ya girl forgot to post these


3

Takes place the day after part 2


"'The players 'Stephanus' and 'Herobrine' are the server's resident AIs.'" Alex read aloud, hands on her hips. "'Attacking or harassing them will result in an immediate ban.' They're gonna have to add me on there."

"They will." Stephan agreed, and Steven nodded from where he was watching through the door.

"'Be respectful of other players', 'don't grief builds', um…" Alex turned to look at them, one brow raised.

"To grief a build means to steal from or destroy it." Stephan translated. "So, basically, don't mess with other people's things."

"Can I go inside them?"

"As long as you don't mess anything up." Steven spoke up. Alex nodded, skimmed the rest of the rules, then spun around to face the exit of the bedrock spawn building.

"Okay! Can we go?"

"Go ahead." Steven beckoned her towards the exit, and Alex bounded past them, breaking into the sunshine and gaping at the player-made structures around spawn.

Herobrine and Steve shared a fond look as their younger sister squealed over the various builds, from a pen full of rainbow-colored sheep to an obsidian building with a beacon on top. The spawn area was filled with shops, several of which Alex explored and lamented her lack of funds, as well as an array of decorative buildings, some of which existed solely to show off the builder's wealth.

Alex took several laps around the spawn town, marveling over new things with each one, before a message popped up in the chat.

[Shepherddd]: Hey guys! We haven't seen you in a while!

Immediately, Steven stiffened, and Stephan spun to look for the source. After a moment, he spotted it - a player in glowing, netherite armor, who was running towards them from the far side of the town. Stephan moved between him and Alex, and Steven blocked the player's path, who slowed as he neared.

"…myyy Notch." Alex drew out. "What is that?"

"That is a player." Stephan told her.

"Why do they look like that?"

[Shepherddd]: You brought a new friend? Lol

Steven checked the online menu, and scowled. Of course this one was the only one online. Out of all the players on the server, this one was the one he liked the least. This player, Shepherddd, had run at him with a sword upon their first meeting, causing him to lash out instinctively and kill him. They were on good terms, comparably, now, but he would have much preferred for one of Stephan's friends to be the one to greet them.

[Herobrine]: Yes. This is Alex.

[Shepherddd]: It's a pleasure to meet you, Alex! I hope you enjoy your time here!

Alex merely gaped at the player, taking in his blocky form.

"Oh, Alex, can you see the chat?" Stephan asked suddenly. Alex blinked at him.

"Chat?"

"Hold on, I'll see if I can give her access." Steven reached into the code, finding his sister, and fumbling for a moment before toggling her access to the chat. Her hand jerked up, reaching for the new box in the corner of her vision.

"…weird."

[Shepherddd]: Hello?

Alex jumped when the message appeared, her gaze flicking back over to the player.

"Ohhh… hello!" She waved at him. "I don't know how to do the… words."

[Shepherddd]: That's okay- I can hear you! Welcome!

"Thanks." Alex bounced on the balls of her feet, turning around to explore further, and Steven placed himself between her and the player as they walked away. To his annoyance, the player followed them. "Where are the other players?" Alex asked as she followed the path out of the spawn town.

"They're not online right now." Steven responded. When she shot him a confused look, he elaborated. "They can leave the server and come back at will. They're not here right now."

"Oh." Alex was audibly disappointed, but she cheered when a building came into view in the distance. "What's that?"

"That's Fangirl's house." Stephan came up beside her to take her hand, leading her further down the path. "And that is Nicky's castle." Alex's jaw dropped.

"Ohhh."

Steven let the two of them go on ahead, turning around to face the armored player. Shepherddd stopped when he did, casually holding a netherite sword. Steven knew he likely meant nothing by it, players tended to hold their weapons instinctively if they were not performing another task, but it unsettled him regardless.

[Herobrine]: Put away your sword.

It took a moment, but the player obeyed, swapping to hold a torch instead.

[Shepherddd]: Something wrong?

[Herobrine - Shepherddd]: Not exactly.

He switched to whispers so he would not bother Steve and Alex, who were now happily exploring the castle grounds. After their stressful first encounter, he had avoided confronting this player about his behavior, but if Alex were to visit this place regularly he needed to know that she would be safe.

[Herobrine - Shepherddd]: I only want to impress upon you the importance of keeping them out of danger. You have been consistently careless with us. We are not like you.

[Herobrine - Shepherddd]: This place is real and physical to us. Any damage we take we experience as real pain. We are not toys.

On one hand, perhaps it wasn't wise to explain to this player that he did not trust how vulnerable his little siblings were. On the other hand, though, if he did hurt them after this warning, it would be with full knowledge of what he was doing, and he would almost certainly be banned.

[Shepherddd - Herobrine]: Why are you telling me this?

[Shepherddd - Herobrine]: When we first met, I was not the one who struck first.

Steven's eyes narrowed. So he refused to admit to any fault in the interaction? Granted, he was right, Steven had attacked him first, but he had approached in a hostile manner.

[Herobrine - Shepherddd]: You ran at me with a sword.

[Herobrine - Shepherddd]: Do you honestly think that I have experienced that to be a sign of peace?

The player just stared at him for a few seconds, and Steven glanced over his shoulder. Stephan and Alex had disappeared inside the castle by now. No one else was online, and the castle was safe, so they should be fine.

[Shepherddd - Herobrine]: Are you the real Herobrine?

The question made him stiffen, alarm bells immediately going off in his head. Sure, it could be a player's curiosity, that which drew them to this game in the first place, but so many players saw him as an inherent threat. He was still more powerful than this player, but to be so close to him, in maximum enchanted netherite…

The urge to lie overwhelmed him, but he swallowed it down.

[Herobrine - Shepherddd]: Yes.

[Shepherddd - Herobrine]: Oh wow.

[Shepherddd - Herobrine]: I really thought you didn't exist.

[Herobrine - Shepherddd]: Consider yourself corrected.

The player was quiet again, and Steven's heart thumped dully in his chest, a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. He never should have spoken to this player in the first place. Better for him to think he's a plug-in or even just another player, a glitch, than for him to know that he is the real Herobrine. This server was guarded by whitelist, it wasn't quite public, but it was fairly easy to join. If word of his location were to spread, he would put himself in danger, and take away Stephan and Alex's safe server.

[Shepherddd - Herobrine]: Look, I've never meant you or your friends any harm.

[Shepherddd - Herobrine]: Our first meeting was a misunderstanding. I happened to be holding my sword and you took it as an attack, alright, I get that.

[Shepherddd - Herobrine]: But I didn't mean to hurt you. Or Stephanus.

[Shepherddd - Herobrine]: It seems to me that since that moment you've distrusted me, and I wish that wasn't the case. I don't want to be enemies with anyone on this server, even if they are an urban legend.

[Shepherddd - Herobrine]: So, here. If my sword is what's caused all these problems…

The player switched back to his sword, causing Steven to tense, but the weapon was promptly tossed out onto the ground between them. Steven stared at the floating sword, then lifted his gaze back to the player.

[Herobrine - Shepherddd]: You would give me your sword?

[Shepherddd - Herobrine]: I can grind for another.

Steven gazed at the weapon, the black blade shimmering with purple light. The player had… disarmed himself, offered this potential threat his own weapon, to put him at ease.

He took a step back.

[Herobrine - Shepherddd]: I do not need it. But the gesture is acknowledged.

Shepherddd lowered his head, but stepped forward to collect his sword again. Steven allowed him to do so, feeling his heartrate begin to slow. Perhaps this player didn't mean them harm after all.

[Shepherddd - Herobrine]: Should we go join the others?

Steven nodded, turning to head down the path towards the castle. He could hear the player following him, a sound that no longer filled him with dread. A small smile crossed over his face as he heard Alex squealing with delight, and he increased his pace.

It was difficult for him to see any place as truly safe, for himself, and even more so for his little siblings. But, maybe this server would qualify.