TUBBO'S POV

"Is that all?" Schlatt asked.

Tubbo looked over at Schlatt, nodding. He began to move away, but Schlatt stopped him with a hand on the chest.

"S-Schlatt?" Tubbo stammered. He knew he had to get out of there before the explosions began. Schlatt was silent, with an ominous and all-knowing grin on his face for a moment before replying.

"Nothing." Schlatt gave Tubbo a gentle shove back to where he was before both Quackity and Schlatt began building around him, closing him in a small box of concrete. Tubbo was frozen, not knowing what to do.
"Schlatt, what are you doing?" Tubbo asked, fighting to keep his voice steady.

I have to be strong. Come on, you can do this.

Tubbo gulped as Schlatt let out an evil laugh. "Well, you see, Tubbo, I do not take well to traitors; Manberg does not take well to traitors."
"Y-yes, Mr. President?" Tubbo prompted him to go on, his voice betraying him as it shook ever so slightly.

"Well, you know what you've done." Schlatt gave Tubbo a satisfied smirk.

"What have I done?" Tubbo tried his best to buy time, praying that someone would rescue him, would at least take their attention off of him.

The TNT? What if I'm caught in the TNT? Will they delay the TNT, or will they just let it explode and leave me in the crossfire?

Schlatt laughed again, chilling the blood on Tubbo's veins. "What has he done, Tubbo says." Schlatt continued laughing, causing Tubbo to shift uneasily in the tiny confined space he had. "What have you done, Tubbo?" Schlatt leaned in closely to Tubbo, too close, so close that Tubbo could smell the faint scent of alcohol and cigarettes on his breath.

"I- I don't understand, Mr. President." Tubbo said breathlessly, backing away ever so slightly.

"You have conspired! With those idiots, those idiots that we banished from our great nation! And you have the nerve to come up here and tell me that 'you don't know what you've done'." Schlatt hissed, sounding betrayed. For a moment, a pang of regret and shame washed over him, but it was gone quickly when he remembered what Schlatt was: an alcoholic, a drunk, a tyrant, a dictator.

Or is he?

Tubbo swallowed slowly. Upon hearing no reply from Tubbo, Schlatt turned to the crowd.

"I think someone like this, a traitor, deserves some punishment. Technoblade, please come up."

Tubbo froze. Techno? Has he been conspiring in alliance with Schlatt?
To Tubbo's momentary relief, Techno seemed to be just as confused and bewildered as he was.

"Mr. President?" Techno asked. "How can I help you?"

"Technoblade, my old friend." Schlatt patted Techno's shoulder, drawing him in for a short hug that screamed awkwardness, even from Tubbo's terrified point-of-view.

"What would you like me to do?" Techno asked again. Schlatt smiled, a sort of private smile that screamed 'I know something you don't'.

"Techno," Schlatt paused for effect and took a deep breath, "I want you to... take him out." Schlatt said, choosing his words very deliberately.

Techno hesitated. Tubbo was frozen. He knew what those words meant, and judging by Techno's hesitation, he understood as well.

"Do you want me to take him out to dinner? I mean, 'take him out' could mean a lot of different things." Techno stalled, giving a forced chuckle for the heck of it.

Schlatt chuckled at Techno's joke, looking down at the ground. His chuckle seemed forced yet deliberate, that same private smile lining his face.

"No, Techno." Schlatt smiled eerily. He looked back at Techno, his expression changing in an instant; his smile dropped, and his eyes radiated with menace and the threat of violence.

"I don't want you to take him out to dinner, I want you to kill him." Schlatt snapped, his sudden swing in mood taking everyone by surprise.

"Oh, you want me to kill him." Techno let out another forced laugh, which brought another smile to Schlatt's face, his previous swing in mood completely forgotten. "How so, Mr. President?" Techno asked, further dragging out the process.

Schlatt could clearly tell what Techno was doing, judging by his narrowed eyes. Tubbo looked around helplessly, looking for someone who would defend him, who would help him get out of this death sentence. As he looked around, he met Tommy's gaze. Tommy was perched on top of a nearby building, and his brows were furrowed, and judging by his hand movements, he was currently rapidly conversing with Wilbur. Tommy gave Tubbo a smile that looked more like a grimace, probably signaling for Tubbo to stay strong.

Right. Stay strong. Stay strong. Stay strong. Wilbur will get you out of this, someone will.

"Don't you think Tubbo deserves a... well, less harsh punishment?" Quackity interjected quietly, hesitantly. When Schlatt didn't respond, Quackity pushed on.

"I mean, you've already got him trapped up here, and everyone knows what he did. We can just throw him in jail." Quackity babbled quickly, not meeting Schlatt's harsh glare.

"No! Traitors deserve death." Schlatt spat. Techno seemed nervous, and Tubbo met Techno's gaze, pleading silently for Techno to help him. Instead, Techno looked away guiltily. Schlatt turned back to Techno.

"Kill him however you want." Schlatt gave Techno a sickly sweet smile, again in contrast with his previous venomous look at Quackity.

Techno fingered the crossbow at his hip, not looking at Tubbo while he loaded it up. Tubbo felt his heart sink, and he cowered away.

"Techno, please." Tubbo begged quietly, so only Techno could hear. "Please."

Techno didn't look up until he had loaded his crossbow up with an arrow and a firework.

"I'm sorry, Tubbo. I'm so sorry. I'll make it quick." Techno promised, slowly holding the crossbow up to Tubbo's forehead.

Tubbo widened his eyes pleadingly, looking around for anyone to help him. When his eyes swept past the building that Tommy was previously perched on, Tommy was nowhere in sight. Tubbo felt a bitter bile rise in his throat, and he returned his gaze back to the crossbow loaded, right in front of his eyes.

Tubbo nodded bitterly and closed his eyes.

"I'm so sorry Tubbo." Techno whispered. It could've been just a whisper of the wind, it was so quiet. But Tubbo had heard it clear as day.

A blinding pain shot through his body, just a moment, before everything went dark.