A Functionally Dysfunctional Family

{23} ℙ𝕙𝕚𝕝𝕫𝕒 𝕧.𝕤. ℙ𝕙𝕚𝕝 {23}

Where is he?

"Unfortunately, even I don't know the answer to that."

What!? But aren't you supposed to be all-knowing?

"No...? I'm the voice in your head, what do you want from me? I only know as much as you do."

In both worlds...?

"Yes."

"Are you okay, Techno? You've been awfully quiet for the past couple of hours." Phil asked.

"Hm? Oh yeah, I'm fine. Just thinkin'."

"Do you wanna talk about it?"

Techno paused for a moment. "Do you know what I said to my brothers and my dad before I arrived here?"

"What...?"

"I...I told them that I wanted to move out. That I felt like I didn't belong back home—in my world, I mean." Techno explained. "Then Dream came up to me and offered me to stay here in this world for a while, and I accepted, obviously. And, while I miss my brothers, I can't say that I necessarily want to go back."

"What...do you mean?"

"I mean I just...I don't know, I'd like to have them alive and everythin', yeah, but I kind of like not having them screamin' in my ear constantly. It's weird and complicated."

Phil hummed. "Well, hopefully, you'd have a decision made by the time you get back home."

~<•>~

Night fell quickly, and Phil set up camp at the edge of a forest.

The camp was nothing special—just a campfire and a half-assed structure to help hide from the "phantoms", whatever those were. But it was warm and Techno felt oddly comfortable.

"—and then you proceeded to gloat to this kid because you have an even worse social life than he probably does and farmed so many more potatoes than he did." Phil finished the story he was telling. "It was at that moment I knew just how much of a psychopath you really are."

Techno laughed. "Shockingly, that does sound like me. I've never been one to do things half-assed."

"And there's another difference between you and my Techno," Phil said after a moment. "My Techno never cursed, he hardly even said hell or damn. And while you still don't curse much, you curse way more than he does."

"You make it sound like we're two different people."

"In a way, you are. I imagine you're not much of the warrior type?"

Techno shook his head. "Not really, but you saw me trainin' yesterday, I was a natural. Maybe a little rusty, but the me from this world knew what he was doin'."

"I know. In fact, you learned everything from me. You're just born for it, unlike me."

"What do you mean?"

Phil sighed. "There are four groups in this world. Warriors, survivalists, engineers, and architects.

"The warriors are your fighters, such as you. They have a bloodlust most of the time, and hardly lose their battles, and on the occasion they do, they come back twice as strong.

"Then there's the survivalists, which out of the four is the least talked about. We dabble in the other three, but we don't particularly fall under one specific category. We primarily know how to farm and gather materials, but we can kick ass when needed.

"Then there are the engineers, like Fundy—"

"Fundy?" Techno asked. "My four-year-old nephew, Fundy?"

Phil glared at him. "No, my twenty-one-year-old grandson, Fundy. Now don't interrupt me again."

Techno winced at the unnaturally cold tone from his father figure as the older man sighed. It was then that he really saw this Philza's age. He looked so much older than his adoptive father...

"Now, what I was saying before I was rudely interrupted was that the engineers create mechanisms, mostly automatic doors, deadly traps, and item sorters.

"And finally, there are the architects, such as—such as Bad. They build structures, whether that be buildings, statues, or other miscellaneous things. Some architects make absolutely stunning things, and it takes them no time at all."

Techno nodded silently. Philza's gaze softened at the half-piglin. He sighed. "I'm sorry I snapped at you, I'm just...tired, I suppose."

"How old are you, if you don't mind me asking?" Techno asked.

Philza laughed dryly. "I'm fifty-three. Wilbur was born when I was in my early twenties."

Techno hummed. "And how old was Wil when he...?"

"He was nineteen when he formed L'manburg,"

The same age that Fundy was born in my world...

"And Fundy was born about a year earlier, and he...forced me to stab him—Wilbur, I mean—when he was twenty-nine after he destroyed the nation he formed with Tommy and Tubbo."

He noticed Philza's eyes glaze over at the memory, his icy blue eyes looked almost colorless.

"Okay...I don't think I need to hear anymore."

Philza nodded, resting his head on a tree trunk behind him. He looked so tired. "God, this is the first time in a long time that I actually rested during my travels. It feels nice."

Techno watched as Philza fell fast asleep.

He decided that he would keep watch that night.

~<•>~

830 words