Through the Deep, Dark Valley

Like the Dawn

The sun was setting and Tommy still hadn't left his new room. The stars were coming out, peaking from behind dark clouds that promised more tears from the heavens. The twinkling lights watched as Tommy scrubbed at his raw, tear-dried cheeks. He sniffled as he looked back at Harold. The old cow looked back with a blank look, and Tommy chuckled wetly. Wiping away a few more tears before he stood. As he walked out of his room, Tommy realized that he should have asked for a full tour of the old factory. Sighing, Tommy let his shoulders drop, holding Harold close to his heart as he walked down the dark hallway. He was glad he wasn't afraid of the dark anymore. Dream had dragged that fear from him quickly, locking him away in his closet or his room, not changing out his lightbulb after it blew out, forbidding him from turning the lights on unless Dream said so. Dream made sure he could work in the dark without pissing himself, but he ignored the way the scar on his left ankle and his right elbow burned at the hidden memory of being beaten with a half-empty bottle of flat beer after he turned the lights on when Dream was hungover. He ignored it and kept walking.

As he came to a more open area, he heard a loud crash come from one of the corners by a broken window. Tensing, Tommy brandished the scissors he kept in his hoodie pocket. Walking forward slowly, he hid behind a large crate before peaking out to see the cause of the noise. Instead of seeing a random animal or someone breaking in, he saw Bitzel trying to strangle Wisp, who looked to have knocked over a barrel of scrap metal.

"Oh my god, Wisp!" Bitzel whisper-shouted, glaring at the shorter with fire in his mouth, "You could have woken the who city with that! Do you know how badly Deo will beat our asses if we're ever caught?!"

Tommy flinched back at the harsh tone. He knew it wasn't directed at him, but it reminded him of Dream whenever he did something wrong. Stumbling back, Tommy tripped over a metal pipe that was laying on the concrete. With a small 'oof', Tommy landed on his butt, the bright red scissors fell from his now shaky hands. Tommy took a deep breath and held it as the two older men rushed to see the commotion. "Theseus?! What-um, what are you doing here? Hahaa..."

Tommy looked at Wisp with a blank look. Wisp was wearing a dark purple hoodie with small snowflakes covering the ends of the sleeves. He had a pouch that was filled with small firecrackers and flashbangs, and his pants were practically black and his boots were covered in so much mud there was almost no other color to them other than brown. Tommy glanced up at Bitzel, who stood farther back and took in his new little outfit. Bitzel wore a dark blue pullover that was lined with black stripes. His pants were black, much like Wisps, and his boots were black and raised slightly at the soles. He had a crowbar and knife attached to his back and hip respectively.

"What the fuck are you two even wearing?!"

Wisp gave a nervous chuckled, looking back to Bitzel as if asking to talk. Was Bitzel like Dream? Were Deo and Bitzel the leaders of the group? Deo was obviously some type of figurehead since Bitzel said that the brunette would beat them if they were caught. Was Deo like Dream in the fact that no one could speak out against him? Was Bitzel his right-hand man? Tommy wanted to shake his head, to shake the thoughts away, but he didn't want to draw more eyes on him. So he sat there. He sat and he thought because he could do that at the very least.

Wisp looked back at Tommy with a nervous smile. "Well, uh, you know about the vigilantes that roam around these parts, right?" Tommy nodded even though he didn't. Dream didn't like discussing all the Heroes, Villains, and Vigilante stuff. Dream always hated Heroes and Vigilantes, saying that they ruined society. Dream always said that Villains were better, and could it would 'probably do the world some good to listen to them for a damn change.' Tommy tuned back into what Wisp was saying. "Well, uh, we kinda are vigilantes? I mean, Bitzel and I go out the most often, but all four of us are vigilantes..."

Tommy looked back at Bitzel before he looked into Wisps' eyes. "Okay? And? I can't exactly stop you, so..."

Wisp seemed to relax, his shoulders dropping as Bitzel smirked. Wisp looked back at the brunette with a small smirk. "I told you this kid is cool!" Tommy growled, hitting Wisps arm gently

"I'm not a fucking kid, bitch!"

Bitzel laughed loudly at that, causing Tommy to take a half step back. He hoped that the other two didn't notice, and with a glance, he saw they didn't. "He got you there, Wisp!"

Wisp crossed his arms and pouted, grumbling softly as he kicked at the ground. Bitzel walked forward before sticking out his hand. "Here, you should get off of the floor! I hear from Luke that we've been having a raccoon problem."

Tommy took Bitzels hand, letting the older pull him to his feet. "Are you two still going out?"

Bitzel nodded after smacking the back of Wisp's head gently. The taller let out a soft whine as he turned back to the two. "Yea, we're going on patrol tonight. Deo and Luke wanna be here in case you need anything." Wisp smiled softly before he continued. "Those two are major mother hens, so if you get smothered by one of them, feel free to run to one of us and we'll hide ya."

Tommy snickered slightly, hiding a smile behind Harold. He saw Bitzel staring at the old cow from the corner of his eye, but decided against calling him out. Tommy stretched his arms above his head with a yawn, red hoodie lifting enough for some of his belly to show. He pointedly ignored the coo Wisp gave as he rubbed his eyes. "Well, since you're leaving, I'm gonna head to bed."

The two nodded, smiles gracing their lips. Bitzel dared to ruffle his tangled, blond hair, and Tommy made a mental note to wash and brush it sometime soon. "Well, you sleep well, Theseus! We'll be back in about three hours, but if we're not by the time you get up, tell Deo." Tommy nodded as he heard the small warning that was buried underneath his apple-flavored words.

"Well, you two better be off then!" Tommy stepped back, pointedly avoiding the metal pipe he had tripped over earlier. "I'm goin' to be. You two be safe, okay?"

Wisp grinned, putting his hands on his hips. "Of course we will, kid! We've only gotten hurt on bad nights, and tonight seems pretty calm after the rain we had earlier."

Tommy nodded and began the trip back to his room, calling out a 'goodbye and good night' as the other two left the abandoned factory. As Tommy settled under his unnaturally soft blankets, he held Harold to his chest, burying his nose in the matted fur of his beloved cow. Closing his eyes and listening to the quiet sounds of night that surrounded him, he thought back to how these people had been nice to him.

As Tommy drifted off to sleep, he knew that either they would snap and treat him like the stubborn animal he was - much like how Dream did, but Dream had a reason to. These people don't so far- or they would continue treating him with kindness and laughter.

Tommy wished to the stars and back it was the second one, and then he was asleep.