Watching and Listening - An Empires SMP AU

New rooms

           Jimmy just looked up at Gem for a little bit, wondering what went on in her head. Scott had told him a tiny fraction of what she'd been though and it just made him really sad about how cruel and heartless some people could be. But the story was true and Gem was probably not the only person who'd experienced abandonment. 

           He didn't know what to say, so he just hugged her. Gem looked confused and surprised for a few seconds but after a little bit she just accepted it. Then Scott awkwardly came up and joined the group hug too. "This is really wholesome," Gem started, "But it's getting kind of hot. Like really warm." "That's just mesa weather." Jimmy said, letting go.

           "Jimmy," Gem said uncertainly, "Can I stay?" "Stay here? Yeah, sure," Jimmy said offhandedly. "There's some free rooms in the saloon-" "No, I mean really stay." Gem interrupted. "I don't feel like going back to Dawn or Hermitopia. I want to stay here in Tumble Town... indefinitely." "Oh." Jimmy glanced up at her. "Don't you want to stay with Sausage?"

           "Yeah, about that..." Gem paused. "He just kind of told me that he knew my secret the whole time since we've met each other and... I don't know how to feel about that. Couldn't he have told me he knew?" "You know how Sausage is." Scott said, shrugging. "He probably knows about me too." "Wait," Jimmy glanced at the cyan-haired Chromian. "Do you have some weird secret too that you haven't told me?"

           "Maybe," Scott laughed. Jimmy frowned at him, and then glanced at Gem, who appeared unsurprised. "Gem, can you-" "It's not my secret to share." She said with a hint of a smile on her face. Jimmy groaned. Why is my life like this? 

           "Hey, sheriff, the crazy murdery False is here about a trade deal- oh." Scar said, popping up next to them with an insanely long scroll of economic statistics. He glanced from Jimmy to Scott to Gem and whistled. "Oh. Ohhhhh." "Uh, yeah, Scar sort of lives here too." Jimmy said somewhat apologetically to Gem, who stiffened at the sight of the hermit. 

           "Grian told me Gem's a Watcher." Scar said to Jimmy. "I know; he told us at the same time." Jimmy said exasperatedly. "He did? Oh, yeah, he did." Scar said, slapping his forehead. "Oh, and, the crazy murdery False is here about that trade deal thingy. She wants some gunpowder." "Why?" Jimmy asked, walking over to him. "Considering she's gone crazy and has another personality who wants to kill people I think we can guess what she wants it for in this context." Scott said dryly.

           Everyone looked at him. "She has another personality now?" Jimmy asked. "She didn't tell me that." "Don't take it personally." False said, somehow sneaking up on him. Everyone yelped in surprised and jumped a foot away from the grand architect, who appeared unsurprised at the reaction. 

           She eyed Scott and Gem somewhat cynically but said nothing. Then she turned to Jimmy with a soft smile. "Sheriff, hello, how's your day been?" "My day? Oh, it's actually been pretty peaceful." Jimmy replied. "Joel and fWhip and Grian haven't bothered me yet!" "Yet?" False said. "You know how they are." The sheriff shrugged in resignation.

           "I could always kill them for you so they won't bother you." False offered. The sheriff found himself considering accepting it for a few seconds before he snapped back to his senses. "No! Bad idea!" Jimmy squeaked hastily. "Yeah, they may be incredibly annoying but they're still friends." Scott said calmly. False shrugged, watching him out of the corner of her eye. "Suit yourself, sheriff. Now, about that gunpowder..." 

           Jimmy glanced at Gem to find her slowly edging away from the group like a deer trapped in headlights. "Uh, one second, False," Jimmy said, walking over to the Watcher. "Do you still feel like staying?" He asked her quietly. "Yeah." She said, equally quiet. "If it's okay with you, of course." The sheriff nodded. "I'll book you a new room in the saloon and then I'll trade with False."