Chapter Text
The two newest Hermits to Season Eight had taken quite well to the server, integrating themselves among the group like they had always been a part of it.
This included learning about the code- or in Gem’s case, getting a more detailed explanation considering how last time was… chaotic to say the least. Both agreed it was a good idea and promised to use it if they ever needed to.
Pearl was a bit more curious about the phrase’s history though.
“Has any non-Hermit ever used the code before?” she wondered one evening.
Boatem was all hanging out together, not for a meeting but just as friends for the night. Grian’s base had been chosen, a few beds set up in one of the Alley’s shops.
On one, Impulse was crouched with a concentrated furrow in his brow as he braided back Pearl’s recently dyed hair from where she sat cross-cross in front of the bed. The other held Scar lay completely across it, already fast asleep with his head in Grian’s lap, his legs draped over Mumbo’s, and Jellie perched delicately on his chest for pets.
“Hm,” Grian hummed in thought. “I mean, we had our own code on Third Life, I don’t know if that’s what you mean. It’s not the same as Blue Creeper, ‘cause that would get confusing.”
Mumbo added, “No ex Hermits have used it after leaving if that’s what you're getting at.”
“No, not that,” Pearl shook her head, stilling when Impulse made noise of protest at her ruining the hair. “I meant people like Wels’ wife or Scott or Hermit’s friends and family. Would that work? I never even heard of the code until I joined, and I’m Grian’s family, so would you tell anyone else the code?”
The men paused, considering her question. Eventually Grian pondered, “I mean, we wouldn’t ignore someone else if they used the code, but it’s kind of unspokenly agreed upon that we keep it kind of hush-hush. Sometimes the code only works when the people around don’t know what’s being said.”
Pearl gave a soft, “oh, okay then, makes sense,” curiosity satisfied. She then leaned back against the bed, eyes closed in relaxation while Impulse worked to carefully weave hair around her antenna in a crown of sorts.
Silence soon broke when Impulse gasped and snapped his fingers. “Wait, there has been a non-Hermit to use the code! Mumbo, remember Season Five? With Pixl and Zloy?”
After a moment, Mumbo inhaled heavily. “Oh right. Void, that was years ago, I had completely wiped it from my memory.”
Pearl blinked up at both of them. “Wait, really?”
“Yeah, how have I never heard of this?” Grian asked.
“They both don’t really like bringing up the situations for personal reasons, which is fair,” Impulse began, “but what happened was that back in Season Five, when they first started documenting the server and posting about it, Xisuma mentioned the code to them just in case they were ever around when it was used. Three months later, on the group chat we all shared with them, we got the shock of the season when the opposite happened…”
…
Pixlriffs: ummmmm anyone happen to be on Hypixel right now?
BiffaPlays: nope, not now
FalseSymmetry: sorry no
VintageBeef: NHO is all here on the Hermitcraft server
Rendog: same with me and Stress
GoodTimesWithScar: me and Cub are also home
iJevin: probably causing problems and pranking people with those evil vex masks
GoodTimesWithScar: whhhhaaaatttttt
Cubfan135: we would never
GoodTimesWithScar: :D
Cubfan135: :D
ZombieCleo: *shudders* yall are some creepy bastards
Pixlriffs: damn
Pixlriffs: okay thank you anyways
Welsknight: why anything wrong
XisumaVoid: Zedaph, ImpulseSV, and Tango are all there, I think they’re meeting up with their friend Skizzleman.
Pixlriffs: thank you X! I’ll message them
Pixlriffs: and probably nothing, but I lost track of Zloy and can’t find him anywhere. Not answering my messages either
PythonGB: haha your like a mum looking for her lost kid at a supermarket
Pixlriffs: I’m aware jerk
TangoTek: the four of us are splitting in groups of two and looking around for him
Pixlriffs: you guys are the best omg
Pixlriffs: tell your friend I say thanks
XisumaVoid: Keep us updated and let us know if there’s anything else we can do for you.
Pixlriffs: aye aye captain
…
JoeHills: it’s been an hour, have you guys managed to find him yet
Zedaph: no
Zedaph: Skizz is asking an admin but no one’s seen anything
ImpulseSV: and Zloy is a zombie hybrid so it’s not like he’s hard to miss
Pixlriffs: okay now I’m starting to freak out a bit
BiffaPlays: It’ll be okay, I’m sure he’s just let his comm die and is in some tucked away shop somewhere
Pixlriffs: okay…
ZloyXP: Blue Creeper
ZloyXP: Blue Creeper?
MumboJumbo: OH!
FalseSymmetry: are you okay? What’s wrong?
iJevin: oh shit
ZloyXP: that’s right? That’s the code?
XisumaVoid: Yes, that is the code. Why are you using it?
Pixlriffs: Zloy buddy what’s happening??
ZloyXP: I went into this small art store for some new markers and noticed a group of guys hanging by the entrance
ZloyXP: did not really care until I got close to the door and realized they were talking about me
Pixlriffs: what were they saying
ZloyXP: some not nice stuff. About me being a zombie hybrid. About how I’m ‘dangerous’ and ‘brain dead’ and ‘diseased’ and some worse words I’m not going to use
ZombieCleo: those absolute fuckers
Docm77: seconded, little bitches
BdoubleO100: geez Zloy I’m so sorry
MumboJumbo: yeah dude that sucks
TangoTeK: we can and will beat the shit out of them, that’s a promise
ZloyXP: it’s whatever I’m used to it
ZloyXP: but they’re still outside the shop and they keep glancing inside and looking around like they’re looking for me
ZloyXP: was going to just wait for them to leave but they never did
ZloyXP: and now I’m scared that the second I get out the store they’re going to jump me
ZloyXP: Please help. It’s the Aether Art Emporium off the main lobby
Pixlriffs: I’m coming I’m coming just stay inside the store and stay safe
ImpulseSV: me and tango are running there now too
Zedaph: so are we
ZloyXP: thank you thank you
Cubfan135: can you stay on the chat until they come so we know you’re okay?
ZloyXP: sure
ZloyXP: I’m shaking pretty hard ngl
XisumaVoid: You did the right thing. You did great.
Pixlriffs: No one fucks with my best friend and gets away with it
ZloyXP: Thank you all so much
ZloyXP: I didn’t even know if the code would work cause I’m not really a Hermit
xBcrafted: Yes you are, you are an honorary Hermit from here on out
…
“-and that was it,” Impulse wrapped up the story with a shrug. “After the five of us arrived at the store, Pixl and Tango went in to grab Zloy, and the rest of us laid into the assholes. They were a bunch of cowards- I think Skizz was a bit too disappointed when they all ran off and the fight ended early.”
Grian was silent, mouth hung open in awe at the events that had transpired less then a year before he joined.
“Woah. What happened after that? Was Zloy okay?” Pearl rambled.
From the bed, Scar- who had woken up from his nap at one point during the story- yawned and stretched, making Jellie jump off his chest, and sleepily mumbled, “Zloy was a bit antsy about going around public servers by himself for a month or two. If Pixl was busy, sometimes he’d message one of us to walk with him.”
Still unable to process the words being told to her, Pearl shot back with her moth wings fluttering anxiously behind her, “But I’ve known both for a bit of time from Legacy and Empires, and neither ever mentioned that story when they’d talk about their time on the server.”
“I mean, it’s not really Pixl’s story to tell, and I think Zloy would rather forget it ever happened,” Mumbo explained, which Pearl seemed to accept with a nod of understanding as a fellow hybrid.
While finishing up the hairdo with a few bobby pins, Impulse continued, “If there’s any positive that came from that experience, it’s the fact that I think that was the first time the phrase ‘Honorary Hermit’ was ever used.”
Grian chimed in, a small smile now gracing his face, “And now both of them know that if they ever need to, they can use the code as well.”
“Precisely,” Mumbo said, picking up Jellie from her space on the floor and cuddling her to his chest. “Because Pixl, Zloy, and even Ely are Hermits. They’re family, and what’s three more members in our group of weirdos?”
“Amen,” Pearl cried out, making the group of friends giggle softly as the night ticked on in its peaceful quiet.