Chapter Text
“So yeah, it’s a whole other thing to finish and I’ve been kind of tired.” Mumbo was wandering with Grian a little out of Boatem. They were heading towards the coast.
“That’s why I’m taking you out, you should rest a bit, Mumbo. The moon thing’s got you feeling tired already and you don’t want to pass out on some red stone. That stuff stays in your hair forever.” Grian sounded exasperated on his final sentence and Mumbo laughed.
“You’ve barely messed with red stone this season, how do you know tha-“ Grian felt massive waves of energy shock through him and he kneeled over. He looked up to an unrecognizable portion of forest. There was smoke off in the distance.
“Mumbo, what just-“ Grian looked around. “Mumbo? Mumbo!” Grian fidgeted nervously “Come on, man. Ha ha, the joke’s over. What is this, a box you teleported me to? I’m not Grumbot, I’m smart. This is a joke, I can tell. You just magically guessed I was going to ask you to walk with me and take this path and you made this before it was going to happen. Yeah.” Grian’s words lost confidence as he continued. He pulled his sword as he saw the sunset start on the horizon. This was weird, it was too early for that.
He tried to take off, but his wings didn’t carry the air. He flapped again. And again. Something was wrong here. His rockets were creating enough force to launch him, they just weren’t launching him.
“Who the fuck are you?” Grian awkwardly landed for the twelfth time and turned to see a new face. A blonde kid, covered in dirt and bruises. The kid looked and spoke confident enough, but he held a stone sword and his hands were shaking. He looked like he’d been out here for days.
“What are you doing out alone? You’re too young to be out so close to night.” Grian looked around unsteadily, the trees casting shadows that were much too long in his opinion.
“Hey- I can deal with it, bitch-“ the kid suddenly jerked as he shouted energetically. “What the hell are you trying to do anyway?” He stumbled with the sword and righted himself awkwardly.
“Fly?” Grian zeroed in on the kid’s stance. That’s not how you hold a sword properly. And he’s favoring his left leg. “I’m sorry, are you hurt?”
“That’s none of your business.” The kid shifted, obviously trying to hide whatever wound he had.
“Hey, sorry. Um, I’m Grian, what’s your name?” Grian awkwardly tried. This kid was defensive. There must be something wrong and he needs to change his approach.
The kid glared at him for a few seconds before giving him a quiet “Tommy.”
“Well, Tommy. I have a lot of stuff at my base and my friend and I might be able to help you. Do you have any adults around so they can help me find my frien-”
“I’m not a child, stop talking to me like one! And no, there’s no one around to help you.”
“Well, do you want to come with me so we can check out your leg?” Tommy shifted his weight again, obviously irritated to have his injury called out, but there was something else. His expression softened and his face scrunched up sadly before returning to his angry mask.
“What do you want?”
“Well, I want to figure out where I am and get back to my home. I can help you there.”
“No, why do you want to help me?”
“I mean- don’t take this the wrong way- you’re just a kid and you’re hurt.”
“So you’ll help me out?”
“Yeah, we can go to my base together and figure it out.” Grian nodded, trying to appear as genuine as he was being.
“I don’t think I should leave. Dream said I’m not allowed to.”
“Who’s Dream?”
“He’s my- my friend, I think.” Tommy’s mask slipped and he looked confused and sad for a few seconds.
“Why’d you hesitate when you said that?” Grian was getting more nervous by the second. This place definitely wasn’t safe and this kid was probably in danger.
“It’s just-“
“Tommy~” there was a new voice.
“Shit-“ Tommy looked over to the source, beyond the trees, and dropped his voice to a half whisper. “You should go before he gets here.”
“Tommy this sounds dangerous, are you safe here?”
“I can handle myself, mate. I’ve just never seen you around before and I don’t think he’ll take kindly-“
“Tommy, where are you?”
“Kindly to new people on the server without his knowledge.” Grian was about to say how much of a red flag that was and absolutely object to leaving this kid alone when he felt more shocks run through his body.
“Tommy, who the hell are you talking to?” A figure came through the trees, looking towards Tommy.
Grian was on a forest path now. He stumbled, disoriented.
“Grian!” He was tacklehugged by Mumbo. “Dude, how’d you do that?”
“Where’s the kid?”
“What do you mean, Grian?”
“No, no, there was a kid here. He was hurt.”
“Grian, you just glitched and disappeared for a few minutes, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”