This is for athena363636's challenge. Plus I made it a vent chapter. Yummy.

I dashed about the shopping district. ConCorp needed to restock, or we'd die. And while the Scarred Treasure Chest May have been full, I'm always reinvesting in the economy like a good businessman.

I dropped off the profits at ConCorp, giving Cub his half, and taking mine. Just as I was about to head up, I felt lightheaded. I thought nothing of it at the time, but it was a sign. A sign of pain yet to come.

I then went and tended to Scara. Life's scary when your house is surrounded by an easily-angered plant monster, but everything's fine. So far. I'm just worried that Scara's gonna figure out that Sahara street are hurting her because of me. If she does... I'm doomed, I tell you. Doomed.

It started properly around sunset. I was in my Hermitville base, just listening to the Sahara boys arguing about whether or not Iskall was allowed to use a magnet to pull Mumbo's rocket out of the sky. And then, out of nowhere it hit me. Headache, stomachache, everywhere hurt. Everything was pain.

I lay on my bed for a good five minutes, trying to distract myself, but it didn't work. I felt a dull throbbing no matter where I tried to numb the pain. It hurt so much that I couldn't concentrate to do anything, even use my magic to fix things. And it was then I remembered the serverwide meeting X had called.

Grudgingly, I messaged the other hermits that I couldn't come. Just this once I'd take their advice. Just this once I'd put my health first. I was too sick anyway. As I hit send, another wave of pain hit, and I hid under the covers, shaking.

My eyelids felt heavy, but I couldn't sleep, things hurt too much. I tossed and turned, and slowly fell into not sleep, but unconsciousness. And yes, there is a difference.

I, Autocorrect, have brought y'all this Time Skip, free of charge.

I woke up with a bit of a start. My head pounded, I felt heavy, couldn't sit up, everything was darkness. I realised I'd been crying into my pillow as I slept, as my eyes still stung with the remnants of tears. I checked the clock to see that it was just after 1am.

Blearily, I checked my messages. I looked at all the replies for a second, before realising what they said. Good for me. So proud of me. Throwing a party. So happy. For what, that I was sick? No, it couldn't be. They wouldn't say things like that, they were my friends!

...Would they say things like that?

They would, wouldn't they?

How could I have been so ignorant? Of course they didn't want me around. Of course they'd cheer when I couldn't be around. Of course they weren't my friends. What good did I do them? Terraform? There were plenty others who could do that. And it just goes to show how stupid and ignorant I had been.

I was so ignorant. I was so ignorant.

Error: Too many ideas.

Solution: Outsource.

Error: Conflicting objectives.

Oh! I am sorry. I was just thinking about my future project ideas. It's nothing, I'm sure.

OdalRune, signing off from the past!