IMMEDIATE CONTINUATION
I'll hurt him back.
"Oh my god," She let out a small laugh. "You've lost! You've made the most terrible lapse in judgement!"
"Alice.." Techno said warily.
"We're on top! We have the wild card, observe before you attack, I told it's the best strategy!" She said to her friend. "I'm so glad I kept this to myself.."
"What are you talking about?" Tubbo asked hesitantly.
"Tommy, Tommy, Tommy...you really had us fooled there. Coming to us for protection from Dream, for weapons, for armor, for an ego boost," She chuckled.
"I didn't-"
"No, no. You don't get to talk until I'm done. We did so much for you, we hid you from Dream, we hid you from L'manberg, we risked our lives for you! We were with you until the very last second," She paused. "I even lied to Tubbo for you."
"What?"
"Wh..when did you..why? What did you lie about?" Tommy stuttered.
Alice let out an excited laugh. "Dream's right, y'know. You're a real idiot, Tubbo. But Dream is just as stupid." She turned to the green man.
"And homeless!" Techno added.
"Pretending to be his friend, just to get that disc...a good move. You think you have everyone in the spot you want them in. I hate to say you did miss some vital information, I should know, I was a psychics major," She chuckled. "There is always an outlier. In every. Single. Equation. "
"Wh..what are you talking about?" Tubbo asked her.
"You never had the disc, Tubbo," She said simply. "Not in the last month, at least."
"W..what?"
"No he did, Tubbo had the second disc," Dream argued. "It's mine now."
"You were too late~" She almost sang at him. "That bargaining chip of yours is useless, womp womp, Dream was fooled. All that manipulating for absolutely nothing."
"How?" He laughed incredulously. He wasn't letting on that he was nervous, he never would. "I.."
"You what? Planned two steps ahead?" She scoffed. "I hate to get cocky, but I was raised by strategizers, I will always be one step ahead of you."
"Really."
"You think Tommy's your arch nemesis?" She laughed. "Try beating me in your little chess game, we'll see how far you get before realizing I've already won."
"Who has the disc?" Tommy demanded. "Where is it?!"
Alice slowly turned the enderchest, opened it, and turned back to him. She held the disc in her hand and Tommy let out a small gasp. She quickly put it back in the chest.
"H..how? How do you have it? I never gave it to you!" Tubbo exclaimed.
"Well I lied to you, like I said," She chuckled. "Tricked is a better word, I suppose."
"Tubbo would never give you the disc, he would never risk it!" Tommy shouted at her.
"Why don't you ask him yourself then," She replied.
"Tubbo," Tommy turned to his friend. "You..you wouldn't give it to-"
"No! Tommy I would never! There's no way..she could've...oh god, we listened to it.." The realization dawned on Tubbo.
"What?"
"We listened to it, she asked me why the disc were important. That was the only time I took it out in front of someone," He looked at Alice. "How did you get it?"
"I got a decoy," She said easily. "I took the disc out of the jukebox and gave you the fake. It was really simple actually."
"You're lying, you're trying to get me back on your side!" Tommy yelled.
"You're so fucking confident! I don't want you on my side! You're a liar, you're a thief, you're weak!" She shouted back. "I was going to give you this disc! I stole it for you!"
"THEN WHY DID YOU KEEP IT?"
"Because Dream would've found out and taken it!" She exclaimed. "If we would've gotten the other disc back first then he'd be no threat and I could give you the disc!"
"You're a liar! You lied to me, you promised you'd get my discs back!"
"I'm a liar?! I was risking everything by helping you! You used us for you own gain and then switched sides when it was convenient for you!" She shouted.
"You want to destroy L'manberg! You're supposed to be my friend!"
"We were friends, Tommy! I wanted to trust you and help you, but now you're teaming with the government that treated Phil and Technoblade with injustice! L'manberg is corrupted!" She exclaimed. "It's the direct idea we are fighting and you're leaving us to side with it, of course I'm not going to give you the disc!"
"YOU'RE TERRIBLE, YOU'RE A LIAR! YOU PROMISED YOU'D HELP ME GET MY DISCS." He yelled at her.
"AT LEAST I'M NOT SELFISH," She yelled back. "You cause problems for EVERYONE around you, you make EVERYTHING so fucking difficult. You lie, you kill, you destroy, you steal whenever it's convenient for you."
"I'm not-"
"Shut up. You have no respect for anyone. Not your friends, not your allies, not even for yourself! You do whatever you want, thinking someone will be there to defend you but hey, reality check! You drive everyone away because you only think about what benefits you."
"What a great leader," Techno looked at the L'manbergians.
"I was an idiot to think that being betrayed by your closest peers would ever change that. You are selfish, Tommy Innit. You don't take any responsibility for your actions because you think you're the most important person here, you're the hero."
Tommy went quiet, looking to the floor.
"You used me, again," Techno said. "And now you've used Alice."
"We did everything for you and you still blame us for your mistakes, done like a true egotistical bastard," She laughed to herself, heated in the conversation. "Plan. What's the plan, Techno are we fighting or leaving."
"2v30, we could do it," Techno joked.
"Now hold on, wait," Dream said to the people stepping forward. "Techno."
"Yes?"
"Got any withers?"
"Oh ho ho I'm liking where this is going Dream," Techno laughed as people audibly disagreed. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"
"I'm saying what you think I'm saying," Dream confirmed.
"Teaming up with Dream, to take down L'manberg. What do you say, Alice?" Techno turned to her.
"No, no, no.."
"Don't destroy it!"
"Alice..." Tommy looked straight at her. "It's Dream. You can't team with him, that's crazy!"
Alice looked between Tommy, Dream, and Techno. Everyone was silent, her answer would decide Techno's alliance. But she already knew what he wanted, and she wanted what he wanted.
"A non-zero sum game. No strings attached," She made the stipulations clear.
"A non-zero sum game...I like the way you think," Dream chuckled.
"Hmmm yes, a non-zero sum game," Techno echoed.
"You have our support," Alice decided. "You lead and we'll follow." The people around her starting shouting in panic.
"Oh Dream, I have so many withers," Techno told him. "We could work something out."
"Alright listen, how about this," Dream said to Tommy. "L'manberg is being destroyed. Tomorrow."
"No, no, no..."
"At 3pm. Say your goodbyes!" Dream exclaimed as the others started shouting in protest. "I'm giving you time! Say your goodbyes!"
"No, Dream-"
"Tomorrow! Say your goodbyes by tomorrow! 3pm!" Dream repeated as they all yelled in dismay.
"Who's dog is this?!" Techno got distracted. Gasps were let loose as Tommy killed it with no hesitation.
"That was my dog!" Tubbo cried.
"Oops!" Tommy chuckled. "Miss click!"
"No respect for anyone," Alice laughed quietly. "Not even for his best friend."
"Wow, no one likes you now Tommy," Technoblade said to him. "You betray us, you kill Tubbo's dog."
"In my defense it did bite me!"
"Well listen," Dream brought them back into roleplay. "When I'm talking destroyed, we're gonna finish Wilbur's job. We'll have tnt machines, tnt cannons, withers. So say your goodbyes tonight, forever."
"What do you mean?"
"What the fuck..."
"That's it! That's all! I'm leaving!" Dream enderpearled out. "See you tomorrow!"
"Wait he just dipped," Techno laughed. People got confident and went to attack the two.
"Attack us and the disc goes to Dream!" Alice shouted.
"STOP, STOP," Tommy screeched. "Don't fucking hit them!" Fundy and Quackity and the rest of them backed off.
"Hey this is pretty nice," Alice said to her friend.
"Yeah, I'm starting to understand why Dream's so obsessed with them," Techno replied. "Anyways, let me get my words in."
He turned to Tommy. "Tommy, give me back my axe. You're not worthy. I was wrong."
"No," Tommy refused after a moment of silence. "Y'know what Technoblade. I am worthy. And you're not going to side with Dream to take down L'manberg, are you?"
"I've been so transparent-"
"WHY?"
"About how I'm going to destroy the government-"
"NO. Go away! Leave!"
"I've explained my reasons, I've explained abc, they executed me, they betrayed me, you betrayed me!"
"You betrayed Philza.." Alice said quietly.
"You've made a decision that can't be undone today, and you know what? I respect you Tommy. Y'know..you're free to make your own choices, wrong as they are. That's what anarchy is about," Techno told him. "It's about freedom. To do what you want. But all I have to say Tommy, is that I hope you don't come to regret it."
They stared at each other for a moment.
"ANYWAYS IM OUT THERES LIKE 30 PEOPLE HERE," Techno quickly pearled. "BYE IDIOTS!"
"Wait, Alice is still here," Fundy brought out his sword.
"Don't even try to fucking take me you weak ass fucking rodent," She threatened. He made a strange whimper like noise and backed behind Quackity. "You attack me and the disc goes to Sapnap."
"What?! Why?!" Tommy questioned.
"Cause it would piss you off," She grinned.
"I mean, you could give it to me now, I wouldn't mind," Sapnap joked.
"No, I think I'll keep it safe for a while," She replied, facing Tommy.
"Alice, you hate Dream. You'd never team up with him," Tommy said.
"You stayed with us for how long and you still don't understand me?" She laughed. "Techno is siding with Dream and I'm siding with Techno."
"But why?! You don't have to!"
"I do, Tommy. I won't fight against him and I won't watch him from the sidelines, I'll support him."
"What the...fuck you man, just leave!" Tommy yelled at her.
"I had a question for you, before I left," She told him.
"What."
"How much was I worth?"
"What?"
"How much was I worth?" She repeated. "If Tubbo was worth less than your discs, and you left us for him, then how little did I matter to you?"
"I..no, you did...the discs-"
"I guess that answers it," She laughed to herself. "I was ready to die for you tonight and the discs are still what mattered more. I wonder how much you're all worth..." She looked around at Tommy's allies.
"Alice..please don't do this," Ranboo said quietly. She stared at him. Then looked to Eret. Then Tubbo. Then Fundy. Then Quackity. Then Punz.
"If you plan to fight for L'manberg, be prepared to die for it," She warned before walking away. With the disc in her possession, no one dared to stop her.
•
Alice stood with Phil as Techno took Dream to the vault. She hadn't said anything since she got back, mostly because her voice hurt, and because she had to make it seem like she was super traumatized.
"This is going to be awesome," Dream laughed. "I mean, Alice, I'm surprised you agreed to this since I know you don't like me."
"Yeah, I don't really like you. I don't like why you do things and I don't like how you do things," She sighed. "But I can respect your intelligence and...use of materials."
"I could say the same."
"But after tomorrow, it's over," She reiterated. "A non-zero sum game."
"No strings attached," He promised.
"Non-zero sum game..." Techno echoed.
"We aren't friends but we work together to benefit equally," Alice explained briefly. "It's game theory."
"Ahhh, yes," Techno acted like he understood.
"Thank you for your help, both of you," Dream said.
"Oh no problem," Techno responded.
"I am curious to see what you'll do with Tommy's disc," Dream chuckled.
"Well what're you going to do with Tommy's disc," She shot back.
"Oh y'know, some things. You don't have to worry about it."
"Then you don't have to worry either," She shrugged.
"How much will it take to get it from you," He wondered.
"Oh you'd be kissing my shoes for years," She told him.
"Right, I don't even know why I asked," Dream sighed.
Alice was holding onto the disc and she didn't plan on letting go.
•
The streams were over and the day was close to ending. Alice was in bed, staring up at her ceiling. Wilbur was on the phone, as he normally was, but he'd been asleep for a while.
She was tired, exhausted from all the yelling but she couldn't fall asleep. The betrayal of Tommy hit harder than it should've. Not because Tommy betrayed her, it was supposed to happen, it was scripted...even if she didn't read it.
It hit her hard when she and Techno went back to the base without any of Tommy's banter or jokes. It was like there was a little void where his energy used to be. But that still wasn't why she was left awake.
When she went to visit Wilbur, he was always with her. She'd come home and it felt like there was a void where his presence was supposed to be. She felt lonely knowing he wasn't physically beside her.
It was close to 2am for Alice meaning it was around 10am for Will. She could hear him waking up and yawning.
"Good morning," She said quietly.
"Jesus Alice, you just gave me a heart attack," Wilbur gasped.
"Sorry," She smiled.
"Why're you still awake?"
"I can't sleep," She told him.
"Why not?"
"Thinking.."
"You're always thinking," He laughed. "It's never kept you awake before."
"It's a different kind of thinking," She sighed.
"Do you..want to talk about it?" He asked. "Is it something you can talk about?"
"Yeah, I can," She replied. He was asking if it was easy to explain, if it easy to talk about. "I think I'm regretting going to Britain."
"Why? What happened?" He questioned. "Was it me? Did I do something?"
"Yeah, I want to see you again," She could hear him let out a breath of relief. She smiled knowing he had a mini panic at her words.
"You can't just say you regret that, I thought you regretted meeting me!"
"I do! Maybe if we hadn't met yet, I wouldn't miss you this much.."
"Awwe Alice," Wilbur was flustered on the other side. "Trust me, I miss you just as much."
"But the UK's on a lockdown," She mumbled.
"Yeah, it..sucks. It really sucks," He agreed. "But we'll see each other again, I guarantee it."
"I hope so.."
"Hey, when's your birthday?"
"February 7th, 1999," She relayed tiredly.
"That's pretty soon," He realized.
"Mhm."
"Are you falling asleep?"
"A little, you're distracting me from thinking," She hummed.
"You need sleep with the whole destroying L'manberg today," He chuckled.
"Right..anarchy poggg."
Wilbur let out a laugh. "Want me to play?" He asked. He meant play guitar. It wasn't the same as it was in person, but she still liked hearing it. "I've been using a new set of chords."
"Sure.."
"Alright, give me two seconds," She heard him rummaging around and tuning the guitar. "Ready?"
"Of course."
Alice listened to the music and recognized it as her childhood lullaby.
"Hey, I know that song!"
"Yeah, it was the one you were humming a while ago, I couldn't get the notes out of my head so I figured it out on guitar," He explained.
"That's lovely.." She sighed. "It's the song my grandma would sing when she put me to bed."
"Does it have a name?"
"No, she always said she had to come up with an original song. Something unique and something only for me."
"It's your melody then, isn't it?" He asked.
"In a way..." She could feel her eyelids getting heavily.
"I love it," Wilbur resumed playing.
"Promise me, we'll see each other again soon?" She asked of him.
"I promise," He said softly. "And I won't let you go next time."
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