Dark collapsed against the wood. "So do we get to go home now?"
Second stared at him for a moment. "Shut up and be patient. We'll be there soon."
"But do we get to?"
"Yes. We get to go home."
"Yay."
"Someone wants to see their friends." Purple said, staring down at the water.
"Correction: I want to see my best friend, who I haven't seen in probably days!"
"You saw him like, an hour ago."
"Shut up, Sec," Dark said. "That doesn't count."
Purple spawned a fireball in his hand. He was happy to realize he'd gotten his powers back, and the gray spots that once coated their bodies were gone, thanks to him.
Despite the pang in his heart that shouted at him for killing Orchid, his mother, he was happy to finally have some sense of freedom after what they just went through.
And the ocean looked fucking beautiful when it wasn't covered in storm clouds.
"Don't worry, Dark. We'll be home soon." Second reassured.
"You promise?"
"Yes. I promise."
Purple sighed, listening to the two bicker.
He stared at the crown, which was the only thing spared between it, the cape, and the Dual Block Staff.
It did give him bad memories, but it was a reminder of what brought him and King together in the first place.
Scarlet and the others watched in awe as the color slowly returned from the sea and themselves.
"Holy shit. Did their plan…actually work?" Copper is stunned into silence by the complete awesomeness of it all.
"That's a question you should definitely ask Stick City's savior."
Chosen looked up at the voice, his heart dropping at the sight of Dark and the others as their boat hit the sandy seaside.
"Dark, your…you're okay!" Instantly, Chosen runs over and grabs his friend in a tight embrace.
"More like you're okay! I'm not the one who died!"
"It was out of protection, but you guys almost died yourself!"
"Until Purple showed up with his staff and badass outfit, we were going to. But we're okay now. Don't worry."
"Your okay…your okay…"
Dark hugs him back, tears pricking his eyes. "We're okay, Chosen. It's okay. I'm here, it's okay."
He barely notices that Chosen is crying. He knows it's out of the relief he has because his friend is safe and sound.
And alive.
Purple smiles softly, his eyes scanning around for King.
"Purple?"
Instantly, his eyes land on the source of the voice.
King.
Purple's eyes widened. "King!" He jumps into King's arms, hugging him tightly.
"Oh, Purple. You're okay. You're okay! Thank god!"
Purple feels comforted by King's voice. "Yes, I'm okay."
"I thought I lost you! God damn it, kid, you had me worried sick!"
"I…I'm so sorry…"
"Hey, it's okay. It's okay. I've got you…is she dead?"
Purple's happy, relieved to see his friend's mood is diminished instantly.
"Oh…right…" King holds Purple closer.
Purple's voice breaks a little. "My mom…"
King spares a glance with Chosen for help.
Chosen glances back at him.
"Purple, honey, it's okay. I've got you."
Purple hugs him tighter. "You won't leave me…will you?"
"Never. I promise."
King knew how much Purple dreaded hurting or even killing his mom.
"Where's…Night Shade?" Purple asked.
"That bastard got away." Chosen growled. Dark grabbed his hand.
"Hey, Orchid's dead. He can't really do much without a decent leader." Dark reassured.
"He does make a point." Purple added.
"Damn it, they're both right." Chosen groaned.
"Hah. Get bested by a child."
"Shut up, King Orange."
King glared at him. "You know I hate that title."
"Didn't it bring you and Purple together, though?"
As much as King hated admitting it, the title had brought them together.
Purple gave him that title, after all.
"Well, maybe it did."
"So you're the one who gave Purple the title of Minecraft's little prince, huh?"
"What?! No!...Okay, maybe I was!"
"Called it."
"Shut it."
"Are we going to the desktop so we can explain to Alan that none of us are dead! Besides, we're all exhausted and probably starving."
"Amen to that." Blue muttered.
"Shut up, drug addict."
"Hey!"
"Cool it, cool colors." Second snapped.
"Fine."
Alan's cursor was quick to question where the hell everyone was.
"It's been days! Where the hell were you guys!?"
Second sighed. "Basically, Night Shade and Orchid attacked, so me and Dark got Purple off the desktop and we followed Orchid to her base in the middle of the ocean. King and the others get to Stick City, and die, and then Dark and Purple almost lost his powers, we almost died, got stuck in a Void, and then Purple turned into this badass superhero dude and kicked Orchid's ass!"
Purple blushed a little. "Okay, it wasn't a badass superhero dude!"
"Hell yeah it was!" Dark exclaimed.
"Okay, fine, maybe it was." Purple said quietly.
"And here we are!" Second finished.
It took a moment for Alan to type back.
"Just make sure I know you guys left before you guys go off and do something dumb, please? You guys made me worried sick."
"Fine."
By the time Second gets downstairs from getting Regeneration and healing potions from the injuries, Purple is fast asleep on the couch next to Dark.
"The hell happened to them?" Blue asked after following him.
"A…lot." Second answers.
"Okay then." Blue walks into the kitchen to help Green.
Second hands a healing and Regeneration potion to King. "For Purple after he wakes up. He's covered in injuries, if you can't tell."
"I can."
King already jumped to the conclusion that Purple had passed out from both exhaustion and the adrenaline from his injuries wearing off. He was covered in burns, and had gone slightly paler from the prolonged time underwater.
"Surprised he didn't drown." King commented.
"He's a strong kid. Being through enough to natural problems doesn't really have that much of an effect on him, probably." Yellow theorized.
"Or we just refused to let him drown and dragged him above water because we're not heartless." Second snapped.
"Jesus, Second, calm down." Yellow said.
"Sorry, it's just…we've been through a lot."
"Ain't that the truth." Chosen muttered from a chair.
"Someone's grumpy."
"I'm tired." Chosen grumbled.
"We all are. I'm going to bed. I'm too tired to deal with any more bull crap today."
"See you in 26 hours!" Yellow chirped happily.
"Quite possibly." Second said, walking back upstairs.
"Do you guys ever let him sleep?" King asked incredulously.
"We don't have to take care of a child." Yellow quipped.
"Hey, Dark acts like a child." Chosen snapped.
"I was referring to King."
"Oh, shut up."
"King, you should probably head home. We'll keep an eye on Purple for the time being. You just go home and get some sleep."
"Don't we all need it?" King grumbled.
"Shut up and go to bed."
Purple was exhausted, to say the least.
His entire body hurt, his muscles ached, and he had a pending headache.
He felt like shit.
A note laid on the table, next to a couple of potions.
"Went home early. Blue said they'd keep an eye on you for the time being. Come home whenever you're ready.
King."
Purple smiled a little. He was happy to know that King was slowly but surely warming up to the Color Gang.
Purple grabbed the potions and the bag of what little belongings he had that he left at the desktop(since his phone would've gotten broken during the battle) and headed towards the WiFi widget.
Purple knew the path home well, having walked along it multiple times when their lives weren't at stake.
And he was also waiting on Yellow to install a Nether portal that traveled directly between the two homes.
He stared up at the moonlit sky, something he hadn't been able to actually stare at for a while.
Things were finally going back to normal.
King was almost asleep on the couch when the door opened.
"Nice to see you warming up to the little bundle of colors on the desktop."
King shot up from the couch. "Purple!"
"Who else would it be?" The stick in question deadpanned.
"Sorry, it's just…I thought you were gonna stay the night or something. I really wasn't expecting you to come home so early."
"Figured you'd lose your mind the longer I was gone."
"Purple…"
"You've done it before."
"I get worried easily, especially with everything that just happened."
"That's not surprising."
"Purple…"
"What."
"Purple, please. You know I'm just looking out for you because I care about you."
"I know, I know. It's just…we've been through a lot and it's really getting on my nerves."
"And that's my fault?" King snapped.
"What-no! It's not your fault at-nevermind." Purple picked his bag up and walked to his room.
"Purple, kid, wait! I'm sorry I snapped at you, it's just-"
"Just what, King?! Tired? Upset that I, once again, threw myself into impending danger and almost killed myself?!"
"Purple.."
"Disappointed that even after all of this, I still don't think anyone deserves me?! That I'm not good enough?! That I'm just some weak punching bag for the world?!"
"Purple, stop. You know that's not true."
"And what if it is?!" Purple's sobbing. It hurts King more than he realizes, but his kid is in front of him breaking down and he has no idea how to fix it.
"Mom and dad were right! I'm nothing but a failure!"
"Purple!"
Purple's teary rant is stopped immediately.
"Stop, please. It's not true and you know it. Your parents don't know you like me and the others. You're one of the most amazing kids I've ever met…and I'm proud to know that kid."
Purple, although still in tears, smiled and ran into him, hugging him tightly.
"I'm sorry…for everything."
"I know you are, even if there isn't anything to apologize for. Even if it's putting yourself in harm's way to keep us all safe."
"I just wanted to protect you…"
"I know you did, honey. It's okay. But, here I am, safe and sound. Thanks to you."
"I know that."
"Purple?"
Purple stares up at him. "Yeah?"
King hugs him close. "Thank you. For everything."
"Right back at you, King."
That's when King knows Purple is going to be just fine.