'I can't believe you!' Impulse repeats for the 30th time as we fly away from Scar's base and NPG. 'Why. Why would you say my name was... Stinky poo-poo friend...'

'You made it think I was Tango-friend! You started it! And it was funny.'

'Oh yeah, very funny.' Agrees Zedaph

He goes silent again, grumpy.

'You got your revenge though.' I admit. 'We're equal.' Silence for a second as we keep flying. And then...

'Oh no, Cub's going to tell other hermits... What happened...' Impulse realises, instantly mortified. I burst out laughing again.

'Don't worry, I've already told Skizz.'

'TANGO!' I fly away even faster, laughing. 'WHY?!'

'You think I could resist the opportunity to let Skizz know your new nickname?'

'I am going to kill you.' Impulse glides down, landing in the shopping district, and I follow, knowing what's he's doing even before I catch sight of the message

WHATEVER TANGO TOLD YOU IS A LIE, SKIZZ

I laugh

'Come on, Impy. It's not that bad...' My attention trails as another idea comes to mind. 'Hey... You know that watcher tower...?'

'The one that nearly killed Scar?' Impulse frowns.

'We blow it up.'

'It's made of bedrock and obsidian.'

'Lava. A lot of pickaxes. We leave signs telling the Watchers to leave us alone... Come on, Impy. It's not a bad idea... We need to do something to distract you from your new name.'

'It nearly killed Scar.'

'The thing that nearly killed Scar is gone. It's fine. Besides, Xisuma can't tell us off. He's gone off with Scar and Wels somewhere.'

'Xisuma can't save us either when it goes wrong...'

'Hey! Team ZIT!' A voice from above as the third boomer joins us. 'What's going on?'

'Hey Bdubs! We're blowing up the watcher tower... Wanna join us?'

'Xisuma won't allow it. As stand-in mayor until Scar's able to help...'

'No one will know. They'll just come back and it'll be gone.'

'Tango...'

'We need something to do instead of letting them hurt us!' I snap. Impulse falls silent. 'I'm sorry. But we can't let anything else happen to anyone. I don't trust how low the watchers are lying right now.'

'Maybe Grian was right and they're harmless.' Suggests Zedaph. 'We don't know.'

'And we won't know unless we do something.' I storm past them, breaking into a run. Impulse yells my name. The need to do this fills me. To do something instead of waiting...

I reach the tower, not even hesitating as I run inside. Up the staircase, onto the second level, then the third...

'TANGO!'

I hit the ground, rolling, and look over to see Bdubs, expression terrified and mutinous, getting to his feet.

'Don't. Please. Don't aggravate the Watchers. If Grian's right, they won't deserve it and if not, they'll... Probably kill you.' He helps me stand. I narrow my eyes.

'Hey. Bdubs. The watchers hurt Scar. How do we know they're not planning something worse? I've had enough of this stupid tower just being here acting threatening and bad.'

'Tango!' The very out of breath Impulse joins us. For a moment he just stands there panting before speaking. 'Just so you know I sent Zedaph to find Doc and if I can't convince you to get out of here, he's coming around to do it.'

Silence.

'Why do you even want to blow this place up? Why not wait for Xisuma to come back?' Bdubs asks.

'Because Xisuma would never let me do this.' I swing my pickaxe at the wall. A crack splinters across.

The windows cover with obsidian.

'Tango what have you done?' Impulse questions, eyes wide. Bdubs is pacing, muttering about death and worse. 'They're not gonna like that...'

Bang.

All three of us scream as our communicators break in a mess of sparks.

'TANGO THIS ISN'T GOOD!'

'I KNOW! I'M SORRY!'

A flash. We scream again. Bdubs backs even further against the wall as a watcher appears.

It's bigger than all of us, probably bigger than Doc or Mumbo, dressed in purple robes and cloak. Instead of a regular mask, fabric covers its eyes. For a moment it doesn't move.

'One will go free, one will come with us and one will die.' It speaks, voice a cold whisper. A smile. 'You get to choose which.'

Impulse is already crying. Me and Bdubs look between each other, both deciding.

'Impy goes free.'

'Tango no...' He sobs, 'B...Bdubs, Tango, don't give yourself up for me.'

'I knew you Hermits cared for each other, but this is more than I expected...' It turns to Impulse. 'The decision is made. You will go free.'

'No! Take me with you! Kill me! I'm- I don't want to...' He sobs. The Watcher ignores.

'Now you two. Which will die, which will come with me?'

'The only person who's gonna die here is YOU!' Bdubs finds the strength to yell, running for the Watcher...

He glitches back to the wall, but doesn't stop. A moment later his sword disappears and then-

With a scream, he hits the ground. Me and Impulse both yell his name. I try to run for the watcher but can't. Nothing works. I can't even move.

'LET HIM GO!' I insist. 'Let him go! This was my idea, take me instead!' Tears stream down my face. Bdubs is still curled up on the ground in agony.

'2 hearts left.' The watcher speaks. 'Do you want to attack me again, or do you want me to finish the job now?'

He doesn't speak. I don't either. Impulse is sobbing again.

'Bdouble0. This is your choice to make. Do you want to die quickly or come with me?'

'Kill me.' I barely hear him say. 'Just do it.'

'BDUBS NO!' Impulse yells, fighting whatever magic holds him back.

A crack.

Bdubs falls still.

'BDUBS!' Shock stops me from talking, stops me from doing anything as the Watcher turns to me.

'Which means you come with me.' It holds out its pale hand, a smile that's supposed to reassure me across its face. I don't take it. 'It's ok. We won't hurt you.'

'No.'

Thr Watcher grabs my wrist. I yell, trying to fight free. But there's nothing I can do.

'I'M SORRY!' Is all I say.

'We should let your friends mourn.'

'TANGO!' Impulse realises what's happening. I can't fight free, tears in my eyes as I apologize again and again and-

The world disappears. For a second I feel nothing. Hear nothing. See nothing. And then I hit the ground.

I stand slowly, blinking, as I look around the collosal room I'm in. Pillars. Bedrock, obsidian, cobble, a purple carpet leading to...

The same watcher as before stands in front of me, holding a bundle of robes in its hand.

'Welcome, Tango. Your Watcher training starts tomorrow.'

Angst.

Death.

And a chance to draw some cool Watcher!Tango fanart-