TW: Kidnapping; Amnesia; Abuse/Neglect (Implied); Injury;
American Golden Plover!Grian
Craftedmovie adopted Grian, or more specifically, Salted adopted Grian.
Scarian
~
Doc messed up.
He really messed up.
But...
He was also really confused now.
Grian had signed up to do random tests for Doc out of boredom.
Thirteen of twenty went swell. But the moment Grian began doing the tests Zed and him designed, it went to hell in a handbasket.
Number Fourteen ended in Grian on fire as he was temporarily shifted to a Blaze Hybrid.
Number Fifteen ended with Grian being soaked and his sweater ruined. (The conversation of Zed promising to replace it, ended with Grian admitting it wasn't his first sweater and he had another. [Looking into Grian's wardrobe is like looking into the matrix. A never ending supply of red sweaters.])
Number Sixteen ended with yet another sweater being destroyed and Grian having gills and a mermaid tail, as he was temporarily shifted to Merfolk.
Number Seventeen ended with a Zombified Ravager and seven broken bones and almost twenty five healing pots to heal him.
Number Eighteen ended with Etho dropping into the room extremely confused and Grian dying to a Ravager.
Number Nineteen ended with Grian genderbent for a few hours, and Grian running to Pearl. Pearl laughed, but offered a bra, which he took graciously.
Number Twenty ended with this. The previous tests hadn't continued to effected him, so this last potion was the one that caused this.
It caused Grian to turn into a five year old. Which, realistically, shouldn't have been that suprising. What was suprising, was the fact Grian looked nothing like the baby photos his family had given him.
Grian was small - but when is he not - and had dark crimson red hair, with a colorful sweater. His eyes were a soft icy blue and freckles littered the small ones' fair skin. His formerly large brown and white speckled wings were now missing.
"...uh... Zed you should probably-"
Grian turned and looked at Doc. Doc grimaced as he waited for the scream that would eventually tear from the child's throat.
Instead, Grian walked over to Doc, and did grabby hands, before happily speaking. "Jum!"
Doc hesitantly knelt down, and Grian giggled before poking the metal plate. "H-Hi G."
Grian tilted his head, before looking around. Seeing Zed, Grian pointed to him and tilted his head.
"G?" Zedaph asked. "Grian?"
"Who? I'm Xe-... X-eq..." Grian huffed, before speaking again. "Ze-qe-la. But Papa spells it x e q l u a!"
"Xeqlua...? Wasn't that...?" Zed looked to Doc confused.
"The Crafted Movie Head's kid?" Doc finished.
"Salted!" Grian said happily. "Is Nei here? Or papa?"
The two looked at eachother blankly before looking back at their gremlin. Grian was Xeqlua, or Grian was pulling a really elaborate prank. By the way Grian had guessed the name of the head correctly, despite not knowing anything about Wynncraft or Crafted Movie - Scar has talked his ear off about the Krew and Captain Sparklez, but only more Redstoner or Coders on the server knew of Wynncraft and Crafted Movie.
"Hey, Xeqlua, do you want to go see our admin?" Doc asked.
Grian tilted his head. "...what... What's all your names?"
"I'm Doc, and this is my friend Zedaph." Doc said, smiling to Grian. "And our admin is named Xisuma."
"Xisuma?" Grian asked. "X-eye-zoom-a."
Doc snickered. "Yeah. X-eye-zoom-a."
...
Xisuma blinked at Grian, and Grian giggled before wrapping his arms around the Voidkin. "Uh, Hiya?"
Grian looked up and his eyes sparkled with interest and mischievous thoughts. It was so similar to the older version of Grian.
"Hi." Grian said softly. "Do you have moss? You smell like moss... and skelies. Is that real bones?"
Xisuma blinked under xyr mask but hesitantly answered. "I don't have moss, but I'm sure yo- my friend Sun has some he'd let you have. I smell like moss and bones? And no these aren't real." The lie to protect the child was short.
"Sun?" Grian asked. "That's a weird name. But Papa is named Salted."
Xisuma glanced up at Doc, seeing him and Zed shrugging. "How about we go get moss? Why do you want it anyway?"
Grian blinked before letting go of Xisuma. "Moss?" Grian bit his lip. "I dunno... Nei said I'm like a bird. I like moss though. I like it alot."
...
After pleading the gremlin with pranks and coloring books - somehow Grian got red on his sweater without having a red marker - Grian fell asleep in Doc's arms. Humming to himself what sounded like a lullaby - knowing Grian it might be him threatening to prank them.
They - half the hermits - were trying to figure out what was going on with Grian and Xeqlua. Was Grian actually Xeqlua and he ran away? Why would he run away? Was he kidnapped? Who would kidnap Xeqlua, the child was literally known as the Demonic Prankster of Crafted.
Pearl held Grian as she spoke. "Isuma, Grian and I met at seven... We were really close. Close enough he mentioned a few things to me."
"Go on." Xisuma turned to Pearl.
Pearl nodded. "Grian had a scar around the side of his head, and didn't remember anything from before he was six."
Grian shifted in her hold, but stayed asleep. Xisuma pulled xyr helmet off and ran xyr hand through xyr hair.
"Do we want to message Salted about it? How long does the potion last?" Xisuma asked.
"We don't know." Doc shrugged. "Grian was testing it."
Xisuma sighed and shook xyr head. "I'll message him."
...
Xeqlua pulled the moss blanket around himself tightly, he couldn't say he wasn't comfortable, but it wasn't the best. While Nei used to tease him about being so clingy, Papa would hold him in the blanket.
He didn't know where he was either, or how he got here. Last he remembered, Blue was holding him while Papa, Nei, Jum, and Qc went on a business trip and wouldn't be back in a week. He wanted Papa and Blue. They were his favorites.
"Can I pick you up?" Doc asked, knocking on a portion of the wall.
Perhaps Doc was as comfortable as Jum? Both were the fuzzies. Xeqlua nodded as he spoke. "...uh-huh."
"Okay." Doc walked closer to Xel and picked the mossy blanket bundle up.
...
Salted sighed as he stared at Xisuma. He was only here because of the Hermit's reputation. They wouldn't lie like this, apparently, although not much was known about the Hermits. They were called Hermits for a reason.
"Hello Salted?" Xisuma greeted. One of the few the public servers knew.
"That's me." Salted shrugged.
Doc - another member known by the public - approached with a mossy bundle. Xel used to love moss, though they never knew why. Doc placed the bundle down, and the kid stood up.
"Doc... Why'd you place me down?" The kid whined, before looking at Salted. Salted felt himself tear up at the look of joy and realization. "Papa!"
The kid dropped the moss blanket and ran to Salted, who knelt and picked up his boy. Salted looked to Xisuma. "How did- How did you find him?"
Xisuma frowned under xyr mask. "A Hermit, Grian, took a potion to test with Doc and another Hermit Zed. It turned G into a five year old. We don't know how long it'll last, but until then, he'll know you."
Salted nodded and continued to hold Xeqlua. Xel nuzzled into Salted's neck, trying to fall asleep in his fathers hold.
...
Grian blinked as he woke up. The comfort of the bed was proof enough that it wasn't his. His bed was just thrown together, while his nest wasn't finished. He usually slept in Scar's bed, but he sometimes managed to convince Doc to allow him to sleep in one of his spare beds.
This bed was less comfortable then his Elven lover's, but it was comfortable. He whined and sat up. He wanted Scar. He rubbed his eyes as he yawned.
"Morning G." Xisuma's voice echoed through the room. Grian looked up at X and waved.
"...where's Scar?" Grian mumbled.
"Scar's in the kitchen, but theres another person with him." Xisuma said, walking away from the doorway.
Grian sighed before standing. He stretched his arms and wings, his primaries hitting the edge of the room. He sighed and folded his wings up, he could stretch later on. He wanted Scar.
Walking to the doorway, he looked around. He loosely recognized this as X's base, he missed it. He hadn't been here for a few months - mostly due to Double Life and him becoming more comfortable with going to Scar, Pearl, Impulse, or Mumbo.
Grian walked into the kitchen, and glanced at the new person. They were a cow Hybrid wearing a suit and tie, with soft hazel eyes. He seemed pained at the sight of Grian, but forced a smile.
A deep sense of calm filled him.
It felt like he knew this guy, but he didn't...
"Hey G." Scar waved. "This is Salted."
"Hey." Grian waved, before walking to Scar and wrapping his arms around his lover.
"You okay G?" Scar asked, holding Grian tightly. Grian nodded, burying his face into Scar's chest. He didn't know why he was being so clingy. Maybe he'd had a nightmare about his highschool days and forced himself to forget it?
He sighed before letting go of Scar. He turned and leaned against the kitchen island. "Have we met before?"
Salted sat up straighter and looked at Grian with a look of pure sadness. "Uh, yeah. I knew you a long time ago."
Scar and Salted shared a look, and Grian glanced between them both. They were keeping something from him... Scar swore to never...
"What's going on?" Grian asked.
"Grian... Pearl told us you don't remember anything before six?" Grian nodded. It was unimportant though. He was kind of glad he never remembered the mistreatment that well. "Grian... The potion Zed and Doc gave you turned you five, memories and all."
Grian glanced at Salted before back to Scar. Scar knew Grian was private to even the Hermits, so why wasn't he telling Salted to leave? His parents had mistreated him from the beginning.
"Grian." Salted said. "I had a son named Xeqlua. He was kidnapped on his sixth birthday, and we never found him. Until yesterday."
Grian felt the impact scar pang as he looked at Salted... There was no way...
"Grian, your Xeqlua, or atleast you were." Scar rested a hand on his shoulder.
I'm not who I think I am?
"D-Did... Did you care for me?" Grian whimpered, his wings extending to lightly push Scar off, before tightening his wings to hold him.
"I loved you. All of us did. We spent twenty years looking for you." Salted said softly, smiling to them.
Salted was his father...
And he cared?
Grian was...
Confused to say the least.
He had been cared for by someone.
He had been loved.
How many times had he thought parents were horrible, while he had one who had searched for him for twenty years?
How many times had he thought their mistreatment was fine, when he had someone who actually loved him?
But...
He still had a hard time to trust it. He knew Scar wouldn't lie to him, so he was more willing to accept it - the small voice of doubt in his head seeded worry though.
"...can... can you prove it to me?" Grian said, his voice cracking.
"Prove what?" Salted asked, confused.
"...prove I'm who you say...?" Grian looked to the ground, and Scar turned him before wrapping his arms around his waist. Scar softly rocked back and forth, letting Grian lean against him.
Salted stood and walked away before sounds of something unzipping caught his attention. Salted must of been rooting around in a bag, because the next time he returned, a scrapbook was placed on the island. Grian glanced at it and frowned.
"If you'd like to go through with it alone, I wouldn't blame you. I searched for years, I can wait longer." Salted smiled softly to Grian. And... Grian felt like Salted actually meant it.
...
Scar sat behind the bird and leaned against the pillowed headboard, his legs on the right side of Grian. Grian held the scrapbook on his lap, while thumbing at the edges of the book cover. Scar leaned his head against Grian's, a hand resting on Grian's opposite thigh. Grian's wings were folded against his back, before disappearing into the comfort of the Watcher Realm so they wouldn't effect him.
"You alright G?" Scar asked. Looking down at the scrapbook.
Grian closed his eyes. "I'm... I don't know how to feel... Will I remember any of this? Or will I... will I remember all the mistreatment I went through with them...?"
Scar pressed a kiss against Grian's cheek. "I'll be here with you. The moment you want to stop, we will. The moment you start to tip, we can stop."
Grian leaned back against Scar, before whispering. "I don't deserve you."
"You deserve the world, Grian. Your my world." Scar rested his hand on Grian's. Grian sighed and pulled the book open. There wasn't arguing with Scar.
The first page held a summary and a few photos.
The first photo was a small deep crimson haired boy holding a moss blanket. A large colorful sweater hung from the small figure, and the soft icy blue of his eyes was gentle.
Child Grian sat on the floor with a man wearing the same colorful sweater and a pair of grey sweatpants.
"Xeqlua and Boulede Neige take their first photo. August twenty first." Scar said, pointing to the first phot.
Grian frowned as he looked at the man. He couldn't remember this. But he did notice the way his younger self clutched the moss colored blanket.
His wings twitched in the Void space. He had always been hinting to his Hybrid side. Plover chick wings mimic moss to keep them safe from predators while they survive without parents. His heart sunk at the thought of his Hybrid side. He should atleast have two other siblings - though more likely three - if his parents were full blooded Golden Plover hybrids.
"Gri?" Scar asked.
"...I'm good. Just... Moss is part of my Hybrid side." Grian said.
"How?" Scar asked.
"Golden Plovers like myself grow wings at eight. Before then, we try to keep moss around us. The American Golden Plover chicks in the wild mimic moss to hide from predators. Golden Plover Hybrids hold moss close to us out of instinct until we grow our adult feathers."
"Wanna go to the next photo?" Grian nodded.
The second photo was of a sleeping child Grian on someone's chest. It was a different person all together, a sheep hybrid. They wore a tank top and had colored marker marks on their arms.
There was a list of comments under the second pictures summary.
Blue finally warms up to the little guy. - Qcblaster 10/1
F-CK OFF! HE'S DISGUSTING - Blue
Blue, stop lying to yourself. - Salted
Grian smiled softly at the writing. He had been just as disgruntled towards Ellen back when they first met.
Grian flipped the page to the next, and examined the photo and the comments.
...
Grian stood in front of Salted with Scar right beside him. Grian held the scrapbook gently, but looked at Salted.
"...I'm your son...?" Grian asked, confused.
"Yes." Salted nodded.
"...you loved me..." Grian held Scar's hand in his free hand.
"Yes." Salted nodded once more, smiling softly to them.
"...you looked for me after I was kidnapped. And you cared enough to look for twenty years..."
"Yes. We all looked for you." Salted nodded.
Silence engulfed them as Grian looked down at the scrapbook.
"...I wish I could remember the love of a parent." Grian laughed softly. "All I remember is the mistreatment from those who took me."
"If you'd like, we can talk about your childhood? Or you could meet the rest of our family?" Salted suggested.
Grian squeezed Scar's hand as he shrugged. "Not... not right now. Eventually, maybe. But I..."
"You need time to digest it. It's fine. Just... Just don't be afraid to ask for anything." Salted smiled softly to Grian.