(Old story, leaving it up for fun :) ) The Hidden Diamond

1

Xisuma sighed happily, watching the sunset. It was the end of the first day of season 8, and all was peaceful. His communicator buzzed, the low pitched VVwhoop signifying that someone had joined the server. Oh no! I hope it's not Bdubs, he thought with mock annoyance. I want to watch the sunset. There was a second VVwhoop a moment later. He ignored it, but the countless answering dings caught his attention. He frowned, checking the first two messages. Then promptly panicked.

Ex joined the game

Pearlescent[WATCHER] joined the game

<Docm77> EX?!!

<MumboJumbo> I thought he was banned!

<ImpulseSV> HOW IS HE HERE?!

<TangoTek> I'm heading to spawn.

<EthosLab> Like everyone else?

<Helsknight> Ex!

<Welsknight> HELS. STAY RIGHT THERE. THIS DOES NOT CONCERN YOU.

<Helsknight> Uhh, yes it DOES! Tango, tell them!

<Grian> P-pearl?

<Keralis> I'm messaging everyone who's offline.

Bdouble00 joined the game

<ZombieCleo> Tango, what do you have to do with Hels & Evil X?

Cubfan135 joined the game

<TangoTek> ...

<GoodTimesWithScar> What's even happening? And why am I the only one that's noticed that there is a bigger problem than Ex?

<Rendog> joined the game

<FalseSymmetry> Explain how there could POSSIBLY be a bigger problem than Ex?

<Iskall85> THERE IS A WATCHER ON THE SERVER.

X teleported to spawn, not caring he was cheating. How was Ex here?! And a Watcher?! When X spawned in, Ex had his back to the admin, scrambling away backwards from an unconscious figure. He heard Xisuma teleport and jumped up, spinning to face him. "How is there a Watcher here?!" Ex was yelling, eyes wide, clearly terrified. "Hermitcraft is Watcher-proof!" "How are YOU here?!" Xisuma yelled back, shaken by the appearance of his brother. "Hermitcraft is YOU-proof!" The red-clad greifer paused. "Y- you didn't unban me?" He looked shocked, and confused, and a little hurt. "No. How-" He was cut off by the other hermits appearing. Most namely, False running up behind the twin brothers, and basically attacking Ex with a sword. 

"Hey!" X yelled at False as his brother panicked, seemingly not wanting to hurt the angry hermit. Maybe he's changed... He can't be trusted. He grabbed False by the scruff, pulling her off Ex. "Bigger. PROBLEMS." He spun False around and shoved her towards the stirring Watcher, who Doc was pinning. She got the message and went to help. Ex pulled himself up, looking sheepish. "I need Welsknights help. Just- control Hels for a bit?" Ex's face lit up at the mention of his former troublemaking nether friend, and he nodded. On que, the cheekier of the knights came bounding across the desert, covered in speed, grinning like mad, chased by an exhausted Wels. Delighted to see each other, the partners in crime hugged, and then Hels dragged Ex off to see his base. Wels facepalmed, but came to Xisuma, following him over to the Watcher. 

It was lying on its side, not awake, but stirring in it's sleep. The others were pinning it. False was pinning down its legs and back, and Doc had its wrists, holding them together and on the ground with both hands. Stress was carefully kneeling on its bottom wing, (splayed behind it), but seemed unsure what to do about the second one. With a start, he realized it was broken, with deep gashes bleeding a pale magenta/purple. After a second, she picked it up, and gently held it still. Cleo rolled her eyes, probably for her friends' concern even over a thing that would probably try to kill them. 

The admin turned to speak to Doc, who was glaring at its mask with a burning hatred. "Doc. Find where it's pulse is on it's wrist, and press it. That's where they generate magic. Holding it's pulse will block that." Doc did as he said, and the faint glow on the Watcher's hands faded away. It- she? - stirred again, lifting her head weakly, then froze. Xisuma guessed she'd opened her eyes, even though they couldn't tell through the mask. Her breathing quickened, and she seemed almost- scared? Watchers don't have emotions. They're just monsters. They don't feel anything. Especially not fear. Suddenly, they heard Mumbo's voice ring faintly across the field. 

"Grian! Come back! Are you ok?" X turned, and saw Grian, running towards them, stumbling, tears streaming down his face. He noticed them, and cried out. "PEARL" The Watcher bolted up, almost knocking Doc off with sudden strength, but he hissed and pushed her back down. "⊣ - ⊣∷╎ᔑリ?" She looked at Grian, clearly shocked, as he made it to the group and fell to his knees in front of them. 

He grabbed Doc's shoulder and shook him, sobbing. "Let her go let her go let her go LET HER GO!" Doc stared at him, surprised. "Grian, why do you care about a Watcher?" He spat the last word, and the Watcher - and Grian? - flinched. Grian ignored the question. "Pearl!" He cried out again. "Grian-" "I SAID LET HER GO!" He shoved Doc off her with a strength that seemed impossible, flinging the huge creeper at least a few blocks away. He whipped his head to False and Stress, not caring, but they backed off. 

He turned back to the Watcher on the ground and pulled her up to sitting, then grabbed her mask. He wrestled with it for a few seconds, then pulled it off her face, flinging it aside and staring at her like he couldn't believe she existed. 

She froze, eyes wide, staring at him, and Xisuma realised- Is she crying? He gave a teary smile, and she made a sound that was half laugh, half sob. "G- g- Grian?" "Pearl?" She suddenly hugged him, and he returned it, being careful of her injured wing. "How are you alive?! And a Watcher, of all things!" "After they took you, they came back, and told us they had lied. You were dead. Taurtis screamed at them,-" Doc cut her off with a growl. "Who is 'them'?" She paused, letting go of Grian and looking at Doc, and started to answer, but Grian pulled her hand, stopping her. She looked back at him, then at the less-than-friendly faces around them, first confused, then understanding. She turned back to G. "I'll explain to you later."