Tommy knew that there was something between Tubbo and Ranboo. They might be blind, but he wasn't. The way that seeing Ranboo made Tubbo smile, the way Ranboo had turned red after Tubbo had whispered in his ear, the way Ranboo's face had lit up when he saw the crown, and the way they smiled at each other like they couldn't stop themselves. 

No one knew what Tubbo had said to Ranboo except them. Tubbo wouldn't say, and he hadn't had a chance to ask Ranboo. The gifts were cool, especially the tiny vest Tubbo had gotten for Phil's crow. But his favorite was the green bandana that Tubbo had given him before the others had arrived. Tommy had tied it around his neck and vowed to never take it off. He fluffed his wings to focus himself. This is it. Today is the day. He spread his wings and jumped. He flapped as hard as he could, but he kept going down. 

He hit the pad at the bottom with a slight thud. Today was apparently not the day. One day. One day I will fly. All Tommy could do was glide. It fucking sucked. Phil said that Tommy couldn't fly because he was an elytrian, and Phil could fly because he was an avian, so they were different hybrids. Tommy wondered if Phil only told him that elytrians couldn't fly because he felt bad for Tommy. He spread his white and red-tipped wings and folded one over his chest so he could preen it. (is preen the right word?) Tommy went through the feathers, pulling out the ones that were falling out, and cleaning the ones that weren't. Straightening them, ruffling them so they rested comfortably. 

Tommy took a deep breath and sat up. I will be the first elytrian to fly. I will be the first. Images of him flying in the cloud-streaked sky, with Phil right behind him. Of the wind whipping his hair, of the world spread out under him, of flying with the crows and bluejays and cranes. Tommy and the birds would share one thing. Wings. Tommy lay his head back on the mat and closed his eyes. I will fly one day. One day...his thoughts drifted away as he fell away to sleep.

~W~

Caw! Caw! Phil flicked his wings and shushed his crow. He had known that a human was coming. Phil hid behind a corner and froze as he heard human steps coming closer. He crouched, his black shirt blending in with the shadows. The human walked forward and Phil recognized him. The human turned his head. A white mask with a black smiley face looked at the wall where Phil was crouching. He felt a shudder of fear going up his spine as Phil moved his hand to the spot on his side that was bandaged. That was the human that had shot him out of the air. That was the human that had taken him away from his wife. The human that had made her raise their not-yet-born kid. He felt rage boiling up inside of him and he stiffened, not wanting the human to see him. "Hello." Phil felt his blood turn to ice. Is he talking to me? "I am talking to you." Phil looked into the eyes of the smiley face.

Phil woke with a jolt. Sweat ran down his face as he tried to calm himself. It was a dream. That didn't happen. That didn't happen. You are fine. Phil felt a stab of regret. He missed Kristen. He missed his son whom he never met. I feel like I was a bad father. I never got to be there. 12 years of not having a father. Well, technically only 11. Tommy and Tubbo had been so young when they were brought in, and Phil had promised himself that he would take care of them. His kid would never have a father, but Phil didn't want the same fate for Tommy or Tubbo. They were both just innocent kids. One day. One day I will find my kid. But until then, I will continue to take care of Tommy and Tubbo.

~W~

Ranboo walked through the halls with Niki by his side. Hybrids weren't allowed to walk the halls alone anymore, not since S9712 had disappeared. Ranboo had never gotten to meet him, but apparently, he had also been a Ram hybrid like Tubbo, with similar hooves, tail, and ears, but his horns were long and curled around his ears. He was apparently obsessed with a human drink. What was it called again? Alcohol? Ranboo wasn't sure. But he had disappeared three days ago. So that was how Ranboo was on his way to the office owned by someone named Dream to be interrogated. Ranboo was told Dream ran the Facility, and he'd had a curl of rage build up in him. This was the person that ripped families apart, took innocent hybrids away, and locked them up. They got to a door and Niki stopped, grabbed the communicator, and said "Dr.Dream, do we have permission to enter?" it buzzed and said we're just finishing up. What does he mean? Who's in there? Just then, the door clicked and Tubbo walked out. 

Tubbo looked at Ranboo and hugged him. "Good luck," he whispered. Ranboo hugged back and said, "thank you." Tubbo let go and walked away as Niki led him back to his room. Dream waved into the room and said "come in." Ranboo looked into the room and stepped in. the door closed behind him and suddenly dream was in front of him. He motioned for Ranboo to sit down. "So, what do you think?" Dream said. Ranboo looked at him with confusion. "What?" "What do you think of the Facility?" Dream repeated. 

The rage that he had been bottling suddenly exploded out of his mouth. "What do I think? I think that you are more of a monster than all of us! You tear families apart, just to study us! WE ARE NOt A THREAT! HUMANS ARE! THEY POLLUTE OUR HOMES! THEY TEAR US APART, JUST FOR GLORY!" YES! YES! BRING HIM TO JUSTICE! "WE NEVER DESERVED ANY OF THIS! PHIL LOST HIS CHILD AND WIFE! YOU KILLED TUBBO'S PARENTS! YOU ARE WORTH NOTHING! NOBODY WANTS YOU! YOU ARE A MONSTER!" Ranboo got taller, strength flowing through his body. The black flushed out the white. He lunged at the human. "YOU DESERVE TO DIE!" Ranboo screeched. 

Dream fumbled with the communicator and said in a panicked voice "S9295 has snapped! Please send in authority immediately!" the door burst open, and one of the humans shot a little dart into Ranboo's arm. There was a flash of pain and then calming numbness. Black dots swam in his vision, and he collapsed.

~W~

The first thing that Tubbo heard was the communicator on Niki's hip. It said S9295 has snapped! Please send in authority immediately! The first thing that Tubbo had thought was Ranboo! Is he okay? But then the words registered in his head. Snapped? What does that mean? Tubbo looked at Niki. "what does that mean? What happened to Ranboo?" Niki had seen the fear and sadness in Tubbo's eyes. "It means... it means he got really mad. Remember when S9295 attacked Sapnap?" Tubbo nodded. He had been there, but that was before he had met Ranboo. Even if he had met him before that, Tubbo wouldn't have recognized his shy, quiet friend. That side of Ranboo scared Tubbo. It was like a whole different person. Ranboo didn't even look like Ranboo when he was like that. His eyes turned purple instead of softly glowing red and green. The white disappeared. Tubbo didn't like it. 

Niki interrupted his thoughts. "That happened again, except this time S9295 attacked Dr.Dream." Tubbo's eyes widened. What did Dream do to provoke Ranboo? He wouldn't just lash out from nowhere. Dream must have said something really bad. They got back to the room and Tubbo was greeted by a hug. "Tubbo, I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry." Tommy mumbled. "Oh, Toms, for what?" Tommy looked Tubbo in the eyes. "I'd rather not say," Tommy said. then added in a whisper "not where she can hear." Tommy was talking about Niki. Tubbo nodded and said, "it's okay, Niki, you can go now." Niki hesitated, but then she turned around and left. Tubbo turned back to Tommy. "What is it? Why are you so sad?" Tommy's eyes had a shiny layer on them. Unshed tears. Tom never cries. This must be bad. Tommy didn't say anything but waved for Tubbo to follow him. Tom lead Tubbo to the grass patch, Tubbo's favorite spot. 

"Tubbo, don't break down, but we have to get out of here. We need to take Ranboo and leave." 

Tubbo looked at Tommy in confusion. "Why? And why do we have to take Ranboo?" Tom looked Tubbo in the eyes and Tubbo saw fear and sadness. "Because... Tubbo, because after Ranboo attacked Dream, he decided that Ranboo was too dangerous. They're going to..." Tommy choked on a sob. "They said they had to get rid of him." Tubbo stared at Tommy in shock. Get rid of him? Are they letting him go? But if he attacked Dream... The realization hit him. The reason Toms was crying. They're going to kill him. Tommy's right we have to go. Now. "alright. We need to get Ranboo and leave. Let's go." Tubbo grabbed Tommy's wing and tried to drag him down to the door. "Not now. When it's night." Tommy said, pulling his wing out of Tubbo's grasp. But Ranboo... but Toms was right. But he was also wrong. "Fine. we'll escape at night. But we need to warn Ranboo." Tubbo said. Tommy just nodded. Tubbo smiled. He was going to see Ranboo! His hoof rapped the floor repeatedly like it always did when he was happy. The ram went to the door and pressed a button that would notify the staff that they wanted out. Tubbo sat down and crossed his legs, waiting for someone to open the door. A few minutes later, the door opened to reveal a human with a white headband. Sapnap. 

From what Tubbo gathered over time, Sapnap didn't particularly like hybrids but isn't mean to them like Dream or the one with a blue beanie and a scar over his eye. Tubbo didn't know his name. Sapnap was kind enough, but Tubbo wished that it had been Puffy of Karl instead. Those two were his favorite. And it would have been more convenient. After the whole fiasco, Sapnap tried to avoid Ranboo at all costs. He was scarred for life, probably. Whenever someone mentioned Ranboo, Sapnap would wince. "Hey, Sapnap, you might want to trade out with another employee," Tubbo warned. Sapnap looked down at Tubbo. "Why's that?" he said in a sort of gruff voice. Tubbo looked away. "I was wondering if I could go see Ra- S9295." Tubbo had to correct himself because Sapnap didn't know Ranboo's real name. There it is. Tubbo thought as Sapnap winced. "Um, I'll just go get Karl," Sapnap said and hurried away. Tubbo rolled his eyes. The thing with Sapnap was that whenever he had to get another person, it was almost always Karl. Tubbo had seen the matching rings. Tubbo had come to the conclusion that they were either engaged or married. But the scar one had one too, so that made it confusing. Karl walked through the door and said "hay, Tubbo. How are you?" Tubbo smiled. This was why he liked Karl. he treated them like real people, instead of things to be tested. "Good. I was wondering, could you take me to Ranboo?" Karl laughed. "Is that why Sapnap was in such a hurry to leave? He was chosen to get you, but came to me and said that I should go instead. But sure, we can go see Ranboo." Tubbo's heart leaped. He was going to see Ranboo! 

But the joy quickly faded as he remembered why. To warn him. To save him from getting killed. Tubbo grabbed Karl's sleeve and pulled, walking in the direction of Ranboo's room. To warn him, and to save him. That was how, that night, he was hiding in a shadow with Ranboo and Tommy, with the door to freedom right in front of them.

~W~

2068 words.