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Ragged breathing could be heard continuously cutting off randomly in an echoy cave, Tai was desperately trying to quieten down his breathing but it’s a little hard when there’s a big gash directly in his shoulder blade and a stab wound at his abdomen. Tai had just ran from most probably one of the worst fights in his whole time in strength, how was Tai supposed to be prepared for a 5v1 ambush at SPAWN.
With all those 5 hunters were constantly up in his face, he could barely land a single hit on any of them and ended up popping three totems before deciding to flee underground. Everything was going badly for Tai now, 0 teammates, no one to trust, barely any time to actually grind for gear as he kept getting jumped each time he logged on which forced him to go into hiding for most of his time.
What could Tai do with no one to turn to as well. Tai could turn towards N00b or Nufuli but they’re long gone.
There is a certain yello-No, he can’t possibly ever want him ever again, he can’t, never again.
Ok so how Tai was left unarmoured, unarmed and running away?
Firstly and quite obviously his armour all broke from the hunters unrelenting stabs, secondly somehow he made a misstep into a huge ravine and all the weapons in his hotbar flew out, at this point Tai had already used everything in his inventory except for nine gaps and a few blocks left, he was desperate and weak so he was eventually forced to flee. And now Tai was in that ravine’s many caves hiding from hunters that are actively searching for his blood trails.
Limping around in the darkness and holding onto the hard dry walls for support wasn’t the most ideal situation he could be in.
Among those five hunters there were three that were invis, Tai was guessing N00b and Nufuli, he didn’t have a clue of who the third one would be, but it didn’t matter they were all threats and he shouldn’t trust anyone now.
As Tai was squinting his eyes to see something useful in a conventionally bare cave, he heard just the faintest sound for a split second, but Tai was so uncoordinated and dazed that he doubted himself. Though he still picked up his pace..safety measures.
He came walking with no clear direction til he was greeted with a dead end, there wasn’t even any ores, not even coal or copper. Tai was hoping he could craft a torch but this cave seemed to hate his guts as well as those hunters.
Tai was getting ready to turn back for a way to the surface til there was suddenly light, a torch placed. Tai could see light emitting from behind him and his shadow was caught blocking the lights path.
Whoever who found him seemed to be waiting for him to turn around. Tai was calculating how long it would take to break his way out but he didn’t have any tools and his hands were bloody and injured. He then heard blocks being placed, ice blocks, most probably blocking up the only possible exit to the cave. He only knew one person who always used ice blocks, but he didn’t want to believe so. Whoever who was behind him clearly didn’t plan on letting him escape and that terrified Tai the most. With nowhere else to go Tai inevitably turned around slowly to face them.
They were invis and seemed to just stopped fighting due to the still very visible strength and speed particles. Could it be N00b or Nufuli, the player’s just standing there, almost seemingly calculating something in Tai. It doesn’t feel like it would be either of the two, and if so.. Before Tai could think any further, the player started advancing long strides towards Tai which broke him out of his pathetic trance, when they took a step Tai tried to go back two til he hit the back wall. The invis player started drinking milk to remove his invis potion effects.
Why was there the yellow of the sun, why was there the yellow of sunflowers, why was there the exact yellow that cracked not only his skull open but also a two day bond Tai had trust in. A pathetic two days he put trust into this player into this guy that reeked of such an ugly shade of yellow. And Tai hated that very yellow.
“rejoice.” Tai let out a shaky breath, he couldn’t muster up the energy or courage to hiss that name out. “Taimc” Rejoice tested that name out as if he hadn’t said it in a while. Tai wanted to wipe off that smug ass smirk off that yellow bitch’s face.
Tai hated that Rejoice was still in the same state he was left with, long yellow hair put into a lazy low ponytail and clean robes. Compared to Tai’s bloodied body, hair filled with debris and torn clothes. Out of everyone is this server, anyone that could’ve found him, it just had to be Rejoice. For being the server owner, Tai truly is pathetic, not only in everyone else’s eyes but even in his own, what has he came to become such a mess.
They continued staring each other down til Rejoice started noticing Tai’s eyes slowly drooping close from exhaustion, Rejoice swapped to his intimidating netherite enchanted sword and Tai woke up instantly. Tai was going to activate his fight or flight response by either desperately fist Rejoice or beg him to let him free, before Tai could think further Rejoice mercilessly started stabbing Tai with a fire sword but also put him out with a water bucket just as fast. Rejoice was doing this on purpose, Tai would know his love for torture and torment others, here Tai just seemed like a favourite toy he couldn’t get his mind off.
The constant burning sensation was getting to him and it wasn’t helping that he kept being put out as well. Tai was desperately looking around for an escape from this sadistic nightmare.
Rejoice almost immediately read his mind and started moving all around Tai mockingly as he was still stabbing him mercilessly, occasionally a potion of regeneration would also be splashed at Tai’s feet. Rejoice wasn’t talking, he just kept his signature amused smirk as if he’d finally got back something he actually enjoyed. Why did it have to be him that got to be at mercy of this sick jerk Rejoice.
Tai was running out of options and Rejoice knew he was going to give up sooner or later. After being splashed with another regen pot, miraculously Tai was able to land a weak fist hit on Rejoice in that second he splashed the potion. Rejoice had a flash of shock, realisation, then took back his amused smirk and stayed put watching Tai scramble around the back of the cave, punching walls hoping blocks could break him out away from Rejoice, Tai was really only breaking his fists. He was already so severely injured yet still so high spirited just to get the fuck away from Rejoice.
The more time that passed, the more hopeless Tai felt, he really couldn’t do anything in this situation. Rejoice was more geared than him, better state both mentally and physically, better at pvp than him and has teammates to back him up.
Then a wooden pickaxe got threw down beside Tai, Rejoice just crafted it and wanted to see how pathetic Tai could be before begging on his knees for Rejoice. Tai turned back to face Rejoice but couldn’t make out his expression. “Go on” Rejoice’s voice sounded commanding with a hint of mockery in his tone. “I’m not gonna take your precious resources for myself” Tai spit out before doubling down coughing out blood onto the stone of the cave.
Rejoice morphed his expression into something conflicted and monotonous, Tai couldn’t guess what he was thinking but at least it was so harsh anymore. Tai wished for so much more for them, Tai wished the pain would stop. Physically or mentally?
Tai’s body was giving up way too quickly, he didn’t know if it was because of Rejoice’s appearance here or because of his relentless torture. Soon he was already collapsed on the ground, all the rocks were scarping against his wounds which hurt even more but Tai couldn’t bring himself to stand back up. “REJOICE listen, I-I don’t care what you do to me now, just d-don’t let me die to anyone else, I fucking hate yo—“ Rejoice looked down condescendingly at Tai’s body asleep on the floor now. “You’ve got so much weaker without me around, at some point you just always need me don’t you” ..Rejoice said to no one.
Rejoice hauled his limp body off the floor and threw him over his shoulder and instead of going from where he came from he decided to pillar up to the surface instead, leaving the ice blocks blocking the cave bloodied.
Distant voices of the four hunters could be heard in the distance getting further and further away. Rejoice’s hands were getting stained with blood from carrying Tai, his robes were getting drenched as well, seemed like he should pick up the pace before he starts to look like a blood bath, oh and also so his Tai doesn’t die of stupid blood loss.
Tai awoke to an unfamiliar bed, glancing around Tai quickly noted that it wasn’t his at all, wasn’t good as his spawn point was now set here, his head ached like it seemed to be swimming in his own blood. He was so exhausted he wanted to fall back to sleep but the pain in his entire body deemed it unnecessary. Tai noticed that his wounds were already cleaned and bandaged, memories of the cave were blurry and distant.
How much time has passed? There was no windows so he couldn’t see the time of day. He tried looking around to find out who’s base he was dropped down on the he remembered a distant voice of Rejoice before he blacked out entirely which most probably meant he was in Rejoice’s base.
It has really been a while because Tai barely remembers the whole place, was he in Rejoice’s bedroom? He strained his whole body to sit up for a better view, briefly scanning through the whole room for escape routes, he needs to run. Before Rejoice comes back from wherever he is now.
Tai used all his strength to get off the bed but when he tried to stand he immediately collapsed hard onto the ground, since he already used all his strength just trying to get out of the bed he was left there on the ground like a dying fish out of water.
Oh was he so absolutely cooked, there was no way Rejoice couldn’t have heard that unless he was away from his base. Tai couldn’t do anything but accept defeat, he was tired, no gear, nothing in his inventory, no one likes him enough to even try helping him anymore, Rejoice keeping him hostage. Everything seems impossible now, not even Tai’s ego could save him some face.
“Stop spiralling you look more pathetic than you already are, seriously, trying to run when you can’t even breathe properly is a stretch, you haven’t changed at all. Nah you just got weaker” when did Rejoice even come in, i don’t remember. Rejoice strode nearer towards Tai and flipped him over to lay on his back instead. “You haven’t changed one bit either” Tai let out a weak statement before curling up into a ball due to the pain. Rejoice harshly pulled Tai into a seated up position as he made a pained goan.
Tai- “Rejoice.”
Rejoice- “Stop talking”
Tai- “Why did you bring me here”
Rejoice- “I’m saving you, shouldn’t you thank me?”
Tai- “I can’t be here for nothing, you always want something”
Rejoice- “Can’t I just do a friend a favour?”
Tai- “You yourself were the one who said we would never be friends. Rejoice. I trusted you”
Rejoice- “Does it look like I care about your feelings”
“You should remember my words more clearly”
“Do you need me to remind you?”
“We were teammates for like two days bro”
“Not my fault you got so attached right?”
….
Tai- “I hate you Rejoice, I hate you so fucking much you made me hate sunflowers and that ugly ass shade of yellow”
Rejoice- “Some advice Tai, you shouldn’t bite the hand that feeds you”
Tai never hated Rejoice, he hated himself for believing in their team, in their duo. Tai missed Rejoice so much he tried to gaslight himself into hating him so that it hurt less. Tai really doesn’t know what to do.
Rejoice took out some rabbit stew from his inventory and brought it to Tai’s lips, urging him to eat. Tai swore his throat was as dry as the desert biome because he took 5 minutes just to swallow one spoon full. Rejoice looked at Tai as if he was still calculating what he was thinking. Tai was still feeling stubborn and petty so he stayed silent, also scared he would say something that may get a sword stuck down his throat.
After finishing the stew they both yet again stared at each other in silence, there wasn’t usually a moment of silence with Rejoice but this time felt like it was right. “I’m not getting you gear btw” Rejoice said with his back already turned away from Tai. He stood up and waited for Tai expectingly to follow. Tai hesitantly stood behind him and Rejoice slowly walked out of the room with Tai followed a few metres behind. (Rejoice was walking slowly to match Tai’s pace btw cuz hes still lowkey injured)
Rejoice’s base had many sunflower references, with even a small garden of them at the entrance of the base. They all seemed to point to the sun, though the sky is dark so Tai now found out it was evening. Oh how Tai hated all those sunflowers, he used to love the sun, but all those ugly sunflowers made him loathe it. Rejoice led Tai far out of his base and they started slowly walking on a rough path to the east. Rejoice still hasn’t said a word in so long.
They walked silently with Tai now walking by Rejoice’s side, and for some reason Tai is getting some weird dejavu. They walked down the path til they reached a large clearing packed with sunflowers that all faced the sun.
Tai remembers now, they were here together once during their time as a duo. Rejoice introduced this place to Tai after another normal successful fight with some other members, he regarded it as a place for them, just them. Back then Tai was still on very good terms with Rejoice, though he acted hostile towards him, he still really trusted Rejoice as a teammate. I mean who wouldn’t get ragebaited by this yellow smiling smug freak.
Thinking back on that memory, Tai almost smiled before he turned over to Rejoice to see him looking back at him. Tai immediately dropped his smile and stared back. Why did they keep staring at each other constantly, it was starting to feel like Tai wasn’t getting a memo. He suddenly felt an immense wave of anger and hopelessness and wanted to explode at Rejoice. For..
Rejoice- “Why did you think I brought you here, Have an idea?”
Tai- “Rejoice..”
“Rejoice I really missed you yk”
“You’re such a bitch for betraying me for that dumbass mace”
“If you asked me to give it to you I would’ve”
“Because I trusted you as a teammate, as a friend, a very good one”
“I hate you for making me trust you, I hate you for making me scared, I hate you for making brave, I hate you for making me hate sunflowers and I hate you for making me hate yo-“
REJOICE
Rejoice switched to his mace slot, the very one Tai had died for, he windcharged up breaking all the sunflowers nearby. Tai knew what he was going to do, so he turned away from the setting sun and looked back at the forest path. Tai heard one last thing before his skull cracked in two.
“I’ve only ever had one goal and it was to kill you”
I’m sorry.
Maybe that was something they both wanted to say, but what can I say maybe their pride got the better of the both of them. What can you do when you’re all battered up and bruised. Rejoice would never know, he was too powerful to be able to ever be in Tai’s position.
Did Rejoice regret a thing? Maybe one day that sane part of him would.
Tai respawned back at Rejoice’s bed, he didn’t hesitate to leave and go back to his own base. He still had no one to turn to, its all too exhausting for him. Maybe. Maybe Tai should take a break off strength smp for a while, and when a new season starts they wouldn’t know each other at all.
I don’t think I’ll ever get to know what was happening in Rejoice’s head, but I know that one small part of him would be sorry.
I still trust Rejoice