New home? (Ghost Tommyinnit AU)

Chapter 1

————————

'Where am I?'

The boy found himself floating an a mass of red, orange and yellow.

Lava, a voice told him.

'It's so warm'

He floated upwards hoping to see anything and found his head emerging from the lava rather quickly.
Around him was lots of red and yellow flickering lights.

Fire the voice said once again.

He was so warm.
So comfortable.
He liked it here.

Where was here?

The Nether.

'The nether?
I like it here.
The nether is safe.

...Safe from what?'

The young boys eyes widened as a single image flashed through his mind.

'Smile.
Smile.
Bad smile.
White smile.
Bad.
Bad.
Run.
Run!
Go away!
Bad!'

He was scared.
The white smile was dangerous.
The white smile hurt.

He had to get away.
He had to run.

The boy looked up and saw a long black path above him.

The smile was up there.

It couldn't see him, but it was up there.
It was looking down.
Looking so close to him.
He had to run.
He had to get away.
The smile was dangerous.
The smile hurt.

He submerged himself into the lava once again and floated through it.
It was hard to see but not impossible.
It was so nice and warm.
He liked lava.
He liked the warm.
So warm.
So safe.

He found himself poking his head out from the lava.
There was no smile anymore.
There were no pathways either.
He was safe now.
The smile won't be able to find him here.

He should go further.

He didn't want to be too close to the smile.
It might find him if he's too close.

The boy continued to float through the lava till he saw a large white creature in the air above him.

A ghast.

'Like me?
Can I float too?'

He floated up to the top of the lava and continued to go up.
He was so happy!
He was like the ghast!
He floated upwards, the comforting warmth of the lava leaving him ever so slightly.
He found himself next to the ghast.
It was like him.
It floated too.

It wasn't bothered by him.
He floated next to it and looked down below.

The lava was so pretty.
He wanted to go into it again.
But he needed to go.
He needed to be safe.

Where would be safe?
He didn't know where he was.
Where would the bad smile not be able to find him?
He didn't want the smile to find him.

He decided to ask the ghast.

"H-hello?"
"Hello?"
"Do you know where I can be safe? I don't want the bad smile to find me."
"Safe?"
"Yes"
"Follow."

The ghast floated away and the young boy followed.
He liked the ghast.
It was nice.
It helped.
He liked when people helped.
He had a feeling that not many people helped.
But the ghast did.
The ghast was nice.

They floated side by side, occasionally going past other ghasts that said their hello's before going away again.
The ghasts didn't talk a lot.
But he also didn't want to talk.

The ghast asked him about the smile.

"I don't know.
I just know that the white smile is bad.
The white smile hurt.
I don't want the smile to find me."
"You'll be safe where I am showing you.
No white smile will ever find you here."
"Really!?"
"Really."

The boy smiled ever slightly.
His chest felt warm.
Like lava.
He was happy.
He was going to be safe.
Someone was helping him be safe.
He was so happy.
He was happy someone wanted to help.
He liked help.

Below him was ground now.
It was brown, and bumpy.

Soul sand

Cold.
Soul sand was colder than lava.
Still warm, but colder than lava.
He didn't like the cold.
The cold hurt.
The cold was lonely.
He didn't like lonely.

They continued to float.
The soul sand was now gone.
Now there was large blue bushes.

There were tall things moving around.
There were thin.
They looked like him.

Endermen.

'Endermen?'
They looked so alone.
He didn't like alone.
Alone was scary.
He wanted to help them.

"Can we help them?"
He pointed to the Endermen down below.
The ghost looked down and saw what he was pointing to.
"Help? Why?"
"They look so alone."
"They like alone."
"But alone is so sad."
"Not for them. They like alone."

He didn't understand.
Alone was sad.
Alone was scary.
Why didn't they want to be alone?
Did they like others?
Did they like each other?

He wanted to help them.
But they wanted to be alone.
So he would leave them alone.

"Nearly safe."

Tommy looked ahead and saw a large, dark red building with black buildings near them.

Fortress
Bastions

Safe

'Safe here.'

There were other creatures living there.
Piglins, his mind supplied.

There were stalls with books, food, clothes and all sorts of other stuff.
It was so pretty.
He liked it here.

"Safe now. They will keep you safe."
"Will you stay?"
"No. We don't stay here."
"Does that means you're alone?"
"No, we have a home, not near here."
"Could I stay there?"
"Close to the smile.
Too dangerous for you.
Smile doesn't know about here.
Smile can't find you here.
Smile knows about our home.
It might find you there."
"Visit?"
"Yes. I will."
"Thank you."
"See you soon brother."
"Bye."

And with that the ghast went off back where they came.
The boy floated down to the ground.
He didn't want to go to the stalls yet.
He wanted to sleep.
Where could he sleep?

"Are you lost?"

Tommy turned around.
There was a piglin standing there.

"Yes."
"Do you need to rest?"
"Yes."
"Follow me."

They led him to a house near a bastion wall.
It was small.
But nice.
It felt safe.

"You can stay here for now."
"Safe?"
"You will be safe.
I can help you build your own house soon if you want.
You can be safe there too."

Tears of lava spilt out of the boys eyes.

He was finally safe.

————————