Together We Can, Alone We Will [Origins SMP/Modded SMP]

Nature has Other Plans

Tommy had to force himself out of the cuddle pile, much to Tubbo's protest, and step outside. He nearly fell off the latter and he's pretty sure he got a splinter in his foot but it's fine.

Tommy hissed, leaning on another tree and trying to get the wooden splinter out with his nails.
It took a minute but he got it out and dropped it back onto the ground with a huff.

His stomach grumbled and he groaned over it.
He pushed away and went to find his Elytrian.

"Eeeyo? Anyone wake?" Jack called.
"Right 'ere," Tommy replied.
"What time is it up there?" Jack asked.
"I dunno, uh- I'd say about 3 am?" Tommy answered.
"Is that early?" Jack asked.
"Well, I mean.... It's the time everyone is asleep so.... Yes?" Tommy answered.

"Then why are you up?" Jack asked.
"I'm only at y67," Tommy answered.
Jack paused.
"What does that mean?" Jack asked.
"Uh.... If I sleep now I'll die."
"Oh!" It took him a moment before Jack let out a gasp of realization, "Oh....."

Tommy chuckled and ran a hand over the bark of a nearby tree.
"My body forces sleep deprivation~" Tommy joked.
Jack let out a strained laughed, fire crackled in the background.
"Yeah, Avian's whole system is a b*tch," Tommy admitted.

Jack, once more, laughed.
"Do you ever wish you could see me?" Jack asked.
There were a few beats of silence as Tommy stepped a foot into a marsh that circled the plot of land the treehouse stood tall on.

"Sometimes, I guess," Tommy answered.
"Are you.... Do you have something too?" Jack asked.
"Have something?" Tommy asked, his mind returning to the book.
Is that what he meant?
Why?
How would he know?!

"Yeah.... Have something," Jack Answered his voice quieted.
"Uh.... Depends, I have a ton of stuff," Tommy chuckled.
"No like-" Jack fell silent.

"Niki and I both have something we're not supposed to have," Jack clarified.
"What?!" Tommy half-shrieked half-whispered.
Tommy could practically hear the boy wince on the other end.

"Why else would you be able to communicate with us like this?" Jack tried justifying.
"You boys ok? Why are we yelling?" Niki yawned.

"I wanted to know if he also had something he wasn't supposed to," Jack clarified.
"Oh. And?" Niki asked gleefully.
"He turned into a b*tch about it," Jack scoffed.

Tommy's mind was racing. There's no way he was talking about the book. He was supposed to have it. It literally said him by name in the print! It pressed itself into his hands and wouldn't let him drop it until he agreed to its terms and conditions! But what did they have that they weren't supposed to? Maybe it wasn't the fact that they weren't supposed to have it.

Maybe it's the fact that the item itself is way too powerful?
That could make sense.
Tommy opened his bag. Inside consisted of the book, seeds, and more stupid feathers. Although now a few black and purple feathers were collected. Phil's.

Pulling out the book a few things were evident. 1) the heat of it was more intense 2) the vines have spread to cover a corner of his name on the front  And 3) the previously white feather that served as a placeholder was now tipped blue.

He must have tuned them out while they were talking because he tuned back in just as Jack said, "The star is actually kinda pretty. I wish I knew what it did."

"You don't know what it does?" Niki asked.
"Well, no. Not really. Though it's for some reason kinda hot," Jack hummed.
"The Book is hot too!" Tommy announced more meant for himself than the other two.