"Scar can I have a moment?" Xisuma found himself asking the wizard once the meeting was over and people had dispersed.

"Yeah sure- what's up?"

Xisuma motioned does Scar to follow him to the treetops, the branches close enough that climbing to the canopy was easy. Once there, Xisuma sat down and waited for Scar to do the same.

The wizard frowned with confusion but followed all the same, sitting on a branch with Xisuma. "Everything okay?"

"I've had this on my mind for a while now, and I don't want to sound cruel about it- really- but it's something that I feel needs to be said." Xisuma started. His words were slightly muffled from the helmet he wore.
"I'm trusting that you know what you're leading them into. I'm also trusting that you'll be coming back with Mumbo and Grian. If...if you lose anyone on the way- don't come back."

The words were a slap to the face.

"I mean it. I'm not particularly happy about what you did to Grian as it stands. If you lose someone in the fae realm, that's the final straw." Xisuma's words were cold and calculated, like he had days to think about it.
Which he did.
And it was clear from his troubled expression, the faint glimmer of tears about to spill over, that he hated the words he had uttered into existence. But it needed to be said, and no one else could say them.
It was one of the unspoken sentences that had been floating around all the hermits, taunting each one with the terrifying possibility of death. And now it had been voiced and the presence of it was so much more real.

Scar nodded solemnly. "I understand." His voice was soft and hurt, the words tumbling out and crashing to the floor. He knew that he couldn't let anyone die, but it was always a distant thought. A future that he felt wouldn't come to pass.
But now? It was all too real. He knew what was at stake and he couldn't afford to be reckless.
He couldn't afford to make any mistakes.
"Don't beat yourself up over this, Xisuma. We both know it needed to be said." The wizard caught the others expression before carefully heading down the tree, leaving the founder up there alone to watch the sunset and wonder if he should have said those words at all.

It was well past midnight when he finally came back down.

~~~~

It felt like he was slowly being torn between worlds. Hermits or Fae? Friendships or family? Fun or duty? He didn't know which he should choose.
Here were all his old friends, still as friendly as ever, acting as if nothing had changed over the years.
And yet, Mumbo stood behind him, his automaton in his hands and confusion on his face.
Mumbo didn't remember any of them. Of course he didn't.

"Dust, this is an old friend- Blue. He's one of my closest friends from childhood- we used to live together before he got his own place. Oh! And that's Lemur. I forgot to introduce you guys. She's super chill." The words seemed to tumble from Grians mouth, once sentence barely ending before the next started.
"Blue, Lemur, this is my friend, Dust. He has a bit of amnesia and doesn't remember much." He lied to explain away Mumbos memory issue.
Mumbo waved awkwardly.

Grian knew he was bouncing around, happy that he had his old friends back, his glasses sliding down his face as he moved about. Despite being giddy, he knew that Blue wasn't here to simply visit, and he calmed down alarmingly fast, his mood shift obvious.
"Though I'm guessing you're not here for a simple hello."

"I was. She's here to check in on you." Blue explained, shooting a glance at Lemur before hugging Grian and backing out of the room, his footsteps pattering down the hall.

Lemur had the decency to look surprised as Blue went back to his business before she flew further into the room to see the stack of books and Mumbos mini workshop that he set up in the library.

"How have things been going?" She nodded to the books.

"I'm more or less caught up with the information you have. Is there a lab somewhere for Dust and I to work in?" He asked.

"A few yes. I can set one aside for you two."

"Thank you. Do you know when it'll be ready for us?"

Lemur shrugged. "Likely a few days. Take the time to rest up in the meanwhile. You've been at this for far too long."

And indeed, Grian looked frazzled with bags under his eyes and his hair slowly coming undone from the small ponytail he had it in. He had moved his glasses to the top of his head and was currently looking for them as he packed up his notes and quills.
Mumbo helpfully pointed to the top of his own head and Grian nodded his thanks, sticking them into a smaller pocket on the side of his bag.

"Let me know when the labs ready?" He asked Lemur as he flew past, Mumbo walking at his side.

"Yeah of course. You staying in your old place?"

"Well now I am. I thought it would have been gone by now." Grian smiled, heading off on an all-too familiar path.