Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Pure, white snow rained to the ground so fast I could barely see a thing. Pine trees were so tall you'd think they were swallowed up by the looming, sky above.

The sound of glass breaking was heard from behind me.

As I turned around, a large and fancy house appeared in front of me. The ground floor walls were looking to be made of some kind of white stone, like quartz or diorite or something but more pure, if that makes sense. As if made from the pure, white snow from beneath my feet. The rest of the walls were compiled of wooden logs from which I assumed was from the local resources. It as much bigger and fancier that anything me of my friends have ever built. It was like magic. I didn't know if it was the weather or not, but something about this place sent my nerves to sky-rocket.

Then I heard Zane call for his brother.

That's when the howling started. It began as maybe 1 or 2. Then 2 became 4. 4 became 8. Before I knew it the entire area erupted with the sound of wild canines.

As I heard rustling through the trees behind me, I turned my body around to face them. They came out of the trees, hungry and snarling. Their eyes were yellow and intent of consuming their dinner: dinner looking like me.

Then a figure shuffled through the middle of them. They seemed to be in a lot of pain as blood was pouring out from their chest (which is where they put their hand trying to stop the bleeding) to the in-between of their fingers, dripping into the pure white snow. They were a little bit taller than I was. They lifted their head and I recognised their familiar face, even with the red blind fold covering his eyes.

//What happened to him?//

Even though his eyes were covered, I could tell he was mad. Like, more mad than I thought I could make him. Apparently, I was wrong. Great to know he could tear me apart limb from limb. "You hurt her!" he growled low but loud enough for Irene to hear. "What?" I asked in confusion "Hurt who? What did I even do?" The wolves snarled even louder. Angrier. “I just want to go home!” Their fangs aching for my flesh. "You won't make it back!" Aaron spat again.

The wolves decided they had waited long enough: they charged right at me making my sprint like a rabbit. The trees sped past me as I tried to avoid the wolves from making me their supper. My mind was racing.

//What is going on? Where's Zane? Why was he looking for one of his brothers? Why was Aaron mad? Who is "her"? What the heck did I do? Where am I? What's going on?//

A cry. Far from a cry actually. A wail. A scream. The sound of a heart broken into a million and one pieces.

"AARON!!!"

This spooked the shit out of my pants, possibly literally, which gave the wolves the chance to land a leap onto my back causing me to fall to the ground and hit my head face first into the ground.

Although I could still hear them howling, the wolves were now gone and most importantly not on me anymore.

As I poked my head out of the snow, another house appeared out of nowhere in front of me but it wasn't as big as the last one.

Another difference was that the front of the building had been blasted open from the inside. Splinters scattered everywhere. Darting into the pure white snow. Through the gaping hole in the wall, I could see dark blue banners with a wolf's face plastered in the middle of each of them. Not only did this make my blood simmer that someone -along with Rhys- would dare to steal my colour and had an awesome banner design, but kinda creeped out as pictures were of Aphmau (of all people) in her high school uniform, walking around what looked to be our high school, but with the main difference being that she had wolf ears and a tail. And the ears and tail not only looked like they were clumsily stuck on to the photos, but she was constantly looking away from where the camera would have been pointing.

//What kind of sicko...?//

Just as I was wondering what type of psycho lived here, I heard the most terrifying giggle behind me. "I didn't fail you this time, aren't you proud of me?"

//I swear if I die right now all of my gold is getting buried with me... that's even if I get a grave! Oh Irene have mercy!//

I slowly turned, anticipating what ever was going to eat me alive this time and it was...

"Aphmau?"

Plot twist! I know. She was standing on the edge of a cliff with her face to the bottom of said cliff. Wearing an outfit that looked all too similar to the outfits that she wore when we played Villains, but that was ages ago.

( A/N- If you don't know what he's talking about: https://youtu.be/CxJ1IUaEX04?si=GiibpKtd6Q_b9bw1 ///// https://youtu.be/mfoLxw71aEI?si=JvJkpNGOiEh8Dwiu ///// https://youtu.be/zbX76ZHMgrI?si=KtJZLY6SSaFdWYmu )

It was a two piece deep blue dress (I see someone has style) with a mid-drift. The skirt flowing to one side, a couple inches above her ankles and matching legging that went under the skirt. Her hair had tiny side-braids that came together in the back her head forming one slightly bigger braid. She was also wearing deep blue Ugg boots.

"He's gone now! I killed him, just as you wanted. Now we can be together forever," she said chillingly in a gleeful tone while still staring into the foggy void below.

//Ok, ignoring that second part because doesn't she love Aaron? Not that I don't want her to love me.//

"Aph? What do you mean? Who's gone?" I asked as I carefully approached her.

"Aph, who did you kill?" I asked, scared for my fucking life. My heart was increasingly beating like a drum, so much so that I was convinced she heard it.

Aphmau then turned to face me as I saw that her eyes were dimly emitting an emerald colour. They were souless. One eye had a bruise that looked like wear someone smacked her.

//What happened to you...?//

"Aaron Lycan of course!" she grinned with pride, wanting appreciation when all I could feel was confused.

"What??" I questioned, still in denial.

Surely this is a prank. Another game! Another stupid game. Besides, Aaron will just respawn anyway

Then she turned her attention to the bottom of the cliff. I edged towards where she was looking down, scared I might fall from my freezing life to an even more chilling death. In more ways than one.

My stomach began to feel funny, like you wanna throw up, as I saw that Aaron's body lying lifeless on the ground far below with something stuck in his chest. I couldn't see it from way up there but it had to be something metal as what ever sunlight that had managed to escape the clouds reflected on the weapon. Blood came out of him and seeping into the pure white snow, as if it had never, ever been pure to begin with.

* * *

Horrified, I sat up in my bed and wondering what the heck I saw. My heart beating out my chest. My stomach ready to chuck everything from it out into the open. Sweat dripping from my forehead and my thoughts at the speed of Zane when Aphmau's upset.

//Aphmau... another dream//

I then looked to my bedroom window and see the whole hub covered in white.

Great. Snow. Just perfect

Then I changed out of my pyjamas and put on my usual white T-shirt but switching the black ripped jeans for some black cargo pants and striped blue and gold thermal socks. When I looked in the mirror, I saw that my hair had begun to fade back into its original black.

//Where did I put the hair die again?//

After what must have been at least half an hour, I finally found the bottle hiding under my bed for some reason.

Finally, I managed to grab the scissors and cut the ends that were constantly in my face and dyed my streak back to its original colour. Then spent about an hour or 2 dying the rest of my hair an even darker blue using the die that I didn't have to spend half my life trying to find. And honestly, it was the best hair-do I'd ever seen. Tell me otherwise I dare ya!

Finally, I grumpily grabbed my navy winter's coat with gold trimmings and my trusty mending golden shovel (Goldie is such a trooper managing to plough through that white mess) as I approached the door. Preparing myself for another normal, boring day on the server.

//If Aphmau turns on another Christmas mod I'm throwing myself to the mobs//.

Chapter Text

It's was a quiet morning on the Hub, people slowly waking to the early December Sun as Aphmau struts out of her house with a spring her step, Aaron following behind and yawning.

"Oh our home, it's a quiet village," Aaron spots some mobs that are ready to attack her in her joyous daze and executes them quickly before they could do any harm. "Everyday like the one before. A little Hub full of little people."

"Speak for yourself," Aaron joked.

Trying to ignore this sly comment, she continues, "Waking up to say..."

"Did you install a Beauty and the Beast musical mod? It's not even a Winter themed movie!" her boyfriend complained.

"It so is!" she defended her opinion.

"Bonjour!" Kim calls to Aphmau, also in a gleeful mood.

"See! Kim gets it!"

After this, Aphmau grabbed a box of streamers that she had stored back in the kitchen and skips into the street. "There goes Noi baking all his cookies! I can taste all the sugar!" she exclaimed. Noticing her bouncing through the street, Noi greeted her.

"Morning Aph!"

Hearing this, she greeted him back,"Hi Noi!" and continued to stroll and turned to Aaron. "Every morning just the same, since the morning that we came, to this strange and wondrous place that we call-, oh!" she stops before continuing,"Morning Pierce!"

"Morning Aph! Morning Aaron! Have you seen Delilah? I swear I just saw her when I was feeding Joseph but now she's run off!" the shepherd asked looking around the town in all directions and popping out of places that would be physically impossible to perform. One second he could be behind Noi's bakery, the next in a pile of hay across the street without even walking between the two. As she too looks around, Aph spots some tracks on the ground."Oh, well I see hoof prints in the snow! Do you think they could be her's?" she suggested.

To this, Pierce gasps and his face brightens,"Yeah those are her's! I know them anywhere! Thanks Aph!" he waved as he ran off to follow the tracks.

As people began to open their doors, singing can be heard from several townsfolk. "Look where we live this place is strange no question. A place void of all consequence."

"That doesn't even rhyme!" Aaron spoke but even the hen and her three chicks were clucking along. "Where no one can die and wake up at their bedside. No denying it's strange the place we call home."

"Hello there Mac! How are your veggies?" Noi greets his friend, offering her a cookie from the batch he baked yesterday ready for today's events.
"Good thank you Noi, how are your cows?" Mac says in a light tone.

"Great thanks! I just milked them this morning," he cheered as he brought out a bucket of milk.

"There must be nothing more than this awesome life!" Aphmau sung like an angel as she finally arriving at her desired destination.

The town centre had been half decorated with half hung rainbow LED lights, and a big banner had the colourful words, "HAPPY WINTER-FEST!!!" written on it.

"Hey Aph! How'd you sleep?" Rhys smiled, standing on a ladder as he was adjusting the banner with the help of Leif, and struggling to get it to stay on the tiny nail.

"Oh not a wink, Rhys! I was preparing all the decorations for the festival! I swear these streamers were almost impossible to glue together," she said as Rhys saw the tiny dark circles under her eyes, but decided not to mention it.

"I can verify that, she didn't hit the hay until the moon was at its highest," Aaron commented worried for his girlfriend and for the Hub for he didn't want phantoms to ruin such a good day. "Well if you can manage, I need to hang this bunting across the lamp posts, but I'm stuck with this banner. Would you mind helping me out?"

"Of course! Not a problem! Consider this bunting hung!" Aphmau replied in a splendid manner, ready to help her friends set up for the festival.

"Thanks Aph, take care of yourself! I'll see you later!"

With Aphmau and Aaron hanging the bunting, the town continued to sing, "Look where we live this town is so peculiar, always providing necessities!"

"None of this rhymes!" Aaron stated once again but the town continued once again regardless.

"Such a dreamy far off look, like setting from a book. No denying it's strange the place we call home!"

"I know I love the winter season, but it's so dang cold I can barely breathe," Kawaii-Chan shivered, her tail wrapped around her leg and her ears perked downwards. Thankfully she was given a blanket by her lovely friend, Zane and wrapped it around herself.

"Don't worry KC, I've made some hot cocoa so we can watch movies together!" he serenaded as he brought out two mugs (one black with and pink heart on the front and a light pink mug with a black heart). Kawaii-Cahn took the latter as Zane opened the door for her, with Kawaii-Chan quickly letting out a high pitched, "Yay!" and closing the door behind both of them.

"Still doesn't rhyme!"

"Now it's no wonder why this place is considered a beauty," Kim sung as she gazed down from a hill to the sights of the server beyond the Hub. A river meandering from left to right and an oxbow lake beside the river. "Its views have got no parallel."

Behind a tree, Michi, Gene and Ivy appear suspicious on the many things about the area. "Though behind this fair facade, we think it's rather odd," they rhymed together.

——Music Paused——

Take that Aaron!

"Most of this still doesn't rhyme, and you took it from a very popular movie. People are gonna think you aren't creative."

I can be creative! And it's the 2019 version, no one likes the remakes!

"Even more reason why they'll hate you!"

"Who are you talking to Aaron?" Aphmau asked, still holding the bunting in her hands as she was stood on a step ladder.

"No one, Aph. Let's just keep hanging these decorations," the red man continued. Defeated.

"I can still hear you!"

Shut up!

——Music Resumed——

"Very different from any other place," Kim danced in the sunlight as the other three huddled together shivering. "It's nothing like any other place."

"Yes strange is the place that we call our home!" the rest of the town added as they was a resounding 'thumpsh' of snow being shovelled out of the front of a certain navy coloured house.

"UGH!" Ein grunted, with Goldie in his grasp; struggling to shovel the mountain of snow on his doorstep. "I. Hate. Winter!" Ein snarled as he held his trusty golden shovel. "There's always snow everywhere I turn and it gets everywhere! And either when it's melted or frozen solid, it's slippery and I'm always falling on my a-AAH!" complaining before slipping and falling backwards with a thump.

"Hehe, you ok?" Pierce chuckled while feeding the newly-found Delilah some wheat he had stored in his pocket. Although he could never be able to tell you if it was the right one, or the left. "No! I'm not. Why does this forsaken season have to come every year and stay for soooo long!" he held his hands to the sky as if to ask Irene herself 'Why Lady Irene, torture us with your Holy might?'

"Because the Earth rotates around the Sun and that means-" his bestest friend tried to explain before being interrupted.

"UGH! Stop, I don't wanna hear any of that science nonsense. It makes me sick!" Ein said while making a vomiting sound.

"Oh come on Ein, is it really that bad-," Pierce tried to reply before being so rudely interrupted again, but decided to let it slide.

"But it is! Right from the moment when I opened my eyes, I've always hated Winter!" Ein began to sing, about how he loathes such a season. "Although if I keep on shovelling snow, and keep on ploughing through, I'll gain some muscle and attract cute girls," he said grinning dreamily. The shepherd's face possessing a 'resting-bitch face' as he sat on the snow with his dearest and most favouritest sheep (don't tell the others though).

"Just picture it! 'Look there he goes! Isn't he dreamy? Hi Ein! Hello! Oh he's so hot! Be still my heart! I'm hardly breathing! He's such a tall, dark strong and handsome- PUHH!" flexing his muscles before being hit with a snowball to the face. The guilty hand that threw it, hid behind Pierce's back.

This made Ein gasp at such an action. "The nerve of you Pierce! Come back here!" He chased the blue shepherd, who replied with a,

"DON'T HURT DELILAH! SHE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS!!!" spooking the poor animal to start to sprint away from the friends and into the centre of the Hub.

As the morning progressed, so did the Hub's singing. Going about their regular lives, and preparing for the festival. "Good morning, how are you?" Mac asked.

"I'm good thanks," Kim replied swiftly trolling to carry several potions.

"Ten string," Ivy demanded.

"One diamond," Zenix asked in return. After getting paid, he continued, "I'll get my sword." As Ein and Pierce continued there on-the-move snowball fight. "Come here Pierce you prick!"

"This potato! It's poison!" Michi stated to Mac.

With her replying, "Michi you're mistaken."

"There must be nothing more than this dream!" Aphmau danced with bunting in her grasp and Ein belting,

"If I see more snow I am gonna scream-AHH!" he shrieked as Pierce threw another snowball.

"Now that was just asking for it!" Pierce laughed as he saw that his sheep has started to run off again and calling after her.

"Look where we live this place is strange but special! A most peculiar place to live! Though we don't know how it works, we appreciate all it gives," the entire town exceeding the song to a final verse save for Zane and Kawaii-Chan who were continuing their movie. KC snuggling into Zane while holding her mug as Zane's face turned into a tomato.

"Cause this really is a weird place," the trio of Gene, Ivy and Michi joining in once again.

"A beauty but a strange place," Mac, Noi and Kim singing along.

"Yes strange is the place that we call..." Rhys, Leif, Aaron and Aphmau also joining in as they all finished with a "...our home!" The song finishing as the frightened Delilah bumps into Rhys' ladder, knocking him over and tearing the banner in two. As Rhys fell, so did both pieces as Leif couldn't catch both pieces fast enough.

As Pierce tried to calm his sheep, she was caught in some bunting, which causes the rest to rip and fall from their respective lamp posts. This also caused Aphmau to fall on her front as Delilah sprinted still caught in some bunting as she knocked over people and decorations alike. Causing absolute chaos.

Hearing this, both Zane and Kawaii-Chan exited the house with Zane angrily asking, "What is going on here?!" As everyone looked to the rampaging animal, Zane takes out his neterite sword and put her out of her misery resulting in a devastated "DELILAH!!!" from her shepherd as he stretched out his arm and run to where her lifeless body disappeared into white smoke and float away. "You should be more responsible of your animals, Pierce! Look at the Hub!" Zane put his hand towards the aftermath of Delilah's last moments. People brushing off the dust, dirt and snow from themselves. Rhys longingly looking at the torn banner and Noi putting a hand on his left shoulder. "She didn't deserve to die, Zane! She was scared!" Pierce sobbed over his lost friend.

"What's it to you anyway? You were snug inside with a blanket and everything while the rest of us are trying to manage this freaking weather!" Ein exclaimed.

"You're one to talk! You're the one who creates most of the mess on the Hub!" Zane countered.

"I do not!"

"Yeah! Remember my barn?" Noi referenced how Ein thought it would be funny to blow the entire building to bits.

"All my potions that magically went missing?" Kim said. "I'm not one to agree with Zane in the best of times but you're always such an annoyance!"

"Is that why my flowers suddenly died?" Mac asked, with tears in her widened eyes.

"Nah, that was when I put a poison potion in your watering can. I didn't need Kim's help for that, and I don't remember stealing any potion!" He persisted although the explanation given made Mac's mouth fall wide open and her brows furrowed.

"I wonder why Aphmau even keeps you two here!" Gene added.

"Oh shut up Gene! You know you and your little gang are the cause of most of mess on the server. Me and Pierce don't even make a dent!" Ein countered.

"Wanna bet, idiot?" Michi hissed, her tail swiftly swishing from side to side. Flexing her fingers to reveal her cat-like claws, her teeth sharping into fangs and her pupils morphing to be more feline. Gene taking out his iron sword and Ivy filing her nails, seemingly not having a care in the world. However she did take a selfie with Gene and Michi at the bottom left hand corner of the photo with Ein at the top right. Ivy herself doing the two fingered peace sin and pursing her lips with the ripped banger at the top. She posted the photo on BlockFace saying, "Blue Brothers' Blunder Blows up Banner: Shocker!/sar".

"Gladly!" Ein accepted taking out his golden sword, ready for a brawl with the two before Aphmau stopped them. "Hey! Guys! How about we quit from tearing up the street even more hmm?"

"But they're right, Aph! Why do you keep him on the server? Atleast Pierce can take care of sheep half-decently, but Ein's nothing but trouble!" Ivy intercepted, finally participating in the conversation, but staring and tapping on her phone. "Ugh! Why is there no cell reception here?!"

"Come on guys, let's not be- AHH" Aphmau winced in pain that had originated from her leg. Zane immediately came to her aid as Aaron picked her up and settled her on a bench.

"Aph!" Aaron caught her before she fell.

"I'm fine guys, I promise," Aphmau tried to soothe her friends' worries but to no avail.

"Where does it hurt?" Zane asked frantically.

"My ankle," she hissed with discomfort "I think I fell on it weird." He then noticed how her ankle twisted in a way that didn't look right.

"See? This is what happens when you aren't responsible!" Zane shouted. "People get hurt!"

"Oh please! Just drink a healing potion and you'll be fine," Ein dismissed the injury.

"I don't know, we can't hurt ourselves too badly when we're inside the town borders. And this isn't from one of the games we play," Aaron pondered as he tried to wrap the ankle in a bandage as Zane had already got a med kit.

"I'm fine guys, I swear Ein's ri-," Aphmau seethed.

"Easy there, Aph. Keep that ankle steady for me," Aaron advised as he attempted to bandaged the ankle as painless for her as possible.

As people were giving Ein and Pierce looks that would be dirtier than a literal dirt block, the former started to see snow dancing as graceful as a ballerina to the ground. "Hey if you're gonna patch up that ankle, you might wanna take it inside because it's starting to snow again."

"What are you talking about it's not..." but Ein could suddenly not hear Zane or anyone for that matter anymore, for the snow was blowing by so fast it was difficult to sense anything. Until he heard them.

Once again, he heard wolves howling in the distance. Just like last night. He thought they must be hidden within the trees.

As if out of nowhere, a figure appeared from behind the foliage. However, this figure was not familiar to him at all. Not from a dream. Especially not from seeing them in the waking world. Despite their clothing masking their identity, he could tell that the figure was grinning. The Sun's rays bouncing off of their teeth. Their yellow teeth. Almost wolfish. Hungry for something (but unclear to Ein) just what they wanted. Their midnight cloak, which was carried by the breath of the wind, was also covering something on their head. Two somethings that looked like ears. A meifwa perhaps? The figure also seemed to have a tail, but it was thicker and bushier than a meifwa's. The person seemed skinny, but it was hard to make out as once again, the black clothing they wore concealed almost every feature about them. Except for one. Their glowing green eyes. Familiar to Ein and yet, not in the slightest.

"Hey guys! I think there's someone in the forest. You think we should help? They look kinda creepy-,"

But what stopped him before he could finish, what scared the wits out of him, was a low but loud call that reeked with fury and vengeance: "EIN!!!"

"Ein! Are you there, bud?" a gentle hand was placed on his shoulder as he jumped nervously to see his best friend with a concerned expression written all across his face. "D-did you all, see that? Did'ya not h-hear that?" Ein flinched with every hair on his body standing on end.

"Are you like, insane, or something??" Michi asked, swishing her tail again and her nose wrinkling.

"Ein, there's nothing in the forest," Noi said.

"But there is!" he turned to show them but the snow, the figure and the sound of wolves were all gone. "There were, t-there were wolves and a person and a- there was a scream! It was- it was like-,"

"Are you ok, moron? Did you hit your head or-," Gene asked.

"IT SAID MY NAME!! It, it said my name! The voice, that screamed, said, my name," Ein spluttered, his mind racing at top speed.

"Ein, maybe you should go lie down. You clearly haven't had the best day-," Pierce suggested.

"I know what I saw! A-and I know, what I heard!" Before being interrupted by Ein once again. "A-a-and if you guys don't b-believe m-m-me, t-then screw you!" he stomped off back to his house, stuttering from the sudden chill. Silently thinking to himself:

"What was that? What in the Nether was that?"

Chapter Text

"Gene! That wasn't nice!" Aphmau scolded the man.

"What? He is a moron!"

"Erm, A) My best friend is not a moron, B) Didn't you see?! He was scared! And Ein is never scared!" Pierce gestured his arm towards where he had stomped off to.

To this, Gene chuckled, "A) He is a moron and B) the dude's a coward." This angered Pierce. In response to Pierce's defencive stance that seemed almost second-nature (even after all this time), Gene remembered how tall the guy was and how Pierce once managed to carry three sheep with no strength potion and decided to back off, and away. Leif then discretely whispered something in Pierce's ear which made him calm down slightly, to Gene's puzzlement.

"A pest more like," Zane muttered. Hearing what he said under his breath, Aphmau scolded him,"Zane this is not the time!"

"But he is Aph!" Zane replied.

"I know he's annoying sometimes but he's our friend! Something obviously spooked him and now-,"

"Look, Aph. You are my best friend. But you have to stop being such a doormat!"

"What?" she questioned in confusion, "I'm not a doormat!"

"Yeah! Aph's a person!" Pierce chimed in.

"Not a literal doormat you doof! I mean, you shouldn't let people walk all over you."

"But I don't!"

"But she doesn't! I don't think I've ever walked over her ever!" Pierce added once more.

"I'm talking in figurative terms you imbecile!"

"Hey!" Pierce said in responce, very hurt by such words, leading to Noi coming beside him.

"Ok Zane that's enough insults! Come on Pierce, we gotta fix these decorations," Noi defended his friend and comforting him. "I will help aswell, no one put that banner up better than I did," Rhys prided himself of his work before the previous calamity had begun. "Leif! Come on, you're not getting out of this either!" Noi called to him.

"What? You can't make me!" Leif huffed in defiance.

"Leif, do it!" Rhys said in a calm but slightly frustrated tone, which compelled him to finally help the others. "Fine!" he sighed, defeated.

"Wait for me!"Mac called out as she ran after them. The rest of the crowd dissapated to continue what ever it was they were before. "Back to the conversation at hand, I don't let people walk all over me because when my house blows up, that could be you trying to impress KC by the way, I'm the first one to get revenge! Remember the OP mod?"

"Hey I already apologised for that so that's not relevant," Zane trying to change the subject.

"Yes it is! You can't just apologise and expect to never have to mention it again," Aphmau argued.

"No, it's not relevant here because we're talking about Ein," he tried again.

"Yes it is! We're talking about me being a doormat when I'm not!"

"In all honesty Aph?" Aaron asked carefully, "You kinda are one."

"What???" Aphmau was now even more confused.

"I've known Ein, just about as much as you. And I've know you for even longer. Since way back in high school, we all knew how much trouble Ein is and how much of a... doormat. When it came to him pranking you. You always expect that he isn't going to prank you this time and then BOOM! Your house is gone because of one of his pranks, or your diamonds got stolen," he explained, calmly. "I know he's our friend, if I'm honest I'm not that close with him so you two are more friends than me and him, but you need to know when to say 'no' to people sometimes. Or rather 'stop' in this circumstance," he explained as he was finishing wrapping up his girlfriend's ankle ."See? Even Aaron agrees!" Zane exclaimed with relief. As if he needed to at all, for he was always...

"But Aph's right." Until that belief was shattered before the narrator could even describe it. The lack of manners people have these days!

"What?" both Zane and Aphmau asked in unison. Now they were both confused.

"On two accounts, actually."

"What??" Zane puzzled. Flabbergasted that he, Zane Ro'meave could be wrong on two accounts!

"Like I've said, I've known Ein since high school. Although we haven't been as close as him and Pierce, I know when he's spooked and when he's not. And the dude looked like he soiled himself."

"Exactly! That's why I should go talk to him!" Aph said before trying to steady herself, trying to stand. Leading to Aaron pushing her back onto the bench with an, "Err, no."

"But Aaron! Like you said, besides Pierce, I know him more! I should be the one to help him!" the woman protested but the effort was for not.

"In the condition you're in? You can barely walk!" he denied.

"I can go," said a certain person with an orange jacket.

"Noi, are you sure? You and Ein aren't exactly close either," she questioned.

"Someone has to go check on him, you need your rest and I think Pierce has been through enough today," he said as he gestured to her, then back to the sulking shepherd, a soft look smothered on Noi's face.

"Ok, but if you die, don't say we didn't warn you," Zane said, packing the first aid kit back into the box and was given a "Good luck dude," from Aaron. Finally, he gave his thanks as the orange man walked nervously towards the navy house. Sword at the ready and empathy in his grasp.

* * *

What was he doing? Ein's number 1 target (save for Aphmau and Zane) was Noi. Why did he feel so compelled to help him? Was it pity? Cathartic revenge for Ein picking on him constantly? Or did he really believe what the man saw? He wouldn't be able to tell you in that moment but he felt, he knew he had to do something. He had to try.

"Ein? You home?" he knocked on the front door.

"I'm not here! Go away!" said a voice from within the house walls.

"Ein if you don't let me in, I'm gonna tell Zane that you stole all his inventions," he leaned against the door, unknowing that it would open before his could react; causing him to fall to the floor with it shutting as quickly as it opened. "It was only one of his toys and you know it! He won't even know it was missing," Ein whispered as if he thought someone was spying on them.
Watching their every move and every thought that passed by, retelling it to countless others. Anyway, his hair looked as disheveled as a homeless person who was dragged through a bushed backwards and his face was tired and stressed to the point where wrinkles had already began to appear earlier than supposed to. "Why did you of all people come anyway? We both know-,"

"Yes I know you pick on me, blah blah blah, shouldn't be here, yardy yardy yah, but we all know something is up with you," Noi said as he stood back up, now inside Ein's house.

"You kidding? Everyone hates me in this server and you know it!" the blue man turned away from Noi, facing away from the door.

"Well maybe they would like you more if you weren't such a jerk!"

"You know if you're here to lecture me, you could have brought Zane."

"He couldn't, he had to make sure Aph didn't try to get here first," Noi revealed.

"To do what? She has a sprained ankle, why would she-,"

"To talk to you! She cares about you, man! She's worried about you!" Noi tried to get through to him. Ein freezes up, still with his back turned to Noi. His eyes widened and his bottom lip quivered.

"And, you know you say everyone hates you, but they don't."

Ok, now Ein would have known that what Noi was saying was false. Why would-

"And what makes you say that?" he asked , denying how anyone could-

"Are you kidding me?! Aphmau had to be held down by Aaron, Zane and her leg! I still think she would have pried herself free and crawled here regardless," Noi began to list. "Pierce was ready to throw hands with Gene after he insulted you and even Aaron wanted to know if you were ok! We're all worried about you Ein, why can't we just talk like normal people-."

"Well maybe I don't wanna talk!" he blurted out, turning to face the other. "Maybe I wanna stay here, and safe and away from whatever is driving me insane. You heard them!"

Then something in Noi clicked.

"This, isn't the first time you've seen something like this. Is it?"

"How did you-no-how would you know-" Ein stuttered.

"You have a giant whiteboard saying 'Why do I keep having nightmares'," Noi answered flatly before Ein could question and pointed to the mobile whiteboard sitting in the middle of his living room just ahead of the both of them with the writing written in green whiteboard pen with scribbles of notes and doodles across the surface. This revelation lead to the navy man turning away and biting his lip, his arm grasped the one that was down by his side (although, like Pierce, he could never tell you the left one from the right). His eyes darted across the floorboards and caught the attention of several loose nails.

"Look, you don't have to tell me everything. Or anything, but, I want to help. But I can only do that if you let me," Noi's face softened as a sympathetic-looking smile graced across his face.

Something inside Ein wanted to push Noi away. Something inside Ein wanted to shut and lock his doors. Something inside Ein wanted to say "No! Why should I tell you my problems! As if you or anyone else would be interested with my problems!" For he had listened to a similar voice all his life. With most people at least. But today was not such a day. He was tired enough to have the energy to be a hermit today. Maybe tomorrow.

"Ugh," Ein sighed, "You want something to drink before I trauma dump on you? Something to eat?"

Which Noi politely replied with,"Just a glass of cold milk, please."

When Ein had finally found a mug suitable for milk, all of his other cups he had used but forgotten where he placed them, he grabbed the carton of milk from the fridge and poured in into the mug. The mug itself wasn't that interesting. Just a white mug saying "Bestest Best Friend" in bold blue lettering. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't dare let anyone touch it. However, since the rest of his mugs were in their respective hiding places around the house, he compelled himself to consider this time to be an exception.

He then stiffly shuffled towards the couch where Noi, who had taken his tangerine coloured coat and draped it over the back of the seat, had sat and gave him the drink. "Thank you," he carefully took the drink in his hand and sipped it, with Ein siting on the right side of him.

"It was the only one I could find. Don't expect to use it every time you come here," he spoke, holding his arms as his knee rapidly was bouncing up and down.

"Wasn't planning on it," Noi relaxed his shoulders as the milk was surprisingly good.

Meanwhile, Ein was thinking of all the ways he could escape this conversation. The window looked like a good option but he didn't feel like running. He could knock Noi out so he couldn't remember the encounter. Nah, he didn't have the energy for that either. What if he stayed silent until Noi finished his milk and got bored and leave? No, he knew he needed to talk about this with someone. Even if that someone is Noi. So, he took a deep breath, held his hands together as they fidgeted with one another. His thumbs running circles around each other.

"You're half right," he stated, making Noi look up towards him as Ein's eyes were still glued to the ground. "The snow, and the howling of wolves. I've been seeing those and hearing those for about months. But the dark figure in the distance, and... the scream..." he paused "not quite."

He then continued as Noi was still gently sipping his milk. "They were in dreams, but... the dreams weren't much better. There was also more stuff in the dreams. People, I've seen. Places I haven't. And then-," he remembered his most recent occurrence save for this morning. His hands were trembling as he told, "A-A-Aphmau, s-s-she-."

His mind flickered back to the cliff. The body. Those eyes. The scream: "AARON!!!"

His breath became laboured and shaken. His eyes darting even more frequently. His hands trembling and the dreams. As if he saw the memories of someone he didn't know. His hands. They reaching up to his head. Through his hair. Gripping it. Pulling at his scalp as his body arched forward. Sinking deep into what it felt like to witness all that he had.

He then felt a delicate but firm hand placed on his shoulder. "Ein, I'm going to need you to take some deep breaths with me ok?"

Ein looked up towards see Noi already full of air and trying to hold it in. He followed. After four or five seconds, Noi released the trapped air. So did Ein. They repeated this action a few times until his body didn't look like it was about to pass out anymore. "Better?"

"A little bit," he muttered. Noi then turned his head, held his chin with his palm and crossed on leg over the other. "Have you tried speaking to anyone else about this?" Noi asked. Ein decided to shake his head slowly, still getting used to being in reality again.

"I know you might not like this, but I would go to Kim or Zane for help," just as Ein turned his head, held began again. "I know you think they won't want to help you, but I am going to go with you and make sure they at least give you a check up to see what might be going on," he reassured.

"Why are you helping me?" Ein uttered.

Noi had pondered this on his way here. Why was he doing this?

"Because it's the right thing to do," Noi smiled.

He then stood up, "Right then. Do you want to discuss when you would like to go before, during or after I wash this?" and gestured to the mug in hand.

* * *

It didn't take long for Ein to pack the items he needed. After all, it was just a check up.
All that was necessary was his trusty golden sword. He had enchanted it with a mending book to make sure it would last, for no particular reason.

Noi had called Zane and Kim an hour ago explaining the situation. From the way Noi was speaking into the phone, they weren't too thrilled about having to do this, but Kim seemed at the very least intrigued about the visions.

And with that, the two put on their coats and opened the front door. Noi stepped outside first with Ein still in the house. Shifting his weight from one foot to the other and his thumbs continuing their game of cat and mouse. "We don't have to do this today. We can go whenever you feel ready. If you want to I can call Zane and-,"

"No," said Ein. "I have to do this. Zane's just gonna have to deal with it." He took another deep breath and marched out the door. After he shut his front door, his fists balled. Not to strike.

They both walked side by side. Ein's hands burying themselves and hiding from the tension within his coat's pockets as Noi's demeanour remained friendly and welcoming.

Seeing the duo pass by, a certain other blue man ran over to greet them. "Ein!" he panted as they all stopped at the sight of Pierce.

"Are you ok? A few hours ago you were-."

"I'm fine Pierce, it's nothing," he started. "I've just been having some night terrors is all and they're kinda freaking out."

"Night terrors? Again? Why didn't you say something?? I could have brought plushies and blankets and hot cocoa-oh wait you're lactose intolerant- DANG IT!" Pierce exclaimed exasperated as his friend's eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Pierce, can you try and be a little bit quieter?" Noi advised, still trying to keep Ein at a steady emotional state.

"No it's fine, erm, thank you. Pierce," Ein smiled as his mind cleared somewhat the more time he was there. Too bad it wasn't to last.

"Hey Pierce! I need you over here!" Leif called from a ladder and struggled to hold the welcome banner up.

"Do you want me to stay with you or do you want Pierce to take you?" Noi asked curiously.

"Sure," Ein replied, shrugging his shoulders. "Pierce, do you wanna-."

"Yes! I can do that! Oh wait, but the banner-." the shepherd looked back.

The third replied with a, "Don't worry Pierce, I'll get it. You just stay with Ein ok?"

"Yes!" Pierce said in an almost military fashion as Noi ran over to help the others set up for the festival and the blue best friend continuing the journey.

"So, where are we going exactly?"

"Zane's house, he said that Kim and him will do something to try and make out what's causing the nightmares."

"Oook, is that what you saw this morning?"

"Yeah, but it was different."

"Well, Zane and Kim are some of the smartest people in town, save for us am I right?" Pierce chuckled nudging Ein in the arm causing him to smirk.

"I'm sure they'll figure out what's going on."

As they approached the end of their walk and spotted Zane's house at the end of the road, they stopped with Pierce saying, "Whelp, last chance to turn back."

"Nah," Ein replied. "That was at my house." He then started to walk to the modern looking house. Made of mainly black quartz, the house looked more like a science lab with the garden possessing a range of different inventions and effects and side effects given to them from various potions. Some patches of grass was normal, some were dead, some were blue and some were red. Some inventions were tall and some were short and some were almost microscopically small. See what I did there? I can be a poetic narrator if I wanted to Aaron!

The pair stood on the porch ready to knock on the iron door when someone on the inside pulled a lever that cause it to open. "Be lucky I'm feeling generous today," Zane scowled. "Now get in before you let all the warm air out."

Chapter Text

"Nice to see you too, Zane," Pierce cheered as
they both got inside before Zane could shut them out in the cold."Why you think science will solve some little 'bad dreams' is beyond my comprehension. You're lucky Noi is a very powerful speaker. I wonder why he doesn't leave the server and become a lawyer, he'd get a better house and a life away from all this madness," the scientist pondered as the blue best friends followed him closely into the house. "Don't you forget he asked both of us, Zane!" Kim called out as she carried a box of brightly glowing and coloured potions they would likely use. The bottles clanking together every step she took. "You're not taking all the credit this time."

"Hey, Kim?" Ein asked.

"Yeah? What?" Kim turned to him causing the bottles to clank once again. As Zane began to open the basement.

"What kinda potions are those?"

"Oh, don't worry. Only half of them are corrosive!" she grinned. Zane having finally opened the secret door with them all entering before him. "Don't touch anything!"

"Cawha??" he puzzled.

"Never mind," she gave up. "They're not for you any way," Kim scowled. "Zane wanted me to pick up some on my way for some little experiment he wants to do later," the potionist explained as they arrived in the sterile, almost glowing white room that had a variety of different inventions and machines on display. The metal hatch closing behind Pierce.

"But I swear if you waste these potions, I'm not making any more! It's already gonna take me ages to replace those potions you stole last night, Ein!"

"I'm telling you I didn't steal anything last night!" Ein tried to defend himself.

"Yeah, like how you didn't steal my animal-nator 3000 last week."

"I was borrowing it. There's a difference." Ein then looked away sheepishly.

"Which you then proceeded to lose to an explosion of creepers!" the scientist scolded. "I still don't have all the parts back!"

"Then maybe you should have a better security system!" Ein countered once more.

"I shouldn't need to when you-," Zane stopped himself before he bursted and started taking some deep breathes as he muttered under his breath, "You are doing this for Aph, you are doing this for Aph, you are doing this for Aph..."

Suddenly out of nowhere, "Hey guys!" Aphmau came downstairs with Aaron helping her get down the stairs. "Aph?" Pierce said. "How did you get down here?"

"Zane gave me the password to his basement," she replied nonchalantly as Aaron laid her crutches leaning again the wall next to where she was sitting, which was on a simple stool.

"Oh so she gets to have the password, but whenever I want to trade potions with you I get the cold shoulder because believe it or not people, me and Zane do trade resources but I have to leave them out in the open on his doorstep because he won't give me the fu-."

"Language," Zane interrupted which made Kim's head almost seem like a tea kettle. Ein swore he saw steam come out her ears and a fitting whistle-sound to go as her face turned beat red. As the potionist's face only slowly began to fade back to its original hue with the help of some calming words from her purple-styled friend.

Zane operated a machine that was close to the most uncomfortable bed Ein had ever had the disspleasure to lay his eyes on. It looked like two planks of smoothed over wood planks painted black and there were several straps that fitted to two arms, two legs, one for the stomach and one for the head. He was convinced it was a medival torture device somehow revamped to cause the most pain to Ein's body he'd ever experience. If it didn't kill him first. Above the headrest, there was some kind of invention that Ein could only assume was connected to the machine Zane was setting up. It was like a crown but make of metal and wires with circle spots at the ends. It's was like those science-fiction comics Pierce loved to read. Those were the only ones he tolerated.

"Hurry up then, on the table," Zane pointed to the death trap. "It's all set up on my end." Slowly, Ein sat on the table. Then pulled his feet up onto it. Then laid his head backwards at the pace of a snail. "Come on now we don't have all day!"

"Yeah! It won't bite. Much," the potionist giggled to herself. Zane then strapped Ein's limbs in the restraints. "Why do I have to have these on me again?"

"Because you're a sleepwalker, plus I'm not having a sleep-walking you destroying my lab! You already do enough when you're awake," the scientist turned back to his invention

"But I don't sleepwalk!"

"You know what?! I'm sick of the stuff you deny doing. If you're so dense, here's the proof! The proof you stole my forever potions!" Kim showed him the screen of a tablet.

"How many times do I have to tell you I didn't steal no- Is that me?" asked Ein as he saw himself stealing four green glowing potions from a desk. Constantly checking around him and testing the room for traps. It looked to be Kim's house as he'd been in there plenty of times, when he did steal her stuff. At least, when he remembered.

"No it's Lady Irene, of course it's you! You fucking-."

"Language!" Zane insisted.

"Oh suck my-." As Kim continued to use lued language-half to piss Zane off and half her natural bad mouth- Ein silently questioned how it was possible. You'd think if he acted that awake and aware he'd remember the encounter. "What even are forever potions?" Aphmau asked, tilting her head slightly. "It's in the name. Potions that last forever. I've read up on it in an old, dusty book. I'm surprised it wasn't devoured by moths. The thing looked ancient. I didn't even know where it was from. But once I'd taken a few notes, went to the ladies' room and came back, it was gone! Maybe something else Ein stole," Kim clenched her teeth.

"Now that's nonsense! Why would Ein want a book?" Pierce asked, almost chuckling at the idea.

"That's not the weirdest part! Some of the ingredients weren't even locally available, or near impossible to find! 'Powered moonstone', 'mermaid tears', 'mandrake roots'? Where the fuck am I supposed to get those?"

"Hey!" Zane shouted again.

"B!" Kim replied.

"So how did you make them?" Aaron asked.

"I installed a mod that would allow me to get them. I had to earn a crap ton of XP and I had to travel across several biomes just to get a couple of these items. It wasn't the best but it was the only one available!"

"That's why we didn't see you for a couple weeks!" Pierce snapped his fingers with his eyes lighting up.

Ein knew Pierce liked Kim. He'd know it for months. He overheard him and Noi talk about how they both had a crush on her. And he had a crush on Aphmau so, why did he want Pierce to look at him with those same, bright eyes? How dare Kim do this to him? How dare she steal his best friend?! You know what, he was glad he'd stolen those potions from her. He'll probably prank later aswell. She won't even notice her house being blown to smithereens. Actually, nah. Those are strictly reserved for Aphmau, Zane and Noi. They give the best reactions. He'll only cause a minor housefire. Besides, once the prank is pulled, he'll be over, whatever this is, by then anyway.

"Anyway, with the help of a dream-walking potion we'll know exactly what you're seeing in these nightmares of your's. Now was it the yellow one or the blue? Or is that the Hydrochloric Acid?" Kim search through her crate of potions, the clanking of bottles continued.

"And you're sure this will work?" Ein asked.

"In theory, yes. But I've never actually done an experimental study on it so, you'll be my guinea pig," the scientist lowered the crown-shaped machine-thingy to sit on Ein's head. "The potion will give us a pathway into your subconscious and we'll see the events that unfold on this screen here. Just don't be surprised if you feel a tiny electric shock that could stop your heart."

"What?"

"Nothing!" he smiled under his mask, "You'll probably be fine, unfortunately." Zane muttered the last part under his breath, but he'd always been a terrible whisperer.

"Drink this," Kim gave him a bottle that contain a sky-blue liquid. "I think it's the dream-walking potion. Or the liquid nitrogen, but either way we'll know if it works!"

There were a lot of unknowns. Zane and Kim were not being the most comforting pair. This whole ordeal made his limbs tense and coarse. The lights were blinding him as if he'd get to meet Lady Irene herself after this.

But aside from this, Pierce was holding his hand through the entire time they'd been at that crazy place. Whispering what they'd do after the check up: polish his gold, prank Aphmau which lead to a "I heard that!" and if he'd so chose, they could brush his sheeps' coats together and talk about their day. Even Aphmau and Aaron gave a thumbs up and wide smiles. All of which seemed to create a gentle half-smile across Ein's mouth.

And so with the reassurance, Ein put said mouth to the potion bottle's top and downed it.

"Huh, I don't feel any-," Ein started before his eyes immediately shut themselves and started snoring. His mouth hanging out comedically.

"Alright. Let's see what's 'spooking' this Neanderthal, as you called it Aaron," Zane sighed.

"Can you guys see this?" crackled an echoy voice from the machine which showed a vast pine forest covered in a blanket of white.

"Yes Ein. Can you hear us?" the scientist called out.

"Guys? Hello?"

"Yes Ein we can hear you-."

"I swear if this is some sort of sick joke I'll blow up all your houses when I wake up."

Before Zane could have an aneurysm and have a blood vessel rupture, Aph gently grabbed his arm.

"Err, guys? Now would be a very good time to reply right now!" the voice said again. As his panted breath became more apparent, the shaking screen revealed a dark figure in the distance behind a few trees. His illuminated eyes becoming more clear than the rest of the footage.

"Don't worry, Ein. I'm no threat to you," the figure spoke and stepped forward in to the light but still covered by the hood over their head.

"Who are you? Are the things I've been seeing your-."

"Our memories, yes. They are." The figure stepped closer.

"What do you mean?"

"You may not have experienced those memories, but surely you know somewhere in your mind who I am," they encircled Ein.

"Who are you? What do you want with me?"

"Ugh, please don't tell me I have to do this whole 'dramatic reveal' again, once you do it the first time, it just becomes the more boring as you repeat it."

"Who are you?! What do you want with me?!"

"Alright," the figure lifted their arms up but still speaking in a low tone. "Temper now." They slowly lowered their hood, "If you're going to be this dense..." to reveal two faded dark blue ears of a werewolf, "You could at least have some manners."

It couldn't be possible. It shouldn't be possible.

"Ein?" Aph's thoughts spun in a tornado of unanswered questions.

"You're... me?" said Ein.

"I'm a more, powerful version of you. One with strength and authority over those lesser than me," the other Ein encircled around him again. This time anti-clockwise. "At least, I did."

"Why are you here?"

"To take back what was stolen from me," the werewolf spat.

"Well, I certainly haven't stolen anything, from you at least, so I don't know why you're-."

"I'm not talking about you. Someone in my world took everything from me. And I want to repay the deed. I just need your help."

Although Ein could not hear the desperate cries of the waking world, his conscience was able to speak for them. "What's in it for me?"

"I am the only one that can give the thing you desire most."

"What does he mean?" Kim asked.

"What's going on Zane?" Aphmau's voice heightened.

"I don't know! I don't know how this is happening! This shouldn't be happening!"

"What do you mean?" Pierce said, still holding Ein's sand in the physical world. His mouth was now closed and his brows had begun to furrow.

"Dreams aren't supposed to manifest into sentient beings."

"But this could just be a dream, right? Like you said?" said Aphmau.

"Just looking at the stats on the screen, the presence of magic, intelligent entites, slight readings of ectoplasm. This 'dream' of Ein's has sent everything off the charts! No mere dream can do that."

"So what is it?" Aaron chimed in.

"I don't know." Zane's eyes widened as his pupils started to shrink.

Ein pondered this other him's proposal.

"And what is it that I want?"

"You already know, and all you need to do is shake my hand."

The werewolf then took out his right hand from behind his back.

Should he really be doing this? Making a deal with some creepy version of him to release this dude. After all, his parents had told him not to make deals with strangers. But, he really did desire something. And it was him, right? He could trust himself right? He always has done.

Once again the screams of terror, swears, threats and pleading had not reached Ein.

As the footage showed a right hand at the bottom right almost meet the one in the top left, the screen had gone to static, following after would be a spark that lead to the machine starting to smoke and Zane crying in panic.

Ein's body was violently shaking as if he were in the Exorcist, so much that the restraints were snapping and breaking under the pressure and force. Then suddenly lay still as a dead body.

There was silence.

"Well that was anti clima-."

Before Aaron could finish, the navy-dressed man's eyes and mouth opened but were glowing bright green. Three green beams of light from all features mentioned, shot up out of through and wrecked the ceiling with so much force it caused gusts of wind pushing every person in the room to the walls of the basement."My house!" Zane shrieked, still up against the wall.

"You think your house is the thing we need to worry about here?!" Kim shouted.

When the light show had finally ceased, Ein's awakened body rose into a sitting position and begin to heavily cough. Pierce leaned over and put a hand on his best friend's back. As he pondered whether to perform the Heimlich maneuver, his stomach had so sunken and low, but rose into his throat at the same time.

"What in the name of Irene possessed you to do that Ein?!" Zane screamed.

"I just-." Before Ein could finish, a lightning strike streaked across the sky and cackling from outside.

"The others. They're still outside. I'll be back in a minute," Aph said before Aaron grabbed her arm.

"Are you kidding?! You want to go out there?! In your condition?!"

"I have to make sure they're ok Aaron. I can't just leave everyone else to fend for themselves against, that!" she explained gesturing to the machine that was now smoking. "You would do the same thing for me, right?"

"Of course I would, but in the state you're in? You can barely stand!"

"I still have to protect my friends, Aaron! Our friends!" Aphmau protested, stabling herself using her crutches.

"How about this," Aaron sighed. "You go home to grab a healing potion and grab your bow to help when you won't be in danger?"

"Why not take one from here? Or Kim?" Zane asked.

"Cause whatever that thing was, was amplified by that dream-seeking potion stuff and I don't trust it."

"It's called dream-walking potion! And since when did I say my potions are up for grabs, Zane?!" Kim corrected. And with that, Aph finally settled for the compromise.

"Alright," Aphmau sighed. "You bring your sword?" He took out a netherite sword. "We'll be back in a bit guys," Aphmau and Aaron went up the stairs of the basement. Leaving Zane, Kim, Pierce and Ein still in the room.

"I ask the question again," Zane's voice quietened a little while he pinched his nose. "What in the name of Irene possessed you, to make a deal with whatever the Hell that was?!!" Before he shrieked a both his hands were ready to strangle him, Ein retreated with his back towards Pierce as if to say 'Save me Pierce! Save me from the mad scientist!'

"And what was that bullshit about 'what you desire most'! What, not enough chaos for you?" Kim asked."More stupid gold? Bigger house so you could pretend you're better than everyone else?"

"As delightful as those suggestions are, they're not it," Ein replied by looking away, frowning and blushing.

"So what then? Endless control of the server? People bowing at your presence and kissing your feet? To be a make-shift King?!" Zane continued.

To everyone's terror, they heard someone cackle. It was an insane type of cackle. Worse than a witch's. Worse than an illager.

The sound of a maddened werewolf.

Chapter Text

Aaron, sword in hand, scouted the surrounding area through the windows of Zane's house and it was... normal? Nothing seemed to have changed physically. Noi, Mac, Rhys and Leif were setting up for a Winterfest while Gene, Ivy and Michi were huddling together, as they usually did.

"It looks safe," he started. "Do you have any ender pearls?" he turned back to his girlfriend.

"Sure do!" Aph exclaimed. "I only have two though."

"Then use the second one in emer-."

"I know how ender pearls work, Aaron," she deadpanned. " I'm not that helpless."

"I know. It's just, something feels odd. I don't see any sight of what ever the heck that thing was down there, up here."

"Maybe it's just a mob? A server glitch? It was messing up Zane's screen."

"Maybe," Aaron thought. He then slowly opened the door to check further as he peaked his head out the the gap. "The coast is clear."

"Ok, just let me get a good aim..." the purple woman stuck her tongue out as she pulled her arm back with the ender pearl in hand. "Aaannd, launch!"

The stone soared though the air, towards Aphmau's house and hitting the wall near her door. There, she picked up her crutches, and quickly hobbled into the house.

When he walked out of the house to make sure she got there safe, he felt the hairs on the back of his neck tingle. "Well, well, well," a voice cackled behind Aaron. "It's been such a long time. I can't seem to die now, can I?" the voice muttered under his breath as Aaron clenched his sword to turn to face the figure.

* * *

"Oh great! That sounds like a completely sane person! Wanting to do no harm!" Zane yelled.

"Would you stop yelling at me for one second?!" Ein complained.

"After the stunt you just pulled?!" he gestured to the broken invention. "You're lucky I'm not tearing you apart!"

"Zane! That's enough!" Pierce shouted back at the scientist.

"Oh so now you're taking his side?! You bumbling baffoon! He's only using you because of your strength and lack of critical thinking skills!" Zane scoffed causing even Kim to flinch.

"Hey! You're problem's with me! So leave Pierce outta this!" he defended.

"He needs to know the truth! You're not his actual friend, Pierce. You're just a tool!" Zane silenced the room causing Pierce to tear up and his lips to form a single line. Looked to Ein and walked quietly back up the stairs.

"Pierce! Bud!" Ein called out to his shepherd but was unheard. He then turned to the scientist once again, "Thanks alot bastard!" Running up the stairs after Pierce leaving only Kim and Zane.

"Zane, that was a bit much. Don't you think?" Her eyes furrowed as she spoke.

"The truth hurts doesn't it?" Zane rolled his eyes as he went back to fix his machine. Kim silently turning her head towards the stairs out of the basement.

Pierce's legs took him straight to the bathroom and locked himself as he sank to the floor. Breathing became difficult. Tears streamed down from his eyes. Knees to his chest and hugging himself so tight he might have broken a rib.

Exhaustion hit Ein like a truck. Either he was horribly out of shape or recovering from the potion's effects. Quiet sobs were heard from a door to his left, he thinks...? It doesn't matter. He walked towards the shut door and called out,"Pierce? You there?"

"Pierce isn't here, he's in Sheeptown," a sobbing voice came from the other side.

"Hey don't believe any of that bullshit Zane said ok? He doesn't know crap!" Ein clenched his fists and his voice became slightly bitter but not aimed at the crying shepherd. "Pierce?"

"Yeah?" he answered.

"Can I come in?"

The door then opened to a Pierce who's face was drenched in tears that came from bloodshot eyes.

Ein then came in and sat with Pierce on the floor, one knee to his chest where his arm of the same side rested and the other laid flat on the marble floor.

"I never believed what he said," Pierce sighed.

"Then what's got ya all upset?" Ein asked.

It took a few seconds for Pierce to answer before he stuttered, "I'm, used to people, usi-."

Before Pierce could finish, the commotion outside could be heard from where they were sat.

"Get behind me," Pierce stood as his tone changed.

"I can defend myself you know-."

Before Ein could finish, the groan of a certain man with a red jacket was heard. Making Ein jump back behind Pierce.

"Never said you couldn't," the Shepard spoke.

Slowly, the two approached the iron door.

Pierce carefully reached for the lever.

Pulled it down.

Stepped outside and looked down the street to find the werewolf with his back towards them and kneeling down towards an injured Aaron. His own neterite sword in his shoulder.

The werewolf caught attention of the two as the door opened and grinned. "Like the sight?" he cackled. "Isn't it so satisfying to see him in such a pathetic state?"

"What? Who-? How-?" Ein stuttered.

"I can see this is an overwhelming experience for you, Ein. The omnipotent Aaron Lycan groaning on the floor in agony," he stepped towards them. "Bet it's unbelievable huh?" he laid an arm around Ein's stiff shoulder to Pierce's and Pierce's sharp head turn and wide eyes.

"Bet you thought he was invincible. Bet you thought you could never beat him, so I did it for you. Sorry to steal your thunder, but this has been really therapeutic for me," he smiled as his blood thirst increased by the second; making Ein stumble backwards away from the scene by a couple steps. Knees trembling. Pierce standing in front of him. "I know it's hard to believe, Ein. But I'm here to help you now. I'll even let you have-."

"This isn't what I wanted!" Ein stared horrified. "This isn't what I wanted at all! Everyone's gonna hate me for this!"

"Oh Ein, Ein, Ein. Why bother trying to make them like you the hard way when you can just-."

(Where the first song starts)

"Hey!" I voice called from the top of the hill behind the houses. "You leave them alone!" Aphmau was leaning on one of her crutches with a bow in her other hand. "Let my boyfriend go!"

"Aph!" Aaron groaned in terror. "Run!"

"Ahh~, Aphmau! I was hoping when you would show up," the other Ein stated. "How about you come down here and we can talk, like old times," he grinned spreading his arms.

The purple figure then hopped back down the hill until she disappeared from sight.

Before jumping off the cliff and gliding using an elytra and using fireworks to push herself forward. She circled the group as she took out her bow and started shooting at the werewolf.

Arrows darting all around where he stood. Some too close for his liking. Green lasers then shot from his hands and aimed for Aph. Everyone's cries being so loud even Kim and Zane could hear.

Out of nowhere, one of the lasers shot through one of the wings of the elytra as she plummeted to the ground. "Aphmau!" all three men cried out. Aaron still grasping his shoulder. Pierce running to try and catch her. Ein standing with eyes wide open and mouth hanging open slightly.

Because of Aph had taken a slow falling potion beforehand, the fall wasn't quite as damaging. However, her joints still ached from the crash.

They were now in an open field, which was close by to the Hub, where the others were setting up for the festival. This also caused them to see the battle commencing causing them to run towards the crash site.

The werewolf approached the injured Aphmau with a wrong kind of excitement about him. His yellow teeth gleamed as he grinned. His hair more chaotic than Ein's hair could ever get. Large circles of black under his eyes. Tiny scars scattered across his body. His eyes cold and unfeeling. His clothing ripped, torn and ancient. The stripe in his hair faded and grey.

She pulled out her shield in front of her. "Ah ha!"

Her face quickly dropping as the laser hands blasted through it.

"Let's cut to the chase, shall we?" his eyes widened desperately and as his arm readied to throw a green glowing potion at the purple-styled woman, who flinched before Aaron tackled him. Causing the potion to just miss hitting his girlfriend.

"MY POTION!!" the werewolf bared his teeth.

"Don't... you... dare touch her!" Aaron panted as his shoulder pulsed with blood causing him to collapse.

"Aaron!" Aphmau cried as she held her lover close and used the red bandana he always carried to put pressure on his shoulder. It was by now that Ein and Pierce caught up with Kim and Zane tagging behind. "What the heck is happening?" Kim asked frantically.

(First song stops here at 57 seconds)

"Aaron was stabbed in the shoulder with his sword, Aph was shot out of the sky and was nearly hit with an ominous looking potion and now Aaron's collapsed from his injuries-," Pierce panted after he quickly explained the situation.

"Hey! Who do you think you are coming onto our server and hurting our friends?!" Zane exclaimed loudly and pointing at the werewolf.

(Second song starts playing here)

"Don't you disrespect me little man!" he quickly turned with his fists balled. "Don't you derogate, or deride."

"You're in my world now not your world," he turned to the right and put his hands behind his back as he walked further up the hill.

"And I've got friends," he turned his face to Ein. "On the other side," he pulled out another green potion from under his cloak.

"I've got friends on the other SIDE!!" He cackled menacingly as the cork from the top of the bottle was flicked open and turned around his entire body as the contents of the potion rose into the air with the arm that was holding the potion. The potion covered the sunset orange sky in a dark green cloud that could be seen for miles. The might of the potion's release also caused the ground to quake and sound-barrier-breaking thunder and lighting to be noticed.

Ein and Pierce were then pulled by green smoky magic towards the werewolf, where a surface resembling a table stood.

"Sit down at my table," the werewolf snuck behind them and grabbed Ein's right shoulder and Pierce's left and forced them down into chairs which they weren't made aware were there in the first place.

"Put your minds at ease," he leaned over Pierce's right shoulder making Pierce trying to back away but was restrained from doing so as his legs and arms were strapped to the chair by that emerald coloured magic stuff.

"If you relax it will enable me to do," he repeated his action with Ein's left shoulder with Ein being in the same state and Pierce.

"Anything I please." He then began to circle back to the other side of the table.

"I can read your future," a jade coloured flame burned in his right hand as he approach the middle of the table.

"Change and 'round some too." The flame then spun in his hand and around him with his body spinning in the same direction as he stood in the middle of the two now but on the opposite end of the magical furniture.

"I look deep into your heart and soul," he slammed both his hands on the table and causing Ein and Pierce to shrink in their forced seats.

"Make your wildest dreams come true," he then took a step back and spread his arms out.

"I got potions," he began to list as a green coloured potion appeared in his right hand. "I got magic," his head turned but still focused on the blue best friends as his right arm fell to his side and his left was half raised with some green glowing magic in its palm. "I got things I haven't even tried!" he belted with his hands at 270 degree angle in the air as grass coloured flames arose from behind him.

"And I got friends on the other side," he then enclosed himself again with his right arm behind his back and his left whispering to the friends.

"THE CARDS!" he bellowed. "THE CARDS, THE CARDS WILL TELL!!" It was almost like an echo as an emerald barrier rained down from the sky and surrounded everyone. Zane tried to touch it but felt a stinging burn after. Leading to him hissing in pain and holding the injured appendage.

"THE PAST, THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE AS WELL!!" A crack in the ground grew into a giant chasm separated Ein, the other Ein and Pierce from everyone else.

"THE CARDS, THE CARDS. Just, take, three," he commanded as six cards appeared infront of the boys. Three for both. "Take a little trip into your future with me!" They then flew into the werewolf's right hand and spread them across the table. The cards then burst into flames as figures of both Ein and Pierce appeared in the flames.

"Now you young men are from across the lands, you come from two long paths of shadowed pasts." As the werewolf said this, Pierce flinched.

The other Ein then points at his counterpart. "Your lifestyle's high!" He raised his arm into the air as Ein was released from his seat and stood. "But your fun is low." He then circled round and grabbed his shoulders from behind him, "You need to get that girl," he grabbed Ein's face tightly to face Aphmau still holding Aaron. "Your heart she stole." To this, her eyes widen. Aaron sits back up infront of her.

"Ein? Do you have-."

"Feelings for you? Sure does! Like every other Ein in the multiverse!" he emphasised the last sentence.

"Aph, I-," Ein tried to answer but was cut off his arm was pulled around to face the other Ein. They may have been the same height but for some reason, Ein felt himself downsize.

"But that love won't come naturally boy. You just want her to be your's and damn the consequences!" the other Ein swatted his left arm causing Ein to reverse. "Now that, takes green!"

Both their eyes widen and the werewolf's teeth become revealed in his sinister smile as he took out an emerald. But this was no ordinary emerald. It was glowing and filled with magic.

"It's the green! It's the green! It's the green you need!" he starts pulling more magical emeralds and places them on the table as jade smoke swirls behind him.

"And when I look into your future," he steps to the right to reveal a vision of Aphmau smiling happily, with those same eyes, in that same dress.

That same Irene damned dress.

Now the whole of her held a greenish tint to it and her eyes glowed more than ever. "It's the green that I see." The illusion stepped forward towards the horrified Ein and held out her arms to embrace him as she flew towards him dissipating in lot green smoke as Ein coughed.

The other Ein then appeared in front of Pierce, who was set free of his restraints as well. "Now you little man I don't wanna waste much time," he put his hand on his heart and his expression tried to look innocent.

"You've been pushed round all your life!" His sinister smile returned pushed Pierce backwards with just one arm. This caused him to stumble a bit, but still managed to stand. Ein tried to assist his friend but was chained to the floor in that same green smoke.

Three images appeared surrounding Pierce. Two of them looking like Leif on Pierce's right, Rhys on his left and then the one at the back looking unrecognisable but noticeably tall. Taller than Pierce.

"You've been pushed round by brother," the image of Leif shoved him two arms. "To brother," Rhys repeating the action. "To brother." The image behind him then repeated the action a third time.

"And if you were married," an image smaller than Pierce but still not visible to Ein appeared in front of him. "You'd be pushed round by your love!" The figure then pushed him a final time backwards into the clutches of the werewolf, who held him by his upper arms.

"But in your future, the you I see," he sang as he held up a green potion bottle to Pierce's gaze. "Is exactly the man you've always wanted to be." Inside the liquid was another vision but this one was of Pierce holding that sword. And looking behind him to face the real Pierce with cold eyes.

The werewolf then disappeared from behind Pierce and was now in front of him and Ein holding out his left hand to shake and the other kept behind his back. "Shake my hand." Both of the friends froze.

"Come on boys," he was now gesturing to the both of them. "Won't you shake a poor werewolf's paw?" His face attempted to turn innocently.

(Music pauses here)

Ein hesitated again. He did love Aphmau, but would it all be worth it if he knew, deep down it was a lie? And should he trust this other him again if he's willing to hurt others? Of course he had hurt others as well but it didn't last long! They were always able to heal quickly, die quickly, respawn and rebuild as long as they stayed on the server. If he looked at Aaron, he was not healing as he should be.

Pierce saw the werewolf eyeing his best friend, who was staring down at the ground. His mind completely in another world. Something green was glowing from the other Ein's back.

He pushed Ein out the way.

He took the hit.

He took the potion.

Ein fell on his butt as Pierce forced himself into the line of fire, but soon steadily got to his feet.

At first nothing changed.

Pierce groaned. His eyes shut tight. His head fell into his hands as his feet took a couple short steps back. Even the other Ein looked surprised. Did he not know the effects of the potion?

Then Pierce stood up straight. His arms fell by his sides. His eyes opened.

Green.

Ein's face tore itself apart. He must have over slept. He must be still in Zane's torture device. This was just another nightmare. Just another fucking nightmare!

"I'll give you one last chance Ein." The werewolf spoke. "Join me, or endure what comes next." His hands were held behind my back once again.

"Pierce?" Ein whimpered as he reached out for him slowly. His hand shook like a day in the snow. Even though flurries had began to form, he doubted it was the cold causing him to react this way.

"Three," Ein felt his friend's cheek.

"Two," Pierce leaned into the embrace, closed his eyes and held the back of the hand in his.

"One."

Pierce's eyes shot open. His brows furrowed and gripped Ein's arm with the same hand, flipped him upside down causing him to hit the ground back first.

Ein's groans were unheard by the shepherd. For he was a shepherd no more.

(Music starts resumes here)

"Yeah~!!" The werewolf began to sing again.

"Are you ready!" He threw a potion at Zane, whom dodged out the way thanks to Kim, who was less fortunate.

"Are you ready!" Another potion was thrown. This time at Gene however it could have hit either him or Ivy due to the bad aim, but both were saved by a purple-haired meifwa.

"Are you, ready?!" he turned back to the two. The navy one being betrayingly beaten by his best friend.

Bruise after bruise.

"Transformation central!" Zane and Kawaii Chan ran to Kim.

"What's happening?" Aphmau questioned. "Why isn't he fighting back?"

Kick after kick.

"Transformation central!" Gene and Ivy turned to Michi in horror.

"Come on Ein," she murmured

Hit after hit after hit.

"Transformation central!"

"Come on Ein!" she restated louder. Fight back!"

Even when his consciousness started to fade, Ein refused to fight back. Pierce now held Ein's neck as his body dangled off the ground weakly. Slowly increasing his grip force.

"EIN!" she shrieked. "FIGHT BACK!!" She now stood on her own two feet despite the pain from the crash earlier. Tears streaming down both her cheeks.

The navy coloured man's face was splattered black and blue. Blood ran from both his nostrils and his bottom lip. "Can you feel it!"

Leif, Rhys and Noi all watched. Sick to their stomachs.

"P-please... Pierce," Ein mumbled.

"You're changing!"

Noi ran to his remaining best friend and jumped in front of the yellow-styled Mac.

"You're changing!"

"Please," he gasped a short breath.

Leif and Rhys ran to assist but were held back by Kim and Michi holding onto them. "You're not going any where," Kim stated.

"You're changing alright!"

"F-fight... it," his voice becoming more silent.

"I hope you're satisfied," the werewolf then walked towards the choking Ein.

"But if you're not, don't blame me," the other Ein's voice quietened hand on his chest again.

Leif teleported out of Michi's grasp and pried Rhys free from Kim.

"You can blame my friends..."

A voice called to Aphmau.

"Touch the barrier."

"On the other..."

"Hurry! Now!"

(Music stops here at 3 mins and 46 secs)

Aphmau obeyed and reached out her right hand to reach the emerald barrier. Yellow and purple swirling lights appeared from her hands. The barrier seemed to also be influenced as whatever it was she was doing, it was penetrating it. Aaron then noticed her eyes glowed white and her hair flew as if in a hurricane. On the back of her jacket, lines came together and looked like small white wings.

"Aph?" he called to her, but Aphmau was too entranced. "Aph!" She couldn't pull away. "Aphmau!" She had to do this.

Soon enough, yellow cracks appeared all around the barrier to the point even the other Ein saw the damage to his wall. "WHAT?!"

Leif and Rhys teleported beside Ein and Pierce and just about managed to pry Pierce's hand from Ein's neck, who started to cough once again and held his neck.

The barrier shattered.

The sky was still entrapped in a green smog-cloud above but there was no sign of a barrier ever existing.

Aphmau's body faltered. Her eyes ceased to glow. Her hair fell back onto herself and continuing to obey gravity. The wings on her back disappeared. Her legs collapsed under their own weight. She would have fallen if Aaron didn't catch her. "I'm... fine," her voice stammered almost as much as her body did.

Ein scanned the area to where the source of the damage originated.

"Quick! We don't have much time!" Rhys hurried.

"Take my last ender pearl," Aphmau gave him the pearl.

"Not there," the werewolf murmured to himself as he looked forward.

"Leif! Hand me an ender pearl!" Rhys commanded.

"I'm a little busy here!" Leif pointed out as he was quickly teleporting every which way to dodge Pierce's blows.

"What? No! I'm not leaving you here!" Aaron refused.

"Not there either." Every word of the other Ein growing more impatient.

"I have to fight!" Aphmau argued.

"Oh no you don't!" The werewolf gazed down on his right the red and purple figures. He had them in the palm of his hand, which he raised.

"Where are my ender pearls?!" Rhys checked his pockets swiftly.

"For our friends!" Aph still pleading as she tried to stand on her own. She grabbed the collar of his jacket and kissed his lips desperately.

"I will not be defeated," the werewolf declared as his hand began to glow. Ein's heart stopped.

"I love you, Aaron." Tears appeared in the corners of her eyes, but smiling.

"Not again-." The other Ein was interrupted when the alternate him grasped his shoulder with all his might, spun him around and used the remaining force he had left to kick the werewolf where it hurt the most. He clutched his lower region as he faced the injured Ein. Tired and sore.

Aaron snapped out of his daze from the kiss as he now held the ender pearl with Aphmau already running off.

He grabbed her by the arm.

"Sorry Aph," Aaron started as she struggled. "But I can let you do that."

Aaron threw the ender pearl into the forest behind him with enough force to win a hundred prizes at those strength games at carnivals.

When the werewolf peered behind himself, the couple had vanished.

His body twisted 180!as his eyes skimmed over the area

"You cost me my vengeance," he growled.

"Ah ha!" Rhys pulled out an ender pearl from his back trouser pocket.

Zane and Kawaii Chan ran over to Kim and pleaded her to look at them, say something, do anything!

"Now I will make sure, you will regret it..."

Ivy and Gene shook Michi in an attempt to wake her. Gene suggested they punch her back to wake her, but Ivy denied.

"Leif! Now!" Rhys called out to the teleporting man.

"For the rest of your pathetic..."

Leif appeared before Rhys and grabbing Ein's wrist, who was quickly becoming confused.

"Little..."

Rhys held Leif's shoulder while Leif was holding onto Ein by the torso. "Pierce! Wait we have to get Pierce!" he struggled as much as he could.

"Life."

"No time like the present! Rhys launched the ender pearl into the forest behind them.

Pierce stared at Ein, emotionless and cold.

"PIERCE!!!"

A blast of green energy was shot in their direction.

It was too late.

They were gone.

Chapter Text

"Kim!" Kawaii Chan cried; running after her and grabbing her friend's arm. "Kim wait!"

"Why should I take orders from you, Cat?" Kim pulled her arm away from the pink-haired meifwa.

"Kim, this isn't you! That other Ein-."

Kim cackled at this. "You think you know what I'm like? You're the definition of a 'Cute girl' stereotype. If you can read people, then I can read minds."

"Kim stop it! You're hurting KC!" Zane called out to her and stepping in front of his friend.

"Oh no! Your crush got her feewings hurt! Wah! Wah! Wah!" Kim turned her body to face them and mocked them while making crying gestures. "As if you care how anyone feels! You only pay attention when it affects you!" she pointed.

"That's not true!" he defended.

"Really? What did you say to Pierce earlier then? Hmm? Didn't he run off in tears afterwards?"

Kawaii Chan looked to Zane. Her brows pushed themselves together.

"I told him the truth!"

"Why would he need Pierce when he has such a talent for getting out of sticky situations and a knack for making TNT?!" Kim questioned as Zane stood silently.

"Zane?" Kawaii-Chan started. "What happened down there?"

"Oh nothing!" the witch held her hands behind her back and bowed slightly before turning on them with only her right eye facing them. "Just the end of your happy ever after."

Kim sprinted towards the chasm with Michi beside her.

The werewolf stood. Shocked to euphemistically describe his emotions. Pierce took a step forward to him.

Smack!

"How could you let them get away!" Ein scratched his face. Three claw marks. Blood seeped from the wounds. Pierce didn't move. "You're lucky I didn't go for your eye," he spat. "You useless excuse for a soldier!"

"Brother!" Michi called as she knelt at the ground. Kim threw a potion, which hit the wall of the ravine and causing some rocks to grow from it; forming a bridge.

"Come! We still have work to do," Ein commanded as he almost strutted along the bridge, while the silent cyan soldier marched behind.

"You!" he pointed at Kim. "Did you throw that potion?"

"I did brother," she answered.

"Huh, interesting," he mumbled. "Thought Lucinda was more into potions and magic, but no matter! I hope you'll make a more useful addition." He scowled at Pierce.

"You!" he turned to Michi.

"Yes brother?" she spoke still kneeling.

"Stand already would you?!"

"Of course brother!" she obeyed. "Sorry brother."

"'Your deepest apologies' you mean?"

"My sincere, deepest apologies brother."

"Still pathetic, as usual," his disgusted face turned away from her. Michi didn't even flinch.

"Ooh, this feels good to be back!" he rubbed his hands together and then looked at the remaining crowd. "All of you!" he called to the three.

"Yes brother!" the girls replied. Pierce only grunted in a low pitch.

"Take all of them as prisoners."

Mac ran first. Noi quickly followed.

Gene tried to escape while Ivy stood still. Michi tackled her as Kim used a slime potion to stick Gene in his place. The same was done to Ivy.

Zane spread his arms out and shielded the pink haired meifwa. Only to be met with a punch to the gut by Pierce and a kick to his nether region. As Zane crumpled to the ground; cradling his lower half, Kawaii Chan's eyes widened. Her ear pinned back and tail curled around one of her legs.

The scientist was slowly pummelled until he didn't have the strength to defend himself. He knelt as his hands were kept behind his back with one hand and one on his shoulder to keep him on the ground. Bruises plastered all over his face. Even his good eye. Blood rushing from his nose. His shadow coloured mask almost completely torn off.

"Kim," Ein started.

"KC..." Zane murmured through his pain.

"Yes brother?" she grinned excitedly at the meifwa.

"Take care of Kawaii Chan for me."

"Kawaii...Chan."

"With pleasure!" Kim cracked her knuckles.

Kawaii Chan bolted into the tree with Kim following after her.

"KAWAII CHAN!!" Zane managed to scream before coughing up blood. The splats of crimson tainted the grass beneath him.

"You." Ein's head turned to Michi.

"Yes brother?"

"Follow Aaron and Aphmau. Find them," he scowled.

"Of course brother," Michi ran into the direction her targets were headed.

* * *

Aaron and Aphmau appeared somewhere surrounded by spruce trees.

(Music starts playing here)

Aphmau broke free from Aaron's arms, but he still managed to grab her by the wrist. "Let me go! Let me go! Let me go!" she wept.

"Aph! We can't! Not now!" Aaron tried to reason with her.

"But I have to! I have to go back! I have to save them!" Aphmau sobbed.

Aaron then pulled her closer towards him and grabbed her by the shoulders. "I'm sorry Aph. But we can't go back just yet," his face softened. "Not until we make a plan."

"But we have to go back. I have to go back. I have to go back for them," she repeated. "Zane, KC, Kim-."

"That other Ein would have made you like Kim! I would have lost you. Everyone would have lost you."

"But I have to save them. That who I am! I have to. I have to," the purple-dressed woman shivered as she cried.

"Even heroes need their rest," Aaron spoke softly as he cupped her right cheek. "Even heroes know when to make a plan before charging into things."

"Says the one who literally charged into danger!" Aphmau half smiled through her rivers of tears. Referencing the bandana still tied to his shoulder and the colour of the garment making it unclear whether the blood soaked it through or not. "Why in Irene did you even do that Aaron? Your arm is probably still bleeding!" she asked as she put her right hand on the one that caressed her face.

"To keep you safe," he added. "And to continue to keep you safe, we can't go back to the Hub right now."

Her face fell. Her body collapsed to the ground. Her palms catching her eyes as she sobbed. Aaron holding her close.

* * *

"Here Kitty, Kitty, Kitty!" Kim called. A sleeping potion within her grip. "Come to Kimberly!"

Kawaii Chan sat high on a branch in a tree at least 10 metres from the ground below. The leaves shielded her from the unfocused eyes of her hunters. Her hands clasped to her mouth. Her pink and black nails threatening to sharpen into claws. Her ears twitched every which way to pinpoint Kim's location. Her tail was now wrapped around both her legs, which were held against her chest. Silent tears ran from their place of origin. She stared at the sky. Praying to Irene.

"Come on, Kitty! Where are you?"

* * *

Mac's legs carried her a couple miles through the forest. Once she thought it was safe, she stopped and rested her back against a birch tree. Noi came running after her. His panted breath making it hard to miss him.

He also rested himself against a birch tree. As his breath became more laboured, he tried to control it: deep breath in, hold, deep breath out, hold, repeat. He did this until he couldn't keep track any longer. Eventually, his breath became deeper and slower, but Mac could see the fear didn't leave his eyes.

"Noi?" she asked. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah," he sighed; putting a hand on his heavy chest. "I think so."

"Noi?" she looked up at him again despite them being the same height. "What going to happen? What is happening?"

"I don't know." His eyes looked at hers. "I'm sorry Mac," he whimpered. Tears collected in the corners of his eyelids.

"Hey," she threw her arms around and hugged him. "We'll find a way back. We'll find a way to save everyone."

Noi sniffed the despair back up his nose, "You really think so?" His arms now held Mac as well.

"We have to try," she whispered over his shoulder.

* * *

Zane sat on the cold, stone ground of his own prison cell. In his own house. I would have described it as a home had it not been for the invaders currently occupying the building, or rather the invader and his mind-controlled minion soon to be minions once the other two returned. Irene he hoped they didn't return.

His hands were chained to the wall. His mask had been torn from him to reveal his freckles, which were painted over with the several bruises on his face. Both of his eyes displaying injuries despite only one being able to see through.

An imposing voice came from upstairs, "Bring Ivy and Gene into the living room. Make them wait there until I'm ready to see them."

A certain cyan soldier answered with another grunt as the sound of people being brought to another part of the house were heard, but only footsteps. No dragging of bodies or words of resistance.

The voice then came down the stairs and stared at Zane through the darkness.

"Hello again, Zane."

"What do you want with me?" he questioned weakly.

"You know Zane, this is quite ironic for me," the figure walked across where the bars of the cell were; letting his fingers run over them making a clang with every touch.

"I once watched you imprison someone you must have cared for deeply, in a cell just like this one. And here you are," he stopped and turned his head to face Zane once more. "Although I assume your relationship was, complicated to say the least."

"What are you talking about?"

"My world and your's weren't always so different. Were they?" he started. "You went to Phoenix Drop High, made friends with Aphmau, etcetera."

"Then what changed?" Zane's head tilted.

"I suppose I decided I would've wasted my time waiting around for her to come to me."

"What?" Zane's eyes squinted.

"She has always been mine. And she always will be," he put left hand to his chest. "She just doesn't realise it yet. And neither do you," his hands returned at his sides.

"You're insane! Aphmau will never-."

"Of course she will!" the werewolf grabbed both the bars with his fists. His claws revealed themselves "I'll make her love me! Whether you like it or not!"

"And what if that doesn't work? You can't just expect your potions to work out as well as they have all the time. You need a back up plan!" Zane explained.

"What do you think I have you for?" the werewolf cackled as he walked back up the stairs. Zane's screams of terror delighting him to no end.

Soon enough he reached the surface. Remains of highly corrosive substances lining the area where a basement hatch used to exist.

He then turned right into the living room, where his soldier was guarding the door way, who stepped to the left to allow Ein into the room. The room where Gene and Ivy were sat on the sofa. No restraints. No shackles. No chains. No potions.

"I'm glad you two have made yourselves comfy," he grinned showing his teeth. "All I want us to do is for us to have a little chat. That's all," he sat on the arm chair that was placed in the space between and in front of the two. His arms splayed on the rests of the seat as he watched them.

"What were you talking about when you mentioned this 'deal'?" Gene asked while using quotation gestures.

"I can give you what you want," he started. "If you work for me."

"Are you kidding? I don't want to touch any of that disgusting potion!" Ivy replied.

"No potions will be involved. You can have your friend back, if you willingly work for me."

A pause was present in the room as the pair thought.

"I'm listening," Gene answered cautiously.

"I think we're all going to be great friends," he cackled once more.

Gene and Ivy looked at each other. Then at Ein. "So, does that mean I have to friend you on BlockFace or...?"

* * *

The figures of Rhys, Leif and Ein appeared in an area covered in taiga trees and snow. Leif still holding onto Ein by his torso until Rhys gave him the all clear.

"What, the FUCK, was that!" Ein's bruised face turned to face the two. His fury bursting at the seams.

"We had to Ein," Rhys told him.

"Look at yourself! He was gonna kill you!" Leif gestured towards the direction of the Hub.

"I don't fucking care!" he wiped his extremely bloody nose with his arm. "We left him behind! We left Pierce back with that maniac! Who knows what he's put him through already," Ein grabbed his blue streak and pulled it.

"So you'd rather him kill you than make a tactical retreat and make a plan before jumping into danger?"

"Oh please I would have respawned anyway," Ein countered before he stumbled due to his plum looking knees.

"You can't choke someone here! You can't bruise someone either! The nature of the server won't let you!" Rhys reasoned.

"Then how was he able to almost turn Ein into a literal blueberry?" Leif turned to Rhys.

"I, I don't know," he pinched the spaced between his eyes under his glasses and rubbed it with his index finger and thumb. "We can't take any chances here, have any of you been through this kind of stuff?" he asked both of them. Ein tried to think, however hard it may have been.

"Well you've known me as long as I've known you, Rhys so I think that's a no-go," Leif replied.

"Forever potions..." Ein muttered.

"What?" Rhys asked again as both of them turned to the navy-styled man.

"Forever potions!" his head turned upwards to face them. "What ever that thing was inside my head, it must have gotten to Kim's potions!...Somehow?"

"How do you know this?" the geek's brows came together.

"Yeah, and how do we know you ain't just trying to make up a scapegoat for something you did?" Leif crossed his arms.

"I don't know. But I think he tried to show me that back at the Hub! That potion, it looked exactly like the ones that showed me taking Kim's potions on her security camera!"

"And you're only realising this now?!" Leif's volume increased.

"Hey we were just able to get away, and plus: I was dealing with a lot since my best friend just got, you know, brainwashed by a lunatic!" Ein rolled his eyes like bowling balls and raised his arms in exasperation.

"That's enough!" Rhys stood between the two. "Fighting won't help any of us. If they're trying to track us down it'll only make things easier for them." The geek then turned to the man who looked like his body was splat with grape juice. "I know you want to go back for Pierce, but take it from someone who's known him longer than you have." Rhys landed his left hand on Ein's shoulder. "We can't return to the Hub without making a plan."

"Wait what?" Leif turned his head as his eyes widened and frowning.

"Come on, Leif." Rhys turned away from Ein to look at Leif. "Surely you knew this was the right call."

"What? No! We can't just, run from every problem Rhys!" Leif argued.

"Again, it was a tactical retreat!"

"Is that what happened when Av-," Leif spat, but stopped himself when he saw Ein listening in on the conversation. "-Aphmau, stole your...books?" Even his own face cringed at the choice of words.

"Books?" Ein repeated. "Why would Aphmau need to steal your books, Rhys?"

"Obviously because she sees the worth in written words," Rhys folded his arms when he turned his body back to Ein before hissing through his teeth and slowly eyeing Leif. "Anyway, we need to make a plan before we return."

"I'll search for kindling," Leif sighed and slugged further into the forest; trudging through the snow.

"I'll go look for sheep then," Ein walked westerly. "Last thing we need are mobs jumping us."

As Ein rounded up the desired animals, he thought to himself. "What did Rhys mean when he said he'd known Pierce longer? No one knows Pierce better than I do, and Rhys arrived on the server only recently! How could he have known my own best friend better than I do?"

* * *

Blood from Aaron's shoulder laid on the ground, where the star-crossed lovers were stood before they escaped. Michi bent down and touched it with her finger. She brought it to her nose and inhaled. Bringing the scent to her attention.

Then a similar smell of blood, tears and baked potatoes floated through the trees. "Gotcha," the purple haired meifwa smirked. She flexed her finger to expose her claws, jumped and climbed a nearby tree. Leaping from tree to tree, she followed their scent. Now tracking her path to victory.

Chapter Text

Green smog still blocked the heavens, but luckily Rhys always kept a clock handy so the three were able to keep track of the time.

A campfire had been crafted using the logs Leif had collected. It was placed in the middle of three tents. All of them were white because there wasn't any flowers around (to dye the tents each of them claimed) the area so they decided it was a waste of time and energy. Two sheep were located in a spruce wood pen on the left of one of the tents. Another neighboured with the group's crafting table on its right. The final one was in the middle of the previously mentioned tents. Each one contained a chest and a bed. Three logs sat in front of each tent and surrounded the campfire.

Leif had taken the responsibility of first watch. Taking each step with as much caution as a rabbit being stalked by a starving fox. Scouting the area for any assassins staying close to catch them when their guard was down. Takes one to know one I suppose.

Rhys was sat on the log closest to the tent with the crafting table as three chickens roasted on the fire. He sat with his legs apart and his arms filling the space between as he leaned forward to solemnly stare at the flames.

Ein exited the tent next to the animal pen. Even when taking the healing potions Rhys had on hand, his bruises and black eye hadn't fully healed yet. Leif had offered to help in some way but Rhys refused; saying he 'needed his strength'. Although, his broken nose was at least half healed as there wasn't any more blood rushing from it.

"Is dinner ready yet? I'm starving," he held his stomach as it grumbled.

"Almost," Rhys answered. His eyes still locked on the dancing embers. "Have you seen Leif?"

"Just saw him circle 'round the camp," he gestured to the back of his sleeping quarters.

"Nothing yet," they heard him call out. "Give me a few more minutes."

"Don't be too long, food's nearly cooked," Rhys replied. Ein stuck his tongue out at the meat.

"Oh please, I'll be fine!" Leif responded. "I'll have it when you go on watch, Rhys."

He shrugged his shoulders and shook his head, to see Ein's wrinkled nose. "You don't like chicken?"

"Eh," Ein started. "I'm more of a steak guy."

"Well I apologise, but we couldn't find any cows. We're lucky to have the animals we found," Rhys half joked.

"It's a snowy taiga biome," Ein began. "Not many mobs-well, not many alive ones-will find it easy to live in a cold place like this."

Rhys sat up. "I wasn't aware you-."

"Aren't as dumb as I look, eh?" Ein's eyebrow raised itself and his mouth slightly upturned.

"Well-I never said-," Rhys stuttered as he scratched the back of his neck and looking away from Ein.

"Lemme guess, Zane told you that?" Ein smirked.

"Well, he told me stories, anecdotes... yes he did," Rhys gave in as Ein started to watch the fire burn as well.

"He's only saying that 'cause I steal his stuff," Ein spoke as he took the cooked chicken off of the make-shift grill. "And maybe cause I ain't the most, erm, academically gifted person on the server." He then took a bite into the chicken and made a face not too similar to a bulldog chewing an angry wasp.

"I could have cooked some mutton if you'd let me-."

"No," Ein firmly stated after he swallowed. "We're not killing the sheep."

"Ok," Rhys took a bite of his chicken and swallowed. "Is this about any dietary restrictions or, something else?" Rhys looked to Ein, who was begrudgingly consuming the chicken meat. His brows started to furrow.

Ein opened his mouth to speak but only actually spoke any words after a couple moments. He thought of all the times he's played pranks on his friends that could have seriously injured them: stolen their stuff, blown up their houses, laid dangerous traps for unsuspecting victims to find, with some including lava. When playing games, he's more often than not the villain. The bad guy. Hurting people. And he loved it.

"Rhys? Am I a bad person?"

"Hm? Oh. Well," Rhys started. "From my experience so far, you definitely have a lot of, passion. You get excited very easily, and you often don't think about the consequences of your actions. You play quite dramatic and, quite frankly, risky and sometimes hurtful jokes on the others..." This made the navy-styled man look to the ground. "But I don't think you're a bad person."

Ein looked upwards in surprise, "What? How can I not be? You literally described everything I've done to people."

"Well, from how Pierce acts with you I'd say you've got at least some good in you," Rhys smiled, but Ein's face still possessed a confused frown. "Whenever he's with you, his face brightens like the Sun. His eyes shine so brightly stars would be jealous. He's always so willing to hang out with you, so talkative," his brows raised together as Ein could see his eyes turning glassy. "I've never heard him say a bad thing about you," he bit into his chicken for the final time to finish it off.

"I get him to go along with my schemes and pranks though. I've even pranked him more than a couple times, however he's strictly said his house and sheep are off limits so I've been able to abide by at least two boundaries," Ein also ate the final piece of his dinner.

"Do you force him?"

"N-no, he just likes to be around me... I guess?"

"Then that just sounds like being friends to me," Rhys swallowed. "Plus, he's willing to drop everything if you're having a bad day."

"That doesn't seem healthy," Ein deadpanned.

"Maybe not, but he does it anyway. To be honest I don't think Pierce is the only one who could benefit from some form of counselling," Rhys replied.

"How did you know Pierce, Rhys?" Ein asked.

For a couple seconds, Rhys's eyes darted across the campsite, but soon steadied.

"Me, Leif, Noi and Pierce came from this town. Very different from where you're from. A lot of, erm, cultural issues. It is a very challenging place to live. I think either Noi or Pierce was the first one to run. Then, me and Leif followed in their footsteps," Rhys explained as his gaze returned to the small inferno.

"Why didn't you just leave before?" Ein asked.

"It's difficult to leave behind the only home you've ever known. Especially when you don't know where else to go," Rhys' voice turned melancholic.

"Why hasn't Pierce told me any of this?"

"We don't like to talk about D- our other home a lot," the geek interlaced his fingers and pressed him palms together.

Footsteps then came through the trees as a green-dressed man stepped out. "Right, that's my shift done. Your turn Rhys," Leif told as his stomach grumbled like a bear just returned from hibernation. To this, Rhys stood to enter the tent next to the crafting table. "Right, you two get some sleep alright. I do not want to be dealing with phantoms of either of you staying up late," he added.

"They'll come no matter what. At least one of us will be awake during tonight, Rhys," Leif argued.

"Regardless, my point still stands," Rhys held his index finger up with his head popping out of the tent door.

"Just don't die on us!" Leif called out to him as he wondered into the woods.

"I won't!"

Leif then sat on the opposite side of Ein as he munched on his chicken breast. "How can you eat that without puking?" Ein winced. "It's still all feathery, yuck!" He then stuck his tongue out in disgust.

"Well when you've lived on the run as much as I have, you don't tend to mind what you eat. Just as long as you do," the white-haired man replied with his mouth full.

"What do you mean 'on the run'?" Ein asked.

"Nothing! Nothing, I'm just not a very picky eater is all!" he waved him off.

"Has Pierce been on the run too? And Noi?"

This made Leif almost choke up him dinner before pushing back down his oesophagus. "Well, maybe," he started. "How much has Rhys told you?"

"That you ran away from your old home to here. You two coming after the others."

Leif that took a breath, chewed down another piece of cooked chicken, swallowed and began. "Ok, so... our old home is pretty hard to live in. It's a struggle to find anything to eat at all. Or drink for that matter. I-we had to learn to survive on what we had. It didn't matter if we didn't like the taste or texture. We had to eat it because that was all we had, or we'd starve."

"Dang," Ein responded. "That sounds rough."

"You don't even know the half of it," Leif muttered before finishing his chicken. "Alrighty then, better get to bed before the phantoms start to spawn. Again. Dang people in this place don't know how to sleep!" He then began to walk to his tent until he felt something grasp his arm.

"Wait!"

He looked back to see Ein pleading at him. "What now?"

"Wait, just one more question. Please?"

"Really? I just emotionally opened up to you, probably shouldn't in hindsight, about not even a quarter of my hard ships back on-in my old town, and you still want me to answer more questions?" he folded his arms and raised an eyebrow.

"Just one more question, please I need to know," Ein pleaded. Leif knew he'd probably bother him till sunrise anyway.

"Fine! What is it?"

"What was Pierce like before he came to the server?" the man in navy looked up a little as Leif was slightly taller than him.

"What?"

"I kinda knew he a little quiet and kept to himself before he really came to know the server but that's all I know! Please. What was he like?"

"Oh, err. I guess, quiet. Almost silent most of the time. I would have thought someone would never be able to make him express so many thoughts and feelings to the rest of the world, yet..." Leif looked to Ein back... "Never mind. That's all I can say," before turning his back and headed into his tent.

"Wait-!"

"Good night!"

Defeated, Ein slumped back to his tent and rubbed his eyes.

As Leif lay on his bed, he began to think silently to himself, "This dude really seems to care for Pierce, maybe he's worth protecting after all. For Pierce."

Ein threw himself on the white bed next to a chest full of his stuff. It wasn't big but it held all that it needed to. Including that mending gold sword...

* * *

A knock was heard at Ein's door. He really didn't need Zane or Aphmau pranking him, he'd just finished pranking them and was busy patching himself up from the last explosion. However, he hasn't been getting as much gunpowder on his face as he had previously. Maybe this TNT gig was going to work out.

He looked through his front window. A dude with really tanned skin, dark brown-almost maroon-hair tied into a long ponytail, a pair of pointy ears, a black tank top showing some sort of interesting black tattoo on his... right shoulder? His eyes were the sort of blue those cheesy, nonsensical romance novels KC read would describe. But not Ein's blue. Nah, that'll never get old. Ein caught himself staring at how jacked the guy was. Why couldn't Irene bless him with muscles like those? Anyway before it got anymore weirder, he didn't seem too threatening despite to muscles so he went to go answer the door.

"Hello," the newbie greeted. Damn he forgot how deep this dude's voice was.

"Hey, I'm Ein. Pierce right?"

"Yeah, I was, wondering. Can you I go prank someone with you?" he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Huh?" Ein's brain tried to process the information. But the singular computer in his noggin, which had already been faulty, got the papers jammed. "Sorry, did you say 'me'?" the man in navy pointed to himself to which the other nodded. "Me? Ein?" He then rested his head against the frame of the door. "Well, I knew someone had to find me cool. I am the coolest on the server."

"You are pretty cool."

Ein didn't expect someone to agree with his own ego. This was weird. This buff guy wanted to hangout and play pranks on people with Ein? He looked like he could beat the shit out of him. More than Zane or Aaron. His narcissism had tried to prepare him for this moment but this man still left him speechless... for a moment.

"Oh, well. Of course I am! Now who is it that you wanna prank, and what kind of prank you wanna do?" Ein continued as he walked inside his house. Pierce still stood outside though. "Well you gonna come in or what?" he looked back at the other man.

"Oh, sorry," Pierce spoke shakenly and tense while looking at the ground.

"Ok dude, first lesson of pranking. Don't look like an easy target. Just now I feel tempted to prank you, but I kinda don't wanna cause you look like you're gonna cry."

"Huh?" he looked at him.

"I'm saying, don't let people push you around if you wanna prank 'em," Ein advised.

"But people don't push me around, I'd push back if they would."

"Not literally, I mean you can't let people tell you what to do. You need to be your own person dude Now come on, we have to get inside otherwise they'll hear us."

Pierce then followed Ein inside the dark blue house. "Now, I need to know if I can trust you. Newbie," he put his hands on his hips.

"Yes."

"Is, that it?"

"Yes."

"Ook." He paused. "Well fuck it," Ein grabbed a remote that made the wall move backwards and side ways to reveal an entrance. "Just know if you do rat on me, you're gonna get the biggest prank yet."

"Is this magic?" Ein looked back towards Pierce and saw his eyes sparkling and mouth hanging agar.

"Ha! Might as well be!" Ein exclaimed proudly. "Now come on! This kinda stuff takes a lot of planning."

Amazed, Pierce further followed him down a circular staircase that lead to an area with a huge rollable whiteboard, a navy couch that was on the left side of him (which faced said whiteboard) several chests dotted around the room and on the right wall were nine screens.

"Welcome to my basement! Here this is where I plan for all my excellent pranks," Ein rubbed his hands together mischievously. "I know I know, it's awesome. No need to waste your breath-."

"What's a basement?" Pierce asked.

"You don't know what a basement is?" Ein turned back to him.

"No, Av- my house didn't have one," Pierce stuttered.

"Well, it's basically just the room under your house."

"Does everyone have a basement here?"

"Well," Ein giggled, which made Pierce smile. "We're not supposed to have a secret basement, but with you here I guess it ain't a secret anymore," the navy dressed man shrugged his shoulders. "But still if you tell anyone about this place you're gonna get the full force of my pranks."

"No need. I won't tell a soul," Pierce put a hand on his heart.

Ein had never had someone go along with his schemes or had anyone agree with him. Having Pierce made him feel, something. It was weird.

"Good," he finally responded. "Well, who do you wanna prank first?"

"Me?" Now Pierce was the one pointing at himself.

"Yeah! I always get to choose cause I'm always doing it solo, but I suppose this time I could let you choose."

Pierce's eyes widened and looked like tears were about to rain down, but he pushed them back down. "Thank you," he rubbed his eyes with his arm. "I also have a gift-."

"A present?! Why didn't you say so?! Gimme gimme gimme!!" Ein looked around Pierce. He was practically vibrating with excitement, which made Pierce chuckle.

"In return of 'hanging out' with me, I present this," Pierce stopped as he pulled out something golden from his inventory. "I remember you said to Av-Aphmau that you like gold so I give you this sword."

Ein was too stunned to speak. He had been down in the mines for ages and couldn't find any gold. And here, the newbie gave him a sword made out of the stuff.

"It's beautiful!" he began to tear up as he bit his lip but put the water works away as he held the sword. "Thank you."

"A pleasure, Ein."

Ein happily hugged the weapon, which Pierce didn't think was entirely safe but he didn't seemed to get hurt so he relaxed. "You are my best friend forever and if you betray me I will end you!" Ein shrieked.

"Friend?"

"Yeah, friend. Not just any friend, you're my best friend now and there's nothing you can do about it! You're never getting rid of me!"

"Friend. Best friend."

"Yeah, now come one bud we need to decide who we're gonna prank before we miss our chance," Ein put the sword in his inventory and speeded over to the whiteboard.

Pierce looked at one of the tv screens into his reflection. But it wasn't him. He wore his normal clothes but his eyes were a cold, unfeeling green.

"Ein?" Pierce turned to whiteboard and called out to him, but he'd disappeared. "Ein! Bud!" Pierce's breath became heavy and laborious. "Ein!" He spun around the room looking for his bud.

"Aww, miss me?" Ein's voice spoke. Pierce turned his back towards the board to face the figure at the entrance of the basement.

It wasn't Ein. His hair was longer. Greyer. His streak stripped of its soul. Several scars on his sickly pale face. Ears and tails of a werewolf that were the same colour as his hair, if you can even call it hair. It was more akin to greasy black straw that was about to get struck by lightning. Eyes glowing as green as Pierce's.

"You're not Ein," Pierce scowled. "Where is he?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," the werewolf wandered over to the left wall of the room. Pictures of everyone were hung. One particular picture with Pierce's friends. Kawaii Chan leaning in to make the peace sign, Zane on the opposite side leaning back and crossing his arms. Aaron and Aphmau had a hand round each other. Aaron's right had on his hip and Aphmau's left waving. Ein with his first golden hoe over his shoulder and his left on his waist. They were all smiling at the camera happily, save for Zane of course.

"Aww, isn't that sweet," the other Ein spat through sharp teeth. His gaze was drawn towards the iconic couple. Of course they hadn't been dating then yet, but it was obvious. Even from Pierce's point of view.

He took the photo from the photo. He then looked to Ein and the distance he was between him and Aph. Then crumpled up the photo and threw it behind him, with Pierce catching it. He opened up the paper and looked at them. His people. His family.

Then that sparked something in Pierce. A flame had been lit. His anger boiled and bubbled until he stuffed the photo in his pocket and rammed towards the werewolf, turned his around by the shoulder, grabbed the neckline of his cloak thing held him up and pushed him against the wall. "Where is he?" he growled. "What have you done with him?"

In response, the werewolf cackled. "Oh Pierce, it's not what I did. What did you do?"

"Pierce?"

He dropped the werewolf and turned to face his best friend. Covered in bruises and cuts. That was impossible, though. They couldn't get hurt here. Not like this.

"Pierce? Why you hurt me?" Ein shook as he stepped backward.

"Ein? What-what happened?"

"Stay back! Stay back!" Ein ordered.

"Ein, it's just me. Your best friend!" Pierce held his hands out wide.

"You're not my friend. You never have been! You're just a tool!" Zane's voice then came from Ein's mouth. He then dissolved into the air and swirled around Pierce; making him turn around to face him.

"Pierce! You abandoned me!" The figure bellowed. His form was so recognisable, Pierce longed to forget him.

"I did what I should have done! Look what happened to Ava! We got her trapped here cause we dragged her into this! And now she might not even be alive!"

"You abandoned me, you abandoned Daemos! Your home!"

"Daemos is a lost cause and you know it!"

"How dare you!" the figure's hand caught on fire. It was thrown at Pierce. He covered his face with his arms before the flames diverted around him.

I peeked through the gap in between his arms. The coast seemed to be clear. As he dropped them, he noticed the area was pitch black. What was he even standing on?

"P-Pierce," a weak voice called out. A voice all too familiar. Even he couldn't escape it on the server. A certain short person shared her voice. He turned behind him to see the origin of the voice. Her torso was slash open. Red falling out her body as well as being coughed up through her windpipe.

Pierce's legs collapsed as she did. Blood pouring out onto what ever this surface was. When he tried to turn her over onto her back so he could see the damage, she dissipated.

Just like Ein.

Leaving Pierce alone.

Alone.

Again.

He sobbed.