A merman's tear (dreamnotfound)

Chapter Thirty-Five

George's eyes watered as he stared at his long lost friend. Tears leaked down his cheeks as they made eye-contact, and Karl's eyes widened in shock.

Karl nodded his head slowly, not taking his eyes off of George.

"I'm alive." he murmured, and more tears streamed down his face.

George choked back a sob, desperately wanting to hug his friend who he'd thought had been dead for years, but he realised Schlatt was still holding onto him.

He struggled in his grip, trying to get out, and Schlatt growled.

"I'll kill you. Stop moving."

George wanted to smack the man, but he stilled in his grip, instead glancing over at Dream and the other's, who were staring at the scene in shock. Dream still had his mask on, but George knew the man's body language well enough to see that he was worried.

George looked back over to Karl, trying to take in all of his details, and how much he'd changed. He still looked so much the same, his face still youthful, just like when they were kids. He was a lot taller now and didn't have teenage features, but something about him still seemed the same.

This was Karl, but was it really the Karl he knew? He'd probably been here for so long, ever since their pod had been killed. George felt sick at that fact. It had been so many years. He could not blame Karl if he was different.

George heard the door swing open again, and a man with black puffy hair emerged, in clothing similar to Schlatt's.

The man's eyes widened, and George saw Schlatt grin.

"Quackity, my dear," he purred, "nice of you to join us."

Quackity frowned, looking around at everyone, his eyes settling on the two mermen and then back on Schlatt.

He took a hesitant step forward.

"Schlatt...what's going on?" he asked warily, and Schlatt snorted.

"Don't play dumb, my dear, come join me."

Schlatt held out an arm for the man to take, but he did not move.

He glanced at Tubbo, who was shaking very visibly. 

"Schlatt, can't you see what you're doing is wrong?" he questioned, and Schlatt rolled his eyes.

"Now is not the time to question our morals, dear. Come here." he commanded, and Quackity started to move.

Except he did not walk over to Schlatt, but to the rest of George's crew.

George watched the ordeal with wide eyes and flinched when Schlatt's grip on him tightened in anger.

He whimpered slightly as Schlatt let out a huff of rage.

"Schlatt," Quackity started, "this has gone on too long. It needs to end." he said, looking mournful but determined.

Tubbo rested a hand on his shoulder comfortingly, while Phil did the same to Tubbo.

"Another traitor!" Schlatt spat out, "this castle is filled with them." 

George glanced over at Karl, who'd been let go by the guards, but continued to stay on the floor, shaking.

George was really scared.

The amount of them here could overpower Schlatt easily, but the predicament they were in made it difficult to do so. Schlatt was threatening George's life, which meant none of the crew would do anything to risk it.