"I promise, we're getting close! I feel it..."

"Well, if this was for nothing, at least the sightseeing was good."

"It wasn't for nothing!!!"

"I like trains!"

"Thank you, Slime, for your input..."

"Mhm!"

"Listen. Call it instincts, call it dumb luck, call it whatever; I have high hopes we'll get there before the end of next week."

"Fine. But if we can't find fancy-name-whatever-it-was, I reserve the right to say 'I told you so'."

"Fine."

"Fine."

"Oh look, a feather!!"

"Eugh, why is it flaky? That can not be healthy."

"...Wait, what's that color underneath-"

...

"What? What is it?"

"I think we found exactly what we need."

Tommy looked at Ranboo in confusion as the tall hybrid bustled through the door, a bag in his hand. "Whassat?"

"Dinner!" Ranboo replied cheerfully, setting the bag down on the table. It looked like a lot of food.

"Where'd you get the money?" Tommy asked warily, glancing over to the jar they used for food money suspiciously. It looked untouched.

Ranboo was practically vibrating with excitement as he set the bag on the table. "Just a job I did today... They paid a lot."

Tommy grunted but didn't question it further. "What did you get?"

"Sushi." Ranboo grinned. "I haven't had a bite in forever!" He then looked around the apartment again. "Have you seen Tubbo?"

Tommy shrugged. He remembered Tubbo telling him about how he had to go fix this guy's security system... "He's on a job, I think." He grumbled, opening the soy sauce. Why did he never get paid anything good?

Tubbo tramped through the front door, nearly bumping into Ranboo on his way to the table.

"Speak of the devil," Tommy grinned and flicked a bit of the sauce at Tubbo. It landed on his nose and the ram hybrid wiped it off with a disgruntled huff.

"Watch it!" Tubbo groaned, grabbing something from the bag. "Oh, sushi? Nice; haven't had that in forever!"

Ranboo sat down in the last empty space and pulled a container out of the bag. "Save some of the maki for me!"

Tommy reached for the sashimi only to be denied by Tubbo's arm reaching for the soy sauce. "'Ey! You're blocking my sashimi!"

"And you're blocking the soy sauce. Figure it out," Tubbo rolled his eyes. "Anyway, I was thinking we could do something a little more fun tonight. I mean, we deserve it, we've been kicking ass for years, I reckon it's time for a break."

Tommy looked up in interest, having finally gotten ahold of his sashimi. "Oh?"

"Remember that old abandoned school by the North side borders?" Tubbo grinned. "I was thinking we'd do a little... raiding. Maybe find some stuff for the apartment; just have a good time. Besides, we haven't checked the North side out in forever."

"Because it's the rich-people area," Tommy rolled his eyes. "But yeah, I guess that does sound pretty cool... When do we leave?"

"Normal patrol time. We'll just take the scenic route, make our way to North side, and hopefully be there by 11:20 or 12:00." Tubbo looked quite proud of himself with this plan.

"Or I could teleport us," Ranboo volunteered. Tubbo's face fell. "...Oh. Right."

"Cool plan though, big man," Tommy put in, mouth full of sashimi.

[ • • • ]

Tommy stumbled away from Endgame, retching dramatically after the teleport. "You gotta figure out a way to make it less sickening, man," He choked, leaning against the wall of the school.

Endgame shrugged, unaffected like always. "I'm sure you can deal with it," He said calmly. Atomic was taking no bullshit and strode towards the broken-in doors.

"Well, this place sure is charming, isn't it?" He said through his gas mask with a grin, stepping inside. His footsteps echoed throughout the building. 

"Sorta eerie, innit?" Tommy grunted, following him. Behind him, he heard a screech that must have been Endgame scraping his horns on the metal doorframe. "Yikes. You alright, boob boy?"

He could hear the eyeroll in Endgame's tone as he responded. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Atomic tramped ahead of them, poking his head into different rooms. Tommy really wished he had a flashlight; or a power of some sort, just so that he could see.

"Does anyone have a flashlight?" He complained, to no avail. He could hardly see; the only signs of his roommates still being there Endgame's eyes slightly glowing through his goggles and the echo of Atomic's boots. "What are you even looking for, Atomic...?"

"It'll be worth it," Atomic said in anticipation. "Trust me."

Tommy sighed but kept walking nonetheless, stumbling over wires and piles of rubble as he went. "How are you two not falling over every second?" He whined, looking back at Ranboo and promptly colliding with another wall.

"Endermen can see in the dark."

"Night-vision goggles."

"Show-offs."

Atomic seemed to have found what he was looking for, because he stopped. Tommy heard a metal door or cabinet of some sort creak open and leaned against a wall that just so happened to be Endgame.

"Whoah, sorry."

"It's fine." Endgame said, moving in Atomic's direction. After a few more seconds, Tommy heard a click and then all the lights turned on at once, blinding him. "Awwh, man, a little more warning next time please!" He yelped, squeezing his eyes shut.

"Sorry," Atomic said unsympathetically. "You did want light though." 

Tommy blinked his eyes open a minute or so later and was satisfied and disgusted at being able to see. Atomic was standing next to an electrical breaker and Endgame was poking around in a random bin. The walls were covered in mildew and rot, and the floor looked even worse than he'd imagined. The ceiling was dripping slightly and clumps of debris that had broken off of it were lying on the ground.

"Eugh," Tommy muttered.

"Come on, let's go this way!" Atomic said cheerfully, striding down the hall. "I've never been to school; is this what it's like?"

"You're asking us like we know," Tommy said dryly.

They continued down the hall, dodging odd puddles and piles of concrete. Occasionally, Endgame or Atomic would peek into a classroom, grimace, and look out again. Tommy flew up to the lights several times but stopped after he touched one and it nearly fell on Atomic's head.

"This place is falling apart," Endgame huffed after his horns scraped the ceiling and a chunk fell off, breaking on the ground by his feet.

"You're telling me," Tommy said with an eyeroll, wings fluffing up. "I swear to the Primes, I'm going to have chemicals in my lungs for years."

"Aw, c'mon, this is fun!" Atomic said energetically, practically bouncing down the hall.

"Says the guy with a gas mask," Tommy remarked, crossing his arms.

Soon enough, they reached double doors with push handles. Tubbo reached out, grabbed the handle, and pulled.

"God fucking damn it."

As Tubbo cursed the gods, Tommy pushed the doors open.

"...Whoah."

It was a theater room; massively built with a large stage set in the back of the room. "It's the realm of the mythical theater kids! Or so I've been told."

"You're not funny."

"Am too!"

Their spat was cut short with the sound of humming coming from down the hallway. Tommy's head shot up. Well, this was awful.

"Oh, shit." Endgame mumbled, stumbling slightly. The music echoed down the halls and crawled into Tommy's brain like alarm bells telling him one thing; he needed to sleep. The floor looked so comfortable-

Tommy steeled himself and plugged his ears, watching Endgame and Atomic hurry to do the same.

Then, Tommy's brain had the brilliant idea to make this idiot stop singing. He unplugged his ears and started screaming. Loud screaming. The kind that would tear through the hallways and send chills down the spine of anyone listening. This was mind-numbing screaming, in an abandoned school, at night. 

So you can bet your ass that bitch Somnus shut up real fast.

But, unfortunately, that meant the heroes just had to go investigate. Tommy could hear Somnus's whining from down the hall.

"-c'mon, Corvid, we don't have to check it out! I don't want to!"

"Too damn bad. Revenger, tell him to shut up."

"Shut up, Somnus."

The door was pulled.

"Are you fucking jokin- A push door? With handles? SERIOUSLY???"

Somnus seemed to be throwing a mini temper tantrum, which pleased Tommy greatly.

The doors to the theater creaked open and Tommy shot forward, aiming for Corvid's face, who was in the lead.

The avian squawked and leaped back instinctively, dodging the blow and nearly crashing into Revenger who tripped on his own red cape. 

Somnus recovered quickest and started to sing again...

Then, Hollywood hit him over the head with a folding chair. He crumpled to the floor mid-note like a bad piece of aluminum foil.

Waterfall and Inferno advanced from behind Hollywood, Inferno going for Revenger while Waterfall jumped at Corvid and put an arm around his neck. He stumbled back before Waterfall evidently touched a pressure point and he too went down, eyes rolling into the back of his head.

Tommy could only watch in amazement, feeling like deadweight as the vigilantes took down Corvid and Somnus in a matter of seconds, without even using their powers. Hell, Hollywood used a fucking chair. What the hell.

Speaking of Hollywood, she moved to help Blaze with Revenger because the guy was struggling. Who wouldn't, though, it was Revenger.

Revenger's eyes were darting between Inferno and Hollywood, evidently trying to decide what course of action to take. Tommy could see his dilemma. 

Go up against Hollywood and Inferno? He'd probably be taken down, to be honest.

Run away? Well, he couldn't do that, because Somnus and Corvid would be hostages.

So he seemed sort of screwed. Until Tommy remembered this was Revenger, and he shoved Inferno into Hollywood and moved towards Corvid and Somnus and an exposed Waterfall and was about to draw his sword, when Atomic struck him in the temple with Endgame's staff.

Revenger's eyes widened, and then he looked confused. "Wh'thhell...?" He mumbled before sinking to his knees and slumping to the ground, unconscious as well. Atomic stepped back, mildly terrified.

Because almost no one had ever knocked Revenger out.

And now Atomic was one of few.

Hollywood brushed herself off and chuckled. "Nice one. They'll be down for a while." Her mask had a voice changer as well, making her voice static-y and warped.

"Good thinking with the folding chair," Inferno praised, placing a hand on her shoulder. Tommy couldn't see Hollywood's expression through the mask but he could tell she was proud by the way her wings shifted slightly.

The Jade trio then turned their attention to the younger vigilantes. "So, what were you three doing here?" Waterfall asked, standing up from where she had been kneeling over Corvid on the ground.

Atomic shifted awkwardly. "Just exploring... How'd you find us?"

This time, Inferno answered. "This school, which has been abandoned for... what, ten years... All the lights suddenly go on with no explanation. Sure, we didn't know it was you, but... Pretty sus, you know?"

"That's probably how the heroes found us too..." Endgame realized, flinching as everyone turned to look at him.

Hollywood stepped forward slightly. "Well. Thanks for the help with Revenger."

"And, er, thanks for, uh, the save?" Tommy tried, words coming out awkwardly.

Hollywood nodded, evidently satisfied. "No problem. We have similar goals, similar enemies... You know that saying? 'The enemy of my enemy is my friend'?" She chuckled. "I'm rambling. But just know... We're not your enemies."

Tommy just nodded stiffly, not too sure how to take the scenario.

Hollywood glanced at Inferno and Waterfall before all three of them disappeared out a side door. Tommy shook his wings out.

"That was awkward..." He muttered, looking around. "We should get out of here before they wake up." Revenger was already starting to shift slightly. Not needing to be told twice, Atomic and Endgame made for the door as well, Tommy close behind them.

Words: 1,918

Yooo almost 2k!

The fanart at the top is SBI dragon art, I just thought it looked super cool so I had to put it in.

Sorry for the late update; and have a great day!

-ITCFWI