Never Meant To Be - Pearlescentmoon's Double Life

Prologue: Double Life Huh?

About a few weeks ago, Grian had reached out to Pearl. He was a pretty entertaining guy, known for his constant mischief and jokes. Particularly in the Hermitcraft servers and SMPs.

Also a friend of Pearl's.

Although... Pearl glances down at the coffee machine before her. Where a steady stream of dark brown liquid dripped delicately into her cup. Her hands held onto the cup firmly.

They weren't that close. Grian was closer to Scar and Mumbo. Not that it matters. He and her were still great friends and get along well enough when recording in the Hermitcraft servers.

So, he reached out to her. Out of the blue one morning. Sometime after she finished editing a Hermitcraft episode. Telling her how he had this series, Double Life, planned out for a while. But doesn't have a firm idea of how to initiate it just yet. That was up until now.

Grian had told her that it would be fun. And would be totally different from Last Life.

He just needs to think about how to set it into action. Who to invite to the series. Pearl being one of them, she remembered listening to him say. And the catch to it. Also known as the rules he'll implement.

She remembered thinking about it on spot. Thinking of the Hermitcraft series she's having a good pace with. And the hardcore survival she started on for a short while. Weighing her options. Then she agreed.

A third series wouldn't hurt her. She was out of university for a while now, with a job as a YouTuber. Earning a fair amount of money with the number of subscribers and engagement she received for her content.

So she had the time.

Living apart from her family also had its advantages.

"Every Friday, I'm thinking." Grian said with a grin, Pearl just knew would be on his face, through the discord call.

"That's what he said alright," Pearl begrudgingly sighed, giving her coffee a quick sniff. Taking in the rich aroma. The steam rose from the cream-colored cup in her right hand.

You wonder what was offsetting to her?

It was 4:30 in the morning for her. That's what's wrong. Her entire apartment was dark with the exception of the kitchen she was standing in. Brightly lit to a point that it bothered her.

She headed into a room next to her bedroom, where she does her recording and edits. Placing the cup down on the table and pulling her gaming chair back, Pearl slumped down into it.

Rubbing at her tired eyes that most likely had dark circles forming by now. She was tired. But what can she do?

That man left out the crucial fact of when the session would begin. Yes, he said Friday. Yes, she agreed since it wasn't a problem because she thought she had it in the bag. Yet, she has forgotten and neglected to ask him at what time.

Or even if she did, would Grian had change the time a bit so that she doesn't have to wake up this early?

To get ready to record the session for the Double Life series?

Wait- actually no... not record. What was she thinking?!

Pearl spin her gaming chair around a bit to face the door, struck with bafflement for a second.

Grian didn't say the member he invited would be recording this time about. He had purchased and shipped to them all vr.

Virtual Reality headset and necessary equipment pieces. Which she finds weird, as to why they need those trivial things.

And how he managed to get his hands on them all is another question sticking to the back of her mind.

It arrived at the front door of her apartment building just yesterday. Boxed up neatly, with two layers of packing tape. Almost as if Grian was afraid the content would spill by accident.