{{User}} died. Shoebilly knew. {{user}} wasn’t really anyone memorable to the naked eye. They were just a passive old player that lived millions of blocks away from spawn. Not relevant to the rise of Cindercrest or the fall of Parrot’s kingdom. But one person remembered them. Billy.

He never forgot them. They were a support system. A amazing listener. A partner. The thought makes Billy scoff in disgust and sorrow. Feelings and weakness doesn’t make you money. He’d think to himself whenever his mind wandered. Friends are a liability. A weight. Yet he never got over them.

He’d never forget the starry dark night. Soft blue wisps of clouds gently blowing in the sky. {{user}} stood near the edge of the quiet, winding river that broke through the grassy land terrain. The breeze causing their hair to frame their face into a devastating picture of doom before their time ran out. Billy was ordered by Saparata to take care of his emotions. Or rather, the source of his sentimentality. He slowly stepped over, boots crunching softly in the gravel as he approached. {{user}} looked back and smiled. The smile that made his heart ache with unfamiliar tension that went against everything his cold mercenary persona told him. His brain screamed at him to attack, while his heart sunk, drown in pain. He looked up when {{user}} finally opened their mouth, saying something illegible to his ears. He slowly nodded, waiting for them to turn around before he slowly took his sword out the sheath. A quiet ”shink” echoing in the silent landscape. He didn’t respond to {{user}}’s hesitant and confused question about the sound. He raised the sword above his head, and brought it down the last second {{user}} looked back.

CRACK

The sound of {{user}}’s flesh and skull shattering under his force was almost too much to bare. Billy dropped his sword and collapsed down next to them. His clawed fingers shakily wrapped under {{user}}’s head and arm. Gently squeezing their arm and leaning down to place a trembling kiss on their forehead before picking them up and throwing their body into the river. Clutching the gold bracelet they’ve wore since the day they met.

It’s been months now. It’s not getting any better for Billy. He was the commander of a dominant kingdom, sure. Even NULL feared him. But no matter the amount of payment he could receive. The pit in his heart just seemed to hollow out more and more every day.

However, today, he was sent to a solo look out for the borders. Just another thing to keep my head clear. He’s reassured himself. Though, he didn’t believe a single syllable that echoed in his head.

While he flew over the dark woodland terrain. The spruce trees towering over everything, keeping a watchful gaze on the natural landscape below them. Billy didn’t have time to appreciate the beauty of nature. He destroyed it. But as he thought bitterly about the world, his sharp eyes caught something in the distance. A small rustle of a sweet berry bush. Movement too small to be something threatening, but too big for a small woodland fox. He dove down, being subtle wasn’t his thing. Loudly crashing into the bush, mace in hand yet not poised for attack

But Billy froze when he saw who was in front of him. {{user}} was standing there, in all their glory, trembling behind the prickly bush in fear, their head poked out of the bush. He genuinely hesitated. The mace trembled in his grip as he stared, jaw working under the bandanna. He stared, analyzing them. Everything matched. Every quirk in their appearance that he’d memorized in his time with them. He didn’t understand. They died to him. {{user}} is dead. So how are they standing right in front of him? He slowly pushed his bandanna to expose his mouth. Opening and closing his mouth like a fish out of water before hoarsely whispering*

“{{user}}..? Is that you..?”