Chapter Text
"Bad dog!" Shelby panted, her dog wincing under her harsh tone, "No lava jumping! You know that!"
The Nether was not what Shelby wanted. Not only could she not sleep, the heat affected her harshly. As a gnome, she was used to cool weather, with the occasional sunshine. Constant, sweltering heat? Not so much.
It wasn't too bad. She evacuated her people before climbing into the Nether portal. Her dogs followed, which she gratefully appreciated. Besides the strides, there weren't many friendly faces in the hostile seas of mobs.
All of Shelby's good armor had broken and since she didn't have any diamonds, she relied on gold. She gained a new appreciation for the piglins who made entire civilizations based on the crappy material.
Speaking of piglins, she had gratefully found refuge in one of the bastions. In return for their kindness, she fights brutes and wither skeletons for them, typically taking her dogs.
Which brings her here, where one of her dogs misses bath time so much he jumps on the lava.
"That was idiotic," a voice popped up behind her. She turned to see a piglin companion of hers, Kyro, snorting.
Since gaining access to the bastion, Shubble has learned piglin, withered, blazin, and other natural language of the Nether. It was a useful skill to have.
"Don't tell him that. It'll hurt his feelings," Shelby snorted back, covering her dog's burnt ears. Kyro threw her a potion of healing, which she gave to the dog. His tail raised as he greedily drank the potion.
"Idiot," Kyro shook his head, patting the dog's head. He barked at the piglin's affection. Kyro smiled, looking over to Shelby, "Does he have a name?"
Shelby shook her head, "He was born a couple months ago. I haven't had time."
Kyro looked thoughtful, "What about… Idiot?"
Shubble laughed, "No, no, no. That's too mean."
"Fine," Kyro huffed, "What about… Lava?"
"Lava?"
"Cause he burned on it," Kyro explained, "Duh. Do you hate it?"
"No," Shelby shrugged, "Just expected something poetic."
"Shut up," Kyro jokes, "It's crazy poetic."
"Uh huh," Shelby mumbled, "Let's head back before Lava kills himself again."
"Yes, ma'am," Kyro nodded, taking the long hike back to the bastion. Shelby was so trusted by the Piglin community that she had earned her place among the most trusted Piglins in the treasure bastion. It was an honor Shubble never thought was possible. Or expected to receive, to be honest.
They walked back in comfortable silence, with it occasionally broken up by Lava's barking. The treasure bastion greeted them with the unwelcoming snorts of the residents.
Shubble bid farewell to her friend as she walked to her room. Several dogs greeted her, lacking and kissing her. The gnome smiled warmly at the dogs, laying in her bed. She couldn't sleep, even if she was always tired. She would die if did. The Piglins took potions to help them not sleep, which she jokingly called "Coffee."
Still, she would just… Lie there. She didn't know why. Maybe it reminded her of when she got to sleep in a normal bed and she got to see her friends everyday. She… she misses those days.
She doesn't know how long she drifts off, but it must have been a while, because the next moment she heard the blaring of horns. She raced up, commanded her dogs to stay put, and ran out. Kyro ran next to her, huffing at the pace.
"What's happening?" Shelby asked Kyro.
He shrugged, "I don't know. I've never heard this horn before."
With Piglins, they alerted everyone by sounding different alarms. Shubble has only heard two before, one for wither invasion and another for theft of gold, typically from rival piglins. Never this one.
Shelby got her crossbow ready, getting arrows, tipped and non-tipped, at the ready.
Shelby stood at her station, next to her commander and Kyro. She laid at the ready, already anticipating enemies.
All Shelby could see was a stranger, dressed in green (an unusual choice for a Nether trip) coming in. The General stood imposingly in front of the stranger.
"What are you doing here?" The General snarled at the green man. He flinched over the harsh tone.
"I'm sorry, sir," the stranger said, in perfect English, "Can you say that again?"
Shelby was so astonished by the English. It’s been a while since she heard it that it took her by surprise. What's even more amazing is that the voice feels… familiar.
The General looked confused for a second, then shook his head, "Lt. Shubble!"
Shelby popped up. She didn't know why she was called, but she sprinted to the General's side.
She saluted him, waiting for his commands. "He's human," the Piglin said in disgust, "Translate for us."
She nodded, before turning to the stranger, her crossbow pointed at him, "Take the hood off and put your hands up. Explain why you're here. Now."
The stranger froze. "Shrub?"
Shelby's blood turned cold. She was only called that by her friends. She now realized who that voice belonged to.
The stranger took off his cloak, revealing…
"Jimmy?"
He stood before her, smiling ear to ear, "You have no idea how happy I am to see you."
She ran over to him, giving Jimmy the biggest hug ever. He returned the favor to Shelby. The General looked over to Shelby, confused, but for a second, everything was good. Was normal.
She slept like a normal person. She talked in her natural language. She saw her friend.
She was no longer Lt. Shubble of the Piglin army. At that moment, she was Shrub, ruler of the Undergrove.
It didn't last long, though.
"What is the meaning of this, Lt. Shubble? The general asked.
She recentered herself and saluted him, "Sorry sir," she said in Piglin, "But I know this stranger. He is the Codfather of the Cod Empire. Or what remains of it."
The general looked at Jimmy, to Shelby, and then back at Jimmy, "And how do you know him?"
Shelby stiffened. She has never told anyone, even Kyro, that she was a ruler of one of the biggest kingdoms in the Overworld. She translated for Jimmy and he waved at her to explain. However, she really didn’t want to, "I, um, I… Well."
"She's the queen of the Undergrove," Jimmy interrupted, getting straight to the point.
Even if nobody knew what Jimmy said, she was required to say it. After repeating his words, Shelby stood awkwardly as the Piglin army stood quiet around her.
"If you're royalty," the general shook his head, "Why are you here? And why is he here?" He nodded at Jimmy.
So Shubble explained that her world had become an apocalyptic horror show overnight because two idiots decided to test God. She didn't mention that one of those idiots was in their mist.
The Piglin general stared at Shelby. Finally he spoke, "You should go."
"What?"
"You should go," the General repeated, "To the Overworld. Get your people together. Make sure everything's okay."
"What about you?" Shelby asked. She was astonished that he was letting her go. Just like that.
"We've survived without you before, we can do it again," the General smirked, "Besides, he doesn't look like he can make it on his own."
"Why is he pointing at me?" Jimmy asked, sounding offended.
Shelby looked at him, then back at the general. Finally, she saluted him, “Thank you for the honor, sir.”
He saluted back, “You may go pack your things. You are dismissed.”
She nodded and turned away. She looked over at Kyro, who still looked surprised. Jimmy, no surprise, looked confused.
“What happened?” He asked.
Shubble smiled, “I’m coming with you.”
Jimmy stared at her for a few seconds, before squealing, “Really?! Oh my Alenta, that’s amazing! I can’t wait!”
She nodded, “Stay here while I pack my things. I’ll be right back.”
Jimmy nodded as she ran up to her room. Her dogs, bless them, were still waiting patiently for her. They wagged their tails as she commanded all of them to follow her. She had never asked them to all come with her before, only when they just got into the Nether. Knowing this fact, they looked wearingly at her.
“I promise,” Shubble soothed, “It’s under better circumstances.”
She packed the few things that she took with her to the Nether, reminding her of her Overworld home. Mushrooms, the invite for Lizzie and Joel’s wedding, a flower Katherine gave her, a photo of her and Scott, a totem Joey gave her, wool, and what remains of a Woodland guardian.
She went outside her room for the last time, only to be greeted by Kyro.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were royal?”
“Goodbye to you too.”
“I’m serious, Shelby,” Kyro insisted, “We tell each other everything. Except this apparently. Why didn’t you at least tell me?”
Shubble hesitated. Why didn’t she tell him? “Maybe because… I’m scared. That I’ll be seen as a coward for abandoning my kingdom. Even if it wasn’t my fault to begin with, my friends died because of me.”
Shelby didn’t realize until now that she was crying. Why? There was nothing she could do. Crying is what children do. Sure, she’s short, but she’s not a child. So why was she acting like one.
Kyro clearly didn’t agree. He hugged her, his snout pressing into her head. She was startled by the hug. Usually, Piglins don’t express themselves emotionally. So the fact that she was getting this level of emotion from him was astonishing.
“It’s not your fault,” Kyro whispered, “No matter what you think. You did what any rational person would have done. Or Piglin, for that matter.”
“Piglin?”
Kyro nodded, “I was young, but I have a memory of a Piglin Brute high in power running away from a fight. It was horrible, there was so much bloodshed. However, from what it seems, you saved your people.”
“How do you know that?”
“Because you’re Shelby. You always help, even if it risks yourself. I know this because I know you.”
Shelby let go of the Piglin, looking for some kind of lie in his eyes. He wasn’t. He was telling the truth. She looked at Lava, then smiled.
“You should have him,” she finally says, “So you don’t forget me.”
He smiles, petting Lava, “Hey buddy. Want to stay here with me?”
The dog barked in perhaps agreement. Kyro turned to Shelby quickly, hugging her one last time before releasing, “I’ll miss you, Shelby.”
“I will too.”
With that she walked away, never to see her Nether friend again. She walked to the courtyard, some of the Piglins telling her goodbye or good luck. She was greeted at the front by Jimmy.
He waved at her, “Where to know?”
Shelby smiled, “Now? We go home.”