up murdering innocent people.

It was much easier to pin the blame on an adult and murder him instead of doing it to a kid.

As c00lkidd teleported away, Baseball Bat stumbles to his feet, getting up slowly and snarling. "You. YOU'RE the father of that MONSTER that killed my son."

The other Inphernal just stares at him with a cold, calculating look. There's no response. "Aren't you?" Baseball Bat takes a step forward. "Aren't you?!"

"ANSWER ME, YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE!" He dashes forward, gear in hand and ready to bash this bastard's head in- but 007n7 disappears right in front of his eyes with a flick of his hand.

Baseball Bat lets out a frustrated yell. "AUUUUGH! Face me, gods damn it!"

He's hit in the shoulder with the tell-tale sting of a bullet from a ranged gear. Baseball Bat whips his head up to see 007n7 crouched on the top of a building, gun in hand.

"Stay away from my son." His voice is carefully level, as if trying not to show the anger bubbling within. "I don't know who you are or what you want from him- if you've got a problem, you take it to me."

"Bull. Fucking. Shit!" The former gang leader gestures with his weapon, and begins ducking and weaving between the debris of the alleyway, using it as cover for the bullets.

Baseball Bat hears the gun click empty, then the tell-tale sound of a reload- and he uses the opportunity to grab one of the metal railings of the apartment and clamber up, getting up to 007n7's level in no time.

With a yell, he charges at the man- but 007n7 only looks at him with that same calm, angry look and uses the gun to block his melee attack, stepping back.

"That's your son, right? That fucking freak?!" Baseball Bat snarls. He uses his claws to try and swipe at 007n7, but the man simply steps back and prepares to teleport again, this time to another rooftop nearby. "You're the reason why he killed my son, huh?!"

007n7's expression softens a bit to a guilty expression- and Baseball Bat takes it as a confirmation. "I knew it." He snarls. "Scum like you don't deserve to be parents."

Because no normal kid would be that strong and violent unless they're TRAINED to be that way. Baseball Bat reckons that 007n7's one of those Inphernals, the ones who only adopt kids because they want to continue their legacy as soldiers.

Baseball Bat, in short, thinks 007n7 is an abusive prick. He doesn't know that the man was just dragged out of a purgatorial hellscape, that his son was manipulated by the Spectre into thinking that killing was just some game of tag, that 007n7 went through hell and back just to see his son again.

He sees none of that. All he sees is a target and someone he can kill to avenge his own son.

"You should just DIE already!" He snarls, taking his bat and swinging it at 007n7 with a sickening 'CRACK'.

It should have killed him. His bat is right there, stuck in the skull of that stupid glasses-wearing prick- but there's no blood, only the feeling like he's crumpling something less sturdy than bone.

007n7 stands behind his own clone, watching as his fake replica disappears in front of him. He narrows his eyes, glaring at Baseball Bat.

"I'm not dying. Not now, not ever." Because 007n7 just saw that his son was alive, and wasn't chasing around or killing him. No.

"And since it looks like you're trying your hardest to kill me..." 007n7 types in his c00lgui one-handed, with the type of skill and precision you only saw with experience.

Baseball Bat tries to hit 007n7 once again, locking his eyes onto the real man so that he's sure he's not getting a clone. The bat crashes into a blue force field, knocking the former father back and making him stumble.

007n7 begins to float in the air, looking down at Baseball as his glasses glint from the streetlights in the dark. With a swipe of his hand and the unanchor command, the buildings nearby crumble apart and disassemble like Legos, blasted back from the sheer force.

"You're going to see exactly why you should be afraid of ME instead of my son." He snaps his fingers.

And the world

goes

black.

[Boombox]

Today has been a totally un-radical day- first c00lkidd gets all upset and freaked out over Coil's new friend, and now there were these gang members attacking them!

Boombox was currently using his gear to heal up c00lkidd while the poor little guy was carried by Skateboard, wincing as his broken leg was jostled. Skateboard had him slung over his back, racing to the tram station to get the fuck out of Playground while c00lkidd's dad fought with the former gang leader.

"That's your dad?!" Skateboard shouts, still baffled at how the guy managed to teleport all the way here. And he thought teleportation gears were supposed to be weaker than that!

Boombox mumbles to himself. "I'm kinda worried, dude... his pop's kinda..."

"I know that guy looks like he's gonna snap in half like a twig, but we don't got the time!" Skateboard says. "He's buying us time so we get to the station, so move it!"

"I know, I know, Skates! But that poor guy looks kinda weak!" Boombox complains. He finishes healing up c00lkidd, but the kid is still sniffling and crying.

"H-hey! My dad's not weak!" c00lkidd complains. "He's the strongest hacker ever! He's like, super strong!"

"Come on, lil' guy..." Boombox says reassuringly. He's pretty sure that a skinny, scrawny Inphernal like 007n7 was going to be dead meat once Baseball Bat landed a hit on him. "I'm sure he's got a very strong support gear. But you gotta calm down-"

There's a 'THWOOM' as the entire sky around Playground goes dark. There's the sound of buildings crumbling, along with a massive red beacon of light that crashes down on the alleyway where 007n7 just entered. The sky fills up with red text saying 'team c00lkidd join today!'.

Skateboard and Boombox stare at that for a second. c00lkidd sniffs, and although he's still upset, he cracks a small grin.

"Papa's really strong! He's the one who made my c00lgui!" c00lkidd chirps. "So he's waaay better at using it!"

"I... thought you said he was a hacker." Skateboard says, slowly rolling towards the station and boarding the next aerial tram. Boombox gets on as well, with c00lkidd being placed gently down on the seat.

"He is! He used to go trolling and all that cool stuff-" c00lkidd rambles, scooting to the side. "And papa used to mess with a loooot of places by breaking stuff and setting everything on fire, so the admins got really mad at him but he escaped-"

'Hacker.' Boombox realizes that oh, c00lkidd's dad's gear was the weird reality-breaking thing that c00lkidd used to terrorize people. 'Broooo... his dad's like, hacking into reality?!'

It's kinda scary, to be honest. Boombox's never heard of a gear that powerful. But he's just glad that 007n7's anger is directed at that angry guy trying to attack them and not himself or Skakteboard, so that was a win.

"I wanna see papa again when he's done..." c00lkidd says, quieting down to a murmur. "I... papa says he still loves me, but I don't want him to be angry..."

"That'll be another problem for later, kiddo." Skateboard says.

[Baseball Bat]

"RAAAH!" He charges again, dodging the bricks and debris thrown at him by the exploter. 007n7 cuts a terrifying figure, floating in the air completely still while typing away at his c00lgui. "WHY WON'T YOU JUST GET DOWN HERE AND FIGHT?!"

"..." 007n7 looks disinterested. It only serves to piss him off further. "AAAAAGH!"

"It's clear that you're not going to stop until you kill my son." 007n7 says. "A shame. I wanted to talk things out, take you to the authorities..."

"Oh, stop actin' like you care about that brat. What kinda father ends up with their son killin' people?" Baseball Bat accuses him of being a terrible caretaker. "I bet he got all that from you- you monster."

007n7 flinches again, but keeps his cool. But Baseball Bat misinterprets it as a sign to keep going, to throw his opponent off his game.

"What, are you going to kill him first? From the looks of it, you're going to beat him black and blue the moment you go back to him." Bat snarls. "And I HATE-"

007n7 snaps at the accusation, fury blazing in his eyes as he slams his fist on his c00lgui. "I would NEVER harm my son in the way you did! Don't you DARE SPEAK ABOUT HIM IN THAT WAY!"

A flair of his hands, and seven of his clones glitch into existence. Baseball Bat actually stalls in place, shocked and afraid- because all of those clones are holding the mother-fucking SFOTH swords.

"Get him." 007n7 hisses, and his clones spring into action.

Baseball Bat has to drag himself out of his terrified stupor to block the first incoming attack, his teeth gritted.

'What kind of MONSTER is he?!' His mind is panicked. These are the SFOTH swords- doesn't matter if they're some kind of copy and they're weaker than the real SFOTH. He's still feeling like he's fighting against a literal god.

A god. Is that what 007n7 was? Some kind of freak accident that caused him to be divine, to be spawned with this much power?

Baseball Bat fucking hates it- his bat manages to knock out one of the clones, bashing it's skull in. It drops it's Icedagger copy, both the clone and the gear flickering out of existence.

'They're not invincible- I have a chance!' Baseball Bat continues to dodge and swing masterfully- he's no swordfighter, but all those years running a gang means that he's damn good with his gear. And 007n7's clones were just that- clones. They didn't share the same intelligence as him, and they were the equivalent of mindless NPCs.

The Firebrand-wielding clone goes down next, Baseball dodging it's heavy swing and kicking it down to the ground. He slams his gear onto it's face again, making it shatter and glitch out of existence. Then comes the Windforce, and then the Illumina...

He's fighting seven demons at once, all with the SFOTH swords. He's sustained hits, yeah, but Baseball Bat keeps pushing on. His adrenaline and pure rage is keeping him moving, dodging and weaving between every fatal blow and taking down 007n7's clones.

Bash. Swing. Weave. 'CRACK'. Baseball Bat's weapon hits another one. Five down, two to go.

The Darkheart comes swinging down, and Baseball Bat snarls. "You're this bad, even with the SFOTH swords? Pathetic!" He dispatches of the clone, watching it glitch out and disappear. Only one left.

But Baseball Bat makes a mistake. The Venomshank clone gets too close, moves a bit too unpredictably- and the tip of the blade pierces his side. "AAAGH-!"

Immediately, the area goes numb. A wave of nausea rolls over him- he manages to swing his weapon one more time, taking care of the clone- but it's too late.

His vision doubles. He's grasping that side like it's a lifeline, literally feeling the acidic venom travelling up his body.

"This could have ended differently." 007n7 says coldly. "But you had to hurt my son, didn't you?"

"I- ghhck-!" He lets out a grunt of pain, leaning on one of the destroyed walls. "Ahahaha! I could say the same thing- to you!"

Baseball Bat never left his home without his trusty baseball, always having it in his pants pocket. He tries to reach for it, but his right hand is already affected by the Venomshank's poison and is trembling.

He falls down on one knee, collapsing to the concrete debris below. 007n7 looks at him for a moment, and then slowly lowers himself down, his feet touching the ground gently.

"I'm sorry." 007n7 says. His apology is genuine- he doesn't want to be doing this. "Maybe if things were different... if my son didn't find out about my past and decided to do- this... we could have been friends."

Baseball Bat can't breathe normally, the Venomshank's poison making it so that he has to heave his lungs with more effort. If it was the real Venomshank, he would have been quickly zombified and been brain-dead- but since this was merely a copy, Baseball Bat was going to die a slow, painful death as his body shut down.

"If... things were different..." His mind drifts. What was his son doing when he was gone? What happened to poor, poor Mitt- what did c00lkidd do to him?

Mitt was running for his life, his chest heaving and panting as he darts across Playground's alleyways. Eerie laughter echoes through the alleys as c00lkidd trails right behind him.

"A new friend!" The red-horned Inphernal chirps, Faux Firebrand in hand and c00lgui summoned in the other. "And we're playing tag! Yaaay!"

The Spectre had taught him that running away meant that a friend wanted to play tag, after all- and it was his duty as 'it' to tag them and make them go to bed. How fun!

Mitt, on the other hand, was crying and wailing as c00lkidd chased him with the bloodstained sword, blood splattered all over his hands and clothes. "Come on! Let me tag you!"

"PAPA! PAPA!" He screams for his dad. "HEEEELP!"

"Aw, no fair!" c00lkidd laughs, thinking that Mitt was only trying to get out of the game because he was close to being tagged. "Don't bring your papa here! I wanna tag you!"

The young Inphernal takes a sharp turn, slamming into a brick wall with a whimper. He keeps on sprinting, but his lungs are beginning to burn.

"PAPA!" He yells, his voice beginning to get quiet from exhausion. "P-papa! Please..."

Mitt can't last forever. He slows down, just enough for c00lkidd to catch up and-

"Tag! Yooou're it!" c00lkidd's Faux Firebrand slashes through Mitt's chest protector, making him bleed. The kid screams, his adrenaline making him run in a burst of speed.

He ducks through another alleyway and tries to hide in an abandoned building. Baseball Mitt forces himself to breathe more quietly, even if it makes him light-headed...

"Hmm, where ARE you, buddy?" c00lkidd giggles. "I didn't know we were playing hide and go seek!"

Mitt wants to sob. He wants to see his dad again. He wants Baseball Bat to hug him close and protect him from this scary bully- but even though he begs and PLEADS for his father, over and over again... Baseball Bat isn't answering.

It's his fault that he wanted to go out by himself today. It's his fault for not listening to his father's warnings not to wander around the abandoned areas of Playground, where gangs were.

And look where he was now. Mitt clamps a hand over his mouth, squeezing his eyes shut.

"Rattle 'em, boys!" c00lkidd uses his c00lgui to summon his pizza clones, which slowly and steadily stalked towards where Mitt was hiding. The poor kid's horns were too big, peeking out behind the counter he was hiding.

Mitt opens his eyes, trying to see if the other kid monster was gone- and screams as he's grabbed and thrown to the ground, the pizza clones surrounding him.

"Gotcha!" c00lkidd giggles as the pizza clones explode into flame, setting Baseball Mitt on fire.

The kid screams, trying to roll around and get the fire off of himself. c00lkidd grabs him by the neck, giggling. "I told you- you're supposed to be it! I guess I didn't tag you hard enough to feel it!"

Mitt thrashes and spasms as he's lifted up, c00lkidd's monstrous strength focused all on his tiny neck.

"Lemme tag you again, pal!" c00lkidd's grip tightens, and before he knows it, Mitt's neck makes a sickening  CRACK.

The thought sickens Baseball Bat. It makes him feel guilty that he wasn't there for his son, despair at the fact that he's failed to avenge his son- and RAGE.

"I REFUSE TO DIE HERE!" He roars, forcing his affected arm and side to move, wielding his gear in his non-dominant arm. "I REFUSE!"

Baseball Bat rushes towards 007n7, intending to get at least one damn swing on that bastard- only for the hacker to stop it with his bare hand and use his c00lgui again.

"You're... probably a great guy." 007n7 seems to have calmed down, seeing the damage he's done to Baseball Bat already. He's about to die, making a last stand against 007n7.

If this was some sort of shounen anime, maybe Baseball Bat could have avenged his son. Maybe he could have beaten 007n7, against all odds- but the Inpherno wasn't a shounen anime. This wasn't a game to him.

007n7 was a former exploiter that devastated cities with his hacking. Baseball Bat was just a gang leader that was good at fighting. It was obvious who would win.

"Tool Stealer." 007n7 says. Baseball Bat's gear disappears from his hand, and he feels the strength leave him. "It's not really a useful command, back where I came from... but here, it seems to work on your gears."

His gear. It's... gone. He can't summon it back. Baseball Bat collapses onto the ground, this time for good- his body doesn't have the strength to get up after the Venomshank's poison spreads more, numbing his body and making it harder to breathe.

"I'm... sorry. I really am." 007n7 looks down at him, standing up above his body.

Baseball Bat's vision is getting blurry now. He reaches out, watching as his vision goes dark. "N-no... no..."

'Damn it, please- just one more chance, one more...' He sucks in a labored breath, his body becoming paralyzed. Baseball Bat begins to see his life slowly flash before his eyes.

The first time he joined a gang in Playground. The friends he made, the golden years of his youth. His recklessness, the war, loss, changing himself-

His son. The first time he'd ever picked up his son, the first time he'd tucked Baseball Mitt into bed and played catch with him and called him 'Mittens'-

The Sword-shaped breakfast he made his son before he disappeared. The way his son seemed tired and bored, asking if he could go out and explore... the last time he saw his son.

'I'm so sorry... Mittens...' Baseball Bat closed his eyes for the final time in his life. 'I'll be seeing you. Later. Papa's just... tired.'

'Please. I'll wake up, and I'll see you face again.'

'It's all just... a bad dream.'

[007n7]

He's... done it. He beat the guy that hurt his son. That stranger will never hurt his son ever again.

But 007n7 feels terrible. He did the one thing he promised never to do again, and now he's got a dead body on his hands. Inphernals didn't respawn like Robloxians, he's killed a person.

He's a murderer. A monster. Just like how he was in the past. God, he hasn't changed one big, hasn't he?

007n7's hands tremble as he looks down at the corpse near his feet. This wasn't just someone who wanted to kill c00lkidd for no reason, no- this was a grieving father, like him. Someone who's kid was ripped away from him far too soon, someone who had to probably find the body and didn't believe it and didn't know-

Bile rises up in his throat. 007n7 stumbles over to the trashcan in the alleyway, throwing up. Oh god, he's killed someone. The thought echoes over and over in his head.

'You killed someone. Someone who was just like you.'

'He's gone forever now. You killed someone, like how your son killed you, like how your son killed that man's kid.'

'Like father, like son.'

'He learned from the best, didn't he?'

His thoughts echo in his head as he spirals into distress, the black skybox created by the c00lgui finally flickering away. There's chaos in the streets, mostly from the Playgrounders that were awake this late to witness the sky turn black and red.

'My fault. My fault, my fault, my fault-'

007n7 wants to disappear forever. To finally face the punishment someone as monstrous and worthless as him deserved. But he also had a son to take care of. A son who he just learned was alive and well here.

He wants to die. He wants to live. It makes no sense. It makes him feel sick, guilty, angry, confused-

007n7 hears the sound of someone landing in the alleyway next to him. The shifting and clanking of heavy armor makes him look up.

"So you're the one causing all this ruckus." Windforce snarks, crossing her arms. She's got her blade in one hand- a clear threat. "What are you doing here in Playground, and what did you just do?"

"..." 007n7 squeezes his eyes shut. "Just take me to the Ban Lands already."

"I don't want to be out here."

[Baseball Bat and his son, Baseball Mitt]

Character designs and art by smoob_whiskers!

[Extras]

• He'll always be proud of his son for being better than him.

• A harmless game of tag.

Chapter Text

[Windforce]

She'd arrived late to the party. What a shame- she'd thought there'd be some heads left to bash!

Windforce thrived off the thrill of combat, she lived for it. She was as free as the skies and as powerful as a hurricane, and she made sure that every damn mortal on the Inpherno's earth knew it.

She was not merciful in dealing with criminals. The hand of divine justice wavered for nobody. But in certain circumstances, she did take pause.

Like now, for example. Here was this scrawny-looking thing without a scratch on his body, looking all distressed as he leaned on an alleyway wall, a dead body on the floor. He looks familiar. Where has she seen him before...?

"So you're the one causing all this ruckus." She wasn't there to witness whatever was going on, but the random red beacon of light and the sky turning black and red was enough to tell her that this guy did something.

She needs answers. "What are you doing here in Playground, and what did you just do?"

The man simply looks down, ashamed. His horns flicker from a bright red to a more bland beige color, like he's powering down from whatever happened. "... Just take me to the Ban Lands already.." He mutters. "I don't want to be out here."

"Quick and straight to the point, huh? Feeling guilty that you killed someone?" Windforce's grin is sharp. "You don't see that everyday in Playground. But that's not what I'm asking you."

She points to the sky. "I'm asking what you did with your gear to make all of Playground look like that." She snorts. "And Team c00lkidd? You're connected to those weirdo upstarts?"

"... What?" He looks baffled.

"Don't play dumb with me- I know you've got something to do with those dumbasses in red shirts down in south Playground!" Windforce raises her holy blade at him, narrowing her eyes. "Those folks have been babbling about some red-antlered kid going around and killing people- so who is it?!"

007n7 looks conflicted. His eyes dart to Baseball Bat's body on the floor, then back to Windforce. "N-no, they must be mistaken- I..."

(He doesn't know what to do. He NEEDS to return to his son. He needs to. His son didn't know what was going on, but- can't he just take the punishment in c00lkidd's place?)

"It was my fault." He says. 007n7 is lying through his teeth, hoping that Windforce would pin the blame on him instead of looking for his son. "I- I did that."

Windforce looks him up and down. She hisses. "Liar." The deity of the skies grabs him by his shirt, pulling him up. "They said it was a kid. You're no new-spawn- so either tell me who that little shit is or you're going to go down WITH him."

"I don't want to do this." He panics. 007n7 struggles his hand reaching to summon his c00lgui- but the guilt of having recently killed someone makes him freeze up. "Please, l-leave my son alone- h-he didn't know any better, he's only ten-"

"Any damn Inphernal worth their gear knows what they're doin' at that age!" Windforce roars. 007n7 decides to use a last-ditch effort.

"I'M NOT AN INPHERNAL, THOUGH!" He yells, panicked. Windforce stops. 007n7 pants. "I- My son... isn't either. Just- Call Builderman and Shedletsky. They... they'll handle my punishment."

Windforce blinks, and then narrows her eyes. "Oh, you're one of father's... mortal friends." She says. "A Robloxian, yes?"

"I- yes, that's right. He- he told you about us, right?" 007n7 gulps.

Windforce thinks back to that talk she and some of the other SFOTH had with their creator. Robloxians were supposed to respawn, and only die under unknown circumstances. 'Don't tell me this damn... freak didn't know about Inphernals being mortal. Ugh.'

She doesn't know what to do- it's not written in any laws or something about what a SFOTH should do if a "Robloxian" or whatever the hell her father's original species was kills an Inphernal.

"Your son, huh." She scoffs. "Is he used to... Robloxian mortals 'respawning'?"

"I- I told him so." 007n7 mutters. "He doesn't know that we can actually die, and I- I didn't want him to feel guilty or scared about knowing that, so- he just thinks that they're sleeping. Please." He begs.

007n7 isn't fighting against Shedletsky's kid. He's already on thin ice for doing this, if they don't decide to just- ban him already and be done with it.

"I just want to see my son again. You- you can throw me in the Ban Lands after that, I just want to see him- one last time-" He begs, his eyes tearing up. "Please!"

Windforce is weighing her options. "Hm." 'He's not an Inphernal- well, not originally. And if that's the case- Builderman should deal with him, right?'

"Fine. But your verdict's gonna be from Builderman and Shedletsky. Got it?!"

"Y-yes. I'll... I'll do it." 007n7 wipes his tears, stuttering. "I- I'll get going with you." He glances down at the dead body again, wincing. "But he..."

"Doesn't matter. I'll send my son over to investigate the body, figure out who you killed." Windforce says, grabbing 007n7 by the arm. Her muscled hand dwarfed the skinny hacker's forearm as she slapped handcuffs on his wrists. "Follow me."

She teleports him over to where she knows Builderman would be at this time of day- with the other mortal survivors he was so fond of.

007n7 doesn't stumble or get sick at the sudden teleportation like most Inphernals do- he's used to teleporting around with his own c00lgui, after all. He looks relieved that he doesn't have to face Baseball Bat's dead body, reminding him that he was a literal murderer now.

However, when 007n7 looks up- he thinks that maybe he should have stayed back there in that alleyway and taken some time before he could face his teammates again.

On the side of the apartment common room, Guest 1337 is arguing with Skateboard and Boombox, while Coil is desperately trying to mediate the whole argument. Noob is cowering behind Guest.

Taph was also in the corner of the room, trying to look innocent and like he was just Builderman's buddy and not the guy that blew up Blackrock (although Windforce didn't know that). All three of the admins are standing there with a variety of incredibly disappointed and pissed expressions, with Builderman looking like he's about to whoop 007n7's ass personally.

The worst of it all? Elliot was in front of everybody else, fists clenched, eye twitching, and looking absolutely livid at the sight of 007n7 standing there.

"H-hey. Elliot." 007n7 holds his hands up, backing up from the furious pizza delivery worker. "I swear, I- I used it for a good reason-"

"You pulled that shit and teleported out. During closing shift. And made ME do all the work!" He yells. "I thought you were going to wreck my job again, but nooooo! You decided to ruin everything somewhere else, didn't you?!"

"Damn it Elliot, I'm sorry! But- my son, he was in danger-"

"Your son, who I remind you, is the same MONSTER that kept chasing us around for YEARS in that DEATH GAME killing us!" Elliot snaps. "What kind of danger was he in, anyways? Huh?! He's got the damn c00lgui!"

"HE was about to DIE, Elliot!" 007n7 defends his son. "I would never, ever do that without a good reason! Someone was trying to kill him!"

"Like how he was trying to kill us all those years?!"

"HE DIDN'T KNOW ANY BETTER!"

Windforce just watches the altercation unfold, an unamused look on her face. Her expression softens, however, when she sees Shedletsky.

"Hey, father." She says. "This is one of your... friends, yeah?"

"... Yeah."

[007n7]

He hates this. Hates the feeling of guilt and disgust and self-hatred that was squeezing his heart, the fact that he'd killed someone with his c00lgui permanently-

Builderman took his time verbally tearing 007n7 a new one after Elliot finished his own tirade, and the other survivors all had their eyes on him.

By Robloxia, he hates this so much. All those eyes on him, judging, full of fear and hatred and the quiet, unsaid 'I knew it. You never changed'. The only reason why 007n7 didn't just bolt out of here already was because it was only going to make things worse, and... he still wanted to see his son after this.

"I ain't BELIEVE ya made a wreck outta' Playground, right after we LET you keep and fix yer c00lgui!" Builderman complains. His horns lengthen a bit with his anger. "Yeah, it's self defense- but you killed someone! What in tarnation were you THINKING?!"

007n7 squeezes his eyes shut, gritting his teeth. "I'm sorry. I- you can throw me in the Ban Lands if you want, I- I know I deserve it-"

"Oh no no no." Builderman pinches the bridge of his nose. "No, that darn place here ain't gonna hold a hacker like you. Do you KNOW how flimsy that place's security is?!"

Looks like Ban Hammer told Builderman about Broker's escapades from the prison. Hell, Robloxia's version of the Ban Lands barely had any escapees, much less repeat ones- so the Inpherno's Ban Lands were FAR less secure compared to it.

"007n7." Builderman says, sighing. He still looks angry, but he forces himself to calm down, his horns receding a bit. "Fine. If it were up to me, I'd be throwin' you in prison- but from what these two young men were tellin' me, he's the one who tried attackin' you first."

Skateboard and Boombox were kinda just. Awkwardly standing there with Coil now, feeling like they were seeing something personal that they really shouldn't be seeing.

"So. Um." Coil glances at Skateboard and Boombox. "You two know too? About... them not being Inphernals?"

"Yup." Skateboard looks sheepish at this. "The lil' dude told us about his dad and all that... gods, he looked all sad and guilty."

"That little guy killed people?" Coil can't really believe it- c00lkidd was tiny compared to him, and he was sure that the kid was only ten or something. Then again, 007n7 looked like a twig and Playground looked like the end times for an hour during his crashout.

"He- didn't know he was killing before we had to convince him." Boombox says. "Bro... it's so messed up. He was stuck in like, this weird place for a really long time and something called 'the Spectre' told him he was tagging people..."

Coil thinks back to Noob's account of what they'd faced in that purgatory. "Shit, that sucks man... Like, I think Noob and Guest's friends had to run from him. It's..." The idea kinda makes Coil sick to his stomach.

007n7's already got handcuffs on his hands from Windforce, and while he could break out of them at any time- he doesn't. It's more just a gesture of his seriousness.

"Look." Builderman sucks in a breath. "Yer kid's safe and sound now. We've been debating what to do with him ever since Skateboard and Boombox dragged him here."

"I- please, let me see him." 007n7 doesn't care he's going to the Ban Lands, he just needs to see his son, comfort him-he barely got to reunite with c00lkidd.

He knows it's greedy of him to want to be let off the hook just so he can take care of his son and try to give him back his childhood, but... this is his fault. It's HIS exploiting that killed another grieving father, his fault that he blew his chance at redeeming himself in the eyes of the admins and the other survivors.

He deserves this. Not... not his son.

Builderman glances at Shedletsky, and the other admin pauses and nods. Dusekkar turns away, muttering something under his breath.

The head admin of Robloxia turns back. "... Fine. Go ahead- calm the kid down. He's been crying non-stop when he got here..." He gestures towards 007n7's apartment door.

007n7 immediately gets up from his seat, slipping past all of his fellow survivors and going to his door. He goes through, gently closing it behind him and turning around.

His heart aches at the sight. There's some paper with crayon scribbles all around. Some of the paper is slightly burnt, some of it is crumpled up- but most of them have watery tear stains.

'Oh.' 007n7's not sure if the guilt of killing a man is worse than this- knowing that he's made his son cry. 'He... no, I left him again. He must hate me.'

007n7, when raising c00lkidd, had to take so many jobs just to pay the bills and keep himself and his kid fed well. He at least tried to look out for his son during his breaks, but... there were always long stretches of time during the day where c00lkidd would be unsupervised.

That's why his son managed to sneak out and use his c00lgui without him knowing for weeks. That's how c00lkid went missing, and-

...

It's 007n7's fault. It always circled back to him. Always his fault.

The father pushes open his bedroom door, hearing the sniffling and crying on the other side. c00lkidd is laying on his bed, hugging a pillow and crying into it.

"Kid...?" He says quietly, reaching his hand out. c00lkidd turns around, eyes still puffy from crying. "P-papa?"

The two stare at each other for a while. 007n7 takes a step forward, and before he knows it, he's got his arms wrapped around his son in a tight hug.

"c-c00lkidd- I- you-" He hiccups, tears rolling down his own face. "You're safe. You're- you're here. Oh gods, you're safe and sound and..." 007n7 can't believe it. Finally, after all those years, after all that pain- he... he can hug his son without the fear of death.

c00lkidd stiffens up, looking afraid. 007n7 feels his heart drop. "S-son?" 'Please, PLEASE don't hate me for leaving you behind. Please don't hate me for failing you. Please don't be afraid that I killed...'

"P-papa... why don't you run away?" He whimpers. "Why don't you hate me?"

"Why? Why would I hate you?" Because in no way would 007n7 ever feel an ounce of hate for the dear son he raised.

"I killed so many friends!" c00lkidd begins sobbing again, burying his face in the blanket. "I- it's not tag! I- I hurt everyone! I hurt your friends, I hurt YOU! I killed-"

007n7 grabs his son and hugs him closer. "Kid- calm down, papa's here for you." He pats his son on the head, gently whispering.

Internally, he doesn't know what to feel. Relieved that his son finally won't kill another person again? Horrified that this this was how his son figured out? Disappointed in himself for not telling his son sooner and sparing him this... pain?

"I- I killed you! Why... why do you still care?" c00lkidd tries to squirm away- he manages to get away with his strength, burying himself in the blankets and pillows. "Why?! I-"

c00lkidd lets out a muffled cry of anguish. He feels like he doesn't deserve to be 007n7's son. Not after what he's done. "I'm so sorry... I'm sorry, I'm sorry-"

007n7's expression softens, and he gently lifts the blanket to look c00lkidd in the eye. "Son. Look at me." c00lkidd sniffs and whines again, eyes watery as he buries himself again. "It's- it's not your fault, okay? You didn't know. You wouldn't want to harm me on purpose."

"..." c00lkidd still isn't convinced. "I... It's my fault... my fault that the scary man got angry, my fault that I hurt them..."

"Kid." 007n7 picks c00lkidd up, making him sit up. "Kid, look. Do I look like I hate you?"

c00lkidd finally looks up, but his eyes are so blurry with tears that he can't really see his dad's face. He wipes his eyes, hiding his face.

"I'd never hate you. Never." 007n7 murmurs. He pats his son's head, letting c00lkidd rest his head on his chest. "I just... wish I was there for you more."

'It's my fault I wasn't there for you the first time. Or the second time. Or all the times after that.' 007n7 closes his eyes. "I failed you as a father. I... I'm the one who should be saying sorry to you."

c00lkidd shakes his head. "No! Papa's the best! I love you papa, even if you're tired and busy all the time..." c00lkidd goes quiet. "Dad, you can't love me because I... I killed so many-"

"..." 007n7 goes quiet. "Son. I- I killed someone too." He admits. "That man who attacked us... he's dead now. It's my fault."

He gently lets go of c00lkidd, ending their hug. "I messed up. Your dad made the admins angry, he broke so many laws and- now he's used up his last chance."

"I'm going to the Ban Lands. Or worse- I might get banned permanently." He says softly.

[c00lkidd]

"W-what?" The kid is horrified. He's staring at his dad like 007n7 has just announced that he's never going to see him again- because it feels like that.

"I've... done a lot of bad things before I had you, c00lkidd." 007n7 admits. "It's why I tried to teach you how to use my c00lgui safely, it's why I don't like talking about it... I've hurt a lot of people."

He places his hand on c00lkidd's shoulder. "I was old enough to know better. You weren't. Just- please." He sounds weary and sad and tired. "Please just be good when I'm gone."

c00lkidd cries out. "No! Dad, please- I- it's my fault! They can't take you away!"

"Kid..." 007n7 looks at his son fondly and pats him on the head. "I'm happy with the fact that you're safe and sound here. I'm happy with the fact that they're even letting me see you for the last time." He gives his son a smile. "So- please? Don't be sad."

"Dad! Please!" c00lkidd howls, crying. "Please don't go! I- I can go to the Ban Lands instead! It's my fault! I'm a bad kid, it's my fault, they hate me instead of you-"

007n7 can't really do anything but pat c00lkidd on the head and try to comfort him. But it doesn't really work.

c00lkidd's sobbing hysterically. Not only had he been hearing the survivors talk about him like he's a monster while he's locked himself in his father's apartment, but now his dad is going to get imprisoned?

"He seems to be docile now- shouldn't we just keep him here, make sure he doesn't cause more trouble?" Guest 1337's voice is muffled behind the door. c00lkidd is trying his best to focus on drawing while Skateboard and Boomox were busy guarding the door from some of the survivors.

"Really? HIM?! He's a MURDERER!" Elliot yells. "That kid's killed us far too many times! He needs to be locked up or banned!"

"Look, Guest has a point..." Shedletsky says. "If c00lkidd's here, that means the other killers might have escaped as well. He's the least bad out of all of them- maybe if we keep him around, he'll lead us to the others?"

There's more arguing and accusations slung around. c00lkidd hears all of it, directed right at him.

'Monster. Freak. Murderer.' c00lkidd presses his crayon harder on the paper he's drawing on. 'He killed us!'

All those words get to him, and he starts sobbing. He presses the crayon a bit too hard and it snaps on the paper, leaving a red mess. He sobs, wiping his tears as his claws dig into the paper.

Of course he snapped the crayon in half. He can't control his strength, he's a monster. Of course he couldn't draw and laugh and play like a normal kid, he's a monster that's far too strong and scary.

'I- I'm a freak. I'm a murderer.' He begins to think. 'Why did papa love me? Why did he take care of me?

The kid begins to spiral again, not knowing what to do. He gets up from the floor, shuffling over to his dad's new bedroom and burying himself there.

'I don't deserve papa...'

c00lkidd was so much like his father, after all- he wanted to be just like his dad when he grew up. And now here he was- realizing how much harm he's done, how many lives he's ruined and people he's hurt.

He's beginning to develop the same self-hatred and loathing that 007n7 had for himself. He's nothing but an exploiter who didn't know the harm he was doing while having fun, and now he's got to deal with the guilt and the consequences.

He's just like his father, exactly like how he wished he would be. Too bad he didn't realize how flawed his father's past was until it was too late.

The thoughts hurt. They make c00lkidd's head feel all dizzy and sad and angry and he doesn't like it. He doesn't want this. He doesn't want-

There's a knock on the door, and it opens. 007n7 looks up to see Skateboard, who is looking worried. "Heya, dude... is the kid okay?"

"... He's not feeling well." 007n7 says softly. He pats c00lkidd's head again, letting the kid cry and sniffle into his shirt. There's tears and snot smeared all over his blue polo. "I'm not sure you should be here now."

"Gods, I'm so sorry." Skateboard says, muttering. "Like- I know it's not the lil' guy's fault. He's just a kid." He sits down next to 007n7, looking at c00lkidd. "He wouldn't stop crying at night sometimes. He talks about you a lot, too."

"Yeah." 007n7's lips twitch up a bit in a smile before it disappears. "He's the best kid a father like me could ask for. A little on the rambunctious side, though... I hope he didn't cause you any trouble."

"Nah, man." Skateboard shakes his head. "He's not as bad as some guys I've worked with in Playground. He's a blast to be around."

Boombox pokes his head into the room as well, tilting his head. "Yo, Skate- is c00lkidd okay?"

Both 007n7 and Skateboard look at Boombox while c00lkidd is still crying and hiding his face. He winces, but steps closer to try and comfort c00lkidd. "Hey, buddy... don't worry, I'll put in a good word for your dad. He did his best to protect you."

"B-but... he's going to the Ban Lands!" c00lkidd wails. "I don't want papa to go to jail!"

"Hey hey hey- he's not going to the Ban Lands! He didn't like, kill off a famous guy or blow anything up, did he?"

007n7 looks conflicted. The two Phighters go quiet, and Boombox sighs. "This is so not groovy..."

"Chin up, dude- that Builderman dude says that he's gonna talk to Ban Hammer about the whole thing. He's doing the investigation, all that stuff." Skateboard says.

c00lkidd doesn't want this. All he can do is cry and hope that his dad isn't taken away from him, not again.

'This isn't fair! It's not his fault!' He thinks. But all he can do is just hope that somehow, some way... he'd be able to see his dad again.

[Builderman]

It's been a few days after that... incident.

c00lkidd has been staying in Crossroads with Skateboard and Boombox. He's uneasy at having those two know about the fact that they're Robloxians, along with the fact that Shedletsky was connected to the SFOTH in some way. They don't know he's their 'father' yet, but with how close they were...

Guest 1337 and Coil check up on c00lkidd once a week to see if he's doing well. 007n7's son was... doing as well as he could be, with 007n7 being under house arrest and surveillance while the whole investigation was continuing on.

Ban Hammer and Windforce had approached him, papers in hand. He's roaming around the Inpherno's Ban Lands, checking up on the prisoners, making sure that the guards were doing their jobs- all that stuff. 007n7 is with him- as a reminder of where he's gonna go.

Builderman is helping Ban Hammer run the massive prison, dealing with the training and paperwork while the warden is out arresting other Inpherhals. He was the temporary warden now, the one calling the shots when Ban Hammer was out.

Builderman raises an eyebrow. "So? What's the verdict on 007n7's punishment?" The aforementioned hacker was sitting next to Builderman, head held low and expecting the worse.

"He's getting off light." Ban Hammer takes out one of the papers. "Turns out- that guy he killed used to be the leader of the Homerun Gang in Playground."

"... Eh?" Builderman doesn't really get what's going on. He- well, he wanted 007n7 to be punished fairly, but he also wanted to find a way so that the father could actually keep in touch with his son.

It's Windforce who explains. "Your- weird mortal 'friend' helped us close a cold case that's been going around for years. Sure, it's not a big case, but anything goes!"

"So- you're saying that-"

"007n7's isn't going to be charged with murder- self-defense is legal." Windforce drawls. "Sure, he's gonna have to be put on bail and do community service- but it's because of all the property damage instead."

"..." Both Builderman and 007n7 are baffled. Was the legal system in the Inpherno really that bad?

"Wait- but- but aren't I going to a prison? Aren't I supposed to go to the Ban Lands for hacking?!" 007n7 asks, stuttering. "I-I thought-"

"Look- Inphernals end up dead and murdered all the time. The factions are just like that." Ban Hammer rolls his eyes, as if he didn't really care. "And you killed a criminal in self-defense- that's not important enough for the Ban Lands."

"Why would we care about that?"

007n7 looks down, not sure if he should feel relieved that he's not going to have as severe of a punishment as he expected. Builderman, on the other hand, looks livid.

"What in tarnation?! He went against our orders an' killed someone, KILLED someone, with his darned c00lgui!" Builderman gestures towards 007n7. "Do you know how dangerous he is?! How dangerous his son is?!"

Windforce snorts and rolls her eyes underneath her helmet. "That mortal looks like he'd blow over with a light breeze. Whatever his gear did, it's all just flashy lights, right?" Windforce reckons that 007n7 just got lucky in killing Baseball Bat- because the autopsy of the unlucky schmuck's body indicated that he had a seizure and died through paralysis and blood loss. Sure, the guy was missing a horn, but he could have had it knocked off with how brittle the thing was from age.

Builderman squeezes his eyes shut, and lets out a sigh. He absolutely hates the fact that 007n7, an exploiter, managed to finagle out of the law like he did back in Robloxia. 007n7 and c00lkidd were threats in his and the admin's eyes- because the Inphinity had no admins except from him, Shedletsky and Dusekkar to fight against exploits and hacks.

Their reality was in danger of collapsing with no way to repair it, if 007n7 continued to use his power recklessly. He can't have that.

"Look- maybe if you saw what he can do, then y'all are gonna see why I'm frettin'." Builderman groans. Windforce looks at Builderman oddly, and Ban Hammer looks indignant at the fact that Builderman is telling him what to do. "Why, I oughta-"

"You're lucky that you're an admin, and that Shedletsky is your friend." Windforce grumbles. "Fine. We'll meet with those other mortals and see what it's all about."

"I'll call 'em up." Builderman says. He crosses his arms, glaring at 007n7. The exploiter knew that the admins didn't like him and he only collaborated with them because they were trapped with him in the purgatory. It still felt like a betrayal that Builderman was actively vouching for him to go to the Ban Lands instead of staying with his son.

Builderman, on the other hand, sighs. "And on the topic of 007n7... what's your verdict on his son."

"The red-antlered kid, huh? Faux Firebrand?" Ban Hammer hums. 007n7 frowns and corrects him. "His name is c00lkidd. That's his gear, not his name."

"Stupid name." Ban Hammer snorts. "Momma said that Uncle Firebrand's curious. Since there ain't been a gear like his in a century."

"The new-spawn's killed at least thirty-four demons. The only reason why he's not shipped off to the Ban Lands already is because of the New-Spawn protection laws and the fact that he's got that gear." Windforce explains.

"New-Spawn protection laws?"

"Right, you weren't always Inphernals." Windforce sighs, frustrated that she has to explain this. "Well, thing is- newly spawned Inphernals have more leeway depending on the faction they're in. The New-Spawn protection laws are there to lessen the punishment of younger Inphernals, because they usually can't control their urge to fight or cause trouble."

"For Blackrock, if someone 'round that kid's age went around killing people without control of their gear, it'll be... I dunno, getting taken by the government." Windforce drawls. "For Playground? Hell if I know, this is completely new. Little shit's probably going to be under house arrest for the rest of his life, but it's not like Playground's gonna enforce that."

Builderman feels like he's going to blow a gasket at all the laws here- because HOW IN THE WORLD did they even catch criminals if literal MURDER was treated that lightly at times?!

'I had an idea that Inpernals were violent and that the war's messed them up... but this is just too much! Ain't this just ridiculous at this point?'

The Inpherno has this many loopholes due to the factions' leaders and governments being non-existent at best and corrupt at worst. Playground was mostly anarchy in the slums, Blackrock was a dictatorship with it's council, Theives' Den obviously was a hideout for criminals and run by traditionalist clans, and Lost Temple was in civil war except for the areas controlled by a literal cult.

Yeah. The laws are gonna have so many holes in them that they might as well be swiss cheese. How else does Subspace get away with his crimes, the Church of the True Eye get away and hide from the warden so easily?

Builderman, reluctantly, decided to let 007n7 and c00lkidd off with their punishments. 'Fine. If those two ain't gonna be put in the Ban Lands accordin' to the laws here, I'll just let it go.' As much as he disliked this, he was already breaking a lot of laws hiding Taph in plain sight from the SFOTH and Blackrock.

'Guess I can't go 'round complaining- when I'm harborin' a literal terrorist.' He's STILL annoyed that his own employee blew up Blackrock labs and has to go into hiding with them.

It takes a few hours to gather all of the SFOTH back at Builderman and Shedletsky's house. Seeing that it was a weekend, all of the survivors were also present for the discussion.

007n7 was withering under Elliot's glare, and everyone else just seemed to ignore or shoot wary glances at him. c00lkidd was also by his side, clearly uncomfortable at facing the other survivors.

Noob was standing with Coil, Skateboard and Boombox- and since those three already had an idea of what the survivors were up to, they'd ended up allowed into the meeting as well.

"What do you MEAN he gets off on bail?!" Elliot yells, clearly pissed off. "That guy killed someone!"

"Wah, wah, wah- suck it, mortal!" Ban Hammer sneers, towering over Elliot. "Tons of people die all the time in the Inpherno! Your little rival there just happened to kill a criminal!"

Elliot looks close to beating the shit out of Ban Hammer- but alas, he was shorter than the literal goliath of a demigod. Ban Hammer was just a cocky asshole to anyone that wasn't the SFOTH- excluding Shedletsky because that's his damn grandfather right there.

Shedletsky himself is pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Ban Hammer. Stop bothering Elliot, he's got a grudge against 007n7 for a good reason." He sighs. "How would you feel if someone made fun of you when Scythe gets out of prison?"

The survivors and SFOTH huddled around the table, with Builderman and Shedletsky at the head. Ghostwalker and Illumina were standing next to each other, with Ghostwalker trying to step between Illumina because the other god kept eying up 007n7 warily.

"What's that mortal got that made the admins so scared of him?" Illumina scoffs. Ghostwalker shakes his head. "I am unsure. But father said that he is a rather... dangerous individual, due to being a 'hacker' Although I am unaware of what that has to do with the matter at hand."

"I've heard things from Playground, about his son slaughtering a lot of Inphernals." Venomshank glances at c00lkidd, who flinches at the reminder and buries his face in 007n7's leg. "He doesn't seem that powerful as well, but I suppose those rumors of flying and burning mortals to a crisp are true in a way."

"Faux Firebrand... if not for the fact that I do not recall having another grandchild, I would mistake him as a demigod." Firebrand mutters. He's standing next to Shedletsky, staring at c00lkidd and his father.

007n7 feels annoyance bubble up in him- he can take all the verbal abuse that his teammates throw at him, he deserves it- but all this attention on his son? "Leave him alone. He's uncomfortable already." The father steps back, hiding c00lkidd behind him.

"..." c00lkidd doesn't want to talk. Usually, during rounds, he'd be laughing and trying to talk to the survivors, even as they're running away from him. But after everything he's done, after what he's realized... he doesn't think he deserves to talk to them.

Once everyone got settled down, Builderman begins to speak. "Everyone- I've called y'all and the SFOTH here to talk about what's happened." He places his hand down on the table. "This ain't good. c00lkidd's here, and even though he's-" Builderman tries to find the words to say that don't run the risk of offending 007n7 or making c00lkidd cry. "Docile now, the other killers might be runnin' around the other factions, killin' innocents."

"Oh, are you KIDDING me?!" Elliot yells, fed up with the idea. Guest's expression shifts from worry to a serious glare, while Chance simply lets out a sigh. "Guess it's about time those guys showed up, huh? Damn it, our luck ain't that good after all."

Two Time's (remaining) eye simply twitched, and Taph slides behind Noob, still clueless at what's happening since he wasn't forsakened with the other survivors. "Look, I don't like it either- but we'll have to find all of them and make sure they don't hurt anybody else. Guest says. Shedletsky nods in agreement- but his expression is distant, like he's thinking about something else.

Builderman glances at him, knowing that it's got to do something with 1x1x1x1. He doesn't know why the killer hates his friend so much, but he's sure that the thought of that hacker being in the same world disturbs him.

'Who knows what 1x is gonna do. Or worse, John Doe, Jason... all the other killers.'

"Killers? You're saying that there's a bunch of criminals running around killing people?" Venomshank says, worried. Shedletsky shakes his head. "No, it's- about the same monsters that tormented us during our time in that purgatory."

Firebrand's face fell, and the other SFOTH have various reactions- having been present when Shedletsky vented to them about the killers. They might not know what the killers looked like yet or who they were, but the message was clear.

"You're saying this little red kid is one of them?" Windforce's eye twitches, and 007n7 steps in front of c00lkidd again just to block him from the SFOTH's ire.

"My son didn't know what he was doing. Leave him alone, I promise he won't kill anyone anymore-" 007n7 begs.

"Builderman's face is stone-cold, and Dusekkar grips his staff tighter. None of them trust 007n7 or c00lkidd's words.

Guest 1337 is the only survivor willing to try and hear their side of the story. He kneels down next to c00lkidd. "Kid- why'd you do it? Even if you didn't know you were killing us- why?"

"I..." c00lkidd glups, looking to the side. He doesn't want to answer, feels uneasy at all the judgmental eyes on him- but he looks up to his dad, who's also looking for answers.

"I... the Spectre told me to play with you guys." He sniffled, his eyes tearing up. I-it said that you guys were tired all the time, and I had to play tag with you so you'd go to bedtime..."

"The Spectre?" Builderman hasn't heard of whatever the Spectre was.

"It's like, the Spectre!" c00lkidd says that as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. It said that papa and you guys were stuck there, and that if I wanted to see papa, I had to- I had to-"

coolkidd's voice locks up, unable to say that he had to 'play tag' with his dad and the other survivors- because it wasn't playing tag, was it?

The fact that he'd been lied to, forced to play that stupid, scary game of killing over and over again, and he didn't notice anything wrong? c00lkidd hates himself. He hates how he's so dumb.

He begins to sniffle, and Builderman has a flash of guilt on his face before going back to business. "c00lkidd. You've got to tell us. What or who is the Spectre?"

"Mister Spectre is- is-" c00lkidd wipes his eyes. "It's Mister Spectre's place! It said that you guys were staying there... I- I think I- we got stuck there because of that meanie..."

'So. That's the reason why we were in that hellhole in the first place. The Spectre...' Builderman and the other admins feel a sense of... relief? Uneasiness? At finally knowing what trapped them in the purgatory.

"Kid- I told you to never speak to strangers..." 007n7 says, his eyes furrowed. c00lkidd simply bursts into tears again and buries his face in his dad's shirt.

The survivors are obviously feeling uncomfortable at the fact that c00lkidd didn't really have a choice to kill them. The other killers might be bad, yes- but they were so preoccupied with staying alive that they ended up dehumanizing and ignoring how the killers might have felt.

Then again, the easiest of the killers to understand would be c00lkidd- because he was just ten years old. He wouldn't know what was going on, like what 007n7 said.

"Who are the other killers, then?" Darkheart asks. He's grinning, eager to fight them and get revenge for all the times they've hurt Shedletsky. There was also the fact that he was just pleased at the idea of having new, powerful playthings to mess with.

Builderman takes in a deep breath, and begins to explain. "There were four of them, from all the rounds we endured. c00lkidd was the least bad of all of them, if... you could count it in terms of who was the worst to deal with."

And then they proceeded to go over the rest of the killers. John Doe, corrupted by a code and turned into the same monster he was rumored to be by other Robloxians. Jason Voorhees, who'd been trapped in Area 51 for decades and tossed into their sick game of chase to slaughter and terrorize them. And 1x1x1x1, the deadly hacker with a grudge against Shedletsky.

It was 1x1x1x1 that made the survivors most worried. John Doe was more of like a mindless animal running on instinct, and Jason had no way of manipulating code because he wasn't a hacker. 1x1x1x1 however, could do a lot of damage.

"They're one of the few that managed to beat me in a duel- although, most of the time they're playing unfair." Shedletsky huffs. "Don't... mind them. They just hate me for some dang reason."

The SFOTH seemed to accept that explanation, and Illumina even growls under his breath. "We'll take care of that... mortal pest for you, if they dare lay a hand on you, father."

"... Yeah. Thank you." Shedletsky says. He doesn't even crack a joke after that. 'He must be REALLY worried about 1x1x1x1, if that's the case...' Builderman thinks.

"So, it's our responsibility to warn the Phighters and the rest of the Inpherno about them, and catch them before they kill more people." Guest 1337 takes over the meeting, rallying the survivors. "We can't let them go around causing chaos, ruining lives- we got out of that hell and we're going to make sure that none of them go through the pain we had to endure.

Builderman nods. "Who knows what those killers are up to now... and if normal citizens even have a chance at stopping them."

[Jane Doe]

Jane Doe usually awakens to an empty bed- one side forever missing a familiar warm weight near her body. But today it seems like she's having a really weird dream.

Jane Doe coughs as she wakes up, feeling her skin itch. She sits up, realizing that there's sand below her hand and that she's been sleeping in the middle of a desert. "Hhhh- huh?" She stumbles upward, brushing the gritty sand off her black trench coat and re-orienting herself.

She's pretty sure that she went to sleep in her nightgown, not her work clothes. After her husband's disappearance, she quit her job at Roblox to become a private investigator, taking on cases while also working on John's own missing case.

She hasn't seen him for years now. Even before the whole chaos of Builderman and Shedletsky and Dusekkar disappearing- John Doe went missing before them. It was painful, watching the search for her husband start out but then slowly trickle down when there wasn't any evidence or leads.

Jane was left alone. Most Robloxians thought John Doe was dead, or that he'd become a myth. But for her? John was her dear husband. She'd never leave him behind.

That was why after she got tired of crying, tired of waiting for the police and moderators and admins trying to find John and failing- she took it upon herself to do so. For seven long, long years.

And now? She's waking up in an unfamiliar place. 'Did I work myself too much yesterday? I DID stay up late combing through records...' She starts walking forward aimlessly, trying to find a sign of civilization.

"Hello? Anybody there?" She calls out to the night sky. It's full of stars twinkling above her- Jane thinks it's beautiful, but cold. The desert is so, so lonely.

If she were a more philosophical Robloxian, she'd say that her desert dream was probably something about her loneliness and how she missed John. But Jane Doe was a practical woman, and she didn't care for that kind of stuff when she's got a job to do.

After an hour or so of simply... walking in the desert, Jane Doe manages to stumble upon a small town. There's a few... Robloxians(?) around- some of them guards holding weapons and wearing eyepatches, while others were just milling about, buying stuff from the stalls.

The place was bright and lit well despite it being night-time. Maybe Jane Doe can get some answers here, because after that long walk through the desert, she's not so sure that this is a dream anymore.

She gets to one of the stalls, looking at some of the wares while glancing to the shopkeep- who is definitely not a normal Robloxian with those ornate horns on her head.

"Hello." Jane Doe coughs, introducing herself. "I'm- a tourist. Got lost on the way here in the desert... do you know where I am?"

"Eh? Oh, greetings! مرحباً! (Welcome!)" The merchant flashes Jane a bright smile. "This is Pitchfork's Bakery stand - and I'm Pitchfork! Need to buy anything?"

Jane Doe rummages in her coat for some Robux, and blinks, realizing that they've been turned into... Bux? Yeah, some odd off-brand Robux.

"Oh! I see you have enough for some of the sahlab we have on sale- come buy some!" The vendor brings out some cups of pudding, and Jane Doe pays her eight Bux for one of them.

"Ah- thank you. It's been a tiring journey here. But I'm still confused on where I am...?"

"You're in Shalestone, Lost Temple- home to the best traditional foods in the region!" Pitchfork crows. "You'll be struggling to find better spots, even in the capital!"

It takes Jane Doe a LOT of asking around, spending Bux and learning where the hell she is to get a grasp on what was going on.

This was, apparently, not a dream. She'd been turned into some weird demon-species, surrounded by other 'Inphernals' who seemed to not even know who Robloxia's admins were or the places she was asking about.

So, that led to only one logical conclusion- she'd been transported to another world entirely, out of Robloxia. There were some very weird connections to her world, though, like how Inphernals seemed to be able to summon their 'gear' they were named after, and how all of those weapons and items seemed to be from Robloxia's catalog of gears.

She'd tried summoning whatever gear she had, and Jane Doe managed to poof a briefcase into existence- where she could store almost everything inside it. It's like some mini pocket-dimension, where Jane can stuff her supplies and wares into for easy carrying and access.

The day ended in a rather slow way. Jane Doe managed to take some of her Bux, book a room at an inn for a week, and flops down on the bed, sighing.

"Why am I here?" She asks to no one in particular. There's no answer. 'Is this because I was looking for John? No- maybe not, but maybe so. There's so many people missing in Robloxia that...'

She begins to wonder if the other admins are here as well- Shedletsky, Builderman, Dusekkar- heck, even Taph went missing a few weeks ago, and he just worked for the admins. 

'I'll get down to the bottom of this mystery- and find everyone! I'll solve this case if it means I'll have to blend in and figure everything out myself!'

Chapter Text

[Jane Doe]

From the weeks she's been in Lost Temple, Jane Doe can already tell that this is the sort of place that'll give her the answers she needs, but not in the way she wants.

Those shady one-eyed Inphernals kept on preaching to the poor, doing charity work during the weekends. Jane Doe sees them every time she goes out, and they're one of her most well-paying customers whenever they want her business consultation.

Jane Doe's never been more grateful to have been good at handling taxes and business management, because that was the one thing that was raking in the Bux in this new world.

A bunch of Inphernals here wanted to make it big with their little businesses in Shalestone, or get their hold in the competitive market. She's helped out a lot of merchants find their niche, pull themselves up and get enough cash to survive in Lost Temple.

That's given her a good reputation with the locals, and she's gaining attention in the small time she's been here. Maybe the wrong kind of attention.

There's more of them hanging around her little office that she's rented out. They're always advertising their... church (okay, it was becoming obvious that they were a cult), but once she'd told them to quit it or she'd ban them from her consultation. That made the church members lay off the recruitment efforts.

They still hung around. Sure, they were shady as hell, but they gave her the most amount of Bux and she's not going to pass up on that.

And then there's the possibility that their information networks might know about her husband and the other survivors...

Jane Doe sighs, straightening up the papers on her new desk and placing them into the file cabinet. 'Who in their right mind planned out these economic policies?! It's like they WANT their city economy to collapse, and that's not excluding the absolutely TERRIBLE tariffs on Theives' Den!'

She is so close to cursing, even though she doesn't like to curse. There's a knock on her office door, and she looks up, tired and wishing that she didn't have to focus on the usual paperwork. "Come in."

The door swings open to reveal an Inphernal in a fancy white cowboy getup. She's clearly part of the Church of the True Eye, with all the teal and gold she's wearing. Jane's seen this face on a wanted poster before, and she's immediately on guard.

"What do you want?" She asks, a bit defensive. Scythe lets out a laugh, walking over and sitting on a chair with a confident grin.

"Aww, don't be so defensive, darlin'!" Scythe says. "I'm jus' here for some good ol' fashioned southern hospitality. Sayin' hello to the gal that helped the family out so much!"

"Please. It's simply business." Jane Doe straightens up the lapels of her coat. "What are you here for? Consultation?Help with tax write-offs?"

"The Church of the True Eye is listed a religious organization under the Lost Temple government, and therefore we are exempt from taxes already." Scythe has a sharp smile as she clicks her tongue and winks. "But hun, if yer' askin' to help me out with taxes, I ain't sayin' no!"

'Oooh Telamon's sake. She's flirting with me.' Jane Doe was pretty certain that Inphernals didn't do romance, but apparently she was wrong. 'Looks like I still have that charm.'

"Flattering, but no." Jane Doe turns her down. "I'm married."

"D'awww, who's the lucky Inphernal?" Scythe laughs, kicking her feet up on the table. "I'm jealous- yer' pretty as a pie supper!"

"My husband is... currently missing." Jane Doe says strategically. "He's the light of my life, but I haven't seen him in ages since he got sick and tried to go to work."

"You sure he ain't run off with another Inphernal?" The outlaw asks, raising her eyebrow. Jane Doe has to stop herself from seething once the words come out of Scythe's mouth, because she's heard the accusation a hundred times before.

"My husband is not like that." She hisses. "I know damn well what he's like, and he'd never willingly leave me."

"Alright, alright! No need ta' get in a horn-tossin' mood!" Scythe holds up her hands, trying to pacify Jane. "What I'm sayin' is- the family's interested in yer' services. You got a knack fer' workin' miracles out here in the markets."

"Tch." Jane Doe crosses her arms. "And what? I'm not joining. I like having a choice in my clients, and I'm not making my business exclusive."

"You drive a hard bargain. How 'bout this-" Scythe slides over some Bux. "We pay you to work for the Church, contract and all. Triple what yer' gettin' now from yer' clients."

"Pass. I've got deals with Inphernals from all factions, and I ain't givin' up on them to work only in Lost Temple." Jane rebuts. "You aren't swaying me with money."

"Well, how 'bout we pay room and board fer' you as well? Fanciest place in the Church temples." Scythe tries again. Jane Doe raises an eyebrow. "I've already got a nice place in one of Blackrock's penthouses." She lies. Jane has all of the smooth charisma of a seasoned businesswoman, honed from all the years she's worked at Roblox HQ.

"Darn." Scythe looks frustrated. "We- well, yer' husband! We'll help find yer' husband, free of charge!"

"Can you even do that?" Jane asks, acting all skeptical. This is exactly where she wanted them to be, but she needs to play along for a while, make herself seem more exclusive. "Others have tried. Others have failed. He's been gone for years now."

"I bet mah' hat that the Church can find him, lickety split." Scythe says, leaning on the table. "We've got eyes all over the Inpherno!"

"Hm." Jane Doe pretends to think it over. "How about a deal. I work for you, but I can leave at any time. You don't even have to pay me triple for my exclusive contract at that time." Jane says. "You give me any interesting news, and I'll do my own investigation with your information."

"Deal!" Scythe says, shaking her hand with enthusiasm. Jane keeps her face decidedly neutral, but is internally smirking. 'Bingo. Got them right where I want.'

If she's going to be looking for John Doe, the Church of the True Eye was her best bet. All she had to do was stick to the sidelines, not make a lot of ruckus, and use the info to find her husband here.

"What's yer' name, honey?" Scythe asks, smiling sharply. "I don't think I caught it."

"Briefcase." Jane lies, tipping her hat. She's smart enough not to use her real name, careful and cautious. Surely the rest of the missing persons would be clever enough not to use their usernames, right?

"I think this is the beginning of a... prosperous business relationship." She says. "Cheers to that, and much more."

[Scythe]

Okay, so maaaybe she got a bit swindled by the pretty-looking saleswoman. But that just meant that she was good at her job!

Scythe was reeeaaally disappointed at the fact that Briefcase was so hung up on her husband. Honestly, with how much she's talking about him, Scythe was half-sure that the woman was straight out of one of those lovey-dovey romance novels that barely sold.

"What's with all of the... gaudy decorations?" Briefcase asks, staring at the stained glass windows in the church. "Can't you all save some cash for your operations instead of this?"

"The Church's got enough cash for any expense, darlin'!" Scythe crows pridefully. "This ain't anything to the Church treasury- we spend all of this so that the followers ain't feeling shabby!"

Briefcase nods, but there's still some distaste in her expression. Scythe pokes fun at her. "Yer' awfully frugal, hoardin' yer' Bux eh? Don't be 'fraid to live a little! Spend some cash!"

"Thanks, but no thanks. I prefer investing my profits when I can." Briefcase says curtly. Scythe frowns a bit, rolling her eye. "Aw, ptooey..."

'She's awfully uptight an' that- what a shame! She'd sure fit right in with the family, specially with that no-nonsense attitude of hers.' The outlaw wonders if Medkit would get along well with her- probably better than he gets along with that new recruit!

'Although Broker's out here sayin' that they might be from another family.' Scythe thinks. 'Tryin' ta convert them? Ha! Don't make me laugh- they're gonna be trouble if he doesn't keep 'em on a leash!'

"Hm..." Briefcase rifles through some papers on the Church's expenses, narrowing her eyes under her hat. "You're spending far too little on the guards and your businesses in this city are lagging behind." She points at one of the papers.

"Ah, right! We've been tryin' to put some new fancy-schmancy business model there, and it ain't workin' out so well- so the Father sent in some debt collectors to clean the whole thing up." Scythe drawls. "Nothin' too big."

"And this city isn't even bringing in profits at all." Briefcase points to another part of the profit and loss statement. "There's a steep decline here... did something happen?"

"Oh, Sungold City?" Scythe's expression visibly darkens. "Right. That place's all condemned after that monster appeared outta nowhere."

"Monster?"

Scythe sees this as an opportunity to brag about what's happened, and acts all dramatic. "It's a mighty awful sight! Looked like an Inphernal but all wrong, ya' get me?" She gestures with her hand. "It's left arm was covered all in black n' looked like some sorta cancer! Tore apart half the expedition force 'till I held it off long enough for us to run away!"

Briefcase's expression seemed to flicker a bit, as if she was interested. "Tell me more. About that monster."

"Ha! Fond o' horror stories, hun?" Scythe asks. "Well, if that's what's catchin' yer' eye- I'm more than welcome ta' tell tall tales!"

Scythe tells Briefcase about how the monster was probably an Inphernal who got infected by something that made them go insane. Talked about how there was seemingly red particles coming out of it's left eye, how it acted like it was a thrashing animal trying to get free from something.

"The family sent in a few more folks, but they all got minced up like hash browns. Ha!" Scythe says.

Briefcase at this point is completely silent. She mumbles to herself something that Scythe can't make out before turning around.

"That monster... hm. This sounds familiar, I'm sure I've seen it before, but what-"

"Oh? Know somethin' bout' that beastly thing?" She asks. "You seem like you do."

"I- I do. I just can't remember- ugh!" Briefcase looks incredibly frustrated at herself, and takes out her gear. She rifles through it, but doesn't find anything she's looking for and clicks it shut. "Darn it."

"Shame! You coulda' been a great help if ya knew that thing's weakness." Scythe comments. She pats Briefcase on the back, and the other Inphernal looks ahead with a blank face. "..."

"I don't know what to do with this. Your expenses are... incredibly good, even with some of the flaws you've got here." Briefcase says. "I've got information on some people of interest, though... the reports you sent in about Blackrock's new mercenary is concerning, to say the least."

(Because Jane's familiar with that description provided. Green, skeletal chest and domino crown? What was 1x1x1x1, out of all Robloxians, doing here? Why was that legendary hacker in the Inpherno and working for a faction, of all things?)

"Oh, do tell?" Scythe grins, happy to hear about any new information.

"You should be wary of them. They go by 1x1x1x1- and from what I've heard, they wield swords similar to Venomshank's." Jane Doe reports. "I'm not sure how much power they have, but from what the Church's spies say... they might be on par with the SFOTH."

"The SFOTH? Those false gods?" Scythe laughs. "My oh my! Either the spies are one brick shy of a load- or Blackrock's got a new toy they ain't letting go!"

Briefcase nods. "I suggest we don't tell anyone outside of the Church about this. Blackrock seems to be keeping them on the down-low and not advertising the fact that they have a powerful Inphernal under their service. It'll only cause trouble if we reveal that we've spied on them for this information."

"Ah' can agree with you for that." Scythe says. Work as always, because in Lost Temple, there's always something lurking around the shadows and looking for secrets.

[Boombox]

"Yo, bro... I don't think the little guy's doin' so well." Boombox says to Skateboard.

His friend is busy fixing up his own gear, swapping out the wheels with newer replacements and making a silly face whenever he has to focus on the screwdriver. Skateboard looks up, blinking. "Huh? c00lkidd?"

"Yeah, he- well, he and his old man haven't been going out from the apartment lately." Boombox rubs the back of his head, worried. "I know it's prolly' because of his pa being under house arrest, but he's gotta be lonely there, right?"

"Yeah..." Skateboard thinks it over, before putting his tools down and puffing up. "You know what? I'm heading over! c00lkidd's gonna have to deal with his big brother annoying him!"

"Duuude, that's it!" Boombox brightens up. "Are we gonna like, get him some ice cream? He's gotta miss that, right?"

The both of them debate on where to go for a while before settling on getting some ice cream at Crossroads and bringing it over to c00lkidd and 007n7's place. Skateboard's been under house arrest before, so he knows how boring and sad it must feel for the younger Robloxian.

Boombox hefts up his gear over his shoulder as he walks the streets of Crossroads, looking at all the Inphernals laughing and having fun. It's not as lively and raucous as Playground, but it's much safer.

Boombox knows he's not perfect. He acts all chill and nice and groovy, yeah, but it's the only reason why he's alive in Playground for so long.

He never really had an opinion. Always sucked up and agreed with whoever was next to him, acted like he could be buddy-buddy with anyone so that he wouldn't be seen as a threat.

Honestly? He's afraid that one day, Skateboard might see right through him and leave. Nothing but a people-pleaser, an empty husk that can only pretend to share the same interests and hobbies like everyone else.

But Skateboard was one of those Inphernals that he actually liked getting along with. He was one of his best friends for this very reason, because Skateboard was pretty chill with him and didn't expect him to join his gang or anything. Boombox liked that.

But aside from both being Playgrounders, Skateboard and him had their differences. Skateboard's recklessness fit Coil way more than it fit Boombox's placid coolness, and Boombox knew that one day, that difference between them was going to make them fall apart.

He's not stupid. He may act like it sometimes, but he's not stupid. Boombox just liked making music to drown out all his sorrows with the rhythm.

He shakes his head clear of those thoughts, standing in front of the apartment complex that the survivors were staying at. Skateboard knocks on the door, tub of ice cream tucked underneath his arm.

The door opens to reveal a very tired-looking 007n7, the lettuce on his burger hat looking wilted. "Mhm? Oh, it's you- Skateboard, right?"

"Yeah! You're looking thirty years older, old man!" He laughs. Skateboard hands him the ice cream. "I know you decided to turn yourself in like a total dweeb, but- I got you and c00lkidd some ice cream! Since you can't go outside."

"Oh... thank you..." 007n7 takes the ice cream and places it in the freezer in his apartment, sighing. "It's nice of you to visit- c00lkidd's been inconsolable after this whole incident. He didn't really take well to Builderman and the other admins trying to get me into the Ban Lands, and... well..."

"Hey, no big deal! And screw them, it's not like they know what you gotta do!" Skateboard crosses his arms confidently. "I don't give a damn if they're connected to the SFOTH or some shit- they didn't have to protect their kid from some pissed-off whackjob!"

007n7 blinks a bit, surprised, before he lets out a small chuckle. "You're awfully confident."

"Hell yeah I am! Wouldn't have been a Phighter if I didn't believe in myself!" Skateboard gives him a toothy grin and hugs Boombox closer. "Isn't that right, Boombox?"

"H-huh? Oh, yeah!" Boombox looks a bit sheepish, laughing as well. "And I wouldn't be a music producer if I didn't stick my neck out. It would've been a maaajor bummer, dude..."

The older man simply smiles and sits down with them at his table. "Yeah. Honestly, you two would be a way better influence for my son than me... I still haven't forgotten that he did what he did because he wanted to be like me." 007n7 lets out a long exhale, putting his head down in his hands. "Gods... if only I was better."

"Woah, dude, I dunno if I'm someone c00lkid should wanna be either." Skateboard shrugs. "Like, I've got my own gang. A lotta people in Playground have one."

"I... guess so. But c00lkidd was just- so much happier with you." 007n7 argues. He looks hurt at that fact, but right now 007n7 feels like if c00lkidd had went with Skateboard instead, his kid wouldn't be trapped in his apartment with him all bored and sad. "You actually changed him for the better. I- I was such a coward, and I couldn't tell him..."

007n7 feels like he's such a failure, even though his son is back and he loves him. He just... wishes c00lkidd could have went to a better parent than him.

"Woah, woah, woah- who said he was happier with us, huh?" Boombox cuts in, worried. "He was saying he missed you all the time! He was all sad and kept on crying at night sometimes..."

"Don't sell yourself short, old man!" Skateboard gently punches him on the shoulder. "Why would you even make him stay with us? He's practically attached to you!"

"I know, I know... but he deserves better than me." 007n7 glances over to c00lkidd's room, where the door is slightly ajar. "You know... he used to get so much trouble at school for looking different. His... condition and all."

Boombox and Skateboard are looking at 007n7, who's venting about his and his son's past. "Kids are harsh, and... he figured out that he was adopted when someone made a joke about him. It hit him really hard, and he- I- I had to pick him up early that day."

'Oh, that sucks.' Boombox doesn't really get why being adopted would be such a big deal though- aren't most Inphernals with parents adopted? Nevertheless, it sounded like a really bad thing to say.

"And instead of doing the right thing and going to his teacher to talk about it I- gods, I just gave him my c00lgui!" 007n7 throws his hands up. "I made the copy safe, took out most of the dangerous stuff- but he still managed to find it out. Clever boy."

Even when he's disappointed in himself and wallowing in pity, 007n7 still had time to praise his son. He really did love him that much.

"I- I shouldn't have said I was busy. I shouldn't have taken the easy route." 007n7 says. He rubs his arm, squeezing the flesh in his stress. "I could have done so much more for him, prevented this whole thing from happening- but- I..."

"007n7, dude-" Boombox feels like he's talking to the most dense Inphernal in the world, and he's supposed to be the 'dumb' one here. "You can't change that. You tried your best, man."

007n7 still looks absolutely distressed, so Skateboard grumbles and runs his hand over his own face. "You know what? I'm getting c00lkidd. He's gonna talk some sense into you if you're gonna act all mopey."

"W-wait, don't do that!" 007n7 yelps. Skateboard gets from the table, walks over to c00lkidd's room, and carries out a (very annoyed) c00lkidd by the shoulders like he's deploying a cat.

"Hey. Little man." Skateboard says to c00lkidd gently. "Your dad's being all sad and mopey again. He says he's a bad father."

"What the HECK, dad?!" c00lkidd pouts, looking pissed off. "Why are you saying that?!"

"I- c00lkidd, this isn't your problem. The adults are talking-"

"Nuh-uh! Skate says that it's my problem now because you're being stupid!" His son hugs him tightly, refusing to let go. "You're not tossing me over to Skate and Boombox! Even if Skate's now my big brother!"

007n7 sputters at the reminder of his impromptu adoption. "c00lkidd, please- you know I can't adopt Skateboard too, he's 24, he can take care of himself..." He tries to change the subject.

"No! I want him as a big brother!" c00lkidd complains. "You're acting like a dum-dum, dad- so you gotta adopt Skate because he's smart and won't say dumb things when he's sad!"

Skateboard feels like wheezing from laughter. Boombox is smiling as he sees c00lkidd argue with his dad- it's a funny sight, seeing his friend get forcibly adopted by this little menace.

"Okay, okay! Sheesh, kid, I'll adopt him!" 007n7 sighs, patting his son on the head. "Honestly, you're such a handful, son- but if I can convince Builderman to let you go around, Skateboard and his friends can take you around Crossroads."

"Yaaay!" c00lkidd grins. 007n7 goes up to the freezer and takes out the ice cream Skateboard gave him from before. "This should be cold enough already, right...?"

"Ice cream! Ice cream!" c00lkidd immediately focuses on the food, tugging on his father's shirt. "Can I have some? Pleeease?!"

The two of them might be under house arrest, but with Skateboard and Boombox there, it wasn't so lonely.

[c00lkidd]

His dad has to beg Builderman and the other admins to let him go out with Skateboard and get some air. He was really lucky that they could just go out, especially since all they had to do was wear an ankle monitor and have Dusekkar follow them.

The mage was decidedly not happy to be babysitting both of the hackers. Dusekkar floats behind 007n7, who's trying to keep up with c00lkidd. "H-hey, wait up- Skateboard, stop moving too fast!"

"Can't you teleport, old man?!" Skateboard laughs, speeding up and weaving between passerby as c00lkidd is slung over on his shoulders. "Keep up yourself!"

007n7 sighs, and looks at Dusekkar. The mage makes an annoyed expression. "I do not recommend using your code, lest you once again go down the wrong road."

c00lkidd looks behind him and frowns. 'None of them trust dad... this sucks.'

His dad feels alone. Isolated. c00lkidd realizes now that the other survivors aren't his friends, just people he's stuck with that he has to deal with because they're the only ones who can maybe understand him.

'The pumpkin guy's being all mean and annoying to dad...' c00lkidd wants to act up, to yell and complain and give Dusekkar a piece of his mind, but all that'll do is just get his dad into more trouble.

c00lkidd instead turns to Skateboard and whispers to his 'big brother'. "Skate, skate!" He wiggles a bit in the Inphernals' grasp. "Mister Dusekkar is being mean to dad... all of them are being mean to him." He pouts. "Can you do something?"

Skateboard tilts his head, thinking it over as he slows down his skating and picks up his gear, de-summoning it. "Hmmm... that's no good, little man. Guess I'll have to be mean back to him, and call him silly names!" He snickers. Skateboard was smart enough not to cuss in front of c00lkidd or his father and the admin.

"Hey! Du-sucker!" Skateboard grins, turning around and plopping c00lkidd down on the ground. "Do you even know where the skatepark is?"

"I am unaware of where you intend to train, and I would much appreciate it if you do not call me by that name." The admin looks annoyed at the insult slung his way.

"What? I can't hear you, Doo-doosekar!" Skateboard snickers, hiding his wide smile with his hand. "You're kinda far away- maybe you'd be less slow if you picked up the pace!"

c00lkidd is giggling and laughing, trying to hide his face in Skateboard's jacket so he doesn't get into trouble. Dusekkar is, understandably, getting more annoyed.

"Your trivial name-calling does not bother me so- this sort of verbal abuse is something I do not care to undergo." He says, crossing his arms. Skateboard smirks, knowing that he's gotten under the old man's skin.

"Ah, whatever, Dumb-sekkar." He waves him off, pushing open the chain-link gate to Boggio Skatepark. "I'm gonna let c00lkidd go skating again- got a spare board in my bag and all that." He takes a mini-skateboard out of his backpack for c00lkidd and sets it down. "Remember what I taught you, little man?"

"Safety first!" c00lkidd crows. Skateboard pats his head and procures a spare helmet. "That's right!"

007n7 fidgets, but he calms down as he sees c00lkidd put on protective gear. "I didn't know that he could skate." 007n7 says.

"Taught the little man myself, dude!" Skateboard laughs. "Or should I call you 'dad' now?"

"Please don't. I already feel old enough and my joints hurt just looking at this." 007n7 rubs his forehead. "Don't make me go skating too."

"Nahh, I won't old man. You look like you'd break all your bones if you fell off once." Skateboard teases. Sure, he's seen this guy turn the sky red and kill a man in the most overdramatic way, but he's still making fun of him for looking like a dork.

007n7 sent him a withering look as Dusekkar looks amused. "Your sharp tongue and your clever wit do not discriminate between me and the misfit." He says.

"Can it, old man number two. You're even older than the stick." Skateboard snorts. "c00lkidd- ready to show off your tricks to your dad?"

"Heck yeah!!!"

c00lkidd immediately kicks off the skateboard, dropping in the skatepark's bowl and riding along the wall before jumping out. He does a kickflip and shakily lands on the board, grinning has he does so. "Look, dad!"

"Woooah! Good job, kid!" 007n7 cheers his son on. "Good job!"

Skateboard re-summons his own board and rides alongside c00lkidd, helping him up one of the rails. "That's it, little man- balance, balance... I'll be there to catch you!"

c00lkidd nods, and rides the handrail all the way down. Skateboard catches him and smoothly plops him down on the concrete again so he can ride.

"That's the spirit! Now, try jumping on it!" Skateboard says.

c00lkidd nods and tries to jump onto the railing with his skateboard- but yelps as he stumbles and falls. 007n7 jolts up, but Skateboard catches him carefully and sets him down. "Not yet! Try again, little guy! Remember- focus on balance, not jumping first!"

c00lkidd doesn't want to fall and embarrass himself in front of his dad! So he tries his best to get the trick down until he finally manages to slide down the railing without falling off. He lands a bit heavily on the concrete but it's on his board, so he doesn't get hurt.

"That's how ya do it, c00lkidd!" Skateboard cheers. "Let's go!"

c00lkidd laughs, looking at his dad. 007n7 looks far happier even though Dusekkar is there monitoring the both of them, and it's enough to make him happy.

[Dusekkar]

"By the powers above and Roblox's fate- why did 007n7 and his son have to go skate." Dusekkar groans, already tired of Skateboard's constant verbal jabs and reckless behavior. "Those two are a danger to this land, and yet with their powers in check they refuse to follow our command."

Dusekkar was one of the admins that approved 007n7 working on his c00lgui, so he was understandably feeling betrayed when he found out that 007n7 killed someone with the script.

He'd trusted that damn exploiter. Let him have a second chance, and what did he do? 007n7 ruined it.

Playground already had a bunch of people freaking out and praising 'team c00lkidd' out of fear. 007n7 and c00lkidd could theoretically return there and create a whole gang or cult just off that spectacle alone.

It didn't matter if 007n7 wasn't the type of person to do that anymore or if c00lkidd was far from malicious now. There were consequences to their actions. The Robloxians were already drawing way too much attention with their weird names and the stuff happening around them, and Dusekkar didn't want to let both of them off the hook.

'Those two fools shall bring unnecessary attention to us all- with the way things are going, we shall be at danger of our fall.'

Dusekkar's whole thing was fate. Predicting it, interpreting it, making sure that the balance of the world was going fine- fate was a fickle thing in Robloxia.

Here, in the Inpherno, fate was far different than what he expected. Dusekkar was used to Robloxia's fate, yes, but now he's got to deal with the fate of an entirely different world.

The only good thing about being stuck here was that he didn't really have to do his duties as an admin. The SFOTH were running everything just fine- so all he had to do was sit back and relax.

That was before they figured that the killers were here too. And now Dusekkar was royally Pissed with a capital P. He was hoping for a bit of a vacation after spending years trapped in the Spectre's realm, but apparently fate seemed to have other plans.

He walked 007n7 and c00lkidd home, to where the rest of the survivors were staying, and he proceeded to collapse onto one of the couches with a grumble.

'Builderman and Shedletsky are lucky to have descendants in this place- for I am stuck here taking care of the others' grace.' Dusekkar was jealous of the fact that for Builderman and Shedletsky, they actually got to have that vacation because Shedletsky's "children" were the deities of this world.

Then again, Dusekkar was thankful not to be the one wrangling seven fully-grown deities that would argue with each other at the drop of a hat. He must thank fate for the small mercies.

Dusekkar's 'eye' twitches when he feels someone loom over his resting body on the couch. "For what purpose do you disturb my slumber, to awaken me with a task that annoyingly encumbers?"

"You alright, Dusekkar?" Guest 1337 is looming over him, looking worried. "You look mighty stressed."

"I have not been given enough time that I may rest, of course I feel that I have been stressed." He hisses, his flame inside his pumpkin flickering.

"Maybe you should... take a break tomorrow. I can look over 007n7 and his kid if it bothers you." Guest sighs, folding his arms. "You- I don't know. Who was that other pumpkin-headed friend of yours again? You can visit her."

"Ghostdeeri?" 'Yes, I suppose her company can provide me some respite from all this work...'

"Yes, her." Guest 1337 gives him a nod. "Take a rest- you deserve it, after all this time. You've helped protect us a lot during the rounds, and I don't think I can ever thank you in a way that'd suffice."

So Dusekkar just crashes back in his apartment room and goes to sleep for a full ten hours. When he wakes up, it's already noon and most of the other survivors have left to go to work.

Dusekkar puts on his robes, straightens them out, and floats outside. Now that he isn't restricted by the Spectre's power, he jumps off the railing and floats down on the ground gracefully, making a bit of a circle around before he begins his journey to Ghostdeeri's library.

He passes by a few curious passerby before he appears in front of her doors, opening them up and floating in. "Ghosteeri, my dear friend- my greetings from the admins I shall send."

"Dusekkar! It is good to see you." She visibly brightens, putting down the book in her hands. "Oh- wait, Lightblox is here, so pardon if she's a bit shy."

Dusekkar looks down to see a small Inphernal with an astronaut's helmet and bug-like wings nestled behind a tank full of fireflies. "Oh- greetings, little one."

She gives him a shy wave and slips away, back behind one of the employee rooms. Dusekkar is a bit disappointed that he can't interact with her, but he reckons that the young Inphernal must be unused to people.

He and Ghostdeeri talk for a while, but as more and more people begin visiting her library for the day, she gets more busy organizing the books and helping others.

"Ah- I must apologize, but I must cut our meeting short." She looks regretful. "However- if you are as stressed as you might say, I do have a recommendation on where you can go in Crossroads."

"Oh? Pray tell." Dusekkar helps her re-organize some of the books, before giving up because today was supposed to be his break day.

"Yes. Thieves' Rest- it's a nice little cat cafe. A friend of mine works there." Ghostdeeri says. "Vine Staff and her brother are usually busy there when they don't have to attend a Phight."

"I think some of my friends been there once before, but where they found it, I am unsure ..." Dusekkar thinks back to when they first arrived in the Inpherno. Didn't Builderman say that they stopped over to a cat cafe to get drinks?

Ghostdeeri gives him directions on where to go, and he sets off to go get a drink.

[Vine Staff]

Shuriken gently elbows her. "Psst! What's Katana doing here, anyways? I thought he was always busy being mysterious."

"Don't ask me!" Vine Staff huffs, running back to check the food in the oven. "Sling- the cookies are ready!"

"Coming!" Sling runs back to the kitchen, and Vine Staff stands at the cashier's counter, glancing at Katana. The Darkage Clan member is sipping a hot cup of tea, glancing at the three of them and going back to brooding.

If Katana wasn't much older than all of them, Vine Staff reckons that he'd be in an edgy emo phase. The idea of a teenage Katana dying his horns black and listening to rock bands was outlandish enough and makes her giggle.

The door to the cafe opens up, ringing. Vine Staff perks up and waves to the newcomer. "Hello, welcome to Thieves' Rest! How may I help you today!"

"I greet you in return on this fine weekend- may I ask what is it you recommend?" Vine Staff looks up to see someone that looks similar to Ghostdeeri.

He's got branch-like black antlers poking out of his blue pumpkin mask, along with fancy grey robes as he floats a few inches above the ground.

"Oh! You remind me of someone I know- are you perhaps familiar with Ghostdeeri?" Vine Staff asks. Shuriken is staring at the newcomer, more specifically the fact that he's floating and how the fuck he's doing that.

"I am familiar with the librarian that hoards myths- for she is a friend that I am acquainted with." The pumpkin headed stranger nods. "Call me Dusekkar."

"Dusekkar... it's nice to meet you, then!" Vine Staff smiles. "I suggest you get one of the hot teas we serve here. Perhaps a black tea would suffice?"

"Hmm... indeed, that shall be my choice. Perhaps an Earl Grey with some cream would make me rejoice." Dusekkar says, all fancy and elegant.

Vine Staff takes the order and goes back to make the drink. "Slingshot- one Earl Grey coming up!"

"You think Katana's gonna ask about him?" Slingshot asks. "The new guy looks kinda old, haha!"

"I don't know... I hope they get along." Vine Staff says. She looks at Dusekkar as he sits down at a table, somewhat close to Katana but still far away. Katana, on the other hand, seems to perk up at the newcomer and his eyes narrow.

'Don't tell me that Katana's going to be suspicious of him...' Vine Staff sighs. 'I don't want a fight to break out here!'

"Excuse me." Katana says. Dusekkar looks up, slightly bewildered to see a stranger talking to him. "You don't happen to be a Watcher, do you?"

"I am, but only by name, for the SFOTH were not the one to stoke my flame." Dusekkar says.

Katana blinks for a bit, then tests the conversation carefully. "But you are associated with them, are you not?"

"Not as much as my friends' majority- but I shall say that they are not my authority." He replies.

Silence between the two. Suddenly, Katana gets up from his seat and walks over to Dusekkar. Shuriken and Vine Staff prepare for a potential brawl, with both of them summoning their gears and going to the side-

Before Katana simply sits down next to Dusekkar with his tea. "I was under the impression that all Watchers were made by the SFOTH- but if you are not lying, then perhaps you can be an interesting conversationalist."

"If I could tell you where I came from, I would- but such unknown things would only result in a falsehood." Dusekkar sets his staff down.

"There is no need to rhyme. It must be cumbersome to speak in such a way." Katana says, tapping his claws on the table.

The two of them continue to talk casually while Slingshot serves Dusekkar his Earl Grey tea. Honestly, Vine Staff thought this was going to end in chaos, and she thanks the SFOTH that it didn't.

Katana is talking about the Church and how it shouldn't be trusted. Dusekkar is nodding along, adding his own comments on how suspicious the whole place was.

"I was unaware of the full danger that the True Eye posed- now I know that they are a foe to be opposed." The pumpkin-headed Watcher replies. "Although a... colleague of mine has plans to make the Church die, they intended to do so from the inside."

"A foolish endeavor. They would be eaten up and corrupted in no time." Katana says, furrowing his brow under his mask.

"Oh I doubt that their words shall have a hold on them- there is nothing that their... 'determination' cannot overcome."

'Ooookay. They're talking about dismantling the Church of the True Eye now. Yup. I'm not hearing about this, no way.' Vine Staff turns away, whistling innocently as she cleans the tables.

Let's hope they don't cause too much trouble, then!

Chapter Text

[Katana]

Blackrock was hostile. Uninviting. The climate was far too cold for his liking, and the locals were very much against other Inphernals from other factions traveling there.

So when Katana was actually travelling to Blackrock from Crossroads, he made sure to pack a warm coat to cover himself and hope that there wasn't a blizzard warning when he decided to visit. How Hyperlaser lived in such harsh weather was a mystery to him.

The former cult member boards the monorail and stands near the exit, attentive to his surroundings. A few Blackrockians shoot him a dirty look, most likely not accepting that a Theives' Den Inphernal was travelling over to their faction- but they don't mess with him.

Being an official Phighter had it's perks, and it meant that demons knew him enough not to mess with him.

The train sets off, and after a while of waiting on the train and awkwardly avoiding interaction with the other Inphernals, Katana gets off at his stop. Thankfully, it was only lightly snowing in Blackrock at the time- a rather gentle smattering of snowflakes that wouldn't have make him freeze over completely.

Not that Katana was already freezing. He was pointedly trying not to shiver from the cold and look weak- he couldn't appear weak. Not with his reputation.

He makes it to Hyperlaser's apartment, knocking on the door. "Hyperlaser. Are you currently present?"

"Give me a minute, Katana." A muffled, familiar voice comes from the other side. "I am making myself presentable."

"Hyperlaser, I have seen you black-out drunk in a bar before. There is no need to make yourself presentable." Katana says.

Hyperlaser's door swings open, and Katana is greeted by the sight of his friend in a tank top and some sweats, unbothered by the icy coldness of Blackrock's weather. "Hello."

"... I am still amazed at your tolerance to this dreadful cold, Hyperlaser." The other Phighter comments. He steps into Hyperlaser's apartment, immediately relaxing from the heating and letting out a satisfied sigh. "Finally..."

The both of them sit down and have a drink together, lounging on Hyperlaser's couch and complaining about their lives. Katana shit-talks the Church of the True Eye, and Hyperlaser complains about his job under Subspace and Blackrock itself.

"I cannot believe that I have to work with another hired weapon, Katana." Hyperlaser groans, the vodka making him lose his inhibition. "I can't talk about how they got hired but- ugh! Вы можете в это поверить? (Can you believe it?)"

"I must admit, having to work under the Darkage Clan to go against the Church's corruption is... not to my liking at times." Katana muses. "They have their own problems, and I have mine. Our goals aligned enough to work together, and that was the only reason why I joined them."

"No, you don't get it- my new coworker is also my new neighbor!" Hyperlaser complains, lifting up his shot glass. "They moved in next to me, and Princess likes to go over to their apartment all the time!"

"Oh, so that is where the little cat has gone." Katana says, glancing over at the apartment door next to Hyperlaser's through the window.

It's rather normal-looking, but there's a slight feeling of unease under his skin, as if he was looking into the den of a dangerous tiger.

"They're Blackrock's newest... project. The only reason why they haven't been contracted like me into the Phights is because the higher-ups want to keep them hush-hush, until they get them under control."

Katana raises an eyebrow at that. If Blackrock hadn't gotten whoever it was under control yet, then it meant that they either belonged to another faction and were in the process of emigrating to Blackrock...

Or they were powerful enough to scare even the higher-ups of Blackrock. Which was the more likely case, seeing how even Hyperlaser, the soldier with hundreds of kills under his belt, was uneasy about them.

"Project, hm? I doubt any Inphernal would take kindly to being called such a thing."

"I don't doubt it." Hyperlaser sighs, and puts down his cup. "I've only seen them in action once, and it was against me and Subspace..."

He goes quiet, unable to elaborate. "I can't say anything more than that. Classified. But just know that they're not to be trifled with."

"And yet you still share it with me." Katana says, amused. "Willing to commit treason for a friend? How daring."

"Please. I would never." Hyperlaser scoffs at the joke. "But from a friend to a friend- I'm simply... warning you if they decide to come over to return Princess."

"I wouldn't doubt your word, Hyperlaser."

The two of them did their usual spiel- talking about what's happened to them since they last met. Katana isn't one to use technology, and Hyperlaser is usually far too busy with the hits Blackrock's officials give him- so they have plenty to talk about.

Katana rarely talks about how the Darkage Clan's been doing so far. Hyperlaser, in return, doesn't talk about Blackrock that much. Both of them know that if they said too much, let their tongue slip and reveal the wrong thing about their faction- they'd be dead in a matter of days.

And yet both of them were still friends. Despite being from different factions, despite having fought on different sides during the war- they were here. Together.

Maybe it was the fact that all of the factions were left broken after the war, that corruption permeated both Blackrock and Lost Temple's government that it didn't matter what they did in the war, didn't matter what side they were on. Both of them were broken men that wanted to leave the past behind them, but couldn't.

Katana ruminates on this as he listens to Hyperlaser talk, the sniper's hoarse voice droning on in the background.

It was... nice. Having someone else understand his sorrows. The snow outside picks up, wind howling as it became a blizzard. Katana curses, looking outside. "Damn it. I won't be able to go back to my abode. Perhaps I can stay for the night...?"

"You're always welcome to, Katana. You know that." Hyperlaser says.

"Thank you." He furrows his brows, looking nervous. "But with your neighbor- they will not report this to Blackrock, will they?"

Hyperlaser pauses. There was the danger of any of Blackrock's citizens or soldiers suspecting that Katana was here for "more" than just a friendly visit to a fellow Phighter, and he might be reported.

And if he's reported for possible treason- well, they wouldn't be able to kill him outright, he is one of the official representatives for Blackrock in the Phights, but they'd still make his life a living hell.

Fortunately, he knows his neighbor well.

"Don't worry. They won't." He snorts. "I'm sure they would rather flip their handler off rather than even think of doing anything that isn't in their job description. That's the one good thing about them, I suppose."

"And the fact that they babysit Princess for you?"

"... That too." Hyperlaser says.

Katana tilts his head like an owl, curious. "So you are saying that your newest... 'coworker' practically disobeys orders, acts like an unknown variable and is not reliable at all?"

The unspoken question was clear. 'How have they not been done in by Blackrock yet?'

"Believe me, I know. But you will understand once you see them." Hyperlaser says.

It's getting dark. The blizzard outside is still raging, snow and hail battering against the apartment complex's brick walls. It's only because of Blackrock's decently impressive infrastructure and the heating in place that the inhabitants don't freeze to death in the region's harsher weather.

"Icedagger's out tonight, I suppose." Hyperlaser comments. Katana makes a face at the mention of the SFOTH deity. "You know how I feel about him."

"Same as any other SFOTH, I suppose."

Suddenly, there's a knock on the door. With how low-light Hyperlaser keeps his apartment to save the power bill and the eerie ambience of a raging blizzard outside, Katana is already tense.

There's another, more insistent knock. Hyperlaser simply sighs and gets up from the couch. "Coming. Wait a sec." He goes to the door, looking more annoyed rather than scared, and opens it.

Katana freezes up. Because the Inphernal on the other side of the door is towering over both him and Hyperlaser effortlessly.

The stranger doesn't look Blackrockian at all. In fact, they don't look like they're from any of the factions- skin so dark that it's almost midnight-black, and wearing green armor that looked skeletal.

They reeked of darkness, corruption, hatred- and Katana just knew the reason why Blackrock didn't have them under their grasp is because of this.

"1x. Bringing Princess back already?" Hyperlaser asks, looking unbothered at the fact that he was standing next to someone that could probably as tall as the SFOTH. Katana peeks out from behind Hyperlaser, and could see a very content Princess purring in their arms. It was difficult to see the black cat, seeing that she blended in with the other Inphernal's skin.

"Yes. She decided to ignore the cat tower that I spent my hard-earned money on and decided to scratch up my couch and bed. Once again." 1x growled.

"Mhm. That's cats for you." Hyperlaser makes a gentle 'pspsps', and Princess leaps into his arms, meowing happily. The towering, dark figure looks past Hyperlaser and at Katana, which Katana would never admit made him sweat. From mere eye contact.

They narrowed their red eyes. "You didn't tell me that you had someone else over." They scoffed.

"Right. This is... Katana. He's a Phighter, like me." Hyperlaser says, straightening up and entering 'work mode'. He immediately put on the demeanor he was best known for- silent, strong, and no-nonsense.

"I see." 1x looks at him up and down. Katana is still too tense to introduce himself.

"And Katana- this is 1x1x1x1. The neighbor I was telling you about." Hyperlaser says. If it weren't for the fact that he was mostly used to 1x at this point. Once you've seen someone hold a cat like a baby and coddle it despite throwing a bunch of insults, they become far less intimidating. Somewhat.

They stare at each other for a moment, before Katana makes the first move. "It is... good to meet you."

"Please. You don't need to lie- I hate it when people try to suck up to me." They hiss. There's the sound of slight rattling, like a rattlesnake, when they tense up in frustration.

"Apologies. Would you rather I say that I dislike meeting you? That I am currently figuring out if you are trying to kill me or not?" Katana says, half snarking and half terrified of how this is going to turn out.

"Try again. I can practically see your hatred from here." 1x1x1x1 says, hand drifting over to the swords sheathed on their hip.

"Fine. You are the most vile-looking Inphernal I've ever laid eyes upon, and the corrupting seeping off your body makes you look like more like a monster than anything else." Katana says, done with all the pretense. "If it weren't for the fact that my friend has advised against me picking a fight with you, you would be tasting my blade."

"As if you could even touch me in combat." 1x1x1x1 shoots back. "Lucky for you, I'm feeling unusually generous today, and the fools I work for would have a field day if I were to spill your blood all over Hyperlaser's floor."

Katana summons his gear, and keeps it raised. Hyperlaser jumps in to stop them from killing each other. "1x1x1x1- cease. Or else I'll have to report this to your handler."

The tall Inphernal narrows their eyes, both Hyperlaser and Katana feel like they're about to be cut down in an instant. Princess lets out a meow on the couch, and 1x breaks eye contact to stare at the cat.

"... Fine. You idiots are lucky that I'm not willing to make a mess of this place." They step back. "Athough- I will not take this insult lightly. Katana, I request a duel."

"Pardon?"

"You heard me." 1x1x1x1 hisses. "A duel. I will make you know your place, and you shall bow to me."

'... They're full of themself. Absolutely shameful.' Katana thinks. He keeps it to himself, however, because he was not about to beef with someone who looks like an off-brand, edgy SFOTH.

1x1x1x1 and Katana ended up settling the duel another day- more specifically, after this week's Phight. 1x had rented a private gym arena in Blackrock, and set Hyperlaser as the referee for the duel (probably because they'd have to hear about the Blackrock authorities bitching if they didn't).

Katana has his gear in hand, sharpening it against a whetstone as he glares at 1x. The other Inphernal seems to regard him with little care, like he wasn't a threat at all to them.

"Let's see how you fare in battle, then." Katana says, putting down the whetstone and readying his stance. His opponent simply scoffs, and summons their gear in their hands with a flick of their wrists. "Let's."

Katana takes note of them. They're pitch-black with a neon-green shade to them at the end, and he's not sure if his eye is failing him- but they seem to glitch a bit.

"Again- no killing. Only fight until the other is disarmed, or until they don't have the strength to summon their gear." Hyperlaser says, crossing his arms. "Katana are you sure about this?"

"I am. Even if I lose, this would make for valuable training." He doesn't take his eyes off 1x1x1x1.

"Very well then. On your marks, get set- phight!"

Katana brings up his blade to block right as 1x1x1x1 practically rockets forward, bringing down both their swords in an x-shape with a snarl.

1x1x1x1 spins around and makes a twirling motion, to which the Phighter readies for another block- before a loud rattling noise akin to the rattling of chains sounds out and a green wave of energy slashes through Katana, making him bleed.

"Ghk-!" He's hurt, but it's far from enough to bring him down. Katana responds to the move by using the opening to use his grapple, hitting 1x in the chestplate and pulling them closer for a slash as well.

They hiss, but they keep their nerve as they lock blades once again, with Katana letting out heavy breaths.

"You are- a strong opponent. I shall give you that." Katana narrows his eye. "But I shall not go down without a fight!" He feels himself feeling nauseous, as if his body was being poisoned. Was their gear tainted, just like them? How horrifying.

"Feel my entanglement!" They yell. 1x1x1x1 throws their swords this time, and Katana manages to dodge in time as they have to take time to re-summon their swords, grumbling.

"Not today." He says, retaliating with another slash. 1x1x1x1 makes the same rattling noise, except quieter and out of anger.

They step back and forth like it's a complex dance of blades, and both sides have to figure out the others' style. Katana has more of a graceful, heavy flow to his attacks, fighting akin to a samurai- while 1x1x1x1 fights like a knight, with more direct aggression and heavy guarding.

1x1x1x1 steps forward with a jab, and Katana redirects. He slips to the side and hits 1x's arm, making the taller Inphernal tank the hit and have to defend.

Katana blocks more of 1x1x1x1's slashes with his blade, but the other Inphernal was getting better and better- as if they were adjusting to fighting him. "Ha- you're doing better than my wretched creator, that's for sure!"

The Theives' Den phighter stumbles as 1x1x1x1 does another spin, and he expects to be hit with another ranged attack, stepping out of the way- only for 1x to feint and slam one blade down on Katana's sword, the other blade jabbing into his side.

Katana lets out a groan of pain and wrenches himself away, and he glares at 1x1x1x1. "Damn it- I will not be beaten without showing my full power!" His horns begin to glow as he powers up.

He tilts his blade to the side, and he sees Hyperlaser out of the corner of his eye, panicked. "Katana! Don't use your Phinisher, it's going to-!"

He swings his blade around himself, the power in his gear flaring up as it projects a flurry of slashes around him, howling like the wind. 1x1x1x1 is hit, despite blocking it with both their swords.

They are pushed back a bit, their boots digging into the floor below as they stagger. "Ha... hahaha! So that's what you do!"

"Hmph." Katana looks perturbed, because 1x1x1x1 doesn't seem to be breaking a sweat while Katana just popped his Phinisher out of desperation. "Have you... not performed your phinisher?"

"My phinisher?" 1x1x1x1 tilts their head, lowering their swords and looking... intrigued? "I assume you are speaking about my strongest attack."

"Yes. Do you not know?" Katana doubts that they are really an Inphernal if they don't even know what a phinisher is, and if he really should be letting them know if they didn't. Gods forbid that 1x1x1x1 was already powerful enough.

"... Pretend I do not know what a phinisher is. How do I perform mine?" 1x1x1x1 asks. "I shall end this battle on a tie if you do."

(The embodiment of hatred was genuinely curious. Another way to make themselves stronger? Perhaps this would help them in their journey to beat their accursed creator.)

"Every Inphernal's phinisher is different depending on their gear and how they use it." Katana says, using the time to recover, tired from using his own. He straightens up, sheathing his sword and warily looking at 1x1x1x1. "You simply release all the power in yourself stored up, and channel it through your gear."

"You speak as if that is simple." 1x1x1x1 snorts, tapping one of their blades impatiently against the other. "I am asking for steps. Instructions."

"Then you're asking for something that has no one answer." Katana says, crossing their arms. "The method to perform a phinisher only comes from training and knowing yourself. Only you can figure out how it works- but knowing what emotions and circumstances that lead you to perform the best can be of use."

1x1x1x1 scoffs. They glance at their blades, as if curious. Hyperlaser, who's relieved that the match was already called off by 1x themselves, looks baffled. "What do you mean you've never used a phinisher?! Then what was with you summoning all those zombies?!"

"Tch, that? That was simply a trick in my arsenal. It doesn't tire me that much." 1x1x1x1 says. Katana would even say they were bragging, if it weren't for the fact that they seemed so dismissive.

"... Pardon. Zombies?" Katana echoes. The pieces in his head were beginning to click together. "If I may ask- what is your gear, exactly?"

1x1x1x1 preens, looking rather smug as they raise their blades to show off. "They're the dual Daemonshanks, of course. Only a gear with such deadliness would be worthy of me wielding it."

Their unnatural height. The way they seemed to exude power, the sheer deadliness of their gear- and now he knew that they could raise the dead and had that name?

'I knew it.' Katana thought, feeling vindicated. 'They're no ordinary Inphernal-'

'They're Venomshank's secret offspring!'

Seeing that they hadn't talked about the deity of rot in any way, Katana assumes that they were trying to keep it a secret. But why keep it a secret if they were just- laying out the hints right in front of him?

They were trying to tell him something. They were toying with him. Surely, that was the case.

Katana sweats, meeting 1x1x1x1's eyes with his own. There's some silence before he chooses his next words carefully. "... You don't seem like the average Inphernal."

"Tch. Comparing me to yourself and the others? Don't bother." 1x1x1x1 says, uninterested. "As unhelpful as you were in helping me figure out how to perform a phinisher with such cliche advice- I will have to thank you for at least giving me somewhat of an interesting battle. Short and pathetic as it was."

Great. So 1x1x1x1 was just as egotistical as some of the SFOTH. Katana simply grits his teeth, and reminds himself that he could not go up against a demigod this powerful, as skilled as he was.

"Watch your tongue. Speak like that to any of those false gods, and they'd have your head in seconds." Katana shoots back.

"False gods...? You don't happen to be talking about the SFOTH Swords?" 1x1x1x1 asks.

"And what if I am?" Katana says, defiant. Hyperlaser tenses up, expecting a fight- but instead, 1x1x1x1 is... laughing? They're amused by this, laughing all menacingly and lowering their blades.

"FINALLY! Someone who doesn't praise those useless twats all the time!" They say, a sharp grin on their face. "Every gods-damn time, the fools I work for don't have the gall to speak of those pathetic Swords in front of me!"

There's some sense of confusion and relief from Katana. "Pardon, but- are you not-" It doesn't make sense to him. Does 1x1x1x1 hate their father? "Isn't one of the SFOTH your father?" He decides to just go ahead with it, and hit them straight ahead with the accusation.

1x1x1x1 goes dead quiet, and then slowly turns back to Katana with a pissed-off expression. "What did you just say?"

"I was asking if Venomshank is your father-" And before Katana could say anything else, 1x1x1x1's blade is pressed against his neck.

"Father? HIM?!" 1x1x1x1 snarls. "Venomshank is NOTHING compared to me! NOTHING!" Katana backs up, and Hyperlaser was currently regretting being here. "I will not TOLERATE being seen as lesser compared to my creator's PATHETIC creations!"

"... Creator?" Katana feels like he's about to shit himself, which is particularly impressive because he's seen a lot of terrifying stuff during the faction war. But this?

"Yes. How do you think I feel, being stuffed into this- pathetic form and my hacks being useless here? Seeing my creator's stupid SFOTH Swords reign here, having to build back my power- it is INFURIATING!"

The hatred emanating out of 1x's body was palpable, their skin actually... smoking? Their eyes glow menacingly, glaring at the only one in front of them- Katana.

"... I see." Katana says, his voice cracking. "Well, good for you." He's got no idea how to respond to this.

Hyperlaser, on the other hand, is trembling. Katana isn't sure if it's in fear, or from the sheer shock that 1x1x1x1 shares the same 'creator' as the SFOTH. That means that they're not a demigod like Katana suspected before- no. It's worse.

They're a deity. Like the SFOTH. And most likely a corrupted one, too.

"Every waking moment of my damned existence is spent finding a way to wipe that damned fool off the face of the world." They stab their blades down on the floor, and Hyperlaser winces at that. The damage bills are going to be a pain in the ass, but at least 1x was going to be the one paying for this.

"I want to rip the wings off those pathetic creations of his- want to make them regret ever being created by that accursed man." 1x1x1x1 snarls. "I want them to feel the pain that I felt!"

Katana feels an odd sense of 'damn, same' while 1x1x1x1 rants and raves. He didn't know that false deities could have issues with their father, but apparently so. 'And didn't the SFOTH's creator disappear long ago? How unfortunate.'

"Ah, the feeling of revenge. That, I can understand." Katana says, trying to placate 1x. "But I do not recommend fighting the SFOTH at your current state, whatever... you might be." Because 1x1x1x1 doesn't really seem like any sort of Inphernal now that Katana was thinking about it. "They hold immense power, and rule over parts of the Inpherno for a reason."

1x1x1x1 growls, but they lower their blades and de-summon them. "Fine. Very well." They look over to Hyperlaser and Katana, curling their claws menacingly. "I will take your suggestion to heart, and begin my training posthaste. Since you are the one to stop me, you will be the one I use to train with and regain my power."

Katana is about to protest before he just gives up. "Do what you will." He says, frustrated. Today was NOT the day to be beefing with the Inphernal equivalent of the Antichrist.

(As this was happening, Shedletsky was busy helping train Sword, Darkheart and Venomshank both overlooking them. He feels a chill run down his spine, and stops for a second.)

("Eh? What's wrong, gramps?" Sword asks. "Is something the matter?" Shedletsky shakes his head, a grin on his face. "No, it's nothing important! Just forgot and left the oven on back at Builderman's house, haha!")

(That's a lie. He was thinking about 1x1x1x1, and how since the killers were in the Inpherno, he'd have to deal with THEM sooner or later.)

(There's a sense of guilt at not telling the SFOTH who 1x1x1x1 really was- because if they were his creation, they'd be the SFOTH's older sibling, right?)

(...)

(He'll avoid that thought for now. Time to get back to training Sword and ignore his problems, haha!)

[Taph]

You know, for a wanted criminal, he's doing surprisingly well! It also helps that changing his clothes made it pathetically easy for him to blend in.

Apparently demons were just- faceblind? Or horn-blind. The general public just didn't notice his face plastered on wanted posters if he trimmed down his secondary horns and painted them.

That didn't stop Taph from carrying out his punishment, courtesy of Builderman. He's been doing all of the chores for the admins, akin to a sort of butler- cooking, cleaning, all that stuff. Builderman and Shedletskt pay him from their pension from the SFOTH, because they can't have him going out too often in case some demon eventually recognizes him.

Currently, Taph was going out with Builderman to find any leads on the killers. They'd taken the train to Theives' Den, and were currently figuring out where the heck they could find more information.

"I ain't familiar with the transportation system here... though I gotta admit, this ain't so bad." Builderman says. "Lotta trees and all, and with all the plants... you reckon Dusekkar woulda' been better for this place?"

"🎃✨👍 ✅ (Dusekkar would have been right.)" Taph signs. He nearly trips over a root on one the road, stumbling for a bit. "💣 ➕ 🛠️❓🎃✨ 🗺🧭 ✅ (Why me and you? He would've done better navigating here!)"

"Because Dusekkar's been busy enough- he's been watchin' over 007n7 and makin' sure he's actually carryin' out his house arrest." Builderman groans, running a hand down his face. "Shedletsky's out with his own kids, and I ain't gonna make him leave them to be chasin' wild geese with us!"

Taph nods, and simply walks next to Builderman. He's ecstatic, having the opportunity to go on this mission with Builderman. He's going on a mission with the head honcho of Robloxia himself! Of course he's overjoyed!

The both of them are currently roaming in Central Thieves' Den, having taken the train over to the city. The architecture was much less cramped in comparison to Crossroads, with tons of foliage and greenery crawling up the walls. There's trees everywhere, more integrated into the buildings like Playground but with far less modification.

"Darn- I guess this is why the whole place's good for a retreat." Builderman admits, taking in the sight. "Nature everywhere, even in the big city. "I've only seen places this pretty in Robloxia's wilderness!"

"🌲🌸 ✨ 😊 (All this pretty nature is making really happy!)" Taph admits. The whole place is making him relax- maybe it's the scents from the flowers in the city, or it's the fact that it's not as polluted as some of Robloxia's city (or the fact that he isn't breathing in fumes from his demolition work)- but he's happy.

"How Robloxia doin', without me an' the other admins there?" Builderman asks, his expression softening for a bit. "I hope it ain't gone to heck in a handbasket, ya know."

Taph pauses. He's not sure how to tell Builderman that Robloxia's been falling on hard times, and the fact that it's been moving on- albeit slowly- from the missing admins.

"🏙 👋🫤 😓🌀💥 🤝🛡⚔️ 💻 (Robloxia's been doing so-so- it's very chaotic and stressful, but the remaining admins are working together to protect the code.)"

Builderman lets out a sigh of relief. "Well, ain't that a relief. I'd thought HQ would be hell in a handbasket after we'd gone up and disappeared."

"🗺❓ 🫵🛠➕👥 🕐❓ (Where were you and the others, anyway?)" Taph asks. He's been worried for Builderman for ages, and his main priority is finding a way back to Robloxia for them to bring it back to normal. "🫵🛠 👤🪤 ⬇️❓(Were you trapped here?)"

"By the code, I wish." Builderman grumbles, running a hand down his face. "We got stuck like cattle to th' slaughter in some kinda purgatory, Taph. Some kinda bein' called the 'Spectre' made us fight fer' our lives in a death game."

Taph looks incredibly worried and upset as his boss explained what happened in the Spectre's realm. And the fact that the killers were out loose here... no wonder they're so focused on finding them.

"Do ya' reckon we're goin' the right way?" Builderman asks, and Taph shakes his head. They're currently wandering in one of the bigger cities in Thieves' Den, which was having some sort of festival at night- there's lights strung everywhere and Inphernals walking about.

"Yer' right. We should'a went to somewhere more private in the wilderness." Builderman says, sighing. "I'll go an' ask the locals 'bout it."

Taph trails behind his boss as the admin walks up to one of the vendors selling what he recognized as bocchan dango. Builderman clears his throat, and he waves at the seller. "Howdy there, neighbor! Mind helpin' me with something?"

"Hey, a tourist! Don't see many folks from Lost Temple around here- that is where your accent is from, right?" The vendor chuckles, flipping the sticks of dango on the grill. "What do you need?"

"We're tryin' to find some... criminals for the Banlands Police." Builderman says carefully. After all, Jason and the other killers would technically count. "They're real nasty pieces o' work- have there been any recent murders 'round these parts?"

"Recent murders...?" The vendor thinks for a bit, and then their eyes widen. "Oh, you must be talking about the murders at Kawasumi!"

The Inphernal shudders. "Nobody's been able to come back from there. It used to be a big tourist spot, but now the lake's practically empty because of this weird hockey-masked Inpernal haunting the place."

"🏒⁉️ 👤🔪‼️ (Hockey-masked? That must be-!)"

"Jason... of course he'd be near a lake. If the old Area 51 reports weren't lyin', he'd be around a place like that." Builderman says. "Do ya' know where that place is, then?"

"It should be somewhere... here." The vendor takes out their phone to show a map. "But fair warning! Even the Silver Shadow wasn't able to take him down- I hear that Theives' Den own vigilante was spotted limping out of the place with wounds all over. I don't think you two can fight him on your own."

"That's fair- we ain't gonna go there right away." Builderman admits. "We're plannin' on callin' fer backup and roundin' him up to the Banlands."

"That's good! I can't bear to think of what will happen if an Inphernal that strong and murderous is roaming around, eugh."

"Looks like that's that, Taph. We should go an' tell the others 'bout this." Builderman's about to set off, but the vendor jokingly calls out to him.

"Hey, why not take a break and buy some of my dango?" They wave one of the sticks and grin. "I did help you get some info about your target!"

Taph nods rapidly, and tugs on Builderman's sleeve. "👷🛠 ⏸️🏖️😎❓ 👥 🍽 🍡 🎉❗ (Builderman, why don't we take a break? We can eat and have fun at the festival!)"

Taph thinks his boss deserves a break, after all the stress of dealing with 007n7 and c00lkidd. The demolitionist is DEFINITELY not fond of those two, seeing that they're exploiters and their house was already demolished by him back in Robloxia.

Builderman pauses, and gives in to the urge. "Fine, I guess it ain't that bad to kick back an' let myself loose for a bit... the others can wait fer' the news."

[Shuriken]

"Ahhh, now that hit the spot!" He takes a swig of the soda in his hand and munches down on the yakitori in his hand, savoring the grilled chicken. "Mmm- can't believe that it's this cheap- I really got lucky today!"

After he'd ended up limping back to his house during his run-in with the masked serial killer, Vine Staff verbally tore him apart for running off near such a dangerous place. He'd had no choice but to reveal that he "accidentally" wandered near Kawasumi Lake, and the way his normally-calm sister blew up from stress made his eardrums ring.

Thankfully, it didn't occur to her that her own little brother was the Silver Shadow of Theives' Den. His secret night job of being a vigilante was safe and secure.

He grapples from building to building, landing on the roofs of the nearby houses and looking down at all the civilians walking through the place. The festival was apparently a celebration of one of the major victories during the Faction War- not that he cared to remember which one it was.

Shuriken does a backflip, and lands down on the street, brushing the dust off his hoodie and strolling leisurely along the path. The empty soda can in his hand is tossed into a trash can, and he continues to munch on the yakitori.

"Haha, got it!" He cheers a bit as his aim is true and he successfully lands the soda can in the trash can. Sure, he's an official Phighter and he's got good aim from all his training- but it's still fun!

Unfortunately, he was so preoccupied at making that shot that he accidentally runs into someone else, dropping his yakitori and making them fall to the ground.

"Oh my gods, I'm so sorry! Here, let me." Shuriken extends his hand out, and the stranger takes it. They've got dark skin, blue horns and a puffer jacket.

They get back up quickly and begin signing with their hands, but Shuriken sheepishly rubs the back of his head. "Sorry, dude- I don't know sign language."

"That's alright- I can translate." Another Inphernal walks up from behind him- a construction worker with a gruff Lost Temple accent. "He's apologizin' fer bumpin' into you. It ain't that big of a deal..."

"Yeah..." Shuriken sadly looks down at his yakitori on the ground and internally cries at the loss of his beloved chicken skewer. 'Rest in peace, little man...'

"Oh- is that yer food?" The construction worker seems to flounder a bit before pulling out his wallet. "Here, lemme buy it fer you- where's the stand?"

"Eh? No no no, it's fine! I can buy another by myself-"

The hooded Inphernal rapidly signs, and the stranger looks at him. "Ah. Taph says that he's the one who made ya drop it, so he should be payin'."

The two of them go over to the yakitori stand and buy another skewer for Shuriken, who accepts it and continues to munch on the grilled chicken. Builderman seems interested in the stand.

"Hey, Taph- ya think Shedletsky's gonna like this?" He asks.

Taph nods and signs again, and Builderman lets out a chuckle. "Yer' right- of course he'd like it. It's chicken." Builderman proceeds to buy two more skewers and put them in a paper box for later, slipping it behind his back to put it in his inventory.

Shuriken doesn't notice the admin literally breaking the laws of known physics, and continues chowing down on his yakitori. "So, what's with you two? It's not everyday that you see two Lost Temple folks runnin' around here!"

"Oh, we live in Crossroads. Factionless." Builderman waves his hand. "We're here on Ban Lands business. There's this serial killer roamin' around, and we're supposed to catch him..."

Shuriken freezes, and thinks back to his encounter with the hockey-masked Inphernal. "Ah, right... him." He winces. "I hear that he's been tearing apart anyone who's getting near the lake or campsite- but the good news is, he doesn't leave that territory. I wonder why?"

Builderman can only shrug, and Taph taps on his shoulder. After some signing, the other Inphernal perks up. "Ah, right! We ain't introduced ourselves to you yet!"

He gestures to Taph. "This here's Taph- he works in demolition n' construction fer' my old... company. I'm Builderman."

"Huh." 'Dang, his nickname's kind of on-the-nose. Even I had some creativity with naming myself the Silver Shadow.' Shuriken snickers at the thought, and extends out a hand. "Shuriken! Official Phighter, worker at Theives' Rest- and the best damn ninja there is!" He boasts.

"Best ninja, eh? That's a bold claim." Builderman chuckles, like he's an old man looking at a young, enthusiastic beginner. "What's it like, being an official Phighter? I know y'all do represent yer factions..."

"Man, it's easy!" Shuriken leans back, waving his skewer and bragging. "There's a lot of training though, and the annual meeting with the other Phighters is kinda... awkward."

Taph signs, and Builderman translates. "Awkward how?"

"Well, it isn't exactly easy to be chill with the other Phighters when half of them have beef with each other, and Playground and Blackrock hate each others' guts..." Shuriken explains.

"Oh, that makes sense." Builderman scratches his chin. "But- do ya have to be from a faction and represent it if yer gonna be an official Phighter?"

"Looking to be on the roster, old man?" Shuriken teases. "I'm sure it's fine- there's nothing on the rules that says you have to be from a faction, and Rocket's technically factionless since Playground kicked him out- so it's probably okay!"

"Huh." Builderman thinks about it, and shrugs. "Guess we'll have the option if we ask 'bout it."

(Shuriken is blissfully unaware that Builderman has direct contact with the SFOTH and is probably more powerful than them, seeing that he's a Robloxian admin. Hell, Shedletsky, his friend and coworker, literally created the SFOTH- and if the poor Inphernal knew that, he'd probably faint in shock.)

Taph continues to sign excitedly, and Builderman snorts. "Yer gear's a Subspace Tripmine, Taph- I don't think they're willin' to have two of 'em in the same round."

Shuriken makes a face at that. "Oh dang, you share a gear with that guy?"

"..."

"I'm so sorry dude. He's a complete ass."

"Language!"

[Firebrand]

Now, his creator father entrusted him with looking over the strange little child and his father, 007n7. He's honestly curious to know why the 'hacker' was so feared and loathed by the rest of the survivors.

"I don't see how he can be that dangerous." Windforce scoffs, eying the scrawny Inphernal former Robloxian and his son. "Telamon told us to spar with him to witness what he can do- but I think if I'd go down and fight him myself, his bones would be puree'd."

"Don't be so harsh on the poor mortal, Windforce!" Firebrand whispers, looking at her with disapproval. "Besides- father goes by Shedletsky now. He's entrusted us with his true name, and I'd rather not upset him."

"... True. It just feels... wrong to call him that sometimes." His sister admits. "He used to be so uptight and insistent that he held himself above us- why the switch-up now?"

"You know he's fond of those Robloxian mortals, after they've been trapped together for ages." Firebrand hisses. "Show some respect, sister. They've protected our father as best as possible in that... thing's death games."

Windforce's face flickers with uncertainty, before she scoffs and crosses her arms. "Fine. You fight him then. But don't come running to me crying if he ends up perishing."

Firebrand shakes his head at his sister's disapproval, and glides down to 007n7, who's helping c00lkidd with his own c00lgui.

"There- I should have fixed the teleportation, so you can go to my side whenever you feel like it." He says gently. "Try not to use it when I'm at work, okay kid?"

"Okay, dad!" c00lkidd nods. Firebrand clears his throat, and looks down at the two.

"007n7." He says. "I see that the little one has a gear similar to mine. Does he have good control over the flames?"

c00lkidd flinches and frowns, and 007n7 shakes his head. "We're... working on that. Unfortunately." He shakes his head. "c00lkidd isn't really good at controlling his flames."

"I don't wanna set stuff on fire anymore..." The kid looks down, looking upset. "It hurts people. Papa says so."

Firebrand looks at the child with some pity, before shaking his head. "You will have to use it to practice, little child. You cannot suppress your gear forever, or it will inevitably explode in power. Especially with a blade as powerful as yours."

c00lkidd whimpers at the idea of hurting people with his power, and 007n7 sighs. "And you can help him?"

"Yes. It's necessary, even with his... restrictions." Firebrand's eyes flicker over to both of their ankle monitors, and he feels upset that a child as young as c00lkidd had to be under house arrest, even though he'd killed people.

Firebrand has killed a lot of innocent Inphernals in his past, when he had a much more fiery temper. His mood was enough to rival Windforce's before he'd calmed down and learned to control himself.

He could understand how c00lkidd could have ended up this way- in fact, the little mortal (godling?) could have been more innocent than him, seeing that the child killed out of ignorance and another's manipulation. Firebrand, back then, at least knew what he was doing.

"Now, 007n7." Firebrand says, taking a deep breath. "Do you wish to spar with me, using that... gear of yours?" He glances over at the c00lgui panel, and 007n7 looks uneasy. "I..."

"Do not worry. Shedletsky told me to test your skills, and see for myself." The SFOTH says. He steps back and draws his gear. "Are you ready for our battle?

"Ah- wait a second." 007n7 fiddles with the c00lgui a bit, and steps back on the clearing. "There. That should be good enough, and- you make the first move."

"Alright. Now- face my power, mortal." Firebrand flaps his wings, and rockets forward- but a sword clashes against his own gear, and he looks up to see- 007n7 with his gear?!

A duplicate of the Inphernal is standing in front of him, glasses glinting in the sunlight and Firebrand in hand. The real 007n7 pushes up his glasses as he presses another button on his c00lgui. "It's only fair that I fight you with your own gear, Firebrand."

"Hmph! I see- we were mistaken about you." Firebrand sweats a bit, realizing that maybe his creator had a reason to be uneasy about the mortal in front of him. "If that is the case- I won't hold back!"

Firebrand continues to fight the clone, who is far less experienced than himself. He easily disarms the fake, making the Firebrand replica clatter to the ground as he stabs the clone. It flops down and disappears with some glitching, and another clone rushes towards him with... another Firebrand in hand.

"That's not all I have, Firebrand!" 007n7 says, whipping up his c00lgui and spawning in more clones. c00lkidd cheers for his dad to win. "I'm going easy on you here- if my c00lgui was actually at full power, you'd be dead in a second!"

"Tell him, dad!" c00lkidd cheers. Windforce is gawking at the sight of her own brother being jumped by at least fifteen clones with his own gear.

Firebrand grits his teeth, and slashes at three of the clones, making them glitch out and disappear. Thankfully, none of 007n7's clones seem to be skilled at swordfighting, and the clones were weak as hell- but the sheer quantity of them meant that the hacker didn't need to care about quality."

007n7 himself watches as Firebrand flares up his power and sets fire to the entire battlefield. Before the deity does that, the ex-exploiter enables godmode, and the blue forcefield flickers around him before the flames wash around him.

Firebrand aims for him once all the clones are gone, but the forcefield prevents the deity from doing any damage. 007n7 chuckles a bit in embarrassment. "Sorry... I think you've already lost, Firebrand. Can't harm me with this on."

The deity furrows his brow, and slashes at the forcefield with more power, making the ground below them melt and bubble into lava. 007n7 just stands there, unscathed, while Firebrand steps back. "That's as much as I can do without causing extreme damage to the place."

"Same." 007n7 nods, sighing. "If it makes you feel better, Shedletsky, Builderman and Dusekkar have more power than me. Most of my c00lgui is now restricted by them."

"Apologies, but it... does not really reassure me." Firebrand dusts the ash off his fancy coat, and puts out the fires around him. "No wonder the others are wary of your power..."

007n7 looks upset, and averts his gaze. "I used to use my powers recklessly. I've hurt- a lot of people with them."

"It's only after I took c00lkidd in that I- changed." 007n7 sighs, and shakes his head. "I don't want to use the c00lgui that much, even though it's my own 'gear'. I'm too tired to live the life I used to."

Firebrand sees himself in 007n7. 'I've left behind my old ways as well... no wonder. It's probably very difficult for him.'

He feels sympathetic to the ex-hacker's plight. Sure, he knows that 007n7 can be a danger to the Inpherno if he really let loose- but the deity of fire feels like he won't use his powers in that way.

"I suppose you are similar to your son, then? Any mastery of fire?" Firebrand asks, raising an eyebrow.

007n7 nods, and looks away. "More of like I can set anything on fire- it's less of wielding fire and more like starting it." The father thinks back to his exploiting days, where he set a lot of places ablaze. What could he say- his teenage self thought arson was just the funniest thing ever.

Chapter Text

[Jason Voorhees]

His territory has been getting awfully annoying lately. It's clear that he wasn't in the same world, and that Camp Crystal Lake didn't exist here- but the more things change, the more they stay the same.

He's happy that there's no more teenage camp counsellors doing unholy things and shirking their duties- thank gods for everyone being an asexual creature now- but there is TOO MANY annoying demons challenging him!

And there's also the carnivorous plants that practically infest every other place. He's had to brandish his machete against so many oversized venus flytraps to the point where he's questioning why he's living in the wilderness.

'So much harder to get rid of... why is this world so scary? I want my mother.' He thinks. If he were still human, he'd be long dead even before he got forsaken.

He swings his blade at some of the smaller growing plants, making them snap their 'teeth' closed. Jason watches as the venus flytrap sprouts are beheaded, and shakes his head in frustration.

From the stuff he's stolen from his victims, he learned that he was in a region called Thieves' Den. The inhabitants respect nature a lot, they're very traditional- which means that Jason would have gotten along with them if not for the fact that they kept on challenging him.

'Is it like wild animals? Do demons like challenging others for territory? Or fighting to prove that they're stronger?'

Jason knows animals very well. He's lived in the woods for most of his life, after all. He thinks about it a bit, then nods. Yes, that must be it.

'If that's the case, then I'll keep killing them until they get the message.' The slasher thinks. 'That way nobody's going to bother me anymore!'

In Jason's mind, this is a perfectly acceptable way to deter any people invading in his territory. His mother wanted Camp Crystal Lake gone, and nobody to ever build another camp on those grounds ever again- so she killed anyone who wanted to repeat the past.

What he's doing is simply following his mother's footsteps. Nobody can hurt him anymore, like his mother said.

But darn it, all of this was so frustrating and confusing. He got what he wanted- freedom from the Spectre and a place that was close to his old home. But his mother wasn't there, he couldn't hear her familiar voice...

'She's here. She has to be.' Jason thinks. 'She was there after she died, she was there when I was with the Spectre- so why isn't she here?'

'I want my mom.'

Jason rationalizes his mother's absence by wondering if she's in another place. Maybe he can go around Thieves' Den and try to find her?

He picks up his machete, and simply... starts walking. He's sure that his territory will be fine in his absence- Jason has hidden his spoils of war deep in that cabin, and the cabin itself was hard to find. Besides, if any Inphernal were stupid enough to trespass and still be there when he returned, he can just- kill them. Easy as that.

Jason just starts walking. The hulking Inphernal strolls through the wilderness with ease, taking in the scenery and occasionally fighting against the carnivorous plants present on his path.

There's not really a trail of blood where he goes. For some reason, no Inphernal has run into him yet- maybe it's because it's night and everyone's asleep. Jason doesn't care- he doesn't need to sleep as much, as it was more of a comfort rather than a necessity for an undead like him.

... Is he... still undead? Jason doesn't know. He shrugs off the idea, and touches his mask. The horn sticking out of one of his eyes still feels foreign, even though he's been in this world for a while now.

He thinks of it as irritating. That even in a new world, with a completely new body- he's still freakish-looking compared to what was 'normal'.

(First it was his hydrocephaly that got him bullied and killed. Now it was this damned horn mutation.)

(Fate really had it out for him, huh?)

He walks for a long time. He walks so long, in fact, that he actually stumbles across a small town.

Jason stands on top of a hill, looking down at the traditional-looking town. He's never been to Japan, restricted only to the woods and pictures of the American suburbs and cities from photos and books.

It's a quaint, calm place lit by a mix of electrical lights and paper lanterns. There's a mix of more modern buildings surrounded by excessive foliage and trees, along with more traditional wooden buildings.

It's a place that Jason doesn't belong in, but then again, he never really belonged anywhere with his monstrous appearance.

He spends some time contemplating why he'd even decide to come here- and comes down from the hill, walking away from the edge of the town.

'Mom isn't here. Why did I think so?' Jason shakes his head. '... Was she ever here in the first place?'

He doesn't want to think about that. He doesn't want to accept the idea that the Spectre may have tricked him into doing it's bidding.

He's not upset about the killing. He's pissed about being tricked. And he's afraid that his mother is truly gone.

The mute slasher takes the time to pause and watch as the dark sky slowly lightens, the sunrise peeking on the horizon. He stands there, trying to wrap his head around the idea of being alone when the leaves rustle from afar.

Jason Voorhees immediately tenses up, his instincts making him go quiet as a mouse. He stalks through the forest, following the source of the noise- until he sees an Inphernal growing plants.

She's wearing pink robes and a smattering of color, her spiked, curved horns lowered as she works on planting the sprout in her hands. A staff with a lotus flower on it's end is in one of her hands.

"Hmph... I can't believe my garden got trashed by those birds again! I can't even grow veggies without having them swarm the place!" She pouts.

One of her arms is grown over with wood. Jason feels a sense of familiarity at that sight, but doesn't know why it's familiar. Maybe the Spectre wiped his memory, all of their memories, about what- or who- that arm reminded him of. But it's not enough.

He shakes his head and continues to observe. No need to harm her, if she doesn't notice that he's her, and if she doesn't intrude on his territory. Jason continues to watch her, curious.

The stranger seems to be a gentle demon, patting the soil and watering the sprout. She gets up from her knees, inhales, and takes out her staff.

With a twirl, the flower on the end of her staff lights up, and the sprout begins to grow. It continues growing, blooming into a head of lettuce.

"There we go." She smiles, and proceeds to plant some more seeds in her garden, re-growing the cabbages. "Now, to keep those birds away- here it is." She walks into her house and brings out some metal fencing. "Okay, so this should be enough to go around and on the top-"

And Jason just has to accidentally step on a branch. Vine Staff frowns a bit at the noise, but ignores it, thinking it's a wild animal. "I think I should bird-proof the rest of my garden too, if I'm going to grow more veggies and fruit."

Despite the danger of being spotted, he's still staring at her- because he was genuinely interested in her ability to grow plants quickly.

'That's very useful and very... cool, as c00lkidd would say.' He thinks, watching as she uses her power to make vines grow around the fencing to hold it together, so she can use metal wire to secure it. 'If I could do that, I won't have to wait for so long for food...'

Despite his massive size and strength, Jason knew how to garden from all the time he spent alone, before being imprisoned in Area 51. He knows how long it takes for plants to grow, what's edible and what's not- so seeing Vine Staff with such an ability made him feel a sense of childlike curiosity.

He steps closer. He snaps yet another branch, and this time, Vine Staff moves her head up to glance at what's making that noise.

Her eyes lock with Jason's mask. He knows what he looks like to her, towering in the shadows, machete in hand and blood-splattered, ragged clothes.

There's silence. Tense, uncomfortable silence- until Jason simply steps away and turns around, walking back from where he came.

There's no other option for him, after all, aside from just killing her- because that's all he knows, but she didn't intrude on his territory, so he doesn't need to. He doesn't care.

No sense in staying back and getting to know her, because it always ends in screams and bloodshed.

[Vine Staff]

Her heart is practically pounding out of her chest as she stares like a deer caught in the headlights, terrified of the figure in front of her.

It looks like a literal corpse dragged itself from it's grave, the hockey mask cracked as one horn jutted out from it's eye. It stared at her for a moment... then left.

Vine Staff stares down at the retreating figure, trying to make sense of it. Hockey mask, machete as a gear... this is the silent killer that was at Kawasumi Lake. But what was he doing here, several miles away from his own territory?

He was a monster. A silent killer that would leave nothing but a trail of bloodied bodies in his wake and make only the strongest, most confident of Inphernals dare to enter his territory for the challenge- because that's what he is, isn't he? A challenge.

Perhaps it was her nature as an Inphernal, to seek out conflict despite being a healer. Maybe it's because she was curious. But she calls out to the killer.

Vine Staff sucks in a breath, and "Hey! You there." She yells. The killer turns around, staring at her. There's more silence, and she builds up her courage to speak.

"Are you... hungry? You're looking at my garden like you're starving."

He's silent, but lowers his machete and nods his head. Vine Staff steps aside, and gulps as she sees how terrifying the Inphernal really is when he gets closer.

"Um." She glances back at her house, weighing the pros and cons of inviting him in for food. "Wait here. I'll- get something ready."

Vine Staff rushes back inside her house, and takes out a tray of muffins that Shuriken had baked for them after a shift. They were delicious and she was planning on sharing them with her brother tonight, but if it meant getting out of this alive, she's willing to part with some food.

"Here- um- our specialty! From Theives' Rest. Our- cafe." She stutters out. The slasher stares at the muffins, then up at Vine Staff's face, then back at the muffins. He takes the tray slowly, and steps back.

"..."

"..."

There's more awkward silence between the two before the slasher simply nods in approval, and disappears into the forest. Vine Staff lets out a breath that she didn't know she was holding, her grip on her gear still tense.

"I can't believe I bribed a serial killer with muffins... and it worked." She mutters under her breath, laughing in disbelief and nervousness. "Shuriken's going to lose his mind when I tell him."

And as she expected, her little brother practically lost his shit once Vine Staff told him what had happened.

"He WHAT?!" He shrieks, his hands going up to his horns to grip them in stress. Vine Staff sighs and repeats herself. "The weird serial killer at Kawasumi Lake was just... here. I don't know why, but he was just staring at me until I asked if he was hungry."

"And then what?! Did he hurt you or anything?!"

Shuriken took Vine Staff's good arm and looked it over, worried. Vine Staff rolled her eyes and pulled it back. "No, it was more odd and tense than anything dangerous. I'm more confused at why he was here, out of all places."

Shuriken's face flickered with terror and uncertainty, before he shakes it off and focuses. "Sis- next time you run into him, run. And call me so I can deal with it, okay?"

"I can help myself just fine, Shuri!" She pouts. "I may be a support gear, but I can fight just as well as you!"

"I'm just worried, you know? Even if you can shoot seeds using your staff, they're not as powerful as-"

"Hey!"

Criticizing an Inphernal's gear was a sure-fire way to get punched in the face, because it was akin to insulting a person's very being. Shuriken was very lucky that he was Vine Staff's brother, or else she would have pelted him with a few of her seed bullets.

The both of them went and compromised after their mini-argument- Vine Staff would call Shuriken over if things got too dangerous for her, and he'd come as quick as possible. She knows what she can and can't handle in a battle.

Honestly, Vine Staff expected never to see that killer again. She didn't even know his name, what he was doing so close to her house- but when the tray she'd handed him appeared two days later on the back porch of her house, she knew she was in deep shit.

She'd ended up leaving out food on her windowsill, facing the forest. It always ended up disappearing, and she's pretty sure that it's not Shuriken doing this because her brother would just steal the baked goods and fruits out of their shared refrigerator, not the window.

She left out muffins, cookies, spare food from her shift at the cafe with Slingshot and Shuriken. When she got some strawberries planted in her garden, she some of left them out too.

It all culminated in her seeing the masked slasher again, standing right at her window and kind of just- holding on to one of the cookies. It was like watching a child get caught with their hand in the proverbial (and literal) cookie jar.

They stare at each other. Vine Staff awkwardly coughs. "So um... do you like the cookies?"

The serial killer nods, and begins moving his hands. Vine Staff blinks, not expecting the masked Inphernal to use sign language of all things.

"Oh, um- sorry, I don't know sign language." She says sheepishly. "But I do have some pen and paper." Vine Staff hands over her pen and small notepad from her workplace.

The notepad and pen were tiny in Jason's hands, but he manages to slowly write out his response. 'Tastes delisious delicisos tasty' was scrawled in shaky, messy handwriting.

"Thank you. It's nice to know that Slingshot's baking still has it's charm." Vine Staff smiles shakily, but internally she's shitting bricks.

'BY THE SFOTH WHAT DO I DO NOW??? Don't tell me I'm going to be befriending a serial killer?! I'm not supposed to break the law!'

'But then again, this is Theives' Den, a ton of Inphernals break the law on the daily.' She doesn't have the guts to tell the authorities that the slasher can literally leave his territory whenever he wants, she doesn't want to die!

"Um so- who are you?"

The figure looks at her, and he writes down yet another short, simple answer. 'Jason Voorhees' is scribbled down. It doesn't sound like any normal name that an Inphernal has, but then again, this guy literally looked like an undead zombie.

"Venomshank save me, this is crazy..." Vine Staff sighs. "So why are you here, out of all places? Why kill people?"

What follows is a very, very long silence as Jason continues to write slowly on the notepad. Vine Staff is thankful that she's a patient demon, or else she wouldn't have lasted long.

All his response said was that he was 'doing it for mama' and that he was looking for his mother, if she was actually here. Vine Staff raises an eyebrow at that. "Okay... who's your mom, then?"

'Mama is Miss Pamela Voorhees'

"I don't know anyone with that name. I don't think I've heard any Inphernal with that sort of name, actually." Vine Staff shakes her head. "You won't be finding your mother here, if that's the case."

The hulking slasher shakes his head, and instead points to the plate of cookies. Vine Staff scrunches up her face. "So you're here for... cookies?"

Great. She fed him ONCE to save her own life and now he keeps coming back because she feeds her?!  What the hell was she supposed to do now- she can't exactly stop feeding this guy pastries because what the hell would happen if she did?! He'd probably kill her!

"Oh... joy..." She says, her smile strained as she tries to hide in her panic and her internal monologue. "Please don't come too much. I don't always have pastries lying around- Slingshot doesn't make a lot of extras every week."

(She's lying, Slingshot DOES have a decent amount of samples and leftover pastries after every shift. She just refuses to share them.)

The killer seems... disappointed at this? It's hard to tell from the hockey mask. Vine Staff rubs her face in nervous frustration. "Look- you literally kill people and I don't want to get in trouble for keeping you around, so can you please leave after you take the cookies?"

Jason tilts his head, and simply takes a cookie. He slowly brings it under his mask and takes a bite, and Vine Staff refuses to scream out loud in irritation. "Please?"

Jason simply shakes his head and continues eating the cookies. If he keeps on sticking around this long, who knows who will show up and see him standing around in her backyard-

"Hey Vine Staff, I got off my shift early today and- OH MY GODS SHURIKEN GET YOUR GEAR OUT WHO THE PHUCK IS THAT-"

[Jane Doe]

Her disguise has been holding up perfectly. The Church of the True Eye, as insistent as they were on her joining them, knew that they couldn't force her to do so. So they resorted to the usual tactics that cults did- trying to draw her in with promises of money and protection, of having such a nice family that she could be a part of!

Fools. The only person that Jane wanted was her husband, and she was certain that he was out there somewhere. Those sightings of a corrupted monster... there might be a connection. She can just feel it in her gut, that it was her husband.

Her memories were scrambled, and she didn't know why- but she's been dreaming of flashes of memories. Of running for her life, of sobbing as she sees her husband look so pained and unnatural- of being trapped somewhere with familiar and unfamiliar faces.

'I need to know... I need to know what is behind this mystery. It goes far deeper than I expected.' Jane Doe muses as she tags along with one of the cult members to a mission. 'Now, they said that we were going to Crossroads, so I wonder if- huh?'

She looks outside of the train, watching it slow down to a crawl next to a more bustling town. The cult member she was trailing- Broker, Scythe had called him, jumps out of his seat and stretches. "I'm going to be meeting with a buddy of mine for a while- so follow me, alright?" He grins widely, and Jane Doe tilts down her hat to hide the fact she rolled her eyes.

"Sure." The former Robloxian walked behind Broker, getting into a car and driving past the city and onto a highway.

The drive there is quiet. The desert sand has faded into a more rocky savanna, and over to a chaparral that was beginning to have more and more places built around it.

"Looks like we're approaching the faction highway! Let's hope none of those pesky Ban Lands police are patrolling today!" Broker chirps. Jane Doe raises an eyebrow as she hears this.

"You're a criminal? Enough to be sent to the Ban Lands, of all places!"

"Mhm!" Broker smiles, and kicks his feet up in the back of the car while the taxi drives them to the concrete highway. "Even got big ol' Ban Hammer chasing after me! He's managed to catch me a few times, but I always manage to break free!"

"Out of the Banlands???" She repeats, baffled. Broker nods, proud of himself. "Yup! Even got the chain to prove it!" He holds up one of his hands, and on his wrist is a heavy shackle, the chain link at the end broken.

Jane Doe feels a sense of unease and wrongness at the idea that this version of the Ban Lands in this world was apparently so easy to escape. There was also the possibility that Broker was a hacker that was allowed to just... roam free, but from the way they were taking a car and not simply teleporting over to where he wanted to go, it seemed like that was (thankfully) unlikely.

They pass under a large bridge and stop at a parking station, where Jane gets out and continues to follow Broker. Crossroads is massive- even more massive than the Crossroads she knows back in Robloxia. Buildings reach far above and below, crammed together and separated only by walkways and stairs, neon signs flicker all around the place, and Inphernals of all shapes and sizes walk around.

Broker opts to take the alleyways, to be more stealthy. Jane Doe follows him, and tugs at her own jacket. "Won't you get caught eventually in a place like this?"

"It's easy to stay hidden if you're in the poorer areas and the shadier places." He says, checking his claws as he finally strolls up to a certain weapons and repair shop, his hand on the doorknob of the backdoor. "Ah, here it is! Zuka is going to be so happy to see me!"

Jane Doe simply leans on the back of the alleyway door, glancing at the wanted posters with Broker's face on them. "I'm sure he'll be." She says sarcastically.

"You just stay right here, okay? I'll be back in a second!" Broker cheerfully walks through the door, and Jane Doe watches as he disappears.

She, of course, knows that if she leaves, they'd hunt her down. And she currently does not have anywhere else to hide. She does not know the layout of this world, isn't familiar with the culture outside of Lost Temple- and that puts her at a disadvantage.

So she's staying here, but scooting away from the darkness of the alleyway to observe all the other civilians roaming about.

They're so much like Robloxians. Uncanny, seeing something that she knew wasn't made of code. She was a Doe, after all- brought into existence to test the code of Roblox and therefore she felt code in her very intrinsic being.

Code was everything to Robloxians, but especially to her. Not just the building blocks of reality itself- but she was made to see the flaws in it. Made to see the gaps that the admins failed to smooth over and patch, to make Roblox safe and for no glitches or viruses to lurk in the shadows.

And she failed at that. Failed at finding out what her husband had accidentally brought along with him, what malicious THING had latched on to his code and slowly began to eat away at his body and mind-

She feels like she failed not just her purpose- but her husband as well.

Jane Doe shakes the thought away as Broker arrives from out the backdoor, huffing. "Aw, dang it! Zuka isn't here today, I suppose... time to break into his apartment and leave him a little surprise!"

"You... are awfully enthusiastic about breaking into this per- demon's home, Broker." She says, catching herself. "Does the True Eye want something to do with him? Is he an informant, perhaps?"

"..." Broker... actually goes quiet for a while. His ever-present smile twitches a bit, before he shakes his head and goes back to his usual chipper self. "An informant? No no no, he'd kill me if I got him involved in faction politics again!"

"You haven't heard of the famous B. Zuka? One of Blackrock's greatest?" Broker asks, re-locking the backdoor he'd picked.

"I lived in an isolated part of Lost Temple. And I was too young for the war." Jane Doe quickly comes up with an excuse on the spot. "You'll have to fill me in on who he is."

Broker, instead of doing that, shrugs. "Oh well! Not my fault you don't know." He turns around, and lets out a giggle. "He'd be happier knowing that not everybody knows him as that, then!"

"Hm." Jane Doe suspiciously squints at Broker. This... doesn't seem like the True Eye's business at all. Sure, Broker definitely sees whoever this "Zuka" is as a source of information- but also seems to be fond of him in some way. Whether Zuka was fond of this criminal in return is debatable, however.

'It seems that Broker's whole personality DOESN'T revolve around the Church, after all...'

She follows him, but then Broker suddenly stops in front of a pizza place and perks up. "Oh! There they are! They're not Zuka, but- they're a rather interesting little thing, aren't they?"

His smile is less friendly and more calculating. He's clearly on edge about whoever he saw. Jane Doe follows his gaze to see-

There's two Inphernals(?), one with horns vaguely in the shape of the Spawn symbol and wearing an eyepatch. The other one wears a black and white suit and- were those clockwork headphones? He tipped his fedora at Broker.

"Oh, it's you." The one with a fedora says, clearly not enthused. The one with the missing eye and spawn-horns, however, grinned. "Broker! It is... pleasant seeing you around."

The tension between the two crazed Inphernals is so thick that you can cut it with a knife. Jane Doe sweats, clearly exasperated at the way that this has somehow turned into a mini-Cold War between the two.

"Two Time! I see you are with your... friend as well. Have you been doing your assignment in this part of Crossroads?"

"Indeed, Broker. I am spreading the good word to as many of the unenlightened as possible." Two Time says, closing their eye.

Jane Doe's fingers twitch at hearing the Inphernal's(?) name. It seems... familiar. Distant, but she's heard it somewhere and wasn't there a missing persons case about them and-

They're Robloxian, aren't they? If she's heard about this missing persons case before she's been in this world, and the fact that their name isn't a gear she could recognize- then she had a lead.

"Hello." Jane Doe bows her head, and the two of them snap their attention towards her. "Please excuse Broker. He's rather- intense at times. And I don't know why Scythe told me to follow him here."

The investigator begins to hatch a plan- one to somehow get alone with Two Time and ask them if they knew where the other missing persons are. It's a gamble, but if they're Robloxian, then they'd at least know the names of the admins.

"No offense taken! I know Broker well enough. He's such a good friend, and we're so much alike- if not for a few differences." Two Time glances at Broker with a sharp expression, their teeth also bared.

Their friend steps forward. "I'm Chance! Nice meeting you." He flashes a charismatic grin. "I'll take a gamble here and say that you ain't one of Broker's normal buddies? Not part of the Church?"

"I am an independent contractor for the Church of the True Eye, thank you very much." Jane Doe straightens out her coat. "Although, speaking of which... Broker. You intended to go to Zuka's apartment, yes?"

"Yup!" Broker flashes a grin at her. "What about it?"

"I don't know... it doesn't seem to be official Church business, Broker." Jane Doe says, checking her claws casually. She doesn't have all the information on Broker- but she has enough to make her assumptions. "I doubt that Scythe knows about this."

She has the feeling that Broker and Zuka were friends, of a sort- because cults usually don't let their own members have ties to people outside of their control. And Zuka, who's a famous veteran from another faction? She doubts that Scythe likes Broker going to visit him in his free time.

Broker freezes, and grits his teeth. "Oh, no, it's Church business, alright!"

"Then can I come along?" Jane Doe knows that Broker would feel uneasy with someone monitoring his every move, when he's with his friend. Jane isn't planning on snitching anything to Scythe, but she knows the threat of that happening is what would make Broker uneasy.

"Tch- you? Follow me to a very important informant's place? I doubt Scythe would let outsiders do so." He says, making an excuse.

"Scythe told you to watch after me." Jane says. "Unless you have an alternative to this...?"

"I- hm. Two Time?" Broker quickly turns around, that smile still plastered on his face but faker. "Do you mind monitoring our... splendid little friend over here?"

"I would be honored to do so." Two Time says, closing their eye. Broker grins. "Great!" And before she knew it, the odd cultist had already slipped into another alleyway and disappeared into the darkness.

"Hmph." Two Time scoffs. "He's nothing but a nuisance. And you- you're not part of that... church, are you?"

"Gods, no." Jane Doe snorts. "I would rather die. The Church is... questionable at best."

"They're a bunch of heretics, that is." Two Time hisses, and Jane Doe blinks before holding her hand over their mouth. "Shhh-! I can't believe you- at least say it in private!" She whispers. "You've already joined them- who knows what they'll do if they figure out that you're not loyal?"

Two Time bristles, but understands. They sigh, squeezing their eye shut before calming down. "Apologies. I... lost my temper there."

"Try not to." Jane Doe says. She glances them up and down- to their pale skin and their dark outfit, to the spawn symbol on their shirt and eyepatch.

"... I need to ask you something." Jane says in a low voice. "Both of you."

"Eh?" Chance looks up from flipping his coin. Two Time raises an eyebrow.

"Do you perhaps know the name... Builderman? And Robloxia?"

Two Time tenses up, and Chance slowly begins to grin. "Ay! We found another one!"

"Ah, blessed be to-" Two Time catches themselves before they could praise the Spawn in public. "... Blessed be. We have found another of our kin, it seems."

Jane Doe sighs in relief. Looks like her hunch was right- and these two were Robloxians. "I suggest you introduce yourselves by your gear names, next time- because using our real names would prove to be suspicious and unwise-"

"I don't think it's that much of a problem." Chance comments, flipping his coin again and catching it. "I like the risk! And besides, Builderman and everyone else's doing it..."

"Builderman?!" Jane Doe shouts, actually taken off guard. "He's here?!"

So. Apparently all of the missing admins were here, along with the disappearances she's connected to them. Two Time and Chance, in particular, were missing cases that she'd put on the back-burner when the admins disappeared.

The fact that they apparently all were transported to the same world was wild enough- and then there was the whole business about the Spectre and the purgatory they were trapped in before this.

The three of them had decided to go somewhere more private for their talk- and to prevent Broker from easily overhearing them when he'd eventually come back. Jane Doe settled on buying one night at a hotel room for convenience.

"It's absolutely fuckin' terrible, that's what." Chance says, and Jane Doe jolts at the foul language out of instinct. "Language, Chance!" She chastises.

"Ah, come on, lady! There's no filter here, and TOS doesn't apply to a whole 'nother universe!"

Jane Doe shakes her head in exasperation. "By Telamon, you're an unruly guy..." She says. Jane (and other Roblox HQ employees) naturally had an aversion to cursing and other TOS-breaking behavior. The later employees were more lax as time went on, but the admins and the earliest members were always sticklers for the rules.

"Chance has always been one to push his luck." Two Time muses. "Although- you have not introduced yourself to us to yourself."

"Jane Doe, former tester for Roblox HQ." She says, adjusting her wide-brimmed hat on her horns.

Two Time and Chance both pause. "Jane... Doe? Like- John Doe?"

"You know my husband?" She says, hope bubbling up in her heart. "I- well, you might have heard been that he's a hacker, but that's simply untrue. He- was worker and tester for Roblox HQ like me, before he got infected with some malicious code and... disappeared."

Jane Doe clasped her hand around the wedding ring she wore around her neck. "Have... have you two seen my husband? I- know he might not be the same, after what had happened to him- but I need to know where he was all these years..."

Two Time looks at Chance. Chance looks at Two Time with the same sorry expression. He looks like he doesn't want to be the bearer of bad news, clearly conflicted at what was going on.

Two Time sucks in a breath, and breaks it to Jane Doe as gently as they could.

"... Your husband is a monster that kills us over and over again every time in the Spectre's realm. He doesn't remember a thing about his past."

"..." Jane Doe visibly gets more upset. "I- I see."

Chance whips his head around to them with a mortified look. "Two Time! What was that?!"

"You wanted me to tell her!"

"Yeah, but not that bluntly! Have some tact, geez!"

Despite their little banter, they continue to explain the terrifying death-games in the Spectre's pocket dimension- the way they're forced to run from killers, the way John Doe and c00lkidd (she remembered that missing case, as well) twisted and warped into monsters, oblivious to the carnage they were causing.

The flashes of violence from her nightmare. Those visions of her husband tortured and corrupted into a thing that can't recognize her... did those really happen? How did she lose her memories? How...

How did she not save him?

Two Time and Chance look over when they hear a sob. Jane Doe is wiping her eyes, her face shadowed by her hat- but her grief is apparent.

"How- I-" She stutters out, truly at a loss. "I- I don't know. I finally know what my husband is alive- but- he's like this? He'd never do such a thing, and yet..."

She can't wrap her head around it. Her sweet, gentle husband, who'd never hurt a fly, who'd been shy to ask her out on her first date and stuttered the whole time- the same man who'd cried in joy at their wedding, the same man she wanted to spend her life with-

It made no sense. But... Jane Doe was an investigator now. She needed to get all the information she could to make it make sense.

"I... I've been having dreams." She mutters. "I think I know your faces from them. But it's all blurry, and I just can't figure out most of the facts, but..."

Familiar landscapes, under a black sky. The feeling of her hear pounding out of her chest, of calling out for pizza(?) as she runs around trying to complete as many ğ̷̟e̴͉̍n̷̢̍e̷̮͗r̶̲͐â̷̻t̸̗̅o̶͍͒r̵̠͐ś̶͉ as possible.

Begging and pleading with J̴͉̑o̵̲͋h̴̢̀ṋ̵̊ for him to remember her, remember her PLEASE it's ME, JANE-

She lets out a ragged breath that she didn't know she was holding, breathing in and out to calm her nerves. "I... I forgot. I don't know- my mind is scattered whenever I try to thing about what's in between those dreams. The context."

Chance looks at her with concern. "The Spectre's pretty damn powerful- before we saw a way outta the place, that thing practically had all of us under it's control. Took away most of the admin's powers- so taking away memories wouldn't be difficult for it as well."

"And the divine pumpkin has said before that the red child must have had his memory wiped multiple times, for him to not realize he was killing us..." Two Time muses. "We don't remember your face but- I- there is some familiarity..."

There's a jolt down Jane Doe's spine as she feels her skin crawl at the implication. Something is missing from her, her own mind prodded and poked around by some- some being that wanted to torment her.

'How did I escape it, if I was truly trapped with them? Did I only escape because it let me?'

Jane Doe grits her teeth, and sighs. "We... can follow this line of thought later. I am more worried about my husband, and... from what I can tell, he might be in this world with you all."

"If any of you can do so... call Builderman or any of the admins. I may have an idea of where John is."

[Builderman]

He did not expect to get a call from Chance frantically saying that someone new just got dropped into this world. He groaned as he set down his tools and put them back in his inventory, dusting off his hands and getting up. "So, who's it?"

"She specifically asked for you, Builderman!" Chance said. "Um- Jane Doe? She says she worked for Roblox HQ, and John Doe was her husband..."

Builderman dropped his phone in shock- and immediately picked it up, rushing to get to Shedletsky. "Wait right there, partner." He shakes Shedletsky's shoulder frantically.

"What?"

"'Nother one showed up! And it's Jane Doe, outta all our folks!"

"Holy- you sure?!"

"Chance said he'd run into her!"

The next hour was a whirlwind of chaos as Shedletsky proceeded to tell Dusekkar, then Taph, then the news spread to every other survivor.

The whole place was abuzz with activity- Builderman himself was nervously hunched over the table in the survivors' shared apartment complex. "Y'all reckon she even knows where to search for us? I mean, Chance and Two Time just filled her in on that-"

"Builder, calm down. I sent her the address for the apartments." Shedletksy pats him on the back. "And we got a lead on where John Doe is!"

"Right when we start gettin' a clue 'bout where Jason's at, too!" Builderman buries his head in his hands. "Now where in da world are we gonna do first?!"

"Do not fret, for we can decide- once all the others have come inside." Dusekkar lowers his staff, and looks outside the window.

Jane Doe is looking side to side, all cautious, while Two Time is chatting to her enthusiastically. She quickly grabs Two Time by their scarf, and tosses them inside the door while she slips inside.

"Again, please keep your mouth shut about your disdain for the Church when you are right in public." Jane Doe hisses. "And I go by Briefcase in public. Who knows how many eyes and ears the Church of the True Eye has."

And Builderman's face to face with someone he didn't expect to see again. Nostalgia flooded him, and he couldn't help but stare at her for longer than he'd expected. "... Jane?"

"Builderman." She appraises him for a few seconds, then nods. "It's good to see you back, boss. I..."

She chews on her lip, looking nervous. "I learned that I lost my memories about something. That I might have been in the Spectre's realm with you all but- got out somehow- and I don't know how."

"I mean, it's possible!" Shedletsky comments. "We managed to all break free! Who knows what happened for it to get weaker- all I care about is that we're all out!"

"But who knows what'll happen." Builderman stresses. "For all we know, The Spectre might still be around- weakened, yes, but still around. We need to know how it ended up that way, if it tries to drag us back in."

"Your memories have been stolen, that is true- for the Spectre might have lost it's hold on you." Dusekkar states, folding his hands together. To ensure that it's weakness, we never find, it might have reached out to wipe your mind."

Jane Doe grits her teeth, frustrated. "Damn it, I- I had something on it, didn't I? And- and I couldn't do anything." She balls her hands up in fists. "I don't remember anything. It's all fuzzy, and- I only vaguely remember seeing you all."

"We can worry about that later." Shedletskty reassures her. "The main problem is- why are you here? If you were in Robloxia, trying to look for us... why did you get pulled into the Inpherno?"

"The same ol' problem happened to Taph." Builderman glances back at the demolitionist, who shrugged and signed. "🕳 🌎 👤👆 ⤵️ 🕳  🗺📍 (There was a hole/glitch in reality, and I was dragged down here.)"

Jane Doe huffed. "I didn't know how I got here. One minute, I'm asleep, then the next I'm waking up in the middle of the desert. Lost Temple was... interesting."

"Ah." Two Time makes a sympathetic face. "So that's why you were working with those... heathens. I take it that they were difficult to work with?"

"Persistent and annoying, that is." Jane Doe shakes her head. "But it would be foolish to think that they're harmless. Sooner or later, they're going to dig too deep and figure out who we are."

Jane shoots a light glare at Two Time. "It doesn't help that you're all using your real usernames as well." She grumbles. "I thought you'd know better, Builderman. Shedletsky, I get-"

"Hey!"

"But I expected you to be a bit more cautious." She continues pinching her forehead. "Why didn't you?"

Builderman sighs, and shakes his head. "We decided to go ' round using our real names because Robloxians would find us easier. Taph would've gotten lost an' went on a wild goose chase if I'd decided to blend in a bit too well."

Jane Doe sighs. "Fine, I guess I can't argue with that logic."

The other survivors, however, were more worried about other matters- specifically, John Doe. 007n7 glances at the shared whiteboard they'd set up in the patio. "John Doe... do you have a lead on him? He won't go far, but he's really dangerous with that code of his..."

"My husband is a good man, thank you very much." Jane Doe glares at 007n7, making him flinch and back up. "And it's not his code. That damn... glitch, virus- whatever it is. It's what's making him act that way."

Builderman sees c00lkidd poke his head through the doorframe in the back, and he tenses up a little before remembering that the child wasn't hunting them anymore as a killer. "Dad?"

007n7 calms down a bit and looks back at his son. "Ah, kid- don't worry, I'm fine. We're just talking about John Doe."

"John Doe?!" c00lkidd squeaks, looking spooked. "Him?!"

"Right." 007n7 bends down to scoop up c00lkidd and seat him at the table. "I told you a bunch of stories about him a long time ago... it feels like forever."

"He's scary! I don't like being around him!" c00lkidd complains. "Even when he's taking a break, he's all quiet! And makes weird noises!"

Builderman blinks, and realizes that c00lkidd, being a killer- would know what the other killers would be like outside of the rounds. He honestly didn't feel a lot of hatred for the kid, even though he was a hacker- after all c00lkidd was just a kid. It was more of annoyance at that fact.

"So, young'un- what was John Doe doin' all those times outta the rounds? And where did y'all sleep?"

c00lkidd blinks, and frowns at the reminder. He looks regretful as he talks. "Um... me and the other tag- I mean, killers... we- had a really big house with a lot of rooms." c00lkidd fiddles with the hem of his oversized shirt. "And- John Doe was always walking around looking- sad. I don't think he was really there."

Jane Doe pulls down her hat, and Builderman knows that she's hiding her upset face. Most of the admins knew her and her husband well- they'd went to their wedding, after all. They knew that John Doe was a gentle, mild-mannered man before... all this.

"Is there anything that he did that seemed... important to you?" Builderman asked.

"He's always trying to find something, I think. Like a game of hide and seek. But he really doesn't know what it is." c00lkidd said. "I dunno what... I was too scared to get up close to him, but Mister 1x said that he really missed someone. Was... was that you, Mrs. Jane?"

Jane Doe is completely quiet, her lip twitching as she tried to hold in tears. "... Yes. I- I think so."

Builderman looks at her with some pity. 'There ain't no point in cryin' about it fer' us- but poor girl's new to this, and she ain't seen her husband in ages.'

'She jus' figured out that she's been losin' her mind and her husband's been killin' us over and over- 'course she's gonna be sobbing.'

Builderman and the other admins let Jane cry, sitting next to her and looking at her with regretful expressions. "Hey, I'm sure we can find a way to save him somehow... we're not mostly made of code anymore, you know? Maybe that'll make whatever's wrong with him less... bad?"

Jane wipes her tears and sucks in a breath. "I- hope so. Are you- are you all willing to help me find him? I know where he is, just... the Church of the True Eye is keeping tabs on him, and I want to get in and out without anyone noticing us."

"Dang it! They already had a run-in with him?" Shedletsky immediately feels worry at the idea, and Builderman can feel the oncoming stress-induced aneurism.

"Unfortunately, yes. Whatever John Doe was doing, he kicked up so much of a fuss that the Church of the True Eye took notice and sent an expedition down to check." Jane Doe summons her gear- and Builderman notices that it's a briefcase.

"Their reports say that a 'monster' fitting his description has been spotted in Sungold City, and that it wiped out most of their force." Jane Doe has to tone down her grief and anger at her husband being called a monster. "The city's practically abandoned. We can go there at night... but I'm still worried that..."

"That yer' husband might attack us." Builderman sighs, getting the problem now. "There ain't a way we can do this in th' daylight- it'll bring way too much eyes on us. But if we're doin' this at night, then John's got a bigger advantage. And I ain't keen on testing if we can respawn here."

Jane Doe fidgets with the clasp of her briefcase. "Then- I don't know how we're going to do this. I don't want the others to deal with this, because it's dangerous code- but there's only three admins including you, Builderman."

"..." Builderman doesn't know what to do. He rubs his chin, wondering how they can confront John Doe without having to worry about being overpowered.

"Hey, I've got an idea!" Shedletsky pipes up. "I mean, the SFOTH already know what's been goin' on with us- maybe they can help?"

 "That... might actually work. Ain't that bad of an idea." Builderman muses. "But Shed- ya sure that yer kids ain't busy with something?"

"Excuse me, Shedletsky's WHAT?!"

And that was how Jane Doe discovered that Shedletsky was technically a father in this new world, and accidentally got saddled with seven deities as his children and some grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Needless to say, she couldn't really believe a carefree, lazy guy like Shedletsky actually had to responsibly take care of his new family. That's alright- Builderman doesn't really believe it too.

[John Doe]

It's quiet. Too quiet.

At least in the Spectre's purgatory, there was the constant presence of the other killers around him. Even when John Doe was not mentally there for years, his subconscious appreciated them sticking around.

Sungold City (he learned it's name from some signs scattered about) was completely empty after his massacre. The corruption had made him tear apart those explorers and scare off any other Inphernal that came around- so the place was practically a ghost town now, nothing but empty buildings and cluttered houses.

There isn't much to say or do around here. He's been surviving, eating the food left over in the evacuated houses and abandoned stores- but he knows sooner or later they're going to expire and he'll have to move on.

Gods, it feels so lonely. He misses his ẁ̵̈́̿͜ȉ̴͉̊̔͜f̸̡̺̭́̐ȇ̷̼͜, he misses going home to see- why can't he remember who, it was- it was- who was she? He- he had a wife, yes, he remembered now- but what was her name?

'I miss her. I miss her, I miss her, Í̵̻̪ ̵̱̠̪͋͊m̵͖̗̓̽i̵̢̡̡͠s̵̬̪͛s̵͚̾̆ ̵̡̳͛̿̔h̴̰̭̆è̶̫̪̋̓r̸̡̾̀-'

He feels the corruption seeping into the back of his mind again, making him feel woozy- but he slams his horned head against one of the brick walls, hurting himself with a grunt. It recedes, similarly wincing at the pain- and John Doe keeps it at bay.

The fact that it didn't have any code to consume helped as well. It was just as weak as him in this current state, all alone and hungry, so he could beat it back into submission.

It... wasn't healthy. None of this was. But if it meant that he could survive, to live one more day where he could probably see his wife again... it'll be worth it. He tells this to himself over and over, to think of his wife, even though all he's got are vague memories, a blurred face and a gentle laugh in his mind.

It's enough to keep him going.

There's not a lot for him to do other than stew in his thoughts. The night is cold- colder than he'd expected in a desert. He thought deserts were usually unbearably hot, both during the day and night, but apparently he was wrong.

John breathes heavily, lumbering through the empty streets. Several digital footprints littered choke points in the city, seeing that he wasn't limited to only three of them.

It's quiet. So quiet, in fact- that when he finally hears the sound of people approaching him once again, it makes him tense up and get ready for a fight.

The corruption begins to write under his skin, and he has to force it back down. 'Not now.' He tells it mentally. 'Not now. We need to see who it is.'

It writhes and he feels like his blood is boiling in it's protest- it feels angry, so he feels it's anger as well. It pisses him off, so he bonks his head against the wall again to push it away. 'Ouch.'

The sound of footsteps and voices gets closer. Some of them are achingly familiar to John Doe, like he knows them from somewhere. If he focused just a little bit harder, tried to understand what they were saying...

"He's here. That there digital footprint ain't just gonna show up outta nowhere." Builderman says with his familiar Texan drawl. Another voice rings out. "Sheesh, watch your step, Venomshank! You really don't want to get caught in those things- they really hurt!" Shedletksky chimes in.

"I'll keep that in mind." The stranger replies. John Doe doesn't get the same hint of recognition with him. There's the sound of wingbeats. His claws twitch.

"May our strength be enough to pacify our former friend, or else he might have to meet his end." Dusekkar. He... recognizes that rhyming from anywhere.

John Doe feels the corruption start to bubble up. Gods, they're here to finally end him, haven't they? After all he's unwillingly done to them in the Spectre's realm, after every time he's killed them- this- he doesn't want this.

But he deserves this. But he wants to live.

John Doe's mind is nothing but a pile of contradictions. He's guilt-ridden, unable to face the admins. The corruption is screaming at him to kill them and run.

'I- I can't do that, I- I deserve this, I hurt them, I killed them-'

'But they're going to kill me. Oh gods, they're going to kill me I won't get to see her again I don't want to die-'

'No, it's my fault-'

Nothing makes sense. He wants it to make sense.

His body is locked into place, his mind spiraling as he fought with the corruption. It feels like if he didn't make a choice now, he was going to regret it forever.

And so he refuses. Refuses to move, refuses to do anything as the admins get closer with whoever was with them. John Doe closes his eyes.

"I'm going ahead." A feminine voice rings out. "You all stay behind- I need to see him. I..."

That's... it's... his wife. Is it? Is that what her voice sounds like? He doesn't remember, but- hearing it makes him feel all soft and relaxed and there. 'It's such a pretty voice...'

The footsteps get louder. It's only one person rushing towards where he is, their breath getting louder as they frantically run forward. John Doe does the mental equivalent of punching his corruption in it's face as he tells it to 'stand down'.

She turns the corner, and John Doe sees her.

She's wearing a dark jacket and wide-brimmed hat, pink horns framing her face in an achingly familiar way. John Doe doesn't know why, but he feels the phantom sensation of running his fingers through soft hair. Most damningly, however, is the wedding ring on her chest, worn on a necklace close to her heart.

'That's my wife?' John Doe absently thinks. The corruption is far from his mind now, pushed to the side as she fills his vision. 'She's... gorgeous. Beautiful. How'd I marry a woman like her?'

The two of them stare at each other for a long, long time. Then, she finally speaks.

"John? Is it really you?"

He's quiet. Trembling. He doesn't trust himself to not hurt this absolute angel of a woman. She's so pretty that he feels like he's died right there and went to heaven. And it's his wife. Her name is just at the tip of his tongue- he almost knows it, please, just let him remember-

She tilts her head up, the shadow cast over her eyes by her hat's brim falling back and revealing her eyes. John Doe stares into them, enamored and lovestruck, as he remembers.

'... Jane?'

Chapter Text

[John Doe]

"... Mghhh." The Robloxian stirs in his bed, burying his face in the pillows. "Five more minutes, dear..."

"John, honey, you said 'five more minutes' five minutes ago." A gentle voice giggles, and shakes his shoulder. "You've got to get up! Don't want to be late for work, do you?"

John Doe wakes up. Light streams down the window to his bedroom, and he's greeted with the sight of his amazing wife. Jane has her hair tucked up into a bun, smiling down at him.

"Awake, hun?" She asks. John Doe responds with a grunt and gets up, hugging her arm. "I wish I had a break today..."

"Oh, come on, John! You know that it's your turn to do code testing!" Jane Doe says. She drags her husband up on his feet and to the closet to get dressed. "You can't just skip out on this."

"I knowww Jane..." He groans, putting on his work uniform. He fixes up his tie and adjusts his glasses, checking himself in the mirror. "It's just- really boring work! I don't want to be walking around in the hot sun and checking every damn place for bugs!"

"I'm not covering your shift, again, honey- I did it last time." Jane huffs and prepares her own uniform, picking up a briefcase full of papers. "You don't have to worry too much about it. After this, I'll book a reservation to that restaurant you like so much. The one you proposed to me at?"

"You know exactly how to make me feel better, dear." He chuckles, taking some coffee from the coffee machine in the kitchen and drinking it. He leans back and sighs, happy at the bitter taste of dark coffee.

John Doe leaves for work with his wife that day. He comes back. It was a normal day, just as alway, for a normal man.

He filed a report on the small glitch he'd discovered in some small game. Nothing out of the ordinary, but he just couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.

Little did he know, that was the day that changed everything in his life.

... He should have called in sick that day.

And here John Doe was, years later, standing in front of his wife. She looks so different, and yet still the same.

Back when they were both Roblox HQ employees, she was a bit pudgy- similar to him in build and more suited to paperwork and the occasional travel for code testing. Now, Jane Doe looked much, much stronger.

Jane now had a runner's build, lean and muscular with her dark trench coat and hat only making her look more intimidating. Even when she was all cautious and sentimental to John Doe, it was clear that she was willing to kick his ass if he'd tried to kill her.

... Honestly, he didn't know that his wife could get any hotter.

John Doe tries to speak, but all that comes out of his mouth is a rumbling, animalistic sound. He furrows his brow, looking to the side and bringing his good arm to his throat- but he just can't talk, only make unintelligible noises.

Gods, he hates this. Can't even say that he's sorry to his wife. Can't say that he loves her, even after all these years.

Jane Doe tilts her head, worried. "John?"

John shakes his head, and points at his throat. It's left scarred and overtaken from his corruption, the black growth on his left arm climbing up to his throat and eye.

(He'd foolishly reached out to touch the tear in reality, the glitch that he'd reported to Roblox HQ all those years ago. It felt like fire, and then it burned so hot that it made a chill go down his very being, and then it stopped. He thought that because nothing had happened immediately, he was fine.)

(Oh how wrong he was.)

"You... can't speak?"

John nods. It's all he can do. The corruption is practically screaming at him to go at her, to possibly find a source of code to infect- but he can tell that she's not made of code anymore. She's no longer a Robloxian.

'Good.' He thinks. 'I can't harm her if that's the case.'

"Oh, honey..." She chokes out. Jane leans closer to him, and he flinches, unused to the close contact. "What happened to you?"

'A lot.' He nuzzles her head, making a purring noise. His arms wrap around her in a hug, and he feels odd knowing that he practically dwarfed her now with his massive size. The corruption had done a number on his body, doing the equivalent of pumping him up on steroids so that he would be the perfect host.

He was much bigger and stronger than the average Robloxian now. Definitely much stronger than his wife, no matter how much she's changed. But he still loves her very much.

John Doe circles around her and continues to hug his wife, clearly touch-starved and missing her. He's damn grateful that the trail of corrupt code his footsteps leave is effectively harmless to her now, and that the corruption can't do anything to stop him from enjoying the moment-

"There he is!"

A bolt of plasma hits him in the shoulder and he roars, instantly going into fight-or-flight mode. Dusekkar floats forward, looking at John Doe with a focused expression.

'The admins. Oh gods, they're here they're going to kill me they're going to-!'

Builderman steps up beside him, and so does Shedletsky. Both of them have their weapons drawn, a cautious eye on John Doe.

They really came at the wrong time. John Doe just got his wife back after years of being a mindless monster, and now, he has something to protect.

The corruption takes advantage of this. It tells him that the admins are there to ban him once and for all, and that since his wife was also there, they were going to ban her too. Because after all, she was connected to him, wasn't she? She was just as much of a hacker as he was.

'No... no! I refuse! I refuse to let that happen!' He's acting irrationally, his fear of death twice as potent because he had his wife to worry about now.

The former Robloxian pushes his wife behind him protectively, and lets out a low growl. Jane Doe looks shocked, glancing at the admins and John in a confused way. "J-John? What's..."

Shedletsky makes the first move, rushing forward with the Illumina in hand. He's far quicker than he ever was in the Spectre's realm, but John Doe manages to block with his corrupted arm and let out a roar, using his claw to slash at him.

What ensues is a slugfest between John Doe and the admins. He's getting hit left and right, but his body is strong enough to endure most of the attacks, pushing them away from Jane and himself.

'You won't lay a hand on her!' He roars, unable to voice out his words. Builderman's ban hammer crashes down on his head, making him see stars- but he picks himself up and charges at Dusekkar, making the mage lift him up with his magic and slam him back down, immobilizing him.

"Darn it, how're we gonna contain 'm?" Builderman worries, his southern accent becoming thicker from stress. "He's buckin' like a bronco and the Ban Lands here ain't strong 'nuff to contain John."

"It would be cruel if John Doe were to be confined, for it was not his own fault that corruption took a hold of his mind." Dusekkar says, keeping his magic steady as he pins John to the ground. "Our former friend needs a way to recover- for the code infesting his body tears him apart from his lover."

Jane Doe looks absolutely pissed. She pinches her nose as she glares at all of the admins. "Builderman, Shedletsky- Dusekkar, I expected better from you! I had this all under control, and you just had to butt in!"

Shedletsky frowns. "Wait, what? We thought you were in trouble! You didn't make a noise so we just assumed you-"

"Shedletsky, I swear to Roblox almighty, he's my dang husband! He wouldn't harm a hair on my head, not when we're out here!" Jane stands by his side, stroking his head gently while he laid down on the ground, immobilized.

John Doe's mind slowly bled back. 'Wait, they're... not here to ban me? Jane... isn't in trouble?'

'Of course. I should never have listened to that- THING- I... I don't know why I....'

What a joke. He knows exactly why. He's so afraid of death, so afraid of getting banned and deleted, that it was the reason why he never told anyone about being infected even though he figured it out long before anybody else. It was the reason why he persisted, why he went into hiding, why-

Why all of this happened in the first place.

'I'm such a coward. My wife... she doesn't deserve me.'

Builderman glances down at John Doe, and pauses once he sees the look on his face. John knows it looks pitiful- but the admin seemed more surprised than angry, more taken aback by the fact that John Doe was actually showing emotion for once.

Back when he was in the Spectre's realm, being functionally brain-dead and under the control of his corruption meant that his expression was a constant empty smile. Now, he's clearly in distress, feeling emotions that were constantly repressed for years.

John Doe makes a sound akin to a rumble-whine. Builderman flinches at the inhuman noise, before muttering softly. "I'm sorry, old friend. Can't exactly let ya' go, with... that on ya'."

John Doe squirms around in Dusekkar's magic, trying to make himself more comfortable, but gives up halfway. The mage looks guilty and perturbed- because he's one of the admins that went to the man's wedding and knew him before the corruption.

"... Let him go. Put restraints on him if you want to, but... please, just let him stand up." Jane mutters, looking desperate. "I swear, he wasn't like this until you attacked."

"..." Against his better judgement, Dusekkar undid his magic and swapped it with simple magical chains instead of full-body immobilization. John Doe slowly got up, struggling to his legs once the adrenaline went off.

Sure, John Doe was strong-  but he definitely wasn't as strong as three fully-powered admins. He kind of just shuffles awkwardly as the corruption does the equivalent of shutting the fuck up because it now knows that it doesn't stand a chance against them.

Having been assisted by the Spectre for a long time, it forgot why it made John Doe go into hiding. The admins were to be feared for good reason.

"Hey, the big guy's awfully tame now." Shedletsky jokes, poking him on the shoulder. John Doe shoots him an annoyed look and tries to speak, only to make indistinct grumbling sounds.

The swordmaster looks confused, and Jane explains. "He can't exactly talk. His throat is... not exactly in the best condition."

"Oh, I know- never heard the guy talk in rounds, after all. Still, it's... kind of weird, seeing him aware again." Shedletsky says.

"Been a long time since we've seen 'm like this." Builderman gruffly says. "John- ya with us?"

John Doe nods. Builderman lets out a sigh of relief while Dusekkar keeps watch over the chained killer. "The defunct code that flows through him still remains, yet we might not be able to remove it from his very veins."

It's exactly as he feared. Yes, he already knew that the code was too deeply integrated into him now that removing it would effectively kill him but- he was holding out some hope. That the admins at least had a trick up their sleeve to save him, for him to go back to a normal life with his wife-

But sadly, that's not the case. John Doe doesn't know what to do now- he's not dead, but he's still got the heavy guilt of killing the survivors over and over again.

'This can't get any worse...' He thinks, and then mentally slaps himself for possibly jinxing it.

But it's already too late. There's the sound of wingbeats as several other Robloxians(?) landed down, swords at their side and itching for a fight.

"Shedletsky, we came as soon as we found you-!"

"Not now, Windforce!" The admin panicked.

The... deities had to be talked down by Shedletsky. Who was apparently their father now.

'I thought 1x was Shedletsky's only creation?!' John Doe thought, baffled and shocked. He'd overheard that secret during one of 1x1x1x1's hate-filled rants, only barely managing to remember because that fact shocked him to his core.

John Doe and the corruption were both very observant. When people assumed that they were dumb or brain-dead, they tended to talk far more recklessly. John Doe knew many secrets from loose lips.

It didn't seem like the SFOTH knew about 1x1x1x1's connection to their father. He was not going to stick around for when that little problem blew up in the admin's face, though. 'This is going to make for a LOT of family drama. Thank Roblox I don't have children.'

"You're saying that you can't exactly imprison... him in the Ban Lands?" Windforce narrows her eyes and looks at John Doe, who makes an agitated rumbling sound. Builderman chastises her.

"Windforce, I know th' difference 'tween a guilty man an' someone who ain't got control over 'emselves 'cause of faulty code. He's one of my best employees 'fore the corruption got to him." The admin says.

"And besides, you don't honestly think the Ban Lands can contain him, do you?" Shedletsky supplies. "Ban Hammer barely can contain that one Inphernal without him escaping multiple times? What was his name... Broker?"

"Hey! That ain't my son's fault that the damn criminal's a slippery one!" Windforce complains.

"That's besides the point. If he can bypass Ban Lands' defenses here, then you don't have a chance at containing John Doe. We're lucky he's... mostly in control of himself now, and his wife's calming him down."

Jane Doe is standing next to John, holding his arm close. John genuinely feels better despite all that happened. She's back, after all, and she's here with him. What's more that matters?

One of the SFOTH tilt their head. It's the one with dark skin and cheek markings. "You're an interesting little creature, aren't you?"

"Excuse me?" Jane seems offended. "That's my husband you're speaking to!"

John Doe isn't really offended, since he's been called worse but- really? Little? He isn't exactly little anymore, but compared to the SFOTH, they had a few inches on him.

The whole situation was, to put it bluntly, a clusterfuck of confusion. And it was about to get far more confusing.

"Now, ain't this a hod-podge o' folks!"

John Doe flinches, recognizing that southern accent. Wasn't that the woman who he nearly killed in that... expedition? It's hard to remember- that night- wasn't exactly his favorite with all the bloodshed.

The Inphernal grins, tilting her cowboy hat down and expecting there to only be a few curious folks and John Doe. "Now, y'all better drop yer weapons 'fore this gets grisly-"

All the SFOTH turn around, looking unamused. Builderman's still got the ban hammer in his hands, and Shedletsky tilts his head, the copy of the Illumina at his side.

"..." The group of cultists and the SFOTH, the admins, and the couple stare at each other.

Scythe looks absolutely baffled as she takes in the fact that no, now was not a good time to be making threats. "Ah' retract mah' previous statement."

"... Yeah. Maybe it's best if you do." Shedletsky taunts, and Scythe pointedly ignores him to focus on Jane. "... Brefcase? What are ya doin' here?" She's more  baffled than angry.

"... Oh, it's you, Scythe." Jane Doe has a neutral expression on her face. "I must apologize- but I'm not going to be working with the Church of the True Eye anymore. I've found my husband."

Scythe looks at John Doe, who's draped over Jane and handcuffed with magic. She continues to glance up and down at them, still baffled as hell. "Yer husband's th' bloodthirsty monster?!?!"

"He wasn't like this before!" Jane yells, clearly frustrated with the repeated slights to her husband. In an ironic twist, John is the one calming her down, purring and nudging her away from Scythe's attention as he stood in front of her protectively.

"Okay, okay- honey, I can handle myself. Yes, I lost my temper..."

Scythe and the other cultists behind her are still incredibly baffled. One acolyte leans over and whispers to her. "Do we... just leave? Our original mission was to go in and kill the monster but-"

"Yes, we're leavin'." Scythe hisses back, eying the SFOTH and the admins warily. She didn't know who those three Inphernals were, or what they had to do with Jane, the monster, or the SFOTH- but it was clear that they weren't winning this fight. "Turn 'round. Might as well cut our losses here, n' report back to th' Father."

Jane Doe watches them leave with a wary eye, knowing that they would come back later- either out of curiosity or revenge. But that's a problem for another day, and for now, the main problem is getting John Doe somewhere safe.

[Firebrand]