EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE . ( quackity, dream smp election . )

ii. police on my back

TW: IMPRISONMENT

Tubbo was given the job to hunt down and capture both Wilbur and Tommy.

Fundy, Ponk, Hbomb, Jack Manifold, Antfrost, Eret, and many other citizens were forced to tear down the walls to L'manberg - though they didn't seem too upset over it.

Charlotte could only watch as her hard work was torn down, days spent building all for nothing.

All for nothing at all.

Schlatt and Quackity talked quietly up on the podium, leaving George to observe the people destroy the walls. Niki quietly sobbed from beside Charlie, her hands covering her pretty face.

"Oh, Niki.." Char sighed. "It'll be okay. I won't let them hurt you."

"It's not that." The blonde muttered from between sobs. "Fundy and Eret! They're willingly- willingly.."

"It's okay." Charlotte wrapped her arms around Niki's small figure and patted her back comfortingly. "We still have each other. I'm sure Wilbur and Tommy will be alright. They're smart."

Niki's cries slowly turned into quiet sniffles. "Thank you, Charlotte. I'm just so scared for them."

Char pulled away to look at her friend, holding her at arms length. She opened her mouth to respond, only to be cut off by the new emperor himself.

"Charlotte." His voice boomed, she could see the people at work look up at the sound. Some gave her pitiful looks, and some smirked at her worried face. "Come up here."

Niki's eyes widened in fear. "No, don't."

"It'll be alright, just listen to everything he says. I'll be okay, Niki." And with that, Charlie released her friend and slowly made her way up the wooden stairs.

"What?" She angrily muttered when she came face to face with Alexis and Schlatt.

"Ooh," Quackity sucked a breath in between his teeth. "That's no way to talk to your new president."

Charlotte bit her tongue to refrain from lashing out. She cleared her throat harshly, "What, my liege?"

Quackity opened his mouth to make another sly comment before Schlatt put a hand on his chest to stop him. "You're a disrespectful little thing, aren't ya?"

Charlotte didn't answer, but continued to stare them both down. She could feel Niki's eyes on her from the audience. A spur of the moment decision had her spitting in Schlatt's face.

Schlatt closed his eyes, slowly raising his hand to wipe off the spit. Quackity's jaw dropped and everybody in L'manberg seemed to go quiet. Char knew that Wilbur and Tommy were out there watching with baited breath.

"Ya know, I was gonna give you a simple job. Maybe have you and Niki do some farming together or somethin'." He paused, his jaw setting. They both knew that he would've made them tear down the van or something terrible like that. "But we can't have you disrespecting me in front of my people, now can we?"

Char held her gaze, staring up at Schlatt. He snapped his fingers, motioning Quackity over. Alexis was quick to be at his side, "Take her to the cell."

Charlie's eyes widened, eyebrows furrowing. "Wait, what? You can't do that!"

Niki started crying again, her sobs could be heard from up on the podium.

"Actually, I can. I'm the president. Reflect in solitude." Quackity grabbed her bicep and started to drag her down the stairs.

The girl screamed, trying to pry Quackity off of her. "Niki, just do what he says. Do whatever he says!"

Char landed a few punches to Alexis' stomach, before finally clipping him in the jaw. He was quick to release his hold on her with a yelp, she didn't waste a second and ran.

Charlotte could hear Schlatt cackling into the mic at his vice president's misfortune. Turning to make sure that he wasn't following her, Charlotte ran straight into somebody with a grunt. Falling onto her butt, she lifted her head to see George. "No, no, no..."

George took a few big steps towards her as she started to scoot backwards. While her eyes were on George's netherite sword, she failed to spot Quackity sneaking up behind her.

"No!" She screeched as she was dragged away. "Fundy, Eret... help me!"

Eret screwed his eyes shut, trying to keep the image of Charlotte out of his head. Fundy laughed at her shaking figure.

As the girl pleaded, Quackity tried his best to ignore her. "Please, please don't put me down here. I'm sorry! I can leave! I won't bother you or Schlatt ever again, please!"

Quackity just shook his head, clearing his head of thoughts. "Schlatt's orders." He muttered. A giant pruttel splotch started to appear on his face, courtesy of Charlotte.

The pair went down the tunnel leading into the ground, the walls were lined with mossy cobblestone. An eerie feeling overcame Charlie as she was taken closer and closer to her confinement. A few bats squeaked from over head, some cobwebs decorated the dark corners of the hallways.

Tubbo must've built these at some point, she thought. Bet he didn't think I'd be the one locked up...

Quackity and Charlotte had to of passed a total of twenty prison cells before finally stopping at the farthest one from the entrance. Char took in a shaky breath as Quackity held her arm tighter, his fingers leaving yellow marks on her flesh. She turned towards him quickly, successfully loosening his grip.

"I'll do anything, you can't leave me down here! He'll kill me. Please." She sobbed, tears streaming down her flushed face. "Tubbo will be upset, he doesn't like when I'm away from him. He'll freak out-"

"Look, I'm sorry, okay? There's nothing I can do." Char let out a shaky breath as her eyes looked down at the dusty floor. She knew there was no getting out of this.

"Okay.." she mumbled.

Quackity took a ring of keys off of the wall, unlocking her cell and opening the creaky door. Charlie expected a harsh shove, but one never came. Instead, the Vice President only nudged her forward. Charlotte took her last few steps of freedom.

Once inside of the stuffy cell, Quackity slowly shut the door. He locked it with a click, refusing to make eye contact with the girl.

"Somebody will be down here with food later." Was all he said before walking back down the hallway. The thirty seconds it took him to calmly stalk down the hallway felt like hours to Charlotte.

Once the door to the prison was shut, Char allowed herself to fully break down. She kicked the wall and hiccuped as more sobs racked through her body.

When her body had gotten tired, she found herself leaning against the barred door.

"Niki has to be worried sick." She thought aloud. Her mind drifted from her good friend to Fundy. "What the hell is it with people betraying me - L'manberg in general! if Wilbur were here, he'd know what to do.."

Finally deciding to stop and take a good look at her new home, Charlotte turned around. A small barred window was her only source of light. Meanwhile, a bed and toilet were the only other things she was graced with.

NOTES.
highkey v proud of this but it's not too long.

word count - 1203
originally posted: 10/28/20
edited: tbd