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-A time’s curse gives hope where needed, only to take it back when it’s not required-
A bright light flashes. Lighting up the small space it resides in. As the light slowly dims, it reveals a limp silhouette lying on the dirt ground. As darkness took over the room, silence ensued. After a while, a cough echoes through the room.
"Hello?" the voice softly breathed out. It was Karl.
He slowly sat up and looked around, wondering where he was. It’s unusual for him to return to the SMP to anywhere else other than his library. He reached out hoping to piece together where he was, but was only welcomed by the touch of dirt falling between his fingers. Confused, he reaches for his amulet and opens it. With the light of his amulet, he saw a small hole that he hoped to lead above ground. He crawled towards the hole and somehow managed to squeeze himself through the hole. Once he was out, he stood up and brushed the dirt off himself. Looking around, he recognised the place. It was Kinoko Kingdom, or more specifically, the place where it was built. The only thing there was the big red mushroom.
“What happened to everything?” he asked himself as he walked towards the mushroom. “Why can’t I remember anything at all?”
Karl sat up against the mushroom stem and reached his hand into the inner pocket of his coat. He takes out a book, hoping it would give some or any clue to what had happened. The book was titled ‘I’m sorry’.
Dear future Karl,
I’m not sure what’s going to happen when we get back to the SMP but we must have done something to change the course of the whole timeline.
The inbetween is broken, like whatever we changed, changed the evolution of it as well.
I don't remember what happened before, but i’m writing this in case anything goes wrong when I go back.
I’m sorry I can’t remember.
Karl closed the book and placed it beside him. He sighed, wondering what was changed and what it changed. Looking around, he remembers the way back to Greater DreamSMP. He stood up and made his way in that direction. After a while of walking, he reached Alyssa’s old barn. That seemed to still look the same, so he was slightly hopeful but knew it wouldn't last long. He realizes the closer he gets to the main area, the more he can feel something in the shift has changed. Karl knows nothing will be as what he knew before, but hopes there’s at least something that didn't change. The only thing that is keeping him from disappearing from the timeline, since he doesn't need to be there anymore if he is not needed. A slight catch that was given to him when he joined. As Karl passed the spawn area, which did not look any different as it was, he walked towards the community house. He stopped at the start of the bridge. It was still the community house alright, but it looked the same as when Karl first joined. As he continued staring and admiring the building before him, he heard music.
Music? He thought. Karl wondered when the last time he remembered music being played on the server.
He started walking down the prime path, following the music. He looked around the Greater DreamSMP, surprised that nothing much has changed. That didn't make him feel any better though. He continued following the music and ended up at the top of the staircase that goes down to L’Manburg. Karl stood at the top of the stairs, staring at a place that reminded him of when he first joined the SMP. L’Manburg from before the Manburg Festival. L’Manburg from before he joined. He took a deep breath, and looked around at the people gathering in the middle of the land.
Everything feels less… angry? Karl thought as the wind blew his hair out of his eyes. He took a look at his amulet, it’s November 16th. Confused, he took another look at the area. There was no blackstone platform. His memory may be foggy, but he has a feeling about what may have happened.
Karl slowly walks down towards the giant banner acting as an entrance that said L’Manburg Festival. That didn't end up well the last time he heard that name. Once he got closer, he heard some talking from the side. It was Sapnap and Quackity. All he wanted to do was run into their arms and have them tell him that everything would be alright. But he knew he couldn’t. Karl took a deep breath and made his way towards them.
"Guys! Hey, what's going on here?" Karl waves, trying to make it as normal as possible.
Both Sapnap and Quackity turn to look at Karl. Confusion plastered on their faces. Karl's stomach drops, knowing what conversation he will be facing.
"Hi?" Sapnap waves awkwardly. "Do we know each other?"
Karl's fake smile drops as his eyes started to water. There's nothing left now.
"Oh, i'm sorry. You two look very familiar, I thought I knew you guys."
"It's alright." Quackity held his hand out. "I'm Quackity. This is my fiance, Sapnap."
Karl shook his hand. "Nice to meet you guys. I'm Karl."
"Hi Karl. Nice to meet you." Sapnap smiles. "You do look familiar though, have we met before?"
Karl shakes his head, smiling softly. "No, I don't think so. I'm just a traveller. I heard music from the distance and wanted to stop by."
"That's awesome!" Quackity shouted. "Come on, let's introduce you to everyone!"
Sapnap shouts to everyone, “Hey guys! We have a guest who happened to stop by on the best possible day!”
Sapnap and Quackity pull Karl towards the festival square where everyone is gathered. Everyone turned around and started to introduce themselves. Karl felt welcomed but hurt deep down that no one remembers him. As everyone introduced themselves, he turned to see Dream and Ranboo whispering behind the group.
They know something. Karl thought to himself, unsure how to feel.
After sometime, everyone started dispersing around the area again. Karl looked around, wondering who he could ask questions too. At the end of the drinks table, was an alive and well Wilbur Soot. He walked towards Wilbur, waving to get his attention. Wilbur smiled and waved back.
“Hi! You’re Wilbur, right?” Karl grabbed a cup and started filling it up with some punch.
Wilbur let out a small laugh. “Yes, I indeed am.” He took a sip from his cup.
“What is this festival for anyway?”
“Hhmm. Good question.” Wilbur takes another sip. “It’s to celebrate the independence of L’Manburg. We had an election not too long ago, and Pogtopia won.”
“And that’s what this whole celebration is for?” Karl asked intently.
“Nope.” Wilbur looked towards where everyone was hanging out at. Karl followed suit. “After the election, Dream,” Wilbur points towards where Dream was standing, “decided to do a peace treaty between L’Manburg and Greater DreamSMP. To say everyone was surprised was an understatement. No one expected that from him, especially after he exploded the first L’Manburg.”
“Exploded?” Karl asked, hoping to sound surprised.
“Yeap. The area was built again and this place that we are standing in was born. Now, the reason everyone was surprised Dream even suggested the peace treaty is because there have been so many wars that have happened here before that he had either been involved in or had instigated. Hell, that’s the only reason why L’Manburg was created in the first place.” Wilbur sighs. “No one knows what happened to make him change his mind this drastically but everyone is just glad there’s some peace here now. Also, something seems different about him now. Like a demon of some kind just exited his body and he feels free.” Wilbur chugs down the last bit of his drink, “But you didn't hear it from me! Come on. Let’s enjoy the festival with everyone else.”
Wilbur and Karl started walking towards the main square. He gave Karl a pat on the back and walked towards the food stalls. Tubbo called for Karl from the Ring-Toss booth. Karl smiled and made his way to the games area, he might as well have fun while he still can. As the night progresses, Karl had fun with everyone as much as he could. He knew he had to leave. He said his goodbyes to everyone, saying he had to continue his travels and sorry that he couldn’t stay longer.
“It was fun meeting you man! Hope to see you again soon!” Quackity as he gave Karl a hug.
Karl smiled softly. “Yeah, hope to see you guys again soon.”
Karl started walking up the stairs backwards waving to everyone. He turned around and quickly jogged to the top. He continued walking, just wanting to make sure he was away from everyone first. Once he reached in front of Church Prime, he stopped. Karl dropped to his knees and broke down. He knew he had lost everything already. Suddenly, two bodies hugged him from behind. Karl didn't know who they were but he started to cry harder. They were in that position for a while before Karl took a deep breath and released himself from the hug. Turning around, he saw that it was Dream and Ranboo.
“What are you guys doing here?” Karl asks as he wipes his face with his sleeves.
Ranboo quickly glanced at Dream, and back to Karl. “For some reason, we remember you.”
“Well, somewhat remember.” Dream shrugged.
“Oh?”
Dream walked forward and put a hand on Karl’s shoulder. “Yeah, and I’m sorry you had to go through that with everyone. It must hurt to see people you used to know, not remember you.”
Karl looked down. “That still doesn't explain anything though. Why did you guys follow me?”
“We felt like we needed to follow you to wherever you’re heading off to now.” Ranboo walked slightly forward and was now standing next to Dream.
“Yeah, where are you even going?” Dream asked.
Karl scratched the back of his neck. “I- I’m not sure. Probably back to where I started. A red mushroom?”
Ranboo put his arms up excitedly. “Let’s go then. I feel like we should at least follow you there.”
The three of them started making their way towards where the red mushroom was. The land seemed further than it was before. As they walked past the community house, Karl stopped at the entrance and sighed. He had hoped that the server would see peace, but not like this. He looked at the two people standing behind him, the only ones that somewhat remember him, he sadly smiled and continued walking. After a while, they reached the barn. Dream went in saying he hasn’t been there in a long time. Ranboo turned to Karl to ask about the place they were heading too, but saw Karl trying to hold himself up on the crafting table.
“Woah, Karl? Are you okay?” Ranboo quickly ran to help Karl sit down.
Karl held his forehead. “I don't know. My head started hurting really badly.”
Ranboo started to get worried and turned to the barn. “Dream! We need to go!”
Dream peeked his head through the barn door. As he was about to ask, he saw the state Karl was in. Both of them had Karl put his arms over their shoulders and asked him which way they needed to go. Karl slowly raises his hand to point to the direction of the red mushroom. They nodded and started making their way towards that direction. After some time, the sun started to rise and they saw the red mushroom in the distance. Ranboo and Dream slowly help him walk towards the mushroom, and sat him down at the base of the stem.
Karl leans his head back and sighs. “Why am I so tired?”
Ranboo teleports away and comes back with an Allium. “Here you go Karl, it probably won’t help much but it’s nice.”
Karl smiles and holds the flower on his chest. “Guys, I’m going to take a nap for a bit.”
Dream and Ranboo sat kneeled in front of Karl. As Karl slowly closes his eyes, Dreams silently hums as it echoes through the wind tunnel under the mushroom.
“See you guys when I wake up I guess.” Karl softly says as he falls into a deep sleep.
Tears started flowing down Dream’s face. “See you again buddy.”
Ranboo’s eyes started tearing up, and quickly wiping it before it started falling. They both had a feeling about what was going to happen even if they didn't fully know what was happening and why they feel that way. Little by little, Karl’s physical being began to fade away. As the sun rose, he had fully faded away and only the allium was left at where he once was. Silence took over for the next few minutes, both wanting to give a moment of silence.
With a warm and heavy heart, Ranboo sighed. “I'll never forget you Karl Jacobs.”