Welcome home, Horror Smp (Foolish Crew AU)

Chapter 3: Welcome to the SMP

"Pretty cool right? You guys have no idea how much I've spent my whole lifetime on this thing."
Meme patted the machine. I stood here watching in the corner, I wanted to give Meme a moment to shine. Because it's been a long time since Meme has impressed anyone.
"Is... is that a portal??? Does it work? Because if it does, I WANNA GO IN FIRST!"
Blaza shouted, calling dibs.
"No, I'M GOING IN FIRST."
Nadwe yelled competitively. Joocie tries to calm him down but Nadwe's carefreeness has expectedly won. "It's not easy to control people with such young youth." I remembered what one of my colleagues from work used to say.
"Don't get too excited yet, I'm letting Laff in first."
Meme announced, making things clear for everyone. Some groans came from the group, most likely from Blaza and Nadwe.
"But first..."
Meme put his hand through the portal, the portal rippled as he stuck his hand into it. Moments later, he pulled his hand out of the portal.
"Okay, everything is good. It didn't cut my hands off."
Meme reported.
"WHAT-"
Joocie tensed, feeling alarmed from the report.
"I was kidding! I was kidding! Everything will be fine once you listen to Laff's instructions! Right Laff?"
Everyone turned to look at me and I nodded.
"As long as you don't do anything idiotic, you'll all be back in one piece mates."
I replied with a bit of humor.
"LAFF! That's not helpful!"
I heard Meme call out. I couldn't help but smile behind my gas mask. It's fun when you get to mess around with your friends a bit.
"Don't mind on what Laff said. This is veryyy safe, okay?"
Meme tried to reassure everyone. Joocie and Tbh still looked slightly worried while Socks, Blaza, Nadwe, and Muffin could care less of the possible dangers.
"Anyways, I call this invention the R.V.G.I.,"
Meme continued introducing the machine. Everyone set their attention to the R.V.G.I. Looking at it in absolute awe or curiosity, perhaps both.
"R.V.G.I. stands for: Realistic Video Game Interaction."
Meme explained.
"So judging by the name, it means that if we go through that portal,"
Joocie pointed at the glowing blue portal.
"It'll take us to a certain video game?"
Joocie guessed easily, his red straw hitting against the brim of his cup head.
"Ding ding ding! Correct!"
Meme confirmed in a dramatic like tone.
"That sounds pretty cool!"
Joocie complimented.
"It is, but since I don't want to hold you guys up any longer. Let's just get to the part where you guys all go through the portal."
Meme gestured his hands towards the portal, giving me a sign to go in. I grabbed the cardboard box that was below me and walked in front of the portal.
"Oh, and also, there's going to be some surprises for you guys to see through the portal."
Meme added mischievously. Now I don't remember him adding these 'surprises' through that portal. I'll have to make sure it doesn't get out of hand. I sighed at the thought. I always had to watch out for Meme for goodness sake.
"I like surprises but I don't like your kind of surprises Meme."
Socks grumbled, his arms crossed. Every time someone accepts Meme's invitation to play or do something, Meme will always have some trick up his sleeves to troll. Whether it's tricking you into thinking something in a funny manner or simply making you feel annoyed and frustrated. But that's just Meme's way to entertain people.
"This time it's different. And after today, I think you'll thank me for letting you in through that portal Socks."
Meme reassured.
"We'll have to see about that."
Socks replied, raising an eyebrow. Still feeling distrust.
"Aight, I'll be heading in then."
I announced, not wanting to waste anymore time on waiting. I held the box firmly with my gloved hands and looked at everyone around me, watching me. I gave everyone a slight nod and hurled myself in.
- - -
I felt my whole body being coated with some slimy but cool light substance for a brief moment. This sensation feels... surreal. That's the best way that I can describe it. Even though I've already experienced it a couple of times before, this new world through the portal feels different on each experience. Meme and I called this world the "SMP", a world with several Minecraft mechanics but can also be manipulated to make your fantasies and ideas into 'reality'. I don't know about this SMP as well as I should. And I have to admit, Meme undoubtedly knows more about this SMP than me. It's no surprise that it is. This is his invention that created the SMP after all. I stood in front of the portal and made space for the others to come in. I opened up the box's led, the box was filled with many custom mechanical watches for the others. I stood on the peaceful sandy hill (for now). I could feel my shoes slightly sinking into the sand, the sky was as clear as ever, and the wind was blowing in a steady flow. I could see all of this clearly despite my mask.
"This man has defeated THE Mr. Blaza in rock paper SCISSORSSSS!"
Nadwe bursted out of the portal in victory. Whatever happened on the other side, I would not want to question it.
"Whoo hoo! We're one of the first!"
Muffin celebrated as he also came out of the portal along with Joocie.
"You're pretty good at rock paper scissors."
Joocie praised Nadwe. Nadwe and Muffin were the only ones who were the youngest in the group. Joocie usually looked out for those two. So it was up to his job to take responsibilities on Nadwe and Muffin. Though Nadwe isn't his adopted son like Muffin, Joocie still treats him like he is. I believe that there was some history between Meme, Joocie, Muffin, and Nadwe but I don't think it's my business to know.
"NOOOO I WILL NEVER ACCEPT DEFEAT!"
Blaza shouted determinedly as he came out of the portal with Socks behind him.
"You'll beat that game obsessed fourteen year old next time Blaza!"
Socks stopped in his tracks and looked at his surroundings in astonishment.
"Whoaaa, it's like we went to another world or, or, a planet!"
Socks exclaimed, his eyes widened as he gazed around.
"Is this real? I'm not dreaming am I?"
Tbh questioned as he came out of the portal last.
"Here let me check for ya!"
Blaza offered. And without any warning, Blaza raised his hand and...
there was a clean SLAP on the face and Tbh fell to the ground from the impact.
"HEY! OW- you didn't have to smack me that hard!"
"Ahh sorry, I've been training to be a lot stronger recently. I could knock you out of your breath too. Want me to demonstrate?"
Blaza apologized and asked. Tbh got up from his feet and dusted himself off.
"Uh, no thanks. You just showed me how scared I should be around you."
Tbh replied with some concern in his voice.
"Don't be. As long as you don't get me off edge, you'll totally be fine."
Blaza tried to say 'reassuringly' while patting on Tbh's back. Tbh muttered something that I couldn't hear.
"This is... amazing! How did you even manage to make this?"
Joocie breathed in amazement, his sapphire blue eyes gleamed in interest.
"You know, putting bits of effort, science, and 'magic' here and there."
I answered simply. He doesn't need to know all the processes in the making of this. I decided. It would be pretty boring to hear anyway.
"Oi! I want you all to listen before you scandal someplace else!"
I announced. Everyone stopped chatting and stirred their attention towards me with listening ears.
"You may do your own thing after you listen to this:"
I held my gaze high and started to explain about the SMP and the watches.
"One: In this world that we call the SMP, it has similar mechanics like what a minecraft SMP has except its appearance and physics are different. For example, you are able to timber down a tree."
I pointed at a nearby tree to support my explanation.
"Second: You are not able to mine or punch things with your bare fists, it just doesn't work that way. So Meme and I distributed chests around the SMP that are filled with valuable resources such as weapons."
I pulled out one of the mechanical watches from the box and turned it on to show a blue holographic map. Each red dot indicates where each chests were located.
"Oooh a working hologram? How did we not know about this sooner??"
Blaza asked in amazement.
"This was kept for a surprise of course."
I answered. That is partly true.
"Now continuing on what I said from earlier:
Third: You must wear this watch at all times. Don't break it, don't experiment with it, just leave it on your wrist."
I closed the holographic map and held up the watch from the box.
"Why?"
I heard Nadwe ask.
"Once you wear this watch, it'll be much safer for you to venture out around the SMP. It helps you get access to your inventory like you have in Minecraft,"
I pressed a button from the watch and it showed another hologram that looked like a minecraft inventory.
"This watch helps you respawn, makes you feel less pain from things that would normally hurt you, it'll show your health..."
I tapped on the row of ten red pixel hearts right above my inventory bar to indicate where the health was shown.
"We'll be able to see each other's locations when wearing this watch. There will be a map for that as well. It'll also be easier for Meme and I to contact all of you. You can text and call each other like how a regular electronic device would."
I finished explaining, closing off my inventory with the click of a button.
"This sounds so cool! It's way much better than regular watches!"
Muffin exclaimed joyfully, his brown puffy hair curls bounced up and down as he jumped and fidgeted in eagerness to start doing things in the SMP.
"Do these watches still work if we leave the SMP?"
Socks asked hopefully.
"Sadly no, it only works if you're in the SMP. Same goes for the items."
I answered.
"Aww man, why must it be like this??"
Socks groaned in disappointment.
"On the first day, you may look for the chests and start building and grinding just like what you would do in Minecraft. And do not fret, time works differently in the SMP, so you'll have plenty of time to spend here. If any of you need assistance, please contact Meme and I. I entrust that all of you will know what to do, you now have permission to be dismissed. Everyone can go off alone except Muffin and Nadwe. I want someone to look after them for the past five days in the SMP time wise. I want to make sure that they'll be able to handle things on their own within the eyes of a supervisor."
I said one final thing before distributing each person a watch.
"Why are we always the ones being babysitted? We're pretty mature too!"
Nadwe whined.
"Yeah!"
Muffin agreed along with Nadwe as they both equipped their watches pitifully.
"I'll watch over Nadwe and Muffin, I've had some experiences with children before. So, I think I'll be qualified for this 'babysitting' job."
Joocie volunteered. All Joocie stated was undoubtedly true, he does have Muffin as his son after all. So of course I had to agree. And I don't think Blaza, Tbh, or Socks would do a good job at supervising Muffin and Nadwe anyway.
"Ugh fineee."
Nadwe made an annoyed look on his face.
"Joocie babysitting us isn't all that bad."
Muffin admitted truthfully.
"Thank you Muffin. So are we able to head off now Laff?"
I looked through my mental list that I've made in my head to see if that was all of it. I've checked through it two more times before nodding in satisfaction.
"Yes, you may all go. But be sure to not ruin the SMP immediately. Treat it with some care."
I said before watching everyone dash off before my eyes to do their own thing. I then texted Meme through the watch that I had which I now turned the brim of the watch's light to dark green. My signature color:
—————-—————-—————-—————-—————-—————-—————-—————-—————-—————-
Laff: Everyone is now exploring the world. I hope all goes well in the past few days on the SMP.