"Lord Tango!" A guard announced his presence.
Tango looked up from the woman who sat on his throne's armrest.
"Purpose?" Tango asked with a scoff.
"You have a visitor?" The guard informed me though it was more like a question.

Tango scoffed and sat up.
A visitor? Seriously?
"If it isn't someone returning that thief to me, I don't want to see them," Tango growled.

"N-no sir-" the guard stammered.
"Then I. Don't want. To see them."
A darkness that the Nether could never seem to have enveloped the room, only lit up by Tango himself.

The guard gulped.
"Sir, he's- he's an outsider," the man explained shakily.

Tango straightened out more.
There were 2 ways someone could be an outsider. Either they didn't live in the kingdom, or they didn't live in the Nether.

"A Blazeborn?" Tango asked.
"No, sir," The guard explained.
As much as Tango would have loved to see Zedaph again, he was glad it was someone else. He probably couldn't handle that screaming match.

"Bring him in. You," he ordered then turned to the woman, "out."
She scurried out and not a moment too soon because she passed the Overworlder that came in after her.

He was tall, and thin, with pitch-black skin and black hair.
Warped forest kind of guy.
He almost immediately recognized the lettering on his shawl. The one that wrapped around his neck.

⋔⎍⋔⏚⍜
⊑⟒⍀⋔⟟⏁☊⍀⏃⎎⏁

He always thought it was cool how long the EnderShawls could get.
Tango stood up as Mumbo made his way inside, the gentleman he was.

"Mumbo! Hi, bud! I thought for sure Doc would have come to see me instead!" Tango teased.
"He was already with Ren," Mumbo replied.
Tango furrowed his brow.

It's that bad?
Tango scoffed and met the tall boi halfway, pulling him into a hug.
"Well, it's good seeing you! Do you need anything?" Tango chirped.

"You need to come home," Mumbo informed, his fingers clasping around his shirt.
How they were always oversized, Tango's got no clue.

"I can't," Tango replied with a shrug.
"You have to!" Mumbo insisted.
"This place would go to sh*t without me," Tango hummed, moving back to his throne.
"Oh yeah, like you're doing anything here!" Mumbo growled, a familiar Enderman growl.

Tango snarled. Of course.
Flames shot out at the younger.
It didn't matter, he knew it didn't matter, Mumbo was in front of him seconds anyways.

"Tango, this is serious!" Mumbo snapped.
"Yeah ri-" Tango scoffed.
Mumbo grabbed his arm and pressed his other hand to Tango's face.
So close to his eye.

"Tango."
G*d it hurt. Please don't touch it. Please don't touch it. Please don't touch it!
"We have to go home."
"I am home," Tango shot back, still as a statue.

"I will kidnap you," Mumbo threatened.
Even with Mumbo, that was never an empty threat.
Tango sighed.
"Fine. I'll come. But I have duties here, Mumbo. At least let me figure them out first," Tango grumbled.

Mumbo let go, his hands clasped behind his back and a soft smile on his face.
"I'll give you a week, hopefully you'll get it all done by then?" Mumbo offered with a careful smile.

"Sure."
Bloody Spoon.

●●●

"How are we supposed to get to Beef?" Xisuma asked.
"Could we lure him out?" Jevin offered.
It wasn't a bad idea but...

"No, he hasn't been coming to the surface at all recently," Etho huffed, clearly disappointed his boyfriend wasn't visiting.
"Can't you just call him?" Jevin scoffed.

Etho glared at the blue slime.
"No! Someone else has the Heart of the Sea," Etho grumbled, his body going invisible as they left the shade of the tree.

"Ok, so what are we supposed to do?" Jevin grumbled.
"I'm sure someone has Water Breathing. If they don't, we know how to make it ourselves," Xisuma assured.
BDubs smiled from behind them.

They've already forgotten Iskall's also a Merling...

●●●

"Iskall!" BDubs called, holding Etho's hand.
Etho was blushing like crazy. He can't believe he forgot about Iskall! Oh, this is so embarrassing!

Iskall poked his head out of his little pond.
"Hi boys! What do I owe the pleasure?" Iskall asked, brown hair dripping onto the stone he pulled himself upon.

"We're getting the band back together! Wanna help us get Beef?" BDubs chirped.
"Sure!" Iskall agreed.
"I can give you an hour of air, sorry I can't do much besides that," Etho hummed, glancing away.

Iskall smiled.
"Nah, it's ok Etho! I know what happened with the thief," Iskall assured taking the conduit from the younger.
They started their jog to the next body of water.

"Thief?" BDubs asked.
Iskall smiled.
"Well, not really a thief. The guards tried taking the Heart of the Sea from Beef, said he had too much power with it even though it only gives him the ability to talk with the other 2 holders and the Conduit. The rest of the abilities comes from the gem," Iskall explained.

"So they ransacked his place trying to find it to give it to the King but Beef had gotten word from yours truly that they were planning on taking it from him and he gave it to this sweet girl who's also a potential holder," Iskall explained, jumping over a large *ss root.

"Wait, why? The king wouldn't have been able to use it anyway, he's not of royal blood," BDubs scoffed.
"That's the problem. People were starting to follow Beef's lead instead since biologically he's more fit for leading compared to the greedy king. Especially considering he can't even get to half of the places meant for him whereas Beef can. But he wanted to prove he could wield it and was just as fit to be king," Iskall explained.

"Oookay? Why not just let him make a fool of himself?" Etho asked.
"See, that's the problem. He would've made a fool of himself. And then he would have done everything in his power to break the thing. Not only would he have tried breaking an artifact but he would have most likely tried taking the gem for himself, you know how uncomfortable that is Etho, and when he realized it wouldn't come to him by the means that it does for holders he would have killed Beef in his rage," Iskall explained.

"Instead, Beef informed him he no longer had it, it had been stolen and he didn't have the manpower to find the culprit. Instead, he's being kept in the palace, as far as I know, safe. And the guards are frantically looking for the young lady," Iskall finished.

[Excuse you, dropping my phone does not mean publish the chapter!]

"So he put someone else in harm's way to protect himself?" BDubs asked, not really bothered by it but intrigued.
"Well, it was her idea, I was in the room too. But yes. I guess you could say that," Iskall hummed.
"I also offered to take it for them but Niki reasoned that she was less important than both of us, why risk ourselves," Iskall huffed.

He jumped into the river. Took a deep breath then popped back up.
"Please note, neither of us was very happy to let her leave with it," Iskall informed.

"Meet at Cleo's ship?" Iskall asked.
Both land-dwellers nodded.
Iskall smiled and slipped back under before swimming away.

●●●●

Beef definitely looked bored.
He was always the exploring type, so being held up in a room in a castle against his will wasn't really something he was excited about.

He hadn't heard any news on if Niki had been caught at all. He hoped to g*d she wasn't. She was a sweet girl. In all terms, she was a kid. 17. A baby!

Beef huffed and left the room.
"Sir-" the guard quickly advised against.
"If I don't leave that room someone is going to be suffocated, and ain't going to be pretty," Beef cut him off.

He made it to the Garden of Statues quickly. It was filled with statues, ruins, and coral. It was the prettiest thing they had down here.

He weaved easily through it, his hand absently playing with the gold Tango had given him when they had separated.
It was one of the few gifts he had of the Hermits left. The rest would have disintegrated or eroded in the ocean's water. He had his copper earring, gold necklace, pearl belt, and aquamarine ring.

Funny how most of them were things he could wear.
He dipped down to a statue.
It was of a young lady, a 2 tailed Merling with long hair that danced in the water. At least it would if it was real.

This was where he had found the Heart of the Sea. Held softly in her hands, covered in sand as if it had been just dug up.
He always wondered why it looked like that when he had found it.

The lady was covered in moss, it hadn't been before, he had a feeling it had something to do with the Heart of the Sea.
Beef lightly wiped away at the growing moss to see her face.

"Beef!" A familiar voice called, almost as if trying to be quiet but failing miserably.
Beef turned to be met with the legged Merling Holder, Iskall.

Beef swam up to him with a huff.
"Iskall! Don't scare me like that!" Beef scolded, Iskall just grinned.
"What? What's that look for?" Beef asked.

"We're getting the band back together!" Iskall chirped.
Beef blinked at him for a moment before grinning.
"I guess we should get our breathing fluids then," Beef joked.
"Ew, that sounds weird," Iskall gagged.

Beef laughed as they swam out of the gardens and back to Beef's house.
He didn't have anything in the castle.

Beef covered Iskall's mouth as they scouted his house. There were constant guards. They needed to be careful.
Beef leads the younger to a small cave and swam through it until getting to an opening that leads right under Beef's bed.
Iskall raised an eyebrow at him before slipping up under it and sliding out. They were lucky they were both flexible as f*ck because otherwise, that would have hurt.

Beef leads Iskall to his closet where he keeps them in an ender chest.
Sneaky sneaky!

They took Beef's shulker bag, which had been a gift from Biffa, who is unfortunately no longer with them.
He shoved the bottles and a few extra gear into the ever-holding bag.

"Should we really be intruding on lord Beef's home like this?" Someone asked.
"Research," someone else replied.
Iskall slipped under the bed and into the cave.
The bag went next.

"Yeah, but this is a holder we're talking about! Our holder! He's got royal blood in him!" The first proclaimed.
"I know, but currently the king is in charge," the second sighed.

Beef slipped under the bed.
The door knob was grabbed.
"And he has given us specific orders," The second continued.

Beef disappeared from sight right before the door opened.
The duo were zipping through the cave and out of town only moments later.

●●●●

Cleo dropped the anchor into the water with a huff. She brushed the front of her shorts off and turned to look at her fellow crewmates.

False sat perched in the lookout, her tail and ears flicking occasionally as she scanned the horizon. She's been up there since they got the letter from Xisuma's bees.

Who were currently taking a liking to the array of flowers they had decided to decorate half of their ship with.
Speaking of which, holding a parasol over her head kneeling by the flowers with the bees was Stress.
Scar was probably down below deck.

Poor boy had gotten his entire leg muscle torn out when Beef had accidentally brushed past him while he had been in a rush. He was lucky he was a legged Merling and not a tailed merling, he just lost one of his muscles. If it had been the other way around, Beef probably would have lost the use of his tail and hence, both his legs.

Scar doesn't blame him or anything. Luckily.
Tango hadn't been so lucky with his family. Zedaph still blames him for accidentally poking their brother in arms' gem while they were playing.
They had just turned 15, how could you have blamed any of them.

Most of the Hermits wished they had known them before Impulse's death. Maybe they could have helped.
Now, there's a war in the Nether over it.

When they had first met Tango he was cocky, chill, and acted as if everything was great. But when they got to know it it was clear he hated himself.
He's in a constant state of pain, the gem still works as an eye, still needs the moisture that eyes do but it cuts the inside of his eyelid every time he blinks due to its sharp edges and irregular shape. In the overworld, he's constantly crying from that eye, which burns his skin. When you try to wipe his tears away he slaps you and hisses at you that he deserves it.

Cleo sighed and pushed off the side of the boat. She knelt beside Stress who looked up at her appearance.
She girl placed a pitch-black hand over Cleo's gem.
Cleo glanced down at the gem that laid embedded in her collarbone.

Stress had once also had a gem. It had torn out the girl's vocal cords and made it a bit hard to eat and drink but other than that, it spared her unlike it had with the person who had taken it from her.

The poor girl had gotten attacked by a guy who had no idea he had been a holder, he had been trying to rob her.
He wrapped his hands around her trying to choke her and the gem swapped bodies. He didn't even seem fazed by the mass amount of blood gushing out of himself and the small girl below him.

Etho had managed to punch the guy, breaking his nose, and had tried grabbing the gem.
He had just been a bystander who happened to be good friends with Beef, one of only a hundred Merlings who had the ability to heal.
At this point Beef already had the gem and had slowly made friends with Wels who also had a gem and Etho who happened to have the Conduit.

Anyways, Etho tried taking the gem back while Beef was quick to pour water on the wound from his bottle and began healing Stress.
The gem had swapped people again. 2 possibilities could happen with such a quick succession of transfers.

Possibility 1) the gem breaks in 2, splitting between the 2 people. For example; Xisuma and his twin brother Ex who had been the first holders in a loooong while to find a gem not embedded in another human being.
Possibility 2) the gem choosing between hosts. If they like the new host they will reject the previous host and swap onto the new host. If they like the old host better they will reject the new host.

When rejected by the gem it tears out a huge chunk of the area of the body it was touching (such as hand or throat in this case), burns hot to the touch and a few have even exploded the previous host depending on where it was.
When liked by the gem it embeds itself deep within the roots of the host's body, making it far less likely to be torn out or touched again. In fact, Etho has the smallest shown gem part in the entire group, considering most of it is inside his throat. However, if it is torn out later on it is more likely to be absolutely devastating for the new host.

The gem liked Etho enough that it embedded deep within his skin leaving him choking for air, and the man.... well let's just say it blew his mind.

Stress was so incredibly lucky Beef was there. In fact, Scar had been incredibly lucky Beef had been the one he had swapped with 2. He was the only reason they kept their body parts or survived at all.

Unfortunately, the boy can't do everything. He couldn't patch up the holes left in their body. He couldn't heal Biffa from the number of wounds he endured 4 years ago when they split.

A tingly sensation shot through the gem and across her body as Stress pressed a kiss to the gem.
Stress smiled up at Cleo.
"You're worrying again," Stress signed and Cleo sighed.

"I know I am," Cleo chuckled, smiling down at her.
"BDUBS, AHOY!" False called rushing down from her perch.
The other 2 girls hopped up too.

False dropped the ramp down the side of the boat. BDubs waved at the trio of girls as he clambered up the ramp.
"Hi ladies!" The feline greeted them, pulling them all into a hug.

He stepped away just in time for Etho to clamber into them. Stress was quick to cover him in her parasol so the boy didn't burn in the sun.

"Hi gals!" Etho greeted easily.
"Hi Etho," False purred.
Etho pulled away from 2 of the girls but stayed close to Stress' side.

"It's been too long!" Etho proclaimed excitedly.
"It has, it has!" Cleo agreed, her hand brushing over her green gem anxiously.
The group separated pretty quickly after that, the Phantoms sticking close together heading below deck, and the Felines sticking close together heading up to the lookout.

Cleo huffed picking at the skin edging her gem. She must've been sitting there for at least 15 minutes before she was brought out of it by a soft "oof".

She looked up and was met by Scar moving his crutch to the side.
He gulped his, as Iskall likes to call it, Breathing Liquid and sighed.

"You really shouldn't pick at it, ya know," the younger advised, like an all-knowing old man.
"Force of habit," Cleo huffed and Scar smiled.
"That's why your skin around there is rotting, ya know. You pick and tear at it, hard for a healing crystal to heal it when it can't touch the darn skin," Scar chuckled.

"I don't need its help," Cleo growled.
Scar frowned.
"After that thing goes in you, yeah, you do," Scar scolded, he didn't seem very happy that Cleo was so mad about having the gem.

"I wish someone else would just take i-" Cleo huffed.
She was cut off by a slap. Thankfully, it hadn't been to her but to the wood below them.

Scar was breathing heavily, having not taken another sip from the liquid in at least a minute.
"Don't talk like that! You can wish you never received it, you can wish you never had it, you can wish it never existed! I don't give a f*ck. But don't, DON'T wish someone would take it from you! Cleo, that gem goes straight into your lungs. Do you know how much damage that could do to you?! Do to Beef if he tried saving you?!" Scar yelled at her, cutting himself off occasionally to cough.

Cleo went to grab his liquid. Scar slapped her arm.
"Are you listening to me?! Cleo, don't ever wish for someone to take it away! Never!" Scar scolded grabbing her arms.

"Scar, your lungs!" Cleo replied.
Scar let go and curled on himself to cough.
Cleo grabbed at the bottle and shoved it in his hands. He didn't take a gulp of it though, too busy fuming.

Cleo huffed, tilted his head back, and shoved the bottle into his mouth.
Finally, he drank.

Cleo sighed, burying her face into Scar's shoulder.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she cried, Scar let her, taking in deep staggered breaths.

"I'm going in the water, look out for my fellow Merlings," Scar decided.
Cleo nodded against him and pulled away to let him push himself up using the side of the ship.

Cleo handed him his crutch.
He eyed it and shook his head.
"Don't worry, I won't need it where I'm going," Scar assured, hoisting himself onto the edge of the ship.
A moment later he was overboard.
Cleo didn't look over the edge to check if she could see him.
She didn't need to.

"Are you ok?" BDubs asked.
Cleo was back to picking anxiously at her gem as she staggered out a nod.
BDubs sighed and pulled her into a hug.
"Everything's gonna be ok, I promise."

●●●●

Wels sat at a piano, delicate fingers placing a not so delegate tune.
It was a tune he had taught Tommy a while back when he had wanted to start playing.

"You have to come bubs," Hels huffed.
He had been pacing behind Wels for the past hour.
"I don't have to do anything, brother," Wels replied.
Hels let out a huff and sat down beside him.
Wels paused and tightly closed his eyes.

He used to see Hels every time he looked at Tommy, now he sees Tommy every time he looks at Hels. When had it gotten to that point?

"What's wrong?" Hels asked.
"Nothing," was all Wels was capable of responding.
Hels huffed.
That was bullsh*t and they both know it. Something was so very clearly wrong with his little brother, but he didn't dare mention it.

Hels huffed.
What would have happened if Hels had gotten the gem instead of Wels? Would Wels had been shunned instead? Would Hels be having a quarter-life crisis right about now instead?

"Wels, you know I know that's bullsh*t. Come on, you can tell me," Hels assured, grabbing and interlocking his hand with Wels'.
"Language," Wels retorted, elbowing his twin.
Hels snickered.

"Come on~" Hels hummed, nudging Wels' elbow with his.
"It's just- these kids," Wels finally admitted.
This, obviously, peaked Hels' interest.
"Kids? You have a family?!" Hels immediately assumed.

"Wha- no! I'm a guard Hels! Why is a family the first thing you assume when I say 'these kids'!?" Wels laughed.
"I dunno, 'cause you sound creepy otherwise?" Hels offered with a smirk.

Wels rolled his eyes.
"No, Hels. There's this kid, Tommy, he's a holder, like us," Wels explained.
Hels perked up.

"Well, about a month, a month and a half ago he went missing," Wels explained.
"Went missing?" Hels asked.
Wels hunched slightly.

"Left the mountain," Wels clarified.
Hels brow furrowed.
"He left the mountain with our book," Wels clarified again.
A look of surprise and fear washed over his twin brother.

"Wha- the next generation? But we're still alive! Did you give it to him?!" Hels asked frantically.
"I know! No, no I didn't give it to him! I thought I still had it but Luke mentioned the cover of the book being in his room when they went looking for him so I went to check where I had it last and, sure enough, the d*mned thing was gone!" Wels frantically replied.

"Luke?" Hels asked.
Wels nodded.
"A friend of his. Sweet kid, his patagium became underdeveloped. He and 2 others, Bitzel and Deo went looking for him, they were actually the ones who actually brought his disappearance up to me-" Wels paused.
"Why didn't his parents bring it up to you?" Hels asked.
Wels' brow furrowed.

"They still insist he's not gone."
"That's suspicious," Hels commented.
It is.
It really is.

●●●●

"Boo!" Beef greeted Scar popping up from under his rock.
Scar didn't seem the least bit fazed.
Beef twisted so he was hovering over the younger with a big goofy smile.

"The size difference between you 2 is hilarious," Iskall commented, tugging bits of his too-long hair back out of his face.
Beef laughed.

Scar glanced between the 2 other Merlings.
"I think I'll stay down here for a bit longer," Scar informed.
Beef raised an eyebrow at him.

"Okie, I'll let them know of our arrival then!" Iskall chirped and swam up past them.
Beef twisted and lowered himself beside the man.
"You ok?" Beef asked, laying on his side.

"You really shouldn't lay on your gem like that," Scar commented.
Beef blinked at the man and raised an eyebrow.
"I'm not?" Beef replied.
Scar glanced down at his thigh. Sure enough, the blue gem that blended in perfectly with his tail was there. On his right side.

When has it ever been on his right side?
"Scar, seriously, are you ok?" Beef asked.
Scar sighed, "Cleo's been trying to take her gem out again."
Beef's face fell and he sighed.

"Again?" Beef asked.
"She does it almost every month- do you think it could be-?!" Scar quickly sat up.
Beef's face turned a beetroot red and thank g*d he had a beard.
"Leeet's not bring human woman's reproductive cycles into this Scar!" Beef immediately shut him down and Scar laughed.

"I mean, it could be a valid explanation though," Scar hummed.
"Perhaps. It could also have to do with the fact that she's constantly surrounded by people who once had gems but no longer have them anymore. The only people to survive having their gem taken from them. That's got to be depressing," Beef shrugged.
"Honestly, unless you ask, there's no way to know," Beef hummed.

"We only survived because of you," Scar commented.
"I helped, sure. But you guys survived because you're fighters. Neither of you gave up. It's far harder to save someone who's already given up on life," Beef informed sitting up.

"Like Biffa?" Scar asked.
Beef paused. His grip noticeably tightened on the pink and yellow bag Biffa had given him. He had given at least 1 to all of them.
Scar really wished he could just be Kirby and suck those words right back in because g*d d*mn it Scar, that was a d*ck move!

"I guess. Need any help getting back up?" Beef asked.
Scar sat up and nodded.
Beef was happy to help, pulling him up and helping him on the upward push against the current.

"Beef," Scar whispered.
"Mhm?" Beef replied, seemingly unfazed by the awful comment the younger had made.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that," Scar huffed.

Beef looked back at him for a brief moment before replying, "he was just as much your friend as he was mine, as he was everyone's no one is stopping you from asking or talking about him. You're not a stranger," Beef assured, pulling up onto the docks, his tail having a bit of a hard time getting up compared to Iskall's or even Scar's legs.

"Still, healing is painful for you. Both physically and mentally," Scar huffed.
"Not as painful as for the people who need my healing," Beef replied, inching away from the edge of the docks.
"At least, let me?" Scar offered holding out a hand to Beef's tail as an offering to dry him quicker.
Beef nodded.

"Hi Beef," Etho greeted softly from the ramp.
Beef looked up and grinned.
"E!" Beef greeted a smile gracing his face.
"Let me dry off, hmm?" Beef offered holding his arms out for Etho to hug him.

Etho was quick to do so.
"I missed you," Etho hummed into the taller's shoulder.
Beef laughed and ruffled the smaller's white hair.

"I know you did," Beef teased and Etho pouted.
"You 2 are so lovey-dovey it's gwoss," Scar teased once the tail was separated into 2 that were slowly turning more human-like.

The 2 smiled at him.

●●●●

"Hmm, I thought for sure Grian and Wels would be here before I was," Tango huffed, making quick eye contact with all of the members.
A few things he noticed; the absence of Grian and Wels, the existence of who Tango assumed was Ren considering how close he was to Doc with a brown tail wagging behind him and a slimy dude, and the fact that Beef seemed incredibly unstable on his feet.

What had happened in the time he was gon-
Holy sh*t, it's freezing!

The revelation for the Blazeborn must have been obvious for his group because it didn't take long for a coat to be draped over his shoulders.
He turned and was met with xB. Starting down at him.

Mumbo stepped out after Tango letting out a sigh of relief. His brown eyes flicked over the crowd and his smile dissipated.
"☌⍀⟟⏃⋏'⌇ ⋏⍜⏁ ⊑⟒⍀⟒?" Mumbo asked, his hands clenching into anxious fists around his Ender Shawl.

"⋏⍜, ⍙⊑⟟☊⊑ ⟟⌇ ⌇⎍⍀⌿⍀⟟⌇⟟⋏☌ ☊⍜⋏⌇⟟⎅⟒⍀⟟⋏☌ ⊑⟒'⌇ ⍜⋏⟒ ⍜⎎ ⏁⊑⟒ ⍜⋏⌰⊬ ⍜⋏⟒⌇ ⍙⊑⍜ ⌇⏁⏃⊬⟒⎅ ⟟⋏ ⏁⊑⟒ ⌿⎍⏚⌰⟟☊ ⟒⊬⟒," Doc replied.
"What are they talking about?" Tango asked, whispering to xB.
XB's brow furrowed as he eyed the 2 Enderians.

"⟟ ☍⋏⍜⍙, ⌖⟟⌇⎍⋔⏃ ⏃⋏⎅ ⟟ ⍙⟒⍀⟒ ⏁⊑⟒ ⍜⏁⊑⟒⍀ ⍜⋏⟒⌇," Mumbo huffed his shoulders slumping.
The 2 went silent for a moment.
"⊑⟒ ⊑⏃⌇ ⏃⋏ ⟟⋏⏁⟒⍀⎐⟟⟒⍙ ⌇⍜⍜⋏. ⊑⟒'⌇ ⌿⍀⍜⏚⏃⏚⌰⊬ ⍙⏃⟟⏁⟟⋏☌ ⎍⋏⏁⟟⌰ ⏃⎎⏁⟒⍀ ⏁⊑⏃⏁!" Mumbo offered with a new smile.
Doc didn't look at all convinced.

"I dunno Mumbs, I contacted him about all this earlier and he dropped all contact with me not even a day later," Xisuma cut in.
"He's got a lot on his mind! It's almost-" Mumbo made up an excuse cutting himself off before telling anyone what it "almost was".

Surprisingly, even though he tells the entirety of whoever has a radio his story, he has never told any of the Hermits his story. And they all actively try to avoid hearing it over the radio if they can. It doesn't feel right to have it come from a machine and not from your friend himself.

Which is probably why it was so irritating to hear that excuse from Mumbo. The only one who knows what Grian's been through. Except, of course, Grian himself.

"Honestly, I wish he'd just tell us what happened to him," Tango grumbled.
"It's not our place," Cub retorted.
He let out an aggressive irritated buzz.
Xisuma buzzed back.
Cub sighed.

"I know it isn't, I just wish he'd actually f*cking talk to us!" Tango scoffed.
"I guess-" Etho agreed.
Tango slightly flinched at the burning sensation on his cheeks. D*mn, that's gonna ooze if this keeps up.

Almost as if it was their instinct, almost all of them noticed his tears.
XB swiped the tears from his cheek and Tango swatted him away with more aggression than he meant to portray.

"Don't, I deserve it."

Honestly, Scar didn't know what was worst. Seeing Cleo desperately want someone else to take it away from her because she thinks she doesn't deserve it. Or seeing Tango torture himself with the gem because he thinks he deserves it.

These guys are hopeless.

●●●●

"We shouldn't be here," Wels attempted to pull Hels away as his fist harshly connected to the Innit's household's door.
The door opened up to a black patagium blond woman.
"Ah, Mr.Knight! It's a pleasure to see you! Who's this?" Mrs.Innit asked.

Wels smiled at the woman.
"May we c-" Hels began angrily but was startled by Wels yanking him backwards.
"This is my brother, Hels. He does more uh, investigative work instead of field work. He heard your son was missing?" Wels offered.

Her smile twitched but she still nodded and offered them to come inside. It started out as a fairly normal visit. She offered them a seat on the couch, she offered them a drink, Wels took her up on the offer, Hels only glared, Mrs.Innit called her husband in, and they sat across from one another.

"Why don't we cut to the chase, yeah? When was the last time you saw your son?" Hels asked.
"Uh, about a month or so ago?" The dad answered, the mom stayed silent.
Wels wrote it down.

"Alright, was there anything noticeable about that day? Did he seem more aggravated, sad, scared?" Hels asked.
"No," his mom replied.
"I dunno," his dad answered.

"You didn't notice any changes?" Hels asked.
"No," both answered.
"Alright," Hels huffed eying Wels as he wrote in his notebook.
"Did you notice him owning anything unusual? Uh... Abnormal, or wasn't his?" Hels asked.
"No."
Ok, now that's just plain lying. They know for a fact Tommy had their book.

"Right.... Right ok," Hels huffed.
Wels squeezed the red patagium's hand. A tiny reminder.
Keep it cool.

"Can we get a picture of him? Something for the records?" Hels offered.
"He's not missing."

Hels blinked.
"What?" Hels asked, Wels gave him a look of 'I told you'.
"He's not missing," the dad clarified.

"So if I go into his room right now he'll be laying on his bed, or playing a game in there?" Wels asked.
"No."
"If I go outside will he be in your front or back yard playing?"
"No."
"If I go to his treehouse will he be crocheting with Bitzel and Like and Deo?" Wels asked.
"Treehouse?"

"Answer the question."
"No."
"Then your son is missing sir," Wels blatantly informed them.
How could he be this composed?! Hels was about ready to slam a hammer into their heads!

"Did you get into an argument with your son the night he disappeared?" Hels asked getting off from the couch to see if he could find a picture of the boy himself.

"Why does that matter?" Mr.Innit growled.
"Calm down sir, it's just a question," Wels assured.
Mr.Innit took a shaky breath before replying.

"No."
Is that the only thing these guys know how to answer?
Hels picked up a memory book, flipping through it.
"Hey! Get out of that!" The dad snapped at him.
Hels didn't.

"Hely, please," Wels huffed.
Hels placed the book on the back of the couch.
"There's not a single mention of Tommy in this book," Hels informed, moving to another one.
Then another one.

"You shouldn't be going through that!" The dad scolded as Hels sighed and put them all back.
Then, he moved to Tommy's room.
The parents raced after him.
Wels tried grabbing them but could only resort to rushing after them.

The boys had been through here. All evidence was tampered with anyway. But that didn't mean Hels couldn't figure out what happened.

Hels took a good look around the room, noticing the places that had obviously been tampered with.
"His friends been over while he's been gone?" Hels asked.
"No," the parents answered.
"They have, I recall seeing Clementine answering the door and letting them in barely half a month ago," Wels answered for them.

"I see. Prone to lying then," Hels hummed shifting through the unreasonable amount of unhealthy products just sitting in piles around the boy's room.
An odd addiction but not unreasonable for a boy of 14.

"You do not get to poke around my son's room when-!" His dad yelled.
"You'd care more about your privacy than finding your son?" Hels snapped back, shutting the man up.

"I care about-" the dad began.
"Shut the f*ck up. Wels, do a sweep," Hels snapped.
Wels jumped slightly and stammered about, putting his hand to the gem.
The mother grabbed Wels's arm. It wasn't a hard grip or anything. It seemed just as caring as it usually did.
"No." The woman cut in.

Hels eyed the three cautiously then tilted his head back.
"Is he even your son?" Hels asked.
Wels furrowed his brow at Hels curiously.

The 2 made eye contact.
"You know, last I heard your son doesn't look anything like you," Hels hummed, "but he does have our family trait. And you're holding my brother very gently there."

The woman stiffened. The man's face turned an awful shade of red.
Ah yes, Hels' best trait.

"Of course he's our son! I went through 9 months of h*ll and labor with that boy!" The mom snapped at Hels.
"Hey, I never said anything about you being his parent. Just him," Hels hummed, flipping through a book of Tommy's, not paying too much attention to it's contents.

It was a story he wrote, not a diary of any sorts. Though it might give away some things he thought of while here.

"I-I never- I-!" She stammered.
"You know, Tommy's 14 now. If he was my brother's son, Wels would have been.... What, 16?" Hels hummed.

No... He would have been 10? Uh... Math, Hels.

The mother let Wels go quickly.
"I never touched Wels!" She quickly shrieked.
"Yeah, 'cause that would've been an Aviary offense. Especially considering how much power he has in the community," Hels hummed.

"Wels, brother, why don't you do a sweep?" Hels hummed.
Wels touched his gem, a blue glow enveloping his hand.

Then, she grabbed his arm again.
"Touch him again and I will inform our leader about my suspicions," Heks growled.
She immediately let go.
Let's doesn't know if that's more suspicious or not.

The man grumbled and then before he could do the sweep, slapped Wels.
Wels let out a yelp, falling to the floor, and Hels had a sword to the man's throat in a second.

"WE DIDN'T DO SH*T TO OUR SON! OUR SON! HE LEFT ON HIS OWN! THAT STUPID F*CKING BOOK TOLD HIM TO!" Mr.Innit screamed.
Jesus, he is more angry than Hels! That's pretty freaking impressive.

"The Vines didn't make him do anything. You told him to go fulfill his destiny. Live up to his mistakes," Wels growled his gem, hand, and eyes glowed an angry blue.
"You could have actually given him advice as to what to do, where to go, instead you left him to die on the mountain edge. He's replaced you. Found a family that actually treats him right. I hope you know that. You were easily replaced," Wels growled but it didn't quite seem like Wels anymore.

He stood up, grabbed Hels with a force that probably could have rivaled angry Doc's or too excited Beef's, and dragged him out of the house.

He dragged him half a block away before the light disappeared and he let out a strangled sob.
One that was bloody startling to Hels.

At that moment, he wished he could hug him, hold him. Like how others normally would. Instead, he found himself behind him, his arms around the younger's middle and gently swaying as to calm his nerves.

"I'm so sorry I put you in that position," Hels apologized.
Wels just continued to sob.

"That was awful math Hels," Wels sniffled out with a strangled laugh.
Hels let himself laugh at it too.
"I know, but saying 10 was quite a bit far-fetched," Hels laughed.

"Oh gosh, I can't believe you got me slapped over a stupid, unbelievable lie!" Wels laughed, leaning his head back and settling it on the other's shoulder.
Hels squeezed the younger one as he laughed.
"They were angry enough to believe it," Hels replied breathily.

"You were angry enough to conjure it!" Wels teased back, elbowing him.
The 2 spent at least 20 minutes laughing their guts out on that sidewalk. Eventually sitting down and dangling their feet off the side of the sidewalk where the walkway cut off to a steep drop off the mountain where the view was gorgeous and the fog barely settled making it less dangerous than some other paths.

It was surprising no one else came to enjoy the view.
All though, to be fair, 4 kids were missing, not many people were out of their homes much these days.

"Wouldn't it be fun to go back down there?" Hels asked, "gain your freewill back and actually talk to people?"
Wels laughed and leaned against his brother's side.

"Have we cleared it with everyone?" Wels asked.
"Who gives a f*ck," Hels huffed.
"Language, Hels," Wels glowered.
Hels chuckled.

"It's your choice Wels, they don't get to tell you if you can leave or stay," Hels huffed before pulling himself back up and starting his walk up the path.
Wels followed close behind.

"So, where was that treehouse you mentioned?" Hels asked before looking back at Wels.
Wels practically had stars in his eyes as he grinned back at him.
Held blinked before being dragged up the path then off it into the woods.

Dear lord, what has he done?

-----

Notes:

If you're confused on the timeliness, now's the time to comment.

Some Merling Holders have the ability to manipulate water. A few can even heal with it.

My school starts Monday, not very excited about that. So it things slow down, ba-da-bing ba-da-boom.
Fun fact, I have Spanish and Japanese back to back, 2 stairwells and on the opposite sides of the school too.
Again, not excited about that.

Translations:

⋔⎍⋔⏚⍜ = Mumbo

⊑⟒⍀⋔⟟⏁☊⍀⏃⎎⏁ = Hermitcraft

☌⍀⟟⏃⋏'⌇ ⋏⍜⏁ ⊑⟒⍀⟒? = Grian's not here? (By Mumbo)

⋏⍜, ⍙⊑⟟☊⊑ ⟟⌇ ⌇⎍⍀⌿⍀⟟⌇⟟⋏☌ ☊⍜⋏⌇⟟⎅⟒⍀⟟⋏☌ ⊑⟒'⌇ ⍜⋏⟒ ⍜⎎ ⏁⊑⟒ ⍜⋏⌰⊬ ⍜⋏⟒⌇ ⍙⊑⍜ ⌇⏁⏃⊬⟒⎅ ⟟⋏ ⏁⊑⟒ ⌿⎍⏚⌰⟟☊ ⟒⊬⟒ = No, which is surprising considering he's one of the only ones who stayed in the public eye (By Doc)

⟟ ☍⋏⍜⍙, ⌖⟟⌇⎍⋔⏃ ⏃⋏⎅ ⟟ ⍙⟒⍀⟒ ⏁⊑⟒ ⍜⏁⊑⟒⍀ ⍜⋏⟒⌇ = I know, Xisuma and I were the other ones (by Mumbo)

⊑⟒ ⊑⏃⌇ ⏃⋏ ⟟⋏⏁⟒⍀⎐⟟⟒⍙ ⌇⍜⍜⋏. ⊑⟒'⌇ ⌿⍀⍜⏚⏃⏚⌰⊬ ⍙⏃⟟⏁⟟⋏☌ ⎍⋏⏁⟟⌰ ⏃⎎⏁⟒⍀ ⏁⊑⏃⏁! = He has an interview soon. He's probably waiting until after that! (By Mumbo)