Day Six: Mumbo!!
GRUMBO FIC GRUMBO FIC GRUMBO FIC :D
also!!! go donate to the fundraiser!!! LETS BEAT LAST YEARS!!
It started out small- a gray hair, out of place upon the jet-black, dark purple circles under Mumbo’s eyes, bits of redstone dust covering his suit head to toe and smudged across his cheek almost every time Grian saw him. He told himself it was nothing, that he was worrying more than he needed to. But the less and less Grian began to see him, Mumbo always hurrying off with a forgotten chore he hadn’t completed, or another excuse that didn’t quite add up, the more Grian’s worry grew.
So he found himself standing outside Big Ron’s, wings twitching agitatedly. The moon had risen hours ago, streetlights giving off a warm glow. The city should’ve been silent- but that lab, the one Mumbo swore wasn’t important,”It’s just holding an XP farm, Gri.”, was still aglow, sharp white light flowing out the windows in the distance.
Stepping closer, he could hear the quiet hum of machinery, the building practically vibrating with life. Gears on the outside clanked together, generating power for whatever was inside of it, and Grian could’ve sworn he’d heard the familiar crackle of electricity inside. He stood at the large metal doors that led into the building, though they seemed to be rusted shut, ruddy brown edged along the sides. Another sign that Mumbo hadn’t been in here in ages.
Grian wanted desperately for him to be telling the truth. For all of this to just be in his head, that maybe Mumbo was just stressed, or something else entirely. But he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. And that frightened him more than he cared to admit.
Grian flew along the building, looking for a way in, finding an open window leading into a sterile white room. Taking a single breath before he lost courage, he flew in, claws skidding on the tile floor, and he fell face-first against the tile.
“Great job, Grian.” He muttered to himself. “Now you’ve done it.”
Almost as if on cue, the motion in the building seemed to pause as Grian readjusted himself, walking towards the door, talons clicking against the cold ground. He paused, holding out his hand right above the doorknob, before twisting it and gazing out upon a long beige hallway, with doors on either side. The stark white light he’d seen outside bled underneath the final door. Careful to not make a sound, he took a step forward, only for the door to be flung open, revealing Mumbo holding out what looked to be part of a rusted pipe.
“BACK OFF!” Mumbo said, his voice fierce, but wavering. “I HAVE A WEAPON AND I’M NOT AFRAID TO USE IT! WHAT ARE YOU- Oh….Grian?”
Grian flinched backwards, before taking in the sight of Mumbo. To say he looked awful would be an understatement. Harsh lines drew across his forehead, suit wrinkled and ripped in places, hands calloused and scraped. But most astonishing to Grian were his eyes- a dark, almost soulless onyx, behind them someone Grian almost didn’t know.
“...Mumbo?” Grian asked tentatively, taking a step towards him.
His figure deflated at hearing Grian’s voice, and he ran a hand through his now peppered hair. “Hey.”
“Are you….you’re not okay.” Grian stated, taking in the sight of him. “What’s going on?”
Mumbo tried to smile, but it came out broken, more of a grimace. “I’m working on something new. Something no one’s done before.”
Grian rolled his eyes, “You’re always doing that, Mumbo. There’s something different this time. All these secrets, these- these late nights, your hair? Please, I- I want to help.”
Mumbo sighed, his eyes shifting to the floor. “I’ve been dreading this moment for months, you know.”
“What moment? Mumbo-”
“I- I’m getting older ever faster now, and I-” He paused, eyes watering, “I have to say goodbye.”
Grian stopped, eyes wide. “Wh- what?” His next words came out broken, trapped in his throat. “You’re- leaving me?”
“Well, I-” Mumbo started.
Grian’s eyes welled up, “There’s- there’s got to be another way, Mumbo, I can’t- you can’t leave.”
“Grian, I’m-”
“After everything? I get you back just long enough to hug you goodbye before you leave all over again?” Grian swallowed, tears flowing rapidly down his cheeks. His mind was stuck on the loss he had felt before, how broken and unsure, his other half ripped away from him, leaving him bloodied and scarred.
And Grumbot. The anguish he had felt, how he didn’t know how to express himself, he was just a machine after all, but no, he was so much more. My Grian was sorry too.
Grian’s knees went weak as he shook, his gaze holding strong on Mumbo’s, though he was now just a blur. His voice shaking, raw, he gasped, “I need you, Mumbo.”
Mumbo swallowed, and Grian saw the Mumbo he knew, his Mumbo, return, uncertainty and concern in his dark brown eyes. “I- I don’t know what to say. I-”
Grian ran towards his best friend and squeezed. One hand around Mumbo’s back, scrunching into his suit, the other making its way into his hair, and he held on to Mumbo like he wasn’t going to be there tomorrow- for all Grian knew, he wasn’t.
He buried his head into Mumbo’s chest, breathing in the smell of smoke and dust and Mumbo, his tears staining the torn suit jacket. Mumbo lay his head on top of Grian's, a hand rubbing his back soothingly, engulfing him.
“It’s okay, mate. I’m not leaving you. Shhhhh…I’m right here. I’m staying right here.” Mumbo murmured as Grian shook, though his breath began to slow.
When he’d collected himself, Grian pulled back from the hug though made sure to still stay close, his hand grabbing Mumbo’s to make sure he wouldn’t disappear.
“So what’s this about then?” Grian asked, his voice still raw.
“I- I’ve never been happier here.” Mumbo began, “Well…maybe not as much recently, but I needed to make sure it was finished in time. I didn’t ever want to leave you or the others, or this place- honestly, it’s probably one of the things I’m proudest of. So when this company called Mined reached out, asked if I wanted to work on a new invention I- I said yes. I built the lab, a scientist came over, and he told me something I thought impossible. A way to make immortality not just science fiction. A way to stay here, forever.”
Grian stayed quiet, watching the way Mumbo’s eyes lit up when he talked about his town, about the hermits, about him.
“And so I began working on it.” Mumbo continued, “And it had some- unforeseen consequences as we went through the trial and error phase. And it had to be top secret, so I could only really use myself as a test subject so- I started getting older, faster. And so now my time is ever closer, but we’re so close, just a day or two away from getting this right, and then I’ll be okay. But this is why it has to be finished. And all the secrets I’ve been keeping. And I’m sorry.”
“Okay.” Grian said, sounding confused, “That’s all well and good- well, it’s not and I have words for whoever decided to make you the test subject but- what does this have to do with saying goodbye?”
Mumbo flinched a bit, though he didn’t drop his gaze from Grian’s eyes as he spoke. “The immortality…you transfer your consciousness into a chicken.”
Grian cocked his head, a laugh forming in his throat as he grinned. “A- a chicken?”
“Yeah. Just like you, ey?” Mumbo smiled softly, jabbing Grian playfully, “‘The man in the chicken costume.’”
“That’s not me!” Grian exclaimed, feathers ruffled. “I can’t believe you’d try and accuse me of something I very much didn’t do.”
“Yeah right.” Mumbo said, laughing, before swallowing, the smile slipping off his face. “But…well. I have to go through with it now, because who knows how much longer I’d have left if I didn’t. Weeks? Months at best? But I- I’m not sure I want to leave you in that way. I haven’t been for a long time- that’s why I’d been dreading this conversation.”
“We’ll find a way to bring you back.” Grian said confidently, “I promise. You’re basically the smartest person in the world, and I’m like- the best at redstone, obviously, and if we can’t figure it out together I’ll make those “Mined” people regret they ever met me.”
Mumbo grinned. “I love you, Grian.”
“I love you too, Mumbo.”
Mumbo's pokemon team coming later today :D