Ok, I know I said that I'd only post chapters on Friday. Buuuuut, I gave into my temptation and posted Chapter 2 early :'D I have a reason. Chapters 1 and 2 go together to form a solid beginning for this story. It felt weird to me to post Chapter 1 alone and to post Chapter 2 much later to complete the beginning. So that's why. Consider it as an exception to the update schedule!
Soooo, I hope you enjoy reading this chapter!
Also, fyi, a "balaclava" is a very fancy way to say "ski mask," but it can also be worn as a scarf. I'll mostly call it a "balaclava,' but there may be times when I call it "ski mask" or "inner mask."
Memory Steve placed the last bit of redstone dust, completing the 3x3 line of redstone that was connected to a lever.
He had wandered around this dimension until he had discovered a decaying Steve village that was eerily empty. By teleporting, he had broken into and scavenged a Red Steve's home for redstone material. He had a suspicion that the village was completely abandoned and no one would returned, but he still walked far away to assemble the redstone circuit, in case someone did.
Memory Steve stared at the redstone circuit, hesitant to enter. It had been forever since he used redstone, and he hated the idea of being unable to move. He quickly assured himself that this informal circuit wouldn't be as horrible as a machine before he finally stepped into the center and flipped the lever that was outside. As expected, the redstone mechanisms attracted thunder and lightning to the area.
He closed his eyes as the surge of energy and redstone properties fused into his body and rejuvenated him. Some invisible mist-like force wrapped around his entire body with a gentle chill. The annoying pain in his bruised leg and the lingering smell of ash and fire faded away. He had become used to his stomach growling for food and his throat crying for water. So he was surprised when he suddenly felt energized and quenched.
Memory Steve let out a relaxed breath before opening his eyes and deactivating the redstone. Perfect. This is so much better, he thought as he stepped out of the circuit and inspected himself. His appearance was restarted and healed. Fine black gloves covered his hands again. The tattered clothes warped back into his dark suit and red tie. His black balaclava also returned, wrapped around him like a neckerchief. He quickly took off his mask. It greeted him with that signature spiral, sporting white print instead of that decaying pale yellow. Memory Steve approached a nearby pond as a substitute mirror to confirm that his face was also clean. Even his hair was cut, detangled, and hydrated somehow. With a smile, he pulled the balaclava up to tuck away his hair and put the mask on, concealing the rest of his face and dimming his vision.
That...that wasn't so bad. At least it worked. Memory Steve nervously looked back at the redstone circuit. Originally, he had wanted to return to the Memory Dimension to wash up and change there. It had shocked him to find out that he couldn't teleport there, as if the dimension had locked him out. Memory Steve had no choice but to use the redstone circuit to freshen up instead.
Now that it was over, he wanted to find Void Steve and get access to the Memory Dimension again. While scavenging through that empty village for redstone, Memory Steve finally accepted that this world was indeed the Overworld. If this was the Overworld, that meant Void Steve was somewhere, and he hadn't gone through with his plan yet to destroy all lively dimensions. Memory Steve wanted to find his boss as soon as possible. Finally, after generations apart, they could be together. He had already gathered some food and resources from that empty village. Now it was time to search for his father.
Memory Steve teleported through a swamp biome until he found a second village. He waited in the shadows for any signs of activity. He grew suspicious when this village remained still and lifeless. Just like the second village. Memory Steve's hidden eyes narrowed in suspicion. Two empty villages? Where were the other Steves?
Was there...a threat in the Overworld? Was it Void Steve?
Before he would explore more, the sound of thunder interrupted his thoughts. Memory Steve immediately broke into a run, heading deeper into swamp. He occasionally teleported to add more distance between him and the source of thunder. But his heart jumped when he suddenly sensed someone forcing him to teleport somewhere, and a flash of light engulfed him.
Gray walls surrounded him. His eyes darted around, nervously scanning the 7x7 cobblestone building that confined him. The opposite wall had an iron door, mocking him with the fact that it had no switches or mechanics to open it. But the neighboring wall had a glass window, which was all Memory Steve needed to escape.
He stared at the window and concentrated on the grassy field outside. He waited for a moment, but he did not teleport outside. His growing terror grew stronger. Usually this worked! If Memory Steve was locked inside a place with no windows, he had no hope in escaping. But this building had a window. He could clearly see where he wanted to teleport. But he couldn't! It should have worked.
Unless this house was powered by redstone...
Memory Steve brought his gaze down. Glowing redstone dust surrounded the container he was in.
Wait, container?
He looked up again. He finally noticed the shining glares surrounding him, caused by the torches placed on the gray walls.
So not only was he trapped in a 7x7 building. He was also trapped in a 3x3 glass container that stopped him from using his powers.
Memory Steve's breath ran shorter and shorter. He squeezed his arms and shoulders closer to his chest. He backed into the corner farthest from the iron door. He begged himself to forget about the mocking white glares of the glass walls, forcing all his attention to his fidgeting hands and fleeting breathes. Yet every forced gulp of air just made him more aware of his claustrophobia. Yet every forced positive thought just created more unwanted, dreadful ones.
He was powerless. No teleportation. No memory erasing. What if someone came? He couldn't teleport or erase their memories. The thought of someone watching him like he was a creature in a pen, being unable to do anything about it...He quickly tried to force those thoughts away and concentrated on his nervous heartbeat.
"Memory Steve, my long lost kin...we meet again. You're looking so much better than last time we met."
A person appeared, standing in front of the glass chamber. Oh yes, him, Memory Steve realized. The Steve with the achromatic lab coat and the colorful eyes. Galaxy's youngest son and the younger brother of Time and Elemental Steve.
"It took me a while, but I eventually figured out how to make a machine that disables your powers. There's a glass wall here. We can talk face-to-face, but if I look away..."
The Steve turned and walked back and forth once before facing Memory Steve again with a smirk. "...I won't forget, and you won't disappear. Ironically, this glass wall breaks down the communication barrier we had before. I brought you here because we need to talk."
Memory Steve wanted to so badly force his claustrophobia down, to show this Steve that he wasn't afraid. But his terror kept him frozen. All he could do was gulp and keep his eyes on this Steve. He didn't expect this young Steve to have enough power to teleport others wherever and whenever he wanted! Who knew what else this young Steve could do to him? Last time Memory Steve was trapped generations ago, he was destroyed. He cringed, recalling the agonizing pain of Sabre's machine pulverizing him. If this young Steve knew about Sabre's adventures...then would he also know how to destroy him?
Memory Steve had to talk this way out of this. The fact that his memory powers were disabled terrified him. If he messed up, he couldn't erase his mistake...
"My name is Illusion Steve." His captor began, pressing his hand against his chest and giving a small bow. "I was created by Galaxy Steve, and now I am the ruler of a brand new world." He chuckled. "I did what your father couldn't do, and I didn't even have to destroy the old world to create this one."
Memory Steve tilted his head slightly. Couldn't?
"Let me backtrack. A while back, Steves were flourishing in a peaceful world, which was protected by my father and his best friend, a powerful Alex. Then an infection came, making most of the Steves sick and they all...disappeared."
Memory Steve recalled the empty village he raided for resources.
"Galaxy Steve was one of the first Steves who got infected. He went out of the timeline to try to slow down the infection, but it didn't work. The infection spread to his mind, and he was confused and upset. And that's where I came in."
Illusion Steve pointed to himself.
"Galaxy Steve created me to make sense of the world for him, to make him happy, and to protect him from stress and grief. I escaped back into timeline with the help of a friend, and I deducted that the best way to achieve my mission is to create a new world without an infection. A world with no memory of the tragedy that destroyed the Steves. A brand new start."
Memory Steve narrowed his hidden eyes. How in the world did you come up with a foolish conclusion like that? he wanted to ask. He instead held onto the assumption that this talkative Steve did not accept criticism.
Though it seemed like Illusion Steve sensed his doubt, because he suddenly glared at him with contempt.
"But then you came in," he began. "You were created by Void Steve. And Void is a sensitive topic that won't make Galaxy Steve happy, now would it? Void Steve was the embodiment of Galaxy Steve's regrets and guilt, so I can't have the last living reminder of him here."
...was? Memory Steve tilted his head to the side more. And what does he mean by last living reminder of Void Steve?...No, that's impossible. Something is not adding up.
"If Galaxy Steve sees you in the perfect illusion I'm trying to make, it'll all be for nothing. I should erase you now to make sure that never happens...but I'm also curious about how you're here. I thought you were destroyed." Illusion Steve pressed his hand against the glass wall, glaring at Memory Steve with curious eyes. "So tell me: where have you been all this time? Cooperate and I might find another reason to keep you alive."
What did Illusion Steve mean by "erased"? He was strange, giving Memory Steve too much information yet too little. What did he mean by a perfect illusion? Was this the same world that Memory and Void Steve fought so hard to conquer and destroy? Was this the same world, completely changed by Illusion Steve's powers? Or was it a completely new world created by Illusion Steve to bury the old world?
"Where have you been?" Illusion Steve repeated. "Talk already! I know you can talk!"
"After I was destroyed, I was rotting away in the Spiritless World," Memory Steve answered in a panic, though still trying to deliver each word slowly.
"I'm sorry, the Spiritless World?" It was Illusion Steve's turn to tilt his head in confusion. "There's no way that's a real thing."
Memory Steve frantically brainstormed how to prove the dimension's existence. He opened his mouth to speak, but Illusion Steve interrupted.
"Fine." Illusion Steve took a step back and raised a hand. "If you won't talk, I'll get those answers by reading your mind!"
Memory Steve flinched, bracing himself for that suffocating mental feeling. He stilled his breath...until he realized he felt nothing. Illusion Steve was deep in concentration with his hand still raised. His mindreading must be successful, although Memory Steve didn't feel anything.
"Huh," Illusion Steve murmured, raising an eyebrow. "What do you know; you were actually telling the truth. The Spiritless World does exist for certain Steves whose journeys have ended. And Demon Steves, eh? Interesting." He lowered his hand and pushed his glasses back up before stoking his chin. His multi-colored eyes were deep in thought.
"So there are others in the Spiritless World," Illusion Steve pondered. "I've scanned the entire world, and it seems like you are the only one who came from the Spiritless World...How did you get out?"
Memory Steve lowered his head and replied, "I'm not so sure myself. There was thunder and suddenly I was brought here."
Illusion Steve raised his hand again to read his mind. Memory Steve noted he was probably only reading his recent memories or his strongest memories. There was no way he could access all of them.
"You're telling the truth again," Illusion Steve confirmed. "That's a shame. It would've been useful to know so I could prepare, incase other villains return and interfere with the world I am making. Because of that...I have no more use for you."
The hair on the back of Memory Steve's neck raised.
"I apologize for not believing you earlier, my cousin. I hope you forgive me for jumping to conclusion. To make it up for you, I will not destroy you. So instead, I'll allow you to live in my perfect illusion," Illusion Steve continued with a nonchalant shrug. He talked as if casually describing the weather or something silly a pet cat did. "I will remove your immunity from my illusion. Once the illusion takes over, you'll become a different person, making you fit perfectly and safely in the world I'm trying to make."
"Wait?" Memory Steve flinched, a horrible feeling sinking in. "Are you going to control me?!"
"Thank you again, Memory Steve." Illusion Steve raised both of his hands and aimed at the prisoner. Thunder drummed inside the building and the walls rattled as he looked delighted. "Now do me one more favor and give in to the illusion."
Memory Steve winced and cried, falling onto his knees. He shut his eyes tight and pressed his hands against his temples, silently pleading for his powers to activate.
There was a flash and Memory Steve found himself in an area surrounded by yellow light. Blue forget-me-nots were scattered across the invisible ground. This was the inside of his head, this flower field representing his memories and thoughts.
Maybe it was instinct. Or maybe it was because he had a very long day and didn't want it to end with Illusion Steve turning him into a dead inside pawn. Regardless, Memory Steve had no plans to lose his memories! That was why he entered his own mind to directly protect his memories. After all, he had more control of his powers in his own head than in the physical world. Were his powers a match again Illusion Steve's powers?
He waited for the enemy to come and erase his memories...but no one came.
Memory Steve cried and fell down again, squeezing his head with his hands. He panicked and darted around the area to see who or what was stealing his memory flowers. He found no one.
It was fruitless to search for lost memories. He couldn't find what he didn't remember. But something was strange. As an expert in memory powers, he certainly didn't feel his memories getting erased.
Memory Steve quickly glued his eyes on a nearby memory flower. He pounced on it and hugged it to his chest. As he felt his mental plane slowly fall apart, he brought the flower in front of his face and refused to look away. The flower projected a memory of him talking to Void Steve.
"The good creation, that Time Steve...he must go. I'll convince Elemental Steve to get rid of him," the Void Steve in the image muttered over and over again. This conversation happened a long time ago, when Void Steve turned Elemental Steve mad and into a puppet for his plans.
Memory Steve stared at the memory and its repeating conversation, allowing each word to dive deep into his mind until...
Wait. He blinked at the memory with confusion. ...When was this again? I don't remember Void Steve telling me this.
Fear replaced his confusion. He knew this was his memory, but now he was looking at it as if it were a stranger. But he was sure that this was his memory...right?
Then the gears in his mind clicked. Illusion Steve.
Illusion Steve didn't erase memories. He blocked memories. That was why Memory Steve forgot about this conversation, even though the memory was technically still here.
Memory Steve set the foreign flower down and stood up, glaring at the empty ambiguous sky above. He took a deep breath and raised both hands up, opening his mind.
Suddenly, the hazy yellow fog disappeared, revealing a second plane above him. It was the color of a pinkish, saturated rainbow, and it was incomplete. As seconds passed, more bits and pieces of the plane formed.
This was the illusion. Illusion Steve was creating a "second layer" of false memories in his mind. When a false memory covered a true memory, he would forget about that true memory. That was Illusion Steve's plan. And Memory Steve was going to foil it.
Memory Steve took a deep breath and generated a small ball of energy between his hands. Looking at a large bit of the illusion plane, he threw the ball of energy at it. There was an explosion and that section of the illusion plane was destroyed. He shuddered as a portion of true memories returned to him, like icy raindrops to counter a scorching summer day. He saw the destroyed section trying to repair itself.
If Memory Steve had the power to erase true memories, he could easily erase the illusion and false memories with that same power! He generated and threw more energy balls, breaking down this plane of fake memories. He was destroying it faster than it could regenerate, though the illusion's power was slowly catching up with him.
"You're stubborn, aren't you?" Illusion Steve's voice called out somewhere in his mind. "You are the first Steve I've encountered that is this resistant against the illusion. It's because you don't care at all, huh?"
Memory Steve responded by throwing two balls of energy at the illusion plane.
"You don't care about the old Overworld or this new world because you think either way, it'll be eventually destroyed by Void Steve. That's why you resist. Sadly, you'll never get to see him destroy this world or any world. I have some news for you: Void Steve is gone."
Memory Steve paused. The new ball of energy he was about to throw vanished. He set his arms down and stared at the sky in disbelief.
"I have proof," Illusion Steve said. Suddenly, a cyan orb fell from the sky and into the flower field. It exploded like a firework and suddenly Memory Steve understood.
Void Steve was gone. He was defeated by his own plan to absorb Galaxy Steve. The plan went wrong, and Galaxy Steve absorbed him instead.
"...It's just another illusion!" Memory Steve snapped. "I don't believe you!"
"If it's an illusion, then why did that information fall into your plane of true memories, instead of be part of the plane of illusions?"
"...No...No..." Memory Steve's gaze fell to the abstract flower field. Suddenly, he felt so lost, a good portion of these flowers feeling foreign and distant. And the ones he did remember no longer felt connected to him. "...it wasn't supposed to end like this..."
His legs turned weak and he stumbled. On his knees, he stared hopelessly at nothing. With his mind buzzing with newfound dread, distracting him from the memories he was trying to save, all he could do was scream.
"IT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO END LIKE THIS!"
Illusion Steve's sinister laugh echoed in his mind. "Not going to resist anymore, huh? Your master, your father, is gone. You have no purpose anymore. You're all alone, with no one to love you anymore. No goal to reach anymore. Just grief and hopelessness. But don't worry. My illusion will make you forget all that that. Let me help you."
Memory Steve looked up and tore his mask and balaclava off. His wet eyes glistening with raw emotion and the tears streaming down his face. The plane above him was nearly completed, with two major spots left to fill. Every muscle in his body tensed, and he felt his right hand curl as something in his palm formed. Another ball of energy.
With a furious cry, he threw it at the illusion plane and continued his attacks. It was a losing battle as the illusion seeped into his mind faster and faster. But he didn't care. The thought of defeat did not even cross his mind. Nor the worries of what he would do after winning against Illusion Steve. He only allowed himself to think about which part of the illusion he would attack next.
Memory Steve panted. He only had enough energy for a few more assaults, the hopeless situation finally weighing down on him. He paused and inspected the illusion plane, seeing that it only had one patch of space left to fill until all of his true memories were blocked.
Hmm.
He was tired, but Memory Steve forced himself to hone in all his remaining energy, creating a ball as big as a dirt block. The ball then morphed into the sleek shape of an arrow nocked onto a bow. He drew the glowing bow and arrow, aimed at the open space in the illusion plane, and released. The arrow zoomed up, flying through the gap in the plane.
Suddenly, lightning roared and the entire illusion plane shook. It shattered into pieces and fell, each piece dissolving and disappearing before it reached the ground.
Memory Steve fell and passed out, feeling the wave of all his true memories drowning him.
Memory Steve jolted awake with a gasp. He was back in the glass container with Illusion Steve on the outside. He suddenly felt energized again, but his mind was groggy. He had his mask back on again, feeling sweat against his head gear.
"Ugh," Illusion Steve groaned, rubbing his head. "What just...happened? I...oh." His heterochromatic eyes met Memory Steve. He quickly stood up straight and adjusted his white coat and pink glasses.
"Memory Steve, my long lost kin...we meet again," he said. "You're looking better than last time we...wait a minute. I've said all of this before already, didn't I?" He turned away to scratch his head before looking back at Memory Steve in awe. "Unbelievable...you erased some of my memories, even though you were stuck in a machine and I was trying to block your memories."
I did it! Wait, I did? Memory Steve's face turned into an expression of disbelief. Fortunately, his mask hid that. He stood up straight and glared back at Illusion Steve in an attempt to look fearless.
"Amazing. There are only a few Steves who can erase memories. But clearly, if you are able to erase them while still inside of a machine, you must be the most powerful Steve with memory abilities! That makes you dangerous. Well, you were created by Void Steve, after all. At this point, I should destroy you because you are still a reminder of him."
Memory Steve flinched.
"...but." Illusion Steve raised a hand up before pacing around the room. "You aren't Void Steve. You were just following his orders...Like how I'm just following orders from Galaxy Steve. We have that in common. However, I'm following orders to save this world, while you were following orders to destroy the world. That makes me the hero and you the villain.
"But villains aren't always so obviously cut and dry. Sometimes, it isn't simply just an evil-looking monster that hates all things good, deep down to the bone. Things...can be complicated. All the more reason for me to find..."
Illusion Steve looked back at Memory Steve with eager eyes and an enthusiastic smile. "...For me to find...a potential ally...in you, Memory Steve."
Memory Steve took a step closer. "A potential ally?" He questioned cynically. "You tried to block my memories to make me a pawn for your illusion."
"Buddy, you erased Elemental Steve's memories so Void Steve can turn him into a pawn for his plans," Illusion Steve mocked. "Rather hypocritical of you to manipulate memories so Void Steve could advance his plans but to call me out for doing the same thing. But right now, I'm offering you a deal where you work for me, and it's a deal that doesn't involve me blocking any of your memories.
"You resisting my illusion and erasing one of my memories prove that you are an expert in this power. And I need an asset like that on my team. Currently, the perfect world I am creating is only an illusion. I'm trying to make it into a reality. To do that, I need to make sure everyone forgets about the old world. I have the powers to manipulate memories, but it's not enough. As you saw in your head, I can only block true memories by covering them up with fake ones. On the other hand, you can actually erase them.
"You're just what I need to achieve my goal. You have generations of experience. I can't block your memories out; I need your experience. Please, accept my offer. You worked for Void Steve who wanted to destroy the universe and recreate it to his own image, but he failed. With me, you can finally see what a perfect universe looks like."
Memory Steve looked away at the mention of Void Steve. He was still struggling to accept that his father was gone and he had no one now. Without him, what was next? Should he finish what his father started and destroy the universe? And how could he pull that off with only his ability to erase memories? He didn't have any other powers that could advance the plan...
Even though he helped his father reach that goal, was destroying the universe really what Memory Steve wanted? He was loyal to Void Steve. He believed it was because he was as dedicated to the goal as much as Void Steve was. But now that Void Steve was gone and unable to give him orders, Memory Steve started questioning how much he truly believed in his father's philosophy. Maybe he didn't actually want to destroy the universe. But he stood by Void Steve's side because his father needed him. And Memory Steve still needed him...He still owed Void Steve so much...
But if Void Steve was gone...what was he supposed to do now? What did he even want to do now?
...Well, there was one thing Memory Steve wanted to achieve. It wasn't a long-term goal, but something he had to do.
"Is Sabre in this world?" He looked back at Illusion Steve, his hidden eyes glowing with vengeance.
"Sabre!" Illusion Steve exclaimed. "I cannot put him under the illusion because he's not from this world. He will get in the way with my plans. I could destroy him...but between the two of us, I don't actually want to. I just want him to give up his true memories and to give in to the illusion. And well...I know your powers are strong enough to actually manipulate his memories..."
Memory Steve approached the glass wall to meet Illusion Steve. "I will work for you because I want to erase Sabre's memories. He has remembered me for far too long, and I want to finish the task I couldn't complete. I will also work for you to erase the memories of troublesome Steves interfering with your mission. However, I won't kill or hurt anyone. Combat is not my specialty. Also, I don't work for free."
"So you want payment? That won't be a problem," Illusion Steve said. "I'm the master of this new world, after all. Whatever you want, I can create it for you. And if I can't, I'll create an illusion of it. Tell me, how did Void Steve pay you when you served him?"
"He gave me a portion of the Void as my own home: the Memory Dimension. Since you rule the world now, I ask that I have access and complete control of the Memory Dimension. And for every mission he sent me on, Void Steve paid me with five diamonds or one emerald block."
"You want access to the Memory Dimension? Access granted," Illusion Steve replied. "And I'll pay you one diamond block for every mission you complete."
"May I ask how the trading system has changed during the generations that passed?" Memory Steve quickly added. "So I can confirm if a diamond block now is more valuable than five diamonds during my era."
Illusion Steve scoffed. "Good catch. I'm impressed. You may not believe me, but due to some terrible events caused by Origin Steve, the value of the diamond hasn't changed that much. I assure you that I am paying you more than what Void Steve did. But if you don't believe me, what else would you like from me?"
Memory Steve smiled under his mask. "I'd like you to promise that you will never use your powers to read my mind or to control me against my will."
Illusion Steve looked away and sighed in disappointment. "Well, today proved that I can't easily control your mind. But...fine! Along with paying you one diamond block for every task, I swear I won't read your mind...under one condition. Promise me that, as my henchman, you will not turn your back on me. You will not betray me or hurt Galaxy Steve, whose wellbeing is my mission. You will not attack me or erase my memories. I have a machine that backed up all of my memories. If you erase my memories, I will go to that machine to restore them and then destroy you for betraying me."
Memory Steve stumbled back. This Steve had a machine that copied of his memories?! Memory Steve had been around for generations, and he only knew how to construct simple machines. How did this young Steve learn so fast? How much did Illusion Steve know?
"Do we have a deal?" Illusion Steve asked.
Well...there was no going back now.
"You have my word." Memory Steve gave Illusion Steve a proper bow. "I pledge my loyalty to you and promise not to betray or attack you in anyway. And I accept your form of payment."
"Perfect." Illusion Steve smiled mischievously as his multicolored eyes glowed with brewing plans. "I appreciate you becoming my henchman willingly. You're beginning a new chapter of your life here in my illusion, Memory Steve."
Word count: 5093
As a reminder, there will be a new chapter every Friday at 10 pm (PST). Chapter 3 will be posted this Friday. I hope you enjoyed the early update, though I'll try not to overdo it so make sure I have plenty of time to edit the remaining half of RRFF :'D
See you then! Take care and stay safe.