Unrecognizable

~Chapter Two~

Grian hurriedly looked around Mumbo's base. It was gone, wasn't it? The sign wasn't where it had been left standing for three months. In fact, it wasn't anywhere. That couldn't be a coincidence, could it be? No... This had to mean something. He had to tell the other Hermits.

Grian pulled up his arm to access his communicator, a device that looked similar to a watch that attached to his wrist. It was a silver-blue band with a square with a screen on it. The screen glowed an electric blue, illuminating Grian's face as it shown towards the builder. He tapped it once and a translucent screen blinked into existence above it, displaying all of the recent messages. Grian didn't look at them, instead hastily typing out a calling for the Hermits.

<Grian> Guys, come to Mumbo's base. It's urgent

Everyone's communicator chimed at the same time as Grian's message went through. Suddenly, a number of more chimes filled the air as many of the other Hermits typed confused messages in response.

<Docm77> ? Why?
<Stressmonster101> On my way!
<JoeHills> Why Grian? Something wrong?
<XisumaVoid> Coming

... And many more. Grian shot back another two messages:

<Grian> I'll explain when you all get here
<Grian> It's urgent

Grian's communicator rang with a few more messages before he tapped it again, turning it off. He paced Mumbo's base again, checking to see if anything else had changed, while he waited.

---

It didn't take long for all of the other Hermits to get there. Pretty soon, Grian noticed that everyone had arrived.

He flew up to a high point in Mumbo's base, being sure not to disturb anything else. He clapped his hands twice to gather the Hermits' attentions. He started to explain what had happened-- how he had flown here to find the sign gone.

He wasn't sure what kind of reaction he expected from the Hermits, but it definitely wasn't dead silence. Grian stood there expectantly, gaze flitting between his friends. The only sound that could be heard in the quiet was the light flowing of water down Mumbo's base. That, and, of course, the wild panic of Grian's heart in his chest. Even though the two seperate noises were rather soft, they flooded Grian's brain as he waited for a response.

Surely they had to be excited, or, at least, interested. Mumbo's base hadn't changed a bit in months, and now suddenly the reason he was missing was straight up gone! That had to mean something, right? His eyes were wide and pleading as he glanced around at the others. They simply stared at him. Hints of pity shone in some of their gazes.

Doc stepped forward. He drew a breath then started to speak. "Look, Grian, we all know how much you miss Mumbo. We all do. But I think you may be grasping at straws here."

Grian stared at him incredulously. What was he saying? How could they not tell how important this was? He glanced around at his other friends. They all nodded in agreement with Doc. Some of their gazes were softer than others, but they all had that same mocking look of sympathy in their eyes.

How could they not see the meaning of this? This was the first change in the moustached man's base in months since he had disappeared, how could they not be as excited over it? Did they not care?

Grian lept down from where he was standing, elytra opening as a sort of parachute. He landed on the floor in front of everyone, barely disturbing anything at all besides some layers of dust. He tried to start to explain himself. "But guys, don't you think it's weird ho-"

He was cut off by Tango, who was shaking his head. "Grian, it could've just been a zombie or something that knocked it over or destroyed it. It doesn't have to mean anything."

Grian shook his head as well, an edge of unwelcome desperation creeping into his voice as he started to protest. "But it's been three months and nothing has changed, and suddenly now-"

Once again, he was cut off, this time by Stress, who had by now walked up to him and put a hand on his shoulder. "Grian, we know how much this has affected you. It's affected us as well. We understand how you feel. Just, if you ever need, you can talk to us, alright?" She smiled warmly at him, but it didn't quite reach her eyes that now sparkled with sadness. She pulled her arm away and backed up, then nodded to him. She slid her elytra back on and, in a matter of seconds, was out of sight. The other Hermits followed suit until it was only Grian, standing alone, in his absent friend's base.

After a moment, he let out a yell of frustration for no-one to hear. He was just so... Done. His best friend was missing without a trace, and the second something happens, no-one believes it means anything.

Were they right? Was he finding something that wasn't there? Was he that desperate to find Mumbo that when he looked for a lead, his mind found one that didn't exist? Was he going crazy? No, he couldn't be. This had to mean something!

After another moment of just standing there, with only the rushing water to fill his head, Grian adjuated his elytra. With a leap, he skyrocketed into the air, spreading his wings. A few moments later, he arrived at the entrance to his old hobbit hole, he had thrown a minecart and a notebook into his inventory pouch, ready to send another message to Mumbo's base. He had been doing so for awhile now-- he wasn't about to stop.

He touched ground. And that's when he heard it, a familiar, annoying gonging noise. Was that... His and Mumbo's messaging system? He rushed into the hobbit hole and towards the noise, before stopping abruptly.

What if it wasn't Mumbo, and another Hermit was simply trying to get Grian's attention? What if it was Mumbo Jumbo? What would Grian do then? What would he say, think, feel... What would he do? With a sigh of resolve he walked into the sight of his messaging system...

To see a familiar moustached face waving at him from a minecart, a sheepish smile plastered on his features.

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Alrighty, I know I haven't been very organized with my uploads. I will try to upload once in every few days, just to reduce my Stress a bit. Thanks for reading, and I can't wait to see you in the next chapter!