#arm. it’s nothing the other hermits need to worry about’ 77

[shepscapades]

GLAD EVERYONE ENJOYED THE ANDROID INFO UPDATE ABOUT INTERFACING DFGJNDGKGNMXGHNCBNM

[hermits-that-craft]

Forgetting and Leaving - Part Three

This is the final part to the short story! It’s been a wild ride :D - this part is 4747 words long (perfect planning lol). Once again : Stuck au is owned by the wonderful @target-block! Go check them out!

before i forget again: this is not cannon to ray’s au!

Wels’ dreams weren’t all that different. Sleeping for months will do that to a person, and though Wels’ doesn’t entirely mind the repetitive dreams, the knight has to admit that they’re getting old. Not that he’d ever complain - he came to an agreement with Cub after the first month that they could swap at any time. No, Wels waves goodbye to Cub, letting the man think that his dreams aren’t predictable, letting him leave Wels alone in season six again. He isn’t mad, he offered this to Xisuma, to the hermits. He knows that this power of his is the only thing that he can trust in this empty world, so as he walks back to his base he lets his mind wander to what Cub told him about season seven. How is Iskall going to collect the amount of leaves he’s going to need for the tree? How will Cub make the inside of the pyramid? Are Etho, Beef, xB and Hypno adapting well to the change? Did the other hermits tell them why they moved to season seven?

Cub wouldn’t answer his questions about it, so Wels assumes that he doesn’t know.

He worries for Doc and Scar. Cub didn’t have to say it, but Wels knows that they blame themselves. Of course they do - even though no one blames them. It’s in the twos nature. Wels is glad that Scar chose a place with a lot of hermits, and he’s even more glad that Doc has Bdubs, even if Cub says that they have been fighting. Doc needs someone with him, to remind him that it isn't his fault.

Wels finds his bed, sinking down into the soft bed sheets. He knows that he could spend the month elsewhere, in someone else's base, all he would have to do is leave a sign. He doesn't. Wels lets himself fall into the bed, the same dreams repeating in his head.

---

Evil Xisuma yelps as the gravel blocks update halfway through his walk. They should have updates minutes ago, sending him down into the cave when he first arrived at the edge of the gravel. His body screams and he pulls out a healing potion, taking a swig.

"You alright Ex?" Impulse - Orchid, now - calls down to him.

"Peachy." Ex lies, struggling to stand up. Orchid glides down to him, hitting the floor hard. "You alright?"

"This world has started to glitch too." Orchid, Impulse, whatever, mumbles to himself. "Why can't we ever find a world that isn't glitched?"

"I'm sure you will, eventually." Evil Xisuma says, "It'll be lonely here without you."

"What? We're going to go to the next update, not a different smp. Sorry Ex, you've been with us for years now. You're stuck with us." Grian, Rose, Poultry Man smirks. "We're not leaving you behind."

"I'm not allowed to go to the next update." Ex says plainly. Ren/Daisy offers him a hand, helping him up. Glowing white eyes stare at them from the edge of the cave. "I've told you a million times - I can't go through the update."

"I could help you go through. I won't be able to meet you all in that world, though." Herobrine says. "I can meet you all in the next one though."

"Why? Why can't you meet us in the next world?" Daisy frowns.

"Don't worry about it." Herobrine gives Evil Xisuma a knowing smile, as though he knows exactly why Evil Xisuma can't go to season six. "I'm sure you'll find more people in the update."

Evil Xisuma pales, panic seizing his throat. Xisuma doesn't want him back, that much is clear. Why would Herobrine send him back if he knew that?

---

Scar sits on the top of Larry, acutely aware of Xisuma watching him in the distance. He's tired of being watched, but there isn't much he can do to stop Xisuma from doing that. It'll only make Xisuma think that he's planning something.

So Scar watches the sunset, letting his body relax, letting him look tired from behind but not so tired that it's clear he's faking it. Scar's gotten better at lying, or maybe Xisuma has gotten worse at telling the difference, because as Scar stands and yawns Xisuma doesn't do anything. Scar turns, seeing Xisuma on the top of one of his trees.

Caught red handed.

Scar grins, waving at Xisuma, who flies down to Scar. Xisuma lands, nearly falling off of Larry. Scar helps him up, and he notices how tired Xisuma looks. Scar knows that he can't look better, but it's still worrying.

"Did you come for a reason or are you just admiring my build?" Scar asks playfully, ignoring the invasion of privacy, the bags under Xisuma's eyes.

"Oh, uh." Xisuma struggles to come up with a decent answer, and Scar sighs.

"Long day? I know my side of the jungle is relaxing, you should take some of the magical crystals I made - free of charge. Get some rest, X." Scar feels performative, like he's lying to the admin.

"You look like you need sleep as well." Xisuma dodges the request.

"You have a spare inventory in your eye bags. Go sleep," Scar takes a breath in, the humid night air doing nothing to calm his nerves. "You can't be a good admin if you're going to fall over constantly."

Xisuma blinks, his shoulders slumping. "I didn't think you could notice."

"X, if you say that Doc and I shouldn't blame ourselves for the hippies disappearing, then you shouldn't blame yourself." Scar takes Xisuma's hands in his own. "Let yourself rest, or you'll end up under constant watch as well. Trust me, it isn't fun."

Xisuma frowns, his mouth opening and closing under the mask before he nods, taking off into the skies.

Scar will have to work fast to get out, before Cub arrives to make sure he's asleep.

---

Orchid watches as Daisy and Rose make last minute preparations before they leave. Daisy looks upset at the idea of leaving the netherboard base, though he still doesn't understand how Daisy knew what the netherboard is. Orchid watches as Ex lands with Herobrine, a look of fear on his face as the cryptid tells him about what will happen as they cross the barrier. Orchid doubts that Ex has never gone through an update, but he doesn't blame Herobrine for going over the exact method that Ex would be traveling, given just how panicked the poor man looks. 

Daisy and Rose leave the building, smiling at Orchid, who just sighs.

"Maybe the next world will be nearly abandoned as well so you don't have to go mining, Orchid." Rose suggests, making Orchid smile. 

"Maybe you'll know how to work the farms too!" He suggests to Daisy, who gives Orchid a sad smile.

"I don't want to leave here. I'm not sure why. It feels," Daisy struggles for a word, "like home. Like I've been here before."

"I know." Orchid nods as Ex leads them towards the end portal, still talking to Herobrine about something. The two men seem almost nervous about letting the Hippies know what is being said.

The hippies?

Where did Orchid hear that before? Who told him that? Why does he remember someone calling them that? Why can't he remember what they sounded like? Why can he only think 'green' when he tries to remember them? 

"Orchid?" Daisy asks, his hand on Orchid's back. Orchid clutches his head in his hands, pain blooming behind his eyes, a wither rose against his forehead. "Orchid!"

"Ren?" Orchid - Impulse? - Orchid mumbles. "It hurts."

"Orchid, take some deep breaths in, does anyone have a regen potion?" Grian - Rose - G̷ria̷n̕R̢os̵e calls out. Orchid tries to take some breaths in, tries to breath. It hurts, it hurts so much. Someone strong picks him up and begins to walk, something is pressed against his lips.

Something makes him black out.

---

Stress paces around her base, Bdubs and Cub standing nervously in her door frame. She had truly believed that Scar and Doc were making progress, that they hadn't been bottling up their emotions like - like before. She will have to sit down and talk to the two men once they get them back, but it's clear that isn't the main problem there.

"Hey guys." False says plainly, landing in the skull. Cleo exits Stress' portal, waving at the group. "I guess we're finding the area 77 boys again?"

"We can't lose more people to time travel."

"Where's Xisuma?" Cleo asks, looking around the room. "Please tell me someone got Xisuma."

"He's coming." Cub says. "I told Keralis, we've been trying to get a hold of X for too long."

"Too long?"

"A minute." Bdubs says plainly. "A minute too long - We need to go looking for them now, before they do something stupid."

"Are we late? Shishwammy was asleep." Keralis' voice echoes around the room as he and Xisuma walk towards the group.

"Sorry guys, Scar said that I looked tired." Xisuma rubs the back of his neck, his helmet under his arm. The bags under his eyes go on for seemingly miles. Xisuma looks dead, like a breeze would send him flying.

"He isn't wrong. You need to shleep." Bdubs smiles, though there's clear sadness and guilt in his eyes.

Stress takes a deep breath in, turning to face the wall. She has to come up with a plan, and soon. A hand touches her shoulder gently and she nearly jumps out of her skin, looking up at Cleo. The zombie smiles at Stress, who blinks back tears. A plan. Planning. Stress is smart - surely she can think of something.

"Xisuma, can you find their coordinates?" Stress asks, not looking away from Cleo, who smiles at Stress.

"I can do you one better - I can teleport us there."

---

"Is he going to be alright?" Rose asks Herobrine as they run to the portal, glitching blocks serve as the only things left that proves that they were even there to begin with.

"Of course, Orchid is very resilient." Herobrine says, standing on the edge of the end portal. Rose freezes, trying to calm his breathing. "Are you alright Rose?" 

"Fine. We need to go now." Rose swallows, but he makes no effort to cross into the end. Daisy sighs, pushing Rose and Ex into the portal. Herobrine sends him a slight glare and Daisy smiles brightly.

"It made them go, didn't it?"

Herobrine laughs, pushing Daisy into the portal before jumping in with Orchid.

---

Scar and Doc sit, talking around a campfire. Doc throws some quartz into the fire occasionally, listening to Scar as the short man explains his plans for a mega base.

"I'm worried about it being too much, you know?" Scar says, finally relaxed. No one is watching him from a distance, just Doc. "I mean, it is a giant drill."

"That could work in your favour though," Doc points out helpfully, drawing the drill into the dirt. "You could fit a lot of farms into there, it'd keep you busy, and it would show up well on a map. Very clear and obvious."

"Still, I do like working on a block by block radius. I mean, detailing is easy in the micro, macro detailing can get repetitive." Scar frowns. "I don't want anything to look like I've just copied one side to the other."

"But, on the other hand, you are going for an industrial feel. A side could go undetailed."

"I want a divorce. I can't believe you would say something like that!" Scar throws a marshmallow at Doc, hitting him in the face. Doc gasps, catching the marshmallow before popping it in his mouth.

"Do you think that you could get the marshmallow into my mouth?" Doc asks, smiling at Scar.

"I bet I can!" Scar boasts, throwing a new marshmallow at Doc. Doc opens his mouth, diving to catch the marshmallow. He catches it, landing on his side. The two men burst out laughing, Scar clutching his sides as he looks at Doc. Doc lies on the ground, trying to save face with a victorious look, which only spurs on Scar's laughter.

The laughter doesn't last long, a branch snapping in the distance. Despite the calmness of the Taiga forest so far, Doc steps in front of Scar, his sword out and ready to fight any mobs that come their way. Doc doesn't even notice the protective stance, though Scar does, and Scar rolls his eyes, standing up himself. He turns towards the noise, his sword out.

Two people stand, hidden poorly in the bushes. Blonde and orange hair making them stand out against the dark forest. Scar frowns, poking Doc's side and pointing towards the two women. False and Cleo stand out in the forest like concrete in a rustic build. 

"False, Cleo, you two can come out." Scar yells, rolling his eyes. "You aren't slick, it's obvious that you're here."

The two women jump up, surprise written across their faces. False has her sword out, an angry look in her eyes. Cleo's eyes only tell surprise, though Scar can't tell if she's genuinely surprised or just hiding it well.

"Did you think that we wouldn't notice? Can't have five minutes privacy on the hermitcraft server to talk to a friend." Scar doesn't understand why he's so mad, why he's decided now is the time to say something about it. Cleo and False aren't even the people who normally stalk him and Doc, but Scar can't stop the train of anger that he set off. "We aren't fools, we know that if we go to find them we'll be stuck there. Stop treating us like we're stupid."

"Scar," Doc warns him, sending Scar a confused look. "False and Cleo aren't-"

"They were hiding in the bushes, Doc. They were sent here. It's obvious. The hermits don't trust us." Scar sends False and Cleo a look that pins the two girls down. Ignored Vex magic screams. "Why else would they be here."

"Scar, calm down." Doc commands, his hand on Scar's arm. "It's not their fault."

Scar rips his arm out of Doc's hand and takes some rockets out of his inventory, taking off into the night air without another word. Doc is right, of course, but Xisuma, Bdubs, Stress and Keralis suddenly being in the small clearing that he and Doc had cleared only serves to make Scar more angry.

He spent so much time spawn proofing the area. Xisuma is sure to rip it out now.

---

The sleeping man doesn't stir. Not as four new people arrive on his server. Not as the people cry as they struggle to remember where they are, what the place that seems so familiar is called. Why it is familiar. No, the sleeping knight doesn't stir, not even as the evil version of one of his closest friends leads the three men towards the shopping district. He doesn't stir as the winged man struggles to explain the playful, joking hatred he has towards concorp. He doesn't stir as the man with short brown hair checks a bookstore called I-trade for money. No, the knight doesn't even stir as the werewolf breaks down in front of the stock exchange, unable to know the sense of mourning that he has for the building. It's been four years.

The sleeping man doesn't rouse, not as the lost hippies and the evil clone make their way towards hermitville, their sense screaming that it is necessary, though they don't know why. The knight turns onto his back, but he doesn't move as the lost ones exit the portal. His breathing deepens as they walk towards his castle. He doesn't wake as they find him, sleeping like the dead. He doesn't rouse as they scream. He doesn't feel the werewolf's hands on his shoulders, trying to shake him awake. He doesn't stir as the ex watcher tries to use magic to find his name.

His eyes blink awake as Evil Xisuma asks him to wake up, using his name.

---

Rose jumps back as the sleeping knight throws his arms around Daisy, sobbing into the man's shoulder. Daisy wraps himself into the hug, sobbing onto the knight's shoulder.

"You're back. You're all back, you came back." The knight says, and something clicks in Rose's - No. Something clicks in Grian's mind. Memories come back in waves, washing over Grian. Tears slip down his face as Wels pulls him into a hug, holding him and Impulse and Ren. Wels wipes the tears from Grian's eyes before pulling him into a tight hug, chanting 'you came back' over and over.

It's too good to be true.

Grian is home.

"Where is Tango?" Impulse suddenly gasps. "Zedaph? Where are they? They must be so worried I can't believe I forgot them!"

"You forgot?"

"I, uh," Impulse frowns, racking his brain to find the memory. It's one that he remembered before Wels woke up, but it's buried itself under the newly unlocked memories. "I might have killed a watcher who cursed us on their dying breath."

"IMPULSE!" Wels snaps, looking at said man with a wide grin. "That's the best thing I've ever heard."

"How did the curse break then?" Ren mumbles, wiping his face with the palm of his hand. "They said that we'd never remember."

"Herobrine said that you all would remember once Wels woke up." Evil Xisuma, Ex, says gently. "I guess it's my time to go now."

"No." Ren says, taking Evil Xisuma's hand. "You're stuck with us. You don't get to leave now, you're stuck with us and Xisuma can deal with it. You're a hippie bro now."

"Bring it in Evil X." Wels says, offering a hug to the clone. "I'll message Cub in the morning, then we can all go to the next season. But you have to explain Herobrine to me."

"Oh he's my Dad."

"Impulse you can't just say things like that."

---

Cub lands behind Scar, who sits on the edge of a cliff overlooking the hermiatic sea. Scar clearly notices the man, his body tensing and his shoulders shaking, but he doesn't move to say anything.

"Scar," Cub takes a deep breath in, not knowing where to start. "You should have told us, we could have-"

"Save your breath." Scar mumbles, standing. "You wouldn't have changed anything. You aren't going to change anything. Just, just take me to your base or wherever Xisuma wants me. I want this day to be over."

“Scar,” Cub takes Scar’s hand, stopping the shorter hermit from walking any further. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for not trusting you, I’m sorry for treating you and Doc like glass. We shouldn’t have, I shouldn’t have. You’re my best friend, I should have trusted you more.”

Scar turns to Cub, and Cub finally sees Scar’s face. Tear’s stain his cheeks and his eyes hold no anger, just tired acceptance. Scar pulls Cub into a hug, and the two vex men hold onto each other until the sun rises, apologising and talking, telling each other how they feel. Cub falls asleep at some point, still holding onto Scar.

“Now, as much as this is a sight for sore eyes.” Joe says, a dog licking Cub’s face until he wakes up. “I’d rather you two didn’t fall asleep where I want to put my lighthouse.”

Scar rubs his eyes, sitting up. Cub checks his communicator, not expecting anything other than a few angry messages from some very worried hermits.

Welsknight: Cub, I need you back ASAP Welsknight: They’re back.

“The hippies have woken up Wels.” Cub mumbles, a wide grin on his face. “Wels has the hippies!”

Scar’s face goes slack before he also grins, taking the communicator from Cub’s hands. Joe and Scar read the messages before Scar jumps up, whooping in joy, falling off the cliff and into the ocean.

“Go get them, Cub.�� Joe says, pushing Cub’s back. “Go get the hippies back.”

---

Grian doesn’t know why he’s so nervous. It’s just Cub, and Wels did explain everything to them last night. Ex seems about as nervous as Grian is, not expecting to be accepted as quickly as the Hippies will be. It’s been four years. It’s painful to stay here.

But he wants to. There are so many things that have been left unfinished.

They won’t come back to season 6. Grian never wants to looks at a quartz block again.

"We have to go to the netherhub." Wels says, gently touching Grian's back. "You alright?"

"There's so much we didn't finish." Grian mumbles, pulling his brown sweater closer to him. "This wasn't supposed to happen, we were supposed to come back."

"It's not your fault." Ren says, smiling sadly. "We're going back home now."

"But here is home." 

"No, home is where we are." Impulse pushes Grian's side, ruffling the hippie's hair. "Home is where the hermits are."

"Yeah." Grian smiles wistfully. "I'm going to prank Mumbo and Iskall. I'll fill their bases with flowers and chickens."

"I'll set up a base close to Doc. Keep an eye on him." Ren smiles. "I can't wait to see him again."

"Speak for yourselves, Tango and Zed aren't going to let me set up a base unless they can see it." Despite Impulse's words, he sounds happy, as though he can't wait for that to happen.

"How about you, Ex?" Grian asks, turning to the clone. "What are you going to do?"

"Apologise to Xisuma and then find somewhere to live, I guess." Ex smiles. "Away from flowers, I hate flowers."

"Why do you hate flowers?" Wels asks, smiling quietly.

"He's scared of them."

"Impulse please stop." Ex groans. "You can't keep saying things, I can never leave this place. You've killed me, I'm dead."

"Good."

"Impulse!" Wels protests, pushing the man. "Stop it, he's going to end up looking like a tomato."

"Ha, sucked in Exy!" Grian laughs as they follow Wels through the portal. The heat of the nether doesn't stop the group from joking, Grian and Ren pushing Impulse around while Wels and Evil Xisuma lead the group forward. They all glide down to the giant map, Impulse pushing Grian off the ledge as Cub exits the main portal.

He doesn't look real, not to Grian. Three of the four years that the hippies were missing he didn't remember Cub, and of the first year he was more focused on survival than he was on the hermits that they accidentally left behind. But Cub is here, his beard sporting a few white strands of hair, and his face has worry lines where there was uncreased skin before. He's lost his usual scientist get up, a gaudy pharaoh's outfit adorning his skin, and his more tan than he was before they were lost. But he's here, Cub is taking them home.

Tears roll down Cub's face as he approaches, gently tapping the hippies as though he can't believe that they're back. He steps back, looking over to Wels and Evil Xisuma with a gleeful look on his face before Grian wraps him into a hug. He smells like sand and ocean and grass and home, and tears spring to Grian’s eyes. Impulse and Ren wrap themselves around Cub and Grian, joining in the hug. Wels joins the hug as Impulse pulls Evil Xisuma into the hug as well. 

They’re going home.

---

The hermits stand nervously around spawn, shuffling on their feet. No one was prepared for Cub to leave in the morning, and besides from Joe and Scar, no one knows why he left. Joe called a meeting - Mandatory, emergency : You Must Not Miss This type meeting, though he refuses to say anything about why he called it.

The meeting did give Xisuma, Stress, Bdubs, False and Cleo enough time to apologise to Scar, though Joe had to force it out of them. Scar and Joe stand apart, hopeful smiles written on their faces. The sun ducks behind a cloud as Scar whispers the reason the meeting was called into Doc’s ear, and Doc picks Scar up, swinging him into a hug. No one is told why they are so happy, though Joe’s hopeful grin turns into a large smile.

Cubfan135 joined the server Welsknight joined the server Grian joined the server ImpulseSV joined the server Rendog joined the server EvilXisuma joined the server

---

Mumbo stares at Grian, noticing all the small differences between Past Grian and Current Grian. His hair is longer, his eyes are tired, he looks the same but different, freckles and tans and small cuts litter his face. There’s a burn on his lower hand, hidden under the sleeves of his coat. His coat is brown, and he’s wearing a black t shirt under it. There’s a rose around his wrist.

But the way that he smiles, the way he stands. That’s Grian, that’s his best friend.

Mumbo pulls Grian into a hug, barely able to form words. He notices Iskall, hugging Grian tight as well. They’re safe. They’re back. Grian’s back.

---

Doc puts Scar down, walking over to Ren with an incredulous look on his face. Ren’s hair is long, tied back in a ponytail, with a blue dress shirt on and a daisy around his wrist. There’s stubble on his face and grass stains on his knees.

“I’m not asleep, am I?” Doc asks, breathlessly. He can barely contain the tears that make one of his eyes go blurry. “I better not be dreaming.”

“You aren’t.” Ren punches Doc’s side lightly. “I wouldn’t let you.”

Doc breaks down, crying into Ren’s shoulder as they hug. He knows this isn’t a dream, even if it feels too good to be true. Ren is back, Ren is safe, and he isn’t going to let Ren go until Ren wants out of the hug. He can’t wait to show the werewolf around.

---

“I’m asleep again.” Zedaph mumbles. “I’m asleep and dreaming and I’m going to wake up and Tango will ask if I’m crying.”

“Zed,” Impulse has tears in his eyes. He’s got a black sleeveless shirt on with a brown vest, and a sword lays on his side. He’s a lot more buff, stubble rests where he is normally clean shaven. “Zed I swear, this isn’t a dream.”

“I know,” Tango’s breathless, holding out something to Impulse. “It can’t be a dream, because you have an orchid where you’re meant to have this bracelet.”

Impulse breaks down, falling on his knees as he cries. Zedaph and Tango wrap him into a hug, letting him release the tears that he clearly needed to. The three men hold each other, not letting go. Not even to eat when Joe brings food at lunch, nor when Stress brings soup at dinner. A point of contact remains as they eat and the three men fall asleep at spawn, tangled together. They don’t want to wake up separated.

---

“I’ll leave now.” Evil Xisuma mumbles, shifting uncomfortably as Xisuma watches him. “I know I’ve overstayed my welcome.”

“You haven’t.” Wels brushes off Evil Xisuma’s comments. “You’re the one who brought them back. You’re the one who woke me up. You’re the one who broke their curse. Like Grian said: You’re stuck with us now.”

“Curse?” Xisuma says, frowning. “What curse?”

“Impulse killed a Watcher and was cursed to never remember what's important, and the other hippies got the curse as well.” Evil Xisuma mumbles, careful not to let the other hermits hear. The sun sets and though most of the hermits had left, the hippies and their friends had remained at spawn. Scar and Cub also had stayed, Scar apologising to the hippies for more reasons than any had cared to count. “They didn’t even remember their names when I found them.”

“Thank you.” Xisuma says, smiling. “Thank you for taking care of them.”

“It wasn’t just me!” Evil Xisuma raises his hands. “Impulse got adopted by Herobrine!”

“I never said I was adopted!”

“Impulse I will take away your rights to say things again!” Grian smiles as he looks up from the pictures of Mumbo and Iskall’s megabases.

“Yeah man can we have a nice moment.” Ren laughs, watching the stars with Doc. Tango and Zedaph laugh, cooking marshmallows over an open fire.

“Don’t take his speaking rights away, he still hasn’t told us about his family reunion with his Dad.” Tango laughs, picking up a marshmallow and popping it into his mouth. Xisuma smiles, watching the group.

His family is together again.

[pixelfun20]

Flower Fields: Chapter 2

Chapter 1

Notes: Again, all credit to @give-grian-rights (hope you don’t mind the tag!) for the concept! Thank you so much! Also almost forgot to post this on Tumblr rip.

No fighting wars, no ringing chimes

We're just feeling fine

Tubbo started out by building his starter base.

It was a concept he’d learned about while living with Xisuma, and it was quite a good one, too. After all, megabases worthy of Hermitcraft’s admittedly lofty standards often took months to build, and he’d need somewhere to live in the meantime. In Season 6, he’d neglected that fact, and had suffered his fair share of mob deaths before he put up four walls and a ceiling to protect himself, back when he’d left to live on his own. And that was with a small, quickly-thrown together base, not the project he was currently planning.

Still, even setting up the basics of his starter base took a few nearly sleepless days. Finally, the framework for the build, a treehouse spanning more than a few trees at the edge of the forest, was up, and Tubbo was finally able to place a bed down in safety and sleep for a solid fourteen hours straight.

Xisuma dropped by, quite literally, a day or so later.

Tubbo had been sitting in his quickly-expanding living room, sorting through the loot he’d gotten from yesterday’s day-long mining session when he swooped down through the half-finished roof. While he was still wearing his bee-themed armor, now there were two glider-like wings, shimmering purple, strapped to his back.

“Heya, X,” Tubbo greeted the admin with a wave, closing one of his chests. “You got elytra already?”

“Tango and I defeated the Ender Dragon yesterday,” Xisuma replied, touching down softly. Tubbo made an ‘ah’ sound, recalling the achievement he’d seen out of the corner of his eye the other day. Right; he’d forgotten about that. Trust X to be as efficient as possible and defeat one of the toughest monsters in the world just for the ease of travel.

“I’ll have to go endbusting soon, then,” he said, more to himself than X. Before the elder man could protest (ah, he was getting good at noticing when he was going to), he added: “Stress and xB have already asked me to go with them, so don’t worry , alright?”

“Good,” Xisuma sighed. “It’s never a good idea to go out on your own, especially since this’ll be your first time seriously exploring the End.”

Tubbo rolled his eyes good naturedly. To be fair, he hadn’t gone out to the End before it had been conquered before. He’d had a fair few trips last Season, mostly with X, but it was generally for the XP farm once it’d been set up. He’d never left the main island before. Now that he had considerably more freedom at the beginning of the Season, he was excited to go exploring.

“Anything bring you over?” He asked, changing the subject.

Xisuma nodded. “Yeah. A bunch of the others are getting together for some sort of wrestling tournament this weekend.”

“And I’ve been invited?!” He grinned, clapping his hands together.

“As the referee.”

“Ah,” he pouted. “Darn.”

“Don’t worry,” Xisuma chuckled, setting down a shulker box. “It can be a lot funner to watch sometimes; I’m just going to be part of the audience, too. I think Doc wanted you because he thinks he can bribe you.”

“He can not !”

Xisuma raised an eyebrow. “Area 77.”

“Oh, that’s not fair. I am completely unbiased!”

“And that was why you became their lawyer and not for all the cool experiments they had. I don’t think Cleo has forgiven you for defeating her in court.”

“No one can defeat Big Law,” Tubbo sniffed, faux-offended, and Xisuma laughed. “Well, I’ll show him!” He declared, crossing his arms. “I’ll just have to make sure he loses, then!” Xisuma blinked, and he laughed. “Kidding! Kidding!” Mostly .

“So you’re going?”

“Sure! It’s nice to see the Hermits all in one place, anyways. What’s in the shulker?”

Xisuma tilted his head teasingly. “What do you think? Someone had to get the supplies for our honey farm.”

Tubbo gaped. “You’re ready to build farms already?! Man, and I thought I was ahead of the game with just having my base halfway done.”

The armored man shrugged, looking about the partially completed build. “Well, you’ve certainly put more effort into this than me. Truly, your building skills are already improving. I love how you’re styling the roof with peaks like you are; it looks like it took a while.”

“My last house had a roof like that, too,” Tubbo reminded him, glancing up as well. It had become a tradition, of sorts, to build curved, peaked roofs onto his builds. Last season it had been one of the few things he’d built slowly to make look as good as possible. In all honesty, it was his own way of honoring the person who’d made it possible for him to come here, to have a life worth living once again. Rushing through the technique just felt disrespectful.

“Yes, but you’ve definitely gotten better.” Xisuma bent down over the shulker box, checking its contents. “Do you have any good ideas for where to make the bee farm? I’ll admit, I’ve been a bit too busy to scout out a good area.”

“Really? Then where’d you get these guys?”

“Tree farming in the desert.”

Tubbo snorted into his hand, and he could practically feel Xisuma’s embarrassment. “Well, you did say you hadn’t scouted out a good spot.”

“Indeed I did.”

“I can take a look around here and see what I can find. Meadows are supposed to be excellent places for farming bees, right?”

“Indeed it is,” Xisuma agreed. “Do you have plans for your megabase, yet?”

Tubbo nodded, grinning. “And trust me, it’s going to be awesome .”

............

Two days later, a chicken appeared in his base. Tubbo found it laying an egg in what was starting to become the base’s storage area, with one of his shirts nearly ripped to shreds in what appeared to be a makeshift nest.

There was a nametag wrapped around its leg. After some chicken wrangling and a few feathers to the face, he got a good look at it and realized there wasn’t a name written there, but a set of coordinates.

A set of coordinates rather far away, but who was he to turn down such an intriguing mystery?

With the chicken now renamed Wilbur and placed in a pen (he’d needed a chicken farm anyways), Tubbo set out that morning with a few supplies to find the spot he was looking for. After crossing a fair bit of forest and ocean, by the next day he’d found himself cutting his way through the underbrush of an overgrown jungle and wondering why in the world Stress had wanted to wait a week before going to get their elytra.

He pushed a few low-hanging vines out of the way, checking his communicator for the upteenth time. He was getting closer, now. This better be worth going out a few hundred chunks in the middle of nowhere—hey, wait a minute!

There was smoke in the distance. He could just make it out through the leaves, and now that he concentrated, he could smell it, too. Tubbo rushed forwards, pushing through the brush to see several man-made wooden pillars sticking out. As he pressed forwards, he made out a semi-stone floor, several chests, and a small fire in the middle, explaining the smoke.

“What is this?” He asked himself, looking around the place. The coordinates were right, and yet no one was here. Just this outpost in the middle of the jungle.

Tubbo walked around. There were some papers pinned to the wall, and a few dispensers lying around. Idly he pressed the buttons on them, already starting to form a plan to enact revenge on whoever made him travel over a day to get this place.

He pressed the button on the dispenser in the middle of the build and nearly got an arrow to the face.

Tubbo yelped, his reflexes, honed from a half year of training, the only thing saving him from a sudden death. A bell rang behind him, but it took him a few more moments to calm his racing heart.

“Not funny! You nearly took my head off!” He shouted to the jungle. Still, he didn’t leave, instead turning to the bell the arrow had his, examining it. Huh.

There were some cookies in one of the chests, probably left behind by whoever had actually built the place. He nibbled on it, only half hungry, as he tried to examine the place better.

“HERMIT CHALLENGES!”

Tubbo shrieked , dropping the remains of his cookie as the voice rang through the forest air. He looked around, trying to find the source, but found that he couldn’t.

“INITIATION!”

A diamond-clad figure dropped out of the vines above, landing with a firm thud on one of the ground dispensers. He nearly lost his balance before righting himself with a huff.

“Mumbo!” Tubbo exclaimed, a little annoyed but mostly impressed.

“INITIATION!” He shouted at the top of his lungs. “HERMIT CHALLENGES! YOU ARE BEING INDUCTED.”

“How long have you been up there?! It took me over a day to get here.”

“No matter, Mr. Tubbo! Congratulations! You’re in!”

“...Thanks?”

“Of course, my friend! You have been inducted into Hermit Challenges! Of course, you could have eaten the entire cookie—” he glanced down at the crumbs at Tubbo’s feet. “But besides that you have acted perfectly.”

“Wait, what is Hermit Challenges?” Tubbo asked, blinking. What? This version of Mumbo was almost nothing like the Mumbo he’d seen at Spawn a mere week and a half ago. Who used chickens to deliver messages? Or perch in a tree for supposed hours on end?

Okay, he had to admit, that last one was pretty funny.

“Oh, it’s a game I’ve made up,” Mumbo continued. “Iskall and I have already had a go at it, and I figured I’d invite you next.”

“...Alright, then. How do I play?”

“It’s simple! Write down three challenges and put them in the dispenser. Then we’ll pick one at random from each other.”

Mumbo reached into one of the chests on the ground, taking out a sheath of paper and passing three to him with a pen. Tubbo looked at him, and Mumbo grinned.

“Go on! I’m sure you’ll have something fun in that head of yours.”

Ah, he was right. Tubbo gave in with a smile, leaning back and thinking briefly about what he wanted to challenge Mumbo. A few ideas came to mind, and he quickly scribbled them down, pushing them into one of the two dispensers on the side of the small build, Mumbo doing the same.

“Alright, then!” Mumbo announced with a smile. “You go first.”

Tubbo stepped towards Mumbo’s dispenser and clicked the button, causing a slip of paper to slide out. He unrolled it, then read it out loud.

“‘Steal everyone’s front doors for the rest of the season.’ What? The whole season?!”

Mumbo laughed. “Oh, that one! Man, you got the hardest one from me!”

“Well, I’m sure it’s nothing compared to what you’ll get from me.”

“We’ll see,” Mumbo said with a chuckle.  He moved across the platform, and pressed the button the dispenser Tubbo had put his challenges in. The dispenser whirred, and then another slip of paper popped out. Mambo picked it up and read off of it, face contorting as he did so. “...‘Act like you don’t believe in the moon for the next two weeks, and claim the sky is a hologram put up by the SCA (Secret Chickens Agency) to keep us from seeing the real overlords- the sky chickens.’ What?”

Tubbo snickered at that, covering his mouth with one hand. Oh, he was proud of that one.

“No, seriously, this is awfully specific.”

“What? It’s funny!”

“Funny for you!” But Mumbo was smiling, and Tubbo grinned back at him.

“I’m going to be having a fun few weeks,” he giggled.

“So am I,” Mumbo agreed with a raised eyebrow, tucking the slip of paper away. He clapped Tubbo’s shoulder. “I suppose I’ll have to make up a good story to go with this prompt.”

“And I have some doors to steal!” Tubbo laughed.

“Whoever gets the first complaint in chat wins?”

“You’re on!”

[maryqueenofmurder]

Impulse x Grian x Ren

Part 1:  Impulse x Grian x Ren

Part 2:  Impulse x Grian x Ren

Part 3:  Impulse x Grian x Ren

Part 4:  Impulse x Grian x Ren

Part 5:  Impulse x Grian x Ren

Part 6:  Impulse x Grian x Ren

News about the new couple and how they got together spread quickly. Hermits would thank and congratulate Impulse on finally setting up the two. Somehow it didn’t feel as good as he thought it would.

Impulse had been feeling down recently. That was why he was sitting on top of Tek To The Skies at five AM. Ren and Grian had been the epitome of a happy couple since they got together, and it was starting to grate on his nerves. It felt like there was a pit in his stomach that he couldn’t get rid of.

Impulse had started avoiding the hippie camp when he could. He’d miss out on campfire sessions by showing up late or not at all. When he was at the hippie camp, he’d work on his redstone projects. Since Grian and Ren were so caught up with each other, progress had been slowing. They couldn’t afford to let Area 77 get ahead, or they may never catch up.

This had all been taking a toll on Impulse’s health, mental and physical. He never had the best sleep schedule, but he was perpetually tired now.  Balancing all his projects was never easy, and he had to make sure they were perfect, as the tiniest mistake in redstone could render the whole thing inoperable. He was irritable from missing his friends and lack of sleep.  Impulse had been spending more time with Tango and Zedaph recently.

Despite trying to avoid the hippie camp, Ren, and Grian as best he could, Impulse kept ending back up there. He tried to tell himself that he was just avoiding the suspicion that would come with not showing up, and that he needed to keep Area 77 on its toes, but really he just missed his hippie friends too much to stay away for too long.

Impulse heard the faint sounds of rockets, which grew louder. Tango landed nearby Tek to the Skies, and walked towards. He was probably going to restock it. Impulse debated saying hi. It didn’t matter what he decided, because Tango caught sight of him.

Tango got closer to the shop, glanced up, continued walking, then did an impressive double take. As it was, Impulse barely cracked a small smile. Tango backpedaled, then stared at him for a moment.

“If you’re waiting for a certain builder to get his supply of rockets, I’m afraid you’re a few days too early.” Tango called up.

“Nah,” Impulse said. “I’m just sitting up here.” Tango frowned. He flew up top and sat down next to Impulse. Tango kicked his legs slightly, before leaning back.

“What’s wrong?” Tango asked.

“Nothing’s wrong.” Impulse objected. Tango snorted.

“Which is why you’re sitting up here at five in the morning.” Tango said.

“You’re here at five in the morning.” Impulse said.

“I am restocking. You are just sitting here.” Tango said.

“Just. Feeling weird, that’s all.” Impulse admitted.

“Are you sick?” Tango asked, leaning away slightly.

“No. Feeling weird emotionally.” Impulse said.

“Okay. Let’s see if we can sort some of these feelings out.” Tango said. Impulse nodded hesitantly. “Okay. How about the whole Hippies versus Area 77 thing you guys have got going on?”

“I don’t think Doc and Scar should take other people’s property.” Impulse stated immediately. Tango raised an eyebrow. “It does make things kind of awkward when we run into each other.” Impulse admitted.

“I’ve noticed that you’re doing a lot of redstone projects. Well, a lot of redstone projects for the amount of other things you’re doing as well. Maybe you’re overstressed from that?” Tango suggested.

“I am stressed, yeah, but I’ve been stressed before, and this? This isn’t it.” Impulse said.

“What about Ren and Grian getting together?” Tango asked. He was determined to get to the bottom of Impulse’s troubles!

“They make me feel kind of sad, but happy? Bittersweet, maybe.” Impulse sighed. “Just. Weird.”

“Sounds a lot like someone’s jealous~” Tango snickered.

“I mean yeah, kinda. I’m worried that… that they won’t have time for me anymore, now that they’re dating.” Impulse said slowly.

Tango sat forward. “Don’t think like that. They may be in the honeymoon phase of their relationship, but they’ll still have time for you. Even if they get a bit caught up in each other. You might have to third wheel for a bit, but it’ll be fine.” He reassured Impulse.

“I just- We have to redefine the boundaries in our friendship now. Whether we’re friends first and lovers second or not. Will they need time to be together without me? I don’t want to intrude, or mess things up and lose them.” Impulse was distressed, and spilled his troubles to Tango like water from an upturned pitcher.

“Hey, what’s the matter? You didn’t act like that when Zed and I got together… Did you? Did you just hide it from us?” Tango was disturbed and worried that Impulse had been hurting and he -they- didn’t notice.

“No, I didn’t. I guess I was more… assured? Does that make sense? I knew that you guys wouldn’t exclude me, you just had something else with each other that wasn’t friendship. Unless you guys had the mother of all blowouts or something then we’d all be friends, even if you two broke up. I haven’t known Grian and Ren for as long, so I’m worried their relationship might break our friendship. Or that I might, with all my weird feelings about them.” Impulse confessed, worried.

“Okay. Let’s start with the weird feelings part. Do they make you nervous?” People were usually nervous around crushes, Tango told himself, and, well, Impulse did seem to be crushing a bit.

“No. Not usually. Sometimes one or both of them will do something that makes me flustered, like Ren grabbing my hand, or Grian’s smile, but they don’t often make me nervous.  It feels nice to be around them.”  Impulse said, smiling the whole time.

He is head over heels. Tango mused. The strength of Impulse’s feelings surprised him, even though he thought there would be something there.

 “It’s probably because they’re hot.” Impulse mentioned offhandedly.

That blunt comment threw Tango for a loop. For a second all he could do was stare at Impulse, dumbfounded. It also, unfortunately, caused his internal monologue to briefly become his outer monologue.

“What!?” Tango squeaked. Impulse had outright admitted that he found them hot. Was he seriously that oblivious?

Impulse gave him an odd look.

“I’m comfortable enough in my own sexuality to say that they’re hot. I’m bi, not blind. That’s probably why I get nervous around them sometimes.” Impulse said.

“Well, how do you feel about them, then?” Tango asked another question, just to confirm.

“I just feel comfortable with them. Like I could be open and vulnerable, and they’d protect me. It feels like we fit together so well, like three parts of the same whole. Like I’ve known them for a long time.” Impulse admitted.  His lips unconsciously formed a grin.

“Well, Impulse, that sounds a lot like a crush.” Tango said. Hopefully Impulse will be receptive to the idea, if I say it bluntly enough.

“I don’t know, I want to hold their hands, and cuddle, and listen to them talk. About their day, the things that interest them, their ridiculous flirting I would love to take part in-” His eyes widened.

“I do have a crush on them. Ugh.” He buried his face in his hands. “Why. This is awful.”

“It can’t be that bad, Impulse.” Tango said concernedly.

“I set my two crushes up together. My two crushes are dating. I am going to be so awkward around them that they’ll eventually decide I’m too weird and gradually stop talking to me and the Hippie Camp will fall apart and I’ll never see them again-” Impulse had started spiraling at this point.

“Hey. Calm down. You know they wouldn’t do that to you.” Tango placed a hand on Impulse’s back. “Breathe.”

Impulse sucked in a heavy breath. “You’re right,” He muttered. “I need to have faith in them.” Tango pulls Impulse into a hug, holding him close, and Impulse finally breaks down. Later he’d have to face what he’d done and figure out what to do next, but for now he was content just to cry in Tango’s arms.

[hyperactivelittlebee]

Keeping Secrets 2/?

Back at it again with RenDad lol. To answer any potential questions- The oddity at Area 77 takes place during- well, the Area 77 arc- and Keeping Secrets occurs at the beginning of Season 6. Yes, Pele(Ren’s kid) and Amal exist in the same universe. This is all during the same universe, just different periods of time! This is a hermit’s being parents au. It will include Ships! But a few of the parents will be single- like Ren here. There will other kids in the future! Warnings for everyone- Character death and slight description is in this part. Alright, now that were done with that- Enjoy!

“I’m Grian…”

Ren couldn’t breathe. His chest was too tight, mind racing and body frozen in fear as the demon’s eyes scanned the small crowd. His eyes landed on Ren, and the moment the Lycan dreaded came as his eyes slowly widened in recognition.

"You…" His voice was barely a whisper, and in a moment's notice he was scrambling to his feet, cradling the bundle in his arms gently as he walked shakily toward him. He looked around Ren frantically before looking up at him pleadingly, "Where is she?"

The brunette opened his mouth, but no sound came out as he felt everyone in the room looking between them in confusion, their eyes burning holes into him as he tried to think of a lie.

"I-I...who?"

"You know who! Where's Elna? Please- please tell me she's safe I-I-"

"I-I really don't know who you're talking about- I- I don't even know an Elna…"

It was the blondes turn to fumble on his words, despair written on his features. He searched Ren's face frantically, and soon the Lycan's obvious anxiety became apparent. Grian's eyes widened as it clicked to him, looking to see the long healed claw-like scars along the man's arms, too thin and long to be from anything but a demon child. 

The rest of the people here didn't know there was another demon on the server, and this man had been raising her in secret.

And Grian had just outed him.

Stepping back again, he gulped and looked away, "I-im sorry...it uh...seems I mistook you for someone else…" There was a sigh of relief from Ren, "Yea uh...no worries dude-"  Ren's gaze settled on the blond demon's face, heart aching as he so badly wished he could tell the demon that Pele was fine, that she was healthy and cared for, and that she was happy with him.

However, a cry from the baby in his arms had Grian turning his attention from Ren, gently rocking him and cooing softly. Xisuma walked over and put a gentle hand on Grian's back, leading him back to where False, Mumbo, Doc, and Stress were gathered. Behind his eyes, flashbacks to that day played. The sight of betrayal in a young man's eyes towards his friend, the way blood dripped off the golden sword.

That incubus with golden locks and pretty blue eyes, looking so pained as he put Pele in Ren's arms, seeming resigned to a fate Ren hadn't understood in that moment.

The pure malice and insanity in the noirette demons eyes as he lectured the other demons, and the sight of his sword cutting through the incubus' neck and slashing his throat clean open.

Iskall walked over to him, concern written all over his face as his best friend looked uncharacteristically distant and fearful, as if memories were playing behind his eyes. He rested a hand on Ren’s shoulder, making the Lycan jump. For a split second, he looked terrified before he realized who was standing there.

His heart warming at the sight of the Swede, Ren felt a smile cross his features.

"Iskall…"

"Are you alright? You seem kind of out of it, dude."

Ren tried to laugh off the man's concern, taking a deep breath, "Just fine. I'm just sort of wondering who the new guy mistook me for-" He watched as the crowd dispersed, Xisuma and Mumbo walking away with Grian, "He seemed...so concerned."

Iskall hummed in contemplation, "For X to make this big of a deal, I'm sure he's one of the special case hermits. Kind of like Tango was, but more extreme I guess?"

Tango...

Tango was the only demon the server knew of, but he was more of a Blaze hybrid. He didn't have the whole horns and wings thing, but instead the only tell-tale signs were his eyes and a tail that made him mistakable for an animal hybrid instead. Tango was the first secret case he had been a part of, and he was one of the few to witness the man's first interaction with Impulse and Zedaph. The three of them immediately clicked in the sweetest way. Tango came stumbling out of the nether portal after Xisuma, only to trip and fall right on top of Impulse- who had been waiting too close to the portal- which would've been romantic if the blaze wasn't in the midst of a panic attack. As if on instinct, Zedaph had crouched down and started to comfort him, Impulse joining in until the taller of the 3 fell asleep in their arms, making them smile at each other in silent agreement.

Since then, they had been inseparable.

Almost like him and Pele.

"I guess so…"

They continued to talk for a bit, until Stress finally called Iskall for them to head back to their bases. Ren winked at his friend, joking that his Ice queen was calling, making Iskall snort and punch his arm. He watched as Iskall ran back over to Stress, smiling as the smaller woman leaned up and pecked Iskall on the lips before they waved goodbye to Ren, taking off with their elytras.

Sighing, Ren turned and started heading home.

~~~~~~~~~

"...and this is where you can stay until you get started on a base, or until I can get a better room for you," Mumbo motioned to the double bed in the makeshift treehouse. For once, he was cursing himself for not having built a better place. Xisuma was relieved when Mumbo offered to let Grian stay with him, having a deep trust in the man's capability.

Grian felt it was perfect.

His body was aching in exhaustion as he walked over and sat on the bed, exhaustion hitting him like a brick as he gently rocked the infant in his arms. The taller of the three noticed this and walked over, kneeling down and cupping the demon's cheek gently with one hand, the other touching the bundle in Grian's arms cautiously.

"Let me take him for now. I'll watch him while you sleep, I promise."

Grian was nervous. He didn't want to just hand his baby over to a stranger, yet he knew he had no choice. He was too exhausted from it all.

The fear as Mini and Zee ran beside him. The utter terror as he watched Mini tell him goodbye, staying behind to stall Taurtis.

The burning in his legs as he just ran, ran, ran, listening to the crying bundle in Zee's arms. Him and Zee needed to make it out. If they didn't- if they were caught- Grian knew it would be the end. Zee would die, and the Taurtis would most likely kill the baby once he realized it wasn't his. The safety of his lover and baby were at the top of his list right now, and he knew Zee was thinking the same as the taller demon gripped his hand with not a single sign of letting him go.

Slowly, Grian handed his baby to Mumbo, admiring how the human man knew just how gently to cradle the demon infant. At the thought of his lover, Grians heart clenched in unbearable pain, the memories resurfacing.

As they reached the nether portal, Grian ran up to a man in a suit. He collapsed against the frame of the obsidian portal, legs shaking from the long distance they ran. He heard him and Zee exchange words before Zee handed the baby to the man, their words muffled to him due to the blood rushing in his ears. He watched in tired confusion as Zee let go of his hand. He stood up as best as he could, look at his lover in worry, "Zee? What are you-"

Before he could continue, the red head hugged him close, arms tight around him, holding him as if it was the last time he would.

Grian had no idea it would be.

He pulled back and intertwined their fingers with one hand, Grian still so confused at what was happening, "Dearest, look at me, please…"

Grian looked up into Zees ruby red orbs, the lively, beautiful eyes he fell in love with. 

"Z-zee?"

Taking as deep breath, Zee cupped Grian's cheek, leaning down and capturing Grians lips in his own. The blond reciprocated the kiss eagerly.

Zee kissed him like it was the end of the world. He kissed him like he was trying to convey every emotion he felt for Grian in a single kiss, filled with so much tenderness, passion, and love it made Grian's heart melt. For a second, Grian forgot about it all. He forgot this was life or death, he forgot about the man in the suit probably awkwardly watching, he forgot about the world around them. His hands cupped Zees face, dedicating every detail to memory.

Then Zee pulled back, the two of them panting as Zee rested his forehead on Grian's.

"Grian, I love you so much. Ever since we met, you've been the light in the dark for me and you've brought me nothing but joy and happiness. I want you to remember this okay?" Grian nodded gently, still lost, "I. Love. You. I love you, and I will never stop loving you. Never, ever forget that…"

"I love you too, but what-"

"YOU!!!"

Fear filled Grian as Zee turned, facing a very, VERY, pissed Taurtis. Zee grabbed the man in the suits sword, "RUN!" The man grabbed Grian's arm and tugged him to the portal, but Grian buried his heels in place, "Zee!! What are you doing- Let me go!!" Grian struggled, tears filling his eyes as he watched Taurtis and Zees swords clash. The two fought hard, but Grian knew Zee would lose. Zee had never been a fighter, and his footwork was clumsy compared to Taurtis. Suddenly he was yanked forward and an arm wrapped around his waist. He was picked up and thrown over the suited man's shoulder, "I'm so sorry about this!!"

"ZEE!!!" Grian cried out and struggled, sobbing as he reached out for Zee.

Just before he went through the portal, Grian saw his worst nightmare come true.

Zee stumbled forward, his eyes locking with Grian's for a split second as Taurtis got behind him. Grian let out a shriek as he watched the sword be stabbed into Zees back, a look of unbearable pain flashing across his face before Grian was suddenly in a new world.

Grian felt a sob erupt from his throat, shoulders shaking. Mumbos eyes widened and X seemed alarmed, carefully taking the baby from Mumbo as the noirette reached out. As soon as Mumbo touched his shoulder, Grian launched forward, wrapping his arms around Mumbo’s torso and burying his face in the tall man's collar bone. He cried. He cried, and cried, and for a while it seemed he'd never stop sobbing.

Mumbo held him tightly, gently petting his hair and rubbing circles in his back, his own heart aching at the demon's pure heartbreak.

He thought back to the promise- The one he had made to the red-headed demon.

He wouldn't let anything happen to Grian and his baby. He wouldn't let Grian suffer anymore.

He was going to pick up the broken pieces of Grian one by one, no matter how long it took and how rough things got. The blond needed somebody by his side, and Mumbo was more than willing to be that person.

~~~~~~~~~~

As Ren opened the door to his base, he was immediately greeted by the sight of Tango telling an extravagant story to a more than amused Pele. Chuckling, Ren spoke up, "I'm home!" Pele perked up and looked at him, "Dad!" She stood up and ran over, jumping to hug him. Ren felt his heart warm as he hugged the young demon tightly, chuckling, "Someones excited today, huh?" He laughed as he let go, ruffling her hair a bit, making her yelp.

Pele was now 16, turning 17 soon. Ren knew in just a few more years, she'd be able to meet the rest of the hermits. For now though, only Tango knew of her existence- due to him being half demon as well, Ren trusted him to help with the things Ren couldn't understand about his daughter.

"Tang-tang was just telling me about another project him, Pulsey, and Zed are working on!"

"Really now?" Ren looked at Tango, who was standing by with a grin, "Let me guess, a rocket shop?"

Tango gasped dramatic, "Well dang man, figured me out so quickly?! Am I that predictable?"

"Nah, just a wild guess." Tango chuckled before turning to hug Pele tightly, "Alright, I gotta get going. I'll continue the story next time! Alright?" The young girl nodded and Tango ruffled her hair fondly the same way Ren did, "Alright then, then be good ya little fire-starter!" The demon walked out and Ren trailed behind him, shutting the door behind him.

Ren sighed in relief, smiling weakly at Tango, "Thanks again for coming on short notice- X just called out of nowhere and I-I-"

Noticing the stress practically rolling off the Lycan, Tango reached out and gently squeezed Ren's bicep. Ren looked up to see the golden blond giving him a smile, full of fondness and warmth, "Seriously Ren, it's no big deal. You know how much I love hanging out with your kid- she's practically like a niece to me. Don't you ever worry about having to call me out of nowhere, okay? I'm here."

Ren could've cried, silently thanking whatever god there was for the people around him. His smile widening, Tango pulled him into a tight hug before stepping back. He waved goodbye and took off, leaving Ren alone on the beach.

The lycan turned and headed back inside, seeing Pele sitting on the floor with a basket of flowers. She loved weaving them, so Ren always picked her baskets to give her something to do other than reading and practicing.

"Is the princess makin' more crowns?" Ren walked over and sat down beside Pele. The demoness giggled before picking up a flower crown made beautiful blue hydrangeas and putting it on Ren's head. Grinning, Ren threw his head back dramatic and fluttered his lashes, "So, Am I fabulous yet Le-le?" He swooned dramatically and Pele cracked up, leaning into her father's side while laughing, being careful not to hurt him with her horns.

Ren smiled fondly at her, chuckling, "Seriously though, I love it. It's wonderful, Le-le." He pecked her forehead and pulled her into a side hug before straightening the crown, "I think I'll keep it on for a while, hm?"

Pele snickered, smiling widely, "You look like a Hippie, dad."

Ren quirked a brow before making a face, "Yeeeeaaa rock on mayyyynnn-"

Almost instantly Pele started laughing again, hitting his chest, "Oh my god Dad no!!"

Watching her laugh, Ren relaxed.

This was fine.

He wasn't going to lose his little girl just because someone from her past came back and recognized him…

Would he?

[writing-the-end]

WS Chapter 41: Red Tide

Previous Chapter

Masterpost

Angst time! Everyone gets their turn being ruined by the hellspawns. A lot of this is heavily inspired by my time and work as a marine science major- real red tides suck and it hurts to breath. If anyone wants information or a place to help stop damage or reef relief I have some great contacts and charities to talk to!

Either way, have a great angst trip!

Ecto belongs to @cooler-cactus-block

Red belongs to @theguardiansofredland​

Warning: This chapter contains angst and other general sad themes, including minor character death and family loss. Please take care and enjoy the story.

Ecto pulls her scarf over her nose and mouth, trying to filter out the scent of dead fish and poison that wafts in the air from the sea. The water is discolored, or at least the different color from other oceans the wanderers had traversed. Whereas the waters there were blue, crystal clear in a way that made the deep sea look shallow, the ocean here is a rusty red color, so murky and discolored that she can’t even see her own feet as she stands at the edge. Other oceans were vibrant and teeming with sea life, fish darting between coral so bright they almost looked fluorescent. In Red’s home, the fish only float at the surface. The coral is bleached, a ghostly white haunting the currents. Skeletons being torn apart by the poison blooming in the water. 

“Is it always like this?” Ecto asks Avon, passing the water breathing crystal back to her. Red has taken point, swimming through the murky waters. Guiding the other two deeper. 

Avon clutches the blue gem close, taking a deep breath. But it’s like breathing in smoke. No amount of magic can get rid of the toxic taste left in her mouth. “No...no, it was beautiful before. You could see forever, or at least until an island blocked your vision. This has to be the work of the hellspawns.” 

Ecto’s fists clench at the mention of Blu. Ecto should have been stronger, should have defeated the hellspawn when he challenged her. What she wouldn’t give to knock that smug ass grin off his coy, scarred face. “Do they get some kind of joy, watching us suffer? And why us, what do they have against us?” 

Ecto stops dead in the sea, staring at the structure that suddenly appears in the obscured water. The ocean monument is massive, thick smooth pillars protruding free of the sand and gravel below. The pillars support the monument’s terraced wings, arches of sea lanterns and prismarine wrapping around the three as they enter the mail hall of the monument.

Red disappears into the mouth of the structure, but Avon grabs Ecto before she can follow. “I...don’t think things will be good in there. Last time I was here, you couldn’t swim anywhere without having half a dozen guardians staring at you. It’s completely unprotected now.” 

“Do you think they’re all dead?” Ecto whispers. Is Red’s entire family gone? Has she lost everything, just like Ecto and Avon. 

“I don’t know. There’s only one way to find out.” Avon takes a deep breath while holding onto Ecto and the crystal Scar gave, then finally follows Red inside. 

The halls of the monument are dimly lit, algae growing over the sea lanterns. The water hardly moves, stale and lacking in oxygen. Most guardians are unmoving, already dead or drawing near that point. Their spines are tucked close to their bodies, orange barbs muted and sickly. Avon swims closer, nudging the tail of one guardian. The fin has rotted away to the base of the tail, making it impossible for it’s pudgy body to propel itself forward. She backs away, feeling it’s clouded eyes gaze off beyond her. Searching for the end of the illness. Be it death or relief. 

Red ricochets off a wall, her breath heavy with fear and worry. So much of her family is dead or dying, even the prismarine walls have lost their luster in the poisoned waters. She sprints down the halls, ignoring the calls of her friends to wait up. She only halts when she reaches the main chamber.

The last time Red was here, her entire family gathered to say goodbye. The guardians wished her luck on her journey, and she played with guardian guppies one last time. She also promised Mama Gummi she would return. Now she’s beginning to wish she never left, or never came back. If she never left, she’d have never let any of this happen. If she never returned, then she wouldn’t have to face the truth. A guardian swims into the chamber, nuzzling a clutch of eggs tucked into a corner. The fish struggles to keep itself right, floating towards the blue ceiling. It turns, looking with tired and sickly eyes to see Red.

"Where is she? Where's Mama Gummi?" Red's voice cracks and echoes off the prismarine walls. The guardian's mourning gaze turns upward, to the Elder Guardian's chamber. Red rises up, nearly hitting his head against the pillars in his rush to reach Mama Gummi. It could already be too late, but for Red every second feels like it counts. 

The elder guardian lays nestled in a bed of kelp, her massive body rising and falling with each haggard breath. Massive purple fins lay helpless against the floor, tail decayed and disintegrated. Her massive spines are retracted, too weak to even defend herself. And she’s not alone. 

Selene looks over, relief filling her somber gaze. “She’s very weak.” 

Red darts to Mama Gummi’s side, wrapping her small embrace around the massive guardian. The matriarch of the entire ocean monument, great grandmother to every guardian that calls this place home. And the one who took on the challenge of raising an orphaned kipling. Red nuzzles her face into the rough scales of her adopted mother, feeling warm tears sting at her eyes. Slipping away into the seawater, invisible and unseen. “Look, Mama Gummi. I kept my promise. I came back.” 

A low moan echoes the lair walls, and the elder guardian opens her bloodshot eye. Unfocused vision searches for Red, finding the little kipling curled close to its body. Red squeezes close to Mama Gummi, shutting her eyes and pretending it’s not the disaster that surrounds her. Red feels Mama Gummi’s breath, rising and falling with her chunky body. It’s getting shallow, but Red pretends that it’s like any other day, any other night Red. 

As a child, Red was afraid of a lot. The sound of thunderstorms, the low growl of drowned, when sea lanterns would lose their luster and turn the halls into dark caverns. When monsters plagued Red’s dreams or called themselves his friends. Most guardians didn’t dare disturb the elder guardian in her slumber. She wasn’t afraid to use her spines on a nuisance. But Red would sneak into her lair, and snuggle close to the round fish. No matter how late at night, Mama Gummi would welcome the tiny child into her lair and blanket Red with her massive grey tail. 

Now, Red just wishes for the simpler days. When monsters were fake and adventures were just make believe. When the world was small and balanced, and Red thought he knew everything. “Please Mama Gummi. Don’t go. I...I have so much to tell you. I saw so many things.” 

The elder guardian turns her gaze to the three hovering at the entrance of her lair. Selene wavers beside Ecto and Avon, giving Red the space she knows she needs. The three look at each other, all their knowledge passed without a word needing to be spoken. There’s nothing they can do to help. Mama Gummi brushes her withered tail over Red, inviting her to spin the tale. 

And so Red does. She tells about traveling to new biomes, about the day they met Ecto. Of the storm, and the infinity portal. She regales the time they spent in Area 77, the strange new friends she’s made in a completely different world. She laughs through the times she nearly blew herself up, or watched her friends make silly and stupid mistakes. She sniffles through their unceremonious exit from a backwards village. She tries her best to explain snow to Mama Gummi, who has never seen it before. How soft and cold it is, perfect for making projectiles to throw at unsuspecting people. She whispers through the painful memory of Jeane’s death, realizing that she is also losing her family. And she’s losing her home, as she remembers Ecto’s entire life being covered in snow and ice. Red tries her best to describe Blu, and what she learned when they returned to the hermits. But the more she explains, the harder it becomes for Red to talk. 

“And...And now I’m here. I’m back home. It was a little longer than a blink of an eye, wasn’t it?” Red sniffles, looking at the mass of scales and spines before her. Each breath is shallower and shallower. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be here when you guys needed me most. I should’ve-” 

Red gets a mouthful of fin, Mama Gummi’s way of silencing his apologies. He tries to start again, but closes his mouth when it’s met with a pointed glare by one large eye. “You’re right. I’m here now. That’s all that matters.” 

A soft flutter of muted purple spines lets Red know that Mama Gummi is happy. She lifts her fin, rotted down to the juncture of scale to membrane, and offers one last pat on Red’s head. Weak, but still as motherly as ever. The water fills with a shrill whine, a sudden gasp out followed by a weak sigh. The fin grows heavy, dead weight on top of Red. 

Nothing, no one moves in the lair of the elder guardian. Despondent silence captures the whole monument, the sickened ocean knowing that a great beast has passed on. Selene swims close, wrapping her arms around her love. Trying to offer comfort that has been taken away from Red. 

Red squeezes away from the touch. She doesn’t want anyone’s embrace except Mama Gummi’s. But she can’t have that. Ever again. Avon reaches out, but Red skirts away from any of her friend’s touch. She doesn’t want any of this. She just wants to get as far away from here, as far away from the remains of a life destroyed. Red disappears down the prismarine halls, faster than any of her friends could follow. 

By the time they reach the glowing arches in the murky open ocean, he’s long gone. Lost to his own grief.

[hermits-that-craft]

Area 77 : Counter - Chapter One

AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25251397/chapters/61214353

“You have an alien too?” Scar asks, smiling at Doc as he tries not to giggle.

“Wait what do you mean by ‘too’?” Doc asks, confusion clear in his voice “Wha-”

“Oh I have one.” Scar shrugs, as though aliens are the most normal thing a person could have. Perhaps they are the most normal thing a vex can have, but Doc’s head is spinning.

“What?” Doc’s voice can’t contain the amount of sheer confusion that he has.

“Yeah.” Doc shuffles besides the desk, sending a quizzical look Scar’s way. “Yeah I’ve had him for basically the whole season.”

“The whole season?” Doc’s voice is incredulous now. “What do you mean ‘the whole season’?”

“Yeah, I’ve got one, he lives out in the jungle.” Doc freezes at that, memories of the nHo come crashing through his mind, though they are unwelcome. Scar’s voice is innocent, he can’t have known that the nHo died because of-

“Can you take me to it?”

“Sure!” Scar smiles, leading Doc out of the giant Scar head. They fly over the server, before the smell of smoke hits Doc’s nose. Scar banks, leading Doc down towards the fuel fire. The fires are small, contained, and provide some small amount of warmth against the cool night air. Mobs rattle around, and Doc hisses to a creeper that had started to approach them.

“Alright, you meant this jungle?” Doc asks, relaxed. Of course it wasn’t the season five jungle - they had left that world - but Doc still had some fear around it. Jungles have always had fog, now he can’t trust that it's natural.

“Yes.” Scar hisses, rubbing his left arm. “This is where we had our, uh, rapid deceleration from the atmosphere.” Scar points to a small wooden cage, hanging precariously from a chain. “And this is where it originated from.”

“Oh.“ So the alien came from season five. Doc doesn’t know what to say about that, but the worry and fear creeps up his throat like vines like water. “So, does it have a name?”

“Oh, no.” Scar doesn’t seem worried, almost at home in this environment. “It’s just my pet, we can name it later if you want.” The vex doesn’t seem to care about the danger it holds.

Scar’s talking to Doc, but Doc can’t hear him. An eerie howl echoes through the jungle, one that Doc recognised, one that he wishes he didn’t recognise.

“-Think he can read minds. But thats okay!” Scar hands Doc a helmet, and Doc puts it on, holding his diamond helmet in his hands.  Scar hands Doc a trident as well, claiming precautions.

“You lead the way.” Doc’s voice is quiet. He doesn’t want to see Scar’s alien, no matter what Scar says about it being nice.

“It’s a little bit of a hike. Just a hike through the woods. Doc he’s super nice, well, if you have meat that is.” Scar giggles to himself, and Doc worries about Scar’s mind. If the alien can read minds, perhaps it could control them as well? “But just stay behind me. It’s totally safe! But uh, stay behind me.”

They walk up a small set of stairs, the well trodden path leading towards the mouth of a cave. Doc shivers, wishing that the sun would come out. He wraps his torn lab coat around him, wishing that he had the layers that Scar wore.

“So you’ve kept it here for almost a year now?” Doc asks, breaking the silence.

“Yeah!” Scar smiles. “He’s my friend. Now the plan was that if he got away we’d have to eliminate him-”

“We?”

“Cub and I. But I just couldn’t get rid of him, he’s too cute! He’s my friend.” Doc wonders if Cub knows that Scar had kept the alien alive, deciding on a definite ‘no’. “He’s down here.”

Scar leads Doc to a hole, going deep down into the ground. Doc gets a sick feeling in his stomach, gripping the trident tighter as he walks towards the lip of the cave. The feeling only grows worse as he spies some bones down there, blood on the dirt floor and a head.

Etho’s head.

God, Doc prays that it is decoration. That Scar gave the alien a toy, one of the fake heads. Etho disappeared almost a year and a half ago, and Doc stumbles back from the ledge, though sickening curiosity urges him back to it.

“Here, let me throw down some food. Lure him out.” Scar offers, throwing down some raw steak. A white creature dashes across the cave, grabbing the steak and Doc turns, running out of the cave.

“Oh my god.” Doc chants, over and over again, trying to calm himself down. That creature killed the nHo. That was Etho down there. Scar and Cub brought it here ?

“Doc, are you alright?” Scar’s voice is gentle, and Doc can’t bring himself to care about the danger that Scar’s alien poses. He has to be strong.

“It has to be contained, Scar. I would like to bring you into area 77 as the builder of the facility.”

Luckily for Doc, Scar agreed to his proposition.

---

The building was going smoothly, or as smoothly as it can when no blocks have been placed down. Scar was wandering the terrain, Doc following him so that the vex wouldn't fall down a hole or walk into a tree. Scar was humming to himself, a tune that Doc doesn't recognise, and he was sketching while he walked, designs of hangar bays and runways for planes, occasionally showing Doc the sketches. Doc doesn't mind the drawings, if he was truthful the vex put his drawings down too much, and he green lights most of the drawings, though a few look too hard to build, or too gaudy. Scar finds an area that he likes, not too far from where the aliens are kept, and begins to place down blocks, his sketchbook abandoned in favour of placing down the outline for the building. Doc leaves him to it, leaving area 77 to gather some materials, Scar sending him out with requests for a monumental amount of stone and dirt after he found Doc watching him build.

Doc arrives back, the cool twilight air brushing against his skin. He shivers in the cold, wishing once more that his coat was thicker, and finds Scar. The builder sits down on a chest, his jacket abandoned and a bottle of water in his hand. Scar's coated in sweat, and Doc realises with slight guilt that Scar had been building through the hottest part of the day.

"Hey Doc!" Scar calls, picking up his jacket and walking over to the creeper. "Did you get everything?"

"Yes." Doc smiles, showing Scar the shulker box of smooth stone. "Are you-"

"Great!" Scar takes the shulker off of him, carrying it with ease to the monster of shulker boxes in front of the frankly massive chest monster that popped up. Doc steps back, talking in a breath as he looks over the building. It looks amazing, the build looks nearly exact to the picture that Scar drew, and Doc looks on in amazement at Scar.

"This is amazing my dude." Doc praises, and Scar blushes, punching Doc's arm.

"It's nothing, not done yet. I'm going to expand the inside." Scar brushes off the compliments, but Doc doesn't want to have any of that.

"It's still amazing. I'm glad that I asked you to help out, I don't think anyone else would have done as good of a job as you did."

"Aw, Doc," Scar waves him off. "that's sweet. Anyways, you haven't shown me your aliens. I've been dying to meet them."

"Alright, but don't say I didn't warn you." Doc laughs, and Scar joins in.

"So, do I need a tinfoil hat or are they unable to read minds?" Scar teases, walking over to Doc's side. "Now I follow you through a forest at night. The hermits are going to create scandals out of this."

"The hermits will create scandals out of anything." Doc smirks over his shoulder. "Now, I'm going to just come out and say this, my aliens are cuter than yours was so don't feel too jealous."

"I bet they're hideous." Scar smirks, following Doc into the garage. "Oh god, I was right."

"Excuse me?" Doc asks angrily.

"They're so ugly Doc, look at those eyebrows!" Scar's voice is jovial, and he's clearly joking.

"Don't look the kids in the eyes." Doc warns, suddenly realising that he forgot to tell Scar about that.

"Kids?" Scar asks. "Are you breeding them Doc?"

"That's above your clearance, Scar." Doc winks, and Scar snorts.

"So you are breeding them. I hope there's a good reason that's under my clearance , Doc."

Doc notices the aliens, watching them out of the corners of his eyes. They seem to be extremely interested in Scar, and they watch the builder as he laughs. Scar turns, and panic seizes Doc as Scar makes eye contact with one of them. The alien grins, and Scar screams.

The scream is haunting, echoing not only through the room but through Doc's mind. Scar's hands reach over his eyes, as though he's trying to scratch them out, and Doc goes to grab him, but the builder begins to glow. Doc's arm falls as he watches, as helpless as he was in season five, as another one of his friends seemingly dies. A glowing white line appears, as though it was dividing Scar into two. The line waves and the aliens laugh as Scar's body begins to split into two, at the head. A new head appears, and both of Scar's heads scream as Scar is split into two.

The two Scar's drop and Doc lunges over to him - to them - and he picks them both up, taking them outside. One is clearly the original, in Scar's normal clothes sans the jacket that still lies on the floor of the garage, but the other is different. Stranger.

He wears a military outfit, and Doc notices the badge that designates him a captain. He looks angry, even asleep, and Doc dubs him Captain Angry Eyebrows until he can learn the second Scar's name, if he even has a different name.

Doc sits, watching as the two men breath, and he messages the group, too out of it to even consider privately messaging Cub and Xisuma. The sounds of rockets break the unnatural silence - even the mobs were avoiding this place - and Xisuma and Cub land. Cub frowns deeply at the sight, though Doc can see the fear on his face, and Xisuma gasps, quickly walking over to Scar and Captain Angry Eyebrows. More rockets sound, and Doc looks up to see Stress and Joe land, the ice queen holding potions in her hands, while Joe holds bandages.

"They'll need strength potions love." Stress says to Xisuma, and Joe turns his attention to Doc.

"You need sleep." He says. "You're clearly stressed over them. C'mon, lets get y'all to the village."

Scar groans, sitting up and rubbing his arm, and Doc feels wide awake. Scar looks around for a second, frowning at the amount of people around.

"What's going on?" He asks. "My stabilisers didn't break, did they?"

"No Scar, you were cloned by aliens." Xisuma says plainly, though everyone winces at the tiredness in his voice. "Doc panicked and told the group chat."

"Oh, was that all?" Scar smiles at Doc. "I thought it might be something serious."

"You are going to be the death of someone." Cub shakes his head, breathing a sigh of relief. "Probably Doc or I."

"Now, why would you say that?" Scar giggles, standing up shakily. Doc and Cub both help Scar up, though Scar brushes them off as quickly as he can. "I'm the least safety adverse of us all! I always make sure to stay safe!"

"He's going to be the death of all you guys." Stress giggles. "Well, I'll be heading off, you flying my way Joe, Xisuma?"

"Yeah, I'll come back with you." The admin says, and Joe sends a sly smirk to Cub.

"Why of course I'll accompany you, Stress and Xisuma." Joe smiles, and the three hermits take off. Cub frets over Scar for a moment, and Scar laughs. Doc relaxes at that, helping Captain Angry Eyes up as he wakes.

"Who are you?" He asks, his voice gravelly. He sounds confused, almost scared, and Doc half wants to go into the garage and beat the aliens for doing this to Scar, but he convinced everyone that the aliens left. "Where am I?"

"I'm Captain Doc. That's Captain Scar over there, with Cub." Doc points at the men, and Scar perks up, turning to look questionably at Doc as he hears the words 'captain Scar'. "You're in area 77. Do you have a name?"

"I'll think of one." Captain Angry Eyebrows says quietly, before yawning. “Can I sleep here?”

“I’m sure that I’ve got a spare bed, I’ve been staying here as well.” Doc offers. “Scar, do you want to stay here as well?”

“No, I’ll head back to my base.” Scar says, waving. “I’ll see you guys in the morning, I can’t wait to finish up the bunkers!”

Cub and Scar fly off into the sky, and Doc smiles, waving them both off. Scar and Cub both wave at Doc, before rockets spam and they disappear over the horizon. Captain Angry Eyes hums a note, seemingly deep in thought, when a small explosion goes off.

“Wanna go check that out?” Doc asks, turning to the clone. Captain Angry eyes grins, and Doc gets the feeling like the captain will be beneficial to the collection of potentially dangerous items. Not so much theft as it is forceful borrowing, and Doc knows that Scar won’t be pleased with this in the morning.