To Each Their Own, and Their Own to Each

Regret

Tommy stared blankly at his hands. His thoughts about the day before still weighed heavily on his mind. He scrunched up his fingers in disgust.

Tommy thought back to the towns he used to pass through while he was on the run, to the books he used to find in the abandoned libraries.

A child who was destined to restore the boundless hope that the world once held in It's fingertips.

Some prodigy child he was.

How could someone so destructive be worthy of the tales they'd write about him? He was just a teenager despite how much he hated to admit it. As big of a man he was, not even he could control the immense power of the gift he was given.

He started fiddling with his fingers in grief.

But the prophecies described him as a hero, a savior to mankind. Could he really use the excuse that he was only a boy?

A soft rap on his door brought him away from his thoughts. Without looking up, he mumbled a soft "Come in."

A flash of pink hair slipped through the door and gently shut it behind him. Techno slowly approached him and sat next to him on his bed.

They were silent for a moment. Tommy knew that Techno would speak soon, he would try to comfort him even though that was more of Wilbur's speciality. Techno's hesitation made Tommy believe he didn't want to be in this situation just as much as Tommy.

"Hey, kid..." Techno started softly.

Tommy froze from his fiddling, Techno's unusually gentle manner striking his disappointment.

"Phil told me what happened."

"Great, go spread to the rest of the city just how much of a failure I am." He muttered.

"Phil hasn't told anybody but me and Wilbur. Knowledge is important Tommy." Techno stood and kneeled in front of him. Tommy graced him with a glance.

"Just like general knowledge, personal knowledge is important, too. Did you know I once killed a god?"

Tommy remembered it being mentioned, yes, but he still stared at Techno in curiosity. Techno took it as an invitation to continue.

"Her name was Echo."

Tommy remembered something about her for a moment. She was only a few pages down from his page in one of the books he had found in the villages. He nodded for Techno to continue.

"Before Phil, Wilbur was all I had. He once dated a girl named Sally."

Tommy's eyes widened. Sally, the Goddess of the ocean, disappeared from legends decades ago after being exiled from the city for flooding it.. Some prophesied that she died a hero to Atlantis after she resided there during exile, others said she was swept away with the current of the waves.

"Wilbur and Sally were illegally together since Sally's banishment. Echo, one of the goddesses who enforced the rules of the city, found out about their relationship and went haywire."

Techno looked uncomfortable.

"Echo ended up murdering Sally."

Tommy gaped at him. He thought the gods lived in peace?

"Shortly after, Wilbur went insane because of his ability. It allows him to activate this sort of "kill-mode" but it largely depends on how he feels in the moment; insanity if you want to call it that. Just as he was about to kill Echo, I stepped in."

Tommy lowered his gaze.

"I'm sure you remember what happened."

He nodded.

"My point is that not everyone here is perfect. I'm not the only god who's ever killed another of our kind, but something as simple as learning to control your abilities won't get you as far as being kicked out."

Tommy gazed at him silently for a moment before wrapping his arms around the older man.Techno slowly and gently returned the hug.

"Now stop being depressed and let's go.

~

Tommy raced down the streets with Tubbo and Ranboo at his heels, laughing maniacally. He jumped over a fallen cart from one of the outdoor markets that weren't as busy as Gringle's. A lady shouted at him as he ran by, probably a Karen or something.

They reached the outer field of the city when Tubbo finally launched on top of him and shouted in triumph.

"Hah! I told you I could run fast!"

Tommy rolled his eyes.

"That was just luck, plus we ran everywhere and it took you forever to catch me." Tommy rolled out from under him and stared up at the sky.

Ranboo joined them on the ground and they all watched the progressing twilight commence.

"Oooo tommy have you seen how the city looks at night from out here?"

Tommy shrugged.

"I'm from the outside, surely it's no different?"

Ranboo shook his head.
"Not exactly. When the sun dips low enough behind the cliff, it makes the city look golden. You can't see it very well from the inside, but out here it's amazing."

Tommy had only been to the outskirts twice now, once was during the day.

He looked back up at the sky just as the sun dipped below the cliff edge, bathing the city in a honey glow. Tommy stared in awe, then back at his friends surrounding him. The glow disappeared as soon as it came.

"Wow..."

"Right?"

The three stayed silent a little longer until Tubbo murmured quietly.

"What's it like up there?"

Tommy tilted his head.

"Not how everyone here projects it."

"What do you mean?"

Tommy hesitated.

"You all think everyone out there worships the heck out of you, but I've faced everything the mortal world has to offer. There are very few, but some people prefer to spit in our faces about hiding away in the city instead of respecting us. Some people don't even believe the books. I was one of them for a while..."

Tubbo fell silent.

"Do you regret anything when you lived among them?"

Tommy hesitated once more.

"Besides my constant loud act and saying things I shouldn't, I wish I'd have found this place sooner, but I was too caught up in wanting a family of my own."

Tommy smiled.

"But I could've found it here all along."