Reunited once again, the platonic pair jumped at the chance to hug each other. With faces and demeanors falling relief, arms open wide- "That's enough of you two."
Just as Ranboo's fingertips brushed against Tubbo's, the sentient was yanked back by the collar of his shirt. The halfling struggled with all his might, but he was no match for the man who restrained him.
Tubbo let out a wretched howl of agony. "NO, RANBOO!!"
"Aww, isn't that nice?" Wilbur cooed. "I think he'll miss you. Say goodbye to your family, Ranboo."
"NO, RANBOO!! DON'T GO!!"
"Tubbo!" the hybrid choked. "Tubbo, I'll come back for you- I swear! Don't worry, Michael! Be strong!"
The British host hummed. "I believe we're all out of time."
"RANBOO-!!"
Tubbo's cries faded, an endlessly tragic loop as Wilbur and Ranboo were erased from existence. The goat hybrid and his piglin son were alone in limbo once again...
A second later, the two visitors were outside Philza's cottage. Wilbur threw Ranboo to the ground, but the creature was quicker. The sentient stumbled forward a few steps, and turned to punish the wicked outcast. "Where the hell was that?!"
The Brit shrugged, digging a cigarette out from his pocket and placing it between his lips. "Well, exactly. Hell. Although, technically it's limbo to be more precise."
Ranboo burned with an incurable rage. How dare this monster mess with his family?! He was going to pay, and pay dearly. The creature shoved the man's shoulders, causing the Brit 's cig to fall in the snow. "Release them!!" the enderman hybrid demanded. "Now!!"
Wilbur narrowed his eyes in displeasure. "Not until you finish your tasks."
"My tasks?!" Ranboo spluttered. "I don't even know what my tasks are, but even if I did, I wouldn't do them. Not for you."
"You can and you will."
"No. I've had it up to here with your mind games!" the hybrid shouted. "I know about the cave, and the tunnels, and Eret, and the bombs around The Egg, and the ones under the town, and Dream, and Techno, and Sam, and all your little plans. I'm done."
SMACK! Ranboo's head snapped to the right with the blunt force of Wilbur's palm. "You will obey me, cretin, and carry out my peace!"
"What peace?!" the hybrid yelled. "You think you can seriously stop these wars?! You and Dream and Quackity and Bad are all monsters! MONSTERS!! It'll never work!!"
"It will once your husband signs over his arms." The shock of Wilbur's statement hurt more than the sucker punch he'd delivered to the enderman's gut. "I'm surprised you didn't piece it together, Ranboo," the Brit mocked. "Tubbo's been with us since the very beginning." Another blow across the face sent the hybrid to the ground.
Ranboo hissed in pain. "Tubbo would never join you," he grunted, "not willingly. I bet you forced him to do it- threatened to hurt me, to hurt Michael-" A swift kick to the ribs shut the halfling right up.
The Brit crouched low to the ground, a devilish twinkle dancing in his eyes. "No, Ranboo. Tubbo came to me. All the scheming and the planning- that was your soulmate's doing. Tubbo's been the real villain all along."
An overwhelming sense of panic washed over Ranboo so quick, he wasn't prepared for it. A heartbeat later, his vision faded to purple, and everything went black.
How we feeling, everyone?? Good? Traumatized? Well, don't you worry- there's plenty more where that came from. B)
Vote to start the climax!! Should be starting in the next few chapters!! :DDD
As always, thank you so much for the ongoing support!! Your kindness has fueled my motivation to write this story. I'm eternally grateful. <333
[Image Credits] "angry eye" (Cropped Slightly) by hans van den berg (https://www.flickr.com/photos/myimage/1247663055/)