AN: What's this? Two Chapters in a row on Wednesday! MADNESS!
Cats and Dogs, living together, mass hysteria!
I'm also very sick. Coughing, sneezing, stuffy nose, the works. Isn't gonna stop me from writing, though.
Anywho, making another plug for the forum thing. Link below. Just replace spaces with dots. And if it doesn't work, my profile has a better link you can use. I say this because apparently, this site can't register some of the URL.
Forum: www fanfiction net/forum/The-CornCobb-Weekly/218218/
Disclaimer: I don't own Minecraft. Bwuh.
Chapter 123
Billionfold
[Noman]
My plan had been to subtly approach and question him about his title of Billionth—a title I knew for a fact he couldn't have. Shouldn't have, if his safety was concerned. But that plan had quickly derailed upon seeing him thrashing in a fountain with Leadstripe holding him down. So I acted without thinking, jumping in to his rescue.
"Hey…" He greeted.
"Hello…"
And that was all the discussion I could get to before Lieutenant Leadstripe picked himself off the ground and pointed his weapon at us. I readied my shield and beside me, King_Cobb prepared his weapons. A diamond sword and a…
I raised a brow at the fishing tool, utterly baffled by his odd choice. Old Man Bailey could disarm with a stick, sure, but Cobb was no aikido master. What did he expect to do with that?
I was snapped to attention as Leadstripe smashed a bottle at his feet. Electric blue particles hinted at it being a Potion of Swiftness.
The Lieutenant shot forward in a grey blur. I raised my shield to intercept only to earn a slash along my calf for foolishly exposing my legs. A cry from my right told me Cobb suffered a similar wound. Leadstripe darted behind us before kicking off a building and aiming for the target with the lower Health.
I jumped in the way of his dagger my shield coming before me like a wide wall. But his attack had been a feint. He spun back around, grasping onto my shield with his free hand and vaulting over with an extended kick poised for Cobb's skull.
I panicked, but Cobb brought his hand up, intercepting Leadstripe's foot with the butt of his fishing rod. What happened next confused me as all of the Lieutenant's momentum seemed to reverse in midair, hurling him away from us.
It was then I caught the enchanted glow of Cobb's weapon.
"Thanks for the save." Cobb flipped his sword, catching it by the blade, before pushing the handle towards me.
"Er… what's this?"
"Don't you need a weapon to go with your shield? Take it."
"I have a sword." I flashed the handle from my backpack, but it brought on a puzzled look. "Something wrong?"
"Yeah, you can dual-wield can't you? Take out your sword!"
Ah. Now his confusion made sense. "I fight with my shield."
"Wha—how do you fight with just a shield?"
Leadstripe returned with a vengeance, slashing wildly as he dashed in. I was prepared, my shield coming up to withstand his barrage of blows. He mixed in a few feints, but I was watching this time, tilting my shield this way and that to block.
On one exchange, he had to stall, his arm overextended. My shield swung, striking the dagger right out of his hand. He swore loudly.
"Language!" I bashed his body back. His feet skidded against the street before coming to a stop.
"…So that's how." Cobb remarked, sounding impressed. "Well, I'll be damned."
"Language."
"Langu—?" He gave me a look. "What are you, twelve?"
"I'm not a potty-mouth, I'll tell you that." I glanced back to the Lieutenant, watching as he stooped down to pick his dagger back up. "It's two on one, Leadstripe. Give up, you can't win."
"By that logic, every Crafter would surrender to death the instant they're surrounded by Mobs. Or that Billionth would have folded under the might of a thousand Griefers." He fired back, flipping his dagger in hand. "Quality over quantity, gentlemen."
The next instant, he was upon us. Moving faster than he had before, Leadstripe circled around my shield and scored a slash against my shoulder. Cobb tried to bat him back with his fishing rod only for him to feint for his eyes. Cobb flinched and the Lieutenant capitalized spinning and slashing against Cobb's weaker leather armor.
It was clear that Cobb was his target. I swung my shield to try and backhand him, but Leadstripe was too fast, darting aside and circling us at a quick pace.
"You need better protection." I shed my diamond chestplate, passing it over to Cobb. "Here. Put it on."
"Er… about that…"
"What? It's better than leather."
"No, but I… I can't actually take this leather armor off." Cobb rubbed his head awkwardly. "It's sort of cursed."
"…Cursed?"
Before I could relate to armor burdened by curses, Leadstripe shot through us, sweeping our legs out from under us and making us land in a heap, groaning. Cobb scrabbled back up first, swapping his fishing rod for a piece of paper. A map.
"That does it. We need back-up." He tossed the map on the street before picking it up, only to drop it again. Over and over. "Cover me, Norman."
"Noman."
"Why not, man?"
"Wh—no, I mean my name is—!" I brought up Slight Shield, blocking Leadstripe before he could stab Cobb in the back. Cobb nodded gratefully before continuing his action of dropping and picking up the map. I didn't understand what he was doing, but it didn't change the fact that I had to protect him.
After all, it was my fault he was being hunted. The cult was after a Billionth, but not the Billionth. Leadstripe directed his dagger more towards Cobb than me. If I had owned up to my title, our roles would have been reversed. I would have been targeted instead.
While I couldn't reveal myself, I could at least protect him. I owed him that much for getting him into this mess, however unintentionally.
"Minecraftia is too small for resources, but too big for reunions." Leadstripe commented, his dagger sliding along my shield, seeking a flaw in the defense. "The odds of us meeting again after Dover Plains are so low unless you're purposefully getting in our way. Is that it?"
"You can see me in your way." I countered, holding strong to cover Cobb. "Isn't that enough proof?"
"I suppose it is." He leapt back, though something crashed against my Slight Shield, splattering a gray brew all over me. Immediately, my arm felt heavy. My strength failing me.
Weakness Potion. I thought worriedly. I dove aside before the Lieutenant could hit me with Slowness and complete the Paralysis combo. I tried to roll with the dodge, but the reduced strength made the attempt feeble, and I slid to a stop on my side instead.
The vanguard displaced, Leadstripe turned his attention back to Cobb, rushing in with dagger drawn.
He slowed to a slog when Cobb dumped a bucket of water down.
The Lieutenant's speed mattered little while running against flowing water. True, both Cobb and I were borne along by the tide, but Cobb—I realized with a start—had a ranged weapon.
"Bobber."
The chirped sound was accompanied by a bobber smacking the Lieutenant in the face, knocking him slightly back in the flowing water and distancing the two further apart. Leadstripe growled as he tried to fight his way out of the water, planning to circle around with speed and kill Cobb then.
"I don't think so!"
Cobb flicked his wrist, the bobber sailing and fastening itself to Leadstripe's clothes. With a small tug, the Lieutenant was dragged back into the flowing water just before he could escape.
"Let me out of this!" Leadstripe flailed, tearing the line off of him and trying to reach Cobb, only for a bobber to strike his chin and keep the two separate.
"Not until my back-up gets here." Cobb laughed, the current having carried him outside the flowing water. I was still weakened from the potion, but I could at least stand to make my way over to him.
I was astounded by the trap. Any time Leadstripe tried to escape the water, Cobb would ensnare him with his fishing rod and pull him back to the center. And anytime he tried to go for Cobb, he would bobber him back or else run to a different position to better yank him back. Either way, it kept the grey-themed Lieutenant from going anywhere.
It was… brilliant!
"Did you plan this all along?"
"Uhhh… yeah!" Cobb nodded quickly, stopping Leadstripe from escaping with another flick of the wrist. "Bobber."
"Do you intend to annoy me to death!?" The grey-haired Lieutenant shouted.
"Maybe. Is it working?"
"No!" Finally fed up, Leadstripe whipped out some cobblestone blocks and set them haphazardly before the flowing water. One of them destroyed the source block, and the water quickly dried out. "I'm not one to play games, Billionth."
He brought out a bright red potion and downed it in one gulp, restoring whatever damage he took. Then, much to our horror, he pulled out TNT and a flint and steel.
"How exactly is your back-up going to find us?" I asked, taking a few steps back from the walking, talking, ticking time bomb.
Leadstripe bent low, ready to attack, only to get blindsided by an axe thrown like a tomahawk.
"Yeah, eat shit, Lieutenant!" A tough-looking brown-haired Crafter jeered, running over. He must have thrown the axe, but all I could focus on was his—
"Language!" I reprimanded, causing the axe-bearer to frown my way.
"What are you, twelve?"
[Cobb]
I breathed a sigh of relief seeing Soul come barreling in. He must have been nearby, and saw my map's blip blinking, figuring I'd only be doing so if I was in trouble. And he wasn't alone.
He brought Captain Fo and five guards with him.
"What's going on here?" The Captain demanded, her eyes glaring at Soul, but then straying to the recovering Leadstripe. "You better have a good reason for attacking a civilian."
"That civilian is an Endward Cult Lieutenant!" Soul pointed out, making the Captain's eyes go wide. "He's wanted in Dover Plains for murder and for stealing a valuable Looting sword. I'm betting you guys don't hear much news this far south, huh?"
"I… cannot deny that claim." It sounded like Fo had to drag that response out kicking and screaming. She and Soul still weren't seeing eye to eye. She raised her diamond sword, pointing it at the grey-haired cultist. "Surrender, Leadstripe. Don't make this harder than it has to be."
"Or do." Soul offered, retrieving his axe and cutting off the Lieutenant's escape. "Go ahead. I need the exercise."
Leadstripe scoffed, readjusting his glasses as he stared down opposition from all sides. Then his eyes settled on me, and he raised his dagger up to eye level.
"Gather as many people as you want. I'm not leaving until you're dead."
He spun quickly, setting three blocks of TNT down before priming one of them and dashing off.
"I got it!" Captain Fo's hair whipped back as she darted, not for the TNT but for the fountain.
Her diamond sword was swapped out for a pickaxe of the same material and she swung it with all her might, shattering the basin and letting water spill out towards the TNT. Surrounding it. By the time the first block exploded, the damage was completely mitigated by the water. The other two blocks of TNT didn't even go off.
Her five white-capped guards moved to intercept the Lieutenant, swords ready.
"Don't!" The shield guy, Noman—or was it Norman?—warned them. "He's beyond you! Stay back!"
Too late. Leadstripe swerved and flashed around their strikes, moving like water before lashing out like lightning. He carved into their armor, killing one and knocking out another.
"STOP!" Noman ran forward, his shield prepared to bash the Lieutenant away, but Leadstripe rolled below his guard, using a leg to trip the guy. Noman ended up crashing into Soul and Leadstripe was left to attack me.
I readied my weapons, only for a shadow to pass overhead. I glanced up and saw something blocking out the moon.
The figure flipped gracefully in midair before crashing down like a meteor into Leadstripe's chest. There was only one person with a curtain of green hair like that.
"Jade…" I smiled.
Jade kicked off of the cultist's chest, springing into a backflip before landing beside me. She gave me a hesitant half-glance before keeping her gaze firmly forward.
"I'm… I came to fight with everything." She spoke absolutely. "Whenever it matters, whenever you need it, my strength is yours." She turned to face me, worry etched across her face. "I-Is that okay?"
This was it. So much was hinging on how I responded next. Saying the wrong thing now would forever damage our relationship. I had to get it right. I had to be candid.
"I…"
Leadstripe groaned loudly, rudely interrupting the beginnings of a heartfelt speech. What an ass!
He staggered to his feet, clutching his chest painfully as he stared at the latest arrival.
"Y-You…" he coughed painfully, maybe through a broken rib or two. His eyes darted between the two of us, unsure of which one would attack first. Jade stared back at him, her hand wiggling out to me, silently asking for something.
I brought out the cutlass and placed the handle in her palm, squeezing her hand in the process. She squeezed back and I pulled myself forward.
"Think you can keep up, Jade?" I joked, Backlash at the ready.
I heard her choke up before a beautiful laugh shone through.
"I'll take point. Don't blink." She smirked, her cutlass held before her. "I wouldn't want you to miss a thing."
She shot forward, her blade carving streaks into the air before it crashed into Leadstripe's small dagger. His black eyes widened in fear and confusion at Jade's unfettered power. His speed and maneuverability were high, but his defense was low. He couldn't possibly deflect all of Jade's attacks. She was a whirlwind of Critical Strikes.
"Blast…!" Leadstripe swallowed a pink Potion of Regeneration just before Jade parkoured around his back. He spun to block, only to get tangled up in fishing line. Now how did that get there? Heh.
Leadstripe could do little but watch as Jade carved him up like a Thanksgiving turkey. If not for his Potion of Regeneration and diamond armor, he would have died. Instead, he was only in excruciating pain. Jade finished with a savage kick to the ribs, similar to how Leadstripe had kicked me into the fountain. Only this time, the Lieutenant slid to a stop against the street.
"Guh… this can't… this can't be…" He tried to rise from the street, his arms wobbling. He sounded worn and confused. "Why…?"
Jade stepped forward and Leadstripe tilted his head to glare at her. Jade kept her cutlass trained on the man.
"Still feel like fighting?"
His eyes stared furiously back at Jade, almost defiantly, before he noticed the guards with bows pointed at him. And then there was the Captain, and Noman, and Soul, and finally me. Despite his bravado earlier, he knew he couldn't fight us all.
"This was a mistake…"
He whispered something else under his breath before reaching for the TNT at his belt and setting it down in a flash. Jade leapt back and the guards opened fire, but Leadstripe was able to deflect the arrows and down a Potion of Healing with the last of his strength.
"Thank Herobrine for Blast Protection…" He muttered before the explosions went off. The street was blasted apart and Leadstripe's body was rocketed into the air. But his body held together. He still had some Hearts left in him. The body arced high over the street, over the buildings.
"You won't get away!" Jade and Captain Fo were the quickest to respond, their parkour skills allowing them to traverse the buildings with ease. They weren't parkour finalists for nothing.
The rest of us were far slower, less graceful, as we cut through narrow alleys and around bends. Soul and I went by our maps to track Jade—now that we knew she had it back—and Noman and two guards followed. The last two guards—one unconscious and one not—stayed behind.
Running out into the next street, it was just as abandoned as the last. But there were signs that Leadstripe had landed badly. There were also several alleys before us. Any one of them could have been the one he fled through.
The map was little help, as I had no idea how the alleys bent and twisted. Furthermore, some of the alleys had structures built over them, blocking the map's aerial view.
Suddenly, I was very worried for Jade. Even wounded, Leadstripe was a threat. If he had any more Potions of Healing or Regeneration…
"Where to now?" One of the guards demanded. "Where is our Captain?"
"I'm not sure." I shook my head before checking the building for handholds. My parkour training with Jade made me the most qualified of the bunch to traverse buildings. "You all try to build a staircase or something. Soul, you guide them. I'm going on ahead—"
"Not alone you're not." Noman stepped forward. "That Lieutenant is after you. Letting you go alone is out of the question."
"How exactly do you know that?" Soul asked suspiciously, causing Noman to stammer. "And who are you, anyway?" He looked him up and down, taking note of his expensive diamond armor. "You a Berserker or something?"
"N-No, just, uh, just a friendly good samaritan, trying to do the right thing." His smile was brittle, but he quickly turned back to me. "A-Anyway, take someone else with you. Your friend or a guard. Or else wait for us to build a staircase so we can—"
"I can't leave Jade on her own." I argued, ignoring the dark-haired man's protests as I ran up to the building. Hoisting myself atop the first thing I could, I clambered up a support pillar before leaping up to grasp the overhang of a curved roof.
Below, the guards and Soul got to making their staircase. Noman, however, looked shifty as he picked an alley at random and proceeded. Now who was being reckless?
I swung myself up onto the roof, climbing the slanted surface before it leveled out. I jumped over rooftops as I followed the map carefully. Jade's blip had stopped a ways off.
I lowered myself from one roof to another, taking care not to twist my ankle, but as I turned around, I came face to face with Noman, hastily stuffing something inside his backpack.
"Wha—how… how did you beat me up here?" I asked, genuinely confused. If the guy had parkour skills, he should have said so and climbed up with me. He must have been pretty good too. He wasn't even winded.
"I… um…" There was a pregnant pause. "…A fire escape. Down one of the alleys." He gestured with his thumb, but I didn't see any fire escape. "No, I mean… it was in that… general direction…" he laughed nervously. "A-Anyway, you still got their trail?"
"…Yeah." I said cautiously, keeping my distance from Noman as I followed the blip's direction. The shield man was suspicious, but he had saved me from Leadstripe. Maybe he was just as much the good samaritan he claimed to be. Though Soul had a point. He had some fine gear. And those moves…
Was this going to be another Jade?
"Where did you learn how to fight?" I asked, making it seem like idle conversation.
"My friend. Old Man Bailey." He replied without missing a best. "He taught me how for two whole weeks. It's a style of fighting known as aikido. I still have a lot to practice."
He sounded honest. And his tone warmed when talking about his teacher. Was he just being modest, though?
"Well, you did good back there. Nowhere_Man." I said aloud, looking over his head.
"Everyone just calls me Noman."
Including Endward Cult Lieutenants?
"You were pretty impressive yourself with that fishing rod." He complimented in turn. I think he was just trying to be polite, though. "Where did you learn that?"
"Just… picked it up, I guess."
In truth, I had first taken an interest in it after Floyd had pulled Carys_Angel into lava with one. Seeing that opened my mind to the possibilities of simple tools. It was so unexpected; it usually caught my opponents unaware. It was Wynn's refusal to call it a weapon that cemented it as part of my combat style, if only to defy her.
Everything else only made me want to use it more. The Charged Creeper Flail in Halstatt. Enchanting it into Backlash. It was a reliable weapon of chaos and always helped me out of a tight spot. I guess using it for as long as I did just made the style all my own. Though I wasn't past dual-wielding or using swords.
Noman, on the other hand, refused to use a sword. Instead he chose to fight with a shield alone. What an odd choice. He was good, but how was he supposed to kill Mobs with a shield?
"I heard stories about the Billionth." He suddenly said. "The Hacker Slayer from Halstatt. Was that really you? You're not just… taking the name?"
"No, I am not just taking the name." I grumbled, sliding carefully down a slanted roof before hoping onto another. Noman stumbled to keep up. "I fought hard to save that town. I stood up to that Hacker. Me. A ten-digit Crafter. So anybody that spouts garbage about how high numbers equate to inexperience can go fu—"
"—fuss about it!"
My mouth hung open at the words used to finish my own sentence. Noman was unbothered at my flat stare. In fact, he looked proud to have caught me before a curse could be uttered. Was he raised by saints or something?
"Sure. They can go… fuss about it, I guess." I relented, keeping an eye on the map.
"…And you're really a ten-digit Crafter?"
I whipped my head back up, giving Noman my full attention. "Why would you ask that?"
"Well, uh, t-ten-digits is a big number." He tried to wave it off. "I'm surprised that many Crafters spawned."
This conversation was sounding remarkably similar to the one I had with Helena at the Origin Zone. Noman wasn't the first to doubt my number. Could it be…?
"Hey, on the topic of numbers, what's yours?"
Noman went rigid, his mouth set into a thin line.
"Well?" I asked, after half-a-minute. "You got a number don't you? It should be on your Citizenship Information. You have that at least, right?"
His eyes darted, but he reluctantly rummaged in his backpack for the information, presenting it to me.
"I'm one billion minus one. My information confirms it." He said carefully. "Seems like you spawned right after me."
"Yeah. Seems like it." I stressed, making him look away. Indeed, his information clearly pointed him out as number nine-hundred-and-ninety-nine-million, nine-hundred-and-ninety-nine-thousand, nine-hundred-and-ninety-nine.
But that had been the number Helena had given me. It was the number she swore by. The number I thought I was until the Hall of Records said it was taken. And now, here I was, facing the very guy who took it. And I had a suspicion it had something to with the title of Billionth as well as the Endward Cult.
"Is this the same number Helena gave you?" I asked.
"…What do you mean? Why wouldn't it be?"
"No reason," I lied. "Just that, she gave me a number. But the Hall of Records in Ringwood said it was taken. So I had to register as the next number. One billion." Noman paled. "Know anything about that?"
There was a long stretch of silence as Noman just stopped. I stopped with him, map hanging at my side as I stared him in the eye. Finally, he opened his mouth and said:
"You shouldn't have taken that number."
"Well you shouldn't have taken my number." I shot back, my suspicions confirmed. "So it was you. And all this time I thought Helena made a mistake."
"I didn't make you take that number." He defended, shaking his head. "Nobody should have had that number. How was I supposed to know the Hall of Records would just give it away? That's a horribly disorganized procedure."
"Maybe it wouldn't have happened if you just kept your dam—"
"—damaging—"
"—number! For God's sake…"
"I couldn't keep my number." He hissed. "It was too dangerous—"
"Because the cult thinks the Billionth will be the end of days." I finished for him. "At least, that's what Leadstripe seemed to think. He was only trying to kill me!"
"Which is why I wanted to warn you beforehand." Noman said. "It's my fault for taking your number, I agree, but you had no business taking my number. You could have been one-billion and one. Or one-billion and two!"
He had a point there. Sure, it would have meant a load of numbering problems down the line, since the next Crafter would have their number already taken. Or if they registered in different Kingdoms, it could have meant two of the same number. Really, it had been a miracle that we swapped numbers without anything else getting disrupted.
"Why is the cult after you?" I asked, before backtracking. "I mean, why is the cult after me, as in you—uh, wait…" I tapped at the air, my brain smoking. "Why is the Endward Cult after the Billionth?" Yeah, that sounded better.
Noman sighed. "I'll tell you as much as I can. But later." I began to protest. "Your friend takes precedence, right."
I shut my mouth so fast my teeth clicked together. He was right. In all the arguing, I had forgotten about Jade. I closed my eyes, blocking out the man who had stolen my number.
"After Jade is safe and Leadstripe dealt with, I want an explanation." I opened my eyes again, watching as Noman nodded. "Good. Let's keep looking."
We settled back into silence, neither one of us wanting to bring up any argumentative topics. I kept my gaze locked on the map as we traversed rooftop after rooftop.
Was I angry about my number being stolen? No. It was more like… I was angry because of the number I was given instead. Noman couldn't have known I'd get one-billion. He couldn't have known anyone would get that number.
But, like it or not, I had his number. And the cult was after me for it.
…Or were they?
True. Leadstripe had just tried to murder me, but he also said something else. He said the cult was content to let me run free. He said the cult was forbidden from making contact with me. That explained why, when 4Blite had me dead to rights back in Ringwood, he wanted to capture me instead. Because he thought I knew about some Founder.
'Don't play dumb! The Founder! You know where he is! You must!'
'You were the last thing he warned us about! You must! Know! Something!'
Those had been 4Blite's words. He wanted to know about the Founder. The Founder of the Endward Cult.
'The rest of the cult might be fine letting a known threat roam free, but I'm not about to risk all we've worked for on the off-chance you know where our Founder is hiding.'
And those had been Leadstripe's words. If he was to be believed, he was acting against orders. So the cult didn't want me dead… but only for one reason: They thought I knew where their Founder was.
The only problem with that was I genuinely had no idea. I didn't even know the Founder let alone where he was hiding. He could have been dead for all I knew. Shouldn't they have had a better idea? He was their Founder after all.
But if the Billionth was supposed to have that information, did that mean Noman knew? My eyes strayed to his and he quickly looked away. But not because of the sudden attention.
"Down there!" He pointed out a woman down in the alley, but it wasn't Jade. White leather cap. Long blonde hair with dark streaks. It was Captain Fo.
"Hey, where's Jade? And where's Leadstripe?" I called down, fearing the worse. Fo looked up and pointed down a different alley. The only other way out.
"We had to split up! I hit a dead end though. Unless he had an Invisibility Potion, she must be on his trail!"
That's what I was afraid of. That alley was covered by another structure, making access from the rooftops impossible. I quickly clambered down to the alley below. Noman had trouble hanging on, and actually slipped off before landing on his butt and curling in on himself from the pain. I ignored him, dropping onto the ground in a roll and running down the alley Jade had gone.
Please be safe. Please be safe.
As skilled as she was, Leadstripe was still a Lieutenant. It didn't matter how injured he was, he could still have tricks to play.
However, after running out into a new alley, this one with several other alleys to choose from, I was afraid I'd have to pick one to follow. I carefully looked over my map, trying to discern which one Jade could have gone through, only to give a little start when I saw Jade's green hair emerge from one of the alleys.
She looked winded and was just about to run down the next alley when she spotted me. Her eyes were wide and… afraid?
"C-Cobb! I… I didn't lose him yet!" She panted, her voice shaking. "I-I found all these alleys, and I didn't know which to pick, so I r-ran down the first one, and hit a dead end. Then I doubled back and t-tried the next one, and then the next…" She trailed off, trying to catch her breath. All while I walked forward. "H-He has to still be around. I'll find him! I swear! I won't let you down! I'll… I'll…"
I threw my arms around her.
"Uh… huh?"
"I'm just glad you're okay." I smiled, rubbing her back. "I was worried."
"But… but what about Leadstripe?" She asked, feebly trying to tug herself out of my hold. "He-He hurt you. And he's getting away!" She began to cry. "I could have finished him! I had the skills! I wasn't trying to hold back anymore, and I—!"
I squeezed tighter, cutting off her protests and pulling her down so that we both had to kneel.
"It's fine. We beat him back. He's running scared and you protected your guild." I separated us so I could smile into her watery eyes. "You saved me Jade. Thank you."
Her amethyst eyes wavered before she buried her face into my shoulder. "I'm sowwy…"
"For what?"
"…For making everything about me." She decided. "I was… I was so scared about being used… I didn't even think about everyone's safety. I didn't think at all. I—"
"I'm sorry too." I shushed her.
"For what? You did nothing wrong."
"I was insensitive." I admitted. "I have no idea about what you went through with other guilds. The burden of being the best at something. Of being used and exploited. I think I experienced a bit of that in the Spleef Event today. And I didn't like it much either." I patted her emerald hair comfortingly. "I can't even imagine what it must have been like for you. How many guilds did you join?"
"Twenty-nine…" She mumbled into my hoodie. "Each one ended the same…"
"Thank you for telling me." I smiled. "I'm glad to be able to learn more about you. Could you tell me more?"
She hiccupped to herself, trying to hold the tears in. "I… I learned parkour from the Guerrillas' guild. They lived in the jungle near Jolin and were as acrobatic as monkeys."
"So something good came out of you working with them." I commented, earning a laugh from the girl.
"I…I've been married." She suddenly said.
"Whoa, where did that come?"
"…Dunno." She said, hugging me tighter. "Just… felt like something to share."
"Hm." I nodded. "Was he good looking?"
She giggled, a pleasant sound like a tingling chime.
"What? I can't ask if my friend's husband was a stud?" She laughed even harder at that. "He was ugly as sin, huh?"
"No, no, it's… it's not that…" She could barely contain herself she was laughing so hard. "I just… never thought I'd be talking about him like this. It's been a while."
Realization suddenly clicked. "He's… not around anymore?"
She smiled sadly. "No… But I'll always remember him. You never forget your first. Besides, I'm sure he's in a better place."
"What was he like?"
She thought to herself. "Strong, stubborn." She smirked. "Kind of clingy, not unlike this." She gave a small tug to emphasize her point. I was still hugging her.
"Sorry." I tried to let go, but she was the one holding onto me.
"No, no, I don't mind it." She closed her eyes and rested her chin on my shoulder. "It's been a while since I've been held like this too."
"You mean you… never tried to move on?"
"There was never really a chance." She whispered. "I was always pretending for a guild. And nobody ever looked at me like that." She pushed off to lock eyes with me, and suddenly I felt my face heating up. "Could you tell me more about yourself?"
"Uh… sure…" I coughed to clear my throat, thinking deeply about what I could share. What described me? What was my core? Who was King_Cobb, the supposed Billionth of Minecraftia? There was only one speech that felt fitting.
"When you close your eyes and think of the World, what comes to mind?"
She tilted her head. "The World?"
I nodded, my eyelids sliding shut . "When I close my eyes and think of the World, I can only see the people I've befriended. The ones I've encountered, the ones that matter to me more than anything. The connections I've made, the bridges I've built. My friends mean more to me than the world. My friends… are my World."
My eyes opened to see Jade again. "I guess I got so mad at you before because I thought you were already a part of my World. I didn't think you were lying about yourself."
"I'm sorry." She immediately said. "I was—"
"Now you know." I cut her off, not wanting either of us to apologize anymore. That part was over. "You still matter to me, Jade. You're still a part of my World. That hasn't changed. So if you still want to be part of this guild—part of my World—please, don't hide yourself from me." I beamed at her. "I want to know the real you. If that's alright…?"
Her smile was as brilliant as the sun. "Yeah…" She replied, her voice all choked up. "If you'll still have me…"
The two of us embraced, Jade's tears wetting my shoulder—and even I was getting a little misty-eyed.
"Get a room you two."
And just like that, Soul ruined it. Jade and I both whipped around, glaring at the axe-wielder and his knowing grin. Noman and the guards were with him, along with Captain Fo. She alone didn't look uncomfortable overhearing our reconciling.
"If you're both done with the waterworks, where's the Lieutenant?" She demanded.
Jade just shook her head. "Too many alleys. I checked as many as I could. Unless he went your way…?" Fo's mouth was a thin line as she shook her head. "Then he must have lost me. Sorry…"
"Like you said. Too many alleys." She accepted. "If he stuck to the rooftops, I daresay neither of us would have lost him." That sounded close enough to a compliment. The two parkour finalists held a certain respect for one another. "Leadstripe. That bast—"
"—bastion!" Noman cut off sharply, earning a disgruntled look from the Captain.
"He killed McGuiness. I'll have to inform his wife…" McGuiness must have been the fallen guard. "That Lieutenant will have a hard time fleeing this Kingdom if I have anything to say about it." She turned to her guards. "I want the toll gates on twenty-four hour lockdown and an APB out on Leadstripe. And all outgoing airships should be searched from top to bottom. I want that Lieutenant in a cell by the time my team wins the Parkour Games. Hop to it!"
The guards saluted before scrambling back out of the alley, presumably to alert the toll gates. I doubted they would find him. He had a head start. At the very least, it would make his time escaping more difficult. And now all of Zeppil knew who he was. He wouldn't be bothering us again anytime soon.
"What's this talk about your team winning the Parkour Games?" Of course, Soul had to egg the Captain on when a smarter man would have kept his mouth shut. "Awfully confident, aren't you?"
"I don't want to hear anything from someone who isn't even in the games." The Captain disregarded him with a wave of the hand, though she kept her eyes locked on Jade and me. "I will admit your team has been full of surprises lately. Nobody would believe this is the Beginners' first time competing."
"Eh. Beginner's luck." I shrugged, earning a chuckle from Jade and a groan from Soul. "Thanks for your help against Leadstripe. How did you find us?"
"This one here." She picked Soul up by the scruff of his shirt, much to his annoyance. "I was going to teach him a lesson about heckling until he warned me about you possibly being in trouble." Soul fought his way out of Fo's grip, waving his arms before him to stave her off. "I don't suppose any of you know what that Lieutenant wanted from you."
Noman and I shared a hesitant look, one that didn't go unnoticed by Jade, but Soul was the one to respond.
"What's to explain? Cultists want to kill and Cobb was off on his own." He mashed a fist into his palm. "Looks like Zeppil isn't as cultist-free as I thought."
"Hey, that's my Kingdom you're talking about." The Captain argued with folded arms. "My guards are on it. I could have some posted outside where you're staying." She added to me. "Just in case Leadstripe comes back."
"Thanks. I'd appreciate that." Even if I doubted he would return, better safe than sorry. Jade elbowed Soul, getting him to offer a grumble of grattitude for the Captain.
"I'll arrange for it after I walk you home. Are you all staying together…?" She looked to Noman when she asked, not having seen him with us before.
"Well…" He shifted, unsure, but I hastily threw an arm over his shoulder, bringing him in.
"Yeah. He's with us." Captain Fo accepted it easily, even if Jade and Soul shot me questioning looks. I waited until the Captain turned around before whispering to him. "We'll have our talk at the Inn."
He nodded, remaining silent as the four of us were led out of that alley. Back to the Inn. Back to our friends.
And, with Jade by my side, back to a better World.
Inventory (Cobb): 1 Leather Cap [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Leather Tunic [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Leather Leggings [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Leather Boots [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Fishing Rod {Backlash} [Knockback II, Luck of the Sea III, Unbreaking III], 1 Golden Shovel [Silk Touch I, Unbreaking III], 1 Diamond Sword, 1 Banner {Beginners}, 64 Cobblestone, 47 Cobblestone, 1 Bed, 5 Dirt, 19 Torches, 34 Coal, 3 Cooked Mutton, 12 Jungle Wood Logs, 64 Jungle Wood Planks, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Clock, 1 Bucket, 5 String, 1 Leather Tunic [Dyed Green, Mending I, Unbreaking I], 1 Diamond Leggings [Projectile Protection IV], 1 Iron Boots, 22 Emeralds, 2 Gunpowder, 22 Rotten Flesh, 1 Book {How to Kill Stuff for Numb Nuts}, 1 Book {Advanced Mob-Slaying}, 1 Map {Minecraftia}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Ringwood Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Zeppil Entry Pass}
[EXP: 29]
Inventory (Floyd): 1 Leather Cap [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Leather Tunic [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Leather Leggings [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Leather Boots [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Iron Pickaxe, 1 Iron Sword {Weak}, 30 Iron Ingots, 1 Fishing Rod, 1 Flint and Steel {Weak}, 2 Ender Pearls, 1 Furnace, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Minecart, 1 Bed, 1 Boat, 1 Emerald, 1 Iron Sword, 1 Diamond Helmet [Projectile Protection IV], 1 Diamond Chestplate [Projectile Protection IV], 1 Diamond Leggings [Projectile Protection IV], 1 Diamond Boots [Projectile Protection IV], 1 Iron Leggings, 8 Cooked Mutton, 17 Gunpowder, 1 Iron Helmet, 1 Iron Chestplate, 1 Iron Leggings, 1 Iron Boots, 1 Map {Minecraftia}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Ringwood Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Zeppil Entry Pass}
[EXP: 31]
Inventory (Lenz): 1 Leather Cap [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Leather Tunic [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Leather Leggings [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Leather Boots [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Bow, 1 Shears, 2 Levers, 1 Stone Button, 5 Redstone Torches, 1 Bed, 9 Redstone Repeaters, 3 Redstone Comparators, 28 Redstone, 18 Blocks of Redstone, 2 Hoppers, 3 Pistons, 2 Sticky Pistons, 21 Cobblestone, 1 Minecart, 1 Compass, 25 Gunpowder, 36 Arrows, 16 Jungle Wood Planks, 1 Crafting Table, 16 Sugar Cane, 8 Paper, 5 Ink Sacs, 3 Leather, 5 Emeralds, 1 Book {Airship Piloting 101}, 1 Book {Notebook}, 1 Book {How to Kill Stuff for Numb Nuts}, 1 Book {Advanced Mob-Slaying}, 1 Map {Minecraftia}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Daymonte Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Ringwood Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Zeppil Entry Pass}
[EXP: 15]
Inventory (Soul): 1 Diamond Axe, 1 Iron Pickaxe, 64 Iron Ingots, 55 Iron Ingots, 12 Gold Ingots, 1 Milk, 1 Diamond Helmet [Protection IV, Unbreaking III], 1 Diamond Chestplate [Protection IV, Unbreaking III], 1 Diamond Leggings [Protection IV, Unbreaking III], 1 Diamond Boots [Protection IV, Feather Falling IV, Unbreaking III], 1 Crafting Table, 1 Bed, 1 Furnace, 1 Anvil, 35 Torches, 34 White Wool, 37 Dirt, 61 Cobblestone, 33 Coal, 32 Jungle Wood Planks, 2 Sticks, 1 Armor Stand, 46 Emeralds, 37 Cooked Mutton, 1 Map {Minecraftia}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Ringwood Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Zeppil Entry Pass}
[EXP: 49]
Inventory (Jade): 1 Leather Cap [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Leather Tunic [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Leather Leggings [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Leather Boots [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Diamond Helmet [Protection IV], 1 Diamond Chestplate [Protection IV], 1 Diamond Leggings [Protection IV], 1 Diamond Boots [Protection IV], 1 Iron Sword, 1 Diamond Cutlass, 1 Bed, 1 Iron Pickaxe, 10 Cooked Mutton, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Furnace, 17 Coal, 36 Torches, 30 Jungle Wood Planks, 64 Cobblestone, 29 Cobblestone, 24 Obsidian, 1 Water Bucket, 1 Bucket, 1 Compass, 1 Clock, 23 Emeralds, 2 Ender Chests, 1 Map {Minecraftia}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Ringwood Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Dover Plains Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Lazuli Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Zeppil Entry Pass}
[EXP: 30]
Inventory (Noman): 1 Diamond Sword [Sharpness I], 1 Diamond Chestplate {Severe Shield}, 1 Leather Boots {Bottes Zephyr} [Dyed White], 1 Black Shield {Slight Shield} [Blue Cross], 1 Bow [Infinity], 28 Birch Wood Planks, 35 Iron Ingots, 18 Sticks, 13 Torches, 1 Bucket, 1 Crafting Table, 64 Cooked Mutton, 2 Ender Chests, 1 Potion of Healing II, 1 Potion of Healing II, 1 Potion of Healing II, 1 Potion of Regeneration II {0:22}, 1 Potion of Regeneration II {0:22}, 1 Potion of Regeneration II {0:22}, 1 Potion of Water Breathing {8:00}, 1 Bed, 1 Book {Artifact List}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Zeppil Entry Pass}, 1 Map {Zeppil}, 1 Compass, 64 Arrows, 5 Sugar, 14 Bookshelves, 6 Enchanted Golden Apples, 1 Diamond Helmet, 1 Diamond Chestplate, 1 Diamond Leggings, 1 Diamond Boots, 10 Emerald Blocks, 2 Bones
[EXP: 20]
Beetroot the Horse
AN: Tooooooooogether again, for the first time...
All six characters of the Inventory List are finally together. What wacky things will happen next?
And I hope I gave you all a fond moment between Cobb and Jade. They're back, and stronger than ever!
I don't know if it's autocorrect or what, but some reviewers call Noman 'Norman'. His name is N-O-M-A-N.
I can't say I haven't read characters' names wrong though. Reading Harry Potter, I always thought the werewolf was Fenril Greyback, when he was really Fenrir Greyback. After I figured that out I didn't know what was real anymore. Aslo, I watched the seven Harry Potter movies before reading all the books to figure out what the hell was going on. Then I watched the eighth movie.
...Books were better.
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