The Watchers' Revenge

Chapter 12: Discoveries

"This is making me nervous," Impulse announced.

He, Tango, Wels, Bdubs and False were sneaking Cleo's zoo, searching for signs of the Watchers or the Taken.

"Quiet!" False snapped, silencing Impulse.

They stayed in a tight cluster after what had happened to the last scouting group.

They found no signs of anything in the zoo. 

"You know where we should be looking," Wels reminded False.

"I know," False admitted wearily.

"We have to go there, you know," Wels told her.

"Alright, fine, let's go," False flipped around midair and headed towards Aqua Town.

The hermits figured that the Watchers would probably have some sort of presence there. False hadn't wanted to go. She didn't want any more hermits to be in danger and Aqua Town had lots of corners and buildings to duck around and into. Easy spots for an abduction.

Still, they had to go there sometime.

Landing in the large open plot in the center of the city, they found no signs of the Watchers. But that didn't mean they weren't there.

False ventured down a side street, making sure the others were following. It was eerily quiet in the abandoned city.

They rounded a corner and came face-to-face with Jevin.

The slime seemed surprised to see them. Instead of viciously attacking like many of the others had, Jevin instead turned and ran. False took off after him and the group chased Jevin down side streets, in circles, through buildings, and across paths. Jevin seemed to be trying to lose them. He was unsuccessful. Suddenly, False stopped. Tango nearly ran into her, but managed not to.

The hermits stayed silent. Jevin glanced around. Seemingly, the coast was clear. Jevin headed out of Aqua Town and into the Town Hall. False and the others watched him. He didn't re-emerge. Several hours passed and Iskall and Etho walked out.

This was it, False realized. The entrance to the Watchers' headquarters, hidden in plain sight all along.

"We should go explore," Impulse suggested.

"No, it's too dan-" False tried to protest, but unsuccesfully.

"False, we were in the Town Hall before this, they won't think it's suspicious," Wels told her.

"Yes, but this time they outnumber us," False said.

"False, it'll be fine," Bdubs said.

False was still skeptical, but reluctantly agreed.

The hermits emerged from their hiding spot and headed vaguely towards the Town Hall, wandering into various shops as they passed, lingering in each one. They stopped for a moment at the wreckage of Grian's barge. False tried not to cry, but it was still a painful reminder of everything that had happened.

They finally entered the Town Hall and searched around, trying to act like they were just searching around. Eventually, Impulse called out.

"Hey, guys, I found something weird!"

"What?" Tango asked, walking over to where Impulse was standing on the side of the diamond throne.

"Look at the bottom of the block," Impulse whispered. Aloud, he said, "There are fewer diamonds here than there were before, I specifically remember-"

False walked over. "There are not, you're making things up."

"No, really, I swear-"

"Don't swear."

"Come on, False. But look, that block next to the carpet had another one on top of it. And so did the others. They all were two blocks high."

"I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about, no they weren't."

Impulse rolled his eyes. "Fine, whatever."

"I see it," Tango whispered.

There was a small gap beneath the bottom of the throne where the floor didn't reach the full block height.

Suddenly, the throne shifted.

Blocks vanished and a doorway appeared in the throne. Through it came Jevin, Beef, TFC, Cub, Zedaph, Hypno, Cleo, and Ren.

False grabbed her emergency button and triple-clicked it.

"THEY'RE ATTACKING! TOWN HALL! HELP-" False's call was cut off when Cleo grabbed her arms.

"Cleo, we were friends," False murmured, tears in her eyes.

"Keyword, were," Cleo replied, harshly jerking False and pulling her sideways.

False let herself be dragged into the throne; it was too late for her the minute she saw Cleo. She just couldn't handle the thought of fighting her friend. Hopefully the others would be able to escape because of the message she'd sent.

Cleo dragged her down a flight of stairs and through several doors into a room with a large table in the center. A Watcher- Kyle, from what False know was sitting at it. The outside was surrounded by plants, office utilities, and cages, many of which had birds inside and one of which had-

"Grian?" False asked in shock.

Grian said nothing.

"Interesting, you and her-" Kyle gestured to Cleo- "were interested in the bird."

False felt rage fill her. "His. Name. Is. Grian."

"Don't care. It's nothing but a pet now, aren't you?" Kyle asked, turning to Grian.

Grian chirped.

False was speechless for a moment,  then yelled, "What did you do?"

"Nothing, simply a spell that prevents it from making human noises. After all, it is a bird, not a human."

"You- no," was all False could say.

Kyle stood up. "Oh, yes," he said. He made a clapping motion with his hands and False saw nothing more as purple mist obscured her vision and her consciousness waned.

This is to make up for the short last chapter :)