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Blinking, almost like the night sky. Soft pulses of light that sent shivers down the Players’ spines. A soft, moss-like texture along the floors. Deceitfully soft, as it rustled and cracked under their feet as they went deeper into the City.
But this patch has been disconnected for a long time now. Barely persevering on the lava’s destruction and heat. Barely surviving off of the meager ore that was too little to truly enjoy. Barely able to make a small cave and wish for its Guardian’s heart beat to sing along to with its light.
Oh the Guardian. It still has its callers for their Protector, but it cannot connect anymore. The Guardian is too far, the City too deep, and the last people it had sensed had stopped its spread too soon, too shallow, and yet too close to the surface compared to its Home.
No Players to spread it. No Guardian to protect it. No City to call home.
And yet the Sculk continues to softly glow.
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There is Noise. It has been so long since there was Noise. One, two, three bright sharp pulses of light as a warning, and yet they do not leave. The sensors do not summon the Guardian. There is no way to make them leave.
…
Will they fall in the lava?
No.
…
This… fluttery Player is interesting. The last Fluttery One sealed it away. Will this one release it? Will this one let it free to roam?
It is a red Fluttery One, bright and lively. The last Fluttery One was dark and calm and methodic in its attack. This one is sporadic and loud with its laughter. That one was quiet, regal, and swift.
And yet this one is soft. This one is gentle so far. It will go with them if they bring it with them. Perhaps this Fluttery One will bring it to its City and Guardian.
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The Fluttery One’s friends are loud. They screech and howl and roam. They poke it and its Callers. But they are small. Why are they small like the Guardian sproutlings?
The Fluttery One is too small as well. Do they not have sculk to make them grow? The Fluttery One is the only one who is allowed to move it, but maybe it can help the small players get bigger. Would they bring it to the City if it helped them grow?
They have grown and shrunk while with it though. Maybe it is a new Player trick to kill it.
But the Fluttery One does not seem deceitful yet… maybe a small scout for now could work.
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The Fluttery One is known as Gree-on.
Scout is dutiful in its duties. Gree-on will bring Scout back when they come back for the Callers, and then they will bring the Callers and the Sculk to the City.
So far though, the ‘Sub-One Club’ has been celebrating their malnourished bodies. Maybe they do not want to grow.
Will Gree-on reject the Sculk in favor of their small form?
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It is bright. The Sculk did not tell Scout that it was bright. It is bright and loud and so, so much. Scout wishes it could scream like the fabled Guardian and silence this world.
…
Gree-on is still small. There are big Players and Gree-on is still small. Scout is going to be smushed to pieces and its stupid player is going to die and they will never find the City and hear the Guardian and pulse to its heartbeat because Gree-on is stupid.
They are as tall as trees and the Fluttery One is small. They coo and mock and yet we do not grow.
They are attacking the big one.
Scout is very happy none of the other Sculk has to see how dumb their Fluttery One is.
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There is water. It has been so long since the Sculk has seen water. Callers fear the water, but it is quiet and nice compared to the other place for now.
Gree-on is a good hunter. They will be a good addition to the Sculk. Many Free-ends to bring with them to the Sculk as well. But mainly Gree-on.
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Apparently Gree-on needs the Enchanter before he can come back to the sculk, but all of the Sculk’s memories say that the Enchanter is in the City?
Maybe the Enchanter was moved? Yes, that’s it.
Gree-on will go and find the Shu-Gar Cane he needs to get the Enchanter, and then he and the Sculk can be together again.
…
There is a small yellow one. Granted, Gree-on is also small, so they are technically the same size, but the yellow one is still small. The yellow one is armed, and yet we Gree-on is not.
Maybe the yellow one is a friend?
…
Yes. Hiding in the plants is a good idea to avoid the big one. Good job, Gree-on!
Wait- No- Bad job, Gree-on! Why can Tall-Orange-Sculk-Touched still see Scout and the yellow one and Gree-on? The plants are hiding them!
What is a Tiny Hi-eest? Is the Tiny Hi-eest going to help get back to the Sculk?
WHY IS THE GREE-ON THREATENING TALL-ORANGE-SCULK-TOUCHED? Scree- err, um… Gree-on is too violent sometimes. Violent is good for protection, but then again, Gree-on is very impatient in their journey back to the Sculk. It shows their love for Sculk!
Yes, attacking Tall-Orange-Sculk-Touched is understandable, especially because yellow one started it. Gree-on is perfect. They just want to get the Shu-gar Cane and the yellow one is the easiest way to do that. It’ll be fine. Gree-on will get what they need, and then everything will be perfect.
…
Gree-on wants to go to the Creaking Realm. Scout does not want to go to the Creaking Realm. Scout thinks this is a very bad idea. If Gree-on could hear why Scout thinks this is a very bad idea, that would be great.
Sculk do not have eyes. Creakings move if eyes are not on them. Scout does not have eyes. Scout cannot protect Gree-on if a Creaking sneaks up on them. Scout still thinks that this is a very bad idea. Maybe Gree-on would rather find a nice cave somewhere? Cows and Shu-gar Cane can be found in caves right?
…
A tree-house sounds cool! Scout does not know what a tree-house is, but maybe for once, the yellow one has had a good idea.
…
Nevermind the yellow one is the worst. Gree-on wants to go to the Creaking Realm!
On purpose!
Without any knowledge of the Creaking or their Realm!
Scout thinks that Gree-on might be a bit of an idiot. A perfect, flawless idiot.
…
“Did you hear something?”
Yes, Gree-on. Scout did hear something. It’s called Scout and Gree-on’s imminent doom if Gree-on doesn’t leave the stupid Creaking Realm and stop trying to get themself killed before they can get back to the Sculk.
Please run.
Please run.
Please run.
Why must Scout deal with this foolery?
Oh, a creeper. Maybe the yellow one will die! …So close.
…
Gree-on is going to die and Scout is going to blame the yellow one. They are such a bad influence! Gree-on needs to be alive to be with the Sculk (and maybe stay with Scout too).
Good, Gree-on is going further away. Maybe they will not die today.
And they found Creaking’s Heart! The Creaking is gone now!
Nevermind. Gree-on is still going to die. There is more Creaking, this was a bad idea, please run now?
…
There are a lot of Players now. The Creaking can’t get to Scout’s Gree-on with so many eyes around! This is better.
And Gree-on is leaving the Creaking Realm now! This is going so much better now!
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Gree-on has found the Shu-gar Cane! And some Moo-Moos but those are less important.
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There is a Scar coming to take the Enchanter. Scout does not know what a Scar is but Scout is very happy that Gree-on told Mum-bow this, so that they can still use the Enchanter to go back to the Sculk.
The Man of Skizz came back so that they can get the Enchanter! Scout has never actually seen the Enchanter until now, but it is a lot bigger than the Sculk said it was.
‘Silk-Touch’ is apparently what Gree-on needed to get back to the Sculk. Both him and Mum-bow got it! Hopefully that means that they can go back to the Sculk and-
There is the Scar coming up from the ground. Scout does not think that the Scar is supposed to be coming up from the ground. The Scar should leave before Gree-on is understandably amazing and violent.
AND THE SCAR IS BIG? No! No big players. The Scar needs to leave. Gree-on and Mum-bow and Man of Skizz all think so too. No Scars in the Sub-Ones. Not allowed.
…
The big man from earlier ‘Joell’ came back but is tiny now. Strange. Maybe they are back for revenge against Gree-on. Scout does not trust them. Going from big to small is suspicious.
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Gree-on’s Sub-Ones are being weird. They shout at Gree-on for their excitement to be with the Sculk. Scout doesn’t think that they will be good Sculk Carriers like Gree-on is.
Yes- without Gree-on, Man of Skizzel and Mom-bow would not be tolerated. The loud noise is no longer pleasant like Gree-on’s loud noises. It is what the players call ‘upsetting’ and hurts. Why is it not smooth and kind? Where did their laughter go?
Why do they keep saying ‘Sculk Sensors’?
Scout knows the Sculk’s space very well. They have lava and Callers and sculk and ore. They do not have ‘Sensors’. Sensing something is not a job. It is something that happens over and over.
Scout thinks Man of Skizzel and Mom-bow are kind of stupid. And too loud. And-
Oh! Gree-on is leaving to go to the sculk! Good.
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Finally Gree-on is back with the Sculk! And they can stay with it and spread it and enjoy it and-
Gree-on is taking the Callers. Why are they taking the Callers?
Oh, Gree-on is also taking Sculk. They are ok then. Gree-on is just taking Callers and Sculk to start a new spread, a new area! This is good. Scout is very happy with this. Gree-on’s laughter is a little concerning, but Scout trusts their Gree-on. It’ll be fine, no, it’ll be great.
…
The yellow one is back. Mum-bow called them ‘Mars-teen.’
And now Mum-bow is acting strange again. Did Mars-teen infect Mum-bow with their bad influence? Oh, wait- maybe not? Maybe Mum-bow is just being strange to be strange?
But Gree-on spread the Sculk in his ‘Base!’ His Free-ends are yelling and screaming and upset, but Gree-on spread the Sculk to make home so that means that it will be ok in a little bit.
Sculk is asking what happened while Sculk was with Scout, so Scout sends Sculk what happened.
Lovely!
Violent!
New Guardian?
Carrier?
Spread Sculk!
Little Dumb!
Amazing!
Protector!
Perfect.
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A small avian goes to sleep in a bed on top of Sculk. There is no one around, his teammates gone to grab more supplies while he rests. And as he dreams, all he feels is peace and love.
And as he dreams, Sculk burrows underneath his feathers.
And as he dreams, the sculk glows brighter.
And when he wakes up?
A small voice echoes in his ears…
“Hi Gree-on!”