Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

ROBLOX, the world powering imagination. It was a curious thing. A virtual world created and held together by Admins. Nestled in it were even smaller worlds, referred to with many names, but “places” and “games” were the most common. A world powered by smaller ones, not just imagination. The Admins protected the robloxians, mostly through keeping it all together. 

Until one by one they began to vanish.

Telamon was first. The combat enthusiast vanished without a trace, leaving no struggle, clues, or even bothered dust. Other robloxians had been going missing for months, but an Admin’s disappearance? It was a panic, followed by riots. A year and a half has passed since Telamon’s disappearance. Builderman’s disappearance, and by far the most significant, just hit a year yesterday. 

There was only one Admin left. 

Roblox World Headquarters was still. The wind whistled as it brushed the glass windows. They shook ever so slightly with each brush. The Sun was low, with the Moon already taking its place in the sky. It was dark, with the beautiful colors of the sunsets already gone, all that remained was a gray that darkened by the minute. 

The building held thick layers of dust on every interior surface. The only floor free of it was the very fifth. The Admin sat in an office on the very floor. 

ReeseMcBlox sat in her office, or as she personally see’s it: a nest of papers. Paperwork, documents, applications, whatever— it all blended together. The paper shredder broke a few months back and so everything she deemed unimportant got thrown to the coffee stained carpet. 

She had been working tirelessly for a year now to keep ROBLOX going. It was easy at first, she had Admins to help her, but now that she was by herself? She now knew why Builderman began picking out robloxians to promote to Admin. Rubbing at her eye, she scrolled through the reports and electronic mail on the screen tirelessly. 

A few months ago she cut off the forums and groups entirely. It was too much to moderate alongside everything else, even if it took a month for the protestors to leave Roblox HQ. Glitches were getting worse, alongside exploiters. It was never her department to take care of these things, and when attempts to mend game breaking glitches got worse, she had to shut down entire games and call a robloxian for help. 

It was. Exhausting. Embarrassing. She’s an Admin, and yet she can’t keep this place together. It’s too much. She sighed as she stared at the screen, scrolling through message after message without actually reading any. She can’t keep this up, but she can’t abandon an entire world—

Tap, tap, tap. 

There was a knock on the door. Reese flinched. Her messy blonde hair laid lazily between her eyes as she looked over. Her brain lagged as she stared, the constant caffeine and lack of seeing a robloxian in person for months having effectively destroyed whatever social skills she had. 

She kept staring, for how long she had no idea, but eventually blinked a few times and brought her hands to her head. She exhaled shakily, fingers rubbing circles into her temples. “You’re finally losing it, Becky…” she murmured to herself. 

Another string of knocks. This time rough enough that the door shook on its hinges. She yelled and flinched back in her seat, causing the chair to roll back a few inches, crushing the paperwork beneath her. 

“…hello?” A deep voice rang from behind the door. It held a hauntingly familiar and thick southern accent.

Her eyes widened as she sat up straight. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Words failed to come out. 

“…I know y’er in there, Reese. This is the only room in this entire building with a light on.” There was a brief pause. “…also it reeks of coffee. I can smell it out he—“

She swung the door open, the knob striking the wall and slightly indenting it.

Her breath hitched as she saw her boss in the doorway. She didn’t even realize she brought her hands to her mouth until she felt her own fingertips grazing her lips. 

At first glance, Builderman looked exactly the same from the last time she saw him. The longer her eyes settled on his features, the more she realized how wrong that was. 

His eyes looked dead. Heavy eye bags were clinging to the bottoms, looking more like bruises than bags. His skin, normally a gray that glimmered like metal in the right light, was duller and stained with mud-like browns and reds. There were scars cut into his face. Across his nose, on his cheek, on his lip, near his eye— even what looked like burn scars on his hands. 

Both of them were staring at each other. Reese didn’t know what to say, this was her boss, it looked like he got beat to Hell and back— he wasn’t even saying anything, he was just… staring with an emotion Reese couldn’t identify. 

“What happened to you?” Reese asked, taking a step forward. Her eyes frantically searched him for more scars. He wore a jacket and safety glasses and a construction hat. He didn’t expose much skin, and yet there were too many scars on what she could see that nobody should have. 

Builderman blinked, suddenly looking more awake. His eyes flicked around, surprise etched on his features, and he opened his mouth to speak, but Reese couldn’t stop. Her eyes felt damp. “Where even were you— where did you go— and. Oh— the other Admins —“ her voice shook. “Tel, Luke, Doom, Duse— are they alright— they- they had to have been with you, right?” Desperation not only laced her voice but her face. Tears were running down her face. 

Her heart raced in its chest. Builderman continued to only stare, expression devoid of any emotion other than surprise, and when she realized everything she had said, her face began to flush. Embarrassment flooded her as she realized she just lost it in front of Builderman, but she tried to push past it. She sniffled as she wiped her eyes, trying to contain herself, before a voice interrupted her racing thoughts. 

“…we all got out,” Builderman stated. It was so unsettlingly empty. “I ain’t sure ‘bout—“ there was a slight half as Builderman’s eyes drifted away. “—Doombringer… the others I can say are fine. Speakin’ of,” he took a step forward. 

She took a step back. Even if he was gone for almost a year and the site was threatening to fall apart without him, he was almost scary. The new way he carried himself, it was so vastly different to the Builderman she knew. It was unnerving seeing the friendly face of ROBLOX be driven to a husk. She still held faith in him, but she failed to contain a shudder at the thought of what happened to him to turn him into this. 

She watched as Builderman moved to her computer, eyes thankfully glazing over the awful mess as if it wasn’t there. “I need to use y’er computer. I’m sure they’ll show regardless, but I ain’t taking any damn chances.” 

She stepped to the wall and gestured to her chair. “Of course—“ Builderman slowly moved closer to the desk, every movement cautious and deliberate. That uncanniness still lingered. Her heart rate picked up a bit as he sat down at the computer. Her mouth felt painfully dry at the thought of him even seeing any of the reports or emails that revealed the state of Builderman’s beloved creation.

Reese wasn’t sure she should feel relieved or concerned when he didn’t even check. He simply logged out of her account and logged into his own. Strangely enough, she felt neither, instead feeling that anxiety sink ever so slightly heavier. 

He sat there on the computer typing for what felt like ages. It felt like an internal war as she fought the temptation to peer over his shoulder and see what he was writing. She tried to keep her mind on anything but the screen and her old boss. She looked at the coffee maker, the old ruined papers, the ceiling tile, even the clock. Ten minutes passed. Then half an hour. Then the entire hour. 

“I’m done,” Builderman stated. He stood from the chair as if he never went missing, as if this was entirely normal. 

Reese wanted to scream— to shake him down and demand what happened. She swallowed down those temptations as Builderman turned towards the door, and gestured for her to follow. Wordlessly she did, following Builderman through the dark building. She couldn’t help but wonder why he didn’t turn on any lights on the way up.

“I reached out to the other Admins. I appreciate ya’ for holdin’ down the fort for me,” he spoke as they walked. It didn’t sound like him. “They should be ‘ere shortly. Until then, I really need a damn coffee and you can fill me in on everythin’ that’s happened.” 

Reese wanted to ask for a deal. He explains what happened to him, and she goes into detail on her own screw ups. She held her tongue. Her hands tightly gripped the end of her shirt. “…okay.” 

URGENT NOTICE: 

        Dear ROBLOX user old acquaintances, 

I’m not gonna bother with being professional. I got a lot to talk about. Y’all already know the real me, so I’m gonna jump in. I won’t be able to talk in person, the Admins and I have a lot of work to do. If there’s any concerns, please take it up with Admin @ReeseMcBlox . 

First of all: I’m sorry. I made some pretty damn stupid mistakes before I got taken, and y’all are reaping the consequences for my actions. I’ve checked y’all’s records, and I’ve confirmed the sad truth: the Demolitionists have already demolished your homes. 

I’m working to fix this. I’ve disbanded the Demolitionists, due to the controversies, and the first step is rebuilding homes. Unfortunately, that takes time. Until construction is finished, I’ve set up temporary housing for each and every one of you. 

In the place Welcome to the Town of Robloxia, there is an apartment complex at ███ ████ ███ ███████, WTTOR 11510. While this served as a home for our Demolitionists, it’s had extra rooms which will now serve as homes for y’all. On top of this, I will also be giving each of y’all a fixed amount of TIX so y’all have some income. 

I wish I could say more. I am still unaware how much time has passed. I doubt everyone’s situation will be the same, so if there’s complications or a mistake, please reach out to me. 

Please note I will not be able to talk in person. I have a lot of work to do. 

Good luck, 

         Builderman 

Chapter Text

“You’ve gotta be ####### joking,” Elliot growled under his breath as he stared at the teeny tiny house that should’ve held his. In place of his decently sized home, was one that looked like if he stood inside in the center he could touch both walls without moving. He grumbled as he pinched his nose, mumbling a few more swears, before he turned to the mailbox. He looked at the name etched into it. It wasn't his. 

Logically, he knew he should’ve expected this. He saw the notice Builderman had sent out, but some dumb hopeful thought told him he was the exception. Turns out, he was not. His home had already been demolished and replaced. He tried not to feel pissed about it. It was really, really difficult. He can replace furniture and a home, plus he said he’ll fix it. 

But he isn’t going to an apartment. 

Only partially defeated, Elliot trudged to the delivery scooter he had driven to get to this sad little house. Huffing a bit, he swung his legs over the seat as he powered the scooter on. 

He should get back to work, if the place is somehow still running without him. With that final thought, he set off, driving on the side of the street. 

He made sure to drive slowly, eyes barely paying attention to the road. His eyes kept drifting, sticking to the scenery he thought he’d never see again. The sound of waves gently crashing against the sand, leaves rustling as the wind gently guided the trees, and the sounds of car engines as delivery drivers drove past him. 

He thought he’d never hear or see this place again. He missed it so much. 

He kept driving down the road, slowing to let a supplier truck by at some point, and while he didn’t have to follow it as he memorized the way back, it was still a sight he’d been yearning to see again for what felt like years now. 

He drove past trees, the beach, and the Dump, before he finally saw that familiar building again: Builder Brothers Pizza. A smile etched its way onto his face involuntarily as he stared at the sign, and he couldn’t help but swing the scooter into its designated spot. Swiftly powering it off, he began half-jogging-half-walking to the front of the building, where he was greeted with chaos. 

Elliot blinked as he stared at the scene in front of him. Customers and employees alike were shoving their way through the parking lot, screaming, yelling, and just making a whole scene. 

“What is that thing—“

He ran past the customers, only getting hit and shoved a few times. 

“It’s a devil!”

He swore under his breath as he slid past the people and through the glass doors. He couldn’t even spot what they were talking about. 

“Call an Admin!”

Employees were leaving too. The cashiers were already gone, the cooks were pushing past the counter, one bleeding at the arm and clutching a rolling pin with blood painted on it— health hazard, his mind couldn’t help but note— and one of them ran straight into him. 

“The Admins abandoned us you #####—“

Elliot didn’t flinch. Having someone run into him full speed wouldn’t be enough to knock him down anymore. The cook scrambled up to his feet, clearly a new hire as Elliot failed to recognize him, and without missing a moment, they scrambled to their feet and ran off. 

With the path finally cleared, he stepped past the counter and glanced through the order window. He couldn’t see the devil they were speaking about, but he could hear familiar shouting. He couldn’t make out the words, as the voice took his entire attention. 

Feminine, a bit hoarse, and blunt. 

He ran into the kitchen, seeing the familiar tied back pink hair. He froze in his steps, the entire world stopping as he saw her: Lulu. 

She was holding a broom as if it was a weapon— and knowing his sister she knew how to use it like one— whacking at someone else. His vision was spinning and blurred, but he could catch a familiar figure and Admin damn it. 

“Stop it—“ the kid whined. Neither he nor Lu seemed to notice Elliot as he wordlessly approached, and yanked the broom out of Lu’s hands. Within the same second, she spun around to strike him.

Elliot had gone through plenty of old fights with his sister. He has never once won, but today history was made. With a survival instinct he only recently gained, he flinched to the side and deflected her hand with the broom handle. 

Her arm did not move after that. Lulu did not move. She was finally staring at Elliot, and Elliot stared back. 

He felt tears run down his cheeks. She looked so exhausted. Her hair was messy with loose hairs going everywhere, each stained with flour. Her hat was tilted and lopsided. Elliot thought he’d never see her again. 

He grunted as he was suddenly being moved— it took him a moment to realize Lu had pulled him into a hug. She was squeezing him so hard the scar running around his midsection began to ache, and after a moment of hanging uselessly, his arms remembered to hug back. 

He listened to Lulu’s shuddering breaths as she held him tight. Her nails were digging into his back. 

“Where the hell were you— I thought you were dead—“ she cried. 

Elliot didn’t know how to answer that. “I thought I was never going to see you again,” he elected to say, shutting his eyes as he rested his head on her shoulder. He shuddered a bit. “I was starting to forget what you looked like—“ he admitted through a hushed whisper, holding her tighter. 

There was another sob from Lulu. Elliot hissed as he felt her lightly strike his back. “You didn’t answer me, ###— I thought you were ####### dead! You can’t do that— you— you just—“

She finally pulled her head off his chest and through tears finally got a good look at her brother. She saw every new horrible detail forever etched into his skin. A mural of every death he had ever experienced. 

“…what happened to you?” She whispered, finally pulling back from the hug. “How— those scars— what—“

Sighing, he cut her off by grabbing her hand. “I’ll tell you later. Right now, we should deal with the kid .” Elliot couldn’t but growl out at that last word, lingering venom he couldn’t quite shake off yet. 

Lulu pulled her hands back to wipe at her eyes, sniffling as she asked, “…the what?”

Elliot turned to C00lkidd, who was hiding very poorly in the corner of the kitchen. He was crouched low on all fours, tail tightly wrapped around his legs. There was a nasty wound on his shoulder. 

“…why do you still look like th—“ Elliot started, but swiftly was interrupted. 

“I DON’T KNOW—“ C00lkidd promptly burst into tears, voice echoing as if shouted in a cave. Elliot’s eyes widened, Lulu covered her ears with a wince. The kid fell apart into sobs, entire form quivering, his arms seeking comfort by the wound in his shoulder as he curled in on himself. “I don’t know— I thought I’d go back to normal and see my dad but I ended up here and I wasn’t even playing, I wasn’t being bad or hurting anyone, I was just here and people started screaming and throwing things at me and hitting me—“ 

The kid continued babbling. Elliot tried to ignore the feeling of pity growing in his chest. His nails dug into his palm as he tried to remember everything this kid did to him.

Instead all that came to mind was recent events. The kid crying to his dad and falling apart at the seams. The harsh realization that it wasn’t a game, alongside his friends realizing too. He was devastated. 

Elliot exhaled calmly, his fingers relaxing as he took a step forward. C00lkidd whimpered, sharp teeth sinking into his lip. 

Lulu seized Elliot’s hand. “What are you—“

“I know him,” Elliot stated.

Lu’s hand lingered as her eyes flicked between both him and the kid, but her expression steeled. She let go and took a step back. 

Elliot turned back to the little devil. “Is your dad here?” 

C00lkidd sniffled and shook his head. “I was trying to find him but people started hitting me.” 

Elliot nodded. He didn’t blame the employees. “Are your friends still here?” 

Another shake of the head, alongside a small grumble of, “those bullies aren’t my friends…” 

He winced. He really didn’t want to worry about two more little colorful beasts running around, but he tried to remain calm. Both Pr3ttyprincess and Bluudud seemed pretty mortified to learn it all was real, so they were probably in the same boat as C00lkidd. 

Elliot approached C00lkidd, crouching down next to him. He wanted to hate the kid, but mustering all the malice in his heart, he could only direct it towards that goddamned Spectre. “You know you’re blacklisted right?”

Another sniffle, followed by a whine. “What does back lissed mean?” 

Elliot offered his hand. “Blacklisted. It means if you come here you get grounded, but I’ll be nice this time. I think I know where your dad is.”

C00lkidd stared at his hand for a few moments. Elliot wasn’t sure he was going to take it, but sure enough, the kid grabbed his hand with surprising delicacy. Elliot stood, and using the strength of his legs, helped the kid up to his feet. He was still trembling. 

“I’ll drop you off, alright? And no more hurting people.” 

“Elliot!“ Lulu stopped him, pressing her hand against his shoulder. “You can’t just leave— you still haven’t told me anything, I don’t even know what the hell is happening—“

“I’ll explain it when I’m back. This won’t take long,” Elliot gently pulled her arm off. “We’ll have plenty of time to talk, especially since I may move in with you.”

Lulu cringed. “I’m sorry. I tried protesting and keeping your house, but—“

Elliot chuckled dryly. “Lu, it’s fine. I got a notice, and Builderman’s gonna rebuild it. I’ll make sure to keep you awake every night with my snoring though.” She promptly punched his shoulder with a chuckle.

But as quickly as her face lit up, it fell back into worry. “…just be careful. I don’t want to lose you again.” 

Elliot nodded. “I promise,” he stated before gesturing to C00lkidd to follow. He waved goodbye to Lu, before taking C00lkidd out the delivery exit to keep the little beast away from any more unwanted attention. Also it was just a shorter walk to the cars. 

WEEKLY REPORT

TO: @ReeseMcBlox

Hello, 

The glitches have been getting worse. My gui has been picking up readings in nearly every game. 

I should be able to keep it under control, but looking into hiring more programmers might be a solution in the future. There’s nothing game-breaking nor dangerous, but they could cause possible disease so I’ll get them taken care of. 

Also question: should I be redirecting these to @Builderman ? I’ve taken notice of the announcement that him and the other Admins are back. Let me know of any change if any are to occur.

List of Games Fixed:  

• Glass Houses

• Crossroads 

List of Games in Progress:

• Natural Disaster Survival

• Haunted Mansion

• Lumber Tycoon

List of Games Under Investigation/Newly Detected: 

• Work at a Pizza Place

• Escape Area 51

• Welcome to the Town of Robloxia

• bluuworld 

• Sword Fight on the Heights IV

• Script Builder

A note: I think you made the correct decision in temporarily shutting down those games. I haven’t seen errors this bad since Capture The Flag. We can’t have another repeat of that incident; catching regular glitches and errors is difficult enough, but a living one is an entirely different story. What I’m getting at is that I appreciate it. Keep it up, you’re doing great, Admin. 

Here Be Dragons,

       226w6

Chapter Text

There was a lot of noise, it wasn’t bad noise, but simply… noise. The repetitive yet melodic clicking of the wheels. The way the handles tapped against one another whenever the carriage occasionally shuddered. It was like some sort of giant beast, but rather than the one a person would slay, it’d be more akin to a gentle giant. There was a constant churning outside, probably from either the wind passing or the rattle of the rails, but it sounded quite nice, especially muffled against the window.  

A soft whimper took Elliot out of it. His eyes instinctively blinked, and his head jolted up. His eyes darted around to look for the sound, before he remembered the source of it. He leaned back against the cushioned leather and let his eyes drift to the little devil. 

Despite his earlier warnings, C00lkidd had not listened to him. It still made Elliot’s eye twitch a bit just thinking about it. The kid insisted on sleeping curled up like a dog. He couldn’t fathom why, especially at this size. He was only partially on the seats with an arm and leg hanging off, both dangling and following the same dance as the handles swaying above. It didn’t look comfortable, and it took up multiple seats. Elliot’s cheeks still held the slightest tint of red because of that. He could handle sitting next to a monster. Sitting next to an inconsiderate one was a whole other story. 

C00lkidd’s leg suddenly twitched, kicking with all the force of an elderly chihuahua. A high pitched whine followed, loud enough to bother Elliot, but thankfully quiet enough to not be disruptive to the few other passengers on the cart. Elliot finally glanced over to the kid, and saw his expression tightening into something rather pitiful. 

An involuntary sigh slipped through his lips, followed by a very voluntarily mumbled swear. Averting his gaze to the window, Elliot reached out his hand and lightly placed it on the kid’s head. It sat surprisingly comfortably between his horns, and his noises and twitches slowed to nothing but a soft snore. 

Elliot kept his eyes trained on the scenery outside. It was nothing he hadn’t seen before, but it felt different now. He couldn’t describe it. 

Watching the splashes of water and the gentle course of the waves. There was nothing but water surrounding these rails. The horizon was nothing but waves, and it offered the illusion of the world breathing. Elliot found his own chest rising with the horizon, and falling with it. He remembered pointing it out to Lulu once, and she told him not to say that. It freaked her out.

I don’t understand, he remembered thinking then, and he still thought now. The waves rose, and he followed alongside with an inhale. His temple rested against the glass. The gentle tremble of the glass made his chest ache. It was an ache he couldn’t describe, painful yet comforting all the same. 

A tear ran down his cheek. He still doesn’t understand. 

He watched the scenery fly past the windows. Eventually the constant unending water began to reflect an ever so slightly different color, and a glance at the sky told Elliot why. It was grayer with more clouds, and he sighed. As he wiped his cheeks, the water began to finally end, but not into sand. It rolled directly into a lush grass, small trails embedded into the field where the water was a little stronger. 

Eventually the constant stream of blue became an unending blur of green, and Elliot knew their stop was almost here. Quietly, he turned to C00lkidd and moved his hand to his horn where he began lightly nudging it. 

“Come on, get up. Don’t want to miss your dad.” C00lkidd began to stir, eyes slowly opening before slipping back closed, and repeating a few times. He finally yawned and slowly began to pull himself up, arm slipping a bit on the edge of the seat. With a stumble and all the grace of a newborn deer, the kid finally sat up. He looked like he wanted to fall back to sleep, but thankfully he was fighting it. Elliot tried not to think about how they were taller than him, even when slouched.

“…I had a nightmare,” C00lkidd whined. 

“Mmn,” Elliot hummed. He didn’t want to play babysitter to a family he hated. C00lkidd was honestly lucky Elliot pitied him. 

It was difficult not to, with everything that happened. Hatred isn’t an emotion that’s made to last forever. Grudges are easier, but the longer the rounds went on, the more he wondered if the energy was even worth expending. 

Thankfully, C00lkidd didn’t elaborate on his nightmare. He mostly just sat and watched the window as the blur of green slowed to show a long and lush field of grass that stretched for miles. Buildings were seen in the distance, not far from the tracks. Elliot redirected his attention to the few other passengers who stayed in the cart after noticing C00lkidd. They sat far away from the two, and whether it was manners or the sight of C00lkidd it was difficult to tell. 

The first group was a small trio of what he assumed were teenagers. They had backpacks, very glaring (and frankly a little weird… how much time had passed?) outfits with far too many accessories that made his head spin a little. They were on their phones and talking to each other. It was too far for him to make sense of it. He assumed they came from Roblox High School, mostly because it was the stop right behind his family’s business. He’d never been there, only knew of it because his grandfather loved bragging about it being the best spot in ROBLOX for Builder Brother’s. Made it easy to hire part-timers, and the hours following that school getting out carried them through the slow season. He could still hear that clear as day.

Elliot made a mental note to visit his dad, after seeing Lu, of course. Shifting his attention to the other person in the cart, they were almost stoic. 

They looked to be older, much more than Elliot. Despite that, they were standing with one hand on the handles. Their skin was tan and sprinkled with freckles, but what really caught his eyes were the antlers that stuck through their hat. It reminded him vaguely of Dusekkar, and just that resemblance made it difficult for him to be intimidated. Their presence was almost comforting. He couldn’t spot the game they were from, but judging from how tired they looked and the little papers tied to the antlers, he found it odd they were in the Roleplay sector. As the train rolled to a stop, he found himself hoping that the person didn’t take the wrong train. That was something he wouldn’t wish on anyone. 

The clicking quieted and with a final jerk, the train rolled to a stop. The arrival to their location was signified by the hiss of the engine. The seat shifted as C00lkidd began looking around, and Elliot saw the teenagers get up in his peripheral vision. He followed, motioning for the kid to join. 

They stood, head low and tail tucked, and he was sticking a little too close to Elliot than the man would’ve preferred. The intercom buzzed to life and announced they had arrived at Welcome to the Town of Robloxia, and the train would be departing to some game Elliot didn’t care about soon. He let the teenagers move first, and followed behind them to the way out. 

He felt claws lightly grab at his hand, and he pulled it away. C00lkidd didn’t try again. 

The two passed the remaining passenger in the cart, and he couldn’t help but feel their eyes burning through him and C00lkidd both. That comfort in their presence burned away with that stare. They continued on, departing the train and arriving in the station. 

He could hear a commotion from surrounding people, mostly gasps and whispers, but a lifetime in Hell (both literally and in terms of customer service) made it easy to ignore. There was another whine as C00lkidd hid behind him, and this time Elliot moved to the side with the kid following, so they wouldn’t be a nuisance and the kid could hide.

“I don’t like it here… there’s too many people,” the kid whined.

Elliot pulled out his phone and put in the address Builderman had given them all. “There’s people everywhere, and you have to deal with it if you want to see your dad.” A few taps and irritatingly long loading time later, the route was revealed. “Looks like the place your dad is staying at isn’t far from here. C’mon.”

The two started down the route. Elliot had never been in this game, and it honestly wasn’t much. He found the architecture style a lot more pleasant and unique than whatever cubic hell Work at a Pizza Place had. The power lines were very nice though. He knew more and more places had them, but this was the first time he actually saw any. It was also very cute the way a bunch of fat little birds perched on them. 

They kept walking. C00lkidd seemed to keep the complaints to a minimum which Elliot was grateful for, and thankfully the kid was fairly heavy so he didn’t have to turn around every few seconds to make sure he was still following. They passed building after building, mostly just being houses, and eventually Elliot could spot one that stuck out like a sore thumb. 

The apartment complex was massive. Far bigger than any other building on the map. It fucking screamed “I was designed by Builderman.” The size, structure, just the look of it. It had a warehouse connected to it, a field, it looked somehow both industrial and noble. It was so baffling. 

“That’s where my dad is?” C00lkidd asked as they approached, and Elliot nodded. 

“All of us got relocated here. I’m gonna be staying with my sister, but your dad is most likely going to be here,” he explained since he doubted the kid had a phone. 

A beat passed. “It looks like a prison.”

That forced a surprised chuckle out of Elliot’s mouth. “It does, doesn’t it?” He hummed as they reached the front office. They went through the doors, and were greeted by what was obviously an NPC behind the counter, and a few Demolitionists standing around the office. It was uncanny how much they looked like Taph, but Elliot went to the NPC, which he could now see held the name as “The Secretary.”

“Hello, how may I help you today?” The Secretary asked. 

“I’m looking for the user 007n7,” Elliot answered. 

It blinked. “Identification?”

Elliot frowned. “Elliot.” He knew it was barebones information, but in his defense he didn’t have a last name. He tried again. “Robloxian; Elliot, from the game Work at a Pizza Place.”    

It clicked as it tilted its head robotically. “Reason?”

“I’m here to return his son.”

There was a long pause with a stare that made Elliot shiver. “ User: 007n7 checked in 12 minutes ago. He was last seen in the mailroom.” 

Elliot nodded, and raised his hand. “Thank you.” 

It didn’t respond, and when Elliot turned around, a Demolitionist was already pointing the way there. He nodded, and thankfully C00lkidd started following him without any hesitation. The two headed down the hall, and into the mailroom. The room was huge , with so many lockers Elliot couldn’t keep track. 

What he could see however, was the older man pacing in the room next to an open locker. He looked like his head was about to explode any second now from stress. Before he could say anything, the half child half beast rushed past him. 

“DAD!” The shout echoed off the large walls of the room, and it was followed by a grunt as he ran into his father at full speed. 

“Kidd—?” The man hissed as he got effectively flattened against the wall. By either a miracle or impressive determination, his arms somehow caught C00lkidd and were wrapped around his back. His expression was a mixture of confusion and shock, and it didn’t take long for that lightbulb to go off and for him to fully hug back his kid who was crying. “You’re alright— you’re alright— I was so worried, I looked everywhere but I couldn’t find you—“

The kid continued to babble words and phrases that were entirely incoherent beneath his cries. Elliot was unsure if they were upset or joyful. He didn’t really care. “It’s ok— you’re alright, we’re home,” 7n7 soothed, holding onto his baby with a painful desperation. 

The two’s hug was oddly mesmerizing. They slotted together like two missing pieces of a long lost puzzle. Unfortunately, Elliot had to interrupt it, and stepped forward to say his last goodbyes. Thankfully, C00lkidd’s overjoyed babbling had quieted enough for the other man to hear him. A bit reluctantly, he pulled from the hug. 

“…Elliot.” He said. It was painfully lacking in any confidence whatsoever. 

“…07,” Elliot responded coldly. 

“Look, I know—“

“Stop.” Elliot raised a hand and couldn’t help but smile at the other man shutting up in an instant. “I know you want to be better, hell— I don’t even know if I have the strength to be pissed at you anymore, but you’re still blacklisted. You want to improve? Great, but you can’t start with me. I don’t know if I hate you, but I do know I want nothing to do with you.” 

007n7 blinked, a little wide eyed and his expression almost hurt. As quickly as it happened it faded, forming into something more of understanding or defeat. 

“I don’t forgive you, but…” Elliot turned around. He didn’t want to be here much longer. He had a family to convince he wasn’t dead, precious time he had to make up for. “…good luck. All of us are going to need it. You especially.” He didn’t look back, instead leaving with a pace that quickened the longer he was in that damned building. 

007n7 understood, one hand scratching the back of his neck, the other holding C00lkidd’s claw. He elected not to mention his son’s appearance, judging from the sad little slouch and puffy eyes, he already heard enough about it for the week. “…c’mon kidd, do you want to see our new place?” 

He showed off the keys, and his chest felt a little lighter upon seeing the way his baby lit up immediately. The little tail began wagging ferociously, and he laughed as he pulled C00lkidd out the mailroom and to the elevators. Like the good father he was, he let C00lkidd press the button to their floor. He didn’t let go of his hand once. The elevator began its ascent, and they listened to the music. 

“This would sound a lot better with—“ 

“We’re not playing Spooky Scary Skeletons on the elevator,” 007n7 chuckled as he moved his hand to ruffle the area in between C00lkidd’s new horns. The kid giggled, and despite the awful memories it brought back, it strangely comforted him. 

After a bit longer of the lackluster music, the elevator slowed and the doors opened. They only struggled through the halls and took the wrong direction once before they found their room number. “Make sure you remember the number, okay?” 007n7 made sure to remind C00lkidd as he unlocked the door with the key, and opened the door and motioned with his head for his son to go first. The kid immediately ran in, looking around and gawking at all the new furniture and space. 007n7 would tell him about what happened to their old place later, he didn’t want to snuff out his child’s joy. Until then, 007n7 had other matters to attend to.

He quickly moved to the balcony while C00lkidd was still exploring. Sliding the door shut behind him, he only sighed when he heard the click. He turned his attention to his wrist. A modified watch sat on it, one he wore throughout every damned round of that hell. His eyes narrowed into slits and his expression darkened. 

He reached to the watch’s crown and ever so slightly tilted it. In an instant it buzzed to life, the hands began to spin so quickly they melted into a singular blur. 007n7 jerked his hand back, alarmed at how sensitive the gui had gotten, and held his wrist over the balcony’s rail. A singular window on the gui began to project above the watch. Rather than a command panel, it displayed a singular flickering and extremely unstable message. It was nothing like how the gui normally behaved, and nothing like he saw during nor between those rounds. It made his heart sink.

“[ T@KE  RESP0NS-BIL1TY ].” 

Chapter Text

“Get out,” 007n7 growled in a whisper. He didn’t want his son hearing him. He didn’t exactly trust a glass door to be soundproof. 

The gui flickered some more, the colors rapidly switching from a red to a sickly purple. The window began to break and change, before it began to reconstruct itself. The lines joined together and broke apart to form a crude geometric image of a familiar face. 

“YOU D1DN-T AN$WER M3,” Noli stated. He didn’t have to hear his voice to sense the cockiness in his words. 

“I shouldn’t have to,” venom laced his words. “What are you even doing here— what- how did you even get into my gui?” 007n7 began pacing laps around the tiny balcony. 

The watch on his wrist hummed with a foreign electricity. “T0OK A P@GE FROM [ and in a f0otnot3 he ment1oned the evil ] 1X1’S B0OK.”

7n7 shook his head. “If you’re going to intrude on my life again you can at least talk in a way that makes some ####### sense—“ 

Burning. He hissed as the buzz turned into a sudden electric shock. He shook his hand a few times until the sudden burn faded into nothing, and when he looked back at the crude image of Noli’s face he looked irritated. 

Then he spoke . it was low. Calm. There was still static, there was still glitching. “You-u  ruined my l1fe. 1n the ey3s of k@rma sh0uld i-i not be @llowed to ru1n yours? Or w1ll you run like the inv-v@siv3  pe$t you are?” 

007 paused, staring at Noli, before he shook his head. “You chose to take the Void Star yourself,” he whispered, the whisper failing to obscure the shake in his words. 

A compressed, horrible laugh barked from the gui. “I ch0se? $orry I-I must-ve 1m@gined the p-p-part with the s-sn@ke in my e4r b3gging on his d@med knees for m3 to t4ke it!” 

007n7 winced as another electric shock struck his wrist. “You didn’t have to listen to me!”

“I TRUSTED YOU!” Noli shouted, punctuating it with an awful static. 

007n7 braced, as if preparing for him to jump out the gui and start attacking him, but nothing came. He remained that way for a brief moment. Cautiously, he lowered his wrist away from him, and looked at the gui. The little drawing of Noli had dissipated. 

A low, angry buzz came from the watch. It was almost like a growl. 007n7 stared, eyes flicking around, before he sighed. He might have figured it out.

“You’re stuck, aren’t you?” He asked, words still hesitant. 

There was a long pause. Noli didn’t answer. 

007n7 sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose with his free hand. “Noli. I’m sorry for talking you into that, but that was years ago. I can’t have you in my gui, not with everything you did to me and everyone else, not when I have a son—“

“The s-s@ame one you l3ft me t° r0t for.” 

007n7 winced. He walked into that one. Another sigh. “…why did you even go in my gui? All you did was make it harder for both of us.” 7n7 narrowed his eyes at the watch. He was so tired of all of this. He just wants to be with his kid. 

“Y0U N3ED TO T-TAK3 RE$PONS1BIL1TY.” 

The narrow turned into a full glare. This bullshit again. “I have enough on my damn pla—“ 

Pain shot through his entire wrist. It burst from the wrist, and quickly flooded to the rest of his arm. He nearly shouted before he hit his tongue to shut himself up. His other hand seized his wrist before he nearly doubled over, catching himself on the railing. 

A mechanical, empty laughter rang from the gui. Sweat was falling down 7n7’s face as he gasped in agony. The burning began to slowly die down. 

“I S@CRIFCE-ED MY B0DY F0R YOU. 1T IS 0NLY F@1R F0R YOU T-TO R3PAIR IT.”

“I can’t do that— you did this to yourself! Get rid of that stupid Void Star, then maybe— “ Another electrical surge. He hissed through his teeth.

“It is b0nded to m3. To rem0ve it w0uld me@n [ game over! ]. I w1ll survive.”

007n7’s eyes widened a bit, once the pain faded. He looked back to the gui window. The crude drawing of Noli’s face still was not there. His eyes flicked around a bit, and he had to weigh his options. Builderman let him off the hook, gave him this place for him and his son. 

He sighed, bringing the hand with the watch to his head. He felt utterly defeated. 

“I can’t risk this Noli. I’m lucky enough that Builderman let me have a second chance. If I get caught helping you… I’ll lose everything.”

The watch buzzed, not with irritation but a growl. With the gui placed upon his head, he could practically hear the voice ringing in his ears. 

“[ QU3STION ]: $o y0u d-deserve th1s? A $ec0nd chance? Why 0nly you? Why n-not me?”

He doesn’t move his hand. “You can go to an Admin.” 

“L1ke they’ll l3t a gl1tch like m-m-me w@lk out @live.” 

Another heavy sigh from 7n7. He finally moves his hand, and shakily clutching the railing bars, he pulls himself up. His arms are trembling slightly. He looks out the balcony at the town. He closes his eyes. 

“How about a deal then?” He says, defeated. 

A hum from the gui. “N0w you $ound l1ke the 7n7 I used to k-know.”

7n7 tried to ignore that. It made his body involuntarily shudder. “…I’ll help repair your body, but… I need you to agree to a few conditions.”

Another electronic hum. “G-G0 on.”

“Number one: I do not want you interacting with my son. You did enough damage to him already.”

A low buzz emitted from the gui. It felt like a growl. “…f—f1ne. No b@bys1tti-ing for me. The br@t has no use anym0re anyway.”

“Don’t talk about my son like that,” 7n7 suddenly snapped, before forcing himself to take a breath. He looked back to the view. “Number two: no more exploiting, no more griefing, I’m done with that crap, and while you are with me, you are too.”

A lower buzz, a slight heat built on his wrist. “You c@n’t p0ssibly—“ 

“ I’m serious, Noli,” he hissed, keeping his voice low and hissing at the gui.

There was an agonizingly long pause. 

Even the quiet electrical hiss from the watch died down. A gentle, soft breeze brushed the graying hairs beneath his hat. 

He narrowed his eyes at the watch. Even if there was no face, no picture, 7n7 could feel Noli doing the same. 

It was unsettling. 

He kept staring at the gui until a grumble was heard. 

“…f1n3.”

7n7 released a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. He could hear the exact noise (although higher pitched with a small dose of audio compression)  play through the gui in a childish mockery. He rolled his eyes and growled.

“I’m not ####ing around. If you go back on any, and I mean any of these at all, I’ll hand the gui over to the Admins myself with you in it.”

A cocky, horrible little giggle played from the watch. “And thr0w aw@y y-your be$t memor1es? Yo-your life’s w0rk?” His voice deepened. “You’re s0ft. P@thetic.”

His teeth grit against each other. He could feel his eye twitch. 

“My best memories were never with you,” he growled, not a single ounce of hesitancy to his words. “They aren’t even close.”

Another laugh barked from the gui. 7n7 could feel his hands tighten into fists. “0f cour$e they-y are! W3 were on t0p of ev3ryth1ng! We w3ren’t j-ju$t l-l l1-ke @dmins we w-w3’r3 G0D$.”

7n7 turned away from the railing. A tense, trembling hand cradled the watch. 

Another buzz. Not one that hurt. Just… a buzz. 

His expression tightened. 

“Why g1ve it @ll up?” Noli hummed, as if so confident he'd convinced the other man. 

As much effort as it took, 7n7 kept his movements gentle. With all the love he ever gave him, he guided his movements along the watch and gently loosened the strap around his wrist. His eyes drifted away. The watch felt cold. 

A cold he knew painfully well. Memories struck him, all at once, all too soon. He couldn’t pick apart the specifics, only the feelings on his skin. The blazing, melting warmth of constant fires that surrounded them. Flames licked at his skin, and yet when they were close, Noli’s mere presence was enough to keep the sweat from falling. 

Noli sneered. “I kn3w y0u m-m1ssed me.”

He cooled him from the flames they thrived on setting. He kept the clothes from sticking to his skin and the sweat from becoming a sensory nightmare. It was never the kind of cold that one would associate with ghosts or the undead. His breath held the same cold of an air conditioner on a summer’s day. His touch held the same comfort as the cooler side of the pillow. 

7n7 shut his eyes. Mentally, he tensed his hand as he prepared. 

“I did. I really did,” he admitted, before breaking with a sigh. “But after everything? I changed. I’m sorry you can’t.” 

There was a pause. “…what?” It was spoken so calmly, so… genuinely. 

The cold on the tip of his fingers remained. He expected it to warm, to burn, and yet the temperature remained the same. 

“I can’t trust you. You’ve proven that enough, but you were right about one thing,” he punctuated it with a dry laugh. His vision began to blur, condensation building in his glasses. With his free hand, he removed them and stared at the watch. It was so blurry. He couldn’t make out a single detail. Noli didn’t react. 

“I’ve definitely grown soft, but it’s for the better. A few years back I know I wouldn’t have cried over this.” 

He could practically hear the gears click in Noli’s head, before he could let out another response, he let go. He wasn’t sure if Noli tried to electrocute him again, but he didn’t want the last feeling he had of him to be that warmth. He needed that lasting chill. 

Before the watch could even bounce off the ground, it was already crushed underneath the sole of his shoe. He grinded his sole against the broken thing, splintering and breaking it until picking up the pieces would drive one insane. 

He watched as tears began to dapple the ground and the surface of his shoe. Little dark spots stained the balcony ground, and beads of tears made whatever tiny splinters of glass sparkle in a way that made him want to vomit. He exhaled a shaking, shuddering breath. He barely caught the sob that threatened to escape in time. 

He was a changed man. 

He had a long, long way to go. He knew that. There were so many damn times where he debated whether or not he changed at all. 

But after everything, he knew he had. He may not be as good a person as those around, but he knows one thing for certain: the old him would not be wiping away tears with one hand and picking up the pieces of his old partner with the other. 

Chapter Text

“Where do we even start?” Builderman mumbled, fingers pinching the bridge of his nose.

Roblox HQ was deafeningly quiet. The loudest noise in the room was the breathing of all the Admins, each one heavy and ragged. The only ambience the world offered was the buzz of the electricity keeping the lights on, and the constant hum from Dusekkar’s magic. The protestors were still there, demanding information, demanding what’s to come in the future. Their only answer was a blue translucent shimmer that separated them from the Admins. It smelled of pumpkin spice. 

One of the chairs creaked as Reese shifted in her seat. Her eyes flicked between each and every fellow Admin. This still felt unreal. Her body was tense, unable to relax, she felt as if she was gonna wake any moment now. None of them looked the same, but they were all avoiding the sight of the empty seat haunting the table.

BrightEyes began. “We can talk damage. I’d rather rip the bandage off,” she leaned against the table. Her hair was a mess. It was untied and looked pretty matted, falling on her shoulders and going everywhere. It felt so alien to see. 

A few murmurs of agreement among the others. Reese’s gaze shifted to Scripter, who was sitting in his old seat. His gaze was fixated on his hands, he hadn’t looked up once. 

A gruff exhale from Builderman. He finally looked up. His eyes looked just as dead as the night before. “Good idea,” he stated. 

Reese opened her mouth to speak, certain they meant the damage of the site while it was under her care. 

“Where I find the most concern, is that the Spectre’s beasts are found. If we have all made our escape, the monsters may walk our very ground.” Dusekkar said, getting uncomfortable mumbles from the rest. 

Reese hadn’t heard much of what they went through. She didn’t like the mention of beasts. It made her feel sick. 

“Elliot—“ Reese blinked, she didn’t recognize that name. “Went ahead and told me that C00lkidd is within the apartment complex and is staying with 7n7. The Firebrand’s—

“I forgot about those ####### swords.” Stickmasterluke groaned, his once-shining wings resting against the ground, now entirely dim and stained with rud. Shedletsky shifted in place, face dark. 

“—effects have seen t’ worn off o’ him, ‘though he still looks… well y’all know.” 

They all grimaced. Reese felt strange, almost empty. Should she even be here? She couldn’t even contribute, they weren’t even looking at her. 

“And both th’ Does are there too. John seems to be docile, ‘ccordding to Jane, but I’d keep an eye on him. The extent of the damage is amnesia n’ brain injury.”

“Any word of the others?” Clockwork asked, head tilted. 

Builderman’s leaned against the table, starting with a gruff exhale. “Guest 666 is with Noob. She’s been unconscious, no word on whether or not she’s hostile.” 

More chairs shifted, it was difficult for anyone to sit still. Dusekkar’s gaze shifted to the window, his hands anxiously tracing his staff. 

“So that leaves those other kids, the blue and pink ones, both probably still mutated,” Clockwork hummed. 

“The Cataclysm too,” Luke said, his expression to the floor.

“Charlatan,  Decayed, Masked, Noli, Phosphorus…” BrightEyes began counting out the names on her fingers. 

“Don’t forget 1x1,” Clockwork added. 

Shedletsky shifted in his seat. “Slasher and Azure too,” he finished it off. 

There was a deep silence. Once again, everyone sat with little stillness, avoiding looking at each other. The constant hum of Dusekkar’s magic and the electricity buzzing in the building felt deafening. Reese sat in her seat, eyes down, hands together. 

Movement caught her eyes, from Scripter of all people. He was looking around nervously, and for the first time, someone looked at the empty seat. He looked back to Builderman, whose eyes were on the ground. 

“…what about Doombringer..?“ 

He flinched upon everyone turning to look at him. Reece cringed under the tension, it felt so damn suffocating. They were all glaring daggers into the youngest, and it made Reece bite her tongue. She wasn’t sure whether to feel sorry or not. She never really liked him, but they also never should've brought someone so young and so damn stupid on the team. 

For a moment, it felt like everyone was holding their breath, and then Shedletsky grew a sly grin and threw his arms in a shrug. The way his curly hair fell over his face reminded her so much of his days as Telamon. “I say we use him as bait for the old man.” 

Scripter looked mortified. “HEY—!” The teen whined, scooting his chair back a bit. His face was so much paler than usual, she’d never seen him this scared. “That’s not fair— you all wouldn’t— you wouldn’t do that— he won’t ban me, he’ll ####### kill me— he’ll kill me and we can’t just— come back anymore—“

BrightEyes looked away. Clockwork barked a laugh. Luke’s wings twitched. Builderman only stared. Reece thought he was exaggerating like he normally does, but she looked at the others. 

Luke stared at the table. His fingers traced an old crack in it. Dusekkar looked as if he didn’t know what to say, and kept clutching onto his staff so tightly, his nails were digging into the enchanted wood. Scripter’s entire body held so much terror. His eyes were frantic, his arms began to hold a tremble, and he was starting to even sweat. 

Reese doesn’t know if she wants to know what the hell happened to Doombringer.  

Clockwork’s laugh died into a chuckle, and then to a hum as he looked to Shedletsky. “That could actually work for dragging him back out.”

“WHAT?!” Scripter practically screamed. 

“I’m telling you! He’s supposed to be banned anyway, and nothing gets ol’ Doom riled up more than an exploi—“

“Telamon.” 

Shedletsky shut up. His eyes drifted to BrightEyes, the one who spoke it. Reese couldn’t help but shudder at the look in his eyes. She couldn’t describe it as anything other than wrong. Not like Builderman’s, not like any of the other Admin’s disheveled and broken appearances. It was something else entirely. 

Dusekkar slowly stood up, leaning into his staff. “Builderman, if I may step aside, may I take our friend Shedletsky, outside?” 

Builderman nodded, before waving his hand towards the two. Dusekkar looked to Shedletsky, before gesturing with his head to leave the room. BrightEyes turned to her boss. “Permission to join them?” she said just loud enough for the Dusekkar to glance over, before nodding softly. 

“Be back in ten,” he stated firmly. She nodded. 

Her chair screeched as she stood, to which she followed the two out the door. 

She closed the door behind herself, leaving the rather cramped meeting room, and she followed the two down the hall. 

Dusekkar was silent as he moved, aside from ragged breathing. Shedletsky held his arms together, close to his chest. His eyes kept moving to the window, and he’d spot the protestors before looking away. Upon deciding they were far enough, Dusekkar opened the door to an old office, and the two followed him in. This one had no windows, and a thick layer of dust. 

He turned the light on, to which it buzzed and flickered, but it functioned. BrightEyes and Shedletsky moved in, and Dusekkar shut the door behind them. 

Shedletsky was refusing to look at them. 

Dusekkar started. “The location of 1x1, you surely know. Has it fled, or is it home?” 

Shedletsky didn’t answer. He didn’t even look at them. 

Brighteyes sighed, bringing her hands to her head before brushing hair out of her face. “####” she swore, internally grimacing and wishing she could strangle the goddamn censors. 

“Telamon—“ Dusekkar hovered a bit too close to Shedletsky, who immediately took a step back, pressing his back against the wall. 

“It’s not my fault that ###### jumped back in me! I had it— I ####### had it— I could’ve gotten rid of it and—“ Shedletsky hands moved to grip at his hair as he growled out the words. He couldn’t even get out any more, all he could do was huff angrily before his hands moved and he seized Dusekkar’s shoulders. “You have to get rid of it again, Matt—“

“That barely worked the first time,” BrightEyes said, watching as Dusekkar moved Shedletsky’s hands off his shoulders. 

He shook his head, and the light behind his carvings dimmed in sympathy. “I am sorry, I really am, but I do not have the strength. I feel as if I can barely stand.” Dusekkar truly meant it, even if he didn’t think the solution would work once more. He felt so exhausted and heavy, his feet never grazed the floor for this long. His shield covered the entirety of the building, and although he was capable of so much more… 

The Spectre had dragged him down. Using his abilities to their old strength would most likely shatter what connection he had to it. His body, his veins, they all ached. Just this simple shield spell felt as if he was constantly pulling a muscle further and further, he didn’t want to keep testing it until it snapped. 

“Don’t say that, Matt— c’mon man, you’re the strongest of us all—“ Shedletsky pleaded, distressed eyes looking to BrightEyes for backup. She only frowned. Dusekkar looked away. 

Shedletsky looked horrified. For a moment, BrightEyes could swear she caught a glimpse of red catching his eyes, but he only backed up and held himself.

“####.” He said, nails digging into his arms. “I can’t do this again.” 

“You’ve gotten through it before,” BrightEyes reminded him, cautiously moving closer before reaching out. Gently, she brought her hand to his face, rubbing her thumb against his cheek. He leaned into it, sighing heavily and closing his eyes. “You can do it again.” 

Dusekkar hummed in agreement. “Even as my magic wanes, I will never leave your side. For you are a dear old friend, and with time we will turn the tide.” 

“We’ll figure something out, but for now, we should go back to the room. Just try to keep your mouth shut this time,” BrightEyes chuckled as she pulled her hand away and moved to the door, not missing Shedletsky’s quiet chuckle. 

The walk back was one filled with silence. BrightEyes knocked on the door before the three entered, and as they moved back to their seats she spoke. “Any developments?”

Builderman nodded. 

“We’re splittin’ the workload. I’m gonna focus on the mess with th’ Demos n’ our old friends. I’m going to get into contact with George so the protestors hopefully get off our backs.”

“The rest of us are killer duty, except for you two,” Clockwork explained as they pointed at Dusekkar and Shedletsky.

The two looked at each other before nodding. 

Builderman gestured to Shedletsky. “Sword duty.” He then pointed to Dusekkar. “You will be checkin’ that the Spectre is truly gone.” 

Dusekkar’s expression nor light did not change. He only nodded, although Shedletsky looked at him with sympathy. 

“I think that concludes this #### show. Good luck out there y’all, yer gonna need it,” Builderman said as he began to stand from his seat. 

The group began to move out, and Reese found herself cleaning up the meeting room. In all honesty, she didn’t know what else to do. She was excited upon seeing them all come back, but now… things were different. 

She just had to hope it wasn’t a bad different, that Robloxia could actually recover from this. Even if the part of it that believed that was feeling like it was getting dimmer by the hour.