Archive of Our Own

It's been a while.

When the prisoners from the realm of the Forsaken were spat out into a forest clearing, it seemed that nobody left them alone, be it journalists, doctors, or the scientists — mainly the scientists from this Area 51 place, who kept trying to claim "ownership" of Slasher, but those were quickly shot down by the admins.

Speaking of the admins, Builderman had suggested that everyone attend therapy, encouraging people go to group sessions, divided by what "player role" they had, in order to talk about what had happened during Forsaken. Guest 1337 had mixed feelings about it.

Now, Guest was not going to say that he didn't need therapy, he understood that his time at war — even if it wasn't technically real — changed him, and he wanted to be the best guardian he could for c00lkidd. He signed c00lkidd up for therapy — thankfully being free due to Robloxia HQ's payments; He encouraged c00lkidd to open up about how he was feeling, and that Guest would always be there for him.

With all that being said, Guest did not frequently attend the sessions. He had a different priority at the moment. But every now and again he went to the group sessions.

Guest opened to door, his gaze flitting around the room. In the circle sat the survivors, a few of them chatting while Builderman looked up from his watch at the opening door. Guest took a seat silently, giving a slight nod to Builderman as he did.

"Glad y' could make it today, Guest," Builderman grunted, returning his nod.

"I don't have work today and was dropping c00lkidd off already, thought I should stop in," Guest shrugged.

Builderman made a "mmh" sound before looking at the others, bringing his hands together in a light clap. "A'ight, glad t' see y'all lookin' well. An'body wanna get us started today by sayin' what 'hey been up to?"

Elliot looked up from picking his nails and raised his right hand. "I can start," the pizza boy said. Builderman nodded his head at him, as if to say "you may begin."

"Well, nothing has really changed much since last time, but I've been talking to my therapist lately about possibly getting a diagnosis for OCD. They say it would help working and just in general," Elliot said, rolling a finger over one of his knees.

Builderman nodded approvingly. "Proud o' ya, kid." Elliot smiled back at the admin, his head tilted just a bit.

"Uhm, I found Jason," Noob mumbled. Guest's eyes flicked over to look at them in surprise. "He, uh, lives out in the forest. It was nice, to catch up with him." Their last sentence sounded a bit wistful, a tinge of yearning edging their voice. Noob looked up, blinking rapidy for a moment. "But, uhm, he said he didn't want any, uh, visitors. Just said that it was a bit... overwhelming, which I understand."

"Huh, I didn't really think about where Jason ended up," Shedletsky said, tilting his head back and to the side a bit. "Guess I was just a bit scatterbrained then."

"When are ya nev'r," Builderman rolled his eyes.

"Azure and I have found new places of work," Two Time smiled. Out of all the survivors, Guest believed that Two Time was the one who had gone through the most drastic changes. Their eyes seem more full of life and they simply look healthier, their cultist robes swapped for loose fitting cardigans and flowy pants with — an attempt at — tamed hair. Despite being freed from the Forsaken realm, they insisted they were still fine with the name 'Two Time' being used on them. "Azure has taken to a florist shop downtown while I have applied to work at the library."

Guest smiled at the former cultist as Builderman nodded with a grin on his face. "Good job, Time. Proud o' ya."

Two Time smiled faintly at the admin before glancing at Guest. "How have you been fairing, Soldier?"

Guest blinked in surprise, hiding a wince at the nickname. The others turned expectantly to him.

"Yeah, it's been a while since, uh, you've been here," Shedletsky noted, waving a hand around aimlessly. "Surely stuff has changed for you."

Guest chuckled as he shook his head. "No, nothing has really happened for me, thankfully." His eyes flicked away from the group, a sorrowful look slowly dripping onto his face. "I've been working, been getting papers all in order along with the legal stuff. c00lkidd's been great, honestly: I thought he'd be a bit more chaotic, but he's been fairly mellow." A corner of Builderman's mouth quirked down as Guest continued. "A bit quiet, way quieter than how Seven described him, but I think he's slowly getting used to me. Honestly, it's just been a lot of figuring things out. I've been searching for the cabin in my spare time, but-"

"Guest."

Guest's eyes flicked back to look at the older admin, who was squinting at him with a frown on his face. Shedletsky had his face in his hands, muttering something under his breath. "Ya won't 'ind 'he cabin."

Guest shook his head. "No, the cabin has to be somewhere-"

"No, Guest," Builderman snapped. "No ya won't."

"Well, it can't just be-"

Builderman cut him off with a raised hand. "'e al'eady tried lookin' fer 'hat blasted cabin at HQ. 'at 'hing 's 'n a pocket dimension. 'here ain't a teleporter 'here."

Guest was silent for a moment, searching Builderman's face before his eyes flicked to look at the other's faces. Noob was looking down at their lap while Elliot was looking at Builderman with a wince on his face. Two Time was smiling uncertainly, a strained look on their face.

"That's- no, we can't just abandon Sev," Guest shook his head, leaning forward. "There has to be a way-"

"Kid, if we 'ad a way 'here we wou'dn'a been stuck 'here fer so damn long," Builderman spat. "I know yer upset, but we can't 'each 'he cabin."

Guest stared at the admin quietly, the words slowly fitting its way into his cognition. "I can't give up on him," Guest said firmly. "That isn't how I do things."

"Guest, listen dude," Shedletsky started, lifting his head. "If ol' Builderboy can't get there, nobody can."

Guest's face slowly donned a sharp scowl, his eyebrows furrowed. "So what. I'm supposed to bring c00lkidd home and tell him that his father is dead to the world? I'm just supposed to go home, go to work, take care of his child, and act like nothing happened?" He spat the words out like they were filled with poison.

Builderman's face softened by a hair. "Guest, 'hat's not wha' I-"

"No, no, because that's basically what you said," Guest snapped. He jabbed a finger at Builderman, his top lip curled back. "I keep telling that kid that I'll find him. That I'll bring him home. I can't pick him up and tell him that I lied. He would never trust me again."

The room was silent. Builderman stared at him, the gears visibly turning as he tried to reason with Guest, but he couldn't find an answer.

Guest took a deep breathe and sighed before standing up from his chair. "I... apologize, for possibly bringing up an... uncomfortable topic for you three," he murmured, his gaze flitting to look over Elliot, Noob, and Two Time. "I shall be taking my leave, now. Have a good day."

Guest won't tell c00lkidd. Not because he doesn't believe that c00lkidd can handle it — well, he knows the kidd can't — but because he will find Seven.

Guest's eyes flick over to the passenger side of his truck, catching a hint of red. As if on cue, c00lkidd pulled open the door and hopped in the backseat, a gap-toothed smile on his face. "Mr. Guest! Mr. N0li was there this time!" He said excitedly, his thin tail whipping against the seat.

"Oh, was he?" Guest mused, tilting his head. "That's nice. How was everyone?"

c00lkidd kicked his feet a bit, tilting his head as he let out an exaggerated 'hmmmmmm'. "Well, Sixer and Jace menti0ned that they were g0nna ad0pt a cat!" He said, clapping his hands together. "They're g0nna g0 pick it up in a few days. The cat's 0ld 0wner is getting t00 sick and his friend explained that it's best f0r b0th him and the cat that it finds a new h0me."

Guest nodded, turning the key and letting the truck spark to life. "That's nice," he acknowledged, his mind momentarily scrambling to remember who Jace was. Most likely Slasher's new name, as being called Slasher in your every-day life is... not good.

c00lkidd was silent as they pulled out of the parking lot, which made a small part of Guest's brain descend into panic — c00lkidd is never this quiet, not without a reason.

"Everything alright back there, bud?" Guest asked, his eyes flicking to look at the kidd from the rearview mirror.

c00lkidd was staring out the window, silent. His head tilted down for a moment before his eyes flicked to look at Guest. "Mx. 1x said that I sh0uldn't c0unt 0n it when I was talking ab0ut seeing Papa again."

A miniscule twinge of pain jabbed Guest in the lungs, his hands instinctively tightening their grip on the steering wheel.

c00lkidd continued. "They said that there was n0 way that Mr. Shedletsky and his friends w0uld be able t0 get him back", his voice was barely above a whisper, his hands finding the hem of his shirt. "I... I t0ld them that y0u were l00king for him and... and they started laughing." The word was spoken with a choked back sob.

The truck was silent, save for the engine and the soft sniffles c00lkidd let out. "Y0u're... y0u're g0nna find him... right?" c00lkidd whispered, his voice barely audible above the sound of the engine.

Guest's jaw tightened, his clammy hands gripping the steering wheel like his life depended on it — because it did. With a small breathe, he pulled off into a parking lot.

Guest wet his lips slowly, his brain thinking of a way to reassure c00lkidd. Every second Guest was silent, he could hear more sniffles from the backseat.

With a heavy sigh, Guest unbuckled his seatbelt and opened the driver's door. He stepped out and opened c00lkidd's door before leaning in and bringing the kidd into a tight hug. "kidd, I will do everything in my power to bring him back home," he murmured, his eyes closing shut. "It's just going to take a while, but he'll be back. I promise."

c00lkidd's tiny hands clung to his back as he sobbed, tears staining Guest's shoulder. Guest silently rubbed c00lkidd's back.

Please, Telamon, let him come home.

The forest is alive with the sounds of crickets, wind twisting through branches, and the occasional bird call. Guest had to abandon his truck a few miles back due to the thick foliage. There were bushes and ferns pushing against the faint path, with rocks jutting out randomly to trip any passerby.

Guest pressed forward.

It had taken some convincing, but Guest had the general location of a cabin. Well, not the cabin, unfortunately, but the cabin of someone who would hopefully have some answers for him.

Up ahead he could see what appeared to be a clearing, which gave him the push to go faster.

Breaking from the treeline, he saw the cabin. Next to it seemed to be a garden and a shed with a pile of wood stacked up next to it. Guest took a deep breath before stepping forward, making his way towards the door.

A board on the stairs groaned as he stepped on it, making him wince. The porch was tiny, a single chair and table set off to the side, just in front of a window. It seemed… nice.

Guest turned his attention back to the door. He shook his hands out before giving the door three solid knocks and stepping away.

A heartbeat passed before Guest heard the doorknob click and the door open a crack, and in the crack a face appeared. The visible eye was vaguely cloudy and the skin just below it was rough.

"They told you?" The face rasped, throat seemingly dry.

"They did," Guest nodded. "Please, I need to know how you escaped, Jason."

He was silent for a moment, but it felt like an eternity. "Alright," Jason murmured. "Will talk."

It felt like a weight was taken off Guest's chest. Jason's face disappeared from the crack before the light rattle of a chain clacked against wood. The door opened fully, revealing Jason in all his glory.

His attire had changed to one of a lumberjack, complete with an overall strap falling off his shoulder. Guest could now see patchy hair framing his head — not a lot, but just a bit. His face had terrible scars on it, part of his lip gone and an eye partially covered with scar tissue.

"Sit," Jason croaked, gesturing towards a pair of chairs.

Guest took the closest one before watching as Jason slumped into the chair, his arms crossing.

"Not escape, tossed out," Jason rasped. "Specter one day not need me, suppose."

Guest nodded. "You were replaced by Slasher, who I honestly mistook for you. It was like you were cloned, but you weren't."

Jason frowned, his thin eyebrows scrunching. "Noob alright then?" He asked in a soft wheeze, making Guest's face soften slightly.

"They were worried, I'll be honest," Guest murmured. "They immediately thought the worst had happened. It took a while for them to calm down after we found out you were gone."

Jason let out a scratchy hm before returning his attention to Guest. "Zero-Seven reason for question, yes?"

Guest nodded firmly. "Yes. He's still trapped there, and I need to know how to get him out," he explained, his voice slowly wobbling as he continued. "I can't let him rot there. c00lkidd still needs him."

Jason nodded sympathetically. "kidd loved Zero-Seven lots. Non-stop talk." He gave Guest a lopsided grin. "You love him lots, yes?"

Guest's cheeks reddened slightly before he coughed into his fist. "Hardly an appropriate question for this matter," he murmurs. "Besides, it's basic courtesy to help him."

"Yet only you here."

Guest's mouth quirked into a frown as he looked away. "The others gave up. Said that there's no way to get him out of there," Guest remarked bitterly. His eyes flicked back to look at Jason. "But that's not how I do this type of thing. I find my comrades, no matter what state they might be in."

Jason stared at him quietly before nodding lightly. "Honorable," he murmured. "Lucky to have you close."

Guest nodded in thanks. "It's who I am."

Jason nodded, looking past him. "Remember that. Angered me then. But mind clearer now. I understand." He looked back at the guest. "Kind heart. Rare."

Guest's jaw set low into a wistful expression. "It's how I was made to be."

Jason squinted. "It's what you made self to be," he corrected the other.

The guest blinked at him for a moment before his face relaxed slightly. "Maybe."

The air is crisp and warm. It's so nice on Guest's skin. He's learned to not take the warmth of the sun for granted after the realm of Forsaken.

He wishes he could share the warmth with Seven, though.

But for now, he walked down the street with c00lkidd's hand in his. The kidd is babbling on about something from school. The mosaic project he has to turn in soon? Maybe it's the story of him and Mia, Elliot's little sister, forming a truce and demolishing in a dodgeball tournament. Guest simply nods along to it. A few times c00lkidd stumbles, tripping over his long shoelaces and the cracks in the sidewalk, but Guest keeps him upright.

The two had been invited out by Chance, some type of get-together of sorts. Elliot was supposed to be there too, apparently.

"Excuse me?" A familiar voice and a shoulder tap from behind makes his shoulders tense. He squeezes c00lkidd's hand gently before stopping to look behind him.

It's Matt.

"Oh!- Wow, I just thought you'd be a normal cosplayer, but you look so much like him!" Matt exclaimed, his eyebrows raised.

Guest is frozen where he stands.

Beside Matt, is himself.

"Ray, you know some people can just look similar, yeah?" Not-Guest joked, gently bumping his shoulder into Matt's.

It's his voice.

c00lkidd peeked his head around Guest and his mouth droped open. "Mr. Guest! He l00ks just like y0u!"

Guest can't say anything. He barely heard what c00lkidd said.

He knew that somewhere in Robloxia were the people who played his friends, his family, his enemies, but to see them in front of him? And they were Matt, one of his closest friends, his best man, the mate he saw get shot in front of him, and himself?

It's just too much. He can faintly hear a ringing in his ears as his heart pounds harder.

He's in public.

Guest blinked, his fear-ridden trance broken. The two… actors stand in front of him still, now looking slightly more uncomfortable, all the while c00lkidd looked up at him with stars in his eyes. He cleared his throat, his shoulders spasming for a moment. "He sure does, kidd."

The two men's eyes widen with shock. "Oh- and you sound just like- wow," Matt — Ray? — murmurs, his head tilting just a smidge.

Not-Guest cleared his throat, a wary smile on his face. "I'm sorry that this might be… odd, but we just wanted to know if you were cosplaying The Last Guest."

"This guy is the main-man's actor." Matt-Ray elbowed Not-Guest in the side, a smirk on his face.

Guest's face softens. "I am The Last Guest," he murmured sincerely.

The two men in front of him blink in confusion.

Then c00lkidd piped up. "Yeah, bluduud said y0u were The Last Guest!" He seemed to think for a moment, his small tail lashing twice before flicking once as he remembered it. "Mr. Guest, y0ur full name is Guest 1337, right? I remember fr0m Sixer talking ab0ut the m0vie!"

Guest noded, glancing down at the kidd as he looked back up at him. "Yep, my number is Guest 1337."

As he returned his gaze to the men in front of him, he noticed immediately that their stances had changed: Not-Guest had eyes as wide as saucers while Matt-Ray was staring at him horrified. Guest stared right back, albeit with a tense look on his face.

"Oh Telamon, you're genuinely- holy hell-" Matt-Ray whispered, a hand half raised.

"We, we should introduce ourselves," Not-Guest said quickly before putting a hand forward. "I'm Derek, and this is my partner, Ray. We met on The Last Guest's set."

Guest's eyebrows quirked up in mild surprise. His… actor is with Matt's? Huh. He ignored the pileup of confused questions and took Derek's hand, giving it a firm shake. "Already know who I am," he grinned. He let go of the other man's hand before ruffling the bit of fur on c00lkidd's head. "This is c00lkidd. Also have probably heard of him. I'm looking after him until his dad is back."

Derek and Ray's smiles vanished as they glanced at each other, confusion sparking in their eyes. When they turned back to the two, Ray gave him a wary smile. "His dad is… 007n7, correct?" Guest nodded. "Well, didn't he…"

Guest flinched, his face snapping into a vague scowl at the implication. "It's complicated. But he will be fine."

"Yeah!" c00lkidd chimed up, hugging Guest's leg. "Mr. Guest is w0rking very hard t0 find my papa! He's the bestest and c00lest s0ldier ever!" The little demon grinned up at them, his gap toothed smile making Guest's face soften.

"…I see," Derek murmured, looking back up at Guest. Guest gave him a curt nod.

"Well, we should probably get going," Ray butted in, linking one of his arms with Derek's. "So sorry if we made you uncomfortable, Guest."

"Don't worry about it," Guest dismissed. "Hope you two have a good day."

With a light wave back, the two men walked off, leaving Guest and c00lkidd alone. Guest watched them as they walked, shoulders pressed together, until they vanished into the crowd. It felt like the giant weight that pressed on his chest had lightened, if only for a while.

Guest took c00lkidd's hand again, "Alright, kidd. Let's get going."

The kidd grinned up at him as they began walking again, and soon enough c00lkidd was pointing out bugs, a wide grin across his face. Guest was grateful that the kidd wasn't paying much attention to how he stood. Hopefully Chance and Elliot don't ask. 

The walk didn't take much longer as Guest and c00lkidd walked into the cafe. c00lkidd cooed at the bakery displays while Guest squinted as he looked throughout the dining room.

There.

In a corner booth, sat Chance, Elliot, and… Mafioso? The mafia boss looked strange sitting in the corner, his large size dwarfing the other two sitting at the booth. Chance's waving was what had caught Guest's attention, ironically.

As if I couldn't see the giant rabbit-man sitting in the corner.

Guest's gaze turned back to c00lkidd, who had his face pressed against the glass, his little tail wagging furiously. Guest walked over to the kidd before patting him on the head. "Hey, kidd. Spotted 'em," he said. "Let's head over."

c00lkidd smiled up at Guest before bouncing in front of him, his beady eyes squinting to spy where the three Robloxians were sitting.

"Guest! How've you been, man?" Chance grinned, leaning forward on his elbows as the two approached the table. Elliot gave them a polite wave while Mafioso gave him a curt nod.

"I've been well, Chance," Guest hummed, motioning for c00lkidd to get in the booth first. The demon hopped into the booth, giggling. Guest took his seat after him before picking up the menu."How have you been?"

Chance barked a laugh, smiling with all his teeth. "Doing just dandy!"

Elliot rolled his eyes. "He wanted to go to a bar, but Mafioso had to knock some sense into them."

Mafioso shook his head, the long rabbit ears that laid on his shoulders shifting. "That bar is bad anyway. Far too shady o' an establishment." His focus turned to Guest. "You are spoken o' highly. This is our first true meeting outside o' that hellscape, correct?"

Guest nodded. "Sure is. Didn't expect you to be here, though."

The mafioso grinned. "Well, there is no work t' be done. I thought i' would be more appropriate for you t' meet me then one o' my men."

"He's worried little ol' me is gonna get jumped," Chance leaned in closer to whisper, their voice in a teasing lilt. Mafioso's head shook again, but he made no attempt to deny it.

"0000! There's a h0t ch0c0late!" c00lkidd squealed, bouncing closer to Guest to point at an item on the menu. "Can I get it? Please please please??"

"Sure, kiddo," Guest sighed, setting the menu down on the table.

"Hot chocolate is a good choice," Elliot hummed. "This place is great when it comes to food. Me and Mia go here all the time."

Chance grinned and poked one of Elliot's hands. "So I'm gonna have to bring you here a lot, huh?"

Elliot shook his head and rolled his eyes lightly at the comment while Mafioso scoffed. "Will that impede on your responsibilities?"

The gambler waved his hand lightly. "Not at all! Come on, Mafi, you know I can get stuff done as well."

The chatter seemed to die down, Guest resigning to looking over the menu once more to pick his order, when c00lkidd sat up, his hands slapping on the table. "We met s0me act0rs 0n 0ur way here!" He chirped. "0ne was Mr. Guest in The Last Guest!"

Guest flinched, his mouth quirking down. That caught Elliot's attention. "Did everything go okay?" He murmured, tilting his head in concern.

That made Guest sigh, his hand lifting to rub his eyes. "It was… alright," he murmured. "I don't believe I would enjoy another meeting, however."

"Yeah, that's rough, buddy," Chance winces. "Better than me, I'd probably break down on the sidewalk." The comment earned a sharp flick to the cheek from Mafioso, who glared down at them with displeasure, while Guest simply scoffed at it.

The table was quiet before Guest glanced over at c00lkidd. The kidd was looking up at him with concern sparkling in his eyes, his frown small. He shoved himself against Guest's side, one of his hands reaching to grab onto his arm.

"You alright, kidd?" He murmured, focusing his attention on the little demon.

c00lkidd remained silent, just pressing himself against Guest.

"He is sorry." Mafioso's heavy rumble made Guest's eyes flick up to look at him.

"Well, he has nothing to be sorry about, because he has done nothing wrong," Guest said, ruffling the bit of fur on c00lkidd's head. "My problems are mine, not a kid's."

That made c00lkidd press against him hard, his head rubbing against his side.

Guest was silent for a minute before he sighed. "Let's get you that hot chocolate, okay, kidd?" He slid out of the booth, c00lkidd trailing slowly behind him.

They reached the front counter and Guest began telling the cashier what they would like. When Guest turned to get confirmation on c00lkidd's order, he noticed the kidd was staring at one of the little slices of cake. "Do you want that too, kidd?" He asked.

c00lkidd's head jolted up and his shoulders bunched up. "Can I?" c00lkidd asked sheepishly, to which Guest nodded. "0kay! Thank you, Mr. Guest."

Guest smiled and returned his attention back to the cashier, who rang up their order with a vague smile.

This was a trip he was not… exactly prepared for.

Guest had determined that the best people to talk to about rescuing Seven had to be Noli and 1×1×1×1. Lucky for him, they lived together. Unlucky for him?

The two also lived with the admins, whom he did not exactly have the patience for; However, it was just something he'd have to get over. For Seven.

Guest had dropped c00lkidd off for school just thirty minutes ago, so he had quite a while to gather information from the two inter-dimensional beings.

"Ye-yeah, can't h-h-help you th-ere, bud."

Guest was bamboozled. "I- but you're a deity! Isn't this up your lane?

Noli tutted to the best of his ability. "Was a deity. And then again, I never re-ally was one, just the host."

Guest sat in a sitting room of Robloxia HQ with Noli and 1×1×1×1 in hopes they'd be able to give him assistance on rescuing Seven. The two, however, had proved to be of less help than he had hoped.

Noli continued on. "I kn-know you care about lit-little ol' Double-O Seven. Bu-t the Spectre is ju-st untou-untouchable to us both."

1×1×1×1 nodded before adding onto Noli's explanation. "The Spectre is a being that is incomprehensible to us in our current states. The only creatures that would have the chance of breaking through and contacting it would be The Spawn, the true Noli, Telamon, or Roblox." Telamon's name was spit out with lingering venom. "I might have been able to, but those days are long gone, same with Telamon and The Spawn's. And a puny mortal such as yourself would be turned into a lingering memory if you attempted to contact Noli. You would have a better chance at find a way to get your little friend out of that place if you found a way to contact Roblox."

Guest frowned. "Isn't Roblox… the name of the government?" His question was dragged out, confusion oozing in between the words.

Noli scoffed, a distorted jitter crackling in his throat. "N-no, dummy! It's th-the name o-f the world's creator!"

"Technically, it's the name of the creature who taught the gods and divine admins how to harness code. Roblox had a minimal hand in creating the world," 1×1×1×1 corrected.

"Bah-ah! Yo-u and your allknowingness!" Noli whined, throwing their arms in the air as it stared at the not-so fourth dimensional being.

1×1×1×1 rolled her eyes before turning its attention back to Guest. "But Noli is correct. We are of no help to you and your, quite frankly, foolish quest."

Guest scowled at the being, glancing at Noli. "Seven was your friend once. Don't you want to reconcile?" He inquired, gesturing at him.

Noli frowned as best he good. "We-well, that wa-s the past. I have n-no att-achment to him anymore," Noli answered, folding his arms. "And per-personally, I woul-dn't either way. Double-O-Seven fuc-ked me over, a-nd I don't-t forg-ive him for it. I hav-e no re-ason to help."

Guest's scowl deepened. Clearly he would get no further with these two. "Still, I can't help but doubt you being unable to help, Noli, even if just by pointing me in the direction of a crack in the void," he muttered, squinting at the Robloxian suspiciously.

"Ug-ugh!" Noli groaned dramatically, his hands flinging to cover his face. "I lit-terally can't! I was-n't born a-a god! I be-became a host, dammit!" His hands clenched before he jabbed a finger at Guest. "A-nd you do-don't even kn-ow what he did! He's t-he damn rea-son I'm e-even like this! I ca-n't walk b-because of him! I l-ost my da-mn fre-freedom bec-ause of t-hat bastard! So so-rry for no-not feel-ing like he-helping him out!"

The room is silent after Noli finished. Guest is speechless, his mouth partially open as if to say something, but words never come out. 1×1×1×1 sits patiently, her head quirked to the side in interest. Noli simply glares across at Guest.

"I did not know that." It's an eternity before Guest speaks up. "I do not know your history. You… you do have the right to not help." Noli scowled at the guest, folding his arms. "I simply thought you were being difficult on purpose, and for that I am sorry. I did not mean to undermine your trauma."

Noli's stare dimmed for a moment before he scoffed. "It doe-sn't ma-matter anymore." He glanced over at 1×1×1×1 before closing his eyes with a glitched sigh. "Chicken wings an-d Helmet-head a-re probably your be-st ch-chance at f-finding Roblox."

Guest's mouth quirked for a moment before he nodded. "Thank you, Noli. I appreciate it a lot," he murmured, standing up from where he sat. "I apologize, again, for pressing."

Noli huffed, leaning back against the couch. 1×1×1×1's eyes flicked from Noli to Guest before he let out a sigh. "You will most likely find those two at the top of HQ. Scenic office." She paused before adding: "You will most likely not have much luck there."

Guest nodded in understanding. "I am expecting that. Thank you as well, 1×1×1×1." And with that, he leaves the room.

Speaking of the HQ. This place is a damn maze. It took Guest a solid 4 minutes to find the elevator, and he had to stop halfway to find another hidden elevator, to which he almost walked into a room with a teleporter in it that, the employee who had grabbed him — Clockwork, he believes? — told him that he almost was stuck in a never-ending loop of flying-teapot hell — whatever that means.

In total, it took a whopping 12 minutes for Guest to reach the final office.

The elevator doors slid open to reveal a spacious room, floor-to-ceiling windows lining the walls, making it seem larger than it really was. Directly opposite of the elevator was a desk, and at that desk sat Builderman and Shedletsky.

Shedletsky was lounging on the desk itself, his wings half unfurled as if they were soaking up the sun — something that Guest doesn't doubt he could have done. Builderman sat in his chair, absently nodding at whatever Shedletsky was yapping about. The ting of the elevator made both men look up at a… rather disheveled Guest.

Shedletsky snorted, his wings bushing up in amusement. "You look like you almost got crushed by a thousand teapots, bud."

Guest groaned, letting his head droop. "It's not my fault this place is a maze," he sighed, rubbing his eyes with an index finger and thumb.

Builderman nodded absently, picking up a piece of paper. "We're lucky 'hat Clockwork hadn' wen' on wit' Doombringer ta check on the Banlands, or else we probably wouldn' 'ave found ya." He paused before continuing. "Well, 'til Clockwork decides to be a menace again."

Shedletsky grinned, placing an elbow on his knee and leaning on it to look at Guest. "Well, Guest, what's up? Haven't come out here since, like, when we got out."

Guest fixed his posture, brushing off imaginary dust from his clothes, before looking up towards the admins. "I have a question I need answered," he answered, his gaze flicking from Shedletsky to Builderman.

Both men frowned. Shedletsky's head tilted forward in confusion, his wings and shoulders slacking, while Builderman's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "An' yer question is?" His voice was flat, rid of any possible emotion.

"Where is Roblox."

The paper crumpled in Builderman's hand, his face falling into a deep scowl. Shedletsky's feathers fluffed up, his eyebrows raising in vague surprise. "Who told you about Roblox? It's not something that's common knowledge, ya know," Shedletsky asked, shifting his position to better face Guest.

"Noli and 1×1×1×1 told me Roblox is one of the only people that could be capable of reaching the Spectre's dimension," Guest explained. "It's the best shot I have—"

"No."

It was blunt. Builderman's gaze was unchanged as he stared down Guest. Shedletsky had slid off the desk, his eyes flicking to look back and forth between the two men.

"But why?" Guest demanded. "You won't help, so what's wrong with me finding help elsewhere?"

"Guest, Roblox is a very sensi'ive en'ity. It can crush ya wit' a bare flick o' a wrist, a vague thought. A mor'al like yerself would be dead before ya e'en set foot in 'he same damn room as it," Builderman snapped. "Ya actin' 'ike i's a simple thing ta do. Roblox don't even care much 'bout 'he other admins, much less Robloxians."

Shedletsky cleared his throat thoughtfully. "Builder's tellin' the truth, Guest. Roblox is an almighty entity. Even Telamon submitted to it. I don't think Roblox would help you."

Guest blinked, his eyebrows furrowed. "Why not ask it yourself?"

Shedletsky winced. "Roblox doesn't like me that much. Past grudges, old wounds, the works." He glanced at Builderman, who was rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Ol' Builder here is the favorite, but I—"

"Shed, ya know I ain't gonna go run no damn errand for some lover boy again," Builderman snapped, side-eyeing Shedletsky with an unamused stare.

"Lover boy?" Guest paused, his posture faltering momentarily.

Both Builderman and Shedletsky turned to look at him with blank stares. Guest returned them.

Shedletsky turned back to Builderman. "Did literally everyone read it wrong," Shedletsky asked in a blunt tone.

"Nah, 'ha's not a possibili'y," Builderman waved the question off dismissively.

Guest's eye flicked between them for a few seconds, his face screwed up in confusion, before he shook his head. "No, I— we're going off topic," Guest muttered.

Builderman nodded absently. "Yeah. But still gonna be the same answer: no."

"Why, though?" Guest questioned. "Shedletsky literally said that you're Roblox's favorite, it should be no problem for you."

Builderman sighed, leaning back in his chair as he put a hand on his face. "Guest, we don' e'en know what 'he Spectre is, ne'er'heless how 'e e'en got 'here in 'he firs' place. 'hat 'hing nerfed all o' us into 'he ground. Wha' 'f it jus' des'royed Roblox? 'hen 'e'd all be in big trouble."

Guest stared at Builderman silently. "You're scared?"

Builderman moved his hand just so his eyes were visible, his frown deepening. "I mean, Guest, let's be reasonable here," Shedletsky intervened. "The Spectre is a being that we didn't even know existed before the whole sent-to-super-hell thing. It literally kidnapped three of the strongest admins, a fourth dimensional being, a former god, a guy who has a code-virus, an old exploiter, and a whole-ass movie character—" the last of the list made Guest flinch "—all while giving them all debilitating debuffs and creating a pocket dimension that was stable enough for over twenty people." Shedletsky took a huge breath after his ramble before exhaling. "So basically it's totally reasonable that Builderboy isn't too psyched about getting Roblox, the pseudo-creator of the world, getting involved in rescuing some guy."

Silence.

You could hear the chatter from the floors below.

"Some guy?" Guest spat.

"Shed, ya fuckin' idiot…" Builderman muttered under his breath, slapping his forehead.

Shedletsky seemed to back pedal immediately, his feathers ruffling in alarm. "That- I worded that completely wrong—"

"No, no I think you worded it exactly how you wanted it!" Guest snapped.

"No— Guest, listen—"

"No, Shedletsky! You called the man that got us out of fucking hell 'some guy'!" Guest interrupted. "He saved us while you guys were powerless! He did something! He sacrificed everything for us! He—" his voice cracked with emotion, the beginnings of tears forming in the corners of his eyes "—he gave up being with c00lkidd again. And he loved that damn kidd."

The two admins remained quiet, Shedletsky's wings furled closer to his body while Builderman eyes were covered by a hand.

Guest continued. "Seven deserves to get out of that hell just as much as anyone else. As much as 1×1×1×1, as much as Noli, and as much as me."

Shedletsky frowned. "Guest, you're not like them. Even without the Spectre, they probably would have still killed us."

"So did I," Guest replied. "I killed people too."

"Ya didn' 'ave a choice, Guest. Ya were in a war fer Roblox's sake."

"I chose to sign up. I volunteered to fight. I wasn't fighting because I was cornered, nor because of what I went through." Guest's hands curled into fists, a pitiful attempt to hide their shaking. "You can peel away our shields, our flaws, and you will find the same person when you look at all three of us."

Builderman shifted his hand to look at Shedletsky before he sighed. "Look, Guest. I ain't gonna do some moral gymnas'ics wit' ya. The answer is no." He looked at the crumpled piece of paper on the desk before picking it back up. "It ain't the answer ya want, but i's the answer ye'll get."

Guest scowled, his mouth curved in a sharp frown. Shedletsky glanced between the two before pushing himself away from the desk. "Well, I think that was a really— uh— productive conversation! I think we're all just a teeny-tiny bit pissy right now, so let's just put a pin in it for now, yeah? Yeah." His eyes flicked to Builderman before moving to land on Guest. "It's been great to see ya again, Guest, but it's probably best you go now."

Guest's eyes narrowed before he gave a curt nod. "Alright. I'll go." He turned around, his combat boots hitting the floor heavily. After he pressed one of the buttons on the elevator panel, he turned his head just slightly. "I'm not giving up, you know."

Shedletsky nodded a few times, his head slowly tilting to the side. "Yeah. Yeah that's obvious with your character."

Guest turned back to the opening elevator doors and stepped inside.

It's cold. Crickets chirp in a choir as Guest leaned against the porch railings, watching the empty street. It's midnight, nobody is outside. c00lkidd is asleep in his bed, his weighted blankets hugging him tight.

"So they said no, huh?" Chance murmured from where he sat. He had a small glass in hand, the whiskey catching the porch lights in a warm glow. Guest nodded. Chance looked at the veteran with a neutral expression. "That won't stop you, right? I can't imagine it would."

"No. It won't stop me." Guest let his head hang low. "But it's just— it's just hard."

Chance raised an eyebrow. "What's hard?"

Guest's posture slacked, his shoulders slumping as if they were under heavy weights. "Having to do this alone."

"Well, you have me—"

"No, not like that." Guest turned his head just a smidge. "I wasn't prepared to go from fighting in a war, to fighting in hell, then to raising a child alone. Especially a child with such… such heart-wrenching trauma, who just wants his father back. I can't fill that void Seven left. I don't— I don't want to. I want him back so he can be back with c00lkidd and—" Guest's voice tapered off, emotion dripping in his voice. Chance watched him thoughtfully before raising their glass to their lips slowly. Guest took a breath before he raised his head. "I can't let c00lkidd down. I'm the protector, Chance. I'm supposed to be strong. I search and find and get people home. That's what I was made to be."

Chance nodded slowly, the glass still pressed to their lips. Their eyes were narrowed just slightly while their eyebrows were raised. Of course, it was all hidden behind their glasses, but Guest can't see them at all either way — it's for us, dear reader.

"I won't let him get forgotten. I'll get him back and bring him home," Guest promised, his hands grasping the railing.

Chance blinked slowly before setting their glass on the table next to him. "Guest, buddy, my guy, I'm-a be real here: you really need to start seeing that therapist and stuff, " they stated bluntly. Guest blinked, turning to look at his companion. Chance stared back at him. "This is like wildly unhealthy. You have a whole 'I'm supposed to be like this because that's how I was told to be like' thing going on and that is really bad to have."

"I— Chance, you know I'm a movie character—"

"Yadda yadda yadda— that was then." Chance cut him off, a hand waving in front of them. They stood up before looking at him expectantly. "What do you want to be."

Guest was silent. His brow was furrowed in thought, his mouth donning a small frown. "I— I don't think there is anything I want to be," Guest admitted.

"Bullshit. Everybody wants something, no matter how much they deny it," Chance said, gesturing vaguely to the wind like the homosexual they are before pointing a finger at Guest. "You just said that you want Double-Seven back. And he wasn't part of that movie. Already proving that statement wrong!"

Guest thought for a moment before he sighed, leaning back against the railing. "I…. don't think I thought of it like that, I'll be honest."

"Clearly."

Guest scoffed, his face scrunching up in amusement. "Thought you were being supportive."

"Nah," Chance shook their head. "I'm just trying to make you not stupid. Less stupid. In Mafioso and Elliot's words: 'never be stupider than a gambler'—" their face morphed into a face of confused realization "—that I just realized is aimed at me they're talking about me."

Guest barked a laugh, which earned him a wounded look. "Guest, you're so mean! Siding with those rude men!" Chance cried, holding a hand up to their head dramatically. "Why are all the men in my life so cruel to me?"

"Drama queen," Guest joked.

"Again!" Chance gasped, their form bending back more, their pose getting increasingly more dramatic.

Guest rolled his eyes, shaking his head lightly. "Can tell how you're always the life of the party."

"I am the party, good sir," Chance said, straightening up to look at him properly. Chance flashed him a grin, their golden fang catching the porch light like fire. "You can count on me, soldier boy."

The sun beat down heavy, clouds just barely whisped across the sky. Guest held one of c00lkidd's hands in one hand, a cooler in the other, and a bag on his right shoulder as his eyes squinted to look through the dense heat. c00lkidd, meanwhile, was unbothered, happily chattering about whatever. Guest was glad he had wrangled c00lkidd into putting on sunscreen before he had gathered everything up for the little beach-party Noob had invited them to.

"Mr. Guessssssssttttttt," c00lkidd whined.

Guest snapped back into reality, looking down at c00lkidd. "Yeah, kidd? Something wrong?" He asked, his mind already going through what could be wrong. c00lkidd's skin was sensitive, what if he felt like it was itchy? Did his clothes rub the sunscreen off in some places?? Were his eyes hurting???

"Can we st0p and get s0me m0re snacks?" Oh. Not that bad at all.

"Sure kiddo," Guest smiled.

c00lkidd grinned up at Guest, his sharp teeth showing. "Thanks, Mr. Guest! Y0u're the c00lest!" He seemed to think for a moment before continuing. "Besides my papa. Y0u're b0th c00l."

Guest chuckled. "I think me and Seven can be the coolest together, kidd."

c00lkidd made an 'O' with his mouth before nodding ecstatically. "Yeah! Y0u can be the c00lest t0gether!" He said gleefully.

His pure-hearted reaction almost brought Guest to tears. Telamon, this kidd is so cute. I understand you fully, Sev.

c00lkidd tugged on his hand, pointing towards a tiny store. "Me and Papa used t0 g0 there all the time! The pe0ple there are nice and they aren't mean t0 Papa!"

Ouch.

Guest let c00lkidd lead the way to the store, making a mental note to probably come back here often. He let go of c00lkidd's hand to open the door, letting the bell ding. The AC was like a blessing from the gods in the contrast of the hellish heat outside. An older lady was behind the counter, seemingly too immersed in her newspaper to look up at the door.

"Alright, kidd, just stay near me, okay?" Guest said, shifting to the side to let c00lkidd in first. The kidd responded with a simple 'mhm!' before immediately bouncing off to what Guest presumed to be the candy aisle. Guest simply sighed and followed after him.

c00lkidd was already snooping through the selection, his little tail flicking back and forth. Guest busied himself with looking at the candy at the other end of the aisle. He didn't exactly remember himself having a sweet tooth, but he knew Noob and their friends definitely did have one. Taking three bags of gummy worms — because they're like half-filled and are NOT worth the cost but that's capitalism for ya and yes I am complaining about how much food is in a bag I get the chewy SweetTarts all the time and they BARELY fill the damn bag halfway and it PISSES ME OFF okay — he returned his attention to the pile of candy that c00lkidd had gathered up.

"kidd, pick three of those. I'm not buying an entire candy store," Guest joked, a small smile on his face.

c00lkidd looked up at him and pouted. "But they're all g00d candy!"

"Yeah, but the others will probably have candy as well. We're only getting a few things," Guest said. "Plus, don't you want to get chips too? We need to have money for that too."

c00lkidd paused for a moment. He blinked once, twice, before nodding. "0kay," he murmured, disassembling his pile until he had only a single piece of candy.

Guest frowned. "Bud, you can take two more, you know."

c00lkidd's eyes flicked to glance over at him. "But d0n't we need the m0ney f0r chips t00?" He asked in a quiet voice.

Guest's heart plummeted. "Oh, kidd, I just don't want to spend that much money right at this moment. We have plenty of money, I'm just thinking ahead to if we want ice cream later. Plus it'd be a lot to carry."

c00lkidd stared at the shelves for a moment before looking back at Guest. "Y0u're sure I can, Mr. Guest?"

"Of course, kidd."

The little devil thing was silent for a moment before hesitantly taking two more candies. His eyes flicked to look at Guest — sort of like how a dog looks at someone to the side of them — as if confirming it was okay, to which Guest nodded to. c00lkidd stood up with his candy, looking quite sheepishly up at Guest.

"Alright, kidd, let's go pick out some chips, yeah?" Guest said, a small smile on his face. c00lkidd stood up with his candy in hand, his tail flicking lightly. Guest led him over to the next aisle, taking a glance over the chip selection. c00lkidd seemed to squint at the selection as well.

"Papa g0t th0se a l0t," c00lkidd said, pointing at a salt and vinegar flavored chip bag. "They tasted kinda gr0ss, but I ate them."

Guest hummed in acknowledgement. "Well, what kind of chip do you want to have? It's up to you, kidd."

c00lkidd made a 'hm' sound before reaching out and grabbing a barbecue flavored chip bag. "These are really g00d," c00lkidd said.

Guest nodded. "I hear ya, kidd. Let's get a party size so we have enough for everyone to take some."

c00lkidd turned to look at him in surprise. "We can get the party size?"

"'Course we can, kidd."

c00lkidd's mouth curved into a small smile as he placed the bag back and hopped over to pick up a party size. Guest returned the smile before turning his head to the front of the store. "Alright, kidd0. Let's go up and pay for this stuff. The others are probably waiting."

"0kay," c00lkidd chirped, already padding over to the counter. Guest fiddled with his grasp on the cooler before following c00lkidd up.

c00lkidd hopped up to the counter, standing on his tip-toes to place his plunder down. It was really only at that moment did the lady sitting there seem to look up from her newspaper to see who was in the store. It looked like her eyes almost popped out of her skull when she processed who was standing at the counter.

"c00lkidd?! c00lkidd, is that you, sweetie?" She asked, her newspaper being forgotten.

"Yup! Hii!" c00lkidd smiled as he placed his chin on the edge of the counter.

"You— when— where have you been?" She asked, her eyes flicking up to look up at Guest. Her eyes seemed to sharpen, the corners of her mouth quirking down. "And who is this guest? Did you come in with it?" Her voice had a lingering poison in it, the ends of her sentences dripping in un-hidden malice.

Guest is not a stranger to such verbal distaste, but it sure has been a while. None of the survivors or killers had said anything about his heritage, so he had almost forgotten that people still act that way.

c00lkidd, however, did not seem to pick up on the aggression. "0h, that's Mr. Guest! He's really c00l. I'm staying with him until my Papa c0mes h0me!" c00lkidd pointed at Guest, a pure smile on his face.

The lady's eyes narrowed as she looked at Guest with such visible repulsion that it almost made Guest shocked. Keyword: almost. "Did this guest not tell you what happened to your father?"

Wait.

Does c00lkidd know his father killed himself?

Guest's eyes widened in panic. What if c00lkidd didn't? And a stranger was just going to tell him? But if he intervened, the lady could get suspicious— but it's common sense to want to shield yo— a child from something that could mess them up mentally!

c00lkidd frowned at the lady. "I heard a bit ab0ut it. But I trust Mr. Guest when he says that he's g0nna bring Papa h0me."

The lady's eyes seemed to soften. Not by a lot, just faintly noticeable. "Oh sweetie, your father isn't coming back. He died. This… guest is lying to you."

Guest stiffened. "Ma'am, I know it sounds odd, but I assure you—"

"No, no, you will not lie to this child," she cut him off sharply, standing from whatever stool she had been sitting on. "I don't know what you did to— to mimic Robloxians, but even guests can't stoop so low as to manipulate children, surely."

"I— what?" That caught Guest off guard. Even c00lkidd had turned to look at him in confusion.

"Mr. Guest? Is she telling the truth?" c00lkidd asked. His tail was still, and his shoulders had slumped down. However, his brow was slightly furrowed in confusion. "Y0u're getting Papa back, right?"

"Of course I am, kidd—"

"No, you shut up, you guest!" The lady snapped. The lady had come out from behind the counter and appeared to be about the same height as Noob, which, if Guest could remember correctly, about 4 foot 10? "This child has suffered enough! He does not need anything from you!"

Guest's eyes flicked from the lady to c00lkidd. The kidd seemed to be getting progressively more overwhelmed, his eyes wide with shock. "Ma'am, if we could just calm down and talk reasonably, I'm sure we would come to an understanding—"

"The only 'talk' that is going to happen is between you and the damn moderators," the lady snapped before snatching one of c00lkidd's arms.

Panic exploded in Guest's veins, and it seemed to in c00lkidd's as well. The kidd immediately let out a cry as he tried to carefully take his arm back. "Let g0 0f me!!! Y0u're hurting me!!!" He wailed. His head turned to look at Guest, his eyes full of tears. "Mr. Guest, Mr. Guest!!! D0 s0mething!!!"

Guest was frozen. He couldn't— he has to help c00lkidd. "Ma'am, you need to let him go now," Guest demanded. "His skin is sensitive and this is all an overreaction."

"I'm keeping him safe from you, you damn guest!" She snapped, tugging c00lkidd away. c00lkidd let out another cry as he began to push at her hand, but she wasn't having any of it. "I am trying to help you, c00lkidd! More than your foolish father did!"

"Lady, that is—"

c00lkidd cut Guest off.

By biting the lady's arm.

She let out a near blood curdling scream at the bite before letting go of c00lkidd's arm like he burned her. "Get off!— Do you not want help, you greedy child?!" She yelled. c00lkidd gladly obliged, turning and running into Guest's side, tears streaking down his face.

"You were hurting him!" Guest snapped, bringing his free hand — because he has a cooler in his right hand, which the author 100% did not almost forget about — to gently rub c00lkidd's back. "His skin is far too sensitive for that kind of behavior!"

"There's still no need for the guest-loving devil to bite me!" At this point c00lkidd was in hysterics. The kidd was clinging onto Guest as he sobbed his eyes out.

"You're insane, lady!" Guest quickly guided c00lkidd out of the store, ignoring the nagging of the lady behind him. He felt c00lkidd's tail attempt to cling to his leg, only to shrivel away.

Guest practically carried c00lkidd away from the store, a good block or so, until they almost ran into someone — well, two someones.

"Soldier? Child?? What happened?" Two Time's familiar drawl took Guest by surprise. Guest blinked away his panic and let his vision clear. Azure and Two Time were hand-in-hand, with Azure carrying an umbrella while Two Time held two bags in a hand. Both wore sun hats, but Azure's had a floral touch to it.

"Just— we had a misunderstanding with someone at a store," Guest said, readjusting his hold on c00lkidd.

"She grabbed my arm and w0uldn't let g0!!!!" c00lkidd wailed, his head tilting up. "She was yelling at Mr. Guest and being really mean!!!"

Azure and Two Time's eyes widened while Guest's face tightened. "Are you okay, kidd?" Azure asked. His voice was more like a crinkle, most likely due to their transformation in the Forsaken realm.

"My arm hurts :( ," c00lkidd whined, moving his arm forward to show it. There was a clear handprint to where she had grabbed him, a darker red with deep purple splotching and light pink speckles.

"That's horrible!" Two Time gawked, a hand hovering over their mouth. "It's completely unacceptable to hurt a child like this!"

"It was partially my fault," Guest murmured. Azure and Two Time's eyes flicked to focus on him. "I wasn't handling the situation the best I could, which led to her grabbing c00lkidd."

c00lkidd, however, looked up at Guest with eyes filled with tears and confusion. "But y0u're taking care 0f me! Y0u were talking ab0ut what happened and she didn't listen!" He shoved his head into Guest's side, hugging him tight. "It's n0t y0ur fault she was being angry!"

Guest was silent for a moment before lightly patting c00lkidd on the back. Guest's expression was dark: should he cancel the meet-up with the others? He didn't know if c00lkidd would be okay after the whole ordeal, especially with his arm now being bruised terribly.

And he felt like he was failing. Failed as a guardian, failed c00lkidd, failing Seven. Telamon, maybe Guest should have been the one to stay in that realm instead of Seven. At least he'd be with c00lkidd. What had Guest had in this Robloxia? Nothing.

A tug on his shirt tore him from his spiral. "Mr. Guest?" c00lkidd. "Can we get g0ing?"

Guest looked down at him. "Sure, kidd. Home?"

c00lkidd looked at him funny. "I th0ught we were g0ing t0 the beach with N00b and their friends?"

Guest blinked at the answer. "Ah, I thought you meant 'going home.' My mistake." He patted the kidd's head softly, a small smile on his face. c00lkidd giggled before dashing ahead to where Azure and Two Time had started walking off to. Guest sighed before jogging to catch up.

"SHE3 D1ID WHA4T?!" A shared cry from a soft voice, a crackly voice, and a robotic voice pierced Guest's ears.

"It was quite horrifying, frankly. I was worried she'd hurt him more," Guest admitted.

"Guest, I'm so sorry!" Noob cried, their hands covering their mouth.

Guest was sat beneath two beach umbrellas, joined by Noob, Sixer, and Veeronica. Azure, Jace, and Two Time were frolicking on the beach, having not been freely able to experience it — c00lkidd had joined them because he had too much energy to sit and chat. So Guest was recounting the encounter with the lady at the store.

"I've been there before," Sixer crackled. The modifications they had were corrupted, leaving the voice they had obtained broken. "That lady is awful, but I didn't think she'd be that awful."

"H0n3stly!" Veeronica cut in. "Wh4t d0 p30pl3 th1nk th3s3 d4ys?! 1t's stup1d 4nd s4d th4t p30pl3 th1nk 1t's 0k4y t0 d0 th4t!"

Guest simply nodded along, unsure of how to approach this.

"People really are just awful, sometimes," Noob frowned, their sunhat covering their face.

"Sad you couldn't get the snacks, though," Sixer murmured. "Gummy worms sound good right now."

"1 kn0w!"

"Vee, you can't eat things…"

"1 st1ll l1k3 pr3t3nd1ng th4t 1 d0!!! >:C"

The two friends started bickering, but Guest could tell it was all in good fun. Both guests exchanged amused glances occasionally. That was until Sixer got dragged into the conversation because they made a comment on how strawberry shortcake tasted like dirt, which then led the conversation to dirt cakes, then dribbled down into favorite candies, which exploded into an argument because Noob said they only really liked sour candy, which gave such offense that c00lkidd heard and joined the argument.

It was nice, talking with others, being around people.

Yet Guest was restless.

It was a lovely day at the beach. c00lkidd and Azure showed Jace and Two Time how to make a sand castle, Veeronica found an entire generations worth of sand dollars, and Sixer and Noob had buried Guest in the sand after he had dozed off. But alas, the sun has set and it's time for everyone to go home.

Guest hefted c00lkidd up on his hold once more, trudging his way up the path of their house. c00lkidd was asleep in his left arm, leaving his right to carry the cooler and bag again. The street lamps were lit, bins and mailboxes casting shadow across the street. It was actually quite peaceful, but Guest couldn't help but feel nervous.

Nevertheless, he made it to the door, setting the cooler down gently to unlock it. c00lkidd shifted, nuzzling his face into Guest's shoulder while his hands grabbed Guest's shirt tighter. Guest sighed, grabbing the cooler and walking into the house, kicking the door closed with a foot. He skimmed the kitchen, dropping the cooler off, before heading down the hall to c00lkidd's room.

The kidd's door had stickers adorning it, along with a bright red C and K painted on it. Guest pushed the door open, careful not to bang c00lkidd's leg on the corner, before walking to the bed. Guest pulled the covers back before setting c00lkidd down gently. He removed the kidd's aqua shoes and placed them next to the closet, making a mental note to clap the sand out of them — and also wash c00lkidd's sheets, since there 100 percent going to be a pile of sand in it in the morning.

Returning to c00lkidd, Guest moved him to lay further in the bed. The kidd's eyes cracked open just a smidge as the covers were pulled over him. "Night, Dad…" he murmured, his flickering eyes closing shut.

Dad.

Guest knelt in silence. Something crept up his throat that he forced back down. Blinking twice, he shifted closer and gently kissed c00lkidd's forehead. "Good night, kidd."

Guest woke with a start. His hand flew to his chest, where he expected the fabric of a tank top, but instead felt the harsh fabric of a vest.

He was back in the cabin.

Guest glanced around, still trying to wake up fully. The cabin looked the same, like nothing had changed. The only thing that was different was that it was colder, despite the fire flickering next to him.

Guest pushed off the couch, finding his unsteady ground, before he walked over to the stairs. He let a hand hover over the banister as he ascended, taking note of the still-blank slot machines. The floorboards creaked under him as he gave a quick glance around the commons area — nothing was there — before he walked forward to lean over the railing — still nothing.

Guest frowned, letting his hands fall back to his sides as he stood back. His eyes flicked back to the archway. It's strange, being back at the cabin. Guest hasn't dreamed of this place in a while.

His boots hit the wooden floor harshly as he descended the stairs, his eyes now fixed on the doors. There's an entire outside to search. There has to be something here.

The door opened with a creak as his foot touched the main floor. Not the best thing to see, but it's a dream. Guest should prepare himself for the worst.

Guest exited the cabin, squinting through the howling wind. Telamon, it was even colder outside. Guest stepped down the stairs, scanning the area quickly before his eyes caught something near the dock. Or rather…

Someone.

Guest froze, his hand half open at his side.

He'd recognize that blue anywhere.

But the red . . .

Guest's breath caught in his throat, his hands trembling. He took a few shaky steps towards the dock.

It was enough to make the figure turn, the red catching on the moonlight.

And their eyes met.

One set a deep blue.

The other a muted mahogany.

A ragged exhale left Guest's mouth, his lips quivering as he stared.

The figure smiled softly, his head tilting slightly.

"Are you still looking?"

It was the same voice.

But Guest knew it was a dream.

But he just couldn't not respond.

"Of course. Of course I am, Sev." Guest chocked out. "I'm looking whenever I have time."

The figure smiled back.

"Then why aren't I home yet."

Guest stiffened.

"You're clearly not looking hard enough." The figure's smile grew wider, his teeth showing.

Except he looked wrong.

Details were warping, the red grew, black clawed across his figure like it were vines.

"I— Sev, Sev I'm trying," Guest sobbed. He didn't even realize he started crying. "I'll find you."

"I promise."

Guest's eyes flew open as he jolted awake. His chest spasmed as he grasped at his tank top, his breath coming in uneven waves.

"Mr. Guest?"

Guest flinched at the voice, his eyes flicking to the door. c00lkidd stood in the doorway, a drakobloxxer plush held close to his chest. "I had a nightmare," the child murmured. His eyes flicked up to look at Guest. "Can I stay with y0u t0night?"

Guest's eyes soften. c00lkidd looks small in the doorway. "Of course, kidd. Come here," Guest smiled, pulling the cover back invitingly.

c00lkidd padded over to Guest's bed before clambering on top, snuggling up close to him. "Thank y0u…"

Guest let the covers fall over the kidd's shoulders before he replied. "I'm here for you, kidd0. I hope you remember that."

It's quiet.

There's nobody around.

c00lkidd is at school.

There is no work today.

Nothing.

He cannot bring himself to get up. To search.

He knows he won't find anything.

Guest stares blankly at the ceiling. He hasn't had this type of "peace" in a while.

It's almost nauseating.

But there's no time like the present to reflect on the past.

…That's not a saying. That's stupid.

Guest shifted to look at the wall, his mouth quirking into a frown.

Telamon, what was he doing? Really, there had to be something else. Who was he kidding, there shouldn't be nothing else. He…

Guest sat up, putting a hand on his forehead. He's real now, whether he likes it or not. So he has to try.

But this lingering feeling of disembodiment just keeps lingering. It's as if he has a second skin and it's a poison. It won't heal and it won't go away.

He has to get over this. It'll drag him down. It'll hurt c00lkidd. It won't save Seven.

But maybe it's better this way. No fight, no tug.

…He should probably see that therapist more often.

It's still light out. But Guest should still hurry. The sun has passed its peak long ago, but it's not the dimming light that has him worried.

The presence constantly hovering over him is what is worrying him.

It started two days ago. He thought nothing of it for the first hour. Sometimes people walk up to him and ask him if he's a cosplayer and then profusely apologize for a minute before caving and asking for a picture. He thought it was just a nervous "fan."

But while picking up c00lkidd from school he saw two people standing a block down, staring at him. After a minute of staring they ducked out of sight.

Now that's not normal.

So Guest has forbade c00lkidd from waiting outside for the time being. He hasn't thought of getting the moderators involved, since he has no idea what is going on. Besides, he has it covered: home before dark and keep in populated places. c00lkidd stays home with a babysitter — by "babysitter" he means Noob, Sixer, Veeronica, Jace, or a combination of the four — and they keep the doors locked. And if they're in public, c00lkidd has his hand in Guest's the entire time.

Just to be safe.

Anxiety lingers in his veins, plucking at the strands of neurons of his brain, effectively making him a nervous wreck.

Anxiety always causes a hiccup.

Hands grabbed at him, dragging him sideways. Guest instinctively lashed out, his fist connecting with a face, until knees met his stomach and an elbow struck his nose.

Guest was tossed into the darkness, his head almost hitting dangerous hard against the concrete. He dragged himself up and back slightly before his collar was grabbed and a fist met his face. Guest's head snapped to the side, blood gushing from his broken nose.

"Dumb bastard," a voice spat. "You fucked with the wrong old lady."

Old lady?

"What in the world do you—" Guest tried to sputter out a question, but another punch to the face cut him off.

"Shut it, freebie," another voice hissed. "You wanna see that stupid kid again? Then you better shut the fuck up and listen real fuckin' well."

c00lkidd? Guest's blood ran cold, but he bit his tongue. His eyes were slowly adjusting to the low light of the alleyway, just barely making out three shapes. There was a guy holding him down while two others flanked the first guy.

Perfect… he couldn't help but think with a grimace.

"Here's how it's gonna work, guest: you're gonna fork over everything on you. All your savings are goin' to that nice old lady." The second voice snapped. "Next, you're gonna leave that kid with some other sorry excuse of a person. No strings attached, yeah? Yeah."

The guy started listing the impossible. Guest could feel his blood boil as he felt his eye begin to swell and blood dribble past his lips.

Worse yet, those four guys were blocking practically the entire—

Four.

There weren't four.

And they sure didn't block the light.

The guy on the left coughed, Guest flinching as liquid splattered on his cheek. And then the guy collapsed.

The two remaining guys looked over him confusion before the right guy fell too, a small whimper leaving his lips before he hit the ground hard.

The middle guy turned with a start, shoving Guest away, but he was dragged back before being stabbed through with a sword. Blood splattered onto Guest's face, a drop or two getting in his eyes. He dragged himself back, a hand flying up to rub his face clear of the blood.

"Veteran. We meet again." The heavy, familiar rumble of the stranger's voice makes Guest pause. He squints, staring at the stranger closely.

The stranger was tall, far taller than Guest himself. They wore a hat and had a broad set of shoulders.

And atop those shoulders lay a set of long, thick rabbit ears.

"Mafioso?" Guest questioned, cringing at how nasally he sounded.

"They did a number on you, aye?" Mafioso inquired, his head tilting to the side.

"Yeah," Guest barked a half-hearted laugh. "Probably would have done more. Thank you, though."

"None needed. This is the Sonellino's territory, not some petty gang's."

Guest sighed, standing up shakily. "Probably not a gang. They were upset about that incident in that store."

Mafioso hummed, his head nodding up and down. "I see." The mafioso sheathed his sword before he reached into a pocket and drew out a pack of what seemed to be cigarettes. "Still. No need for that," Mafioso commented. He drew a cigarette from the pack before popping it in his mouth without lighting it.

"Not lighting that?" Amazing going, Guest. Making small talk while you're surrounded by dead bodies.

Mafioso shook his head. "Not actual cigarettes. They're chalk candy." That made Guest's eyebrows raise in surprise. "One o' my boys were complaining about coughin' all the time. Took some reflection. Elliot suggested I have candy cigarettes." There was a slight pause before he continued. "I will say, he was right on the suggestion. Unfortunately, they've caught on with the others and now my boys are sharin' them like they're pocky."

Guest snorted a laugh.

Mafioso glanced to look down at one of the bodies. "Ya know they probably weren't just here for kick your ass cause of that incident."

Guest frowned. "I try not to think about those possibilities."

"Still likely." Mafioso's voice was flat, the twinge of his tone acting like he wanted to say another thing, but held it back.

There was a pause. A pregnant one, but not for long.

"One o' us was a guest, while back." This made Guest's ears perk up. Mafioso had removed his 'cigarette' from his mouth, a frown on his face as he continued to stare down at one of the bodies. "Guest 7052. They were the kindest, brightest soul I e'er met. Fed stray cats. Lent their umbrella to those who needed it, e'en if they were gettin' drenched themselves. E'en if they couldn't talk, they made e'eryone laugh."

Mafioso's face darkened as his head tilted down. "They got captured by a gang one night. Don't e'en know what the bastards wanted. Just a picture of them in a chair with an address written on the bottom o' it." He took a deep breath before continuing. "The floor was stained red when we got there. They looked like they were mauled by an animal, not by people."

"Those bastards wanted to know somethin'. But we all knew that they chose 7052 specifically to interrogate. And we knew why." Mafioso lifted his head, but he didn't look over at Guest. "Took them cause they were a guest. And guests can't talk. It was cruel. Unforgi'able."

"That gang doesn't exist anymore. Their blood paints the drains o' this city, e'en through downpour and snow. But it doesn't co'er the fact that they killed one o' us because o' who they were." Mafioso said. He looked at Guest, his half visible eyes piercing through him, looking past his bruised eye, swollen lip, and bloody nose. "You're family, Guest. Anybody gives you or that kidd trouble, you call me and your problem will be gone."

Mafioso put his 'cigarette' back in his mouth, and turned to walk down the alley, one of his boots leaving a bloody trail after him. Guest stared after him, quiet, before turning and limping back for home.

Guest woke with a start. He stumbled for a moment, suddenly standing up. He looked around, his eyes wide with confusion.

He was in a clearing. One that was just riding on familiarity but dipped into an unknown territory.

Guest took a step, then two, before he paused.

In the center, stood a figure.

Telamon, please not again.

But the figure turned immediately. It was not dripping in red. Vines of black did not crawl across its skin.

But it was not him either.

This figure seemed broken in places, its code fizzling as it slide away from it, yet never deforming. Black was accented with red, which made Guest's heart stutter in anxiety.

Hello. The voice seemed to come from inside his heart.

"I— what?"

You are insistent. I have never understood what it meant to be wanted. To be needed.

But now I do.

The figure looked up at the spotted, starry sky. Guest followed its gaze.

I have learned much. I will continue to learn. There are so many parts I do not yet understand.

But I have an eternity to learn.

The figure looked back at Guest. Guest's eyes flicked down to look before his head followed.

So it's time I let go.

The figure outstretched a hand.

A reward should be given, but I believe this will suffice.

The figure let its hand fall back to its side. It was a heartbeat before the figure continued its words.

Return to the beginning. Your gift waits for you.

And he's excited to see you.

Guest woke with a start, his heart pounding against his lungs and ribcage. It took a moment for his brain and heart to join together, but he remembered.

The dream.

The clearing.

Him.

Guest could only assume who that "he" was.

Guest practically tumbled out of his bed, hastily grabbed the pocket knife he had bought per Chance and Mafioso's suggestion — and to Elliot's firm insistence — before he flung his door open as quietly as he could. He tiptoed as fast as he could down the hallway before reaching the front door, where he shoved on his combat boots and snatched his keys up before practically bolting out the door — but not before locking it behind him.

Guest stumbled down the street, his mind going a thousand miles an hour, trying to remember where that damn clearing was.

Behind… red siding… straight… back…

Well thank you, dream entity.

Guest's eyes were trained on the houses as he ran past before he practically skidded to a standstill to curve and run behind a house with red siding on it.

The forest seemed to swallow all the light, but Guest let his heart guide him. He weaved through trees, narrowly avoided branches, and skipped over roots that poked up from the dirt.

Until he saw it.

A break in the trees.

He tore from the treeline, his chest heaving as he stuttered to a standstill.

As his chest heaved, breath struggling up his trachea, he looked up.

Well, now his breath was really struggling.

In the middle of the clearing, a figure stood.

A blue he could recognize from anywhere.

The figure turned slightly, perhaps in surprise of the commotion.

A muted mahogany.

The figure turned to fully face Guest.

Seven's face lit up in a teary-eyed smile. "You found me."