Watching and Listening - An Empires SMP AU

Reclaiming old friends

           Grian stared at Jimena and Martyn's retreating figures as they tried and failed to catch up with them. Eventually Jimena lost them in the woods. "What's Martyn doing here?" Timmy asked. "According to Listener sources, Martyn's been a pawn of the Watchers for a while now." Scott said dimly. "I suppose the Watchers wanted to torture him and us even more by having us fight each other like in the life games."

           Grian growled softly in his throat. "How do the Watchers somehow always figure out how to get even worse than they already were!" Grian shouted, disturbing a flock of birds. "I don't know." Scott said quietly. He put a gentle hand on the hermit's shoulder. "But don't worry. Somehow we'll get Martyn and Jimena back."

           Grian's shoulders sagged and he sighed. "Yeah, somehow." He muttered. He turned to look at Pearl, who was quite incensed. "They really hate us evolutionists, don't they?" She growled, hand on her ax. "They hate you for trying to escape your world." Scott clarified. "The Listeners' plan unfortunately didn't work. But maybe this time it will."

           Everyone looked at Scott. "You have a plan?" False asked. "Sort of." Gem said. "The idea was that the Listeners will keep most of the Watchers busy so not many will go to this world to destroy it." Scott said. "Hopefully a manageable number." "Aren't the Watchers going to make Martyn do that?" Grian asked. "Yes, and probably Jimena and False too, but Listener intel says they're getting Watcher reinforcements." Scott said.

           "Everyone around me is a god." Timmy suddenly muttered, making everyone laughed. "Did you just realize that now?" Pearl giggled. "Maybe." Timmy said. "But why are there four Watchers in this world and my best friend is a Listener without telling me?!" "And there's Joel and Bdubs." Grian said, playing along. Timmy just groaned.

           "Is there more to the plan?" False asked Scott. "Well, it mostly revolves around us being able to defend ourselves." Scott said. "I suggest you start working on weaponry or whatever secret powers people have been hiding all this time." "Won't the Watchers try to stop us?" Scar asked. "Also sort of part of the plan." Gem said.

           "The idea is that you mortals trying and planning ways to stop the Watchers would be amusing enough to their bloated egos that they'll just watch and enjoy the show." Everyone nodded. Then Grian got an idea. "False, let's go to Hermitopia and build Grumbot." He said.

           "Grumbot? Why?" She asked, frowning in confusion as she tried and failed to connect the dots. "Grumbot is a lot more powerful than anyone knows." Grian explained. "Who knows? Maybe if all else fails he can help us escape this world by reopening the rift. Or maybe help fight against the Watchers, who knows. But we need to build it quickly. If Qiron's telling the truth, er only have a week left..."

           "I want to help." Gem said suddenly. Everyone looked at her. "I need to help." She said. "I'm not that good with machines and the smart people dust but I'm not sitting around here doing nothing as the Watchers prepare to attack." As she spoke her green wings shot out of her body and flapped tentatively.

           Grian considered. Gem sounded so sincere. But she'd been hiding her true self from everyone for centuries... Although after what he'd heard about her trauma, it was honestly pretty understandable... And he did hide his true self too... He and Gem were more alike than he thought.

           "Okay." Grian said at last and Gem looked surprised. "You can help just do what ejger me or False tells you to do so nothing goes wrong. The more people who help the faster this will go." He spread his wings, ready to fly, but Gem beat them to it. "I should teach you how to teleport people." She said, and with a burst of green energy the hermits were at Hermitopia, where evereyon stared at Gem.