Look at me, altering the POVs! These are some pro-writer moves right here. *dies internally at what I just said*

Stresskall.

NEED I SAY MORE-

WC: ~1100 (SPEAKING of pro-writer moves!)

Enjoy!

Iskall took a breath and walked up to the Watcher. Xisuma was watching them from afar, it was just Iskall and Grian. Grian was pacing and looked surprised to see Iskall.

"Hallo," Iskall said calmly, extending a hand to Grian. "Iskall." Grian blinked at the word, then something seemed to click in his head.

"Grian," the Watcher responded, taking Iskall's hand.

"I'm willing to give you a chance," Iskall told him. Grian pressed his lips into a tight line.

"That- thank you," Grian mumbled. 

He seems nice, but... he's still a Watcher.

Right?

"Can you fly?" the question was out before Iskall could stop it. 

"No," Grian responded, shaking out his wings. "I think they're broken. At least the right one." Iskall exchanged a look with Xisuma, who had come over.

"Should we?" Xisuma asked, the two of them thinking the same thing.

"I don't want to bother her..." Iskall trailed off.

"I'm sure Stress wouldn't mind," Xisuma said with a smile. The more time you spent with Xisuma, the easier it was to tell his expression. His smiles leaked into his words, and it was something that you had to get used to.

"Alright, let's get into the boats," Iskall said with a nervous laugh.

"More boats?" Grian asked, glancing at the water.

"Are you afraid of the water?" Iskall asked, placing down the boat and climbing in.

"Erm, no?" Grian said. "Just..." Grian didn't finish his sentence, just climbed into the boat, sitting right behind Iskall.

Xisuma climbed into a boat and followed Iskall south. Things starting getting cold fast.

"W-where are we going?" Grian asked, shivering. Iskall turned his head to see Grian curled up, using his sleeves to cover his hands.

"Stress is the 'ice queen'," Iskall explained. "Ice queens live where there's ice."

"Well, no kidding, Sherlock," Grian grumbled. Iskall laughed at his comment.

"You have a nice laugh," Grian complimented. "It's different." 

"Thanks, I get that a lot," Iskall replied, humming a tune under his breath.

"Do you trust me?" Grian asked unexpectedly. 

"What are you gonna do, kiss me?" Iskall challenged with a snicker. 

"W-what?" Grian sputtered. "No- I- what?" Iskall took one look at his flustered face and burst out laughing.

"I'm joking," Iskall clarified. "Why are you actually asking?"

"I- you've scarred me for life now, you know that, right?" Grian warned, sending Iskall into another fit of laughter. "Though I was going to follow that up with a 'why are you being so friendly?' line." Iskall raised an eyebrow.

"I could ask you the same question," he pointed out. "Sorry, but aren't Watchers supposed to be these omega beasts of doom? Or do I just have to offer to kiss them to defeat them? Death by confusion?" Grian sighed.

"I'm never going to hear the end of that, am I?" Iskall shook his head playfully as Grian asked the question. "And yes, they are supposed to be scary. They are, for the most part. I'm just not the same. I'm being friendly because... well, I don't know." 

"I passed the vibe check?" Iskall guessed.

"Yeah," Grian agreed with a giggle. "You passed the vibe check. You have good vibes." Grian gave Iskall an awkward pat on the shoulder.

"See, now I'll just use that as my answer," Iskall said. "You passed my vibe check." Grian smiled.

"Woo! We both have good vibes!" Grian pumped a fist in the air, rocking the boat slightly.

"Okay chill," Iskall said with a laugh, steadying the boat. Grian shrunk down, blushing.

"Sorry,"

"No problem," Iskall said dismissively. "Although my goal was completed."

"What's that?" Grian asked.

"Distracting you from the cold," Iskall explained. Grian froze.

"Oh well t-thanks," Grian shuddered. "For reminding me." Iskall chuckled.

"Of course," Iskall responded. Hearing a ruffling behind him, he turned around to see Grian wrapping his lilac wings around himself. 

"Need a feathery blanket?" Grian offered, extending a wing out to Iskall. 

"Oh no, I'm practically immune to the cold," Iskall told him, shrugging away the wing. "It's in the name." 

"In the name?" Grian asked, the shiver in his voice fading. 

"'Ice cold'," Iskall explained. "That's what my name means." Grian nodded wistfully.

"Funny, my name means 'sun'," Grian said. 

"Agh, don't melt me!" Iskall said, lurching away playfully. Grian laughed with Iskall.

"Is that it?" Grian asked, pointing to the ice biome they were approaching. 

"Oh yeah," Iskall replied. "Stress lives in that ice mountain thing right there." Iskall pointed as he said the words. Grian glanced behind them at Xisuma's boat. 

"Let's just go, I guess?" Grian said with a nervous laugh.

"Stress'll like you," Iskall promised. "She's nice like that." Grian gave a small shrug as Iskall docked the boat. 

"Thank you," Grian mumbled. "For being so accepting. There aren't many people who will like you for who you are, not what you are. I... I appreciate it." Iskall blinked at the emotion behind the words. 

"Of course," Iskall responded as Xisuma came up behind them. 

"Where's Stress's base?" Xisuma asked, climbing out of the boat. Iskall pointed to one of the ice mountains. The three of them walked over to the mountain, then looked around.

"Where is she?" Xisuma asked. Iskall looked around nervously. 

"Maybe she's out getting resources," he suggested. But Iskall had a sinking sensation that she wasn't out getting things. 

"I'm messaging her," Xisuma said, lifting up his left arm.

Every Hermit had a communicator. It was a tight metal bracelet that fit around their wrists. When one's arm was held up, a holographic screen would automatically pop up. You could navigate through the sever chat, as well as private messages and other things. The bracelet itself was silver-colored, but Xisuma's, being an Admin, had a single green gem in it. Xisuma typed something into the screen and waited.

And waited.

And waited.

"She's not answering," Xisuma said carefully, lowering his arm, causing the screen to disappear. Iskall pressed his lips together, reminding himself that she could just be busy. 

"I'll ask the server chat if anyone's seen her," Iskall told them, pulling up his own communicator. 

<Iskall85> has anyone seen stress?

<MumboJumbo> no

<Renthedog> where u at?

<Iskall85> stress's base

<TangoTek> maybe she's getting stuff

<Iskall85> we messaged her and she didn't respond

<Iskall85> and why wouldn't she respond to all these buzzes?

<Renthedog> idk man, just keep an eye out

<Renthedog> look for her around the biome

<Iskall85> ok

"They haven't seen her," Iskall said, lowering his communicator with a sigh. 

"I'm, erm, sure she's fine," Grian said, giving Iskall a half-hearted pat on the shoulder. "I would offer to scan from the skies, but..." Grian extended his wings awkwardly, wincing as he did it.

She wasn't.

<Stressmonster101 was impaled by Drowned>

Quick clarification! PERMADEATH IS NOT ON! But dying does hurt. A lot. To the point where if you die too many times in a row, you will actually die. It drains you almost completely and burns like the stars above. Poor Stress. Sorry not sorry :) 

-Storm