Random Dream SMP outshots because I'm bored as hell

Nether Hermit

I've had this idea for a long time and I've always found it interesting so, here ya go.
Yes it's Karlnap, no I will not explain why I love this ship so much. Also I just have a head cannon that some people just leave their unwanted children in the Nether to die and Bad comes out of no where and just yoinks them.

Anyways, enjoy or your kneecaps will be ripped out by my army of feral simps.

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The Nether Hermit had always been known of, but no one ever attempted to find them. The Nether is a dangerous wasteland inhabited by an arrangement of hostile creatures unknown to the Overworld. It is unthought that a person could survive in a place like the Nether, so they simply marked them off as a myth.. and that is how they stayed.

Until a man named Karl Jacobs let off on a quest to find The Nether Hermit himself, most called him crazy. This still believed no one, no matter how skilled, could survive in the unforgiving world that is the Nether. Karl knew better. During an expedition he had gotten separated from his group and forced to fend for himself. It wasn't hard to learn how the mobs operated and how to defend himself from them. Food was the biggest issue.. there was no fertile soil and no water to help crops grow.

That's how he learned of the Nether Hermits existence. They found Karl in a fortress covered in burns and small wounds and took pity on him. Gave him everything he needed to survive, including a netherite sword and chest plate. At the time he didn't say a word to the hermit, thinking them to be a potential threat. Now he wishes he had asked questions, maybe even stayed with them.. if he had the option to. Being an adventurer is nice sure, but sometimes Karl just felt like he had to get away from it all. His work goes unappreciated, he's hardly ever taken seriously, and everything he cared about in the Overworld was destroyed when some psychopath summoned not one but two Withers.

Karl had nothing left in the Overworld, he wanted a new start. He knew that the Nether Hermit had somehow found a clean water source, made food, and somehow had medical supplies. So if Karl wanted to run away into the Nether he definitely needed to find the Hermit to ask for advice. Or maybe Karl could just simply move in with them? No no, that's weird!

...unless.

Ok maybe. Karl held his pet piglet in his arms as he walked through the portal and into the Nether. Putting on his gold helmet he made his way through the fiery depths of "hell". He thought of leaving the pig behind, she could be put at harms way if he wasn't careful. But looking down at the pigs adorable face.. he impulsively brought the pig.

None of you are in any position to judge, y'all'd do the same thing with any of your pets if you could.

After a while of walking Karl came across something.. unusual. The Nether had one known human resident, which was The Hermit. But the person dropping diamonds worth of supplies into a single chest was definitely not the Hermit. The person looked around and eventually caught sight of Karl and his pet. He peacefully walked towards Karl with a small smile on his face. Just then did Karl notice the literal baby in the strangers arms.

"Hello." The person cheerfully greeted once he was close enough to Karl. "Hi.. it's a little dangerous to be carrying a baby around here don't you think?" Karl chuckled nervously. Earning a small laugh from the other. "I didn't come here with this lil guy. Found him in the warp forest while I was on my way here." The stranger looked down to the child. The baby had his face hidden in the strangers sleeve, but it was quite obvious the baby was definitely not something from the Overworld. From what was visible you could see that the baby's skin was black and white along with horns growing from the child's small head.

"I don't think it'd be safe to bring that child up to the Overworld, you know how they feel about anything out of the ordinary.." Karl and the stranger exchanged knowingly sad looks before once again focusing on the baby. "I could take him. I am planning on staying here after all." He said without a second thought.

"..Really?" "Really."

The stranger smiled brightly before carefully handing the child over to Karl. "Well.. Thank you so much. But the Nether is very dangerous, I can't allow you to be out here alone." He looked back at the chests for a few moments before turning back. "I think that's my only option. Unless you know someone out here?"

Karl got his hopes up, praying this stranger knew where the Hermit was. He'd finally be able to thank him. "Go stand by the chest over there. Once my son comes to get the supplies in it, tell him that "Bad" sent you. He'll know what it means." The stranger gave one last smile before taking off sword in hand. Karl anxiously took a seat on top of the chest and with one arm held the small child and in the other held his crossbow. Mobs were still around, still very dangerous. Before he didn't exactly care, he didn't have to. But now he had to take care of a child. A CHILD?!

WHO EVEN LEFT THIS WHOLE BABY IN THE NETHER?!

THE NETHER OF ALL PLACES!

With anxiety fueling Karl's every move he moved to the chest the stranger had been talking about and waited. Nothing seemed to dare attack. When creatures got close they'd take one look at the baby in his arms and walk off. So there he waited.

Karl had sacrificed his water supply to his pig and this child by the time the strangers son had arrived. Dressed in clothing he knew to be traditional among piglin folk. "Hello? Are you- are you Bad's son?" Karl's words were soft as he tried to make out any emotion on the others face.

Nothing.

"Well yeah. Why?" He dumped a bag full of things into the chest before looking back up.

There was a long pause between the two before the stranger sighed. "My name's Sapnap. People normally call me the "Nether Hermit" though for some reason. Your name is...?" "...Oh! I'm Karl!" "And the kid? Who's he?"

"Not sure.. haven't given him a name yet." Karl adjusted the mass of flesh people may call a child in his arms, then looked off at the lava. "So you're the hermit? Guess I have a lot to thank you for then." "Me? That sounds like bullshi-" "Sapnap. You saved my life. You gave me a maxed out Netherite sword! I owe you a lot honestly."

Sapnap slammed the chest shut and looked up to Karl with a decent amount of shock lacing his slightly tanned face. "That was you?! I thought you died on the way back!" Then he placed a hand over his face, sliding it off with an exasperated sigh. "No point in leaving you behind. With a kid no less. Come on."

Karl smiled and happily followed. Finally he found the man who had saved him life. Finally he was away from those who did nothing but hurt him all this time.

Finally Karl Jacob's got the fresh start he so desired.

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I have done it.