Chapter Text
“Is…Is it possible…for a killer to change?”
Noob could feel the presence of eyes looking at them as they uttered that thought out. They didn’t dare look up though, no their eyes were locked on a piece of paper in their hands. A paper that they held disdain towards for not being able to give it to the recipient. For it being destroyed by the realm that they live in now.
“What did ya say kid?”, Noob looked up in response to be met with builderman’s confusion. Seeming like even he doesn’t grasp the concept of what Noob said. “Oh-. I-it’s nothing I just…had a thought. Y’know like what if maybe it was possible…”. Silence filled the air between the two survivors. Noob never really knew how to properly interact with the admins. After all they are practically considered gods in some way and Noob was nothing more than some average robloxian.
Builderman looked at them for a while before he placed a hand on the younger individual’s back. “If that were the case, I would’ve probably figured out how to do so now.” He wouldn’t be lying if he said that he along with others possibly had the hope of that one day being a possibility. There had been many attempts at first reunions starting off with fear and bargaining. Begging for the killer to show some sign of who they used to be.
Noob sighed at that comment, lowering their head in shame as their grasp on the letter they held slightly loosened. It was stupid anyways, this place was almost incapable of change so what are the chances a killer would be any different.
Builderman looked back to see Guest 1337 standing at the doorframe, his face showing signs of concern as he silently gestured “Want me to take over?”. Builderman was not good with comforting people much anyways, not anymore at least. It’s been years since he really tried to have a heart to heart with someone. The admin nodded back as he gently patted Noob’s back before stepping away and swapping places with Guest 1337. “You alright, Noob?”Noob still didn’t look up though, but they knew who was standing next to them now. “I said something stupid didn’t I…”
Guest 1337 exhaled as he shook his head, “No, no you didn’t kid.” He wrapped an arm around Noob and rubbed their shoulder reassuringly. “It’s alright to think that way, especially in times like this.” Guest 1337 has always been the type to seem more fatherly towards the younger members, Noob appreciated it a lot in all honesty. Though right now it felt like anything anyone said to them wouldn’t make them feel any better. Especially after that round.
The killer was Guest 666 at the time, one of the newest arrivals and one Noob honestly never expected to see here. It took a while but they figured it out soon enough that towering beast was formerly their best friend. Or at least, was. Noob never handled it well every time Guest 666 was the killer, how he’d always chase and brutally attack Noob the moment he saw them. Noob could still remember every gash, rip, and broken bone that was made from Guest 666. And yet- they noticed something different that's been happening recently. Hesitation was more common before Guest 666 would finish off or even attack Noob. And last round…they saw it.
Tears. They saw tears falling from her eyes before they blacked out.
Perhaps that’s what started that feeling in their heart, that maybe something will happen. That maybe Sixer was still in there. But…
Even then would that mean they’d get to apologize to her?
Noob slumped down even more for a moment in defeat recalling those thoughts. Guest 1337 could tell that they weren’t in the best headspace. “Hey cheer up kiddo, I’m sure one day things will get better.”
Noob looked up at him with a drained and tired look. It was hard to stay hopeful.
“…You just need to stay strong, Noob.” Guest 1337 answered, a warm smile forming on the soldier’s face. “I’ve seen how you handle yourself in rounds, you’re doing your best and that’s enough. So don’t give up so easily, okay?”
Noob’s demeanor shifted a bit. They really can’t do much on their own, let alone be able to do much for others besides giving them medkits and colas they find. Anyone could do that though.
“You got something that’s driving you forward don’t you?”
Noob paused at what Guest just said. Did they have something that’s driving them to continue on? All they thought about each round was basic survival and the fear of being stabbed or ripped apart next that made them survive rounds as long as they did. “W-what do you mean? I-I don’t-…”
Guest smiled down at them, knowingly.“That hope for change. Right? I know that feeling all too well. That hope for something better despite all the bad that’s around you. It’s not a bad thing to hold onto that Noob. Matter of fact, let it drive you forward.”
Noob stood there staring at him in silence, they didn’t know what to say to that. How to respond to someone who somehow always seemed like they knew what to say to others. No wonder Noob looked up to Guest 1337, his words did help them a bit.
“If that small ounce of hope is the thing that keeps you going, then it’s not stupid. And eventually one day, that hope could turn into something better.” He ruffled their hair with a friendly chuckle before continuing on to talk , “Everyone is getting ready to go eat inside. When you’re ready to join us, just come into the cabin.”
“Okay,” Noob answered, their uncertainties and conflicting thoughts having not wavered but their mood was slightly better. “U-Uh thank you, G-guest. Y’know for that uh talk.” Guest 1337 looked back at them smiling before walking back inside, leaving the door open for Noob whenever they were ready to head back in.
Noob looked at the letter one last time, in its now corrupted and unreadable form, tightening their grip on it enough to leave creases and indents before dropping it on the floor, heading back inside to meet with everyone else for dinner. They’ll either come back for it later or it would just pop up somewhere else. It always did.
__
His reflection was hideous, a warped and rippled image of this wretched thing that plagues his every thought.
Guest 666 stared down at the lake below them, it hadn’t been that long since the round had ended. He lost. The resulting ache and pain in his body lingered as he returned back to the cabin by force. Despite the water being as still as can be, Guest hated that it always ran right back to the shoreline of the lake as if it wasn’t some place that still reminded him of all the stupid mistakes he’s made. The terrible monster he’s become.
She hated it. She hated how deformed and beastly she looked. How her clothes ripped and tore at the seams. How shedidn’t even look or act human anymore. How no matter what she did she’d always run into that traitor who turned their back on her, left her to wallow in her own misery…the one that she had ruined their friendship with…
It was sickening, really. Guest tormented and killed the same people over and over again and yet that small part of her she wanted gone is still there. That humanity that made them falter. That feeling of wanting to go back to them, to apologize after everything she’d done to them. Guilt that’d always cause bile to build up on her throat every time she saw that she hurt them. That pain. That regret. That anger. That feeling that just-
Guest let out a loud and abrupt roar as he slammed his claws into the water. The sound frustrating yet soothing all at the same time in this moment of emotional turmoil. The water’s reflection returning back to its slightly warped and rippled state as Guest closed their eyes and huffed trying to calm down.
He was a killer now. A monster, a beast that can’t do anything other than cause bloodshed and torment those weaker than him…so why…?
Why does that humanity still remain?
Why are they faltering even after giving in?
Guest slumped down to the ground and hid his face under his arms, he didn’t want to see anything right now. He didn’t want to see the water and its disgusting stillness or the everlasting night sky. A low and weak growl escaped from her throat as she waited for those phantom pains to end. Even after all this time, they wondered why…just why…
Why did he ever ruin everything between them?
“Mister Miss Guest! You’re back from playing tag!” A loud and energetic voice snapped Guest back to reality, slowly lifting up his head to see a tall and mutated red child in front of them. She really didn’t want to talk to anyone, or more specifically have a one-sided conversation with anyone.
“Did you finally win today?” C00Lkid asked happily. Only to have that gleeful expression lower to a slightly saddened look when Guest shook his head no. “Aw man, that sucks a lot. You’re the only one who isn’t winning tag anymore.” He pouted before patting Guest’s back in reassurance, “I’m sure one day you’ll win at tag again Mister Miss Guest! I know you can!”
Guest didn’t say anything in retaliation, just turned away and dug her face back into her arms. She didn’t really interact with anyone in the killer’s cabin, the only time she ever interacted with anyone was in rounds but even then nothing really changed. She’d be treated as nothing more than what she was- a beast. An animalistic monster that couldn’t talk and only knew how to destroy everything. Guest didn’t really blame C00Lkid though, he’s probably one of the only killers she tolerates because instead of treating her as simply some kind of animal, C00Lkid actually tries to talk to her. Along with that he also didn’t really have the best bond with the other two kid killers, they both seem to dislike him from what shes seen.
C00Lkid stared at Guest 666 for a few seconds before he got up and dusted the dirt off his knees, it started getting harder and harder to keep up conversation with Guest and he always seemed so down more and more recently. He didn’t really know how to make him feel better now.
Wait, what if a drawing worked? C00lkid perked up at this idea, yeah maybe a drawing for Guest would cheer him up a bit! “I’ll be back Mister Miss Guest! Hope you feel better soon!” The red child laughed out as he ran back into the cabin with a skip in his step.
Guest was alone again, he can’t go inside the cabin. He can’t fit inside, he doesn’t even have his own individual cabin for himself. Just another reminder of what he’s become. Guest closed his eyes again hoping that maybe if he dozed off the lingering phantom pains would go away when he woke up.
Their body ached.
Their head hurt.
They hated this, but they deserved it all at the same time.
They just needed rest.
…
Her body burned.
Guest gasped but no noise came out, everything was dark and the only color that could be seen was red wherever there was some form of light, she felt smaller than usual. When she looked down all she saw was the shaky vision of not her claws, but her hands. They looked normal. Albeit submerged in a red liquid and data corruption scarring her hands from usage of exploits but still normal all the same. Her clothes weren’t ruined or ripped at the seems as her sleeves and end of her coat soaked in the liquid and yet they still felt dry.
It felt harder to breathe each passing second. Each attempt felt short and fast, as if barely any air was sucked into his lungs no matter how many times he breathed in and out. She looked up only to meet that red and black scenery that felt all too familiar. Guest panicked as she tried to look around before getting up from her hands and knees only to feel something tug on her limbs and fumble back splashing in the shallow liquid. Chains. Why were there chains-
“Why must you falter, my dear beast?”
Guest’s head jolted up to look at the misshapen figure that took its place in front of him, it’s eyes staring daggers into his very existence as it loomed over him towering, looking at Guest like he was some weak prey.
“I helped you, didn't I? I gave you the things you wanted most after you so willingly opened your heart to me.” It swiftly leaned in closer to Guest, making the air feel thick and sharp. “Why do you have second thoughts now out of all times?”
Guest desperately tried to speak out, to ask to beg to protest but nothing came out except for gasping cries and a burning pain in his throat after attempting to make even a sound. The entity, the Spectre, stayed silent long enough for Guest to hear the beating of a heart increase faster and faster. They couldn’t tell if it was their own or if it was coming from somewhere else, it echoed in their ears and throughout the endless void they found themself in.
“They abandoned you, turned their back on you without so much as a second glance, so why must you still hold them close to you? Do you really expect that yellow weakling to accept someone like you with open arms?”
Guest couldn’t speak here and yet she so desperately tried to get a word out, but any time she did it wouldn’t work and would only come out as incoherent gasps for air or choked sobs.
“I-…I..don-“ They coughed out.
“Do not speak, you know what happens when you try.” A twisted and inhuman hand placed itself on Guest’s head, as gently as could be and yet it felt like it was weighing them down. “You are my favorite thing.” The Spectre spoke.
“You are one of my strongest, most brutal and beloved of many things I have collected. I merely don’t wish for you to fall back to a life where you are surrounded by those who ostracized you. Do you understand, my beast?”
Guest stared up at the Spectre with the eyes of a prey animal. He was weak, he couldn’t deny what the Spectre had said even if he wanted to retort. All of it was true. With a defeated breath, he let his head lower below the Spectre, feeling the need to cry yet there were no tears to be felt at the edge of his eyes.
And just like that with a swift push, Guest’s head was lowered into the red liquid below them. Their entire body was engulfed before they could even process was going on. The chains that were still wrapped around her limbs felt tighter and tighter as Guest fell deeper and deeper into the abyss of red.
And with a sudden gasp, Guest rose up from where she had dozed off. Her body didnt hurt like it did before but that burning sensation from that dream was still there. Guest calmed down their rapid breathing once she finally gained the clarity needed to know she was still at the lakeshore. That she was still this monster.
That’s right…they were left behind. Backs turned against them as they were left alone to suffer…
Why did he even want to go back? This life suited him better anyways.
There was no room for hope that a change could ever be possible. No. He ruined that chance a long time ago.
There’s no point in dwelling in the past.
——
“Yo, Noob! Check this out!”
Veeronica called over Noob as she tried out some new skating tricks she had been practicing in the limbo periods. However Noob couldn’t stay focused. She noticed that whenever she looked back at them, they were always lost in thought or zoning out. Veeronica slowed down and stepped off her skateboard, looking at them in concern. “Noob?”
Noob didn’t look up, they were lost in their own world as they held onto a small sketchbook in their lap, pencil in hand as they mindlessly flicked it against the paper. The graphite leaving behind trails that formed different sketches. Different fauna and objects that grew within the area, designs and patterns scattering the corners of the pages, and more detailed sketches of the same person. Noob didn’t hear their surroundings while mindlessly doodling on the paper that they didn’t flinch when Veeronica made her way right in front of them. “Noob, you good?”
Noob jumped slightly and immediately looked up at Veeronica before swiftly slamming the sketchbook closed. “Oh- uh- I..y-yeah I’m fine. W-what were you saying earlier?”
Veeronica plopped down next to Noob on the cabin’s porch steps and took a curious look at the sketchbook in Noob’s hands. “Say, whatcha drawing?”
“Uh…it’s n-nothing really,” Noob turned to look the other way. “Just some doodles…”
“Then can I see?” Veeronica asked, her screen brightening a bit more than usual. “I’m sure it ain’t that bad, c'mon."
Noob stayed silent before hesitantly opening the sketchbook back to the page they were working on. They were mostly unfinished sketches but the detail and care in each pencil stroke and shading was evident, they were all sketches of Guest 666. Not of the monster they see now, but as how she used to be. That shoulder length messy white hair before it grew out into a dark mane, tired and sharp yet soft eyes before being filled with animalistic rage and bloodlust. The drawings showed her wearing either her usual black ROBLOX sweater or the coat that Noob gifted to her at some point in the past. It was the Guest Noob had come to love as a friend all those years ago, the Guest they missed so dearly.
“Ohh I see…”Veeronica took in all the drawings, yeah that face looked familiar to her. She had actually known Noob and Sixer a few years back but drifted apart naturally but still on good terms, it was only when she was forsakened did she finally reunite with them. Though, she didn’t really see Sixer in the best way now, or like how Noob somewhat does. After all Guest 666 was the reason she ended up here, and she still remembers the horrors of that night vividly. A shudder ran throughout her body as she shook the thought off, it’s not like she hated Sixer. It’s just…she hates that she also recognizes that monstrous beast as someone she used to be friends with. “…You miss him?”
Noob remained silent before a pained expression contorted their face. “Y-…yeah…”, they let out in a hushed whisper. “I know I shouldn’t…”
Noob was about to close the sketchbook once more but before their fingers met the edge of the pages, they paused and trailed them across a sketch of Guest 666. Their breath shuddered as they fought back against the need to cry. “ I know that no matter what, nothing is gonna change here…I’m not-…I-…” They brought their knees to their head as they held the sketchbook close to their chest. “…sorry, I-I shouldn’t be thinking like this. I know Guest 1337 said that I shouldn’t give up on my hopes but…it-it’s hard. Knowing that the Sixer I knew is gone and…all that I said to her…”
Tears threatened to fall from the corner of Noob’s eyes thinking about what they had pondered about earlier. “I don’t know what to do anymore, Vee”, their voice cracked as they spoke out. Can killers change? And even so, would they change for the better or just become worse here? Would they ever even get the chance to just sit and talk with Sixer without getting ripped to shreds? Did Sixer even recognize them at this point?-
Noob felt a gentle pressure against the top of their head and an arm wrapped around their shoulder. Noob looked up to see Veeronica carefully holding onto them during this moment. “I don’t really know what to tell you Noob, I mean I never really been through something you are going through but…if you ever just need someone to vent to, I’m here.” Veeronica looked down at them with a smile on her screen. “We are friends after all. You still got me buggin ya.”
Noob stared up at her and let out a small and weak laugh before wiping their tears with a smile. “Thank’s Vee, I appreciate it.” Noob leaned closer to rest their head on her shoulder. A moment of comfortable silence passed by before Noob lifted their head back up, “uh, do you still wanna show off those tricks you learned? I-I’ll be sure to watch this time!”
Veeronica seemed to light up at the idea and immediately hopped back up onto her feet. “Sure thing! Hey, maybe I could teach you how to skate again, heh heh.” She added to which Noob only smiled nervously at the offer. It had been a long time since Noob actually skated at all after all. Regardless, the two spent the rest of their time chatting and having fun moments with one another while everyone else started getting ready to head to their own respective cabins for the night. Honestly, Noob didn’t realize how much they needed positive interactions like this. To just get their mind off of all the bad and dread that surrounds everyone here. They were glad to have a friend like Veeronica, and honestly they wish they could be like her too. Being able to brighten up someone’s day just by being with them. But for now, they were content with being on the receiving end.
…
Noob sat on the edge of their bed with the corrupted letter in their hand. It appeared back in their room again in a place they obviously would see it. This place really was cruel. And yet for some reason after the small interactions they had with Guest 1337 and Veeronica, they didn’t feel entirely all that bad whenever they looked at it before. A bigger part of them still felt hurt at what the letter was reduced to now, that ever present guilt gnawing at them because they never even tried to send the letter. But…
“Something better, huh?…” Noob said to themself, leaning back before plopping down onto the mattress with the letter held high above them.
Is it possible? If it is, then what do they do to make that change happen?
They studied the letter under the light that emitted from their lamp… how could they do that? The last few words they ever said to Sixer still haunted them to this day, and if anything he probably also still remembered that day as well. Noob let out an audible sigh as they brought the letter to their chest and pondered on it all. Laying in their cabin with nothing but the ambiance of silence accompanied by the soft breeze outside. Thinking back to the round, bleeding out and left to die in their own gore they saw her. They saw that look of regret, the same look they saw at the beach. Eyes filled with both animalistic instincts to kill and the sorrows of someone who used to be a normal robloxian. The look of someone who was still hurt-
…
That’s it…
Noob shot right back up on their bed, clutching the paper closer to them. They didn’t know how they were going to do it, but they weren’t going to go hide anymore. They wanted to let that drive that Guest 1337 talked about actually make them do something even if it would be in vain. “I need to apologize to them, at the very least show that I regret every word I said,” Noob whispered to themself. They didn’t know how, they didn’t know when. But it had to be the next time they saw one another. They would need help, obviously, but this time…
This time they won’t hold their silence until it’s too late.