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Hybrids were a rare concept in Minecraft– but not in combat based PVP servers.
You see, many hybrids that are discovered are typically found or sold off to fighting rings. They’re taught to fight from a young age and work themselves to exhaustion to meet the expectations of their owners. Some owners allow the fighters to work for their freedom– win enough fights, enough fights in a row, garner enough money or enough crowd, and you could be free. Such was the case for Wemmbu.
You see– he was a rare hybrid. A Warden hybrid. Being recently discovered, it was almost never possible to see a Warden hybrid. Many of them went into hiding– not that Wemmbu would know if there were more, given that he also hid his identity as a hybrid. Hiding his exposed chest and glowing heart beating harshly with the heart of those he ended, he was lucky that many were too occupied with his fights to hear his rushing heart beat– or to see the faint glowing coming from under his armour. Not that many were skeptical enough… despite the harsh and challenging environments of Unstable Universe, many had enough respect to not dwell into the possibilities of who could or couldn’t be a hybrid. Rejoice, Eggchan, and Loppezz being few of many.
However…
“Oh my God, I’m gonna die here–”
Some occassions… called for exposure. Wemmbu internally cursed his quick attachment to Rejoice. The man was just too cheery and upbeat– reminding him too much of himself before he was found by the hybrid hunters. Innocent and forced to do things that he was unwilling to; Rejoice guarding this dead city despite being so against killing.
And someone against killing dying? Despite Wemmbu’s cold heart, he couldn’t help but feel how wrong it was.
Sweat dripped down his temple, sweating as he ran after the crowd of Warden’s stalking Rejoice, running towards him with frantically swinging clock-like limbs. Was it worth it? Exposing what he considered to be the most dangerous part of himself to save someone he hardly knew? Someone he considered an ally? Someone he just recently started getting along with? Someone he considered a potential friend?
“Wemmbu– I’m gonna die– it was fun! It really was–” Wemmbu pursed his lips. He was really going to do this, wasn’t he? Fuck.
“No, no you’re not buddy, shut up, Rejoice!” He reached toward himself, unequipping his chest place and ripping his frilled dress shirt open. Loppezz’s eyes widened from the platform she was dangling on. The heart in his chest was visibly gleaming– causing a few nearby wardens to stop in their paths.
Shouting in a forgotten language– Eggchan’s eye expanded, “Oh my God bro, and he seriously didn’t tell me he knew a dead language? You think you know a guy, bro.” Unable to hear the muttered message– he continued commanding. The wardens swarming Rejoice stopped all at once, turning around and thoughtlessly roaming, unharming.
Rejoice was in a corner, clutching a chorus fruit in one hand and a gapple in another. He was shaking, eyes wide and posture evidently frightened. He was covered in a teal, glowing glitter-like powder.
“Wemmbu?..” He muttered, blinking tears out of his eyes. His vocal cords were evidently worn, strained with his yelling and screams of pain. Wemmbu buttoned up his frilled shirt as he walked toward him.
“Yeah bro, it’s me. Sorry… about that.” He didn’t know what else to say. Hell, he didn’t really know what he was apologizing for! Maybe not stepping in sooner? Maybe for making the man uncomfortable? You never really know– for all he knows, Rejoice is a stone-cold hater of hybrids– and Wemmbu just so happened to be an extremely rare one.
Rejoice was still trembling, covered in cold sweats and hair frazzled with his wind-broken running, but despite that, he raced towards Wemmbu. The man hesitantly equipped his sword, a torn expression on his face as he prepared himself for an attack. However, unexpectedly, Rejoice wound his arms around his neck and encompassed him in a bone-crushing hug.
“Thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, Wemmbu! Oh my God, I thought I was going to die!” He babbled, tears streaming down his face as he clutched Wemmbu in a vice hold. Eggchan and Loppezz flew down from where they were stationed. Landing in nearby water before racing over to them. Eggchan had his hands on his hips, as he stalked toward Wemmbu.
“Bro. You didn’t tell me you were a cool hybrid bro. I could’ve learned so much from you, dude.” His nonchalant voice broke through Rejoice’s heavy sobs. Wemmbu blinked, unsurprised by his reaction.
“Well– listen, bro, I didn’t know how you’d react, and–”
“Dude. I’m literally a Seraphim hybrid. I’m the last person to hate hybrids. Are you stupid, dude.” Eggchan ruffled his feathers. Wemmbu smiled nervously, patting Rejoice’s back as he stared at Eggchan.
“Oh my Days! You know, I don’t really like you Wemmbu, but that was so badass! You, like, ripped open your shirt and started yelling! And they listened!” Loppezz exclaimed, her eyes practically gleaming as she jumped up to the two, her magenta hair jumping and her red eyes gleaming. Her bunny ears swished with her excitement.
Wemmbu was confused. He’d never experienced this reaction to a reveal of his hybrid status– but he supposed he should’ve expected it. Eggchan was a rare hybrid himself, and Loppezz, despite being a common hybrid, was a very accepting woman. In many ways, despite their differences.
“Uh… thanks, Loppezz. I’ve never really… gotten that reaction before?” He said hesitantly, slowly, as Rejoice finally pulled away from him, wiping his tears away.
“How could I ever repay you!” Rejoice exclaimed, gripping Wemmbu’s hand.
“Uh– help me kill–”
“You’re my new best friend!” Rejoice yipped, his ears flicking out from where they were tucked under his hair as he gripped his hand tightly. A bead of sweat ran down Wemmbu’s face.
“Dude, your grip is insane.” Rejoice blinked, then smiled, “Thank you!”
“Well, you can ‘repay’ me by helping me kill Jaden, Rejoice. But I mean, that was already our goal… but would you be down for actually fighting to kill?” Rejoice’s eyes flickered, his gaze dimming for a moment.
“Uh. Well, there’s a reason.. that I don’t really kill.” He muttered, his eyes flickering away from Wemmbu, Loppezz, and Eggchan.
“You see,” he gestured up to his head, where his ears flicked as if hearing his hand move, which they likely did, “I’m a wolf hybrid. And uh… despite being pretty common, dog fighting rings are really common also…” he murmured, his eyes downcast and glazed over.
“I was forced to fight since I was a kid. I’ve had to kill countless people, and injure so many more to the point they later died…” He undid his gloves and stared down at his red-stained claws, holding them out to show Wemmbu. He smiled sorrowfully.
“I was never really able to wash all the blood out. In many senses.” He whispered quietly, his ears flattening against his head. Wemmbu’s gaze hardened, his chest beating harshly in painful empathy at Rejoice’s story. He held out his hand, gently holding Rejoice’s clawed hands in his.
“I know how it feels, Rejoice.” He rolled up the sleeve of the hand holding Rejoice’s, and rolled his forearm to the side to show a branding mark– a deep dark branding mark, followed by a series of numbers. His old name, 2351313221. Or 235.7 for short.
The wolf hybrid’s eyes widened, his ears flattening further as he stared up at Wemmbu, his tear birthmark gleaming with shining liquid as a tear rolled down his face, catching on his jaw.
“But you still exposed yourself? To save me?” He mumbled. Wemmbu glanced away, a light blush coating his face.
“Dude, you got me, like, attached to you. This is all your fault.” He grumbled, causing Rejoice to crack a smile. Wemmbu reddened further, “Chungy…” he added.
“‘Chungy,’” Rejoice repeated, mouthing the word. “That’s what you called us, right?”
“Yeah, this dick calls us the ‘chungy squad,’” Loppezz replies, rolling her eyes, clearly averse to the name. Rejoice, on the other hand, grinned, wiping away his tears as he beamed a smile.
“I like that! We’re the Chungy Squad!” Eggchan’s shoulders dropped, “Oh my God bro… it’s genius.” Wemmbu took a wide step back from Rejoice, throwing his hands up.
“I am not going to be a part of a team called the chungy squad, bro.” The three of him looked at him with borderline pathetic eyes. He slowly rolled his eyes away from them before dragging a hand down his face.
“Oh my God, bro…” He muttered as the three of them cheered.
“Let’s go kill Jaden, Chungy squad!” Rejoice exclaimed, holding up his sword.