Chapter Text
“Hello Sam! I left my sheep in the nether, is that alright?”
“That’s fine Ghostbur, just step through the portal and it should be all set.”
“Okay Sam!”
Tommy waited with bated breath behind Ghostbur as the blinking red light above the nether portal turned green. With Sweet Revenge in his inventory and a totem strung by a necklace where his rosary should be- he felt confident enough in the plan. Tubbo and Ranboo were on standby just outside of the prison. They would call Martyn and The King if anything went south.
The plan was going to work out just fine.
Ghostbur stepped into the portal, Tommy following beside him. He bit down on his tongue and the pushing and pulling- but when he stepped back out the other side the nausea he had felt was replaced by anxiety.
“Woah!” Ghostbur laughed as he floated onto the other side, holding his arms out to regain his balance. “Hello again Sam! Nice to see you!”
“Nice to see you too, Ghostbur.” Sam gestured for Ghostbur to walk over, the book already open on the lectern. “Can you read this out loud, and sign your name at the bottom? Then I have a few questions to ask.”
“Of course, Sam!” Ghostbur held the book up in his hands. “I HEREBY ASSUME ALL OF THE RISKS OF VISITING THE HOLDING CELL, including by way of example and not limitation, any risks that may arise from negligence or carelessness on the part of the Prison guards, prisoners misbehaving, from dangerous or defective equipment or property owned, maintained or controlled by the Prison Guards. I certify that I waive, release, and discharge the Prison from any and all liability, including but not limited to, death, disability, personal injury, property damage, property theft, or actions of any kind which may hereafter occur to me, including my traveling to and from visiting the Prisoner. Written name, then sign- You know I actually made myself a surname! Can I sign with that?”
“Of course, Ghostbur, I’ll still know it’s you.”
“Wonderful!” Ghostbur scribbled his signature onto the dotted line, leaving blue fingerprints on the pages.
Sam took the book and set it under his desk with the others, then took out a manilla envelope from the drawer. “I just have a few routine questions.”
Ghostbur sat down on the stool placed in front of the desk, spinning back and forth on the rotating seat. “Answer away Sam!”
Tommy had ducked down and hidden behind the wall, gripping his totem tight. He knew Sam wouldn’t be able to see the particles through his thick gas mask- but he didn’t want to risk him hearing him breathing. He clamped his free hand over his mouth for good measure but didn’t budge anymore.
“Alright Ghostbur. When was your last visit to the prison?”
“Uhhh- I’ve never visited the prison! I don’t think I have- my memory isn’t too good!”
“Where is your current place of residence?”
“L’manburg!”
“...Okay. Do you think the prisoner is deserving of being inside of the prison?”
“Well- you all seem to think so, and you know what you’re doing! So- so yeah he does!”
“Good. What are your prior relations to the prisoner?”
“Oh- Well that was alive me! He did a lot of bad things but I don’t really remember- is this a history quiz? How am I doing?”
“You’re doing good, Ghostbur. Are you open to physical examinations? Nothing too intense- a metal detector and x-ray machine.”
“Yes! There’s not much of me, I’m quite small!”
Sam stood up from behind the desk, and opened up the gate. “Go put your stuff in your locker-” He handed Ghostbur a pink keycard- “And then follow me to the cell.”
“Thank you Sam!” Ghostbur floated into the room just beside the wall Tommy was hiding behind, humming as he opened up his chest. He dumped all of his blue into the chest, rolls of bread, and took off the knitted yellow cardigan Tommy had made for him.
Sam pressed the lever to open up the entrance, and held up his communicator. “Jimmy, I’m bringing out a visitor.”
The com crackled. “Got it. He’s…stable today.”
“Good enough.”
Tommy didn’t even want to know what they meant by that, but as soon as the entrance opened up he dashed inside before Ghostbur, jumping up and gripping the rafters with trembling fingers. When Sam approached the entrance, Tommy pulled his knees to his chest, and thankfully didn’t accidentally hit Sam in the face.
When the staff entrances were unlocked Tommy landed on the ground- taking a sharp breath when Sam whipped his head around. Sam sighed and shook his head, turning back to the control panel. “Too many long nights…”
Ghostbur stood still in front of the metal detector, turning around so it could scan him. “Is this a fun job?”
“...Fun isn’t the word I’d use.”
While Sam was distracted Tommy downed two potions at once- hiccupping and quickly covering his mouth. Fire resistance plus invisibility may not have been the best together.
“What was that?” Sam glanced over his shoulder, a hand reaching for his weapon.
Ghostbur started to cough. “Sorry- Sorry I think I’m having a bit of a cough! Might be coming down with a cold!”
“Hm. Alright. I’ll see if Jimmy has any cough drops, I know he carries a first aid kit with him.” Sam tapped a code onto the screen, and the metal detector rotated to an x-ray machine. “Huh. Ghostbur, did you know you don’t have bones? Or organs?”
“I didn’t know that!”
“...How do you eat?”
“I don’t really know, I don’t question it!” Ghostbur shrugged. “Am I done?”
Sam shook off the bewildered look under his mask. “Yes- step down from the machine and follow the illuminated path. I’ll be taking the staff path.”
“Okay Sam!”
Tommy once again sped past Sam like a bullet, gaining speed with each echoing footprint behind him. He could see Ghostbur going through the regular entrance through one way glass drilled into the wall- but Tommy didn’t have the luxury of marveling at it. He pressed himself against the wall and let himself take a deep breath before pressing his lips tight together.
Sam swiped his keycard to open the door to the main cell, and waved at Jimmy, who was chatting with Ghostbur. “That was fast.”
“Helps when you can float!” Ghostbur beamed. “Sam, have you seen Timmy’s drawings? They’re very nice! Timmy, you should be an artist! You’d be very good at it!”
“That’s sweet of you Ghostbur, but I’m fine just being a prison guard.” Jimmy pulled the lever to let the lava down. “Ghostbur, can you step onto the bridge? You have to walk with it when it starts moving, but I don’t think that’ll be much of a problem for you.”
“Yes! Yes I can do that!”
Tommy quickly chugged another invisibility potion while they were all preoccupied- and then jumped onto the bridge. Ghostbur was thankfully floating, so Tommy didn’t have to worry about bumping into him.
Jimmy narrowed his eyes at the bridge when he saw swirling particles, and his ears started to ring, but he ignored it, going back to his sketch. Not his pillagers, not his raid. “Ghostbur, why did you want to see Dream anyway?”
Ghostbur’s face fell, and he furrowed his brows in confusion. He must have already forgotten. “I think- I wanted to make sure I don’t get revived.”
“You don’t want to be revived?”
“No, Ghrian and I quite like being alive.”
“...I guess that makes sense, alright.”
Ghostbur had started singing quietly to himself- and Jimmy felt his heart tighten with each word of the L’manburg national anthem. He honestly hadn’t heard it so long, despite the disc playing on loop at the museum. He hadn’t even sang the anthem since- when was the last time he sang “I heard there was a special place”? Not since the funeral. Nearly a year ago.
The lava finally started to drip down and Dream’s cell came into view. The floors and walls were stained black- and Dream was sulking besides the sink instead of on his bed. When he saw the lava starting to disappear he ducked behind the sink, covered his head with his arms. Only to peek out and see Ghostbur on the platform.
“What the fuck?” He muttered, wondering if this was some sort of sick joke from Quackity. He stood up, but kept his distance, backing up with each block the bridge approached him.
Tommy was on the bridge.
Tommy could see Dream.
And he looked fucking pathetic.
Tommy took out his sword.
Just a tick before the bridge hit the vault. A tick before the border was to be brought down.
Sam’s eyes blew wide. “STOP!” He shouted from the other side, startling Ghostbur, Dream, and Jimmy. STOP RIGHT NOW. walk to your left Ghostbur.”
Jimmy gasped, seeing the sword. “Oh no- no Ghostbur stay calm! Just step to the side!”
Tommy jumped off the bridge and onto the edge of the vault, desperately swinging his sword as Ghostbur yelped and jumped into the corner. “COME HERE YOU SON OF A BITCH- I’LL KILL YOU!”
“WHOS THERE. WHO IS THERE. STOP. WHOEVER’S INVISIBLE, STOP RIGHT NOW- stop this instant! Don't move. Get back on the bridge right now! Get back on the bridge RIGHT NOW!”
“COME HERE YOU MOTHER FUCKER!”
“GET ON THE BRIDGE NOW- WHOEVER YOU ARE!”
“DREAM!” Tommy shouted, only for Dream to back further and further away- until Tommy couldn’t even reach him if he tried. “YOU SON A BITCH!”
Tommy jumped, whipping around when he finally heard Jimmy shout- “Get onto the bridge! Now!”
Ghostbur was shaking as he pressed against the border, nearly doubling over at the sweltering heat from the lava. “Tommy- Tommy I think you’re here.”
“FUCK- FUCK I AM SO CLOSE-”
Tommy screamed when an arrow whizzed past his ear, and he scrambled onto the bridge. He was hyperventilating, face red with anger as the bridge moved back to the holding deck.
A bottle of milk was thrown at him- Jimmy and Sam both armed with a bow and a sword respectively. “Whoever is invisible drink that- drink it now!”
Tommy twisted open the cap and down the milk, the invisibility effect washing away from his code and his form becoming fully visible again. He looked at Jimmy and Sam in fear, shaking in rage, still gripping Sweet Revenge in both his hands.
“TOMMY!” Sam shouted, smoke coming from his gas mask.
“LET ME GO BACK OVER RIGHT FUCKIN NOW!”
“Tommy what the hell are you doing here?!” Jimmy exclaimed, more worried than he was angered. He snapped his head from Tommy to Ghostbur- a knot forming in his stomach.
“Tommy, what are you doing here?!” Sam approached Tommy, causing him to scramble back.
“IM HERE TO FUCKIN- LET ME GO BACK OVER RIGHT FUCKIN NOW! I WAS THAT CLOSE SAM! JIMMY PLEASE LET ME BACK OVER!”
“I SHOULD KILL YOU RIGHT NOW!”
Jimmy stepped between Sam and Tommy- holding an arm out to stop Sam from getting any closer to Tommy. “This is bad this is- Tommy what were you thinking?!”
“I was thinking I HAVE TO FUCKING KILL HIM! WHAT AREN’T YOU GETTING?!” Tears of anger welled in his eyes, as the pure white wing he had had for weeks now molted- leaving pitch black feathers.
Sam was smoking like fresh tnt, and he glowered down at Tommy. “YOU SIGNED THE BOOK! YOU SAID YOU WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING TOMMY, YOU AGREED! YOU SHOULD NOT BE HERE! I SHOULD KILL YOU RIGHT NOW!”
“Don’t you even joke about that!” Jimmy snapped back at Sam- but Tommy’s voice over lapped with both of them.
“SAM, I AGREED TO THE BOOK- I SAID I WASN'T BREAKING IN, SAM. I SAID I’D NEVER BREAK DREAM OUT THE BOOK STATED I AM NOT allowed- the book stated I am not allowed to break dream out of prison and under NO circumstances does that say that i can't kill him! YEAH?”
“...Tommy-” Jimmy’s voice cracked as he looked past him towards Ghostbur. “Oh Aeor help us- Tommy you’re not supposed to be here!”
“What is THAT supposed to mean?!”
“Tommy I am this close to murdering you right now.” Sam’s claws were digging into his trident. “You have no idea what you’ve-”
“HEY SAM! JIMMY!”
Sam’s heart stopped as his head whipped towards the cell- and Jimmy let out a shriek.
Tommy let out a sharp gasp, nearly dropping his sword. “YOU FUCKING LET HIM GO YOU MOTHER FUCKER!”
Dream had Ghostbur in a choke hold- pinning his neck with his elbow. The look in his eyes was nothing short of manic. “Let me out! Let me out right now!”
“Ghostbur!” Jimmy exclaimed. “Sam- we have to bring the bridge over!”
“Jimmy you know I can’t do that!”
“He’s going to DIE Sam!”
“Yeah- yeah he fucking is!” Dream shouted. “He’ll die if you don’t let me out of this hell hole!”
“GHOSTBUR!” Tommy ran all the way to the edge of the room, just barely teetering over the lava.
“TOMMY YOU PROMISED!” Ghostbur was sobbing over Jimmy and Sam’s arguing. “You promised I'd be ok! You said I’d be okay Tommy- you promised he wouldn’t bring me back!” Tears burned his face, leaving trails of steam.
“Sam! SAM SEND ME OVER!”
“NO TOMMY! NO JIMMY!” Sam shoved his trident into the floor, leaving a crack in the obsidian. “I CAN’T SEND IT BACK!”
“Sam let me go over!” Jimmy pleaded, grabbing Sam by the collar of his shirt. “Sam please I can fly- I can grab him! Please Sam, no one else has to die!”
“What if he gets you?! Or Tommy!?”
“Ghostbur it’s going to be okay!” Tommy yelled over them, over the bubbling lava.
“Tommy you promised this would just be a quick thing!”
“Ghostbur- Ghostbur listen to me-”
“SHUT UP ALL OF YOU- OH MY FUCKING FATHER!” Dream squeezed Ghosbtur tighter in one hand and pulled a sheet on paper from the pocket of his jumpsuit. “I’LL REVIVE HIM!”
“NO PLEASE!” Ghostbur wailed. “SAM! TIMMY! TOMMY!”
“HE’S GOT THE FUCKING REVIVE BOOK!” Tommy screamed- just as horrified. “DON’T YOU DARE- YOU MONSTER-”
“This is all your fault Tommy!” Sam yelled, only for Jimmy to shout over him. “Stay out of this Jimmy!”
“Don’t you dare tell me to stay out of it!” Jimmy raised his hand to slap Sam, but instead grabbed his trident from between the cracks in the floor. “Ghostbur is over there and you’re just- just standing there!”
Tommy fell to his knees. “Ghostbur! Ghostbur listen- count to ten with me, yeah! Count to ten- like Mumbo used to do!”
“Okay- okay Tommy- one-”
“Two- you’re doing great- three- we’re not going to die-”
“Four- five-”
“It’s all gonna be okay- just think of the blue Ghostbur- think of the blue-”
“The blue-”
And together they counted- “six, seven, eight, nine, ten.”
“Stop fucking counting!” Sam cut off his argument with Jimmy- who had his own weapon pointed at him. “Ghostbur is a ghost! He can’t die! He can’t!”
“LET ME OUT!” Now Dream was yelling like a child, his grip on Ghostbur tightening.
“THAT IS IT!” Sam shoved Jimmy to the side, and grabbed Tommy by the scruff, throwing him gently onto the bed in the corner of the room. Then he slammed the button- the wall of lava blocking the cell off.
“SAM!” Both Tommy and Jimmy shouted.
Tommy scrambled towards the wall.
And the final thing any of them saw.
Was Dream snapping Ghostbur’s neck, letting his limp and translucent body drop into the lava like a ragdoll.
Outside of the prison, thunder shook the earth, sheets of rain pouring from the sky and the occasional lighting strike hitting the earth.
And while the Overworld got rumbling thunder.
Limbo heard the rumble of distant trains.
Wilbur stood up so fast he would have gotten a head rush if there was any blood in his circulatory system. The light up board was blinking rapidly, and the sound of an approaching train got louder and louder. Wilbur’s jaw dropped onto the floor- and it was one of the few times he was rendered speechless.
But Grian was greeted by a completely different sight.
As the train pulled into Wilbur’s station- A door was carved into the purple void of Grian’s box.
Both doors opened at the same time.
“Dream!” Wilbur exclaimed in awe.
“Dream.” Grian snapped with disgust.
For both of them, Dream looked completely different. For Wilbur, his savior was dressed as a train conductor, leaning against the open doors of the metro. For Grian, Dream was dressed as a doorman, swinging a ring of keys around his finger.
From the open doors smoke billowed out.
Dream reached into the door frames, and tossed the ghost to the ground.
Ghostbur groveled on the ground and looked up desperately at Wilbur who cringed back. “Dream is this- am I-”
“That’s your ticket out of here, Soot.”
Wilbur laughed at Ghostbur, and jumped over him, hugging Dream before taking his seat on the train. “Don’t have to tell me twice! So long, me!
Grian however was staring wide eyed at his ghost, who stood up and looked at him. He wasn’t wailing like Ghostbur, but instead looked resigned.
“I knew this would happen.” Ghrian said.
“Are you-”
“I’m you. Well. No- I’m not- I technically am. I don’t know.”
Grian approached him. “...He killed you.”
“Yes.”
“Did you…want this?”
“No.” Ghrian gave Grian a sad, sad smile. “I wanted to live.”
“...I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.” Ghrian took Grian by the hand, slipping the wedding ring from his finger, to Grian’s. “They’ll be so happy to see you.”
Grian teared up and squeezed his counterpart's hand. “I- This isn’t right.” He glared past Ghrian at Dream. “I’ll bring you back. I don’t know how but- You deserve to live.”
Ghrian’s black eyes filled with tears, and he embraced himself.
And Grian embraced back.
And then there was a warm, purple light.
The sky of the overworld flashed with two strikes of lighting.
Yellow.
And red.
When the light stopped being blinding and the ringing in his ears died to a lull, Grian slowly opened his eyes, and then immediately closed them again.
There were too many colors.
He hadn’t seen so many colors in nearly 19 years.
Not since-
Grian slowly sat up- and flexed the muscles in his back. He gasped, feeling two wings against his back, giving them an experimental flap. He kept his eyes closed, but from the feeling of moss between his fingers and under his legs, he might’ve been in a cave.
He opened one eye as slowly as his body would allow, and then the other.
And it seemed the storm clouds parted just for him- revealing a sky full of shimmering stars, and purple dusting the horizon.
Grian flexed his hands in front of his face, only to find his fingers to his elbow pitch black- a most likely from the wither attack. At least his ring was still there.
He slowly stood up, rolling down the sleeves on the coat. Was this the L’manburg coat? The sleeves only reached his forearm, but he’d know that bleu anywhere. He took a deep breath, taking in the scent of fresh rain, and of flowers. His pants were rolled to the ankle, and he was wearing muddy boots. He picked at the hem of his shirt and was thankful it was his red jumper.
“I’m- I’m alive?” He whispered in disbelief, running a hand through his hair. He was unable to see the white streak in his ponytail, a black feather sticking out the hair tie.
He also couldn’t see his eyes.
They were bright as the sun, and burning violet. Bright, brilliant violet.
“I’m alive!” Grian exclaimed, his voice echoing through the crater. He looked up at the obsidian grid, at the swaying flag- and he laughed. He was alive.
He was alive.
Grian was alive again.
Grian stopped his cheering when he heard a voice from above the crater. A voice calling his name.
“Alright, let’s see if I’ve still got it in me.”
Grian flexed out his wings as the sun behind him began to rise. He started to lift into the air as blue and purple turned to pink and orange.
The feathers of his rainbow wings turned inwards and burned to ash, leaving only the skeleton mid way up the crater. But Grian pushed and pushed as new feathers grew in their places.
Grian rose with the sun as his wings burned gold, orange, and red.
Grian rose with the sun, looking down at Tubbo, Tommy, and Ranboo.
Grian rose with the sun as Wilbur cheered, two brilliant brown wings having sprouted from his own back.
Grian rose with the sun.
And then he crashed back down into the earth.