The challenge came minutes after breakfast. And honestly, Eggchan should've expected it. Flame was fighting Egg earlier, yes, but he also must've seen Wemmbu fight. And Wemmbu already had something going on with Flame to be the 'best fighter' in their own world.
Plus, Flame worked for he who shall not be named, and was beating up Wemmbu and Egg when they were at their lowest.
You don't put a loaded weapon in a room full of fighters and expect nobody to poke it. So when Eggchan saw Flame rummaging through his enderchest and gearing, literally any rest he had dissipated.
Flamefrags rolled his shoulders, stepping into the clearing just outside spawn. He looked directly at Wemmbu. "Let's spar," he said simply.
It was just a simple few syllables put together that could unfortunately cause problems, because Eggchan sadly knew his best friend. The chatter around them died instantly as Wemmbu smoothly got up, then turned to face Flame. "No killing," Minute called immediately.
Flame snorted. "Yeah, I figured."
They moved farther away from where everyone was gathered, creating distance. Wemmbu was already geared, but Minutech tossed Wemmbu a regen pot in case. Wemmbu pocketed it, and like some silent bell rang, the two eyed each other up, circling.
Flame moved first — a clean dash, sword aiming toward Wemmbu's shoulder. Wemmbu slipped inside the swing like water, elbow slamming into Flame's chest guard. The clash of armor rang sharp.
Flame grinned mid-exchange. "knew it."
Steel blurred as fast footsteps tore up grass. Wemmbu fought with light moves, blocking or redirecting most of Flames' attacks. Flame retaliated with raw precision, adapting in real time to Wemmbu's swings, pushing him back.
Wemmbu switched weapons, and an enchanted bow flashed into his hand. The arrow vanished the second it left the pulled bowstring, causing Wemmbu to stumble half a step, balance thrown. Flame's blade stopped an inch from his throat. There was a confused silence from the spectators, broken by Spoke's laughter.
Spoke vibrated with excitement. "OH MY GOD. It actually deleted it!"
Minute spun on him. "What?? You did that!?"
"I didn't do anything!" Spoke laughed. "The server did! The item doesn't exist here, so it resolved the conflict by—poof!"
Wemmbu looked at the hand that once held an arrow and his expression didn't change. He pulled out another arrow, nocked it on his bow, and aimed it directly at a tree. After he let go, the arrow vanished.
Flame lowered his sword. "We stopping?"
Wemmbu nodded. Spoke was already pacing in circles. "Okay, okay, okay. We genuinely need to do tests. Like, what else crossed over that might vanish?"
Egg walked over to Wemmbu, frowning at Spoke, "I don't want to lose more stuff bro."
Spoke tilted his head. "But the—"
Minute grabbed his hoodie. "No."
Spoke pointed at Wemmbu. "Minutech, you saw that, right? The items he's carrying are banned, but they haven't been erased in our world despite coming from a mechanically incompatible universe, he's literally a walking paradox! It's so, so similar to the wor–"
"That's their stuff," Minute interrupted. "And they're people, not something to play with Spoke."
Spoke exhaled out his nose, sensing the line he was crossing. "I'm not even– You people hate progress." he said like a child.
"What else deletes?"
Spoke blinked and looked at Wemmbu who spoke up out of nowhere.
Egg turned slowly. "Wem—"
"What else?" Wemmbu repeated.
Spoke's grin came back slowly, a curious glint in his eye. "Likely anything that never existed here, but only once it leaves your hand in action. Probably the reason your netherite armor hasn't disappeared yet, because you haven't taken it off. The server prioritizes native reality. If there's a conflict…"
He made a popping gesture.
Flame frowned. "What? Whatd'ja say 'bout his armor?"
Spoke hummed, "Honestly? It shouldn't have crossed over, but since it has, it likely didn't disappear since it hasn't come off his body. Don't unequip it for now, I guess." he told Wemmbu.
Wemmbu pocketed the bow, rolling his arm. "Which all sums up to the conclusion that I can't use most of what I brought over."
Spoke nodded and clapped once. "Awesome, can we actually test now–"
Minute slapped a hand over his mouth.
"No, Spoke."
Spoke's muffled voice: "Authoritarianism!"
The tension cracked just enough for a few people to laugh.
But Egg didn't miss how everyone was staring at Wemmbu differently now. Yes, both he and Egg were guests, but the incident just reminded everyone why they were guests and not actual residents of this world.
"Five diamonds says Flame wins next round."
"Bro he lost the spear round!"
"That wasn't a real duel, they were playing around! So they're both still on even grounds."
By afternoon, a board with signs were posted, with people adding votes to who they thought would win based off the spar from earlier. Egg stared at it with his arms crossed.
"…Are we serious?" he muttered.
"It's a fun thing, come on," Squiddo said. After Squiddo caught wind of everything going on, she came to spawn to say hello. She hung out with Eggchan and Wemmbu a little earlier, before giving Eggchan a more official tour of spawn.
She had shown him spots like the court where Flamefraggs was prosecuted, some egg hunt challenge, and the Church where Parrot and Ashswagg got married (Parrot??? And Ashswagg??? What the fuck????).
At some point, someone called for Squiddo, and she left Egg to his lonesome. Egg sat on the edge of a roof and watched the crowd. His shield rested beside him instead of strapped on. He hadn't noticed when he took it off, but it hadn't disappeared, so it's fine.
The whole notion that people like Spoke and Minutech could just… Casually be around Jumper and Wemmbu or- around anyone really... although the alliances here were somewhat the same, the relationship between everyone was so, so different. People liked Wemmbu here. No one was destroying every build in existence, there was an ability for peace to stay.
Below, Wemmbu stood in the center of a loose circle while three players peppered him with questions about swinging his mace. He answered short, clipped, but patient, teaching them without really meaning to. Wemmbu looked so much lighter. Egg's chest loosened a little.