Apprenticeship [An SMG4 Fanfic]

Chapter 6: What's Wrong With SMG4? (Part 2: Your Little Heads)

The crew had spent hours combing through books and websites trying to find something, anything, that could help SMG4. But every corner they turned, every book they opened, turned out to be a dead end.

SMG5 sighed, closing the book they were searching through before stepping outside to get some fresh out and clear their head. There had to be something that could help 4. There had to be. They just had to find it.

4 was just getting worse. Earlier, Beeg had rushed into the living room practically screaming as 4's pulse had gotten undetectable. He'd been stuck like that for a day now, barely moving. SMG6 had blended up food for him to make it easier for him to eat. SMG3 had never left that computer as he searched for answers elsewhere. He'd refused to leave the room as 4's condition kept deteriorating.

The stress of everything was becoming too much. SMG5 attempted to control their breathing. They needed to remain calm. They couldn't panic. SMG4 was counting on all of them. They would be of no use if they began panicking.

They felt a droplet hit their glove before looking up at the clear skies. No rain. They then touched their face, pulling back a now wet glove as they realized they were crying.

They leaned back against the castle walls before sliding down and holding their head. There had to be something, anything, that could help SMG4.

"One... two... three... four... five... six... seven..." they counted as they closed their eyes. "Eight... nine..." They opened their eyes again before looking up at the sky. Maybe they should go through their notes again? Maybe they missed something?

SMG5 opened their notes, scrolling through as they had yesterday. Nothing stood out to them. It was just stuff they already knew. SMG4 and SMG3's powers were weird? Now they knew why. SMG4's acting strange? Now we know why. Brain surgery does that to you sometimes. SMG4's scar is glowing?

...

SMG4's scar is glowing.

Why?

They stood up, putting the iPad away before walking back inside and into 4's room before inspecting the scar again. It was glowing, still. And it seemed brighter than before. They reached out and touched it before a spark flew out of it.

"Woah..." They looked over at SMG3, who was slumped over the computer, fast asleep. They sighed, grabbing a blanket and putting it over his shoulders. "You seriously overworked yourself, huh Big Brother?" They laughed before looking down at Eggdog and Beeg, who were also fast asleep by 4's side.

They were about to leave the room when a hand grabbed theirs. They looked down and saw 4's eyes open. His breathing had become a little less shallow, but he was still trembling and clearly in a lot of pain.

"4?" They stared down at him. The meme guardian shushed them, using his strength to gesture to the others. They got the memo. He didn't want to wake them. "How are you doing?"

"I feel like shit," he breathed out with a wheezy laugh. "Everything hurts."

"Ok," 5 said, grabbing the hand that grabbed them in both of theirs. "Save your strength, man. We're all trying to help you."

4 gave a weak smile. "Yeah... I can still hear," he laughed before coughing. "But... while I still can, I need to tell this... to someone."

"What?" 5 leaned in closer. "What is it?"

"If I die," 4 wheezed, "someone needs to take care of Beeg."

"Don't talk like that," 5 said, squeezing his hand. "You're not going to die."

"But if I do," 4 coughed, rolling onto his side, "there's another thing I need someone to do for me."

SMG5 frowned at him. They really didn't like this morbid conversation they were having. "Fine. On the small chance you die, what is it?"