Chapter Text
April 29th 2023 — 9:29 AM
Purple couldn’t understand, comprehend.
Burning buildings and the screams of dying code. The explosions, the destruction, the smoke. Stick figures running to safety, because if they didn’t, how would they survive?
Purple can remember the moment before it happened. His mother cooking the loveliest meal for a normal dinner. The aroma of spices and the sizzling oil.
Purple can remember how he sat there, waiting, waiting for what exactly?
Then he suddenly woke up, his father pulling him out of some digitized cube. The scent of food disappeared, replaced by the agonizing smell of smoke, he struggled to breathe.
He can remember how his mother picked him up and they ran, Purple couldn’t bring himself to run that time.
Then falling fire came from the sky until a black stick figure blocked it and they managed to escape on time.
Everyone called them ‘The Angel of Death’.
One of the terrorists that attacked Newgrounds and caused a multitude of lives.
Purple can remember how that black stick figure looked like. A hollow-head.. like Orange, yet he was flying, with fire in their hands.
The cold stare that stick gave him chilled him to the core.
And that stare greeted him at his door.
“H-hello..? Do I know you…?” Speaking cautiously.
Red popped out, from behind the most terrifying stick figure in existence.
“Hey Purple! I got someone to help us!”
You mean the Angel of Death?!
“Is he alright..?” The Angel of Death spoke, a cold tone of concern etched into his voice.
“He’s just shy.” Red waved his hand off in a nonchalant gesture, and Purple couldn’t help but insult Red in his mind.
“Purple, meet Chosen!!” Red had an enthusiastic voice, too enthusiastic. Purple raised an eyebrow.
Chosen- who now?!
“And Chosen! Meet Purple! We met him in Minecraft while his adoptive dad tried to kill us and-”
Both of them looked concerned, for completely different reasons.
Purple was questioning how the heck does a terrorist look that worried for someone and Chosen, well, you know.
“Well, anyways! You two need to get along!” Red spoke before forcing them to handshake, which Purple awkwardly followed with sweating.
“Well uh- nice to meet you.. sir…”
Red tapped him on his shoulder, or would he consider that tapping? “Just call him Chosen man, you don’t need to be that formal with him.”
Purple stared at him with concern and confusion.
“Chosen may look cold but he’s just shy.” Red whispered mischievously. Purple only started to look more disturbed.
The Angel of Death—no—Chosen raised an eyebrow.
“I said nothing!” Red scurried away before Purple could protest.
They were alone, and MT was at the grocery.
April 29th 2023 — 8:24 AM
On his way home from the grocery. Dark spotted a familiar set of stick figures—the ‘Color Gang’ Orange called them—and he did not expect them to be out here. He looked more off guard than he allowed himself to be.
“What are you kids doing out here?” He asked, his voice wavering. The kids still looked quite intimidated by his presence. Even though they got along some time, they still didn’t forget about the..
Dark grinned, too wide and too forced.
“Hi… Uhm well.. I have something to ask-” The blue kid started to speak, his voice sheepish. “Did you come across Orange?”
The one who brutally laser beamed him through a mountain? Yes.
He raised an eyebrow. “What happened to the kid?”
The blue one tapped his fingers together, struggling to say what he was thinking.
“I- uh-” he stumbled his words, “Orange he.. I—we don’t know where he is…”
Dark would admit that kid was pretty short.
“How?”
The green kid stepped in front of him, and oh Dark liked the way he held his ground. Reminds him of himself.
“He lost him, after that incident. I’m pretty sure everyone knows that already.”
The Fallen Star?
Dark shuddered at that thought, the green beam of light reminded him of the day of his-
“And you want me to help you find him…?” Dark squinted his eyes with mischievous skepticism, smirking.
“We’re saying that.” Yellow admitted.
“Alright kids,” he gestured for them to follow. “-how about we go to my house and have a cup if tea first. I have to take my groceries back eh?”
Orange and Mitsi had just finished their picnic, that morning . No, it wasn’t the same picnic as yesterday. They had another one today.
They were strolling down the sidewalk, Orange carrying the basket.
Mitsi could see the glee in his eyes, she smiled warmly.
“How were the sandwiches?” She asked, Orange turned to her with a smile on his face, she could still see melancholy in his expression.
“They’re nice,” he spoke, “you make food well.”
Mitsi liked compliments, she always did, Victim always said those that way.
“I’m glad you like it.”
The wind gushed abruptly which made her hair cover her eyes. She made an attempt to restore her vision.
Mitsi paused.
Through the intersection at that sidewalk from the other street—she thought she saw a group of young teenagers with a bright red stick figure..
That’s probably just a trick of the light.
Mitsi shook it off, shivering.
Gold said it was a normal day, a normal day in the life (?) of being dead. Wandering through streets, being invisible.
That large crater in the near outskirts of Stick City?
Well, that wasn’t normal.
For years he agonized the never ending days of being ignored by living sticks—they can’t see him.
Until he met Mrs. Orchid and Mx. Timothy.
Other ghosts would usually be too sad for Gold’s liking, but they were different.
Gold always saw Mrs. Orchid watch over a purple stick figure, his name is Purple, she said she was Purple’s mama! Purple was always with Dad, and Gold was glad that Dad was happy.
Purple made Dad happy.
Purple and his friends even gave him a nickname!
Was it “MT” or something? Gold thinks it’s great!
When Dad lost him.. he was very sad—Gold didn’t want him to be sad.
Purple helped him! Gold can’t be more grateful!
Mrs. Orchid wanted a lovely family, Gold heard her mention it a lot. Gold wanted that too.
Gold wanted to be happy with Dad..
But Gold was dead, and—he didn’t like that at all..
“You look lonely.”
Orange—no—The Second Coming turned around.
A vile silhouette of himself, standing, warping. It glitched continuously, with no visible end. The Second Coming glared, his pupils flickering light green.
“[Why] <|0-d0 y-y0v 1ns1-s1$t 0n |-|-|y1ng?”
Monotone, repeating syllables, distorted, broken.
The Second Coming took a step back, not sure if he was afraid. He held himself in a defensive stance.
The figure stepped closer, and The Second Coming started to tense.
“[W-wh@t] @ [h¥-h¥]-h¥₱0€r1t3 @-@r-r3 ¥0v?”
Hands behind the silhouette’s back, it stared at him as if it was inspecting a threat, an anomaly.
The Second Coming is normal.
“Are you just here to taunt me?” His voice was cold, irritated. He’s done this a million times before.
“$-sh0vldn’t you-y0v-¥07 s-@¥ th3 trvth? 0r @-a-@r3 y0v w@1t-t1ng f0r th3m t0 fi-f1-f1nd 0vt th3mselv3$?”
“I’m not planning for them to find out, and I will never let them.” He felt his hands turn into fists.
“Now get out of my head!” The Second Coming’s eyes glowed light green. Particles of the same color surrounded him in small amounts, for now.
The Second Coming froze.
Wait.
Usually he wakes up after this. So how-
“H-h0w @b0ut y0v f1=fi-f1ght m-m3-e f1r$t.”
It stood its ground, kept glitching, kept warping.
The Second Coming held his stance, hands glowing green.
“I don’t have time for this.” He shot a glare, not sharp enough to intimidate the monster in front of him.
“0h ¥-y3-3|s y0|u d-d0.”
April 29th, 2023 — 10:09 AM
If there was something Victorio learned from being alive for a day is that, pain sucked. He can touch things and hug people but pain just bugs him, okay? Vic is happy of course, but he would’ve preferred to stay as a ghost. He was mostly overwhelmed though.
He’s been dead since 2006, why wouldn’t he?
Vic wondered if this happened to Ms. Orchid and Gold as well. That little kid would be happier than sunshine. Vic can already imagine Gold running to his father’s arms.
That would’ve been a wonderful and sweet sight to see..
Vic remembered how relieved he was when he still could use his “ghost powers”, telekinesis just stuck with him. And of course, Vic would still like to mention that he can turn into a ghost! Well he’s still alive so-
Anyways! Vic is still trying to get used to this lifestyle, especially with the fact that he’s living with two ex-terrorists. Well, how did he end up in that situation? Heh.
Vic still remembers how those two fought, he was unable to ignore that at all. The “Showdown”—the two called it—was intense, and that Orange kid—who Chosen visits from time to time was terrifying to be sure, and he just watched it all unfold.
Dark even got blasted into a mountain.
Cursors! That kid’s a beast.
Though, he didn’t show any signs of remembering that happened. Maybe he forgot? He saw him pass out within that shed after that, so probably.
Did Vic also mention that Orange’s powers could revive stick figures from the dead?! That signature green light from the sky yesterday was surely that kid, Vic would bet on returning to Alan’s PC if it wasn’t him.
Vic already saw a demonstration of that, when the kid revived all of his friends. They materialized, out of thin air. Wasn’t that cool? Anyone?
Vic didn’t see those kids as ghosts when they died—temporarily—back then. Because to be a ghost it takes days, or even years for broken code fix itself to a fraction to materialize them. Are you listening?
Vic was getting lost in his thoughts again.
Still walking. Through the sidewalk, his light grey wrists peeking out the hoodie Dark let him borrow, he blinked.
He stared at the IP grids at the sky for a second, staring too long would send him crashing to whoever was in front of him. He was walking, yeah?
Vic wondered if he mattered at all.
The burning pain in The Second Coming’s abdomen does not compare to the sheer pain of his built up lies.
Years of deceiving and tricking his friends to see him as something he was not, and what a hypocrite he was.
“1 @m t-t-t1r3d of y-y0-ov ly1-1ng,
The Second Coming.”
It was right, that part of himself was always tired. Tired of the pain, the falsehood, the hiding. He wanted to be honest, oh what a hypocrite he was then.
It was complicated, The Second Coming was an anomaly, something different, a monster. His powers were vile and dangerous.
He dodged left, spun, then slammed his fist into the glitch’s chest. A green shockwave burst outward, making the glitch stagger.
And maybe, The Second Coming should’ve been honest to them. But now it was too late. If he had told them now, they would hate him if not already hurt.
He felt a grip on his wrist, he almost landed a blow to its stomach. It pulled him by his arm and slammed him to the ground. He seethed in pain.
While on said ground, he grabbed one of its ankles and proceeded to burn it with his powers, his hand glowing bright green. He heard it shriek in a distorted way.
Its pain was evident on its glitching eyes.
Was his pain evident to the ones he knew?
April 29th, 2023 — 8:32 AM
“Cookies! Cookies! Cookies!” Red squealed, smiling brighter than Dark’s fireballs would ever be.
“Calm down Red before you explode their house from your hyperactivity.” Yellow chuckled. Green grinned. “Yeah, who knows, you might recreate the whole crater we woke up in.”
Blue couldn’t hold his laughter.
Yellow bit his cookie. “I wouldn’t be lying if I said your baking skills are decent.” He adjusted his glasses with his other hand. Green silently laughed and muttered something that could possibly be the word “nerd”.
“Aww thank you kid, I manually baked them.” Dark smirked, his hand holding a small fire, which implied something. “Our oven was broken and I had to use other methods.”
Blue looked genuinely off guard. Green was laughing whole heartedly.
“Gosh! Dude! You didn’t do that!” Green was choking on his laughter. Dark’s smile grew wider. “Oh yes I did.”
“Wouldn’t that be boring to hold a cookie tray for an hour or something?” Red whined, as if he genuinely would die from boredom if that was true.
Dark teases. “You want to do it?” In which Red yells. “Oh cursors! NO!”
Each peculiar night, The Second Coming would dream.
He would dream of encountering this monster, it said those contradicting words.
The Second Coming despised it.
The sequence of events often lead him to waking up before he fought it. Yet, on rare occasions like this—he fought it, on a one on one battle.
This time though, he was losing.
It countered his attacks, stating he was “predictable” in all ways—that kind of made him feel insecure-
As it attempted to hit him he teleported to behind it which led him to attempting to counter it, yet, it was fast, it grabbed him by the neck and-
“Pr3-pr3-d1€-ct@-bl3 @s @lw-w@¥$, @-a-@r-re ¥0u?”
His stance was gone, barely keeping his body upright as it held his neck, pins him to the wall, and brings a hand to the left of his head—though he would say it hurt to an extent. He prepared to take the inevitable blow.
There it spoke, with an undistorted voice. It sounded exactly like him. He met his eyes. It wasn’t a silhouette anymore, it wasn’t glitching.
“Checkmate.”
The Second Coming found himself staring at someone who looked exactly like him.
Waking up right after.
He looked in the mirror, he was glowing bright green. His power overflowing, his head was slowly starting to ache.
The voice he heard was more of an echo to him.
“Orange? Orange!!! We’re back!”
“Oh did you see MT’s face when we joked about Green liking Purple?! Now that was funny!” Red joked, and Green was fuming—the whole clenching fists to white kind.
“No, it was NOT!” He yelled as they were entering the nether portal. Blue felt guilty—he laughed a few moments ago—he entered the portal.
Red smirked. “Oh look Green, the portal’s purple-”
“SHUT UP!” Green shot back—not like it helped his situation though.
Green then crossed his arms. ‘The way MT looked’—no, Green didn’t like Purple at all! They were just friends! And he bets on being friends with a silverfish if he did like him that way!
“What’s got you so racked up Green?” Red teased, “aren’t you usually so chill?” He started to get closer to him. “Or are you mad cause it’s true-”
“CURSORS! Red just STOP!”
“Alright, dude just chill-” He then proceeded to wave his hands nonchalantly—his face betrayed no grin.
And as fast as his smirk disappeared it returned.
Green was pouting. Oh how—annoying was this guy. He did not like what he saw when he turned to that animal loving stick figure-
Red smirking at him with the most crap eating grin was pissing him off even more.
They returned to the PC, it was quiet, Alan wasn’t there.
Green glanced at the date, April 28th, 2023 — 9:36 AM
He always checked the day, it became a habit. Sometimes he would accidentally remember the hour.
“Orange? Orange!!! We’re back!”
Red waved both of his hands, before walking into the Minecraft house with everyone else following. Red was really excited telling Orange about.. gosh.
There was something off..
There was a chill down Green’s spine. If he had one. His next step unbalanced than the one before. He swallowed.
The door creaked open as blue cautiously entered, they were staring to feel uneasy. The floor was too thick for their liking, it felt like each step was a challenge.
“Orange…?” Red quivered.
Red froze.
Green rushed to stand in front of him—in a defensive stance—Green didn’t forget what happened earlier though.
Green particles were everywhere.
What even were those.
Orange—who looked like he just woke up, was glowing bright green power (?) that was about to explode-!
Green blocked Red, as if he wanted to take the impact instead of him. He still didn’t forget about earlier though.
“RED WATCH OUT-!!!”
April 29th 2023 — 9:27 AM
“Mrs. Orchid!” Gold called out to her, running towards her. He’d been walking around for an hour already since he stopped being a ghost. And its already been a day since that explosion. It was so cool!!!
Before he stopped being a ghost, Gold realized Mx. Timothy was missing. Did this happen to him too?
Mrs. Orchid turned around, she was surprised.
“Oh Goldie, are you okay? I thought you had already gone to your father’s.”
Gold should’ve done that honestly, but he flew too far from the house when he was a ghost just a hour earlier, he was too curious by the view of that crater. Did you see?!
“I went too far and now I’m kind of lost..”
Mrs. Orchid held his hand, kneeling down to his view. “Don’t worry I’ll be with you, I was about to go to your father’s house since my son lives with him. But I am planning on going tomorrow though.”
Gold’s eyes lit up. “Tomorrow’s fine! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you Mrs. Orchid!!”
“Now come on Goldie, we’ll have to get rid of our” she paused. “-death certificates for now.” Gold didn’t really understand how that worked, I don’t either, maybe I came up with that. Does that even exist?
They were walking, as if Gold’s legs weren’t tired already before he found her. Gold wanted to sit down so badly.
He missed flying..
April 29th 2023 — 9:14 AM
MT had never felt such hope blossom into his mind.
Ever since that incident there was a chance. A chance.
If Gold was alive that meant he-
He would…
MT didn’t know.
What would his son think of him?
Would his son be proud of him, happy? Even after what he done?
Even then, he would still welcome him with open arms, happier than ever, and then he’d introduce him to Purple.
“Dad what’s it like to have a sibling?” Gold tilted his head in curiosity.
Purple would find how sweet his son really is. The most mischievous kid to have around.
“MT.. can I call you ‘dad’..?”
Purple’s face started turning red from the way MT looked at him. He stammered.
“S-sorry…! That was a stupid question-” Purple got cut off as MT placed a hand on his shoulder, smiling warmly.
“Sure kid.”
MT snatched his keys from the hook and opened the door. From the doorframe he looked back at Purple, “I’m going for the groceries. Make sure that endermen don’t enter our house eh?”
He could see Purple chuckling from the Minecraft reference. It really reminded him of Gold.
MT had already left the house by then.
———