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The hermits land on a small inlet next to a village. Full group world hops can be difficult, but this one didn’t do too bad. Everyone is in one piece and are looking around at the new surroundings with excitement.
Ren gasps as he splashes into the water, “Oh my gosh, look how cute it is.”
With one hand underwater gently holding an axolotl, Ren points at the small lizard fish.
Grinning Stress gently pats the axolotl’s head. As the hermits gather around and gawk at the new mob, Xisuma rubs at his similarly decorated armor. It’s feeling oddly restricting.
“Zisuma?” Doc asks softly, “Your armor is turning back to green.”
“Oh my, I thought I had set it to be pink,” Xisuma laughs, “That was a mistake.”
Keralis wanders back over, “Well shiswanmy I’ll see you soon.”
Waving as he swims off, Xisuma pulls his admin panels open, “That’s not good.”
“What’s not good?” Doc asks, frowning.
“My code’s a little scrambled…” He mutters, “Hmm, the server looks a little glitchy. Might be the update.”
“We’re safe right?”
“Yeah, it’s not going to hurt people.”
“X my man, you've got to come to see this.”
Shutting his admin panels, Xisuma comes to look at the axolotl.
“Aww, you two match,” Stress giggles.
Xisuma gently pats the axolotl’s head. Pulling his hand back from the strange texture he laughs, “I keep forgetting how slimy they are.”
“Ex-I-Suma, we’re heading off,” Grian waves as he and a few others start swimming off.
________
It’s a few days later when the problem is spotted, Xisuma’s been completely silent in the chat. So Doc heads over to his starter base, “I thought they didn't add the green one’s in,” He murmurs as he walks past a green axolotl that’s spinning in circles trying to go somewhere, “You stuck?” Doc asks as he picks the wiggling animal up.
It chitters at him and points with his tail towards a nearby discarded helmet.
“Xisuma?” Dock mutters.
The axolotl nods. Doc drops him onto the rocks below. Squeaking Xisuma shies back.
“Sorry, are you ok?” Doc asks, “I don’t have a health potion but I’ve got a fish.”
Xisuma ducks underwater for a moment before padding up to Doc who gives him a few small chunks of fish before swallowing the rest of the fish, “ok, I’m going to grab a bucket for you.”
Nodding, Xisuma slinks back into the pond and wiggles his legs around.
Once Doc is back with the bucket, Xisuma is comfortably settled inside. Doc brings him back to the main starter village and digs him a little pond in the Egg.
As he calls for a server meeting he rubs his ears and gasps when his fingers hit coarse fur. Goat Fur.
“Oh no.”
Xisuma chitters loudly, “That’s not good.”
“Yeah, I don’t think so,” Doc hisses as Ren runs over.
“What’s going on?” He asks, “What’s with the Green axolotl?”
“It’s bad… that’s Xisuma and I think it’s infecting everyone’s code.”
“What makes you say that?” Ren chitters.
“Your ears are rounded, and you have a tail.”
“Oh,” Ren frowns, as he wiggles his new tail, “That's why you have horns?”
“Yeah…”
“This is bad,” Ren repeats.
Doc bleats in response and rolls his eye.
“Yeah yeah,” Ren waves.
A few moments later the rest of the Hermits file into the egg where they are met with Ren, a goat, and an axolotl.
“What is this about?” Grian chitters confused.
“Well. We’re all turning into different animals…” Ren explains, “It started with Xisuma then spread from there.”
“Wait,” Keralis hums eyes wide, “Is the goat doc?”
“He sure is,” Ren grins, “I think this is something the sun admins can fix?”
“Hmm probably,” Cub murmurs, “I think it’s doable. Tango, False?”
“I’d say so,” False nods with Tango behind her.
With that, they set to work. The other hermits gathering up blankets and food.
Etho is the next to fully turn. Shrinking and stretching until he’s a pure white fox. Gickering he tumbles down next to Doc.
After him Bdubs, who’s turned into a horse. Laying down he awkwardly watches as Etho runs in circles around his legs. The animal hermits can thankfully talk to each other.
Mumbo’s the next to shift. Into a small brown field mouse. When Etho curiously pads up to him he shies away and huddles in Iskall’s pocket. Frowning at this Joe makes a little area for small animals.
Jellie winds her way around Scar’s ankles as he pops into the form of a small cat. Jellie watches as he trips over his paws and shakes her head. Pushing him around a bit she shows him the right way to be a cat.
Cleo is surprised when sharp quills start growing. It doesn’t take too long before she’s turned into a porcupine.
Huddling under a table Jevin scrunches his nose and glares. First off he’s a rabbit, second, he’s solid and he doesn’t like it. Not like this.
Shaping his jaws shut Hypno thrashes his tail. Once he gets the hang of moving as a crocodile he’s puttering around. Wels digs him a shallow pool to lay in.
Keralis curls under a log and looks at the chaos surrounding him, he’s now a gecko. Poking his tongue out he scampers onto the wall of the egg.
Feeling large horns and tusks start to sprout Tango freezes. He’s a ravager. Stomping his feet chuffs. Turning to look at impulse he bonks headfirst to a tree. Knocking it over.
Chuffing Cub rolls to his feet and immediately lays in a corner. He’s a large grizzly bear. Scar pads on over and curls up in between Cubs‘ paws.
Tripping over his tail Wels yelps as he curls into his new shell. He’s an armadillo. Tucking his head down he curls further up. After a moment he uncurls himself and sniffs around.
Squirming uncomfortably in his apron, Beef pulls at the thick wool covering his body. Sneezing as he fully shifts into a lama he lays down next to Doc and watches as the next few transformations play out
Squawking, Zedaph flaps his wings as he Rolls around trying to stand. Eventually, he gets it and grumpily starts to groom his feathers. He is a yellow-crested cockatoo.
Pearl falls against Grian’s side as she shifts. Scales overtake her as she shrinks. Moments later she’s a small compy.
As Pearl falls Grian follows soon after. Small-clawed paws skitter across the ground as a small brown weasel darts at Mumbo. Running around his friend he chitters.
As Impulse feels a burning sensation he ducks into the shade of the egg. Flopping across the ground, his bat-like wings twitch. Squiggling as fast as he can he huddles next to Tango and Zedaph.
Iskall hisses as he awkwardly curls around himself. He’s a small green snake. Rolling around he flicks his tongue out.
Smacking his head on the roof of the egg Joe flattens against the floor and pokes his tongue out. His long neck is a bit in the way. The giraffe frowns as Cleo flops against his side.
TFC wiggles into the smaller animal area. Limping to the back wall he curls up. He blinks sharply and frowns. He can barely make Mumbo’s form out.
Pacing back and forth False flicks her tail. She’s been turned into a lion. Rounding the remaining human hermits into the egg she pushes the door closed.
Fluttering her wings, Stress lands on one of the glow vines. She’s a rosy maple moth. Being as small as she is she fits neatly among the berries.
Despite having one of the first transformations to start, Ren's is one of the last to complete. He’s a raccoon dog.
Gem is the last hermit to change. She turns into a deer.
With all the Hermits changed they sit and wait for anything to happen.
_________
A few of the hermits' friends start to notice the complete radio silence. So Lime, Ilmango, Python, and Skizz head over.
The four land on top of the egg and Lime immediately starts to dig through the code to see if there are any glitches.
Jumping down Python opens the door and is met with a ravager in his face. Jumping back he slams the door shut.
The door swings open.
“Tango?” Skizz yelps.
The ravager nods.
“Lime there all animals,” Ilmango shouts up as he looks in.
“This is a really weird glitch,” The watcher calls back.
It takes an hour or so but they get all the hermits sorted out. With some confusing help from Xisuma, Lime clears the corruption and the hermits are back to their mostly normal forms.