They say three's a crowd- how that unwelcoming feeling will always linger no matter how hard you try to brush it aside. Today, that feeling was more prevalent than ever. Every step he took, Tubbo felt two pairs of eyes eerily watching his every move. He was in complete disbelief that he had made it this far. Neither Schlatt nor Quackity seemed to notice- or maybe they had. Either way, they didn't seem to be doing a thing about it. A childlike glee filled the brunette as he stepped on the stage. He really was the world's best spy.
Tubbo approached the podium and adjusted the base of the microphone to meet his height. He briefly cleared his throat, fumbling with notecards that contained his speech etched in sloppy handwriting. Everything seemed relatively normal, but something didn't sit right with him. The air had shifted- he was being watched.
"Good afternoon everyone!" he quavered, sweat dribbling off his forehead. To the best of his ability, he maintained his facade, desperately avoiding eye contact with Schlatt. "Welcome to the first annual Manberg Festival of Democracy! Founded by none other than our glorious president, JSchlatt!" The audience broke out into brief applause in response. So far so good.
Wilbur and Tommy, who had made their way to the top of a nearby building, peered at the scene below, preparing to make their move. Wilbur rolled his eyes in disgust as he placed his elbows on the ledge of the building.
Tubbo gulped, anxiously waiting for the applause to die down. "Thank you," he coughed. "Uhm...a wise man once told me that Manberg is like...lettuce." The crowd then fell silent, struggling to follow his strange simile. "Our country has so many wonderful layers! Once you wash away all the dirty bugs and worms off the surface, you truly have something great!" The crowd clapped in response, but Tubbo could hardly pay attention, the sound being drowned out by the thumping of his heart. He was too fixated on Tommy and Wilbur who stood atop a nearby building, staring him dead in the eyes. Tommy nodded his head in encouragement and gave him a thumbs up. Feeling relief, Tubbo averted his eyes back to the audience. Unbeknownst to him, Schlatt had also followed his gaze.
"Schlatt," he gulped, extending a trembling arm towards his leader, "has successfully removed all the insects from our glorious nation- if you know what I mean," he awkwardly jeered, earning a dry chuckle from the audience. "Now, all of the greatness can finally shine through!" Though he constantly reminded himself to keep taking deep breaths, nothing helped. The pressure was too high.
Since the start of his speech, Schlatt had been meticulously watching Tubbo's every move like a hawk. He raised an eyebrow as he closely observed the boy. His trembling knees, distressed stance, and quick repeated glances at a nearby building told him everything he needed to know. Tubbo caught a glimpse of Schlatt studying him and played it off horribly, darting his eyes every which way. He adjusted his posture and clasped the notecards tightly in his hands. It'll all be over soon. Literally.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like you to look around at what we have built today. All of this is because of the democracy and leadership of JSchlatt!"
The crowd roared with applause again with Fundy leading a standing ovation. Slowly but surely, Tubbo was beginning to calm down, a small smile appearing at the corners of his lips. He had clearly fooled the others, surely his superiors believed him too. He glanced at Schlatt who was waving down to his citizens, absorbing all of the praise and worship like a sponge. Tubbo held onto his forced smile for just a little while longer.
"Thank you!" he spoke in an effort to relax the crowd. "Isn't this what this festival is about? Democracy! Our country has been beaten down by royals and dictators for so long, and now we are finally free." They were anything but free, and he knew it deep down. Manberg was all show. A lavish, exuberant country to those who looked from the outside, a cruel tyrannical dictatorship buried underneath.
"We're free to elect who we want, free to live how we want, and most importantly, free to go wherever we want without the confine of those disgusting walls!"
Tubbo glanced at Wilbur again, but this time Wilbur did not meet his gaze. Instead, he was looking around at the dead grass that circled Manberg, outlining what remained of the wall. Even from a distance, Tubbo could see the agony in his eyes. He silently prayed his friends weren't taking any of this to heart. Sooner or later, he would prove his loyalty for good.
"With that in mind, I would like to thank everyone for coming to this wonderful event." He then flipped to the last notecard, his heart dropping when the beginning of his speech reappeared. The last card, which contained the cue line, was completely gone. Panic shot through his veins as he stuffed the cards into his pocket. At least it was almost over. The air re-entered his lungs only to be stolen away in seconds. His stomach twisted when he heard a chuckle. It wasn't a friendly one either, he just knew it. Malicious and bitter, and it was coming from none other than his president.
"W-What's wrong Schlatt...?" Tubbo squeaked, his heart rate spiking as his eyes darted to the floor, a few notecards spilling out of his pocket. Surely he hadn't done something wrong? Tommy and Wilbur now had his full attention, seemingly just as worried as he was.
Schlatt didn't look up as he proceeded to exhale and smirk. "Nah, it's just...I was thinking, Tubbo." He slowly crept behind the boy, placing his large hand on the boy's shoulder and squeezing a little tighter than normal. Tubbo began to hyperventilate- something was definitely wrong.
"You know how we like to have fun here."
"Yes, Schlatt," his voice trembled. "Why, what's up?"
Tubbo couldn't keep this up for much longer, he was going to crack from the fear- from the eyes of thousands watching him. All the time, every day, all he could feel were watchful eyes. It was enough to drive him insane. He looked up and met the gaze of his leader. Schlatt's glare burned through him as he was finally able to read Tubbo like a book. That's when it hit him- he knew.
"You got anything else in that speech?" Schlatt spoke slyly as he grinned, his eyes targeted at his frightened underling.
"Uh, no. I don't believe so," Tubbo faltered, facing the audience. "Let the festival begin!"
At those words, Tubbo watched as Wilbur became a dark silhouette, running off into the night in search of the button. Now the panic began to set in. There were only mere minutes for him to escape before the place was blown to smithereens and here he was being verbally cornered by his boss.
Tommy watched from above, his heart sinking as he watched the dynamic suddenly shift between Schlatt and Tubbo. He snatched Wilbur's wrist, pulling him to an abrupt halt.
"What?" Wilbur hissed, visibly irritated.
"Something's not right, Will," he cautioned, his eyes locked on Tubbo and Schlatt. A few other Manberg authorities were now on the stage, steadily beginning to close him in. Tommy watched in horror as Quackity reached into his pocket, slowly pulling out a pair of handcuffs. "Oh no," he breathed. After all this time, they had finally caught on. The two outcasts watched in horror as Schlatt and his followers circled around Tubbo, leaving not an inch for escape.
"Schlatt, what are you-" The boy couldn't get his words out before Quackity seized his wrists and locked them in handcuffs behind his back. His voice became shaky as his eyes grew wide with desperation. "Schlatt, you don't have to do this..."
The citizens watched from down below in confusion, the occasional murmur interrupting the uncanny silence. Fundy leaned over and whispered to Niki. "What's going on? Can you see anything?" Niki watched in horror, her eyes filled with fear. She could tell right away that something terrible was in the works. The crowd began to shout as they watched the scene, utterly perplexed. Techno, despite his deadpan facial expression, was incredibly disturbed by the situation at hand. He furrowed his brows as Quackity slammed the cuffs onto the boy's wrists. Surely this wasn't going where he thought it was, right? It's a public event, he was almost certain Schlatt wouldn't spoil the fun like this. After all, he's just a kid.
"Tubbo, I'll cut to the fuckin' chase," Schlatt groused, his tone quickly shifting.
"Schlatt, I can't move..." Tubbo muttered, his eyes darting around in confusion. Quackity obstructed his view of the building where Tommy and Wilbur stood. He knew they both were long gone, about to press the button. Catching him off guard, Schlatt swiftly kicked Tubbo's shins, causing him to collapse onto the floor in pain. The crowd gasped in horror. Tubbo looked up at Schlatt in fear. This was the end of the line.
"Tubbo, it really sucks for me to say this right here in front of everybody," he shrugged. "Personally, it's kind of awkward, but you've left me no choice." Schlatt's posture stiffened as he peered down at Tubbo. It was nearly impossible to decipher how Schlatt was currently feeling. His expression seemed to be one of disgust, rage, and malice. Possibly a combination of all three.
"Let him go, Schlatt!" Niki pleaded with the audience, on the verge of tears. Fundy leaned over and gave her a reassuring hug. The crowd agreed as they too began whispering and murmuring to one another, causing a stir. "Please, he's only a boy!" she shrieked.
"Quiet!" Schlatt's thundering voice echoed throughout the festival causing everyone to freeze up in shock. He then turned to face his right-hand man, the scent of tobacco lingering at the ends of his words.
"Tubbo. I know what you've been up to."
Was it even worth continuing to live this lie? Maybe it could keep him safe for just a little longer. He cocked his head, totally taken aback. "What have I been up to? W-What are you talking about?"
Schlatt raised his eyebrows and chuckled, which quickly evolved into a malevolent laugh that alarmed not only Tubbo, but everyone who was watching the scene unfold. Things were beginning to go south at a rate that no one could control. "What have I been up to, he says. What have I been up to!?"
"Schlatt, I-" His words were abruptly cut off as Schlatt forcefully stepped on his shoe, the brunette wincing in pain.
"Oh, I'll tell you what you've been fucking up to!" Schlatt shouted, causing Tubbo to shrink down. He slowly inched further away, his ankles dark with bruises.
"He was conspiring!" Schlatt turned to face the crowd, his finger shrewdly pointing at Tubbo who was cowering in fear. "He was conspiring with the idiots that we had kicked out of this great country weeks ago!" Gasps and whispers erupted from the civilians, everyone visibly shocked by the news.
"Schlatt, I can explain, please..." Tubbo pleaded, his feeble voice shaking as tears began to well in his eyes. He didn't think this day would ever come. He was doing so well.
"Tubbo, I don't know if you know this," Schlatt turned back to the quivering boy as he folded his arms, taking a step closer. In return, Tubbo inched himself backward. "Treason isn't exactly a respectable thing around here," he spat, his words sharp as he spoke them through clenched teeth. "I don't take these kinds of things lightly."
Tubbo was fatally cornered. There was still no sign of Tommy or Wilbur, and he was surprised the place hadn't been detonated yet. What was taking so long?
"I know what you've been doing, it all adds up buddy. The constant leaving, your absence from great events- I mean you walked off in the middle of this one!" Tubbo looked away in disappointment. He worked so hard to cover his tracks and earn the trust of his enemies. It was utterly humiliating for things to end this way. Schlatt leaned in and scowled. "Do you take me for an idiot, Tubbo?"
"No, Schlatt..." Tubbo winced as Schlatt grasped his arm, squeezing it hard as he yanked his body forward. "Don't try and tell you've done nothing wrong. I've seen it with my own two fuckin' eyes what you've been doing," He glared at Tubbo as he threw the boy back down to the floor. "You've been plotting behind my back. Lying through your fuckin' teeth, Tubbo." Tubbo's body was sprawled across the stage as he lay in shock, completely at a loss for words. There was absolutely no getting out of this now.
Schlatt leaned back and regained composure. He nudged Quackity and gestured towards Tubbo, signaling him to get the boy to stand. Quackity grabbed Tubbo's forearm and yanked him up, the boy struggling to stand on his feet. He winced in pain, his ankles still excruciatingly sore. He jerked his head over towards Quackity, a feeling of betrayal burning inside his gut.
"Quackity!" Tubbo hissed through a hushed whisper only to be met with no response. Persevering, he cried out louder. "Quackity, please! You don't have to do this!" He then yelped in pain as he felt the pinch of his former ally dig into his skin.
"Don't rope me into this," he muttered. "What's done is done, and now you're going to face consequences."
Tubbo's chin trembled as he frowned, looking away in disappointment. This alliance was not what he thought it was. "I thought I could trust you..."
"Likewise." Quackity spat, not even giving him the courtesy of a direct conversation.
"Do you know what happens to traitors, Tubbo?" Schlatt probed, no longer appearing irritated- his glower instead replaced with a vicious grin. Tubbo still remained speechless. Schlatt looked down at the floor and then locked eyes with him.
"Nothing good."
He then crouched down and met the boy's eyes.
"I'll make an example out of you, alright."
Tubbo gulped. The crowd's silence endured as they began to piece together what was about to happen. You could practically cut the tension with a knife. Schlatt returned to the microphone as he scanned the crowd. "Hey, Technoblade. You wanna come up here for a second?"
The mass was just as puzzled as Techno. He slowly rose from his chair, unsure if Schlatt was referring to him despite being the only one with such a peculiar name. What was his role in all this? He hadn't spoken to Schlatt in weeks, the last thing he wanted to do was get involved. He hesitantly began making his way toward the stage. "Schlatt, what are you doing?" asked Techno, hands buried in his pockets as his cape rustled in the night breeze.
"I just need you to send a message real quick. We like to send messages around here, right?" He smirked, raising an eyebrow at Techno. "Now that we have Tubbo here, I think it's time we give the crowd a little word of warning, don't you?" Tubbo's heart dropped to the floor. It was over. Techno stood parallel to Tubbo, peering at him through the cloudy, glazed eyes of his hog mask.
"Tubbo. As the enemy and perpetrator of Manberg, I only see fit that you receive a punishment that equates to your terrible crimes." Tubbo watched in horror as Schlatt handed a crossbow to Technoblade that was loaded with a firecracker. If this was going where he thought, it wouldn't just be him who got hurt.
"Technoblade, please if you would." Schlatt stepped aside and gestured for his men to do also. There was nothing that stood between Tubbo and Technoblade except for a red firework rocket placed directly in the center, the spiked tip pointing directly at his heart.
"W-What are you asking, Schlatt...?" Techno asked, his legs felt like lead, grounding him into the stage beneath. He glanced at Schlatt, who seemed to be in over his head on this whole idea. He was taking this much too far. Techno knew that the only person who could stop this was himself, and the pressure was unbearable.
"I want you to take him out, Techno."
The crowd gasped in repulsion, screams echoing into the night air. What was supposed to be a night full of festivities and laughter turned out to be a sinister preplanned scheme for a public execution.
Techno avoided the question by trying to crack a joke. "You mean like...take him out for dinner?" He awkwardly shifted back and forth on his toes, chuckling to himself at his failed joke. Schlatt, however, chose to play along.
"Oh, yeah. Y'know, maybe show him a nice five-course dinner," he smirked. "A little bit of snow beef wagyu, black truffle mashed potatoes." Tubbo, not following, cried out. "I'm not hungry!"
Before Techno was able to mask anxiety with humor for a second time, Schlatt interrupted, his patience wearing thin. "Techno, we're uh...we're running on a tight schedule here," he mumbled, not bothering to look up and make eye contact. His eyes instead were glued to his gold pocket watch, the ticking sound filling the silence. The laugh was clearly over.
"Well...what more do you want from me?" Techno coughed, sulking as he looked down at the crossbow. He knew exactly what Schlatt was asking and he wanted to wait it out as long as possible. For as fearless as he was, Techno cracked easily under pressure.
Schlatt sighed, "Listen. I only call you in for special favors, and we go way back, don't we?" Tubbo felt nauseous as he remembered Techno was initially Schlatt's kill-for-hire- a hitman.
"I'm not sure I know what you mean-"
Losing control of his patience, Schlatt snapped. "I have made myself crystal clear multiple times, Techno- so cut the bullshit," he demandingly barked. "I want you to kill him. Right now."
The crowd shrieked, exploding with panic. Niki screamed and covered her mouth, tears spilling out of her eyes.
"Right now! On this fucking stage! And make it hurt!"
Tommy and Wilbur watched from above. The boy was boiling over with rage as he watched Schlatt's wrath ensue below. He was not going to watch his friend be murdered at the hands of a tyrant. Not if he had anything to say about it. "Wilbur," he warned, "get ready."
His brother turned to him, furrowing his brow. "Oh, so I'm taking commands now?"
"I'm serious!" Tommy cried out, his face flushed with anger. "Tubbo is in danger, we need to do something!"
Wilbur was taken aback at his brother's outburst. "Tommy, there's nothing to worry about. Techno is on our side! There's no way he'll hurt Tubbo," he stressed as he leaned over the ledge, closely observing the scene below. With all the commotion, the button had been put on the back burner. He made a promise to his brother once they agreed to join forces- he wasn't about to lose his trust a second time. Tommy stood by his side, drawing his sword. "He needs us, Will. I refuse to sit here and watch him die!" He took a deep breath as he swiftly turned to Wilbur. "Now I'm only going to ask this once because either way, I am going down there. With or without you," Tommy paused, meeting eyes with his brother.
"Are you in?"
---
"Schlatt, come on man. It's a festival..." Fundy retorted from the crowd, shocked that someone he looked up to would take things to such drastic measures. "Techno, don't do it!" Niki wailed, begging desperately through tears. "You have a say in this! Don't listen to him!"
Schlatt roared down at Niki, "I don't take traitors in my goddamn country! Are you kidding me?! My right-hand man!" His hands were wrapped so tight around the microphone that his knuckles turned white. It became clear he had known all along and was just itching for an opportunity to confront Tubbo at the worst time possible.
"Tubbo," he knelt down, leaning in close to the boy's face, his unforgiving glare practically piercing through him. "I would rather rule alone than with you."
Finally, that ball of rage that had been pent up inside Tubbo since the election burst into a fiery inferno. Tubbo too leaned in, spitting directly onto Schlatt's cheek. "You, Schlatt, are half the leader Wilbur and Tommy ever were!" The boy hollered, his voice cracking. Schlatt stood in complete shock, slowly wiping his cheek before glowering down at Tubbo. He scoffed at the audacity he suddenly possessed. "Alright kid," he muttered through clenched teeth. "Now you're asking for it."
Techno began to panic, his heart racing by the second. What would happen to him if he didn't obey? He knew this was wrong, but did he ever have a choice? "Tubbo, I'm in a high-stress situation here. I deal with these poorly." Sweat drenched his mask, Techno's grip on the crossbow tightening. Never in his life had he felt more numb. Why was he being forcibly dragged into this colossal mess? Before he could arrive at a conclusion, Quackity pulled Schlatt aside.
"Schlatt, are you sure? Listen, we have him trapped, he's arrested- we can jail him! I think that's enough for breaking the law, right?" He twiddled with the buttons on his suit. Contradicting his political partner was never easy, and most certainly never led to anything good. Schlatt didn't even meet his vice president's eyes when he responded. "It's not enough."
Quackity's face went white. This was not a good look for them at all. Tubbo had broken his trust, but a public execution was plain immoral. A sickening feeling arose in his stomach as he proceeded with caution, afraid that if he pushed the envelope too far he'd be the next one in handcuffs. "Come on, man! We can lock him up! There's another way!" Ignoring Quackity, Schlatt fixated on the crossbow that Techno was holding, furious that this ordeal was taking so much time.
"TECHNOBLADE!"
The man jumped, startled out of his cluttered headspace.
"The hell's taking you so long? Are you gonna do it?" Schlatt egged him on, his anxiety rapidly weighing down on him. He didn't notice it at first, but as he glanced down Techno realized his arm was drawing back the crossbow. He was being forced- the pressure becoming almost unbearable. It felt as if a thousand bricks were pushing him down to the ground. What other choice did he have?
"Techno?!" Tubbo pleaded desperately, tears spilling down his face. The frail boy was trembling as he bawled, his eyes closed tightly as he gasped between sobs. "Please...please don't let me die..." His voice was shaky and hushed, keeping those words personal.
Techno's stress was climbing to unsurmountable heights he simply couldn't control. He felt as if he were made of glass, the pressure cracking away at him until he broke down and shattered. His stomach felt queasy and heavy, the screams and wails from the crowd being of no help.
"Tubbo, I'm sorry. I'll try and make this as painless as possible." He raised the crossbow, aiming it at Tubbo, earning an uproar from the audience until he stopped dead in his tracks.
What was stopping him from aiming the arrow at Schlatt? What exactly was preventing him from piercing the very heart of the government with the tip of this rocket? The answer was nothing. Niki was right. He did have free will. He had the weapon, he had the upper hand. His body remained stiff, crossbow pointed at Tubbo, but his eyes were locked on Schlatt. One swift turn and he could overthrow the government, just like he had always wanted. Almost as if Schlatt could read his mind, he pulled Techno aside.
"Come on, Techno." Schlatt sneered. "You know how this world is. Every man for himself."
At those words, he hesitantly turned the crossbow to aim directly between the eyes of the frightened boy- his former ally. Tubbo's eyes were wide with horror, fear ripping through his body. He truly couldn't believe it- these were his final moments.
"Techno, please..."
All of the sudden, time stopped as he heard the snap of the crossbow ring in his ears, the rocket being released right in his path.