I wrote the start of this chapter as the start of another, it didn't work, I saved it, and now I get to use it here

Recycling!

:D

I really thought being possessed by an evil entity would be more fun than this.

Now I'm stuck stemming my boredom by playing with Tilly and building stuff out of Sculk. My castle - yes, it's now so big it's become a full castle - is 5 times the original size, though using Sculk as my only building block is starting to grow tiring. Scar's still in the dungeon to mock, and only mock. I'm not allowed to interact in any other way, even if I say I'll ask questions as well. Gem died too fast to be helpful. My pet warden Cuddles is as bored as me, appearing sometimes from the ground to roar and show his displeasure. 

I circle my home, trying to find more places I can add details, expand, do anything. A few wolves follow, Tilly among them. The only real company I have - the Sculk mostly ignores me to talk to its precious best friend Scar. I grow vines up one tower in a brickwork pattern I hope looks as good for the boring hermits that can sense more than just Sculk. If they get here at any point in the future. 'Rescue' Scar. Fight against me, claim I need to rejoin their side, I need to be 'cured' of the Sculk. I know it's not controlling me. It's just assisting me, offering me its powers. I can leave any point I want, if I knew how to. 

Bored of building again, I return inside, Tilly following still, down into the dungeon, into Scar's room. He's still against the wall.

'Hey Scar...' No reply. 

'What?' He mumbles back. 'What do you want? Did the Sculk let you hurt me again?' Something in his voice sounds... defeated. I sigh, sitting next to him.

'Yes or no. Whichever makes you perk up.'

'I might cheer up if you tell me my friends are actually coming... the Sculk's all 'no, no they don't care about you, Scar. They all hate you, they're such bad friends...' And I say it's wrong, that Cub and Grian and all my friends will charge over here and rescue me with the passion of a thousand Scars... and then they don't.'

'They'll come. I want them to come too. I'm bored.' I admit. 'Always bored... the Sculk doesn't care about me either.'

'No... the Sculk LOVES me...' Scar complains. 'It's always coming and talking to me, pretending it cares, pretending it knows more about the Hermits than I do... lying about them coming, and lying about them going away.'

'Oh, that wasn't a lie. They did come, and I got rid of them. I killed Gem. Your friend was there. Cub.'

'Cub?' A spark of interest, engagement.

'He let Gem die, right in front of him. And he watched as I hurt Grian. And he ran away again, back to his little hermits, hobbling along with poor little Grian... pathetic.'

He doesn't reply. The spark disappears as quick as it came into troubled silence.

'Don't cry, Scar. He did want to rescue you... a bit.'

Pearl. Go away.

The Sculk's command, loud in my mind. I ignore.

'They were mostly there for Ren though. And they wanted me back. Cub could've rescued you. I would've let him. But he chose Grian instead.'

I said go away, Pearl.

'I'm helping.' I mutter back.

Yes. But go away. This is my job.

'He doesn't believe you. And I'm bored.' 

Be bored elsewhere. It tangles tighter around my arms and legs, threatening. I take the bait. 

'Why? If I'm not doing any harm, why can't I stay here, talk to my lovely friend Scar...'

I told you to GO AWAY.

A crack.

Pain.

Sudden pain in my arm. I don't scream. I want to scream. The Sculk hurt me. Properly hurt me. But I was disobeying, talking to Scar when I shouldn't. Stupid Sculk. Stupid Pearl. Stupid, stupid Pearl.

Leave now or I hurt you again. And I don't want to hurt you again. You don't want to be completely useless to me, do you? The Sculk wraps around my neck, sending cold all down my back.

'Pearl?'

'Goodbye Scar.'

I stand, and leave the prison with tears in my eyes.

I'm sorry.

The Sculk finds me, sat at the top of the highest tower of my castle, legs dangling over the edge. Death here is permanent. Something about that knowledge is freeing. So I sit on the edge of it.

'You hurt me.'

I'm sorry. I got upset. You were doing great. 

'Why don't you talk to me much anymore? Did I do something wrong?'

I have been busy. And there is little for you to do here while the others remain in the overworld. And I don't want to lose you there. You matter, Pearl. I need you. I genuinely expected the Hermits to come quicker. 

'Cowards.'

Cowards indeed. Do you forgive me?

'Heal my arm and I'll consider.'

Of course.

Warmth fills my arm. Souls, lost in the sculk, healing me, until the break heals over.

'Thanks. I forgive you now.'

Good.

Silence. I don't move from the edge of the tower, the drop down. Tilly lays her head on my lap, comforting me. I stroke her head, smiling. My closest friend. My true friend. More of a friend than Gem was, or Impulse was, or Grian, or Scott... obedient, loyal, comforting. 

You're important to me, Pearl. I promise.

'You promise a lot of things.'

And do I not deliver on my promises?

I don't reply. It does. It does keep its promises. The Sculk wraps like a blanket around my shoulders, hugging me, comforting me.

'I'm sorry for getting upset at you. And disobeying you. I wasn't thinking.'

It's alright. You're only human. You get bored, you get upset, you get disobedient... just promise to try and stay loyal in future and all will be okay.

'I promise.'

Good. There is something I do want from you, Pearl. It has taken a while for you to gain the strength for this... another reason for your lack of function for a while. But I have a quest, a mission I want you to complete. It may take a while, but follow my instructions and our domination over Hermitcraft will be successful very, very soon.

:)