𝒢𝑜𝓃𝑒, 𝒢𝑜𝓃𝑒, 𝒢𝑜𝓃𝑒

CHAPTER I.VII: Tubbo, your rat is here

--TRAVELLING THE MULTIVERSE--

TIP 77: Beware of other Travellers. Not all of them will be easily recognizable; not all of them will have good intentions.

Having taken everything with you that you own – which isn't a lot, to be fair – you're travelling by horse to the centre of the capital of L'Manberg, where the commonfolk are said to be residing. Tommy is leading, telling you about this person that you're going to visit and with whom you're going to stay for a while, some man to whom Tommy looks up greatly. He speaks of a blacksmith, creating great weapons, and how his son also happens to be Tommy's best friend.

The night has fallen by the time you arrive. Tommy brings the horses to a nearby stable, before leading you inside a building, with ram's horns around a fire. You hum, allowing Tommy to lead you inside, where the candles are all dark, but one.

There, in the hue of a small flame, you see the face of a tired, old man. A familiar face, though he's no one you've ever had a personal connection with before. You remember J. Schlatt, though: one of the gym teachers in your original universe, working at the same school, despite his many health issues. You remember how he'd often get suspended due to his drinking problems, though you doubt that'll be a problem in this realm.

"Fuck," Schlatt mumbles the moment his eyes fall on Tommy, before shouting into the open door behind him. "Tubbo, your rat is here!"

"I'm not a rat!" Tommy, insulted, squeals, at which an excited reaction from Tubbo can be heard, as the boy, coughing and pale, appears out of the dark doorway, screaming Tommy's name. Tommy has already opened his arms for the boy to hug, but before his friend can reach, he falls down on the floor, breathing heavily as he coughs a bit more. "Damn, Tubs, you okay?"

"He's ill. That's what he gets for hanging out with literal rats."

"I'm not a rat!"

"I wasn't talking to you, Tommyinnit. But tell me, who said you were welcome here? What are you doing here? And who the hell are you?" The crazed man points at you, staring at you as if he's accusing you of a crime. "If you're here to take me to the dungeons, you can fuck off right away, I'm not going anywhere."

"No, no, no! They're with me!" Tommy smiles brightly while helping Tubbo up. "This is Y/N, they're an angel, who was sent from XD to L'Manberg." Schlatt scoffs, and you sigh, realizing that the boy trusts this man too much to lie to him.

"An angel? Nah, they're just weird. What kind of a fucking bag is that, 'Y/N'? Are you really an angel? Or are you just some weirdo that my sister would've probably found and taken in like her own child?" He rolls her eyes at his own comment, crossing his arms. "Wonder if she ever regretted it."

"Schlatt is a great blacksmith!" Tommy cheers, before adding silently to it: "and an even greater sorcerer."

"For fuck's sake, Tommy, don't tell people that! God, you're such an annoying little shit, why'd it have to be me?" Schlatt, when looking to you, starts explaining. "I survived the death penalty because he had gone through my sister's stuff and found some weird book that made the flames seem all weird and suddenly go away. You know what I was punished for? Being a warlock. He basically used some founding by my sister to save me, and now everybody thinks I pray to some evil deity." After he's done, he nods, as if he's realizing that may as well be the truth. "I'm not a sorcerer. I'm just a blacksmith. A blacksmith who's all alone in the world. Well, with a son who talks to rats."

Tubbo smiles proudly at you, holding out his hands for you to shake, before getting another coughing fit. "No offense, Tubbo, but I'm fine not shaking hands." You take a step back, not wanting to catch whatever he has. "It's nice to meet you, though."