It's been a few hours since Skeppy left and Bad was getting worried, who wouldn't be? Your best friend left you to check something dangerous, not to mention while stuck in a different reality, and haven't come back from his travels. It was getting dark and Bad hadn't seen the blue-skinned male.
"Skeppy! Come back!" Bad shouts as he stepped over a fallen log. He looked up to see the orange sky, indicating the upcoming dusk. He let out a groan before pulling out a torch from his inventory, lighting it up before continuing his venture deep down the forest.
The silence was deafening, the air was still, besides the sound of the crunching dry leaves he'd step on, it was plain nothing. Something felt off and that made him pull his sword out as he focused on the nonexistent sound, waiting for someone or something to pounce on him.
As if he manifested it, a groan was heard from his left making him turn around, swinging his sword and slicing the zombie who was at an arm's length far from him. He was glad those swinging and throwing classes he had with knives, he can finally use them again. He was relieved he can still do it since he hasn't thrown or held a weapon for so long.
He looked down at the decaying body on the ground, his eyes knitted as he stared at it. It wasn't disappearing nor turning into dust like it should be. Instead, he can see a red mist surrounding the body, he bent down and cautiously observed the odd fog. When suddenly a hologram popped up in front of his eyes, startling him.
'Extract Shadow? Yes or No'
"What?" As if the system understood his perplexion, the hologram elongated as more information showed up.
'Extract Shadow will allow you to resurrect the selected entity to be your soldier. Level them up by letting them roam the lands and destroy enemies. Shadows capacity: 0/50'
"Oh... Extract shadow"
With that, the ominous mist rose from the body forming like what it used to be but with blue flames for eyes, scaring him. Bad fell to the ground as he watched in horror, the black smoke slowly turned solid-looking. It wasn't long before it was standing still as if waiting for an order. Bad gently rose from the ground, pushing his body up with his hand with the other in the air, palms open in front of the shadow.
"You won't hurt me right?"
"I shall not harm my creator" It suddenly spoke, its breathy voice that sounded that it whispered in his ear made him jump back with a yelp. It amazed him but at the same time sent a shiver down his spine.
Another hologram popped up in front of him, startling him once more at its sudden appearance.
'Name this shadow?'
"Alright... what should I name you?" Bad thoughts as he stared at the figure before gasping and declared with a wide grin:
"Chip!"
On the other side of the jungle, the blue-skinned male stood at the foot of the gigantic jungle temple. He was scared of what the structure contained and refused to enter, it might give him better items but should he risk his own life just for uncertain items. For hours, he just watched the shadows inside move and groan for how long? He doesn't know.
He debated on walking back to his best friend, he let out a sigh and spun around his heels to face the thick greens, he went to take a step away but then paused mid-air, because now that he's looking at the vegetation, he asked himself, where did he come from?
He squinted at the bushes, trying to spot any indication of him coming from there before picking a random direction and started walking, pulling out a sword and tightly holding it in his hand as he stepped over a branch and pushed away a vine that was keeping him from seeing what's up ahead. He noticed the dimming sky and started to panic, his steps increasing in speed. Muttering low under his breath.
"Why do you think you can function without Bad in this world?!"
After many slashed vegetation, tripping over small stones that littered the ground and hopping over trunks, he soon realised that he was indeed lost in the woods, alone. Just when the sun is about to go down. The most unfortunate time ever. Skeppy spun around his heels to go back to the temple only to stop cause he can't find the path he just made, and everything seemed to look similar. It's like the grass has grown back again.
It was dark already, the hair on his arm rose after hearing zombies groan from afar, the bush behind him ruffled making him jump. His heartbeat accelerated in speed, where is his friend? Why did he think leaving his side was a good idea? He started regretting every choice he made as he dived deeper into the forest.
"It's alright Skeppy... let's just climb a tree and hide there" he whispered to himself as an attempt of comfort before pausing and turning to the nearest tree trunk.
He sized it up and down before looking around for an easier way to reach the highest branch without hurting himself. He thanked the Minecraft gods for not giving him the height he has in real life or he'll find it hard to reach the vines that would lead him to a branch high enough that mobs won't disturb or find him.
He grabbed a vine and wrapped his hand with it before pulling hard, testing if it was strong and could handle any weight before attempting to climb up, putting his feet on the dents of the trunk as he started trekking the tree.
Upon hearing the increasing groan behind him, a slight panic-struck through him as he decided to hasten the process of climbing the tree but also made sure to be careful with where he placed his feet. His heartbeat pounded rapidly in his chest as he tried to direct his focus on his actions and not the noises behind him. But at one peculiar sound, he paused, trying to find why it sounded different to the occasional groans of zombies. It was more audible.
"You sons of bitches come 'ere!"
Skeppy knew it wasn't his best friend because the person was cursing like a pirate who's annoyed at its shipmates, the voice sounded familiar making him wonder who it was before deciding to ignore it and continue his business with climbing the tree, trying to ignore the man screaming in the distance.
He was doing so good, he was so proud of himself when he could reach out his hand and the tip of his fingertips could reach the underside of the branch until he heard a sharp swish from his left ear that left him frozen as he felt a slight sting by the shell of his ear, his blood ran cold, eyes frozen and fixated on the curve of the trunk. Did the mobs spot him? But he's high enough for them to pass through.
A shiver ran down his spine at the thought of them seeing him and the possible scenarios that might happen if they did manage to find him, will he die in real life if he died here? He hasn't seen his best friend in person yet, he wasn't ready to go now.
His grip on the vines tightened, his breathing jagged as he tried to regulate it when he heard the same peculiar sound but nearer.
"Hey, dickwad!"
He tensed at that, did the other player find him? He asked himself as he debates with himself whether he should look over his shoulders or continue going up the branch. He felt his fingers tremble as he thought of what he should do if it is indeed another player in this realm. Should he react kindly and follow their orders or should he risk it and try to damage them? He didn't know what to do.
God, why did I leave Bad?!
He regrets as he continues to stare at the wood, chewing on his lower lip when the man spoke once more.
"The fuck you looking at?"
Skeppy noticed the slight slur in the stranger's voice before he heard a grunt and the sound of a skeleton getting killed. Mustering the courage, he peeked over his shoulder to see a figure moving in the dark, his back facing him. If it wasn't for the dim lighting of the moon, he wouldn't have recognised the man.
Comfortable navy blue hoodie and camo pants. Skeppy noticed the two ram horns that sat on each side of his head as he stared down at a melon that grew on the ground, in his hand is a bottle with a small amount of dark liquid in it. Skeppy hopes it was the person he thought the man is or he's a goner. He opened his mouth to shout the man's name but closed it instantly, hesitant. Until he spoke once more and spat another familiar name.
"Fucking skeletons, fucking Quackity, I should've--"
"Jschlatt?" Skeppy calls out, risking his position as the man spun around in lightning speed, stumbling as he does so.
"Who the fuck are you?" The man was indeed smashed, Skeppy finalized. The man just cursed a tree and looked like it was about to fight it. An inanimate object.
"Look up," Skeppy whispered-shout, and the male obeyed, tilting his head up, squinting at him, trying to properly look at him.
"Why are you blue?" Schlatt asked with knitted eyebrows.
"It's me! Skeppy!" He exclaimed. There was a brief period of silence as the man stared at him, trying to process information, searching his head for someone with that name.
"We're in the same SMP!" Skeppy exclaimed, helping him out with his memory searching.
"Live SMP?"
"No! I'm from the Dream SMP idiot, we fought in a war!" Skeppy shouts as Schlatt scrunches his face before his mouth falls into an 'o' shape.
"Oh the diamond guy, sorry I have selective memories. Did you come with your boyfriend?" Schlatt asked scratching his head with the hand that held a bottle, referring to his best friend, Bad.
"Yeah but I'm lost right now" Schlatt took a sharp intake of air through his teeth before speaking again.
"Sucks man, lover's quarrel?"
"No-no! Why are you here?" Skeppy asks the other male that came out of nowhere.
"I live with Techno, Quackity, Karl and some chick, they're mining right now and I was left with hunting duties." The man frowned. He wasn't supposed to be doing this but Quackity teasing him about how he's the weakest link in the house made him act and unconsciously kill all the mobs in the area like what he should be doing.
"They're here as well?!" Skeppy was relieved to find out that there are other familiar people in the realm, especially Technoblade. The man was known in the real world as one of the best fighters.
"Yeah, come down let's get you to Techno, man's loaded!" Schlatt brags as he takes a swig from the bottle in his hand, tumbling in the process but catching himself before he falls.
Slowly, Skeppy descended the tree as he felt something stir inside him as if something was pulling him towards a certain direction in the dark. As if he knew that there was someone in there, he spared a glance on that area before directing his attention to how he's gonna go down the tree.
"Why were you climbing the tree in the first place?" Schlatt questions as soon as Skeppy's feet touched the grass.
"Well--" Skeppy's neck has never snapped any faster at the sound of someone calling for him from the thick forest.
"SKEPPY!"
"That's your boyfriend" Schlatt nonchalantly points out as the both of them stared at the direction Skeppy was feeling the odd pull.
After a few ruffles of bushes, the familiar glowing white eyes, black and red robe pushed through the vegetation, a loud sigh of relief left his chest when his eyes landed on his blue-skinned friend when he noticed the horned individual standing beside him but that's not what he came for. Not having the time to recognise the other person, he pulled Skeppy to him and stood in front of the blue-skinned male.
"Who are you?" Bad asked the drunk person in front of him.
"Bad chill! It's just Schlatt!" Skeppy was the one who introduced him. Making Bad unwind and spun around to face him looking like a TNT about to explode. Spoiler alert, he did.
"What did I tell you, you muffinhead?! Why did you leave my side?!" He screams.
"I wanted to check the temple!"
"And I told you not to, now you got lost!" Bad counters, voice louder than the previous one.
"I'm not drunk enough for this shit..." Schlatt swears under his breath as he takes another swig from his bottle.
"But we met Schlatt and the others because of it!" Skeppy defends.
"You guys are so loud, surprised no mobs came over to eat you all" The duo fell silent as another voice joined them, they all looked behind Schlatt as a shadow stepped in, the white colour of his mask shimmering under the moonlight.
"My god, you guys finally came!" Schlatt sounded relieved as he jogs towards his friends, tripping over a pebble on his way but Quackity was there who caught his arm and pulled him back up.
Skeppy was quick to notice Karl leaning forward on the iron pickaxe he placed on the ground as he tried to catch his breath beside Techno who dons the pig skull mask Skeppy saw, making him shiver at the sight. He also wore a fur coat with his pick hanging from his shoulders, unlike the others who simply had long sleeves and brown trousers. The trio all held iron pickaxes that glowed purple in the dimly lit forest.
Techno let out a sigh before nodding his head and spinning around to disappear deep into the forest with Schlatt and Karl following behind him. Quackity ran behind the duo, pushing them to the direction the three other people had disappeared into.
"Let's go, you don't wanna get caught by a pterodactyl" Quackity ushers them when the homeowner didn't say anything.
"We'll talk about this later," Bad says, making a shiver run down Skeppy's spine as the other male in the area laughed at that.
"Oooh, you're in deep shit bro"
"Language!"