Caught in the Crossfire

Chapter Eight - Found and Gone Again

Finally flippin updated
Listen I got really into NEXO Knights again and that's been my main focus. I'm gonna start a rotation tho. Gonna rotate between CitC and my NK book, any other books will get thrown in. Next update after this will be my NK book.

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Scar woke up to the sound of thunder. He gently pried himself out of Cub's arms. Cub grunted slightly, but didn't stir. Scar reached for his hat, which was hanging on a peg nearby. He pushed it onto his head, before stepping outside.

The rain was pouring, and it was crazy! Thunder struck nearby again as the wind almost pushed him over. He could have sworn it was meant to be sunny today...

Scar, now glad he put his hat on to save his hair from getting drenched, went back inside and shook Cub gently.

"Mornin', Scar..."

"It was meant to be sunny today, right?"

"Yeah? Why do you ask?" Cub sat up, stretching his arms out in front of him. The thunder answered his question. "Oh... Well that's strange." Cub scooted to the edge of the bed, and went to go look. He sighed.

"Do you think... it was Mumbo?"

"What gives you that idea, Cub?" Scar was already walking away to work on his builds.

"I don't know... it's just a hunch."

"Don't be silly! Mumbo would tell us!" Scar called over his shoulder, before clipping his elytra on and taking off with a quick wave.

Cub just looked over at Mumbo, who was curled up in his bed.

Would he...?

~ ~ ~

"Why is it so stormy?!" Joe, who was not really used to wearing elytra, struggled to stay airborne. His shaky flying was enough to worry X into staying a couple of metres below him, incase he ever did fall. Iskall was struggling as well, but Grian was relishing the hectic weather.

"Look, Joe, it's fine! You just gotta be careful, but not too careful, cause if you're too careful, then you get distracted from the main point of being careful- Joe wait- JOE, THE BAT!"

Joe looked away from Grian, only to smack face-first into a bat. Joe panicked, as the small creature clapped around his face for a few moments, before flying off, terrified. Iskall burst out laughing, as Joe shakily caught his breath.

"You okay, Joe?" X asked while giving Iskall a death glare. "This is meant to be serious!"

"I-I'm sorry, but- THE BAT!" Iskall wiped his eyes, still chuckling. As his laughter died down, the group ended up flying in silence.

"So... why do you think Mumbo's at ConCorp?" Grian pondered out loud. Joe, almost dropping out of the sky yet again, answered, "Well, if he went to your rivals, then you probably hurt him pretty bad." Grian looked back at Joe, who had this disappointed look. Grian said nothing.

X sighed, looking down at ConCorp grounds. "Here's our stop. Joe, slowly descend, okay? Slowly- I said slowly!"

~ ~ ~

"Hey, Mumbo! Wakey, wakey." Cub gently shook Mumbo, who started to stretch his limbs out in response. "Hi, Cub..."

Cub eyed Mumbo up and down, his slightly damp hair giving him suspicions. "Why is you hair wet?" Mumbo raised a brow, reaching his hand up to his head, where his hair was indeed slightly wet. "Ah, I went for a walk earlier, I couldn't sleep, heh." It must have not dried fully.

"Mhm. Okay, well, come on, we still have some more of your abilities to get trained up, you're barely scratching the surface of what you can do!"

Barely, huh?

"Oh, alright!" Mumbo jumped out of bed, ready to practice!

"Hey, Mumbo! You have visitors!" Scar walked in, even though it had barely been five minutes since he initially left. Mumbo looked over at Cub, confused, but the three left the area and went outside.

Mumbo froze as he saw X, Grian, Iskall and Joe standing by the large ConCorp gates. Grian had a guilty look on his face, while Joe seemed to be glaring at him. X and Iskall stood awkwardly to the side, Iskall leaning against the gate, but immediately standing up straight as he saw Mumbo, smiling softly.

Mumbo resisted the urge to smile back.

"Oh my gosh, Mumbo!" Grian looked over at him, eyes full of regret. "Are you okay? You're not hurt are you? They didn't hurt you?" Grian walked over, looking Mumbo up and down and checking he was okay.

"Woah, hold on, why would they hurt me?"

Grian was taken aback by Mumbo's tone. He never heard Mumbo speak like this before, with such confidence and volume.

"Well... I-I just thought-"

"You thought? Just like how you thought I would destroy the redstone at Sahara?"

Grian went silent, not knowing how to respond.

"That's what I thought."

"Listen, Mumbo. We're really sorry for what we did. We didn't mean it." Grian's brain kicked into gear, as he worded his apology. "...I didn't mean it. It was dumb of me to say that stuff, and I never should have in the first place. Will you... come back to Sahara?"

Mumbo looked away, back at Cub and Scar. Cub nodded, crossing his arms. Mumbo looked back at Grian.

...

"No."

Iskall, who had been slowly walking over from where he stood previously, froze for a second. X and Joe looked at each other wide eyed.

"W-what? What do you mean?" Grian's heart stopped.

"I mean, no. I'm not coming back. I'm done. I'm done with being treated like a doormat! I've always been the one to take the blame! When things go wrong, I'm the one who gets in trouble, because, 'Oh, Mumbo, you're the responsible one'! It's not... ugh!"

"Mumbo! When has that ever happened?!" X cut in, seeing Grian was too shocked for words.

"Listen, X. I've found people who truly accept me... I don't want to be a part of your stupid group anymore."

Grian and Iskall looked like kicked puppies, and Mumbo felt a twang of guilt.

No, you don't.

The storm, which had calmed down considerably in the time it had been, kicked up again, winds swirling and howling. Grian's hair flapped wildly around his eyes as he stared at Mumbo, tears welling up, as he realised this was his fault.

"I'd leave if I were you."

Lightning struck directly next to them, and Mumbo glared at them.

"You should go before things get ugly."

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How's that for an update? Was it worth the wait? I promise to start updating more smh