Tears Come From Cracks in Her Weak Skin

Chapter Twelve

Niki didn't want to be strong. Not when she had lost everything. Not when Wilbur and Tommy and Tubbo and Techno were extending their hands, welcoming her into their arms.

"Niki, it is a pleasure to finally meet the cause I died for. I must say I have never fought for a nobler one" she had never seen Techno without his pig mask, but his face was calm, serene, proud. Until she looked down and saw the blade still plunged deep into his chest. Her breath hitched, and then her attention was captured by the two boys standing beside Techno.

"Hi, Niki," Tubbo hugged her, she could feel the still damp blood on his stomach, "Niki, you've been so strong. You can't give up now. You're almost to the finish line, just keep moving forward."

She let the tears come, "but it's been too long. I can't keep doing this. I want to go home. I want to return to my bakery. Tubbo, I wasn't meant for war."

Tommy stepped forward, taking her hand, "That's exactly why you have to keep fighting. If you can't keep fighting for yourself, fight for your bakery, fight for L'Manburg. Fight for me and Tubbo and Techno. Fight for Wilbur."

"Will." She looked around, searching for the tall brunette, "Is he here? I can't see him."

"I'm here. I'm right here, Niki." She turned, and there he was, blood still dripping from his neck. But he was smiling, that same smile that was seared into her memory as she watched him die.

"Will. You're, you're dead. You're all dead? How am I seeing you?" She cautiously took a step towards Wilbur, not wanting to believe what she saw in front of her.

"Walk with me, Niki. I want to talk." Wilbur stuck out his elbow for her to take, but she kept her hands close by her side, afraid to touch him. She didn't want to lose him again. Not again. "When I first began L'Manburg, with Tommy and Tubbo, I wanted it to be a country where everyone could go to escape the chaos and tyranny of The Dream SMP." he looked down at her, a glimmer of reminiscence in his eye, "And for a while it was. We gained citizens. We expanded. We gained you. For a while, L'Manburg was a beautiful idea that had the luck to come alive and thrive under the sun. You remember the Declaration of Independance, of course?"

"Forever the nation of the DreamSMP have cast great sins upon our land of the hto dog van.

They have robbed us.

Imprisoned us.

Threatened us. Killed many of our men.

This time of tyranny ends with us.

This book declares the the nation which shall henceforth known as L'Manburg is separate, emancipated and independent from the nation of the DreamSMP.

The union of the masters of men.

Together we are one.

When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one to dissolve the bonds which bind us. Disregarding of this truth is nothing short of tyranny.

We hold these truths to be self evident. That all men are created equal. The rights of the people exists above the right of the king. The right of the government and the right of the economy.

From the hto dog van we shall prevail.

Life. Liberty. And the pursuit of victory." Niki recited perfectly. She had studied it every chance she got when she had needed motivation. To have even just the tiniest string to hold onto during Schlatt's reign.

"That's right. This country may have started in a drug van, but I'll be damned if it doesn't end in a bakery."

She looked up at him, confused, "Wha-What are you saying, Wilbur?"