Chapter Text
...
“Good morning ladies, gentlemen, and everyone in-between! Today is the long-awaited ROBLOX VIP Convention! I hope you have your tickets… it’s going to be great!”
The ROBLOX VIP Convention, huh.
“And of course… the star of the show… CEO DAVID BASZUCKI will be making a grand appearance!”
Right. Him. The one and only. Builderman himself.
No pressure or anything.
“We at Innovation News Services will cover it LIVE! With only a few minutes ‘till the start of the show…”
Oh. So it was starting in a few minutes, huh?
Good to know I was apparently engaging in the highly productive activity of rotting on the couch while history was about to happen.
“...We urge any stragglers to make their way to the convention site! The topics to be discussed at this Convention are in! Motion-Capture AI to create UGC Emotes! Further optimizations for multi-hundred-player experiences! And of course… the anticipated Live-Streaming Integration! Make sure to head out early… you don’t want to miss this!”
The Player switched off the TV and pushed themself up from the couch they had been very comfortably occupying. They stretched, joints protesting in the universal language of inconvenience, before a sigh slipped past their lips. Then they made their way through their quaint little home.
As much as they did not want to get up, the news was a pretty big deal after all.
THE Builderman. THE David Baszucki. CEO DAVID BASZUCKI.
Was making a public grand appearance.
Yes.
A public grand appearance.
That was not exactly an everyday sentence.
Only a fool would willingly miss the chance to see the legend himself in real life.
And while the Player had many qualities, they would like to believe terminal stupidity was not one of them.
The Player stepped outside their quaint little home and was greeted by the outside world.
Buildings. Structures. Plant life. Fellow robloxians.
Everything around them was...
Peaceful.
Suspiciously peaceful, actually.
Despite the Convention being only a few minutes away from starting, the Player could not help but pause and take it all in. The world as they knew it had been through a lot and had experienced a lot. Good things. Bad things. Weird things. Probably illegal things.
But hey...
Nothing was ever perfect.
No one could be entirely good, and no one could be entirely bad. There were exceptions, of course. There always were. Somewhere out there was probably some guy kicking puppies for fun and another guy donating all his belongings to orphans. But generally speaking, people existed somewhere in the middle.
The point was that no matter what someone did before, they could not turn back time and fix it. All anyone could do was move forward into whatever journey destiny had violently shoved in front of them. Besides, mistakes were what made robloxians... robloxians. To learn was to experience failure. To experience failure was to get back up and try again.
Or lie on the floor dramatically for ten minutes first.
...
Both were valid.
The Player continued walking and eventually reached the park area, which meant they were close to the Convention now. They followed the pathway, passing benches, flowers, and a few wandering robloxians who looked equally excited to be alive today.
They were just about to pass a tiny playground when a voice suddenly called out.
“Hey!”
That made the Player stop and glance to the side.
They were greeted by the sight of three little penguins, all varying shades of blue and all varying sizes. Two of them stood near the playground set while one of them repeatedly went down the slide, climbed back up, and did it all over again with the kind of enthusiasm only children and unstable people possessed.
Honestly, it was adorable.
The innocence children always seemed to have was a strangely enviable thing.
Imagine not having taxes, responsibilities, or the burden of coherent thought.
If the Player had to guess which voice had called out, it would have to be the bigger one of the bunch with the dark blue shade.
“Harry! Don’t be talking to strangers! You know what Great-Uncle JERRY said…”
The slightly smaller penguin with the lighter blue shade snapped at him.
Already smart, perceptive, and listens to their elders...
Good job, kid.
Or well, penguin.
Definitely has the survival instincts of a navy seal.
“Hello.”
The Player simply stated, giving the two of them a small wave. This delighted the bigger penguin, whose name was apparently Harry.
“See! This stranger doesn’t mind!”
Yeah, this one does not have the survival instincts of a navy seal.
The smaller penguin beside Harry sighed.
Do not worry, little penguin. I too would feel the same if this situation were any different.
Harry paid no attention to what the Player assumed was his sister.
“Have you seen our grandpa around here? He was supposed to be grabbing some ICE CREAM…”
Harry looked left and right as he asked.
“Don’t worry about it, Harry!”
The tinier penguin beside him replied.
“He’s probably just being slow again…”
Perfectly understandable for an elderly penguin.
“...Or picking a fight with the cashier.”
Ah.
Somewhat understandable then, I guess.
Harry laughed, jumping and flailing his flippers around.
“Haha! Yeah!! He’s probably all like… I’LL KILL YOU!!! Hahahaha!!!”
Damn.
Honestly...
Mood.
Probably not toward retail workers though. Those poor souls already get paid in suffering and expired patience.
The penguin beside Harry sighed once more before facepalming and shaking their head.
“...That’s not a good thing, Harry…”
“Whatever Mary!”
So the little penguin's name was Mary, huh.
“Don’t be a stick in mud…”
“HEY!”
The Player could only let out a quiet what as they watched Harry and Mary begin bickering with each other. They sighed, mildly annoyed but admittedly amused.
Functional sibling behavior, apparently.
That was when they noticed something in the corner of their eye.
The Player looked up and spotted two robloxians in the distance, one red and one blue. Both stood over what looked like a grave, or at least that was the Player’s assumption judging from the gravestone. They stared in that direction for a moment.
That was... mildly ominous.
Very normal park behavior.
Just standing over a grave in broad daylight like a seasonal decoration.
The Player looked away.
Not their business.
Absolutely not their business.
They had enough on their plate without adding mysterious grave mourners to the list.
The Player looked back just in time to see Harry and Mary still arguing.
Damn.
Was this really how siblings interacted with each other?
Actually, no, that checked out.
Mary suddenly turned toward the Player.
“Oh! I forgot you were still here…”
How convenient of me to magically stop existing presence-wise like a ghost.
Useful skill. Might market that later.
“Are you heading to the VIP Convention too?”
Matter of fact, yes Mary, indeed I am. Appreciate you for reminding me why I am outside in the first place.
The Player simply nodded.
Harry immediately jumped with joy while Mary shuffled sideways, both flailing their flippers in excitement.
“Yoooooo!! That’s sick! You should come and sit with us and grandpa during it!”
Aw. What a kind offer, Harry. I was planning to lurk in the sidelines by myself like a socially acceptable cryptid, but thanks.
“...He’s usually so loud people tend to sit far away…”
Eh.
Should not really be a problem for me. I have dealt with worse.
Far worse.
Arguably this was character building.
“Don’t worry about it! We’re gonna see you there!”
I guess you will?
“Um… Harry… They didn’t agree yet.”
Mary pointed out.
“WE’LL SEE YOU THERE, STRANGER!!!”
Harry exclaimed, causing Mary to sigh yet again and smack her own face with a flipper.
The Player simply nodded before continuing down the pathway.
They were not far from their destination now.
Sure, they had not been able to get a word in during that entire conversation, but how exactly were they supposed to reject such a kind offer from a little penguin? They did not quite have the heart for that.
Curse their unfortunately functioning conscience…
So they shoved the thought aside and kept walking.
Not even a few minutes later, they finally reached it.
The grand building that was ROBLOX HQ.
A crowd had gathered right outside, dozens upon dozens of robloxians caught in animated discussions regarding the event.
Maneuvering through the sea of bodies, dodging elbows, shoulders, and one suspiciously aggressive top hat, the Player eventually reached the front doors.
Their hand rested on the handles for a brief moment.
They paused.
Took a deep breath.
And pushed the doors open.
The moment they stepped through, they were greeted by rows upon rows of seated people already chatting among themselves or patiently waiting for the event to begin.
Then a voice rang through the room.
“Good morning, fellow imagineers! The Visionaries Innovation Presentation begins shortly!”
By the Player’s assumption, that would be the host of the event, JParty.
Looks like they had made it just in time.
Which was nice.
Would have been mildly embarrassing to miss the convention one specifically left the house for.
“Please take your seats, and silence your cellphones!”
The Player walked down the aisle, scanning for an open seat, until they spotted some very familiar penguin faces enthusiastically waving in their direction.
Ah yes.
The penguins.
They had not hallucinated that interaction.
“Hey! We’re over here!”
Harry greeted them with enough enthusiasm to power a small village.
“Come sit with us! We saved a spot for you!”
How kind of these little penguins to save me a seat.The Player sat down in the saved spot. It was a corner seat too.
Excellent.
Objectively the superior seating arrangement.
Less people on one side.
More escape options.
Always important.
It just so happened that the being seated beside them was not one of the tiny penguins.
It was a very elderly penguin.
“Eh?! Who’s this dipface you kids brought over?!”
The elder penguin grumbled.
Well good morning to you too, sunshine.
“Shhh!!! Quiet, Gramps!”
Harry quickly hushed his grandfather as the Convention was about to start.
“Welcome friends, creators, and community alike!”
The Player shifted in their seat to find a comfier position.
“To the greatest platform on Earth… With the greatest fans on Earth…”
Well that was certainly subtle.
“Pioneered by the minds of the FUTURE… all of you!”
The future.
No ominous weight to that word whatsoever.
None at all.
“Please put your hands together… For the founder and CEO of ROBLOX… BUILDERMAN HIMSELF… DAVID BASZUCKI!”
A thunderous applause erupted as the legend himself stepped onto the stage.
If it is not the legend himself.
The living corporate myth in robloxian flesh.
The Player watched as David adjusted the microphone stand before finally speaking.
“Good morning, everyone. It’s amazing to be here with creators from more than seventy countries: Brazil, Philippines, Indonesia, Mexico, and so many more.”
List a few and then et cetera the rest.
Smart.
No one wanted to sit through a geography lesson before breakfast.
“Please give yourselves a round of applause.”
The room obeyed.
“There he is… haven’t spoken to DAVE in a while…”
The elderly penguin beside the Player remarked.
“Shhhhh!!! Be quiet, Gramps!”
Mary whispered harshly.
David Baszucki continued.
“First, thank you. What you build on ROBLOX brings people together every day. When Eric and I founded ROBLOX, our VISION was simple: connect the world through shared experiences.”
Vision.
“We’re still early in that journey, and because of your work, more people can learn, play, shop and just hang out together, no matter where they live.”
Well, is that not inspirational.
“Today we’ll focus on three pillars: Safety and Civility, Engine Scale and Performance, and the Creator Economy: how we keep raising the ceiling for what you can build and earn. The connections you’ve made in experiences help to reach those in need or in isolation.”
…Isolation.
The word sat strangely.
The Player did not know why.
It lingered longer than it should have.
Like it meant something more.
Before they could think too hard on it, the elderly penguin began drifting off to sleep.
Honestly, fair.
Inspirational speeches had a ninety percent chance of doubling as anesthesia.
Harry started trying to shake his grandfather awake.
“Gramps!!! Wake up!!”
Mary smacked the back of Harry’s head.
“Just let him sleep, Harry… At least he’s being quiet now…!”
David Baszucki continued.
“And today, we’re unlocking a way for creators to bring back the classics from a few years ago or a decade and ship with dependability of the modern day.”
The classics, huh.
David Baszucki spun slightly and pulled out a device of some sort, presenting it to the audience.
“Starting with Engine Scale and Performance: meet RETRO TOOLKIT, an optional plugin that brings back the classic Roblox look and feel, running on today’s engine intact for safety, scale, and reliability.”
Retro Toolkit... Optional plugin… Classic Roblox look and feel…
The room exploded into applause again.
“The RETRO TOOLKIT will let you, with a few clicks, choose a legacy profile that fits your VISION. Toggle retro physics, period UI styles, and drop-in audio packs on or off as you build. Classic vibe, modern engine so you keep safety, performance, and scale. You shouldn’t have to choose between retro and reliable. With RETRO TOOLKIT, you’ll get both.”
“Y e a h, R i g h t.”
Just like that, the air in the room shifted.
An unfamiliar voice had spoken.
David Baszucki dropped the device.
The applause died.
Something was not right.
Not in the fun quirky convention malfunction way.
In the deeply concerning we-might-all-die way.
David Baszucki hesitated.
“Excuse me? JParty… Did I miss a segment transition cue?”
The mysterious voice answered.
“Believing yourself so GRAND… Preaching your meager gospel of creation. Do you even remember WHAT you left behind?”
Left behind???
“The ghosts of your… VISION?”
There it was again.
Vision.
That word was starting to feel less motivational and more like a threat.
David Baszucki spoke again, quieter this time.
“I-I think we’re experiencing some technical difficulties here…”
Then several beings dropped from the ceiling and landed on the stage beside him.
Right.
Of course they did.
Because why would today choose normalcy.
The audience gasped.
The Mysterious Figure pointed toward David Baszucki, and the noobs rushed forward, shoved him down, tied him up, and tossed him aside like misplaced luggage.
“N-No! It can’t be!!”
David Baszucki exclaimed.
“So you do recognize me. How interesting. The architect finally lays his eyes upon his fallen tower. Crumbled, as everything was stolen from us… from ALL of us. Reduced to rubble, and put aside all under the facade of PROGRESS.”
Progress???
“And yet now YOU stand here. You stand here thinking that YOU can BOTTLE time while pretending we aren’t part of it. PRETENDING as if we never existed. We were there when it was REAL.”
The Mysterious Figure continued.
The Player narrowed their eyes slightly.
Dominus.
Of course.
Of course the dramatic villain monologue came with premium headgear.
Just then JParty coughed.
“Hmm… I don’t think this was in the script…”
No shit Sherlock.
“BUT FEAR NOT! Don’t worry, DAVID BASZUCKI. As the VIP’s Honorary Host, I’m also… Your Honorary Bodyguard!! Take THIS you fiend!!”
JParty launched himself toward the stage, performing a dramatic backflip before landing.
Well that was flashy.
He then grabbed a...
…Ball.
A ball.
That was the weapon of choice.
We were committing to this.
He threw it.
It immediately bounced off a noob’s head and flew straight back into his face.
JParty dropped.
The ball rolled away.
Another noob walked up and smacked him with a wooden sword.
JParty fell off the stage.
Brilliant.
Absolutely flawless execution.
“Ahhh!!!”
Mary yelled.
“Is he okay?! What’s going on?!”
Harry exclaimed.
Both stared in horror while the elderly penguin continued sleeping like none of this concerned him.
Honestly admirable.
Mary started shaking him violently.
“Grandpa! GRANDPA!! WAKE UP!!!”
“zzzzzz….. Eh?!”
There we go.
Back to reality.
“Wuh… What?!”
The elder penguin looked at the stage, processed the chaos, then immediately pointed at the Player.
“HUH?! WAIT A MINUTE!! I REMEMBER YOU!!”
Ah.
Of course you do.
“...AND DON’T THINK OL’ TERRY's FORGOTTEN YOU EITHER.”
He pointed dramatically at the Mysterious Figure.
“I’LL KILL YOU!!!”
How nostalgic.
Terry got up, waddled to the ball, then pointed back at the Player.
“Come on, bruh! It’s been a while, hasn’t it?! Get up there and SLAP THEM UP!!”
The Player stared at him.
Processing...
Slowly.
“Eh?! What do you MEAN you’ve never done this before?! You’ve always been such a liar! You haven’t changed a bit, have you?! Whatever bruh… GET ON YOUR STUPID FEET!! Let’s KICK their can TOGETHER! ONE LAST TIME!!”
Right.
No context.
No explanation.
Just immediate violence.
Classic.
The Player stood, grabbed the ball, and climbed onto the stage.
The fight began.
And somehow.
It was easy.
Suspiciously easy.
Like muscle memory was doing most of the work.
Terry shouted instructions from the sidelines while a full instructional video appeared behind them.
Of course it did.
Because why not.
Everything felt...
Familiar.
The movements.
The timing.
The impact.
The Player did not question it.
Probably should have.
Did not.
The henchmen went down quickly.
Too quickly.
The Mysterious Figure looked at the fallen noobs, then back at the Player.
“Never… had I expected this…”
Expect the unexpected, then.
“A puppet guided by a false prophet’s threads… How… Insolent.”
Says the guy currently orchestrating a public kidnapping.
“Following a COWARD wearing facades of revolutionaries. As prayers are not answered by the lives of the bliss. Let us strive to restore the whimsy of our world… As we perform our own choreography… To the melodies of a timeless choir.”
That was a lot of words…
None of them comforting.
“Let us… STRIVE.”
Strive???
“To make right what ALWAYS should’ve been remembered.”
Meanwhile, David Baszucki, still tied up, shouted
“No!! Please!! This ISN’T supposed to happen yet!!--!!!”
...Yet?
That word felt worse than it should have.
“That device! Aim for the device, dude!!”
Terry shouted.
The Player did not hesitate.
They aimed.
Threw.
The device began to whirr.
The arrows spun wildly.
Then stopped.
Abruptly.
Too abruptly.
Then it pulled.
The Mysterious Figure was dragged toward it.
The Player was dragged in too.
No resistance.
No time to react.
Just motion.
Then nothing.
Darkness.
Silence.
And so the hands of time, despite always moving forward, decided to move back.
The Mysterious Figure was already plotting.
Already scheming.
Beginning something far larger than this moment.
But the Player...
What happened to them?