A groan slipped past Phil's lips as he felt his consciousness come back, pain immediately greeting him once he was fully in control.
He pushed himself up with his elbows, his bones ached and he felt like he could collapse back into the bed if he stopped trying.
He missed sleeping, he didn't feel anything during that peaceful time. He missed that.
But he needs to figure out where he is, and who were the people that saved him. Because all he could remember was masks, earth shattering explosions and orange hairs that tickled his skin.
So he rose from the bed, stumbling as his vision blacked out for a split second. With a hand on his back, he approached the closed dark oak wood door.
When he pushed it open, his eyes squinted as the sunlight and the humid air welcomed him. He let out a wince at the sting he felt in his eyes but continued to walk out. His vision slowly getting used to the light.
He hadn't had the grasp of the outside when he felt the ground beneath his tremble as a minor explosion went off. He jolted at the sudden noise before looking around for the source of the sound when he saw a flash of orange leaping towards a green skinned male in a black tank top.
"Come on grandpa! Sweat them out and make things go boom!" A voice similar to his Dutch friend, Fundy, taunted as he got near his opponent. Only to be stopped by another explosion, extracting a squeak from the hybrid who leaped away from Sam's attack.
Phil watched as the two spar while making his way towards them. Fundy was in black trousers and his white shirt, now grey, soaked with sweat for being active under the sun. His opponent however was like the same person he saw back at the forest just minus the mask.
The man had void-like black eyes and a scar on his left eyebrow. Phil wondered how he got that during his stay in minecraft. Or maybe that's just how he's designed by the universe.
Made to be cool.
"Fundy I said," The green skinned male then sprinted towards the other "Fight back!"
Boom!
Like the previous one, it wasn't huge nor small. But it was enough to send a person back. Phil used his arm to shield his eyes from the incoming debris that bumped into his clothes. When he peeked from his makeshift shield, he found himself staring at an unharmed Fundy who's hand was outreached towards his opponent.
"Are you sure you want this Sam?" Fundy asked, power surging in his veins after absorbing the incoming attack.
"Hit me with your best shot." Sam says and as soon as it left his lips, in a flash, Fundy then threw back the same power back to its sender but it was stronger and faster.
Now that Phil was near them enough, he found out that the fox hybrid was fighting Sam. The person who distracted the two wrongins back at the crystal mountain with his abilities.
Sam's skin was glistening with his perspiration, breathing heavily as he hunched over. He reacted a little late so his body absorbed the force Fundy's attack brought, his legs weakened and almost gave up but he forced himself up.
He can heal himself later with their stock of healing potions. And they have a lot from raiding the nearest towers daily.
"Oh hi Phil!" Fundy greeted, his attention shifting to him. The two of them then waved their hands at him. Phil looked around, seemingly searching for something or someone.
"Didn't you guys go here with George and Ranboo?" The two seemed to froze at the mention of Ranboo, Phil's eyebrow knitted as he watched them throw each other looks and widening their eyes.
"Why are we even doing this?!" Fundy exclaimed then turned to Phil.
"We couldn't find Ranboo anywhere, we don't know where he is." Fundy continued and Phil could only nod his head, not knowing how to react.
"Did you all wake up at the same time?" Phil interrogates, crossing his arms. Cogs in his mind moving as he thought of a possible scenario.
"Kind of, I woke up first." Fundy answered, Phil nodded at that.
"Maybe he's in another dimension, The End maybe?" The two of them shrugged at that but considered the possibility.
The kid has an enderman skin in a suit, not to mention the crown it wore. This reality could've made him a royalty because they saw his crown, barely even looking at his life outside the simulation.
"If that's the case, then the universe has favorites." Fundy thought out loud, making Phil snicker before he spoke.
"Even in the real minecraft world, we're still an extra in the background."
"That's just sad." Sam stated as he combed his hair back.
Then from above, Phil heard a loud caw that made him look up to see a huge and raven coloured crow that flew in a circular way. It was another part of his ability, the animal would bring him shiny things and news about the entirety of the world he's in right now. The bird was the reason why he planned a trip to the jungle because it said that there's someone he knew living in that biome.
But as he surveyed the sound it was making, he knew the crow brought news.
Phil brought up his forearm as something the crow could perch on. Almost instantly, the animal dove down from it's high position to land on his arm.
"Wow you have a pet crow?" Fundy was amused by the avian, his hand slowly reaching for its head.
"Yeah it tells me all the gossip." The older male answered as the crow started flapping its wings and constantly let out an ear piercing screech that made Fundy recoil.
Phil was unbothered by the noise because to him, it was talking, sharing every detail he has found during the swift check of the land. Fundy made an incredulous face as he watched Phil nod and chuckle.
"You speak crow?" Sam asked as he walked towards them, wiping the sweat off of his hand with a handkerchief.
"Yeah and they said," Phil then paused to hear the caws before continuing "Dream and his group is approaching the city, they brought guests"
"What?! Where are they?" Sam asked but Phil brought up a finger to his lips, wanting to focus more on the crow.
The duo's eyes widened as they watched the crazy bird flap and screech with Phil calmly listening.
"Techno's gang is missing?" Phil asked, his eyebrows knitting as he turned to his pet.
"No don't say F!" Phil exclaimed surprised, making Fundy and Sam crack up as the crow seemed to go even more berserk. Phil then bat the crow away, pulling a handful of berries and throwing it at the avian that happily flew away after catching a few.
Sam wasn't able to ask his previous question again when a ding butts in from their watches as a hologram popped out in front of Sam, startling him.
'Grant permission to enter Cogchamp to user/s:
-Grian
-Mumbo Jumbo
-Iskall85
-Ponk
-Nihachu
-CaptainPuffy
-TheEret
Yes or No?'
Sam was suddenly reminded that he was the grand leader of the city, his jaw dropping at the familiar names he was reading. Immediately clicking on the green button to allow them to enter the city.
"The other group is here!" Sam informs before running off into the entrance with Fundy and Phil following not too far from him.
When they arrived at the front, they felt their heart warmed at the sight of the crowd of familiar faces standing at the docks, the red masked male next to George was waving enthusiastically at Sam, he seemed to be screaming but they were not able to hear it because of the invisible border that separated both groups.
Phil was shocked that they had arrived early, because his precious pet had informed him that it'll probably take them a day before they reach the mushroom island. Unless the avian was lazy to take another round about to check yesterday then told him the old news. He has never felt so angry that he's not able to turn animals into people, he would've yeet them off of a cliff.
Then catch them before they fall to their death of course. He's not that cruel.
An archway-like shape formed in front of them, the other side looking clearer than before. Without any time wasted, Ponk ran up to Sam with his arms wide open. Sam then accepted the hug when the other suddenly stepped away.
"You're sweaty!"
"Yeah, I was training before you guys came." Sam responded with a sheepish grin, pulling out his handkerchief to pat off the sweat in his shoulders.
"No! Go change clothes!" Ponk exclaimed as he started ushering Sam away from the crowd. The others could only watch as the smaller male dragged the green skinned man towards the town at the horizon.
"Phil! You're here too?!" Exclaimed Puffy as she stared at him as Fundy approached Iskall in the background, speaking to each other in a hushed tone. She barely spared them any attention before the winged male spoke.
"Yeah dude. What are your abilities though?"
"You already knew that? Did they tell you?" Dream asked as Phil started laughing lightly.
"No, but thanks to you fuckers with the Philza, creator of Minecraft jokes, I now know everything in this damn world." Phil light-heartedly said, piquing Niki's attention as she pulled out a red scale, handing it to the man.
"Could you tell me what's this? I saw this on the ground while I was searching for berries." Niki explains as Phil takes the item from her hands.
Almost immediately, a hologram popped out beside the scale. His eyes widened as he read the first sentence that's written in bold yellow, a rare thing.
'Fire Dragon Scale
-Is strong enough to hold a power as great as the sun rays or an elemental orb. Can be crafted into an armour piece, element holder, etc.'
"This is a fire dragon scale." Phil informs as he hands it back to the female who nodded as she puts it on her inventory.
"It's a rare item, a strong one. Can use it to make an armour" Phil adds as he motioned to the item.
"Hey guys!" Fundy yells, taking everyone's attention, Phil looks over the hybrid's shoulder to see Ponk walking back to them with a freshly dressed Sam beside him.
"I think we should head back and celebrate!" The fox suggested as a chorus of cheers exploded.
"Celebrate what exactly?" Grian questions after his hoots, Fundy then rushed to his side, leaning to his ears to whisper.
"I just need an excuse to drink the wine." Fundy responds in a hushed voice making the other nod in understanding.
"ARE WE HAVING A PARTY?!" Ponk yelled out from the hill, making them turn to them.
"YEAH!" Fundy shouts back in the same enthusiastic level. Making Sam and Ponk repeat what he said, throwing their fist in the air.
------------
"Yo-You know, for the person who wanted to party, he's the first one to sleep." Puffy states as she stares at Fundy whose head is magnetised to the wooden table. His eyes closed and his mouth slightly opened, soft snores leaving his lips.
Phil laughed as he listened to Dream and Sapnap's story of how they were when they started living together, along with Niki and George. The younger brit's eyes fluttered, threatening to shut but a smile still stretched on his lips. He propped up his arm and let his head lean on it, trying to listen to his friends.
Grian has fallen asleep on Mumbo's shoulder, the sugar rush finally coming down after he got a taste of the ripe mangoes Fundy had picked before they arrived, he ate most of the stock but the hybrid was too drunk to even fight him off, Eret keeping the suited gentleman company while Iskall is somewhere wandering around with Sam and Ponk to discuss the redstone in the city after the green-skinned male had asked him about it.
As the night deepens, it is obvious that everyone has to retreat and ready themselves tomorrow. Iskall has excused himself from the active ninja and the creeper hybrid, the both of them watched as the cyborg marched away before Ponk turned to Sam.
"Are you sleepy?"
"Nope." Sam responded turning to the smaller male. "Why?"
Ponk grinned, "I found a city underground not too far from here. Wanna go there with me?"
"Is this you asking me on a date?" Sam asked with a teasing smirk, arm nudging the other.
"Is it bad to ask a friend to go on an adventure with me?" Ponk shot back making Sam laugh lightly before looking around the area.
"Yeah sure, where is it?"