Stuck In Reverse

Ender Dragon Seto—Nightmare Flame

One long, gray-ridged black tail, wrapped around an obsidian column.

Large black wings with violet webbing, lying loose on the end-stone ground.

A large dragon head, sad violet eyes, dulled black scales of shock and pain and most of all, depression.

It has been four months since they forced him into the End, when he saw their guilty expressions and one's terrified face. Four months since he's eaten anything, slept, or even moved. The End Portal has been completely dormant. He is officially the King of the End, with a large group of Ender Dragons at his command and Endermen under his rule. But he feels far from kingly, far from top shape. He doesn't want to be here, he wants to be in the OverWorld, with his... no, they're not his friends anymore. They made that clear enough for him... Especially Bajan. 19-year-old Mitch Bajan Canadian, who he trusted second most besides Deadlox, who had betrayed him with a guilty expression and an apologetic hanging of the head.

He wants to be in the OverWorld, maybe with Deadlox. Maybe a few exceptions, like Kermit or Caveman. But no others. No more traitors.

He hears the none-too-familiar sound of the portal opening. He allows himself a mirthless smile. He's tried to smile, or laugh, anything to make himself happy just a little while longer, but they never work. Now, the best you can see is the shadow of a snort, a smile, both not the same that they used to be.

Then he senses the aura.

There's several.

Red-and-black.

Gold-and-black.

Black-and-blue.

Brown.

Blue-and-orange.

Pale blue.

And the most familiar, a green and black aura.

He recognizes all of them.

"Team Crafted."

He turns his head. He can hear Bajan's gasp, Deadlox's angry rumble as he turns on the others, Sky's sad shake of the head.

Seto's upset grumble interrupts them all. "Might as well die. I don't have anyone else left to live for."

He gives an acknowledging nod towards Deadlox, whose eyes are wide. "You're giving us a freaking SUICIDE NOTE?"

Seto smiles wryly. "Except I can't die, can I? You guys put me in an asylum. I'm in Hell right now."

He manages to summon enough energy to turn into a human, and as soon as he does, he slumps against the obsidian column.

Seto's piercing, but dulled, violet eyes immediately flit to Deadlox. He flushes with guilt and looks at the endstone at his feet.

And Seto does the unthinkable.

He laughs.

All eyes dart towards his narrow, pale face in disbelief. However mirthless, however sorrowful it is, he just laughed.

His right hand—which is bandaged, everyone notes—goes to his eyes and covers them, blocking the flow of tears that are sure to follow. He is unable to conceal the glitter that falls from between his fingers, however. Bajan's guilty expression turns, if possible, even guiltier.

"I-if you guys h-had j-just lef-left me... I-I m-might have been able to g-get over i-it...!" Here he breaks off to give a slightly insane laugh. "B-but... Th-then y-you g-guys ab-abandoned me..."

Finally Bajan bursts out. "I'm sorry!" He glances around at the others, who appear surprised at his shout. He continues.

"I'm really, really sorry! I swear... I swear I didn't mean... I was stupid, I was convinced—"

"That I was a monster," finishes Seto calmly. Bajan swallows.

"Well, y-yes."

Seto's expression darkens, his hood cloaking his eyes.

"I know. I know what you all saw in me, and I know that you were afraid of it."

He stands, his expression grim.

"I... I can't accept the apology. I'll end up hurting someone, or worse... And I can't afford that."

"I'm sorry," whispers Bajan one last time.