Together We Can, Alone We Will [Origins SMP/Modded SMP]

Raging Fire

It's never easy living in such a hell hole. Sure there were plants but it was always more dangerous than it felt like it needed to be.

With hoglins being the primary source of food it could get ugly fast.
Jack clipped his gold clips onto his toga before returning out into the open.
"Can't believe I almost lost you, right in the middle of a Piglin mob!" Jack huffed checking to make sure it would stick.

"Guys?" Jack called out, "you both ok?"

Silence.
Jack has been met with silence his entire life, it's not like this was a very big deal.

Except it felt like a big deal. Where were they?

He huffed and returned out into the open.
It was hotter out of the cave but it was about average.

Jack fixed his red and blue sunglasses and scurried off once more.

"Are you ok?" Jack asked an hour later.

"Please answer," Jack pleaded 3 hours after that.

Jack slumped against a teal tree. The wood was cool, dipping into his skin and catching his tan toga.
His eyes stung as he desperately tried cooling them off behind his eyelids.

His eyes burst open to the familiar sound of a piglin.

Please see the gold.
Please see the gold.
Please see the gold.

There was a snort of anger and a hoof hit his hand.

The 17-year-old cried out and his eyes flew open.
"Gold! Gold! Look!" Jack showed getting the gold pieces more in view. It didn't seem to ease up.

Jack dug into his small pack desperately before pulling out a bar of Nether Gold. He shoved it in the piglin's face and it eased up.

It took the gold and studied it carefully and Jack scrambled away.
He inspected it for a few moments before pulling out a black unfamiliar stone and shoving it in Jack's hands before leaving.

The material was fairly small, taking up a bit less than his entire hand. Jack shoved it in his bag before rushing off.

He needed to find a place to stay the night again.
He could try another Fortress, they always welcomed stray Netherborns, but he'd have to stay close to the other stray Netherborns or the Blazes so the protectors, or the Wither Skeletons, didn't get pissed at him.

Not to mention they're not exactly easy to find and there's a risk of running into ghasts, hoglins, piglins, and even adult Netherborns.
Nah, Jack would rather find a cave.

"Either of you there?" Jack asked, almost pleading.
"Com'on guys, please?"

Jack ran into a cave with a small entrance and crawled to the back, as far as he could go.
He curled up and fixed himself into a crevice for safe sleeping.

"What time is it up there?" Jack whispered.
"Are you asleep?"

Jack awoke to soft humming.
A gentle melody playing in his head.

"You're a good singer Niki!" Tommy proclaimed.
"Thanks! Ranboo has been very anxious without you," Niki replied cheerfully.
"Awwww, well we miss him!" Tommy proclaimed.

"Is he still getting anxiety attacks?" Tommy asked.
"Unfortunately. Someone just wanting to help accidentally jumped us and he's too afraid to be in the open now," Niki explained.
"How do you accidentally jump someone?" Tommy asked.
"By us to being able to see you and you dropping a blanket so the packling can sleep better on said packling's head," Niki giggled.