PROLOGUE)

We continue where we left Abel. In the alleyway, soaking wet. He looks up at the mysterious figure.

"Look, I'm not in the mood for teaming up. It won't work for me. How is it gonna benefit you? I'm broke, my underwear is torn, I haven't even shaved my beard yet!"

The mysterious figure answers in a deep voice, "Okay."

Abel smirks and stands. "I knew it." He starts leaving but stops when the figure shouts his name.

"Abel! You will regret this. You are making a bad decision."

Abel faces him. "I don't do partnerships. And I don't make decisions." He walks away. The figure leaves, dropping a sword on the ground.

Meanwhile with Steve.

Steve stands on the balcony, looking at the sky. He clutches his head with tears in his eyes.

"God, I look stupid."

The doors open. Tiffany enters in a black dress, holding a soda glass.

"Hey, Stevie!"

Steve wipes his face. "H-Hey, T-T-Teresa. I mean Tiffany."

Tiffany giggles. "You are so clumsy."

Steve chuckles. "Yeah. I am."

Tiffany walks to the balcony. "So, what are you doing here?"

"Nothing. Just thinking."

Tiffany drinks her soda. "You know, Tiff. I don't know if I respawn or not."

"I don't know too. How do they know you can't respawn?"

"Exactly. What if I jump from this balcony? Or maybe you punch me?"

Tiffany is shocked. "Are you serious?"

Steve shouts, "What if I can? They just don't know!"

Steve grabs the balcony and jumps. Tiffany gasps.

Steve hits the harsh ground. Tiffany shouts, "Steve, no!"

He is just there. Hurt.

HP: 1/100

Did he respawn?

(CHAPTER 1: THE TEST)

At Rita's, the gang (except Tiff and Steve) chill, drinking coffee, watching the news. Reporter Sharon speaks frantically.

"Good evening, Cointropolis. Media Mogul Static Stan has taken over the Enemies fraction. Professor Abel was respawned... somewhere."

Rita switches off the TV. "The news is always depressing."

Bradley cleans his hammer. "You're right. We can check up on Steve."

John yawns. "Forget that kid. He will never learn to respawn."

Paul strikes a pose. "Don't be pessimistic. I learned how not to get a downvote on Reddit."

"I hate object shows," John whispers.

Rita passes by. "Says the guy who made a comic with a triangular pizza slice and a green swirl. Your webcomic had 12K views."

Shaun laughs. "Green swirl?!" He drops on the ground laughing.

John cracks a pencil. "I was 14 years old, you idiot."

Tiffany bursts in, out of breath.

Shaun smirks. "I have a Big Hero 6 for her."

"That's a Pixar movie. There's no joke," Bradley shouts.

"It's Disney," Paul says. "I'm a pop culture nerd."

Tiffany clears her throat. "Guys. Steve tried to respawn. He jumped from the balcony and hit the ground."

Everyone is shocked.

John pulls out his katana cane. "Oh, that idiot! He can't respawn, he's delusional—"

"I don't know if he's alive. I need your help," Tiffany interrupts.

Bradley walks to her. "We will do, Tiff. Steve's my bro."

AT STEVE AND BRADLEY'S APARTMENT.

Steve sits on the bed, weak. Lil Bot puts bandages around him.

"I hate my job," Lil Bot says monotone.

He turns to a ChatGPT bot holding wine. "Hello, ChatGPT."

"Hello. You can adjust my passive-aggressiveness in the settings."

Lil Bot continues sorting Steve.

Later, Steve wakes slowly.

HUD: 87/100
WARNING: GET SOMETHING TO EAT!
TURN THE JOYSTICK TO STRETCH.

Steve stretches. 6+ XP ADDED.

"Hey, Lil Bot."

Lil Bot waves. "Great. Now my happiness is gone."

Lil Bot gets pushed.

"OW. THAT DOESN'T HURT. RELEASE THE FRUSTRATION VALVE."

John and the crew look at Steve.

"Steve. Give me 120 reasons why you fell," John says angrily.

"Because I wanted to see if I respawned."

"And did you?"

"No. Tiff got me up because my health was 1 XP. Not 0."

John pulls out two swords and throws them on the wall. CLANG! One hits above Steve's head.

"John, don't be violent!" Bradley pulls him away.

John smacks Bradley. "Ow."

John is unhinged. "This kid always gets on my nerves!"

"He's just confused!" Bradley shouts.

Steve yells weakly, "If anything, John, you are trash!"

John's eyes widen. He drops his swords and walks toward Steve slowly.

"Are you trying to piss me off, kid?"

Steve sweats. "N-N-N-No, John."

"You are frustrating. Stupid. Pathetic. Useless. Just an NPC."

"John. I understand. I don't like myself either. If I did, I wouldn't believe I can't respawn."

John snaps. "Forgiveness? Do you know how many years I've been waiting? I have emotions, Steve. You don't know what it's like to not respawn. I've been waiting 15 years for an apology. You've never forgiven me 9 times."

John looks in Steve's eye. "Who in this world likes you? Who roots for you? No one. You are the worst leader I've ever seen."

Silence. Tears in Steve's eyes.

"I understand, John."

"I'm not done yet, kiddo."

(CHAPTER 2: THE FIGHT)

JOHN SCHNEIDER VS STEVE WATSON
ROUND 2
FIGHT!

SLING! John throws green wires at Steve's legs and hands.

Steve pulls out the wires. Yellow energy buzzes and cuts them. He breaks free.

"Yes!"

Steve runs and punches the window, landing on the balcony.

John follows, laughing. "Oh, this is where you tried to 'respawn'? This fight will be easy."

Steve backs away, cornered.

Outside on the alleyway, the others watch. Bradley, Tiffany, and Paul are worried.

"Oh no, this won't end well," Paul says.

"Come on, stop fighting!" Bradley shouts.

Tiffany giggles. "Therapy doesn't work in this world."

Shaun and Rita eat popcorn with 3D glasses. "This is a great film."

Paul kicks their chairs. Shaun gets up, his popcorn on the floor.

"My popcorn! My sweet, buttery, corny popcorn!"

Shaun turns to Paul and punches his face. BAM!

"No one disturbs Shaun!" He swings Paul around and slams him down.

Steve and John share looks.

"Let's stop fighting," Steve suggests.

"I would love to. But you haven't forgiven me."

Steve touches John's shoulders. "John. I forgive you. For ignoring you, for treating you like crap. Do you forgive me?"

John nods. "I do."

"Now let's watch the fight."

They look down. Paul and Shaun are in fighting stances.

"Look, Shaun. We can get more popcorn. Why fight?" Rita says.

"Because it was our popcorn."

Rita scoffs. "Ours? Do you love me?"

Shaun blushes. "No. I only love my skateboard."

Shaun faces Paul. "We are still fighting."

Paul smirks. "Request Accepted."

PAUL RODGERS VS SHAUN EDISON WELLS
FIGHT!

Paul flies at Shaun, swinging his skull cane. He kicks Shaun, jumps, and repeatedly hits him. Shaun roars fire. Paul forms a shield of skulls. The fire bounces back.

Shaun runs and punches Paul with fire. They fight. Paul puts his cane down, sweating.

His hands strike purple, forming a large force field with skeletons roaring out.

"Oh, ain't I a nerd, Shaun?"

Skeletons run at Shaun. Shaun rides his skateboard in Tony Hawk style, jumping on cars and buildings. He does flips.

FLIP! 2+ POINTS. DOUBLE FLIP! 4+ POINTS. SPINILEFLIP! 8+ POINTS!

He lands on the skeletons, crushing them with fire shockwaves.

Paul is angry. "Come on, Skeletons!"

The skeletons run from the field in ninja suits. They kick and punch Shaun. He flies into a truck.

Shaun rides his skateboard, forming a fireball.

PRESS O TO THROW.

The fireball crushes skeletons. Paul's force field weakens.

Paul jumps, his limbs stretching to the field's sides. Purple shockwaves send everything flying. Shaun hits the truck again.

"Not again!"

The field speeds at Shaun but reverses.

Bradley is using his hammer. "Sorry, Paul. You two need to stop fighting!"

Paul shouts, "Don't use my cinema powers against me!"

Steve eats popcorn. "This fight is cool."

Paul's eye twitches. The field releases 5 cards, tying up Steve, Bradley, Rita, Tiffany, and John.

Paul rolls the field at Shaun. Shaun rides his skateboard, charging it with fire. He flies with a punching stance and hits the weak force field. It breaks and explodes.

Paul flies and hits the ground, weak.

"All this for popcorn?!" John shouts.

Shaun walks to Paul. "Good fight. But do not disturb the Shaun."

"Fix my cane and I'll make you popcorn."

Shaun grabs the broken cane. "Fine." He flips Paul off. "But screw you!"

Tiffany whispers to Steve. "This is a great idea for my puppet show."

Steve chuckles. "Maybe one day."

(CHAPTER 3: A 12 AM NIGHT-NIGHT)

At Rita's, they all hold red punch, click their glasses, and drink.

"Man, what a night. All from 9 pm to 12 am," Bradley says.

"I think you guys need to teach me how to respawn," Steve says.

John nods. "Exactly. Stan is CEO now."

"Damn. He really did?" Shaun asks.

They all laugh and drink.

Rita rests on the counter with Rosie. "I'm gonna close the shop soon."

"How is Matthew?" Rita asks.

Rosie laughs. "He's a sweetie. He made an acronym for me: Right Operating System Inside Ears."

They both laugh. "We're going to Prom soon."

On the balcony, John drinks punch with Lil Bot.

"Isn't it nice to finally relax?" John says.

"I'm just gonna end myself." Lil Bot pours wine on his body, glitches, and resets. "Great. It failed."

Lil Bot breaks the window and flies down. He lands on the cold ground and finds Professor Abel passing by, holding a hamburger.

"Hey, Abel!"

Abel turns. "What?"

"Remember me? I was the mysterious figure in the alleyway. I wanted to team up."

Abel is shocked. "You're a robot. What do you have?"

"Steve Watson's location."

Back at Rita's, the news plays. Sharon reports.

"Welcome back. Breaking News: Abel is starting to cause havoc in Cointropolis. Gamers should be aware. On the good news: Static Stan is here to save you."

The news ends.

Outside, Abel and Lil Bot watch, shocked.

"No, I'm not causing havoc. Where's Stan's source?!"

Large electricity passes through. Stan appears, large and buzzing.

"My source is that I made it up."

He pulls out a large "RESPAWN" diamond. It sparkles.

Lil Bot gasps. "Is that for Steve?"

Stan smirks, eyes hypnotic.

"The Show Goes On, folks."

TO BE CONTINUED
IN VOLUME 4.