Severed - Sequel to Corrupted, an MCYT fanfiction

28: Badtimes

Just checked back over my book plan and... uhh... there's a lot of stuff in this chapter...

So... yeah...

Btw this book will have 35 chapters not 30

S***.

That's all anyone's thinking after Grian's return. 2 more dead. 2 more missing. Only 1 returned. Except me. And Pix. Who didn't help. I didn't help Cleo. I didn't help...

But I can't think about that. It turns out there's a small graveyard that no one told me about hidden within the forest behind Scarland. There's a small funeral for Cleo where I stand with Doc and try not to cry as she's buried next to Scott's new empty grave and Joe's older one. Vex isn't here. Maybe when this is over I'll ask Elex to kindly consider adding somewhere for him or I'll tear out his f***ing eyes and hide them somewhere in his brother's grave. 

I visit the graveyard a few times after that. It's quiet. And sometimes empty. But I find most of the time I, surprisingly, gravitate towards where Pix is recovering.

He's been given a place to stay in one of the unfinished rooms in Scarland while he recovers. He still hasn't woken up yet, one of the reasons we haven't had a meeting. But according to Stress, who's looking after him, he's getting better. Sometimes Impulse asks how he's doing, or Tango and Jimmy sit with me and Pix. But it's just me there when Pix wakes.

'H- Hello?'

'Oh- s***- umm- you're... awake?' I look over, hiding my shock at Pix's voice suddenly. He groans, trying to sit up.

'...Scar?' 

'What?! It's Badtimes, moron!' I reply, crossing my arms. 'Don't you remember me, D***'s-a-rift?' 

'Didn't you... go?'

The formerly-sculky hermit shuffles to sit up, squinting. 

'I came back.'

'Where... am I?'

'P**sney-Land.'

'What? Where's...'

'Scarland.' I reiterate, rolling my eyes. 'We're in Scarland. I'm Badtimes, and you're in Scarland. You were possessed.'

'Possessed? Oh- f***, I was... what happened? How long's it been?'

'Dunno how long but you... killed some hermits and p***ed off others. Normal Sculk stuff.' As nonchalant as I sound, the stab of grief at Cleo's death rises.

'...killed?' Pix repeats.

'Yeah. You killed Joe I think. Then you were smart enough to cause Cleo's death, because she was f***ing P***ED at you...' I look over and see he's just staring at his legs. It takes a moment to realise he must be upset, or shocked, or something I can't joke about. 'Are you... Alright?'

Pix doesn't speak.

'Pix? D***'s-a-rift?' Keeping as far away as I can, I pat his shoulder comfortingly.

'I'm a- oh notch.' He grips my arm, suddenly pale. I try to free myself.

'Uh- just- let go? Can you... get off my arm? Pix? D***s?'

He lets go at last, but he's still pale, taking deep breaths, closing his eyes. When he opens them he's less wimpy and panicky, asking another question.

'Did I get through to the Land of Souls?'

'Yes. But... then Littled*** and Cub got trapped there too. Oh, and you dragged Cleo through there. And then Pearl killed her. And Scott also died then. I dunno how.'

'And... who's Littled***?'

'Martyn. That's pretty recently that happened... what else... uhh... Oh, there's The Crack now.'

'The...'

'Smellex calls it the Sever, but he's wrong. Anyway, there's also gonna be a meeting or something to plan getting back everyone in a big dramatic f***-the-sculk murder mission. Hopefully murder's involved, no one's confirmed or denied anything but I want revenge for Cleo and I guess I can't kill you now...'

'I... I need to see what happened. Outside. Can you... help me...?'

'Sure. STRESS!' I yell. 'PIX WANTS HELP BUT I FEEL LIKE BEING A LAZY B****!'

'PIX IS AWAKE?!'

'YEAH! Stress is coming, don't worry. Now, I'll... Are you happy being with Stress or are you a p***y who needs me here too?'

'I'll be fine... Can you tell the hermits I'm awake? So we can have this meeting.'

'Yeah... Bye D***'s-a-rift.'

'Bye, Badtimes.'

It's interesting how it takes half an hour to organise and gather a big a** hermit meeting in Scarland castle and then 3 bajillion years to actually start it. Everyone expected Grian to, but he's sitting with Iskall and Stress. Similarly, EX does f*** all and everyone else is just sat around.

'Right.' I look up to hear a voice I recognise from Helsmitcraft. Wels. 'If no one else will start this meeting, I will. We need to do something.'

'What can we do?' EX shoots back. 'Nothing's working!'

'That's why we're here. Does anyone have any ideas?'

Jevin raises a hand.

'Uhh... save our friends and kill the f***ing Sculk?' 

'How?' Tango shoots back.

'I know how to make potions that will cure Pearl and Martyn.' Pix says next to me. 'The ones we used for Grian and Tango before. But the Sculk itself...'

'Oh, I know!'

'Yes, Badtimes?'

'Ok, so... half the hermits fight PearlescentPoo and Littled*** and... Scar possessed while I lead a group to cover the Sculk-world in TNT and blow it up.'

No one speaks for a moment. 

'Works for me.' Hypno decides, shrugging. 'Anyone else?'

'Badtimes... we're not blowing up the Land of Souls...'

'Why not?'

'Because it's a stupid idea!'

'F*** you! Who's in? Bonus perk of joining, I don't call you by the clever and rude nickname I came up with.' 

Jevin raises a hand.

'What's my nickname?'

'I Jev-bin.'

'Yeah, that's lame. I'm joining the blow up the Sculk-world mission.'

'Right... this is now an actual thing we're doing?' Elex buries his head in his hands. 'BLOWING UP the Land of Souls?'

'Uhhh... yes! Though... I need my flint and steel from Martyn first.'

'Wait, dudes, will he come for us if we start placing TNT or will Pearl come?' Ren asks. 'The Sculk can sense stuff through the ground, right?'

'It didn't come for you,' Doc replies.

'We'd be more of a threat... dude, Badtimes, you're a genius!'

'Ok... Wow... if you can figure out a way to do this... fine.' Elex resents. I whoop excitedly 'Meanwhile, the rest of us fight Pearl and... rescue Cub and Scar?'

'Not everyone.' Grian interrupts. 'Jimmy, Tango... anyone else who's more suited to helping after the fight will stay here. This will be dangerous and-'

'The Sculk killed Cleo, imprisoned Scar, hurt Etho and my soulmate Impulse, killed my friends... I'm not stopping fighting until it's gone and never coming back!' Declares the short one, Bdubs. 'Who's with me?'

There's a cheer back, more declarations of loyalty, and a**kickery, and plans finally seem to be in motion to get rid of the Sculk.

Forever.

This sucks but whatever.