Formerly known as Artiopas 0: Commencer. Click here for the original story. | Written by Fico.
Written from the point of view of LAR2.
Bullying.
Something I wasn't too fond of.
And I'm sure everyone else would agree.
That is, if "everyone else" weren't braindead.
People aren't too fond of bullying.
That is, unless they're the bully.
In this case, everyone seemed to be fond of bullying.
How?
Because ALL OF THEM, including the staff, were the bullies.
I had to suffer every day and night hearing nothing but laughter...
At least I remember where it all started.
…
And how it ended.
I was just the average citezen of the city state of Artiopas. You know, the kind of guy who's laid-back, doesn't care much about society but chips in every now and then, participates in community gatherings and events when given the opportunity. Yeah, I'm that kind of guy. Average, common, but acceptable nonetheless.
I had just returned from another city state after my six-month long vacation. Seeing the same stuff over and over again gave me that sickening feeling, and I just needed a break from it all. However, during my vacation, this person named "Adam001_" decided to make up lies about me. I can't tell what the lies were about, but I can safely say that they were not the kind of lies anybody would desire.
I have no clue as to why. I don’t know what I did, what move I made, what card I played to commence this; but what I do know is that it has gotten completely out of hand.
My name was made known throughout the entirety of the city state... if only it was for something good. Heck, the mere thought of it just pokes my mind and drives me to insanity, wishing I never returned to that foreboding city.
<Remistae> Oh! Look who it is!
<LAR2> Who?
<Frowndot54> Uh... YOU!!
<Remistae> Are you blind or something?? Oh! I guess you are!!!
<Frowndot54> Don't worry lad. We ought to guide ya!
Laughter.
That's all I could hear.
These people have a problem.
Neanderthals.
<LAR2> I have to go…
<Frowndot54> Okay! See ya later, doofus!
<Remistae> Tell the admins we said hi!!
I walked off, hearing nothing but laughter from those players. What was so funny?
I think I know what was funny...
<LAR2> Uh, admins?
<Geodashie> What’s bothering you, baby green-eyes?
<LAR2> Some players over there were bullying-
<Geodashie> Are you a reasonable user? No! You’re just a fool!
<Deezknots> You need to be a reasonable user to communicate with staff! Everybody except you knows that!
<LAR2> Are you too being silly?
<Eggman45> Don’t be stupid, chief. We’re admins! We’re doing our job!
The law enforcers were making fun of me.
I could just scowl at them, but I didn’t want to risk getting banned from my own home. I’m surprised I haven’t been banned by now…
It wasn’t long before an entire crowd gathered. Player after player after player, they all surrounded me in a circle. They all laughed. Every single one of them. They all giggled, one or two of them were rolling around on the floor, it was a nightmare.
I fell to the ground. I just wanted it to get out of my head…
I stayed there for the longest minute of my life before the laughter quieted.
I got up. I brushed the dirt off my clothes. Right as I was done, some player kicked the topsoil behind me, covering me in dirt again. Laughter again. I scowled at him as I brushed the dirt off me again.
<Adam001_> Let me talk this guy out. He seems pretty let-down! HA!
More laughter. That pun wasn't even funny. It doesn't matter. They don't care what I think.
<LAR2> You... You caused this, didn't you?
<Adam001_> What did I cause?
He was getting smart with me.
<LAR2> Did you entice everyone to make fun of me?
<Adam001_> Oh, you're so sensitive. I'm just an average player. AND YOU ONLY FIT IN WITH THE DIRT ON YOU!
He kicked dirt onto me for a third time. More laughter... I had it at this point. I always had a short fuse growing up... I wanted to kill myself.
I took off. I bolted through a gap that two players had left open. I escaped, but not without the second player pushing me to the ground. I got up and bolted before he could do more damage. I took shelter in the forest. I ducked behind a log, out of view. They walked off, as if they didn't care that I took off.
Idiots.
If they’re going to torment me, they should at least try to keep up with me.
After they were out of sight, I sat down, head resting against that log, questioning what that was about. I pounded the last of the dust off of me as I asked this question;
"What's happening?"
I sat there, resting for a minute, trying to come to a conclusion. I couldn't. I can't ask anybody anyway. They've all turned against me all because of that slob. Adam.
I'll get him soon.
Very soon.
I got up, trying to get past what just happened. I decided that it would only be appropriate to make some fun out of the situation. Building was the answer.
However, a city full of bullies wasn't easy to navigate.
In fact, it was hard.
Very hard.
Getting to the building area behind the coliseum was tricky. Despite my best sneaking efforts, I was pointed out by 3 people. I escaped two of them swiftly, but the third began to form a group around me. It was relatively easy to escape them with my previous tactic, bolting.
Bolting is how I got through the rest of the trip, anyway. I bolted and hid behind some trees just in case any players found me. Luckily, it was clear. I opened the building, ready to build. I was transferred to Room #89, since 88 other people were already building. I didn't care. I got some materials out of the chest, and began to build a pig. I wasn't the best builder, but I didn't care. I choose my art style; the other players choose theirs. Peace and quiet, it was fine.
But when it comes to this damn city, it wasn't.
Apparently, a player had found my room and went full-on Adam on me. Only in this case, Adam's rumors took 6 months to spread. In this case, it happened instantly. One player joined, and another, and another, and another.
Do these idiots have nothing better to do with their damn time? It doesn't matter anyway. I could only watch as they destroyed everything I built with seemingly no effort.
<Str_aww> YOU CALL THAT A BUILD? HA! I'VE SEEN DIRT BLOCKS MORE USEFUL THEN THIS!
<Deezknots> Let me teach you how to make something USEFUL!
The players began to push and shove me towards the admins, who building some sort of noose-like structure. It wasn't a noose, it was a stand.
Oh no.
I was the pinata.
<Eggman45> Do you want to hit this sack of crap? Well, pay 2 emeralds, and you get to hit him 5 times!
Green.
That's all I saw, and that's all I expected to see.
I was pinned to the structure, trying to not cry from the fierce pain the players were giving me.
I hate this.
I hate all of this.
I merely escaped while one player accidentally toppled the stand. I bolted out of the building area, shoving any punk that stood in my way.
I hid behind a log.
I stayed there for God knows how long.
I stayed there until the building area was empty.
Despite that horrible incident from yesterday, I was still alive to keep plugging along.
I'm hungry.
I'm so hungry.
I want to eat.
But I can't.
I want to build.
…
And so I did.
Or, at least tried to do. I ran into a damn admin. He stopped and talked to me.
<Deezknots> Hey, chief? Why so pale? Was that skin condition passed down from yo mama?
I kept in my anger. I ignored him and tried to walk off. He grabbed me by the shoulder and turned me around, me facing towards that idiotic grin.
<Deezknots> Speaking of yo mama, I think you should tell her I said hi! Look up there! She's right there! Oh! I never knew she was so big!
This guy's not only a jerk, but an idiot as well.
Why?
<Deezknots> HEY MS. IDIOT! YOUR SON IS BEING VERY NAUGHTY! SPEAKING OF NAUGHTY, MY ROOM, 10 MINUTES!
I can't take it anymore.
I let my anger out. And by that, I meant that I shoved him to the ground with all my might. I scowled at him as gravity pulled his body down to the ground, covering his clothes in dust.
<LAR2> NAUGHTY? YOU CALL ME NAUGHTY, YOU JERK??
He got up and gave me an evil stare as he pounded the dust off of his tunic.
<Deezknots> You've got some nerve, kid.
<LAR2> Nerve?! YOU THINK I POSSESS THE MOST NERVE HERE?! NO! I'VE BEEN HERE FOR 3 DAYS, AND I ALREADY HATE THIS CITY STATE TO DEATH!
<Deezknots> Nobody cares what you think, you-
I grabbed on to his collar, scowling as menacingly as ever.
<LAR2> DO YOU THINK I DON'T KNOW THAT?? I'VE BEEN HERE FOR 3 DAYS EXPERIENCING AND EXPECTING NOTHING BUT PAIN AND SUFFERING! ARE YOU THAT BLIND??
He broke free from my grip. I stumbled a little bit, but I stood my ground on the topsoil.
<Deezknots> I am an admin, and I don't have time for this.
<LAR2> THEN WHAT DO YOU HAVE TIME FOR??? TORMENTING ME??? IS THAT IT???
<Deezknots> If you give me a diamond, then I won't pick on you for the rest of the day! Will that solve anything?
I was about to let out another rant, when I stopped to think.
I came to a conclusion not long after;
Really?
This guy tormented me, did nothing to restore order to the city, insulted me disgustingly, and he expects me to pay him a diamond???
WHILE EVERYONE ELSE CAN ENJOY THEMSELVES FOR FREE??
…
I don't care anymore. There is no value to life anymore, especially the remaining gold I have left on me. I walked up to him, pulling the diamond out of my pocket and giving it to him. He smiled at me.
<Deezknots> Thanks. Now get lost.
I walked off, but before I could step away from him, he asked this question;
<Deezknots> Hold on a minute... How did you even get this?
I stopped.
I didn't move. My mind was focused on that one question.
How did I get it?
I don't spend my time mining. I don't remember picking anything up. I'm not even interested in any junk that anybody drops, either.
Diamonds don't just appear out of thin air, either.
…
Or do they?
<Deezknots> Come on, spit it out, I don't have all day.
Oh, he does.
My evil conscience was awakening, it's calling me. I've had enough torment from everyone. I can take my time, and he can just sit there while I think of something.
Come on.
Think of something good.
Something his tiny brain can actually process.
<LAR2> I dug for it.
<Deezknots> Alright then, idiot. You really need to learn how to think faster. Heck, if you're so unhappy here, there exists a thing called leaving.
He walked off, caressing the diamond. I could only think of his look as he walked off into the distance of the city.
Not look as in his appearance.
But, rather, the look he gave me whilst I reached out my hand to give him the diamond.
Deep down, in that ugly face, I could make something out.
Regret.
This guy knows exactly what he's doing, and he's regretting it. He knows that he's the monster, he's the fool for picking on me. Ha. He's going to need to do a little more than just rethink his past actions to appease me. He needs to pray. He doesn't know what's coming.
…
What's wrong with me??
…
Okay, it's time to build.
I got to the building area. Surprisingly, it was still empty. No player to be found, and no player to expose my privacy. It was all okay.
Except, I only had wool on me. The chests wouldn't supply me with any other material.
Wool.
What the hell.
Why do I even bother. I need to expect the worst.
I continued my business, building in the glowstone. I reached my hands into my pockets, drooping down my face on a sad tone. I closed my eyes, sitting down on the sandstone ground. I didn’t care about my life anymore.
Then, in my pockets, I felt warmth.
It wasn’t because of the cushioning of the wool, it was some sort of heat being emitted from a fire.
I searched for the source of that heat, digging around in my pockets, when all of a sudden, I grasped something hard. Wood, to be exact.
I then began to pull out what that thing was. As my hand emerged from my pocket, I noticed a light emitting from what I was grabbing.
With the rest of my might, I pulled it out. My mouth dropped to what I saw.
It was a torch.
It’s light brighter than the dark and depressing thoughts this city state has given me.
I was attracted to the torch. It’s light chased away more than the darkness, but the dark and stressful thoughts inside and outside of me. It had a light that felt a lot different than any other torch.
I smiled. I knew what to do.
I faced the wall of the building. I got into my position, legs ready to strike the ground. There was an open ceiling, so I didn’t have to bust through the wall. I got ready.
I felt something I haven’t felt since I came back to this city state.
Confidence.
I believed in myself.
I’m not letting those low-lifes get to me.
I’ll make sure they don’t.
I pounded my legs against the sandstone, faster and faster, accelerating with the speed of a cheetah every meter. At the right moment, I let out an extremely fierce pound, lifting my body off the ground, scaling the wall made of leaves and wood. I hopped over the climax of the wall, pulling my body over it and landing like a cat.
In front of a group.
A group of low-lifes.
And guess who was there?
Adam.
That god damn idiot that started all of this.
It wasn’t long before they formed around me, giving me those stupid grins. Deezknots was also there, but, predictably, he was no use.
<LAR2> Deezknots! Remember that deal?
<Deezknots> They aren’t bothering you.
<LAR2> Yes they are! Do something!
<Deezknots> Sorry, but these guys paid me with something better than your gift. Friendship.
<Adam001_> Prepare to die! I’ve been waiting to do this!
Friendship? I’m surprised these heartless idiots even know what friendship is.
They moved closer into me.
They pulled out their weapons.
They gave me a nasty stare.
Closer, closer and closer.
…
I can’t believe this.
I can’t believe these pathetic excuses for admins are allowing this.
I can’t believe that everyone on this damn community is doing this to me.
I can’t believe I’m the only one with common sense.
…
This has to end.
It will end today.
It will end right now.
As they came close and closer, I reached my hand into my pocket, hoping what happened with the torch could happen with a sword. I closed my eyes, hoping and hoping that a sword would appear. I shut my eyes tight. Digging and digging...
…
I felt something hard.
I grasped it.
I knew what it was.
I felt it getting heavier and heavier, the blade was materializing.
I put on an evil stare, knowing that these idiots are their stares won’t know what to expect.
As they approached me, almost making physical contact, I pulled the sword out of my pocket and swung around in a 360 degree loop, knocking back the idiots meters away from me.
They ran.
They all ran.
Chickens.
Well two of them stayed, Adam and Deezknots.
They’re afraid. I can tell.
I put on a smile as I stomped closer to them, grasping a sword made entirely out of diamond. My eyes started to glow red as my outfit lifted, as if it was weightless. Deezknots stood his ground, Adam ducked behind him.
<Deezknots> With great power comes great responsibility, bub.
I cringed at the very thought of that sentence. It was so pathetic, I didn't know when to laugh or call him stupid.
<LAR2> Are you kidding me? RESPONSIBILITY? YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT RESPONSIBILITY IS! I’VE BEEN HERE FOR DAYS HEARING NOTHING BUT TORTURE FROM YOUR BELOVED CITY, AND YOU JUST SIT BACK ON YOUR ASS AND DO NOTHING WHILE I TAKE ALL OF THE SAUCE FOR YOU! IS THIS YOUR DAMN JOB?! NO! TO MAKE THE WOUND MORE PAINFUL, YOU’RE THE DAMN AUTHORITY FIGURE! ADMINS DON’T STAND BY WHEN DRAMA ARISES, THEY TRY TO PUT AN END TO IT!
I raised my hand, letting that warm feeling flow through my torso, and eventually reaching my arm. I stared at deezknots, watching his body lift off the ground, looking down at me, worried.
<LAR2> SO IF YOU AREN’T GOING TO PUT AN END TO IT, I WILL PUT AN END TO IT MYSELF, BUT NOT WITHOUT PUTTING AN END TO YOU. GOODBYE, YOU HEARTLESS SCUMBAG.
With a flick of my wrist, I slammed him down to the ground, creating a shockwave that threw back the players. Most of them were knocked away, and the rest died of fall damage.
The ground exploded as I slammed Deezknots to the ground, killing all of the trees and wildlife surrounding it.
Except for one.
Adam.
He ran away from me, somehow dodging the fire that ran towards him.
I lifted off the ground, flying.
Watching him run.
Watching him express his fear.
Watching him delay the inevitable.
I could just swoop down and grab him.
But I wanted to wait a while.
I wanted to see what this idiot would do.
I wanted to have some fun.
I flew above him, watching him slam the ground with his feet, speeding away as hard as he can. I kept up with him. I spawned a couple of fireballs and threw them at Adam, hoping it would hit him. I knew he was at half a heart, I just had to hit him once.
I swooped down in one swift dive, almost at him.
Three.
Two.
One.
Impact.
I grabbed him with a high velocity, grasping his neck and scraping his shoes against the stone. I pinned him to the wall of the coliseum, angrily staring at him.
<LAR2> IS THIS WHAT YOU WANTED?!
<Adam001_> No! It’s not! Please!
<LAR2> THIS IS DEFINITELY WHAT YOU WANTED. YOU WERE ASKING FOR THIS. THE MOMENT I RETURNED FROM MY SIX MONTH VACATION, YOU KNEW THAT YOU WERE GOING TO REGRET THIS AWFUL DECISION, ENTICING USERS TO ATTACK ME.
I pinned him to the wall harder, choking him.
<Adam001_> S-stop! Violence-ence won’t s-s-solve anything-ing!
<LAR2> THEN WHAT WERE YOU AND THE REST OF YOUR GOONS ABOUT TO DO TO ME A FEW MINUTES BACK? WHY DID YOU BEAT ME LIKE A PIÑATA WHEN I WAS TRYING TO BUILD? WHY WERE YOU DOING THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE?!
<Adam001_> …
I threw him to the ground, then tossing him upward. He flew up to the stratosphere, eventually being towered by me, pushing him to the ground, almost killing him.
<Adam001_> HAVE MERCY!!! PLEASE!!!
<LAR2> On the contrary.
<Adam001_> Huh?
<LAR2> I’LL MAKE YOU SUFFER FOR WHAT YOU DID TO ME. YOU ARE NOW MY SLAVE.
<Adam001_> WHAT?!
Me and him flew to city hall, where I did some redecorating. Spawning skeletons and zombies. The city was changed. The players and admins are banned. This is my city now. and Adam now has to serve me for life in an empty city, obeying my every command.
Months passed, and Adam was out there building something, when I came up to him. Why?
Someone had wandered into the city.
He didn't appear in the security cameras, and he didn't show any sign of entrance. It was to be expected, though. None of the technology has been working properly since I took over. However, I still knew that he joined. I could sense that disturbance whenever a player joins. I barricaded the spawn point in bedrock, so he couldn’t have spawned there. He must be out there somewhere.
This is why I have Adam. My slave... Haha, Adam The Slave. What a meaningful name.
<LAR2> Adam.
<Adam001_> What?
<LAR2> Don’t give me that look. I’m your boss now.
<Adam001_> Ugh… what do you want…
<LAR2> The last human has just joined, and once he is killed, I’ll have nobody in my way to stop me.
Adam said nothing. He ignored me and continued building.
<LAR2> Adam.
<Adam001_> Don’t…. talk to me.
I knew it. He is regretting his decisions.
Pitiful.
<LAR2> ADAM.
<Adam001_> What do you want me to do about it? Kill him?
<LAR2> EXACTLY.
He got it right. Wow. For a naïve brain, he sure does know what’s happening.
He began to lower his head, stopping his build.
<LAR2> What’s wrong?
<Adam001_> It’s just that… I think you’re taking this too far.
<LAR2> Too far? Ha. You don’t know what too far is.
<Adam001_> Yes, I do! I know what “too far” is and this is too far.
<LAR2> So you’re saying that tormenting me and destroying my builds for no reason isn’t too far??
He paused. He looked down in a worried/scared tone and tried to continue building. I stopped him.
<LAR2> That’s what I thought, Adam.
<Adam001_> Look, I’m sorry. Is that better?
<LAR2> No it isn’t. For starters…
“It’s critical that you listen.”