Smiles
(Chapter Two part one)
Y/N's P.O.V
After my turn in the arena Jared was eliminated. Niki was next on the field and luckily she had won against someone named Fundy. Sapnap had won against Schlatt, Wilbur won against Skeppy. Eret had lost to George. Pokimane had lost to Dream. Again and again the numbers fell until the only people that remained were Technoblade, Sapnap, George, Dream, Wilbur, Niki, and me.
"Alright everyone I will be needing you to follow me down to the underground tunnels." Everyone got up curiously. Following the stranger down a secret door hidden by fighting equipment and ragged cloth. It was dusty and narrow. Torches were spread thin as some tripped over their own two feet and on others legs, safe to say it wasn't exactly a comfortable experience.
I was careful not to step in cobwebs knowing how sticky those could be until I hear a small squeal behind me. Looking back, Niki had gotten her foot stuck in a cobweb.
"Niki? Do you need help?" I asked but I couldn't help but feel a little amused at her expression.
"Pleaseee..?" She whined. I chuckled silently as I stepped over the green hooded man's legs that were halfway through the narrow hall due to the fact he was leaning against the wall. "Don't worry Niki I'll get it." I replied.
Bending down I lightly gripped her ankles and raised just a bit, grabbing the shears. I carefully cut the strings that wrapped around Niki's ankle, doing my best not to hurt the web or Niki. Just on time, as I let go of Niki's ankle baby spiders started crowding the web, repairing the strings that I needed to cut. Luckily, none of the cut strings were vital to the web so it was repaired within seconds. I nodded to the baby spiders as the mama spider simply drew a heart on the web as a thank you.
"Ah, thank you!~" Niki cooed, grabbing my hands and pulling me up on my feet but I stumbled a bit. Almost immediately I was pulled into a hug by Niki, her putting a hand behind my neck and another around my waist as she pulled me close and pushed my face into her chest.
I squeaked at the motion, my mask being pushed up above my nose a little as my hood fell and my hair came loose, almost falling out of it's tie. Niki took no notice as she pet my head, squeezing my small body further into her arms. My wrists were pushed into my neck as I turned to push my head into Niki's chest out of embarrassment. The tips of my ears felt hot and blush bloomed on my face, my mask was deathly close to falling off.
My thoughts were so noisy that I almost missed to cooes and awwe's coming from some of the guys while others were staring at the ceiling, most had red faces, and a few had nosebleeds. Niki reluctantly let go but giggled at my face, my hair was messy and threatened to fall out of its high ponytail/ the strap of my mask was about to slip off. My mask rode over to the side and my face was flushed from my neck to the tips of my ears.
(A/N: My school friends did this to me all the time and it was so embarrassing being squished into their tits)
I huffed as Niki giggled at the boys behind me, I was still fixing up my hair, retying it/adjusting the strap of my mask and fixing my mask so that it covered my face once more. I spinned on my heel only to fall backwards once more, before I could fall I felt long arms move under mine and lift me up to save me from falling. I blinked a few times to understand what had just happened. I squeaked looking down to see my feet hovering above the floor and strong arms wrapped under my knees and supporting my back. Since when was I ever this clumsy?
I turned my head over only to come face to face with a mask akin to mine. My body jolted, startled a little since I was not expected to see a face --or a mask technically-, so close to my own. Only difference was that his mask had beady black eyes.
In a way it was actually cute.
"Well if it isn't the one and only." He chuckled. I cocked my head to the side curiously like a puppy, not quite understanding what he meant.
"I think I've met an angel from Heaven." He purred. Hell no bitch I am out.
"Ah, a delusional idiot, I thought your kind was disposed of in the ditch behind the castle. Do you want me to escort you to your deathbed?" I said in a monotonous way. I left him to think of a retort while I gently pried his arms off me, making sure not to grip too hard, so I could hop down from his grasp.
Smiling to myself as two boys ran up to the masked man while teasing, taunting and snickering. Their friendship was peculiar but amazing in a way. A small feeling bloomed in my chest, it felt suffocating, but strangely pleasant. My mind went dizzy with thoughts whirling around, all simultaneously synchronized on the warm weight in my lungs.
It didn't take much longer to reach because soon we had arrived at the castle's inner walls, they towered high above your head, the stone pale and smooth almost glittering under the sunlight that leaked through the clouds, you could trail you eyes along the lines between the cool, smooth stones and watch the ends point skywards. There was calm air around everyone and a happy silence no one dared to break.
Nobody needed to speak, the skies grew dark, casting an angry shadow over the kingdoms and townspeople. The ground shook underneath our feet pebbles seemed to shiver and the walls shuddered, somehow holding themselves strong against the small quakes that rippled through our anchor, the soil trembled and the dirt dusted, loud cracks like whips sounded and bounced in the dusty air, cracks were forming in the earth below us. Everyone had eyes wide with panic, heart pounding in their chest that seemed to beat in their ears.
I was frozen. I stood, completely steady unlike those around me who wobbled, their knees shuddering as their legs wobbled.
"Damn, it seems we hosted the princesses' coronation too late." Everyone whipped their heads over to see a blonde man who was holding his chin in his hand and his palm holding his elbow.
The man had an exasperated look on his face, clearly disappointed but why he was was a mystery.with ash coloured wings, the feathers ruffled slightly due to his agitation and worry. Unlike earlier he didn't wear fancy clothes and capes but instead he wore a green robe with a black coat overlapping it, and a green and white striped sun hat. He wore wooden sandals and overall a simple looking appearance. Not many would be able to tell if he was a king or a commoner.
Beside the man was Minx, her purple-dyed hair tied into a loose low ponytail, she wore a loose black T-shirt, a brown leather belt on her waist, baggy cargo pants that were rolled up to halfway up her calves, she wore boots with thick red soles and overall a very casual compared to the heavy gown she had worn only hours earlier. Her eyeliner was sharp and completely flawless, and completely on point just like the rest of her makeup.
Everyone peered curiously at the blonde man who didn't notice the stares aimed his way, as if he was in his own little world.
I stared at the ground blankly but my expression was hidden behind the mask, cold to the touch. I felt my fingers tingle in anticipation, my body felt cold, but in a way it was comforting. A numbing sensation clouded my chest as I blinked away my thoughts, all of them banging on my skull, screaming at me.
"Oh, pardon me, I'm Philza for those of you who are unaware." He perked up, a soft smile adorned his face but it didn't last long. The ground groaned once more and Phil's expression quickly morphed into one of frustration, his brows knit together and his lips pressed together in a thin line, his eyes glinting with worry.
"Everything will be explained in due time but for now please follow me and we will find the princess later."
Everyone's eyes widened.
"Well then who is she?" Someone blurted out. Some of the people who had turned their head to look at the brunette with white clout glasses was in fact, the one who shouted.
Phil sighed. "Like I said all will be explained in due time but for now we need to get out of danger, the ceremony was hosted too late."
"Phil, what's happening?" A blank voice asked. It was Techno. Phil only chuckled, it didn't sound like a pleasant one though, it almost sounded sad. Philza merely sent him a tired glance, rolling his eyes in the process.
"Your sister loves to give us a run for our crowns." Philza shrugged. He started to walk in another direction, entering the castle doors.
The dark oak doors groaned as they opened, a large gust of warm air tickling my face softly. Everyone entered with heavy steps, all pondering, probably thinking 'exactly what did I get myself into?'. I internally sighed feeling the warmth of the castle fireplace engulf me, it was bittersweet. A sour taste filled my mouth as a wave of nostalgia traced my skin. I shivered as a pained expression flashed across my face. I pressed my lips into a thin line, tapping the rim of my cold mask beside my eye as I inhaled soundlessly, the feeling of eyes tingling on my skin, like needles grazing the surface. I open my eyes and find myself staring into piercing blue eyes. Phil's gaze bore into me. I stared back at the blonde who studied me curiously. It was clear he was judging every contestant carefully, his awareness of his surroundings was spiking like static. Some people seemed to squirm a little under his analyzing eyes, clearly they thought it unnerving. I turned my head to the left in hopes of breaking the eye contact only to continue to feel his eyes lingering on my face.
"Can you explain now?" Dream had spoken up for everyone. His arms were crossed and his voice stern.
"Well, what is there to explain." Philza sighed. Bringing a hand to his face he rubbed it tiredly.
"Mr. Philza, you said 'find the princess' if the princess isn't Minx then who am I fighting for? Who and where the fuck is this 'princess'? I want to know what I got myself into." I whipped my head over not recognizing the voice as any of the contestants.
It was Schlatt. I forgot he had a wildcard.
Wildcards. Seemingly a second chance for a person to claw their way to the top. Certain people who sign up and have been chosen randomly to be given a stamp beside their name. They are picked purely out of luck, mostly these 'wildcards' are a saving grace for people who manage to get eliminated once. Wildcards only give you one more chance, the next time you fail, it's the tip of the blade.
Schlatt, Eret, and a few others had gotten wildcards but they weren't allowed to take the same tunnel as other contestants. It probably took them a while to get here. I thought, my memories and ideas spinning throughout my head.
Phil smiled tiredly before letting out an exasperated sigh. I smiled at this, it had reminded me of old memories of a time when everyone was happier.
"Alright, alright." He chuckled lightly. "I'll do my best to provide you with answers but only one question at a time."
I didn't have a lot of questions though I'm guessing everyone else did since they were all practically buzzing with curiosity. Sighing, I leaned on the nearby wall, my eyelids fluttering shut as I simply listened to the commotion.
-With Phil-
"So what questions do you have, and only one by one please." Phil smiled.
"Why does Technoblade know you?" Dream said bluntly. He was the first to speak up.
Phil smiled. "That's because he's my son, Dream." Everyone glanced at the pink haired male who stood in the corner of the room awkwardly as if he got caught sneaking out of the room.
"Damn, cover blown." Techno mumbled under his breath as he made his way to Phil's side.
"Does that mean you have other sons Phil?" Niki asked. She hadn't spoken for a while, most forgetting she was there.
"Yes I do, Techno is the eldest, Wilbur coming in second, and Tommy, he's the youngest." Phil explained.
As if on queue shouting could be heard echoing in the halls. Everyone turned their heads to see a blonde haired boy chasing a brunette. The blonde boy wore a red and white baseball shirt, light wash jeans, and white sneakers with dirtied soles.
The blonde seemed to be laughing maniacally while the brunette just screamed in fear.
The brunette also happened to be Tubbo.
Tubbo wore a green flannel, some dark blue jeans, with black and white sneakers.
The two boys ran around, weaving through the people clumsily.
"Oh,Hi Phil, Techno, Wil, and a bunch of strangers I don't know, BYE-" Tommy greeted briefly but left quickly, continuing to chase Tubbo who was practically crying for dear life.
The room was silent for a moment as the guests absorbed what they just witnessed and processed it slowly. Phil, Techno, and Wilbur on the other hand, just stood there as if this was something they dealt with everyday, having grown accustomed to Tommy and Tubbos shenanigans over the years.
Yeah it's not everyday you witness gremlin child behaviour. Phil, Wilbur, and Techno all thought at the same time, sweat dropping.
"You'll get used to it, compared to how chaotic the duo are, this is pretty lax." Wilbur smiled.
"Wait- if you already have three sons why do you need the princess to be your heir? Isn't it supposed to be the eldest son to be the one to inherit the throne?" Sapnap had blurted out.
Everyone had nodded slightly, having the same question in mind.
"Well I'm an anarchist meaning it wouldn't be right for me to run the country." Techno replied, shrugging.
"What about Wilbur?" George quizzed.
"Wilbur is the founder of L'manberg meaning he's already in charge of a country." Philza answered.
Wilbur chuckled, crossing his arms as he sat himself on an armrest.
"And what about Tommy?" Eret mumbled. He didn't speak much, so his low voice surprised some people.
"While he may not look like it, Tommy is only 16. He's underage so he's not old enough for the throne not to mention he's part of L'manberg." Wilbur injected.
George had spoken up. "Can you elaborate on what you meant when you said that the coronation was started too late?"
"Yeah!" Sapnap quipped. "Why did the ground start shaking?"
"Well, that's a bit of a complicated story." Philza shrugged. His lighthearted expression had morphed into one of seriousness.
" Every time an heir comes of age a ceremony or ritual, whatever it's called, has to be held so that they may claim their right to the throne. When the heir is not on the throne on time the plates shift, the duty of being a ruler in this country is more than it should be seeing as we hang in the balance, I won't tell the whole story for now know that it's critical that this kingdom needs its throne."
"And the princess? They said the princess would be here to pick her suitor but if Minx isn't the princess then who exactly am I here for?" Schlatt raised a brow. His arms were crossed and his face held a glare.
"I can answer that." Looking over everyone's head had to turn up to be met with two faces. One was a black skinned demon, he wore a black, red rimmed jacket, baggy jet black cargo pants, and heavy duty boots. The demon had a satchel on his shoulder and a sheath hanging on his belt. His height was freaky. 9'6 to be exact.
A very intimidating 9'6 demon.
Next to him stood a hybrid. Half his fur was black while the other side was white. The boy wore a black suit that fit well on his tall, slender figure, his red tie standing out from the black and whiote aesthetic he wore. His heterochromatic eyes glowed, the one of the left being a vibrant green and the other bright red. While you could tell he was half enderman the second half no one was quite sure. Thanks to his enderman blood the boy was about 8'5 in height, not as tall as the latter but still tall, nonetheless.
"Oh right! You muffins don't know me. I'm Bad which is short for Badboyhalo and this is Ranboo!" The demon known as Bad chirped.
And 'intimidating' gets thrown out the window, I think I saw it fly by mine.
"Um, Bad?" Ranboo timidly said.
"Huh? Oh! Yes, Ranboo?"
"They asked about the princess."
"Oh! Right, well.." Bad took a breath.
"WE never specifically said it would be the princess choosing between suitors, Princess Minx was to give our princess options after she watched the tournament. Minx is a princess yes, just not our princess. Our princess left the castle years ago, though that's not my story to tell. Due to the fact none of the sons are able to inherit the throne it falls on the princess to find a suitor so they may manage the country.
Ever since the death of the Queen the whole country went into mourning, to know the princess had disappeared without any context would probably drive them crazy. The country loves their royales deeply so it would break their hearts.
All of you don't know much about this kingdom so I'm guessing you aren't a citizen. Most of you may have status and riches but that's useless in this competition, if you hurt our princess this countries' people wouldn't hesitate to make your life hell. The country is more protective of the princess since she's known for her kindness and heart of gold. The Queen's death only made them even more protective to the point if someone they didn't know or belong to this country were to have any bad intentions towards our princess, well, they'd set your kingdom on fire.
This country is a tight knit meaning most people know each other and we don't really have any currency making our country a refuge, a place to serve as a home and security. Our country is known for its friendliness and safety. Our country was made this way thanks to the Empress but like I said, she died.
The towns haven't seen the royales in ages, most don't know their name or what they look like while others are too old to remember. This whole event is a bigger deal that normally would be considering these facts. Minx was here to assist in the choices made for the princess, you could have won the whole thing but if the princess refuses you then you walk away with nothing. Every part of this coronation was planned down to the singular details, it's not all about how you fight."
"Bad, you're getting off track, they asked about the princess and you're giving them weird half-life half-history lessons." Ranboo stated, deadpanning.
"Oh..." Bad trailed off, suddenly snapping out of his formerly serious state. "Oops!" He giggled. Everyone smiled at his positive attitude, it was infectious.
"Well I have to leave, I'm still on duty. Who should come with me for patrol?" Everyone glanced curiously at the tall boy, not quite understanding why he asked such a thing.
"Oh, How about Wilbur, Techno, and Dream." Now it was the three's turn to look at Phil questioningly.
"Did we not tell you? Well I suppose that's alright. The tournament is over, that was a test to see how well you do in front of a crowd. This is another test, but I can't spill that tea just yet." Phil smiled.
That smile only sent shivers down their spines.
That smile, and the mischievous glint in his eye.
.
.
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To Be Continued <3
Words: 3407
Be fucking proud of me /j
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