Hermitcraft Shots

The Spoon Dance

"Fank you for coming over Mumbo! I can't figure what I did wrong!" Stress held Mumbo's arm as they made their way to her lab entrance.

"It's no problem at all! Switching bubble columns can be tricky. Ack-!" Mumbo tripped over a chicken, which squawked and ran off.

"Be careful! Romeo loves to walk under your feet!" Stress giggled.

"Sorry, I'm a spoon." Mumbo giggled as they approached the base of the elevator. "This it?"

"Yep! Do you know what the problem is yet?"

"No, I haven't seen the wiring yet!" Mumbo laughed as he broke through the wall behind it.

"Ehehe, wiring...?" Stress bashfully looked away as Mumbo stared at the empty space behind the water.

"...we've got some work to do."

"We?! Ah, I don't know about that, I'm no good at this stuff."

Mumbo looked down into her eyes. "Cmon Stress, you think I want your help because of your redstone knowledge? I want you to keep me company!" Mumbo smiled genuinely, but Stress didn't smile back.

"Are you callin my stupit?"

"No! I mean- I'm just saying-" Mumbo ran his hand through his hair.

"I'm kiddin, ya spoon! I can pass ya things if you'd like!"

Mumbo sighed in relief. "Perfect."

He threw down his box of supplies and hopped down the hole, setting to work.

"By the way, I was gonna ask ya-" Stress started to ask a question, but was hypnotized by Mumbo.

In the few seconds he had been in the small hole, he had visibly relaxed. A small smile crept across his face unconsciously as he contemplated where to start. He nodded and reached up to Stress. "Comparator."

No response.

"Stress? Comparator please?"

"Ah! Sorry!" She scrambled through the box, accidentally dropping the comparator in the process.

"Thanks." Mumbo grabbed it without realizing her struggle, immediately setting to work. He dug holes and placed blocks strategically, without hesitation. Redstone was carefully laid out in lines, leading into torches, and bits Stress had never seen before.

Who knows how long it had been when Mumbo threw his coat out of the hole. He was no longer visible from the entrance of his hole, so Stress sat patiently. Every time he came into view, he was either testing the circuit, or grabbing more pieces. He had given up asking Stress for pieces, as she didn't respond fast enough. He flew from circuit to circuit, occasionally mumbling to himself as he broke something. He was a red whirlwind- it was impossible to look away.

"There! You're all set! I even found a more compact way to wire it!" Mumbo smiled to himself as he pulled himself out of the hole. His hair was tousled and his mustache was covered in redstone.

"Wow. Fanks." Stress breathed.

"No problem! Hopefully it works, haha!" Mumbo winked.

"How could it not work? You should see yourself doin that stuff! It's like you're doin a redstone dance, it's beautiful!" Stress raved.

Mumbo kicked his foot, ducking his head. "Aw, I dunno. I'm a real spoon you know, and-"

"Mumbo Jumbo! You are fantastic at redstone, and we all love you for it!" Stress insisted.

"Aw shucks, I mean, I appreciate it. I'd better go-" He stepped back bashfully, but stumbled over another chicken. He cried out, but it was drowned out as he was sucked up into the water elevator butt-first.

"Fanks love!" Stress called after him giggling hysterically. She picked up the chicken and pet it happily. "He's a real sweetheart, ya know."

Core concept: Mumbo isn't a spoon when he redstones, but he refuses to accept it.

Love you, my little stars!