Author Note:

"Greetings Doughnut Brigade!

So nice to finally 'meet' you guys. Excited for chapter 25? I bet you are, knowing how long it took.

Sorry about... the word structure of this Author note, as I have limited experience in writing them. I don't really know what to write either.

Sa-... I mean, Sylent, asked me to write this author note because laziness had fled over her, in case you were wondering. Now you are probably thinking; "Who is this?". Hehehehe, I am your worst nightmare... Jess! :3

So apparently I have a fan base. That's cool... I guess.

Anyways, Sylent here has started a new story. I'm in it, and apparently co-writing as well. Feel free to read it and give feedback.

Please continue to support this asshol- I mean, 'friend' of mine. #NoSylentJess. Also, feel free to leave as many reviews and pms about what ever your sweet heart desires. Hopefully they are about what you would like me to write in the next author note (If I ever write one again).

Enjoy! And Until next time,

This is Jess. :D"

*Cringes* Ahem, right, Sylent here again. And hoi, Jess, don't give away my name. Uncool burh, uncooooool. Yes, Jess and I started work on a new story. Don't worry though, I'll probably only work on it at school. It basically originated while we were building a ballista for our physics assignment, and we were like, "Hey, wouldn't it be awesome if a zombie apocalypse started right now."

PLOT LINE.

So, here is the special Father's Day update, which actually features somebody's father! *Gasp*

Enjoy.

Starting Perspective: Zoe

"Where else would I be?"

"Where are we?" I asked, hoping that the small truce between us would permit conversation.

The maimed hybrid flinched slightly at my words, but answered as we walked. "The, End."

My surprise was minimal, having already assumed as much. A hundred questions played out in my mind, but only one mattered. "Where's Key?"

"You mean, the Ender, girl?"

"Yes."

"Hopefully, dead."

I stopped, my heart sinking at the thought. But it didn't make sense, she could teleport away from any kind of danger, right? I knew I was lying to myself, but it didn't matter by that point.

The possessed hybrid kept walking. "For her sake, she's better off, dead."

My body tensed at his words… Despite what some may say, there were worse fates than death. But if she was alive… If she was alive then there was still a chance. But something else ticked at the back of my mind, another question. I hurried to catch up with him. "Why are you telling me this?"

Somehow his usually eerie silence became more unnerving, almost making me jump when his mouth began moving once more. "Dead men, need no secrets."

"Dead men?"

My question was left unanswered as a solitary spire distinguished itself from the mist. A dull purple shine identified the material as obsidian, something to be expected of a civilisation run by Endermen. The tower itself coasted high into the air, its peak only barely visible against the void black sky.

I paused, unsure of my approach. It's not as if I were going to be welcomed… But without Key, there was no way out of here. I needed to find her. My companion had already made it to the structure's base, and stared at the wall blankly. I stepped up beside him, still a little uncertain.

"Spider."

I glanced up at the boy. "Yes?"

The wall before us seemed to cave in on itself, creating an ornamental type of entrance. Inside, two Endermen stood on a large platform, cables strung on all sides that coiled upwards to an impressively large mechanism, the huge gears clunking away for no apparent reason. Between the two glossy black figures, stood a hybrid, almost entirely identical to the one who stood adjacent, discounting the missing limb of course.

Suddenly, I realised what the towers really were. They weren't homes, or armouries, or any other form of furnished building… They were elevators.

The new arrival paced forwards, stopping before the other of his kind.

My companion looked down to me, and for a moment, in those empty purple eyes… I thought I saw a spark. "You're being toyed with." He smiled, a genuine, hearty smile.

A pair of daggers slammed into his chest, tearing downwards across his torso with a sickening squelch and snap. Blood spewed from the coursing wound, spraying into the air and spattering against my cheek.

Before I had time to readjust my vacant examination, the pair of Endermen caught me by the shoulders. Not seeing a point in resistance, I stepped over the corpse, and let myself be lead inside. The seamless entrance caved in on itself, abandoning the remains of the fallen comrade as he collapsed into a heap of ash.

The mechanism clunked overhead and the landing jolted before beginning its decent. The darkness was no trouble for any of us, as our eyes adjusted quickly.

I looked up at the new arrival, who cleansed his double blades with a purple cloth. "Why'd you kill him?"

He paused, and spun the daggers around his fingers before pushing them into the sheaths by his belt. "He was unfit to serve."

I was somewhat surprised that his voice came smoother, more human like, but the thought wasn't my foremost. "Because he lost his arm?"

The hybrid looked down at me, a ferocious superiority chained within. "Because he failed."

A sudden ticking noise, followed by a whir and a thump, brought the platform to a halt, and once again the doors shuffled apart. A sudden intake of breath replied to the sight before me.

Buildings upon buildings stretched out into the distance, spiralling bridges, streets and staircases connecting them all into a sprawling mass. Upon each gigantic form were etched gargoyles and ornamental carvings that made every wall seem creepily alive, while strange floating cubes shed a subtle light across them. An elevator, much like the one we stood within, careened out of the bulk every hundred or so meters, soaring upwards into the void. Endermen and hybrids alike strolled the avenues and pathways, books and strange artefacts ladled within their arms.

It was all a dull purple, and it all hung suspended over an everlasting drop.

I was shoved forwards, as we began our march into the fray.

Perspective Change: Raven

His driving was painful.

Furthermore it was an automatic, which just added to my pre-cocked annoyance. He rounded the corner awkwardly, readjusting halfway through, after which he pressed down on the accelerator before levering off almost instantly. He hadn't improved at all since I last saw him, if anything, he had gotten worse.

Still, I wasn't about to take his place, no matter how antagonizing it was.

"So, what does he want?" I asked, my annoyance getting the better of me.

Matt, the brother who found it hard to concentrate on two things at once, waited until we came to a red light. "What do you mean?"

"Cut the bullshit."

A sigh escaped him. "You've gotten cockier since you left. Does it have something to do with that boy?"

My mind ran back to Isaac, but I quickly swept it under the rug. "Stop being a fucking prick and tell me what the bastard wants."

"Now now, is that anyway to talk about your father?"

I reached for one of my hatchets.

"H- He's got a few high risk jobs pilling up." Matt hurried, fearing for his welfare.

I should've known. "Not interested, tell him to get someone else."

"I told him you wouldn't be, but he insisted."

The traffic signal flicked to green, and we started forwards with a jolt. Several minutes passed as we crossed through town, passing shopfronts and house porches. It wasn't long before we neared the outskirts, where my brother pressed his foot down a little further.

Once we had cleared the region of barren wheat fields, the sand coloured mansion loomed in the distance. It was large, but almost blended in with its desolate surroundings. The hillside on which it was built was primarily sandstone after all. As we neared, the large steel security gates swung open and Matt passed through them narrowly, taking his time to find space on the large tarmac driveway.

The purr of the engine rounded off, dying down to a whisper before cutting out altogether. Matt looked over to me as my stare became vacant. "He's waiting for you in the study."

I sighed. With each passing breath the sun rose a little higher. The thought made me want to stop breathing… A second later, I flipped the doorhandle and stepped out. The cool winter wind ruffled my hair, flashing red across my vision. My gaze fell to the unnecessarily large oak door, which rested closed within its frame.

I clenched my fist, cracking my knuckles in the process. A moment later, I took a step forwards. Reaching the door, I forced it open and set foot within the familiar hall. An uneasy shiver swept across my skin, but I ignored it and kept on my path.

The stretching hallways were laden with exquisite paintings and odd sculptures, things that I had admired once, but now only rendered disgust. I only paused once more, in front of the entryway at the end of the hall. I knew precisely what lay waiting for me… But I also knew that this world was a lot bigger than it had been before. Somehow the task didn't seem as daunting as it had been on every other occasion.

I smirked, and rounded the corner, taking up a firm stance.

The room was simple enough. An opaque curtain shielded the wide windows adjacent, while heavily loaded bookcases lined each side. Within the centre, atop of a faded Persian rug, sat a substantial wooden desk. And behind that desk was a tall black leather chair, which held a man. The man was no unordinary sight. His worn figure was clad in a stripped gentleman's jacket and well-groomed white beard, which clung to his face neatly. He held a focused gaze through his gold rimmed glasses towards the paper in his hands.

My jaw clenched involuntarily, but I held my ground as he kept me waiting.

"Where were you?" He muttered calmly.

The very sound of his voice made me recoil. A forced sense of superiority accompanied every syllable, making me squeamish. I dug my fingernails into my palm, resisting the urge to throw a tomahawk at him. "Not here."

The empowered geezer looked up. "I need you to run a few errands."

"I'm not interested."

"I'll cut you off."

"I don't need you anymore."

A silence enveloped the room.

"How will you support yourself?" He started.

"I don't need to."

"Don't tell me you plan to stay at that boy's house forever."

I kept quiet, giving him all the answer he needed.

"If you don't do this for me, I'll have him killed."

The statement hung in the air. It wasn't the first time I it had been uttered… And I doubted it would be the last. This was why it was better not to have friends… And yet I still made the same mistake every time. "I'll kill you one day."

"And then your little tribe of savages gets blown to bits. We've discussed this before."

My mind leapt back to the reservation…

I let out a deep breath. "What am I driving?"

Perspective Change: Amber

"Here she is! The criminal! I knew she was one of them from the start!"

I sighed and pulled the door shut behind me. As usual, the entire class waited expectantly for my retort, but I wasn't in the mood. "Can we not do this today?" I replied wearily to the plump fur clad woman.

With the amount of animal skin on her, it was difficult to tell exactly what type of beast it came from. "Oh, that's cute, the criminal thinks she can get away without being questioned!"

I rubbed at my eyes with the back of my hand, trying to ward off exhaustion. "The only thing criminal here-" yawn, "-is your fashion sense."

Blood rushed to her forehead as her beady eyes scrunched into their sockets. "Honestly, you're a disgrace to this school, you car thief, you slut!" She paused to consider her next line of attack. "It won't be long before you're expelled, they've already started the process!"

"Do you ever shut up?" I asked, plunking down in my seat and throwing my heels onto the desk. I tried to ignore the way Jacob glanced at my legs. You'd have thought he'd learned his lesson by now.

"If you hadn't noticed, I'm the teacher, what I say goes!"

A sudden urge to sneeze overwhelmed me, which I obliged before replying. "You're the teacher? You haven't exactly taught anything since I started here."

"That's because you're always interrupting my lessons and distracting your classmates! I mean just look at the revealing position you're in!"

"Distracting? You're the only one yelling here."

"You distracting the boys by flaunting your womanly assets!"

"Flaunting my womanly assets?" I glanced at my raised legs, and then at the boys in the room, a handful of which stared hungrily. A shiver of realisation crept down my spine. I rolled my eyes, pushing the thought away. "You're saying it's my fault if they get turned on? Instead of yelling at me why don't you try taming them for a change?" A new concept ticked into my mind, which prompted a sly smile. "Or, don't tell me… You're jealous?"

A slight graze hit her puffy cheeks. "J- Jealous? Don't be ridiculous. Who would be jealous of an ugly brat like you?"

"I'm ugly?"

"Terrifyingly so." She chuckled.

"Well, I guess that means I don't have any 'assets' to 'flaunt', right?"

"Righ-" Her confirmation broke off suddenly as she realised her contradiction.

I sighed. "Honestly, for a teacher you're pretty fucking stupid."

A few brave students spared a small laugh at the comment, before an evil glare from the opposition shut them down. I took the time to glance at the blond haired boy near the front. Felix, I think his name was. He seemed to be scribbling ferociously in his notebook. As if feeling my gaze, he looked up awkwardly, and glanced around.

My fingers curled into a small wave within the silence of the room. I little colour rushed to his cheeks as he shyly waved back.

The entire class, which had just witnessed the interaction, burst into a series of mutterings as rumours began to take shape. I let out a pained growl as I threw my head back to stare at the roof. "This world is so fucked up."

Perspective Change: David

I watched on blankly as fresh snow fell from above. The classroom always had a different feel to it when weather came into play. Somehow it felt quieter, more lazy. Although if I listened closely, I could hear the constant bickering of Amber's class from down the hall.

It felt as though I hadn't spent much time with her recently, which made sense with how much was going on… The only time we really saw each other was in the evenings. It annoyed me slightly, but there were other things to worry about.

Raven didn't turn up at all that day. And by the last few periods, Isaac was a mess. It was like he didn't know what to do with himself. He didn't have anyone to annoy, or stave off his boredom. The girls that surrounded him still prattled on like old women, but it didn't take a genius to tell that the Creeper wasn't interested.

"Hey, Isaac, you want to go out with us sometime?" One of the blonde bitchy girls asked.

"Huh, yeah… Sure."

She ignored his lacking enthusiasm and lit up with a smile. "Great! How 'bout this afternoon?"

The Creeper gave a small gesture in return. "Can't wait."

The final bell sounded a few minutes later, where the girls rushed ahead of him, planning to meet him outside.

I shook my head in disbelief as I approached the slumped figure. "You know, you don't have to go with them."

He seemed to jump a little at the comment. "Why wouldn't I?"

"Because you like Raven."

Saying it out loud seemed to be too much for him. He stood up swiftly and threw his blazer over his shoulder. "Don't be stupid. That idiot can do whatever she wants." He pushed out the door without another word.

Well, I suppose it was true. She had left voluntarily… Still, it made me wonder what kind of family she had. Her brother had threatened to go to the police after all…

It was now that I realised how alone I was. How alone we all were. It wasn't so long ago that we were all together, but it seemed the last few days had turned against us. Key and Zoe were still missing, Raven had left us behind, and although we were still together, Amber and Isaac seemed worlds apart.

"Deep in thought?"

I looked up to find the classroom empty, excluding a short man and I. A sigh escaped me as I slipped into my blazer. "A lot's been going on."

The principal nodded. "Seems that way." An empty silence echoed through the room. "I'm taking a few weeks leave. Thought I might go traveling."

I gave a weak smile, noticing that another friend was about to split away. "Send us a few postcards."

He smiled back, reading my thoughts. "Of course. My replacement should be starting tomorrow." His tone dropped to a more serious note. "All behaviour correction is being handed over to her, so whether or not you end up expelled, will be up to the new principal and the school board."

"Her?"

"Mm… Her." His face took on a slight perverted charm.

I laughed. "Right. Well, enjoy your trip."

He bobbed his head as he started out the door. "Try not to get into any more trouble."

By that point I didn't have it in me to respond. I waited until the stairs creaked under his weight, before glancing around the room once more. A tinge of familiarity clung to the wallpaper. It was odd, this feeling. It always used to be like this, but it had never bothered me before. I dragged my chair back out, and sat down.

It occurred to me that only a week had passed since I moved on from my hopelessly secluded life. And yet, it felt like a lifetime. Of course the lifetime was beginning to come to a close, leaving me dead once more.

"Hey."

I looked over to the door, where Amber stood waiting. "Hey."

It took her a split second to recognise my mood. She wandered inside, and pulled up a chair next to me. A few moments passed as I returned my attention to the falling snow beyond the window panes. I didn't really know what to think anymore. I always felt so in control, but now…

White strands fell across my chest as Amber rested her head on my shoulder. My pulse quickened slightly, but I soon relaxed into the position. Her gentle breathing stole my focus away.

"I obviously didn't train you well enough." She spoke softly.

My mind leapt back to her lessons within Minecraft, where she taught me to trust my instincts and control my body.

She nudged me with her head. "Amber's life changing lesson part two. You ready?"

I looked down to her, catching her gaze. "Sure."

A slight smile put me at ease. "Don't worry so much."

Several seconds passed as I waited for her to continue. When she didn't, I gave her an unsatisfied glance. "Was that it?"

She sat up straight, partially annoyed. "What do you mean 'Was that it'? That was great wisdom."

My mouth tugged upwards into a smirk. "Wow, I understand life so much better now. You are truly a genius beyond your years."

"It's true." She nodded, ignoring my sarcasm.

The girl in white held the same playful expression on her face, as she stared into my eyes. I stared back, ignoring the rest of the world.

'I'm glad you're still here.'

Her eyes crinkled a little. 'Where else would I be?' A moment passed as she filed through my worries. 'You just want to protect everyone…'

'I guess so.'

She took on a cocky grin. 'Then stop being such a fucking wimp. Do what you know is right.'

A laugh escaped me. "You were being pretty cute up until you said that."

Her cheeks reflected a shine of crimson as she pummelled a fist into my arm. "D- Don't call me cute."

"Whatever you say, darling."

A promise of death was her only reply.

Author Note:

So I spent the last few days at school camp. It was interesting, to say the least. All about leadership, and training us to be the new representatives next year. If I'm honest, it was inspiring. In fact it made me consider running for school captain. But then I remembered my grand total of seven written reflections, three after school detentions and multiple letters home for "unacceptable behavior".

At the moment I'm sitting in the living room of my grandfathers house. The fire's simmering cozily, the family is talking about cattle for some reason, and I'm quite happy to be entitled to a glass of 1976 Kellermeister Sable, which is absolutely exquisite. Ooo, I sounded quite posh for a moment there. It's nice, my dad just arrived home after working overseas for a few years, so I'm a little unsure of how to act... But he's usually spontaneous and fun, so I'm looking forward to it. Oop, looks like we're going home, I'll finish this once I get back.

*Dooodalooodadooo dooodalooodadooo*

Hm, that took a little longer than expected. We stopped to watch a house go up in flames. It was abandoned, and at this time of the year somebody must have held a match to it. But it was pretty cool. Houses burn quickly.

Reviews!

EnderCreepers: Woah! Awesome! Thank you!
Justination: I'm glad. There are plenty more coming, I assure you.
KaosPotatoGamer: Wooooooooooooooooooooot. I'm really glad that I could stand up for your friend and fan fictions in general! Although I'm not gonna lie, I can see where you might have gotten that idea... Still, glad to have you on board! :D
dhorvat: Why thank you.
Striker1298: Sadly, in my far away, freedom lacking land, our school system is devoid of the mystic 'summer'. We have three week long holidays every term instead, and ten weeks at Christmas. Which I prefer from the time I spent in the states.
DeathEpyon: I sympathize with you entirely. It takes great dedication to write a hundred and twenty words on Xbox. You may just be the most dedicated fan I've ever seen. They really need to figure out a better keyboard system! Still, your questions will be answered eventually, I assure it. :)
ZenterX: Hey, thanks heaps. I'll try my best to update quickly. Ciao. :)
The D0ctor: You should probably see someone about that... :P
commanderimf: Hahahaha, who knows? My gender may remain forever a secret. But I can understand how I would be hard to picture as anything other than a guy... Good luck figuring it out. :D
Stunnington: But what Sir Stunnington didn't expect was that I would expect him to expect that I would expect he wouldn't expect that I would fulfill his request somewhere within the next few chapters. ;)
Yukki Kazuto: Ehhhhh? What's wrong with Carter? I put a lot of effort into thinking up a good name... And after it didn't work, I got frustrated and used the first name I could think of. ':D
TheYinYang: Yeah, there's definitely a problem with the amount of characters... I know! We'll just have to kill some off! Muhahahahahahaha.
WiseguyJaco: If you were trying to reassure me... You failed. Now I'm just more terrified of you. And more Raven development to come! Promise.
UncleInTheAttic: A few other people submitted ideas, but yours was the best by far. more importantly, YOU'RE IN A MARCHING BAND SHOW!?1 What's it called, what's it called!? Also I laughed out loud, because I actually subconsciously imitated you when you got excited. Later "brother". :D
PBJFanFiction: Thanks for the mistake fix. Sailing? Man, I've always wanted to try it, but I've never had the time to learn. I can drive most things with an engine though. Maybe I'll take sailing up some day soon. I googled SHK Island. It looks beautiful. I've put it on my list of places to travel to. :)
Prometheus: Except you're shady as fuck. :P
Chase1998: Hahaha, Raven's section is coming up soon, so it'll hopefully answer a few questions. But yeah, as for A Fool's Conviction, I may end up discontinuing it, mostly just because I want to focus on Endergirl. Oh well, we'll see.
Mineking57: That was probably just Sky. And look what you've done! Now Jess has been making fun of #SylentJess. Nice one. :P
TechAndIssy: NOW HOLDS THE RECORD FOR MOST CHAPTERS READ IN A DAY. ALSO DO YOU GUYS HAVE A SOCIAL LIFE BECAUSE THIS IS LIKE THE THIRD TIME YOU'VE DONE THIS. And hell, at this point anything could happen with Raven. WRITE FASTER.

Holy crap, you know it takes me like half an hour to respond to all of these. It occurs to me I actually shared a bit about my life in these author notes... Hmmmmmmm. And hey, just a quick heads up, I'll be trying something new in the next chapter, so pay attention. That's all for now.

Gooooooooooooooooooooooooodnight all. Take care.

- Sylent