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"... Joe?" Cleo called out. 

" I'm coming." a small figure stumbled outside the base, covered with iron armour from head to toe. He ran up to her with a book in hand.  

" You have the feather falling boots, correct?" she asked, kneeling down to the kid's level. 

The kid just nods. 

" Your helmet is not broken?" 

He bods again. 

" You didn't leave anything really important?" 

He only raises one book. 

"Alright…" Cleo paused for a second, observing the less enthusiastic kid. She knew why he was down in the dumps. Their reasons for leaving may be life dangerously different compared to before, but that pitiful look was the same one she saw on that boat trip. 

Young Joe frowned, pushing his book tightly to his chest as he looked back at the entrance of the base. Nothing much was said. Only the hand that she extended him broke free from his mournful trance. Hesitantly, he accepts the hand, letting her drag him farther and farther away from the base till it fades in the background. 

The ground rumbled underneath their shoes, as each minute, they struggled to even keep their balance without getting tossed to the side. Cleo held his hand ever so tightly, tighter than ever before. He did not complain. He only stayed silent. But he couldn't hide his nervous expression. Occasionally, gravity would shut down on them and everything around them levitated from the ground. She wanted to throw up. The mix of her dreadful anxiety and motion sickness did no wonders for her stomach.

But enough about her. Joe was what she was worried about. Each time they float up, Cleo would bring young Joe closer to her, sacrificing herself as a landing pad for the kid. And when the ground shakes, he nearly slams his head on the floor. His glasses weren't going to survive this. 

She never felt anything so life threatening until now. She never felt this helpless, despite having respawn. This kid's life was in her hands now, and there's no way of bringing him back if death caught up with them . They were still far from the spawn point. She wanted this journey to be over. 

… Well, there is one way of doing it quicker. That would mean adding way more risks for young Joe. But then again, we're already at risk. 

"Auntie Cleo? Why did you stop?" Joe asked, turning his head at me. 

" Hmm. Hey Joe. How do you feel about flying?" 

The kid's eyes widened, mixed with excitement but confusion. " You said it's dangerous to fly?" 

" But it will be faster." Cleo replied with a small smirk on her face. "Come on." 

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" Hypno, what on earth-" 

"I know, I know. I somehow messed it up." The temporary admin tried calming down the swarm of hermits. 

" Messed it up? The moon's big!" 

" I know! I-I don't know how I missed that part of the world.. ." 

Finally reaching their destination, Cleo landed on the ground with young Joe in her arms. Seeing as they were close, she gave the kid an extra few seconds to rest in her arms. She spotted the group of older hermits, surrounding Hypno, asking questions and yelling out things about the moon. Just by the hermits, was Renbob's iconic hippie van. Renbob silently observed the group, till he finally noticed my presence. 

"Hey, man! You can bring Joe inside the van with other kids if you want." 

"Ohh? Alright. Thank you, Renbob. " Cleo carefully places Joe on the ground and basically shooed him off towards the van. After watching him enter the vehicle, Renbob looked at her and gave a big thumbs up. It was now her cue to join the bickering group. 

" Guys, guys! " Cleo immediately hushed everyone around her, glaring at anyone who dared make a sound…Maybe it's the bags in her eyes that's scaring them. " It doesn't matter if Hypno, Pearl OR Gem missed the 'big moon' feature of this world or not while researching about it!.."

She pauses for a bit to glance at Hypno. "Then again, he could be trying to moon us-" 

"Ugh Cleeooo." Hypno cringed 

The sounds of chuckles and gagging were heard. Cleo took this a sign to continue. 

" Sorry. Couldn't help it. But anyways! All I care about right now is to bring these kids to a safer world and leave this place. We argue about who's at fault later. Sooo Hypno," she gestures at the poor man in the middle, "what's your plan?" 

Hypno, quite taken back by the sudden cooperation, quickly cleared his throat and spoke. "Alright. So I asked Renbob if we could use his van as our escape. Fortunately enough, he complied with my wishes." 

The hippie does a little fancy bow. " You're welcome, man." 

" Now that we have the van, we-" Hypno stops for a bit. Cleo looks in his direction to find a hand extended from the group of hermits." Yes Wels? "

The knight walks up from the crowd." I'm not one to judge, but I'm pretty sure Renbob's van will not handle well with THIS amount of people." He gestures at the  hermits. 

" You are correct. Unfortunately, not everyone will be able to fit inside. So instead, we're prioritizing Renbob, the kids, and a couple of hermits that can watch over them during the whole trip.Cleo, Grian, we'll be counting on you two to take care of them. "

Cleo glances back at the mousy brunette and silently nods. 

" Everyone else, we're doing the usual. We shall go to the main world and travel on foot." 

 Groans could be heard from the group behind Cleo. Hypno lightly chuckled as he shook his head. " It's not that far compared to our other worlds. This time, we're going to the closest, most random world I could find.. That's right. No planning, no sneak peaks, and absolutely no big moons- yES Zedaph I checked tHAt pArT firsT!" 

Zedaph slowly backed down. Quite chuckles could be heard from around him.

" This will be our first time going to a world blindly. It's not how we usually do it, but let's be honest, we're desperate. " Hypno chuckles to himself. " Sounds like a plan? "

Everyone nodded their heads. 

" Good", and immediately everyone started lining up to the portal. Well, everyone except Zedaph and Doc, who were lifting up what looks to be their machine, and popping it at the back of the van. Renbob gasped as he gave them an uncharacteristically pissed off look and immediately shooed them away, closing the back with a loud thump. 

Doc looked worried and confused at the hippie as he walked back to the group. 

Cleo noticed Hypno glancing at her, giving her the biggest smile he could muster before taking his leave too. 

No words were needed. That was a silent thank you. 

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" Cleo?" Grian called out from behind, waiting patiently by the van door. " Shall we?" 

Cleo hummed in response to his question, slowly entering the vehicle. Now that she was inside, she could hear the conversations and bickering from the young kids. Some were jumping in excitement, others were huddled in their seats, anxiously expecting for the worst from this moon fiasco. 

Cleo gives the mousy brunette a smirk as he closes the door. " Soo~ being the server's babysitter was worth it?" 

" If it means getting a ride on Renbob's van again, then yes, absolutely." Grian jokes. Cleo laughed. 

" Wait- you and Uncle Renbob are friends?" a young voice interrupted. Bdubs and a handful of young hermits surrounded the two. 

" Kid, we're all friends with Renbob."

" But you said that you tried riding in this van before… Does that mean you went on an adventure with him!?" Kids started bundling up, eyes filled with curiosity as they eagerly waited for his answer. Grian laughed as he shook his head. " Not exactly. "

"Awwwww…" :(

"... But me and Renbob did have a fight with the space government so that we could get back my time machine~" 

And immediately half of the kids were jumping for joy! Grian quickly brought the kids back to their seats, with the promise that he'll tell the stories if they'll behave. 

Cleo could rest knowing that someone will take care of the more 'enthusiastic' kids. 

This gave her the opportunity to finally check on her own kid. 

The van started up as she spotted Joe, eyes teared to the window with the same bored look. He silently takes note of her presence as she sits beside him. " You okay, Joe?" 

He stays silent. 

Cleo let out a small sigh. " I'm sorry.." 

This got the kid's attention, because he started shaking his head. " No Auntie Cleo. I understand." 

"Hmm?" 

".. You told me before that you do this so that we will be safe together. The moon is bad and you don't want me hurt. This home is not safe anymore." 

She may not say it now, but she felt proud despite his sadness. ".. Yes Joe. You're correct." 

The kid leaned closer to her side." I-am still sad that we are leaving again. "He muttered, bringing his face down to his arms and knees as he curled up. Cleo lets him cry. She brings young Joe closer and wraps her arm around the back of his shoulder. 

" I know Joe. It's okay. " 

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By the time her conversation with the kid ended in silent comfort, she realized that the vehicle already started moving. She could see from the window that the land slowly faded out, with clouds now appearing as her background. They were already in the sky…or what's barely left of the sky. 

Nearly half of the sky was taken over by the gigantic circle covering her view. She could barely see the light of the setting sun, now that the moon took over..

Well. It doesn't really matter now. 

Goodnight, season 8.

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[Bonus] 

If anyone took notice of Renbob's continuous routine of turning on autopilot and checking out the back of the van every single hour, then no one really questioned it. 

If anyone heard Renbob talking to himself at the back again, then they've just accepted the fact that he's weird and chose to ignore it. 

And if anyone heard two voices talking back to Renbob, yet constantly bickering at one another, then they felt like they lost their minds. 

Fortunately for him, no one noticed. He forever quietly stayed as the allergen scented idiot. 

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And that's the last chapter for season 8! 👏👏

Can't believe I'm continuing this book to season 9. °^°

Zedaph: (Tango, Impulse) 

Wels: (Cub, False) 

Keralis: (, TFC, Xisuma) 

Cleo: (Joe) 

Beef: (XB, Etho) 

Grian: (Ren, Scar) 

Hypno: (Jevin) 

Stress: (Iskall, Mumbo) 

Doc: (Bdubs) 

Pearl: (Gemini) 

Ex: (Hels)