Pandemonium | Dream SMP

83. It's sixty-nine sixty-nine sixty-nine.

"Ow. Owwww. Stop tugging so hard, that hurts!" Schlatt complains for the hundredth time, attempting to free himself from my grasp.

"I told you wearing a suit wasn't a good idea," I say, pulling the strap of his wrist guard tighter, "it isn't designed to pad armour. It's not too late for me to get you a comfy hoodie?"

"I am not taking the suit off, Ares. It's a part of me. It's my image. It commands respect. Without the suit I'm just some asshole with mutton chops and horns."

I remain silent because I honestly can't argue with that logic. Now that I think about it seeing him in casual wear would probably be really weird. Like seeing a snail without its shell.

I pull at another strap and he yelps. Finally out of patience he swats me away. "Okay, that's enough. Any tighter and you'll asphyxiate me. Geez."

"Sorry, sir," I muse, stepping away. My own armour clinks as I move, the bright purple hues of the enchanted metal like a mirage against my skin. Schlatt's armour also gleams with magic, but I can see that his holds a few small dents and scratches, whereas mine is in peak condition. A small yet obvious show of favouritism from Dream. I've never worn netherite before, and while Schlatt may not see the value in it, I feel like a kid on Christmas. For a mineral mined from the depths of the nether, it's surprisingly light, and a few swings of my trident had revealed it to be easy to move in, too.

"I just want this day to be over with," Schlatt mutters, rubbing at his wrists, "then I can go back to running my country the way I want with the people I want, you at my side enforcing my laws. That's how it should have been from the start." He suddenly smirks and chuckles to himself. It's a dark chuckle that gives away his thoughts. It has a shiver travel down my spine, "do you think Dream would give me Wilbur's head if I asked him? It might cost a little extra, but I'd be willing to pay his price."

"That's...rather morbid of you, Schlatt," I admit, my expression tight.

"But wouldn't it be an excellent show of my power? No one would dare betray me again if they saw the head of the last traitor on a spike. It could go in front of the White House."

Thankfully, Schlatt is interrupted before he can go into more morbid detail about beheading by a knock at the door.

"Tch, what do you want?" Schlatt barks, annoyed by the interruption.

"Sir, it's Punz. Is Ares in there?"

"What kind of question is that? Of course she is!"

"...Dream wishes to discuss something with her. He says it's important."

I raise an eyebrow at that. I had thought all the discussions over with already. My job was to stay here with Schlatt in the White House and protect him from harm, while the rest of the group would go out and fight the resistance directly. Dream should have left for the battlefield already.

"May I?" I turn to Schlatt for permission.

He grumbles something and waves me away, "yeah, go. Just be quick about it. All this preparation is making me want to drink."

"Then I'll be sure to be back soon. I can't have you drinking this early."

"I do love it when you look out for my health," he smirks, and I can't tell if he's being sarcastic or not.

"Why does Dream want me?" I ask as soon as I step out of the office, clicking the door shut behind me.

Punz, also dressed head to toe in netherite, shrugs in response, "didn't tell me, but he wants you to meet him down in the vault. You know I try not to question him, especially, uh, when it comes to you."