Ivory - xliii ; You Maniac
Created: 01.09.23
Finished: 01.18.23
Edited: 03.27.23 / 03.28.23
Published: 04.03.23
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Trigger Warning: seizures, heated conversation, mentions of hypothermia, fading, past histories, attempted murder, boom..oh and a lil bob
Word Count: 4490
A/N: The comments around that prank, man...I really am sorry;w; I did say I won't upload much this month, but, do you guys want another one to make up for it? it seems like the prank went too far idk- I've seen some authors do this to their readers, I don't know- But honestly, the fact that you guys reacted that badly, showed how much you guys care about how the book goes on- idk its prolly just me
But honestly, thanks guys- Y'all are amazing people. I have never expected to meet this kind of audience, and quite frankly, I don't think I'd like to give this all up. I want to talk to each of you, get to know each other, even if we don't end up become friends, I'd at least you know, enjoy a few conversations with you guys-
Fr tho..if ivory ends, what book should I write next?XD I have a lot on my list, but u guys can give ideas- althoughh u guys make sure that its a concept that no one else has ever written about- Any parts in the dsmp lore thatt was hardly tackled or acted and you guys want to see it on paper? just come at meXD But no get hopes up haha- As much as Im eager to make like..royalty au, highschool au, Im sureee theres a lot of fanfics about that out there- so i dont have to make that
anygay gods-- am making u guys read all this a/n..its always too long its annoying huhh, sorry- enjoy, love you guys, mwah^^ /p
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"Thank the gods you took him here..he could have died."
"You say you found him in the middle of the snow?"
"I won't be surprised that you're onto this-"
"Techno, if I wanted to get rid of him, I would have left him frozen. If ever, you should thank me for taking him here."
"I don't hand gratitude to those that have abandoned These-"
"Guys, that's enough- You're going to wake him up-"
"Ivory's awake."
Blinking, Tommy gazes upon familiar people in front of him. Those faces full of creased expressions; a hint of concern and worry.
Why are they so bothered anyway?
He's fine.
Oh right. He knows these people.
He was with them when the..cave was still standing on its own.
They were there to see his home crumble below his feet.
That place..both his hell and solitude.
Everyone was there and watching...except that man who's supposed to be his brother. He doesn't recall him being around that day,
"Tommy, gods you're okay- You're alright? Can you hear me?"
The boy numbly nods at Phil's questions before panning his head to Techno.
The relieved smile under the piglin's mask remains hidden, internally sighing that he's safe before leaving.
Niki stays close to Tommy's side, asking questions full of stammers until Phil urges her to give him space, with Ghostboo and Wilbur nearby.
His body aches, at the same time, it doesn't hurt.
He attempts to move but Phil holds him still, "Careful, you're healing..We're trying to get your temperature up and have your hypothermia signs gone..After a few while you'll do good- Your condition would have worsened if you were under a snowstorm..thank the gods you are spared."
Murmuring another thanks to his beloved above, he tucks Tommy in with more blankets, "Stay down..you can't move your limbs at the moment. Would you like me to interrogate you as to how you got into this situation?"
Since Tommy can't say no, Niki does it for him, "Like you said, it's probably best to give him space for now, Phil. He must be in pain."
She knows well by now that Tommy cannot feel anything, still, she didn't want him to be forced to answer these questions as to what happened to him.
Wilbur hums, "As much as I would like to give him rest, there must be a reason as to why he got there...He came a long way to get there..something must have happened to Tubbo?"
Ghostboo flares up at the sudden assumption yet hides their concern with a smile. A ghost should not care.
A ghost should not care.
Since no one spoke back, he continues, "He could have ran away. If my memory serves me right, Tubbo has been unstable since then. Tommy must have fled because of that." He then snickers, "I swear- That poor ex-president has gone more demented than I am-"
Niki smacks him from those words, "Snowchester is far away from here. It takes either a trident, boats, or stacks of ender pearl to get out of that dangerous island. Tommy couldn't have run away from his own. He had help. Something's not right here.." She rebuts his statement, still leading everyone quiet to think and stare.
"Ow.." The revived man mutters, rubbing the spot where she hit him.
It took a while for them to notice that Tommy has been spacing out from all their speculations, his eyes blank and grey...a void instilling each of them,
"Tommy? Are you alright?" Phil asks, softly, shaking his shoulders to snap him out of it. No response.
Zoning out again? A daydream? Flashback? Seizing? Gods, it could be anything-
"Something bad happened..I can feel it." Niki murmurs, anxiety floods with her tiny voice as Wilbur chuckles,
"It's all about the gut feeling now, isn't it?"
That made Niki go sour at his statement. It felt like he's mocking her, but that's to no one's surprise,
"You are right about one thing: He didn't come here on his own. Someone did help him but who knows who helped him get here." He pokes on his stitches; a habit he eventually earned.
He tends to accidentally rip them off and has to redo them up over and over in time, "Could it have been Tubbo? That would mean something bad did happen. And if worse comes to shove, Tubbo is in danger."
Ghostboo's ear perks up at those words.
It's about Tubbo again.
Why does their heart weigh so heavy?
"Do you think it's probably best to check on him..er..Ghostboo?"
The ghost eyes the group, their smile reaching their cheeks, "It might take a little while to be able to teleport right now, Niki..Had to take Aimsey home and have him take care of Michael..As much as I wish to visit Tubbo right now..I can't."
Niki was reminded of their state and was about to say something about that but Techno grunts to grab everyone's attention as he leans by the doorside, "If you guys done with Theseus, it might be best to leave him for now. We haven't eaten lunch yet so-"
"Is food all you think about, young man?!" Phil exclaims, almost cackling in the process.
Niki giggles as Wilbur only shakes his head,
"But anyway, he's right. Everyone, we must go." The avian heaves up and fixes Tommy's hair while he's at it, "He's not responding..hopefully he won't freak out wondering where everyone has gone. Someone should at least stay here too in case his seizure worsens.."
That made Niki raise her hand, "Oh, I can stay with Tommy. I don't mind-"
"I'm not hungry either so I'll just stay here too." Wilbur adds up as well, not wanting to say he wishes to be with Tommy..and probably Niki.
Phil shakes his head, seeing the hidden motive of his choice, "Just say you want to be with him, you sappy fucks- Come on, Techno- I'll make mashed potatoes-"
"FOR REAL? LET'S GOOO-"
The emerald duo leaves the room, as Ghostboo joins them quietly with a smile, floating above the ground.
Their fading is almost visible despite the cloth over them.
At this point, they can no longer hide the truth, can't they?
Niki sits down and looks at Tommy, "What happened to Ranboo?" She asks nobody, yet Wilbur responds for her,
"That's basically what happens when you lose all your three lives, Niki: A part of you comes back as a ghost..as the other is trapped in hell..a place so unimaginably dreadful.."
With a purse lip, she holds Tommy's hand. It's cold, like a corpse, "Why was there no ghost when it comes to Tommy?"
Wilbur ends up sitting on the opposite side of her seat, fiddling with his anxious hands.
Since he can't look at her, there he looks down at Tommy instead,
"I don't know." He inhales, unable to find his words, "I suppose..It's just..the way he is..and the things..he's been through.."
That made Niki almost tear up, "Tommy doesn't deserve this. Any of this. He was an asshole, but..I wouldn't..I wouldn't wish this on anyone..I don't think I can.."
Wilbur notices her trembles, she must be feeling them too, and that connection only the two of them can understand,
"I didn't even get to say how much I'm sorry for what I have done.."
He isn't sure if Niki experiences any residual symptoms like him, but whatever Wilbur has always experienced, because of what happened, it has worsened since then.
"That is brave of you. One's nothing but a coward when you'd rather lie than to admit that you're actually sorry." Wilbur brings up, puzzling Niki's head, "Is it shame, or is it pride? In order for one not to look weak, or afraid they'll never accept your apology?"
Then it clicked.
"You apologised too." She whispers, looking at him this time, "But.."
Wilbur shrugs, "I have to do it in some way..It was a panic but I got to say it when I found him in the snow. 'Tis a shame he didn't get to hear me..muffled by his own thoughts; tortured by his own memories."
He relaxes his tensed shoulders and looks above the ceiling, unable to handle Niki's sharp, yet solemn eyes, "I can't keep chickening out forever..Besides..he deserves an apology, and he doesn't deserve me."
Niki blinks at that, "Of course he deserves you-"
"No he doesn't, Niki just- I shouldn't have..Fucking sake-" He groans, clasping his face this time, "I don't even know why I feel bad..Like, it's not my fault that he got himself into this mess. The more you think about it, it's basically karma. He deserved what had happened to him. Yet still.."
He looks at his scarred hands, wrapped with stained bandages and faint stitches, remembering how he was revived, "Maybe if I was there for him 'till the end, none of this would have happened."
Burning the memory off from his mind, he then groans, "Maybe he wouldn't have ended up in limbo like me..Now look at Tommy."
Niki leans close, trying to reach him, "Hey..Hey, don't blame yourself. I'm sure all of us are accountable in some way. Yes, most of it is Tommy's fault, but none of our blames combined can ever be compared to Dream. He's the problem here..not you, nor me, nor anyone."
Her words made Wilbur scoff in disbelief, "You're good with your words now..I can't believe you changed."
Narrowing her eyes, she speaks up, "I had to. You left me. I got no one. I had to stand up for myself. To keep myself alive. Because now I know.."
She looks away, remembering her internal words, "You got no one on your side, but yourself. Even if you're stuck in some team, or a side..in the end, you're all alone." She shouldn't bring down her guard like that, falling for his soft eloquence and gaze once more.
A single fuck up would take her back where she started. Bruised, broken..and abandoned, with flames about to engulf her alive.
Wilbur notices Tommy's closed eyes, concluded that his seizure has ended, before petting his messy hair, "Even now, do you still feel alone?"
Niki purses her lips, instead of a lie spitting out, there comes her bitter truth, "Yes. I do."
oOo
"Should we take a visit to Snowchester?" Techno hums, taking a bite on his meal whilst reading a random book.
It was no longer about Greek Mythology, well, still something about Thanatos, and the deeper parts of what he personificated: death.
Ghostboo, meanwhile, hung around the den where Edward lies, as well as Steve. They attempt to communicate with their fellow kind, whilst giving the polar bear company.
"We could. But I have a feeling we shouldn't leave. Something's up." Phil plops on his seat and writes something down,
"What are you doing?" Techno asks, his mouth half full,
"Writing." The avian says flatly before looking up, "And also don't talk while eating-"
"Oh Zeus's sake-" Techno grumbles, swallowing a spoonful, "But seriously though, what are you writing about?"
After a few scribbles, a crow rushes inside and perches on Phil's arched arm, "Quackity and Sam haven't responded to my messages. I sent a letter beforehand to say that we have already found Tommy, but my crow hasn't returned yet.."
Finishing the bowl, Techno keeps his eyes on it, "So you're saying..something happened to them too?" His crimson eyes burn at his dearest friend yet without ill intent, "Is that what you mean?"
Phil only sighs wearily, letting the crow deliver his words, "Dream got to them before we did, and for sure he can think things ahead. It would make sense, wouldn't it?" He begins to write once more but with a messy rush,
"Where our attention lies elsewhere, Dream's allies must have gone to Las Nevadas and ambushed them. Dream taking Tommy was bait-"
"Or they initiated two plans together." Techno interrupts, lifting his hand and finger at each count, "One would be kidnapping Tommy. I won't be surprised that that would be the purpose of his motive all along. Second would be Quackity and Sam, since those two fucked Dream up." The piglin hums before speaking,
"Dream's troops, or at least half of them, helped Dream in assaulting us that led us unable to pay attention to Tommy which as a result, he was taken. The rest went to Las Nevadas to deal with Quackity and Sam. I don't know how, but that would mean what we are up against is no child's play."
Phil cringes, clutching his healing arm. He can still move it, but that's all he could do, "They fight well. I don't know how Dream got those men, but you are right."
Techno lets his back against the chair, "Of course, we can't avoid the idea that we were being ratted out."
Phil blinks, "Are you saying that they betrayed us?"
The other only shrugs, "The gods could only know the truth, it seems. But I know for one thing, that someone has always been watching our every move..which is why what we do, Dream can predict it and make plans about it..quicker and far more cunning than we could have done to defeat him."
He clenches his fist, "He makes us look like an idiot. That double spy makes us look like fools."
Phil frowns and looks away, "They seem guilty of what happened to Tommy..what made you think they are willing to betray us?" Techno closes his eyes, "Did I mention anything about being willing to break a trust?"
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
The kettle boils and before Phil could get up and fetch it, Wilbur jumps in and invades the kitchen, "I'll deal with the tea, Phil..sit down. You're hurt."
The avian widens his eyes at first before cackling in disbelief, "I may be old but I can handle this, Wil-"
"Nope- You're sitting your ass down and let me serve you guys some tea. I'm sure I have learned a thing or two from you, old man."
Techno observes the two's movements, the voices eager to find out the potential traitor.
What's worse is that, it could be anyone.
Techno is no know-it-all, he can get clues but that doesn't mean he would instantly get an answer. The feeling that there's a traitor is one of those.
But he will never know who it'll be until someone messes up, something goes off, something that can make the voices conclude something and scream whoever's name at him.
It's only a matter of when, yet he fears they're running out time.
"Techno? You alright?" Phil asks, noticing that his friend is spacing out, well, more like a familiar sight. He must be talking to them again..that's not good,
"You can..deal with them for now right? I assure you I can help satiating those lat-"
"I'm fine, Phil, really." He assures his friend, giving him a smile.
Trusting his friend, Phil smiles back and leans back to rest.
"Where's the act of kindness from all of a sudden?" Phil calls out Wilbur, continuing to write. This time, on his journals,
"A bet, nothing more. If it's from him, kindness always has a price." Niki goes inside the small dining area, finding her usual seat near the two.
Ghostboo holds their laughter at that before sitting along with the rest of them as well.
They remember the burger van and everything. Indeed, his kindness always comes with a price..even a life, he does not hesitate.
"By the way.." Niki clenches her fists, before raising her head to face the ghost, "Any plans of explaining to them what has been happening to you?"
Everyone stops what they're doing. Phil's writing has ceased, as well as Wilbur pouring tea on the teapot..even Techno mustered his eyes to open, trying to deafen the noises away.
The attention of all attacks Ghostboo as they tense up, their hands holding onto the cloth hiding the truth. Although, with or without it again, everyone knew..well, except Tubbo, and Wil-
"Yeah, Ghostboo..what's up with you lately? You haven't been looking well. Tell me, is this one of those things you ghosts experience from time to time?" Wilbur refrained from saying his name, he doesn't want to say his name at all. But all knew well what he meant.
Chuckling to disperse the awkward atmosphere, they try to formulate what they can say but nothing comes out.
Niki notices the discomfort, yet still, she pushes a little more, "Please, Ghostboo..Am worried about yo-" She flinches from the grip.
Since..since when does a ghost is able to fucking hurt someone? Ghostboo's eyes tremble, so are their hold on her wrist, refraining her to pull away the cloth,
"Ran..Ranboo that..that hu-"
"It's futile to hide that forever..Just explain your case and be done with it." Techno growls before taking another bite of his meal.
Phil chuckles at that, "Alive or not, you are our friend, Ranboo. We are eager to get you back alive once this ordeal is over. If we get to understand your situation, we might be able to help you without involving Dream."
Wilbur blinks, before pulling up the tray full of fragile tea sets with his cold hands. As he serves, Ghostboo finally lets go.
It would have been nice if this little cloth could hide the outcome of what they did forever. But they can't achieve that forever, at least not yet.
And so, they bite their fanged lips and pull the cloth away. Both Wilbur and Niki couldn't get to say anything from what they see, as the other two take a cup of tea, already seen this before.
Their blood isn't supposed to stain the chair yet it still did, managing to trickle down the floor creating a small puddle.
Ghosts aren't meant to bleed, are they? If so, does it fade..like they do someday?
"As you can see, Ran's fading." Phil murmurs, before sipping his tea quietly.
It smells lovely, and tastes alright as well. Not the best, but it's something that he could find impressive coming from Wilbur, "Considering I don't get to deal with ghosts and revival everyday, this is something foreign for me to help. If I search any deeper in hopes I can find something that may do. But in the end.."
Phil closes the notebook, and drops the quill down, "Where there is source, there might be cure. And those who have created the poison, only know the antidote. Therefore.."
Techno, places the half empty cup on the table, causing a clink against the wooden table, "Dream has no choice but to be involved with this...one way or another."
Niki cringes, watching them take the cloth back on and shut their image from the world. Well, if that's what they prefer, she can no longer force them anymore, "So if ever we are able to capture Dream..not only we might be able to find a cure for Tommy to get better, but as well as Ranboo to be revived?"
Wilbur chuckles, taking a hit on his cigar, "Dream's a god, Niki..of course he'd be able to help them."
Niki didn't like that reply, "Well, considering it's all his fault that Tommy and Ranboo are like this, he better have a solution for all the trouble."
His eyes meet hers, and that's where the three felt that uneasy atmosphere. Something..
"Something happened while you two were watching Tommy?" Techno lightly laughs, trying to make the room more breathable, "Must be a failed make out, I told you that you gotta keep that tongue off of he-"
"Anddd movinggg onn-" Wilbur gleefully interrupts him before taking another hit. Niki fans the smoke away.
Why is Phil not scolding him about smoking inside? "Per say, if some goddamn miracle you, Phil, managed to find..some sort of solution to all this mishaps..what were you to do for that matter?"
Phil, surprised by his question, only smiles warmly, "What else would I do with such knowledge? Of course I'll take my chances and use it to help my chil- I mean friends." Techno snorts before stuffing his mouth up with more potatoes to hide his laughter,
"But wouldn't you take a reconsideration of the things that you can achieve if you were to..you know..take a good look at him and understand how he could be useful this way?"
This time, the avian narrows his eyes, not liking where his son is taking this conversation, "Whatever do you mean, Wilbur?"
Grinning widely, he gives a nonchalant shrug before getting up from his seat, "When you think about it, Tommy and Ghostboo have something alike. Tommy's like a ghost in the body of a mortal, whereas Ghostboo is a living ghost. Something like that is rather unnatural. Not to mention, Tommy has escaped countless times to death, and although this might be the aftermath of all trials, what if this is the gateway...to immortality?"
This machine could make us live forever.
Techno didn't expect his good old friend to slam his own hands against the table, almost spilling his cup of tea.
He seldom does lose his composure.
Niki and Ghostboo take a step back, but Wilbur keeps his stand with his sneer, "What the fuck are you going at?"
Wilbur laughs at the temper, not expecting that he touched a nerve, "Come on, Phil..Do you really think I'd believe what you're trying to do here? Since when any of you actually give a shit about helping Tommy? Like since when?!"
Now it was his turn to bang his fist on the table, his own tea did spill, mixing with the ghost's own pool of stain, "You were never there for Tommy and have never treated him as your own son-"
He points at Techno, "You destroyed our country, his home without remorse. You beat him in the pit, and for what? To show to him that the 'only universal language in this world is violence'? And to think you believe yourself a victim of him choosing Tubbo over you."
...
Why did that sort of sting?
"Niki..You've admitted to me that you have hated Tommy, so much, that you even tried to kill him. Even though you're practically aware that he's going to fucking die without coming back if you fucking nuke him, but still! You considered it. And for some reason- some goddamn reason you're trying to help Tommy now and for what? Shame? Because of what happened to him? Or you knew you'd get something out of it. And knowing well from you, you would want something-"
This time, Niki leaps up from her seat..unable to accept Wilbur's sudden behaviour. Did a nerve in his head just tick for him to act like this all of a sudden?
She knew it, she knew well not to bring down her guard. Because as much as she hates it, as much as she misses it...
Her Wilbur is gone, and this is the Wilbur she has to face until the two both face hell in the end,
"If you think that I'd do something as unbelievable as that then you don't know me as much as you'd like to believe, Wilbur."
Her voice is soft, and curly, her native tongue unable to quickly say her words, yet still she pushes them all out, sending flames on all ends, "How dare- How dare you to even think that all of us even attempt to use him for what has happened to him?! Do you even realise that there's nothing left in him at all? And still, you have the fucking audacity to think that there may be a use to that."
Wilbur, this time, glares. He's no longer smiling, using his face and wits to persuade..he can no longer persuade them out of this, "Tommy's my brother. And I'm going to do what I should have finished long ago. And you know what? My father is right. As much as you all hate to admit it, Dream is the only one that can fix him. And all of you are adamant in keeping him away from my saviour."
They could have retched right at that moment to see blush creeping upon his cheeks.
Niki could only shudder in both distraught and disgust,
"Don't you all understand? Dream can fix him! All of this! He can make him better, why, he can make Ghostboo better and you all- disregard that! You think you foolish mortals believe you can solve this in your own ways? Your ways has led to nothing but blindness from the truth, yet still, you seek power, but ego refrains you from accepting the fact- that Dream is under it all. Why, he's a god of course! And you all restrain Tommy from being saved by our one true saviour-"
"Alright that's fuckin enou-"
"No! This won't be over unless Wilbur takes it back." Everyone is in shock of what she said, but at the same time, she's mad, so better back the fuck off,
"Wilbur. Do you really believe that I would use Tommy like that? If you truly believe that I would gain something if we ever use Tommy for our own benefits and he's actually better off being with Dream because he can actually help him to get better..what would I have wanted?"
Wilbur frowns for a moment before grinning softly, "Niki..you and I both wish things could go back to the way it was."
Those eyes.
No.
Look into your eyes, and the sky's a limit.
..Niki, once more, kept him speechless..helpless.
He really knows how to make her helpless.
Before Phil could attempt to speak to break off the upcoming fight, he begins to cough.
Of course, it was not too out of the ordinary, but the moment a spatter of blood came after that one big wheeze..the voices spiral out of control,
"Phil..are you-" He catches him before he could fall, and one voice concludes what has happened.
They're all in sync, a chant..They knew..something was wrong.
They knew..something was wrong with it.
And they didn't..
They didn't tell him at all,
"Your drugmaking skills really paid off, didn't it, Wilbur?"
Niki widens her eyes, realising what was in the tea. With an angry exhale, she slams the tea set apart, sending the shards on the floor.
Right, she and Ghostboo never had the time to actually take a sip of Wilbur's making. And it was better off that they didn't,
"You..You poisoned-" Click.
Tsssssssssssssssssssss
Techno, instinctively takes Niki with Phil and embraces them.
Tssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
An explosion rings the ghost's ears, and although they shouldn't have felt pain, it did.
It felt like their tears.
It burns, and tingles across all their skin.
They felt alive, and that terrifies them.
All they could think at that moment was to run.
For a ghost should not care.
A ghost should not care.
A ghost should not care.