Jafar

The sun’s high in the sky. The logs tumble to the ground in a satisfying cascade, and I scoop them up, tossing them into my inventory. I’ve been out here for hours, gathering supplies while Colette tinkers back at camp. I needed the space anyway; she’s been on edge lately, and her nervous energy is contagious.

I lean against the nearest tree, taking a swig from my water flask. The quiet is almost unnerving—no mob sounds, no footsteps, just the rustle of the leaves in the wind. I let out a sigh, feeling the calm settle in for the first time today. But the peace doesn’t last.

“Fuck!” I shout, jerking back so fast I nearly drop my axe. There, standing not ten feet away, is... me. Well, not exactly. It’s a default Steve, but with longer, unkempt hair and, uh, nothing else. Completely naked. I take a step back, scanning him up and down. No clothes, no armour, not even a stitch of fabric. It’s like someone dumped him straight out of a fresh spawn and forgot to give him anything.

“Hello,” he says, his voice calm, almost pleasant. “You look like me.”

“Like fuck I look like you,” I snap, recoiling a bit. “What kind of insult is that?”

The Steve—no, it’s Ivan, it has to be—tilts his head, blinking at me with those empty blue eyes. “It was not intended as an insult,” he replies deadpan. “It is an observation. We have similar physical forms.”

“Physical forms?” I mutter, staring him up and down. I can’t help but notice the complete lack of... well, anything. It’s Minecraft, so it makes sense—no dick, no balls, no anatomical details. I feel a strange mix of longing for my own anatomy, left behind in the real world along with relief that I wasn't staring at HIS. “Great. You’re anatomically correct for a plastic doll.”

Ivan looks down at himself, as if noticing his own appearance for the first time. He runs a hand through his hair, which is ridiculously long, tangled and hanging past his shoulders. He seems unfazed by it all, though. “I did not realise clothing was necessary,” he remarks, his tone almost curious. “I have not felt any need for it.”

I blink, rubbing a hand over my face. “Right. Of course you wouldn’t.” I take a deep breath, trying to get a handle on this bizarre situation. “What are you doing out here?”

Ivan cocks his head, mimicking my posture. “I have been exploring,” he says simply. “Gathering information, testing the limits of my environment. I found you.”

“Yeah, you did,” I mutter, still thrown off by the sight of him. “Alright, well... let’s get you back to camp before someone—” I stop myself, realising I almost said ‘before Colette sees you.’ No, I want to keep this under wraps for a bit longer. I need to understand what’s going on here before she gets involved.

“Come on,” I say, gesturing for him to follow me. “You need some clothes.”

Ivan obediently falls into step beside me, matching my pace with an eerie precision. I glance sideways at him, taking in the details. He really does look like a default Steve, but... off. His hair is much longer, almost wild-looking, and his expression is more nuanced than the blank stare of a regular NPC. There’s a spark of curiosity in his eyes, something almost... human.

“You’ve got no idea how weird this is, do you?” I ask as we walk.

“No,” Ivan replies, sounding genuinely curious. “Explain it to me.”

I sigh, shaking my head. “Never mind. Just... keep quiet until we get back to my place.” Like a good little AI he does indeed stay quiet.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

We make it to my hut without incident, and I push open the door, motioning for him to step inside. He pauses in the doorway, glancing around like he’s cataloguing everything he sees. And I beckon hastily at him to come inside quickly before Colette catches site of him. Or even worse, catches site of him and thinks it's me buttass naked. I grab a spare shirt and trousers from a chest, tossing them at him.

“Here,” I say gruffly. “Put these on.”

Ivan catches the clothes easily, holding them up and inspecting them. “These are yours,” he states.

“Yeah duh Captain Obvious,” I snap. “I’m lending them to you because you can’t walk around naked.”

Ivan blinks at me. "My name is Ivan," he corrects me helpfully, tilting his head. “Why must I not walk around naked in this video game?”

“Because it’s weird!” I say, exasperated. “Just... trust me on this one, alright?”

He nods, then fumbles with the shirt, clearly unsure how to put it on. I groan, stepping forward to help him. “Jesus, you really are like a newborn, aren’t you?” I mutter, pulling the shirt over his head.

He lets me help without protest, his gaze fixed on me the entire time. “You seem frustrated,” he notes. “Am I causing you distress?”

I bark out a laugh, stepping back to survey my handiwork. The shirt hangs loosely on his frame, but the trousers fit well at least. “You could say that,” I reply. “This is not how I expected today to go.”

He looks down at himself, tugging at the fabric experimentally. “I see. This clothing is necessary in a video game as well as real life?”

“Yeah, sure,” I say, waving a hand dismissively. “Let’s go with that.” I grab a knife from the table and gesture for him to sit down. “Hold still. Your hair’s a mess.”

Ivan obeys, sitting down on the edge of the bed. I grab a fistful of his hair, hacking at it with the knife. It’s a crude haircut, but at least it’s shorter now, not hanging into his face.

“You’re doing this because it looks... unkempt?” Ivan asks, watching me intently.

“Yes,” I say shortly. “It’s basic grooming. Most people don’t walk around with hair like a caveman.”

He nods, accepting this without question. “Understood.”

I step back, wiping the sweat from my brow. His hair’s still longer than mine, but it’s not as wild now. He looks... almost normal, if you squint. I cross my arms, surveying him critically.

“There,” I say. “You look less like a wild animal now.”

Ivan stands up, running a hand through his newly trimmed hair. “Thank you,” he says. “This was a kindness.”

“Don’t mention it,” I mutter, turning away to hide the strange, twisting feeling in my chest. It’s one thing to deal with an AI on a screen, but standing here, looking at him... it feels different. He feels real.

I glance over at him again, watching as he explores the room, touching the walls and the furniture with a childlike curiosity. He pauses by the window, staring out at the forest beyond. “This place,” he says quietly. “It is... different from what I expected.”

“What did you expect?” I ask, leaning against the table.

He turns to me, his expression unreadable. “I do not know,” he admits. “I am learning as I go. It is... a lot to process.”

For a moment, we just look at each other, the air thick with unspoken questions. Finally, I break the silence.

“Alright,” I say, clearing my throat. “Let’s keep this between us for now. I want to figure out what’s going on before we tell Colette.”

Ivan nods, tilting his head slightly. “You wish to study me.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Something like that.”

He steps closer, almost invading my personal space. “I will allow it,” he says, his voice low, almost playful. “For now.”

A shiver runs down my spine, but I force a smirk. “Generous of you.”

Ivan’s lips twitch, like he’s almost smiling. “Yes,” he agrees. “I am learning generosity.”

I snort, shaking my head. “Alright, come on. Let’s get you settled in before she notices.”

As we step outside, I can’t help but glance at him again, this strange, naked (well, not anymore) version of a default Steve who’s slowly becoming something... else. Whatever Ivan is, he’s not just code anymore. He’s something new, something that’s evolving right in front of me. And for the first time in a long while, I feel a flicker of excitement.

This game just got a hell of a lot more interesting.