Pandemonium | Dream SMP

70. Do you know how often I think about you?

No. It...it happened again. I lost someone again, right in front of my eyes...

I want to scream, to cry, to throw myself over Tubbo's small body, lifeless beneath the smoke. To mourn the boy with all my heart.

But Techno doesn't provide me time to.

The pigman snaps back to his senses, as if suddenly realising what he'd done. Pain flashes over his features for just the briefest of moments before he swivels and turns his crossbow on Schlatt. He already has a second firework loading into the chamber.

Oh no you don't!

I throw myself forward, at the same time hurling my trident. It clips his crossbow just as he pulls the trigger and instead sends the explosive fizzing into the crowd.

If they hadn't been screaming before, they certainly are now. Bodies bump and crash in the confusion of colour and choking smoke. Somewhere in the chaos I hear a voice yell out Tubbo's name. It almost sounds like Tommy.

I crash into Techno, my weight knocking him back as I lock my arms around his waist. He grunts, stumbles back, and slips from the podium stage, taking me with him.

For a second I'm weightless, the only sensation Techno's lean body against mine and the burning in my heart and eyes. And then we hit concrete and something in my shoulder cracks.

I choke back a cry as pain rockets up my arm.

Techno pries me away, his actions sluggish as he also recovers from the impact. His crossbow is gone, lost in the fall.

"You bastard." I grit out, pushing myself up on shaking legs. I send the pigman a fierce glare. "How could you?"

Techno glances around then tuts. He looks up at the stage where Schlatt still stands, grinning down at him with malice. Quackity and Fundy are yelling for him to get to the White House.

"Can you lecture me some other time? I'm kind of in the middle of an impromptu assassination." He grunts, searching his robes for what I assume is another weapon.

I grit my teeth and raise my hand, bringing it down in one swift motion.

Blue flashes past Techno and he falls to a knee, gripping the side of his face. My trident cracks the concrete at his feet, humming from the impact. Blood stains one of its prongs.

"Well that hurt." He mutters, drawing his hand away to see the damage. His left eye glows bloody beneath a new gash.

"Not as much as the pain Tubbo must have felt. You killed him, Techno! He's dead! You were— you were supposed to be on his side!"

"You should really think twice before accusing someone of murder, y'know."

I falter, his words confusing me.

"Welp, I should probably go now before people start shooting at me."

The man pulls out an ender pearl, gives me a regretful smile, and hurls it with the skill of a pitcher.

I manage to take two steps before he puffs from existence, purple particles dancing around my trident.

I feel like throwing up. My emotions are too twisted and confused for me to think straight. The sharp smell of smoke is giving me a migraine, and every time I blink I see fire behind my eyelids, I hear screams that aren't really there.

A hand lands on my shoulder and I flinch, turning around.

"You okay?" Quackity asks, his eyes half-lidded and distant.