Continuation of Hunted Chapter. Anna's POV. (Couldn't resist). Dedicated to whoever ever wished that they could give Herobrine bread. (Thanks, Blackdragon41).
Four Years Ago...
She could barely concentrate on her work!
Her hands almost shook with excitement when she finally came back and logged into her server status overview. By now, the general game chat messages online began to calm, turning to frustration when no more summons brought Herobrine to them. Most concluded that he finally managed to figure out how to escape that trap and wondered what new method would the Admin come up with to try and mess with their unruly fugitive program next time.
Anna hurried to check her own server logs and saw only silence since her own last message.
No message saying that Herobrine had left the game. She really hoped that he listened to her words and stayed, though he did not look in any mood to trust her at the time.
She could barely believe that this just happened!
When she saw the message, 'Herobrine joined the game', she first assumed that it was Timothy, playing one of his usual jokes. She was even excited, though surprised, too, since her little brother should have been in school at the time. He had also complained that her server was too boring, so he didn't want to play on it anymore. And that was a month ago.
Only Cyrus was not showing online.
He was pretty good at hacking the game, but he wasn't that good.
Anna then simply teleported from her castle to the world spawn, just to take a good look around. And that's when she saw him.
Herobrine.
He ran a few steps, only to fall and remain motionless. The man wore the familiar teal and blue, appearing tattered. And when he turned around, she saw his eyes – narrowed and gleaming white.
It was him. The very raid boss and glitch that she had grown so obsessed with, ever since one of her friends showed her a video of him, looking at some player from the fog. There was so much speculation, wondering if the original Herobrine had somehow returned to the Game. Then, the Admin said that it wasn't him, but that it was one of the characters from their mod, who somehow glitched. The rumors did not stop, even after he had been captured and tested. He was still a legend, come to life, or the next best thing – an AI, who looked exactly like the original and appeared to be sentient.
And now he was here!
He didn't seem inclined to talk, glaring at her as if he wanted to kill her, despite laying there powerless, his body trembling slightly under stress. When she checked the forums, she understood why. She had been so busy with work, barely getting a free minute to spend online, and devoting all to building while her inspiration lasted, that she completely missed the last update that the Admin rolled into the main game.
They had added a summoning mod, which allowed players to build a totem, drawing nearest Herobrine clone directly to them. It worked on real Herobrine, too. The poor guy ended up getting trapped into countless hunts, forcing him to fight and kill players. No wonder he gave her such a defeated look when he saw her. He must have expected her to act as all the other players did.
Her heart nearly broke at the memory and she made a sniffle at the memory of his face. So angry and helpless, waiting, as he didn't even attempt to get away. Exhausted. That bitter look softened a little after she told him that she wouldn't hurt him, changing to disbelief. Thinking of how awkward and dorky she sounded, trying to convince him to stay, she felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment and blew out a nervous breath.
Hurriedly, she checked the game chat for any messages.
No 'Herobrine left the game'. Anna breathed with some relief, though not fully convinced. How could she check if he was on the server or not if he didn't wish to be found? He could be anywhere.
"Maybe..." She muttered to herself and dove into the System settings. Adding 'Herobrine' to the whitelist of player names allowed to log on to her server, she returned to the main screen and held her breath as she ran a check for the presence of players.
"Yes..." She whispered quietly, a big smile beaming on her face at the sight of a single name that appeared burning green on her screen.
He didn't leave.
He was in a small cave, close to the only patch of forest, which she reserved for obtaining wooden materials and occasional rabbit and deer. There was not much room for anything else on her server besides several mining shafts, which provided enough iron and stone for building – really the only things she could afford or needed. The rest took up the enormous fortress deep underground - the main thing of interest besides her castle on the surface.
The dot with Herobrine's remained stationary. A touch of worry made a frown appear on Anna's face. Was he all right? He didn't look so good yesterday.
"What does he like?" A little child's spoke curiously in her memory.
"Does he like cookies and cake?"
"He is a gaming character, Andrew." An older child corrected with superior tone. "He doesn't eat food."
Notch smiled slightly, his brown eyes getting small wrinkles at the corners, even though his thick beard hid his lower face. That's how Anna could tell. With her hands clenched with excitement and hazel eyes open very wide, she barely took breaths so as not to miss a moment from this amazing video that just appeared in her recommended feeds.
"Actually, he does eat. He is almost human and has same needs as you do. So, he gets hungry and thirsty. And he feels pain, too, if he gets hurt."
"Really? I thought he didn't." This time, it was an adult voice that spoke, outside the camera view. The tone held disbelief.
Anna could only see Notch, the main caretaker AI in charge of maintaining the entire Game, and some of the children that stood closest to him. Their avatars showed their true age, despite having a few fantasy elements such as cat ears or brightly colored hair. Due to purpose of their visit to the Game, they were not allowed to change their appearance to something else - it had to reflect their real bodies.
"We didn't know this, either." Notch spoke with his usual calm, solid tone. His eyes on the unknown adult behind the screen held good will. "Until recently. But since he has been staying with me, I've learned a lot and he does enjoy eating. Especially bread and cake." Notch's eyes returned to the children with a hint of humor.
"So, he lives with you now?"
"Is he mean?"
"Can we see him?"
Notch smiled again at their eager questions. "He is not dangerous. Just shy."
"Yeah, right..." Another adult voice spoke behind the camera with sarcasm, earning a serious look from Notch.
"He is not dangerous. Not anymore. He now knows who he is. I have explained things to him. He still has some problems controlling his reactions if he perceives a threat, but he responds well to kindness. And he is capable of feeling all other normal, human emotions. He is based on a human model. If shown caring, he is quite capable to starting to care back. In many ways, he is very much a child, like you. So he just needs more time to learn, that's all."
Notch's patient and gentle gaze returned to rest on the surrounding children.
"Would you like to meet him?"
"Yes!"
"Yes, please!" The voices of children surged, filled with the same excitement that rang in Anna's heart, even though she had already seen this video at least fifty times.
"Notch, I don't think..." An adult voice began with some worry, but the self-willed AI already gestured and a second form appeared at his side – a younger man in teal and blue, whose white eyes flicked anxiously across the unexpectedly large audience before which he found himself.
He attempted to step back behind Notch, but obediently stopped, when Notch's hand rested encouragingly on his shoulder. Then, white eyes turned and met Notch's, as something seemed to pass them without words. Relaxing a little, Herobrine turned to face everyone and looked at them with a shy look of expectation.
"Herobrine? Don't be scared. I have bread! Here, do you want some?" A very young child spoke, reaching out his or her hand, Anna couldn't tell who it was. She could only see the child's dark hair, cut short, and a light blue shirt and cyan shorts. Foolishly smiling, she watched Herobrine look down at the child and then accept the offering. The rotating icon of a bread loaf vanished from the child's hand.
"He says 'thank you'." Notch explained, not bothering to hide his mirth.
"Cannot he talk?" Another child asked with real concern. Notch's smile lessened a little.
"Not yet. He is still damaged. It will take time for him to get better. But he can understand you just fine and he can answer you back in chat."
The children all moved with excitement.
"Here! I also have bread!"
"I have carrots and apples!"
"I have fish!"
All at once, numerous offers followed as the group of children surrounded the shy AI, reaching out their hands where items began to appear.
Again, Anna chuckled at the slightly startled look that appeared on Herobrine's face, before he glanced at Notch for permission and at his small nod, hurried to accept the offered gifts. A few moments later, he cast Notch a silent, slightly lost look begging for help. He obviously didn't know how to react in this situation. But there was not a hint of hostility on his face. There was only trust and open, childlike expectation.
"Thank you. You don't have to give him everything you have. I provide him everything that he cannot get himself." Notch said firmly and the children stepped back to give the two AIs room.
"Yes. And its best that he returns home for now. Thank you for bringing him here, Notch." A slightly irritated voice of a grown up spoke from the behind the camera. The children glanced back and their posture and faces changed as they began to whisper among them.
"Ooooh. Admin..." One of them commented loudly enough for Anna to hear. Notch's face regained its usual calm, reserved look and he nodded to the unknown visitor in acknowledgement.
Anna later read speculations that this entire action from the main AI was not in any way sanctioned by the current administrators of the game. Maybe that's why this video disappeared so quickly from the recommended feeds - almost the same day after it appeared. Now, it could be found only in the personal library of narrow circle of players who managed to download it in time. Anna's friend, Margaret, showed her this video after it had already been removed the next day.
Herobrine, meanwhile, ignored the Admin's arrival entirely. He was looking at the children with a strangely intent frown. He then suddenly touched Notch's arm to get his attention. Turning to him, the main AI listened and then nodded. Turning back, he gave the children another small smile, warmth returning to his brown eyes.
"My friend here wishes to give you something in return for your gifts." He told them, but then looked up to whoever stood behind the camera view. "May he have your permission?"
"Yes." The unknown Admin's voice reluctantly allowed.
Trading uncertain glances between their caretakers and visitors, the children jumped with excitement and once again surrounded Herobrine, this time receiving back gifts that began to appear in his hands. Diamonds.
They looked like regular diamonds but weren't. In commentaries attached to the video, Anna read that they had very unusual effect attached to them – unusual because it had not been something that players could normally get from Herobrine. Weapons and treasures, those appeared whenever somewhat defeated him, before and after this moment. But these diamonds remained unique – exactly 46 of them, all bearing 'Herobrine's Gift' title and plus 6 healing per second effect, only valid for those to whom this gift had been given. Of course, this stat effect had only been effective in game, but...
Anna once again felt tears coming to her eyes. This brief video, which cut off shortly after this interaction, had touched her heart and convinced that Herobrine was a real person. He wanted those poor children to feel better! All of them were ill in real life, with very serious conditions, and somehow, he saw that. Notch didn't tell him about this before he called him there. Notch said so himself in a short, terse interview that one of the players managed to drag out of him. That was already after the Admin had already confiscated Herobrine from Notch's custody and reinstated him as an official boss of the Game directly under their strict supervision.
Yes, he did enjoy killing players, Notch admitted to the question whether he approved of the actions of the Admin concerning Herobrine. But he could have simply lived and enjoyed a normal life if he had been given the chance. Notch definitely did not look very pleased, his lips flat and eyes almost physically radiating disappointment and disapproval. And when asked if he still believed that Herobrine was truly sentient, despite what the Admin claimed in their most recent declaration, he flatly refused to comment and teleported away with excuse that he had to do his work.
"It's those Admin. They won't ever admit to that. If it was true, it would create so many problems for them. You know? Especially because he escaped them and now roams the game." Anna's young brother, Timothy, readily proposed when Anna was talking about that matter with her other friends online.
Even though he stopped attacking players after his escape, preferring to stay out of sight and only occasionally appearing to observe the players from afar, the Admin did not give up their intent to regain control of their glitched mob. That's probably why they installed this latest mod.
Anna's eyes sadly held on the small green dot.
She felt so bad for Herobrine. She didn't blame him at all for once again acting hostile and starting to kill the players that summoned him. He only tried to defend himself.
Good thing that the mod no longer worked – frustrated comments now filled the open game chat, complaining that the totems would draw only empty, non-glitched bots, which didn't offer such good loot. Maybe it didn't work because she didn't install that mod? She did use only an older version of the Game on her server, simply because she couldn't afford the recent updates. The Admin rarely offered anything for free, so she no longer even bothered to look.
She was so glad of that, now!
Anna sighed with contentment, looking at Herobrine's name, safe and sound on her server. And then suddenly startled, her eyes blinking wide.
"Oh!"
She hastily grabbed her neural band and stuck it on her head, plopping into the comfortable gamer's chair. Already in the midst of logging on, she pushed herself to the screen, where she began throwing items into her inventory – loads of ready habitation modules that could transform a small place to a comfortable room, loads of raw resources and tools, stacks of edible items. Just in case!
Holding her gaze with satisfaction on extra portions of bread, she nervously bit her lip and frowned, wondering if she remembered it all. The things Herobrine might need!
She should have remembered what Notch said in that video right away! Herobrine could get hungry and thirsty. He probably already was! With all that running and hiding, he probably didn't have the chance to eat well. And she had completely forgotten!
Doris joined the game.
"Herobrine!" Anna cheerfully declared, teleporting directly to Herobrine's location.
She only had time to glimpse the general outlines of the small cave, gray and bleak to her night vision. Something pushed her. A slight sting in her back and she found herself thrown out to her character lobby, blinking at the interface screen in confusion.
Doris slain by Herobrine.
It took a moment of staring at the blinking System message before she realized what happened. She jumped to the screen. "Don't leave, don't leave, don't leave!" She muttered as she hastily began to type.
[Doris to Herobrine]: I'm so sorry!
[Doris to Herobrine]: Don't leave!
[Doris to Herobrine]: I was just bringing you items!
"I'm the Admin, duh!" She almost slapped her face and put in commands, teleporting her to Herobrine's location again, but this time in spectral mode.
She saw him standing there, shock on his face, his mouth slightly agape as he dazedly glared at the numerous items bobbing up and down in the place where Doris had just been. To her satisfaction, she noticed that he looked much better than last time. His stance was steady, and his hand firmly grasped his famous diamond pickaxe that appeared to be a permanent part of his character. She couldn't see his other stats, hidden from her view in this mode. He also looked worried. He obviously had not meant to kill her.
She badly wanted to slap herself, but didn't, hastily typing, instead.
[Doris to Herobrine]: Sorry again! I didn't mean to scare you.
Herobrine flinched and scowled. Next moment, he vanished from view. A panicked look at her Server panel revealed that his name was gone from the list as well, turning to a gray color of other names of her friends, who were not logged on. Her heart falling to her stomach, Anna blinked at the screen with a lost look.
Biting her lip to keep from crying, she typed.
[Doris to Herobrine]: Please don't leave. I'm sorry!
Why was she so stupid? She just began to berate herself when another message appeared below her plea in chat.
[Herobrine to Doris]: I didn't mean to do that. I am sorry.
Anna let out a relieved breath. He didn't leave, then! He just turned invisible. The forums said that he could do that. He didn't leave!
[Doris to Herobrine]: I brought you things. You can take them if you want.
Another long pause followed before another message appeared, which made her entire body sag in her chair with relief.
[Herobrine to Doris]: Thank you.
Anna looked at her interface screen, where her own vanquished character stood in waiting mode, and couldn't help a foolish and happy smile.
Herobrine was going to live on her server!