Like Father, like Son (discontinued)

The man in blue

If Tommy has learnt anything in the past few days, it's that he hates parties. Granted, the actual party hadn't started yet, the party PLANNING was what he despised. "Big T, is the fucking curtain color really this important? I want to explore, maybe go stab some shit." Tommy complained as he lay draped across a plush chair. The two princes sat in the library, Tubbo at a long table studying hundreds of fabrics, all varying in texture in color, as Tommy continued to pester the boy for hours. At first, Tubbo suggested Tommy read a book to him but quickly realized the blonde did not have the attention span for reading, let alone sitting in one spot for two hours. Tubbo sighed and leaned back in his seat, resting the heavy horns against the plush backing. He could sense the boy behind him fidget slightly. "Do they... are they uncomfortable?" Tommy approached the table earning the brunette's attention. Tubbo stared at him confused until he pointed slightly to the curling brown horns that wrapped around his ears. "Oh. I mean, yeah. But it's much worse than normal." Tommy went to poke the goat prince's horn before he flinched away. "Can we please go somewhere? As much as I like your castle, it's getting a little stuffy in here with all the new people." The Manberg castle had been getting busier with the approaching ball. Royalty from neighboring kingdoms and nobility on Schlatt's "acquaintance" list had been arriving at the castle gates in the carriage-fulls, bags in hand. Tubbo laughed slightly and rose from his seat. "Fine. I can show you the farm. Or perhaps the barracks." He pondered aloud. Tommy's face lit up at the mention of the later option. "Barracks? As in, fighting and training barracks?!" He exclaimed, much to the boat prince's bemusement. "Of course, what other type of barrack is there? I believe Bad is there at the moment," He paused slightly, "You two might now get along though." "I'll make sure not to mess your friends up too bad." Tubbo laughed as the two exited the library and into the bustling hallway. "That's not what I'm worried about."

"You goddamn son of a bit-" "LANGUAGE!" "Will you let me speak?! I'm using a figure of speech!" Tubbo sighed, his best friend and mentor having a scene in the middle of the sparring room, gaining many of the soldier's attention. "Tub said you were strong, I'm just challenging you to a duel!" Tommy exclaimed, the wooden sword at his side wobbling slightly. Bad huffed and pinched the bride of his temple. "And like I just said, I'm not going to have a duel with a 16 year old. You're not ready for that type of battle." "What the fuck did you just say! I'll fight you right now bitch!" Tommy yelled as he jumped into an attack stance. Tubbo tensed slightly. Bad Boy Halo was an extremely skilled fighter, the best he had ever met, if he actually did get riled up by his friend and had a full on duel, Tommy would not walk away without bruises and cuts. The two's death stare was broken as a man burst into the room, laughing loudly with the group of men surrounding him. "Ah, Bad! How's it going my friend?" The man in blue approached the two standing in the middle of the training mat. "Skeppy, good to see you too. Sorry, I might be late for our outing, the prince of Pogtopia is very insistent that I fight him." Bad explained to the man clad in diamond armor. Skeppy sized the boy up, huffing slightly as he smirked, turning his attention up to Tubbo who sat perched near the wall. "How about a 2v2, your majesty?" All eyes turned to Tubbo who simply stared back at the man in silent furry. He got up slowly and walked towards the center of the room. "I can take you both!" Tommy yelled back at the two while Bad turned to Skeppy. "I don't think this is a good idea. The young master is still healing from his frostbite." Skeppy laughed, the smile not reaching his eyes as he glared down the prince. "He'll be fine. Draw your weapon."

Tommy stood with Tubbo at one side of the mat while the two older men stretched on the other. Tubbo gripped the sword by his side, his hand shaking slightly, earning the blonde's worried gaze. "You don't have to participate. I can take them both if you watch my back." He suggested, the brunette shook his head and swallowed down his nerves. The last time he and Skeppy had a match, he had been left in the hospital for a month with two broken ribs and head force trauma. He swiped the sword in front of his body a couple strokes, testing it's weight before patting Tommy's shoulder. "You'll be the one watching my back." He joked before a soldier near the sideline shouted "Start!". With that, either side lunged to the center and clashed swords. Tubbo however evaded to the side of the blue man and struck his exposed neck and kicking the back of his knee, bringing Skeppy down in a matter of seconds. Bad's attention was drawn to the hurt man on the ground, giving an opening as Tubbo ducked under his swing and brought the sword to his teacher's throat. The battle at a standstill. Tommy, awestruck, hadn't even begun to move his sword for an attack. Skeppy lay on the ground, writhing in pain at his obviously broken knee. Bad and Tubbo stood as still as stone, neither attempting to move. The brunette's mind still racing, attempting to catch up as Bad began to smile, eventually erupting in joy and scooping the prince up in a hug. "That was amazing, young master! You've gotten so much stronger since you left!" Bad exclaimed, Tubbo began to smile as well. "Sorry to break up a nice moment," Skeppy announced from the floor, "but can I please go to the medical wing?" Bad dropped Tubbo immediately and scooped up his friend. "Sorry boys! We can go explore town later!" He called to the two as he sprinted down the long hallway and deep into the castle interior with Skeppy yelping in pain all the way.
"Well shit. Big T, I had no idea you..." Tommy started, staring at the unused sword in hand. Tubbo felt a sudden wave of guilt wash over him. It all just struck him how he stole the other's moment, stole his pride. He shifted slightly on his heels, nervously tensing his grip on the sword before a great idea blessed him. "How about we have a duel?" Tubbo suggested. Tommy pounced on the idea instantly, grabbing a shield from a nearby weapon-stand. "Just don't go easy on me!" He yelled out with a grin. Tubbo held back some blows and gave the boy plenty of openings, and in the end they emerged from the barracks smiling and giggling among themselves as they made their way to dinner.

As much as Wilbur wanted to say he missed his youngest brother, he found that with him having "escaped" to Manberg, life in the castle seemed much less chaotic and stressful. No more war criminals staying as his guest. No more mud tracked in from his late night walks. No more laughter at the dinner table. No more Phil, as the man had holed himself up in the study and avoided his remaining sons at all costs. Wilbur hadn't noticed until Techno pointed out that Phil hadn't spoken to the two in almost a week. "Why should I care. We've gotten more planned with the war in the past day than he has in a year." The middle prince grumbled as he shifted through papers and files on Pogtopian defense systems. Techno sat across the table from him, looking up at his brother in disgust. "He's the king Wilbur, and you'll address him as such." He said simply, threat lacing his words. Wilbur spared him a glance before huffing and returning to the paperwork. "I don't get why you didn't kill the goat on the mountain. That was the plan but no, you had to send him back home half frozen." Techno stared down his unamused brother. "Now Tommy's a traitor and he might get in the way of the attack." Wilbur groaned in annoyance, pushing a paper towards Techno. On the document, plans of a night attack read out like a novel. Details on location, code-words, expected casualties all lay on the single sheet in the oldest prince's hands. At the top of the sheet in red letters spelled the name and date of attack; December 25th, The Manberg Coronation Massacre.