Why Me? {Magical Boys Benchtrio}

Who Am I Without You?

Tommy woke up slowly. It was cold, the fire having gone out when he fell asleep, but there was a strange warmth next to him. He opened his eyes to see a small child curled up next to him. Tommy smiled lightly. Both of them had made it through the night.

Tommy took out his compass again, watching the needle shake. And it kept shaking. Tommy's eyes went wide. That meant Tubbo was close.

"Shroud," Tommy gently shook the child, "Shroud! Wake up buddy, were going to leave."

The child whined and yawned, sitting up slowly. Tommy smiled at him. He stood up, pulling Shroud to his feet as well.

"Hey buddy. We're going to meet some of my friends, okay?" Tommy told him, watching the child nod.

Tommy nodded, taking one of Shrouds hands and leading him out of the cave. He looked around cautiously. Everything seemed quiet. Tommy and Shroud stepped out, the child sticking close to Tommy's side.

Tommy looked down at the compass. It seemed to be pointing in front of him,  down the mountain to an empty plains.

"Come on." Tommy put Shroud on his back and lifted his wings.

He winced slightly. His wing must still be a bit sore. Regardless, Tommy launched into the air. He was a little unsteady, not used to having another person on his back, bit he was able to glide down to the plains.

Shroud held on tight to Tommy's shoulders with one pair of arms. The other two wrapped around his middle. The rock plains were covered in a thick fog.

Tommy stumbled as he landed. Shroud slid off of his back, his feet hitting the flat stone plains. Tommy took out his compass. It was wavering slightly.

"This way." Tommy took Shrouds hand, guiding them through the foggy landscape.

The compass got steadier as Tommy and Shroud walked. Tommy quickened his pace. A few moments later, he saw two silhouettes in the distance.

"Tubbo..." Tommy's eyes went wide, "Tubbo!"

The silhouettes froze.

"Tommy!?"

The boys eyes filled with tears. That's was Tubbo's voice. He ran towards him. The silhouette became clearer as Tubbo ran towards him.

"Tubbo!" Tommy cried, throwing his arms around his friend.

"Tommy!" Tubbo sobbed, "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I'm sorry!"

Tommy just hugged Tubbo tighter as he cried. Tubbo held onto Tommy as if he'd disappear. Tommy wrapped his wings around the two of them.

"I'm sorry..." Tubbo gasped through his tears, "I'm sorry... They were- they were going to kill Ranboo if I didn't-! I'm sorry!"

"It's okay Tubbo." Tommy told him.

Tubbo sobbed, "we thought you were dead... my compass broke..."

Tommy huffed out a laugh, "I'm Tommy-fucking-innit. I'll never die "

"Shut up..." Tubbo held him tighter.

Ranboo watched from a few paces away. He so desperately wanted to run up to his friend, and hug him, and make sure he was okay. But he knew Tubbo and Tommy needed this moment for themselves. Tubbo had been in a complete panic when his compass stopped working. He had been inconsolable for an entire week.

Ranboo had convinced Tubbo to continue heading towards the stronghold. Tommy could follow his compass and meet up with them. It took him days to get Tubbo to stop searching the cliff where Tommy fell. Even if it hurt him too.

"Ranboo?" Tommy looked at the taller boy.

Tubbo had released Tommy, also staring at Ranboo. The endermans eyes filled with tears. He ran towards Tommy, wrapping his arms and tail around the boy.

"I'm sorry!" Ranboo sobbed, his tears burned, but he didn't care.

Tommy huffed, hugging Ranboo back, "stop apologizing. It's annoying."

"We couldn't find you," Ranboo told him, "I-I couldn't protect you!"

"You didn't need to. They overpowered us." Tommy said, pulling away, "how did you escape?"

Ranboo frowned, "I... I don't remember..."

"I passed out shortly after you fell..." Tubbo rubbed his arm.

"Either way we're all here now." Ranboo shook his head, "are you okay? What-what happened?"

Tommy sighed, feeling Shroud grab his shirt, "well I found a kid. His name's Shroud."

"Oh!" Ranboo blinked, "um, okay."

Tubbo smiled, kneeling down by the child, "awe, he reminds me of Michael."

Shroud have a soft hiss, moving closer to Tommy.

"I also had to relocate my wing, but other than that I've been okay." Tommy said.

"What!?" Ranboo yelped, his tail going straight.

"So what have you two been doing?" Tommy asked, tensing his wings behind him.

"Um, you're not getting away with just 'I relocated my wing'." Tubbo stood up, "what the hell happened?"

Tommy huffed, "I'm fine, really! I flew down here!"

"You flew after you dislocated and relocated your wing!?" Ranboo yelled, quickly moving behind Tommy and grabbing his wings, "do you know how dangerous that is!? How would you even know you relocated it correctly!? How did you relocate it!?"

"I'm-!" Tommy hissed as Ranboo pressed on the joint, "I'm fine!"

"Hold still." Ranboo told him, "it's still slightly off."

"What do you-!" Tommy was quickly cut off when Ranboo shoved his wing back into the socket properly.

"Ow!" Tommy yelled, falling forward, "the fuck was that for!?"

"I relocated your wing properly." Ranboo crossed his arms.

Shroud quickly stood between Tommy and Ranboo, all arms spread. He stared down Ranboo, as if daring him to take a step closer.

"Woah! Shroud, it's okay." Tommy told the child as he rolled his wing, "he helped me, it's okay."

Tubbo helped Tommy to his feet as the child hugged his legs. Ranboo sighed softly. He knelt down to the child's level, giving them a small smile.

"Hey, I'm sorry if I scared you." Ranboo told them, "do you have a home?"

Shroud shook his head. Tommy wrapped a wing around them, pulling him a bit closer.

"I found him in a cave yesterday." Tommy explained, "he was alone."

Ranboo nodded, summoning what looked like a purple soot sprite, "okay. I'll send a message to Phil. He'll send one of his crows to guide them back."

"A crow?" Tubbo asked.

"A giant crow." Ranboo rubbed the back of his neck, "it'll take Shroud back to the camp safely."

Tommy smiled down at the child, "hear that Shroud!? You're gonna live with us now!"

Shroud smiled, giggling lightly. Ranboo drew a large circle in the dirt, adding some other shapes until it glowed purple.

"There." Ranboo stood up, "as long as he stays in the circle, he'll be safe."

"What do you mean?" Tommy asked.

Tubbo spoke up this time, "we found the stronghold."

"Y-you mean..." Tommy's eyes went wide.

Ranboo nodded, the fog clearing dramatically to show a castle like building, "it's time.

Tommy gulped. He looked at Shroud, already sitting in the circle playing with little purple particles. Soon would be a battle for Shrouds life. For Michaels life. For this entire world.

All three boys reached for their scrolls...