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They’re your friends, you big dumb dumb. Just get outta here and talk to them. As simple as that.
The hermits were having a party, and where’s a better place to do that than Boatem. Impulse offered his factory as the party venue, and soon invitations were sent.
Mumbo pulled the red invitation card out of his pocket and reread its content for the millionth time.
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Hermits Party!
Come if you’re free!
Venue: iDimpy Factory (Impulse’s factory)
Date: Friday, from 3pm to whenever Impulse kicks us out
Details: there will be food and games. Only parts of the factory are used, so don’t go around pushing buttons, as it may break the factory (Grian… if you do, Impulse will kill me, so please don’t.)
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He shouldn’t have come. He didn’t have come, he wasn’t required to. But he wanted to, this is his choice, and no one is kidnapping him and forcing him into this.
Why did he decide to come again? Oh yes, he wanted to hang out with the hermits, instead of getting his head stuck in another redstone project, he wanted to go with Grian and have a good time. He wanted to listen to Doc talk about some game-breaking mechanics, or ask Scar for advice on his mossy armchair.
There were so many things he wanted to do, yet he’s in Impulse’s chocolate river room, far away from the party room, away from the other hermits.
He stood up, determined to go back into the party room with the other hermits and talk to them. He opened the door, and… immediately realized that he has no idea where he was.
Before he can let himself panic, the rational side of him stepped in. “Let’s think logically, how did I get in here?”
He thought back to the party. He and Grian walked in. Grian found Scar and they started talking about their mega base plans. He zoned out. Someone bumped into him and knocked him out of his thoughts. Grian wasn’t next to him anymore. The lights seemed too bright. The music was too loud. He needed to get out of there, to be as far away as possible. He found a door and went through it. He found more doors and went through all of them. Then he was here.
“Now that wasn’t very helpful, was it?” Mumbo said to no one in particular. It was true though. All the rooms Mumbo passed through were pitch dark, so he had no idea which rooms he did go through. And all the doors looked exactly the same, so there was no telling which one was which. That drew him to one conclusion…
He was lost.
What were the hermits doing? Did they realize that he was gone? What if they never found him? What if he was stuck here forever?
So many questions flew through Mumbo’s mind, and he started to panic. His breaths shortened and he began shaking like a leaf. His vision turned blurry and he realized that tears were falling from his cheeks. As he panicked, his thoughts began to become more and more irrational.
What if Impulse had a chocolate monster inside the factory? What if this room was the monster’s room? What if the monster ate him? What if the hermits never find him and he died because the monster killed him? What if-
Bang. Bang. There was a knock.
Mumbo immediately hid behind one of the custom trees that Gem made, praying that the monster was full and didn’t want to eat him.
The door slid open. A voice echoed throughout the large room.
“Mumbo?”
It was Pearl. The last thing Mumbo wants is for the new hermit to see in this state. The last thing Mumbo wants is for Pearl to think that he is weak.
So he wiped his tears, straighten out his suit and stepped away from the tree.
Relief flooded Pearl’s eyes, and despite being in the dark room, Mumbo saw her smile. She turned on the lights to get a better look at Mumbo.
Uh oh. Bad move.
As soon as the lights turned on, Mumbo shut his eyes. It was bright. So bright. Too bright. There was a static noise ringing in his ears, and he put his hands to cover his ears, trying to shut the noise. He crouched down, and curled into a ball, hoping for some sense of safety.
Pearl saw what she had done, and flicked off the lights. She went over to Mumbo, lowering herself to his level, and wrapped him in her arms.
Mumbo clung onto her. His face buried into Pearl’s hoodie, wiping all of his snot and tears onto there. His breaths began to slow, and he began to come out of his panic.
“I’m sorry.” Was the first thing Mumbo said after letting go of the hug.
“What for?”
“I shouldn’t have to worry you or any of the hermits. I should be able to handle myself. I shouldn’t cry because of the lights. I shouldn’t-”
“Stop.” Pearl needed to stop his train of thought before it got worse.
She sat down on the soft grass. “We all have our bad days, and it’s not a bother to ask for help. It’s fine to cry, even over stupid things.”
Mumbo didn’t seem convinced, so Pearl tried to lighten the mood.
“Gosh, you probably didn’t know, but I cried over my starter base.” Mumbo perked his head to look at Pearl.
“I wasn’t happy with the way my base was facing, and I didn’t know what to do, so I just sat down and cried until Impulse found me and comforted me.”
Mumbo smiled a little, before it turned into a frown.
“But you don’t hide away in parties, you don’t shut your eyes and cover your ears,” Mumbo said, returning to his self-critical self.
“Oh, but I do.” Pearl pulled out some earmuffs. “I used to be scared like you, so Grian gave me these earmuffs. They helped a lot, and slowly I wore them less and less. I still bring them, just in case. Here, you could try them on…”
Pearl put the earmuffs over Mumbo’s head, and cover his ears with them. He opened his eyes, the world was calm, it wasn’t so loud anymore. He took them off, and looked at Pearl, his eyes asking for permission.
“You can keep them, I don’t need them anymore,” Pearl said with a smile. She stood up, and gave Mumbo her hand, which he gratefully accepted.
“Let’s head back, shall we?” Pearl asked Mumbo with a kind look on her face.
He nodded, holding Pearl’s earmuffs tight in his hand.
It wasn’t until the two walked into a lit corridor that Mumbo saw the snot on Pearl’s hoodie. He felt really guilty for messing up Pearl’s clothes.
“I’m sorry about your hoodie.”
Pearl stopped walking and looked back at Mumbo. “Oh you goof. Stop apologizing!” She wiped most of the mess off with a tissue. “There, you see, good as new. Come on now, we’d better pick up our pace if we wanna snag a chocolate cookie or two.”
Mumbo smiled. What did he do to deserve such a good friend?