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"What is WRONG WITH YOU JUMPER" Derapchu screamed as he backed away from her. He grabbed at his hair as his breathing sped up, he looked like he was having a panic attack.
JumperWho just smiled at the panicking man "oh Derap, it's a experiment don't you see? A perfect experiment of a human mind and how much it can take before it breaks" she grins. They would be proud of her.
Derap stared at her with his mouth agap, tears pooled in his eyes. "Why-" he shuttered "w-why did you do this, we- WE WERE FRIENDS I SAW YOU AS MY SISTER WHY!?"
Jumper stared at him for a second wondering if she actually did something wrong. No, she thought, friends are a weakness, teammates and family are strength.
"Why, Jumper" Derapchu looked like a wreck, she did that, she destroyed him mentally. And that brought a smile to her face. Derapchu scoffed "fine" he spat "be that way, I hope you're happy." With that he equipped his elytra and flew away leaving Jumper to think.
Why did she do this.
Sure Jumper could have told herself that she did it for the experiment to test the human mind. But that would be lying to herself. She did it for the server of her past, Levels. Jumper was a different person then, more brutal, manipulative, and a wild card. And the days were counting down to the anniversary of the fall of Levels.
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Wemmbu sat on his throne alone tapping his fingers along to some unknown pattern. His mind has been drifting the last few days he didn't know what was wrong with him. He would space out, randomly have an overflow of emotions, and he just wasn't having a good time.
Wemmbu stopped tapping and grabbed his braid with one hand and started to twist the purple hair. Why now of all times did his mind wander, what was coming up that he had forgotten. What-
His eyes widened. Of course it was that.
Wemmbu placed a hand over his eyes as he leaned against the handle of his throne. His mind was flooded with memories of his past server. The highs the lows everything in between. And the fall of the server that crushed the members so much.
Wemmbu remembered it so clearly, the world cracking into two, and it didn't matter which side you were on now you were just trying to survive. He watched as player after player people start to drop like flies because of them. At first he only thought 3 people survived by falling into a portal that led to Lifesteal, himself Jumper and Pentar. Then Flame and Mane revealed that they also fell into a portal together and ended up in a jungle. Then Yungwillx, we found a portal to Bliss smp and then he chose to join Lifesteal.
Wemmbu still remembered the screaming, the cries of people being torn away from their loved ones, their admin, Kj, falling apart and being torn with cracks as he went down with a server. And for the first time in a while, Wemmbu let the tears that were gathered in his eyes fall.
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ManePear sat curled in a ball as he watched the stream's water with dull eyes. He had his blindfold off revealing his amber eyes. He didn't care if people saw him, he was most likely to deep into the jungle for anyone to find him anyway, and if they saw him, he probably wouldn't even take notice of them.
Mane couldn't hear a thing other than the ringing and the sides of his vision were blurry. The world faded away more and more as his breathing grew faster. The cracks, the screams, Kj being ripped apart from the inside, and the last thing he saw as his cousin pushed him into a portal was that fucking face. The face of the watcher that took away his home server. Mane places his forehead on his knees as the world slips away.
Mane remembered the words of the watcher so clearly "your all nothing but killing machines." "Your life is meaningless without carnage" "if you think you can have peace I will stop you." And with that his final strand of tetherness was gone
And suddenly he's not there anymore, he can't feel his head on his knees, he can't feel his body on the ground, he doesn't feel real. He was detached from himself, he wasn't anything, not a Lifestealer, not a Levels player, not a human. He didn't know how long he sat there, all he knew was that his home server was gone.
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FlameFrags buried himself in gathering resources the whole month so he wouldn't have time to think. He gathered gold and apples for golden apples, potion materials for health and strength potions, and extra XP for his armor. He kept himself so busy he didn't even realize Mane left about an hour ago.
He made sure he didn't have time to think. Think about how much he missed the old days of Levels and the den. Think about the image of Kj being torn apart. Think about Render, his enemy, best friend, partner, and everything in-between, screaming for help as he could only watch. Having to leave everything behind and drag his cousin through a random portal, and as they fell into the unknown pulling Mane close and Flame letting silent tears fall.
Flame didn't have time to think about the long year him and Mane stayed in that jungle alone. The hard times where the cave they were staying in grew to freezing temperatures, the inconsistencies of food, and the silent nights where 1 or both of them broke. Or the good times where Mane somehow talked to and befriended a lion that kept them warm and hunted with Mane, the time Flame found an abandoned village with an abundance of food, or the few times Flame ran through the jungle chasing Mane with a wide grin on his face.
But Flame didn't think about that, he couldn't think about the few good times without thinking of the multiple bad times. So he just pushed himself into gathering resources and pushed any thoughts about the past.
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Pentar and Yungwillx sat together in silence. Zam had checked up on them a few times, bring a few snacks, water, or just sitting with them. But he didn't ask what was wrong, he understood how bad the past could weigh down on people. So he just did his best.
Pentar was grateful for Zam's help, though Yungy didn't eat or even notice Zam, Pentar could tell he was thankful for the comfort.
Yungy was the worst of the 2 of them, he was alone when he fell through the portal to Bliss. He had no one to talk to about the end of Levels and no one who understood what happened.
Pentar at least had Wemmbu and JumperWho to talk to. Yungy went through wars, battles, sleepless nights, panic attacks, and so much more, alone. And now that he had someone to talk to, he didn't know how to open up. He spent so much time pushing everything down he didn't know how to let himself feel safe.
But Pentar didn't push it either, he just offered comfort the best way he could, cuz he understood what he was going through. And he didn't want Yungy to have to go through stuff alone ever again.
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JumperWho took a walk to clear her mind, she didn't know where she was heading she just kept walking. Letting her mind wander as she traversed the jungle. But she stopped when she came to a small clearing, and once she looked, Jumper was shocked.
In the middle of the clearing was ManePear, the 2nd strongest player on Lifesteal, but he was, crying? He had his knees close to his chest, his blindfold was discarded beside him revealing his amber eyes with a slit pupil most likely due to him being a lion hybrid, but his eyes were dull. Though he was one of the best pvper on the server he looked defenseless. He didn't have any armor on, no weapons other then a diamond sword discarded far away from himself.
Jumper slowly made her way to Mane's side, she didn't know why it just felt right. She sat down about a foot away from Mane and just stared at the stream in front of them. Mane's eyes slowly started to gain light as he blinked multiple times. His eyes eventually found Jumper's, but instead of being cruel or dangerous like Jumper thought, his gaze was soft and vulnerable. His pupils were dilated, his tail was shaking slightly, his eyes were tear stained, and there was simple understanding between them.
Jumper's eyes fluttered closed as she sighed "you miss home too, right?"
Mane squeezed himself closer to his chest "yeah" he muttered "I miss Levels a lot I've not be taking this whole month good."
Jumper laughed dryly "yeah, me too, I did that whole Truman show so I didn't have time to think about Levels."
Mane scooted closer to Jumper, quietly tilling his head almost as a question. Jupmer's mind flashed back to her time at Levels, after the server meeting ending there was a special place most of the server would go. It was a good sized room with a ton of blankets, covers, and pillows. Kj made it to represent a den of a dragon or demon hybrid. And after every meeting most players would stay in the den for the night and most of the next morning. She remembered feeling save, even with everything that was going on Jumper always curled up next to other players with a smile on her face. It had been so long since any Levels player had gotten together and done this tradition. She hadn't realized how much she missed it.
Jumper lifted her arm and Mane quickly nuzzled into her side. He looked, so small like a kitten, not like a dangerous murder. His eyes fluttered close and his tail wrapped around Jumper's arms. She raised her hand to scratch behind his ear, she laughed as Mane let out a sound that was close to a purr.
Jumper giggled "I haven't realized that I missed the den's until now."
Mane stayed silent for a little bit before he perked up and untangled himself from Jumper's side. He smiled like a kid "I've got an idea, what if we made our own den and get the other Levels players on Lifesteal in it."
Jumper put her hand on her chin, sure most likely are the other Levels people are also having a hard time since it's the anniversary. But would they actually want to? Well there is only one way to find out.
"It is a good idea" Jumper draws on "but do you have the materials to make a den?"
Mane jumps up and extends his hand to Jumper "I've got a few ideas." And with that Jumper smiles and takes Mane's hand.
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•~Lifesteal chat~•
JumperWho: all Levels smp players meet at [chords] for den night
ManePear: if u don't come we will go to ur base and drag u there ^u^
FlameFrags: What
Pentar: mk I got nothing better to do me and Yungy will be there
Wemmbu: how can I be sure this ain't a trap
JumperWho: it is den night Wemm u know den night rules and we are following them
Wemmbu: .
Wemmbu: fine omw
ManePear: Yess!
FlameFrags: Mane what is this?
ManePear: den night
ManePear: me and Jumper wanted to get everyone back together since we both missed den night
ManePear: and don't pretend u didn't miss it
FlameFrags: fine.
JumperWho: YESSSSSS!
ManePear: YIPPEE!!
SpokeIsHere: wha the hell are they talkig abot???
Mapicc: No clue
Mapicc: but fix your grammar
SpokeIsHere: Die painfully
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Wemmbu was the first person to show up, once he got to the chords he inspected the outside of the dark oak building for a little bit, still being suspicious of this being a trap. But eventually he had no more excuses to not going so he pushed through the door and expected the worst.
But there is no explosion, no one jumping him, no void trap or lava pit. Instead he was met by a variety of pillows covering the floor and covers and blankets spread equally among the floor as well. There were also dim fairy lights hanging around the room that gave a homey feel (Wemmbu was later recognize that they were the same type of fairy lights that were used in the den on Levels). The first person he noticed was Mane, who was sitting without armor with a orange sweatshirt on specifically tall pill of pillows eating a cookie. But what also stood out to him was that Mane didn't have his blindfold on revealing his amber eyes. Wemmbu vaguely remembered that Mane took off his blindfold whenever they were in the Levels den, and when he gifted Flame his stapled blindfold he made him promise to take it off in the den. Beside him was Jumper, again no armor laying flat on her back in comfortable clothes with a plate of cookies beside her.
They both looked at Wemmbu who hadn't moved from the door frame. They didn't look mad or even sad they looked happy and they waited patiently for him to step in on his own accord.
Wemmbu backed out of the door halfway closing it and moving from Mane and Jumper's sight. He placed his ender chest down and leaned on it. Was he really going to do this make himself so vulnerable so easy to kill. But he thought about how much he missed the comfort, and just having people around him who weren't trying to kill him at every corner. Wemmbu had lost any person he would have trusted, other than the Levels members, when he lost Egg. Having never seen them since unstable, he felt a void in his chest.
Wemmbu grabbed the bracelet on his right arm, it was a simple red beaded bracelet with a blue eye charm in the middle. He had complained that it was a bit creepy when Egg first gave it to him, but he now never took it off. He almost treated as a good luck charm holding a close to his head or giving it a quick kiss before a battle. Or maybe he hoped wherever Egg was they would feel comfort or safety.
Wemmbu sighed and planted his lips on the blue eye charm before he started to take off his armor and put it in his ender chest. At least if he died he'd still have his stuff. He just stood outside the door for a second as his hand hovered over the handle. But with another glance at the bracelet he swallowed his doubts and entered the den completely.
When Wemmbu entered he was shaking slightly, eyes still trying to find any hint of danger. But all he found was Mane's smile and Jumper smiling sweetly and waving him over. Wemmbu slowly made his way over to a spot about 2 feet away from Jumper and as he sat down got offered some cookies.
"So" Jumper started, grabbing Wemmbu's attention "how have you been handling everything?" It was a very heavy question, he didn't answer just fidgeted with the cookies in his hand that was still hot.
But Mane quickly realized Wemmbu's discomfort and flopped himself across Jumper's lap. His upside-down eyes found Wemmbu's with a smile "it's ok bro. No one's been taking it well, well I guess I only know me and Jumper for sure but I think I can make a conclusion about how the others been acting."
Wemmbu sighed as he ran his free hand in his hair "I don't know, I guess I've been spacing out more. Also I've been more secluded and distant.”
"Yeah same" Mane muttered as Jumper ran his fingers through his hair making him pur like a cat. "Jumper found me disassociated at a stream because it reminded me of the Jungle me and Flame were trapped in.”
They all into a comfortable silence, they only sounds being the flickering fairy lights and the purring coming from Mane. Wemmbu also found a strange liking to hearing the heart beat and breathing of both Mane and Jumper. It could have been a spider thing or a hybrid thing or just a him thing, to him it didn’t really matter, and he finally let his final wall down.
Wemmbu finished the cookie he had and shifted to curl against Jumper’s side. Nuzzling his head into her shoulder and neck. He also replaced Jumper’s hand that was in Mane’s hair with his own. The lion hybrid didn’t mind 1 bit, and with a smile he stretched himself across both Jumper and Wemmbu. Jumper just smiled and placed a sweet kiss into Wemmbu's cheek. Maybe, Wemmbu thought, this wouldn’t be half as bad as he thought.
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Yungy and Pentar were the next people to join them in the den. Pentar had private messages Jumper a little about Yungy’s situation, which she passed on to Mane and Wemmbu. Pentar said Yungy had gone non verbal, only using small hand gestures or pointing to get his point across. Pentar himself wasn’t sure how he felt about all of this. Sure he wanted to do dens again, the warmth and the comfort was one that could never be replaced. But what would other Lifestealer think. Sure the demon hybrids on the server already did dens together but not all the Levels people were demon hybrids or hybrids at all.
They all took the tradition from the dragon hybrid admin Kj. Sure Flame is a demon hybrid and Mane can be written off since he is Flame’s cousin. But the other side no ties other than through KJ. They love the tradition but would it be safe on the server.
But on the other hand who would want to attack a room with the a demon hybrid who hears voices and a cannibalistic lion hybrid (both being the best pvper on the server). A spider hybrid known for his control over people and his deadliness with a mace. A human woman known for manipulating people until it makes them paranoid and snap. The new spider hybrid to joined the season it is a war general (most people don’t know that, they just know he was in a war). And Pentar himself, who’s human with slight traces of divinity and is pretty good with pvp.
Honestly Levels is was stacked with good players.
Anyway when Yungy and Pentar got there it was a pretty decent place. Usually the den would be placed in the middle of KJ's base to feel closer to him (Pentar felt a wave of sad for his admin). But this den was kind of in the middle of nowhere. Which Pentar didn’t mind to much since this is the first time they're all getting together in a peaceful manner. It was a dark oak box, clearly made with the intent of the inside being better than the outside. There's an ender chest on the outside of the building probably left here by someone that got here before them. Most likely Wemmbu since he heard Flame was making his way across the nether to his base before coming here.
Pentar put a few spare items into the ender chest and waited patiently as Yungy placed his boots in the e-chest. Yungy then turned to face the door his hand hesitating nervously.
Pentar placed a hand on Yungy’s shoulder and smiled softly “we can stay outside for a bit if you want. It’s up to you” Yungy shock his head before he pointed at the door and then back to Pentar. He tilted his head “you want me to go in first?”
Yungy nodded as there was a faint twitch in his lip upwards. Pentar took a deep breath and rested his hand on the door knob for a second then opening the door.
The room was homey, it had a familiar sent and vibe to the place that made Pentar think he was transported back to Levels. And maybe for the time being he’ll let himself believe that.
“Hey Pentar, hey Yungy” Jumper said in a soft voice “take your time to get used to the place. I did make cookies but this idiot” Jumper flicked Mane on the forehead, the lion hybrid just scoffed. “Has almost ate them all, I managed to save a few.” Jumper laughed while Wemmbu rolled his eyes but kept running his hand through Mane’s hair, smiling when ever he saw the hybrid’s tail wag like a damn dog or his ear twitch.
Currently Jumper was sitting up right on a tall pile of blankets and pillows as she sat at a angle with a thin purple blanket dripped over her legs. Wemmbu was sitting close to Jumper against the wall that was lined with pillows. Mane had his legs over Jumper’s laying on his stomach with his head on Wemmbu’s lap like he owned the place.
Yungy was surprisingly the first of them to move walking over the jumper and grabbing a cookie, signing a ‘thank you’ with a smile that she nodded to in returned. He then grab a large red tine blanket that caught his eye earlier and carried it over his shoulder. He then promptly flopped over beside the other spider hybrid propped himself up on his elbows and started nipple at the cookie as he absent-mindedly listened to Jumper and Wemmbu talk about mundane stuff.
Pentar smiled as he walked over and sat beside Yungy, who as soon as Pentar got comfortable Yungy threw the other side of the cover over Pentar’s legs and curled himself close to Pentar. And Pentar smiled. Though Yungy went non verbal he still showed his gratitude and care for others. And sure there is still a lot of things they need to talk about, that can wait until Yungy is ready.
Sure things will never be how they used to be they could never go back to their normal home server. They'll never be able to go back to their old home server or see their admin or any of their lost friends ever again. But maybe they can make Lifesteal their new home server. They can't replace their old home server but they can have a new one. They can't see their old admin again but the new one treats them well and helps them out. They may never see they're old friends and family’s again but they have each other and new friends and family’s.
No matter how cringe Pentar sounds he’ll always love his home server.
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Flame had pushed off going to the den for long enough. He just wanted to keep not remembering and not thinking about Levels. He preferred to be blissfully unaware when it comes to his past. He liked the pretend that Levels didn't mean anything to him, and that is just another server.
But- it wasn’t, no matter how hard Flame tried to lie to himself, Levels was his home server.
With all the not thinking he was doing before he was thinking in over time on the way to the den. He thought about the den on levels, and how sometimes before the friendship tag was lost, he and Render would sneak down into KJ’s base and sleep in the den by themselves. He thought about the nights where everyone was in the den, him getting crushed on both sides by Mane and Render, and how he didn't really mind it, the two most important people in the world to him sleeping soundly next to him (well Mane did snore like he was a hog and that woke Render up a lot but that's beside the point). He remember the promise Render and he made, to always be on each others side no matter what team they’re on. Even though fighting went on and things change the one thing that never did was how every month like clockwork Render was at his side for that night.
And other then his literally only family members left, Render was the only other person who Flame let see pass the immortal demon to see FlameFrags.
And at the ending of Levels it was supposed to be peaceful. They were all supposed to go to the den one last time stay there for almost a week and then they would split off. Levels would stay running for vacations holidays and anyone who needed a home still it would just be dormant. And Flame had planned to try out for Lifesteal with Mane and Render. Flame was already starting to gain a name for himself outside of Levels for going toe to toe with some of the best pvper. Mane had also been exited to try out at Lifesteal, he'd loved the concept of the server ever since season 1. But while Mane hadn’t made as big as an impact as Flame he still attracted an audience with his chaotic and hyper character. Render though, was know for going toe to toe and even beating Flame in battles. If Flame was honest with himself Render was 1 if not the only person who could actually beat him in a 1v1 fight with no hacks (Mane was still in his training though so maybe one day Mane could do the same). KJ even said he was going to talk to the Lifesteal admin and put in a good word for them and a few other people who said that they might want to try and join.
And that day when Flame laid down in the den, Render with his head on Flame’s chest and Mane sprawled out beside Flame with his tail curled around one of Flame’s legs. Flame felt for once in his life he was at peace with himself. No voices yelling in his head, no up in coming war, no bad luck. Just him and the closest thing he ever had to a family in the den sleeping soundly, not knowing when they woke up their life’s would be changed forever.
He was stupid for believing peace was a thing he could have. Bad luck has followed him everywhere since he was a child and it never stopped. That’s why Mane was the only blood relative he had left, Mane was strong enough to survive and get used to the bad luck.
And he was stupid for believing when KJ extended his hand and offered them a server a home, that is luck had changed. It was just dormant waiting for the time to strike to bring his life crumbling down in the most devastating way possible.
Flame drug his hand through his hair as he slowly came to the dark oak box that was supposed to be the den. It was more of a shack, but even from the outside Flame’s instincts were telling him to roll into a ball of warmth and comfort, and let himself make as many trills and purrs. The strongest pvper fighting his own body and instincts to not make a fool of himself before he even gets into the damn den.
Fuck Mane for making him come to this meet up.
Flame just came from his base and he didn’t bother to put his armor back on when he left. He knew the deal with the den, no armor, comfortable clothes. Since they haven’t done this in a while their probably going to be here for a few days, probably enough to get a Lifesteal search party to start because after the first night, sometimes at the door, communicators are usually discarded or put in a e-chest. So Flame goes ahead and placed his communicator in the e-chest on the out side of the den, he also burns a few trash items with a deal flint and steel.
Flame’s hand comes up to his face almost on instinct but he quickly stops himself. Back on Levels Flame would tear his blindfold off without a second thought and let himself be pulled into the den. But was it still the same, could he take the 1 thing that used to protect him from shame off and still be FlameFrags?
He decided to keep it on just in case, Flame could always take it off later if he wanted to. So Flame took a deep breath and opened the door into not only the den, but his past.
Flame quickly scanned the room for threats. On the far right was Pentar who was curled into the corner asleep with a red blanket draped over his legs. Beside him was Yungy snoring softly who was hugging a pillow and almost completely covered in the same red blanket. Beside Yungy was Wemmbu who was half asleep but still scratching the lion hybrid who was laying in his lap. Said lion hybrid was Mane who hadn’t notice Flame but was purring with his tail wrapped around Wemmbu’s leg. Jumper was the last player there, she was wrapped up in a fuzzy purple blanket leaned on a pile of pillows with a plate of cookies beside her.
Jumper was the only 1 who noticed Flame at first, she just smiled softly and waved him over. Flame sighed but took a sat a leaded on the same pillow pile Jumper was leaning on. Mane’s ears pricked up as he propped himself on his elbows. Flame just know took notice that his cousin wasn’t wearing his blindfold as amber eyes stared at him.
Mane quickly pulled himself away from Wemmbu to nuzzle up to Flame as he rested his head on Flame’s chest. And Mane almost immediately passed out, he was most likely waiting for Flame to show up before he fell asleep. Since the jungle, Mane always made sure Flame was alive and breathing before he would think about sleeping, this little trait stuck with him all the way to the present.
Wemmbu just shrugged and leaned back into the pillowed wall, and a passed out Yungy clinged onto his side. He rolled his eyes but started to mess with the black spider hybrid’s hair as he slowly slide closer to the ground.
“So” Jumper says quietly as she turned to face Flame. “What happened Mane’s no blindfolds in the den rule” she taps her temples.
Flame only scoffed in response and muttered “that rule is stupid” as his dumb demon hybrid brain starts to turn to mush. Sure every once in a while Mane would have a bad day or just randomly tackle Flame while yelling ‘dog pile’ and the night would end with them cuddling, it wasn’t like the den but it was the closest they got to 1. But this time everyone that was left of Levels was here, the server he so desperately wanted to leave was here together like it was always supposed to be.
“Well your around family” Jumper said like it was the easiest thing in the world as she grabbed a cookie and offered it to Flame. “Not just Mane, we’re all family, even if we might be a little fucked up that just adds a little spice to it.”
Flame had officially blue screened but Jumper just added “and your never getting away from that no matter how strong you are.”
Flame took the hand that wasn’t in Mane’s hair and took the cookie from Jumper. It was stupidly symbolic in a way Flame’s mush brain couldn’t comprehend. But before he took a bite he pulled his other hand from Mane’s hair to his blindfold, taking it off and tossing it across the room. His left eye was a deep red that matched the color or blood. But his right eye was a amber that matched Mane’s eye color. Flame used to have 2 amber eyes was a kid but after his parents bad decisions with a demon that turned him into a demon hybrid. He had seen it as a curse for so long but when Flame looked into Jumper, she smiled at him.
Jumper nuzzled her nose into the neck and kissed the collarbone of the immortal demon that was seen as only driven by blood. But that wasn’t true. The immortal demon was driven by blood, but FlameFrags was driven by his loyalty and family.
FlameFrags looked around the room and didn’t see enemies, didn’t see strangers, didn’t even see friends. He saw family.
Flame smiled he planting a kiss on Jumper’s and Mane’s forehead before leaning back and taking a bite of the cookie.