Work Text:
[Audio starts]
“Hello?”
[Muffled shuffling]
“Is this thing working? Can anyone hear me?”
“I mean, I guess you wouldn’t be able to tell me. Even if you do find this. It’s not like I’ll still be–”
[Clears throat.]
“Ranboo’s been messaging me ever since it happened. He wants to know where I am. Wants me to go home, go find him. It’s miles away, and I don’t know if I’d even be able to make it before – well.”
“I’ve got Michael with me. Say hi, Michael!”
[Muffled snort from the background.]
“The world’s ending in a few hours. Supposedly. It’s already started, obviously. I guess the end of the world can’t be neat and tidy. It’s not exactly a wrap it up in a bow and call it a day kind of thing, is it?”
“The entrance to the mines collapsed an hour ago. Ranboo told me that, um. That the world was ending. The ground’s been caving in all over the place. It’s – it’s all disappearing, and soon there’ll be nothing but void. So I’m just waiting here. Michael won’t know anything’s wrong, hopefully. He’s playing with some gold now. I just wanted to find some more gold for him, and now–”
[Heavy breathing.]
“I think it’s best that he doesn’t know. He doesn’t have to be afraid, that way. Ranboo and I – it’s Michaels birthday, you know. Or at least, the anniversary of when we found him. We just wanted to do something nice for his birthday. I was going to take him out to get gold, and Ranboo would decorate the mansion. Throw him a nice party.”
[Quiet laugh.]
“We never planned any of this, you know? The whole parenthood thing, the whole being married thing. I don’t think I regret it, though. It’s the end of the world, and I know I don’t regret them. I guess that’s some kind of comfort.”
“I should probably message Ranboo. Tell him I love him.”
“Is there any point in telling people you love them, when you’re both about to die?”
[Audio ends]
[Audio starts]
“You know, I always thought it would be quicker than this. I wouldn’t say I’m surprised, but I just – I wish it would speed up a bit. I’m not afraid, really. I don’t think I can be, after everything. It’s not like there’s anything I can do about it. Maybe if there was, it would be worse.”
“I know the others will be scared, though. Maybe that’s why I wish it would go faster. That or I’m bored. Always thought the end would be a bit more dramatic. I don’t think – I don’t think the universe particularly cares what I think though, so.”
[Muffled shuffling.]
“Michaels asleep, right now. He’s still holding – he has this chicken plushie, that Ranboo got him when we first found him. It’s in complete tatters now. I’ve sewn that chicken up more times than I can remember. Covered in dirt, all the time. I suggested we get him a new one, but I’m glad he argued, now.”
“It’s actually – it’s got a bit of blood on it, too. There was this one time Ranboo was sleepwalking, and-”
[Laughter]
“It’s funny, actually. Ranboo was always scared that he’d hurt Michael, when he was sleepwalking. Scared of hurting me. Told me that if I ever saw him sleepwalking, to stay away from him. To keep Michael away from him. Dramatic idiot.”
“I tried, too. Did what he said. But Michael – all Michael saw was his dad. Barrelled straight into him, chicken plushie in one hand, the other one reaching for Ranboo. He – he knocked Ranboo over. Hit his head on a table corner, started bleeding everywhere. Got some of it on the chicken.”
[Sniff.]
“Gave me an absolute heart attack, honestly. Michael was terrified. Completely convinced he’d killed his dad. But, uh. I know a lot of first aid, and all that. Comes with the trade. Patched him up, and then the biggest issue was Michael’s chicken.”
“I’m never going to see Ranboo again, am I?”
[Quiet sobbing.]
[Audio ends]
[Audio starts]
“Ranboo’s still messaging me. Says Tommy’s with him. I’m not sure if he’s telling the truth, but I appreciate it either way. I like the thought of them having each other. I just wish –”
[Sniff.]
“I think Michaels waking up. I’m glad I didn’t tell him what’s happening. He shouldn’t have to be scared. Or brave. God, I’m so glad he never had to be brave. I think that makes us good dads. Me and Ranboo. Ranboo and me.”
[Deep inhale.]
“He’s just a kid, you know. Deserves a longer life. But, um. I’m glad we got to give him a good year. Give him a good family. Even if – even if it’s, um, being cut a little short.”
“We were just kids too, weren’t we? Maybe – maybe in another world, we still are. But, um. Well. It’s not like it matters now, huh.”
[Murmuring child’s snort, incomprehensible.]
[Audio ends]
[Audio starts.]
“I let Michael play in the water. Ranboo would – Ranboo would kill me, if he was here. But I figured, fuck it, let him have his fun. Sure, it’s probably full of germs, and I wouldn’t be surprised if a cave spider jumped out of it, but we’re just delaying the inevitable now, aren’t we?”
“If he asks why we’re here for so long, I’m going to tell him we’re waiting for Ranboo and Tommy. That they’re coming to give him a birthday gift. I’ll, uh, have to explain to him what a birthday is. Don’t think Ranboo and I ever got around to doing that. We were going to tell him when we got back to – to the, uh, surprise party. Guess that’s off the cards now, huh.”
[Sniff.]
“I think he’d have liked his birthday party.”
[Audio ends]
[Audio starts]
“You know, I don’t even know why I have this recorder. Probably for Ranboo and his memory, or something. I don’t, uh, know why I’m recording this, either. It’s not like anyone’s going to listen to it. Or care.”
[Deep sigh.]
“Maybe it’s just – some kind of catharsis, I guess. Ranboo taught me that word, you know. Think he heard it from Technoblade. Releasing repressed emotions, or something stupid like that. I, uh. I guess I’d be the guy to talk to about repressed emotions, huh. Maybe he was trying to tell me something.”
[Soft laughter.]
“He’s strange like that, Ranboo is. Won’t just tell me what he’s thinking straight to my face. He’s the opposite of Tommy, like that. Well. How Tommy used to be. Guess he’s a lot more secretive about all that now. Side effect of living here too long. That’s life, I guess.”
“I’ve been thinking about Technoblade a lot, lately.”
[Audio ends]
[Audio starts]
“Ranboo’s still messaging me. I let him talk to Michael for a bit. He, uh. Told him he was getting a surprise ready for him. To look forward to that. I, uh–”
[Deep breath]
“He’s been practically bouncing off the walls since then. Almost had to hold him down to dry him. Only reason I didn’t was cause I promised the kid chocolate when we got back if he behaved. He’s really–”
[Heavy breathing.]
[Sobs.]
“He’s really looking forward to his chocolate. I wonder–”
[Heavy breathing.]
“I wonder if Technoblade ever used to be like that.”
[Loud shrieking]
[Audio ends]
[Audio starts]
“Michael scraped his knee on a rock. It’s the end of the world, and I just patched up my kids knee with my jumper.”
“He’s playing with his gold again, now. Over on the – on the other side of this cave. Having the time of his life, he is. Not paying attention to a word I’m saying. In a world of his own, right now. Kind of envy him, actually.”
[Shuffling.]
“I took my armour off a while back. Think this is the first time I've taken my armour off outside in - well, probably L'Manburg, I guess. Don’t think there’s any point in it, right now. Michael asked why, and I. Uh. I told him I was tired. Guess I wasn’t exactly lying.”
“Ranboo said that he can hear the void calling to him, now. I don’t envy him. Always thought it was pretty cool, that he was half enderman. But – I think, this part must suck. The void – I wouldn’t want to hear what it has to say. I doubt it’s very kind.”
“Guess I’ll find out though. Can’t be worse than Te- can’t be worse that this server, honestly.”
[Audio ends]
[Audio starts]
“They call Technoblade a god, you know. Say he can’t be killed. That he can hear the voices of the people he’s killed with every waking second. That they drive him to kill more, that they demand blood. They call him the blood god.”
[Snort.]
“It’s pretentious enough to fit him, honestly.”
“Maybe they’re right, you know? Maybe Technoblade can’t die. I sure as hell couldn’t kill him. I regretted it, you know? Thought that maybe – maybe I was the one in the wrong. He’d only taken one of my lives, and he was peer pressured into it anyway. I wasn’t even angry at the time, was I?”
[Sniff.]
“Sure, he blew up my country, but we had rebuilt. He was retired. Everything was fine. Maybe – maybe if we’d stopped there, everything would have been fine. None of the rest of it would have happened. We could have been happy.”
[Snort.]
“Yeah, that’s stupid, isn’t it? Dream was always going to keep trying to kill us, and Techno- Technoblade was just waiting for an excuse, really. I’ve been thinking about it, these last few hours, and the more I think, the more obvious it is.”
“We were never going to be happy, were we? Briefly, sure, but in the long run? Not a chance.”
“They were all just waiting for an excuse, weren’t they?”
[Muffled crying from the background.]
[Audio ends]
[Audio starts]
“Michael’s asleep on my lap, now. He’s, um. He’s super tired. We were meant to home ages ago. I don’t know what time it is, but I know it’s probably been hours. He looks so happy when he sleeps. I wonder–”
[Snort]
“I really need to stop wondering about Technoblade.”
“I mean, really, though. Peer pressure is such a shit excuse for murder. Like Technoblade could ever be peer pressure by a government. He hardly even talked to Schlatt, like hell was that peer pressure! It’s not like he ever listened to any other government. And it’s Technoblade. What would Schlatt have done if he said no? Thrown a tantrum?”
[Laughter]
“You know, I trusted him. I was so – I was so fucking naïve, back then. I don’t think I was ever properly innocent, not with Schlatt, but at least – I was still a kid, you know? I still believed–”
[Laughter]
“I still believed things would work out. I mean, I know that’s bullshit now, but back then. Back then, I – I trusted the world, you know? Trusted Technoblade. That’s the difference between him and Schlatt, I think. I never trusted Schlatt. Sometimes, sure, it was confusing, but I never thought, yeah, this guy’s on my side. He’ll protect me. He’s got my back.”
“But Technoblade? Technoblade was a god, to me. A god. And I – I thought, hey, if Technoblade’s on my side, then nothing can hurt me. We’re going to win this, and we can rebuild, and it’ll all be fine again. We can all go back to being fine.”
[Laughter.]
“And when Schlatt boxed me in up there, I was terrified. I thought, hey, I’m going to die here, you know? And I still had two more lives, but I knew what it felt like to die. Knew the – the ripping apart feeling, the stitching back together, all the awfulness that came after and in between. It was – it was terrifying, to me. But at least it was Schlatt. At least I could tell myself that yeah, this was proof he was evil. Closure, or something. Just in the form of death.”
[Laughter.]
“Guess that’s one kind of closure. Probably not the healthiest kind, though.”
[Laughter.]
“And when – when Schlatt called on Techno, I stopped – I stopped being so – so fucking scared. I was – I was such an idiot, my god. I thought – thought that Techno would save me. Thought, this is a warrior, a god. If anyone can – if anyone can get me out of here, it’s Technoblade.”
“Even – as he walked up there, I trusted him. As he talked to Schlatt, as he looked him in the eyes, I trusted him. Even – even as he fucking, stood in front of me, pulled out that gods-forsaken firework launcher, I trusted him. Believed in him. It wasn’t–”
[Sobs.]
“It wasn’t until he looked me in the eyes that I realised – I realised he was – he was going to–”
[Laughter]
“I don’t think–”
“I think that was when I stopped trusting people, I think. Started agreeing with everything, just to try and keep them on my side. Make them like me. Make–”
[Sobs.]
“Make myself useful.”
[Sobs.]
“How’s this for catharsis, Ranboo?”
[Laughter.]
[Audio ends]
[Audio starts]
“So, Michael’s still asleep. I – I sent a picture to Ranboo, so that. Um. He could see him. One last time. Thought it would be nice.”
“He hasn’t responded yet. Hopefully he’s busy with Tommy. I don’t – I don’t really want to think about the – well. You know. The alternative.”
[Deep breath.]
“You know, maybe that’s why I didn’t get angry at Technoblade the first time he killed me. The whole – the whole denial thing, I mean. Always thought it came from Tommy always dying on me then fucking coming back. Bastard can’t die, can he.”
“But really, it’s been around a lot longer than that. I didn’t want Technoblade to be a bad person, so even back then I just pretended it hadn’t happened. Acted like everything was fine, even though I had scars covering my face and every night I woke up to – to the feeling of those – to that heat, those screams, those bangs, all that colour.”
[Sniff.]
I think – I think maybe if I’d managed to kill him, maybe I would have been better than this. Maybe that would have been my first step to being able to accept my problems. Pretty unhealthy coping mechanism, a bit morbid, but this is the Dream SMP, after all. But it – it all went wrong, didn’t it?”
“You know, all this thinking I’m doing is – well. I don’t know if it’s helping or not. I’m not – I’m not used to thinking about these things. I think I’m much more used to ignoring them. But hey, no time like the present, right?”
[Choked laughter.]
“We just wanted to take one of his lives. What would he have lost? His pride? Is that what I lost everything over? A gods pride? If he never dies, then why would only having two lives left matter?”
[Sigh.]
“Honestly, I think maybe I just wanted him to feel what he’d done to me. Should have gone with fucking fireworks. Would have been much more poetic. Maybe he would have realised he’d done something wrong, then. I don’t – I don’t understand why one life matters, when you never lose any. Why he got so angry over it, when all I wanted was–”
[Laughter.]
“Fucking, catharsis, I guess. There you go, Ranboo. That’ll be my catharsis. When Technoblade falls into that void, just like the rest of us mere mortals. Maybe gods can’t die, but Technoblade isn’t a god. Not really. He’s as mortal as the rest of us, where it matters. And he’s going to die with us.”
“And the whole trial thing, you know. I know it’s probably the worst part. The part that makes it unfair. That’s what you think, isn’t it, Ranboo? You don’t need you to say it for me to understand, you know. You’re my husband. I know how to read the look in your eyes, the way you twist your sleeves, the twitches of your fingers. I know you, Ranboo. And you – you knew me. Or as much of me as a person could know, I guess.”
“But I mean. What would a trial have done? I mean, really? He would have been found guilty. No matter the lawyer or the law or any amount of bullshit he would have spouted. We all watched as he – as he spawned those – those – the withers, we watched as he told Tommy to die like a hero, as he tore down what we had lost lives to protect.”
“He would – he would have been found guilty, whatever happened. So I can stop feeling guilty about that, at least. I know you weren’t there, Ranboo, but trust me, it’s not something you can forget. You ran away from doomsday the second time, too, didn’t you? I can’t blame you. It’s not–”
[Sobs.]
“It sticks with you.”
[Sobs.]
“You couldn’t run away from this doomsday, could you, Ranboo? Why–”
[Thump of rocks hitting each other.]
“Why couldn’t you run away from it again, idiot?”
[Muffled scream.]
[Audio ends]
[Audio begins]
“I can’t believe I’m crying. After everything this server has done to me, you’d think I’d be used to this shit. It’s just – Ranboo still won’t respond to me, so I think – well, I tried Tommy too, so maybe Ranboo was telling the truth when he said they’re together and now – I mean, now they’re–”
[Sigh.]
“I think it’s safe to say I’m, uh, alone now.”
“It’s weird, this acceptance thing. You’d be proud of me, Ranboo. Of Michael, too. He’s sleeping so peacefully. Never does this at home, huh? I could use with him being awake, actually. Could really use a hug right about now.”
“But Michael – he was happy, right? We did good?”
[Deep breath.]
“I didn’t get much right, but I think I got you guys right. Michael – Michael never had a Dream, or a Technoblade, did he?”
“God, Technoblade was such a hypocrite, wasn’t he? Always had that whole treat others how they treat me philosophy? Repay kindness, repay hurt, all that bullshit. It makes sense. Good philosophy to have. It’s just–”
“I think, if you’re going to follow that logic, you should allow others to work on that logic too. Using his own logic, I was completely in the right for trying to kill him. But whatever, it’s only ok if it’s Technoblade, apparently. Only ok to destroy countries and kill children and – and, god, I need to get a grip.”
“It doesn’t even matter anymore, does it? I’m going to die, and Technoblade’s going to die with me. He might already be dead. Hell if I know. I know – I know you guys were friends, but I hope – I like to think you’d have taken my side, if he ever came back to finish the job. I know – you know what, I don’t want to try rationalise that. I’ll just – I’ll just imagine you would have stood by me.”
[Sniff.]
“I’m not going to think about Technoblade anymore. He’s not important anymore. He’ll never bleed, not like he made the rest of us, but he will die. Just like the rest of us. Sucks to suck, I guess. Still though. Tommy had Dream, and I have Technoblade.”
“We’re just kids, you know?”
[Sniff.]
“I hope – if what they say about Technoblade’s voices are true, then I hope he hears my voice telling him to go fuck himself right up to the last second.”
[Sniff.]
“I hope he remembers that I was still a kid, the first time he killed me.”
[Recording ends]
[Recording starts]
“Ranboo, I want you to know that I loved you. Wherever we end up next – honestly, there probably isn’t anything, but I hope I get to see you again. You’re my best friend. You’ve always been there for me – well, you haven’t, but that’s not your fault – and I want you to know that I tried my best. Michaels going to wake up in a minute, and I’ll tell him that he’ll get to see you soon.”
“God, I wish we had more time. I wish we could have grown up in a world where we could be children and not soldiers, where we could play games and have fun and never have to choose sides, never have to fight, never have to die.”
“But, I’ll never – I’ll never regret you, Ranboo. Or Michael. I regret a lot of things, but you guys aren’t one of them. You’re my favourite people ever. My family. And I’m – I’m sorry if I ever wasn’t enough, but god, I hope you went – I hope you went out knowing how incredible you’ve made my life, even after all the – all the Technoblade, I guess.”
“The end of the world happened a long time ago for me, Ranboo. It happened in the final control room, and when Technoblade killed me, and when he blew up my country and everyone told me I was the one in the wrong for trying to keep us all alive. But that’s ok, cause I had you. You made the end of the world worth it, Ranboo. You–”
[Shuffling.]
“Michael’s waking up now.”
[Heavy breathing.]
“I’ll see you soon, Ranboo.”
[Audio ends]
[Audio begins]
“Michael, say hi!”
[Excited squeal.]
“Aww, you go kid. Ranboo, you’d be so proud of him. He just punched a zombie in the face. I, uh, didn’t notice it at first. Guess I’m getting a bit tired. That’s ok, though. We’ll see you soon, yeah?”
[Piglin snort.]
“Yeah, that’s right. Dad can hear us. You got anything you want to say to him?”
[Series of squeals and grunts.]
“You hear that, Ranboo? We’ll – we’re gonna keep playing for a bit, and then you can give Michael his surprise, and I promised him some chocolate, but you can’t be mad cause it’ll – it’ll make him happy, yeah? You can – you – you can make sure I don’t give him too much, yeah?”
[Shuffling.]
“Michael’s giving me a hug now. You’re really missing out right now. Sucks to suck I guess, now I’m the favourite.”
[Piglin snort.]
“Yeah yeah, I know. Ranboos far too cool for me to be the favourite.”
[Snort.]
“And – and he’s getting you a surprise, yeah.”
[Shuffling.]
“We’re gonna bake a cake later, too. How does that sound? We can’t let Ranboo bake it alone, can we? We all know how that turned out the last time, yeah. We’ll bake a nice chocolate cake, and we can put a whole bag of sweets on top of it, and eat all of it at once, because you deserve it, Michael. You really–”
[Sniff.]
“I love you, Michael. I don’t think I say it enough, but–”
[Collapsing rocks, rushing water.]
[Screams.]
“Michae–”
[Rushing air.]
[Static.]
[Recording ends]
- This audio recording is the only remnants of the private server formerly known as the Dream SMP.
- This transcript is provided by our historical association. For more information on private servers, ask for server records in the library, or for those who wish to know more about this specific server or involved people, our curators will be happy to answer any questions. For information on Technoblade or Dream, visit our prized Hall of Heroes.