When Past Meets the Present

XXIX

I forgot to mention it but Ex slashed him across the face while they were fighting and the cut hasn't healed so it looks really bad. And he told Quetta to take them to the library when he got permission to go after him. Grian doesn't know that he's Evil Xisuma.

Someone pointed out that calling him Zucky sounded like Mark Zuckerburg and now I can't take it seriously so from now on he's gonna call him Alex or Alexander, ok.

WC:1000

We neared the door to the infinity room where I'd told Quetta to take everyone. I was too spent to walk on my own so Alex ended up dragging me along. I held back winces every time my tired wings hit a stray item. I learned the hard way that my wings were massive weak spots, they were extremely sensitive. The open wound on my face throbbed from being directly exposed to the salty sea air.

I felt myself nodding off from the pain. I would've laid down and slept there in the middle of my base if it weren't for Alex constantly talking to me and shaking me wherever I didn't respond quick enough. He asked mostly about Xisuma but also a lot about the older hermits. Now that I think about it, it was quite weird that he knew their names. At one point, he even asked about Etho who left a few seasons ago. Eventually, I heard a knock on what I assumed to be the door to the library.

"It's just us." I heard someone call out, my half-asleep mind couldn't quite determine who it was. "Xelqua's almost passed out from magical overuse but everyone else is fine."

"I sense an unfamiliar Watcher." I guessed that voice belonged to Quetta.

"That would be the one he saved. I think they were friends."

"Hmm... What's your name, Watcher?"

"My given name is Zuhiknauo but my real name is Alexander Void."

"Oh, I remember you now." I heard the creak of the door opening wide to receive us. I don't remember much about being brought in, but there were many worried cries from the Hermits.

"What happened to him?!"

"Is he ok?!"

"What is he doing here?!"

"He's the one who brought them here!"

"Get your hands off of him!" I was ruffly grabbed and yanked back, again. Why do people like dragging me around so much? I don't remember quite what happened after that but I was lain on something soft and familiar warm whispers telling me that I was safe and needed sleep. I did feel safe so I tried my best to block out the loud argument that was brewing some close by.

When I finally awoke, the yelling had stopped and been replaced with nervous murmurs.

"Grian, love, are you ok?" Asked Stress when she saw I was awake, "You must still be pretty tired after today. Go back to sl-"

"I'm fine, just a bit sore but nothing I can't handle." I attempted to stand up but was immediately pushed down into the bed that I left here in my rush to escape. I swatted at the hands holding me down with a bit of Watcher power, that got them off me pretty fast. Once I was on my own two feet, I slowly opened my eyes so I wouldn't get blinded.

All the Hermits were there. The fighters were having a standoff with Alexander who was trying to shrink into the shadows behind a bookcase. Stress, Xisuma, Mumbo, Scar and Joe were standing over me worriedly. Everyone else was just standing back and staying out of the way in case a fight broke out.

"W-what happened?" I asked, my voice was shaking from the effort of standing.

"They don't like him for some reason." Answered the Onoro. He was pointing to Alex in the corner. "Won't let any of us come near you so you had to recover on your own. Luckily, your magic had already been mostly depleted so you were more or less under your own control." I nodded and stumbled across the room towards Alex. He stepped out of the shadows when he saw me coming, a small smile graced his face.

I opened my arms and he did the same. He pulled me into one of his bear-hugs he used to give me when I had panic attacks. I hugged back with matching enthusiasm. I felt his cheek resting in my hair while silent tears rolled his face. (I can't decide if this is a ship or not. I know I said I wouldn't ship stuff but I think it's cute.) The room was quiet while we hugged. By the time we finally broke apart, everyone was staring at us. But that wasn't my biggest concern.

"What happened?" I quietly asked him. "And don't say nothing, you're clearly upset about something."

"I don't like standing here without my helmet. I feel naked."

"Then just repair it with magic, idiot." He stared at me blankly for a second. "You forgot you could do that, didn't you."

"...Maybe..."  Quetta (psychically a girl but is identifying as they/them) and I giggled while he repaired his mask. "Shut up."

"No, I don't think I will." They teased.

"OK, we need a plan to get rid of the Watchers, preferably without killing them." I stated, "If Alova is focusing on catching me and Alex, we could just leave and hope that they follow."

"That won't work, she used the players to successfully get you twice now. What's to stop from doing it again?" Irka pointed out.

The end is so bad because I realised I had hit 10k reads and really wanted to put something out but I'm too burnt out due to homeschooling (most of my writing time is during my classes) to make anything worthwhile.

I really want to do something special for 10k but I don't know what. If anyone has any ideas, let me know.

Cheers,

Isabelle