Post by ParamountKeymaster on Jan 14, 2016 16:20:50 GMT -5
Everything was falling apart...
Following the events at the garden and the temple, and upon being dropped off at the complex by the Trio of Three, Evan had returned to his apartment believing that everything would return to normal. Disappointingly yet unsurprisingly, this was not the case.
The only ones there to greet him were Jen, Andromeda and Aether, all of whom were deeply concerned by his physical and mental state. At least some things hadn't changed.
Patrick and Ace had been gone all day. All Jen could tell him was that they were out doing some kind of research. Where and for what, she didn't know.
Toby was gone. No one had the slightest clue where he was or what had happened to him. Darien was out looking for him, thus far to no avail.
And of course, there was the matter of the sprite who had followed him home and the dog who would be comatose for a long, long time.
Yet despite all this, as far as Evan was concerned, there was nothing to be said.
----------
Two days had passed.
The second was winding to a close.
Carter was wrapped up in a towel, lying on the floor, still healing.
Patrick and Ace had not returned.
There was still no sign of Toby.
Brendon, Jen and Darien were the only ones who spoke to each other. Otherwise, all was eerily silent.
And in his bedroom, alone, shut away from the world, Evan lay on his bed and stared out the window, completely numb to any emotion.
He wanted to complain about how unfair the situation was... but really, that was just life in general. Sure, everything had gone absolutely horribly, but what else had he expected? It wasn't anyone's fault. Forsaken might have rushed things a bit, but she had acknowledged it, and regardless, she was simply being optimistic at the time, and he couldn't blame her for that. Alex, though perhaps acting far too much on impulse, wasn't exactly in the wrong either; after the experience the players had endured, he couldn't blame him either for not wanting to go back to that. Really, the more he thought about it, Evan couldn't even blame himself. He tried to help. He tried to make the most of the situation.
He tried... but it didn't do them any good. That was that.
There was nothing left to do but leave them to their own devices. If they still wanted to go through with this, fine. If not, no harm, no foul. Either way, he wouldn't blame them if they decided that they didn't need his help from that point on. In the grand scheme of this cosmic spectacle, he could accept the fact that there was very little he could contribute. He was just a guy with a magic key. And he didn't even have THAT anymore!
If there was any feeling brewing in his despondent psyche, it was anger.
Anger that one of few people who could sympathize with his plight was gone too.
......
God, he missed Swift...
Finally, once night had befallen the island, there was a knock on Evan's door.
"'s open..."
Just as expected, the door was slowly pushed open, making way for Jen to enter the room. She held a steaming mug in her hand. Her face was full of that motherly concern she was known for. She could understand that Evan needed time to himself to think, but two days was enough. No more moping around. It was high time for some consolation.
"Hey..."
"Hey..."
Evan never looked up at Jen. For the time being, she stayed standing in the doorway, taking a good look at him and his surroundings. The bed was still made, making her wonder if he had just been sleeping on top of the covers these past few days. Or at all. Swift's hat and ring were resting on the pillow next to his, neatly, lovingly. Sitting on his nightstand were two pieces of stale toast, a bowl of cold soup, and a full glass of water. The latter in particular caught her attention. "Have you... eaten anything since you came back?"
"'m not hungry..."
"Evan, I know you're upset, but you need to eat something. You're not going to feel any better without nourishment."
"Meh..."
"Well... I made you some tea. Thought you could use a little pick-me-up."
"Thanks..."
When it quickly became clear that Evan wasn't going to get up and accept the hot drink, Jen stepped inside, set the mug down on his nightstand, and sat down at the foot of the bed. In her usual manner, though she was gentle about it, she jumped right to the point. "I was talking with Brendon about what happened..."
"Figured..."
"I'm... sorry you had to go through all of that. Trust me, when this Alex guy comes back around, I'm gonna level with him, and we're gonna get Swift and the key back."
"Right..."
Jen sighed. She really hated seeing her little brother like this. "Evan... I know you're worried about Swift. I know you've been feeling very... emotionally devastated. But... I can't help but feel like there's something else bothering you."
"...Mmmmmmmmmmaybe..."
"Come on. If you're not going to help yourself, then at least help me help you. We're all really worried about you, Ev."
"I..."
He bit his tongue, briefly mulling things over. Then, finally, Evan sat up, eyes immediately turning to stare at the floor.
"Jen... am I doing the right thing?"
There was a brief pause as Jen took this in, staring sadly at her brother. "Well..." She gently placed a hand on his shoulder, then wrapped an arm around him. "You're certainly not doing the wrong thing..."
"But everyone seems to think I am!" Evan protested, nonetheless sinking into his sister's embrace. "Alex doesn't trust me, Forsaken is having second thoughts... and no matter what we do, it feels like everything is against us and our cause. The cause that I seem to be the only one fighting for!"
"That's what happens when you take on such a grandiose mission like this. You know that. You're used to having the odds stacked against you by now."
"Yeah, but all those other times, I had you guys to back me up. Out there... it was just me. Swift was there, of course, but her biggest concern has always been my protection. The mission itself... I still feel really strongly that it's something that needs to be done... and I feel like I'm the only one who believes it."
Jen nodded, rubbing Evan's arm with her thumb. "We're all still looking out for you, Ev. We're still here to help and protect you. This mission is a dangerous one, we were told that from the beginning, but I don't think any of us were prepared for just how dangerous it would become. I was worried when you agreed to take it on, and I still am. But I went along with it because... it was important to you. Because you believed that not only was it the right thing to do, but that everyone would be better for it."
She pulled back slightly and leaned forward so she could see Evan's eyes, so that he may see her smile. "That's something I've always admired about you. Even when it looks like everything is going wrong, you strive to persevere. You don't let your faith be governed by your senses or the circumstances. You just believe... and give the rest to God. And it's that hope, that desire to do right, that will to stand firm and fight for what you believe that has kept you going through every twist and turn. No matter how bleak things may seem right now... if anyone can find a way to make the most of this situation, I know it's you."
Evan took a deep breath, briefly meeting Jen's eyes and quickly looking away again. "Well... thanks... but... I'm trying my best to keep believing. It's just hard when even the people I'm supposed to be working with seem to be against me."
"So be the shining light in their life. Set an example. If what Brendon tells me is true, the game is on whether they like it or not, and it's not going to be beat by a team of nothing but sorry-sues."
"I know, but they expect me to be-"
"It doesn't matter what they expect you to be!" Jen interjected. "So you're not the same guy they began this journey with. That's not your problem. Keep being yourself. Keep doing what you're doing. You are a part of this for a reason, and it doesn't matter what that reason is, because you'll see it through regardless. You have so much to offer just being you, and anyone who expects anything different out of you is only kidding themselves."
Evan straightened up and turned to face Jen, staring into her eyes and not looking away this time.
"You didn't join this team to be a Rogue of Hope. You joined it because you have hope." Jen smiled again. "That's exactly what they need, Evan. No one would ask anything more of you... nor would they expect it... but when the time comes, I know that you will give them so much more. Because that's what you do. You defy expectations. You always have, and you always will. Just remember that you're not alone. We're right here to encourage you... to keep you going... to give you hope and to be given hope."
The tiniest hint of a smile ghosted across Evan's lips.
"So don't let these last few days bring you down. There will be times where we fall, but if just one person has the strength to stand back up and keep going, others will follow. Others will need to be carried until they regain that strength too. These players... these people... they've all taken a hard fall, and logically it will take them a while until they're strong enough to go on. Until then... all you have to do is be there for them. Believe in them. Give them a reason to believe in themselves again. That's not too hard, now is it?"
............
Finally, with a slight twitch from days of maintaining a scowl, Evan's stony face softened into a smile. Tears silently slipped out of his deep brown eyes. As if both siblings were thinking the same thing, they simultaneously leaned in and fully wrapped each other in a warm embrace.
"Thanks, Jen... I'll... I'll do my best."
"I know you will."
It was hard to tell how long they were locked in their hug. Evan didn't want to let go. Here, secure in his sister's arms, he felt safe. Whole. Loved. For the first time in days, he felt a sense of relief. In that moment, nothing else mattered beyond the faith shared between him and his family.
He could feel his passion building up in his chest again. Something within him instinctively wanted to ignite that passion with a kiss... but this was his mother figure in his arms, not his beloved.
"I... I'm just... worried about Swift."
"I know, Evan... Me too..."
"She was just so... angry. For my sake. And now she's paying for it."
"Shh... It'll be okay. We'll get her back. We'll get her under control. She'll understand everything once she calms down."
Evan nodded and slowly released the hug. With his arms free, he grabbed the mug Jen had brought him and took a sip, the hot tea cozy and filling to the hollow pit of his stomach. With his physical and emotional strength returning, Evan continued, "I guess the next step is to see how everyone else is faring after that madness. I think we all could use a little pick-me-up."
Jen grinned and lightly elbowed his dove tattoo. "Sounds like a plan."
"For now, though... I think maybe I should talk to Brendon."
"Funny you should mention that, because he thinks so too!" Jen then turned around to face the door and whistled. "Hey Brendon, he's ready for ya!"
Shortly thereafter, the sprite's face appeared in the open doorway. He took a moment to inspect the entryway, then he hesitantly asked, "Did you... leave this open... with the intent of making a joke out of it?"
"Um... No, it never crossed my mind."
"Okay. Not mad either way. Just wanted to be sure."
With that said, Brendon floated into the bedroom and over to Evan, smiling calmly but coolly. Oh so coolly. With Evan's spirits lifted, being face-to-face with Brendon Urie, even if it wasn't actually him, was just as awesome as it should have been. "Hey, man."
"Hey. It's, uh... great to meet you. Officially. We didn't really talk much when we actually met, huh?"
"Hey, no worries." Brendon then drifted back and sat down on the windowsill. "Feeling better?"
"Yeah. Definitely."
"Good. I've seen you in worse funks. Glad to know you're still holding onto that hope."
Evan frowned at his feet and nodded slightly. He still couldn't help but dwell on the fact that Brendon wasn't talking about him, per se.
"Hey, come on, don't worry about it," Brendon gently insisted. "Everyone here has your back. And now that I'm here, I do too."
Evan grinned a little and shrugged. "Thanks."
"No problem. Now that you're back, you and I have a lot to talk about!"
"Oh?"
"Yeah, Brendon knows pretty much everything there is to know about the game!" Jen stated. "He served as your other self's in-game guide, prototyped with a Panic! at the Disco poster."
"Yeah, I uh... I met Alex's sprite," Evan noted, his smile somewhat resurfacing.
"As such," Brendon continued, "I believe it's only fair that you be given the lowdown on the game, seeing as how you have no memory or experience with it."
"That sounds useful." Evan smirked. "Everyone keeps going on and on about how terrible this game is while giving me virtually NO context."
"Can't be having that, now can we?" Brendon chuckled. "No sense in being coy or keeping information from you that everyone else already knows. So for the sake of getting you into the loop, I'll give you the abridged version."
Evan leaned in, giving the sprite his full attention. Wasting no time, Brendon began...
"Sburb is an immersive game in... exactly the way you'd think; it directly affects you and the world around you. Once the game begins, it becomes tied to the players' universe and meteors start hitting their planet. The players and their houses are transported to their specific Medium –basically, the playing field– in the Incipisphere, the dimension where all individual Sburb sessions take place. Within this Medium, there is Skaia, a... 'dormant crucible of unlimited creative potential,' as they call it, Prospit, the kingdom of light, and Derse, the kingdom of darkness. These kingdoms are governed by chess guys who are in a war on the battlefield at the center of Skaia, and whom receive the same prototypings as the players' sprites. In keeping with the game's 'story,' Prospit is always destined to lose, allowing the Black King to summon meteors to destroy Skaia, the idea being that by that point, the players will be strong enough to defeat the Black King themselves."
Evan nodded as he followed along, sipping tea every now and then, questions forming in his head all the while.
"The players increase their power by traversing the Medium and going on their personal quests, which usually involves fixing some problem on the unique planet that each player's house winds up on. Problems caused by denizens, huge-a** monsters that screw up the planet and then go to sleep, waiting for the player to confront them. Along the way, they defeat underling enemies and gain grist, which they use to build up their houses and create new weapons and tools. And though it's not really necessary for the sake of winning the game, players can ascend to god tier by... um... dying on their quest bed."
"Quest bed?" Evan had to stop him there. "Is... that what you were guarding on Mt. Bonsai?"
"Sho' 'nuff." Brendon nodded. "If the player dies on their planet's quest bed, they come back to life as their dream self, a sort of avatar they take control of while their real self is asleep and is, for all intents and purposes, a physical body that inhabits the moon of either Prospit or Derse. When the player god tiers, they are granted the full potential of their powers based on their title. I think you know all about classes and aspects by now..."
"Yeah, I got that. So... is that why Clockwork tried to kill me? Was he trying to prevent me from tiering or... did he actually want me to tier?"
"Er... I'll... get to that when I get to that."
"Oh, okay. Sorry."
"No sweat. Anyway, the point of all this. Once the Black King is defeated, Skaia serves as the grounds to create a new universe. The end."
"Create a new universe?" Evan repeated.
"Evan, this room of yours causes quite the reverb. But yes, the purpose of Sburb is to make a universe... at the cost of your home universe, but, uh, out with the old and in with the new, I guess. But as you've figured out, your new buddies' game went wrong in a number of ways. You gotta bear in mind that you're creating AN ENTIRE F***ING UNIVERSE. The game makes you WORK for a reward that massive."
"Yeah, I can certainly see that."
"All the genderbent characters are from the same timeline, from what I can tell. The guys from the session that alternate you played in are from different timelines that all ended in some unique disaster. And they were pretty bats*** catastrophic disasters at that."
"I never doubted that."
"But as you're now aware, this island is in the Insipisphere's neighborhood. Hell, the island was made with the destroyed remains of the player's planets from one timeline. And what you guys are getting into now is a paused session... something pretty damn unique to you guys' game. Normally, games on the brink of disaster are either lost or scratched, the latter being a phenomenon where the entire game and the universe it's tied to are completely reset. This session was meant to be scratched, but somehow, the scratch hit the pause button rather than the reset."
"So there is a way to resume playing it?"
"Yeah, but... baby steps. Now..." Brendon took a deep breath and blew out his cheeks. "Let's talk about Clockwork. You deserve to know as much as I know about him too."
Evan leaned in further, eyes wide and mouth shut.
"...Which isn't much, to be honest. No one knows who the guy is or where exactly he came from. He just showed up one day and started wrecking s***. All I know for certain is that he's a master of time travel from a doomed timeline where he absorbed the powers of every player before killing them... except you. And there isn't a single timeline where he has absorbed you or any other hope player's powers, otherwise that version of him would be the one wrecking s*** by now."
"Oh... jeez..." Evan didn't know what to say. Clockwork had already proven himself to be a force to be reckoned with, but his mere existence was in and of itself mysterious and terrifying. No one knew where he came from? That couldn't have been true! Kendall had to know, right? He had been there to save Evan from Clockwork, after all.
After clearing his throat, Brendon awkwardly concluded, "So... yeah. That's the gist of it. Any other questions?"
Evan thought this over for a moment, deciding on what he still needed to know. "So... if what I've gathered is true, I've been dreaming on this paused session's Prospit."
"Yep."
"But... how? I'm not the same Evan that played the game before."
Brendon smiled and shrugged. "If you're dreaming on Prospit... it must be your destiny to play."
"I-Is it? I mean, that doesn't really answer my question."
"Blame it on my programing. There are just some things I'm supposed to be cryptic about. I told you what's already common knowledge to the others, but for you personally, there are times when all I can do is give you a little push and room to grow on your own."
At first, Evan felt a little disappointed, but as he pondered this, he realized the truth behind the sprite's reasoning. "Okay... I guess that's fair."
"Well, thanks for getting it, man." Brendon then picked himself up and floated over to the bed. "While we're on the subject... now that I've told you what you need to know, my advice is that you get some sleep."
"Will I wake up on Prospit again this time?"
"I believe that's a safe assumption."
Evan nodded, giving Brendon and Jen his best smile. "I'll see what I can do. Thanks for the info, Beebo."
"Anytime, kid." Brendon smirked playfully and punched Evan's arm. It felt... good to have his friend back.
"You just take it easy, alright?" Jen spoke up. "Take it slow. You'll be back on track in no time."
"Yeah."
"And like Jen said, we got your back," Brendon added. "Just because they recruited you for who they remember you as doesn't mean you have to leave behind what you've got."
"The thought never crossed my mind," Evan murmured with a wide grin.
"Atta boy. You're gonna own this game, you got that?"
"Ha! You know it!"
With a chuckle, a wink and a point, Brendon bid farewell and flew out the door.
"Dang... I'm friends with Brendon Urie."
"There really is an upside to everything!" Jen laughed as she stood up and collected Evan's dirty dishes. "Well... guess you oughta rest. Get a good night's sleep and explore this kingdom of light you're destined to fight for."
"I will..." Evan mused as he pulled his sweatshirt off. "And... again... thanks for keeping me strong, Jen."
Jen smiled warmly and knowingly at her brother. "Always."
As she made her way out of the room, something else suddenly crossed Evan's mind. "Oh! Wait! Jen!"
She stopped in the doorway. "Yeah?"
"Any word from... Patrick, Ace or Toby?"
With a sad shake of her head, Jen replied, "Nothing. Sorry."
"It's okay. Just wanted to be sure. Maybe we should all look into that once we have Swift and the key back."
"Probably should. Carter's still healing too, by the way."
"I figured... Well, thanks."
"No problem. Don't worry too much, Ev. You'll figure this out after some rest."
"Yeah, you're probably right. Night, Jen."
"Goodnight." With one last grin and nod, Jen stepped out and closed the bedroom door.
Alone again, Evan changed into his boxers and undershirt, finished his tea, and buried himself beneath the covers, taking a moment to soak in the silence not as a song of loneliness, but as an aura of peace. He lay facing Swift's side of the bed, reaching up to grab her ring and gently twirl it between his fingers.
He was scared. He knew that the road ahead would be treacherous. But he couldn't let that fear rule him. There was always a way in which things could go right, and he would find that way somehow. He believed it.
There was always hope.
Evan smiled at nothing in particular. "We'll show them, huh, Swift?"
He set the ring down next to Swift's hat and sunk into the bed, eyes heavy but heart lighter than ever.
"We'll show them the way."
Following the events at the garden and the temple, and upon being dropped off at the complex by the Trio of Three, Evan had returned to his apartment believing that everything would return to normal. Disappointingly yet unsurprisingly, this was not the case.
The only ones there to greet him were Jen, Andromeda and Aether, all of whom were deeply concerned by his physical and mental state. At least some things hadn't changed.
Patrick and Ace had been gone all day. All Jen could tell him was that they were out doing some kind of research. Where and for what, she didn't know.
Toby was gone. No one had the slightest clue where he was or what had happened to him. Darien was out looking for him, thus far to no avail.
And of course, there was the matter of the sprite who had followed him home and the dog who would be comatose for a long, long time.
Yet despite all this, as far as Evan was concerned, there was nothing to be said.
----------
Two days had passed.
The second was winding to a close.
Carter was wrapped up in a towel, lying on the floor, still healing.
Patrick and Ace had not returned.
There was still no sign of Toby.
Brendon, Jen and Darien were the only ones who spoke to each other. Otherwise, all was eerily silent.
And in his bedroom, alone, shut away from the world, Evan lay on his bed and stared out the window, completely numb to any emotion.
He wanted to complain about how unfair the situation was... but really, that was just life in general. Sure, everything had gone absolutely horribly, but what else had he expected? It wasn't anyone's fault. Forsaken might have rushed things a bit, but she had acknowledged it, and regardless, she was simply being optimistic at the time, and he couldn't blame her for that. Alex, though perhaps acting far too much on impulse, wasn't exactly in the wrong either; after the experience the players had endured, he couldn't blame him either for not wanting to go back to that. Really, the more he thought about it, Evan couldn't even blame himself. He tried to help. He tried to make the most of the situation.
He tried... but it didn't do them any good. That was that.
There was nothing left to do but leave them to their own devices. If they still wanted to go through with this, fine. If not, no harm, no foul. Either way, he wouldn't blame them if they decided that they didn't need his help from that point on. In the grand scheme of this cosmic spectacle, he could accept the fact that there was very little he could contribute. He was just a guy with a magic key. And he didn't even have THAT anymore!
If there was any feeling brewing in his despondent psyche, it was anger.
Anger that one of few people who could sympathize with his plight was gone too.
......
God, he missed Swift...
Finally, once night had befallen the island, there was a knock on Evan's door.
"'s open..."
Just as expected, the door was slowly pushed open, making way for Jen to enter the room. She held a steaming mug in her hand. Her face was full of that motherly concern she was known for. She could understand that Evan needed time to himself to think, but two days was enough. No more moping around. It was high time for some consolation.
"Hey..."
"Hey..."
Evan never looked up at Jen. For the time being, she stayed standing in the doorway, taking a good look at him and his surroundings. The bed was still made, making her wonder if he had just been sleeping on top of the covers these past few days. Or at all. Swift's hat and ring were resting on the pillow next to his, neatly, lovingly. Sitting on his nightstand were two pieces of stale toast, a bowl of cold soup, and a full glass of water. The latter in particular caught her attention. "Have you... eaten anything since you came back?"
"'m not hungry..."
"Evan, I know you're upset, but you need to eat something. You're not going to feel any better without nourishment."
"Meh..."
"Well... I made you some tea. Thought you could use a little pick-me-up."
"Thanks..."
When it quickly became clear that Evan wasn't going to get up and accept the hot drink, Jen stepped inside, set the mug down on his nightstand, and sat down at the foot of the bed. In her usual manner, though she was gentle about it, she jumped right to the point. "I was talking with Brendon about what happened..."
"Figured..."
"I'm... sorry you had to go through all of that. Trust me, when this Alex guy comes back around, I'm gonna level with him, and we're gonna get Swift and the key back."
"Right..."
Jen sighed. She really hated seeing her little brother like this. "Evan... I know you're worried about Swift. I know you've been feeling very... emotionally devastated. But... I can't help but feel like there's something else bothering you."
"...Mmmmmmmmmmaybe..."
"Come on. If you're not going to help yourself, then at least help me help you. We're all really worried about you, Ev."
"I..."
He bit his tongue, briefly mulling things over. Then, finally, Evan sat up, eyes immediately turning to stare at the floor.
"Jen... am I doing the right thing?"
There was a brief pause as Jen took this in, staring sadly at her brother. "Well..." She gently placed a hand on his shoulder, then wrapped an arm around him. "You're certainly not doing the wrong thing..."
"But everyone seems to think I am!" Evan protested, nonetheless sinking into his sister's embrace. "Alex doesn't trust me, Forsaken is having second thoughts... and no matter what we do, it feels like everything is against us and our cause. The cause that I seem to be the only one fighting for!"
"That's what happens when you take on such a grandiose mission like this. You know that. You're used to having the odds stacked against you by now."
"Yeah, but all those other times, I had you guys to back me up. Out there... it was just me. Swift was there, of course, but her biggest concern has always been my protection. The mission itself... I still feel really strongly that it's something that needs to be done... and I feel like I'm the only one who believes it."
Jen nodded, rubbing Evan's arm with her thumb. "We're all still looking out for you, Ev. We're still here to help and protect you. This mission is a dangerous one, we were told that from the beginning, but I don't think any of us were prepared for just how dangerous it would become. I was worried when you agreed to take it on, and I still am. But I went along with it because... it was important to you. Because you believed that not only was it the right thing to do, but that everyone would be better for it."
She pulled back slightly and leaned forward so she could see Evan's eyes, so that he may see her smile. "That's something I've always admired about you. Even when it looks like everything is going wrong, you strive to persevere. You don't let your faith be governed by your senses or the circumstances. You just believe... and give the rest to God. And it's that hope, that desire to do right, that will to stand firm and fight for what you believe that has kept you going through every twist and turn. No matter how bleak things may seem right now... if anyone can find a way to make the most of this situation, I know it's you."
Evan took a deep breath, briefly meeting Jen's eyes and quickly looking away again. "Well... thanks... but... I'm trying my best to keep believing. It's just hard when even the people I'm supposed to be working with seem to be against me."
"So be the shining light in their life. Set an example. If what Brendon tells me is true, the game is on whether they like it or not, and it's not going to be beat by a team of nothing but sorry-sues."
"I know, but they expect me to be-"
"It doesn't matter what they expect you to be!" Jen interjected. "So you're not the same guy they began this journey with. That's not your problem. Keep being yourself. Keep doing what you're doing. You are a part of this for a reason, and it doesn't matter what that reason is, because you'll see it through regardless. You have so much to offer just being you, and anyone who expects anything different out of you is only kidding themselves."
Evan straightened up and turned to face Jen, staring into her eyes and not looking away this time.
"You didn't join this team to be a Rogue of Hope. You joined it because you have hope." Jen smiled again. "That's exactly what they need, Evan. No one would ask anything more of you... nor would they expect it... but when the time comes, I know that you will give them so much more. Because that's what you do. You defy expectations. You always have, and you always will. Just remember that you're not alone. We're right here to encourage you... to keep you going... to give you hope and to be given hope."
The tiniest hint of a smile ghosted across Evan's lips.
"So don't let these last few days bring you down. There will be times where we fall, but if just one person has the strength to stand back up and keep going, others will follow. Others will need to be carried until they regain that strength too. These players... these people... they've all taken a hard fall, and logically it will take them a while until they're strong enough to go on. Until then... all you have to do is be there for them. Believe in them. Give them a reason to believe in themselves again. That's not too hard, now is it?"
............
Finally, with a slight twitch from days of maintaining a scowl, Evan's stony face softened into a smile. Tears silently slipped out of his deep brown eyes. As if both siblings were thinking the same thing, they simultaneously leaned in and fully wrapped each other in a warm embrace.
"Thanks, Jen... I'll... I'll do my best."
"I know you will."
It was hard to tell how long they were locked in their hug. Evan didn't want to let go. Here, secure in his sister's arms, he felt safe. Whole. Loved. For the first time in days, he felt a sense of relief. In that moment, nothing else mattered beyond the faith shared between him and his family.
He could feel his passion building up in his chest again. Something within him instinctively wanted to ignite that passion with a kiss... but this was his mother figure in his arms, not his beloved.
"I... I'm just... worried about Swift."
"I know, Evan... Me too..."
"She was just so... angry. For my sake. And now she's paying for it."
"Shh... It'll be okay. We'll get her back. We'll get her under control. She'll understand everything once she calms down."
Evan nodded and slowly released the hug. With his arms free, he grabbed the mug Jen had brought him and took a sip, the hot tea cozy and filling to the hollow pit of his stomach. With his physical and emotional strength returning, Evan continued, "I guess the next step is to see how everyone else is faring after that madness. I think we all could use a little pick-me-up."
Jen grinned and lightly elbowed his dove tattoo. "Sounds like a plan."
"For now, though... I think maybe I should talk to Brendon."
"Funny you should mention that, because he thinks so too!" Jen then turned around to face the door and whistled. "Hey Brendon, he's ready for ya!"
Shortly thereafter, the sprite's face appeared in the open doorway. He took a moment to inspect the entryway, then he hesitantly asked, "Did you... leave this open... with the intent of making a joke out of it?"
"Um... No, it never crossed my mind."
"Okay. Not mad either way. Just wanted to be sure."
With that said, Brendon floated into the bedroom and over to Evan, smiling calmly but coolly. Oh so coolly. With Evan's spirits lifted, being face-to-face with Brendon Urie, even if it wasn't actually him, was just as awesome as it should have been. "Hey, man."
"Hey. It's, uh... great to meet you. Officially. We didn't really talk much when we actually met, huh?"
"Hey, no worries." Brendon then drifted back and sat down on the windowsill. "Feeling better?"
"Yeah. Definitely."
"Good. I've seen you in worse funks. Glad to know you're still holding onto that hope."
Evan frowned at his feet and nodded slightly. He still couldn't help but dwell on the fact that Brendon wasn't talking about him, per se.
"Hey, come on, don't worry about it," Brendon gently insisted. "Everyone here has your back. And now that I'm here, I do too."
Evan grinned a little and shrugged. "Thanks."
"No problem. Now that you're back, you and I have a lot to talk about!"
"Oh?"
"Yeah, Brendon knows pretty much everything there is to know about the game!" Jen stated. "He served as your other self's in-game guide, prototyped with a Panic! at the Disco poster."
"Yeah, I uh... I met Alex's sprite," Evan noted, his smile somewhat resurfacing.
"As such," Brendon continued, "I believe it's only fair that you be given the lowdown on the game, seeing as how you have no memory or experience with it."
"That sounds useful." Evan smirked. "Everyone keeps going on and on about how terrible this game is while giving me virtually NO context."
"Can't be having that, now can we?" Brendon chuckled. "No sense in being coy or keeping information from you that everyone else already knows. So for the sake of getting you into the loop, I'll give you the abridged version."
Evan leaned in, giving the sprite his full attention. Wasting no time, Brendon began...
"Sburb is an immersive game in... exactly the way you'd think; it directly affects you and the world around you. Once the game begins, it becomes tied to the players' universe and meteors start hitting their planet. The players and their houses are transported to their specific Medium –basically, the playing field– in the Incipisphere, the dimension where all individual Sburb sessions take place. Within this Medium, there is Skaia, a... 'dormant crucible of unlimited creative potential,' as they call it, Prospit, the kingdom of light, and Derse, the kingdom of darkness. These kingdoms are governed by chess guys who are in a war on the battlefield at the center of Skaia, and whom receive the same prototypings as the players' sprites. In keeping with the game's 'story,' Prospit is always destined to lose, allowing the Black King to summon meteors to destroy Skaia, the idea being that by that point, the players will be strong enough to defeat the Black King themselves."
Evan nodded as he followed along, sipping tea every now and then, questions forming in his head all the while.
"The players increase their power by traversing the Medium and going on their personal quests, which usually involves fixing some problem on the unique planet that each player's house winds up on. Problems caused by denizens, huge-a** monsters that screw up the planet and then go to sleep, waiting for the player to confront them. Along the way, they defeat underling enemies and gain grist, which they use to build up their houses and create new weapons and tools. And though it's not really necessary for the sake of winning the game, players can ascend to god tier by... um... dying on their quest bed."
"Quest bed?" Evan had to stop him there. "Is... that what you were guarding on Mt. Bonsai?"
"Sho' 'nuff." Brendon nodded. "If the player dies on their planet's quest bed, they come back to life as their dream self, a sort of avatar they take control of while their real self is asleep and is, for all intents and purposes, a physical body that inhabits the moon of either Prospit or Derse. When the player god tiers, they are granted the full potential of their powers based on their title. I think you know all about classes and aspects by now..."
"Yeah, I got that. So... is that why Clockwork tried to kill me? Was he trying to prevent me from tiering or... did he actually want me to tier?"
"Er... I'll... get to that when I get to that."
"Oh, okay. Sorry."
"No sweat. Anyway, the point of all this. Once the Black King is defeated, Skaia serves as the grounds to create a new universe. The end."
"Create a new universe?" Evan repeated.
"Evan, this room of yours causes quite the reverb. But yes, the purpose of Sburb is to make a universe... at the cost of your home universe, but, uh, out with the old and in with the new, I guess. But as you've figured out, your new buddies' game went wrong in a number of ways. You gotta bear in mind that you're creating AN ENTIRE F***ING UNIVERSE. The game makes you WORK for a reward that massive."
"Yeah, I can certainly see that."
"All the genderbent characters are from the same timeline, from what I can tell. The guys from the session that alternate you played in are from different timelines that all ended in some unique disaster. And they were pretty bats*** catastrophic disasters at that."
"I never doubted that."
"But as you're now aware, this island is in the Insipisphere's neighborhood. Hell, the island was made with the destroyed remains of the player's planets from one timeline. And what you guys are getting into now is a paused session... something pretty damn unique to you guys' game. Normally, games on the brink of disaster are either lost or scratched, the latter being a phenomenon where the entire game and the universe it's tied to are completely reset. This session was meant to be scratched, but somehow, the scratch hit the pause button rather than the reset."
"So there is a way to resume playing it?"
"Yeah, but... baby steps. Now..." Brendon took a deep breath and blew out his cheeks. "Let's talk about Clockwork. You deserve to know as much as I know about him too."
Evan leaned in further, eyes wide and mouth shut.
"...Which isn't much, to be honest. No one knows who the guy is or where exactly he came from. He just showed up one day and started wrecking s***. All I know for certain is that he's a master of time travel from a doomed timeline where he absorbed the powers of every player before killing them... except you. And there isn't a single timeline where he has absorbed you or any other hope player's powers, otherwise that version of him would be the one wrecking s*** by now."
"Oh... jeez..." Evan didn't know what to say. Clockwork had already proven himself to be a force to be reckoned with, but his mere existence was in and of itself mysterious and terrifying. No one knew where he came from? That couldn't have been true! Kendall had to know, right? He had been there to save Evan from Clockwork, after all.
After clearing his throat, Brendon awkwardly concluded, "So... yeah. That's the gist of it. Any other questions?"
Evan thought this over for a moment, deciding on what he still needed to know. "So... if what I've gathered is true, I've been dreaming on this paused session's Prospit."
"Yep."
"But... how? I'm not the same Evan that played the game before."
Brendon smiled and shrugged. "If you're dreaming on Prospit... it must be your destiny to play."
"I-Is it? I mean, that doesn't really answer my question."
"Blame it on my programing. There are just some things I'm supposed to be cryptic about. I told you what's already common knowledge to the others, but for you personally, there are times when all I can do is give you a little push and room to grow on your own."
At first, Evan felt a little disappointed, but as he pondered this, he realized the truth behind the sprite's reasoning. "Okay... I guess that's fair."
"Well, thanks for getting it, man." Brendon then picked himself up and floated over to the bed. "While we're on the subject... now that I've told you what you need to know, my advice is that you get some sleep."
"Will I wake up on Prospit again this time?"
"I believe that's a safe assumption."
Evan nodded, giving Brendon and Jen his best smile. "I'll see what I can do. Thanks for the info, Beebo."
"Anytime, kid." Brendon smirked playfully and punched Evan's arm. It felt... good to have his friend back.
"You just take it easy, alright?" Jen spoke up. "Take it slow. You'll be back on track in no time."
"Yeah."
"And like Jen said, we got your back," Brendon added. "Just because they recruited you for who they remember you as doesn't mean you have to leave behind what you've got."
"The thought never crossed my mind," Evan murmured with a wide grin.
"Atta boy. You're gonna own this game, you got that?"
"Ha! You know it!"
With a chuckle, a wink and a point, Brendon bid farewell and flew out the door.
"Dang... I'm friends with Brendon Urie."
"There really is an upside to everything!" Jen laughed as she stood up and collected Evan's dirty dishes. "Well... guess you oughta rest. Get a good night's sleep and explore this kingdom of light you're destined to fight for."
"I will..." Evan mused as he pulled his sweatshirt off. "And... again... thanks for keeping me strong, Jen."
Jen smiled warmly and knowingly at her brother. "Always."
As she made her way out of the room, something else suddenly crossed Evan's mind. "Oh! Wait! Jen!"
She stopped in the doorway. "Yeah?"
"Any word from... Patrick, Ace or Toby?"
With a sad shake of her head, Jen replied, "Nothing. Sorry."
"It's okay. Just wanted to be sure. Maybe we should all look into that once we have Swift and the key back."
"Probably should. Carter's still healing too, by the way."
"I figured... Well, thanks."
"No problem. Don't worry too much, Ev. You'll figure this out after some rest."
"Yeah, you're probably right. Night, Jen."
"Goodnight." With one last grin and nod, Jen stepped out and closed the bedroom door.
Alone again, Evan changed into his boxers and undershirt, finished his tea, and buried himself beneath the covers, taking a moment to soak in the silence not as a song of loneliness, but as an aura of peace. He lay facing Swift's side of the bed, reaching up to grab her ring and gently twirl it between his fingers.
He was scared. He knew that the road ahead would be treacherous. But he couldn't let that fear rule him. There was always a way in which things could go right, and he would find that way somehow. He believed it.
There was always hope.
Evan smiled at nothing in particular. "We'll show them, huh, Swift?"
He set the ring down next to Swift's hat and sunk into the bed, eyes heavy but heart lighter than ever.
"We'll show them the way."
