"I need you to find Tommy."

"And I need you to show him the door."

"Tubbo?"

Tommy stood tall on the edge of the tower, staring at Tubbo with pained eyes. Wilbur tried to pull him down, but it was too late. They had seen him, exposed, tears running down his cheeks.

"T-Tommy?" Tubbo's face had paled as he stared at his best friend's broken blue eyes.

"Tubbo- you're not going to listen to him right? Please tell me you aren't-" Tubbo looked down in shame. The silence between them stretched miles and told a thousand words.

"T-Tubbo-"

"Tommy, I'm going to need you to come with me." Tubbo's voice darkened as he rubbed his arm, staring intensely at the ground. JSchlatt grinned proudly next to him.

"Tubs- no this isn't you- you wouldn't-"

"Tommy, we have to go." Wilbur tugged at his arm urgently, but Tommy couldn't tear his eyes away from Tubbo.

His best friend.

His best friend betrayed him.

"Tubs- you're kidding, right? You're making it up he's making you say this-"

"Tommy, just- just come to the podium." Tubbo's looked like he was heartbroken. "Please."

"NO! THIS ISN'T YOU! TUBBO WOULD NEVER DO THIS- TUBBO WOULDN'T BETRAY US- HE WOULDN'T-"

"Tommy." Wilbur clenched his shoulders. Tears streamed down Tommy's face unrelentlessly. "We need to leave." Wilbur's eyes were heartbroken, but his voice was steady.

"I can't just leave him, Will."

"Tommy-" Wilbur stared at Tommy's eyes sadly. They contained the spark of determination that only a 16-year-old could have in this situation. Tommy looked away. He knew what Wilbur going to say.

He's too far gone.

"Go." Tommy's voice was cracked, defeated. "He's looking for me, not you."

"Tommy-"

"GO!"

Wilbur stared at Tommy with shock. Angry tears gushed out of his eyes, his fists clenched to his sides. Suddenly, Wilbur wrapped him in a hug, holding him as he shook.

"Go to the edges of the city, got it? Meet me there, ok?"

Tommy nodded quickly as Wilbur started to go down the ladder. He cast one last look at Tommy, who was turned towards the podium again.

Please be safe.

You're the only thing I have left.

"Tommy, don't make me come up there."

"Tubs I-" Tommy's legs felt like they were about to give out. "This isn't you, right?"

Tommy's voice was small, quieter than it had ever been.

"I-" Tubbo's eyes flashed with sadness. He glanced at JSchlatt, who was looking at him expectantly. He lowered his head again.

"This is me, Tommy."

"W-What?"

Tommy felt like he had been punched in the gut. He watched as Schlatt pounded Tubbo's back excitedly.

"You tell him, Tubbo!" Quackity yelled out, whooping.

Tommy heard hard boots banging on the rungs of the ladder, coming closer.

He remembered when he heard that sound so long ago, George's boots clanging up the ladder of his embassy. He remembered waking up, seeing his friend's worried faces, Tubbo and Fundy among them, their cheeks stained with tears. Back when they only had each other, but they were happy.

But those days were gone.

Would Tubbo cry for him now?

The voices came closer and closer. Tommy's hand clenched around a water bucket in his inventory as he peered over the side. If he fell, nobody would be there to catch him. Tommy caught Tubbo's eyes one last time.

Come with me.

Tubbo's eyes widened before he looked down at the ground, shaking his head slowly. Tommy forced himself to turn away, feeling sick as he took a deep breath. The ground looked so far away as he swayed over the side.

You need to live.

And he jumped.

Tommy's stomach dropped as he plunged through the air. He heard someone scream, but couldn't tell who it was. He squeezed his eyes shut a moment before he hit the ground, placing his water bucket.

Splash

His communicator shattered on impact.

Tommy's eyes snapped open as he shakily picked the small pool of water back up, and then he was running, running, running as fast as he could. Shouts erupted behind him as he booked it, his cloak trailing behind him. He glanced back, looking at L'Manburg one last time.

The country he and his friends had worked so hard to defend.

The country he had given everything for.

Tommy continued running as fast as he could, tearing his eyes away from his home. He tried to not think about how he might never see it again. He tried not to think about how many friends had turned on him. He just kept on running, looking ahead, as L'Manburg faded farther away and farther away.

We've really fallen so far, haven't we?

---

Tommy's boots slapped on the hard wooden pathway, the moon shining brightly above him. His face was stained with sweat and his side felt like it was splitting open as he stumbled through the main city. He was sure that he looked like a mess, his dirty blonde hair ruffled and blood soaking into his coat.

He limped past his house, looking up at it. He suddenly stopped, freezing in place.

It reminded him of Tubbo.

Everything reminded him of Tubbo.

Tommy felt a jolt of fear when he heard voices behind him. It sounded like Punz and George. He stumbled forward hastily as the voices climbed over the hill. Suddenly he felt himself be pulled into an alleyway, a slender hand covering his mouth.

Tommy watched as Punz and George passed by, voices slowly fading into the distance. He looked up at his savior.

Her light brown eyes inspected him in her motherly way. Her blonde hair slowly worked its way out of the orderly ponytail she had earlier, clouding around her face. The red tie of her campaign uniform was untucked and her black jacket was unbuttoned messily.

"Niki?"

"Shhh." Niki pressed her finger to her lips, glancing nervously at the path. She dropped her voice to barely a whisper, urgency lacing her words.

"Tommy, I can give you armor, just ask ok? I'm ready to help-"

"Thanks, Niki, but I really need to get to Will-"

"Will?" Niki grabbed his shoulders, urgency in her eyes. "Do you know where he is? Is he safe? Is he ok-"

"Niki, I'm sure he's fine. Wilbur can take care of himself." Niki looked unsure for a moment before slowly nodding her head, releasing Tommy's shoulders.

"Head through the forest. Fewer people will see you that way."

Tommy nodded at her, turning towards the dark spruce forest behind him.

"And Tommy-"

Tommy turned back to look at her. Her eyes were filled with sadness.

"I'm so sorry- about everything. You used to look up to him, but JSchlatt is-"

"Horrible, I know." Tommy's face darkened.

"Tommy, I need you to promise me something." Niki's sadness had been replaced with determination. The contrast of light from the pathway to the dark of the alleyway made her look awesome.

It made her look brave.

"No matter what happens, don't stop fighting. Will is going to try to blame himself for everything, even when he knows it's not his fault. He's going to try to break himself down, but I need you to keep him going. Never give up, Tommy."

Tommy tried to lift the corners of his mouth into a smile, but his heart just didn't feel it. He settled for a curt nod and lifted his hand into a shaky salute. Niki smiled at him and saluted back.

Niki watched as he started into the forest, leaning on the trees for support.

Be safe, Tommy.

Be safe, Will.

---

Jschlatt looked over the gathered crowd inside the high black walls of L'Manburg.

His country.

His citizens.

JSchlatt almost cackled at how much power he felt when he said that. It was his now.

And there were going to be a lot of changes.

He was cast aside, simply a memory, that stupid kid, that Tommyinnit, thrust into the spotlight.

But oh, nobody remembered him. Nobody remembered stupid JSchlatt, how he had helped Tommyinnit become the person he was. The main character, the protagonist, the one everyone loved.

And so he and that Wilbur Soot messed around, creating stupid shacks and constraining themselves in a wall. They had no idea how great the country could be, how they could bend people to their will with a touch.

But Schlatt knew. Every single one of those dumbass followers was so easy to read. All he had to do was stroke their ego's a little bit, and poof, they were his. It was almost pathetic, really. He looked beside him at Quackity, adjusting his sunglasses. He accidentally dropped them awkwardly, glancing around to see if anyone saw.

Schlatt chuckled inwardly as he stepped up to the microphone. Did he really think he was going to let him lead beside him?

No, it was Schlatt's turn to shine. He was no longer just a memory, a fragment of the past.

A measly side character.

He never would have to question if he was going to be in the next story. He would never have to force his way to the front for attention.

He was the main character now.

He was the hero.

And everyone loved him.