Chapter Text
Wemmbu stared at the ground beneath his feet. Following wherever Egg had took him.
His mind kept replaying Jaden's death. Over and over. He felt guilty. He should've listened. He should've went. But no. He just had to stay fighting. And got his friend killed.
What would Codmaster say? That his friend had died? How would he tell the other it was his fault that Jaden had died? How would he—
"Wemm, you good? You're still quiet."
...Right. He was still with Egg.
"Look, man. You don't have to blame every death on yourself. Jaden wanted to help you. I'm sure he didn't mind. It was his choice, brother. Stop making yourself guilty for something you couldn't control."
Egg placed a hand on his shoulder.
"...But it really was my fault, Egg. I just— I just had to not listen and now.. He's.. Dead."
Egg sighed and wrapped his slender pale arms around the other's body.
"Look, man. I know. But we have to keep going. Maybe he'll say hi to Rejoice for you. Tell stories that you and him are on good terms now. Rejoice will be happy. Don't you think he will?"
Wemmbu nodded at the question. But he didn't feel so sure.
"Wemmbu. It isn't your fault. Okay? It really isn't."
Wemmbu wiped a tear he hadn't known had fallen. He nodded once more. And Egg kept leading the way.
His mind wasn't so sure. He felt hollow. Empty. His stomach tied to a knot.
His legs kept walking. Automatically. He kept following Egg without any thought about it.
All he could think of was Jaden. Just him. The friend that had been banned from the server. Because of Null. Because of Spoke.
When had Spoke become like this? Why did he? Why? WHY?!—
"Yo, Wemm, you stay here. I'm gonna go find the village. Aight?"
Wemmbu blinked and then nodded. Mumbling a monotone 'yeah' and watched him leave.
Wemmbu sat there. In the unfamiliar terrain. Watching the sun start to dissapear behind the gray clouds. He felt hollow. Cold.
His eyes welled up with tears as he let out a choked sob he didn't know he had been holding this entire time.
His form glistened into purple as it glistened. He stood out in his surroundings. He had been so focused on Jaden's death he hadn't paid attention to where he really was a moment ago before he stepped near the sea. What biome were they in? What's behind him? A grasslands biome? Forest? Jungle?
He didn't know. His form shrank down to a child's as he clutched his knees close to his chest.
☆࿐ཽ༵༆༒ ༒༆࿐ཽ༵☆
Flame walked through the jungle. Mapping out paths along the way.
He was visiting Mane at his new treehouse. Still in a jungle, nothing has changed.
Mane was out to grab resources from a nearby village. He'd be out for around six hours or so. Not much. But the sun was starting to set. He had to go back soon.
As he turned around, he heard a sound coming not quite far away. A normal person wouldn't have picked it up. But he's not like most players. He had heightened senses, after all.
It sounded... Familiar. He heard it countless times.
That has got to be Wemmbu.
Approaching the source of the sounds, a form of purple standed out in the distance.
Purple, vibrant, and most eye-catching.
He had walked quite far. And it was now nearing The Great Sea. Not to mention about how he's in the rain all by himself.
How far is it from the treehouse? He hadn't realized, he was so focused on trying to get to Wemmbu.
He came closer as the sounds became louder. It was indeed Wemmbu. Now regressed to a child, crying. Hiding his face between his knees and arms. Medium length hair covering the rest of the gaps.
"Yo, Wemmbu? Bro?"
Flame called out. He didn't expect to find Wemmbu at all. Not like this..
Wemmbu spotted the familiar figure and ran towards him. Wrapped his arms around the bigger body.
Flame picked up the smaller figure and decided to take him to the treehouse. Trying to comfort him along the way.
"Buddy, it's raining out here. Why are you just sitting there?"
No answer. Only the sounds of hiccups and sniffles.
"Were you waiting for Jaden? Where is he?"
...Instant regret, to say the least.
Wemmbu immediately cried harder into his shoulder at the reminder of Jaden. Yeah, where is he? Where's Jaden? His own mind taunted himself.
"Okay, okay, I won't... Ask about that. Sorry, bro."
They walked endlessly as Flame took him to the treehouse.
Flame was sure Mane and Egg met in the same village. Well, Wemmbu wouldn't be going alone anymore. Egg's not with Arachn1d anymore. So surely Egg left to the village, too.
That didn't matter right now, though. He had a crying child to take responsibly care of.
"Flame...? Do you still hate Jaden...?"
Wemmbu asked sincerely, afraid of the many possible answers. Flame kept walking, but something in the child's soft voice made his jaw clench tighter.
"No, buddy. I don't hate him anymore. You should get rest. You might get a cold.."
Flame cleared the purple strands of hair away from the child's face, and walked until they reached their destination.