Work Text:
“Four men in uniform”
“To carry home my little soldier”
“(What could he do? Should have been a rock star)”
“But he didn't have the money for a guitar”
“(What could he do? Should have been a politician)”
“But he never had a proper education”
“(What could he do? Should have been a father)”
“But he never even made it to his twenties”
“What a waste, army dreamers”
“Oh, what waste of army dreamers”
~~~~
“WHERE IS MY BABY?!”
His cry was like a bellow, like the drums of war come to life in his voice. It was the scream of the damned, of a man made monster.
Of a father without his son.
~~~~
It started with anger.
007n7’s GUI wasn’t working. Not one of the spares he built to sell on the side, no, this was the GUI he had connected to himself inherently.
“S7UP1D P13C3 OF 7RASH!” [Stupid piece of trash!] He screamed, hurling the panel at a wall, flinching at the sudden discomfort that comes from damaging the external part of himself.
“FFFFUCK-” He gasped out, clutching his chest. He stumbled towards the crash site, wincing at the shattered glass that broke further under his sneakers. He hadn’t thrown it that hard, had he?
Fuck. It was in pieces.
In 7n7’s haste to gather all of the broken pieces of his GUI, he neglected to notice one specific shard, stained in his blood from where he cut himself on the glass. It glowed softly, transforming while 7n7 cursed at himself and the universe.
He only noticed when he heard the baby begin to wail.
~~~~
“c00lkidd, please just work with me here….” The Hacker groaned as his baby fussed at the water, crying out as if in pain.
Maybe he was? 7n7 had no idea how babies worked, maybe if they were red that meant they were weak to water? Was that how baby demons work?
7n7 had grown up in an orphanage, his parents rarely able to keep custody of him for long. He’d spent more days at his cousin’s house than his own, alongside at the orphanage. Despite having living parents, he’d basically had his own bed at each location.
As a result of his less than desirable upbringing, he didn’t actually…. Know a lot about Demon Hybrid biology worked, outside of what he had noticed about himself.
He groaned, lifting c00lkidd gently out of the water and onto his lap. He was already soaked anyway.
“What’s wrong with you, huh?” He sighed, gently patting c00lkidd dry. The baby sniffled loudly, still crying if not obvious from the little whines and wails he would let out. 7n7 felt himself softened, and started patting the little Demon Hybrid dry a bit gentler.
c00lkidd looked up at him with those large, wet eyes, and 7n7 sighed, cradling the child.
Raising a baby wasn’t what he had planned for himself, but he couldn’t just let the kid get tossed in an orphanage. He knew how difficult it was to be different in a place like that, and from what he could tell, c00lkidd was no regular child, red skin or not.
He played differently than other children, from 7n7’s research. He acted differently, too. On top of that, he was decidedly more Demonic than 7n7’s own heritage, if the soft fur growing on his body was any evidence.
7n7 sighed again as he exited the bathroom. He hadn’t even gotten a chance to shampoo the little guy yet!
Maybe he should take the kid to a doctor. But he was a criminal, he couldn’t just waltz into the nearest doctor’s office and hope they’d see his kid.
Should he…. Stop hacking? Was that the only way to help this child that he had, for some insane reason, decided to keep?
He would…. He would sleep on it. And think about it. A lot.
~~~~
“H3Y N0LS, WA7CH 7H1S!” [Hey Nols, watch this!] 007n7 cackled as he set another part of the pizzeria on fire, his partner cackling alongside him.
“GOOD ONE!” Noli enthused, and 7n7 smiled. It was nice to be appreciated for once.
“HEY!” A voice screamed, and 7n7 glanced downwards from where Noli and him floated in the sky. It took him a moment to make out the figure, he needed to get a new prescription at some point, but he recognized them sure enough.
It was good old Elliot Builder, resident Immortal nepobaby. 7n7 scoffed, eyes narrowing at the sight of the little annoying Merfolk. He was like a yappy guppy, always trying to tell them off.
“HAVEN’T YOU DONE ENOUGH ALREADY?!” Cried the Merfolk, waving his arms around in frustration. 7n7 huffed out another cackling laugh, rolling his eyes. With the flick of a command, the pizza boy’s hat burst into flame. It was purely cosmetic, and wouldn’t hurt anything, but it sure was funny to watch Elliot scream and freak out, throwing his hat off and stomping on it to extinguish barely real flames.
“PFT, DUM8ASS!” [Pft, dumbass!] 7n7 laughed, floating closer to Noli, who wrapped an arm around his shoulder.
“LET’S BLOW THIS POPSICLE STAND! LITERALLY!” Noli encouraged, and 7n7 grinned wildly. He pulled up the command, and in his manic high, happily pressed the button that would explode the pizzeria.
It was nice to be appreciated, as Noli laughed alongside him, grip tight and welcome.
~~~~
It was nice while things lasted, 007n7 supposed, as another coughing fit wracked little c00lkidd’s body.
Things had been going so well, too. The kid had just learned how to walk, and was starting to spout out his first words. Admittedly his words boiled down to pointing at things and going “WANNA!” in a loud, ear-piercing shriek, but it was still progress!
And then 7n7 had gotten him sick. He didn’t even realize how badly babies could get sick! The poor thing looked like he was on death’s door!
7n7 didn’t know what to do. He had stolen nearly an entire aisle of medicine for his baby, and it was like nothing had worked. He didn’t want c00lkidd to die. He didn’t know what to do.
And then, naturally, it all came back to the knocking on the door.
It was loud, thunderous even. Threatening to break the flimsy wood with every BANG BANG BANG BANG. It echoed in 7n7’s ears, alongside the sniffling cries of his baby.
The Admins. It had to be the Admins. There was no one else who would come for him. His family had all but abandoned him when he began hacking, and he hadn’t seen Noli in little over a year by now, the Deity growing tired of him playing house.
With a sick and feverish child in one arm, 007n7 opened the door to meet his fate.
~~~~
“ARE YOU REALLY STILL KEEPING THAT THING?” Noli’s voice droned as 7n7 fed c00lkidd another bottle.
The little guy was so fussy about food, it was next to impossible to wean him properly. The baby just wasn’t interested in anything he had to give him, the low quality baby food already a strain on 7n7’s resources.
Usually he would just steal the food, but he had gotten some money, and wanted to try out being “normal” for once. He had decided he hated it.
“Of c0urse 1 am, 1 can’7 jus7 s3nd h1m t0 s0m3 0rphanag3, Nols.” [Of course I am, I can’t just send him to some orphanage, Nols.] 7n7 sighed for the millionth time, rolling his eyes. Noli had been bugging him about getting rid of c00lkidd for some time now, the Deity deeply disinterested in the habits of a baby.
“WELL TECHNICALLY YOU CAN-”
“W3’r3 n07 hav1ng 7h1s c0nv3rsa710n aga1n, Nol1. c00lkidd 1sn’7 g01ng anywh3r3.” [We’re not having this conversation again, Noli. c00lkidd isn’t going anywhere.] He huffed, cutting off the Deity and ignoring the small glare he was given.
“UGH, YOU’VE GOTTEN SO LAME! YOU EVEN NAMED THE LITTLE BRAT AFTER YOUR GUI!” 7n7 whipped around, glaring daggers at Noli, enough to make the Deity wince back.
“D0 n07 call my s0n a bra7.” [Do not call my son a brat.] He growled, a deep and low sound that was unique to Demon Hybrids. Noli put his hands up, trying to look innocent. 7n7 sighed, turning back to his fussy baby, continuing to feed him his bottle.
“And y0u kn0w 1’m n0 g00d a7 nam3s. A7 l3as7 c00lkidd 1s, well, c00l.” [And you know I’m no good at names. At least c00lkidd is, well, cool.] He reminded Noli, smiling down at the fluffy red baby in his arms.
Finishing the bottle, c00lkidd cooed up at him, little round eyes staring up at him sweetly. He was precious, and 7n7 wasn’t sure how Noli couldn’t see that.
He didn’t notice Noli walking out the door, too focused on taking care of c00lkidd after his meal.
~~~~
Turns out, crying while holding a sick baby tended to garner a person's sympathy! Who would’ve known!
It also turns out that 7n7 wasn’t going to get banned today, either! What luck!
The Admins, SonOfSevenless and EarlGrey, sat awkwardly at his small dinner table, wings folded over the low backs of the seats. 7n7 had elected to stand, seeing as there were only two chairs available. He had never needed more than two, after all.
“Soooo….” Sevenless began, coughing into a fist.
“Where did you get the child, 007n7.” EarlGrey demanded, slamming a fist onto his rickety table, dusty grey wings extending in emphasis. The sound was enough to make c00lkidd start crying again, and 7n7 just gave the Admins an exhausted, sad look.
“F0und h1m 0n my d00rs73p, 0n3 day. C0uldn’7 jus7 s3nd h1m 70 an 0rphanag3, s0 1 k3pt h1m. Wha7, y0u 3xp3c71ng m3 70 say 1 k1dnapp3d h1m 0r s0m37h1ng?” [Found him on my doorstep, one day. Couldn’t just send him to an orphanage, so I kept him. What, you expecting me to say I kidnapped him or something?] 7n7’s growl was half-hearted, he was just too tired from taking care of a sick baby. SonOfSevenless hummed, eyeing him and the child respectively.
“Grey, there’s a lot….”
“Yes, yes, I can tell, there’s even some-”
“Yeah, I get it.”
“Wha7 ar3 y0u 7w0 7alk1ng ab0u7?” [What are you two talking about?] He groaned, rolling his eyes at the cagey looks the Admins shot him.
“Don’t worry about it.” The two said in eerie sync. Admins were such weirdos, he felt annoyance boiling up in him, and sighed.
“Look, I know you’ve got the kid and everything, but you kinda committed a LOT of crimes.” Sevenless rubbed the back of her neck, giving an awkward smile. 7n7 merely blinked at her. He was so tired.
“This means that we can’t just let you go. There has to be a consequence for your actions.” EarlGrey continued, folding their arms. Before 7n7 could try to reply, they raised a hand.
“But! I am willing to compromise.” EarlGrey decided with a nod, and 7n7 let out a sigh of relief.
“We want info!” Chirped Sevenless with a smile. “We know you used to work with Noli, do you know anything about where he is? Where he went? What he’s doing?” She asked rapidfire, and 7n7 could only blink. EarlGrey reached a hand out, placing it on her shoulder to calm her. She gave an apologetic-seeming smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes.
“Anything you know, we need to have. It’s this, or the Banlands.” EarlGrey threatened, and 7n7 winced.
To protect Noli, at the risk of his own hide, or to protect c00lkidd.
It felt wrong how easy the choice was.
“1’m- 1’m n0t cer7a1n wh3r3 h3 1s, bu7 1 can wr1t3 d0wn 7h3 last l0ca7ion 1 r3m3mb3r h1m fr3qu3n71ng. 1t’s all 1’v3 g0t, 1’m s0rry.” [I’m- I’m not certain where he is, but I can write the last location I remember him frequenting. It’s all I’ve got, I’m sorry.] He explained, gesturing with his free hand. The two Admins perked up, as if not believing he would actually spill anything, their eyes wide.
“Oh sh-” A glance at c00lkidd. “Sugar. Yes, please do so, it’s important.” Sevenless asked, taloned hands clasping together as her wings spread out slightly.
“Jus7- 0n3 7h1ng, 1n r3turn.” [Just- One thing, in return.] The Admins froze, eyeing him again. “A d0ct0r, f0r c00lkidd.” [A doctor, for c00lkidd.]
It was the only thing he’d ask of them. He’d accept any punishment, as long as his baby got to survive this. He tilted his head down in a bow, eyes locked on the floor and the baby in his arms. He rocked the little Demon Hybrid gently, hoping to ease his suffering just a little.
“....We accept.” EarlGrey suddenly spoke, and his head shot up.
“You’re gonna have an ankle monitor, to make sure you’re not runnin’ around and doing bad stuff.” Sevenless explained with a smile. “But that’s it! You break the rules again, and you’re out of here!” She exclaimed with a pointed finger, still smiling.
Silently, he nodded.
“We will get you a doctor, as well, for the child.” EarlGrey continued, dipping their head in a polite nod.
“So sit tight! Grey’s gonna go get the doctor, while I get the ankle monitor!” Sevenless chirped, before her smile widened to an unsettling degree. “If you run while we’re gone, I’ll kill you!” Her tone hadn’t changed, it was just as syrupy sweet as before, but it still sent a shiver down 7n7’s spine. He nodded frantically. She relaxed.
What had he just gotten himself into?
~~~~
“Seven! Please, calm down! We can talk this out!” SonOfSevenless cried in the unforgiving maelstrom that had once been 007n7.
Red painted the sky, the ground littered in cracks that seeped deep into the earth. In the center of the storm, with code panels flying by him, wrapped in his own GUI, was 007n7.
He was typing a mile a minute, repeating the same command over, and over, and over, and over.
“[PLAYER ID:c00lkidd UNABLE TO BE LOCATED]” Repeated the panels, each surrounding him and flying him further and further into a rage.
There was no communicating with a hurricane.
~~~~
“I don’t wannnaaaaaa!” Whined c00lkidd, hugging his father’s leg. He sighed, dropping down onto a crouch, and rested a hand on his son’s little head.
“Baby, you gotta go. It’s just school, sweetheart.” He tried to soothe, but the boy just shook his head harder.
“Nuhuh! Everyone’s mean there! They say I looked funny and act funny but I don’t see what’s so funny!” He wailed, tears beading in his eyes.
7n7 whimpered, a sympathetic sound from high in his throat. He wrapped c00lkidd in his arms, remembering his own miserable experiences with school, and sighed.
Maybe…. Just one day out. As a treat. To make his baby feel a little better.
“Why don’t we go get some ice cream, buddy?” 7n7 suggested, his little demon perking up at the mention. He smiled, guilty at letting c00lkidd skip school, but the pain of seeing his baby cry was much worse.
At least he was happy, like this.
~~~~
“c00lkidd! c00lkidd, where are you?!” 7n7 yelled into his cupped hands, searching the carnival grounds wildly. He had sat c00lkidd down on a bench while he had a quick restroom break, and when he came back, his son was gone.
His tail was flicking about restlessly, hooves scraping at the concrete below in nerves.
“c00lkidd!” He yelled again, before groaning and beginning to head to the front of the carnival. Maybe they could make an announcement?
“Excuse me, my son is missing, could I possibly make an announcement?” He asked the gate security, who hummed pensively for a moment, glancing at his ankle monitor. A brow was raised, and he sighed internally.
“Your son, you say?” The guard repeated, and he gave a short nod.
“Yes, my son c00lkidd. He’s a Demon Hybrid, with red skin and fur, about this tall.” He gestured with his hands. “With budding horns. Please, it’s been nearly ten minutes, he must be so scared….”
“Fine, fine. We’ll make an announcement.” The guard sighed, rolling his eyes in exasperation. 7n7 wilted internally.
He had grown used to the treatment by now, of being disregarded just for his ex-criminal status. The ankle monitor had gained him many odd looks, especially while out with c00lkidd.
The guard led him to a booth, apparently the security office, and brought him inside. The other guards inside eyed him warily, but none reacted much more than that, all seeming some level of tired. There were fewer than them than 7n7 had expected, as well.
“Alright, you’ll wait here until your son gets here, got it?” The guard explained, heading over to a microphone. 7n7 gave a noise of affirmation, standing patiently in the corner as the guard made an announcement.
c00lkidd would not return to 7n7, not even after the carnival closed for the day.
The pity in the guards’ eyes made him want to rub his skin raw.
~~~~
“[PLAYER ID:c00lkidd UNABLE TO BE LOCATED]”
“[PLAYER ID:c00lkidd UNABLE TO BE LOCATED]”
“[PLAYER ID:c00lkidd UNABLE TO BE LOCATED]”
“[PLAYER ID:c00lkidd UNABLE TO BE LOCATED]”
On and on and on and on. Repeating the same action, expecting something different to happen, that was the definition of insanity.
Had 007n7 gone insane? He certainly felt like he had. He felt hollow, emptied out, as if part of his heart had been ripped from his chest.
Like how his baby had been ripped from him.
No. He would find him. He would find his baby, even if he had to burn down all of Robloxia for it.
And if he did not find his baby, he would find him on the other side.
The panels surrounded him. He had busted out the spare c00lguis he had laying around in storage for this. Wings, many of them, expanded from his back. He stepped out of their house, the toys still lying limp and unused on the floor.
The sky turned red. The commands kept running. 007n7 began to fly.
A hurricane had touched down, but the storm was only just starting.
And what happens when a hurricane runs out of steam? When the winds begin to falter, the rain begins to cease? What happens when the storm is over?
What happens to the storm, when the violence is over?
A storm cannot exist without raging away. Without it, a storm is nothing but clouds and wind.
Maybe c00lkidd had become the clouds as well.
Maybe 7n7 would join him, when his storm ended.
~~~~
The death of 007n7 was not a quiet affair.
His rampage over Robloxia lasted several hours, rendering many without homes, or even their lives.
But a natural disaster does not care for whom it harms. It cares for nothing at all.
The Admins weren’t even able to get close, the buffeting winds keeping them far away. Even those with domain over the wind could not get close, the control over their element having been stripped away by the storm 007n7 had become.
His rampage continued, until suddenly, it was over.
The sky began to clear. The ground ceased its trembling. The panels began to shatter like glass.
And 007n7 was no more. Not even a glimmer of his code was leftover.
He had been swallowed whole by his own creations.