'CUB NO!' Scar hit the ground, barely managing to survive, curling up from the unending mix of physical and emotional pain that was all he felt, repeating his friend's name over and over and over and over until it turned to a sob. And another. And another. And all Scar could do was hug himself because he knew he knew no one else would. Grian was dead. Cub was dead. Mumbo and Bdubs were dead.

He was the last one left.

He was the last one of his friend left.

He was the last one of his friends left alive.

But he felt like he was the only one dead.

They were alive.

They were together.

They were happy on the other side.

A scream tore through Scar's tears, before they choked him again, curling up only tighter... Cub was gone. Grian was gone. Everyone was gone. He'd lost everything so they could make him win.

He'd killed Cub.

No.

But he had.

It was HIS fault.

He'd killed him. He'd barrelled into him. He'd been too slow... he didn't care that he was barely even breathing through the choking tears. There were a million things he could've done. Could've said. Could've changed...

'Oh my goodness, Scar are you ok?'

Surprise cut through the sobs in a moment of silence. And a moment later someone crouched down next to him, a hand on his shoulder, pulling him into a hug.

Pearl.

'Cub...' He whispered back, unable to find any better way to explain without breaking down halfway through.

'It's ok...' Pearl hugged Scar tighter. Scar hugged back, starting to sob again, barely able to breath more than shallow gasps, brain clouding with guilt, guilt, and nothing else. 'It'll all be ok... just breathe in.' Scar tried to obey, letting in a shaky breath. 'And hold... and out. In... hold... and out...'

After a few more minutes, he'd managed it, wiping away his tears. Pearl gave a comforting smile Scar managed to return.

'Th...thanks.' He snuffled. 'I... I just...'

'It's alright. I can stay here as long as you need me to.'

Another smile from Scar.

Before a voice broke through the moment.

'Get away from her, Scar. Ren doesn't want me to kill you.'

Cub.

He was climbing a cramped wooden staircase, winding up towards the secret HQ. A hum of magic filled the air. But of course, it didn't affect him, barely noticeable. Their power had been around for so long... helping Tango on the nether roof. And even further back, first trying to get the head, just for the collection. He hadn't thought anything of the different attack...

He frowned as he navigated the jungle, stepping towards the wreckage of a plane or... some kind of space ship. And inside...

He flew around the base, admiring the moustached faces from every angle... of course, who else would be better to prank first than Mumbo?

Lava. He was standing on the last blocks of slime around the pool of lava. Hermits watched. His eyes widened as he watched the skeleton step closer, firing an arrow and...

He walked through the forest, fog swirling at his feet, the dark trees spreading forever, stretching away... A faintness. Nausea. Lethargy. A presence of another being in his mind. Another another being. Something new. Darker...

He fell. Elytra closed. Wings not there. Staring at Scar's horrified face, the tears in his eyes,

'I'm sorry Scar.'

Cub woke up, gasping, in his bed. Safe? No. He'd just died. He was dead.

He was dead.

He was out the game.

Well... Not quite.

Ideas for traps rose in his mind... TNT, lava, dripstone, mobs. Evokers.

Vexes.

Scar.

Kill Scar and the Convex would return. Their power. Their control over the server... Cub grinned at the idea. Yes. Scar was the perfect target... And so gullible. He'd never expect anything.

But Vexes couldn't prank their fellow vexes.

But Scar wasn't embracing their power any more. He was playing the game the boring way. He wanted to survive. 'win' the game. Chaos was true victory. Power. Control...

'SIR CUBALOT OF THE GREYSKINS YOU ARE THUSLY SUMMONED TO JOIN OUR ARMY AND TURN AGAINST THE FILTHY MORTAL SQUABS IT IS THUSLY DECREED!'

Cub blinked as Ren flew into his base, grinning.

'Hey dude... Wow. Very... Season 5.' He landed. Cub smiled back, slipping from his bed, taking in his silver vexish claws, the skeletal wings behind him... A glance into the water showing glowing white eyes, pointed ears... He smiled, and his vexy reflection smiled back.

'Yeah... Yeah... Do you think we can kill Scar?'

'Scar?' Ren's eyes widened. 'You wish... To kill him, dude?'

'Yeah, I mean, bring back the convex, take over the serv... I mean.' Cub gave a cough. 'Serve you as noble leader of the Greyskins and never consider taking your place.'

'I see... Well, you can go for Pearl, or start trapping the crastle to start with... I don't know if... Killing Scar... Is the best option immediately... Who actually killed you?'

Cub frowned. He'd landed on the pillar and then...

'Scar. Scar killed me. He pushed me off a pillar and I hit the ground.'

'Very well. Sir Scar Hotguy of the Good Times is thusly gifted with immunity and we cannot attack him!'

'Oh... Of course... Of course.'

'Now, come thusly to the Crastle!'

Ren flew out the base, through the water. After a moment, Cub followed.

Over spawn, over the shopping district. Cub glanced down, seeing Scar huddled on the ground, hugging...

Pearl.

Jealousy filled him. Why was Scar upset about him returning to the Vexes? And why was PEARL comforting him? Who wasn't even a close friend. Who was a WATCHER.

'Hang on... I need to kill Pearl.'

'CUB! YOU WILL THUSLY OBEY THE COMMANDS OF YOUR KING!'

He didn't, landing on the TCG building. They hadn't seen him.

'Get away from her, Scar. Ren doesn't want me to kill you.'

The pair fell apart. Scar stood, turning, terror filling his eyes, vex wings raised behind him.

'Cub...'

'Hang on, I thought they were targeting Scar.' Pearl drew a sword, standing in front of him

'Well they were. Until I said I wanted to unite the almighty convex and take power.'

'Cub, stop this.'

'Why?'

'Because this isn't you! You wanted to protect me! You want me to win!'

'Nah...' Cub glided down, landing next to Scar. He stepped back, eyes flashing blue with fear. 'That's boring. And I can't take control of the server alone... I need you alongside me.'

'Cub get back.' He drew a sword. Cub laughed.

'You wouldn't attack your fellow vex and risk angering Them, would you?'

'Scar... Get away.' Pearl insisted. Scar took a step back, but before he could get any further, Cub grabbed his hand.

'It won't even hurt that much.'

'Get off me.'

'Scar...' Pearl repeated as Scar struggled to escape, trying even to faze his hand free. But it didn't work.

'Cub get off me.' He repeated, glancing up to where a bridge was being built in the air. 'Or I kill you.'

'Don't turn on your fellow vex, Scar.'

'Let go of me and I won't have to.'

A TNT minecart.

From the sky.

'NO!' There was nowhere for him to go. No place for him to run as the minecart landed.

Pearlescentmoon blew up

...This wasn't supposed to be this chapter.

But never mind.

:))