Chapter 13

"Let's begin." Karl announces, a newer member of the Dream SMP but he fits in like he'd been here forever. He has odd, faint swirls of random colours all over his skin and is a rather goofy, almost child-like man.

I stand behind a wooden lectern on one side of the courthouse, a building that somehow floats in the clouds, but I had stopped questioning things long ago. Tommy stands to my right, hunching from bad posture. Jack and a few others, primarily from L'Manburg, sit on the stands behind me. On the other side of the courthouse is Quackity behind his lectern, chatting casually with George. A few people who could bother to come to the debate sit behind him, including Dream.

I turn to Tommy quickly and mutter,

"You know what we're fighting for, don't you?"

"Primarily Freedom." He responds seriously.

"What do you mean 'primarily'?"

"Well, you know, fortune and fame are pretty cool as well. But mostly freedom." I roll my eyes and turn back to the debate, ready to fight for my country.

Then Fundy bursts in the wooden doors,

"Sorry I'm late." He states, slightly out of breath.

"It's ok son," I pat a seat behind me, "Come here."

"Or here." Quackity calls. I scowl at him and turn back to my son, who hasn't taken a step yet. I continue to look at him,

"Actually, I won't be sitting with either of you," He looks me in the eyes and my brows knit together in confusion. "I'm running my own party."

Gasps come from both sides, is he even allowed to do that?

"I have a bakery and I can give out cookies and ice-cream and I think I can rule better than any of you." And with that he sits behind Karl, a blush dusting his cheeks. My own son wouldn't even sit with me. I look around and no one would make eye-contact with me.

"A topic Karl?" I ask, void of emotions.

"Right!" Karl stumbles over his words looking down at his paper on his lectern. "Uh, ok! This is a good one, Territories?"

"I'll take this." Quackity calls, then addressing everyone he says, "L'Manburg is very… exclusive. It is a beautiful place, and everyone should be allowed to see it. I'd open up the walls to all the Dream SMP." A few people cheer and agree.

"L'Manburg is a sanctuary, you want to open up our country to the very people we escaped years ago! L'Manburg is simply not for everyone."

"It's a new generation Wilbur!" Quackity calls, "A new generation of politicians, we need to evolve."

"That doesn't make the past any less important." I say, unflinchingly. There's silence for a second,

"How about murder," Karl says, looking between me and Quackity. "pet murder especially." Karl is referencing the murder of many pets in the past, a small war between Tommy, Fundy, Niki and Sapnap. Sapnap had killed Fungi, Niki's fox that Fundy had given her and Tommy's cow Henry. This led to a big fight and much hatred.

"If you don't mind, Quackity, I'll answer first." The lopsided man nods and I lean forward. "I would implement a police force, to combat people who go around killing animals."

"I disagree!" Quackity declares, "We need a policy where people are… nicer?" He articulates poorly and I chuckle.

"A policy for people to be nicer? That's not going to stop bad guys and literal murder." This was looking like it was going to be easier than I thought. "We need a protection force, not a policy."

"No, we need to attack the problem at the root." He stabs his finger into the lectern, "Our morals. It sounds stupid but we need to be nicer to each other and understand each other." I can't argue with that, however sappy it is.

"Corruption's the next topic." Karl says, after realising that that was all we had to say on the matter.

"I stripped my power so we could have a democratic election," I say, trying to appear righteous, yet humble. "Corruption is one of the main things I'm against."

"Get off your high horse," Quackity scoffs, "it was going to be a one-party election! You were –"

"Liar." I cut in. "He has no proof."

"What about word of mouth?"

"He's talking out his ass."

"I'm an eye-witness."

"If I may, Your Honour, my opponent is talking shit."

"Thank you, boys, that will be all." Karl interrupts, "Next debate is between Tommy and George."

~~~~~

"You've got this," I say, patting Tommy on the back. "Make me proud." We walk out of the small meeting room and up to the stands again. This time I stand on Tommy's right and George stands at the lectern with Quackity to his right. I sit in a chair; I'm getting old after all and that's when Tommy begins to talk.

"I'd like to address a previous topic," He says professionally, and it makes me wonder how long that will last. "We won this land through a war; we can keep people out because we fought for this nation and it's freedom."

"You speak of freedom and yet cut L'Manburg off from a certain group of people. That seems a little… racist." George says, it's obvious that he's trying to get a rise out of Tommy. To my disappointment it works.

"We had to free ourselves from tyranny!" Tommy shouts, pointing angrily "You threatened us and blew up our land!"

"You started the war, we defended ourselves." George counters, "The people want freedom! No one wins in war and that seems to be all you want."

Tommy stammers angrily and opens his mouth to probably yell profanities at the opposition. I grab his shoulder and call for a recess. Karl nods and I drag Tommy into the meeting room. I flop onto one of the chairs, but Tommy stays standing, tense from aggravation.

"Don't say it Wilbur." Tommy says through gritted teeth, fists clenched.

"George is a smart man, he will try to anger you, but you must represent L'Manburg properly." I say with a big sigh.

"I- Right." Tommy says straightening up, "Let's go."

I nod, proud of him like a big brother. I get up and exit the door after him and sit back in my seat.

"Welcome back." Karl grins at Tommy and looks down at the topics. "How about -"

"Hang on Karl," Tommy says, holding up a hand. Karl promptly shuts his mouth, looking a little offended. "I'd like to bring light that Dream, the Tyrant is on the SWAG side."

"The tyrant is endorsing the opposition!" I call, standing up and pointing. Everyone turns to look at the green man in the background.

"I don't endorse anyone!" Dreams shouts, standing up from his own chair. "He's my friend!"

"That bullshit!" Tommy yells, leaning over the lectern, knuckles white from squeezing the wood. "We all know that-" I grab his shoulder and squeeze. He turns and I give him a death stare, do not mess this up.

"Anyway," Karl says, drawing out the vowels. "How about 'Conflict'."

"It was peaceful until you L'Manburgians came and started starting wars over nothing." George announces, still smirking from Tommy's anger. "We should keep conflict to a minimum."

"I think we should fight only when necessary. We stood up to tyranny when we got here because none of you were ballsy enough to do it yourself!" Tommy says, waving his hands around to more effect. "We were peaceful, we made walls and structures and we brought in friends and you and your 'friends' kicked them out! We did what was right, it wasn't for nothing and I'm keeping this country for as long as I live."

People behind us cheered and at that the debate came to a close.