AN: Alright Tinker's Mod poll is officially closed. It was surprisingly close. Thanks for voting. Also, another meter-stone has been passed. 3000 views! WOOOO! And 100,000 words have been typed. DOUBLE WOOOO! And I've officially reached 1000 visitors! TRIPLE WOOOO!
The answer to last week's puzzle: A donut! No beginning or end (cuz it's a circle) and no middle because...because the hole-pressing thing...presses a hole into a donut...thereby taking away the middle bit...
It was a donut.
Congrats to The Ravenclawed Demigod for being the first to guess it correctly...and also for his/her kind review. Positive feedback is the best reward for writing. Enjoy your cookie and your acknowledgement.
(::)
Puzzle: You're running a race and pass the person in 2nd place. What place are you in now?
Disclaimer: I don't own Minecraft. If I did, there would be a soap.
Beta: TheWritingReader
Chapter 21
Floyd
[Floyd]
"Alright. This is the place." I thought as I stood outside a small cottage in the middle of the night. "Soul's home."
The Eastern District must have specialized in agriculture because, aside from a forested park, the neighboring landscape was all farmland, dotted with the occasional cottage or barn.
Soul's address was one such cottage. It looked plain enough. One story. Three or four rooms max. It actually looked to be part of a large community of cottages; the neighboring homes all had the same structure. It seemed more like a plantation.
It would explain how Soul was able to find a house so quickly. He probably agreed to do farm work in exchange for food and board. That also probably meant he had little to no emeralds to spare.
Best not to jump to conclusions.
I walked past the cottage gate and approached the front door. I raised my hand to knock, but found myself hesitant to make contact with the oak wood. I also saw that my hand was shaking in anticipation…and fear.
I closed my eyes, took a shaky breath, and held it. You have to face this, Floyd. You have to face him.
Abandoning all anxiety, I simultaneously exhaled and rapped upon the door.
As I heard footsteps within the cottage, I broke out into a cold sweat and my vision began to blur. Still, I didn't run away. I held on, waiting for Soul to open the door.
The door slowly creaked open and a crimson eye peaked out at me. Then the door completely opened to reveal a face with short spiky brown hair and a scar across his nose.
It was him. It was really him.
There was no mistaking the brown military jacket or the grey undershirt. There was no mistaking the camo colored cargo pants or the navy green hiking boots. There was no mistaking the metal dog tags hanging from his neck.
But most importantly, there was no mistaking the name that hovered over his head.
It was really Lost_Soul standing in front of me. Alive!
"Soul…" I half raised my arms to hug him.
*POW*
For a second, I missed what had just happened. One moment I was standing up, getting ready to hug a lost friend. The next, I was flat on my back, a dull pain in my jaw. What happened in between?
"You got a lot of nerve showing your face to me." Soul was gritting his teeth and looking at me with pure contempt. My eyes hung on his slightly outstretched fist before it finally clicked.
He…punched me.
"So, let me guess," he growled coldly. "You opted for the safe, cushy route here, right? That's your style."
I sat up and hung my head low. "Soul…I-I'm sorry for—"
"Or—wait, wait—you got cornered by those cultists and agreed to help them so long as you stayed intact, right? That's also classic you!" Soul's voice was practically dripping with venom.
"No!" I picked myself off the ground and massaged my injured cheek. "I made it through the mountain! Same as you."
"Ha. That's a laugh." Soul looked me up and down. "And I suppose your invisible armor made it easier to fight through all the Mobs."
I was getting impatient with Soul's attitude. "I did what I had to to make it here. To see if you were—"
"Okay? Well, I'm fine," Soul interrupted. "Better than fine, in fact. I have a roof over my head, food in my stomach…and friends I can count on."
A memory of three friends walking through the forest flashed before my eyes before I shook it away. "Soul, about what happened to Silent…you have every right to—"
"Oh, that's good to hear," Soul commented sarcastically. "Y'know, I was really worried that my anger wouldn't be justified by you. I gotta say it's such a relief to hear you say I have the fucking right."
I remained silent as Soul's acidic words stung my heart. I wished he would just hit me again. Damage could be regenerated easily, but words couldn't be taken back.
"I hope that's all you came here to say." Soul turned his back to me as he walked back to his cottage. "Because I have nothing more to say to a coward."
"I'm not a coward anymore!" I pleaded desperately as I took a step forward. "I've changed! I'm stronger, I swear! And I want to avenge Silent with you!"
Standing at the threshold of his house, and our steadily crumbling friendship, Soul fixed his red eyes to my pleading purple ones, his face stone cold.
"You're no friend of mine and you're no friend of Silent's. I've seen your true colors, Floyd. Now get off my property before I sock you again."
Whatever argument I wanted to say died on my lips as the door slammed in my face. My raised, outstretched arm fell numbly to my side and I lost focus of the cottage. In the face of Soul's rejection, I lost focus of everything. For the past week I had been desperately trying to find Soul. To reconnect after my moment of weakness.
But after finally finding him, he wanted nothing to do with me.
He hated me.
…And I deserved it.
Self-loathing and guilt made me respect Soul's wish and leave immediately. As I approached the gate, I bumped shoulders with a light purple haired woman. She muttered an apology…I think. It was hard to tell when there was a faint ringing in my ear.
I felt a dull ache in my gut, irrelevant to my hunger, as I wandered aimlessly around the Eastern District. I only had the pale moon to light my way.
Pained by my argument with Soul, I once again felt as if I skipped a whole middle part of my walk. One moment I was trekking across a field of wheat, the next I was sitting beside a serene pond in the middle of a forest. In my daze, I must have wandered into the Eastern District's park.
I felt absolutely miserable. It was a combination of failure and heavy exhaustion. I chuckled humorously, recalling my plan to ask Soul to stay the night after we had reconciled.
How quickly that fell apart.
And what about Cobb? He gave up entering the city for my sake. And in the end, that fell apart too!
How am I even going to face him? To tell him his emerald was wasted?
I struggled to keep my eyelids open while focusing on the moon's reflection in the calm water. I needed a place to sleep. I needed a soft, warm bed. I needed the safety of my friends. I needed emeralds to get supplies. I…I…
Unable to cope with the mounting stress, I collapsed onto the soft grass and let the sweet oblivion of sleep whisk my problems away.
…or so I thought.
[Dream]
Floyd was suddenly standing in the middle of a dense forest, daylight streaming through the canopy of oak leaves. Pigs were grazing near some brightly colored flowers.
"It's daytime already?" Floyd began as he looked around the scene. "Wait…this isn't the park. Where—"
*SQUEAL*
Floyd whirled to look at the source of the noise. One of the pigs was being attacked by a Crafter with a wooden sword.
But it was the appearance of the Crafter that really surprised Floyd.
The man had slick white hair, light blue eyes coupled with rectangular pince-nez glasses. Freckles dotted his cheeks and from his neck hung a golden cross. He wore a long-sleeve lavender shirt with black sleeves and a pair of cobalt jeans.
And above his head was his name: Silent_Game.
Floyd couldn't believe what he was seeing and rubbed his eyes just to make sure he wasn't hallucinating the man killing a pig in front of him.
"Hey, slowpokes!" Silent called out behind him. "Guess who's eating porkchops for dinner?"
"Come on, you're gonna share that right?" A second man emerged from the trees.
It was Soul!
"Hey, you want to eat? Then you better hunt for it." Silent gobbled up the porkchop whole.
"Shouldn't you be cooking that?" A third voice inquired before he too emerged from the trees and forced Floyd's jaw to drop.
It was…him!
Another Floyd was standing beside Silent and Soul, this one more fidgety and nervous.
Silent considered Floyd's suggestion as he gulped the last of his porkchop. "Nah. It's safe. Salmonella poisoning is a myth anyway."
"Salmonella?" Soul asked with a raised brow. "What's that?"
Silent opened his mouth to elaborate, but his words died on his tongue as he wondered just what salmonella was. "Curse this weird sense! It's making me say things I don't understand."
"Moving on…" Soul interrupted as he stepped ahead of the group. "I think I see some buildings up ahead."
"Buildings? Like…a town or something?" Silent asked intrigued while trying to peer over Soul's spiky hair.
"You think it's…safe? M-maybe we should stick to the forest." Floyd, or rather the other Floyd, suggested. The real Floyd stood stock-still, mouth still agape, as he observed the interaction in front of him.
"Are you kidding?" Silent raised a brow. "There could be anything in there. Maybe even some Crafters with better gear."
"Well…" Floyd rubbed his head and eyed the buildings nervously. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to check it out…"
"That's the spirit!" Silent cheered as he pulled Soul and Floyd forward. "Onwards to adventure!"
"Adventure!" The three comrades cheered in unison, leaving the real Floyd in the dust.
With the absence of the three Crafters, the natural silence once more permeated the air. Floyd took a shaky step forward as his mind tried to make sense of what was going on.
This place…this moment…it's the Origin Forest. And today was the day that…
Floyd's eyes widened as he realized what the day meant. Without wasting any more time, he sprinted after the three Crafters heading into the ruined town known as Miner's Warren.
"Silent! Soul!...Floyd!" He called out to the three friends, even as they split up to investigate the decrepit and abandoned houses.
Silent walked into the ruined school, which was now absent of any explosive damages cause by TNT.
Floyd ran in after him. "Silent! You need to run now! Get out of this place before they show up!" Despite all his shouts, Silent ignored him and remained intent on searching the school for any useful gear.
"Guys, I found a book! Though I'll probably be the only one to read it. Just like the Mob book." Silent grumbled as he flipped open the first couple of pages.
"Didn't you hear me!?" The real Floyd shouted as he approached Silent to shake his shoulder. Instead, he found his hand phasing right through Silent's body as if it were vapor.
What is this? Why can't I—
"Pshh! You call that a find?" Soul's voice rung from a neighboring building. "I found a prime emerald!"
Realizing that Silent wasn't going to hear or feel him, Floyd sprinted out of the school and over to the ruined hotel where Soul's voice was coming from. "Soul! Please! You have to hear me! You gotta warn Silent to—"
Floyd trailed off as he saw that Soul wasn't hearing him either. To verify, he walked forward with his hand outstretched and phased it through Soul's back. Soul's body erupted into formless vapor. Then when he turned to leave, Soul passed right through Floyd, as if he wasn't there.
"No…" Floyd mumbled in despair as he fell to his knees. "No, no, no..."
"AGH!" The fake Floyd shouted from one of the other buildings. "HELP!"
"Floyd?" Silent asked as he rushed towards the building with the tree growing out of it. "Floyd! What's up!?"
"Zombies!" Fake Floyd bolted out of the building while clutching something under his arm and cowered behind Silent.
Soul was right beside him. "Don't worry, Floyd. We got these lame-brains."
The real Floyd walked out of the hotel in time to witness Silent and Soul dispatch dozens of Zombies pouring out of the building.
Soul's strength allowed him to easily overpower Zombies in one-on-one bouts, but Silent was fast enough to deal with crowds. The small blows he dealt with his wooden sword would accumulate damage for the enemy until they fell.
Whatever Zombies survived Silent and Soul's onslaught were slowly burning in the bright sunlight. But there was one more Mob to deal with. One that posed a more significant threat.
"Creeper!" Silent warned as he and Soul took a few steps away from the suicidal creature. Both looked unsure of how to handle the Mob.
Thankfully, an arrow pierced its face before it could get any closer. It disappeared in a puff of smoke and a single gunpowder.
Both Soul and Silent turned their attention from the killed Creeper to the person that shot the arrow: Floyd.
"Oh, wow!" Floyd looked at his newly acquired bow with a mixture of amazement and pride. "I shot the hell out of that thing, huh?"
"I'll say." Silent looked impressed as he walked over. "Who knew Floyd was such a badass?"
"It was a lucky shot." Soul downplayed the achievement with crossed arms. "Besides we could have handled it."
"Whatever. I'd say Floyd lucked out with finding a bow." Silent examined the weapon in Floyd's hand. "So does it automatically come with arrows or…"
"No. The arrows are separate," Floyd explained as he withdrew a couple of arrows. "I found a few, but as long as you have them in your backpack, it seems like the bow automatically loads them for you."
"Certainly saves time." Silent nodded appreciatively. "Do you mind if I give it a shot?"
"Knock yourself out," Floyd agreed as he handed over the bow and arrows. "…I'm kidding, don't actually hit yourself with it."
"Pft." Silent chuckled as he aimed the bow up. "As if I would—OW!" He quickly shot an arrow without drawing the bowstring all the way back. The arrow sailed half an inch above him before losing momentum and crashing down into his face.
"What'd I tell you?" Floyd shook his head amusedly as Silent tried removing the arrow sticking out of his head. Soul was doubled over in laughter with Silent trying to shut him up with half-hearted kicks.
Meanwhile, the real Floyd watched the scene of the three friends getting along so well. He was witnessing the exact event that happened just days ago. Tears came to his eyes as he knew what was about to happen to rip the amiable group apart.
Silent handed the bow over to Soul to test out while withdrawing the book he found in the school. He browsed over a few pages before his eyes widened.
"Guys," he struggled to keep his voice calm. "Listen to this. According to this book, this place is called Miner's Warren. It's an abandoned town or village or whatever, but it's the entrance to a network of underground minecart tracks spanning below that huge-ass mountain." Silent pointed to Mt. Mur as he addressed it. "And one of those tunnels leads straight…to…" Silent paused dramatically as he looked at his two companions.
"Don't leave us hanging!" Soul groaned as he attempted to make a grab for the book. Silent, however, kept it just out of his reach.
"Maybe if you guys had the willingness to read once in a while…" Silent suggested with a smirk, enjoying keeping his friends in suspense.
"Oh, is this about not wanting to read the Mob book?" Soul complained as he made another swipe for the book. "It's not my fault the thing was so long."
"It was twenty pages…max. And there was even a dumbed-down version."
"Give me that." Floyd yanked the book from the distracted Silent's hands and flipped the pages. He skimmed before letting out a gasp. "The tunnels lead to a…Kingdom?"
"Yep." Silent beamed as he turned to gaze at Mt. Mur. "Over that massive pile of rocks is a mass of civilization. It's just screaming 'adventure' don't you think?"
"Hell yeah it does!" Soul cheered. "What are we waiting for? Let's get moving!"
"If I could interject," came a new voice from behind one of the buildings. The three comrades tensed and attempted to locate the source.
The real Floyd just stood and observed. He knew perfectly well that Parallel_Parker, wielding a bow, was the one that addressed the group of friends. He knew that Spring_Fever was with him too. The bloodthirsty sadist was probably shaking with anticipation.
Floyd didn't want to see it again. He didn't want to have to witness it twice. His own regrets. His own mistakes. Thrown back into his face.
Yet he was unable to look away. His eyes were fixated on his friends meeting the two cultists that ruined everything.
The only mercy his mind would allow is that the sound came to him muffled, as if two pillows were covering his ears. Shielding him in a small way as the events played out.
First, they talked. Parker showed himself and Spring to the group. Trying to calm them down with honeyed words. Trying to convince them that Mt. Mur wasn't safe. That the group should wait for the rest of the cultists to show up tomorrow night…
What was unspoken was that the cultists would kill them all.
Silent figured it out first. Parker's words may have won them over if not for Spring constantly hovering his hand over the sword at his belt.
Silent politely declined their offer and Floyd and Soul followed suit.
Then, Parker fired the first arrow.
Silent dodged. Soul returned fire on Parker, but his amateurish bow skills were useless. All of his shots missed and Floyd noted Parker pulling them out to use as his own ammo.
Then Spring ran in, going straight for Floyd.
He was too shocked at the turn of events, and too underprepared in combat to deal with a belligerent Crafter. The exchange of blows was short, and Floyd was knocked down.
As Spring laughed and prepared to deliver the final strike, Silent stepped in. He was better at fighting than Floyd and was able to hold his own against Spring for a while.
Floyd was crawling back, trying to dodge Parker's arrows and recover health. Soul had swapped to his sword and kept trying to gain ground on Parker.
Silent vs Spring. Soul vs Parker. Floyd vs…
Fear.
Floyd was scared.
He couldn't understand why this was happening. Why people were fighting.
What was wrong? Was a line crossed? Is it punishment for something?
Silent called out for Floyd's assistance, but Floyd was too confused and too frightened to be of any use.
And then Spring cut Silent down.
A single stroke between strikes was all it took to end Silent's existence.
It was so quick. Silent didn't even have the chance to cry out in pain.
Gone in an explosion of gear.
Floyd watched in horror as Silent's Head tumbled right in front of him. His eyes, once full of life, looked dead attached to his disembodied head.
Floyd was shaking as so many emotions flitted across his face. Anger, grief, fear.
Especially fear as Spring turned his attention to Floyd.
Soul was screaming in anger as he turned to charge the orange-haired cultist.
As the two engaged in battle, Floyd got to his feet…
And ran away.
Soul shouted for him to come back and help. He called him a coward.
But Floyd just kept running and disappeared out the gates of Miner's Warren.
And that was it.
As soon as Floyd ran away, the scene of Miner's Warren began to dissolve. Soul, Spring, and Parker all erupted into formless gas and were whisked up into the cloudy sky.
The real Floyd looked sadly upon the only thing left: Silent's Head.
He walked up to it and patted it, taking small comfort in the fact that this object he could touch.
"…I'm sorry…" Tears gushed from Floyd's eyes as he choked out his guilt and grief. "I'm sorry I was too weak to protect you."
Miner's Warren continued to dissolve around them. The wooden structures melted away and the sky began to darken.
"…I'm…I'm stronger now…and I'll keep getting stronger…" Floyd assured the disembodied head. "I...I know I deserve Soul's hate…I just…" Floyd trailed off as he struggled to keep his voice steady.
"I just wish I could go back."
You Can't.
Floyd recoiled as a demonic voice sounded from Silent's disembodied head. His eyes were worse than dead, appearing black and crying tears of blood.
You Can't Go Back.
The blood just kept flowing and pooling around Silent's head. The scenery changed in tandem and became the dark emptiness that could only be the Void.
It Should Have Been You!
[Floyd]
"AUGHHH!" I screamed as I woke up from my dream with a start.
I was drenched in cold sweat and visibly shaking, but I was away from that hellish dream. I was back in the park I collapsed in. Only it was day time. I must have spent the night sleeping on the grass.
It was a miracle no Mobs had stumbled upon me. I would have been a sitting duck.
I crawled over to the pond and washed the sweat off my face. The cold water was also helpful in waking me up from my stupor.
I munched on some rotten flesh as I thought on my nightmare. Silent's disembodied Head. All the blood. The Void.
'It should have been you!'
I shook the thoughts away before consuming my last piece of flesh. Don't let those words get to you…even if you do deserve them, dying isn't going to bring him back.
And Silent would never say something like that…it was just a dream.
I can't dwell on it…I need to keep myself busy. Worry about surviving.
I was full on Hunger, but I would need to stockpile food for later. The only question was where to get food. I was dirt-poor and unless there was a soup kitchen, I'd have to hunt for my own sustenance.
I looked down at the pool of water and, despite my jarring nightmare, smirked.
I set down my crafting table and transformed some planks into sticks before adding some string.
Voila: A fishing rod.
"Let's see what I can catch," I spoke to myself as I cast the line in. I watched the bobber float along the serene surface of the pool, patiently waiting to hook some breakfast.
It wasn't long before I got a nibble. The bobber broke the surface before I yanked my prize from the water.
A nice delicious…puffer fish?
"…let me try that again."
I sat by that pond, fishing until noon. I didn't have a clock, but I was able to judge the time by the position of the sun. By then I had caught enough fish to last me a few days. I also managed to bring in the occasional piece of junk.
Why does this pool even have ink sacs floating around? I contemplated as I stored the drop in my backpack. I then proceeded to place a furnace to cook the freshwater animals. It was a shame I only had one lump of coal left.
"What else can I use as fuel…" I tried placing some planks in the furnace and was pleasantly surprised when the fire roared to life.
The only downside was that the wooden planks burned much faster than the coal. Good thing the park had dozens of trees to cut down.
Trees fell, the furnace was kept long enough to cook all my fish, and I constructed a makeshift shack by the water to serve as a shelter. By then, it was getting dark.
I sealed the entrance to my 'lakeside' shelter with a door and, being without torches or anyone to talk to, sat in silence.
I didn't want to go to bed again for fear that my nightmares would plague me. So instead I thought about my next course of action.
I agreed to meet Cobb two days from now in the center of the Kingdom. But it looks like there's some kind of castle sitting there. There could be chance that civilians aren't allowed up there.
I better scope it out tomorrow just to be sure. Maybe I could even find work. I'm sure Cobb wouldn't mind earning emeralds.
And as for Soul…
…
I still didn't know what to do about Soul.
He was so disgusted by me and I lost all of his trust. I didn't think he'd ever be able to forgive me.
I just wished there was some way I could convince him of how sorry I was. Of how guilty I felt.
But maybe there was no way to fix things. Maybe things were destined to stay broken.
At the very least, I would make sure my friendship with Cobb wouldn't end the same way.
I munched some cooked fish, impressed with the taste and chuckling at the idea that if Cobb were there, he'd be absolutely envious of the food.
Cobb's absence had its perks. On the plus side, I got to eat more. But on the negative side, I was bored out of my mind. The hapless Crafter was fun to talk with…even if he did mumble things about internal organ disputes under his breath.
Wonder what the inside of his mind is like? I thought as I maintained my silent vigil through the night.
The next day, I wasted no time in getting to the center of the Kingdom…mainly because some guards chased me out. Apparently it's illegal to loiter in the park. But I wasn't loitering. I was living in a shelter.
Either way, words were said. Threats were made. And I had to deconstruct my shelter.
But back to the center of the Kingdom…it was huge. The plateau jutted out of the ground, leaving steep vertical cliffs of stone. However, the stone appeared as bricks, meaning the entire thing was man-made. Stone steps connected the mass with the Kingdom's streets at four spots: North, South, East, and West.
Naturally, I took the closest: The East stairway.
Some guards were standing watch by the stairs and demanded to know what business I had with the Central District.
Is every guard so hostile? I thought annoyed. "I'm meeting a friend here in a few days and I was wondering if you allow civilians up there." I gestured to the plateau.
One of the guards relaxed slightly. "Yes and no. Under special conditions, civilians are allowed up there. Otherwise…" He trailed off, but I got the idea.
"Then in that case, would you know where I could find work? I need emeralds badly."
"Ha! You and everyone else in this Kingdom kid." The other guard stroked his chin absentmindedly while observing my belt. "Tell me, how good are you with that sword?"
I glanced at my blade and shrugged. "I can hold my own."
Now.
The guards shared a look with each other before nodding. "Well if you want to check out the plateau and find work, I recommend joining the Ringwood Guards."
"The pay is decent and you'll be allowed up into the barracks for evaluation," the other guard chimed in. "Play your cards right and you might even be placed on the Princess' bodyguard duty."
I thought the offer over. I was in desperate need of emeralds and if I wanted to meet up with Cobb I'd need to get access to the Central District. Hopefully, Cobb would realize the same thing and not do something stupid like try and scale the plateau's cliffs.
Plus, I wanted to get stronger. Maybe protecting Ringwood as a guard would be the best form of training. It was a good choice all around.
"Alright, sounds good." I nodded gratefully while the guards described how to find the barracks.
"It's a long brick building with a dark oak roof, right past the prison. Can't miss it."
Once I located the barracks, I quickly addressed an iron-clad guard behind a counter.
"So you think you're guard material eh?" He eyed me up and down, apparently skeptical I could put a dent in anything. "Well, it's not my call to make. You'll have to wait for the Captain. He'll be back in a few minutes." He gestured to some seats in the corner.
I nodded respectfully before taking a seat. Hopefully, the so-called Captain will give me the job…and maybe pay me in advance? No, that's hoping too much.
Also where am I gonna live? If I go back to the park I'll risk running into those guards again, but it had a pond filled with fish. Literally. There was always fish to pull out. To the point where it made no sense that a pond could hold so much fish.
Infinite fish.
But back to the living situation. Maybe they'll let me live in the barracks. Yeah! I mean, it is for guards right? Then again…
While I trailed off in my thoughts, a group of guards walked in and took up seats across from me. They seemed to be discussing some gossip.
Gossiping guards…something about that doesn't seem right. Nonetheless, I couldn't help but overhear their conversation.
"Hey, is it true we caught Kane?" One guard asked hopefully.
The other guards nodded. "Yup! It took a while, but we finally caught the son-of-a-bitch. Apparently he was hiding himself as a bartender. Y'know that Razed Bar at the Western District?"
"Yeah, I've been there," another guard spoke up. "Seedy place. Female servers. Adequate drink. Perfect location for Black Market trading."
"The Captain and her men searched the place after Kane's arrest. There was enough contraband to link Kane and a dozen other criminals." The guard leaned back in his chair. "Soon as we get the word to pursue them, the prison will have some new occupants."
The guards all let out a collective sigh of relief. I supposed hearing that several criminals would be off the streets was a huge burden off their shoulders.
Being a guard must be more responsibility than I thought.
"I gotta say," a female guard broke the silence, "I'm impressed. I thought the Captain was a bit irresponsible, but to catch the elusive Kane…she's the real deal."
One guard chuckled. "Well…I wouldn't say that," he hinted mysteriously.
A few of the guards looked perplexed. "What do you mean?"
The guard who made the hint smirked and placed his hands behind his head "I heard that the Captain wasn't there to scope out the bar. She was just there drinking on her day off."
The guards looked surprised.
"Yeah. She was just sitting in a booth, minding her own business, when this guy in a black and white hoodie shows up—"
I froze upon hearing that. The back of my mind was registering something about what the guard just said. Black and white hoodie?...no…there was no way…it couldn't be.
"—and loudly asks for Kane. He apparently mentioned TheAvoided as well."
"You saying he spoke loudly about that stuff?" One guard questioned skeptically. "About a top ten most wanted criminal to a top ten most wanted criminal?"
"No one could be that stupid."
Uh-oh. The description is beginning to match more and more.
"Well this guy was." The guard continued the story while the other guards listened with rapt attention. "Then there was a falling out, I guess, between Kane and the hoodie guy. They started to fight in the club. The hoodie guy started lighting the place up with fire!"
Um…that could be anyone! Sure Cobb had a flint and steel…that I taught him how to make…but he wouldn't—
"Then—get this—the hoodie guy, outnumbered by all these goons, pulls out a fishing rod to defend himself!" The guards laughed and tried to deny such a ridiculous story while Floyd's mind was trying to deny something else.
Anyone could have used a fishing rod as a means of defense! It's a surprisingly good weapon! It doesn't mean—
"And then," the guard continued, bolstered by his uproarious friends and trying to finish the story through his giggles, "then the hoodie guy says, 'you should know that this fishing rod killed the Carys_Angel! No tricks or gimmicks!'"
And that's when the guards finally lost it. They started rolling around on the floor, beating their fists against the walls as their laughter shook them to their core. Their hilarity echoed across the barracks and drew the attention of several onlookers.
But in my mind…
…godamnit Cobb. I facepalmed so hard I lost a heart of health. But I felt that the facepalm was needed because of the sheer stupidity a certain companion of mine was capable of.
How, in the span of two days, TWO DAYS, could Cobb possibly get embroidered with two of the most wanted criminals in Ringwood!?
Two days. Two criminals. If I had heard about this a day later, would it be three criminals? Hell, if we were apart a month, would he get caught up in a gang war!?
The guards had finally reigned in their laughter over the hilarious tale. "Ahaha. Ahhhh…but seriously, what happened to the hoodie guy?"
"Well, our Captain, with all her subtlety, kneed him in the gut, beat up Kane and his men, and brought them all in." The guard smirked as he finished his story. "The hoodie guy is in the prison now if you wanna see what he looks like. I'm sure they'll let you check his cell."
And that was all I needed to hear. I nonchalantly got up from my seat and briskly walked out of the barracks.
After a quick glance, I spotted a stone brick building attached to the palace. The bars on the building's windows were enough to indicate it as the prison, and I hurried over to it to help my friend.
My incredibly stupid but genuinely decent friend.
[Cobb]
When my senses began returning to me, a few simple thoughts crossed my mind.
Ugh…I feel like someone kneed me in the gut.
Why would I feel…oh right. That white-haired woman.
I opened my eyes and registered that I was lying face down on some soft material. I stood myself up by my elbows and tried to get an idea of my location.
I was in a stone brick room with one entire wall made up of iron bars and an iron door. The only source of light was the sunlight streaming through some barred windows. I was lying on a small bed stationed in the corner.
I tried to recall everything that happened between the Razed Bar and then.
Let's see…first I went into the bar, got into a fight, burned some stuff, got kneed in the gut,…and now I'm waking up here.
…
That tells me nothing!
I got out of bed and stumbled to stand upright. My stomach was gurgling loudly, demanding sustenance.
Stomach: FEED ME! FEED ME!
I'm working on it Stomach! Calm down!
"Well, well," a voice that wasn't my internal organs spoke up, "looks like 'His Majesty' has finally woken up."
I turned to face the voice and saw that it was a guard standing on the other side of the bars. Beside him were two other guards who were ogling me for some reason. As if I was an exhibit at a zoo.
Wait a minute…the bars…the enclosure…am I in a zoo!?
…also what's a zoo?
"So that's the fishing rod guy from the rumors?" One of the ogling guards peered closer as he addressed me. "He doesn't look like a criminal."
"Criminals have all shapes and sizes," the first guard advised sagely. "You two keep him company while I go find the Captain. She'll want to know that he's awake." The first guard then left my sight as he moved past the bars.
"Ugh…where am I?" I asked aloud as I clutched my empty stomach. A quick glance of my Hunger Meter told me I was about to starve and lose health. My Hunger Meter wasn't this low when I passed out. How long have I been asleep?
"You're in the Ringwood Prison." One of the guards took out their sword and dragged it across the bars to make a distinct metallic clacking sound. It grated at my nerves. "Arrested for crimes too numerous to mention."
"Prison!?" I shouted in dismay. "But…but I didn't do anything wrong! Name one crime I committed."
"Attacking and endangering several citizens," one of the guards stated.
"It was self-defense," I defended.
"Association with TheAvoided, a man on the top ten most wanted list." The other guard began ticking off the crimes with her fingers.
"He seemed like a reasonable, shady guy."
"Damaging property."
"They were just tables—"
"Arson."
"…they were just tables."
"And using counterfeit citizenship documents to enter the Kingdom illegally."
"…"
"No defense?" The guard asked with a raised brow.
"...I didn't know?" I attempted with a shrug. The guards, however, were not buying it.
"It was pretty convincing documentation though. Clearly TheAvoided's work. But closer inspection revealed a single misplaced comma in the Ringwood Pledge of Authentication, paragraph four. All the other citizenship books contain it." One of the guards held up a book that looked remarkably like the one TheAvoided gave me. But that wasn't possible seeing as how that book was still in my Inven—
I patted my belt, expecting to feel the leather-bound tome, but felt nothing. Not even my tools were hanging from my belt. My recently acquired stone sword, my clock, my shovel and pickaxe. All of it was gone.
And it wasn't just my belt. I reached into my backpack, but my hand met nothing but empty air. Even my leather boots and leather cap were missing. I was stripped of everything, but the clothes I had spawned in…which I couldn't remove anyway.
"Looking for these?" One of the guards opened up a chest on the other side of the bars. In it I could see all my useless gear, crying out to return to my Inventory.
"Give those back!" I shouted as I reached through the bars towards the open chest. "That's my gear."
The guard cruelly slammed the chest closed before walking up to my outstretched hand, just outside of its reach. "Your gear has been confiscated and until you are no longer deemed a threat to Ringwood's populace, it will remain in that chest just as you will remain behind bars."
A groan elicited itself from my stomach just as I groaned in annoyance. "Can you at least get me some food? I haven't eaten in…how long have I been out?"
"A day and a half."
"WHAT!? That long?" While I grumbled to myself, one of the guards nodded at my request and went to get me food. That just left the female guard to watch over me.
Oh man, how could things have gone so wrong?
Heart: Because you didn't heed my advice on turning yourself in?
Brain: Because you're you?
Lungs: *Sigh*
Stomach: FEED ME!
That was a rhetorical question!
Brain: Well don't you worry Cobb. For I have some prime words of wisdom on how to survive prison.
Really? How?
Heart: Yeah, Brain has been in organ jail for multiple counts of being an asshole.
Brain: I prefer the term, 'using excessive wit and sarcasm to creatively insult my peers…and Liver.'
Liver: W-why can't I be a peer? *sniff*
Brain: Because—Bladder fetch me my dictionary.
Bladder: Sure thing. *hands over dictionary*
Brain: —Because a peer is, by definition, 'something of equal worth or quality.' Therefore…not you.
Liver: B-but…but…WAHHH!
Brain: As I was saying, I have experience with prisons. Just follow my tips and you'll be fine.
All right, so what do I do?
Brain: Rule #1-Don't drop the soap.
Right…huh?
Why wouldn't I want to drop soap?
Brain: Don't ask stupid questions. You know why.
No, I don't. I feel like I'm missing some context and my Normal Sense isn't filling anything in for me.
Brain: Just don't drop the soap! It's a metaphor for getting raped!
What!?
Brain: Yeah it won't be pretty. So hang on to that soap tightly and don't ever lose it.
But…but I don't even have any soap! My Inventory is empty, remember?
Brain: …
…Brain?
Brain: Ok…Rule #0.5-Ask guards for soap.
Are there any rules that don't involve cleaning supplies?
Brain: Um…no.
Are you sure this advice is going to help—
Brain: It sounds like somebody wants to get raped in prison!
NO! Okay I'll ask!
I walked up to the cell bars. "Hey, you mind lending me some…soap? I—uh—want to clean my cell."
The guard raised an eyebrow. "While I appreciate you wanting to keep your living area as sanitary as possible, protocol states we're not allowed to give prisoners items aside from food or water. Also, there's no soap in Minecraftia." She added as an afterthought.
Brain: WHAT!? This is ridiculous! What kinda prison doesn't have soap to not drop!? This place is a sham!
Shouldn't this be a good thing? If I don't have soap in the first place, then I can't drop it.
Brain: Yeah, sure, whatever. *grumble* *grumble*
I plopped onto my bed with a sigh. A whole day and a half had passed, which meant that I only had another day and a half before Floyd would be at the meet-up point.
And I was stuck in prison.
Maybe the guards'll let me send a letter to him. Yeah, I'll just address it to Floyd and…uh…hope he has a place of residence…
…
Okay, Plan B. I'll describe Floyd's appearance to the guards and ask if they can find him…in the expansive Kingdom...um…
…
Right, Plan C. Jailbreak. I just need half a dozen spoons, some paper mache, and a bird suit…
Oh who am I kidding!? If soap doesn't exist in Minecraftia, then there's no way any of those other things do!
Just as my plans were growing exceedingly convoluted, one of the guards returned, bringing with him the same white-haired woman that kneed me in the gut. Only this time she was wearing a diamond chestplate and leggings.
"Ma'am." The female guard saluted the white-haired woman. "Nothing unusual to report about the prisoner."
The white-haired woman glanced at me with mild interest before returning her attention to the guards. "Thanks for watching him for me. I can take it from here."
"Yes Ma'am." The two guards bowed before quietly leaving the room. It was just me and the white-haired woman now.
For the first time, I took note of her appearance. She had long ivory-white hair that reached her lower back with a leveled hime-cut style just above her forehead and chin-length strands framing her face. Her eyes were a vibrant amber and looked full of life. A big pink bow clung to her pristine hair and, for some reason, black marks resembling whiskers were etched across her cheeks…her face cheeks!
As for her wardrobe, under her diamond armor she wore a sleeveless white zip-up blouse with light green around the neck, black Capri pants, white leather boots, and silver armbands.
She had a white backpack and belt from which an assortment of potions and one iron rapier hung.
Whoa. How do I craft one of those bad boys? I thought to myself as I eyed her thin blade. It looked sturdy enough, but was much different than the iron swords I had seen.
After I finished evaluating her appearance, I returned my eyes to her face. From her darting eyes, I could tell she was sizing me up as well. Noting my characteristics and expression.
Finally, she broke the silence. "So 'Your Majesty,'" she made a mock curtsy, "it's good to see that you're finally awake. I was worried I hit you into a coma."
I remained silent, mainly because I didn't feel like I really knew this mysterious woman. I glanced at the name above her head: Wynn_Whispers.
All I really knew about her was her name, her status as a Captain (according to the guards), and the fact that she packed a punch…or a knee…she could cause a lot of pain!
"Y'know, I wanted to be here when you woke up," she continued as she paced in front of my cell bars. "So I could personally thank you."
"Thank me?" I questioned before I could stop myself.
"Yes. All of Ringwood has been trying to find Kane, and you were kind enough to identify him in the very bar I was drinking at. Quite the coincidence don't you think?" She turned to lean her body against the bars as she observed me. "You have done the Kingdom a great service."
"Oh…well…it was nothing." I shrugged like it was no big deal. "And I'm always happy to help."
She narrowed her eyes. "I'm sure you are."
I glanced at Wynn apprehensively as she uttered those last words and the cell was plunged into an awkward silence. I twiddled my thumbs while the Captain continued to stare at me. As if she was expecting me to say something.
Finally, I decided to break the tension. "So, here's a crazy idea—"
"Let's hear it."
"Since I was nice enough to help you find Kane, maybe you would be kind enough to let me out of prison?" I ended it as a question rather than a statement, hoping that the Captain was lenient enough to consider my request.
Sadly, that was not the case.
"Well, see, I would let you out…IF I didn't think you were a criminal." She walked over to the chest and opened it, once again revealing my confiscated Inventory. "But I've got quite a bit of evidence saying otherwise. Falsified Citizenship Information, counterfeit Entry Pass—"
"Look this is all just a big misunderstanding. I'm no criminal." I tried to defend myself only to be met with Wynn's dismissive shakes of her head. "What have I even done to deserve imprisonment?"
"Gee, I'd love to clarify crime and punishment to an idiot like you, but I have neither the time nor the colorful picture books to explain it." She insulted with a flip of her ivory hair. "So I'll just wait and let His Eminence explain it."
"Hey! I resent being called an idiot!" I stood up from the bed and rushed over to the bars, trying to part them with my mediocre strength. But they weren't budging. "Even if I am one!"
Wynn scoffed as she examined the chest again. "I'm just basing my assumptions on your style of fighting. A fishing rod? Really?"
"Desperate times call for desperate fishing tactics! And it worked on Carys_Angel! Y'know that deadly dangerous criminal? She was killed by that very fishing rod." I didn't want her belittling my gear after all the good it had done me. It was useless in most ways, but was still able to save my butt dozens of times.
"Suuuuure it did." She drawled, not even bothering to mask her skepticism. It was then that the guard that went to get food returned. He was carrying a handful of…
"Rotten flesh?" I groaned as the guard tossed hunks of it into the room along with a bottle of water. "I know this is a prison, but don't you have, like, stale bread…or anything else?"
Wynn looked smug as she withdrew her own food from her Inventory: Cooked chicken. "Sorry, 'Your Majesty,'—"
"You don't have to call me that."
"—But rotten flesh is reserved for lowly criminals." She took a large bite out of her cooked chicken and made audible sounds of enjoyment. "Criminals need to be kept as miserable as possible in here. That way, they learn not to cause trouble. So tell me, how does rotten flesh taste? Does it taste like regret? Remorse? Knowing the error of your ways?"
*BURP* "Can I have seconds?" I asked politely as I polished off the last of the rotten flesh.
Wynn's smug expression fell from her face as she examined the ground to see if I was lying about finishing the Zombie drop. When she found nothing she nudged the guard in the shoulder and whispered something into his ear before he left. Hopefully to get me more food.
Meanwhile, I was smiling inwardly at the situation. I had eaten my fair share of Zombie flesh and had grown accustomed to it. It was so satisfying that her idea of keeping me miserable was feeding me a drop I had already been desperate enough to turn to.
"It looks like you've built up a resistance to rotten flesh." Wynn commented with folded arms. "But let's see how you handle…Spider eyes!"
"Oh, I've eaten those too."
"…you what?" The other guard had returned to the room with bunches of spider eyes held in his arms. Wynn could only stare at me in disbelief. "What could have prompted you to eat such disgusting drops?"
I shrugged. "Meh, I was hungry." I looked at the pile of spider eyes. I knew the poison effect I'd get from eating them would be painful, but it would be worth it to see the look of shock on their faces.
"So…are you going to hand those over?" I pointed to the guard holding the eyes, but just as he was about to toss them into my cell, Wynn pulled him back.
"Forget it. There's something wrong with this guy." Wynn narrowed her eyes at me while I whistled innocently. "You can return to your post."
The guard nodded before leaving me alone with Wynn again.
"You're not supposed to enjoy the food here. It's supposed to make you regret your actions." She explained.
"Well I guess I'm the one guy where that doesn't apply," I offered with barely contained mirth. I had to at least appear remorseful, lest I tempt her to come up with a worse punishment.
She walked up to a lever and flicked it, opening my cell door. "Come on. His Eminence will decide what your punishment will be. And don't try to run because you won't get far."
"Alright, I get it." I kept my arms raised as I left the cell. Wynn made sure to stand in front of the chest in case I dove for my gear, and once I passed it, she stayed close behind me as I was escorted. She seemed confident enough to think additional escorts were unnecessary.
When she led me out of the cell blocks and into some kind of lobby area filled with guards, I noticed that they were all whispering and pointing at me. Some of them were smiling, even laughing, and I had no idea why.
But then I registered a familiar voice.
"Look Miss, my friend is in there. Can't you just let me see him…a few minutes is all I need…yes I know minutes can translate into hours in Minecraftia, but still—"
It was my favorite (by default) blue-haired companion: Floyd.
"Hey Floyd!" I called out to which the blue-nette whirled in response. "You're…early." I glanced at Wynn pushing me to keep walking with my hands still held up before returning my attention to Floyd. "This isn't what it looks like."
Floyd rushed over to us and raised an eyebrow. "Really? Because it looks like you somehow got embroiled into serious criminal shit in the two days I was gone."
"Oh," I laughed nervously. "Then, yeah it's exactly what it looks like."
Wynn moved from behind me and got up in Floyd's face. "And who are you? An accomplice of Cobb's?"
Floyd took a couple of steps back, but stood his ground otherwise. "I'm Cobb's friend. I know him well enough, and I can assure you that he's no dangerous criminal mastermind."
"Why would I care about the opinion of someone I don't even know?" The Captain took another step forward to try and intimidate Floyd, but Floyd didn't move back this time. "I have all the proof I need to condemn this man for fifty years to life imprisonment for his crimes. I just need the say-so of His Eminence."
I visibly panicked at the mention of my sentence and I was lucky Wynn's attention was focused on Floyd.
Life Imprisonment? But that's like for…1…15…46…75…LIFE YEARS!
Floyd, for his part, looked completely calm as he responded. "Well, if you're presenting my friend's case, then I will gladly defend him."
"What, are you a lawyer too?" Wynn inquired with a scoff.
"No. But for Cobb's sake…yes."
Wynn and Floyd remained silent as they engaged in a glaring contest. Neither one of them wanted to budge for the other. Meanwhile, I was standing with my hands still up like the awkward third wheel.
Surprisingly, Wynn was the first to back off. "Fine. You can tag along in your pathetic attempts to win your friend's freedom." Floyd smiled as he made to follow, but Wynn stopped him by pressing a hand against his sweater clad chest. "But once I've condemned him, I'll do a little digging into your background. See how much of a criminal you really are. With any luck I can rid this Kingdom of one more piece of filth."
The Captain removed her hand from Floyd and returned to guide me out of the prison, Floyd following just behind. Apparently, the prison was connected to a rather large stone fortress that must have been the one I had observed atop the plateau.
As we were led around, I tried to contain my anxiety, knowing that the fate of the rest of my existence, and possibly Floyd's, was on the line.
But I took small comfort in knowing that Floyd was willing to stick his neck out for me. I was truly glad I had found a friend in him.
Inventory (Cobb): {Empty}
Inventory (Floyd): 1 Wooden Shovel, 1 Wooden Pickaxe, 1 Iron Pickaxe, 1 Iron Sword, 1 Wooden Sword {Weak}, 1 Wooden Axe, 1 Bow, 1 Flint and Steel, 1 Fishing Rod, 1 Furnace, 1 Crafting Table, 3 Sticks, 57 Oak Wood Planks, 1 Oak Wood Door, 1 Minecart, 1 Book {Miner's Warren}, 2 Flint, 2 Gunpowder, 9 String, 1 Pufferfish, 25 Cooked Fish, 10 Ink Sacs, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Entry Pass}
AN: Flawwed_Floyd-Ace Attorney is on the case.
This chapter was tricky. I wanted to keep it in Floyd's perspective to flesh out his backstory a bit more...but it felt a little too depressing and morbid for an Adventure/Humor story. Hopefully, Cobb in prison was able to balance it all out...even if he did lose his entire Inventory.
In other news, we got two new characters. Lost_Soul, who's pissed in his own right, and Wynn_Whispers. Both of which are not viewer submitted OCs...though I did leave a hint for one this chapter. (:3)
Leave a follow or fav...or don't. I'm easy.