Chapter Text
The sun beat down on Griefer as he trudged across the tinsel lined streets of Turitopulis, in this festive season the townsfolk strung various colours of the stuff across buildings alongside rainbow lights which would sparkle in the night.
He'd only drank Bloxy Cola on this hot, dry day, the plants and thorns wrapping around his body were tightening, parched and begging for relief, he rubbed his head and knocked on the door of a house bursting with rainbow decor, to a swift open.
A hunched man answered with a cane in his hand, he had combed grey hair and a bright lime shirt, black trousers and polished shoes.
"Welcome Brad, it's a beautiful day, would like you anything?" He greeted.
"D4D, JUST W4NT T0 A DRINK." Griefer said.
"On my way, no need to fuss!" Mayor Thaniyel replied before rushing off elsewhere and returning with a glass of pristine water in hand.
"I know this isn't your favourite but it's good for y-"
"...I C0ULD'V3 DON3 IT MYS3LF." Griefer interrupted, Mayor Thaniyel frowned.
"No, no, I can do it, I'm here to help, always!"
"1, D1DN'T. ASK F0R. YOUR. H3LP."
"It is my responsibility to help you, now, stay safe out there Brad!"
"ST0P TREAT1NG M3 L1KE S0ME B4BY!"
"I'm just giving you what you want." Mayor Thaniyel responded, Griefer's fists tightened.
"AR3 Y0U STUP1D!?"
"Language!"
"Y0U ST1LL D0N'T G3T IT!" Griefer yelled before abruptly slamming the door in his dad's face and storming off.
He marched out the bustling streets of Turitopulis to the lively but quiet Rugged Rainforest and sighed.
"IDI0T!" Griefer puffed, "C4N'T H3 JUST... 1 JUST..." He grumbled, "1 C4N'T B3 AR0UND HIM."
He ended up pulling out his phone and sending a message to his group chat, "H3AD1N' TO B1ZV1LLE, W4NNA ME3T UP IN S0ME HOURS?" He texted, quirk included.
A quick reply met him, a simple thumbs up, Griefer snickered, even in text that friend wasn't a man of many words.
Griefer crossed over to Plainstown where the sun shone bright on brittle grass. His body foilage yellowed in such heat and he rushed his way to his destination, the airport.
Once inside, he quickly bought a bottle of water and a can of Bloxy Cola, water was mid but drinking it relieved the tension of the plants squeezing around his muscles.
Plainstown was a bit of a glorified Bizville bus stop and Griefer had no problem simply booking a flight over. The man played some games on his phone 'til it was time to board.
He crossed the dry dirty runway to the airplane where he snagged a window seat and quickly put on his black and neon green headphones to blast loud music so once the engines started, they were mere background noise.
The plane drifted slowly but surely 'til it sprinted and soared to high skies, Griefer groaned, he took gulps of water yet his plants still ached in the cabin's pressure. He straightened his shoulders, opened his phone and begrudgingly endured this long, terrible flight, alone.
During the travel across, the clear blue skies faded and Griefer glanced out to a world of misty grey clouds, cool but dull, Griefer rubbed his head and returned his attention to the screen.
Many songs and games passed until the aircraft descended below the clouds, revealing a countryside of fields and houses wrapped in a soft white blanket, it never snowed in Turitopulis but his dad would take him to Bizville this time of year, memories of guarding snowmen with snowball attacks towards his dad and any stranger who came too close returned, a smile started creeping up on Griefer's face. "H3H, G00D T1MES."
Griefer let out a huge sigh of relief when Bizville's airport finally revealed itself with a runway cleared of snow. The plane landed smoothly, Griefer grumbled and impatiently stamped his feet at still having to wait to exit and dashed off the plane as soon as he possibly could.
Upon exiting snowflakes rushed all around and the bitter cold pierced through him, his plants whined and complained with striking pain on every step to the ground, with every step to the airport.
"ST1LL NUTH1N'" and he continuing marching forward, to the sweet relief of indoor heating, making the way across the airport a little breeze to find his friend and there, by the exit waited not just one but two of his friends!
One with dark brown skin, wearing magenta gloves, a similarly coloured beanie and scarf, a pink jacket and heart shaped ear muffs waved at him, inviting him forward and he rushed over.
"SUP GUYS?"
"Hey dude!" Greeted his waving friend, Kyoko.
"Hi." Said the other, who had pale yellow skin, a warm red flannel fleece, a black jumper and ushanka, Griefer tried to fistbump the guy but he just opened his hand, inviting them to be held.
"PUNK." Yet Griefer accepted.
"The snow's beautiful!" Exclaimed Kyoko, "You should see!"
Walking out to open snowy air, Griefer shivered, every step left a cold spear piercing his feet, the watery fluff soaked his shoes, his socks, the winter meeting his plants, burnt. Unlike Kyoko's cute but practical boots or Player's brown thermals, Griefer's shoes weren't snow ready.
"Oh your shoes..." Said Kyoko.
"Y3AH 1T UH N3VER SN0WS 1N TUR1TOPUL1S."
"Want to borrow mine?" Asked Player, "I have spares."
A moment's pause.
"Y3AH, TH4NKS FOR ASK1NG."
While walking to the hotel Player stayed at the three passed by children building snowmen, tossing snowballs, streets decorated with sparkling icy blue lights, singers singing carols and shops holding festive displays.
"It's amazing!" Kyoko admired.
Player's eyes met Griefer's, "So why'd you come?"
"W3LL TO SEE Y0U OF C0UR-"
Player shrugged, "Is it?"
Griefer sighed, "W3LL, N0..."
"Want to tell us?" Kyoko asked.
"... 1'LL T4LK AT THE H0TEL."
After arriving, they passed the lobby where folks drank cosy hot chocolates with cream and marshmallows, they passed the halls to Player's room where he lended Griefer black boots and a black puffer jacket.
"Y0U 4SKED WHY 1 CAM3 HERE. W3LL... 1T'S DAD, 1T'S JUST... WE1RD BEING AR0UND HIM."
Concern cast it's way onto Kyoko, "But last you told us he was trying?"
"HE, 1S BUT 1T'S JUST, H3'S ACT1N LIK3 1'M S0ME BABY, 1 KN0W HE W4NTS T0 BE BETT3R BUT..."
"He's scared." Added Player.
"Y3AH YOU'R3 RIGHT, JUST N3ED HIM TO, ST0P, I'M T0UGH, HE DO3SN'T H4VE TO BE SUCH A WUSS. 1 JUST, D0N'T KN0W WH4T T0 DO."
"Ah I see, you really do want to just, get along though, right?" Kyoko asked.
"...Y3P."
"Then I know you can do it because you never, ever give, not really." She assured. "We're rooting for you!"
Player nodded.
"TH4NKS, GU3SS 1'LL TH1NK 0N IT..., W4NNA G0 IN THE SN0W?"
"Mhm."
"Sounds fun!"
The snow sprinkled softly now, lightly falling onto Griefer's jacket, the warmth of his new gear making the snow more manageable.
A big snowball was swiftly tossed out his hand and headed towards Player, who ducked and dodged.
Kyoko rolled and rolled up a torso of a snowman, leaving a grassy green trail among the white fluff while a war ensued between Griefer and Player, snowballs hurling across their two ends of the battlefield.
" T4KE TH1S!" Shouted Griefer before shooting his next shot.
The snow bullet splattered as the target fisted the ammo.
Suddenly a snowball smacked Player's head and a chuckle began.
There stood Kyoko, her scarf wrapped around a snowman wearing her beanie, the fella was even equipped with stick limbs and a carrot nose.
Snowballs then got pelted Kyoko's way, Griefer even sent one of the snowman's arms flying off his body.
"Hey!'
"G0TTA D3FEND BETT3R.".
"And I will. Billy the Snowman deserves the world."
Griefer locked eyes with Player, "0KAY PUNK Y0U KN0W WH4T TO D0."
Player then stood by Kyoko's side and assisted her in attacking Griefer.
"Y0U. PUNK."
Player only stuck his tongue out.
The war of snowballs continued with plenty of laughter, gentle throws from Kyoko, precise throws from Player and forceful ones from Griefer, snow covering the coats, the hats, the trousers, the boots and the gloves of all three.
Griefer snickered, just like old times but this time around he was the one the snowmen were being defended from, man he had fun with his dad back then, what else did they do?
Smells of ginger and the cutting of cookie dough returned to him, he and dad used to make gingerbread men together, good times. If only they stayed, maybe they could be brought back?
"PL4YER, KY0KO, 1 TH1NK I KN0W WH4T T0 D0!"