Severed - Sequel to Corrupted, an MCYT fanfiction

11: Scar

Pearl stopped asking questions a while ago. She doesn't care about information. She just enjoys seeing how much pain she can cause me, all while talking about sculk, and her sculk wolf Tilly, and how fun our little conversations are. My half of the 'little conversations' is sobbing, squeaks of pain, and pleading for her to stop. The reminder of the worst of it still lies slumped at the side for me to see; true to their word, Mumbo hasn't been moved.

I watch her leave another one of my pain and crying sessions, the way out closing behind. I'm allowed 5 seconds of recovery before the Sculk starts it's mental manipulation again.

I can tell her to stop if you want.

'What?' I murmur back.

I know you're hurting, and Pearl isn't helping. She's bored. Constantly. You're far better than her.

I have no reply.

I have to feel bad for Pearl. And I know you do too. You're a good friend. And, if I may give my opinion, you deserve better than the other hermits... I know you don't trust me. But I find it funny how I've done more to help you than your 'real' friends. They could've realised there was a way through to here. They could've done more to help you.

'They're doing everything they can.'

You know what I've always admired about you Scar? Your ability to stay constantly optimistic no matter what.

The Sculk's words sink in. I don't reply, for a moment wishing Pearl was back, even as blood still slowly spreads across my shirt... Before I lose too much and slip into death I almost long for, sculk covers the wound spreading it.

I'll get Pearl to stop. You deserve a break from your old friends hurting you.

I don't want to thank it. The sculk falls silent, just returning to its horrible habit of running it's tendrils through my hair. Just as though it's a real person. As though it cares. I shift away.

I'm sorry. It's an annoying habit, I know, if it doesn't come across as comforting as intended... It stops, the tendrils falling still. There's another uncomfortable silence, fighting the dull throb of constant pain. I stare at Mumbo, covered in sculk that doesn't hide the blood. Surely the hermits are coming soon. Though it might only be a couple days since I got here.

But I don't know for sure.

'How long has it been?' I have to ask.

A couple weeks.  In fact you've spent as many days here as it took for you to trap Cub to save him. From the day Pearl got here... You'd saved him.  The Sculk lets the words sink in. The real amount of time. The implication that I did more for Cub than he's done for me. The implication I still hope is a lie. If you're wondering about progress... I've been mostly disconnected but from what I heard is there's a couple more people I don't know on the server and one trip away by the almighty best friend Cub.

'That can't be it.' I murmur. The thoughts the Sculk wants me to feel rise slightly. I have to push them away. It's lying, missing out information... 'They... They were trying to get here. Pix and Joe.'

There was seriously no one else? Not Cub or Grian... Don't the other people here have best friends who want to help? And surely... They didn't help you either, did they? I sense genuine surprise in the Sculk's voice alongside the constant fake pity.

'I told Grian and Cub not to help. They're faced you enough.'

Cub always struck me as the disobedient kind... Guess I was wrong about him too.

'He's coming. He cares.' 

If Cub cared as much as you say he does he'd be here by now.

Silence.

'It's harder to get here.' I decide eventually.

Is it?

I can't reply.

The way we got into your world is still open. I'm as surprised as you that it took them so long to realise... anyway, I should let you rest. If anything happens... I'll let you know. I promise. Their lack of progress fascinates me too. Guess your friends aren't so wonderful and clever after all... Farewell, Scar.

The voice disappears.

I'm alone, grappling with the facts I've been given. Lies. It's lying about one of those details, missing out bits. Surely the portal's unfindable, their progress has been under-exaggerated... The thoughts numb the physical pain. It doesn't matter. The mental pain is just as bad. 

I continue staying there, thinking, alone, worried... no, no they're coming. I know the Sculk messes with people... 

Voices.

Through my half-possession I hear the one-sided conversation between the Sculk and Pearl.

No.

Argument.

'You- you KNOW I've got nothing to do here! Talking to him was the only thing I had... it's different with you. And you spend more time with HIM anyway... and what about ME? Haven't you thought about me at all? Don't I MATTER to you?! 

Something in Pearl's voice catches me offguard. 

Emotion.

Real, human emotion cuts through the coldness the Sculk gave her. And she's arguing with it. She thinks differently to it. Though 'different' in this case is continuing to hurt me on a regular basis and anger that the Sculk isn't paying it the attention I wish it wouldn't give me.

'At least I have Tilly to keep me comp...' 

Pearl's voice cuts off. A moment later I sense her footsteps running away into nothing. 

Scar.

The Sculk. 

They're here.

'What?'

5 of the hermits are here. Your friends Cub and Grian are among them. Perhaps I was wrong about them.

They've come to save me.

The hermits found their way here. The Sculk can't pretend they don't care anymore because they're coming to save me. Cub's coming to save me. 

I'm going to be free.

So I wait. 

And I wait. 

And I keep waiting.

And I wait even longer. Hours, perhaps. Or maybe just a couple minutes. But I remain sat here, my patience and hope dwindled slightly, but not much. Not enough to believe the Sculk's lies.

I wait some more. 

And even more.

And...

I have news.

The Sculk. Again. I frown. Surely Cub should be here by now... what happened?

Is he ok? 

'What happened to him?' I demand. 'What happened to Grian? Are they ok? What did you do? What did you make Pearl do?'

No one was possessed. No one died. 

'Then where are they?'

They went back.

'Back...?'

They returned through the portal to Hermitcraft without even looking for you.

90% of the way through this I realised how perfectly 'Drift Away' from Steven Universe fits with this chapter

:)