Scar sat sobbing in his safe room, alone.

No matter how many times he watched the tiny cart race around the model rollercoaster, no many how many teddies he hugged, or star wars scenes he recited from memory, all he could think about was Cub. His expression. Grian's words. Watching him fly away, hurt beyond anything Scar had seen before in his life.

And being unable to follow.

'Grian get off me- I need to talk to him!'

'He's a murderer, Scar, I'm not letting you get hurt.'

His wrist still hurt from were Grian refused to go of it. By the time he'd managed to break free, he could already feel the Vex's power pushing beyond his control and was forced to go to his safe room. Instead of finding Cub. Instead checking on him.

And Scar was left on his own, unable to console himself, trying to ignore the vex screeching and memories of the Hermits' words in his mind.

'Fuck all of you. Fuck everything. Fuck Hermitcraft. Everyone hates me. Just- goodbye.' 

'We don't trust you to be alone around Scar anymore.' 

'you invaded our home, grabbed Bdubs, held a knife to his throat and told us to obey you and Cub or you'd kill him.'

'Do you still think you're innocent, Scar?'

Flashes of his nightmares rose too. The NHO, the Life Series, Secret Life. Being alone. Pearl lying dead in that ravine. Impulse stumbling away, covered in blood. Cleo. Etho. Back to Etho. Back to the NHO...

No Scar. Our Scar. Our justice. Justice. They hurt you. They disobeyed. Revenge. Victory. Our victory. They deserved it. The vex whispered, drowning him in thoughts. Scar shook his head, struggling to breathe, wanting Cub here with him. Wanting the comfort only his best friend could provide. Wanting to apologise for everything Grian had said, and everything he should've done instead of just standing there. 

Until the world turned dark and he lost consciousness.

Scar woke up to the sound of his communicator going off.

cubfan135 whispered to you: HELP TIZED MY NASE SMILE

He was on his feet before he could even start to figure out what Cub meant. All he knew was smile meant Vex and Tized was Hypno's emergency word. Something had happened... Scar stared at the locked door in front of him, mind scrambling to find a hermit he trusted enough to let him go. Not Grian. Not Mumbo. Every possibility was too unlikely to trust him until he stumbled across...

You whispered to JoeHillsSays: my saferoom let me ojt now

JoeHillsSays whispered to you: OMW

You whispered to cubfan135: be there soon

Scar didn't know how long 'soon' would take, but it felt like it took far too long for Joe let him out and then even longer for him to fly to Cub's base. He crashed through the window, landing in Cub's storage area. The first thing he saw was Cub, flat against the wall, sobbing and terrified.

'Hey, hey, Cub I'm here. I'm right here. What happened?' Scar sprinted over, 'Are you ok? I'm so sorry about Grian I didn't expect him to act that meanie and-'

'Scar- I think I- I think we killed Hypno.' was all Cub could say.

'What? Sit down and- Oh... no no no...' Scar stared at Hypno, the blood pouring from his torn throat. 'That- oh Cub- What happened?'

'We ended up fighting... Xisuma separated us... I tried to get to a safe room but I wasn't fast enough... I tried to get in before but, dude, he- Hypno- stopped me ...'

'What? Oh Cub I'm so sorry I... fuck- I don't know what to do... Just- sit down, let Xisuma handle this. He'll know what to do...' Scar's mind failed to find answers, or anything beyond shock, terror, worry for Cub and a continued fury at Grian. If Grian hadn't said that horrible stuff... if he'd let Scar comfort Cub. 'You told Xisuma? And- you think we were possessed?'

'I... don't wanna assume but...' Another glance at Hypno. Scar forced him to look away.

'Cub- Just focus on me, ok? It'll all be ok...'

'Do you think you were possessed?'

'I...' Scar thought back to his time in the Safe room. Was he possessed? Or did he just fall asleep?

He didn't know.

'I- I don't know... Oh- oh no no... Cub I'm so sorry... I... maybe? I just... lost consciousness. It didn't really feel like possession...' Scar hugged Cub tighter, the two just sat in the corner of the room, not knowing that to do. 'I got to my safe room...'

'What's going on- fuck.'

Xisuma landed next to Hypno.

'What happened? Cubfan?'

'He woke up and saw Hypno dead,' Scar explained, trying to look past Hypno to where Xisuma was crouched, already pulling up screens and searching for information. 'That's all we know.'

'Did the Vex take over?'

Cub and Scar exchanged a glance.

'We're not entirely sure.'

'Explain?'

'Cub was exhausted and I just... lost consciousness. Maybe fell asleep, maybe got possessed, I don't know. I was in my safe room.'

'We... can't explain why but it didn't feel like possession,' Cub said.

'Alright.'

Nothing else.

'Xisuma? Are you ok?' Scar's focus shifted.

'I've told everyone to come over.' X's visor covered his face but it was clear he was crying. 'Last time I forgot Wels and... he got upset about it. We'll go outside where they can't see this mess. Come on.'

Xisuma stood up, closing the hologram screens around Hypno. Cub didn't move. Scar remained with him.

'Cub?'

'I want to stay inside.'

'This is an important meeting, Cubfan.'

'They're going to attack me again and blame me, and I won't be able to defend myself, and it's going to be hell.' The certainty in Cub's voice only broke Scar's heart more.

'Every hermit will be there.'

'Exactly.'

Xisuma sighed.

'Cubfan, I don't have time for this. Just come to the meeting. That's an order. Now come on.'

Xisuma left. Cub clenched Scar's hand tight, trying to take deep breaths, trying to calm his nerves. Scar hugged close to him, running a hand through his hand.

'I'm right here Cub.' He insisted. 'Everything will be ok. Whatever you decide. You can stay here if you want. Xisuma can't make you do anything you don't want.'

'I'll go to the stupid meeting.' Cub muttered back, standing. 'Come on. Let's see if anyone on this stupid server actually still wants me here.'

This wasn't supposed to be a chapter-

Oh well, never mind