Chapter Text
Pearl wasn’t quite sure what to expect after death, if she was being honest.
Oh, she knew how respawn worked perfectly well. She’d gotten more than enough personal experience in that department over the course of these games. An all consuming-coldness that fled almost as quickly as it arrived, leaving the freshly respawned player lying breathless for several moments as motor function returned to them.
This was different though, in more ways than one.
It had been her final death, first of all. The big one. The one that means “Game over.” There’s no more respawn for a red name. (At least, not until the next game starts…)
This death had also been by proxy of Scott, which was particularly significant. That meant Pearl was technically last to die. That she had won. (Some “win” it was. Seeing her friend -however vehemently Scott might’ve protested the title- blow himself to smithereens for her sake. She understood Grian’s dramatic lamentations a lot more now. Winning those games doesn’t feel all too much like victory.)
She’d never before paused to consider what would come next. Where she’d end up when the curtains fell and the game was over. It never felt relevant at the time, not when she had far more pressing concerns. Her immediate survival, Tilly’s safety, the aching chasm in her chest that desperately yearned for anything even vaguely resembling a friendship-
All this to say, the question of “What happens after?” had never once crossed her mind. That classic saying of “expect the unexpected” didn’t even apply here, because she had absolutely zero expectations. None. No thought had been put into this whatsoever, and there were no preconceived notions to be challenged.
However, Pearl could safely say that never in a million years did she expect to suddenly find herself face-to-face with… herself?
The feeling of staring at her own facial features on another person was indescribable. It made Pearl’s skin crawl, a deep unease settling itself within her ribcage. It wasn’t anything like looking at her reflection, because she had to see that face, her face moving of its own accord.
The person in front of her wasn’t an identical copy (and thank goodness for that.) While the similarities were stark enough to be extremely unsettling, this fake-Pearl had countless differences. Her hair was much shinier, weaved with a crown of sunflowers and spun gold. She had blue eyes, rather than a color tied to her life count. Her clothes were not burnt, bloodstained, or tattered, though traces of dark soil still clung to the long elegant train of fake-Pearl’s (quite frankly gorgeous) pear colored gown.
The most notable difference between the real pearl and whoever was very rudely using her face was the hybrid features. Or, rather, lack thereof. Pearl had somehow developed wolf ears and a tail over the course of Double Life (most likely due to Tilly being her real soulmate.) This other person lacked those canid traits, instead sporting an impressive pair of glossy feathered wings that seemed to glow faintly.
Realizing that just standing around gawking in disbelief would get her nowhere, Pearl spoke. “Who are you?”
“Oh, right, right. I imagine this must be quite confusing for you, huh?” Ah, lovely. The impostor even sounded exactly like her. “Short answer- I’m you. But not actually. It’s sort of complicated…?”
Pearl let out a high pitched giggle. “Great. I’ve actually gone crazy. I can’t believe I finally proved Scott right. He’d be absolutely unbearable if he could see me right now.”
She ignored the pang in her heart that accompanied her own mention of the man. She missed him terribly, but that wasn’t her main issue right now. Not when she was busy dealing with… whatever this could be called.
A mental breakdown, perhaps? Pearl had certainly had her fair share of those…
“I’m like- a different version of you, basically? We’re the same person, but we lived different lives. Which makes us very different people if you stop to think about it.” The impostor- (her other self?) -explained with a casual air.
She tossed her hands in the air, a gesture of resignation. “Sure! Why not! I’ve died and met another me. This is totally fine and normal!”
Other-Pearl beamed. “Glad you’ve finally accepted it! Now, as for the reason I’ve brought you here…”
Pearl (the original) leaned forwards slightly, breath bated. She felt terror and excitement in equal measure, anxious to see what this other-her could possibly have to say. The anticipation was positively killing her.
“I’ve decided that it’s your turn to be God-Pearl!”
…What?
She blinked in disbelief, unable to process the words that had been spoken. “I’m sorry, come again?”
The other-her nodded. “Well, someone’s got to be god round here, but I want to go hang out on Hermitcraft. Splitting my time between both would just be annoying. So you can just be god for a bit, yeah?”
Just be god. Yes, for sure. Pearl knew exactly what that meant, and how to do it. She buried her face in her hands, letting out a long groan of frustration. Of all the wild and wacky situations she’d gotten herself into in her life, this had to take the cake. An alternate version of herself trying to pass off actual divinity like a kid forcing all their chores onto their younger sibling.
She’d had no idea what to expect when Double Life ended, but given infinite time and guesses Pearl still never would’ve been able to predict this. Then again, who in their right mind would?
Actually, scratch that last bit. Pearl wasn’t even in her right mind, and she still never could’ve guessed it. That just goes to show the sheer level of ridiculousness she was being forced to tolerate at the moment.
“I- You- Um, nooo, excuse me! You can’t just go ‘Your turn to be god now!’ and then not explain!” Pearl spluttered out, indignant.
“Oh, there’s books in the house that’ll explain all the stuff you need to know about god magic and keeping balance and all that. I really only just have to pass this power over to you, and then I’m good to go!”
Without another word, alternate-Pearl raised her hands and directed a beam of pure golden energy into real-Pearl’s chest.
The sensation that followed was utterly indescribable.
It was scalding heat that could make the deepest pits of the nether look like a tundra, yet simultaneously only a faint and pleasant warmth like gentle summer breezes. The feelings of serenity and innocent joy, the all-consuming adrenaline at the peak of battle, the pride of a job well done, all hopelessly intertwined into a tangled mess of indiscernible emotion. Her body was lighter than air, heavier than a thousand blocks of gold. She felt everything and nothing all at once, with the faint sensation of her body repeatedly being torn apart and harshly stitched back together.
Her new godly domains wove themselves into the fabric of her being, singing in an unlikely harmony and reshaping her in their image. She was the Harvest, the Glory of battle, the Summer. She was Bloodshed, both righteous and unjust, and she was Perseverance despite all odds. Some of these aspects took to her more easily, concepts more familiar that easily attune to her tattered soul.
The world sat at her fingertips, the universe’s harmonious melody rising ever-so-slightly to give the freshly ascended goddess a cheerful greeting. Pearl felt whole in a way she couldn’t put into words, like she’d been only a small fragment of herself for her entire life and was now finally reconnected to the rest of her being.
Slowly recovering from the shock of that thoroughly overwhelming experience, Pearl finally managed to re-open her eyes.
Pearl scanned her surroundings thoroughly, but was unable to detect even the faintest trace of her other-self’s presence. The other was just… gone. Like she had been far too many times in the horrible game of Double Life, Pearl was alone.
“Not even a goodbye?” She muttered to herself, tugging on a sleeve (which was a significantly different texture than the rough-spun crimson crimson cloak she’d been wearing just moments ago.)
Looking down, she saw that her wardrobe had gone through a drastic change during her divine ascension. Alrighty then. She should probably find a mirror soon, to check that out. Make sure her new god outfit didn’t look super ugly or anything.
First things first, though. Other-Pearl said there were books in the house that would help her. While the fabric of the world around her was welcoming and incredibly eager to bend to her whims, Pearl knew that diving head-first into her new godly role with zero knowledge was a nice recipe for disaster.
Taking only a moment longer to stare at the house before her, Pearl inhaled deeply and began to step forwards. This really was happening, wasn’t it? She pressed a palm against the grand spruce doors. She had somehow, against all odds, won Double Life. The door felt smooth under her hand, wood polished to perfect and decorated with ornate carvings around the frames. She was a proper deity now and everything. The door swung inwards smoothly, not even the faintest hint of a squeak from the hinges.
“I s’pose it’s time to learn how to be a god!”