Tommy's POV:
I didn't think much about the festival.
It was just an event that Tubbo was running and he seemed to enjoy it. Apparently it was Schlatt's way of celebrating Democracy and the return of Tubbo. I knew it was really just a way for him to get drunk without anyone judging him.
I want to go. I haven't been to any parties since... I can't even remember. I wanted to at least see it and try to catch some of the conversation. I just wanted to see how it would go. I was still curious of it though so I decided to talk to Wilbur and Techno about it. I still hate them but unfortunately, the more I ignore them the more I miss them.
The only other time I needed them was when Sapnap killed Henry and I got myself caught up in a small war because I was blinded by rage. Techno came to help me and we resolved the issue.
I gave Techno a small thanks and he ruffled my hair in return. I would be lying if I told you I didn't lean into his touch. I missed his small bits of affection.
I smoothly came up to them and asked them if they knew about the matter. "Uhhhh hey guys. Do you know about the festival?"
Techno didn't look up from sharping his sword, scraping the stone against its amethyst surface. Wilbur was pacing the room, eyes far away.
"Yeah, who doesn't at this point. I don't see the big deal about it" Techno spoke, sparks flying. Wilbur stopped pacing and slouched against the wall, hands in his hair.
"C-can we go?" I asked. Techno looked up and studied me with a confused look. He sheathed his sword and sighed.
"First of all, I want a reason why and secondly, I don't think your invited" Techno lectured me.
"I just want to go see how it will be, Tubbo is really excited for it" I muttered sheepishly. I stared at the ground, scared to meet the ruby eyes. It was a stupid question. Why should I want to go? No one wants me there. I should apologi-
"Fine Tommy" I looked up to see Techno sigh and smile at me. "But it's not my fault if you get killed"
I tried to hide my excitement but a massive grin managed to slip past my lips.
* * * * *
Wilbur's POV:
This is the perfect opportunity to blow Manberg to ashes.
I groaned as I sat down, hands plucking at my hair. My brothers were saying things but the words just went through my skull.
There was a war going inside me, two sides of myself which crashed against each other. I've heard people call it a battle of two wolves, I guess that could be accurate. All I knew is that it hurt.
Part of me wanted to Blow up L'Manberg so badly. It was ruled by dictators, me being one of them. I held an election with only my party in it for fuck's sake! It is now just a shell of what I fought for, it became the very thing we were against. I could erase all my mistakes with one simple press of a button. I could erase L'Manberg, I could erase the biggest mistake of my life.
I could be free from guilt.
The other part of me, the other wolf if you may, wanted to save L'Manberg. I worked so hard to get it and I'm working hard to get it back now, well kind of. I could create a safe place again. It might not be what I wanted it to be but it would be enough. I could be at peace again and I could be free. I could save it for my little brother, who needed it dearly.
Me and Tommy could finally be at peace again.
My beanie slipped off my head and fell on my neck. My eyes were squeezed shut and I'm sure that if I pull any hander on my hair I will rip it off. My heart was in my throat and a single thought repeated in my mind.
It hurts.
I did care that a hands were shaking me and I didn't care that a muffled voice told me to breathe. I didn't care that my chest was aching and I didn't care that my vision swam and was speckled with dark spots.
All I could hear was the throbbing of my heart and the voices that-...
The voices...
They were overwhelming, telling me what to do but they were fighting each other...
And it's tearing me apart.
Why can't I see? Why do I feel concrete beneath my fingers? Why is everything so cold? Why am I so tired?
Why?
* * * * *
"Tommy look what I found"
"Wha- What is that?!"
"D o m e"
"D o m e?"
"D O M E"
———
"Wilbur why didn't you save me?"
"It's all your fault Wilbur"
"I WISH YOU WERE NEVER MY BROTHERS!"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I snapped awake. The line still ringing in my ears. I groaned loudly and pressed my hand against my sweaty forehead. What happened?
"Wilbur! Your awake!" I whipped around to see a figure that I did not expect.
"Dad?" I asked. Phil stood in the doorway, studying me. "Wha- What happened? Why are you here? Are you here?" I asked, my breathing hitching again.
"Hey, Wilb. I'm here, calm down okay?" Phil rushed over to me and held my hands tightly. "You had a panic attack, a pretty serious one. I came here to stay for the night and arrived right when it happened" Phil explained to me, rubbing circles on my back.
"Why are you staying the night?" I asked, curiosity getting ahold of me. Phil uncomfortably shifted next to me but kept his gaze.
"I was invited to the festival" He said. My vision seemed to be made of glass, a few cracks appearing on the surface.
"Oh... That's nice" I muttered. I shouldn't feel like this, but I couldn't help but feel a twang of jealousy.
"Wait what is the date today?" I asked, snapping out of my trans. "It's the 26th" Phil said, voice still gentle. My eyes widened and I stood up with such speed that I almost fell on my face.
"The festival is today isn't it?" I asked, pulling my coat over my white T-Shirt. Phil calmly stood up and readjusted his own black coat. "Yeah it is"
"Well you better get ready then. It's a long walk on foot" I said. Phil sighed and agreed leaving the room to presumably go get his belongings ready.
As I was pulling on my boots I heard a soft knock on my door. "You can come in" I said, standing up straight. The door creaked open and revealed my twin brother standing in the doorway.
"Hey Wilbur, Can I talk to you?" He asked. I quietly sighed, he was going to ask me about my episode wasn't he? "Sure" I muttered and followed him out.
While Techno paced up the stairs he huffed; "Let's go on a walk". I followed him up, not questioning why or where we're going.
The moment we went outside the chilly air hit me. The sun was gently stroking patches of the cold ground with its rays and a few birds dared chirp a tune on the bare trees. It was a lovely day today, the perfect day for the festival. Tubbo knows what he's doing.
"So Wilbur, I came to ask you a few things" Techno said, while walking in some direction in the forest. His cape was floating majestically behind his back and he stood tall as he talked. He really is like a god.
I groaned loudly, knowing what's coming next. He's going to lecture me, I will make a fake promise to stop him from worrying and then we would come to an nice brotherly bond hug. He cares to much about me.
"Don't worry I'm not talk about your panic attack" he said, which shocked me slightly. We made our way up to a large hill that looked over the entire forest.
"I wanted to talk about Tommy" He turned his head towards me, a mixture of a concerned and a serious face on display.
"He wants to secretly go to the festival, because he is still a child and he still enjoys going to them" I nodded at his statement, taking in every bit of information that was given. "I want you to make sure he will be alright. Keep him safe, out of trouble"
"Well that is just my standard job" I said to him with a small smile.
"Wilbur there is something else, something bad" My face started to fall at the statement. "What do you mean?"
Techno sighed and stared at the woods again. The sun sprinkled trees danced in the gold, making a beautiful gray and gold sight. "I suspect that something is going to go wrong, and that a death is going to occur. Tommy is going to be broken, and we have to be there for him okay?"
I nodded, the words repeating in my head. A death? Who's? Why? "But we also have to be prepared to let him go. He will snap and run away again by my prediction, and we can't get him back this time Will"
"There is a reason he ran away and not to us"
The words hit me like a brick behind the head but I still managed to stay upright. "But let's hope I'm wrong" Techno finished up our conversation. I looked him in his eyes and held our gaze for some time.
His eyes looked the way they always have; Ruby red with tins of brown near the pupil. They were calm and steady, not breaking our gaze one bit. The brown part of his eyes seemed to slowly grow larger until we broke our gaze, where it snapped back to its bloody colour.
We made our way back and was greeted by the rest if our family.
This is going to be a long and dreadful day.
* * * * *
Tommy's POV:
"TUBBO!"
I can't believe he actually said yes. I know that technically I wasn't going to be at the festival and that I would be killed on sight if I was spotted but I got to witness what will happen and quietly laugh at the jokes.
It was pathetic to be honest but I am a pathetic teen and I will take any chance I get.
We arrived at the festival early, trying to find the perfect place to hide in while still witness everything that will happen. Wilbur suggested in a tree and Techno snorted at his suggestion and then I asked them about the abandoned NASA building. Everyone seemed to agree that it was a good enough spot.
When we were successfully inside we said our goodbyes to our older companions and a thick awkward silence filled the air. We just stood around for a few minutes looking at each other in the fading light until we heard voices near the door and fled up the stairs to the top floor.
I reached my arm out to Wilbur as he pulled me onto the roof. The sun has officially set, saying that the festival was soon to begin.
Everyone gathered under the podium, except for Schlatt, Big Q and Tubbo, who sat on their separate chairs on the stage. Schlatt gave a small pep talk before returning to the crowd and started shaking hands with the citizens with Quackity at his side.
I messaged Tubbo and told him to come and meet us. I saw Tubbo slip away from the crowd and my vision to my brother who sat next to me.
He seemed to notice my stare and he looked at me with a soft gaze. He opened his mouth just to close it again and look away. He seemed so torn between two worlds, lost in his own mind.
"Hey guys!" Tubbo spoke up behind us. It made me jump slightly but I turned to my best friend with a grin. Wilbur shot him a welcoming smile and patted the spot next to him. Tubbo flopped down next to him and fiddled with the buttons of his blazer. He looked really nice with his green tie and black suit. His hair was combed to the side in a lazy fashion.
"I'm sorry" Wilbur's voice cut through the silence like a knife. I looked at him, his head hung in shame and his voice sounded hoarse. "Sorry?" I asked.
"I said I'm sorry. I'm sorry for what I did to you and I'm sorry what I did to your home. It was wrong and I was being a selfish prick. I thought I was doing the right thing and I see now that I wrong. I know that you won't forgive me and I can understand it but know that I'm sorry. I'm a selfish, stupid, useless, awful brother and you deserve so much mor"
I cut him off by leaping in his arms. I nuzzled into his shoulder and soon I felt arms wrap around me to. Wilbur was shaking madly and I am sure that he was crying as well. "I still don't forgive you, bitch" I whispered into his shoulder.
I pulled out of the hug to see my suspicions confirmed. "But maybe we can start over?" I smiled at him.
I didn't forget his actions, and I don't forgive him either but I can't go without my brother. Not yet.
"Just saying your still a dickhead" I smiled at him. He laughed and I was soon to follow. I glanced at Tubbo who was brightly smiling at me. I slipped my hand into his, a habit I learned while in Logstedshire with him.
We spent the rest of our time together making fun of Techno behind his back, talking about random things and almost falling over the building with laughter. Everyone was at a Party Island so no one could hear us unless they really tried to. At some point I saw Phil and Techno, they seemed to be enjoying themselves. Everything came to a stop when everyone was called to the podium again.
Tubbo slipped away into the crowd and onto the stage with the President and Vise-President. With a few difficulties beforehand Schlatt startes his speech to the crowd.
"Hello everybody! I'm surprisingly not great with speeches and that is why Tubbo will give us one in a second but before we begin I just wanted to say thank you. Thank you for all of those who stayed loyal to the nation and stuck with us through the hard times. I mean look at where we are now!"
He paused for affect and I could have sworn he was looking straight at me, but his eyes soon moved on back to the crowd. "So without further ado, Tubbo will you take the lead?"
Tubbo nodded and gripped the mic. He glanced at me and I gave him a thumbs up. He took a deep breath before starting his speech.
The crowd was silent and took in every word he said. I know that the speech was against us but it still warmed my heart to see Tubbo progress this far.
"- And let the festival begin!" He ended with a smile.
A low chuckle erupted from the stage. Everyone turned to Schlatt, who was laughing with his head hung on low. He looked up and breathed in deeply to catch his breath.
He signaled something to his right hand man and Quackity grabbed Tubbo's wrist. Something wasn't right, something was definitely not right.
I glanced at Wilbur who stood at my side, he wore a concerned face and he turned to face me as well. We locked eyes and he nodded before grabbing my hand. Under normal circumstances I would have brushed it away but now I needed a bit of comfort.
Schlatt was saying words I didn't take in, I only focused on Tubbo and where he was heading. He was being shoved into a cage next to the podium that I haven't noticed earlier. The steel shone in the festivals lights and illuminated my best friends distressed face. He was trying to talk his way to the Vice-President but Big Q continued to lock him up and stare at his president.
"This right here, ladies and gentlemen, is what you call a traitor and a coward." My attention snapped to the fuming goat man. He clutched the microphone so fiercely I could see his white knuckles from here. "He ran away with the enemy and I'm sure he would have stayed there if it wasn't for me who saved him."
I searched for my family in the crowd and locked eyes with them. Techno held his hand on his sword, ready to pull it out and Phil was also on edge. He shot me a small, comforting smile and turned his attention to the situation again.
"But Traitors have to be punished for their actions" The voice boomed again. Wilbur gave my hand one last squeeze and I squeezed it back, more for my own sake than his.
"So all of you better learn from this little rascal" Schlatt spat. He nodded at Quackity, who stood dully ready with a fully charged crossbow in his hands. "Death is the only suitable punishment"
"TUBBO NO!"
Everything was red.
Lights and liquid flickered everywhere.
Everything was feels muffled, but the ringing is so loud.
I can only see one red thing.
My best friend stuck in a cage.
My bloodied, dead best friend.
* * * * *
I feel like this isn't angsty enough.
Anyway, sorry for the long wait and the rushed chapter. Having ✨m o t a v a t i o n✨ problems.
2900 words pog.
I hope I won't leave you hanging for so long this time.
Hope you enjoyed the chapter!
Make sure to take care of yourselves, you deserve it.
Bye!