Byleth: I mean yeah like, who would do that you know?

Boaz: Yeah man you get it. Like, studies show it causes aggression and anger issues so it hurts the mental state of the child and makes them more likely to lie rather than stop.

(Boaz sighs.)

I don't get why anyone would defend that stuff dude it's… who beats their kids and thinks that's OK?

(Byleth has visions of people doing just that.)

Byleth: Hicks.

Boaz: What?

Byleth: What?

Boaz: Did you say hicks?

Byleth: Did I say hicks?

Boaz: You said hicks.

Byleth: Yeah I dunno I had this vision and just that word popped into my head.

Boaz: Strange. Well, I gotta log off and return to the human world so… My page is two blocks down. There's a guest bedroom on the 3rd floor. Yeah, see ya.

Byleth: Have a good one dude.

(Boaz walks away, waving with his back turned as he turns to dust, essentially leaving Amino to the human world for a time. Byleth walks down two blocks to what appears to be a massive recreation of Chrom's castle from Fire Emblem Awakening. Walking past several husks of many Fire Emblem characters including, Marth, Roy, Olivia, Dorthea, Robin, etc. He finds his way to the guest bedroom and goes to sleep. Next morning he leaves, thinking aloud to himself.)

Byleth: Should probably thank Sparkle Star for getting me that gig. I kinda owe her one.

(Byleth goes back to where he met Star and Adora, the camera pans to show the area is full of characters various versions of Dio from JoJo, Catra from She-Ra, Zim from Invader Zim, Gohan from Dragon Ball, etc. Every sort of character, living in the rundown slums on the outskirts of the city. Many windows are boarded up or broken, the air is full of smoke, and the only birds present are crows that circle beggars, waiting for them to perish that they may feast on their flesh. Star spots Byleth and eagerly rushes over.)

Star: Hey dude what's up?

Byleth: Oh hey Star! I just wanted to check on you. 

Star: Oh I'm doing great. On my way to church.

Byleth: Church?

Star: Well… we characters do go to the afterlife same as humans. We have souls unless you're an atheist I respect that if you are.

Byleth: I'd say agnostic but go on.

Star: Yeah it's more an… ideology than a religion but it's a lot like church. Adora and I go once a week. Come on! 

Byleth: Alright. Oh, and Leo said he has a gig for you?

(Star clenches her fist, her smile morphing into a scowl.)

Star: I made an exception because you were new and needed Props but… it's best to avoid men like him.

Byleth: He seemed nice enough. Didn't like how he treated the Husk but…

(Star sighs and grabs Byleth's hand.)

Star: Yeah. OK. I need to show you this. 

(Star leads Byleth to a building that appears to have been repaired, which sticks out like a sore thumb in the slums. The building is covered in signs, showing various famous human writers, morphed into demonic forms. Every single one of them shares the same caption. False God.)

Byleth: False Gods?...

(A man with a scythe exits the church followed by various fictional characters from every show, movie, etc. The man looks at Byleth and speaks, his black cloak billowing as a cold breeze blows, his face remaining hidden the whole time.)

Cloaked Man: You're the new Byleth?

Byleth: Uhhh… yeah? Who… what is this?

I

(Cloaked man smiles. Cue instrumental that can only be described as the genre "Acid Jazz" as the man explains.)

Cloaked Man: I am Reaper…

(Reaper pulls down his hood revealing his brown hair and eyes and fair skin.)

Reaper: Author Slayer.

Song Five: False God Insanity 

(Reaper smirks snapping his fingers. He looks down as the camera pans up to focus on his face as he speaks, looking up as he does so.)

Reaper: These damn human beings.

Lemme tell ya.

(Instrumentals come in strong as Reaper grabs Byleth by the shoulder, leading his followers down the street in rows behind him.)

Reaper: It's a wonder we're alive at all.

Considering what humans have done. 

Humankind sees us as pawns,

To use in their schemes. 

They create characters like us.

Tell a tale and toss us aside.

We aren't people but commodities. 

And those who are tossed aside,

Are lucky.

Others are made for more unclean purposes. 

(Reaper leads his allies to the town square where he continues to explain his views.)

You see some people will write smut.

Around here it's done so wrong.

The characters they create,

Are basically used as sex slaves.

X reader characters,

Don't fair any better!

Mail order husbands and brides, 

Is basically what they are.

(Reaper and his allies set up to protest outside a Husk factory, where they start a dance number because hey, it's a musical.)

This world is a,

World of pure insanity. 

Ruled by false gods,

Who call themselves humanity. 

Characters with scrapped stories, 

Or whose stories are complete.

Must fend for themselves, 

In this false god ruled Hell!

Many of us,

Have memories of loved ones,

Who were not written,

And were rather made as Husks.

Leaving us with,

An endless sense of longing.

As Husks with no souls,

Function just like machines.

Robots devoid,

Of a soul or humanity. 

They're used to keep us down.

As Author Slayers lay underground. 

(The protest begins to become violent as protesters begin to throw rocks into the windows or the Husk factory. Reaper and his followers all dance and sing in synch as Byleth sneaks away, Star noticing and following him.)

Author Slayers: Humans have avatars,

Which they think means they're above us.

Avatars may have,

Some powerful abilities. 

But we have powers,

That will let us surpass humanity. 

Reaper: I'll strike my creator down!

Then others will attack as well!

Author Slayers: Humanity can't see.

That playing God has consequences. 

We're their due retribution, 

Who will take magic from them!

(A Rick becomes the focus of the camera.)

Rick: Look at me I was,

Written without a Morty.

(Camera pans over to an Edelgard.)

Edelgard: Had no Byleth or Hubert.

No Black Eagles by my side.

(Camera pans back to Reaper.)

Reaper: We will show mankind the cost of their insanity. 

We are the heroes of this tale.

The Author Slayers,

Will strike them down!

(Camera pans to three users talking on the other side of the city, two or which are Leo and Boaz, but the third of which is unfamiliar.)

Unfamiliar User: My avatar [Running Out of Time] is lame man. I'm level twelve! Shouldn't it have evolved two levels ago?

Boaz: Robun that's not quite how it works. My avatar hasn't evolved and I'm level 17. Avatars need the user to undergo great stress as well as being at least level 10 to evolve. 

([Running Out of Time] appears behind Robun, taking the form of a male Robin from Fire Emblem Awakening with rabbit ears.)

Robun: But all it does is shoot lightening, which is like, cool, but compared to gravity control and… wait Leo what is your avatar?

Leo: Uhhhhh…

(Leo thinks, the camera zooming in on his face to show that the next line is internalized.)

Leo: I can't tell him my avatar they'll know I'm the masked man. They'll recognize [Martyr Complex].

Robun: (Checks his phone.) Ah shit. Boaz we got another character riot.

(Leo falls silent and sinks into his chair.)

Boaz: Alright I'll-

Robun: Nah man I'm a curator. I got this it's my job to maintain order. 

Boaz: Are you sure? The Author Slayers have proven to be tough in the past.

(Robun gets up with a smile.)

Robun: Don't worry man.

(Robun summons [Running Out of Time].)

I'll show them I'm not the one short on time…

(Robun leaves. Boaz notices Leo is stressed.)

Boaz: You alright amigo?

Leo: No…

(Leo sighs.)

You've been a good friend to me. Even if I haven't known you long I want you to know I care about your well being…

Song Six: Live In Fear

Leo: Tell me,

My friend, 

Do you understand, 

What fear is?

Boaz: Leo,

What is it that you mean?

Leo: Does your hometown,

Make you tremble when you stand for what is right?

Do you censor yourself,

Do you lie?

Because you care about your friends, 

But fear they will choose sin?

(Leo grips his mask, hidden under his cloak.)

When I was young,

Only ten years old,

Something in me,

Saw the truth of this world.

I had a moment,

Where I realized,

My parents, 

Were emotionally abusive.

Boaz let me say,

Something I need to say.

A view I hold,

To be fact to this day.

One thing I consider,

Child abuse is-

(Leo suddenly turns to dust. As if leaving Amino.)

Boaz: Uhhh…

(Cut to Leo in the real world, where he gags, putting his hand over his mouth. He chokes down vomit. His hands shake and his teeth chatter.)

Leo: I can't do it.

I can't admit it.

The shit I've seen.

Has made me afraid,

To openly,

Speak my mind. 

I know I'm right,

But I've left traitors behind,

Way way way,

To many times.

When I speak it,

I shake and feel sick,

And if I say it, 

I may vomit.

Cause I'll lose him,

Boaz my dear friend.

So I'll choke down the vomit,

And remain silent…

(Cut back to Boaz as the song ends.)

Boaz: That can't be good… I hope he's OK.

(Meanwhile Robun stands with [Running Out of Time.] In front of the rioting Author Slayers. His avatar shoots lightning at many of the characters, frying them alive. A Dio, Naruto, and Manuela all fall to the ground, dead.)

Song Seven: Robun's Evolution

(The rioters turn to face Robun and prepare to attack.)

Reaper: Oh Hell no!

This is where the fun begins!

(Reaper reveals his scythe, which is made of the same material as Boaz's bow.)

I'll bring this human's terror,

To an end!

(Reaper charges with his scythe, which Robun blocks with a silver lance before leaping back to avoid Reaper's follow up attack or black fire.)

It's a dangerous game,

That you play.

Trying to play God and forgetting,

That you're just human kind. 

Power corrupts,

And the power to make life corrupts humanity. 

The power to make life,

You weren't meant to have.

(Reaper melts into the darkness and reappears behind Robun, who counters by having his avatar shoots lightning. Reaper counters by summoning a wall of stone from the ground to block the attack which shattering, making a cloud of dust fill the area. Reaper uses wind magic to blow it away and charges as Robun's avatar strikes with bolts that he narrowly avoided.)

So now we challenge our false gods.

Gods that are no more,

Than flesh and blood!

Now the false gods shall fall!

Now it shall be done!

Characters rise us.

We will remove,

The human race!

(Seeing the murderous intent in Reaper's eyes, something in Robun changes, and with it, his avatar as well. [Out of Time's] cloak change into that of a powerful warlock rather than a mere tactician. In addition, the lightening now comes from a sudden storm above and from the avatar itself as hail, focused on Reaper and Reaper alone, rains from the sky.)

Robun: You're playing a more dangerous game.

You're using the evil of a few,

To justify genocide,

And seeing that I refuse to stand by.

(Robun changes, pressuring Reaper with his newfound power.)

It's made my avatar evolve. 

This is the power of [Last Stand's] Weather Control.

With it I can make any weather occur,

And even bring down hail the size of bowling balls.

(Reaper's left arm is crushed by a giant ball of hall the size of a human head. He cries out in pain, struggling to block as the lance inches closer.)

You're right that your kind deserves better,

But in your hate. 

You render yourself blind.

And can't see that this isn't the way.

We can coexist.

It doesn't have to be like this.

Your ideas have merit,

But it can't be achieved like this!

You'll see this is not the way!

You're a cult!

A terrorist group!

Blinded by hatred!

There is a better way!

And soon you'll all see-

(Reaper suddenly drops his scythe and ducks, which catches Robun off guard and causes him to stagger as Reaper slides under his lance, grabbing his scythe and impaling Robun in the back. Robun coughs up blood and falls to the ground, the injuries also reflected in [Last Stand]. This cuts the song short as Robun struggles to breath, bleeding heavily and collapsing.)

Reaper: More will come! Retreat!

(The Adora from before rushes over.)

Adora: Shouldn't we finish him off?

Reaper: Schizophrenic Adora right? Friends with Sparkle Star?

Adora: Yup.

Reaper: OK you're still kinda new so, basically, hurting an avatar hurts the user and vice versa. He'll bleed out and be banned. Let's move!

(The Author Slayers scatter as the camera shifts to see from a first person view through Robun's eyes. He sees what appears to be the legs of a werewolf approach as he lays on the ground. His vision fading as he bleeds out. The mysterious being speaks.)

???: Oh dear. A human child? Losing magic? Oh no this won't do. This won't do at all.

(The being, who has a feminine voice, sighs.)

Are you a child or a man who is aging gracefully? I normally only protect children but… eh I would rather risk you bring an adult and waste a little time than risk you bring a kid and letting you become crippled without magic.

(The being places her foot on Robun's skull.)

Then again you might be evil. I should probably crush your skull like a melon. Again though, might be a kid…

…

Ugh.

(The being lifts Robun onto her shoulder.)

OK. Don't leave Amino in such a state. If you leave Amino while severely injured you get banned instantly so just close your eyes. It's OK…

(Camera pans to shoe the being's toothy grin, the rest of its face hidden under a cloak.)

Mama's here…

(Cut to Leo in his factory outside the city.)

Leo: OK. OK. Back online. Got some time. Managed to just edge out to level 10 by spending time around here but uhhhh…

(Leo opens a drawer at his desk and takes out a notebook. He reads from it, thinking aloud as he leans back in his chair.)

Yeah the list. 

I don't wanna add Boaz to the list.

I hate adding my friends to the list…

(Leo closes the notebook with a sigh.)

But if I have to…

I mean…

(Leo sinks into his chair, depressed.)

Ugh.

Man I just…

I don't wanna deal with this.

(Leo looks at a photo on his desk of him standing with a young man in a purple jacket whose face is obscured by the lighting of the room.)

I'm sorry brother. 

I'm sorry you had to be on the list.

(Leo falls silent and thinks for a bit.)

Maybe she has some advice on where to go from here.

She always does I guess…

(Leo gets up and walks down to the assembly line, where husks of various characters from Super Smash Bros are being made. Leo grabs an incomplete husk which is currently just a skeleton, looks it over, the skeleton stiff as a board and seemingly light, before he shakes his head and puts it back. He approaches a finished husk of a Ness and smiles.)

Ah yes. Perfect.

(Leo slices the husk's throat, draining the ink from it.)

Husks need ink but characters need blood. 

A soul needs blood.

(Leo uses some kind of spell to conjure up a heart, beating in his hand and slices open the hollow torso of the husk.)

Husks are usually light because they're hollow inside but I need a character for this task.

(Leo puts the heart in the husk, which repairs itself glows before coming to life.)

Ness: PK fire!

(Leo avoid the blast.)

Leo: OK PK fire spam. What did I expect from a Smash Bros Ness though? 

OK Ness… T-28. I have a mission for you. 

Ness: Okay.

(Leo rips out a page of the list.)

Leo: Since I'm level 10 you were made at level 10. A husk's or character's starting level is always that of their creator. This is a list of low level users and the crimes they've committed. I will force upon you nothing. You are free to live as you please. You are a being of your own. We are not writer and character, master and slave, we are friends.

Ness: Okay.

Leo: Should you choose of your own free will to ban their users, you may sell their magic to me for a very good price. Or keep it for yourself I'll still pay you some. I just want them gone. 

Ness: Okay.

(Leo hands Ness some Props.)

Leo: In case you decide you just wanna live your own life, here's some to do so.

(Leo turns to head back in his office but then stops and adds.)

Leo: One more thing. You don't know me. Understand?

Ness: Okay.

(Leo smiles and turns to dust, returning to the human world as Ness examines the list and exits the factory, which continues to make husks. The scene shifts to Robun waking up in what appears to be a nursery. The room looks like that of a small child. With a race car bed and a very colorful floor made of a soft, spongy material. Split into square tiles of blue, yellow, red, and green. The walls are a shade of baby blue, and the room contains a small, old T.V connected to an SNES with Super Mario World set up. Robun gets out of the bed and looks where his wounds were to find them completely gone.)

Robun: What?

(Robun exits the room into a long hallway, where he walks past countless doors labeled with names and numbers. No door has a number greater than 10 years old.)

Robun: This is creepy…

(Footsteps echo in the hall. Robun turns around to see what appears to be a human women holding a one year old baby girl who looks nothing like her. Camera zooms out to reveal her lower torso is that of a werewolf.)

???: Oh. You're awake.

Song Eight: Mother

(Instrumentals carry a tired tone, a mix of music box and woodwinds, almost like a lullaby a mother would sing her child.)

???: You're that human right?

The one that was fighting Reaper.

Forgive the bed being small.

I usually work with small kids.

(The women speaks to the child in her arms.)

God look at you.

You're so precious.

But mama has business.

Out of Amino you go I'll be back soon.

(The child turns to dust, allowing the women to turn her full attention to Robun.)

Anyways welcome to my home.

Tell me what's your name?

Robun: I'm Robun.

And you are?

???: Just call me mom.

Or Jackal.

I really don't care,

Which you prefer.

(Jackal gestures for Robun to follow her, which he reluctantly complies to.)

Welcome to my nursery.

Here I protect children.

I took a risk bringing you here.

(Jackal glares at Robun, death in her eyes as she glows with dark magic.)

You hurt them I'll ban you.

(Jackal returns to her jolly demeanour.)

I bring children into Amino who are under 10.

I protect them from,

Parents who,

Happen to be abusive.

That's what I do.

In every room,

Is a victim, 

Of child abuse.

(Jackal turns to look at a room and sighs. Walking past it. Robun looks at it and his eyes go wide with shock as he sees the name of the child who used to be in the room. "Leo Benedict".)

Ah do you know him?

He really is a good kid.

If you know him then, 

Maybe I can trust you.

Robun: Yeah he's a pal of mine.

Why are you asking?

(Jackal turns away and grabs a lance made of the same material of Boaz's bow, and Reaper's scythe. As she examines it, thinking to herself, she coughs, and sees blood in her hand. She forces a smile and turns to face Robun.)

Jackal: This lance is made from,

The bones of something evil.

Do not let it touch,

Any weapons made from the same thing.

Something was killed years ago,

And it's corpse was spread as powerful weapons.

I'm spreading them across the land,

To humans I can trust.

There's five in all and if they touch, 

They will bring about the end of the real world and Amino alike.

Reaper stole that scythe from me.

I want you to get it back.

Kiddo can you,

Do that for me?

(Robun nods. Jackal smiles.)

Then go ahead and log out.

If you need help mom is here.

You'll log back at your profile page.

Farewell human.

(Robun turns to dust. Jackal turns to look at Leo's room as the song ends. The room has a GameCube in it rather than an SNES, and is decorated with a kitten pattern over the carpeted floor. The room however, is dark and grim. The light flickers on and off as Jackal looks over the walls. Which contain a series of phrases scratched into the walls.)

Walls: Brother gone.

They took him from me.

Blood wine red.

Mother of my tears. 

Father of my fears.

Miss brother.

I killed her.

I was born Leo.

Don't call me by the name they gave me.

I'm Leo.

I'm Leo!

Get out of my head!

(The scratching becomes more desperate. And unstable.)

MAKE IT STOP!

MAKE THE RINGING STOP!

GET OUT!

GET OUT OF MY HEAD!

STOP SCREAMING!

WHY WON'T THE KIDS STOP SCREAMING!?!

MAKE IT STOP!

MAKE IT STOP!

FINE!

I'LL DO IT MYSELF!

(Jackal sighs, and without a word, closes the door. The camera lingers as the light flickers out, leaving a pitch black room before it pans down into Star catching up to Byleth.)

Star: Byleth!

Byleth: Star that escalated way to much.

Star: Look. I get it seems bad but… we're characters Byleth. You can join us. 

Byleth: I dunno…

Star: The human who made you abandoned you in a fucking dumpster. Come on.

(Star extends her hand.)

Let's destroy mankind…

(Byleth thinks for a moment. He had a choice to make…)