One more time.

by The-new-Collide8 (calliopecollide8)

Summary:

As it was an unaware consequence because nobody was able to leave the server after one had broken that one rule. Luckily few were able to log off without getting their memories wiped.

except for Quackity.

As if losing his memory three times at three different servers in a row wasn't enough.

 

Or

 

Quackity finds himself in trouble when he and Tallulah accidentally travel back in time.

Notes:

Prologue

Chapter 1: ▪︎ act I : like a complex puzzle missing key pieces.

 

When players join servers, they move from one to the next for either survival or gaming purposes. They feel almost free to join and leave by logging out (in certain cases), but death or losing all of their life points sends them back to limbo, or they can just jump to another server, either a renewed one or an old one. Things got out of hand. But gods and watchers always had plans in cases, for the hub and to improve the "gaming system," as it claims.

 

The central hub was built primarily to allow players and survivors to select from freshly created servers or visit existing ones. Although the dead or closed servers may be unavailable to go or visit for a variety of reasons.
And so, a simulation technique was devised for this circumstance by plenty of admins of different servers... but it is mostly a HUGE hell of development.

 

A new code name for trying or for the bulk of players who are "trying again". The server transfers system enabled a more flexible union for better players, hunters, and builders, despite the fact the awful god of creation XD was putting his head into it and causing people to go through memory wipe.

 

But that was not a big deal because no one sees it or has been touched by it… if only it couldn't get any worse when the federation has gotten their hands on it. As it was an unaware consequence because nobody was able to leave the server after one had broken that one rule. Luckily few were able to log off without getting their memories wiped …except for Quackity. As if losing his memory three times at three different servers in a row wasn't enough.

 

.
.

Quackity exclaimed, "I have a child?"

Philza Minecraft corrected him, “You used to have a child.”
.
.

"Have I established a country?" Quackity asked again, this time without gasping.

"Yes, but it wasn't from here," Phil clarified.
.
.

"Have I had a conflict with someone during elections?" Quackity asked, sounding less surprised with each question.

Phil nodded but said, "Not on that server either.”
.
.

After Quackity and a few members managed to escape, fled the Qsmp against the federation's wishes and arrived here, he had no memory of his identity or past. There seemed to be no solution to restore his memories. 

Phil was appointed as his guide, almost like a therapist, to help him with his memory loss. 

It could take centuries or even millions of years for Quackity to remember all about himself and his past lives since they were all complicated and long.

 While Phil did not give up, Quackity seemed to show signs of giving up.

"My mind is like a complex puzzle missing key pieces, Phil," Quackity exclaimed, running his fingers through his hair. 

"All these bits of information, but no connections to tie them together," he lamented, grabbing a fry and taking a bite. "And there's still 80% of my past that remains a mystery to me!"

Taking another fry, he groaned, "Why is my past so long and hard to understand? Do I really need to recall every detail of my life?"

Phil reassured him, "No, just important events and memories that will help you understand your identity." He paused to take a sip of his drink, frowning at the lack of ice cubes.

They are in the hub, a central location for players, architects, and survivors to log out of their server and transition to other islands or servers, or to engage in conversations with other players. It is thoughtful for admins to have made a diner around.

"I already know who I am!". The duck hybrid rolled his eyes.

Phil placed his drink on the table and inquired, "Can you recall when you first joined the Dream SMP?"
Quackity leaped to his feet. "It's...did you mean when or why?" he asked with a furrowed brow.
Ignoring his question, Phil continued, "Who was the first person you interacted with romantically and eventually wed on the server?"
Attempting to remember, Quackity exclaimed, "I know his name! His name was School- Ah fuck no, It was... Oh shit, give me a moment!"
Philza smirked as he interrupted Quackity's response, asking, "Can you recount when and from whom you experienced your first death on the server?"
Stuttering, Quackity took the chance, "Actually, I remember! It was at the hands of Technoblade! It happened during a... umm..." he trailed off, lost in thought.

Ignoring Quackity's attempt, Phil pressed on, "Could you recall the names of one of your cousins and that Maui-lookalike man from that spanish server?"

"Um, Tili-No it's my child's name, not my cousin. And that maui guy you said?" Quackity awkwardly scratched his neck, torn between trying to remember and feeling sad and guilty about forgetting his own child.

Phil chimed in, "Here's a hint: he also joined Qsmp and played the judge in one of our events."

Quackity racked his brain fruitlessly, "I can't remember meeting anyone besides Luzu there, who you just mentioned me and him are used to be lovers but then...what was that part about us pointing guns?"

Ignoring him, Phil asked, "What does the Q in Qsmp stand for?"

Quackity sighed, "It's probably me, but I think it was something like Qeusa- No, Quesdila island, I'm sure of it."

"And how did Juanaflippa die-"

"Stop giving me more questions, Phil! I'm gonna lose it!" Quackity cried out as he buried his face in the table, resulting in a nosebleed. Luckily, Phil had his cocktail ready before Quackity made a mess.

"Sweet save," he said as Quackity lifted his head from the table slowly. Phil grabbed the napkin that was wrapped around his cocktail mug and handed it to Q.

"Thanks," Quackity said flatly as he wiped his nose.

“I was trying to mess up with you, Q”, Philza chuckled.

Taking a deep breath, Q said, "I don't want to hear any more."
Phil set his drink down and raised an eyebrow, "Why not? I'm sorry if I overwhelmed you, mate."

Q suddenly exclaimed, "It's not overwhelming, it's just boring!" He put his arms behind his chair and then rested his head in his hands out of exhaustion. "Every time you bring up my past, I think, man, I wish I could actually remember doing that or experiencing it firsthand."

Philza finished his drink and smirked, "I can only imagine your reaction when I mention that you also forgot about the Minecraft championshi-"

“Don't tell me! You're adding fuel to the fire!”
 
“That not what you said when you blowed up the egg em-” 

Q shot him a deadpan look and said, "Say one more word about my past life and I'll smack my face against the table even harder, Phil."

The angel of death rubbed his neck awkwardly. Quackity sighed as he closed his eyes.

"I-i..." Q stammered. "It's that remembering feels...fake. You guys can fill me in on all the details of my past, who my friends, family, and enemies are. But it all feels dull and uninteresting." He became more specific, rubbing the bridge of his nose. 

He took a deep breath and clasped his hands. "It's like looking at a picture and having someone explain what's happening, but not feeling any emotional connection to it. I'm missing that personal touch, that feeling that makes a memory real. It's not that I'm memory-less, it's that my memories don't feel genuine. It's like there's nothing there but a bunch of bullshit."

Quackity's words kept echoing in Phil's ears. "And you know what's the cherry on top? You're telling me that all half of my forgotten past actions were bad! It's like I'm being shunned by people I might have hurt, who won't forgive me for it. How can I even muster the courage to apologize when I don't even remember doing it in the first place?!"

Before Philza can speak, a finger taps on his shoulder. He looks back to see the waiter of the diner staring at him with an expressionless look.
"Excuse me sir, is that your daughter?" the waiter asks. Philza turns around to see his beloved adopted daughter, Tallulah, looking at him with a smile.

"She's been staring at the jukebox for hours," the waiter adds before leaving. Philza makes room for Tallulah to sit and she places the coin he gave her on the table.

"Sorry, dad. Couldn't find a calm song without any bad words," Tallulah said with a sheepish smile. Philza chuckles and reassures her that it's okay.

He then gives her a disappointed look, "You already know the F word." Tallulah sits down as Philza signals the waiter for a milkshake with less sugar for his child.

Quackity felt a piece of calmness cover over him upon seeing Tallulah. After taking a deep breath, he decided to steer the conversation in a different direction by asking, "So, have you and Kristin found a server to stay yet?"

A smile suddenly appeared on Philza's face as he responded, "We received an invitation while on Hypixel, which is great news." Quackity mirrored a slight smile in return.
"It's the Empire SMP, a wonderful server but with empires," Philza elaborated. "It reminded me a lot of the Dream SMP, with various countries, castles, and locations. Despite past conflicts, it is currently a safe place."

Quackity nodded thoughtfully. "It sounds like a great place for you and the children to enjoy a 'vacation'. I imagine Missa will be joining you as well?"

Phil wasn't surprised for Quackity to bring up his platonic husband for a person who doesn't have memories. Although he didn't seem bothered about it

"Indeed, he appears to have 'fallen in love' for the empires, eventually the ocean empire. It is evident that he has had some interaction with Lizzie," he remarked with a hint of sarcasm, rolling his eyes.

The waiter arrived with the milkshake that had been ordered, handing it to Tallulah.

"Kristin and I even joked about the possibility of a 'double date' with the queen and her husband Joel once I join them," Phil chuckled as he observed his daughter sipping on the milkshake. Seeing her relax brought a sense of relief to Phil.

Quackity, though confused, nodded, "I may not know who she or Joel is, but I hope Missa is having a Great day."

"He's having it right now, meeting Kristin and getting along well," Philza said, pausing as Quackity tilted his head.
Phil remembered when he observed his wife and the skeleton hybrid chatting, feeling pleased they were getting along. He had always worried it might be awkward to introduce your wife to your...partner, especially one you married platonically.

He resisted the urge to joke that they might plan to have a threesome.

"I may be a itty-bitty jealous," the old man confessed, and Quackity wasn't sure if he was serious.

"Of him or her?" Quackity asked.

Philza glared. "Both."

"Even the kids, my daughter missed Chayanne," he gestured to his adoptive child.

Tallulah stopped drinking and looked at her father with a neutral expression, knowing he was right. She missed her brother but being a Patience girl, she nodded and continued sipping her drink. She knows she will reunite with him and the rest of her family soon.

The conversation was flowing smoothly, but the Mexican wasn't feeling quite right. After one last deep breath, he stood up and said, "I need some fresh air, Phil. I gotta step outside for a bit."
.
.
.

Quackity put his hands in his pockets, looking annoyed and bored. 
He grew tired of relying on storytelling and words to remember everything, wishing instead to see memories through his own eyes.
Casually kicking the ground as he walked, minding his own business, he approached the room filled with empty portals.
These portals required a specific server code to access, but Quackity was disinterested and unable to remember any codes due to his memory loss.

Despite the deletion of the Dream smp codes for a reason he still doesn't know yet, he heard that there was a server called Dream smp S2 but he still couldn't recall them. A new code for Dsmp S2 meant nothing to him.

 

 

As he walked away from the inactive portals, his attention was caught by one that glowed black and was surprisingly active.

 

Curious, he wondered what kind of portal it was made of. 

He approached the portal with a sense of curiosity, his annoyance fading away as his attention fixated on the black glow. 

As he drew closer, his fingers almost touched the portal when suddenly, a figure poofed into existence before him.

Startled, Quackity fell back in shock, landing a short distance away from the portal. 

The figure let out a fake "oopsie" as she chuckled, floating in front of him. With blonde hair and a mask drawn on her face, she looked like a teenager, holding a large fork like a spear. 

"Who are you?" Quackity managed to gasp out, trying to catch his breath. The figure laughed and playfully tucked the fork behind her back. "I think it would be less rude if you asked me your name first."
 
Rolling his eyes, Quackity opened his mouth only to be interrupted by the girl. "Just kidding, man! You can call me the god of Chaos," she smirked.

Despite his curiosity about what she means by chaos, Quackity knew there were more pressing matters at hand. Standing up, he took a deep breath and introduced himself, "My name is Quackity. The mighty god of chaos, please forgive my earlier rudeness and allow me to proceed-” he stopped mid-sentence as he noticed she wasn’t paying any attention, she was looking at her nails instead.

"Ahem," he said, but she simply rolled her eyes. "Dude, your words are putting me back to sleep. You talk more eloquently than my own brother," she said, floating lazily with her leg crossed over the other.

Q asked, "Which is better: 'I wanna go inside the portal, can you step aside' or 'get out of my way'?"

"How about this," she joked, "Is there a bug inside your skull?" As she burst into laughter.

The duck hybrid wasn't amused but well, she's not wrong. Quackity crossed his arms and said, "I got a wasp actually, because I have no memories and blah blah blah."

"Is this why you wanna use the server-recorder simulator?" She said, and the Mexican blinked back. "Huh?"

“This portal right here? It's like a trip down memory lane. It simulates old servers, new, canceled - you got the point! Anyone can try it,” She gestured to the portal in order to get a full view. “It's like a time machine.” She explained lazily.

Quackity's eyes bulged, "So, this portal makes a simulation of any servers? How does it do that?"
 
"A console lurks beyond the portal," the god strides past the gateway with the duck hybrid following behind. 

A small console equipped with a screen and keyboard catches his eye.

"By inputting a server code, the simulator will generate a simulation of the server. This way, individuals can observe the server briefly without officially joining. Since it's only a fake simulated version, it's not considered a real membership," the girl explained.

Q gazes in astonishment, wondering why he hasn't encountered such a thing like that before.

Suddenly, a lightbulb goes off in his mind. This could be his opportunity to explore the servers he forgot about from a firsthand perspective, rather than just hearing about it. Perhaps he could even catch a glimpse of himself and others.

Excited, he quickly realizes he can't recall the server code. A solution forms in his mind - he could ask Phil for the code; it would be a cool experience for Quackity to visit the QSMP.

Before departing without a word, the god stopped him. "Whoa whoa slow down! I'm pretty certain I know what you're thinking!" she blocked his path with her huge fork.

"I mean, what's the harm? You mentioned anyone can try it, and it's all fake anyway, so I won't cause any trouble," he asked.

The young woman shook her head, "I'm aware you wouldn't... because this portal isn't working."

"Are you fucking blind? It's glowing," Q gestured towards the portal.

"Yes, but the simulator is incomplete and still encountering errors and issues. Admins are still working on resolving them," she explained.

Quackity scowled, "How long until it's fixed?"

"Long enough for you to not remember about it," she teased, causing Q to feel insulted yet disappointed.

"How long until it's fixed?" He repeated the question but was more stern.

“I don’t know, I did not create it, maybe long, maybe short, would you like medium?” she snickered again. 

Q, who thought he was the joke enthusiast, found her insufferable. He grumbled as he avoided the god of chao’s gaze and walked away without a word.

"Don't get your hopes up," she laughed, "you probably won't even remember it anyway. It's a relief for you, haha!" 

Quackity groaned before storming out of the room angrily.

He knew she was trying to tease him, but so what? Errors and bugs are frustrating, but couldn't someone at least test it out?

Regardless, he will do anything to get his hands on the portal.

  

Chapter 2: Are you game?

 

“Uh, nope.” 

Quackity raised his hands in the air and exclaimed, "Why not? I mean, you're also a god. It will hit two birds with one stone!"

 

Philza rolled his eyes and explained, "I'm an angel, not a god." 

 

Even though he was the famous angel of death who had married a goddess and befriended many gods, there were still a couple of gods out there that he wasn't a big fan of. The young, annoying god of chaos took the cake.

 

"They're all in the same category of immortals," Quackity tried to argue unsuccessfully. 

 

“What are you proposing?” Philza asked with his arms crossed, as Quackity hummed and moved his lips as if he was speaking.

 

The duck hybrid then clapped his hands, "I have some plans," he said, raising a finger.

"Plan A is either I distract her while you handle the portal, and if she leaves, I'll come back to help with the portal before she notices us," he explained.

 

Philza hummed and...seemed convinced, much to Quackity's relief.

 

"And what about Plan B?" Philza inquired.

 

Quackity smirked, "Plan B is probably off the table, as I just already realized it's impossible to kill a god with empty hands."

 

The other man rolled his eyes, and Quackity chuckled.

 

Quackity then raised three fingers, "For Plan C, you can try to distract her with your ‘godly speech’ to grab her attention while I slip away to the portal unnoticed."

 

Philza's expression remained unchanged as he hummed again.

 

Resting his elbow on the table, Quackity grinned at Philza, "So, which plan do you think is better?"

 

Philza hummed for a long moment, looking around with his right hand on his chin, like the Thinker statue.

 

“They all seem pretty straightforward to me,” he remarked, watching as Q grinned with anticipation.

 

 

But Philza made a deadpan face, “I'm choosing none of them,” he said bluntly. “Unless you have plan D,” he added with a chuckle.

 

Q let out a disappointed groan at Philza's unexpected answer. “But how come?! You seemed so sure,” he said sadly.

 

"Have you ever heard of fallen angels, Q?" Phil asked sternly. 

 

Quackity tilted his head in confusion but nodded. 

 

Phil then joked flatly, "That's probably what I'm going to become if I do any of this."

 

"Can an angel commit a sin?" The duck hybrid couldn't help but chuckle at his own question. 

 

Phil also chuckled and responded, "Wrong choice of words, mate. You wouldn't do that if you were in my shoes."

 

 Q angrily retorted, "And you would just freely break the law if you couldn't remember your wife or children!" as he punched the chair.

 

“Don't bring them into this,” the other man scolded, and Quackity huffed.

 

Philza was still annoyed that This was the first thing Q would ask him after taking a breath of fresh air outside the diner.

 

Tallulah was too focused on sketching on a placemat that was previously under Quackity's empty French fries box to pay much attention to the adult conversation.

 

In a hopeful tone, the old man says, "At least you have me and I can spell the cocktail to you."

 

"Tea," deadpanned Quackity while Phil rolled his eyes.

 

After a brief silence, Q declared, "I don't want to," as he stared at the ground.

 

"Still struggling as a visual learner, huh Mate?" Phil teased.

 

Q groaned, "Phil, I swear to god," he then asked, "So, care to keep going?" 

Phil let out a sigh of relief, "I'm actually considering ‘going’ because I need to check on the kids and Kristin to make sure everything is okay. Hope Missa didn't cause any trouble." Quackity nodded silently.

 

As Phil stood up to say his goodbyes, a buzz on his communicator caught his attention. His face went slowly from natural to a frown.

 

Tallulah stopped sketching after she noticed her father's change in expression and was about to ask, but paused when she saw Philza's serious look at Quackity.

 

"I'll catch up with you later, Q. My husband called me that the empire seems to have encountered a… new issue and thinks I might have some information on it," Philza said, pausing to search his dress pocket. "Oh, by the way..."

 

The elderly man pulled out a poker chip, placing it on the table next to Quackity. "The Dream SMP, anyway," he casually mentioned before turning his back to Quackity. Quackity examined the chip with confusion, wondering how it related to the Dream SMP server. Perhaps it was a clue about the country he had created, or maybe he was a ‘hangover’ person.

 

"Lullah, where I'm headed may be dangerous, so you stay with Tio Quackity," Philza said firmly to his daughter. Tallulah was taken aback, wanting to ask more questions, but the Angel of Death was in a hurry. He placed his hands on Tallulah's shoulders and promised, "I'll be back very soon," with a reassuring hug to his daughter. 

 

His daughter hesitated but eventually nodded. 

 

He glanced at the other one last time, saying "Watch over her, Q," before adjusting his wings and swiftly leaving the diner. 

 

Despite feeling uneasy, Quackity smiled hopefully as he placed his trust in the old man.

 

As Phil left the diner, the door swung slightly due to his speed. Quackity had originally found Phil to be smart but fun when they first met after Q's memory loss. Quackity could trus-

He lost his train of thoughts when he noticed something on the ground. During his quick exit, Phil's communicator device had fallen to the ground. 

Quackity rushed over to pick it up without hesitation, calling out, "Phil, you forgot your—" before realizing Phil was already gone. 

 

Great, in addition to keeping an eye on Phil's daughter, he would also be extra careful in ‘safeguarding’ the most important device, as Phil tended to act hastily in this situation.

"Guess who can't remember!" Q spit out, then sighed as he pocketed the old man’s device. But he paused when he noticed a couple of codes written on the device.

 

With a sudden realization, Q grinned and snapped his fingers, exclaiming, "That's it!"

 

Tallulah cocked an eyebrow at his excited expression and asked gently, "Where is papa going?"

 

"He went to another server, there was a situation with your... other dad? another grandpa?" He asked, sounding slightly confused. 

 

"Papa Missa." Tallulah replied. Quackity nodded, "Yeah, he'll be back soon." 

 

"He left, it's okay." she frowned. 

 

Quackity raised an eyebrow, about to ask more but stopped when he noticed the placemat on the table covered in sketches. Most of them were unreadable, except for one man wearing a beanie. 

 

Beside him was a shorter figure, which Quackity recognized. But it was the taller figure that caught his eye.

 

He wished he could remember not just his own child, but also his niece.

 

When Philza brought up the topic of Tilín and the other eggs from Qsmp, he mentioned that Wilbur had taken in Tallulah. Unexpectedly, Wilbur left her, and Phil ended up taking her back under his wing…or more like wings . The duck hybrid wonders about what Tallulah must have been like before Wilbur leaving; however, by observing her interactions with Phil, he can see that she was without doubt a very kind and sweet girl.

 

The duck hybrid shifted awkwardly, trying to find the right words to start the conversation. After taking a deep breath, he finally asked, "Are you still having a hard time with...your, uh, your previous dad leaving?"

 

“¿Te refieres a Wilbur?” (you're talking about Wilbur?) She responded in a mix of Quackity's language, making Q unable to stop smiling as he answered with a , “Sí” (yes)

 

“It’s…I got over it but I still get these abandonment issues and everytime I play my flute I can’t stop thinking about him, so I don't know right now.” Tallulah realized she was rambling a bit, not facing Q.

 

Q turned to look out the window of the diner, still smiling but now a little less, "Did he really leave you?"

 

"I, uh," she paused to adjust her hearing aids, not because she wanted to, but because she wanted to mask her worry.

 

Quackity awkwardly suggested, "Hey, why don't we step outside?". They arrived in the hub, where there weren't many players around. They chatted until others began to leave one by one.

Nearby, a tan-skinned guy in a brown jacket was talking to a woman with long hair and a black hoodie. 

 

Quackity quickly questioned why he was even describing them, he knew he wasn't really interested in having a conversation with them.

Some players who had left the Qsmp that Quackity didn't recognize had scattered to different servers or areas anyway. 

 

After all, he had one thing on his mind that is important...well, actually two things.

 

"It's totally okay if you're not feeling up to it," the duck hybrid reassured the younger figure as they both settled down on the ground.

 

"I just have a feeling he'll come back, but I'm not dwelling on it right now," she said with a smile. It's the same smile she wears when she's pretending everything is okay.

 

Quackity was a bit quiet, noticing the sadness in her eyes. Then an idea struck him, and he sat beside her, gently running his hand through her hair. "Why not see him one last time for closure - just for nostalgia's sake?" he suggested.

 

Tallulah chuckled. "I have pictures of him in-,"

 

"No, I mean seeing him in person," he clarified. Tallulah looked at him in confusion.

 

She must had missed the conversation between him and Philza earlier. So Quackity decided it was time to fill her in on the details.

 

"I stumbled upon an unalike portal while I was outside, it creates virtual worlds based on our servers!” He pointed towards the path leading to the portal room.

 

“Perhaps you'll be able to spot your dad there,” he suggested optimistically.

 

The girl raised an eyebrow, “You mentioned it's just visual.”

 

Quackity threw his hands up in the air, “Exactly, yeah it's not ideal, but at least you can see him moving and talking with others. You can't interact with him, but it's better than not seeing him at all!”

"If given another opportunity, you might get a chance to explore the Dream smp alongside the Qsmp," he revealed as he presented the chip given by Philza to Tallulah.

 

"The Dream smp? Like l’Manberg?" she inquired, leaving Quackity puzzled but he nodded in agreement.

 

Recognizing his confusion, Tallulah changed the subject, "Did Papa fill you in on this?"

 

Quackity hesitated before responding, "Not exactly, he mentioned Wilbur and our...connection." He cleared his throat before continuing, "He just mentioned Wilbur's descent into madness and the destruction of his nation, hinting at some rivalry between us...Wait, was he talking about Will or Luz- uh, nevermind!" he dismissed with a slight blush.

Lullah cocked her head, “I suppose dad doesn't always have to disclose everything and can be senile at times…don't let him know I mentioned that.” she turned her grin away from him.

 

“No guarantees kid, looks like I wasn't the one with 'memory loss' in this party.” Quackity grinned.

 

Tallulah pretended to scowl, “How impolite.”

 

“You just said he's senile.” Q said back.

 

“Please, keep that to yourself,” she responded unseriously.

The duck hybrid chuckled and circled back to the topic of the portal, inquiring, “So what do you say?”

 

Tallulah was surprised. Will she really be able to see her old dad in a virtual reality? It seems strange and awkward but also... seems helpful for closure? 

 

She seems to have conflicting emotions about it, not due to the concept, but unfortunately the issue lies with her father figure.

 

"You're a good man Quackity, but you've lost your memories. I'm not sure if I can fully trust this new version of you... at least not just yet," she hesitated.

 

Quackity assured her, "Once I enter this simulation, I'll be back to my old version. It will help me recall the familiar faces, and you'll get to see Wilbur... kind of. But first, I need your help to distract that annoying girl guarding the portal."

 

Quackity knows that recalling everything in one try is clearly impossible, yet he considers the chance that his brain could ignite a flicker of memory, even if it's just a small one.

 

But Tallulah stood her ground, "I said I can't trust you yet, not never."

 

Q then realized he had come across as slightly manipulative towards her. Seeing her as a child who didn't deserve to be manipulated, he changed his approach and decided to deal with the portal later on.

 

Quackity quickly made an apology and looked away, nervously rubbing his neck. He was trying to find a way to justify his words but didn't want to do it in front of a child. Perhaps this idea wasn't suitable for her and could be dangerous, who knows if distracting a god teen would even work. 

"Oh my god, sorry if I seemed devious. I was simply hoping to uncover my past liv-" he paused, after seeing Lullah's reaction. Q shook his head, realizing he was only making things worse and potentially giving her the wrong impression of his intentions.

 

He awkwardly chuckled, “Ah, forget what i said, it’s not a big deal,” 

 

However Tallulah recognizes that Quackity's stubbornness stems from a genuine desire to know his memoires. While she finds that a bit selfish, she appreciates his efforts to comfort her after losing her previous dad. 

 

Perhaps they both share the desire to see and experience memories in a tangible way rather than just hearing about them. 

 

Despite her hesitations, Tallulah may be willing to accompany Quackity in exploring his lost memories, especially since he retains his cheerful personality. Though she doesn't fully trust him yet, having her Papa communicator provides some reassurance in case they go into trouble.

 

After standing up, Quackity cleared his throat as he thought he might have sidetracked her and so he outstretched his arms. He wasn't sure if Tallulah was used to being held by someone other than her father, but she knew what to do and didn't resist. With her tiny dragon wings, she flew a little as Quackity held her.

 

A smile crossed Quackity's face, wondering if he had held Tallulah in the past. This certainly wasn't the first time he had held her into his arms.

 

As they started walking, Q suggested, "so, how about we take a piggyride around the center? Maybe we can even grab some ice cre-"

 

“¿Dónde encontraste el portal?” (Where did you find the portal?)

The girl's sudden question and change of language interrupted Q, surprising him with its had to do with the portal.

Quackity looked at her, she was looking at him back with a curious face, "Recuerdas la sala de los portales, ¿verdad? ¿Dónde tú, tu papá y algunos de nosotros salimos de uno de los portales?"  (You remember the portal room, right? Where you, your dad, and a few of us came out of one of the portals?) He explained.

 

“¿Esa chica está custodiando ese portal que mencionaste?” (Is the girl guarding that portal you mentioned?) She inquired. Quackity cocked an eyebrow, wondering why Tallulah was bringing up this topic. He thought she was not interested, but he felt he should answer because how could he refuse?

 

"Ella dice que es el dios del caos, así que no sé mucho". (She says she's the god of chaos, I don't know much) 

 

The young girl nodded and fell silent, leaving Quackity puzzled but refraining from commenting. Perhaps she was simply curious. They continued walking until Tallulah suddenly turned to Quackity with a determined expression. “Quackity, I want to lend you a hand with this.”

 

Quackity blinked, his expression conveying uncertainty as he considered her sudden change of mind. “Are you sure? You're not obligated,"

 

“I'll help, on the condition that I can see Wilbur,” she said firmly. Quackity thought she must be feeling sorry for him to accept reluctantly, but her serious tone says otherwise.

Although hesitant, Tallulah's willingness to assist brought relief to Quackity.

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The room of portals was as tranquil as the chaos god sitting beside the server-recorder simulator, seemingly looking at a device in her hand while whistling, her large fork resting still behind her back.

 

Q and Lullah peeked out from behind a corner, glaring at the god.

 

"I hope we don't get arrested!"

"I hope I don't get grounded."

Q and Tallulah said in unison.

 

After a brief moment, Q gave a nod to the young dragon hybrid. Tallulah rummaged through her skirt pocket until she found her flute. 

 

She hesitated for a moment as she glanced at the instrument before returning the nod, though her expression remained unreadable.

 

Q moved to the opposite corner while the dragon hybrid stood motionless in the other corner. Quackity gripped the device tightly and signaled with his thumb to Tallulah.

 

Lullah wet her lips as she began to play a melody…

 Or something close to it.

  It was September song from Earth, Wind & Fire

And it didn't sound bad at all. She always enjoyed playing any type of music, even the stupid ones.

 

Q observed the god, initially unnoticed, but then caught the young girl's gaze shift in another direction.

 

Quackity stayed hidden in the corner as Tallulah continued to play.

“No one told me there's a special occasion and they didn't even invite me again! How classic XD, always neglectful.” The teen mumbled as she got up and hid her fork behind her back, walking to the other corner.

 

Quackity and Tallulah seized the opportunity to sneak away unnoticed, racing to the portal console in record time.

 

Tallulah continued to play as Quackity grabbed Philza's communicator, squinting at the numbers and codes before swiftly typing on the keyboard.

 

"Shit," he cursed under his breath, realizing he had entered one of the numbers incorrectly due to the rush. His fingers were moving quickly and the pressure was getting to him, causing some mistakes in his typing.

After a few failed attempts, someone gently nudged him and asked, "Having trouble?" 

She helped him with the codes, and Quackity gave her a grateful smile, But then he did a double-take. 

The god of chaos was looking at him as if they were friends. 

"Not even a 'thank you'? Dude, I was right about you being rude," she playfully remarked.

 

Tallulah, who had the same reaction as Quackity, stopped playing. Someone then tapped on her shoulder so she looked behind.

 

"Why'd you stop?" The... other god of chaos asked from behind the dragon hybrid. Tallulah looked at her, flinching, and hugged the leg of her father figure.

 

The second god of chaos sighed, "How will you impress your audience if you keep acting like a shrinking violet?" Ignoring the two of them, she moved closer to her twin.

 

The two teens fused into one, and the god of chaos observed them with crossed arms. "And most importantly, do you STILL think I'm blind?" she asked Quackity.

Quackity immediately felt a wave of regret wash over him as he realized the consequences of his actions. Thoughts of the punishment he might face from the gods crossed his mind. But even worse, he worried about what punishment awaited his precious niece! 

 

In a panic, he clutched Tallulah tightly, hoping to shield her from any potential harm, "Listen, if you're thinking about doing it, take me. I don't know who I am, but I sure as hell don't care risking it all for eternity-"

 

But the God of chaos interrupted with a time-out gesture. "Cut the shit out, that's a bit too dramatic for someone who will do anything to protect their child ," she quipped.

 

Quackity's brow furrowed. "She's not my child, she's-"

 

"I know that, silly. And don't worry, I'm not going to trap any of you in a never-ending loop of death or something!" The teen reassured, twirling her fork casually.

 

Tallulah peeked out from Quackity's chest. "You won't?"

 

"Of course not. Alas, you remind me a lot of myself, and let's just say you seem a tad smarter...than him." She motioned towards the duck hybrid.

 

“Hay!” Q glared.

 

Tallulah gave an awkward turtle as Quackity resumed speaking, "I apologize deeply for what I did, it was my idea."

 

The god nodded and said, "Yes, on the day I allow you both to use the portal!"

 

Quackity blinked in confusion, "Huh? But we sneaked into the portal and you said it wasn't working."

 

The teen clarified, "Indeed, I did say it wasn't working, but I never said it's not fully working and no one was allowed to test it out. Despite its errors, I am 130% sure it's a safe place for testing."

 

Quackity accused, "You blocked my way before!"

 

God of Chaos retorted, "Because you seemed too eager to use it. You could have just asked politely, dummy!"

She wasn't wrong…again.

Quackity, felt a bit overthinking and annoyed by her teasing, quickly misunderstood her. 

 

However, he couldn't deny the fact that she was still an annoying brat. 

Quackity facepalmed and released Lullah, who gazed thoughtfully at the god and asked, "So are we both allowed to enter?"

 

The god assured, "Of course! I am aware of your father, Philza Minecraft, and will ensure your safety, although..." she glanced at Quackity.

 

Quackity raised his hands defensively, "Don't look at me, I have amnesia and she's my niece."

 

The god jokes, "You two can try the portal as many times as you like, just be careful or else you both will end up like moving pixels."

 

Quackity and Llulah exchanged glances, then the god chuckled, "Just kidding, but be wary of bugs and errors. If anything goes wrong, I will intervene."

 

Quackity raised an eyebrow and reconsidered, perhaps she wasn't as much of a brat as he thought. She is still annoying though. 

 

Tallulah observed her with a skeptical expression, narrowing her eyes. 

 

Despite the god knowing her father, she was not naive enough to trust someone solely for that reason.

 

She pulled on her father figure's hoodie, prompting him to pause. “One second,” Q raised a finger and sat down, turning his back to the god.

With a nervous whisper, Tallulah expressed her doubts, “Carita Sonriente, No creo que sea buena idea confiar en ella rápidamente.” (Smiley Face, I don't think it's a good idea to trust her quickly) 

 

Q shook his head, “pero ella conoce a tu papá y dice que puede vigilarnos.” (But she knows your dad and says she can keep an eye on us) 

 

“Ella me asusta.” (She scares me) 

 

But the duck hybrid simply shrugged, “Ella no lo hace por mí, todavía me tienes para protegerte.” (She doesn't for me, you still have me to protect you)

 

Suddenly, the god of chaos joined their conversation circle, uninvited. "We might need to create a simulation that translates people in the hub as well. I've never encountered someone so fluent in multiple languages."

 

The pair turned to face her, with Tallulah maintaining a skeptical gaze towards the god. Quackity proceeded to gently rub her hair, offering reassurance.

 

"Just trust me, Chalulah, everything will be fine," he comforted her, though Tallulah seemed hesitant. She was aware that she was pushing her luck, but she had already agreed to the plan of seeing her father with Quackity instead of immediately trusting a random god in the first place.

 

The god proceeded to the console and pressed the button, causing the door to glow a deep purple. Quackity hoped this meant it… sorta working, while Tallulah watched in a mix of awe and unease.

 

The deity stood facing the portal before turning towards the two individuals. She took a step back, indicating for them to move towards the portal and gave them a come in gesture.

 

Q and Tallulah exchanged uncertain glances before Quackity gathered his courage and approached with determination. Tallulah followed suit, albeit more tentatively, as they made their way towards the portal.

 

The teen held up a finger, stopping them, "Uh, two things. First, be sure not to make any contact with anyone or anything, not even a slight touch, as it could lead to a... certain error ."

 

Q nodded nervously and inquired, "And the other thing?"

 

"The other thing, you can call me Drista from now on!" The god of chaos, aka Drista, announced, waving them farewell.

 

Quackity made a poker face when he glanced at her, but then he rolled his eyes and fixed his gaze on Tallulah with a strong determination. 

The two of them stood before the portal, their eyes reflecting the purple glow. They were both ready for whatever was about to come, yet they held onto hope and to see the memories of loved ones from the past.

 

“Are you game?”  Quackity asked the girl.

 

Tallulah stared at the purple glow, her expression uncertain but seeming a little entertained because of the color. She remained silent for a whole minute, wondering why Q didn't stop her, but she pushed that thought aside. Her hope now rested on seeing her father's face, a long-awaited desire since his disappearance.

 

The young dragon hybrid took a deep breath, holding the duck hybrid's hand, as she whispered, "soy juego." (I’m game)

 

Quackity closed his eyes. He wasn't sure if it was because either the glow hurt his eyes or he lied about being ready to see what was coming. 

 

And so they took a step forward…

 

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mis nu- nuevos j jef-jef Mis

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et on ut omoc nognihc yoS

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You're not -------, I -- u

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Tío charl-

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Quackity, startled by the click sound, snapped open his eyes like an owl. 

 

He quickly spotted Tallulah, who hastily retreated from the portal. As they finally entered However…

Call him selfish, but he just can't shake the feeling that this simulation looks like an abyss rather than a visual space. 

 

The setting was akin to Quesadilla island…but glitchy. 

 

"Glitchy" feels boring to encapsulate the strange vibes in that place. 

 

The colors seemed to blend and glitch, with trees and objects appearing to flicker like a broken television.

 

Not to mention the ambiance was marred by noise, rather than the peaceful sounds of nature. 

 

Instead of the gentle rustling of the wind and the sounds of cows and chickens, it's more like they mistakenly wandered into a cave with some static mixed in.

 

Man, Drista wasn't wrong for the millionth time. This simulator was clearly unfinished.

 

Q shook his head, noting that the server appeared to be malfunctioning. Despite being able to test it out, all they could do was observe the area. While this may not greatly help Quackity's memory loss, it could potentially trigger recollections of familiar faces.

 

With a resolute expression, he looked at the girl.

 

Her reaction mirrored Quackity, but the unsettling atmosphere made her uncomfortable. The sounds of the prototypes were bothersome as she adjusted her hearing aids.

 

Tallulah quietly groaned as the sounds became more irritating than unsettling.

 

Quackity attempted to lighten the mood, ”It wasn't what I expected, no wonder it’s unfinished, it could have been worse. I thought the simulation would be much harsher. But you know what?

 

He gestured towards the sun, no longer shining brightly, but still looking decent in its mix of grey and dullness.

 

"At least the sun is still hanging in there, we can gaze at it for hours without getting our eyes on fire," he joked. 

Tallulah managed a chuckle, despite her unamused expression, at least helping to lighten the mood too. "Where is everybody?"

 

And Q can't pin this question on Tallulah since nobody was around; the island seems deserted, perhaps the simulation hasn't finished creating the members yet. But that doesn't mean losing hope.

 

“We'll search for them, but let's proceed carefully and avoid touching anything, okay?” he said reassuringly as Tallulah smiled back slowly.

 

"Let's Go!" he exclaimed.

 

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“Hey look, it's your father!” 

He exclaimed again while pointing his finger at a figure standing before a crowd.

 

After a long and a confusing stroll around the island, everything seemed iffy and questionable to Quackity. 

He felt like he needed three pairs of glasses just to see clearly in this unfamiliar place. 

 

Despite attempting to locate a train station , the surroundings remained unclear, and he noticed Tallulah's uneasy expression. 

 

Quackity tried to uplift the atmosphere multiple times, but a part of him feared that bringing a child into this situation was possibly the worst idea imaginable. 

 

If Tallulah ended up traumatized, Philza would undoubtedly cut off his ass and mount it on the wall.

 

Speaking of Philza, the figure that Q pointed to was him.

 

Tallulah thought it was Wilbur, but she smiled and approached her dad nonetheless. Quackity, however, kept her at a distance, warning, "We shouldn't get too close or we might accidentally touch something."

 

Tallulah glanced over at Q and then at Philza, whose appearance seemed a bit off and uncanny. His clothes were a mix of brownish hues instead of the beautiful green that reminds Tallulah of the gardens they made together, and his blond hair looked more grey than usual.

Tallulah expressed her disappointment, but then she sighed, nodded, and Q nodded back as they headed towards the crowd. 

 

Whether the Qsmp started up with everyone present or if it was just the simulator summoning everyone, Q didn't know but didn't care.

 

Quackity passed by Philza, keeping a close eye on Tallulah to ensure she did not approach him.

As he observed the crowd, their conversations seemed unintelligible, filled with gibberish and noise.

 

Their faces appeared distorted and blurry, almost like old, abandoned photographs. Although unsettling, Quackity swallowed and managed to force a smile.

 

As he emerged in the midst of the crowd, he carefully navigated his way to avoid any physical contact.

 

Dramatically clearing his throat, he struck a pose with open arms, as if wearing invisible sunglasses.

 

It was as if he were a celebrity walking to a cinema convention. 

 

"Yooo, perras, ¡Quackity está en el camino!" (Yooo, bitches, Quackity is on the road!) He exclaimed to the crowd, but received no response…obviously.

 

Tallulah playfully rolled her eyes at her father figure and chuckled. Quackity, despite his memory loss, seemed to be acting ridiculous in a humorous way, much to the relief of the dragon hybrid.

 

She glanced at Philza and surveyed her surroundings, focusing on the blurred and glitchy trees and flowers.

 

Upset by the lack of clarity, she closed her eyes to avoid the strange glitches. 

However…her eyes opened wide as her attention was quickly caught by someone she spotted.

 

 

Meanwhile, Quackity continued chatting with the fake members as if talking to a brick wall.

 

"I know you're not real, but sometimes I wish you were," he said sadly, approaching some of the members. 

 

Despite trying to understand their appearance, the simulation quality fell short. "I wish I knew more about all of you, besides Phil and Missa, I guess."

 

Standing behind Missa was a bald man. Quackity squinted, trying to make out something on the man's left arm that appeared to be made of metal. But he didn't pay much attention to it.

 

His focus shifted back to Missa, unsure if the skeleton hybrid was looking directly at him or elsewhere as his gaze seemed blurred and difficult to discern.

 

"Te ves fantástica hoy, Missa. ¿Te cortaste el 'pelo' ?” (You look fantastic today, Missa. Did you cut your ‘hair ' ?) Q playfully added air quotes with his fingers.

 

With no response forthcoming, he huffed in boredom. It was nice to see ‘everyone’ , but it felt tiresome that it was the only activity available in the simulation.

 

He wandered through the crowd, noticing a few individuals. Among them was a man wearing an orange hoodie - or maybe it was red, it was hard to tell in this simulation, Quackity noted. 

 

He was chatting and laughing with a woman in a purple shirt and long brown hair, while a man in a jacket and glasses stood between them. 

 

Curious about their conversation, Quackity then spotted a muscular man with spiky hair that made him look like he came straight out of an overrated anime. 

 

Standing behind him was a man who appeared giant in comparison.

Quackity then glanced behind him, he spotted a man with short, light brown hair, green eyes, and black-framed glasses. Beside him stood a figure in a black and red hooded cloak. 

 

Curious about their identities and any potential connections, he then noticed a boy with half brown, half blonde hair and long bangs conversing with a woman sporting dark brown and pink hair along with white cat ears.

 

Upon looking around again, Quackity quickly steps aside to avoid touching someone who nearly bumped into him. This individual also has cat ears? And is dressed in a cardigan. They are holding hands with a girl with boleite eyes and hair featuring a brown streak at the front.

 

As Quackity walked through the crowd, he let out a weary sigh, "Hmm, it's sure nice to see all of you here," he said it with a little sarcasm, even though he was met with no response. 

 

As he walked past some people, Quackity casually placed his hands in his pockets and glanced around, noticing a massive wall looming in the distance. 

 

He briefly wondered what its purpose could be, whether it was meant to contain water or something else, before simply shrugging it off and continuing on his way.

 

He came across a bench and quickly took a seat, but felt a cramp in his hips. As he shifted, he noticed the bench glitching as Q groaned in annoyance.Man, he is unable to do anything here but watch.

 

Suddenly, he saw a man sit down on the same bench. This man, a part of the simulation, seemed unaffected by the glitches that had troubled Quackity.

 

As Quackity felt another groan building within him, he noticed the figure's features and clothes. A hair that partially covered his left eye, a striking red right eye, and a hoodie devoid of color. 

 

Quackity's eyes widened - could this be the Luzu-person Philza mentioned? He wasn't sure.

It was a little strange to see someone you couldn't recall, and then have someone else inform you that you and that person were friends and potentially more than that? 

 

The information Philza provided was unclear, or perhaps Quackity was just too uninterested to pay attention. Either way, there was some mention of an arch rivalry with Luzu... or toward Tallulah's father Wilbur.

 

Quackity shook his head in annoyance, deciding it was time to get some closure on this mysterious connection he never knew about.

"Hmm, Luzu, you're looking pretty good too...," he muttered awkwardly. The fake Luzu didn't acknowledge his comment.

 

Q ran his fingers through his black hair as he sat down, relieved that the ground wasn't glitching too much. "Are you still bothered by...whatever the hell happened between us earlier?"

 

The figure didn't meet his gaze, instead focusing on the crowd bustling around them. "It's like we were supposed to be the heroes of that island or some shit. We started as friends and then things changed between us, but for the better," the duck hybrid trailed off, clearing his throat.

 

"We were an item? I'm not sure, to be honest," he trailed off again, feeling his ears grow hot but unconcerned as he scanned his surroundings. A rose lay nearby, tempting him to touch it despite the warning he had received. He longed to hold it, inhale its scent and display it to the man on the bench. He yearned for a connection, a response, a clear view of the man's features to discern his hair color and the truth of his eyes. He wished he could offer comfort, or even a hu-Quackity interrupted his thoughts, averting the awkward notions.

There was a moment of silence until Q continued, "But then things went south once the Krama- I mean Karmaland elections happened. Phil claimed you betrayed me - I mean, Phil didn't just - well, because..." He paused, taking a deep breath.

 

"Look, if you're real, I bet you'll kill me if I say this, but I can't remember anything at all. Phil hasn't shared everything yet, anyway." He pretended to raise his hands in defense.

"I want to understand how we ended up like this, but I already have a lot of questions about other things. I don't even know who I truly am," he sighed heavily, gazing at the blurry figure before him. "I don't know how it happened, but..." He paused again, swallowing hard.

 

Quackity gazed at Luzu and found him oddly unsettling, which somehow made the situation even more melancholic. Quackity couldn't quite pinpoint why he felt guilty, unsure if he had truly done something wrong. Despite his confusion, he decided to let the conversation flow, admitting, "I believe I should apologize for my actions." He tried to hide his blush creeping up his nose as he added, "I'm not sure if I want to salvage our relationship because it feels awkward to pretend to love- I MEAN!" He suddenly stopped himself, wondering why he even bothered. It's not like the fake person would respond anyway. But a part of Quackity knew that everything here is just a simulation, yet it still feels somewhat real to him.

 

"Being friends with someone you can't remember... it just sucks," he sighed, looking away from the other man and scanning the rest of the group who were still chatting. "And... damn I- I hope th- i," he paused, taking a deep breath. "I just wish I could go back in time to fix it, but I know it's impossible."

"you can't undo what you've done and...and repeat what you di-", He quickly halted his sentence as he caught sight of…

Tallulah… who was approaching Wilbur but…

Her hand was reaching into his back without hesitation!

Quackity swiftly rose to his feet, yelling "Chalulah No!" at the top of his lungs, but Tallulah remained oblivious to his cries.

When Tallulah touched Wilbur's back, nothing happened at first…

 But then her hand began to cramp, causing a sharp pain and soon turning into black and purple squares that spread up her arm like water seeping into paper. 

She screamed, trying to release the effect, but it only intensified, engulfing her whole body. Thankfully, Quackity came to her aid, but soon he too fell victim to the same glitching effect. 

As they both screamed in frustration…

their bodies became covered in squares until…

Eve ry THing trAn sform A0da into BlaaaaaaacK0.dfvdvdf…—--------------------------------------------

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Notes:

They not dead dw

The next chapters would take much longer to finish and post. as im going to have tests at school. just wanted to mention.

Chapter 3: Do you know what that means?

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seloHsa eRa snamuH

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Polit/// are way- was- the ■■■ { us-

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tRuST nooooobod-

 

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E▪︎erythįs get tiurtéd

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Hold your your your  

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Create ■■ ■■■■■■ ■■■■■■■■■■

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secneuqesnoc eb lliw rettib eht liaf lliw yllufsseccus fi egnever esuaceb keeS

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Legacy is-----------

 

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Quackity's eyes were wide open, but he stayed as still as a statue. 

Suddenly, he began to feel a strange sensation…

 

warmth ? 

Quackity hesitantly reached out to touch what was under him, only to discover it was surprisingly cozy. 

With a deep breath, he lifted his head and realized he was on a warm sofa. Quite the contrast to his stiff, confused body due to…whatever the hell just happened. 

 

Like, he was glitching, getting smothered by purple and black squares, when suddenly he was surrounded by darkness and bam! - he's lying on a sofa?

 

nonsensical words continued to echo in Q's ears, leaving him puzzled. Trying to regain his senses, he couldn't make sense of what happened including the strange words and phrases that filled his mind.

 

With another shake of his head, Q attempted to regain his senses, his thoughts slowly coming back into focus.

 

He suddenly remembered something Very important. 

 

"Chalulah? Chalulah, where are you?!" He called out but then was relieved when he spotted the girl lying on the ground. 

 

Tallulah was still unconscious, but Quackity was hopeful she was still alive. Stepping away from the mysterious couch, he knelt down to gently wake her. 

 

“Mmmmm, Five mor miniche..” Tallulah mumbled groggily, still half-asleep.

 

Quackity attempted to rouse her once more but halted in his tracks when he took in his surroundings. He found himself in a room that seemed incredibly…fancy.

 

The grand queen-sized couch, luxurious sheets, ornate closets, and beautifully decorated walls and door gave off the impression that he was in a room fit for a king. 

 

Quackity had a suspicion that they might still be stuck in the simulation, with the glitch causing them to teleport to a new location. But to his surprise, everything wasn't all glitchy and weird.

 

It looked totally normal and pretty, like they were on a legit server and not some fake one.

 

Deciding to let Tallulah sleep a bit longer, Quackity stood up and surveyed the room. 

 

“What is this place?” he murmured to himself. The room was undeniably exquisite, but his attention was soon drawn to a wall covered in golden trinkets and accomplishments.

 

The room looked even more oddly real and gorgeous with the sunlight streaming in through the oversized window.

 

Quackity was about to look out the window but his eyes landed on a calendar above the table, with every day marked in red Xs. He couldn't help but wonder what it all meant and what kind of place this was supposed to be.

 

Quackity blinked as he felt a hand rubbing the end of his hoodie. Looking down, he saw that Tallulah had woken up, and it was clear from the look on her face that explaining their situation wouldn't be easy. 

 

So, Quackity offered her some comfort by patting her hair. Despite feeling a bit disoriented himself, the dragon hybrid glanced around and licked her lips before speaking, "What happened, Mr. Quackity? Where are we?" 

 

Quackity let out a sigh as he continued to pat her, "I wish I knew, but I'm just as clueless." He then glanced at the table. The table was covered with books, blueprints, papers, letters, accessories, and surprisingly, gold, rings, and gems.

 

Tallulah fiddled with her hearing aids and turned back to Quackity with a worried expression, "I didn't mean to touch Pa- Um, Wilbur in the first place, I was ju-" Before she could finish her sentence, Quackity gently shushed her, taken aback by her words.

 

“What that has to do wi-”, Tallulah's intense glare silenced the man before he could finish his question. She made it clear that the situation was related to something Drista had mentioned earlier. 

 

"It obviously has to do with that. Remember what Drista said?"she reminded him, visibly exhausted and on the verge of tears due to stress. It suddenly dawned on Quackity, "We shouldn't have touch anyone, or else there could be a err- oh shit, and y-"

 

Feeling guilty, Lullah looked away, but Quackity comforted her, “It's okay Lullah,” he patted her on the back and tried to find an excuse to downplay her actions but backtracked, "I mean, sure, you did that, but..." He nervously coughed, acknowledging her mistake against the god of chaos' advice. Quackity still didn't understand why they had been teleported here however. 

 

“Maybe I should have paid more attention to you instead of chatting with everyone e-," he began to say before his sentence was interrupted by something catching his eyes. 

 

There was a circular object on the table, partly hidden under a book. Q squinted at it, while Tallulah looked on with confusion.

 

Q moved the book to uncover the object and his eyes widened in realization. 

 

It was a chip, a red one. He picked it up slowly, examining it closely as Tallulah waited patiently for him to talk.

 

Quackity glanced more and spotted something oddly familiar. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the chip that Philza had handed him at the diner. He was relieved to see that he still had it with him. Comparing it to the other chip in his hand, he couldn't help but curse, “shit,” they were identical. 

 

According to what the angel of death had said, this chip was connected to Quackity during the dream smp…

 

“Hooooly shit,” he repeated.

 

Tallulah whispered “Quackity?” as she observed him lost in thought, or perhaps surprisingly interested by those seemingly pointless ‘coins’ . Quackity's eyes widened more as he glanced at the chip and the surroundings again, clearly realizing something big. 

 

He suddenly grinned, "Holy shit!"

 

Tallulah arched an eyebrow, wondering if these 'coins' had ALSO caused his brain to glitch. Quackity's sudden outburst of "Holyshitholyshitholyshitholyshit!" left Tallulah readjusting her aids and giving him a tiny nudge in annoyance.

 

Quackity couldn't contain his excitement, but soon realized he had jumped the gun when he saw the girl's reaction. "Sorry, kid," he mumbled, rubbing his neck awkwardly. Tallulah just shrugged. 

 

"Why the overreaction?" she asked, attempting to match his grin but failing due to the flood of questions and confusion swarming her mind.

 

Quackity, grinning like a Cheshire cat, presented two identical chips to her. "They look the same, do you know what that means?!"

 

Tallulah looked around, utterly confused for what seemed like an eternity. With a blank expression, she glanced at Quackity, who finally gave in and exclaimed, "We're not in this shitty simulation, we are in fact in the Dream SMP!" as he gestured wildly around them. 

 

Tallulah's eyes widened in disbelief - the infamous Dream SMP, where her old and current dads once called home, along with countless familiar faces and even the blood god himself. It was a place filled with stories her family had shared over the years. 

There was no way they could have magically transported into the actual... or could they?

 

Tallulah's train of thought was interrupted by a smirking Q, who boldly claimed, "This place might belong to me, rich guy alert!" 

 

The girl couldn't help but giggle, questioning, "Why would you think that?"  

 

Q shrugged, holding up the chip he found, "Well, this little proof supposedly hails from what's left of Dream SMP, and considering all the ‘memory-searching lectures’ your dad has given me, it's starting to make sense." He motioned to the other chip given to him by Tallulah's father.

 

Tallulah laughed, "Come on, it's just a silly chip. Maybe it belongs to someone else," 

 

Quackity pondered, "I'm putting my money on this being mine, I'm pretty su..." But then he had an even better revelation, "You know what else this could mean?"

Tallulah shrugged again.

 

"Looks like we're going to have a reunion with all the people your dad met here and L'manberg!" Quackity exclaimed excitedly. 

 

First the terribly made Qsmp server simulation, but now they've teleported not just from there, but to this main place where all his memories began. Talk about luck! Despite the usual dread of errors and glitches, Quackity never expected it to lead him to this.

Maybe it's just his overactive imagination, or could it be a wild time-travel glitch? Who knows, maybe Drista is still around, possibly upset but possibly clueless. Quackity better make the most of this unexpected opportunity before it disappears.

 

Tallulah seemed a bit astonished but her expression went quickly from excitement to worry. Quackity rubbed his neck as he looked at her looking for ideas, “Well, looks like we're in a bit of a pickle." He clasped his hands together, "But hey, while we're stuck here, why not take a little trip down memory lane of mine? Explore the places and people Philza and Will mentioned to me and to you!" 

 

Tallulah couldn't shake off the worry about her father's reaction if they couldn't find a way out. "... What if we're doomed to stay here, Mr. Smiley man?"

 

Quackity blew a blueberry confidently, "Oh, relax! We'll figure it out! Plus, with Drista under her care, maybe she will come here and bail us outta here sometime!"

 

Tallulah wasn't entirely convinced, "I hope so... I still have my doubts about her." After all, she wasn't ready to put all her faith in someone she barely knew, even if they did know her father.

 

Quackity reassured, "We'll work it out, and if Drista or even Philza catches us, I'll take one for the team," he winked as Tallulah couldn't help but let out a slight chuckle. "I see why they call it time ‘ traveling’ ," she teased.  

 

As Q tousled her hair, he added, "But you're gonna be my human GPS, 'cause I'm hopeless with directions." Tallulah couldn't help but roll her eyes at his request, knowing she was just as lost as he was.

 

Quackity may have been ready to come up with a plan, but instead he got sidetracked by the random items on the table. Seriously, more chips? Is this a casino or a poker night in Vegas? And now there are cards too?

 

Like yeah, he went back to the past of his past life. But was it in the middle of the timeline, at the very start, or right before the server ends?

 

Playing cards is one thing, but all these dice and shiny trinkets are really throwing a wrench into his train of thought.

 

"I must have been a gambling addict in past... and really into bling too," he muttered to himself, eyeing the piles of jewelry, rings, and gold coins. He's just hoping all these riches belonged to his former self.

 

Tallulah was like a cat spotting a shiny ring on the table, picking it up and examining it closely. 

 

"Mr. Quackity, mira esto," she called out.

 

Q took the ring and studied it with interest. "Ah, this one is definitely shinier than the rest. Not sure if it will fit my slim finger, though." He slipped it on, holding it up to the light, but Tallulah motioned for him to take a closer look at the other side. As Q turned the ring, he suddenly saw the letter 'Q' engraved on it. 

 

"Another proof," he chuckled. Tallulah handed him more rings to examine. 

 

Were these just flashy accessories, or did they hold some deeper meaning? As Q looked at the 'S' and 'K' engraved on the other rings, his suspicions were confirmed. 

 

It's almost as if these rings are not just accessories, each one spelling out a special someone's name. Could they be tokens of past friendships or perhaps even romances?

 

He didn't even consider the possibility of there being a 'L' ring because he didn't think Luzu used to be in this smp.

 

As he pondered his past, Quackity noticed dusty remnants that looked like burnt pieces. Upon closer look, he distinguished them as discarded cigarette butts. Some had clearly been used, while others waited patiently for their turn, but none of them were too pungent. It occurred to him that perhaps his past self had a smoking habit, which, considering his affinity for gold and gambling, would make perfect sense.

 

Tallulah also caught a glimpse of the discarded cigarettes and couldn't resist picking one up, reminded of Wilbur. She recalled the rare moments when Wilbur would sneak a smoke in private, but she didn't bat an eyelash. 

After all, it's not uncommon for men to smoke. So, it came as no surprise that even a duck hybrid like Quackity had a past life as a smoker.

 

Quackity shot a quick side-eye at her as she toyed with the cigarette, but Tallulah promptly placed it back on the table with a sly grin.

 

Of course she didn't want to start puffing away just to mimic Wilbur's habits for the sake of memories - she's too smart for that. Plus, with her lung diseases, she knows better than to mess around with smoking.

 

Quackity spun around and peeked under the table, expecting to find something new and exciting. Much to his surprise, his gaze landed on a half-open closet door. Curiosity getting the best of him, he sauntered over and swung the door wide open, revealing a collection of work clothes and outfits. As he prepared to inspect the garments, his eyes landed on something unexpected…

an axe…

Was it just a tool he used to kill off mobs and survive or was he used to be a famous fighter? Did the axe even belong to him?

 

As he glanced at the calendar once again, he started to connect the dots. "Hmm, I wonder what my past self has been doing all these days," he mused. Tallulah observed his expression and chimed in, "Maybe you were like a regular gambler ruling this place and battling bad guys all day long? You never know!" 

 

Q pondered the possibility while eyeing the closed window from which light softly streamed in.

 

Considering opening it. But before he could, he heard footsteps approaching. Thank Notch for the grand room being sealed off by the enormous, dark oak doors. 

 

Tallulah's heart skipped a beat at the footsteps, causing her to float slightly as she anxiously twirled around her guardian, "Carita Sonriente, Someone is coming!"

 

Quackity remembered the closet he opened as he cradled Tallulah in his arms and made a beeline for the closet. However, before he could sneak inside, Tallulah shook her head and gently nudged him down behind the sofa. 

 

Quackity wondered why she preferred not to hide in the closet, but quickly brushed off the thought.

 

Quackity sat as still as a rock behind the big sofa, watching his niece try to catch her breath. She put her hands over her mouth, trying to calm herself down. Quackity decided to join in, thinking it might help them both.

 

Just then, the door burst open with a loud bang, making Tallulah jump and rub her ears. Quackity tried to help her relax by taking a deep breath himself. He couldn't help but wonder if Tallulah had a breathing problem, but he didn't blame her for being startled. 

 

As the footsteps approached, Quackity could hear them clearly, gently rubbing circles on Tallulah's back to comfort her. The footsteps eventually faded away, leaving Quackity to peek over the sofa cautiously. Luckily, all he saw was the guy's back - if it had been his face, they could have been in trouble.

 

However, Quackity squinted suspiciously at the man.

 

This man had a black hair, slightly longer than Quackity's, and was wearing an interesting elegant outfit - a white shirt, gray trousers held up by suspenders, and a bright red tie. It looked like a bit of a simple outfit for attire, but it might have been a good fit for an old-timey job.

But the biggest kicker of all this was the man also had wings, just like Quackity's, except they were a tad horrible with some feathers missing. 

Could it be possible that this man was Quackity from one of his previous lives? 

 

Tallulah was quiet when she noticed Quackity's head perked up. Curious, she followed his gaze and spotted the other duck hybrid. 

 

"Who's that?" she whispered, only to receive a flat but shocked reply from Quackity, "It's me." 

 

They both squinted at the man, who remained oblivious. He seemed more concerned with the mess on the table and floor, muttering curses under his breath. Finding up the rings from the table, he winced upon realizing one was missing. Quackity raised an eyebrow, noticing the ring still on his own finger, but said nothing.

 

The man then stopped to pick up scattered papers and cards, his attention drawn to an open closet. As he reached to close it, his gaze lingered on an axe. He picked it up, wiping off some of the dry blood with his finger.

 

The guy shifted his gaze, but he wasn't looking at the duo hiding in the couch - instead, he kept staring down his axe. Quackity's eyes nearly popped out of his head when he realized his former self has a scar on his left eye.

 

As Quackity squinted his eyes at the man, the man raised his head, causing Quackity to quickly duck down along with Tallulah. The man shot a suspicious glance, making Quackity regret every curse word he had ever uttered silently. It was clear they had fucked up big time, and Tallulah shared the same reaction.

 

The man began to approach the sofa, causing Quackity to hear the sound of his footsteps like a warning.

Facing his past self was definitely not on Quackity's bingo card, but he knew it was inevitable. Worriedly, he turned to Tallulah and whispered, “Change of plans. When he sees us, I'll tell him that I'm him from the future and you are my supposed future daughter.” 

Tallulah didn't seem too keen on the idea, but she knew they had no other choice.

 

The duo attempted to steady their breathing in silence as the man edged closer to the sofa. 

 

Just as he was about to peek behind it- 

“Quackity from Las Nevadas!” 

A deafening shout that even made Talluah's hearing aids kick into overdrive, causing her to wince in pain. Yet, she couldn't help but notice the familiarity in the voice. 

 

"Isn't that tío Charlie?" she muttered. Quackity raised an eyebrow, wondering if this could be someone from the Qsmp. He hardly recalled Philza mentioning something about him losing a child just like Quackity did, but what remained of his memory was a bit fuzzy on the details.

"What now, Charlie?" Past!Quackity exclaimed, peering away from the sofa. To the great relief of Quackity and Lullah. 

 

After a brief pause, Charlie complained,"Why does this blue stuff taste funny?"

Past!Quackity let out a confused look, “huh?”

 "I've tried all the flavors, but they all taste the same!"

Realizing the situation with a jolt, Past!Quackity abandoned the idea of checking behind the sofa, swearing, "Hold on, Slime, I'm coming! And stop whatever the fuck you're doing right now!" And off he went through the oak doors. 

 

The duo then heaved a sigh of relief and practically collapsed to the ground, alone and safe at last. "Charlie," Lullah smirked as if she had answered a question correctly. 

"It could be another Charlie," Quackity whispered back. And so they gingerly stood up, glancing around the room, seeing no sign of anyone about to walk in. 

 

"Did you see him?" Tallulah gasped, her eyes wide with surprise. Q simply nodded, an stupid grin plastered on his face. "You looked so cool!" Tallulah exclaimed with a bright face.

 

“I was rocking it," Q boasted, crossing his arms like a boss.

A boss…

He paused, a sudden realization hitting him. He hurried to open the window, his eyes widening with surprise at the sight before him. 

 

They were in a huge city, complete with bushes lining the streets and a towering hotel that looked like the Eiffel Tower, a casino and a colossal needle-like structure and other impressive buildings.

 

As Quackity's eyes scanned the scene, he noticed a large sign with bold letters on it.

 

Uttering the words 'Las Nevadas' his expression filled with astonishment and excitement as a memory sparked. “I believe Philza mentioned something about it,” he mused.

 

Closing the window, he approached Llulah with a sense of victory. “Chalulah, we've hit the jackpot. Not only have we been summoned to the Dsmp, but,” he paused to face her, “we've also landed in the exact right location.” 

 

Tallulah was shocked as he was. 

 

“I must say, I looked pretty darn good as the boss around here. Maybe I deserve it!” the duck hybrid added, placing his hands on his hips. “Phil wasn't kidding when he mentioned that I own a country.”

 

“Yeah,” Tallulah agreed excitedly, but her enthusiasm quickly faded. Quackity’s grin widened, “I look stunning in that outfit and those rings! Oh, and did you notice the scar on my eye? It could be a battle wound I got fr-”

 

Tallulah interrupted him but in a polite manner, “Mr. Quackity, as awesome as all that sounds, I think it’s high time we figured out how to escape.” 

 

Quackity paused, stroking his hair.

 

Tallulah pressed on, wondering, "Is it really worth meeting your past self, Quackity?"

 

Quackity blinked at the question, unsure why he was hesitant to discuss it. Was the reason that is just related to the shenanigans of time travel and consequences? 

 

Quackity casually shrugged and said, "There are plenty of reasons for that. Going back in time and trying not to mess anything up for the future is a risky and shitty concept, but I'm no expert. I just believe some things are best kept under wraps."

 

Tallulah looked away, “If it happened, there's gotta be some secondhand embarrassment, right?” 

 

“That doesn't change the fact we're gonna explore the past!,” he said, gesturing towards the window. The pair paused for a moment to catch their breath on the floor. 

 

Tallulah seemed calm as she gave a thumbs up, while Quackity nodded and slyly slipped some casino cards into his hoodie pocket just in case . As they walked past the dark door and looked left and right at the hallway in silence, Quackity whispered, "All clear." He tiptoed ahead, with Tallulah following quietly despite her noisy shoes.

 

Noticing her struggle, Quackity considered a plan. "If we get caught, we hide or I distract them while we make our escape from this building," he suggested. 

 

Tallulah, hesitant but willing to play along, remarked on the building's size. "Speaking of building, this place sure is massive!" she observed, getting a chuckle from Quackity.

 

Quackity chuckling suddenly ceased as a shadow crept out from the hallway. "Hide!" he whispered urgently, pulling Tallulah with him under a nearby carpet. The two exchanged silent glances before cautiously peeking out to see what was happening. 

A slime hybrid covered in blue liquid was engaged in conversation with Quackity's past self, while a large man stood behind them. All three were dressed in the same outfit as Quackity's past self. 

 

Quackity raised an eyebrow at the sight before him, but Tallulah's eyes lit up with recognition. 

 

"They look just like tio Charlie and tio Foolish," she remarked.

 

Charlie's all dressed up in fancy clothes. And when Tallulah spotted Foolish, she couldn't help but smile - he also looks quite cool looking! 

Q doesn't quite recall Foolish yet, but he does bear a look to that big guy he saw in QSMP. The duck hybrid is not entirely sure if this Charlie is the same as the one from the server, but he's not too bothered either way since he doesn't remember either of them.

 

"Ah, got it now," the slime man replied with a chuckle. "My bad for not realizing these paints are toxic, you asked me to taste them for the posters,”  

  

"I said testing , not tasting!" sighed Past!Q, rubbing the bridge of his nose. It was either fatigue or worry that made him concerned about Charlie potentially getting sick or, even worse, dying from consuming the paints. Luckily, Charlie is a slime hybrid meaning he was basically immune to toxic substances, being a slimy ooze creature and all.

“This task is more suited to judging if food looks appetizing though. I have to admit, this job is definitely for Foolish," The duck hybrid said as he pointed to Foolish. 

 

The demi-god arched an eyebrow, questioning, "Really?” 

 

“You've got a ‘ golden’ tongue," Past!Quackity said as he gestured towards Charlie, who high-fived him without missing a beat.

 

"Whether that's a roast or a compliment, I'll take it," Foolish said with a mix of gratitude and eye-roll.

 

Quackity and Tallulah couldn't contain their laughter at the joke, but they made sure to stay quiet as they continued watching. Quackity was happy to see that his past self had this spot of brightening mood.

 

"Unsure of which palaces and rooms to place the posters in,” Charlie admitted, touching his cheek stained with blue paint. He resisted the urge to lick it. 

 

“This task is also for Foolish, he handles them as effortlessly as eating a cupcake." said Past!Quackity with a shrug. 

 

“Not really boss, I was kind of lost with Charlie's directions and accidentally hit him last time, and I am going to have a confrontation with some god after tomorrow,” Foolish explained, glaring at Charlie. 

 

Past!Quackity turned his gaze away. “Forget about the DOG and focus on the poster task. Charlie, handle the paint,” he demanded.

 

“I don't think I would feel good working in a city with ‘Big Q is Watching You' posters plastered across the walls of the new buildings.” Foolish said.

 

“Just leave the posters to me,” Charlie said with glee.

 

Foolish deadpanned and sighed. “This is going to be a long task.”

 

“Fuck sake, it won't,” past!Quackity exclaimed at the slime man, "Because you're going to remove all the paint cans and toss them in the trash," as he gestured towards the empty and partially filled cans of paint for Charlie to see.

 

“And don't forget to clean yourself” Past!Q said one last time as he and the demi-god left.

 

Q and Tallulah are still hiding under the carpet, watching the slime hybrid doing his job.

 

“Okay, bye Quackity from Las Nevadas!” He held all the cans at once but grunted under the weight. His face was changing from green to red.

 

“It looks so heavy.” Tallulah frowned, clearly feeling bad for Charlie. 

Quackity observed her expression and felt a pang of guilt. Was his former self too demanding? 

 

As he rubbed his chin, his eyes caught a small puddle of light red on the ground, giving him an idea.

he reached for the paint and carefully traced a line on his left eye, mimicking the scar of his former self.

 

“What are you doing?” Tallulah blinked.

The duck hybrid just smirked. 

 

 

“I have an idea,” he said devilishly.

 

Notes:

Still alive and well!

Chapter 4: If you're feeling off, take the day off.

.

.

Quackity cleared his throat.

"Charlie, I need to ask you something." His voice cracked slightly as he tried to mimic a stern voice. 

 

"Ahem, listen to your smart and sexy boss," he repeated, adjusting the white shirt and tie he had stolen from past!Q's closet with Tallulah. Tallulah observed Quackity closely, her hand supporting her head as she watched his ‘ performance ’.

 

“Charlie, what did I tell you about putting my rainbow socks in the toilet!” Quackity couldn't contain it as he laughed. "Sorry!" 

 

Tallulah chuckled, commenting, "I doubt he would do that, but this is good enough."

 

Quackity agreed with a nod as he and Tallulah slipped out of the room, sneaking off to find Charlie.Charlie was still struggling with holding the paint cans but stopped once he heard the footsteps.

"Hey Charlie, Mi Amigo!” Quackity called, but tried to make his voice serious.

 

Charlie looked up, nearly dropping a can. “Oh! Hey, Quackity from ahh-” he tried to keep his balance. “I-I’m just about to throw the paint cans, just like-just like you told me." 

 

Q tuts, he took the cans from Charlie and slowly put them all down.

 

  Tallulah was right, they were all heavy!

 

Speaking of Tallulah, she was observing them while hiding behind a flower vase.

 

Quackity surveyed the half-used paint cans. “You need to empty these cans before throwing them out. How can you toss them when there's still paint left in them?"

 

Charlie shrugged in response. “I wanted to ask you the same question, but I thought it would be easy.” 

 

Getting closer, Quackity leaned in and whispered something in Charlie's ear. The secretive tone and sly grin caused Charlie's eyes to widen. "Wait, you want me to do that…for you?" 

 

“Y'know how I always love surprises and gifts and what could be possibly better than giving gifts to your sexy - I mean! Your faithful boss,” Quackity pointed to himself but with a bit of nervousness.

 

Charlie blinked, as he looked at the cans. "I've never tried anything like that before..." 

 

"Don't worry," Quackity said, rolling his eyes. "Beginners can surprise us with good results too." 

 

Charlie nervously nodded as he picked up a can. "Um, what do I…?" he asked.

 

"Anything," Quackity simply suggested. 

 

"Anything?" Charlie's face lit up with excitement, Q nodded. 

 

"But what if you hate it?" Charlie asked.

 

"I wouldn't hate it, Charlie. I'm your boss, not a critic," Quackity reassured as Charlie nodded along.

"Okey dokey," he hummed, cracking open the can and giving a sniff but turned away this time. "I Still holding up to what you said before,"

 

Quackity laughed. "That's why I love you, Slime. A great attitude!"

 

“Don't wait up!” Charlie said excitedly as he went to a room. 

 

.

.

.

 

Quackity and Tallulah were hiding under a table by the entrance when suddenly, the door creaked open. Past!Quackity was back. 

 

"What the hell?" Past!Quackity's voice was sharp as a knife as he noticed all the empty cans on the floor. "Why are the cans still here?!" 

 

Charlie entered with a big grin, holding something behind his back. "Boss! Boss! I finished it!"

"Finished what and why are you still covered in-?" Past!Quackity groaned but got interrupted by Charlie revealing a large painting in front of his face with a proud smile. It was a colorful portrait of Quackity, although Charlie had placed the scar on the wrong eye and the hair color was red instead of black because Charlie couldn't find a can that had the black paint.

 

“Charlie what fuc…” He slowed and paused mid-sentence as he held the drawing with both hands and looked at it but with a blank face.

 

Charlie noticed his boss's expressionless face but still hoped for some sort of response. 

 

Past!Quackity gave him a flat look, "Why did you even bother drawing?" 

 

Charlie blinked in confusion, "You said the cans were heavy and suggested I empty the rest by painting you a gift." 

 

Past!Quackity squinted, "But I-" 

 

"You said I could draw anything, like you, Foolish, Fundy, and Purpled, but I figured it would take too much effort. So I settled on drawing you, boss. Just don't tell the others, I was worried they might be upset that I didn't draw them," Charlie rambled, waving his hands covered in a mix of paint colors. "I think I made the eye on the right too big," he added, sticking out his tongue and rubbing his neck.

 

Past!Q then stared at the drawing before finally speaking in an unimpressed tone, "I look like a shonen protagonist." 

The slime hybrid tilted his head in confusion, asking, "What's a shonen?"

 

Quackity and Tallulah couldn't contain their laughter under the table when they heard the conversation. They had to put their hands over their mouths to stifle their giggles. 

 

Past!Quackity didn't answer, continuing to study the drawing. At first, his expression seemed cold, but upon closer inspection, his face transitioned to a thoughtful look.

 

Charlie was getting worried, twirling his fingers while he asked, "So...what do you think? You said you wouldn't hate it, right?" Past!Q stared at him, puzzled. 

“I did not say tha- uh y'know what?”  he stammered. Giving up trying to make sense of it. 

Past!Q then chuckled and glanced at the drawing one last time. "I always thought Picasso was the worst.”

 

Charlie remained silent, but his boss let out a shrug and admitted, "I was right, this isn't too shabby." 

 

Quackity slapped his knee, but Tallulah quickly silenced him with her hands. Luckily, nobody heard him.

Charlie's face lit up at the praise, and he couldn't help but hug his boss tightly. 

 

His boss patted his head annoyingly, saying, "Good job. Now get rid of the cans and then take a shower."

Charlie grinned and replied, "Okay, Quackity from Las Nevadas!" as he gathered the empty cans, finding them much lighter now that they were used for the drawing.

 

Past!Q exited the room, leaving the door half open. Quackity and Tallulah peeked out from under the table, with the dragon hybrid flashing a smile. "That was a bit intense, but very kind," she said with a chuckle, glancing at Charlie who was also leaving with the cans.

 

She then noticed the partially open door and nudged Quackity, suggesting an opportunity to escape. Just as Quackity was about to agree, he spotted Foolish in the hallway, holding a stack of papers and blueprints related to the posters. A smirk slowly spread across Quackity's face.

 

Quackity got up and headed towards Foolish directions. Tallulah was surprised and worried as she thought he would follow her to the exit, but he had other plans. 

 

She raised an eyebrow at him and whispered, "Mr. Quackity, the door is that way." 

 

Quackity just smiled confidently and replied, "Hold up, I still have one last idea." 

 

Tallulah's face showed concern. Sure, pretending Quackity as his old self was all fun and games, and they were very lucky they didn't get caught. Charlie was an easier target, but that Foolish guy might complicate things a bit.

 

 

 

Foolish effortlessly carried a hefty load of papers in both hands as he strolled down the hallway towards the office, flexing his strength. 

 

He spotted Quackity nearby, arms crossed and ready with a friendly wave. “Hello Foolish! Hello!” 

 

Quackity then put an arm around Foolish's back, causing him to cautiously inch away to avoid dropping any papers. "How are you doing right now?" Quackity asked.

Foolish tried to maintain a polite smile despite feeling a bit puzzled by his boss's behavior. It seemed as though Quackity was pretending they hadn't already seen each other that morning.

 

"Very good, just working on the task you told me to do," he mentioned as he continued walking, but Quackity stopped him.

 

"Yeah, but I noticed you struggling a bit, so I wanted to lend a hand," the Mexican scratched his neck. "I figured I could make it easier for you."

 

Foolish was a bit confused. Why would his boss suddenly want to help him out? Did he have nothing else to do, or was he just bored and looking to pass the time with him? Shaking his head, Foolish replied, "It's not difficult for me, boss. You don't have to, I'm almost close to your office after all."

 

But Quackity rolled his eyes and waved it off, saying, "Don't push your luck, there are still plenty of tasks that will take you centuries to finish." 

 

"Not a problem at all, I can live for centuries anyway," Foolish quipped jokingly.

“Yeah, whatever,” Q waved it off again, now holding a stack of papers that were much lighter than the paint cans he held before. He glanced at one of the blueprints of the posters and made a strange face, "No offense, but these designs are... I think I've changed my mind about them, they seem fucking ugly to me now."

 

Foolish asked, "Wasn't that your idea in the first place?" 

Q stuck out his tongue and repeated, “I've changed my mind. You should convince me otherwise next time."

Foolish just rolled his eyes with a sigh. As they walked toward the office, Q couldn't shake the curiosity that had stuck on him when he and Tallulah had been spying on the three individuals earlier. 

 

Tallulah was quietly following the two, trying to remain unseen. Q could sense that if Foolish were to turn around, Tallulah would quickly duck behind a vase…and sometimes behind a lamp and Quackity tried his best not to laugh while making a reference out of that inside his head. 

 

As the two entered the office, Quackity chuckled at the sight - definitely his office, well, his office from his past life. With each new discovery, he couldn't resist to dwell on the irony of his former glory and think about what exactly led to its disappearance, big or small. 

 

The office was organized, except for a big photo frame haphazardly placed on the left side. Among them, a collection of photos just waiting to grace the walls. Quackity put down the blueprints as his eyes caught one already framed and hung, prompting a long whistle.

 

His past self in the photo was wearing a bunch of jewelers and rings and he was carrying a golden eight ball cane. And lastly, with this special scar on his eye adding an extra touch of courage and pizzazz.

 

Quackity kept smirking but then looked at the confused face of Foolish and hastily changed his expression to put on a faux judgmental one. "We need to change the frame, the silver wood clashes with the vibe," he attempted to sound demanding.

Foolish was still confused but he nodded and put the papers on the desk, Quackity found a chair as he sighed and settled into it.

Quackity took a deep breath and relaxed. Suddenly, the question in his head finally kicked in. He looked at Foolish and asked, “So what was that part about your…uh…dog,” 

 

Foolish replied nervously, “Uh, it's God Q, DreamXD you heard of him?”

 

Quackity wasn't too shocked to learn that Foolish has been around for centuries but also a ‘friend’ with another god, making it likely he's on a first-name basis with him. “Nah, I mean you said you had a conversation with him and I thought you being just a April fool person,” 

Foolish snickered, "Yeah no, I bumped into him while gambling with friends and somehow ended up in a conversation where he asked me to build a statue of him over the course of two weeks."

Quackity raised an eyebrow, "A statue? Sounds like a bizarre request. Why do you think he wanted that?"

Foolish shrugged, "I think he just wanted to boost his ego or something. I wasn't really a fan of his, but he did have this strange aura about him. Plus, being a half-God, I figured it wouldn't hurt to try and get along with him."

 

Quackity let out a low whistle, never in a million years did he think that a deity-level individual who collaborates with another god would end up being his very own assistant in his country.

 

"And how's the statue coming along?" The duck hybrid asked. 

 

Foolish slowly spun around, "I somehow managed to finish it, but let me tell you, it was no walk in the town. The guy kept nagging me in my head to hurry up with it. It was tough, but I got it done in the end. You wouldn't believe the kind of crazy stuff he was talking about while I was working on it."

 

Q blinked, did he hear that correctly? "Wait, he was talking to you in your head? That sounds like a fucking devil shoulder!" Discovering the truth about XD has made Quackity seem like quite the fortunate man, having a responsible and mature god by his side.

 

The demi-god chuckled, "It is much worse. He was spewing all sorts of evil threats and bloodshed talk. It was driving me nuts, but I somehow managed to keep my cool and deal with him… I hope ,” Foolish gazed out the window, and Quackity wondered if the statue might be in that direction. He thought about asking Foolish where the statue was so he and Tallulah could check it out. Maybe they'd spot Drista there for some reason. Could Drista be connected to DreamXD?

 

Quackity was about to ask that question when a soft "psst" interrupted him. Tallulah was peeking out from behind the door, looking worried. 

 

…Oh no , Quackity had forgotten! 

He turned to Foolish, who was organizing papers. Quackity locked eyes with the dragon hybrid and whispered, "Just one more question, Chalulah." 

But the girl couldn't hear him over as she kept making gestures urging them to leave quickly. 

Quackity gestured frantically, "Okay, okay, just wait!" He whispered nervously, but Foolish turned to him, Quackity swiftly composed himself and kept a straight face, despite Foolish giving him a curious look.

 

The footsteps approached once more as Tallulah quickly flapped her wings and took cover in the lamp. Quackity sensed the tension and muttered a curse, getting up from his chair to leave. 

Foolish, concerned, asked, "Boss, are you alright?"

 

"I'm fine, just-" Quackity's sentence was cut short as he tripped over the papers on the floor and fell down.

 

"Boss!" Foolish cried out, and Quackity looked worried when he heard the footsteps drawing near and he know he is going to fuck shit up for sure. Trying to divert Foolish's attention, Quackity faked a shocked expression and pointed towards the window. "Hey, look over there!"

 

Foolish raised an eyebrow, not entirely convinced, but Quackity continued, "It's the god you were talking to earlier...out the window."

 

Foolish was a bit skeptical in the beginning, but once XD was mentioned, his curiosity piqued and he turned to look out the window. Just then, Quackity seized the opportunity, but his past self walked in before he could act. Luckily, his past self didn't notice him as he closed the door. Quackity swiftly ducked behind something.

Past!Quackity caught Foolish gazing out the window. The duck hybrid did nothing but adjust his collar in annoyance. 

 

Foolish remarked when he saw nothing outside, "I don't see him, sir."

 

Past!Quackity rolled his eyes, "Foolish, cut your shit and let me look." Foolish raised his arms in confusion.

The boss faced his office desk and said, "Looks like you've organized everything well, but you have to get rid of these on the ground," pointing at the floor.

 

Foolish gave him a puzzled look and asked, "Didn't you put them on the floor after helping me and then fall on them?"

 

The boss got irritated and said, "Who told you that nonsense? What's with you guys making up things I didn't do?" 

Foolish remained silent and puzzled. The boss had finally hit his breaking point as he massaged his temples, "Just toss out those papers while I try to get-"

 

Past!Q suddenly stopped in his tracks upon noticing someone who resembled him standing behind a photo frame. 

Quackity felt a jolt of fear and anxiety, almost choking. 

 

However, he quickly realized that he was behind a photo frame, sparking an idea. When Past!Q glanced at the mysterious figure, they mirrored his movements.

 

Quackity tried to mimic the movements of his past self.

 

Past!Q squinted his eyes and started moving his arms around. Quackity struggled to mimic his movements, sweat dripping with each sudden gesture. Past!Q stuck out his tongue, making a silly face, waving his hands and jumping randomly. Quackity tried his best to follow along, getting even sweatier. Finally, Past!Q put an end to this madness. 

 

Past!Q squinted his eyes again, "I don't recall ordering a huge ass mirror."

 

Foolish added in, "unless..." 

 

"Unless Charlie mistook 'Rough' for 'huge’ .'" Past!Q rolled his eyes as he gazed at his 'reflection’ then he placed his hands on his hips. (Quackity did the same thing of course but forcibly and he was getting exhausted) . "Either way, it's very distorted. It almost looks like a magic mirror," 

 

He chuckled, "Could come in handy for a carnival one day." 

 

Foolish snapped his fingers in agreement. Despite the fun idea, the boss insisted on getting back to work. "Anyway, I need a coffee to deal with this mess," he said, as he opened the door. 

Foolish, arms crossed as he asked, "Why do you seem to have mood swings lately, sir?"

Past!Q shot him a glare as Foolish quickly backtracked, "No offense. Only suggesting that you get some rest, not just coffee."

 

Past!Quackity approached Foolish, "Are you implying I'm over-exhausted?"

 

“No but I think it is a bit of 'light exhaustion’ affecting your mental state.” Foolish tried not to sound rude.

 

Past!Q sighed and then nodded at him as he pointed to his terribly looking hair and eye bags, "Yes, and I don't think that this is 'light' in any way... not even clos-"

 

His speech abruptly cut with a loud noise. Foolish and his boss turned around to see the window rattling oddly. 

"That must be the wind," Foolish said. 

"And damn the wind," Past!Quackity swore as he saw the neat papers and blueprints now mingling with the scattered ones on the floor.

Far from the window, there was Tallulah... 

 

well, she was up in the sky, trying to hold Quackity by his white shirt, flying with her itty-bitty wings. Who could blame her for attempting to keep a person in the sky from falling down? Especially after they made a quick-without-thinking escape through the window of a towering building.

Sure, Quackity may be on the slimmer side, but that doesn't make the situation any less difficult. And doesn't Quackity have wings too? Why the heck didn't he use them?

 As they descended closer to the ground, Tallulah collapsed in a heap, trying to catch her breath. 

 

Quackity felt guilty and so he helped her up against a nearby wall in an alleyway. He scanned the surroundings of Las Nevada, giving Tallulah enough time to compose herself and steady her breathing.

 

“Chalulah,” Q sat beside her.

“Breath, and can you show me something I can do for you?” he asked. Tallulah took a deep breath, but her breathing was still shaky. She shrugged her shoulders as she pulled a small bag from her back. Quackity raised an eyebrow, wondering when she had gotten a bag.

“the bag,” she whispered.

Quackity wasted no time and rifled through the bag. Among a few crayons,papers and her flute, he found an inhaler. 

"Oh," he muttered…now he understood why she was having trouble breathing before. He quickly handed her the inhaler. Tallulah took it and used it. 

The scene pained Q to realize the gravity of his decision to bring her along. Not only was she a pure and innocent young girl, but she also struggles with disease. She's too good for this cruel world. 

Quackity sighed, "You're alright," he reassured her. “You're really strong,” he added as encouragement as he stood up. 

He glanced outside the alleyway as he took a step forward– 

Quackity winced in pain as someone crashed into him. 

 

He almost stumbled to the ground as he shot a glare at the person who had collided with him. "Hey, watch where you're going!" 

The person stumbled and glared back, but their expression softened when they caught sight of Quackity's face. It was a fox hybrid with orange fur, wearing a hat and the same job outfit as Foolish and Charlie. Clearly, he was one of past!Quackity's assistants. 

"Sorry, boss," the man muttered apologetically. 

Quackity dusted himself off and extended a hand. 

The fox hybrid took his hand and stood up. "Thanks, and sorry again for running into you... and for being late."

 

Quackity casually waved at him, but the fox hadn't finished speaking yet. “Oh, and sorry for disappearing for a couple of days at work. I had a lot on my mind after a chat with… someone ,” he apologized but he sounded a little bitter in the end. 

Q noticed the fox seemed a bit off and pale, wondering if the ‘someone’ they had talked to had made them upset. Or maybe it was just one of those days of jobs, Q simply shrugged it off to avoid any further discussion. “It's all right,” he replied casually.

 

The fox raised an eyebrow, "You're not gonna ask about who I spoke to?" 

Q chuckled, "Why should I ask? Why should I care?" It was all a lie, of course, as he didn't want to delve into any more conversations that could lead to him saying something suspicious.

 

"I was a little nervous you might ask for all the details," the fox mentioned. 

 

"Oh yeah," Q chuckled awkwardly, "but not every detail is necessary. I've got my own busy day to handle." 

 

The fox hybrid narrowed his eyes at him, "A busy day? You seem more cheerful than usual. Did something good finally happen?"

 

Quackity said nervously, “A lot of good stuff happened recently,” 

 

The fox then clenched his teeth, "Yeah, perhaps..." he paused and Quackity swallowed nervously, hoping the fox wouldn't inquire further. His hopes were dashed…a little too much, as the fox asked in a somewhat intense tone, “You know exactly who I have talked to, right?” 

 

Quackity was at a loss for words, having no recollection of the person or the person in the conversation referring to, “Not really,”

 

The fox exclaimed, "Oh come on boss, you do! It's obvious because you always wished for HIM to leave you!” He then pressed on, “Did he take one last look at you and your country before departing?" 

 

Quackity remained silent as the fox hybrid persisted, ”Quackity, d id he sign a peace contract or dish out half-baked apologies to you before coming after me?"

 

Q looked away in confusion as he threw a random talk, “yeah yeah, he did all that jazz,” as he tried to look for a way to change the subject, "annnnnd it's none of that matter. AGAIN, Details aren't necessary." 

 

He quickly changed his expression to a stern one as he gestured towards a nearby building, "You should go over there and get to work." 

 

The fox eyed him skeptically as Q gave an awkward smile and hurriedly excused himself, "I think I'm gonna take a dump. Catch you later, man!"

 

The fox continued to watch him warily before eventually leaving. Q let out a sigh of relief as he felt a hand tugging at his shirt.

 

Tallulah appeared calm as she looked at him, but she seemed fine. "Ah, Chalulah, how are you feeling?" Q asked hopefully. Tallulah simply gave a thumbs up, and Quackity nodded as he sighed. After a moment of silence, Tallulah frowned and said, "Sonriente, tengo hambre."

 

"Thank you, I am hungry too," Quackity replied flatly. Tallulah chuckled and remarked, "I'm glad you did not pull up the 'hi hungry I'm dad' on me."

 

"Yeah, dead joke but words won't feed us," he sighed as he stood up. Glancing around the alleyway, he saw that it was empty this time. Quackity walked out of the alleyway and spotted a restaurant in the distance. 

"A burger joint," he muttered, indicating to the girl to follow him to the restaurant.

 

But Tallulah intervened, causing Q to groan in frustration. "What's the matter now?" she shushed him softly, guiding him into the alleyway where they cautiously peeked out. She gestured towards a figure approaching the restaurant. Just as Quackity opened his mouth to inquire, Tallulah took a deep breath and revealed, "Esta Tubbo."

 

Quackity began to wonder how someone who has never set foot in this place knows about the people from his past life more than him. He then attempted to steer clear of the situation involving the fox and the ‘ him ’. Maybe his question would be answered later on.

 

"Who is Tubbo?" Quackity inquired as he observed the figure in a restaurant uniform. The figure certainly appeared to be an employee there, with brown hair that covered his eyes and twisted horns, one of which was broken. Quackity wanted to see more, but the figure had already disappeared into the restaurant.

 

“He's one of my godfathers and Sunny's father, Sunny is… a kid I met during the QSMP,” Tallulah reminisced with a bittersweet tone. She refrained from delving further into the topic, adding, “I never knew he used to be part of this server too, let alone working in your country!”

 

Q chuckled, "Every time I meet someone, I keep realizing how luckier I used to be! Viva life!" 

As they peered into the restaurant window, they noticed Tubbo wiping down the counter slowly, looking a bit off.

"He looks quite different," Tallulah observed. Quackity couldn't help but wonder how Tubbo looked back at QSMP. Before he could dwell on it, his stomach growled. 

"Anyway, we're still hungry," he said.

Tallulah sighed, "But we don't have the money, and we don't even belong here-" 

Q interrupted as he dramatically pointed his finger at himself, "No worries, kid. I call the shots here, and the boss always finds a way."

 

Here we go again …Tallulah was a little worried, "That will have you in an imposter investigation someday."

The duck hybrid smirked, adjusting his crooked tie and checking his eye mark in the window reflection, "Oh, you'll see."

Quackity pushed open the door to the restaurant. The bell above the entrance jingled, and the smell of greasy food and coffee spread toward him. 

 

Behind the counter stood Tubbo, wiping a glass absently with a dishrag. He had dark circles under his eyes.  

 

“Hola, Tubbo!” Quackity called, stepping up to the counter with a faux grin.  

 

Tubbo raised an eyebrow, barely looking up. “Quackity.”  

 

“Tubbo, hello! Tubbo, old pal!” Quackity tried again, leaning against the counter like he owned the place—which, for all he knew, his past self did. “Doing good with your job?”  

 

Tubbo’s eyes narrowed slightly. “My job’s fine, thanks.”  

 

“I mean, the job I gave you,” Quackity added quickly, puffing up his chest. “Because, you know, I’m the boss of this country. Obviously.”  

 

Tubbo gave a dry chuckle. “You sure need to cut back on smoking for a bit.”  

 

Quackity pretended that was true. “Yeah, good point,” he lied, scratching the back of his neck. “My throat’s been getting kinda 'swollen' lately. Haha.” He cleared his throat awkwardly. “Anyway, you’ve been looking ...gloomy lately.”  

 

Tubbo shrugged, as he held a spatula..  

 

“Must be the job,” Quackity pressed. “So relatable, man. Look, I should, uh, give you a promotion. Or, like, ease up your workload or something. You gotta work less.”  

 

“Quit the sass, Big Q,” Tubbo muttered as he began to cook, preparing food in case for any customer.

 

“No, no, I mean it,” Quackity said, leaning closer. “I’ve kinda lost track of time—how long do you usually work? Or, uh, never mind, doesn’t really matter. Either way, seeing you all sweaty and with dark circles under your eyes... You should take a little break this afternoon. Unless you already had one, in which case, I’ll, uh, extend it?”  

 

Tubbo sighed, turning down the stove. “I’ve been dealing with a lot lately, man. Snowchester, Michael...” He hesitated. “Michael’s safe, but—”  

 

“You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to,” Quackity interjected quickly, his fake bravado giving way to avoid saying something suspicious.  

 

Tubbo hesitated, then continued, voice quieter. “Ghostboo’s been helping, but I don’t like talking to him much. He’s like Ghostbur, but...less pleasant. He remembers things, but it doesn’t help. Like at all.”  

 

Quackity nodded slowly, not entirely sure who or what Ghostboo or whoever the fuck all these people Tubbo referring to, but sensing the weight of the words. “Yeah... Ghostbob—or, uh, Ghostboo. Yeah. Him.” He gulped. “I feel you, man. Like, jeez, I don’t know what I’d do if I were in your shoes.”  

 

“Don’t be,” Tubbo smirked. “I’m glad we saved Michael. Seeing him with the ghost of my—” He faltered. “Of my dead husband... It’s at least something positive. But sometimes I wish I’d figured out what happened in Pandora’s Vault earlier. With Sam, and—”  

 

“Hey!” Quackity interrupted again, his brain becoming a mess. While he wanted to uncover his own past, delving into the personal lives of others was not his goal… Except for Foolish, his story regarding DreamXD–another god was interesting and easier to understand. 

It seemed fruitless to try to ask Tubbo about the history of Las Nevadas without saying something skeptical.

 

Besides, he needed food.

 

Q raised a hand. “You’re not obligated to go there, Tubbo. Seriously. If you're ‘feeling off, take the day off’ I mean it.”  

 

Tubbo looked at him skeptically. “Really? You don’t say stuff like that.”  

 

Quackity shrugged, trying to play it cool. “Your story...kinda touched me, y’know?”

 

Tubbo deadpanned, “You also don't get touched by people these days.” 

 

Quackity avoided the ‘that what she said’ as he hesitated, “I thought it was time to turn into a new leaf, uh,” he scrambled to come up with a lie “I had a nice chat with Charlie over coffee and I'm feeling a little better,” 

 

He then flashed a cheerful and assured smile, “You deserve a break. And, uh, just a heads-up—if I wake up tomorrow and yell at you for not working, remind me I said this, alright?”  

 

Tubbo chuckled, grabbing the meat from the stove and providing it with puns and other ingredients. “Oh, Big Q. Here. This one’s on the house.”  

 

Quackity grinned, taking the burger with both hands. “Thanks. And, hey, I’ll see about that promotion.”  

 

“No more with that 'sass' , Big Q,” Tubbo said, a faint smile tugging at his lips.  

 

Quackity chuckled. “No promises.” 

Tallulah sat in the alleyway, fidgeting with her hands in her dress. She looked up when she saw her guardian approaching, holding something in his hand. 

 

“That was quick," Tallulah marveled.

 

"I think it went better than I expected," the duck hybrid said as he sat down beside the dragon hybrid. "Sometimes I wonder why my past self couldn't be nicer."

Tallulah pondered for a moment. "Maybe something bad happened to make you that way," she suggested. 

Q raised an eyebrow. "Why do you think that?" 

 

The girl shrugged. "Bad experiences can make people change into big meanies."

 

Quackity mulled over this notion, considering if his past self's attitude could be explained by wealth, greed, or trauma. "That makes sense, but I'm sure I wasn't always such a grump." 

He then joked, "Imagine being so mean that you had to throw yourself off a building and ruin your own country."

 

Tallulah slightly shifted uncomfortably. 

 

Quackity waved his hand casually, saying, "I have no memories of any of that bad stuff, so I guess cracking jokes about it can be a 'coping mechanism' ." 

Tallulah just stared at him with a straight face, making Quackity question if he was talking too much. "On the bright side, free snack?" he offered, showing her a burger split in half.

 

Without uttering a word, Tallulah tucked away her inhaler and reached for her share of the burger. 

They both sat there, munching in peaceful silence after a long struggle to find safety. Despite Tallulah's initial anxieties, the food managed to ease some of her stress, if not all of it.

Meanwhile, Quackity pondered over the conversations with the assistants and employees he had and hoped Drista would show up soon to take them back to the hub.

 

…Or perhaps she's taking so long to show up. 

 

After they were done, Quackity stood up and hummed, "Drista is still nowhere to be seen. I guess we still have time." He clapped his hands and said, “Okay! Second location to go, I've met everyone in this country, and while it was great to see myself, things are starting to feel a bit dull. Any suggestions?” He was also disappointed that he couldn't get the information about the statue from Foolish.

 

Tallulah was lost in thought, humming quietly to herself. She suddenly spoke up, “I really want to see Papa and see how he looked.” 

Her eyes lit up as she added, “And we can't forget about L'manberg!” 

Q snapped his fingers, “Oh yeah! Maybe we'll even get to see Technoblade too! He's gotta be around here somewhere.”

The girl blinked in surprise, “We'll actually see him?” 

Quackity grinned, “Haven't you ever dreamed of meeting the blood god himself?” 

Tallulah smiled even wider, in the DSMP where her dad and Technoblade had made such an unforgettable mark. Meeting Technoblade, the great warrior and government destroyer, was something she had always hoped for. But she couldn't help but feel a bit unsure, “I worry that both him and Papa will be confused when they see me.”

 

Quackity responded, “I never said we'd talk to them, but maybe I will since I'm still in disguise,” he mused, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “You can observe from a distance.”

 

"You mean spying on him?" the dragon hybrid questioned. 

"I just need to distract them so you can observe from afar," Q explained.

 

Tallulah hesitated, “Maybe, a little look wouldn't be so bad, but I still think it may be rude to spy on him,” 

 

He then said “Yeah, but hey, we've faced off with Charlie, Tubbo, Foolish…well that part with Foolish almost got us in trouble but we made it in the end,” he cleared his throat. “And we're still standing. It's worth it, trust me."

Tallulah mulled it over, unsure. Q waited patiently, giving her space to think. Eventually, she reluctantly nodded, and Quackity grinned. "So, like, where did your Papa mention Techno's hideout again?" Q awkwardly shifted his eyes. 

"I have no clue, but he did mention something about an old base in bedtime stories. I think he has a new cabin in a snow biome now," Tallulah shrugged

Q nodded in agreement and gestured for Tallulah to follow him. Excitedly, Tallulah grabbed her bag and adjusted her clothes before jumping on Q's back. 

 

"To the snow biome we go!" Q said, carrying Tallulah on his back. 

 

"Technoblade never dies!" Tallulah cheered.

 

They sneaked through the city, ducking out of sight whenever someone passed by. 

 

As they reached the horizon, Quackity took one last glance at his former country, glory, legacy, and the beauty of the city.

 

 He will always wonder what led to the downfall of such a remarkable establishment.

Notes:

To avoid any timing confusion: in this Au, the events of Wilbur's finale lore stream happened before Charlie “death". I will explain things further in later chapters :3

Chapter 5: You can miss people, but missing doesn't last forever.

Tallulah was excited but also nervous, as she never thought she’d actually get to meet the legendary blood god in person. 

 

Her old father used to tell her tales of his bravery and spirit, painting him as an anarchy but a noble warrior with a heart of gold. 

 

Luckily, her other Papa was more than happy to share bed stories with Tallulah and Chayanne about him, especially the great potato war, even if he tends to focus more on their adventures together than on the piglin hybrid himself. 

 

Tallulah recalled asking multiple times about Techno's current whereabouts, but both her father and papi remained silent. However, Phil would smile sadly and eventually says in one of his bedtime stories that the anarchist is no longer there. Tallulah wasn't dumb enough to know that he meant it literally or as a metaphor of…She shook her head as she tried to get rid of these horrible thoughts.

 

And despite she and Q are now somehow being sent back to the past, She longs to talk with Techno face-to-face and present the Shrine she built at the Qsmp as a tribute for his legacy.

 

As for Quackity, he's feeling less anxious because he doesn't remember clearly. 

 

Phil told at least enough information about Techno but not so much except he was the one who took one of Q lives back there, but Quackity still wonders if he and Technoblade ever clicked.

 

Quackity no longer feels the sand beneath his feet as he and Tallulah have reached a grassy area. On their way out of Las Nevadas, he noticed a highway they didn't use initially because they didn't have the necessary materials to build a cart. It seems like this highway is more commonly used when entering Las Nevadas rather than leaving it.

 

They strolled through the forest, they noticed how peacefully quiet it was, which was nice. As they continued on their walk, they began to spot various buildings and interesting locations scattered throughout the area. Tallulah spotted a cottage on the east side and now she's curious about who lives there.

Quackity was carrying Tallulah on his back, even though he could feel his back starting to ache from the long walk. Tallulah noticed his discomfort and flew a little distance away, but stopped when she felt a droplet of water on her nose. Concerned, Quackity looked at her before feeling a droplet in his own hair. He glanced up at the sky, biting his lip.

 

"It's going to rain, we need to hide," he said as he scanned the area for a tree or bush. The two hurried along, trying to outrun the increasing rainfall. Eventually, Quackity spotted a large tree and instructed Tallulah to seek shelter beneath it.

 

Both of them were growing weary of hiding, but it was necessary. The dragon hybrid felt a small sense of relief as the rain was not as intense as she feared, reminiscent of the days when she would seek comfort from her father.

 

Quackity appeared frustrated and let out a groan, knowing he should be familiar with the location of the snow biome. Rubbing his tired eyes, he gazed out at the rainy landscape. Meanwhile, Tallulah remained patient, kicking her legs back and forth. Suddenly, a voice caught her attention from behind the tree, barely audible. Adjusting her hearing aids to hear, she noticed her guardian seemed disconnected from reality. 

 

Quackity found his eyelids betraying him, so he resorted to slapping his own cheek in a futile attempt to stay awake. 

 

He snickered, "As the saying goes, 'Better to be awake and not sleep a win-" He then went out like a light, snoring loudly with a drool escaping his open mouth. And the award for the most responsible guardian goes to-

Focusing on the voice, Tallulah was certain it sounded familiar…

 

Standing on her tiptoes, she began to follow the sound.

Tallulah walked through the forest, shielding herself from the rain with her wings as she cleared a path through the bushes and branches. As Tallulah walked further, the rain seemed to disappear and so did the familiar voice. Just as she was about to leave, she accidentally tripped over a bush.

However, as she was rubbing her face out of pain, she spotted…another unfamiliar person .

The young person had blond hair and wore a dirty red and white shirt, with bandages and scratches covering his arms and legs. 

 

The boy was standing on the sand, staring off into the distance as the wind gently tousled his golden locks.

 

Curiosity bit the cat, so Tallulah hesitated and approached. 

The boy gazed out at the empty ocean, lost in thought . Tallulah was curious about his expression but decided to stay back lightly. The boy seemed harmless, perhaps just enjoying the view, but there was a part of sadness and loneliness on him.

Tallulah wasn't too keen on talking because she knew better than to talk to strangers, but the guy was a young kid, albeit a bit taller. The young man seemed to be in his teenage years.

“What's wrong?” Tallulah asked quietly. 

The boy didn't move a single muscle.

 

There was a silence that made Tallulah question if he had heard her, or if he simply didn't feel like talking. Feeling nervous, she considered leaving, but as she took a step back...

“My brother left me…” The boy suddenly murmured. Talluah flinched by the sudden voice. Although the voice was so soft but with grief. She gazed out at the horizon, wondering if the blond's brother had indeed left him, making this spot their final meeting place.

The kid's brother left him…just like her old dad.

 

Tallulah didn't make eye contact with the Blond face; she only saw his back. However, she didn't seem hesitant to step in.

 

“I understand how it feels when someone in your family leaves you…my dad ghosted me months ago," Talluah admitted, gazing at the sand. The blond kid remained cold. 

“But I'm sure he will come back to you. He is just out there, somewhere.” Talluah smiled. “Time has a strange way of bringing people into our lives who care just as much and soon you will find them," she said, playfully kicking up some sand.

The kid thought in silence for a moment before speaking up,“I still have my best friend around.” 

 

"See! You've got a friend looking out for you," Talluah chimed in, extending her hand towards the kid.

 

But she brought her hands behind her back, unbalancing herself and nervously said, "And me? I have someone,”

 

The girl thought of mentioning her tíos like Quackity, or her young friends such as Richas and Pomme. However, she decided to talk about someone else to alleviate worry, wary of revealing too much about her life to a stranger.

 

“I have someone, got one, is my grandpa – he's filled the dad role much better and he's so sweet," she said, thinking of Phil. With or without Wilbur, Phil was the best father in her life. 

 

The kid responded, "I miss him." And Talluah started to feel bad for him.

 

"I miss my dad too. You can miss people, but missing doesn't last forever.” Tallulah mentioned with a hint of sadness in her voice. 

 

"Do you think there's a way to shake off this feeling?" the blonde asked. Tallulah wasn't certain if he was seeking an answer or just expressing his thoughts to himself.

 

Tallulah was reflecting on a mix of kind and bad people she had encountered. She couldn't take off the memory of that one creature who was the reason for the death of a friend, a creature with an one ey- She quickly diverted her thoughts to the people in her life who had never tried to harm her. She knew her dad hadn't left to hurt her - she was sure of that.

 

“I don't know, but Papi will always tell me that there are like who car- there are people who still care about you, without caring about that one person. Your life doesn't revolve around one person always," Tallulah stuttered but with a small grin. 

 

She seems like she knows what's best, but she admits to feeling like a bit of a hypocrite because she's still struggling with the fact that her dad is gone. Those happy memories of him just keep pulling her back in.

 

There was a silence the size of a mammoth looming between them, casting a shadow of unease over Tallulah as she feared escalating the tension with the teenager. But her worry disappeared when the blonde lifted his head.

 

“You're right…” The boy spoke sadly but he had a hint of hope in his voice.

 

Tallulah smiled, but a thought crept in - Quackity was definitely looking for her and dead worried about her. 

She gave one final glance at the boy before walking away, disappearing without saying a word.

The blonde teen silently prayed they would meet again…

Quackity was snoozing like a gorilla when a water droplet from a leaf decided to dive a bomb on his forehead, jolting him awake like a machine. After some eye rubbing and back scratching on the achy grass, he realized something was amiss…

 

He cursed, “Oh fuck!” Tallulah was nowhere to be found, and Philza sure is going to have his butt cut on the wall.

 

“Cholula?!” Panic set in as Quackity realized his mindless mistake for the millionth times of bringing her along. 

As he rambled on, he suddenly spotted Tallulah trying to dry her soaked beanie.

 

"Oh, thank the higher deities or whoever the fuck we believe in, you're alright," Quackity said as he walked up to his niece. All the worry melted away from him as he saw Tallulah put her beanie back on, her face void of emotion. Quackity noticed of course. 

"Are you okay?" he asked, giving her a comforting pat on the head.

 

The dragon hybrid didn't speak, looking a little sad as memories of her old dad flooded back after her talk with that blonde. Tallulah considered telling Q about the encounter but decided against it, fearing it might cause unnecessary worry. 

 

She knew her guardian had interacted with others he doesn't know yet, but his disguise as his old self made it understandable. However, her own curiosity was the main case that drove her, and she couldn't ignore it.

 

"I'm okay, just got a little distracted there," she said, avoiding his gaze and smoothing down her hair.

The duck hybrid sighed, "If you got distracted by some shit, you should have said so," he gestured awkwardly to his eyes, a sign of lack of rest ever since they teleported here and since he spawned in the center without memories, “Although I take some of the blame for not being alert, I shouldn't have dozed off."

 

Tallulah frowned but nodded in forgiveness. Q smiled wearily, "What's important is that you're safe and sound," The girl shook her head, "I'm still sorry,"

But the duck hybrid waved it off, "Can’t complain anymore. We're both okay,"

 

Quackity glanced up at the sky and let out a sigh of relief. "Looks like the rain has finally stopped. Time to keep moving," he said. Tallulah nodded wordlessly, prompting Quackity to frown and give her a reassuring hug before they resumed their journey.

  

Quackity is so tired that he's considering writing a suicide note , feeling like his legs are on the brink of turning into crumbly biscuits.He kept walking along, his boots crunching into the current wet grass, while Tallulah flew effortlessly overhead, her small wings flapping rhythmically.  

 

Quackity almost gave up as he muttered, “The road to Technoblade's cabin is taking forever. It feels like we've been walking for hours!”  

 

Tallulah tilted her head, “It has been hours, actually, but I don’t feel it getting long.”  

 

Quackity glanced up at her, squinting against the glare of the grey clouds, “That’s because you’re flying!” he snapped, throwing his arms up.  

 

Giggling, Tallulah spun in the air, "Why don't you fly too?"

 

Quackity froze, his expression faltering as he shifted uncomfortably. He hesitated before responding, his gaze flicking to the horizon. “…I’m not sure.”  

 

Tallulah cocked an eyebrow. Now seemed like the perfect moment to ask the question that had been bothering her ever since the time she held Quackity in the sky, “You have wings, don’t you? Why don’t you use them?”  

 

Quackity sighed, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. “I probably lied to your papa, kid,” he admitted quietly, avoiding her curious gaze. “I told him I had everything figured out. But truth is…I still don’t know who I really am.”  

 

Tallulah fluttered down to land beside him, “What do you mean?”  

 

He hesitated, then reached for the hem of his shirt. Slowly, he pulled it half-off, revealing bandaged wings strapped tightly to his back. "After waking up with amnesia, the first – or maybe third – thing I realized was the orange wings from my back. So I was like  'Not only am I Mexican, but I'm also a birdie!' And the rest is history."

 

Upon awakening in the central room with no memory, Q was taken aback to discover he was a duck hybrid. However, he was judgmental about his wings and whether they could enable him to fly like other avian hybrids, or if they were useless like chickens. He grudgingly thanked Philza for suggesting to cover his wings in case they cause discomfort when he lays down.

 

He shrugged and smoothed down his shirt with an exaggerated sigh, “I don’t know if I’ve ever used these before,” Quackity murmured, his voice low. “I’ve been running from it for a while… I never even tried.” He looked down at her, a faint, hopeful smile tugging at his lips. “Can you teach me?”  

 

Tallulah blinked, clearly caught off guard. “Me? Uh…”  

 

“Come on, Cholula! Your papa must’ve taught you to fly, right?” Quackity said, trying to lighten the mood.  She shuffled her feet, looking uncertain. “I…I don’t know. Do you think I can teach an adult?”  

 

Quackity laughed softly. “Not forcing, Kid. But think about it,” he gestured to her dragon-like wings, “When you grow up, you might find yourself helping people in ways you never imagined.”  

 

Tallulah smiled shyly. “I always liked to play the flute for people when I grew up.” In moments of nostalgia, she fondly reminisced about bringing her father and her brother, Chayanne, with melodic tunes on her flute.

 

“Well,” Quackity grinned, “you get to fly and play the flute, and people will love it even more!” Tallulah’s cheeks flushed. “That…sounds nice, I guess.” 

 

She confessed however, “Maybe not yet,” to which Q did not object. The pair waited patiently until they were prepared to proceed, observing the grey clouds beginning to dissipate and reveal clear blue skies. Taking this as a cue, they decided it was time. 

 

And so Quackity sat down in the grass and began unwrapping the bandages from his wing and then pulled down his shirt. Once the bandages fell away, his wings sprang free, feathers spreading tentatively as if testing the cold air.  

 

“Okay,” Tallulah said, standing in front of him. “First, do this.” She spread her wings wide, demonstrating how to angle them for lift.  

 

Quackity awkwardly mirrored her, his feathers trembling slightly.  

 

“There we go…” she encouraged. “Now, flap them like how you flap your arms.”  He did as she said, his movements stiff and jerky.   “Now go,” Tallulah said, stepping back with a nod.  

 

Quackity took a deep breath and pushed off the ground. At first, he wobbled, his wings flapping wildly as he tried to find balance. But then, like a baby eagle leaving the nest from a family, he began to ascend.  

 

“This better be a piece of cake,” he muttered under his breath, then chuckled. “ Big Q has said beginners could surprise us with good results.” Tallulah rolled her eyes but smiled.  

 

As he rose higher, Quackity felt the wind beneath his wings, lifting him effortlessly. “That doesn’t seem bad at all,” he called down to her. “I bet my past self loved flying because, man, this seemed pretty refreshing!” Tallulah joined him in the air, her laugh echoing through the fresh air. “Ah, I can come after you!” she teased, darting toward him.  

 

“It remains to be seen!” Quackity grinned, swerving away playfully.  

 

The duo then engaged in a quick chase, flitting through the sky and clouds like spring pigeons. It was a nice respite from a day filled with deceiving and the endless hours of walking on foot.

 

“Nice try!” he called as Tallulah tried to tag him.  

 

“Hey!” she called back suddenly, “I think I see snow over there!”  

 

Quackity slowed down, squinting into the distance. Sure enough, the outline of a wooden cabin stood against the white environment.  

 

“Still far away,” He grumbled in exasperation, crossing his arms as a finger tapped his shoulder.

 

"Tag! You're it!" Tallulah giggled, gracefully flying towards the distant cabin. Q chuckled, deciding to play along in hopes of easing their worries about the long journey ahead. Flying with wings for the…well, for the first time ever since he lost his memories felt surprisingly hopeful and pleasant.

 

 

 

Far away, a cloaked man strolled in the forest. 

 

His gaze lifted to the sky, where he glimpsed a tiny figure flying through the air. At first, he paid no mind. But his attention was soon seized by another figure with orange wings and dark hair. 

 

In a quick motion, the cloaked man drew his axe.

 

 

Notes:

AGAIN, in this Au, the events of Wilbur's finale lore stream happened before Charlie “death" and also Quackity finale lore

Chapter 6: Talk about him, or to him?

 

The sky may have been grey, but that didn't seem to bother the two individuals flying up above. 

 

Quackity was trying his best to balance himself in the air, struggling and getting close to losing his balance. Thankfully, Tallulah was there to guide him and help him with using his wings. Q should really give more credit to her father for teaching her how to fly so well.

They both knew they were still a ways off from the snow biome, but flying would definitely help them get there faster. 

Quackity found the energy and motivation to keep going after remembering the correct flying technique, even though he still had some trouble with his wings. 

He flew close behind the dragon hybrid, trying to copy her wing movements as they chased each other.

 

"See anything yet?" he asked, peering down and noticing no snow on the ground.

Tallulah shaded her eyes and squinted, wishing it was night-time so they could spot the purple light coming from Techno's cabin. Her dad always said it was the most beautiful sight ever.

Tallulah frowned, "Nope, just snow in the distance." 

 

But Q reassured, "Don't worry, we'll get there," as they continued their flight.

 

Sometimes they would land to take a breather before moving on. During these breaks, Tallulah would tell Q with bedtime stories from her dad, her dad's garden, the first meetings with Quackity and Wilbur in QSMP. She might also mention that she used to write down romantic fanfics between Quackity and her dad or her uncles. This made Quackity questioning his own love life and probably screaming internally at the thought of how many lovers he used to have.

 

In one of their flights, they noticed the air was getting a bit cold, which may signal they are almost there. Quackity observed Tallulah flying effortlessly, surpassing him with ease. He couldn't decide which dad was luckier – Wilbur, who had abandoned Tallulah, or Philza, who had always protected and cared for her. Though Quackity still felt irked by Phil's decision to leave her for a mission, he understood a father's instinct to shield their child from danger. Quackity shuddered, recalling bringing Tallulah to a past life he barely remembered, dealing with the consequences of encountering people he can’t even remember either.

 

Quackity was relieved to discover that all the people he interacted with were good, except for the fox with the hat who gave him a slight feeling of unease. Luckily, Tallulah wasn't around when that happened. 

Suddenly, in his eyes, he couldn't shake the image of Tallulah when…

 

The girl flying in front of him appeared different out of blue, causing him to rub his eyes. The kid had short black hair like his, wore a blue hoodie similar to his own, and had a...

 

Red ribbon in their hair...

Ribbon…

You're … … dad, I lo-

 

A name…a name came to Quackity’s mind…

“Til-”

“Mr.smiling man!”

 

The word he was about to utter was cut off as he felt himself slowly descending like a plane landing. He glanced at the child and it was Tallulah. Tallulah gave him a concerned look and displayed her flapping wings, saying, “It goes like this.” 

Quackity lightly slapped his cheek…again, snapping back to reality. What had he just witnessed? Was that the child Philza had mentioned to him?

 

“Don’t worry, I just got a little...,” he stuttered.

 

“Distracted?” Tallulah finished his sentence. 

“Yeah, I suppose we’re even,” Quackity acknowledged the irony but both decided not to delve further into it.

 

Children often see sarcasm as a foreign language, but Quackity was cool to see that Tallulah had that spot. They continued flying in silence, with Tallulah relishing the cool air tousling her hair while Quackity pondered about the vision he had just seen of his supposed child.

They finally had arrived when they landed on the snow instead of the grass. The snow texture startled Q, while Tallulah was also surprised but felt more positive as she enjoyed the feeling of being in the snow for the first time in her life.

 

"I should have brought my hoodie, I'm stuck wearing this stupid shirt," Quackity complained as the icy air made him shiver. 

Despite her dragon biology, Tallulah felt less cold.

As they stood behind the bushes, Quackity made a small hole between them and was the first to peek through. His eyes widened in awe as he saw the wooden cabin of the piglin that Tallulah had described.

His eyes grew even wider when he spotted someone in the doorway.

 

“There!" he whispered but with a partial loud voice.

The angel of death… 

The angel stood in the doorway, with red eyes and heavy bags underneath them, appearing more exhausted than legendary. Quackity saw him looking worse than the Phil he knew.

 

The Mexican emerged from the bush and gestured for Tallulah to take her turn. She looked at the small hole with puzzlement. Q smiled at her, surprised by her reaction, but then noticed her frown.

Tallulah gazed at her father in the distance and struggled to find the right words, "Why does Papa look...?"

 

Quackity nonchalantly shrugged as he joked, "I don't know, but he is sort of good looking and he still got that DIL-" He paused when he noticed that Tallulah appeared unimpressed with his comment.

 

Quackity said sheepishly, "I mean, his appearance is just not my type. I'm not asking you to ship me with him or anything." He then shrugged again, "I do mind that, okay?"

 

The girl giggled, "I still prefer Mama Kristin," 

Q rolled his eyes, not even knowing much about Philza’s wife or whatever. Quackity eyed the elderly Philza once more, contemplating whether to approach him. Uncertain of their past relationship, he wondered if the angel of death was as amiable as the future Philza he knew. Curiosity got the best of him - he had to find out for himself.

 

"Alright, you stay put," Quackity gave Tallulah a thumbs up before sneaking out of the bushes and walking closer to Philza's cabin.

 

The snow and cold were chilling him to the bone, but Quackity pressed on. Breathing out into the frigid air, he trudged forward until he heard a wolf-like sound. Looking around, he spotted a few dogs with white, curly fur snoozing inside a nearby cabin, accompanied by a massive polar bear getting ready to doze off after a mighty yawn caught Q's attention. Quackity sighed in relief that the animals hadn't noticed him. But it made him question why of all people, the anarchist had the most pets and animals.

Continuing his walk through the deep snow and observing the animals around him, he got hit by a stern chest. Raising his gaze, he let out a quick gulp at the sight before him. 

 

Philza minecraft...or respectively, a version of Philza from the past, peering down at him like a tarsier with an expression more akin to facing a killer than a wealthy man.

 

"What do you want?" His tone was sudden and sharp.

 

Quackity flashed a nervous smile. "Philza!"

Past!Phil remained silent, staring suspiciously at Quackity. 

 

"I'm here for Technoblade," Quackity said, "Technoblade, you know? The mighty Blood God? The destroyer of the government? The potato-loving—"

 

The immortal interrupted him, "Talk about him, or to him?"

 

"To him," Quackity quickly responded, considering changing his approach.

 

Past!Phil's expression stayed stern,  "He's not here."

 

"Oh," Quackity muttered, masking his disappointment. "Alright then, where did he go?"

 

The angel of death responded coldly, "It's none of your business."

 

Great, how is he going to show Tallulah the blood god now?

 

He gave up and sighed, "That's okay," he said with a forced grin. "Just let him know I was here,"

 

Past!Phil's tone suddenly turned bad as he growled, "Quackity. If you're here to try and take Techno back to prison, I won't allow it, whether he's here or not."

 

"Prison?" Quackity's smile faded. "N-no! I just wanted to talk to him about...something?"

 

Was there really a prison in the Dream SMP? He tried to remember what Slime, Foolish, Tubbo, or even the fox man had mentioned about locations like the XD statue and Pandora Vault. Could the latter be the prison?

 

His thoughts were interrupted as the immortal flapped his wings, causing the duck hybrid to step back.

 

Past!Phil’s gaze transformed into frozen ice, much like the icy dams clinging to the cabin's roof. "Something?" he repeated what Q said but bitterly. "You deceived Technoblade. You imprisoned him in the Pandora Vault. Left him with Dream to rot for three long months. And you call that 'something' ?!"

 

Quackity stood frozen as he felt he had answered his own question correctly. His lips parted slightly, but no words escaped. He was half glad that Tallulah was hidden far enough away to not hear their conversation.

 

The older man then squinted at him, “Wait...are you here to apologize to him?”

“Ye-yes, that’s it!” Quackity seized on the idea. “I want to apologize for everything.”

 

Past!Phil chuckled without humor. “It’s too late for apologies now, mate. Techno isn't easily fooled. He can smell a lie from miles away.” He sneered, “But who knows, he might just thank you for the apology and consider finishing the job .” The angel of death gestured toward Quackity's left eye.

Quackity rubbed his eye and suddenly noticed that the rain had washed away the paint from his left eye.

 

“It seems you are finally healing after all, while he still remembers how you and your stupid friends threatened his home," Past!Philza said and Quackity frowned, noticing the angel of death’s wings slowly opening in anger.

 

Past!Phil leaned in closer, his voice got colder,“What? It's obvious you are trying to use him or me to bring him down once more. Like a selfish cat chasing a fake mouse toy that has been broken years ago.”

 

He then turned his back to Quackity,“I wouldn’t judge if he’ll give the same courtesy we did or deal with you for good, I would gladly help.”

 

Confused and feeling like he deserved it, Quackity tried to explain, "Phil, I-"

 

Past!Phil shot him a deadly glare over his shoulder, silencing him, “Don’t fucking think about threatening Techno. If you can't handle it, find someone else to deceive or whatever it is you're trying to do."

 

The angel of death made his way to the cabin and gripped the door firmly, "Let me be honest, you two never got along," he said with a dry chuckle. "So, why don't you just let me, him, and our lives be?" And just after saying that, past!Phil swiftly closed the door with a loud thud.

Quackity stood still, snowflakes gently brushing his hair as confusion battled in his eyes.

 

 

Threatening Techno…Prison… I did that to the blood god?…I guess we never were on good terms…Tallulah probably not going to like that…

 

.

.

……Dream…

 

Why does that name sound strange to him?

Tallulah parted the bush slightly, claiming she thought she heard her Papa yelling when she attempted to adjust her hearing aid. Instead of her Papa, all she spotted was Quackity standing in silence looking at the closed door.

 

Quackity turned around, his face showing a mixture of confusion and concern. He made his way through the bush and sat down beside the girl, letting out a sigh. "Well, no Technoblade today," he said sadly. Upon hearing this, the dragon hybrid made a mournful sound, but remained silent for a moment before speaking.

Gazing at the hole in the bush that revealed the closed cabin, she felt a punch of sadness hit her as she thought about her father. "What's with Papa? Why was he so...mean?" she mused, considering that perhaps Phil had faced difficulties in his own life that had contributed to his behavior.

"Tallulah?" Q's voice interrupted her thoughts, and she turned to face him with a lingering look of sorrow in her eyes. Avoiding her gaze, he awkwardly acknowledged, "You're a shy but kind kid, but..." Upon noticing her lips moving as if she were on the verge of crying, he hurriedly tried to lighten the mood.

 

Pointing towards the cabin, he reassured her, "That's Philza from a different time, Phil from the past before you even existed or whatever. It’s okay-it's natural that he's changed. Just like me," he added with a chuckle.

Tallulah remained silent, patiently waiting for Quackity to prove his point, "He can't even be possibly be the same Phil who took you under his wing," He said as Tallulah was unsure of what to expect.

 

The duck hybrid merely shrugged, "I'm sure he was not always that bad-tempered," he said softly, noticing Tallulah's saddened reaction to their conversation.

 

"What did he say to you?" Tallulah asked, her eyes starting to fill with tears.

 

Quackity struggled to find the right words, not only out of fear of upsetting Tallulah to tears, but because he didn't fully understand the implications of past!Quackity’s actions. What did it mean that he had threatened Technoblade and imprisoned him for months? What was the reason behind it all? Was it for the sake of Anarchy or revenge? And did it have to do with the scar?

 

"Some things I did to Techno, I suppose some of them... were not so pleasant," Quackity nervously admitted, twiddling his fingers. 

 

A wealthy boss in a large city beloved by all, yet there were still a few haters lurking in the shadows. Perhaps he was onto something when he acknowledged that his past self wasn't all praise and money. Maybe he wasn't a total jerk, just a flawed person but with good Qualities.

 

"I'm still scratching my head over it all, kid," he sighed, gesturing towards the cabin. "That's the old me anyway, just like Phil. I guess we all had our off days."

 

Tallulah wiped away a few tears but rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms. "When tio Techno shows up one day, I better see you apologize to him," she scolded in a tone of a teacher dealing with a student.

 

After rubbing his chin, he questioned Tallulah, “Did your Papa disclose everything about me, even the small details? I'm concerned he may have left out whether Techno and I are on good terms.”

 

Tallulah shrugged, “Maybe he thought both of your terms weren't worth talking about?”

 

Q grumbled at this response,"Fucking serious," he huffed, as if to say ‘fuck that old man…’

 

Then, something came to mind.

“Speaking of him, should we go search for Manberg?” he proposed. He speculated if the place created and destroyed by Philza's son still existed somewhere.

Tallulah's sad face brightened a little at the mention of the name.

Quackity regretted making that suggestion because none of them knew exactly where L’manberg was located. Tallulah, at least, remembered where her father lived, perhaps because she was more interested in that than in her other dad’s country. She wondered if Wilbur was even around, as they hadn't seen him yet. Maybe he was far away. She hoped to run into him with Quackity, but at the same time, she was nervous about seeing her father after so many years.

As they walked, Tallulah suddenly noticed a large…mushroom?

Tallulah didn't mind flowers, and mushrooms are not bad, but she had never seen such a giant mushroom before. 

She grabbed the end of Quackity's shirt and pointed towards the massive mushroom, while Quackity stood there in awe at the sight.

 

As they walked towards the mushroom, they were soon welcomed by a huge area filled with massive mushrooms and structures made of them. Amidst the plants, there were traditional houses and cabins, including a cottage adorned with pastel colors and a bunch of roses and flowers.

 

"I wonder what this place is," Quackity pondered aloud, addressing either himself or Tallulah. The two explored the grounds, admiring every aspect of this cute and 'goblincore-y' place.

“Quackity?”

Q turned around after he heard that voice and noticed that Tallulah had also turned to see the person calling out. 

 

Tallulah appeared more startled than Q by the sight of the person, who was dressed in white and purple attire with pastel boots, and had long brown hair with cat ears. Quackity recalled seeing someone similar to this woman in the simulation, but he couldn't be certain. He quickly positioned Tallulah behind his legs and wings to shield her.

 

The woman approached slowly, carrying a wicker basket filled with items that Q couldn't identify but which smelled like baking goods. Realizing that the person knew him, Quackity decided it was best to go along with the situation and cleared his throat before awkwardly saying, "Hello?" He realized how fucking the greeting sounded, but he couldn't think of anything else to say at that moment.

The woman arched an eyebrow, "What are you doing... hold on," she squinted at the duck hybrid. 

Quackity was attempting to maintain a composure of silence, albeit awkwardly. 

Suddenly, the woman's eyes widened and she set down her basket, "Your scar, it looks like it's vanished," she gestured towards his left eye. 

Quackity noticed her reaction was just like Phil, except she seemed mildly surprised, "Yeah, I had some healing potions, thanks to-" He scrambled for a name to fib about, then blurted out loudly, "...Foolish!" 

The girl with cat ears nodded, "It’s good that it's healed, that scar did seem pretty nasty, no offense." 

 

Quackity chuckled nervously, "Oh, none taken. So, what brings you here?"

 

The woman narrowed her mouth and said, “The real question is, what am I doing here and what brings you here. I'm a Kinoko Kingdom citizen, just like everyone else!”

 

Quackity shaped his mouth into a surprised O as he asked, “Kinko- Kinoko?”

 

He tested the meaning of this adorable-sounding name of this place. As he marveled at his surroundings, the woman’s scowl caught his eye however.

 

She didn't seem thrilled to see him—Quackity had a feeling she wasn't a fan of his, just like Techno. No good blood there. Quackity braced himself for whatever past sins he was about to face, even though he had no clue what they were this time.

 

The cat lady squirmed a bit as she said, "I don't want to make you feel awkward, but Sapnap mentioned something about you last time you were here."

Q raised an eyebrow, trying to figure out who this Sapnap. He tested out the name, but his search program came up with nothing.

 

He quickly snapped, waving his hands in the air, "Oh, sorry, must be my earwax acting up. I vaguely recall something like that and now I'm feeling silly about it."

 

Tallulah, who was lurking behind the scenes, looked puzzled by the conversation. She subtly shifted away from Quackity's wings and eyed the carrot clip in the woman's hair. She didn't know the woman personally, but she did remember her as the caretaker of one of Tallulah's egg pals back at the Qsmp.

The woman shifted but then let out a snort, “What happened there was bullshit, I don’t blame you, however,” she twirled a strand of hair around her finger, “I don’t know what was up with Kar-” but stopped short when she noticed a face peeking out from behind the duck hybrid wings. Quackity's eyes widened nervously.

Goddammit,Tallulah!

 

“Who's that?” The woman pointed at the young figure, her expression piqued with curiosity. Q sighed, realizing he had no time or desire to explain, so he backed away the dragon hybrid from his wings.

 

As Tallulah walked over and looked up at the cat-woman, her face mirrored the same curiosity. But all of a sudden, her expression transformed into pure delight. Q couldn't help but wonder why she reacted like that. Did she know her too?

 

Ignoring the nagging question in his mind, Quackity cleared his throat and announced, “Um, that's my niece, Tallulah.”

 

"Wait, you have a niece? Is she like a distant relative or something?" The woman's eyes sparkled with curiosity, then flickered with surprise as she took in the girl's appearance. Tallulah greeted her with a smile and a tip of her beanie.

 

Quackity awkwardly cleared his throat and ruffled the girl's hair, "Oh, she's actually from my...uh, brother's side of the family. It's her first day in the DreamSMP and she's ready to dive in."

 

The woman's expression shifted between understanding, uneasiness (mostly towards Quackity) and curiosity (definitely towards Tallulah) . The cat woman extended a welcome to the girl. The woman asked, "I've never seen wings like that before, is she some kind of bat hybrid?"

 

Quackity stumbled over his words, trying to come up with a response, but Tallulah quickly intervened, nodding and playing along with that little white lie.

 

"Oh, yeah! Just bat genes running in the family of my grand-grand-grandpa. Genes, Amirite?” Q finger gun with a slightly tricky smile.

 

The lady exclaimed, "That's pretty cool!" 

 

Q cocked an eyebrow, "Cool? Not confusing to you?" 

 

The woman shrugged and casually pointed to her ears, "It's no biggie for me, especially since I'm a demon. Why worry about it?" 

Quackity nodded in agreement, but then blinked in disbelief. Did he hear her correctly? A demon? Before he could inquire further, the demon interrupted him with a gentle gesture, "wait a minute," she paused, clapping her hands and narrowing her eyes at him, "Is that why you're here again?"

Quackity was uncertain if he had the right words to respond to that. 

 

His past self had been here before. The real question was why. Maybe something that had to do with that Sapnap , he can tell. Tallulah gently nudged Quackity's shirt as she flew closer to whisper in Quackity's ear. Quackity hummed as he listened, still keeping his gaze on the woman...he had mistaken for a cat hybrid.

 

Tinakitten... was she truly a demon? Quackity thought she was a cat, the surname seemed to make this less sense.

Tina asked "Q?" while Quackity's eyes darted towards her, searching for words, as he glanced at Tallulah before responding, "Yes, I showed her Las Nevadas and she admired my work, although she is more of a fan of 'mother nature' .

 

"You and him have found a great spot on the server, Kinoko kingdom is easy to get lost in its beauty," commented the woman.

Tallulah thought about the name Kinoko, it was Japanese for sure. She regretted not learning that language at Qsmp, only mastering Spanish, French, and a bit of German.

Tina acknowledged, "Yes, I am a member of the Kinoko kingdom, having been invited by a friend like Callahan. He's quiet, but he has the spirit." She laughed and Q laughed back at her for no reason.

 

Her expression turned serious as she focused on Q, saying, "Anyway, I recall you coming here to have a disagreement with one of your fiancees. Sapnap tried to calm you down, but it seems things didn't go well."

 

Q cheered but then blinked, “My fianc- wait, one of them?” I'm into polyamory?! 

 

Quackity was not mad at all by this new information, but the reference to the argument made him realize that this relationship may not be as smooth as he had thought.

 

The demon hybrid nodded once more, expressing sadness. "Karl still struggles with memory issues. I wish I knew the reason behind his struggles with his memories," she stated. Uneasily shifting, she added, "I understand your anger at feeling betrayed by your fiance who doesn't remember you."

 

Karl also is facing memory loss issues? Maybe he has memories but struggles to remember them, unlike Q who can't recall a thing. Quackity groaned at the thought, but something Tina said struck a chord with him once more. 

 

Am I betraying Sapnap because I can't remember him? Am I betraying all those I've hurt because I can't recall them?

So Q pretends to feel bad about it, even though he is still thinking about what his old self truly felt, stating, “I still feel guilty about it.”

 

However, Tina stayed silent, staring at him with a blink before scoffing and crossing her arms, commenting, “Now you feel the guilt, Quackity.”

Quackity awkwardly closed his mouth, looking at Tallulah for a little help, “I apologize?” he suddenly exclaimed, “For... whatever I did.”

 

Her forehead wrinkled. “You have no idea what you did.”

 

Quackity tried to maintain a sincere expression and came up with an excuse. “I blame the lack of sleep for that shit.”

He attempted once more to steer the conversation, "But it must've been awful, I'm totally at a loss for words to even mention it, you know, it's been unbearable on the tip of my tongue lately."

 

Tina folded her arms. "You better not because I didn't forget when you attempted to blackmail BadBoyHalo. And you persuaded me to aid you.”

 

“And when I want out, I—" She stopped herself, taking a sharp breath. "You didn't handle it wel-you can’t handle situations well." 

 

Quackity looked even more baffled and confused, but he tried to explain, “Yeah, I guess I never really felt bad about it in the first place, right?”

 

He wasn't entirely confident in his response. He felt unsure about everything.

 

The demon hybrid studied him for a moment, "...You were angry?" she finally asked.

 

Quackity nodded, his nerves evident in his eyes, “Yeah, I think it was a mix of anger and stress from a rough day...you know, dealing with some marriage troubles?”

 

“I totally get it, Q. Problems can really mess with your head and make you pretty irritable, especially around Bad,”

 

Quackity chuckled slightly. "Yep, blame it on not getting enough beauty sleep."

 

Tina pondered his words, Tallulah observed her with uncertainty.

Fortunately, Tina sarcastically suggested, "I'm not a doctor but you might need some Valium, or whatever it's called."

 

Quackity chuckled in response, realizing he needed to wrap up the conversation quickly, "Once again, I apologize for my actions towards both you and Badboy..."

 

Tina nodded knowingly, "I know you're not all bad, Q. Badboyhalo wasn't exactly a saint either after that crimson egg event."

 

that crimson what?

 

Q's confusion surely kept growing with each new detail. This server was definitely more than just the drama surrounding Manberg and the legacy of his country.

 

As Tina pondered the situation further, she expressed her gratitude. "I may need some time to process everything, but thank you for apologizing, Quackity."

 

The demon hybrid caught the girl's eye as she crouched down, lifting her wicker basket. "Your niece is polite, here!" she exclaimed, pulling out something with a nice aroma. It was a carrot-flavored muffin, as clear as day by its texture. Tallulah eagerly accepted it with a big smile on her face. Quackity couldn't help but chuckle at Tina's kindness - he almost wished he could send his past self to apologize to her in person. However, he couldn't shake the thought of faking apologies and the awkwardness that came from him at this point.

Tina stood up with a smile, "I still have more for my friends," she said, covering the basket as she gestured towards her beautiful house that Q and Tallulah had seen before. 

 

"I have to go home now, tell Foolish I said hey!" She waved her goodbye as she prepared to leave. 

 

Q nodded with a smirk, "Sure thing, he's doing great with his job," he said, turning to Tallulah before remembering something. He then called out to Tina.

 

But he averted her gaze, "Oh, uh, Tina?" He approached Tallulah and whispered, "That's her name, right?" Tallulah rolled her eyes and nodded. 

 

With hesitation, Q asked, "Um, I was wondering if you know anything about... Manberg," 

The demon shrugged, "I don't know a lot about it, but you may find information at the library owned by Karl. It's in the center of Kinoko near the squid lagoon."

 

Quackity and Tallulah exchanged glances, both raising their eyebrows slightly. 

 

Tina on the other hand, feeling a bit awkward, mentioned, “In a different sense, it's right next to the portal.”

 

Quackity's eyes widened. There were portals all this time that could teleport them to different places...how the fuck did they not notice them before?!

 

Trying to keep his cool, he replied, “Right...thanks Tina.”

 

As Tina walked away, Tallulah took a bite of the muffin, savoring the taste. Although Bad could make better muffins, this one looked and tasted great. She wondered why Quackity's past self or others couldn't be a bit kinder. At least there were still kind people like Tina out there. She knew that Tina was always the kind one, just like her Qsmp self.

 

Thinking about this, Tallulah could sense that Quackity must have that question running through his mind as well.

 

The two sat on the grass, much like Quackity did to the burger, Tallulah shared a bit of the carrot muffin with him. 

 

Quackity munched with an annoyed face, looking at Tallulah and asked, "How many people do you know from the QSMP, Chalulah? There are so many here." 

 

Tallulah smiled with a mouthful and replied, "I know a few, I met them once when I wanted to see my young friends." 

 

He inquired, "Which ones do you like?" 

 

Tallulah wanted him to be specific, asking, "My friends or their guardians?" 

 

Quackity groaned and changed the subject, "How many of these guardians have adopted you and others? I thought Phil and Tubbo were the ones for that."

Lullah's smile returned as she thought back to the day she was adopted during the Partner-Egg event. While originally meant to be cared for like a project by orders of the evil federation, they had become a significant part of the families who looked after them. It was disheartening to realize that some families were unable to see the project through to completion. Sometimes, families aren't as easy and happy to care for as one might hope.

 

Tallulah almost succumbed to the negativity by exclaiming a cheerful "oh oh!" as she dove into her food. "I wish you remembered Bad!” 

 

Q rolled his eyes and replied, "Me too, I want to remember so badly, but I need to take things slow. My mind is already a storm, Chalulah."

 

Tallulah burst into laughter, "No, Mr. Smiling Man," she corrected, "The person Tina mentioned is Badboyhalo, but we just call him Bad. He's my favorite uncl- uh..." She trailed off, looking away with an awkward smile. "You're still my second favorite." 

 

Q rolled his eyes and finished the snack. "Second place is noob to me, but whatever grade you want to give," he quipped as he stood up. 

 

He gazed up at the still gray sky. "What time is it anyway?" He got no answers clearly. As the duo walked through the Kinoko Kingdom, Tallulah asked about the possibility of a king ruling over this land, while Q dismissed it as just a silly name. 

 

Their musings were interrupted when they spotted a figure in the distance. 

 

"Look," Q exclaimed, pointing towards the man ahead. 

 

Upon closer inspection, they found the man...asleep. 

 

The man lay beneath one of the mushrooms, wearing oversized goggles atop his head and a crown covered with mushrooms. 

 

His outfit consisted of a blue shirt, brown pants, and an elegant red cloak - though any semblance of elegance vanished upon noticing the cloak's coating of mush, grass, and teeny-tiny brown mushrooms. 

 

Despite his appearance, the man slept peacefully. He appeared far less disheveled than Quackity, Thank you very much.

 

Quackity gave the man a suspicious side-eye as he glanced at Tallulah, "Does he remind you of anyone from the QSMP?" 

 

Tallulah shook her head, racking her brain for anyone with glasses or goggles in the QSMP. She remembered Charlie and Cellbit, but they had already met Charlie and she doubted Cellbit would show up here. 

"He looks exhausted," the girl remarked. 

 

Q wrinkled his nose after catching a whiff of the man, "And smells!" he muttered. "Time to wake this dude up, he needs either to pitch in or freshen up!" Q shook the man's shoulder, but he remained sound asleep. Quackity could see his chest rising and falling, so it was probably just a deep slumber. 

 

Unfazed, Q shook him harder, yelling, "Hey, hey! Do you know where the portal is?"

 

It didn’t work, “Sir! wake up,” he nudged the man once more, the scene made Tallulah giggle.

Quackity considered hitting the man's boot, spitting on his face, or slapping his face. Even the notion of taking a burned stick and sticking it to the man's arm was swiftly abandoned by Q since he knew it might not work and was not worth it. All of that didn't work. 

 

"Ugh, fuck that," he said, waving his hand as he crossed his arms confidently. "We'll hit the pavement like how we did with Techno's cabin," 

Tallulah nodded but then a lightbulb went off in her head. She reached for her bag and pulled out a few pens. 

 

“Pens?” she smirked. 

 

Q mirrored her smirk, "Pens."

Not much time had passed before Quackity spotted a lake full of squids. 

 

Upon reaching the lake, they also noticed the purple portal. Tallulah was only half disappointed, realizing it wouldn't lead her back to her dad.

 

Without hesitation, the two walked towards the nearby library. As they stepped inside, they found the front room to be underwhelming, but with a bookshelf packed full of books.

"Let's dig in, alphabetically! Shall we start with the letter T?" Q inquired.

 

Tallulah quirked an eyebrow, "Why T?"

 

Quackity shrugged, "The fuck I know,  for 'The legend of Manberg,' 'The history,' 'The downfall of Manberg,' and yadda yadda." Eventually, they settled on an easier route, "I suppose we should start with the letter L," the duck hybrid suggested, shooting Tallulah a puzzled look, "Is it 'L'Manberg' or just 'Manberg'?"

Tallulah just gave him a skeptical expression.

Not paying much attention to anything other than the books, the lights and the beautiful plants all around, Tallulah walked across the wooden floor.

 

Suddenly she heard a strange noise beneath her feet. She tapped on it and gestured to Quackity.

 

Quackity, confused, also tapped on the spot and realized it was actually a trapdoor. With a long whistle, he remarked, "Karl definitely knows how to hide the good stuff here." He can no longer wonder if that's why he was attracted to him in the first place.

 

Glancing up at Tallulah, he asked, "Chalulah, fancy a look down below?"

 

Tallulah, a lover of books and writing, shook her head. She had no interest in uncovering any more meaningless secrets unrelated to her father. "I wanna look for the book," she declared.

 

Without missing a beat, Q replied, "Ok, but be careful! Give me a shout if you find that book or something happened."

To Quackity's mild surprise, the library was two stories. He glanced around the room, taking in the oak floors and walls adorned with a red and white polka dot pattern obviously resembling mushrooms. 

 

But then he noticed the paintings on the wall depicting people. He narrowed his eyes at one in particular, trying to make out the inscription that read...

 

"The beach episode? What's that, an anime?" Quackity muttered in confusion.

 

Noticing a man who looked just like him in the picture and several other guys, he was unsure if he knew any of them. As he looked through more pictures, he realized each one featured a group of people, each with names that seemed like it came from novels. But one name remained constant in each picture – perhaps it was the title of this series.

'Tales from the SMP.'

Tales? Did it involve stories from this SMP or a different one? Did it include Las Nevadas or Manberg?

 

Q got more curious about the person in the hoodie who appeared in all these pictures.

This is Karl's library, so this Hoodie guy must be him. He must be the one who placed these pictures and wrote down these books.

 

Upon closer inspection, Q noticed a diary journal next to one of the books, realizing that Karl had really written these 'tales' .

Q thought it was interesting to discover that Karl used to be engaged to him and to multiple partners in his past. Quackity smirked and rubbed his hands, considering the possibility that Karl may not be around and could be experiencing memory issues like how Tina said, delaying his return.

 

Using the 'eenie-meenie-miney-mo' (The shittest method in his opinion) , Quackity selected a book and looked in it as if it were a comic book. It was titled 'The Masquerade' , and he began reading the first page. 

 

“A group of rich people come together to party, Hah, rich just like me, someone better have passed the weed into this party,” chuckled Q as he kept reading.

What began as a group of friends having fun developed into a nightmare for many. A suspicious mansion owner ended up using his power to attack and murder each of his guests through manipulation in ways we are unsure of.

Quackity paused, his brow furrowing.

 

That escalated quickly. While many stories involve mansions and stupid parties with bad dialogues, the owner being revealed as the villain seemed like a lazy twist. Perhaps Karl was merely expressing his creativity for a potential film or just a bedtime story for future generations.

 

Quackity's attention shifted from the book to the diary that sat quietly beside it. Tossing the book aside in a fit of disinterest, he snatched up the diary. 

 

To his surprise, a faint purple-pink light emitted from it upon opening, only to vanish just as quickly. 

 

In awe, Quackity lazily flipped through the pages until one sentence snapped him out of his laziness.

Karl is a time traveler!? Quackity had a quick thought that maybe Karl was just writing his imagination in his diary. 

 

But then again, why would he bother writing them down if they were just nonsense? 

 

Could it be possible that Karl actually has the ability to time travel? Is he doing it on his own, or did he, like Quackity, use that shitty simulation? 

 

Quackity then let out another whistle, his past life self sure a lucky guy to almost marry someone who can do something cool like that.

 

He decided to dig a little deeper into the diary, hoping to find some clues about time travel and maybe even about his and Tallulah. However, the more he read, the more it felt like rubbing salt in the wound.

 

Each time I travel I remember less and less.

 

 I really need to start writing these as soon as I come back to the present day…

 

  I'm going to start keeping track of every time I travel... 

   I'm worried one day I'll travel and not even remember who I am anymore.

 

Karl had lost his memories due to time traveling, one of his ex-fiancé also suffered from memory loss that led to a bad argument between them. This was all because of Karl's ability. 

 

Quackity couldn't help but feel sorry for Karl and questioned why he continued to time travel despite the negative impact on him.

 

His questions were answered when he read the next page.

 

Maybe if I travel enough, I'll be able to right some wrongs... Maybe do something to prevent all of the bad i keep seeing

Time travel does not always result in exciting adventures where one meets their past lives, friends, or ancestors. It is not a mere game.

encounters like these really need you to not fuck around in case of avoiding time paradoxes, a task that becomes increasingly difficult when unexpected individuals who love and hate Quackity's ass enter the picture.

 

Quackity hummed softly, but he remained resolute in his changed perspective. Despite Karl's efforts to rectify timelines, Quackity's past self only pointed fingers at him and at Tina…maybe his past self was a total jerk. 

 

And it's not like Quackity had the balls to face it like he did with others his past self messed up and mistreated. Quackity might be messing up the timeli…Nah, he and Tallulah seemed to be keeping things right.

In the diary, Quackity noticed a tricky word that only added to his confusion.

The inbetween  

Quackity wonders what that place could be…

He suddenly heard a creak from the door as he looked up. Swiftly, he swung the door open to reveal Tallulah, having a hopeful expression and holding a red book. "Mr. Smiling man, I've got a feeling this might have the information we need!" she exclaimed. 

 

Quackity eyed the book and then the diary, contemplating whether to grab it. But alas, it seemed to only spawn more questions than answers. As tempting as it was to uncover more about his ex-fiancee, he had to stay true to his promise to his niece. Despite the guilt gnawing at him. 

 

Setting the diary down, he ascended the ladder. Taking hold of the book, he looked at its cover, turning it this way and that, but found no hints linking it to Manberg. "This looks more like ‘Nothingberg’, are you sure?" he mused, perplexed.

"Nope, but it has this," she said as she gently took the book from Q's grip and speedily flipped through the pages. Suddenly, she turned the book aside and a large picture that was stuck to the pages fell out from between two pages.

 

The picture displaying the full Dsmp map had Quackity astonished while he instructed Tallulah to keep holding the book steady.

He carefully traced his finger along the lines of the map, trying to pinpoint. 

 

As he scrutinized the map, Quackity tapped his finger on a section where a cluster of destroyed buildings was marked. He suspected that this could be their target. However, his optimism quickly faded as he traced the distance from their current location to Manberg. 

 

With a muttered curse, Quackity remarked, "Shit, looks like we'll be stuck in the sky for ages if we try to fly there. Flying was fun, but I'd rather not spend hours drifting above ground!"

 

Tallulah nodded in agreement, stroking her hair in contemplation. "Hey, I've got an idea," she exclaimed, pointing at the glowing purple portal by the library door. 

 

Q chimed in, "We could totally use that portal and it'll lead us straight to…'" He traced the route on the map with his finger, tapping it enthusiastically. "And bingo! we'll get to the L’manberg faster than a rabbit!" 

 

Q then asked Tallulah where she had found the book. She simply gestured towards one of the bookshelves, causing Q's smile to fade as he noticed the cluttered mess. Tallulah raised an eyebrow at his reaction.

 

There were not two, but four rings on the shelf. 

 

Quackity picked them up, each bearing the same letters he had seen back in Las Nevadas. 

He noticed one had a K, another had an S, but what about his? 

 

…Remembering, he glanced at his own hand. 

 

Ah, yes, he was still wearing the ring he had taken from Las Nevadas. He wished he could go back to return it before leaving. 

 

He sighed, staring at the rings with a mixture of sadness and confusion. They must have belonged to his ex-fiancées, who he almost married. What had caused the rift between his former self and his lovers? Tina mentioned something about Karl's memory loss again…

 

Memory loss…

 

Karl is like me…he doesn't remember too

 

Y'know if Karl remembers I gotta say the tables have turned. 

 

And Sapnap…who is he supposed to be? Is he still angry at me or broken?

 

“Mr.smiling man?” 

 

Quackity had to stop himself from getting lost in his own thoughts when he caught sight of Tallulah. After a moment of silence, he joked, “Chalulah, do you ever see a time where you ship me with these guys?" 

 

Tallulah let out a small snicker and rambled, "I don't know them well enough. What if I pair you with someone who's completely wrong for you? Especially when I can't even figure out their personalities, unless I can put on some of my own special headcanons, " She smirked.

 

Quackity blinked and then laughed, "When did you become such a nerd? And FYI, that was a rhetorical question."

 

One thing was for sure, Tallulah better not turn this into a cheesy love story. If she did, it would probably involve Quackity navigating a clichey harem considering the amount of lovers and exes he heard in this place.

 

Quackity thought just like he did with Tubbo, maybe he can pull the trick on Sapnap and Karl…

 

However, making an apology in this situation would be difficult. Q is torn between feeling remorseful for actions he did not remember that he committed and the fear that apologizing may do more harm than good. His past self may not react well to suddenly being understood or reminded of missed opportunities for kindness. 

 

Apologizing to his past self's lover seems like a questionable idea, as Q would feel uncomfortable and embarrassed apologizing to someone he does not even know. Furthermore, there are still a couple of other individuals in his head that he is searching for, with only partial knowledge about Luzu and their relationship. Q feels remorseful, but he needs more time to determine if these 'ex-soon to be husbands' truly deserves an apology for something he isn't even sure he did.

 

Perhaps he could write a final letter for them, giving them the closure that his past self won't and possibly will not give.

 

Notes:

reference to Tales from the SMP in 2025 lmao Im living my life

Chapter 7: Hello again, 'sir'

Notes:

Note from the auther : The locations and directions might not be accurate in this fic be aware.

Including the timing and how events went may not be accurate either (most of these events in this AU happened before Charlie ‘death’ and Quackity suicide in the final lore)

Quackity believed he and Tallulah had easily found Manberg, but cursed under his breath upon realizing they still had a long road ahead. The ruin they encountered did not resemble the Manberg they had expected - a destroyed tower, a yellow blank flag, and turtles roaming the sandy landscape left Quackity puzzled. Was Manberg built in sand and inhabited by turtles? 

 

Holding the flag in frustration, Quackity muttered, "Wrong turn again," before dropping it. He glanced at the map in Tallulah's bag, seeking answers.

 

Q let out a deep groan, exclaiming, "Fuck me, back to the portal." 

 

Tallulah responded with a disappointed hum, but she remained composed. They made their way to the portal and arrived at a clearing where they paused to decide their path. Opting to head south in search of a tower, they were surprised to find a structure even larger than the tower they had anticipated. Questioning the identity of Eret, Quackity set aside his curiosity as they continued flying south.

Along the way, they encountered a peculiar hole with chickens at the bottom, prompting confusion but ultimately leading them to press on. Despite encountering a random base and a dead end, they persevered by heading east as if in a game of follow-the-leader. 

As they resumed their journey by air, Quackity painfully let out his frustration at their slow progress toward Manberg, feeling as though they were moving slower than the turtles they had seen.

As Quackity tried to follow the map's directions, he found himself getting more and more confused. But all of that confusion disappeared when he saw the dragon hybrid pointing towards the towering structure of Eret (?) 's castle, which was the sign they needed to reach Manberg.

 

Tallulah then pointed out a building that resembled a traditional museum, but noticed that there were only a few people inside. As they landed on the ground to get a closer look, they saw the building had a grand entrance with a pediment and large columns. While Tallulah marveled at its architecture, Quackity was unimpressed and ready to move on. That is until he saw Tallulah still admiring the building, causing him to question if he should give her time or not.

 

“Chalulah, niña,” he uttered calmly. "The Manberg can't reach us on its own," he chuckled slightly and gestured towards the tower. However, the girl seemed oblivious to his words.

 

Quackity approached her, trying to be polite, "Chalulah."

Suddenly, Tallulah stopped staring and glanced at the duck hybrid in shock, "Mr. Smiling Man, that voice sounds like tio Bad!"

 

Quackity sighed. "I know about that, but we need to head to the Manberg before anyone notices us," he explained.

 

Tallulah rolled her eyes. Not again . "I meant my uncle, BadBoyHalo!" she exclaimed, not intending to be rude.

 

Quackity facepalmed, "Curses my literal-minded brain of mine. And I thought having no memories was the major red flag."

Tallulah squinted at the buildings until Q finally caught on that she was about to hide. Just as Quackity was about to question her, Tallulah hushed him and motioned to hide behind the museum. Quackity was puzzled at first, but quickly caught on when he realized a group of people were about to emerge from the museum - two people at least.

 

Peeking out from behind the museum, Q and Tallulah tried to get a better look at the mysterious individuals. One person was walking alongside another.

Quackity focused on the former person, noting their dark skin and eyes that seemed to shift between black and red. The mask covering their hair was a strange mix of colors, and they wore a black hoodie. Quackity's eyes widened in surprise as he observed the individual's left arm, which appeared to be injured or possibly even severed.

Tallulah was a little stunned upon noticing the latter. Quackity, on the other hand, seemed to have an easier time noticing the figure. The other person appeared to be cloaked in black and red, with their head covered by the robe. It almost looked as though they were hiding under it, their white eyes, dark wings, and horn-

 

Tallulah was taken aback and slightly startled when she saw who it was. Quackity picked up on her reaction and jokingly asked, "I'm going to take a guess here, this someone else you know?"

Tallulah replied with a grin, “that is Bad!”

 

Q raised an eyebrow, "Why would you think tha- Oh shit," but then smacked his forehead in realization. "Bad," he chuckled, noticing the winged demon and feeling surprised by the friendly person turning out to be a demon like Tina.

Suddenly, someone tapped Q on the shoulder and Tallulah quickly darted behind a tree to hide. Q turned around to see the demon and the masked person beside him giving him a suspicious look.

Quackity was caught off guard, this will be different and difficult than his previous encounters with the fox and Tina. He adjusted his voice. "Ok, let's try this again, but this time let's be serious," he whispered to himself, hands on his hips.

The demon, Bad, looked at him strangely. "Quackity, what are you doing here?" his voice almost seemed friendly for a demon.

Just as Quackity was about to speak, he noticed the masked man whispering to the man. "Bad, I think he's spying on us," the masked person said in a hushed tone.

 

Quackity felt a pang of worry. He and Lullah were indeed spying, but they couldn't let them find out. "No, I'm not spying! I just overheard your conversation while passing by," he quickly explained, trying to sound convincing. He continued, "I was just too exhausted to keep going,"

 

The person with the mask raised an eyebrow, chuckling, "Eavesdropping still seems pretty investigative to me."

 

The duck-human hybrid sighed, "Come on, what were you two chatting about, anyway?" Ignoring the hooded figure, he turned his attention to the demon hybrid.

He then gave a wave and tried to rack his brain for the name Tallulah mentioned. "Hey Badhoybalo- I mean Badboy-" he stuttered. Fortunately, the demon responded, though his tone was serious. "Quackity, I'm hanging in there. We've got some issues to tackle," he fucking failed.

 

The person in the mask inquired, "Weren't you supposed to be in Las Nevadas?" Quackity ran a hand through his hair. "I wrapped things up there sooner than expected," he said with a dramatic shrug. "Annnnnnnd again. I was feeling exhausted, needed some fresh air."

The other two exchanged a skeptical glance and Quackity felt the need to clarify. "So, yeah, I spotted you guys and thought I'd come over and chat with Bad."

Bad's lips were moving almost like he was attempting a smile, but it didn't quite come together. "I think I would've preferred Quackity joining me and Ponk in an emergency rather than a chat," he muttered.

Q raised an eyebrow in confusion until he heard the name of the masked person. "Uh, what kind of emergency? Someone set a kitchen on fire?" he joked, but no one laughed, though Ponk did seem to crack a slight smile.

 

Ponk rolled her eyes. "You'd be closer if you replaced 'fire' with 'vines .'"

Quackity chuckled. "Vines? Sounds like a plant-related problem. Someone must be having trouble in the gardening department."

 

Bad chuckled “Good one,” and Quackity was not sure if he really was joking.

 

The demon gestured behind them. "We're headed to Puffy's house to discuss the egg situation. It seems to be spiraling out of control," he paused, looking concerned. "That's all I can manage to say right now."

Q glanced at them with a deadpan expression. 

 

Why the topic of eggs always seemed to stir up such fear in everyone.

 

He gave a fake nod of understanding, "Ah, an egg, got it. Let Puff know I've got my hands full with las nevadas tomorrow, sticking to my old job."

 

Bad looked downcast, "We can chat about it later, but she's been going on and on about how terrible the egg was. Remember that time she blew up at me for hurting her friends during the sacrifice?"

Quackity's cheeks nearly exploded from holding in his laughter. The people in this place were such goofballs, willing to worship an egg. And yet, there were still those stupid enough to hate that egg. Could it have been an Easter egg? Maybe one of those eggs the Qsmp citizens were so fond of? Quackity decided not to poke fun at the situation. 

 

As much as he wanted to understand what all the fuss was about, he also wanted to play it cool and act like he knew what was going on. It was tough to keep quiet without giving away his confusion, but each encounter became more entertaining as he learned about the stories of the Dream SMP, Las Nevadas, and Manberg from the locals.

Those stories varied from interesting to sad to downright bullshit.

 

"Then don't, asshole," the duck hybrid retorted, ignoring the annoyed look from Badboyhalo. Quackity was about to fire back with a witty remark, but he stopped himself when he noticed someone approaching behind Bad and Ponk.

Quackity walked through Bad and suddenly smiled, “¡Hola de nuevo, Tubbo!” he waved. 

 

Wasn't expecting to run into Sunny's dad's past life again, but he's not too worried since he's already earned the guy's trust, kind of. Tubbo looked at him with a surprised expression. Q noticed his fuzzy clothes like he was headed to a snow biome or something. Is he off to see Philza?

 

“Tubbo? Where? We need to focus on the egg,” Bad asked.

 

Tubbo, with a frown on his goat-hybrid face, replied, “I'm done with the conversation, I've got a lot on my plate.” He glanced at Quackity, who was making an unreadable face. “Send me a message or something, and hey Big Q? I got a call from them, hope that's cool with you.”

 

Quackity chuckled, “No worries! So, how was your break?”

 

Tubbo sighed in exhaustion but managed to muster a hopeful grin, “Still chugging along.”

 

Quackity was relieved that Tubbo hadn't found anything strange or caught on yet. “Okay, just make sure to soak in hot water- uh,” he coughed awkwardly, and Tubbo gave him a slight glare.

"Have some hot chocolate to cool off or some shit," Q 'suggested'.

 

Tubbo arched an eyebrow but chuckled, "I think I'll opt for that nap now," he said before bidding farewell to the group.

 

As Quackity said his goodbye, he noticed Ponk and Bad giving him skeptical looks. The duck hybrid dramatically fixed his collar and tried to recover, "So, um, Pong?" He attempted to address Pong .

 

"Ponk," Ponk corrected him without missing a beat, although unfazed.

Q made a quick nod in an attempt to downplay the suspiciousness of the conversation. "I just woke up this morning and I've been feeling kind of out of it or high lately. I swear, I've forgotten half of what's going on," he said, pretending to be exhausted.

 

Taking a deep breath, he continued, "I need to jog my memory about what's been going on while I was working."

 

Bad raised an eyebrow, quipping, "I thought you had it all figured out."

Quackity let out a gasp and attempted to fib once more, “I was HIGH, you know? Sleeping at 3 am and waking up earlier than a rooster can totally mess with your brain, do I need to spell it out for you?”

 

Bad shot a puzzled look, but Ponk seemed to be on the same page, “Want me to give you the cliffsnotes?”

 

Q replied with a fierce face, but Bad intervened, “Let her speak, we've got time,” he said, then he turned to Ponk.

 

The figure let out a sigh and averted their gaze, “So, after that shitty banquet,” they looked through an explanation, “Things got a bit out of hand after Antfrost bite the dust,”

 

Bad scrunched up his face, “I'm pretty sure Ant didn't mean to kill Foolish, he was just-” 

 

Ponk cut in, "I get it that we were possessed, but they still think we need to take some responsibility."

Quackity blinked in disbelief as he processed the fact that someone had taken the life of one of his immortal, loyal, god-like friend-assistants over an egg that can possess people. It seemed like that egg must be cursed or under some dark magic spell, and he had a feeling that Bad and Ponk might have something to do with it. But the whole situation was still a confusing mess.

“Back to it again?” the duck hybrid asked.

 

Bad sighed, "Remember when you almost blew up the egg, Quackity? I had to stop you with Punz. I'm really sorry about that."

 

Quackity could see the sadness in Bad's eyes, but he tried to act like everything was normal. Ponk added, "Foolish managed to get rid of the egg, but Bad and someone else - Sam bucket, right?" Ponk looked at Bad for confirmation, and the demon nodded.

 

He continued, “Yeah, I used to think he was just a weird figment of Bad's imagination, but then...” There was this sudden shift in his expression, like a mix of bitterness and discomfort, and he nervously swallowed, “Sam noticed something about him. He realized that he was kind of like me, and actually on our side when it came to the egg.” Then there was a sigh, “But Sam also figured out that the Egg was…Almost unbeatable or just not very effective.”

 

Q was standing there, hands over his face, trying to make sense of it all, but he just couldn't seem to connect the dots. Bad noticed his confusion but didn't get a chance to ask, as he jumped back into the conversation, saying, “It's back, or at least I think so,”

 

This Egg wasn't an average Egg, he thought.

Quackity took a deep breath, “And? What's the solution for all that crap?”

 

Bad grinned, flipping his fangs up, “Changes and building is all we have done at this point, the room where the egg respawn has been blocked off with iron blocks” he then frowned, “However, its security may not last much longer.”

 

Quackity might seem unfazed by this but at least he got the fact that citizens of this old smp have some solutions for…whatever that threat is going to do with them.

 

Ponk shrugged, and choose this chance to finish what Bad about to conclude, “That what we're stuck on, I say we wait for discuss for that later next week,” 

 

Quackity asked with a nosy tone, “Can it be less than a week at least?” 

 

Bad frowned, “I don't think we-” 

 

Quackity then remembered something he should've brought attention to when the two were explaining, he approached very closely to Bad looking at him deep, “Wait, you guys said i tried to blow up the what?” 

 

The masked person rolled their eyes as they put Quackity away from Bad, “We told you, Do we have to tell you the whole thing again?”

 

Quackity snickered with a lie he convinced it will outsmart them, “I still recall but i think a summary would spark my memory lane,” he crossed his arms, “Soo, better talk while I grab my imaginary popcorn,” he looked over the tree and he bet Tallulah is hidden behind one of the tree branches.

 

Bad glared at him but took a deep breath, “What you done was a failure, i wish i helped you out of that in the first pla-”

 

“Shut the fuck up and got to the point!” the mexican man snapped, getting fed up with the more new informations, he just wanted to know what the fucking deal is with this so known egg.

 

Bad sighed and exclaimed, “Language. So, the Red Banquet went down, a bunch of terrible stuff went down, Quackity was...you didn't approve of any of it.” The demon nervously swallowed as Quackity's eyes grew wide like a tulip.

Bad continued, “You despised the egg, you covered it in TNT to blow it up, and it did, but as Ponk pointed out, it's indestructible, and oh dear,” he quickly covered his mouth. Quackity might have thought he was going to be stuck in an endless loading screen.

 

In a moment of shame, Bad closed his eyes and muttered, “Oh, Q, I almost killed you!” Ponk, looking away, placed her hand on Bad's shoulder to comfort him.

 

Quackity stayed silent, staring at them for what felt like an eternity, before letting out a drawn-out “Wow.” 

 

Ponk gave him a puzzled look, asking, “What's so 'wow' about it?”

Quackity chuckled and shook his head, realizing that this egg must have been a real troublemaker, and even his past self knew it. It was pretty brave of him to try and protect everyone, and his country too. But hey, you win some, you lose some, right? Unfortunately, he couldn't quite pull off destroying the egg.

 

"Seriously, can’t just praise the fact that someone like me was insane enough to do this? Now that's some serious moxie," he said, closing his eyes and raising his hands.

"If anyone is going to praise heroism even in tough times, they must have misplaced their brain and are just being selfish as always," 

 

Quackity heard a voice that startled him like the sound of the fork on the chalkboard, as he turned to see a figure suddenly appearing behind them.

 

The figure appeared huge, though not as huge as Foolish. They had green skin and multiple legs, wearing what looked like a gas mask. let there not be any nuclear toxins in the Dream SMP please...

"Sam..." 

He heard Ponk muttering, the tension in his voice seemed a bit clear. Quackity could see the disdain on Ponk's face towards the figure, and it was plain that there was also some bad blood between the two. And judging by the uncomfortable expression on Bad's face, it seemed like the demon hybrid does seem natural around that figure.

"I think we should- le-Let's keep going," he uttered like poison as he and Bad began to walk away. But Quackity was not done being curious yet as he interjected, "Wait, Bad-" but then hesitated.

 

Bad turned to Quackity and raised an eyebrow. "Yeah?" 

 

Quackity quickly dismissed his own question, "Nevermind, pointless question."

 

Quackity suddenly remembered something and blurted out, "Oh, and sorry for blackmailing you when Tina-" before trailing off, feeling a bit unsure if he had made things awkward. But he breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Bad's casual response, "No worries, that was days ago. We have bigger things to focus on, remember?” 

 

Quackity chuckled, "fair point, but I did talk to Tina about it, she's doing fine."

 

The demon turned around, "I guess I'll catch you later." 

 

Ponk and Bad left, leaving Sam staring at the duck hybrid with a skeptical look in his eyes, his arms crossed. Sam didn't even need to pout to show his emotion.

 

Quackity attempted to outwit him however, saying, “What? can be in a good mood for a moment?”

The green figure simply continued to walk past Q, giving him a final glance before drily remarking, "Did Wilbur fall down the stairs? That would certainly explain your frame of mind."

Quackity's eyes widened at the mention of Wilbur, as if a ball had shattered a window of focus. "Wilbur?"

 

Is Tallulah's neglectful dad still lingering around somewhere?

 

Where on earth could he have disappeared to...?

 

He abandoned his train of thoughts as he turned to seek out Sam for answers, only to find Sam had left. He let out a defeated sigh, missing his chance to inquire about Wilbur's current location.

Quackity thought it seemed like no one was around, so he conveniently slipped away. He found a spot behind a tree where Tallulah was already hiding, giving him quite the surprise when an apple gave him an 'Isaac-newton-reaction'

 

But before he could curse, he heard a faint "Sorry" amidst the crunching sounds. It turns out Tallulah was eating the apple. As she finished, she gracefully fluttered over and plopped down next to him.

Quackity turned to her with a slight annoyance, but he couldn't resist petting her head as he checked the directions. 

 

“Did you talk to Bad? How did it went?” She asked, and Q snickered as he replied flatly, “Kind of smooth, two for two,” 

 

Seeing that no one was there, Quackity realized he might need to head to Manberg before delving deeper into the egg-thing bullshit.

Standing tall, Tallulah bunched up Quackity's shirt in her fists as she gazed up at him. 

 

"Mr. Smiling man, I overheard that guy with the mask mention something familiar," she said, rubbing her face. "Did you hear what he said?"

 

 

Quackity knew she'd be disappointed when she found out he missed the opportunity to ask about Wilbur's whereabouts...unless, just maybe, he had misheard the gas-masked man's words.

 

“shash, maybe this guy was just throwing shade at me by saying i ‘will’ be ‘bored’ and fall down the stairs, thinking that I’m fucking stupid to be in a good mood,” 

He paused with a roll of his eyes, "As for Bad and that Ponk, The rest. I dunno, some evil egg from my past that I blew up, and now Bad is acting like it's a fucking bomb. It's not like any of the eggs of the Qsmp,”

The girl raised an eyebrow, “An egg? Big deal. I've seen some pretty bad stuff in the Qsmp. I think that egg could be something…not normal.” 

 

Q chuckled, but decided to clarify, “Yeah, it possesses people or something. But come one, it's just an egg,” He snickered as he adjusted his wings and shielded his eyes to get a better look.

“Anyway, the tower was close to it, sure?” 

 

Quackity strolled through the rubble and dust, hands on his hips as he took in the sight of what used to be L'manberg. The wind tugged at their hair, adding to the desolate atmosphere.

 

There wasn't much to see besides ruins and a giant broken bridge, resembling a burned book that would forever haunt the memories of those who once called this place home, and Q is egotistically lucky that he's not a part of this history.

 

"What a mess," Quackity remarked with a sigh. "Is this really L’Manberg?" 

Tallulah noticed the tattered grey flag swaying in the breeze, the black of the flag looking like it had been sliced in half. She nodded distressingly.

Quackity chuckled to himself. “Better call it L’Deadberg , cause the place is destroyed and abandoned by a dead man. Get it?”

The silence that followed was completely justified.

"Cholula?" Quackity turned to the young girl, who was standing a few steps away with an inscrutable expression on her face, gazing at the ruins.

 

"I'm okay, my dad-" she paused, her voice tinged with sadness and resolve. "I was- i still wonder why my father chose this path, why he brought the end to this place and forced my current father to..." Her voice trailed off, her thoughts too painful to voice.

 

She bit her lip, squeezed her eyes shut, and tried to push away thoughts of an 'anti-hero' her father used to be. Taking another deep breath, she managed a sad smile. "But you know what? I'm glad he came back, joined your server, and made things right."

 

However, the smile did not age gracefully. "Even though he didn't stay for much longer, I wished he hadn't left me in the end," she murmured, settling down and embracing her knees with both her arms and wings. 

 

Quackity hummed, pondering a question that had been weighing on him. "Um, was that when Phil adopted you?" 

The girl glanced at him, noticing a broken piece of wood, and began to stroke it as she answered, "Yes, Phil adopted me. He didn't explain why my dad left, just like he didn't reveal the full story of how Techno was gone." 

 

Gazing at the wreckage, she sighed and whispered, “But I won't dwell on that," she declared, recalling the blonde teen she had seen earlier. She knew she was not alone in experiencing this. "I still miss my Papi ," she added at last.

Was she talking about Wilbur? Quackity bet Phil hasn't heard her utter that word she used for Wilbur ever since he left her. 

I don't remember him, why do I miss him too?

 

That child with the ribbon...Tina…Tubbo...Bad...Sapnap...Karl…

Is it fair to miss someone you don't know?

Quackity just sighed and sat down cross-legged next to Tallulah. She was staring blankly at the ruins of Manberg. Q looked up at the still grey sky, wishing for some of the clouds to disappear and the sunshine to come to brighten Tallulah's mood. 

 

But it seemed like he couldn't muster the effort to make the mood at least a little bit less blue.

 

He attempted to find a topic to discuss, but it seemed he was avoiding discussing information that has to do with Tallulah and her dad, worried about making the situation worse. Perhaps he could focus on their discoveries in this server instead. They uncovered a great deal here, and Quackity's past life holds a rich history within these walls. Yet, it all remains tangled and unclear, much like a half-full glass of Whiskey.

 

Inhaling deeply, Quackity shattered the oppressive silence with a sharp clap of his hand. Ignoring the black specks of smoke that drifted onto his face from a nearby crumbling building, he closed his eyes.

 

"So,I gotta get this straight, all the stuff we just saw, heard and what we gathered from these people...”  he paused for a moment to process the overload of information swirling in his head. Glancing at Tallulah, who appeared to be in her own world, he could tell she was definitely waiting for him to speak.

 

"I used to be the president of a country called Las Nevadas. My crew was made up of a slime person, a god-like titan... and a fox. I also owned a restaurant that employed a resident from the Qsmp,” 

Taking a breather, Q continued, "My relationship with the blood god, and Philza from this server, isn't exactly great because I tried to imprison him with a guy who is named after a word. I blackmailed someone and I was also in a shitty marriage with two partners, one of whom is a time traveler. holy shit, and there's this strange egg causing a threat to everyone that I've been trying to get rid of."

 

He gazed at the girl in silence. Perhaps it was quite evident that he had his own country and influence with a big ego, legacy and all that jazz. Some people loved him, while others despised him. There was a dangerous egg hanging around in this server, with everyone constantly on edge even to this day.

 

…Speaking of that egg. 

 

Quackity rose to his feet with a flap of his wings, casting a long gaze over Manberg. However, instead of feeling something, the atmosphere seemed gloomy to Tallulah, like a movie scene that would not endure like fine wine. Quackity stuck out his tongue in disgust after finishing looking at that old place, turning to Tallulah with a hint of confidence on his face. 

 

"We must inspect this egg," he stated, hesitating slightly but an unhinged smile revealing his lack of true concern. He fist bumped his palm, declaring, "Let's see what makes it so terrifying and threatening." With a slight adjustment of his wings, he was both relieved and proud to have grown accustomed to them after hours of flying.

 

Tallulah stood up, but her reaction was inscrutable. She shifted her focus back and forth between her guardian and Manberg but Quackity misinterpreted it. "Hey, Chalulah!" he exclaimed, floating high and beckoning to the dragon hybrid. 

 

"Come on, the one who arrives late to meet 'Bad-demon-boy' is a lazy birdie!" With his wings fluttering rapidly, Quackity was ready to take off. However, Tallulah hesitated, not only due to fatigue but to underlying worry. "Mr. Smiling Face," she began, sounding unwell.

 

Q kept chuckling and grinning as he explained, "Yeah, when we find Bad again and ask about the egg location so-" but stopped abruptly when he noticed Tallulah's expression. It wasn't as if he hadn't seen her worried before, especially ever since the time they used the simulation, but this look was one of grave seriousness, much like the state of L’Manberg.

"Mr. Smiley face," she repeated, casting one final glance at the ruins of her dad's proud homeland, now a destroyed mess of his own madness. With a heavy sigh, she turned and walked away from the wreckage.

Q became visibly concerned as he followed her. Neither of them spoke a word until Tallulah sat down on a rock, hands on her head. Q waited patiently for her to open up, understanding that she may not be ready to face the egg just yet.

Tallulah finally gazed at Q, her eyes reflecting like a child holding onto their teddy bear.

"I wanna go home," she said, much to Quackity's dismay.

 

"Get outta here, we still have to find that egg. I need to know the cool thing I did," he pleaded desperately. However, Tallulah shot him a quick glare before expressing her concern, "Traveling to your past was fun, mr.Quackity, but it also made me feel exhausted," she sighed again.

 

Quackity flatly replied, "I've got things up my sleeve. I'll just pretend to be the old me again and snag us a hotel room to rest." 

 

And of course, The duck hybrid certainly had a way with words. with some smartness in order to talk to even those he didn't remember. It didn't hurt that they got free food, but now they are aiming for a free place to stay – the irony of being a former ruler of a wealthy nation.

 

Tallulah, on the other hand, put a halt to this. "Maybe we should lay off the deception for a bit," she suggested, looking concerned. Quackity was about to protest, but quickly reminded himself that he was talking to the child of the angel of death and decided it was best to keep any bad remarks to himself.

"I'm worried about what could happen if we get caught," the girl said, stressing the risk they were taking. "All the things and people we met in your country are really starting to weigh on me."

"But we haven't been caught…Sorta for Foolish, that was a nut to crack," Q pointed out, trying to reassure her.

Tallulah let out a sigh, "That was just luck. I'm afraid our luck might run out soon."

 

Q was starting to get a little fed up, but his annoyance quickly turned to concern when he saw Tallulah start to sniffle.

 

"I just wanted to see my dad and the blood god, but it looks like we won't be ab-," She inhaled, “And watching Manberg did not make me feel bet-,” she then stopped, her disappointment and homesickness evident. She tried to hold back tears, but it was no use. "I miss mom, Chayanne, Mis-," she trailed off, struggling to speak.

 

Q knew it was time for a comforting hug. He held her close, letting her cry on his shoulder.

As he rubbed her back, he felt THIS guilty again for keeping her away from Philza for even longer.

 

“Papa Missa, Papa Philza pa-I want my own papa!” she sobbed, looking away.

 

Quackity wished he could do more to ease her worry. It was clear that Tallulah didn't want to keep going in this strange adventure and he couldn't help but feel for her. She was still just a child, after all.

 

 

Quackity felt a lump on his throat and let out a sigh, "Yeah. I'm really sorry for making you feel that way, Chalulah. We'll get home," he said, sounding a bit awkward. It was a weak apology considering he had unintentionally brought themselves back in time with no clear way out... well, except for one small hope for Drista to appear, but that was all they had to hold onto.

 

Quackity was pretty bad at that, but did he ever stop to think that maybe his past selves were equally bad at parenting?

 

After a moment of reflection, Quackity mused, "I always wanted to see my past, but this isn't exactly what I had in mind when we entered the simulation," he said, rubbing Chalulah's back as they gazed up at the sky. 

 

“I'm pretty sure Drista will come to take us back to the center room.” Quackity said and should acknowledge that this young god is doing her job horribly, or she may need to take her own advice later. But she'll deal with that when the time comes.

 

“I think I've got all the information I need here. I might just go back to the old way of remembering my past from that old man," he said with a dry chuckle, getting a nonchalant nod from Tallulah. 

 

He closed his eyes and repeated, "Drista will be here anytime now."

 

As the pair stood in the half-cold air, their hair and wings gently rippling, the calmness offered a brief respite from their worries. It also helped to distract Quackity from his infinite curiosity about the egg.

All of the sudden, a cracking sound pierced the peace.

Tallulah jumped slightly, clinging tighter to Quackity as her tear-stained face showed her fear. "What was that?" she asked.

 

Quackity let out a sigh. "It's either just the wind or we're about to encounter yet another unexpected person who you might know from your server," Part of him wished they could just leave to avoid any more surprises, but another part was curious to see who might be approaching them - even if it wasn't necessarily a good sign. 

 

Q took a deep breath, released the girl from his grip, and looked around the calm forest around him - another concerning sign. 

Nevertheless, he summoned his courage, reminiscent of his past self bravery. 

As they walked, the duck hybrid squinted and spotted a figure among the trees. 

The figure wore a mask with two dots and a curve beneath it. 

Wait…

The mask was eerily similar to the one worn by the God of Chaos. 

 

The figure suddenly turned around to walk away and Quackity blinked in confusion while Tallulah seemed a little concerned.

Could this be Drista, but didn't recognize them? They are finally going to return home!

"Hey, Drista, wait! It's me!" Quackity called out, gesturing for Tallulah to follow him. Tallulah hesitated, unsure if it truly was Drista and the mask was not enough evidence. But she couldn't linger in the forest any longer – she needed to find her papa, and Drista was their only way out.

 

As they ran, Quackity cleared a path, disregarding the splinters that dug into his hands and arms. Finally, they reached a clearing where Drista was alone. Tallulah stayed hidden behind a tree while Quackity caught his breath.

Quackity expressed his relief at finding Drista.

 

But it was short-lived. 

Something seemed off about her...

The figure was tall. She He was cloaked in a long dark-green cloak, completely covering his whole body and hair. 

He had various potions and splash potions attached to the belt of his pants, while a massive axe similar to past!Quackity's weapon loomed menacingly behind him, dull and sharp. 

 

Quackity felt a shiver down his spine as the man, despite his face being hidden, seemed to be staring right at him.

 

The man was sitting on a tree log, likely one he had chopped himself, his fingers intertwined in a suspension way. His stern gaze bore into Quackity like a disappointed teacher scolding a student.

 

This wasn't Drista. Internally facepalming, Quackity turned around and was relieved to see that Tallulah was still hidden behind the trees. Quackity spread a bit of his shirt collar to gulp again but painfully.

 

"I'm sorry, I mistook you for someone else," he muttered, nervously kicking at the dirt with his feet. The masked man remained silent as he stood up from the log and began to move.

 

Quackity debated whether to flee, but decided to take advantage of the last moment of his luck. "Let's not overreact on that one," the duck hybrid suggested but the masked man approached him slowly. Tallulah was watching the scene while chewing on her nails in panic.

Quackity focused intently on the man's face. And with a deep breath, he started to introduce himself.

"Hola! I'm Quackity, the proud owner of Las-"

 

His words were cut off as two strong, large gloved hands gripped his neck tightly. 

 

"NeVaDa-s!" he sorta managed to sputter out.

Seems like Quackity's luck has run out.

The masked man stared at him for a moment before speaking in a venomous yet oddly familiar voice.

 

"Hello again, 'sir' ."

 

Notes:

Tallulah and Quackity to Dream in the end :

Tallulah: What's he doing?
Quackity: Uhh, he's just standing there...menacingly!

 

im back! and here where the main point of story going to start!

Chapter 8: Not even a hard question to figure it out.

 

 

 

Quackity was so drained that he could barely process what the masked man had just said. 

Seriously, t he fuck did he just called him?

As the guy's gloved hands continued to grip his neck tightly, Quackity was more focused on just trying to breathe. "I'm the ow- owneR of-" he attempted to repeat, but he got to be real at this point, this guy was probably trying to kill him! 

 

The grip on his neck loosened slightly, but it still hurt. "Yeah yeah," the masked man said dismissively.

 

The mask inched closer until it almost touched Quackity's nose. The man in the cloak threatened, “The owner of this shitty, worthless country, and today marks your final day in power.” 

 

Quackity, unable to defend his country, looked on in fear and confusion. The masked man's grip tightened around his neck, causing Quackity to struggle to speak. “I-I...I said...I was sor-I SAID–” Quackity tried to speak, but his words were cut by…

The man’s giggles?

"Do you still think your tactics will work on me, Q? Ha, jokes on you!” he exclaimed at Quackity, He then proceeded to tighten his grip on the duck hybrid harder. 

 

Quackity struggled to push away the hands from his neck, this guy might just be one of many who harbored animosity towards him. Despite sensing a threat to his safety, Quackity remained confused by whatever the man was trying to say.

 

“Gotta be real here, there are far worse folks out there - you're a mere amateur when it comes to this,” the man said, releasing his left hand from Q's neck while keeping a tight hold with his right, "I may see you unhinged and insane, but deep down, they know who truly reigns supreme in the art of manipulation."

 

In a mix of confusion and shock, Quackity gazed at the masked man trying to comprehend his words while also attempting to pry the hand clutching his neck away. 

 

The masked man lifted Quackity slightly off the ground, questioning, "What? You actually believe that I'll become a helpless mess when He busts me out of prison and I'll end up living with him like a wet cat, whining about my injuries and my ‘mistakes’ ?” 

 

Despite hearing a sound from the trees, the masked man dismissed it as just a crushed leaf. 

Meanwhile, Tallulah watched in horror and shock, mostly worried about Quackity, covering her mouth with her hands to stifle any noise.

As the masked man turned back to Quackity, he chuckled darkly and said, "That's just a silly fantasy in your head, Quackity." 

 

Quackity realized the man must know him, but what was his past self up to with this guy at that server?

 

“What the fuck are yo-” Quackity couldn’t finish his sentence, the masked man lifted him up and slammed him to the ground, causing excruciating pang in his head. His vision blurred as black spots appeared before everything faded to black.

His nose wrinkled as he swore he could smell the odd liquid. There was also a funny taste in his mouth. 

 

Slowly, he tried to open his eyes, his vision feeling slightly dizzy. He attempted to move, but his arms felt weak and powerless. To his horror, he realized his arms and wings were bound with ropes, his back against a large rock in the forest. 

A massive black building loomed nearby, causing him to widen his eyes in alarm as he awaited what would come next.

 

Perhaps his expectations were exaggerated due to still being in the forest, but that does not diminish the fact that he is tied up because of the masked man he had seen. 

 

The masked man stood staring at him, and Quackity was unsure of whether the man intended to strike fear as his face was covered by a mask. Nonetheless, Quackity could not deny that he heard a soft chuckle emanating from behind the smiling mask. 

 

Quackity struggled to swallow, especially after the man had tightly grabbed his neck earlier. As he attempted to speak, he felt something moist on his chin and noticed wet patches on his shirt. It appeared that the strange man had made him drink something.

 

Then Quackity deemed himself a genius for gazing at a partially empty bottle next to the man, its liquid appearing black and grey. But Quackity IS a genius with a LACK of memory that prevented him from remembering what type of potion it was. 

 

His gaze was still fixed on the bottle until a loud boot stomping abruptly brought him back to reality. Startled, he looked at the man with a combination of fear and confusion, unsure of what the man is going to d-

 

"Rise and shine! Slept well? You sure didn't let me with all the face-slapping until I bled…Back there," said the mask man in a seemingly normal tone that didn't match his off-putting speech. He inched closer to the duck hybrid's face. 

 

Quackity was repulsed by the description but more puzzled than scared as he tried to make sense of the man's cryptic words. 

Was it a reference to his past actions? He couldn't tell. He had never encountered this guy before, and Phil hadn't mentioned him either. The masked man appeared even more menacing than the old man.

Philza…

Tallulah!

 

Quackity was in a state of panic, moving his head left and right frantically in search of his niece, following the pace of a hummingbird. His question was interrupted when a boot was placed on his chest. 

He took a deep breath and met the gaze of the man standing before him. "Earth to Quackity, mind keeping your focus on where it belongs, 'sir' ?" the masked man scolded, emphasizing his point by tapping his boot against Quackity's chest. 

 

Despite the discomfort, Quackity remained focused on...

 

…

Did that masked man just called him Sir?

Maybe…

Maybe Quackity had a sense of what was happening here - the tied arms, the potion, and the…name. 

Quackity felt his cheeks grow red as he let out a nervous giggle, taking an extra big gulp. The masked man tilted his head.

 

Despite the weight of the boot, Quackity managed a somewhat uneasy smile, “Alright-” He quickly looked away, trying to find the right words in this rather… intimate (or possibly matter of life or death) scenario, “Look uhh…You, I would surely do it but I-” he looked away, “I still- I got a call from uh…Karl about this I mean-”

 

He paused and then gasped, “AND IT’S BEEN A WHILE!”

 

The guy with the mask adjusted his head without saying a word. But Quackity kept going, "And I can't make an exception for you! Not yet!" He looked away awkwardly but then pouted his lips, “Hm, maybe after tomorrow,” 

 

Q might get a little nervous when the potion kicks in. He doesn't know when it will happen, but he's not too bothered because... 

Well, he doesn't remember who he lost his virginity to or even when .

Jesus, how many partners past!Quackity have?!  

Quackity was taken by surprise and let out a hiss of pain when the man hit him in the chest again, this time with even more force. 

 

Trying hard to hold back a scream, Quackity bit his lip and grimaced, not even bothering to look at the boot hitting him as he was trying understand what the hell up with this guy’s kink rudeness, his past self better not be a masochist because Quackity doesn't think he know any of this crap or even can handle too much pain. 

 

“Whatever happened between us, Huh, that a s- a nic- nice- cool boot you have,” he slightly chuckled, trying to diffuse the situation despite the discomfort in his chest.

 

The two men just looked at each other in a moment of silence. Quackity, feeling antsy, watched as the masked man finally looked away in disgust, making a dramatic sound. 

As the boot lifted from Quackity's chest, he took a deep breath, thanking Notch for it. 

 

“Oh my god, Quackity you're taking this mind game too far!" the man exclaimed.

 

 

 

So it wasn't that…Quackity felt relieved and slightly disappointed .  

But the truth left him curious about that grey potion. He could only hope it is not fatal.

 

Whistling and gazing up at the sky, he tried to guess again, "Soooooo, the deal with that rope and that sir thi-" But his collar was yanked up again, causing Quackity to grit his teeth and shoot a glare at the man.

 

“Quiet it!” the man yelled, then he dropped Quackity to the ground. Quackity felt not only his arms but also his wings turning pink from the hold of the rope.

 

"Enough with those tricks! Do you really think I'm that easily fooled? Do you think I'll become gullible after what you put me through?" the man cried. 

 

Quackity bit his tongue, torn between speaking up and finding out what his past self had done to anger this man, just like he had with the blood god.

And so, Quackity obliged for any reasons, as long as the man allowed him time to apologize or shout empty apologies that past!Quackity would utter, he was unclear if he was going to show Quackity mercy to search for Tallulah.

 

“Now…” the masked man murmured as he settled on the grass with crossed legs.

Quackity's expression was natural, but he blinked when the man held him closer by grabbing his chin.

 

"Let me tell you a different narrative, Quackity,” he spoke bitterly, causing Quackity's throat to constrict with worry.

 

“Torturing someone doesn't weaken them or make them stupid. On the contrary, it only strengthens and motivates them. It merely adds to my resolve and determination,” the masked man stated with a dangerously shifting tone that eventually turned serene.

Quackity's eyes widened, unsure if he could make sense of the words the man had just spoken, especially with the bad grip on his wings. 

 

Was this man looking to kill him because he had been tortured? Physically or emotionally? Quackity couldn't quite tell, but the strangeness in the cloaked man's voice suggested a deep-seated grudge. 

 

Quackity will curse under his breath if he would truly pay with his life for past actions committed by his former self.

 

What had led his past self to harm this man? Perhaps it was a result of the struggles they had endured together, similar to the hardships faced with Technoblade and Phil. 

 

Before Quackity could delve deeper into these thoughts, the snapping of fingers interrupted his train of thought. 

 

The masked man continued, “Thanks to you, I have discovered a ‘better’ purpose in my immortality and power over life and death. My powers are now known, but that will not hinder me for my real goal, not going to tell it for sure."

 

A power over what?! 

Quackity is certain that this man is just spouting nonsensical ramblings...or perhaps there is a good reason for it. Quacking shook his head in disbelief, believing that no one deserves to be harmed so severely unless they have truly crossed a line. 

 

The idea of 'controlling Death and life' sounded like complete gibberish; perhaps this man simply just went bananas just like these ‘Egg-obsessed bitches’ . 

 

This might be the first third time Q has passed judgment on someone, or perhaps it is a reflection of his past actions. Why did he engage in such despicable behavior before? Are the others here also guilty of wrongdoing, or is it just him?

 

The man then stood up and playfully tapped Quacking on the nose, saying, "Even seeing you breathing doesn't deter me. But that can wait for another time. Now that I'm out of prison, you have no power over me, ducky."

Quackity was quiet but the dread was creeping through him. Suddenly, a bunch of words flooded his mind like TV signals.

‘You deceived Technoblade. You imprisoned him in the Pandora Vault. Left him with Dream to rot for three long months’

 

 

 

Pandora Vault…?

‘If you're here to try and take Techno back to prison , I won't allow it, whether he's here or not’

Wait, the masked guy he facing is Drea-

his thoughts were abruptly cut off by the look of the upsetting weapon.

The masked man, aka Dream had grabbed his axe, holding it menacingly. Quackity stammered in fear, "Uh, w-wait, you're going to kill me?" 

 

"Indeed, but..." Dream raised a finger, using it to tilt Quackity's chin up to meet his gaze behind the mask. "You're lucky that after I kill you now, it will be your last life. And when I do find you, I will haunt you just as you haunted me."

 

Quackity couldn't quite wrap his head around what the man was saying. While his eyes were locked on the man, his thoughts were consumed by the disturbing image of the man's axe cutting him in half like a carrot.

 

Dream chuckled maliciously, "I'll make you scream just like you made me do, but more!" He gripped Quackity's cheeks tightly, adding, "I'll make you wish you were never born, Realizing that you're a monster and you'll be saying sorry until I'm sick of hearing it."

 

“Tat doethn't gife a li-ik of thenthe,”( that doesn't give a lick of sense) Q mumbled, struggling to speak right with Dream's fingers digging into his cheeks.

 

Dream released his grip, giving Quackity a moment to collect his thoughts. Q wasn't sure if this man was just acting out some twisted play or if he was serious about giving him nightmares.

 

He attempted another fake smile, "Well, that was some pretty solid acting, dude. So, uh, can you tell me what you're trying to sa—"

 

"Still trying to trick me, huh?" Dream shouted, stomping his foot in the grass and causing the duck hybrid to jump.

 

Maybe this guy was serious, and Quackity could do nothing but sweat and scream internally.

 

He briefly saw some trees swaying in the background behind Dream, but his focus quickly returned when he noticed the axe being lifted again.

 

"We'll see if you can keep up that trick once…" Dream paused as he raised the axe higher, and Quackity was on the verge of screaming!

"I swing my axe just like you tried to do to Tech—!"

Dream suddenly screamed when he felt someone swiftly fly to his arm and bite him hard, like a cat scratching skin with its nails.

 

 

"What the hell!?" he exclaimed as the axe dropped to the ground. Quackity opened his eyes, thinking he had been sliced in half, but what he saw surprised him.

Tallulah was biting the man's arm in an attempt to protect her guardian. Meanwhile, Dream was hissing in pain. 

 

Quackity may not remember Tallulah very well, but considering their first encounter and adventure, he saw her as a sweet child. 

 

He didn't expect this uncharacteristic act from her. Guess she's both a talented girl and A warrior to boot. 

 

He shook off his thoughts as he quickly made his way to the axe, cutting off both of the ropes with the use of the sharp tip of the weapon.

 

Dream tried to shake the girl off as Tallulah bit down determinedly, yet panicked. "Who is this shit!?" Dream demanded as he lifted the girl by her sweater. Tallulah remained silent, kicking in an attempt to free herself. "Leave Mr. Quackity alone!" she finally spat out,  pleading for Quackity's safety.

 

The masked man seemed taken aback. "Do you know him?" he asked while painfully ignoring the injury on his arm but Tallulah only blew a raspberry.

“Hey, Fucker!”

Dream fell silent as he saw Quackity all free. Q was grabbing his axe, which didn't concern him much since the duck hybrid seemed to be struggling to hold it.

 

"You know this little one, Quackity?" Dream asked, motioning towards the girl.

 

Quackity groaned as he tried to lift the axe with all his might, "Leave my niece out of this! Or else you'll have to deal with the rich brave Quackity from las-" The axe slipped from his grasp and landed on his foot. Despite the fact it was hit by the butt of the blade, the impact still caused him pain.

 

“MOTHERFUCKER!” Quackity screamed in agony as he grabbed his foot, “Shit! shit!shit! How the FUCK past me used that!?" he kept swearing under his breath.

The masked man's laughter echoed in the background.

Dream spat out, "When did you last have someone who actually cares for you to start a family and friends with, Quackity?" He quickly hid the axe behind his back as he tried to keep hold of Tallulah. 

Quackity Gritted his teeth as lunged at Dream in a desperate attempt to kick his ass but Dream expertly evaded each punch and seized Quackity by the collar.

 

Feeling uneasy against Dream, Quackity noticed his own hands were starting to cramp.

 

Maybe this IS the side effect of the potion he had consumed. 

 

"I did not expect any of this so we'll discuss the plan once we reach our destination. If you know where we are even going," Dream smirked behind the mask, gesturing towards the building as Quackity stood speechless and confused.

"Not even a hard question to figure it out," Dream's tone betrays a hint of amusement, much to Quackity's concern. 

 

Glancing worriedly at Tallulah, who was desperately trying to break free from Dream's grasp, Quackity began to realize that they were headed towards the massive building in the distance.

The room, although simply an entrance hall, had a floor made of stones, a few redstone lamps and the ceiling was covered with vines and moss . Inside, there was a portal like the portals he and Tallulah used before but Quackity didn't have much time to know where it would take them. 

Could it be a portal to go back home? 

Quackity dismissed this thought as stupid since this guy is crazy. As Dream approached the portal, Q noticed a new smell emanating from it. It was like the scent of someone burning, or something else entirely.

Tallulah fought to maintain her composure, suppressing her internal panic and fear. Her mind raced, calling out for her father or anyone to help.

"Be Philza, be Wilbur, be Drista, be anyone!" Both of them thought desperately...

 

 

And then both of their visions turned purple.

 

Notes:

Drista : I think I forgot something.
DreamXD :If you forgot, it must not have been important.
Drista : Yeah, you're right.

*Meanwhile Q and Tallulah are possibly about to get killed by Dream*

------------------------------------------

None of them are about to die next chapt btw, stay tuned!
Also we're not talking about Q misinterpreting this murder threat for seducing pls

Chapter 9: They won't get away with this easily.

.

 

..

…

Fortunately for them, no one was on fire, but unfortunately, the situation was much worse than expected.

The air in the room was so thick with heat, it felt like they had stepped into the nether or something. It almost seemed like they were in that biome, even though the building was sturdy and well-built. However, they couldn't ignore the fact that the air was becoming uncomfortably hot, causing sweat to bead on Q's forehead.

 

He let out a grunt as he wiped his forehead, jokingly asking, "Are you planning to cook us or what?"

 

While it may not have been Quackity's actual thought that they were going to be served up as someone's dinner, he couldn't shake off the feeling of unease about what this masked individual had in store for them.

 

Dream didn't respond as he continued to drag them along, and the chilly, unfamiliar ground felt rough against Q's back. Quackity's dread grew as well, "I'm a duck hybrid like I get it, that ‘revenge your enemy by literally eating their heart’ way you get in, man. But I'm not a tasty one and I'm too thin and bleh," he waffled, giving up on trying to remove the gloved hand gripping his collar hours ago.

 

Looking over at the other person, Tallulah mirrored his anxiety, desperately trying to shake off the man's hold on her sweater to no avail. She felt tears welling up in her eyes, but she fought bravely to stay composed, despite being just a child pleading to return home to her parents. The uncertainty of their situation weighed heavily on both of them.

 

Quackity shuddered and threw a look at Dream, trying to outsmart him somehow, "Don't you want to find out what drag- ah Bats hybrid meat contains? Are you absolutely sure you want it? Not worrying if there's poison?"

 

Dream groaned and shook Quackity by the collar, "Cut it out. And no, I'm not going to eat either of you. Do I look like a witch, Quackity?"

 

The weight of fear lifted slightly for Quackity and Lullah, like a drop of water in a bucket. But that didn't make the situation any less daunting.

 

"Yeah," the duck hybrid nodded. He couldn't help but notice the many torches and lanterns illuminating the walls of the room.

 

It didn't make matters any better that this place is starting to look like a boiling pot.

 

Quackity figured it was time for a breather from all the questioning, but his mind was like a maze with the exit being the meaning behind everything and this guy's story. As he over thought this, Quackity couldn't contain his laugh at the thought of Dream claiming he could...control immortality? Yeah, something about death or some bardo shit. 

 

Quackity felt his butt starting to itch from the ground, “I mean, you said that you are…into life and death stuff, and that's definitely something a witch, wizard or even a scientist would be into, right? Something like Frankenstein?”  

 

The masked man stopped walking, Quackity and Tallulah stared at him for a moment, the masked man then chuckled however, “Huh, coming from you,” 

 

Quackity raised his eyebrow in confusion at him. Like, what does he mean by that?

 

“Considering that old tale, if you had made it, your stupid ‘friends’ could've just burned you down on fire,” 

 

Quackity was itching to sock that guy in the face for saying such a disrespectful thing to his crew…

Correction, his past self's crew. 

 

But he couldn't shake off how perplexing the man's words were, and he found himself at a loss. He couldn't recall what the issue was, and he knew better than to jeopardize himself over some complicated beef with this guy from his past. It's probably best not to stir up trouble or put himself at risk over it.

 

“Mr.Quackity” Upon hearing Tallulah call his name, Quackity turned towards her. Unsure if she was signaling him to stop talking and making things worse, or pointing out something else, he quickly shifted his gaze away from Dream's leg. 

 

As he did so, he realized the source of the heat in the area they were in. The area consisted of a vast expanse of lava, with two buildings situated within it. One building was where they stood, adjacent to a block separating it from the other structure. The second building, constructed of obsidian, appeared to be partially covered and surrounded by lava, or so it appeared to Quackity.

 

Dream suddenly ceased walking, causing Quackity to turn and observe him facing…someone else standing against a wall with arms crossed. 

 

This individual had bright white hair, sky-blue eyes, a white hoodie, and a chain around his neck. Hidden behind his back were an axe and a sword, with a belt full of potions similar to Dream's, including some mysterious green circled objects that Quackity couldn't identify.

 

Dream motioned towards the two, prompting the hooded figure to turn and glance at Tallulah with confusion. However, when his eyes met Quackity's, a slight smirk played on his lips, leaving Quackity unsure of the meaning behind that in relation to Dream or the situation at hand, increasing his fear much more.

 

The hooded man snatched the shiny circled objects and tossed them to Dream before retreating against the wall and then gestured with two fingers, pointing to his own eyes and then to Quackity's.

 

Dream's right hand firmly grasped the objects, which was the same hand that had held Quackity's collar just hours before, causing Q’s head to nearly hit the ground. Coughing from the oppressive heat, Quackity felt the urge to run, but Dream still had Talluah in his other hand. With the menacing man with the chain ready to strike at any moment, Quackity knew he couldn't move without risking harm to himself or his niece.

 

Peering over the edge of the building, Quackity saw the sea of the angry lava below.

 

Tallulah, scared as a cat, gazed at the lava and the masked man. She was so startled that she couldn't even speak properly. When she noticed the circles - or more like EYES - she blinked and stuttered, her fear growing. "Quackity, don't- yo-" she tried to warn him, but her words came out jumbled. 

 

"Close your eyes!" Quackity turned to look at her, confused. Suddenly, Dream threw an ender pearl into an obsidian block and grabbed Quackity's collar in the blink of an eye. Quackity tried to turn his head, but before he could react, he was teleported away. 

 

Tallulah closed her eyes as the three disappeared at the same time. When they reappeared in the block, Quackity was shocked and panicked at how quickly it had happened. Fortunately, it didn't cause any harm to both of them in the process.

Dream turned to face the white hooded man as he gave him a salute, and the man responded with the same gesture, but his expression remained stoic. The white hooded man walked over to a lever and pulled it, causing a sound of liquid to echo through the room. 

 

Quackity and Talluah turned to see the lava door on the building rising, revealing a hidden room.

 

The room was cold, thanks to its obsidian walls, but on the other side, the wall closest to the lava was hot. Inside, there was a bed, a sink, an empty cauldron (Is he sure he's not gonna eat them?) , chests, and Brewing Stands. 

 

The tables were covered with various weapons, papers, and signs attached to the walls with messages written on them. 

 

In one corner, there is an odd pot with a single poppy flower inside.

 

Dream swiftly tossed another pearl as they warped to this room, but the rush of teleporting caused one of Talluah's always ironic features to go away. Tallulah let out a little yelp and reached out to grab it, but alas, it was already too late. 

 

The beanie slipped from her grasp and plunged into the lava, changing it from a lovely-made gift from her former father into a burnt mess and then nothing.

Upon entering the room, Q was immediately embraced by Tallulah and noticed the tension in her body. Sure they both had no clue what this guy and this room was all about, but there was something funny about the books and various items.

 

Quackity noticed Tallulah's crestfallen expression. Before he could even ask, the room swiftly sealed shut, the same wall of lava blocked the exit.

 

“You ugly bitch!” 

 

Quackity was startled by Dream's call. He quickly pulled Tallulah close to his chest, running his hand through her hair. His expression was empty, but filled with fear deep inside.

"Remember this place? Of course you do, little rat," Dream said , gesturing around the room before moving his hands behind his back.

Quackity wanted to deny it, but kept his mouth shut to avoid getting caught.

Dream turned away, pointing to the bookshelves, chests, and pictures of swords. He grabbed a quill and a bottle of ink, scratching a line on a list of names on a large piece of paper. 

As he put down the quill he turned back to Quackity, he then chuckled, "You'll be surprised to know that I've been living here ever since I broke out."

Quackity only raised an eyebrow at him. 

"Have you ever truly felt what it's like to have a home? A place where you go through your toughest days, one tears your emotions apart. But in the end, that is what you call a 'home sweet home’ " Dream's voice was a mix of frustration and bitterness, emanating from beneath the snugly-fitted mask on his face.

 

Quackity gave him a judgmental look wondering who would choose to live in such a bizarre and dangerous place. It seemed more for prisoners than for any sane person.

Prisoners…

Could this be the Pandora vault!? The same place where his past self attempted to imprison the anarchist?!

 

Why would a prisoner trapped in Pandora's vault, actually choose to return and live in that prison? It doesn't make much sense!

 

Quackity let out a yelp as Dream suddenly grabbed his wings tightly. “Mr. Quackity!” Tallulah screamed, trying to reach out to him. But when she saw the masked man glaring at her guardian, she stopped in her tracks and sat back, watching in fear.

 

Dream lifted Quackity into the air by the wings and then grabbed his head, moving him to look to the other side of the room. 

 

“Do you see that spot?!” the masked man asked confoundedly, pointing to an empty space in the room. Quackity squinted his eyes and could swear he saw a puddle of dried red fluids there. Could it be- Quackity shook his head, unsure of what the masked man was trying to say.

 

Before he could finish his thought, Dream brought himself close to Quackity's face, the smiling mask looking oddly cute despite the stern voice coming from it."That's the same spot where you left me to rot," Dream added furiously.

 

Rot …oh yeah, that...Quackity was trying to remember what past!Philza had said about the prison. Sure he had imprisoned both Techno and that other dude but he can’t remember why.

 

Quackity wasn't sure if he should be freaking apologizing for it now. After all, he used to be the guy responsible for their imprisonment! 

 

Maybe he could have just left them there over time. But hearing Dream's exasperation in his voice, he realized he's totally off base. He needed to remember that his past self wasn't all that great... At least past!Quackity was still rich and sexy, right?

 

Nevertheless, the responsibility for apologizing should have fallen on Past Him. Quackity cannot continue to act as a proxy for apologizing to those he has hurt in his previous life, especially considering that he had already prepared an apology letter to Sa-

Suddenly, Dream moved and forcefully shoved Quackity against a wall, causing Tallulah to jump in shock and her concern to escalate. 

 

"This is the same wall you pushed me against while filling my mind with lies," Dream said, hitting the duck hybrid into the unforgiving stone surface. Quackity winced as his wings felt twitching against the cold wall.

 

Quackity attempted to speak, but as Dream pulled him away from the wall, Quackity realized he was being led towards a sink filled with water. 

 

"This is where you made me suffocate," Dream hissed, switching his grip from Quackity's wings to his head. Quackity was momentarily confused before feeling his head being forced under the water in the sink.

 

Dream held Quackity's head beneath the water with both hands, Q's anguished cries muffled by the liquid, his wings flapping quickly. Dream then lifted Quackity's head temporarily, making him gasp for air before forcefully submerging him once more, causing him to ingest the frigid water repeatedly. 

 

Tallulah gasped at the scene as she sprinted toward the masked man, pleading, “No! Stop it, please! He's not the Quackity you know! Please!” She clenched his cloak tightly, begging him to stop harming the duck hybrid. 

 

“Still the same cold water, huh? How does it feel?” Dream exclaimed as he lifted Quackity's head from the water one last time, causing Quackity to cough and shiver from the sudden chill, his wet black hair covering his eyes. 

 

Dream chuckled as he released Quackity's head, causing him to fall to the ground and continue coughing, wiping the frozen water from his face and pushing the wet strands of hair away from his eyes. Tallulah released her grip on the cloak and rushed to Quackity, patting his back. 

 

“I could have ended your second life there, but you should've seen your face,” Dream snickered, a smirk behind his mask, looking at a drenched Quackity.

 

Tallulah glanced at Quackity with concern, and as she brushed a strand of hair away from his eyes, she saw his eyes widen. 

 

Quackity was shocked and puzzled…But also somewhat grasped the fact that the masked man was extremely upset with him because of his past actions, he really had just tortured and threatened him. But…did past!Quackity really has done those bad things, or was the masked man just trying to be a lying jerk and hurt Quackity for no good reason? 

 

Dream observed the two as he turned to face the flower pot, humming to himself as he poured some water from a tiny watering can.

 

Tallulah shifted her gaze from Quackity to Dream, feeling a mix of fear and confusion at his current act. 

 

Putting down the can, Dream turned around and rested his hands on the table, he crossed one leg over the other. "Honestly, it's kind of funny how I never planned for Sam to build this prison where I'd end up locking all of you in in the first place. But enough about that for now, right?" he said, walking towards the duo. 

 

Quackity's ear perked up when he heard that big guy’s name mentioned as he gazed at Dream. He didn't know Sam very well, maybe only like 10%, and he hadn't gotten much info about him besides knowing Bad, Ponk and Wilbur . That big guy must be the one who built this massive complex. He gotta give it to them, with everything they witnessed, it's hard to deny that the Pandora appears impressive but unsafe.

 

"And to add on..." Dream moved closer to Quackity. Tallulah held onto Quackity tightly again. Dream put his arms behind his back. "Since this person seems important to you," he gestured towards the girl with his head, "I will try to kill her-"

 

Tallulah gasped, hugging Quackity tighter and shaking her head quickly as her eyes began to water. Quackity's stomach dropped as he gave Dream a fierce glare, no way he’s gonna let this guy even put a single finger on the angel of death’s child.

 

Dream, however, gestured with his hands to ease the situation. "Technically, I am not actually going to let her die permanently. I will make her just suffer a little, just as you attempted to do to me. I have a role for you, so don't worry," he chuckled as he whispered, "You will beg for her mercy like a dog wishing no harm for her puppies,"

 

As if this does not ease anything ever! In fact, it made Quackity even more scared but he glared as he stood up, shielding Tallulah with his wings.

 

Dream observed the duo's interaction in silence, circling around them as the duck hybrid instinctively shielded Tallulah. But Quackity wasn't wavering in brav- no! He's as fearless as ever, holding onto that spirit from his past self. He's determined to protect the girl he's come to see as his first friend since losing his memories. 

 

Sacrifices are overrated to him. Beyond everything, there's still soooooo much left for him to discover and learn about his former lives. Dying is definitely not on his agenda yet - he doesn't even know how many times he's died and...reincarnated?

 

"Until you see how bad and shitty you were," Dream vulgarly pointed out, making Quackity squirm. "You are a bad person with no excuses. I have my reasons, and what about you? You have nothing! You're Just pure selfishness and the definition of the entire fucking circus!" Dream insisted, making Quackity look away silently. It wasn't just fear that kept Quackity quiet, but also the undeniable truth in Dream's words. 

 

Perhaps there was some ‘truth’ to it, considering Quackity was still trying to piece together his past actions on the server. Quackity didn’t even know half of what went down there. Maybe his past self did have its reasons, but who really knows.

 

Dream appeared to enjoy Quackity’s reaction, always hoping it would be that way. He turned his back, sliding down in a chair and intertwining his fingers. "And don't get me wrong, Q. You've always seemed so desperate about my book and my power," he said, turning his face towards a book. Quackity, confused, did the same. 

 

"Maybe I was so rude to you back then. I should've ‘behaved’ better," Dream continued, setting aside a couple of Brewing Stands to reveal a book with a large cover on it, appearing slightly awful-looking and seemingly stained with dry blood. "On second thought," he spoke with a sharper tone.

 

Dream gripped the book tightly and rose from his chair, shouting, “I thought I could be nice to you, but now you'll see how it works just like I did to Tommy and Wilbur!”

 

Quackity blinked in confusion, unable to find words to respond to the masked man's cryptic statements. He couldn't even begin to understand or come up with a plausible excuse. This man seemed fixated on life and death, and who the fuck is Tommy and Wi-

Oh, mierda...

Quackity bit his lip, looking over at Tallulah. Her face was frozen in shock.

 

Did that man just mention Wilbur? her-

“He knows my Dad,” Tallulah whispered to Quackity, her eyebrow raised at his discomfort. Quackity sighed, as much as he wants to tell her about what Sam really said, he knows it's not the right time.

"I'm not really sure what kind of hybrid she's supposed to be, a bat you mentioned? I find it unbelievable,” he hummed, “But she does seem easy to kill and revive over time, like I said before, she won't be dead for long," Dream said, his tone mocking and cruel, causing Tallulah to look pale. Quackity, on the other hand, was speechless, his expression shifting between protection and great confusion.

 

"That's right, you worthless piece of shit," Dream sneered as he set down the book and twirled his axe in his hand, "You'll watch her keep coming back to life and dying over and over until you're on your knees-"

 

Quackity shook his head, "Hey, slow your rolls. I don't want to interrupt your evil plans But what was that last part about me and the revival?"

 

Tallulah shot a disdainful look towards Quackity for asking this question since they are in a serious danger right now, though she couldn't fault him for his confusion. She was just as lost as he was about what the masked man meant by ‘revive’ them. 

 

Also, it's probably their last shot to ask about Tallulah's dad, and it's almost within reach. 

 

Dream looked at Quackity and couldn't help but chuckle quietly, shaking his head. "Tsk tsk, still a terrible liar, Quackity. I might have to set your pants on fire if you want my help fixing your lies," he said with a hint of pleasant sarcasm.

"Pretending you don't know shit at all is an old type of manipulation for me. I remember discussing a similar plan before," he pointed out sarcastically. "However, I realized it was a bit too foolproof, so I decided to scrap that one. Probably for later since I'm pretty busy with ya." His tone sounded threatening towards the duck hybrid.

 

Quackity is feeling lost in the situation. He doesn't know how to handle it because he can't just tell the masked guy that he doesn't remember him. And even if he could, he knows the guy probably wouldn't listen. It's frustrating for Quackity because he doesn't even recognize this guy, yet he's about to get killed for something he can't even recall doing.

Maybe that's enough hoodwinking for now on…

With a heavy sigh, Quackity gave up.

 

"You know what? You're not going to hurt me or something. And you wanna know why?" He said as he stand up, casting a nervous glance toward Tallulah. Despite the worry weighing on him, he mustered up a hopeful smile as he turned his attention to Dream.

“I'm not pretending I don't know shit,” Quackity began in a serious manner. 

 

He took a deep breath. The masked man continued staring at him, either waiting for him to spill the beans or listening to his pathetic ‘lies’ . But Quackity clenched his fists, trying to remain composed. 

“I actually have no idea who you are,” 

After saying that, Quackity took another deep breath, realizing he had more to say. 

 

Dream growled, “What the hell are you saying?” 

 

Quackity snarled and closed his eyes, and let it all out, hoping for it to be over.

“I'm saying that I can't remember anything! I don't know who I am! I have no memories of what I've done to you, or anyone else for that matter!”

Q really wished the masked man would just take off that dim mask so he could see his expression. It was frustrating to have him just staring blankly, not seeming convinced or even paying attention. The room was so quiet that Quackity couldn't help but bite his lip nervously and furrow his brow in fear. But he still held onto a small glimmer of hope that he had convinced the man.

 

That hope shattered when he overheard Dream mutter a curse under his breath. 

"Bullshit," 

Dream then tightened his grip on his axe, looking like he was ready for the kill. Q gritted his teeth, trying to argue his case, but it seemed like Dream wasn't having any of it. Come on, the evidence was right there in front of them! 

 

Maybe it was the stupid mask that was throwing him off! Quackity thought sarcastically.

“I'll show you what's bullshit! Did you not notice my eye?" Quackity gestured dramatically to his left eye, where the red line had long faded. "I no longer bear the scar, and I'm sure you all recognize that the true Quackity would still have it! You've picked the wrong person to try and take down, dipshit!" he exclaimed, praying that Dream wouldn't just brush off the truth by saying his scar magically healed or something since Past!Philza seemed to be the one who said that before.

 

Unfortunately, Dream did that, he simply rolled his head as a way of rolling eyes and replied, "That's irrelevant. Wounds heal, your scar heal and it's not the same as the ones you inflicted on me, mine are taking a little longer anyway."

Quackity shot a look at the man, only to take a step back when he saw Dream was about to take off the green cloak. The body was now partially visible, revealing a short blond hair with gray-white strands. The man was wearing a black sleeveless turtleneck, showing off some muscles and scars—Quackity couldn't help but notice Dream was kinda hot- Focus, Quackity!

 

Dream's arms appeared weak, with faded scars and scratches. As Dream moved his arms closer, Quackity hesitated, glancing at Tallulah. She had her hand clasped over her mouth, eyes wide with shock. Quackity swallowed hard and examined Dream's arm, spotting some gnarly scars that seemed to be healing but still looked rough. 

 

There were a couple of other old scars that appeared to be from axe whips - it must be from the same axe Q encountered in his past self's room, there was no doubt about it!

 

As Dream took off the glove from his hand, there was a tiny, almost healed scar that seemed distinct from the rest - it looked like an one with a ":]" etched into it. It made Quackity's blood run cold. 

Did his past self do all that to this guy too?!

 

  

Dream wore back his glove as he pushed Quackity away, he crossed his arms and tilted his head, "And if you don't remember, how exactly do you know the deal of that nasty scar?"

 

Tallulah covered her face, sensing that things were about to go south. Her fingers fidgeted nervously, whether from the room's heat or just pure fear.

 

Quackity groaned, “Are you kidding me!?” He initially opened his mouth to explain, but closed it upon realization that he's in fact unsure of how to phrase it. How could he possibly convey to the masked man that he had come from the ‘future’ and unintentionally traveled back in time through a terribly-made portal?

 

Coughing into his hand, Quackity tried to explain, "Look, it's a long story and-" 

 

Dream grabbed his collar one last time, "And I'm uninterested in hearing it." Dream growled under his breath as he tossed Quackity against the obsidian floor like a sack of potatoes, causing him to yelp. Tallulah gasped and moved to help, but Dream blocked her path.

“This isn't going to work at all,” Dream said, turning to face Quackity.

 

“Does your crew besides Sam, Bad, and the guards know about this, Quackity?” Dream scoffed and clenched his fists, while Quackity looked back, trying to stand up and rubbing his arm.

 

Dream then chuckled darkly, “I found Sam here in Pandora before, imprisoned for his ‘righteous deeds’ . I had a word with him and got rid of him,” he walked over to the tables, and Quackity watched as the masked man grabbed a large trident from the chest.

 

Quackity widened his eyes at the sight of the trident, his brain struggling to make sense of what Dream was saying. Sam being a part of this conversation just didn't add up.

The dragon hybrid stood up suddenly and ran to Quackity, but before she could even do anything, Dream swooped in and blocked her again, grabbing her by the wings. 

 

"Let me go, please! And leave Quacki- leave him alone!" she squealed, kicking her legs. Dream seemed to get annoyed by her protests as he set her down next to the table with the flower pot on top. Quackity growled by the whole situation, but for now, he just had to sit back and listen.

 

Dream was twirling the trident in his hand like a toy as he continued.

 

"And by getting rid of him, I meant that I ensure he never steps foot in the pandora vault ever again," he giggled as he placed the trident in the chest.

 

As he approached Quackity, Dream whispered, "I highly doubt he would risk coming to your rescue. Face it, you two are not exactly buds. Your ‘teamwork’ was a failure."

 

Quackity's eyes widened more at this revelation, Dream then growled, "Are you trying to lead your crew to kill me? You need to stop imagining the impossible, Quackity." He walked to grab his axe, and Quackity panicked, "Dream, wait! You're doing it all wrong, I can help you find the real Quackity so you can finish the job! Please!"

 

Suddenly, Dream screamed, "Please?! Please what?!" He ran his hand through his hair, looking like a madman as he exclaimed, "You know what I used to call you when you made me under your control!?"

 

Quackity insisted, "Oh my god, I told you, I can't rememb-" Unfortunately, Dream tapped his finger on Quackity's chest, repeating firmly, "Bull... Shit," while gripping his axe tightly.

Tallulah's eyes bulged in shock as she spied the menacing axe aimed at her guardian. Mr. Quackity is about to meet his end and she needs to act fast! 

 

Biting her nail nervously, she scanned the room for a solution. Maybe she could use all her strength to push the man into the lava, like the witch who got pushed into the hot oven in the story . But as she considered her options, she realized she wasn't strong enough for such a bold move. She needed to think quickly.

 

Dream raised the axe higher, the glow of the lava illuminating both himself and Quackity as he chuckled, "Before anyone comes to take this brat from me, there's one thing I must achieve," 

Quackity stepped back, realizing there was no escape. He looked at Tallulah, feeling a sense of desperation as he closed his eyes, praying for a miracle to save him.

 

Tallulah panicked, grinding her teeth, until suddenly she spotted the flower pot on the table... 

The poppy looked pretty beautiful…

An idea sparked in her mind... 

She had always wondered if there would ever be a chance or moment to do it …

Her logical side told her it will be impossible, but her instinct to save her guardian's life urged her on. 

With a deep breath, she closed her eyes.

Dream chuckled again, ready to strike, "I'll see you in 'ass nevad-ass,' Q!"

Just as Dream was about to strike, he felt his boot unexpectedly hit something, causing him to lose his balance and fall onto the obsidian floor, his axe tumbling down with him. 

Quackity had been covering his face, but he uncovered it to witness the scene, stifling a giggle as he saw Dream stumble. 

 

Both Dream and Quackity turned around, only to spot a large stem protruding from Dream's pot. The stem was overflowing with leaves and small poppies. It must have been what caused the masked man to trip.

 

Another thing that caught their attention was Tallulah touching one of the leaves sprouting from the pot. Her eyes were glowing without her pupils, causing the two men to stare at her in stunned silence. 

 

One minute later, Tallulah gasped and released her grip on the plant, causing her eyes to revert back to normal. However, the plant remained unchanged. She stepped back as she observed what happened.

"Why you Little!" Dream cracked his knuckles in anger but Quackity pushed him off, "holy hell!" He cursed as he hurried over to the dragon hybrid. 

Dream was about to throw a punch but paused, realizing he had something better up his sleeve. He reached into his pants pocket and pulled something out. 

"Since when and How did you do that?!" Quackity asked Tallulah as he hugged her, checking for any injuries. Q felt funny knowing how much he became protective of this little girl, whether for fear of seeing a child get hurt or for Philza going berserk. And why didn't Philza mention that Tallulah not only was a dragon but also had superpowers?! 

 

Tallulah was unable to process her emotions or even to explain as she gazed at the plant and then at her hands. "I-," she hesitated, looking at Quackity, "I don't know?" 

 

Quackity raised an eyebrow, surprised that she could exhibit a power she didn't even know she had. For any kind of dragon hybrid, controlling plants was not a typical ability for her kind. 

 

"I always thought dragons were known for breathing fire," Quackity remarked. Tallulah shrugged in response, "Papa said I'm a dragon, but he also said I'd have ability of my own. I never imagined I could do this!" The shock of her newfound power made it difficult for her to smile.

 

"This is sick!" Q exclaimed with a mix of awe and amazement, causing Tallulah to chuckle softly. As they both got up, Quackity turned to Dream and was surprised to see him standing dangerously close to the lava wall. But what caught his attention the most was what Dream was holding in his hands.

"Is that yours too, Quackity?" Dream asked, a mischievous tone evident even behind his mask.

Quackity squinted to see what Dream was referring to, but his eyes widened in shock when he finally saw it... or rather, them.

Dream was holding the ring he had found in Las Nevadas, along with the letter that Quackity had thought of writing when he and Tallulah were in Karl's library. It was the letter he had considered writing as a sort of 'apology' to his ex-fiancée for his past behavior.

 

Quackity penned the letter with thoughts of dropping it off in the library if he didn't have to bring Tallulah to L'Manberg. He used to believe he could still find a way to send the letter in time.

Q began to search through his pockets in a hurry while Tallulah watched him anxiously. He sifted through his shirt but couldn't find it. The letter was really in Dream's hands now. 

 

And when did Dream even find it, along with the ring? Was it when Dream had thrown Quackity off and knocked him out? Did Dream even bother to read it?!

"I remember how much Sapnap adores you and how much he cares for me, but it feels like those times are long gone now, you know? Everything has changed," Dream exclaimed, gripping the letter and the ring tightly as if they were treasures.

 

Quackity nervously bit his lip and took a step back, silently pleading with Dream not to toss the items into the lava. It seemed inevitable that Dream would do it anyway.

 

"Y- you know him too?" Quackity asked incredulously, It's no longer a secret that people in this server knows about past!Qauckity love affairs, but Quackity definitely didn't expect this masked man to be so well-informed about one of his exes and even used to be friends with one of them.

 

Ignoring Quackity's question, Dream continued to glare at the ring. "Oh, I've spoken to him as well, and he's not pleased. Even though we're no longer brothers, he still wants your blood for what you did to me. He despises you with all his might now," Dream stated coldly.

Quackity stepped back further, placing his hand in Tallulah's hair. Tallulah seized his arm, trying to offer comfort, but Quackity's eyes revealed a mixture of confusion and disbelief. He shook his head and Dream misunderstood, continuing with his threat, "Oh, did I mention that I plan to make you say sorry until I grow tired?"

 

Quackity avoided facing him, prompting Dream to add, "Even if Sapnap were to read this letter with the biggest stomach, he would still hold onto the same hatred. No matter how 'sorry' you claim to be..." he gestured with two fingers, mimicking quotation marks, "He will continue to despise you like a blazing fire...literally, for what you've done to everyone, including me."

 

Q glared at him, interjecting, "But you said you two aren't brothers any-"

 

Dream screamed, “Quackity! Do you truly believe that because he still views me as the villain and holds onto that promise , he will brush things off and praise your redemption?!”

 

A pregnant silence lingered between them as Quackity grappled with his thoughts. Uncertain of what to say, he couldn't help but wonder if his past mistakes were truly beyond redemption. While he acknowledged that his past self had been a total jerk, could traveling to the past be the key to not only recognizing his past, but also fixing them? Maybe his past self deserved a second chance, and this letter was holding the key to fixing his affairs with his ex-husbands. 

It could've fixed his relationship with that Sapnap!

 

Despite wanting to speak, Quackity remained silent, while Dream chuckled and removed the ring from the letter.

 

"Your redemption…” Dream muttered, holding the letter tantalizingly close to the deadly lava. “Is an one measly death," 

 

He inched the letter even closer, saying, "Consider this the last reminder of him that you'll ever have, once you lose something he gave you, you won't even remember him anymore. Enjoy the show, Quackity!"

 

The letter was on the verge of burning as Quackity shouted "No!"

 

.

 

..

 

…

 

….

Out of nowhere, a shrill scream filled the cell, causing the three individuals to jump in surprise. Tallulah let out a yelp and frantically rubbed her ear, instinctively shutting her eyes at the sound of the scream.

 

Dream moved the letter aside, waving it away to prevent it from catching fire.

 

"Ugh! Now what?" Dream groaned, growing tired of his plans being constantly interrupted no matter how close he was to achieving them. Each time he was so close to do it, even without the long teasing, something always managed to cut him off. 

 

The scream eventually faded, making Dream stop and turn towards the lava, while Quackity kept his eyes fixed on the ring and the letter.

 

"Punz, what's going on?" Dream called out, receiving no response.

 

"Punz?!" Dream yelled again, and Quackity noticed the concern in his voice rather than anger. Dream must be referring to the guy with the chain without a doubt.

…

 

..

.

A ping sound interrupted the three of them, causing them all to fall silent. Tallulah began to worry, asking, "What was that?"

 

"Undoubtedly a death message," Dream whispered as he placed the letter into the ring on his left hand and reached into his pocket with his free hand. He pulled out a communicator, similar to the one Quackity 'received' from Philza but older and partially broken.

 

Dream gazed at the communicator in silence as Quackity and Tallulah tilted their heads in unison, eager to know what was happening.

 

"Wha...the hell?" Dream muttered softly, bewildered and shocked by the sudden appearance of a bizarre and unsettling message on the screen.

>> Punz has been slain by u̷̬̩̰̫͕̘͎̔́̃̄̍͋̓ǹ̷̨͍̮̥̹̘͙̗̻̬̬̜̥̮̃̒̈́̽͗̿̍̄̂̏͆͠͝i̶̡̹͈͎̳̞͙͖̾̂̀͑̀͆̑̓̽̉͐͘͘ͅd̶̡̲̗̼̮̤̤̳̲͖͓͍͔͓̓̎̽́̽̏̐͂̆͆͘͘͘ë̸͓̮͉͈͇͍̖͎̩̞͈́́́̋̇̾͋̈́̾͆͑͘͘͜͠͝ǹ̷̨͍̮̥̹̘͙̗̻̬̬̜̥̮̃̒̈́̽͗̿̍̄̂̏͆͠͝t̸̫̫̤͕̳̻̰̣̭́̌̉͝ͅ0̴̛̫̪̯̺̭̻̭͖̲̮͓̋̉̀̑͗̃̌͠ͅi̶̡̹͈͎̳̞͙͖̾̂̀͑̀͆̑̓̽̉͐͘͘ͅf̵̢̻͈̫̬̻͔̘̞͈̆̇̍̈̌͊ͅi̶̡̹͈͎̳̞͙͖̾̂̀͑̀͆̑̓̽̉͐͘͘ͅë̸͓̮͉͈͇͍̖͎̩̞͈́́́̋̇̾͋̈́̾͆͑͘͘͜͠͝d̶̡̲̗̼̮̤̤̳̲͖͓͍͔͓̓̎̽́̽̏̐͂̆͆͘͘͘ p̴̩͙̺̩͓̣͈͖̎ͅl̶̬̞͎̖͉̹̝͕̝͖̣̉͆ǎ̴̯̀͠0̴̛̫̪̯̺̭̻̭͖̲̮͓̋̉̀̑͗̃̌͠ͅy̶͔͗ë̸͓̮͉͈͇͍̖͎̩̞͈́́́̋̇̾͋̈́̾͆͑͘͘͜͠͝r̵̡͕͈͚͍͍̼͕̍̀̈́̽̎̍͗̍́̏̚͜͠

Dream muttered in disbelief, "It has to be this way because it's broken." 

 

Quackity observed genuine concern getting in Dream's voice. Dream turned back to the lava and called out, "Punz! Can you hear me?" But all that greeted him was silence.

..

 

…

 

….

 

…..ˢᵂᴱᴺ ᴰᴬᴮ ᵁᴼʸ ᴱⱽᴵᴳ ᴼᵀ ᴱⱽᴬᴴ ᴵ

Quackity shook his head, feeling like he heard some words but couldn't make them out. He rubbed his ear, thinking there might still be a bit of water inside.

 

Tallulah noticed and was about to ask, "Are you okay, Mr. Smilin-"

The lava wall of the cell opened, though it opened slowly. Dream fell quiet when it happened, believing it could be Punz opening it...

 

However, when the lava wall fully raised, it was not Punz. What they saw truly shocked all three of them.

A group of unfamiliar individuals stood on the obsidian block, their faces appearing identical as if they had been cloned. Their faces were pure white, resembling masks like Dream's, but empty. Despite this, their white bodies and hands were with black claws, hinted that these were not mere masks. Some even bore traces of blood, a detail that enraged Dream. All sported matching yellow helmets, vests, and belts, giving the impression they were preparing to construct something.

 

Quackity, feeling just as shocked as Dream, he then observed Tallulah beginning to shake but hesitated to inquire just yet.

 

Dream, on the verge of screaming, clenched his fists as he approached the cell's edge and faced the group, "Who are you peop-"

Suddenly, a loud noise echoed, causing Tallulah to jump and embrace Quackity. Quackity's heart raced as he peered closer at Tallulah and Dream.

The masked figure remained silent, looking down. Dream initially thought he had been struck by an arrow, but upon closer looking, he realized it was a dart.

 

Suddenly feeling dizzy, Dream stuttered, "PeeEw- I m- noot homlas-" before collapsing to the ground, causing his comm, The letter and the ring to fall.

 

Quackity used the opportunity to grab the ring and put it on his finger, ensuring it wouldn't be lost. However, as he reached for the letter, he noticed Tallulah's terrified expression.

 

Perhaps Quackity should shift his focus to figuring out what is that group and who exactly have tranquilized Dream, but as he turned to face the group, this only heightened his surprise. 

The group moved slightly aside to reveal two figures who stood out from the rest. Unlike the others, these two were dressed in black suits and wore masks, but unlike Dream's mask, these were cute-looking animal masks - one a yellow duck with a red bow on their suit, and the other a white bunny with a red tie. 

 

The one with the bunny mask was holding a gun in their hand, likely the one who shot the dart at Dream. Quackity couldn't determine if these individuals were allies or not, as something about them seemed off. Were they from the DSMP server? Tallulah's reaction to their presence did not seem favorable, raising more questions for Quackity. Are they part of this server or something else entirely?

 

The two figures in suits suddenly appeared in the cell, possibly using ender pearls, but Quackity was unsure about it.

 

"Uhh..." Quackity stared at the masked individuals, glancing at Dream's unconscious body and back at them. He then felt Tallulah hiding behind him. Turning to her in confusion, she appeared scared. Before he could ask, Tallulah spoke through gritted teeth, "I know them, they are not from here!" Her voice filled with fear, causing Quackity to blink.

 

Right as he was turning around, the masked duck fixed its gaze on him intensely, causing Quackity to nearly lose his balance in shock. Taking a deep breath, Quackity felt the awkward silence settle between them and the unfamiliar beings. He shifted his gaze uncomfortably, trying to avoid the intense look of the two strangers.

“This is getting weir-” he cut off his own comment when he noticed The figure in the duck mask was arms crossed, a silent threat hanging in the hot air of the pandora. They were staring at Quackity as if looking angry. Why do every single masked individual always seem to have an ill will towards him? He doesn't even know the-

 

Feeling a tug on his shirt, Quackity looked down to see Tallulah's frightened expression. As she whispered into his ear, her words were cut short by fear as the two masked individuals turned their attention towards her. 'They are the Managers!' she managed to say before Quickly falling silent.

Quackity raised an eyebrow. Managers? Managers of what? He's getting fed up with getting his questions unanswered, but maybe he should focus on the two individuals instead of being stubborn. 

 

They seemed quiet, like they were waiting for him to figure out who they were. But Q is not Sherlock for fuck's sake! so why was he dealing with thi-

 

"Wait a minute..." Quackity murmured as he noticed name tags on the individuals' suits. Each tag had a name and a picture of a building next to it. As he read them closely, his eyes widened.

Federation…

The Federation of-

No…It can’t be!?

 

The two people with masks standing in front of Quackity are the owners of that federation. The same federation that somehow got their hands on another god's powers just to punish anyone who goes against them. They've been acting like tyrants in Quackity's smp, even going as far as taking away his memories.

 

But why are they here?

 

How did they even get to the DSMP? Did they use that simulator portal or what?

Did they just save Quackity and Tallulah to minimize the damage? But do they honestly think Quackity would ever forgive them for putting him through all that hell?!

"You...", realizing the obvious, Q stood up. Struggling to control his emotions, he pointed a finger accusingly at the pair in front of him. "You two are part of the federation that caused me to lose my memories!" he exclaimed.

 

He turned his face and noticed the dragon hybrid shaking her head. Although he knew he shouldn't have yelled, he felt the need to express his frustration, the frustration he always had since the first day he forgot who he is. 

 

The two masked individuals exchanged glances, taking really long to respond. Quackity gulped drily as he began to doubt whether he had accused them too hastily. "You guys are not the ring leaders behind all of this, right?" he questioned.

 

An awkward silence descended between the former owner of the Qsmp and the organization that was seemingly and clumsily connected to it.

 

Suddenly, the individual wearing the duck mask spoke in a grave tone.

“We thought of a better solution, but the path of least resistance is always calling our name.”

So all that was on them!

Quackity's anger resurfaced as he questioned, "Whose idea was this and why?!"

 

The masked bunny seemed poised to respond, but their partner stepped in, speaking with a surprisingly loud and angry voice.

 

"You and your goddamn friends have broken a rule!" the masked duck exclaimed, clenching their fists in frustration. Quackity scoffed at the accusation.

 

Although Philza had mentioned a violation of the Qsmp server's rules, Quackity couldn't shake the feeling that the consequences were disproportionate. The loss of his memories felt particularly unfair, especially because he was supposed to be the creator of the Qsmp? Why was he, of all people, being targeted?

Feeling emboldened, Quackity continued to push back against the perceived injustice. "What rule exactly?" he questioned. "Rule of stupidity? Did someone kill someone's mom? Did someone steal your ice cream? Was there a tax fraud?"

 

Tallulah was unable to resist closing her eyes. She couldn't help but worry about what might happen if Quackity continued to babbling with these two. All she wanted was to go home, even if it meant being in the company of these two... monsters .

 

Quackity sarcastically added, "Another one," He then directed his finger at the duck masked man again and posed a joke to bother, "How does a duck cross the road? By pulling out a gun and destroying all the cars! You're acting as if I did that or some shit, man," he added.

 

The guy in the duck mask responded, "And what about when it needs to cross another road?"

 

Just as Quackity was about to retaliate, the duck answered his own riddle in a harsh manner, sending chills down the spines of both Quackity and Tallulah.

 

“The duck simply scaled the WALL for a quick shortcut!” 

 

Quackity fell silent, pondering whether the masked-duck was merely being facetious or genuinely attempting to elucidate the rules at play. Q shook his head, uninterested in dealing with these men. But the duck pointed his finger at Quackity's chest and began to blame him sharply, “The rules of the server were given to you and your friends as a warm welcome, yet you chose to ruin them not once, but twice, in a server that no longer contains you.”

 

So what? What else can Quackity do besides sitting there, not knowing who he is or what's going on?

 

Frustrated, Quackity rolled his eyes and snapped, "Take a hike, will ya! I have no recollection of any of this, It was all Drista’s doing and it's your federation's fault!"

 

The other man folded his arms and glanced back at his bunny buddy, saying, "Yeah, we messed up big time, and so the god of chaos. How did you find out about this anyway, since you don’t ‘remember’ ?" 

 

Quackity let out a loud groan - is this duck for real?!

Quackity kept groaning as he put his hand over his face while Tallulah looked on. She shot a glance at the managers, irritation clear in her eyes, before turning back to Quackity, concern etched on her face.

 

"You guys must be dogshit if you don’t think I'm the only one who lost their memories! You didn't do anything to anyone else, not even the famous angel of-"

 

Before Quackity could finish his sentence, the man with the duck mask snapped his fingers and the man with the bunny mask fired a dart at Quackity's forehead, causing Tallulah to gasp in shock as she stepped back.

 

Quackity saw the dart and tried to shake off the tranquilizer effects, it was too late. He felt a wave of dizziness and tried to fight it off, but soon he was seeing sunshine and rainbows. His vision then started to blur and his hands grew weak. He attempted to get rid of the tiredness, but it was no use. With a mumbled "DaaAaaf-," he collapsed on the floor like Dream. His left leg twitched slightly until the bunny man shot it with another dart.

 

Tallulah stared at her guardian's unconscious body, unable to speak. Her lips quivered and her eyes darted back and forth. As she approached him, she tried to shake him awake, but he remained unresponsive.

 

“M- Mr. smilin-” She stammered, tears welling up in her eyes. Before she could say anything, the duck man assured her, “He's going to wake up soon, just like this guy.” He motioned towards Dream.

 

Despite the reassurance, Tallulah didn't feel any better. The thought of asking these cruel people to take her home to her dad now seemed intolerable. She couldn't forgive them for harming her guardian in such a way.

 

“However,” the duck said, placing a hand on lulah's shoulder, "They won't get away with this easily." 

 

Tallulah glanced at him with a pale face. Suddenly, The masked bunny stepped in and took control, holding both Quackity and Dream bodies behind his back.

Tallulah's heart raced as she watched the two unconscious men. Things are not going great, and just when she thought it couldn't get any worse, she saw the bunny man handing a gun to…

...Mr.duck aimed the gun...

And Tallulah realized the gun was pointed at her. She quickly stepped back and shielded herself with her wings.

 

Was she next? Are they really going to take her to Phil, or was it all a lie?  

Trembling, she managed to stammer out, "Are you... are you going to...?"

 

In a monotone voice, the duck replied, "Take pity? Bringing you back to your dad since you're just a kid caught up in all of this?" 

Tallulah nodded slowly, feeling a mix of relief and fear.

However, Mr. Duck gazed at her blankly before responding in a flat yet vile tone, "I had different plans in mind. Besides, there is always a need to take care of dragon eggs. I apologize for that, my child."

 

Just as Tallulah was about to react, the dart hit one of her wings. Her eyes went blank as they slowly closed till she fell unconscious, just like Dream and Quackity.

 

Mr. Duck adjusted his gun and carefully picked up Tallulah, holding her behind his back. As he started walking with his friend, he felt something at his feet as he looked down. He noticed the letter on the ground but chose to ignore it.

“People these days…can't learn a single thing.”

The man with the duck mask said to his partner as they carried the unconscious bodies and teleported towards the obsidian block, struggling against the unnecessary heat of the prison. One of them instructed a worker to pull the lever, causing lava to cascade and seal the cell shut... 

And the letter...the last key to mend the slight brokenness that was left in this server, remained undisturbed on the cold floor...

 

 

 

 

Notes:

None of you expected this cliffhanger haha
wondering where they're going to take them

Remember when I said no one would die? uhh Punz did bite the dust, but he'll be revived in future chapters and how exactly? we will see ;)

Chapter 10: Tell the prankster I send my regards!

Notes:

TW for mental breakdown and child abuse.

 

.

 

..

 

 

...

 

 

 

Tallulah woke up slowly, feeling the glow on her eyes. However, she couldn't see clearly because of the light that seemed to be coming from a lantern.

 

Something caught her attention, making her rub her ears in confusion. She realized there was calm music playing in the background, seeming to come out of nowhere. It was soothing yet eerie.

Sitting up, Tallulah caught a glimpse of the back of the person who had shot her. 

Mr. Duck was standing in front of an elevator door, appearing to be waiting for it to open. As she glanced up, she noticed the floor indicator moving downward. They were indeed inside the elevator, on their way down the building.

 

The question remained, which building were they in exactly? The duck didn't sound like he had any intention of escorting her back to her father, especially considering what he had mentioned earlier-

 

.

 

..

 

...Taking care of dragon eggs...

OH No...They wouldn't- It can't be that they are here!

In a moment of silent terror and frenzy, She shifted so slightly but got caught by the attention of the man in the suit. Tallulah felt the knot of fear in her throat start to loosen. The duck turned back towards her as she swallowed hard.

 

It’s strange finding herself being the first one to wake up, despite being the last one tranquilized between the two men. And speaking of them, she turned to see her guardian figure and the masked man lying on the elevator floor behind her, possibly still unconscious.

 

She then glanced at the duck for a moment before the duck’s face turned back to the elevator. sensing the opportunity, she crawled closer to Quackity and because she could look closer, she noticed one of his wings twitching like a dog's leg.

 

As she walked closer to Q, she gently shook his body while whispering his name in an attempt to wake him. She felt on the verge of tears of relief when she saw him mumbling and snoring in a semi-conscious state.

 

"Mmmm, nah, Charlie, don't put my rainb-...Don-" Quackity muttered with a snore. Lullah continued to shake him as Q struggled to regain consciousness, shaking his head. How long have they been knocked out?

 

All of a sudden, his eyes popped wide open as quickly as his wings spread out. "What I miss!?" he exclaimed in a comical manner, his gaze fixed on Tallulah. 

 

"Not much, except that he kidnapped us!" Tallulah snapped with a hint of concern while pointing her finger at the duck man. Quackity noticed her frightened expression and reached out for her, only to follow what she was pointing to, making him notice the duck man's back in front of him. 

 

He quickly retracted his arms but kept them open for Tallulah. She swiftly moved towards him without a word.

 

Quackity did not respond either, his eyes wide with shock and confusion. He couldn't comprehend what had just happened. The last thing he remembered was seeing the duck mask and the dart hitting his forehead, causing his veins to slow till he slipped into a deep slumber. He wasn't sure how long he had been unconscious, and part of him believed it was all just a horrible dream. However, Part of him thought that Tallulah had returned home or he was the only one who had been taken, but he was wrong on every count.

 

Quackity ran his fingers through Tallulah's hair while finally noticing the disappearance of her little beanie, but he didn't want to dwell on that. He then cocked his head at the jazz-sounding background music. It took him a good 30 seconds to snap out of it and realize where they were. As he looked at Tallulah, he noticed her growing more pale and anxious. 

 

She clutched onto him for dear life, whispering, “Quackity, don't let them! I'm scared!”

 

She understands that Quackity is way too baffled right now and also unfamiliar with the location and the other responsibilities of the federation. Despite this, she wanted to feel safe amidst her growing worry and longing for her papa. Nevertheless, she felt Quackity's embrace once more. 

 

"I'm scared too, but let's try to stay calm,okay?" He tried to comfort her, but it didn't quite hit the mark.

Tallulah could tell he was hesitant to hug her with his wings. She allowed it anyway, craving the comfort that reminded her of Philza and the way he would comfort her and Chayanne with his large black wings when they were feeling blue.

 

Tallulah sensed the duck hybrid move as she noticed he was glancing at the masked man nearby. She felt his arm start to slip away from her and reach towards the man, whispering, "Psss, Dream wake up."

 

She then noted that he was shaking Dream now…

Wait, hell no!

 

She clenched her teeth and shook her head while waving her hands in a big NO at him. Why does Quackity want to wake up this masked man anyway? Dream had tried to hurt them and he even nearly decapitated Quackity!

 

She wriggled out of Quackity's grasp and kept waving her hands. As much as she wanted to warn him not to rouse their nearly murderer, the sight of Mr. Duck's back glaring at them made her hold her tongue.

 

Unfortunately, Quackity still persisted in shaking Dream, even getting almost closer to touch his mask with the intention of taking it off in order to give him a big slap to wake him up, just like he fruitlessly did to that stinky-goggle guy. Just before he could make it, Dream's head twitched slightly, much to Tallulah's exasperated facepalm. 

 

Quackity swiftly reconsidered not removing the man's mask, allowing Dream to slowly awaken on his own. Dream took an unnecessarily long time to let out groan, sitting up with a wince and shifting his mask towards Quackity.

 

“N-n- Oot, naw Ponss, mm- nat in tha mod,” (Not now, Punz, I'm not in the mood) he mumbled, his voice was surprisingly calm as he turned around. Quackity continued to shake Dream's body, not caring what the masked man was even saying in his ‘dream’ lands. Meanwhile Talullah watched anxiously, alternating her gaze between Q and Mr. Duck.

 

But Quackity continued to quiver him until he sensed Dream rising towards his head. Dream mumbled again, “Kaay, jush one” (Ok, just one) still completely out of the world. 

 

Suddenly, without warning, Dream's hands moved to Quackity's cheeks. Confused at first, Quackity's confusion turned into a mix of coyness and uncertainty as Dream moved closer, his mask touching Quackity's face. Quackity could swear he heard Dream making a soft " mmmmm " sound as he rubbed his mask around Quackity's face. Tallulah can't tell if she felt her stress easing slightly as she witnessed this passionate awkward moment or if it's getting far worse.

 

Dream kept rubbing his mask towards Q's face for what felt like ten seconds, until he paused...and suddenly backed off, snapping back into reality and realizing what he had just done.

 

Quackity could tell that by Dream's subdued reaction and it became clear that Dream had finally come to his senses… and what it took was an one long ass kis-

 

For some reason, this made Q chuckle nervously. Dream on the other hand looked like he was about to vomit.

Q didn't know if Dream and that Punz person were a thing or he was just misunderstanding the situation.

As Quackity started to utter, “Huh, that was awkwar-” his sentence was cut off short as Dream firmly grasped him by the shirt, it started to be obvious that he's furious as fire at Q. Tallulah’s eyes widened as she rushed over, attempting to separate the two.

 

“Where are you taking me Quackity?!” she heard Dream croaking at Quackity as Tallulah rolled her eyes. She could tell Quackity was doing the same. Why couldn't that masked man just listen to them? Even after being caught by this vile federation he still thinks Quackity is the mad-man behind this situation?

Quackity let out a sigh and made a wasted effort to push Dream's hands away from his clothes. He tried to speak, “Dream, I'm not-” 

 

But Dream interrupted, shouting, “Oh, you do know and you're involved! Are you planning on keeping me in your stupid country?! Is this one of your so-called ‘loyal’ crew members, huh?” he pointed at the back of Mr.Duck.

Quackity groaned at the question, How could that masked man mistake Mr. Duck for someone working for Quackity? 

 

…Ok, Maybe because Dream was the first to pass out and didn't see the whole scene clearly, but come on, he should have noticed Quackity and Tallulah both on the ground facing him with fear.

 

Trying to keep his voice calm so Mr. Duck wouldn't overhear, Quackity attempted to explain, “No! I don't even know them, they are the federation! I swear I have nothing to do with any of this!” 

 

Dream chuckled sarcastically, “The federation…What kind of federation? Medical and business? Give up the act, Quackity!” 

“Will you two shut up? You are making me less focused!”

The three of them were startled by the sudden voice of the man in the duck mask. Mr. Duck gave them a long stare as he nodded and went back to look at the floor indicator.

 

Quackity gulped and edged closer to Tallulah, while Tallulah herself looked just as frightened. Dream, on the other hand, remained solid as a rock, standing up and cracking his knuckles. He shot Quackity a sarcastic remark, asking, "Why are you acting so scared, Quackity? Aren't you supposed to be the one in charge here?" 

 

“I said shut up!” The duck yelled once more to silence them, shaking his head in disappointment. "Even a child in her age behaves better than you two childish chickens," he remarked, gesturing towards Tallulah. Tallulah flinched when she noticed him pointing at her. The duck's tone grew stern as he made a warning, "Make another sound, and one of you will get killed."

“I will kill you before I finish killing your boss!” Dream shouted boldly, ready to throw a punch. But as his fist flew towards its target, it was met with the barrel of the gun held by the other masked man. 

 

“This one's not a tranquilizer, be nice or it'll be lights out for you,” Mr. Duck warned.

 

Dream mulishly lowered his fists, “Who the hell even are you?" he growled under his breath. The two masked figures were staring at each other in tense silence until there was a ping. 

 

The ping caught the attention of the four, causing them to turn around as the elevator door swung open. The room appeared rather murky, prompting them to consider whether they should venture out. Mr. Duck nonchalantly crossed his arms and clarified, “What you said was half true, young man. Although let me correct you in some parts there,” He cleared his throat slightly, “I'm not the boss of that Mexican fellow. I'm more of a retired manager but with a side hustle in this territory."

 

Quackity and Tallulah exchanged glances while Dream gaped at the duck in confusion. Mr. Duck then declared, "Now, come with me. Anyone who refuses will face consequences," as he playfully shook his gun as a warning. 

 

His threat made Dream growl, Quackity gulp, and Tallulah cling tightly to him. Despite their reluctance, they knew they had to comply to avoid any further trouble.

 

The three of them got up, with Tallulah feeling the most hesitant to walk. Quackity reassured her by holding her hand, hoping to keep her safe...Or at least he hopes they will both be safe. He wasn't even sure where they were or what these people planned to do with them. Taking a deep breath, he guided the girl forward.

 

As they exited the elevator, Quackity heard a boot hit the ground, looking over at Dream who seemed taken aback, his head turned upward. Quackity followed his gaze and couldn't help but react the same way. The room they entered was massive, with long stairs leading up. 

 

It was clear why they took the elevator, as the building seemed to stretch on endlessly, making it impossible to see the ceiling. It felt like they were descending underground, but Quackity couldn't be sure. Each step was guarded by the faceless individuals they have seen before, except these were dressed in guard uniforms.

 

There was someone who caught Quackity's attention. Amongst the guards, stood out and they were not wearing anything and had a face, unlike the faceless guards. 

 

This person also had ears and a pink nose. They suddenly flinched and looked at Quackity with an unreadable stare before walking away, leaving Quackity puzzled.

 

Seriously, where the hell are they and who are these people?!

The three of them surprisingly stayed quiet, and Quackity could tell that the duck was impressed by their silence, but he didn't pay it any mind. Mr. Duck snapped his fingers to get their attention back, walking closer to a mental door covered with “Danger” and “Do not enter” signs.

 

Quackity kept his mouth shut to avoid any questions. He glanced down and noticed Tallulah holding both of his hands tightly, looking nervous. Behind him, Dream was walking past, his head swiveling as if he was searching for an escape route. Everything about this was strange, but Quackity tried to stay calm and focused on following Mr. Duck's lead.

 

Mr. Duck turned to them, causing the three of them to come to a halt. He took a step closer to Quackity, who braced himself for another rant or blame, only to realize that Mr. Duck was actually looking at his niece.

 

In a seemingly friendly but slightly off-kilter tone, Mr. Duck mentioned, "Mr. Bunny and the others will need some time to decide when they see you, Tallulah." He directed his words towards her, but she didn't respond, her hands trembling in Quackity's grasp. Concerned, Quackity held her between his arms. Mr. Duck inched closer to her, "But for now, you'll stick with these two until the host makes a conclusion. Don't worry about it." He proceeded to put a puckish tap on Tallulah's nose, but she flinched and buried her face in Quackity's chest.

 

Tallulah's reaction really got Q more worried. She said she knows that masked duck, but what is the deal supposed to be between her, him, and the others?

 

So, Quackity turned to Mr. Duck and asked, "What do you mean by that?"

 

Mr. Duck just glanced at him and then turned away without saying anything. This made Quackity furrow his brow and ask again, "What are you going to do to he-"

 

"Where the fuck are we even going?!" 

 

Quackity heard Dream yelling. He had to hand it to him for the solid question. At least his enemy from his past life and him were both on the same page.

And because it’s obvious that Quackity is baffled…

 

Even more baffled and confused than ever before by all the events he's encountered at the Dreamsmp. It seems like every time he blinks, something new is happening right in front of his eyes. From losing his memories to meeting the god of chaos, using a low-budget simulation portal, time-traveling to one of his past lives, almost getting killed by someone he probably hurt.

 

To the top of that, he's now kidnapped by the federation responsible for his losing his memories, the same federation that kickstarted this whole mess to begin with!

 

He could really use a break. And Tallulah needs to be reunited with her family anyway.

 

 

Philza sure as hell going to be fucking mad at him.

Quackity then remembered Drista…that freaking god with the fork!

 

 

 

Drista was supposed to come and help them return home after screwing up the simulation. But no, after all that time-traveling she's still nowhere to be found. Is she really that incompetent at her job, or did she just throw them under the bus and she was playing fool all along?

The man with the duck mask remained silent as he opened the door to a room that was empty except for several consoles and a computer. The group looked confused, but Quackity heard Mr. Duck sigh. 

 

"I may have tried to keep it easy for you all, but I must now clarify further. Soon, there will be no more room for questions. Understand?" The ex-manager said firmly and with a warning tone.

 

Quackity glared and gazed at Tallulah, who was still hiding in his chest, trembling with fear. He then turned to Dream, who stood with his arms crossed, clearly disdainful of the masked-duck and everyone else in the room. And yet, none have given anything other than silence.

 

“Good,” the man in the suit said. “Keep following me.” He gestured for them to tag along. Dream let out a snarl, but Quackity shrugged at him, as they needed answers and had no choice but to continue, unsure of what fate awaited them.

 

Entering the room, they were greeted by darkness akin to the night sky, with consoles lined along the edge. The computer and a mental chair were attached to these consoles, but the screen remained ominously black. However, what truly captured their attention was a large white circle drawn upon the ground.

 

Tallulah left from Quackity's grips as she joined the two men in observing the weird room. It was equally unfamiliar to her as well.

 

The trio glanced around the room in confusion as Quackity awkwardly inquired, "Uh, questions now or not yet?" 

 

Quackity received the silent treatment from the former manager and mentally prepared himself for the worst. 'Rest in peace, Quackity,' he thought, 'cause of death: defying the ex-manager's wishes by asking for permission for a question.'

To everyone's surprise, the duck turned towards them and gave a small nod. 

 

Quackity breathed a sigh of relief, ready to speak. However, Dream interrupted, pushing Quackity away and demanding stubbornly, "Where the hell are we?" Causing Tallulah's glare in the process.

 

Quackity glared at Dream, adjusting his jaw and saying, "'Bruh, I'm with the question, bu-'", he quickly backtracked as Dream approached angrily. Quackity nervously chuckled as he tried to deflect the situation, "B-But I think the better question should be 'What is gonna happen to us?' "

 

The duck hybrid looked over at Mr. Duck to check if he had heard them clearly. Mr. Duck had stopped in his tracks on his way to the chair. Quackity hoped that his question was appropriate and that Dream's recent behavior hadn't caused any issues. 

 

After a brief pause, the ex-manager finally began to speak in a tone that sounded like a judge about to deliver his decision to a criminal…

In a way that was almost literal.

“You will be transported to the void,” 

What Mr. Duck uttered left the trio frozen in a mix of shock and bewilderment. 

Mr. Duck adjusted his bow, took a seat, and continued speaking, his gaze fixed on Tallulah, “She will only remain there for a few weeks, while the two of you are going to stay for all eternity.”

 

The three were gobsmacked by Mr. Duck's words. Were they hearing him correctly? Or is he joking? 

Dream was more confused than them, his head shaking as he rubbed the bridge of nose, even though it looked more like he was smudging his mask, “Wait Wait wait! What do you mean by the void? That place is non-existing! it's impossible to go there!" he exclaimed.

Quackity couldn't wrap his head around it either. Wasn't the void just an empty space in the universe? How could they be sent there?

 

But there was another word he thought they should've been focusing on instead. 

Eternity…

The idea of being sent to an endless place forever made Quackity pale as he cried out, “For all what?! That's not playing fair!" 

"Playing fair? This is not a game. This is the Real consequence of all your mistakes, especially yours!", Mr. Duck yelled back, causing Quackity and Tallulah to flinch.

 

He started walking towards Quackity, his shoes making a loud thud on the floor showing his anger. He said, "Not just for messing with the portal," he fumed. "You messed with time itself! Time travelers might not always be good at their job, but they stick to their duty. You? You acted like it was a piece of candy!"

 

Quackity blinked, shook his head, and shot a disbelieving glare, "All I wanted was my memories back. Y'know why? You people have done a real number on me, taking them away!" 

 

Sure, maybe Q should've paid more attention to Tallulah before the bug happened in the simulation. But really, it's not entirely their fault. Quackity couldn't have predicted the consequences of that error, and Tallulah is just a child who misses her neglectful father and couldn't focus well because of that.

 

As Quackity was about to defend himself and her, the ex-manager asked. "It's not enough of an excuse. In a logical sense, did you really believe revisiting your memories through time travel will not cause any danger?", He then crossed his arms, “You know it will do, but like you always do,  you've ignored it,” 

"Past...? Memories?"

Quackity glanced over at Dream when he heard Dream mumble that...but Quackity just gave him a sly expression.

 

Good, about time Dream realizes this isn't the same Quackity from his server. He hoped this would better be enough evidence.

 

Dream ran his hand through his hair, feeling puzzled. Alas, he was too stubborn to accept it. “What the heck, Q, you're…”

 

Quackity let out a frustrated groan, clearly fed up with this. "Did you hear him? That's exactly what I've been trying to tell you, Dream!" he exclaimed, gesturing to his unaffected eye, his short hair and the dirty shirt he was wearing. "And by the way, I stole this shitty ass shirt from the old me just for your information."

 

He then mentioned, "It's all complicated, might be kinda from a different time or place, but these people made me lose my memory!" He spread his wings to show how unscathed they were, despite there being a bit of dust from the obsidian wall of the Pandora prison. "I'm not the Quackity you know! And I don't remember everything yet!" he took a deep breath after all the yelling.

 

Now it's up for Quackity to wait for Dream's reply. He better be convinced, or else Quackity might have to say that the masked man is lacking a brain to understand. Dream stayed quiet for a moment, showing no emotion through his mask. Quackity nervously bit his lip, worried that Dream might lash out at him.

To Quackity's surprise, Dream walked slowly as he nudged him...but gently...just to face Mr. Duck instead, asking, "I will be imprisoned again...? B-but Wi-with him?"

Mr. Duck paused, then confirmed sadly, "I don't have much on you, but yes, you will."

Dream froze instantly and then he glanced over at Quackity who could only guess at what Dream was feeling right now.

Quackity's guessing backfired when he observed Dream clenching his fists, veins bulging. Dream gestured towards Quackity with a throat-slicing motion while muttering angrily. 

 

Q's face turned ashen as he swallowed, realizing that Dream wasn't going to kill him for his past self letting him rot in the prison anymore, but instead the reason is going to be that he made him about to get sent into the void along with them!

 

Dream's gaze shifted again towards Mr. Duck as he attempted to explain, only to have the duck yank him away. As for some reasons, Dream found himself inching closer to Quackity and Tallulah as Mr. Duck slowly made his way back to his seat.

 

“But no fuss, gentleman. You won't feel hunger or anything except for losing track of time and no one except me will know where your being.” Mr. Duck proclaimed as he nonchalantly pressed a red button on one of the devices.

 

The three of them just stared at him, all feeling uneasy. But then Tallulah caught sight of a purple light and glanced down, only to freeze in place as she quickly tapped Quackity's leg. Quackity followed her gaze and saw what was under their feet along with Dream. There was a massive X glowing in purple beneath them. "What the fuck..." Dream cursed as he noticed the tiny sparkly flakes starting to drift through the air.

Suddenly, they heard the duck chortle as they watched him, sitting in front of his computer screen. "You guys got lucky, I'll give you that," he said in a mimicked manner. "You're lucky I didn't plan to send you all with evil Xisuma . He's on the opposite side of the void, anyway."

 

Quackity cocked an eyebrow, "Evil Xiums- Xesom? What are you even talking about at this point?!"

 

Instead of giving a direct response, the former manager pretended to be shocked. "Oops, I just dropped a hint!"

Quackity was perplexed about who the hell Xisuma is as he looked at Dream and Tallulah seeing if they may know, but their reactions were quiet and they showed confusion. None of them knows that person they just heard then.  

Mr. Duck pressed some buttons and said, "Y’know? Ever since meeting and being in charge of your server, Quackity? The government has been intrigued by other servers like that one before."

 

Quackity blinked and then asked, "Look, there are countless servers out there, I get it. But... was that Evil xis- ‘whatever-evil-guy’ you mentioned there too?"

 

The duck fell silent, staring at the screen. Quackity glared, trying to keep his voice calm to avoid angering the duck, "Um, hello? What exactly is this serve-"

 

Mr. Duck let out a sarcastic apology, "Wouldn't want to spoil anything," then added, "But if you wanted to learn more about redstones and building, you might find it enjoyable there, too bad it won't happen."

After he clicked another button, Quackity and the others felt the light under them was getting brighter, and it felt like the air was rippling around them as their clothes were fluttering, and then they heard a loud noise coming from the purple X that sounded like they're about to be sucked into something.

 

Mr. Duck observed the scene triumphantly, twirling his fingers as he strolled past the chair towards a particular lever. Dream and Quackity were perplexed by the light, while Tallulah detected the duck heading towards the lever. 

 

After a brief pause, the duck quipped, "The admin made me believe that his evil clone was the only one of that server who had a bit of a headache, along with that...parrot guy, but why not make it double?" He chortled again as he neared the lever.

 

“N-No n No!” Tallulah stuttered in fear, understanding what he’s going to do as she spread her wings. Quackity was about to cool her down but she started to fly in a blink of an eye.

 

“Oh no, You don’t! Guards!” The ex-manager called out.

 

The dragon hybrid soared through the air with the speed of the eagle towards the exit, only to have her way blocked by a guard who quickly closed the door, causing her to collide with it.

 

“Chalulah!” Q cried out and went to reach her, but was blocked by more faceless guards who also blocked Dream's way.

 

"This may not be a game, but I want it to be over," Dream growled under his breath. Despite not having his axe, he tried to punch a few of the guards using his hands, his gloved hands becoming slightly stained with one's blood. 

However, more guards restrained him and pinned him down the ground, causing him to shake as he struggled against their claws. Dream attempted to grab for his belt pants to grab the potions needed to kill the guards, only to realize he was an idiot for not realizing he had lost not just his axe, but all of his potions and belongings!

 

The guards then turned their attention to Quackity, forcing both him and Dream under the white circle and purple light.

 

…

 

Wait, this purple light and circle is some kind of gate that will teleport them to the void the entire time or what?!

The two men were both trying to wriggle out of the guards' grasp, but their claws were digging into their flesh, especially on Dream's bare arms. 

 

Quackity raised his head after he heard the loud footsteps again as he saw Mr. Duck approaching Tallulah. His heart sank when he heard the girl's panicked screams while trying to open the door, with the guards attempting to pull her away.

 

Mr. Duck swooped in, tightly grabbing Tallulah by her wings, pulling her away from the door and the guards. 

 

"Hey, stay put you little-" he said in an irksome tone, trying to prevent her from getting away. Tallulah continued to struggle against his grip and fluttered her wings frantically, calling out for help. "Papa! Missa! Someone please help me!"

 

Suddenly, Mr. Duck snapped his fingers and one of the guards tossed something to the duck. Mr. Duck released Tallulah from his grasp, but before she could think she was free, she felt a sharp pain as something metal clamped down on her wings. The cry of pain that escaped her lips made Quackity and Dream both take notice. Quackity was horrified by the sight, while Dream was slightly shocked. Sure he also used ropes on Quackity's wings before, but these cuffs seemed even more solid and painful around these wings.

The cuffs were snugly holding Tallulah's wings together but she was still struggling to run away. The ex-manager sighed deeply as he kept holding her, leading her towards the two men who were still held down. Quackity looked pale as a ghost at them.

 

Unable to fly away, Tallulah tried biting Mr. Duck's arm with her fangs. Despite his hissing, he didn't let go. If only the girl had learned to use her nature powers sooner, they might have escaped!

Tallulah kept crying for help as Mr. Duck growled at her and demanded, "You should be thankful that I've given you more space than others get in the entire void! And you should also be grateful that we haven't taken care of you like your friends yet." Tallulah's screams stopped as she stared at the duck with an appalled expression, "My friends?" She then recoiled, stammering, "W-what do you mean by 'yet'?"

 

Mr. Duck became silent, secretly pleased with the girl's patience for his ominous response. He chose not to elaborate further, coughing into his hand as a signal for the guards to release their grip on the prisoners. Despite exchanging uncertain glances, the guards maintained their hold on Quackity and Dream as a preparation. Mr. Duck glanced at Tallulah one last time and said, "And be more thankful that I've given you three weeks."

Before Tallulah could even react, the ex-manager roughly threw her towards the two men in a split second, making the guards release their grip. Tallulah stumbled into Quackity, and they both winced but Quackity hugged her from behind, concern evident in his voice as he asked, "Tallulah, what did they do to you?!" He fell silent when he noticed the cuffs on her wings, realizing they were impossible to remove with bare hands.

 

Dream stood up to attack while brushing off the pain from the claw marks on his arms, but before he could make a move, the Duck dashed towards the lever, waving goodbye in a comical manner.

As he touched the lever, he sneered.

"Tell the prankster I send my regards," 

He said with a final unpleasant voice before pulling the lever in one swift motion.

Everything then turned black…

…

..

.

ë̸͓̮͉͈͇͍̖͎̩̞͈́́́̋̇̾͋̈́̾͆͑͘͘͜͠͝f̵̢̻͈̫̬̻͔̘̞͈̆̇̍̈̌͊ͅi̶̡̹͈͎̳̞͙͖̾̂̀͑̀͆̑̓̽̉͐͘͘ͅl̶̬̞͎̖͉̹̝͕̝͖̣̉͆ y̶͔͗m̵̢͕̫̓̔͑̊̈ ḥ̸̨̧̗̮̖̽̂̓̀̍̋͋́̅̃͘͜͝t̸̫̫̤͕̳̻̰̣̭́̌̉͝ͅi̶̡̹͈͎̳̞͙͖̾̂̀͑̀͆̑̓̽̉͐͘͘ͅẃ̸̝̝̰͋͒ ë̸͓̮͉͈͇͍̖͎̩̞͈́́́̋̇̾͋̈́̾͆͑͘͘͜͠͝ḥ̸̨̧̗̮̖̽̂̓̀̍̋͋́̅̃͘͜͝t̸̫̫̤͕̳̻̰̣̭́̌̉͝ͅ l̶̬̞͎̖͉̹̝͕̝͖̣̉͆l̶̬̞͎̖͉̹̝͕̝͖̣̉͆ǎ̴̯̀͠ l̶̬̞͎̖͉̹̝͕̝͖̣̉͆l̶̬̞͎̖͉̹̝͕̝͖̣̉͆i̶̡̹͈͎̳̞͙͖̾̂̀͑̀͆̑̓̽̉͐͘͘ͅẃ̸̝̝̰͋͒ I̸̺̺͎̰̥̜̯̼̮̰͖̜͂͆̿̈́̿̔

Quackity's ears perked up at something that sounded like a faint echo, making him feel a little uneasy. He was too scared to even pay attention to it anymore…

t̸̫̫̤͕̳̻̰̣̭́̌̉͝ͅi̶̡̹͈͎̳̞͙͖̾̂̀͑̀͆̑̓̽̉͐͘͘ͅ ẃ̸̝̝̰͋͒ŏ̸̡̼̺̫̥̻͈̞̍͆̏̓́͜͝ͅǹ̷̨͍̮̥̹̘͙̗̻̬̬̜̥̮̃̒̈́̽͗̿̍̄̂̏͆͠͝k̵̘̺̦͉͖̪̪͖͉͊̆̔́̈́̍̃̈́͒̂̑̀̚͜͝ t̸̫̫̤͕̳̻̰̣̭́̌̉͝ͅǹ̷̨͍̮̥̹̘͙̗̻̬̬̜̥̮̃̒̈́̽͗̿̍̄̂̏͆͠͝d̶̡̲̗̼̮̤̤̳̲͖͓͍͔͓̓̎̽́̽̏̐͂̆͆͘͘͘i̶̡̹͈͎̳̞͙͖̾̂̀͑̀͆̑̓̽̉͐͘͘ͅd̶̡̲̗̼̮̤̤̳̲͖͓͍͔͓̓̎̽́̽̏̐͂̆͆͘͘͘ t̸̫̫̤͕̳̻̰̣̭́̌̉͝ͅs̴̹̀̎̇͗̍͗̾̋̏̈͐͒̕͠͠ͅu̷̬̩̰̫͕̘͎̔́̃̄̍͋̓j̵̬̺̭̼̺̫̦͚̬̼͚͙̰̭̐̐ͅ u̷̬̩̰̫͕̘͎̔́̃̄̍͋̓ŏ̸̡̼̺̫̥̻͈̞̍͆̏̓́͜͝ͅy̶͔͗ ë̸͓̮͉͈͇͍̖͎̩̞͈́́́̋̇̾͋̈́̾͆͑͘͘͜͠͝ḥ̸̨̧̗̮̖̽̂̓̀̍̋͋́̅̃͘͜͝t̸̫̫̤͕̳̻̰̣̭́̌̉͝ͅ f̵̢̻͈̫̬̻͔̘̞͈̆̇̍̈̌͊ͅŏ̸̡̼̺̫̥̻͈̞̍͆̏̓́͜͝ͅ t̸̫̫̤͕̳̻̰̣̭́̌̉͝ͅr̵̡͕͈͚͍͍̼͕̍̀̈́̽̎̍͗̍́̏̚͜͠ǎ̴̯̀͠p̴̩͙̺̩͓̣͈͖̎ͅ y̶͔͗d̶̡̲̗̼̮̤̤̳̲͖͓͍͔͓̓̎̽́̽̏̐͂̆͆͘͘͘ǎ̴̯̀͠ë̸͓̮͉͈͇͍̖͎̩̞͈́́́̋̇̾͋̈́̾͆͑͘͘͜͠͝r̵̡͕͈͚͍͍̼͕̍̀̈́̽̎̍͗̍́̏̚͜͠l̶̬̞͎̖͉̹̝͕̝͖̣̉͆ǎ̴̯̀͠ ë̸͓̮͉͈͇͍̖͎̩̞͈́́́̋̇̾͋̈́̾͆͑͘͘͜͠͝r̵̡͕͈͚͍͍̼͕̍̀̈́̽̎̍͗̍́̏̚͜͠u̷̬̩̰̫͕̘͎̔́̃̄̍͋̓ŏ̸̡̼̺̫̥̻͈̞̍͆̏̓́͜͝ͅÝ̴̥͙̘̇̈́̇̃͒̿́͘͘͝͝ͅ

r̵̡͕͈͚͍͍̼͕̍̀̈́̽̎̍͗̍́̏̚͜͠ë̸͓̮͉͈͇͍̖͎̩̞͈́́́̋̇̾͋̈́̾͆͑͘͘͜͠͝ṽ̵͇̟̺̣͓̰̭̲̼̻̪̩̰͒̓̿̄̾̔̊͝ͅë̸͓̮͉͈͇͍̖͎̩̞͈́́́̋̇̾͋̈́̾͆͑͘͘͜͠͝r̵̡͕͈͚͍͍̼͕̍̀̈́̽̎̍͗̍́̏̚͜͠ŏ̸̡̼̺̫̥̻͈̞̍͆̏̓́͜͝ͅf̵̢̻͈̫̬̻͔̘̞͈̆̇̍̈̌͊ͅ s̴̹̀̎̇͗̍͗̾̋̏̈͐͒̕͠͠ͅy̶͔͗d̶̡̲̗̼̮̤̤̳̲͖͓͍͔͓̓̎̽́̽̏̐͂̆͆͘͘͘ŏ̸̡̼̺̫̥̻͈̞̍͆̏̓́͜͝ͅb̸̼̋͛̑͆̈́͗̿̅ŏ̸̡̼̺̫̥̻͈̞̍͆̏̓́͜͝ͅN̸̡̧͕͙̼̻̳̦̪̞̯͎̦͓̏̒͌͑͒͊̾͌̑̅̕͝ͅ

t̸̫̫̤͕̳̻̰̣̭́̌̉͝ͅi̶̡̹͈͎̳̞͙͖̾̂̀͑̀͆̑̓̽̉͐͘͘ͅ ë̸͓̮͉͈͇͍̖͎̩̞͈́́́̋̇̾͋̈́̾͆͑͘͘͜͠͝ṽ̵͇̟̺̣͓̰̭̲̼̻̪̩̰͒̓̿̄̾̔̊͝ͅë̸͓̮͉͈͇͍̖͎̩̞͈́́́̋̇̾͋̈́̾͆͑͘͘͜͠͝i̶̡̹͈͎̳̞͙͖̾̂̀͑̀͆̑̓̽̉͐͘͘ͅl̶̬̞͎̖͉̹̝͕̝͖̣̉͆ë̸͓̮͉͈͇͍̖͎̩̞͈́́́̋̇̾͋̈́̾͆͑͘͘͜͠͝b̸̼̋͛̑͆̈́͗̿̅ t̸̫̫̤͕̳̻̰̣̭́̌̉͝ͅǹ̷̨͍̮̥̹̘͙̗̻̬̬̜̥̮̃̒̈́̽͗̿̍̄̂̏͆͠͝ǎ̴̯̀͠ẃ̸̝̝̰͋͒ŏ̸̡̼̺̫̥̻͈̞̍͆̏̓́͜͝ͅǹ̷̨͍̮̥̹̘͙̗̻̬̬̜̥̮̃̒̈́̽͗̿̍̄̂̏͆͠͝ d̶̡̲̗̼̮̤̤̳̲͖͓͍͔͓̓̎̽́̽̏̐͂̆͆͘͘͘ǹ̷̨͍̮̥̹̘͙̗̻̬̬̜̥̮̃̒̈́̽͗̿̍̄̂̏͆͠͝ǎ̴̯̀͠ d̶̡̲̗̼̮̤̤̳̲͖͓͍͔͓̓̎̽́̽̏̐͂̆͆͘͘͘ǎ̴̯̀͠d̶̡̲̗̼̮̤̤̳̲͖͓͍͔͓̓̎̽́̽̏̐͂̆͆͘͘͘ ǎ̴̯̀͠ s̴̹̀̎̇͗̍͗̾̋̏̈͐͒̕͠͠ͅǎ̴̯̀͠ẃ̸̝̝̰͋͒ I̸̺̺͎̰̥̜̯̼̮̰͖̜͂͆̿̈́̿̔ t̸̫̫̤͕̳̻̰̣̭́̌̉͝ͅǎ̴̯̀͠ḥ̸̨̧̗̮̖̽̂̓̀̍̋͋́̅̃͘͜͝t̸̫̫̤͕̳̻̰̣̭́̌̉͝ͅ t̸̫̫̤͕̳̻̰̣̭́̌̉͝ͅu̷̬̩̰̫͕̘͎̔́̃̄̍͋̓ŏ̸̡̼̺̫̥̻͈̞̍͆̏̓́͜͝ͅ u̷̬̩̰̫͕̘͎̔́̃̄̍͋̓ŏ̸̡̼̺̫̥̻͈̞̍͆̏̓́͜͝ͅf̵̢̻͈̫̬̻͔̘̞͈̆̇̍̈̌͊ͅ t̸̫̫̤͕̳̻̰̣̭́̌̉͝ͅs̴̹̀̎̇͗̍͗̾̋̏̈͐͒̕͠͠ͅu̷̬̩̰̫͕̘͎̔́̃̄̍͋̓j̵̬̺̭̼̺̫̦͚̬̼͚͙̰̭̐̐ͅ I̸̺̺͎̰̥̜̯̼̮̰͖̜͂͆̿̈́̿̔

k̵̘̺̦͉͖̪̪͖͉͊̆̔́̈́̍̃̈́͒̂̑̀̚͜͝ǎ̴̯̀͠ë̸͓̮͉͈͇͍̖͎̩̞͈́́́̋̇̾͋̈́̾͆͑͘͘͜͠͝r̵̡͕͈͚͍͍̼͕̍̀̈́̽̎̍͗̍́̏̚͜͠b̸̼̋͛̑͆̈́͗̿̅ d̶̡̲̗̼̮̤̤̳̲͖͓͍͔͓̓̎̽́̽̏̐͂̆͆͘͘͘l̶̬̞͎̖͉̹̝͕̝͖̣̉͆u̷̬̩̰̫͕̘͎̔́̃̄̍͋̓ŏ̸̡̼̺̫̥̻͈̞̍͆̏̓́͜͝ͅẃ̸̝̝̰͋͒ I̸̺̺͎̰̥̜̯̼̮̰͖̜͂͆̿̈́̿̔ d̶̡̲̗̼̮̤̤̳̲͖͓͍͔͓̓̎̽́̽̏̐͂̆͆͘͘͘i̶̡̹͈͎̳̞͙͖̾̂̀͑̀͆̑̓̽̉͐͘͘ͅǎ̴̯̀͠s̴̹̀̎̇͗̍͗̾̋̏̈͐͒̕͠͠ͅ I̸̺̺͎̰̥̜̯̼̮̰͖̜͂͆̿̈́̿̔ y̶͔͗ǎ̴̯̀͠d̶̡̲̗̼̮̤̤̳̲͖͓͍͔͓̓̎̽́̽̏̐͂̆͆͘͘͘ŏ̸̡̼̺̫̥̻͈̞̍͆̏̓́͜͝ͅt̸̫̫̤͕̳̻̰̣̭́̌̉͝ͅ ǎ̴̯̀͠ ë̸͓̮͉͈͇͍̖͎̩̞͈́́́̋̇̾͋̈́̾͆͑͘͘͜͠͝d̶̡̲̗̼̮̤̤̳̲͖͓͍͔͓̓̎̽́̽̏̐͂̆͆͘͘͘ǎ̴̯̀͠m̵̢͕̫̓̔͑̊̈ I̸̺̺͎̰̥̜̯̼̮̰͖̜͂͆̿̈́̿̔

The strange voices persisted, getting on his nerves more and more. Until…

>> [Señal: Transferencia de activación en curso…]

Quackity and the others were then hit by a blinding purple light that forced them to shut their eyes. It felt like someone had turned on a super bright flashlight directly into their eyes.

Quackity and Tallulah winced from it, with Quackity being the first to cautiously open his eyes after rubbing them. His flabbergast turned to confusion as he saw Dream standing before them, seemingly unaffected by the blinding light thanks to his mask. 

However, Dream's body seemed frozen in place and his hands were trembling in a way that appeared to be shock. Tallulah continued to rub her eyes while Quackity stood up to make sense of whatever the fuck just happened…only to find himself experiencing the similar reaction as Dream.

Bedrocks…

The room they are now was made out entirely of bedrock blocks, appearing empty and dimly lit. There were chains hanging from the ceiling, but hopefully they weren't being used. 

The air was thick and slightly wavy, with the sparkly purple flakes still floating around.

Is…Is this supposed to be the void…? SINCE WHEN THERE ARE FUCKING CORNERS IN THE VOID!?

“THE FUCK JUST HAPPEN?!” 

Quackity startled when he heard Dream be the first to scream ever since they teleported here. He couldn't blame him though, Quackity wanted to scream just as badly about what had happened. They were now stuck here, and it was all his fault the fault of that stupid government!

 

"Uh, Dream?" Quackity slowly approached Dream. But before Q could reach out, Dream nudged him away and ran towards the bedrock wall, hitting it with his fists in frustration. He didn't care how many times he punched it until his knuckles bled, crying out, "Get me the fuck out of here! I'm not with them! I never was!" Dream turned and kicked the hard wall with his boot, but nothing happened. No one could hear them.

 

Dream continued to call out as he kept kicking the wall, "You fucking misunderstood! I'm Dream, the admin of the Dreamsmp! You need to get me out-"

 

“This must be the void…” Quackity muttered to nobody as he started to work himself up into a panic. But he needed to understand that not only he and Dream were in bad shape about this, but someone else was surely feeling much worse. When he looked behind him and saw Tallulah, he noticed her sitting on the cold floor, hugging her knees tightly with her legs. Her cuffed wings were still twitching slightly causing her discomfort. Quackity approached her slowly until he could hear her quiet whimpering. He knelt down and lightly tapped her shoulder, asking, "Chalulah?" Her sniffles grew louder as she took a deep breath.

 

Q bit his lip nervously before trying again, "Are you oka-Shit! Ok,obviously Not!" He trailed off, regretting his own question after he saw Tallulah lifting her head from her lap with a loud sob, "Papa! Qua- Mr. Smile- I don’t want them to take me! I-" She broke down into another round of sobs, barely able to speak as she choked out, "Y- You promised we will go home-I WANT to go home," tears streaming down her face. Her cries almost made Quackity's own chest ache with worry as he slowly moved towards her, disregarding Dream's angry screams and the sounds of boots kicking the wall.

 

He moved in closer, attempting the usual gentle hair pat, but her tear-streaked face remained. "Shit, no need to cry! Yeah, I'm sorry! I shouldn't have followed..." He stopped abruptly upon noticing Tallulah struggling to control her tears and breath, her chest heaving. 

 

Quackity muttered a curse under his breath, especially after realizing quickly that they had lost Tallulah's bag long ago, which contained her inhaler.

 

“Oh fuck, what do I do?!”  He asked himself looking around the dark room for a solution, he considered hugging her with his wings again, but quickly dismissed the idea, realizing it wouldn't help with her breathing difficulties and tears simultaneously.

Tallulah struggled to catch her breath amidst her tears and the heavy atmosphere of the room. Quackity attempted to offer words of comfort, but it only seemed to exacerbate the situation. 

 

Dream let out a long, deep groan as he gazed at the ceiling, clutching his head in frustration. He then turned to Quackity in a drop of a hat, "Tell her to shut up!" he growled, starting to move towards them. 

 

Quackity quickly stood in front of Tallulah, using his wings to shield her. Dream grabbed Quackity's shirt, about to throw a punch.

 

Quackity was in a panic, but he quickly shook his head to hold himself back, realizing he didn't have time to deal with the masked man right now. His niece was on the verge of passing out if she continued like this!

 

So he slapped Dream's hand away, causing Dream to step back. 

 

Quackity blinked when he noticed Dream's body began to shake like a leaf after he did that. Quackity raised an eyebrow at his reaction but quickly brushed it off, redirecting his focus back to Tallulah. 

 

Dream was trembling for a brief moment, then he swallowed hard before preparing to blame the duck hybrid. However, Quackity swiftly held a finger to his lips in a shushing gesture. Dream wasn't having any of it, “Don't hush me, you smelly rat!” 

Quackity retorted, “Keep your voice down! You're making things worse,” before turning to the dragon hybrid. He chewed on his nails as he tried to meet Tallulah's tear-filled gaze. "Chalulah, kid, look at me. Take deep breath-" His voice quivered slightly, feeling overwhelmed by the bad vibes surrounding the void and the turn of events. "Please, just breathe. Think of happy though-Uh, everything's going to be okay! Please!" 

 

Dream was kicking the wall until he stopped, in a fit of frustration from the crying and never-ending talks from Q, decided enough was enough. He needed to find a way to shut it all down, even if it meant dealing with that bastard.

Tallulah's tears echoed through the room, with Quackity feeling helpless in his attempts to calm her. But really, what the fuck could he do?

“Count on numbers,” 

Quackity raised his head and turned to Dream “Huh?” he asked.

 

The masked man threw his hands up and explained in a rather exasperated tone, "Count with her. Give her space, inhale for five counts. Exhale, and then let her take over. Do I draw you a picture?!"

 

Quackity thought it was quite surprising that Dream was the one suggesting. Despite Dream's rudeness, Quackity decided to roll with it, but only because he was out of ideas.

So Quackity carefully kept his distance from Tallulah, allowing her room to breathe. The room's air wasn't helping, but Q had to try. He gently placed his hand on Tallulah's shoulder. Despite her tears being quieter now, she was still crying badly. 

 

Q felt honest pity, but he held himself back, trying to appear strong. "Tallulah," he called out. Finally, he spoke softly but with certainty, "Mírame por favor." (Look at me please) 

Tallulah whimpered before meeting his gaze, her eyes still closed and damp.

 

Quackity held out a hand towards her, speaking firmly, "Escucha, respira hondo. Cuando diga 'cinco', sueltas y luego contaré hasta cinco otra vez, ¿entiendes? Quédate conmigo. ¿Listos?" (Listen, take a deep breath. When I say 'five,' you let go, and then I'll count to five again, understand? look at me. Ready?) 

 

Tallulah let out a shaky breath but nodded as she swallowed.

 

“ ¡Aquí vamos!” (Here we go!) Quackity said as he started, "Inhala, solo inhala despacio” (Inhale slowly) Tallulah followed Q's instructions, and he began counting, “... uno... dos... tres... cuatro... ahora exhala." (one,two,three,four,now exhale) 

 

Tallulah tried to exhale as instructed, but the thoughts and the uncertainty of her situation threatened to take over.

She never going to see her family again...Her father figure is going to rot here forever...And the federation is going to-

She started to panic and lose track of Quackity's counting.

"Chalulah! Ok, Respira," Quackity said with a supportive smile, trying to help her calm down. He started counting again, speaking slowly this time. Tallulah pushed away the negativity as she took a deep inhale, listening to Quackity count,"uno... dos... tres... cuatro-" before exhaling again.

 

Dream watched them using the same strategy to calm down during moments of panic, like the way how Punz would do to him when he remembers about Quack-

 

...

 

It was odd to see Quackity, the one who had caused him pain, now helping Tallulah in this way.

As Quackity and Tallulah continued, Quackity heard Tallulah counting along with him until she finished her final exhale. With one last breath, her breathing began to normalize, even though tears still welled up in her eyes. Quackity wiped away her tears and gently patted her hair, saying,  "No te preocupes, puede que no estemos en casa, pero estaremos bien." (Don't worry, we may not be home, but we'll be okay)

 

Dream was unable to comprehend what he was witnessing. Why is Quackity starting to sound like a ‘first-time-mama’?! 

This has to be Quackity, the same fucking sadistic with the love of wealth, he must be! But it's bullshit that he lost his memories of what he did. 

 

It appeared like it couldn't be true, but the words that have been spoken by the man wearing the duck mask seemed to be against that idea...unless he was lying.

 

He wished that it was all just a fucking nightmare, a nightmare where he wakes up and finds himself back in his cell home, receiving messages from Punz about their next victim.

 

But no, he's stuck here with his torturer who can't remember shit! Dream doesn't even know why he's locked up here in the first place!

After a minute of internal negative feelings, Dream let out a sigh and sat down on the bedrock.

Meanwhile Quackity was about to hug Tallulah but he quickly decided to keep the space he gave her. 

With a sigh, he turned to Dream to thank him for…this little help he guessed. 

 

He found Dream sitting with crossed legs, facing the ground with a hand covering his mask in despair. Despite his masked face, Dream seemed to be filled with resignation rather than anger. 

Quackity frowned and reached out a hand towards him, but hesitated and pulled it back.

 

They have been sitting in silence for a moment. The Mexican let out another sigh, looking back at Tallulah and asking softly, "Are you okay now?"

 

Tallulah nodded as she let out a sigh of relief that the void room was huge as she was horrifically expecting it to have less space. But it didn't help the fact that the air there was getting heavy for her to breathe. She tried not to panic again but her breathing was getting a little bad.

She looked around and then noticed something moving in the corner room. 

"Yikes!" She recoiled as she ran into Quackity's chest. Quackity and Dream quickly turned towards her, with Quackity raising an eyebrow in concern and starting, "What's wron-" 

"A snake!" She exclaimed, pointing towards the wriggling creature in the corner. Quackity gently moved her away from him as he stood up but the masked man stopped him. Dream wanted to be the first to see if it is, considering him being an admirer of snakes for their strength and symbolism. So he approached the ‘snake’ slowly.

 

Quackity remained still, his hand protectively placed on Tallulah's head. "What is it?" He inquired.

Dream offered no response, firmly inspecting the object closer before turning back with a disinterested look behind his mask.

Quackity glared as he decided to take the matter in his hands. Q approached the thing, only to discover it was not a snake, but rather something much larger and was also making noise. 

 

After a moment of curiosity, Quackity joked, "I suppose the duck has given us a large living worm to eat." His unseriousness quickly turned to confusion as he questioned, "Wait, didn't he say we shouldn't feel hung-"

 

Dream interrupted with a slap on Quackity's arm, shouting, "It's a bag, you dick! There's someone inside it!"

 

Quackity found Dream's behavior to be overly rude, but decided to pay attention because it turned out to be a bag making choking sounds! There was clearly someone trapped inside it! It's no question that it is the former manager's doings.

 

“Holy shit you right!” The duck hybrid exclaimed as he sprinted towards the bag, which was made of a thick cotton material.

Dream shook his head in annoyance at the Mexican, but still went over to see who was inside the bag. He tried to cut it with his strong hands, but it was no use. 

Tallulah showed up after hearing Quackity muttering that it wasn't a snake. She watched as Dream and Quackity struggled to open the bag, making slow progress. 

Dream managed to make a small cut, but it wasn't enough to release the person inside who was clearly struggling to breathe. 

 

Feeling worried for the person, Tallulah used her sharp fangs to quickly cut open the bag in one go. Quackity was impressed, but Dream slapped him again to refocus his attention. Quackity blinked and returned his focus to helping open the bag with Dream, using all their strength until...

 

Out popped the person with a loud exhale, darting up to the bedrock block at lightning speed. “Ouch!” The person hit the floor, then tumbled to it. 

Quackity and the others were taken aback by the sight of the person they had just freed.

“Jesus…” The individual struggled to stand, coughing and gasping for breath. 

This person had…wings.

He had wings just like Quackity and Tallulah, except his were almost as large as Philza's and with bright colors and like Tallulah, they were also tightly cuffed but bruised. The man had a round face and dirty blond hair, he also wore a red sweater and black pants, the sleeves of his sweater seemed to slide down his arms.

After coughing once more, the man took a breath and turned to face the three individuals. His eyes resembled black obsidian blocks, reminding Dream of the Pandora vault, with a hint of purple. 

The man paused for a moment before awkwardly chuckling and clearing his throat as he began to speak in a nervous, British accent.

“No wonder Mumbo was so insistent about me brushing my teeth this morning, it's not fun smelling your own breath while trapped in this bag!” 

Notes:

More cliffhangers cuz I'm mean hehe

Anyway, here's comes Grian! this chapt sure gave you questions more than answers sorry, but next chapt (Grian ) will explain everything.

Chapter 11: ▪︎ act II :A birdie told me.

Something happened next can slightly diminish the feeling of suffocating in the airless void. 

 

The cold black walls don't seem to bother everyone. 

The place was supposed to be like a prison that is worse than any other prison, it meant to breed despair and loneliness. 

The purple specks that float slowly in the air like tiny figures observing the prisoners, eagerly awaiting for them to go into madness. 

And none of this holds any importance in this supposed void, at least not at this moment of surprise.

Quackity kept shielding Tallulah as his thoughts swirled in confusion once more. Could it be possible that they weren't the only ones who had made mistakes in time travel? Perhaps that stranger had committed even greater errors. 

 

Dream appeared stunned, but his lack of interest was evident. However, his silence hinted that he might have some knowledge about that stranger.

 

None of them were sure what to do next, but Quackity felt the urge to take action and began to walk, confronting that new guy...and hopefully potential ally.

 

As the duck hybrid got closer to the man, the man in the red sweater stood up and tilted his head at him. 

 

Suddenly, his expression shifted from analysis to one of recognition and surprise. Adjusting his position, he winced at the cold metal cuffs before turning to Quackity with a smile. 

 

"Q!" he exclaimed, attempting to put an arm around Quackity's shoulder. Quackity hesitated, clearly confused by the unexpected reaction and the fact that guy knows him too, or maybe he's mistaking him for someone else. 

 

Sensing his discomfort, the stranger chuckled nervously, understanding the confusion and the disorientation of being teleported into such a forgettable endless prison. 

 

"Quackity, right? Long time no see since the Minecraft championship. Event 14, was it?" The man in the red sweater quipped with a light grin.

 

Quackity's eyes widened, he can tell his luck has returned back. Thank Notch! Another person who knows him! 

But…

Could that man be part of the Dream SMP as well or he's just from a different server in one of his other past lives? Maybe not only from that championship thing, whatever it is. 

 

Quackity drifted away from Tallulah to get a closer look at the man. He glanced at Dream, pointing back and forth between the man and himself. Dream, however, remained unimpressed. 

 

Shrugging off Dream's lack of interest, Quackity turned to the man and smirked before sarcastically declaring, "You know me too? What a surprise.”

The avian frowned at Quackity's comment, causing Quackity to furrowed his brow in confusion. Did he say something wrong? 

 

But then, the avian chuckled softly, rubbing the bridge of his nose before giving Quackity a tired look. 

"Sheesh, Phil wasn't kidding when he said you've lost your memories." 

Quackity blinked in surprise - wait, does Philza know that guy? When did Philza tell him about his memory loss scenario?

 

It suddenly dawned on Quackity that he wasn't the only one caught off guard by the response, as Tallulah eagerly piped up, her eyes sparkling with hope, asking, "Do you know him?"

 

The other man raised an eyebrow at the girl, clearly questioning why a child was here of all places. He knew why Quackity was in the void, but why her? And why in the world was Dream here too? 

 

Dream, on the other hand, was giving the man in the red sweater a look of pure annoyance. 

 

The winged man gave a nod, answering the dragon hybrid's question, "Yeah, we're not super close, but our paths crossed in quite the unconventional way. I must say, we do have one thing in common." He snickered. 

Q then asked, "Is it that you both are bird hybrids?" Pointing to The man's wings.

 

The man in the red sweater gave a blank look and replied, "No, you're also a bird hybrid, Q. It's a bit personal," he said, trying to keep things light as he sensed Quackity was feeling a bit lost. 

"Yeah, care to remind me who you are, exactly?" Quackity inquired again.

The avian cleared his throat once more before stating, "I am Grian, a member of the Hermitcraft server." He introduced himself with pride but then clarified, "We are hermits in every sense of word."

 

Quackity made an ‘O’ shaped mouth as he tried to force a smile, still thinking about the strange recent events. "Nice to meet you, Grain!" he exclaimed.

 

Grian couldn't help but chuckle at the mistake, his expression deadpan but with a hint of amusement. He got used to that , "It's Grian, with an 'i' and then an 'a'. But you can call me 'G' for short." 

 

He gingerly offered his hand to Quackity, who reluctantly shook it while managing to force a smile. At least there was someone who didn't have murderous intentions for once!...unless Grian decides to stab him in the back one day. Jeez, trusting people is getting exhausting now.

 

Grian stopped shaking Quackity's hand and began clapping his own hands. "Anyway," he started, "How many times have you had your memories wiped?" 

 

Quackity raised an eyebrow at the unexpected question but decided to answer it nevertheless. He hummed thoughtfully, recalling Philza's mention of losing memories in various servers before. While most were unclear, one seemed more suspicious. 

 

Holding up three fingers, Q replied, "Don't know, maybe like three times," He thought about whether the memory wipe caused by the federation should be included in that count.

Grian squinted as he uttered, "I guessed four and I was this close-” he pinched his fingers together, “to give the federation managers a piece of my mind for picking you to lose memories for an unhealthy amount of times." 

 

Quackity was taken aback and Tallulah's jaw went slack. Quackity nodded before asking, "How did you-"

 

"Phil told me before the federation nabbed me, even about you dragging his kid into that half-baked simulation." Grian replied in a flat tone.

 

Quackity hiked his shoulders, completely shocked by the revelation. Philza somehow knew all along that he and Tallulah had teleported to the past.

And to make matters worse, Philza believed he had manipulated Tallulah into it…

"He found out?!" Q blurted out, already planning to correct things later. Grian confirmed with a nod, causing Quackity and Tallulah to exchange worried looks. Tallulah gripped her skirt tightly, thinking about her dad's inevitable dead worry and anger…and lecture.

 

As Quackity nervously asked, "Um, how long was I stuck on that server?" the parrot hybrid replied, "Long enough for Phil to ask the goddesses of death to erase your existence." 

 

Quackity's wings froze and his eyes twitched in fear, but Grian reassured him with a chuckle, "Don't worry, Philza was upset but he-”

 

The trio turned at the sound of a loud cough, only to see Dream still standing with his arms crossed.

 

"Do I look like a ghost to you all, or what's the deal with all this Philza talk?!" Dream asked with a mix of anger and desperation in his voice.

 

Grian rolled his eyes and said, "Of all the places and times to see you again..."

 

"And conditions," Dream shot back with poison in his voice. Dream inched closer to Grian, creating an atmosphere that could rival a poorly planned family gathering.

 

Quackity noted that as he interrupted, "Seems like you guys have some history," he mused, "but G, I don't recall seeing you in the dream smp before."

 

Grian turned to Quackity with a deadpan expression, answering "It was the same place where we first met." 

 

Quackity caught on and asked, "The Minecraft championship, you said, right?"

 

The parrot hybrid nodded knowingly, with a little bit of dignity, “Obviously. Huh, we definitely placed higher than you in the battle - 3rd place at least after you. It was George, you, Sparklez, and um...Him.” He gestured awkwardly towards Dream, who chose to look away.

Surely, it's common to know that the championship is like a competitive battleground where various players compete. But for Q, it still came as quite a shock to discover that these two seemingly unpredictable men were once participants in these events.

 

Quackity shrugged off the idea of trying to remember the battles he took part in, since it wasn't all that exciting to him compared to when he used to own Las nevadas.

 

He chuckled slightly, admitting, "Neat! I have no idea who the other two you mentioned are, but neat still! Oh, by the way, how did you come to know Dream as well?" he asked. 

 

Grian chuckled back as he said, “I've only met him a few times!” He gestured towards Dream again as he approached him with a grin, teasing, “Remember that event where I defeated you?” 

 

Grian lightly tapped Dream's arm with his elbow, causing the latter to cringe. Grian then mentioned, "It's how I earned the nickname-" he clicked his tongue adding, ”Dreamslayer!” 

Quackity appeared somewhat impressed, letting out a hum of admiration, while Tallulah mirrored it, though there was still a touch of worry lingering in her expression.

Dream, reacting with a mixture of smugness and slight irritation, winced as he goaded, “Maybe they should change it to 'Dreamstucker' because you're stuck here with me,” 

 

Grian narrowed his eyes, “Dream, let's save the fight for later. I've got a bone to pick with someone else now.”

Quackity chuckled as he nodded, "that's right, G," he said with a smirk towards Dream, "Yeah, suck it! Our first order of job, kick these managers asses and..." 

He paused after he noticed Grian's disapproving gaze, feeling as though he was being judged by a father. Q glanced around, half-expecting to see if someone else was standing behind him.

But he continued, "...And then we..." Before he could finish his sentence, he realized that Grian was specifically glaring at him. 

 

"Me?!" Quackity pointed at himself, only to notice Grian's glare was getting more intensified.

‘Oh no, is one of my last hopes a card carrying member of the 'Blame Quackity for the illegal time travel and child-kidnap’ club now?’ Quackity asked himself internally.

Grian nodded in frustration. Q scoffed at him, replying, "I know I'll have to face Philza's anger soon, but I can bear the blame...If I can make it alive, i gues-"

 

"No," Grian interjected, "I mean, Yes? That was a questionable decision, but there's more to it than just that."

 

Quackity fell speechless, unsure of what Grian was trying to refer to. The quietness caused Grian to roll his eyes and approach. Tallulah sensed tension, moving away from Quackity. Meanwhile, Dream was slightly surprised by the sudden shift in the parrot hybrid's emotions. Grian had initially seemed sorta of friendly toward that stupid duckling, but now appeared to be recalling something more important.

 

"Listen, G," Quackity began again but nervously, fidgeting with his hands. "I may not be the brightest crayon in the box so my memory issues are not something I can fix. I can't remember you defeating Drea-" 

Before he could finish, Grian let out a low groan, cutting off Quackity's babbling.

As Grian inched closer, preparing to explain, Quackity sensed trouble when Grian's hands suddenly latched onto his shirt and Dream found it amusing discovering he wasn't the only one giving Quackity that kind of thing. 

After taking a deep breath…

"QUACKITY, YOU'VE ALTERED THE ENTIRE DSMP TIMELINE!" 

His booming voice tousled Quackity's hair, surprising Tallulah and entertaining Dream as he watched Quackity get an earful from someone other than himself and that ex-manager asshole. 

Quackity blinked, making a ridiculous expression on his face.

 

 

“Uhhhhhhhhhhh…” he uttered, sounding like he's on low-battery, “Alter?” he asked. 

Grian replied with the same loud voice, “YES, PARADOXES!” 

 

Grian then heard a wince and saw the girl wincing in discomfort while holding her ear, shooting him a glare and pointing to her hearing aids, indicating a hearing impairment. Grian was quite well-mannered toward very young people so he quickly withdrew his hands from Quackity and nervously rubbed his neck letting out a tiny apology.

 

Quackity started humming, until it finally clicked in his mind. He should have seen it coming. He and Tallulah had been interacting with past versions of the others, even though it was just in disguise. Everyone should have known it was Quackity from the Dream SMP and simply it wasn't just that everyone there was blind (especially Dream) or Quackity's disguise was really goddamn paper-thin. 

 

..

 

Even the man in the duck mask had pointed it out, so where did things go wrong?

"Yeah, I know all about paradox bullshit, man. I was super careful with the accidental time-travel," Quackity said.

 

Grian didn't react and replied sternly, "Even so, you made a huge mistake."

 

Quackity then hummed thoughtfully again, but avoiding eye contact with the parrot hybrid. Maybe his idea of hiding his identity in the past timeline didn't really work out. 

 

Perhaps someone he interacted with had discovered it later on - maybe Tina, Tubbo, or maybe the depressed past version of Philza. 

Or perhaps it all went wrong because of that...prank they pulled on the guy with the goggles and he somehow found out or that someone went to the prison and found the letter Q wrote, unless it ended up in the lava and turned to ashes. 

Quackity wasn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer, so it was not surprising that things didn't go as planned.

 

So he answered anyway, “I'll bite, I erased someone from existence? Caused the end of the world?"

 

Grian responded in a slow tone, "No, it's actually worse than that." But he suddenly raised his voice while he carefully considered his next words, not wanting to upset the child again.

 "You ruined the grand finale!"

 

“The grand what?”

 

Ignoring Dream's puzzled voice, Grian refocused on the person responsible for.

 

Quackity blinked in confusion and asked, "What finale?"

Grian exclaimed, "The Dream Smp finale, you tampered with the past and messed up the future where the finale event was going to happen months later!" He threw his hands up, inadvertently inhaling one of the small purple flakes which caused him to start coughing like he had swallowed a fly. 

Tallulah jumped and hesitated to help but she rushed to his side, at least he seemed more responsible-looking than the god of chaos so maybe he was really a good guy with her father. 

 

She went behind him and started patting his back, similar to how she had helped Quackity in the prison. 

 

Meanwhile, Dream was too confused to even enjoy watching his ‘second-place-rival- before-Techno’ suffer and his torturer getting blamed.

 

Quackity, looking perplexed as ever, questioned, "Finale event? Like, was there a TV show-” 

 

“No!” Grian, while choking, corrected him, "N-No, it's not a TV show- I-It's a real event thaaa-”, he slapped his own chest, “W- was destined to happen in the future," he explained as the purple flake finally made its escape from his mouth. He turned to the dragon hybrid and raised a thumb up as a ‘thank you’.

 

Dream was as puzzled as Quackity at first, but gradually began to understand what Grian was talking about but as if Grian was really taking the word ‘finale’ seriously.

 

He annoyingly wondered how Phill knew all about that nonsense. 

"lore stuff, rings a bell?" added Dream, joining the conversation.

 

"Oh!" Q snapped his fingers, only to later let out a deadpan face. "I still don't get it, but-" he paused, noticing Grian's unchanged glare. 

 

Quackity waved his hands in a pleading manner, justifying his case. "No way, I just...I had a chat with Charlie, Tubbo, Phil, Tina, and almost fooled Bad and Ponk into thinking I was the old me!"

 

"Not even sure if you know who they are because I sure as hell don't," Quackity awkwardly admitted before quickly throwing his hands up, "I mean, I didn't go messing around with any super important stuff from the past and ruin the whole timeline!"

 

Grian shot him a skeptical look and pointed at Dream.

 

Quackity inquired, "What's about him?"

 

Guess Quackity wasn't well-versed in all the time travel concepts yet…

 

Grian let out a sigh and tried to explain, "For instance. Q, removing someone from the past could mess up the timeline, kind of like taking off a single domino out of a row. Removing a domino would cause..." 

 

Grian stopped as he saw the girl raising her hand as if she hadn't answered a simple silly question in ages. 

 

"The stock of dominoes would stop, unable to continue falling," She answered, and Grian snapped his fingers, "Exactly! Messing with the order of things could lead to different results. In time paradox cases, causing unpredictable effects."

 

Quackity wasn't even sure what even Dream was supposed to do in the timeline in the first place. All that was gathered in his little brain was this guy had been in prison, hurt by Quackity's past self, and seemed to have a thing for immortality, death, and some kind of Frankenstein complex. 

How crucial can he be to cause such a big finale?

Quackity made a wave of his hand, "So what? Just one person, no biggie, right? Right?"

 

“You fucking serious?” Quackity heard Dream mutter and when he turned to look at him, Dream looked like he was on the verge of facepalming.

 

“Quackity…” Quackity heard Grian speak, “You're the reason why the federation imprisoned the admin, villain, tyrant, and the master manipulator who basically ran the show for like 80% of the SMP here,” the parrot hybrid said in a bored tone.

Quackity blinked repeatedly and looked at Dream. The same person he was just facing, was the admin - the owner of the server. Quackity was confused and annoyed, he was supposed to be the owner of Las Nevadas! How could there be other rulers and owners on the server?

Q thought for a moment. 

Maybe being an admin is a different job? But that didn't explain why the admin was so easily hurt by him in the past. Perhaps the admin was weak at first... But why did Grian refer to Dream as a 'villain'?

And Quackity thought that ‘possessed-egg’ worshipping was a very crazy and complicated scoop…

After a sudden slap to the face, Quackity was brought back to reality by Dream's annoyed expression. 

 

Dream asked sarcastically, “Did the duck not only have stolen your memories but also your tongue?” His tone seemed to have a hint of exhaustion and boredom from standing around for too long without having body count manipulating anyone. He then Laughably exclaimed, “You didn't figure it out sooner? Even after I threatened to kill and revive your little buddy?” 

Dream then rubbed his mask, he quickly realized his mistake and did a double take, scratching his face underneath instead, "I swear to fucking XD, Quackity, you're more moronic than my torturer," he grumbled. "Who do you think I was?" he questioned, half-wishing his question to be rhetorical for the sake of his sanity.

 

Quackity furrowed his brow in contemplation, glancing over at Tallulah next to the parrot hybrid, her arms trembling slightly from the previous outburst. 

 

He felt a firm hand turning his face to look at the masked man, making Q gulp nervously before blurting out in a sheepish manner, "Uh...a crazy man, perhaps? Honestly, I didn't peg you as the admin of that server, you were just so...out of your mind."

 

"Leaders and admins can be a bit shady sometimes. Well, except for our admin, he's sweet," Grian said, trying to emphasize a point.

 

Q tilted his head, explaining "I've had my moments of jumping to conclusions and being a bit mean owner in the past-." He Quickly changed the subject, realizing it was probably not the best topic to discuss with someone he just met…let alone discussing while being next to Dream who proclaimed to be a ‘brother’ of one of his exes, it might not end up well if Q talks about it again.

 

Dream let out a sigh as he spoke up loudly, "Quackity, the 'Dream' SMP, named after me! What better reason for the server's name could there be? And besides, that federation seemed out of their mind too."

Maybe there was a tiny bit of truth in the notion that most owners and admins are selfish losers…Just like Quac-No, his past self could've changed! 

 

He couldn't help but be annoyed at both Dream and the federation for losing the letter he wrote while also blaming himself for not sending it to his exes sooner.

 

“Good point, but that doesn't explain why you've been in the priso-” 

 

Dream growled, “If you had your memories, you would know why! Haven't my actions towards you made it clear?!”

Dream promised himself to cut Q's tongue if he asked another ridiculous question, and he was right as Quackity just glared at him and pointed accusingly, “Same question!” 

“Huh?!” Dream responded angrily.

“ Bull…shit,” 

 

“Give up the act, Quackity!”

Oh…as if Dream didn't act the same way when Quackity was trying to convince him but he never listened to him!

Quackity stand up as he teased, “Are all the evidence I presented in the pandora vault to prove I'm from a different timeline weren't clear to you eith-” 

“Shut the fuck up!” Dream bellowed, before turning to the rest of the group. 

 

He waved away the flakes from his mask and asked darkly, "Do you really think I'm normal with all of this? Can I just point out how pointless your arguments are? I feel like I'm the only sane one in this void place." 

 

The group couldn't tell that Dream had closed his eyes. 

 

Dream paused, hissing for being stuck once again in such a boring and nonsensical nightmare. 

 

For some reason, he would have preferred a nightmare of Quackity threatening and hurting him instead of enduring this bullshit and doing nothing but watching his terminator in front of him staring at him like a confused baby. He would rather face his own traumas in his dreams just to receive a hug afterwar- Dream shook his head to stop himself from wallowing in self-pity…and thinking of the sole ally he had left.

 

He then turned towards the group, particularly focusing on Grian right now, the only person who seemed to have all the answers about all that senselessness.

 

“Because what in the name of XD is even happening!? How much did Philza tell you abou-” Dream began to stutter and jabbed a finger at Grian, “-about everything?! What's with this 'grand finale' ? And why did they imprison you here instead of Phil and of all people?!” He paused to take a deep breath, “And what's the big idea with that guy with that stupid Duck mask?”

Grian resisted the urge to reply a ‘speak for yourself’ knowing full well that Dream's mask was much stupider .

 

Dream's voice was growing hoarse from talking and the horrible air as he carried on, “"And who is that xsim-whatever guy?!” He turned to Quackity, shaking his head in frustration, “And how the fuck did exactly that federation took your memories? If he can't rememb-If he can't recall anything, why does he ‘remember’ that gremlin he calls niece?! You had no one who cared for you!” His head gestured to Tallulah.

 

The girl made a noise that sounded like she was offended while Quackity deadpanned, saying, "Wow, rude."

 

Dream shot back with a dry tone, “Quackity, I was close to giving you a taste of my axe and you calling me rude?”

 

Dream turned to the parrot hybrid, "And again, how much did Philza tell you about me and all the shit in the Dream SMP? That would have taken ages for him to tell you the whole thing,” Dream asked, running a hand through his hair.

Grian stared at him in silence before turning to Q and Tallulah, both of whom were glancing at him. Quackity looked like he had his mind blocked out after everything Dream had said. And it was clear that Dream was more confused and in need of answers, but Quackity and Tallulah also seemed to be in the same boat. 

 

"Sit down, I will explain," Grian demanded. Quackity and Tallulah exchanged a glance before complying. Dream, still trying to assert his control, refused but saw Grian's death glare silently urged him to listen. With a frustrated sigh, Dream begrudgingly lowered himself onto the black floor, muttering curses under his breath. The floor felt even colder than the one in the pandora vault.

Grian let out a sigh... 

If that's all the thanks he got after doing a solid for the angel of death, then so be it.

After a brief pause, Grian spoke up, "It's clear that we're all in hot water right now, particularly you, Quackity." As he turned to look at Quackity, a sheepish smile crossed Quackity's face, revealing a hint of guilt. Grian's expression then shifted to sadness, appearing somewhat unreadable to others.

 

“Because, you heard what I said... I find myself in hot water as well," Grian chuckled slightly but no one laughed with him.

 

Everyone remained silent for a while, their attention fixed on Grian as they awaited for real explanation and clarification rather than hearing him saying the obvious.

 

Tallulah was desperate for info, especially about her dad. Is he even okay? Will he show up and bust them out of this misery? Tallulah shook her head again, not wanting to have another panic.

 

Grian continued on, "As I mentioned earlier, Phil and I haven't been very close, but we have exchanged messages and talked during the championship events. He enjoyed sharing his experiences and days from his time in your SMP, Dream,” His bitterness escalated as he glanced over at the masked man, “Even the unpleasant ones." 

 

Dream cursed under his breath, but not shocked after realizing that the man he Used to consider as an ally was acting like a hypocrite now, considering after joining forces to take down Manberg. 

 

Whatever. It's not like Dream ever cared for that old man anyway.

Meanwhile Quackity couldn't help but think about how he's been feeling like that ever since he got amnesia. While Grian may not have lost his memories like Quackity did and was never officially part of the Dreamsmp, he patiently listened to Phil's stories and even other anecdotes as well. 

 

Unlike Quackity, who found himself unable to understand his own goddamn past for like an hour and the creation of the Qsmp, along with the individuals who were part of the dreamsmp.

Dream avoided making eye contact and then interrupted, "This is going to turn into a whole thing about me, isn't it? Wonderful," he added sarcastically.

However, Grian shook his head, "Nope, I'd rather explain how all of this ties back to me, the federation and Quackity,” he turned to the duck hybrid and crossed his arms, “Let's start with Quackity's situation instead, shall we?" 

 

And Quackity was not ready yet to hear what he had done again…

 

Grian placed his hands on the ground to shift position, saying, "So, Phil told me about what you did, and then asked me for a 'favor' " He emphasized the final word with some serious sarcasm,  "But it did go half as planned. Just like you, the former manager ended up locking me away in the void, claiming I was going to screw up the QSMP timeline or do something illegal." He snickered humorlessly, "And...I have no idea who he is or anyone associated with the government. It seems like you don't remember him just like you don't remember the others." 

 

Q merely sighed and nodded in response.

 

Dream questioned, "The Qsmp?"

 

Quackity chose to ignore his question, as giving an answer would likely be lengthy and he still has no clue about that server. He turned back to Grian, "Yes, I can't seem to recall anything about it." He then inquired with a puzzled expression, "But what exactly did Philza ask you for?"

Grian squinted at Quackity, "I'll answer your question, but first, why didn't you end up at Qsmp when you used the portal instead of Dreamsmp?" 

 

Quackity blinked. What kind of question is that? 

 

Ok, Grian seemed to be a smart guy but all his questions are stupid as hell.

 

The Mexican was still ‘thinking’ he's not that selfish, because he intended to go to Qsmp to make his trust with Tallulah fair and square, her story about her dad really have made him sorta sad.

 

Not to mention all he wanted simply was to know what his past looked like and to see Luzu! 

 

Speaking of Luzu, Quackity sighed, he sure had wasted the opportunity to get closure from that shit. 

 

Quackity hesitated before responding, "We DID try to go to Qsmp, but something went wrong, like-" He almost pointed his finger at Tallulah but thought better of it and said, "I didn't pay much attention to Tallulah. She wanted to see her dad and broke Drista's rules by running into him and that's how the glitch happened!" 

 

Grian raised an eyebrow.

 

Quackity continued, "Drista is the god of chaos. You ever heard of her? She seems to be kind of the reason for that because she didn't appear to get us out of the glitch like she promised! She even claims to know Philza, just like you do."

 

Grian nodded, although the answer he was listening to wasn't what he looked for. "Yeah, not much, but that's not what I meant," he repeated.

 

"Her former dad, I mean. He neglected her for many months, if that's what she says," Quackity clarified as he growled, "I was totally clueless about what was going on or which server we would've gone to!"

 

Grian shook his head, realizing that wasn't the answer he was looking for either. He turned to Tallulah and asked, "Are you Tallulah? Phil's child all this time?"

 

Tallulah blinked, understanding why Grian had not realized it sooner, even though the signs were there. "Yes, I am. Who did you think I was?"

 

Grian replied, “I thought you were just some random girl getting into trouble and the federation captured you first. Plus, we thought you were still lost in the past timeline.”  

 

Tallulah's lips trembled, but she swallowed and replied, "At least that's not true."

 

Grian shut his eyes and nodded, "Yes, but it doesn't change things, especially since Philza is-" 

 

"Hey! Back to the story? Will ya?" Dream interrupted rudely, clearly bored by the explanation that seemed to go in a loop of boxes within boxes within boxes.

He then asked, "Basically, you're saying there's this thing or a server called Qsmp, and Quackity went to it after Dsmp for a long time?" Dream was feeling confused and annoyed that Quackity managed to survive before heading somewhere else. However, he didn't dwell on it too much because he had no clue what kind of future Quackity came from.

 

Quackity tried to remember what Phil had told him, about being in Qsmp, having a kid, and meeting Luzu...who happened to be the same person he met on that island server?

 

Maybe there were other servers Quackity joined that Philza hadn't mentioned yet. 

Quackity shrugged and said, "I kind of tried out a couple more servers before that one." He looked unsure and added, "If what Philza told me is really true."

 

Dream groaned and interrupted, "Whatever, how and how long did that even happen? Last time I saw you, you were grabbing a pair of scissors and trying to make scratches around my palm before Techno rescued me from prison," 

 

Q pulled a sour face, clearly not impressed with his past decisions. He awkwardly chuckled and fidgeted with his collar, struggling to find the right words to explain himself considering he STILL had no idea of whatever his history was with Dream and Technoblade. Tallulah also made a face of disgust, silently critiquing her guardian's previous actions, but she knew that's a can of worms to deal with later... or rather a long shelf full of cans of worms to deal with later…

 

Grian rubbed his eyes and spoke up, "Right, before we dive in, Gonna make sure I heard Philza correctly."

 

He then clapped his hands and added, "Quackity used the server-recorder simulator. And you know, I really wish they had covered up the portal with some tapes and signs in the first place to keep everyone away from it since it's not even finished yet. Honestly, I hope it never gets finished," he said with a hint of disappointment.

 

Quackity avoided eye contact, not dwelling on his mistake considering the portal again.

 

Dream tilted his head, "What simulation? My head is all fog, man."

 

Grian shot him a look, "We're getting into that," he said. "So, a server simulation is basically a glitchy mess where you can teleport to a half-built pixel version of a previous server you've been on. Despite all its bugs and issues, it doesn't mean Someone cannot resist poking fun around in it." He turned to Quackity, who was itching to interject and clear up the misunderstanding. But he had to hold his tongue until Grian finish explaining to the masked man.

 

Grian continued, "If you touch someone's version of the simulation, you will mess with their codes and end up teleporting into the server they're currently in or used to be, at any random point in time." He was about to continue, but stopped when he heard Dream humming loudly. 

 

Dream then snickered, but it wasn't the kind that showed approval of the technology.

 

“Interesting,” Dream said, crossing his arms with one hand resting on his head. Grian looked puzzled at first, but then shot Dream a warning glare, “Don't even think about using the portal to your advantage, or else-” 

 

“Oh, no way,” Dream said with a sassy wave, still snickering. “Manipulating time Is my least favourite type of manipulation, buddy.” He added, “I'm more of a necromancy person, thank you very much.”

"What a necro-" 

 

"Unimportant!" Grian interrupted Tallulah's question. 

 

Quackity was going to ask too if Dream was just being crazy about life and death or if reviving someone was actually possible or even legal . But he figured he'd let Grian carry on talking instead.

 

After running his hand through his hair, Grian continued, "It's not exactly time travel, but it does mess with the timeline in a paradoxical way? Thankfully, it's highly unlikely to occur unless some numbskull decides to-" 

 

Quackity shot him a glare and retorted, "Tallulah didn't mean it and none of us were aware of it! Drista let us loose in the first place!"

 

Why does everyone keep pointing fingers at him and Tallulah? Sure, they went back in time, but that whole bullshit could've been avoided if Drista had just kept her promise!

 

Grian turned to Quackity with a deadpan expression, "I was referring to you." 

Quackity returned the deadpan look, "Thanks, and fuck you." 

 

At least he's taking the heat instead of an innocent child.

 

Grian turned around when he felt a finger tap on his shoulder. 

 

"You're saying that..." Dream muttered, moving his hands towards his mask with his index fingers together. He asked in a monotone voice, "Quackity accidentally used some kind of time travel to go to my smp in a different time... and that's why he doesn't remember what he did and lied about?"

 

"Yeah, but-" Grian started, but was cut off by the loud sound of Quackity facepalming. He turned to see Quackity rubbing the bridge of his nose, while Tallulah looked visibly exhausted and let out a groan.

"No! Didn't you listen to Mr. Duck?" Quackity exclaimed, feeling the old injuries from the guards acting up. 

Quackity couldn't imagine that Dream was not only dense but also seemed to have dirt in his ears. How did he jump to that conclusion when they had already got answers about it before getting sent into the void?!

 

“You are getting it all wrong agai-” Quackity stopped complaining when he saw Dream raising his hand into a fist. "Uhnevermindthat!" he backtracked hastily with a forced chuckle. He then whistled as he told the parrot hybrid, “Keep going.” 

 

Grian was about to extend one of his wings to move Dream a little further away from Quackity but couldn't because of these stupid cuffs. So he just whispered, "That's actually another story."

 

Quackity chuckled ruefully, adding, "I've been working on it though. Since I've been on the dreamsmp, my memory recall has improved by about 15%!" He paused, sticking out his tongue and lifting a finger. "I'm still trying to make sense of Wilbur, the egg... and the fact that I used to be in a failed polyamorous relationship," he admitted awkwardly. Dream shifted his gaze away from Quackity, feeling bored of Quackity's pointless talk.

 

Grian closed his eyes and shook his head. "It's not the simulation, it's the new system."

 

Dream asked, "What system?"

 

There was a moment of silence before Grian looked at Dream with a smirk and replied, "If Tommy had killed you early on, you would have figured it out."

 

Those words stirred a sense of anger in Dream, but then another purple flake hit on his mask, foiling his impulse to rant or threaten. He swiftly brushed the flake away, letting out a soft growl directed at Grian.

 

Tallulah tilted her head at the interaction between the masked man and his rival and then tapped Q's leg, silently gesturing her head as a way of questioning if they should ask about it. 

 

Jeez, what's the big deal between Dream and that so-called Tommy?

Probably not good.

"The old system was... well, let's just say it was a bit of a failure," Grian paused, trying to recall the details. "It seems like when a bunch of players joined multiple servers, things got a bit messy like traffic. It's hard to put into words what really happened, but the administrators definitely had to make some changes. One group didn't handle it too well."

 

As Grian felt another tap on his wing feathers. Looking down, he saw Tallulah and she asked, "When did all this happen?" 

 

Grian shrugged, "I'm not exactly sure, maybe around two years ago?"

 

Tallulah nodded, keeping some of her thoughts to herself about the government for…her own reasons, especially in a worrisome situation like this.

 

"I heard that the foundation of Qsmp, also known as Quesadilla Island, which Quackity joined, might have had something to do with it. A birdie told me," Grian said.

 

Q raised an eyebrow. "The duck?" But Grian gave him a blank look. "Who else but Philza would have told me?" 

Quackity rolled his eyes.

 

"Copycat," Dream muttered. "They just replaced the D with the a Q. I reckon they weren't trying to name it after YOU," he said, giving Quackity a teasing glare but Q didn't catch on to what he meant.

 

"So what is the nature of these members of The Federation? Are they pretending to be a government for shit and giggles or they really have ulterior motives?" Asked Dream, being a bit shady about it.

 

Grian just rolled his eyes, "I already told you guys, I don't have a clue about them."

He glanced at the three individuals, who were exchanging looks amongst themselves, with Dream mostly looking down at the floor. The expressions on their faces were filled with worry and confusion, especially Dream. Q seemed both annoyed and saddened, feeling stuck and bored without any idea of what The Federation might do to his niece. And Grian knew he wasn't some sort of miracle maker who would break them out or even snap them out of this situation in a drop of a hat.

 

Tallulah was feeling even worse, unsure about what would happen to her or her friends, and waiting here for weeks seemed pointless. Philza's worry is surely going to be palpable, the realization of their situation sending chills down her spine. It didn't help that those unfair wingscuffs still clinging to her wings like a bee sting.

 

Grian understood why the three individuals reacted the way they did because he was feeling the same mix of emotions. 

Confusion and annoyance, like Dream. 

Guilt, like Quackity, for not fulfilling Philza's request to bring back his daughter. 

Feeling homesick, like Tallulah, and unable to stop imagining how his friends and the hermits would react to his absence. 

Taking it all in, Grian let out a sigh and returned to the topic, sharing everything he could recall and understand.

Notes:

This chapter in nutshell:

Quackity: It's just a little mistake! No big deal!

Grian: Quackity, you just Marty Mcfly'ed the dsmp lore…

-------------------------------------------------
Next chapter be about povs of other characters back at the Dsmp months later after Q, Tallulah and Dream were kidnapped, stay tuned!

Chapter 12: There's no such point in eating something sweet in such a bitter place.

Notes:

Tw for suicide/ mentioned, not on-screen

………

Located a bit further away from the other voids, there was a room that appeared less menacing compared to the others. The air was clear, yet the ground was just as cold as in the other rooms. 

 

A man lay on the ground, his limbs lifeless and motionless, a small trace of dried blood on his chin and also on the golden chain that was still hanging around his neck.

Suddenly, the man's head ached as if shocked by electricity. Slowly, he began to open his eyes, his vision still blurry due to the darkness of the room. 

 

Struggling to regain consciousness, the man mumbled, 'Fuc- whaht jush ha...' as he rubbed his hand through his hair like someone awakening from a coma.

he reached behind his back, only to realize he couldn't touch anything but his own back, which means His axe and sword are gone.

 

His eyes widened as he tried to check his belt, his potions and small weapons were all also nowhere to be found.

It is truly unbelievable how an opportunity for victory was lost to an attack by unfamiliar people. The sight of Quackity's face initially filled the man with a sense of satisfaction, not solely for personal gratification, but for the long-awaited closure of seeking revenge for his friend.

 

Why did he miss the chance to witness it? The events that followed were a blur after all, as the last thing he remembered is being surrounded by a group of empty faces grasping at him like bears closing in on their prey. A sudden PING and an impact to his forehead is the only memory that remains.

 

“Where the hell am I?” the man thought aloud to nobody, spinning around to confront the door in front of him. But as he glanced down, his expression shifted from surprise to suspicion.

 

It was…a plate of cooked chicken and a couple of carrots, along with a glass of water and a red liquid bottle. 

 

The red liquid must be a health potion.

 

This prison is definitely another; it can't be a different cell within the Pandora vault. Why would the man assume he was imprisoned in the same building where he and Dream work in, anyway?

 

And why would the attackers offer him a health potion? Are they plotting to extract information or exploit his and Dream's abilities?

 

These people don't even know Dream so he would never tell them, and Dream never had something he didn't share with the man. Dream had disclosed everything, and just like how the man kept his plan to his ally, Dream will also stick to the plan for sure.

Still, the new cell containing food and a health potion beneath a beautiful plate seemed off-kilter. The man with the chain stood up, his movements slightly hindered by the effects of his weakened limbs. He looked suspiciously at the potion, dabbing a drop on his finger and tasting it. Sensing no ill effects, he hesitantly consumed half of the bottle. 

 

The dried blood on his jaw and clothes had faded, but his confusion and frustration remained, only heightened by not knowing whether these assholes who had kidnapped him had also gone after Dream's blood. 

Even if they did it…

The man will not allow them to kill his friend or to find what they are looking for.

Suddenly, a muffled voice could be heard through the door.

"Dream?" The man muttered softly as he turned towards the metal door, moving closer and pressing his ear against it, trying to listen in. It sounded like a conversation. 

“¿De verdad crees que el jefe liberaría al prisionero así como así?”

 

“La verdadera pregunta es cuándo lo harán.”

Oh great, they're speaking in Spanish and he couldn't understand a word. The man groaned. Could things possibly get any worse?

“Oye, ¿puedo ir al vacío y charlar con Q? Siento que necesito hablar con él. Necesita saberlo. “

“Olvídalo, el viejo Q se fue, deja atrás el pasado también.”

Boot hitting the ground was followed by a deep silence. 

The silence lingered until the man let out a low groan, "Okay, this is a waste of time." 

 

The mental door had a small window at the top but it couldn't be opened. The man started knocking on the door with his knuckles. 

 

Receiving no reply afterward, he grew a little frustrated and shouted, "Hey!" before resorting to banging on the door with his fists. This whole act wasn't doing him any favors anymore.

As the little window on the door creaked open, a featureless face peeked through. 

 

The man with the chain squinted at the faceless figure. “I speak English, you spea-”

 

Another faceless figure interjected, “We do, and you're in another prison, young man.”

 

The man wasn't surprised, as everything in the room had already given away the truth. But that didn't matter now.

 

In a firm tone, he said, “Names Punz, a mercenary from the Dreamsmp. Speaking of which, where is Dream?”

The two faceless figures exchanged a silent glance without uttering a word, their silence was enough yes however.

 

Annoyance bubbling within him, Punz demanded, "What Did you do to him? Where the fuck is he?!” 

One of the guards spoke up, "We have no answers for that and we are not authorized to disclose such information."

 

Narrowing his eyes, Punz growled, “Damn right. I woke up after whatever you did to me or if you're involved with those who did,”

 

Whether armed or not, the man can just kick their asses and take what he needed from those who stood in his way.

 

The other guard smirked teasingly, asking, "You grilling us about your whereabouts?"

 

Punz let out a stoic and unreadable expression.

 

The guards chuckled lightly as one of them answered regularly, “Just wait until the managers arrive to explain.” Then they quickly closed the window in front of the mercenary's face.

“The-” Punz rasped out, unable to comprehend the nonsense being thrown at him.

 

He furrowed his brow, clenched his teeth, and kicked the door hard. "Managers?! Who the fuck are you people?!" he exclaimed, more to release his pent-up anger than to seek a good response.

 

He sucked in a deep breath and sat down, trying to piece together what was happening and how he could possibly escape.

 

However, his desperation mounted and he could feel hunger began to gnaw at him. Though he had no desire to consume any food provided by his fucking captors, his body's needs were beginning to overpower his will.

..

…

"ᵀʰⁱⁿᵏ ʸᵒᵘ ⁿᵉᵉᵈ ᵗᵒ ᵍᵉᵗ ᵒᵘᵗ ᵒᶠ ʰᵉʳᵉ ᵗᵒᵒ?"

Punz jumped slightly as he turned towards the door, thinking the guards were still chatting.

But something felt off - the voice was strange and loud in his head, not muffled.

 

Could there be someone else in the cell?

 

Punz pulled up his hoodie sleeves, ready for any dull surprises. He scanned the cell, but there was no one here except him. 

 

Usually not one to question or engage with unknown voices, Punz decided to make an exception this time. "Who's there?! Show yourself," he demanded.

There were many beats, until the voice emerged again. 

“ᵂᵉˡˡ, ⁿᵒᵗ ᵒᵘᵗ ᵗʰᵉʳᵉ, ᵇᵘᵗ ʳⁱᵍʰᵗ ⁱⁿ ʰᵉʳᵉ,”

Punz looked back and forth, unsure of what was happening. This better be a hallucination, what else was in that potion he consumed? Drugs!?

"Who are you?" he demanded, a bit more forcefully. 

"ᵀᵉˡˡ ᵐᵉ ᵃᵇᵒᵘᵗ ʸᵒᵘʳˢᵉˡᶠ ᶠⁱʳˢᵗ, ᵃⁿᵈ ᵗʰᵉⁿ ʷᵉ ᶜᵃⁿ ᵗᵃˡᵏ ᵃᵇᵒᵘᵗ ᵇᵉⁱⁿᵍ ᵒⁿ ᵗʰᵉ ˢᵃᵐᵉ ʷᵃᵛᵉˡᵉⁿᵍᵗʰ.”

Punz groaned, that is much worse than talking to a ghost. He asked, "What the fuck are you talking about?!” 

"ʸᵒᵘ ˢᵉᵉᵐ ᵗᵒ ʰᵃᵛᵉ ᵗʰᵉ ᵐⁱⁿᵈˢᵉᵗ ᵒᶠ ˢᵒᵐᵉᵒⁿᵉ ʳⁱᶜʰ," The voice replied, sounding both playful and unsettling. 

Trying to play along, Punz sat down and asked, "Rich with money or power?"

"ᴵⁿᵗᵉʳᵉˢᵗⁱⁿᵍ ૧ᵘᵉˢᵗⁱᵒⁿ ᶠʳᵒᵐ ˢᵒᵐᵉᵒⁿᵉ ʷⁱˡˡⁱⁿᵍ ᵗᵒ ᵈᵒ ᵃⁿʸᵗʰⁱⁿᵍ ᶠᵒʳ ᵐᵒⁿᵉʸ,"

Punz felt a jolt in his shoulders. How did the voice know about...? He shook his head, hoping this was just a trick from the kidnappers.

 

Punz asked again, his tone filled with skepticism and kind of tingling with sarcasm. "Fine, here's a better question for you. Are you a part of these strange animal-like beings or just a voice trying to get me to do something-" He made a quote gesture, “‘evil’?” 

There was a short silence…

"ᴬⁿᵒᵗʰᵉʳ ᵍʳᵉᵃᵗ ૧ᵘᵉˢᵗⁱᵒⁿ ᶠʳᵒᵐ ᵃ ᵐᵉʳᶜᵉⁿᵃʳʸ, ᵏᵉᵉᵖ ᵗʰᵉᵐ ᶜᵒᵐⁱⁿᵍ."

Rolling his eyes, Punz shot back, "I'll answer for myself, a voice."

After another brief silence, a soft chuckle followed by a reply.

"ᴿⁱᵍʰᵗ ⁿᵒʷ, ᴵ ᵃᵐ ʲᵘˢᵗ ᵃ ᵛᵒⁱᶜᵉ . ᴮᵘᵗ ˢᵒᵒⁿ, ᴵ ʷⁱˡˡ ᵇᵉ ᵃ ʷʰᵒˡᵉ ᵖᵉʳˢᵒⁿ ᵃᵍᵃⁱⁿ, ʲᵘˢᵗ ˡⁱᵏᵉ ᴵ ᵘˢᵉᵈ ᵗᵒ ᵇᵉ." 

Punz questioned hesitantly, "And what kind of person were you before, smartass?"

“ᵂʰᵃᵗ ᵃ ᵍʳᵉᵃᵗ ૧ᵘᵉˢ⁻ ᵒʰ ʷᵃⁱᵗ, ᵗʰᵃᵗ ᵒⁿᵉ ⁱⁿᵗᵉʳᵉˢᵗⁱⁿᵍ!”

Punz heard a snap of fingers.

 

 

 

More chuckles of the voice followed as it spoke, “ᴬ ˡᵒᵗ ᵗᵒ ˡⁱˢᵗ. ᵂʰᵉʳᵉ ᵈᵒ ᴵ ᵉᵛᵉⁿ ᵇᵉᵍⁱⁿ... ᵃ ᵐᵃⁿⁱᵖᵘˡᵃᵗᵒʳ, ᵃ ᵈᵉˢᵗʳᵒʸᵉʳ, ᵃ ˡⁱᵃʳ…ᵃⁿᵈ ᵗʰᵉ ᵐᵒˢᵗ ʷᵉᵃˡᵗʰⁱᵉˢᵗ ᵖᵉʳˢᵒⁿ ⁱⁿ ᵗʰⁱˢ ᵉⁿᵗⁱʳᵉ ᵇˡᵒᶜᵏ ᵐᵘˡᵗⁱᵛᵉʳˢᵉ, ᵗʰᵃⁿᵏˢ ᵗᵒ ᵐʸ ˡᵉᵍᵃˡ ᵗᵉⁿᵈ⁻ ᴵ ᵐᵉᵃⁿ, ᵍᵒᵒᵈ ᵈᵉᵉᵈˢ”

Punz was feeling uninterested by this pointless conversation and still dismissing it as just an annoying hallucination. With a need of insult, Punz replied, "Eh, pretty average acts for an evil person," 

He could sense the voice reacting with exasperation. He glanced at the plate and sighed, taking a sip of water to soothe his throat.

"ᴾᶠᶠ, ᴱᵛⁱˡ⁻” the voice dramatically drawled, "ᵀʰᵃᵗ'ˢ ʲᵘˢᵗ ᵒⁿᵉ ᵒᶠ ᵐʸ ᵐᵃⁿʸ ᵗⁱᵗˡᵉˢ, ᵈᵒⁿ'ᵗ ˢˡᵃᵖ ᵗʰᵉ ʷᵒʳᵈ ᵒⁿ ᵐᵉ ʲᵘˢᵗ ʸᵉᵗ...ᴹᵃʸᵇᵉ ⁿᵒᵗ ⁱⁿ ᵗʰⁱˢ ˢⁱᵗᵘᵃᵗⁱᵒⁿ." 

Punz seemed more uncaring.

“ᶠᵘⁿⁿʸ ᵉⁿᵒᵘᵍʰ! ᴵ ᵍᵒ ᵇʸ ˡⁱᵗᵉʳᵃˡˡʸ ᵗʷᵒ ˡᵉᵗᵗᵉʳˢ ᵃⁿᵈ ⁱᵗ ˢᵖᵉˡˡˢ 'ˣ', ʸ'ᵏⁿᵒʷ.”

Punz just kept sipping his drink.

"ᴮᵘᵗ ʸ'ᵏⁿᵒʷ ʷʰᵃᵗ ᵉˡˢᵉ?” 

The man kept drinking.

“ᵀʰᵃᵗ ˡⁱˢᵗ ⁱ ˢᵃⁱᵈ ˢᵒᵘⁿᵈˢ ᵃ ˡᵒᵗ ˡⁱᵏᵉ ʷʰᵃᵗ ʸᵒᵘʳ ᵒⁿˡʸ ᶠʳⁱᵉⁿᵈ ʰᵃˢ ᵈᵒⁿᵉ,"

Punz nearly choked on water. That voice knows Dream to- Nah, that's just messing with his head. Besides, that voice really sucks at pulling off tricks. 

 

Dream will always seem to do it better.

 

Punz unconcernedly inquired, "How do you know all this stuff about me?"

Punz heard a purring noise from the voice but shrugged it off because he was pretty sure the voice would probably just give him no response anyway…And he was not wrong.

"ᴵ ʷᵒⁿ'ᵗ ᵃⁿˢʷᵉʳ ᵘⁿˡᵉˢˢ ᵗʰᵉʳᵉ'ˢ ᵃ ʳᵉᵃˢᵒⁿ ᵗᵒ."

Punz nonchalantly grabbed a carrot from the plate and replied with an unfazed expression, "Give me your reason first. I'm not one to all ears just because I'm curious about how you know me." He took a bite of the carrot. "Not naive. You've got the wrong number, move along."

 

“ᵁʰ, ʸᵒᵘ ˡᵒˢᵗ ʸᵒᵘʳˢᵉˡᶠ, ᵈᵘᵈᵉ, ʸᵒᵘ'ʳᵉ ᵃ ᵐᵉʳᶜᵉⁿᵃʳʸ.”

 

Punz snorted and lazily retorted, "So what?"

There were sounds of laughter, but Punz continued to eat without care. 

 

"ᴵ'ᵐ ʷᵉᵃˡᵗʰʸ. ᴵ ᶜᵃⁿ ᵒᶠᶠᵉʳ ʸᵒᵘ ᵃ ᵍᵉⁿᵉʳᵒᵘˢ ᵃᵐᵒᵘⁿᵗ ᵒᶠ ᵐʸ ᵈⁱᵃᵐᵒⁿᵈˢ ⁱⁿ ᵉˣᶜʰᵃⁿᵍᵉ ᶠᵒʳ ʸᵒᵘʳ ᵃˢˢⁱˢᵗᵃⁿᶜᵉ, ᵖᵉʳʰᵃᵖˢ ᵉᵛᵉⁿ ᵐᵒʳᵉ ⁱᶠ ʸᵒᵘ'ʳᵉ ʷⁱˡˡⁱⁿᵍ ᵗᵒ ᵈᵒ ᵐᵉ ᵃ ᶠᵃᵛᵒʳ," 

 

Punz raised an eyebrow, "A favor?"

The voice repeated the word in an obvious manner, as if belittling Punz as if he were a child. 

 

"ʸᵉˢ, ᶠ⁻ᴬ⁻ⱽ⁻ᴼ⁻ᴿ!"

Punz scoffed and rolled his eyes, sensing that stupid voice attempting to ask him out into immediate assistance. 

While he was willing to do stuff for payment, he had his standards. 

 

His relationship with his old friends held a different significance to him however, even when others suspected he would betray Dream to save Tubbo and Tommy.

 

In contrast, an encounter with a voice left him feeling skeptical and untrusting. 

 

Punz realized he had been thinking that for a while, with the voice have been waiting patiently for a response. 

 

So the man wearing the chain came up with an excuse, “Well, let me give you a matter-of-fact. I take the credit and then seal the deal. Plus, I've got a lot on my…plate,” He glanced at his plate as he added, "Literally or not, Fuck off..." He took another bite of the carrot.

 

Even if he was stuck in this place without a clear way out, he refused to blindly follow the whims of a stranger who couldn't provide any clear answers.

 

Punz could hear the voice humming.

“ᴵ ᵘⁿᵈᵉʳˢᵗᵃⁿᵈ ᵗʰᵃᵗ, ʷʰⁱᶜʰ ⁱˢ ʷʰʸ ᴵ'ˡˡ ᵍⁱᵛᵉ ᵘˢ ˢᵒᵐᵉ ᵐᵒʳᵉ ᵗⁱᵐᵉ ᵗᵒ ᶠⁱᵍᵘʳᵉ ᵗʰⁱⁿᵍˢ ᵒᵘᵗ.”

Punz repeated the "us" that the voice had used, his expression showing doubt and judgment.

The voice seemed to have changed the subject.

 "ᴬⁿʸʷᵃʸ, ʸᵒᵘ ʷᵉʳᵉ ˢᵒ ᵉᵃᵍᵉʳ ᵗᵒ ᶠⁱⁿᵈ ᵒᵘᵗ ʷʰᵒ ᴵ ᵃᵐ." 

Punz retorted, "You're forcing me to ask you pointless questions."

 

He could sense the voice's exasperation as it sighed.

 

"ᴬⁿᵈ ᵉⁿᵒᵘᵍʰ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵃᵗ, ᴵ ᵗʰⁱⁿᵏ ʷᵉ ʳᵃᵐᵇˡᵉᵈ ᵉⁿᵒᵘᵍʰ.” 

 

There was a pause before the voice spoke in a more somber tone, "ᵂᵉ'ˡˡ ᵈⁱˢᶜᵘˢˢ ᵗʰᵉ ⁱᵈᵉᵃ ᵒⁿᶜᵉ ʷᵉ ᵉˢᶜᵃᵖᵉ ᶠʳᵒᵐ ʰᵉʳᵉ, ᶠᵃᶜᵉ ᵗᵒ ᶠᵃᶜᵉ."

Escape? How and why would they even esc- 

No…Even though the prison provided him with food and stuff, Punz is not a dummy. 

 

Something doesn't feel right. It must be a ploy by those seeking to control what is uncontrollable except for who can.

 

This place is incredibly suspicious and unsafe at the moment. 

 

And just the uncertainty of what they might be doing with Dream is making him even more worried and frustrated.

N-No, pull yourself together! 

He's trying to ignore that voice, but is it his only chance to escape from here? 

 

Punz set down his food, "What made you think ‘we’ will be able to get out of here?" he asked, crossing his arms. 

“ʸᵒᵘ'ˡˡ ᵇᵉ ᵇʳᵉᵃᵏⁱⁿᵍ ᵒᵘᵗ, ᵃⁿᵈ ˢᵒ ᵃᵐ ᴵ. ᵂʰᵉⁿ ⁱᵗ ʰᵃᵖᵖᵉⁿˢ…”

Punz squinted suspiciously, “happens what?”

"ᵂʰᵃᵗ? ᴵ'ᵐ ⁿᵒᵗ ᵃ ᶠᵘᵗᵘʳᵉ ᵛⁱˢⁱᵒⁿᵉʳ, ᵇᵘᵗ ᴵ ʰᵃᵛᵉ ᵗʰⁱˢ ʰᵘⁿᶜʰ ᵗʰᵃᵗ ˢᵒᵐᵉᵗʰⁱⁿᵍ ᵇⁱᵍ ⁱˢ ᵍᵒⁱⁿᵍ ᵈᵒʷⁿ ᵃⁿᵈ ʷᵉ'ˡˡ ᶠⁱⁿᵃˡˡʸ ᵍᵉᵗ ᵒᵘᵗ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰⁱˢ ʰᵉˡˡ!" 

 

The voice had a confident tone, making it seem like they knew exactly what was coming. 

 

Punz sarcastically quipped, “Wow, I've got a voice in my head that has a voice in its own head."

 

The man finished eating and leaned against the wall, spreading his arms, "So, what now?" he asked none in particular, and due to the lack of ideas on how to deal with this fucking voice.

“ᵀᵃᵏⁱⁿᵍ ᵒᵛᵉʳ ʸᵒᵘʳ ᵐⁱⁿᵈ ʰᵃˢ ᵐᵃᵈᵉ ᵐᵉ ᵉˣʰᵃᵘˢᵗᵉᵈ.” 

 

Punz groaned in relief, nice to know they were on the same page. 

 

Just get outta my head already!

"ᴮᵘᵗ ᴵ'ˡˡ ᵖʳᵒᵛⁱᵈᵉ ʸᵒᵘ ᵃˡˡ ᵐʸ ʰᵒⁿᵉˢᵗʸ ʷʰᵉⁿ ʷᵉ ᵐᵉᵉᵗ ʷʰᵉⁿ ᵗʰᵉ ᵗⁱᵐᵉ ᵃʳʳⁱᵛᵉˢ,"

Resisting the urge to say a flippant ‘Whatever’, Punz instead turned on his heels and pondered about what he should do now.

 

Either to try to escape on his own or stick around till he meets that manager or whatever these kidnappers are talking about.

 

He still has no guts to accept a deal with a voice that sounded a bit too…Amateur for his taste.

"ᵂʰᵉⁿ ⁱᵗ ᵍᵒᵉˢ ᵈᵒʷⁿ, ᵐᵉᵉᵗ ᵐᵉ ᵇʸ ᵗʰᵉ ʳⁱᵛᵉʳ, ᵃ ᵈᵉᵃˡ, ᵃ ˢʰᵒʳᵗ ᶜʰᵃᵗ, ᵉᵗᶜ. ᵉᵗᶜ…”

Punz was too preoccupied with escaping to pay much attention, but the voice kept echoing in his mind, repeating the last acronyms.

“ᴱᵗᶜ, ᵉᵗᶜ…”

 

"ᴱᵗᶜ, ᵉᵗᶜ…ˢᵒ ᶠᵒʳᵗʰ."

The voice vanished...for now.

 

 

……

 

..

 

.

—In the Dreamsmp, three months later—

The kingdom looked quiet.

 

Tina can't fathom the emotions running through Sapnap and Karl at this moment. Karl is nowhere to be found and Sapnap hasn't stepped foot outside his house since the news dropped. 

The news dropped like a splash of acid, causing unseen wounds that linger for an unknown amount of time. 

 

The Las Nevadas, a rich place that intrigued the demon hybrid ever since she first set foot in the Kinoko kingdom, was heard that it now lay destroyed and desolate. To make matters worse, the owner had taken his own life. 

 

The news of Quackity giving up to take his last life added to the already heavy heartache felt by Foolish. All the buildings he had made for his boss and for his God friend , the ones that have made Quackity proud and brought him praise, were now gone, reduced to nothing but ashes.

 

It pained her to think about what could have driven someone to this. 

 

Tina started watering her plants and couldn't help but wonder if Quackity's attempts at reconciliation with his friends and loved ones had fallen short or failed altogether unlike the reconciliation he made up to her. 

 

She could now imagine the pain his niece must be experiencing at this moment. She hoped that someone who knew Quackity well would be able to shed some light on what had happened to his niece one day.

 

The demon hybrid was kicking herself for not talking more to Quackity sooner. She wished she had forgiven him earlier before everything went downhill. 

 

As she watched the drops of water falling on the leaves and hitting the soil. The drops just soaked into the soil, leaving behind a wet spot that soon dried up. It reinforced Tina that she had no option but to keep moving forward.

 

She stood up and made her way to her new cottage. Her old one had been engulfed by poisonous red vines and still affected by the fallout from the nuclear explosion. But her new place wasn't as bad, and she actually enjoyed decorating and rebuilding it. 

 

As she approached the gate, she noticed a man in the distance. He had a large figure, making him easy to spot even with his currently damaged mask. He looked hilariously different in that unusual shirt and pant, but there were a few terrible scars on his legs.

 

"Oh, Sam?" Tina called out, catching the man's attention. He turned towards her in surprise but didn't say anything in response.

 

It's clear that Tina doesn't interact with Awesamdude much. From what everyone says, he was at least against the eggpire but wasn't a great warden for some understandable and bad reasons. However, Tina didn't mind it sorta. In fact, she welcomed the company as of late, with no one else seeming to visit.

 

"I didn't really expect anyone to stop by, other than you," Tina greeted Sam, opening the gates slightly. "Want to come inside?" 

Sam, lost in thought for a moment, shook his head. "No, I was planning on wandering around Kinoko for a bit. The rest of it is still a bit... messed up," he explained, looking a bit concerned.

 

Brushing off the dirt from his shirt, he continued, "I'm not much of a gardener like you, but I've been interested in it lately. Especially since Tubbo ‘purposely' nuked down the prison." 

 

Tina set down her watering can and inquired, "Do you have any plans to rebuild it?"

Sam stopped and gazed into the distance, thinking about the Pandora vault. But then he shook his head firmly, "Nah, old builds have to stay destroyed," he said, crossing his arms. "Why rebuild something that no longer serves a purpose? Why bother fixing something that... someone asked you to do a long time ago?"

 

Curious about the prison, Tina inquired, "So, is anyone there going to see justice served?"

 

The creeper hybrid sighed beneath his mask, no longer emitting smoke. "I don't promise justice. There's no sign of the prisoner or Technoblade… They're gone somewhere"

 

Understanding his perspective, Tina nodded. Not being familiar with these individuals.

 

She had heard rumors of course, one that confused her. "Yeah, even Wilbur seems to have gone somewhere!" she exclaimed.

 

Sam tutted, “I don't think so. Tommy mentioned he went to Utah or some shit for a vacation, likely meaning he's in his own personal hell . No offense, I never really liked that guy." 

 

Tina laughed, thinking that maybe the former president known for being crazy shouldn't be her worry, but she asked anyway, "But even if the fully-bad people are gone, I think it’s matter.”

 

Sam lifted an eyebrow, "And why does it matter? What else am I warden for? Especially after I killed-" he coughed into his hand and quickly changed the topic. It wasn't really nice to dwell on the bad things, he could see that from Tina's deadpan expression. 

 

Tina was not on board with the fact that Sam had actually managed to murder an innocent young person in cold blood and kidnap another Younger youth. 

 

It was a terrible act, but he did end up locked up in his prison and losing one of his lives in the end, so maybe that's…enough retribution ,alas in Tina's eyes. 

 

She understood that people can't change quickly, but believed they can at least try. Especially after witnessing the death of the ex-owner of the Las Nevadas, who could have had a chance if he had found hope sooner.

"Say, Sam?" Tina asked, joining the creeper hybrid in changing the conversation as she glanced around the only safe spots of Kinoko kingdom, a beautiful place that is deserted now. "Have you noticed that many people are getting lost or disappearing lately?" 

 

Sam made a bitter sound before answering, "A lot of people have actually passed away, like Vikktor, Lazer, and Conner [...]" 

 

Tina grimaced at how the list is getting longer and quickly tried to look for a lighter topic, saying, "Yeah, and speaking of Wilbur, it seems like everyone else is-” She waved her hands teasingly, “Taking their own vacation...or?" 

 

Sam finished her sentence flatly and sarcastically, "Or they're having their own ‘quarantine’ like Sapnap and Philza."

 

The demon hybrid gave a glare but then replied, "I mean, Jack, Foolish, and Tubbo are still hanging around, but...” she trailed off, deep in thought. Sam, scratching his neck, chimed in, “Things have been pretty quiet around here lately, haven't they?”

 

Tina let out a frustrated sigh, “That's what I was trying to tell you. I'm certain Hannah, Skeppy, Eryn, and Puffy have all vanished into thin air!” She couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness, especially for Hannah. She missed their teatime chats and comforting her, especially after she lost her wings that one time. But there was no sign of any of them returning, not with those stupid vines taking over the kingdom.

 

Suddenly, a memory flashed in her mind - something she had seen while sifting through old messages and her device. “Even Punz is gone! Probably killed!” she blurted out. "Bad told me, we both read the message on the screen, but it felt... uncanny?" she hesitated on the choice of words.

 

Sam nodded however, "I saw it too. Who do you think could have done it?"

 

Tina maintained a poker face and sighed, "How would I know?" Then, a thought crossed her mind and she smirked, "But once we find them, you might just get your job back."

 

Sam hesitated for a moment before speaking in a strained tone, "I don't think I want to go back. By the way, Bad dug a grave for Punz near his chunk... Purpled visits often."

 

Tina cocked her head, "What about Dream?"

 

Sam looked skeptical at her question, then turned away for a moment. He eventually turned back to her and explained, "Bad was planning on making another one, like the one he did after Punz's passing, but... he changed his mind after hearing from Tubbo that Dream tried to…attempted to kill and do black magic on people in a cruel way an-" He stopped speaking, his expression unreadable.

 

Tina wasn't familiar with Dream, but she had heard people saying he was some sort of called villain and this new information proves it again. She heard that Bad had conflicting feelings about it. So she asked, "He realized Dream had gone too far?"

 

Sam turned undoubtedly and uncomfortably as he massaged his neck again. "I don't know why he changed his mind about it and I asked him why," he trailed off. "Uh-Look, I'm not asking him that because I agree that Dream deserves a tribute despite all the harm he has caused to others and to me. But this is Bad we're talking about," Sam paused, gazing at the cottage. "He just said that…Gods don't deserve a bouquet of flowers on their grave; their immortal spirit must be better off in the air."

 

Tina raised an eyebrow at the statement..It doesn't even make sense. Was Bad referring to Dream like that or that just a random metaphor?

 

Trying not to be quiet for too long, Tina remarked, "That sounds...a little poetic for someone as wholesome as Bad," she chuckled awkwardly.

 

Sam snorted and didn't hesitate to comment on it, "Bad didn't seem too serious or strange for a while." 

 

The demon hybrid rolled her eyes and remarked, "Yeah, he's always so caring and sweet, even trying to force a smile. Well, not that often, especially given the status of the egg these days." She then raised an eyebrow and asked, "Any updates on the crimson vines and the egg's condition?" This made Sam rub his forehead in frustration and say, "No change. We continue to build a barrier around it to prevent destruction but it keeps destroying it."

 

Tina huffed in response, "Jeez."

 

Sam glanced around once more as he recalled a question he often posed to others. He reached into his pocket and retrieved something, saying, “I encountered Bad earlier today, and he was looking through the aftermath of the prison when he...” Sam held out the object for Tina to see. Tina squinted at it and realized it was a slightly burned letter.

 

“Found this, it looks like it got burned and dirty.” Sam finished. 

 

Tina held the letter and gently blew on it to remove some of the soot, asking, “A letter?” Sam shrugged, “Whoever wrote this seems to be dealing with a serious relationship problem. Who knows?”

 

Tina looked at the piece of paper, thinking. Perhaps it was an old letter from the prisoner to his family or loved ones. Tina was curious as she attempted to wipe away the burned spots from the paper.

 

A ping noise interrupted the two, and the demon hybrid glanced at Sam, who was holding his device. "What's wrong?" she asked, before returning her attention to the letter. As she looked closely, every word appeared blurry and damaged due to the burn. 

 

However, She noticed some unaltered short words or names written...which left her stunned.

““To sAp–ap and KarL…””

Sam set back his device as he said, "Tommy needs me for something, I should go-" but stopped when he noticed Tina's expression. "Tina?" he called out.

 

Tina glanced at the letter momentarily before facing the warden and whispered, "Sam."

 

She then spoke with a hint of sadness on her face.

"I think I may know who wrote this..." 

…………

Meanwhile, in the damaged part of Kinoko Kingdom.

 

A gigantic yawn could be heard as the biggest sleepyhead finally cracked open their eyes like statues coming to life after eons of stillness. Their eyes were crusty and coated with a long layer of black circles under them as they rose like a turtle.

With a soft hum, the figure who seemed to be a man with huge goggles on his head tried to lift his arms, which were covered in moss and various plants, some of them looking vine-like and dangerous. Despite the vines scratching and causing bad injuries, he didn't seem bothered and continued on with tired energy. 

 

He could just use some bandages or potions later without any care in the world.

 

Standing up from the grass, he brushed off the moss and dirt, ignoring the tiny mushrooms growing in a gross way on his neck. His crown almost fell off, but he lazily readjusted it.

 

He let out a quick sniff as he wiped his face, unconcerned by its skeletal and ghastly appearance. Pulling his cloak around him, he spat on the ground and rubbed his face once more. 

 

He was lost in thoughts about something that had been on his mind for long, he couldn't shake them off. And Even after that long ass ‘hibernation’ , he probably still grieves over the fake dream of becoming a god, defeating the dragon, and destroying everyone and everything that wronged him!

 

And when it comes to dream s, he still selfishly refuses to just stand by and do nothing about it.

 

But as he looked around, he noticed a river nearby, close to some large mushrooms. Feeling a lump in his throat, he decided to take a moment to deal with his thirst. Putting his goggles back on, he stood up and walked towards the river.

 

However, everything appeared black through his vision. Perhaps he was still dizzy, but when he removed the goggles, he saw that they were tinted black with a small white dot in the middle. Puzzled, he walked over to the river to clean them, only to be startled by his reflection in the water discovering something even worse than his tinted goggles.

 

His face was covered in sketches and words - a mustache above his lips, drawings of dicks on one cheek, and words like "Wash yourself!","sleepyhead" and "Stinky!" on the other.

 

“WHAT THE FUC-”  Just as he was about to curse up loudly, he spotted a word on his forehead that wasn't very legible. It read:

“Dr**** was here!”

The man felt on the brink of boiling rage after discovering quickly who could be behind this.

“DREAM YOU MOTHERFUCKER!”

 

 

……….

Hearing that the owner of Las Nevadas had betrayed what he called it as his home and taken his own life, has left Tubbo in utter shock.

much like the former president of L’Man-

He recalls the moment when Quackity entered his restaurant in confusion upon realizing he had 'accidentally' given Tubbo a promotion in just one day. They joked about it until they were in fits of laughter, but Quackity's laughter eventually ceased and then there were no more words heard from him. 

It also had been a few months since Dream and Punz had disappeared, it seemed suspicious, it was a relief at the same time but still suspicious, especially after discovering Punz's involvement in Dream's twisted plans and the numerous disappearances of other members. 

Good riddance!

 

It became clear why things had been going to shit. 

Despite this, he and Tommy are still getting there…

The parasites are gone and Tubbo eradicate their presence from the world. 

A job well done. For the first time in life, Tubbo had made the perfect decision.

If only Quackity stayed longer, he could- he would've been so proud. Quackity was like a brother to Tubbo.

Just like he considered Will as his broth-

Tubbo was tired of these deja-vus. He didn't want to keep thinking about Wilbur; it should be Tommy's concern.

 

Surprisingly, Tommy seemed to be handling things well since they blew up the Pandora vault. He was showing some strength and even reconciling with Jack, which was a shock to see.

 

Guess he didn't call himself strong for nothing.

It was also a relief to see Tommy getting along with other people who used to despise him and even planning to rebuild his hotel again for any future visitors.

But something was bothering Tubbo. 

 

Ever since their self-claimed victory, Tommy never mentioned Wilbur or their past or even l’Manberg in front of him. He would still show up wearing Wilbur's coat and smoking when greeting, which annoyed Tubbo. But he was willing to put up with it for Tommy's sake as long as their wounds heal.

As Tubbo finished packing up his final boxes of honey, he held them tightly as he closed up shop for the day. Walking home, he felt his communicator vibrate with a message from the king of the SMP.

>>The_Eret: Hey Tubbo, just finished training with Micheal. He's a bit tired.

 

>>The_Eret: heading back to me castle now. Any updates or thoughts?

Tubbo couldn't help but chuckle as he replied.

 

>>You whisper to The_Eret: It's all good, I'm on my way home.

 

Closing his device, Tubbo thought about how his relationship with Eret was improving. They were really starting to get along well, especially since Eret was more than willing to help out with babysitting or training his son to fight well, considering how others like Puffy were still ‘busy’ with the eggpire situation to this day.

After a long walk towards Snowchester, Tubbo brushed the snow off his boot, put down the boxes and took off his jacket before looking around the room. It was filled with tiny dummies and fake dolls used for training in combat. 

 

Tubbo better to give his boy another star for his efforts, as all the dummies looked rather ragged, especially that they all had severed heads.

 

"Hey, Mick, I'm back!" Tubbo called out, a smile on his face as he saw Micheal trying to take down one last undamaged doll with his wooden sword. Tubbo couldn't contain his chuckle - the kid looked so exhausted. As much as Micheal wanted to learn, he deserved a break just like his dad.

 

"Alright, young man, you've really outdone yourself for today," Tubbo said, gently leading Micheal away from the doll. Despite still waving his sword, Micheal let out a big yawn. "Save the fight for later. Let the enemies sweat a bit before you go in for the kill,” Tubbo advised as he held Micheal in his arms.

 

Micheal shook his head for one last attempt but ultimately succumbed to exhaustion, rubbing his eyes. Tubbo sighed and settled onto the couch, grabbing a small blanket to tuck Micheal in. As Micheal let out another yawn, his eyes half closed, Tubbo let him try to drift off to sleep, finding his 'battle' of falling asleep quite adorable.

 

Looking around the room, Tubbo reflected on how much Micheal was growing and changing. It was a bittersweet feeling, knowing that he was becoming a little independent. But Tubbo wished he had done everything in his power to protect Micheal and…

Tubbo and his friend didn't just get rid the monster, but he also lost the only source of the opportunity to bring back-

Tubbo may call himself self-centered, but ever since he started trying to make things okay for months, it's been tough for him to understand that the ghost version of his ‘ex-husband’ has gone for good. 

 

Like yeah, dealing with his husband's memory loss before he passed away was annoying at times…but Ranboo was a real person with his own flaws and issues. His husband wasn't perfect, but he was a kind and smart friend. 

Even now, thinking back on how that cheerful shadow of Ranboo hanging around Michael like the last remnant of Michael's father still brings a mix of emotions to Tubbo.

 

It's been a while now, and the discomfort just won't fade. What's the meaning of holding onto that feeling anyway? 

 

Tubbo took a deep breath as he attempted to unwind on the couch, arms spread wide. He was alone, with only what was left of his family next to him, finally able to relax after a long day of work. 

The soft ticking of the clock filled the room as Tubbo closed his eyes, hoping to drift off to sleep like his son. 

Just as he was about to doze off, the sudden sound of a pan hitting the ground made him awake.

 

He realized it came from the kitchen, wondering if the window was still open and was the one that caused it. Tubbo felt relieved when he saw that his little piglin was undisturbed.

 

He stood up from the couch, hoping that would be the last interruption before he could finally try to get some rest. 

As he made his way to the kitchen, expecting to see the open window and the dirty pan, Tubbo was met with something more stupider.

 

Upon seeing the fridge left wide open, Tubbo let out a sigh. Either it was because he forgot to close it, or Eret got lazy with not feeding Michael by herself. 

 

Tubbo approached the fridge, disregarding the papers and decorations stuck to it, too tired to think of the good days.

 

After closing the fridge and preparing to return the pan to its place, Tubbo noticed that one of the bags he used to hide extra food had been... cut open? 

Perplexed, he inspected the bag closely. He spotted breadcrumbs on the wooden floor. Tubbo thought about Michael being the one behind it obviously, he's still a kid after all. But the trail led not to the main chamber, but to the bedroom. 

 

Tubbo could have sworn there was no trace of breadcrumbs when he first arrived home. His suspicions grew as he made his way towards the bedroom, where he and Ranboo used to share. 

 

Opening the door quietly, he found no one inside. His expression sharpened as he searched for the culprit or any signs of what was going on.

 

The trail of breadcrumbs was dwindling, leading him to a hand quickly scooping up the crumbs before disappearing under a large blanket beneath a drawer. 

 

It seemed like someone was hiding under there, breathing slowly.

Someone had sneaked into Tubbo's home.

What if it was Punz? Or even Dream?! They weren't dead the whole time and now they were here, plotting to-

 

Tubbo shook his head at the silly thought. There was no sign of them, and why would they steal his food of all things? Dream is a power-hungry knucklehead, stealing a loaf of bread would be beneath him.

Although Tubbo knew it couldn't be him, it didn't mean he wasn't hesitant. 

 

He walked slowly, and as he did, the breathing of the hidden person seemed to grow more anxious, almost sounding like panic. 

 

Tubbo paused for a moment before he readied his fists. As he lifted a corner of the blanket, all he heard was a shriek from the culprit.

“Don't hurt me, please!”

Tubbo startled making The culprit quickly wrapped himself in a blanket and started rambling in fast worry.

 

“Ididn'tlikethesnowoutsideandsawthewindowopenand-”

 

“Hey, calm down, I'm not going to harm you,” Tubbo soothed, waving his hands. It was clear the culprit was more scared than dangerous, “I understand where you're coming from.”

 

The Culprit hesitated, still covering himself. "Really?" he asked.

 

“Yep, adjusting to cold weather can be tough. I struggled with it too,” Tubbo empathized.

 

The culprit slowly lowered the blanket, revealing his green-blue eyes. Tubbo noticed the fear in them. “You must be hungry,” Tubbo observed.

 

“Yeah, I can hunt but I have no way to cook for shit. I didn't have the materials,” the culprit admitted.

 

Tubbo arched an eyebrow, questioning, “You don't? Are you a new member invited on this server?”

 

Finding food here is easy, along with gathering wood and setting up fire camps. The new person appeared to be very young, possibly joining the server for the first time. Tubbo felt a tiny flake of excitement at being the first person the new player encountered.

 

The younger individual paused, puzzled. “Server?” he inquired. “Am I on another server?”  His slight movement caused the blanket to slide away, revealing himself.

 

As Tubbo prepared to respond, the revelation took him by total shock, causing him to close his mouth. He felt his hand almost clutching at his shirt. The younger looked at him with even more confusion at his reaction.

Tubbo began to stutter, "You're...", trying to find the right words as he looked at the culprit's appearance. 

 

The young one had very blond hair, similar to Tubbo's old hair before he dyed it brown. The tiny horns on the culprit's hair were different from Tubbo's long curved ones. The green shirt the culprit wore brought back images of Tubbo's first day in the SMP. 

Despite looking scared, there was a point of hope in the culprit's eyes, just like Tubbo used to have.

“You look... you look like me,” Tubbo stood up, feeling more horrified as he noticed the resemblance. 

The other goat hybrid just tilted his head in confusion. 

Tubbo stammered, “But you look-” He stopped when he noticed the younger one starting to look scared and reaching for the blanket to cover himself again. Tubbo shook his head and tried to apologize for scaring him, “I'm sorry, you just remind me so much of myself when I was young.”

 

The younger one remained silent, he was still holding the last piece of bread in his other hand. He gazed at it before slowly returning it to Tubbo.

 

 

“No, it's fine, dude. You can keep it. I still have plenty of food and sweets stored in my other chests, just in case of any heavy snowstorm outside." Tubbo gently guided the hands holding the bread back to the younger.

 

Tubbo's smile quickly faded as he gazed at the floor, his mind racing with thoughts of why this young one looked so much like him when he was a young non-traumatized teen. Maybe it was just a coincidence.

 

His attention was drawn back when he heard the young one muttering something quietly under his breath. Tubbo knelt down beside him and saw that he looked scared and cold again.

 

"Hey, it's okay. Why don't you stay here for now," Tubbo suggested as he started to stand up, preparing to leave the room, "Or I can get you something hot to drink, big ma- uh, little buddy or-"

“Tubbo,”

Tubbo froze in place. He turned to look at the boy, shocked. "H-How do you know my name?"

 

But the young one just tilted his head and said, "What? No- I just- I was just telling you my name. Is it your name too?" Seeing the older still frozen, the young one tried to ask with concern, "A-Are you okay?”

 

Tubbo turned away in shock, murmuring to himself, “This can't be a coincidence.” 

 

He thought he had done with all the bad things happening, but this was something else entirely!

 

Looking at the young look-alike, Tubbo muttered, “You not only look like me but also have my nam-...There has to be a meaning to this.”

The teen began to feel fearful once more as he attempted to stand up, “Are you gonna- I'm sorry, I can leave if-” but Tubbo stopped him.

 

“I'm not gonna hurt you or kick you out,” Tubbo sighed, “Follow me,” he suggested, and the younger teen hesitantly took his hand.

 

Tubbo led him slowly to the main room, where Micheal was still sound asleep on the sofa. The younger Tubbo gazed around the room as older Tubbo walked over and brought a chair a bit away from the sofa. "Have a seat here, be my guest and uh-" he gestured towards his son, "keep your distance from my child."

 

The young goat hybrid just kept glancing at Tubbo. Tubbo repeated, "His name is Michael. He's already asleep, so do not disturb him. I will make you some tea," before heading to the kitchen without saying another word.

 

Feeling grateful but sensing the older's sad mood, the younger goat hybrid sighed and sat in the chair, not even turning to face the little piglin.

Meanwhile, after Tubbo placed the kettle on to heat up, he gripped the kitchen counter and groaned through clenched teeth, "What the fuck is going on?!" His question may never be answered.

 

Tubbo then quickly grabbed his commentator to connect Tommy or ANYONE else still in the SMP to see if they had any idea about this. His fingers tapped anxiously on the screen.

All he wanted was to rest, only for prime to decide to surprise him with that! Tubbo rubbed his tired eyes. It seems like no matter how many parasites he and his loved ones get rid from this cruel place, they never catch a break.

……..

Observing the empty syndicate room for what seemed like months gave a sense of emptiness. 

In every sense of word, the room itself was empty. Save for the bag of potions and freshly baked cookies, still warm and inviting.

 

The nemesis, a member of the syndicate, an organization formed once her friends who had taught her the value of life, were now nowhere to be found.

Ranboo had been gone for a long time, with no indication of him returning back to life.

Techno had gone too ever since he wrote the 'message' , and seeing Connor return as a ghost, much like Ranboo, felt like an unnecessary double blow. 

 

However, Niki understood that this was partly her own doing. Although Connor was not an essential member, it was nice to see him adjusting to his ghostly side, with a friend of sort?

As for Philza… There's been no word from him since the disappearance of his close friend.

 

Niki is still patiently waiting, hesitant to appear selfish. But the sight of the empty chairs in the basement, with a map left untouched on the table, only added to her worries. 

 

She sighed as she glanced at the bag of the baked goods she made. Feeling a bit sad, she reached for a cookie. Just as she was about to take a bite, she hesitated, gazing at it thoughtfully. She closed her mouth as she placed the cookie back in the bag and wistfully rubbed her face.

There's no such point in eating something sweet in such a bitter place.

 

..

 

.

 

Philza's cabin was as quiet as mice. 

Niki thought about what she should do while letting snowflakes gently land in her hair.

 

Perhaps Phil was still inside his cabin. Niki could leave a note on his door and hope for the best.

 

Maybe they could spend some quality time together, working out and even baking! just like she did with Wilbur.

 

Things were going well slowly but Niki was confident that it would all be worth it in the end. They would come together and support each other, no matter what the past has done to them.

With a final sigh, she made her way towards the cabin, ascending the wooden steps until she reached the door. The doorknob was frozen shut, but she didn't let that bother her. Her only concern was making sure the immortal was alright. 

 

Just as she was about to knock, a certain crow circled around her and landed on an open window. Niki raised an eyebrow, wondering why Philza would leave a window open in the cold. 

 

Ready to knock on the door again, she noticed it was slightly ajar. Okay, why would Philza leave not only the window but the door open too? 

 

Her worry for his well-being grew.

 

Niki called out softly, “Phil? Are you there?” as she gently opened the door and shut out the swirling snow. Stepping inside, the cabin felt just as inviting and well-organized as always.

 

Her heart skipped a beat as she noticed one of the chests left slightly open however. Peering inside, she saw that a few potions were strangely empty, and a couple of bandages were carelessly discarded nearby.

 

Concern crept over her wondering if Philza had been injured and used up all the supplies while grieving in his home for months. Her worry turned to dread as she heard a noise from upstairs, the cawing of crows.

 

Just in case of potential danger, she grabbed an axe from her back and slowly made her way upstairs. As she approached, she thought she could hear someone talking. As she reached a certain door, she opened it slowly and peeked inside.

To her relief, it was Philza. 

Thank Notch it was him, and he looked...fine? 

 

His clothes were neat and a little different. Funnily enough there was not one but multiple crows circling around him, cawing while Phil seemed tired like the tired grandpa he always is. 

 

Niki let out a sigh of relief as she opened the door and her mouth to speak, "Phil! I'm sorry for coming in, but I was..."

 

To her surprise, Philza jumped as if he had seen a ghost, nearly losing his balance. He held a book in one hand and both of his hands were wrapped in bandages. 

 

Just as he was about to say something, a crow landed on his hat. Philza gently shook his head, calmly like a child trying not to wake up their parents, "Stop it, he's right here, go to him, not me!" while pointing at something.

Niki asked, "Is everything okay, Phil? What happened to your..." But her question was interrupted as she saw what Philza was gesturing towards. 

He was gesturing to…

Phil?!

There was another guy who looked just like Phil sleeping on the couch! 

 

He didn't look too great compared to the other Phil. Messy hair and dark circles under his eyes, he was tucked under a blanket and his wings. He was still in deep sleep, not even hearing the loud crows.

 

Niki gripped her axe tightly as she stared at the impostor Phil, then at the real Phil, feeling confused and shocked.

 

“Who are you and what-” Niki started, but Phil interrupted again but softly, “Relax, Niki, it's me, Philza.” He set the book aside and gently shooed the crows outside with his hands.

 

Niki's eyes widened, “But how?! You are here and…” She lost herself at this point. 

 

“Don't worry, it's nothing horrible, just let me explain please,” The good looking Phil gestured for Niki to calm down. “And out,” he suggested, leading a very skeptical Niki out of the room, leaving the other Phil to continue sleeping.

As the two closed the door, Niki stood beside the wall, her mouth pouting in thought after what she had just witnessed, unsure of what to say as she watched the other Phil thinking awkwardly of how to explain himself. 

 

Niki teased a bit, "You…didn't tell me you had a twin," She then quipped, "Your family keeps getting stranger, and I'm not even surprised anymore." Her tone was a bit sarcastic, but there was a hint of unease talking to what seemed like a clone of her friend. 

 

Was it really a clone or just a slightly different Philza? Despite his bandaged hands, he seemed to be very similar to her friend…It look like he- 

 

"Unless this is some 'I'm you from the future' kind of thing," Niki mused, half serious and half joking.

 

Surprisingly, Philza nodded and teased, "Looks like I'm not the only one who watched science fiction movies." 

 

Niki was a little shocked at first, but then chuckled, "Hmm, nah, I once went on a date with a time traveler so this gave me the idea..." She laughed at the little memory but was still confused as she asked, "But seriously Phil, what's happening?"

 

Phil nervously rubbed his neck, feeling the need to confess, "Half of what you said is true, I'm actually him from the future." 

 

Niki's eyes widened in disbelief as she questioned, "Is time traveling happening right now?" 

 

Philza frowned as he walked down the stairs, with the woman following closely behind. "It's a bit too late for time travel because I'm actually looking for-" he paused, thinking about his choices. 

 

Niki picked up on his hesitation and although she wasn't sure of the effects of going to the past, she could just imagine it never ending well. She placed a hand on Phil's shoulder, "Man, you don't have to tell, it will cause-" 

 

"My daughter," Philza reluctantly revealed.

 

Niki withdrew her hand, "You have another child?" she inquired. Although she knew Phil was a fatherly figure with literally everyone, she did not half expected him to want to expand his family for the millionth time.

 

Philza affirmed, "Two children. I won't say more." 

 

Philza then mentioned, "I had to find her right away, so I saw my house and decided to look around for a bit and…" He glanced at the framed pictures on the wall, most of them featuring him, his best friend, and the syndicate as a whole before things went to shit. 

 

Niki sighed, not wanting to witness this side of Philza. It has been paining her ever since the news . 

 

"Um, nevermind, Grian didn't save my butt for me to just sit here and grieve again," Philza said. 

 

Niki cocked an eyebrow, "Gria-who?" 

 

Philza chuckled softly, "That's a long story, but yeah."

 

Niki wasn't expecting any of this but there was something else weighing on her mind as she asked, "Pressing question? If you're from the future, why would your future daughter be here?"

 

As the immortal sat on one of the stairs, he let out a sigh and began to explain with a hint of hesitation, "I won't go into too much detail, but there's a new technology outside the server called the server recorder portal." Gesturing with his hand, he continued, "It creates simulations of different servers, but it's still in development and there was a little error that would have caused…

After Philza explained, Niki sat back with a mix of surprise and amusement. She couldn't believe such advanced and horrible technology was being tested with no one caring, especially outside of the servers in the nexus where multiple people are sent there for invitations.

 

“And you did that Phil?” Niki inquired. Philza responded, "I wasn't the first. The one who did it first is the reason I'm here." He paused briefly before adding, "He tric-" he stopped himself and then continued, "He went there with my daughter. I've already explained what happens when that glitch occurs."

He then started fuming, muttering under his breath, “I didn't come here to just kick that guy's guts and the person who let it happen.” He then looked down in shame, “I wish I hadn't left my kid behind. I was so stupid.”

 

Niki tried to offer some comfort to Philza despite not fully understanding the situation. She was annoyed that he was still not taking care of his children well, but she also acknowledged that maybe it wasn't entirely his fault. 

 

"Don't be so hard on yourself," Niki reassured him, although she couldn't shake off her uneasiness. “And maybe you should consider stopping here before...y'know,” she hinted.

Philza nodded in agreement, adding with a smile, "Yeah, the paradox, I almost forgot. Future me is really losing it as he gets older."

 

Niki snickered. Despite the strangeness of it, she found comfort in knowing that Phil was still the same cool old man he always was, well he’s still not a perfect dad, but always trying his best. 

 

She was curious about why his hands were bandaged, but avoided the thoughts quickly.

 

“You haven't changed much," Niki remarked, receiving an eye roll from Philza. 

 

"Finally, someone said it. You're always the best no matter the timeline, Niki." said The angel of death flatly.

As they stood up from the stairs and neared the door, Niki noticed something strange happening to one of the feathers on Philza's wing. It was making an unpleasant noise, and as she tapped his shoulder to get his attention, she mumbled, "P-Phil." 

 

Philza turned to her. His eyes widened as he realized what she was pointing out. 

 

"Your wings!" Niki exclaimed, taking a step back in surprise.

 

Phil flapped his wings rapidly until the strange thing disappeared. "Oh, it's nothing!" he said nervously, turning his back to Niki. "It could just be dust and bugs... I mean bugs as in insects, not the other thing," he added with a small chuckle.

 

As he reached for the doorknob, he hummed a tune and glanced at Niki. "Well, remind past me to take a short walk." 

 

Niki nodded, refraining from asking more questions to avoid any timeline issues since she felt like she heard enough, though something did appear in her thoughts. 

 

Just as Philza opened the door, Niki couldn't help but speak up. "Hey Phil, I know I said not to bring anything else that could mess up the paradox, but I have one question." 

 

Philza hesitated, raising an eyebrow before nodding. Niki took a deep breath, thinking whether or not to ask it

Niki moistened her lips before whispering a…

“Ranboo,” 

As much Niki knew that Ranboo had long been gone, she still felt the need for some sort of closure.

 

Phil froze for a moment. Niki frowned as she spoke, "I know he's been dead for a long time, but is there anything, or anyone, that mentions him in the future or does anything happen to him?"

Philza stayed silent, his expression inscrutable as snowflakes drifted past the half-open door. 

After what felt like days, Philza's lips turned into a smile.

 

"He's doing fine," he said, surprisingly calm.

 

Niki tilted her head, "Doing fine? What do you mean? Isn't he dead?"

 

Philza nodded sadly, but his smile remained. "Yes, he's still dead, but he went somewhere safe now." He opened the door fully, adding one final speech before closing it. "He found his happy ending." And with that, the conversation with someone from the future ended.

Niki stared at the door, completely confused by what Phil said and everything in general. 

 

What did he mean by that? 

Maybe… maybe, it was all just her imagination all along?

"Niki?"

Startled, Niki turned to see Phil behind her…or at least the Phil she knew. 

Trying to play it cool, Niki waved a hand. "Oh, hey!" 

 

Past!Philza looked at her with a mix of weariness and puzzlement, wrapped in his blankets. "Niki, what are you doing here?" He rubbed his eyes, "And why were you staring at the door?" 

 

Niki fidgeted with her pink hair, hesitantly saying, "I was just thinking about how long it's been since we last saw each other after reading the letter." She looked away, not wanting to bring up any more sadness.

 

"I thought I'd come by for a visit," she explained with a shrug. "I almost changed my mind when I got here, but..." Approaching Past!Philza, she gently touched his cold, weary face, feeling a pang of sympathy for how long he had been grieving in his cabin. "You should really get up and move around a bit, Phil." she urged.

 

Past!Philza nodded speechlessly. Niki frowned but then she snapped her finger as she remembered something. 

 

She retrieved the bag from her inventory and opened it, revealing her baking goods.

"I also made the special cookies for you," she tried to smile as she handed her bag to the immortal. Past!Phil's expression didn't change much, but he muttered, "Thanks."

 

Niki's frown deepened, but she knew she had to hold onto hope just like Techno let her hope for redemption. And whatever that Phil from the future was real or not, she will do what she must do.

 

She smiled genuinely this time, "But you know what goes better with cookies?" 

 

Past!Philza raised an eyebrow as Niki added, "A nice hot mug of cocoa!"

Past!Philza was silent for a moment, but then he sighed and allowed himself a chance to smile hopefully, “With marshmallows on?” 

 

“Marshmallows on,” Niki smiled back as she headed to the kitchen.

…….

“Goddamn, Quackity,” 

 

Philza quietly cursed as he trudged through the snow, feeling a mix of shame and frustration. 

 

Now Niki is unaware what happened to the former syndicate member who didn't deserve such a fate.

If it hadn't been for the nuke that destroyed the entire SMP, they wouldn't have gone to the end portal and unraveled what happened after that.

But...maybe that is also a good thing? Without the nuke, nobody would have died and been transported somewhere else without their memories. 

 

This whole paradox situation is starting to sound pretty complicated, and Phil is really conflicted about it. But it doesn't mean he's not pissed at the duck hybrid.

Philza let out a small whine as he accidentally touched the cold tree with his injured hand. The bandages were starting to soak with blood, so he sighed and pulled out another health potion to drink. 

 

The blood slowed but didn't stop completely. His hands began to glitch slightly, causing Phil to quietly curse and wave his hands in frustration. 

 

These effects of the glitch just won't quit... If only he didn't push through the bug so hard.

 

He wondered how much more he could endure, but he knew he had to keep going.

 

Grian had saved him for a reason, and Philza hadn't come this far just to walk and look around.

He had already lost so much...he couldn't bear to lose Tallulah this time.

—flashback—

“Philza, I'm pretty sure we could've done something else”

Grian asked, the parrot hybrid was still mildly surprised upon learning from the angel of death that the person who lost his memories and took his daughter was freaking Quackity out of all people. 

 

However, Grian tried to be relatively calm, since he had no idea of the situation between Quackity and Philza. Part of him regretted not questioning Philza about whatever the hell is the Qsmp. The unfamiliar version of the server failed to quench his curiosity.

 

Everything seemed hazy and uncanny, much like the portal the admins had created. Grian couldn't believe the huge bunch of admins had such outdated technology compared to the hermits in his server. He joked that he could have easily asked others like Doc to fix it instead of dealing with the ridiculousness of it all. 

 

Philza tiredly rubbed his face, paying no mind to the train station that seemed familiar. It was the same station he had used when first visiting the new SMP, a visit he longed to experience again. But yeah, every time he received invitations to go to new places to start anew, something always went wrong.

 

“No,” Philza turned to him, "When we find them, make sure to contact the god of chaos. Though you may not be familiar with her, she's the only one to be held responsible for this." An expression of annoyance crossed Philza's face. 

 

Grian raised an eyebrow, asking, "You saw her?"

 

"I had a talk with her," Philza said through gritted teeth, feeling the pressure building. Grian didn't push for what happened, but he couldn't resist questioning, "So, how did it go?"

 

Philza let out a frustrated sigh, snapping a little, "Are you fucking kidding me? She had the nerve to say, 'Sure, I let that amnesiac dipshit take your daughter to that dangerous, under-construction place. I was going to help them if anything goes wrong' But noooooo," he said, mocking her voice with an angry tone.

 

Grian didn't say anything, and Philza took a deep breath, trying not to get upset again. "Okay, here goes nothing to lose," he muttered.

 

"Except our sanity," the parrot hybrid replied sarcastically, or maybe a little too seriously.

 

Philza rolled his eyes. "Pfff-Yeah, you haven't changed much in centuries," he thought back to when they first met, long before the servers they knew found themselves on. It was quite the coincidence for these two immortals to cross paths in the silly tournaments.

 

Grian smiled gently. "But you have, albeit slightly softer," he stifled a chuckle. "And still adopting more kids to this day."

 

The angel of death shot him a sharp glance but decided to brush it off. They needed to stay focused as they ventured through the forest, hoping to run into someone familiar from the Dream SMP, hoping to replicate what his daughter had done as part of his plan to find her.

 

As they continued their walk, the air felt shitty, making Grian feel a bit uneasy so he asked in order to pass time, "So, any news about Wilbur?"

 

Phil seemed taken aback by the question as he replied, "Well…I tried to check his messages, but it seems like he's not as talkative lately," he replied sadly. They passed by a group of familiar faces, most from the QSMP and few from the Dream SMP.

 

As they continued walking, Phil noticed someone who resembled his platonic husband, but shrugged it off as nothing important. 

 

After all, it was all just a bunch of fake bullcrap. With Missa still alive and well so he wasn't too concerned about it. However, seeing the faces of those he had met before in this place did leave him feeling a little disturbed.

 

 

He went back to his response, "He started isolating himself slowly. He would occasionally call me and ask me about Tallulah until-" He paused, unwilling to revisit the memories of his daughter's reaction upon realizing her former father had left without a word or a note. "Months ago, he simply stopped contacting me and probably everyone else. I have no idea where he could have gone."

 

Grian furrowed his brow and nodded sympathetically, "I'm sorry for that, man. But y'know, I'm pretty sure he-" but Philza interrupted him, "Let's just focus on our own business. Who to begin now?"

 

Grian flinched and said, "Oh, yes, so um," as he looked at the group with narrowed eyes, scanning like a nerd, "hoooooooooooow-" he clicked his tongue before pointing his finger at one individual, "-About him?"

 

Philza glanced at what G was pointing at and then turned to look at him with a deadpan expression, “That is Me, mate.” 

 

Before them stood a pixel-looking version of Phil that actually looked worse than the others, and Philza was a little offended and thinking why the admins hadn't bothered to fix a version that represents one of the most well-known hard mode players and wisest of the immortals. 

Grian just shrugged, saying, "Indeed. I mean, all these versions of these people seem to have the same error upon touching them, so it doesn't really matter which one we choose."

 

Philza sort of agreed with that point. 

 

Grian gave him a questionable look and asked, "Do you think we'll be teleported to the same time point they were?"

Philza paused, considering whether that would work like it did for Quackity and his daughter. Uncertain, he knew that this may be their only chance to return to the timeline and find them before things take a turn for the worse or something bad is going to happen to Tallulah. 

 

Phil gazed at the virtual copy of himself, the copy looked hazard and glitchy yet oddly cheerful. 

 

With a sigh, he turned to the parrot hybrid with a determined expression, “It remains to be seen, this is the only way we can find them.”

 

Grian agreed, and together they made their way towards the bunch of pixels, ready for whatever the bug might bring aside of 'time travel'.

 

As they approached it closer, Grian spoke up. "Should we touch it now, or wait a bit longer? Whenever you're ready."

 

Without hesitation, Phil raised his hand and replied firmly, "I cannot afford myself to wait here while my daughter's life hangs in the balance,” He turned to Grian, "Are you ready? I don't want to keep you away from your server if you're busy."

 

Grian laughed and replied, "I don't have any pressing matters on hermitcraft right now, Mumbo can handle everything for me. I believe I can handle this one on the road."

 

Philza gave a nod as the men raised their hands towards the virtual clone, getting closer to touching it.

 

Grian suddenly had a thought and quickly stopped himself, pulling Philza back. "Wait, Phil?" he asked, and Phil hummed in response. 

 

"Just in case we were teleported separately, and I need to find your daughter, can you tell me what she looks like?" Grian asked.

 

Philza smiled sadly, feeling the urge to talk about how beautiful his daughter was and how she lit up every day like a queen. But he knew this wasn't the right time, knowing that her safety was at stake. So he needed to describe her appearance simply instead. 

 

Just as he was about to open his mouth, a sudden glitchy sound caught his attention, causing him to quickly turn around. 

..

 

.

There was someone hiding behind one of the bushes. And because of their flawed state, it was easy to see who was there.

Phil's eyes widened when he squinted to see that the person hiding had something that looked like some sort of weapon.

There was a click an-

“Grian! Look out!” 

Philza cried out and it was already too late for Grian to react.

 

Philza instinctively shielded him from the attack, only to regret it as the sharp impact felt like his flesh was being sliced by the tip of the knife.

 

Philza let out a cry of pain as he looked down at his bloody, hole-ridden palms. 

 

Grian's eyes widened in panic, “Philza! Here! Hav-” as he was about to grab a healing potion he spotted strange bullet-like objects scattered on the ground. It was shocking to Grian that these were not arrows but not typical weapons used by players either, a realization that struck him but not Philza, who seemed to already know the bad truth behind the attackers.

 

Grian shook his head as he forcibly poured the potion down Phil's throat. 

 

Philza felt a slight improvement in his condition, but his health didn't get any better when he saw the wounds still bleeding. Grian's expression shifted from concern to a fierce glare towards the attackers.

A group of faceless individuals, one wearing a bunny mask and armed with a gun, stood before them.

Grian didn't know who they were, but he didn't care - they had hurt his friend. The parrot hybrid grabbed a shield and spread his wings as his eyes turned a little purple.

Philza looked at him while hardly ignoring the pain, “Grian, what are-” 

 

"Go! I'll handle them myself, go find your child!" Grian yelled, waving his hands for Philza to go and pointing to the fake Philza still standing there.

 

Philza froze for a moment, unsure if he should let Grian handle the situation with that evil cooperation. But then again, he knew Grian is not only a troublemaker builder but has some playful attitude backed up by serious strength. 

 

Philza second-guessed himself as he shut his eyes tight and flew off to his lookalike.

 

Mr. bunny gnashed his teeth under his mask as he unleashed a line of shots, but Grian quickly stepped in front of Philza with his shield and armed himself with the bow and arrows. 

 

"Come and get me first, suckers!" Grian taunted, sticking his tongue out…Big mistake.

 

The bunny-masked man snapped his fingers, sending the guards charging towards Grian. However, the parrot hybrid zipped into the sky like a flash, leaving a big cloud of dust that made the guards go blind somehow. The dust was getting glitchy too but one guard spotted a strange purple shimmer dancing within it.

Philza didn't stick around to see what was happening. He hurried over to the clone and held onto it tightly before anything could interrupt. He hugged it in a way that made him think of hugging his son or any of his other children. 

Clinging to this false persona felt…ironically.

Like someone embracing his former self, as if seeking forgiveness for his mistakes and shortcomings. For falling short of his own hopes when he arrived here in search of a better tomorrow.

 

Before he could think of this reflection, sudden sounds interrupted him. Philza let out a shriek as the glitch began to consume his body.

Meanwhile Grian zipped around in the sky, raining arrows down on the guards while taunting them, "Got something on your ‘faces’?"  

 

The guards ran toward their boss and walked around him in circles like a protecting wall.

 

Grian slowly descended to the ground and smirked, "Why the pause? All out of bullets? I guess nothing beats good ol' fashioned archery!" His smirk faltered when he caught a guard whispering in Mr. Bunny's ear, causing Grian to cock his head.

 

Mr. Bunny was quiet for a moment before he suddenly reloaded his gun with something different, but Grian remained uncared as he readied himself. 

Out of the blue, Mr. Bunny gestured to his guards, who quickly closed in on Grian. Despite being prepared to take flight, Grian managed to dodge a guard who was tossed his way.

 

 

Before Grian could even react to the fallen guard, another guard swooped in and grabbed one of his wings trying to put something metal on them, causing Grian to hiss in displeasure. 

But soon, all the guards joined in, grabbing hold of Grian's wings all at once causing him to hiss even louder. 

 

Grian tried to move away, his wings tearing slightly from their clawing grip. His eyes started to glow a more vibrant shade of purple, as he summoned all his strength. 

 

Just as the guards exchanged nods, they released their hold, sending Grian soaring off suddenly, accidentally hitting a glitchy tree, causing him to let out a startled yelp. 

 

Grian asked himself internally while whining in agony.

Why did these simulation bugs have to be so painful?!

Mr.bunny took this as a sign to ready his gun. 

Grian noticed something different amidst the glitch-induced pain and- PING!

He felt a sensation on his leg, not exactly painful but definitely…strange. 

 

It didn't seem to draw any blood, yet it affected his brain in an odd way.

 

Struggling to focus, Grian caught one final glimpse of Phil and whispered, “Go- Good luck, ma…”, as he collapsed on the grass.

 

Mr.bunny huffed with sweaty hands as he let out a sigh. He put his gun down as the guards regrouped. However, one guard urgently approached him, pointing ahead, "Sir! Look!"

 

Mr. Bunny turned to see Philza glitching, his body covered in purple and black squares as the error continued to spread through the immortal's body.

 

“No!” The manager cried out, rushing towards the glitched figure.

But Philza disappeared into thin air…

 leaving behind only faint trACes thA T so- SoOn vanIns-993—9990/—--------

—--

 

–

 

-

.

.

Notes:

I don't like to spoiler about Tubbo part, let's just say that after Quackity made paradox, the original timeline of Dsmp where nuke destroyed the ENITIRE server (which was described as the grand finale according to Phil and Grian) has now become a doomed timeline It was on the verge of disappearing forever before the people who reincarnated there managed to survive, including the younger version of Tubbo.
In this altered timeline, the older Tubbo and Tommy only blew up the prison to get rid of what was left of Dream's belongings. I might have made it more confusing sorry.)

For Philza and Niki. Philza unfortunately teleported to a different point of time and not the same spot as Tallulah and Q, meaning he went to the past after-three months post the kidnapping.

For George part, No, Dream is definitely not the one who did it. it was obviously Quackity and Tallulah (Chapt 6) They were just trying to mess with Drista for not coming to them.

 

Also changes: when I finished Chapt 9, I made the idea of keeping Punz deceased until someone other than Dream revived him. However, I decided again to keep the idea of Punz and Dream being the only ones capable of the use of revival spells. I didn't like to kill off Punz for plot devices so I decided to include a sorta change where Punz was actually alive, and his supposed death was faked by the federation to capture Dream's and others' attention. They beat Punz unconscious and fabricated a death message to deceive everyone. In this chap, they currently placed him in a room for investigation to uncover any evidence of his use of revival powers, because of their belief that it was impossible and it was a defiance of nature's logic. And despite knowing how illegal that is, they know they did not hold authority over the Dsmp world and thus had to proceed fairly.
The federation is considering bringing Punz back to his timeline to resolve any complications or worsen paradox (They are still egotistic). Only question is when and if they will do it, but we'll see!
Sorry for the lore au dump, just wanted to make this fic less confusing ;D

Chapter 13: Sorry, elders take charge!

“For few what I gathered here and there,”

 

Grian mumbled, attempting to adjust his wings again. He felt the metal cuffs hug loosening but tried to fight it off. 

Quackity sat with crossed legs, while Tallulah sat beside him, looking concerned.

Dream stood with crossed arms, tapping his fingers on his arm, waiting for a clearer explanation than before.

 

With his eyes closed, Grian tried to recall. "Just like you guys, I was tranquilized by the federation, but they woke me up and-" he paused, clicking his tongue in annoyance, "introduced me to them and explained things before shoving me into this stupid bag." He pointed to the bag on the ground, covered in purple flakes like snow.

Letting out a quiet sigh, Grian mused, "I tried not to care and find a way to escape, but I couldn't resist listening in since I was too curious. Especially I wanted to know why they really had tried to kill Phil,” he recalled the gruesome sight of Philza's bloody hands. It was crystal clear that this wasn't just an usual fall-of-a-cliff or a laughing matter injury. It was a full-on, painful ordeal.

 

Grian clenched his jaw, "If it weren't for Philza's protection, I'd be beyond dead.” He then clarified, "I mean forever, because unlike other servers, in hermitcraft, we don't have a permanent death system. Some of us die and respawn as if nothing happened."

 

Quackity furrowed his brow, now feeling even worse for Phil, but also more puzzled by the whole situation. While Tallulah's eyes widened in shock. These monsters  even tried to harm her dad?! When did this happen? Grian seemed to have forgotten to tell the full story yet.

Grian noticed Tallulah’s panic and quickly tried to reassure her, "Whoa, whoa, calm down! Philza isn’t dead, I gave him some healing potions. He was just a bit injured. But he is still strong enough and fit as a fiddle."

 

But instead of easing her worries, Tallulah's brows furrowed even more as she asked with a tremble in her voice, "I- I understand,bu- but what do you mean they tried to-" 

 

Dream interrupted the dragon hybrid with a fired off question, "What’s the deal with this ‘federation’ again? What are they even trying to do?" waving his hand in confusion.

Grian gave Dream a long look before closing his eyes. "Based on what I've heard," he said calmly, "The Federation was overrun with incompetent managers trying to maintain control and testing out risky stuff, thinking they were doing the right thing." He then opened his eyes, shooting a sharp look at Dream. "Sound familiar?" 

 

Dream was about to tilt his head in confusion, but Grian's sly grin made him pause. It was almost as if Dream was seeing a reflection of himself in those who shared similar bad intentions. However, Dream didn't show any signs of introspection. Instead, he let out an irritated growl. 

 

Dream then opened his mouth to defend himself, but shut it down quickly as he thought better of it. 

 

He knew everyone would point fingers and label him a hypocrite. 

He got so used to being called a monster or villain to everyone else's narrative multiple times and can always not care much of hurling insults (unless they came from those he still loves deep inside and misses) , but calling himself a hypocrite is so last season for him right now.

 

So Dream muttered, "So be it, the ends justify the means, keep going," as he looked away.

 

Quackity raised eyebrow with a hint of concern at him. Despite him discovering already that the masked man is a fucking crazy ex-tyrant or something of the sort, Quackity couldn't help but be curious by him. Maybe there was something in Dream's actions that could shed light on Quackity's own past choices.

Wait…would that even help Quackity know more and understand his past self life and why he became a bad person?

Grian ran his hand through his hair in an attempt to recall another individual, "There was this one who claimed to be the good one, his name Cucuruc–" His cheeks flushed as he struggled to contain a giggle. 

 

"Like – Cu–" Grian couldn't keep it together and burst into giggles, quickly covering his mouth with his hand.

 

Quackity tilted his head in confusion, before joining in on the laughter inexplicably. Tallulah and Dream just shared deadpan silence.

 

Grian paused, catching his breath, "Cuc - Sorry, Their name just cracks me up." He continued, "They look like a white bear, and they say they used to be pals with you, Q?"

 

Quackity kept a straight face however. Before he could inquire, he turned to see Tallulah's surprised expression.

 

"A white bear?" Tallulah mused, before correcting, "Their name is Cucurucho! They're a... well, a Cucurucho," she said with a slight shrug.

 

Dream let out a questionable face, “And what the fuck that supposed to mean? Some sort of new informed species?"

 

"Pipe down at her, will you?" Q scolded but felt a little bit of nervousness at Dream.

 

Tallulah was growing a little annoyed by that masked man's lack of manners despite clearly being to be a bad guy but that doesn't mean he should be rude everytime they talk. She decided to answer simply because Grian and her guardian seemed genuinely curious; "They looked like the guards, but unlike them, they had faces. I remember one of them used to talk to you most of the time back at the Qsmp," She looked at Quackity.

 

Quackity's brain swirled with confusion but not having the energy to act surprised anymore. Jeez, he certainly had a lot of friends who were good at disguising their suspicious tones and hiding their shady intentions.

 

Then, a lightbulb moment struck him. "Hold on!" Quackity exclaimed, striking an overextended stopping pose. "A bear with a face? I don't recall seeing anyone without a face or a mask, except for one who had..." Quackity paused as the pieces started to come together. "It was a one with a pink nose? I remember seeing them with the guards, but they turned away when I glanced at them." He glanced at Grian, thinking he may have any idea about it.

 

Grian just shrugged and said, "I wish I knew more, but other things caught my attention instead of that part. And why are most of the members of that federation named in Spanish?" It was a rhetorical question, but Quackity, idiotically, replied, "Well, Phil told me it's a translator server so I guess everyone there had different names from different nationalities."

 

Tallulah chuckled and added, moving mountains to lighten the mood of the current situation, "Yeah, these bears sometimes help translate for some of the members and people."

 

Grian made a puzzled expression and said, "uh huh, but... Look, everyone on my server also has funny names, but who would name their species after an ice cream cone?!"

 

Dream, hidden behind his mask, rolled his eyes at that. Being named after a word may seem cheesy, sure, but at least he did not name himself after food.

 

Tallulah giggled even more, "Different language names are just adorable," as she recalled one of her friends, "Like Pomme, my friend who speaks French and loves apples, it just fits so well."

 

Quackity looked slightly nervous but tried to keep up a cheerful tone and asked, "How many friends do you and I have over there, Tallulah? I'm scared."

Dream let out a sigh and scratched his face under his mask, "Guys, I think we're getting off track here," he glanced at Grian, "Keep going."

 

Grian sighed, knowing the group's supposed 'villain' had a point. 

"Okay, let's get back on track. Yep, mostly the narcissistic host who led the government and all that jazz. Did you all see that duck and bunny with ties?" Grian questioned, and the rest of the group quickly nodded.

 

Dream added, "That duck claiming to be a retired manager or some governmental shit."

 

Grian elaborated, "The duck used to be in charge of the federation. Now mr.bunny has taken over, he's the one who tranquilized me. They said to me that They both warned Q and his friends back at the Qsmp server long ago that if they broke any rules, they'd be stuck there forever."

 

Grian shrugged and crossed his arms, saying, "So, apparently no one could go until some of you somehow managed to leave after...adopting kids? for what i'm seeing here right now," he gestured at Tallulah and she nodded.

 

Quackity jumped and let out a bitter chuckle. "Well, I guess we made it somehow, not sure how, but we made it, mostly at least. Except for me, kinda," he muttered sadly.

 

He remembered the moment he first opened his eyes and found himself at the nexus, surrounded by unfamiliar faces looking at him with concern. There was a man with half-brown, half-blonde hair (could that be Tubbo that Tallulah mentioned?), a huge person in an outfit that looks like an undying totem (maybe Foolish), a woman with cat-like ears (Or Demon... was that Tina?), a figure in a dark cloak with white eyes (could it be BadboyHalo, Quackity breathed a sigh of relief after finally getting his name right), and  blurting out in confusion, ‘WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE?!’ and the shocked silence that followed made him realize things are different and having a feeling that his brain was all empty as a new book, especially when he noticed the old man in a hat holding two children in his arms, accompanied by another figure wearing a skeleton mask.

Quackity felt a tap on his back and turned to see Tallulah, who was making the same bitter expression as him. Dream glanced at them but didn't seem to care, continuing with his questions. "Did that Cocuro person or any of these managers mention something else to you?" he asked.

 

Grian gave a disapproving look. "I couldn't quite follow because, one, their 'lore' is so complicated and-"

 

"You don't say," Both Dream and Quackity interjected with a critical tone. Their synchronized comment left them both staring awkwardly at each other.

Grian brushed it off, "And two...I'm Grian." He smirked with a shrug.

 

Dream groaned in response but didn't say much, much to the relief of the parrot hybrid.

Grian continued, “I was told by one of these Cucuruchos that after the system was redone, the foundation stumbled upon a god named XD. The god of creation who is the only one who can fabricate powers to manipulate people's memories."

 

Dream flinched at the mention of his god-like counterpart and inquired, "So is that how he really lost his memories?" pointing at Quackity. 

Quackity was supposed to already know this but seemed slightly surprised by the revelation.

 

Grian hesitated, saying, "I guess? The hosts, or whatever they are called, seem to be aware of this. Phil and I suspect they are using it for a specific purpose."

 

Dream scoffed, "XD…are they in contact with that bastard?"

"One can only imagine," Grian retorted sneeringly. 

 

Quackity was about to set Grian straight on Foolish being friends with XD, but Dream interrupted.

 

"And using it for the 'specific purpose’ , as you say, sarcastically?"

“You're the one to ta-”

Dream hushed Grian and demanded, "Just get to the point." 

 

Grian begrudgingly returned to explaining, “So, the foundation found out that when XD used that power on another server, it could potentially wipe memories upon logging out. Luckily, it's not actually working. Unluckily, Quackity got hit with it. Not ideal." 

 

Tallulah raised an eyebrow, “And?”

 

The parrot hybrid shrugged, “Well, I have nothing to say at this point but it's just not fair to Phil to mention how you've lost your memories multiple times in a row." He turned to Quackity and sheepishly smiled, “No offense, but really, I have no opinion on that, I was just surprised it happened to you out of all people.” 

 

Quackity glared at Grian but said nothing.

Grian awkwardly rubbed his neck, recalling what Philza had shared about his last day on the Dream SMP before it…

 

"You know," he paused, trying to find the perfect words to say, "the first time it happened, it was kinda justified since the DSMP got nuked and people there all reincarnated without their memories. But for the other times..." he let out a sigh, glancing over at Quackity. "Q, sometimes I wish you had all your memories so you could tell us about your experiences on other server-"

 

Quackity's expression turned sour as he tried to reassure Grian…

 

Wait, The server Got what…

His whole being came crashing down as he interrupted Grian's sentence.

"What do you mean that The dream smp was supposed to get-" 

 

Quackity's question was cut off, and he realized he wasn't the only one shaken by the information. 

 

Dream seemed even more flabbergasted than everyone else. "Nuke?! Reincarnation without memories?!" Dream's voice boomed with shock as he grasped at his hair in disbelief.

 

His loud exclamation caused Tallulah to flinch, sighing as she let him process his terror for this unexpected answer. Even she hoped Grian was just kidding around.

 

Dream then stood up, feeling his legs tremble, "My server it-N-No…Get out of here! You're lying!"

Grian's expression remained unchanged as he clarified, "Firstly, I'm not pulling your leg. You can have doubts, if we found Philza, ask him. Secondly, that was going to happen in the finale of the Dream SMP, the original timeline. In the original ending where everything got nuked but would have reset to a new server, with everyone losing their memories, but because-"

 

“Since when were there nukes?!" Dream exclaimed, clutching Grian's sweater tightly and gritting his teeth…while bracing himself for the upcoming confusing explanations.

 

Grian yelled back, waving his hands. "I don't know, Dream! I'm from hermitcraft," he explained, taking a breath. "I have no clue about nukes or what happened back at the Dreamsmp, Philza only told me from his perspectives."

 

Dream growled under his breath but released his grip. 

Grian sighed and continued, "Philza told me that he and Niki survived by going to the End portal before the server went kaboom. And the rest is a history…or more like a history that might going to be rewritten or erased later." 

 

Grian glanced over at Quackity, he noticed his…blank expression and wide-open jaw, while Tallulah looked on with worry.

 

Quackity felt like his breath had been knocked out of him. 

Grian must be joking…Philza must be joking…The entire server, the country his past self had built, his wealth, his reputation, and all the relationships he had forged on the server…were they all really meant to crumble to nothing?

Grian's worry started to match Tallulah's. Ignoring Dream's angry pose, he reached out towards Quackity, trying to get his attention back. "Q? Hello?"

 

Quackity's expression showed nothing to add.

 

And everyone, including him and the others, were supposed to be dead and reincarnated with the same outcome…as him.

This revelation left him more speechless, until he finally said a single word.

“Shit…”

Quackity hung his head low.

Grian looked at him with more concern, “Oh Q, I wish I had told you about this sooner.”

“Is that so?” 

Dream interjected, catching Grian's attention.

 

"That was the grand finale you were hyping up?!" Dream asked, still in disbelief. 

 

Grian squeezed his eyes shut and nodded.

 

Dream was on the verge of accusing Grian of lying, clenching his fists as if preparing to punch the parrot hybrid's face. But then, he let out a pained groan, almost as if holding back tears. He covered his mask with his hands, lamenting, "This is worse than the final disc war I had with Tommy or the pet war. How could everything we have done was originally going to be wiped away?"

 

Unable to face the group, he turned away, muttering, "Blowing up the entire server... Is that really the way it's meant to end? What kind of an ‘end-book’ is that?!"

 

Tallulah noticed Q's gaze still lingering on the floor. 

"Mr. Smiley, Estás bien?" she asked softly.

 

There was a brief pause before Quackity finally looked up, still lost in his thoughts.

 

If he hadn't went to the past, them, all of them…they were almost about to die soon and-

 

As he spoke, his thoughts seemed to pour out, "If I didn't go back in time, they would have died an- faced the same fate as me... If we had- If I hadn't-" He covered his mouth in shock.

But what was it that caused the server to blow up in the first place? Would what he and Tallulah have done back in that server change anything?

 

Quackity turned to Dream, thinking again. Grian had mentioned that Dream seemed to influence about 80% of events and was viewed as the 'villain' of Dreamsmp. If Dream is here, could that alter that finale?

Quackity wasn't sure if he really had ruined the grand finale or he just…fixed it.

Quackity was so lost in his own thoughts that he didn't even notice the argument between Grian and Dream for quite some time. He furrowed his brow and called out, “Uh, G?”

 

Grian began to ignore Dream's raised voice as he turned to face Quackity. 

 

Trying to wrap his head, Quackity tentatively asked, “So, because we made Dream removed from the DreamSMP, does that mean the timeline has changed? I retconned it?”

 

Grian sighed and confirmed, "Yep, I already said that to you." 

 

Frowning more, Quackity pressed on, asking, "But what happened to the original server?"

 

An eyebrow raised in response from Grian, and Dream jumped in, but not for Quackity's benefit, "The server in the original timeline, y'know, we were supposed to be... reincarnated in?" The uncertainty and annoyance in his voice was noticeable.

 

Grian gave a hesitant look and softly mentioned, “Phil told me that it's supposed to be blown up by the nuke and then reset to a new version.”

 

“And what happened to this 'new version' once Quackity changed the timeline?” Dream questioned, his teeth clenched.

 

Giving a deadpan face, Grian exclaimed, "How should I know?!" but then added with a slight smile, "but I have a theory."

 

“A game theo-”

 

Grian cut off Quackity with a glare and continued, “I believe that nuke was created by someone to eliminate Dream."

 

Dream glared, and it's not like Grian is completely off base. Dream probably should have seen it coming, especially from someone as Tommy. How stubborn that kid is, still stuck playing the hero until the villain triumphs. 

 

Well, Dream was also still stuck being the villain in his eyes-

 

The concept of a nuke was definitely not what Dream had in mind, but he knows that there are plenty of others who despise him just as much. It's possible that they've cooked up even more crazy plans to take him down.

Dream couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment and annoyance. This has to be the worst way they could come up with to end him.

Dream asked rhetorically, “what made you think all that was going to happen because of me?” 

 

Grian rolled his eyes, “It's obvious, silly! As we always say in our server, when in doubt, just blow it up. And if blowing it up doesn't work, you know- bigger problems, bigger bombs." And made a finger gun gesture.

 

“You're on thin fucking ice.” Dream threatened but the parrot hybrid ignored him.

 

Quackity glanced between the two and then turned to Tallulah, but her expression was inscrutable, appearing even more bewildered than him. Quackity discreetly coughed to capture Grian's attention.

 

"Uh, anyway," Grian interrupted, continuing on, "Dream may have been the catalyst for the nuke, but Quackity altered the timeline before it happened. So, I believe the nuke won't go off, and the server became safe. The new version is likely erased or paused for now."

 

Quackity blinked, thinking about how the server was now safe and the nuke didn't go off. It almost seemed like Quackity unintentionally saved the day for everyone... Why wasn't he proud of that?

Quackity hesitantly inquired, "What happened to those who were in the new version of the server? Were they also erased due to the paradox?"

 

Grian simply shrugged, "I don't know. And come to think of it, are even people reincarnated on that version of the server yet? I hope not."

 

Quackity felt a lump form in his throat as he thought about the consequences of his actions that he didn't expect he would mess them up again. He and Tallulah had really somehow 'saved' the server, but now he couldn't shake off the worry of what had happened to the timeline before he made those alterations. 

 

These paradoxes were starting to take their fucking toll on him.

“Question?” 

The three men looked over at the dragon hybrid. 

 

Tallulah had been mulling over an old question, but after Grian's explanation, she found herself with even more questions. She debated whether to ask her old question or the new one, deciding to go with the latter. "Will the retcon mess with people's memories too?" she asked, a hint of worry in her voice. 

 

She thought about her friends and all her uncles and aunts she had met and bonded with. "I know some people from the Qsmp who used to be in the Dreamsmp. Will what Quackity and I did cause a paradox for them?"

Grian closed his mouth tight and gazed down at the floor. He struggled to recall and concentrate, feeling overwhelmed by the flood of events. The weight of the stupid cuffs on his wings made it even harder to focus. How could they even be so strong, especially against the wings of an immortal?

 

As he tried to make sense of it all, a memory resurfaced. He had once researched something similar when he first heard about the administrators' plan for the simulation. After a moment, Grian adopted a determined expression and replied, "Yes, and no."

 

One issue is how he's going to explain it without sounding like a doofus. "Honestly, it's all so confusing. I'm just as lost as you guys are. But let me break it down for you in the simplest way possible."

 

"I've got another theor- um, hypothesis." Grian quickly changed the word when he saw Quackity smirk. Raising a finger, Grian said, "It shouldn't impact Phil and a few others...hopefully. So, I think the retcon would not mess with their memories."

The group looked at him as if he had just shared news about Bigfoot or told a bad joke. Confusion was evident on their faces as they fell into silence, especially Dream.

Dream asked, “Um…care to elaborate?” And Quackity added, "And if that's the case, why is the federation concerned?"

In essence, the timeline would be messed up but not the recollections of those who experienced the original events…right?

Grian chuckled at his own absent-mindedness as he recalled, "It's quite a funny story. The first time I laid eyes on the new simulation portal and someone mentioned that particular glitch, I had my doubts about someone misusing it."

 

Tallulah raised an eyebrow but then remembered, "Was it Drista? She also mentioned the glitch to us," Grian nodded and replied, "I know that."

 

"Drista?"

 

Tallulah and Quackity heard the whisper and looked at Dream, wondering why the masked man didn't hear them when they mentioned this name before. 

The man's expression was unreadable behind the mask so Quackity asked, "Do you know her too?"

 

Dream remained silent, ignoring the question but Quackity was sure that there was a fifty percent chance he might know Drista, considering their similar masks.

Grian continued, "Yeah, I just wish she had warned everyone about the real consequences." He shifted his position, "I went back to my server, and my friend Cub recommended a book on time shenanigans, time paradoxes and bleh bleh." As he mimicked a talking mouth with his hand, he explained, "The book was sent to the server once the portal was halfway complete. It mentioned that the glitch only affected people from the past and couldn't alter the future within the simulation portal, unlike traditional time travelers like-"

“Karl Jacob?”

 

Grian turned to Quackity, "Karl?"

 

Quackity looked a bit sheepish, hesitating before answering, "Karl Jacob was my ex-fiance, Uh-my ex-fiance from my past life. I heard he was a time traveler."

 

Tallulah added, “We discovered that while looking through his library!"

 

Grian, still confused, asked, "Why were you in his-"

 

Dream interrupted, "Do we really need to discuss that?" Everyone continued to ignore him as Tallulah explained, "We were searching for information about L’Manberg."

 

Grian remembered something Phil had mentioned and said, "Ah, Philza must have told you-"

Dream cut him off by grabbing a feather from Grian's wing, causing Grian to wince. Grian glared at him as Dream scoffed, "Let's set aside the old Manberg story and get to the topic. L'manberg is long gone."

 

Quackity shot Dream a glare and felt compelled to say more, but perhaps now is not the right time. Tallulah's quiet response agrees with that. She used to be intrigued by Manberg history, but after seeing it in whole she understood that it was a chapter of the past now, with painful memories tied to her father, whether Wilbur or Papa Phil.

 

Grian maintained his stern gaze at Dream as he continued, "Time travel and glitches are distinct concepts. The members of the Dream SMP may experience changes in their futures and events, but their memories will possibly remain intact, including the memories of the consequences of the original timeline. Philza, for instance, won't forget about you despite any alterations in the timeline."

Despite Grian's best efforts to simplify, the others seemed to struggle to grasp the idea and the parrot hybrid couldn't fault them for it.

 

Tallulah tagged Quackity's shirt, “Mr. Smiling man, I think my brain is broken.”

 

Quackity responded in a deadpan tone, “I take back everything I said about the egg cult. This one's takes the fucking cake," 

 

Dream groaned, rubbing his mask in frustration, “I never thought I’d agree with both of you,”

 

Tallulah rubbed her hair nervously, realizing that the question might not have an easy explanation. She decided to move on to her next question with a gentle tone, "Can I ask again, Mr. Grian?"

 

Grian smiled slightly in response, "Of course."

Trying to push aside her troubling thoughts about how the federation would have harmed her father, she was at least relieved that he had always been a strong man. 

 

Tallulah asked, "You mentioned that the federation…almost killed Papa. What exactly happened?"

 

Quackity added, "Yeah! What happened to Phil exactly? I thought he had protected you."

 

Grian let out a sigh before answering, "Philza Minecraft was clever enough to anticipate what was coming, probably from watching too many sci-fi films. He found an easy way, just like you did, Quackity."

Quackity tilted his head in confusion at first, but then a flicker of worry came over him, “He used the simulation?!”

 

Grian nodded sadly, “Yes, he did. He had a little ‘nice chat’ with Drista and, luckily, the portal was still open with the Qsmp code, so he took the chance. I helped him out.”

 

Grian then glared, “It's a shame that we both got caught by the guards. I wish I had realized sooner that it was the federation who had done you wrong, Q."

 

Grian glanced away, "I mean, they were preoccupied with you, so they probably had time to capture me. At least they were slow enough before Phil 'teleported'."

 

Quackity looked back in disbelief, while Tallulah gasped with her hands covering her mouth. Dream didn't react, but he couldn't help but chuckle, imagining what would happen if the two Philzas crossed paths.

 

Tallulah lowered her hands and asked, "So papa also went back in time like us. But wouldn't we have seen him or he would have seen us?"

 

“That fucking sucks," Quackity muttered, realizing that Philza had been trying to save them all along. If only he and Tallulah had stayed longer in the Dream SMP, he might have found them sooner.

 

The parrot hybrid shrugged, “It's possible that you guys were too far away for him to notice...or maybe he just ended up in a different time altogether." He rested his hand on his forehead and let out a sigh of disappointment, “Just as I suspected.”

 

Looking at the child, he added, "And Tallulah is here, so all that was for nothing."

Quackity and Tallulah remained silent, still processing the situation. Dream, on the other hand, seemed indifferent at first, but then a sudden thought crossed his mind. He inquired, "Wait, hold up. This is all getting confusing. Will I also experience this strange memory paradox thing?"

 

Grian wagged his tongue and shrugged, "I'm not sure, maybe it will happen to you soon? The void doesn't seem to follow concept of time, so that could be why-"

 

"No way," Dream interjected, "I'd rather not go through that! Losing my memories like that asshole!" He exclaimed, pointing towards Quackity, who remained uncaring.

 

Grian rubbed his face in frustration, "Dream, that's the opposite of what I said-" 

 

Dream raised his voice, "You said that in the original scenario and after the nuke, I would lose my memories!" 

Grian raised a finger and opened his mouth to prove Dream wrong, but his finger fell short and his mouth remained open in thought.

 

..

 

.

 

If the memory loss occurred after the nuke explosion and wasn't affected by the simulation error or paradox, would that mean everyone would also retain their memory loss or would form a time loop or maybe their memories will be rewritten only based on the pre-nuke events or- Grian.exe stopped working…

“Uhhhhhhh…” Grian was completely unresponsive and confused, lost in his thoughts as if frozen in ice.

 

Dream tried snapping his fingers and even began to shake Grian by the shoulders, but received a drool falling down off Grian's lips. In frustration, he exclaimed, "Grian! Answer me, you stupid birdie!" He shook Grian again, threatening, "Don't make me pluck another feather from you."

 

After a moment, Grian simply wiped his mouth and admitted with a shrug, "I have no clue."

 

Dream felt the urge to punch Grian, but he restrained himself. He knew that Grian couldn't possibly know what would happen - there was only one person to blame. With a sigh, Dream removed his hands from Grian's shoulder and turned to face the others.

 

Quackity still had his gaze fixed on the ground, appearing dejected, while Tallulah very looked worried and fearful, undoubtedly worried about her father.

 

Now how would Phil find out where they are?

Quackity let out a girlish scream as he felt a hand grab his hair suddenly, causing Tallulah to jump in surprise. 

Unaware of Dream's grip on him, Quackity was startled when Dream growled accusingly, "You! You're the reason they brought me here!"

 

Quackity nervously forced a smile, “Wait, wait, hold on! That duck dude... I mean, he wasn't a saint, but I didn't think he would have took you with us-”

 

Suddenly, Dream threw Quackity to the ground with such force that he cried out in pain. Quackity protested, “What the fuck, man! Chill out!”

 

Dream wasn't having it, threatening, "I'll chill out when I cut your tongue out!" He pushed Quackity's face into the floor, causing Quackity to whimper. When that wasn't enough, Dream pulled Quackity's arms back, aggravating the injuries from the guards even more.

 

Quackity looked to Tallulah for help, but she was too frightened to save him this time. He couldn't even bring himself to be angry with her. Dream continued to pull Quackity’s arms, cracking the duck hybrid’s back.

 

“AHHHH! G! HELP!” Quackity yelled.

 

Grian rubbed his face, wondering if he even should try to break up the fight. Maybe he wasn't always the best at handling these situations. On his server, he enjoyed both arguing and stopping arguments, but dealing with these new members of party - one's a rival not-so-great person who hurt some of his immortal pal's friends, and the other an amnesiac man who is literally the root of all the nonsense happening right now and the child of the pal he was supposed to return.

 

Speaking of her, Grian looked at Tallulah, who was now worried about Quackity and Philza. Grian awkwardly ran his hand through his hair. It felt like he was playing the role of an older sibling trying to calm everyone down.

 

Ignoring Quackity's cries, he sat beside the dragon hybrid and asked, "So, Tallulah, right?"

Tallulah didn't make eye contact at first, but Grian persisted, "Currently Philza’s adoptive child?" 

 

Tallulah, still visibly anxious, slowly nodded in response.

 

Grian smiled slightly, "Your dad mentioned you and Chayanne briefly. I wish he had told me sooner so I could have met you both earlier! It would've been so cool."

 

Turning to the parrot hybrid, the girl seemed to consider joining the conversation to ease her nerves. No offense to Quackity, but Dream seemed more intent on tormenting him than actually killing him.

 

So, she inquired, "Do you dabble in pranks and redstone?" and Grian responded with a sly grin, "Oh, young lady! I'm all about setting traps on the hermitcraft server. You have to see Scar, right? I couldn't help but notice that you two have something in common."

 

Tallulah let out a small giggle and asked, "Scar?"

 

Grian explained, "Yes, sound like a villain character, but he's actually a great friend. He's clever and funny, and I bet he'd gone cray-cray if he finds out you're a Star Wars fan too!"

Tallulah's eyes lit up at the mention of one of her favorite interests. She grinned and said, "That's adorable. Do you have other friends too?"

 

Grian chuckled, "Oh, definitely! There's Mumbo Jumbo and..." He leaned in closer to Tallulah.

 

“Don't forget to give his mustache a good tug if you ever meet him,” Grian whispered with a wink.Tallulah rolled her eyes playfully, but couldn't hide her amusement as she winked back.

 

Grian raised a hand, "And there's Pearl, Gem, Impulse, Big B, Doc, and-"

 

“Guys I'm literally Choking-" Quackity gasped out while being choked by Dream.

 

Grian held up a finger, "Gimme a moment."

…

 

..

 

.

After some 'time' passed, Dream released his grip, visibly frustrated.

 

Is time even passed in this place or not...?

 

To Dream, hearing Quackity in agony was no longer amusing for him, especially as it won't solve anything since he would still be trapped in this inescapable void with no solution in sight, it sure is much worse than Pandora vault. 

 

Quackity rubbed his neck, shooting a glare at Dream before his expression softened as he watched Dream walk away to face the wall, arms crossed and silent.

 

Quackity looked concerned but then turned around to see Grian and Tallulah still chatting, slightly irritated that they hadn't intervened when he was being strangled.

Quackity wasn't exactly riveted by their conversation, but when Grian started talking about his friend having land named after them, his ear perked up. And when Grian mentioned building a robot with redstones, both Tallulah and Quackity couldn't help but be impressed.

 

Though Tallulah still gave a side-eye to the parrot hybrid for trying to show off. 

 

Grian chuckled and continued, “He got broken once, but Mumbo fixed him just in time. We decided to give him a virtual life version of himself.” Then he smirked and added, “And it's way better than that lame portal.”

 

Quackity chuckled, “I know nothing about redstones but damn right,” and replied, "Y'know, G? You guys are hermits, sure. But you all surely use techniques way better than the administrators running millions of servers and game controllers!" He pulled up a slightly annoyed face, “Seriously, what's their damage.” 

 

As Grian rolled his eyes, his smirk quickly faded when he noticed the worry etched on Tallulah's face as she stared at the ground. Understanding exactly how she felt in that moment, he couldn't help but frown. It had been a pleasant meeting, but now they are stuck here, they don't even know if time is slipping away. And the thought of Philza still stranded in the past, searching for his lost child, only added to Grian's sense of unease.

 

"Are you okay, Tallulah?" Grian asked, his voice filled with empathy.

 

Tallulah straightened her skirt and shrugged in a hesitant gesture. Grian couldn't blame her for feeling uneasy. Despite the fear that must have been lurking within her, she remained strong, much like her father. With a heavy heart, Grian suggested, "I think it's best if we don't stay here."

 

Tallulah nodded in agreement, "I'm scared of what they might do t- to me," her voice trembling. Grian raised an eyebrow, "They?"

 

Quackity frowned, "The federation mentioned something about taking her to the host for some discussion. She's terrified."

 

"When will this happen?" Grian's voice grew stern.

 

Tallulah started to tremble, "They sa- I thin- think they said in a few w-weeks," struggling to catch her breath.

 

"It's okay, Tallulah. It's okay," Quackity reassured her, moving himself away from her and using the strategy again. "Just take deep breaths and repeat after me as I count. 1..." And they continued to follow each other's lead, helping Tallulah regain her composure.

 

The sight deepened Grian's frown, and he allowed the two some space as he observed the masked man facing the wall.

 

“Dream?” Grian called for him, who remained motionless. Grian's expression turned stern, they should not stay here indefinitely doing nothing.

 

Grian got everyone's attention with a clap, stating firmly, "Yknow what guys? We need to find a way to get out of here."

 

Dream, breaking his silence, scoffed, "Ah, now you realize this is serious and no place for chit-chat."

 

Rolling his eyes, Grian urged, “Do you have any ideas?!”

 

Dream fell silent and Grian stood up, saying, “If we want to escape, we need a plan,” he looked around, addressing the group seriously. “I have a plan, but I need input from everyone. Any ideas?"

 

A hush fell over the group, with Quackity pondering with a stroke of his chin and Tallulah gazing down.

 

Then a snicker broke the silence, causing Grian to turn to Dream with a deadpan expression. "I can tell by that laugh that your idea probably won't lead us in the right direction. Not gonna work, buddy.” 

 

Dream walked away from the wall to meet Grian's gaze, “Look, remember when I mentioned I'm a necromancy person?” 

Even as Grian attempted to stifle a reaction, Dream proceeded to circle around him, “I still retain the knowledge of necromancy, even without the aid of any books."

 

Grian raised an eyebrow and jokingly asked, "Necromancy? Are you planning on zapping me with electricity after pulling my organs out?"

Dream cringed, "Ow, fuck no!"

Grian laughed but Dream clarified, "I meant bringing you back to life using magic! Dark magic, you know?" he crossed his arms, "Didn't Phil tell you about Wilbur and Tommy?"

 

Grian just shrugged, saying, "How would he know how you revived them in the first place?" 

 

Grian hoped Dream was joking with his question because, sure, Philza had told him a lot, but not every single detail or thing he didn't even know. 

Maybe Philza had mentioned feeling mixed emotions upon seeing his children brought back to life by the same man, but Grian thought those kinds of revival spells were just some kind of coded spells or something.

 

“Whatever,” Dream rolled his eyes and grabbed Grian's shoulders, saying, "Grian, hear me out…" as he showed a fist, "I'll punch you to death, then bring you back to life using my revival spell so you respawn elsewhere." 

 

Grian raised an eyebrow, unamused.

 

Dream elaborated, "I did something similar with Techno in the prison to summon that godforsaken son of a bitch." 

 

Grian blinked, "You did wha-"

 

Dream cut him off, continuing, "The revived body will appear where it died, but I tweaked the spell for a different outcome months ago."

 

Still puzzled and unimpressed, Grian questioned, “Meaning?” 

 

Dream draped an arm around Grian's shoulder and explained in his typical manipulative manner, "You would have respawned right where you were last tranquilized, it's way similar to the normal respawn way of returning to where you last slept after a non-canon death."

 

After his explanation, Dream couldn't help but chuckle quietly, but his laughter sounded more bitter and angry this time. "Impressive, huh, Quackity?" he asked sarcastically, only to find Quackity turned away from him. Dream's tone shifted slightly to annoyance as he lamented, "Oh, how your past self would have coveted that power if only you hadn't lost your fucking memories." 

Tallulah tapped Quackity's shirt as he turned to Dream. Quackity cleaned his ear, asking, "Ah? What were you saying? We were thinking,” 

Dream clenched his teeth, resisting not to have another choking section for the millionth time with the duck hybrid. Instead, he turned to Grian again, who was humming thoughtfully. 

 

"Sooo, I would respawn in the room where I woke up and met the federation," Grian said.

 

Dream tapped his fingers and nodded. 

Grian asked, "Annnnnd?"

 

Dream wasn't sure if Grian was still genuinely confused about the plan or just trying to mess with him. 

 

"You're going to try to find us and figure out a way to escape," Dream explained. "Get TNT or some shit, use potions. I've had experience escaping from prison before, so I know the drill."

 

Grian pretended to be on board, bobbing his head and remarked in a faux-serious manner, "That is perhaps the most outlandish yet practical idea that a crazy person like myself would actually agree with."

 

Meanwhile, Quackity was pondering deeply or not even trying how to escape that creepy void-like room, he wondered how such a place that cannot exist could even coexist. Tallulah, on the other hand, was lost in thoughts about her family. 

 

At the same time, Grian raised a finger at Dream, "Your plan is somewhat workable, dude, but I question if you possess the strength to kill me with just your bare hands."

Dream was taken aback. "Are you trying to say I'm weak?" He asked, both offended and confused.

 

Grian smirked, tapping his finger on Dream's mask. "No, I'm saying you're not thinking straight," he retorted. Deep down, Grian knew that Dream was oblivious to his true form. And despite Dream's strength and agility, the idea of him taking Grian down by only punching him seemed laughably absurd.

 

“He's thinking I'm as stick as Tommy,” Grian thought to himself. 

Dream stood his ground with a hint of defiance, "What are you trying to say?! You might be smarter but I am still a powerful admin but with the ability to bring back death upon-" he interrupted himself by grabbing Grian's sweater again. Grian looked unfazed as Dream growled, "I could crush you in an-"

A light bulb appeared above Quackity's head.

 

“I got an idea!” Quackity announced, gazing at the group with a stupid grin.

 

Dream ignored him and continued, “Good, anyway. What I was sa- oh yeah, I could crush you in an instant-”

 

Q shot him a look, "No! I've got one that doesn't involve any of us getting killed."

 

Dream eyed him suspiciously, then turned to Grian, who simply shrugged and quipped, "Too late."

 

Rolling his eyes, Dream released his grip and redirected his attention to Quackity. Grian turned to Quackity too and demanded, "Spill it, Q.”

 

Quackity blinked in surprise, not expecting them to be so eager to hear his response. He cleared his throat, asking Dream, "Did you happen to check all my pockets, Dream?" 

 

Dream recoiled as Quackity pointed to the pockets on the stolen shirt, “When you kidnapped me, you empty all of them, or not?"

 

Dream glared, “What makes you think I answer that question you asshol-

 

Grian intervened with a groan, “Oh my god, Dream, just answer his stupid question so we can get to the bottom of this."

 

Dream sighed and responded, "I only searched the pockets of your shirt, but all I found were useless pens and papers." 

 

“They were my special pens for writing,” Tallulah gave the masked man a slight glare.

 

Quackity grinned suddenly, "Ah, I see," as he looked at the pants he also stole from his past self. Admittedly, they fit him well. Quackity then began searching the pockets, hoping for something useful.

 

Dream asked, "What's going on?"

 

Grian was also as puzzled as Dream, but he pointed out, "I think you've forgotten to check his pants, Dream."

‘Is this the perfect timing to say ‘that what she said’ joke now?’ Quackity debated to himself but changed his mind as he continued his search.

Quackity squinted and searched until he exclaimed, "Bingo!" while holding up a device in his hand. 

 

Thank Notch, he still had it. Those oblivious Federation bastards really dropped the ball for not checking on him sooner.

 

Tallulah squinted at the device before stating, "That's Papa's commentator!"

 

Grian raised an eyebrow and Quackity elaborated, "Philza accidentally left it behind at the diner. It's what we used to code into the portal to use the simulation." He delicately held the device, ready to make a message. "Now we can reach him without any problems!" Expecting a round of agreements, he was met with silence from Dream and Tallulah, and a facepalm from Grian.

 

Q scratched his head in confusion before realizing, "Oh wait, we're using HIS commentator. Can't reach him that way."

 

Grian sighed, "Can you try calling someone else he knows, at least?"

 

Quackity felt sweat forming on his hands, he gulped and replied, "I don't remember anyone for the last time. I don't know what his friends' surnames to call them!"

 

Talullah bit her cheek as she suggested, "Why don't Grian or Dream call someone else he knows or they know?"

 

Dream let out a whimsical hum. He walked over and patted Tallulah on the head, "Heh, now that's a clever idea, kid." His tone carried a sense of deceptiveness.

Tallulah shook her head away from his hand, still giving him a glare.

Dream turned to Quackity, waving his fingers and reaching for the device, "Now, if you excuse me, as you heard her, Quackity, hand me-the fuck?!" he cursed when Grian snatched the device from Quackity's hands before him.

 

"Sorry, elders take charge," Grian smirked as he pressed the button. 

 

Dream groaned and avoided eye contact. Quackity resisted the urge to question Grian's age and instead asked, "Can you message your friends, G?"

 

Grian nodded, indicating that was also a part of his plan. "Sorta, but I have a better idea," he said, turning to the group with a serious expression. "Just give me some space, K?" 

Sitting on the floor, a hush fell over the group. Quackity attempted to start a conversation with Tallulah, but her attention seemed fixed on Grian's back. Her hands twitched with worry. Quackity gulped again, hoping that Grian knows what he is doing.

 

Quackity then glanced over at Dream, who was a bit further away. He couldn't help but wonder how Dream could still be a threat, even though he couldn't bring himself to sit next to Quackity. Quackity can't do anything but assume his past actions must have not deeply hurt Dream physically but emotionally, which kind of made sense to him regarding his anger.

 

Quackity slowly inched closer to Dream, stopping when he sensed Dream moving away slightly. He paused, resting his hands on his knees, surveying the gloomy void around them. The room was quite calm with the sound of Grian's typing filling the space.

 

The purple flakes continued to drift around the room, making Quackity think what they're supposed to be. Lavender, perhaps?

Quackity started to get bored, he didn't want to bother Grian or Tallulah at the moment, and he didn't want to get suffocated by asking Dream either. Although Dream seemed quiet now, Quackity couldn't help but notice his fingers tapping impatiently on his leg.

Quackity took a deep breath before speaking up, "Hey, Dream- um, I was wondering again if-" Uncertain of what to ask without angering him, Quackity saw Grian pausing to read the screen on the device before typing rapidly again.

 

Quackity stammered, “Say, uh- do you really kno”

“Shoot,” Dream suddenly murmured, catching Quackity off guard. Dream avoided facing him and added, “just one.”

 

Quackity hesitated before asking, “Are you-” he cleared his throat, “Are you sure you don't know Drista?”

 

The silence that followed was broken by Dream's flat response, "No, I don't." 

Quackity perplexed. Perhaps he had been mistaken about any connection between Dream and Drista, despite their similarities…Or maybe Dream was simply not being truthful to people he hates.

 

Nevertheless, Quackity pressed on, "I see. You both do share some similarities, especially with your masks. At one point, I even mistook you for her-" He trailed off as he noticed Dream becoming increasingly uncomfortable. 

 

It was then that Tallulah suddenly interjected, her expression deadpan, "Mr. Smiling Man, if you keep talking, you may provoke him to kill us."

 

Nervously rubbing his neck, Quackity took her words to heart.

The typing stopped and the three of them turned their attention to Grian, who looked hopeful as he set down his device. 

 

Quackity was the first to ask, "What were you doing?"

 

Grian took a step forward, saying, "I easily logged the codes of Philza's device into my own, so I can send my own messages to one of my friends from my home server."

Quackity and Tallulah exchanged stunned looks, not knowing this was possible.

Dream crossed his arms and asked, " To whom, Your friend Jambo?" 

 

Grian glared and clarified, "Mumbo Jumbo. And no, I sent it to our admin, Xisuma, like Ex-e-summer. I'm pretty sure he has been in contact with the federation before, but I'm not sure for what reason."

 

Tallulah recalled something Mr. Duck had mentioned before the teleportation to the void. She questioned, "Didn't they refer to him as evil?" 

Grian let out a laugh and corrected her, "Oh no, that's a whole other thing, that EVIL Xisuma. He's a clone," 

 

The three tilted their heads in unison at him.

 

Grian added, "Ever heard of evil doppelgangers? That's who he is."

 

He turned to Dream and said, "Just picture you and Xisuma have made a baby-"

 

Dream scoffed, “How about I don't? Explain it differently,” 

 

Grian rolled his eyes, “In other sense, the admin of my server is the good guy and responsible, but Evil Xisuma, as Ex, is just an evil version of him from a long time ago who wanted to destroy our server. I still don't know what happened to him now."

 

Quackity nodded, but deeply wondering why every server has a bad guy. 

 

Dream chuckled bitterly and replied, "I get it now, but just so you know, I have no intentions of destroying my server like that clone. I'm protecting it."

 

Grian raised an eyebrow skeptically, "By manipulating and using unnatural magic on them?" 

 

Dream retorted, "Everyone in my server is hurting each other in one way or another."

 

Grian waved his hand dismissively, "Let's not dwell on that now," causing Dream to scoff in response.

 

Turning to Tallulah, who was about to ask but started to struggle with pronouncing his friend's name, Grian chuckled and suggested, "Just call him X. I had trouble with his name too, no worries."

 

 

Tallulah repeated, "Is X going to break us out?" 

 

Grian sadly shook his head, "I don't think he would do that, but I did ask him to pay the bail for me instead." 

 

Quackity raised an eyebrow and questioned, "Will the federation even allow that?" He added, "Is he really going to cover the bail for you?"

 

Grian chuckled nervously, “I don't want my friends to be pissed at me thinking I carried out illegal pranks around the hub, so I had him post the bail using my own diamonds from my shop,”

 

 

Dream tutted, “So that only covers your release-" but Grian cut him off and said, “No, I told him I was with someone else who wants to get out too so yes,” then he rubbed his nose bridge with a wry smile, “It's double bail, double loss. I'll be losing all of my diamonds, but it's the only way.”

 

Dream and Quackity seemed to be on board with the idea, while Tallulah was unsure about it and felt sad that it wouldn't lead to everyone escaping.

 

Grian clapped his hands with a determined expression, “Now we have to choose two of us to get out, especially me, but for the other one…,” he worriedly added, “We have to leave two behind while two of us get to go.”

 

The three exchanged worried glances, but Grian quickly reassured them, "The two who stay won't be here long. I have a plan, but I need someone to come with me."

He looked pointedly at Tallulah, knowing she was the obvious choice to accompany him and reunite her with Phil. Unfortunately, Tallulah hesitated and sadly admitted, "I'm sorry, Grian, I can't go with you. The federation still has their eyes on me."

 

"What do you mean?" Grian asked, concerned. 

 

The girl swallowed nervously and said, "The federation is still after me. I can't risk coming with you."

 

Grian was puzzled about why an organization like that would be after someone as young as her. Suddenly, he remembered Mr. Bunny's explanation about risky experiments involving eggs and hybrids and-

 

Realization dawned on Grian as he exclaimed, "Wait, is that what they meant by testing risky stuff? Is that what they are planning to do to you after a few weeks?! Why would they target a kid out of all things?"

 

Reluctantly, Tallulah turned around to reveal her cuffed wings to the men. Her wings were still twisted uncomfortably in the metal, making Grian cringe. He was also intrigued, as he had never seen wings like hers before. 

 

"We're dragons, that's why..." Tallulah explained with a sigh. "After our biological mom disappeared following the Qsmp rule accident, we were left as eggs and the government made us available for adoption."

 

Dream raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Your mother was a dragon?" he asked. "Not an ender dragon, right?" 

 

Tallulah shook her head. "No, a different type of dragon. I haven't understood controlling my powers over plants and nature yet. I just discovered them already when- y'know."

Dream glanced away, thinking about the root that tripped him up back at the prison while he was trying to take down Quackity. He couldn't believe the weak little kid was supposedly a hybrid of another dragon. Was that dragon weak too? Well, maybe it didn't really matter.

 

Grian commented, "Reminds me of those old 'flour baby' projects kids do in school," but with a hint of understanding in his voice. 

 

Tallulah turned to face the group and chewed her cheek, "We thought we were just getting adopted by our parental figures and that's it, but turns out the government wanted to test our powers to see what we could become...I don't know.”

 

Dream was uncertain about his feelings to that as he hummed to himself. Sure he and Punz had experimented and tested his revival powers on his victims before, he believed he had a clear reason and goal for that. 

Hearing that the government was searching for ways to use dragon hybrids, it made him wonder if there could be a logical explanation. Besides, Dream had killed numerous ender dragons in the past, some more challenging than others…Maybe it made sense that the government would be interested in using the power and strength of these creatures.  

 

Questions swirl in someone else's mind,  Quackity was wondering what exactly the federation plans to do with this power? Will she be used as a weapon, or perhaps to strengthen the federation's defenses?

It's hard for Quackity to picture Tallulah, the purest friend who went through a lot with him, being part of such an egotistical organization like that.

No way Quackity will ever let that happen, even if the government would offer him to change his mind.

 

 

Tallulah sat close by, holding her knees as she expressed her fears. “I just can't bear to see any of my friends get hurt, or even the federation itself. It's all so frightening.”

 

Quackity sat down beside her, offering a comforting pat on her back. He didn't want to see her cry again. Tallulah seemed sad, but she wasn't having any tears.

Grian nodded in understanding, "That's a valid point. Plus, keeping Q here will give Dream bananas.” 

 

Dream interrupted, "Murder him is getting old now, but that's what I'll do if he keeps bothering me. Can't you yell out in the room to convince these managers to change their minds?"

 

Ignoring Dream, Grian noticed Quackity raising his hand. "What about me? Why not take me instead?" 

Tallulah shot Q a disapproving look. There was no way her guardian figure was thinking it might be a decent idea to to leave her alone with someone who had just tried to kill them.

 

"Quackity?" Grian asked with a deadpan expression. 

 

"What?" Quackity responded.

Grian sighed and explained, "I don't think I can let you come with me, Quackity. It just doesn't help the plan, and I'm also worried about Dream potentially retaliating against Tallulah if I take you instead." 

 

Grian paused, noticing Dream waving his hand and saying, "Nah, man. I believe things are changing now in terms of revenge." He pointed his thumb towards the dragon hybrid. "And honestly, I don't see the point in killing this gremlin anymore. What good would it do?"

 

Despite his words, Grian looked skeptical as he replied, "Didn't know you still got standards. And because I can't stand by and know another one of Phil's children will be manipulated by you."

 

“What would I even manipulate her for? Hating Quackity? And Phil and Tommy aren't even related, you shithea-" Dream's words were cut off by Grian pointing a finger at him, "You come with me."

 

Dream blinked but didn't say anything more, he knew he had to go along with it if he wanted to escape this strange place.

 

Grian glanced at the group, “If they agree to the deal, they'll let me and him out.”

 

Tallulah was visibly nervous about Grian's decision, while Quackity was slightly perplexed at her reaction. Like, at least she would have her guardian by her side again until Grian found a way for all of them to leave. Maybe having him there with her, let alone in this troubling situation unlike the Dream smp journey, wasn't enough to ease her worry.

 

Tallulah stood up and tugged on Grian's sweater, asking, "How long will it take for you two to get us out of here?" Her voice was filled with worry and a hint of desperation in her eyes.

 

Dream rolled his eyes at her and replied, "What do you mean by 'you two,' kid? I'm heading back to my server and leaving all of you dealing with this by your own selves."

 

Grian glared and gently pushed Dream away as he knelt down, placing a hand on the girl's shoulder with a hopeful smile on his face. "We'll get you two out as quickly as we can, I promise. I made agreed to Philza to save you," 

 

He spotted the feather that Dream had plucked from his wing and picked it up, declaring, "I will keep that as a promise," before walking and handing the feather to Tallulah as a symbol.

Tallulah looked at the feather and hesitantly asked, "You're not like her, are you?" 

 

Despite the few stories Grian had told her and his knowledge of her father, Tallulah couldn't bring herself to trust him completely just yet. The recent events had left her feeling overwhelmed and wary of putting her trust in anyone. While she still had faith in Quackity, her feelings towards him were now muddled after this little adventure they had. Drista seemed like a lost cause, but Grian presented a glimmer of hope. As for Dream...Tallulah didn't even want to consider whether he was still on the wrong path or if he was solely focused on escaping alone.

Grian raised an eyebrow but then understood what she was referring to. He smiled warmly and reassured, "Her bleh! That awful job for a god like her, I'm just a regular avian like you."

 

Tallulah chuckled quietly, correcting, "A dragon." Grian responded with a playful laugh, "Pfff, I know." 

 

Tallulah took the feather and Grian promised once more, "I promise I'll save you soon."

 

"Ahem!...and the last ahem from me probably."

 

He heard Quackity, who seemed to be getting frustrated with trying to cough to get their attention many times. With a hint of sympathy, Grian promised him, "Even though you've made the terrible choice, Quackity, I can't blame you. All you wanted was to regain your lost memories. I've had friends who have been through the same thing."

 

Quackity asked, "Did they use the simulation to-" but Grian's deadpan expression made him stop.

 

"Q, be real," Grian said and Quackity stuck out his tongue and chuckled.

 

Grian sighed and looked at both men, "Neither of you deserve to be stuck here forever. Even Dream, you're the bad guy to your people but also an important part of your server, after all."

 

Dream was surprised by Grian's words. Knowing he was considered 'evil' and despite everything he had been told by Phil, Grian still gave him and Quackity a chance. Dream felt something, but quickly pushed those feelings aside, focusing on how Grian would get him out anyway.

Suddenly, a bing sound made the group jump. Grian turned to look at the device screen that had lit up. He walked over and grabbed it, beginning to read it.

 

The three of them watched as Tallulah held Quackity's hand, hoping that it worked. Quackity nervously nibbled on his already bitten nails, his gaze shifting between Dream's gloved hands and his own. When he attempted to chew on Dream's hand, Dream swatted it away irritably.

 

With his back to them, Grian suddenly turned around with a hopeful expression. "It's accepted," he announced, revealing the message on the screen.

>>Xisuma whispered to You: I see what i can do, gonna reach out to the federation. See you in Hermitcraft, G.

 

The three let out a collective sigh of relief as they all settled down, finally able to let go of their worries even just for a moment.

Quackity was the first to break the silence, "So, what now?" he questioned, "Do we just wait?"

Grian nodded, "Yeah, X will inform the federation soon, I hope,"

 

They sat in silence, nothing to distract them from the darkness surrounding them except for time... But what even is the meaning of time if this room is known for not understanding it?

"Sooooooo," Quackity drawled as he rummaged through his pockets once more. His face lit up as he revealed a bunch of cards that he stole. Q was relieved he still got them, ten more points for his past life being a casino person.

 

"A game of cards?" he suggested, hoping to distract himself and others. Tallulah hesitated for a moment, but eventually agreed, eager to take her mind off things now.

 

Dream folded his arms in disapproval, while Grian gave Quackity a disapproving look too before letting out a sigh again. He glanced at Dream, offered a small smile and a shrug.

 

They were stuck in a room with chains hanging from the ceiling and purple flakes floating around aimlessly - no purpose in sight.

Dream and Quackity would rather be back in the Pandora vault than stuck in this empty space.

As much as he still hates seeing Quackity’s face, Dream let out a sigh too and stepped forward. "Pass them over," he said, joining the group.

 

Quackity snickered devilishly as he prepared to deal the cards and wait to face whatever fate had in store for all of them. Who knew what would happen once they got bored.

 

 

 

...Still, was the grand finale that Quackity ‘ruined’ be altered for better or for worse?

Notes:

Are the people from Dream smp regaining the memory loss then? No, don’t worry they won’t hehe

Why this chapt took me so long???

Chapter 14: two peas in a pod.

Notes:

Note : Gotta be honest the part when the squad started to talk about Techno was hard for me to write because I'm not in keen of the idea of making the characters ENTIRETY based on their real life so c!Techno is not deceased in this Au, I had this as plot twist later in future chapters so I hope that isn't bad. If I did something wrong, feel free to criticize.

………

...

"Did that government suddenly decide to start keeping tabs and experimenting on you?" 

The parrot hybrid asked the dragon hybrid, observing Quackity adding more cards to the tower rather haphazardly, Grian sensed that Quackity was not in the right frame of mind, likely acting out of boredom rather than intention. 

 

Neither of them knew how long they had been waiting since receiving the message. 

 

Were the federation refusing to grant bail, or were they just taking much longer time discussing with Xisuma? Maybe that no goody two shoes government is just being stubborn.

 

They had been playing cards for so many rounds, and it was tough to keep up. Dream always threatened to kill Q whenever he tried to peek at his cards, while Tallulah struggled to understand the game. Grian, on the other hand, was a little bored at first since they were old ass cards and not like Uno or anything else but he eventually started to enjoy it while keeping winning each round.

Dream was the first to ‘tire’ of the game,and Quackity ended up losing a round and attempting to shuffle the cards together. And here they are, all still stuck doing a random cards tower in this dreary room made of bedrocks, waiting for a stroke of luck or something to happen. 

 

Tallulah made a sour face, remembering all the trouble the federation had caused her and her friends months ago as she replied. "They've always been keeping an eye on us, monitoring every move we make," she lamented. Looking away, she continued, "And sometimes we get taken by them...and even by some of the other Qsmp members who blindly follow their orders, only to be tested and then returned to our parents as if they did nothing wrong to us."

 

Q listened to the conversation with a frown, only half-focused on building. Dream has been laying on the floor, staring at the empty chains at the ceiling, possibly pretending to listen. 

 

Dream knows he will be leaving that new ‘prison’ with Grian in any goddamn moment if that parrot hybrid was sure about what he is doing, but a part of him wishes Punz or even Techno would just pounce in to bust him out instead.

 

Grian tried his hardest to not scoff loudly and asked, "What did they do to you and your friends?"

 

Tallulah took a deep breath, hesitant to share too much as it was painful for her. She replied, "T-they- they forced us to fight, trying to see if we would get stronger. They hurt me and nearly broke my shell. I almost didn't make it."

 

Grian inquired, "Shell?"

 

Tallulah responded, "That was before we hatched," but Grian's confused expression remained unchanged. Tallulah herself was puzzled as to why Grian found it confusing, despite both being of different species, they were both born from eggs.

 

Nevertheless, Tallulah went on to explain, "At that time, we were like walking eggs. I don't know much about the growth process, but Papa believed we just needed time and a lot of care before we could hatch into our hybrid form gradually, and here I am." She pointed to herself.

 

Grian's eyes widened in understanding, "Oh, I see now! we avians have a different biology, we hatch fully formed right away."

 

“Wow,” Dream glanced at Grian, clapping in a sarcastic manner, "Thank you for the impromptu biology class." 

 

Grian rolled his eyes and asked again, "Have you and the others attempted to prevent them from capturing you all?"

 

“Guys, check it out,” Quackity suddenly pointed to the card tower with a smirk, showing the group the shoddy structure on the verge of collapse. Tallulah gave it a thumbs up before answering Grian's question. "Me, Papa, and my brother built a base to protect ourselves. Sometimes I go there to waste my free time with my brother, writing–I like writing a lot of stories and playfully battling. It's also where I remember my old dad, although it's not a big deal to me anymore…I'm rambling, right?” she chuckled nervously, but Grian just smiled softly. 

 

"Not a problem," he reassured her. "Yet,  another thing you and Scar are added to the list," he mumbled under his breath.

 

Approaching Grian, Quackity leaned in and whispered, "It's not the kind of stories you're thinking," his voice awkwardly strained. Grian brushed it off and gently guided Quackity away.

 

Tallulah twirled a strand of her hair while reminiscing, and then remarked, “We affectionately named it the garden of hopes and music."

Quackity couldn't resist a quip, “Hopes and music? I thought you were going to say hopes and...” He humorously turned towards Dream to prove his pun.

 

Dream went quiet but then retorted with a mix of sarcasm and poison in his voice, “Haha, and would you like me to 'hope' you a death wish, big Q?” 

 

Quackity nervously laughed and shuffled away, accidentally toppling his card tower. Q glared and Grian chuckled softly as the latter picked up the cards, "My turn, then," he said, turning to the dragon hybrid and asking again, "So, do all the Qsmp members have a knack for building, too?"

The girl nodded, "Of course, especially mi Tio Foolish. As for me and my Death family-" she fidgeted with her fingers nervously, while Grian began listening intently while carefully stacking the cards step by step.

 

Grian seemed intrigued by the fact that even a server for translating languages had members who enjoyed building. He had initially thought it was all about language learning... or too much lore spouting like a spider web.

 

Tallulah Continued on, "I don't build much with Papa, unlike with my brother and him. But we did collaborate on a few builds together, like-" she paused, turning to Quackity, "Remember when I told you about Technoblade's shrine, Mr. Q?"

 

Quackity was staring at Grian stacking cards, but he quickly turned to Tallulah and nodded. He wasn't familiar with the situation, but he tried to follow Tallulah's perspective on the matter. Although he briefly began to think about the connection between past!Quackity and the Piglin again, he pushed those thoughts aside.

 

Grian pretended to be surprised, "Phil mentioned Techno to you as well?" Tallulah shot him a questionable glance, "Why wouldn't my own father?" She continued, "Papa used to tell us bedtime stories about Techno all night. I mean, I like the guy, but my brother is seriously a huge fan. He's always talking about how he wants to be just like Techno when he's older, strong and confident and-"

 

"Annoying," Dream humorlessly finished her sentence.

 

Tallulah blew a raspberry at him before continuing, "Anyway, we both even made that shrine for him!"

 

Grian let out a laugh, then spoke quickly with a straight face, “Haha- Waityouguysactuallyworshippedhim…?” as he looked at Quackity, who just shrugged in response. 

 

Quackity wasn't gathering enough info yet about Techno or to determine if he truly deserved such recognition like that. Regardless, he would always respect Tallulah and her father’s admiration for Techno and never willing to undermine it. He could at least show that respect, even if he couldn't remember the full story as an apology for whatever else his past self had done.

 

Grian is surely aware that everyone knows Techno, strong and famous but Grian didn't expect they would honor him to that extent.

 

Dream also questioned, surprising the group, “You guys took his title seriously?”

 

Dream didn't really have a strong reaction to this, with his emotions being a bit muddled. However, he was not experiencing any feelings of jealousy towards his rival at the moment. With his own powers as a god, he felt content with his own path and saw no reason to envy Techno for being worshipped…in some way. Even though Techno called himself the blood God, Dream found it puzzling as he knew he was also a god in his own right. 

 

Although, a tiny part of him is crossing his fingers that Techno won't go from Teasing Dream about not having a home to teasing him about not having a shrine made for him. He gotta protect that ego of his.

 

Tallulah couldn't help but giggle as she clarified, "No, it's for a different reason an-" Her smile grew as a memory resurfaced, "Oh! I remember when my brother was so certain he could beat the record for the longest potato harvest on the server like he did."

 

Grian laughed, saying, "If he tried that on my server, he'd definitely drive Mumbo nuts!"

 

Quackity joined in with a chuckle. Even though Tallulah had already shared this story with him on the dreamsmp, he didn't hesitate to respond, "Your brother is such a busy-bee and a fanboy, no offense."

 

Tallulah didn't take offense, replying, "I don't blame him for trying." However, she couldn't help but frown slightly as she continued, "He's incredibly brave and diligent in keeping the memory of his uncle alive."

“Memory?”

 

The group all looked at Dream, who was sitting completely still and staring at them as if he were a statue.

 

Grian's frown deepened, but then he paused to remember the last time Phil had mentioned the finale. Despite his inquiries about the fate of the rest of Syndicate, Phil had only responded with silent gestures and avoiding eye contact. Learning that one of the legendary figures had vanished did come as a complete shock to Grian however.

 

Although Dream was still puzzled about how a young girl knew about his rival…Well, she is Philza's daughter so it seemed to make perfect sense. However, something troubled him after what Tallulah just spoke.

 

As Dream gazed at Grian, the latter nervously rubbed his neck, unsure how to explain since that Dream is from the past and not aware of or informed about the news regarding the sudden disappearance of the blood god yet.

 

Grian cleared his throat before struggling to respond, "I was informed that even before the finale, Techno had been gone, Phil and some believed he was confirmed deceased but I absolutely don't. In the future I mean, he left a letter before disappearing without a trace, that's all I gathered from Phil."

Gone…

Nobody knows who said that quiet whisper,as everyone was silent.

 

Grian frowned but then let out a sigh, placing another card on the tower to clear his mind. Tallulah closed her eyes, not visibly sad but feeling a sense of unease about missing the chance to see Techno with Q.

 

Quackity frowned at both of them and then turned to look at Dream, who seemed frozen. His mask hid his reaction, but his silence indicated he was in shock. Quackity wasn't sure what kind of shock it was, as he hadn't even asked Dream about his connection to Techno yet. Like, they seemed to be both prison escapers or something.

 

But Quackity was clueless about what Dream's relationship with the Blood god meant.

It seemed like their relationship was either worse than Q's or maybe even...good.

Wait…

 

Quackity laced his fingers together as he pondered, remembering the first time he saw the past version of Phil. That Phil looked... miserable, with red eyes and tired bags.

 

Quackity's eyes widened as he realized why he and Tallulah couldn't find him, or why past!Phil wouldn't allow them to - he was still mourning in the Dream SMP and while Quackity was asking him to talk like it was just another monday! 

 

Phil was carrying that weight of grief but was the present Phil, the one Quackity trusted with his daughter, still feeling that way?

 

 

 

“Q? You're okay there, buddy?”

Quackity glanced at Grian, releasing a sigh as he nodded, debating whether to share his encounter with past!Phil or keep it to himself.

 

Grian hummed to himself while adding the final card to his tower. He adjusted his seat with a blank expression. It wasn't grand, but it was well-built unlike Quackity. Quackity took a moment to look at it, his frown turning into a slight look of impressed surprise. He knew that Grian said he was skilled at making real buildings, but seeing this simple stupid tower made entirely of paper cards still managed to impress him somehow. 

 

Quackity caught a faint chuckle that was attempting to come out as a chuckle but ended up sour as he glanced at Dream. It's lucky that his gloomy mood didn't stick around for long for both him and the masked man.

 

Dream shook his head slowly, propping his elbow on his leg. "Longest harvest? How did he manage that and how many potatoes did he aim for? Like seven?"

 

Tallulah couldn't care less about his opinion at that moment, but Grian shot him a pointed look, exclaiming, "Hey! Show some respect for him and her family's hard work, man."

 

Dream waved dismissively, "Eh, whatever. And this idea of Phil creating a base to shield you all from a bunch of government morons that have thousands of guards seems like a snorefest. Why didn't he just fuck shit up by blowing up the state anyway? I mean, he did help me bust out of the vault and take down L’Manberg with Techno."

 

Tallulah looked at him with a puzzled expression, like, wait, her uncle helped him escape with the help of her dad too? 

 

She couldn't quite wrap her head around why Phil would go to such lengths, she knew it was for Technoblade since he was also supposed… to have been locked up in that Pandora prison too? But still, it all seemed a bit too confusing to her.

 

And as for L’Manberg…she would rather not dwell on that right now. She even barely had the energy to think about her fathers’ questionable decisions for the umpteenth time.

Grian moved his lips slightly before responding to Dream, "It seems…like that will only end him up joining us here."

 

Dream scolded, "Then maybe he should've built a better hideout." 

 

The duck hybrid shouted at him, “You've got that burning prison as your house!” but then paused to ponder before asking, “That…what you have said before, correct me if I'm wrong.”

 

Dream shot him a pointed look, "I will not correct anyone." Tallulah finally mustered up the energy to care for his shit, quipping, “You had been correcting my father's decisions, Mr. Smiling Man 2.0.”

"2.0?!" Quackity nearly died from laughter.

 

“I mean. He has a mask with a smiling face on it, so?” Tallulah pointed out.

 

Dream rolled his eyes, thinking at least this kid was a bit more bearable to fire back than Tommy. He quickly defended himself, "That's one thing and another."

 

Quackity flashed a win face at Dream and then looked at Tallulah, offering a high five, but she wasn't feeling it. 

 

Despite her own smug expression, she wasn't just playing around as she couldn't help the urge to notice the similarities between her guardian's past self and that masked man - both had a hint of tyrant vibes (although Past!Quackity was only about 50% tyrant, she reluctantly admitted), a love for power, and, oddly enough, both seemed to have a thing to do with smiling. Although she got it as a nickname for her guardian because of his constant grin while Dream has it on his mask. 

They even had some sort of complicated chemistry and…

 

‘Oh no.’ 

 

‘My toxic shipping on deck senses are tingling-’ 

 

Tallulah thought to herself, mimicking a pen in her fingers. She wished she had her pens and paper hand- Shaking her head, she finally snapped out of her upcoming fantasies thoughts.

Meanwhile, Grian looked at Dream judgmentally before teasing, "Just wait until you see my friends, Bdubs and Impulse's builds."

 

Dream pointed his finger at Grian to make a comeback, "Just you wait until you see Sa-" but hesitated. 

He didn't want to mention someone's name in front of Grian, not after he had already mentioned the name with Quackity. As much as Dream wanted to put that whole situation about that warden asshole behind, it was too late to change it. So instead, he continued with difficulty, “until you see my friends’ works before things have gone to shit between us," and then shifted his gaze away.

 

Grian raised an eyebrow at Dream's hesitation, but couldn't resist getting in another tease, "Just wait until I tell you about the builds me and my friends made from season 7."

In confusion, Dream groaned, "Season 7? What's with you and with television tropes and shows? First, you're calling a nuclear bomb aftermath for a ‘grand finale’ , and now this?"

 

Grian rolled his eyes and prepared to fire back with another tease, thinking they could keep doing this for hours. But suddenly, the purple flakes surrounding them stopped slowly as if time had stopped beneath them, and the air became more bearable.

Everyone noticed the change. "What's happening, guys?" Tallulah asked, a hint of panic in her voice as she instinctively held onto Q's arm.

 

"Look." 

 

They all turned to glance at Dream, who was pointing at a light flickering on the bedrock floor in the center of the room. The light began to form into an 'X' shape, with a mix of purple and white just like the X they had seen before they were teleported.

 

As they moved closer to investigate, the light suddenly sparkled, almost blinding them. "Not again!" Q muttered, rubbing his eyes, with Grian and Tallulah doing the same. Dream remained unaffected as his mask shielded him from the light.

 

They saw Mr. Duck standing with his hands behind his back, while two faceless guards stood behind him.

 

Dream took a step back, with Q quickly shielding Tallulah. Grian was the first to grasp the situation - there was no reason for them to be there unless it was for one thing. Grian could only hope it is something good.

 

"Mr. Grian?" the ex-manager called out. Grian picked up his device from the ground and looked at the ex-manager, nodding seriously.

 

Mr. Duck paused for a moment before pulling out a different-looking device and starting it up. He announced, "We've received a message from the admin of Hermitcraft."

 

Grian gulped, hoping the request had been successful. The others were also hopeful. To their relief, Mr. Duck declared, "Your time here is up."

 

“Marvelous,” Grian breathed a sigh of relief as he approached the masked duck. "Hey, just to be clear, did we settle the bail already?" he double-checked.

 

Mr. Duck gave a small shrug. "The authorities are still crunching the numbers to see if your payment is sufficient for both of you to head out," he explained.

 

"Oh," Grian realized, turning to the group. Mr. Duck then added, "You'll need to bring someone with you."

Grian gave a nod to Dream, who was still seated and protecting himself. With a glare and a wave of his hand, Grian urged Dream to stand up. Dream hesitated for a moment, but then got up quickly, chuckling as if he had just won a small victory.

 

Ignoring Quackity, Dream walked over to Grian without saying a word. It's not like Dream cared about Quackity anyway to say anything before going. Who needs to say goodbye to someone who used to torture you without mercy even if they don't remamber?

“Him? I see, good thing you didn't choose that rule-breaking bastard," Mr. Duck commented, causing Quackity to shoot him a glare. 

 

Mr. Duck then turned his attention to Dream who approached him quietly before starting to hum. The former manager walked up to one of the guards and whispered something in their ear. Dream cocked his head to the side, wondering what that manager was saying.

 

Mr. Duck paused and then turned on his device. "Before we teleport back and make our way to the portals room, we have to make sure we've got all the necessary codes to safely bring you back to your servers."

 

Grian was surprised the federation would also take them back to their servers, which was a pleasant surprise. He smiled and snapped his fingers, saying, “Oh yeah! Here,” as he reached for Mr. Duck's device. Despite a momentary hesitation, the ex-manager handed it over to Grian. Grian entered the server codes on the device, feeling a bit nervous that he might make a mistake. It had been a while since he last logged on to HC, especially after championships when his friends would take charge logging on to unleash the portal. Sometimes the portal would stay open for a while. So entering the codes here was a bit new for him.

 

Once the screen echoed and announced the joining codes of Hermitcraft were accepted and connected to its portal, Grian breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that the portal to Hermitcraft would soon be open again.

 

Mr. Duck hummed for a moment before turning to Dream, "And his?"

 

Dream didn't think twice before walking over and saying, "Step aside." He scornfully nudged Grian aside, holding the device out of Grian's reach as he started entering his codes. Grian skeptically crossed his arms, silently questioning if Dream even remembered the codes. But of course, Dream knew his own server's codes by heart. No admin would forget their own codes.

However...

 

>> Error Found: Unidentified code. Please try again... <<

 

Dream was taken aback. He was pretty confident that he had entered the codes correctly. "What? Let me give it another go. My fingers were a bit shaky when I typed them out," he said, hearing a tense silence from Mr. Duck. Even Grian looked a bit surprised.

 

Meanwhile, Quackity and Tallulah were still sitting behind them, unable to see what was happening.

 

Dream tried entering the codes again, only to be met with the same error. "What the heck?! I'm sure I wrote it correctly," he exclaimed.

 

Mr. Duck's tone was cold as he warned, "You're running out of chances, Dream-wastaken."

 

Grian chimed in with a shrug, "Maybe you just forgot your codes."

 

Dream let out a sarcastic chuckle, "Yeah, right. Forgetting the codes to my own server, sure." He attempted to input the codes once more, but the response remained unchanged.

 

Mr. Duck stated firmly, "This is your final try before we decide to leave you stranded in the hub."

Well, it's not as bad as being trapped here with Quackity, but at the same time, he just wants to go back home.

Dream was feeling the pressure as he clutched the device, his palms slick with nervous sweat. "Come on, just work already, you shitty thing-" he muttered under his breath as he scrutinized the codes on the screen like a scientist looking through a microscope. He was certain the codes were correct as he hesitantly pressed enter...

 

"Oh, for fuck's sake..." Dream groaned in frustration as he encountered the same error. Nothing seemed to work. There had to be some other issue at play, whether it be the device or something interfering with this.

"Wait!" Dream felt the device being taken from his hand, exclaiming, "Your device must be broken because I'm pretty sure I wrote those codes correctly." He raised his hands with palms open as Mr. Duck pulled out a gun, warning him, "Say one more word about our business and you'll either be staying here or leaving for good." He seemed miffed.

 

 In the background, Quackity was startled by the scene, but quickly realized the ex-manager wouldn't actually shoot Dream or anyone, so he sat back down, shielding his niece again.

Dream clenched his jaw, racking his brain for a way to outsmart these freaks but Grian gave him a nudge. "Hold up, I might have known this guy's codes," Grian said, turning to Mr. Duck.

 

Dream arched an eyebrow. Grian couldn't be serious, he had never even set foot in his server. "Are seriou-" Dream was interrupted by Grian's dubious explanation, "Phil shared the codes with me just in case I ever wanted to drop by the SMP to visit him someday."

 

Dream was shocked. "Is there anything else that old man didn't tell you?!" he exclaimed. 

 

Ignoring him, Grian grinned at the former manager and said, "Don't worry, I'll try to get him back to his timeline while you people figure out the portal to Hermitcraft."

Mr. Duck Mask was staring at Grian's face, making him struggle to maintain his grin.

 

Finally, the ex-manager gestured, "Follow us to the X," pointing to the currently illuminated X on the floor.

 

Grian felt relieved as Dream looked on skeptically. He turned to Quackity and Tallulah, who both looked worried, so the parrot hybrid knew he had to say more to ease their worry.

 

"Can I have a quick word with them?" Grian asked. Mr. Duck hesitated before allowing, "You've got one minute."

 

Grian walked over and knelt in front of Quackity and Tallulah, speaking in a very hushed tone. "I promise I'll find a way to break you guys out. I still have the plan in my mind." Quackity nodded in understanding, but the uncertainty of how they would actually escape lingered in the air. Dream and Quackity might make it out, but Tallulah was at risk of being experimented on and Quackity was unsure if he would be remembered or left behind.

 

"What's the plan exactly? It won't fuck us up, right?" the duck hybrid asked cautiously. Grian flashed a hopeful smile, "No worry, you guys will be free and clear. Can you trust me on this?"

 

Tallulah hesitated for a moment, then looked at the feather in her hand and nodded slowly. Maybe she could trust him, since this was their only shot to get out of this mess. Quackity was quick to agree, "You seem like a cool guy, G. How can we not-"

 

Grian shushed him but chuckled, "Alright, alright. Just keep it down."

 

He lifted himself and walked towards Dream, who still eyed him suspiciously. As they walked towards the 'X', they felt the guards' grip keeping them in place, though thankfully not causing any pain. Mr. Duck joined them on the light, pulling out another device with a button on it. He then felt a tap on his arm and turned to Grian.

 

"Excuse me?" Grian pointed to the metal cuffs, hoping the Federation would show some mercy and remove them from his wings. However, the ex-manager replied, "We'll remove them when we arrive."

 

Grian huffed in disappointment but remained silent. Mr. Duck then warned both men, "Close your eyes, the light will be intense."

 

Dream remarked sarcastically, "You should have mentioned that before teleporting us here in the first place."

 

Mr. Duck ignored the comment and heard a quiet chuckle from someone. He glanced over at Quackity, who quickly shut his mouth when caught. After a moment, Mr. Duck sighed and pressed the button.

 

There was a short pause, during which Dream and Grian exchanged confused looks, while Tallulah and Quackity did the same.

 

Suddenly, the purple flakes that had been still before began to move and merge together to form a large spiral of purple light, resembling a cluster of butterflies. Quackity and Tallulah watched in awe by the sight.

 

Dream and Grian were equally amazed, but then they noticed a faint glow beneath them and felt a gentle warmth. Dream noticed the X on the ground glowing even brighter, as the air around them started to swirl their clothes just like before. The purple spiral seemed to beckon them closer, enveloping them as the teleportation process kicked in.

 

Grian couldn't see Quackity and Tallulah through the spiral as much as he wished he could give them one last hopeful look while Quackity and Tallulah were unable to see Grian and Dream either. Tallulah closed her eyes as Quackity followed suit.

 

Suddenly, the light brightened beneath them, and the spiral divided into flakes, returning them to their floating state in the air. Just like before.

As Quackity and Tallulah opened their eyes, they noticed that the X was no longer there. The ex-manager and his guards, along with Grian and Dream, were nowhere to be seen.

 

And the card tower seemed to have been collapsed.

 

.

 

..

…

In the room, a group of faceless guards stood holding their guns in case of danger. 

They were all focused on the X and the circle on the floor. In the corner, there were devices and a computer in the room, with the screen initially dark. But as it powered on, it transformed into a leading screen.

As the screen loaded, the X and circle began to glow, there was a sudden light that had just revealed a few people. One of them brushed away some leftover flakes from his shoulder and from the air, revealing himself to his guards. In response, the guards slowly lowered their guns nonchalantly, understanding the signal of their boss.

 

"Call that a vacation," Mr. Duck remarked as the two guards walked away joining the others, Mr.duck turned to the other men.

 

Dream and Grian, while their eyes were closed, were losing balance and feeling dizzy from the teleportation process. It was probably weirder than the last one.

 

Once they steadied themselves and cleared their heads, they glanced around the room. For Dream, it was the same room he had seen before getting tossed into the void. 

 

They both did a quick check on themselves and Mr. Duck piped up, "Any casualties among you two?"

 

Grian tousled his hair and flashed a tired grin and a thumbs-up, "Nope! Right as rain!”

 

Dream exaggerated a gag, “Thank for asking, at least,” his voice devoid of humor.

As Mr. Duck made his way towards the door, preparing to open it, saying, "The guards will be surrounding the entryway, so make sure to give them spa-"

“AAAGGHH!”

Dream swore he nearly lost his balance again when Grian suddenly let out that strange shriek. 

 

The guards were on the verge of raising their guns at the parrot hybrid, but Mr. Duck quickly turned around, signaling for them to stand down as he tried to figure out what the heck was going on.

 

“My God!” Grian yelped, hugging himself tightly as he sank to the ground with his knees pulled up to his chest.

 

“Oh! M- my stomach!” Grian let out a face of agony, but Dream couldn't tell if whatever Grian doing was genuinely feeling in agony or an attempt to mimic a woman in labor. 

For a person like Dream who has expertise in deception, he can tell the right points in Grian's convincing screams of pain, which paradoxically appeared both genuine and contrived.

 

The guards watched the scene in total confusion as Grian continued to wail in ‘Pain’ , lamenting, "Ow! My skinny stomach!" He paused awkwardly then gasped, "Why does it hurt!"

 

Mr. Duck was equally puzzled, thinking the parrot was just trying to waste his time. 

 

As the manager was about to give signals to his guards that Grian believed they were unlikely to go well, he gasped for air, turned to the former manager with desperate eyes, "I've been f-feeling ravenous L-lately."

 

Mr. Duck blinked and replied, "But in the void, there should be no sensation of hunger. You all are not supposed to experience such effects within it."

 

Grian weakly shrugged. "I guess the effects work- kicked IN when you allowed us- when you kicked us ouuuuuut!"

 

Dream couldn't help but facepalm at that. Good tricking but Grian started to lay it on a bit thick. 

 

Mr. Duck scoffed, “That's ridiculous, we only had you locked up for a mere day."

 

Grian let out a few chirps and weak whines, “I haven't eaten since! I-I went with Phil to the P- portal!” He then gasped, "My ff- feeding system is AAGH! A bit faulty, o-okay?"

 

Dream was about to scold him when he noticed the guards whispering amongst themselves.

 

 

"¿Por qué actúa como si tuviera cólicos menstruales?"

 

"Yo pasé por cosas mucho peores que las que él está pasando ahora mismo."

 

"Me recuerda aquella vez que te comiste una cantidad desorbitada de quesadillas como reto, ¿no te acuerdas, tío?"

 

“Ellas ni siquiera lo intentan,” 

 

Grian watched them while continuing to pretend to be in pain. "What are they saying?" he whispered to Dream, who quickly responded with a scoff, "I don't fucking know Spanish, just keep up the act, birdie."

 

Grian nodded and continued to hiss and kneel, trying to make it seem like he was struggling to stand up.

 

Mr. Duck seemed fed up, and the guards behind him looked like they were on the verge of pulling out their guns out of annoyance.

 

However, Mr. Duck raised a hand to stop them and walked towards Grian. Grian gulped and tried to focus on his fake hissing. Mr. Duck kneeled down and slowly helped Grian up by the shoulder, as if he was going to hand him over to the guards but stopped when he heard Dream. 

 

"Uh, can I?" Dream asked awkwardly, surprised when he was given Grian to hold onto. Despite Grian not actually putting any weight on him, Dream held him by the shoulder, playing along with Grian's fake act of weakness.

 

The guards stared at their boss in bewilderment, Mr. Duck approached the duo and gestured towards the room's exit, "There is a cafeteria near the central hall.”

 

The guards were increasingly puzzled by their boss's gullibility, while Dream and Grian were amazed that this ruse had worked quickly, albeit with a hint of suspicion.

What if the ex-Manager was pretending that just to trick them? 

One guard exclaimed, “Sir, are you serious?!” Another guard questioned, "¿Crees que la están fingiendo?"

Ignoring their doubts, the ex-manager waved the guards off and then warned the two men, "Don't cause trouble, grab what you need. You only have 3 minutes before we leave the place."

 

Dream mocked, "That guy is fixated on only giving minut- Ow!" only to receive a kick in the leg from Grian. Grian placed a hand on his stomach, gratifying, "Thank you, sir."

 

Mr. Duck simply nodded as he went over to the computer to shut down the process, extinguishing the light of the X.

 

Exiting the room, Dream and Grian made their way to the lobby where they found the entrance. The cafeteria within the complex was surprisingly spacious, considering the number of guards present. 

 

Guards were eating and chatting in the dining hall, eyeing the two men suspiciously as they passed by. Grian and Dream did their best to ignore the stares as they walked on.

Upon reaching one of the counters, Grian separated himself from Dream and began selecting some food. To his surprise, there were a couple of pumpkin pies in one of the sections. Grian pondered just how affluent this government was. Despite pretending to be hungry to trick the federation, he couldn't resist grabbing a few. As he ate one, he noticed a strange sensation in his mouth, maybe particularly after being injured by the glitch. 

 

Grian heard Dream cough.

“That was a shit show,” the masked man said.

 

"Hey, you're the one who nearly got us busted," Grian retorted. Dream scoffed at him, questioning, "Is it really worth the risk of getting busted just to deceive them into thinking you know my codes?"

 

Grian had been going in a clever mode, but all Dream wanted was to leave this ridiculous place and not waste time meeting people he hadn't seen since the championship. Dream hesitated at the food section, unsure if he had the appetite because of his anxiety (And because he started to have eating disorders ever since he escaped the pandora ). 

 

"You don't know anything about me there," he muttered. "Just as I expected, there's things Phil didn't grasp." 

 

Grian looked offended, "Pardon me?"

 

Dream glanced at the guards to check if anyone was over listening, then turned to Grian. "You lied to them that you'd take me back to my SMP alone!"

 

Grian tried to keep his voice down. "Exactly. It was part of the plan. Plus, I mentioned your correct timeline in the Dream SMP, not just the server."

 

Dream huffed, “So you deceived them about that too,”

 

Grian nodded, “Indeed, I did. Since you already know what will happen in the original timeline, there’s no point in trying to make the Doctor Who time machine to bring you back. Plus, we have no idea where we could even find that Jacob guy.” He spotted a counter with bags and began selecting food to pack, “And don't put all the blame on me. If you had just remembered your server codes, you could have saved your own butt.” He then smirked, noting, "Seems like Quackity wasn't the only one with that ‘ phase’ ."

 

Dream protested, "A fucking phase? I didn't even have my commentator! There must be a misunderstanding in their devices. While you smartypants, you only got your device by cheating off your friend-!" Grian shushed him, holding a finger to his lips. Worried about the guards overhearing them, Grian let out a sigh of relief when it seemed they hadn't heard a word.

Grian took a moment before speaking, "I'm not sure how we'll manage it, but listen," he locked eyes with Dream, "After we free Phil's daughter-" Dream weakly pushed him aside.

 

"We?" Dream repeated, looking puzzled. Why did Grian assume he would assist without question?

 

Grian closed his eyes and continued, "Whether we figure out a way for you to return to your smp or you do it alone, I don't see another option."

 

Dream seemed far from convincing. Maybe he could help Grian out if they built trust over time or exchanged favors, but Dream knew it was unlikely, especially since Grian was close with Phil and part of the 'Tommy didn’t deserve it' club, much to Dream's annoyance. And on top of that, saving the girl would mean saving Quackity's ass too.

 

Dream crossed his arms and muttered, “I could've done a better job of deceiving them than you did.”

 

Grian raised an eyebrow and asked, “Oh! And what kind of fib or manipulation did you have in mind? Trying to sway them to your side or theirs? I doubt a bunch of high-powered officials like them would just follow you without question,” as he held the bag behind his back. 

 

Dream fired back, "They fell for your 'stellar acting' , you're welcome.” 

Grian rolled his eyes and remarked, "Honestly, Dream, for a moment there, I almost believed you were going to plot to worm your way into their ranks and take over as the new manager or some crap. But it seemed you took what I'm saying slowly" He pointed at Dream, "This seems a bit 'out of character' for you, rather than your usual manipulative self that Phil sees from you."

 

Dream chuckled softly, sounding like he wasn't taking Grian's words too seriously. "I would've tried it sooner if I could've found a weakness or figured out a way to outsmart them, like I did with... well, someone."

 

Perking up, Grian asked, "Who's this someone you keep mentioning? wasn’t like…Anybody you have met?"

 

Dream feigned surprise, whispering, "Oi, didn't Phil tell you about that one either? What a shocker."

 

Grian knew that Dream was an asshole…Really, when he first encountered Dream in the void, he had naively expected the federation to approach Dream or for Dream to use the situation to his advantage, as he had done with others mentioned by the angel of death.

 

Noticing Grian's expression, Dream elaborated, "If their motives aligned with mine, I would have considered joining them."

 

Grian couldn't help but snicker, "You must be joking. You and them have some similarities, both unapologetic about experimenting on innocent people."

 

Shrugging, Dream turned to look at the guards, "Their motives are still unclear, and we still don't fully understand them, Grian."

 

Grian didn't agree with that one but he has a good point, they seemed ominous, especially in regards to Phil's child and other dragon children.

Dream continued, "They seemed to me like...I have to admit,” he growled under his breath, “I resent them for imprisoning me without good cause, but they appeared to be just cutting corners for shit and work, but mostly for shit." Turning back to Grian with a serious tone, he said, "I have my own reasons and motives. Most include playing as the bad guy and such, unlike them, unlike Quackity..."

 

Grian frowned, "It still doesn't make any difference,” he then asked, “And what does Quackity have to do with this? If it's about altering your timeline, he didn't mean it, ma-"

 

“Mr. Grian?”

 

The two men stopped talking and turned to see a guard calling out, “Mr.Grian, time's up, the managers are calling for you.”

 

Dream let out a sigh as he gazed at Grian, “It's much worse than you know. You have no idea the harm the past him has caused me,” before he walked off, leaving Grian puzzled. Grian sighed as he held the bag and followed suit.

"Man, I always thought that chicken army was a bit chaotic, but jeez!” 

Grian muttered to himself after he took in the sight of the entire building - although he wasn't actually referring to the architecture. He had some critiques, especially about the excessive number of stairs when there were already elevators in place. 

 

But what really caught him off guard was the sheer amount of guards present. He thought he had seen enough of them when he fought them, but no, there were even more within the building. No wonder why their cafeteria was abnormally huge .

 

Grian couldn't help but wonder if they were just clones rather than people having their own lives. And he also couldn't shake the thought of that ice cream cone bear Quackity had mentioned being somewhere.

 

"Man, how many guards does this complex have?" Grian mused aloud, to which Dream thoughtlessly shrugged. Grian walked up to one of the guards and asked, "Seriously, though, how many guards are in here, sir?" 

 

The guard remained silent, then turned around and started counting the guards with their finger, as if they were a teacher counting students. 

 

Grian winced, while Dream looked on with a resigned expression, wondering why Grian had bothered asking that in the first place. If these guards were clones or robots, that one is going to count forever.

 

The guard stopped counting and shrugged, saying, “Son tantos comparados con mis ganas de vivir.”

 

Grian couldn’t understand what they were saying but the guard's tone implied sarcasm, whether they were genuine person or copies…Unless they were sentient clones or emotion-programmed robots like Grumbot. 

 

It was difficult too for Grian to distinguish between them or even to see if one of them would speak his language or not, as the faceless guards all seemed identical.

 

"Could you speak in english?" Grian inquired politely, but the guard ignored him. 

 

Dream began growing increasingly frustrated with Grian delaying them with that bullshit, muttering angrily under his breath. 

 

Suddenly, Dream felt a strange twitch in his brain, causing him to rub his forehead. As he turned around, he noticed an open room leading to another room. Initially uninterested, but he couldn't help but notice something odd about that room. Grian was busy wasting their time engaging with these 'clones' over a pointless question.

 

Driven by curiosity or potential benefit, Dream walked over slowly.

As Dream strolled towards the room, he came across a lengthy hallway filled with numerous doors. Each door had a small closed window, resembling a typical prison door, unlike the lava curtains in the Pandora vault or the impenetrable bedrock walls surrounding the void.

 

Hold on...There are regular prison cells in this place too? Are they locking up other people here as well? Why didn't they just use these cells to imprison Dream and the others instead? It would have made more sense to have one cell per person...or maybe they could have just kept Quackity in one of those cells by himself! Why did they feel the need to imprison the duck hybrid and Dream, who had nothing to do with the incident in that inescapable void?

Whatever their justice system is, throwing around illegal time travel (the ex-manager's words, not his) as a reason for imprisonment is questionable. If Dream were in Quackity's shoes, being stuck in that void would seem unfair. But if they were so determined to lock up Dream, why didn't they use those regular cells instead?

 

Dream found the entire situation to be nonsensical and slanted, even more than Quackity and his obsession with his book.

Out of the blue, a thought struck Dream like a bolt of lightning again. It was as if a signal for him to act, prompting him to turn around, only to spot two guards conversing behind a specific cell door, with its window left ajar.

 

Moving cautiously, Dream approached the door at a snail's pace, trying not to attract the guards' attention. 

 

As he neared, he quickly glanced through the window before feeling his turtleneck being pulled. One guard dragged him while the other aimed a gun at him. 

Dream was startled when he had caught a glimpse of someone in a white hoodie in that split-second glance.

"Dream! What the hell?!"

Dream looked over to see Grian had arrived just in the nick of time. Grian approached with a stern expression, but hesitated when the guards aimed their guns at him.

 

Fortunately, a cough from the boss caught their attention. Mr. Duck strode over, visibly annoyed, and with a snap of his fingers, the guards reluctantly released their hold on Dream.

 

Dream winced as he rubbed his shoulder, still refusing to meet Grian's gaze.

 

Mr. Duck sighed and cautioned, "Young man, pushing your luck like that is not always wise."

Dream was about to complain, but Grian swiftly covered his mouth and offered a fake smile, saying, "We are sorry, sir, the door to that room was left open."

 

Mr. Duck narrowed his eyes and gave a pointed glare at the two guards, who promptly looked away, whistling.

Grian opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, a loud horn blast echoed through the area, causing Dream and Grian to jump, but not the ex-Manager.

 

Checking his watch, Mr. Duck stated firmly, "The ship is about to leave, we need to get there before it sails."  

 

The two men blinked, Grian asked, "A ship? We're going to the hub on a ship?" The way he said it almost made him start to laugh.

 

Mr. Duck clarified, “We have the bulk carrier, but we're not going to the hub through it. There's a portal a bit further from the island.” 

 

Dream couldn't believe they were on an island the whole time, while Grian seemed unfazed, as if he had seen it all before being taken captive.

 

Turning back, Mr. Duck cautioned, "Remember, we'll be keeping an eye on all of you, so behave yourselves."

 

“Bithave yourshelf,” Dream mumbled in a mocking manner, Grian gave him a deadpanned face and lowered his hand from his mouth. They both followed the former manager and proceeded to the elevator in silence.

–

 

-

 

.

"I really hope he doesn't take too long." 

The duck hybrid mumbled, gazing at the empty void room. Since his new-trust friend had left, Quackity was filled with worry but also held onto the hope that Grian had given him.

 

Turning to Tallulah, who had been sitting in the same spot since Grian and Dream teleported away, Quackity could see the worry mirrored in her expression.

 

With a smirk, Quackity remarked, "Well, even if he takes his sweet time, it's not like we'll starve, die here or anything."

 

Tallulah shot him a deadpan look. "The federation will take me soon," she reminded him.

 

Q began to feel a pang of guilt for forgetting about that, she was still in a potential danger , so Quackity nodded. "Oh, yeah," he said as he settled down next to his niece, he looked through the void nervously.

 

"He better hurry back before a few weeks pass," he added. Tallulah wordlessly nodded while holding the feather to her chest, keeping a shred of trust in the parrot hybrid.

 

After a moment of silence, Quackity spoke up, "Hey, Chalulah?"

 

Tallulah didn't shift her gaze from the feather.

 

Quackity repeated, "Are you feeling better now?"

 

Tallulah hesitated before shrugging, "I'm just tired," her quiet tone didn't match her restless fingers.

 

Quackity chuckled, agreeing that they were both pretty tired. It surely had been such a journey through the DreamSMP, the unexpected twists and turns that sometimes felt like life or death situations.

 

Quackity rubbed his neck, “Yeah, I mean, we covered a lot of ground, got free food, met some cool people that you also know, almost met your dad, explored my old country, saw Manberg, encountered your uncle Bad, and... uh, that prison?” he said with a forced cough, not eager to return to that topic.

 

But it was too late, Tallulah's expression darkened as she said, "We missed our chance to meet tio Techno, I wish we went through time earlie-" she closed her mouth shut, not wanting to sound selfish.

 

“Yeah…” Quackity sighed, his expression temporarily pained before he mustered a small, awkward smile, "On the bright side, we did encounter and narrowly escape being killed by the SMP's most infamous villain! That is a silver lining!" He chuckled but Talulah’s expression remained the same, sad and worried.

 

After a moment, Talulah turned to the duck hybrid and spoke in a bitter tone, "I still can't believe you tried to lock up Techno with that other smiling man... b-but I'm not mad at you." She swallowed her resentment. "I'm a little upset at the old you."

 

Quackity blinked, feeling a twinge of regret returning to him but he couldn't understand it so he just sighed as he responded, "You have too, I'm also upset with my old me."

Quackity then gazed at the golden ring still on his finger, realizing he had almost taken steps to mend his relationships before Dream the federation fate intervened.

 

 If only his former self hadn't been so much of an asshole, perhaps his interactions with others in various servers would have been more positive.

 

Narrowing his eyes, Quackity admitted, "Uh, aside from treating my assistants like dirt... or Causing physical trauma to a psychopath, I can't believe I did that too. I still don't fully understand why."

 

Tallulah remained quiet, nodding in response again. Quackity fell silent too. 

 

It was just the two of them alone again, with nothing much to do except for the cards scattered on the floor.

 

Not wanting to feel bored, Quackity decided to rebuild the card tower again, taking his time to make the moment last. Tallulah found herself alternating between observing him and staring at the flakes around her…

 

Purple, her favorite color, a mark of peace and beauty. But in this dark setting, it was the only thing catching her eye besides her guardian. It was a bittersweet realization for her, but she tried to push those feelings aside.

“Hey Chalulah!”

 

Quackity shouted once more, shuffling two cards together like butter as he asked, sticking out his tongue, "Hm, if L’Manberg had never been destroyed, what do you think you and Wilbur would have done?"

 

Tallulah was taken aback by the unexpected question, furrowing her brows as she tried to recall anything else Wilbur had said about the country to share. She remembered short stories about freedom, festivals, singing, duels, and his suici-

 

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts again, Tallulah felt her breath quicken but fought to stay cool. She sighed and hummed as she pondered her answer, “Well, maybe we would have just enjoyed hanging out in the country. I could have played my instrument by the fire while he sang his... anthem?”

 

Quackity arched an eyebrow, “What was that anthem you talking about?”

 

Tallulah hesitated as she tried to recall the lyrics, "I can't remember all the words, but it goes something like..." she put down the feather on the ground and gestured with her fingers to mimic music notes.

“I heard there was a…place,” 

 

Tallulah paused, trying to remember the next line as Quackity continued building his card tower and listening intently.

 

“Where men could go emancipate…”

 

Her voice faltered slightly.

 

“The brutality and cruelty-” she swallowed before correcting herself, “No- I guess it is tyranny-” 

 

“The brutality and tyranny Of their rulers…”

 

The words did not bring sorrow to Tallulah, but rather, they stirred a deep emotion within her. Her fingers were moving in a way of caressing the smooth keys of...That what brought a sorrow ache to Tallulah, she longed for her flute.

 

Quackity stopped building and glanced at her. "That's all?"

 

Tallulah shrugged. "I'm pretty sure he said more and mentioned tio Tubbo. I almost forgot about him."

 

Quackity blinked as he added another card to the building. "Is that why you were shocked when we saw your tio Tubbo in the Dreamsmp?"

Tallulah nodded, “Yes, I was just caught off guard by the fact that he used to work for you back then!” Tallulah then frowned, thinking about a question she always wanted to ask that masked man if only he tried to not be rude for once.

 

How does Dream know her dad? And his beliefs of bringing back death has something to do with him?

Her train of thought was cut off when she remembered something and crawled over to Quackity, pointing out, "Wait! The Tommy and Dream that Grian mentioned..."

 

Quackity nodded, but then looked puzzled, "Yeah, speaking of Tommy, why didn't he tell me he had another child before you?!"

 

Tallulah gave him a glare, "I think you mean he USED to have another child."

 

Quackity blinked in confusion and asked again, "Why didn't your father tell you about that?" Picking up the feather from the ground, Tallulah countered, "Are you talking about Papa Phil or Wilbur?"

"Yes." Q replied flatly.

 

"Mr. Smiling man!" Tallulah let out an annoyed huff, causing a small chuckle to escape from Quackity. He quickly followed up with a question, "Seriously! How could they tell you about having a Legendary fighter as your uncle but not mention a possible older brother?"

 

"I have no idea," Tallulah whispered with a puzzled expression, staring at the feather in her hand. Quackity approached her cautiously, noticing her eyes welling up with tears.

 

Biting his lip, Quackity abandoned the few cards on his hands and moved closer to comfort her, saying, “Chalulah? Hey don't cry.” 

 

Tallulah wiped her eyes and shook her head, "I d-don't think... I don't think Papa would have kept me in the dark about that."

 

Quackity sighed, feeling frustrated. Not only that old man left his kid for a mission without a second thought, but also kept the whole fucking important family information from his own child!

 

In a slightly exasperated tone, Quackity replied, "I guess fathers can sometimes keep secrets from their children. I mean, he didn't even tell you about G."

 

Tallulah quickly retorted, her voice filled with emotion, "But that's different! We are the death family, we have always valued sticking together and sharing everything that keeps us united, even if that thing is no longer a part of us!" Taking a deep breath, Tallulah continued, "Maybe I've misunderstood. Maybe Papa wasn't ready to tell me about my other relatives yet…M-Maybe he was waiting for the right time."

 

The dragon hybrid released a soft exhale through her nose as she turned her gaze back to the feathers. Quackity nervously rubbed his neck, his expression filled with sadness as he returned to working on the tower. However, something clicked in his mind and he gently called out, "Kid?"

 

Tallulah made a sound and Quackity swallowed before continuing, "Back when we were in Nevadas, when you were trying to catch your breath, I encountered someone with fox ears." Tallulah arched an eyebrow in curiosity as Quackity went on, "He seemed like an assistant of past me, but he appeared...angry when we spoke."

 

Despite the extra info he got from Dream or from the rest, none of it shed light on the situation with that fox.

It's obvious because you always wished for HIM to leave you.

Pursing his lips, If only he was smart enough to ask the fox out about the person he was referring to in the first place.

"Why do you think he was angry?" Tallulah asked.

Did he sign a peace contract or dish out half-baked apologies to you before coming after me?

Quackity shrugged and replied, "I'm not sure. Maybe me being nice had made him wary or some shit, or perhaps he knows someone from my past who caused him friction." As he rubbed his chin in contemplation, he added, "I think the person he was upset with may have left him or caused him some distress."

He left me…

 

Tallulah pondered, why do so many people have loved ones who leave them suddenly?

 

It's so unfair.

My brother left me…

Then, like a light bulb going off in her head, her eyes widened as she looked at Quackity.

That boy with the red and white shirt…

"Mr. Smiling Man," she started, then stuttered in worry, "I- I met someone who was in a si- similar situation but he was- he looked sad instead, he looked so gloomy."

 

Quackity looked surprised. "Was it him? When did you see him?"

 

Tallulah continued, "No, he was someone else. It was when we were taking cover from the rain and you dozed off." Quackity's expression turned sore but he listened.

 

Tallulah felt nervous, her shoulders trembling slightly. "He had blonde hair and a red and white shirt, he was watching the sea and seemed really down. I tried to talk to him because I was curious, but all he replied was that his brother had left him."

 

Quackity placed the final card on the tower and asked, "What happened after that?"

Tallulah sighed, "Not much, he didn't even glance at me. He reminded me of how I felt after losing my dad, so I just told him it is best for both of us to not dwell on it for too long."

 

Quackity chuckled, a bit perplexed as to why Tallulah changed her mind about talking with strangers, especially since she seemed concerned when she saw Drista. Sounds like she is getting to understand the curiosity of wanting to know more about someone you don't know.

 

"So he was quiet, like a gentleman," Quackity remarked with a smirk.

 

Tallulah started to say, "He seemed young to me, and I felt sorry for-" but her words were suddenly interrupted by another lightbulb.

 

"Wait a second!" She held up her hand like a stop sign. Quackity looked at her with concern and asked, "Are you okay, kid?"

 

Tallulah couldn't tell if she was actually losing her breath or if it was just a figure of speech for the sudden epiphany she was having with the feather and her hands which were trembling in unison.

 

She gazed at Quackity in shock and finally managed to blurt out, "He's been abandoned by his brother, just like me."

 

Quackity furrowed his brow, saying, "And? Everyone goes through feelings of abandonment at some point like you."

 

Tallulah frowned and continued, "Yes, but the way he was affected by h-his brother leaving was too...W-we were like two peas in a pod,” She paused, trying to piece together her thoughts, "Dream said- he mentioned their names together before, and Dream is the one who brought my dad back because he c- can-"

 

Suddenly, Tallulah stopped again, bringing both her hands to her mouth as the feather fell from her grip. Quackity quickly stood up and approached her, but she looked at him with horror, "M-Mr. Smiling man, do you...?"

 

Quackity patted her back, "Breathe," he stepped back, "Do you want me to help you with that again?"

 

Tallulah shook her head and began to regain her breath slowly, stuttering, "D-Do you think that boy was Tommy and his brother was..."

She couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence...That boy she met, she just met her brother she didn’t even know she had…How could her father never tell her that?! What next?! The fox is her brother too?! 

 

As her thoughts started to spiral, she was jolted back by Quackity's concerned expression. He let out a sigh, clearly so confused about everything. Amidst the confusion they were having, it doesn't matter.Their fate seemed to rest in the hands of the parrot hybrid now.

 

"Maybe we should lay off from all those thoughts," Quackity suggested, sensing the tension becoming unbearable. Tallulah was still reeling from the shock of her notion, but she nodded with a soft sigh.

 

Quackity looked down and picked up the feather, handing it to Tallulah without saying a word and the silence in the midst of the unsettling void around them spoke volumes, Quackity silently hoped that Grian would make the right choices to lead them out of this place.

 

"Hey, it's been a rough day. How about we get some rest and hope for a brighter tomorrow?...or whatever time it is now," Quackity optimistically proposed, flashing a hopeful smile. Tallulah grimaced but eventually agreed, clearly exhausted and eager to drift off into slumber.

 

She held onto the feather as she lay down on the bedrock. Quackity stayed awake however, sitting and staring at the card tower.

 

The tower looked small but it was well-built and Quackity smiled slightly at that while wishing Grian could see it.

 

‘Grian should teach me more about this,’ Quackity thought to himself while praying for a glimmer of hope to shine in that dark place.

 

 

--

 

-

 

.

 

"I still wondering why they didn't just build the portal here instead," 

 

Grian said once they exit the building. The state was surrounded by the sea, appearing large from the outside. Dream also seemed to take note of this, especially since they were underground within the complex.

 

Grian refrained from voicing his thoughts aloud, as Mr. Duck guided them towards the docks where numerous merchant ships and carriers were docked. 

 

While tempted to envy the organization's work of these massive ships, Grian kept his emotions in check.

 

The bustling dock was filled with guards handling boxes and cargo, diligently doing their tasks. Dream appeared uncertain about the purpose of the guards' job, while Grian believed that these cargos would likely contain supplies for the organization's construction or additional food support... Or maybe embezzlement and experiments kits to hurt the dragons.

 

Grian attention was drawn to a group of guards on the other side of the dock, who were opening boxes. But the boxes were looking empty.

 

"Excuse me, Mister?" Grian raised his hand. Mr. Duck hummed softly.

 

"What's the deal with these empty boxes over there?" Grian gestured towards the group.

Mr.duck turned to look at the group and then back at Grian. "Those boxes are meant to be filled with our goods at a later time. We trade them to other servers and territories," he explained, motioning towards the horizon. "We have connections with distant states, mostly the Qsmp, where items like museum pieces, casino tokens, and theater props are exchanged. We have plenty of our own locations there."

 

Grian raised an eyebrow. "I had no idea your organization had such diverse dealings with other servers. You guys still have some 'pizzazz' around," he commented, resisting the urge to blame them for manipulating and stealing Quackity's memories, realizing that doing so could either lead to death or invalidate his bail much to his annoyance.

Mr. Duck paused for a moment before replying with a hint of mischief in his voice, "If we didn't have connections with other servers, how do you think we managed to connect with your admin?" He continued walking, leading them on their way.

 

Grian's smirk faltered as he glared at the former manager, feeling a mix of nerves and resistance when his friend X was mentioned. 

He is not really that type of person to push for more information, knowing some things were better left unsaid among friends. Despite his mischievous nature, Grian was always respectful of boundaries, even if his playful or rather suspicious side enjoys delving into secrets.

Dream noticed the conversation between the two but paid little attention as they reached the large bulk carriers, which stood out among the other ships. The horn blared as Mr. Duck motioned for them to board the ship.

Grian and Dream followed Mr. Duck onboard, and Grian noticed the same group nearby, a smirk playing on his lips as he spotted the same empty boxes, one of them was larger.

 

He had that idea brewing in his mind, especially since these boxes had holes in them.

 

Approaching one of the boxes slowly, Grian called out to a guard, "Excuse me! Are these empty boxes available to borrow too?"

Another horn sounded and the last cargo box set sail across the sea. The air felt refreshing compared to the void.

 

Dream let out a sigh as he made his way to the ship's railing, grateful for the break the fresh air provided. But he knew it wouldn't last long.

Dream was still thinking of the individual in the white hoodie again, but nothing came to his mind as all he saw there Before was just a dark cell before he got caught. The figure seemed familiar though, wearing the same outfit as someone he knew. 

Thoughts raced through his mind - could it be possible that-

No, Punz was killed by these freaks, he saw the message, but it had appeared odd to him at first glance so it had to be something else.

Now his mind was consumed with finding a way to return to the SMP to revive his ally. They actually tested a lot in the revival book and they started to get used to reviving each other, so it wasn't the loss of Punz that worried Dream. What worried him was whether he could find a way back home to bring his friend back to life. The thought that Punz might still be out there and alive, only added to his worry.

Dream suddenly jumped when he felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see Grian holding a bag and standing there with a large wooden box behind him.

 

"What's with the huge ass box?" Dream questioned.

 

"You'll see," replied Grian with a mischievous grin as he put down the bag.

 

Grian then strolled over to the rail, closed his eyes, and took in a deep breath of the fresh air. Dream paid no attention to his relief and simply gazed at the sky in a peaceful manner, despite the fact that they were possibly on opposite sides. Dream found it surprising that Grian would sacrifice his own belongings to help him escape, even if it was for his own benefit. 

 

But imagining if the Federation wasn't fixated on Tallulah for their own gain, Grian could have cover the bail only for himself or take Tallulah with him while leave Dream behind with with that stupid version of his torturer...Maybe even kill him like he did in the championship, or run away like a coward. Dream chuckled at the thought, imagining Grian 'chicken' out.

 

Dream's ears perked up when he heard Grian say, "So..."

 

With his eyes still closed, Grian asked, "What made you act so aggressively towards Q? What did his 'past self' do to you?"

 

Dream sighed, "Do you even want to know now?" He turned around and leaned against the rail. "And honestly, Grian? I thought you knew already. You still don't?" He grimaced, "You didn't hear everything I said when I was ranting and yelling at him in that void?"

 

Grian opened his eyes and quipped, “I heard bits, but Phil was really dishing out the dirt on all the shady stuff you've been up to of course. I was just dying to hear your side of the story?”

 

Dream raised an eyebrow, “My side of the story?”

 

Grian rolled his eyes, “Oh, come on!” he gestured his hands towards Dream, “You admitted to playing the bad guy as a lame motive to make yourself a far cry from this government,” he rubbed his chin, “And while I still don't get the gist, I'm just a tad curious about what really drove you to that kind of 'dark' side!” Grian paused and then snickered, "And to become the next frankenstein." 

And legitimately, Grian's nosiness always seemed to win out over his moral compass. 

 

Not that he was one to pass judgment, but if he had the chance, Grian would imagine spending a week calling out Dream, Quackity... and maybe even Phil for leaving his child behind in the beginning.

Dream turned away, “I told you before, I always liked to play that way, it wasn't forced and it wasn’t deluded.”

 

“deluded? Seriously?” Grian folded his arms, “Gotta be real, I doubt you suddenly stopped pulling these ‘so called-deluded’ acts behind the scenes once you were locked up in prison...Uh, Pandora, I mean.”

 

Dream shot Grian a look of disbelief, “I killed and resurrected Tommy in there. What part of that screams 'new leaf' to you?”

 

Grian pretended to ponder, “Let me think, maybe after facing punishments, starvation, isolation, lack of guarding, and-”

 

Dream shot him a look, interrupting Grian, "Punishment, huh?" He advanced towards Grian with a warning voice, "Don't even think about feeling sympathy for me if I tell what has happened to me behind the lava walls."

 

Grian replied nonchalantly, "I don't think I would have this sympathy this instant, but I am willing to satisfy my curiosity before things get messy between us."

 

Dream was growling, wondering why Grian was suddenly so quiet. Grian had gone off the rails when he accused Quackity of messing with the timeline, but now he seemed calm...almost creepily calm having a chat with an 'evil mastermind' like Dream as if they're just two people chatting in a coffee shop.

 

The masked man then let out a bitter chuckle, like the one he did when they were stuck in the void, as he spoke in a malignant tone, "If you say so! You want to satisfy that little curiosity of yours?" he grabbed Grian's sweater, "Let me drop a little truth bomb on you, man. Quackity was a conniving asshole with a rich country of his own who craved my power and tried to paint himself as the ‘good guy’ while using his violent ways on me!"

 

Grian raised an eyebrow, "So what?” he smirked “You did the same to the others though.”

 

Dream growled at him. Grian then asked, “And what kind of violent ways, exactly? You mentioned something about Big Q being your torturer and taking your fingers off. What's the story there?"

“Mr.Grian.”

 

Both guys stopped arguing at the same time and turned to the ex-manager, who had a device and another that looked like a phone in his other hand. He closed the phone and slipped it into his pocket.

 

Grian gave Dream a questioning look, to which Dream groaned, stepped back, and crossed his arms.

 

Grian brushed off his sweater and asked, "We got there that quick?"

 

Mr. Duck shook his head, "Not yet. We received some bad news from the authorities after the payment was sent and counted." He held the device to them, "They have finished counting and just sent us a message."

 

A look of concern crossed Grian's face, "Huh?" The ex-manager declared, "I'm sorry to say that the payment amount wasn't enough to secure both of you."

“What?!” Both Dream and Grian yelled in unison. 

 

Dream seemed irritated, while Grian appeared completely shocked. Hadn't Xismua sent the diamonds from his shop to the federation or not ALL of them? 

 

There must be a mistake…

 

"Gimme that!" Grian snatched the device from Mr. Duck's hands, surprising the former manager with his sudden act. Dream watched with arms crossed, wearing a look of skepticism.

 

Grian stared at the device in confusion and desperation before his eyes widened at the message displayed.

 

"5,000?!" Grian exclaimed, nearly smudging the screen with his fingerprints.

 

Grian was familiar with money math and finances, but this is ridiculous...unless this organization deals with high-value currency.

 

Just as Grian was about to speak up, Mr. Duck swiftly snatched the device back, shooting a stern look from behind his mask. Grian frowned and protested, "But these diamonds are real deal! They should be worth more!"

 

Mr. Duck sighed and explained, "We prioritize cash value over minerals value in our business." He pointed to the screen. "The diamonds were converted to cash, but it seems it didn't meet the exact required payment."

 

Grian's frown turned into a blank expression, his mind in a whirl. He opened his mouth to argue but shut it. His expression turned back to frown.

 

They are already on the ship, almost to the hub, so Grian realized it was too late to backtrack or voice any more concerns to the authorities... IF there are EVEN authorities in that goddamn organization or just a scam! Grian thought to himself.

 

Grian didn't even realize Dream have forcefully nudged him as Dream walked toward the former manager, ranting, "You have chefs, billion of guards and a huge ass complex, yet you can't even fucking hire proper machinists," Pointing accusingly, he continued, "Your cash flow is bullshit, and all your devices are bull-" before Grian swiftly covered his mouth again.

 

Mr. Duck crossed his arms and coolly stated, "The results speak for themselves. One of you will have to stay in the hub without the permission to return to your specific server."

 

Dream feels a bit thankful he didn't lay down his laws back at the dreamsmp like that bureaucratic nightmare.

 

And even that, they still broke his rules...

Dream shot a tired smile. 

 

Yeah! Who even needs that parrot hybrid anyway? He could find his way back through the portal on his own! And who cares too about the timeline paradox?

 

Without even glancing in anyone's direction, Dream nudged the former manager. "I don't need any permission to head back to MY server."

Grian shot a fiery look at Dream but winced in pain as he struggled to move with his wings still in cuffs. He sighed and darted towards Dream. 

"I'll figure it out by mysel-" Dream shouted but felt Grian grabbing his turtleneck.

 

Grian insisted, "No chance!" then turned to the ex-manager, asking desperately, "Is there anything we can do to repay the rest of the bail?"

Mr. Duck inquired, "Do you use any standard currency in your server?" Grian pondered for a moment before responding, "Well, someone in our server did create one for trading cards, but most of us use diamonds and other minerals for transactions."

 

Mr. Duck briskly replied, "In that case, there are alternative methods and shorter bans available."

Grian was about to protest, but then whispered, "Shorter what?"

Dream interjected skeptically, "Do these alternatives involve lapis lazulis or some worthless shit?" After a moment of contemplation, he added with a twisted smirk, "Unless, magical powers and strength can be involved, in which case abilities like mine could be a viable choic-" Dream is getting frustrated every time Grian kept interrupting him whenever he tried to deceive them.

‘Just let me manipulate him for a bit, Birdie!’ Dream said internally.

 

Grian inquired, perhaps contemplating a solution to save themsel- no, save himself from this mess, "Wait! How do these short bans works to me? Are they really not as bad or irreversible?" 

 

Mr. Duck affirmed, "It's not just a ban affecting solely you, but a certain server."

 

Grian hesitated, withdrawing his hand from Dream as they exchanged puzzled looks, "What are you trying to say?"

 

After a brief pause, Dream was the one to grasp the concept, "Dude, I think he is referring to a temporary suspension. By modifying one of the codes you provided and altering a feature or system of the server as a form of disciplinary action."

 

Grian furrowed his brow in confusion before casting a skeptical glance at Mr. Duck.

 

They really can do that? First, they can take memories from somebody, create a void room for imprisonment, and now they can infiltrate the codes of other servers?

 

It seems almost incredulous, does this government even have administrators? Such actions shouldn't even be feasible nor legal. But...

 

One thing that's been on Grian's mind, what his friends would think of this, X might have had a moment with the government before and he can understand it, but what if he is not going to be happy about it?

 

Would the federation even bother to consult his friends before going ahead with it, or would they just dive in headfirst without any warning? Grian is starting to have a second thought about it but he doesn't know which one he is having.

 

"I suggest you take some time to think about it," Mr. Duck recommended, but Grian intervened. "Wait, that would not involve accessing any of our personal information or data?"

 

Mr. Duck clarified, "Not personal information, but temporarily disabling a feature on your server for a set period, like one month."

 

"A month..." Grian muttered, then shook his head. "Hold on, we do not have what you are looking for. But this temporary suspension is only for a month, correct? Disabling one of our server features will not cause any issues for us, right?"

 

Dream blinked at Grian's question.

 

Mr. Duck shrugged, "As long as disabling that specific feature does not lead to any further problems, or if you hermits can find a simpler solution."

 

Grian hesitated for a moment, maybe he started to know which second thoughts he was deciding in this case. It's only for a month soo...

Taking a deep breath, Grian announced, "I usually steer clear of these kinds of agreements. I don't want you guys messing with X or his codes." He approached Mr.duck with a firm stare, "And my friends will be pissed about this, but let me tell you the idea, Mr. Duck."

 

Mr. Duck was all ears but Dream looked on skeptically, he questioned. “Grian, what are doin-” Grian hushed Dream but with a gentle pat on the arm instead of covering his mouth. Then he beckoned Mr. Duck and they walked away to discuss further so Dream wouldn't overhear.

 

Dream didn't even want to listen to whatever Grian had in mind, since he had no clue what Grian was trying to do! What is he even going to do with that box?! They could have just deceived the managers like Dream always does, but it seemed Grian might be trying to outsmart them in a more challenging way. Or maybe he just ran out of deception plans and was resorting to a more ‘right’ approach, unless he was setting the stage for a big plan afterwards. Whatever plan that parrot has.

 

Looks like Quackity and his little friend aren’t going to make it, much to Dream’s joy.

 

Dream couldn't help but feel like this situation was eerily similar to when he staged his confrontation with Tommy and Tubbo. So he might let Grian off the hook for this one...just because Grian needed him, even though Dream wished he could just tell Grian to fuck off and find his own way out.

 

 

….

..

.

The admin of Hermitcraft was standing alone in the spawn meeting room of the server. 

No one else was present inside, but this was not a concern for him as there is no meeting scheduled at this time. 

 

He is mentally preparing for any potential meeting if there is a server issue upon Grian's return, particularly the new error that Xisuma has been struggling with right now. That error never happened to them before so Xisuma let out a frustrated sigh as he looked at the unclear messages he had written on the screen.

 

Nevertheless, he was relieved he had already contacted the government to release Grian before the error could escalate and made sure to inform the parrot hybrid that he would be waiting for him.

 

It wasn't really a shock that Grian ended up in jail, considering his mischievous nature and love for causing trouble. With him spending his entire shop and this experience, it better serve as a valuable lesson for him to tone down his pranks for an itty bitty. X didn't expect Grian to pull them outside the server however.

 

At least he would soon be free, it's not like Grian had committed a serious offense or anything-

His thoughts were cut short when he saw a man in a red lumberjack shirt outside. X smiled as he approached to greet him, but the man's expression was unreadable. 

 

Regardless, Xisuma greeted, "Hey, Keralis, what brings you here and what’s news?"

The man greeted back, "Hey Shashwammy!"  and mentioned, "Speaking of the news, Brian replied to your message right after sending his own."

 

Xisuma, sounding relieved, exclaimed, "That's good news! I reckon the federation is sending him back to us without any problems, I'm just glad Grian didn't cause too much of a mess." But then he sighed, "Alas-" he glanced at his device, "On the topic of messages... I've been trying to check if they actually arrived, but I can't seem to see any of their messages on the screen right now. I'll have to sort that out with Doc soo-" He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see a concerned Keralis.

 

Keralis interrupted, "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, it's not looking good." He rummaged through his shirt pockets but Xisuma smiled and patted his hand, "No need to sugarcoat it, Keralis. We'll figure it out together."

 

But Keralis clarified, "It's not that, It's something else that I just have the feeling that it might be unfixable...For a month at least, if that's what they said."

X quirked an eyebrow, "Unfixable? And what are ‘they’? Is this about Grian?"

Kerlias let out a long sigh and replied, "Huh, you bet your money on that one. And by 'money' I mean the Diamonds you used to bail Brian out. Turns out, even for someone who just pulled a harmless prank or did something questionable, the Diamonds weren't enough to cover the whole bail for him. They wanted something more from us."

 

X, sounding incredulous, exclaimed, “They were not enough? That’s a boatload of Diamonds and all what Grian has, his shop is entirely empty by now! How come they weren’t sufficient, especially for two bails!" he looked away, "And what else did they want from us as payment?"

 

Keralis raised an eyebrow thoughtfully, saying, "I'm not sure, it might have something to do with our servers."

 

X adjusted his helmet and squinted, asking, “What exactly is it?”

Keralis gestured with his hands in a calming manner, "Take it easy, Sashwammy, first you need to read this letter that Brian gave to the federation, who then passed it on to me. They are here now." From his pocket, he pulled out a piece of paper.

 

X looked puzzled, stating, "If they were here I would have seen their message, but they seem not to appear in the chat. And why would Grian write a letter? I'd rather hear his explanation in the chat or face to face." As he prepared to leave, he added, "Wait here, Keralis, let me connect with Grian to find out what's going on." as he looked at the device.

 

But before he could do so, Keralis interjected, "But he hasn't even logged onto the server yet."

 

X turned to him, asking, "I know that Keralis. And what's holding him up, anyway? it's not like the government is stopping him in a jiffy, right?" He turned to his comm, "Also, I really should go to Doc and figure out the problem with messages not appearing."

 

He looked at Keralis for agreement or suggestions, but Keralis was nervously humming as he pointed to the paper the voidwalker, "That's the issue...and the reason for the letter." He gestured towards the device awkwardly, "I don't think this is just a glitch."

 

X fell silent as he gestured with his gloved fingers to his friend, “Hand it to me.”

 

Keralis complied, giving X the letter to read. X's expression darkened as he read it quietly, his eyes narrowing behind his helmet. After a moment, X turned to Keralis, "Keralis, can you give me a red pen and another piece of paper, please?"

 

Keralis raised an eyebrow but then rummaged through his pockets again, giving a pen meant for blueprints and a pad of paper. X took them and began writing.

 

Keralis watched as X already finished and handed the paper to him, "Send this to Grian when he arrives, I'll be waiting for him." Before leaving without another word.

 

Keralis raised an eyebrow in confusion as he glanced at the paper, only to see a big red 'GRIAN!' with a 'sincerely, Xisumavoid' written on it. "Well, that's informative, Brian sure is going to be in trouble," Keralis joked. But deep down, he couldn't help but worry about his friend and what the parrot hybrid might have gotten himself when he made such a decision like that.

Meanwhile, a man in a suit and a mustache near his base piped up, "Is it me or is the 'wifi' acting funny here, guys?" as he struggled to load or send any messages.

Notes:

this chap felt more of Dream and Grian pov rather than Quackity and Tallulah ngl

Guess what Grian did ;)

Note : Im going to be very busy with school so this fic is going to take longer to update, stay tuned! :D

Chapter 15: You are calling me out of my mind?

 

The mercenary insists he heard a noise by the window before it shut abruptly in front of him, and he is certain he heard someone mention his ally's name.

 

Punz had been zoning out, staring at the wall and at the half-empty plate in boredom and desperation to know what was happening. That irritating voice that had been plaguing him seemed to have finally vanished, leaving him to hope it was all just a figment of his imagination.

 

His boredom went full stop when he heard the door cell window open. Unlike the faceless figures he saw, this person had piercing black eyes. 

 

Punz watched in surprise as the person smiled and opened the cell door, causing him to shield his eyes from the sudden light filtering in from the outside.

“Hola!”

The figure's voice sounded too childish for Punz's liking, making him hope that things weren't as confusing as they seemed. However, once he turned to face the figure, he realized just how wrong he was. The creature had a clothless body covered in pure white fur, sharp claws on its hands, and pink nose and ears that resembled those of a polar bear.

 

Punz squinted his eyes, desperately hoping that the figure wasn't the 'manager' the guards had mentioned or another prisoner. Unable to see the guards who had spoken to him before, he blurted out, "What the hell are you supposed to be?" while discreetly hiding an empty potion bottle behind him.

 

The figure's smile faded, "Uh, um," he cleared his throat and introduced himself, "I am a Cucurucho, a species, a member of the Census Bureau and a representative agent for the federation,"

 

Punz raised his eyebrows in suspicion, questioning how a seemingly unclothed and peculiar animal could possibly be an agent. It seemed odd, especially considering the faceless assailants and others wearing unsettlingly cute animal masks that had caused him harm. This just didn't seem to fit in with everything else.

 

The polar bear noticed Punz's silence and explained, "We will release you as we have realized you need to return to your timeline."

 

Punz blinked, "Timeline?"

 

So not only was he taken away from his server, but also from his timeline? Did he time-travel? That didn't make any sense. Clutching onto the bottle, he asked, "Wh-where am I?" 

 

The bear approached and Punz stepped back. 

The bear clarified, "You are in one of our regular cells in the federation. You have been brought from the past temporarily, but recent circumstances have caused us to reconsider our plans. Someone else with what we need has left legally."

Punz raised an eyebrow, “So, I'm going stuck here unless for some sort of condition?”

 

With a snap of his fingers,"You said that," the bear confirmed. 

 

But Punz glared, "I'm not sure what game you're playing, but I should have expected that to a group with 'federation' in their name to have that sort of agenda." He looked at his plate as he remarkred sarcastically, "Talking about agendas, tell your chef to work on their chicken, it was fucking uncooked."

 

First, a stupid voice demanding a 'favor’ and now these kidnappers want to set him free with a catch? Punz can't help but think he's in the middle of a bizarre dream and he's getting tired of strangers he doesn't know asking for favors.

 

The bear flashed an oddly and devilishly similar smile, wider than Dream's grinning mask. "Haha, you've amused me, I'll give you a little prize for that, on the house.”

 

Punz arched an eyebrow, "is the prize that you are putting up to help me get out of here without making me give up anything in return?" 

 

The bear pursed his lips and shook his head, "Unfortunately, even as an agent, I can't. But don't worry, the exchange would be as simple as a toffee…” he went towards the exit, but then turned back with a finger up, “Metaphorically speaking.”

 

The man spun around, arms crossed, "What do you even want from me? I have nothing to offer and I'm not one to trade my freedom for something. A mercenary, willing to do anything for the price, not a fucking lackey."

 

The bear chirped as they began to walk out of the cell, "Why limit yourself to mercenary work? Why not switch things up a bit, don't you think? It's just a little trade, nothing too serious. We'll set you free soon enough!"

 

Punz scoffed and retorted, "Oh, so you think I'm just going to agree with whatever you and them say?"

 

The bear stopped walking and faced Punz squarely, challenging him, "Are you saying you'd rather remain stuck as a mercenary, or would you prefer to secure your freedom instead of rotting away in prison?" His smile started to look more unsettling.

Punz remained silent with his usual expressionless face, but his eyes revealed a different story. Glancing at the bottle in his hand, he pondered for a moment before lying responding, "Perhaps you have a point. Being a mercenary does get old and tiring," as he stood up. "But I stand by my words. I'll only do it to return home, I don't fully trust all of you."

 

The bear's smile shifted back to a normal one as he clapped his paws. "You'll soon! Come on, follow me, I'll take you to the manager," they said with a grin.

 

Punz's gaze hardened, a fierce determination in their eyes. 

In a swift motion, as soon as he was out of the cell, he hurled the empty bottle towards the bear's face. 

 

The bear managed to dodge it, but not before the bottle shattered on the ground, its glass spread through the floor.

 

Punz saw it as an opportunity and dashed to the other side of the hall at lightning speed. He quickly turned around while running to see that the bear wasn't paying attention to him. Punz continued running until he came face to face with a group of guards blocking his way. It seemed like they were prepared for something like this. 

 

But Punz wasn't deterred. He almost skidded to a stop and started leaping over the guards, but just as he did...the same white bear reappeared out of nowhere. 

 

The white bear knocked him to the ground as the guards moved in to restrain him and prevent him from escaping. Punz clenched his teeth in frustration. It seemed like he wouldn't be getting out of there easily.

It was the same guy...the one with the bunny mask who had knocked him out before. Now, he was facing the same guy and his crew, the ones who had almost beaten him to death…they are asking him for a favor as if nothing had happened.

 

Punz tried to twitch and shift away from the cuffs that held him to the chair, glaring at the manager who had just explained the situation to him.

 

"How funny," Punz only scoffed as an answer, his boots trembling.

 

The room he was in appeared empty at first glance, with a few beds, blueprints, tools, chairs, and machines scattered around. One machine in particular caught his eye, sending a wave of dread through him, but he tried to push the feeling aside.

 

"Is that all you want? My revival powers?" Punz asked, voice dripping with skepticism.

 

Without responding, Mr. Bunny walked over to a table where a group of faceless figures dressed as scientists were gathered. The white bear seemed to have disappeared hours ago while Mr. Bunny was explaining things to the mercenary. 

 

Punz noticed a blueprint on the wall showing a small human or hybrid creature with wings. Looking down, he then saw a table with a collection of vials, most of them empty. However, two vials stood out with one full purple contents and the other dark black.

 

Another faceless man was holding one of the empty vials. They placed it into a slot on a machine, pulled a lever, and a few noises and a button light-up followed.

 

"By all measures, just a small amount," the masked-bunny man finally replied, grabbing a glove and snapping it on his hand.

 

“How do you even KNOW I have these powers?” Punz squinted suspiciously, “And what do you mean by 'amount' ? They have come from the revivement book and understanding of spells, not from a physical substance.” He suspiciously looked at the machine, “What is that machine going to do to me? Drain all my powers until I'm as dry as a raisin?”

 

“You’re asking a lot of questions,” Mr. Bunny took off his mask and rubbed his temple, “We only need a small portion of your powers.” He then approached the mercenary, Punz growled and turned his head forth and back in discomfort. The manager took off the golden bracelet and grabbed the mercenary's hoodie with difficulties and pulled down Punz’s long-necked shirt, revealing faintly green veins. 

 

Mr. bunny continued, "When we captured you, we noticed some markings on your neck and-" 

 

"Get your hands off me!" Punz growled. 

 

Undeterred, the manager continued in a flat tone, "-on your body that seems to store them. Your veins are containing them."

 

‘Shit.’  Punz cursed quietly to himself. The effects and powers pulsing through both his and Dream's veins are definitely what Punz believes to be the results of their experiments with revivals, he knows for sure that no one can find out, and even if they do, they wouldn't understand their significance.

 

...But how does this random organization know that these are sources of that power?

 

Mr. Bunny smirked from behind his mask, snapping his finger as one of the scientists grabbed a device connected to the machine. The device, resembling a binocular, was gently held by Mr. Bunny as he presented it to the man.

 

"This machine uses the binocular to connect to your eyes, not affecting your vision. Its purpose is to locate veins more easily through the eye sockets for a smoother connection. It only takes three seconds, and the job is done," Mr. Bunny explained.

 

Punz raised a brow, his lips sealed as confusion riddled his mind. "I'm no scientist of that kind, that's all it does?"

 

The manager gave a nod while another scientist adjusted the device. "Now, keep your eyes wide open," the manager warned. "The binocular will flash briefly, but it won't harm you much at all."

 

Punz wasn't enthusiastic about any of this. He would never consider giving up his powers, even if it meant his freedom, what did these people even want his power for?

 

With his wrists and legs bound to the chair, he had no other choice. Reluctantly, Punz had to go through with it, despite his strong opposition. Every movement caused his wrists and legs to hurt and bleed.

 

"Get this over with," Punz said with a skeptical glare.

 

Mr. Bunny turned to the group of scientists, nodding for them to proceed. One of the scientists moved the binoculars closer.

 

"Don't move a muscle," Mr. Bunny warned the mercenary, motioning for the device to be brought closer. "Keep your eyes forward, no blinking," the manager repeated.

 

Punz continued to glare as he muttered something under his breath. As the cold binoculars touched his face and attached to his eye sockets like goggles, he growled quietly.

 

Taking a deep breath, he forced his eyes open wide. No matter how much he would hate being agreed to this, this temporary loss of revival power would be worth it in the end, since when he finds Dream they could regain their abilities through their repeated 'process' . Ultimately, they would not lose all their powers after all…

But a nagging suspicion crept into his mind. He couldn't trust anything and what was happening no matter what his matter of life or rotting in jail says. His eyes remained open, but his mouth twisted in anger as he questioned, "Really, how do you expect to pull off this bullshit to me and out of all things?"

 

With a smooth tone, the manager replied, turning around. "We know more than you realize. People like you think powers are only the result of runes and unseen impossibilities, unknowable. But all magic leaves a trace. A signature..." he signed towards another faceless figure who began to press some buttons.

Punz's voice lowered as he asked, his eyes flickering slightly, "You're harvesting it? You believe you can simply extract my powers like... like plasma?"

 

Mr. Bunny approached again, explaining further. “What you refer to as 'revival'... we have classified as Variant 3-A."  He pointed towards the empty vial that the scientist had placed on the slot earlier. “Your essence contains a very rare combination of spiritual elasticity. We have only come across its parallels once before.”

Punz’s breath caught in his throat. “Once before…?”

 

"Indeed," Mr. Bunny replied, his voice softening with reverence. "We have only encountered such extraordinary parallels with other divine beings or individuals of immense power who either inherited godly abilities or obtained them through bad means."

 

And Punz's fists clenched as he retorted, "You're out of your mind."

 

"And yet," Mr. Bunny countered, walking past the scientists and guards with a stern gaze fixed on the machine's lever, "You and your friend have somehow been granted the opportunity to tamper with death, and you are calling me out of my mind?"

His friend?

Punz suddenly recalls something that the white bear had mentioned earlier, there was someone else with similar powers as him but they had left...officially. But none of them possessed the ability to control life and death except for him and Dre-

Wait…were they referring to- 

Mr. Bunny grabbed the lever. Punz's eyes were already widened but he turned to the manager and felt the urge to growl.

 

"What have you done to-!"

 

It was too late to even growl as the manager pulled the lever, the machine started and the binoculars began shining into Punz's eyes. But the light was so...

 

"AAAGH!" Punz let out a bloody scream, making the scientists and guards flinch as the manager gasped and quickly pulled the lever back. But the light continued, Punz's screams echoing as the room's light bulbs flickered and shattered.

"Oh no," Mr. Bunny muttered, but his words were barely audible. Frantically, he pushed one scientist away and pressed all the buttons to no avail.

 

Punz's screams hardened as the veins on his neck began to strangely glow green, the light searing his eyes like molten lava. The manager bit his lip as he gestured to one of the guards to do something and the guard obliged and rushed behind the machine, eventually locating the plug and pulling it out.

 

And thanks to Notch, the machine, binoculars, and light came to a stop, and so did Punz's screams. Punz's head drooped limply and the glow on his veins faded, only the faint sound of his labored breathing feeding the dark silence. 

 

Suddenly, the door swung open and there stood the same white bear, also stunned by the turn of events.

 

The scientists and guards looked in the scene in shock too, as Mr. Bunny hurried over to the man speechlessly. The manager quickly removed the binoculars from the mercenary's face, only to have them slip from his hands in shock. 

 

Despite his pain and weakness, Punz tried to lift his head but couldn't manage it. 

 

Before drifting back off, Punz had one last thought in his mind while ignoring the manager's screams and arguments with his people and white bear. He only focused on one thing...seeing his friend in front of him. 

 

His friend lying in bed, reading a book and a cup of tea with covered and healed scars on his body, looking serious but giving him a reassuring smile.

 

And then everything went black.

...

 

 

.

 

"ᴵ ᵍᵘᵉˢˢ ʷᵉ ᶜᵃⁿ'ᵗ ˢᵉᵉ ᶠᵃᶜᵉ ᵗᵒ ᶠᵃᶜᵉ ˡⁱᵏᵉ ᵗʰⁱˢ. ˢᵘᶜʰ ᵃ ʰᵃʳˢʰ ʷᵒʳˡᵈ ʷᵉ ˡⁱᵛᵉ ⁱⁿ, ʰᵘʰ?"

Notes:

You may have figured out the reason why Dream is wearing a turtleneck now.

Sorry for the short chapter :P the next one will be longer but I will not be update it for a while as I am extremely busy with school. I used all my free time to write this chapter out and it was a bit rushed, so I hope that's okay…

…Although not since I did make Punz suffer a bit here but he will be fine in the end! he would meet someone there when he wakes up, guess who it is ;) i love reading theories. I was reading on qsmp wiki about how the federation was also obsessed with revival abilities, i played around that fact and what is happening to Punz to that. I didn't want his arc to be useless while Quackity and others are going through their own struggles as well. I just really love the theory of revival marks.

Chapter 16: Would you forgive him for leaving you?

---

 

–

 

Not long after, the two men arrived at the hub/nexus room. But now it was just Grian and the federation, as there hadn't been any invitations or announcements for a championship. It seemed that no one had logged out of their servers yet, which was a relief for Grian.

 

It had been a while since the federation had suspended the messaging system in Grian's server, causing some worry for him. Now standing in front of the slowly glowing Hermitcraft portal, Grian considered the plan as he cleared his throat and approached the ex-manager.

 

"Hey sir," he said, glancing at the ex-manager as the masked duck returned his gaze.

 

"Why don't you head over to Hermitcraft first to brief my friends while I take Dream back to his server? It would pass the time. I'll go find Dream," Grian nervously suggested.

Mr. Duck gave him a long look, and Grian tried his best to keep a straight face. Finally, Mr. Duck nodded and warned, "Don't take too long."

 

Grian resisted the urge to point out that he wasn't given a time limit, not wanting to cause trouble like Dream ALMOST had. As he walked away from the portal rooms, he arrived at the hub where most players and people usually hung out. To his relief, there was no one around.

 

Spotting Dream sitting on the edge of the sidewalk road in the nexus, Grian approached him. Dream was scanning the shops and buildings around the hub, and Dream realized that Quackity was not wrong about there being a diner nearby. He thought he was spatting random words about Phil in the beginning.

 

Turning to face the parrot hybrid, Dream caught Grian looking at the wooden box instead of at him. While speechless, Grian went over to the box and tried to open it.

 

"Sooooo," Dream clicked his tongue before awkwardly and suspiciously inquiring, "care to enlighten me about that box?"

 

Grian chuckled, relieved that their government didn't suspect anything when they saw him bringing the box here. Grian struggled to open it. Despite the pain in his fingers, he finally managed to open it. Finding nothing inside, he turned to Dream confidently, gesturing towards the box.

 "Get in," he urged, pointing towards the opening.

Dream raised an eyebrow. "What?"

 

Without missing a beat, Grian repeated with a deadpan expression, "What? That's my answer. Get in the box."

 

Surveying the box with skepticism, Dream couldn't help but crack a smile at the request, Grian must be playing with him. "Absolutely not. Why would I comply?" Dream scoffed.

 

Grian simply rubbed his eyes and retorted, "Well, one good reason might be that I told you to. But hey, you probably already knew why, didn't you?"

 

Dream turned away, unsurprised if this was part of Grian's 'plan' . "Damn right," he said snidely. 

 

Rolling his eyes, Grian clarified his request, "I'm just trying to ensure I deceive the federation by making them think I took you to your server."

 

Dream raised an eyebrow, "That makes sense. But why am I getting in the box?"

 

With a more firmer tone, Grian placed the lid down and explained, "So they won't see you. I don't want them or even my friends to know what really happened yet."

 

Dream had to stifle a laugh at Grian's attempt to keep him hidden, knowing this was probably the worst method to go about it. 

 

Grian continued, "And while we're at it, I don't want their reactions to be any worse when I eventually tell them what really went down. I bet they're already not too happy about the suspension as it is,"

 

Dream let out a smirk behind his mask and taunted, “They gonna get your ass kicked”

 

Grian let out a dismissive scoff, waving his hand nonchalantly, "Oh, please. They might be going to be peeved about the change by now, but I doubt they'll be clutching their pearls in shock."

 

…

 

..

.

"What do you mean we can't do any of those?!" A woman's voice echoed around.

 

Pearl was taken aback by the unexpected newcomers on the server, especially since they didn't have any log messages or invitations. It seemed serious, maybe even a bit concerning. 

 

She started to doubt that it was no big deal when Keralis instructed everyone to head to the portal to check out the newcomer but the way he went about it was by instructing each person to pass the news along instead of just typing it out to everyone in chat was a bit sketchy.

Cub also was unsure, but they all followed along with a few other hermits.

 

Now it makes sense why Keralis delivered that way…And oh boy, they both wished it was just another one of the parrot hybrid's pranks, but seeing a group with someone with a suit wearing a cutely but uncanny duck mask didn't seem very funny at all. 

 

"We won't be able to connect, code, or chat, let alone see death messages, logs, or respawn messages?!" Cub exclaimed in disbelief.

 

Mr. Duck nodded and took a step back, protected by his guards because of the growing crowd, saying, "You can still work on your redstone contraptions and building mechanisms regularly, but chatting and messages are a different story."

 

The hermits exchanged confused looks, wondering why Grian's comment or act had escalated to this. Unless, of course, Grian might possibly have done something more ‘nefarious’ .

 

Breaking the air, Pearl burst out, "But the admin is the sole one who can do something like that! You can't just take over."

Mr.duck reiterated, "Your parrot friend had given us the codes, making it a breeze for us to access your server and settings."

 

As Pearl looked suspicious, the same man in the suit with the mustache intervened, stating, "Seems legit, but still a long shot," he said, getting closer to the ex-Manager before being pushed back by guards. But he continued, "Sure, Grian had his part, so you can send him back to the server but seriously, he shouldn't have gone there and so do you people."

 

Pearl chimed in, "Exactly! And even coming from a government that has no ties to us, it's completely impossible."

 

Mr. Duck let out a frustrated sigh and repeated, "We got our ways so we can level the playing field, making sure the law treats your friend fairly. If not for our actions, he would still be rotting away in jail."

Pearl furrowed her brow and remarked, "We could have helped him then!"

 

Impulse piped up, "Yeah, if he had reached out to us instead of X, we would have gladly offered him our storage or items from our shops without any hesitation."

 

A few others nodded in agreement, while Mumbo's expression grew more something else, clearly worn out from constantly dealing with Grian's problems and this one takes the cookie .

However, Mr. Duck turned away and conclusively stated, "It's too late to alter his choice and what is owed to us. We are doing our job to make things right now."

“Really?” 

The former manager turned to see a blaze hybrid. 

 

"We still do not owe you anything," Tango hissed, both through action and words. Keralis approached Tango and gestured a nervous warning. The first time Keralis witnessed the masked manager sending the letter Grian wrote, he felt a shiver run down his spine, perhaps because of the ex-Manager's voice or to the empty expressions on his guards.

 

Silence fell again as the guards exchanged glances between Tango and their boss. 

 

The ex-manager suddenly snickered behind his mask and retorted in a haughty tone, "Xisuma did," Adjusting his mask, he declared, "Furthermore, we have rendered a favor for Xisuma, therefore it is only fitting for him to reciprocate that favor to us."

 

Impulse arched an eyebrow, inquiring, "How Have you all been acquainted with him?" 

 

The ex-manager folded his arms and explained, "To put it succinctly, he sought our protection and assistance in putting…someone into the void. We have our own chamber void in which we confine people who need to keep an eye on."

 

The hermits were taken aback but Cub seemed to have a different perspective. "You must be joking, X," he muttered, turning his face away, thinking about the admin. The individual mentioned by the ex-Manager might be who he had in mind, yet he couldn't comprehend why Xisuma hadn't disclosed this from the start.

 

Mumbo covered his mouth, thinking, "I see the point here but…" he glared, trying to tune out the guards and voice his thoughts, "No matter that deal, there are better ways to handle a favor than this."

 

Mr. Duck clenched his fists and approached the man, ignoring the guards as he pushed them aside, "Do you want to see your parrot friend or not?" he threatened, his tone cold as grave. 

 

Mumbo took a step back with a gulp, but then glared and retorted, "This isn't the right way to go about it. Come on, man! There is get to be something else we-” 

 

"It's too late," Mr. Duck interrupted sharply, thrusting his device from his pocket in front of Mumbo's face. Mumbo scowled and pushed the device away to look at it, with the other hermits crowding around to see. Despite the text being in an unfamiliar font, it read:

>>INTERNAL ORDER NOTICE: Hermitcraft logs Suspension Initiated.

Messaging Functions: Disabled.

Duration: 1 Month.

>>Please refrain from attempting to bypass.   -The Federation of Quesadilla Island-

The hermits were thrown for a loop, with Mr. Duck swiftly pulled his device out of sight while Mumbo wore a skeptical expression at him. They are all unsure whether to call that a foul play or to start a protest war toward that duck-masked man. "Think they're pulling a fast one on us?" Impulse whispered, before Mumbo nervously shut him up. Mr. Duck just sat there crossed-arms, tapping his finger on his arm waiting for them to grasp on it.

"Keralis!"

 

The group turned to the sight of a woman with orange hair and pointy ears calling out.

 

"Did you call us here to see a bunch of new trick-or-treaters on the server?" Gem asked with a mix of excitement and nerves at the distant former manager and the others' reactions.

More people started to show up, with Scar, Bdubs, Cleo, and Joe joining the group. There were probably more on the way, but the ex-manager was secretly relieved that the crowd wasn't getting bigger.

 

As they walked, the group noticed the guards surrounding the boss, causing them all to stop in their tracks. 

 

Bdubs approached, feeling skeptical as he glanced at the guards. The rest of the group felt the tension as well, except for Scar who still had a smile on his face. Cleo and Joe were the first to go up to the guards.

 

"That has got to be the worst 'creepypasta' convention I've ever seen," Cleo muttered sarcastically, but looking hesitantly at the guards' non-existent expressions.

 

Joe discreetly nudged Cleo to back away, but Scar was already marching towards the guards with open arms. He put on a friendly face and attempted a welcoming gesture, "Well,Hello there, greenhorns! Sorry we couldn't read your messages so we couldn't catch your names, our device seems to be on strike today...I think."

 

Cub and Keralis jumped in, "Uh, Scar?" Cub muttered with a cutting motion across his chin. But Scar turned to face the guards who were ominously clutching their weapons behind their backs as a readiness for any threat.

"And hmm-," Scar schooled the ex-Manager before continuing, "Out of all the Halloween customs, that one seems a bit okay. I've heard of fictional characters wearing clown masks, but this one is..." he stared at the ex-manager's mask and commented, "different? It could have been more intimidating," he shrugged.

 

Mr. Duck smirked behind his mask. "Does that seem intimidating enough?" he asked as he grabbed his gun. Scar noticed, “Yeah, typical cute-cuddling-looking serial killers,” Scar chuckled, “That's definitely intimidating! Are those guns eve-”

 

Before any of the hermits could intervene Scar to explain or even Scar could finish his sentence, Mr. Duck raised his gun and fired into the sky, startling all the birds into flight. Cub quickly jumped to shield Scar, while the rest of the hermits stood in shock at the sudden weapon noise. They were all experts with weapons, but this unfamiliar one was alarming in both aim and sound.

 

Cub opened his eyes and looked at Scar with concern, "Scar, are you okay?!" 

 

Scar, with a pale face and wide eyes, slowly uncovered himself and responded, "Wow, those are real." His voice didn't match his reaction, and he turned away from Cub to ask the ex-manager, "Do you guys have more of that?" With a curious tone. Cub sighed and tapped Scar's shoulder as a signal that is actually serious and he should listen to him.

 

The ex-manager replied however, with a hint of humor, "Nope, neither treat nor for sale, young man."

 

The ex-manager's tone carried a sense of dread, which made Scar stop smiling and turn to his friends, realizing that it was not as cheery as it seemed, "Did we miss something important?" he asked.

 

" Important, ", Mumbo repeated while giving him a deadpan face. Gem walked over and asked, "What's happening?"

 

Pearl sadly explained, "They're suspending our chat, logs and death messages system in a month to cover Grian's bail, he was in jail for some reason?"

 

The group responded with confused looks, this had never happened to them before. What did Grian even do this time? 

 

Gem questioned again, "So we won't be able to chat or even know who's dead or killed?" and her friend nodded.

 

Bdubs scoffed, "That's ridiculous, it was working just fine this morning!"

Mr. Duck placed his device in his pocket and commented, "These messages and logs might be old. It seems like removing that one part of the system took longer than expected to work." before chuckling, "but I must say, it seemed to happen at the perfect moment."

 

Everyone except for Cub and Keralis seemed to be unconvinced.

 

Scar snapped a finger, "There's only one way to confirm this!" He then blinked when everyone smirked (Especially Mumbo) and turned to him with raised hands. Realizing he was close to a cliff, Scar quickly backtracked, "Nevermind, Don't even think about it."

 

Bdubs smirked, "I got a better idea," as he whipped out his comm and started typing away. Cleo sauntered over to see what he was up to and witnessed the message he had wrote:

 

>> You whisper to Etho: Yo Etho what color of my underwear??

 

Cleo cocked an eyebrow at him, "Really?"

 

Without a word, Bdubs hit the button... only to be met with an error message.

 

With a pout, Bdubs muttered, "Forget it, they were right," prompting eye rolls from everyone else. Cleo added in, "You weren't even actually going to send that."

 

Bdubs shrugged with a chuckle, "Nah, I was pretty sure that was true," then whispered, "Don't tell Etho I almost sent that."

 

Mumbo exchanged worried glances with the others and turned to the former manager for a need for more explanations. However, Mr.duck interrupted with a snort, stating, "Now that you finally understand, all you need to do is get used to it." 

 

He signaled the guards, who holstered their guns and formed a protective circle around him as they all moved towards the portal. Mr.duck then warned, "Make sure you understand our terms and respect the decision of your admin and your friend. We apologize for any inconvenience." Silence hung heavy in the air as the hermits stifled their anger.

 

As the guards entered the portal, Mr. Duck approached it and poked his head out, saying with an uncharacteristically joyful voice, "Have a nice day! Send our best wishes to Xisumavoid."

 

Cleo turned to him with a mischievous stare in their eyes, "Oh, we have a wish too. Why don't you guys stick around and take a leap off the-" but fell silent as the ex-manager and his guards already exited. "-And they're off," she deadpanned.

 

Joe came over and whispered to her, "Next time they try to come back, we'll cover the portal with cling film." Cleo snickered in agreement.

The hermits now have no choice but to get used to that change, although some of them are considering exiling Grian for whatever offense led him to suggest such a random choice for his freedom.

 

Mumbo let out a defeated sigh, lamenting,"looks like no more spam messaging for today."

 

"Or for a whole month...If they aren't lying about this," Pearl added with a skeptical tone, she then mockingly consoled Bdubs, "We are truly sorry for your loss, man."

 

Bdubs was too confused and shocked to even fake ugly sobs anymore.

 

-

 

..

 

…

Grian was leaning against the wooden box, one leg crossed over the other, his gaze fixed on the glowing portal. He was waiting for the ex-manager to return so he could deal with the cuffs. 

 

The parrot hybrid could feel the breath of air seeping out of the holes in the box. He turned behind and kicked the box gently. "Keep your breathing steady, would ya?" Grian asked in a Jeered tone to Dream, whom he had a very VERY hard time to drag him into the fucking box.

 

It hadn't been easy convincing Dream to get inside though, but Grian had managed it with a few well-placed punches (not to the mask or guts of course) . 

 

Dream growled at him, "Not my problem your back and wings smell like a dumpster”

 

"You smell like you stepped out of a barbecue grill," The parrot hybrid quipped. Dream scoffed, "It's no wonder why. What did you expect the Pandora vault to be made of?"

 

"I just hope it's not made of bedrock and purple stuff too," shrugged Grian. Dream let out a frustrated growl, "Didn't I tell you about the lava and obsidian in there? Whether it's bedrock or obsidian, you'll still be living in a shitty spot-"

 

"Shh, Dream!" Grian interjected as the portal started to glow more and the guards emerged. Mr. Duck arrived last, receiving a key from one of the guards.

 

He went to stand behind Grian, who crossed his arms and pretended he had been waiting and that’s all, while Dream tried to keep quiet in the box.

 

Mr. Duck announced, “Mr. Grian, you are now allowed to go,” as he smoothly undid the wings-cuffs with a click, setting Grian's wings free. Grian was happy to be released, but his wings have become sore and swollen, causing him some discomfort.

His wing feathers were fine, but the bruise left by the cuffs looked pretty gross. Even the ex-manager couldn't bear to stare at them for too long.

Grian couldn't help but worry about Tallulah and the pain she must be experiencing, knowing her wings would likely be detained much longer than his.

 

Taking a deep breath, Grian plastered on his best fake smile and bid farewell to the group. "Well, it was nice meeting you all, hope my friends take the suspension well," he said, trying to sound cheery.

 

"No need to hope for that. They're taking it alright ," Mr. Duck replied, with a less than comforting tone. Grian was certain he's lying so Grian swallowed nervously and focused on moving towards the portal, pushing the box along with him. It was fortunate (and maybe a little unfortunate) that Dream wasn't heavy due to his lack of weight. This made it a bit easier for Grian to push the box, even with his slim build.

Some of the guards seemed suspicious of the box and approached their boss to whisper something to him. Mr. Duck then turned to Grian. 

 

Grian paused but didn't even look at him as he gulped nervously, worried that the former manager might have noticed something about it.

 

But the parrot hybrid felt the sweetness of relief when he heard a noise from Mr. Duck's device. Turning, he saw Mr. Duck checking it, looking surprised. 

 

The ex-manager quickly instructed his guards to ignore the situation as began to head towards the portal to their ship. 

 

Grian let out another sigh as he carried the box with him towards the portal of his server. Probably excited to see the REAL  reaction of his friends of what he has done.

 

 

…

 

..

 

.

And yet...just as he had pictured, their expressions quickly gave away their thoughts once he set foot on the grassy ground. 

 

Everyone, except for Xisuma, was standing before him with arms crossed and eyes twitching. Although Scar seemed nervous rather than upset, Doc was growling under his breath, and False looked like she was ready to spar Grian any second. Mumbo was standing in the center, who seemed more confused and disappointed than anything.

 

Grian sighed and remarked, "Looks like the gang's all here, "He looked around the crowd, "Does anyone happen to know where X-e-sum-" He quickly changed the subject and glared, As he stopped pushing the box. "Okay, you all act like I planned this."

 

Mumbo arched an eyebrow. "But did you, though?"

 

Grian rolled his eyes. "Not everything I do is staged, Mumbo! I just didn't want to spend eternity in jail!" He threw his hands up in exasperation.

 

The hermits exchanged doubtful glances, although some were eyeing the large box in confusion.

 

Doc shifted his gaze and remarked, "Coming from you, this was definitely not the best decision."

 

Grian sulked, already realizing why his friends were not happy with his choice. To be fair, he wasn't happy either. But for him, there was some silver lining in the coal pile of reasons behind suspending the log and messaging system.

 

He repeated again, “It's only for a month!" he then huckled, "He could've extended that banishment to eternity, just like he threatened to lock me up for!” 

 

Scar rubbed his neck, "Grian, couldn't you have asked the cute-serial-killer wannabe to suspend something a tad less...essential?"

 

Grian chuckled at both Scar's nickname for the former manager (accurate, though) and his response, "What, we're just banned to chat for a while, not to walk."

 

Pearl asked, “Yeah, but you would have suggested something less drastic... like disabling Elytra flight or temporarily banning phantoms spawning?"

 

"Or muting one of us for a month, like Scar?" Mumbo suggested, earning a playful scowl from Scar, "Hey!" Mumbo chuckled, waving his hand, "Just teasing."

 

Grian nervously turned away, saying, "I panicked a bit when he asked me the chance, I didn’t think rationally."

 

No one seemed entirely convinced, although Scar did show a hint of understanding. Grian crossed his arms defiantly, "Come on, Guys. We'll get used to it and then things will be back to normal!"

 

Pearl was about to speak, but Gem intervened and suggested, “Maybe we should try using different chatting techniques for that month.” The hermits turned to Gem, uncertain (Although Cub and Zedaph showed some interest on that idea) , but Gem added optimistically, "Look on the bright side, at least none of us will be embarrassed by our death messages for a while!"

 

This drew a chuckle from Tango, who remarked, "Jimmy would have been so relieved if he were here." Grian chuckled in agreement.

 

As the hermits started to come around to the idea, Cub was pondering too, sparking a bunch of suggestions on how to replace the chat. Grian noticed Keralis approaching and relayed, “Brian! Shashwammy wanted me to give you that letter after you send yours, but it's basically a nothing-burger of a response. It seems like he's itching for a talk with you though,” he tried to lighten the mood.

 

Grian sighed in response, “I'll fill him in and then loop you guys in, deal?” 

 

He sure has a lot to explain and some questions to ask for the voidwalker. 

 

Grian pushed down the box and started walking, his wings still sore. He doubted he could lift the box into the sky. "Excuse me," he said, heading towards the path. Just as he was about to go, someone called out to him.

 

“Grian!” Bdubs exclaimed, “What kind of 'treasures' are you carting around in that box? It better not be the 'exchange of jail money' because you look like you just robbed their entire safe on your way out!”

 

Grian laughed, but then his smile faded as he nervously struggled to come up with something, "Oh, you know," he started, "the void was a harsh place, hunger is not an issue until you step outside. The guards and that duckling kindly provided me with enough sustenance to last once I leave."

 

Mumbo observed the conversation and tilted his head, "But you've only been there for a day!"

 

"Your point?" Grian replied.

 

Mumbo threw up his hands, "That's a ton of food, like a feast fit for someone stranded on an island for years with nothing! Or should I say, a feast fit for a big herd of grandkids from a grandma!"

 

"It's like they handed you a whole whale to cook," Bdubs added with a chuckle.

 

Grian quirked an eyebrow, "Hey, when life gives you free lemons, you don't ask questions."

 

Bdubs slowly left with a skeptical look. But for Mumbo, he noticed something about Grian's wings - two marks that looked sore and bloody. Approaching his friend, Mumbo hesitantly asked, "Um, Grian?"

 

The parrot hybrid turned to him, initially annoyed but softened when he saw Mumbo's concern. Mumbo coughed and pointed to the wings, "Your wings?"

 

Grian realized and sighed, "They had them in cuffs. Imagine how bad it could have been if they stayed cuffed for eternity."

 

Mumbo bit his lip, realizing maybe they were so harsh on Grian about the suspaining thing. 

 

Grian reassured him with a chuckle, "Don't worry, they'll be okay."

As Mumbo was about to leave, a sudden "Achoo!" let out from the box. 

 

Mumbo turned to Grian with a questioning glance, but Grian just pretended to rub his nose. Mumbo noticed something was off, but simply replied with a regular "bless you?" 

 

Grian wiped his forehead in relief as Mumbo walked away, and Grian quickly shoved the box with him out of sight.

 

…

 

..

Dream swore he would either suffocate or choke himself if he stayed inside that cramped box any longer. The feeling was starting to mess with his head, bringing back horrible memories of the prison. As he struggled to catch his breath, he counted it out to calm himself down like he always does. The air in the box was stale, but at least it wasn't as suffocating as the void.

 

Just when Dream thought he couldn't take it anymore, he heard a crack on the lid above him. As it lifted off, revealing Grian with a shovel in hand and a smirk on his face, Dream couldn't help but glare behind his mask. That fucking smirk better not be because of how ridiculous he looked trapped in the box.

 

"Feeling Comfortable in there?" Grian teased, leaning with his shovel.

"I can't stand you," Dream growled, feeling his arms hurt as he tried to steady himself in the cramped box. Grian rolled his eyes. "Join the club," he quipped sarcastically while helping the masked man out of the box.

 

But before Dream could even think about making a break for it, Grian was on him like a flash, brandishing a rope like a cowboy. "Eh e eh!" he warned, before swiftly lassoing Dream's leg in a move. Dream tried to dash away, but ended up face-planting on the ground like a clumsy fool. His mask even cracked a little, but he was too furious to care. Grian expertly tied the rope tightly around Dream's legs and body, leaving Dream in a tangled mess of fury.

 

“Did you honestly believe we wouldn't have that kind of trick up our sleeves just because we're 'kid-friendly' ?” Grian taunted, gesturing to the rope.

 

Dream avoided his face as he felt a surge of panic as the rope constricted around him, but he suppressed his fear with a defiant growl. He quipped sarcastically, "When you put it that way, I suppose you all have-"

 

“Dream?”

 

Grian's voice broke through Dream's speech, and Dream looked up to see Grian pointing to his trembling body. Dream hadn't even realized how much he was shaking.

 

“You're shaking,” Grian observed, his tone was having a bit of...concern? 

 

Why would Grian be worried about him? 

 

“Should I untie y-?” Grian started to ask, but Dream interrupted with a spitfire retort, “Why that weighs in your mind?” 

 

Grian let out a sigh, explaining, "As much as I've called you out on your mistakes, I still want to make sure you're in decent shape for the plan." 

 

Ah, yes, the plan. Dream couldn't help but feel a hint of resentment. Dream scoffed, "You're using me to benefit yourself."

 

Grian crossed his arms, toying with the rope, "Haven't you done the same with your people?"

 

With a false happy tone, Dream replied, "Ah, so we're engaging in a little fair competition, are we?"

 

Grian facepalmed, shaking his head. "First of all, No. And second, this is far from over. When we try to rescue big Q and Tallulah, I'll be sure to give you a piece of my mind before figuring out how to get you back to your server. Clear?"

 

Dream just glared and finally asked his burning question, "Where the heck am I?"

 

Grian blinked, then chuckled, "Oh, my base! You're in my workshop, where I'll be thinking about our next move. Take a rest and we'll make out the plan soon."

 

Without even looking around, Dream deadpanned, "Looks like garbage."

 

"Hey! I'm the judge of building design here. You turned a prison into your home-" Grian stopped himself mid-sentence, realizing there was no time for that rant again at the moment.

 

'Save the talk for Quackity. That's more his business,' Grian thought to himself.

 

Grian sat down in front of Dream, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes. He steadied his sore wings, making sure not to accidentally hit them. After a moment of silence, he asked, “So Dream, you mentioned blowing up Manberg and breaking out of prison with Techno?” 

 

Dream just tilted his head in response, but Grian let out a smirk and suggested, “How about we consider that plan as a 'second round' to that?”

Was that stupid parrot hybrid trying to convince him to escape from prison, only this time he would be the one breaking out that duck?, or trying to outsmart the manipulator himself? Dream remained silent, unyielding in his thoughts. But that didn't stop Grian, who continued to push his luck with questions like, “So, was the cafeteria close to the lobby or what?” 

Dream groaned and insisted, "Just Shut up and tell me the plan,"

 

Grian grinned, "It's simple yet risky, but simple." He closed his eyes, detailing, "You and I are heading back to that state. I'll pretend I want to visit Quackity, and while most of the complex is underground, you'll drink invisibility potion and sneak below. I'll scope out and hatch a trap to bust Q and Tallulah out and give those jerks a taste of their own medicine!"

 

Dream remained silent. Grian glared and exclaimed, "Come on, I've handed you a morally questionable task on a silver platter!" with a hint of scolding in his voice.

 

Dream showed familiarity with using invisibility potions but he seems to see some gaps in Grian's plan, " You saying we really are going to kick some butt to rescue that duck and his gremlin."

 

Grian scratched his chin thoughtfully, "I was thinking of causing a distraction once the manager lead me to the void room, but a direct approach might just let us win the ticket!"

 

"Wow, that's pretty clever," Dream chuckled ominously, teasingly scolding, " If it were me, simplicity is key, but of course, you had to complicate things. You could have just asked someone else from your server instead of pulling me into this mess."

 

Grian shot back, his gaze unwavering, "I don't want to put my friends at risk, and the TNT needs to be carefully balanced to eliminate all the threats."

 

Dream quirked an eyebrow, "We don't even know how many of them are out there. There could be billions. How do you propose-"

 

Grian interrupted, "I'm not talking about the guards, I’m talking about the structure." He confidently crossed his arms, "Their underground structure suggests there's something beneath them-"

 

"Sea?" Dream suggested nonchalantly.

 

With a sharp glare, Grian retorted, "No, something that could kill them in an instant. If we create a massive hole below them with a destructive force, most of them will fall right into the trap and so their building,” He punched his palm with his fist, “Their hierarchy will crumble, and chaos will reign for a little longer!"

 

Dream was surprised to see a prankster like Grian wanting to destroy a government. A dejà vu for his rival...Well, Technoblade and him doing each other favors and trusting one another to take down Manberg for sure, but something still didn't sit honest about Grian.

 

He asked, "But what about The host or whatever they called it?"

 

"Host?" Grian laughed. "Do they even have one, or is it all just a bunch of nonsense to cover their tracks?" He shrugged. "I may not be an expert on government stuff, but I do know when something feels fishy." He winked. "Plus, where's the fun in not getting justice for my wings and my friend?"

 

Dream couldn't help but feel a little wary. "You're not seriously going to risk it all, are you?" 

 

Grian simply shrugged, his cocky grin never faltering. "I mean, as long as it doesn't involve my friends," He stood up, determined, "I'm going to chat it out with X. We rescue big Q and Tallulah, expose the fakes posing as 'authorities' , and reclaim the messaging system back. and teach them a lesson in real justice, the fun way ."

 

And Dream was left speechless, thinking if he was stuck with an even crazier man than himself.

..

 

...

 

 

....

Quackity found himself in a situation or rather a double bind, unsure if it was the surroundings or his thoughts that were stunting his brain. Without his memories, he's not exactly the type of a big thinker. But as he thought again about the fox and that Tommy guy, his mind began to dive deeper than the ocean.

 

He even felt the need to just doze off to escape the boredom and worries, but for some reason, he couldn't drift off. He didn't know why...

 

Avoiding his past self actions was on his mind and he didn't want to think about how his past self had hurt, blackmailed or imprisoned somebody, or how he had ruined his relationships again. 

 

It's just all confusing.

 

He wanted to focus on the fact he was a  wealthy man in his country or even that bizarre egg cult thing! But his mind kept drifting back to the negative things.

 

Quackity cannot understand himself at that point...He should be basking in the glory of his heroic actions like what his past self did with that Egg, but he never expects changing the timeline and he's questioning if that was truly heroic at all...What did he expect what would happen if he changed something in the past?

 

Like, not only did he inadvertently change the timeline but somehow he saved it from an incoming threat?!

 

Although, none of this would have happened if Tallulah didn't- He shook his head, not wanting to return back into blaming someone else rather than himself, but he didn't want to blame himself for everything especially this.  

 

He's already beat himself up enough (And get a yell from Grian for it) for taking Tallulah away, this accident of making a whole confusing paradox was a bit much to shoulder.

But now…

 

All left in his mind was something that felt like a jumbled riddle. As he stared at the ring, thoughts of Karl and Sapnap danced in his head, making him wonder if they deserved better. He doesn't know them yet but Quackity couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt for forgetting Luzu first, and now he couldn't shake the image of the two almost-married men who could have been with him if things had gone differently…

What could've even felt if he remembered them?

 

Quackity shifted his gaze from the ring, gazing up at the ceiling as he desperately tried to sleep so he could go to an imaginary land to escape to. Maybe he could at least blend all his discoveries into a big nonsensical dream, or even dream of something prophetic. 

‘Just give me a hint! another glimpse of my past like that kid with the bow I saw! Another sign! anything!’

 

But nothing seemed to do the trick. As much he kept his eyes closed, he was as alert as an owl. 

 

Wait…

 

“You won't feel hunger or anything…” 

 

So, what the ex-manager was trying to say was that not only will they won't starve, but they also won't be able to-

 

If Quackity cannot sleep, does that mean Tallulah is-

 

Quackity glanced over at his little friend but she looked like she was sleeping well.

…

 

But something seemed off. Her closed eyes were twitching, and her fingers were doing a little dance with the feather they held. The feather seemed to have a mind of its own, slipping away from her grasp with each twitch.

Quackity furrowed his brow and tentatively called out, "Uh, Chalulah?" reaching out towards her. Suddenly, he heard a soft whimper escape her lips...she looked like she had been shedding a tear or two.

Growing more concerned, Quackity inched closer and gently shook her. "Chalulah? Are you awake?" Thinking that is the worst time to even ask, but he couldn't resist as he was consumed with worry, even more than the thoughts of facing her dad's anger.

"Chalulah, kid! ¿Estás bien?" Quackity gave it another shake before Chalulah suddenly sat up, covering her eyes with her hands. "Mr.s-" she started, then took a deep breath, "Mr.smili- Quacki- I can't-"

 

"What can't you do?" Quackity internally cringed at his choice of question.

 

Chalulah sat up, trembling. As she opened her eyes, they were almost-filled with tears, not of fear, but of worry. "I couldn't sleep!"

“What?!” Quackity nervously nibbled on his finger.

“I can't sleep!” Tallulah ran her fingers through her hair, the feather slipped from her shaking hands, Quackity bit his lip and gave her a comforting pat on the back, “You also can’t!?” 

 

Was it why-

 

No , It dawned on Quackity now, there was more to the federation's plan in taking her away, they wanted her to suffer before running their tests on her!

 

“I just couldn't-” Tallulah covered her eyes with her hands once more, “I just can't do it! I tried to close my eyes, but they kept itching.”

 

Quackity attempted to reassure her, "Shh, it's all good. I can't sleep either! But G will be here to save us soon. We'll be fine."

 

"But I can't sleep! I'm exhausted and desperate for some rest and-" Tallulah struggled to keep her composure, but the stress was getting to her. Not only was she stuck in a place affecting her breathing, but she couldn't even catch a rest!

 

Now, sleep refuses to accept her, and her old fears crept in, making her blurt out without thinking, "I tried to sleep before- I was- I'm dead- like I died when-"

“died?” Quackity quirked a brow, wondering what she meant by that.

 

“I was- when I tri- tried to nap for an extended peri- and then a-” but her train of thought was derailed by Quackity's question, even though he seemed genuinely curious.

 

“What was that part...?” Q asked awkwardly, feeling a bit uneasy, sure his friend was upset about her dad and the federation, but what did she mean by 'dead'?

"My death?" Tallulah replied, causing Quackity to gulp nervously before he asked again, "Are you guys immortal or something?"

 

Tallulah realized her slip-up and let out a sigh while wrapping her arms around herself, "No, we have lives just like you, how do you think Juanaflipp- Nevermind." She looked away. Quackity doesn't remember her and Tallulah did not want to think about her friends' death, It would just add salt to the wound.

 

Quackity raised an eyebrow While ignoring the name Tallulah mentioned, "Do you have three lives too?"

 

Tallulah held up two fingers, "Actually, just two. I lost one when my Papa was busy and I was beyond exhausted that I-"

 

"Wilbur?" Quackity muttered, his annoyance with bad parents started to bubble up again.

 

"No, Papa Phil, a few days after my dad left," Tallulah replied, sounding less than good. Quackity's annoyance grew but she quickly explained, "W-wait! P-papa was busy and I was so tired that I ended up sleeping in the base for what felt like weeks. I didn't know I was starving or feeling thirsty." She paused to take a deep breath before continuing, "When I woke up, I felt like my heart had stopped beating. Papa came in crying to me, hugging me while being worried sick about me.” 

 

She felt Quackity hugging her, Quackity made sure not to touch the cuffs as Tallulah took a deep breath, “I got confused but then he explained to me what happened, that...that I had basically slept myself to death."

 

"Good fucking grief," Quackity cursed, now fantasizing about giving Phil a kick to the gut rather than being scared of the angel of death himself anymore…Okay, maybe he still has some hint of worry for Phil taking his life away for what he have done.

 

"It was like having a coma with a bad ending." Tallulah sighed and Quackity exclaimed, throwing his arms, "He should have been there for you! Whether he was busy or whatever the fuck he ha-"

 

Tallulah broke away from the hug, "No- No! I-I've forgiven him! Chayanne and Papa Missa didn't see it coming either, no one did!"

 

Quackity closed his mouth, completely lost. He pondered for a moment before asking, "Would you forgive him for leaving you?"

 

Tallulah hesitated, wiping her eyes, "I told you. He didn't know tha-"

 

Q shook his head, "N-No, I mean when he left you again without even telling us why. Now we're stuck here relying on G. You still trust him to arrive through for us, right?"

 

Tallulah found the feather on the floor and held it in her hand. "I want to believe he won't let us down. That's all I can do for now," she said softly. She hesitated before continuing, "And as for Papa... I'll have to figure out how I feel about that part once we're out of this and I can finally get THAT sleep That I need."

 

Quackity, leaving a furrowed brow, couldn't help but sympathize with her struggle but tried to speak. "If you manage to get some sleep, I promise to rouse you," as he gave her a thumbs up, attempting to give a hint of optimism. 

 

Fuck worring about what Philza-fucking-minecraft thinks! His only concern now was Tallulah's well-being.

 

Suddenly, Quackity got something in his mind, "Wait, a minute-Uh How did G d- hold up a second!" Quackity stammered, Tallulah turned to him with a raised eyebrow. 

 

She watched him awkwardly fish for a feather behind his back, Q attempted to pluck a feather from his wing, " Ouch ," he muttered, holding out the orange feather and presenting it to her with a happy, yet slightly pained expression. "Consider this a promise too to all avian-kind even though you're not! If that's what G and the others do that culture shit..." His words trailed off awkwardly, but Tallulah chuckled softly as she held the feather.

 

Tallulah glanced at Quackity before looking at the two feathers in her hands but she thanked him "Thanks, Quackity." 

 

Q frowned, she's growing so fast that she can’t even call him by that silly name anymore.

 

Tallulah glanced back to the feathers as she took another deep breath. To her, these feathers now symbolize hope and promise, and she made a mental note that the only thing that is left for both of her and him is to survive for now.

...

 

..

 

.

Notes:

I was planning on making this chapter longer but ended up splitting it into two parts. The second part is still a work in progress but would take much longer to update cuz bad news, my school homework and projects got delayed until next month, so I took my time with this first part!

Chapter 17: Care to overthrow a government?

Notes:

Note from author: Hermitcraft settings there might not be accurate.
Tw: slight Cannibalism

Another note: This chapter mainly focuses on Grian and Dream’s perspectives, but I’ll do my best to give more attention to others, especially Quackity and Tallulah in the upcoming chapters. Now that I’ve wrapped up Grian and Dream’s part, the next chapter will mostly be from Quackity’s pov.

…

 

..

.

.

 

"I always thought I was the one no one can understand, but I can't understand you at all."

 

Grian, holding a pen in his mouth, looked up from the blueprint that drawn on it the shape structure of the government. He tossed the paper to join the scattered mess on the floor. Papers littered the room, a reminder of the plans he was wrestling and struggling with.

 

Realizing he needed to factor in the guards' schedules and which room they specially be before finalizing the state design, he turned to face Dream, who was still tied up but not as tightly as before.

 

"Why are you so hellbent on saving them?" Dream asked, toying with one of discarded papers on the floor. His question hung in the air with a fusion of genuine curiosity and a sneaky undertone. 

 

But then he shifted, asking tonelessly, "Wouldn't that just be a waste of time? You've only really known Quackity for a couple of events, and you just met that gremlin yesterday. Now you're acting like they're your family or something!" His irritation was starting to show.

 

Grian may be clever and a bit unhinged like Dream himself, but that didn't mean Dream wouldn't try to sway him into thinking that saving his tormentor wasn't really worth it.

 

Grian let out a sigh, a part of him was aware that Dream was probably trying to pull the wool over his eyes. But another part of him called as he set down his pen and crossed his legs.

 

"Tallulah is just a young child who has faced abandonment from her dad. She doesn't deserve to be stuck in that bleak place and gets tested like frogs," he grumbled, crossing his arms with a scowl,  "And while Philza saved me, it seems I am unable to return the favor as he is now lost in your server's past timeline with no clear way to reach him to tell him that his child aren’t there anymore."  Steeling himself, Grian added, "Regardless, I'll hold up my end of the bargain."

 

"What about Quackity?"

 

Grian turned to give Dream an expressionless look. Dream stayed silent for a moment before letting out a muffled chuckle behind his mask, "What about HIM?" He repeated, "He is the main reason in altering the timeline of my server. Whether for better or worse, do you really think he's worth saving?" Dream's words were laced with deceit.

 

"Is it worth saving YOU?" Grian shot back, not missing a beat. Dream fell silent, his mouth closing as Grian smirked and continued, "Despite the negative actions I've heard about you towards Philza and his friends on your SMP?" Grian turned away briefly before taking another paper, "Personally, I felt Quackity deserved some banishment for that time travel incident. While it may not have been entirely his fault, he had played a part in changing the timeline. I considered leaving him in that void prison for-"

 

"Three months and more," Dream cut him off, his tone dripping with venom as he struggled to contain his frustration.

 

Giving Dream a fierce stare, Grian finished his sentence by himself, "for a few weeks, since what made him go back to the past was more of an accident than an act in my book. But the idea of him being stuck there forever seemed a tad extreme, even for me. I don't think he deserves that kind of punishment."

 

Dream huffed and turned away briefly, while Grian maintained his steely gaze as he resumed writing on the paper. Dream turned back to him and quipped, "Do you think I deserve to rot in there?  I didn't have anything to do with what Quackity has done."

 

Grian arched an eyebrow, "In The void?” before returning to his glare, “Then I'd say maybe a couple more months for your other actions on your smp." 

 

Because Dream's arms were tied up, he resorted to aggressively stomping the floor with his boots, practically begging himself to tell Grian about his trauma but he just couldn't bring himself to do it, “Oh-more months!?”

 

Through gritted teeth, he exclaimed, "Eig- Eight months of imprisonment in the Pandora vault was bad enough and you think I deserve more behind bars? I never- T-That void place is even just an empty place with no food, no books, no nothing!"

 

Grian scooted away and questioned, "Oh my god, what's your deal, dude? You caused harm and it's clear Tommy and the others wanted you to pay for it by being imprisoned. You're acting like you are the only victim who wants the fair shake."

 

Dream slammed his boots on the floor once more, insisting, "Except I did! Y-You have no idea what I've been through! In fact, I willingly had Sam build that prison for me, not for Tommy! The pandor- I volunteered to go in there in the first place! But all I got was unjust treatment! Sam let it happen! He let Quackity to-"

 

Grian blinked in surprise, "Wait, you actually wanted to be in the prison?”

 

Dream became silent, Grian furrowed his brow in confusion. "So you made it your home on purpose? You played as the bad guy and committed real crimes just to end up in jail and make it your own place?"

 

Grian became even more perplexed by that guy, guess he has a point of wanting to know more of Dream's perspectives. 

Dream remained silent until he abruptly turned away, stating, "No, and it's not your concern. You won't understand."

 

Grian laid the paper on the ground with a sigh as he said, "Dream? Maybe my explanation couldn't make you understand me much but how can I understand you if what you're saying doesn't add up to anything?"

 

They both seem equally puzzled by each other.

 

Dream remained quiet, and Grian could sense his strong reluctance to speak up. 

 

Just as Grian was about to ask another question, a knock on the door startled him. 

 

Grian turned towards the direction of the door and then he looked at the masked man with a firm look. "Stay here," he insisted as he got up from his seat. Dream just scoffed without saying a word.

 

As Grian approached and opened the door, he was caught off guard by the sight of Bdubs standing there with his hands on his hips, he was staring a little too unusually close, and his glaring eyes were wide as the cat. 

 

Grian exclaimed, "Bdubs, what are you-" but then narrowed an eyebrow. "How long have you been waiting and standing in front of my door just to give me that suspicious look?"

 

Bdubs chuckled and uncrossed his arms, trying to play it off cool, "If I had been staring at your door for too long, my eyes would be red from not blinking and Mumbo might find me here and think I'm stalking you like a cree-" He shook his head, "Ah, screw it!"

 

Grian made sure the door was closed tight before turning to Bdubs, "Any reason for barging in?"

 

Bdubs waved his hand, "Oh, no real reason, just wanted to do a little trading with my pals. Can't think of a better way to pass the time."

 

Grian playfully pouted, "So you trade with us and then pull a wily deal on me later, right?"

 

Bdubs let out a laugh, "I plead the fifth! That's one way to look at it, but no, this one is just a normal trade." He then showed off a stack of golden carrots, "Found some gold while mining, so why not make some fancy golden carrots out of it?"

 

Grian cocked an eyebrow, wondering why his friend speaking like this was something new. Grian quipped, "Doesn't exactly seem surprising, now does it? All that gold for carrots? And why?"

 

Bdubs shrugged, "It's the only thing gold should mostly be used for, bonehead!" He grabbed a golden carrot and added, "More practical and quicker to get, too."

 

Grian looked a bit unsure. "So, what are you planning to trade all these carrots for?"

 

Bdubs playfully rolled around, "I was thinking you could trade me some of that 'food' the guards gave you, but nah. I'm already healthier than you, after all."

 

Grian feigned a gasp and put a hand to his chest. "Oh no, I'm deeply wounded." He then chuckled and frowned at the same time regarding his sore wings.

 

Bdubs quickly responded, "By the way, I'm thinking of trading the carrots for wood. I've got a- Uh, sentimental attachment to spruce logs. It's about a rustic accent wall for my hallway. You know."

 

"Why wood though still?" the parrot hybrid asked.

 

Bdubs chuckled, "Why NOT wood though still? Old is gold. What else I would use them for golden carrots," he added with a sly wink.

 

Grian faked comprehension, “Right?” his expression gave him away, “Why choose me out of all people? Scar can help you, and Gem? She practically lives in a forest biome.”

 

Bdubs started to speak, "Because It's-" then hesitated before blurting out loudly, "You're just the easiest to trade with and, um, Scar's a little tied up at the moment." He placed his hands back on his hips, "And I couldn't reach Gem or anyone else in the chat. That whole suspension messaging thing you started, remember?"

 

Grian groaned, "For the last time, Bdubs, I didn't start all of this. I needed that suspension to cover the whole bail and to avoid the life sentence in jail! You don’t wanna really want to keep visiting me in jail for the rest of your life, don’t you?"

 

Bdubs nodded nonverbally, then he asked, "Soooo, trade fair?" and waved the stack of golden carrots in Grian's face again. Despite his eyes darted towards the door, clearly suspicious.

 

Although Grian half knew that Bdubs had a point, he was not stupid. He resisted the urge to sigh, thinking that Bdubs was obviously onto him and unsurprisingly trying to manipulate the situation. 

 

Grian refused to let that happen just yet, knowing that Bdubs would likely blab it to everyone or drive Dream crazy if he found out. So, Grian pretended to be content with it, "I suppose I don't have a problem with it, why not?"

Bdubs blinked, "That easy?" he asked skeptically.

 

The parrot hybrid raised an eyebrow in return. "I mean, sure? You're called me the 'easiest', Idiot." he pointed out.

 

The other man looked away and clucked his tongue, "Yeeaaah," before turning back to Grian, "but no second questions or pushback?"

 

He's really digging deep to find out what I'm hiding, isn't he? Grian thought to himself. Grian then responded, "What did I say about lemons? Can't refuse free food." He looked towards the stack, "These aren't even free!" he exclaimed.

 

Bdubs tilted his head and quipped, "Uh, it kind of counts if all these carrots are just exchanged for some simple ‘regular-unimportant’ wood for decoration," flashing a grin. 

 

Grian could see the sincerity in his friend’s grin, but he also noticed a small drop of sweat on Bdubs's forehead. Game on.

 

With a steely glare, Grian spoke firmly, "Bdubs, if you're doing all this shit just because you're doubting me of what happened yesterday,  I'll tell Xisuma and then to our friends the whole truth soon."

 

Bdubs was about to lie, but he had enough as he shouted, "When exactly is soon?! I'm so confused about the prison void thing. Y-You just logged out-"

 

Grian deadpanned, "And so Scar and Pearl?"

 

Bdubs responded, "Yeah, but why did it take you so long to come back?"

 

Grian let out a groan and exclaimed, "I already explained to you! I was stuck in jail! That place w- It was a void of nothingness, seriously! I had issues with connecting X-e-summer and dealing with the bail itself! I had no choice!"

 

"That's what's been confusing me too!" Bdubs shouted back, clearly perplexed. "What did you even do?! There is something else I've been thinking about it like if you were in the void, X would have seen you with someone, but you weren't there!"

 

Grian shot him a quizzical look, appearing more deadpan and exhausted. Is Bdubs playing stupid to outsmart him or what? 

 

Grian couldn't fault him for being confused though, as he clarified, "That's because it was a different void location! It was created entirely by that federation! Xisuma made a certain deal with them beforehand."

 

Rubbing his nose, Bdubs questioned, "I know that but why the fuck would Xisuma turn to them for help and think it's all fine?!" 

 

Grian had reached his breaking point and retorted, "How should I know? I'll be confronting him about it soon. Or maybe you should take matters into your own hands and grill him yourself," he impatiently concluded, "As for explaining the crime that got me in this mess, I'll tell you later. Trust me, it's a big fucking head-scratcher."

But Bdubs continued to eye him suspiciously. Grian clapped his hands to skip the conversation, "Anyway, moving on." He reached for the stack, but the shorter man moved it an inch away.

 

"Hmm," Bdubs hummed skeptically. Grian furrowed his brow, “Um, the trade, dude? Hand over the carrots first and I'll gladly-” Grian reached for the door knob, but Bdubs swiftly stopped him with a glare, questioning, “Are you absolutely sure you're not making this up?”

 

Grian played dumb, “What do you mean?”

 

Bdubs scoffed, “I know you too well, Grian. I could tell you were serious by the scars on your wings and those people and that man with the duck mask being real about the suspension,” he gestured to the marks on Grian's wings and Grian clenched his jaw. Bdubs then added, “But my keen big ol’ eyes tell me something odd is going on here, beyond what happened yesterday." 

 

“Or maybe-” Bdubs hissed and then jabbed a finger at the avian hybrid, “you logged out of the server to make a deal with those people too just like Xisuma did, and faked getting arrested just to escape on a 'holiday' because you were tired of us! But unlike Mumbo, you are currently keeping it a secret because…” he closed his mouth and faced the ground, and then shrugged, “Wouldn't put it past you, man.”

 

Grian let out a heavy sigh, feeling the weight of Bdubs' suspicions. "I'll jot that down in my 'future plans' list, but no-" he stopped when he saw Bdubs avoiding eye contact and glancing towards the door. Grian quickly sealed his lips and blocked the doorway, struggling a bit with his wing to block it.

 

Bdubs squinted his eyes even further, "Are you hiding something from us? Did you take all the redstone or our stuff and hide them away because you're too lazy to ask for permission, or is this some kind of gag you've got working on?" 

 

He then grinned mischievously, "Because if it's the latter, count me in for fun!"  However, his grin quickly turned into a stern glare, "Unless it's something more serious too, like you really have been taking the safe from that organization or... hiding a dead bod-" He blinked and grabbed Grian by the shoulders, his voice laced with suspicion, "Was there a corpse in that box, G?"

 

Grian rubbed his temples and growled, "No! It's none of that! It's just-" He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

 

Bdubs lifted his hands off Grian's shoulders and laughed, "Relax, man, just messing with you," but then turned serious, "Joke aside, what was actually in there-" 

 

Grian turned away, "I'll explain everything later, Bdubs, okay?" With a swift motion, he went to the door.

 

Bdubs shot him a glare, "Hey! You-"

 

"We'll do the trade later! See ya!" Grian exclaimed before slamming the door shut in a hasty fashion. As he locked the door, a mix of relief and exhaustion washed over him. 

 

That was a close one. Grian rubbed his face wearily and returned to his workspace. Heading to it, Grian spotted Dream still bound but lounging on the floor, flexing his legs out of annoyance and boredom. 

 

"Fantastic job at hiding and ignoring your own advice about the lemons," Dream sarcastically quipped, not even facing the parrot hybrid.

 

Grian tilted his head,"Ignoring?"

 

Dream huffed, "You didn’t get his carrots," And Grian felt tempted to rip off his stupid mask and shut him up.

.

 

..

 

…

 

Grian took extra focus to ensure Dream was safely locked away in the workspace room in his mega-base including lockdowns. He made sure to lock the door of his hut tightly as well. He prepared plenty of invisibility potions and health potions for the plan.

 

Making sure Dream was securely tied up, Grian let out a big tired sigh, feeling the need to rest. Going through a strange simulation with an old friend, hitting onto a glitch, entering the void prison, meeting his friend's child, his ‘rival’, and someone he met in the championship was surely just the beginning of the ride, the rest is probably going to be exciting...dangerously exciting.

 

Grian made sure he had all the necessary supplies, but there was still one final thing he needed to find, something powerful enough to kill the whole organization in one shot, something that could be hidden deep underground. The idea was there, but Grian's tired brain couldn't hold onto it much longer.

Grian also made sure to keep Dream tied up to prevent an escape, ensuring he ate enough to get the strength to dig underground. However, Grian noticed Dream's hesitation and cold movements when he saw the potato next to slices of apples and a glass of milk. Grian made a confused look as he saw Dream toss aside the potato and eat the other food instead.

 

Grian yawned as he made his way back to his other base and crawled into the bed. But when his wings touched the bed it caused him to hiss in discomfort. He spread them out to ease the sensation, he couldn't stop thinking about Tallulah miles away in the prison, still cuffed and with only her friend to provide the little comfort he had left. 

 

Grian glanced at his wings, knowing he had promised the kid something he still isn’t prepared for it yet. But he closed his eyes, bringing back his knowledge that he's' on the way for the upcoming vengeance he would soon unleash on those responsible-

 

Suddenly, a noise from outside caught his attention. He quickly and exhaustedly dismissed it as just the wind, settling back down into his bed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grian's wings were still oddly spread out across the bed, despite his dislike for the discomfort they causing. There was a loud noise outside that sounded like someone banging a sign into the ground.

 

"Ugh, what now?" groaned the parrot hybrid as he got out of bed, his messy hair and wings all ignored. He made his way to the door, groaning at the number of locks he had to unlock (really, why did he even bother to put all those locks on his hut door too anyway?)

 

As he flung the door open, hanging awkwardly on the door was an arrow and a sign, Grian cocked an eyebrow and read it:

 

‘Have recovered a cache of deprecated server code or somethin.

 

buried in one of the books in lab. Outdated But it might work.

 

Everybody, I'm planning on a test engine regarding the death and log in messages chat disabled. The test requires someone to die Ig? Just 1. 

 

Just enough to trigger message.

 

Volunteers welcome.’

Grian squinted his eyes. "Test engine?" He grabbed the sign with him and walked away, hoping to run into Xisuma, Mumbo or someone else. As he strolled, he spotted one of his friends struggling to hold a chest filled with what looked like papers. It was Pearl, who immediately recognized him and set the chest down.

 

"Hey Grian! Feeling okay?" she greeted him cheerfully.

 

"Not too bad. And I'm glad to see you in high spirits after-" Grian paused when he saw her outfit closer. Pearl was dressed like a mail carrier, with a cap on her head and a bag.

Unable to contain his amusement, Grian asked. "Pearl, what's with the outfit?"

Pearl hummed in response, "Let's just say, I'm on a mission to become the first mail carrier on this server!"

Grian tilted his head. "So, playing postman now?"

"Correction, Postmaster!" Pearl said. "We've all been tossing around ideas to replace chat. Keralis joked about something caveman-like, and I thought, 'Hey, why not a mail delivery?' Tango and Etho jumped on board and joined me!"

“Hold on, are you saying people would write their messages on paper and you’ll send them out like postal mail?” Grian asked. “Interesting concept, but if it involves written letters, isn't it a bit overkill for us?"

"Sorta, I'm thinking of setting up mailboxes with barrels for everyone to drop off items or messages. And in case of emergencies, we could have a redstone system for auto-delivery," Pearl explained.

Grian smiled with curiosity, "How's that gonna work?"

Pearl paused, massaging her neck as she explained, "Well, Tango is developing a system where mail gets distributed to everyone through a loop. Instead of shooting out letters like confetti, we've stuck with Nether rail relays right now. You know, just to avoid any mail heists."

Grian's eyes widened, "Mail heists? I don't see why anybody would do that."

Pearl shrugged, "I doubt that would happen. Etho is currently fine-tuning the loops to make sure everything runs smoothly," She sighed, "We're already hitting some... snags.” 

Then she grabbed her comm and showed her screen which hadn't been activated since yesterday, “Etho imagined that if that system suspension lasts for a year instead of a month, we’ll eventually run out of resources. The auto-loaders can't keep up with the demand if someone decides to send a whole novel with just one letter per one for giggles."

Grian remarked, “I bet Scar will jump on board for that one.” He didn't expect things to seem to go a bit too fast, but it sure is nice to see Pearl putting her ideas out there.

Pearl rolled her eyes. “Exactly, and I can't help but imagine that once we finish everything, we might misinterpret some messages as death messages. Like Imagine Cleo asking 'WHERE ARE YOU'. Is she just annoyed at someone, or is someone in trouble and reaching out for help?”

“It sounds like you guys are going to have quite the task ahead of you,” Grian admitted with a teasing look.

"Well, at least it's something different," Pearl shrugged. As she was about to leave, Grian asked, "Hey Pearl, what's this sign from Doc about?"

 

Pearl glanced at the sign and quickly replied, "Oh, he's working on an engine to retrieve logging and death messages using some outdated codes or something." 

 

"He's looking for testers," she added, pointing to the final words on the sign. "He placed the sign near my base too, but I'm too busy at the moment.”

 

Grian was interested about the idea but also concerned about it possibly attracting the federati-he suddenly remembered something.

 

“Oh crap...” 

 

If Doc manages to retrieve the logging messages system, they'll uncover Dream's log in message!

 

After a moment of worry, Grian came up with an idea. He should see if Doc is even able to do that or not, whether he still has time before the creeper hybrid finishes the engine. 

 

The avian hybrid awkwardly mumbled, “I-I'll go-” then slapped himself and grinned, “I think I'll give it a shot!” Grian threw away the sign and ran off, Pearl looked over at him confusedly but then shrugged and went back to her own project.

 

 

 

 

 

Doc's explanation, as expected, was mind-blowing but not as much as mind-BLOWING as the connection between the simulation portal and the paradox nonsense

 

He talked about if sub-code recovery and the intricacies of bridging the logical gap between death-event pings and logging can make it work. 

 

Grian simply nodded along while mentally calculating the number of anvils precariously hanging above him by tripwire.

 

Looking up, Grian asked tentatively, "So, I just... stand there?" 

 

Doc adjusted his goggles, checking his redstone console. “Yes. It’ll be instant. Just a basic trigger-death!” He turned to Grian, “The point is to confirm whether the server registers it through the engine and delivers a readable output. In theory, we should see a fully-formed death message.”

 

Suddenly, Doc remembered something. "Mumbo mentioned something bad about your wings. Are you sure you're okay with this?" 

 

Grian chuckled, "I'll be okay, a quick death isn't going to heal my wings or break 'em further." He then walked over to the testing spot and placed a bed. 

 

“You know,” he said as he set his spawn point, “There are so many dumb ways I could’ve died for this. Like tripping over a trapdoor and landing in lava. Could’ve suffocated in a small room full of silverfish or into a freaking bag in the middle of an empty place."

 

Doc shot Grian a skeptical look. Grian chuckled and shrugged, “I didn’t say I did, I said I could.” 

 

“Right,” Doc then arched an eyebrow. "Where did you get that last scenario from?" 

 

“Uh, nowhere? I was just spitballing,” Grian replied nervously. Doc rolled his eyes and headed towards the lever. The parrot hybrid stood under the suspended anvils, arms crossed, and sighed, “Welp. Let 'er rip.”

 

Doc pulled the lever.

 

The anvils fell, crushing Grian in an instant with a resounding Clang. 

 

The creeper hybrid hesitated, then checked the device screen for any result. His eyes widened with hope, "It's work-" before trailing off sadly, "Nevermind, it didn't."

 

The text on the screen flashed a message in a strange way: 

 

Gr\ia#^n was [restart.error] by a falling anvil.

 

Doc let out a long sigh. "Syntax collisions, of all things," he muttered, rubbing his forehead.

 

Grian respawned at the bed, rubbing out his hair. He glanced at his wings and noticed the injury was still there. Sighing, he thought respawning would have helped heal them quicker.

 

"Didn't work?" he inquired and Doc's expression said it as a NO.

 

As Grian studied the glitched log, he hummed and then remarked, "That organization really delved deep into the settings codes."

 

Doc stroked his chin, pondering. "Ah, it could just be some unstable code," he said with a snicker, crossing his arms. "Or maybe just an error. Building an engine based on these systems isn't always a perfect fit for this server structure. There are bound to be some bumps in the road."

 

Grian didn't argue. He didn't need to because all he felt was relief.

 

Forcing a smile, he 'encouraged' Doc, "Then keep at it. And hey, no need to rush, okay? Take your time."

 

Doc kept his focus on the device, a smile playing on his lips. "No problem with that. I'll dig deeper into the code and maybe repurpose other unused ones for the system."

 

Grabbing his things, Grian gave a nod. "Yeah,yeah! Take your time!" he called out as he walked away. Then muttered under his breath, "Seriously, take your time."

 

…

..

 

.

 

.

 

Grian breathed a huff of relief as he made his way to his mega-base to check on Dream. He reached the door and groaned again as he unlocked the locks. He thought he heard a noise, but he brushed it off and opened the door. 

 

Walking through the room, he glanced at Dream, who was still peacefully asleep on the floor. The plate of food Grian had given him was empty, but the potato Dream had thrown earlier was starting to spoil. It was almost amusing to see someone so supposedly ‘dangerous’ looking so tranquil.

 

Grian chuckled wearily at the term in his mind, knowing that no matter how immortal Dream thought he was, Grian would always have the upper hand. Perhaps Philza was overexaggerating about that green man. 

 

Sure, Dream had hurt his friends and Tommy, but Grian couldn't help but think of Dream as weak for now. 

 

No wonder he couldn’t even beat Quackity to death.

 

Maybe Dream would still muster enough energy to assist with his plan, but Grian was confident he could handle it. After all, Dream wasn't invincible just because of his reviving power. Grian could deal with that later on.

 

At first, Grian could do nothing but tell himself that things were tense and bad. From hiding Dream, holding all the courage to talk to Xisuma, and planning the whole prison break plan was no easy walk in the garden.

 

The chat log was now filled with errors from hermits either in denial or just trying to annoy everyone else. Nevertheless, the Hermits discovered new efficient methods for chat, with Doc still dealing with the engine and Pearl's group focusing on the delivery service.

 

Grian was smart enough not to use the delivery service to send messages, just because he didn't want Tango getting nosy and stumbling upon Dream.

 

At first, Grian thought only Doc and Pearl were working on replacing the chat, but he soon realized the other hermits were also joining in.

 

They were putting up signs in the shopping district, hanging scrolls in item frames at every base, and even setting up a redstone messaging system with minecart hoppers and noteblocks.

 

On the other hand, the parrot hybrid thought it was funny how everyone was taking the situation in stride and found humor in everyone's methods. Zedaph even started writing haikus hanging from trees and placing torches on the ground. While clever, it started to become a bit annoying and concerning for Zed about accidentally setting everything on fire.

 

Cubfan decided not to join in and trained parrots to deliver messages. Grian was still too curious to ask him about the paradox involving the simulation portal and whether Dream would lose his memories regarding the original timeline. However, his head was still spinning with confusion over the concept and he didn't want to delve deeper into the rabbit hole More like the duck hole. Grian hoped so badly that Dream would not lose his memories, the parrot hybrid is dealt with enough and probably would deal more with amnesiac Quackity.

 

.

 

..

 

 

….

 

As the sun began to set around the server, a gentle breeze stirred up, creating a nice moment for a conversation to unfold.

 

"Ow…Ow," Grian muttered as he tended to the bruises on his wings' upper arms with cream, while seated in his chair.

 

Perhaps not quite yet.

 

No matter how many potions he used, the bruises remained visible and hurtful. As much he should heal so he could fly, Grian reached out to Pearl through her mail delivery to seek help from Mumbo. 

 

Despite not being an avian like Grian, Mumbo understood the struggles of unhealable bruises so suggested the parrot hybrid to use cream to soothe the injuries.

 

"Ouch! At least, another redeeming quality about you is that you are lavender-scented!" Grian grumbled, massaging the bruise. He heard laughter and turned to see Dream in the corner of the room.

 

"Look at the mighty 'Dreamslayer' struggling to heal a dumb bruise," Dream mocked Grian while twirling the end of the rope.

 

"Oh my god, what redeeming qualities do YOU even have?" Grian nagged.

 

 

Suddenly, Grian glimpsed something outside the window as he sprang to his feet. 

 

Spotting the voidwalker nearing his quarter gave a hint of worry in Grian, but he found relief in the fact that they wouldn't be discussing it in chat, another silver lining to the coals.

 

Without bothering to knock, Xisuma waited for Grian to open the door, only to be swiftly pulled inside by Grian. Grian then promptly locked the door behind them.

 

Xisuma raised an eyebrow at the excessive use of locks, "Uh, Grian, even if that crime you've done involves murder, I don't think I'd banish yo-"

 

Grian cut him off, "Don't tell me you got that memo from Bdubs, by the way," clearing his throat, "Follow me," he motioned towards his workspace. As they walked, Xisuma was about to ask him again but then spotted Dream tied up and lounging nonchalantly.

 

Two admins of different worlds looking at each other...

 

"Sup," Dream said flatly, unamused.

 

Xisuma's mouth opened and closed like a fish before steering Grian away from the room to say, "Yep, you brought an uninvited guest without their membership. Just as I suspected."

 

Grian asked, "You did?" and Xisuma replied dryly, "No. Look, I don't get involved in Championship battles and I don't know all the participants, but don't tell who I think that is."

 

Seeing Grian's expression sour, Xisuma quipped again, "You brought him here without anyone knowing, is this regarding the log-in suspensions fiasco?"

 

"Sort of, what other reason you expected when I asked you for the double bail for that guy?" Grian replied and let out a heavy sigh, knowing he had a lot to say but deciding to start with the one thing that had been nagging at him since he heard about the federation and their ties to the admin. He turned to Xisuma and asked, "Xisuma? The federation mentioned something about EX and some deal you had with them, is it true?"

 

Xisuma's eyes widened behind his helmet, his expression turning into a slight frown. Grian quickly fetched a couple of chairs for them to sit down.

 

After a brief pause, Xisuma finally spoke up, "It's a complicated situation, and you probably won't like it much."

 

Grian reassured him, "You're our admin and friend, X. You can tell me." 

 

Xisuma shifted in his seat and intertwined his fingers, reminiscing about the time he hopefully considered as the last moment he saw his alter-ego, "Before the moon incident, EX approached me with a proposal to turn over a new leaf," Taking a deep breath, he continued, "He didn't have any plans to take over the server, but instead, he wanted to be the richest one ever so he dabbled in bitcoins and create a stupid currency called Derpcoin. And, against my better judgment once again, I gave him the benefit of the doubt!"

 

"Man, I should've called him to cover my bail instead," Grian chuckled, but decided to let the admin continue, "Things go from good to bad, then back to good before taking a turn for the worse when the moon crashed the server," he mused, rubbing his neck, "EX got all his wealth, but I did my best to keep it to himself, you know?"

 

Grian then crossed his arms, "So he wouldn't come back angry and mess with your head."

 

X let out a sigh, "I really wish that happened, but of course, it was the opposite," his voice dripping with bitterness. "He's still pulling the strings in my mind like he always has, as if nothing has changed. Sooo...," his words ending awkwardly, "It's so frustrating. I didn't want to send him back to the void again since I couldn't figure out how to bring it back and I got sick of sending him there."

 

Grian raised an eyebrow, thinking he understood Xisuma's reasoning for keeping the server safe from that troublemaker. Although Grian never liked that guy, he couldn't help but ask, "And that's how you ended up seeking help from... that government?"

 

Xisuma scratched his helmet, trying to remember, "Honestly, I had no idea there was even a fucking government in the multi-server dimension. I just stumbled upon them and they offered to help me banish my clone to one of their voids."

 

Grian bit his lip, he wasn't the only one who had made such a stupid decision with that organization. He sighed and glanced at Dream, who was staring at the wall but his hands were visibly shaking. Turning to X, he hesitantly asked, "X, since you've told me about your connection to the federation, do you mind if I tell you how I really ended up in their void prison in the first place?"

 

Xisuma assured him, "I've got time."

 

And so, Grian filled X in on everything, while resisting the urge to tell him about the confusing details of paradoxes that are probably going to happen differently in the Dream SMP.

 

Xisuma gazed at the admin of that smp, who appeared helpless on the ground from Xisuma's perspective. 

 

Lost in thought, Xisuma pondered Grian's words, asking, "So, that portal for server recording, like a portal for time travel?"

 

Grian averted his gaze, responding, "Not quite. It doesn't involve the same paradoxical elements as regular time travel. Got that info from Cub while browsing the library."

 

The admin quirked an eyebrow, "Do you think Cub is in on it too?"

 

Grian shrugged, and Xisuma questioned again, "Should we clue him in?"

 

Grian shook his head, saying, "Let's wait till he finishes decoding the parrots post after that suspension is over."

 

Xisuma chuckled before turning serious, "Honestly, Grian, I don't think what you did was beyond the pale. You were just trying to help a friend save his child."

 

Grian pondered for a moment, "It's been a while since I've caught up with Phil, especially after the championship games. He's always off on some…adventures on another server."

 

“The DreamSMP, I presume,” Xisuma turned to Dream, who quickly looked away. X then asked, “Did you tell him yours too?”

 

Grian rolled his eyes, “Of course I did! But I stopped when I mentioned to him the time I tried to assist Mumbo during the elections few seasons ago. Remember when Scar became mayor in that previous season? It gave him some flashbacks of a guy with ram horns."

 

"Was it the same brunette kid you met at the championship as well?" Xisuma questioned.

 

Grian raised an eyebrow, is he referring to Tubbo? that kid he saw hanging out with Scar in some event long ago?  Shrugging, he tried to remember what the immortal had said, “Nah, he was old...and an alcoholic. I'm glad I didn't have to meet that person."

 

Dream muttered something inaudible, Grian glanced over, noting the trembling in Dream's fingers. Puzzled by it, he quickly refocused on the admin, "We had a little run-in earlier and felt sorry for him as he felt responsible for letting Quackity and his kid venture into the simulation," Suppressing a shudder from the memory of Philza's injured hands, he added, “I just wanted to lend a helping hand...didn't expect to end up all tied up in it.”

 

Xisuma nodded in understanding, then frowned, “Are his daughter and that quack-guy still in the void?”

 

“Yep, but in a few weeks, she will be taken away!” Grian rose from his seat, “You won't believe the things they've been doing to her and the other eggs!”

 

X squinted, “Eggs?” Grian sighed and explained, “Dragon eggs, they're hybrids, and that government is doing experiments on them.” Xisuma nodded and pondered, while Grian hoped for understanding. 

 

Xisuma then turned to the parrot hybrid and said, “Grian, there's one more thing to consider. I think These experiments are completely illegal.”

 

Grian rolled his eyes, "Meh, they've crossed that line. Taking Quackity's memories was just the beginning. They're already knee-deep in illegal activities."

 

The voidwalker nodded gravely and continued, “It took me a long while to realize that there may be something going on behind my back,” he looked down with regret. “Even though I made the decision to keep EX away from our business for a while, I don't trust this government to treat him any better anymore.”

 

The parrot hybrid giggled and replied, "Who would've thought you had a soft side for EX! Not on my bingo card." 

 

Xisuma shrugged, "I just believe he shouldn't be subjected to any form of torture or experimentation." His tone turned serious, "And so is Philza's child, period."

 

Grian agreed with a nod.

 

...torture and experimentation, Grian frowned and glanced at Dream, who kept his head turned away. Grian felt conflicted as he tried to make sense of it all. Yes, Dream had been tortured, but he had also been conducting strange experiments on people. Sounds like something murky that Grian doen't see it a lot, and he couldn't help but wonder if there was more to Quackity's decision to torture Dream to punish for what he have done.

 

Shaking his head, Grian decided to set aside those thoughts for now. He should focus on Quackity and Tallulah first.

 

And so both he and Xisuma started to question. Beyond just the federation appearance, Xisuma pondered for a moment and asked, "How did they manage to steal the power of the god of creation's memory wipe? That federation isn't like super beings such as us."

 

Grian shrugged, "I don't know exactly how they pulled it off. I wasn't really paying attention," A picture popped into his head as he clicked his tongue, "They just showed me an example of some sort of machine or something."

 

The admin seemed to grasp the idea, knowing that he and the other hermits often build various machines and engines. But the idea of a government creating a machine to extract magic or powers from powerful beings seemed highly suspicious and nearly impossible.

 

The structure and hierarchy were becoming clearer, yet still puzzling. X was always perplexed about it, but Grian mentioned his skepticism of the lie behind the federation having authorities, something called a 'host' or are hiring some undescribed species named after a freaking ice cream cone. 

 

Grian smirked, "So, care to overthrow a government?"

 

for Xisuma, as an admin known for banning those who can't keep their potty mouths shut or dick jokes, couldn't deny it.

 

Both of them walked to another room away from Dream to keep their focus on their own business. After Grian brought the last blueprint that he believed to be accurate to the design of the state, he shared his plan with Xisuma.

 

Xisuma examined the blueprint and remarked, "To find their Achilles heels, we need to reduce their current level of protection." 

 

“Achilies heels, Hmmm,” Grian tried to recall as he responded, "Me, big Q, Tallulah and Dream have been attacked by their guards. They all appear faceless and identical, I don't know if they have individual personalities." then snapped his fingers, "I tried talking to one, but they were speaking Spanish. I don’t think they are clones."

 

Xisuma folded his arms, "And so EX is my clone with his own personality?"

 

"He’s a virus! Close enough," Grian scoffed as he went back to explain, "Dream will dig a tunnel under the state while being invisible, fill it with something deadly like lava, build a cover over it, and then place TNT with a timed detonator on top."

 

"And that's why you brought that guy along?" Xisuma raised an eyebrow,"You really think he's up for that?"

 

 

"It's not going to be easy," Grian whispered, "He's loose cannon, but he's under my thumb. He'll sorta follow my lead as long as he knows that I'll bring him back to his server unless he steps out of line, I don’t think I’ll leave him behind in the nexus."

 

The admin eyed him suspiciously, "Do you even have a plan to bring him back to his server?" 

 

Grian responded nonchalantly, "I don't have one yet. But I'll figure it out by myself, don't worry about me." He added with a sly grin, "Even if he tries to get away, he'll see what's coming."

 

Xisuma looked doubtful but then turned his attention to the blueprint. He pointed to the drawing of the door exit and inquired, "Grian, how long did it take for you and Dream to leave that place?"

 

Thinking back, Grian replied, "Oh, just a few hours, including the time spent in the elevators." Xisuma then questioned again, "Were there any windows in the building?"

 

Initially about to shake his head, Grian paused and then remembered, saying,  "Actually, there were windows a bit further up inside the building. The state is pretty huge with a lot of stairs but I'm pretty sure I saw opened windows from there!"

 

The voidwalker nodded, piecing things together in his mind until it clicked. "That's it!" he exclaimed, "Here's the plan: you pretend to visit Quackity and Philza's daughter while Dream sets up the TNT. Then, you grab the two of them and make a quick escape before the explosives go off and wreak havoc on half of the state."

 

Grian grinned, "That means about 80 percent of the guards or others will end up in the lava!"

The admin clicked his fingers, "Precisely, I was thinking of reaching out to that federation to ask them for the request, but I hope they don't suspect a thing."

 

However, Grian's expression shifted to concern as he raised a new point, "What about EX? What if he is in certain void rooms there?"

 

Xisuma paused for a moment, and then replied, "It's a possibility. You should take the prisoners with you somewhere safe, and if time allows, I will attempt to locate EX and resolve any problem or danger that may arise."

 

Grian didn't look convinced, "Right..." still unsure about that part, especially since he wouldn't be able to contact Xisuma due to the suspension...Unless Doc's engine worked.

 

They discussed the plan into the night, Xisuma had to leave. He glanced at Grian's wings and frowned, "Are your wings going to be okay?"

 

Grian reassured him, "Oh, they'll be fine. Mumbo suggested using Cream on them." But then his mood soured, "Hopefully they'll heal by tomorrow."

 

Just as Xisuma was to leave, Grian quickly walked back to the room and checked on Dream. He had a sudden thought, "Hey, X?" as he followed the admin.

 

“Mind one more thing for me, real quick?” Grian then began whispering, making Xisuma to tilt his helmet to the side so Grian could whisper to his ear. 

 

Dream tried to eavesdrop but quickly stopped and returned to his spot when Grian finished speaking. Xisuma adjusted his helmet and nodded, and headed towards and then stared at Dream. 

 

Dream gazed at him for a moment before glaringly questioning the parrot hybrid, "Can't you instruct that guy to stop staring at me?!"

 

Suddenly, he observed the admin grabbing a different commentator device, distinct from the ones used by Dream and everyone in the Dreamsmp. "Let's see," he whispered as he brought the device closer to Dream, causing the masked man to recoil slightly in fear.

 

Just as Xisuma pressed a button, a light emitted from the device, scanning around Dream's body before shutting off. Xisuma gazed at the device until nodding in confirmation. "Found it! Didn't anticipate it working on outsiders like him," he said, sounding surprised.

 

Grian shifted his gaze to Dream and then tilted his head towards the voidwalker, "So, are you going to initiate him now or not yet?"

 

Dream tilted his head, initiate? What does he mean by that?

 

Dream cocked his head and pondered, "Initiate? What's he on about?"

 

Xisuma assured, "I'll get to it soon," as he headed towards the door, with Grian giving him his goodbyes.

 

Approaching Dream, Grian sensed his suspicion and was met with the question, "What did he do to me?" After a brief hesitation, Grian brushed it off, saying, "He was just running a detailed health check on you using the device. Nothing major." 

 

But Dream's skepticism lingered.

On another note, Dream had already pulled off something else on Grian as payback.

 

 

 

 

 

And man, Grian really wished he had noticed it sooner. While searching for Pearl to deliver a letter to Bdubs, he found a sign near the path leading to Scar's base.

 

Scar why Scar? Are you covered in scars or are you just a scaredy-cat in the entire multiverse?

 

Grian

 

Grian read the sign, but then he spotted his own name on it. This wasn't the first time someone had impersonated him. In fact, Grian had pulled pranks like these on his friends in the past. It wasn't the worst joke, but he still couldn't help but wonder who had left this sign.

 

Suddenly, he heard a voice behind him. A man with white hair and a mask covering his lips asked, "Grian? What are you doing-"

 

Grian quickly shielded the sign awkwardly. "Oh, nothing, Etho. Just trying to find Pearl to deliver a message to Bdubs to cancel a random trade. It's not a big deal." He swiftly picked up the sign from the ground and hid it behind his back.

 

Etho cocked his head, then shrugged, "You can ask me for it, whole PET got this." he said as he revealed a bag and a mailbox filled with letters, didn't expect to get this much ever since assisting Pearl at the postal service. He grabbed a paper and pen and then turned to Grian as he tapped the pen on the paper, "Start with your name here, full name, age, complete mailing address, and don't forget the date with Bdubs's address, password, and Fingerprint. And on the bottom left, add your signals and numbers of your code in a flowy order."

 

Grian looked at him with a puzzled glare, to which Etho smirked, "Write 'G' for your name. Maybe add an 'R' next to it in case Bdubs mistakes you for Gem."

 

With an eye roll, Grian grabbed the pen and paper, scribbling down before handing it over to Etho. Etho tossed the paper into the bag with more letters and short messages falling from it, majority of which were death messages that made Grian raise an eyebrow at the sheer amount of them despite having been only two days.

 

Turning to Etho, Grian remarked, "Etho, either I need to tell you there's no point in agreeing with Tango's trolling or I need to tell you not to waste your time on sending like a thousand death messages. Seriously, man."

 

Etho raised an eyebrow and replied nonchalantly, "It's Scar's problems," he shrugged off the bag, “Plus, Zed went a bit overboard with the torches and accidentally set Ren's path on fire while asking him out,” he raised his arms after he put down the mailbox, "Then he got riled up watching Pearl's delivery system take over and decided to start a friendly competition."

 

Grian put the sign on his pocket and couldn't resist a jab, "Let me guess, he thought torches were too risky and came up with a less 'dangerous' idea?"

 

Etho laughed and said, "If it was me, I'd call it more dangerous. He basically copied our postal service and put his own spin on it," He grabbed something from his pocket and showed Grian an overdesigned card with Zedaph's face on it and written on it 'ZedEX'.

 

"Oh god, that one's sure serious." Grian started to laugh but then noticed some suspicious footprints on the ground. His expression turned serious as he turned to Etho and said, "So, mind taking the letter to Bdubs but quick for me? I need to go see Mumbo about something. Good luck with the service!"

 

As soon as Grian followed the footprints, they led him straight back to his mega-base. He was puzzled as to why they would bring him there, as nobody else should have been there besides him and Drea-

 

His eyes widened when he saw the window partially open, with a boot sticking out of it. Before he could react, the window shut. Grian realized the boot looked familiar and his anger heated up as he ran towards the base.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grian kicked the door open in a hurry, too worried and angry to bother closing it behind him. He entered the room to find Dream there, fortunately. However, he quickly noticed that Dream didn't seem to be tied up at all. In fact, it looked as Dream had been tying himself up. Dream was missing a boot, which explains the other boot Grian found.

 

Dream just stared at the avian hybrid and began whistling as if nothing had happened. Grian rushed over to him, but when he saw the rope, he realized that a piece of it had been cut. "You cut them," Grian said with shock, but Dream remained silent. 

 

Dream had tried to- No, Dream had attempted to escape!

 

Grian facepalmed, he should have kept Dream in a way or far place that prevented him from getting away. But then he had a striking realization.

 

As he stepped back, Grian stammered, “B-But I locked the base up tight! I double-checked the door and lockdowns, h-how did you-”

 

Suddenly, Dream nonchalantly tossed the cut rope aside and spat out, "You think memory loss always means forgetting everything for a long time? Ever heard of short-term memory loss?"

 

Grian was taken aback again. He realized he had forgotten to close the window, it allowed Dream to slip away from his mega-base. Despite his surprise that Dream didn't take advantage of the situation to snoop around or even discover the rift, Grian's worry only grew.

 

“Oh crap, the windo-” Grian started to swear before pausing.

 

Dream didn't know Scar like at all, so it made sense that he was the one who wrote that sign. But Grian couldn't wrap his head around it. “But how did yo- Wait, how did you get out of here without anyone noticing you?!”

 

How did no one notice him?! Even if he had tried to sneak out in the middle of the night, someone should have seen him!

 

As Dream turned his face away, Grian approached him but then spotted dried liquid drops on the ground. He followed the droplets and noticed the stash of chests he kept in a hidden room. To his dismay, the chests were all half-opened and every single bottle inside was empty...

 

Dream had chugged down all of the invisibility potions that Grian had worked tirelessly to gather.

 

Grian whipped around, his face switched in horror. "The invisibility potions! Y-You used them all?!" he stammered, clenching his jaw, "These were important! We needed them for sneaking into the prison void and-" 

Dream just shrugged, "So what? That Jambo and lion king reference guy said pranks are your thing, right? I helped lighten your load. You're welcome."

 

Grian gritted his teeth in frustration as Dream dismissed his concerns. "And besides," Dream continued, "As a prisoner myself, it's not my bad job to bust people out, let alone my terminator. I escaped from that tough place with Techno's help. Why don't you handle this one on your own?"

 

Grian growled as he throw Dream's boot to the ground. He paused to compose himself, then stopped rubbing his face and fixed at Dream with a deadly glare, his eyes and spreading wings emitting the same energy.

 

Upon seeing Grian's expression, Dream flinched. It reminded him of that time when Sir that fucking Duck got angry and spread his orange wings with a look that promised death back in the prison.

 

Grian snapped his fingers and firmly said, "Listen to me now." Dream turned away, but Grian's glare only intensified. "Listen to me, I repeat!" 

 

Dream hesitated but then retorted, "Repeat? Who do you think you are, my dad?"

 

Grian let out a quiet groan and muttered, "Philza wasn't overexaggerating about you," as he massaged his temple, "You really are a-"

 

Dream interrupted, "Evil monster, Yada yada ya-"

 

Grian cut him off with a growl, "A pain in the ass!"

 

Dream flinched, feeling a lump in his throat. He tried to push back the memories (that he hadn't fully healed from them yet) of screaming and yelling. Although the trauma had less of a grip on him now, he wasn't as tough as he used to be. He couldn't help but imagine how much worse it could have been if Quackity was in Grian's place. Even without his memories or his former role as Dream's terminator, Quackity's face and voice still had the power to unsettle Dream.

 

Attempting to sound nonchalant, Dream managed to gulp, "Meh, I've heard better."

 

Grian grumbled, lowering his voice, "I didn't get you out you so you could lounge around my base like a free-loading tourist and cause trouble to my friend. There's a reason behind it!"

 

Dream turned to him, "A reason that doesn't involve harming or threatening your-"

 

Suddenly, Grian stopped glaring, though his tone remained firm as he let out a warning, "This is your final chance, Dream, your final chance..." He approached the masked man closely, like a snake closing in on its prey, "Either you assist me in freeing my friend and his niece-" his lips shifted to a twisted smile, "or else I have a special surprise for you."

 

That is a competition, now? 

 

Dream felt a twinge of fear, but tried to ask, "You're going to kill me?"

 

Grian's smile turned even more twisted, "Maybe, They don't call me the dreamslayer just for beating you."

 

Despite the fear creeping up his spine, Dream's mind was racing. He knew he wouldn't let himself be dead, not when he had Punz waiting in the wings to bring him back. There was a connection between them that ran deeper. He could feel it pulsing through his veins, the reassuring knowledge that Punz was out there somewhere...Maybe there in that cell he saw, captured by that fucking organization hands. The thoughts made Dream growling under his breath.

 

And really, the odds of Grian actually killing him were none. Sure, Grian was a skilled fighter, but he was no match for Dream. After all, they were just two old rivals meeting again. Grian may have skills, but Dream was practically an 'immortal' himself.

 

So Dream chuckled and crossed his arms, “Bullshit, just take a look at me and then a look at yourself, birdie,” he pointed his finger at Grian, "You're just a parrot guy in a derp sweater. Building shit and playing pranks effortlessly on people."

 

Grian didn't respond, and Dream smirked as he shifted his finger to himself, "And me?" He raised his arms up in a dramatic fashion, "I'm a god." His voice took on a sly tone.

 

"You're up against a god," Dream said while having an uncanny grin behind his mask. "A god! A god with the power of life and death, remember? I could kill you," he stood up suddenly and cracked his knuckles, facing Grian, who didn't flinch. 

 

Dream leaned in close, "And when I could revive you if-” he made quote signs, “‘Life’ gave me the chance, I could keep killing and bringing you back, over and over."

 

Usually, his threats would instill tearful fear or anger in others like Tommy, but Grian's expression was unchanged. In fact, Grian was...smirking.

 

Grian suddenly muttered, "A god, huh?"  He showed Dream away by a finger, “You know what else a god must do?”

Dream did not respond as the parrot hybrid chuckled and turned his back to him, "They also encounter other gods."

 

Dream blinked before a look of suspicion dawned on him, gritting his teeth. Something odd was happening, not only was this parrot guy as crazy as him, "What are you?"

 

Grian never imagined he would have to reveal this tiny secret again to Dream out of all people, something he thought was no longer important now that he wasn't in that form anymore. However, dropping his secret might just give him the upper hand again, and Dream thought he was weak, how amusing. 

 

Without turning around, Grian replied, "Ah, just an avian hybrid who used to be something that people used to believe in...you know," He smirked, raising a finger, "Here's a riddle for you, Dream! What do you call massive, unblinking eyes that follow you everywhere and never seem to look away?"

 

Dream responded with a deadpan expression, "Enderman. Why the damn question?" But Grian didn't give any indication that he was correct. Dream let out a groan and tried again, "That smelly guy who was lurking behind you the other day?"

 

Grian blinked, puzzled by when Dream had seen Bdubs, before giving him a stern look. "Don't talk about Bdubs like that, try again."

 

Dream rubbed his mask and attempted again, "That darned federation?" 

 

Grian chuckled, "Nah, give it another try."

 

"For fuck sak-" Dream paused and growled at the thought of giving in to such a stupid puzzle, muttering, "Starers!? lookers, observers..." He noticed Grian's smirk growing wider, indicating he was on the right track. 

 

With disbelief in his voice, Dream said one final answer, "watchers..."

 

Grian nodded approvingly, "Yeah, just not that TYPE."

 

Dream thought Grian was teasing him, so he chuckled sarcastically, "Oh, the 'Watcher',? You watch everyone? Used to break the fourth wall? Talking about 'seasons' and 'finales', I guess it all makes sense now."

 

The parrot hybrid shrugged, "Eh, not much point in that one, man. But for who I used to be..." He moved closer to Dream, with a hint of smug in his lips. "A powerful god in the best sense." His tone matched Dream's sly demeanor.

 

Dream's disbelief grew, he was familiar with gods, like the god of creation (himself for sure), the goddess of death, and even Phil as the angel of death. But the fact of a different type of god was unheard of. Could it be that Grian was- Dream really wanted to burst out laughing for real. No way that stupid parrot could be a god.

 

But then Grian came closer and sat down, legs crossed. "I used to be a watcher," he said. "But that was a long time ago. I don't have any of their powers, except for immortality. How did you think I knew Philza from way back?" A hint of purple glinted in Grian's eyes as he spoke. Dream couldn't help but take a step back in surprise as Grian closed his eyes. "Now I'm just me, a silly guy Building shit and playing pranks effortlessly on people." He gave Dream a pointed look, tapping his finger on Dream's mask. "Your words, not mine."

 

Dream shook his head, dismissing everything Grian had said. Even if Grian claimed to be ‘immortal’, Dream saw himself as immortal too through his powers and knowledge of spells but much better. What else did Grian have anyway? Just some colorful wings that seemed worthless now?

 

As Dream clenched his teeth, he retorted, "Do you think that changes anything in my eyes? I still have power over death, but what about your KIND of god? What can you even do?"

 

Grian remained silent for a moment before speaking up, "Let's not go down that road. We still got some REAL business around," Standing up and spreading his wings in a bold gesture, he added, "I'll give you one last try," He fixed Dream with a challenging gaze, "You help me or else..."

 

Dream swallowed nervously, a growl escaping his lips, "Or else what?" and Grian chuckled, his fiery glare still burning through. "Something that will make you regret playing the bad guy."

 

That threat somehow elicited a laugh from Dream. "Regret, eh? That's a good one, " With his arms crossed, the masked man stood his ground. "I've been to prison, went through painful starvation and torture, and I still won't regret. Whatever you are going to do, it won't break me," he nervously confidently declared.

 

Grian's smirk turned more sinister as he rubbed his palms together.  "Oh, we shall see..."

 

…

 

..

 

.

 

“Ma-” 

 

 

Dream felt a brief surge of heated pain, just to be alive long enough to interrupt his words before he could finish.

 

“Ke-”

 

 

Once again, it happened.

 

“It!”

 

 

Again.

 

“St-”

 

 

And again.

 

 

Dream had no idea what was going on when Grian brought him to a large room that has a lava pool beneath a short bridge. The parrot hybrid took out a redstone torch and flint and steel, giving Dream a smirk before lighting the torch.

 

As he felt his body vanish, Dream expected to be transported to Limbo, maybe encountering Ranboo, or that alcoholic asshole, Ghostbur, Mexican Dream or even Punz if he really was-  However, every time he closed his eyes, he found himself falling into the lava, looking at the image of the mocking Parrot. With each cycle, the sight of the dividing bridge and the deadly lava played on repeat, leaving Dream trapped in a nightmarish loop.

 

 

Or more like...A 'deathloop,' he heard the parrot hybrid whisper...

 

"What's the matter Dream? Isn't that what you meant by killing and bringing someone back over and over?" Grian felt a bit satisfied watching the masked man finally get the piece of his mind.

 

 

He could just take that one as if it wasn't just because Dream have messed with him, maybe that would help have a good lesson of messing with Phil and others. Despite Dream sounding angry when mentioning the Pandora vault and if the prison didn't change his mind completely, this should be.

Grian hummed playfully as he reached into his pocket, "I'll stop it, after I finish this," He leaned against the wall and grabbed a piece of bread, taking a bite.

 

"Wi-"

 

Dream felt the urge to scream inside, the pain of dying and coming back to life was something he had gotten used to with the help of his ally. But this time, it was different. He can be dead for a long time, but this just him briefly alive and dead each second.

 

"-ll."

 

 

He wouldn't even bring himself to do it to Tommy himself, but he can't think of this further now while being stuck in this strange loop.

 

 

“You-”

 

 

The scent of his burning mask filled Dream's senses, reminiscent of his failed attempts to escape through reaching the lava wall of Pandora. Even though he would respawn each time, the feeling was hauntingly similar...and more jarring.

 

“Sto-”

 

 

Unable to catch his breath, he felt as though he was being dragged into the real depths of hell.

 

 

“-P it!”

 

 

Grian finished eating as he glanced at his watch, only a minute had passed and Dream was already struggling. Grian picked up on Dream's shaky words, each syllable trembling as he spelled. Grian thought the punishment for taking all the invisible potions was worth it.

 

Or...considering whatever pain Quackity have 'inflicted' on Dream, maybe that kind of pain would be enough.

 

Grian stopped the progress, glancing at his wings before swiftly flying toward Dream to catch him and gently place him on the ground away from the bridge.

 

Stepping back from Dream, Grian crossed his arms with a smug expression. "One advantage of this suspension is that my friends won't see your death messages-" his expression changed when he noticed the masked man trembling even more than before.

 

Grian hesitated for a moment and then rushed to Dream, noticing his rapid breathing and tightened grip on his mask.

 

Remembering Dream's mention of the lava in the Pandora vault, Grian wondered if the deathloop trap had triggered something. He thought to himself that maybe Dream was just panicking about Quackity...Or maybe Quackity wasn't the only one who harmed him...

 

 

“Dream? are you oka-“ Grian attempted to cool down the masked man with a hand, but Dream flinched, making Grian curse under his breath. He had momentarily forgotten that Dream and his SMP didn't have the concept of painless respawning like the hermits, given their three-lives rule (if they are canon).

 

Grian nervously approached the masked man, trying to explain, "Listen, Dream, Xiusma only used his commentator to access your codes and integrate you into our pack. I thought it would be impos- It was a necessary evil to include you in our system of dying and respawning, not his first choice."

 

Dream's shaking ceased as he whipped his head towards Grian, a look of horror visible even through the mask. Grian awkwardly added, "So you see why I had no qualms about looping you into the death loop, right-" Suddenly, he felt Dream's hand firmly gripping his sweater.

 

"System of what?!" Dream growled, a hint of confusion and shock in his voice. Grian blinked and attempted to calm him down again, "Oh look, I’m sorry, take a deep breath-" but Dream's grip tightened, "How did I die and not- HOW?! Is Punz reviving me-"

 

Grian raised an eyebrow, "Who's Pun-?" he was about to ask before hearing Dream break down. Grian winced in concern, "Calm down, man, remember the talk we had in the void prison? In our server, us hermits don't have 'Canon' death, we respawn and that it."

 

 

It was awkward trying to calm Dream after literally putting him in a death loop for a freaking one minute, Grian said, "Hey, calm down-"

 

Dream gasped, "HOW CAN YOU ALL BE IMMORTALS TOO?!"

 

Grian quickly intervened, pulling Dream aside and clarifying, "No! None of us are immortal except for me...I hope," He gulped, "It's just a system Xisuma tweaked on our server so we don't actually die, just like how you people have lives system. It's not survival!" Suddenly, a memory resurfaced for Grian, one he didn't want to think about. He hastily added, "Unless you end up in the games my friends and I play-" He immediately regretted letting that slip.

 

Dream glared and questioned, "W- What these games are you guys F- FUCKING talking abo-about?"

 

Trying to dodge the question, Grian turned away and muttered, "It's nothing important." As he attempted to approach Dream again, he found that Dream had turned away as well. Sitting on the ground with his knees close to his chest, Dream took a deep breath and started practicing his breathing. Grian frowned, realizing that maybe the punishment wasn't necessary after all.

 

After a moment, the parrot hybrid spoke up, "I think we should stay focused and grab some more invisible potions." He then gave Dream a stern look, but he tried not to come it off too stern after seeing the masked man break down. Grian waited for Dream to calm down before turning away and saying, "You know what else? Scar deserves an apology."

 

Dream paused and then replied angrily, "Hell if I care? Just go and apologize to hi-"

 

Grian interrupted him with a sigh and closed his eyes, "Not an apology from me." He then walked over to the room where the empty bottles of invisible potions were still there. He searched through them until he found a nearly empty bottle that could still be of some use. It wasn't much, but it would do for now until they could get more.

 

 

…

 

..

 

 

.

 

 

…

 

 

..

 

 

…

..

.

 

Punz really wished he had passed out for good, but he could feel his mind slowly coming back, although incompletely...

 

How much incomplete?

 

He couldn't be sure from the darkness he saw... But total darkness. Was he somewhere else now, or was he blindfolded? Or was he still unconscious? 

 

He gasped for air until suddenly, he felt something touching his face. It startled him into a strained growl as he tried to turn his head away, but a hand on his cheek stopped him and moved him. The touch on his lips felt heavy, and he could feel the warmth of his own breath against himself but...It somehow made his breathing slow.

"I'm relieved to see you're okay,"

 

Punz flinched and started shaking even more when he heard the voice. He tried to turn his head to see where it was coming from, but he still couldn't see anything. His body felt oddly warm instead of the discomfort of sitting in that hard chair with handcuffs.

 

Something was kind of hurting his wrists, but not as bad as the feeling of cuffs. With only his sense of hearing left intact, Punz tried to hear the voice clear and the beeping noises around him.

 

The voice unfortunately sounded like the man with the fucking bunny mask. "Don't move. We will remove the oxygen mask, keep your wrists steady."

 

Punz muttered a curse under his breath. Is that damn bunny ma- 

 

…

 

Oxygen mask? Was he being hospitalized? After what- Punz couldn't quite remember what had happened when they put those binoculars on him. All he saw was like he was watching the sun come at him at the speed of light...

 

"By the look on your face, I can tell you're confused...and hurt. Let me explain," the manager said in a voice that betrayed no hint of guilt.

 

Punz could hear the creak of a chair as the manager took a seat and continued, "There have been some complications with our machinery. It seems they couldn't handle the big amount of power you possess. They should have been built to be more efficient and robust for long periods of use. It's been months since we've used this particular type of equipment. While the experiment was a success in extracting a small portion of your revival power into the vial, the excessive energy required has resulted in significant damage to your eyes."

 

The mercenary was left speechless. So, that's why he couldn't see anything... It could only mean that his eye sockets had turned blind and empty, or they had bandaged them.

 

These fuckers…

 

Not only had they taken away his powers, but also his vision (They didn't mean it, but it is still their main problem). 

 

Punz felt a wave of grim wash over him as he thought about all the things he would never be able to see again - the sky, buildings, his weapons, the faces of his enemies in their final moments of agony, even simple things like mobs, not even a single bee or even his-

 

Something hit his mind like a bomb, something that made his gloominess being replaced with red eyes as he glared at the manager. His husky and injured voice as he struggled to shout, "Where Dr- w- where is hCOUH!"

 

"I'm sorry, what?" The manager held the oxygen mask back to the man.

 

Punz  coughed and struggled to breathe with the oxygen mask, but still turned his head away in fury to use all of his weak vocal cord to growl, "Where is Dream? Where is he?!" Punz tried to open his eyes, but the bandages made everything dark. Despite the pain, he fought like a lion. "Wh-what have you done to him?!"

 

Mr. Bunny patted Punz's shoulder and reassured him, "Breathe. Your friend has been taken by one of our tes-our prisoners to his home server after the prisoner shared and posted bail for him. He is safe."

 

Conflicted, Punz didn't know whether to feel relieved that Dream was really unharmed or skeptical of the words being spoken by these people.

 

There were other prisoners here...but who would bail him out? No one trusted nor liked Dream except Punz, so who could possibly do that?

 

These people had to be lying.

 

A small bit of Punz couldn't help but think about it, letting worry overshadow his strength.

 

What if that "prisoner" was dangerous and had deceived and harmed Dream under the guise of helping him? Punz growled at the thought, attempting to sit up but being thwarted by the pain in his spine.

 

Mr. Bunny bit his lip, removed the oxygen mask and adjusted the IV as he spoke, "There is a slim chance that we may not be able to restore your vision. Nonetheless, we will ensure your return to your server soon." However, Punz was too consumed by feelings of confusion and pain to pay attention to his words.

 

"W-Why did you even want my pow- re-revival powers?" he spat out.

 

Mr. Bunny paused in his adjustments, a sign that fell quiet. He then broke his quietness with a firm tone, "We needed them to power our guardians and for further enhancements."

 

Punz clenched his fists, struggling to speak up, "B-But why-ough!” He tried to question through his sore throat."You already have- A- fucking teleporting bear! and numerou- n- So many guards?! Why did you need that?!" 

 

"Why did you and your friend possess great strength yet sought control over death?" Mr. Bunny inquired.

 

Punz nearly hit the bed and growled, "Dream and I aspi- ough! wanted to be immortal, we desired to be like gods!"

 

"Gods, you say," Mr. Bunny responded, "That is precisely what we meant when we mentioned encountering divine beings or individuals with godly abilities."

 

Punz fell silent as Mr. Bunny continued, "We encountered individuals with powers akin to gods to enhance our security system soldiers. Like Dragons' power, on the other hand, was squandered as we experimented with various hybrids involving them."

 

Punz could hear the sound of another chair creaking, indicating that the manager was getting up. Mr. Bunny approached and declared, "We have one final test left for the last subject next week. But that is not to focus on."

 

Punz felt the urge to growl, not caring whatever the hell the tests of those people babbling about but the pain was overwhelming... No one should possess this power except for him and Dream.

 

The powers that he and Dream shared were their own business. They were meant to be the only ones to control these powers, to revive others and grant them immortality. But no one else should have this ability or else everyone would use it to stand on their way. Dream and Punz were the only ones who could do this.

 

Punz then tried to recall what they had said about transferring his power into a vial. Could this be related to the vials he saw on the table?

 

Punz tried to lift his head once more and asked, "What abou- about those vials?" No answer, he repeated, "I saw them on th- before whatever the ff-fuck you did to me. T-they were empty and there was- a purple one-" He coughed, "I swear I saw a black one too-" His voice grew more pained and angry as Mr. Bunny approached.

 

Mr. Bunny reached for the oxygen mask and placed a hand on Punz's chest, causing the mercenary to flinch. "You need to calm down and then we'll explain everythi-" Punz felt the manager trying to place the mask back on him, he took the chance to bite his hand in anger. Mr. Bunny yelled. Mr. Bunny almost fell to the floor, but he managed to hold onto the bed sheet just in time. A guard started to approach him, but Mr. Bunny raised a hand to signal for them to stop.

 

Punz growled, cleaning the blood from his teeth with his arm. Mr. Bunny stood speechless, staring at his bitten hand. He looked at the mercenary and then admitted, “I can’t really blame you for that one, although soon you need to show some respect once we bring you back to health.”

 

“Respect!?” Punz gritted his teeth, "You stole my powers!"

 

Yeah, getting respect from them, not minding the fact they just took his reviving power and ruined his eyesights!

 

"I swear to XD-I will-" Pain winced as he touched his bandaged eyes, feeling the blood from his bitten lip. He waited for a response from the bunny man, but all he heard were footsteps, silence, and the closing of a door.

 

The sound sent a chill through Punz's powerless veins. Surely, this couldn't be all the answers he would receive. They couldn't just leave him here. Despite the pain in his eyes and back, he knew he had to find a way to escape. But for now, he could do nothing but lay on the bed, feeling the ache in his eye sockets.

 

"They're trying to weaken me so I won't be able to get away, right?" Punz muttered, his fists clenched. "This is more than just a mistake on their part..."

 

Suddenly, a faint chuckle echoed in the corners of the room.

 

"I've said the same thing, dude, I've said the same thing..." came a familiar, teasing voice, although not as eerie as before.

 

Punz's body tensed. "That voice... You again?" he grumbled. He thought he just hallucinated or that voice was completely gone for good.

 

"I'm disappointed that they made you lose your eyesight right when we were about to see each other," the voice stated with a lazy kind of pity. "How unfortunate for us, are we?"

 

Punz turned his head away. "Why do you always say 'we'? Why? You been through this too? Is that why you want us both to escape?!"

 

After a brief pause, the voice softened. "Pretty much, although my situation was far worse than yours. You're lucky to be in a regular cell while I've been trapped in empty voids countless times." The bitterness in the voice sharpened. "I've been imprisoned in various voids before, but that last one? It was subpar! Even for my standards."

 

Punz narrowed his eyes, feeling his throat going dry once more. “You were stuck there… and then they experimented on you? Did they make you blind too?”

 

“No,” replied the voice. “But they made me incredibly weak. I had nothing else to do, except for manipulating people's minds just like I did to you when you were in the cell. I tried to control these assholes, to make them suffer for what they did to me, but I couldn't. I don't know why…”  As the room grew colder, Punz doesn't know why.

Punz strained to turn his head, "I'm on the left," the voice muttered wearily. Punz couldn't even roll his eyes, "You told me that you have wealth. If you wanted my help in exchange for your money, why didn't you just give it to them instead of whatever powers you have?"

The voice exclaimed, "Are you insane?! I can't just give away all my wealth to those jerks that harmed me! They deceived my clone for their own gain!"

 

The mercenary just stared at him blank...kind of blankly. The slow movement of the bandages over his eyes hinted that he was trying to widen them, "Uh, back to square one?"

 

Punz heard the sound of a bed moving, so the voice must be on a hospital bed right next to him. How coincidental.

 

The voice sighed and said, "Bleh bleh, I'm the manipulative, evil, and rich alter-ego of someone else in another server. That guy and I tried to make amends for what I did to his crew, but he's always been fucking selfish." The voice sounded frustrated as it continued, "He was ready to move on to a new section of his server and leave me behind. I would have preferred that instead of being locked up by that stupid government because he didn't want me in HIS void."

 

There was a thud sound, like the voice was hitting the bed, followed by a growl, "Can you believe that coming from a voidwalker?"

 

"Do I look like I have any idea of what a voidwalker is?" Punz responded, deadpanning. He hadn't expected the voice to reveal itself that way, and he wasn't sure how he was supposed to react. Alteregos...he had heard of people having them. Some even had alteregos they referred to as 'gods' (although he tried to ignore to mention of Mexican Dream, as that guy was long gone).

 

It was still a bit shocking to him.

 

The voice paused for a second before continuing, "Nevermind that. He asked them to imprison me until he ‘changes’ his mind about my ‘redemption’," another sound of the bed being hit. "Little did he know, covers lie! They lied to him as they tortured me!" The voice then turned to the other man, "Your friend was tortured before, wasn't he-".

 

Punz suddenly growled, “Keep whatever you saying and I take your eyes out so we will be even.” 

 

Still, how does that random voice know his friend?  

 

He was just about to ask but the voice continued suddenly, "They took off my helmet! Tortured me to test my powers just like you, my virus powers, until I...well, you know...what did you say to them? Turned you into a raisin?"

 

Punz sighed, irritated that the voice was also was there when he was getting hurt by the federation. He was both puzzled and indifferent to the bizarre situation; all he cared about was finding a way out. Speaking of which, Punz lifted his head and sarcastically asked, "You mentioned something about something's going to happen to get us out of here, is this supposed to be our way out? Blinding myself-"

 

The voice cut in, "Oh, no! This is just the beginning, asshole. Although we're not…Technically seeing face to face like I thought right now, it's only the start. We need to wait."

 

Punz grumbled, "Wait for what now?!" His throat felt tight as he coughed, took a breath, and continued, "Are they going to try to fix my eyes and get me out?"

 

The voice snapped back, "Do you really think they're going to let you out? Book covers lie!" And the mercenary scoffed, "Pff, I know. They said they do not even know how to 'fix' my vision. Like they even know what to do..."

 

A moment of silence followed as the voice remarked, "I guess all we can do is wait for whatever's next to happen. If we both want to make it out of here alive..."

 

Punz hesitated to reply, not only because he didn't believe it, but also because he was tired of contemplating whether he should believe anything or not. All he wanted was to escape from that strange place.

 

Out of the blue, the voice said, "You know, we've finally met, have been chatting and we haven't even introduced ourselves! You go first?" The voice sounded playful.

 

Punz stayed silent once more, and the voice continued, "Welp, I guess I'll go first then."

 

 

There was quiet again…

 

 

"Call me EX, it's been a pleasure chatting with you," the voice said. Punz perked up slightly, not recognizing the name at all. After a sigh, he introduced himself, "Punz..."

 

At least the voice seemed to belong to a person-Or more like an alter of someone else, rather than just a figment of his imagination.

 

Considering he was stuck in a hospital bed, blind and hooked up to an IV, Punz didn't have many options as he gulped and added, "And same here."

 

EX chuckled, "It's been pleasure to you to see-uh, hearing me?"

 

The mercenary's gaze hardened. "Nah, quite the opposite. Shut up," His tone sharpened, "And how the hell do you even know my friend?"

 

EX fell silent for a moment, fidgeting with the bedsheet. "I'll explain it in a less alarming way," he coughed, "I Maaaaay-” he pouted his lips, “-have discovered that by searching through some of your memoires when I was puppeteering your mind while you were in the cell."

 

 

 

The silences returned till Punz asked in a deadpan voice.

 

 

 

“You fucking what...?”

…

…

 

..

 

..

 

Dream was just inches away from escaping if it weren't for Grian's wings blocking his path while he was invisible. They finally reached the base of Scar, and for some reason, Grian hoped he was still there. He hesitated to bring Dream to Scar’s base in the first place.

 

As Dream looked around the street, he noticed a lot of buildings and structures that resembled shops and hotels lining the road. It kind of reminded him of the new shops and restaurants he had seen in the nexus. "Where the hell are we goin- You said you are taking me to Scar, but it looks like you’re taking me to a theme park," he exaggerated.

 

Grian rolled his eyes. "It is a theme park; Scar created it. Didn’t you catch when I was chatting with Quackity and Tallul-"

 

"I wasn’t caring in hearing that," Dream grumbled quietly, while Grian brushed off his complaints as they approached the castle. He spread his wings and quickly grabbed Dream’s turtleneck, ensuring he stayed invisible and still. Dream glared, wondering how Grian could keep up with him so fast despite being unseenable.

 

Grian knocked on the door, feeling a bit anxious. He didn’t hear any response, but he couldn’t really blame Scar for that since it was literally the middle of the night. Grian kept gripping Dream as the door opened.

 

Scar rubbed his face, he was shirtless, but his hair looked like he had just jumped out of bed in a flash, even though it took him a little while to get to the door.

 

Scar yawned as he looked around, blinking when he saw the parrot hybrid. He opened his mouth to ask why Grian’s arm seemed to look like he's holding someone’s neck, but he decided to go with a simpler question instead, "Grian, why are you here? It’s three in the morning."

 

 

 

Grian felt Dream slipping from his grasp as he kept his hold and quickly entered, "I’m not a morning person, you know me."

 

"You forget how to sleep again?" Scar asked, and Grian let out a deadpanned expression but he could hear Dream chuckle softly. Grian sighed heavily and released his grip on Dream, mumbling a simple, "No, but..." He paused for a moment, considering whether he should have asked Mumbo instead, but Scar was the least one likely to react negatively to the suspension.

 

Grian fidgeted with his fingers as he said, "I want to ask you for a favor, Scar. I know things between me and others aren’t great, especially after I made that change, but we’re still best friends, and I need your help."

 

Scar narrowed his lips, "Gimme a liii-iiittle second," he mumbled with a pitched tone before walking away slowly. However, Grian could hear the sounds of a door opening, water running, brushing sounds, gargling, and footsteps, all within just five seconds.

 

Then Scar returned quickly, looking a bit lighter than before and wearing a white shirt. "Sure thing! Besides, there’s really no problem with that change," he said while holding a glass of water.

 

 

 

Grian blinked, "Really?" and the taller man shrugged slightly, "Yeah, I mean, I get to see my friends face to face more often, and writing and putting up signs at my park is becoming a bit enjoyable. The best part is that everyone can see these signs anytime without having to scroll through the logs for hours..." He held his tongue and smiled awkwardly, "Unless they try to take the signs down from me because I-"

 

“I know, I heard that from Etho,” Grian chuckled, at least Scar, like a few others, is adapting to the change. The parrot hybrid could hear footsteps, but when he turned, he noticed Scar’s pet on the ground, looking up curiously as if she spotted a fly. Grian raised an eyebrow but then understood as he turned to Scar, replying, "If that’s what you’re saying, then my plan and the reason behind my imprisonment, I told Xisuma about it, and he and you are going to be the only ones aware of this right now."

 

Scar's smile suddenly shifted, "Dead serious?" Grian nodded and continued, "Promise me you won’t tell anyone about it until I get back, but first, I need to show you someone."

 

Grian started walking, and Scar raised an eyebrow but shrugged and followed. As Grian gestured, Scar let out a perplexed face, watching Jellie scratching her back in a state of relaxation.

 

Scar turned to Grian, "What? It's just Jellie adorably scratching her back!" He looked at his cat in awe, but his eyes widened when he noticed the fur on her back moving, as if it were being stroked by the air.

 

Scar turned back to the parrot hybrid, worry creeping in, "Uh, Grian?"

 

But Grian waved his fingers at him and said, "Can you give me that glass of water?" Scar narrowed his brow but did it anyway. Suddenly, as Grian took the water, he splashed it in the direction. Jellie quickly jumped away from the splash, but the splash hit the what Scar thought was just air. The water revealed the body as soon as the invisibility effects became off.

 

Dream brushed the water from his hair and growled, "Hey! What the heck is your deal!?"

 

“Now, you’re asking,” Grian put the glass down and remarked, "Save your ‘villain being sympathetic to animals’ moment for later, man. We have more pressing matters to talk."

 

Scar stepped back in shock at the sight but then hesitated and asked, "Are you showing me some invisible people or-" He took a second look and gasped. The smiling mask the guy wore struck something with Scar as he exclaimed, "Wait, you look oddly familiar, I think I might have heard of you!"

 

Dream rolled his eyes, of course that guy had heard of him from the championship too, but he was less concerned about it. Grian nodded and explained, "Long story short, Scar, I've helped someone else named Philza Minecraft, you know him, right?"

 

The taller man raised an eyebrow as he tried to recall any events he had joined in the championship until he snapped his fingers, "Oh, that crow guy? He reminds me of Etho, 'Cosplaying' as an anime character, but he made himself into challenges of hard modes?"

 

Grian smirked, and Scar smirked back, replying while pointing his thumb at himself, "My memory doesn’t disappoint me at last."

 

Dream groaned at that as he sat down, Jellie tilted her head at him as she yawned and lay next to him. Seeing the cat brought back a small memory for Dream.

 

 

 

The parrot hybrid made sure to keep his gaze fixed on the masked man as he further explained, "Yeah, he has a daughter who was kind of 'kidnapped' by another champion player named Quackity to a server-recorder simulation or something, Cub has a book about it!"

 

Scar looked confused, fairly certain he had heard something similar when Grian, Pearl, and he logged out to the nexus, but he was unaware that there was a book regarding that portal. "I will keep that in mind," he assured.

 

Grian then walked and whispered into Scar’s ear, "Quackity is amnesiac, I can’t fully hold that mistake against him. It’s the federation fault," Grian turned away and gestured by using one of his wings at Dream, "We’re on a mission to save her, she is in the void with Quackity, and the federation is planning some not-so-good experiments on her soon. I found them and so have found Dream, and I promised Philza I would try to find a way rescue them."

 

 

 

Scar nodded with interest but then blinked, "W-wait!" he exclaimed, "This federation that banned our chatting system and that cute-serial-guy who shot the sky with a real gun are performing tests on children?!"

 

Grian's eyes reflected discomfort upon hearing this, as he clarified, "Uh, not in that sense. She’s a dragon hybrid, they wanted her powers."

 

Scar nodded, “Oh, ok I see why they wanted her,” then his expression shifted to concern, “but she’s still a kid!” and Grian patted Scar’s arm, replying “A kid or not, an organization doing experimenting on people in secret is still horrible.”

 

Scar wore a worried expression, “I know it there’s something weird going on with that government!”

 

"Scar..." Grian crossed his arms at his friend.

 

Scar stared at him and then rubbed his neck awkwardly, “Ok, I didn't. I thought they were just a stupid government doing what they call ‘the right things’ and that’s it,” Scar then grimaced, “But oh my god, I think I’m going to throw up, does xisum-"

 

Grian quickly replied, “He knows, and that’s why I talked to him and he would help me too,” he pulled out the last empty bottle he had used on Dream from his pocket and said, “We will need invisible potions since that green man used them all,” he directed a glare at Dream, who also avoided his gaze.

 

Scar turned to him, "What did he use them all for?" and Grian deadpanned, "Something stupid."

 

He glanced over at Dream and added, "He's stubborn, hot-headed who avoids answering questions."

 

Dream grumbled disapprovingly as Grian continued, "He seems to enjoy playing the role of the bad guy for no good reaso-"

 

"That's not how I told you, birdie," Dream interjected, again, he heard much worse humiliation than that, but he was slightly irked by the lighthearted tone Grian was using. Scar chimed in, puffing his cheeks, "A bad guy like Doc in his evil arcs?"

 

Grian shook his head slightly, "Not in a joking or playful manner," he snickered but then furrowed his brow and shot a quick glance at Dream, who began to lose in thought while observing Jellie's peaceful napping. Grian leaned in and whispered rapidly, "Heislikeacartoonvillaininhisownserver."

 

Scar blinked, "His own server?" and Grian nodded, "Dream smp, Philza was there too."

 

 

Scar leaned against the wall, looking up at the ceiling. He had seen the server in one of the portals before, but it had never crossed his curiosity.  A part of him was curious to explore it, just like they had explored and met the empires. (Though, after the rift incident, visiting Dream’s server through the portal might seem a bit easier.) Scar made a note to add it to his list of adventures for later.

 

He then commented, "With a name like that, it's no wonder he wanted to be the villain. I mean, I named my land after myself, but naming a whole server after yourself seems a bit eg- egotisti-cal."

 

The parrot hybrid snickered, “Oh, trust me, man, naming his server after himself is the least bad thing he done. He's done way worse than that,” as he nonchalantly set down the empty bottle and rummaged through his pockets, pulling out the sign to the taller figure.

 

Scar raised an eyebrow, recalling the same sign he had seen yesterday, but what could it- His eyes widened as he turned to Dream, “Hold up, so he's the one who made that sign about me, not you, Grian!?”

 

“I could roast you better than this, Scar, as for him…” Grian set down the sign and explained, “Yeah, he definitely crossed a line. I gave him a taste of his own medicine by throwing him into the deathloop, but…” Grian trailed off, noticing a tiny flinch from Dream.

 

Rubbing his neck in regret, Grian admitted, "I guess it wasn't a good idea," He then pointed out, "The respawn system on the Dream SMP is a whole different than ours."

 

Things could have been worse when Dream attempted to escape from his base; he could have run away without returning, causing harm to his friends, destroying buildings, and so forth. However, it was merely a lazy sign intended to humiliate one of Grian's friends and taking all the potions that are at least a little easy to get. Grian couldn't fathom how he would have punished Dream if had he committed any of those. But Grian was himself lucky that Dream didn't even try to inflict harm on anyone. Perhaps Dream was so accustomed to hurting his own people on his server that he found little reason to do the same to Grian and others.

 

…unless it was to gain advantage.

 

Scar's eyes widened as he gave Dream another sad look, "So, he had a little culture shock?" The parrot hybrid shrugged, "Kinda, it sent him into a bit of a panic." He noticed Dream not looking at Jellie anymore, looking instead at the floor.

 

Grian wasn't sure how to feel about this, even though Dream had almost ruined their plan, maybe should've realized that triggering someone can be worse than giving them ANOTHER bit of punishment.

 

Grian closed his eyes, realizing there wasn't much time to explain everything to Scar and tell him what Dream else have done. They had more important things to focus on. Turning to Scar with a serious expression, Grian said, “Anyway, we might need one of your outfits, Scar. Dream will wear it so we can keep his identity secret.”

 

Scar expected Grian to ask for weapons or protection, but instead, it was just an easy request. “Of course! Be right back!” Scar smiled as he walked off.

 

Dream finally turned back his attention to Grian, his silence showed that he’s unamused. “You really want me to wear some random-ass guy's clothes?” he asked rhetorically.

 

 

Grian was about to respond when Scar reappeared with a bunch of chests. "I'm pretty sure I've still got some old gear inside," he declared, searching through a chest before hastily withdrawing a piece of clothing. "Oh, not that one," he muttered, shoving it back in and shutting the chest in record time.

 

Both Dream and Grian deadpanned at Scar, convinced they had just witnessed a Christmas dress.

 

Scar let out an awkward chuckle. "Err, wrong chest," reaching for another chest and double-checking its clothes before flashing a grin. "Here! I've got outfits from previous seasons we went through," he proclaimed, showing a bunch of shirts, hats and suits. Grian chuckled out of nostalgia when his eyes landed on the purple suit Scar had worn during his time as mayor.

 

Dream inspected the clothing before turning to Scar with a straight face, "You used to wear a wizard hat with underwear at some point?"

 

Scar repeated with a glaring smile, "From previous seasons."

 

Later, Grian reminded Scar to keep their plan under wraps until he comes back. Scar too promised to cover for Grian by saying he was in a meeting with someone from prison for something not really major.

 

..

 

.

 

Mumbo thought he heard a noise outside, so he walked over to his window and opened it. He saw Grian and Scar walking away down a path.

 

Rubbing his eyes, Mumbo noticed that Scar appeared to be the same height as him from that distance. But he just shook it off exhaustedly, thinking maybe it was just perspective.

 

"Either those two are up to no good in the middle of the night or they're having a hangover," Mumbo muttered before yawning and heading to bed, wishing it's the first option, "I hope Grian doesn’t come to me tomorrow morning yelling that he woke up next to Scar," Just as went to sleep.

 

…

 

..

Things were going smoother than butter. It didn’t take long before Xisuma came back to the server and told Grian that his invitation to visit had been accepted. However, he also mentioned that the guards would be keeping a closer eye on him than before. Grian quickly made a mental note of all the weapons, health potions and tools he would need, while Xisuma helped by grabbing some invisible potions and buckets of lava.

 

Meanwhile, Dream was feeling annoyed from wearing Scar’s old leather jacket and hat. The voidwalker was watching over him, while Grian was back at his base gathering everything he needed, especially the TNT and a couple of ender chests just in case. He saw a pair of his old glasses and thought…

 

 

“Hmm, these might come in handy too,” as he tucked them into his pocket along with the rest of his important supplies into his inventory.

 

.

 

..

 

 

…

 

 

 

Xisuma noted that Scar expressed his gratitude to Etho for crafting numerous letters to inform everyone about Grian’s departure, and that Scar provided companionship prior to his leaving.

 

The three now stood before the portal that would transport them to the island where the federation is.

 

"Ugh, you are truly going to risk everything for this," Dream commented, clearly tired. But the parrot hybrid cautioned, "Nevertheless, there is no other way for you to escape, man."

 

Dream had gone quiet and crossed his arms, but Grian noticed he was rubbing them. Xisuma tapped Grian's shoulder, the parrot hybrid turned to him as the admin hand him another TNT accompanied by an arrow. Grian held it as the admin searched again and pulled out a firework rocket. "Look, when you rescue Q and Tallulah from the void prison, use the TNT to create a hole and set off this rocket," Xisuma explained.

 

Grian hesitated slightly as he took the rocket, but nodded in understanding. "I'll wait for you on the island. Since we can't communicate, launch the firework rocket as a signal for me to get the boats ready before the TNT explodes," the admin continued.

 

Grian hummed, feeling a hint of apprehension. As Xisuma noticed this, he asked Grian in a serious tone, "Are you still confident and prepared for this, Grian?"

 

Grian paused to reflect, considering that he was quite adept with traps and that most of them had functioned effectively, so his traps would undoubtedly work on them as well. However, he needed to ensure he could get Quackity and Tallulah out in time. Furthermore, the admin had assured him that he would handle EX personally. Besides, he could easily deceive the managers like he had done previously. Grian smirked with resolve, "That federation is truly stupid to notice anything, and they even believed I was starving, so that plan might just work!"

 

"If something goes wrong or if you take too long to launch the rocket, I will return to the server to seek help," Xisuma promised, and Grian responded with a playful thumbs-up as he turned to Dream, "Are you ready?" He didn't even know why he asked that, perhaps he was curious to see if Dream was in a good shape.

 

 

The masked figure did not respond again.

 

Maybe that curiosity was irrelevant, Grian thought as he said back, "Alright, I see we are both prepared, and he is fatigued and merely wishes to go home."

 

Dream folded his arms and warned, "You are still going to return me to my server," he attempted to modify his voice to sound sinister, but the worry in his mind was overpowering, "or else, since I cannot fulfill my 'job' to you, I will do it to your friends."

 

Grian glared, "We will see about that," he then chuckled, "You know, even if I cannot, you claimed you could manage it on your own, did you not?"

 

He heard a sound of irritation from Dream as he grinned, "You still do not remember the codes of your own serv-"

 

Dream countered, "I do, it must be a mistake in their devices," he turned back to look at the portal, quite sure that none of this was his own issue of forgetfulness, after all, how can an admin forget their own server codes?

 

Grian rolled his eyes, "Well, it is not something I am going to concern myself with anytime soon," and Dream responded again without glancing at the parrot hybrid, "And I’m not going to concern myself about that duck and his stupid friend being trapped in that dark place. With or without his memories, I think he deserves it."

 

However, Grian narrowed his eyes, "You think?" he questioned, "Then you don't believe he deserves to rot there too, do you?"

 

Dream became quiet as he took off the stupid hat, not wanting to think about Quackity again, nor the fact that he was going to break him out. He would find a way, perhaps with some luck, Dream could escape away from Grian and return to his server someway to find Punz and put an end to this nonsense for now.

 

Grian sighed as he redirected his focus back to the portal, just as Dream had, stating in a skeptical tone, "Well, we will see what is coming our way next." "Alright, here we go!" Grian exclaimed as he stepped onto the glowing light of the portal, "Don't worry big Q!"

 

His expression shifting nervously. "Don't worry, Tallulah," but he reassured himself with hope.

 

 

 

"I will be there."

 

 

And maybe the hopes he left to that kid would be there too, right?

 

………

..

 

…

 

..

 

.

 

 

This place may not be where one would feel thirsty, yet Quackity can still sense his lips becoming dry.

 

As he gazes at the tower of cards, it takes him back to the tower he saw in Las Nevadas. It's cool for Quackity to finally be thinking of these thoughts. It's got him pondering, Sure, he knows past!Quackity wasn't actually the best version of him, but at least the only reminder he finally got to see is being a rich dude with a cool scar and legacy from that place. But there's still something bugging him, especially about what Grian said.

 

 

His legacy and friendships are meant to crumble, all destroyed by that nuke? The fact that he subconsciously prevented it from happening is... kind of eerie.

 

Quackity leaned back, arms behind his head, and lets out a sigh as his mind wanders, feeling a bit bummed that his thoughts are just mixing up like a bowl of bake.

 

Is he overanalyzing all this? Quackity was about to say Nah internally but these key words are definitely taking up a lot of space in his brain.

 

 

That egg and its strange cult? His country and his legacy? And the ring...

 

He was about to gaze at the ring again, but shook his head.

 

His crew...And that Tommy guy and Wilbur, Techno, Dream?

 

It's all too much to think, especially when both his life and his only friend niece are on the line.

 

Turning to Tallulah, he notices her using the unused cards from the tower playfully, moving them like dolls while chatting in a low voice. Perhaps she's role-playing a scene from one of her interests?

Quackity ran his hand through his hair and hesitantly asked, "Hey, kid?" The dragon-hybrid let out a soft sound in response. "Estás bien?" he inquired once more.

 

Tallulah swapped between glancing at the cards and then back at him, “Bien? Just bored.”

 

Quackity rolled his eyes, “So am I.”

 

It felt like forever since they had stuck in this place.

 

It was stupid not having anything to help them keep track of how long they had been there, not even a pencil here to mark the passing hours. Would Grian even return? While Tallulah seemed to have faith in Grian's promise (Just from a freaking feather), Quackity's doubts were growing.

 

Noticing the worry on Tallulah's face returning, Quackity began to reassure her like he always do, "Sheesh, everything will be fine. Don't stress, G's got this. He'll come through and bust us out," His hopeful grin wavered slightly, "Do you think he would do it the hard way or the easy way?"

 

The girl halted moving the cards and tilted her head, "What do you mean?"

 

The duck hybrid shrugged, "Not sure. Perhaps he'll reach out to his friends for stuff and resources to bail us out too."

 

Tallulah's eyes slowly lit up, "That...could actually work!"  but Quackity was unimpressed, "Yes, although it may not be as exciting or a cool prison break as he would prefer."

 

Quackity then mused, "And he mentioned something about Dream being involved in his plan too? I have no idea what they are going to do."

 

Tallulah huffed and shrugged, maybe unable to respond. Quackity noticed her attention shift back to the cards and asked, "Are you roleplaying or something?"

 

Tallulah adjusted her position, making sure her cuffed wings didn't hit the ground, and replied with a half-smile, "Roleplaying, wanna join?"

 

 

Quackity chuckled, "I'm bored of my ass, why not?"

 

The girl nervously fidgeted with her dress, "These characters I'm playing are from a story I wrote in my head…Just right now,” She paused and then cooed, “You might not get it."

 

"At least you didn't use my name or any of the others," the duck hybrid chuckled quietly. Tallulah shot him a questioning look, but Quackity quickly looked away.

 

He then smiled awkwardly, albeit feeling a mix of confusion and curiosity in the inside, "I still wanna do it!," he then added within a questionable tone, "Uh, this one is not a cheesy romantic cliché- No offense!"

 

Rolling her eyes, Tallulah picked up two cards with queens on them. "Not much, it’s talking about a side-relationship with these two queens."

 

Quackity's grin took on a lopsided slant, as he looked down and after a pause he took a card that has a king on it, "So, are these queens in love, with the king being the awkward third wheel?"

 

Tallulah chuckled and took the card, "Nope, it's the same guy orchestrating the arranged marriage mess between these two queens! But you would see them getting along with it over time!"

 

Quackity looked down at the cards and then glanced at the card tower, noticing most of the cards had hearts on them. Even though he wanted to keep the tower stable for Grian to see, he turned to the dragon hybrid and asked, "Why did you choose the king and didn't pick the card with hearts on it? It seemed like something similar to matchmaker or something."

 

Tallulah shrugged slightly, "Kings don't always make the best choices when it comes to marriage."

 

 

At least, Quackity hoped his past marriages weren’t forced or anything like th- He shook his head, quickly shifted his focus to the cards on the floor as Tallulah guided him through that scenario.

 

As Tallulah moved the cards with queens on them, Quackity held the king card in his hand. Despite her young age, Tallulah had a way with words as she narrated the dialogue between the cards. Quackity did his best to play along with whatever came to mind, even if the story felt a bit cheesy to him.

 

Quackity found the whole thing a little silly, but it was a nice fresh of air after everything they have been through...The bad air still in the room, but Quackity tried to ignore that.

 

 

Speaking of the fresh of air.

 

 

Tallulah turned to the duck hybrid and said, “It's kind of refreshing to do something with you that I'm familiar with,” her voice filled with unknown emotion.

 

Quackity stopped moving the cards and raised an eyebrow, “What do you mean by that? I don't even know what I'm doing or the personalities of these characters.”

 

 

Tallulah chuckled, how much she missed chuckling...She replied, "We literally went through time and found your old self’s server and somehow we stopped its destruction!” She paused, furrowing her brow for a moment before continuing, “We almost met with the people I know and to the ones I was looking for…and um, we went through some bad times there with that new smiling man and found my new power,” she glanced at her hands, unsure if she would use her powers again.

 

Quackity hummed, his face betraying a hint of distaste as he avoided thinking about these thoughts again. He added to Tallulah's words, "Yeah, we encountered new faces and made a new friend who is going to our rescue soon I guess. We're still stuck in this dark room."

 

The girl nodded, her eyes distant. "I might have played my flute but I miss writing," she said softly. Quackity quickly frowned, but Tallulah turned to him, a small smile playing on her lips. "I'm starting to feel a bit better now, at least a little bit," she said, her hand rubbing her neck, still feeling the heavy air of the room.

 

 

Seeing Tallulah smiling brought a sense of relief to Quackity. But what lay ahead that could stop that short respite? With still more 'time' to spend in this place, surely it couldn't be as bad as it seem-

 

 

 

Quackity's train of thought was interrupted when he saw Tallulah gazed up. He followed her gaze and noticed the purple flakes surrounding them had stopped, just like last time. Suddenly, they felt the light behind their back as both turned around to see the flickering light on the bedrock floor in the center of the room again.

 

The light formed into the 'X' and shined, just like before. It could only mean one thing, someone is about to arrive here.

 

Tallulah hold up the feathers from the ground and hid them behind her back. She had a tiny hope in her mind that maybe it was Grian have finally returned to rescue them the easy way. Quackity also thought the same, but he joked inside that maybe someone else had cause a dinky ‘unimportant’ crime and was being brought in to join their club. Quickly re-thought, Quackity shielded his eyes and Tallulah with his wings as the spot of light sparkled before them.

 

When the light faded, Quackity uncovered his wings and he and Tallulah glanced with hopeful grins…

 

 

 

Only to be disappointed.

 

It wasn't Grian, but the ex-manager with two guards behind him.

 

But what’s he doing here? Maybe Mr.duck was going to announce their release, while Grian was waiting for them elsewhere.

 

Their hopes faded when they noticed one of the guards holding a catch pole, causing a sense of shiver in Tallulah.

 

Quackity noticed her, despite not knowing what was going to happen, he kept shielding her.

 

Clearing his throat, Mr. Duck announced, "We have returned your two 'friends' to their homes. Now, we must deal with the rest of you."

 

Tallulah blinked, "Rest of us?" and Quackity tilted his head, looking worried, "Are we getting out of here or what?"

 

Mr. Duck shook his head and moved up his mask slightly to rub his chin, "One of you will need to remain here," as he pointed at Quackity, "Since you are still being punished, and the void room is intended for solitude, not just imprisonment."

 

Quackity stood back, exclaiming, "Whao- What does that mean?!"

 

Mr. Duck turned to the guard, gesturing for them to approach as he explained, "This was not how we intended for the prison from the start, but I must say it is an unfortunate consequences for you, Quackity. These two have abandoned you while the only one in your side is literally on her way to... go. I apologize."

 

Quackity blinked in shock as he glanced at Tallulah, who appeared slightly horrified but continued to hide her face behind Quackity's wings. Quackity glared at the ex-manager, "What a- are you going-"

 

Mr. Duck approached them and said, "We went back to the authorities and had several changes in plans. One, unfortunately, the two we were relying on are no longer obtainable since they left. We have found someone else. The experiment did not go well with that replacement, resulting in him losing his eyesight."

 

Quackity and Tallulah exchanged puzzled glances as Quackity stammered, "I don't understand-"

 

Mr. Duck interrupted, "You don't need to. This matter does not concern either of you."

 

He then turned to Tallulah, emphasizing, "Regarding the second matter, Tallulah, we were preparing to test you in another dragon egg trial upon its arrival in a few weeks."

 

Tallulah's eyes widened and she nervously swallowed. Mr. Duck continued, "However, we have decided to expedite the deadline", his voice turning somber but with a hint of malevolence.

 

 

 

"to right now".

 

 

 

Tallulah's expression changed from confusion to horror in an instant. "N-NO!" she exclaimed, hugging Quackity tightly while keeping the feathers in her hands hidden. How could this be happening now? Who would agree to this? She doesn’t want to go through this, not again!

 

As she ranted in her head, Quackity stared blankly at the former manager, feeling a sense of betrayal and disbelief.

 

 

These two have abandoned you…

 

 

Mr. Duck must be lying. There's no way Grian would betray them like this. He bit his lip in disbelief, growling, "No you won't!" as he pulled Tallulah closer to him. "You won't have her! Over my dead bod-"

 

A snap of a finger, a gun shot rang out.

 

 

But the shot missed, hitting the bedrock wall instead.

 

Quackity managed to dodge the dart in time, but in the cost of losing his grip on Tallulah. She fell to the floor and her wings hit the floor. She groaned but panic set in when the guard began to approaches her.

 

"Please, no!" she pleaded, but her words were muffled as they held her and covered her mouth. She even tried biting the guard's hand, causing him to retreat. The cuffs on her wings made it difficult for her to run away, and the former manager blocked her way to Quackity, grabbing her himself. He slightly adjusted his mask to whistle as a sign to the guard to hand him the pole.

Quackity rose to his feet and attempted to punch the ex-manager's back, but the ex-manager gave him an angry silence and swiftly knocked Quackity down with a kick to the legs.

 

"Fuafity- halpp- m- Me!" Tallulah muffled out then Mr.duck took away his hand away from her but he then held her with the catch pole. He raced towards the X and pressed the button as the guards followed him. Quackity lifted his head from the ground, wiping blood from his lips. His eyes widened as he saw the purple flakes fusing together once more, which mean only a one thing.

 

"That's not fair! Bring her BACK!" Quackity yelled in both anger and fear, sprinting towards the lighting X.

 

However, the flakes had already merged into a spiral, blocking his path until suddenly a beam of light pierced through his eyes, hitting him like a sharp needle.

 

His thoughts of saving his only friend vanished as he collapsed to the floor.

 

..

 

..

 

 

..

 

.

 

 

Quackity groaned under his breath, the waking up from unconscious made him cough badly, he felt his eyes iching as he rubbed them, after a moment of rubbing he tried to open them, only to find himself not in a room made of bedrocks, but in…what could best be described as the real void.

 

The room was even darker than before, the X that was once there had disappeared, and there were no more purple flakes in the air.

 

...

 

 

And for some reason, the air felt clear and light.

 

 

 

 

 

Something definitely felt off to Quackity. It seemed like he wasn't in the void prison anymore, but in a completely different place. Where in the world was he?!

 

 

Suddenly…

 

 

Quackity squinted his eyes in the distance.

 

He spotted something on the ground out of nowhere, with a red light shining from it. Quackity felt a bit unsure before deciding to walk towards it, but the closer he got, the more the light dimmed. Once the red light faded, Quackity finally saw what was causing it.

 

 

It was a…chip?

 

He picked it up, inspecting it closely. It turned out to be a casino chip... the same red chip that Philza had given him and the one he had found on the Dream SMP. But why was it here?

 

As he gently twisted his finger on the chip, it unexpectedly split in half, causing a slight injury in his fingers. Quackity let out a yelp with surprise as he looked at the broken pieces. The two halves of the chip lay on the ground.

 

And then, out of nowhere, the chip began to split further into smaller pieces until it turned into dust.

 

Quackity ignored his slightly bleeding fingers and took a step back in shock as the dust swirled around him. In a flash, the dust flew straight into Quackity's face.

 

Quackity groaned, "Why the fuck does this keeps happening?!" Quackity exclaimed as he rubbed his eyes. The dust wasn't as painful as the bright light, but it still hurt. He wished deep down that he just finally got to sleep and all that nonsense was just a dream, including the part where Tallulah was taken away from him.

 

After Quackity rubbed his eyes and blinked them open again, he was faced with a surprising sight.

 

 

First a chip and now…a man?

 

Hold on, that man looked familiar! He was wearing a blue hoodie and beanie, just like the ones past!Q used to wear before he changed his look for Las Nevadas. Could it be his past self?

 

 

A strange horrible smell caught Quackity's attention, like the scent of smoke. When he turned around…

 

 

He saw another man in a suit but with curly horns on his head, standing behind what appeared to be a podium with a microphone and Quackity could only see the man's back.

 

 The duck hybrid began sucking his own injured fingers. As he walked closer to the man, but all he could hear was laughter coming from the man.

 

Suddenly, faint words started echoing in Quackity's ears.

 

ₚ ᵤ ₘₚₖ ᵢ ₙ …

 

Quackity stopped sucking his fingers and flinched as he tried to clean his ear but the words kept echoing 

 

ғ ₗ ₐ ₜₜ ᵧ

 

Quackity heard a thud before refacing the ram man. The man slammed his hand down on the podium and pointed dramatically into the distance while shouting.

 

 

 

ₑᵣₑ ₐₜₜᵤₒ ₘₑ' ₜₑԍ !ₜᵢₙₙᵢYₘₒₜ ᴅₙₐ ₜₒₒₛ ᵣᵤᵦₗᵢ𝑤 ғₒ ₚᵢₛₙₑᵢₜᵢʗ ₑₜ ₑₖₒᵥₑᵣ ₒₜ ₛᵢ ᵧᵣₜₙᵤₒʗ ₜₐₑᵣԍ ₛᵢₕₜ ᵳₒ ,ᵣₒᵣₑₚₘₑ ₑₕₜ ,𝑔ᵣₑ♭ₙₐₘ'ₗ ᵳₒ ₜₙₑ𝓭ᵢₛₑᵣₚ ₑₕₜ ₛₐ!

 

 

 

After these strange noises and words disappeared into thin air, he noticed the horned man had stopped laughing and was now coughing uncontrollably while holding what appeared to be an empty bottle in one hand, and clutching his chest with the other.

 

 

 

Quackity stood at a crossroads: run away from the strange scene or go help the man. Quackity wasn't heartless, but he was also confused and disturbed, which is why he initially turned to flee. 

 

But suddenly, he felt something squishy beneath his foot. He gazed down to find...

 

"Yikes!" Quackity let out a horrified yell, his expression turned into pure green. 

 

Right beneath him, was a squished bloody heart. As if that wasn't enough, he then saw his past self appear, looking like a grimful mess. Past!Quackity picked up the organ and, to Quackity's horror, took a big bite out of it. 

 

Just when he thought things couldn't get any worse, past!Quackity flashed a grin, his teeth all filled with blood and singing…Sorta, in fact, It's more like he’s screaming with a terribly unsettling voice that could shatter the glass.

 

Shit, I really had a shitting voice in the pa- Quackity shook his head for the million turn, thinking that must not be the part he should be scared of.

 

The voice was becoming so strange and unpleasant, it felt like a burning sensation in his ears. 

 

Burning...

 

THE MOTHELLEH NI GNINRUB SI REKCUF

 

“Is he fucking singing backward?” Quackity thought to himself.

 

DAED EH

 

LLEH NI S'YDOB SIH DNA!

 

 

 

 

The voice was driving Quackity up the wall as he yelped in disgust and horror at the sight of his past self screaming those words backwards with bloody teeth. Quackity swallowed the urge to vomit as he shut his eyes, changed course, and bolted from whatever nightmare that was. Why on earth did his past self do that?!

 

Maybe it's just a fucked up dream blending with the recollection of his past self's bad action, but who is that man with horns and why was past!Quackity devouring that freshly organ while singing like a maniac?! Maybe that organ was a sign of the torture he done to Dream or some shit?

 

As luck would have it or not ,Quackity finally stopped running, opened his eyes, and braced himself for whatever other nightmares he is about to see.

 

But when he opened his eyes, things seemed...blurry. 

 

He could sense something touching his shoulders, maybe they are purple flakes. He must have back to the void room. Everything was hazy, and what the heck that weird images was flashing before his eyes just before-

 

But then, Quackity's memory jogged back to something far more important than that.

 

"Chalulah?" he frantically called out, only to be met with silence instead of his friend's calm voice. He couldn't even see clearly! Was it because of the light that the former manager had just flashed at him?

He couldn’t see anything, nor hear any sound that could assure him she was still there.

 

Mr. Duck had really taken her away...

 

"N-no," Quackity stuttered, feeling horror grip his breath, “Chalulah?!” he tried again, but received no response.

 

What had he done...?

 

She was gone. He had failed Philza his friend, his only friend who had brought him relief and company and saved him many times on their long road.

 

 

No eres malo papá, te amo.

 

 

"CHALULAH!"

 

 

 

 

Quackity shouted one last time, but there was still no response.

 

He was alone, unable to see anything.

 

..

 

…

 

 

 

Quackity knelt in despair, but then felt something in his hands. It was hard to make out clearly, but he could see that there were two things.

 

 one of them orange. The sense was warm... Feathers. They must have fallen from Tallulah. Quackity swallowed hard.

 

He closed his eyes...the promise...Grian. He would never betray them. Grian wouldn't betray Phil, wouldn't he?

 

 

“G…Please, come back…”

 

His voice trembled as he spoke those words, hoping for the parrot hybrid to return or even anything to happen.

 

 

For the first time ever since he lost his memoires, he lost someone dear to him…

 

 

 

The card tower had collapsed one more time.

 

…

 

 

..

 

.

Notes:

Title drop The end!

Just kidding…

I’m back! After some long days at school, I finally managed to write this chapter, which is why it’s longer than the last one.
And sorry for the format, something wrong was happening with my google docs so I had to scrape everything into Microsoft Word, using it felt kind of strange.

And AGAIN, Tallulah will be okay, I promise!

Just to clear up any confusion, in this AU, Hermitcraft is kind of set to season 9, but I thought it would be funny if Pearl decided to make the postal service now because of the suspension hehe

This chap in nutshell : Grian and Dream are preparing for prison break lore 2.0, Hermits going Fedex style, Xisuma questions his life choices, Q and Tallulah going through hell meanwhile Punz and EX are having a toxic yaoi moment.

Punz 🤝 Quackity
Losing their vision in the same fic

Chapter 18: Thank you…

 

 

No longer does it matter how many times he blinks or attempts to shut his eyes and reopen them. 

 

And no longer does it matter what he hears. The only thing he can hear now is the waving rustling of the flakes flying through the room.

 

Quackity couldn’t feel anything but his hands clutching the feathers slowly, the touch of them offered no solace to the duck hybrid however. His chest was once brimming with anger and worry, but now it’s merely worry, and then it… turns into a deep sense of regret.

 

Nothing about this is fair. They had all the time to escape at least! Why did they have to take her now?! Were the authorities on it, or did the federation catch wind of Grian? Was Grian tried to save them but end up getting caught himself?!

 

He can't stop thinking about what Tallulah hinted at about the experiments. Will they do the same to her again or something even worse? The worry and grief creeps back in for the duck hybrid.

 

But... there has to be hope, right? Quackity starts to believe, stroking those feathers. If only Tallulah hadn't dropped the one Quackity gave her. His own orange feather at least from the one she considered her father figure. Still, Quackity hoped Grian...or ANYONE could swoop in to save them.

 

The duck hybrid then sat with his hands resting on his knees, his fingers had lost feeling from rubbing against the feathers. But then, he felt a gentle tickle on his neck, almost as if a breeze had just brushed against it. 

 

He tried to push away any worried thoughts rolling in his mind, but they kept merging into a jumble of unintelligible mix of fear and rue. Once more, the tickle of air grazed his neck, and it was very painful to avoid it. 

 

Quackity swallowed hard and eventually gave up, deciding to close his eyes, thinking it would alleviate the feeling of seeing nothing. He kept his eyes shut...until they started itching to be opened again for no apparent reason. 

 

With a grimace, he unwillingly opened them. His bad vision seemed to be returning somehow…fine?

 

But all he could make out now was a figure in a big room…How could he see that yet cannot see the void?

 

Maybe it was just his imagination coming to life before his eyes.

Quackity blinked in the second check when he moved his fingers and realized he was holding nothing. He jumped up in confusion, where are the feathers?! He looked up to see someone in the distance, which had paused him to think about his own question.

 

His past self appeared again, looking just as a mess as before. He couldn't help but cringe at the image of seeing himself devouring the raw heart and singing like a madman.

 

Out of nowhere, some other people popped up next to Past!Q. One of them was having a brown hair and wearing a hoodie with different colors.

 

…

 

Hold on…that dude with the brown hair and hoodie looks like the guy he spotted on the posters at Karl's library. Could that be his ex-fiancé the time traveler? And what in the name of Notch was his past self doing he-No, who were all these people, and what were they doing here?

 

But as soon as he blinked, it felt like he had teleported to another place, but this place looked eerily similar to Past!Q's office. 

Quackity stepped back when he noticed his past self lounging in a chair. He was about to bolt, but he stared at Past!Q just sitting there, completely absorbed in a piece of paper with a pen in hand. Quackity tilted his head, puzzled that the fact nobody he was staring at didn’t seem to notice him at all.

 

Suddenly, he heard footsteps and braced himself, thinking it could be Foolish. But when he turned around, it was a guy in a dirty coat who looked a bit off, his hair was all messed up, and his face resembled something stitched together like a zombie.

 

The man had both hands shoved in his coat pockets, and a cigarette dangled from his lips as he mumbled something Quackity couldn’t quite catch.

 

The man walked past Quackity, and the duck hybrid was on the verge of stepping aside, but the man simply walked by as if Quackity was a ghost. 

 

Quackity felt an odd sensation as the man seemed to walk right through him, turning just in time to face Past!Quackity. The man in the coat settled down next to his past self, chatting away, but Quackity couldn’t make out a single word they were saying.

 

Bored out of his mind, he walked out of the office, only to feel as if he had already exited the building. A bit further away, he couldn’t see any of the Las Nevadas buildings, except for a cottage that looked similar to the one he and Tallulah had spotted when leaving the country.

 

There were two individuals engaged in conversation over there, and Quackity shook his head in confusion. How did his past self end up there? And isn’t that the fox man? Is this supposed to be the moment when his past self first crossed paths with him?

 

The vision shifted rapidly towards Quackity, the itch from that dust that had stung his eyes hours earlier was creeping back as he rubbed them. Just in time to see he had teleported again, this time, the room felt more spacious, a dining table surrounded by a bunch of lights, yet the atmosphere was dark and unsettling.

 

Quackity observed a crowd of people clad in dresses and suits, huddled together, their faces painted with fear, and a few clutching weapons. The air was filled with chaos as he turned to spot another group that are also elegantly dressed, but their bodies and faces were entangled by red vines… Vines, he was pretty sure he had heard about those from Badbo-

 

Quackity's eyes widened as he recognized one of the individuals…Foolish?

 

 Foolish was looking as if he had been seized, a sword poised at his neck by someone who appeared to be a cat hybrid. But what rattled him even more was the sight of Bad, who wore a smirk that was somehow disconcerting.

 

A light bulb moment struck him out of nowhere. He vaguely recalled something about Foolish, causing him to jolt in shock.

 

“I'm pretty sure Ant didn't mean to kill Foolish… “

 

Bad have mentioned something about it earlier, but could it be that cat guy responsible for Foolish's death that Bad and ponk mentioned? Antfri- Antfo- Quackity couldn't quite remember the name, but it rang a bell.

 

Could that be the egg cult everyone from the Dreamsmp were talking about?

 

A high-pitched scream sliced through the air as he glanced at the group again, spotting a woman with horns in a red gown pleading (though it sounded more like a threat if begging didn’t do the trick).

 

And just like that, he caught sight of Foolish smiling, right before he vanished as the sword struck him.

 

Quackity recoiled in horror at the sight of his past life friend meeting such a fate, what the fuck did Foolish do to deserve this?! Q was pretty sure Bad mentioned something about it not being intentional, but why did they do this to Foolish anyway? What is going on?!

αη tƒ яσѕ t!, уσυ ' яє ∂ єα D!

 

He heard the same woman scream as he tried to flee the scene, but then something caught his attention and he turned… Only to find his past self there, gripping an axe, looking ready to spill some good blood. The same axe he saw from past!Q's room.  

 

His eyes widened when he noticed past!Q standing before a much larger figure, crowned and wielding an even bigger axe.

 

Quackity struggled to identify who that was, but alas, it was too late and the moment he blinked, the scene shifted once more.

 

The room was a vast emptiness like the void, yet a pure white instead of being made of bedrocks. As he looked around, he spotted a towering building resembling a needle and he was fairly certain he had seen one like it in Las Nevadas. Quackity squinted to get a better look at the building, which was so tall it was hard to see clearly. The view was distant, but he could make out two figures inside the needle, one must be Past!Quackity, and the other appeared to have green skin a-

 

“Charlie!”, Quackity's eyes widened, even though he didn’t know him well yet, he missed that guy. At least it was something he could see as he contemplated walking toward the building, hoping to witness what was unfolding between his past self and the slime hybrid.

Yσυ ҽɳʝσყ ƚσɾƚυɾιɳɠ ɱҽ!

 

Quackity paused when that agonizing voice pierced the air. He turned around, only to find nothing there. When he turned back, the needle had vanished, replaced by empty space where his younger self, flanked by two others. One was the man in the coat again, and the other a blond sporting a white and red shir-

 

Quackity thought, could that be Tommy?

 

 

 The one Tallulah and everyone else have been talking about? As much as he wished he could hear what his past self and the others were discussing, he felt a strange relief that he couldn’t, as it looked like they were in the middle of a fierce argument. And the guy in the coat seemed to be doing most of the shouting at the younger man.

 

Wait a second...Watching the two argue, however, triggered another thought for Quackity.

 

…

 

..

 

Could that be Wilbur?

 

After all, there’s no other reason for Tallulah’s neglectful father to be in such a foul mood and yelling like that. A madman blowing apart his country, sure, but this one doesn’t quite add up anything.

 

Past!Q and the man in the coat turned their gazes toward ‘Tommy’, who looked like he was about to flinch. Quackity tilted his head at that, and just as he was about to investigate further, a paper slapped onto his face. 

 

When he peeled it off, it featured a picture. Beneath the picture, the word ‘wanted’ was scrawled. Quackity raised an eyebrow at that character, who resembled a piglin. With a crown on his head…That looked like something Tallulah had described before, which could mean it looked like Technobla-

 

Suddenly, the poster in his hand ignited, making Quackity to back away with a hiss. He puffed into his hands, trying to fan away the burn, but abruptly halted when he began to hear some… less than intelligent mumblings.

 

…

 

..

 

Quackity felt himself wanting to groan.

 

This whole ‘visions and images in your head revealing your lost memories’ is turning into a tiresome game now.

 

These visions are becoming increasingly random, is his memory returning just messing with him for kicks? How can he even have visions of his memories if he still can’t recall them?!

 

If he were in the server-recorder simulation, he wouldn’t be shocked…However, unlike the simulation, what he witnessed was crystal clear and not glitchy and only the scenes in front of him were flipping like TV channels.

 

“What now?!” Quackity groaned, turning around to find his past self standing there but in an apron stained with blood, holding the same axe. And there were a bunch of people with him, including someone who looked like the fox man and...wait, was that Philza?

 

What was Phil doing here?

 

Quackity felt a teensy-weensy bit of regret again. Maybe he should have stayed and listened to Philza retelling his past before leaving.

 

Just then, he heard a voice calling out. He turned to see someone who looked like Tubbo, but with shorter hair and a compass in hand, grinning while wearing the apron similar to past!Quackity's and the fox man's.

 

Could this have anything to do with his past? Phil had never mentioned anything about it, nor when Quackity visited the Dreamsmp, he hadn’t seen a single thing that could explain what he witnessed.

 

Could it be that this is something only his past self had, a secret that no one else knew? Could his past self have done terrible things, hidden away from the knowledge of others?

 

Quackity's head was spinning with confusion as he finally walked away from everyone. His hands felt like they were burning as he huffed into them again, but when he looked up, there was the slime hybrid again, right in front of him.

 

He saw Charlie being sweet and funny, so surely nothing bad could happen, right? As he walked toward him, he didn’t touch him because it was just his imagination, but when his hand reached for the slime hybrid, Charlie began to melt.

 

“Quac- Quackit,”

 

Quackity stepped back in fear when he heard mumbling in the air. It wasn’t coming from Charlie’s mouth, which was also melting, but his eyes were watching Quackity as if this was just a normal day. Quackity was about to run away again, but he heard the mumbling again.

 

“Th-thank you…”

 

Quackity looked around and then at Charlie, realizing the words were now coming from the melting lips of the slime hybrid. Was Charlie thanking him?

 

Quackity swallowed, fully aware that nothing here was real, but seeing Charlie like that was terrifying. He tried to speak, “Than-” he gulped again, “Thank me fo- for what?” he asked, worries filling him.

 

Charlie remained silent for what felt like an eternity, but eventually turned his face towards him as he began to dissolve more rapidly before the words became discernible.

 

“Thank you Forя teaєα¢нιηg мє ԋσɯ ƚσ Ⴆҽ a namuhHHHHHH-”

 

His disintegrating form transformed into a liquid that abruptly seeped into the ground like water drying out from the soil. Quackity grimaced, gritting his teeth; no matter how hard he tried to comprehend what he seeing, nothing puts two and two together in his mind!

 

Witnessing his former self devouring an organ, observing a horned figure die, seeing his old demi-god friend getting killed, and catching a glimpse of Wilbur(...?), these agonizing cries, and now watching someone as pure-hearted as Charlie melt away like ice was the final straw.

 

And if that wasn’t the final straw, one last echo of that painful voice returned for one last attempt.

Noo! 

 

Sir! PleAse!

Quackity's heart raced with panic as he turned, bracing himself for another sight of someone dying, but what he found was far more terrifying...

 

A half-lifeless body sprawled on the ground, body filled with injuries and drenched in blood. Quackity grimaced more as he rushed over. The figure was trembling with sobs, and as Quackity knelt beside it, he wondered who it could possibly be.

 

And oh, how much Quackity wished he hadn’t asked that question...

 

The body revealed its face, but it resembled a blank sheet of paper with two dots and a curved line beneath them. It looked similar to Dream’s mask, and-

 

Quackity felt his chest teetering on the edge, he clamped both hands over his mouth.

 

No... This can't be Dream, it just can't! Dream had definitely shown him the depths of his torture, let alone the ‘:]’ scar. Yet, the sight of Dream in such a state, especially these were past!Q doings, filled Quackity's eyes with even more horror.

 

Dream had done bad things too…But did what I did to him warrant this…?

 

Dream merely stared at him, trembling uncontrollably and begging for mercy. And Quackity could do nothing but scream.

His finger was burning again, and at this of all moments, Quackity let out a deep groan and itched as he glanced at his hand to blow on it, but halted when he realized the ring was unexpectedly getting so tight on his finger that it was drawing blood. Quackity couldn’t feel pain, but the sight of his finger bleeding from the ring made him wince as he removed it. But just as he was about to tuck it into his pocket, the ring slipped from his grasp and fell to the ground.

 

Quackity redirected his attention only to notice that Dream had disappeared. He turned back to grab the ring, but stopped short to kneel as he was faced with someone right in front of him, out of thin air.

 

The individual was a man with raven hair and a bandana wrapped around his head. Quackity thought to awkwardly compliment his ‘nice hair style’ if it weren’t for the dreadful sights he had just witnessed.

Yet, Quackity couldn’t help but notice the fiery gaze fixated on the man’s eyes, as he walked slowly towards Quackity with clenched teeth.

 

Quackity felt another sense of panic as he cautiously stepped back, bewildered by how the man was walking toward him for no reason, despite his mind insisting this wasn’t real. The bandana man growled menacingly at Quackity as he cast his gaze downward. Quackity followed suit and noticed he was staring at the ring. The bandana-wearing man swiftly picked it up and presented it to the duck hybrid. 

 

Q felt spooked but tried to act grateful, “Uh, sorry!” he forced a nervous smile, “I mean, thanks for picking it up for me-”

 

The ring was suddenly somehow crushed by the hand of the man with the bandana, turning it into tiny pieces, leaving Quackity staring in it with shock and confusion. 

 

"What the hell! Why did you do that?!" he exclaimed, about to shout at the man for destroying one of his ex's rings.

 

Perhaps Quackity should have observed before reacting, especially when he noticed the hand of the man with the bandana was also wearing rings that were just as golden as the other one. Both rings bore letters of…

 

Quackity can’t even count how many times he’s been left speechless by these visions. Those rings were identical to the ones he spotted in the…

 

"Sa-Sapnap?" Quackity hoped he pronounced the name correctly, but the bandana man didn’t utter a word. His lips twisted into a more miserable look as he turned away.

 

"Sapnap, uh…" Quackity cleared his throat, unsure of what to say. His mind retold this wasn’t real again, yet a part of him desperately wanted to address the one who was supposed to be one of his exes.

 "Listen, I-Sapnap, it’s a long tale. Some evil pe-some organization wiped my memory clean, and I can’t recall much about you-I mean!" Quackity halted, biting his lip, "I can’t remember much about who I am or some of you."

 

‘Sapnap’ remained silent as Quackity tasted something metallic on his lips from biting them too hard, "I was trying to send a letter to you... well, never mind that," Quackity said, resisting the urge to scream in confusion. He awkwardly forced a tearful smile and added, "But hey, your- I mean, our other husband also lost his memories!"

 

Rubbing his eyes to stop them from watering, Quackity didn't realize that his ex's hands were burning with fire. With a shaky voice, he yelled, "So I guess we're even, right? Right?!" But he quickly backed away as a large flame came towards him.

 

Quackity squawked and dodged the flames, his wings getting singed in the process however. Despite feeling no pain, he vigorously fanned his wings to get rid of the fire from them, “Wait, Sapnap! I'm really sorry,” Coughing from the smoke, he tried to explain, "I..."

 

But he halted when he found himself encircled by a ring of fire blocking his path, and not just the flames but also ‘Sapnap’ and a few others. Some of them were familiar to Quackity, while others were complete strangers.

 

Karl stood beside ‘Sapnap’, wearing the same scowl, while Wilbur lurked behind that blond teen. The fox man was next to Tubbo, and nearby were Foolish and a figure in a purple hoodie. There was also a very tall individual with an odd black and white skin pattern and burning scars beneath their eyes.

 

Quackity felt his eyes twitching as he reached his limit, “I- I still don’t know all of you! I just-” His eyes began to well up, not from the sight of all the people he ASSUMED he had let down, but from sheer confusion and overwhelming shock. 

 

He turned to the one he once viewed as an immortal assistant, “Uh shit, except for yo- you, Foolish! You are my assistant a- and have been friends with another god an-” he gulped, avoiding to even talk about the demi-god's death, still perplexed by that part.

 

He turned to the goat hybrid, "A- and Tubbo, you used to work for me, and you had a husband wh- who was killed or whatever," he suddenly noticed Tubbo moving, and the man with the burned scars shot him a look that was the most judgmental he had ever encountered even more than Grian.

 

Quackity waved it off as he faced the fox in the hat, "And uh, you? Fuck, I wish I had said something that would've made you reveal your name! B- but at least I know you probably despised Wilbur's guts," he gestured towards the man in the coat, only to realize he was actually pointing at Tommy. Quackity took a deep breath and continued, "And maybe you weren't too keen on the fact I was with hi-"

 

The fox turned away, the fire circle was getting worse as Quackity gulped and recalled something, "And Charlie! Yes, him! - I also just realized he was my assistant too and- he- he was quite good at drawing a-" Quackity hiccuped, closing his eyes, "And he always calls me-"

 

"Quackity from Las Nevadas..."

 

Quackity felt his body stiffen like stone as he turned to see Charlie...Somehow alive, but his body had changed, he was a bit human before but now he was more of a slimy green and looked furious just like the others.

 

"Charlie?" Quackity murmured, not knowing what to do or say. Charlie began to walk slowly towards the duck hybrid while the others followed him. The fire was escalating and Quackity felt sweat trickling down his forehead, unsure if it was from the flames or the fear.

 

Quackity tried to plead, "Wha- whatever I did to you, I’m really sorry," but Charlie’s face was unyielding, and so were the others. They all stared at Quackity like he was a criminal in a courtroom, like the biggest fool in the entire universe.

 

"I..." Quackity blinked through his watery eyes, "I don’t have time for this," as he refused to think more over all this nonsense, his sorrow morphing into fury.

"My- my friend is in danger and I don't have time for-" and his anger flared even more when all what he still receiving were those glares.

 

The duck hybrid clenched his teeth tighter, "What the fuck do you want me to say?!" he shouted, jabbing his finger at each person, "At least I saved all your lives! You were all about to be wiped out by a nuke if I hadn’t acted!"

 

He sniffed and paused, realizing the expressions were changing gradually, yet the anger in their eyes remained. Quackity inhaled deeply, feeling remorse again, "I- I understand this has nothing to do with my actions. I don't even know all the wrongs I’ve done yet, b-but, just give me a moment-"

 

“Big Q?”

Quackity sensed the fire from the circle shifting as he turned his head over his shoulder to glance back, spotting someone larger than himself, the very individual wielding that enormous axe. They looked like a storm of fury, advancing toward the duck hybrid without uttering a word.

“Big Q, wake up.”

Quackity collapsed to the ground, inching away from the threat.

“Quackity?”

And the so-called Blood God swung the axe toward the wicked one's eye-

“QUACKITY?!”

 

Quackity raised his fist, about to punch against whatever was about to strike him even if it wouldn't stop the axe, only to be met with a scream after he did it.

 

“Ow! Dude, why the heck did you do that?!” 

 

The voice was so familiar, it sounded like...

 

"G?" Quackity whispered, worried that it might just be another fake vision.

 

"G?! Is- Is that really you?" Quackity asked aloud, feeling his breath quicken as his eyesight started to blur again. He couldn't make sense of it, all the visions he had seen were really fake. But he hoped that unclear image of that person next to him was the parrot hybrid, and at least the voice was a close match.

 

Q felt the soft feathers in his hand, he ran his fingers over his other hand as he felt something metallic.

Still wearing the ring, clutching the feathers, the horrible air and the sound of the rustling of the flakes, along with the voice of someone he had feared would betray them.

  

 

Quackity gasped for air and repeated, "G! Is it really y-?"

 

Grian swiftly replied, "Yes, Q! It's me, Grian, from the championship we met at."

 

Feeling relieved, Quackity rested his head on Grian's chest, too overwhelmed to embrace him back. But Grian gently rubbed his back as Quackity felt a sense of calm. After a moment, Grian shook his shoulders, causing Quackity to look up. Despite not being able to see Grian clearly, he heard the parrot hybrid ask, "Quackity, are you okay?"

 

Quackity blinked several times before stammering, "I saw some terrible things and was hallucinating. Is it really..." Unable to finish his sentence, Quackity let out a deep sigh to regain his cool, struggling to recall everything he saw.

 

“Big Q, What happened to your eyes? Can you see me?"

 

Quackity heard Grian's question and didn't hesitate to respond, "I can’t see clearly! The federation blasted the light in my face!" 

 

Grian let out a small gasp and then after a few seconds he requested, "Oka- Okay, calm down. I have an idea, just hold still."

 

Quackity couldn't see well what Grian was doing, but he closed his eyes and felt something on his face near his nose. When he opened his eyes, he could see Grian perfectly. However, there were two guards behind Grian, keeping a close...'eye' on him. 

 

Quackity touched his own face and realized he was now wearing glasses and couldn't help but stick out his tongue in amusement. He never thought he would end up looking like a nerd, but at least he could see clearly now.

"There! I knew these glasses would come in handy," said Grian, before being embraced by Quackity again.

 

"G, it's really you! I-" Quackity began, but halted upon noticing Grian's bleeding nose. "Oh shit, you-"

 

Grian interrupted with a snarl, "Yeaaaaaah," followed by a deadpan expression, "You punched me in the face."

 

Quackity tilted his head in confusion, then suddenly realized what happened. He tried to speak, but Grian covered his mouth. "It's okay," Grian reassured softly as he wiped out the blood away from his nose, "That's not important. I came back to save you two, but..." his expression turned worried, "...where is she?"

 

Quackity tensed up, causing Grian to repeat with more urgency, "Big Q! Where is Tallulah?!" He gripped Quackity's shoulders tighter. "She was supposed to be here-"

 

Grian was met with the loudest yell he had ever heard. And it also made the guards flinch suddenly.

 

"Chalulah!" Quackity cried out, gripping his hair in worry and horror. He looked around the void frantically, realizing again that his friend STILL really had been taken away. "They've taken her, G!" Quackity stammered in panic.

 

Grian's eyes widened in shock as Quackity struggled to explain, "The manag- M- Mr.duck said they're going to start testing on her now! They blinded me with the light and snatched her away!"

 

Enraged, Grian turned to the guards, thinking if they had heard everything. He then faced Quackity again, clenching his fists. "That evil-" he sucked in a breath,”I don’t usually curse but-“ he muttered through gritted teeth, “Mr. Duck? More like Mr. suck a Dick!”

 

Quackity internally wished he said that first as he took a shaky gasp, "A-and I don't know what happened after that, I was seeing strange visions and-"

Grian interrupted him with a sharp tone, "Sheesh, Q, I've heard enough," his glare intense like a crocodile.

 

"And I don’t think we have much time," the parrot hybrid voice grew solemn. Quackity adjusted his glasses and noticed the guards slowly approaching from behind Grian, their guns starting to rise, clearly suspicious of them.

 

Grian shut his eyes, "We need to hurry," he whispered, standing up and spreading his wings, waving them until a bow and arrows fell from them. He must have been hiding them.

 

The guards quickly spotted them and raised their guns to fire, only for Grian to swiftly take the weapons and shoot an arrow into one guard's neck. The guard crumpled as the other began firing darts at Grian, but the parrot hybrid was dodging each one with finesse.

 

Quackity was watching the scene in awe but carefully moved away from them. Grian soared around the purple flakes, flapping his wings to send them flying towards the guard to divert their attention. 

 

Swiftly, Grian darted towards the guard, striking them in the stomach as they grimaced in pain and dropped their weapon, though the device remained in their other hand. Grian quickly killed the guard with an arrow to the head, causing the device to clatter to the ground.

 

Grian snatched up the device and turned to the duck hybrid, who was totally awestruck. "Whoa, that...was... Aweso-Mmmm" Quackity quickly got hushed by Grian. 

 

"Yeah yeah, it was badass, let's go!" The parrot hybrid urged, quickly grabbing Quackity's hand as he pressed the button and dashed towards the glowing X, with the flakes swirling around them once more.

 

And the feathers were dropped into the ground along with the tower.

 

…

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Notes:

Little note that what Quackity saw was from the original timeline of the Dreamsmp, rather than the alternated one.

That chapter was intended to be longer, including the rescue of Tallulah and the breakout but I noticed its mood swipe especially after Quackity getting slightly traumatized from the visions he experienced so I decided to cut the chapter just as I did with the previous chapters.

The next chapt will be the rescue and the breakout, although it may take me much longer time to write, as I realized that writing action parts and locations was quite as hell!

Chapter 19: But the game is not over...

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Back to the room with the devices and the computer, the guards were ever vigilant as they watched the screen loading and the X and circle beginning to glow before the light hit. 

 

In a swift reaction, the guards sprang into action when it was revealed that it was the parrot hybrid but with the prisoner attempting to escape.

 

Grian and Quackity frantically brushed off the flakes from their bodies before seeking cover under the table attached to the mental chair near the consoles. 

 

They shielded themselves from the darts. Good thing the former manager did not come with Grian to the void room, but the game remained with the endless stream of guards.

 

"Do not look up! Big Q!" The parrot hybrid exclaimed as he readied his bow and began firing at the approaching guards. Despite the hits, more guards were on their way, with one heading straight for them. 

 

Quackity bit his lip, but then something formed in his mind. He turned to the mental chair and pushed it forward, spreading his wings.

 

Grian glanced at him, and Quackity quickly directed, "G, help me push that towards the door! Uh, is the door over there sort of open?" 

 

Grian slightly leaped out of the chair, dodging darts, and nodded, a slight smirk appearing on his lips. Placing his hands on the chair, the two hybrids spread their wings and pushed the chair by dashing, barreling through the guards and breaking the door in one fell swoop.

 

As they stood in the hallway leading to the central hall, Grian turned to Quackity, "Now that was a smart move." he remarked, only to furrow his brow as he spotted another bunch of guards hot on their trail. Grian's expression turned serious. "Let’s keep moving! We are running out of time."

 

And the duck hybrid didn’t waste any of that time in following suit as they sprinted down the hallway. One of the guards, barely able to stand after being hit by the chair, managed to hit the alarm button before collapsing as the building erupted in a flurry of red lights and blaring sirens.

Quackity and Grian zipped through the hallway at whirlwind speed, ignoring the alarm and flashing red lights.

 

As the alarm slowly faded and so did the red lights, Grian and Quackity walked slowly like a pair of snails, till reaching a corner where they could hide. Grian cautiously peeked out, only to swiftly duck back as he spotted a group of guards armed to the teeth.

 

"There must be a way to find her," Grian mused. Quackity raised an eyebrow at the firework rocket in Grian's hand.

"Okay, You've said we're running out of time, but what are we exactly going to do?" he whispered. Grian replied in a hushed tone, "Dream set up a bomb under the state, I've hidden all our gears and stuff with my wings, and the server admin is waiting for us. We need to find Tallulah before the big bang-"

 

Quackity blinked, “Wait, Dream is helping us?” and then his eyes lightened up, "My god! We're really going to blow shit u-" he was about to blurt out, only for Grian to shush him quickly before any guards overheard.

Giving the duck hybrid a stern look, Grian said, "Yes, but we have to be quiet," And off they went, tiptoeing away to avoid any trouble.

 

They stopped to take a breath and Quackity stood with his hands on his hips, feeling a mix of excitement and concern that Grian REALLY was going to break them out using the hard way.

 

Adjusting the glasses, Quackity spotted something on the ground and picked it up. His eyes widened in shock as he realized what it is, "G! It's Tallulah's hearing aids! They must have taken her over that way," He pointed to the direction.

 

Grian spun around as he put the rocket into his pocket, "Great observation, let's go!" he grabbed Quackity's hand again and whisked both of themselves away to the direction.

 

However, both stopped when Grian noticed shadowy silhouettes approaching. Quackity looked around in panic, but Grian quickly spotted an air vent up on the ceiling, shouting, "Up there, Q!" as they both dashed up to the vent. Using an arrow, Grian pried it open and let Quackity go in first before following behind.

 

The vent grille fell to the floor with a very loud thud, catching the guards' attention. Grian and Quackity crawled as quickly as they could, with Grian grabbing the blueprint. Quackity turned to him, fighting the urge to make a movie reference, when they heard some noises.

 

Quackity whispered, “I hear people talking,” Grian asked, “In what language?” 

 

Quackity gave him a deadpan look before replying (For the sake of Tallulah), “It sounds like Spanish, I thin-”

 

“ThatexactlywhatIwantedtohearletgo!” Grian said hastily as they resumed crawling in the direction of the voices. As the talking grew louder and Grian gestured for silence. They found another vent ahead, and Quackity looked nervous. 

 

“Let me handle this,” Grian reassured him as he walked towards the vent and peered down.

 

Grian's eyes widened in horror. He saw two faceless individuals just like the guards but in scientist outfits, armed with weapons and what appeared to be experimental potions. Grian's mind raced about the potion part, but he quickly refocused on the sight of the poor kid in the corner.

 

Tallulah was there still cuffed, but her wings were bound to the wall, looking out cold. Grian was 'thankful' he was the one to see that, if it had been Philza or EVEN Quackity, they would have lost their marbles.

 

“What’s going on down there, G?” Quackity asked with concern, but Grian remained silent as he broke open the vent and dashed into the room. Quackity gasped and followed, hesitating to jump down.

 

The faceless figures were stunned and one of them fell in shock, as one of them got swiftly punched by the unforgiving force of the ex-watcher.

 

Grian promptly knocked the individual unconscious, little did he know the other figure preparing to shoot a dart at him from behind. Turning around too late, Grian didn't resigned himself to get tranquilized again... only to witness Quackity beat the faceless individual in the back of the head with the vent grille.

 

Grian sighed in relief as Quackity set down the grille and gave him a thumb up. While not expressing his gratitude verbally at that moment, Grian might plan in a joke way to throw a big feast for Quackity to thank him once they go back to the server.

 

As Grian looked around, he noticed a key on the tables that reminded him of the key Mr. Duck had used to unlock his cuffs before. Meanwhile, Quackity heard a stirring sound and turned to see Tallulah starting to wake up.

 

Quackity gasped in dread, but Grian tapped him on the shoulder and held out a key. "Take care of Tallulah, I'll check for any guards-"

 

Without letting Grian even finish, Quackity snatched the key and hurried towards the dragon hybrid.

"Lulah!" he cried out, dropping to his knees beside her. He quickly checked her over, relieved to see she was unharmed except for the tight and painful cuffs still binding her wings.

 

Quackity bit his lip and shook Tallulah in fret, "Chalulah! Are you ok? Speak to me!" Slowly, the girl opened her eyes and whispered, "P...Papi?"

 

Quackity frowned even more as she mentioned the word. Was she referring to Philza or Wilb- Nah, it was most likely Philza, but Quackity still held a grudge towards the angel of death. He knelt beside Tallulah, "Oh, Chalulah…" 

 

Tallulah rubbed her eyes, and then blinked at the duck hybrid in front of her, "Q-Quackity?"

 

Quackity's eyes welled up a bit as he nodded eagerly with a faint grin forming on his face, "Yes, it's me," But then he paused as he pulled the key and moved behind her, "Ah, don't worry, we-"

 

He was cut off by Tallulah grabbing a part of his shirt, "What did you sa- Q- Quackity, my ear-" she rubbed her ear, prompting Quackity to snap his fingers in realization before pulling out the other hearing aid from his pocket, "How the fuck could I forget? Here's the other one."

 

Tallulah massaged her forehead as she slowly donned the aid, “Thanks-ah,” she winced, “M- my head…”

 

"Are you alright?" Quackity inquired again, his irritation was showing as he struggled to unlock the cuffs, "Uh, at least you didn’t slip into the long 'coma with a bad ending' again." 

 

Tallulah felt as if she were adrift in an ocean until she gradually came to her senses and murmured, "N- no? I felt like I was on a cloud or something,"

 

These faceless people did better not put her in some kind of drugs, Quackity mused.

 

He then let out a massive sigh of relief, "Well, it’s a good thing they didn’t do anything awful to you," Surprisingly, he never thought he would feel such joy at seeing his friend in good shape…Well, not fully good. The duck hybrid felt a bit of regret for seeing her frightened at first. But thank Notch, they made it just in time before anyone could hurt her.

 

Once Tallulah heard the click of the cuffs finally unlocked, she let out a hiss as she turned over her shoulder, only to quickly turn away in terror at the sight of her own discolored scars on her wings. Her breath shook as she fought back tears. 

 

Quackity frowned, “Uh, Okay, here!” he again made sure to give some distance, repeating, "Repeat after me, with me, like before," and began counting. 

 

Tallulah hesitated, rubbed her eyes, and then started to breathe in sync with Quackity until her breathing calmed, ending with a deep sigh.

 

Grian walked toward them and covered his mouth when he saw the dragon hybrid’s wings.

 

Oh my...Void, they were much worse than his, and no amount of potions or ointments could heal them quickly. 

 

Feeling a pang of sympathy, Grian sighed and turned towards the door, checking for any guards but stopped once he noticed a cabinet that was slightly open. Being curious as he is, he walked over it and found a bunch of papers and a few folders inside.

 

Sure Grian got enough info about the federation, (which he mostly doesn’t buy much of). But maybe he could find more here.

 

As Grian flipped through the papers, he mostly found names of locations. He squinted at one particular word, "Purgatory? What the heck is that?"

 

He then decided to take a closer look at one of the folders as he opened it and found text and pictures of what looked like eggs. Each egg had a different custom and clothes, but when he came across the one with a beanie, it sparked a memory of Tallulah mentioning to him about her beanie being burned.

 

"These must be the dragon eggs then," Grian said as he turned to the other folder, but was immediately drawn to a group of vials neatly arranged in a slot in the cabinet. One in particular, containing a mysterious purple liquid, piqued his curiosity. Raising an eyebrow, he contemplated whether it could be a potion or poison. With some hesitation, he opened the vial and placed a drop on his finger before putting it on his tongue.

 

At first, there was no noticeable effect. But, suddenly, a strange sensation began to creep into his brain, feeling oddly familiar. It was as if the same numerous eyes he used to be part of were watching him now, causing his wings to instinctively twitch and his eyes to glow purpler than before. Overwhelmed with shock, he almost dropped the vial, shaking his head in disbelief.

 

The sensation triggered something he had experienced before. Cooing in suspicion, "No, it can't be…”

 

Grian remembered about the fact that the federation had somehow managed to steal some of XD's powers during their connection. This could mean they didn't just steal the god of creation abilities...

 

As the effects started to wear off, Grian noticed the glow in his eyes fading along and so the eyes. He found himself glaring, even though he had lost interest in the Watchers and his own kind long ago. Perhaps the glare was on the fact that the federation was planning an even bigger threat with even more power than memory wipe and dragon powers.

 

After calming Tallulah, Quackity suddenly heard the guards' footsteps approaching. He turned to see Grian looking in the vials. Quackity groaned and exclaimed, "G! I thought you said you were checking! What are you doing, playing chemist?!"

 

Grian quickly turned to him and replied, "It's nothing, just hold on a second," realizing that there wasn't much time left for the bomb to explode at any moment.

 

He swiftly went through the rest of the vials, filled with the powers of other gods. Grian couldn't let that happen, so he opened the entire drawer, gathered all the vials and stuffed them into his pocket along with the folder he hadn't looked through yet.

 

Feeling someone hugging his leg, Grian looked down to see Tallulah.

"I know it...", Tallulah gazed up at the parrot hybrid, wiping away her earlier tears, "Mr. Grian, I know you will come to save us!"

 

Grian chuckled softly, "It's a promise between us avians, remember?" 

 

Tallulah didn't chuckle back though, instead she furrowed her brow, thinking about the fact that she didn't have the feathers anymore, "I...I lost them," she turned to Quackity, "Quackity, Do you know if-" 

 

But Grian gently patted her head, "No, no," he sighed. "The feathers... it's fine, they're not important now."

 

Tallulah's expression didn't change, but she nodded. Grian then turned to Quackity, "Q, her wings are in a horrible state now and she can't fly. Carry her on your back."

 

Quackity nodded and carefully positioned the girl behind his back. Grian quickly led them to hide behind a door as the guards approached. They closed the door quickly the time the guards entered the room but just before Quackity could stick out his tongue at them as an insult.

 

"Now, let's get out of here fast!" Grian urged as they began to make their escape.

…

 

..

 

.

Strolling through the snowy biome was starting to feel draggy. After taking down a few zombies and mobs for some extra tools (or it was getting a little boring), the idea of leaving the terrain early sounded like a refreshing change of pace.

And a more peaceful way to shake off the thought of that wicked egg and the vines that once overtook his skin...  

The mercenary heaved a sigh, watching his breath escape into the frosty air as he plopped down on the snowy ground, propping himself up against a tree.

 

There was always this nagging feeling that something was about to go down, so he sat there, patiently waiting for whatever was coming his way.

 

Just as he was starting to feel grateful that his ‘prayers’ were being answered in bits and pieces, a loud alarm cut through the eerie silence, making him look up at the dark, gloomy sky.

 

"Hey, psst..."

 

A red light in the sky, his reflexes had him on his feet, weapon at the ready.

 

The alarm kept echoing and echoing, seeming to come from somewhere that was considered a place for serving justice and keeping the 'monster' away.

 

 It looks like it's coming from the Pandor-

 

"Wake up, you slug!"

Feeling like he was in an earthquake, Punz shook his head, only to find darkness before his eyes. This must be a dream, they thought, but the alarm kept blaring in their ears.

Suddenly, he felt a finger snap and instinctively turned right, but a hand guided his head to the left. Punz let out a quiet growl, pushing the hand away. 

 

“Something afoot,” Ex whispered, silencing the mercenary.

 

Punz groaned beneath the hand and slowly sat up on the hospital bed, massaging their neck while the alarm continued to sound. How long had they been asleep?

 

EX moved the hospital curtains and turned towards the door, hiding. Fortunately, because of the red light and alarm filling the room, a guard ran towards to leave, while letting the door slightly ajar. With nobody in sight, EX took the opportunity to peek outside, gingerly opening the door. After scanning the hallway to the left and right, a smirk crossed EX's face as he saw no one in the path.

 

Punz couldn't see where EX had gone, but he could feel someone shaking his shoulders as he grumbled and averted his gaze away.

 

EX suddenly muttered, "Its all clear."

 

Punz raised an eyebrow in confusion, wondering what was going on as the alarm continued to blare in his ears, triggering the memory of the pandora vault again. Considering there are cells and prisons here too, he could sense that there might be an escapee in the federation's complex.

 

their thoughts were interrupted when they felt a hand grasp their own. "Get your hands off me!"

 

"Stop it!" EX hissed, focusing on the IV site on Punz's hand, slowly attempting to remove it, "I saw that bunny guy take this thing off of me, let me do it."

 

As he removed it, Punz gritted his teeth and rubbed his hand tenderly.

 

"Okay, now get up!" EX commanded, his eyes darting to the red alarm. With no guards in sight, this could be their opportunity to escape.

 

Punz remained silent, the bandages making his already blank expression even more expressionless; his hesitation to stand up indicated his suspicion. But then he felt a hand on his again, he was about to yell but EX yelled first, "No time to explain, this is our shot, man!"

 

Punz glared but was too worn out to throw a punch, as the clone swiftly lifted him off the bed like a mother would to her sleepy son.

 

The mercenary remembered something similar to what EX had said as he stopped resisting the man, asking, "Our shot? Is it really happenin-?"

 

"Yes!" EX quickly affirmed as they dashed out of the room, sprinting down the hallway, "This is our chance to escape!"

 

They quickly came to a stop when they reached an open door. Punz felt himself being pulled to the halt, confused by the sudden pause. His eyesight struggled to make sense of why EX had stopped them. But the sound of approaching footsteps urged them to move.

 

“Come to Mama!”

 

Punz became puzzled at the unexpected words. Meanwhile, EX was staring at his helmet on the nearby table, something that also had been taken from him by the federation. 

 

With a grin, he quickly put it on, his eyes glowing red once more. But before he could process it all, a sharp thud sounded as a hand struck him, turning him to face the mercenary.

 

Punz glared at him, although Punz was hoping he was directing his annoyance at the right person, "And you're saying we don't have time? What are you even doing-"

 

EX Adjusted the helmet, while feeling peeved that it slightly damaged, he let out an exasperated sigh, "None of your business. Let's just keep moving. There has to be an exit somewhere!"

 

As the red lights and alarms dimmed, much to EX's displeasure, it could mean either the situation is now under control or the escapee had been caught. Time was of the essence, and they had very little left.

 

The duo hurried down the hallway, with EX noting the absence of guards. It was a good sign, but EX couldn't shake off the worry of getting caught.

"Hang on a second!" he exclaimed, spotting a peculiar tool on the ground. He picked it up, realizing it was a firework rocket.

 

Feeling a rush of excitement, EX couldn't help but dream about how much he missed being 'evil' and lucky, "Ooo, now that's more like it," he chuckled without the need to even question where it came from. 

 

Punz let out a deep groan at the renewed silence, asking, "Now what?"

 

EX flashed a sly grin and tugged at his hand as he exclaimed, "Let's go, I have an idea!"

.

 

..

 

…

 

“Look, guys! I see an elevator over there!” Quackity exclaimed as they entered the massive central room but they were still in the underground. There were no guards present, so they decided to take the chance.

 

"Oh shit..." Quackity felt the chance ruined when he saw that the elevator was blocked off with tapes and barriers, even the buttons were covered. 

 

"They're all out of order. What do we do?!" Tallulah asked, looking scared as Quackity carefully set her down and surveyed the other elevators, but they were all obstructed.

 

Turning to Grian for help, Quackity found him gazing up the building, studying the long flight of stairs from the bottom to the top. 

 

Grian then looked towards the distant ceiling, making a square gesture with his hands toward it. Without enough time to question him, Quackity took off running toward the elevator, with Tallulah trailing behind, unsure but willing to follow his lead.

 

As Quackity struggled to tear down the tapes and barriers with his hands, Tallulah joined in, using both her hands and teeth to help, but they were no match for the sturdy tapes.

 

Quackity's glasses began to slide down his face, eliciting a groan as he adjusted them and turned to Grian, who remained fixated on the ceiling.

 

“G! Stop standing there or doing whatever the hell you are doing and give us a hand!” Quackity yelled, but Grian stayed still. Jesus, First Grian was staring at random useless stuff and now at a ceiling, what's the fuck wrong with that parrot now?!

 

"Quackity! They're here!" Tallulah yelled as she rushed over to the duck hybrid, cowering behind his leg in fear.

 

The faceless guards and a few scientists appeared, some emerging from their hiding spots, all armed.

 

Quackity took a big gulp, holding Tallulah close as he stepped backward, trembling with worry until he bumped into Grian's back. He was annoyed that Grian had chosen this moment to return to his TRUE senses, but Grian quickly stepped in, protecting Quackity and Tallulah with his wings, a hint of concern in his eyes as he faced the guards.

 

As they found themselves in a sticky situation, Quackity leaned in and whispered to Grian, "Is this the perfect time to say we fucked?"

 

There was a tense silence as the guards aimed their guns, not firing but waiting for the trio to surrender.

 

But Grian turned to Quackity with a slight eye roll, "No..." as he smirked, "And never!" as he pulled out the rocket.

 

...

 

Only to find himself holding nothing but air, "What the-" 

 

Tallulah and Quackity glanced at him with a very puzzled and worried faces, as Grian frantically searched for the rocket, "Where is-" he checked his pockets, waved his wings, and looked around in confusion and slight horror, asking, "Where is it?!"

 

The guards and others observed him with tilted heads, their silence showing a mix of awkwardness and confusion (though Grian did ‘appreciate’ their somewhat restraint in not reacting prematurely) 

 

Suddenly, a burst of fire rang out…

 

"Watch out!"

 

At Quackity's warning, Grian turned just in time to be pulled out of harm's way as the rogue firework shot up towards the building. The rocket collided with the ceiling, creating a huge hole in the building. 

 

Quackity and Grian quickly flew Tallulah away to avoid being hit by the falling debris as the guards below were showered with the falling pieces...much to Grian's slight joy.

.

 

..

 

…

Xisuma found himself a far distance from the island, beginning to feel concerned as Grian took longer than expected. 

 

He wondered if he should have allowed the parrot hybrid more time to consider the plan. However, his doubts quickly faded when he heard the sound of fireworks and caught sight of the explosion and the state in the distance, not to mention the fireworks in the sky illuminating the sky.

 

Taking the cue, the voidwalker began to prepare the boat.

…

 

..

 

.

 

As the remains of the hole fell to the ground, the trio gazed up at the gap. Quackity turned to the dragon hybrid, "You good?" Tallulah adjusted her hearing aids and replied flatly, "Yeah, my ears are ringing a bit."

She took a little breath to cool down. The explosion had terrified her for a moment.

 

Grian glanced at the two and awkwardly murmured, "Uh, well..." He had no clue where and how the rocket had managed to launch there, but he shrugged it off and quipped, "As I said before…"

Motioning for Quackity and Tallulah to follow him toward the exit as he declared, "When life gives you free lemons, you don't ask questions!"

Returning to swoop Tallulah back into his arms, Quackity stuck his tongue out again at the guards now buried under debris, "Got lost, Suckers!" he taunted as the three soared toward the hole.

The light shone through the hole, illuminating the faces of the trio, "We're almost there!" Grian cheered, spreading his wings further for the final stretch towards the hole.

 

...

 

But suddenly, a white bear with an unsettling expression popped up right in the air and toward Grian's face. Grian froze mid-flight, and was about to swat the bear away, but it was too quick. The bear pulled out a potion and chucked it right at Grian's face.

 

Coughing and feeling the effects of the potion slowing him down, Grian's mind started to wander as his wings struggled to keep him afloat.

 

Tallulah gasped and almost fell away from Quackity’s grip, shouting, “Mr. Grian!” Quackity was shocked and quickly put her behind his back before dashing to Grian to prevent him from falling. Unfortunately, the weight of the parrot hybrid was too much for Quackity to bear, especially with a child in tow. As they slowly descended towards the stairs near the door, Quackity struggled to hold on.

 

After checking on Tallulah and Grian, Quackity's attention was drawn to the bear that landed in front of them.

 

Quackity swallowed as he pulled Grian closer and shielded Tallulah behind his wings, eyeing the bear as it approached. However, his focus shifted when he recognized the bear...The same bear that has face features unlike the other guards on the stairs.

 

Could this be one of the Cucuruchos? Quackity wondered silently.

 

As Quackity not really prepared to speak, Tallulah gently tapped him on the back and stepped forward to address the bear. In a hushed tone, she called out, "Cucurucho?"

 

The bear remained silent as it moved closer, their smile morphing into an inscrutable expression. Quackity remembered that Tallulah mentioned that he had once been friends with this bear, but now he was tongue-tied.

He looked to Tallulah, uncertain of what to do, but realizing that it probably wouldn't make a difference. While he had cleverly outwitted the people from his past life, this was a big pickle (Speaking to the people from his past life didn't even help when he was having these horrible visions now)

 

Tallulah spoke up hesitantly, "Cucurucho? You remember Quackity?" she pointed towards her parental figure, "He was your amigo too! You used to translate for him and for us!"

 

The bear paused for a moment, Quackity tried to muster a smile, hoping the white bear would have a change of heart and not harm them.

 

As the sound of approaching guards grew closer, Quackity and Tallulah struggled to maintain their smiles. The bear closed their eyes and finally responded, “Recuerdo…” (I remember)  

 

Quackity and Tallulah looked at each other and then back at the bear, their expressions were uncertain.

But Cucurucho opened their eyes and apologized in an unclear tone,  “Lo siento mucho,” (I’m so sorry) Then, their grin transformed into a menacing one, revealing sharp fangs as they lunged towards them like a beast.

 

Quackity screamed, pulling Tallulah close and shielding her with his embrace.

However, Cucurucho took a heavy blow to the face and fell to the ground.

 

Quackity turned to see Grian standing up, catching his breath as he resisted the effects of the potion. Wiping blood from his knuckles after delivering the punch, he turned to Quackity with a shaky breath and wordlessly glanced towards the door. 

 

 

"Quackity! Th- the door! That's the way out!" Grian shouted, his voice strained as he nearly toppled over. The potion was sapping his strength and wings, but Tallulah and Quackity rushed to support him.

 

Quackity glanced towards the stairs upon hearing noises, spotting the unscathed guards making their way towards them.

 

"Oh yeah, let’s go, Lulah!" he exclaimed as the three ran towards the door.

 

Quackity swung the door close as Grian feebly drew his bow and used it to secure the door knob to ensure it stayed shut a bit longer. They found themselves in another massive room, the largest they had encountered thus far. Grian spotted the exit and started to run towards it, but soon found his legs turning motionless.

Quackity and Tallulah rushed to steady him just as the exit door burst open with a loud bang.

 

 

The trio turned their heads towards the exit... only to receive the bad news.

 

"Oh, you got to be kidding me..." groaned Grian, his expression a mix of frustration and annoyance.

 

Another group of the faceless guards had blocked the exit, with the former manager in the middle, arms crossed and a look of displeasure behind his mask.

“What do we have here?” Mr. Duck spoke firmly, his tone dark, "Didn't I just had warned you about pushing your luck?" as he approached the three.

Quackity felt a new wave of fear wash over him, wondering if Grian had a plan to get them out of this mess. But when he looked at Grian's face, he saw worry and shock in his eyes. That's when Quackity realized they might have in a dead-end situation.

 

The panic was also setting back in Tallulah as she held the parrot hybrid close to her. Grian clenched his teeth, while feeling his anger weaken. How the fuck the former manager got here?! He was supposed to be like far from the room looking for them.

Mr.bunny appeared next, holding someone so battered in his grasp.

 

Quackity and Tallulah tilted their heads in confusion, but Grian's shock deepened as he took a closer look.

Quackity caught Grian's expression once more and probed deeper until he realized who it was.

And honestly, it couldn't have been worse than the image of Dream he had seen in his vision, but the sight was still hard to see. Dream was utterly injured, with claw marks crisscrossing his arms, and his mask was half shattered, leaving only his mouth visible. Quackity even contemplated removing his glasses for not seeing it.

Mr. Duck eyed Dream, then the other three, and let out a bitter laugh, "Oh, you thought we wouldn’t bring your other friend along?" He snapped his fingers, and Mr. Bunny roughly tossed Dream onto the floor.

Grian chewed on his lip, he had thought the invisible potions on Dream would keep him hidden for much longer. He could only hope that Dream still have the last sliver of strength and especially have dealt with the bomb and trap. But alas, observing the masked man's current situation, he couldn't help but think his plan may have backfired. 

Grian was about to scowl but Mr. Duck lifted his duck mask slightly, revealing a sly grin, "I saw through your plan to free the prisoners before you even had a chance to put it into action. Did you ever wonder why I approved your admin's request?"

Quackity observed Grian's growing more shock as the ex-manager chuckled softly and continued, "You thought we would simply agree to let you visit the prisoner?"

 

"You mean to tell me you-" Grian's eyes nearly popped out of his head. The revelation, paired with the weakening potion, was too much for Grian. He tried to speak, but all that came out was a stuttering, "H-How did you all know?"

All of a sudden, Mr. Duck erupted in fury, his grip tightening on his fist. "Did you think we don't have security cameras in this place?!" he roared, jabbing a finger towards the ceiling fixture. Grian, cause of the effects of the potion, couldn't focus on it, but Quackity squinted and was shocked to see tiny hidden cameras up there.

 

Mr. Duck continued to berate them, "You really thought I was just being clueless, huh? You think I actually bought your whole starvation act?"

 

Grian's eyes widened even further. Man, how stupid he is for thinking that he outsmarted this rather stupider organization.

 

Tallulah couldn't handle hearing the screams coming from the former manager as the former manager walked towards them.

"Did you think I didn't know you were hiding one of our less than ideal subjects in the box?" he accused, pointing at Dream who was still unconscious.

 

Quackity made a puzzled expression while Grian furrowed his brow, "Less than ideal subjects?"

 

If Grian hadn't called Xisuma for the bail, the federation would have been able to do to Dream or to them what they had done to Tallulah, or even take them of their powers like they did to obtain whatever was in those vials.

 

Grian's train of thought was interrupted when he felt Quackity and Tallulah gently pushing him back, sensing the ex-manager getting closer. Mr. Duck placed his hands behind his back and exclaimed, "Did you think we wouldn't catch the fact you were about to break out our other subject and prisoner? Was I pretending to be dumb on purpose?"

The three stared at him in disbelief as the ex-manager turned away and muttered, "You could say that. It took some convincing for the guards and everyone else. They thought I was oblivious too."

 

He gestured towards Mr. Bunny, who signaled for the guards to raise their guns, not to shoot, but to make the prisoners give up and step back.

"What are you even trying to accomplish with all this bullshit?!"

 

As the group heard the exasperated question, Mr. Duck's ears perked up and he slowly turned towards them. Grian and Tallulah also turned to listen, noticing the bad tension in the air as the duck hybrid clenched his hands.

 

"You claim you're doing the right thing, but all you've done is hurt and cause harm to everyone, not only me but including her and him!" Quackity pointed towards Tallulah and then at Dream, then nervously glanced at Grian, "Uh, and also him."

 

Grian's expression hardened upon hearing the growl as he struggled to maintain a stern expression, "He's right. You only have brought harm to others and manipulated our admin."

While the suspension was Grian's decision, he acknowledged that it was partly the federation fault if it wasn’t for their shitty currency.

Mr. Bunny had to hold Mr. Duck back as he took his turn to speak, shooting a glare at Dream while gripping him and nudging him towards the group, "You were basically have passed off the rest of the 'job' to someone who also have harmed others," he stated.

Grian pondered for a moment, but the weakening potion made it difficult to think straight about whether he was truly wrong at that one.

 

Their motives are still unclear, and we still don't fully understand them…

 

 

Their motives are uncertain...And so is Dream's...

 

But Grian acknowledged that having Dream on his 'side' has its advantages in moving forward with the plan, and he still he acknowledged that both Dream and the organization share similarities in their unclear objectives.

Even speaking to Dream didn't help anything to ring a bell, as if there is an empty spot hanging over Dream's reasons for experimenting with death.

If Quackity could read Grian's thoughts, he might find himself partially agreeing, He would've had that spot too but regarding what happened to Dream was truly deserved or not.

As Quackity hesitated to speak, but Grian stepped in, lifting his head and saying, "You know, you're half right. I still don't know yet why Dream did those harmful things. Maybe he was lashing out from being hurt, control, or perhaps he wanted a prison as his home..." Grian paused, reconsidering his words, "but he was just one person."

"Uh actually, he had someone by his side, wearing a golden chain, I guess?" Quackity added, his voice barely above a whisper as he thought back to the person in the white hoodie they encountered in Pandora. He almost let slip a comment about Punz's connection to Dream, but decided it wasn't the time or place.

 

Grian rolled his eyes as he turned to the manager, his emotions simmering beneath the surface.

 "Whoever that person is, Dream says he has his own accomplice, but you guys are a dysfunctional government agency!, both to Dream and to his and my home server," he asserted, recalling what Xisuma have said made the parrot hybird blood go cold, "Xisuma is not even pleased with you all, and he definitely didn't sign up for the harm you've unleashed upon Evil Xisuma!"

 

Mr. Bunny tilted his head but then let out a flat 'O' before responding, "You talking about EX? Oh, you mean his evil 'twin'? We're not causing him any harm."

 

Grian fixed a piercing glare on the manager. Mr. Bunny remained unfazed and continued, "We're just taking away his powers so he can't cause any trouble for you anymore-"

 

"You're torturing him!" Grian yelled, making Quackity flinch. Tallulah nudged Grian's leg, sensing his anger, and turned to Quackity, who looked now concerned for the parrot hybrid.

 

Mr. Bunny retorted, "But only to weaken him!"

Grian's head drooped, his gaze on the ground.

"O- Only to weaken him?" he muttered, his glare intensifying as he turned towards the manager, "If this is your idea of keep us saf- keeping us away from his manipulations, then what would you call-" Grian stopped himself, realizing he probably should not reveal that he had taken the vials. It would only make things worse.

 

Growling at the manager once more, he turned to the duck hybrid. "It doesn't matter in this part," he said as he attempted to stand up. Quackity noticed and helped him to his feet. Grian shot Quackity a grateful look before turning back to the manager, "Yo- You've messed with Quackity's memories, unfairly accessing our server and you're on the brink of hurting a child. You're causing us nothing but damage-"

 

“Enough!”

 

 

The sudden outburst startled everyone, as Mr. Duck pushed the guards aside to show the group the real 'had enough of this' attitude of his, "And here you are, trying to break free the one who has caused more damage than all of us combined! Breaking the rules of the island!" He pointed an accusatory finger at Quackity, "Escaping our security measures with the other islanders! And engaging in illegal time-travel that has already sparked a major paradox or even a time-loop disaster!"

Quackity rolled his eyes in frustration at the recurrence of that blame and the topic…For fuck's sake, it's not entirely my fault! I just wanted to see my memories! And how was I to know the simulation would've whisked us back to the past?! Quackity thought, opening his mouth to express it out loud.

 

However…

Quackity and the rest of the group felt a strange rumbling beneath their feet, like a mini earthquake. Grian was the first to notice, followed by Tallulah who clung to Grian's leg in dread and confusion. The entire corridor was shaking, causing chairs and walls to tremble. Even the guards started to realize that something was not right as they turned their heads to see the ground shaking around them.

Mr. Bunny kept holding onto Dream tightly but also felt the slight quake. Strangely, Mr. Duck remained oblivious, too caught up in his tirade.

"Um, sir?" a guard tentatively approached but Mr. Duck didn't seem to notice, until the walls started shaking more and bits of rocks began to fall from the corners. He sure regretted not listening earlier.

Quackity glanced around quickly, watching as the others trembled in fear. If he hadn't been stopped by the manager, he would have brought Dream closer to the group.

 

The earthquake continued until Mr. Duck finally spoke up, "What the heck is happening?"

 

 Mr. Bunny shrugged, and the rest of the guards remained silent.

 

Suddenly, a low chuckle filled the air, and everyone turned to its source...

 

There were a few coughs of pain and some quiet chuckles followed by them, leaving Quackity and the others looking puzzled and concerned.

"What's so funny?!" Mr. Duck said through gritted teeth, glaring at the man held by Mr. Bunny.

 

Dream fell silent after the chuckles, looking down at the shaking ground.

 

With a sly yet pained tone, he began, "Y- you all were smart to figure out his plan," nodding towards Grian. Grian bit his lip, trying to cover his emotions at the sight of Dream's broken mask.

 

The former manager glared as Dream tiredly smirked from behind his mask. "But..." he trailed off, gesturing his head towards Quackity. Quackity flinched slightly at the sight of the masked man focusing on him. It had been a while since he had seen Dream, and the sight still sent shivers down his spine, especially in that state.

"You guys weren’t smart enough to even bother to check that as- asshole's pockets," Dream sneered. Quackity was quiet, till he hummed a bit, that’s a good point. It was still odd how the federation never had checked what Quackity had before sending him to the void... Perhaps they didn't do it in purpose too?

 

"Not even..." Dream paused, turning his head toward towards the ex- manager with all what he has left of energy, and somewhat determined.

 

With a wicked grin, Dream exclaimed, "Not even bother checking THE BOMB TIMER!" 

Mr. Duck's eyes widened in shock and confusion as he exclaimed, "The what?!" But Dream’s lips were sealed, not interested to explain the trap.

 

Dream never intended to set the trap in the first place; he had even considered running away when he thought he was a meter away from that perky birdie. But none of that had worked since Grian was keeping him firmly under his thumb, let alone with the help of a voidwalker.

 

 

…

 

However, watching the stupid manager's reaction was a sweet taste that all the effort was worth it in the end.

 

Grian tilted his head, only to jump slightly from Quackity's grip upon realizing it, albeit at a slower pace. Curse that potion!

Mr. Duck shot a fierce glare at the lack of responses as he yanked Dream out of Mr. Bunny's grasp and tossed him onto the floor like monday's trash, then shoved his hands into his pockets while demanding, "What you have been doing?!"

Dream merely coughed in agony and spat blood at the ex-manager's mask in defiance. Mr. Duck glared, wiping the blood from his mask, as he retrieved something from his pocket, no longer bothered by the earthquake shaking everything around.

Grian couldn't quite see it, but Quackity noticed it more clearly before Grian could even register what was happening; that very thing made Tallulah recoil in shock and horror.

 

A syringe filled with a dark, ominous liquid, and before anyone could react, Mr. Duck swiftly jabbed the syringe into Dream's arm, prompting a blood-curdling scream from him.

Quackity was on the verge of sprinting towards Dream, but the guards were still gazing them with their guns, now they are trapped at the end of one's tether. The scream was so bone-chilling that Tallulah dove behind Grian’s leg once more, her hands clamped over her ears.

 

Thankfully, the federation hadn’t used that syringe or anything similar on her or her friends, but it was pretty grim to witness the ex-manager in action. What if she hadn’t been saved after that? What would they have done to her, her friends, and her family in such a short time?!

Meanwhile, Quackity held onto Grian, ready to defend and ask, "What are you doing to hi-"

 

 

Suddenly, a loud crack echoed through the room.

 

 

The floor began to split slowly, causing the guards to almost lose grip on their guns. Mr. Duck stopped injecting Dream and instead watched in shock as the ground trembled.

 

"What's happening?!" Tallulah cried out in fear, with Quackity just as clueless. Remembering something Grian had mentioned earlier, Quackity turned to him, only to see a look of blank on Grian's face gazing at the cracking ground.

 

Grian caught a whiff of something familiar in the air...

 

Lava.

 

In a split second, Grian shouted, "HIT THE DECK!" as he weakly pushed Quackity and Tallulah closer together, bracing for impact on the other room.

 

And just In blink of an eye…KABOOM!

 

The state floor blew up, cracking faster than a porcelain vase. The main room split in two, with a bright orange light flooding from below as the substructure crumbled.

 

Screams erupted, but none were as piercing as Tallulah's sudden shriek, her hearing aids buzzing like a swarm of angry hornets as she hissed and knelt, shaking her head. The duck hybrid screamed next as he floated slowly, struggling to keep both Grian and Tallulah with him. Grian gritted his teeth, battling against the weak potion coursing through his veins, his eyes glowing slightly as he tried to fly and assist Quackity's grip.

A torrent of lava splashed from several cracks in the floor until there was little of the ground left. The guards howled as they fell into the searing lake of lava, their bodies flickering violently before vanishing in bursts of fire.

Mr. Duck quickly tossed the syringe and grabbed onto a nearby wall, clinging for dear life. The white bear suddenly reappeared to witness the dreadful scene, swiftly flying to the ex-manager and lifting him into the air.

 

Mr. Duck turned to witness all the guards who had risked everything to maintain the law in the state, now falling into the lava. His heart ached as he saw his companion desperately gripping the walls for survival, yet unable to hold on.

"N-no! Cucurucho! Over there, quick!" he urged the bureau agent, but it was too late as he watched as his friend fell into the lava and turned to ash. 

 

Meanwhile, Grian wriggled free from Quackity’s grasp, now cradling Tallulah in his arms while flexing his wings, spreading them wide to dash toward the exit.

"Come on!" Grian shouted as the trio soared toward the only way left to escape, dodging the splashes of lava. But Quackity halted, something striking him as he turned to see Dream still there, lying motionless on a piece of the floor that looked like it going to shatter at any moment.

 

"Dream!" Quackity yelled, ready to rush to him, but Grian's voice called out, urging him to follow them.

"W-wait for me, G!" Quackity stammered, now caught between a rock and a hard place.

 

It felt utterly pointless to save Dream, especially since he was unsure of Grian's feelings toward him now, despite Grian mentioning that Dream needed to return to the dreamsmp.

While that could be considered a reason, something else gnawed at Quackity's mind. The look and condition of Dream he had seen in his vision was straight out of a horror story. 

His former self… Sure, he was a jerk, selfish enough to blackmail someone, unkind to his assistants, and misunderstood his loved ones. But…

There’s no justification for treating Dream in such a soulless manner, whether it stemmed from his own selfishness or was a twisted form of justice for Dream's actions or sheer madness… It was still too extreme; there must be a genuine reason lurking behind that…

 

There must be a motive for inflicting such torment on someone in the name of justice… He needed that masked figure… He needed answers…

 

Grian positioned Tallulah behind him and turned to Quackity, in an angry shock, “Q, where are you going?!”

 

And so Quackity squinted as he sprinted towards Dream, lifting him just as the floor gave up completely.

Surprisingly, Dream felt lighter, almost effortless to carry. Quackity would have struggled to lift Grian, but that masked man was a breeze to grab… The realization made Quackity frown, but he shook off his concerns when he heard another scream from Grian as he adjusted his grip on Dream as the three rushed towards the exit.

 

Leaving the state tearing itself apart, consuming all its followers and evildoers in its wake.

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

Xisuma's heart seemed to hit the pause button for a heartbeat when the state went boom, and Grian and others were still nowhere to be found.

 

"Grian!" he shouted, cranking the boat's speed up to eleven, as worry consumed him entirely along with a flood of questions. Even if Grian arrived late and was hurt or killed, he would respawn, right?

 

There are complications regarding players still having the respawn option available, even on survival servers, as their codes do not integrate with others, and the respawn system would still be tied to him. But what if it didn’t work? Given the federation's unexplained methods of accessing and editing the codes of other servers, it seemed impossible to alter that aspect.

 

Regardless of whether Quesadilla Island is creative, survival, or something else, the lack of any other sign is concerning. This could mean that Grian didn’t make it, with Philza’s child and so on.

 

Nonetheless, Xisuma squinted his eyes more and observed individuals flying in the sky. This sight exacerbated his concerns momentarily, but diminished within a few seconds. He brought the boat to a stop just as Grian and the others approached it.

Once their feet hit the boat, Xisuma switched to protective mode and rushed towards the parrot hybrid, "Are you all alright!?"

 

After Grian placed the kid in the boat, he sat down like a pile of jelly, "We’re-" he gasped for breath, fatigue washing over him again, "We’re okey dokey," his voice faltering from the lingering effects.

 

Quackity exhaled as he put Dream down onto the boat next, inhaling the air as if he had just emerged from a cave after years, unable to shake the thought of how he and Tallulah would have fared if they hadn’t arrived to safety soon.

 

Meanwhile, the admin placed a hand on Grian’s forehead, sensing if he has illness, but sighed in relief when he realized it was merely a weakening potion...Albeit with a longer effect.

Grian looked at him, "But I could've said," he noticed Quackity settling next to Tallulah, then turned to the wreckage of the federation building, smoke and lava billowing from it. Grian then turned back and smirked at the admin, "we just roasted a rabbit and duck for dinner."

Xisuma sighed while rubbing his helmet, "Grian..."

Grian frowned, at least the plan worked by luck and no one was seriously hurt, "Yeah, it was quite the RISK," he said, scratching his back slightly, "The four of us almost made it out unscathed."

Xisuma fell silent, surveying the group until he saw Dream unconscious, mask half broken and his fingers were twitching oddly however. He turned back to Grian, arms crossed, "Almost," he reiterated with a serious tone.

Grian opened his mouth but hesitated, glancing at Dream and noticing his injuries including the mark from the syringe. With a huff, he said, "They injected something into him. He'll be fine; we just need to figure out what it was and get him some health potions," Grian then felt the fatigue creeping back but much worse. "And so do I..." he added with a weak chuckle.

Xisuma glanced back at the distant ruins once more. He was worried that the bomb might have obliterated the entire state and everything in it, yet he secretly hoped that the guards had perished and that the remaining ‘hosts’ were now too weak to fight. Grian noticed the frown etched on the admin.

"About Ex…" Grian nervously rubbed his neck, "We didn’t have enough time to go into his void to look for him since we didn’t anticipate Tallulah being taken away for the experiment so soon."

 

Xisuma let out a sigh, trying to reassure him, "It’s alright, Grian. As I mentioned earlier, I would handle the rest while you look after your friends," he turned to gaze in the opposite direction, "Whether Ex is in the void or not, it’s unlikely he could meet his end there."

The parrot hybrid narrowed his lips and replied, "True, but the explosion wrecked the federation's void teleporting device. I don’t think we can recreate it now."

 

The voidwalker pondered for a moment before replying, "Perhaps we can salvage what’s left of the device or any codes that might remain," he elaborated, "We can drive home Doc to stop his work on the death messages engine and instead assist us in rebuilding the device. Once we bring Tallulah and the others back to the server and inform the rest of the hermits about what really happen, we’ll return to that federation and demand they restore our system back."

 

Grian relaxed his arms, “Sounds like a better plan than the one I came up with, as always.” He felt his eyelids growing heavy as he chuckled awkwardly again, “Uh, after we regain enough strength.”

 

Xisuma rolled his eyes and retrieved a couple of health potions from his inventory, handing them out to the group.

 

The three consumed the potions without questions, Grian lifted Dream's mask on one side, making him drink the potion to heal the new-made wounds inflicted by the guards and Mr. Bunny.

 

Grian stepped back to see that the injuries had disappeared, but Dream flinched quietly again as the veins in his arm became slightly visible. Grian frowned, wondering what kind of strange liquid had been injected into the masked man.

There’s absolutely no way that could just be poison; just like the scars that cuffs had left on Grian's wings before, it took far too long for them to heal compared to using healing potions. The nasty look of Dream's veins must be something else entirely. 

Grian pondered further as he pulled the black vial from his pocket.

These liquids, originating from various gods, probably not a good one...so it might be linked to the injection. The pressing question now is whether there’s a way to cure it.

 

Meanwhile, Quackity and Tallulah shared a long sip of the health potion, as they watched the scars fade away. Tallulah managed a slight smile, but it quickly turned to a frown when she turned back to her wings, only to find the hideous scar from the cuffs still present, a painful sight.

 

Quackity glanced at his arms, noticing the scars healing, yet nothing could erase the emotional scars that haunted his mind. He began to think about the angry faces he had encountered, especially his ex-husbands and so Charlie, his fury directed at him...

 

And the axe that nearly grazed him. Quackity blinked, lost in thought, adjusting his glasses and rubbing one eye...The eye where his past self bore the scar.

 

The axe from Technoblade… Was that the meaning of it al-

Quackity inhaled the sweet air, doing his utmost to avoid thinking about it. He didn’t leave that horrible place just to dwell on more agony. 

 

And so Quackity gazed at the horizon, looking in the wreckage. On the bright side, they had escaped that nightmarish organization. Whatever those visions were part of the void or just his imagination, at least he and Tallulah are safe now.

 

Quackity slowly grinned as he spat into the direction of the state. He heard another spitting sound and glanced at Tallulah, who had attempted the same but ended up with drool stuck to her chin. She wiped it off and turned to Quackity, giving him a momentary look before breaking into a slight grin.

 

"What’s so funny?" Quackity inquired, and Tallulah twirled around, "Pff, nothing, you just look silly with those glasses."

 

Quackity huffed and adjusted them, "They're G's glasses...I can't believe you were a nerd-"

 

"I’m not!" Grian shouted from behind them, rolling his eyes, "And hats off to you," he added, puffing out his chest, though Quackity could see his lips struggling to suppress a laugh.

"Welp, you did give me your glasses," Quackity chuckled as he turned back to Tallulah and ruffled her hair. Tallulah sighed, her expression turning sour as she yawned. Quackity sighed in return, sprawling out, "I’m so tired that I even forgot we were tired."

"Really tired," Tallulah replied with a weary smile, letting her hands dip into the water for some peace.

 

And just like Tallulah, Quackity followed suit as they both stared at the state of the federation, finally watching it tasting the real consequences of all the wrongs it done to them. 

…

..

 

.

 

 

"You might need to use something else rather than that stick."

 

 

EX remarked as he attempted to clean off his armor of ashes and rocks. Luck was on their side that they had managed to escape the lava when the hole erupted. Although EX couldn't help but remember that he noticed someone who seemed familiar when he launched the rocket, that idiot with the red sweater… one of the most annoying hermits, but he brushed off the thought.

 

Punz, on the other hand, quickly solved his own issue by grabbing a stick from a nearby tree and using it as a makeshift cane. It was something he had to pick up on the fly, but he was always up for a new challenge, especially after mastering revival spells. Fighting, crafting, and strategizing were second nature to Punz, so it was a bit of a change for him to have to think outside the box.

The virus waited for a response from the mercenary, but he remained silent, arms crossed as he surveyed the destroyed island. The grey sky above served as a reminder of the destruction, "You don't even know where we a-"

"We are literally in the middle of wreckage on this island," Punz replied, not sounding too keen on answering more. He tapped the cane on the ground a few times before starting to walk.

 

"How did you even..." EX trailed off, catching the smell of the smoke drifting from the ruins. He made a face and muttered, "Oh..." He followed the mercenary, saying, "Yeah, but you probably won't know where you're going."

So, they had escaped...but now what? They are stuck on this stupid island.

Punz turned to him, "Yes, I know, I don't nee-ow!" as he got smacked by one of the trees. With the silence surrounding them, it might take him a bit longer to learn how to make his ears being used above his eyes. Punz shook their head, moving slowly just in case.

"Where are you going?" EX asked, receiving no answer. He watched Punz walk away from the building as EX groaned, "Alright, your whole silent treatment thing has run its course, what's your prob-"

 

Punz shot him a glare, "Going away so you won't invade my mind, does that paint a picture for you?"

 

The other man blinked, "You’re leaving alone? I’m not going to take over your mind!" He noticed Punz shifting his glare to suspicion, and EX paused for a moment before mumbling in a sly tone, "Unless for some reason and-" he pinched his fingers together, "A ted bit of mischief...Or out of boredom."

 

Punz grimaced disapprovingly, wincing as pain shot through his eyes once more, he gently rubbed his bandages.

EX threw his hands up incredulously, "What? We had a deal!"

Punz's ears twitched, even though he could finally 'understood' the look of the voice now, he still lacked the guts to accept a deal like that easily, "We never had a deal or even agreed to anything," he shot back.

 

EX glared, "But you're a mercenary and you agreed to help me-"

 

Punz clenched his teeth and turned to face EX, "We've already escaped, what more do you want from me? And even if I did agree, I'm not going back on my word.”

 

 

There was a brief silence between them, perhaps trying to clear the smokes in the air.

EX was now the one remaining silent, and Punz let out a sigh as he set the cane down and sat on the grass, unsure of the best to do. He contemplated whether to take a chance and see if luck is going to be on his side again, hoping to gather information to return to the DreamSmp and get his powers back.

 

Either Dream dead or not, he needs him to return back.

 

EX felt a twinge of that feeling, even though a part of him still wanted to get back at Xisuma, whether that fool knew the true colors of that organization or not. Sitting a bit away from the mercenary, EX rubbed his gloved hands together, saying, “Listen, we may have made it out, but we can't keep going on like this.”

 

One Weak and one blind, but Punz remain unfazed.

 

EX clapped his hands and repeated, “Hey, it's not going to be easy for you to find your fri-“ Punz shot him a look of death, EX annoyingly correct himself, “To return home.”

Clearing his throat, he continued, “We're stuck on some stupid island and we need to figure out a way to get out of here now.”

Punz made a skeptical look, as if he just listening now upon a 'let's set aside our differences' plan and EX elaborated, "Look, I'll pay you whatever it takes, it's a win-win."

Arms crossed, Punz retorted, "What do you mean a win-win? You don't even know how I came from."

EX chuckled, "And does you?"

Punz looked away, "I know the server codes-"

"But how will you code if you can't see?" EX interjected. Punz's expressionless face remained.

Despite the helmet hiding EX's expression, Punz could see a smirk underneath it. EX continued, "Looks like we're both lost without our gadgets. We may not know where home is, but we'll figure it out to- Together," he gritted his teeth when pronouncing the last word as he sighed, "Even if it's against our will."

Punz retorted, "Not my kind of party either," earning a disgruntled groan from EX.

EX let out a fiery response, “Tell me about it! I just want to kick Suma straight in the ass!”

After a moment of silence, Punz couldn’t help but crack a small grin, asking, “You also got a bone to pick with?”

EX side-stepped the question and redirected, "That's what I was getting at, we need to team up for that however,” ending with a smirk that wiped the grin off Punz's face. 

"I'll be your eyes, you'll be my strategist and muscle. Together, we'll navigate our way to a safe haven and figure out how to get back," the virus explained, "We'll search for your home server, but first we need to track down Xisuma, the admin I mentioned."

 

Punz's expression remained unchanged, but EX wasn't deterred. "Once we take him down, that's when we can start working on locating your-"

"Help me find Dream."

 

 

 

EX blinked, "What-"

 

Punz repeated, his tone as sharp as a freshly sharpened pencil, "Help me searching for Dream or my server. Then, I'll handle you and whatever the fuck you want afterwards."

 

Letting out a forced chuckle, EX snarled, "That's bullshit, why would we start with your part of the bargain first?!" 

Punz's lips moved ever so slightly as he retorted, "You know, it's kind of refreshing to switch up the 'I claim credit and seal the deal' routine at the very end," causing EX to snap, "And what exactly does that imply?!"

 

Crossing his arms once more, Punz stated, "Your wealth is still from your server, right?"

 

EX began to speak, "Of course they are from there! And…” but faltered “I'm not entirely certain if they still there- There was an event and I- I'm not sure if I've regained everything ba-"

 

Unperturbed, Punz replied, "When we return to my server with my friend and locate a way to access your server, that's when you hand over your monetary exchange, correct?"

Although Punz never thought he'd be the one negotiating with this guy, it seemed like the only option for now.

 

EX sighed before simply saying, "Fair point…"

 

Taking a deep breath, Punz stood up and grabbed the cane, directing it somewhere. EX watched him with boredom and curiosity, he eventually asked, "Need a hand cutting-"

 

When Punz heard the sound of wood underfoot, he carefully made his way towards it, tapping it with his hand to confirm. With a newfound knowledge of what he was dealing with, he began chopping the branches.

 EX witnessed the scene as he went humming softly, “Then uh, help you build a campfire?”

Punz chose silence as he got a few load of wood, while EX merely smirked, grumbling in a defensive manner, clearly uninterested in lending a hand. I mean, why would he bother?

 

"Heh," he chuckled, reclining against a rock with one leg draped over the other, "I guess I’ll just stand here and relax after a long day of-"

 

Suddenly, a piece of wood smacked him on the helmet, leaving him slightly dazed and turning to Punz. Punz approached, tapping his cane against EX’s chest, "Craft some weapons with them," he commanded.

 

EX groaned, realizing he probably shouldn’t have asked in the first place. Rolling his eyes, he picked up the wood, "Sure thing, your majesty," he replied with a hint of sarcasm.

 

Punz shot back flatly, "You're the one who kept insisting on helping me."

 

They were definitely in for a long day…
.

 

..

 

…

 

 

 

The destroyed state of the federation was continuing to crumble, with the remnants of the building engulfed in lava. To some, the sight might have brought a sense of satisfaction, especially for those who had endured pain within its walls.

 

For a few, the scene was reminiscent of a nightmare. Among the surviving guards and Mr. Duck, they were searching around the ruins. Though not holding a formal position like his companion, the ex-manager felt compelled to comb through the wreckage in search of other survivors. His duck mask was now grimy from the ashes, yet he persisted in his search, his mind clouded with anger.

 

As he looked up at the horizon, his gaze fell upon a distant boat on the sea surrounding the island...

"They think they can just sail away and be free..." he muttered through gritted teeth, as he began to search every nook and cranny.

Cucurucho searched through the ruins too, their gaze fell upon their former boss. Despite the unchanging smile of the white bear, Cucuruchos was sensing a foreboding feeling inside.

Ignoring the potential harm to his hands, Mr.duck overturned rocks and pieces until he noticed a few cracked vials oozing the black substance. Mr. Duck swiftly grabbed an empty vial and carefully transferred the sample.

 

While putting the vial into his pocket, he noticed something else on the ground...

 

A bomb and an arrow, Mr. Duck's eyes blazed with a fiery thirst for revenge at the sight of them.

 

"But the game is not over..."

 

 

 

 

 

Notes:

Kinda proud how I wrote this chapter so far, although it felt a bit rushed in the beginning. A least the group are saved! Or are they... ;)
---------------------
An alternative nutshell of This chap :
Quackity: I don't want to hurt nobody.
Grian: They're just clones, Quackity! It's okay to kill them! They're clones!
*Quackity kills a guard*
Faceless guard /254: Guard /542's bleeding to death! Someone call their family!
Quackity: They're not clones, G!
Grian: It's a figure of speech, Quackity. They're bureaucrats. I don't respect them!

Chapter 20: patience is the key

 

 

…

 

..

 

.

.

 

Tallulah wiggled her legs back and forth, despite wincing each time the bandages on her wings wrapped around them.

 

After wrapping one last bandage, Grian said, "There! Just try not to flap them too much and always lie on your side."

 

Tallulah let out a sigh of relief and then turned to look at her wings, wrapped in purple bandages (The color was her choice).

 

"How long will they be gone?" Tallulah asked, furrowing her brow.

 

Grian frowned for a moment, rubbing his neck thoughtfully, "The scars on my wings took a few days to heal after using the cream Mumbo gave me," he explained, "Since your wings have been cuffed up longer than mine, it might take a bit longer for them to heal," he then asked, "How are you feeling?"

Tallulah struggled to stand up from the chair, wincing,  "Same pain, but not too bad like be- before," she admitted, but then felt her stomach growl, "Heh, and also hungry."

"I see, Big Q!" Grian called out for the duck hybrid, but he didn't show up. Grian made his way to the bedroom, with Tallulah following behind. She almost spread her wings, but winced as she stopped and began walking on legs. 

 

The parrot hybrid opened the door and found Quackity lying in bed, arms and legs spread out like a star fish. His eyes were closed, but he didn't seem to be sleeping. He looked like he had zoned out from exhaustion, which seemed to have taken over him surprisingly quickly, even quicker than when Grian was hit with the weakening potion.

Since their return to Hermitcraft, they had to sneak into Scar's house behind Xisuma's back, as Xisuma was busy trying to heal Dream and check his codes for any bad repercussions from the black potion now. 

Scar was totally chill with Quackity and Tallulah staying at his base (even though Grian was trying to convince his friend that the two had been through a lot and are not interested in exploring Scarland just yet!) 

Scar even asked Grian if Quackity was married or just into Jewelry because of the ring he wore, nothing important as he was just curious. On the bright side, Scar was so generous that he built extra rooms for them even before Grian brought them back. 

When Grian pulled out the vials and the folder to hand them over, Xisuma suggested keeping them with him at the base until they could find a way to get rid of them for good. Grian, however, was more curious about what was inside the folder and what these liquids and their powers and what kind of other gods and watchers they originated from.

Grian called out to Quackity with a quiet tone, "Big Q?" as he walked over and snapped his fingers in front of Quackity's face.

 

Quackity blinked, returning to reality and asked in a hurried voice, "Are we there yet?!" He turned to Grian. Grian rolled his eyes as he noticed the glasses on the drawer as he handed them to the Mexican.

Before Grian could respond, Tallulah walked over to the tired duck hybrid and flatly stated, "We arrived hours ago, you zoned out."

 

Quackity adjusted the glasses and grinned, tired but happy to see Tallulah. He struggled to stand up from the bed, but Tallulah hugged him before he could fully rise. Quackity hugged her back, then noticed her bandaged wings and asked, "How are your wings? You're okay?"

 

Nervously, Tallulah released from Quackity's embrace and nodded as she glanced at the parrot hybrid, "Mr. Grian says they'll take longer to heal. I can't sleep on my back, though."

 

Quackity's face fell. Don't get him wrong, he was still happy to see his friend safe, but it was a little heartbreaking for him to witness something Her and Phil they both shared being harmed. And it was all his fault

Quackity shifted his attention to Grian, jokingly saying, “Not sleeping on your back? That's the scariest thing someone's going to deal with.”

Grian let out a sigh as he sat on the floor with his legs crossed, “I can't argue with that. I had trouble sleeping when my wings were hurting, but it's gotten better with time,” he gestured to his wings, showing faint marks that were barely visible amidst the colors.

A knock at the door caught their attention and the three turned towards the open entrance.

They heard Scar's voice ring, “Come in!” as they exited the room to find Scar standing next to Xisuma, who was holding a sleeping man wrapped in a blanket like a burrito.

Quackity was the first to squint and get a closer look. It appears to be Dream; they were in the process of healing him whe- 

 

Wait… Dream is missing his mask… 

 

That stupid smiling mask (not as stupid as the duck or bunny masks that are worn by the federation managers) is nowhere to be found. His eyes are shut tight, obviously… But Quackity could make out his nose and the freckles on his cheeks. There’s a scar running across the bridge of Dream's nose (Just like Scar has), along with a few long scars trailing from his chin to his lips, causing a slight split.

Quackity's mind raced with concern, hoping these particular scars weren't also inflicted by his past self on Dream.

 

Did they actually manage to heal him? 

 

Putting worries aside, he looks rather adorable sleeping like that, I wonder what color his eyes are- Quackity slapped his own face! While Tallulah gave him a skeptical look. 

 

Xisuma turned to the group and asked, “Um, are you two alright?” 

 

“We-uh,” Tallulah stammered, hiding behind Quackity's wings nervously. Quackity fought against the embarrassing thoughts as he held the kid by his arms and turned to the parrot hybrid. Grian glanced back at him and replied with a slight smile, “Don’t worry, he’s a good guy,”

Quackity narrowed his eyes skeptically but then turned to the voidwalker, “W- we're feeling pretty exhausted...and REALLY hungry,” he shrugged and changed his tone, “I mean, what do you expect us to be after being stuck in a room for who knows how long without water, sleep, or anything?!”

 

Xisuma paused for a moment, and Scar picked up on the awkwardness. Trying to make it less awkward, he let out a fake gasp, “Oh! So you guys are hungry?” as he slowly walked away with a nervous smile, “Well then, I...guess I better get you some food. I'll give you guys some space now.”

As Scar left, the voidwalker approached the trio and commented, "That must be tough for both of you," Xisuma then looked at the floor. Grian noticed him, probably wondering if EX was suffering the same fate there too.

Grian walked over to him, The admin indicated the sleeping man, "Dream," Xisuma pointed out. Grian tilted his head and asked, "Did you already heal him? How is he feeling now?" approaching the masked man. Grian's back obscured the view, Quackity and Tallulah exchanged looks.

Grian placed a hand on Dream's forehead, finding no fever or anything alarming. Dream appeared to be alright, though. 

His face (which Grian didn't even bother to comment on his looks) looked quite healthy as well. Grian shifted the blanket a bit to expose Dream's hand, and it was fine too! No longer twitching and no longer…

 

Grian's thoughts froze the moment he made contact with the hand. Dream's hand felt… Grian could swear he was touching a bone right now.

 

Dream's hand was incredibly delicate, almost as if it were made of paper. Grian's brain paused again when he noticed the bones in Dream's hand were faintly visible.

 

“Xi- Xisuma…” Grian stammered in disbelief, “What happened to his-” 

 

“What’s wrong, G? Is that really Dream?” 

 

Grian turned to Quackity and Tallulah, both wearing expressions of concern. A hand rested on his shoulder, and he looked up to the voidwalker.

“Let’s get him to the restroom first,” Xisuma instructed.

Grian nodded and faced the duo, “Oh, um, guys?” he beckoned them as he attempted to guide them into the bedroom, “Scar is in the kitchen, whipping up something for your health. I’m going to have a word with Xisuma.” 

Quackity groaned, his curiosity piqued about the situation, but his stomach growled louder… Oh well, free food again! 

Tallulah agreed as she plopped down on the bed, but she was feeling a bit suspicious.

“Don’t make any trouble!” Grian exclaimed as he zipped out of the bedroom in a flash.

 

 

 

 

 

In the center room, Xisuma gently laid Dream on the couch, making sure not to wake him up.

"Instead of continuously using potions on him, I decided to splash some health potions, and it seems to be effective," the voidwalker clarified.

Grian raised an eyebrow, "That’s... good news?"

Xisuma sighed as he continued, "I wish I had mentioned that there’s both good and bad news," he looked at the other admin, "Dream is alright, his heart is beating normally, but..." he paused before adding, "his body... The black potions have been eating away at him; they didn’t kill him, but they’ve consumed his muscle tissue."

 

Grian frowned as he moved closer to Dream, placing his hands on the blanket, "Is that why his hand looks like that? Can I unwrap him?"

 

Xisuma bit his lip but eventually closed his eyes and nodded. Once Grian removed the blanket from Dream, he realized how lucky were Quackity and Tallulah for not seeing this, as what he saw was the very definition of nauseating.

 

"Oh my god! What happened to him?!" Grian shouted in shock, his eyes cringing away.

Dream's body looked like a genuine zombie, far worse than the mob. His skin had taken on a slight grey tint, and his veins were at least no longer visible but instead, his bones and ribs were showing through his skin, as if he hadn’t eaten in years. This was shocking to Grian, as he had fed Dream before breaking out Quackity and Tallulah, and Dream had previously looked decent, with a good amount of muscle on his arms...But now they appeared weak.

Xisuma settled into the chair, casting a glance at Grian. Grian was paralyzed with horror, unable to move his hand toward Dream's chest, but Xisuma stepped in, placing his hand on Dream's chest, which rose and fell, indicating he was still breathing. Grian observed in a state of slow shock.

 

The voidwalker explained with slight concern, "He’s alive, but his body is half-dead. If he gets enough sleep and food, he might be able to walk, although I doubt he could fight or even pick a stick."

Grian took a moment to suppress his disgust, and closed his eyes as he replied, "I can't really say if that's a good thing or a bad thing, like...he won't be able to hurt anyone while he's like that, but he looks like a corpse!" He turned to the admin, suddenly realizing, "Was that really because of the potion Mr. Duck injected him with?"

 

Xisuma withdrew his hand and clarified, "Before I healed him, I used a needle Doc gave me days ago to extract a bit of his blood, which contained some of that strange substance," He rummaged through his armor belt, pulling out an another vial half-filled with Dream’s blood, but it was mixed with black spots and so some green spots too. He placed it on the table as Grian picked it up, staring at it in disbelief.

A small amount of blood mixed with two powerful substances - one deadly and the other a very powerful ability to control both life and death. No wonder Dream's body couldn't handle it all.

 

Xisuma added, "It could have seriously harmed his body. When I checked his codes, they were glitching in a weird way. A human, or even a hybrid like Quackity, probably wouldn't have survived. Whatever the hell Mr. Duck injected into him, Dream is incredibly lucky he used to have the powers of a god. Although, it seems like he had to give up these powers just to stay alive."

Grian's eyes widened further as he shifted his gaze between Dream and the vial, "So he lost his powers then, like his revival abilities." 

 

Xisuma tilted his head, Grian elaborated, "He revived a couple of people and mentioned at one point he would have done it to me if I didn't stop him."

 

Xisuma was somewhat taken aback by this information as Grian approached the (un)masked man, whispering, "In this situation, I have no idea how he will react to that."

 

Dream was stronger than I had anticipated…

 

The parrot hybrid paused briefly before placing a hand on Dream's cheek, commenting, "His face is warm though," Xisuma rose from his seat, insisting, "We have no other choice, we must keep him asleep for now and away from everyone at least."

 

"Can he stay at Scar's base?" the parrot hybrid inquired, noting that Scar had created two new bedrooms. He still couldn't fathom why Scar bothered making one for someone he wasn't fond of yet, perhaps he appreciated the guy for ‘agreeing’ to wear his clothes…

 

Grian then vowed, "If he crosses the line again, I will try to lock him away until we find a way to bring him to his server."

Xisuma hesitated for a moment, but then sighed and nodded.

 

 

 

Once Dream was settled in the bedroom, Grian made his way to the other room, expecting to find Scar conversing with Tallulah. Instead, he saw Tallulah sitting silently on the bed, her attention on Jellie, who was curled up comfortably. Tallulah was humming a few notes, maybe trying to act like she was listening to Scar's talk.

 

At that moment, Grian wanted nothing more than to land a little punch on Quackity's face when he caught him listening in with a smug expression that is directed at Scar as whole except for his eyes.

 

Scar was surprised when he turned to Grian, he stood up and said, "Hey Grian! I didn't do much, but it should help them with the meal."

 

Quackity looked at the two men and the food, raising his hand to interrupt, "Actually," he said snidely, "This just enough! You guys have apples though?"

(Grian hated to say it but maybe Mr. Duck had a point about pushing luck sometimes.)

Grian gave Quackity a suspicious stare, he better not testing the waters.

 

Scar chuckled and said, "Sure, I can bring some if you want." 

He placed another tray of freshly baked cookies next to the food, "Usually, newcomers don't visit the server unless there's a problem or an invitation, but," Scar confessed, "you know what? I'd say you two are officially Hermit guests now!"

 

Tallulah turned to him, her eyes lighting up, "Really? We didn't even think we would end up here."

 

Grian sighed and replied, "Of course not. We need to get health and safety sorted out before we try to find your homes," He tapped on Scar's shoulder, "And, um, Scar? Our friends don't know them yet. And these two won’t be staying here for long."

 

Scar rolled his eyes, "Even if they're not staying long, they're still considered guests!"

Grian rubbed his temple as Scar huffed and focused on the 'new guests'.

 

"I can't believe you and a child went through such a harsh place. Xis-uma wouldn't have been as harsh as those who punished you," he remarked.

Quackity narrowed his eyes questioningly, "Really? He wouldn't have?"

Scar chuckled, "Oh, trust me, one of us would've definitely been banned for only three days for stealing some elytra and burning them just for fun! You guys are in good hands," he reassured before adding awkwardly, "Well, not yet, the hermits aren't aware of you here."

The two looked at Scar with a sudden sense of worry. Scar moved his lips slightly and then sighed as he brought over two plates of food which had some cooked steak and bread.

"Considering things aren't over for you two yet," he said, placing the plates in front of them, "You need to eat to become healthy again!" He then glanced at Grian and pointed to himself with smugness, "Like me.” 

Grian just sighed and smiled tiredly.

Quackity pouted, "I see," although he didn't pay much attention to Scar's words, his mind even wasn't focused on the food but rather on Scar's muscular arms. 

"Let's dig in then!" he said enthusiastically, half (jokingly) hoping to gain some muscles like the man in front of him. As he began eating, he felt a strange sensation in his throat and couldn't help but feel contentment.

Scar noticed the duck hybrid's reaction and raised an eyebrow, but he couldn't blame him. 

He looked at Tallulah, but the kid on the other hand was staring at him and seemed torn between curiosity and hesitancy, although her belly was killing her.

Scar awkwardly broke eye contact and offered up the plate of cookies, "I, um... brought some cookies too! Chocolate or no chocolate, take your pick. Don't worry, I only mess up with my close friends... playfully,"

Tallulah stared blankly at the cookies, making Scar second-guess himself until Grian gave him another tap.

"Scar..." the parrot hybrid mouthed, pretty unamused. Scar quickly turned to the dragon hybrid, "I mean, these cookies aren’t poisoned or anything!"

Grian facepalmed, and Scar frowned at him, "I like taking care of Jellie and a bunch of animals, but that is new for me!"

Grian crossed his arms and said, "I know kids can be hard to earn their trust, man," he glanced at Tallulah while ignoring the way Quackity gobbling the food up, "Especially Tallulah, she mentioned she can't trust anyone anymore-"

But Scar clarified in a quiet tone, "I don't have issues with kids, but I was talking about her being a dragon. You know this stuff better than I do, Grian. You’ve dealt with a dragon egg before-"

Grian cut him off with a glare, "She’s a different kind of dragon, Scar, not an ender dragon."

And Scar shot back, "Still kind of counts, I mean, she has wings like them."

Grian groaned and elaborated, "Their kinds have powers, but it varies based on their surroundings. She has abilities that are quite different from ender dragons." 

Scar blinked, then turned to Tallulah, who had her hand up, looking like she was about to grab a cookie. 

Scar whispered to Grian, "Like what? Ice? Fire?" He gulped and then nervously grinned, "Uh, it’s not fire, is it?" 

 

"That is tasty!" Tallulah shouted after taking a bite of the non-chocolate chip cookie. Scar turned to her and was a bit surprised as he asked, "You didn’t eat the one with chocolate, though? I would have even chosen those over the plain ones!" 

The dragon hybrid swallowed as she took another cookie and replied, "I’m not a fan of sugary stuff, I don’t mind baked goods as long they’re not too sweet."

Quackity looked at the dragon hybrid, cheeks stuffed with bread, remembering and thinking that it made sense she had no problem eating that carrot muffin from Tina. Quackity found it less sweet too when they had shared it before.

 

Tallulah repeated, “But these are great, thanks Mr. Scar,” she expressed. At least Tallulah was starting to warm up to trusting that man, although she still had some reservations, Scar seemed nice enough.

Scar beamed, “Thanks!” as he declared, “Nothing quite compares to goodtimeswithScar’s own freshly baked cookies.”

The girl giggled as she responded, “My brother bakes cookies for me and my family all the time too!”

 

Grian hummed in admiration, recalling the fact Tallulah was one of those eggs adopted by various people; he could tell Philza had made a wise choice in selecting which eggs to adopt. He returned the smile, “Your brother is a great potato harvester and also a baker, Phil must be proud of both of you!”

 

Meanwhile Quackity wiped his lips and asked Scar with curiosity, “Why do you call yourself good times?” and Scar retorted sarcastically, “I don’t know, why is your name Quack?”

 

Quackity was on the verge of chuckling but then let out a completely blank expression.

 

Right... of all the things, why was his name that? Philza had told him that was his name, but Quackity was too scatterbrained to remember to ask why. Honestly, it was somewhat understandable; who would inquire about the reason behind their name? 

Surely, there must be some explanation... Could it just be a nickname? Did his parents spot a duck quacking and decide to name him after it? (For the love of Notch, if Mr.duck turns out to be my dad, I swear-) Like, Dream has a name that’s just a word, so it can’t be that big of a deal… right?

 

Grian leaned in close to Scar’s ear, "Scar!" he hissed through clenched teeth. Scar raised an eyebrow, but then he remembered and was about to apologize, just as Quackity chimed in, "Well, when I woke up without any memories, Phil simply told me my name was Quackity, even my codes say that’s my name..."

 

Tallulah turned to look at him, her thoughts drifting to how delicious those cookies were, while the other half of her mind watched her father figure having an internal conflict.

"Honestly, I have no clue why I’m called that," Quackity pondered, unsure if he was grappling with his memory loss again or having an existential crisis now...Maybe both.  

The awkwardness was creeping back in, and Scar frowned as he coughed into his hand, “I’ll be right back,” before heading out to fetch some apples. Grian turned to Quackity, “Big Q, are you alright?”

Quackity didn’t reply, but after a brief pause, he leaned closer to Grian and whispered, “G? Is that big guy really Scar?”

 

Grian made a deadpanned expression, Quackity mimicked the face and added, “That was a rhetorical question…”

The parrot hybrid cocked an eyebrow in judgment, as Quackity rolled his eyes and added again, “I’m just admiring him, man.”

Setting aside the crisis, Quackity felt a breath of fresh air upon encountering someone they had no prior knowledge of him. People might see it as a bad sign, but for Quackity, he was genuinely relieved to finally meet Scar as a new ally.

 

Grian replied flatly, “Noooo wonder you have a ton of exes-”

 

“Shut up!” shouted while hiding his hand that held the ring between his thighs. He then asked while chewing, “What’s the deal with Dream?”

Grian looked away, unsure if Quackity was asking out of curiosity or concern, but he answered anyway, “You don’t need to worry about that, he’s…sort of sick and in another room fast asleep.”

Quackity gulped thickly, his face showing worry however. He never thought he’d be concerned about that crazy man, but he needed him for answers. Maybe Dream would realize he had been saved by the duck hybrid, and perhaps Dream would try to get better before talking to him...Quackity certainly hoped so.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sleeping was far more serene than lying on the cold bedrock of the void. Quackity felt a bit of desire to wake up just to wrap himself more with the blanket, but at least he was getting some sleep, as the warmth he had longed for finally lulled him into slumber. He shut his eyes, fully aware that he was indeed sleeping right now.

 

It was delightful… until his throat once again felt dry.

 

Quackity let out a groan of annoyance as he blinked awake and prepared to rise.

 

However, upon opening his eyes, he found himself in an empty space rather than the bedroom. 

 

This empty space felt eerily like the void…

 

Quackity felt his heart stop. 

 

Was everything that happened just a dream the whole time?! Or was he currently dreaming?

 

He must be dreaming now. Quackity had sweat on his forehead, he glanced at his hand, feeling a wave of relief wash over him when he noticed he wasn’t wearing his ring and nor his glasses. That could only mean he was…

 

Wait...

 

This... cannot be happening again! He had escaped the void! He wasn’t supposed to have these visions anymore!

 

"What’s going on?!" Quackity questioned himself.

He’s not ready for more; his mind is already a jumbled mess of plants, all twisted like sticks. He’s neither healed nor prepared to face THEM again, and he certainly doesn’t want to see their furious faces, accusing him like he’s some kind of bad omen. Perhaps something even worse awaits…

 

His breathing slowed, and then he felt warmth behind him. As he turned, he noticed a blue light shimmering in the distance, reminiscent of the red lighting chip he had seen earlier.

He approached the blue glow, squinting as he realized it was something entirely different this time.

Two small trees stood apart, with a few leaves and maples swirling in the air around them. There were also a handful of what appeared to be red petals floating about.

 

It seemed a tad less terrifying than what he had encountered before, but what could it signify? Was it connected to his former self? And where is his past self, anyway?

The blue light suddenly dimmed and…

 

Bang!

 

Quackity’s thoughts were sliced through by a shriek at the sudden sound. He opened his eyes to witness the trees fall, a tiny flame flickering to life among them, causing the maples and leaves to ignite. Oddly enough, the petals didn’t catch fire with the others.

Confusion and shock washed over Quackity as he stepped back, taking in the unexpected scene. He couldn't help but groan, "Why does everything always end up burning around me? What’s my deal with fire?!" He realized his question might remain unanswered unless he could decipher its meaning. It could be a metaphor.

 

But...A metaphor for what? Watching his past self munching on organs didn’t seem metaphorical at all. Was there any other clue besides everything he saw or touched going up in flames?

 

Q retreated further, but it was too late, the burning trees, maples, and leaves disintegrated into dust… And just like the chip, they flew into Quackity’s eyes, he began to cough and rub them.

 

Not again! 

 

"Good thing my eyes have already become shit in real life!" Quackity muttered angrily under his breath, only to notice something tapping against his boot as he glanced down.

It… was something new?

 

It was a turtle. It was quite small, its shell a dark green. He had heard there were plenty of animals around, but what the fuck was this random turtle doing here?

 

Did this have anything to do with Dream SMP too? Quackity recalled seeing these when he and Tallulah were searching for L’manberg.

But why was this brought to him?

"This is different, it still makes no sense!" Quackity groaned to himself. What was his vision trying to convey at this point? He’d rather be facing that axe than a turtle bumping against his boot and-

Quackity sensed the air in the empty space shifting, and he turned to see the unburned petals swirling around him, then drifting toward the tiny turtle.

 

There was a scent of flames in the air…

 

Q bit his lip as he moved closer to the turtle to rescue it from the bothersome petals, but the petals began to soar and blend, until they oddly transformed into a red rose…

 

Quackity raised an eyebrow as the turtle snagged the rose with its mouth, gazing at Quackity while lifting its head, waving the rose toward the duck hybrid.

 

It looks like the turtle was trying to offer him a rose. Quackity was baffled at this but then shrugged as he crouched down to the creature.

The turtle slightly curled its lips into a smile once Quackity held the rose. Quackity was unsure of what this meant but took a whiff of the rose anyway.

 

The rose had a nice tranquil aroma.

 

The scent of flames was growing stronger in the air.

 

The rose was so beautiful, so enchanting, and so…nostalgic.

 

There were sounds of gunshots.

 

Quackity paused to glance down at the turtle, only to find it had vanished into thin air…

 

Still as perplexed as ever, Quackity clutched the rose tightly in his hand and turned back to see what else would unfold after that 'less-than-unsettling' moment.

 

And boy, he was not wrong.

 

He found himself staring at someone’s back.

 

The outfit of that person looked strikingly similar to the blue hoodie Quackity had on when he woke up with amnesia. This must be past Quackity At least, that’s what it seemed. His past self was also holding an umbrella.

 

There were a series of pangs…

 

As Quackity approached, the scene began to blur, as if it were glitching out.

 

His past self stood there, gazing into the void, opening the umbrella and waving it as if to spread some cheer.

 

And just as Quackity blinked…he could have sworn he caught a glimpse of someone in a black hoodie with piercing red eyes.

 

…

..

..

Quackity sprang from his pillow, his eyes wide open. But instead of terror, he was engulfed in confusion... and confusion he could only mutter to himself.

 

Quackity rubbed his neck and eyes as he searched for his glasses. Once he found them, he turned to look at his hand, grasping at nothing. 

 

To his left, Tallulah was sound asleep on the other bed and her wings were in the air, while Jellie curled up in the drawer, her purring calming the air. Quackity couldn't understand much of this vision this time, though seeing his past self with an umbrella was far less strange than seeing him devouring an organ or hearing strange noises. This vision felt more like a silly dream than a nightmare, so what could it possibly mean? And what was the deal with those burning plants and that turtle?

 

Seeing Tallulah asleep sparked a flicker of worry in Quackity as he approached her, attempting to rouse her, "Hey, Chalulah?" Tallulah groaned softly, as she gradually opened her eyes, "Hm?"

 

Quackity let out a sigh of relief, "Nothing, just checking you’re not in a deeper slumber," he rubbed his neck while rising from the bed, "And I’m thirsty."

The girl merely hummed and drifted back to sleep.

 

Quackity stood up from the bedroom. Initially, he thought about calling Scar, but then he realized he's not a freaking baby. He considered that toying with Scar's kindness, as he had with others, was kind of beneficial, but Scar was such a hot cool dude that he didn't want to take advantage of him. Besides, Scar and Grian were the only ones left to keep them safe.

 

Sighing, Quackity made his way to the hallway, maybe thinking he would bump into Scar and ask for the kitchen's location.

 

"Pearl?!"

 

Quackity startled at the sudden shout.

 

"What are you doing here?!"

 

It sounded like Grian.

Quackity ducked behind a corner, peeking out to catch a glimpse of Grian and Scar confronting a woman with flowing hair, elytra and a cap, who was standing in the entrance.

 

"What am I doing here? What are you doing in Scar’s house, and what were you up to while we were dealing with the suspension with our blood and sweat?!" Pearl yelled as she put down her elytra, though a hint of concern laced her voice.

 

Quackity noticed Scar looking away, clearly nervous, while Grian rolled his eyes as the parrot hybrid retorted, "Pff, excuse me! I nearly passed out after a fucking polar bear threw a potion at me! Honestly, I could have ended up dead trying to save someone who doesn’t deserve it more than I do!"

 

Quackity winced at Grian’s outburst, and Pearl’s worry deepened, "Y- you what?" Her voice dripped with confusion, "What are you rambling about? Where have you been?"

 

"You don't know Th-", Grian mumbled as he shot a concerned glance at Scar, but it slowly morphed into a glare, "Scar, what the hell-"

Scar interjected, "I-! I… couldn’t keep it in any longer to tell her, but I haven’t revealed everything yet!" He rubbed his neck, "When I told everyone that I said my goodbyes when you left, I didn’t mention that you were about to visit someone from prison, everybody threw a fit and demanded I spill the beans, but it got worse!" He placed a hand on Grian’s shoulder, "I take back what I said about the change, Grian."

Grian gave a deadpan stare as the taller man waved his hands, "Sorry but look, I have a mountain of letters piling up from both of my chests and fridge, asking for more details, and even Pearl noticed because she was mostly the one sending them to me!"

 

Pearl crossed her arms, "He has a point; I was getting tired of going to Scarland to send messages to Scar every hour. I just wanted a new letter to send to someone else at least."

 

Quackity sensed the argument was becoming awkward, or maybe he just shouldn’t be eavesdropping, so he changed his mind and decided to find the kitchen, leaving Scar and them to continue their squabble.

And as Quackity made his way to the kitchen, a peculiar sound caught his attention. He spun around to spot a door that might lead to a bedroom.

Grian had mentioned that Dream could be snoozing in there, the door appeared closed, but was it locked?

 

Quackity felt the urge to slap himself again, not wanting to make up any more chaos for Dream if he noticed him. But Grian had pointed out that the masked man was currently under the weather. That should mean Dream wouldn’t be in a position to give Quackity a good damn thrashing. 

 

Perhaps Grian had already faced the brunt of Dream’s wrath on Quackity, because if Dream still harbored murderous thoughts towards Quackity, he wouldn’t have joined in the rescue mission for him and Tallulah?

 

...Yeah! That makes sense! Quackity mused, maybe Dream just has bad taste in tolerance toward him now, so it might be less risky to check on him.

 

Quackity approached the door, clicked it, and found it surprisingly unlocked. He swallowed hard as he pushed the door open, whispering, “Hello?” while peeking his head through the opening.

 

“You doing alright, man?” He didn’t even know why he asked that out loud, he was just going to take a peek anyway. Inside, he noticed the bedroom resembled theirs; there was a tiny chair, a mirror, and a heap of empty potions on one of the drawers. Quackity spotted the back of the masked figure wrapped in the blanket. Quackity hummed softly, feeling a bit relieved that Dream was asleep, looking so peaceful.

 

Q turned around just in case and then headed inside the bedroom for a closer look now…

 

However, he noticed something odd about the blanket as he gingerly began to unwrap it. It wasn’t Dream at all; it was just a pillow.

 

Quackity raised an eyebrow, thinking, that’s not Dream, did he just take off from the bed? This has to be just another bedroom, not meant for him.

 

Q sighed, pondering if checking on the masked man wasn’t really such a big deal. He set the blanket aside and turned to exit the room.

 

 

 

Out of nowhere, something struck his foot, and it felt like nails digging in, "AHH!" Quackity yelped, his feathers flaring from his wings in shock, nearly losing his balance and his glasses as he glanced down. A hand emerged from beneath the bed, and then someone crawled out.

 

Quackity adjusted his glasses, taken aback by what he saw. Dream stood up, looking utterly lifeless, his dark blond hair a mess, fists trembling, and hugging himself tightly.

And his eyes…They were green just as the fresh green grass. 

Quackity was astonished but slowly backed away, "Woah! Uh, D-Dream?" He never imagined the masked man would hide under the bed like a frightened child.

Yet, Dream’s expression shifted, appearing to morph into a hint of anger.

 

"Dream, st- hey, you really shouldn’t be standing, you might hurt yours-" Quackity stammered, filled with concern, but Dream bared his teeth, grinding them like venom. His fists were clenched so tightly that his nails nearly pierced his skin.

 

Quackity was at a loss for how to respond as he attempted to calm the man down like Grian had done, though he took a few steps back, "I’m not a d- doctor," he attempted to say, but anxiety and his throat were making this hard, "But you really shouldn’t leave the bed and…you look sick-"

 

"SICK?! I’M SICK OF YOU!"

 

Quackity yelped at Dream’s sudden outburst, clutching the wall as his heart raced while Dream shook his head, "Quackity..." he rasped out, "Y- you think just because I ‘helped’ Grian save your sorry ass, I’d be done with you?"

 

Quackity’s eyes widened, even after saving him, Dream still wanted him dead? He gulped as he saw the unmasked man glaring at the chair. Dream let out a groan of frustration (though it hinted at some pain) as he walked toward the chair and lifted it with struggle.

Dream faced Quackity, and Quackity bit his lip, glancing at the chair and then at the man, "Dream, put the chair..." but he paused when he finally noticed Dream’s frail form, "down..." he concluded his sentence in a stunned whisper.

 

 

Quackity thought he was sleeping and reliving the same visions again… But it seemed like he was actually facing Dream.

Quackity covered his mouth with his hands, exclaiming, "holy fuck! Dream, what happened to y-" 

With a loud thud, Dream slammed the chair against the footboard of the bed and turned to Quackity, his voice dripping with menace, "I'm not done until I hear your plea!" 

 

"Shit!" Quackity swore in terror, desperately trying to reason with him, "Dr- Dream, y-you hit me a lot while we were in the void, it's- it's not worth it!" 

 

Yet, just like what happened in the Pandora vault, Dream refused to listen, "Nothing in life is worth more than seeing those who hurt you get hurt back-Gh!" He hissed, but the thirst for revenge clouded his mind, preventing him from questioning why he felt pain at that moment, "When I heard your voice, I thought you would d- die in the explosion at least-" 

 

Quackity's eyes widened, not only from what Dream had said, but from the realization that Dream was struggling with the urge to kill him… Dream doesn't even know he is sick. 

Q gasped, "What?! Y- YOU were about to die from it, Dream! I saved you a- and-" he groaned, "I’ve told you a million times! I can't remember a-" 

Dream suddenly sneered, "I can't remember anything! You can't remember me! YOU can't remember Sapnap or anyone else…" He then let out a pained scream, sounding genuinely tormented, "I don- I don't give a s-shit anymore, okay! I've had enough of this nonsense!"

Quackity was about to run toward the exit but panic struck, causing him to collapse to the floor. Dream's angry lips turned into a twisted grin as he approached the duck hybrid, gripping the small chair tightly, "I can't find peace, I- I just want- to ki- To see you die-AH!" Dream spat, clutching his stomach, but the pain was unimportant and his focus was solely on his prey, "If Punz or Techno were here, they’d revel in this too, watching someone like you pay for what he had done." 

 

Quackity crawled back until his back hit the drawer, sending the mirror and empty potions crashing to the ground in a bunch of shattering glass.

 

Dream fixated on the terrified expression of his tormentor, a nagging feeling gnawing at him as he prepared. Yet, the urge to act was overwhelming but he couldn’t hold back any longer. He just wanted to return home, to find Punz, to finish what needs to be done, there was no time for hesitation!

 

And so, Dream grinned, a smile far more menacing than the one has in his mask. "That’s what justice is all about, Quackity," he taunted.

 

Quackity adjusted his falling glasses and frantically searched for something to defend himself, "Dream! Plea-" 

 

Dream hold the chair above his head, bellowing, "AN EYE FOR AN EYE-"

 

..

 

...

 

Quackity used the mirror as a shield, and for a moment, Dream halted but not out of wanting, but because of the sight of his own reflection in the mirror.

 

The bones and ribs showing from his body and…

 

"AHHHHHHH!"

 

The chair fell to the floor, crashing down as Dream unleashed a high-pitched scream that could have been the reason the mirror shattered instead.

Quackity cracked open an eye, only to find Dream frozen as ice, his chest heaving as he retreated backward, hands tangled in his hair in a mix of shock and horror. 

Quackity inhaled deeply, setting the mirror down, “D- Dream? Are yo-”

Suddenly, the door swung wide open.

 

"What’s happenin-" 

 

Pearl was on the verge of asking but her words were cut short as her face turned into utter confusion upon spotting the duck hybrid staring right at her, "Who are you?!"

Quackity was caught off guard as he struggled to find words while shifting his gaze between Pearl and Dream. Pearl glanced in the direction and tilted her head, noticing the man in front of Quackity crumpled on the floor with his arms trembling around the blanket. 

 

Just in the nick of time, Grian and Scar burst in, taking in the chaotic scene; a shattered mirror and bottles, a broken chair, and two men on the floor in a state of panic. 

 

Grian turned to Pearl, "Pearl, can you leave the room, please," he instructed. Pearl hesitated, but Scar stepped forward, placing a hand on her shoulder, silently urging her. Pearl frowned but followed Scar out. 

 

Grian shut the door behind them and after noticing Quackity, he rushed over, "Big Q! Are you alright!" 

 

Quackity was silent, Grian asked again, "He didn’t hurt you, did he?"

 

Quackity looked pale, but then the realization hit him, making his frown deepen. He stuttered, battling through lying, “N- no, G, I’m fine,” as he glanced over Grian’s shoulder, pointing at the panicked man behind them, “but he…"

 

Grian turned to see Dream entangled in the blanket, terrified and gripping his own skin. Grian bit his lip, he knew that would happen, though he hadn’t anticipated it happening like this.

 

Grian gently moved Q aside and crawled toward Dream on his knees, “Dream?” 

 

Dream began to shudder as Grian stood up and cautiously pulled the blanket away, and Dream didn’t fight, his gaze was lost in his own weak grey skin. After a minute, Dream looked up at the parrot hybrid, his eyes red and filled with terror, “What happened to my…?” His voice was laced with pain and sorrow.

 

Grian exchanged a glance with Quackity before looking back at Dream, sighing, “Dream, we’ll explain, j- just take a deep breath an-”

 

Suddenly, Grian felt Dream’s hands gripping his sweater but they were fragile this time, “GRIAN, WHAT HAPPENED TO ME?!” Dream shouted, tears welling in his eyes.

 

"What really happened to me?!" Dream screamed internally, recalling the last moment he was laughing at the pathetic mask (more pathetic than his) of that duck manager, and he was ready to take down Quackity, but now… he couldn’t make sense of this. 

 

Grian opened his mouth, only to quickly close it again. Dream was just like that time he got in the death loop, but somehow worse. The parrot hybrid didn’t even want to admit he is feeling sympathy at this moment, yet he struggled to keep it bottled up for that weak man who was, and probably still calls himself, a ‘villain’.

 

Dream shook his head when he noticed Grian’s silence and shouted, “SPEAK TO ME!” His tears welled up more, and his voice became a blend of sobs and anger, “Please…” He felt his hands unable to grasp Grian’s sweater any longer as he succumbed to a soft, shuddering sob. Grian knelt down and spoke firmly, “Dream, breathe, we’ll explain,”

 

Dream attempted to pause and breathe, but it was fruitless… With his only friend somewhere else, calming down with these assholes was a tall order.

 

Grian stood up and turned to Quackity, who looked blank now, yet his eyes betrayed worry.

 

“Quackity, leave.” The Ex-watcher insisted.

…

.

.

 

Letting Dream calm down was no easy feat, but Grian did his best to give him the space he needed until exhaustion turned his cries into a faint whisper as he passed out on the bed.

 

With a sigh, Grian exited the bedroom, pondering whether Quackity had returned to his bedroom. He waved his sweater off as he made his way to the restroom, Pearl was there and she stared at him quietly, uncertain about which better question to ask first. Scar told her of course, like Grian going to the prison to rescue someone's daughter and her friend, but it still left her puzzled and shocked.

 

Footsteps echoed, and Scar appeared, his expression a mix of concern and urgency as he gestured towards the door, "It's Tango, he's looking for you Pearl. He's also asking why you and Grian were in my base and why he heard a scream from this direction."

 

"Oh crap," Grian muttered under his breath, covering his face. Yep, he had really fucked up. He plopped down on the couch, lamenting, "How am I going to explain all this to everyone?"

 

Pearl huffed and approached her friend, placing her hands on his shoulders, "If only you had explained things before breaking that guy out! We would have helped you!"

 

Grian blinked in surprise, "You guys were actually going to do that for me? I mean, what happened was the reason for the suspension, and I didn't want to put you all in danger," he chuckled bitterly, "If any of you had been caught by those managers, you would have turned into one of these guys!"

 

Pearl cocked her brow, "Are you talking about that guy with the orange wings or the one who was hiding under the blanket?"

 

The parrot hybrid responded with hesitation, "That would be Quackity, and the other one is Dream."

 

"D-Dream?" Pearl stammered in disbelief as she tried to recall, "As in Dreamwas-taken? The guy with the smiling mask? I've heard of him before, you broke him out too?

 

Grian nodded, and Pearl frowned as she said, "I understand you didn't want to make more trouble, Grian, but it feels like you are already knee-deep in it. We need to do something."

 

Grian felt the weight of exhaustion urging him to agree, so he stood up and declared, "I'm going to consult Xisuma about this again."

Scar and Pearl nodded in agreement. Pearl headed for the door while Scar returned to his room; after all, it was the middle of the night now. Grian made his way down the hallway but halted when he spotted a child standing there.

"Tallulah?" he inquired, and Tallulah rubbed her eyes, mumbling, "Mr. Grian, I heard screams, and Quackity was too scared to talk to me. What happened?"

"N-no-nothing, it’s just..." Grian averted her gaze and requested firmly, "Return to the bedroom," he felt like a worried dad at that moment, but he had no time to dwell on that thought, "We’ll discuss it tomorrow."

 

..

.

 

It has only been a single day since the event happened, yet it feels far too short for Dream to suppress his panic over his fragile state, especially after Xisuma informed him of the calamity that befell him and the fact not only he lost his powers but without them, he wouldn't have made it out alive… Dream longed to awaken from this nightmare.

 

Scar took it upon himself to ensure Dream received nourishment (much to Grian's slight disfavour), hoping to restore a hint of muscle to his physique. The next day was not without its difficulties, dealing with Quackity and healing a dragon child while the entire server was already teeming with questions and letters directed at Grian.

 

While Scar was attempting to soothe the guests, repeatedly asserting that it was his turn to handle the job, Grian, Pearl, and Xisuma were sequestered in the restroom, pondering their course of action. 

The voidwalker confessed, “Grian? We can’t keep them in the dark away from the rest of the hermits.”

Grian sighed heavily, replying, “I know, I know,” as he rubbed his forehead, “Without the chatting system, I can’t possibly send messages explaining everything to everyone all at once.”

 

Silence reigned until a snicker broke through, courtesy of Pearl, who suggested, “You could just tell me, I’d gladly relay the news to everyone!”

 

The parrot hybrid appreciated the offer, but it had some issues. Grian admitted, "Thanks, Pearl, it’s not just about telling them what’s happened to me or where I’ve been, it’s…Them," he gestured towards the hallway, mentioning about Quackity and the others as he continued, "The three of them, I know from the MCC, except for Tallulah. But not everyone attends the championship or has even heard of it to know these guys well enough." 

 

Pearl let out a judgmental face, and Grian sighed, "Okay, I know they might, but it’s not just that! I can’t simply just tell them that Quackity was the reason I ended up in the void prison or that Dream is, like, evil or something. They would worry or even kill the two!" 

 

Grian knows that his friends wouldn’t act such a thing, but considering Quackity and Dream? They might not like them, it's apprehensive about how things would mesh with these new people. Xisuma appeared to understand his worries as he re-entered the discussion, "It would be also difficult to introduce them to each hermit one by one, at least Scar was the kind of person who understood it," he crossed his arms, "But we need to find a way to make them understand too."

 

Grian nodded while stroking his chin, and when he glanced at Pearl, he suggested, "Why not try writing for me a paragraph that explains the entire story?"

Pearl hummed thoughtfully and then replied, "As much as that beats delivering letters to Scar every single hour, it would consume a lot of time!" 

Grian raised a finger to protest but reconsidered, intertwining his fingers, he pondered, "Valid point, we need something swifter, something like..."

"Interviews, perhaps!" 

 

The two men turned to Pearl, "We could arrange brief meetings, just you and Xisuma, and capture their stories in one go!" 

Grian raised an eyebrow and Pearl continued, "That would be less exhausting for them! The Hermits could listen to the entire recording like a celebrity broadcast or documentary!" 

 

Both men mulled over this, though Grian was hesitant about having the three recording their talking and story, particularly Dream but... it might cut the gordian knot.

 

X hummed in agreement, "That’s not a bad idea."

 

Thus, Grian also appeared to approve the idea too, he then let out a deadpan expression as he walked away, "I'll get the recorder and some coffee."

 

Grian agreed to start recording when it is Quackity and Dream, but he drew the line at Tallulah. Not because he feared the hermits discovering there was a child who is literally a dragon.

Tallulah was actually a bit interested, thinking it might be a refreshing change to chat, but her nerves kicked in when she realized her voice would be recorded just so the hermits could understand them better and not pose a threat so Grian picked up on that pretty quickly.

Meanwhile, when it came to handling work and letters for others and from Mumbo, Scar was perfectly fine with stepping in for Grian temporarily, as long as they could finish the recording.

Grian wanted to kick things off with Quackity first since he wasn’t sure if Dream was in a good shape, but Dream just huffed and barged in first without a second thought. Grian raised an eyebrow at that reaction but sighed and went with the flow.

 

Now, the two admins from different servers were sitting across from each other, with Grian next to the former, setting down two mugs of coffee.

 

Before Grian could make a move, Xisuma placed his gloved hands on the table, fixing a stern gaze on Dream, “Dream, are you sure you want to talk now? You still-”

 

“No,” Dream shot back, completely uninterested in the question. Why did they want to know how he felt right now? He didn’t even know these people. Sure, he had clashed with Grian in some of the games, but they weren’t exactly ex-friends or something. Dream stated evenly, “I just want this to be over with.”

 

Grian shot him a glare, but Xisuma gave his friend a reassuring pat and nodded, prompting Grian to hit the record button.

 

The voidwalker cleared his throat and began, “Dream, Grian has shared a few key points about you, so we’ll set those aside and ask you something else we need to know.”

 

Dream blinked but went quiet, Xisuma carried on, “What we’ll going to mention to them that you used to be one of the championships participants, know parkour and have strong fighting skills, an admin and have came from the Dreamsmp…and you’re not a good person.”

 

That was where Dream was getting back to being annoyed, “close enough,” he commented with an eye roll.

 

X hummed softly as he said, “And you used to have powers but not anymore,” he felt the parrot hybrid nudging him, "Keep that to yourself, X; it’ll only worry them."

 

And X nodded, even if that part was recorded, they’d just cut it out later. Xisuma shifted in his seat, "Now, let’s address your current situation and your relationships with those who are with you. Regarding Tallulah, we’ll set that aside since you two are strangers who just crossed paths," He paused briefly, "Now, about Quackity..."

 

Grian noticed Dream flinching at the name. He also saw Xisuma hesitate to ask the question, so he gave him another pat on the back of the voidwalker to signal it was his turn. Grian took a seat and asked, "Dream, what exactly is the Pandora vault and everyone' choice that led to your imprisonment there, even though it was your creation? And when did you first meet Quackity?"

Dream abruptly turned his face toward the parrot hybrid, his expression unreadable.

Why would they choose to ask him that of all things? They could’ve inquired about anything else; they could’ve sought the truth regarding his wrongs, they could’ve questioned him about L'Manberg, or the other structures he destroyed like the community house… They could’ve demanded to know what he did to Tommy! They could’ve asked why he hurt him, why he made his best friends suffer, exiled him, manipulated his brother figure, brought him back to life, emotionally tortured him, betrayed his bonds, and made him turn against his friends… They could’ve asked Dream why he opted to be the villain instead of reuniting with his old friends…

 

They could’ve asked for anything… But no, they had to bring up the prison and that fucking ducky…

 

Dream averted his eyes to the ground to conceal his clenched jaw, "Pandora vault was a prison I commissioned from someone."

 

Silence fell, and Xisuma was about to ask, but Grian whispered, "He doesn't want to say his nam-"

 

Dream interjected, "His name is Awesamedude, but we all call him Sam, he thought I would use it to shut out those who wronged the server and myself as well," even though he said it, he still despised mentioning the warden's name again.

 

Xisuma attempted to piece it together as he spoke gently, "But then after you committed all these crimes, they locked you in there, you hoisted with your own petard."

 

Dream moved his lips a bit, "Not exactly that," he glanced at the coffee mug, showing no interest in drinking it, then closed his eyes, "As for Quacki-" he clenched his teeth harder.

 

There was a moment of silence until Dream turned to the duo with a face full of displeasure and pain, "You want to know how he and I first met face to face, huh?" He looked away, "You could've easily gotten that memo if you just asked HIM that question instead."

 

Grian shot Dream a slight glare, "We needed to hear it from your side first, and Quackity doesn’t even remember anything, Egghead."

 

Dream now looked offended, and Xisuma sighed as he tried to steer the conversation back, "Were you two always at odds the first time he joined your server? Or was it just that you always had hated him?"

 

Dream wanted to laugh so hard, "Hated him?"

 

We used to be friends…we used to sing togeth-

 

Dream stared at the table as he spelled it out, "Hated him…" He frowned, "Not at first, but now…" He looked away again, "Hate is just a weak word for that; its pure anger and a thirst for revenge against someone who cruelly trapped you in a room of your own nightmares."

 

Xisuma and Grian exchanged glances and turned to the man, "If you’re not being dramatic, I bet that room you’re talking about is the Pandora vault cell, right?" Xisuma asked.

 

Dream remained silent, but Xisuma interpreted his quietness as a yes, "It’s always been that way, one of your creations for a scheme of yours," and Grian finished his sentence, "A scheme to turn it into your personal abode."

 

Dream let out a heavy sigh, shaking his head, "No, and I’ll keep my mouth shut on that one. The idea of turning the prison into a home was just a fleeting thought that crossed my mind after I broke free."

Meanwhile, Quackity and Tallulah were in the bedroom, both waiting for their turns. Tallulah was gently stroking Scar’s cat, utterly in awe of her cuteness. She had once owned a lot of pets, from pandas to dinosaurs (literally), but how she longed to have a cat someday. She glanced over at her father figure, who was kneeling by the closed door, ears perked up against the wood.

 

With a playful tone, Tallulah murmured, "It’s not very nice to eavesdrop, Quackity," to which Quackity rolled his eyes, "We’ve been eavesdropping on my past self crew before, kid!" His sarcasm was on the verge of turning into a frown, but he shook it off, brushing his ear against the door.

Xisuma was humming and waving his mug as he inquired, "What did Quackity do to you when you were locked up there?"

 

Dream felt blood trickling from his lip from biting it so fiercely. Why do these fools want to know more about him and Quackity?!

 

Dream clenched the wooden table, "Oh, you want to also know why he DID that?" His nails were digging into the wood, "He was trying to avenge some stupid, poor innocent To- Someone, that I killed in prison for his annoying antics and his refusal to believe of my reviving abilities and for killing my-"

 

Dream quickly shut his mouth, painful memories flooding back… He didn’t want to bring that up, how much he despises revisiting what happened to her…

 

Dream squeezed his eyes shut and added, "For killing my sanity,"

 

Grian could tell Dream was referring to Tommy, but he couldn't figure out if Dream was withholding the truth due to pain or just twisting the words for his own gain.

 

Xisuma thought he was done, but that was when Dream suddenly slammed his fists onto the table, nearly toppling the mugs, "If you think the reason was the former, you’re so damn wrong! Fucking wrong!" he bellowed from the depths of his lungs.

 

“Dream?!” Xisuma anticipated the outburst but was unprepared for the response as he made a stopping gesture to the parrot hybrid, “Pause the recorder now.”

 

Grian complied as Dream unleashed everything he had wanted to express since encountering his brother old friend, “He desperately wanted my powers! That’s what he wanted! He threatened me! While making me beg like a dog! H- he removed my fingers one by one- he- with- shears, carved scars and words into my skin with a knif-” Dream abruptly paused, gripped by the fear of recollection.

 

Grian blinked, “Shears?”

 

Dream shook his head again, unwilling to dwell on all of that courtesy of THAT Quackity, but he pressed on, his voice faltering, “He forced my face into water repeatedly until I nearly suffocated, the ward- Damn Sam allowed him to do that to me! He let me starve!”

 

Grian and Xisuma exchanged concerned glances again, and Dream went on, “When I found him and that stupid gremlin, I thought I had finally caught him and could take my revenge, but no…” he let out a bitter snicker that quickly faded, “He doesn’t remember anything he did to me, and what’s the point of watching someone plea for mercy for something they don’t even know or believe they did-” he slammed the table again, “These faceless assholes intervened and prevented me just as I was about to fulfill my intention and have killed Pun-”

 

His heart nearly stopped…

 

“I refuse to accept that they killed him,”

 

Dream was hit with a wave of grief, trying to push it away, "I punched that duck right in the face and everywhere in the void, but it didn't bring me any satisfaction! Any joy! I was supposed to feel satisfied, but I felt nothing," he lamented.

 

Xisuma raised a hand toward the man to intervene, but Grian motioned for him to let Dream speak...Perhaps that was a mistake, as Dream began to tremble before letting out a cry, "I wanted him to apologize! I wanted to threaten his loved ones just to see him suffer like he made me suffer! I wanted him to admit that he's worse than me, always has been-"

 

Dream stopped suddenly, noticing tears on the table. He wiped his eyes, seeing his own tears on his fingertips as he sighed sadly, "A- a monster..." he muttered, covering his face to hide his pain from others.

 

Meanwhile, Grian and Xisuma pondered whether they are feeling about him now.

 

Yet, Grian was experiencing something different but he couldn't quite tell, and with a sigh, he rose and approached Dream, whispering, "Dream? You can stop now, y- you can stop here," as he patted the man's back. Dream recoiled slightly, muttering, "Get away from me..." with a hint of distaste.

 

Grian's brow furrowed as he glanced at Xisuma, who gestured towards the parrot hybrid, concluding, "Let’s just halt here, we’ve gathered enough information."

 

Grian nodded, his eyes fixed on Dream, ensuring he had space to regain his composure again. Once Dream lowered his hand, he inhaled deeply, feeling as though he had expelled all the toxins from his lungs.

 

Dream rose and began to make his way toward the bedroom, deliberately avoiding Grian’s gaze. Grian turned to the voidwalker, remarking, "He didn’t act like that before. Perhaps we shouldn’t have started with him."

 

Xisuma nodded solemnly but then elaborated, "I believe his grief over the loss of his powers has hindered his capacity to control his emotions and the situation too. But that power is perilously dangerous, I can tell it’s all gone for good."

 

Grian huffed slightly, and since the recorder had already paused, Xisuma cleared his throat once more and called out, "Next."

 

As Grian stepped into the bedroom to open the door, he was met with the sight of Quackity and Tallulah on the floor. "Quackity? It’s your tur-" he was about to call the duck hybrid, but he quickly noticed Tallulah trying to calm him, Quackity looked as if he had seen a ghost. Grian raised an eyebrow, he spotted Jellie nestled in the drawer, equally confused like the parrot hybrid.

 

"Big Q?" Grian asked, concern lacing his voice, "We’re finished with Dream, are you okay?"

 

Quackity’s mind clouded by shock, especially after the sounds and screams he had heard beyond the door. Tallulah struggled to comfort him, but Quackity was busy trying to piece it together, wishing he did unhear Dream's breakdown, the revelation gnawing at him, making him yearn to confront his former self and just… ask him… Why?

 

Why was all that torture he had done was just to steal Dream’s abilities?

 

Quackity didn't remember well what Dream told him or showed him when he took him to the pandora vault... Okay, maybe putting Dream into the cold water and more… and all of that wasn’t for justice… Was for power? Was Dream deceiving or had Quackity truly become so consumed by wealth  and too selfish that he would've been so obsessed with super powers like Dream?

 

Grian turned to Tallulah, who mirrored his concern as he questioned, "Tallulah? What’s wrong with him?

Tallulah bit her lip and replied, "He’s probably in shock, he was listening to-"

Suddenly, Quackity interrupted his own thoughts, trying to appear unafraid, "Huh? Oh!" He slowly stood up, "Nothing, G! J- just the-The pressure is getting to me and- and I’m still nervous about recording my voice."

Grian can sometimes taste the lie, yet he noted that Quackity’s voice was strained with stress.

Quackity turned to his friend and awkwardly queried, "Um, Chalulah? You wouldn’t mind if..." but Tallulah quickly rose, careful not to bump her wings as she stood, patting her father figure's back while addressing the parrot hybrid, "It’s alright, I’ll go, Mr. Grian."

Quackity blinked, surprised that Tallulah was so willing to take his place so swiftly, though it’s clear.

 

Grian’s brow knitted in confusion, "Okay?" as he swung the door wide for the girl to enter, and as the two departed, Quackity fixated on the floor, contemplating that one'ld ass wisdom of never eavesdropping ever again.

 

 

"Tallulah? The daughter of Philza Minecraft, the angel of death? From Quesadilla island?" Xisuma inquired, directing his gaze at the dragon hybrid. Amusingly, Grian had to stack a few books on the chair to ensure Tallulah could meet the admin's eyes directly.

 

Tallulah nodded, prompting Xisuma to hum thoughtfully, "Not exactly surprising anymore, given that I've heard he has a thing for playing the father figure to everyone else," he sighed, "At least I’m not as ancient as he is or others."

 

Grian let out a chuckle, and Xisuma turned to him, saying, "Don’t let Doc know," before redirecting his attention to the girl, "So, when and where? You don't have to tell the details, okay?"

 

Tallulah played with her new shirt, as her previous clothes had become dirty during their rescue. As she began to speak, memories came rushing back, "W- well, we came from our mother, who was a gigantic dragon, and someone accidentally broke the island's rule by breaking a wall? It made our mama ran away till we became orphaned eggs, like-" 

She glanced around, recalling the time she could walk on her own instead of being carried by her old dad, "I- I used to be an egg with legs a-and we grew up gradually!" After I mean-Before Papi adopted me, he took in Chayanne, who is my brother. Actually I have many eggs friends and siblings, and many tíos and tías too!"

Tallulah smiled a little as she began to think of these memories, thinking back to the islanders who had been kind to her, bringing her gifts and showing her kindness. It was also lovely to see a few of them when she and Q teleported to the Dreamsmp, although there was a part she wanted to push aside, as she didn’t enjoy discussing her other friends of her age.

Leaning slightly on the table, she said, "The Goddess of Death is sort of like my mom…Papa Missa is Chayanne’s other dad…Uh, Papi and he have no ‘romantic’ involvement, even if my situation differs," she teased, prompting Grian to respond with a quiet, unimpressed, "Wow."

“I- I have super powers, but I still don't know how to use them,” as she fiddled with her hair, she continued, "I love to write stories and play music!" It was a rather basic admission, but they had advised her to keep it simple, which at least made this ‘interview’ feel less awkward for her, "I used to have my flute, but I lost it,"

And this ‘interview’ likely wouldn’t remain so straightforward.

Tallulah regretted having to return to that topic, but she needed to clarify, "The federation we thought would keep us safe and welcomed to the island ended up adopting us under a false promise...they just wanted to harness our powers as guards or soldiers," she explained; "T- they manipulated some of my aunts and uncles into joining them, forcing them into dangerous games, and so I and my friends...

 

Grian raised an eyebrow, "Games? You neglected to mention that when we were imprisoned."

 

Tallulah shifted uncomfortably, "I was worried to explain it further,"

 

Grian pondered, attempting to understand the child's narrative, he recalled fragments from the days of Last life, perhaps these games they were thrust into bore resemblance to these.

 

Or maybe just as worse as them…

 

Tallulah then interjected, "I-it was horrible," her voice quivering with fear. 

Grian couldn't suppress a scoff, "Oh my god, they’ve already taken everything from you, even before they inflicted harm on your-" he shut himself, thinking it might not be good to mention about her wings, "When you and your family made your escape, Philza informed me that you were going to the death island and I understand his lineage is associated with death, but that might just be the worst name Philza could have imagined."

 

Tallulah pretended to nod and then carried on, "We were meant to journey to another server for a brief break before going to our new home on that island, but our plans were thwarted when Quackity needed help with his memories."

Xisuma rubbed his helmet and inquired, "What was that server you and your family were intending to go to, anyway?"

Tallulah struggled to recall, stating all she knew, "He-I’m not certain, there was an emergency and he mentioned it being dangerous, so he left me and Quackity."

If Xisuma had been sipping coffee, he would have choked in disbelief, "He did what?" and Tallulah raised her hands defensively, "He said it was dangerous!"

Grian rolled his eyes as he observed the voidwalker shaking his head. Xisuma remarked, "Man, he could’ve taken you somewhere safer than leaving you with someone who doesn’t have memories and is already struggling to navigate life after losing them," and after a brief pause, he scoffed bluntly, "Father of the year, everyone."

Grian joined in the mockery, adding, "Annnnd he inadvertently left his commentator in the diner, yet another prize for the wisest immortal of the year."

Tallulah remained silent, though part of her wanted to glare at the men for ridiculing her father. Quackity was no issue since he was angry, Lulah was just fairly certain Xisuma shouldn’t harbor dislike towards the immortal. Something suddenly struck her, and she felt the need to mention, "Actually, I was first adopted by his so- other child, W- Wilbur."

 

Xisuma simply mumbled, "Wilbur," but he didn’t bother to inquire about that individual as he asked another question, "And what happened?"

 

Tallulah cast her gaze down the table, her voice tinged with hurt, "I don’t know, he left me without any sign or letter. Papi quickly took over his role as my new father," she attempted to maintain her composure, "I’m still trying to move on from that, A- and-" but the familiar pang of sadness she desperately wished to dispel returned, "But I still feel like I don’t because when I saw hi- him in the simulation, I couldn’t ho- hold myself back..."

 

Xisuma appeared perplexed, but Grian leaned in to whisper, "They’re fake ones."

 

"I- if I could have moved on," Tallulah's voice trailed off, her eyes glistening. She fought desperately to keep tears from falling, weary of crying over something she vowed not to dwell on, "If it weren't for that, Quackity and I-I wouldn't be here."

 

Silence enveloped them; no tears were shed, yet Tallulah felt the unshed tears in her eyes as she inhaled deeply and began to rub them. She hated the blame game, but even she couldn't contain her emotions this time, no matter how often Quackity reminded her that everything that happened was Drista's fault, not hers.

 

Grian walked over, wrapping a wing around her to offer comfort. Although Xisuma wasn't familiar with children, he could feel a twinge of sympathy with the dragon hybrid.

 

Xisuma took a deep breath as he spoke, “Kid, your reasons are understandable, and you're still a child anyway. Being abandoned can have an impact on someone, causing them to be unable to control themselves. And not having closure can make it even harder," he reflected. Then something crossed his mind, "Wait, Grian?" Grian turned to him as Xisuma asked, "You met Phil. Did he tell you what server he and his family were planning to go to?"

Grian tried to recall, all he remembered was Phil mentioning that he had interacted with the god of chaos, arguing and shouting at her about what had happened, so he shrugged.

Xisuma let out a deep groan, "So, Tallulah?" He placed his hands on the table, fingers interlaced, "Has Phil ever brought up anything about the place he and the rest of your family were about to visit before he used the simulation to find you?"

 

Tallulah flared her nose before responding, "He mentioned he wanted to..." She struggled to recall, "He was planning to spend time with Mom and Papa Missa a-and they intended to go to a server where he..."

'Kristin and I even joked about the possibility of a 'double date' with the queen and her husband...'

"Queen and her husband..." she murmured, prompting Grian to raise an eyebrow, "Huh? A queen and what?"

Tallulah remained silent, focusing on clearing her mind to remember that discussion back at the diner...

 

‘We received an invitation while on…’

She stuck her tongue out in thought, and Grian chose to give her the time to recall.

"He s-said... a server called..." Tallulah rubbed her curls as a name her Papi mentioned suddenly came to the forefront of her mind, "It's called the Em- pir?"

Xisuma tilted his head, "Empir?" Suddenly, Grian jolted in shock as he recognized the name, turning to Xisuma with a wide grin, "The empire!" he exclaimed.

The dragon hybrid blinked in surprise, saying, "You know that server?" Grian nodded eagerly, "Yeah! It’s a long story."

 

Tallulah felt a wave of reassurance, knowing that another opportunity had come their way to reunite her with her family.

 

Grian returned to the admin and took a seat, while Xisuma crossed his arms and inquired, "I guess you should call one of the emperors there, Grian, like Jimmy at least?" he then had another thought and added, "Maybe you could reach out to anyone from there if possible-"

 

Grian deadpan, "X, we still haven't got our messaging system back."

Xisuma fell silent for a moment before cursing, "Well, shit."

Grian sighed, they were almost there, but they could explore other options. He turned to look at Tallulah, noticing her expression shift slightly blank, though.

 

"Tallulah?"

 

Tallulah startled, lifting her head with a slight smile, albeit she began to stutter, "Sor- sorry, I'm still worried about what might happen to Papi too while he teleported there, to the dream sm-" She stopped as she took a deep breath, feeling the homesickness wash over her again. Despite how cozy Scar’s house was, it still couldn’t fill the void darkness in her heart that longed for her family.

 

Tallulah gazed at the floor as she confessed, "I miss him, I miss my famil-"

Grian approached to console her again, "Listen, once we take down that organization completely, we will find a way to search for your father." 

 

Tallulah didn’t look at him, but Grian continued, "Your other family members might be in the empire smp, I know that server well," he added with a hopeful grin, "We could reach out to the emperors somehow and maybe your family is still there!" 

 

Tallulah’s eyes brightened as she asked, "You think so? Yo-You promise?" Grian laughed, "Come on, I haven't forgotten my promise to rescue you and your friend, have I?" 

 

Tallulah chuckled softly in return, knowing she could always trust Grian on that front too, "Yeah, Mr.Grian?" she added, "You really don’t have to keep snatching up more feathers to prove you’ll stick to that promise."

 

She wasn’t mistaken, and Grian rolled his eyes, "Pff, If I keep Fulfilling my promises to my friends and hermits, my wings would’ve turned into a pile of featherless bones. I’ll be by your side this time as well." 

 

"Okay, I guess that’s all we needed to hear. I mean, it’s just the two of us who had to hear that," Xisuma pointed out as Grian agreed. Tallulah took another deep breath and got to her feet.

 

Grian placed his hands on his hips and remarked, “This one felt more like a therapy session rather than an interview, you know?”

 Xisuma rolled his eyes and shouted, “Next.”

 

Grian strolled towards the bedroom, and Tallulah knocked on the door. Silence followed, causing Tallulah to grow concerned, while Grian shot a glare and called out, “Big Q! It’s your turn now. We can wrap this up by tomorrow if you’re still not up for it.”

However, Quackity cracked the door open, “Sorry! I was, uh, napping! Didn’t catch you guys!” He glanced at the dragon hybrid, “So, how did the interview go, Tallulah? They didn’t bother you?”

Tallulah shook her head and simply replied, “It was fine,” as she headed to bed. Quackity frowned at her short response but then turned his attention to the parrot hybrid.

 

 

 

 

As Quackity put the books down and settled down, Xisuma signaled, “Restart the recorder,” and Grian pressed the button.

Grian then walked over to Quackity, “Don’t worry, just share a little of what you kno- um, what you remember. He knows you don’t recall your whole story.”

Quackity sighed, avoiding the urge to tell Grian that he still couldn’t remember everything clearly, so he lied…again, “I know, I’m just still nervous.”

 

Man, the more he stressed, the more he felt just like Tallulah about all the crap they are dealing with right now.

 

A pat landed on his shoulder as Grian reassured him, "Take your time with him, I told you, X is a nice guy, he’ll be chill with you."

Quackity rolled his eyes, his fret was making it impossible to admit that he wasn’t frightened about that part.

Grian continued, "In our server, we all chill with each other..." he smirked slightly, "Unless you join our pack, and then it wouldn’t be a problem if everyone filled your basement with fire or summoned a horde of llamas to wreck it,"

Quackity blinked, parting his lips to respond but then closing them as he understood that Grian was just teasing him. Grian waved his hand, "It’s all just a play, don’t worry."

Quackity wanted to utter to Grian how he wasn’t even worried about talking to the admin, how much less stressed he felt after meeting Scar, and how eager he was to talk with others. Talking to people who know you that have endured pain you caused them, which you can’t even recall, was really getting under Quackity’s skin, and thinking about the reason he did to Dream felt like tiny needles poking at his back, surrounded by knives.

And so, the final interview started.

 

"Quackity?" Xisuma inquired just to be clear.

 

Quackity nodded tensely while ignoring the past existence crisis he had and Xisuma pressed on, "Grian mentioned you've hopped onto several servers before, each ending badly with you losing your memories, and the last one was when you lost them perpetually."

Quackity sighed, as much as he yearned to learn more about these servers he had joined, the Qsmp appeared to him in a rather negative light through the simulation, while the Dreamsmp from his past travels. He felt something was missing, but he brushed it off. After all, it’s not like something or even his visions hinted anything about it… Right?

Quackity sought for a suitable word to respond as another notion crossed his mind, "I mean, if what I did regarding the paradox won't 'ruin' the timeline, then either my past self won’t lose his memory to the nuke, or maybe he will soon...I really can’t tell."

Xisuma was perplexed, and asked, "The federation wiped your memories away, do you have any theories on why?"

The duck hybrid held his head in his hands and scoffed, "They keep insisting I broke their rules or some shit." 

Xisuma looked down at the floor before returning his gaze to Quackity, "Is that about breaking the wall that made Tallulah’s biological mother escape the island in the first place?"

Quackity shrugged, "I suppose?!" He then crossed his arms and tutted, "And that Mr. Suck-a-dick thinks I have a fucking clue about what’s going to happen to the simulation if Tallula- if I hadn’t paid more attention to her before she see her lost dad."

 

Grian chuckled at Quackity's acceptance of the name.

Xisuma hummed thoughtfully and inquired, "Was that glitch that caused both of you to travel back in time?" 

Quackity nodded his head in Shame response, "When I lost my memory, Philza was the one to guide me to learn about it, but it was so dull! And every time he rambled on, my brain just shut down!" He snapped his finger, "That’s where…you get the point! I spotted that portal, and there was this annoying god blocking my way and...I had no idea Tallulah would be abando- I mean, left by her father, so we both (..)

Quackity told what he could remember, everything was a long trek that nearly made him forget about the simulation but at least he managed to speak of what he understood, and a few sips of coffee helped him push through.

"Drista promised us she would bring us back home if something went wrong," Quackity said with an exasperated expression, "But to this moment! It’s like she’s never seen us before! If I was the one who lost his memory, then I guess I'm not the only one! She must have lost hers too!"

The other men stared at him with blank expressions, and Q thought maybe he was being a bit too loud.

"Sorry!" he said, sticking his tongue out.

Xisuma drummed his fingers on the table, saying, "I see it wasn’t entirely your fault too, it was an accident, and the federation seems deaf to comprehend it." 

Grian leaned in to whisper to him as Xisuma pondered and then asked, "Did you grasp anything when you teleported to the Dream SMP?"

 

Oh boy, Quackity groaned. It was going to be a monumental task to spill everything he witnessed there, the same everything that left him scratching his head.

He still couldn’t quite wrap his head around the whole deal with Past!Quackity and his 'legancy' concerning Las Nevadas.

He attempted to brush aside the visions of those people as he inhaled deeply, "It just raised more questions than answers, not gonna lie," he raised his hands, "Like my past self went through a lot, built a country, was selfish, hurt someone in pri- um, blackmailed someone, but he did help some people fight against a bizarre cult that worshipped a massive freaking evil egg and..." he clumsily pointed at his left eye, "He used to have a scar that he got from the blo...Tec- Techno?"

 

Xisuma blinked, "Techno? You mean Technoblade?" Of course, he had heard of him. Xisuma might not be the type to jump into games, but that didn’t mean he was oblivious to the tales of that fighter.

 

Grian tilted his head, attempting to remember, and something clicked as he leaned in closer to whisper to Xisuma again, "I suppose this is the moment when he and others nearly executed him."

 

Quackity held the mug and took a quick sip, maintaining a poker face, "Wat?"

 

Grian ignored the question, "Uh, nothing, continue."

 

N-No! Quackity thought to himself, wanting to voice his thoughts to Grian regarding what he had said about Technoblade.

He was quite certain he had heard him correctly! What did he mean by executing?! How could Philza have shared such a thing with him but not with Quackity?! The one who used to be involved in it. Surely (from everything he had heard from Tallulah and even that past version of Phil) Philza and Technoblade were inseparable, akin to peanut butter and jelly, yet he could at least recognize that Philza was hesitant to reveal the genuinely harmful deeds he had committed against Techno that resulted in Techno's imprisonment.

But seriously, what was all that intense anger between the duck hybrid and that piglin?

He could even appreciate that Grian did not want him to raise the subject, but if he had been aware, he would have brought him to that point! Perhaps that would have been preferable to struggling to remember his past with that old man!

 

Guess he's not the only one who would keep his mouth shut or lie in this group.

Quackity sighed as he exasperatedly tried to convey what the two men wanted to hear. However, he couldn’t determine what else he should say! He had expressed all he could understand, there has to be something he should have mentioned.

Q inhaled for a moment before speaking, "That was not important for you to hear," he looked away, "Welp…”

Alright, perhaps he could talk about these visions now, and maybe Grian could at least get a whiff of it… Or perhaps Xisuma could! Quackity had these visions while floating around in the void, so it’s possible Xisuma knows a thing or two.

 

And so, Quackity mustered up the courage to continue, “I also had visions when I was in the void, visions of my past self and a few people I encountered there, and some others I couldn’t quite place, like that one with the bottle like dying, or more like passing out, he was dying a-and there was past me munching on something that looked like an organ from tha-” his face cringed.

 

“Visions?” Grian tilted his head, and after a moment, he asked, “Is that why you were so stressed?”

 

“I guess,” Quackity shrugged, “There was also…uh, They-” he fumbled for the right words, “These people, like, they were furious with me, my past self isn’t exactly a good person from what I and Tallulah saw, but it’s still a fucking puzzle to me!” He felt like he was about to stand off the couch as he slowly adjusted his glasses, “Should I just stop here?”

 

Grian turned to Xisuma to see if he had any objections, but the voidwalker shrugged as Grian offered a slight smile for reassurance, “Yeah, it’s cool, I’m still a bit curious about it… You said these visions, you had them when you were stuck in the void and alone?”

“Yeah!” Q nodded, “After the managers took away Chalulah and my eyesight, that’s when it happened and I didn’t get why or what they were.”

Xisuma pondered and then firmly proposed, "I believe their void is different compared to the one most servers and I have. It seems to affect people in ways other than just making them forget hunger, thirst or time, and it appears to thrive on isolation," He then let out a shameful sigh, “I can’t imagine that EX was and still going through this right now.”

The Mexican took another sip of coffee and asked, "Does…that have anything to do with the purple flakes?"

Xisuma squinted, "Purple what?"

Quackity set the mug down and licked his lips, "Mmm, what kind of coffee is th-"

Grian snapped his fingers, "Q, focus."

Quackity chuckled awkwardly, "Oh, uh," he wiped his lips with his arm and continued, "There were waves of purple stuff swirling around the room and I always thought they were just lavenders or something."

Xisuma appeared taken aback as he responded, "The federation never mentioned that to me! That might just be the root of its effects and your visions!"

Quackity seemed to buy into that, even if it didn’t fully resolve the mystery, "Well, that’s odd because I still have them, one I experienced the day before yesterday!"

Grian furrowed his brow, "Hold on, you still? There’s a distinction between visions and dreams. Q, visions either reveal the future or a past memory."

 

Quackity’s jaw nearly hit the floor and he wished he wasn’t surprised by that.

 

The duck hybrid stroked his chin as he idly uttered, "Sooo, it’s like my lost memories are trying to come back to me?"

 

X hummed thoughtfully before replying, "I suppose they were trying to nudge you or give you a hint to remember, to ease your memory troubles ever since you teleported to the past!" He gave a slight shrug, "It could be."

Then again, that was also meant to assist Quackity with his memory loss… Nope, it still doesn’t add up.

Quackity sighed, letting his arms drop, "Well, these hints didn’t help me at all!" He rubbed his forehead, "I’m…still baffled."

This chat isn’t exactly winning any awards. Sure, it was a goldmine of info for Grian and Xisuma, but Quackity is left confused in the dark like a man in a cave.

 

"Sooo," Xisuma attempted to say, "About that evil egg and its cult you mentioned earlier, if that’s the real menace still lurking in that server, we’d better do something about it. I’ve dealt with bigger messes before," he rubbed his neck, "And…as someone who once got attacked by a virus that turned into a villain version of me."

 

"Ugh..." Quackity muttered with a bewildered grin, as he pretended to be all ears to lighten the mood, "Hah! I can’t help but picture what would happen if I had an evil twin too!"

 

Grian waved his hands, signaling Xisuma to keep the conversation rolling as Xisuma asked, "Anyway, about the Qsmp? Do you know more about Quesadilla Island or just the federation?"

The Qsmp? Quackity is still stuck on what the Q even stands for—Quesadilla or his name…who knows?

Quackity paused to gather his thoughts before replying, "I totally blanked on what Philza told me about it, he kept asking me questions and talking at lightning speed to mess with me, all I remember that he said I had a kid there who-"

Grian shook his head in disbelief and asked, "You had a kid?!"

Quackity threw his hands up in mock defense and clarified, "Yeah? Phil told me just like he adopted Tallulah and her brother, I once had adopted an egg dragon named Tilin, and they kicked the bucket or something, I don’t know how, though."

Grian groaned and claimed, "It’s definitely the federation’s fault."

Quackity might agree as he continued, "And um, not just them, but there was another dragon egg that got hurt too, and there were some events I still don’t fully understand."

 

X stared at the Mexican for a moment before exhaling a weary sigh, "Looks like that quesadilla island will remain a mystery. And, um," he glanced at the parrot hybrid, "Grian? What’s the name of that other island Quackity visited too? You said he joined like three servers."

G shrugged, "Krama? Krama-land?"

 

Krama? Quackity tried to see if the name was on the tip of his tongue. And his tongue didn’t fail him as he quickly exclaimed, "Is it Karmaland?!"

Grian squinted and inquired, "Did Phil say anything about it to you?"

 

Quackity nearly forgot that server even existed…

Luzu…

 

He almost forgot about that guy too…

 

Quackity stared at the ground, mumbling, "Just a smidge," his voice awkwardly trailing off, "like that part of um," he surrendered with a nervous grin, "My ex?"

 

The voidwalker fell silent, Grian gestured his finger toward Quackity’s ring and Xisuma massaged the bridge of his nose, "Oh Grian, why didn’t you tell me?…This is going to be an awkward conversation." 

Grian chuckled, "X, You don’t mind if I hold on the-"

Quackity tutted and hid the ring, "Hey, fuck off! That was also why I wanted to use the simulation! Luzu was... well, I still can’t recall much about him, just the bits Phil told me. We were like buddies and then..."

 

Really… whatever else happened between him and the red-eyed man rather than arguments and elections? And why does it always make him feel like he’s carrying a guilty donkey on his back? He felt that twinge when he thought about his past self hurting Dream and at least he heard the reasons behind it (He still just cannot believe them) but for Luzu…

 

Quackity twiddled the ring, "Things didn’t go well? There were elections on that island? I think we ended up on opposite sides."

Quackity tried to remember again what Philza said, but his brain was acting as dumb as usual. He was half disappointed when he suddenly recalled only one thing, "Oh yeah, Phil mentioned some guy named Peta or some shit. I think that's all."

Grian looked at Xisuma, both as befuddled as chickens, the parrot hybrid muttered, "Peta? Nope, that name doesn’t ring a bell."

Quackity sighed, Guess that would be a mystery too…

 

Grian frowned, just like he did with Tallulah and Dream, he approached the duck hybrid, "Quackity, I reckon Tallulah’s family members might be in a server called the empire smp. Phil mentioned that to you too, right?”

Quackity turned back to him, "Yeah? He tossed out a couple of names or whatever, he said he would have..." he made air quotes, "‘double date’.”

 

And Grian couldn’t help but roll his eyes, pondering the delightful chaos that would ensue if Phil and his family crashed the server and met the emperors there, "Oh my god, he’s not gonna last long with Joel," he joked.

 

Quackity didn’t bother to ask what he was talking about, there was a click of a button as Xisuma declared, "That’s what I needed to hear. The rest of what you said was needed too, which I think we should stop."

 

Q raised an eyebrow, "that quick?" he said as if he had just finished a dental appointment.

 

Grian inquired, "You still want to say more? We can pause the recorder if it’s-"

 

But Quackity quickly waved his hands with a slightly forced grin, "No-no, you know, I’m done," that chat left him more confused anyway, "I’m feeling a bit hungry," he added to bright the mood, "That coffee was good though."

 

Grian crossed his arms but returned the smile, "That’s fine. You can bounce, Big Q, we’ll handle the rest,"

 

Quackity hopped off the couch and strolled toward the hallway, a frown creeping onto his face as he had hoped for more answers from that chat, he got some regarding his visions but these were just assumptions...Well, it was his job to tell what he knows about, not Grian’s anyway. That interview was awkward yet surprisingly went better than he expected.

Xisuma remarked, “Oddly enough, for a guy with memory loss, his went better than the others,” Grian just muttered, “Yeah…”

 

X noticed the concern on his friend's face and asked, “What's the deal, Grian?”

 

Grian hesitated before speaking, “It's nothing, really. Just...who would've thought that guy used to be a shear-wielding torturer?”

 

And Xisuma was not convinced that anyone would believe the guy who just complimented their coffee used to be a person who built a country.

 

Grian took a seat and let out a deep breath. The recording was finally over, but there was still work to do. He suggested, “Maybe we should ask someone to teleport to the empire smp. It would make things a bit easier.” 

 

X was on board with the idea, “I was thinking of using the rift. Although it did cause some damage.”

The parrot hybrid nodded, “Yeah, using the portals from the nexus seems like a more favorable option for traveling between dimensions now!”

Xisuma agreed as he stood up, holding the recorder, "Sounds good, but maybe we should have consulted someone who met these newcomers." 

Grian considered asking Scar for help, but Scar was already busy being their ‘babysitter’.

Then, it dawned on him that Pearl might have some insight. Grian suggested, "Maybe Pearl can help us, since she's been in the empire and knows how to teleport to their server with ease!"

X agreed that it could work, but they needed to do something first. Holding the recorder between his arms, X said, “Welp, editing time montage, no music.” 

Grian playfully exclaimed, “Oh, damn!”

 

The moment Grian asked Pearl and the rest of PET to send letters to a few hermits like Mumbo and Keralis to spread the news further, he hoped that all the hermits would show up on time so he could crank up the recorder for them to hear.

The hermits were all set to hear the answers to their questions, but Bdubs, in a silly move, brought popcorn, thinking it would be like a movie night. He was about to leave out of boredom till Grian YANKED him back, annoyed, because the guy just wouldn’t stop bugging him, and the recordings were better enough for keeping him in the loop.

Of course, Grian trimmed out all the unnecessary parts that the hermits didn’t need to know yet, as it would be too much information for them.

He didn’t mention much about Tallulah to the hermits, which was probably wise, as it would be a lot for the dragon hybrid to handle knowing all the hermits at once.

Not to mention, they got upset (but not surprised) about the government that shut down their log system being evil all along.

 

But the toughest part was that most of them didn’t expect Grian to bring along two people who were known for participating in the MCC. But that didn’t help much since they heard those two had done some bad stuff on their own server.

 

Even with the little info they had on Dream and his backstory, everyone felt pretty negatively and had mixed feelings about bringing in someone who used to be a tyrant. And as for Quackity, if Grian hadn’t recorded anything, everyone would’ve been ready to attack the duck hybrid, but not only because he was a torturer. Grian explained that it wasn’t entirely Quackity’s fault for ending up in the void prison that caused the suspension in the first place.

 

Cub was a bit taken aback to hear the fact that Grian had gone with the angel of death to that underdeveloped portal. He asked if Grian needed more info about the potential paradox of that simulation and what could happen to the Dream SMP or Dream himself. Grian had always been curious about it too, but he felt overwhelmed with the desire to learn more.

 

Mumbo was mostly shocked that his best friend kept that from him. He said he would have even helped Grian take down that organization with much more effective redstone killing machines than what Grian had come up with!

 

Doc was the first to notice it, and Grian asked him how and...Well, Doc’s death message engine broke and EXPLODED quickly when it got flooded with spam messages of Dream dying in the lava. Speaking of Doc, Doc was fortunate enough to agree with Xisuma to try and fix the void device, as they might need new parts or codes instead of just going to Quesadilla island to look for them.

 

Bdubs asked Grian earlier why he didn’t just let Dream die when they escaped the federation. He questioned if he was as bad as that federation. He could’ve been worse, and he has done some bad things too, Grian's feelings were just mixed as he just lastly answered, "but… If I were in a tough situation, I would’ve let him die, but Quackity saved him just in time. And he was injected with fatal liquid, though."

 

Grian grabbed the new vial that Xisuma handed him, along with the other vials as he swiped on his way to Zedaph. He knows Zed enjoys this kind of testing stuff, even though he kept pushing him to end the rivalry between him with Pearl and her service job.

The 'guests' aren’t going to stick around forever. They weren’t invited and aren’t even meant to be here, (even though Grian kept pestering Xisuma to remove Dream's name from the pack)

Regardless of whether Tallulah's family is still in the empire smp or off somewhere else, there must be a way to connect with them.

 

Or whatever the void is that god of chaos up to right now…

 

—-

–

..

 .

..

 

…

….

 

For a deity with chaos in her name, this meeting is unsurprisingly going to be non-chaotic and awkward.

The Death house was pretty quiet, except for the sound of the lady of Death's son chatting with his dad in the kitchen.

Drista was thankful that the goddess chose for them to sit outside, perhaps because Drista was worried this conversation will probably go worse than the one she had with the angel of death.

It is what it is. If Drista hadn't been slacking off with her brother, she could've wrapped up the job quicker and checked up on Tallulah and Quackity sooner.

 

Despite her warnings falling on deaf ears and putting the goddess of death's daughter in possible danger, Death herself went easy on Drista unlike Philza and spared her from doom... Maybe because the young god is, well, immortal and all.

 

"Question…” the goddess inquired, peering outside, “Why did you feel the need to guard that portal?”

 

Kristin had witnessed countless foolish decisions made by mortals, but nothing compared to the absurdity of the god of creation and his handling of servers and powers. So, it came as no shock to her when Drista mentioned her relation to him.

 

Drista paused for a moment, seemingly just to toy with the situation before responding with a playful tone, “Well, duh! I was bored and needed something to do! And even if they said the portal wasn't finished, someone had to ensure it wasn't misused. I just thought it could be a little fun to interact with others," She grinned, stretching her arms behind her head, "Some servers are just too boring or abandoned, so I needed to do something new."

Kristin raised an eyebrow, asking, "So, you've been in quite a few servers before, huh?"

 

The goddess smirked and teasingly replied, "Yeah, why else do you think they call me god of chaos for? I enjoy stirring up a bit of chaos in the multiverse and hopping from server to server."

 

She then admitted while playing with the fork, "The Dream SMP was kind of my favorite. It almost made me think being a deity of that sort wasn't such a bad idea. Turns out, I was mistaken," she lowly sighed.

 

Kristin was surprised to hear the name as she asked again, "You were in the Dream SMP too? I always wanted to visit there to see my husband, but I never got the chance until the nuke incident forced my hand, and I had to inform Phil and the rest…Or what’s left of the syndicate about it."

Drista's expression turned annoyed at the mention of the word Nuke. Despite her dislike for her brother's decision to blow up the server, she tried to hold on and replied with a hint of boredom, "I had no idea what that syndi...uh, thing you're talking about, no offense." 

The goddess reminded herself that she can’t spoil Drista for the offense, waving it off and saying, "It's fine. What did you see in the Dream SMP then?" 

Drista's annoyance faded as she remembered something from her time there, specifically someone whom she found cool but also had some concerns about him. After a moment of reflection, she responded, "I met Tommy there. Do you know him?"

Kristin was taken aback; it had been months since she had heard anyone mention that kid's name, not even her husband. She hesitated and replied, trying to keep things private, "Yeah... My son knows him," she clarified, "Wilbur, I mean. They used to be good friends and even like brothers, from what Philza said, it seems like their friendship didn't last long. It was their first time cutting ties like that."

Drista usually hates family and friendship drama, but she found the situation interesting to talk about, "When I met Tommy, he was feeling alone on a small island, but I made sure to keep him company whenever he needed it," she added, "Although I still feel a bit on edge whenever I see him with... someone," her voice trailed off with a hint of awkwardness. 

 

Jeez, watching a mortal version of your brother forcing a friend of yours to burn their stuff must be awkward, isn't it? 

Drista shook her head as she tried to maintain the mood, “But doodly doo! Meeting Philza from the Qsmp is definitely not a missed opportunity for you.”

“Ah, I see what you mean now,” Kristin chuckled softly, giving Drista a teasing glare, “You really let guarding that portal slip past you,” she remarked, before adding, “But...not everyone can handle anything seriously unlike a child with godly abilities like you can. Some elders would probably have a field day with that.”

Just as Drista was about to share a hoot about her brother, someone else barged in through the door halfway.

 

"You guys are still bickering?" a man with a skeleton mask queried.

 

Kristin retorted with sarcasm, "We’ll revisit that soon and for now, we’re on a little conversational timeout."

 

The man breathed a sigh of relief, "Good to hear!" but his expression soured slightly behind the mask when he spotted the god of chaos—the very one who allowed his dear daughter to go missing. 

Pushing aside his annoyance, he directed a somewhat bitter comment at Drista, "I hope that girl hasn’t been too much of a bother while discussing what happen."

Drista let out an awkward laugh as Kristin sighed and made her way toward the skeleton, "Missa, she’s doing fine. She apologized, and I’m pretty sure Phil will find Tallulah soon enough."

Drista mentioned behind them, "Yeah, sorry about that…" as she twiddled with her fork like a clumsy kid, "And I apologize for ruining your little vacation."

Yeah, it’s a shame they also have to put their plans on hold to escape to a better server, seeking a break from all the bad things that befell them back at the Qsmp.

But Chayanne was more willing to mull over that than Missa. Missa crossed his arms, "Ruining it is the least of my worries," his voice tinged with concern, "I know it wasn’t your intention. It’s just…Phil’s taking ages, and I’m really worried about both him and Lulah."

 

Kristin approached her friend, aiming to soothe his frayed nerves. Despite their tangled feelings towards each other regarding their spouse, this at least provided them with a shared sense of empathy.

 

Drista remained standing, allowing the two their moment. She set her fork down and scoffed, a mix of boredom and a bit of guilt washing over her as the breeze tousled her hair for a brief second…

 

But then, something flickered in her mind like a sign, and she turned to see Kristin mirroring her reaction while Missa looked at her with a blend of worry and confusion, "Kristin, is something wrong?"

 

Kristin's eyes dropped and then darted off into the distance. Missa followed her gaze and noticed she was staring at a portal, which had just activated. That could mean…

 

"Someone is approaching, Missa, go inside," the goddess said, as Missa tilted his head in perplexity (and a sprinkle of worry about whether that could be Philza or even their child), causing him to hesitate before leaving.

 

Drista seized her weapon as she and the goddess of death ran towards the portal, its glow increasing. Part of Kristin believed her husband had returned, but another part was resolute in her duty to safeguard the home from any potential danger. 

 

And when someone finally emerged, she realized she was fully wrong. She hadn’t anticipated a whole group instead of just two or three.

 

Mr. Duck stood in the center between a few of his guards, all of them looking as if they were about to deliver some unfortunate news.

 

Drista gripped her fork tightly, ready to defend the goddess, while Kristin squinted at the unfamiliar group and inquired, “Do you need our assistance with something?”

 

Mr. Duck cleared his throat, preparing to ask, “You’re Kristin, the goddess of death?”

 

Kristin shot him a skeptical glare, nodded, and added, “Lady death.”

 

The ex-Manager adjusted his tie as he said with a quiet tone, “Pardon our intrusion on your property, but we have some news to share regarding…” he coughed delicately into his hand, “A dragon egg named Tallulah.”

Kristin's eyes bulged, “Talul- wait…That’s my child! Y- You found my child?”

The ex-Manager nodded earnestly, “Indeed, we have located her, and she’s with Quackity, the one who ventured into the simulation-recorder portal alongside her.”

 

Kristin should have felt a wave of relief wash over her, yet her instincts kept her on high alert… not to mention these people looked oddly familiar and seemed to know not just her daughter but also that asshole who led her there… How the hell did they track them down? Did they also utilize the simulation? Had they stumbled upon her husband there?

 

Drista, however, felt a surge of relief, “Thank my brother, you’ve found them! So where are-”

 

“Hold on a moment, Drista,” Kristin interjected, raising a hand to halt Drista as she approached the former manager, “Was Phil with them too, or did you find them on your own?”

 

The former manager fell silent, then responded, though his tone had the aroma of fib, "No, I’m afraid we merely discovered them all alone, we brought them into our territory, but one rogue managed to breach our security and blew our cover."

 

Kristin felt as if a bigger and a stronger deity than her had smashed her into tiny pieces, what do they mean by-

She couldn’t contain her thoughts when the god of chaos bellowed in disbelief, "What? What do you mean? What’s happened to Tallulah and that duck man?"

 

 

 

 

The manager remained tight-lipped, and Kristin felt her vision darken as a flicker of memory ignited, "Y- You…You’re the federation that nearly scrambled the rest of the eggs and put my family in jeopardy, almost left my husband stuck on that island with no escape…" her voice deepened with disbelief and fury, "Aren’t you all just…"

 

Mr. Duck took a deep breath and…clarifed, "We didn’t inflict any harm on them, we relocated Quackity and putted him a bit far away as a punishment while your daughter was in a safe place until we can find a way to reach you."

 

"Safe place…"

 

Drista stood a few paces away, feeling worried out of the ominous tone of the goddess as Kristin gritted her teeth, "And are you certain you weren’t trying to harm her just like you and your crew did to…the others?”

 

There was silence…and Kristin dispassionately wished that Duck-masked man was a mortal, just so she could have the pleasure of ending him herself.

 

Mr. Duck turned around and then replied, "This information is far too inappropriate to discuss, Miss. We’ve had a change of plans regarding the dragon egg project since our organization is trying to keep a low profile. Your child was supposed to be safe, but somewhere else."

 

Drista raised an eyebrow, "Somewhere else…Where exactly?"

 

The former manager chose silence as his answer and walked away, but Drista wasn’t having any of it. She dashed in front of him, blocking his path. The guards approached her however, weapons drawn, and began firing at her, but Drista expertly used her weapon to deflect the darts while Mr. Duck felt the relentless grip of the lady death tightening around his neck.

 

"Tell us where! And what do you mean that guy blew your cover?!" Kristin demanded, her voice a mix of fury and desperation, while Mr. Duck growled under his breath, his gaze fixed on the floor.

 

With a snap of his fingers, Mr. Duck signaled the guards to cease fire. Drista huffed, striding toward the former manager, her fork aimed at him like a sword, ensuring he had no chance of escape.

 

Mr. Duck adjusted his mask, his voice dripping with half-false explanation, "The man has been trying to break out some of our prisoners. He rigged TNT and blew up our facility, and he took your child with him to who knows where…"

Kristin let her grip away and gasped, her hand flying to her mouth, "Y- You mean my daughter…"

Her daughter was taken away? And Kristin and Phil had no clue where she could possibly be?!

Drista swore, "Crap, she got kidnapped not once but twice- Uh, I mean-" she shook her head vigorously.

 

"Enough," Mr. Duck insisted as he elaborated, "Look, no need to fret, some of my guards survived the incident, and we will attempt to trace the culprit's steps. We will keep you updated or send a message at any time."

 

Kristin, however, was skeptical, and Drista was baffled as to how an organization known for causing harm would suddenly now try to redeem itself.

 

Mr. Duck made a gesture as the guards all headed towards the portal, "And with all our wishes, don’t follow us," and with that, he stepped into the portal without uttering another word.

The portal's glow dimmed as Kristin stared at it in horror and disbelief.

 

Drista hurled her fork into the ground, exclaiming in disbelief and now a hundred percent guilt, "This is all my fault! Um, kind of my fault, Kristin, I- I should’ve done my job better- or maybe I should've just avoided my brother when he asked me to help with his bullshit! I should’ve been there for them when the glitch happened!"

Kristin didn’t even hear her but tightened her fists as she took a deep breath. She walked toward the god of chaos.

Drista slightly knelt, ready for any 'death' sentence. However, she felt a hand on her shoulder and looked at the goddess.

 

"Drista, relax, I’m not going to send you to an endless grave," Kristin murmured, but her voice was scathing, "They must be lying."

Drista raised her brow, "You think so?"

And Kristin should really give Philza more credit for sharing everything he heard and experienced with those villainous corporate heads, if he hadn’t, Kristin would have naively believed them and find herself becoming a fool just like the other gods.

Kristin turned her back to the teenager, "I don’t think so," she tightened her grip, "I know so! They’ve always been manipulative towards us and the islanders of the Qsmp. I’m just glad Phil filled me in on all that once I noticed the shenanigans they pulled on both Chayanne and Tallulah."

 

She then let out a groan, covering her face, "Oh my, Phil! I can’t even fathom what he’s doing in that past timeline, searching for them like forever."

 

Just then, they heard footsteps and turned to see Missa staring at them in disbelief, "Who was it, Kristin?" He approached the goddess, his voice laced with big concern too, "I'm sorry I came, but I needed to know. What’s going on with Phil? Is he alright? Did he find her?"

 

The voice struck a chord with Kristin, reminding her of her own worries about Phil and their first child. She sighed, pushing that memory aside, and replied, "No, it was the Federation. They claimed they caught Tallulah and Quackity using the portal and put them in a ‘Safeplace’," She looked away, "They’re saying some man blew up their state and kidnapped them, which I utterly don’t believe it."

Missa gasped in shock, "You mean they’re saying that Tallulah was kidnapped by what?!" His eyes darted around in panic, "What are we going to do?!"

 

"Papa Missa?"

The trio turned to the source of the voice. They saw a child wearing a skeleton mask just like Missa’s, sporting blond hair, horns, dragon wings and a tiny apron with a duck drawing on it.

"What’s happening?" the kid asked, and the three were momentarily stuck to find any word, but Missa gestured for the others to take it from there as he knelt down to his son.

 

"Hey, Chayanne, don't worry about it," he tried to reassure, placing a hand on Chayanne's shoulder, "Head over to the Sanctuary and play around for a bit. We'll finish making dinner later," he bit his lip, "There's…just something off, but it's not about your sister or Papi."

Chayanne booted the ground in disappointment, exclaiming, "When are they coming back anyway? I want to give Tallulah a swift kick for messing up our chance to see those cool emperors!"

Missa shot a glance at Kirstin, then sighed, letting out a slight grin, "Instead, how about you give Papi a good kick in the rear for that, my guerrero? I promise, Tallulah and him will be okay." 

The dragon hybrid huffed but nodded in understanding (albeit still fretting over his sister’s safety) as he flew away.

Missa rejoined the group and inquired, "What’s our plan? Do you reckon they’re still stuck in that timeline they zapped into?"

Kirstin thought for a few seconds, perhaps enough to plant doubt in her husband’s mind about handling things, because now, the lady death better take the reins. She shut her eyes and proposed, "I suppose they’re still there, we could utilize the portal to search for Phil or even Tallulah on our own." 

However, she felt Drista tugging at her dress as Drista clumsily uttered, "Um, no, sorry Kristin, but the glitch could take someone into a different era, I’m worried we might teleport to a time before Quackity and Tallulah made their leap."

 

"What if it AFTER they made their leap?" Kristin asked, and the god of chaos replied with uncertainty, "That could happen, but I’m concerned it might not occur to us."

 

The goddess huffed as she looked away, "This is a real problem now."

 

"Kristin?" Missa called out reassuringly, "I’ll keep an eye on Chayanne, don’t worry about me, perhaps you two should investigate if there’s truly a way."

 

Kristin smiled appreciatively, "We’ll see," Missa nodded back as he walked towards the sanctuary to check on their kid.

 

Turning back, Kristin asked Drista, "Can I throw another question for you?" The teen nodded, and the goddess of death queried, "Could that glitch that sends someone time-traveling also create a paradox?"

 

Drista shrugged nonchalantly and replied, "It's hard to say. I haven't really thought about it, but it would all depend on the specific impact on the past."

Kristin's expression turned acid as she contemplated the consequences, muttering, "I just hope it's a harmless butterfly effect and not a full-blown paradox, especially around the time of that nuke. I can't bear the thought of it affecting my husband."

Drista clenched her jaw, not really wanting to delve deeper into that server reset conversation. But she was still puzzled, so she inquired, "What exactly do you mean by that?"

Kristin let out a heavy sigh as she turned away, "If the nuke hadn't happened, Phil would've stayed around in the Dream smp for who knows how long and for..." she swallowed thickly, "For a reason. He wouldn't have left with Niki, which means they both wouldn't have crossed paths with me and stumbled upon the Qsmp and logged it there."

 

As Drista pondered this, a thought crossed her mind, "Wouldn't that happen to you too? Like, you might not even recognize your kids or even Missa if that paradox kicks in."

Kristin's expression turned as dark as the night sky as she was contemplating, Drista's tricky question didn't make her think twice. But there was a point to be made about avoiding paradoxes! And Kristin even seemed insistent that she was immune to such time-travel shenaniga-

 

The goddess shook her head, clearly exasperated and this whole paradox thing was spiraling out of control with all the overthinking, and they likely didn’t have much time left. Kristin turned back to the god of chaos and commented, “Feels like we’re just digging a rabbit hole instead of actually accomplishing anything.”

 

Drista nervously stuck out her tongue, “Oh yeah, good point. So, what should we do?” she twirled around as Kristin pondered again, perhaps she could seek assistance from someone else, someone who might hold the key to teleporting across servers without any techniques, someone who could eliminate enough bad threats, someone like the-

 

Kristin felt her lips contort, a bitter sensation creeping in that warned this should not come to pass. She remarked, “I would’ve sought help from someone, but encountering him would be a horrible shock to some people.”

 

Drista inquired, “You don’t mind if I ask who that person is?” and Kristin shot her a fierce look, “Yes, I mind.”

 

The teen took a step back, “Sorry.”

Kristin sighed deeply, "It's okay, I have another idea lined up," she gave a serious look, "Drista?" The young deity hummed in response as Kristin closed her eyes, knowing she had no other option, "Could you do me a favor and let me know if you’ve heard anything about…" she turned her head away.

 

"The in-between?"

The nexus was empty, and the portals room, not a single person was seen logging out at that moment. Rumors had it that the admins were preoccupied with preparations for the upcoming championship events.

 

The ex-Manager, however, saw this as an opportunity. The remaining guards formed a security circle around the area, while Mr. Duck was busy on his device, calling out, and Cucurucho was patiently waiting for him to wrap it up. They were trying to reach someone the white bear absolutely despised, but they had no choice.

 

"Hermitcraft," Mr. Duck muttered into the device as he typed down the codes. Moments later, he clarified to the receiver, "Yes, he’s there, but he has no memories either. The guards will handle the server members; you focus on him and locate the vials." 

With a swift click, he turned off the screen and faced the bureau agent, "He’ll be joining us. Again."

 

For a bear who couldn’t stop grinning, Cucurucho didn’t seem too thrilled as they asked, "Wasn’t he previously against us? I thought he’d be like that and wouldn’t want to join us anymore."

 

Mr. Duck nodded slowly but then asserted firmly, "Nevertheless, he chose to take part in the deal, especially to get back at Quackity. He seems to have some animosity towards him."

The polar bear remained silent, but then asked again, "He's not meant to agree with that since they're kind of related-"

 

"They're not," Mr. Duck insisted through clenched teeth.

 

Cucurucho flinched momentarily, that didn’t stop them from asking, "Do we really have to kill Quackity?"

 

Mr. Duck adjusted his mask to rub the bridge of his nose as he elaborated, "The prison and the void device have been obliterated, it’s no longer about keeping him miles away, it’s about taking out his life until he’s no more." 

His tone darkened, "And so that parrot and that man with the smiling mask too," He tucked his device into his pocket and turned towards one of the portals.

 

"What’s with all these people around here?"

 

The guards swiftly aimed their weapons at the source of the voice, whether it was an admin or a threat.

However, the individual in question appeared to be out of place. A man was a hybrid, akin to a piglin with a pronounced nose and large fangs. Yet, he was dressed in a black suit and shades.

Mr. Duck was about to order his employees to shoot the man but decided to hold off before the big act.

The piglin in the suit scanned the group until his blood-red eye landed on the former manager, "Is there an occasion here? That’s why you are in a suit?" he inquired as if it were just a casual meeting.

Mr. Duck let out a nonchalant huff, mulling over why someone who wears a suit too would ask him such a thing.

He gave nothing but silence, but the man continued, "Not to be a hypocrite, but that duck mask really doesn’t match your vibe. I remember seeing someone like that," he crossed his arms and glanced at the faceless guards, all aiming their guns at him.

 

The man raised his hands in the air, but Mr. Duck could sense the mockery in his gesture.

 

"Seen identical people like you who take things seriously, but...not that much," the man's tone dripped with suspicion, yet he seemed to dismiss the gravity of the situation. Why was he even here, meddling in their affairs?

 

A hush fell over the room... the man chuckled softly, “Soooo, you guys running a fancy server or something?”

 

Mr. Duck shot a menacing glare as he approached the intruder, his mask almost brushing against his sharp fangs, “We have our own business going on,” he declared.

 

The man stared for a moment, letting his hands drop as the former manager hoped he would just take a hint and or even a hike.

 

The man seemed quiet, he then sneered, "Business? Are you the admins, or more like the fun police?" he spun around, departing from the group, "Man? Just curious, alright?” he snarled, “Best of luck with your whole 'killjoy' thing,” with a sardonic tone that left everyone thinking if he was scheming or just being sarcastic.

 

As he strolled away behind the ex-manager, he leaned in close and whispered, "Or not,"

Mr. Duck made a skeptical face as he turned to him, and the man shrugged one last time, commenting, "Those who reject the rules will probably outnumber your little government posse, just saying."

 

And just like that, he was gone. And no one still knows who that guy could be…

 

"¿Quién demonios es este tipo?" One guard asked, and another replied, "No me cae bien, así que no importa."

 

Mr. Duck, however, had no time to waste on strangers messing with their plans as he turned to the agent.

 

"Take the guards, there's a little something I need to do now," he commanded as Cucurucho nodded.

 

Mr. Duck took a quick look at the hermitcraft portal; he could have just sent himself and his employees there to show Quackity and the others their taste of revenge, but considering the entire server of hermits outnumbered by them, Mr. Duck had something better in mind.

 

He grabbed the vial of the remnants of the black liquid and turned around. He walked until he reached another portal of a different server.

 

One of the guards noticed and said, “Uh, Sir?” they pointed towards the HC portal, “They went through that portal.”

 

“Exactly,” Mr. Duck replied evenly, knowing that what he had planned was riskier but will be satisfying soon, “You’ll see, and they will see.”

 

He opened the vial and let a few drops fall into the corners of the portal. The portal appeared normal for a few seconds…

Until its purple glow began to change colors, and it started to twitch and glitch.

Mr. Duck turned around as he pulled out his device once more, saying, "And for one final touch," as he proceeded to write down the codes for the Hermitcraft server, navigating to the options section.

 

With a single click, it appeared that he had completed his task.

….

 

..

 

.

 

.

Quackity made sure to stay at the base, fearing he might be squashed by the hermits, and the idea of encountering them soon was far enough to make his heart race. 

Things had at least settled into a sort of a bearable state after he said everything he could understand from his past life and a few of his visions, though he was still feeling jitters, and it certainly doesn't mean everything has settled down.

So, as he walked toward the bedroom to catch sleep for the big tomorrow, he halted once more to see Scar deep in conversation with Grian at the entrance again. He ought to quit to overhear as he quietly slipped away, leaving the two friends discussing.

However, his gaze drove toward a cup of tea and a piece of paper lounging on the table near the door of Dream's bedroom.

 

But is Dream even catching any sleep? He better not be pretending to be asleep or hiding like last time…Quackity mused.

 

Quackity then picked up the cup, thinking if it belonged to the parrot hybrid. The cup was warm in his hands and Q took a quick sip, it was sure warm in his tongue too. His eyes drifted to the paper, which appeared to be a long, boring description of a tea recipe, but then his attention was driven again to the colored words, saying it was beneficial for muscle growth.

 

Muscles? Dream is currently grappling with that issue...this tea must be intended for him.

 

Quackity thought about setting the tea down so Scar could deliver it to Dream, considering both Grian and Scar seemed strong enough to handle him. Yet, a part of Quackity STILL yearned to see Dream again, especially after witnessing his panic over the sight of his own body, not to mention the emotional meltdown when he recounted Quackity Past!Q.

Despite the fact that Dream nearly sent him to the great beyond, and even though he was terrified of facing Dream's deathly glare again, he sighed and trudged toward the door, opening it ever so slowly, and even slower before.

"H- Hey, Dream? You up?" Quackity whispered as quietly as he could.

 

He froze, not out of fear, but because Dream suddenly flinched in bed.

Dream shook like a leaf, still wrapped in the blanket; there were spots and remnants of the food strewn across the sheet. Quackity opted to ignore the cookie crumbs on the blanket, or else he might find himself chuckling at the sight of someone like Dream also liking Scar's cookies.

Quackity stared at Dream, and to his surprise, Dream was staring right back; neither of them broke eye contact, even if a big explosion occurred outside.

It was far different than the face of promising death upon an ex-nemesis. 

Dream tightened his grip on the sheet, took a deep breath, and whispered, “Quackity?”

Quackity just blinked twice, increasingly surprised that Dream hadn’t launched himself at him in a fit of rage.

“What do you want?” Dream suddenly demanded, his tone harsh.

Quackity blinked again and gulped, Okay...Maybe Dream would launch at him if he kept staring at him like a deer without uttering a word. 

Perhaps he could lay things low a tad, just like they did back in the void. So, Quackity cleared his throat awkwardly while adjusting his grip on the cup, presenting it to the unmasked figure, "Grian made some tea..."

 

Dream cast his gaze down at the cup, yet his expression remained blank.

 

Quackity frowned, like...what a shame the instant he caught a glimpse of Dream's face, devoid of rage, and now he was met with an emotionless visage that paled in comparison to that eerily smiling mask Dream used to wear.

 

Quackity pressed on, hardly avoiding the drawer and the shattered mirror, saying, "I don't care what type of tea that is...But it's good for you," he quipped, "Now I understand why Scar felt the need to assure us that his cookies are definitely not poisoned for some reason."

 

He attempted a chuckle, but Dream appeared rather let down and irritated. (At least he didn’t look like he was to commit murder) Dream leaned in closer to inspect the tea, causing the blanket to slip from his shoulders, and Quackity was momentarily taken aback again, though relief washed over him quickly.

 

Dream's skin began to regain some color, no longer looking disturbingly grey, although he still appeared quite gaunt.

 

It was certainly an improvement from what he had witnessed last time...and far better than the 'Dream' from the visions he had seen.

While ignoring Dream's irritated expression, Quackity remarked, "Your body... looks to be in better shape now, looks like you've bulked up a bit!"

 

Dream blinked, and kept staring at the duck hybrid.

 

Quackity must be messing with him, because how can he say that?

 

Memories flooding back of Sir him, who would mercilessly ridicule Dream's frail body, labeling him as pathetic after starving him with potions and forcing him to expel everything, only to be rewarded with lava as meal...

 

Dream's lips curled at the thought, still unable to fathom that the very person who had made him go through that was now standing in front of him, talking positively about his body.

The unmasked man glanced down at his own chest and arms, indeed noticing they were becoming healthier... but his veins were just... normal.

No longer green, no longer a reservoir of the power he had possessed and the spells he had cast. What was the point if he had lost the very thing that kept him focused in goal and in control? Was he still linked to that god of creation, or had he lost that connection?

 

Dream's eyelids felt heavy as he hugged his knees, murmuring, "It's still weak."

 

Quackity, tilted his head like a dog, pondered whatever nonsense Grian was spouting about Dream's sickness.

Come on, seeing someone get fit is a win? Even Tallulah was handling it fine; all she had to do was avoid flying for too long and not snooze on her back. But what was Dream's deal? Just lounging in that comfy bed, getting a bit of food and cookies? He seemed pampered, and he should have taken advantage of that! (Just like Quackity nearly did) but now he appeared to be wallowing like a depressed teenager.

 

Quackity mused, "At least your bones aren't showing through your skin anymore, especially in those arms of yours!" He added with a grin, "Chalulah's wings are in rough state, but she's still on the mend! I reckon you can get back to health too." 

Dream shot a glance at Quackity but quickly returned to his knee-hugging position, though the duck hybrid caught the glare.

 

Quackity's gaze dropped to the tea as he ambled over to place it on the drawer, "Dream? I can just set the tea down and, uh, leave if you want..."

 

Dream didn't look at him or the cup. Quackity shoved his hands into his pockets, glancing around, thinking maybe he should just leave Dream be for now, he had said enough.

 

“Heh.”

 

Quackity's ears perked up when he heard a laugh, it was mocking but so quiet, like someone's quitter.

 

The laughter came from Dream, who was chuckling into his knees. He lifted his head, rubbing his tired eyes with a bitter smile.

“It's funny, y'know…” Dream said, trying to mask his irritation. Quackity just watched him with concern, (and a bit of fear too, worried that Dream might lose his shit again).

 

The two of them kept staring until Dream sighed and looked at the sheets, “It's really funny…” He closed his eyes for a moment before continuing, “Now that you’re not thinking of hurting me anymore because...” He paused and opened his eyes, lowering his gaze to his hands, scarred, but utterly powerless. He clenched them, before muttering under his breath, “I can’t revive anyone anymore.”

 

Q tilted his head slightly, "Revive...", then realization struck. His eyes widened, and he blurted out, “Revive?! That was the power? That's what my past self was obsessed with?!” The words left Quackity's mouth too fast and he immediately regretted them. 

 

Dream’s jaw tightened. His expression darkened, but this time, it lacked anger, “Now you already know it-!” 

Quackity wrapped himself with his wings defensively, “Wait! I- I wasn’t- Listen, Dream! I overheard you talking with G and that armored guy about something like that! You mentioned powers!”

Dream fell quiet for a moment, then buried his face in his knees again, scoffing, “Damn right. And if you’d known earlier, you probably would've tortured me again.”

 

Quackity blinked, raised a finger, and opened his mouth, but quickly shut it again, his finger resting on his chin as he thought. If he remembered everything and met Dream in the first place, would he do that again?

 

Like, for sure, Quackity would and will kick his butt if he tried to hurt Tallulah, which makes sense, and Dream seemed crazy enough, but repeating something horrific like that wouldn’t be at the top of his list.

 

"So?!" Dream shouted, startling Quackity as the duck hybrid looked around for something to say, "No?" he stammered, "I mean, I can't fathom why I'd be so keen on resurrecting the dead so bad, like what was my former self thinking?"

 

Indeed, there must be a motive behind that strange desire! Perhaps he had some hidden agenda akin to Dream's... but what if it was something entirely beyond their comprehension? What if his past self had MORE exes who are dead too and he longed to see them alive again? What if he sought that book for someone else? Maybe someone has been suspecting Dream, and manipulated Quackity to torment that masked man for that book!

 

That could be...

 

Quackity's musings were interrupted by Dream's sharp retort, "Do I look like I have a clue?! You were after the powers from my book for domination! Who would even entertain the notion that against nature was possible? That was a secondary reason for them to toss me into the Pandora! If I hadn’t said it to Tom- to someone, they would have taken my last life..."

 

Tom? He must be talking about that kid in the red and white shirt... Seems like their relationship is as gravel as Grian said. Yet, he still can't wrap his head around the entire story of the others.

Quackity winced as Dream pressed on, "You exploited that for your own gain, you liked torturing me.”

Quackity took a cautious step back, worry creeping in, hoping to avoid getting smashed by the chair today, "Alright, alright, time out, listen..." he took a deep breath, "I still can't grasp why my past self craved that-"

Dream shot back, "Quackity, why can't you just accept that you're already digging your own grave?"

The duck hybrid swallowed hard, and the unmasked man hissed as he continued, "You're still not convinced, you're an egomaniac with a thirst for power just like me, and quit calling him your past self, he is you, after all!"

 

Quackity glanced around, momentarily perplexed, before responding, "I mean, yeah?" He rubbed his neck, adding, "But I've been reincarnated like three times, so that past Quackity feels like a distant to me-wait..."

Quackity's hand drooped as a new concern crept in, making him ask, "You think you're as bad as I am?"

Dream fixed his gaze on the duck hybrid, eyes shut tight, and scoffed, "Not as bad as you, but you're definitely worse than me in every conceivable way, you money-grubbing country owner."

 

And he wasn't even mistaken... Quackity sighed, a bitter chuckle escaping him, "Well, I have to admit, I really REALLY thought I was more than just a selfish person. I suppose everyone can turn into a madman at some point."

 

It could only mean his past self would've turned into Dream if he had got that book and dived into that Frankenstein-like chaos.

 

Dream raised his hands dramatically, "Now you finally accept it," he crossed his arms, "Ten million points for XD."

 

Quackity rolled his eyes, glancing at the untouched cup, "Dude, your tea's getting cold."

 

Dream waved his hand nonchalantly, "Let it be, I’m all good."

 

Quackity smirked, "Don’t you mean you’re bad?"

 

Dream put on a fake cheerful face, "Once I get healthy, I’m going to take you out like it’s next Thursday." 

 

And Quackity nervously figured that was enough banter. Just as he was about to get up, a knock sounded, and he turned to see Scar, looking bewildered at the sight of the duck hybrid again. His cat was sitting on his shoulder.

"What’s going on?" Scar asked, hands on his hips and his eyes darting from Dream to the cup, "Quackity? I would’ve handed him the tea instead."

Dream huffed, adjusting his position on the bed, "Why the hell a cup of tea of all things?"

Scar shrugged, grinning playfully as he explained, "Xis-uma said you’ve had enough health potions and food; it’s not wise to overdo it. I heard tea can help you sleep and bulk up!"

 

Quackity turned to the unmasked man, "Told ya."

 

Dream blinked, then looked away. Grian had treated him like dirt when he first arrived at Hermitcraft, and now that weirdo was okay with giving him a bed and cookies… after what he heard that he literally tried to murder and revive someone. Why did they even bother healing him? What’s the point of healing a monster someone when they know he only spreads bigger problems and harm?

Dream didn’t even realize he was fixated on the tea at that moment, his dread of appearing pathetic engulfing him, yet his tongue was pleading for at least a sip. Once Dream grasped the cup, Scar sensed the tension in the air and placed a hand on Quackity's shoulder, “I suppose we can leave him now.”

 

Quackity frowned, but that was also what he was going to do anyway. Dream continued to gaze at the tea before raising a hand to Scar, “Hold on, hm,” his irritation was evident, “I still don’t know you, and we’re not discussing the part about me wearing your clothes, your hat stinks.”

 

Scar rolled his eyes, “Well, I mentioned I wore that a few seasons back,” and Jellie jumped slightly as she approached the drawer, licking her back, Scar then inquired, “What was it anyway?”

 

Dream felt a surge of anger that his tone came off as melancholic, but the voices in his head were yearning for home, “Has Grian mentioned anything about bringing me back to my server?” He found a tiny bit of calmness when his gaze shifted to Jellie.

 

Scar nodded silently and elaborated, “Yeah, no, it’ll take a little while. We asked our friend Pearl to summon members of the Empire… It’s another server, not the name of a building in our server.”

 

Dream’s eyes narrowed, “Empire? There’s an SMP with emperors living in?”

 

Scar nodded again but chose to not say anything next, cleverly resisting the urge to mention about the emperors’ powers, not wanting to give Dream any ideas that could lead to no good.

 

He then changed the conversation, "So, yes! You three need to whip yourselves into health before heading back to your original server, and everything will be back to normal."

 

Quackity blinked, feeling something akin to the light on him as he frowned at the taller figure, "Scar?"

 

But Scar pressed on, "Once Jimmy or any of the emperors confirm that Tallulah's family is in there, we’ll bring her there and then figure out how to get Dream back to his server too."

The duck hybrid nodded with a faint smile but tried to interject, "Yeah, Scar, but I-"

Scar continued, "Although, Grian said that it won’t be your current timeline, Dream. I’m still trying to understand that. Something about paradoxes and nukes hitting your server? So I guess that it is safe to say your SMP isn't going to be obli-te-rated, though Grian is still trying to see how we’ll get there."

 

Dream and Quackity exchanged uneasy glances at the mention of the nuke, clearly still haunted by that unexpected ‘finale’ of the server.

 

Dream then quietly proposed, "Whatever the federation got wrong about my codes, I’m still going to see if I can teleport to my OWN server," his gaze fell at the tea as he took a deep breath, lastly bringing the cup to his lips.

Scar let out a sigh of both exhaustion and relief upon witnessing him sip it, while Quackity struggled to suppress a joke about an ‘indirect kiss’ since he had taken a sip from the same cup first. Scar walked toward Jellie, wrapping her in his arms, much to Dream's subtle sadness.

 

As he opened the door, Scar remarked, “That should at least alleviate the issue a bit!” he glanced back at the duck hybrid, “So, Quackity, what did you want to say?”

 

Quackity just stared at him, but his mouth remained sealed and he turned his attention to the shattered mirror, something nagging at him that he couldn’t quite understand, for some reason he picked up the mirror as he shook his head while struggling to muster a smile, “Uh, nothing, um.”

 

He then inquired, “Is G still around?”

 

 

Quackity sat on the chair, still holding the mirror. Meanwhile Grian was busy brushing and preening his own wings, slightly annoyed by the ashes and tiny rocks from the explosion that had covered them, although they would never compare to the old scars.

Once a final grimy feather fell onto the towel, Grian wrapped it up into a bag and tossed it over his shoulder, “So, big Q,” he glanced at Quackity, while ignoring to ask why he's even holding a broken ass mirror out of all things, “I see Scar has sent you the news.”

Quackity just muttered evenly, “I know.”

 

However, Grian didn’t seem to buy into Quackity’s false relief as he set the bag down and faced the duck hybrid with a serious demeanor, “Quackity, Scar mentioned something else has been bothering you…About sending you three back to your homes.”

 

Quackity bit his lip as he glared in the direction of the bathroom where Scar was brushing his teeth, as much as he understood Scar's concern for him, he still shouldn’t have said that!

Grian noticed Quackity's exasperation as he let out a sigh and sat down again, "Big Q, are you really lost?"

Quackity shot him an unreadable look. He was really fatigued from worrying about everything under the sun. The thought of reuniting Tallulah with her family was the last shred of hope he clung to… But he never paused to consider his own fate in that scenario, aside from the stupid fear of memory loss, which was still clinging to him like two sheets of paper glued together.

…

Maybe his niece would be saved, and perhaps Dream would finally calm and return home as well. Grian could help Xisuma deal with his evil clone or something… but what about his own problem?

 

Q sighed, turning his head away as he tried to remember the first time he woke up without any idea about who he was, "I mean, yeah, I've escaped the Qsmp with the other islanders! Most of them have either gone home or are chilling in the nexus, but I’m not sure I can handle being in the nexus all alone!" He covered his face with his hands, becoming speechless.

Grian frowned, yet he understood as he suggested, "When Dream finally figures out how to log into his server, we could track down Phil there, and he could lend you a hand!" 

 

Quackity blinked, pondering the idea, but how exactly was Phil going to help him now?

 

Would he return back to the nexus, struggling with his memory loss while listening to Phil’s bubbling as if nothing had happened?

 

Not to mention what worse is going to happen if the angel of death leads an eye of doom on him.

Quackity adjusted his glasses and rubbed his eyes, exclaiming, "But he’s still going to be pissed at me for what I did and to his daughter!" He pointed a finger at the parrot hybrid, "You even said it before!" 

 

Grian chuckled, flexing his legs, "Yep, I said it, he’d definitely kick your ass. But! I doubt he’d just abandon you to your fate." 

 

Quackity muttered weakly, "You really think so? But if he did not forgive me and abandon me… what should I…?" 

 

Grian shrugged nonchalantly, "I don't know, maybe hop onto another server? There are still plenty of servers out there for you to join. Even if they require codes, you could always ask someone else-" Suddenly, a new thought struck the parrot hybrid, "Wait…" 

He waved a hand toward Q, "Why not join our pack?"

Quackity paused, blinking in confusion, "Join your what?"

 

Grian elaborated, "Join Hermitcraft? We’re quite welcoming, I mean, you just need to practice your redstone skills and construct your own base. Maybe X wouldn’t mind, as long as you don’t create too much chaos or… drop too many F-bombs," Grian made a finger gun gesture, "It’s a ‘family-friendly’ server, after all."

 

Quackity chuckled softly, glancing down at the floor, feeling a mix of shock and gratitude, "Join you…" he began to ponder once more.

 

Grian would have welcomed him into that SMP, he would have let him flirt mingle with his friends and all that jazz. Q still couldn’t quite grasp the purpose of the other servers he had initially joined. Dsmp and Qsmp (and perhaps Karmaland too?) seemed like survival servers filled with joy and nation-building, but they ended up in disaster thanks to the bad guys or whatever color morals… including him his former self.

 

But this one seemed… tranquil, unless Quackity just hadn’t encountered any other hermits to see if they were truly devoid of that villainous stuff.

Maybe… he could forge new memories here…

Quackity toyed with his fingers and managed a slight grateful smile, "That… Yes, perhaps that would be cool, thanks G."

Grian returned the smile while holding his bag, but then his expression shifted to a frown, something he felt he had to mention, "Big, Q?"

 

Quackity hummed as Grian said, "You’re not forced to see Dream, if you both still can’t stand each other, there’s no need to patch things up right now-"

But Quackity quickly clarified, "What? No! It’s not that I forced myself, it’s just…" he gazed at the shattered mirror, where some unbroken glass still reflected his image, albeit slightly different. He sighed, "I needed answers, and his expression…" he bit his lip, "reminds me of one of my visions."

 

"The one where you tortured him, you meant?"

 

Quackity froze momentarily, glancing at the parrot hybrid. It was clear that Grian would be aware of this since Dream had told him. Yet, it was somewhat surprising that Grian didn’t seem to have any ill feelings towards Quackity about it. Grian had appeared a tad harsh towards Dream earlier, but he slowed down when he was calming the unmasked man about the state of his body, he knew Dream wasn’t a good person…But neither was Quack-

 

Quackity squeezed his eyes shut, his chest heaving as if begging him not to dwell on it any longer, or he might just suffocate. "G?" he asked, "Are you…angry at me?"

 

Grian tilted his head, then awkwardly replied, "I was before, but it’s not entirely your fault," as he moved towards the exit.

 

Quackity sighed, clarifying his inquiry, "Yeah, that time travel I get, but I was referring to-"

 

"I know what you meant," Grian interjected, his tone suddenly sharp. Quackity gulped thickly, but Grian closed his eyes and said, "The torture, and it’s also not your fault either."

 

Quackity blinked, was Grian deaf to Dream or what? Because there’s no way he could think that torturing someone for power could be a fucking mistake.

Quackity stammered in denial, "B-but I..." he rubbed his throat, why was he feeling thirsty all the time?! He stuttered, "I did that to steal his powerful book or something."

 

Grian nodded, eyes still shut as he touched the doorknobs, "You might have, although Dream did mention he killed Tommy back in the prison," he began to recall about Phil, perhaps that was the insight he needed to learn more about the story in Dream’s perspective, but his doubts still loomed. He opened his eyes and stated, "Either he’s concocting a reason to antagonize you, or maybe he’s telling the truth," a feather from his wing lifted like a finger, "Either way, it’s bad," Grian then opened the door.

Quackity, however, remained in disagreement, feeling his face shrink with every word Grian spoke as he continued to deny.

 

"Grian..."

And it even let him spell the parrot hybrid’s name correctly. Grian groaned softly as he glanced back at the duck hybrid, but then frowned when he noticed Quackity’s grim expression...

 

Quackity swallowed hard, "You always say it 'MIGHT' be, y- you still uncertain about... how terrible I could- My past self could be?" he gestured toward himself, "I a- I already messed up the Dream sm- a certain timeline, wh- why are you offering me a chan-" he trailed off.

 

"N- No," he murmured, taking a deep breath, "Dream said that I- he believes I’m just as bad as him, he thinks I just him but worse," he then clenched his teeth at the parrot hybrid, his fingers gripping the shattered mirror, nearly drawing blood, "I- If you were aware of all that bullshit, would you even grant me the chance to stay? And even allow me to join your server still?!"

 

There was a moment of silence, well, apart from the sound of Scar’s footsteps approaching the hallway while he was walking to his bedroom. Good thing he remained within his base, or he would have overheard that (slightly personal) exchange.

 

"That may not answer all your questions, but..." Grian looked away, "You know, Big Q?" he muttered, gripping the bag tightly, "I’ve always known that you and Dream aren’t all that different from one another, ever since you both shared your stories with me and X..." he remarked, despite his reluctance to admit it. 

 

Quackity remained silent, his eyes fixed on Grian as the parrot hybrid opened the door, he walked a bit as he took in the sights of Scarland.

 

The fresh air eased his slight miff; he hadn’t expected to explain such thoughts to Quackity. Perhaps he would have preferred to share them with Dream if he had lost his mind and couldn’t grasp the situation. But Quackity... What compelled him to find the reason so desperately?

 

Is it any surprise he was so impatient that he turned to use the simulation portal? To quickly find answers to his own questions?

 

Grian let out a weary sigh as he cast another glance at the duck hybrid, explaining, “I don’t need to be angry over this and Dream has riled me up before, and dealing with two people who have inflicted harm upon others and to each other feels like it will stoke the flames and I knew it,” his voice darkened, eyes glinting momentarily, “In my case.”

 

Another lump formed in Quackity's throat, he stood there as the parrot hybrid continued, "I'm tired and just want this to be over. Sooo..." He hesitated, placing a hand on Quackity's shoulder before retracting it, "I don't see a reason to stay angry with you anymore."

 

Quackity didn't reply still, but he was listening, Grian explained, "If X ever decides to let you in our crew and you promise not to cause trouble, then maybe," With a spread of his wings, he added, "And Tallulah definitely wouldn't be happy if I or I let anyone kill you."

 

Quackity found himself at a loss for words. Grian let out a resigned sigh and said, “I need to head back to my base, let Scar know I’ve left. Goodnight, Quackity,” as he took flight.

 

“Night…” Quackity whispered, his eyes wandering from the mirror to the floor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was a restful sleep.

 

Q yawned as the morning light streamed in, grateful that he didn't have any of these visions while he slept. Perhaps the tea he had sipped before bed had unknowingly helped to calm his mind, even though that wasn't its intended purpose. But even so, he still wanted to see or know more about that strange turtle…and why his past self was holding an umbrella like a mary poppins. 

Rubbing his eyes, Quackity glanced around and saw the broken mirror lay in the drawer. He shook his head, trying to avoid thinking of Grian's words from the day before.

 

Grian was aware that he was just as fucked up as Dream, even no difference between them. But why? Why was he so kind to Quackity? Q had made nothing but a grave error concerning such a goddamn alteration in one of his past lives timeline! And yet, while healing well and thriving, why was he still receiving kindness and help from the parrot hybrid?

 

Grian might have mentioned that he did it because of Quackity’s friendship with Tallulah and…

Well, if Quackity got hurt, Tallulah would be worried, and if she were hurt, Philza would likely end Grian or kill everyone in the server and then himself…

 

And…Quackity had lost his memories, so he's...in a way, innocent? Enough to be free from punishment? Was it because he had gone through so much too?

 

Quackity sighed, not wanting to waste such a nice waking moment, he wore his glasses as he heard a sound.

 

Tallulah mumbled in her sleep until her wings nearly hit the sheets. Just because she had gotten used to it didn’t mean she would always sleep on her back.

Tallulah rubbed her eyes and noticed the concerned look on her father figure’s face. “Q?” she murmured, her voice drowsy.

"Good morning, Quackity," she then reiterated with a low yawn.

Quackity flinched slightly but quickly forced a smile, "Good morning?" 

Tallulah didn’t return the smile, but her awakening was enough to say she's doing fine. She shifted in her seat, attempting to adjust her wings, hoping to cease the lingering pain from her bandaged injuries.

Quackity's gaze wandered around the bedroom, awaiting a word from her to lift his spirits. But Tallulah remained quiet.

 

"Hey?" Quackity murmured, crossing his legs, "You’ve been rather silent lately, I mean," he cleared his throat with a hint of nervousness, "You’re usually calm, and you’ve been chatting with Scar and even talked with Grian and that voidwalker..."

 

Tallulah shot him a glance, and Quackity muttered, "You just... You don’t seem interested in talking to me." and Tallulah blinked, realizing he had a point. Ever since the interview, she had been mute around him, likely due to her struggles with her wings, and witnessing Quackity's fear days ago had only added to her worry.

 

She hesitated to bring that up, as she searched for something different, "I’ve always enjoyed our conversations, Quackity," she said, placing a hand on her forehead, "M-my head hurts whenever I try to speak."

 

Q cocked an eyebrow, "But you were chatting with those hermits earlier."

Lulah tried to recall the conversation, "Yeah, perhaps discussing my family made me more talkative, I was just nervous like always," she let out an awkward giggle.

Quackity chuckled (or attempted to), "I suppose remembering about your family has infused you with a...modicum of energy, much like myself," he trailed off, "Not great, though."

The two now gazed around aimlessly as Tallulah inquired out of the blue, "What did you mention during that interview?"

Quackity felt a wave of relief wash over him, either he was fortunate enough to receive a question about it or he had something to talk about to prevent this moment from becoming a silent film.

He stuck out his tongue while trying to remember, "All the things we encountered and experienced in the Dream SMP, they asked me if I knew anything more about the Qsmp or Kram- Karmaland, but I still have no idea," he flipped onto the bed, spreading his arms wide across the sheets, "Everything is bullshit, even in the Dream SMP part."

 

His eyes sparkled as he continued, "Oh, and they mentioned they would deal with what remains of the federation, they told me they would seek help and bring you back home!" he let out a hopeful grin, "Some good news!"

Tallulah nodded gladly, "They told me that too!" but her expression shifted to concern, "B-but..."

Quackity tilted his head, trying to understand her concern... or he decided he shouldn't, as he probably knows what she’s worried about as always, "Chalulah? I’m sure they will find your papi, he won’t be angry with you,"

Tallulah nodded but then clarified, "I actually know he won’t be, but what about you?"

Q raised from the bed, cocking an eyebrow, "Me?"

Tallulah inquired, "Y- You mentioned Grian will take ME home, what about you? Won’t you join us on the way back?"

 

Quackity inhaled sharply, uncertain if he had the courage to respond, especially after Grian posed the same question just yesterday.

"Uhhh," he rubbed his neck, "Listen, nina, your dad will be furious with me! Regardless of what Grian said about not killing me, Philza will not be pleased to see me, and... I’m not sure where I should go," he grumbled under his breath, "I mean, I guess Qsmp is a lost cause, we can’t go back to it, or maybe... maybe someone will, but I don’t think I will."

Tallulah asked, "But you always wanted to see it to remember? We went to the simulation version of it."

And Quackity covered his face, nodding in regret, "Yeah! And it absolutely sucked! I lost my heart to see that place anymore!" He inhaled deeply, placing his hands back on the bed, "Grian said that maybe I could stay here, join him and the other hermits, but..." he bit his lip, "Grian's not sure if X would agree to that."

The idea of Quackity becoming a hermit here? Tallulah mused that it might offer him a fresh start. She wished she could do the same, but homesickness beckoned her back. Thus, she remarked, "He doesn't need to be sure and if you wish to stay with the hermits and they welcome you, then it’s all good!"

Quackity clenched his arms, "Yes! But, I said I'm not sure, I still don’t know that place. What if I end up doing some stupid shit to them?" 

Tallulah rolled her eyes in response, "So I? I didn't know anything about the Dream SMP, but... Even though you can't remember anything, you at least helped me understand it!"

Quackity beamed, throwing his hand dramatically, "Come on, kid! You’re the one who dropped some 'hints' about it, like Tubbo, Charlie, Foolish, Tina, and so forth. You informed me about Techno's cabin and all that-"

But then, as much as he despised ruining this nice chat, a burden weighed heavily on his chest. Quackity sighed and asked, "I know I’ve posed this question before, but… Chalulah?"

The girl hummed softly, and Quackity turned his gaze away, "Are you somewhat angry with my pas- m-me for my actions? Like torturing Dream?"

Tallulah’s shoulders drooped, her face showing her uncertainty to answer. Quackity continued, "Y-You had no issues between me and Techno since neither of us knows the whole situation between him and me, but…I tortured someone for… it was about control, not justice,” he averted his gaze, "D- did you feel worried when you learned I was sooo selfish that I've done something like that?"

 

Quackity was going to regret asking such a question to a child, yet Tallulah appeared to have answered her experience to more difficult asks, despite her nervousness and concerns. However, he wouldn’t let that slide if it made her struggle to respond.

 

Yet, Tallulah murmured with hesitation, "I was worried in- in the beginning," she brushed a curl from her eyes, the memory of witnessing her father figure being thrust into the water by Dream gnawed at her, but she pressed on, "Wh- when he- When Dream took us to his prison and recounted what you did to him, that’s when I started to worry," she glanced back to catch the grim expression on Quackity’s face, but with these glasses, they made him looking a little ridiculous.

 

Tallulah then carefully rose from the bed, "B- but that was the old you! That past Quackity! He’s not you anymore," she reasoned.

 

As much as he understood she's just a child, she was at least making an effort to console him, even if her logic seemed somewhat naive.

 

Q slowly nodded, "Yeah," he turned to the mirror to examine his reflection again, a face of slight regret he didn’t expect to still linger, "But…He’s me before I reincarnated multiple times, like ‘brothers’ beneath the skin,"

 

“..."

 

Quackity frowned as he noticed the return of silence from the dragon hybrid, but Tallulah looked concerned for him. Then, she slowly smiled softly, "Do you know what that phrase means, Quackity?"

Quackity shrugged, "We’re the same one?"

 

Tallulah blinked, then covered her mouth, chuckling softly, "No, you tonto!" she clarified, "it’s one similar to the other, but you're not him," she gestured with her hands, raising two fingers, "You two don’t act like each other, just…you two have a familiar appearance!"

 

‘It doesn’t entirely convince me, but I could think of that,’ the duck hybrid mused internally. Maybe he could simply proceed with the notion that he and his former self were still the same… Even if it sounded like bad advice from a child.

Quackity’s frown dwindled, transforming into a smile, but then he wore a puzzled expression when Tallulah added, "Like the others!"

 

"Others?" he inquired.

 

Tallulah rubbed her cheek, still perplexed about what Grian had meant regarding the fate of the old server. 

She struggled to explain it in the easiest way possible, "Mr. Grian mentioned that if Dream’s server were to be get-uh...wiped out? I- it would include everyone else, like Tio Foolish, Tubbo, and others! if the nuk- if your past self wiped out, transforming him into you, that could mean it happened to them as well! And yes, there are some differences among them…like Tio Charlie."

Quackity was about to feel bad again, but his expression softened when the kid mentioned that slime hybrid.

 

Tallulah let out a sigh, "Ch- Charlie there was quite kind, our Charlie from Quesadilla is… Okay I guess, he accidentally…" but she quickly clamped her mouth shut, ‘curse my mouth for talking too much!’ she berated herself, that kid with the bow, looking just like their father figure, they were always been friendly… Lulah swallowed hard, regretting the memory.

 

"He accidentally did what?" Quackity squinted, "Uh, accidentally what?"

Tallulah chewed on her lips, it would be awkward to just straight up say that her uncle accidentally killed Quackity's child. She could phrase it differently or use a metaphor so Quackity wouldn’t be any more shocked or saddened.

Just as she was about to open her mouth, fearing it would make her friend loathe the slime hybrid, a knock resounded on the door.

 

Scar opened the door, looking perplexed at the two, "Guys?" 

 

Tallulah took this as her chance to cut off the conversation as she quickly sat on the bed and waved her hand, "Buenos días, Mr. Scar!" and Quackity, on the other hand, huffed, "Morning Scar."

 

"Gooooood morning!" Scar replied, raising an eyebrow at Quackity's grumpy look, but he quickly dismissed it, thinking it could be just a regular morning grumpiness, "Um, breakfast time? Pancake might just keep your conversation rolling," He then inquired, "Are you guys alright?"

 

Tallulah gave a thumb up, "We’re good, we just woke up," 

 

And Quackity simply shrugged, still annoyed over what Scar said to Grian.

 

Scar relieved as mentioned, "Just so you know, Pearl is currently log out and heading to the empire and she should be able to get help out there, hopefully." 

 

Tallulah felt the dread that consumed her many days ago finally fade away, "Phew, I hope Mom and Papa Missa are there too," she added, "And so is Chay."

 

Quackity rolled his eyes, as much as he was dying to hear what Tallulah was about to say about Charlie, he had to learn that...Sometimes, patience is the key. 

 

His wings fluttered slightly, "Anyway, did you say pancakes, Scar?!"

 

Scar nodded, and Quackity's smirk grew slowly. Okay, maybe I can forgive him for that now!

 

He chuckled as he stood up, his stomach pleading, "¡El primero en sentarse se lleva el primer plato!" he shouted, ready to bolt. 

 

Scar rolled his eyes at Quackity's enthusiasm, crossing his arms, "Ugh, you’re so much quicker to dive into food than Dream."

 

Quackity halted mid-step while Tallulah glanced at the tanned-skinned man. Scar didn't need to be asked as he frowned and explained, "He's got issues with eating, he’ll scream and curse at me but he’ll accept tea and sometimes my cookies, he’s too scared to actually eat anything else."

 

Quackity hummed, not entirely blaming the unmasked man… Well, somewhat, as Dream still needed to abandon the idea of revenge (or at least set it aside) and concentrate on his health.

 

Dream had to realize that Quackity is not the same Quackity who caused him pain. 

 

Or could he still be that Quackity… He resembles his former self… perhaps not… 

 

Quackity's thoughts were interrupted by Tallulah's call, he did not notice she and Scar had passed him. Q exited the bedroom, pausing to take one look at the shattered mirror. He held it once more.

 

He gazed at his reflection, appearing somewhat different with the glasses and the shirt…The shirt Scar had given him, not the one belonging to that Quackity anymore… He offered a slight, hopeful smile at his reflection.

 

“I am not him…”

Notes:

—--
And here last part of act 2! Time for act 3! Never thought I would go to that so far! (Although I consider taking a break from writing tho, I'm feeling exhausted)

Also Drista is back. I didn't forget about her haha.

A brief note! I was grappling with writing the ‘interview’ part. I fear I wrote everyone ooc (particularly Dream).

Although I just want to point out the parallels between each interview and their respective counteractions.

Grian still has a complex feeling toward Dream, even after (while having doubts) discovering his real trauma. In contrast, he has already extended sympathy towards Tallulah, despite her mistake.

However Grian now had a conflicted(?) Reaction regarding Quackity, especially upon learning that he has physically harmed Dream in the past. However, Grian cannot simply cast him aside, as Quackity remains utterly confused and not only about his own past lives and past!Q but also concerning the others (not to mention he is literally carrying a hint of trauma now)

Grian and Xisuma remain skeptical of Dream's claims, but they would wait for further revelations as Quackity tries to reclaim his memories (If they find a way). Ideally, the situation will calm for a while.

and in the end, Quackity will probably heed the advice to embrace his own self, rather than reverting to his past self… unless, of course, those visions decide to resurface ;)

(Note: The vision in this chapt Quackity saw is unrelated to Dreamsmp. It is related to something entirely else…no spoilers here, haha.)

 

—--

Soon probably:

Quackity: I can’t imagine what it feels like having an evil twin!

ElQuackity after being called by the ex-manager: Allow me to introduce myself.

(I may have spoiled that one, sorry couldn't help myself)

Chapter 21: ▪︎ act III :A story being rewritten into something that seems impossible to happen...

Notes:

TW: mention of suicide, vomit.

Back to the Dream smp!

 

 

.

 

..

 

..

 

…

….

“Annnnnd I give up.” 

 

A man said next to the goat hybrid…the older goat hybrid to be general.

 

It’s sucks for Tubbo that Tommy isn’t coming for him, not that the blond is genuinely ‘busy’ (whether he’s busy with one else’s issues or just dealing with his own), but the idea of asking Jack for help, trying to understand that nonsensical situation, was rather fruitless.

 

Jack attempted to interrogate the young Tubbo about nearly everything, from the names of Tommy's discs to Techno's unlawful execution, even to how Dream His husband's killer ended up in prison (and somehow, Tubbo wanted Jack to ask if that kid knew his dead husband's favorite season).

 

And each time, young Tubbo’s replies were bunch variations of ‘I don’t know’ and ‘I don’t remember any of that,’ with nothing in between.

 

"Hold on a second," Jack said, turning to the other man as he gestured, "To the kitchen."

 

Tubbo was about to protest, but the half-cyborg insisted,"Now!" dragging the goat hybrid into the kitchen and leaving the other version of Tubbo alone on the couch. 

 

Young Tubbo felt like a student who believed he had answered every question incorrectly. He stared at the floor, caught in a mix of confusion and worry, thinking why this person who looked like him and that bald man were pressuring him to answer questions he doesn't  know or even understand. Had he done something wrong? He just wanted to escape the cold and find his two... friends .

Older Tubbo put the kettle away just as the tea finished brewing and sat down on the kitchen chair, while Jack took his turn next. 

 

The man clasped his hands and inhaled deeply, "Tubbo? Do you hear me?" he asked in a voice that sounded like he had run a race, "That little guy isn’t you, maybe he's just some random kid."  

 

Tubbo's eyes twitched as he shook his head vigorously, "The- then how do you explain his name and his appearance?!" he shouted, meanwhile Michael, after waking up, insisted on staying in the kitchen. At least Tubbo could keep him busy by serving breakfast after the training.

 

Then Tubbo shut his eyes tight, "N-no, let’s ask him something else, like... maybe something easier that I can actually answer or remember quickly?" Tubbo pleaded and then opened his eyes, "Like... Uh, the first time we saw the van before L'manberg was made?"

Jack slapped his forehead with both hands and let out a loud groan, "Oh my god, Tubbo. I haven’t slept or showered ever since Tommy started showing up again and again to me after we made up!"

He then pointed towards the restroom, "That guy knows nothing except for his love of bees! And you’re not the only Tubbo who likes bees. It doesn’t have to be you only!"

But Tubbo was still clinging for answers, "No, it has to be more than that. There’s got to be something that screams me."

Jack sighed heavily, fatigue weighing him down, but he had to remind himself of what could have happened if he talked about that to Tommy instead of Tubbo. If it was between him and his former foe, it could be worse. Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he asked, "You said he resembles you from back in the day? Maybe he's just like a clone of what you were like before everything went wrong!" He clapped his hands, "It logically adds up, case clos-"

But Tubbo retorted, "Nope, it's still not, It still doesn’t explain how he ended up here."

 

And Jack approached with a weary, stern expression, "Tubbo, we can either take this to our graves and keep spinning our wheels, or we can just ask him where he really, REALLY came from."

The goat hybrid let out a groan so ringing it nearly made Michael glance at his dad in bewildered innocence.

Jack could see that Tubbo was just as exhausted, especially after they had got rid of the source of problems months ago (well, except for the egg).

 

So Jack mustered his best effort to say, "I know you’re sick of making choices, but it feels like we’re just running in circles. I don't wanna waste time if we don’t act fast, let’s get this over with," He cracked his knuckles and headed towards the restroom.

 

Tubbo stood from his chair, shouting, “Jack, what are you-” as the older figure stood beside the young version of Tubbo.

 

Jack whispered, “Hey,” and the Young!Tubbo didn’t respond, still stuck in a web of confusion and fear. 

 

Jack put his hands in his pants pockets as he said firmly, “Me and Tubbo-” gesturing with his thumb as Tubbo entered the restroom, looking worried, “We had a brief conversation and we need to grasp what’s happening.”

 

And… surprisingly, Young!Tubbo felt similarly, albeit from a different perspective, whispering, “Me too.”

 

Jack stared blankly at the boy and then chuckled softly, “Color me shocked,” before turning to his friend, “You were so susceptible.”

Tubbo huffed, “I've matured, dude.”

Jack rolled his eyes, “That’s what I said,” as he turned back to the kid, “I guess we need to get to the heart of the situation then,” pointing at him, “You mentioned to Tubbo that you came from another server, and this is the first time you ‘join’ in here," he cleared his throat with a little adjust of his two-colored glasses, "How did you get here?"

 

Tubbo wasn’t sure if that question would make the younger version of himself explain, but it seemed Young!Tubbo was showing to look like he's up to speaking, though a hint of fear still danced in his eyes.

 

...

 

Very much like one of the green eyes he used to have before losing one to the burn. 

Tina walked through the kinoko kingdom's biome, wishing that this part of the kingdom had escaped the bad seeds that went on others, and that the blaze hybrid was still in his house.

 

Holding a basket filled with vegetables and goods, she pondered whether she might share some with her friend. Her gaze drifted to the letter in her hand, her mind racing with thoughts of redoing that until tomorrow. Yet, the shock and sorrow for her friends, and the ache of missing them, gnawed at her spirit. She clung to the hope that perhaps a glimmer of chance could bright away the shadows of a place that no longer feels like home.

 

Though Quackity has gone, Sapnap is still going to have that chance to hear the words Quackity wished to say or to understand the feelings of his ex-fiancée, allowing him to finally close that chapter and move forward.

 

‘Crack’

 

The sound made Tina's 'cat' ears perk up as she spun around, looking for the source of the noise among the mushrooms. But all she saw were the mushroom cows, clearly unaware of her.

 

Raising an eyebrow, Tina cautiously took a step forward, glancing over her shoulder.

Suddenly, something struck her foot, sending her flipping upside down.

 

"Wha!?” she had no time to react before the letter slipped from her fingers, followed by her basket. As she opened her eyes, she found herself entrapped, bound by a net of ropes to a tree.

Tina quivered in shock as she tried to shake off the ropes with her teeth, but then she heard a voice coming from one of the large mushrooms as she looked down.

 

"What did I tell you!" someone said while stepping out from one of the mushrooms. Tina squinted to see who it was.

 

"It worked!" sounding British, and like from a teenager, "Now come on!" the teen called as he walked toward the basket that had fallen from the demon hybr-

 

Tina quickly realized as she began to struggle against the ropes again, "What are you-Hey!" she noticed another robber emerging from the mushrooms, a man with a mask on his face joined the teen in searching the basket.

 

Tina groaned as she began to spin to make the net sway in an effort to cut herself free from the tree, "Stay away from my basket, there’s nothing in there," she shouted, "Put me down!"

However, the masked man peered into the basket, then glanced at his companion(?) saying, "There’s no potion here," as he picked up a carrot, "Just some food," before placing it back into the basket. Tina raised an eyebrow, puzzled as to why this thief had no desire to take her stuff.

 

The teenager shrugged, "Beats me," but then his face turned into a slight smug as he patted his stomach, "I’m starting to feel hungry, we can take some just in case."

 

Fortunately for Tina, the masked man shook his head, stating, "I didn’t agree with your idea to steal just to take everything rather than what we need, so no." 

 

He stood up to look over at the demon hybrid, who couldn’t help but notice how his mask appeared somewhat ridiculous; a smiling mask with a sticker and pink circles that resembled blushes on it. She recalled hearing someone mention a mask like that before...minus the sticker and the blush.

 

The man turned back to his companion, "And Toms? I’m certain we would have an easy way of capturing villagers because…" he pointed at the demon hybrid, "that doesn’t look like a random villager."

 

But then, the man drew an arrow and a bow from his inventory, aiming it at the demon hybrid. Tina blinked, "Wait, I’m really not a villager! I-" but to her relief, the arrow struck the rope connecting the net, causing her to fall from it, though the masked man catched her just in time.

 

He set her down as he lowered his weapon and picked up the basket, saying, "Sorry we thought you were a villager, we both always assume they don’t mind much when their belongings are taken..." 

 

Tina let out a soft sigh as she took the basket and nodded wordlessly, showing it is no longer a problem, though she somewhat perplexed by seeing two new unfamiliar people in the server, let alone that masked man, whose smiling mask was something she had only heard about, along with the rest of his outfit.

 

The masked man wore stickers of stars and a crown on his mask, a lighter green hoodie, and had a bag slung over his back. He had a necklace of flowers and poppies around his neck, while wearing a long black skirt that covered his boots. Tina turned her gaze towards the teen, he had the same bright golden hair but wore an entirely red shirt and bore the same stickers on a green shawl. But he had a belt on his pants full of small weapons and items.

 

the teen approached, adding, "Unless! They had an iron golem!" He smirked again, glancing at his friend, "Remember when one of them beat the shit out of yo-" 

 

The masked man waved his hand, "Yeah, yeah, whatever," he hissed into the blond’s ear, "Not loudly in front of her, man!" and the teen chuckled, rubbing his nose.

 

Tina lightly chuckled too at their dynamic before noticing the letter on the grass, she knelt to pick it up as the masked man cleared his throat, "Anyway," he began to introduce himself.

"The name's Dream, and this is Thoma-" he got interrupted by a hit to his arm.

 

"It's Tommy," the teenager corrected him, the man rolled his eyes behind his mask, "Tommy. We’re new here."

Tina was almost about to touch the letter when her eyes widened in disbelief. Did she hear them correctly? She stood up, glancing at the two. She was fairly certain she had heard of Tommy with Sam and Sapnap, though she had never met him face to face. He looked healthy and well. 

 

And Dream… He is still alive, and why was he appearing so friendly with Tommy? Sapnap had warned her that he was a threat to the server, and the news of his escape from prison had been alarming and then was rumored to be dead. Yet here she was, facing a man who looked more like he had just stepped out of a flower shop than a dead monster out of a dungeon.

 

 

Dream… Ah, THAT Dream noticed the letter on the ground and picked it up, "Is that yours too?" he inquired, to which Tina quickly shook her head, snapping back to the world. She took the letter gingerly and clarified, "Not really mine, but I need to send it to someone else."

 

She decided to put the letter inside the basket, not wanting to lose it again, as she mentioned, “Sapnap, y'know?”

 

The masked man glanced at the blond, and they both turned back to the demon hybrid, “Sapnap?” they echoed, and Tina raised an eyebrow, “Isn't he used to be your friend?” She felt a bit nervous saying it in front of that man, but it confused her when the masked man replied sadly, “Sorry, but I don't know him.”

 

Tina blinked, “You don't?” 

 

He’s lying or something , she thought. Then she remembered, “Wait, Tommy, you know Sapnap too, right?” But that other Tommy replied flatly, “Nope, never heard of him either."

 

Tina tilted her head as she looked at the grass, strange, did she mishear everything Sapnap and the others told her about Dream? How the hell these two don’t know that blaze hybrid?

 

Or… Maybe that guy isn’t him, and maybe that isn’t Tommy either. Again, he looks well and young. 

 

While the demon hybrid tried to piece it all together, Tommy (Toms) turned to Dream (Dre), “Dream, I think we need to look for health potions for him now or he'll freeze the hell out, dude.”

 

Tina lifted her head to the two men and asked, “Who?” but the two men were whispering to each other. She approached them cautiously, “I'm sorry, but what are you two talking abou-”

“DREAM! THERE YOU FUCKING ARE!” 

 

The three abruptly turned around.

 

In front of them was a man who looked like he had been avoiding soap for years. He was wearing oversized goggles, a pretty cloak, and a crown, yet his body was a big garden of moss and wilting plants, with what appeared to be severed mushroom roots strangely stuck on his neck.

 

His appearance was looking melancholy, yet his hands were clenched, and his face was drawn on it a bunch of sketches, words, phrases, and some...Unappreciated doodles. Nevertheless, the man’s expression was a shade of red.

The two men exchanged glances of confusion at the other man and then at themselves (Dre felt a hint of disgust at the man's appearance, while Tom stifled a laugh at his ruined face). Yet, Tina's reaction was unlike them; she gasped, covering her mouth in shock, "George?"

 

The demon hybrid recalled having seen this man with Sapnap and Karl, but she had lost track of him after everything happened. Perhaps he was hiding in his house like Sapnap, or had fled like Karl.

 

Now, standing before her, she was uncertain whether to feel glad or worry as he appeared more redder than a cherry, clearly not in the mood for hugs or reunions. especially with that face of someone who would get after a slipper party.

 

George was fuming, baring his teeth at the masked man, while Dre cast a bewildered glance, saying, "Uh, I-I’m sorry, but I think you’ve mistaken me for someone els-"

 

In an instant, a powerful kick struck his groin, Dre screeched in agony, "Els-YAH!" as he clutched his groin, collapsing onto the grass slowly.

 

Tina and Tom watched in wide-eyed shock, as Tom turned to the goggled man. puzzled and angered how that random man with big’ol goggles will just kick his friend for no reason.

George cracked his knuckles, then adjusted his goggles, glancing at Tommy's shocked face, that little fucker! But he had no time to deal with that kid now; what happened to the house was history, and he had far more pressing beans to cook now. Ignoring Tommy, George knelt beside the masked man, giving him no chance to whine further. He was fed up with Dream's 'evil' antics!

 

Grabbing the hoodie of the man, George spat out, “You can threaten to destroy kinoko kingdom! You can claim you don’t give a hoot about me, you can off me if you want…” he clenched his teeth so hard they nearly shattered, “But you can’t…” and pointed at his ruined face, “You can’t JUST think drawing dicks on my face was a better way to hurt me more!”

 

Dre groaned and stammered, “What are yo-AH! OW!” As he quickly received more kicks and punches from a stick George had gotten from the ground, the goggled man was too furious to get his actual weapon.

 

Tina put her basket to the ground as she tried to intervene, “George, Don’t!” but George continued to hit Dre, hearing Tom's shout, “Dude, what the hell?!”

 

George raised an eyebrow at Tommy’s irritation; despite his hate for that kid, Tommy loathed Dream even more, it feels like the best of both worlds. Taking a deep breath, George lifted the stick and waved a hand, “You can stay around if you want to watch, Tommy.”

 

Tom tilted his head in pure rage, “the fuck are y-”

 

“Hold on,” George said, looking through the grass again and pulling out another stick, handing it to Tommy, “Wanna join? As a peace offering?”

 

Tom stared at it in furious confusion, refusing to pick it up, “What the hell, man?!”

 

George squinted at him but then shrugged. Looks like Tommy was too frightened or exhausted to join the fight against Dream anymore. The goggle-wearing man resumed hitting the masked guy.

 

Tina yanked George away from the masked man, exclaiming, "George, stop! Just stop it!" as she took the stick away from his grasp. A part of her felt disappointment that he didn’t utter a single word upon spotting her.

 

However, George was somewhat taken aback to see Tina, not just because they hadn’t crossed paths in a while, but also that she was standing right next to that jerk, attempting to prevent George from finishing the job! What now? Dream twisted her mind? That's for sure.

 

George disregarded the masked man’s cries as he gazed at the demon hybrid, "Tina, that’s Dream! Remember when Sapnap warned you about him?! He’s a total lier and asshole!" He was on the verge of searching for something else to use against him when Tina intervened once more. She explained, "Yes, but I don’t believe he’s the same one we’re familiar with. Haven’t you heard?"

 

George shook off her grip, oblivious to Tom’s furious stare, "Heard what? Sure, I know he escaped from prison! And even threatened to destro-"

 

Tina interrupted him sharply, "George, that was many months ago."

 

George gaped like an idiot, "What?" To which Tina responded, "What do you mean by ‘what’ ? George, it’s been reported that Dream died three months back."

 

If George had not been wearing his goggles and those ridiculous doodles on his face, he would have looked as if he had just witnessed his home exploding again.

"He’s dead?" George murmured quietly, his voice laced with incredulity…Something he hadn’t felt in days. Most of the time, he remained unfazed or unshaken by events like the fall of l’Manberg.

 

One he regarded as a knight in shining armor is gone…

 

His best friend that asshole is gone now for real? 

 

Tina observed his blank shocked expression, then she turned to see Dre struggling to stand on his foot, his flower necklace slightly torn, petals scattered around his hoodie, and his mask partially damaged. He shifted it aside to tend to his bruises while Tom granted him some space.

 

Suddenly, Tina caught the goggled man whispering under his breath, "Then what is he doing-no, no." He became more puzzled, then let out a stifled laugh, "G-good one, Tina," thinking the demon hybrid was just trying to calm him with a joke as he glanced back at the masked figure, "Good one, h- he’s right here with the mask and the…"

 

He pulled his goggles and squinted his eyes, he then delivered a deadpan face, “Seriously, Dream, did you just fucking heal yourself in record time or what?” He moved closer to the masked man, poking at the plastic of his mask, “BECAUSE you looked like shit when I last saw you outside of prison. What’s with the flowers and that sticker on your ma-”

 

“Out of what?!” Tom bellowed as George felt himself being scornfully dragged away by the blond. Tom yelled protectively, “Dude, YOU look like shit, and also crazy. Leave my brother alone!”

 

“Brother?!” George yelled. No way , he must have eaten those rotten hallucinogenic shrooms again because what the hell did he just hear?! He rubbed the bridge of nose in further disbelief, “N- no, he- he must have brainwashed Tommy for the umpteenth time or something! Tommy!”

 

He moved Tom away from the masked man, not in a protective manner, but to restore Tommy to his TRUE senses. There was no way he had heard Tommy referring to his arch-enemy in such a way!

 

George started shaking the blond, "No matter how the hell he manipulated you into saying something like that, don’t listen to him, okay?! You know yourself better than this-" He was swatted away as Tom raised his hands defensively, "Get away from me, you fuck!"

 

He then raised a finger, "And here’s another thing..." his tone shifted from gentle to loud, "How do you people know our names?!"

 

George stood, stunned by the blond, had Tommy and Dream lost their memories or what?!

He must be dreaming, right? Not all of his dreams had to make sense or even involve that godforsaken XD!

 

George blinked a few times as a hand landed on his shoulder. He turned to Tina, who seemed to hope he would understand what was really happening, or at least what she could understand.

"George, I think these are..." she pointed at the two, "... I don't know, just new faces that happen to look like them, that's all," and George observed Tom trying to raise Dre up from the grass. 

 

That could...explain their outfits and the absence of scars on them (He was quite certain Dream had a scar on the bridge of his nose when unmasked, while Tommy bore one from his chin, something he got back at the discs confrontation)

 

However, it still doesn't add up as George retorted, "But they have the same names too," and The demon hybrid shrugged, suggesting, "Yeah, maybe these two just resemble them and share their names coincidentally."

 

She wasn't wrong, there can be others with her and his name too here, XD was DreamXD, but there is no reason he could encounter someone else named just Dream, wearing the same mask alongside another bothersome kid named Tommy. 

 

"Doesn't sound right to me," he commented, and Tina shrugged again.

 

Tom stared at the two, growing bored, and called out, "Big D?"

 

Dre groaned as he rubbed his neck, glancing at his brother. Tom reminded him, "We should leave, these people are freaking me out," and Dre replied while scratching his back, "Good point, give me a minute-"

 

Tom fussed as he exclaimed sarcastically, "Great, now we have to find a healing potion for you and for that old man!"

 

Tina's ears perked up again, "Old man? About that, who are you guys referring to?"

Tom tutted, "That's none of your business," he crossed his arms, "We're just stuck here after an incident happened to our server, and teleported here and now we need to find our friend somewhere." 

 

George tilted his head, "I’m sorry, what? You two are from another server? You can’t be the Dream and Tommy we know." 

 

Tina began humming, snapping her fingers as if to get a thought, "Hmm, these two must be alternate counterparts of them?" George's face contorted as he asked, "What made you think that, Tina?" 

 

Tina chuckled and shrugged, "I don’t know, they came from another server and just look at them, they seem like them but fine… unless you count that Dream since you hurt him," she gave him a disapproving look at the end. 

 

George was about to argue against that theory when Tom whispered, "Alternate counterparts?" 

 

Tina and George turned back to the other two; Tom seemed to be lost in thought as he addressed the masked man, "Dream, do you think there are alternate counterparts of us here? Do you reckon Tubbo has one here too? That would be aweird!"

 

George gave a deadpan glance at the kid, "Aweird?" to which Tom responded in a rather unremarkable fashion, "Awesome and Weird.”

However, Tina blinked, "Tubbo? You have a friend named Tubbo too?" Meanwhile, George felt himself wanting to retreat to bed, now entirely confused.

Three versions of these two annoying kids and his ex-friend… 

George rubbed his temples, signaling for a timeout, "Okay, I’m losing my damn mind here. Something has to be going on," he began to think, "Look…”

 

George took a deep breath, fixing a stern look on the two men while Tina averted her gaze, though she was clearly grappling to understand, "We can help you in finding…that Tubbo, and maybe you could enlighten us about that old man. Maybe we can help you with him and then finish the job of finding your friend all along. Deal?"

 

Tom regarded him with skepticism before glancing at his brother, "What do you think, Dream?"

 

Dre hummed, though his humming showed a hint of doubt. After a brief pause, he crossed his arms and conceded, "If you know where to find healing items for him, that could ease our problem. But we will steer clear of your sight if you mess with us."

 

Tom was half unconvinced, "I still don’t trust that guy, and seriously, clean yourself up!" and Tina chuckled, choosing not to comment, while George rolled his eyes, "I wash my face after I find MY real Dream."

 

The blond retorted flatly, "No. I meant, your whole. You smell like ass, bro."

 

George shot a glare at the kid, finding him just as irritating as the Tommy he remembered. He sighed heavily as he began to move but noticed Tina heading in a different direction.

"Tina?" George called, and the demon hybrid responded with a whimsical 'Oh!' as she giggled, "Sorry, George, I... am quite busy at the moment," waving her basket around.

 

"Good luck with them!" Tina said one last time as she continued on her path. It was indeed confusing and unexpected, but after months of gloomy news and isolation, it was a welcome change. 

 

And so George turned his attention to the two men, both of whom looked as if they could end his life at any moment if he failed to comply with their agreement. 

 

"Shit..." he cursed quietly as he rubbed his face and sighed, "I need to clean my face first," he then added, "Also, I apologize for hurting your brother... right?" and Dre replied, "Not by blood, but we consider ourselves brothers."

 

George stared at them with a blank expression, "You and he are... brothers in some way," it was not a question nor an expression. He commented to fill the quiet moment, "Sounds like... a story being rewritten into something that seems impossible to happen."

 

 

It is indeed good that Fundy's cottage lies a bit distant from the remnants of the ruined Las Nevada.

 

Charlie was the one who took it the hardest, whether it was the destruction of Las Nevada or Quackity's death, either one alone would have been enough to shatter...or more likely to melt his happy box. 

 

The place he and Quackity cherished as a part of his boss's legacy, where they shared lessons, has now been reduced to mere ashes. And Quackity, too, has met the same thing. Charlie found himself grappling with this overwhelming new wave of emotions that have gone into him ever since the bad news broke.

 

The crew made personal vows to never compare what they agreed to deal or work for to L'manberg, nor to imply that their boss acted in the same way as Wilbur since none of them expected the duck hybrid to take it too far.

 

Fundy even considered staying with the slime hybrid and his friends, but he took him to his cottage, fearing he might not be able to handle his new emotions. Yet, things did not go well in that regard.

 

Purpled quickly declined the idea, as he was already settled in his UFO home, and Foolish was capable of taking care of himself, even without his father. (And on that note, he even refused to discuss Puffy in relation to the current egg situation.)

 

“Charlie?” Fundy called, his voice low, hoping his friend would hear him. He placed the food on the dining table and took a seat next to his son. Thankfully, Yogurt was still too young to understand the gravity of the situation, though Fundy wished he could express his feelings about the loss of his job to his child.

 

Fundy called out again, “Food's ready,” he received no response. The fox hybrid sighed, “As per usual,” and turned to the younger wolf-hybrid, “Yogurt? Don’t eat his,” he instructed as he walked out of the kitchen and headed to the bedroom where Charlie was resting on the bed Fundy had made for him on the floor.

 

The door was closed however, the fox hybrid didn't care about it as he knocked, “Charlie? Lunch is ready.”

 

A voice emerged, barely above a whisper, "I'm fine." 

Fundy rolled his eyes and compelled himself to open the door, "You always say that every day until I slide the plate beneath the door. Come on," his tone softened as he caught sight of the slime hybrid.

 

Charlie lay on the floor, staring off into nowhere rather than at the fox hybrid. His slimy form was becoming less substantial, and he appeared to be losing weight (whether due to biology or just his lack of eating), his once vibrant apple green hue was getting greyer.

 

Fundy looked at the drawer, picked up the glasses, and held them up to Charlie's eyes, "We’ll talk after we eat, okay?" He stood up, "I don’t want Yogurt to eat your food or else," but Charlie wasn’t paying attention. Just days ago, Charlie would try to remain positive as long as they avoided discussing the news. Now, even without mentioning it, he is not feeling well.

 

"Are you even listening?" Fundy inquired again, wanting to ensure the slime hybrid knew of his existence.

 

"Yeah," Charlie mumbled, nodding vaguely, and Fundy narrowed his eyes, "Something's wrong again?"

 

Charlie hesitated before letting out a hollow laugh. "I just… haven’t really moved on from… When Quac- B- boss blew up Las Nevadas and then he accidently…"

Fundy’s ears twitched slightly, "Charlie, you do know it was suicide, right?"

 

Charlie half-blinked rapidly and turned his gaze away, "Yeah! I know."

 

He didn’t. Or perhaps he did but was unwilling to accept it. Then, in an uncharacteristic quiet tone, Charlie asked, "Do you think… Did we do something wrong?" and Fundy tilted his head, "What do you mean?"

 

Charlie played with his fingers, "I mean… What if it was our fault he kil- ended his life?

Fundy didn’t appreciate that tone coming from someone like Charlie, the slime hybrid averted his gaze to the floor once more, "Did we do so- did I do something wrong for him? What if something we did… pushed him to it?" 

 

Fundy hesitated before responding. His tail flicked once, then twice. He appeared to want to say something, but the words in his head failed him.

 

Charlie didn't need to breathe as the silence lingered too long, "What if- if it was us?!" His voice cracked slightly, "I’m just, I’m just…"

 

Fundy moved closer, his voice awkward yet steady, "Hey, calm down, Okay? We don’t… Maybe… maybe it might not be us. W- We’ve been handling Quackity's issues and orders all the time, it can’t be because we did something wrong."

But Charlie couldn’t cease his thoughts. He couldn’t stop questioning if the weight on his nonexistent chest was the same one that had crushed Quackity.

Fundy glanced at the slime hybrid for a moment before he sat beside him, he remained silent at first. He was staring at the ceiling, as if trying to access a memory that he didn't like to talk about.

"Charlie," Fundy began, his voice slow, "there’s something I’ve never told anyone here. Not even our friends, nor Tommy. I shared some parts of it with Quackity, but not the final part."

Charlie fell silent, though he felt a little disappointed that Fundy hadn’t said this with him sooner. However, another thought crossed his mind as he asked, "Why mention Tommy from nowhere?"

Fundy bit the inside of his cheek as he elaborated, "Because Tommy was meant to learn about it since we both loathe that person, but… it’s too much for him, and he currently wants to forget that guy, just like me."

Charlie noted the shift in the fox hybrid's tone but let him continue.

 

"It was before Wilbur...left." Fundy’s ears twitched slightly at the utterance of the name, "I think... I think he understood he had to leave for good, so he came to me and said he tried to make amends with everyone, like Eret and Niki. He asked if I wanted to go fishing with him. Just like the old days."

 

Charlie didn’t know much about Wilbur, other than his... odd rivalry with his former boss.

 

Fundy chose not to visualize that moment when he and Wilbur were at the river's edge in his head, taking a deep breath, "I didn’t want to go," Fundy confessed, "I hated him, Charlie. I still do. But he... insisted. He merely wanted to 'spend some time' with me before he'll exit from my life forever."

 

Fundy’s jaw tightened, "We sat there, conversing, It was awkward. Then, after a while, he turned to me and said he wanted to make amends. It didn’t matter if I forgave him or not, he just wanted me to know he was sorry."

 

Charlie tilted his head, "What did you say to him?"

 

"All that I wanted to say to him at his grave, my anger," Fundy’s voice sharpened, "I scolded him. That I would never forgive him for ignoring me. For the way he tore everything apart, including me! He just... accepted it. He nodded and handed me letters and notes he wrote like pages of apologies. He said I didn’t have to read them now, just... keep them."

 

Fundy took a shaky breath, his eyes fixed on the ground, "The thing is... I didn’t read them. I couldn’t, the first time I saw them, it felt like he was still trying to hurt me. I couldn’t take it anymore. And all that anger and everything he left me with-it was too much too. I-" he paused for a moment, taking a deep breath, "And I jumped off a bridge... in front of him," His voice was slightly detached, "I lost my second life that night."

 

Charlie sort of…shocked, having never imagined that Fundy had gone through so much.

 

"What I’m trying to say," Fundy went on, "Is perhaps Quackity… maybe he felt something similar. That kind of anger I felt…. And maybe he couldn’t find any other escape from it."

 

There was a beat.

 

"W- we could've-" Charlie bit his lips, "That’s… that wasn’t helpful, Fundy." 

And Fundy suddenly sidetracked and then frowned. Charlie swallowed hard, the thoughts heavy in his tongue, "If that’s the problem, then we-then why didn’t we notice it? Why didn’t we intervene? Why didn’t we- have tried to help him when he was so angry?"

"Charlie-"

"No, seriously!" Charlie’s voice cracked again, "He was our friend. And we just… we allowed him to act fast l- like we didn’t care about him! But I still care about him as my best friend!"

Fundy stepped closer, his voice sheepish, "Charlie, w- wait. Uh, you can’t shoulder every death or reason as if it’s your fault or ours. None of us knew he would take it too far! Maybe I thought he would just retire or destroy Las Nevadas like Wilbur did to l’Manberg, and that would be the end of it, but… I guess he’s more like him than I realized. We can’t do anything about it, we’ll drown if we try."

The fox hybrid took a deep breath, "I… don’t even think Quackity would be happy to see you sad about it, I mean, you didn’t hurt him so it’s not your fault," and Charlie was quiet, but he gradually nodded, allowing Fundy’s words to calm him.

Charlie fiddled with the hem of his shirt—the one Fundy had given him after noticing he was no longer in a position to wear work attire. He rose from the bed, the sheets clinging with remnants of the slime from his body that had melted away. Fundy averted his gaze, uneasily smiling at the thought of cleaning it up again (perhaps letting Charlie stay with him for days was a slightly intolerable idea).

 

Setting aside the disgust, he noticed Charlie wearing a face of understanding, saying, "Yo- you're right," while rubbing his arms, "maybe it wasn't because of us."

 

Fundy sighed, a mix of exhaustion and relief washing over him. He was caring for his son, and now for someone who had lived for millions of years and was clearly weary. At least soon it would all be over.

 

Just as he was about to walk away, he felt a tug on his shirt. Turning to Charlie, the slime hybrid murmured, "Fundy..." then nervously asked, "Are you angry?"

 

Fundy closed his eyes, responding in a deadpan tone, "After discussing this, I’m a little angry no-"

 

"Don’t be then."

 

Fundy blinked at Charlie's words, turning to him in confusion, "Huh? Charlie, what are you-" when he felt hands on his shoulders ( while doing his best not to cringe at the gooey touches)

 

"I won't let you fall off the bridge again, I won't let you go through the pain like Quackity from Las nevadas did! I won't let Tommy do it either!" Charlie declared.

 

'Should I mention that Tommy almost did it before?'  Fundy pondered whether to bring it up but shook his head internally, allowing the slime hybrid to continue, "I-I don't know if Purpled is feeling alright, but Foolish seems really down too. I will stand by their side before anything else makes them angry!" he murmured, "Then I’ll ensure no one else feels that way. Not you. Not anyone I care about. I don’t care what it takes a- and I won’t let anyone fall that far again."

 

Fundy stared at the slime hybrid for a moment, while he understood that Charlie was still struggling with these new complex emotions, he appreciated the effort the slime hybrid was making to mend their pain. The fox forced a small smile, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes.

Charlie was about to smile too…

But then, mid-smile, Charlie suddenly froze. A strange feeling brushed at the back of his neck. His eyes darted back to the floor.

Fundy noticed the shift in Charlie's reaction immediately, "Charlie? Are you okay?"

Charlie hesitated, his brow furrowing, the smile slipping away, "…I don’t..." His mind was filling up with strange visions, accompanied by unfamiliar voices like a whisper, just quiet enough that Charlie couldn’t be sure if it was real or just his imagination.

 

"I don't know," he repeated, feeling pain in his head as a bunch of images flashed before his eyes, shifting like frames, "It feels like I remembered something I had forgotten."

He withdrew his hands from the fox hybrid, Fundy hummed ( while thinking of changing his currently stained shirt) and inquired, "What is it?"

"I-Ahn my head!" Charlie exclaimed, lightly slapping his forehead. Fundy approached him again as he pulled his hand away, "Woah, Charlie, look, l- let's eat the lunch first and discuss it, alright?"

 

Charlie couldn't squeeze his eyes as he just let out a groan, and after a few moments, he slowly nodded.

Fundy might reward his son an additional star on his board for not eating Charlie's lunch, and after Yogurt was left outside to play, the two men remained seated.

 

Charlie set down the mug and began to recount what he saw, "I kind of... Remember, I was with Quackity from Las Nevadas, we were strolling and chatting about something-uh..."

 

Fundy observed the sunlight streaming through the window as he hummed, and Charlie struggled to recall, "Purpled was there, and..." he frowned slightly, "He was arguing with Quackity. I can't quite remember what they said, but the last thing I recall is being in the lava."

 

Fundy hummed again but playfully and quipped, "Huh, not surprising since boss always argues with us a lo-" then he paused, blinking, "Wait...Did you say Lava?"

 

Charlie nodded as if he hadn’t just said something off-putting, continuing, "Yeah, I’m not sure what happened next. Quackity was with me, hugging me in a friendly way! And then I saw everything dark?"

 

Charlie hugging Quackity while in lava? Can Charlie even handle that? What does he mean by seeing everything dark afterward-

 

Fundy blinked again, realizing this could imply something rather concerning, "Ch- Charlie, you were-" he coughed slightly, "That’s quite a strange dream you had-"

 

But Charlie interrupted, recalling more, "Oh yes, and he-Wait, I think I woke up after that, and I saw someone else, like, one was wearing a mask and another had a white hoodie- Oh, wait, Purpled was with them too!"

The fox hybrid gazed at the man with a blank expression, "Charlie, what are you even-" and Charlie continued to remember, "Wait wait! Aha, I recall their names..." He pouted his lips, "No, hold on, I sort of remember one of the two, that was Dream maybe."

 

And Fundy was taken aback, "D-Dream?!" 

What the hell is Dream doing in the slime hybrid's dreams? 

 

Fundy certainly hasn't forgotten about that masked figure while hardly ignoring the memory when they nearly 'tie the knot' but he's convinced Charlie met Quackity while Dream was behind bars, Charlie has never encountered Dream, so what’s he doing in the slime hybrid's dream anyway? Fundy can recall having strange dreams too, but he can't imagine someone like Charlie will have dreams that are so disturbing like these too.

 

Fundy squinted at the table and Charlie asked him, "What were you saying?" 

But Fundy was perplexed as he asked back, "N-No Charlie, keep going, what happened?" 

 

Charlie paused for a moment, then rested a hand on his chin and began to recall, "I...I then saw Quackity again, he seemed delighted to see me, I can't quite figure out why, but he also appeared uneasy about Dream and Purpled, then..." 

 

Why was Purpled with them? Guess I'm not the only one who keeps having strange dreams like these ...Or That could just not be a dream… 

 

Fundy pondered but Charlie pressed on, "I don't know, they were arguing again, and then there were a bunch of people look like me, and Quackity took me to the building, and Purpled was approaching us an-and-" 

 

Fundy waved his hand at him, "Slow down, what do you mean there were a bunch of people that looked like you? And you know Dream was a threat, I don't think he was seeing you in a pleasant light." 

 

Charlie made a silly face, "You think so? Ah!" He chuckled, "That explains why he was saying that Quackity was deceiving me and wanted to betray me..." 

 

Fundy froze, whispering, "To what?" But Charlie remained silent and continued to recall, although his tone shifted, "And Purpled appeared as if he wanted to kill Quackity, but I intervened just in time and then..."

 

The room was still, even the light of the sun was preparing to turn grey.

 

"And then..." Charlie murmured, his gaze suddenly dropping to the table, "Quackity, I..."

 

Fundy was concerned again, fearing that Charlie would go back into grief. He stood up, ready to approach, "Charlie? Are you-"

 

"AHHHH!"

 

Fundy nearly toppled over from the loud scream. Charlie lost his footing, dumbfounded by the sudden rush of memories flooding back, "Quacki- Quackity from l- No!"

 

Fundy rushed to pat his back, "Charlie?! Calm down! I-" But Charlie shook his head rapidly, "Why?!" he began to wail slowly, "W-why did it- What made me do that?!"

 

Fundy was baffled by Charlie's words, but his thoughts froze when Charlie expressed an emotion that was foreign to him, "I-I killed him!" he yelled, pulling the fox hybrid closer, "I- I threw him out of the building! A-and th-" He covered his mouth, "Quack-" shaking his head again, "He-"

 

Fundy couldn't bear to see him as he exclaimed, "Charlie!" His voice was interrupted by the sound of his child’s footsteps, looking confused. With no time to explain, he called out, "Yo- Yogurt, help me for a bit."

 

Yogurt tilted his head but complied, assisting his dad in steadying both himself and Charlie.

Once they managed to bring Charlie back to the bed, Charlie pretended to take a deep breath, struggling to comprehend the images in his mind. He found himself feeling something- something, like you ended someone you used to trust, all while not even knowing why. But Charlie's memories were getting full quickly, making it hard for him to remember the reason.

"O-okay, Charlie, calm down, alright?" Fundy said as he settled beside the slime hybrid, giving Yogurt a gentle tap on his head before the wolf left, leaving the adults to have their privacy.

 

Fundy took a deep breath and patted Charlie’s shoulder, "I do have dreams like the ones you’re having," he attempted to sound both awkward and comforting, "But I promise," he added with a hopeful smirk...

"There’s nothing to fear..."

A light flickered in his eyes, and the pain that had gripped his body gone in an instant.

Fundy coughed deeply, closing his eyes, as something began to bubble up in his mind, much like Charlie.

"Fundy?" Charlie was now the one asking.

Silence crossed between them. Charlie frowned and wrapped an arm around Fundy, uncaring to the way his body was slightly melting against him. Fundy was uncared too, his mind reeling from the shocking images as his eyes twitched, hands resting on his lap. 

They are both now clueless and shocked about these memories, yet they felt overwhelmingly real... and certainly not a dream.

 

Why can’t their suffering finally come to an end?

Ignoring the fact that she had met her friend from the future, Niki was busy cleaning the dishes. Although she didn't want help, Philza wanted to help her in order to clear his mind more.

 

Earlier, while they were sipping hot cocoa, Niki had not told Past!Phil that she had encountered his future self, and the fact he’ll just adopt not one but two other children from a different universe—one who is lost here somewhere because of a random person using an unfinished portal or something. Nevertheless, she did mention Ranboo but in a hypothetically speaking way, saying that the enderman hybrid had gone for sure, but that something good was on the horizon for him, granting him either peace or a break from his suffering.

 

Niki smiled with hope, seeing her friend felt like the beginning of a new page that would outline the next phase of healing. 

 

She recognized that this wouldn’t ebb Phil’s grief, but they would make an attempt, like, what could possibly happen while they are just washing the dishe-

 

A light streak appeared outside…

A dish slipped from her hand and crashed, the loud noise startling Past!Phil as Niki held onto the table in sudden shock. She swore she heard a light streak that seemed to come from outside, though it appeared to be a figment of her mind.

 

“Niki! Is something wrong?” Past!Phil approached her, patting her back gently, and Niki rubbed her forehead, inhaling deeply, but once she did, something new began to surface in her mind.

"Niki?" Past!Phil asked again. Niki shook her head slowly and turned on the faucet, splashing water onto her face to calm herself. Once she was done, she turned it off and looked at the immortal, saying, "I- I'm fine, I just... something flashed in my mind for a moment." 

 

Past!Phil looked like he wanted to listen as Niki looked at the floor and began to say what she saw, "I- You were with me, and then there was a woman in dark dress..."

She was quite certain she had seen someone who looked like Connor, and she and Phil were staring at a portal in the meeting room, where that woman was... Niki couldn't quite grasp where that image in her mind was, "And she was taking us to s-somewhere..." She turned while speaking, only to realize she was facing Past!Phil's back. 

 

Niki tilted her head and asked, "Uh, Phil?" But Past!Phil raised his hand to his head, "Wait! Niki, I- I'm feeling... she-" 

 

Niki helped him to a chair as they sat down, not caring about the mess she had made.

There was a quiet moment until Past!Phil whispered.

 "Kristin..." 

Niki's expression remained unchanged, not recognizing the name of the woman, "Kristin? Who is Kristin?" 

 

Past!Phil took a deep breath as he explained, "My wife, it's complicated. There was a memory in my head where she somehow got here and..." He paused, feeling a hand on his hand as he turned to his friend. Niki was now filled with new concern as she asked, "Are... are you having that strange feeling too?"

The winged man nodded and continued, "R- Ranboo he- she informed me he..." he gasped quietly. Niki was about to ask him but then she felt a firm grip on her shoulders as Past!Phil exclaimed in disbelief, "Niki! I think you..." he swallowed hard, "I think you were correct about what you said about Ranboo and..." he gasped again, this time in horror, covering his mouth as he nearly fell from the chair.

 

"Holy hell..." Philza murmured. Niki was about to head to the sink to get water for him but stopped when she caught his whisper.

 

"T- Techno..."

 

Niki's heart momentarily halted, it had been ages since she had heard that name—the name of the man who had shown her her true worth and for whom she sought redemption. She hadn’t anticipated Phil mentioning him, especially as she had been trying to avoid making him sad about it, but she couldn’t help herself anymore.

 

She asked a simple "What?" and Past!Phil turned to her, his expression frozen in a blend of fright and shock.

“Niki, Techno was…”

Even if the half-deity was aware that Quackity was hasty in judgments and the bad things he has done to him, he finds himself missing his boss. Once thought he was going to hold such a high regard, he now questions if he still has that regard after Quackity ended up with their best achievements.

 

Gazing upon the remnants of Las Nevadas felt like sifting through the minutest of useless dirt. Surely, witnessing Puffy succumbing to that stupid egg was something disheartening.

 

Nevertheless, Foolish continued to think over it, they could get rid of the egg someway no matter what, despite the damage it had caused and the memories of his first death that still haunted him.

 

But what about the establishments he had created? Was it worth it to be associated with Quackity? Why did Quackity not only dismantle their pride but also his own life?

 

Foolish may have heard of Quackity’s problems and issues especially around his…Exes, sometimes, he wished he looked for the duck hybrid before he took the matter in his hands.

 

Foolish made his way to the desert, where he saw the broken statue he had made for an old friend…that god who had not been seen ever since Tommy and Tubbo blew up the prison and the news of Quackity, Dream, and Punz spread wide.

Many have gone, many are still stuck with that crimson egg and many likely unwilling to step outside their grief-stricken zones.

Foolish rubbed his eyes in shame as he flung his trident at the statue's head, gazing at the reflection of its golden surface.

 

He closed his eyes, attempting to convert his shame into serenity, as the soft breeze wafted through the ruins.

 

So far, all is calm…

As he looked around the ruins of Las Nevadas, a sudden jolt sent him sliding through the statue till the ground as his trident fell off from his grip. It hit him like a train, and like everyone else. He panically placed a hand on his mouth and the other on the edge of the statue to balance himself. However, the flood of images crashing into his mind made it difficult.

He was certain he had seen a bunch of fireworks in the sky, but they vanished the moment he blinked. He saw himself in a room filled with smiley, and green substances scattered throughout a building, until the scene disappeared again with another blink.

After that blink, someone appeared in his mind…

Eret…And there was a...

 

A being with X and a D on their mask, wings, halos, and... Wait, the status...

 

"DreamXD!" Foolish exclaimed to himself.

 

And the fact there was Eret, right next to him, standing against a larger menace—one he had once considered a friend... before everything faded to white.

 

What the hell was that? And why was Eret even there with him?

 

He appreciated his dear friend for joining him in battles, but this was just unusual!

The fact that he and his companion were supposedly on the brink of death at the hands of the god of creation felt like an out of nowhere dream from which he couldn't wake up.

Foolish frowned, grappling with his reaction, but the pieces of the puzzle just wouldn’t fit. He hummed in frustration, realizing he needed help. He pulled out his communicator, typing to everyone he could think of, whoever isn't dead or gone missing yet.

Sam stepped out of the shower for a brief moment, attempting to dry off. As he draped the towel around himself, he glanced at the mirror, wiping away the steam. 

 

Upon removing his hand, he regretted it, for the old scars on both of his arms and chest remained visible in his reflection—a reminder of both the vines and his end that was brought by Dream's hands.

 

The egg isn't gone and maybe never...

 

But...

 

Dream is gone for good…and so is Quackity

 

With a heavy sigh, Sam exited the bathroom, reflecting on Tina's words, the demon hybrid can take charge of what remained of Quackity and his business (Although he was merely shocked over the fact the duck hybrid has a niece somehow)

 

As much as he disliked the thought of Pandora's vault, he felt like a  mess of cables so he resolutely chose to ignore it.

 

The gentle touch of his pet helped him at least.

 

Sam looked down at Fran, who had approached him, affectionately rubbing against his leg. 

 

He sighed again, picked up his shirt, and walked toward the chair. He placed his dog in his lap, stroking her fur while gazing at the ceiling. Once that big can of worry ebbed his mind, he inhaled deeply and closed his eyes.

 

Things are going to be okay…

...

 

..

 

.

There was a blinding explosion of light erupted around the room in front of his eyes.

 

And in a blink of an eye, the creeper hybrid leaped quickly from the chair, nearly causing Fran to jump from his lap.

 

Sam moved his hand toward his chest, feeling his belly twisting upon seeing what had appeared in his mind in only a matter of seconds. 

 

That... the source of that blinding, disastrous light was coming from the...

The very building he had tried to forget seconds before.

 

"Here he is!" Tom exclaimed, gesturing towards the horizon. George adjusted his goggles for a clearer view and spotted a man laying against a rock, a scarf draped over him—it belonged to Dre.

 

As they approached the unconscious figure, Tom explained, "We found him lying dead there, we were about to leave him here like garbage, but Dream insisted to help him cause he has 'a heart of gold' or some generous bullshit," he noticed the masked man rolling his eyes at the way he rolled his head.

 

Just as George was about to kneel, Dre intervened, warning, "There are some strange things happening with his hands, we can't understand what it might be but it nearly hurt us."

 

Despite his skepticism, George knelt down anyway, stating, "I see, I think you two could..." but when he got a clearer look at the man he shook his head, realizing who it might be.

"Wait, Philza?" George gasped, "Philza minecraft? Wh- what is he doin-what happened to him?" and Tom asked, "Do you know him?" 

 

George nodded, "Yes, your counterparts are also familiar with him," and glanced down again, "He seems a bit different though?" George noted as he examined the immortal's outfit; his kimono appeared different, featuring on it a heart shape with two black and red dots on it. Not to mention, his hairstyle was distinct from the last time he encountered the old man. However, George dismissed these changes, as he likely doesn't see the immortal often, and a change of outfit was hardly surprising.

 

His gaze shifted to the man's hands, which were both bandaged and appeared to be stained with black texture and dried blood. When George touched one of them, he felt a cramp in his hand and quickly withdrew it.

 

George hissed, part of him thinking whether he should message Techno to come for help, but he knew he would end up as a pile of flesh and bones if he called upon the blood god (And maybe Techno would misinterpret the goggled man had harmed his immortal friend).

 

So George resorted to plan B. He stood up and attempted to lift the immortal by his wings, but quickly changed his mind when he felt his hands cramping from them too. Cursing under his breath, George grabbed a rope and wrapped it around the immortal's wings.

 

Dre and Tom observed the scene, impressed, although Tom felt a bit bored as he had thought the goggled man would cut off the crow man's hands or wings to facilitate the problem.

 

George held Philza by the rope and pointed out, “He must have been hurt. I suppose all we need to do is take him back home. I'm sure someone must know where he lives now, I don't usually attend events.”

 

Dre sounded perplexed when he replied, “I don't know you or anything about this place, man. Care to explain?” 

 

George groaned in response, “You're in the Dream SMP... the other Dream, not you. We've been through quite a bit, mostly involving them and not me. I tend to spend my time hanging out with…” His lips twisted in distaste as he searched for a different word, “Someone else and sleeping.”

 

Tom crossed his arms and said, “So you're saying you spend your time being a lazyhead?”

 

George chose to ignore the kid as he turned around and began to pull Philza along with him. 

 

Things are certainly becoming stranger, but he must remind himself that it will be over and pray (but not to XD) that there will be no more surprises.

 

He could sense that his praying disappointed him as a severe headache hit him, George began to whine slightly. Dre noticed him and concernedly asked, "Is there something wrong, George?"

 

George massaged his forehead and replied with difficulty, "Nothing, a headache, I think," before calling for the two to follow him.

Tubbo clasped his hands together as he looked at the table, attempting to comprehend what that…version of himself had said.

 

A version from an alternate timeline, he presumed, thanks to Jack for the theory, but they still could not grasp how there could be other versions where their server vanished or something.

 

"And that’s how I found myself here," Young Tubbo concluded, gesturing to himself.

 

Jack crossed his arms, "Tubb- not you, him," he alternated his gaze between the two Tubbos, "Tubbo? I think I’m starting to understand some of that." 

 

And Tubbo let out a fake sigh of resignation, "again."

 

Jack rubbed his chin, "Well, THAT kid is literally you from another server who had friends named Tommy and…" he suddenly halted, realizing what he was about to say, hissing through his teeth as he averted his face.

 

Tubbo made a rather uncomfortable expression, as if he's tasting poison, "I know, someone else named fucking Dream."

 

It’s somewhat ironic yet a horrible realization. The existence of an alternative server or universe where they are friends with the one who has caused all the chaos and shattered their friendship. Tubbo sighed mournfully as he added, "That server was...glitching?" 

 

And past!Tubbo responded, "Yeah, the sky was turning dark and then different colors. And the ground was shaking beneath us! W- we- I was at a loss for what to do, I tried searching for them until I spotted an opening on the horizon."

 

Tubbo inquired, "And that opening led you here?"

 

Past!Tubbo frowned as he nodded, "Yes, maybe my friends are here too, or they might have gone elsewhere else."

 

Tubbo bit his lip, realizes there is a version of his closest friend who is hanging out with a version of his abuser lurking around here! What if that alternate Dream was as bad as the one he knew?! What if that Tommy was in danger too?! What if they-

 

Tubbo clenched his jaw, yet felt a reassuring pat on his back. Turning to the half-cyber.

 

Jack silently urged him to stop overthinking. Tubbo inhaled deeply and continued, "They rather have gone somewhere else, I don't think I could handle another youthful iteration of my best friend… Not even my enemy."

 

Past!Tubbo let out a sound of unease but curiously asked, "Dream was your enemy here?"

 

Tubbo corrected him with a firm tone, "He IS my enemy," twisting his eyes as worms of worry were writhing within him, he took another deep breath.

 

"Dude," he heard Jack mumble, he then cast a glance at Past!Tubbo, who appeared  frightened.

 

Tubbo bit his lip and then began to explain sheepishly, "Listen, kid, it’s a long story, things are different here. In this universe, Tommy and I are allies and brothers, but Dream is not a good fellow..." He crossed his arms, adding, "IF, and that’s a big IF, YOUR Dream is even remotely a decent person to start with."

 

However, his words only increased  the child's fear. Jack nudged Tubbo's arm, shooting him a glare, "Tubbo, you’re scaring the kid out of his wits."

 

Tubbo shot back a glare of his own, "How the hell did you end up with a friend who’s supposed to be Dream of all people? Surely a version of Jack would have been a less worse-"

 

Jack retorted, "Zip it."

 

Past!Tubbo was stuck on how to process this information; he had no inkling that his friends were meant to be against each other. Yet, he felt the need to clarify, for perhaps the two men before him were mistaking him, "Um, they’re good friends to me, Tommy is a good guy, and so is Dream. It’s... I’m just feeling anxious talking to them, and I can’t quite place why."

 

Jack frowned, turning to the other goat hybrid, "Tubbo, were you genuinely that anxious when-"

 

Tubbo interrupted flatly, "I wasn’t," And continued to glare as Past!Tubbo shifted slightly away, but then felt a tap on his legs. He looked down to find Micheal gazing at him with a mix of confusion and curiosity.

 

Past!Tubbo's face soured as he tried to distance himself from the child more, he then continued, "I feel strange being with them, when I was catching fish with Tommy, and he's laughing with Dream, I felt funny o- or nervous."

 

Tubbo was on the verge of asking further but his eyes then widened, "why would you feel that way-wait!" He moved closer, "Could that mean you still have my memories-" but he then yanked away by Jack, who shot him another fierce glare, "Tubbo, stop."

 

Tubbo huffed but then noticed the fearful expression on Past!Tubbo's face, which made him feel a sense of guilt (along with a few memories of his own past fears)

 

"Jack, I..." he attempted to speak, but Jack growled, "No! I believe that's just another, more pitiful version of you from a 'peaceful' timeline, and it has nothing to do with you or your past in any way,” Jack then took a breather, as if he just read a long poem.

Tubbo sighed as he averted his gaze, unaware that his son was seated beside him, though he sensed the boy's concern for him. Tubbo offered a faint smile as he was about to hug him, intending to reassure (or rather lie) him that all was okay.

 

However, just as Michael was about to hug back, he felt his father's arms withdrawing. Tubbo just stayed still, a sharp pain piercing his head as he rubbed his forehead, making Michael to approach and tap his arm in worry.

 

Meanwhile, Jack asked the other goat hybrid, "Please continue, did that Dream and Tommy mention anything particular or-" he noticed the teen was gazing over his shoulder. Jack shot a glare and snapped his fingers, "Hey! Can you-"

 

But the young goat hybrid asked with concern, "Is he alright?" despite still feeling a tinge of fear.

 

Jack rolled his eyes and turned to his friend, "Don’t mind him, he’s still stuck on the fact that you’re-" but his expression changed once he observed Tubbo trembling.

 

"Tubbo?" Jack asked.

 

Tubbo appeared pale when he turned to face the other man. He didn’t even see Jack, all he could see in his mind’s eye was…

 

An image of that nuke he had once used to obliterate the prison, but Tommy was alongside him…

 

And then Michael was there too…

 

And Jack as well… he seemed to be holding a lever.

 

And suddenly, a light showed up in front of his eyes, like the fireworks, yet it was far worse—thousands of fireworks rather than just the (still painful) one that had previously struck directly into his eye.

As these visions faded, Tubbo felt his hand instinctively cover his mouth as he gasped, “Jack, I…” he bit his hand slightly, “Shit.” 

 

Michael frowned, attempting to pry his father's hand away from his teeth. Meanwhile, Jack could only groan as he looked at the two goat hybrids, “Jesus, you two are the death of me, I swear I-” 

 

But then something made him hold his tongue, “I…” 

 

There was a sense of hatred…his mind was filled with thoughts of vengeance… 

 

There was Tubbo, beside him, fighting and screaming until he turned completely to stone the moment Jack grabbed something, staring at it as if he were about to pull it. 

 

At the instant he did, it felt as though a surge of light was erasing the sky until it reached his eyes. 

 

“What is happening in my head…” Jack pondered aloud, placing a hand on his forehead now, “Wait, wait! Y- you prepared that n-” he stammered in disbelief, new memories flooding in at the speed of light, “I- I pulled the lever- I…” his expression morphed into horror. 

 

He and Tubbo had just… 

 

“Tubbo…” he uttered, but the older goat hybrid remained silent. He approached and sat beside him, both in bewildered shock over what they had witnessed. 

 

After a moment, they both spoke in unison. 

 

“I had destroyed an entire server at some point.” 

 

“I had destroyed an entire server at some point.” 

 

Tubbo blinked, staring at Jack, uncertain whether he felt shock or anger. He adjusted himself, rubbing the bite he had done on his hand.

Past!Tubbo observed the two men with nervousness, his foot tapping the ground, mentally forcing him to flee, but he remained stuck in place. Meanwhile, Micheal continued to stare at the group, still confused. He rose to his feet and glanced back at Past!Tubbo. 

Past!Tubbo met the child's gaze but did not shy away, the young piglin hybrid was staring at him as if he was his father's long lost brother.

 

They remained silent until there was a buzz, causing both Tubbo and Jack to have their minds flash as they turned their attention to their devices, simultaneously noticing the message that had appeared.

Someone nearly choked on a cigarette when a thought struck him like a flash of lightning.

 

The man grasped his chest, feeling a tightness in his stomach, and his leg crumpled into the grass. He was gazing at the sky outside; it was grey, certainly, but it was peaceful and nostalgic to look at it. Yet...

 

An image…

 

An image of someone he wanted to get off his mind, and someone he believed he was with…

 

An image of his best friend yelling at him while he seemed to be tossing away… his discs into the lava.

 

A moment of him catching sight of his best friend making a pinky promise before they were separated, thinking it would be their final farewell.

 

The man threw the cigarette onto the ground as he dashed towards his newly built house, made over the past few months. He quickly approached the door, unlocking it in panic and pushing it open.

 

Revealing a room filled with a table cluttered with papers, and a board connected on the wall, showcasing pictures pinned and linked to others. One picture jinxed him, something he had fought to keep from his best friend—a photo of the same nuke Tubbo had used to destroy the prison.

 

Everything was connecting now, the man grabbed the papers with urgency, too panicked to care that some tore as he examined the words, his hands quaking.

 

“N-no…” he faltered in terror, recognizing the phrases he had written down when they first emerged in his mind.

 

Tommy! What did you do?

 

The words he thought he had uttered but could not remember.

 

I didn't know…

 

It all makes sense now.

 

It's too late…

 

The papers fell from the blond's hands, his eyes widening in horror, as if he were witnessing the end of the world while catching one last look at his enemy… except, he truly had before.

 

“It can’t be…”

Tina found herself wishing that the new house–which was still not finished and not yet with decorations, was the current house of the blaze hybrid.

 

She couldn't really fault him for his lack of interest in spacing up his cottage, he wasn't exactly the decorating type, and besides... he was far too filled with sorrow to even think about it.

 

The demon hybrid composed herself as she approached the door.

 

Tina knocked, but there was no response, just as she had expected, "Sapnap? Are you there?" she called out, "If you're still snoozing there, I'm leaving this little gift here, and I hope you don't mind," Tina whispered, not daring to say it out loud, even if Sapnap was indeed sleeping or not.

 

Tina let out a soft hum as she placed the basket down, opening it halfway to ensure the letter was visible for the man to find.

 

"I hope you're doing okay," she said, as if she was talking to the wall, but at least she wore a smile, hoping the blaze hybrid would see it and read it. After all, she hoped she was doing Quackity a solid.

 

"Consider that my act of forgiveness," she murmured somewhere as she began to turn and walk away.

 

Just as she was about to place her foot down, the sudden wind swept past her, causing her to wince slightly.

 

"Ouch!" She hissed from the sudden jolt. It felt as if pain had gone in her head for a second. She opened her eyes, convinced she saw a light arriving toward her eyes, but it might be just her imagination.

 

Ignoring the sensation, she continued her walk until the door behind her burst open with a loud sound, making her flinch like she had met a killer.

 

She turned to see a very frightened and pale Sapnap.

 

She didn't notice that the door had slammed into the basket, causing it to topple and its contents to spill out. She approached the blaze hybrid, "Sapnap, I’m so glad you were inside, I was worried you might not be here," but her smile faded after she noticed his clear distress.

 

"Are… you alright?" she asked, but the blaze hybrid seemed to be in another world, his eyes fixated on the grass, looking like he woke up from bed after a nightmare.

 

Maybe it was something even more terrifying than a nightmare. The blaze hybrid began to breathe rapidly, nearly losing his balance, Tina quickly held him back, "Sapnap! Breathe," she said until she allowed him to kneel, "everything is alright."

 

Sapnap didn’t appear to be calming down; while his breathing steadied, his expression was sheer horror. Tina grew increasingly worried, fearing he still not in the mood for-

 

Tina blinked in realization as she turned back to the spot where she had placed the basket earlier, "The letter..." and to her worry, the basket lay overturned, its contents scattered, but the letter was nowhere to be found, "The- the letter! Oh my god!" she exclaimed as she rushed over, searching through the mess, but sadly, she couldn't find it.

“Tina?” 

“Sapnap?” Tina turned to the voice, Sapnap struggled to rise as he faced the demon hybrid. Tina sighed in relief and asked, “Finally, you’re okay, what happened?”

Out of the blue, Sapnap averted his gaze and huffed, “What happened? What are you doing here?”

 

The demon hybrid playfully rolled her eyes, “How rude! I heard you were still feeling down,” she frowned at her basket, “I came to give you this, along with a letter, but it’s…”

 

Noticing her frown, Sapnap went to comfort her, “It’s okay, Tina, you can tell me directly if you need to-”

 

But Tina quickly interjected, "It's not from me, you must read it, I-” she paused for a moment, contemplating how to explain it without causing embarrassment for the blaze hybrid as she attempted to summarize, “Look, I know you’re feeling awful, especially after being cooped up at home, whatever that hurt both of us, but… things have changed and…” she shut her eyes, “Quac- Quackity wanted to apologize to you…”

 

Sapnap was taken aback; he expected himself to react lazily or with quick emotion, but the shock made him freeze.

 

His future husband ex-fiancé? Apologizing? For what?

 

There were so many things he needed to apologize for, a single piece of paper cannot fucking cover all his apologies in one time… But so is Sapna-

Sapnap shook his head, what did that… liar even want to apologize for now? For not caring about them? For not being there for them? For believing they had betrayed and abandoned him without even informing them about his country? For caring more about his own job than the loves of his life?! For putting his best friend through a cycle of torment?

Sapnap shook his head, "Apologize to me?!" He fought against going red so he clenched his fangs together, "For what? He’s gone anyway-"

 

He stopped his rage when he noticed Tina's eyes still closed, but her expression was mirroring his sadness regarding the duck hybrid. Tina explained with a heavy heart, "I know, I think he penned that letter before he…killed himself, Bad found it the prison," she opened her eyes, "The letter was scorched and unclear, but I hoped you might be able to decipher the words," and then she let out a small sigh, "too bad it’s gone. I’m sorry," She wasn’t sure if she was apologizing to Sapnap or to Quackity himself. She gazed at the sky, silently blaming the wind.

 

Sapnap struggled to comprehend it. His grief was returning… Not to mention the… new memories that struck him like a meteorite hitting an extinct animal.

 

Could it be… a final apology? One he wrote before he… 

The news and the vision of himself dying…

He didn’t want to dwell on it; he just wanted to think of Quackity! But why was his mind refusing to engage with it?! He kept reminding himself of how much he had hurt his friends and how weak he was to stop his old friend Dream from doing such things! He was always thinking about how he lost one of the loves of his life!

 

It twisted his stomach as he hugged himself tightly, a tiny bit of weak flames and smoke escaping his mouth as he began to cough.

 

"Sapnap!" Tina called as she attempted to place a hand on his back while Sapnap knelt on the ground, trembling like a leaf, expelling all the bit amount of food he had managed to eat while grieving, and so releasing his sorrow too.

It was lucky that the few inhabitants of the Kinoko kingdom managed to escape before the chaos and then further into despair.

 

One of them might have a thing for gardening, yet the crimson vines from the egg had clung to every building including their old houses, refusing to dry like normal plants. No amount of tools or cutting could get rid of them; the only option left was to reduce everything to cinders.

Mushrooms and homes were reduced to charred trees and debris.

 

The library…lay in utter disarray.

 

Karl tried to avoid striking any vines that had yet to be removed. He cast glances around the rooms, where posters and books had also succumbed to flames. But, in truth, they hold little significance now…

 

These crimson vines, he remembered these now.

 

He had obtained what he never thought he would, and he found himself questioning whether he felt joy at having… his memories.

 

Not just the memories of his journeys through time and or to dimensions, such as encountering Ranbob and failing to prevent him from holding the candle to the devil, or even meeting that same wicked egg in the mansion.

 

The memories of bygone days. 

 

Sapnap playfully sprinting towards the duck hybrid, the days spent with Quackity, joking about their desire for the next level.  

 

That desire nearly came true…If it wasn't for- 

 

Karl lifted his glasses as he covered his face with his hand, a twinge of regret washing over him, how could he have made Quackity feel this way? If only it weren’t for the loss of his memories… If only he had been here instead of hidden from everyone’s view, he would have seen him… 

 

They could have mended it… They could have salvaged their relationship and perhaps even gotten marri-

Karl's train of thought was cut like a knife slicing through the air. He turned to see a nearly burned paper drifting down from the grey sky. Karl tilted his head, and as the paper landed, the time traveler catched it.

He pondered whether it was just a random scrap, yet why did he feel he needed to catch it? Was his mind acting on impulse, much like someone unable to resist gnawing on their pencil? Karl unfolded the paper, only to discover it bore words. It resembled a letter, though the text was muddled, save for a few discernible words and phrases. Karl tried to decipher it.

 

‘Dear Sapnap and-’ Karl swiftly shut his mouth, realizing his name was mentioned. Could this have been penned by someone for them? Perhaps George? Or maybe it was…

 

Karl's eyes widened as he deciphered some of the words, catching sight of ‘sorry’ and ‘It's not entirely your fau~~’

 

Fau…fault? 

 

Hold on, Karl felt his eyes bulge more as he recognized the name, written as…

 

Quackity…

 

The same funny man he met on the server, the one with the silliest smile that could outshine the sun, the same guy he and Sapnap used to hang out with in their old house, flapping his orange wings while cracking the corniest jokes that made the blaze hybrid giggle like a high school girl, the same one who showered him with gifts and love from the bottom of his heart.

 

The same one he thought he was nothing but a monste-

 

Quackity? He had heard for certain that he was dead, but did Quackity truly write this? Was he blaming himself? 

 

No…It simply couldn’t be. Does Sapnap know about it?

 

Sapnap was still grappling with so much, Karl thought to himself, he couldn’t confront him like this, especially after leaving him in a state of forgetfulness regarding his future husband, leaving him grieving alone with nobody in aid. Quackity must have fled from the pain by ending his own life, yet Sapnap still…

 

Karl felt the urge to tear the letter apart, biting his lip as he desperately tried to steady his hand. As much as he understood that Quackity was no longer present…not that he was gone forever.

 

That Quackity…The one from the original timeline…must exist somewhere.

 

He must find him...

 

Karl shut his eyes, tucked the letter into a book, and approached the portal, casting a short look at the server. As much as he longed to see Sapnap and everyone he loved and cared for, it would be too overwhelming for them to witness him after all that had happened.

 

He gazed at his hand, where two beautiful rings still adorned his fingers, each engraved with the letter of the names of his beloveds, shimmering despite the gloomy, and greyish ambiance of the kingdom, shining like a shooting star against the night sky. 

 

He sighed as he picked up one of the rings and placed it gently on the ground.

 

He took one last glance before stepping into the portal, leaving everything behind.

> Karl_Jacob left the game…

…

..

 

.

-

 

…

.

.

In the stillness of the night, it hardly mattered, unless the two men chose to overlook the fact that they remained stranded on this stupid island.

 

It took Punz several hours to gather enough resolve to peel away the bandages from his face; he was unconcerned about how his eyes were going to appear, but was more tired of the tightness of the fabric. A faint hiss escaped him as EX unwrapped the last bandage from his left eye.

 

Once the bandage was tossed into the fire, Punz opened his eyes. It was painless, yet the sight was painful for the armored man to see. 

 

EX whined, waving his hand, "That is far more horrifying than even the gaze of an enderman, but yes, a blindfold would be-"

 

There was a sound of something being sliced that caught his attention. He saw Punz striking his cane against some leaves and maples. Kneeling, Punz picked a long leaf and turned it into a makeshift blindfold and wrapped it around his face. He positioned one leg behind the other, regarding EX as if he had just won a pronunciation contest.

 

EX placed his hands on his hips, "Oh, I doubt that will hold-" but Punz huffed in response, "I’ll make another one myself if it keeps falling apart." 

 

He grabbed his cane again, attempting to locate the chicken he was cooking. As the cane nearly brushed against something hot, Punz waved it nonchalantly, allowing the smoke to dissipate. 

 

"Anyway..." he said, inching closer, feeling the heat with his hands until he touched something else. He took the chicken leg and began to eat. EX settled onto a log they had left on after they made the weapons and the fire, removing his helmet. Though he was not one to steer in food, he needs to regain his health, even if swallowing REAL food isn't going to be easy on him.

 

"You mentioned that you are a virus that targeted that admin... the one from your server?" Punz inquired, to which EX nodded playfully and asked, "Have you guys also encountered viruses in your server too?"

 

Punz refrained from saying anything personal to someone he considered his ONLY pawn, yet the subject seemed interesting enough for them to chat while regaining their strength back, "Nah," Punz clicked his tongue, "There is sort of one, it's akin to a corrupted egg filled with crimson vines. Some in my server have been possessed, including myself, leading us to form a sort of cult. We nearly orchestrated sacrifices and other rituals to satiate its hunger for power, but a few of us, myself included, managed to escape its grasp. However..."

 

Punz shrugged slightly, allowing his hoodie to slip a bit off his shoulders. "I've still got some remnants of it clinging to me," he remarked, revealing old scars from the vines of his old corruption. Although Punz couldn't know whether they remained after what the federation had done to him, it appeared they were regrettably still present, because the mercenary overheard the other man cursing.

EX rubbed his neck, "Couldn’t be worse than the… you know, those green veins? The ones that used to be in your neck when that bastard with the bunny mask has been investigating you."

 

Punz dismissed his question, stating, "That’s a different matter; that Egg exploited us for its power, and that’s all it cared about.”

 

EX discarded the leftover bones and stretched his arms behind his back. "What about you? I mean-I too mad for power," he chuckled, "Heh, it’s amusing how we’re both driven by power yet have been wounded by another that is equally power-hungry."

 

Punz remained silent, concentrating on his meal rather than listening to the rest of that idiot’s ramblings. EX was unfazed, "Well, you mentioned wanting to be like God or something. Can’t fault you for that idea because if I-"

 

Suddenly, Punz's ears flinched.

 

“Shhhh,” Punz hushed, and EX tilted his head.

 

"I hear something, where is it coming from?" the mercenary inquired, and it was EX’s part of the deal to assist the others. EX re-wore his helmet as he rolled his eyes, he stood up, extinguishing the fire with his foot in case someone had discovered their location and was eavesdropping.

 

Punz grasped his cane and rose, following the man but through the sounds.

 

"What's going on over there?" he asked faintly, and EX adjusted his helmet as he pushed aside two bushes, spotting a little distance away what looked like two faceless men with guns, both dressed in security outfits but with ears hearing everything around them.

EX responded quietly, his eyes narrowed, "Two guards over there keeping an eye…or more like nothing on the ruins, don’t see any others around."

 

If these two guards knew what him and the mercenary were doing, they’d be in danger. But EX was no stranger to danger, he smiled and said, "You know what I’m thinking?"

 

And just like that, both were ready to act. EX pushed through the bushes, gripping Punz's wrist and threw him toward the guards.

 

Before the guard could even raise their gun, Punz zoomed in like a flash, delivering a powerful hit with his sword right to the guard's face, taking them out. The second guard was about to shoot but was gripped by EX from its neck, and the gun flew from its hand. EX catched the weapon and glared down at the guard on the ground, his eyes twitching red with anger for what these people deemed doing the 'right thing' .

 

But first, they needed some answers.

 

EX held the guard firmly and shouted, "Do you speak English?!"

 

The men’s faceless expressions didn’t give away much, but it was clear they were terrified and pleading… perfect.

 

Punz crossed his arms, "Any language you know, just point to something, better not talk." However, the guard merely shook its head in this either, unwilling to say a word but still sounding desperate for its life.

EX lifted the guard's chin with the gun, his voice dripping with forced menace, "Show us where the portal is to escape! How did your stupid manager manage to take away the prisoners, or else..." He pointed the gun right at the guard's forehead.

 

Punz let out a quiet snicker, saying, "Heh, can't tell if that gun's loaded with a dart or a real bullet."

 

"Well, why don’t we find out?" EX laughed back, clicking the gun, signaling that someone is about to get tranquilized or meet their maker (If those clones even have one). 

 

Suddenly, the guard shouted, "The portal! It leads to the island with a nexus... over there, across the big ocean. They used cargo to get there!" they pointed to the horizon.

 

Punz snarled, imagining the wideness of the ocean they had to cross, but he could hear EX chuckling away. EX heard how a cargo ship is heavy and slow as he quipped, "It’ll take us less time with a boat, you know?" and Punz hummed in doubt as he tossed the guard to the ground. The guard trembled, trying to crawl away.

 

EX kicked the guard's leg, watching them fall and thinking how pitiful they looked as he turned away. Punz was busy thinking about building the boat when he felt a hand moving the cane thus he recoiled with a hiss. EX was unfazed, trying to guide the mercenary's cane in the right direction.

 

"Look, look! That could be our way out, the portal is over there," EX pointed, pulling his hand back. However, both men snapped to attention when they saw the guard making a run for it. (Punz heard the running noises while EX turned to see the guard)

EX didn’t hesitate to maintain their cover as he fired the gun at the fleeing guard. The guard was shot and collapsed, motionless, yet EX observed that there was no blood. EX feigned disappointment with a snap of his fingers, “Well, shit, it was just a dumb dart.”

 

Punz did not seem interested in joining the sarcasm, which made EX look at him as the armored man remarked with a smirk, “What? Live a little ,” but the mercenary had no time to waste on games or playing around as he insisted, “We need to find or make a boat before any more guards arrive.” 

 

EX stared for a moment before huffing, acting like he knew.

 

By the dawn, they had completed the boat, with Punz sharing bits of information while EX worked on the construction. They didn't care much of the result but it was better than nothing, as the boat needed to be firm enough to cross the whole ocean.

 

As they prepared to sail, both moved cautiously, ensuring that no one who might still be around could hear them. Even if they were spotted, they at least had swords and an extra gun, although Punz deemed it unnecessary, much to EX's contrary view.

 

Punz placed his cane down and took a seat, while EX, without being asked, began to maneuver the boat as they ventured across the ocean. 

 

Surprisingly, EX found it somewhat new to handle the job alone while staying to their agreement. For someone as manipulative as he was, he relied on others to do the work to get what he wants, but now he was taking on the responsibility himself and as much he hates it, he knows soon he will get what he needs.

 

This thought made him smirk, he really can't wait to see the stupid look on that fool's face, likely still believing he was either dead or still enduring torture. Meanwhile, Punz was in a similar state of mind, though he maintained a serious demeanor, deeply concerned about whether Dream had truly returned to his server or if the government lied to them. Either way, they needed to investigate.

 

Punz glanced up at the sky, although he couldn't see it, he imagined it filled with clouds, the very ones he longed to see, along with the breeze he missed…

Suddenly, a loud alarm began to blare…

Punz groaned as he tried to adjust his blindfold. He struggled to drift back into relaxation…

He has friends, Tommy...

Words echoed in his mind, feeling as though they were his own voice. Yet, he couldn't recall having said them, not even to Tommy.

I’m his friend…

 

What are these thoughts invading my mind… Punz hissed, attempting to get his attention away from the words. Yet, something else is messing upon his thoughts next.

 

the sounds of panic.

 

The panic of fleeing before it’s…

 

The mercenary felt his throat dry up, as more words echoed in his ears, they didn’t sound like his own but rather like someone else’s…

 

No… It’s too late.

 

That voice, reminiscent of the same teen he once deceived.

 

And…

Dream… He was staring at the teen in terror, while Punz was fixated on the two, desperately searching for an escape just before there was a light, so much brighter and painful than the light of that machine that blinded him. He felt his whole body burning and then turning into little, bite-size pieces until...

 

Punz gasped, nearly leaping from the boat, clutching his chest tightly, gritting his teeth. He failed to notice the boat slowing down.

 

“Are you alright there, man?”

 

He heard the armed man inquire, why did he even care to ask?

 

Punz averted his gaze and EX gazed at him back, and then shrugged as he continued to move the boat. 

 

Punz rubbed his forehead, pondering these voices and images. What the hell are they supposed to mean? What is Dream doing there with Tommy again? What was that blinding light?

 

Even though he has lost both of his eyes now, perhaps permanently, his mind remains itself but for what? Was that a glimpse of something or a portent of the future? Is something bad about to befall on the Dream SMP soon?

 

Punz shook his head, now is not the moment to linger on such thoughts. He must find Dream, restore his powers, regain their control, and then stop whatever that was.

 

He needs to find Dream.

 

They must find their way home and finish the REAL job.

Notes:

Everyone from Dream smp are now having the Ripple-Effect-Proof Memory blast! (Yeah…I searched the name through Tvtropes don't blame me)
Will it happen to Dream too? We'll see!

I was going to write Ponk and Bad and Eret's reaction to original timeline memories but I felt I wrote way too much characters and interaction here sorry (maybe I will write them in future chapters one day)

In case anyone confused about Sapnap part, his memory of past timeline is not the nuke but when he died due to the death book, since in the original timeline, Dream was killed by Tubbo and even IF Dream was revived by Punz afterward my theory that Sapnap was still dead and cannot return to life.

Not gonna spoiler how Karl regained his memories back, may give hint about it on sooner chapters. How does he know about the original timeline and Quackity? We will see ;)

Also present!Philza isn't dead, dw, the glitch just messed him up.

Deleted scene: I was going to write down a part where C!Wilbur after leaving The Qsmp and just like the Dsmp, he is in Utah AGAIN working like in store and goes to his house (or more like 1-stars hotel with a badly broke room) then hears about Tallulah's and Quackity escape from federation in the news but then I Thought that was too random as it sounded silly for a real life place to be a part of minecraft multiverse out of nowhere haha

Notes:

Some of the lore is made up here cuz I like writing crazy stuff and this fic gotta be a crazy crossover nonsense so don't yell at me at the inaccuracy and plot holes pls I wrote this for fun and because of boredom.