#killerpixel

Mintypud was sitting outside the camp to keep an eye out for threats. It was late at night, Wolf and Tiger had insisted on taking turns on looking out for threats. Both are currently asleep to rest up for their shifts, while Josh, well…

Minty sighs, her ears lowering just the tiniest bit.

Josh had not been doing well lately. Who can blame him though?

They blew up Kronish Labs, Josh ended up in prison, was kidnapped,... he went through hell and back, to be honest.

He hasn’t been the same since then.

He wasn’t the same Josh that would walk into that game shop to chat with her about video games, or start the regular light-hearted console war with her.

Mintypud threads up another bead.

This bracelet she’s making right now was nothing special, just something to pass the time. In the darkness people would call her insane for trying to make bracelets in the pitchblack of the night, but thanks to her night vision, she doesn’t have to worry about that.

Since she doesn’t see color at night though, this may just end up being either the weirdest or the best color combination she has put together so far.

She remains quiet and keeps looking around eventually, not seeming too bothered by her surroundings though. It’s a quiet night, just the wind whistling through the grass around her.

Minty grabs for a random pendant. A dinosaur. She smiles slightly.

Josh loves dinosaurs. Maybe this will cheer him up.

Just as she threads up the dinosaur pendant, she hears the crack of a branch breaking beneath some weight.

Instantly she’s on high alert, but stays low, her ears turning constantly in the hopes of hearing another sound that could betray who- or whatever is trespassing.

Mintypud holds her breath, slowly reaching for the knife Tiger lend her.

Her heart was beating against her chest, and she can’t help but flinch when she hears something heavy shift by the hill closeby.

She instantly turns around, her tail whipping left and right in anxiety. Her eyes need a couple seconds to adjust as she tries to keep herself as calm as she possibly could, her nervousness soon replaced by confusion.

The silhouette climbing up the hill… The weight of the footsteps… There was no doubt. But why would he…?

She looks around again, making sure there’s no actual threat anywhere close. Tiger and Wolf also seem asleep still, so she slowly gets up to follow the silhouette.

Her light footsteps are barely heard, even though she’s climbing the hill rather quickly, her tail keeping her balance steady at all times.

Once she reaches the top, she sits down beside the man, looking up into the cloudless sky while he can’t seem to look anywhere but his hands.

“....It’s kind of late, you know?”, Mintypud spoke up after a couple seconds, looking over at him. “You should be asleep…”

However, she was greeted with silence.

She tries again. “...You can see the stars really nicely tonight… wanna stargaze and find constellations? I already found-”

“It doesn’t matter”, he cut her off, not looking up at all. Dumbfounded, she looks over at him, ears perked up in confusion.

“...What do you mean?”

“Stars, constellations, nothing is real. Those aren’t our stars”

“Josh, what are you saying…?”

Mintypud looked at him, confused and beyond worried.

They used to climb the roof of his house at sleepovers, pointing at stars and constellations, making up new ones, and wishing on the occasional shooting star. Sure, some people would call it romantic, but for them it was just the usual. Sometimes they’d talk about shit going down at work, or other life struggles, or joke around and threaten to shove the other off the roof. All in good fun, obviously. It never happened.

But now…

Not even an answer.

Mintypud’s ears lower a little when she takes a closer look.

Josh was hunched over, knees pulled close to his chest, dirt and scratches still evident from his escape. It broke her heart to see him this sad.

“...Josh, what’s on your mind?”, she asks eventually.

Josh didn’t react for a couple seconds, but spoke just before Minty could try again.

“...Who am I?”

He sounded unsure, his voice thin and shaky.

The cat girl scooted a bit closer, worried about her friend.

“....You’re Josh Futturman… Did you lose your memory?”, she asks, fearing the absolute worst.

However, he shakes his head.

“No, I just… I don’t know who I am anymore…”

“Josh–”

“No, Minty, Listen.”

She blinks, taken aback by how serious, yet shaky he sounded all of a sudden.

“Sure, I’m Josh Futturman… but- I’m also the Savior, right? The one to save the future in the end. But, I’m also Joosh, a millionaire hated by his parents… Not that I blame them, I really was an asshole to them, but-”

“Josh….”

“But I had this really great life as this millionaire, developing games and all, with this mansion, but-”

“Josh.”

“but then I blew up the labs, which should have saved the future, right? I should’ve been the Savior, I should be Future Man, but we’re still here, and no matter how often we time travel, no matter how many times I lie, how many roles I take on, it doesn’t matter, nothing changes, nothing gets fucking fixed, I’m still just this fucking terrorist millionaire J-”

”Joshua Sasha Futturman.”

That stopped Josh in his tracks, staring at Mintypud in confusion. She had his face cupped with he hands, cat ears hanging low and her eyes full of worry. Minty had never seen her best friend this confused, especially about himself. His voice had gotten more shaky as he had sped up his ranting, tears had already formed in his eyes. It broke her heart when she realizes that, no, he wasn’t sad. He was broken.

“...Sasha?”, he asks, voice barely a whisper.

Minty gulps.

“Yeah, that’s your middle name, remember? It was y-”

“My grandma’s name, yeah…”

She nods slightly.

“...Josh, have you really forgotten who you are?”

Her friend remains quiet, avoiding her gaze.

“...Hey idiot, look at me”, she coos softly, teasing him just the tiniest bit.

He listens, even though he hesitates. A tear rolls down his cheek.

She smiles softly at him, trying her hardest not to cry herself when she sees his eyes drowning in sadness and anxiety, moreso than usual.

“You’re Josh Futturman, janitor at Kronish Labs. Remember?”

He nods simply, not pulling himself together enough to talk.

“You’re the nerd I got to know briefly whenever you walked into the Game store, mostly because you broke your Joystick again. Caught me off-guard once studying on my shift while no one was in the store, we ended up talking about games and consoles, you started calling me gamergirl and I’d call you bastard or idiot in return. We would always joke like that. I’m pretty sure I gave you one of my Kandi bracelets that day”

“...The blue one with the stars, and- and the >Game Over< letters…”, he mutters shakily, shoulders shaking as he tries not to cry.

Minty smiles and nods. “Exactly, that was the one!”

“Josh, you’re my best friend… You told me about Biotic Wars, you let me watch you game whenever I came over. Your parents always welcomed me too! I’d alway kick your ass in MarioKart!”

Josh sobs a laugh, quickly wiping his tears away.

Mintypud can't help it and pulls him into a tight hug, her tail wrapping around his back as well. She feels how he clings onto her, his face buried in her shoulder.

“But.. but we can’t go back to that time… we fucked with the timeline too much…”, he whimpers into her shoulder, another sob escaping him.

“Maybe… but you’re still you.”, she coos softly, rubbing calming circles on his back.

“We can’t go back, but we’re still us. I’m the same Mintypud from the game store, and you’re the same gamer who was obsessed over Biotic Wars for three years before you beat it.”

Mintypud gently kisses his head, something she’d always do to try and soothe him when days were particularly tough.

“You’re not Joosh, or JFutz, or whatever that asshole called himself. You’re not a millionaire, not a game developer, and not hated by your parents. Those are things of someone else. You are none of that. You merely had to jump into this role to blend in.”

“You’re still Josh Futturman, the idiot who ended up being my best friend despite all odds. The idiots who is loved by his parents beyond time and space. Yes, you are said to be the savior… And I believe that you can be that savior, if you just focus on being yourself, okay?”

Mintypud’s voice got shaky as well as she hugs him even tighter, as if she had to protect him from himself.

“And as long as we’re together, I’ll always remind you of who you are…”

It was late at night, the stars were shining brightly above them.

The wind was softly whistling through the grass surrounding them, and the only other sound that could be heard were Josh’s muffled sobbing into Mintypud’s shoulder, as well as her own sniffling.

The bracelet she had worked on earlier may still find it’s use after all.

After all, Josh loves Dinosaurs.

Divider here!

@joshfutturman | @saplesss-tree | @dotts-stuff | @leafletterr