Cursed (A hermitcraft and Evo fanfiction)

Chapter 21

Scar flew over the shopping district, the plea for help from Beef his primary objective. Help Bdubs, make sure he hadn't lost another one of his best friends, and then return to his base and continue thinking about Cub.

Cub.

His best friend. 

And the fact that something was wrong with him. 

Well, not really wrong. Just... weird. He wasn't acting normal. Always avoiding details he should've known and his continued use of vex magic even after Scar had pleaded against it over and over. Something had happened between the mayor's imprisonment and return that no one was talking about. Or no one knew about. 

He shook off the thoughts. Bdubs was his main priority right now, as he landed at the entrance to the town hall, entering the area below where his small friend should've been. 

'Scar? You're here too.' Beef looked over as the mayor entered. Cleo was also there, sitting down on one of the beds. Bdubs was lying against the far wall of the place, probably asleep. 

'Bdubs is my friend. What's wrong?'

'Well Inferno just told us that his evil side, someone called Phantom, trapped him in his own nightmare and made up him unable to wake up.'

'That's... not good. How do we stop it?' Scar looked desperately at the awkward glances around.

'We don't know. Inferno said there was nothing we could do but... we're hoping he's just being his pessimistic self.' Beef sighed. 'Surely something we can do will work.'

'There's nothing. If Phantom really did what he said he would, then Bdubs is stuck like this until he dies. And even if we do wake him, all he'll do is spy on us for the enemy.' Inferno walked into view. 

'B...but he's our friend. I must know some obscure wizard spell that might work... or something. Maybe someone could mind control Bdubs and make him snap out of it...' Scar began pacing, his mind racing through suggestions that probably wouldn't work. L

'I can mind control him.' Cleo replied. Scar stopped. 

'Really? Well- that would be amoyzing.'

'As long as Sunshine over here is wrong about his oh so cheerful diagnosis.' 

'Is everything alright in here?' Cub flew into view, almost catching the edge of the doorway, but fazing through and landing smoothly on the ground. Scar looked over. 

'Bdubs might be trapped in a dream forever... but how is Jevin doing?' Cleo asked

'Viscous is gone. For now.' Cub replied. Beef frowned.

'You sure about that?' 

'Why wouldn't I be sure about it. I was just there.' Cub shot back.

'Well, you lied.' 

'How would you know that?' Cub took a step towards Beef. Scar stepped in the way.

'That's my power. Telling when people are lying. Now, are we going to deal with Bdubs, and actually chill out, or will you keep acting weird?' 

'Sorry. Just stressed about everything.' Cub replied. Beef and Scar shared a glance, but didn't speak further. 'So, what's going on here?'

'I was just about to mind control Bdubs and see if I can stop his alter ego from keeping him trapped in a nightmare.' 

'That's good. And if that doesn't work.' 

'We kill him.' Everyone looked over at Inferno.

'We're not killing Bdubs.' Scar decided instantly. 'He's our friend. We're not doing that.'

'He'll be stuck in terror for the rest of his life otherwise. Would you rather that, vex-boy?'

'If there's a solution, I'd rather that.'

'There's no solution. Cleo can try her mind control, and then we give up.'

'We're not giving up! I'm not letting another one of my best friends die.' 

'Scar, it's for the best.' Cub reasoned. 'You wouldn't want Bdubs to be in pain.' 

Scar didn't reply, standing against the wall, arms crossed, as Cleo approached Bdubs. She sat down, eyes closed. 

A moment of bated breath before Bdubs's eyes shared the zombie's dark green. He blinked.

'Bdubs, can you hear me?' Scar dared to ask. 

'Is Phantom in there at all?' Cub added. 'Can you see him?'

'I... can't see much. He's in some kind of coma I think. But I can wake him up.'

'Then do it!' Beef replied.

All of a sudden Bdubs's eyes turned their normal brown. Cleo groaned, exhausted, as the smaller hermit looked around.

'W...what happened?' 

'Bdubs! You're alright!' Burst out Scar, unable to help the relieved grin that had spread across his face. 

'Uhhh... yes? When did you all get here?'

'We were worried. You were in some kind of trance, and Inferno said something about being trapped in a dream...' Beef explained, shutting up the moment he saw Bdubs's eyes cloud with fear. 

'Oh. That. Yeah.'

'Well, everything's sorted now.' Cub smiled, walking off. Scar tracked his moment, eyes narrowed in a quizzical glare. Cleo had begun snoring on the ground, and Bdubs stood up, walking out of the room, not daring to look at Etho's corpse as he did. With a shrug, Scar followed, but Beef quickly caught up with him.

'Hey, Scar- is it just me or was Cub acting really weird there.' 

'It's not just you.' Concern filled the vexling's face. 'He's been off since I got back. I don't know what's happened.'

'I mean, he didn't even react when Bdubs woke up. And I certainly didn't tell him Phantom's name...'

'I'll talk to him. It'll be fine. Maybe.' 

'Scar, if you want to talk to someone, I'll be around. Everyone's going through a lot right now.' Beef's gaze wandered back to Etho's body, then back to Scar. The mayor nodded.

'Thanks. Everything's just gone wrong after Grian died. And now with Cub acting weird and Bdubs being haunted by this horrible phantom person...'

'Like I said, if you need to talk, I'm here.' Beef replied simply. 'Now, go and find somewhere to relax. I wouldn't want our mayor too tired to do his duties.'

'Yeah...' Scar laughed back. 'Because mayoral duties are clearly our biggest concern right now.'

'That and mycelium. Though I still wonder, what about podzol?'

'Podzol's cool.' Scar shrugged back. 'Anyway, I'll get back to my magical village and rest. See you around, Beef!' 

'Bye Scar! Try not to stress out too much about our impending doom!'

'I won't!'