The Adventures of Ghostbur & Glatt - Dream SMP fanfic

Broken City, Broken Son

Morning swept over L'Manberg in a pink and yellow haze. Ghostbur was entranced by the light colors and fluffy clouds that decorated the sky, staring at them in awe from the sewer grate. A flock of birds soared overhead, dark feathers and beaks contrasting the soft shades of the dawn. 

As he watched, the sky began to change. The sun slipped slowly into view, casting a warm glow on the buildings and streets of L'Manberg and the pastel hues of the early morning shifted into a bright blue that further illuminated the city. Though he missed the pretty colors, Ghostbur was happy that day had finally arrived. He had been waiting for hours to begin collecting items for his home. Ghostbur had wanted to start while it was still night, but low groans and ominous clicks had kept him indoors, not wanting to meet whatever was creating those dreadful sounds. 

But now that the sun was up he could at last start. Ghostbur floated to the ladder that led to the surface and climbed it, overjoyed to be out of the musty sewer. At least it wasn't in use, and therefore relatively clean if you ignored the cobwebs and small rodents and insects who had taken up residence. 

Ghostbur drifted through the streets of L'Manberg. He noticed things he hadn't seen yesterday, when he was meeting new people and exploring the land. The massive crater that sat directly under the elevated platforms and roads in the city was something he had observed the previous day, but now that he wasn't distracted by conversation and shiny items he thought more about its origins. 

The people he had talked to yesterday had explained that Wilbur was partially responsible for the cavernous hole, that he had pressed a button and ignited hundreds of explosives lying dormant under L'Manberg. They also told him that Technoblade, a fearsome warrior undefeated in battle and unmatched in bloodlust, summoned three withers to further destroy the already smoking city. 

Ghostbur couldn't help but feel a bit guilty for the destruction even if it wasn't exactly his fault. He continued to roam the walkways, most of the city still silent and immobile though it wouldn't be long before people started to wake and exit their houses. The railings of the platforms he drifted across were dented and snapped, the wood splintered and broken in some areas while in others there were deep gouges marking where fencing had been forcefully ripped out. The walkways themselves were missing pieces, whole planks of wood torn out, leaving gaping holes in the already unstable path. Most of the houses lining the streets had roofs with missing tiles and burned away shingles. The city seemed to sag under the invisible weight of war. It lacked color and life.  

It looked... sad. 

And broken. 

A chilly wind whipped through the streets, and though Ghostbur couldn't feel the cold, it rustled trash strewn in the gutters and blew the surprised spirit back a few steps. He pondered it for a moment; it seemed that his non-corporeal form was susceptible to wind. Did that mean he could be blown away like a kite? Ghostbur shivered at the thought. It didn't sound pleasant. 

He continued floating through the city, and while he had started the journey set on scavenging pieces of furniture for his home, his previous goal was now forgotten as his attention was caught by the wreckage and destruction. 

A creature emerged from one of the houses and Ghostbur ducked behind a rusted trash can leaning against the neighboring house, startled by its appearance. He took a moment to observe the figure; it was a fox- or perhaps a man.

A long snout framed an orange and white face, offset by a black cap with gold trim under which two fluffy ears poked out, twitching every so often. He wore a black jacket that matched the hat, and brown pants that were tucked into black and white sneakers. He looked fuzzy; Ghostbur wanted to touch him, but common sense dictated that he should stay hidden from this strange half-man.