the sleepiest shrubbery

~~~

You open your eyes? Ugh, you can't believe he- wait, did you win? That has to be what happened, you were the last two players and he- You feel alive.How are you still alive? And why does this place looks so different?You look around, why are you in a cave? That's... weird, you weren't in one a second ago. It's especially strange since you can't help but feel that this cave is familiar somehow.

Suddenly, you hear a voice...no, two-three voices. Jimmy and Joel and Martyn? How- they are dead! You saw the death message! ...Are you a ghost? No! No, Joel's talking about his soulmate not being careful, you remember this conversation. You don't even pay attention to it as your body begins mining towards them on It's own. You don't notice until you breach trough the cave wall.

"Hello? I can't even see you!" That's Jimmy. Last time... You remember last time you laughed a bit too high pitched and they made a witch joke, if this was some weird memory thing before death you would have done so again...you don't, you stay silent.

"Hello? I am not imagining you, am I?" ok, so there are...two options for what is happening here: Either everyone was right about you and you really are fully insane and hallucinating or option two, you are actually back to the beginning... You hope It's not the first, you really don't want to give Scott the satisfaction... You should probably say something, just in case. "Hi? It's me."

"Pearl? What are you doing here?" and that's Joel, It's so weird hearing him talking normally like this. "Heard you guys talking, wanted to check it out" you say as you climb down the cave, landing in the mine-shaft... Everything is the same as the last time, It's eerie...

Wait, you just remembered something from this moment. You go straight towards the minecart chest, inside is exactly what you remember there being. A golden apple. If you're really back in time... If this is somehow real and and not an hallucination then you could just break the soulmate bond right here right now. You hesitate. It's right here, you could do it so easily...but you're conflicted, Scott did end up killing himself for you maybe- no, he abandoned you! It wasn't your fault he started that stupid ex girlfriend thing... All it would take is a bite-

You bite the apple, you feel the string cutting again, this time luckily without the pain. It's sharp and quick and still you immediately regret it. You still don't even know if this is real, your mind is moving so fast and if it is real you- you can't help but feel free and can't help but feel like you messed something up. That's fine though, it wouldn't be the first time.

"Pearl! What did you do?!" It's Martyn? He sounds surprised. You can't look at him, he left you too! He came back... And then betrayed you again! "I am free Martyn! Mate, don't you get it?" "What the...what are you talking about Pearl?? Grian told us not to eat golden apples!" And since when did he listen to what Grian said!? You don't understand, he's so- oh right, he doesn't know what will happen. You forgot. Your thoughts are sluggish, jumbled up, you need to calm down but your heart is beating so fast.

You are holding onto the wall of the mineshaft one second, you blink for a moment and now you are holding him by the neck, you don't understand why you're doing that, It's like your body is moving by itself. Your vision goes...red? But you aren't a red life anymore- No no, Grian's here now, that's his sweater, he wasn't supposed to be here though. He wasn't here last time.

"What's wrong with her Martyn?" "I don't know! She ate the golden apple and attacked me!" "I... I we can't let her stay like this... I'll ban her temporarily, maybe It's something we can fix-" Ban? You clutch your head, your vision goes dark and-

~~~

Ok that wasn't good, at least your thoughts are much clearer now. You still don't know what happened there. Your heart is acting normal again, better then last time at least. It takes a second to sink in, Grian banned you? Of course he did...

You open your eyes, you are back in that first cave???? Did you go back again? You're starting to lean more towards this not being an illusion or a dream... just in case you pinch yourself... yep that hurt. You hear Joel and Jimmy again. No, you aren't going there again, you don't want to see Martyn right now. You get up and walk out, the outside still smells of fresh grass and not of smoke and blood. You missed it, It's weird how easy it is to take things like this for granted... So, time travel, you can't believe it, it sounds crazy. And twice? How does it work? Grian banning you sent you back and so did- oh gods, how are you supposed to do all of Double Life again? You can't help but groan at the thought. Your mind is still trying to play catch up, so much to think about it... perhaps too much, you barely hear the hiss before-

PearlescentMoon was blown up by Creeper. Smajor1995 died.

Oh- you died. That was embarassing. You place your hand on the floor, grass and not stone. You're at spawn, you did not go back...dying once is not enough.

"Pearl!" That voice, your body freezes, It's Scott. "Scott?" You turn around, there he is, yellow eyes glaring at you. "Pearl! What was that?! I can't believe you killed us so soon!" Oh, but this feels so satisfying, even if you are also down a life you can't help but feel It's a fair price to see him like this. "I can't believe it! Ugh, come this way, we might still catch up to the others if we go now".

...

Wait, a second what? "Uh, honestly I kinda expected you to leave me after that." He rolls his eyes, the bastard. "After that? No way. Clearly I need to keep an eye on you before you kill us both." You end up following him, this is so different from last time you can't help but feel a bit curious...even if the whole time you have to fight the urge to either strangle him or cry...or both.

"Soooo...?" You look up, you didn't expect him to break the silence. "What?" You don't snarl but it's close. "I mean, I wasn't going to say anything but doing this whole thing in silence is starting to get reeeal akward. I forgive you Pearl." ... He forgives you? "Forgive me?" he looks at you weirdly. "Yes? For dying so early. We can still make do." Oh. Oh right. He probably thinks you are being silent because of your death earlier. "Right".

The rest of the walk is still just as silent and akward, you end up meeting Cleo along the way and of course them and Scott end up deciding to gather resources together.

Tango was blown up by a Creeper. Solidaritygaming died.

Oh right, that, you forgot about it happening. Cleo perks up. "Oh look at that, Scott. You aren't the only ones to die today." "Oh, that makes me feel just sooo much better" he answers sarcastically before shifting into a more thoughtful tone "Jimmy and Tango together? Oh that is not going to go well, is it. Well, I definitely don't envy Tango." Cleo snorts at that "I don't know about that mr. 'first yellow'" He groans before waving his hand dismissively "It wasn't me! it was all Pearl!"

...Why is he bringing you into this, you were doing such a good job at not being part of the conversation. You still consider strangling him or just saying all of what you think of him to his face and then dip...you end up just settling on "So Jimmy and Tango are together? but what are the other pairs?" You already know of course, but it kinda sounds like something you should say. Scott hums at that "That is what I would like to know as well, we still need to find Cleo's soulmate" Cleo shrugs "Do we have to? I mean, we're the three G's. We could just team up as just us."

You look up, are they still going to- no, you're with them now, Cleo included you into the three G's.... So then, it would be Martyn, you would just be leaving Martyn out. You move to intervene but... A memory, him standing by you while Scott and Cleo abandon you before immediately doing the same, him back stabbing you towards the end. Out of everyone who hurt you that one hurt so much more, you didn't expect him to be the one to betray you.

You shut that feeling down, you just speak "Now that is a good idea." Cleo smirks before handing you and Scott some resources. "To the three G's." "To the three G's. "... To the three G's"

.

.

.

Martyn still goes to the nether, you see the message in passing while building the bridge that in another life was where Scott started calling you his ex, you don't pay even that much mind to it then, Cleo has already decided he's not needed... It's only later you realize how much you being there the first time around helped him.

Inthelittlewood tried to swim in lava. ZombieCleo died.

Scott looks up soon as the death message pops up, a mix of an amused and worried expression on his face, he doesn't say anything though, whatever comment he had being interrupted by Cleo storming out of the still half finished base "Martyn killed us! Why would he go to the nether like that!? When I see him I'm going- I'm trying really hard not to swear but Martyn is testing me." Scott just smirks at that, past worry being replaced by fake simpathy "That sucks... At least Pearl didn't walk in front of a creeper on purpose." And of course he brings you into the conversation, no surprises here...wait, he's looking at you, is he expecting banter? Oh. You are teammates. He's bantering. You're so used to mean spiritedness of the first timeline that you hadn't even considered it. "Y-yeah, I mean, why would he even try to get to the Nether before finding his soulmate?" Scott gives you a look, of course he noticed you acting weird, Cleo though seems too focused on being frustrated at Martyn to really pay attention "Exactly! Like, what was he thinking? I'm at a loss for words!". Scott puts on his best pensive face, hand around the chin too for extra effect, before "Have you considered he wasn't thinking? I mean, It's not something he usually does. In Last Life he blew himself up right at the end." The urge to say something like so did you is extremely strong...

...You don't though, it wouldn't really have an effect if he doesn't remember, you just return to building the bridge as Cleo continues her rant. Despite being at a loss for words said rang lasted 15 minutes give or take.

.

.

.

Martyn does eventually show up more dishevelled then you've ever seen him before...well, unless you count the very end of the first Double Life but then so was everyone else. The confrontation goes eeriely similiar to what you remember, the words said are almost one to one. It makes you feel sick that the only difference this time around is on which side you are on. It's better like this though, you still hate Scott but you also know him and he did get a little better towards the end... Martyn, you clearly didn't know as well as you thought. Martyn looks to be feeling as ill as you... though a better description for him would be devastated, you look away, you hate that you feel bad for him when he didn't feel bad for you. You hate that you're on any side of this when everyone involved is someone who hurt you. Still, you can't help it. When Martyn dejectedly walks away, when Cleo and Scott celebrate with you the return of the three G's, when you realize that you cast Martyn in the role you were cast in... You still feel guilty. You push those feelings to the back of your mind, you force yourself to think of something else like...like what you're going to do instead of Scarlet Pearl. Red is still your favourite colour but if you really have to do it all again then maybe something else would be better...