#But we can ask Tango! And he says he's a redstoner not a builder. And that's ok :)

[roxynugget]

Guys, please, Tango doesn't consider himself a builder in the same way Michelangelo might not consider himself a painter* (see tags). You can accept you're very good at two things, and still consider yourself better at one over the other. It's not negative talk when he calls himself a redstone guy.

#tangotek #* Michelangelo was definitely good at painting but his preference was sculpture. Painting commissions were more frequent and profitable. #I don't know if this is the best example because it's difficult to parse exaggeration and fact #About historical figures in general especially artists and their personal feelings about their own art #and he definitely wouldn't have put a very strong divide between his skill sets because like. #You can see how much working and studying 3D space helped him create such life-like people in a 2D painting. #But I think Decked Out is a good example of harmony of skills too #The building part of game design and the coding part needed each other to create Decked Out 2 #My point here is #That we can't ask Michaelangelo if he considers himself a sculptor or painter #Because he's dead and also may not have an actual answer himself #But we can ask Tango! And he says he's a redstoner not a builder. And that's ok :) #Dear God this entire set of tags sounds like pretentious rambling but I'm gonna post it anyway bc I hope people see past me comparing #a beloved Renaissance artist to a Block Game Guy #and take time to reflect on how an artist might interpret themselves vs how their audience sees them thru the lense of their work.

[nenestansunsthings]

lets be real, do you even actually need to see mine loll? *stares at the percentage willing it to shift in our favor*

can i ask for cleaning lady and her hype man head of marketing tango crumbs anyways?

usiwussu i never need to see your vote quill. i know who its for. but thank you so much for voting joe!! hope you enjoy the fic!!

____

"... Tango, I broke it."

"Yeah. Yeah, you definitely broke it." Tango whistles lowly, looking at the cleaning lady advertisement device Pearl's brought him to. His brow is furrowed, looking over everything- repeaters flipped around, tick speed messed up, items missing. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you messed this up on purpose."

"Now why would I ever do that, Tango? This is something promoting me!" Pearl looks down at him with wide, innocent eyes, hoping he believes her. "Can you help me fix it? Grian's not back at his base yet, so we have time to fix this before he activates the disk."

[Grian whispered to you: pearl, where do I go?]

"Well, I probably could. Should only take a few minutes." Tango nods, kneeling down to start adjusting the redstone. Pearl takes advantage of the distraction to whisper a location- [the nearest place his chestmonster is to the entrance]- then crouches beside him. "Oooooh, can I see? Lemme look. What's wrong with it?"

Like every redstoner she's ever met, Tango is very quickly distracted into explaining his work. "Well, the first issue here is that the tick speed is off. You must have messed with this by accident. A lot of these, actually- did you trip and fall?"

"... Haha." Pearl looks away. "Noooo....?"

Tango snorts. "Sure. Okay. So when you didn't trip and fall on the repeaters, it made the timing way out of whack, so power isn't being conducted through the machine correctly-" He pauses. "Is this repeater backwards?"

"... I panicked when I didn't trip and fall," she explains. "Some of these got knocked out of the circuit, so I tried to put 'em back. Did I get it wrong?"

"No, no! Well, only a little. We can fix this pretty easily!" He picks up one of the repeaters, checking to see if the glass holding its wiring in place is undamaged before flipping it back around. "What were you doing down here, anyway? Trying to figure out the redstone?"

"Yeah! I wanted to remember how to do this just on the spot the next time I came across a giant chestmonster." Pearl laughs. "I've put a redstone shulker in my enderchest and everything. Not that I can do it now, with how much I messed it up..."

"I figure taking a picture or two should work well enough for that kind of thing!" he suggests. "You're pretty good at redstone for a builder, though- did you want to learn how it all worked yourself?"

"For a builder?! Tango, are you saying builders can't do redstone?" Pearl does not think about the dozen pictures she had of untouched machinery- [another angle, Grian? Really?]- crossing her arms with a disgruntled frown. "I can't believe you. I never thought anyone would ever say anything like that to me. I'm taking my little rucksack and leaving-"

"Noooo, I didn't mean it like that! Come on!" Tango laughs. "... What's a rucksack?"

"Like a bag?" She shrugs. "... But yeah, I did want to figure it out. Just a little. Messed that up, huh?"

"Like I said, it's fiiine. Don't worry about it. Your Head of Marketing's got you covered!" He grins, his fiery hair flickering bright and blue in contrast with the redstone dust on his fingers. "You could ask next time, if you want! I haven't started the next part of Decked Out yet, I'm still in the material gathering bit. So I'm not busy!"

[Grian whispered to you: done!!]

Pearl nods. "I'll take you up on that! Do I need a heads up before visiting your base? It sure would be a shame if the cleaning lady's Head of Marketing had a chestmonster or something..."

Tango laughs very unconvincingly. "What?? Me?? A chestmonster? Nooo, I would never. Tell me before you visit, though, uh- so I can avoid spoilers! Yeah. So you don't get a sneak peek of Decked Out."

Pearl smiles angelically. "Sure, Tango!"

"Great! Awesome." He turns back to the redstone. "This... should be about fixed, I think. You're all good! I should probably be getting back home, though..."

"Alright! See you later!"

"See ya!" Tango grins, breaking through Grian's floor and offering her a hand. She takes his help up, replacing the broken block and waving goodbye as he goes.

[You whispered to Grian: he's coming. time to go]

Tango sighs as he enters his storage room, the familiar cold welcoming him like a friend. Man, that was awkward. He can't let Pearl know he has a growing chestmonster in here, that'd be embarrassing! At least it was a good reminder to clean it up-

He screams as a voice suddenly floods his storage room, playing a very familiar disk. "Oh? What's this? A chestmonster?"

"PEARLLLLLLL!!!!!"

#tangotek #pearlescentmoon #sun art #btw while youre here vote joe hills!

[spinchs-field]

What’s madcom au? :D

GRIPS YOU.. im so glad you asked (:

OKAY SO. the MadCom AU is basically taking all of the Hermitcraft members and dropping them in the bloodiest most fucked up environment possible (Nevada).

^that's your tl;dr. everything else will be under the cut

Xisuma in this AU created a sort of commune for people who distrusted the Agency but were not fit enough to be accepted into the Status Quo (which is where the canon cast of MadCom work. this includes Hank, 2BDamned, Deimos, and Sanford). this commune eventually turned into the Hermit Commune, and a lot of grunts flocked to it because of it's peaceful nature, and those people are the current Hermits that live inside the commune.

the Hermit Commune has been up and running for about nine years (reflecting each season of HermitCraft) as of right now, and every year they expand the commune after a short break to relax and brainstorm new ideas. everything they add onto the commune reflects roughly what the hermits have built, with a few exceptions. mob farms obviously can't exist in this universe, so really all they build are new bases that are either very close to the commune or literally built into the original structure that Xisuma had laid down himself.

despite the Hermit Commune being very passive, they still live in Nevada, and in Nevada, you need weapons. the redstoners are engineers and weapon builders. they make both swords and guns and really any machinery used to kill. Doc is especially good at it, but he hardly ever uses the weapons.

speaking of Doc! he's a MAG agent-- something made by the Agency. so is Ren :D! they're the only MAGs in the commune, and generally spend a lot of time together because of this. they were even created in the same facility! Iskall was the head scientist that overlooked the MAG Agent DOG/GOAT project, and was actually the entire reason Ren is still alive lol. Ren is a little mutated and was originally gonna be thrown out but Iskall was like "okay but he can still operate, probably better than the other one so. why throw him out lol" and everyone just sighed and said fine because he was the head scientist. Grian was also there during that time, except at that point in time he was just called The Watcher since he worked for the Employers.

long story short, Iskall eventually heard about the Hermit Commune and was like "wow this has opened my eyes to how genuinely fucked up the AAHW is... WELP TIME TO DISSENT LMAO" so he basically says fuck you to the Agency and takes the Big Guys with him, since Ren and Doc were actually considered defective since they were really passive. so Iskall kinda fucks off and Grian, being the pesky bird he is, follows suit but because of that, the Employers get pissed and try to take away his abilities. they kinda succeed, but he still has his Watcher abilities. he just can't control them like at all.

so a similar thing happens to Tango and Etho, who are both just normal agents. up until that point, they'd been living with and working for the Agency, until one day they go out on another fucking massacre mission and UH OH THEY'RE KILLING A FUCKING GROUP OF KIDS. so they kinda go "wow this is Not Okay but what do we do." so they kinda just. flee the scene and return to the Agency. eventually they catch wind of the Hermit Commune and go OH MY GOD THAT'S PERFECT. so they just run off together, leaving no trace of what happened. when they got there, they were kinda worried that they wouldn't be let in but when they walk inside they see two whole ass MAG Agents just chilling and talking casually with normal grunts and feel so much better. so they meet up with Xisuma and have to swear off violence and they're both like "already leaps ahead of you man" and Xisuma goes "awesome (: have fun fellas"

Cleo has a sort of similar experience since she's a G03LM, a product of um.. either Nexus or the AAHW. hard to remember. but either way she hears about it and is like oh boy that sounds fun and just. fucking up and leaves. since she was literally created to assist others, she mostly acted as a mock-up doctor for the entire commune. Joe eventually showed up and became her assistant and that's Hermits Helping Hermits baybeeeee

also at some point Status Quo finds out about the Hermit Commune and go to check the place out since word has been spreading about there being a lot of ex-AAHW people there. so 2b drags the guys over there and Hank spots Mumbo (he is wearing a suit. uh oh.) and they just kinda. tunnel vision. and fucking kill Mumbo in the center of the Commune and everyone's like Oh No. but once he finds out that Mumbo is not, in fact, an active agent and never has been, they calm down and don't kill any other hermits. 2B gets along really well with Xisuma and Cleo. especially Cleo, since she's got 20-ish people to look after instead of the measly four idiots that 2B has to stitch back together nearly every damn day.

and uhhhh yeah! Status Quo is pretty close with the Hermit Commune and goes there for supply runs since they have a lot of stuff there. and honestly nothing all that serious really happens in the AU except for Hank's seething hatred for Ren and Doc since they're both MAGs. that's it! that's the MadCom AU (:

#the crops #*points* lamesmp player #i'm still working out roles for some of the other hermits but most of them are just grunst #*grunts

[fluffywing-e-tarot]

Be an Esteemed Lady while out shopping for the day

Of course, Grain would be the one to draw the short straw on this Hermit challenge. He suspected it was Iskall who wrote it for Stress, However, Stress didn't want to swap challenges and thus Grian had to go to the shopping district in the only feminine outfit that he had being Arianna Grande. The worst part being that Grian was planning on restocking the Barge soon.

So Grian took to the sky in his Popstar outfit. Elytra on his back he flew across the sea to get to the shopping district. He spotted Stress waiting at the Barge. A misgevious smirk on her face.

"Well aren't you looking beautiful." she greeted. "I thought you would need some help in dressing up. Apparently, you can look Lady enough."

"Thanks," Grian said. "It was the only outfit I had."

"Oh, I didn't mean it as a compliment." Stress said her polite deminer missing from her." Your makeup is horrendous."

Grian really wanted to snap back at Stress, but then he remembered that Mumbo had bet Iskall twenty diamonds, That Grian could complete the Challenge. Who was he to denied Mumbo out of Diamonds? Grian took a deep breath, He was an esteemed lady. He was an esteemed Lady, and Esteemed Lady's do not snap at their Friends for insulting their makeup job.

"Beloved Stress, if I have indeed insulted my own visage then will you help me correct it," Grian said in a polite, gentle, manner.

Stress looked stunned. Her mischievous smirk faltering. "Uh yeah, just give me a moment. I have some things at my shop." she rocketed off to her store.

This gave Grian the time he needed to restock the chests in the Barge with everything his patrons needed from his shop. Grian heard the woosh of an Elytra glide and spotted Tango swooping into his shop. Grian sent out a text in chat say that the Barge was restocked

"Hay Grian." Tango greeted and went straight for the Sand. but stopped while opening the chest Tango closed the chest a moment later and turned around.

"Sorry, I thought you were Grain, Ma'am," Tango said. "My mistake."

He returned to buying Grains sand. He left with a Shulker box filled with sand. "That was weird," Grian thought Grian didn't want Stress to go chasing after him, as head a handful of Items to buy from the shopping disticet the main thing being the Dark prismarien that had been restocked. So he pulled out a Starcae to have the relative decence of looking dignified while waiting.

"Sorry 'bout that wait." Stress pulled out a shulker box and began to shift though it. She was pulling out brushes and a wide aray of color.

"We'll need to wash off your application before we begin." Stress led out a rag and potion bottle.

"Okay." Grian dabbed some of the potions onto the rag, at least that's what he assumed what Stress wanted, and started to remove the bright cherry pink and blush.

Ah there we go a clean face to work with." Stress said, " now close your eyes Grian we are going to make a Gina out of you."

" The outfit is actual Arianna Grande" Grian informed. " I used it to promote Sahara.

"Well, the wig is quite good quality." Stress said he felt some sort of cream be applied on his face. " I'm assuming you got it from the Hub world."

"The best place to shop for the costumes." Grian said

"Now tell me Arianna what brings you to the Shopping district?" stress asked.

"Dark Prismarin for mansion among other things," Grian said he felt different brushes on his face. and pencil on his eyes. Grian opened his eyes. as Stress applied the mascara Grian chatted about what could be improved upon in his builds

"Are we done?" Grian asked.

"Yes and you look much more beautiful," Stress said. "Go knock them dead Arianna" Stress's encouragement was worrying for grain's mental health. Grian was basically taking the actions of a Woman seriously.

"I have much to do Ms. Monster. Thank you for the assistance." Grian said.

"See you around " Stress called as she was putting away her makeup supplies.

Grian decides walking was the best option. Grian's preferred elytra positions and posture were not feminine. and he felt like everyone would be looking at his skirt.

"Grian!" Mumbo shouted gliding towards him. Grian looked at his close Redstoner friend. Mumbo looked ready to say something but a whimpering sound came from his thought. Mumbo was just staring at Grian for a solid minute.

"Yes Mumbo?" Grian asked

Mumbo cleared his thought. "Lady Grian may I have the honor of escorting you through the shopping center."

"No," Grian said, " I am perfectly content with my shopping experience."

"Okay, I'll talk to you later," Mumbo said and shot rockets off and flew away.

Grain was just about to arrive at the shop when a zip of rockets. when another familiar face greeted him.

~O~

Scar walked through his project thinking of the lady that he met in the shopping district a week back. She was silent for his entire tour of the shopping district. But he noticed that she purchased a couple of items from some of the shops. She must have been a rare invite of a family member that Xuma allows on the survey.

"Hi Scar!" Grian chirped dropping down in front of him.

"Oh! Goodness!" Scar exclaimed. Jumping off the ground.

"wow, you must be quite distracted. You haven't replied to any of my messages" Grian said, " You know about the lot in Aque town."

"What messages?" Scar asked pulling out his communicator. and saw the there were a lot of messages he Missed. A load of server chat and also whispers and Personal Messages. "Oh, those messages."

"Seeing as something was distracting the mayor from his mayoral duties. What were you thinking about?" Grian asked. Scar sighed.

"A girl." Scar said.

Scar noticed that Grian was Curious. Would probably hound him for more information. So he spoke before Grian could.

" I met her a few weeks ago, she was quiet and polite. She looked new to the surver. I had seen her in an add back in season six." Scar explained "She's not from the surver, at least I don't think she is."

Grian smiled " You sound like your in love."

Scar blushed "Nothing of the Sort!"

"What's her name?" Grain asked the shorter man was bouncing on his toes.

"I think her Name was Arianna Grande."

Grian stoped bouncing. "Sorry what?"

"Her name was Arrianna Grande."

Grian grabbed onto Scar's shoulders. Grian's face was very red. "You said you have been distracted by Arrianna Grande."

"Yes?" Scar answered

Grian's face turned even reder. "You're crushing on a persona I made for the Express purpose of promoting Mumbo. And Haven't realised that It was just me in a wig and skirt."

Scar listeded to what Grian was saying. However at the same time none of it made sense. Grian was gone by the time that the words clicked and Scar's face was red in Embaresment.

Scar both Wanted to express his Mistake but also burry it in his mind never to see the light of day again. He needed to express it. Scar decided that Bdubs was the best option.

Scar decide a drink of a stong beverage was in order. There was none on the surver (a rule for the safety of the Builders.) so they had to head to the main hub for this conversation. This was absolutely a metel misunderstanding. Scar hoped that Grian would forgive him.

#Grian #hermicraft #hermitcaft 7 #fictional hermit challenges #mumbo jumbo #stressmonster101 #gtwscar

[maryqueenofmurder]

Impulse x Grian x Ren

Part 1:  Impulse x Grian x Ren

Part 2:  Impulse x Grian x Ren

Part 3:  Impulse x Grian x Ren

Part 4:  Impulse x Grian x Ren

Part 5:  Impulse x Grian x Ren

Part 6:  Impulse x Grian x Ren

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“What’s wrong?” Tango asked.

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

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

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

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

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

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

“No. Feeling weird emotionally.” Impulse said.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Impulse gave him an odd look.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

#grian x impulse x ren #impulse x grian x ren #hermitship #impulseSV #grian #rendog #Ren #renthedog #impulse #my fanfiction #fanfiction #sorry i fell off the face of the earth after i finished my final project for writing class #i'd say 'it won't happen again' but lets be real it totally will

[writing-the-end]

WS Chapter 53- The Best and Brightest

Previous Chapter

Masterpost

The Hermits have joined the battle! Now all that’s left are the minesonas, who will be appearing next chapter! Gods it’s really starting to get to the end, huh? So long coming, i hope you guys enjoy it as much as i did writing it!

Red belongs to @theguardiansofredland​

Ecto belongs to @cooler-cactus-block

Selene belongs to @to-dem-stars​ 

“Is...is that a dragon?” Scar looks over his shoulder, following Doc’s gaze to the three standing at the base of Larry. They’ve already gotten to their feet, though the infant in Avon’s arms doesn’t have patches of dirt and grass like the wanderers. 

Stress shoves the boys out of the way, her strength easily knocking Scar off his chair and sending Doc stumbling for purchase. “That is the cutest thing ‘ave ever seen in me life!” 

Jessie squirms, the high pitched squeal alarming on her young ears. The flower crowned hermit surges up to see the baby, vision sparkling as she gazes into the massive eyes of the infant dragon. She only retreats when Jessie decides that Stress’s flowers look delicious to chomp at. Scar and Doc dare to come closer, admiring the baby dragon. Scar looks up, grinning. “It’s good to see you guys came back! How are things in your world?” 

All three wanderers look at each other, then the hermits in front of them. “Actually...we came back here because of that.” 

“I assumed so.” Doc chuckles, patting Jessie and receiving a tail wag in return. For a second, he swears he can hear the dragonet purr. “We don’t normally get visitors unless something has gone horribly wrong.” 

“Which is kinda offensive, if ye ask me.” Stress puts her hands on her hips. “We aren’t that borin’ are we? Next time you three appear, it better be to ‘ave some tea.” 

Red giggles, feeling the stress in his shoulders fall away. The hermits are so open, so friendly. Especially now that they know the wanderers aren’t aliens. They know how to make him feel better, no matter what. “I think we need your help with something big. All of you guys.” 

“All of us?” Scar tilts his head. That’s hard to do, getting all the hermits together to do one big thing. Not even the first day in this new world had everyone- some came here through other means. 

“Yeah, everyone here. Doc, Scar, Impulse, Ren, Grian, Mumbo, Stress, Iskall, Keralis, Xisuma, Tango.” Ecto lists off everyone they’ve met since they first came to this world, rambling on as she remembers each name and runs out of hands to count on. She has to grab Red’s hand to fit Tango.

Stress giggles, which brings a laugh from both boys as well. “That’s not everyone. That's about…. ‘Alf of us.” 

All three of the outsiders are left agape. Jessie wiggles free of Avon’s arms, reaching the ground in a half glide. She takes off into Scar’s village, claws scrabbling against the stone pathway. Avon can only bite her lip, hoping that the misfit village won’t mind a baby dragon poking her snout anywhere she can fit. Red, on the other hand, was more interested in Stress’s words. “There’s more hermits? That many friends?” 

“We’re going to need all of them to do what we need.” Ecto states, looking at the rest of the wanderers' hands. She’s pretty sure double that number is still enough to not need feet. 

“What do you need all of us for? That’s a pretty tall order, getting all of us to stop building and meet up.” Scar scratches his head. He can think of at least five hermits in the middle of confusing redstone projects that require all their time and attention, and more in the zone of grinding out builds. 

“I...think that would be better to explain all at once.” Avon takes off, flying down the path that Jessie took when she hears something crashing in the distance. As she banks past Doc, he hears her mutter something about needing a manual on raising a dragon. 

“Is there anywhere we could all meet? Somewhere everyone could come?” Red questions, rocking innocently as she hears Avon swear in the distance. 

Ecto has never seen such a diverse group in her life. So many unique faces, accents, and attitudes. All as unique and different as the wanderers. All just as weird. 

She still has to get used to the idea that weird is good. But she does like the prideful feeling she gets when she hears that word. Weird isn’t bad. Weird is good, unique and different with another view on the world around them. Weird is wonderful, and everyone here is weird. Everyone here is wonderful. 

Scar was sure to introduce the wanderers to everyone, tucked into the open, expansive office of the Town Hall. He welcomed Impulse and Tango back, singed alongside a new face they called BDubs. Two hermits walk in after, deep in a conversation that is quick to spiral from meaningful to just spitting out big words at each other. One of them is the only hermit in iron armor- even the recovering TFC they met earlier had better gear. From all corners of the Hermiatic sea, and far beyond, the strange group mixes in. xB had the longest travel, but Ecto was quick to notice that most arriving hermits appeared through a nether portal- the same way they traveled to Tango’s base. The last arrival wasn’t any hermit, however. Selene pops in just minutes before the meeting, brushing flecks of purple embers off her cape and scaring the daylights out of Mumbo. 

The wanderers are spread between the hermits. Red sits between Grian and Scar, the three chittering about their favorite wood plank. Ecto leans back in her chair, nearly tipping it over while conversing with Ren and Tango- though she has no clue what they’re saying about redstone (or Ren’s version of redstone), their upbeat attitude matches her mischief all the same. Selene appears in her seat, at the far end of the table with only Mumbo next to her. He tries to strike up conversation, curious about the sorceress’s powers. She entertains his bumbling questions with a hint of a smile. Avon is at the other end of the table, shoving a reluctant Xisuma into standing. Forcing him to make the opening speech. 

“Alright, I know a lot of you guys are wondering why I called everyone here.” He turns his head, looking at Etho next to him. White hair marred with redstone, setting vials and flipping comparators as he listens in. “Sorry about interrupting your work, but...we have some visitors, and I think they need our help.” He turns, immediately scurrying back to his chair and leaving the table open for discussion. 

Quiet murmurs roll across the room. Hermits that know the wanderers are wondering what they could possibly need help with. Hermits that don’t know the new faces are only left to guess who they are. How they got here. Finally, the low roar of conversation is broken up by a wavering voice. Red looks up, twiddling her thumbs as she speaks. “Our world is on the brink of disaster.” 

The entire room goes silent. Red wants to hide, so many faces turned on him. He’s about to leap from his seat and run when Grian and Scar lay friendly touches on his shoulder. From across the table, Red can see his girlfriend give him an encouraging thumbs up. He takes another breath, and stands. “We came here because we need you guys. You’re the best builders, the brightest engineers. And we need everything if we’re possibly going to save our world.” 

“Save it from what?” Zedaph questions, tilting his head to the side. Blonde curls fall across purple eyes. 

“War.” That single word sends shocks across the room. Many hermits remember previous wars among their own ranks. The battle for the mining mesa. The Civil war between team STAR and G-Team. But the way Red hissed that one word, they know it’s something much worse. 

“An army is amassing from the nether.” Avon picks up, keeping one eye on Jessie as she tackles an armor stand in the corner. “They want to destroy everything, invade the overworld and the end. Tip the balance of our world. Ruin life as we know it.” 

“We don’t have an army like them.” Ecto adds, leaning against her elbow and looking down the faces. It’s a mixed bag of concern and confusion. “We have the four of us- and a dragon that can’t even fly. We need more than that. We need clever minds, like what the hermits have.” 

Avon bites her lip, seeing a few of the hermits glance at each other. A silent conversation, a question she knew would be asked. Those that have no reason to trust them, that know nothing about them. She doesn’t blame their hesitation- she would do the same in their place. So when those words cross False’s lips, she’s not surprised. “Why should we help? I’m sorry to be that person but… should we really get into something like this?” 

Other hermits nod, but those that know the wanderers stay silent. They see the change in the otherworldly visitors. Red hiccups for a breath, tears starting to form at the edges of his eyes. Ecto seethes, only being held down by Ren and Tango. Selene’s gaze could cut through obsidian, and Avon’s wings fall to her side. Even Jessie notices the change in the room’s atmosphere, crawling onto the table.

“They killed my family.” Avon whispers, her hands clenching before her. She can still feel the blood seep between her fingers, the sound of Jeane’s dying breath. The horror of Jessie’s egg missing from it’s home in the End.

“They destroyed my home.” Ecto growls, skin prickling as she remembers the ice that clung where Ren and Tango hold her down now. Watching monoliths collapse and die against the freezing wind, biting and sinking icy fangs into everything. 

“They did both.” Red’s voice cracks as it seeps through his lips, falling with tears that run down his face. He can’t see the hermits faces through the strea,, but the dead silence of the room lets him know they are all listening. Dead as the sea, the water that burned his through and struck down Mama Gummi. “They killed everything I love.”

“And they won’t stop there.” Selene stands, startling the hermits. A glare as deadly and beautiful as a wither rose crosses each and every person in the room. Almost every hermit was convinced- she just had to put the nail in the coffin. “What happened to them could have happened to you. Will happen to you if the forces of hell build their own infinity portal. They won’t stop their campaign until the balance has been tipped across all worlds. Until every building, every tree, every flower and animal has burned.” 

No one moves. No one speaks. What is there to say? What can follow that up? Fear and anxiety burns away at Red, watching the crestfallen faces around her, eyes glazed heavy with thought. Inner conversations, hermits weighing their decision. Slowly, one by one, faces rise. Determination set in eyes as a decision is made, a silent nod. Throwing their lot into the battle. 

“Well,” TFC stands, picking up his pickaxe and brushing his hand through his hair. “Let’s not dilly-dally now. We’ve got a world to save.”

#hermitcraft #hermitblr #wandering stars #ecto #avon #red #minesona #mcsona #minecraft persona #tfc #tinfoilchef #xisuma #mumbo jumbo #grianmc #mcyt #rendog #stressmonster101

[hermits-that-craft]

Night AU - Chapter 52 - Arc 2 - Relost

AO3:https://archiveofourown.org/works/23509375/chapters/66540838 I’m sorry it took so long!

“You two are idiots.” Tango laughs breathlessly. “I can’t believe you got away with that.”

“But they did!” Zedaph cheers, smiling.

“Dude shh you’re going to wake up the hermits!” Scar stage whispers, and Cub snorts under his breath. Etho hums a song to himself, listening to Impulse and Scar play catch up with the others. 

“I can’t believe Scar has a god mode but I don’t.” Zedaph whines playfully. “I think I deserve a god mode.”

“I don’t know how to activate god mode though.” Scar says, hanging upside down off his bed. 

“Void nerfed you because you’d be too powerful” Cub says sagely, nodding his head as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“They nerfed you!” Tango cackles, falling off the bed as he laughs. Zedaph and Impulse soon follow suit, either sitting on the floor with Tango or getting dragged off the bed by the other two.

“We’re coming for you Cub!” Zedaph cackles, shuffling towards Cub’s bed. The older men quickly jumps onto his bed, standing on top of it as though his life depended on it. Etho snickers in the corner, watching as Scar is dramatically dragged to the floor by Tango.

“The floor is lava.” The words barely leave Etho’s mouth before the hermits are clinging to beds and fences as though their lives depend on it, all shooting half hearted glares at Etho.

“I thought you were asleep!” Scar says, hanging off of the fence post that the lantern is held up by.

“I didn’t think you could jump that high!” Etho counters, and the group laughs, Scar slowly lowering himself to the ground.

“Well sometimes you just gotta up you know?”

“‘Well sometimes you just gotta up.’” Zedaph quotes. “Wise words from mister GoodtimeswithScar.”

Everyone pauses, dread replacing the joy as their communicators hum in unison. Scar and Impulse both immediately shake their heads, not willing to find out if Doc or Ren are dead, or worse. No one wants to look, to find out the terrible news. To find out if a friend is dead. Killed and respawned, or their body found somewhere. Cub pulls Scar into a comforting hug, though nothing on his face could be described as anything but horrified. Zedaph taps Impulse’s hands gently, grounding the man. Tango looks at Etho, pleading with him to check with his eyes. Etho nods, and Tango lets out a relieved sigh as Etho pulls out his communicator. Horror fills his stomach, fear overtaking his common sense and brain as he reads, and rereads, the notifications. Tears slip out of his eyes, and vomit threatens to force its way out of his throat.

TheJungle has entered the server.

TheJungle: Night, I want the nHo back. I will join you if you give them to me. TheNight: I already have 1/ 4 ready for you. TheJungle: Omw

“Good news and bad news, everyone.” Etho says, his voice soft. “Night doesn’t have Doc or Beef anymore.”

“The bad news?” Tango’s voice sounds like it's traveling through a wall of honey, but Etho swallows, trying to force the fear and tears down his throat.

“The jungle is back.”

---

Iskall and Etho walk along the edge of the shopping district, Iskall quietly testing his new robotic arm. It’s been painted white, and it responds well to his movements, though he leans towards it as he walks. Etho keeps an eye on his, helping him adjust to the new weight.

“It’s kind of funny,” Iskall murmurs. “I just got used to not having the weight of an arm, and now I have to get used to the weight of one again.”

“It’s heavier than a norm- a non-robotic arm.” Etho catches himself, reminding them both that this arm is Iskall’s new normal. “So you’re going to have to get stronger.”

“Are you saying that I’m not strong.” Iskall jokingly asks.

“Yes.” Etho depans, before dodging a punch from the ex assassin. “Am I wrong?”

“Yes! Yes you are wrong!” Iskall pushes Etho gently. “I am amazing and strong and you all are weak compared to me.”

“Yessir.” Etho nods, pushing Iskall back. The pair laugh, turning around the hill before they freeze.

Doc leans on the side of the hill, his eye wide and fearful as he watches Etho and Iskall. His metal arm is gone, wires poking out of the gaping hole in his shoulder where the arm should be. Redstone, or perhaps blood, covers what is left of his lab coat. It’s torn to shreds, there’s barely anything left of the fabric that Doc took such good care of.

“Doc?” Etho asks, his voice quiet. “Doc, are you alright?”

“I need to go back.” Doc sways in the breeze. “I need to get Ren out. Oh Void, they’re going to slaughter Ren.”

“Doc you’re not making any sense.” Etho says, slowly walking towards his friend. Iskall looks at his new arm, frowning as his gaze hits the claps. “I’m sure Ren is going to be-”

“Take my arm.” Iskall says, his hand undoing one of the claps. “Get Ren back.”

“Iskall-”

“Get my friend back, Doc.” Iskall struggles with the arm, Doc helping his detach it from his body. Iskall helps Doc to attach it to his arm, Etho spluttering in the background. Etho watches and Doc pulls Iskall into a hug, a tear falling from his eye.

“I will. I’ll get Ren back.” Doc promises. 

Iskall leans against Etho as Doc flies off, a stray tear falling from his eye. Etho gently rubs his shoulder, humming to Iskall as the man struggles to contain his fear. Etho doesn’t - Etho won’t let Iskall relapse, he promised the other hermits that this would be good, healthy for Iskall. He won’t let Iskall lose himself.

Rendog burnt to death fighting Docm77 

---

They footsteps echo down the hallway, bare feet hitting the stone floors. It’s angering, this base in their domain - Night control the End and the Nether, surely they could have built a base in one of those. In any case, Night has an offer that he cannot refuse. Her long hair is in a braid, and she prides herself on knowing that she will confuse her father's sibling.

“Jungle, welcome.” Night says, their mask cracked. They look deranged, perfectly matching Jungle’s emotions. “I assume you are here to collect your players?”

“I will work for you until I get all of them back.” Jungle smiles, making sure that it’s just too wide. They scan the room, spying Beef and Doc. Two of their players. “I thought you only had one.”

“I had to lull the hermits into a false sense of security. I wanted to make them think that Experiment escaped.” Night nods to Doc, and Jungle turns his gaze to the man. 

It’s so, so painfully clear he’s scared. They can smell it on him. But he isn’t fighting Night’s control - or maybe he’s too weak to escape it. The fear only serves to break the two men further. Fear radiates off of the two men, though it’s clear that the stars that Night replaced them with are confused by their hosts’ fear. 

Perfect.

They can’t wait to bury these men in bedrock and vines.

---

“Dad?” Grian asks quietly, his eyes wide. Builder reads over the notification. Once. Twice, before he sighs. “What are we going to do?”

“I need to get something from the godly realm.” Builder says, standing slowly. Xisuma blinks, watching the god with distrust. “Something to counter Jungle.”

“Oh!” Grian lights up a small amount, and Cleo looks to the corner of the room, her mouth open as though she’s going to ask it something, “Are you getting Althea and Ella?”

“Who?” Joe asks, sitting on the table.

“My sisters.” Grian says without second thought.

“His daughters.” Rose points to Builder. “The goddess of Mushroom Islands and the goddess of roofed forests.”

Builder nods, before disappearing into the air. Xisuma wraps his arms around himself, his knees hitting his chest. Scar pats his back sympathetically, and Xisuma sighs.

“I can’t keep anyone out of here, can I?” Xisuma mumbles.

“You’re trying your hardest.” Scar says, smiling. “That’s all that matters.”

Rose summons some magic, using it to clear some of the dusk off of the higher shelves in the room. Cleo starts mumbling to herself, and everyone except Joe and Rose give her worried looks as she addresses her ramblings to Amari.

Three buzzes echo from the communicators, and Builder enters the room with two women. One of the wears a red cloak, a white dress and a brown leather corset, knives and potions hanging from it. The other women wears a simple red dress, her hair in a bob around her head, though she wears sturdy leather boots.

“You must be Xisuma!” The one in the red dress smiles, shaking his hand. “I love how you used my domain for the shopping district, It’s always nice to see people settle here!”

“Uhh, Althea you might want to introduce yourself-” The other, Ella, says, patting her back. “In any case, I want to beat up our sinling. Where the fuck are they?”

---

Amari watches over the group, as everyone settles in for the night. She refuses to allow herself to show to the mortals, and though Etho, Keralis and Cleo are kind and promise that the mortals would get used to her, she refuses to give them another reason to fear. She leaves the barracks, walking over to a small room that overlooks the shops. They glow against the night sky.

“Hello Madam Amari.” Joe Hills says, and Amari turns her head, surprised. “I assume you’re here, this is the nicest view in the building, though if you aren’t here I assume I look insane.”

Amari smiles, knowing that Mr Hills says this as he enters every room. Perhaps she’ll give him the sight, for being kind to her and her wards. Void only knows that kind eccentric people deserve a power that is from an unknown blessing, and prophecy is so very over used.

#the night au #Night Au #hermitcraft #fic

[prismarine-parrots]

Grian (Short Story)

I don't count this as angst because it's really technically not but it's going to be interesting to see reactions >:3

The pressure of the cable connected to the back of his neck disappeared and he immediately started his usual startup procedure. He found that the codes running through his mind before he really woke up was much smoother- but also more complicated than he remembered... even if that wasn't much more than a feeling since he wasn't technically conscious yet.

"You alright there?"

He slowly sat up before releasing a breath. He felt so loose? He had never been able to do that before.

"How do you feel?"

"...Loose. Flimsy," his voice was soft, barely a whisper- how? He had always only had one tone.

"Yeah, welcome to your muscles actually communicating with your brain. Amazing how then human body is when you're actually functioning. Now get up, I'll teach you the basics. You have a lot to learn before you can completely your half of the deal. I hope that three weeks straight of completely rewriting your shoddy code was worth it."

NPC Grian's eyes finally focussed to see the person he had made the deal with for this to be possible. Glancing down, seeing his body laying on the bed, then seeing his savior sitting looking bored in his rolling chair.

He held up a hand and wiggled his fingers. He had never had this type of maneuverability- it was strange. It was foreign. It was a miracle.

NPC Grian grinned.

Objective set.

—————

Grian was sitting in the cool shade of the Sahara storefront. They had recently installed a noteblock loop playing some soothing music and tables and chairs and a café in the previously-empty space up top, and the mass amounts of white concrete and large windows kept the inside of the building cool in the rising summer heat.

Grian didn't have much to do today- the building of Sahara was done, his latest advertising campaign had been completed, his base was finished except for the spur-of-the-moment interior builds, and all of his friends and current collabs were offline. He decided for once to just take it slow and chill instead of be going, going, going with his chaotic energy.

He took a long, slow sip of his tea- really just heated water with crushed flowers and a couple of flavorings, but it was still good. He closed his eyes, content with the peaceful quiet that surrounded him.

But suddenly Grian got shivers down his back. His soft smile fell as his eyes snapped open and body froze. Nothing has changed, as far as he could tell, yet something felt wrong and all his half-developed survival instincts were on high alert.

"Hello?" Grian called out. He set his cup of tea down and rested his hand above his phone in case he needed to pull out a weapon from the virtual inventory.

The Sahara Café stayed silent.

Grian realized that it was too quiet- the noteblocks has stopped playing.

But the noteblocks were looped.

"Whoever's here, this isn't funny..." Grian called. He didn't want to look down and check the player list to see if one of the redstone pranksters were online. He slowly stood up, waiting for someone to make themselves known and announce that they got Grian good and then continue on with whatever they needed from the builder.

There was a slurp sound from behind Grian. He spun around, only to be met with a face way to close for comfort- an evil smile and malicious glint in his red eyes.

Grian nearly screamed.

"YOU—?!"

Then there was a whoosh and something hit Grian in the head. He crumpled to the ground, dazed and disoriented. He tried to get up, but his limbs wouldn't respond.

"N... no... I won't..."

A rough cloth of darkness consumed his blurry vision, and Grian irritatedly realized they had tied a sack over his head like a cliche kidnapper.

He tried to stay conscious and to fight back, but his arms only slapped the ground pitifully instead of push himself up and his legs only stubbed his toes instead of kick the double. He felt his wrists be tied together and his entire body be picked up.

Grian's head knocked against something in the sudden movement he was blind to. Despite his clever skills and fast wits, they were useless when he was out like a light.

—————

Iskall had noticed something weird going on with Grian for the past few weeks.

It wasn't obvious, but little things. The way Grian would freeze and his eyes would go hazy for a second or two before he continued with whatever he was doing. The way his normally lively movements recently seemed a lot more controlled and calculated. There was rarely that little hop Grian did when he was excited, or the skipping while he walked with someone to a new location. But he sounded fine, and acted normally- flew with mass amounts of rockets, danced with parrots, hummed some of his little ditties from the beginning of the season. Iskall had brought it up with Mumbo, but Grian's closest friend hadn't seen anything out of the ordinary.

So Iskall hadn't brought it up again. As much as he wanted to let it go and allow himself to assume that he was over analyzing things, his gut wouldn't let him. Something just didn't feel right about Grian- which was weird, because usually nothing felt completely normal with that little gremlin.

Iskall was fixing up the Sahara ordering system to connect Mumbo's item transport tube as he was finishing that up. He had just finished recording the clip that would go before this when he got a text from... the War Talk channel on their communications?

DocM77: is Grian alright? He just asked me what kind of a blank space he's in and if it's a war prank

Zombiecleo: the war is over? It has been for a while?

DocM77: which is why I'm concerned

ImpulseSV: where is he? I don't know of any reason he'd be at the war zone, but maybe he sprang a leftover trap like he did with that TNT right after the war ended

DocM77: he says Sahara???????

Iskall looked up and in the direction of the warehouse. He quickly put two and two together, and his doubts were basically confirmed as he realized his bad feeling may actually be right.

Iskall85: there's an infinity room in Sahara. He built it. I think something's up with Grian.

DocM77: so then why is he confused about being in one of his own pranks?

Iskall put his phone away and crawled out of the hole to the redstone and took the elevator up the second floor and marched out the path to the warehouse. Along the way he passed Mumbo and called out to him.

"Mumbo! We need to go interrogate Grian, you're coming with me!"

"What? Why?"

"Just come."

Iskall took no time in leading Mumbo to the main meeting room and telling him to sit down before sitting in Grian's chair and reaching over the armrest to hit the button. The duo fell from their seats and into the infinity room, where Grian was curled on the floor with wide eyes.

"Grian?! What happened?!" Mumbo demanded and immediately dropped to his knees.

"I- I don't- all white, no difference— does not compute—" Grian stuttererd fearfully. Mumbo had a confused look cross his face as he hesitated in helping Grian up for a moment.

"It's just your infinity room. You build this yourself?"

Iskall narrowed his eyes at Grian's panicked face as the builder immediately tried to get himself together.

"I-I...? I mean, yeah. I just, uh, woke up here and was confused. I thought I had died or something crazy," the strawberry blonde chuckled awkwardly, pushing himself away from Mumbo.

The mustached man and the Swede shared a concerned look.

"Now, how do we get out of here...?" Grian asked, looking around and infinite walls nervously.

Mumbo gestured to Iskall, tapping at a nonexistent phone, before pointing to Grian who as looking away and covering his eyes, then pointing to himself.

What the heck? Was Iskall's first response, before he realized that Mumbo was trying to say. Text the others, he'll try to restrain him or something.

And so Iskall did that while Mumbo talked to Grian, pretending to feel around the walls for a hidden button or something before Iskall got a confirmation that the other hermits were coming and Mumbo "accidentally" fell down the hole in the floor to the sub-infinity room. Iskall feigned surprise and jumped down with him, and then they called up to Grian to tell him it was safe to come to come down and that there was an exit down here.

"When he comes down, we wait for him to bounce and then we grab him," Iskall planned under his breath.

"Are you sure we need to be that drastic? This IS Grian," Mumbo questioned.

"Who was scared out of his mind in his own infinity room? I've been seeing other weird things about him. I'm getting to the bottom of this," the Swede growled. He knew on the inside he was trying to hide his worry with aggression, but that feeling of wrongness was only growing stronger each minute something was wrong with Grian.

The builder bounced down and after disappearing through the white ceiling a couple of times, Iskall lunged and tackled Grian to the spongy ground.

"Ah! Iskall! What the heck?!"

"Alright, game's over, what's up, Grian? Why you acting weird?"

"Nothing's wrong with me! I'm fine!"

"I think I'm with Iskall in this one, Gri. Something is wrong. The war has been over for a couple months now, and you made the infinity room maps forever ago. How could you forget? I... I don't know, Gri, and I'm scared to find out what else you've been hiding from us that's not normal," Mumbo said quietly. Grian looked over his shoulder at his friends. Iskall cringed inwardly at the shocked look on Grian's face, but he held firm, knowing that Mumbo would cave in before the issue was solved.

"Let's head up, the others should be meeting us upstairs." Mumbo suggested nervously.

Iskall nodded and held Grian's hands behind his back and lead him up the water column to the normal part of Sahara. There were some of the other hermits wandering the warehouse- Doc, Cleo, Impulse and Tango.

"Grian! Iskall? What's going on?" Tango asked.

"Grian's acting up, and I don't trust it," Iskall summarized.

"This is completely uncalled for..." Grian muttered. Tango, Mumbo, and Cleo all seemed to agree. 

"Grian is our friend, Iskall. No need to put him in in handcuffs!"  Cleo exclaimed. 

Iskall shook his head. "I just... I don't trust him right now. Things don't make any sense."

"Give the man a chance to explain himself? Maybe he hit his head or something and has amnesia..." Tango offered.

"Don't give him an excuse to get out of this!" Iskall snapped. Grian had been rather quiet this entire time, and the Swede didn't like it. Another thing out of character for him. Normal Grian would have been yelling his head off right about now. 

Doc's good eye was narrowed and he was glaring at either Iskall or Grian, it was hard to tell. 

"Iskall, let him go." 

Doc's voice was dangerously low and steady, and for once the hitman actually listened to the hybrid scientists. Grian immediately stepped away from Iskall, shaken eyes glancing over his shoulder...

Only to walk into a headlock by Doc. 

"HEY!"

"Doc, what are you doing?!"

"Stop it! You're choking him!"

The two were on the ground and the others had jumped back while Grian struggled weakly against Doc's green arm and the creeper hybrid pinned him to the ground. Iskall rushed forward and pulled against Doc.

"Doc! Let him go! Too far dude! I was just being yelled at, now you're going past me!"

Doc sat back and released Grian's throat and the builder immediately gasped for air. 

"What the heck, man?!"

Doc's face was neutral. "I don't think Grian has an LED in the back of his head," he announced firmly. 

This caught everyone's attention. 

"What...?" Cleo breathed and slowly approached the mess of limbs. 

Iskall hesitantly glanced over Doc's shoulder, feeling like this was an invasion of privacy but also a needed investigation. 

Indeed, there was a red glowing LED light, along with a single small port lined with silver, just under the hem of Grian's sweater.

"What in the world?" Tango asked, suddenly turning to Grian. The strawberry blonde hadn't moved further, as if he weren't sure how to react beyond this point. Tango kneeled by Grian's face. "What's going on, Grian?"

The demon then jumped back in surprise and Iskall reached out to instinctively help him. Tango's red eyes were wide and arms pressed against his chest as if pulling away from something disgusting. 

"Red eyes?!"

Cleo's head shot up. "But isn't that only a demonic trait?"

Tango nodded while Mumbo slowly drew a distressed breath. 

"That's not Grian... That's NPC Grian... I'd only heard about him once before..." the redstoner explained slowly, not taking his wide eyes off their false friend. 

Iskall watched as "NPC Grian" suddenly threw Doc off him as if it were nothing (which was no small feat) and got to his feet. He scanned the gathered hermits and Iskall shivered as he made eye contact with unnerving red eyes on his usually-chipper friend.  They were bright and calculating and malicious and excited, nothing like the soulful dark-brown-almost-to-the-point-of-black that belonged to Grian.

"Finally, I've been so bored of pretending to be that organic version of me. Grian is so boring! All he does is yell and cry and try to talk to me. And all he ever seems to do here is fly and build and talk. Does no one appreciate calculated thinking time anymore? But I'll admit, with a fully-organic body, one needs a lot more time to function than basing everything on numbers. Anyhow, I should really be going, I need to catch up with some friends..." 

NPC Grian casually waved and turned on his heels to walk out. 

"Get him!" Cleo yelled and chased after the false Grian. Doc was already a step ahead and was aiming his electified trident at the fleeing figure and Tango seemed to be chanting in something or another- Iskall honestly had no idea. He didn't have any idea of what to think of any of this.

Mumbo slowly turned to the last Architech with genuine fear.

"Iskall, if that's not Grian..."

"Then where is he?"

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

Word count: 2430

This turned out longer than I thought it was going to. It's also very stiff and awkward :/

And I'm not doing a part two :P but if someone wants and ending bad enough, go ahead and make up your own!

#hermitcraft #becca writes #grian #npc grian #mumbojumbo #iskall85 #docm77 #tangotek #zombiecleo #cliffhanger

[rendiggitydog]

Blast From the Past

The start of a mini-series!

-Chapter 1/7-

The blast from town center sent a shockwave across the whole world, sending the hermits into a frenzy. Almost instantly, the group chat was flooded with messages, and hermits flew from all corners to the scene.

A large crater had appeared in the shopping district, in front of the statues of Tango and Cub. The smoke was still clearing as everyone peered over the edges of the hole.

Xisuma, feeling confident his armor could protect him from possible foreign substances, slid down the sides of the pit, hopping over rocks as he made his way to the center. The smoke began clearing, and a figure could be seen lying in the rubble.

"Hello?" X called cautiously. "Are you alive?"

"I'm real knackered..." The figure sat up slowly, revealing himself to the onlooking group. He sported a big black moustache, with messy back hair that brushed the tops of his ears. His shirt evidently used to be blue, but wasn't anymore, and his jeans weren't much better. His shoes looked nearly worn through on the soles. With wide eyes, he observed the large group watching, and then turned to X. "Where did- how- who are you?"

"My name is Xisuma, what's yours? Where do you hail from?"

"Name's MJ. I think I got too buzzed, this is a wild fever dream..." He glanced at the group peering over the side of the hole, and examined X's armor with skepticism. "You'd think I was a swigger, the things I'm imagining..."

"You aren't imagining anything. This is Hermitcraft! We all live together and have fun. Shall we climb out of this hole, then?"

The pair made their way out of the crater, where Joe met them with a glint in his eye, but a worried expression. "Howdy MJ. It sounds like you're from the 1950's, am I right?"

"Yeah, '51. Ya make it sound like it isn't '51?" MJ wrung his hands.

"No, it's 2019. How bizarre..." X mused.

MJ ran jittery fingers through his hair. "Man, this blows. I don't- and there's- colors everywhere, and- and you're all just like me-"

"I mean, I don't exactly look like you," Doc chuckled.

"Nah, you don't get it. Where I'm from, I'm it. Sometimes ya run into a pig- a creeper if you're unlucky, but that's it. The whole world is grass and trees, as far as the Farlands. It's quiet, being the only one... aware." MJ went quiet, rubbing his arm.

"So you live in a Classic world... How interesting..." X began pacing unconsciously.

"Are you sure it's Classic? He knows creepers, weren't they added in Indev?" Joe quizzed.

"Nope, Classic. Depends on the version, but he probably knows pigs, sheep, zombies, skeletons, spiders and creepers."

MJ nodded at the only words he understood in their conversation. He was still fairly certain he was dreaming.

"Also, he's using 1950's American slang in a British accent- that error was removed in early Indev."

X nodded quickly. "You're right, I forgot about that."

"Can we all get to bed? We don't want phantoms killing MJ, who knows where he would respawn." Scar pulled out a couple beds, which hermits promptly hopped into.

"Phantoms? Why we gotta sleep? Are The Phantoms a gang?" MJ asked quickly as the rest of the hermits led him to the Stax-4-Stax Tavern.

"The longer you go without sleep, the more phantoms spawn, and they're deadly." Grian explained. "When was the last time you slept?"

"....never?" MJ watched the dark sky anxiously.

"Oh yeah... Let's get inside, quick!" Grian shoved him inside. The phantoms screeched, making Grian chuckle and MJ shudder.

—

The next morning, MJ was full of chaos and concern. Now fully rested for the first time in his life, he began to realize his situation. He anxiously danced around the small room of sleeping hermits for a few minutes, before he mustered enough courage to creep out the front door.

There was so much color in this strange world- even the grass looked different from what he knew. His head spun on a swivel as he took in everything he possibly could.

He started low, running his fingers through the long grass and smelling the colorful flowers scattered across the ground in front of the building. A chicken wandered across his path, so he decided to follow it wherever it went.

The chicken, followed by an intent MJ, meandered to the shore by the ocean, which MJ noted, was filled with seaweed and assorted swimming creatures.

As they wandered further inland, MJ drifted away from his chicken guide, stunned by the variety of blocks in the buildings towering around him. He poked his head into a red striped building, but ducked out just as quickly when he couldn't name the shiny blue rocks or cylinders in the wooden boxes.

As he stepped out, however, something shot over his head with a loud explosion, sending him to the floor in a panic. The creepers were in the air, too?

"Heya! Enjoying my store?" A man fell out of the sky holding one of the striped cylinders. His hair was golden and shimmered in the light, along with his bright red eyes. His ears and teeth were pointy, and his combat boots completed the intimidating look. "What are you doing on the ground?"

MJ glanced around carefully, motioning the man to crouch down next to him. "There are creepers flying around here!"

The man gave him a blank stare, then laughed, standing up again. "Oh man, that's priceless! You mean me? Using a rocket to fly?" He pulled out a so-called rocket, and it exploded in his face, sending MJ into another fit of shakes. "It's okay, they're harmless!"

"You can fly?" MJ asked cautiously, afraid the answer might include more explosions.

"Let me show you!" The man crouched down, preparing another rocket, but stopped when he saw MJ's petrified expression. "Well, maybe we should start smaller. How about the Cherry Store?"

The man, who MJ learned was named Tango, lead him patiently to another store, this one made of wood. Wood was more familiar to MJ, although this wood looked entirely different to what he was used to.

"Look, this stuff is called redstone," Tango explained, displaying a nicely packaged bag of redstone, ready to be purchased. "You can make lots of hardware with it, which you can use to make machines!"

MJ opened the bag, running his finger through the red dust. Some of it sparked, glowing slightly. "What can you make with the parts?"

"Well, you can start small with an automatic fish farm, or you can build an iron titan, or you can make something like Sahara! Let me show you, it's super cool!"

Excited again, Tango led the way to Sahara, a large building in the side of the hill. After showing MJ the interface, they staircased up to the second level to get a look at the modules.

"Iskall made all of these himself- crazy, right? Grian tried to help, but he's definitely the builder of the Architechs," Tango laughed.

MJ walked down an aisle, marveling at the large machines. They were made of small parts MJ couldn't name, but he knew they were made of redstone. It was all incredible, but MJ didn't understand a bit of it- he considered himself more of a builder anyway.

"Oi! Trespassers!" Grian, as MJ remembered from yesterday, soared through a broken window. He smoothed his wild sandy-blond hair, a wide grin across his face.

"Don't mind us! I'm just showing MJ around!" Tango waved.

"Oh! You should come see my base, MJ! It's super cool!" Grian bounced excitedly. He had a lot of energy, MJ gave him that. Not usually his cup of tea in friendships, but beggars can't be choosers.

"I'll leave you two to it then! Xisuma wanted me to work on some code with him today anyway. See ya!" Tango flew away with another explosion, causing MJ to jump.

"Hm, I suppose you're not much of a flyer, huh?" Grian observed. MJ simply shook his head. "Guess we'll boat over!"

MJ carefully stepped into the boat Grian made, with Grian clambering in after him. They rowed out into the bay, MJ watching as the shore faded into a shimmer at the horizon. "Here we are!"

MJ turned around and was stunned by the white building towering over them. Grian hopped out of the boat onto a glass bridge, motioning MJ to follow. He carefully did so, being sure his shoes were dry enough that he wouldn't slip.

"This is my base! Sorry it's kind of a mess, I have a chest monster problem," Grian giggled and soared down into the center of the tower. He rifled through a couple of the chests (as MJ had just learned they were called) and flew back to MJ with arms full of mysterious items. "Here's a starter kit!"

Grian tossed the items on the floor and sorted through them, giving MJ a run-down. "So that's full iron tools and armor, a stack of golden carrots, a stack of torches, and an elytra with rockets to get you started! Does that look alright to you?"

MJ nodded, entranced by the items- especially the strange golden carrots.

"...You don't talk much, do you?" Grian stared into his eyes. Despite his brown eyes being almost black, they sparkled with love and innocence.

MJ cleared his throat. "Ah, I guess I'm still feeling a lil buzzed from... however I got here." He shrugged, carefully picking up the gifted items.

Grian opened and closed his mouth several times, and then settled with a confused smile. It looked strange on his usually-energetic face. "Feel free to set up your base anywhere that's open. If you have any questions, don't be afraid to text anyone." He handed a small black box to MJ, which he held with reverence. "It's a phone- just press the name of who ever you wanna talk to."

"Thanks," MJ hesitated. "By chance are you a greaser? You don't have any beef, do ya?"

Grian cocked an eyebrow. "Maybe? You won't need any beef though, the golden carrots are way better for your health."

"...are you booted, dog?"

Grian blinked. "I think you have different slang in Classic, because I don't know what that means..."

"My bad. Just, nevermind. I'll leave ya to it. Thanks for the setup!" MJ, embarrassed, hopped in his boat and paddled off, avoiding eye contact with Grian. The guy was weird to say the least- MJ wondered if that was why he lived in the ocean alone. Hopefully he hadn't killed his reputation by talking to Grian, and he could find a more helpful person tomorrow...

#rae writes #blast from the past #grian #xisuma #hermitcraft #joe hills #docm #goodtimeswithscar #tangotek #mumbo jumbo #dont worry the 50's slang eases up a couple chapters in #lol

[triple-a-enderdragon]

How many times can you say the clock is ticking? Because now it’s

TWO MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT

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Biffa was living. The rush of battle was one he'd missed, even if he had felt it not that long ago. It was too long, in his opinion. He never thought it was fair that Python and especially Iskall got to face world hoppers. But at the same time, he trusted False's judgment enough to follow her direction. The thrill of the fights she did leave to him were well worth it.

In his anticipation for the next skirmish, he almost missed False's signal, pointing him to where their target was.

Landing in the torch-lit clearing, Biffa took in two things: Grian was alive, if a bit worse for wear; and his assailant had their back exposed. Swiftly crossing the clearing, he laid into the intruder, leaving a deep rent in their back. Biffa was a bit surprised they didn't drop, and followed through with a vicious blow to the head. That did the trick.

"Grian." False had also crossed the clearing to check on the builder. "Are you badly hurt?"

"Nothing that's too serious. I'd managed to avoid most of it," Grian said, checking himself over. Sure enough, he had a cut on his left arm and a nasty bruise developing on one cheek.

False gingerly brushed the bruise. "You took a head blow," she said. "A visit to Joe, if he's still awake, would be a good idea. When you're done with that, Impulse wants you to go to Tango's base."

"Tango's base? Did he say why?"

"He did not. I'm sure you'll find out when you get there."

Biffa interrupted them. "It's gotten dark. Mobs will start spawning, and I don't want to be here when they do."

False looked at him, amused. "You had no problem fighting just now."

"Yes, against a limited foe." Biffa looked her in the eye. "I remember the dangers of a hardcore world, mobs being the biggest one." He knew she did too. She nodded and wordlessly took to the skies, leaving Grian and Biffa to follow.

~~~

"Well, I would advise you from doing anything too ridiculous, but I've heard what you have to do tomorrow. Ridiculous definitely, even a bit cliché." Joe looked at Grian, then at Cub. "Then again, we can't have Concorp at half capacity, can we? Besides, I do want to see this for myself, seems delightfully absurd."

Grian looked a little confused, though it may have been the head injury. "What about Xisuma?"

Joe raised one eyebrow. Confused enough to say X's name more-or-less right. "Right! Can't forget about him. Anyway, I'm sure you're needed elsewhere to restore balance to the scales," he said as he herded Grian out of the Ministry. "Thanks for stopping by, Grian. It can get lonely with only the undead and the actual dead as company."

"Is Cleo the only one visiting? Shouldn't you get out more?"

"I understand your concern, but— while I'm no Scar— I'm no stranger to death. I'd rather stay in relative safety until I can risk being surprised by a creeper again."

Watching Grian go, Joe's thoughts wandered to a certain person intimately linked to death. He would have to see if Cleo was interested in watching what would unfold. And, Joe admitted, he would be too scared to do so alone.

~~~

There was only so much of the Nether that Python was willing to take at one time, and he felt he was getting mighty close to that limit. He'd already spent quite a bit of time gathering quartz for his ambitious builds in Tower Bay over the last few months.

Gathering quartz turned out to be the distraction he and Iskall set out for themselves. Keeping a watch on the temperature, they were able to ignore the frustration and unease with their situation. A careful trip to the gold farm kept their gear and tools in top shape. Food was not yet a concern, water was managed through the careful melting of ice.

The pigmen turned out to be less of a threat than the two thought; the hostiles still swarmed on sight, but always seemed to get distracted long enough for Iskall and Python to make a hasty escape.

So they mined quartz. Hours passed, with rests intermittent, before they found another problem.

Iskall was in front of the array of double chests, laden with quartz, trying to find space for the latest haul. He wasn't finding any. Rubbing his left eye, he walked to his ender chest and started looking for some wood. Which he didn't find. He looked at Python, also rummaging around his ender chest. "Python?" he asked.

"Hm?"

"You have any wood, by chance? I'm all out, and I need some for more chests."

Python's rummaging increased, shulker boxes opening and closing, before he said, "No, sorry man. I'm out as well."

"Dang it! I guess I'll be carrying around a bunch of quartz."

"You don't have any empty shulker boxes, or any empty spaces, at least?"

Iskall scanned his ender chest again. "Well, there's a bit of space, but still not enough. Ah, that's fine, at least I have some inventory space now," he said as he put the now full shulker box into his ender chest.

"If you're up for it, we should take one last trip to the gold farm," Python said. "Some of my gear's running low."

Iskall, feeling a headache coming on, said the wrong thing. "Yeah, I'm up for it."

~~~

Tango spent almost an hour, pacing his base, listening for the rockets that would signal Grian's approach. Since he and Impulse learned where the winged man was, they were on edge; even more than they already were. It wasn't until Grian landed in front of him with nary a whisper, startling him to the high heavens, that Tango remembered.

"Grian! You can't do that to me, man! Give a hoot or something, you about gave me a heart attack!"

"Sorry about that; I forget how silently I fly now," Grian said sheepishly.

"It certainly woke me up." Tango was about to brief Grian, but he saw the colorful bruise Grian was sporting. "Oh, ow. That looks like it hurts. Didn't get out of the skirmish unscathed, huh?"

Grian poked at the bruise, wincing. "No, but frankly, I'm lucky it's not worse. By the way, what are we doing? It has something to do with the Nether, I hope?"

At this, Tango was all business. "Yes. The thing we need is at X's base, coincidentally. Stress and TFC are already there."

"What's going to happen?"

"Honestly? I have no idea. I'm just going with the flow here, man." Tango was very unsure of himself, but continued, "When it gets down to it, I'll know."

As they look to the skies, Grian looked unconvinced.

~~~

If anyone was near the stock exchange, they would have heard shouting. A lot of it. As it happened, "anyone" turned out to be Mumbo, heading to the shopping district for some last-minute supplies.

He stuck his head into the station and, in between the bursts of surprisingly expletive-free fury, said, "Doc? You ok in here?"

A pause, a concerning crash, and Doc huffed his way into view. "Everything's fine."

Mumbo didn't take his hint and came closer, hopping the turnstile easily. "It doesn't sound like it. Besides, I asked if you were ok, and you didn't answer."

If looks could kill, the redstone contraption in the corner would have exploded. Mumbo briefly wondered if, with a few tweaks, Doc's eye could produce that effect. Or something similar. But it didn't, and the redstone build stayed in one piece. Doc sighed and walked over to an overturned shulker box spilling comparators, droppers, and other redstone bits and bobs over the floor.

As he shoved all the items back in the shulker box, he said, "Something is going on. Something's happening to me." He pointed at the build in the corner. "You know what that's supposed to be?"

Mumbo walked over to it and inspected the innards of it. Not even half a minute had passed before he answered, "I would think it would produce a sort of vending machine effect. Is that what you were going for?"

"Yes! It's supposed to dispense one stack of ender pearls or cookies when a diamond is deposited, but something is always wrong. Either the wrong item is dispensed, the wrong amount is, nothing happens; I know what's wrong each time. I fix it each time. But something else always pops up!" After a pause, Doc said, "I don't know what to do, and I'm at my wit's end here."

Now that Mumbo knew what Doc was trying to achieve, it took him all of a minute to find and fix the problem. He went back in front and said, "Try it now."

Doc put a diamond in the input chest and pressed the ender pearl button. He then stared at Mumbo in resignation as sixteen ender pearls hit him in the chest one by one.

"I guess it works now."

Doc kept staring at him. "What was it?"

"The timing of one repeater was off, giving only a partial stack," Mumbo answered, a bit concerned.

Doc placed a hand on the vending machine, lights flickering on his cybernetics. "I don't understand. Every time I fixed the timings..."

"Well, it's all working now. Really neat design, by the way."

"Heh. Thanks. Are you going to the event happening soon?"

"Yeah," Mumbo said, "I have to really see this stuff to believe it; this whole Elemental thing. I would say it's exciting, but..." He stopped. "Anyway, are you going?"

"No. I've got a bad feeling about it. Besides, I have," Doc looked down the tunnel, "other things to do."

"Well, good luck with those. Hopefully, they're not as stubborn as the vending machine," Mumbo said as he prepared to leave. "I'll see you around, mate."

As he left, he saw a curious scene: Doc, standing in the middle of the rail line, didn't seem to hear him. Staring down the tunnel, he was muttering and scratching his right arm. Mumbo didn't know what to make of it, and so took his leave.

Shopping driven from his mind, he had somewhere to be.

"Something's happening to me."

~~~

Getting to the gold farm was never as bad as getting back from it. Every hermit had forgotten to reequip their elytra at least once, some more than others.

Knowing this, Iskall and Python took extra care to double and triple check, to cross-verify, that both had their elytra equipt.

However, every time Iskall went to descend, something stopped him. He couldn't really explain it, like some internal force keeping him rooted to one spot. And the fear. There was nothing to be afraid of, he knew. He could hear the distant sound of Python, next to him, trying to get his attention. But it wasn't as loud as the voice.

Do not jump.

Iskall never saw the ghast.

~~~

Impulse was waiting; if you could call it that. Grian and Tango had arrived about an hour ago, and the latter said he needed to wait for the sun's zenith before he could continue. Impulse had asked what the zenith had to do with anything, Tango couldn't answer him. Said it was a 'gut feeling'. And since Impulse couldn't speed up the sun, he waited.

Various hermits had filtered in over the past hour. Zedaph was there, giving much-needed moral support to Impulse and Tango. False and Wels were ready to jump into X's Nether portal as soon as they were able. Mumbo had given Impulse a thumbs up when he arrived, too anxious to speak.

A few hermits weren't there. Joe, Cleo, and Scar were at the Ministry watching over Cub. Biffa, Jevin, Doc, and Ren all said they weren't coming, and Impulse didn't blame them. If he didn't have to be here, he most likely wouldn't be here.

Impulse heard movement; Tango was showing the other three 'avatars' to their corresponding spots around the altar. Stress to the North, Grian to the East, TFC to the West, and Tango himself to the South. They were interrupted by a buzz from their comms–

iskall85 fell from a high place

–and the world exploded into brilliant diamond blue light.

#hermitcraft #hermitcraftserver #hermitcraft au #time to strike back #ttsb #chapter 8 #chapter eight #two minutes to midnight #grian #biffa2001 #falsesymmetry #joe hills #joehills #tangotek #iskall #iskall85 #python #impulse #docm77 #mumbo jumbo #mumbo #stressmonster #tfc #tinfoilchef #the rest are mentioned #but it wouldn't be worth tagging them #hoo thats a lot of tags #act 1 #act one

[prismarine-parrots]

Tree of Life Pt.5 (1)

Originally posted: 20 Mar. 2019

:)

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

Part 3.5

Part 4

Part 5 (2)

"What is Doc doing again?" Mumbo asked out loud. His phone had been vibrating in his trouser pockets consistently for the past two minutes, most of the messages being from Doc, who had been doing something or another.

"Setting up a beacon on the roof so that there's regen up there for when we try to heal Grian. Most of the other trees have beacons around them and Ren went to go make sure those had regen on them too." Jevin replied, not taking his eyes off the brewing potions.

"He sure is chatty then," Mumbo grumbled and slipped his phone out of his pocket.

<DocM77> Guys, there's phantoms up here

<Rendog> you got it man? I'm too far to help

<DocM77> yeah I think I'm good

<Iskall85> tell me and I'll head back to help

<joehillssays> don't lead them into the base! We don't need any more catastrophes to plague our misfortune

<DocM77> ok maybe I don't got it

<DocM77> he

DocM77 was slain by phantom

DocM77 died.

Mumbo stared at the message on the screen.

"Doc is gone too," he said blankly.

Jevin looked over from setting up the next brewing stand. "No way!"

"Phantom got him," Mumbo informed. Jevin's shocked expression hardened and he silently glared at the potions with a misplaced fury.

There was a disparaging silence throughout the base as this fact set in.

Mumbo sighed wearily and looked out at the night sky over the ocean around Grian's base. He had stayed behind after the first deaths, both of which happened within the first twenty-four of Grian's. TFC has been in his bunker when he died, so no one had thought that he might have been in trouble until the death message appeared on their phones. Jevin had come in panicked halfway through a serverwide meeting saying that he was late because Wels had fallen ill and wasn't waking up, and just as soon as they got back to the medieval/industrial district border, their phones went off. False hadn't seemed to have been affected at first, but as the hermits were gathering supplies to go on a journey to look for a cure she had fallen to the ground, dropped dead. After that the remaining hermits had left across the ocean and Mumbo had been left to watch over the others. It had been depressing, watching his phone, because at any moment there could have been another death message meaning that they had lost another hermit. Zedaph and xbCrafted, who had joined the server randomly, both died as well. When this finally happened with Scar, Mumbo had been crushed, because then all the optimists were gone and it seemed like a hopeless mission. Soon after, Cub returned to Mumbo's base and the redstoner had been attempting to comfort him as well as keep and eye on everything else going on while the rest of the server was away. There were death messages for Tango and Python, and while that had been the last of it, Xisuma was now ill after Evil X (WHY did they decide to work with that guy?) died and the glitch started working on him as well.

Now the travelers had returned and they were all waiting around Grian's base, as it had the most space and was closest to the center of the server AKA the shopping district. They were occupying the upper floors of the wedding cake, as no one could bring themselves to disturb Grian's pale and still body on his bed among the shulker boxes, laid to rest there until they figured out if they could heal him or not and then bury him properly.

The strange bubbling noise from the first brewing stand stopped.

Mumbo and Jevin, the two operating the potions, looked to each other then to the brewing stands.

"They're done!"

"They're done?"

Jevin nearly bounced to the stands and took one of each of the two types of potion in his hands. A potion of harming, and a splash potion of regeneration. The other stands taken from Cub's war store were still bubbling away, but the one set was all they needed for now. The slime man slowly slowly turned with a soft smile and the first hopeful look Mumbo had seen in a while.

"We need to try this ASAP."

Mumbo nodded firmly. "Grian. I'll get the others." He jumped through the hole in the floor to the layer below. "We have something!"

"Have you tried it yet?!" Xisuma immediately demanded. He was slouching against one of the three pillars, helmet off and his skin was clammy and pale, but he was still alert and concerned.

"X, save your strength!" Joe scolded. X rolled his eyes and pushed against the wall, groaning but still able to move.

Mumbo helped X stand up and allowed him to lean on him and they made their way over to the water elevator as Joe called to the others on the other floors and flew up to the aviary as well.

Everyone was gathered around the tree.

"I think Grian's looks the worst of all the ones that I've seen..." Ren sighed worriedly. He had been flying around the server, checking on everyone's trees. He had returned just before Mumbo and Jevin has finished the potions with his report: that most the trees were at various stages of decay. It was only a matter of time before everyone on the server faced this same fate as well. What he found strange though, is that some of the trees of the dead hermits were healthier than some of the living. Zedaph's tree was healthier than Xisuma's, but X was still alive while Zed was not.

Joe was looking spooked. "I can't believe Doc got taken right at the resolution..." he murmured. "What a tragedy this has become, a massacre with no murderer, a-"

Ren huffed. "Joe. Now isn't the time for poetry. Do I look worried? No! When this works on Grian I'm going to go straight to Doc's base and fix him up as well. Everything will be a-okay."

Joe didn't look quite convinced, but stayed silent. There was an awkward moment of quiet as the survivors looked to one another, unsure of what to do next.

"Do we just try it?" Impulse asked.

Cleo shrugged. "I guess so."

Jevin kneeled down next to the decayed red maple and uncorked the potion or harming. The process they were using was basically the same as purifying a zombie villager- use something to weaken the tree, then something to heal it. Instead of a golden apple they were using the healing effect of a beacon and the most powerful regeneration potion they could make.

"I hope this works..." Stress murmured with Iskall nodding beside her.

There was a painful hiss as the harming potion hit the roots of the tree. The entire tree immediately shriveled, although there wasn't much left of it as it was. A few more discolored leaves fell off the barren branches.

Jevin backed up and handed the healing potion to Mumbo.

"I think you should," the slime man explained. Mumbo looked down at the potion before nodding.

"Alright then," the man in the suit uncorked the frail bottle and prepared to throw it. Mumbo looked determined at his target, but paused.

What is this doesn't work? What if it's too late for Grian? What will happen then? What will happen to the others?

"Mumbo, you alright?" Joe asked. Mumbo shook his head.

"Yeah, just... never mind."

The mustached man threw the potion and backed up, not wanting to take any of the effects of the potion. The potion shattered against the truck of the tree, dark pink liquid splattering into the crevices in the bark and the particles erupting from all over. They mixed with the dark red particles and quickly changed to a black, which made the gathered hermits panic, before they changed to a brilliant gold.

Just like that, life returned to Grian's tree. The hermits watched in fascination as brilliant red leaves bloomed from nothing on the branches and the peeling bark healed. The large branches that had fallen off started to regrow, although they also had the rings of scarring that trees had when a limb was cut off. The dead materials still littered the ground, but with joyous relief the humans' forms relaxed at the magic worked.

Where's Grian? Mumbo thought to himself in concern. This is for nothing if Grian isn't back. Please, let him be okay, I just want my friend...

At sea level, someone lurched into a sitting position from their bed and heaved in huge, panicked gasps of air. It felt as if he had been drowning, yet he last remembered nothing of the sort.

In fact, what he last remembered concerned him greatly.

What HAPPENED?!

Without hesitation he leapt onto his bed and bounced slightly, just enough air to launch a firework and shoot through the layers of his base.

"Grian?" Impulse was the first to say the name everyone had been thinking.

"His tree is revived, he should be too," Ren said uncertainly, "and so should every one else. They have to."

Please, please... Mumbo pleaded in his mind. If there is SOME power out there that has caused this, please let it stop. Let Grian and everyone else be alright.

Silence.

A quiet whisper.

Fireworks?

A blur zoomed past through the hole in the roof before disappearing for a moment and diving back down.

Mumbo held his breath, knowing who it was, but still scared that his eyes might be deceiving him.

"Guys! I'm here, what happened?! I remember being sick and then my tree was sick and then you guys- well, some of you- were there and then-"

"GRIAN!" Iskall and Mumbo yelled at the same time and the Swede hugged the builder. Grian laughed and returned the hug and quickly clasped Mumbo on the back.

"I'm here, but can SOMEONE explain to me what happened?? I'm very confused," he announced.

Ren was whooping and Jevin and Xisuma both looked relieved. Cleo hugged Grian as well and Joe was jumping around him, reciting fancy words excitedly so that while no one understood what he was saying, the emotion got across.

"Grian!"

Impulse marched over and punched the builder in the shoulder.

"Ow!" Grian yelped, now gripping his shoulder and glaring at Impulse. "What was that for?"

"One, for pulling this on us. Two, to make sure you were alive. And three-"

"Why wouldn't I be alive? I'm standing right here!"

Impulse clapped Grian on the back with a smile. "Glad to see you alright, man."

"Explain to me please?!"

"I'll explain," Mumbo offered, now smiling from ear to ear, "the rest of us, go grab some potions!"

"Already gone! See you on the other side!" Ren yelled joyfully and dived into Grian's base before shooting up only a few seconds later. The rest of the hermits weren't far behind him, rushing to grab the medicine to help their friends.

"Mumbo, what about Cub?" Iskall asked as he was heading out.

Mumbo gasped. "Right! I'll help him. He's going to be so relieved!"

"What's up with Cub? And Scar? They do everything together?"

"I'll explain on the way, Grian. We're heading to the Country Club."

"We going to go play golf?"

"Nah, I'm heading with the girls to go get False," Iskall informed the other two Architechs, "good luck with Cub! I hope he'll be alright when Scar is back!"

Grian gave Mumbo the most befuddled and mildly concerned look.

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