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They fell down in the water, and struggled to reach back to fresh air. Their arms felt weak and their legs were too slow, and they couldn't feel the fire flowing trhough their elbows anymore. They were only able to helpessly watch the damn cursor who tormented them and the damn stick who just stole the only thing they ever owned in their damn life fly away. Maybe they would both destroy each other in there and they would never hear of either of them ever again. But that wouldn't solve their problems, would it ?
They had to fight against the currents, wrestling with the waves as best as they could. They were overwhelmed by the cold but kept swimming, kept fighting until they finnally reached the shore, exhausted. The sand sticked to their limbs as they tried to get up, but failed, barely managing to get on their knees. The way their legs shaked felt unnatural, the chill on their skin felt wrong, and yet reminded them of an uncomfortable familiarity, like their entire body was flooded by ancients memories of weakness and vulnerability. They were used to feel like this, to feel helpless. But the reason they had survive this far was because their body was supposed to be stronger. It was supposed to be invicible, unstoppable, stronger than the entire world. Now it was just... nothing.
They were No One.
They tried to think fast, to evaluate their situation, their possibilities : They could try to go back and find the kid. But they couldn't possibly fight their way through the building. They could run away, find a place to quietly settle, but they were the most wanted stickfigure in the entire Outernet, they couldn't fight against those who wanted to avenge their lost ones. They couldn't fight for their peace. They couldn't do anything. They were no one. They couldn't do anything.
They remained on the beach, frantically trying to think, to find a quick solution. They were supposed to be good at this, but only as long as fighting was part of the equation. And they weren't able to fight anymore. What could they do. They had no one. Dark was gone. Their powers were gone and they didn't want to try and fight more to try and retrieve them. Trying to crawl back to Noogai and plead to get their name back felt like definetly loosing the last bit of control they had over their own life. Teaming up with him once was already one time too many. It was necessary back then... But they were able to fight him too, they had the option to turn against him, an option they didn't have anymore.
Ever since Dark's disappearance they were forced to run away, they didn't have the time to think and wonder what to do. All they had to do was run. Now they were barely able to do that, and there was nothing left to run away from anyway. They looked around, trying to find something, somewhere to escape. This was the place where they lost Dark. The building with Dark's lab was just as they left it, half in ruins but still standing. As it was once considered a safe place, they were drawn to it, climbing to the broken house, as if it could protect them from whatever had the hability to take advantage of their permanent weakness, which currently felt like the whole world.
They walked around looking for nothing in particular but a ounce of hope perhaps, a weapon left behind, a memory, a purpose, or maybe freedom hiding in a corner full of dust. They found nothing. The remains of the machine of total destruction lied there naggingly, Dark's notes scattered around arose old memories and regrets, so they tried to search for more. There wasn't any virabot left, only some spare parts and old prototypes, and decided to just sit among the remains of the only friend they ever had. Finally, some rest.
Ever since the fight with Dark, they didn't rest, the chase having started only a few days after. They thought they were able to just deal with it, they were faster and more powerful than their opponents after all, so why not just... keep running ? Dark would have just killed them all the moment they showed up. But they rather just run away. If anyone found them now, they wouldn't really have this choice anymore, would they? At least not if they wanted to survive, though they weren't even sure about that either.
They've been deprived of their full-power before, but even then, they felt that it was there, deep in their code, waiting to be unleashed. Now they had nothing. They were feeling the cold on their skin, the fatigue wearing them down, and the weakness of their body. The half-starvation and lack for sleep they had to deal with for the past few months felt even worse in this new, simple, regular stickfigure body of theirs.
They felt unable to rest despite the crushing fatigue, so they tried to take a closer look at the debris. Some early concepts for Virabots. Notes of issues to fix in the code. Some silly doodles in the blueprint for the machine of mass destruction. Dark loved to make silly doodles along their precise and complex robot designs. They really were the only one who wasn't good at anything... The kid was good at animating stuff. Even the...other one... was at the head of the most powerful company in stickcity. But them ? What did they have without their powers ? What else were they good at ? Though even with their power, they've never been that good at efficiently using them... Either because they were using them for the wong reasons, or because they didn't want to really use them anyway.
They continued to search through the room, not really looking for anything but an idea or even a wish, anything that could drive them toward a solution, but they found nothing but the remains of one virabot prototype. They picked the leftovers of the half-destroyed thing, its body completely crushed, one of its limbs shattered. They inspected it closer, almost tenderly, until they found the sting still left in its mouth. They remembered how it felt to be stung with one of these : Dark managed to make it completly consume and destroy the code of anything, and yet, it had not been able to destroy them. It hurted. A lot. But that was nothing compared to the fate weak sticks could have faced if Dark had brought it to the entire outernet. Or maybe they were just trying to keep finding excuses, trying to convince themselves that they weren't repsonsible for Dark fate, that they made the right choices.
They wondered what would happen, now that they became No One. Would that actually manage to erase them for good ? They took the sting out of the robot's mouth, wandering if it was still active. Maybe this was the only way to reach the freedom they longed for their entire life. The angel of death would finally be gone and defeated. Dark's mission would be complete. Maybe it wasn't such a bad way to end this, fulfilling the mission of their best friend for good. Perhaps Dark would forgive them then.
They stared at the sting. They'd rather end it on their own terms than waiting for the Grey One or Alan or anyone but Dark to end it all.
They lifted their tired arms.
And stabbed themselves.
''What the hell are you doing.''
Chosen froze, almost unfazed by the pain in their chest, that felt more vivid than usual but not unbearable. This voice. Did it worked ? Did they die? Were they with Dark now ? They didn't consider the possibility of an after, and wondered what was the point of dying if pain remained anyway. But when they looked up, Dark was there, there, with them, after all this time.
''Am I dead yet?
-Do you have to be that overdramatic? You're not dead idiot. Not anymore than I am. You messed up my surprise, this is MY comeback from the dead, not yours.''
They weren't able to respond, wondering if they had just lost their mind and were hallucinating. They were definitely not feeling dead unless death sucked as much as being alive, and the mere possibility of really having their old partner right there before their eyes was too mindblowing for them to be able to properly think. Was this really Dark ? Was the sting disfounctional or were Noogai's creations just unable to die? Why was Dark there? Would he helps ? Would they have to fight her again ? Would they have to run away once more ?
Fear began to grow. They weren't ready to face another stickfigure in this state. Especially not Dark. Especially since apparently they couldn't even die as easily as the victims of their reign of terror. They weren't used to be like this, their body wasn't theirs anymore, it was just a weak pile of unsteady pixels unable to defend itself, and worst of all, unable to die even to the deadliest weapon created by a stickfigure. Luck was never their thing but at this point it was pathethic.
Dark got closer without saying anything else, and they felt too dizzy to try to read Dark's expression. They didn't move as Dark got closer. They wanted to hug him as much as they needed to run away from her, they were as scared as relieved, they knew they deserved it but they didn't want to fight anymore, they were sorry but they weren't, they betrayed her but she went too far for them, Dark was back but they weren't. They were No One.
Dark kneeled and grabbed the sting, still stuck in their chest. They looked at them with fear, too tired to bare the idea of going through a situation like in the Box again, but they didn't fight back when Dark put her hand on their shoulder and took out the virabot sting in one go, then established distace between them again.
''I came back to mock your stupid face, there's no point if you're already this pathethic. What the hell did you thought would happen with this? Noogai made us durable, heh? Don't ever try something this stupid again. You're a weakass sticklet now.''
He just.. sat there, a few foot from them. The pain from the virabot sting was worse than what they remembered, and they wondered if ordinary sticks all felt pain with this intensity. They suddenly wished he hadn't seen them in this state and at this level of despair. They wished Dark would just finish them off right there, instead of just... being there. By their side. Like...old times.
''You're not going to beat me up ? They said cautiously.
-Sounds like you did that pretty well by yourself. Besides, you're no match for me anymore. That would be boring.
-You're alive?
-Never felt better in my life.
-You're angry ?
-You betrayed me, you bastard. Of course I am.
-I'm sorry.
-Too late for that. Take a sheet you idiot, your code is leaking out. Weaklings bleed you know.''
Dark lended them a dirty tissue laying around. Slowly, their hand shaking, they put it on the wound they made to themself.
''What do I do now ?'' They asked without thinking, as if clinging to the familarity of Dark's presence. As if things hadn't changed.
''You're asking me? I don't care. Unless you want to kick Noogai's ass for good with me and my new best friend. Oh and that stupid kid, too.
-What new friend ?''
They suddenly had an awful presentiment. The timing... Why Dark was coming back in their live only now?
''H4ck3r, of course ! My little grey pal. Who is now working for me, hehe ! You should have seen this. He went to Noogai and scared him so much the bastard had to shut down the entire computer. Can't believe you've let him catch you, he's a weakling.
-You... you're behind this?
-Behind what? You mean your own situation ? I'm not responsible for the shit H4ck3r decided to do to you. I just wanted to say hello cause I saw your fall. Wondering if you'd want your old name and powers back... On the condition you help me of course.
They let that sink in for a few seconds. Dark didn't want to fix things between them. She was still obsessed with the idea of destroying everything in her path. Destroying Noogai. Obessession that used to consume them too, but they were so tired of it all now... They didn't want to fight anymore.
''I won't fight, Dark. I've fought enough. That's the one thing I was made for and I've always been bad at it and always hated it. I want to rest. I want to know how it feels to relax. I've been wanting to tell you that for years. Maybe things would be different if I had just tell you... Maybe you would have listen back then, I don't know... But Dark, please. I don't want to face Noogai. I don't want to ever hear about him again. I don't want to get revenge against... ''Hacker'', either... I'm just tired.''
This time it was Dark who stayed silent for a bit. They tried to read his face, to guess what she was thinking, what she thought about them, did she hated them, would she ever forgive them ? But Dark said nothing and just sat in front of them. He sighed, as if annoyed, and gave them a look as if he was getting ready to scold a child. They were glad to not see any hate in their eyes, at least. They could do with Dark being tired of their company. But they knew what awful shapes hatred could take, and they didn't want that between them.
''So you gave up, huh ?''
Dark came back from the dead just to carry out his plan that they tried so hard to stop... Of course she would be judgemental.
''I don't know Dark. Yes, I gave up. So what? Why can't I give up? Why should I have to spend the rest of my life going back to this bastard again and again, for what, revenge? We don't even live in the same world, we can't even hurt him in a way that matter, not to him anyway. Even if we could, I don't want that anymore. I'm tired to fight.''
They felt a sudden relief, after years of wanting to say those exact sentences to Dark but never finding the right moment, the right words, the right srenght. It was finally said, but it would make no difference now, because they knew it was too late. Nothing they ever did was useful when it mattered. Dark gave them a disapointed look, as if they were making a stupid decision that would ruin their life, as if it wasn't already ruined.
''And you are tiring.'' Dark finally started, ''Seriously, I thought we were having fun together. I thought you'd like the virabots. I was so excited to see your reaction. You really ruined everything and now you're acting like a weakling. It's sickening to see you like this.''
Dark made sure they'd feel the weight of her judgement, the weight of her disappointement. They betrayed her, didn't they? They remained on the ground among the debris, and after long seconds of heavy silence, Dark got up to sit by their side. They threw a worried look at him, but were relived when Dark just ignored them, sitting by their side like the old days. They barely noticed how her hands looked different, like tainted with black, more concerned by her lack of smile and laughter. Dark was usually the kind to always laugh at anything and cheer up the mood. Such a cheerful bringer of death and destruction.
''So what are you gonna do now?'' He asked.
Heh. Good question. Befor she appeared they thought they'd just stop doing things in general.
''I don't know. I don't have my powers anymore. I don't have you anymore. Maybe I'll just sit there for now. Or hide somewhere.
-You really find that nonsesense better than just giving me a hand to destroy Noogai for good? What's wrong with you?
-I was MADE to try to destroy Noogai and fail. He wanted me to be a worthy opponent but always expected me to fail. We are not winning this, Dark. You can annoy him, harass him, destroy hundred of computers, destroy our entire world and us with it if you want. But you can't hurt a cursor. It's pointless. You were only on the computer for a few minutes. I've spent years in there. And I'm telling you: Noogai is way out of our league. Even if I still wanted to fight him I know he'd win anyway.
-That's bullshit.''
Dark didn't try to counter their reasoning though, they had both already said everything anyway. They stayed there together for awhile, enjoying this sense of familiarity maybe for the last time, within the remains of the place where they had frayed and drifted apart. Dark leaned on them, like she would after a good day of well-done terrorism and destruction, except this time she wasn't excitingly sharing which explosion she thought was the coolest that day, nor was she laughing at their odd habit of eating the most weird unedible things at hand. Her laugh might be the thing they missed the most.
It felt so peculiar to be there with her, after months thinking they had lost him for good, months of spending all of their time running away from their pursuers, running away from this grief of losing the only person they ever called a friend. She was back, she was there, but they've lost her anyway, for things would never be the same between them. He was right there but they missed Dark so much already.
They wandered if Dark also thought about the old times, if the reason he was making the moment last was also him mourning the past and their friendship. At least they hoped he was. But they still had no idea how to express what they wanted to say, or perhaps they still didn't have the courage to tell her, to tell her they had regrets, that they wished they could be friends again, that they don't want her to spend the rest of her life chasing after a pointless revenge, that they don't want her to destroy the world but they still care about her, and they're sorry that they betrayed his trust.
Communication was never their thing, was it? So they said nothing, and just tried to relax and forget for a moment about their dreadful situation of being no more than a weakling who couldn't fight back anymore. They closed their eyes and could almost see theemselves in their hideout, Dark asleep on their shoulder while they were still unable to sleep, but glad to be in a place where they felt safe. The new weakness of their body broke this illusion, as they could still feel the lack of strenght, the abscence of energy, the useleslness of their limbs, and the pain in their chest. No ashes remained from their fire, no warm light could come in their eyes, and no matter how much they tried to focus on Dark being by their side, probably for the last time, they were brought back to this sentiment that all those powerful sensations weren't there anymore. Now that they were all gone, they were... no one.
Dark stood up, in a way that felt more brutal than their last fight. They shared a look for a few more seconds, until Dark took his usual sarcastic tone :
''Don't try to stop me this time.''
Dark disappeared again, walking away. And that was it ? They didn't want this to be their last exchange, but they weren't really able to do anything useful, let alone impactful. But unlike an eternity ago when they tried to desintegrate their code with this virabot part, now they knew that Dark never actually disappeared either.
Maybe they could try to stop him. Maybe they could come up with a plan. Get back to the kid for help. Hack Noogai's computer themself to get their name back. Something. Anything. Run after Dark and fight again, follow him to the end of the world and do the exact thing she told them not to. Dark was never a fan of compliance after all, and now that he had teamed up with the stick who made them go through hell once more in their hellish life, they were kind of even in term of betrayal. They didn't want Dark to remember them as this pathethic weakling with no more goal nor will.
They knew they would never be able to find that peace they've been looking for so long, not in this state, not without the ability to defend thesmelves. Maybe they could get some inspiration from Dark and initiate their own goal for once, other than their utopia of reaching unreachable freedom. They tried to stand up, still unsure of their movement with such a fragile and broken body, and slowly managed to get out of the little building. Dark's visit already seemed like a fever dream, as they wondered if she was ever really there, if he was really still alive, if he really took the time to say goodbye to follow his path of annihilation. It felt too good to be true, especially after they were so ready to give up. They didn't want to fight Noogai. They didn't want to fight Hacker. They didn't want to fight against those they hated the most. But Dark? To play again the roles they were given, Noogai's opponent trying to save the world from the destruction of Noogai's ally, this they could do. Noogai won't ever have the worthy opponent he wanted, but Dark deserved to have one. As long as she'd try to destroy, they'll be there for her and try their best to stop her plans. Who knows ? Maybe he'll grow tired of it, too.
Until then, they're The Chosen One and they're gonna kick The Dark Lord's ass. Surely, that will make Dark laughs.