A black haired boy, easily about the age of sixteen, maybe even a bit older, walked back and forth on the empty, grassy field that LOSAE had to offer. He adjusted his star-shaped sunglasses, which also doubled as his computer, as he tried to sort all of this out. "So, let me get this straight...one of your players was an ass, and now half of the team here is dead?"

Echo, who was standing nearby, sighed. "If you wanted to put this in simple terms...yes, that's about what happened." She glanced at Fate, whose ankle had far since healed by now, as well as his state of emotions. He came to terms with the fact that three of his friends were very much dead. "I think my friend here has more to say on the subject, though."

"Well, yeah, I do, but it's not anything that'd be helpful," he muttered, looking down at his feet. Besides, he just met this guy a couple hours ago, and Echo said there were more? Oh, geez. How many people are here? And how did they even get here? Last time he checked everyone on Earth was dead.

"Heh, right, I guess it's understandable," the boy said with a shrug. "By the way, I don't think I know your name. The girl over here decided not to tell me."

"It wasn't important at the time," Echo said with a shrug before adjusting her glasses.

"Oh, wow, thanks. I feel special." Fate shook his head before looking up at this stranger. "The name's Fate."

The boy nodded, grinning a bit as he did so. "I'm Gabe. Nice to meet you, my man." His grin turned into a smile and he smiled at the boy, though he didn't seem to care, so he just turned back to Echo. "Anyways, it sucks that half of your guys are dead."

"That's really putting it lightly," the canadian said as she glanced over at her friend. They had certainly gotten closer over these past months, and he could tell already that Fate was getting a bit upset with this conversation. "It did quite a number on Fate emotionally, so I suggest you talk about it with a bit more respect."

Gabe nodded. "Right, sorry. I know how bad it can be to lose someone you care about. So...now there are three of you, huh?" Unless the asshole also died. Then there's only two. Yeah, this session is screwed. Bad place for their team to land…

"Well, it's more like there are two people left," Echo said as she moved to her Pesterchum app using her computer glasses. These things were so useful. They never even ran out of batteries. "The last time Phil had messaged me was when he shot our friend. That was a few months ago, and we haven't heard from him since. He's either missing in action or he's just dead. Either one are likely options."

"I hope he's dead…" Fate muttered. Fate wasn't the type of guy to get that angry at people, so for him to say something like that...well, he certainly wasn't feeling friendly towards Phil, that's for sure.

"Mmhmm, I see," Gabe took off his glasses and blinked his chocolate brown eyes a couple , okay, taking those things off was always an odd experience. "Well, what if I said that I could help you two out of your bind?"

"Hmm? You could do that?" Echo tilted her head slightly, rather intrigued by this. How could he help? Sure, he could try to help them finish the game, but...that seemed rather impossible now, even if they had more people on their side.

"Yeah, totally," the boy put his hands in the pockets of his red jacket, a grin on his face as he did so. "Listen, I got certain powers that could help you out here. Considering your options are limited, I suggest you let me help you."

Echo shrugged. "I'm fine with asking for help," she said before looking towards Fate. He too just shrugged, not seeming to care. "I think we've come to an agreement, so please, do what you must."

Gabe nodded. "Right, well, where do you think it all went wrong?" he asked. "I can change a moment in your timeline and fix everything, I'm sure of it. I just need to know what you think went wrong with this...Phil? Yeah, Phil. What about him needs changing?"

"Um...I am confused by what you mean," Echo admitted, though the only reason she did so was because she had gotten more humble over the course of the month. It was easier to admit what she did and didn't know. "But the event that had the most effect over the game, if that is what you're asking for, was when Phil refused to get our friends into the game."

"Right, so, just go into his house and make him connect to his friends. Right, got it." Gabe then snapped his fingers as he remembered something. "By the way, this probably won't help you, only your past selves."

"...I'm sorry? Our past selves? What do you mean by that?"

"Well, I mean, these versions of you are probably just going to...go away and die eventually," Gabe explained, treating it rather casually. Like he was not talking about dying and instead talking about going to the store for milk. "The past versions of you, though, are going to live, so...at least you get to live kind of...in a way. It's a long story. I'm just going to go now."

"Hey, hey! Now you wait just a min-" Before Fate could finish his sentence, Gabe's body glowed red and disappeared within a second, leaving Fate and Echo alone. Well...not alone. Gabe also left his friends there, so at least they had company…

=== Months in the past

The Land of Oppression and Rebellion. Just like how it happened in the past, Phil was talking to his sprite. The weird, George Washington mixed with an Eagle sprite. He should have a name for this thing. George Eagleton? ...Sounds great.

"Right, well, can't wait 'till I get a chance to see you again, Georgie," the Texan said as he saluted the...deceased president? Technically he's deceased, so that counts. "I'll make you proud, don't you worry!"

Phil turned around and walked towards the door, the sprite just deciding to do it's own thing. As Phil approached the door, his way would be blocked by...well, Gabe! What else would it be?

"Woah there, partner," Gabe said, lowering his sunglasses just slightly so he can get a better look at the boy in front of him. Wow, he even looks like an ass. Lovely. "I suggest you slow your roll there. You got some things to do."

Phil blinked once or twice and shook his head. Wait, what? Who was this guy? "Uh...do I know you?" he asked. "Because if I don't, then get out of my house. I got a revolution to start."

"Actually, you have friends you have to get into the game, so how about we do that instead?" Gabe took a few steps further into the house, acting all casual and such.

Phil, though, was still incredibly confused. What the hell was this guy's problem? "Yeah, I have friends I need to help, but they can wait, can't they?" It wouldn't take too long, surely….well, hopefully it wouldn't.

Gabe chuckled. "Oh, no, they can't wait." He then grabbed Phil's arm and tried to drag him further into the house, but he was met with some expected resistance. Right, this guy wasn't going to cooperate. Great.

"Get yer hands off me!" Phil said as he pushed Gabe away and took out his pistol. He pointed it at Gabe. "Look, I don't know who you are, but-"

Gabe reacted quickly. The sixteen year old had already thrown a chain at the blonde. This chain had a hook on the end, and was able to hook onto the gun's trigger guard. Gabe tugged on the chain, pulling the gun out of Phil's hands, leaving the surprised blonde with no weapon

"Look, let's just say I"m a friend of your friends, alright?" Gabe asked as he grabbed Phil's arm once more and began to drag him deeper into the house. "Now, let's go get to your computer. We still have people to get into the game, don't you think, pardner?" Oh geez, that southern accent was so over exaggerated…

"Fine, fine," Phil muttered, but not before attempted to pull his arm away once more. Gabe kept a tight grip on Phil, though, so he was unable to get away. Whoever this guy was, it was probably best to go with what he said, otherwise he'd go all Scorpion on him with that chain of his.

"Good." Gabe let go of Phil and pushed him towards the staircase. "Now if you could just take me to your room, that'd be great. Then we can really get moving."

"Can I at least get your name?" Phil asked as he began to walk up the stairs. Stupid kid telling him what to do...he didn't even know who this guy was.

"The name's Gabe, and I already know your name, it's Phil." That was what the one girl told him, at least, so he was going to assume that was true.

Phill tensed up and stopped moving just as he stepped on the first stair of the staircase. He blinked and looked behind him at the stranger as he slowly began his ascent up the stairs again.

"...how the hell do you know my name?" Okay, this guy was really getting on his nerves now. It was his attitude and the fact that he just...knew things he shouldn't. That definitely got on his nerves…

"Oh, a friend told me," Gabe said as they both went up the stairs and got into Phil's room. He then gestured over to the laptop. "Now, how about you go get your friend into the game. It won't even take that long, trust me. Just put down the objects, and I'm sure she could take care of the rest."

"If you say so," Phil muttered as he sat down at his desk and began to connect to Lala. He didn't like following orders, but he didn't really have a weapon besides his flag. That, and he didn't want to get in a fight with this guy. At least...not yet.

Right, you're now connected to Lala. Put this down, put that down...yada yada yada. Oh, yeah, and tell her you connected. Good job, Phil. You know what you're doing.

patrioticRequiem (PR) has begun pestering medicalDirectory (MD)

PR: hey i connected

PR: all the stuff you need is in that living room of yours

PR: have fun

MD: oh!

MD: thank you!

PR: yeah

PR: bye

patrioticRequiem (PR) has ceased pestering medicalDirectory (MD)

Phil sighed and then looked at Gabe, who had a wide grin on his face. Okay, yeah, this guy is really annoying. Jeez… "Are you happy now?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty happy." Gabe leaned against the table and chuckled. "You don't seem too happy, though. What's wrong? Don't like helping your friends out?"

"I don't like people bossin' me around," Phil said as he stood up and captchalogued his laptop. It could be useful, if he needed to play the game while he was out of the house. "So now that I helped Lala out, what now?"

Gabe held back a laugh. "Her name is Lala?" he asked before shaking his head. Weird name, but whatever. "Never mind. The name doesn't matter. What matters is right now, and right now, you're stuck with me."

"Wait...what?" Oh no, Phil could not be stuck with this annoying, smug piece of crap. That was not happening. "Don't you have other things you have to do besides followin' me around?"

"Mmm...not really, no." Gabe shrugged as he walked away from the desk. "In fact, I got...either at least or at most a month before I really have anything to do, so think about it as you getting some help."

"I don't need your help," Phil said as he walked out of the room, Gabe following right behind him. "You're just wastin' your time."

"Okay, sure. Whatever you say, buddy." Gale sped up so he passed Phil. As he walked by Phil, he patted him on the head, similar to what you'd do with a little kid. That didn't help Phil's mood at all. "Now, let's get going. We don't have long now, do we? After all, you got things to do."

=== Gabe: be Lala