A Second Tale of Revenge

Chapter 6

By the time they reached the Greater SMP, Tommy's arms were burning.

He hadn't done anything so physically straining in twelve and a half years. He didn't know how well he'd be able to perform. He'd just have to hope that he was strong enough to carry out the plan.

Tommy docked the boat and limped out of it with GhostWasTaken following. The two got onto the Prime Path and began looking for people. It was oddly abandoned today. Maybe this was what the Dream SMP had turned into after he had died. Had he really been holding the server together?

He shook his head. How could he, a murderer, have held a group of people together? He'd been the catalyst. The reason that everyone... joined together. Okay, maybe he had held the server together, but in the worst way possible.

"HELLO?!" he shouted.

No response from anyone.

"Where is everyone?" he asked GhostWasTaken. "Did something happen?"

GhostWasTaken gave him an irritated look. Seriously?

"Right, sorry," Tommy said. "You can't talk. Y'know, one day I'm going to get those stitches off your mouth."

GhostWasTaken nodded halfheartedly.

They continued walking until Tommy saw Ranboo walking down the Prime Path. Ranboo froze in their tracks, and he knew that it was time to put his plan into motion.

He dropped to his knees, beginning to sob loudly. Ranboo came running to him. They knelt down in front of him, grabbing him by his arms. They looked as if they were at a loss for words. They looked happy, scared, and sad.

"I'm sorry!" Tommy cried. "I'm so sorry!"

Ranboo hugged him, starting to cry. "No! No, don't apologize! Please don't apologize! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

Tommy leaned into Ranboo's embrace although he didn't particularly want to. He had to keep up the act. He needed everyone to feel bad for him and believe that he'd changed. That was the only way that his plan would work.

GhostWasTaken knelt down next to him, placing his hand on his shoulder.

Ranboo let go of Tommy and looked at GhostWasTaken. "Did you... bring him back?"

GhostWasTaken shook his head furiously. No one could think that GhostWasTaken had revived him. It wasn't true, and it would ruin their plan. The others needed to suspect each other. The distrust would be so useful to Tommy.

"I-I'll be back," Ranboo said, standing up. "Stay with him, GhostWasTaken. I've got to tell the others!" They began sprinting away.

It took a while for Ranboo to get back with everyone. Tommy looked up as almost everyone on the server approached him. Tubbo pushed past everyone to stand in front of Tommy. He dropped to his knees and hugged Tommy, sobbing.

"I never thought I'd see you again!" Tubbo cried. "I thought you'd be gone forever! You're back! You're home! I missed you so much!"

Tommy hugged Tubbo back. "I'm sorry!" he shouted. "I'm so sorry, Tubbo! I'm a horrible friend! I'm so sorry!"

"Just don't leave me again!" Tubbo shouted. "I can't take it again! Twice is enough, Tommy! Don't ever leave again!"

"I won't!" Tommy shouted. "I won't ever again! I promise, Tubbo!"

"He's really back..." Sam breathed. "And with Dream's ghost, none the less."

"Wait, wait, wait, wait," Fundy said quickly. "How is he alive? We're going to ignore the fact that he killed people for a minute and focus on who revived him. Dream is dead. No one else should be able to revive people, but someone can. So, who is it?"

Everyone went silent.

"Who did Dream trust most here?" Fundy asked.

"George," Quackity said. "They were best friends!"

Tommy looked up at Quackity. He looked sane. He resisted the urge to scowl. He still hated the man to his core.

"Huh?" George mumbled. "I didn't bring him back. He killed people, Quackity. Why would I bring him back after that?"

"Then it's got to be Sapnap!" Quackity shouted.

"WHAT?!" Sapnap shouted. "He killed Dream! Why would I bring him back?!"

"Then who would?" Fundy asked. "Let's not focus on who might know how to revive people, but who would do it."

Everyone's eyes fell on Tubbo.

"Why would Dream trust me?!" Tubbo shouted.

"It wasn't him!" Ranboo shouted, stepping in between Tubbo and the others.

"How do we know it wasn't you, then?" Fundy asked. "You're so eager to protect him. That's highly suspicious, Ranboo."

"Even if he did, it was justified!" Ranboo shouted. "You killed Tommy, Fundy! You're just as guilty as he is!"

"Boo," Tubbo said, standing up. "You're digging yourself into a hole."

Ranboo took a deep breath. "Let's not focus on this for now."

"What are we going to do with him?" Sam asked.

Now everyone looked at Tommy.

Tommy sniffled, forcing himself to the brink of tears. "P-please don't p-put me in the prison. I— I d-don't want to g-go back there."

GhostWasTaken hugged him.

Sam looked at him, his expression pitiful. He shook his head before looking at he everyone else. "Well..." He sounded worried. "If majority rules it... can TommyInnit... walk free?"

"WHAT?!" Fundy shouted. "You're just going to let a murderer walk free?!"

"What the hell, Sam!" Quackity yelled. "That maniac cut off my wings and had the audacity to pretend that he cared about Wilbur! He's crazy and needs to be locked up!"

More shouts arouse from other members who didn't like the idea of Tommy walking free.

Tommy covered his ears, trying to blink away the images of Dream in the prison cell. He breathed shakily as he shut his eyes tightly.

"Why don't you go see him in person?"

Tommy shuddered. Dream had asked it so calmly. He didn't feel anything while killing Tommy. He was a true psychopath, completely unlike Tommy. Tommy had felt joy when committing his crimes. When he killed Wilbur, he had laughed. He had never been happier. Torturing Quackity, he had laughed. Killing Ranboo, he had laughed harder. Killing Dream, he had never been happier in his life.

"Tommy?" Tubbo asked.

Tommy realized that he was still knelt on the Prime Path, surrounded by people. His arms hung at his sides and his blank gaze was on the ground.

He shook his head and looked up at Tubbo. "Y-yeah?"

"Are you good?" Tubbo asked, kneeling down in front of him.

Tommy managed to smile. "Yeah. Just don't like shouting, you know? It's just like taking damage."

Tubbo looked over at the others before looking back at him. "You can come live me."

"We're seriously just letting him go free?" Fundy asked. "HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MINDS?!"

"Maybe we have," Ranboo growled at Fundy. "At least we haven't gone as far as you."

"ALL I DID WAS RID US OF A MONSTER!" Fundy screamed. "Now you're defending him! He killed people, Ranboo!"

"Everyone on this server has!" Ranboo shouted. "We're all monsters, by your definition, Fundy!"

Fundy glared at Ranboo, defeated.

"Come on," Tubbo said, helping Tommy to his feet. "Let's get you to Snowchester."

Tommy almost sobbed.