Chapter Text
Tommy took a deep breath and met Tubbo’s eyes. “I was . . . I was your sidekick.”
Tubbo met Tommy’s gaze, just for a moment, and Tommy didn’t like what he saw there. Past the tears threatening to spill out of the corners, there was something in his eyes, some resoluteness, that had been present for the past hour, that Tommy just hated. As much as they’d tried to prepare themselves, they had always known that this confrontation would likely end poorly for them. He just wasn’t ready for this reality, the one where only Tubbo died and he had to remain alive and trapped in Dream’s prison. He didn’t know what he would do without his best friend.
And then Tubbo shook his head, breaking whatever moment of connection Tommy had latched onto, and he knew this was it.
He could barely hear Tubbo’s resigned, almost laughed, “No,” as Tommy mumbled, “Just, please don’t go.” He glanced away, and repeated himself, even quieter. “Please don’t go.”
Tubbo shrugged, giving one of his usual ‘everything’s okay but it’s not really’ noises. Then, with a few steps that seemed to echo throughout the chamber even as Tubbo announced, “It’s fine,” he walked between Tommy and Dream.
“No no no,” Tommy protested, louder this time and getting louder with each repetition, but something kept him rooted in place.
Tubbo turned, and Tommy could almost see the ghost of a sad smile on his face. “It’s about time anyway. It’s about time.”
And then, out of the corner of his eye as he watched Tubbo turn back to Dream, he saw nether portal flash yellow as someone came through. Tubbo and Dream said something else, both talking toward each other, but Tommy’s attention had been dragged to the unknown fourth person.
He didn’t immediately recognize the person, but there were a lot of people on this server he didn’t know. Even with his constant glances at his communicator, he didn’t know who was online. They were in almost full netherite, only missing the chestplate. Without it, he could see a bright red sweater that reminded him too much of a dead man and his friendly ghost. As the figure turned back toward the portal they’d just emerged from, he could see a pair of large, multicolored wings sprouting from his back, although from this distance, Tommy couldn’t tell if they were natural or some advanced device.
“What the fuuuuuuuu–,” Tommy tried to say, his throat suddenly failing in the middle of his swear. He could still breathe, but something was stopping him from completing the word as he wanted. It took all his power just to redirect and finish with a “–dge.”
“Looks like Scar redecorated,” the man said, voice far too light and airy for the room they were all trapped in. He turned back, and in addition to his sweater, there was something about him that reminded Tommy further of Wilbur. He wasn’t sure what it was, as the new stranger had lighter brown hair and different shaped glasses. He watched as the man finally took in his surroundings and the three people already present. “Oh. This isn’t the shopping district.”
Tubbo had turned to Tommy, who just barely heard a solemn, “Goodbye Tommy,” as he stared down the new arrival.
“Who are you?” Tommy demanded, bringing everyone’s attention first to him, then to the stranger. “And why the freak can’t I swear?” First this guy comes in, ruining what could be his final moments with his best friend, and then suddenly he can’t swear? And on top of that, something was reminding him of his dead older brother figure? If Tommy’s head wasn’t so full and tired, he would be trying to use this moment of confusion to escape, grab Tubbo and run for the portal, but he was just too tired. He wanted someone to talk to him without the bravado, without the drama, and just give him some easy answers.
“I’m Grian,” he introduced, “and is that really your top priority right now?” Grian looked a little nervous in his new surroundings, glancing between the three of them. The thing that struck Tommy the most was how, even though he looked confused, he was relaxed. There was none of the fear that a lot of the server members had when facing down Dream. He was so used to everyone constantly being on edge that, to see someone with no weapons out and incomplete armor felt weird.
“To be fair, swearing is about 90% of Tommy’s speech,” Tubbo commented casually, as if he hadn’t just said his final goodbye to Tommy ten seconds ago. After a moment, Tubbo loudly declared, “FORK! Whoa, that’s weird.”
“It really just cuts you off, right?” Tommy commented with a laugh, taking advantage of the moment of lightness. He glanced over Tubbo’s shoulders at Dream, who was definitely not laughing. He couldn’t read his expression behind the mask, but he could tell he was staring at the newcomer.
“You.” Despite having just been staring at him, the volume of Dream’s voice caught Tommy off-guard. Dream raised his axe and pointed it at Grian. “How did you get here?”
“Whoa, easy with the axe there,” Grian asked, voice finally showing a little confusion masked by a laugh. He raised his hands in surrender, and Tommy wanted to yell. Why would he give up so easily? At least make Dream fight! “I don’t know. I just went through our shopping district portal like normal, and now I’m here. Am I interrupting something?”
“Yes,” both Tommy and Tubbo said as Dream, in synch, answered, “No.” For a moment, Dream turned to presumably glare at the two teens, before looking back at Grian.
Grian eyes flicked between all three of them. “I’m getting some conflicting messages here.”
Something clicked in Tommy as Grian sized up the situation. Where he’d been too confused to do anything earlier, now might be a good chance to make a move. Ever so slightly, Tommy inched his way toward Tubbo, still stranded in between him and Dream. Unfortunately for him, Tubbo was closer to Dream, but if this winged guy could keep Dream distracted for long enough . . .
Dream raised his shield, but didn’t lower his axe. Once again, Tommy couldn’t tell if he’d been caught, as the mask and hood gave no clues away. As far as he could tell, Dream was focused fully on Grian. “Leave, and tell no one what you saw here, and I’ll let you live.”
With his hands still up, Grian took a step forward down the netherbrick stairs. “O-kay, there is a lot to unpack here, and I’m not sure I like the sound of it.” Good, this was just what Tommy needed. After what he and Tubbo had been through, he wasn’t above using this newcomer as a distraction and head start.
Matching Grian, Dream took a step forward as well, shield raised ever so slightly. “I’ve got good news for you: it doesn’t matter whether you like it or not. This isn’t your place. Turn around and leave. Final warning.”
Tommy was about to take this as his moment to make a grab for Tubbo, but suddenly Dream barked out, “Tommy!” He froze, though he could see both Tubbo and Grian jump at the sudden raise in volume. Slowly, Dream tilted his head toward the two teens. “Not an inch from you. Step back.”
Tommy took a step back, and when Dream didn’t look away, he took another. And another. Soon he was even further away from Tubbo than he had been. He’d been tempted to step back at a diagonal, but he didn’t know what might make Dream snap into motion. He couldn’t risk another fight.
“What if I don’t?” Grian cut in, dragging all the attention in the room back to him. He’d taken another step or two into the room, but it wasn’t toward Dream. It was toward Tubbo.
Tommy wanted to shout at him, to grab Tubbo and run, but he knew that if left behind, he would be the one Dream killed today.
“What?” Dream spat. “What do you mean?”
“What if I don’t leave? If I don’t know how I got here, I can’t leave.”
“Are you an idiot? Go through the portal.” Dream motioned with his head as the swirling veil behind Grian. With what Tommy hoped was fake innocence, Grian glanced at the portal and pointed.
“That one? But I don’t know where it goes.”
“Not my problem.”
“What happens if it doesn’t take me home?” Grian pressed. “You seemed awful particular earlier about me not telling on you. Who else knows you all are here?”
Dream stayed silent, but took another step forward. This time, Grian just watched.
Then, in possibly the boldest move Tommy had seen all day, Grian stood up taller. His wings spread out behind him in a way Tommy assumed no machine could. The bright red, blue, and yellow of the feathers looked out of place surrounded by the dark tones of the blackstone and golden lighting of the glowstone. For the first time, Tommy actually saw Grian as someone who might stand up to Dream, and maybe even put up a good fight.
“And what if I stay?” Grian asked, voice level as he stared at Dream. “What happens then?”
“Then I kill you,” Dream answered instantly. “All three times until you’re dead forever. Then I can get back to what I was doing before you so rudely interrupted.”
“Inter– you’re the one who’s being rude!” Grian squawked back, feathers visibly ruffling. “From what I’ve gathered in the five minutes I’ve been here, you’re the bad guy in this situation.”
If Dream had wings like Grian, Tommy imagined they’d be ruffling right back. He’d seen Fundy angry before, when his ears would fold back and his tail bristled. It was hard to tell with what little of Dream wasn’t covered by clothing or a mask, but Tommy had been in enough fights with the man to know that Dream was agitated.
And then, in a flash, it was gone. Dream straightened out of his fighting pose with what looked like a deep breath before letting out a harsh laugh. “That’s where you’re wrong, Grian,” he said coolly, with extra malice tossed into the name, as if it hurt him to say. “It’s all about perspective. This is my server. These two have been a thorn in my side for months, so I’m only doing what’s best. My server, my rules.”
During the speech, Grian looked like he wanted to interject, but Dream had just continued on. As he talked, he sauntered his way toward Tubbo, closer than Grian had gotten earlier. Tommy hated how relaxed he looked, how casual he was about ruining Tommy and Tubbo’s lives. Not even ten minutes earlier, Dream was going to kill Tubbo and throw Tommy in prison. And now? Even after threats from an unknown party, Dream was back to being the same cocky jerk he always was.
To add insult to injury, Dream slung an arm around Tubbo’s shoulder, trapping him behind his shield. Tubbo’s eyes could barely be seen over the top of the shield. “This is how it has to happen,” Dream insisted, a certain finality to the statement.
“I don’t know what sort of world you run, but it’s not right,” Grian shot back, voice lowering. He’d completely shifted moods from the joking guy who’d stumbled out of the portal only minutes ago, and it gave Tommy some uncomfortable whiplash. He didn’t know Grian, but he did know Dream, and the way this was heading would not end well for everyone.
“Is that so?” Dream countered, taking a big step backward and dragging Tubbo along. The sound of pistons jerked Tommy’s attention to the redstone elevator, which had started its descent. Tommy wasn’t sure how Dream was controlling it, but he had placed himself and his hostage between the two in red. He took this shift as an opportunity to move closer to Grian, not sure what good it might do him, but he didn’t want to be backed into a corner anymore. He was surprised to find that, without the extra size his wings added, Grian was shorter than Tommy.
After a quick glance at Tommy, Grian’s wings lowered, pulling closer into his back. “Is there going to be a fight here? Because this feels like something that should be fought over, if words aren’t the way this server works.”
Dream stopped moving to let out a wild laugh that seemed to echo over the noise of the pistons. Tommy found himself flinching, itching to cover his ears to block out the sound. He couldn’t tell, but he imagined Tubbo would react similarly.
“The fight already happened,” Dream managed through his laughter. “You’re too late for that. Why don’t you tell the intruder how it went, hmm, boys?” He shifted the arm that was trapping Tubbo behind his shield, instead setting his hand strongly on Tubbo’s shoulder, still effectively pinning the boy to his side.
Grian looked at Tommy, but when Tommy opened his mouth, the words didn’t come. Here was this guy, who had absolutely no reason to be here or put himself into the equation, and now Tommy had to admit that he and Tubbo had already challenged Dream, two to one, and still lost. That they’d burned all of their things. That they had nothing left to lose but their lives.
“It’s over,” Tubbo spoke up. His voice was hard, trying not to let any of his emotions through. It reminded Tommy of all the speeches Tubbo had made as president, trying to lead the best he could, even when he knew it wasn’t enough. But at least it wasn’t defeated, which was better than Tommy could do. “Checkmate. All the pieces are locked in, with no way out. We just have to resign,” Tubbo looked directly at Tommy, before shifting to stare directly at Grian, “or play it through.”
Grian stared back at Tubbo, and Tommy would have given anything to know what was going on in his brain. “Checkmate, you say?” the shorter man finally responded with a smile, voice suddenly lighter than it had been. “Well, I’ve played a lot of games in my time, but I can’t say I have much experience with chess. How about something else, instead?”
Suddenly, Grian’s wings, which had folded closer to his body, shrank significantly. From where he was standing, Tommy could still see their still-present, smaller forms, but he was taken aback as a chestplate suddenly materialized onto Grian’s torso, with two holes for the small wings to poke through. Tommy hadn’t caught the telltale hand movements that signified the other man entering his inventory.
He’d barely had time to process the armor change before Grian was gesturing again, summoning first a netherite sword in his left hand, then a netherite axe in his right. He extended the handle of the axe toward Tommy with a sideways glance and raised eyebrow.
Tommy didn’t need to be told twice. He grabbed the axe, instantly feeling better with a weapon in his hand. Still, he needed to be careful. Not only did he not have any armor, but Tubbo didn’t either. He didn’t want to risk hitting Tubbo, as a few hits with an axe would end either of them.
“Do you really want to do this?” Dream called out as the piston elevator landed in the ground behind him. All Dream had to do to escape was get on there and ride it up, probably taking Tubbo with him. Their main goal in this fight, other than survive, would be to prevent them from reaching that elevator.
“Tommy, right?” Grian asked instead of answering Dream. Tommy wished he had the power to just ignore Dream, it would have made his life so much easier.
“One of my many names, yes. Big Man works too.”
“Tommy’s fine. And your friend?”
“Tubbo. He’s the best.”
“And the one with the mask?”
“That’s Dream. He needs to die.”
Grian hummed. “Little harsh, but I get the picture.”
Dream chuckled, pulling Tubbo in front of himself as he took a step back toward the elevator. “Better be careful. We wouldn’t want anything bad to happen to your Tubbo, would we, Tommy? He is on his last life, you know. Dangerous position to be in.”
“What does that mean, Tommy?” Grian continued, still seemingly unbothered by Dream’s taunts. “He said it earlier, that he’d kill me until I was dead forever. Bit harsh, don’t you think? And unreasonable.”
“If you die three times, you can’t come back,” Tommy explained. “That’s, like, common knowledge, how could you possibly not know that?”
When Grian turned back to Dream, there was some extra anger there that Tommy couldn’t explain. “Because that’s not how that works. I’ll ask again. What sort of world are you running?”
Before Dream could answer, Grian launched forward. Dream thrust Tubbo forward, but Grian darted to the side. He thrust out his left arm to catch Tubbo from stumbling, before pulling the younger boy behind him.
Tommy took that as his cue. He wanted to rush right at Dream, but he needed to get Tubbo out of there first. He ran up behind Grian and grabbed Tubbo’s hand, pulling him even further away.
With Tubbo safely out of the way, Grian went for Dream, but Tommy took a moment to focus on himself and Tubbo.
“Tubbo, are you okay?” he asked frantically, looking his friend up and down. As far as he could tell, Dream hadn’t done anything to him, which Tubbo confirmed by nodding.
“What do we do now? Should we just run?” Tubbo suggested, glancing at the open nether portal.
As much as Tommy wanted to get out of here as fast as possible while Dream was distracted, he knew this wouldn’t be the end of things. Besides, after how Grian had stood up for the two of them without even knowing what was happening, he would feel bad just abandoning him.
“We can’t. We need to stay and help.”
“Help how? We have nothing, and he’s Dream. How much is an axe going to do?”
The two finally turned toward the fight, and what a fight it was. Despite Dream still having his shield raised, Grian had managed to push him back with just his sword. Somehow, Grian had managed to angle it so that Dream was being funneled away from the elevator and toward the wall.
Tommy looked at the axe in his hands, back up at the shield Dream was using as his main line of defense, then down the hall full of possessions and empty pedestals, before getting an idea.
“Tubbo, take this.” He thrust Grian’s axe into his friend’s hands and rushed down the hall. He could hear Tubbo shout after him, but there was something in here he could grab, another way to level the playing field.
He returned to Tubbo’s side, Axe of Peace in hand. “Get on the stairs of the elevator. Make sure he can’t run that way.”
“Got it.” Tubbo gave him a salute before rushing behind Grian.
Tommy took the other route, circling past the portal to flank Dream. He raised Techno’s axe and, as loud as he could, called, “Oh Dream!”
Just as he hoped, Dream whirled around, shield raised. Tommy brought the axe down, lodging it securely in the wood and bringing Dream’s arm down with the momentum. He hadn’t been aiming for Dream specifically, just aiming to get the shield out of play.
Dream jostled the shield, trying to dislodge the axe and, in turn, Tommy, but Tommy put all of his weight into wrenching the shield away. With a grunt, Dream slid his arm out from behind the shield and pushed it away.
“Get him!” Tommy yelled, letting go of the axe as it and the shield skittered away. The now defenseless Dream whipped back to block Tubbo’s axe with his own. Grian took the opening to slash at Dream, effectively slicing off Dream’s right sleeve with a well-placed swipe. Dream growled, kicking Tubbo squarely in the stomach to push him away. Tubbo coughed, but remained in his spot between Dream and the elevator.
“What’s your goal here?” Dream shouted. “Are you going to kill me? Because I invite you to try.”
“I’m not stooping to your level,” Grian declared. “But I want to take these two with me.”
Dream laughed. “So now you’ll leave? After you ruin everything?”
Grian shrugged with a smile. “I’m told I’m good at ruining things. Normally it’s not this violent, but if that’s what I have to.”
Dream shot a glance at both Tommy and Tubbo before swapping his axe for a sword with a quick motion. “As I said. Try me.”
Before Tommy could blink, Dream spun toward him and swiped at stomach level. He darted backward, but not before Dream’s sword ripped through the front of his shirt. He stumbled, managing to keep himself upright after the shock of the attack.
Dream wasted no time, bringing the same swipe over his head toward Tubbo, who raised the axe handle to block it. The blade lodged itself in the hilt, and as Dream tried to dislodge it, Grian ducked under the pair to point his sword at Dream’s chest.
With a scoff and another big pull, Dream wrenched his sword back, being careful to bring his arms down around Grian’s sword.
“Tommy, get your axe back,” Grian said calmly. Tommy kept watching as he went to retrieve Techno’s axe, not wanting to take his eyes off Dream for even a second. Slowly, Grian took a step forward, driving the blade closer to Dream’s heart, but slow enough for Dream to move backward. Step by step, Grian drove Dream’s back to the wall. “Drop it.”
Dream’s sword clanged against the stone. For the thousandth time, Tommy wished he could see Dream’s reaction under the mask. Normally, it would take much more effort than what they’d shown to bring Dream down. He never took a defeat this easily. What was it about Grian that made Dream stop?
“Is this what you wanted, Tommy?” Dream drawled, startling Tommy. He sounded far too relaxed for someone being held at swordpoint, which annoyed Tommy to no end. “Some knight in netherite armor to come save you?”
“I don’t need a knight, I can handle myself,” Tommy spat back on instinct, before glancing quickly at Grian. If the words offended the winged man, he didn’t show it. He was just calmly watching Dream, which was creepy in its own right.
“Now what? You’ve got me where you want me, but won’t kill me. So, what happens now?”
Grian gestured the sword toward the elevator. “You go up there, and then we leave.”
“Wait wait,” Tommy cut in. “We can’t just let him go. He deserves to die!”
“Tommy, there are other ways out rather than death,” Grian insisted. “Violence isn’t always the answer. What did you say earlier, Tubbo? That you were in checkmate? And now look.”
Dream scoffed. “Yeah, through a fight. You’re contradicting yourself.”
“I was playing by the rules you gave me. Isn’t that what you wanted, Dream?” Grian teased, in exactly the tone Dream had used earlier. “You were the one who wasn’t willing to listen, so I tried to speak your language. Now, will you get on the elevator, or do you want to keep fighting?”
“Do you really want an answer to that?”
“Dream,” Tommy said, walking forward until he was just out of reach of Dream. “One day, I’m going to kill you. Today, we’ll let you live, but I’m coming for you. I promise you. This isn’t over.”
Dream stared at Tommy. “It’s a deal. Can’t wait.”
“Well, you’ll have to.” Grian gestured with his sword to the elevator. “Up you get. Don’t try anything funny.”
Slowly, Dream moved up to the elevator, Grian’s sword never wavering. Tubbo circled around behind Grian to Tommy.
“How are we still alive?” Tubbo whispered incredulously. “I was about to die!”
“Man, I have no idea. Quick, let’s grab the discs.”
As Grian continued to herd Dream, the two teens secured the precious items in Tommy’s enderchest. By the time they were done, the elevator had just started to move and Grian, with one last long look at Dream, moved toward the pair.
“How did you do that?” Tubbo asked their rescuer. “I’ve never seen Dream back down like that.”
“To be honest, I’m a little confused myself,” Grian admitted, switching his chestplate off and letting his wings grow larger again. “Man, this feels much better. Let’s get going. Do you two have everything?”
Before either of them could answer, several things happened in quick succession. Something snapped from above them, and then everything dimmed as a pair of wings stretched out above the three of them. The darkness only lasted a fraction of a second before everything erupted in a multicolored bang as a firework went off above Grian’s wings. Tommy ducked instinctively, and on Grian’s other side, he could see Tubbo drop all the way to the ground, hands over his ears.
Grian jerked his head over his shoulder, and Tommy saw something angry flash in his eyes. With a flick of his hand, Grian pulled out a firework, and Tommy had just enough time to throw himself toward Tubbo before Grian let off the rocket.
When Tommy looked up again, Grian had vanished from their side, and it took a second to find him on the elevator with Dream, slashing furiously with his sword. Tommy watched as the elevator ascended, the two trading blows. But this was different than their fight before. This wasn’t a simple exchange of swipes.
Grian was fighting to win this time.
Tommy kept his eyes locked on the fight as he rubbed small circles on Tubbo’s back. The two were still locked in combat as the elevator raised itself into the ceiling.
“Tubbo. Tubbo, are you okay?” Tommy asked quietly, trying to lean further down to see his friend’s face.
“Why weren’t we hit?” Tubbo whispered, the tears from earlier threatening to come back. “Why aren’t we hurt?”
Tommy shrugged. “I think bird boy blocked Dream’s explosion. Really pulled a Philza Minecraft there. I don’t know why his rocket didn’t explode though.”
Tubbo sniffled, finally sitting up. “I think . . . I heard Phil talking about how you can use rockets for propulsion if you can fly. Maybe that was it.”
“Maybe,” Tommy mused. “Philza is wise like that.
“Mhm.”
Not sure what else to do, the two waited in silence for the elevator to descend again. Tommy was dreading the worst. If Dream came down on that elevator, he wasn’t sure what he would do. At best, it would be exactly what Dream said he’d do earlier. Prison for Tommy, death for Tubbo. At worst, they’d both be dead.
After what felt like ages, the sounds of the pistons returned, and the pair both tensed up. Tommy gripped the Axe of Peace tighter, trying to remember everything Techno taught him.
But then, as the elevator dropped below roof level, Tommy could see hints of bright colors, and he let himself fully smile as Grian descended from the ceiling. The winged man didn’t wait for the elevator to finish before he jumped off, gliding swiftly down to the ground.
“What just happened?” Tommy asked eagerly.
Grian smiled, but even Tommy could tell it was somewhat forced. “Tommy, how many lives did Dream have?”
“Three, I think. Did you kill him? Because that’s so cool.”
“It’s not cool,” Grian shot back quickly, but there was no bite to his words. If anything, they were resigned. “He made me. But I’m glad he respawned somewhere. I broke his bed while I was up there, so I don’t know where he is.”
“Probably at spawn, but that’s ages away,” Tubbo added. “We’ve got a moment.”
Grian let out a long sigh. “Well, this isn’t what I was expecting today. Are you both okay?”
“Better than okay,” Tubbo assured him, though Tommy could still see he was nervous from the fireworks. He had every right to be on edge, though, as he’d had his life threatened multiple times that day.
“How did you beat Dream?” Tommy pressed, shifting the conversation away from his friend. “He’s one of the best pvpers on the server.”
Grian shrugged, looking more bashful than anyone who’d just killed someone had any right to be. “I got lucky, I guess. I did as many hits as I could with the bit of surprise I got, and he was trying to use his axe mostly. Once we got up there, I went for the bed, so I don’t know how I survived that.”
“That’s incredible,” Tommy gushed, even more impressed with the winged man. He still wasn’t sure what to make of him in general, but he couldn’t help but be thankful. He could ignore the bits of Wilbur and Phil he could see in Grian’s appearance for now, and ask more questions later. “You’re a Dream-slayer.”
Grian made a disgusted face and looked away. “Let’s get going. Do you both have everything you need?”
Tubbo nodded, but Tommy found his gaze dragged to the golden floors where his discs had rested. They were both in his enderchest now, right? He opened the chest, confirming that the two items were present before closing the lid again. The Axe of Peace was heavy in his hand, a weapon he hadn’t earned, but maybe it had brought him a bit of freedom today.
Remembering how he got the item, he glanced at the hallway that kept all of the ‘ties’ Dream had collected.
There was something there that had been his, and something that had belonged to the ghost of a man dressed very similarly to the person who had saved them. “Do you have a lead? I need two.”
“Uh, probably?” Grian pondered, meeting Tommy at the enderchest. After a moment of searching, he pulled out a purple box that looked like nothing Tommy had ever seen. When Grian placed it down, its top opened up to hover above the base.
“Whoa,” Tubbo gasped, peering inside. “That’s amazing. What is it?”
Grian raised an eyebrow as he dug two leads out and handed them to Tommy. “It’s a shulker box. Have you never seen one before?”
Tommy left the two to discuss magical boxes as he headed down the hall. Everything seemed so quiet now that Dream was gone. The empty frames seemed just that: empty. Dream hadn’t managed to get everything he wanted. He was still human, after all.
Henry waited at the end of the hall, lazily staring at one of the walls. As Tommy approached, the cow turned to gaze curiously at him. In the next pen, Friend was staring longingly at the ground.
“Let’s get you two out of here,” Tommy told them gently. “I bet you’re real hungry, huh?”
“You’re not dead.”
Tommy spun around, raising the axe and staring intently down the empty hall. He could see Tubbo and Grian still inspecting the shulker box, completely unaware of the voice of a dead man that echoed around Tommy.
“Ghostbur?” Tommy asked carefully, barely above a whisper. If he was going insane, he’d rather the others not hear.
The voice laughed. “No, I’m not Ghostbur. Have you missed me?”
“Where are you?” Tommy responded instead. He wasn’t an expert on Ghostbur, but he knew the ghost wasn’t the sort to prank him like this.
“Nowhere,” Wilbur mused. “And everywhere. For now. You’re not here though. You’re still alive.”
“Of course I am. I wouldn’t die like this.”
Wilbur laughed. It was both a welcome and hated sound. It had been so long since he’d seen his big brother figure, and even longer since he’d heard him laugh. Having Ghostbur around wasn’t the same. But at the same time, Wilbur hadn’t left on great terms, and Tommy still had several bones to pick.
“I am quite surprised by all this,” Wilbur continued, either unaware or purposefully ignoring how his presence affected Tommy. “Not how I expected this to happen, I did catch the end, but I’ve got to say. From what I’ve seen, I’m proud of you, Tommy. And Tubbo too, I guess, but mostly you, Tommy.”
No, Tommy couldn’t handle this. He gripped the leads tighter. “How are you here?”
“I’m not sure. Something’s shifted all the planes tonight. I could feel the veil between wherever I am and where you all are getting thinner, so I thought I’d take a look. And what a sight to see.”
“You’ve seen it, so you can go now.” Tommy swallowed, and started looping the lead around Henry’s neck. If he pretended like he was fine, maybe he would be. The animals must have sensed something, as Henry didn’t resist the lead, almost pressing into Tommy’s hands. Friend had wandered closer, looking curiously up into the air. “It’s not him,” Tommy mumbled to the sheep, who didn’t seem to care.
“Are you that ready to get rid of me?” Wilbur chuckled. “I would have thought you’d be thrilled to talk to your big brother.”
“You’re not my brother,” Tommy snapped, and it was only when he could hear the words echo back around him that he realized he raised his voice.
“You okay, Tommy?” Tubbo called after him.
Tommy wrapped the ends of the two leads around his left hand and started breaking down the fences trapping the animals in. “Yep! Doing fine! Just fine! You know how animals are.”
He could hear Grian’s exasperated, “Animals are the worst!” as Tommy continued to free the animals.
He finished knocking down the fences and started to lead the animals back without any more ghostly commentary. For a minute, he thought Wilbur had left, but then, from somehow even closer, Wilbur asked, “Are you really okay, Tommy? You can tell me.”
“Go away.”
“C’mon, Tommy, we finally get a moment and you want me to go away?”
“I said go away, Wilbur!”
“Tommy!” Tubbo shouted, bringing Tommy back to reality. He hadn’t realized he’d made it all the way to the main room, standing just around the corner from the other two, who were both looking at him with worried stares. At a lower volume, Tubbo continued, “Did you say Wilbur?”
“Hi Tubbo.”
Tubbo visibly jumped as Wilbur’s voice echoed around. Tommy caught Grian looking around the room, but no one else had entered.
“Wilbur, is that you?” Tubbo continued.
“The one and only. And you’ve made a friend.”
“Are we talking to a ghost?” Grian asked, glancing curiously between Tubbo and Tommy.
“He’s not Ghostbur,” Tommy answered, at the same time Wilbur explained, “Not a ghost! Just dead. I like your jumper.”
“Thanks?” Grian said, though it was more of a question than a sincere thank you. “Uhm, is it okay with you if I take these two home with me? Just for a bit while Dream cools down?”
Wilbur laughed, and once again the sound grated in Tommy’s ears. “I don’t care where you take these two, but I can tell you Dream isn’t going to calm down.”
Grian frowned. “Lovely. This Dream guy is so nice.”
Tubbo snickered, but the sound was the sound was still hollow. “Welcome to the Dream SMP. Such a great place.”
“It sure is interesting,” Grian hummed, extending a hand toward Tommy’s leads. “Have you two ever heard of Hermitcraft? I feel like you could use a break from your world.”
“Have fun!” Wilbur chimed, voice quieter than it had been. Tommy searched the air, trying to see any more signs of Wilbur or Ghostbur, as he handed Friend’s lead to Grian.
Grian gently placed a hand on each of the boy’s backs and led them toward the somehow now yellow portal. “Come on. I’ve got some friends I’d like you to meet.”