#i hope iskall realizes how horrible he actually was. and i hope stress will be able to find something and someone else

[ghost-y-toast-y]

Goodbye Stress

[blocksandbloops]

May I interest you in some fem!hermit!Tommy fluff for you in this trying time?

This is set in an alternative version of @redorich 's hermit!Tommy AU. Diverging from the Dream SMP's raid on Hermitcraft. All you need to know is that family trees are convoluted, Tommy's name is Clementine. She's trans, we love her, she has wings and has adopted Grian as her weird almost twin brother.

After the whole "Dreamon" and "invasion" mess the Dream SMP folk didn't expect to hear much from the hermits besides the ones who attended MCC. They thought that the two servers would just continue to exist, independent of one another. Just drifting through the void mere inches apart but never really touching.

Oh how wrong they were.

The hermits were friendly but they had absolutely underestimated just how friendly.

Apparently, the moment Clementine so much as breathed a word about how much she missed her biological family, Scar -ever the kind and helpful mayor that he was- decided to throw a beach party!

Since Clemmy's extended family was pretty large and they didn't want anyone to feel left out, it was an open invitation to everyone on the Dream SMP as long as they behaved.

That point was driven home when a few people, like Antfrost and his unhealed, dog bitten asscheek, mentioned how upsetting the Hermits was definitely not a good idea.

(Deep down they knew that the reason they were really doing this was because the hermits were worried about them. The Dream SMP was just a bunch of traumatized children according to them. They weren't wrong in that assumption but no one wanted to admit that.)

So, when the day of the beach party finally dawned, they all put on their least threatening outfits and packed up their supplies, (where Tubbo got the surf board nobody wanted to question) and entered the portal just like they had done a few months prior.

A few things were different though, the sun was bright and beaming in the sky, soft puffy white clouds rolled by, only promising gentle shade instead of the dreary air of yesteryear.

The shopping district had been rebuilt from it's smoky ruins and they finally all had time to appreciate the lovingly built shops and roads. It looked so beautiful and vibrant, you could practically feel the fact that summer was in full swing.

The smell of nectar and sea salt drifted through the air, sweetening even the sourest of moods. This is what peace was to the hermits. This was their everyday. They were so lucky and they didn't even realize it.

Some people were taking notes of all the different building styles with bright eyes, hoping to replicate some of it when they got home, others were suddenly hit with a feeling of bitter inadequacy of it compared to their homes. Is this what a world without war could look like?

But, no matter the gloomy musings of the few, they were all here to let go for a day! To celebrate the good times and to kick back for seemingly the first time in forever.

Their welcome party this time simply consisted of one person.

It was a strange sight, seeing the Hermits' admin Xisuma without a mask on, wearing a god awful hawaiian shirt that Keralis had thrown at him with glee the moment he mentioned that he didn't have something to wear, and again, were those, gods forbid crocks?

"'Ello everyone! Wow this is quite the turn up. Scar wished he could be here to greet you all personally, but he's still too busy helping the others preparing for the barbecue, so you're stuck with me for the time being.

Now, if you'll kindly follow me, we set everything up pretty close to here, so we'll be there in a minute."

The walk over to the beach was short, but just as scenic as the rest of the server.

Warm, golden sand, gently lapping waves and lush plant life. The sound of the hermits' laughter and soft music filled the air as the smell of the previously mentioned barbecue proved a welcome distraction from whatever the hell was happening on the far right side of the beach (the ZIT trio built a karaoke machine. It was Zedaph's idea. It was also a horrible idea but they didn't seem to realize that yet.)

As they began to debate a plan of attack, no wait. ... fun? enjoyment? eh whatever.

A tall man jogged up to the group. Some people recognized him as Mumbo Jumbo, that one british guy with the mustache. Others, however, as that semi-scary redstone wizard who managed to create extremely powerful potion launchers during the invasion.

He was dressed just as down to earth as the others, holding a tall glass of lemonade in his hand and wearing a (quite goofy) sunhat he borrowed from Ren.

He was explaining something to X in hushed tones (something or other about a minor fire at the barbecue table?) When he looked past the gathering of guests and out towards the path that they had come from, and screeched.

"GRIAN PLEASE I'M HOLDING LEMONADE DON'T!" X reached over and grabbed the glass from his hands just in time for a cackling, feathered ball of something to crash into Mumbo, knocking him into the water with an audible "oof".

There was wild thrashing as the two tried to orient themselves, Grian somehow climbing onto Mumbo's back.

"CLEMMY! COME HELP ME DROWN MUMBO!" Grian waved towards a cluster of trees to their left, underneath which a small gathering of hermits was enjoying a bit of a reprieve from the sun.

"NOT YOU TOO!" came the mustachioed man's scream of distress.

Clementine, the whole terrifying six feet and three inches of a woman that she was, took off running to the water at full tilt towards the struggling brits.

Mumbo, having already formed a strategy in his head, did a perfect T-pose and feel backwards into the water, bringing down a screaming Grian with him. Clementine did a graceful swan dive into the water (how she executed that shall be left for viewer interpretation) and happily joined the fray, even the distressed calls of Stress behind her because "Gods damn it Clemmy! I spent an hour on your hair! And now it's ruined!" couldn't persuade her to give up on her mission to cause as much friendly chaos as possible.

She climbed out of the water a few minutes later, her hair a mess and a bright smile on her face.

"Techie! Wilby! Tubbo! Thank you guys so much for coming! I'm really glad that you could make it." She hugged them each close, enjoying the comfort of having them all together again.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world." Techno relaxed his posture, trying not to fidget too much. He was getting better with crowds but it was still a lot.

"You may think he's joking but he literally dragged Quackity all the way to the portal because he was too busy doing his eyeliner and would've made us late." Wilbur snickered when she leaned in to hug him, earnings him one of her patented ear-splitting laughs.

"I got a recording of it!" Tubbo proudly announced, pulling out his video camera

while still holding an arm around her.

"ABSOLUTELY NOT! LET ME HAVE SOME DIGNITY MAN!" The aforementioned Mr. Fattest Ass in the cabinet screamed indignantly as soon as he got within hearing range.

"Quackity you never had any dignity. It's too late for that." Techno flicked the duck shapeshifter on the head, earning him even more annoyed rambling which he just chose to ignore.

"Well, I'm glad that that's settled, now, I have some people I'd like for you to meet."

She directed them towards the group sitting in the shade, which consisted of False, (a now soaking wet) Grian, Stess, Mumbo (who also looked like a disgruntled cat that was just given a bath), Iskall and Ren.

Meanwhile Doc and Cleo had a little cornered off area they'd nicknamed the "cool kids club" (it was because around this time the sun got strong enough to actually burn her and Doc just felt slightly iffy about the water, since he was, ya know, half robot.)

Clemmy threw herself down on a blanket in front of a grumbling Stress who set about actually making her hair look presentable.

Niki sat down next to them and began discussing the merits of different styles to put Clemmy's hair into.

Ranboo sheepishly sat down next to Cleo's lawn chair folding all of his gangly limbs under himself.

Wilbur happily plopped himself down next to Ren on a blanket and began to hum along to the other's guitar.

Techno lay dow his cape, deciding that a nap was the best course of action in that moment.

Fundy hesitated for a second before going down to the shore to relax and just put his feet in the water for now.

Philza, the awkward dad that he was, chose to sit down close enough to the girls that he'd be able to hear what they were talking about without intruding.

Tubbo placed his stuff down by Clemmy's feet and ran out to the shore with his surf board in hand.

Going through so many conflicts in such a short amount of time really tires a person out, especially ones as young as the ones from the SMP so getting this afternoon of rest truly helped ease some of the stress given to them by recent events.

(Beach episode pog?)

Of course, this little get together wasn't without it's faults. About two hours in Doc accidentally trampled False's sand castle, who in retaliation teamed up with Cleo to dump water on him while he was relaxing.

This little conflict evolved into a battle to see who could build the biggest and grandest sand castle between "Team Himbo" and "Team Women" (one of those was coined by Clemmy). Puffy and Stress set up a good system of transporting sand from point A to point B, allowing them to move faster. False got placed on detailing duty while Niki brought refreshments for the rest of the team. Alyssa was mostly helping out wherever she could, as Cleo worked her armour stand magic to make their castle feel even more alive.

Clemmy just shouted encouragements and bullied the opposing team.

(The member list of Team Himbo has been redacted to avoid any drama about who might qualify as a himbo in the given circumstances)

Somehow the guys managed to convince Techno to join them, which immediately stacked odds in their favor to which Eret and Iskall, being the non-binary legends they are, decided to side with Team Women, now renamed to "Team Prettier Than You".

Their building contest laated for another hour before X decided to try to stop them (it wasn't because of the time. It was because TFC and Grian started shouting things about structural integrity and adding stone parts to the walls and the contestants actually listened when he decided that it was getting out of hand.)

Then it was time to actually enjoy the barbecue. Techno surprised everyone with how delicious his baked potatoes ended up. Beef also got to flex his skills a little with, as you guessed it, beef.

Tubbo and Tango sadly had to eat further away then everyone because the moment they got within ten feet of the fire something mysteriously combusted.

After that, the ZIT trio busted out the karaoke machine and the night went from good to great.

The old Team Star was dared to sing a rendition of Hermit Gang and everyone younger than 25 felt physical distress during some parts.

The sleepy bois (+Tubbo) sang a cover of "Your new boyfriend" (Techno got surprisingly into it) and then Wilbur swiped Ren's guitar to sing some Taylor Swift songs (accompanied by Tubbo on a synth he seemingly pulled out of nowhere) in that one weird accent he can do which had most people wheezing on the floor from laughter after the first song.

Niki threw down a german cover of Say So by Doja Cat. Grian, Phil and Tommy were unconsciously doing the parrot dancing thing. It was great.

Quackity sang something in spanish and Karl and Sapnap made over exaggerated swooning noises.

Skeppy and Bad did a duet. It was as adorable as it sounds.

Some other people also came on stage, belting out songs in such horridly broken voices that I'll spare you the details. Let's just say, nails scratching chalkboards would sound better.

And that was most of the festivities over with.

The last thing on the agenda? A meteor shower. How did they set it up? Clemmy's weird star child thing. The aforementioned girl was huddled close together with her family as they watched the comets streak across the clear sky (all electronics and artificial lights were shut off for the night) and Melohi played from a jukebox in the corner.

Fundy was laying his head in Dream's lap, the other boy was softly threading his fingers through his almost fiance's orange hair while leaning heavily on George and trying not to let sleep claim him as it had the fox (no one knew how this happened, all they were aware of is that the three had disappeared sometime during the sand castle contest only to reemerge having finally talked things through and come to an agreement that they all seemed happy with).

Ranboo, Niki, Puffy and Eret were collapsed in a happy pile just vibing.

The sleepy bois, who were for once actually sleepy, all wore matching flower crowns braided together by Stress's experienced fingers (and Wilbur's rather clumsy ones). Phil and her had managed to come to an agreement of unofficial joint custody after he witnessed Techno embarrassedly lean down to let her place a crown of golden flowers upon his head and saw his internal beam of pride when she called him "handsome".

The boys never really had a mother he mused, maybe she could teach them kindness where he couldn't.

Another surprise addition to the family was the owner of the third pair of wings in the cuddle pile. Phil didn't expect to end up with any more children at this point in his life, but Grain and Clemmy were practically attached at the hip and it felt wrong to even think about separating them.

He only hoped that those two wouldn't cause too much chaos especially when teamed up with Tubbo.

In the end, everyone drifted off to sleep, one by one they closed their eyes on their most perfect day. Praying for whatever might be out there, that they'll have many more moments just like this.

Well,

almost everyone.

Callahan chuckled as he walked back up to his spot with Alyssa farther away from the others. shutting off his camera after cycling through the pictures he took of everyone looking goofy while sleeping (His favorite is the one where Clemmy was very visibly munching on Techno's hair). He may not use those as blackmail but he sure ass hell was going to tease them about it later. He fell asleep there on that hill, drifting off to comforting rest like the others.

After that? Life moved on.

It was chaotic sure, and not perfect.

But it was theirs. They grew up slowly, learning to be kind to one another, how to grow with one another.

Life wasn't always perfect but hey, they had each other. And in the end? That's all that mattered.

[hmshermitcraft]

Also,,, awkward high school au time!

Their school has a valentines day dance, and everyone is tripping over themselves to ask one another to go.

Kerlais writes a really sweet note and plants it in Xisuma's locker. (X doesnt celebrate it normally. But this year, he will for Keralis.)

Zedaph buys his boyfriends flowers. Tango gets them chocolates. Impulse gets the plushies. It's sappy and over dramatic in the best way possible.

Grian and Mumbo both agonize over how to ask one another without the other one catching them. They're both oblivious idiots and catch one another in the act of sneaking gifts into the vents of the other boy's locker. Queue the spiderman meme esque pointing(And Iskall losing his mind laughing. He memes the hell out of them in the group chat.)

Iskall get's Stress' locker combo from False. (in exchange for Doc's. Wonder why?) He gives her a sweetheart succulent with a note asking her to be his valentine. She accepts by giving him a pink carnation. (She uses BDub's place in student council to make it happen, as student council is the one handling the carnation sale.)

1/??

-🦊

2/?

Ren leaves a bouquet in Etho's locker. Poor Etho has a panic attack over it. (His ex from his last high school did that- it ended horribly.) He thinks it's a sick joke. X and Ren are sent to bring him back to class and Ren has to explain it was a genuine thing and he didnt mean any harm. (Ren vows to make recieving gifts mean positive things for Etho.)

Joe writes Cleo a really cheesy poem and reads it to her in the hallway. She punches his arm lightly and accepts. Then Joe gives her a really sweet love letter. She tears up when she reads it later.

False leaves a note in Doc's notebook when he leaves their sports rec class. He finds it later and is absolutely baffled until he lets BDubs read it. He leaves her a note in her locker later on his way to engineering. (He keeps her original note- he's a jerk, sure, but he isnt heartless. And False is about to find out how much of a softie he can be.)

Scar and BDubs joke about the dance the whole time they do the carnation sale, then Scar mentions how he actually loves Valentines, and doesnt have anyone but Jellie to celebrate with. BDubs shyly asks him to the dance. (It takes Scar a moment to realize this isn't a joke. Then he accepts, genuine blush and stutter and all.)

Wels begs False and Stress to help him with a boquet. They do, on the condition that Wels presents it to his Valentine to Be during Drama. Of course, they're doing costuming, and Wels has to give it to beef while he's half dressed in a purple suit. Beef, thinking its Wels getting into character, jokingly tells him to give it to his college in crime, Stress as Lady Crimson. He is Decetive Plum after all. (Their school is performing Clue). Wels explains it's a serious gesture and Beef apologizes and takes the bouquet and accepts his offer with a kiss to the cheek. (The drama teachers, Steph and Mat, don't have the heart to tell them off seriously. Steph has to be the one to tell them to save the sap for between classes, but she's nice about it. They gush about how cute it is after class.) ((Yes, Steph and Mat from game theory. I apologize if this isnt allowed. They're only here for this one headcanon verse.))

TFC and Cub, being the awful yet hilarious teachers they are, are taking bets on the whole thing. And they volunteer to chaperone (as dates, they joke. The students love the bit they have going. Cub even gets TFC a box of chocolates.)

I think that's everyone. 2/2. Sorry its long!

-🦊

What a chaotic bunch! Let’s hope Cub and TFC can handle them...

[justletmeplayminecraft]

So, kinda a little angst AU prompt I thought of after reading your Reckoning Verse series and seeing Evil!Scar. In the AU, Mumbo is the Mayor...but we have Evil!Grian running a puppet government or something. Mumbo realizing Grian's going too far, questioning him ("This is just...just a game right?") and getting a "Everything is fine, Mumbo, all in good fun >:)" response. That and/or learning how evil his friend has become by witnessing him do something horrible like hurt or imprison a friend.

okay okay this is the Good Stuff right here haha. i absolutely love it. there is So Much you could do. we need more evil!grian. we really do. and in my defence: you never said which friend, anon.

warnings: manipulation, gaslighting, open (currently bad) ending, betrayal

"Grian, do you think we're going too far?"

It feels like years since he asked that question. In reality, it must've only been a few weeks.

Grian had smiled. He'd stopped absentmindedly tossing a loose diamond from the throne, instead turning to Mumbo. Those dark eyes looked at him, smile warm, and friendly, and... Different. It wasn't the smile Mumbo remembered. The smile that lit up so bright with a successful prank or a big idea. There was something changed about it. Like it didn't quite meet his eyes, but it did. Or it showed too many teeth, but it didn't. It was different. Mumbo just didn't know how.

"Mumbo!" Grian's voice was bright as he leaned towards him. "We won the mayoral race fair and square, didn't we?" Mumbo sighed, slumping down the throne. The diamonds were cool as he tapped on the blocks. The diamonds... Was it ever about the diamonds?

"I just-" He took a deep breath. His eyes squeezed shut as he tried to focus. All the small rules they'd created, that have led to shops shutting down or abandoned or-. "This feels like too much. It's... It's all supposed to be a game. This is still a game, right?" Even then, he'd cringed at the pleading tone in his voice. He was so desperate for Grian's approval. He'd invited him onto the server, stuck close through the two seasons he'd been with them. Mumbo hadn't realised how isolated he'd become since he won the mayorship. When had Grian become the only person he talked to, instead of one of many?

"Why wouldn't it be?" Grian asked, sounding genuinely confused. Those eyes pierced into him and pinned him in place. "Mumbo, if you're taking this seriously, then that's on you. This is fun, if the hermits had a problem, they'd say something. You should know how this server works!" And Mumbo had frowned, guessing that was right. Maybe the pressure was getting to him, and he was reading too much into things. And he'd decided that, yeah, that must be it.

He'd laughed, a little awkward, "You're right. I guess I just want to be a good mayor, you know? The hermits mean a lot to me." Grian reached across and patted Mumbo's knee.

"That's why you've got me!" He reassured him, eyes sparkling like ice. Mumbo leaned towards him, laughing softer this time.

"Yeah," he'd agreed, smiling in relief. "I- I'm glad I do."

-

Mumbo jolts up at a knock on the office door. He looks at the crumpled paperwork spread across his desk, groaning. Running his hands down his face, he forces a deep breath. How has he fallen asleep in the office again? It seems like he's just working later and later nights as Grian's ideas get bigger. He can't remember the last time he slept in a bed. The knock sounds out again. Mumbo forces his eyes open, attempting to straighten his hair.

"Coming!" With a harsh tug, his suit jacket sits as flat as he's going to get it. He takes a last glance in the mirror before opening the door and freezing.

False is stood in front of a small crowd. Mumbo's eyes immediately find Grian's, standing at the back. He tries to ask questions without words, to get a clue what this is about. But Grian gives nothing away, watching Mumbo with a blank stare. Why didn't he warn him? Mumbo takes a step back, focusing on False.

"Mumbo," her voice is harder than Mumbo's ever heard it, her expression stern and cold. It's uncomfortable. His hands shake, feeling too awake despite so little sleep. "You are under arrest for abuse of authority and misusing server funds." Mumbo's mouth falls open.

"What? False?" He looks around the group, his heart jumping into his throat. One of his hands grasps the edge of his suit jacket, scrunching up the silky fabric. It barely hides the trembling. Cub is standing behind False, Xisuma a little further back. And- just, "I don't understand."

"We've been given evidence by an anonymous source, Mumbo. Your actions have already been pushing limits but... This is too far." False sounds disappointed in him. He feels sick. Looking between them in a search to find the joke but. This is serious. Oh goodness, they actually mean it.

"I don't understand what you guys are talking about," he protests, as best he can. His thoughts are a mess. "This- this server has been my home now for years. Surely if something's wrong you could just talk to me?" These guys are his family. Why do they think he'd do something like this?

"We tried. You were busy." Busy? Mumbo's never had a request for a meeting. He would've fit it into his schedule if he had. "The hermits have come to a unanimous decision. It's best you come with us quietly until we decide what to do next."

"Empty your inventory for us, Mumbo," Cub orders, not giving Mumbo a chance to think. Mumbo flicks it open, giving his items one last mournful look. He doesn't know what he can do. Xisuma's there. He can't run. Every item he throws over feels heavier, pulls his chest tighter until he can barely breathe at all. Cub looks to Xisuma when Mumbo hugs himself.

"It's empty," Xisuma confirms. False steps forward.

"Mumbo, turn around. Arms behind your back." Mumbo's mouth falls open.

"You- surely that's unnecessary."

"You don't get special treatment." Mumbo closes his eyes, letting his head hang as he follows the instructions. False doesn't pull the leads too tightly. He thinks he'd prefer if she did. Maybe it would hide the shakes that have reached his shoulders. Xisuma turns to Grian, out the corner of Mumbo's eye.

"Grian, as the right hand man, you should take the role of mayor whilst we investigate this. Are you alright with that?" Mumbo turns to Grian, pieces slotting together in his head. But, no. No, that can't be right. Grian's his friend, isn't he?

"I- I can do that." Grian's voice wavers as he speaks. Xisuma nods, gently tapping Grian's arm.

"I'm sorry to spring this on you, especially given the circumstances, but we think you'll be the best person for the job." The words rub salt into the wound. Mumbo can't find his voice anymore. It's stuck, locked up somewhere in his chest. Like he's going to be.

"I promise I won't disappoint you." Grian meets Xisuma's eyes with determination. Xisuma nods back. Mumbo can't see his expression. The helmet is a blank mask. He- maybe that should be a relief.

"Alright, to the holding cells with you." Cub tilts his head at False. One of her hands rests on Mumbo's shoulder, squeezing tight.

"Come on, Mumbo." Mumbo sighs. He has no proof. It's his word against apparent, unknown evidence. What's he supposed to do?! This is so ridiculous. Hopefully... Hopefully they'll realise how stupid all this is. Surely they know he wouldn't do something like that.

He follows False anyway, staring at the floor. Cub takes his other side, and Mumbo's relieved the rest of the hermits aren't here to see this. He- What would Iskall think of him right now? After everything Iskall's done for him? He wishes him and Stress had won. They'd do such a better job. He glances back, hoping for one last look at his office. He'd worked so hard to achieve this position. He thought he was doing things right! He'd thought...

Grian's smile meets him, pulled too tight, too wide, too many teeth. Mumbo's feet trip over themselves, only held steady by False's firm hand. She tugs him forward again, and the smile disappears with the descent down the stairs.

And Mumbo's left with one chilling realisation.

What has he done?