#booky.writes

After a quick goodbye to Etho and Tango, Gem went out towards the nether portal. Instead of using the portal, she decided to fly with her elytra. Sure she could have used the nether, and it may have even been a little fast, but Gem enjoyed the wind in her hair. Plus it was keeping her awake and the view was a nice bonus. 

As Gem started to approach her base, she decided that she wanted to bug Pearl some first. She would go to her base after, but what’s the point of having neighbours if you don’t get to bug them when you want to? While gliding towards Pearl’s base, Gem could see the moth hybrid working on her terraforming. As Gem got closer she could hear that Pearl was humming to herself, making it easier for Gem to sneak up on her. Once Gem was behind her, she jumped up and draped her arms over Pearl’s shoulders, putting all her weight onto the taller woman.

Giggling, Pearl stopped what she was doing, “Someone seems a little sleepy,” carefully she lifted up Gem’s arms and turned around to face her. “Mmm, I’m pretty sure this cute elf here is very sleepy.”

Gem nuzzled her face into Pearl’s neck, “mm tired but wanted to bug you~” If given the chance, Gem would just fall asleep like this, standing in Pearl’s arms.

As if Pearl could read her mind, Pearl hummed, “Well, how about we head into my base and cuddle on the couch? Hm?” She didn’t even wait for an answer. With practiced movements, Pearl picked Gem up bridal style. Slowly carrying Gem towards her base, she damn near fell asleep before they got inside.Once Pearl got them into her base, Gem peeked her head up from where she had rested it on Pearl's shoulder. Looking at the sleepy expression on Gem’s face, all Pearl could think about was that Gem was one of the prettiest things she had ever seen. Taking Gem, Pearl laid down on her couch with her sleepy companion. Once they were laying down, Gem turned over so that she could wrap her arms around Pearl’s waist.

Humming some more, Pearl reached over the back of the couch and grabbed a blue fluffy blanket that she draped over Gem.Then, she started to lightly massage Gem’s shoulders. It wasn’t Pearl’s best work, but it was the best that she could do given the angle she had to work with. And after a couple minutes she slowly started to work out some of the tension built up in Gem’s shoulders.

It didn’t take long for Pearl herself to start feeling tired. Logically she knew that she shouldn’t just sleep on the couch and that she should take Gem up  to her bed. But Pearl was so tired already and the weight of Gem on top of her was so nice.  Pearl decides that a lil back pain won’t be the worst thing if she sleeps on the couch. Besides, that will be morning Pearl’s problem.

Etho left the base while Cleo was still gearing up, finding Grian staring out towards the rest of the server. The fox hybrid snuck up next to the avian and sat next to him on the cobble walls in front of their base. Etho could tell that Grian was in his head, having seen that face of his like that more than enough times now. “Whatcha’ thinking Grian?”

A light breeze ruffled the dirty blond hair on Grian’s head as he continued to look forward, “I think I want Cleo to kill me.” The statement was so straight forward that Etho expected there to be more to it than that.

“You want Cleo to kill you?” Etho’s tail lightly swished against the grass behind him as he turned towards Grian, “Why do you want that? Don’t you want to win?”

Grian turned to look at Etho, seeing his eyes study him right back. Etho’s ears twitched as Grian spoke, “You gain hearts for dealing damage for tasks when red. I want Cleo to get the best chance at winning.” He watched as Etho’s eyebrows furrowed, thinking over what Grian had said. Even Grian felt like it was out of character for him to do this. But he needed his team to live. If he died for his team, it would be worth it.

“Do you think Cleo could win this?” Etho’s voice was so quiet that Grian almost missed the question altogether. “Like, if she did her tasks on you and got her hearts, do you think she could win it?”

“Yeah. I think Cleo has what it takes to win. And I think she deserves a win too.” The breeze picked up a bit, ruffling the feathers of Grian’s wings as he tilted his head back. “Besides, I promised my loyalty to you guys. I’m not gonna back out on my promise.”

Later, the three had been sticking together and doing their tasks as people were dropping left, right and center. Grian was low. Very low. One hit and he would be dead. He frantically ran up to Cleo and grabbed her shoulders, “Cleo! Cleo kill me!”

Cleo stumbled back, “What? Grian I can’t do that!”

Grian dropped his armor as he stood in front of Cleo, “Cleo I am on 1 heart! I’m not gonna win this!” He dropped to his knees and bowed his head in front of Cleo while Etho stood and watched, “Please Cleo, you need the health!”

Cleo went to reject the notion that she would kill her teammate, when Etho put his hand on her shoulder. No words were shared but they all understood what would happen.

Grian and Cleo were off doing their tasks, so Etho knew that in the base he was a sitting duck. All alone. He didn’t like the feeling of sitting alone in the base. It was too big and empty with no way out if he was found. Sure he had a nether portal he could duck through, but he was above it at the moment. Besides, the portal was practically unusable with the corners missing. 

Etho was just getting his armour back on when he started to hear hooves fastly approaching the base. Quickly he took his armour off and downed an invisibility potion. Holding his breath and his tail to prevent it swinging and hitting the walls or the stairs, he heard Gem enter through the front door. Even from the top of the stairs, he could see the bloodlust in her one good eye. The other one, it looked like the void itself and it sent shivers down his spine.

“Oh Etho! I know you’re here!” Gem’s sweet voice rang out as she moved towards the stairs. Normally Gem’s voice would be a soothing thing, someone around to tease. But now. That sweet voice was just dripping with poison as she slowly stalked up the stairs. 

Carefully, Etho moved around where the enchanter set up used to be to get around Gem as she made it to the top of the stairs. She was the last person that Etho wanted to deal with. Gem would kill him easily and she would enjoy it, even without the bloodlust running through her veins. His heartbeat was drowning out any thought he had as he tried to escape his base as fast as he could without alerting Gem.

Etho was a runner. That’s what he had told Cleo. He’s not a protector, he runs. So why is he not going after Cleo and Grian?

Impulse and Bdubs had told him that their next target was going to be Cleo, and that he had to participate in her death. There was a pit that was forming in his stomach at those words. He was a runner. That’s what he had told her.

On the hunt for Cleo they found Joel separate from the rest of the survivors. Etho chased after his former soulmate. He was a runner. And he would do anything to survive. Even killing his former soulmate.

While hunting for more survivors, Etho runs into Cleo. She runs away from him and he follows. Etho yells out, “I’m not gonna hurt you! I’m gonna protect you!” Keeping an eye out for the infected around them. He doesn’t know why he decided to protect Cleo. He’s a runner. Cleo knows this.

Etho meets up with Gem and Bdubs and tells them that he saw Cleo and couldn’t kill her. There’s pain and anger in Bdubs’ face and rage in Gem’s. They are asking where Cleo went. Etho is a runner, not a protector. He should be giving up Cleo. Etho thinks out loud, “I should want Grian to win too,” his head tilts and his ears flick as he looks up at the new box in the sky, “he’s my teammate too.”

After bringing the warden to the button, Etho sees Grian running towards the base. Etho follows him. He’s a runner, it’s what he keeps telling himself. “I think I’ll let you win,” his feet lightly pelt the ground as he follows his invisible friend, “cause it’s you and Cleo left.”

Grian and Cleo are at the base, both survivors. Etho is there with them, infected. He could go for them right now. They would understand. Etho is a runner, a survivor. But he’s not. Cleo runs through the base, warning Grian that the infected are coming. Etho stays put where he is, doesn’t watch where Cleo goes. 

They are asking Etho where Cleo is, they know she is here. Etho is a runner, but he doesn’t know where Cleo is. The rage in Bdubs’ face and voice is obvious. “After what I said I would do for you,” he jumps down the stairs towards Etho, “this! This is how you repay me!”

His feet bounded into the ground. Dirt and grass ripped up as the feet propelled him further forward. Arrows were being shot at him and the beating of his heart drowned out the shouts of people looking for him. Etho was infected but he didn’t hurt Grian. He had stayed with Grian on his way to check on his pet. It was nice. But then Cleo came running in saying that the infected were coming and even invisible, Grian felt like he stood out like a sore thumb. 

Etho had distracted them as they tried to find Cleo so he could leave, but there were more roaming the surface. Grian wished his invisibility would last a bit longer. He needed to hit the button and then this could all end. He needed to get to the button so that they could get some momentary peace. He swerved and hid behind a tree as Joel ran past, having lost track of the invisible avian. Grian didn’t have the time to sit and wait, so he quickly set off again, weaving through trees towards the back of the secret keeper. 

As he reached the secret keeper, he could hear some of the infected people talking and scheming. They were after Scott and Cleo. There wasn’t any mention of Grian but he didn’t want to give them reason to remember him. Carefully, he started to climb around the secret keeper, using his wings to help keep balance. He was down to mere seconds when he desperately jumped down. Pearl, who was the last one still by the button, turned and raised her bow. Grian lunged for the button as Pearl shot at his feet, just missing him. As pearl was pulling out another arrow, Grian hastily pulled out his comms to called end of session. Right as he hit send the arrow Pearl had grabbed hit him.