"I'm not an idiot."

Dream cocked his head. "I never said you were."

"I know how you work, Dream ," Tubbo spat. "You say that if I help, you won't kill Tommy." He laughed bitterly. "You're a fucking liar. "

"Well, that's awfully rude. When have I ever lied to you?"

"Are you forgetting exile? When you told me Tommy was dead? You knew he was alive, you bastard! You lied to my face! "

Dream stepped back, mockingly holding up his hands. "I didn't know! I only told you that because I thought it was true!"

"You didn't look too surprised when he showed up with Techno, though, did you?"

"Tubbo, do you know how many times that boy has come back to life? How hard he is to kill? I knew his death was too good to be true."

Tubbo's mouth fell open. "You're basically saying you want him to die!"

"Maybe I do, maybe I don't." Dream tilted his head. "But don't you want to give Tommy a chance? I'm giving you a way to ensure his survival. Yours too. Do you want to throw it away?" He paused, his gaze boring into Tubbo. "And. . . don't forget that I know where Ranboo lives. And Nihachu. And everyone you love. Do you really want to throw away all of their lives?"

Tubbo shut his mouth.

"So now you know the consequences of disobeying me." Dream smiled. "Make the right choice, Tubbo."

~

Ranboo's eyes widened. "You need my help? Really?"

Technoblade sighed. "Follow me."

"Yes!" Ranboo whispered under his breath. Techno gave him a sour glance as they walked out the door.

"We'll be back, Ghostbur!" Ranboo called behind him.

"Okay!" The ghost responded.

Ranboo jogged to keep up with the piglin's quick pace. "So, what do you need me to do?"

Techno stayed silent, and Ranboo took the hint. They stepped through the nether portal and into L'Manburg.

"Uh, w-what are we doing here?" Ranboo looked around nervously, half expecting Dream to pop out from behind a rock and take him back to that hellhole of a cell he'd been stuck in. Obsidian certainly wasn't a "safe space" for him anymore. Techno looked equally uncomfortable, gripping the hilt of his sword so tightly his knuckles were white.

"Do you remember where Tommy fell?"

"Yeah, sort of. The general area."

"Where was it."

Ranboo showed him the ledge he had seen Tommy sitting on. He wasn't exactly sure why he'd been watching the blonde at that particular moment, but he was.

And then Dream came, and he didn't do anything. Couldn't do anything. Just watched as blood splattered, lightning flashed, and Tommy fell . He hated himself for it.

"Okay, thank you, Ranboo. You can go back now. I need to think this through."

Ranboo paused his internal narrative, staring at the piglin. "What?"

"You can go back now."

"I thought I was going to help?"

" Ranboo. "

"I- I just don't get why you're sending me back," Techno gave him a look. "I mean, I want to get Tommy back, yes, but what about Tubbo? Maybe I can do that? Try to find where Dream took him- I can get him back!"

"Tubbo? Why should I care about Tubbo?"

Ranboo blinked. "I- what?"

"Tubbo never helped me. Not once. He even tried to kill me," Ranboo grimaced- he knew Tubbo hadn't had a choice. "Why should I help him?"

"Because he's my friend? Tommy's too. And, y'know, just being nice in general?"

"Ranboo, stop. Just go home."

"No!" Ranboo was just as surprised as Techno looked at his outburst. "I know that Dream killed me. I know that I'm weak. I know that you don't think I can help. But I can! I'm not useless! I'm smart- I think, I'm fast, I can hold my own for long enough." He took a deep breath. " Please , let me help."

Techno paused, then sighed. "I'm not going to let you go after Tubbo by yourself, but maybe you can come with us when Dream opens the portal. Knowing him, he'll probably want to take Tubbo as leverage."

Ranboo took a deep breath, trying to slow his racing heart. "Okay."

~

Tubbo squinted at his friend, the sun warm on his face. The grass was soft where he sat, and a bee delicately landed on a nearby flower. He laced his fingers together and took a deep breath.

"Hey, Tommy. I'm sorry."

"For what?" Tommy's face twisted into a look of confusion. His blonde hair was a ruffled mess, but he was clean and happier than Tubbo had seen in a while. "For the exile thing? Because you know I forgive you, right?"

Tubbo grimaced and picked a blade of grass. "Yeah, for that. But also for what I'm about to do."

Tommy sat up straighter and looked curiously at him, his blue eyes full of concern. "What-" He hesitated, and Tubbo's heart sank. "What do you mean?"

"I, um-" Tubbo bit his lip and split the blade down the middle. "Where are you? Are you happy?"

Tommy shrugged, staring at a tree in the distance. "I dunno." He looked back at Tubbo, his smile souring. "But if you go through with what you're about to do, with helping that bastard, we both know what the answer will be."

Tubbo frowned. "But if I don't help him, won't the answer be the same? He'll still find you. At least with this, there's a chance."

Tommy shrugged, slumping back into his usual terrible posture. "Guess I'll see you soon then."

"Good morning, sunshine."

Tubbo's eyes snapped open to Dream's blank-eyed mask inches from his face. A shock of fear coursed through his veins, and he screeched and lashed out, his punch bouncing off the porcelain and leaving him with bruised knuckles.

A bark of laughter escaped Dream's mouth and he straightened, sticking out a hand to help Tubbo up. "Nice hit."

Tubbo shot the hand a look of disgust and pushed himself to his feet, but Dream just smiled.

"It's raining, so that means today's the day!" The man exclaimed, a look of sadistic delight on his face. "Get ready to see your best friend!"

~

The rocks tumbled down the cliff, and Tubbo stepped back, his breath catching in his throat. He glanced up at Dream, who had since lost his good mood. "Are we gonna, ya know-"

"Yes, Tubbo," Dream sighed, staring intently at the bedrock that marred the bottom of the crater. The rain was running down his mask, and it almost looked like the black eyes were crying. "There's more to this than you would think."

Tubb's gaze shifted to Dream's trident. It was huge, with three sharpened points capable of piercing bone. They were rare, so rare that Dream- and maybe Sam- were the only people Tubbo knew who had one.

A faint light caught his eye, and Tubbo's eyebrows went up when he saw a familiar ghost staring back at him. He looked up at Dream to see if he had seen Ghostbur too, but he was still busy examining the crater.

Go, Tubbo mouthed, subtly waving his hand in a 'move' motion. The last thing he wanted was for Dream to catch sight of the ghost and kidnap him or something. Ghostbur nodded, seeming to understand, and floated away.

At least there was one person he could save.

~

"Hey, guys!"

"Hey, Ghostbur," Ranboo mumbled, digging through a chest. Phil looked up at his son.

The ghost was sizzling a bit from the rain that was pouring outside.

Wait. Rain meant-

"Tubbo and Dream are at the crater!" Ghostbur confirmed his suspicions. "I thought you might want to know."

"Shit."

Ranboo spun around. "I'll get Techno?"

"Yeah." Phil grabbed his armour from the stand and pulled a stack of gapples from his enderchest. Dream probably wasn't going to go down without a fight.

~

Ranboo gasped for air as they neared the crater, trying to ignore the burning in his legs. He needed to exercise more.

As they neared L'Manburg, Ranboo sped up. Techno and Phil were a good ten yards in front of him, and he could see the piglin pulling out his crossbow. In the distance, Dream came into view, a hand on Tubbo's shoulder.

Ranboo didn't like to cuss, but now seemed like a good time for it.

~

Footsteps sounded from behind, wet thuds echoing as the person ran. They were fast, too fast for a human. Dream narrowed his eyes and spun around.

Shit.

Techno was running at him, his pink hair whipping out behind him, crossbow loaded with a firework and pointed straight at his chest. The piglin hybrid's finger twitched, and Dream's world slowed for just a second. He pulled out his shield with a practised speed and yanked Tubbo behind him.

A beat, then an explosion. Tubbo screamed.

Dream threw his shield aside, grabbed his axe and charged. Techno did the same.

They collided in a shower of sparks, netherite against netherite. Dream ducked as Techno lashed out, the blade slicing where his head had just been. He sent his axe flying at Techno's legs. The piglin jumped back, head dipping in a slight nod that Dream nearly missed.

There was a movement behind him. Dream replaced his axe for a sword, whipping around and lashing out at Philza as he neared. The avian blocked his blow with his own sword.

Dream spun towards Techno, who had moved to his opposite side, and swung as Phil charged again from behind. The avian's sword barely missed an opening in his armour, but it knocked the breath out of him all the same.

The two best fighters Dream knew against himself. Dream was good, but he wasn't stupid.

He grabbed an enderpearl and threw it, wincing as he hit the ground a few yards from where Tubbo was crouching on the ground, holding his head. Dream kicked him in the side. "Get up," he ordered.

Tubbo looked up, his eyes red. "Th-the firework."

"Fuck your trauma, get up."

Tubbo stayed sitting.

Techno charged at them.

Dream shoved Tubbo in front of him as a shield.

Techno laughed, a disbelieving grin filled with the adrenaline from the fight plastered on his face. "Do you think I care about him?"

A shout from behind. Ranboo, his voice filled with protest.

Techno hesitated; that was all Dream needed. He dragged Tubbo to his feet and jumped.

Grabbing his trident, he sent it flying at the bedrock. As he fell down, he saw Phil lean over the crater, aiming his bow. Dream shot first.

Lightning struck bedrock with a deafening crack . A portal tore open in the earth below them.

The last thing Dream saw as he fell was Phil falling over the edge, an arrow through his heart.