EDIT: 11/16/2020
Hey guys, RRFF will go on a month-long hiatus. No new chapters for 3-4 weeks... *awkward cough*
I have a lot of exams to study for in the next few weeks, as well as many other responsibilities. I realized too late how much time this would all take up. So I have to put editing/posting chapters on hold to make more time for studying *anxious wheeze*
I'm really sorry for putting RRFF on hiatus just when Act 2 was starting, but I hope you understand. RRFF will return in early December!
Thank you for reading. Take care and stay safe! And if you guys have finals or exams too, good luck and do your best!
Welcome to the next chapter and the start of Act 2! Things are gonna get more intense inside the Steve Saga server!
Before we begin, I want to say two things:
1: Act 2 will have more potentially upsetting content than Act 1 (it's actually the reason why RRFF has the content warnings/rating it has). So I want to remind everyone to read the content warnings at the summary/Chp 1. And if you're ok with what's gonna happen, then proceed with Act 2! (As usual, content warnings will be on the top of chapters that have that potentially upsetting content.)
2: As of writing this, only 33% of Act 2 has been edited. I underestimated how busy I would be this semester, so I haven't been able to edit them at a good pace. So there's a good chance that RRFF will be put on a mini-hiatus sometime in late December or early January if I run out of edited chapters to post :'D I just wanted to give a heads up, but don't worry about it yet.
Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoy!
Remorseful Recollections of the Forgotten Family:
Act 2: START
Memory Steve teleported back into the Illusion Town, rubbing his eyes through the mask that concealed them. If only erasing drowsiness is as simple as erasing memories, he complained silently. He knew he could rest more in his dimension – no one was stopping him – but he had to get a chore out of the way.
"Sabre!" Alex called. "Where did you go?!"
"Is he not in the machine?" Guardian asked. "Did Memory Steve take him somewhere?"
Memory scanned the area and spotted Sabre emerging out of the Illusion Tree, rubbing his head.
"There you are!" Alex ran up to Sabre, with Guardian following her. "We were looking at the entrance for a few minutes, trying to get out. When we came back to the machine, you were gone! What happened to you?!"
Memory Steve flinched. Only a few minutes?! Time didn't pass in the Memory Dimension when he discussed with Sabre and learned about that...atrocious truth. It felt like hours...yet it was only a moment in the Overworld. He had to align his mind back in time. Perhaps completing this task from Reality Steve would help. He had to lock up Alex and Sabre.
"Huh?" Sabre looked at the two heroes, and screamed. He pressed his back against the Illusion Tree, gulping down breaths. "AH! Who are you guys?! Look, I don't have any money on me!"
Memory Steve slowly approached the trio, while Sabre's behavior dumbfounded Alex and Guardian.
Guardian scolded, "Sabre, this is no time for messing around!"
"I don't know what you're talking about! I swear!"
Alex covered her mouth as color drained from her face. "No..."
"Sabre, I'm not dumb!" Guardian stomped a foot. "Stop fooling around. Seriously, things are a mess, and the last thing we want is for you to not know anything!"
"But I don't know anything! Look, I'm sorry, but you probably have the wrong guy. I – I don't even know who I am!"
Guardian lowered his wings, dismay dawning on him. "He...he really did lose his memories."
As Memory Steve sighed in relief, Alex and Guardian whirled around to face him. Sabre darted his eyes to an open space and dashed away.
"What did you do to him?!" Alex stomped up to Memory Steve and jabbed a finger at him. "You better give him back his memories! I can't have another friend who doesn't remember anything!"
"How did you even manage to do that?" Guardian tilted his head in confusion. "I thought Sabre was immune to your powers. Well, until Reality Steve took his account and...oh, now I understand how you did that."
"Just fix it!" Alex demanded. "This entire situation affects you too, Memory Steve! You need Sabre's help as much as we do. Why did you erase his memories when we need his experience to help us out of this mess?!"
Memory Steve shrugged. "I'm aware of that, but I have my reasons to erase his memories. I apologize, but I refuse to help you guys."
"Can you at least tell us why you did that?" Guardian asked. "Did Reality Steve order you to? But I know you've always wanted to erase his memories. Did you erase them for your...own plans?"
Memory Steve said nothing.
Alex muttered something under her breath before giving him a spiteful glare.
Guardian placed a hand on her shoulder. "Look, let's just find Sabre and earn his trust. Regardless of how we restore his memories, either by convincing Memory Steve or forcing him to, it'll be worthless if there's no Sabre to give the memories back to."
Alex sighed and nodded. "You're right. Let's go."
Alex and Guardian found Sabre at the far corner of the Illusion Town. Memory Steve teleported under the shadows of the Illusion Tree to spectate the conversation.
"Look, Sabre," Guardian began. "We started off on the wrong foot. (I feel like I say this every other day to you.) We truly don't mean any harm."
"Back off!" Sabre cried, and he proceeded to make weird Sabre™ noises.
Alex gave a soft optimistic laugh. "Well, at least he still has his personality."
"Yes, he still acts like this even without his memories," Guardian agreed. "Now I know he was just born like this. Anyways, Sabre, we can't hurt you. See?" Guardian punched the grass, which did nothing. Alex copied him. "We can't even break blocks. There's no way we can hurt you."
Sabre calmed down, allowing the two heroes to introduce themselves. Memory Steve continued watching them, wondering how he could bring Sabre and Alex back into their machines. Perhaps threats will do.
Then he flinched, a silent wave of energy crashing down on him. He looked at the sky and saw no one. He teleported to the entrance of the Illusion Town, and saw him on that same spot where he disconnected. Already back? Within a day?!
"I'm – I'm back! I'm back!" Reality Steve frantically looked around before his eyes met Memory Steve. He stilled.
Memory Steve bowed. "Welcome back, Reality Steve. You returned sooner than expected, but I'm glad to see you in one piece. The prisoners are still here. They're on the other side of the Town. Sabre has..."
His words trailed off when he looked back up.
Reality Steve wasn't still at all. He was shaking. His mouth was shut in muted trauma. His knees trembled. His hands clamped together with nonstop rubbing and fidgeting. His bright eyes were fixated on Memory Steve, but they simultaneously seemed lost, as if peering into another dimension through a supernatural sense.
Memory Steve loosened his posture and stepped forward. "Hey, are you alright?"
Reality Steve rushed forward and wrapped his arms around him. Memory Steve flinched as his cousin buried his head into his shoulder and hugged him tighter. He nearly stumbled because Reality Steve trembled even more now.
He stared at the Steve in wordless shock. He had never seen his cousin like this before. The fear in his eyes was stronger than the fear in Memory Steve's victims before he erased their memories. Not to mention that Reality Steve couldn't even say a word. No new plan. Nothing to celebrate about. Memory Steve could only wonder what terrified thoughts swarmed in his mind and why he couldn't say them out loud.
Memory Steve didn't know what to do, but then his arms moved on instinct. One wrapped around Reality Steve, while the other embraced his head. He patted the younger Steve's back, causing him to utter a muffled sob and bury himself deeper into his shoulder.
What should he say? He knew Reality Steve didn't want to talk about what happened. What did he want to hear? At this very moment?
"...It's ok," Memory soothed as he rubbed his cousin's back. "It's ok, Reality. You got back safely and I'm here. It'll be ok."
Reality Steve whimpered out another sob, but his trembling dwindled and the embrace relaxed. Memory Steve softly smiled as he cast sad, hidden eyes on the younger Steve.
"What happened?" A voice called.
Reality Steve lifted his head up, his puffy eyes widened in surprise. He released Memory Steve and wiped the tears off. He hovered a hand over his eyes, only to curse and set it down disappointed. He quickly fixed his messy hair and ruffled clothes before turning around.
Alex walked around the Tree and approached the cousins, alarm in her green eyes. "You're back?"
Guardian also walked out of view to join the group. "I guess Sabre was right. You would eventually come back."
"Where is he anyways?" Reality Steve asked in his usual tone: stoic and intimidating.
"He lost his memories."
"WHAT?! ALREADY?!" Reality shot his henchman a horrified look. Memory quickly looked away, pretending to inspect the Illusion Town's walls for damage.
"And why isn't he in the machine?! Why isn't Alex in the machine?"
Memory pretended to inspect the walls harder. Hmm, yes, stone bricks, his thoughts created a totally deep analysis of the wall.
Reality Steve groaned before turning back to Alex and Guardian. "But where is he?!...oh, nevermind, there he is."
Sabre snuck around the tree to reveal himself. He slowly approached the group, but froze upon seeing Reality Steve. "Oh my GOD, you look terrifying! And ugly! Get away from me!" He ran off again.
Reality Steve gave out a long, dragged out sigh. "Are you sure he really lost his memories and is not pretending to? Because he still finds ways to insult me."
Guardian shrugged. "Yes, he doesn't have his memories. I think it's because he no longer has his...account? He doesn't remember anything, except his own personality."
"Is this what it was like when you were working with me and you had to speak with him?!" Reality Steve said in exasperation. "It's fine though. Memory Steve, lock Sabre up until we know what to do with him."
"No!" Alex cried out. "If he does that, Sabre won't trust any of us until he gets his memories back!"
"Oh. Ummm...then Memory Steve, give him back his memories."
Memory pretended to inspect the walls even harder. Yes yes, those are a lot of stone bricks.
"...Memory?" Reality Steve forced a grin as he fidgeted with his hands. "If this is about before, how I didn't tell you the truth about Sabre and wasted your time, I'm genuinely sorry. I'll pay you more if you help me, alright?"
Memory Steve wanted to bitterly ask if Reality Steve would generously use his powers to filter the restoration. But instead, he finally faced him and gave a bow. "I would be happy to, but if you're willing to listen to my advice, perhaps it's better to keep Sabre's mind empty for the time being. Take advantage of his cluelessness before restoring his memories."
"Oh, you're right, my henchman. Excellent strategy!" Reality Steve gave nervous laugh. "He won't go anywhere, so let's just deal with him later!"
Guardian said, "I'm sorry for the change of subject, but where exactly did you go?"
"It's umm...I don't want to talk about it." Reality Steve lowered his head.
Alex crossed her arms and glared at him suspiciously. "Really? After everything?"
"Before you left, that was all you wanted to talk about!" Guardian added.
"Look, where I went had things beyond what you can comprehend!" Reality Steve tensed as his eyes darted between the two heroes. "There were many terrifying things out there. Even with Galaxy Steve's knowledge and what I've learned, I couldn't get the full picture of it. If what I saw was enough to frighten me, then you guys won't handle what I'll tell you! Isn't that right, Memory Steve?! Are these cowards too sensitive to handle such a topic?!" He gave his henchman an arrogant smile, which concealed his desperate plea for help.
Memory's hidden eyes grew worried. He had to help continue his cousin's façade. "Indeed. Only you are smart and bold enough to handle what you've just experienced."
Alex's skeptical glare persisted. "So what's gonna happen now?"
"It's now clear that Steves can't handle leaving this server. So I cannot go through with this plan," Reality Steve said. "So I want things to go back to the way it was. Me ruling this perfect illusion in the Steve Saga will be just as good as me bringing you into reality! So, how about you both work for me again? I'll give you a new task right now! Sabre trusts both of you, right? Why don't you put him into a machine for me?"
Alex and Guardian exchanged looks before glaring at Reality Steve. "We're going to have to pass on your offer."
"You better join me!" Reality Steve huffed. "I'm your only option of leadership, since I still have the powers to rule this world! You either join me or be imprisoned!"
"We'll take our chances with the latter," Alex replied.
"So be it. Memory Steve, imprison these two!"
"Wouldn't it be easier for you to do it yourself?" Guardian asked.
"Of course it would be easier for me. I'm just choosing not to. Plus, Memory Steve knows the location of the secret prison I have in this town."
"Secret?" Alex repeated, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes. Why don't you show them the prison, Memory Steve?"
Secret prison? Memory Steve was lost, until he remembered the dungeon Time Steve was in. He generated a ball of glowing energy, which morphed into a crossbow. "Follow me or I'll erase all of your memories." He aimed the weapon at the two heroes, who jumped in surprise. He led them to the basement's hidden entrance, with Reality Steve following.
Alex whispered, "He wasn't bluffing after all. He does have a secret prison. Did you know about this, Guardian?"
"I...forgot that it existed," Guardian whispered back.
Memory took a lever out of his inventory, placed it down, and activated it. The grass blocks shifted, revealing the underground stairway. He aimed the crossbow at Alex. "After you." Before she took her first step down, Sabre called out of nowhere.
"Wait, what are you doing to them?!" The player jumped out of the Illusion Tree root he was hiding behind.
"Sabre, run and hide!" Alex shouted. "We'll be fine, but you can't be captured!"
Sabre nodded before sprinting towards the Town's entrance.
"Memory, erase what Alex just told him!" Reality Steve commanded. "Don't let him get away!"
Memory Steve aimed the crossbow at Sabre. It would be a hassle to run up to him, so this crossbow would do for now to erase his memories from afar. Sabre looked over his shoulder and froze when he spotted the weapon.
One click and the arrow flew.
Sabre shrieked in terror and shielded his face. Then there was thunder and he disappeared. The arrow zoomed past where the player used to stand and hit the wall. Memory Steve lowered his crossbow, mouth agape.
"Where did he go?!" Alex panicked.
"NO!" Reality Steve shouted.
"...I didn't do it!" Memory Steve quickly said. "My weapons only erase memories, never destroy."
Everyone turned to the Town's entrance when they heard a familiar voice. Sabre was running towards it from the corner farthest from the group. "Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!"
"Get him, Memory Steve! Erase all of his memories!"
Memory Steve aimed the crossbow again, this time accounting the fact that Sabre could teleport.
Sabre crashed into the Town's invisible barrier. "Oh no, oh no, oh no!" He banged his fists on the barrier and punched the gray frame of the entrance.
One of the stone brick blocks was smashed into pieces.
Memory shot another arrow. Sabre on instinct teleported two blocks away to dodge. Memory quickly generated another arrow, reloaded, and shot again. Sabre teleported again.
"Stop!" Sabre raised a hand. Memory Steve's crossbow vanished into thin air, startling the Steve. Memory Steve stared dumbfounded at his empty gloved hands. How did he do that?!
Sabre started dismantling the wall area near the entrance one block after another. "I got to get out of here!"
He can break blocks now?! And teleport?! Memory Steve focused and formed another sphere of energy, which morphed into a bow and arrow. Sabre destroyed enough blocks to form a stairway inside the wall. As the player frantically climbed up, Memory Steve shot an arrow, but the player moved faster than he anticipated. The arrow missed.
Sabre stood on the top of the wall now, inspecting the outside. "Well, here it goes." He jumped off the wall...and flew away! He soared through the sky, disappearing from view.
"He can fly?!" Alex squeaked. "Did he always have these powers?! Memory Steve, what did you do to Sabre?! Is this a side effect of getting your memories erased by you?!"
After desummoning the bow, Memory Steve turned to face her, Guardian, and Reality Steve. All he could do was echo the astonished silence among the group.
"...If our Sabre was here, he would call this moment a 'wig snatched' moment," Alex joked.
Reality Steve quickly fixed his eyes on the ground, playing with a hair strand. "Maybe he had those powers all along but didn't want anyone to know? He's a player who held back all of his secret abilities. I wouldn't be surprised if he had all those powers all this time."
"But I thought you switched with him. So shouldn't you have his powers and not him anymore, while he has...wait.." Alex exchanged a look with Guardian, whose eyes also lit up with realization. Reality Steve gulped when Alex glared back at him. "When you switched places with him, did you give Sabre all of my powers, Galaxy Steve's power, and your powers?"
The Steve looked down in shame. "...I was hoping you wouldn't notice until I did what I needed to do."
"WHAT?!" Memory Steve exclaimed.
"...wow." Alex pursed her lips and shook her head in disappointment.
Memory Steve pointed at the destroyed wall while glaring at his boss. "You said if I erased his memories, he wouldn't know how to use them! How do you explain this?!"
"You knew about this, Memory Steve?!" Alex cried out. "Why didn't you stop him from switching?!"
Guardian's wings bristled. "Seriously, Reality Steve?! Honestly, I expected something smarter from you."
"L-listen, I gave Sabre my powers because this wouldn't have worked if I kept them!" Reality Steve stammered. "I couldn't bring my powers with me, so I gave them to Sabre when we switched. I assumed it wouldn't become a problem later, because I thought I would have brought everyone out of the game by then. But obviously, since I returned so soon, now it's a problem."
Memory Steve briefly looked away, making a silent note. "So, there's no way to bring a Steve's powers into Sabre's reality...How disappointing." But surely, there must be a loophole, if Sabre's account is considered an ability...I'll find a way to execute my new plan.
Alex looked up in realization. "Wait, Sabre has the ability to give or take away the ability to break blocks, right?" She tested it by punching the ground. "I still can't break anything."
"Me neither," Guardian said. "What about you, Reality Steve?"
"Well, I'm curious so..." Reality Steve punched a grass block. Nothing happened and his face fell. "Oh my goodness, Sabre must have accidentally taken away my ability in self-defense!"
"This is just pathetic," Guardian sighed. "And Sabre just ran off because we told him to and you scared him. So no one can do anything here."
"Well...not Memory Steve!" Reality Steve marched to his henchman's side near the descending stairway and puffed out his chest. "He can teleport and leave the Illusion Town! And he can still erase memories and break blocks too."
Memory Steve silently hissed, eyes darting away.
"My cover is blown. You know I'm powerless and can't do anything. But Memory Steve's the most powerful person here, and he works for me! So do what I say, or I'll have him wipe your minds clean. And don't forget that I have Galaxy Steve trapped in my mind. I know how much you want him back. You have no choice but to – "
"Alex, NOW!" Guardian and Alex advanced. They pelted punches at Reality and Memory Steve, knocking them back until they fell into the underground passage.
Memory Steve fell on the stone floor with a grunt. He sat up and concentrated on the grassy surface he wanted to teleport to, only for Reality Steve to fall on him, cutting his focus.
"Got it!" Alex flicked the lever outside. The grass blocks above moved and shut the passageway from the light.
"It's dark!" Reality Steve screeched and leapt to his feet. "What's happening?! Where am I?! I can't see, I can't see!"
"Don't worry!" Memory Steve drew a torch out and placed it on the wall. The orange glow illuminated the stairway and the dirt ceiling.
Reality Steve immediately relaxed. "Thank you, thank you! Do you have another lever on you? We can open the passageway from the inside."
Memory Steve flinched. "Shit!" He stared at the dirt ceiling and backed into a wall, trembling. "I'm a fool. I used my last two levers to open the door to the Illusion Core and to open the passageway outside." His gaze fell to the floor as his accelerated breaths dizzied his mind.
"Are you sure this will hold them in?" Alex's voice outside said.
"I remember that Illusion Steve told me how this passageway worked this morning," Guardian's voice replied. "They won't break out. They need a lever to open it up from the inside, and neither of them have a lever on them."
"But can't they just break the grass blocks?"
"Reality Steve can't break blocks because of Sabre, so we don't have to worry. As for Memory Steve, he actually has a critical weakness that I remembered once Reality Steve freed my mind: Memory Steve has no destructive powers. Void Steve stole his destructive powers and took them for himself."
Memory Steve gasped. "No...No..." He sank to the floor and shut his eyes tight as he continued to shake. "They found out..."
"So that means Memory Steve never had the ability to break blocks?" Alex asked.
"Correct. It doesn't matter if someone took away or gave him the ability to break blocks He can't break blocks as long as he has no destructive powers. And Memory Steve can only teleport when he sees the place he wants to teleport to, and he won't see the outside."
"Ok, thank you for explaining it to me. Now what?"
"Well, Sabre destroyed the entrance and the wall. We can climb out of the Illusion Town and escape. Let's go find Sabre. We'll probably be able to break blocks once we leave the Town." The voices disappeared with the sound of footsteps.
Reality Steve gawked at Memory Steve. "Is that true? You never had the ability to break blocks?!"
Memory Steve shrunk back, but forced himself to nod. "The only things I can break are redstone dust and flowers. Everything else, like this torch..." He punched the torch he had just placed. It didn't budge. "I can place them, but I cannot break them to pick them up."
"And you never told me?!"
"Why would I tell you?!" Memory Steve jumped up with a snarl, causing the younger Steve to stumble back. "Would I tell you the weakness that could inspire you to trap me forever in blocks I can't break? Absolutely not!"
Reality Steve looked down in shame. "I'm sorry. After all the secrets I kept from you, it was wrong for me be upset that you didn't tell me things."
Memory Steve flinched and looked away, embarrassed about all the horrid secrets he still kept from Reality Steve. "Umm, perhaps we should find a way out?"
"Yeah. I know another way out of here! An escape route I created in case I ever get trapped here. Let me just think...the route goes this way...so I think...no, not that way. That's a red herring for prisoners who try to find the escape route. Then it must be...no. I...I can't remember."
"Perhaps it'll come to you eventually," Memory Steve encouraged. "Give it time."
"But we need to escape now! Before Alex and the Guardian learn we're trying to escape!"
"That escape route isn't going to wander off anywhere."
"...It will. I designed the escape route to teleport, to make it less likely for prisoners who don't know the area to escape.
"..." Memory Steve gave a slow facepalm before sighing.
Reality Steve bounced on his feet nervously. "Alex and the Guardian left the Illusion Town. They might find the escape route's location and block it!"
"But they don't realize there's an escape route," Memory Steve insisted. "They're focused on finding Sabre at the moment. There's no rush to find it."
Reality Steve hissed between his teeth, looking at the dark hallway with uncertainty.
Memory Steve perked up. "They don't know about the lookout window either!" He escorted his cousin to the stairway and sat him down. "You wait here. I'm going to the lookout window. I'll use that to teleport to the outside, run back to the Town, and open the passageway. Is that ok?"
Reality Steve froze. "You're leaving me?!"
"Only for a moment. A quick moment!" He squeezed Reality Steve's shoulder. "I promise I'll be back soon."
The younger Steve's gaze fell to his fidgeting hands. "...ok...go."
Memory Steve nodded and ran to the window. When he spotted the green field outside, he teleported to the open space. He gave a huge sigh of relief, glee surging in his heart. He teleported back to the Illusion Town and flicked the lever on.
The stairway opened. Reality Steve climbed up, looking back at the dark passageway warily.
Memory Steve approached his cousin and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Do you need a hug?"
Reality Steve sadly looked up. "Yes, but..."
Memory Steve sighed. "Everything from today, I'll forgive you for that. I'll still be your loyal henchman, as long as you promise never to hide the truth from me again."
Reality Steve's face brightened. "Ok, I promise. No more secrets from now on."
"So now? As in, including now?"
Reality Steve tensed. "What do you mean? What am I hiding from you right now?"
Memory Steve released his cousin. He wondered if the younger Steve could detect his concerned aura. "I understand everything feels urgent right now, but I promise you that everything can wait. You need a break after all you've been through and putting up a façade that you came back unafraid. You'll feel better once you take a break, ok? It's unfortunate that we lost the prisoners, but at least it means no one is around. So please...be honest with me. Let me listen to you."
Reality Steve looked down, his multicolored eyes filled with conflicting thoughts and emotions. He opened his mouth to speak, only to close it. Then, he choked out sob and brought his hands to his face. He shook as his cries intensified. "It was horrifying. It was so...so...horrifying. I can never go out there again..."
Memory Steve hugged him and gave soothing words. "I'm just glad you returned home. You made the right choice." He helped his cousin walk to the closest wall that casted shade. They both sat down.
Reality Steve buried his head into Memory Steve's shoulder. "But-but I failed! I failed to get to Sabre's reality! And I gave up my goal of taking over the server. I failed!"
"No, no you didn't fail. You did the right thing by coming back. Just let it all out. Worry about the other stuff for another time."
Memory Steve closed his eyes and allowed his cousin to cry all his emotions out. He was going to need it.
Words: 4472
My disaster sooooooooon ;-;