MCYT RANDOMNESS 2

Involuntary Exile - pt2

'So, what did I miss?' Skizz asks, about an hour into our next Permit Office meeting in the exile lands, building something. I'm about to speak, but Grian gets there first.

'Not much. We met up, failed to kill Jevin, and then fixed the spawn location' Grian explains. Cub nods in agreement.

'Did it take long?'

'No, not at all. Just a simple fix.'

A glance at me. My stomach twists as I read Grian's expression.

If you mention what happened, you're dead.

'Very simple,' I echo, turning to rifle through a shulker for blocks I need. My heart starts racing, my mind scrambling to find an escape. But the only way back is via the ender-porter. That would send all 4 of us back. Grian would know something's up. And I can't control it myself.

'...so what's the plan for this area?' Skizz's question pulls me back towards reality. Cub's looking at me, worried. I manage a smile back. 'I know we're sending Hermits here if they don't obey us, which is pretty dystopian, but...'

'Dystopian?' Grian hooks on. His tone shifts. 'What do you mean 'dystopian'?'

'I mean, it's a little harsh, don't you think? They'll be completely isolated here, there's no games, no way of hanging out with the other hermits, working on bases...' As Skizz speaks, Grian steps towards him. His hands itch for his sword.

'You don't like the Permit Office's plan?'

'What Skizz is saying is that we need a harsh punishment to make sure the Hermits obey us, right Skizz?' I intervene, trying and failing not to talk too fast. 'Yeah?'

'Uh- yeah... That.' Skizz flashes me a confused glance. Grian smiles, returning to his normal, happy self.

'Alrighty, good, good, just making sure... we wouldn't want any pro-No-Poe thoughts in our army, right Scar?'

'Yeah, yeah. None of that.' I reply. Grian nods, satisfied. His attention shifts away.

'Cubby-Wubby Cub... how's the building looking from that side?' he calls, before jogging off out of sight. Skizz approaches.

'What the hell was that about dude?!' he hisses.

'Don't argue with Grian,' I mutter back. Skizz frowns. 'Trust me.'

'Why? What do you mean?'

'Just don't argue with him. Please.'

'Scar, did something happen that they're not mentioning? Do I need to tell Cub?'

'No, no- no, nothing happened, I'm perfectly fine, it's alright. But just try to obey Grian. Don't mess around.'

'How's progress, boys?'

'Good progress!' I call back. I can't help but flinch at Grian's voice. Skizz's concern only grows.

'Scar... buddy, if something's going on...'

I glance back, making sure Grian's disappeared again, before leaning closer towards Skizz and whispering.

'I got trapped outside the world border. During testing. And they didn't care.'

'Dude.'

'It was a deathloop. And when they brought me back, Grian was unconcerned, Cub's worried at first but- Grian said something about higher ups and he just-' The expression on his face returns to my mind, sending terror crawling down my back. 'Something's up.'

'Are you ok? Like- physically? Because deathloops...'

'I've got potions and painkillers...' I shake off his worry, the constant prickle of pain. 'But something's wrong with Grian, and he's willing to hurt us... he said something about us signing something too... some agreement that they can make us do anything, but I don't sign agreements without reading the fineprint. Ever.'

'We'll figure this out,' Skizz says. He's terrified. 'We can tell Xisuma something's up... you said Cub's acting off too?' I nod, fighting back the terror that something's got my best friend. 'We can fix this, ok? We're in this together, you and I, ok?'

'Together.'

'This doesn't look like progress!' Cub calls from placing blocks above us. 'Come on! Get working!'

'Will do!' I call. But then return to Skizz. 'If anything else happens, the codeword is 'jingle'. You will run, and hide, and tell Xisuma and as many hermits as you can to get away from the Permit Office. Ok?'

'Ok.'

—

cubfan135 whispered to you: Permit Office.

You whispered to cubfan135: ?

cubfan135 whispered to you: we need to talk

I pause at Cub's messages, halfway through buying base-resources at the shopping district. It's the day after I told Skizz what's going on. Work in exile has progressed quickly. And Cub wants to talk about something. Is he on my side? Or is this another of Grian's threats?

I ensure my sword, and HotGuy bow are in my hotbar before replying.

You whispered to cubfan135: omw

It's not far over, just a couple minutes away. Cub's just inside. He hasn't turned on the lights.

'Cub? What's up?' I ask, stepping through the broken entrance. He looks up.

'Hey, Scar... you doing alright?'

'Fine,' I reply. 'You?'

'I'm good, I'm good... but...' A sigh. 'Listen, Scar. I overheard you and Skizz talking yesterday and... what happened when you ended up past the world border...'

'I'm fine, Cub.'

'You don't sound fine. Are you alright? I just wanna make sure you're doing ok.'

'Why do you want to know?' The words come out too fast, too scared. Cub freezes. There's hurt in his eyes.

'Shit... Scar...'

'I'm fine.' There's a coldness in my voice I wish I could take back at the look on Cub's face.

'What's going on, buddy?' Cub's voice breaks a little. He steps closer. 'Scar... please just tell me what's happening. I'm here to help you. Always. You know that, right?' My uncertainty doesn't fade.

'What happened the other day? After my death-loop?'

'What do you mean?' Cub frowns.

'You started listening to Grian, and you forced me to keep testing the spawn location when you knew I was hurt, and scared and... and there was something in your eye, and little glimmer of something when Grian mentioned the higher-ups...' Cub doesn't speak. There's confusion in his expression, fear. 'You killed me without a second of hesitation.'

'Scar... dude, I'm sorry. I... I don't know what happened... Grian must've done something...' Unconsciously, Cub pulls his arm closer to himself, hiding something. 

'What happened?' I can't look away from his arm. 'Did he hurt you? Or did the higher ups do something?'

'I don't know. If something happened, he made me forget it. Which is honestly scarier. And means I might hurt you again. But it's not intentional. ' Cub steps closer, close enough to take my hand, looking me in the eyes. 'Believe me, Scar. It's not. Please. I can't lose you like that.'

'I know.' I stare down at our hands. I don't pull away. 'I just... after what happened, and the exile, and him threatening Skizz yesterday...' The emotions well up. Cub hugs me. I hug back, tight. 'I don't want him to hurt me again, Cub,' I whisper. 'But I don't want to hurt the other hermits. I don't want to exile them... I'm scared of whatever higher ups Grian mentioned... what they're doing, or planning... and if something's up with you too then...'

'It's alright, Scar,' Cub replies, sympathetic. 'We're in this together.'

A sting in my neck.

My blood runs cold. I fight to free myself, but Cub's holding me too tight.

'Cub- no no no... please...'

'Shhh, Scar... Don't worry... Everything will be just fine...'

'No- Cub- Cub please...'

I fall unconscious.