Falling • OriginSMP TommyInnit

7 - God Damn Right

Fast forward through the day a little, Tommy slightly nervous about the entire 'operation' thing. Surely his wings wouldve rotted by now, or at least be unable to work. He had intended to damn himself to- okay, maybe he hadn't. It was a spur of the moment thing, tearing off two of his wings.

Tommy hadnt seen Jack or Wilbur the entire day, talking with Niki and Ranboo as the sun slowly began to set. Stars began to poke their way into visibility, blinking like small moons.

Tommy sighed wistfully, "What do you think it's like to be a wild animal?"

"Well," Niki started, choosing her words carefully. Tommy didnt let her speak, though, continuing.

"I bet it's free, dont you?" He asked, with so certain tone. Ranboo narrowed his eyes at the boy with no hostility, simply trying to find out why he brought this up.

"It'd probably be harder," Ranboo turned his gaze to the sun. "Youd have to constantly fight other animals for food, and if you werent strong enough then youd die young."

Tommy hummed. He was imagining living as a wolf, waking up just before the sun and prowling until nightfall, constantly on the search for food and safety. "I can see that, yeah."

"Being a hybrid is weird," Niki continued. "I dont know if it's like this for you, but having new body parts is... strange. Especially when you dont fully understand how to use them."

As the Aquatic Class said this, she moved the flaps if fins that stuck out of both sides of her head. Her tail also lifted above the water for a moment, the unreal color standing out against the cold air.

"It is. But then again, I cant say much. I only got three sets of wings." Tommy stretched his wings out, giving them a small shake for measure.

"I can teleport," Ranboo smiled, not giving an example. The particles floating around him were enough to signify his power.

"Even if we have large downsides, we still have good bright sides." Niki smiled aswell. "Like me, I cant go above the surface to breathe, but I can also move quickly through the water and communicate to fish. Tommy's bound to eating plants, but he's quicker and can fall slower. Ranboo cant go in water or see anyone with a pumpkin on their head, but he can also teleport away from danger."

Tommy nodded, but he still felt like his powers were useless. He had learned to farm, since he couldnt eat meat, and he didnt really like it. Harvesting wheat wasnt anywhere near as satisfying as being able to take your rage out on an animal to eat later. Sure, he could hunt, but it wasnt the same.

"We're all special in our own way," Ranboo said, and Tommy immedietly scowled at the Ender Class. He had directed that towards Tommy, hadnt he?

He turned his eyes away, playing with a clump of grass on the ground infront of him. The sky was growing darker as night began to truly far, the only things keeping the area lit being the lanterns that Jack had brought from the Nether.

"I s'pose so," He looked up at the moon, before sitting upright and stretching. "I think I'm gonna go to Phil's and sleep now, bye."

"Bye Tommy!" Niki smiled at him.

"Take care, buddy." Ranboo shot him a look, and Tommy knew exactly what he meant by 'take care'.

Without another word, Tommy was running across a small stretch of land, his inner compass pointing him to Phil's house. As he ran, his wings angled themselves slightly downwards and tucked in, giving him more speed.

The dark shape of Phil's house came over him, and only then did the boy realize he was behind the house, exactly where Phil told him not to go. He ran to the front, stepping in a puddle on the way. He noticed a dark liquid on his shoe when he got to the door, shrugging as he wiped it off onto the grass. When he got inside, he climbed up the seemingly neverending stairs into his room.

He was not prepared for morning.

---

Tommy woke with a yawn, stretching his wings out. His back wings fluttered and shook themselves out as usual, as did his headwings and anklewings. Wait, what?

Tommy lifted a hand and patted the headwing that he had torn off, eyes widening when he realized it was there. He patted his anklewing, too, just to assure him that yes, it was real. Happiness aswell as bitterness welled up in him, fighting to take over.

He flexed both, noticing they moved as if they had respawned. Did Phil do this, or was it natural regeneration?

The man that greeted him downstairs was enough for him to know that the wings didnt grow back in.

"How do you feel, Tommy?" Phil asked, almost seeming as if Tommy would run away at the slightest noise.

Horrible. "I feel great! Look, Phil, I can float now!" Tommy jumped as high as he could, slowly floating to the ground. He had to admit, as much as he hated it, it was better than falling immedietly. It gave him worth.

"Ayy, I did one thing right," Phil cheered, chuckling. The man was sitting over a crafting table, clearly trying to figure out what the recipe for a specific thing was. "Oh, by the way, Wil's waiting for you outside. Said he wanted to be the first to see."

Bile rose in Tommy's throat, but he pushed it down. This was Wilbur, he shouldn't recoil like this at his brother. Faking another smile, he nodded and walked outside.

Almost immedietly an invisible force hugged him, scaring him. Wilbur's giggles echoed through his ears, and Tommy furrowed his brow and huffed, the smile becoming a little more genuine.

Tear off your wings again.

What? Tommy's eyes widened as he hugged the now-visible Wilbur back. Who said that- what? No, I can't, they'll know.

So fake it.

That wouldnt work, Tommy scoffed mentally, eyes wandering to the mineshaft entrance that had been made overnight.

Use a real skeleton.

But I cant, they already know.

Make it happen infront of them so they cant doubt you.

"Tommy?" Wilbur asked, and Tommy realized he had zoned out.

"Oh- Sorry, what was that? I'm still in shock over my wings," he lied. He never heard anything else talk in his head, so why now?

Something felt... Off.

Something was bound to change soon.