Chapter 11

                                    

                                          
"Come in." Pearl said tiredly. She was sitting in the prime admin office. Xisuma pushed the door open hesitantly. "If this is about Grian, he's recovering nicely. He exhausted a lot of magic, especially for a level eight." Pearl sighed. 
"Yea... magic that's theoretically impossible for him to possess." Xisuma muttered under his breath. 
"Excuse me?" Pearl looked away from her various screens. 
"How is Grian a tier eight admin all of the sudden!? And..." Xisuma paused, "How did he teleport all of us back to headquarters. That's impossible. You know it is! Why am I the only one concerned!? Only watchers, super high, like, prime-level admins and higher powers can teleport!" Xisuma let his words sink in. Pearl looked even tireder, if that was possible.
"He wasn't the one who teleported. I was." Pearl spoke eventually. 
"You were!?" Xisuma's eyebrows arched, not believing it for a second. "That's impossible."
"Well, clearly it's possible considering what you just said. Are you suggesting Grian is a watcher? Or a prime admin? Maybe a higher power?" Pearl gave Xisuma such a piercing look he suddenly felt like an idiot. Maybe he was being stupid.
"I - I mean. No, of course not. It's just confusing that-"
"What, the technological prime, a girl was strong enough to teleport everyone back to base?" Pearl stuck out her chin and crossed her arms angrily. 
"No! No, I didn't mean that at all!" Xisuma backed away. 
"Then what are you suggesting, Void?" Pearl said, her voice low but angry. 
"Well... I guess I thought your magic had just been drained so you weren't powerful enough yet - b - but it kind of makes sense that you could've teleported." Xisuma lied. It didn't make any sense, but neither did what he had originally thought. How could it have been Grian?
"Well then, stop wasting my time." Pearl snapped. "Xe - er, Grian's in wing A5, if you want to visit." 
"Okay." Xisuma peeped meekly and closed the door behind him.
. . .
"Hey, Xisuma." Grian looked up. He was curled up on his white hospital cot, and looked like he had been through the wringer for sure. 
"Hey, Gri." Xisuma said in a tired voice. "How are you?"
"I - I mean I've been better." Grian chuckled slightly.
"How did you teleport yesterday?" Xisuma watched Grian's expression carefully.
"You thought I teleported?" Grian's voice sounded incredulous.
"Yes! Why else would-" Xisuma broke off in anger as he watched Grian smirk,
"Ask Pearl, muffin!" Grian snickered, "Oops, ack." Grian facepalmed, "Ugh, Badd..." Grian muttered. 
"Muffin? Never mind." Xisuma just raised his eyebrows. Had Pearl really teleported them back to headquarters, not Grian? If so, Xisuma had seriously miscalculated her power. Then again, he had never seen her fight, so... 
Xisuma noticed Mumbo come into the hospital wing in the corner of his eyes. He excused himself awkwardly and portaled back to base. Only later did he realize Grian had never given him a straight answer.
. . .
Mumbo sat down next to Grian at the foot of his friend's bed. Grian was staring down through the window, watching the admins come and go. "Hey, Mumby." Grian finally turned to look at his friend. 
"Hey... that was some serious magic, dude." Mumbo looked at Grian with admiration.
"It was nothing." Grian lied, "I could have done better if I'd used my full magic." Grian knew he should only tell the truth around Mumbo, because somehow his friend could always tell.