MCYT RANDOMNESS 2

Princess Cub - 1

'Have you heard about the party Jevin's hosting?' Joe asks me, Skizz, and Scar as we help him mine out the Holmdell area. Skizz nods. Scar gives an excited laugh.

I hide a grimace. Another party? Now? With all the Permit Office stuff, the base work, caring for Scar after Wild Life sessions and still having enough time for looking after myself, I've got no time to prepare for a crazy, over-the-top ambitious hermit party.

'Of course! Already got plans... What about you, Skizz, Cub?'

'Yeah, I'm so excited!' Skizz replies. 'I can't wait to see what amazing outfits people have. And speaking of...' Skizz turns expectantly to me. '

'I've not really had time to think about it yet.' I reply.

'I can tell you're lying there, Rubba-dub Cub... bet you've already started on some huge elaborate thing like Halloween... how long did you spend writing out all those secret tasks for every hermit? How did you even get the idea of representing the fear of failure as a Secret Keeper?' Skizz replies.

'Cheers man... it was nothing on your phasmophobia idea. You did come up with that idea, right?' The memory returns of Scar, Skizz, Impulse, Gem and Grian appearing in a truck, pretending to find what ghost Tango was, representing 'phasmophobia', for the theme of abstract takes on phobias.

'Cub, that's the greatest idea my two moron braincells are ever going to come up with. You smash it out of the park every single time.'

'Oh, 100%. I still watch regularly that Hotguy performance you did back in Season 9.'

'You did a Hotguy performance?!'

As Scar goes into excited detail, I'm left thinking. Even though this party isn't themed, I can't leave the hermits disappointed. Skizz already has high expectations of me that I can't let down. I'll stick out among the amazing outfits of the other hermits. I might even cause concern about how I'm doing mentally. Surely I can cut time into my schedule for this. I've always managed before. Do I really need to finish all of that in my base? No, but that's my free time. I can't cut out that time for myself. Ensuring all the shops have functioning ender chests? But I'm Permit Manager, if I don't do it now, I never will.

'...Cub, how are you even planning to fit in everything you've got going on and making your outfit.'

I'm forced back to reality by Skizz's question, fumbling for an answer.

'Oh, shoot, yeah... you're really busy right now, aren't you?' Scar remembers. I have to nod.

'Honestly, I'm stuck as to what I do.'

'Wait, seriously?' Skizz's excitement fades. I curse myself for letting him down already.

'I'm sorry, man. I just don't have that much time. Being Permit Manager is a lot of effort.'

'Well... I mean... you could still Princess, right?'

Princessing.

Ever since Doc was pranked into wearing a maid outfit by Ren, there's an option to put full control of your party outfit on another hermit. And by 'party outfit', you're forced to wear a dress and makeup, and see nothing of it until you're in it, 5 minutes before the party begins.

Which means they're almost always prank dresses.

No one's gonna forget giraffe Skizz or Joel's hugely ornate dress with 'I LOVE ETHO' and an Etho face on it.

As much as I try to fight the worry, my grip on my pickaxe still tightens at the thought of being laughed at, the questions hermits will ask if they see the scars I'm hiding. The inability to change all night. The choking tight clothes. The staring. Scott, intervening with princessing as always and getting right up in my face with itchy makeup that feels like sculk against my skin...

'Cub?'

'Yeah, I'll consider it, I'll consider it...' I reply before Scar can spot my nerves. Skizz's excitement returns, perhaps even more than before.

'Wait, actually? Oh Notch! Dude, Rubba-dub Cub if you Princess, it'll officially be the best day of my life.'

'I call dibs on making your dress, Cub! As your best friend, and personal seamster, you are obligated to let me make the most amoyzing dress ever, and make you look absolutely beautiful!' Scar gives a little giggle at his own idea that doesn't help my nerves. I try to hide behind the patch of stone I'm mining, give myself time to think.

'Yes! Scar! That would be incredible!' Skizz's enthusiasm doesn't fade. The truth sinks in of how disappointed he'll be if I refuse after getting his hopes this high 'You're literally a magician when it comes to this kind of stuff. And, please, make something that stops the Hermits bringing up the stupid giraffe dress every time someone mentions Princessing.'

'Oh don't worry, I'm planning on making the greatest Princess dress ever!'

'Only question is...' Joe says. 'does our wonderful Permit Manager permit Scar as the manager of his own outfit?'

'Well...' my communicator buzzes and I glance down to see a private message from Grian.

Grian whispered to you: Permit reaping time!

'I'll get back to you on that. Permit duty calls... Scar! Reaping time!'

'Oh, shoot! Coming!' Scar follows me into the air, and after a few goodbyes back and forth, we leave earshot and he flies closer.

'If this is too much for you, we don't have to do it,' he says, 'I can just make you a suit if that's more comfortable. And, yes, I'm making your outfit whatever it is, I'm not wasting this opportunity to distract myself from the Life Series.'

'It feels a little cheap though... and lazy. And kinda ruins the point of Princessing. No one else gets to wear whatever they want if they can't make it themselves.'

'But I don't see why that means you have to be forced to do something you're uncomfortable with.'

'I'm not uncomfortable with the idea of Princessing. Or you making me a dress. Just... never mind.'

'Never mind what, Cub?'

'I'll Princess. And of course you'd be making my stuff, Scar.'

'Wait, really?'

'Yeah.' I hide the fact my heart is still racing, my mind still running through every single reality where I end up humiliated or uncomfortable in front of all the hermits. 'Yeah, I'll Princess. If you've got enough time and energy to design and probably make everything for me.'

'I'd be honoured, Cub.' As we land in Grian's base, Scar takes my hands. I can tell how excited he is for this and force a smile back. 'I've got time. And I've already got ideas to make you look absolutely unforgettable.'