Featherweight - Hermitcraft AU

Getting Better

Grian sat high up in a tree next to Xisuma's house. He didn't want to go back inside.

If he went back inside, he would have to face Iskall, and that just hurt too much. His friend had believed in him, had trusted him, and Grian let him down. He hurt his friend, and he almost died because of him.

Grian tried to focus on the praise that the other hermits gave him when he was Poultry Man. Normally, that would help him feel better, but now he just felt even worse. He looked down at his arm and sighed at the sight of feathers.

Aleighnya's potion had worked, but he was still changing. Maybe it would be better if he was a bird. At least then he couldn't let people down.

Grian looked down at the base next to him. He could see clearly though the window with his eagle eyes. Iskall was laying on the couch in obvious pain.

The sun was beginning to rise.

Another day, another friendship destroyed.

The bird froze as he heard voices.

"Let go of me, you anime knockoff!"

Grian looked below him and saw Etho carrying Alex over his shoulder walking towards Xisuma's base. Etho laughed and knocked on X's door.

The bird could see Xisuma get up from beside Iskall and walk to the door, putting on his helmet on the way. He opened the door.

"Etho!" Xisuma greeted his friend apologetically.

"Here's your brother." Etho unslung Alex from over his shoulder and put him in X's arms.

"He didn't hurt you, did he?"

"HA! Nope. I'm too fast for him." The ninja pulled down his mask and stuck his tongue out at the nether soldier. Alex promptly flipped him off.

"You're a disgrace to Kakashi." The angry man jumped out of his brother's arms and went inside.

"Man...He's still not over the whole 'me squashing the strawberries one year on accident' thing, is he?" Etho pulled his mask back up.

Xisuma sighed. "Obviously not. Gosh, I just wish he could let stuff go. He still hasn't forgiven me for being the one who got our dad's suit after he died."

Etho nodded. "Any idea how I could get him to stop hating me? I'd rather not have to constantly be on the lookout for him."

"Maybe if you give him strawberries or something." Xisuma suggested. He sounded tired.

"Good idea." Etho replied. "Hey, you alright?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." Xisuma gave him a weak thumbs up.

"Cool, because, uh, your wings are showing."

X looked over his shoulder to see his Admin wings.

"Thanks." Xisuma chuckled. He willed the wings back to their bee form.

"See ya later, zoomer." Etho waved. X waved back and closed the door.

Grian watched the Canadian walk from the door. The bird looked up into the sky, but when he looked back down, Etho was gone.

"Looking for someone?"

Grian jumped up from the branch he was sitting on and turned around as he flew a foot or two above the tree. Etho was sitting on a branch behind him.