Under The Helmet || Hermitcraft AU

Chapter 15

POV: Xisuma
Word Count: 1113
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X threw a handful of oak leaves onto the ever-growing pile inside his shulker box. He smiled as he realised that it was finally filled to the brim with leaves. This many boxes of leaves must be enough to guarantee another jackpot! he thought excitedly, picking up his several boxes and heading back to his base. He looked down at the forest beneath him, all oak trees now completely stripped of leaves. It was an interesting sight, sticks of wood growing out of the ground.

Xisuma shivered. The chilly evening breeze blew through his armour as he touched down at his storage tower. Returning the several enchanted Netherite hoes to their spots in his ender chest and placing some unneeded items back into their barrels, he closed his eyes and sighed.

He had been incredibly nervous about being in contact with some of the other hermits. He had no idea whether the others had been told about his face, and what to expect from them. People like Keralis had noticed, and invited him over to listen to Etho's "What is Love?" Noteblock song.

He buried his head, or more accurately, his helmet in his hands. The axolotl-like feelers on his Stridesuma helmet brushed gently against his shoulders.

After a while, he made up his mind. He had to go and, for lack of a better word, interrogate Grian. Of course, Xisuma isn't the type to threaten anyone or start an argument, he just needed answers.

Just as the square sun fell behind the horizon, turning the sky to a peachy orange, he flew across the desert to the other jungle. The sand palace designed by PearlescentMoon glowed magnificently in the darkening night.

As he approached the border between the desert and the jungle, a huge building faded into render distance. The ruined tower loomed over the jungle like a monstrous creature. The gold heart gleamed in the bright moonlight. He turned a sharp left as another huge structure came into view. The treetop houses matched the vibe of the jungle perfectly, complemented beautifully by the skilful terraforming.

Finally, the location he was headed came into view. He quietly touched down in the entranceway of the mansion. He walked quietly down the enormous hall awestruck by every little detail, from the map of the jungle to the intricately patterned flooring.

His heart stopped as he heard a familiar sound, a spamming of rockets. He hadn't prepared! Panicking, Xisuma power-tiptoed to the main room. He wildly spun around and ran to hide behind a pillar.

A familiar red-sweatered man ungracefully smacked down onto the brown carpets covering the floor. He stood up and humming softly, walked down into the dip in the floor to his bed. Grian detached his elytra and threw them into an open ender chest. Without bothering to take off his armour, he sat on his bed and failed to stifle a huge yawn.

Deciding split-second that this was the time, heart beating loudly in his ears, Xisuma walked from behind the pillar he was hiding behind. He tripped over his feet, onto the wood, making a noise that echoed around the giant, square room.

"Who's there?" Asked Grian, sitting up straight and looking around, immediately alert.

Too startled to respond, X saw Grian shrug it off and collapse back into the white sheets of his bed, and fall asleep immediately.

"Dammit" X muttered to himself. He tiptoed down the stairs to where Grian was resting and pulled off his Strider helmet, holding it securely under his arm. He took a deep breath and shook him awake.

Grian moaned and turned around to face Xisuma, his eyes still closed, and groggily muttered "Whaddayawant?"

X shook his hair out of his face and frowned, crossing his arms. Grian opened his eyes.

Grian's eyes widened, and after a few, long moments, he yelled so loudly it could probably be heard all the way to the shopping district. He kicked off his blankets and sat bolt upright on the mattress, breathing heavily.

"What do you want!?" Grian asked turning pale, clutching his pillow in front of him, almost like a shield.

Lost for words, Xisuma took a moment to breathe and put his heavy headgear on the floor.

"Uh, I need to ask you some... questions," Xisuma said, shaking his hair out of his face again.

Even though he was sitting on top of a bed, Grian was still cowering under X's height.

"Okay, sure" Grian muttered, drowsily standing up on his short bed to match Xisuma's tallness, "Let's make this a calm... conversation. Not like- an interrogation okay?"

"Sure, sure," X replied.

There was an awkward silence before Grian spoke, "So, I guess you're wondering uh... why I tried to take your helmet off?" he asked, staring at X's face. X nodded patiently, "You know Hermit Challenges right? That... thing that Mumbo made?"

"I think so," X answered, still trying to brush his hair out of his face.

"Well, the four of us, Mumbo, Iskall, Stress and me gave each other challenges and, well, to put it simply, my challenge was to take your helmet off."

Xisuma was taken aback. That was not the answer he was expecting.

"Why-" Xisuma started before Grian cut him off.

Grian launched into the same explanation about Mumbo's curiosity about X's helmet that Mumbo did. Xisuma rolled his eyes, remembering the situation from Season 3 clear as Optifine glass.

"That wasn't what I was going to ask before you cut me off," Xisuma stated. Grian raised his eyebrows curiously, "I was already sure that Mumbo was genuinely curious about my face. I was going to say, why didn't you just politely ask me to take it off?"

Grian blinked. Then let loose an exasperated groan.

"Why didn't I just ask?" He said to himself, facepalming and kicking the bedstand. He recoiled falling backwards onto the bed, rubbing his shin underneath his jeans.

"Geez, don't do that!" X shouted, his dark thick hair falling over his face again, "bloody hair-"

"Is that all you wanted to ask?" Grian said, "If so, could you please let me sleep in peace?"

"Oh right," X said apologetically, sweeping his hair out of his face again.

"Oh! Also, how many people know about... this?" Asked Xisuma as he retreated down the hall, pulling the Strider helmet back over his mop of hair.

"Just me, Mumbo and I-I-Iskall as far as I know," Grian replied, lying back on his bed, attempting to stifle his yawn with his pillow.

Xisuma huge sigh of relief echoed around the hall as he flew out of the huge mansion. Everything was okay, almost nobody knew, everything is fine.