Love is Vexing - ScarDubs

-9-

By the time that Bdubs had processed what had happened, the builder was in shambles. Fat globs of tears began to soak his cheeks, rushing down his face and onto the grass beneath his feet.

He turned to run, attempting to flee the shopping district before he faced Scar. But as Bdubs turned, a flash of blue appeared, Xisuma teleporting in front of the builder to prevent his escape. Scar opened his wings, gliding down from the stage to greet his assistant.

"There's no need to cry, Bdubs. We won! The war is over now!" The vex said with a grin across his face, Scar placing his hand against the builder's cheek, the mayor using his thumb to wipe Bdubs' tears.

Slapping his hand away, the mayor's assistant stumbled back, completely dumbfounded. "Y-y-you banned Grian! Scar, this isn't winning a war, this is pure revenge!"

"I know! Isn't it great?" The mayor asked as he grabbed Bdubs' hands, his eyes sparkling as if he had done no wrong.

"N-no! This is awful! You hurt Iskall, and you're going to hurt our other friends! This is pure insanity!"

"I'm hurting them to save everyone who hasn't been corrupted by the resistance! You're supposed to be on my side, Bdubs! Can't you see I'm doing this for you? For us?!"

Bdubs pulled his hands away from HEP's leader, shaking his head. "I'm not on your side. Not anymore. And there is no 'us'! You're a maniac, Scar! A MANIAC!"

Without another word from the mayor or his assistant, Bdubs ran off, past the vex and into the portal, where he vanished through the swirling purple vortex. Scar's eyes narrowed at the portal, his face curling into a scowl.

"Follow him, then bring him back to me once he's cooled down. I'm not losing Bdubs that easily." Scar commanded the admin, who nodded before disappearing in a puff of light blue smoke.

"As for the rest of you," The mayor began, turning to the remainder of HEP, who were standing on the large stage with the resistance members.

"Begin reteaching these poor resistance members. And if they misbehave, remind them what happened to their great leader." Scar commanded his army of vexes, the leader of HEP opening his wings before flying back to his Diamond throne.

Cub turned to Mumbo, the redstoner stunned at the banning of his best friend. "I-I thought we were going to save him, reeducate him like the rest!"

The enforcer laughed at that. "Oh Mumbo," Cub said with a grin, placing his hand on the Brit's shoulder, "Grian was beyond saving. He'd only cause more trouble, even if Scar turned him into a vex like the rest of us."

Mumbo nodded sadly. "Y-you're right. He'd only cause trouble.."

Cub gave another sharp grin. "Now you're getting it." He said, before shoving the end of an iron chain into Mumbo's hands. "Hurry up and take Etho down with the rest of those mycelium lovers. I'm going to go meet with mayor Scar."

As the vex flew off, Mumbo's smile faded, the Brit and Etho walking down the stairs and back into the dungeon. The white-haired hermit didn't speak, he was too busy studying the dungeons, watching the vexes shove his friends into cramped obsidian cages.

The redstoner took Etho to the cell at the end of the hall, farthest away from everyone else. He shoved the Canadian into the obsidian box, Mumbo pulling out his pickaxe to break the chains around his body.

"Hurry," Mumbo whispered in a hurried tone, shoving the netherite pickaxe into Etho's arms. "Get out of here and start a rebellion against Scar. I'll try and keep the vexes off your trail."

Etho's eyes glanced between the pickaxe in his hands to the desperate vex in front of him. "How do I know that this isn't a trick..?" The Canadian asked, Mumbo pulling out his sword in response.