Hermitcraft Oneshots

Flangst, Skizz & Impulse - Rulers of the End

The lack of Skizzpulse content is criminal, and I'm here to fix that.

Also, I bring a new AU: Ender Dragon!Impulse and Enderman!Skizz :]

Warnings: There's some description of injury, but it's not graphic or anything.

Enjoy~

(Also I went back doing minor edits to the titles of previous stories, and I don't think it notifies for that, but if anyone got a bunch of notifications from this book that's why lmao, sorry.)

~~~

To most, the End wasn't a pleasurable place. It was empty and cold, in a way that sent shivers down people's spines and set them on edge. Everywhere, dangers seemed to lurk, waiting for the time to strike. There was more than just the endermen, such as how easily the endstone crumbled under human weight, plunging many adventurers to their doom in the nothingness surrounding the End.

Despite everything, to those that lived there, it was home. Though, most of the End's inhabitants lived elsewhere than the bland bodies of endstone. While the main island remained fairly empty, save the obsidian towers, as did most of the area around the cities, there was one large island far beyond anywhere humans ever dared travel that had something more. A towering palace sat in the middle, surrounded by a magnificent city. Purples, blacks, golds, and even rare splashes of other colors contrasted the darkness around the island. Endermen hurried through the glowing streets of the city, living their lives just like anyone else. If anyone from the outside worlds were to see it, they would surely be blown away.

Even now, having lived in the very palace itself for nearly a decade, Skizz was amazed by the sight of the kingdom that stretched out below his window. Often, he pulled a comfy chair over, snuggled up in a blanket, and just watched the activity outside. It was a comforting sight, seeing everyone well and happy, but seeing everything from so high up was also humbling to him. The enderman hybrid knew how incredibly lucky he was to be here at all, and he wouldn't trade it for anything.

A smile crossed Skizz's face as he thought about it. He remembered, all those years ago, just being that weird and lonely hybrid kid. No one cared about him, and he had no friends... until he met Impulse. Being another rejected hybrid, Impulse understood Skizz's situation, and the two clicked immediately. Never once did he think that Impulse would obtain the throne when his mother fell to a human's sword, and much less did he expect Impulse to choose him as someone to rule by his side. Their relationship had always seemed more than normal friends, but not quite romantic. Now they were platonically married, and Skizz couldn't be happier.

Or, in respect of their relationship, he couldn't be happier. There were still things that bothered him, such as Impulse's duty as the Ender Dragon to fight and, ideally, destroy any intruders. Though he didn't doubt Impulse's abilities, Skizz couldn't help but worry when Impulse returned, injured. He hadn't lost a fight yet in the decade he'd been leading, but sometimes he pushed himself to the very limit.

Skizz's smile fell, and he let out a heavy sigh. Just this morning, Impulse had sensed a human and gone to fight them, and he hadn't returned yet. Fights usually lasted several hours, but it was getting to a worrying point. At any moment, Skizz expected an enderman to burst in and inform him that Impulse was coming back in horrible shape, or even worse...

Swallowing hard, Skizz pushed that thought out of his mind. He couldn't lose hope yet. Shifting in his seat a bit, he let his gaze wander out of the window and over the city again, distracting himself for now. However, his anxiety grew with every passing moment, and soon not even the sights were enough to keep his mind occupied. He summoned an enderman to go check things out for him, to see if Impulse was doing okay. They did as he asked and returned shortly with news that they'd spotted Impulse flying home. Relieved, Skizz thanked the enderman before sending them away and hurrying out of his room to meet Impulse.

Skizz reached the landing area at the same moment Impulse did. The dragon hybrid touched down and was instantly enveloped in a hug.

"Impulse! I was getting really worried about you, dude. You were gone a long time!"

"I know," Impulse murmured, his face buried in the crook of Skizz's neck. "It was a rough fight."

Upon hearing those words, Skizz quickly pulled back, eyes trailing over Impulse. To his concern, wounds of varying severity were scattered over his body, the dark red liquid dripping from them barely visible against patches of black scales. His wings drooped, and he stumbled when he tried to walk. Wincing, Skizz wrapped an arm around him and wordlessly helped him inside, the routine normal for the two.

The silence only lasted a few moments. Curiosity burned within Skizz as usual, especially when it came to tales of battles. He couldn't stop himself from asking what had happened, and Impulse, though exhausted, was ready to tell him.

"I was doing what I usually do," Impulse began, as Skizz continued to lead him to the medical room, "play with them, let them do a little bit of damage and destroy a couple crystals, make them think I'm weak before coming at them full force. It worked out fine, and they were caught off guard. But then, instead of giving up and trying to run from me like most others, they tried to match my strength, and did well at it too. They took out all the crystals first, and when the arrows started flying, I couldn't heal."

Grimacing, Impulse gestured to the wounds over his body. Skizz helped him lie down before rummaging around in the room for bandages and things he'd need to help him. "You did beat them, though, right?"

"Oh, yeah yeah," Impulse answered, with a jokingly smug tone. "You know me, I never lose a fight."

Skizz chuckled. "How did you do it? Besides being amazing," he added with a grin.

Impulse flashed him a smile before continuing. "When they got me desperate, I started using all the strength I had. I kept pushing them towards the edge of the island, and they were too focused on me to notice. Eventually, I managed to just shove them off." As Skizz tended to his wounds, a few pained whines escaped Impulse, causing Skizz to stop and look at him in alarm.

"Did I hurt you?" he asked worriedly.

"Nono, you're fine," Impulse reassured him. "They're injuries; they're gonna hurt. It's just more than I'm used to."

"You shouldn't push yourself so hard, Dipple Dop," Skizz sighed, working carefully as he bandaged wounds on the dragon hybrid's wings.

"If I didn't push myself, I would've been dead a long time ago," Impulse argued. "I'm only half dragon. I can't withstand nearly as much as a full dragon would."

"That's fair, I guess. I just hate seeing you hurt like this," murmured the enderman hybrid.

"I know you do. I wish I could avoid it, but I can't," Impulse sighed. "Hey, at least it doesn't have to happen often."

"True..." Finishing up the last of Impulse's wounds, Skizz put the medical supplies away before turning back to the dragon. "Now what, homeh buddeh? You should rest, but can I get you anything, do anything for ya?"

Impulse hummed. "Just one thing."

"Yeah?"

"I want you riiiight..." At Impulse's beckoning, Skizz moved closer. A long tail encircled him, guiding him the rest of the way, and Impulse's arms wrapped around him. He was tugged into the bed and pulled against the dragon's chest, a wing flopping over him like a scaly blanket. "...here."

"Impulse-" Skizz tried to protest, only for Impulse to cut him off immediately.

"No. I know you haven't been resting either, waiting for me like you do, and if I let you go you'll overwork yourself trying to do things for me."

"I- no... yeah, you're right," Skizz admitted. "You know me too well."

"I do." Impulse hummed again with a small smile. "Face it. We both need sleep right now. You might as well stay with me."

"Might as well," Skizz huffed, burying his face in Impulse's shoulder.

A soft, purr-like growl came from his platonic partner in response. "Love you, Skizz."

"Love you too, buddy." Skizz sighed softly, relaxing and succumbing to his fate as Impulse's embrace tightened slightly, his head resting atop the enderman's.