Work Text:
Grian was with Mumbo the first time it happened, the first time they found him.
The pair had been catching up after Grian had been busy fishing for too long for that stupid mending book. It hadn't even been worth it, not with the amount of junk he now had, barrels flooded with cod and salmon, some stashed with saddles and enchanted books while others had broken fishing rods stuffed inside.
But he had been disconnected with his friends over that time, the calls from the ocean were strong, stronger than some of his friends.
And maybe that was the first sign he had been caught, because statistically he should have caught a mending book before he did, he should have caught at least two or three before he did. But he hadn't.
And that was fine.
It was over.
It was over now, and he could spend time with his friends, with Mumbo.
‘Was fishing really more important than me ?’’ Mumbo laughed, walking up to Grian as he finished putting some materials away. He had been meaning to build another shack to store his stuff in but, well, Mumbo was here, and Grian would much rather spend time with the man then build at the moment.
Grian chuckled, stepping away from the chests. ‘‘Of course not, just got carried away, you know me.’’ He exclaimed, slinging an arm across his friends shoulders, although it did mean Mumbo was crouching ever so slightly, with Grian standing on his tiptoes. And no, Grian was not short, Mumbo was just abnormally tall.
‘‘Yeah, its a bad habit you have.’’ Mumbo half joked. Grian ignored the underlying serious tone in the man's voice, his concern leaking through the fun tones.
Grian pursed his lips, nodding. ‘‘I'm working on it.’’
Mumbo just sighed, ‘‘Well, show me around! I've only seen so much of your base, plus a certain someone told me about a certain chamber of sea-critters, and I am dying to see it!’’
Grian groaned.
Why was he even surprised that Scar told Mumbo?
‘‘Scar told you?’’
Mumbo gasped dramatically, ‘‘I never said a name!’’
‘‘Mumbo, I've only shown Scar.’’ He pointed out bluntly.
‘‘Oh.’’
Grian couldn't fight the laugh that overtook him, throwing his head back as the man stood there, unsure on what to do.
Slowly, through gasps of air, Grian managed to get out. ‘‘I’ll show it to you.’’
The walk was quick as they both descended down into the tunnel, Mumbo murmuring words of praise as they continued through. He did ignore the comments made about his redstone door though, he knew it wasn’t amazing but he never claimed to be a redstone master.
“Oh my god- Grian- ” Mumbo spluttered, wheezing on his words as he laid eyes upon it.
Upon the painting that lay at the end of the tunnel.
Grian knew it was beautiful, he had spent too long working on it, only to then have to redo it due to Scar. While it was somewhat funny, he will admit, it had been getting slightly annoying after fishing up five thousand fish.
“How long did that take you? It’s… It’s bigger than me! ” Mumbo laughed, stepping closer to the painting, admiring it.
Grian sighed, “You don’t wanna know.”
Mumbo chuckled, “Maybe you’re right on that one.”
The pair exchanged words, although it mainly included Mumbo complaining about some redstone he was trying to figure out, as if Grian would be any help.
“-know? It’s just so irritating! I don’t understand how Doc even did that, I mean, I know you aren’t the best person to talk to about this, but I thought that maybe, you’d annoyed Doc so-”
Grian stopped listening to his friends rant as he winced, a sudden, sharp ache shooting through his very soul, his head spinning as something stirred his stomach in a wrong way, his previous meal threatening to return.
Something that shouldn’t happen.
Something that was very wrong.
And then it happened again.
And again.
And again.
And again.
And aga-
“-rian, what’s happened?” His friends panicked voice broke through his mind’s barriers, forcing it’s way through.
Grian didn’t know if he could form a response as waves of stabbing knives attacked him from the inside out, his form faltering under the weight of itself.
Grian didn’t have a chance to catch himself as he fell, knees bucking as another wave hit him, a pained gasp for air as he hit the floor.
Someone else was by his side in an instant, they were muttering things to him, things he couldn’t hear over the waves of stabbing pains-
And then it was gone.
It was gone as if it had never happened before.
As if everything was perfectly fine.
What was that?
— — —
It had been a week since the incident with Mumbo, a week and he was still shocked he had somehow convinced the man he had just undercooked his lunch, and it was finally catching up to him.
But it had been a week and he couldn’t shake the feeling of wrongness off of himself.
Grian groaned, stuffing his head under one of the many pillows he owned, trying to drown out the sounds of his own racing mind.
It had been a week and he was fine.
He was fine.
He was fine.
Grian was fine even if his mind was screaming at him to do something, anything.
But he couldn’t.
He couldn’t look.
He wasn’t one of them.
He wasn’t one of them and they would want him to look.
So he wasn’t going to.
He wouldn’t look even as they sent another wave of aching spiralled through his spine.
Grian whined as the aching sprinted across his back and up into his head, sending a pounding ache through his head.
It was going to be a long day.
— — —
Grian loved annoying his friends, it was second nature to try and annoy them, to push at their buttons until they finally cracked.
Obviously, he knew when to stop and when to not annoy them.
Grian was many things, a bad friend was not one.
But some of his friends had gotten used to the avian's antics and learned how to either ignore him or how to backfire it, annoying Grian in the end.
Annoying Mumbo had become harder, well they’d been on the same server for years and known each other for longer, of course it was going to get harder to do so. And Scar, if anything, annoyed Grian far more than Grian did to him, although he wasn’t entirely sure if it was on purpose or not. The vex somehow always knew what not to do in a situation.
But they had gained two new people this season, two new Hermit’s.
Joel and Skizz.
And well, Grian knew both of them well, with the life games, Empires and Hermitcraft cross-over and playing phasmophobia, they were yet to learn how to backfire Grian’s antics.
Including his newest one.
The Permit Office.
The sole reason Joel was spamming his comm.
Smallishbeans: Grian
Smallishbeans: I am at Permit Office
Smallishbeans: Is it open
Smallishbeans: I have an enquiry
Grian groaned, looking down at the shulker boxes full of building materials. Then he glanced up to the unfinished roof, only the base of a structure defining it.
He was sure the roof could wait a little longer, besides when was an opportunity like this going to come along again?
Grian: Permit Office is closed today
Grian: It’s Friday
Grian didn’t get a chance to put his com back in his pocket before it pinged again, and again, and again.
A smile crept up on his face.
He didn't have to be facing the man to know Joel was already getting annoyed.
Smallishbeans: why is it closed on a Friday
Smallishbeans: please can you open it up
Smallishbeans: for a young boy
Grian was quick to type back a retort, snickering at his friends clear desperation.
Joel knew he could be stubborn.
But Grian knew Joel was the same.
He wasn’t sure who would crack first.
Grian: I don’t make the rules
He didn’t try to hide the chuckle as he typed out the message, before Joel replied instantly.
Smallishbeans: yes you do
Grian: Sorry bud the opening times are opening times
Smallishbeans: when are you open
And in Grian’s humblest opinion, Joel had never asked a better question.
Grian: well we are closed,
Grian sighed as he began typing.
Grian: Monday
Grian: Tuesday
Grian: Wednesday
Grian: Thursday
Grian: Friday
Grian: Saturday
Smallishbeans: What about Sunday
Joel’s response was quick, egar.
Grian could tell he was about two seconds away from coming to find him and dragging him to the Permit Office.
Grian: Between two and three
Smallishbeans: What if I bribe you
Grian: The Permit Office doesn’t accept bribes.
Smallishbeans: What do you accept?
Grian: Respect for the opening hours
Grian put his comm away after that, not bothering to see the man’s reply at his snarky remark.
He was quick to gather his building materials and shulker boxes, before he climbed back up onto the roof and began building again.
Although, Grian will admit, his curiosity did get the better of him as his comm didn’t stop pinging as he took a quick peek, pausing the building.
Grian laughed as Joel spammed his inbox, asking him to open the Permit Office. Then the man lagged out his comm, his anger only intensifying.
Until finally Grian heard the familiar sound of rockets.
“ Grian! ” Joel yelled as he swooped down, flying straight passed Grian as he landed, less gracefully than he probably could have if he were trying better.
Grian didn’t bother trying to hide the groan that escaped, but he did hide the secret amusement at the situation.
Although he wasn’t sure quite how much of it was a secret.
“Open the blummin’ Permit Office! I’ve been waiting all day for this!” Joel groaned, trying to balance himself after the rocky landing.
“The Permit Office isn’t open today, it’s Friday.” He sighed.
Joel stared blankly at him.
“Yeah, well, can’t you just-”
“Sir,” Grian couldn’t hide the smirk as he placed the jukebox down, “I’m afraid I’m going to have to put you on hold.”
Grian stared at Joel blankly as the familiar music erupted from the jukebox.
The pair stared at each other for a few seconds.
A few long seconds before Joel finally cracked, ripping the music disc out of the box, bringing out his sword.
“I swear to god, Grian- ” Joel hissed, before he leapt forwards, swinging his sword out before Grian had the chance to dodge it. The blade wasn’t sharp by any means, blunt and dull which was odd as Joel loved fighting, but it still managed to break skin, grazing his arm.
“Okay, okay! I’ll open up, I’ll open up.”
A potion was splashed down after he finished, the cut soon healing, skin growing back, knitting itself together again.
“Good, I’ve been waiting all bloody day, and you-”
Grian blinked, Joel’s words fading away as he glanced back down to where the cut had been.
Or where it currently was.
Because it was back.
The cut had grown back, blood trickling down his arm.
What the fuck.
What the fuck.
What the-
“C’mon, I do actually need you to open the shop.” Joel laughed, slowly flying down, circling the man.
Grian nodded, moving over to his horse, Pluto.
“I’ll meet you there, I haven't been to the end yet so I can't use my wings.” He grinned as Joel’s yell faded out of ear shot.
His smile faded, eyes lingering on the cut.
What the fuck.
— — —
Grian liked Hermitcraft.
He liked the safety the server gave him, he liked the people inside of the walls of the server. Grian liked the creativity, the builds, he liked how colourful the server became after the first month. He loved exploring other people’s bases, learning about the storylines their bases had and how the stories were told. He loved almost everything about the server.
Almost everything.
Grian flinched, leaning closer to Pearl as the thunder hammered on outside, crackling lightning striking the ground. The house shook slightly as another bolt of lightning hit the ground outside them.
While the weather was almost always perfect on the server, unfortunately Xisuma couldn’t stop the storms that crossed through the server.
“It’s just thunder, Griba. Just like the thunder on Evo.” Pearl’s voice was quiet, unlike the thunder that raged on outside.
Grian knew it was a stupid thing to fear, thunder really? It was laughable, honestly. But no matter what, Grian could escape this fear. He had tried to overcome it in Evo and they had tried to make him overcome it while he was with them. But he… They didn’t have many storms in Hermitcraft, in fact, Grian didn’t remember the last time there was one and he hadn’t step through it. Although, it had been in season eight, and he had been incredibly sleep deprived so maybe that’s how he slept through it.
But he couldn’t overcome it.
He couldn’t get over this stupid fear that his instincts had gifted him, forced upon him.
“ I know- ” He pushed the words out, shifting as the sky roared up above them. “That’s the problem.”
Pearl nodded, whispering her words, “It’s okay, it’s not your fault,” She combed her fingers through his hair. “You can’t control your instincts. It’s okay.”
He knew that.
He knew he couldn’t-
Grian yelped as another bolt of lightening struck the ground, sending the sky into a colourful display of whites and greys.
Grian gasped as the bolt hit the ground, sending pulses throughout the ground, throughout him-
No-
Not again-
Grian yelped as another bolt of lightening struck the ground, striking him. Striking his code-
Pearl’s arm was thrown around his shoulder’s pulling him close.
“It’s okay, Griba, you’re okay.”
Yeah, it was okay.
— — —
Grian had loved Hermicraft season nine, like the rift, his base, the shopping district, Scarland!
It was a great season.
But there were some less… favourable character arcs.
Such as-
“ HotGuy! ”
Grian yelped as he was shoved off of the pillar of ores. His mind went blank for a second, mindlessly falling down to the ground before his wings finally snapped open, catching himself.
Grian groaned as he watched Scar fly back down to a group of Hermit’s, his head lowered as the other Hermit’s held their hands up, waiting for Scar to hi-five them back. The man didn’t, wandering back to his spot in the group.
Grian’s eyes left the scene as he focused on getting back to the top of the tower, although making it harder were the ticks of damage he kept taking, sending painful aches down his spine, down his code.
Not this again.
He shuddered as he landed on the top of the tower, his knees buckling as they hit the floor, small cries escaping his throat.
The feeling of the arrow impaling him, penetrating his skin kept replaying as he sat there.
Grian didn’t move for a while, frozen as the arrow kept inflicting its damage onto him.
He just hoped Scar didn’t bring back Hotguy this season.
— — —
Grian hadn’t slept well last night, his mind was plagued by the cold dark void. His eyelids were stained by images of them, towering over him, altering him, changing him-
But he didn’t need to think about that.
Not when he was with other people.
“You got this, but the ravengers hit harder than normal!” Etho warned, speaking louder than he had previosuy.
Grian just nodded as started, running across the platform, slipping in between each ravenger, careful to not touch any of them.
And he was doing well, Etho, Tango and Gem were shouting support to him as he stood at the end, beating the game.
He had to admit, Etho had done good.
He had done really good. Except for one, tiny problem.
Etho had left the redstone open.
Grian hadn’t meant to touch it, he hadn’t, but with his celebration, he had fallen off of the platform, and maybe he might have ended up hitting the minecarts with the ravengers in, and maybe he had ended up sending all of the mobs to the end.
Grian most definitely did not cause them all to crowd together in one spot.
But it was fine.
It would be a quick fix.
He was sure of it.
“I uh, I may have broken it.” Grian called out as the group came into ear shot.
He didn’t miss the way both Gem and Tango laughed while Etho deflated.
“What did you do?” Etho groaned, no real annoyance there as he stared across the cave.
Grian let out a nervous laugh. “So, the, er, redstone was left… out. In the open. And I may have, maybe , fallen into it, and maybe pushed all the ravengers together.” He winced as the words didn’t stop, just continuing to flow through his mouth.
Etho sighed, but before he could say anything Grian was running past the man, up to where the issue laid.
“No, Grian don’t- ”
Etho’s voice cut out as he stepped too close to one of the ravengers.
Grian didn’t know if a scream had left his throat or if it had gotten stuck as the ravenger tore him apart, sending him to an instant respawn.
Normally, respawns were quick, easy to get up and recover from. Usually, he would just… wake up in his bed and go about his day. If anything respawning was an inconvenience in his very busy day.
But as he landed in the bed he had set his spawn in before playing, everything felt wrong.
Grian tried to open his eyes, preparing to try and help Etho again, but he… couldn’t. He couldn’t bring himself to open them as waves of aching hit him at full force, his head pounding as he let out shaky breaths.
Oh.
This wasn’t good.
He hadn’t had a bad respawn since… well since he was with them.
Since they changed his code.
Since they ruined him.
“-rian? Can you hear me?” The voice broke through his thoughts, piercing his ears.
He whined as other waves shot through him, his code shaking.
That really wasn’t good.
“-okay, you’re okay. Just a bad respawn, that’s it. You’re-”
His code-
They had-
They had found him-
Grian didn’t know when he had opened his eyes, but with every blink he seemed to be floating, drifting away from reality. It was then in which he realised that he hadn’t been breathing, maybe that was what was making him all floaty.
“-Grian? Can you hear me? I-”
No, he couldn’t.
He couldn’t because they were coming for him-
They had found him-
“-gonna call Xisuma-”
Grian gasped, eyes darting around.
No-
They couldn’t get Xisuma!
“No, sit back down, G. You should rest.” The voice sounded worried, Grian still wasn’t sure who was speaking.
He hadn’t realised he had even sat up, legs dangling off the bed as his mind floated away.
“ No- ” He gasped, almost falling back as his code sent another wave through him, causing him to shake as his fingers started to twitch.
“Grian, you’re-” The voice- Gem! It was Gem- shook with worry. “Your hand is glitching.”
His eyes darted to his hand, though he wasn’t quite sure how long it took to get them there, and, sure enough, his hand was… glitching. His fingers had patches missing, some replaced with the void, sending parks flying off of it.
Grian didn’t know if he was even thinking anything as he stared at his hand, at the glitch.
“Xisuma’s on his way.” Tango- when had he got here? Had he always been here?- called out.
His face fell as the words processed.
Xisuma would-
Xisuma would get rid of him, he’d be kicked out.
Banned.
“ No- Don’t-” Grian pushed the words out, his voice shaking as his eyes stayed glued to his hand.
It was selfish he knows, to install fear into the others, to risk their lives all because he was scared. Scared of what would happen when he was kicked out. Scar of what would happen if the glitch won. Scared of what would happen if they found him.
Gem muttered something he didn’t hear, Tango nodded, running off to go do something. Etho stayed firmly behind Gem, eyes lingering on Grian.
They weren’t listening to him.
They weren’t going to listen to him.
“Xisuma can’t- he can’t know! Please-” He gasped, being interrupted as a fit of coughs hit him. Grian fell forwards, face hitting his knees, as his lungs rejected the oxygen.
“Grian, this… This is bad. I- You should lay back down.” Etho took a step closer, eyes shining with something. Guilt, maybe? Worry? Grian couldn’t tell, maybe if he looked closer he would be able to differentiate between the two emotions, but with how the world was starting to become blurry, and for some reason Etho had four eyes? It was hard to focus on anything else.
He could feel the hands on him, trying to push him back down onto the bed. Grian struggled against the hands, the force of the push nearly winning against him. But eventually they gave up, the bed dipping on his sides next to him as Gem and Etho sat next to him.
Well, Grian was guessing it was the pair that had sat next to him, he hadn’t noticed anyone else entering. But there was no door, so maybe someone else had come down. Maybe it was them. Maybe they had finally found him, maybe they had come to collect him, come to collect what was theirs.
He didn’t like those thoughts.
Grian ignored how his arm was starting to go numb, the void seemingly eating away at his code, climbing slowly up his arm.
“ Xisuma! ” That was Gem’s voice. Her voice was usually calming, the fun steady tone was something he could rely on, the small laugh at the end of a sentence was something Grian liked. But her voice wasn’t like that, it was worried, scared, relieved?
Grian didn’t know why.
Xisuma didn’t-
Xisuma!
No, nononononono-
He couldn’t…
Grian didn’t want to leave-
“Oh gods- Grian! ” Xisuma was yelling. He was yelling.
Grian didn’t want to be banned.
There was someone in front of him, crouched down, holding his hands, or hand, Grian wasn’t sure if his right hand was even a hand anymore, not with the void eating away at it, half of his forearm gone.
“ I’m sorry- I didn’t- I didn’t mean for this- ” Grian didn’t know how slurred the words came out, or how shaky his voice was, he could tell not over his brain that was screaming at him.
“It’s not your fault, G. It's not you fault, but I need to look at your code, okay? I- I’m warning you now.” Xisuma warned, voice steadily explaining it. Grian didn’t have the chance to respond before he felt it. Before he felt the eyes on his code, on his very soul.
Grian had never liked people looking at his code. He hadn’t liked it before Evo, in admin school, he hadn’t liked it in Evo, he hadn’t liked it with them.
But Xisuma had never looked at his code. Sure, he knew about them but Grian had denied the man permission to look at his code and Xisuma had respected it. And it’s not like the man would just go looking through people’s code, Grian knew that now, but when he had first joined he hadn’t and well, he still didn’t appreciate having someone prodding and poking at his code. It was uncomfortable and felt just plain and simply wrong. It felt wrong to have someone change his very existence just as he sat there, unable to do anything. Defenceless. Vulnerable. Weak.
Grian didn’t like it.
“No- Stop- ” Grian whispered, folding in on himself more as the hands didn’t stop touching- changing his code–
“Xisuma’s just trying to figure out what’s causing the glitch, Grian. He’s not going to do anything else.” Gem’s voice was back to the steady tone he knew but it brought him no comfort this time.
He shook his head, body shaking as his code was poked again before the hand retracted immediately, Xisuma muttering a small apology under his breath before prodding him again, poking, prodding, grabbing, touching, watching, changing-
“No- Get out- ” The hand didn’t move, continuing to poke at him-
“ Get out- GET OUT ! ”
Grian ignored the wave of energy that radiated off of him, pulsating across the room, sending the intruder back- away- safe-
He blinked his eyes open, the hands gone from his code. Grian’s eyes lingered on his hand, which was still glitching, they were winning, they had- And his feathers, shimmering with a metallic purple shine.
Oh.
Oh.
He had-
He had used their powers.
Oh gods-
Grian had used his powers against Xisuma-
If he wasn’t going to be banned before he certainly was now because he hurt Xisuma-
“-breathe, Grian. It’s okay, you’re okay.”
He had ruined everything! Everything he’d worked so hard on. Everything he’d spent years building up all for it to crumble down right before his eyes. Everything he cared about, what he’d spent his life doing, all gone in the blink of an eye.
All gone.
All gone.
Unless…
“I- I didn’t- I’m sorry-” Grian gasped in painful breaths as the air burned against his dry throat, still he kept pushing the words out. He couldn’t risk this, he couldn’t. “I swear, I didn’t mean to- I wouldn’t- I’m sorry, I’m sorry-”
Grian didn’t need to look over to see the furious hateful gazes of his ex-friends, because they hated him now. Who wouldn’t? Not after what he had done, there was no way they’d even tolerate him!
Maybe they’d be kind enough to let him take some of his stuff before he was banned, he had some precious photos from Evo that he didn’t know if he would be able to survive without. He had managed to hide them from them while he was being held captive there.
He couldn’t lose them.
He couldn’t.
“-ones okay, you didn’t hurt X, don’t-”
Didn’t hurt X?
But he-
Grian had used his powers against the man. He had-
He had hurt his admin-
“-rian, look at me, c’mon, open your eyes.” That was Xisuma’s voice.
Oh gods-
He was going to ban him-
Still, Grian followed his admin’s command, opening his eyes as fast as he could, although he struggled, peeling them back, only to be greeted with the admin’s helmet.
The helmet which was damaged-
The cover on the front was scratched, almost completely as he had been thrown against the floor. There was a tear on the man’s shoulder, his skin exposed to the overworld. The skin was rough, rocks imprinted onto the skin, surrounding a nasty cut, blood seeping down the man’s arm as he ignored it.
Grian had-
Grian had done that.
He had-
Xisuma seemed to notice, pulling the cloth down, covering the cut. “I’m fine, it’s just a small graze, Grian. And it was my fault. I’m sorry , I overstepped, and as your admin, I shouldn’t have looked at your code without permission, and I shouldn’t have continued even after you told me to stop.”
What?
Xisuma was… apologising?
Why was he…
Why was he apologising?
Grian was the one who should be apologising!
He was the one who had hurt Xisuma! He was the one who was putting everyone at risk!
It was all his fault!
And yet, Xisuma was apologising?
“Grian, I understand you may not want me looking at your code…” Xisuma paused, wincing as he continued to speak. “But if this glitch is left unattended, I’m worried it could have… permanent damage.”
Grian didn’t know what to think, or even if he was thinking.
Permanent damage.
Permanent damage.
Permanent damage.
Permanent da–
“It’s gonna be okay, Grian. I… If you’re willing to give me permission, I can try and get rid of the glitch, and I promise I won’t touch anything else. Just the glitch.” Xisuma looked up at him, his eyes hopeful, visible thanks to the scraps against the glass? Grian didn’t know what the helmet was made out of.
But he…
Grian didn’t want anyone near his code.
Not again.
Not after what they did.
Grian shook his head fast, breaths hitching at the thought of someone touching his code again, trying to change it, ripping parts out, replacing them with wrong pieces-
“ No- ”
“Okay, okay, we’ll figure something else out then.” Xisuma inhaled, nodding as he sat down next to Grian.
His brows furrowed, when had Gem, Etho and Tango left?
“Grian, if you won’t let me look at your code would you rather someone else on the server who knows code? We could see if Scott could help, I know you and him are friends.” Xisuma offered and Grian’s heart panged at the patience he had.
He shook his head again.
No- He didn’t want Scott or Joe or Doc or anyone looking to his code.
Xisuma sighed, turning to Grian, head tilted. “I… Grian, we don’t have a lot of options, but all of them include someone looking at your code.” Xisuma explained slowly, pausing before he continued. “I understand you may not want someone else to look at it, and I know you’re… acquainted with code…” The man’s voice lowered in volume as he continued, trailing down until he stopped speaking, eyes glancing up to meet Grian’s.
No-
He wanted him-
Xisuma wanted Grian to look at his won code.
Xisuma wanted-
“Grian, listen to me when I say this, you are not being forced to do this. I would never force you to do that, but I am not letting you die because I didn’t save you.” Xisuma’s voice was calm, too calm.
“I… I can’t- ” He pushed the words out, poison burning his mouth. “I’m not- I’m not one of them- X- I’m not, I’m not- ”
“Grian, if you don’t want to look at your code, that’s fine. ” He paused. “But… I will if you don’t. I- Grian, you are not dying on me from a glitch I can fix.” Xisuma spoke confidently.
Grian didn’t like it.
Grian also didn’t like how the glitch had spread up to his elbow.
But he couldn’t look at his code again.
“...Just the glitch?” His voice shook, eyes glossed over as they shakily made their way up, meeting the admins.
Xisuma didn’t hesitate, nodding sharply. “Just the glitch, I promise. ”
Grian nodded slowly, ignoring the aches that shot through his body.
“I’m going to look at your code now, Grian, okay? Just me, no one else.” Xisuma warned before he felt it.
Before he felt they eyes on him.
On his soul.
On his code-
But it was Xisuma.
Just Xisuma.
Just Xis-
Grian flinched as something poked him, touching it, changing his code-
“-sorry, Grian, just one more pull-”
Grian gasped sharply, falling forward as he felt the tugging, pulling at his code, changing it-
“- sorry- It’s just me-”
Grian then felt a final pull, before something was taken from him, a gaping hole left in its place. The oxygen evaporated from his lungs almost instantly, flying away, leaving him coughing and gasping for air as Xisuma was muttering something, something maybe he was meant to be listening to, maybe he wasn’t. But it didn’t matter. Because he wasn’t sure he could focus on listening to anything.
Not after his code had been touched.
Not after his code had been changed, altered by them-
Changed by them because they had found him-
Oh gods-
Grian didn’t think as he threw himself somewhere, anywhere but here.
He didn’t think as he called on his magic- ironic considering he was running form the beings that had given him the magic- before he blinked and he was back at his base, back in the safety of his base.
Grian didn’t know if he could move form the wheat field he had ended up in, his body shaking because they had found him.
They had found him and they were going to do something to him-
“-rian, Grian, you need to breathe.”
He didn’t-
Grian didn’t know if he could listen to the voice’s instructions.
The voice that he did recognise.
He just… He just couldn’t tell who it was through the mist of panic.
What if it was one of them?
What if they were pretending to be one of his friends?
They had found him.
They had found him
They had found-
“I’m not one of them, Griba. They aren’t here, and they haven’t found you.”
Griba?
Grib-
Pearl!
Grian blinked and there she was, Pearl was sat next to him, crushing some of his crops.
“No- Pearl- They- My code- They-” He stumbled through the words, choking on the air surrounding the siblings.
Pearl shook her head. “Griba, that was X. He was fixing that glitch. That’s all. It wasn’t them. ”
Grian hesitated, glancing around before he looked back at Pearl.
“ They aren’t here?”
She nodded, “ They aren’t here. They never will be.”
Grian didn’t think twice as he threw himself against his sister, clinging to her as she rubbed circles in between his wings.
And, at that moment, Grian wasn’t sure he’d care if they did find him.
Not when he was in the safety of his sister's arms.
— — —