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At this point, it’s beginning to feel strange to Hypnotizd’s ears whenever they aren’t being assaulted with the echo of several pickaxes working away around him. Every miner gets used to the ringing of stone breaking, but it’s more often a solo venture than a group effort, especially this early in the season. Even two weekends in a row has acclimated Hypno to the pacing, the ebb and flow. The syncopated rhythm of multiple people insta-mining stone and grass, never truly steady as people stop to switch out dying picks or drop off full inventories, makes the hours pass in minutes.
Hermits, helping Hermits.
Jevin’s reputation as a helpful Hermit seems, at first, a bit of a misnomer. All the Hermits are, for the most part, quite helpful to one another - even before the institution of Hermits Helping Hermits as a regular occurrence back in season 7, it was one of the notable things about the Hermit community. Which makes Jevin’s recognition by other Hermits as a helpful one carry some weight behind it to be worth pointing out; earning that respect through his endless good nature and omni-generosity (especially around the holidays, when other Hermits are the most distracted and rushed and in need of assistance). But sometimes, it is the helper who needs helping.
And sometimes, the other notable trait of a Hermit comes into play: aggressive ambitions for the season. Things that often sound reasonable enough, but quickly seem less so as practicality sets in. Jevin’s dream of a Great Pirate Bay has temporarily run aground on the very large islands in the center of the bay. If he wants to build a really big pirate ship, those islands need to go first, and Jevin joins the series of Hermits this season who need to move thousands and thousands of stone just to get started on what they’re doing. Unlike most of that series, however, Jevin has decided he’s not doing this alone. And when the call went out for two HHH’s in a row, Hypnotizd finds himself back here yet again, borrowed pick in hand.
(This, Hypno thinks to himself, is why he’s not making a plan this season - taking it one day at a time. So if an idea requires the equivalent of moving a mountain on short notice, he can choose a different idea.)
His thoughts are broken by a peal of laughter from halfway across the island, and Hypno pauses in his picking to pay more attention. Another of Joe’s stories that Jevin seems to be enjoying, their jabbering mixing with the mining to create a truly unique symphony. Hypno chimes in when he can, but he prefers to listen, and it’s not like those two will ever run out of things to talk about.
Beside him, he can see Etho also turned half-around, idly swapping to his shovel at the edge of a dirt pile. Listening in, the same as Hypno, even if they can only hear half the story from this far–or perhaps just enjoying the noise. Etho catches Hypno looking, and the beat passes between them in acknowledgment. Both quiet in groups, both ostensibly here just for the endless supply of materials mined out that Jevin is giving away.
Both knowing that’s not the real reason they’re here.
“Thanks for showing up to help again,” Jevin sighs, watching the sunset streak golden across the water. He and Hypno sit on the side of his main ship, side by side, letting their aching legs dangle free in the air.
Hypno tilts his head, voice full of faux-magnanimity. “Of course! Anything for shulkers full of free cobblestone. So, same time next week?”
“I see,” Jevin says, squinting sideways at Hypno for a moment as if he actually believed him. “Well, sorry, that was the last island here, so I don’t think there’ll be any more coming from me. The next Hermits Helping Hermits will be helping somebody else.”
“Hmm.” Hypno scratches his chin thoughtfully. “I could build another island for us to take down. Right up around your boat, airtight. Easier to place all that stone than break it down, and then we could spend more time digging!”
Jevin laughs, even as he punches Hypno in the shoulder. “Don’t you dare.” He doesn’t say, “You wouldn’t go that far”, because they both know.
Hypnotizd absolutely would.