Has He Changed? (Hermitcraft 7 fanfic)

×Chapter 3×

  
   Doc, False and Iskall had been taking turns standing in front of the only exit and entrance to the room where Evil Xisuma was being held. They heard the crackling of fireworks as three figures flew towards the base.

  "How's everything so far?" Xisuma asked as he landed, putting away his rockets.

  "Oddly fine, he hasn't moved from his spot on the bed. He's not even trying to sleep or anything. Just sitting there." Iskall explained, the other two just nodding.

  Xisuma sighed. "Well, Tango, Stress and I would like to see him." He stated, the three guarding hermits nodded and moved out of the way of the door.

   As soon as the trio stepped into the room, Ex seemed to flinch. As if he hadn't heard a sound like that in years. Stress was holding back the urge to tackle him in a hug, having heard that he was weak and jumpy.

  Tango hated seeing his friend like this, helpless and trapped. He noticed Xisuma tense up as the trio stepped closer. Tango knew it was because X was unnerved at being so close to the person who almost destroyed the server.

  "Hey Ex.." Xisuma said at last, standing in front of the lookalike.

  He didn't look up, but nodded his head to acknowledge his presence.

  "Who else is here?" Ex asked, twidling his thumbs in his lap.

  "A few people who wanted to see you." X replied, stepping back and letting the two friends of the figure on the bed step forward.

  Stress pulled something out of her inventory, holding it just above Ex's lap. Tango cracked a smile at the item.

  It was a cookie. Something that Ex had been obsessed with when they were all still together. Tango's little huff of amusement must have been heard, because Ex's attention snapped to what was held in front of him.

  "A... cookie..?" He questioned softly, reaching up and gently taking it from the person's hand.

  Stress smiled softly, though it was filled with sorrow. She was extremely worried that Ex had forgotten their friendship.

  "O-only two people know about m-my obsession over cookies.." Ex let out a small huff in rembrance of his friends.

  He looked up at the two hermits in front of him. Eyes widening in surprise. 

   "S-stress..?! Tango?! Y-you're here! I thought y-you wouldn't want to see me after that dumb stunt I pulled.." Ex panicked, tears welling up in his eyes.

  The two of them just hugged the helmet wearing man. Xisuma watched from the sidelines, feeling better now that they had gotten to see each other again.

  Stress and Tango soon pulled away from the sniffling figure. Ex looked between them at Xisuma.

  "You too.." He said with a faint smile, holding out his arms for a hug. 

  Stress and Tango weren't expecting anything to happen, but in less than a few seconds, the two were hugging tightly.

  "Damn, I missed you... why did you have to do all of that..." Xisuma muttered into Ex's shoulder, catching the other two hermits off guard.

  "I thought you hated him, X." Tango stated, flabbergasted by the sight in front of him.

  Xisuma pulled away, sitting beside Ex. He took off his helmet, in which Ex did the same. They looked identical in every way. They had the same scar across their face, though Ex's was at an opposite angle than Xisuma's was. Ex had pure white hair, while Xisuma had pure black.

  The most prominent difference was their eyes. Ex's eyes, glowing red like redstone, were faint. Barely red anymore. They were more of a soft pinkish red. Xisuma still had his bright emerald eyes.

  "I couldn't stay angry at my brother forever, could I?" Xisuma choked out with a dry chuckle, glancing at the two.

  Tango and Stress had no words. Their jaws dropped at the admin's response. Soon enough Stress was able to gather herself again.

  "Brother? I always thought he was a clone of you. Why have you guys never told anyone?" She asked, pulling up a chair to sit in front of the two brothers.

  "We thought it would be best if it was kept secret.. I'm not the most pleasing to look at..." Ex explained, sighing and rubbing his eyes. He'd been crying.

   Tango finally relaxed and sat down as well. He kept glancing between the two, but the resemblance was uncanny.

  "I see.. What do we do now? Ex is here and the others are pissed.." Stress inquired, moving some hair from her face.

   "I guess... make a server announcement..." Xisuma replied, feeling his brother tense beside him.

  "That's not gonna go smoothly... The only one who's gonna most likely accept it was that Grian fellow. He was the first to notice I was terrified of everyone surrounding me." Ex stated, the two hermits in front of him letting out small chuckles.

  Ex looked at them with a raised eyebrow, confused on why they were laughing.

  "Grian is a huge sweetheart like X here. He never wants to dwell on the past, so he focuses on friendships in the present. His closest friends are Mumbo and Iskall. But I bet that you'll be a close friend to him as well. Just be wary of his pranks. They're spontaneous." Tango commented, earning a smile from Ex.

  "Maybe we should also tell them something not even Stress nor Tango know, Xisuma.." Ex glanced at his brother, who in turn looked at him.

  Xisuma tensed up, sighing. The other two were about to speak but saw Xisuma's worry.

  "If that's what you want, I won't stop you. Just, be careful and try not to freak out when we gather the hermits tomorrow." Xisuma replied, grabbing his helmet.

  Ex grabbed his helmet as well, the two of them slipping their helmets on and letting them lock with a satisfying click. The door opened slightly, revealing a slighting perturbed Iskall.

  "Everything alright in here? It's been a full hour already." He asked, tilting his head a bit.

  Xisuma nodded, quickly exchanging glances with Tango and Stress. Iskall just sighed softly, coming into the room and closing the door behind him.

  "You sure?" He asked again, walking and placing a comforting hand on X's shoulder.

  "Yep, just.. be prepared for a server meeting tomorrow. We're gonna be discussing Ex, here." Xisuma said, letting out a sigh.

  Iskall nodded, glancing at the other two and Evil Xisuma before leaving. Everyone let out a sigh when the door closed.

  "Well, I guess it's time to prepare for that meeting," Xisuma stated, glancing at a clock on the wall. "it's also getting pretty late. So I'll see you both tomorrow. Tell the others they can leave when you head out, please."

  Tango and Stress nodded, standing up and walking to the door. They stopped and turned back, mouthing a thank you to Xisuma before leaving the room. Xisuma turned back to face his brother, who looked exhausted.

  "Rest, Xan. You look like you're more of a zombie than Cleo is." Xisuma said, pushing his brother to lay on the bed.

  "Always that big brother type, a-" He yawned midsentence. "Aren't ya?"

   Xisuma just let out a small amused laugh. "Go to sleep, dork. I'll see you in the morning." He smiled softly and turned around, beginning to walk to the door.

   He heard the soft snoring coming from behind him and let out another small low chuckle. Xisuma left the room and watched his friends flying off into the distance. He then went off to his room to start on a plan for the meeting tomorrow.