Zchesavious

> You step out into the clearing, and—

> Who is that?

...

Stay here, Nebula.

> You lift an arm in their direction, to keep them from going further.

> then, you’re trudging forward, cautious eyes staring at the stranger.

... a husk?... you guys haven’t been messing with clones, have you? Wait, you wouldn’t know, you’ve been hangin’ out with me.

> You step closer.

Oh god, it’s...

...

Virus.

You’re defending the guy who literally has been lying to you ever since you met him. The guy who faked his own death. The guy who forced me to work at his stupid lab until my brain melted.

>You nod, confident in your abilities.

I can pretty much take you on right now and win, actually. So I’d say I’d do pretty good at stopping you!

>You look over to Nebula.

Don’t worry I’ll probably just drop them where the robot dropped me, and I’ll bring him back after he’s tired out. Aaalso, like, you know. It’s less ‘defending him’ and more ‘I think the way you’re trying to get revenge is stupid because you’re stupid’, y’know?~

>You giggle, rolling your shoulders.

You aren’t even going to listen to him because you’re too caught up in your own troubles and problems ‘cus you’re selfish and mean.

> All this work faking your death, getting rid of Yoglabs, getting rid of your past, and everyone’s already found out.

> You step out into the clearing, and—

> Who is that?

...

Stay here, Nebula.

> You lift an arm in their direction, to keep them from going further.

> then, you’re trudging forward, cautious eyes staring at the stranger.

... a husk?... you guys haven’t been messing with clones, have you? Wait, you wouldn’t know, you’ve been hangin’ out with me.

> You step closer.

Oh god, it’s...

> Thankfully, there’s a tree to catch your fall.

> Steadying yourself, and holding your knuckle to the blood trickling down your nose, you glare at the one who’d punched you.

the hell are you?... wait, you’re Virus, right? Xeph’s——

> Your eyes widen as they land on Virus’ companion.

...Xephos.

> your hand lowers, turning into a fist.

I’d recognize your original anywhere.

> YOU WERE RIGHT about your theory earlier. You choke back a laugh.

>You point a claw in husk’s direction, before slowly dragging it along the air and point it in Lalna’s direction, snarling.

A̡nd̢ ̷I̧ ̸w̨i͟l̨l t̸e̕a̶r yo̡u ap͝art̡ b́y͏ ͞my͏ ̧o̴wn h̵an̢d͏s͜.͘ ̕G͡ot ̧i͟t?

>You’re glaring daggers, and it takes you a few moments to recognise what he was saying.

>Your face falls, for only a moment, but you look back with a sharper glare and even sharper claws.

Wa̸i̛t, th̛e̶ ҉O͘r̕i̢g̶in̕al? Did ҉that͠ b͠l̵ow t̸o ͟th͏e ́he͞a͟d͝ ̶hurt ͞you͢ ҉more th҉a͡n ̷I ͜th̀ou͢ght,̢ La̡lna?

>You pause, looking back over at the man, then back to Lalna.

>You look at Nebula, and a wave of slight calm seemed to rush over you, thank god at least they’re here.

>You close your eyes and take a few calming breaths, dimming the light in your eyes and the fire in your soul.

He’s come to, from what I’ve heard, find the Xephos here that....

>You grip your claw-fists tighter.

...Him. He was sent here with a crew to look for Him. They’ve been in space for a while, and everything I’ve heard about it suggests this man must be some... clone from another planet.

>You reveal slightly sharper than usual teeth in a small smirk, oh thats new, as you’d step forwards, beckoning Lalna closer.

> You look at Nebula, knowing you shared that feeling of helplessness they had on their face.

> Utter helpless confusion.

> Except this wasn’t their fault.

> It was yours.

Um... Virus...

> You look at Husk. Disgust and guilt and confusion is filling you, until it’s all you can think of.

>Getting in between whatever Virus is becoming and their.. prey is a terrible idea, and your whole nervous system is screaming that loud and clear, but it’s not like you can just watch them kill each other! 

Don’t you get it? He tricked you! All of that is just a lie! I didn’t work in that damn cloning lab for all my life just for some kid to— to—

SHUT UP!

> You hate being interrupted. Even by your-

> Your...

> ...Nebula.

> you squeeze your eyes shut, then turn your head towards Virus and Xephos.

He must’ve gone into his original clone and left the one you were familiar with to die. Then, you brought the decoy back to life. Clones can be brought back, but they just become husks if they don’t have nuthin in them. The Husk is proof that the guy next to you is Xephos. It means he’s back, he never left, he never died.

> You wipe the blood on your face, but it only creates a crimson smear.

your friend and I have unfinished business. He’s coming with me.

>You seem slightly calmer when you see Nebula there, but you step forwards and awkwardly try to shuffle them behind you, along with the two versions of Xephos you have, like you’re a goddamned Xephos Pokemon Master.

>You look back at Lalna, shrugging.

Sorry, dude. Husk here, they don’t have Xephos in them.

>You shrug, casually, wiping off their blood from your fist onto your pants.

‘cause I inserted a part of my own soul into them in a harrowing and extremely sorrowful part of my life.

>You snicker slightly.

Kind of makes them a clone of me and not a clone of Xephos, really. Unlike another void creature I know, though, couldn’t exactly leave them alone to fend for themself, so I’ve been letting them stay here.

At least until I can find a more stable place that they can stay and I can take care of them. So, yeah, they’re kind of.. a clone of me, in a Xephos body, like how I’m Virus, in a weirdo teenager’s body.

>Despite your more casual demeanor, there’s a glint in the redness of your glowing eye.

> Should you touch them? You’re gonna touch them. A little tap on the shoulder.

Please be careful. This man is extremely dangerous, he- you know, he...

> You step out into the clearing, and—

> Who is that?

...

Stay here, Nebula.

> You lift an arm in their direction, to keep them from going further.

> then, you’re trudging forward, cautious eyes staring at the stranger.

... a husk?... you guys haven’t been messing with clones, have you? Wait, you wouldn’t know, you’ve been hangin’ out with me.

> You step closer.

Oh god, it’s...

> Thankfully, there’s a tree to catch your fall.

> Steadying yourself, and holding your knuckle to the blood trickling down your nose, you glare at the one who’d punched you.

the hell are you?... wait, you’re Virus, right? Xeph’s——

> Your eyes widen as they land on Virus’ companion.

...Xephos.

> your hand lowers, turning into a fist.

I’d recognize your original anywhere.

> YOU WERE RIGHT about your theory earlier. You choke back a laugh.

>You point a claw in husk’s direction, before slowly dragging it along the air and point it in Lalna’s direction, snarling.

A̡nd̢ ̷I̧ ̸w̨i͟l̨l t̸e̕a̶r yo̡u ap͝art̡ b́y͏ ͞my͏ ̧o̴wn h̵an̢d͏s͜.͘ ̕G͡ot ̧i͟t?

>You’re glaring daggers, and it takes you a few moments to recognise what he was saying.

>Your face falls, for only a moment, but you look back with a sharper glare and even sharper claws.

Wa̸i̛t, th̛e̶ ҉O͘r̕i̢g̶in̕al? Did ҉that͠ b͠l̵ow t̸o ͟th͏e ́he͞a͟d͝ ̶hurt ͞you͢ ҉more th҉a͡n ̷I ͜th̀ou͢ght,̢ La̡lna?

>You pause, looking back over at the man, then back to Lalna.

>You look at Nebula, and a wave of slight calm seemed to rush over you, thank god at least they’re here.

>You close your eyes and take a few calming breaths, dimming the light in your eyes and the fire in your soul.

He’s come to, from what I’ve heard, find the Xephos here that....

>You grip your claw-fists tighter.

...Him. He was sent here with a crew to look for Him. They’ve been in space for a while, and everything I’ve heard about it suggests this man must be some... clone from another planet.

>You reveal slightly sharper than usual teeth in a small smirk, oh thats new, as you’d step forwards, beckoning Lalna closer.

> You look at Nebula, knowing you shared that feeling of helplessness they had on their face.

> Utter helpless confusion.

> Except this wasn’t their fault.

> It was yours.

Um... Virus...

> You look at Husk. Disgust and guilt and confusion is filling you, until it’s all you can think of.

> You step out into the clearing, and—

> Who is that?

...

Stay here, Nebula.

> You lift an arm in their direction, to keep them from going further.

> then, you’re trudging forward, cautious eyes staring at the stranger.

... a husk?... you guys haven’t been messing with clones, have you? Wait, you wouldn’t know, you’ve been hangin’ out with me.

> You step closer.

Oh god, it’s...

Couldn’t be Xephos in there, no, definitely not... a true husk, I think, but that means—

That... means...

> Are you... laughing from anger or genuine amusement?

> the question itself makes you laugh harder.

Why- why’s there zombies. Why is there a zombie at my house. >You kinda.. feel bad for it, as horrifying as the concept alone is. It’s not Xephos- it’s just.. a thing. And it looks scared. >Your flux flattens slowly, and you creep up closer to tug on Lalna’s coat

> You back away from the husk a few steps.

... We really should try to get it’s memories before it dies, though. These dudes only ever last a few hours.

> Oh. It’s ... writing something?

> the husk turns its notebook towards you.

>You’re running at Lalna, anger and rage and hatred shining through your glowing red eye.

>You open your mouth to try and say something cool, something that would stand the test of time, eternally a scorn upon the face of a man.

>You screech.

>You jump as you get closer, twisting your body to swing your right hand back as much as possible before swinging it around for a punch to Lalna’s face.

> Then it’s time for you to scramble out of the bushes, following Virus and trying to stop them—

> But then, it’s too late. You’d laugh if the man they’d just punch was any old schmo. But this, no, this was not a laughing matter.

> And your stupid ass just made the whole situation worse by running up to help Virus

> Your new friend Virus is taking you there.

I am the one bringing a stranger home though. Oh hell, I should tell the others. Welp, its a good thing I swallowed my phone!

>You’re deliberarely leading them over fallen trees and climbing around things.

What do you mean you’re a child?

>You trudge through the wilderness with ease; it’s what you’ve been doing for a while.

I’m Baby.

>You’re snickering.

>You bite back a smile.

...I agree. To be unpredictable is...

>Losing your train of thought, you look at Virus again.

Um... you don’t know where you’re going, do you? I suppose it doesn’t really matter where we go, as long as we find shelter, but...

> A maniacal laugh breaks through the silence, all too familiar and certainly nearby.

> On impulse, you grab Virus’ hand and start pushing through the brush. What is your plan here? You’re going towards him like an idiot— but it’s too late to stop now—

> You ans Virus make it to the clearing, hiding in the bushes. The rustling sound coming from you alerts him, and his rambles pause.

Do you know these people, Virus?

> Your new friend Virus is taking you there.

I am the one bringing a stranger home though. Oh hell, I should tell the others. Welp, its a good thing I swallowed my phone!

>You’re deliberarely leading them over fallen trees and climbing around things.

What do you mean you’re a child?

>You trudge through the wilderness with ease; it’s what you’ve been doing for a while.

I’m Baby.

>You’re snickering.

>You bite back a smile.

...I agree. To be unpredictable is...

>Losing your train of thought, you look at Virus again.

> Your new friend Virus is taking you there.

I am the one bringing a stranger home though. Oh hell, I should tell the others. Welp, its a good thing I swallowed my phone!

>You’re deliberarely leading them over fallen trees and climbing around things.

What do you mean you’re a child?

>You trudge through the wilderness with ease; it’s what you’ve been doing for a while.

> They’re joking— they must be. You chuckle.

I… don’t plan on returning anytime soon.

The ship is irreparable, especially without

my crew.

> …

Eh… well… I don’t want to return to the ship.

> With a shuffle of discomfort, you bring your eyes to the lake. It is quiet and motionless.

Something attacked my friends there. I’m

not sure if it was an animal, or…

I don’t know, but… it didn’t just kill my

>You stand straight before bowing low, snickering.

There’s no eating based monster I can’t dispatch, why I burned a creature made of pure shadows so hard that it is currently cowering in fear of my return!~

> The smile on your face fades.

That sounds like a shit plot twist from a movie, doesn’t it? The true monster all along… it was man! DUNNDUN DUUUNNN!

>You smirk a bit, winking.

> They’re adorable, if a bit unsettling. You find yourself smiling.

Eheh, yeah, that’s… accurate

>You’re snickering.

Your father—?

> You really do need somewhere to stay...

> They’re joking— they must be. You chuckle.

I… don’t plan on returning anytime soon.

The ship is irreparable, especially without

my crew.

> …

Eh… well… I don’t want to return to the ship.

> With a shuffle of discomfort, you bring your eyes to the lake. It is quiet and motionless.

Something attacked my friends there. I’m

not sure if it was an animal, or…

I don’t know, but… it didn’t just kill my

>You stand straight before bowing low, snickering.

There’s no eating based monster I can’t dispatch, why I burned a creature made of pure shadows so hard that it is currently cowering in fear of my return!~

> The smile on your face fades.

That sounds like a shit plot twist from a movie, doesn’t it? The true monster all along… it was man! DUNNDUN DUUUNNN!

>You smirk a bit, winking.

> They’re adorable, if a bit unsettling. You find yourself smiling.

Eheh, yeah, that’s... accurate

> They’re joking— they must be. You chuckle.

I… don’t plan on returning anytime soon.

The ship is irreparable, especially without

my crew.

> …

Eh… well… I don’t want to return to the ship.

> With a shuffle of discomfort, you bring your eyes to the lake. It is quiet and motionless.

Something attacked my friends there. I’m

not sure if it was an animal, or…

I don’t know, but… it didn’t just kill my

>You stand straight before bowing low, snickering.

There’s no eating based monster I can’t dispatch, why I burned a creature made of pure shadows so hard that it is currently cowering in fear of my return!~

> The smile on your face fades.

> They’re joking— they must be. You chuckle.

I… don’t plan on returning anytime soon.

The ship is irreparable, especially without

my crew.

> …

Eh... well... I don’t want to return to the ship.

> With a shuffle of discomfort, you bring your eyes to the lake. It is quiet and motionless.

Something attacked my friends there. I’m

not sure if it was an animal, or...

I don’t know, but... it didn’t just kill my

> They’re joking— they must be. You chuckle.

I... don’t plan on returning anytime soon.

The ship is irreparable, especially without

my crew.

> ...

It’s… a pleasure to meet you. Virus.

> They look tired. At least they had a sense of humor.

Thanks. I appreciate the gesture. I must

say, your name is strange as well.

>… You sit on the damp soil. Probably not the best decision, but you’re dirty anyways.

Coming here was a mistake. I do not even

know the face of the man we’re looking for.

He crashed here centuries ago. Dead by

now, surely. We’d been too slow.

> Looking out onto the pond, you took notice of the ripples that reverberated from little movements in the water. How long had it been since you’d seen true, unadulterated, unfiltered nature?

> you cleared your throat.

I know someone who’s super older than that. And…. Another one that just might be.

>Hrm. You pull a 🤔 face. If it’s him and he’s abandoned yet another group of people you’re finding him and pulling his teeth out one by one.

Well I mean now that you’re here I’m sure I can bring him back from the dead for you, so you can tell him off. Although you might be telling off bones or something.

>You shrug.

Results may vary. Oh and my name is weird because I picked it myself! Whilst we’re sharing spooky scary backstories because this is Share Time now, Blue Daba Dee Daba Dai.

I’m an experiment, blah blah blah, gonna best up some scientists, blah blah blah, it’s actually pretty boring actually I’m bored wait a fucking second.

>You pause, and look at them.

… We had records … it’s- it’s, um-

Complicated.

> Scratching the back of your neck, you continue.

I was conceived on the ship. This is my

life’s work. Maintaining that ship.

Looking for the agent. And— back then,

well, I assume it’d been a big deal for

one of our ships to crash here— it’d never

happened before. ‘S what I heard,

Anyways. Most of my crew wasn’t old

enough to remember why we bothered.

But, we couldn’t just go back empty-

handed, you know… we never received

alternate orders, so we…

> Your eyes meet theirs.

…Never… turned back… um, let’s stop

talking about this for now. You’re an

>They hold a finger to his mouth, shh’ing him.

So you decided that even though it had been centuries, this one fuckass was worth it to throw countless lives away? Dude sounds like a real jackass.

Wait if you had records and spaceship technology, why is there no records of what he looks like? If it took that long for YOU to get here, why didn’t it also take that one agent that long to get here, and they would have been dead before they got here?

>You’re pacing back and forth, trying to look as much like an old timey detective as possible as you kept that Hrm face with your other hand still looking glued to your face.

> Heart racing.

We did have photos of him. I just didn’t

reference them much. It’s- when his ship

was lost and we... went to find him—

... Abandoned?

> You run a hand through the messy tassels of your hair.

I’m... not sure. The mission began before

I was even born, so... it very well

could’ve been a wild goose chase. Or

something. Perhaps they thought we’d

never get here.

> Now, you stand, brushing yourself off as force of habit.

Perhaps they knew there’d be a

It’s… a pleasure to meet you. Virus.

> They look tired. At least they had a sense of humor.

Thanks. I appreciate the gesture. I must

say, your name is strange as well.

>… You sit on the damp soil. Probably not the best decision, but you’re dirty anyways.

Coming here was a mistake. I do not even

know the face of the man we’re looking for.

He crashed here centuries ago. Dead by

now, surely. We’d been too slow.

> Looking out onto the pond, you took notice of the ripples that reverberated from little movements in the water. How long had it been since you’d seen true, unadulterated, unfiltered nature?

> you cleared your throat.

I know someone who’s super older than that. And…. Another one that just might be.

>Hrm. You pull a 🤔 face. If it’s him and he’s abandoned yet another group of people you’re finding him and pulling his teeth out one by one.

Well I mean now that you’re here I’m sure I can bring him back from the dead for you, so you can tell him off. Although you might be telling off bones or something.

>You shrug.

Results may vary. Oh and my name is weird because I picked it myself! Whilst we’re sharing spooky scary backstories because this is Share Time now, Blue Daba Dee Daba Dai.

I’m an experiment, blah blah blah, gonna best up some scientists, blah blah blah, it’s actually pretty boring actually I’m bored wait a fucking second.

>You pause, and look at them.

... We had records ... it’s- it’s, um-

Complicated.

> Scratching the back of your neck, you continue.

I was conceived on the ship. This is my

life’s work. Maintaining that ship.

Looking for the agent. And— back then,

well, I assume it’d been a big deal for

one of our ships to crash here— it’d never

happened before. ‘S what I heard,

Anyways. Most of my crew wasn’t old

enough to remember why we bothered.

But, we couldn’t just go back empty-

handed, you know... we never received

alternate orders, so we...

> Your eyes meet theirs.

...Never... turned back... um, let’s stop

talking about this for now. You’re an

It’s... a pleasure to meet you. Virus.

> They look tired. At least they had a sense of humor.

Thanks. I appreciate the gesture. I must

say, your name is strange as well.

>... You sit on the damp soil. Probably not the best decision, but you’re dirty anyways.

Coming here was a mistake. I do not even

know the face of the man we’re looking for.

He crashed here centuries ago. Dead by

now, surely. We’d been too slow.

> Looking out onto the pond, you took notice of the ripples that reverberated from little movements in the water. How long had it been since you’d seen true, unadulterated, unfiltered nature?

> you cleared your throat.

> A while ago, your ship fell from the sky and crashed onto this planet. Your friends were picked off by some monster and now you were looking for your next place to stay. That was the story, at least. You tried not to think about it too much, only focusing on your main objectives: survive, at least long enough to-

> Who is that. They’re human (at least, they appear so), and have collapsed in front of a small pond.

> You stammer out a greeting before you can consider wether or not the being is dangerous:

>You scramble to your feet, turning around and narrowing your eyes.

Who are you, and what do you want?!

>You feel your hands turning into claws.

> They’ve changed.

> Their hands turn to claws, and their eyes narrow onto you.

I am agent Blue, Zchesavious-307. My spacecraft crashed onto your planet. This is minecraftia, correct?

> Your lips curl into a hint of a smile. It’s hard to hide these emotions, — another intelligent being, standing right in front of you: pure joy — so you stand tall, lowering your hands.

My team landed in search of our own. But we were attacked. I am alone, now. I came to the pond to... wash... ah, but- then I found you. Zchesavious, Blue at your service.