Watching and Listening - An Empires SMP AU

Close friends

           "I was asking if I put the rail tracks down straight." Scar said, pointing at the long line of anvils and iron bars that he'd laid out to weld later, although Grian had coolly informed Jimmy that Scar with a welder was just chaos waiting to happen and asked to be there when Scar started soldering. Jimmy stared at the crooked line of anvils that Scar seemed to think was a pretty good job.

           "Um..." He started, unsure what to say. As if he understood, Scar said, "Just say what's on your mind, sheriff. I can take it." What's on my mind is that the minecarts that will ride this railway will completely slide off when they hit the tracks you put down, Jimmy thought.

           He contemplated whether to be nice or brutally honest. True, Scar could take brutal honesty, but Jimmy knew he wouldn't like it. The sheriff himself definitely wouldn't like it, considering how honest Joel and fWhip and Grian were towards his builds. But even with everyone else being brutally honest, Jimmy decided he would be that one friend who would tell a white lie just to be nice.

           "The tracks are fine, Scar." Jimmy said, and his heart practically melted when he saw how much the hermit lit up at his words. He was so cute. "I will say this now, though, but as soon as I'm done saying this sentence a friend of mine is going to swoop down next to me and interrupt our work." Jimmy predicted flatly. And be was right.

           "Sheriff!" Jimena shouted, folding up her wings and landing next to him. "Huh, I was expecting Joel or fWhip or Grian. Jimena's new." Scar said. "Uh, what?" Jirman asked, confused. "Oh, nevermind, Jimmy, or Scar, do you know a good doctor who can handle someone with migraines and nausea?" "Uh, maybe, why?" Jimmy asked, a little taken aback by her question.

           "False's sick and she doesn't want me to get a doctor but she definitely needs one because she threw up twice." Jimena rattled off. "Now, where's that doctor?" Jimmy hesitated. The thought of False made him remember his internal conflict from earlier. But surely he had to help False, right?

           "What about Shelby?" Jimmy asked. "Yeah, her potions might help." Jimena said, lighting up. " I'll go get her." She spread her twilight-colored wings and prepared to fly away again. "I'm going with you!" Jimmy blurted without thinking. "Yeah, me too!" Scar said. "I'm going where my friend the sheriff goes!" "Okay!" Jimena said. So they grabbed their elytras and flew to the Evermoore.

          "Oh, hi!" Shelby greeted after opening her door to find them waiting there for her. "To what do I owe you the pleasure?" "False is sick and needs a doctor." Jimena said. "Not hermit False." Scar added. A multitude of clashing emotions were seen flashing across the witch's face, all or which Jimmy could relate to. "Oh, um... how bad is she?" Shelby asked hesitantly. "She threw up twice today." Jimena said. "Jimmy said you were a good doctor."

           "I just run an apothecary." Shelby said faintly. "Well, just get a potion for her or something," Jimena urged. "Anything that can help False." It was the sheer determination to help her best friend that seemed to win Shelby over. "Okay," She said finally, grabbing a few potions and stuffing them into her bag. "Let me just get my broom."

           They all flew back to Cogsmeade and Jimena made False drink up all the potions and then take a long nap without sleepwalking. Shelby even suggested tying her to the bed so that if she tries to get up she'll wake up and can then go back to sleep. False said that it wouldn't really matter, though.

           While Shelby and False were discussing sleep schedules and Scar was introducing Ginny to Jellie, Jimena approached Jimmy. "Sheriff, what's wrong?" She asked. "What do you mean?" Jimmy asked, wondering if he was really an open book in which all of his emotions could be ready as clear as the words on a page.

           "Something's bothering you," Jimena said slowly, "And I think it's about False. What's wrong?" Jimmy wondered how to break the news to her gently. "Um... False is kind of a serial killer." "She's what?" Jimena shot him a double take. Jimmy wondered if it was just him or if she didn't seem that surprised. "She tried to kill Scott's llamas and apparently all the hermits have been hurt by her too." He sheriff admitted.

           "She's doing it again?" Jimena asked quietly. "Wait, again? How do you know about the first time?" Jimmy asked in shock. "False told me about it." Jimena said. "And you're still friends with her?" Jimmy asked tactlessly. "Of course!" Jimena said indignantly. "What kind of friend would I be if I just stopped being nice to her just because I found out something... dark about my best friend?"

           "I didn't mean it like that!" Jimmy protested. "It's just- I'm not sure what to think of her now. Are we still friends or should we still be friends or is she going to kill me like she hurt everyone else?" Jimena was silent for a moment and Jimmy realized that she must be going through a similar turmoil. She probably had been since False had told her about her bloody past.

           "Friends should stay friends no matter what they learn about each other." Jimena said finally. "False has barely ever made friends or put trust in another person like she did with you. Don't break that trust. I'm sure we're all still friends with each other. And friends don't hurt friends." She added, slipping her hand into his.

           Jimmy felt a little better now. Jimena knew False the best; she would surely know how she would feel about other people. "Thanks," Jimmy told her, squeezing her hand affectionately. "No problem, sheriff."