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It was the day of Impulse and Skizz's wedding.
The two of them had been engaged for nearly ten years (though neither of them actually remembered proposing). It was- allegedly- sometime during Naked & Scared, so they had decided to wait for a “better time”- then Impulse was invited to Hermitcraft. Not that being on different servers technically prevented them from getting married, but scheduling was difficult for the both of them. So when Skizz was invited to Hermitcraft at the beginning of season 10, they agreed that now was as good a time as ever.
Cue Skizz, pacing the unfinished back hallway of his base nervously as Grian frantically chased him down with a preening brush.
“Skizz!” the avian screeched, flapping his wings once to land in front of the angel, stopping his pacing.
“Wha-hat?” Skizz whined, running a hand through his salt-and-pepper hair.
“You gotta stand still so I can fix your wings,” Grian said, waving the preening brush in front of him. Skizz pouted like a child, crossing his arms as Grian moved behind him to run his practiced fingers through the angel’s feathers. All six of Skizz's wings were on display for the special day, which had the side effect of making him look much bigger than he was.
Using the brush as replacement for clawed talons, Grian methodically moved through the angel's thick feathers to pick out all the dirt that had built up from flying around the server. While the imperfections would be hidden from view by the angel's magic, Grian knew from experience that itchy wings always got worse during stress; and a fresh preening always helped relax him.
Skizz anxiously drummed his fingers along his bicep, trying to resist the urge to rip the sleeves off his one nice suit.
“Nervous, huh?” Grian asked.
“Uh- yeah, “ Skizz admitted, shifting uncomfortably. He mentally reached out for his and Impulse’s soulbound on instinct, hoping for some semblance of comfort- then pulled back, remembering that there was going to be no response. The two of them had mutually decided to close the bond for today; so that they could open it after the ceremony and be flooded with all the love they had for each other. In theory it was going to be beautiful; but for now it left Skizz's emotions running wild with nothing to ground him.
“What are you worried about?” Grian asked, switching to another wing. The angel's feathers puffed up as the brush hit a particularly itchy spot.
“I just- well-” Skizz mumbled, unsure what to say. “What if he… y'know… doesn't show up?”
Grian chuckled lightly. “Impulse has been planning this for months. He set this all up, he sent out the invites- he's as excited as you are.”
“What if he changed his mind? Or what if-”
“Skizz,” Grian interrupted, stopping his rambling. The angel's wings twitched at the harsh tone. “Believe me, I had these same thoughts running through my mind before I got married to Mumbo and Scar. The two of you are inseparable. You love each other more than anything else in the world. This day will be perfect. I promise.”
Skizz sighed, letting the muscles in his back relax as his wings drooped a bit. “Yeah… Yeah, you're right. Thanks, G Sharp.”
Grian nodded. “No problem.” He stepped back, brushing Skizz's pure white feathers back into place. “All done.”
Skizz flexed his wings, testing the job. Satisfied, he smiled as he turned to face the avian.
“Ready?” Grian asked, holding out his arm for Skizz to take.
“As I'll ever be.”
-- ♡ --
The day was perfect. It was sunny but not too hot, with a calm breeze that gently rustled the petals of the yellow and blue flowers that lined the walkway. The ceremony was set up with the aisles in a ‘T’ shape, so that both grooms could walk on at the same time. Scar was busy gracefully tossing flower petals into the aisle, rocking a light yellow dress with a skirt that was just a little too short.
Joe, the officiant, was waiting patiently at the altar, adjusting the collar of his orange and black jack-o-lantern suit as he reviewed the speech for the ceremony. Tango and Zed, the best men, were giddly grinning at each other, betting on which of the grooms were going to trip over their own feet on the way over. Pearl, the ring bearer, stood to the side in a beautiful navy blue dress with silver sparkles that caught the light like stars in a night sky. Impulse and Skizz's dogs, Prim and Kevin, were sitting on either side of her like well-behaved sentries, wearing matching blue and yellow bows. The rings were balanced perfectly on the pillow that Pearl held; two matching black wedding bands with gold and silver details.
As Scar finished majestically tossing flowers into the Hermit's faces, Xisuma pressed play on their communicator as a cover of Here Comes the Bride began playing over the speakers. The crowd chatter hushed as both grooms turned the corner; Impulse, led by Gem on the left; and Skizz, led by Grian on the right. There was a beautiful moment as the two of them locked eyes for the first time, and the gentle, loving smile on each of their faces grew.
The grooms were both impeccably dressed in matching black suits. Staying true to his brand, Impulse had a yellow flower pinned to the lapel of his jacket. Delicate gold chains adorned his forehead horns, wings, and tail with purple amethyst crystals hanging from them, gently catching the light from Skizz's halo as they swung. The angel was glowing so brightly from happiness that he nearly rivaled the sun in its luminance.
Gem and Grian led their dads to the podium, stopping just before to let the imp and angel step up onto the raised platform.
“Welcome everyone, to this joyous day as we celebrate the official partnership of Impulse Essvee and Skizz L. Man,” Joe announced, smiling brightly. "I invite the ring bearer to step forwards." As he spoke, Pearl stepped up, handing a ring to each groom. The two of them each put the other's ring on, holding each other's hands as they waited for Joe to continue.
"Let these rings be a symbol of your love and commitment for each other, and each time you look down at them be reminded of the promises you make for each other today."
Joe flipped to the next page, brushing his hair back as he looked up.
“Impulse Essvee, do you take Skizz L. Man as your lawfully wedded partner, through prank wars and drum battles, for as long as you both shall craft?”
Impulse smiled, tears gleaming in his eyes. “I do.”
Joe turned to the angel. “Skizz L. Man, you you take Impulse Essvee as your lawfully wedded partner, through prank wars and drum battles, for as long as you both shall craft?”
“I do,” Skizz said, and it seemed like the whole Choir said it with him.
“Then, by the power vested in me by law of Nashville, Tennessee, by approval of the Admin, under protection of the Goddess of love, I now pronounce you married! You may kiss!”
Skizz's large, calloused hands cupped Impulse’s face as the imp's arms wrapped around the back of the angel's neck, pulling him close. Their lips connected as everyone cheered.
The kiss was deep and passionate. Impulse's tail curled around Skizz's leg as the angel's wings surrounded them both in their own, safe little world.
If this wasn't heaven, Impulse didn't know what was.
But as they pulled away to look at each other's faces, Impulse felt a strange sensation in the bottom of his soul. Something about that kiss had unlocked something inside of him- something bright and firey- something dangerous.
Impulse backed away in a panic as he felt his body shift- his limbs lengthened, nails turning to claws, horns growing and twisting and cracking. The suit he wore began to pop at the seams as his scaled skin pushed against the restraints of the clothing. The jewelry snapped, sending purple crystals flying everywhere. Hermits ducked behind chairs, scrambling to avoid the projectiles.
Skizz stumbled backwards as he watched in horror the body of his newly wed husband grow to gargantuan sizes before his very eyes- and within moments, where Impulse had just been seconds ago, stood a massive yellow and black dragon.
-- ♡ --
When Impulse opened his eyes he didn't know where he was.
One moment, he was kissing the love of his life at the altar; and the next was in a directionless dark void.
“Hello?” Impulse called, but there came no answer. “Anyone there?” He shuffled his feet beneath him, mesmerized by the way the void rippled like black water underneath him.
Impulse.
The imp looked up, startled. “Uh… hello?” he called again. He turned around towards the direction of the noise and was met by a set of letters in Demonic glowing in the darkness.
It spelled his name. Impulse Essvee.
He frowned. There was a character in front of his name he didn't recognise. A sort of formal title, like the equivalent of Sir in English...
Prince. It read Prince.
Prince Impulse Essvee.
The imp let out a sharp laugh, taking an unsteady step backwards. Was this some sort of prank? A dream? Did he pass out from that kiss?
The void around him shifted. Impulse let out a yelp of surprise as the “walls” began to glow, changing colours as an image materialized in front of him. Familiar faces appeared on the picture; imps, with yellow wings and black coloring at the extremities-
His family.
Impulse blinked, slowly processing. He hadn’t seen his family since he was little- before they were all hunted down and killed by the humans that were convinced that the imps were killing their livestock. Everyone except him, of course, after he was saved by a kid from the local village. The kid who sacrificed his life for him; who came back in a blaze of Holy fire to stop a group of hunters; the kid who had grown into the very man he was marrying today.
Impulse scanned the imp's faces, trying to commit them to memory. There were two adults: his mom and dad, two shorter ones in front of them: his older brother and sister; and an infant in a purple wrap cradled in his sister's arms.
They all wore expensive-looking garments adorned with amethyst crystals- the same jewelry he had worn for his wedding today. The two adult imps wore gold crowns that wrapped delicately around their horns, decorated with amethyst crystals that were such a pure purple they almost looked fake.
They looked rich. No, noble… no. Like royalty.
Then it clicked. Prince Impulse Essvee.
Oh, my void.
-- ♡ --
The beast opened its mouth and let out a trembling roar that made the very earth shake. Its eyes were wide in a panic, its legs pacing in place as its tail swung wildly. Like a spooked horse, its ears were flat against its skull, keeping its head held high. The Hermits scampered like mice under its great claws, making the dragon panic even further. Skizz lunged to push Joe out of the way, the two of them frozen a few feet behind the altar.
“What is that!?” Tango yelled, taking cover from the stomping feet behind a wedding bench.
“It's a- it's- Well, I don't know!” Zed stuttered from next to him. “A- a dragon?”
“Is that- is it Impulse?” Tango asked, the concern rising in their voice.
Quick to respond, Xisuma grabbed their communicator, and with a quick scan, managed to get the dragon's code. They ducked quickly behind the bench, tapping a few commands into the screen.
The voidwalker's mask blinked to show a narrowed expression. “It's him,” they confirmed.
“What do we do?” Bdubs said. “Can we help him?”
“He looks scared,” Scar commented.
“Tango, Zed. Have you seen something like this before?” Xisuma asked, still rapidly scrolling through code. Red messages flashed on the screen as the server fought the mass of energy concentrated in one space.
The blaze and sheep hybrid both shook their heads in tandem. “No,” Tango said. “I didn't even know that he could do this!”
The ground shook as the dragon took a few steps backwards, shaking its great head quickly. Skizz was still frozen in place behind the altar, his wings slightly expanded from flying over to save Joe. A terrified expression was locked on the angel's face as Joe shook him, trying to snap him back to reality.
“-izz! Skizz!”
The angel blinked, wings twitching. “Huh?”
“You were just silent, man!” Joe said. “You were scarin’ me!”
“S-Sorry,” Skizz stuttered, eyes still locked on the dragon treading quickly like a scared puppy backed into a corner. It didn’t seem like it had noticed its massive wings yet, or realized it was in an open space and could have run off by now. Something seemed to be invisibly tying it here.
“Wait-”
“Huh? Skizz?” Joe's hand trembled on the angel's shoulder. “What is it?”
“I know what's wrong,” Skizz replied.
“What?”
Skizz ignored him. He closed his eyes and reached into that imaginary place inside himself where their soulbond was kept.
The space was warm, like an inviting hug that wrapped gently around the bond like a cozy blanket. Skizz imagined their soulbond like a tube, full of water that flowed back and forth, carrying their emotions with it. Right now, there was a tight lid on his end, but he could feel the emotions from the other side pulsating against the cap.
With both hands, Skizz gripped the imaginary cork keeping the tube closed; and with a hefty pull, yanked it out.
Immediately the tidal wave of emotions flooded Skizz, almost threatening to drown him. Fear, confusion, frustration, all mixed up into a stormy sea of feelings that rocked the tiny boat the angel was riding.
Skizz took a breath to center himself, forcing as many calming feelings as he could through the tube.
It's okay, he reassured the imp. I’m here.
I'm scared. I don't know what's going on.
Just follow my light.
With that, Skizz opened his eyes, flaring his wings. With a mighty flap he launched himself into the air, straight towards the dragon's head. He held himself in the air a few feet away from the dragon's snout, radiating with Holy light. The dragon's eyes flicked up to lock on the brightly glowing star in front of it, its wings raising in anticipation.
Skizz allowed himself to float closer, holding out a palm. He kept a tight lid on his angelic magic, only allowing enough to calm the mighty beast to fall through.
The dragon paced anxiously but didn't make any move to run, eyes still trained on the light. Skizz's hand landed on the dragon's nose, gently petting the yellow scales.
Do not be afraid.
Even though Skizz never opened his mouth, the words were spoken like a command that resonated in his very bones. Slowly, the dragon calmed, closing its eyes as it pushed its muzzle into Skizz's palm. Ever-so-slowly the magic receded, the tsunami of emotions draining. Skizz moved with it as wings shrunk, claws receded, front legs turned back into arms and horns retreated, until only a very Impulse-shaped figure with the torn-up remnants of a suit loosely hanging on his body remained on the platform.
The man blinked, his brown eyes weary. He wobbled slightly in place before collapsing.
Skizz caught the imp's body before he hit the ground, guiding him gently down to the floor. Impulse's body was limp, head bowed.
“Impulse?” Skizz's voice shook. He trembled, tears threatening to slip. “Please… talk to me.” He put a hand on the imp's cheek, tilting his head upwards.
The imp cleared his throat. “So… uh.” His wings shifted on his back, tail tip flicking.
“Turns out I'm imp royalty.”
…
“What?”
-- ♡ --
The after party went off without a hitch. Impulse had changed into his usual ‘i’ t-shirt and cargo shorts after his suit had been torn to shreds. Despite being swarmed by the Hermits with questions, he managed to tell a coherent story.
The second the ceremony was complete, Impulse was thrust into a dark void with nothing but his name written out in Demonic in front of him.
“Creepy,” Skizz commented.
The void had shown him a picture of his family, and after he put two-and-two together, it began to spell out the history of his family in a long line of pictures.
The Essvees were a royal family of sulfur imps that ruled a small portion of the Nether, exporting quartz and gold for redstone from the Overworld. They were kind leaders, and had good relations with all the other royal families around. That is, until they were pushed out by the Piglins and forced to flee to the Overworld. Impulse was not even a year old when they left, so he had no memories of life in the Nether.
According to him, only imps of royal blood had a “true form”, similar to demons, that was unlocked through marriage. Since he had been separated from his family when he was young, he of course had no knowledge of this.
“Would have been nice to know, though,” Impulse said, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. “I kinda ruined the whole thing.”
“You didn't ruin anything, Dippledop,” Skizz said, placing a hand on the imp's shoulder. “You wouldn't have had any way of knowing.”
“Besides, no one got hurt, so it's no big deal,” Bdubs replied with a reassuring smile. “And hey, now I can officially say I'm friends with a royal!”
Skizz chuckled. “Hey, I'm the one married to him! I'm married to royalty,” he said proudly, puffing out his chest.
“Uh, Skizz?” Impulse started gently, putting a hand on the angel's arm.
“Yeah?”
“Marrying a prince makes you royalty too. You are imp royalty now.”
Skizz's eyes widened with excitement, pumping a fist into the air. “Hah! Take that, baby!”