Xisuma woke up bright and early to a loud ringing echoing from his communicator and a buzzing sensation coming off his newly-formed magic marks in little spurts. He quickly silenced his com and turned to his magic marks, trying to figure out how to shut them off.
His markings were still small, as he had just gained them three months ago after his difficult level nine test. His magic marks were more obvious than most - little pale silver star-shaped freckles that littered his face sparingly. Xisuma slapped his face, hard. The alarm immediately shut off. What in Minecraftia!?
Xisuma pulled his silver tier nine admin robes over his turtle-green jumpsuit and silver-gray helmet. I wonder why the primes called an emergency meeting... Xisuma was puzzled. They had just had a meeting the day before, and the next was coming up in less than a month... something terrible must have happened!
Xisuma bolted through the vast doors of his mega base and took to the sky, scanning the ground for Grian's base.
Whether he was banned or not, he would probably need to be at the meeting. And if he wasn't needed, he would at least get to see Prime 2. Prime 2 only turned up once a year - and for emergency meetings if they were called. Besides, maybe Xisuma could convince Grian to apologize and get his meeting privileges back for the future.
Xisuma landed awkwardly next to Grian's red train, which happened to be his mega shop-mall building. He quickly raced through the railroad, peeking into every car. Grian must not be working on his shops today. Xisuma glanced at his com anxiously. He needed to find Grian fast.
Xisuma proceeded to rocket into Grian's midnight alleyway. Grian wasn't busy building that, either. That was strange considering that when Xisuma had peered into his shulker monster it was clear Grian didn't need to gather any more resources...
Was he visiting a friend? He was probably working on some prank or another somewhere... but Xisuma found it annoying that Grian had coincidentally vanished on yet another admin meeting day. This had happened almost every day for a year back when Grian first joined Hermitcraft... and Prime 2 attended more meetings.
Thankfully, Xisuma still didn't connect the two events together. He rocketed back up into the sky and made one last stop. This time Xisuma landed next to none other than Mr. Mumbo Jumbolio. If anyone would know where Grian went, it was his best friend.
Mumbo Jumbo wiped sweat from his face as he turned to look at Xisuma. He was busy 'magic-mossing' his mega base. The mega base was looking quite amazing so far, Xisuma had to admit.
"Hey Mumbo. Sorry I don't have time to chat, but have you seen Grian today?" Xisuma wiped his hands on his admin robes, getting them slightly dusty.
"Grian? Come to think of it, I haven't seen him since before yesterday's admin meeting... but I thought you went with him." Mumbo shook his head.
"I did. Did he mention where he was going to be today? If he was going anywhere? Pulling any specific prank?" Xisuma frowned,
"No. I honestly haven't talked to him properly since the day before yesterday, mate!" Mumbo shrugged. "But if I had to guess he would be at another building association event or meeting or something."
"I thought he quit that ages ago?" Xisuma's brow furrowed.
"He just said he cut down, dude. He still goes to a few things every now and then." Mumbo was unfazed.
"Well, well... the more you know..." Xisuma grouched. "Anyway, I'd best be on my way." Xisuma waved two fingers through the air and a portal materialized.
"Gosh, I forgot you could just do that." Mumbo rubbed his head, amazed. Xisuma didn't answer. He was too deep in thought as he stepped through the swirling pool of light onto the admin headquarters server grounds. What could Grian be hiding?
. . .
Grian and Pearl had already entered the meeting room when Grian saw Xisuma enter. He was panting and tired-looking. But what stuck out to Grian was that Xisuma was late. Xisuma was never late. Whenever he dragged Grian along to meetings he always left fifteen minutes early. It drove Grian mad.
What had Xisuma been doing? Grian's eyes narrowed. He jumped as Pearl nudged him in the side. Oh, right. It's my turn to talk again. Grian gave a long, exasperated sigh and stepped up. "Greetings, fellow admins." Grian scrambled his voice easily.
"Before we start, if there are any challengers to the prime admins, we will take them now." Grian drawled boredly. Nobody ever stepped up. "Remember - you must be tier nine to challenge a prime. Speak now or forever hold your pea-" Grian froze as Blade stood up.
Techno Blade was a level nine admin of the highest caliber. He was definitely a candidate for Prime 1's apprentice many years ago, and he hadn't appreciated Grian much ever since he had become the apprentice instead.
"I challenge the prime." Techno stood up. He was looking at Pearl sharply. Pearl stepped forward angrily, but Grian held her back.
"Hang on. Let me take him." Grian grinned at Pearl from under his hood as he whispered softly. Pearl looked surprised and opened her mouth to object, but Grian had already stepped forward. "Hmm... insolent as ever, whatever-your-name-is." Grian raised his voice. He knew exactly who Techno was. After all, the two had played the most epic prank on Pearl just two months ago during a big meeting.
"Very well, challenge accepted." Grian's eyes glinted. Not that anyone could see his eyes, of course. Grian grinned maliciously and Techno paled. His eyes widened. Nobody had expected Prime 2 to accept a challenge. But Techno hadn't specified which position he was challenging, and now he would pay.
Grian beckoned Techno up onto the elevated platform. Techno stepped up cautiously. Grian tilted his chin up as if saying, your move, fool.
Techno stood perfectly still, sizing up his hooded opponent. All of the sudden Techno drew his diamond sword and charged. He had admirable swordsmanship skills, but Grian merely yawned and flicked his pinky finger towards the admin. The simple gesture sent Techno sprawling.
Techno got up bravely and whipped a fishing pole from his belt. He quickly cast it towards the admin. Grian smiled a sadistic smirk and flicked his pinky again. The twine bounced off an invisible force field and grian studied his nails.
Techno roared angrily and charged again. Grian sidestepped the attack easily, without even casting a glance at the approaching attacker. He flicked his pinky yet again and a gold tripwire materialized from thin air, tripping the level nine admin and sending him flying.
Techno got up angrily and resorted to using magic. He shot five well-placed flameballs towards the prime admin, but Grian flicked his pinky finger for the fourth time. The flame balls disintegrated mid-course.
"Fight me, already! Just use your magic! Use your entire might!" Techno yelled again, enraged. Grian mock bowed and dodged another ball of fire while doing so.
"I can beat you with my pinky toe, fool." Grian smirked gleefully. Pearl watched from the sidelines wearily and gave him a don't beat him up too bad, look. Grian smiled even more widely. It was obvious again why he had been chosen to be the number one prime and Pearl was two.
Techno was at his wits end. He sent more furious blasts of fire, ice, silver magic, and sword swipes Grian's way. The prime admin didn't even break a sweat as he merely drawled, "enough," and Techno froze, immobilized. His magic stopped in mid air and splattered on the ground.
"Think before you open your snout, Blade." Grian hissed, releasing Techno from his invisible grip and pushing him back into the level nine benches with another invisible energy blast. He had done it all with just his pinky toe, as promised.
The blade sat down angrily at his bench and Grian smirked as he returned to Pearl's side. After the quick turn of events, Pearl took charge despite her earlier intentions and finished explaining everything about the watchers and predicament stuff.
Grian merely hung behind and stifled as many yawns as he could. Pearl decided to end the meeting before Grian did something stupid and ruined their reputation. Unfortunately, Grian didn't get the hint and ended the meeting with,
"Well, Pearl, I shall be off to attend to more important matters-" Grian smiled knowingly in Xisuma and Gem's direction. Both went white as a sheet. That made the Prime Admin's smile break into a smirking grin. Xisuma looked ready to cry. As Grian left the room Gem threw up all over the level eight bench.
"Well then, I suppose that wraps this meeting up." Pearl spoke in disgust and turned away, pinching the bridge of her nose as she insta-cleaned up the mess Gem had made with a wave of her hand. Gem went even more tomato red if that was possible.