Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Acorn sighed as she walked away from the experience her friends were playing in. The call from Roblox himself was unexpected, especially since he rarely ever called. Whatever it was, it had to be important. Soon, she found herself standing in front of the towering Robloxia Headquarters, its glass façade blinding under the sunlight. She entered the ground floor and made her way to the receptionist, showing her pass before heading to the elevator. It ascended until it reached the floor where Roblox's office was.

"Hey, Roblox. What's this about? You never call like this," Acorn asked, her hair swaying as she looked down at Roblox. He was hunched over in his chair, staring at his screen with a worried expression. Hearing her voice, he looked up, his face drawn with concern.

"Ah, right. The reason I called you here, Acorn, is because... there's been a security breach. In Robloxia."

Acorn's face clouded with confusion. A security breach in Robloxia? Had one of the banned users managed to escape? No, that was impossible---Banlands was escape-proof. "W-what do you mean?" she asked, her voice faltering.

Roblox pursed his lips, clearly struggling to find the right words. "The system has detected rising levels of malware around Robloxia. I tried investigating it myself, but I've been unsuccessful so far. It seems whatever is causing the corruption knows how to hide itself from me. With everything else I'm managing, I couldn't stop the malware. Now, Robloxia has become unsafe. I've been receiving reports of strange, sometimes hostile events, and people are starting to feel uneasy. The virus is spreading, and I can't contain it---not with the public around. I'm afraid the other admins can't help either."

Acorn's expression turned serious as she processed the information. Her mind raced, and a question lingered in the back of her mind. "Why call me? I don't think I'm the best person for this. Builderman and the others would have a solution."

Roblox let out a deep sigh before answering. "Well, the virus I've been trying to contain... I'm sure you're familiar with it. It's sentient, and it's hell-bent on infecting everything in its path. As for why you specifically... I believe you're the best person for the job. The others aren't as experienced with code as I am, and they don't have the same expertise you do in dealing with something like this."

Acorn's heart skipped a beat. "Wait. You mean it's the same virus that got into... right?" A wave of dread washed over her as she feared the worst. Roblox nodded, confirming her worst fear.

"Oh god, it made it here? What do we do? Everyone in Robloxia could be in danger."

"That's exactly what I've been thinking," Roblox said, his tone grim. "I'm planning to send everyone to the Banlands to keep them safe."

Acorn stared at him in disbelief. Sending them to the Banlands? For safety? It sounded insane. "I know it sounds harsh, but compared to here, the Banlands will protect them. The virus won't even think about going there. The Banlands are designed to hold dangerous criminals---no one can escape. It's the only place that's secure right now."

"What about the other admins? They'll figure it out and start cornering you for answers," Acorn pointed out.

Roblox bit his lip, clearly troubled. "I'll have to disable their admin commands. I won't strip them of all their powers, just the ones that would let them escape. The citizens will need leaders while they're in there. So, it's for everyone's best interest that I send them to the Banlands, leaving you and me here to deal with the virus. I'm sorry to put this on you, but you're the only one who can handle this."

Acorn clenched her fists, frustration building within her. "I... I don't know if I'm strong enough for this. Look at me, Roblox! I'm a coward who hides behind others all the time. I doubt I can handle something this big."

Roblox's gaze softened, and he reached out to hold her hand. "You're stronger than you think. This will be a long operation, but once it's over, everyone will be safe. Isn't that what you want?"

She hesitated, considering his words. Reluctantly, she nodded. "Okay, I'll do it."

Roblox smiled with relief, then led her into another room. It was filled with screens displaying public areas of Robloxia, and one showed the current population count of Robloxians. Roblox pressed a button on the control panel, summoning his Banhammer.

"Attention, all Robloxians," he announced through the intercom, his voice firm. "You will be sent to the Banlands in 10 seconds for reasons I cannot disclose. This includes all admins. I apologize for this, but it is for everyone's safety."

As he released the button, Acorn watched the screens show Robloxians beginning to panic. Parents rushed to comfort their children, while others fled their homes, confusion written on their faces. Hologram screens flickered around Robloxia, displaying calls from admins and some prominent tycoons, presumably demanding explanations.

Ignoring the incoming calls, Roblox moved toward the center of the panel, where a large red button was covered by a glass box. With a solemn look, he lifted the cover, revealing the question: Ban all Robloxians [Excluding ACORN HAIR]? He looked at Acorn one last time. There was no turning back now.

Outside the office, banging sounds grew louder---heavy footfalls accompanied by shouting from Builderman, who was calling for Roblox.

Acorn looked him in the eye and nodded. This was for everyone's safety, even if they wouldn't understand it. Not now, and perhaps never.

Roblox lifted his Banhammer and swung it down onto the button. A loud blaring sound echoed as the ban took effect. The screens showed Robloxians disappearing in droves. The population count started to dwindle rapidly. The screaming outside quieted to an eerie silence, and when the count finally stopped, it showed just two: Acorn and Roblox.

"Well," Roblox said, his voice steady, "I guess the operation starts now. We've got a lot of ground to cover to find the source and eliminate this corruption." He stared at the ground as a FATAL ERROR warning appeared on the screen, followed by a map full of red dots.

The clean-up of Robloxia had begun. It was up to them to make it safe again.

Chapter Text

She turned her gaze toward the large screen displaying the map of Robloxia, its surface almost entirely covered in red dots. The only area that appeared unaffected was HQ, where she was currently located. Roblox studied the map, scanning it carefully. When he spotted what he was looking for, he pointed at it.

"The map shows areas of Robloxia with high malware levels," he explained. "I would suggest avoiding them, but unfortunately, entering one of these zones is nearly unavoidable. Don’t worry, I’ll equip you with gear to defend yourself in case any threats arise. What I need you to do is visit several key locations around Robloxia. At each of these keypoints, you’ll find server rooms with a generator at the center. You'll need to connect me to the control panel in those rooms so I can deploy a defense mechanism that will eliminate the malware in that zone. Once that’s done, the zone will be safe. I’ll set up firewalls around these safe zones to prevent any viruses from infiltrating again. I’ve already installed firewalls here at HQ. I’ll also grant you admin permissions so you can navigate Robloxia and access restricted areas to make this process easier.”

Acorn stared at Roblox, taking in the new information. It seemed like a lot of work would need to be done before Robloxia could be considered safe again. But a little hard work never hurt anyone. She wasn’t the most dedicated person in the world, but if it was for Robloxia, she was determined to see it through.

"So... uh, where do I start? I mean, with uncorrupting the zones?" Acorn asked, scratching her head in confusion.

"I’ll give you more details about your first mission once your gear is ready. For now, I suggest you mentally prepare yourself. You’ll likely do a lot of fighting during this operation. And get some rest too—you’ll need it."

She nodded and left his office. As she stepped into the hallway, she noticed how empty the building had become. Scuff marks marred the floor, probably from the admins rushing to the office earlier, and overturned tables and chairs hinted at the chaos that had unfolded. It felt strange to see the usually bustling building so lifeless—no employees hurried about, no admins walked the halls. It was just her and Roblox.

After wandering for a while, she found a lounge. There was a soft red couch and a fully-equipped kitchen where employees could prepare snacks or meals. "Well, since no one's here, and it’ll probably be a while before anyone returns, I might as well take a little break."

Her stomach growled. She hadn’t had time for a proper lunch since Noob had pulled her away to join the others in a game. Now, alone with a kitchen, she couldn’t resist. She opened the cupboards, finding some bread and ingredients perfect for a sandwich. Hoping they didn’t belong to anyone else, she quickly put it together and microwaved it. As she ate, she grabbed a cup and poured some iced tea from a large bottle in the fridge. Judging by the looks of it, the bottle was meant to be shared, so she felt no guilt in drinking from it. After wiping her mouth, she sat down on the couch, sinking into it. Leaning back, she closed her eyes and dozed off for a short nap.

She woke with a start, her phone buzzing in her pocket. It was a call from Roblox. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she answered.

"Acorn, I’ve prepared your gear and everything you’ll need for your mission. Come back to the office, and I’ll brief you on your task."

Before she could reply, Roblox hung up. She yawned, slipped her phone back into her pocket, and stretched before heading back to his office.

A few minutes later, she stood before him as he explained what she needed to do.

"Alright, Acorn, take this earpiece. It’ll allow me to communicate with you while you’re out there. This small camera is so I can see what you see," he said, handing her an earpiece and a tiny body camera. She clipped the camera onto her clothes and inserted the communicator into her ear.

Roblox bent down to pick something up out of sight. When he turned back to her, he was holding a shield. It had a lion head design and a semi-gold color. In the center was the Roblox logo, surrounded by an iron rim. He handed it to her gently and fitted it onto her left wrist.

"This way, you don’t have to carry it all the time," he explained. "You can quickly slide it onto your hand whenever you need to defend yourself. The shield has a portable firewall embedded in it, so the malware can’t touch you. Just be careful—it has a limited number of hits it can withstand and a limited duration for its activation. But don’t worry, I have something else to help you defend yourself."

Reaching behind him, Roblox presented a shotgun. Acorn’s eyes widened in shock as he handed the weapon to her.

"It holds two shots at a time and is very powerful," Roblox said. "It reloads automatically, but it takes five seconds to do so, so I recommend keeping your distance from anything chasing you while it reloads."

She held the shotgun, furrowing her brow. There was no strap to carry it on her back, so how was she supposed to lug it around?

Roblox continued, "Now, about your new admin permissions. These will help you while you're out there and allow you to access restricted areas. I’ve also granted you an inventory space. Just click on your watch and scroll to the bag icon. You can store your items there for easy access. I’ve already placed the rest of your gear in it."

Acorn raised her wrist, scrolling through the interface until she found the inventory icon. She tapped it, and the screen displayed her items. She selected the shotgun and watched as it dematerialized, leaving only an icon on the screen. Pretty nifty. As she skimmed through the stored gear, she recognized some items but also found a few unfamiliar ones. Turning to Roblox, she asked a few questions about them.

Once she understood, Roblox led her back to the room with all the screens. The central TV displayed the map of Robloxia, now showing seven red zones. Each of them had a pulsing dot.

"These dots represent servers you need to connect to in order for me to activate the anti-virus code that will clear the malware from each zone," Roblox explained. "You’ve been granted sufficient permissions to enter the buildings housing the server rooms. I suggest you avoid any malware monsters you encounter, as it’ll conserve your energy and keep your presence undetected. I also want to warn you about the guards I’ve placed in each building to keep intruders out. With your permissions, they should ignore you, but I can’t be sure whether or not the virus has affected them. If they’ve been corrupted, fall back and wait for my instructions. I don’t want you getting hurt. The guards are extremely dangerous."

Acorn nodded in understanding, and Roblox guided her back to his office. He handed her a few essentials for the journey, and at last, she was ready. As she reached for the door, Roblox called out one last time.

"Acorn," he said, his voice full of seriousness and concern. "Please, stay safe. I know we can respawn, but... I’d rather not see you get hurt."

Acorn smiled softly at him. "Of course, Roblox," she assured him. With that, she opened the door and left the room.

She took the elevator down to the lower floors and stepped out of the building into the desolate expanse of Robloxia. Time to see what this virus had in store.

Chapter Text

Acorn walked cautiously through the deserted streets of the city. It felt surreal to see the once-bustling area now so eerily empty. Only an hour ago, the streets had been alive with people. According to the map interface sent by Roblox, she was nearing the first designated zone. As she made her way there, she passed a horde of malware monsters, each resembling the zombies from the popular fighting games she'd seen. Fortunately, they didn’t notice her, and she was able to slip past undetected. The mere thought of having to fight them armed with nothing but a shield and a shotgun filled her with dread.

A groan snapped her back to reality. A group of four zombies had spotted her and were now advancing. Swiftly, she unstrapped her shield from her wrist, holding it in a ready position, and summoned her shotgun from her inventory. Raising the gun, she took aim and fired, knocking two of them down with well-placed shots. As the gun clicked to reload, she used her shield to block the remaining pair, creating some distance between them. The buzz from her weapon signaled it was ready again, and she quickly dispatched the last two zombies with relative ease.

"Well, that wasn’t so hard. Maybe I was just overreacting," she muttered to herself.

"You only took down a small group, Acorn. I suggest avoiding larger hordes for now, as you're not equipped for close combat," Roblox replied through her communicator. "Focus on the mission. You're getting close to the building."

After a few more paces, she spotted the structure she had been searching for. It wasn’t a towering fortress as she had expected, but rather a small, enclosed facility with a building inside. Approaching the gate, she located a secondary entrance nearby. She raised her watch to the ID scanner at the gate, which granted her access with her updated security clearance.

"Alright, so now all I need to do is get to the main control room and connect you to the mainframe?" Acorn asked.

"Exactly. But proceed with caution—we still don’t know if the virus has infiltrated the building," Roblox warned.

Acknowledging the caution, Acorn entered the building and began surveying the interior. A ping from her watch indicated a new message—Roblox had sent her a map of the building, with the control room marked. She headed toward the designated door to the room, but as she reached for the handle, a chill ran up her spine. Something felt off. It was too easy.

Withdrawing her hand from the door in fear, her instincts proved correct. She glanced around in alarm and immediately noticed a security camera pointing directly at her. The moment it registered that she had spotted it, an alarm blared, and the facility lights shifted to a blood-red hue.

"Intruder alert! Intruder alert!" the loudspeaker blared.

Summoning her shotgun once more, Acorn quickly fired at the camera, but the damage was already done. A heavy, echoing sound reverberated through the hallways—the guard had been activated.

"Roblox, what do I do?! I'm pretty sure the guard knows where I am now because of that camera!" she yelled.

"Fall back! Find a place to hide, and I’ll guide you from there," Roblox responded urgently, the sounds of frantic clicking as he searched for a safe location for her to hide.

Pulling up the map, Roblox directed her to a room filled with server racks. The multicolored lights of the servers illuminated the dim space, offering some cover. Acorn slipped inside and held her breath, waiting for the guard to pass.

The sound of heavy footsteps grew louder, the walls bathed in the red glow from the guard's core, its chest cavity pulsating brightly. She stilled, heart pounding, until the footsteps faded and the guard moved out of sight. The tension in her chest eased, but only slightly.

"New plan," Roblox continued, his voice a bit softer. "You’ll need to find three computers scattered around the facility and disable the security systems. That will deactivate the guard and unlock the control room door."

He updated her map, marking the locations of the computers. "Avoid the guard at all costs. You won’t be able to defeat it, so stay hidden and stay safe."

"I’ll be fine. Moving out now. Signing off," Acorn replied, determination creeping into her voice.

Carefully, she exited the server room and studied the map to determine the location of the nearest computer before silently slipping into the corridors, prepared for whatever lay ahead.