#mino__

Mino blinked off into the distance, everything felt too familiar, but it wasn't the same. Nothing would feel like the Desert Empire. That time of being free and happy at peace with Dade along with all the shenanigans they got up to. 

He wanted to cry, to scream, to break something, but he couldn't do it. Everything reminded him of home; there was no home. It had been destroyed over and over again, yet he was stubborn and fixed it over and over again. A tear fell onto the ground, Mino touched his cheek only to feel the mask that he forgot he had on. 

The mask wasn't meant to do anything but be aesthetic with his outfit. It protected Mino when it was just meant to be an outfit choice.

Looking back at the sun that was setting, he turned around donning his elytra and jumping into flight. Mino often found himself fearing change in people and when it was close to him, he often wanted to stop sharing his thoughts with others. AiroKun, Mino's trainer and someone who almost took a parental role in Mino's life, was a name Mino wanted to start crying to. Despite the obvious fact, Airo had betrayed Mino, but Mino knew it was his fault, it was always his fault.

Dadenator, Mino's best friend since they've joined Heartless Horizon, keeps Mino sane and together, but he knows Dade would have been better off if Mino had never spoken to him. It was only time until Dade realised Mino was holding him back just by being around.

The Specters have grown tremendously since 0nly_Green last attack on the Specters, Mino can’t seem to feel wrong and sick. He feels like he should be regretting this and everything else he’s done up until this, but it was so fucking pointless. He was pointless. Napa had been released because of him, Airo had lost a life to the wither storm because of him, it was always him messing up and doing something wrong. 

That prison back at the Citadel felt better, safer, warmer than anyone in Mino’s life. He’s never felt welcome anywhere, so he built the Desert Empire. Then it was destroyed on three different occasions. He wanted a home to call his, somewhere he could breath freely, to cry without being found and questioned. 

Where was home? He asks himself over and over again. Maybe it was time to quit.

There was a voice near him, a friendly welcoming voice. It was Dade! He must have been lapping around the Specter castle for a while if Dade needed to call him down. 

Mino landed down in front of the castle door where Dade was waiting for him.

“It’s midnight, Mino. We spent the whole day getting recruits. You need to rest. Coped is already asleep.” Had he been flying around that long, he hadn’t noticed, but that caring tone Dade had despite it sounding like annoyance Mino knew Dade was concerned. He knew he didn’t deserve to be cared about confided that 

“How long was I flying around?” Good god his voice was soft, the exhaustion was starting to kick in.

“You were flying around for three hours, Mino. What were you thinking about?” Mino wanted to scream, he’s never let the past claw at him to a point where people could tell something was off. He could say an obvious answer that would fit his typical behavior.

“About the Desert Empire.” Mino blinked back the memory of the first time the Desert Empire was destroyed, all the players that had trusted him dying because of Boomie. He made that empire for the people, he just wanted people to have a home, a home they could rely on. Now neither those players and him had a proper warm home.

Dade closed the space between him and Mino then hugged him, whispering “I know you miss the Desert Empire. I do as well, but we can’t go back now. Mino, this is our home now.”

Mino leaned into the hug, it’s been so long since someone’s made him warm. The last time someone made him feel safe it was AiroKun back at the Citadel, but everything that reminded him of Airo reminded him of how he failed being a good friend leading to the betrayal. 

A few tears fell, Dade noticed like normal, but didn’t point it out and focused on making Mino warm. 

Dade was so warm, so safe. Mino wanted to stay here all night, his eyes drooped sleepily. He hadn’t rested in a days too focused on growing the Specters and being the main builder of the place. Something everyone forgets is that he was the one who built the Desert Empire by hand along with rebuilding alone three times and now he had been the main builder for the Specters. 

By the time the sun had risen Mino was in Dade’s room of the castle asleep, holding on Dade like a baby otter clinging to their mother to not drown. Coped entered the room without knocking to ask Dade what he was going to be doing, but saw what was happening. 

“So is everything delayed today? Or a different plan?” Coped wasn’t one to judge since he worked for ExtraExtroverted and Naparizel, inadvertently, and Extra is a very touchy person with Napa.

Dade responded, “Everything’s normal. Mino and I will do recruiting today, if you want to train the people.” Coped picked up on Dade’s concerned tone, but the tone wasn’t directed to him.

“Is Mino okay?” Coped needed to know. He knew Mino had lied to him to make him join the Specters, but still Mino didn’t treat him like an object like Napa and saw him as a valuable person despite everything. Mino saw the people of the empire as people which was clear by how he wanted everyone to be prepared and have what they needed without being deprived of their needs

Dade managed to snake his way out of Mino’s tight grasp, “He just needs time. We had an empire before this one. You probably heard of the Desert Empire.”

“The empire that took the netherite from the server?”

“That’s Boomie’s empire. He took it from Mino and I along with killing most of the players who lived.”

Coped had been wondering why Mino cared so much about making sure everyone in the empire had gear, but it made sense if he wanted his people to not be instant kills and took anyone willing to be a part of them.

Mino eventually woke up, he looked around gathering his senses and got out of the bed realizing he was in Dade’s bed. He got out of the room, went to his room and showered to get ready for the day, not knowing it was around early night. 

Dade knocked on Mino’s door, “Mino, you in here?”

Mino finished dressing and opened the door, assuming it was just Dade, “I am. I’ve got everything prepared for the recruitment and the gear plan for the new recruits.”

Gently Dade put his hand on Mino’s shoulder, “We aren’t doing that Mino. It’s night time. We’re going to get you something to eat and then go to bed. We’ll recruit in the morning.”

“What? It’s morning, Dade. Look outside.” Mino walked over to the blinds and opened them expecting the sunlight outside to overpower the darkness of the room as all the bedrooms had blackout curtains, but there was no sunlight, just the moon had taken its shift from the sun.

“It’s night time Mino. Come eat dinner with me and Coped.” Dade walked to Mino and offered his hand out to the confused voidling. Mino took Dade’s hand and followed him down to the kitchen area where Coped had made dinner, shockingly since typically Coped resented doing homely activities and even found ways to avoid just doing them.

Coped saw both of them walk in, “I can be productive. I’m not just a fighter.”

His comment was targeting Dade who had been teasing him earlier in the day for finding excuses to not help build the Specter castle a few weeks back.

Mino found himself leaning against Dade like he had done back during the Desert Empire watching Dade and Coped go back and forth. It was nice, everything felt light and carefree. No death messages in chat, just bumbling chatter from the civilians outside who had a safe place despite the goal of this place to become the most feared and revered empire. For once Mino could breath, but he felt something tell him that this wouldn’t last like the last time.

The prophecy hung in the back of his mind along with the sign that admin, Pierce, had placed telling him not to stray off the path. Where was his fate destined to end? Would Dade be there with him in the end or would he finally see that Mino is undeserving of the friendship Dade was giving him? 

For now Mino didn’t have to think about it. For now he just wanted to see if Coped made something edible or he’d have to make dinner himself, but either option was welcome. Mino liked cooking and showing off in that way as he used to do little potlucks during the Desert Empire and always made more than the requirement because people always came back for his food which filled his cold body with warmth to see people like him at least his creations.

When will this happen again? Would his empire be destroyed again? No matter, he will give it his all like the last time. If the attacks keep coming he’d fight again and again until he dies and sees where GOD, the server owner, thinks he belongs.