Chapter 22

It felt good to get out of the ravine and stretch my legs. The last time I'd been out was when Dream and I, under the cover of night, rigged the nation of Manburg with more TNT than I've ever seen in my life.

"You don't have to-" Tommy begins and I sigh. I know exactly where this conversation is going.

"No, Tommy." I cut in, "I'm going to blow it up no matter what."

"I know." Tommy sighs next to me. We walk towards Manburg in silence for a while, dodging roots and vines on the forest floor.

"And-" I intend to finish my monologue, even though it feels as though I have been repeating myself ever since that night we argued, like a broken record.

"I just want you to know I'm with you." Tommy interrupts, looking up at me with those icy blue eyes. I gape at him then beam,

"Really?" I marvel at the boy. He really is unpredictable sometimes. "Great! Well, the plan is simple really!"

We climb the hill over to Manburg as I excitedly tell him the plan that had been evicting all my other thoughts since I had started thinking about it. I even dreamt about it.

"We are going to hide and listen to the festival and when Tubbo gives his speech, at the end, he will say 'Let the festival begin!' and he's going to leave, out of the blast radius, and I'm going to blow the place up killing everyone there and leaving nothing!"

I stop walking, panting, and looked at Tommy expectantly. He stared at the ground for most of my speech but looked up at the end.

"Tubbo knows about this?" He asked, somewhat surprised.

"Oh yes! I told him a while ago! He agreed with me."

"Ok good, I don't want to do anything that Tubbo doesn't want to."

I nod and continue strolling into Manburg. I had scouted the place in anticipation and already had a spot that was perfect for spying. Tommy tugs on my jacket at my elbow and I look down at him. His eyes are wide, and he looks at me incredulously.

"Why aren't you concerned?" He hisses at me, looking around paranoidly. "We are literally in Manburg, if we get caught it can't mean anything good!"

"I am concerned." I state, pulling my jacket out of his grasp. I do walk a little closer to the shadows, though. We reach a newly built building, near where Tubbo's old house once stood, to the left of the podium. It's a stout white building, still under construction, with yellow windows. Once we get on the roof, we'll have a good view of everything.

We get to the door on the ground floor and I pull it open slowly, making sure it doesn't creak. I step into the first floor and spot a staircase leading up to the second floor. Working tools are strewn across the floor, saw dust immediately tickling my nose and throat.

"You don't have to do this." Tommy repeats quietly at my back. I stop and turn around slowly, bending down so I'm level with the child.

"I've invested far too much to stop now. I'm going to blow it up."

"Will, we aren't the villains."

"We are!" I bellow, voice bouncing off the walls. I internally wince at the volume and quiet my voice down. "Have you seen Manburg lately? It looks really nice under Schlatt's rule! Just accept it, we are the bad guys."

That much was true, the place was greener and more alive than I had even seen it. Flowers everywhere and no more big black walls. I continued walking, up the stairs to the second floor. I could hear Tommy behind me.

"I'm creating a power vacuum," I say, without turning around. "And I want you to fill it." I turn slightly to look at Tommy over my shoulder.

"I want you to be president after we get back Manburg."

Tommy makes no reply and I sigh, looking around the second floor. There are a few chests laying around and I open the one closest to me. It has building supplies and a random book.

"Here you go." Tommy says, passing me a muffin. I squint at it and frown. It has a wrapper that says, 'Niki cake'.

"Are you trying to persuade me not to blow it up?" I ask suspiciously, "With Niki?"

I chuckle and Tommy looks at me blankly,

"I don't care," I assure him even if I only half mean it, looking out the closest window, to people hanging up decorations on buildings and the stage. Citizens of Manburg are starting to take their seats, so I hurry Tommy up onto the roof. "They don't mean anything. Not to me."

I can't help but think about good times I had with my friends, now getting ready to celebrate the presidency of Schlatt. Tommy and I lay belly down on the roof so our heads would only barley be visible to the crowd.

Schlatt and Quackity converse on the stage near where Quackity sits, at Schlatt's left hand. Tubbo stands on the right of the stage, grinning at the people sitting below him. He looks around at the decorations and catches my eye. He smiles and nods at me, then looks away sharply as Schlatt orders him to turn on something.

Tommy rummages around in his pockets and then passes me an ender pearl. It's a gelatinous but firm ball, with weird green lights swirling hypnotizingly in the centre.

"If you're going to do it, I want you to have this, I don't want you going down with it." Tommy mutters and I nod. I never had any intention of going down with it.

I peer over the edge, nearly everyone is here, in the crowd. And nearly everyone has their armour off, all covered in bright colours. It seems that Schlatt had kept the no armour rule. Dream sits at the back, in full protective armour, with Sapnap by his side. While I look at the pair, I notice Antfrost, a man with cat like features and ears, staring directly at me. I give him a cheeky wave, then get interrupted by Schlatt's voice booming though the speakers.

"Can you make my voice deeper?" He was part way through saying when his voice was amplified for everyone to hear. "Oh, uh, Welcome everyone to the Manburg festival!"

Everyone cheers and H Bomb, a man dressed in a maid dress stands up while clapping, only to immediately sit down when he realises no one else was standing. Fundy next to him facepalms.

"I'd like to thank everyone, from Manburg or not, for coming to celebrate democracy!" Schlatt says and people cheer again. "It's been a tough time for…"

Schlatt's voice fades into the background as I look down at the people, my old friends, and enemies. Maybe Tommy is right, do I really want to kill Niki? Or Jack? Fundy? Even Eret?

"Tommy," I hiss as Schlatt finishes his welcome speech, "I'm having second thoughts."

"Really?" Tommy gasps. A firework goes off, colouring Tommy's face in red, blue, and white. The colours dance in his hopeful eyes. "You shouldn't do it!"

"But this is my opportunity!" I groan, tugging on my hair in stress. "If I don't do it now, when? When will I do it?"

I look down at Tubbo, who's mingling with the crowd. He's cheering for Techno as he fires more L'Manburg coloured fireworks into the air.

"Look at Tubbo, he looks so good in his suit!" Tommy cries, pointing at the short brunette, now shaking hands with Ponk.

"I don't want to look at Tubbo!" I exclaim, burring my face into my hands.

"Don't you want them to be happy!?" I can see what Tommy's trying to do but it won't work. I know where I stand and seeing Schlatt, drinking once again from a brown glass bottle reminds me of why I'm here.

"Schlatt can't get away with this." I say over the fireworks; the sounds threaten to pull me back to the last time L'Manburg was destroyed. "He can't continue being like this, with this power, without consequences."

Tommy sighs as I stand up to watch the crowd migrate to the dance floor and an assortment of games. My lip curls in contempt when I see Quackity dancing alongside Techno.

"I'm jealous." I realise, watching intently as people circle around a boxing ring.

"I want to be down there." Tommy agrees, sitting to my left and swinging his legs off the side. I sit down next to him and watch as Techno and Fundy get into the ring.

"I wonder who's going to win?" I ponder sarcastically. Fundy stands there, eyebrows knitted in concentration, fists held up weakly. Techno attaches his boar mask to his face and rolls his shoulders.

"Aw, I reckon Techno has this one…" Tommy mocks, grinning.

"Yeah, he's kind of known for that kind of thing, isn't he?" I drawl. The fight begins on Schlatt's mark and Fundy swings at Techno, only to be blocked by Techno's forearm. In a blur Techno shoulder charges Fundy, getting him on the ground. Tubbo counts,

"ONE, TWO, THREE!"

And Fundy has lost in an amazing 3 seconds. Techno gets up off of my son and offers a hand to help him up. He swats it away, face bright red and climbs out of the ring. Techno raises his arms, probably challenging anyone who is brave enough to take on the 'Blood God'.

"I'm so cool, I'm Technoblade!" Tommy jeered, imitating Techno's deep voice.

"Uh, yeah, Blood for the Blood God." I mimicked, repeating a phrase that Techno often says before slaughtering someone.

We laugh and continue to make fun of my brother, pulling faces at each other. It had been a while since we'd hung out like this. I watch as Techno uses some water and his enchanted trident to propel himself up, practically flying. He throws the trident and is yanked upwards by the leather strap around his wrist, flying into the sky.

"Hey, guys," We both jumped as Tubbo speaks clearly behind us. My heartbeat quickens and my muscles clench before I realise that it's just our friend and ally. "I saw-"

"Tubbo!" Tommy cried, standing up and facing him. I stand up and hurriedly lead the two boys closer to the centre of the roof so we wouldn't be seen.

"Tubbo, I'm so glad you're here!" I gush, holding the boy by the shoulders. "I'm having second thoughts!"

"You are!?" Tubbo gasps, astonished. He looks up at me and holds my elbow softly, "What can I do?"

I throw myself away from him, thinking.

"Tell me," I turn back to him and look deep into his eyes. "Not as a spy but as a friend. Is Schlatt a good leader?"

Tubbo tilts his head and then answers honestly,

"Well, he's made some good improvements, but he has… strange ideals."

I nod seriously, turning to Tommy. He looks at Tubbo intensely.

"Are you happy?" Tommy asks softly, which took me by surprise. Tommy does nothing softly.

"Uh," Tubbo hesitates, hopefully trying to find the right words and not conjuring a lie. "Well, no, not happier than when you guys were in charge."

"If I blow it up will Schlatt stop?" I ask suddenly, for Tubbo this must feel like an interrogation. "Or will he build it all up again?" Tubbo doesn't hesitate this time.

"No, he won't stop. He will build it up from scratch if he has to."

"He's already been chased out of the country once before." Tommy says, scratching his chin.

"Yeah," Tubbo agrees, "He's basically been to rock bottom. He's no quitter."

"Tubbo," Tommy leans in, "Do you think Will should blow up L'Manburg?" Tubbo stands still and I scan his face.

"Well, no…"

"You told me yes." I recall sharply, thinking about the chat we had where Tubbo had immediately agreed.

"Well, I trust your better judgement…" Tubbo replies, looking between me and Tommy nervously.

"Tubbo, you're just a 'yes man', aren't you?" I scoff, "You'll say yes to anything and anyone."

"Will!" Tommy jumps in to defend Tubbo, forever loyal. "Stop."

"Look, I need you to think for yourself. Do you think I should blow up Manburg?" I say shortly. Tubbo stutters some filler words, not giving me a clear answer, so I cut him off. "If you say the line we talked about then I will blow it up. If you don't, I won't."

Tubbo looks up at me, a mixture of fear and a defiance, reminiscent of Tommy, in his features. He nods then excuses himself, going down to the stage to give his speech. Tommy and I lay back down to continue to watch the festival and wait for everyone to sit back down.

"Where's the button, Will?" Tommy asks, without looking at me.

"I'm not telling you." I say, watching the crowd find their seats. Tommy sighs and says no more on the matter.

"Hello!" Schlatt calls but then looks around angrily when he realises that the mic isn't on. "Tubbo? Oi, Tubbo? Where's the mic?"

"WHO PUT THIS MAN IN CHARGE?" I hear Niki call and I grin to myself. Schlatt gives her a death glare as the mic turns back on.

"Hello? Awesome. Anyway, welcome back." Schlatt says, opening his arms wide. "Uh, as much shit as I give Tubbo here, he is my right-hand man and has been an amazing worker. He works day and night and never fails to do anything I ask. So, I would like to welcome to the stage, Tubbo!"

Schlatt swaps place with Tubbo so he can give his speech. He shakes his hands to show off Tubbo then sits in Tubbo's seat. Tubbo beams and walks up to the mic that goes up past his head because of the height difference.

Everyone cheers and I hear Techno call out,

"Yeah! State secrets!"

"Tubbo," Schlatt warns, "If you say any state secrets so help me God…"

"No state secrets, got it! Well," Tubbo says, adjusting the height of the mic stand, "Thanks for being here! Uh, I'd like to start off by using a quote from a wise man. Manburg is like a lettuce!"

Schlatt nods smugly, pointing at himself and mouthing 'That was me'.

"You have to clean off the bugs and dirt, maybe even take off the first layer, and what's left is a pretty damn good meal. Schlatt has successfully gotten rid of all the bugs and what we are left with is healthy goodness. We've been beaten down by tyrants but Schlatt has turned all that around. Uh, thank you for coming and…"

I pull back a little, disappointed that there was no line and kind of hurt that we were the 'bugs' of Manburg. My attention is pulled back by Schlatt chuckling, lowly.

"Schlatt?" Tubbo asked timidly, tilting his head.

"Aw, I was just thinking…" Schlatt drawls, sprawled lazily on the chair. "Got anything else in the speech?"

"Uh, no," Tubbo shrugs, "Let the festival begin!"