Chapter Text
Player and I headed to Roblox HQ, because he'd just gotten another sword and he had to show Shedletsky. I was there because I had been called in battle earlier and Player decided I should be shown around. There wasn't anything noteworthy(other than the arcade. I'd have to check that out later.), and he hadn't really pointed anything out. He seemed distracted, actually. I'd started talking about video games, and how I'd totally beat him in any game he picked, to see if that'd get his attention. It didn't. Usually bragging worked. At least, it worked the few times we've talked and he's zoned out like that. Maybe he's sick. Probably not.
"H3Y. 'Y0U TH3R3?" I stopped walking. He didn't notice, somehow, so I tapped his shoulder to get his attention. That seemed to bring him back.
"uh, y3ah, wha7's upp?" Admins above, I'd never get used to the way his voice sounded. The fuck happened anyway? That type of voice is not natural.
"Y0U Z0N3D 0UT."
"0h. sorryy." He sighed. "1T'S F1N3." But a bit concerning. "L3T'S JUST G3T T0 TH3 HQ ALR34DY." He nodded in response, and so we walked.
It took us about three minutes to get to the HQ, and on the way there I kept him distracted by talking and asking him questions he had to respond to. He seemed to be more at ease, but when we entered Roblox HQ, he tensed up again. He led me into the basement, and someone called out.
"hm? is someone there?" Shedletsky came into view...I guess Player wasn't bluffing when he said that he was alive. I mean, he had told me after getting cured that Shedletsky had sent him on the quest...it just didn't cross my mind that he'd have to be, well, alive for that.
"ah, Player! I see you've returned from your adventure..." he turned to look at me. "...and you've brought a friend too!" he smiled, but it looked weird.
"did you find the Firebrand?" Player nodded. "excellent job, as always, my temporary employee!" What kinda title is that? I glanced at Player and saw his tail flick to the side, probably annoyed. I'd be pissed if I was called a temporary employee. Is he even getting paid?
"soon you'll be off to get the windforce, from the Heights themselves!" The Heights? Where sword-fighting tournaments were held? "there's a helicopter pad in west bizville. head over there and you'll get to the Heights in no time!" Player's going to the Heights??? On a...helicopter? "your flight's in two days. rest up, in the mean time! goodbye, my temporary employee!!" Why does he emphasize the 'temporary employee' part so much?? And wouldn't it be intern?? Because I'm almost entirely sure Player's not getting paid.
Shedletsky waved Player off, and we left the building, avoiding the holes in the floor, and ignoring the...floating people.... There were also little noobs that either had swords or arrows, they weren't very strong, but they were annoying as hell. You'd think that the headquarters for Roblox would be maintained and protected better than this...
We left the building, and Player paused. He looked at me, then seemed to question something in his mind. After a couple seconds, he asked me a question.
"do y0u wan7 tto s3arch f0r th3 W1nndforce wiith me?" I stopped, suprised that he was offering something like that.
"WH4T?" I asked, probably sounding like an idiot.
"0nly iff y0u wantt- i'll pr0bably askk a c0uple 0therss-" he seemed to regret asking.
"N0, 1T'S C00L. Y34H 1'LL G0 4L0NG." I cut him off to clarify. He settled a bit at this, and then I asked "Y0U S4ID Y0U M1GHT 4SK 4 C0UPL3 0TH3R P30PL3?"
"uh...y3ah, 1 m1ght askk 0th3rs if theey wan7 t0 c0m3 alongg..."
"N1C3." An awkward silence settled between us. I wanted to fill it. I was about to say something when I looked at Player. His eyebrows were furrowed, and he looked mildly annoyed about something.
"Y0U 0K4Y?"
"...y3ah." He said. He hesitated a lot at the beginning, and that didn't go unnoticed.
"Y0U D0N'T S0UND T0 SUR3 0F TH4T." I questioned. He was clutching his stomach. "UHH... D0 Y0U...F33L S1CK?" I asked.
"nnot re4lly...i f33l lik3... a weirdd 7ug?" A weird tug. I barely know how to deal with headaches. But yeah, I can try dealing with mysterious tugging feelings. "0H. Y0U...W4NN4 S1T D0WN? N0T MUCH T0 D0 4NYW4Y."
"yeah. 1 n33d t0 siit d0wn." Fucking Banlands, this is awkward as hell.
He spotted a bench at the train station and asked if it was okay. I said 'yeah', because I'm not picky about benches.
All was relatively normal, until he said "1t f33ls as iff the 7ugging's gett1ng worsse."
He did look really sick. And he was acting different from normal.
"c4n i tell y0u s0methinng?" he asked. I nodded.
"1t feels l1k33 1'm ab0ut t0 fainnt." Oh. Shit.
Player asked if he could lay down. Sure, I guess. I'm no medical expert. Maybe it'll help. Oh my Admins. What do you do when a friend faints or is about to?
I made room for him on the bench and he layed down.
"th3res... prob4bly somethinng 1n a sh0p h3r3... c0uld you gett wat3r..?"
"Y34H, 1'LL H34D T0 4 SH0P 0R S0M3TH1NG. UH. D0N'T M0V3." I responded, and ran off to find water. Where is there water?? Oh non-Turitopulis places, please be easy to navigate. Ughh Player should've given me directions. I'm so fucking lost. It can't possibly be this hard to find water.
Then I saw a card shop up ahead, maybe they had water or people who could help? Worth a shot.
There were green goop cards. I'd have to come here for them later. I turned and looked at some guy at the counter.
"Hello, welcome to In The Cards! We sell all kinds of cards." He said. His nametag said Gene.
"UH, H3Y. G3N3, R1GHT? Y34H, MY FR13ND'S N0T 0K, 4ND 1 W4S W0ND3R1NG 1F Y0U H4D 4NY W4T3R, 0R Y0U KN3W WH3R3 T0 G3T S0M3."
"Oh, no, sorry. We don't have water here." Figures. "There's a shop next to the hotel, though! Maybe they have some."
"Y34H, TH4NKS. BY3." And I left the shop.
I walked towards where I was pretty sure I had left Player to check on him, but spotted the shop. It had a big sign saying 'shop'. What a name.
Figured I should probably ask, since I still didn't have any water for Player.
I asked the shopkeeper if he had any water, and he gave me a bottle for 5 tix.
I started walking back, towards Player's general direction.
I spotted where I had left him, but he wasn't there.
Did that punk run off?! I thought I told him to stay down. He couldn't have gone far, he looked pretty dizzy.
I looked around but couldn't see him. Maybe I should ask the people at the station. They probably saw something.
There was a guy reading the newspaper.
"H3Y, UH...D1D Y0U S33 TH3 GUY LY1NG 0N 4 B3NCH H3R3 34RL13R?"
"What? No. Go bother someone else. Sorry." Great. Maybe someone else, they weren't the only person here, after all...
Someone standing, just waiting for the train. They didn't really seem to be paying attention to anything, but it was worth a shot.
"H1. 1 L3FT S0M30N3 W41T1NG 0N 4 B3NCH, LY1NG D0WN. D1D Y0U S33 H1M L34V3 4T 4NY P01NT? 1 C4N'T F1ND H1M."
"..? The yellow guy? I didn't realize he left. Sorry." Fuck. Where was he?? "N0, 1T'S F1N3. TH4NKS 4NYW4Y." It was most certainly not fine. I sat down on the bench I had left him at. Can't believe him. He even left his bag! He never leaves that thing for more than a couple seconds. Not even in battle.
Wait. His bag? My eyes widened, and I grabbed the bag. Maybe something would help me figure out where he was? Maybe I could call for help on his phone? Or use a call card? No wait, only those who were given the call cards could use them.
Oh. I have his call card. He gave it to me. I can use it.
I pulled out the card, and looked at it. Yellow and red, with a sword on it. It looked like a regular card for battle. I used the card.
...
Nothing. Fucking Banlands.
...Right. Time to call someone. I grabbed his phone, which, for some reason, was unlocked. Even if it wasn't, he'd probably have something easy to guess if you knew him. Like "bl0xsy" or something.
There was some guy named Noobador...Kyoko's contact was there. Haven't talked to her in a while...Jim, Shedletsky, my contact, and a couple others...
I should probably tell Shedletsky. Player doesn't seem too fond of him, but he's an admin. He'd probably be best to talk to about this. Yeah. I'll tell Shedletsky.
Maybe I should tell him this in person, though? It seems important enough to do that. Player might come back though. I hope Player comes back. Maybe he'd just decided that I was taking too long, so he'd grab some water himself. He didn't leave. He wouldn't leave. He wouldn't disappear over something so small, AND leave his bag.
Right.
I got up, grabbed Player's bag, and swung it over my shoulder. I texted Shedletsky 'Hey. I'm coming back to HQ. Be there in a sec.' and he replied uncomfortably quick, with an 'ok'. I started walking. I remembered the way. Mostly.
I made it there fairly quick, and entered the basement, clearly not staring at the floating people.
Then I saw Shedletsky.
"ah, is that you Player?" he asked, turning around.
"what brings you back, Player...s friend?" I tried very hard not to roll my eyes at the admin.
"GR13F3R. 1'M GR13F3R." I said.
"what brings you here, kid? where's Player?"
"PL4Y3R'S N0T H3R3. TH4T'S WHY 1 4M. H3 F3LT R34LLY S1CK, S0 W3 S4T 0N 4 B3NCH." I told him. "1 L3FT T0 G3T S0M3 W4T3R F0R H1M, 4ND WH3N 1 C4M3 B4CK H3 W4S G0N3. 1 C0ULDN'T F1ND H1M 4NYWH3R3. 1 4SK3D 4R0UND 4ND 3V3RYTH1NG."
"...1 GU3SS 1 W4S W0RR13D. 3SP3C14LLY S1NC3 H3 L3FT H1S B4G. H3 N3V3R L34V3S H1S B4G." I added. Shedletsky hummed in acknowledgment. He didn't seem too bothered. That pissed me off.
"do you have any idea where he went?" For an admin he's suprisingly stupid. That or I'm misremembering what I said, because I'm 99% sure that I said I couldn't find him anywhere and had to ask around.
"N0. 1 C4M3 T0 Y0U F0R 4 R34S0N. H3 D1DN'T S4Y H3 W4S G01NG 4NYWH3R3. 1 C4N'T F1ND H1M. 1 D0N'T KN0W WH3R3 H3 1S."
"what's in his bag?" I sort of saw his phone and stopped looking through it, so I grabbed the bag to check.
"H1S PH0N3, C4RDS, F00D, 4ND..."
How big is this bag. It's not very heavy. It looks very small outside. Why does it have so many things. What. "UH...N0T MUCH 3LS3..." I finished.
Which was a lie, by the way. There was a lot more stuff, somehow. But probably not important or worth mentioning. Actually, there was a weird glowy thing. I pulled it out.
"TH3R3'S TH1S, 1 GU3SS. 1 DUNN0 WH4T 1T 1S." It was weird. Very red. And it was sticking onto something. A card. "1T L00KS L1K3 4 C4RD, C0V3R3D 1N...STUFF." I tried brushing it off, but only managed to move it around.
It was yellow and red, with a sword on it.
"PL4Y3R'S C4LL C4RD?" His call card, the one that you copy, and then give to people, so that they can summon you. His call card. Covered in weird red glitchy stuff.
What the fuck?