Out of Your Control - a Hermitcraft AU

~ Chapter 6 ~

"So, why'd you want to meet up, Grian?" Xisuma asked, sitting on one of the chests littering the floor of Grian's mansion.

"Grian, you'd better have a good excuse. It hasn't even been a day since we've met up," Doc warned. "Besides, you know that Bdubs hates being controlled." He said, pointing at the other hermit.

"I-it's fine, I should get used to it if we're going to war," Bdubs stuttered.

"I'm sorry guys," Grian replied, looking at the ground. "But, this morning, Etho visited me, saying that he wanted to join forces, because he's a leader, too."

"Why'd you ask us then? You are the leader, after all," Doc asked. "Because you want our input," he answered himself.

"Can you stop reading my mind?" Grian asked, annoyed.

Doc just shrugged. "Makes for quicker conversations."

"I think we should see what he wants in return," X cut in. "Before we join him," he explained.

"He just said that he wanted the "curse" gone, whatever that is." he informed them. "Maybe he doesn't want his powers?"

"Which are?"

"Ice or water. I think. Because he was very cold," Grian answered. Then he noticed that Bdubs still hasn't talked yet. "Bdubs? Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah, I'm fine."

"No, you're not," Doc said, moving towards the hermit. "Your hands are lighting up. That means you're nervous, right? I know you hate this war, but X has good news."

"Yep! Scar's agreed to join us, so that'll definitely even the odds. I told him to meet in G's mansion, so he'll be here in a couple minutes, hopefully," X said, happily.

"Great, he a wizard, after all, so that'll give us the upper hand in the first battle," Grian said, proud of is teammates.

As X and Doc were coming up with battle plans, Grian pulled out his phone, trying to text Mumbo again, even though he knew it was a fruitless attempt to find him.

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Alter ego Mumbo looked down, as he felt his pocket vibrate. Pulling out his communicator, he saw who it was from.

"What is that?" Lady Terra asked, readjusting her new flower crown.

"It's... Grian," he answered. He could almost feel his other soul trying to take control of their body again.

"Leave it," she commanded. "I don't need any nuisances coming and taking my only soldier."

Suddenly, Mumbo took control over his body and began typing back, attempting to say that Stress had him, but Terra took the phone before he could finish the sentence.

"No!" she yelled at him, trying to force his alter ego to take control again.

Mumbo felt a sense of hopelessness drown him as he was thrown back into darkness, until he saw his phone in Lady Terra's hand light up.

Maybe I will be able to tell him...

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Grian felt his phone buzz and with a relief, he saw that it was Mumbo who replied. Only he was sure he wasn't okay. The message only said stress g. Trying to drown out the feeling of dread he typed back. Don't worry Mumbo. Now all he had to do was figure out where on earth Mumbo was. Easy.

"Guys? I got a message from Mumbo, and I think Stress is another leader."

"Oh no. Well, we can't do anything right now, we don't know where they are," Doc sighed, putting a hand on Grian's shoulder. 

"But- I guess so, but is there something we could do?" he asked.

"We have no idea where anyone could be, Grian. Besides you have to have clear head during the war. And thinking about -"

"Don't," Grian scolded, not wanting the others to figure out how he felt.

"Don't what?" Bdubs inquired.

"Nothing, nothing," Doc replied, obviously reading Grian's mind.

"No, what is it?"

"Nothing!" Grian said, trying to drop the subject. But Bdubs was not about to drop it.

"We're a team, though. X?"

"It's their choice, really, but we should really be preparing," Xisuma said, shrugging off the subject.

"Exactly. You shouldn't have to tell them either way, though; you are like royalty in this war," came another voice.

"Etho?" X asked, looking up from a map.

"Actually, I'm Frostbite, and these two are my accomplices," he replied, walking into the mansion and waving a hand at the two other hermits trailing behind him.

"Cub? Cleo?" Doc asked, eyeing them suspiciously. It makes it hard to trust anyone when everyone has red eyes.

They narrowed their eyes at him, but Frostbite spoke for them. "No, no. That's Dust-devil," he said, pointing at the red eyed Cub, "and that's Zombie, or just Z for short," he carried on. "Now! What about our little deal?" His dark blue eyes glinted in the dark.

Grian glanced at the others. "What do you want in return?"

Frostbite's demeanor changing completely. "The one who cursed us. I. Want. Him. Dead."

"Who?"

"Oh, that'll be revealed at the end of the war," he said airily.

Grian glanced at Doc, who nodded. "Yes, okay. We accept."

"Great! Can I meet your other sides now?" he asked, scrutinizing the trio behind Grian.

"Bdubs?" Grian asked the nervous hermit. Once he nodded, Grian started the transformation, his eyes glowing blue and his ears pointing. "I'm Skyfall. That's Bright," he gestured at the white-eyed hermit, "Doc is still Doc and that's Evil X or Xanathus." Only Xisuma drastically changed in appearance. His suit and visor was turned red and the tips of his hair dyed white.

"We're getting another member soon, but for now you get Grian," Skyfall carried on, turning back to Grian. He turned around and walked over to Bdubs, who looked very confused.

"How was Bright?" he asked.

"He's weirdly optimistic," Bdubs answered, after a pause.

"Yoo hoo! Anyone home?" a voice called out.

"Down here Scar!" Xisuma yelled back.

"Ooo, nice interior G! So, you wanted me on your team?" Scar asked, making his way down the ramp, into the main storage system area.

Grian nodded. "Stand here please," he said, pointing at the ground, repeating the same process of possessing as he did with X, Bdubs and Doc. Standing up, Scar admired the floating magic particles swirling around him.

"And who are you?" Skyfall asked, loftily.

I'm Scarred! Get it?" he replied. "Scar for short."

"Hmm," Skyfall brooded, turning back to Grian. "Frostbite, can we talk to Etho, Cub and Cleo?"

He narrowed his eyes, transforming back to Etho. "What do you need?"

"Just making sure that no-one was thrown into our group, is all," Grian answered. "Now, who wants to do some battle planning?"

*Sighs* This is 1100 words!!! I'm too crazy for my own good...

Thanks for reading, Meerkats!