ImpulseSV left the game

Skizzleman: IMPY BASE NW HELP!

Zedaph: CKIJNF

Zedaph: COMING

I look from the messages in chat to the problem sitting in front of me with blood stained watcher robes and a face I haven't seen since Evo.

'Pearl.'

'Grian.' She gives a small smile. Jimmy and Martyn join us in the small room we've made to keep her trapped. But she hasn't even tried to escape. Barely struggled as we removed the fabric that serves as her watcher mask. She just stares at me. 'You've changed.'

'So have you. You're a watcher.'

'So are you.'

'Was.' I snap.

'When did you stop identifying with them?'

'When you killed Cub.' All too fast, she's the one asking questions. I take a deep breath. 'What are your plans? What do They think?'

A shrug.

'We have one of your lot too.'

Tango.

'...But he doesn't remember that. He doesn't remember anything.' Pearl gives a laugh as my blood turns cold. Before I can think, I'm on my feet.

'What do you mean?'

'Tango's one of us. I trained him. He's a true watcher now... And he'll be missing me. So I'd recommend you take me back to the Watchers. You don't want to make Tango's only friend sad, do you?'

I punch Pearl. Blood pours from her nose as she recovers.

'Grian, calm down.' Martyn intervenes, running over to me.

'Someone needs to tell Impulse and Zedaph.'

'Grian, seriously... Jimmy... Get Pearl something for her nose.' He runs off, leaving just me, Martyn and Pearl. 'Calm down. Seriously.'

'How could they do that?!' But it's not Tango I'm thinking about. It's myself. It's everything I could've forgotten about myself. Stuff I didn't know I did. My breathing grows quicker until I'm almost hyperventilating. Tears burn in my eyes. Martyn hugs me.

'Breathe in... Hold... And out.' He murmurs. I obey after a couple attempts. 'And in... Hold... And out.' All I do is start crying. I think Jimmy returns, since Pearl thanks someone.

'I'm so stupid...'

'No you're not. Come on...' Martyn leads me away. 'You should take a break... We can keep Pearl here until you're alright, or get someone else to interrogate her...'

'It- it's not Pearl it's Tango... It's the Watchers...' I force out. 'It's... It's...'

'It's ok.' Martyn continues to hug me.

'We need to tell people about... Tango. Xisuma... I... I can't tell Impulse and Zedaph myself...'

'That's alright... It's gonna be ok...'

'And... I need air. I need to fly.' My wings stretch behind me.

'Do you want me to come too?'

'Yeah... Yeah. If... Jimmy will be ok on his own...'

'Pearl's tied up. And I've got a listener spell stopping her from using magic.' He adjusts his elytra, and we take to the air.

I close my eyes for a second, just enjoying the cool wind on my face and under my feathers... The journey to Xisuma's base is short enough, and the stress is relieving slightly until...

'...GONE! Just GONE!'

Skizz.

And suddenly I don't want to be here. I can't... Tell Xisuma in front of Skizz. Martyn grabs my hand in midair, preempting my reaction, and we land just inside.

'Xisuma?'

He turns. Skizz stops mid-rant. He's in tears. Several things have been thrown across the room already.

'Grian?'

'Pearl... Told us stuff about Tango. And... We thought Zedaph and Impulse should know... But we don't want to tell them ourselves...'

A crash.

'Impulse is gone. He- he was taken by Vexlings... If I'd only been a bit quicker... I could've saved him!' Skizz sobs, evidently having dropped whatever was next to get hurled into the item graveyard in the opposite corner.

'It'll be alright.' Xisuma tries to calm him.

'If I could've been faster...'

I glance over at Martyn. This isn't the right moment. This really isn't the right moment...

'Tango doesn't remember anything.' Martyn bursts out. Skizz freezes. 'Of... anything. All he remembers is being a watcher. That's what Pearl said. I thought... you should know.'

Skizz screams, breaking off into sobs of pure rage and sorrow, sinking to the ground. Xisuma runs over to comfort him. I can't block out the noise. 

'I'm sorry.' Is all I can choke out. 'I- I'm so sorry.'

Martyn's there as I start to sob, hugging me tight. Until the worst time to be messenger gets even worse.

'What happened? All I heard is something about the vexes...' 

SCAR.

Oh no...

'Impulse has been taken by vexlings. A vexling. To... we don't know. You know the most about them.' Xisuma explains. I blindly fumble for fireworks, hoping to get away without being spotted... Martyn keeps me there. 

'You can talk to him.'

'Scar does not want to talk to me.' I hiss back as quietly as I can. 

'You want him to forgive you, though.' 

'It's not going to go well!'

'...BITE you?!'

'Yes! Were there any vexes there when Impulse was taken, or did they just give him a fake mask...'

'Listen, homey. That was no fake mask.'

'You can't touch a vexling mask without being chosen by a vex! Because the vex chooses you, not the other way around.'

'Scar, calm down.'

'Why are you telling ME to calm down and not Skizz?!'

'Because he's just lost his friend and you're supposed to be making him feel better.'

'WHO'S CUB THEN?'

'Scar! Calm down!' EX, who must've come over with Scar, intervenes. 

'No. I'm- I'm tired of this server. Everyone ruining what I want to do after everything I've gone through... none of you CARE about Cub's death, do you?!'

'Of course we care!'

'How long have you had to recover, Scar? And how long have I had?' Skizz snaps. 'Get over it!' 

Skizz screams again. I glance over Martyn's shoulder, eyes widening to see Skizz clutching his arm, bleeding and Scar standing, panting, truly vexed, with wings behind him and claws glowing blue. EX is stood between them, eyes wide.

'SCAR!'

'LISTEN TO ME!' He pleads back with a yell. 

'We need to get out of here.' I mutter to Martyn. We're close to the exit. But to leave... Scar going to have to see us. But I still want him as a friend again.

'Scar, I'm listening.' I step into view. He stops, turning to face me. 'I'm listening to you.'

His hands clench.

'Really now?'

'Yes! Scar, I'm so sorry. I'm so so sorry for not believing you before... you know more about Watchers than most of us, especially me. And about vexlings. You were called here because they wanted your opinion on Impulse and...' I falter at his expression.

'And why are you here?'

'Because I had something to tell Xisuma... but you came before I could leave after. And... please, Scar. We want to know what you know.'

'Read the book!' 

'What book?'

'Martyn's book! It explains everything! And read the book that I broke my communicator getting as well. Maybe when you've done that I'll consider that you actually care.'

I nod. Tears run down my cheeks.

'Of course.'

I fly away. Martyn's voice follows me, but I make several tight corners he can't, landing inside the mansion alone. I find the books...

And pause. 

I don't want to read them.

I don't want to know how wrong I was.

But I have to.

I start reading Martyn's book.