The moon let out a sigh of relief at the return of a familiar enderman halfling. The creature was in a kitchen, the very kitchen that had burned to the ground all those nights ago.
This...This can't be real, the sentient thought. It just can't! Wha- The being turned to peer out the window above the kitchen sink, and gasped. There, out in the distance, shone the lantern by Phil's front door. Ranboo couldn't believe it- he really was back in The Syndicate!
The being let out a quiet stream of giggles. Great gods- Karl was right! This was his second chance! Ranboo glanced around the room, trying to ascertain the exact moment he'd reappeared. The clock on the kitchen stove read ten at night. By now, Michael would be fast asleep; Tubbo should be as well.
The sentient ran over to the living room, and stood frozen in the doorway. By the grace of the gods, there were no stacks of books in sight, and the candle by the window remained unlit. He hadn't enderwalked yet; he still had time.
Ranboo sprinted up the stairs and checked the bedrooms. His own living quarters were empty, void of any warmth or presence; Tubbo's was the same. When the sentient peeked into his son's room, he couldn't help but smile. The little piglin lay still under his covers, snoring softly with his favorite stuffie tucked under his chin. Look at him. He's so precious, Ranboo cooed. I won't let you down, son. I promise.
Despite having found Michael, the enderman hybrid had yet to find his platonic husband. A certain setting flashed before Ranboo's eyes, and he instantly knew where to go- he just hoped his hunch was right...
In the belly of his private bunker, Tubbo stood hunched over a large table. Plans and blueprints were strewn left and right, framing the future map of the server. The President bit his lip in worry, swiping his bangs out of his eyes. It was a risky move to betray the alliance, but it was a necessary one on the path to peace. Dream and Wilbur and Quackity and Bad were all incompetent, too stupid to rule over a population.
Dream may have led the server in the beginning, but he had lost his mind in the rise of L'Manberg. Wilbur had once reigned as President of L'Manberg, but he'd turned on his people by aiding in its destruction. Quackity had only founded Las Nevadas as a business venture; his morals could be bought with a high enough offer. And Bad was a steward to an alien superpower; he was merely a pawn in The Egg's endeavors, expendable at the end of the day. With the other leaders proving too weak for the job, that left Tubbo as the only real option.
He had survived countless wars, faced off with every dictator. He knew what it took to run a stable government, so why not a server? The goat hybrid screwed his eyes shut as a whine escaped his throat. Could he really make a difference ruling over a people so prone to violence? What if, after his coup, there was another war? And another? He knew his "allies" would never go quietly into the night. They were likely to fight to their last breath, desperate to retain what little power they had.
Tubbo clenched his teeth as a wild outburst of emotion threatened to overtake him. Why couldn't the other rulers just die? It would make everything so much easier. No more scandals, no more wars, just peace in paradise. Of course, nothing was ever easy: assassinations were messy. Each execution would lead to further scrutiny and fewer allies. Eventually, someone would find out it was the goat hybrid who had killed the others. In a worst-case scenario, they would kill him too, and Tubbo just couldn't allow that.
No, his family needed him, especially his son, Michael. The goat hybrid would do anything to preserve his son's innocence,...which ultimately pushed the President into his final decision: he would nuke the nations of the alliance.
Nukes were quick and impersonal, much less soul-sucking than killing an opponent on the battlefield. The remnants of the server's tragic past would be laid to rest, leaving room for growth under a new world order. The survivors would look for a new hope, and they would find it in Tubbo. As president of the server, he would pave the way to a brighter future, one where Michael would be free from the chaos of his father's time. Yes, the plan was perfect. Tubbo could actually save the server,...but at what cost?
The goat hybrid held his head in his hands as trauma after trauma played in his head. Slaying his former friends in Dream's army, witnessing the explosion of L'Manberg, having to build a nation from ash and dust- could he really do that to an entire server? And if his husband or his son ever found out that he was the man behind the curtain, would they ever forgive him?
The president was so lost in his thoughts that he missed the tell-tale creaking of his planning bunker being breached. It wasn't until a certain voice called out to him that Tubbo realized he wasn't alone.
"Tubbo."
The goat hybrid jumped out from his spiraling thoughts and back to reality. He turned to the source of the voice, and nearly had a heart attack. "Ranboo-?!"
There, stood on the opposite side of the table, was his platonic husband. His solemn aura permeated the room, causing Tubbo's heart to drop with guilt. No, he couldn't possibly know-
"Tubbo, I know what you've been up to down here," the enderman hybrid said. "The alliance, the nukes- everything. I know it all."
Tubbo felt his whole world fall out from under him. His body went stiff, tense with fear. "Wha- How?"
Ranboo shook his head. "That's not important. What really matters here is that you...you didn't trust me." With a hand over his chest, his voice cracking with emotion, he continued, "Why didn't you just come to me, Tubbo? We're- We're supposed to be soulmates."
The enderman took a step towards his platonic husband. "You don't have to do this," he whispered. "You don't have to murder anyone, or blow up any nukes- I'm here. I'll help you." Ranboo carefully approached the trembling man before him, and gently took his hands into his own. "No one has to die, Tubbo. Just let me help you."
*GASP!* THE TIME TRAVEL WORKED!! What is Ranboo planning to do next??
Vote to make sure it all goes well!!
As always, thank you for all the love and support. Ily more than everyone loves Michael. <333
[Image Credits] "Full Moon" (Cropped Slightly) by Kevin Burkett (https://www.flickr.com/photos/24514780@N02/5839835648)