Rabbit 042

The chat's (former) emotional support weeaboo.

**Rabbit** **#042**, commonly known as **Fourty-New**, was the alter ego of Rabbit #42, and acted as their replacement in Destroy the Trials. They were a member of the Angora Division.

## History

### Pre-Tournament

#042's history before the Trials is somewhat unclear, coming from personal accounts they've mentioned offhandedly. They were long neglected by their parents before they were sent to an aunt of theirs. This time spent with their aunt apparently traumatized them out of any sort of romantic relationship, making them cling to anime as both their special interest and coping mechanism. They were often physically and mentally abused by said aunt, for things as simple as talking about their interests or having romantic relationships with people their age.

It took a bit before their parents realized what was happening, and stepped in to help #042, bringing them back into a "normal" life. Said parents also nurtured #042's special interest by buying something they'd long desired: a body pillow of Tohru Adachi. #042 developed from there into the optimistic and talkative weeaboo that the Rabbits would come to know and love.

### Entering the Tournament

#042 was deposited into the Tournament as a replacement for Rabbit #42 a few days after #42's death - taking up not only #42's position in the Angoras, but also their position as Archivist, their Discord account, and their notes. #042 seemed incredibly scared and distressed, but reassured the Rabbits that they meant no harm and that they were emphatically not the #42 who had committed "bastard crimes". Upon being linked to the "Old 42's" notes, they proceeded to vomit in disgust. They were quick to bounce back, however, and began discussing their special interests (to the irritation of Rabbit #02 and other beings like TRIX).

A day after they were introduced to the Tournament, they immediately established themself as someone prone to bad decision making, joking that they would give their pinky for Rabbit #71's hat to be returned. TRIX accepted this deal, and #042 lost their pinky. This started off the friendship between #71 and #042, and the two began to talk avidly in direct messages about a plan they called "Hope through Chaos": to somehow make a deal with the aid of Bedlam or another entity, in order to change the Rabbits' situation for the better.

### Making Friends (In Unexpected Places)

#042 began to be known at this point as, and self-identify with, the nickname "Fourty-New" (after an aside from #02). Their desire to make friends was blatantly obvious, as they tried to message and befriend various other Rabbits, as well as ask an enormous amount of questions from various Shades. Their reaction upon Echo's arrival in the chat as "(◕‿◕)" was joyous, and the two immediately hit it off as friends. When Echo stated they wanted someone to pledge, #042 was the first to do so and find out his true name, which they kept secret.

Naga also attempted to plant seeds of doubt in #042's, mind, and prey on their fear that they were not truly themself. The anxiety that they were somehow no better than Rabbit #42 haunted them throughout much of their time in the Tournament, leading them to develop an attitude of wanting to prove themselves "better" than Rabbit #42 and break the cycle of misery that all #42s seemed to live in.

### Newly Pledged

The reveal that Echo was not as kind as he appeared shook the trusting #042 down to their core. It was at this time that they were put in the Pledged chat as one of Echo's first six Rabbits, to serve under his command. #042 began to take this pledge with a seriousness uncharacteristic to their normal behavior, even managing to kill a group of ants with a magnifying glass on a single joking command from Echo. This dedication impressed Echo, who assigned them the task of gathering ingredients for a summoning ritual.

#042 believed they would undertake the ritual and attempted to comfort themselves over what they believed was their impending death before Echo revealed to them that he would be the one undertaking the ritual, not them. Echo also attempted to kill #042, before being told by Prime that he could not. This seemed to shake #042 into a rebellious streak, which culminated in the events of the next day.

### The Stand Against Echo

The following day, ECHO was taunting Ama and other Rabbits over their romantic and personal attachments while #042 looked through "Old 42's" notes. Seeing that ECHO still had echoes of Marty Taylor inside him, #042 decided to see if ECHO still had attachments to those that Marty cared about; they directly calles him out in the chat, asking why he was so critical of others' relationships when he may have still loved "Dear Ammy."

This infuriated ECHO to the point where he started a call and forced the other Rabbits onto it. Even though he attempted to take #042's comment about Amrett in stride, it clearly infuriated him, and he attempted to tear #042 down by stating they would always go down the path that the "Old 42" did, and were fated to mess up in as spectacular a fashion as they did. Regardless, #042 seemed to come to an acceptance about their identity in what they saw as their last hours: that they were "more themselves" than their predecessor would ever be.

This acceptance bolstered them to taunt ECHO while he was off the call, stating that he was "pathetic" and did not deserve the power he had been given. Unfortunately, ECHO rejoined the call right as #042 was saying this; overhearing the insults sent the Shade over the edge, and he proceeded to snap his fingers and make #042 cough up blood, screaming at them all the while. Even while coughing up blood, however, #042 still managed to get their piece in, screaming in rage that he stained their beloved body pillow.

They kept on coughing up blood all day, later dying from the punishment ECHO inflicted on them. While dying, #042 would later describe the wild hallucinations they experienced while dying, including the character Asuka from Evangelion floating above her and flashbacks to trauma from their past. Secretly, after #042's death to ECHO, #71 confessed his love to #042 in direct messages - but it was unrequited.

### Rise And Shine, Mx. Fourty-New/Trial One

The next day, Prime sent a personal message in the announcement channel declaring that #042 "RISE AND SHINE," as they were not supposed to be dead and that ECHO would have to pay for this personally. #042 seemed to handle all other interactions with Shades more carefully from that point onwards - as well as accept that the "Old 42" was simply another them that they could evolve into. #042 also seemed to relish in the attention and praise this act of defiance earned them from the other Rabbits, taking it to heart.

Prime also, oddly enough, seemed to clean off #042's body pillow for them and leave it with them when they came back. The reason for this is unknown.

In direct messages, they later asked ECHO why he didn't simply remove them from the pledged after their blow-up at him. His response was that in that moment, #042 proved to him that their fear did not rule them - and that in his eyes, they had proven themselves to him from that point onward. This respect confused #042, but set the tone for their future interactions and #042's growing curiosity about ECHO.

At the time #042 was resurrected, Rabbit #22 was once more introduced into the trials. #042 took an immediate interest in her, messaging her with advice about the tournament, and much like #042's bond with #71, the two grew to be fast friends.

Trial One was later assigned. #042 was among the first to turn in their trial, stating that they chose a blue ribbon they often wore around their wrist to be destroyed as their cherished object for the Trial. They stated that it fell off their wrist when they were forced into the Tournament, and that burning it "felt like burning a piece of themselves."

### Unrequited Harm

#042 joined the rebellion chat later on, and was present when Altruist gave his message to the masses. They quickly grew to be a source of comfort and jokes in the rebellion chat, sharing #71's affection towards them and their idea for "Hope Through Chaos" on a call in the server. Though their love towards #71 went unrequited, #71's affection for #042 was noticed by more than just the Rabbits. TRIX himself picked up on it and as revenge towards #71, proceeded to beat #042 bloody, posting images of it on the main chat to taunt #71. #27 used a protective boon to stop #042 from being tortured any further. #71's action was disapproved of by many of the Rabbits, who were already somewhat fond of #042 at the time.

On the same day, the Rabbits of the rebellion chat were attempting to vote to see who would be the "double agent" that would get close to ECHO and tell him about the group chat. Partially out of morbid curiosity and partially out of a sense of duty to the Rabbits, #042 vied for the double agent position and was voted into it by the Rabbits themselves. They threw themselves into this task, but still seemed to foster a private fear of ECHO which kept them from interacting further with him aside from when they were obliged - which would cost them dearly down the line.

They observed the Team Fortress 2 game between TRIX and the Rabbits, providing occasional commentary. They were the first considered choice for TRIX's boon where he picked an apprentice among the Rabbits, but he quickly changed his mind and went to other targets. TRIX's resentment towards #042, however, did not fade, and grew until it flared up into an incident that would permanently traumatize #042 for the rest of the the Tournament.

### My Magnum Opus, My Object of Suffering

#042's constant talk of "weeb shit," as TRIX called it, finally broke TRIX's patience. After #042 pointed out that the day Trial 1 ended was a day before the birthday of a character from their favorite video game series, TRIX threatened that he would remove #042's arm with his axe if they said "one more weeb shit." #042, riding the high of standing up to a Shade and out of a sense of conviction that they never wanted to be abused into silence about their special interest again... indeed stated some "weeb shit," proudly declaring that they were willing to lose an arm over the statement. TRIX followed through, teleporting to their house and severing their right arm from their body. However, this was not enough for #042. As he was teleporting away (and on the chat), they stated proudly that they were not afraid of him.

TRIX erupted in a display of fury more horrifying and potent than any prior encounter of his. He took #042 captive, declaring that they would be his magnum opus and that he would make art of their body. He threatened to end #042 in all layers and all forms. He proceeded to torture them for 24 hours, branding his fingerprints into their neck and giving them further injuries that scarred them both physically and mentally.

When #71 rescued them from TRIX's clutches, they were a hollow shell of themself, convinced that TRIX had turned them into a monster. It was during this process, with #71 assuring #042 that they still looked beautiful to him, that #042 began to truly reciprocate #71's feelings. They also realized they had also fallen in love with #22, and that what they wanted was to be the "Anchor to the Earth" for the Rabbits in the Tournament - so that the Rabbits would have someone to confide in. #71 flew over to #042's house in secret afterwards to help them recover.

It was clear that #042 was a changed person from that point onwards; during the D&D call they participated on with TRIX, they broke down when he used a certain tone of voice that reminded them of when they got tortured. They fled the call soon after. They also stole money from Rabbit #33 soon after, in order to fund a new prosthetic arm for themself. However, this was not to be: ECHO made them give the money back, because he wanted to see #33 be rich again (and to spite #042). After being ordered to return the money, #042 broke down crying, saying that they just wanted to feel like they weren't a "monster".

Lastly, #042 was told by the dying Altruist that broke into the Rebellion server that #042 would make a bad mistake of some kind and then die, causing the other Rabbits to rebel and riot - which would only lead to the deaths of even more Rabbits. This permanently scarred #042 and seemed to stick itself into their head, making them even more desperate to survive and to stay in line for the sake of the other Rabbits they were quickly growing to care about.

All three of these events left #042 in a downward spiral mentally. They were, however, one of the few to pass ECHO's group Pledged tasks and remain amongst his ranks due to their telling ECHO about the rebellion chat. Liam was not happy about them telling ECHO about the Rebellion chat, even though it was due to the orders of the other Rabbits.

### The Garm (Ghost Arm)

It was a huge shock to them when Liam offered to give them a ghostly arm they could use for a little bit while they were waiting to get a prosthetic. They laid on the sigil Liam instructed for them in order to grow what #042 affectionately called the "Garm (Ghost Arm)".

They laid on it for longer than directed, as they wanted to be certain that it had grown in, and fought with #088 over laying on it. Once it was grown in, they used it to bend spoons and do other pranks. A day later, they learned that the "garm" drained Liam's energy, and decided to make a deal with ECHO on the matter. ECHO questioned them, but allowed them to get a new arm, which #042 deemed the "Carm (Cold Arm)" due to its unnatural paleness and coldness. ECHO knew that #042 had lied to him, as he later questioned Liam on the matter.

They later on proceeded to stream a favorite game of theirs during the lull between major events on the main server, and a call ensued from it. Upon finding out that #22 was to be TRIX's apprentice, they sent #22 a special bo staff. Nothing much of note transpired until their wedding night.

### The Cursed Wedding

The same time #02 and #18 got married, #042 formally was married to #71 and #22. It was a fast wedding, but one that did not escape ECHO's notice. He proceeded to break up the wedding and forced #042 to not only get divorced, but pick an active rabbit to be slaughtered. At #027's request, #042 picked #027. ECHO made #042 sign an agreement that transferred their soul over into Prime's control under threat of death. This broke #042's cheerful demeanor further, and they struggled to keep themself in check for the sake of others.

### Insult to Injury

Furthermore, #042 was discussed as one of the few Rabbits to die for the last apprentice task, but #04 changed it to #33 instead, which #42 was grateful for. The day that #30 uploaded their Trial 1, #042 commented that they broke into tears for no reason, which they theorized was them feeling the aftershocks of the other pains of all the other 42's. They also commented to #71 in private that they had nightmares of #30 killing them and them killing #30, which messed with their perception of themself. To cap it all off, #71 and #042 broke up, seemingly with bad blood - but what #042 didn't reveal was that #71 had done so to protect #042 from the Shades, and that they still had feelings for #71. While #71 pretended to hate #042, it was never genuine.

#042 went quiet for a while afterwards, seemingly trying to cope with their complicated feelings towards ECHO and their fear that TRIX would soon do something to provoke them.

### The Burning: Trial Two

The announcement that Trial Two involved voting a Rabbit to be killed was traumatic for #042, as they had grown very attached to their Angora division. TRIX direct messaged #042, however, with a task he had long threatened to impose upon them: burn the body pillow, or face death.

#042 reluctantly performed the one task that they had long been preparing for, not wanting to face death and set the Rabbits into chaos. They set alight the pillow to which they had grown so attached. They had sworn to protect it from TRIX, but they could not protect it from themself. Despite their mental preparation for this task, their reaction towards destroying it in the physical world was so extreme that it was as if they lost a loved one. They later revealed that although they had burned the body pillow, they had managed to bring it to #50's Eden - and that they had loved the body pillow so dearly that it had, bizarrely, developed a consciousness of its own, forever loyal to its creator.

Regardless, burning the body pillow was like burning a limb, and #042 was forever changed mentally by this. They began to doubt themselves and who they were outside of other people's perceptions, remaining silent for a while and reacting to only the most extreme events.

### Attempted Saving

They seemed to express grief at #164's journal, lamenting his loss on the timeline document. It was this grief that drove them to throw themselves into trying to save ECHO, as VOICES instructed. They only served to push ECHO further away with their many messages and pleas to make things right, something that weighed heavily on their mind. All of what they had gone through prior was stacking upon their shoulders when Marty was allowed onto the chat by ECHO. While #28 was the only Rabbit who reached out to comfort #042 in the midst of their existential crisis about themself, they reached out to Marty personally in private messages and asked for his assistance with coping with "feeling like a nothing". Marty gave #042 heartfelt advice that comforted them in their time of need, assuring them that they could still find little ways of rebellion and that they shouldn't have to "get out of the way" for anybody else's sake.

This advice from Marty stuck with #042 and made them all the more keen to help ECHO -- even though their mind on him changed too late.

### Still the Same, Sinking Vessel

Around this time, Trix began his talks with other Rabbits. #41 privately informed #042 after her own talk with TRIX that #71 and her had gotten together. #042 swore themself to secrecy on this. #042 voted for #71 in ECHO's pledged chat, on the orders of the other Rabbits.

It was at this time that ECHO let the chat know he had a call he wanted everyone to join. #042 was the first to join before ECHO came on, raising the chat's spirits by betting on who would die during the call and stating other memes. Everything was going well until ECHO debuted a video where he called out #042 by name, scorning their lack of loyalty and swearing that he would never trust the Rabbits again. #042's reaction to this was one of intense grief, audibly crying and pleading with ECHO that they wanted to be loyal, they wanted to help.

ECHO called out that they had the Death Boon. #042 revealed that they never wanted to kill with it, as they had nightmares of using it the same way the "Old 42" would have: ritualistically sacrificing people with it. In response, ECHO revealed that #042 was never "Fourty-New" at all; #042 had always been Rabbit #42, having been given a few memory adjustments by ECHO and Prime. He taunted #042 by stating that *that* was the reason why #042 had always had nightmares of being killed by #30; nightmares about him; nightmares about the torture #42 wanted to inflict.

After ECHO's revelation, #042's memories began to set in. They had a traumatic reaction to seeing #30's number, repeating it over and over. They listened as #71 stated how he would like to live his last 24 hours, going to Michigan to see #41. Heartbroken, #042 asked him, "Just #41...? Not me?"

Under the weight of all their other selves, with memories of lifetime after lifetime of trauma crushing them at once, ECHO made #042 choose whether #71 would be spared or die right then. Fourty-New was fighting against all their other selves at that moment, but it was the Old 42 that won out: jealous, possessive, and above all, vindictive***.*** #042 chose #71's death, crying while doing so. All the while, they continued to plead for ECHO's forgiveness, and a way to prove their loyalty to him.

### In The Wake of Hope's Loss

After #71's death, the grief and regret began to set in. #042 was so overwhelmed by their memories that they nearly lost their sanity altogether; their trauma was only compounded as the news of #71's death spread, and more people turned away from them, disgusted that the Rabbit they had once trusted as a friend would murder a good person. Even in this horrific situation, there was still one bright spot for #042; they asked for friendship with #30 once more in the wake of their memories returning, which was granted.

#042 regained control of themself a day too late; the full impact of their actions hit them, and they broke down privately. They posted about the nightmare they had the day after killing #71, where they tortured him through ritualistic sacrifice as ECHO watched on with pride. That same day, TRIX declared that on Wednesday, October 21, he and #042 would hold their private call; #042's sass had influenced him to deliberately schedule their conversation at an inconvenient time. Regardless, #042 agreed to join the call with TRIX.

### Carrying A New Rhetoric

#042's call with TRIX was one that seemed to pierce through their shell and truly test the weight of their newly regained memories. TRIX stated that #71 had cheated on #042 with #41, and broken up with them because of that. He offered to let #042 change their vote for Trial 2, and attempted to convince them to leave the rebellion with the promise that he would personally make them his apprentice.

#042 displayed signs of sincerely considering the offer, which terrified them, in the belief that "Old 42" was taking them over. When they stated this belief on the chat, and their fears about their past memories overtaking their personality, they attempted to make themselves look the victim by blaming it on their past and "Old 42." #41 and #22 spoke up against this behavior in order to explicitly condemn it, which seemed to pierce down to their core and cause them to go silent for a bit.

They went to VOICES privately in an attempt to sever "Old 42" from themselves or remove the memories. VOICES talked them out of it, explicitly stating that they would not grant such a selfish offer for any price. This talk managed to finally break through their mind, bringing them to the pivotal revelation about themselves; in order to move on, they realized they would have to accept all parts of themselves, even "Old 42".

And that was just what they did. They finally embraced all of their past in order to move forward from it, but never forget it. They posted about their epiphany in the main tournament channel, which segued into a talk with #034 about a name they had been denied in the past by another entity, a name they had long wanted to embrace for themselves - Rhetor, a word for a "teacher of rhetoric." This led them to make another declaration in the wake of #74 saying that they believed #042 wished to carry on #71's legacy of hopeful rhetoric: #042 would finally embrace their own "rhetoric" of being the "Anchor of the Earth" for the Rabbits, taking up the name "Rhetor" as their new last name in order to honor their new conviction. One could say that this was the rebirth of a true, united #042 - a Fourty-True, if you will.

The revelation from #00 that they had been set up to kill #71 by him all this time - and to take the heat for it - sent them into a rage that was only tempered by their respect for his decision to help the Rabbits in his own way. They revealed that they were aware of their importance to the timeline - the words of the dying Altruist had forever stuck inside their head, and they were determined to live to avoid the awful timeline from which he had come. Though they could not join the call where #00 had revealed the extent of his manipulations, they later confronted him about it in direct messages, asking about it. He not only confirmed it, but also stated that #042 needed to live on for "those that didn't make it this far" and ended their conversation with a joke towards their number - leaving #042 incredibly confused.

### Two Doors Close, One Door Opens

#042's reaction to Liam and ECHO dying was one of extreme grief. They attempted to deny Marty's death, holding out hope that he had somehow revived or respawned in his own Eden, but it was not to be. They confronted VOICES in private, who told them that Liam had indeed carried out his plan and that there would be incredibly favorable outcomes for the Rabbits from his actions. This made them publicly state their trust in Liam's plan, and that they hoped that VOICES was not lying. In the wake of their incredible grief, they began to interact with Saucy in direct messages. The two immediately began to befriend each other, and #042 emerged from the interaction genuinely happy for the first time in a long while.

### Falling Through

This happiness did not last for long, especially when the events of Halloween came around. They went into a strange frenzy when TRIX chose them as one of the few to die, and actively threatened to hurt TRIX when he possessed Saucy. They were visibly amazed when #71, #130 and #152 came back, and this amazement lasted throughout the call. It was cut off abruptly when #71 delivered a *searing* declaration against them for their actions during his death. This caused #042 to go into utmost silence for a few weeks afterwards in an attempt to deal with themselves, coming back when they believed they had marginally gotten better - only to a list of declarations from other Rabbits that made it very apparent that #042 was not going to be forgiven or liked by their fellows for a very long time. This, combined with Saucy's continued absence and a variety of other factors, sent them spiraling into another round of quiet and depression.

## Appearance

#042 is somewhat on the short side, with a petite build. They have short, auburn hair. They have scarred fingerprints on their neck from the torture TRIX inflicted on them, as well as many scars and burn marks across their body from the torture given to them. They also bear scars across their face, back and arms. One of their arms is incredibly pale and cold, known as the Carm (Cold Arm).

Post-71's death, they have all their fingers.

## Personality

#042 is known as the tournament's resident weeaboo. They are *exceptionally* fond of talking about Japanese media (a.k.a. “weeb shit”) in the chats and in calls, to the displeasure of many people in the Tournament (particularly TRIX and #02). While impulsive and occasionally prone to making bad decisions, they are a huge source of emotional support and an anchor to the Earth for many in the Tournament.

They are incredibly driven when it concerns their personal convictions, and willing to stand up against the Shades for what they feel is right. Before their torture by TRIX, they used to possess an incredible control over their negative emotions, often attempting to restrain their anger and fear as "weak impulses" that they associated with "Old 42." They also used to be incredibly easy-going, something that they still attempted to retain after their trauma by TRIX's hand.

## Trivia

* Initially referred to their predecessor first as “Old 42,” then as “the other me” (post-Echo death).
* Their prized possession is a body pillow of Tohru Adachi, from the video game *Persona 4*.
* Their heavy interest in the Persona series, which involves the confronting of repressed desires and memories, acted as accidental foreshadowing towards their inner conflict with "Old 42".

## Quotes

"YOU STAINED MY BODY PILLOW, YOU ASSHOLE!” *- As they were being forced to cough up blood by Echo*.

“They always ask 'What Are You Worthless Rabbits Doing'[,] but they never ask 'How Are You Worthless Rabbits Doing'.” - *Angoras chat, 8/22/2020.*

“[T]akuto maruki is my husbando and *i'm not fucking afraid of you.* [I]t's not defiance to acknowledge a lack of fear, it’s stating a fact.” *- Before getting brutally tortured, 8/29/2020.*

"[I]'d rather have a painful garm (ghost arm) than a narm (no arm)." - *Rebellion chat, 8/30/2020.*

"[W]ho threatens a body pillow?? that's a low blow. that's the move of a savage monster. he gains nothing from it except the satisfaction of having done something evil." - *Main chat, on Trix's proclivity to threaten #042's body pillow, 9/16/2020.*