Steel Blood - A Hermitcraft fanfiction

Ch 23: fRiEndSHiP!

Even more time had passed since the fight. Scar still hadn't been seen, but Bdubs had talked to him, and came away shaken. Grian was in hiding as well, but still appeared to chat if anyone arrived at his base worrying. Incessant worrying from the last-life members - particularly Skizz - had become normal. And a message in chat not that long ago had changed everything.

GoodtimewithScar: this is war

Immediately, lines had been drawn. Alliances chosen, as to whether they wanted to support Scar or NPG. Ren, Doc, Impulse, and Hypno had all joined Gem and Mumbo on the latter's side while Tango, Bdubs, xB, Jevin and Joe had allied with Scar. Xisuma was attempting to appease both parties, and stop any more conflict and death, while agreeing with Scar, Grian was currently staying out of the entire situation, and NPG immediately went into hiding, though he knew someone would look for him soon enough. 

And it turns out that person was Mumbo.

'NPG?'

'What?' The robot let a bitter tone into his voice. 

'I wanted to talk to you. About... the war.' Mumbo stopped, looking between the ground and the back of his friend.

'I'm not part of it. I don't want to kill anyone else.'

'We're literally fighting for your survival, NPG.'

'I never asked you to do that. I never asked for any of this. All I want is a place where I can relax and build, and make redstone stuff. Not a war about whether you're letting me stay in yet another place where I'll ruin everything.' 

'Come on...' Mumbo walked over, standing next to NPG. 'I'm your friend. I don't want you to spend the rest of your life hiding.'

'Maybe it's for the best.'

'Maybe I want you to have a life for yourself. Safe. Happy. With me and the other hermits.' 

'Not after I killed so many of them...' NPG sighed. 'And not now I've ruined everyone's life...'

'I mean, you haven't ruined my life...' Mumbo replied. 'I'm not angry at you for anything. I know this isn't your fault.' 

'It is.'

'It isn't. I mean- not all of it is. You didn't make the rest of the hermits decide to not trust you. You didn't make Scar send Iskall and Etho after you. Or cause Bdubs and Team ZIT to go searching for you.' 

'Scar... He and he other guy - Cub - they were friends, weren't they?'

Mumbo nodded back.

'Best friends. Partners in crime. They created something called the Convex together and pranked everyone with vex masks on-' the redstoner stopped as he noticed NPG burying his head in his hands in shame. 

'Another friendship I tore apart...' 

'NPG, I'm still your friend!' 

'You'll always prefer Grian to me. Always... and you'll never be able to see me for anything except him.'

'I don't! I see you as your own person! An amazing, thoughtful, intelligent robot person. My friend.' 

'I wish I didn't look like him.' NPG stared down at his hands in disgust. 'Or... the other one.'

'The other one?'

'I'm halfway between Grian and Robot Grian. My creator and the person who made me crazy.' 

'Robot... Grian?'

'He thought he was better than us...' NPG muttered. 'So he went rogue. Infected me with my curse of killing whenever I'm hurt.'