#fear is to etho as anger is to tango

[shepscapades]

A last life ethubs comic that isn’t really about last life ethubs

[tiredfoxtf]

Not hurt comfort anon, but I need Android Joel to "wake up" in Tango's shop, laying on a recliner covered with a blanket and hooked up to a charger. He struggles to move but at least he wasn't in pain. He looks around and finds Etho in a sleeping bag and Tango sleeping on a couch.

His memory is fuzzy, he remembers being scared and in pain. But for now, he feels safe

Joel at first attempts to move, but is faced with his motor functions not fully responding so he attempts to run a quick diagnostic. When it comes back to him with all the damages, he realises that there is far fewer that he remembers having. This, the view of tired Tango falling asleep on a couch by a laptop and the report saying that he had a forearm that was a bit old in model told him everything he needed to know. Accessing the memories of the latest evening wasn't hard, and any other memories, meaning his memory unit wasn't damaged or corrupted. But he didn't necessarily wanted to do that. Joel received terrible emotional feedback from them, he didn't want to touch them with 10 meter pole, he remembers pain and the fear, panic, guilt, anger, more fear and pain. He thinks he was afraid of dying, totally irrational, even if he would "die", he would get repaired. But when he was cracking and bleeding and in pain, he was scared. Now he wasn't. It seems like he was in safe hands. So Joel on his own enters sleep mode.

[aquaquadrant]

Not really an ask, more of me using this as a way for you to see this cause I have no one rn to express my LOVE for your Hels to pay AU. I don’t stay up late on school nights because I try to keep a strict schedule with bedtime at 10. I stayed up til one reading and reading and reading, anticipating the next part, exhilarated for when everything comes crashing down, absolutely adoring the portrayal of the OCs and how fantastically you captured each DoubleLifer; the way you describe, detail, and most importantly SHOW everything so beautifully and to just the right extent. The portal of emotion: hurt, scared, happy, uncertain, everything! The clear difference shown between similar emotions like disgust, annoyance, and pure hatred. And OH-MY-GOSH, your Alisker character, SO WELL DONE! His attitude, the sinister undertone of his rather up-beat exterior, the simplest words having the deepest meanings, THE EYES, the way he so loving yet also perfectly, for lack of a better word, obsessive over bX in a way where it’s not uncomfortable and just caring. THE CALLS BACKS you make are fantastic, my personal favorite so far regarding Bravo first meeting Etho. One of my favorite overall parts so far being in part 2 where Bravo just dies over and over again! Timmy calling himself Not-Jimmy was also just… *mwah!* RendTheWolf, Claw, Pathos, and literally every other Hels counterpart I’ve encountered so far is just- I have no words! The names are perfect! The everything is impeccable! In two days I’ve read up to the 3rd to last part. My phone has been taken from me so I may do hw. (I have my tablet which I will put down and do hw after I rant a rave to you about your masterpiece.) The single bed trope was done spectacularly! Not a trope I typically like, but when it’s written well, it’s written well, and you wrote it FAR better then well. The way you tied it into the actual story itself to actually have a purpose instead of it being a thing that happens and has no purpose. The way every component to your story has a *purpose.* I’ve learned several new words from your writing! I hope I get to see some Alisker and bX interactions later when I get to continue reading.

THE WORLD BUILDING! Fused realms? Blew my mind and written and described so incredibly well. Beds? A sign of wealth and power? ABSOLUTELY! A detail I would have never thought of! The fact that there are in fact civilizations despite the brutality within them? The way you SHOW us how Bravo feels the world is almost apocalyptic and unthinkable with how he reacts to the cities? Beautiful. The spawn being safe at first, but then hitting the non-grief border and seeing all the holes? I LOVED IT! The difficulty traversing, the need to get further and further from spawn to be safe. Better yet? The desperation from Tango when he escaped and could hardly traverse it? Oh I loved it. Timmy, so FREAKING good. Perfect FOIL character for Bravo. The way Bravo still remembers Timmy and decides to no longer let Tommy cower away at spawn was, AUGH, I loved it! I kept wondering about him and was so curious if Bravo ever thought about him in the 10 years he spent in Hels. Looks like he has. I have always loved the Ranchers, through and through. The fluff before everything came crashing down, was everything to me.

And the whole build up to the invasion Hels had on DoubleLife? I keep saying it, BUT I LOVED IT. The story, the anger Bravo kept building up for Tango as the hours, days, weeks, months, YEARS go by. The way Bravo meticulously counted as time passed. The way Dr. Atlas seemed to be becoming more and more desperate the longer, and seemingly further Tango got from him. The greed mixed with the fear of Alisker fueling his want, no, NEED to get his property back. And the way no one mentions (at least so far) the similarities in which Tango and Bravo speak? Both Tango and Bravo urging Dr. Atlas into their place to further discuss deals and saying the same thing when they do so! I can’t get over it!

When reading from Dr. Atlas’ perspective, it was genuinely so hard not to root for him because of Alisker and his… persuasions. The way you feel like everyone else is just impatient and just so ridiculously incapable. You just know he wants to let the bottled up frustration loose and destroy everyone in his way. The near helplessness the longer Tango is missing. Reading from Bravo’s perspective, you almost want to resent Tango as well, and the pent up rage and frustrations with people and not understanding anything and his sudden bursts of outrage is so well done! Jimmy’s perspective you get to see the confusion of everyone, the desperation of both ranchers, and most importantly, we get to see how Tango really just hammers it into himself that he just sucks and the pain from Jimmy having to witness that from his partner and feeling so helpless, like he should be able to do something but can’t because Tango just *refuses.* His fear for Tango is just: yes. And from Tango’s perspective, the dread gutting him from within, the way you can feel both his anxiety and anger!

Excuse my raving about everything you did in your fanfic, I just can’t get over it. About a month ago I had seen fanart about your AU. I scrolled for a bit, but decided against reading it because I was too stubborn to reach I bunch of words. Every fanfic I’ve ever read has been in the form of comics or audiobooks. Curiosity got the better of me. “Who is this Dr. I forgot his name.” “What’s up with this whole machine Tango was in?” “How does the timeline of this work?” “What’s up with this little break-out comic I saw?” Then. I saw the LimitedLife short story with Tango and Skizz. It started with someone’s fan art. Then I clicked the link. Intrigue hit. Next thing I knew: I was hooked. The writing was fantastic, the curiosity of “how does everyone find out about Tango’s past in the story? How many people know before everything goes down? What exactly happened to Tango? Why does being hunted down affect him to this extent?” Now I know because as soon as I finished reading that ‘what if’ short, I went to read the main thing.

Thank you. Thank you thank you thank you for creating this. It’s everything I have ever wanted and needed in a fanfic, and I didn’t even know it. If you read all of this, I hope you know my appreciation for your hard work. If you don’t read all of this, I hope you know my appreciation for your hard work.

I realized I never got round to speaking about Pathos or my shock with RendTheWolf. There’s so much to say and ask but I shan’t make this much longer for I fear you’ll lose patience. Much love! Stay safe! Can’t wait to finish reading your story! ❤️

OUGHHHH THIS WAS SO SWEET 😭 thank you SOOO MUCH for sharing ur thoughts, and i’m so sorry abt ur sleep schedule 😂⚰️ i’ve def been there.

i’m so glad u gave the fic a chance, a lot of ppl are moving away from reading so ur support means a lot <3 i appreciate ever word of feedback u wrote and i hope you enjoyed the ending! (seeing as how i’m a bit late to answer 😅)

[hermitcrossovers]

(I am going to start this ask by clarifying that I have not watched yhs. all my knowledge comes secondhand from tumblr)

The YHS class of 1032 AC (After Creation) incident. The name strikes fear into the hearts of everyone who knows of the terrible events that happened that year. They'll say how horrible of the island to treat them that way, that the staff of the school should've been better. They'll wonder why the rabbit hybrid was never contained, or why some kids were never removed from the island.

If you ask the (now grown up) kids who went through it, they'll say it sucked while it was happening, but they've adjusted. Mostly. Honestly, it could have been much worse knowing the track record of the school, so the fact that less then twelve people died is amazing.

However, anybody who went through something like that needs a place to let out feelings. The feeling of being abandoned, of fear of permadying, the rush of anger.

So Grian, in a shockingly mature move, created a special world, just for the players who went through that hell of a year. It took months to track everybody down, and not all actually ended up going. But there's still a sizable crowd when he calls the biweekly meeting, and that's enough for him.

----Here's a list of the players who are in the group (besides canon characters)

Grian (junior, age 17 at time of incident)

Tango (sophomore, age 16 at time of incident)

Bdubs (sophomore, age 15 at time of incident)

Hels (junior, age 16 at time of incident)

Etho (junior, age 16 at time of incident)

Jimmy (freshmen, age 14 at time of incident)

Lizzie (senior, age 17 at time of incident)

Philza (senior, age 18 at time of incident)

Russet (Redza) (senior, age 18 at time of incident)

Technoblade (junior, age 16 at time of incident)

Branzy (freshman, age 15 at time of incident)

Ashswag (freshman, age 14 at time of incident)

---

(PS, if anybody has any mcyters they want to add to the list, go right ahead!) - 🔮🐦

wels and hels are twins often seen hanging the symmetry twins (there are rumors going around that they are actually triplets) 

---

the server grian opens to the survivors, serves as a home world for those in-between smp's or too unwilling to go around others who have not experienced the same hell they went through.

the biweekly meetings are more of a catch-up on what is going on. it's a big server and all of them are spread out, scattered across the map. though the gaps might be smaller than one might think, on tango's horizon line he can slight glittering from the sun shining off glass in philza's sprawling fantastical city.

[tweeksandturns]

WHUMPTOBER DAY 2

Prompt: "They don't care about you."

Word count: 2003

Warnings: Vague mention of Suicide, Last Life spoilers, slight gas lighting.

If you would not like to read anything including the above written warnings, then do not click on the "Keep Reading" option below Please.

If you are continuing though, Please enjoy :D

When Bdubs had returned to the snow fortress, he hadn’t expected a party of people to already be there. Tango was to be expected, considering he was a part of team BEST. Or well, BET now that Skizz was gone.

But he didn’t expect Grian and Joel to be there, looking at the destruction there creation had caused on Bdubs home.

And Etho’s…

Lizzie was also there, grouping with her husband turned murderer but still husband.

He squinted when Joel turned towards him, elbowing Grian and motioning towards where bdubs stood in a crater, which had once been a wall.

Grian smiled, the manic smile that was rather common on red lives. It had different connotations for different people, for Joel and Grian that smile was insane bloodlust, hidden in pure joy. For Lizzie, it was a thrill, maybe something new exploding, or chasing someone to add to the reds. Tango was hard to tell for Bdubs, but if he had to guess it had something to do with revenge.

And bdubs smile was meant to be intimidation. Covering concern and fearful waiting, for he knew he was one mistake away from his last life being taken from him. Needless to say, his intimidation didn’t work on any of them.

“Oh guys! Look what the wolves dragged in.”

Tango and Lizzie turned from their respective spots, and Tango smirked upon seeing their ‘visitor’.

“Oh, there you are, Bdubs! I was wondering when you’d get here.” The sarcasm in Tango’s voice didn’t phase Bdubs, but the expression, the underlying anger, had Bdubs fighting not to shake.

“Yeah, Yeah, I’m here now, what did ya want? I’ve got places to be-”

Grian and Joel looked at each other, and Tango took a step forward. “Bdubs I don’t think you realized, there is nowhere for you.”

Bdubs blinked.

He would have expected this from Grain or Joel, or maybe Lizzie depending on her mood, but Tango had been a part of team BEST surely he knew?

“What are you talking about Tango? You were apart of BEST I have you, and I have Etho-”

Tango’s smirk, once longing for blood, turned a new kind of sinister, and Bdubs found himself silenced.

“Bdubs, Bdubs. No one in team BEST cared for you. Not Skizz, before he died, not me, not even before you took my lives from me, and not Etho, No matter how much he may have pretended.”

Bdubs blinked, and took a step back, temporarily escaping Tango’s approaching proximity.

Etho cared for him. He had fought for Bdubs, with Bdubs, they had never broken apart, even when Bdubs was first red. Etho had bargained his freedom to give Bdubs a life-

Etho had given him a deal. Kill one of the reds in front of him, and return to reclaim his life.

Reclaim Etho and the snow fortress.

“No, no- Etho- you cared- you cared for me and your only saying that caused your red. He had to have cared-”

Tango cackled, bending backwards, and behind him Grian and Joel snickered.

He was almost breathless when he stopped laughing, still fighting some stray giggles. “You don’t- You don’t actually believe Etho cares? Do you?! You’re expendable to him. Just another thing he can use to survive.”

Bdubs stuttered, his brain almost spinning, trying to find the words to prove them wrong, that Etho cares, that-

“Etho loves me.”

The other reds blinked, as though they hadn’t expected to hear that before Grian spoke up.

“Bdubs he- he's not loyal, he doesn’t love you. He’s just gone and joined another team, the second BEST fell.”

“He’s a survivor Bdubs, BEST was just another way to keep him alive. That’s what he does.” Tango chimed in, and Tango looked like he pitied Bdubs.

Bdubs felt like he was trapped, with the four other reds staring at him, and he realized that they could kill him at any second. He wouldn't stand a chance, no matter how much bravado he showed off. They were a team and Bdubs couldn’t kill a team.

…But he could join the team. Afterall, it would be easier to get a kill when they didn’t expect it from him.

But what was the point of joining their team if Etho would take him back? Surely he could just wait until they let their guards down. And Etho, Etho would smile and they would do their usual playfight spiel.

Etho cared for him. That was a fact, it had to be.

“Of course he’s a survivor. He’s an OG! He’s practically- he- he knows how to fight. And he does care for me, he avenged me when Mumbo killed me-”

Grian snorted. “He was a boogeyman too.”

“-He bargained to get me a life from Scar!-”

This time Joel interrupted him, snickering as he went. “He only got you that life because it was easier to use you when you didn’t want him dead.”

“-He- He wants me by his side! He loves me!-”

Tango frowned a little, filled with pity, and dealt the last blow to Bdubs defense.

“And yet he didn’t give you any of his own lives, even when he had four. Just let you take from others, used you as a battering ram, to deplete them so he could deal the final blow. You were a tool to him Bdubs. That is why he didn’t give you a life.”

Bdubs didn’t speak after that and Tango took a few steps forward smiling again as he wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

“But Etho doesn’t matter. You have us now! Another red on the team!”

He didn’t reply, but Grian approached him while Joel and Lizzie went to explore more of what had previously been their home.

And if he had to guess from the way Tango had shifted forward, they almost didn’t hear his next words.

“…I never wanted to kill Etho.”

Tango let go of his shoulders, and both he and Grian looked at him in surprise.

“You-? You didn’t want to kill him? But he was right next to you, you had every chance with your sword-”

Bdubs grabbed Tango's arm, almost crazed, and he basically screamed, “No! I tried to get him to kill himself, because I figured, we would be great reds together, and we could survive, but I never, never, tried to kill him! I never wanted to kill him!”

There were tears now, and Tango tried to wipe them from his eyes, but Bdubs was too frantically stuck in his head to sit still for long enough.

“I-I don’t- I don’t know how to survive without him!- It was always him and I, and- and- and he took care of me, but now I don’t know-”

Grian grabbed Bdubs, almost looking legitimately concerned, and shook him. By the time his violent shakedown had ended, he had stopped crying, instead trying to just steady himself and keep from falling over.

“Listen Bdubs, we will take care of you, you’ll be fine! And if, If, it comes down to it, then we will fight Etho instead of you, okay?”

Bdubs silently nodded, before he snorted.

Tango squinted. “What are you snorting about, mister?” He was suspicious, but trying to hide it, although Bdubs had been on a team with him long enough to know.

“It’s just,” Bdubs snickered again, before continuing. “You were talking about how no one cared for me, and you two just came to my side the second I showed I was feeling bad.”

Tanga and Grian blinked, before Tango started letting out his low cackles, and Grian pretended to look angry.

“We care about you Bdubs, but we are red lives, it doesn’t come that easy. You know that we will be bloodlusting and planning once again soon.”

Bdubs sighed, because he was right. The reds had few moments of clarity, usually whenever the game was on the verge of a pause, but these moments never truly lasted long.

And Bdubs was a red life. He could already feel the manic desperation for blood washing over the feelings he had exhibited.

“I’ll join your team.”

Grian and Tango smiled.

— — — — — — — — — — — —

They had been roaming for a little bit, had run through the spruce forest, and were in some hills, and for the life of him, Bdubs couldn’t stop thinking about the promise Etho had made him.

Lizzie was geared, but she was behind the rest of them. Except Bdubs of course. And her diamond leggings could easily be beaten with his Iron sword.

Tango, Grian, and Joel were distracted, talking up ahead.

Bdubs wouldn’t give up on Etho.

No matter what they said, Bdubs needed Etho, like oxygen to any human being, like any warrior wielded an axe with a shield.

And he had a wither flower in his inventory, gained from the wither that Grian and Joel had spawned, and wouldn’t it be poetic if Lizzie were to die to something they had given him.

When he shoved the wither rose into the ground below her, he honestly expected the wither effect to last for longer, for her to not be so on edge as to instantly respond to the pain.

When she spun around, yelling his name in surprise, Bdubs felt almost overwhelmed with the bloodlust running in his veins, lighting his body up with adrenaline like a Christmas tree.

And he raised his iron sword and sliced.

And behind him Tango squeaked in surprise.

And Joel and Grian were screaming different things, probably along the lines of “Bdubs, What are you doing?!” but Bdubs couldn’t hear them.

And Lizzie was shooting him with her fireworks, those fireworks that had taken one of BigB’s lives from him, but Bdubs couldn’t feel it, because she was right there, and the panic was starting to overtake the anger and rage that had been in her eyes.

Before he knew it, Lizzie was falling, and the sound of thunder filled the air.

Everything froze for one second, and the next Bdubs was running and Grian was yelling after him, and all three of them were shooting arrows-

One of the arrows hit him, Lodging itself in the side of his leg, and he winced, but forced himself to keep running.

And he had killed Lizzie, he had done it, and Etho would send him a life and Bdubs would be with him again-

There was a sharp pain in his stomach, and the next thing he knew, he was back at the Big Eyes shopping district.

He laid there for a few minutes, confused on how he had gotten here until the memory hit him.

Etho hadn’t given him a life. He had died trying to return to him, and now he was back on hemritcraft. Bdubs let out a broken laugh, and he sat up, planning to get back to work on his projects.

And the redstone was slower than usual, because his brain felt scrambled, and the person who would always help him wasn’t there.

And his horses were quieter than usual, as though they could feel how lonely Bdubs felt, and they tehmselves missed the man that would occasionally come to feed them.

And his builds felt off, like something was always missing.

He just didn’t know what it was, until he was working in there shopping district one day, and Etho walked up to him.

Neither of them said anything for a bit, Bdubs more focused on trying to know if this was an illusion, considering the fact that it had been a week since the last session he had died in.

…but sessions only happened once a week.

Etho broke the silence. “I couldn’t win for you.”

Bdubs blinked at him.

And then broke down crying again, hugging Etho to get as close as possible, as he sobbing into the tallers chest.

Etho pulled him close, using his usual tricks of keeping Bdubs in his own mind, and for a small, small bit of time, Bdubs finally felt okay.

[crazymothlady]

// some heavy spoilers for all of the magnus archives

Tma x traffic life is An au I’m playing with for trafficlife becuase I was relistening to tma and everytime something like “ceaseless watcher “ I would just be like “evo ref” “traffic lore” and so I was like “what if au” and then I kept mixing up the two Martyns sooo

Based in the world of tma, characters are mainly off of 3rd life iterations but other seasons will bleed in

Below is what I’m thinking for characters, I might change some up since I’m only 120 episodes in to relistenijg so I only vaguely remember some of the character traits and twists later on. I’d also love suggestions and thoughts (not all romantic relationships in tma would be kept, I’m also really struggling with ‘best match of personality’ , ‘best match of vibes’ and ‘best match of who they interact with’)

John/the archivist - Grian struggling with the idea of becoming a ‘watcher’, an avatar of the beholding

Tma!Martyn - scar, played with the idea of jimmy for awhile because he somewhat lines up personality wise, but I wanted him elsewhere sooo

Tma!tim- Joel, Joel’s always making jibes at others and try’s to hide angst under anger, Tim’s brother would probably be switched out to be Lizzie, Joel’s wife that was taken by the circus (also allows me to tie him in with my secret life joel design In my head)

Sasha - jimmy. First to die, also allows to subvert expectations of his personality. Notjimmy’s design would be close to usual fanon designs, while Jimmys design would be more cc accurate (darker blond hair, facial hair, different hair style, etc)

For the rest, I’m not quite as sure, some have more basis then others, we’ll see

Gertrude - Scott or Cleo, I’m leaning towards Cleo becuase she can gaslight and she’s a tough girlboss like Gertrude, Scott becuase he’s manipulative /pos

Georgie - also maybe Cleo? She’s connected to death, becuase well she is dead, and Cleo laughs everything off, she never really shows fear

Daisy- pearl. She longs for companionship she never truly has, and yet she’s also always on the hunt. Enough said

Basira - gem. secret life camel murder buddies, also willing to kill, but also quite good at making friends and then sticking by them

Jurgen lietner - Mumbo, not really frequently seen, but always mentioned. Kinda silly but seems like a serious rich gentleman

Elias- maybe Martyn? Cause listener stuff?

Melanie king - maybe skizz? She’s Pretty nice, though stands up for herself, and than the bullet makes her go angry, like skizz on red life

Scott might be Annabelle cane cause manipulation and web and stuff

Jellie is the admiral ofc

Peter Lukas Is also a strong bid for pearl cause bbg so alone ):

Jane prentice, that clown lady, BreeKen and hope, Simon Fairchild, salaaser and Jared key are some other big names that come to mind and I still have (forgive me if I forget some I’m going off of memory)

Bigb, etho, ren, Bdubs, impulse, and tango to assign characters

[bluiex]

Unhinged Grian is giving me the song ‘Smoke and Mirrors by Jayn’

Soooo here you guys go.

Tw: Possessiveness, Obsession, Dark/Evil Grian, mention of cannibalism.

-

Scar was glaring at by at Grian’s smile to him, red wings, red eyes, red everything. “What the Nether is wrong with you Grian!?” He snapped at him, standing in field together. Scar felt angry, rightfully so, one minuet he was talking with Tango and Jimmy, the next he was killed by a warden shriek.

Red… he was a red name. Which mean he couldn’t stay with Tango and Jimmy anymore.

“A calculated risk.” Grian said cheerfully, “Now then, darling, are you going to come back with me?” He asked plainly.

Confusion at first was there, what the heck did Grian mean by that? Wasn’t he the one who decided to stay away? He had been the one to go and see BigB to start with, giving gifts and clearly making love. Scar had been certain that Grian didn’t want him at all, so he left and stayed with Tango…

The red velvet had been abandoned, as Grian has gone to stay with Etho after finding out. Lots of screaming and yelling happened between them that day… since then Scar hasn’t bothered to keep up with what his unfaithful, and rather hateful, cheating soulmate did.

The snippets he did get from Bdubs was Grian was getting around. Having possibly slept with Etho, Joel, and BigB. Ren was staying with Pearl like Scar heard and BigB was on his own. Saying Grian was… reminding him of past events he’d like to forget.

So why the Nether would Grian want him ba- Scar stared at the smile on his face, then anger was there again. “You did this on purpose didn’t you!?” He growled out.

Grian just tilted his head as the smile stayed. “Did I?” He asked in a fake innocent tone. Then Shrugged “well guess now I can stay closer to ship bois, they did just fall to red.”

Gapping, Scar looked Grian up and down. The dark black wings of the raven. Culture around the world associated the Raven with omens. Most noticeable was their association with Watchers. How these birds were the eyes of them. Others said they were the flock of the Blood God, and would eat the unworthy dead.

He never did like how Grian was always a raven in these games. If he wasn’t a raven… he was a vulture. Omen of death. And later Scar would wonder after the first games of Grian had fed him their dead friends in that desert.

Their relationship was fucked up… and Scar wanted away. He didn’t want to stay with a man like Grian, who saw him more as a object then a partner.

“You’re even more crazy then I thought if you think I’m going to stay with you Grian.” Scar scowled, looking away “Go be with your secret soulmate or obvious poly shipwreck.” He said going to leave Grian.

“They won’t take you back Scar, you’re red.” Grian said in a sing song voice. “You know reds stuck together. Where is the loyalty to people like you?”

Wrinkling his nose Scar huffed “I still have Pearl and Ren, Grian. And you can killed Ren without killing your precious BigB.” He said back.

He watches from the corner of his eyes as the smile falls and Grian’s mouth twitches to a scowl. Anger flashes, but is replaced by the smile again. “Oh Scar… don’t you get it?” He asked in a cooing tone, like a bird to it chickling.

Grian takes a step to him, and Scar matches it by taking on back. “I can’t win these games with him. I can’t, it’s impossible to win the games with BigB. With Etho, or even with Joel.” A giggle escaping his mouth

Another step forward as Scar feel fear for a moment. Grian always did scare him, though the first red in that sandy place, Scar knew he wasn’t the monster, just the mask for the real monster.

“Those apples only sever us, but the watcher want only one couple or person to win.” Grian commented casually “I can’t tie myself to any of them. Even if I were to cut from you.”

Scar swallowed, his throat felt dry. “Then why don’t you cut from me.” He said not liking how close this unhinged man was getting.

A sharp smile, teeth for cutting an tearing. “I promised you once, I’d see you win.. a long time ago. We made a pact, me and you, and I always keep my word Scar… and you will too.”

Quicker than Scar could react a clear hand gripped his shirt and yanked him forward. The smell of decay and blood was on Grian, like rotting meat.

“You. Are. Mine. Scar.” Grian grinned at him, eyes almost a purple color. “You gave yourself to me those nights in the desert. Gave your heart, body, and soul without knowing it. You ate what I fed you, and stay with me. You are not leaving me.”

Scar coughed and grips Grian’s wrist “You’re insane Grian, I’m not staying with someone who don’t care about me.”

A tsk, and slow smile on red lips. “Oh my sweet little soulmate.” The other hand read up, and clawed finger tucked a strand behind Scar’s ear. Trailing down over his cheek and neck. Taping the soft skin, and teasing how much of prey he was.

Red eyes looked into Scar’s own. “You don’t have a choice. You are my pretty little song bird, for me and only me. They all are mine, and I like to gather more. But you… you are special today.”

Leaning close Grian’s teeth nipped near his ear. The scent was making Scar feel sick. “Because unlike the others, I will take up to the win. And you will be happy with this after.”

A side look into deranged red eyes “In these games Scar, you’re mine again. And the ending this time will result in a win for you.” A grin against his neck “Won’t that be fun?”

Pulling Back, Grian gripped his wrist “Now, let’s go home my dearest red name… a lot to plan for. And I do hope your red life outfit is shirtless again.” A wink that made Scar’s face go red.

Dread consumed his gut though, crushing on his shoulders. They never would escape the sands, Grian would make sure of that. Scar made a mistake the first game, and now… he bound to an entity of misfortune and death.

“I love you Scar…” he looked up at Grian softer smile, but the possessive tone was still there.

They all were object in a game to Grian… and Scar had been the first of his collection.

-

Yup yup. There you go.

Grian is a Watcher in this. And as such concepts of mortality and love elude him.

Yes he fed Scar dead people in 3rd life to cement his claim on him. Scar didn’t know until after.

He did the same thing to Mumbo… and those cookies he gave BigB… yeah…

Grian sees them all as his things, he cares for them sure, as any god-like would over a beloved human. But he is here for consumption of drama, that’s what his games are for.

BigB is also aware they Grian is acting like how he did in Evo, and it low key scares him. Etho and Joel just do not care lol.

He isn’t stupid. He know he’s bound to Scar, and doesn’t leave as the others like them together. And he wants to make good on a problem he made in the beginning. Plus he does like Scar, this is his fucked yo way of showing it. And he hates that Scar is… disobeying him.

Grian is not a good person in this… whether Scar accepts it and learns to lcoe it is up to interpretation.

This isn’t meant to be a happy ending after all.

OH THIS IS GREAT!! Grian being so possessive and obsessively dark. Mmmmm my jam dark stuff like this *chefs kiss* ty ty for sharing this

[chrisrin]

I realize that you made this post a while ago, but I recently got into The Magnus Archives and I found your post where you assigned Last Lifers to different fears. Would you be able to explain why you put people with certain fears?

oh man, it's been a bit so I don't fully remember but I'll do my best to explain the ones that I do.

My goal was I wanted as little overlap as possible, and I wanted every Entity to be represented at least once (this was challenging since stuff the ones like Flesh are hard to assign.)

So here's my revised list.

People I'm pretty solid on:

Buried - Skizz

Skizz spent a LOT of time underground building the bunker for Team B.E.S.T. so I thought it fitting to put him in Buried.

Corruption - Lizzie

Lizzie had the whole "fairy forest" vibe going on, associating her with wildlife and bugs. She also created a tight-knit group of people she trusted (playing into the obsession with family/connection that Corruption entities tend to have)

Dark - Martyn, Ren

This one seems pretty obvious. They were apart of an order that served the moon, and wanted to spread their shadows across the land. They fought in opposition to the light.

Desolation - Cleo

Cleo burning down the Fairy Fort cemented her place as an Avatar of destruction.

End - Scott

Pretty self-explanatory, he won LL so he gets the End assignment.

Eye - Grian

Also pretty self-explanatory, Grian runs the games and is connected to the Watchers.

Hunt - Tango

When Tango was seeking out revenge to kill Bdubs? That anger? That was pure Hunt energy.

Lonely - Scar

Scar did everything he could, including giving his lives away to anyone that needed them, to gain friends. Even then, he was still all alone in the end at the top of his Magical Mountain. Big Lonely vibes.

Slaughter - Joel

Joel got the most kills out of anyone in Last Life and his only goal was to slaughter as much as he could. He was also a Red Life the longest out of anyone.

Stranger - BigB

BigB lied about not being the Boogeyman and betrayed Cleo by killing her. His most iconic moment in the series was a moment of deception, being not who he said he was.

Web - Etho

Etho was probably the smartest LL player with very clever plans for Boogeyman kills. I like to imagine that the fishing rod kill on Scar was some form of Scar getting "caught up" in Etho's web.

People I'm less sure about:

Vast - Pearl

Mostly an aesthetic vibe/needing to fill out the list. Pearl is associated with the Moon through name, therefore with the sky. Nothing super connected to LL here, but yeah.

Spiral - Mumbo

This one I'm not as concrete in, but Mumbo going crazy once he became a red life utilizing redstone/crazy traps to get his victims gives me big Spiral energy.

People I have no idea for:

Impulse, Bdubs.

I had Bdubs as Flesh before and Impulse as Spiral, but they're not THAT fitting for it. I just put Bdubs in Flesh because Flesh was the only one without anyone. I dunno why I put Impulse as Spiral.

[arts-and-drafts]

Come Morning Light (Part 4)

(Sorry it's been a bit!! I moved recently so it's been hard finding time to write. This chapter was really hard to work on and I feel like it's OOC, so I'm not super happy with it, but I hope y'all enjoy nonetheless)

CW: Mild depiction of injury, death mention

-

There was a reason Stress was called monster.

There was a reason she kept her life as free as she could from conflict and anxiety. There was a reason that she stayed out of the play-fights around the server after Season 6. There was a reason she was never targeted for pranks of any kind that concerned scaring or angering her.

She had it under incredible control, and the hermits knew that. They did not fear her. Stress was their friend, and they all trusted that she would never harm them, even if she lived up to her name.

After seeing her closest friend of all be sliced nearly in two, right in front of her, she instantly proved why titles should not be taken lightly.

It took the efforts of every other hermit that tried to help Tommy escape to calm her from her blinding rage, and even then, the only reason she didn't immediately chase down the intruder into the Nether hub was because of Etho's severe injury.

Stress instead accompanied Etho to Monster's Brew, aided by Tango to help him walk while Jevin alerted the server to the recent events. The faerie's teeth were still so sharp that they cut against her tongue, but she pushed her fury as far down as it would go at the present moment. Etho needed her right now. She had to stay calm.

Stress haphazardly rummaged through her various chests and supplies, not caring that several potions and empty bottles shattered on the wooden floor in her fevered searching. Eventually, she found what would hold Etho over for the time being; she didn't have any ready-made instant healing in her stock, but regen would do until the brewer was done.

She stalked over to Etho, taking care to show gentleness as she handed him the potion. He met her eyes with his own mismatched gaze that let on the fact that he knew exactly what turmoil Stress was going through, but he just nodded in thanks and kept quiet.

There was tense silence only broken by the brewing stand quietly gurgling in the background, the other hermits respectfully looking away as Etho pulled down his mask to drink the regen.

"He got away." Stress growled, unable to keep the anger to herself. She knew if she let it dissipate, the rage would devolve into sadness and then she'd be useless against this overpowered individual that managed to break through Xisuma's magic.

"Not for long." Jevin answered, laying a gooey hand on Stress' shoulder. "We'll get him, Stress, don't worry. Iskall's probably already respawned by now, too."

Stress clenched her jaw. "That was too much damage."

A heavy silence. Everyone in the room knew what Stress meant. If one's killing blow is severe enough, it lasts even through respawning. Nearly everyone on the server had the scars from nasty deaths in the past to prove it.

"Iskall's strong." Etho commented, his mask returned and voice stronger than before thanks to the temporary healing. "He can handle it. This isn't the worst that's happened to him, anyway."

Stress dug her claws into her arm. How could Etho say that? He saw the viciousness with which the intruder had flung himself at Iskall; he was the only thing that stopped Etho's head from rolling entirely. This adversary was incredibly dangerous, no matter how prepared the hermits were in terms of netherite and resources.

"Stress." Tango spoke up, snapping her out of her spiraling thoughts. The faerie looked up to see the imp's eyes alight with the same quiet fury that bubbled below her skin, the same thirst for vengeance that made his hair smoke dangerously.

"We're gonna get that son of a bitch, okay?" Tango said, his tone harsh but not against her. He turned away to gather the completed healing potion from the brewing stand, smoothly handing it over to Etho to gulp down. "I know he was low when he escaped. We won't let it happen again."

"He can't hide for long." Etho agreed, his voice tight with pain as the potion's magic stitched his leg back together. "But more important than that is Tommy. He wants that kid, and we all know what would happen if he got his hands on him."

Etho's piercing gaze swept to the others in the room, leaving the memory of Tommy's state when he first came into their lives in the silence. Everyone stilled, and Stress knew they all felt the same dread pool in their gut at the sudden realization of who this intruder really was. "You don't...you don't mean--"

"Yeah." Etho shakily rose to his feet to test his leg, Jevin quick to his side to balance him. "That bastard is Dream."

Stress felt panic freeze in her throat, her anger being pushed back more and more by increasing fear for Tommy's safety. "How--how do you know it's really him?"

Etho paused, his eyes narrowing at a memory only he could see. "I've been around for a long time, Stress." he answered lowly. His tone indicated to drop the subject any further than that, and Stress obliged.

"Even if Etho's wrong, we can't take any risks to Tommy's safety." Jevin added. "I already told everybody what's going on. Dream's not in our personal communications, so he doesn't know everyone's on red alert, at least."

"They're on the way to Xisuma's, no doubt. We have the advantage over him of knowing where that is, but we can't underestimate this guy." Etho tentatively let go of Jevin's shoulder to stand on his own, experimentally putting pressure on his repaired leg.

"So what's the plan?" Tango asked shortly, flexing his claws. "We go after him? We meet up with Bdubs? Why are we just standing here?!"

"Don't let your rage cloud your judgment." Etho uttered. He didn't change the volume of his words, but the sheer finality in which he said them left silence ringing like a gong.

"Dream is one of the most skilled players I've ever seen." The ninja continued, taking his turn now that everyone in the room was locked on to his words. "He's cheated death more times than I have in half the years. The best hunters known in the worlds haven't been able to catch him."

Stress clung to every word, her furious resolve all but fizzling out with every sentence Etho spoke. Sure, the hermits were decently powerful in their own right, but at the end of the day they were pacifists. How could a bunch of builders and mechanics stand against such a threat?

"But," Etho said, pulling her out of her sinking thoughts. She looked up to see his gaze locked on to hers, as if he could read her very mind. "We have numbers, and that's something he doesn't. We have each other, and all of us together are stronger than he will ever be."

The sheer conviction in Etho's voice eased Stress' doubt, and she knew the ninja spoke truth in his every word. Tommy was no longer easy pickings for this bastard that haunted him. He would have all the other hermits standing between him and Dream, and they weren't going down without taking him with them.

"We need to find them." Tango said, the heat behind his words having dissipated into cold calculation. Stress stood straighter and nodded.

"Jev, send out another mass message. Tell everyone to get to Xisuma's as fast as they can." Etho ordered, equipping his frosted elytra with practiced ease.

"Dream's gonna have a hell of a welcoming party waiting for him if he steps foot near our kid."

[good-vibes-with-scar]

ok so a few people seemed interested so!! here is a tma last life au! it's not fully fleshed out yet, but i've got a lot of ideas and want to share :]

so, to start off, you don’t really need to know the plot of the magnus archives to understand this au! i’m just transferring the entities and fear system into last life!

a quick explanation of the entities for those who want it- in the magnus archives, there are these (essentially) gods of fear. they are powered by the fear that beings feel towards them, and each has its own manifestations. there are 14 or 15, depending on who you ask, and most of them have avatars, or people that work for and feed their gods.

the idea is this: (the rest is under the cut because its. a lot)

in last life, as people started going red, they began to feel a pull from the fears. joel, the first red, had already heard the Slaughter’s calls when under the curse. the blood never stopped pouring from his hands, staining his axe and the traps he laid, as his kill count crept higher and higher.

grian had already belong to the Eye, the Ceaseless Watcher, but once he went red, his eyes kept opening, covering his wings, and circling his head like a crown. he found himself sticking around joel because it was so easy to find his victims, the witnesses to death and destruction. the Eye was kept well fed as it watched their suffering.

mumbo feels the Spiral’s pull when he woke, the scars from etho’s axe still raw. it compelled him to build redstone traps meant to kill. he forgot who he was, knowing only the strange joy he felt as his creations grew more complex and more deadly. grian didn’t recognize mumbo when he killed him. when mumbo woke again, in hermitcraft, impulse noticed his laugh didn’t sound the same anymore.

the Lonely never had to overpower scar-- its fog enveloped magical mountain the moment he was cursed, and never left. his only ally went red comically early on, and no one ever stuck around. the Lonely didn’t have to do much work, scar came willingly to it, letting himself fade away, his lives merely a tool, his contracts ignored, his generosity taken for granted. when he died, there was no one there to mourn him. when he arrived back to hermitcraft, he stopped going to meetings and restocking his shops. the other hermits had trouble finding him-- even though he was in his base, he easily escaped their views, even grian’s.

it was partially scar’s fault for tango’s descent. the rage crystal, taken as a joke, fueled tango’s anger when he was slain in his own base, after opening up to his allies and trusting them with private information. the Hunt easily took tango, and took great joy in his attempts to kill bdubs without breaking any rules. when he died to his own trap, the Hunt grew stronger in him still, and the desire to track bdubs down and slay him remained even after returning to his home.

the Desolation came for cleo when she was murdered by her own ally. she didn’t want to kill him, precisely-- she wanted to destroy anything he ever loved, any bonds he’d forged, any valuables he found. she wanted him alone, mourning his losses, and every time she caused him grief the fire inside her grew brighter and brighter. when she killed him, and he never woke again, the Desolation called for more, and cleo had to oblige.

[words-with-wren]

sing to me, i am not doing well

Mumbo's hands were stained with blood. Well, maybe not blood exactly. More like gunpowder and speckles of blaze powder and the sharp sting of ghast tears.

He woke in his bed like he did every week, but this time it felt different. He felt heavy, like he wasn’t quite himself. The almost comforting blanket of red haze had lifted, leaving him feeling drained and tired and…

Explosions echoed through his mind and he buried his face under his pillow, shutting his eyes. But that didn’t help - it just made it all worse, made him see it all again. Bdubs, a flash of panic in his eyes before the explosion stole his sanity from him. Again. Scott and Pearl, leaping back with a shout of terror. Grian, who Mumbo knew well enough to know the anger in his voice was simply a disguise for his fear.

The sick glee he had felt at it all. The power he had, the excitement he felt whenever someone stepped away from him, the enjoyment he experienced at seeing them afraid, wary, terrified of him.

He curled into a ball, shaking, eyes squeezed shut. He hated it. Hated that the feeling lingered, the need to cause violence and pain. The need to kill.

What had he become?

He was going to miss the weekly meeting, but he didn’t really care. He wasn’t sure if he could bring himself to look the others in the eye, not after what he had done, not after what he had become. Part of him whispered that was the point of the meeting - to gather together, to support each other, to remind each other that what happened inside those borders stayed inside. There were no grudges, no one would hold it against him.

But he couldn’t bring himself to move. It hadn’t felt like he wasn’t in control, like how the others had spoken about the curse, about being red. It had felt like he was in control - like he had power and wanted to use it. He had enjoyed it.

It had been him who had done that. Who had killed and threatened and laughed and enjoyed it. It had been him, Mumbo Jumbo, who had attacked his friends without care. That was no curse, that was no influence. He had done that, and he had enjoyed it. He had wanted to.

He didn’t want to face the others because what if he still wanted to?

-

Grian was late to the meeting. Although to be fair, there wasn’t really a time set for them to gather. It had just become tradition after last time - whenever they were returned from whatever world they were snatched away to, the hermits who had been taken met together. Scar had suggested it, near the end of last time, when he had noticed how Ren would avoid them.

The others gladly agreed. It was a chance to clear the air, to apologise and to forgive. It had become a regular thing, even as the new Hermitcraft season started and the weekly bloodshed began again.

Grian landed lightly in front of the hidden room. He and Mumbo had made it together after the first week it had all started again. It was located near the shore, just outside Boatem village, unused except for every Saturday morning when they all returned.

Quiet conversation greeted him as he descended the stairs, making his way to join the rest of his friends. At first glance, he was the last person to arrive. Scar was curled in the corner, Jellie securely on his lap (she had become a regular visitor to the weekly meetings after the end of last time). Impulse was sitting beside him, one hand absently petting the cat, the other typing furiously on his communicator. Pearl, Ren and Cleo were in deep conversation, and Pearl looked like she was itching to rush over to Empires and check up on everyone there. Grian didn’t blame her. Tango and Bdubs were pointedly Not Talking to each other, and a tired-looking Etho sat firmly between them.

“Welcome to the party, Grian,” Etho said, the first to spot Grian as he came down the stairs. Alerted to his presence, the others offered a few tired greetings.

They all seemed tired - they always were. But it was getting worse, Grian could feel it in his bones. The strain of living in fear for a full twenty-four hours, of having friends turn on you, of waiting for something bad to happen.

And he hadn’t even been red this week. Being red made all the exhaustion so much worse, the whiplash between craving violence and coming back to yourself. He could see that exhaustion in the way Scar held Jellie close, barely reacting to anything going on in the room. The way Bdubs was leaning subtly on Etho’s shoulder, eyes half-closed. The way -

Where was Mumbo?

Grian took a breath, forcing himself not to worry about his friend yet. He was probably just a little late, taking a little longer to readjust. He shuffled his wings, partly to confirm they were still there, partly to comfort himself, and moved to sit.

The room was small enough to be cosy - beanbags scattered around. One wall was made of glass, looking out into the ocean beside them. The rest of the walls were decorated with greenery and books, and Grian felt himself calming already.

(He exchanged a glance with Impulse, a silent acknowledgement passing between them. He had all of the skulls - he had been close to summoning the wither. If it had been any earlier in the day he would have, and that scared him a little).

(He knew - he knew he wouldn’t be strong enough to stop himself next week. He would do it - he would unleash a monster on the world, on his friends).

(Part of him was excited about it. That part scared him a little).

He cleared his throat, needing to start the meeting before he spiralled. It wasn’t like Mumbo was the first person to be late to one of these meetings.

“How are we all feeling?” he asked quietly. A long silence met him, and really, that was answer enough.

“Oh, fantastic,” Tango spat. Clearly, he had taken some of his anger with him.

“I said sorry,” Bdubs muttered from the other side of Etho. Tango snorted.

“Of course, of course, my bad. You said sorry. That makes you turning on me absolutely fine.”

“Oh so you know how it feels!” Cleo said, the scorn in her voice obvious. Grian winched - clearly tensions were still high. It got worse, as the weeks dragged on. It grew harder and harder to separate emotions in and out of the game.

At least it was better than two weeks ago. Pearl had practically needed to drag Cleo out of the room to stop her attacking Ren. As much as he wished everyone could be here for this, Grian had been glad Bigb hadn’t been around that week.

“Dude, I was boogey,” Bdubs said. He pushed himself off Etho, who was looking increasingly concerned about the growing argument.

“Yeah, so was Etho,” Tango snapped back. “And he didn’t turn on his friends. I gave you a life!”

“Okay dudes, let's just calm down shall we,” Ren said. Grian couldn’t help but be grateful at his intervention - he felt like he was still reeling after the previous day’s events. Every time he closed his eyes he felt the heat of the wither skull, saw the walls of the Southlands burning down around him.

And Mumbo’s increasing absence was worrying him more and more.

Pearl was speaking, and Grian forced himself to tune back into the conversation. He felt very distant, very out of it. He hadn’t even lost a life this week and yet he felt like he was floating away.

He needed to fly soon. To centre himself and bring himself back. He couldn’t fly while he was there, and the feeling was far more claustrophobic than he dared to admit.

“...stays in the border,” Pearl was saying. Grian shook his head slightly, trying to focus on what was happening and he couldn’t help but be grateful Pearl and Ren were taking point this meeting.

“Impulse, you’re talking to Skizz right?” Pearl asked, directing her attention to Impulse in the corner. He nodded, looking up from the communicator in his hand.

“Is he okay?” Tango asked.

“He’s doing alright,” Impulse said. “Waking up from red is always a shock though.”

“Tell him I’m sorry,” Scar whispered, almost too quietly for Grian to make out. He sounded hoarse, his voice small - a stark contrast to the bombastic, confident redname Grian had seen only a few hours before.

“You’re already forgiven,” Impulse said, and Grian could see Scar’s shoulders slump with relief.

“I’d give him a life next week, but I don’t have any left,” Tango said, shooting a glare towards Bdubs. Bdubs scowled, but to Grian’s relief didn’t answer.

“I didn’t say thank you,” Scar said. He didn’t look up from where he was focusing on Jellie. “Even though I didn’t keep it for long, the life was appreciated.”

Tango seemed to relax slightly at that, but he still shot a charged look towards Bdubs. Grian curled his wings closely around him, too tired to fully follow everyone’s grudges. He wanted to sleep properly without nightmares haunting his vision, without the fear of next week constantly looming.

Mumbo still wasn’t here. It had been long enough he was really starting to worry - maybe something had happened and he hadn’t come back. Maybe he was trapped there all alone. He had gone red - he had spent almost a full cycle red. He had never been red before, and Grian couldn’t help but feel fear for his friend.

“Has anyone seen Mumbo?” he asked finally, running his fingers through his feathers in an attempt to calm himself. The silence that greeted him wasn’t promising. With a deep breath, Grian shifted his wings behind himself. “I’m going to go check on him.”

And maybe it was an excuse to get out of this room, of the tension that was rising, but the concern for his friend was too strong to let him ignore it.

“Pearl, you’d better-”

“Yup, I’m heading to Empires asap,” she said, standing as she did.

“Check on Lizzie first - she’s never been red before,” Grian said.

“And tell Scott I hold no grudge,” Impulse added.

Pearl nodded, moving to head out of the hidden bunker and towards the world portal. Grian paused a moment longer, hesitant to leave while Tango was still stewing in his own anger. But he needed to check on Mumbo, he needed to make sure his friend was alright.

(He remembered waking up barely two weeks ago, the blood pounding in his head, a crazed laugh stuck in his throat. It had felt horrible, knowing he had nearly killed his friend, knowing he would be going back to that desire for death in a week’s time).

(He remembered waking up months ago, feeling like Scar’s blood was still on his hands, feeling like he would never be able to fly again. He remembered the loneliness of being the last person and how it had taken Scar’s quiet forgiveness and many hugs from Jellie to feel a little more like himself again).

Somehow he was halfway across Boatem village before he realised Scar was coming with him, Jellie still curled in his arms. They didn’t say anything, just silently made their way towards Mumbo’s van, nestled comfortably in Treeza’s arms.

“Mumbo!” Grian called, pausing on the ground to call up to his friend. When there was no response, he exchanged a glance with Scar and spread his wings wide.

The van’s door was unlocked, and Grian pushed it open, perched slightly awkwardly on the edge of the van. It was dim inside, the blinds drawn down over all the windows. Mumbo's bed was along one of the walls, and Grian could make out a huddled lump in the centre.

“Mumbo?” he called softly. The lump shifted slightly but didn’t reveal itself, and Grian felt an ache in his heart. He should have known this would have affected his friend. He had been too caught up in his own spinning thoughts he hadn’t really considered Mumbo.

He perched on the bed, spreading one wing out to cover his friend, humming softly to himself.

“It wasn’t you,” he said quietly. “And if it was, who you are during that game isn’t who you are in reality.”

Mumbo didn’t answer, and Grian tried to remember what was said to him, when he had felt trapped in his own head and emotions.

“That world is cursed,” he said quietly. “It doesn’t define you.”

“I killed people,” Mumbo said softly. His voice sounded small, broken, and Grian hated how wrong that felt. Mumbo was always the strong one - the one who Grian went to after a nightmare, who was always stable, always the one supporting Grian on bad days. For Mumbo to be the one curled under his covers and Grian the one comforting him - well, that felt wrong.

“No one blames you,” he said quietly. “We all know that wasn’t you.”

“But I liked it!” Mumbo pushed the covers away, peering up at Grian with a tear-stained face. Grian felt his own eyes pickle with tears at the sight of his friend in such a state, and burning rage at whatever - whoever - was forcing them to do this grew. “I like it, Grian. I wanted to do it.”

Grian didn’t answer, just leaned forward to pull his friend into a hug. Mumbo shuddered, wrapping his arms around Grian and clinging to him. For a long time, they sat like that, holding each other, Mumbo's quiet sobs the only sound.

“We have to do that again, don’t we?” Mumbo whispered.

“I’m sorry,” Grian said. And he hated it. Hated the sleepless nights he knew would be in the future. Hated the dread he felt as the week drew on and Friday drew nearer.

The van rocked slightly as Scar landed, swaying while he struggled to regain his balance with a cat in one arm. Mumbo pulled away from Grian, wiping his eyes with his sleeve as Scar folded his elytra behind him.

“Figured you might need some Jellie hugs,” he said quietly. Jellie mewed softly as Scar held her out, and Mumbo hesitated only a moment before accepting her. She curled up close, rubbing her head into Mumbo’s chin, purring softly. Grian could see how Mumbo’s shoulders relaxed slightly as he ran his hand through her fur.

Scar sat down beside Grian, hugging himself, and forcing a small grin. Grian shifted slightly, stretching out a wing to pull Scar a little closer.

“No matter what happens in there, we’re not going to think of you any differently,” Scar said quietly, and Grian nodded.

“We’re not really in control there,” he said quietly. “You forgave me when I turned red - when I nearly killed you. We’ll always do the same.”

Mumbo nodded, silently, and Grian pulled him close with his other wing.

“Take as long as you need,” he said softly. “We’re here for you.”

And maybe, that wouldn’t be true in a week. Maybe, in a week they would all turn against each other again. Maybe, after a wither was unleashed on the world, things would be different.

But for now, the three of them (and one cat) sat together, finding comfort in each other.

[sweetsmalldog]

Some fluffy Crastle duo stuff pls for the writing requests ,, -u probably know who this is

I gave them what they deserve <3

Letting go of the bloodlust and the anger had been hard, it had been slow. But the afterlife was peaceful, at least in Cleo’s opinion. She was still bitter about what happened. Still bitter about the way death, being killed, had hurt. The way it all still ached when it rained. But she wasn’t seething. She hadn’t forgiven Skizz or Ren or Martyn or Etho or any of them all yet, she just let herself move on. She didn’t forgive or forget but just let herself enjoy the good she had now.

The world was as vivid as life had been but so so much kinder. Maybe that’s because it was emptier then 3rd Life had ever been. Scott and Jimmy were over in their valley, blooming with flowers of all colors and shapes and sizes. While Big B had the mountains, he tended to avoid them all and she could understand way. And her and Bdubs had the Crastle. And that was it, just the five of them in a world that used to hold fourteen.

The inside of the Crastle was decorated now, pots held flowers and cactus on stone tables. Lanterns cast everything in a orange glow. They had an actual kitchen and couches and rooms. They fixed where the lava trap had been, replacing the staircase. The moat was filled on all sides for the sake of completion. Custom trees had popped up along the outer banks. Three bedrooms sat completed, one for her, one for Bdubs, and one for Tango if he ever showed up. Curtains hung from windows that no longer had to be sniper holes. The drawbridge wasn’t made of trapdoors anymore, instead it was made of solid wooden slabs with railing to made sure no one fell. The area around now stood as a mysterious forest with a castle buried in its heart, defense no longer a question. A path of coarse and rooted dirt showed the way to the Crastle that peaked through the trees.

“Do you ever just forget it’s over?” Bdubs asked.

They were sitting on one of the balconies looking out at the glittering night sky. They’d brought out blankets and hot chocolate, autumn was on its way and you could truly feel it at night. Cleo looked at him for a moment.

“Sometimes,” she admitted, “why?”

“I dunno,” he said as he stretched his wings, “Sometimes I wake up so sure that we’ve got everything to defend, that we’re going to be attacked tomorrow.”

Cleo knew exactly what he meant because she did it too. That despite everything it all still hurt even if it was a literal life ago. She’d wake up ready to die, to take an arrow for him. Then it would come crashing down. That they had died, that they were dead. That this was what came after.

A cool breeze pasted, ruffling Bdubs feathers and moving her hair. A wolf howled in the distance. Lanterns glowed on the mountains. The afterlife was so strangely alive, so strangely lived in. She was glad for it though.

“At least it is over.” Cleo said, “Even if we forget that sometimes.”

“Yeah,” Bdubs agreed softly, “At least we’re free now.”

This peace was kind, watching the stars with Bdubs knowing it was over and the fighting was done. No more tension in the air. No more wondering if someone was going to stab you in the back. No more fear. Sure there were scars that burned and ached. Sure there were memories that hurt and sometimes left sleepless nights. But they had an eternity for those scars to fade and for those memories to wash away with better ones, kinder ones, and they’d do it together.

[theres-an-impulstor-among-us]

Hello! I cannot stop thinking about the genuine airlock plotline.

So: how would a round where the impostor tries to throw Etho out the airlock go? He remembers the airlock, and he remembers them all agreeing not to use it...would he try to escape, be confused as to why something so cruel is about to be done to him when they all agreed that it was unnecessary and possibly unsafe? Would he realize that nobody else remembers, and if so, would he still go along with it? Would he be afraid, being dragged to the airlock and, unlike any victim before, knowing... Would he try to figure it out from the inside, either to find an escape or just to find out why and how this thing exists in the minute before he dies?

Just a whole heap of possible ideas, you definitely don't need to address all of them, I just really want to see an Imposter try to put Etho in that airlock when he knows

i’ve decided to start a tag for this AU bc i'm enjoying it so much, so now all content for this AU will be posted under ‘#true airlock au’ :)

…

It’s a fresh round, and the euphoria of a great win with Tango last round is wearing off Etho, leaving him with a clear mind. He has to be at the top of his game at all times; at least, that’s how he tries to play it. Whether imposter or crewmate, he always tries his best.

Early in the game, Etho is performing both his tasks in cafeteria when someone approaches him from behind and says, “Hey, Etho. How’s it going?”

Etho glances behind him, as if he couldn’t identify the person’s distinctive voice. “Hi, Joker. Are you here to do a task?”

“Nah, I thought you might like to come and see something cool.”

Etho’s heart skips a beat immediately. He thinks he knows exactly what this “something cool” is, and it makes him nervous.

“No, I…” He hesitates. “I’m okay, thanks.”

“Really?” Joker says with a grin. “Are you sure? It’s pretty cool. You should come check it out.”

“I’m…sure. Thanks.”

But as he turns to walk away, Joker grabs his wrist and gives him a smile that seems friendly on the outside, but there’s a clear sparkle of danger in his eyes. “C’mon. Humour me.”

Against his better judgement, Etho relents and lets Joker lead him away. Just as he expects, Joker takes him down to storage and opens up the door that Etho already knows is there.

But he’s never seen it for himself until now.

“You like it?” says Joker, the hint of a smirk on his face. “It’s impressive, right? You wanna go inside and check it out?”

No way in hell, Etho wants to say. But not only is he too Canadian to say that but also part of him does indeed want to check it out. He’s never seen the airlock in person; the game only chooses one random imposter every now and then to give its location to. So maybe he SHOULD check it out while he has the chance…

After a moment, Etho glances sideways at Joker. “I’d rather not. We agreed not to use it again, didn’t we?”

Joker scoffs. “Oh, yeah, sure, of course we did. So why don’t you step inside? Nothing to fear, surely.”

His friend’s flippant nature surprises Etho. Joker can be facetious but surely he saw how serious Etho was about using the airlock to kill people.

Finally, Etho steps towards the airlock.

Immediately, Joker shoves him forward into it.

Etho scrambles to his feet just as the doors start to slide closed and grabs the hem of Joker’s lab coat, yanking him towards him. Joker lets out a yelp as he lands in the airlock alongside Etho, the doors shutting behind him.

“ETHO!” Joker screeches. “WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?!”

Etho hurriedly clamps his hands down on Joker’s shoulders, forcing him to stay in place. “Listen to me! This is urgent, Joker!”

“What?!” snarls Joker. “WHAT?! WHAT IS SO URGENT THAT YOU-”

“Joker, tell me you remember me saying not to use the airlock again!”

Joker tries to pull away. “You’re crazy! Do you seriously think I would forget if the airlock had been used before?!”

“It HAS!” Etho gives his friend a shake. “Joker, it HAS! This is the fourth time it’s been used and for some reason, nobody except me remembers. There’s something strange about it; in fact, it shouldn’t exist. I don’t know if you’ll remember this next round, but Joker, I need you to promise me that if I come up to you again and ask about the airlock, you’ll say the word “countdown” to show you remember.”

Joker stares at him in confusion and slight anger. “What? Why?”

“Promise me!”

Clearly sensing the urgency in Etho’s tone, Joker finally relents. “Fine. But I’m not gonna forget that you ruined this round for me.”

Etho just shakes his head. “Alright. Thank you.”

…

Etho doesn’t bother bringing up the airlock in the lobby after the round is over. Next round, he seeks Joker out immediately and draws him into admin, despite Joker’s protesting. “Don’t kill me this soon, man!” he complains. “I don’t wanna die first.”

“Joker, I need you to tell me that word,” Etho says urgently. “Remember? That word we agreed on last round.”

Joker gives him a look, as if Etho’s crazy. “I don’t know what you mean, dude.”

“Please, it’s urgent. It’s really urgent.”

“Sorry, but I really don’t know what you mean. I really don’t remember you telling me any particular word. Sorry.”

After a moment, Etho releases Joker and wordlessly leaves the room. He can’t say he’s very surprised but he’s disappointed nonetheless. He was so close to finally having another person remember the airlock.

He heads down to storage, but the airlock is nowhere to be found. And since he’s not the imposter, he has no way to even find it, let alone open it. All he knows that the airlock is in storage, but he can’t quite recall where, and the game doesn’t give him any hints.

The only thing he finds in storage is Zedaph standing at the gas can. He gives his friend a smile and a wave as he passes through. “Hey, Zedaph.”

Zedaph only says a single word in reply. A word that makes Etho spin around immediately, but Zedaph has already disappeared. Standing alone in the corridor between storage and electrical, he can’t help a shiver, as the word echoes in his mind, letting him know that this whole situation runs deeper than he first thought.

“Countdown.”

[i-do-enjoy-ethoslab]

I think the primary emotion LL!Etho would have when bdubs died is fear rather than anger or even sadness. this death is so sudden, like it wasnt even supposed to happen. its almost the end of the session, theres ladders and they all got fire resistance potion and there are three of them...

It should have been a nether trip no different than the others. It would have been dangerous, nerve-racking, one of them might even be close to death for a moment, but they all would have gone back safely with a couple of blaze rods and a few stacks of soul sand. Etho thought to himself as he climbs down the ladder. This ladder — Bdubs was just on it just several minutes ago. He was laughing about how he has never heard of Etho’s nickname. He sounded a bit stuffy as he wasn’t fully recovered from his sickness; Tango was laughing too, mainly at Ladders’ iconic catchphrase: “I go up and I go down!” Etho delivered it perfectly... Weird, the trip upward felt so much shorter. Etho’s eyebrows tense up for a second, he can feel his hands slowly becoming sweaty, but none of them affected his speed moving downwards.

Where is Bdubs? Etho begins to move faster, Where is he? The fortress doesn’t give him an answer, only rows after rows of nether bricks enclose upon him, silently. His dead body needs to be collected before the items despawn. Those diamond gears need to return to their owner, the sword, the pants, the shirt... especially the shirt! He’s not gonna lose his diamond shirt again. His heroic friend has given out too many things for needless causes, first his shirt, then his life...

Wait.

“Oh, he’s red...” Etho says to Tango, but more so to himself, “He’s red now too.”

“YES he’s red!” He hears Tango’s reply, a voice full of regrets and disappointment with a tiny bit of guilt, followed by a heavy sigh.

The endless nether brick rows finally come to an end, so are Etho’s thoughts. Etho gets off the ladder, his feet touch the ground — even with a thin layer of soul sand, the nether floor still feels hard. It must be painful to fall from such a high position.

Bdubs’ items are just a few feet from where the ladder is. Etho walks toward them as he breathes into his hands, drying them, so that no items will slip out of his inventory.

Fortunately, nothing was lost, except for —

“You got me in a spot right now.”

Etho sees his friend, now Red, approaches them. He’s still the same Bdubs with his moss sweater, glossy anime eyes, a big, friendly grin, and too much courage. The orange crystal had a dim red glare to it, Etho notices it as he throws items back to Bdubs.

“Alright, what are we uh...? Are we just throwing his stuff? Ok...”

Tango tries to get an answer from Etho. He always does, and usually, Etho would have prepared an answer for him. But this time Etho doesn’t quite know how to answer. What are they going to do? He doesn’t know, he didn’t plan for this. It should have been one of the nether trips like others. It would have been dangerous, nerve-racking, one of them might even be close to death for a moment, but no one should have died. After all, there are — there were — three of them. He even made ladders. 

“Don’t give him a weapon.” Etho chooses to not answer directly, “Just... Don’t give him a weapon.”

[ashtreehollow]

Crastle Comfort

Hi I wrote a 3rd Life fic?? I had an idea and ran with it. Warning: Does contain spoilers for this week (week 6)’s session of 3rd Life!!

Pairing: Bdubds & ZombieCleo (platonic) Word Count: 1560 Summary:  When Bdubs comes back to the 3rd Life server, he isn't quite sure what to expect after the chaotic session he missed. He isn't expecting Ren going full Red King, or the fallout over Pizza's death, but he's certainly not expecting a changed Cleo.

You can also read it on AO3!

When Bdubs returned to the 3rd Life server, he was fully prepared to hunker down and fortify the Crastle even more, and make good on his new status as a Red Life (he’d even pulled out his trusty red bandana for the occasion). When he spawned into the server, near his bed on the second floor, he was raring to go, a sort of something thrumming through his veins just under the surface. In the back of his brain, he paused to wonder if this was the bloodlust he and Cleo had joked about, if this hunger lay within all the other Reds. Distracted by his thoughts, Bdubs was surprised when he felt two cold arms wrap around his body, and a panicked thought crossed his mind.

Was this it? Had someone spawn-camped just to kill him, to take his final life right as he made it back to the server?

“Bdubs, you’re back!”

Oh. Of course it was Cleo, waiting to welcome him back with a hug! How sweet of her.

“Cleo, I’m back! How are y-?” The question died on his lips as he pulled away and finally got a look at his teammate. For a moment, he was worried she was on fire, and shuffled through his inventory for a water bucket before realizing no, she wasn't actually on fire - he thought?

Cleo’s hair, already naturally fiery red, seemed to be glowing now. The ends of her hair ended in flame, and crackled gently as the flames flickered; the once-green leaves in her hair now resembled embers. He finally made eye contact with her and dread filled his stomach as golden-yellow eyes stared back.

“Oh Cleo...what happened?” Bdubs asked as he pulled her in for another quick hug. Cleo pulled back, one hand coming to clutch the fabric of her blouse, right next to the now-yellow glowing heart brooch. Her eyes hardened as she looked at him.

“What happened, Bdubs, is that I died.” Came her reply, anger thinly-veiled in her voice.

“Well, yeah, I figured, but- how?” He asked, before a thought came to mind. “Was it Grian and Scar? Did they do this to you? Cleo, I swear I’ll go out there right now and-”

“No Bdubs, it wasn’t them.” Seeing his confused look, Cleo took a deep breath. “I’m technically in an alliance with them now.” Her gaze shifted to the side, away from her teammate’s crimson gaze. A wave of shame washed over her.

“What?! Cleo, how could you?? They killed me!”

He didn’t mean to raise his voice, but anger and betrayal had him near-shouting. He felt the something (the bloodlust) thrum in his veins, heart beating in his ears.

“I had no choice Bdubs!” Cleo retorted, eyes and hair blazing. “You left me, alone, with broken alliances. I was desperate!”

“What about Ren and Martyn? Aren’t we friends?” Confusion painted his voice. Would Cleo betray them like that?

“Apparently not!” Cleo shouted, throwing her hands in the air. Huffing, she turned away from him, arms coming up to hug herself as she glanced out the window.

“Cleo…” His voice was softer than she’d ever heard it. “What happened?”

Taking another breath, she sat on the chest in front of her, facing Bdubs.

“I tried to make friends, y’know? I figured it’d be good to do some damage control and apologize to Joel for sort-of killing him, even if he’s the one who jumped into the fire.” She shook her head as a small smile pulled at her lips and a chuckle left Bdubs’ mouth.

“He accepted my apology, he did. I gave him a crossbow, and I figured I’d try to talk to Ren, explain and find out where I stand with His Majesty,” her voice dripped with sarcasm. “I found out, alright.

“He’d already put us in his little Black Book, all because I’d burned Joel’s house. He and Martyn didn’t even give me a chance to explain that we had made up. Ren wouldn’t listen to reason, he-!” She locked eyes with Bdubs again, fear swimming in her gaze.

“He’s gone mad, Bdubs. He calls himself the Red King, for Void’s sake!”

Bdubs was shocked by the fear and anger in her voice, the wateriness of her eyes hinting at the beginning of tears. He approached her slowly, taking the spot next to her upon the chest and tentatively resting an arm around her shoulders. He felt her sag against him.

“I had no choice. We have the weaponry, but I can’t defend the Crastle by myself. I had to join Scar.” Bdubs’ heart broke at the waver in her voice. To see and hear Cleo cracking like this, he hated himself for leaving her in that position.

“So then,” he started. “Grian and Scar didn’t do..this to you...did they?” She dropped her gaze as she shook her head.

“It was the last battle of the session. Joel had shot at the Red Army-” Bdubs’ eyes widened at the name. “-and we were defending Bean Hill. I’d gotten hit a few times and was already on fire and low health when the last arrow knocked me off the roof.” She spat a rueful laugh. “I landed on the stupid fence and that was it.”

Bdubs swallowed thickly, the dread in his stomach morphing into a growing ire. He had a feeling he knew the answer to the question he was about to ask, but he had to know, had to hear it from her.

“Cleo,” she met his gaze, yellow amber meeting steely crimson. “Whose arrow was it?” He asked.

…

“It was Ren’s.”

It took everything in Bdubs not to explode and go out for vengeance right that second. The only thing he could hear was the blood pumping in his ears, his heart pounding so loud he was sure Cleo could hear it. A voice in the back of his mind told him to go go go get revenge kill the King he deserves it he needs to pay-

But looking at Cleo - his teammate, his friend, his bond - he knew where he needed to be. The pounding in his ears died down as he brought her into a proper hug, and he felt her hands grip his shirt as he ran a hand gently through her hair. He noticed distantly that while Cleo always ran cold, she was warmer now. Still well-below a safe body temp, it felt less like hugging an actual corpse and more like hugging someone who’d been outside without a coat.

Ironic how the zombie felt more alive the closer to death she was.

“Bdubs,” they pulled away to look at each other. “I understand if you want to split up. I know Scar and Grian killed you, and I get it if this alliance won’t work.” He stared at her in shock.

“Cleo, I don’t care if you joined the Desert alliance, I- well, okay I care a little and I’m still kinda mad at them but- THAT’S not the point!” he shook his head.

“What does matter, is you Cleo. We’re Day One gang, Team Crastle, and that matters more to me than what alliances we have.” He could feel his voice getting thick with emotion.

“Cleo, as long as Team Crastle stays together, I’ll follow you anywhere.”

“Even the Nether?” She asks, a smile finally gracing her face, laughter in her voice and her eyes.

“Okay, well, I don’t know about all that,” They both laughed. “I mean it Cleo. While I can’t promise I’ll always be there, I’ll try my best.”

“Me too Bdubs.”

They sat there a moment, just existing in the comfort of each other’s company. It was a few minutes later that Bdubs stood up, hands on his hips and walking over to another chest to check inventory.

“Alright Cleo, we got some planning to do if we wanna take Ren down a peg. What and who are we working with?” His tone was light, a grin back on his face and a mischievous look in his eyes. Cleo shot a smirk back as she stood to open the chest that had served as their seat.

“Well, the Hobbits I think are pretty solid allies right now, and we’re all with Grian and Scar. Joel is sort of with us, but he’s a wildcard and could flip at any moment.” She pulled two crossbows and a handful of hurty arrows from the chest, noticing that several were missing from the supply.

‘May have to go ask for repayment from someone.’ She thought.

“What about Impulse and Tango?” Bdubs asked with a grimace as he took an offered crossbow.

“I think we’re okay with Impulse, but he’s with the Red Army now. Scar took Tango in when he told us Etho and Impulse didn’t trust him anymore, but I caught him reporting back to them about Scar.”

“Oho, double agent! We’ll have some fun with that!” Bdubs responded as the two of them made their way downstairs, adjusting armor and stocking their bags with weapons and food, before leaving the safety of the Crastle. The two could be heard as Bdubs loudly mourned the loss of his crenellations at the hands of Etho. Cleo only laughed as the two set off to meet with their allies to plan the fall of the Red King.

[fan-da-nerd]

“we don’t tolerate that here” a Hermitcraft fanfic

yso i saw an anon post from @give-grian-rights that gave me inspiration to write a Hermitcraft one-shot based on the Sam’s funeral... story? anyway, i hope you enjoy

TW: panic attacks, trauma, death, beating abusers to death, vomiting  mention

no one planned for it to happen, no one really even knew. but that changed one day when mumbo was just wandering around the forest and found himself at the foot of Grian’s mansion. the prismirine build towered above him, casting a shadow over him in the late day sun. The mustacheio’d man decided to have a peek inside the mansion just to see if Grian was there and if he’d done anything new.  

he strolled inside, past the map corridor into the main room. he huffed quietly as he looked around at the sprawling sorting system. you really need to get on that he thought to himself. he continued to look around, not seeing Grian anywhere. 

just then he heard crying. quiet and whimpering from behind the rows of HMMMMM. Mumbo made his way around them, looking around for the source of the noise. he found it in a bundle of red jumper and shimmering wings. wings wrapped tight around him as he laid curled on the floor. mumbo moved swiftly over to him, slowing when he got close. 

“Grian?” he spoke gently as he took a step closer. the man on the floor curled up tighter with a yelp, shaking with unsteady breath. “its ok Grian, its me, mumbo.” he whimpered again then gagged and cough roughly. this continued, gagging and wheezing so much then he uncurled  and braced himself up. mumbo hurried over to his friend and rested his hand on his back. Grian flinched in surprise but continued to cough. 

“hey, hey, Grian look at me. its ok, what do you need? mumbo asked in a panic. Grian wheezed again, but finally looked up at mumbo. eyes bloodshot and face pale from fear and pain. the dark haired man moved quickly when Grian started gagging again. grabbing the nearest composter and moving it in front of his friend, helping him get up and lean against it. 

“what happened, did you eat a pufferfish? do you need a health potion, milk?” he continued berating him with questions as he started to get up to grabbed whichever liquid he could find first. As he started to stand he felt a hand rest on his knee. he looked down and met Grian’s eyes, where the shorter man just slowly shook his head. tears ran down his face and his breathing still jerked and wheezed. Mumbo slowly kneeled down again as Grian turned and coughed again, starting to claw at his throat. 

“Grian, don’t. what’s happening?” he muttered in distress. Grian didn’t speak for a moment the muttered.

“pan- panic” 

mumbo thought for a moment panic, panic, panic- “panic attack?” he asked quickly. Grian nodded, holding his throat and coughing like he was trying to cough something up. 

“water” he muttered, and mumbo began rummaging though his bag for a water bucket. he pulled it out and handed it to Gri, who chugged it in less than 30 seconds. he coughed but finally leaned back, his chest rose up and down sporadically.

“hey, hey. breath Grian. in for 5-”

they continued like this together, in, hold, out.in a couple minute Grian had stopped crying,  and his breathing had steadied to a normal steady pace. mumbo moved in front of him slowly. “ok, Grian. what happened? you don’t have to tell me, but if you are willing to. I want to help.” Grian stared off into nothing, his eyes started to well up with tears again as he seemed to see things no one else could. Mumbo could hear him trying to force his breath to stay calm. Grian took a deep breath, then everything began to spill out.

“I saw a white rabbit and it sent me spiraling and i couldn't stop thinking and he hurt me it hurt so bad he cut my wings, forces plastic down my throat he tried to MURDER me Mumbo he put a knife in my side and i still feel like there's plastics lodged in my throat and I want to scream and cry whenever i think about it and Sam so many and done so much terrible things and he didn’t get his karma-” this vent ended is mumbo grabbing him and pulling him close, trying to stop the spiraling before it gets back to how it was when he found him. Grian's shoulders when slack and he leaned into the hug, and they sat there together in silence. 

mumbo sat there, trying to think of something to say to this. he knew that Grian didn’t like talking too much about his early past. sure they’d learned some things, other worlds like Evo and projects he did in his own world but they never knew much. and definitely not this. he thought for what felt like an hour before finally asking. “are you ok now?” He could feel Grian hesitate, but nod. “ok. whatever happened in your past, its not the present. you’re with us now.” 

Grian took a breath and pulled away from his mustached friend. His eyes softened and he smiled. “thanks mumbo.” he nodded and stood up, offering a hand to his shorter friend. Grian took his hand and pulled himself to his feet, stumbling but standing. 

“hey Grian?”

“yeah?” 

“is it ok if i tell X about this? so that more people can know about your triggers and avoid-” he made a vague gesture “this? its ok if not” Grian thought for a moment then nodded.

“probably easier than me trying to talk though it” he chuckled quietly at the end. Mumbo smiled, half happy half concerned before glancing at the door. 

“ok, then I think I’m going to leave now. if your ok-” Grian cut him off with a nod. Mumbo waved goodbye, then took off with only 20 rockets. 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mumbo flew around, weaving between the towers of the jungle looking for the Admin.  he eventually spotted him in his main tower and landed on the balcony. Xisuma was setting his ravenger helmet, no doubt having just changed after a decked out run. he spotted mumbo and spun around, grabbing his Bee helmet on the way around. “Mr. Jumbo, what do i own the pleasurer?” 

“hey X...” Mumbo started, very suddenly realizing he did not know how to open this conversation. “I wanted to let you know about something that happened with Grian.” X’s face fell a little as he tilted his head to the side 

“is he ok? 

mumbo sighed and shrugged “not really. i found him having a panic attack in his mansion. he said he’s ok now but i thought you should know.” 

“oh,’ Xisuma’s voice softened as he sat down against the wall, locking his helmet on as he went. “mind telling me what happened?” Mumbo sat down across from him and began to explain everything he could remember. Clipped wings, attempted murder, stabbing, harassments, unfulfilled karma. it was a little hard to see Xisuma’s expression behind the black visor, but Mumbo could make out concern with tinges of anger. an expression he was not used to seeing on the bee man. when mumbo finished X was deep in thought. he nodded slowly before looking down at his communicator. the device they use to message, research, change worlds, ect. 

“did he say who this was?” Mumbo pauses for a minute as he tried to remember. 

“it was... Sam? the spiral was also caused by a white rabbit. that's all i really know.” X nodded and looked back up at Mumbo.

“thanks for letting me know.” something about his voice sat oddly with the dark haired man but he let it go. to be honest Mumbo was angry himself. that someone would hurt Grian like that and not his due. he stood up and nodded at X, who nodded back. something told him that X understood what Mumbo was feeling. He turned around and jumped off the tower, taking off into the blue. “Sam.. rabbit.” X muttered to himself as he began to type into his device. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

the next morning came with an odd message from X.

‘if anyone would like to join me in punishing, meet at the SD between the diamond trees in 5’ -Xisumavoid

‘sounds fun. I’m in’ -TangoTek

‘what?” -impulseSV

5 minutes later roughly half the server was there. some out of curiosity, some trusting that if X wants to punish someone its probably reasonable.  Etho, impulse, Ren, Mumbo, False, tango, Iskall, Wels, and of course Xisuma were all gathered together in front of the whirling portal.

“mind explaining why we’re gathered here?” Wels asked as he looked around at how many people had arrived. X took and breath and walked in front of the group. 

“ladies and gentleman, today we’re here because a member of our community has terrible trauma and an abuser who got away without punishment. an abuser who killed, maimed, manipulated, and injured multiple people in a non responing world” silence fell over the group in surprise. “I believe they deserve to get punished. you in?” no words were spoken but Wels stood up tall and pulled his sword. others followed suit and did the same. Etho pulled his bow and tango loaded a crossbow with a rocket. X nodded, and began to type into his device. 

as they stood around, none of the notice and short man in a jumper flying into the district. he started towards the barge but turned when he saw a gathering of half the server who looked like they were ready for homicide. he didn’t want to interrupt so he kept to the side and just watched. of all the things he thought could be happening, Sam Gladiator falling from the sky was not on that list. every muscle in his body tensed, wanting to book it or throw hands but instead it just froze stock still. 

The Bunny boy plummeted from the sky and landed with a hard thud. he stood, with everything spinning but saw himself surrounded by people he did not know. at first. then, hiding beside a large blue sea creature he saw an old friend of his. glancing around, the multiple armed adults was... surprising, but not too concerning. Everyone was dying or killing back home. he stood to his feet and took a step towards the older kid. as he did this, mumbo followed his gaze and spotted the small bundle of red and gray, panicking instantly. without thinking he lurched forward and shot his blade out, blocking Sam from getting to Grian. 

he looked up at Grian and only saw fear, he had taken a step back in perfect sync with Sam stepping forward. Instantly, mumbo only saw red hot rage. X’s voice broke the daze as he spoke of the crowd. “you are the one who hurt him, aren’t you?” his tone implied that he wasn’t really asking. 

Sam turned to him and laughed. “Its not that bad-” 

“You. abused. him.” X snapped back, exasperated and pissed. “and we don’t tolerate that here. Go.” that was all that was needed. 

The fight broke out instantly, a kid with a knife clashing with explosions and swords. People of both sides had blades stabbed into them and the bunny boy held surprisingly well in the fight. that does not mean he did well. he died multiple times and every time he responed again and got back into the fight. it was nearly impossible to head over the clash of metal and fireworks a yard from your face. The incoming storm did not help, the distant roar of thunder and shocks of light made the whole thing even more disorienting. 

Grian watched this go on, seeing the people he loved and the land he called home. for the first time in a while, he looked at the white rabbit ear and still felt safe. they were willing to research, summon, and fight a guy they don't even know except as a murderer. just because he had hurt Grian. his muscles relaxed as he blinked the shock out of his eyes. he watched the fight rage on, the dark clouds coming in, and got an idea. he slinked into guardian goodies and found the ender chest. he rummaged through it and found what he was looking for. standing up and pulled out the glistening trident, lightning crackling between the prongs. he climbed up guardian goodies, stood up on the top, and he smiled. He felt absolutely honored and loved by the hermits, but it was time for him to face his past. this was his fight, and he knew that the hermits were by his side in the battle. 

he pulled up his device and typed two simple words.

‘get back.’- grian

everyone looked around, and when they finally saw him his eye were sharp on Sam. Trident lifted above his head, crackling with power and magic. his knuckles turned white as he thought about all that had happened, everything that he’d done. everyone pulled away from Sam, leaving him exposed as Grian finally shot forward and let it all go.

lightning cracked down on sam, and this time he didn’t respon

no proofreading, we die like men