July 6th, 2025, Day 702
Bad and Skeppy had been traveling for some time, just following the footprints that they hoped belonged to one of their friends.
It was mid-day and they still hadn't found any other indication that there was anyone left of the Islanders but them. Skeppy was walking in the front, his eyes on the ground and the footprints. His mind was full of every possible scenario that could explain this.
He hoped that they hadn't been killed. For some reason, people still had the sense to hide bodies when they made a kill. And that fact made Skeppy worried.
Did they look hard enough? What if their friends' bodies had been thrown in the lake after they'd been killed? Had the even been killed? Were they zombies or Drowned now?
Skeppy's thoughts were spiraling again, down down down into that dark, craggy, dangerous path in the depths of his mind. Every bad thing he could think of eating away at his resolve. He just wanted to go home and for everything to be okay.
Bad seemed to notice that Skeppy's head wasn't in a good place right now, but he didn't feel like talking to his comrade, not now, at least.
He looked at the ground, wondering if anything had changed, only to see that there wasn't a single footprint there
"Skeppy! You muffinhead you weren't paying attention!" Bad groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. He wasn't sure how much longer he could deal with Skeppy's idiocy.
Said diamond hybrid was also displeased with himself. His cheeks burning with embarrassment, and he was fidgeting with the sleeve of his hoodie to relieve some of that stupid feeling of embarrassment.
"Sorry, I got lost in thought." Skeppy apologized, the color of the little diamond shards on his skin slightly pink due to his cheeks gaining a light dust of blush. Bad let out an annoyed huff and then shook his head, clearing his thoughts.
The half demon looked at his diamond friend, then sighed. "Please don't do it again, Skeppy." He said, kicking a rock awkwardly. "Mhm." Skeppy hummed quietly, before turning and walking back the direction they came.
Or rather, thought they came.
As they went further south, they realized that it was the wrong way. Mainly because they saw no footprints like before.
"Bad, I think that maybe, we might be, possibly, just a little... lost."
"Ya think?!"
Bad put his face in his hands and made a long, drawn out groan. He lifted his head after a moment to study their surroundings. The trees were looming over them, their branches stretching over the once-well-used path, reaching for any travelers beneath their sturdy boughs.
It was almost comforting, the natural feel of it all. How close the trees were, and how overgrown the path was, like no one had used it in years.
Little buttercups were scattered like specks of sunlight all over the lush green forest floor. The dirt hiking path had weeds growing all over it, and old leaves were hiding in the bushed and around the roots of the trees.
When someone imagines an apocalyptic world, most often, they think of abandoned buildings, ruined cities, and dead bodies. Of course, in the midst of the chaos and fear of a standard apocalypse setting, no one thinks of the beauty it brings.
With factories shut down, the air feels just a tad bit cleaner.
With not as many people, nature can grow freely.
Animals aren't hunted to extinction, and the environment becomes better, for both humans, plants, and animals.
'Sometimes I wonder if the apocalypse is really that bad.' Bad thought, taking a deep breath. Skeppy was also having a moment of thinking. But he wasn't focusing on the bright side. He was one of the people who see an apocalypse as nothing but destruction and death.
Ruined cities, abandoned buildings, dead people, and the undead.
He hated it. He'd hated it since the beginning, and would hate it until the end. Sure, he loved nature, but he hated the cost of it's restoration.
He'd had friends and family die to this whole thing, he'd seen people torn to bits, he'd seen them slowly turn into the monsters they fought. Most offed themselves before they could hurt anyone, but still, it was a terrible fate.
"Skeppy, can we talk?" Bad asked, sitting down among the wildflowers on the side of the old path.
The diamond hybrid snapped out of his brooding with a start. He made a sharp inhaling noise and then relaxed, nodding. They could sit down out here, since he doubted that many zombies would be out here to get them anyways.
"Sure," Skeppy walked over and sat a few feet away from Bad, pretending to be overly interested in a buttercup near his shoe. "What'dya need?"
Bad took a deep breath, steeling himself. "We need to fix our relationship." He said, before realizing his words, "Or at least, learn to get along." He amended, rubbing the back of his neck.
Skeppy had a rather dead-inside look on his face when Bad said that. "Why?" He asked monotonously.
"Well... we can't survive if we can't work together. We won't find the others, either." Bad reminded his comrade.
Skeppy nodded slowly, understanding where Bad was coming from. He just didn't like Bad. "Maybe we should split. I think we might get farther if we aren't anywhere near eachother-"
"No! Skeppy I know you enough that I can smell your plan from a mile away." Bad looked at the ground, hurt. "I know you want to leave me, I know better than anyone how much you hate me, but we have to work together on this one, okay?"
"I know I'm just a burden to you, but just please try. Just until we find the others. Then we can go back to hating eachother, okay?" Bad looked desperate.
He wanted this chance desperately. He knew that if Skeppy would give him a chance, he could fix this. He could fix their friendship.
Skeppy was quiet for a moment, then nodded. "Fine. Just don't get too used to it." The diamond hybrid grumbled, although his words sounded a bit grey and dull of emotions.
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It was dark out now. The sun was approaching the horizon but it was mostly hidden behind the dense clouds that blanketed the evening sky.
Bad and Skeppy both kept at a distance, the white hot tension between them too uncomfortable for them to civily engage in any sort of interaction.
Bad watched the clouds above them quietly. The breeze was gentle, and the air smelled of rain.
"Hey, uh... it's gonna rain soon."
Bad pointed out, looking at the diamond hybrid next to him.
Skeppy took a deep inhale of the rain-scented night air, then looked to the sky. The clouds were even more dense than before, and Bad had only looked away for a moment.
"Yeah," Skeppy grabbed Bad's arm, refusing to make eye contact, but if he would've looked, he wouldn't have found any negative emotion on Bad's face whatsoever.
There was only a deep care behind those emerald eyes, a care about Skeppy. A care about the Islanders. A care for anyone who would let him care, really.
Skeppy just led Bad into the forest, following the path until they found a cave.
It had already started to lightly drizzle, and the air was even more humid than before; the warning of a downpour.
The diamond boy pulled Bad into the craggy, cold cave.
Small stalactites dripped above them, the sound of water dripping down onto more water rang out clearly and calmly through the still, cold air.
"I guess this is where we're spending the night." Skeppy noted nonchalantly, unbothered by the cave, while bad seemed more than worried about theyr surroundings.
"What if a stalactite falls on us while we're alseep?!"
Skeppy let out an amused snort. "They won't. Stop being a wuss."
The diamond hybrid set his sleeping bag down on the cold floor.
Bad watched with a worried look. It was cold outside, and the rain was picking up, and the wind was louder now.
The demon hybrid laid his things down and sat on the soft, thick sleeping bag. He laid down with his arms behind his head. "So.. ready for a night under the stars- or cave?" Bad attempted to have an actual conversation with Skeppy.
The diamond boy in question was laying on his stomach, his eyes trained on the uneven stone walls of the cave. "Bad, can we have a talk?"
Bad nodded, looking nervous. "Yeah, sure."
"We need to focus on finding our friends, not our own relationship." Skeppy said quietly. He didn't like the idea of trying to find the Islanders and trying to fix such a far gone relationship.
Bad's face fell at the words that Skeppy said. He felt hurt by Skeppy's refusal of trying to fix what was going on between them two.
"Okay... I guess that's fair." The demon said quietly, avoiding the diamond hybrid's gaze.
The aforementioned diamond hybrid sighed heavily and then nodded.
"Thanks."
The rain pattered on outside, drenching the ground and washing away any footprints that might have still been left. They were so unbelievably lost that Bad doubted that they would find the trail leading to their friends again.
The rain, despite the downside, was rather calming. Just the cool, calm greys and blues filling his field of vision and granting him a reprieve from the stress of post-apocalyptic life.
While Bad watched the rain, looking like he enjoyed the it, Skeppy was sulking about it.
'I hate the rain'
Skeppy thought dismally.
Rain is made of water.
Water, when it interacts with dirt, makes mud.
Mud is wet.
The footprints were in dirt.
When footprints get wet, they go away.
And when the footprints go away, you cant follow them.
And if Bad and Skeppy couldn't follow the footprints, they would never find the other Islanders.
Skeppy groaned in frustration, putting his hands over his eyes and feeling like throwing a toddler level tantrum. He flopped backwards and stretched out, staring hopelessly at the ceiling of the cave.
There were stalactites hanging above him, and a small drop of the water landed on his hand when he stretched it out, reaching upwards.
The diamond boy looked at the small splash of water wetting his hand and huffed.
Why was he so grumpy all of a sudden?
Sure, it was the apocalypse, but still! Before, he'd been sure that whatever happened, he would always be the happy, optimistic Skeppy he used to be. As long as-
'oh. Thats why.'
Skeppy rolled onto his side. He needed to fix his mood, and fast. His grumpiness would be the reason they failed in their search.
Bad noticed Skeppy as the boy put an arm over his eyes. The demon boy leaned over and poked the other's cheek. "Hey, Skep? You good?"
"Leave me alone." Skeppy grumbled, swatting halfheartedly at Bad's hand as he felt the poke on his cheek.
"Somethings definitely going on," Bad tugged on Skeppy's cheek. "So why won't you tell me? C'mon, we need to trust eachother!" Bad tried to sound enthusiastic, throwing his hands up towards the roof of the cave and smiling wide.
Skeppy, who had opened his eyes and moved his arm, couldn't stop a small laugh at Bad's antics.
Even if it was just a fraction of before.
Skeppy went back to sulking, and Bad's face fell. He moved back to his own sleeping bag and curled up, sadly accepting defeat.
Skeppy would come to terms with his problems on his own time, and Bad would just have to be patient.
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After a few hours, the rain had let up, but it was night and the moon was hidden behind the clouds, rendering their eyes useless.
It was in moments like these when Skeppy wished they had flashlighte the most.
The young mam was fidgeting in the dark, clearly (or unclearly, since they can't see) was uncomfortable in the near pitch-blackness of the night, fiddling with a diamond shard that poked out of the skin of his wrist anxiously.
So Bad mustered up all his strength to light a fire with the wet wood they had pulled in while it was still raining out.
A small shower of red sparks flew from Bad's hand when he held it out and he sighed heavily.
He tried again, this time, the wood dried out when a flame burst out from Bad's hand.
Skeppy looked relieved to see the flame, moving closer to the fire.
"Don't get too close, it's hell-fire so it'll burn off your clothes in seconds if you're not careful, and I like to keep my experiences pg thirteen at the very worst." Bad warned, holding out a hand to stop Skeppy from getting too close.
Skeppy wiggled an eyebrow suggestively. "Would it be that bad?" His tone was a joking one, but it was still enough to make Bad's gace go redder than the pure crimson fire between them.
Bad covered his face with his hands, groaning. Of course Skeppy had to do that now. But the joke made the demon feel better than before, if only slightly more so. It was like some of Skeppy's old light was back for a moment.
"Yeah, ot would be that bad." The boy snickered, shaking his head in mock disappointment.
Skeppy smirked. They were by no means past their tension, but it was looser now. Like one strand in a rope that was holding them away from eachother had been cut, letting them inch ever so slightly closer.
Skeppy sighed softly, looking to Bad. "I'm sory for how insensitive I was earlier. I was really stressed out and didn't consider you were just trying to help." He apologized to the demon, rubbing the back of his neck.
Bad's eyes widened in surprise. "Wha- thanks, Skep... thanks." Bad's surprise gave way to his happiness. Another strand down.
"I'm sorry for not giving you space." The demon added.
Skeppy and Bad simply sat in silence together for while. It was nice, the tension being cut down a little. It was still awkward but not as bad. The two of them were very quiet, a mutual silence just to reflect on eachother's apologies.
Bad randomly started humming a tune. It wasn't anything specific, just an unnamed tune, like when you're working and you randomly start whistling something.
Skeppy started to join in with a similar tune, until it was something like a mellody.
The rain started again, sounding in the background like an add-on to the melody that Bad and Skeppy were humming and whistling.
'I'll have to write lyrics for this later.' Bad thought, chuckling a small bit at the thought of writing a song off a silly tune. Maybe someday.
Not this day though.
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July 7th, 2025, Day 703
The sun broke through the couds to bring some warmth to the two young men huddled in their sleeping bags inside the cave.
The wildlife was up and about, a couple of deer walking past the cave and a songbird alighting on one of the trees outside of the cave.
Skeppy, as was usual, was first awake. The sun was shedding it golden light directly into the cave, and he had to sheild his eyes from the blindingly bright light.
He got to his feet and walked out of the cave. The previous night had improved his mood a lot, and for once the birdsong didn't bother him.
Then, an unfamiliar tone cut through the noises of the forest critters. It sounded like footsteps. It wasn't long before Skeppy had dove behind a bush as an older man walked out.
He had a crow on his shoulder and was chatting with it like it was a human being.
The man didn't seem to be armed, which was rare in the world nowadays.
Skeppy decided to try and talk with him. So, stepping out of the bushes and into the man's line of sight, hi raised his hand and asked, "Hello, sir? Are you lost?"
The man looked startled by Skeppy's sudden appearance, and surprised to see another person, but then smiled warmly in a rather friendly way.
"Oh, no, I'm not lost young man." The guy seemed unbothered by Skeppy's presence, and waved back, the crow on his shoulder flying into a nearby tree, frightening away the songbird who had been singing there.
"Is this your cave?" The man asked with a warm tone. "No." Skepy replied, still with his guard up. This man could attack at any moment, amd Skeppy wasn't planning on dying so early.
"Great! I can finally rest in peace." The man said, walking towards the cave.
As the man walked closer, Skeppy stepped in as a barrier between the stranger and the cave. "So what're you doing out here?" He asked hurriedly, trying to keep the stranger away from Bad and their supplies.
The stranger, who seemed rather vigilant, smiled knowingly. "I know your stuff and potentially a friend or two are in that cave," He said, crossing his arms. "Don't worry, mate! I'm no threat, so no need to be so protective."
Skeppy could've sworn he stopped living for a moment when the guy said he knew that Bad was in the cave.
This man was a bit unnerving, to be honest. He had the look of a dangerous opponent but a gentle soul.
He was gonna be an interesting person to be around.
The man walked over to the tree and sat down, crossing his arms. "So, I'm Philza. Who might you be?"
He seemed so casual, so.. normal. There was something going on, but Skeppy couldn't figure out what. "It's Skeppy." He replied, warily eyeing Philza incase he tried anything fishy.
The man- Philza -nodded in acknowledgement. "Nice to meet you, Skeppy." He said cheerfully.
"Did you get separated from a larger group or something? You don't look too well off." Phiza pointed out as he pulled a piece of bread out from his pocket and began eating it.
"Something like that." Skeppy answered cautiously. "What's with the whacky outfit?" Skeppy asked, looking Philza up and down. The guy looked confused, before remembering how strangely he was dressed.
"Oh, right. I just grabbed whatever I could from a random store somewhere and ended up with this." Philza replied, shrugging.
He didn't seem to take offense to Skeppy's suspicion or commentary on his outfit.
At this point, Skeppy was ready to give up and just have a normal conversation with this guy.
He seemed nice enough.
"Soooo... what were you doing out here, anyways?" Skeppy questioned Philza. "There aren't many loners anymore."
Philza chuckled. "I'm not part of a group. I'm searching for my family. I've got a feeling they're still out there."
'Oh. He's a dreamer.'
"Sorry to say it, but they probably died a long time ago." Skeppy said, his insensitivity shining out again.
"Maybe. Have you seen any people with the names Wilbur Soot, Tommy Innit, and Techno Blade?"
Skeppy's jaw dropped to the floor. "What?! You mean- wait a second, you're that Philza?!"
Philza looked confused. "What? Could you say that a bit more clearly, mate?"
"Are you their dad?" Skeppy asked.
"Yeah, thats me. You've seen 'em?" Philza looked hopefully at Skeppy, and the two locked eyes for a moment.
"... Yeah..."
Skeppy lost the fire of the moment. "But they disappeared a few days ago. Me amd my friend are looking for them and the other people from our group."
Philza sighed sadly, his hopeful mood deflating. "Oh..."
"I'd hoped that they were still with you." Phil added.
"Me too, Philza. Me too." The diamond boy looked at his friends' father, wondering quietly if he was really such a nice guy or if this was an act.
'Oh shut up trust issues, we finally get a nice person and all I wanna do is insist he's a bad guy!'
Skeppy scolded himself mentally.
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Bad heard the voices outside and sat up, stretching. Another morning in the middle of a zombie apocalypse.
The demon hybrid slowly stood up, stretching out his back and swishing his tail around to get rid of the tingly feeling of when his tail fell asleep from him laying or sitting on it for too long. "Hey Skep? Where are you?" He called cheerfully.
"We're outside." Skeppy called back.
"We?" Bad emerged from the cave to see Skeppy and Philza sitting outside under a tree together, talking.
"Uhh, Skep, who's this?" The demon asked, looking at Phil, who was eating another piece of bread.
"He's Mr. Blade's dad, Philza" Skeppy said, jabbing a thumb in the older man's general direction.
"Hi there mate." Philza smiled and waved to Bad. The demon was mildly comfused.
"Mr. Blade's dad is still alive?"
Bad was a bit surprised. "I figured he would be dead after all the jokes Mr. Blade made about him being too old."
Philza laughed, shaking his head. "That's Techno for ya." He said cheerfully.
"So, since we're looking for the same people, kind of, you wanna team with us?" Bad asked, making Skeppy choke on his water.
The diamond hybrid stood up and dragged the demon hybrid behind the tree.
"Bad! Don't just invite random people to join us! We've already got enough drama!"
Skeppy hissed, crossing his arms.
"But we're going for the same goal! Let's just go with him." Bad mimicked Skeppy's pose, crossing his own arms.
The other boy groaned. "No, I'm puting my foot down. We're not teaming with some random dude who showed up out of nowhere," Skeppy put his hands on Bad's shoulders. "He might be part of a gang or something, we don't know!"
Bad just walked over to Philza, ignoring Skeppy completely.
"So, yes or no?" He asked excitedly.
"Oh sure, why not?" Phil shrugged, also ignoring Skeppy.
The half diamond boy facepalmed and groaned as the half demon demon jumped up and down excitedly.
'What have i got myself into?'
A/N: AHHHHH WHY DID THAT TAKE ME SO LONG AHHHHH anywayssss hope you liked this chapter, i never like anythin i write so i need approval from random internet people :)
If you liked this chapter, comment right here to keep me motivated (please comment im getting lonleh T-T) ----->