The Chosen One never wanted to be back on a computer. Chosen never wanted to leave the Outernet again, and just wanted to peacefully live the rest of Chosen’s life with Lord in that small clearing, overlooking the ocean’s view.
The Chosen One has never been able to get what Chosen wanted.
So here Chosen was, staring through the blurry screen at Chosen's creator. The screen was different than the last time Chosen had been here — Noogia3 must've gotten a new monitor.
“I know you don't like Him, but... you're hurt. You both are. I'm sorry to bring you here, but it's what needs to be done,” Orange spoke softly to the older stick, who was clinging onto Orange's body as the two of them walked.
Chosen couldn't take Chosen's eyes away from the blurry, hunched over figure. “Alan's not gonna hurt you, I promise.”
The Dark Lord coughed weakly, flinching. Lord was in such a worse state than Chosen was because of Orange's attack. Chosen was still angry at her for just not listening to Chosen, and she nearly got herself killed because of it. Chosen never could repay the sticks who he killed being the ones that will save him.
The Cursor noticed the sticks coming back through the ethernet portal at this point, and quickly rushed over. Neon red lasers shot out of Chosen's eyes, launching the Cursor back to the other side of the screen.
“The Chosen One, He's just trying to help!” Orange gasped, looking between the stick figure and the Cursor. “He helped us in the outernet, He's not gonna suddenly attack us here.”
Chosen growled, weakly holding onto Orange's side. “Bastard can't be trusted…”
“Then trust me. Me, and everyone else, is not gonna let Him hurt you or Lord, okay?” Orange said sternly, trying to get the message through Chosen's thick skull. “We just need to get you and Lord better.”
Orange turned to face the Cursor, pointing to the art program. The Cursor got the idea, and the program popped up behind and around ae and Chosen. Yellow and Red, who both were carrying The Dark Lord, also climbed into the box. Orange helped Chosen sit down before grabbing the pencil and drawing a bed for Lord to lay down on.
'whats going on??' The Cursor asked in a text box, wary of the Chosen One.
“Alan, this is The Chosen One, and that is The Dark Lord. They're hurt really badly, and we need to help them.” Orange ran over to the other side of the art program, helping Blue bring a bunch of... pixelated bottles into the screen before helping Blue herself up.
“I don't want to be near Him,” Chosen said, “I don't want Him to be near me or Lord.” Chosen looked up, and saw that Chosen's words didn't appear like they did for Orange.
I suppose that makes sense. It never happened before, Chosen though with a sigh. “Tell Him to fuck off. I will destroy the Cursor if He gets anywhere near us.”
“Uh-” Orange stuttered, turning to face Alan, “The Chosen One says that if you get close to The Chosen One or Lord, The Chosen One is gonna break your Cursor.”
‘oh. ok’
Chosen watched as the Cursor moved away. Lord groans, and Chosen’s head snapped over to her side. Chosen was instantly at his side, holding his hands as he laid in bed. “Hey, hey, you’re okay Lord, you’re okay.”
Blue was on the other side, putting an IV that Orange drew into Lord’s arm. A red liquid started dripping into the item. “It’s a regen+health potion mix. It should help Lord,” Green explained. “We’re using an IV drip here, since potions aren’t as strong outside of Minecraft, and they’re not as reactive to Orange. Yellow said it would probably be the same for you and Lord.”
“Green, Yellow, do either of you need anything else?” Orange asked, rocking on aers heels. The two shook their heads.
Chosen couldn’t believe Chosen was letting these kids save Lord’s life. Chosen was furious at Lord, for a lot of shit. They both had left the life of fear behind, but Lord still went on to kill these kids in an attempt to attack Noogai3.
“I’m sorry,” Chosen quietly said, causing a few of the sticks to look up to Chosen. “I should’ve stopped her from attacking you guys. I should’ve been stronger.”
“The Chosen One, it wasn’t your fault,” Orange reassured, placing a careful hand on Chosen’s shoulder, “you didn’t tell her to kill us. You did your best to fight him off!”
“You guys still got hurt because of it. You all have permanent scars on your bodies now.” Chosen’s fists curled. “Lord and I are the first adults you kids have seen in years, and Lord killed you. The only other stick has been that human who hurts you.”
“Alan?” Red asked, “He doesn’t hurt us?”
“Yeah, Alan’s really nice. I mean, He did delete us that one time, but that’s when He didn’t know we were alive,” Blue spoke up, finishing their work.
“No, He knew you all were alive! He had to deal with two other sticks before! Noogai fucking enslaved me for years as an adblocker! He created by best friend to kill me! He knew you guys were alive but didn’t care! He never cared!”
Silence falls over all the sticks. Chosen’s fists were encased in flames, Chosen’s eyes glowing a bright red.
“Alan… created you?” Orange asked quietly. “He… did all that to you?”
Chosen took a deep breath, the flames calming and Chosen’s eyes dimming.
“I…” Orange gulped, looking to aer’s friends. “Alan’s not like that anymore. If I help Him draw, He’ll let us live here.”
“Orange…” Green whispered, reaching out to Orange who shook aers head.
“I need to talk to Alan,” Orange said before creating a new canvas and climbing into it. Chosen watched as the Cursor disappeared and their view of Noogai was blocked off by a white wall.
A few moments of silence pass, and as Red opened its mouth to talk, Chosen said, “So how long until Lord wakes up?”
“Oh, uh--” Yellow jerked as if not expecting to be talked to. “We don’t really know much about potions outside of the game, but with how injured he is, it’ll probably take a few hours.”
“We can watch over him if you aren’t comfortable here,” Red perked up. “You can go home and rest, or--”
“No.” Chosen sternly said. “She’s not leaving my sight. I’m not gonna leave him here.”
“Oh… okay, um, yeah.” Red flinched as there was a particularly loud shout from the other canvas. “Once Orange comes back, ae could draw you a bed so you don’t have to leave Lord.”
“I’m not gonna sleep.” There’s been too much time spent in darkness here.
Silence fell over them.
“Does… the second canvas help?” Blue meekly asked. “He can’t see you, and you can’t see Him?”
Chosen thought for a moment. It was nice, knowing that Noogai couldn’t see Chosen or Lord right now. And the white wall blocking Chosen’s vision wasn’t something Chosen wasn’t not used to. At least, right like this, Chosen would instantly know if the Cursor comes back, and it wasn’t dark and Lord was here.
“I think that would be for the best.”
“Okay. Okay! I’ll um -- I’ll go tell Orange that,” Red said with a small smile, before knocking on the other canvas and climbing through.
Chosen grabbed Lord’s hand, gently holding it and stroking Chosen’s thumbs over her knuckles. “He is going to be okay, right?” Chosen asked.
“Yeah, he should be. The potions are already working -- see, a bunch of her minor scratches and cuts are gone already.” Yellow pointed to different parts. “It’s not gonna remove the scars, or anything though. The most noticeable one will be this one.” Yellow pointed to the large wound in the center of Lord’s chest, before stretching up and across the middle of her neck and face.
“As long as she’ll live,” Chosen exhaled, dropping Chosen’s head down, forehead resting on the mattress. “This is all my fault. If only I stopped him earlier, or convinced her not to…”
“It’s not your fault, Chosen. You’re not responsible for him!” Blue says, wincing as a crash was heard. Red climbs back onto the canvas, and a moment after is followed by Orange.
Ae was much more disheveled, wiping aers eyes with aer’s sleeve. “Alan’s gonna leave you guys alone,” Orange sniffled, “we, uhm… yeah. Yeah.”
“Are you okay?” Green asked, rushing over to Orange’s side. The older stick nodded silently. Green sighed, leading Orange to sit down on the ground. Yellow and Blue shared a silent look towards each other.
Chosen watches these kids silently communicate to each other, and it reminds Chosen of those early days with Lord when they didn’t know how to talk.
------------
Chosen didn’t fall asleep.
The kids stayed in the same room as Chosen and Lord, but one by one they all fell asleep. Chosen knows it’s morning now -- the clock shows that it was 9:28 am. Chosen takes a deep breath, watching the rise and fall of Lord’s chest.
The wound was fully healed now, the only evidence being the scar that resided on Lord’s body. Chosen sighs, thumbs brushing atop of her knuckles.
The Dark Lord’s face shifts in her sleep, before her eyes open weakly. “Lord!” Chosen whisper-yelled, trying to not wake up the other stick figures.
Lord’s eyes glazed over, and Chosen’s heart dropped to Chosen’s stomach as Chosen was just barely able to dodge out of the way of her attack.
“Lord, it’s me! Don’t listen to it, we’re not safe!” Okay, fuck trying to stay quiet. “There are kids sleeping, you can break through it!”
Chosen dodged a fireball, which breaks the wall of the aet program. Chosen flies through it back onto the open PC, lasering Lord as she flies out. She hissed, but not stopping her attack. Chosen kicked a file into his face, which got incinerated almost instantly. “Lord, this isn’t the place for this!” Chosen led Lord further away from the art program as the sticks started looking out now.
Lord tackled Chosen, bringing them both into a downward spiral before hitting the ground. His hands wrapped around Chosen’s neck as his hands burst into flame. Chosen growled, hands wrapping up to Lord’s hands and shooting lasers out of Chosen’s eyes.
Chosen should’ve slept. Chosen was tired and weakened, and Lord was well rested and not in control of herself. Chosen saw the Cursor appear, and Chosen instantly focused the lasers on the Cursor.
“Don’t fucking touch him!” Chosen choked out, forcing the Cursor back. Chosen sees Orange running over, and ae tries to pull Lord off. Chosen’s ears were ringing, and Chosen’s thinks Orange is talking. “Don’t hurt him, he’s not--” Chosen coughs, face starting to sting from the fire.
Chosen focused back on Lord, doing everything Chosen could to fight off the other stick figure. Did she really have to do this here? A sudden box popped around Lord’s body, and Chosen’s stomach dropped. Lord stopped her attack, confused with eyes still glazed over. Chosen looks to Noogai, and towards the right side of the monitor -- there was an index pulled up, and the Cursor was hovering over Lord’s file name.
Chosen screamed. Chosen was not going to let Lord die here. Chosen wasn’t going to let Lord die.
Instantly, a deep, dark gray stormcloud took up half the computer screen. Lightning flashes quickly and violently. Thunder bellowed from the sky, and Chosen felt rage.
Orange was yelling -- at Chosen or the Cursor, Chosen didn’t know. Chosen tries to grab Lord, but she can’t move. She was stuck in the box. Chosen pulled and tugged, but couldn’t move him.
A pop up appeared under their feet, and Chosen burned instantly. Chosen just needs to fight this off. Chosen just needs to wait until Chosen could get Lord out.
Another pop up.
More ash.
Ignore the feelings. You’re not there.
Focus. There is no weight on your ankle.
Pop up. Ash.
Pop up. Ash.
Pop up. Ash.
You can do this.
Pop up.
You need to do this.
Ash.
There was screaming.
Another pop up.
Continue fighting.
There was so much ash.
Chosen felt Chosen’s throat was raw -- has Chosen been screaming? Or was it the fire?
Everything seemed off. Focus. The Dark Lord is going to die if you don’t fight for him.
Arms wrapped around Chosen’s waist, pulling Chosen away from Lord. “No! No, He’s gonna kill her!” Chosen screamed, fighting off the stick behind Chosen as Chosen was taken further and further away.
A thick, metal wall suddenly separated the two oldest stick figures from each other. Chosen hears Lord scream out, and Chosen falls to Chosen’s knees as the stick continues to drag Chosen away.
“He killed her,” Chosen’s voice breaks as Chosen talks, “I couldn’t save her.”
The static in Chosen ears slowly dim down. “...osen One? Are you back?”
Chosen finally looks back, and, oh. It was Orange holding Chosen.
“It’s okay! Lord isn’t gonna hurt you anymore,” Orange says softly, and Chosen could instantly see that ae was putting on a brave face. “Alan’s fixing him.”
“He killed her,” Chosen replied, wiping away the tears. When had Chosen started crying?
“No-- No! No, Alan, He’s -- He’s removing the programming He made,” Orange explained, “me and Alan had an argument last night, and… well, He came in early this morning and we talked it out. He explained what happened and what He did to you and Lord, and He’s trying to fix it now.”
Orange watched Chosen for a moment or two, watching Chosen’s reaction. Ae then pulled out an eraser tool, and deleted the metal wall. Lord was still in a box, but… she was back. The Cursor was still hovering around her, but Chosen could tell.
Lord was sitting down on the ground now, head tilted curiously as the Cursor continued to type stuff into the white pop up below Lord’s body. He looked up when the wall was erased before excitedly jumping up and waving to Chosen.
“He’s deleting the line of code!” Lord shouted. “We can finally be safe together, Chosen!” Chosen ran over, breaking out of Orange's (weak) grasp and looked over the pop up.
mission.The_Dark_Lord = love(The_Chosen_One);
What? “No -- love? Are you serious?” Chosen asked, glancing up at Noogai’s blurred face. “No, no! Don’t force him to -- to love me!”
“Chosen, I asked Him too,” Lord spoke slowly. “I… I want to love you. For the rest of my life.”
Chosen whipped around to face Lord, Chosen’s face red. “Wh -- What? Lord, you can’t--”
“Chosen, listen to me.” Lord’s hands took Chosen’s own. “I love you with all my heart, okay? I want to retire with you -- properly, this time. I want you to teach me how to knit, and I want to teach you how to bake, and all that other soft junk. I love you, Chosen,
Chosen felt tears well up in Chosen’s eyes. “Lord, I--” Chosen’s throat felt dry. It couldn’t be true. Lord couldn’t love Chosen, not like that. “The code is making you think weirdly again, I’ll tell Him to remove it--”
“Cursors, you’re an idiot,” Lord chuckled, pulling Chosen closer into a hug. “Alan hasn’t even implemented the new code in yet. This is me saying this.”
Chosen let out a small sob, fully sinking into her hug. “I thought you were going to die,” Chosen meekly said, feeling Chosen’s tears soak into Lord’s clothing, “Cursor, I love you so much, Lord, I don’t know what I would’ve done if you actually died.”
“It’s okay, Chosen, it’s okay,” she said while rubbing circles into Chosen’s back. She looks directly at Alan, the blurry man on the other side of the monitor, and nods. He was going to love Chosen for the rest of his life, even if it killed him. Lord would never leave Chosen’s side.
Alan hit enter.
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