Xisuma: townhall now

'What? Why?' I frown as Ren explains, too short a time into our cats chats and cookies afternoon.

'That's all he's said. Townhall now.' Cub rises. NPG glances at me.

'Townhall? That's a really long way away...'

A pause.

'You can't go... Grian will be there. I'm sorry.' NPG looks away, clearly disappointed. Grian's words rise in my mind again. What he did when he was refused before. I step back, but he accepts.

'Ok... Come back when it's done and tell me what happened, ok?'

'Of course!'

'Scar, you coming?' Calls Cub.

'Yeah, yeah... I'm sorry, NPG. We'll be back as soon as we can... Jellie will keep you company.'

His expression brightens. I hide a sigh of relief, taking to the air after Cub and Ren.

It doesn't take long for the shopping district to appear below us. Several hermits are already gathered there as we land and I spot Xisuma, standing on the steps into the townhall joined by a pair of non-hermits who must be Martyn and Jimmy. Not too far away is Grian, clearly slightly uncomfortable, standing away from the gathering crowd.

'Is everyone here?' Xisuma calls as everyone finishes gathering. There's a murmur of affirmation back. 'Good. I... Wanted to formally introduce Martyn Littlewood and Jimmy Solidarity to Hermitcraft. As far as I know, they're from the same world Grian was on that...' He glances at Grian. '...Isn't around any more.'

'Destroyed.' Jimmy - the blond in a worn, torn superhero costume - mumbles. 'By Watchers.'

'The Watchers?' Cleo's first to pick up on. 'That's... not good.'

'We have our own Watcher problem.' Joe adds.

'I saw.' Martyn grimaces. I recognise the symbol on their green t-shirt. A listener. Watcher-hunters.  'And we're here to help you get rid of them.'

I look over at Grian. He's not speaking, glaring at Martyn and Jimmy. Tears shine in his eyes. I fight the urge to comfort him.

'Martyn and Jimmy have a lot of knowledge on Watchers.' Xisuma continues 'And can answer many questions we have... Impulse?'

'What to watchers do with prisoners?' He doesn't need to mention Tango for us to know who he's talking about.

'Are they a normal player or... magical?'

'Normal. Probably.' Impulse pauses. Zedaph steps nearer to comfort him.

'Well, they'll try to indoctrinate them. Force them into being a Watcher. Convince them to be a watcher... If they're magical, there are a lot of very unpleasant watcher punishments.' I glance at Cub. We've both heard the horror stories from escaped Vexlings.

'So... So Tango will become one of them...' Impulse blinks tears. 'And he'll turn against us.'

'I'm sorry. There are some hopes of him ending up ok but... Very few.' By this point Grian's moments from breaking down - wings half-out, curled defensively around himself as though trying to block out Martyn's words.

'Are there... Any other questions?' Jimmy brings me back to the topic on hand.

'How do we fight them?' Asks Jevin. A murmur of agreement through us all, some kind of hope to end this that's quickly crushed by Jimmy.

'Don't. They're stronger than us. Just get away.'

'There's no way to fight watchers 1 on 1 unless you have equally powerful magic...'

I raise a hand.

'Vexling magic?'

'Don't risk it.'

No one's talking as the realisation sets in. The Watchers are going to kill us, or hurt us, until we're all gone. I remember what I read in Martyn's book. The terror of what he and Jimmy faced... The utter destruction they caused...

No one's noticed Grian slipping away except me. I turn to Cub.

'I need to talk to Grian.' I mutter. He gives a nod, and I disappear.

'Grian!' I call after him as he reaches the barge. He stops for a moment, then takes to the air. I follow as close as I can. 'Grian, wait!'

He does, landing on the townhall roof where I join him.

'What's wrong?'

'Why didn't you ask me?'

I blink.

'What?'

'If you wanted answers about the Watchers, why didn't you ask me!?' He repeats. 'Instead of people you don't even know!'

'Grian, calm down.'

'No! I'm sick of this! I'm sick of people just rejecting my opinions! I'm a hermit too! And I'm a Watcher! I KNOW about Watchers! I know they're harmless! You don't even know Martyn and Jimmy and you're just all accepting what he says with no questions... It's like Doc all over again.'

'Grian, we are listening. I'm listening. I'm just... You haven't even seen all the evidence. You don't know what they did because they... Brainwashed you into believing them.'

'They DIDN'T! The Watchers haven't done anything! They were helpful in Evo, they were helpful when they took me in, and it's all of you that angered them!'

And then suddenly, I think I understand. It's like NPG. I trust him, Grian doesn't. Grian trusts the watchers, I don't. But at the same time... I know what watchers can do. I know the stories of world's destroyed, Vexlings murdered...

'Grian... The Watchers kill people who aren't like them. They hurt people like me and Cub when we've done nothing wrong. They... Destroyed Evo. They took Tango and killed Bdubs... They're not innocent.'

But he isn't listening.

'Keralis believes me. He knows the Watchers are good.'

'Keralis is a watcher?'

'Yes. And he knows the Watcher leaders are good. He's on my side in this.'

For a moment I don't speak, and another thought comes to mind.

'Have you read the book from Martyn and Jimmy?'

'No.'

'You know it's true now... Why haven't you read it?'

'Because I'm a stupid brainwashed Watcher?' I don't expect the harshness of Grian's reply. 'Maybe because they haven't actually been with the watchers and I have.'

'Martyn's a Listener. They know a lot about Watchers. From insiders.' I add as Grian's about to complain again. 'From those who've seen both sides of the Watchers, instead of just the side They want to to see... And you already know they're wrong about some things. About vexlings.'

'You and Cub are exceptions. Vexlings are dangerous, violent, chaotic to the point of destructive... There's nothing good about them.'

I clench my hands.

'Every single Vexling I've met is like me and Cub. You don't get to tell me they're bad.'

'Then you don't get to tell me Watchers are bad!'

'I have EVIDENCE!'

'I DON'T CARE!' Grian stands, shoving me as I follow. I crash down onto my back, hurt. 'I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT WATCHERS!' Tears shine in his eyes as he glares down at me. 'You're WRONG!'

'Grian...'

'YOU'RE WRONG!' He repeats, and there's nothing I can do as he flies away.