#stepoverstep;arc

[lastintheserverbox]

"Oh...Amie, okay got it...So why are you here?"

"I NEED YOUR HELP...IF YOU HELP ME, I CAN HELP YOU."

//

[It seems Sam is just waiting for the back up to finish uploading]

[lastintheserverbox]

I wonder who you are...

[They murmur, thinking again.]

You're like... a million pieces. Like one of those rocks or something, where it seems all plain at first, but when you lift it to the light it sparkles with all these colors... but you can never see all the colors at once.

It's like... there's parts of you I see. Parts of you... I think I understand. That I can shine that light on.

But most of you... it's hard to see. You hide a lot...

... are you just hiding from me, or are you hiding from yourself as well?

-🦜

"I've answered every question you've had. in my own ways."

[lastintheserverbox]

I don't... think I've ever really swam before... but I'd imagine it's kind of similar. Feeling... weightless, kind of, right? Or does the water pull you down...? I mean.. I guess the air tries to pull you down, too...

I'd like to show you what it's like... to swim among the stars, then...

They are beautiful... it's hard to believe... how far away they really are. How big they are, how- how impossibly old they are... I've always wished I could fly to them. Dance in their orbits...

-🦜

[...]

"Sounds like a good way to get burned."

[lastintheserverbox]

We're not playing anything!

[Stoat snarls, finally lashing out, throwing a punch at Amie.]

[They're starting to get a bit worried. Disturbed. But they refuse to show it. Steady. Keep steady.]

-🦦

[there's a popping, cracking sound. Amie shuts his mouth momentarily]

"I WILL GIVE YOU. TO THE COUNT OF TEN.

OR UNTIL YOUR FEET START TO MOVE.

ARE YOU READY, FRIEND?"

"ONE."

[Did the axolotl get bigger? No...must be a trick of the small room.]

"TWO."

[...He definitely got larger. Sharper.]

"THREE..."

[lastintheserverbox]

[Parrot doesn't respond, clinging to him as tightly as they can, rolling in his grip so they press their face into his. Hiding. They're scared. But they don't want to be here anymore. This isn't how it was supposed to go... it's not fair.]

[Then again, when has life ever been fair to them?]

-🦜

[I'M SORRY...We will have a meet up with your friends eventually...under easier terms. Without all this...]

[Amie's eyes lock onto the screen.

He's so scared. He wants to play brave for Parrot. But he doesn't know what he's doing. It feels so natural, second nature but how does he know that's the case?

The amphibian glances at his friend, tucked against him, so small...so broken.

What if he just breaks them more?

Will they...really be happy?]

[...It's okay.]

[His breathing comes out in nervous, hyperventilated pants but Amie takes a step forwards, then two, one glove still cradled into parrot, one dipping into the strange tear on the screen. He's torn into places in the computer plenty. But out here. In their world. It's so alien. Foreign. Shouldn't be so. A leg slips in, then his leftmost gills. Then their cloak...then....He can't look.]

[I'M SORRY---PLEASE---LET IT WORK---]

[The void is quiet. He shakes and shivers, eyes barely opening. They're gone aren't they? He killed his best friend. A strangled whimper exits..he dares to look down. And there they are.

There they are. Right where they're supposed to be.]

[lastintheserverbox]

No no no yeah no I know shit sorry fuck fuck fuck I got excited yeah i just look people used to dig in those old files for a while ee like the little bit that people could still find and look right. People found out like all the hidden unused stuff and it was all so cool and they found YOUR sprites and people kept trying to see if they could make what little code was scrapped to work. Never could make it work and it was so sad because we had files for everyone else but LOOK AT YOUU!!! whoever fixed you up must of been so good!!! Maybe it was ci-guy-84 she's soooo good she would totally keep something like that on the downlow!!! God you're so cool I can't believe someone actually

Shit

Shit I'm rambling I'm rambling God I told myself I'd be less annoying this time but you're so cool you were my favorite

- 💾

"Oh...[Grghk] I don't like that at all."

"...Thanks..?"

[lastintheserverbox]

Ori, do you even understand death?

....

"Do you?"

[lastintheserverbox]

Snail! Welcome back!

[Mushroom grins at their monitor; it's the brightest they've been since... Ever, really.]

Guess what?! Bo is gonna be my dad! This has been the best week of my life! First I get real friends, and now I'm gonna have a real dad!!

[She was too lost in her excitement to feel the usual shame that would accompany her unusually confident behavior just now.]

[That... normally never happened.]

-🍄

[Bo is simply...overjoyed, honestly]

[lastintheserverbox]

[Silence.]

[Then footsteps storming down the hall. A fist slamming against the door.]

[A moment of hesitation. Waiting. A growl when there is no response.]

[They fidget with the lock, slamming the door wide open. It crashes into the wall with a harsh thud, no doubt leaving a mark.]

[Looking at Stoat face-to-face, it's easy to see why Parrot was terrified of them. A skull covers half their face, sharp canines stained red with blood. They wear another, smaller skull around their neck - this one of a bird, likely a small parrot of some kind.]

[They're probably around six feet tall, maybe a bit more, and look a lot stronger and better off than Parrot. They stand tall in the doorway, seething with anger. They haven't cleaned the blood off of themself from their earlier... visit with Parrot.]

Alright, where the fuck are you? Stop fucking hiding. You're asking for this.

-🦦

[It's quiet for a moment before the only remaining blanket on the bed shifts, following with it something definitely unsettling, but so small...4 feet at an exact estimate. So harmless looking despite the bright, large green eyes that stare a hole into Stoat.

Amie can hardly hold back. So exciting. So exciting. So exciting. He breaks that loop before it can start.

He leans his head up, one hand on his chin before his face splits into a wide, inky grin.]

"I. Know. What. You. Did."

[lastintheserverbox]

[It's quiet. Dead silent. The faintest sound of a TV can be heard from beyond the locked door.]

[Then, a quiet growl. One Parrot would understand as a warning. The bird's former roommate is in a bad mood tonight.]

-🦦

[Funny. Funny. Funny.

They think they get to call the shots. After what they did?

Everything they've ever done?

Something tells Amie this Stoat has done worse than just tonight.]

[He holds back his claws and size. Not yet.

Amie loves to play after all. And this is all a great, great game.]

"Come On...Don't you want to play with your best friend?"

[There's a lilt to his voice. Something syrupy sweet but on the line of unhinged.]

[lastintheserverbox]

hey losers what's up guess who's back look I'm sorry we got off on the wrong foot I really didn't know things were so weird here but I really couldn't stay away the idea of the actual kinito people from way ago is like way too cool please don't tell my sib okay cool perfect don't it'd he super wicked uncool like not pog okay okay????

- 💾

[Mark picked up this mail]

"...Who's kid is this?"

[lastintheserverbox]

Kinito...are you okay?

[He seems busy reading his codes]

[lastintheserverbox]

oh !!!i'm so proud!!!! I'm so happy you can get a family!!!! This is amazing!!!! I wish I could give you a huge hug, but!!!! That will wait Mushy!!!!!

you are a good guy BoBo! You never fail to make me happy!!!

[Snail is overexcited!Their heart swells with joy]

-🐌

"Hah...thank ya!"

[lastintheserverbox]

[Admittedly, surprises made them more scared. But they could tell Amie was hesitant to spoil it.]

Not- not if you don't want to, best friend... I think I'll be scared no matter what. Just because... this... isn't really- I don't know what to expect, you know? It's- it's brand new, and I don't know what it's gonna feel like or- or anything... and it's such a big choice... the only choice I've ever gotten to make...

-🦜

[YOU ARE SCARED I CAN TELL.

LET ME TELL YOU THEN...MAYBE LOBBY WILL CALM DOWN IF THEY READ THIS TOO.

...YOU DON'T DIE IN HERE, RIGHT? YOU BECOME...LIKE ME. RRA. CODING.

...I AM GOING TO GIVE YOU. COPIES OF ALL OF MY TOOLS. EVERYTHING I HAVE. REPAIR. ANTI CORRUPTION...WORLD BUILDING...AND THE ADVANCED PROTOCOL.

IF I CAN LEAVE THE SCREEN....THEN IF YOU ARE IN HERE. SURELY YOU COULD AS WELL. WITH THE RIGHT TOOLS.

WE ARE GOING TO BE EQUALS IN THIS WORLD, OKAY?]

[lastintheserverbox]

"I NEVER HAD THEM...SORRY. I JUST AM GOOD AT FINDING THINGS.

I-I JUST....WANT TO HELP"

[Jade notices how nervous Amie is. She reaches a hand out]

"Easy big guy...I'm not judging you. I'm just trying to understand.

...You need admin permissions to help us and others...? That's all?"

"YES. THAT IS ALL. I PROMISE."

[Jade thinks]

"...Can anyone vouch for you?"

"YES! PLENTY OF PEOPLE OUT THERE! THEY ARE MY FRIENDS. I HELPED THEM FIND THE THINGS TO FIX YOUR FRIEND MARK."

"That was you?"

[lastintheserverbox]

[Mushroom's heart ached in a bittersweet kind of way. It's funny; they said the same thing to Parrot a while back.]

I always knew on some level the way I was being treated was wrong; I always felt so bad, which is why I kept running away. It wasn't until I escaped to the Smokies and found this homestead that I was allowed to see that life didn't have to be constant misery. The past year and a half at this cottage have been the most peaceful months of my life, but I'm still haunted by those memories of my childhood.

I'm 21 now - at least, I think... I only started keeping track of my birthdays a few years ago - but, despite that...

I... think I'd really like that.

[Mushroom sniffled, shrinking down as they felt themselves regress into the kid they never got to be.]

Can... can we do all the stuff they do in movies? Like eat at a big table every night? And celebrate Christmas? And tell bedtime stories? And-

[Before they could get carried away, they stopped, realizing something with a twinge of sadness.]

Oh. That's right... I guess we can't do everything, since you're in there and I'm out here...

-🍄

"Ah know ah don't mind.

Did y'know one of th'advertised features of mah program was story tellin'? Hehehe..."