oneshots

the pickle catastrophy!

In the vibrant city of Hermitcraft, bustling with creativity and life, every day brought excitement and new challenges to its 27 unique districts. Among these, nestled against the shimmering shores, there stood a small yet charming shop: Gem's Pickle Emporium. Its owner, Gem, a fiery character with striking red hair and lush green eyes, ran the shop with precision and passion. Despite how much she loved her sea pickles—once a delicacy from the deep, wild ocean—the main reason she juggled her schedule was Pearl, her closest friend with unruly brown hair and warm blue eyes, who just couldn't resist getting on Gem's nerves at every opportunity.

Days in Hermitcraft had a rhythm. Mornings were spent gathering resources or tending to their respective projects, while afternoons were often saved for friendly banter. Pearl had taken a keen interest in building intricate structures using Gem's pickles, whimsically incorporating the peculiar greenery into her treehouses, much to Gem's annoyance. "Fake trees belong in fairy tales, Pearl!" she would often exclaim.

It was one such afternoon when the raucous banter turned grounded and worrisome. Ugh! Pearl was always demanding more pickles. She anxiously thought to herself, "Now I gotta go back to my farm and get more to restock the shop!" Gem sighed, striding towards the farm as the sun dipped closer to the horizon, casting warm hues across the bustling city.

As Gem harvested pickles, the familiar rhythmic sound of ticking filled her ears. At first, she brushed it off as just a minor machinery malfunction. "It's nothing to worry about," she mused, shaking her head and focusing on collecting the bountiful pickles. With arms full, Gem quickly restocked the Emporium and set off to help Pearl create the latest design—the enchanted Castella, which was a majestic treehouse of Pearl's vision.

Just as Gem began building, her chat buzzed. "Gemmmm pickles!!!" It was Pearl. Gem rolled her eyes, a smile creeping across her face, but her annoyance bubbled at the surface. Maybe it was the afterglow of fresh pickles, or perhaps the cozy feeling the day was lending her, but she couldn't deny the flutter in her stomach every time Pearl's name appeared on her screen.

"Pearl, I just restocked them," she typed back.

"Ya, and I bought them!"

"Finnneeee," Gem conceded, cracking a smile. Reluctantly, she headed back to the farm. The sooner she got the pickles, the sooner she could indulge in Pearl's antics.

As Gem reached her farm again, the ticking noise returned. This time, it was accompanied by a faint hum, the earth vibrating gently beneath her feet. "What is going on?" she muttered, scanning her surroundings with a hint of concern. Then, without warning—a loud BOOM shattered the calm of her sunny afternoon. All at once, darkness swirled around her, and she felt herself engulfed in a haze.

When Gem regained consciousness, heavy sunlight streamed through the window of her bedroom. "W-what happened?" she murmured, her head pounding as though the world had gripped her brain in a vice. Her body ached in a dozen different places.

"Gem! You're awake!" came a sweet, breathless voice. It was Pearl, her face etched with worry, a stark contrast to her typical teasing demeanor.

"What happened?" Gem asked, squinting against the brilliant light.

"The—the pickle farm... it exploded! The ticking noises turned into a massive rumble. I tried to warn you, but I was too late," Pearl rushed, her voice trembling with fervor.

Gem blinked, processing Pearl's words. "Exploded? Is anyone hurt? Did I lose all my pickles?" Panic bubbled in her chest—a mix of anxiety and concern.

"Just you and the pickles!" Pearl chuckled, though it was a nervous sound. "I can't believe it! One moment it was the farm, and then—BOOM! You became the city's newest hero with a pickle explosion!"

Gem groaned. "That's not exactly what I was aiming for."

Pearl let out an amused snort, her eyes twinkling. "You know, I could help you rebuild. It's what I do best, after all. I can use those resilient pickles as the foundation of a new design. Just imagine—an anti-explosion pickle building!"

Gem couldn't help but laugh, despite her situation. "As long as I can rely on you for something other than 'tick, tick, boom' moments!"

"It's a deal!" Pearl smiled, her eyes lighting with mischief and joy. "I think I can get us some extra pickles... but you'll need to earn them back! How about helping me finish that Castella in the meantime?"

"Fine," Gem replied, a witty smile breaking through her feigned indignation. "Let's just make sure if you need more pickles, you don't tell me about it until I'm in a safe distance!"

im open for ideas and this was fun so far so yeah if any ideas just say. lots of platonic love hazy mind.