We Could Be Men

Heart for Brains

The day Ranboo died, the world stopped crying. The rain stopped, the rivers dried up, and more sea animals were found dead. Even Ghostbur's sewer had grown humid and moldy instead of the eerie dampness that had brought the ghost comfort before.

No one knew why this had happened, no one connected it to the enderman. What reason would there be, especially when an enderman, even a hybrid, is hurt by water? This would be perfect for him, he could finally get around without the heavy leather armor he had to wear just in case it rained. Yet it had happened anyways.

But why?

The only place spared of this was the tundra. It still snowed, and if needed, the inhabitants could break the ice for water. There was no reason to worry. Philza and Technoblade, the only people living in the snowy plains, didn't notice the drought until it started to affect the snowy forest near them. Their crops were spared, just the trees were dying and the foxes and wolves turned up more often than not, trying to find a better place to stay. Technoblade was slightly confused but mostly apathetic. There was no reason to worry if it didn't affect him personally. But Philza knew better. He had felt the shift.

He remembered Ranboo. He was pretty sure he was one of the only people who remembered the kid as a kid, and not the slightly intimidating, forgetful, 8'5 cryptid that showed up randomly. He didn't talk a lot, and when he did his voice was monotone, much like Technoblades. His height caused him to literally look down at people, casting an air of impertinence. He teleported when startled, which happened frequently, and more often than not, would forget to return to the conversation, making it seem like he simply didn't care enough. Philza knew better though. He saw the way Ranboo would slump to make himself seem smaller, how upset he got when he realized he forgot something, how he looks and sounds grown and mature, but on the inside, he was exactly like Tommy and Tubbo: a scared, scarred little kid who has seen too much in so little time. A kid who needs to be cared for, nurtured, and taught. A kid who knows nothing and everything, who gives too much and takes too little, who's learned he can't trust anyone, not even himself. Philza saw himself in the boy, and that scared him.

He also saw Technoblade. He saw it in Ranboo's loyalty, his determination, and his love for simple things. He even shared his secret cunningness. While Technoblade brandished it like a sword, letting people assume the dagger was a kitchen knife and running themselves through with it, Ranboo used it like a pencil. It was subtle, and if noticed, often erased and forgotten about. But, it was useful, needed, and craved. He saw Techno in the way that Ranboo expected to be betrayed, yet still gave his all. How he sat back with a sigh when it finally happened, content with the feeling that he was right, that he knew it, and let that thought push back the hate and the grief and the misery. Philza has been around for a long, long time. He noticed the little things. He noticed that, even though Technoblade would never, Ranboo would still give him long, contemplative looks, as if trying to decide something. Probably if he should trust Philza or not. Technoblade gave the same looks to Ranboo.

There was something about Ranboo that struck Philza as different. He had met a lot of people, a lot of hybrids. Yet, something about him felt similar to Dream, the near-godlike founder of their little world. He had created the portal and invited almost everybody there to join. Almost, because while Phil was invited, Technoblade kind of broke in with the help of Tommy Innit. Fundy was invited by Wilbur, which was technically illegal but Dream turned a blind eye. Ranboo appeared out of nowhere, suddenly turning up near L'Manburg. He vaguely knew Tubbo, and when asked, Tubbo said that he and Ranboo talked a little before Ranboo's "official debut". He hadn't known that Ranboo hadn't been invited. So, Ranboo came out of nowhere, didn't know the founder and the founder didn't know him, knew almost nothing of this world, yet still felt like he had opened something big, created something similar to Dreams world. It was strange, and Phil constantly noticed it. When he felt the shift, it was almost like something physically pushed him back.