Back from the previous volume. Steve is shocked, panting heavily, looking like he's seen a ghost.

"Steve. What are you doing here?!" Marla shouts.

"I... don't know," he says weakly.

Marla sighs, goes closer, and touches Steve's cheeks. Steve blushes. The sky turns dark blue and stars surround him.

STATUS: AFFECTION

INFO: AFFECTION IS A SWEET, CARING OR ROMANTIC FEELING. WHEN EARNED, YOU GET MORE POWERFUL AND HAVE INFINITE XP.

10+ AFFECTION
70+ HEALTH ADDED
HEALTH FULL
100/100

Steve drops on his knees. "Marla! You're the real Marla Brightway?! The girl of my dreams. Are you real, are you fake, are you a robot?!"

Marla is uncomfortable. "I'm real, yes."

"Why are you here in the Sandy-Way?"

Marla chuckles. "No, Steve. I live here. It's my imagination overriding everything. I brought you here."

Steve is shocked. "What? We're still in Cointropolis?"

Marla grins evilly.

A – JUST TELL HIM THE TRUTH
B – LIE
C – FIGHT
D – BOTH.

Marla chooses both A and C.

"Because I'm not a hero. I know how you are; you want me so bad. You are so in love with me to the point of killing everything in your path to get me."

"What?!" Steve stands. "No, No, No, No. It can't be!"

Steve holds Marla. "I love you, Marla! You are my idol, my inspiration. Ever since you shared a sandwich with me, ever since you helped me in biology. Now all of it is a lie?!"

Marla pulls away. "Yes, it is! I'm on the Enemies side. You should have believed in that overprotective brother of yours."

Steve drops on his knees, a single tear dropping.

HEART: BROKEN.
CONFIDENCE: SHATTERED
WEAKNESSES: OVERTAKING.

"I am such a fool. Having a crush on someone, but only fantasizing who they are."

Marla smirks. "Now that you've realized, it's time to bring in my BF: Matthew Day."

The sand turns orange and into fire. Steve jumps on a floating rock.

Marla crosses her arms. Rock music plays. Matthew rides in, singing.

Matthew flips and lands behind Marla. "You thought you can steal my girl?"

MATTHEW DAY
AGE: 24
POWERS: FIRE.
WEAKNESSES: BATS.

MARLA + MATTHEW
STATUS: THE POWER COUPLE
ALSO PART OF ENEMIES.

Steve drops on the ground. He stands, yellow energy buzzing around him. He floats.

ERROR: WEAKNESSES TAKING OVER.

Steve roars. Matthew grabs the energy and spins Steve, smashing him onto a wall with bats.

"Your gothic architecture is charming, babe," Marla says.

"It's not gothic," Matthew says.

Yellow energy blasts and Steve appears, holding a yellow sword. His pocket is filled with potions: a purple flower, a purple egg, and a bat flower.

"Where did you get all that?!" Matthew asks.

2 MINUTES BEFORE THIS.

Steve got a tip: GO TO MARCUS WAYNE'S POTION SHOP!

Steve entered Marcus Wayne's House of Payne, grabbed the items, and paid.

NOW – PRESENT.

"And that's the end," Steve says.

Matthew walks in, buzzing with fire. "Alright, Steve. I am the first boss you will face. And from your stats, you cannot respawn."

Steve gets enraged. "EVERYONE RESPAWNS!"

Matthew grabs Steve by the throat, pulling him up.

"Not everyone. You are just an NPC, a useless, walking, talking guy who just observes!"

Matthew throws Steve down.

HEALTH: 91/100.

"Is that the best you can do?!" Steve stands, coughing coins.

"Give it up, Steve. You are about to die."

DING!

A coin hits Matthew's head.

STEVE WATSON VS MATTHEW DAY
FIGHT!!

Steve spins into a yellow tornado. Matthew throws fireballs, burning it down. Steve flips, clasps his hands, and shoots a yellow orb at Matthew.

PUNCH!

Steve hits a yellow-charged punch.

BOOM!

Matthew claps back, exploding on Steve's face. Steve runs in super-sonic speed, forming a circle around Matthew.

Matthew is hurt, HP low.

"Marla, sweetheart! Help me!"

Marla crosses her arms. "You made up an acronym for stupid. That's the worst thing you've ever done."

Matthew laughs. "Oh, did I?"

Marla pouts. "Jerk." She walks away.

"Wait, Marla! Don't do this to me! We are a power couple!"

Steve stops fighting. "Is she leaving you?"

"Yes! And it's all because of you!"

Steve suggests, "This is a world Marla created. Let's tear it down."

"No way! She will kill me!"

"But you deserve better. You deserve someone who can support your crazy word views."

Matthew looks up. "But I'm an enemy. Enemies need to be defeated."

"Then let's twist it. And maybe… you can teach me how to respawn."

Matthew nods. They shake hands.

"I have this girl I have a crush on. Maybe we can be a true power couple," Matthew says.

"Die, dumbass!" Marla flies toward Matthew, red energy.

Steve eats the purple flower and turns into… a purple dragon.

"What the—Am I Spyro?!"

Matthew grabs the purple egg and throws it at Marla.

Her weakness? She's a vegetarian. She doesn't eat eggs!

The egg lands on Marla's face. She turns into Baby Gurl.

BABY GIRLS ARE ITEMS THAT ADD TO XP AND REPUTATION
AWARD: SKILLFULL!

Marla sucks her thumb in a diaper. "Goo-Goo-Gaga."

Matthew grabs the bat flower, stings his cheek, and turns into a Baby Boi.

BABY BOIS ALSO ADD TO XP!

Steve laughs. "Aw, so adorable."

(CHAPTER 1: I LOVE U)

At Rita's, the gang sits unsettled. Rita chews a large burger.

NAME: RITA OWLMA
POWERS: BIRD AND OWL POWERS
WEAKNESSES: HIDES HER SENSITIVITY. AND FORGOT TO INTRODUCE HER STATS IN VOLUME 1!

"Rita, stop chewing. We're all depressed," Bradley says.

"I can't. I hate quiet places."

John does push-ups. "Well, at least Steve is gone. He was hogging the atmosphere."

Tiffany giggles. "I'm adding that line to my puppet show."

Shaun laughs. "You still do puppet shows. Aw, child alert."

"Can't a girl have childlike interests?"

John lies down. "Well, at least I'm not the only jerk."

Paul holds his skull cane. "What an oath to the boath. Hey, why is everyone not worried about Steve?"

"Because Steve died, Paul. It's been 4 days," John says.

"John, Steve was just confused," Bradley says.

John laughs. "Nothing needs to be chased except Steve's ego."

DING DONG.

Rita sighs and walks to the door, passing Rosie filing papers.

ROSIE NORWOOD
AGE: 25
POWERS: BEING ATTRACTIVE
WEAKNESSES: BEING NOT ATTRACTIVE.

"Morning, Roo."

Rita opens the door and yelps, dropping to the ground.

Matthew Day, as a baby, eats a flower and grows back.

"Rita. Is Rosie there? I gotta express my love for her!"

Rita rolls her eyes. "Hope you enjoy getting rejected."

Matthew pulls out a bug, unzips it, and Steve bursts out.

"I'm back!"

Rita faints.

The group runs out.

"Steve!" Bradley hugs him. "I missed you so much!"

"Wow, uh… hi… uh… Steve. I thought you uh… died… and uh… never… uh respawned," John says, backing away.

John hits Shaun's skateboard.

"Bro. Are you trying to run away from him?" Shaun says.

John slurps green noodles. "You betrayed us! You little devil!"

Steve sighs. "I'm sorry. I thought I could be a hero solo, but I forgot. I need a party. I need a found family. I need you!"

Everyone exchanges looks.

"Don't do this again, Steve! Where were you?" Tiffany asks.

Steve thinks. "UHHHHHHHHH……"

DING!

"My muffins are ready!" Steve runs to the microwave.

On the counter, Matthew flirts with Rosie.

"So, uh. Rosie No-wood, right?"

"Norwood."

"Look, I know I'm a horny, disgusting person. But Marla broke up with me. I need an honest partner who understands me. Someone who can listen and digest my cartoonish qualities. I understand if it hurts you. I wasted your time."

Matthew walks away, holding coffee.

Rosie calls out. "Hey, Matt! Are you free later?"

Matthew freezes.

A – YES!!!
B – DID YOU JUST ASK ME?!
C – NO!
D – I NEED TO CHECK MY PANTS IN THE MIRROR.

Matthew chooses A. "YES!"

Matthew salivates as Rosie pats him. "I am free… Let's have some coffee."

Rosie tilts Matthew's head. She goes closer, about to kiss him but…

"GET A ROOM!"

They turn to find the boys laughing. Bradley shares concerned looks with Tiffany.

Rosie grabs Matthew's hand.

In the restroom, Rosie tilts his head and kisses him. Soft and sweet.

HEART RATE: 70%.

Matthew holds Rosie, blushing.

"W-W-Why don't we sit down on the bed."

PRESS X TO SAY IT.

Matthew sighs. "Because… I love you."

Rosie's eyes widen. "Me too."

A minute later, they kiss. Another minute, Rosie is shirtless, Matthew in a vest.

Outside, a small robot watches.

NAME: LIL 'BOT'.
AGE: INFINITE
POWERS: ROBOT POWERS
WEAKNESSES: AI HALLUCINATING

"LOVE… DETECTED… PARTY ARRIVING… AWKWARDNESS… DETECTED."

Later on the rooftop, Steve sits. Lil Bot runs to him.

"Hey, Lil Bot. Remember I used to play with you when I was 5?"

Lil Bot rolls his eyes. "Matthew and Rosie are having it."

Steve snickers. "Good for him."

"Lil Bot. Do you ever think… I will be a true gamer hero?"

"You can't respawn."

"But will I ever learn to respawn?"

Lil Bot looks him in the eye. "That's none of my concerns."

Steve looks down. "Aw, man."

"You humans treat robots like they are good friends."

"What?"

"Nothing."

(CHAPTER 2: STAN VS ABEL)

The lab is cold. Professor Abel sits with his sky-blue glasses.

Static Stan walks in, a man with a business suit and a TV for a head.

NAME: STATIC STAN
AGE: 26
POWERS: STATIC ENERGY, ELECTRICITY, REALITY-WARPING, SONIC EMITTERS.
WEAKNESSES: PRIDE.
STATUS: MEDIA MOGUL.

"Why did you call me here, Abel?"

"I called you for a tiny favor. You as part of the Enemies group are not doing anything."

Stan scoffs. "I'm a media overlord. I don't care about defeating heroes."

Abel stands. "Stan. You know what I do to people who don't do their job?"

"What?"

"I fight them. I make them respawn into another dimension."

Stan laughs. "Bring it on, loser. I was prepped to take over this group. I am the boss now."

Abel removes his glasses.

PROFESSOR ABEL
AGE: 28
POWERS: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
WEAKNESSES: OVERCONFIDENCE.

Abel slaps Stan's screen.

"We also have to get the Diamonds of Egress. If you get all 7 diamonds, your party wins and you become a king."

Abel's face is insane.

"I'll get them," Stan says. "For myself."

"No way."

Abel pulls out two swords. Stan takes a fighting stance.

STATIC STAN VS PROFESSOR ABEL
FIGHT!

Abel runs. Stan kicks the sword away. Abel slices Stan's screen.

CLANG! PUNCH! CLANG! PUNCH! CLANG!

Stan whistles. Female-Stans fly down with Static wings.

"What is it?! Lord Stan?!"

"Defeat him, girls!"

The Female-Stans connect wires and spring them toward Abel. He jumps. Stan pulls out his hand…

SHING!

Electricity hits Abel. He slides on the ground. Two blocks fly and hit their heads.

ABILITY-OF-THE-DAY GIFTS.

Stan finds sonic emitters. Abel finds a laptop.

Stan activates the emitters. Chairs fall, TV screens break. Abel slides down.

The Female-Stans form a blue electric portal. Abel types on the laptop.

BOOM!

Green energy blasts from the left. Two portals connect. The Female-Stans gasp. Stan jumps inside a screen.

Everything glitches. The background turns to Static.

"WELCOME TO THE STATIC-VERSE!"

Stan is huge, powered by electricity, flying down.

CLANG!

Abel blocks with his swords. Abel bites Stan's hand. Electricity rains down. Stan jumps to punch…

BOOM!

Green energy hits them both. They are trapped in green liquid. A blue shark moves around.

They exchange punches. Abel kicks Stan's TV screen. It shows color bars. Stan puts volume from 0 to 100. Stan clones from 0-100 appear.

Abel hacks on his eyes. The background glitches. His body glitches.

"HEY STAN! LOOK AT ME NOW!!!"

Stan charges his hand with blue electricity.

BOOM!

Abel cracks, flies out of the screen, and lands inside a TV.

"NOOOOOOOO! YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS!"

They're back in the lab. Abel flies out of the TV, hurt. Stan pants, his screen scarred.

"Well, you failed. Now the group is mine. I own the assets, the crown, the data. I own your Tinder account. And I own your underwear."

Abel coughs coins. "My girls never came anyway."

He drops on the ground. "Fine. You own everything. But… where will I go?"

"Oh… You will respawn… Into another dimension."

"NO, NO, NO!"

BOOM!

Abel is gone.

HUD: 0/100
STATUS: DEFEATED.

Stan turns around. "The Show Must Go On." He laughs evilly.

(CHAPTER 3: ABEL?)

In Cointropolis, it's raining. A portal opens and Abel flies down, hitting a wet alleyway.

He has lost everything.

STATUS: RESPAWNED.

A mysterious figure extends a hand. "Lost everything too?"

Abel coughs coins.

HP: 0/100.

"No, thanks. I'm gonna respawn again."

"I'm not here to hurt you. I'm here… to help you."

Abel is confused. "Who are you?"

Silence.

TO BE CONTINUED
IN VOLUME 3.