The Rise Of CuteGuy

Hello, Old Friend

Mumbo pov:

I had seen the fight on TV and heard through the grapevine that Scar was in the hospital, in a medically induced coma. I figured people would inform me if something bad happened to my friend, like if he had died or worse. I don't know the full story about what transpired at the hospital, and perhaps I never will.

So, I focused on working with Grumbot. He wasn't necessarily broken, but I decided to give him some upgrades, or at least attempt to. I hadn't activated Grumbot since the day my friend disappeared entirely. I still don't know what happened to him. One day he was here, and the next... just gone.

Grian was exceptional at programming and design, while I excelled at building the skeletal and mechanical components that allowed Grumbot to function.

Together, we created a bot that reflected both of us; one brown eye and one blue eye, a combination of Chromeo and my own eyes, a peculiar choice by Grian that now felt comforting. The wig we chose resembled Grian's sandy blonde hair, styled to look like a waffle, which always brought a smile to my face. We even added a black mustache to Grumbot's face. Much like my own mustache

I know robots don't need clothes, but I had some spare garments from when Grian lived with me. So, before turning him on, I dressed Grumbot in an oversized red sweater and pants. As I finished preparing him and was ready to activate Grumbot, my hands trembled uncontrollably. Tears streamed down my face the entire time, and I realized how deeply I was affected. I was completely heartbroken. I had gotten close to Grian, and he disappeared. Gripping the fabric of the red sweater tightly, I let the tears flow.

I didn't anticipate how much I would miss him, how much I actually needed his goofiness, his insistence that I rest so I don't overwork myself. Here I was, in the Redstone Engineers of the Heroes Association, pushing myself to reactivate an old project that I knew would only bring me pain.

Realizing I probably couldn't do this alone, I tried to collect myself before seeking out anyone else. It was late at night, and as expected, almost no one was around. Feeling lost, I decided to take a walk around the building, hoping to gather my thoughts. However, I ended up back in my office, overwhelmed with emotion. I found myself crying uncontrollably until I was hysterical, curled up in a corner. Eventually, exhausted from the emotional turmoil, I cried myself to sleep right there in the office.

In my dreams, memories of Grian played out vividly. His smile lit up like the sun, his eyes brimming with life as he flew around carefree. His hair seemed woven from strands of sunlight itself. In those dreams, I could still hold him close, reassure him, and ease his worries. But I knew deep down they were just dreams.

Reality seemed colder without him, and as I slept in that office corner, his absence felt even more profound. One dream stood out vividly in my memory: we were back in my old workshop, working on Grumbot. Grian was stressing over the code but decided to take a break and playfully pester me as I focused on the endoskeleton, which was still in its early stages.

Lost in concentration, I didn't notice him sneakily grabbing some paint until I heard his infectious laugh. Startled, I turned to see him sprawled on the ground, one wing askew from his fall. Despite the mishap, he was laughing uncontrollably. When I glanced at my reflection in the polished metal, I couldn't believe what he had done. "I can't believe you've done this," I exclaimed with surprise, raising my paint-smeared eyebrows—now comically giant arches. He had also painted my cheeks rosy, and his joy was contagious, making me laugh alongside him.

As I woke from that comforting dream, reality crashed down on me once more, leaving only the echoes of Grian's laughter in my mind. Confused and stiff from sleeping in an uncomfortable position, I tried to move, only to discover a blanket wrapped around me. It was morning now, and as I carefully got up, I noticed the Galaxy-themed blanket draped over me. Instantly, I knew who had found me: Mr. StarVoid.