Fundy coughed, his eyelids fluttering open. He sat there, in the midst of a caved in building, giant slabs of the roof all around him. Above, patches of darkened sky peeked through the rubble. An obsidian grid loomed high above L'Manburg.
A heavy weight on his chest caused him to look down at his ruined suit, and his breath lodged in his throat.
Tubbo lay across his chest, the president's eyes closed and their body still. A giant peice of the ceiling covered him.
"T-Tubbo?"
Fundy reached up, shoving the slab of marble off of Tubbo with all his might. It crumbled to peices after the first shove, rolling off of the two bodies. Fundy pulled himself to a sitting position and cradled the younger boy against his chest. But Tubbo still stayed unmoving, his breath gone.
No. Nononononono-
"Help!" Fundy screamed, hoping that somebody, anybody, would hear. His legs were numb, but he tried to stand anyway. But nothing worked. Finally, he gave up and pulled himself over to a fairly empty peice of ground, dragging Tubbo with him. He rolled the boy onto his back and began to push his hand up and down against their chest. After three shoves, he bent down and preformed the rest of the CPR procedure. "C'mon, Tubbo. You better not lose your final canon life because of this."
Suddenly, his large fox ears twitched, and a faint voice shouted out, "Fundy! Tubbo!"
"Over here!" Fundy screamed, then continued to preform CPR.
Footsteps echoed through the debris, and finally a figure could be seen rushing toward him.
Jack.
"Jack! Jack, quickly, Tubbo needs help. He- he jumped on top of me before the building exploded. He's not b-breathing."
Jack's grime covered face twisted into a grimace, and he kneeled beside the president. Pushing with all his might, he gave Tubbo's chest one big shove.
Tubbo's eyes opened wide with shock and pain, and he let out a strangled cry. Jack covered the boy’s mouth and held a finger before their eyes, moving it this way and that. Tubbo followed it.
"He's alright," Jack sighed, and picked the teen up. "Are you, Fundy?"
"Never worse," the fox replied groggily. His companion nodded.
"Is everyone ok?" Fundy said, grabbing Jack's arm and leaning on it. Jack grunted in a positive reply.
"Put me down," Tubbo mumbled.
"You can't walk."
"You haven't even tried me."
"You got crushed by the biggest building in L'Manburg."
Tubbo sighed, his head falling back. Jack pushed it back up. "You suck," the president said, and this time his head fell forward.
Jack pushed it up.
"Careful there, Tubs. What happened to your neck, your head keeps wobbling around." Tubbo rolled his head to the side to get a better view of Jack's face and raised an eyebrow.
Jack pushed the boy’s head back up.
"Oh my- just leave me be, Jack!"
"No," Jack replied, grinning. "Is there anything you can do about it?" He reached over and grabbed Tubbo's scalp, pushing him around so that the teen shook his head. Fundy snorted with laughter.
Two months after the escape from L'Manburg...
Tommy was getting worse by the day. Phil's wings had almost been ripped clean off when the boy had gone rabid one morning.
Tubbo had just healed enough to walk.
Dream was still missing from the SMP.
5 months after the escape from L'Manburg...
The ruins of L'Manburg were deserted, and Techno could come and go as he pleased, collecting spare weapons, armour, and food. Ghostbur also went one day, but Friend was nowhere to be found.
Tubbo was working on something secret and Technoblade made it his business to find out what.
Still no sign of the SMP's most wanted.
A year after the escape from L'Manburg...
Tommy tried to tell Phil and the others about his nightly visits from Dream, but they assumed he was having traumatic nightmares. The other night he had clawed through his leather brace and Ranboo, who now had his own house, awoke to find Tommy sleeping at the foot of his bed.
Bad idea. The chains returned, to Tommy and Philza’s dismay.
Tonight Tommy would have spent exactly one year in Techno's basement. He could talk, but still remained rabid and wild. Phil was getting more nervous by the day, and constantly fought with Technoblade.
Tommy sat on his matress, listening to the yelling from his father and Technoblade. It was his fault. It was all his fault. Why couldn't he just heal? Why couldn't Dream just disappear?
The arguing stopped and Tommy sighed. He glanced down at the metal cuff surrounding his ankle, and the chain that led from it to the middle of the room.
"Tommy?"
Tommy looked up to find Niki climbing down the ladder, balancing a tray of food. Tommy growled softly, but allowed her to approach and sit down beside him.
"Niki... Niki why can't I-" Tommy’s voice cut off and he started to screech, but stopped quickly, cleared his throat, and tried again.
"S-Sorry. I'm just wondering when I can actually leave. I mean, I haven't seen the sky in over a year. I don't remember what I look like, I can barely see you because of the feathers on my face. And... Dream-"
"Dream isn't here, Tommy. You have to understand. It's all in your head. You're safe," Niki replied.
Tommy shook his head. "I don't feel safe," he mumbled.
"How 'bout this?" Niki smiled. "Ghostbur can sleep with you in the basement tonight, I'll get Techno to bring down the spare mattress, 'kay?"
Tommy smiled, and nodded.
"Now," the woman said, standing up and popping any stiff joints. "Eat you food and go to sleep. See ya!"
The Avian looked at the plate and saw nothing but a salad. He sighed, eating a bit of the lettuce and then pushing it aside. Ghostbur would be coming soon. He just had to stay awake a bit longer...
***
"Wake up."
Tommy’s eyes fluttered open and his breath hitched in his throat as he saw the large white mask right above him.
"Happy anniversary, Toms!" Dream said cheerfully. "Tonight's the night! I think you're ready. So let's go!" Tommy sat up straight, whimpering in fear as he pressed his back against the wall. Dream groaned.
"Tommy, nobody wants you here. It's for the best! Let's just go."
"Ghostbur! Ghostbur, please-"
"Ghostbur isn't here," a new voice said. A figure melted out of the shadows, a figure wearing a trenchcoat, bandage on one arm, and yellow sweater with a blue stain.
"Ghostbur?"
Then Tommy noticed the whisp of curly white hair and the red eyes that radiated insanity itself.
"W-Wilbur? Dream, what did you-"
"I revived him, Tommy. I revived Wilbur. Sad waste of talent, him dying. I figured he would help me train you. Wilbur, you should have the key to the chain in your pocket. Unlock Tommy, please."
Wilbur smiled, sliding his hand into his pocket and taking out the key. He bent down and freed Tommy’s ankle, only to take a lead out right after.
"Wilbur, we're brothers! Why-" Tommy cut off as Wilbur smacked him across the face.
"Save it, Toms. Dream revived me, and I will do anything to help him. That includes giving up you," the older man growled. He grabbed Tommy’s clawed hands, pinning them behind the teen's back and tying them together.
"Wil- Wil, no! Please, don't do this!"
"Walk," Dream ordered, pushing the boy up and pointing to the door. Tommy reluctantly obeyed.
Cold air rushed over Tommy’s body as the door opened, and he backed up, only to bump into Wilbur, who gripped his shoulder firmly. The Avian took a deep breath and pushed away, trudging ahead into the snow.
At the edge of the forest, Dream grabbed his arm and pulled him to the right, where a horse stood. Grabbing the kid by the waist, the green clad man hoisted them up into the saddle, then motioned for Wilbur, who swung himself on behind Tommy. Dream grabbed the reigns of the horse and led it away from the house.
No. Tommy thought. Nononono what am I doing? Techno! "TECHNO!" he managed to cry out.
***
Techno awoke to the sound of Tommy’s voice crying out his name. He rushed down to the basement and flung open the trapdoor, jumping down and missing the rungs of the ladder.
He landed on his knees and looked at the corner where the two mattresses lay.
They were empty.
And then he glanced at the door, which was wide open, cold air rushing in.
Then at the white mask which sat only a few feet before him.