Day 2: Starting Up

"… straight down the city, is where we can only find minecraft ores, outside the transported area, no modded ores we could find so far." the new day came by so quickly, when just yesterday they were almost on the verge of chaos. Of the one-hundred thirty-two that arrived, only nine-eight remained. The other thirty-four went 'rogue', they varied wildly on their 'roguish' behaviour. Some number of them were hardly considered rogues, more like particularists that have no connection to the city, either wandering aimlessly, establishing their own frontier towns or living off somewhere.

Others were isolationists, deciding that they've had enough of interacting with people and lived by their lonesome or two, either through the situation at large or other reasons.

Then, there were the glory-seekers and opportunists. Whose interests at heart are entirely their own or their group, ranging from misguided to downright insidious.

"I was worried about this." Brick grimaced, the others agreeing.

"So we're basically fucked then." Kraz groaned.

"Not necessarily, we could make do with the dimension mods, like the aether or the twilight forest. Or mystcraft, though we need to find scriptures, now that I think about it." Sock thought aloud.

"So the dimensions are our only options then," Chris said.

"Did we even install it?" Brick questioned.

"We'll have to find out." Sock sat down.

"Did we find any more iron veins? The supply has been decreasing." A man who seemed to be made of the element of fire itself, asked.

"Outside?" Sock tilted his head.

"Yep." the fire-man, Domino nodded.

"We did, the guys who mined it said it still can be used for crafting, and behaves like any other ore." Zeron said, drinking green tea.

"That's good. Did any of the search parties establish contact with the locals in the big cities yet?" Brick pulled out his notes.

"None that we've heard of," Chris said.

"Any reports on the rogues?" Brick sounded despondent.

"No sight of them, maybe they're blending in." Chris looked at the window warily.

Above the Bedford Apartments, Verod

"… so we'll have to establish a branch in the local area boss?" a red-skinned oni man in suspenders placed down the crate to have a better look at Sock. "Yup, the Captain-General himself said so." Sock smiled amused, Brick gave up on trying to stamp down the name. As they needed a figurehead to unite them, and many still remembered the war-leader that led them to victory during the final boss fight.

"Don't worry about hiring and firing though, we can still automate the shops." the mechanical man replied. "I'll be here, for now, building up our new headquarters and factory, think you can handle it Hanz?" the large man thought through about it when he recalled the plan of influencing and spying on the outsiders.

"Sure, boss." Hanz nodded. Looking down at the streets below.

"So any city?" Hanz asked.

"The nearest he said." Sock turned back to place down the last of the conveyor belts of his new factory, now all that was left was production. Hanz slid down the ladder, and walked down the street.

Just like the first day, people were scurrying thru and fro. Building and delivering materials throughout the city, Hanz noticed some people who weren't like them, looking overwhelmed at the flurry of activity happening all around them. Another thing that differentiated them from the locals was the difference in height, the inhabitants of Verod stood at least a half-foot taller than them, or at most made the medieval folk look like children compared to them.

A downside to their bodies was their fast metabolism, and was quick to grow hungry in a matter of minutes, unlike the outsiders. It seemed they inherited the traits from the game, running made them grow hungry faster, so they had to keep on eating, lest they become weak and prone to dying. The wasteland around the city had been replaced with leftover dirt, and being cultivated with plots and small canals.

The mob farm still worked, dropping bonemeal though feeding almost a hundred people with bodies like theirs was a nightmare to do. Hence the hurried construction of mob farms and actual farms.

As he looked out into the distance, seeing the barren wastes and red sky, a sinking feeling came upon him all at once.

"I miss teleporters." he cried inwardly.

The Disputed Wastes, Lower Garan Badlands

Leyla coughed a bit, almost feeling herself becoming sick. Though she didn't exactly know why, perhaps being near the badlands was the problem. "Maybe I've been too hasty." she was your average merchant, a donkey and a cart to accompany her. "Oh how the mighty have fallen…" but, she wasn't always like this.

She once had a fleet! Scores of merchant caravans reaching across the known world! Stretching across the old and famous states of Serenus towards the mystical east of the continent! Well… she didn't actually own it. Her mother did, but things… went only downhill when her auntie revealed the scandal that ruined their prestigious family name of Sinel. Driven out from her home, she had no choice but to go west, towards Geofum. And restart there, perhaps with the help of a goddess's blessing.

Though things did not exactly go to plan.

She let out a suffered sigh, looking back again at her 'merchandise', of cracked pots, hard tacky bread, and rotten cheese. She reigned her donkey again, surging it forward faster, already feeling more down than she already was. Looking ahead, she peered her eyes at an anomaly.

It had the same ragged and dead texture of the badlands, though it was built up like a small shack. Finally arriving, she realized that it had a door on it, curiosity overcoming her fears. She jumped down her wagon and walked in front of the door.

She knocked on it three times.

…

…

"Hello?" she called out.

…

…

She pulled the door, but it wouldn't budge. But it did go inwards, revealing the room inside.

It was empty and dim inside.

She went in, and looked around the inside.

…

"Huh." she scratched her head.

*stestestep…*

Maybe she wasn't welcome here. Pale-faced she was.

Brick's Hotel, Verod

Things were becoming optimistic, compared to what they went through. Though it was a different story for Mark, already wishing forgiveness for the powers that be that he had wronged, as his traitorous friends watched in smug relishment as he was surrounded by the girls they had rescued chattering around him. He glared at them most disapprovingly.

It all started when he showed his feat of strength back then. Few of the forward ones began to constantly slathering him of their intentions. It also helped that his face wasn't quite bad to look at, the only face in their lives that awoke a desire within them. His attractiveness increased when they rebuffed their advances, giving him an air of mystery and that very arousing attitude of being hard-to-get.

"Say aaahn~" red-faced, he opened his mouth as he was fed chocolate cake, chewing delightfully in shame and embarrassment. The brunette girl giggled in adoration. Soon, the others began to one-up her, "Darling~, look at me…!" a dark-haired onee-san teased, puckering her lips while pressing herself closer to his left arm. "Not fair! Look at me!" he felt delicate fingers turning his head to the most mesmerizing eyes he had ever seen, a cute pout on her face making him feel things.

He felt himself almost losing it right then and there, feeling the softness and erotic texture of her breasts encompassing his arm. The innocent face that also screamed that they wanted him, needed him, lusted for him…

"HAHAHAHA!"

"Lucky bastard you!"

"When will it end?" Mark despaired. Not seeing the deathly glare of Albert on the other side of the room. He had to get out, so he pulled away from them, expanding the distance between the four girls and the red-faced biker. "Oh come on Marky! Don't be shy!" Tiko teased.

"Let go man!" the girls giggled at their antics, charmed even.

"Heh, I think that's enough for now." the doctor decided, looking at all four of them.

"We got an offer for an escort mission with the company guys." the doctor stood.

"The city's been starting to expand their operations, so we won't starve to death." he said, pacing around their table.

"What are we expecting?" Mark said, crossing his arms.

"We're going into a fortress-city apparently. Starting by making our debut through trade, while the company opens diplomatic relations with them." Yale said.

"Which city are you going into?" the five of them turned to look at the brunette girl, Aylene, who fed Mark the cake.

"You went into one of them?"

"Four!" she chippered.

"I went with my papa and brother to Ken, Rad, Geofum, and Ur!" she smiled brightly.

Yale and Marked looked at each other, while Farly scratched his butt. "So you know the place? Its surroundings?" Doctor Yale questioned.

"Since I was little!" nodding her head vigorously. Yale smiled.

"Looks like we have a guide!" Yale said proudly.

"I went to Geofum too!" a blonde girl stood up from her table, prompting the rest to shout out their experience.

"I travelled to Feoh once, my auntie is a Knight of Iris!"

"My uncle always told me of the stories he got from visiting Thorn!"

Soon they were crowding the doctor, wanting to be part of the expedition. Doctor Yale smiled slyly at Mark. "My, my, I didn't know you had friends in high places."

Mark groaned.

The Dark Fortress, Upper Garan Badlands

Olga Discordia sat upon her throne, a contemptuous gaze as she presented the image of the city with blue banners to her personal aides. Alongside her was Chloe, a look of outrage framing her face at the gall of these humans to build a fort so close to them.

She looked at her retainers, one of them wearing a cloak of shadows upon her being. "Find out their weaknesses, and drive them out for the audacity of this insult." though war in this region was a part of life for the Eostians for hundreds of years. An agreement was made during a particularly brutal skirmish, that sent the numbers of all the warriors of the region to an all-time low. So it was said on both sides that, in every last month of the year, a truce was held. No movement of armies, nor the erection of new fortifications in the lower badlands.

She supposed she was foolish in expecting humans to hold on to their end of the bargain. Looking again at the grey-walled city, standing in defiance against her. So with that, she rallied her monstrous armies to march upon the city a day ago when she discovered that it was built. But it wouldn't hurt to know how they had hidden an entire construction project under her nose.

So she commanded one of her trusted spy's apprentice, Isabell, to find out who exactly thought it was a bright idea to build during the armistice. "Capture one of them, if need be, before my army arrives." She turned to look into the eyes of the apprentice.

"Make sure they suffer." she muttered darkly.

The young spy quivered, quickly bowing her head to hide her blush.

"As you command, My Queen…" so she disappeared, leaving no trace.

The queen sighed, her breast jiggling when she let loose. Chloe turned to her queen and saviour. "My Queen, are you well?"

"Foolish. I was foolish to trust them." the dark queen closed her eyes.

"It wasn't your fault my queen…" Chloe bowed. "But soon, the lies of the humans will be paid." the knight clenched her fist, Olga looked at her, slowly smiling and began rubbing her head.

Chloe's ponytail swished in glee.

The Disputed Wastes, Lower Garan Badlands

Leyla suffered a tremendous headache, now her only mode of transportation was gone as the donkey's reins came loose and rode off without her. She felt tears welling up her eyes, missing her home, the taste of her favourite foods, the cute boys that she loved teasing… those tiny faces she wanted to pinch, how innocent and childlike they are, she always loved having a ta-

*BABABABABABABANG*

"WHERE THE FUCK DID THEY COME FROM!"

"LOOK OUT!"

"GRAAAGH!"

"GET OFF! GET OFF OF ME YOU FUCKING YOU-AAAAGH!" she looked to see two men being surrounded by a tribe of goblins, they weren't looking too good.

"FUCK! FUCK! FUCK!"

*BABABABANG-CLICLICLICLICK!*

"FUCK! FUCK! GET OFF OF HIM!" she stood transfixed in the distance, at the sight. Knowing that these poor souls were going to be overpowered, she held her dagger tight and hopefully left the scene quietly.

sierra442 got mobbed by goblins

lost innocence got mobbed by goblins

The Spawn Bucket, Verod

"Well, well, well… look whos' back." the two rogues looked above them to see a man all painted yellow with a smiley face. But before they could have a chance of breaking anything…

*TZZZZZZZ*

The men were now shaking on the ground, two wires were attached to them following it to the taser gun that the yellow man held. "Busted…" smiling more. "You fuck!" Sierra gritted his teeth, attempting to kill the man above the bucket through pure unadulterated hatred.

"You guys need to chill out." the smiling man said to them.

"Fuck you! You're all insane, we're going to die out here if we follow that maniac's fucking orders!"

"You two just died yourself though." The smiling man deadpanned. "By goblins, I might add." he crossed his legs.

"FUCK YOU-"

"Jesus Christ, shut up, you're making a scene." the smiling man rolled his eyes. "Hey, Jason! We got some runners in our little pot!"

"I've heard." A figure wearing a plague doctor's outfit appeared behind a set of boxes. They were in the middle of town, but tucked enough to have some amount of privacy. "So is the prison ready?" the smiling man said to Jason. "In a few hours, they had some trouble in installing the cameras. But they are almost finished in digging out the last of the cells." Jason said.

"Man…, can't believe we became cops, in minecraft no less."

"The captain-general expects us to do our duty, Craig." the plague doctor clasped his hands behind him.

"You're all BRAINWASHED! NAZIS! PIGS! WHOR-" and was promptly shut up, as the hole was barricaded.

"Thanks, Nat." the smiling man nodded.

The girl in a mask returned the gesture. Her red raincoat fluttering in the wind.

AN:

17/09/21: Added chapter 4. :)