Just to clarify: Jimmy, Scott, and Martyn are an unofficial throuple, so they have the whole romantic, boyfriend-y thing going on, but they don't have a label yet. More specifically, Martyn doesn't have a label because Scott and Jimmy are already married.

Also everybody knows who/what the Watchers and Listeners are, but it's sort of a taboo and nobody publicly talks about them.

TW for mentioned transphobia and abuse

°•.○. °.◇.° .○.•°

Scott yawned as he made himself, Jimmy, and Martyn some coffee. He was only in his binder and some soft, blue shorts.  "Are you sure it wasn't a dream?" he asked, turning to face Martyn. "Maybe you had a flashback or something."

"When I saw Timmy last night," Martyn began, wrapping his arms around himself, "he was laying next to his futon instead of being on it. When we all woke up, he was still next to it. I don't think it was a dream."

"But the Watchers and Listeners have been at peace for three million years," Jimmy said as he came up behind Scott to hug him. "And they promised they wouldn't fight as long as we're alive."

Martyn sighed. "I'm assuming that a Speaker was talking to me," he said. "They said something about giving me freedom."

Scott blinked. "Freedom?" he repeated, and Martyn nodded. "From what?"

The blonde shrugged. "Maybe from being a Listener," he said. Scott handed him his mug of coffee and he gladly took it, blowing on the hot liquid.

"Why do you need freedom from that?" Jimmy asked. "It's not like it affects us anymore. Old Evo's gone and we haven't been spoken to for thousands of years."

Martyn stared down at his coffee. "Maybe nobody's talked to you," he murmured. "The Watchers used to torment me. Grian was one of them."

"Why would Grian do that?" Scott asked as he gave Jimmy his coffee. "That's so mean."

"Because he's a dick," Martyn said with a roll of his eyes. He took a long sip of the coffee. "He'd probably still do it if he could actually use his Watcher abilities."

Scott laughed. "His powers were taken away?"

"More like he gave them away," Jimmy said. "He doesn't like being a Watcher, so he forbade himself from using his abilities anymore."

Scott nodded, taking a sip of his coffee. "That's fair," he said. "I hated it, too. I'm honestly glad they took my powers away."

That's right, Martyn thought. I always forget Scott used to be a Watcher. He was adopted by them when he was a child and raised as one of them, but when the Watchers found out he was mingling with me and Timmy, they took away his powers as punishment. But I've never seen him happier, so I guess it was a fail.

"It sucks, though, because they still consider me one of them," Scott murmured, then took another long sip of his drink. "And a girl, too..."

"If it helps, I don't consider you either," Martyn said with a shrug, and Scott smiled fondly at him.

"Thank you, dear."

There was a beat of silence before Jimmy stood up. "I'm going to go now," he said. "I have to fill in for Joel at the bookstore today."

Scott smiled. "Have a nice day, honey," he said, waving. "I'll come by at noon and bring you some-" He gasped as the ground suddenly shook violently and he grasped the counter behind him so he didn't fall.

Jimmy had already opened the door and fell outside and down the staircase, and Martyn spilled his coffee all over himself and the futon.

"What the hell was that?" Scott breathed, his voice higher in pitch now.

"I have no idea," Martyn said. "We've never gotten earthquakes before."

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"Mm..." Grian hummed sleepily, smiling as Scar and Mumbo wrapped their arms around him. "Good morning," he practically sang as Scar buried his face in Grian's feathers.

"Good morning," Mumbo and Scar said in unison.

Scar grimaced at how high his voice sounded. "Ew," he mumbled, then shook his head and kissed Grian's temple. "How did you sleep?"

"Bad," Grian murmured as he lowered his head against Mumbo's chest. "'Had a bad dream."

Mumbo let out a small 'aww'. "What can we do for you?" he asked. "Coffee?"

Grian nodded. "Coffee sounds good..." He yawned and shimmied closer to Mumbo so he could press up against him. "Want snuggles."

Scar giggled. "Then snuggles you shall recieve." He moved in closer so Grian was sandwiched cutely between them, warm and cozy.

A purr started in the avian's chest as he shifted to lay on his back, Mumbo and Scar showering him with affection and kisses and small little massages. Grian was in heaven.

"I'll go make some coffee and tea," Scar offered, beginning to pull away, much to Grian's disliking. "I'll be back soon." He tossed the covers off of himself and got up from the bed. Though he was immediately brought to the floor when an earthquake shook the ground. He hit his head on the nightstand on the way down and yelped when a vase nearly smashed on his head.

"Scar!" Mumbo sat upright, still holding Grian close to keep him safe. "Are you alright?"

Scar groaned, wincing when a picture fell and shattered. "I'm fine," he groaned. "I just hit my head a bit." He rubbed the sore spot, relaxing as the earthquake stopped.

"What was that?" Grian asked, and Mumbo shrugged.

"I have no clue."

°•.○. °.◇.° .○.•°

"Let me guess," Keralis said groggily over the line as soon as he picked up his phone. "You're calling because of the earthquake, Mr. President?"

Xisuma sighed. "It's not an earthquake, Keralis," he said, then stared out the window, glaring at a giant figure ten times the size of the tallest building in the city, dressed in magnificent, pearly white robes and a white and purple mask that covered where a face would be. "Take a look outside for me."

There was a moment of silence, then a gasp. "Void, is that a-"

"Real life Watcher?" X finished. "Oh, yeah."

"What the hell are they doing here?"

Xisuma leaned against the counter and shrugged like Keralis could see him. "No clue, but I don't think it's good." He paused, narrowing his gaze at the deity standing before his beloved city. "Whatever they're planning, they can't go through with it."

"Who are we to stop them?"

X paused again. "We're nobody," he murmured. "But we have several Evolutionists that need protecting."

"Again, Shashwammy-"

Xisuma blinked and he was in the Central City Square along with all of the others in New Evo. He blinked again and looked around at all of his upset citizens, confusion limiting his ability to respond to what just happened. How was he and everybody else teleported all at once? Nobody in the city but him could pull off something like that. He tapped a button on his helmet that pulled up the call with Keralis. "Are you still there?" he asked.

"Yes, but I'm also right behind you," Keralis answered with a laugh, then hung up once Xisuma turned around, his smiling fading quickly when the Watcher's voice shook the ground beneath them and quieted everyone's shouts of fear.

"We are here for our children," the Watcher's voice boomed. "Xelqua." Xisuma caught a flash of purple light in the corner of his eye and looked over to see Grian with large, white wings instead of his rainbow-coloured feathers and white robes instead of his jumper and jeans. "Xcarvia."

"Scott!"

Xisuma glanced slightly to the left to see another flash of light where Scott was standing, now in light purple robes instead of his usual tanktop and shorts. He looked really out of it.

°•.○. °.◇.° .○.•°

He couldn't breathe. It was happening again, only it wasn't a dream this time. The Watchers were back for him.

No, that's wrong. They were back for her, for the little girl they raised as their own. They weren't back for Scott, no they hated Scott. They wanted the girl that Scott promised himself he wasn't.

He stared at the ground, his body stiff. He didn't want to leave like this. He didn't want it to happen like this. He needed more time. He still had Jimmy and Martyn-

"Scott!" Martyn's shout made Scott blink and look up. The blonde man looked so worried... "Are you okay? What's going on?"

Scott's eyes filled with tears. "I don't wanna go back," he murmured, then gasped and latched onto Martyn when he was lifted into the air. "Martyn-"

"I'm not letting go!" Martyn said, his feet beginning to lift off the ground. "I won't let them take you!"

°•.○. °.◇.° .○.•°

"...Grian?" Mumbo mumbled.

Grian froze. Why the hell are they here?! he thought frantically. They were supposed to stay out of our lives, they're not supposed to be here- He blinked when he started to float off the ground and panicked, flailing around. "Wait, stop!" He reached for Scar and Scar took both of his hands in his own. "Please, don't let go-"

"What's going on Grian?!" Scar shouted, also panicking. "Why are you- like this?!"

Grian sobbed. "I thought if I told you I was a Watcher, then you'd hate me," he cried, breaking Scar's and Mumbo's hearts. "I never wanted to be one of them, I swear-" He shrieked when the invisible force pulling him tugged harder and one of his hands slipped from Scar's grasp. "Please-"

Scar glanced their linked hands with wide eyes. "Why are they here for you?"

"I don't know, I just-"

"This is taking too long," the Watcher grumbled, then Grian essentially poofed from the air, making Scar fall back against Mumbo. The deity held out their hand and Scott and Grian appeared in their palm.

Xisuma glared at the Watcher and opened his mouth to demand they unhand Grian and Scott before quickly being thrown off by another earthquake and another loud voice.

"Xenos," the other voice said, making Xisuma look over to see another giant, this one dressed in orange and yellow. A Listener, too? What is happening? "We made a promise to stay out of their lives."

The Watcher looked over at the Listener, and the two began to argue over the Watcher being there.

"Shashwammy," Keralis whispered, tapping Xisuma's shoulder. "What the hell is going on?"

"You think I know?"

Keralis shrugged. "I mean, usually you do." He lifted his hands placatingly when X shot him a half-assed glare. "What do we do?"

Xisuma sighed. "I don't know-"

"Enough!" a third, rather feminine voice shouted, resulting in the Watcher and the Listener quieting themselves. Behind Xisuma and Keralis was a deity neither of them recognised dressed in red. "Neither of you are meant to be here."

"Seriously, what is happening?!" Xisuma shouted, and the third deity looked down upon hearing him then leaned down to smile at him. "Woah- Hi."

"What's happening, my little mortal friend," the god said, "is my dear friends Xenos and Maemire are having some difficulty understanding what a promise means. You see, they promised your Evolutionists to never appear to them again, however... the Watchers broke that promise a long time ago by torturing poor little Martyn in his dreams. I'm here to stop Xenos from taking back who they should have never claimed in the first place." They waved to X and straightened their posture to face Xenos. "If you don't let them go, I will have no choice but to take them from you forcefully and return them to their homes," they told the Watcher.

The Watcher was quiet, then laughed. "You Speakers have stayed out of mortal affairs for millenia, and now you're suddenly interested in the lives of two failed experiments?" That comment made Grian and Scott look up at Xenos. "How hilarious of you to think I have any interest in returning the Watchers' property to these mortal beings."

The god dressed in red, the Speaker, sighed. "You Watchers need to be humbled," they said, oddly pitifully. "Being the strongest beings in the universe is no excuse to be, how do I put it...? Ah, that's it! You have no right to be assholes." They smiled again. "Now please return them to these lovely people before I force you to."

The Watcher didn't say anything as they lowered Grian and Scott back down to the ground. Martyn and Jimmy were quick to rush over to Scott and check him all over to make sure he was alright, the same happening with Scar and Mumbo to Grian.

"Fantastic!" the Speaker exclaimed happily, clapping their hands together. "You see how easy that was? Let's go back to the Heavens now and leave these innocent people be, shall we?" They waited for Xenos and Maemire to vanish before turning their attention to the people down below. "Evolutionists, I swear I will free you from the Watchers and the Listeners," they said, stirring up murmurs amongst the crowd. "They will torment you no more, and I will see to it that they leave you be. I'll even go to war if I have to."

Martyn gasped. "Are you-"

"The one that spoke to you?" the Speaker finished, ans Martyn nodded, his mouth wide open in awe. "Yes, I am. You can call me Pandora. I'll do something the Watchers and Listeners failed to and protect you from the dangers of your world and mine. Consider it a gift of gratitude for existing as such a peaceful community of mortal beings." They turned back to Martyn. "And for listening." With that, they vanished in bright flash of light.

There was only a second of silence before a roar of terror came from the people of New Evo. Xisuma was quickly overwhelmed by all of the questions and statements going around that he didn't know where to begin addressing the problem.

"There's going to be another war?" a blonde British man asked, clutching a lute by the fretboard.

"I hope not," a girl with pink hair said.

Xisuma stepped forward. "There's not going to be a war-" He cut himself off when he was nearly trampled by a man who was screaming nonsensical bullshit, which caused the people nearby to panic more.

"What if those two were spies for the Watchers?" a girl with short, black hair asked.

Xisuma caught a glimpse of Scott, who was sobbing uncontrollably whilst Martyn and Jimmy tried to comfort him.

"Oh, Void! They might be trying to kill us!" another black-haired girl shrieked.

Xisuma groaned. "Nobody is a spy-" He was cut off again by more questions and shouts.

"What if the gods destroy New Evo, just like they did to the old village?"

"I don't want to die!"

"I say we get rid of those two Watchers. Void knows what they'll do to us."

"Yeah, let's kill the Watchers!"

Xisuma stepped back from the crowd, letting the shouts melt together as he let himself be taken over by a wave of helplessness. What was he supposed to do?

"Xisuma."

The president blinked, Keralis now in view.

"Look at me," Keralis demaned, and Xisuma nodded. "You need to take a deep breath," he paused for a moment to wait for Xisuma to breathe in deeply, "let it out," he waited again, "and relax. You're alright, just breathe. I already know what you're thinking, and you don't need to solve this on your own. Just relax."

Xisuma nodded again and took another deep breath. It was funny how Keralis knew him so damn well. "Right," he sighed. "Sorry."

"Don't apologise, you did nothing wrong." Keralis smiled at him softly. "You can just relax, Shashwammy."

Xisuma let his arms go limp at his sides and let himself fall against Keralis, the latter immediately wrapping his arms around him.

"There you go."

Xisuma opened his mouth to speak, then heard an all too familiar scream.

Grian.

°•.○. °.◇.° .○.•°

"Leave him alone!" Scar shouted as a white-haired man in a mask slammed Grian to the ground and stepped on his stomach.

"He didn't do anything!" Mumbo added.

The masked man knelt down and pulled out a pocket knife to press against Grian's throat, ignoring Scar and Mumbo. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you right here and now," he said, and Grian's breath caught his in throat as the blade cut just enough to draw a single bead of blood.

"I-I- I didn't chose to be adopted by the Watchers," he stammered, shaking. "I was just a normal Evolutionist, I swear-"

"You're a spy, though, aren't you?" the man questioned. "

Grian shook his head. "No, I swear I'm not!" He tried his hardest to stop himself from crying as the blade was pressed ever so slightly harder into his neck. "Please, I'm just an Evolutionist! I'm not a-"

"Why were they back for you?"

"You think I know that? They're total wackos!"

The man narrowed his eyes at Grian. "I don't believe you."

"Alright, that's enough." A slimy, black tentacle grew from the ground next to Grian and wrapped itself around the unnamed man's torso, pulling him off of the avian. Grian looked over at where the voice was coming from to see Keralis standing there with his arms crossed. "It's illegal to attack an Evolutionist for any reason and you know that, Etho," Keralis said sternly. "This is meant to be a safe haven for them."

"He's a Watcher!" the man, Etho, shouted as he struggled against the gross tentacle that suspended him above the ground.

"He's an Evolutionist," Keralis corrected. "And this nation was built to protect them, so I advise you move on or I'll have to try you in a federal court for the attempted murder of an Evolutionist."

Etho scowled, then huffed. "Whatever."

Keralis smiled and let Etho go. "Great! You're free to go, sir." As the man hesitantly walked away, Keralis helped Grian off the ground. "I apologise for him. He should know better."

Grian took a deep breath. "I'm just glad I'm alive," he murmured.

°•.○. °.◇.° .○.•°

"Oh, Petal," Jimmy gasped as Scott was lowered to the ground. He immediately rushed to hug his husband and pepper kisses all over his face. "Are you okay? Did they hurt you? Who do I need to kill?"

Scott shook his head. "Can we just go home, please?" he asked quietly, and Jimmy nodded.

"Yeah, yeah, of course." Jimmy turned to Martyn, who looked nearly as frightened as Scott did. "Are... you okay?"

Martyn blinked and rushed forward to hug Scott, not saying anything. He took a moment to breathe Scott in, relaxing as he exhaled. As he pulled away, he stared tiredly at Scott. "For a minute, I thought we might have to go to war with each other," he said with a sad, breathy laugh. He glanced down at Scott's lips and backed away a bit. "Let's go home."

Scott nodded. "Yes, let's."

Jimmy stayed home to help Martyn make sure Scott was alright. The latter just slept for half of the day and cried the rest of the time.

"Was it really that bad?" Martyn asked as Scott snored softly, laying blanket-less on his blue futon. "I know they gave him a really hard time in the Heavens, but..."

"It was awful for him," Jimmy said from where he was fixing some ramen for the three of them. "They treated him like royalty before he came out, then they acted like he was delusional and tormented him relentlessly just for wanting to change his name. They tried to convince him he was cis humiliating him in front of all of the Watchers once. That was why he ran away."

Martyn frowned and looked back at Scott, who rolled over and stretched a little bit before relaxing again. "I hate the Watchers," he grumbled. "The Listeners may not be the best, but at least they accepted me." He reached over to adjust the blanket so it was covering Scott's shoulder.

Scott murmured something in his sleep along the lines of loving Martyn, making the blonde man melt. How could anyone treat someone like Scott so poorly? He's way too adorable to be tortured like that.

°•.○. °.◇.° .○.•°

Grian also spent most of the day in bed and crying.

"I knew he was an Evolutionist, but I didn't know he was a Watcher," Scar whispered outside the closed bedroom door. "Not that... Not that it changes anything, of course, but..."

Mumbo sighed. "I wish he would've trusted us," he said. "He looked terrified, and so..."

"Hopeless."

The two stood in silence, both of them remembering what had happened earlier that morning. A shiver ran through them both.

"I almost thought that there would be another war," Scar said with a small laugh. "That would be awful, wouldn't it? They'd probably divide us all up like they did to the Evolutionists, and... destroy New Evo..."

Mumbo looked at Scar. "They won't destroy New Evo," he said firmly. "Even if they tried, I don't think the Speakers would allow it. Whatever the Speakers are."

Scar nodded slightly. "Was Grian one of the Evolutionists involved in the Evo war?" he asked, and Mumbo shook his head.

"I don't know, but I'm assuming he was." Mumbo glanced at the bedroom door upon hearing a quiet sob from the other side. "Knowing him, though, he'll dwell on this for forever."

"That just means we have to be the best boyfriends ever and comfort him!" Scar exclaimed, punching the air, and Mumbo chuckled.

"Yeah, I guess you're right, babe."

°•.○. °.◇.° .○.•°

Tala watched over the small nation-state of New Evo and sighed once they'd all gone to bed, the screen before them disappearing. They hadn't intended to cause chaos by going there, but there was nothing that could be done now. As long as the Watchers and Listeners stayed out of the mortals' lives, Tala was forced to leave the mortals to their own devices.

"Tala!"

The Speaker turned at the sound of their name as a Speaker much smaller than them rushed over. "What is it, Temirai?"

The smaller Speaker, Temirai, stopped to catch their breath. "The- There's Watcher activity in New Evo," they said, panicked. "They're sending messages to the mortals through their dreams!"

"What are the messages?" Tala demanded.

"...Th-they want to separate them," Temirai stammered, "and divide them between the Watchers, the Listeners, and the Speakers. They want to wage war."

Tala let out a long breath. "If a war is what they want," they said, "then a war is what they'll get. Let the mortals decide which sides they're on. If this war is going to happen over them, they might as well have a fighting chance to save themselves."

°•.○. °.◇.° .○.•°

I feel like... this really didn't turn out as I planned it? But ehh, I'm not rewriting the whole chapter /lh

I hope you guys enjoyed!