Can you hear me? Am I speaking clearly?
Are you starstrucked or just made of stone?
Do you need a saviour? Some bad behaviour?
Or you could cash it all in, I suppose
Blinding, searing agony was the last thing Tubbo felt at the event he had planned, a masquerade for the execution Schlatt had forced into play.
His flesh peeling off still growing cheekbones, trapped in that small box of suffocating concrete as a firework explodes after piercing deep into his right eye. His skull fractures as the charge detonates, Tubbo's last feeling being his body collapsing forward towards the one who killed him.
Technoblade.
The piglin had been the backbone their resistance needed deep within the earth, Wilbur's sanity slowly escaping him the longer they lived in those button covered stone walls. Tubbo often caught the former President's chocolate eyes straying towards them, looking a million blocks away as he contemplated something deep within his own mind. Tommy was too enthusiastic to be the steadiness their forces needed, when the piglin had appeared Tubbo had initially breathed a sigh of relief.
The life of a spy was not one the blonde boy had ever seen himself living; by day standing at Schlatt's side listening to his new degrees or rants then at night returning to Pogtopia to spill everything he said. Wilbur had talked him into it though and Tubbo had a hard time saying no to the charismatic brunette with his honeyed tongue.
The man could talk his way out of any situation; it was a trait Tubbo used to admire but over time it had turned to concern. Just how much had Wilbur hidden from them behind his war cries? Tubbo had no idea how far his mind had fallen, he worried more each day hearing him mumble to himself long into the night, scribbling away in a book no one ever saw the contents of.
Except Technoblade. The piglin had arrived after Tommy had sent a message to Philza, Wilbur's father who lived in another server, the avian hybrid himself couldn't come so he sent his best friend. A battle-tested warrior throughout history told to him by his best friend, Technoblade arrived upon this server and even Dream had backed off.
Tommy had spent days reading every letter Wilbur ever received about the one whose reputation precedes him, since he and Tubbo spent a lot of time together the tall blonde would often recount the tales as they worked.
Wilbur was the son of the Death Goddess, which was a helluva claim Tubbo hadn't believed at first until he had seen the particle-dusted crows who followed the chestnut man around. Speaking in a language unknown to all of them, he would command them to deliver messages to anyone, no matter the world they were in.
Tubbo had no memory of what came before he woke up on this server in their spawn area, confused where he was. Tommy was the first person he had met, the loud and sarcastic blonde grew quickly on the shorter goat-horned boy with a darker shade of hair colour. His sunshine best friend, opposite to his more dormant personality was caustic but fiercely compassionate, once he saw you as a friend he pushed you to be your best.
When Tommy had introduced him to Wilbur for the first time, Tubbo saw a lot of the same traits in the chestnut-haired man with a kind smile. His best friend became fascinated with the stories Wilbur wove of his crow father, Goddess mother and their best friend, a piglin warrior. The former President told them there were thousands of worlds you could travel between if you had the abilities, spending some time wandering them before he awoke here.
When Wilbur and Tommy had been cast out of Manburg, Technoblade arrived to assist them with winning their nation back. The piglin had fought entire battalions at Philza's side, earning himself the title of Blood God and the crow's became the Angel of Death.
Though the piglin put up these thick walls and had a bloodstained history, he let some of his heart shine through in the long nights he spent making sure everyone ate and took care of themselves. Tubbo often stumbled across him organising chests and building weapons by firelight, preparing all he could to help win them their country back.
So why...why did he listen to Schlatt's demands?
Because you're in deep, resist and repeat
Face forward and don't come unhinged
Block out the actors and all these bastards
That took all the fun out of rage and revenge
Awareness slams back into his body after it materialises back in the spawn area, the very air biting at the oozing burns covering the right side of his body. Hissing, Tubbo takes a few moments to suck down deep breaths, aching ribs protesting the movement as he comes alive once more. Coolness rushes over bare skin, the fabric singed away from the close range explosion.
Slowly sitting up, his torso and face scream in agony, raw skin stretching across newly reformed bones. He had already lost his first chance at the hands of others desiring control, remembering his surprise when they woke up here once more.
Wilbur then explained most beings on this server had three chances to evade death, mortal wounds erased twice before eternal rest. A thick scar was splashed across his chest from where a sword had pierced his heart, ripping away his consciousness staring into the horrified face of Eret.
Tubbo peered down at his right hand and let out a gasp, the skin practically melted away from the appendage his body had subconsciously tried to block the rocket with. He dreaded looking into a reflective surface now, tears spilling down over his cheek, stinging while they glide down his scorched cheek. Wondering just how bad his face now looked, he reached his unhurt left hand up to his right cheek.
A flash of pain shot through him the moment he tried to touch the skin, dropping it as his chest heaved. Why, why did Technoblade listen? He had been assured he wasn't going to be hurt, their allies were supposed to help! He stood alone on that stage with people he had betrayed, hiding trembling hands while he promised his loyalty before being condemned to death for his actions. With a shaking voice, he gave the phrase he and Wilbur had decided upon before Schlatt called him out.
No one came to help him, and the one he had regarded with trust launched the killing attack. Remembering the hesitation in Technoblade's eyes even as he cracked jokes, Tubbo felt both anger and confusion rush over him.
"Kid you here?" The voice Tubbo was just reminisced on sounded from his right, a lot quieter than before. Hoping it was just a side effect of him coming back to life, Tubbo clears his throat.
"Here!" He wasn't even sure why he gave himself up so quickly to the piglin, had Techno come to finish the job?
Looking around at the tree filled area, he finally sees the muscular warrior striding towards him. He squinted, trying to tell just how far the pink-haired man was before realising he honestly couldn't tell. Becoming distracted with that, he turns back to the way he was facing and holds his hand over his left eye.
When he did that, his vision completely disappeared.
The small blonde let out a sob, realising his right eye had become completely blind. Another physical marker of the lengths he had gone to protect his friends, who ended up not even coming to his rescue in the end.
"Hey kid, shush, I am not here to hurt you." Technoblade had clearly taken the gesture as something different before Tubbo was able to choke out.
"You fucking shot me and now I can't see!" He threw at the piglin, his skin singing agony as his face contorted with anger, the red-hot rush filling his gut.
"What, like at all?" Technoblade kept his same level voice, kneeling down in front of where the boy sat.
"Not out of my right eye anymore." Tubbo drops both hands he was using to wipe his tears, finally opening his left to see the piglin's concerned face.
Technoblade's eyes widened at the destruction split across his once clear skin, mouth turning down in sadness. "Look, I'm sorry. They would have killed me otherwise."
"Don't fucking lie to me Blade, you could have taken them!"
"I didn't want to risk my one chance with the others not stepping in so I can continue to help your rebellion in the future." That admission made the words die in Tubbo's mouth, turning his head with confusion as he appraised the pink-haired warrior.
"One? Everyone has three I thought."
"Not me, kid." Technoblade moves a bit closer, offering a calloused and scarred hand out. "Give me your right arm, I brought a healing pot an' burn cream."
"I didn't know that." It didn't do much to assuage the anger, but with that reason the flames began to die down. The blonde moves closer to the piglin who truly seemed like he just wanted to help now, giving his shaking arm over to his capable care.
"Unlike the rest of you lot, my life is a lot more finite. It's part of the vow I made to the Death Goddess many, many moons ago when I became her Blood God." He pauses his ministrations. "Just, don't tell the others. They might lose some of their faith in me an' I don't need that racoon blonde knowing just so he can tease me."
"I won't." Tubbo agreed instantly, reflecting on what he would have done in the piglin's boots. Facing either death by several others or removing the hostage from the situation, he wasn't set on what he would have done.
"I didn't want to kill you Tubbo." In the softest tone he ever heard from the gruff warrior, Tubbo raises his remaining ocean eye to see Technoblade's sad ones. "I just wasn't sure how to get us both out of there an' knew you had one more chance remaining. It doesn't excuse me taking your second, I just plead for you to understand my side here."
"Just tell me the scarring is minimal." Tubbo asks and Technoblade's face falls before shaking his head.
"I refuse to lie to you kid, burns don't heal well unless we take very good care of them but even then..." He seemed to lose his words, finished wrapping his arm and reaching his huge hand up to Tubbo's chin, nudging his face to a better angle so he could see by the torchlight they sat beneath. "Goddess knows I wish I could undo this."
"That bad?" Tubbo asks in a quiet voice, emotions rattling through his bones at facing the stares he would now get.
"Probably worse than you are thinking." Technoblade answers, gathering some more medicinal cream on his fingers. "I'm sorry kid, this is probably going to hurt while I do this but we need to try and avoid infection."
Silence stretches across the minutes besides Tubbo's gasps and hisses while Technoblade touches the torn flesh, mumbling apologies as his ancient hands care for the young. Tubbo took the time when his eye was clear of blurry tears to observe the piglin's face up close, none of his usual masking present meant his regret showed visabley to the blonde boy.
"Done." Technoblade leans back, screwing the cap back onto the cream. "Let me bandage it too, better than the looks the others might assault you with least for the moment."
"Before you do, take me to a mirror or water." Tubbo says firmly, the piglin looking surprised. "If I am living with a new battle scar I want to see it now."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive." Tubbo moves to stand up, Technoblade quickly does so himself and this time when Tubbo stumbles towards him, the Blade catches him.
"Let's start heading back to Pogtopia an' we can stop on the way. I prefer we start working our way home since we will be passing several bodies of water anyways."
Don't be so quick to judge, rain havoc from above
I think I've had enough, time to raise the dead
It's all subliminal, supernatural
I might be mental but I've still got my cred
The small blonde boy leans into the piglin's side, too tired to worry about throwing his lot immediately in with the one who killed him hours prior. Tubbo was so confused how to even feel right now, the tiniest bit of anger roaring it's want for revenge while the cautious side of him demanded to just let the more experienced one care for him.
Technoblade keeps an eye out while they work their way to a lake, letting Tubbo loop his undamaged arm through his to help the boy balance. His limbs were still unsteady after his awakening, the cool air biting at his exposed skin. When he shivered, Technoblade paused their walk to take off his cape and drape it around the small boy's shoulders, the warm weight an immediate comfort.
They end up near a river that runs past their ravine at a slow pace, a shallow and peaceful strait, pausing their journey home to allow Tubbo to see himself. Technoblade offers to walk him right to the calm water's side but Tubbo waves him off, determined to face it alone.
Taking a deep breath as he gazes straight across, he mentally prepares himself to look down. Remembering how he looked before, blonde hair and blue eyes a similar shade as Tommy, Tubbo worries what happened to his features now. From his touch based exploration earlier he had discovered his right horn had also chipped, a cap from it's once bark-coloured smoothness.
Letting his head fall, his chest seized at the boy who stared back at him. Red, angry wounds covered the right side of his face, a milky white eye set deep within that painful flesh. Technoblade's cape looked like it swallowed his small frame, suit ruined and covered in the ash of his execution. Blood had dried dark crimson onto the white shirt that used to be under the black suit coat that had been since mainly burned away.
"I know you said you wanted to face this alone but I couldn't bear to let you." Technoblade came to his side, towering well above Tubbo's head. "It may look ugly now, but in front of me I see someone I should have protected an' is incredibly strong to even get up again after that. I've been through wars that left soldiers scarred like you, maimed permanently because of the decisions of others. You never deserved any of that, I am so sorry Tubbo."
Tubbo took one last long look at his new face, packing those feelings away for later while he dealt with the one in front of him. "Just promise me we will be more careful in the future, I don't want this to happen to anyone else."
Technoblade placed his huge palm flat to his chest, bowing slightly. "I promise Tubbo."
"Can you wrap it now?"
"Of course."
With that, the Blade cared once more for the boy as Tubbo gathered the mental fortitude to face those who waited in the ravine for them. He could practically hear Tommy's enraged shouting from here, if they had even made it out safely. He certainly hadn't seen them at the festival before his demise, he hoped his fellow Pogtopians had made it out.
Tubbo had made it abundantly clear which side he stood now to Schlatt, he didn't care what the boy did now. He wanted his L'Manburg back, so it was time to take the Second President down.
"Technoblade?"
"Yeah kid?"
"I want Schlatt dead."
"Me too." A warrior's vow was given at that water's edge, an ancient soul wanting to protect those who had called on his help.
It was time to topple a tyrant's reign over land they had died for previously. Schlatt's clock was ticking closer to his demise and now, Tubbo wanted to be the one to deliver the blow. The young blonde was usually on the side of peaceful resolutions, but he was done being used then killed. It was time to erase the corrupt so they could gain their country back.
Looking into the blood red eyes of the piglin, he saw someone who was willing to help them achieve that. "I forgive you."
Technoblade looked stunned, stopping his packing of his medical kit now that he was done with bandages. "Really?"
"You were cornered in a horrible situation. I don't want us to have any bad feelings between us so we can be our strongest when facing Schlatt. Let's just leave it in the past now, I prefer using my energy planning his destruction."
"Okay kid." Technoblade agrees, still a little surprised judging by the confused tone in his voice.
"Besides, I am sure Tommy has some harsh words prepared."
Technoblade winces at that, allowing himself a small smile when Tubbo grins, thinking of his best friend's protective side. "Ones I deserve, to be fair."
"Come on, I want to make sure they are okay." Tubbo tugs the cape around him tighter, starting the journey back to Pogtopia with the Blood God at his side.
Though he knew he faced a future full of reliving the traumatic event he just went through, he couldn't find it in his heart to blame Technoblade for it. After all, would a heartless being go out of his way to care for those he harmed?
He could see in every action the piglin performed he regretted what happened and allowing Tubbo to know his weakness was a huge thing for the one who usually kept personal information behind bedrock structures. For now, he was just satisfied Technoblade remained firmly at their side while they planned a country's downfall.
So, welcome to the party, won't you please come inside?
Where habits have teeth and the words carry knives
You enter at your own risk, so don't be surprised
Welcome to the darkside