Pandemonium | Dream SMP

49. Time to go!

I follow Tubbo up onto the podium and take a seat beside him, then turn my head to the crowd. They're quiet, unnervingly so. During the last few speeches there had always been a buzz of chatter leading up to the event.

But today the crowd is silent, and I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing.

I feel a soft hand slip into mine and glance to Fundy, sat at my other side. He gives a small smile and I return it, squeezing his hand.

Well, whatever happens, at least I have him at my side.

Schlatt doesn't even seem to notice the quietness of the crowd as he flings his arms wide and grins into the microphone.

"Ladies and gentlemen of this great nation. I come to you on a great day! It's only the second month of the first birthday of my reign over this great nation. And we have totally, completely, and utterly, removed all walls. The cage that has held back the citizens of this great nation, has been, well, removed. The country has been uncaged! And you know what? You know what I'm feeling? " He leans in close to the microphone and hums into it, "Enough of this living in the past. No walls. No restrictions. No Wilbur Soot. I say...I say we rename this country."

The quiet atmosphere is shattered like glass as immediately everyone raises their voices at once. Fundy flinches, his ears laying flat, his hand gripping mine tightens. Tubbo clamps his hands over his ears, coiling in on himself. His eyes are wide and terrified.

Schlatt just grins even wider, uncaring of those who yell out at him.

"No longer will this country be called L'Manburg." He says, raising his voice to be heard over the crowd. One of the loudest voices, I realise with a pang of sadness, is Niki. She's stood to the side, her hands bunched. Gone are the soft curves of her face, replaced with angry lines that crease and fold her expression into a furious glare. She no longer resembles the Niki I knew.

"I say, effective immediately, our great nation is now...Manburg." Schlatt growls the name down the mic, a mad fire dancing in his eyes. Somehow, the displeased voices of the crowd are doing nothing more than egging him on.

He's enjoying himself...

"He just took the L out of it..." Fundy mutters, squinting at the man, unsure if he's hearing right.

"Of course he did," I sigh, rubbing at my eyes with my free hand, my other still clutching Fundy's hand tightly.

"This country will no longer take L's! For we are victorious! You hear that, Wilbur Soot and Tommy Innit?! You can keep your L! We don't want it!"

Apparently insulting the former president was the wrong thing to do, as someone throws a glass bottle up onto the podium.

"And I think that's enough for today." I say to myself, standing quickly and walking up beside Schlatt, placing a hand to his arm. "Sir, I think you should return to the White House."

"Huh? But the party's just gettin' started!"

"No, I really don't think it is." I hum through tightly pressed lips, constantly darting my gaze out across the crowd for any more projectiles.

"Bunch of babies, I'm tellin' ya. You'd think they'd be happy to drop the L."

"Mhm," I manage to steer Schlatt to the back of the podium, not completely out of firing range but to a distance I'm happier with.

"Manburg, I love it!" Quackity laughs, George nodding in agreement alongside him. I stare at the two, unable to tell if they're lying or not. This seems like the sort of thing they might actually like. Then again, George doesn't have much of an opinion about anything...