A Light Broadsword in Small Hands

by IStabbedRoland33

Summary:

A genderbent LOTB au where like half of the Balancers are just teenagers/kids because angst or smth.

The Unknown Steve chuckled softly and brushed a hair away from Light’s face.
“Who sent you after us, anyway? You can’t be more than… 10?”
“I’m seven, actually,” Light mumbled in return.
The Unknown Steve’s eyes widened, “Seven?”
Light nodded, “Seven.”

Chapter 1: The Unknown Facility, and Elder Blue

The girl’s first days in the Unknown Facility were the worst in her life. Worse than the Rainbow Tree, worse than her big Brother Rainbow Steve leaving, worse than Sabre leaving, worse than-

Her train of thought was broken by the door opening, an Unknown Steve and an Unknown Alex stepping into the room. The girl had given up fighting when she’d been knocked out by that Blank Steve in the forest three nights ago. She was silent and behaved as her captors led her upstairs, presumably to their leader.

Notch had told her to not get caught. He’d be pissed at her for failing that simple order. At least her parrot, Bally, was safe with Dinnerbone.  The girl was shoved into the throne room, her captors then being ordered by a deep, but feminine voice ordering them back to their “places.”
“A Light Alex, I’d presume? How old are you, girl?”

“Fuck you.” Light spat, forcing herself to her feet. She was small in stature. No more than 4 feet tall. No more than a child.

The six beings on their pedestals all tensed at Light’s defiance, but their mistress only laughed.

“You’re feisty. I like that. You’ll make a good Balancer. Unknown Alex, Unknown Steve, escort her to the lab.”

Light glared at the woman until the two beings from the pedestals who’d been ordered resumed their position escorting the girl and dragged her away. Light simply stared at the floor as  they dragged her.

“Should we really be doing this, Alex? She’s a child.” The Unknown Steve looked hesitantly over at the Unknown Alex, who simply shrugged.

“You heard Empty’s orders. This girl’s gonna be another one of the experiments.” The Unknown Alex responded, then the rest of the walk was silent.

Light was put in another prison cell, this time in a lab, and she curled up in the corner after the two of her captors had left. She got a scarce few hours of sleep.

Between wakefulness and slumber, she dreamed of Sabre, and her big brother, Rainbow Steve. The days when her brother would carry her around the Rainbow Town on his shoulders and she’d help him make videos with Sabre.

She woke with a jolt just after the part where Sabre had left her, crying as she did. She then looked up and saw the Unknown Steve there, the Unknown Alex beside him. Light Alex swiped her crystal from the Unknown Steve before she’d even managed to register that he’d been holding it.

 

“There you go,” The Unknown Steve nodded, then handed the girl her satchel. Light Alex shoved the crystal into her satchel, then emitted a small gasp as the Unknown Steve gently picked her up in such a way that Rainbow Steve might have at a time. She instinctively buried her head against his chest. The Unknown Alex then began to lead them toward a nearby exit, but they ended up getting to the door just as Blank Alex and her scouting party were returning from a mission.

“What-” The Blank Alex barely had time to say before the Unknown Steve was bolting the other way. He ended up going upstairs.

Empty was not happy seeing one of her sons; the strongest of her Power Six, cradling a prisoner like a child.

“What is the meaning of this, Unknown Steve?” She yelled, but Light Alex was already retrieving her crystal from her bag and covering Unknown Steve’s eyes. Unknown Alex got the message and covered her own.

“Purge!”
By the time Empty and her guards could see again, the Unknown Steve had blown a hole through the wall and made a valiant leap down the 20 blocks, managing to survive it somehow, and bolting with the girl still in his arms. Unknown Alex flew after them.

Light had spaced out at some point, and when she came to, they were in the basement of some random abandoned igloo. The Unknown Steve was there; Alex was not. Light was confused, then the Unknown Steve said something about Balancers and Alex being a pissy bitch, that part made Light laugh.

 

The Unknown Steve chuckled softly and brushed a hair away from Light’s face.

“Who sent you after us, anyway? You can’t be more than… 10?”

“I’m seven, actually,” Light mumbled in return.

The Unknown Steve’s eyes widened, “Seven?”
Light nodded, “Seven.”

They talked for a while. The Unknown Steve told her about Empty Alex; his mother, how she was trying to create a Balancer. 

“A false god,” Light Alex nodded softly, “I’ve known one of those,” She shrugged, thinking about Sabre in particular. Then she perked up, an idea having formed in her mind.

“What if… what if I absorbed you to become a Balancer?” She stood up, supporting herself against the brick wall, “I could fight Empty, and you’d be free from her control. You and all your fellow Unknowns would be.”

“Are you crazy?” The Unknown Steve laughed, but he nodded and stood up, “Let’s at least do it outside in case there’s some huge explosion?” He offered.

Light Alex climbed the ladder first, then Unknown Steve came after her. They met about 20 blocks outside the igloo entrance. Light had her crystal out. She held it out to Unknown Steve, who tentatively took hold of the other end. There was some lightning; Light remembered that much.

When she next awoke, she was a Balancer.

Balance looked left, right, up, down, then finally at her own hands. There were black patches all across her skin. The white t-shirt, jeans and high-tops she’d been wearing traded for some kind of… superhero suit, was the best way she could describe it. There was a half and half thing going on, with an infinity symbol on her chest. The suit was white and black, and the white nearly matched her skin. She then felt her hair and gasped. She’d kept it about halfway down her back since she was a kid. Rainbow Steve had liked to braid her hair. Now it was shortened considerably.

“Calm down, kiddo.”  A voice said in her head, Balance jumped and looked around. Her eyes widened in realization.

“Unknown Steve? You’re in my head?”

“Seems like it.”

“Right, right. I need to calm down. I’ve done multiple people in one brain before.” Balance nodded to herself.

“With your brother, Rainbow Steve?”

“... how many of my memories can you see?”

“All of them, but I haven’t looked too hard, yet. I only know about Rainbow Steve because you were thinking about him when you absorbed me.”
“Right. Right.” Light nodded, then directed her eyes to the Unknown Facility, roughly 750 blocks away, but still within her sight range.

“Let’s go get her, yeah?” Unknown Steve offered. Balance nodded and took a shaky breath before flying up into the air, with much more ease than she’d ever had before.

 

She went around, deciding going through the same hole as before was too risky. She landed silently on the roof and conducted a fireball through her crystal to blow a new hole in the roof.

The fire raced up her arm and beaded on the tip of the crystal into an orb. Balance pretended like she was throwing a ball, but didn’t let go of the crystal. The fireball blew a roughly 6x7 block hole in the roof, then she dropped down into the throne room.

“Well, this is interesting,” Empty Alex said, stepping down from her throne, “So, you overpowered her, Unknown Steve? I knew you could do it…”
Balance, guided by Unknown Steve in her head, shrugged and grinned mischievously, then there was a small giggle.

“No, I joined her.”

A fireball hidden behind Balance’s back hit Empty Alex in the chest. The leader of the Unknown Steves returned a lightning strike that teleported Balance to a completely new place.

Balance stumbled and skinned her knees and busted her chin open on a cobblestone path.

“Shit!” She groaned, wiping her chin with her hand and ignoring the pain blooming there and forced herself to stand. There was a bridge in front of her. Wooden. Spruce and Dark Oak, it looked like.

Balance shook off her stupor and began to limp across the bridge. She felt bad about the blood dripping down her legs and chin as she walked. She made it across to the village, then a Pink Steve saw her.

 

“We’re under attack!” He yelled and bolted back to his house. Unknown Steve and Balance both rolled their eyes. Balance then heard someone call out to her.

“Hey, girl!” It was a Red Steve. Aged maybe 19. Not younger than that. He ran over and looked her over, then shook his head.

“You’re coming to the Elder. No arguing, kid. You’re hurt.” Red Steve picked her up like one would pick up a small child, supporting her rear with his hand, and began to jog toward the Elder’s house.

“Elder Blue! Elder Blue!” The Red Steve yelled as he ran up the stone steps leading to Elder Blue’s house. Elder Blue opened the door, and Balance barely had time to register that Elder Blue had darkness scars on his face before the Elder was taking her from the Red Steve and carrying her into the house, setting her on the kitchen counter and grabbing a healing potion from a cabinet and a piece of cloth.

 

The Elder Blue Steve poured some healing potion onto the cloth and gently wiped Balance’s chin. The wound slowly knit itself closed, then the Elder Blue did the same to her knees, then took a closer look at the child. Red Steve lingered awkwardly by the door.

“... you’re not of this world, are you, Light Alex?” He said, easily pinning her identity as Elders usually did.

“Neither are you,” Balance said bluntly. 

The Elder Blue helped her off the counter and began to make tea. Balance went and took a seat in the dining room to wait. He soon returned with two cups of tea and motioned with his head for Red Steve to leave. Red Steve did just that. Elder Blue set a cup of Rose Tea in front of the girl, then dripped a few drops of honey and a spoon of sugar into the cup.

Elder Blue took a seat beside the girl.

“Talk, dear. Tell me what happened. How did you get here, how did you become-” He gestured vaguely to Balance’s form, “this?”

 

Then, Balance recounted everything - sans the creators - regarding the Unknown Facility. Elder Blue was silent the entire time the girl talked, then, once she was done, sighed, shaking his head.

 

“Why do the creators always pick the youngest soldiers for the biggest wars?” He muttered, then stood up. He took away the two empty mugs of Rose tea and washed them before depositing them in the drying rack.

“Walk with me, Balance,” He said, grabbing his coat and walking stick as he walked toward the front door. Balance got up and followed him, standing close enough that she could support him if he needed it.

They were barely a few steps out of the house before Elder Blue spotted something out of the corner of his eye and held out his arm to stop Balance and narrowed his eyes.

Balance looked over and her eyes widened seeing one of the Power Six from the Facility. Unknown Steve in the back of her head told her it was his sister, Dark Unknown Alex.

“She’s with me,” Balance nodded to Elder Blue. The Elder pulled his arm back in and washed the girl glide over to the Dark Unknown Alex. There was a small conversation that Elder Blue only heard bits and pieces of, and then the girl glided back to him.

 

“She says she can help me defeat Empty. I have to go.” Balance said, gently grabbing the Elder’s hand.

Elder Blue nodded and kneeled down with great effort to gently cup the child’s face and place a kiss on her forehead, then he hugged her.

“Be safe, little one. Know you always have a home here.” He said, then stood up and took a step back and watched the girl leave.

Chapter 2: So It Begins, Yin and Yang, Blue and Orange

Summary:

UnBalance becomes UnBalance, Equality, RE AND DE!!!!!!!!! also the first appearence of one of the hunters!

“So, is my brother still in that head of yours, kid?” Dark Unknown Alex asked as they walked.

“Yes, I’m still here.” Unknown Steve spoke from Balance’s lips. The girl then for some reason had to stop to puke up the tea that she’d drunk at Elder Blue’s. 

 

Some kinda possession tax. She vaguely recalled seeing Rainbow Steve puke after all those times they had to form Ultra Steve.

Dark Unknown Alex had stopped to wait for the girl. Balance wiped her mouth with her hand and jogged to catch up.

“Don’t do that again, Unknown. She’s a kid.” Dark Unknown Alex. Balance nodded softly. 

 

They had to walk a lot longer than Balance expected. Her legs eventually got tired, but she said nothing about it. Dark Unknown Alex eventually noticed and picked up the girl to carry her. Balance didn’t protest. Her knobbly knees knocked together as they walked. Balance leaned her head against Dark Unknown Alex’s chest to listen to her heartbeat.

 

Eventually they got to a place with a bunch of darkness. Dark Unknown Alex closed her eyes. Balance took the hint and used her crystal to purge the area. Then they simply walked to the Dark Crystal they needed. 

Dark Unknown Alex then carried Balance back to the village, but at some point they ran into Empty Alex. Balance made a split second decision and turned Dark Unknown Alex into a Balancer. She hadn’t meant to. She didn’t mean to-.

 

UnBalance was a being of raw dark power. She was beautiful and terrifying. A red infinity symbol was emblazoned on the chest of the suit she now found herself wearing. The suit was Black and Gray. UnBalance’s usually messy hair was now in a tight braid down her back. UnBalance actually liked it.

She tossed a couple fireballs at Empty Alex and managed to scare her off somehow.
After UnBalance ran Empty off, she looked to Balance to find the child crying. Her grinning expression shifted to one of worry and she jogged back to the kid.

 

“Hey, hey, I’m here, kiddo. What’s wrong?” UnBalance scooped the child up and cradled the girl’s head against her chest, trying to calm her.

“I-I didn’t mean to turn you into a Balancer!” Balance sobbed. UnBalance stood up and bounced the child gently in her arms, rubbing her back and shushing her gently. She’d done it before with the baby Blanks and Unknowns.

“Shhhhh. It’s okay, Balance. I’m not mad. It’s okay. If anything, you just made me stronger. I can keep you safe now. I can protect you.” UnBalance said, smoothing the girl’s hair out of her face. Balance looked up and was surprised to see no anger in UnBalance’s heterochromatic red and gray eyes.

“R-really? B-but I’ve always just…”

“Protect yourself? Yeah, I don’t play that fuckin’ child soldier game. You deserve a real childhood, kid. Now let’s get back to Elder Blue, yeah?” UnBalance adjusted Balance in her arms and resumed the long walk.

 

The village itself was destroyed when they arrived several hours later. Balance gasped at the sight of it and buried her face against UnBalance’s chest and started crying again. UnBalance flew over the crater and toward where she was sensing the leftover darkness on Elder Blue.

 

“Oi! Elder Blue!” She yelled as she landed. Elder Blue’s villagers gave her a wide berth. Elder Blue, however, despite his old age, ran over and took Balance from UnBalance.

“Here, here, dear child. Look at me. Wipe those tears and look at me, yes? I’m here, see? So are all the villagers. We are okay.” The Elder said. Balance took a few shaky gasps of breath and dove into the Elder’s arms, vaguely reminded of her older brother, Rainbow Steve once more.

 

Elder Blue managed to calm the little girl and she soon fell asleep in his arms. He walked back to the campfire carrying her and set her in his lap once he sat down. UnBalance followed. The few villagers returned to their business.

“Who did that to your village?” UnBalance asked after several long minutes of silence.

“It was some… glitched… thing. It was a girl. Maybe between yourself and Balance in age. She was small. Not as small as Balance, though. I’d guess… 12 or 13 years old?”

UnBalance nodded softly, filing the information away in her head, but she already knew who it probably was.

“Was she carrying an axe?”

“I did not see; I do not know.”

 

UnBalance stood up, sighing, “I’m gonna have to take little bit with me.” She motions with her head towards Balance. Elder Blue sighs and nods, relinquishing the child to UnBalance.

Elder Blue was silent as UnBalance walked away with Balance, but then he spoke, “Keep her safe, UnBalance, or I swear to the creators-”

UnBalance stopped walking and half turned to face him, “I’m a professional big sister, sir. I keep little ones safe for a living. It’s what Empty made me for,” She shrugged.

 

Elder Blue had a grim look on his face, but gave a firm nod. The sun was beginning to rise.

Elder Blue watched UnBalance’s retreating form and sighed. He shook his head.

“... The Creators always give the hardest battles to the young ones, don’t they?” He sighed.

 

Balance woke up in UnBalance’s arms again several hours later and made an audible whining sound.

“Welcome back to the real world, Balance. How was your nap?

“...”

“Not talkative right now? Okay. Well, my sister got corrupted somehow and she’s what destroyed the village. I was thinking we could try and…. eh… Balance her? Since we’re Balancers?” UnBalance grinned, looking down at Balance.

Balance mutely nodded.

 

UnBalance sighed and shut up for the rest of the walk until she caught sight of a very conspicuous crater that definitely was Blank Alex’s doing.

 

“Is that her?” Balance asked softly as she climbed out of UnBalance’s arms.

“Yeah. Blank Alex. My sister. She’s 13. Close to your age.”

Balance nodded silently and UnBalance began to head for the corrupt, glitching Alex from the left side, while Balance took the right.

 

Blank Alex was in indescribable pain. That’s all she’d known the past few days. At some point she’d destroyed a village? Maybe? She couldn’t remember anymore… nor how long she’d been just glitching and suffering in this crater…

Someone grabbed her from behind and her first instinct was to thrash and squirm. Through her blurry vision she saw a figure dressed in black and white lunge for her, holding some white object.

 

Equality came to in her sister’s arms a few minutes later, freshly a Balancer herself.

“Hey, Equality,” UnBalance said. Equality looked up at UnBalance and her eyes widened in recognition.

“Dark Unknown Alex!” She sobbed, then buried her face in UnBalance’s chest.

“UnBalance now, kiddo.” UnBalance gently corrected. Equality tilted her head but nodded.

 

“So you’re UnBalance… who’s she?” Equality pointed to Balance.

“She, uh… she absorbed Unknown Steve. She’s our sister, Balance.”

Equality nodded again, “And I’m Equality?” She asked, looking down at herself.

UnBalance nodded and grinned, “Judging by the Yin/Yang symbol on your chest, you’re definitely Equality.”

 

“The fuck is a Yin/Yang?” Equality asked.

“Good fucking question,” UnBalance nods.

 

UnBalance carried Equality on her back and Balance in her arms as she walked in a random direction. The three had talked a while before they got going and decided they’d set up a home base for themselves. A “Balancer Village” as Balance had put it.

UnBalance walked for three days before she finally found a good spot. Balance and Equality were both asleep. She set the two down, Equality first, then Balance in Equality’s arms. She then got to work cutting down trees to build some houses.

 

It was about a week later when the houses were finally done. Balance had visited Elder Blue to let him know she was okay and he’d sent her back to Balancer Village with books in excess. She had a window open as she was setting up her library. She’d done them by Author in alphabetical order; then of course by series numbers, then height.

There was a ruffling of feathers by the window and she looked over and her eyes widened. She perked up and ran over the window.

“Bally!” She gasped. The parrot landed on Balance’s shoulder and nuzzled against her hair.

“Light! I’ve been looking for you!” He said, ruffling his feathers and gently nipping at her ear with his beak.
“How did you even- I left you with Dinnerbone!”

“He got sick of my whining.”
“... that checks out. My name’s Balance now, by the way.” Balance walked over to her satchel and pulled a bag of birdseed out and poured a handful into her hand for Bally. The parrot chirped happily before diving in to eat out of her hand with gusto.

 

UnBalance opened the door and blinked, seeing Balance there, feeding a bright blue parrot.

“Friend of yours, kid?” UnBalance asked, half amused at the sight of the knobbly kneed girl with a bird, “You didn’t sneak off to get ‘im, did you?”

Balance shakes her head and turns to face UnBalance, “Elder Blue gave him to me,” Balance lied with a shrug. She’d learned well from Notch how to lie.

UnBalance shrugged, “Well, Equality’s rearing to get back out there and do stuff. She says she knows there's a desert village some 5000 blocks off where we might find allies.”

“That’s a three day walk, UnBalance.”

“And? I can carry you. We bringing the bird?”

“No, he can stay here,” Balance moves Bally to her hand, then sets him on the bookshelf, “Be good, Bally.”

The bird ruffled his feathers in response. Balance grabbed her satchel and a white cloak that Elder Blue had made for her and followed UnBalance out.

 

The first day, UnBalance had offered to carry Balance, but the girl had refused. Equality was walking ahead of Balance and UnBalance. UnBalance was keeping vigilant. She had her blank shield strapped across her back and her axe at her hip. In her mind, these were two kids she had to protect at all costs. Even the cost of her life.

They stopped to rest in a cave that night. Blank Alex managed to make a fire and UnBalance caught two or three rabbits that they cooked into a stew to eat. Balance stayed up to keep watch while Equality and UnBalance slept. Balance didn’t want to wake the other two up having some kind of bad dream.

She eventually got bored and slipped out of the cave to get some air. She sat on a rock just outside and spun her crystal in her hands, admiring the way it caught the light.

 

“... I miss my brother,” She muttered out loud. The trees rustled quietly in the nighttime wind, but she didn’t care. Nobody could hear her, anyway. She preferred talking to herself over others.

Besides, Unknown Steve wouldn’t tell, even if he could. He was in her head. He needed her, she needed him. He wouldn’t tell anyone whatever she talked to herself about.

 

The second day, Balance let UnBalance carry her. She’d fallen asleep in UnBalance’s arms. Equality still walked ahead of the two.

They stopped on the edge of a river that evening and Equality caught three fish. They cooked and ate them that night.

The third day, UnBalance carried both the girls and Equality pointed UnBalance the direction she needed to walk.

 

The fourth day, about midday, they made it to the village they’d been looking for. UnBalance lifted Equality off her back with a groan and then set Balance down gently.

“If anyone asks, I’m the leader.” UnBalance said.

“Isn’t Balance the leader?” Equality tilted her head.

“Technically, she is, but she’s also a child. Nobody’s gonna take her seriously.” UnBalance nodded.

 

They ran into the Blue Alex explorer outside the Leader’s house. The Blue Alex was maybe 17 or 18. UnBalance was quiet at first.

The Blue Alex broke the silence, “So, heroes of some kind?” She asked, looking UnBalance up and down.

UnBalance nodded, “You?”

“Explorer. Extending the Olive Branch of allyship to the leader here.”

A guard nodded to UnBalance and the Blue Alex, “Our leader will see you now.”

 

The leader was even younger than the Blue Alex. 15 or 16. UnBalance and the Blue Alex exchanged a glance. The leader rolled her eyes.

“What? Are you going to mock me for being a child? When two of you are but children too?”

Unbalance had to suppress a sneer. How dare this runt insult Balance and Equality like that-

“Madame Orange Leader, I was wondering if I might establish a trading relationship between my village and yours. These…” Blue Alex trailed off and looked over at Unbalance.
“Balancers.” UnBalance chimed in.
“Balancers would like to request your allyship. Those are our humble requests, and we’d be grateful if you were to consider them.”

The Orange Alex Leader nods, as if she is truly considering it, and then she tenses hearing thunder outside. Balance tenses as well in UnBalance’s arms.

 

“That’s not good-” Equality starts, running out of the throne room and outside to try to see where the thunder was coming from. She saw an Alex with orange hair braided down her left shoulder, wearing a green shirt, brown pants, black boots. Her eyes landed on Equality and Equality’s heart sank.

Void eyes and a wide, manic, distorted grin.

Equality was grabbed by UnBalance who began bolting toward the sand dunes that were roughly 200 blocks from where they stood. The Orange Alex Leader and the Blue Alex followed them.

 

“Who is that!?” The Orange Alex yelled.

“WHAT THE FUCK MAKES YOU THINK WE KNOW!?” UnBalance yelled back.

“Stop arguing! There!” The Blue Alex pointed to a nearby desert temple in the dunes, “we can hide there!”

UnBalance adjusted Balance in her left arm and tugged Equality along with her right hand as she changed course and ran for the desert temple.

The Orange Alex used her powers to create a glass dome over the desert temple. It’d hold for now.

UnBalance took the stairs down to the lowest level of the temple two at a time. She set Balance down in a corner and finally let Equality go.

“My shield won’t hold forever,” The Orange Alex said, “we have a matter of minutes until she gets to us.”
“Who even is she?” Blue Alex said, “Enemy of yours?”
“Hell if I know.” UnBalance shrugged. The Orange Alex had dipped out of the conversation to check out a set of orange daggers - they looked like waxed copper, to UnBalance - that were sitting on a pedestal.

“Hm,” The Orange Alex said, then swiped the daggers, “they don’t seem cursed.” She grinned.

There was the sound of shattering glass above and the Orange Alex paled. Balance was up before any of them registered it in their heads and had already teleported them away.

Chapter 3: Sasha, the Fallen Creator, and The End(Balancer)

Summary:

Sasha and her hunters show up, Balance meets Edres - hehe i get to push my Edres/Nature/Naulis divorcee headcanon - and EndBalance exists

A few days had passed since the encounter with that being who Balance had finally put a name to - Distorted Alex. A follower of some great evil that the Creators had been purposefully vague about with Balance.

She was dangerous.

Distorted Alex was bad news.

 

This morning, Balance had gotten UnBalance and Equality to join her for breakfast in the gazebo. UnBalance had made steak and eggs for breakfast. The Orange Alex and the Blue Alex were sleeping in for the third day in a row. Equality said it was deserved after that ordeal with that… Distorted Alex.

 

Blue Alex joined them first at the gazebo. She was wearing a t-shirt and sweatpants borrowed from UnderBalance. She was barefoot but didn’t worry too much about it, sticking to the stone brick path. The warm stones were kinda nice.

 

“Hey, Blue Alex. There’s some leftover steak ‘n’ eggs if you want it. UnderBalance didn’t eat all of her food.” Equality said, passing a half-finished plate to her. Blue Alex shrugged and dug in.

“Thanks, Equality. You’re a good egg,” Blue Alex joked. Balance snorted a little at the pun.

“Did you just-” Equality started to say.

“Yep!” Blue Alex grinned, then dug into her food.

 

Orange Alex later joined them; her long, orange hair was a frizzy mess, and she had bags under her eyes.

“... I miss my own bed,” she muttered as she sat down and laid her head on the table, “I miss my village.”

Equality reached out and put a hand on Orange Alex’s shoulder, “I’m sorry, Orange Alex. We… we have to wait until we’re sure it’s safe for you, though.”

Orange Alex nodded, “So, what are the next steps?” She sat up and looked at Balance, “You’re the leader, aren’t you? Any ideas?” She asked.

 

Balance thought for a few moments, kicking her legs as she thought, “... I could make you Balancers?” She suggested with a shrug.

UnBalance was on her feet in an instant, “Are you sure, kiddo? You might hurt yourself- it might put too much strain on you-”

“UnBalance, she can make her own decisions-” Equality started to say.

“She’s a child!” UnBalance snapped, “She doesn’t understand the risks!”

“UnBalance-”

“Why won’t you just let me keep you two safe!?” UnBalance yelled.

“Sabre, just quit it!” Balance yelled. UnBalance shut up immediately at that. Balance had tears in her eyes again. She then broke down fully crying.

“Shit- Balance, I didn’t mean-” UnBalance started to walk around the table to her, but Orange Alex, who was sitting next to her, grabbed her arm to stop her. UnBalance stopped.

Equality walked over and comforted Balance. She gently grabbed the girl’s face.

“Hey, Balance, can you look at me?” Equality prompted. She smiled when Balance looked over at her.

“Good job, good girl. Okay, now I want you to breathe in, real deep. There’s these sensors in your lungs that if you breathe deep enough will trick your brain into thinking everything’s fine.”

Balance nodded and took a deep breath. Equality nodded as she did.

“Just like that, Balance. Just like that.”

 

Equality went on coaching the young Balancer through that breathing exercise for several minutes. She brushed Balance’s short hair out of her eyes.

“You did such a good job, Balance. Okay, now can you explain to us what exactly your plan is to turn Orange Alex and Blue Alex into Balancers?”

Balance nodded, “Well, it’d be better if we had more Balancers… we’d be stronger, safer, would be able to fight off enemies easier…”

Equality nodded and looked over to Orange Alex and Blue Alex, “would you two have any objections to becoming the fourth and fifth Balancers?”

Blue Alex shrugged. Orange grinned.

“Eh, what better do we have to do?” Orange jumped to her feet, “Ready when you are, little leader!”

Balance shrugged, “Good thing I already set up a lab-”
UnBalance stared at her. “When?”
“Last night, while you guys were asleep.”
“... Balance, what the heck?” UnBalance blinked.

Balance shrugged and hopped to her feet and began walking toward the secret entrance to the lab she’d hidden in the woods.

 

Equality and UnBalance seemed mildly concerned - or maybe amazed? - as they walked down the stone brick stairs and down the hallway to the underwater lab.

At some point, Balance had even set up a machine.

“Who would like to go first?” She asks as she stands proudly beside the machine.

Blue Alex and Orange Alex exchanged a glance and then began to play rock, paper, scissors. Blue Alex won.

 

“Woo! I get to go first!” She cheered. Balance laughed and gestured for her to hop into the machine. It was well made. Well, Balance had learned from… from the best. Sabre.

Balance took a deep, deep breath to ward off the tears and began to fasten Blue Alex into the machine. She put the helmet on her head and fastened the chin strap, then had her sit down in the chair.

“Okay, there’s gonna be lightning- and this lever locks you into the machine so I can make sure it works, okay?” Balance explained as she stepped back to the control panel. Blue Alex nodded.

“Alright. This might hurt a bit, and there’s no going back after I transform you, yeah?” Balance said. Blue Alex nodded again.

Balance flipped the lever and then grabbed her light crystal out of her satchel and pointed the pointy end at Blue Alex.

 

Balance closed her eyes and focused her Balancer energy and let it go all at Blue Alex at once. There was a good 30 seconds of lightning and thunder, and when Balance stopped and unflipped the lever, there sat a new Balancer.

“You feel okay, ReBalance?” Balance asked as she walked over to unfasten the blue Balancer from the machine.

“A little woozy, but I should be fine,” the newly named ReBalance said as she stood up with Balance’s help. Balance guided her to sit against the stone brick wall near the door and then Balance went to help Orange Alex.

“Alright,  little leader, let’s get this over with, eh?” The Orange Alex said as she sat down in the chair in the machine and let Balance put the helmet on her.

 

Balance walked back to the control panel, flicked the lever, focused her energy again, and made DeBalance. Balance managed to unflip the lever on the machine before she passed out - she must’ve used too much energy.

Balance slept for seventeen hours. UnBalance stayed with her and counted. Bally the parrot was curled up on Balance’s pillow as she slept and occasionally cooed or fluttered his wings. Balance would every so often nuzzle into his wings if he was close enough. UnBalance found it endearing.

When Balance woke up, UnBalance fed her some mushroom stew and told her to go back to sleep. Balance slept another ten hours and then decided to be productive. She asked ReBalance to come with her to go check on the Unknown Facility. Balance insisted on flying. ReBalance said only if she could carry Balance while they flew. Balance begrudgingly agreed to these terms.

So, they flew, all the way to the Unknown Facility - over taiga biome and savannah, desert, and snow. ReBalance had Balance on her back, strapped in with a leather harness that she’d fashioned to make sure she wouldn’t drop Balance. Balance was lulled to sleep at some point during this flight. This kind of flying reminded her of her big brother.

 

ReBalance wasn’t a god, though, so she did eventually have to stop flying. She set down in the snow and let Balance get off her back for now. She sighed as she shoved the harness into Balance’s satchel. ReBalance paused though as she saw a dark figure walking in circles in the distance. An Alex?

“Hey! Are you alright!?” ReBalance yelled. Balance followed ReBalance’s gaze and tugged on the sleeve of ReBalance’s blue knit sweater.

“She’s scared,” Balance advised softly, “We shouldn’t spook her.”

 

ReBalance nodded and gently led Balance as she walked toward the scared Alex. From what ReBalance could see, her form was glitchy and her skin was black and gray. She tensed as she noticed ReBalance and Balance approaching.

“G…get-get ba-ack!” The Broken Alex warned, taking a few steps back from Balance and ReBalance out of fear, “I-I don’t… don’t want to hu-urt you,”

Her speech was glitched, not in the kind of way Rainbow Steve’s was the times that he’d break, but her speech was glitchy. Glitchier than Rainbow Steve’s.

“I’m ReBalance, and this is Balance. We aren’t going to hurt you. Are you okay? Do you need help?” ReBalance said, heeding the hollow Alex’s warning but still wanting to help her.

“N-n-no… I am… am not o-okay. I do-do not ne-ne-need your he-elp,” Broken Alex said.

“But-” Balance began to say, but then she tensed as she got a sinking feeling in her stomach. Her eyes flicked upwards and widened. White haired woman. Dangerous. Creator levels of power.

“Get down!” Balance yelled at Broken Alex, then shoved ReBalance aside and took to the air before either could react.

 

There were… five of them? The white haired creator - Fallen Creator, was a more apt term. Then there was… a Distorted Alex with void eyes and distorted grin, a… Giant Alex? Beside her was a Giant Steve - both were twelve blocks in height, and void eyes, covered in blood, and beside them was a creature that had four arms, two pairs of eyes, and was a grotesque mockery of Origin Steve - Balance decided she’d call it “That Thing.”

“Balance-!” ReBalance yelled, but was silenced as soon as the Distorted Alex lunged for her. ReBalance barely dodged her and managed to fly into the air.

 

“Well… well… well… well… well… well…” The white haired Fallen Creator’s voice echoed as she spoke, “Hello… hello… there, Balance… I am Sasha… Sasha… have my brothers told you of me… me… me… or are introductions in order, my darling niece… niece…?”

“Fuck you,” was all Balance could spit out before Sasha was lunging for her, hands going for Balance’s throat. Balance dodged just barely and lashed out with her light crystal.

“Purge!” She yelled. ReBalance had learned well enough already to shut her eyes when she heard that word from Balance’s mouth. Broken Alex, Sasha, and her followers were rendered momentarily blind.

 

“Agh, you little…. little…. Distorted Alex… Alex… get her… her!”

Distorted Alex’s neck cracked as the entity turned its head at a disconcerting angle to look at Balance, then she lunged at the young Balancer.

 

Giant Steve and the “Thing” were ordered by Sasha to attack Broken Alex and ReBalance.

“You two… two… handle the other two… two… Giant Alex… just… stand… stand… and stare like you do.”

Balance was grappling with Distorted Alex for several minutes - she acted like a rabid animal and kept trying to bite Balance. She managed to do so several times, breaking the skin and leaving Balance in severe pain, even bleeding a little.

“Balance!” ReBalance screamed, shoving the Thing off of her and bolting for Balance, risking herself being bit by Distorted Alex or grabbed and crushed by Giant Steve. She managed to get to Balance and just as she did was teleported.

The End.

Defined by the creators who’d raised Balance as their daughter as “The Dimension in which resides the Dragon, it’s spawn, a scaled being named Edres, a core, and the entities who call it home,”

 

Balance woke up in… what she would guess was the End’s version of an infirmary. She knew beds exploded for whatever reason in The End, so she was unsurprised to be on layers of carpet on an endstone brick floor. ReBalance was sitting on the floor beside her with her head laid back against a purpur block wall. An Endstone Steve was checking Balance over.

“These bites are deep, ReBalance - you say Distorted Alex got her?” He said as he was passed a healing potion by an Enderman with white skin. 

“Yeah, she did. We were jumped by a powerful entity I think, actually, multiple powerful entities.” ReBalance nodded.

 

Balance whined a little as Endstone Steve began to wipe her wounds with a healing potion soaked cloth. The white Enderman kneeled down on Balance’s other side and gently grabbed her face and turned her head to look at him.

“Shh. You’re safe here, Balance. You and your friends are lucky that the Chorus Steves were on an Overworld supply run. I know it hurts, but in a moment it won’t,” He gently said, “Our leader, Edres, would also like to speak to you once you feel better, if you are up to it,” He smiled.

 

Balance shakily nodded and bit back a sob as Endstone Steve gently dabbed at a deep bite on her shoulder with the potion soaked cloth. The enderman continued to comfort her.

“Alright, Enderflame, she’s all healed up,” Endstone Steve said, and helped Enderflame to help Balance sit up. ReBalance got up and insisted on being the one to carry Balance. She also got Broken Alex from the waiting area and they were led by Enderflame and Endstone Steve to the throne room.

 

Edres had donned a more human form for the sake of the Balancer and her companions. A form that brought nostalgia to his mind. The form in question was one he’d used to wear when he was still married to Nature and Naulis, once upon a time. Long purple hair, all down his back - he tied it back now, to mentally divorce himself from that nostalgia - and silver eyes with thick eyelashes and pouty lips; a pointed nose and pale skin. The End never got any sunlight - of course he was pale.

 

Edres bowed his head as Enderflame and Endstone Steve arrived with the two Balancers and the Broken Alex in tow.

“Balance Alex, it is a pleasure. Was the medical care satisfactory?” He said. Balance nodded softly.

“Yes, it was, thank you, Edres,” She said, “EnderFlame comforted me when the bites started stinging while Endstone Steve healed them.”

Edres nodded and gestured for Balance, ReBalance, and Broken Alex to sit. EnderFlame and Endstone Steve took their places either side of his throne.

Balance took a seat. ReBalance beside her and Broken Alex farther from the two.

Edres seemed almost curious about Balance.

“So, young one… are you in need of an End Balancer?” He asked, “If so, I believe I could assist you. Bolster your numbers so you can protect the dimensions and such.”

Balance looked over at ReBalance for her opinion. ReBalance nodded at her. Balance looked back to Edres.

“Yes. That’d be good, but we don’t have anyone here for me to put the energy into-”

“W-w-would it fix my-my glitch-litches?” Broken Alex piped up, speech still glitching as it had been before.

Edres looked over at Broken Alex, “Most likely, yes,” He nodded, “would that be something you’d like?”

Broken Alex nodded, “Y-y-ye-es.”

 

Edres nodded and stood up from his throne, adjusting his sword on his hip and gesturing for Balance, ReBalance, Broken Alex, along with Endstone Steve and EnderFlame to follow.

 

Shulk and Chorus Steve caught up with them on the walk to Edres’ lab.
“Hey, guys!” Shulk waved as he ran over, “Sorry we’re late-”
“Where were you?” EnderFlame said coldly as his eyes flicked to Shulk and Chorus Steve.

“Had to finish that supply run we were on, of course,” Chorus Steve rolled his eyes, “We don’t all have the luxury of staying in the End.”
EnderFlame didn’t make any effort to respond.

 

The lab itself was purpur and endstone - like everything around here was. A machine had already been set up. Edres gestured for Broken Alex to step into the machine and put his sword onto a pedestal that would help transfer the ender energy into Broken Alex.

“Okay, spiel time,” Balance straightened up, “You can’t go back from this, are you okay with that?”
Broken Alex nodded, “I-I-f this stops my glitch-ches, I don’t care.”

Balance nodded and gestured for one of the Ender Guardians to flick the lever to lock Broken Alex in. Shulk nodded and ran over to flick the lever.

Balance pulled her crystal out of her satchel and closed her eyes, projecting her energy out of it like she’d done a dozen times now.

Lighting, a flash of purple, and when it was all said and done, there was EndBalance.

 

Her Balancer suit was purple, black and the sickly green-tan color of Endstone. Her eyes were purple. Her hair the same sickly color too. She stumbled out of the machine and Endstone Steve caught her and looked her over.

“... did it work?” EndBalance mumbled under her breath, then gasped, “My glitches! They’re gone!” She jumped up and down and then hugged Endstone Steve, who made a startled sound but hugged her back.

 

Balance smiled and then her legs gave out again and her eyes rolled back into her head. ReBalance managed to catch her just before she hit her head. ReBalance sighed and picked up Balance again.

“She really overworked herself, didn't she?” Enderflame said as he walked over to appraise Balance’s state, “You should take her home,” he said, brushing a bit of hair out of Balance’s face and then looking up at ReBalance, then to EndBalance. He walked over and clapped her on the shoulder.

 

“Welcome to the family, kiddo,” He smiled, then hugged her. The touch starved Alex didn’t know how to react at first, but then she broke down in Enderflame’s arms. He squeezed her for a moment and pulled back and brushed her tears away. “C’mon, don’t cry, lil’ sis. You’re a part of the Ender being Family now. You’re home.”

EndBalance nodded and wiped her tears on her sleeve.

ReBalance sighed, adjusting Balance in her arms, “Shouldn’t we stay so EndBalance can learn her powers?” She tilts her head.

Enderflame shrugs, “Have Chorus Steve go with you, drop Balance off at home, then you have him bring you back, and then you can take EndBalance home say… tomorrow?”

 

ReBalance nodded, “Yeah, that works.”

 

Chapter 4: Fusion Alex, Meet Edres' Ex-Husband, and Creating NetherBalance

Summary:

Exactly as titled; but with some sabre slander in there too

This particular morning, Balance had slept in and was looking for the others. She couldn’t find them so eventually resolved to check the underwater lab, and sure enough, when she got down there, they were all there for some reason.

“Oh, hey, kiddo, I was just about to come get’cha- a weird Alex broke into the lab-” UnBalance stepped aside to let Balance see the form of a mixed Red and Blue - Fusion - Alex. The Fusion Alex had her hair split down the middle, half red and half blue in one of those braided pigtail hairstyles. She wore a black sweater and sweatpants - no shoes, which Balance didn’t like.

“... so you locked her in the machine? That’s a little - no - a lot inhumane,” Balance said as she walked over to the control panel and flicked the switch. Fusion Alex stumbled out in a heap. UnBalance caught her and immediately almost got her eye clawed out.

 

“Ow- dammit!” UnBalance groaned.

“YOU LOCKED ME IN A MACHINE!”
“Yeah…. sorry… we didn’t know what else to do with you…” Equality chimed in.

“You could’ve not locked me into a machine??” Fusion Alex snapped back.

 

Balance sighed and walked over to the Fusion Alex. 

“Balance Alex, leader of these idiots. I was asleep. I apologize for any undue trauma they have caused.” Balance said, holding a hand out to Fusion Alex to shake. “UnBalance, or, someone, I guess, go get her some shoes??”

Fusion Alex huffed and shook Balance’s hand - she didn’t really believe the kid that she was the leader, but she couldn’t yell at a child.

Balance sighed, “Okay, now who’s gonna make the cranky seven year old some breakfast?” She asked her team.

ReBalance shrugged and went to go make breakfast for Balance. Balance grabbed Fusion Alex gently by the sleeve and led her upstairs to get her food too.

 

“Hey, Balance.” Unknown Steve whispered in Balance’s head. Balance stepped away from the others for a moment when they were all seated in the Gazebo to talk to him.

“What?” Balance asked softly.

“That Fusion Alex… she’s one of the fusions that Empty made by experimenting on people.”

“... that is so fucked up.”

“No shit, kid. Be good to her. She’s gone through a lot. Just like you have.”

Balance nods and then jumps hearing EndBalance call for her.

“Balance! C’mon! Breakfast!”

 

Balance walked back to the Gazebo and took her seat, grinning as ReBalance set a breakfast burrito - made of steak, eggs, sweet berries, and wheat tortilla - in front of her. Balance thanked ReBalance for the food and dug in.

“Alright, so… what’s our next move, Balance?” UnBalance stood up and asked once everyone was done eating.

“Hm… well, we’ve been to the End, so logically… shouldn’t we get a Nether Balancer sorted out?” Balance said.

“Who’ll go with you?” ReBalance asked.

“Fusion Alex, if she doesn’t mind it.”

“Balance-” UnBalance started to protest, but then Equality silenced her with a stern look.

 

Fusion Alex sighed and shrugged, “Yeah, sure, whatever,”

UnBalance glared at the Fusion Alex, “If you hurt Balance, I will kill you.”

Fusion Alex leaned away from UnBalance slightly, “Yes ma’am…”

 

Fusion Alex and Balance had to walk while they looked for a portal. Balance didn’t mind it much, but after a while, she was getting exhausted. Fusion Alex took notice and groaned, walking over and scooping Balance up.

“C’mon, kiddo. I’ll carry ya,” Fusion Alex muttered.

“Noo… I’m fine…” Balance protested.

“No, you’re not. You’re a kid. You can’t just expect yourself to walk thousands of blocks on your own.”

“... Sabre expected me to,” Balance mumbled under her breath.

Fusion Alex sighed, “Look, I don’t know who this Sabre person is, but whoever they are, they are fucked in the head.”

Balance nodded, “You can say that again…”

Fusion Alex grinned, “SABRE IS FUCKED IN THE HEAD!” She yelled at the top of her lungs. Balance started to giggle.

It took… maybe a three day walk into the tundra to find a portal. Already opened, too. Balance had a bad feeling.

 

“Do you want me to carry you as we go through? Would that help?” Fusion Alex offered.

Balance shrugged a little, “... something tells me we’re not gonna like the leader of the Nether.”

Fusion shrugged, “Probably not.”

There was a SoulSand Alex working at a computer with a Warped Steve leaning over her shoulder. Both jumped as the energy from the portal suddenly spiked. Warped Steve looked over and nearly fainted at the sight of Fusion Alex carrying Balance.

 

“WHO ARE YOU!?” SoulSand Alex vaulted over the back of her chair and brandished a Netherite Sword.

“Fusion Alex and Balance Alex - we’d like to talk to your leader?” Fusion Alex said, tilting her head.

Then they were being walked - SoulSand Alex behind them, Warped Steve in front of them - to the Leader. Balance had her face buried against Fusion Alex’s chest, quite a little bit afraid.

 

Naulis was monitoring the Nether Core when SoulSand Alex and Warped Steve came to bother him, “SoulSand Alex, Warped Steve, I told you to leave me-” Naulis cut himself off at the sight of the two Alexes. One a Fusion, the other a child.

“... SoulSand Alex, Warped Steve, you are dismissed,” He said, then got up out of his chair and walked over to Fusion Alex and Balance.

“Are you two lost?” He asked as the two he’d ordered away left.

“No sir. Balance here was hoping we could get you to help her turn me into the Nether Balancer-”

Naulis perked up, “Oh, really? Give me two seconds, I can whip up a machine-”

“Wait, really? That easily?” Balance said.

Naulis shrugged, “We’re a tech based society here in the Nether, of course I can whip up a machine fast.”

 

Balance and ReBalance had sat down against the Nether Brick wall while waiting for Naulis to finish setting up that machine.

Naulis walked over to the two and kneeled down in front of them, “All ready to go when you are, girls.”

Fusion Alex hopped up and pulled Balance with her.

Naulis got Fusion Alex locked into the machine with Balance’s assistance, then he used his Dimensional Weapon to shove Nether Energy into her, and Balance used her Light Crystal, of course.

NetherBalance was pretty, in Balance’s opinion. Her hair was a mix of red, and orange, braided still in that pigtail style, but it looked good on her, now. She had orange eyes. Her Balancer suit was red and orange with black accents, like all of the Balancers had, and the symbol on her chest was an orange infinity symbol.

 

“Damn, I look good.” NetherBalance said, looking herself over as she stepped out of the machine. Naulis nodded.

“Yes, you do, NetherBalance,” He walked over and ruffled the NetherBalancer’s hair.

NetherBalance hugged him, “Thank you.”

Naulis tensed momentarily, being reminded for a moment of Nature’s hugs before he and Edres had that falling out that destroyed their relationship. He hugged NetherBalance back.

 

Balance smiled and nodded to herself, “So… NetherBalance… Can we get home now??”

NetherBalance pulled away from Naulis.

“Yeah, yeah, yep! Right. Let’s head home.” NetherBalance walked over and scooped Balance up.

“I’ll walk you two to the portal.” Naulis said, grabbing his staff and beginning to lead the two to the Nether Portal.

 

Naulis watched the two step through the portal and sighed. Deadbone tapped his shoulder.

“... missing them?” He guessed, knowing his adoptive father’s feelings well.

Naulis nods, “It’s fine… I’m fine…” He muttered, already beginning to walk back to the control room.

Deadbone, SoulSand Alex, and Commander Pork exchanged a glance.

“Dad’s not doing too hot.”

“No shit, Alex” Commander Pork huffed, “We gotta stop him from going to war with his exes-”

“Agreed,” Deadbone and SoulSand Alex nodded, “sooner than later,” Deadbone added.

Chapter 5: Demon Infection Part One

Summary:

NetherBalance finds a block in the woods. Balance panics.

Balance was resting at UnBalance’s order, cuddled up in bed with her parrot while the others were off doing whatever.

Balance’s nap was rudely interrupted by NetherBalance running back into the village, yelling at the top of her lungs; “I FOUND A THINGY IN THE WOODS!”

Balance whined and climbed out of bed, grabbing a random sweater and pulling it on over her head and walking outside in that sweater and the sweatpants she’d slept in.

 

“What, Nether?” Balance said groggily as she walked over with Bally on her shoulder. UnBalance stormed over.

“You’re lucky I don’t kick your fucking ass for waking kiddo up.” UnBalance snapped at her. Balance elbowed UnBalance in the gut. “Ow, fuck, Balance-”

“She didn’t do anything wrong - now take me to the thingy you found, Nether.” Balance grinned up at the red Balancer.

Nether nodded, “Yep, yeah, sure! C’mon!” Nether grinned and scooped Balance up. Balance just shrugged and giggled a little as Nether carried her away.

UnBalance groaned loudly, “YOU HURT HER, I HURT YOU!”

“SHUT THE FUCK UP, UNBALANCE!” Equality yelled.

 

Nether’s lab was hidden in a hill that she built - there were two levels, and in the lowest level below, was a peculiar block.

“... that’s-” Balance took a few steps back when she saw it. “Oh, creators…”

“What? What is it?” Nether asked

“N-nothing. Imma go back to the village now-” Balance fled the lab as fast as she could, running all the way back to the village, even though it hurt like a bitch afterwards.

 

Nether arrived again about five minutes after Balance did. “The block’s getting glowy-"

“What block?” Equality said as she ran over to Nether, Balance was on Equality’s back, half-dozed off and clinging to her.

“I don’t know, I found it in the woods, it’s green and pulsating kinda-”

“Whatever, just take us to it.” UnBalance stomped over.

EndBalance and the others joined the group and nodded in agreement. Nether gave them all a shaky grin and led them back to the lab.

 

Balance and her parrot stayed back by the entrance to the lab, Balance nervously talking to her bird, “I’m scared, buddy, that’s-”

 

“Woah, it’s glowing-!”

“iS IT SUPPOSED TO DO THAT!?”

There was a flash of almost puke-green light and Balance stumbled a little as her vision came back to her. She scooped Bally up and looked back to the others.

Yep, definitely, absolutely - infected.

 

“GET HER!”

“FUCKIN’ NOPE-” Balance flew up and out of the lab as fast as she could, then, once outside, dug her light crystal out of her satchel and teleported herself to the creator realm.

Chapter 6: Dropping Bally the Bird off for the Weekend (Not)

Summary:

Balance teleports to the Creator Realm after her friends get infected. Seeks comfort from two of her three dads.

Balance poofed into the Creator Realm with thunder and lightning, as usual, “DADS!” She yelled at the top of her little lungs. Notch came running first.

“Balance, sweetie, what is it?” He scooped her up into his arms and tried to calm her as she began sobbing into his shoulder. Bally the parrot landed on his other shoulder.

 

“Bally, what happened?” Notch decided to ask the bird, since he would be more responsive than his daughter right now.

“Well, her friends got infected by this weird, green glowing block!” Bally said, ruffling his feathers.

 

Dinnerbone appeared in the room a few moments later, reacting similarly to the way Notch had, “Oh, Balance - sweetheart-” He walked over and scooped up the little girl, her sobs having just become shaky breaths.

“My friends, they-”

“They’re only sick, Balance. They’ll be fine. You can fix them, I’m sure,” Dinnerbone said softly.

 

Balance looked up at him with the saddest, tiredest eyes Dinnerbone had seen on that little girl in years, “Promise, Dad?”

Dinnerbone nodded, though he knew in his heart of hearts he couldn’t promise that, “Promise.”

Notch nodded too, “Do you want to leave Bally here with us while you go get things sorted?”

Balance nodded, “C-can you send me to someone who can help? I don’t think I can do it alone…”

Dinnerbone nods, “I already have the perfect idea, sweetheart.”

 

Dinnerbone set Balance down, planted a kiss on her forehead and smiled, “See you soon, sweetheart.”

He teleported Balance away.

Chapter 7: Edres Ex #2, and Gaining Overbalance

Summary:

Balance gets sent to Mother Nature.

When the light cleared from her eyes, Balance found herself standing just outside a forest, with a little set of houses with bamboo growing around it in front of her. She shrugged and decided to step closer.

She walked slowly up the path to it. At some point, a Young Green Steve - perhaps a bit shy of 17 - appeared, “HALT, INTERLOPER!” He yelled, pointing an Iron Sword at her.

 

“Eep-” Balance took a step back and tripped over a log behind her, then she was caught by a Green Alex with pretty cornflower-blue eyes and a small flower shaped birthmark on the tip of her nose.

“Oi, wee one. Don’t fall on yer arse. You’re in Mother Nature’s domain now,” The Green Alex said.

On cue, an older woman looking no older than forty appeared, “Lime, Green, don’t intimidate the poor girl, she’s no older than seven!” She scolded the two, “What is wrong with you two?”

“SHE CAME INTO YER TERRITORY WITHOUT PERMISSION, MOTHER!”

“... Lime scared her so bad she almost tripped and busted her skull open on yer grounds, Mother.”

Lime and Green continued to argue, while Mother Nature retrieved her spear from where it was stabbed into a rock in the center of the little village area. She walked down the few steps to Balance and knelt down to the little one’s height.

“Ye’ve been cryin, wee one,” Mother Nature said gently, grabbing Balance’s chin and checking her for bruises.

“... you’re Mother Nature,” Balance said, almost dumbfounded.

“Aye, ye just realizin’ that now, wee one?” Mother Nature cracked a grin.

“You’re Edres and Naulis’ ex-wife,” Balance blinked.

Mother Nature paused, “Aye, so you’ve met those arseholes. What’ve they said about me? That I’m old an’ crochety?” She stands, then crosses her arms.

“No, no, not at all-” Balance says frantically, shaking her head, “Well, neither of them mentioned you, actually. I just, uh… learned it from some… mentors of mine, hehe…”

“... I’m not surprised. Now then, what brings ye here, wee one?” Mother Nature pulls Balance to her feet, then leads her to a nearby rock and makes her sit. Mother Nature tells Lime to go get Balance a glass of honey and tells Green to keep guard. “Get talking, wee one.”

 

Balance nodded, “Well, um… I’m a Balancer, and, well, my friend, NetherBalance, found this weird pulsating block in the woods and put it in her lab… and then when the others were looking at it, it like… exploded? And they’re all infected…”

Mother Nature hummed, then spoke again, “So yer lookin’ for more Balancers, are ye?”

Balance shrugged, “It’d be nice… so I have more people to help me fight my friends and try to save them…”

“Mother, may I speak for a moment?” Green Alex asked, arms crossed and sword tip-down with the tip of the sword touching the ground.

“Aye, speak yer mind, girl,” Mother Nature nodded.

 

Green Alex nodded, “Let me be her Overworld Balancer, Mother. She needs someone strong to make sure she doesn’t kill herself,” She suggested.

Mother Nature considered it momentarily, then looked to Balance, “How does that sound to ye, wee one?”

Balance nodded, “That sounds good.”

 

“IS THERE SOMEONE YE FORGOT TO ASK?” Lime Steve yelled. Mother Nature and Green Alex shut him down with a glare.

“Don’t you even, Lime! Ya know Mother can protect you and herself enough for me to go make sure this wee one is safe!” Green Alex snapped.

“But Green-”

“Lime, no, I’ve already decided-”

“CHILDREN,” Mother Nature snapped, making Balance jump. Mother Nature apologized by gently patting Balance’s head.

 

Lime quieted. Green Alex walked over to Mother Nature.

“Ready when ye are, wee one,” Green Alex said, kneeling down to Balance’s height and putting her hand on Balance’s shoulder, “My sword is yours.”

Balance nodded, “Okay, let’s do it,” She nods.

 

Green Alex stood several blocks away from Balance and Mother Nature now. Balance counted down from three to start the transformation.

“One… Two…. Three!”

 

Lightning, green flash.

 

OverBalance. She was pretty - was it just Balance, or were the Balancers getting prettier and prettier? She might have to find more adjectives for pretty. OverBalance had maintained her cornflower blue eyes - her armor had become a green and black Balancer Suit with a Black Balancer rune on her chest. Her flower shaped birthmark on her nose had turned black. Her hair was now black with green highlights, and was braided in two little strands framing her face, and a longer braid down her back.

 

“Well, how do I look, wee one?” OverBalance asked as she walked back over, “Like everything ye hoped?”

Balance nods, “Yep!” She grins.

OverBalance nods, then walks over to Lime to say a goodbye, Balance guesses.

“Ye be good for Mother now, ye here? And if I hear that you caused trouble for her, I will come back and kick the shite out of ya ‘n’ leave ya out for the Demon Steves to find. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sister,” Lime mumbles, then hands her the clay cup with the honey in it for Balance.

 

Mother Nature gives OverBalance a forehead kiss and puts a cornflower that had spontaneously grown beside her foot in Balance’s hair.

“Be safe, wee ones,” Mother Nature smiled.

“We will, Mother,” OverBalance said.

Chapter 8: The Aether, an AetherBalancer, and an Attack

Summary:

Balance and OverBalance meet a Light Lord.

Notes:

please nobody tell me if the Aether has canon lore significance in LOTB please I'm not past the Ore War Arc

Balance and OverBalance had only walked a few hours West of Mother Nature’s Domain when OverBalance first saw it in the distance.

“... is that glowstone and blue grass?” OverBalance asked, sounding a little dumbfounded.

“... an Aether Portal,” Balance said, then took off in a sprint.

“Oi! Wee one! Wait up!” OverBalance yelled, taking off after the young Balancer.

 

Balance ducked behind a small rock and grinned.

 

It was just as the stories her fathers had told her - glowstone portal, lit with water… and beside it was an older Light Steve who had a Light Crystal of his own, and he was staring up at the portal. The Crystal was on a sturdy leather cord around his neck and carved into the shape of a crescent moon.

 

He was handsome.

 

“Balance, wee one, ye can’t just run off like that -” OverBalance hissed at Balance, then peeked over the rock and quieted. “... who is he?”

“A Light Steve, if I had to guess. Maybe a Light Lord?” Balance whispered back.

“What the hell is a Light Lord, Balance?”

“A Lord of Light? Duh?” Balance responded, then quietly slipped out from behind the rock and walked toward the Light Steve.

 

“Balance - wee one - no-” OverBalance tried to protest, then gave up and followed Balance.

The Light Lord turned his head slightly and caught sight of Balance. He seemed amused at the sight of her, “Well hello, little one,” He said, kneeling down to her height when she got close enough, “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“We saw the portal and got curious,” Balance grinned, then gestured with her head to the approaching OverBalance, who looked mortified by Balance just approaching a stranger.

“OverBalance,” OverBalance introduced herself, “The misguided wee one is Balance.”

 

The Light Lord’s eyes lit up, literally and metaphorically, “Balancers, you say? Oh, well that’s perfect timing then!” He said, jumping to his feet, “I need some help retrieving this, uh, weapon, from in the Aether. Big scythe, like, big. I, uh, was sent by my masters in the Light Kingdom to find it.”

 

Balance’s eyes lit up, “There’s a Light Kingdom?”

The Light Lord nodded, a grin splitting his face, “Yep! Though, shouldn’t you know that, little one, since you appear to be part Light Alex?”

Balance shook her head, “I’m not from this world,” she said simply.

OverBalance facepalmed, “Balance!” She continued to sound mortified.

The Light Lord, for his part, shrugged it off, “Could I have your assistance, little one? I do warn you… the Valkyries in there aren’t the nicest…”

Balance perks up and nods, “Of course!”

 

OverBalance decided to not protest, seeing how excited Balance seemed at the prospect of helping.

“I’ll, uh, stay out here in case the wee one’s infected friends show up.” OverBalance said, “And I will know if ye even try to hurt her,” she warns the Light Lord.

“I don’t doubt it, miss. She’ll be safe. Promise,” The Light Lord nods, then steps up to the portal and offers Balance his hand. She takes it happily.

 

They step through into the Aether.

 

Balance stumbles and almost falls off the sky island they’re on. The Light Lord catches her, obviously deciding she’s a bit bad at balancing. He doesn’t blame her, though, given the fact they’re at least thousands of thousands of blocks above the Overworld - the pressure change can’t be great for little ears.

“Eep-” Balance squeaks as the Light Lord grabs her by the back of her Balancer suit and guides her to grab onto his sweater for a moment while she gathers herself.

They were on a large-ish sky island, and there were a few little sky islands and clouds between them and a decently sized sky island with a glowing golden scythe stabbed into some skystone.

 

“That scythe is what we’re after, right?” Balance says, grip tightening on the Light Lord’s sweater. The color had been hard to make out at night and next to an Aether Portal, but now that they were up here, she could see the color of his sweater was a soft, pale blue.

“Yeah, that’s it, little one,” the Light Lord nods. “I’ll distract the Valkyries. Do you think you can hop across and get to the scythe?”

Balance gulps, “A-are you sure?”

The Light Lord looks down at her and nods, “I’ll catch you if you fall, okay? Promise.”

Balance sighs and nods, then shakily lets go of his sweater and hops to the first cloud.

 

The Light Lord nods, then takes to the air with a grin. “HEY! VALKYRIES! COME AND GET ME!” He yells, channeling his light crystal without even having to take it off his leather cord. Lightning strikes and the Valkyries’ attention is caught by him for the time being.

Balance hops from cloud to sky island and back to cloud. She’s so close…

She falls on the last jump.

“No no no-” Balance cries out. She squeezes her eyes shut, terrified.

 

The Light Lord swoops in and catches her, just as he’d promised. He flies to the last island and quickly grabs the scythe and flies back to the portal with Balance as fast as he possibly can.

They crash through the portal and OverBalance emits a yelp as they do, “Oi! Ya better have not gotten the wee one hurt!” She yells, running over and taking a shaking Balance from The Light Lord.

The Light Lord was laughing, “Yes, yes, she’s okay. She just had a bit of a fall.”

“A fall? What the hell do you mean a fall!?”

“I fell, I’m fine,” Balance said.

 

The Light Lord finally stood up and gave the scythe a few test swings, “This is nice,” He smiles, “Thanks, little one, you were a big help!”

“... even though I fell?” Balance asks as she stands up herself.

The Light Lord nods, “You got so far, of course you helped! Even if you fell on the last jump.”

Balance tensed a little suddenly, a pit in her stomach forming. Her pupils dilated.

“GET DOWN!” She yelled, dropping to the ground. OverBalance and The Light Lord took the cue and dropped too.

 

Lightning struck the Aether Portal behind them, shattering it.

“Oh, Balance~” A chorus of voices singsonged. Balance looked up and tears filled her eyes.

UnBalance, Equality, DeBalance, ReBalance, End and Nether… did the infection get worse? And why were they all talking in unison?

 

“Friends of yers, wee one?” OverBalance said, standing up and brandishing her Iron Sword.

Balance shakily nods, “T-they’re the other Balancers… I didn’t think they were that sick!” She has to force herself to stifle a terrified sob.

“We’ll handle them, Balance. Get to cover,” The Light Lord says, also standing up and brandishing his scythe, “Trust us, please,”

Balance nods again, then scrambles for cover as OverBalance and The Light Lord begin to fight off the infected Balancers.

Balance had ducked behind that same rock that she and OverBalance had been behind perhaps a mere half hour ago. Balance was shaking like a leaf. It reminded her of those times that Rainbow Steve would fight Dark Steve or Nightmare Steve above the Rainbow Town, and she’d just hide somewhere and wait for it to be over.

 

She was snapped out of her reverie by a cry of pain from the Light Lord - UnBalance had him pinned.

“No!” Balance yelled, finding herself suddenly holding her Light Crystal. She fired a controlled blast at UnBalance and the Light Lord.

 

Lightning, and a flash of pale blue light, and UnBalance being thrown off of the Light Lord.

 

AetherBalance stood where the Light Lord had a mere moment before. He looked down at himself and smiled, “Thanks for the power boost, little one!” He yelled.

 

OverBalance and AetherBalance managed to together fight off the infected Balancers. OverBalance then ran to Balance, and somehow, as soon as she turned the corner, Balance was blacking out.

 

“I’ve got ye, wee one!” She yelled, catching Balance. The last thing she saw before she blacked out completely was AetherBalance. Dandelion yellow eyes, a dark blue Balancer Rune, and a pale blue, black and white Balancer suit.