Word Count : 1389

Requested By : SkylarDoesThings

Hermits (Major) : xBCrafted, ZombieCleo,

Hermits (Minor) : TinFoilChef, Mumbo Jumbo,

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This chapter is set before Hermitcraft Season 1- and then during H.C Season 2- just so you know- :O
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"Line up brats!" The lead "nanny" shouted, grabbing all the children and teens' attention.

They all did as she shouted, quickly and quietly shuffling to line up from tallest to shortest.

Once the first oldest teens had formed a line, the lead nanny began to walk down the row.

"All of you have one hour until the next wave of possible future guardians will come and take you miserable brats out of my hands." She snapped, not stopping her gradual descent to the shortest child in the line.

"Each of you will keep your heads down and your mouths shut as they file in to take you," she continued. "No matter if you like them or not."

xB winced and shut his eyes tightly. Here he went again, trying to get out of this gods forsaken orphanage to be with a guardian that would actually keep him around.

The last time hadn't gone so well and they had placed him right back here.

The lead nanny continued to ramble on over all the rules she had in place, but those rules were only there so she could get rid of them and get some sort of currency afterwards.

If xB was being entirely honest, he had no idea what kind of currency was being offered at this point.

Maybe a better meal? Maybe an assurance of protection? He didn't know.

"Alright! Keep your mouths shut and your eyes down until you're properly addressed!"

xB did as he was told. He knew exactly what would happen if they didn't oblige. It was all a part of their fear tactic to keep helpless little kids and teens in line.

And it worked.

One by one, new guardians entered the warehouse facility to take the kids to newer areas, and one by one, the older kids around him began to get taken away by their- hopefully- forever guardians that would care and watch over them.

Or not. The Depression was cruel and ruthless to the weak and powerless.

The room began to get quieter and quieter. xB quickly came to realize that he would be- once again- one of the last children out.

Maybe that wouldn't be so bad. At least here, he still had an assured roof over his head and at least one meal, no matter how poorly it was made.

Lost in his own world for a moment, the young teen was quickly pulled out of his thoughts by a pair of boots stopping right in front of him.

"xBCrafted? Right?"

Swallowing, xB drew in a silent breath before nodding, not able to yet look his new guardian in the eye. "Yeah, I'm xB."

The new guardian let out a sigh. "Guess you're with me, buddy."

xB licked his lips.

A cold hand suddenly reached and grabbed his own, causing him to shiver, before he was tugged off into the direction of the exit.

Flinching, the teen brought his eyes up to visually meet his guardian as he followed- . . . Her?

He hadn't expected a woman. A green woman, as a matter of fact. Her arms were covered in stitches with bloody bandage wraps covering possible wounds.

This undead lady was turned away from him, having not met his eyes. Her long, messy, and get vibrant red-orange hair flowed behind her as she walked in a set direction.

xB took another quiet inhale of air before he turned his head down once more and continued to follow his new undead guardian.

Hopefully she wouldn't try to eat him or something.

xB continued to let himself be guided by this woman. For how long? He had no idea, all he knew was that his surroundings had dramatically changed. From a dark and gloomy city to a lighter and more rundown area; from broken brick to crackled cobblestone.

"Man, not much of a talker, are you bud?"

xB flinched again at the sudden break in silence. He looked up at the lady, seeing that she was still turned away from him, but her hand still firmly grasped around his wrist.

"Huh? Oh- sorry I- I didn't know you wanted me to... to say anything, ma'am." He replied swiftly.

The lady suddenly let out a laugh and stopped walking. "Ma'am? Please, that's too formal bro."

xB frowned. "Huh? Then- then what should I-"

"My name is ZombieCleo. So you can call me Cleo."

The lady suddenly released his wrist and turned towards him. It was now that xB properly saw his undead guardian face to face.

ZombieCleo- or just Cleo- had dull emerald green eyes. Several lines of stitches rowed across her face, mostly around her eyes and mouth. Patches of her face had lighter green colors, while others had darker greens.

She appeared very threatening at first glance, but as xB studied her more, he could see the more-or-less gentle expression she wore.

The teen nodded. "Cleo... okay, Cleo."

Cleo grinned. The stitches that started at the corners of her mouth stretched and strained, pulling at the skin that was being held together. "There ya go. You're pretty bright."

xB swallowed the lump that was in the back of his throat and licked his lips. "Thanks," he offered stiffly.

Cleo laughed before gesturing for him to follow. "Come on, you've got to meet TFC before I help get you settled in."

And with that, ZombieCleo turned back around and continued on in her set direction, this time not holding onto xB's hand.

xB blinked once before he quickly hustled after his undead guardian.

This was going to be interesting.

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Time Skip
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"What's the difference between a pteranodon and a pterodactyl?" xB questioned and turned his gaze to the little boy that was doing his best to balance his way across a thin red platform slightly above him.

Mumbo hummed for a moment, thinking as he kept his red eyes turned down to the thin, dark red platform he was traversing on. "Uh, one has a T and the other has a P?"

The other teen frowned. "Don't they both have P's and T's though?"

The two teenagers fell silent for a moment before xB physically shrugged. "Eh. What do I know? They might both possibly start with a P and T."

Mumbo hummed again before hopping down and landing on the ground right at the taller teen's side. "Perhaps you're right, perhaps you're wrong."

The two teenagers fell quiet once more as they continued to walk in a random direction away from the Central Nether Hub. They had simply gotten together to hang out, since the two of them had been moping about aimlessly with no set goal.

Lava audibly bubbled around them, and fire crackled and popped.

xB had always been told to avoid the Nether, but now he had always stepped foot into the hellish landscape about as commonly as the Overworld.

"How have you been enjoying your stay in Hermitcraft so far?" Mumbo finally questioned, breaking the silence between them.

xB blinked once and turned his gaze again to the boy walking next to him. "How I- I've been enjoying my stay quite well, honestly. What about you?"

Mumbo grinned widely. "I've been enjoying it here too. I don't think I've ever felt so safe in a world before."

xB chuckled before shifting his eyes to stare ahead again. "Honestly, same. Though, it has been a challenge to understand that mobs here and mobs back in my old server don't think alike."

Mumbo's red eyes blinked a couple times before he nodded. "That's understandable."

Silence spanned out once again. Though it wasn't an uncomfortable one, it was felt nearly normal. Well- as normal as two teenagers would call it- not being able to hold an extended conversation.

Another beat.

"Race you to the next Nether Portal?"

xB smirked. "You're on."

Fin

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Heyo- sorry this was kinda shit near the end.

I've been stumbling around a newer fandom and an older fandom-

And real life is kinda kicking my ass right now.

Oh well. School starts soon, so my updating might be slower, but I will be getting your requests done, don't worry.