Writing Championships #5

Cyan Cultists

A soft, comforting melody filled the air, familiar and beautiful. Music danced around a hidden enclosure, notes gone unheard by many, beat gone unfound by everyone but False.

Said hermit was dancing. Blonde hair swayed as she moved with ease, feet following patterns that had been memorized by how many times they had followed the movements.

She had always loved this. Enjoying herself in a secluded area, letting the rhythm take her over and lose herself in the comforting maneuvers. No one could disturb her peace.

At least, that's what she thought.

She was so lost in what she was doing that she didn't hear the footsteps, the soft sounds overwhelmed by the louder music.

"Hey F-" False jumped as she heard a familiar voice behind her. "Oh, am I interrupting something?"

False panicked. "I- uh- I wasn't- what are you- how did you-"

"Woah, woah, woah! Calm down-" The newcomer, who was Cleo, jumped at a bit at False's reaction. "I was just wondering if you had any clay I could grab-"

Cleo's words weren't processed by False, who was stumbling over her own thoughts.

Oh god, she saw me dancing. Oh no what if she laughs at me- what if she- what if she tells everyone else- oh no, no, no- I thought this area was hidden enough- how did she-

"False- are you alright?"

Fuck-

False's thought were running too fast for her to know how to react and Cleo wasn't sure what was wrong.

"False?" She questioned, waving her hand in front of the blonde. "False, you good?"

False breathed out, she hadn't realize she was holding her breath. "I- um, yeah? I'm good!" She quickly answered.

Cleo tilted her head. "Really? Cause you didn't look like you were good, you looked like you were panicking or something."

"Ye-yeah. I was just trying to chill out here in the quite space."

"And that's always a nice thing to do. I have to get away from Joe every now and again to." The zombie hybrid chuckled.

The music had continued without False moving with it, but Cleo didn't mention it.

False stood there, silently freaking out, Cleo looked at the other hermit and placed her hand on the former's shoulder.

"You don't need to be afraid you know. You can always talk to us" Cleo said in a gentle voice, contrary to how she usually acts

"You promise you won't tell anyone, right?"

"Yes, is there anything I can help with?"

"No, nothing, thank you Cleo."

"Well, glad to help" The zombie smiled at the warrior and walked away, grabbing her rocket and fixing her wings. The night was about to fall, and the sun gently painted the whole world a nice golden colour. The colours were pretty, changing from purple to yellow, in a suprising good-looking way.

"I'm just jealous."

Cleo turned around as the speaker sat down, she stopped adjusting her wings and put away the rockets.

"I'm jealous that you and Stress never needed to act tough, Stress can live with all the 'girly' things other push onto us with pride, and you lived your own life, making everything your own style, and I am jealous of that" False sighed and contiuned "I always hated all the stereotypes and things they force upon us, they always wanted me to be the perfect little girl and take care of things. But I refused, I became a warrior, I fought so many and so much. Others grown to expect me to be all tough now."

False buried her head in her lap

"I just want to be myself sometimes. It's hard."

Cleo listened, she understood everything that False said,

"Listen, you don't need to worry about others opinions-"

"But they're always there, always silently judging us-"

"And why we have Hermitcraft, a place for all the weirdos to be, a place where we can be ourselves. Opinions can go down a drain here"

False looked up at Cleo with a smile, the latter knew they didn't needed to say anything anymore. Words might represent emotions in some cases, but not this time.

A smile was enough.

False made up her mind right then and there to never be ashamed. From that day on, she would block out all of the jeers and all of the laughter and she would dance along to the music that only she heard. As long as the sun shines, she will listen to this music, and won't ever stop it, or let it stop. False stared out at the sunset, as Cleo flew off on her elytra, finally she felt happy.

Happy to be alive.

Score: 8.5