Chapter Text
“Dream, please escort Tommy from L’Manberg.”
He’s now on a boat, with the green bastard himself, exiled from L’Manberg, a country he helped build from scratch. He was something between angry, betrayed, broken and sad (Mostly leaning a bit towards the broken and betrayed side). These words kept ringing around his head along with other verses Tubbo had said.
“You can’t do one thing for me!”
“You’re
selfish!
”
The latter had stung. Yes, he was selfish, more so than the other might expect. Definitely more so than Ranboo had made him out to be. Nether, if he didn’t bolt that day when he was a little bitch and impulsive everything would’ve been different and maybe his family wouldn’t hate him. Nobody knew what he freaking did, and he wanted to keep it that way.
“Mhm, the humans finally got around to betraying you, eh?”
Tommy stiffened, which went unnoticed by the man rowing their boat. His mouth gaped open and clamped shut within a second. That- That was not his voice, nor Tubbo’s, that just spoke in his head. Fear drilled into his bones as he attempted to calm enough to reply.
How the fuck did you get in my head? I renounced you!
“Son, you are quite literally at your lowest point. It’s easy.”
Get out!!
“Hmph, don’t come crying a day later wanting my company.”
Get the fuck out of my head!
His mind silenced after that, to Tommy’s relief. He hated how Boss Hybrids (Another word for Hybrids who rule over their respective category) Rulers could telepathically communicate with their children. It took so long for him to finally be able to renounce his blood and cut his blood-family off.
Now that his Dad is back, Tommy wasn’t sure what to think. Motherfucker was a controlling dick, and excels at guilt-tripping and manipulation, looking back in hindsight. His Mother was a blessing, being a stark contrast to his Father’s behavior and making sure the children know that’s not normal parenting behavior.
It was so hard not to light the dry logs on fire as he constructed his new shelter.
---
“C-Can I go into the Nether, Dream?” It has been a while since the day of the exile. A very familiar voice had started to take root, being harder to push away everyday and keeping the boy up at night. His clothes were ripped, his hair was messed up, and his eyes had lost its glow. The portal looked so inviting. It felt like home.
And he hated that it does.
Dream thought about it, “As long as you don’t go to the portals that lead back into DreamSMP or L’Manberg.”
Tommy’s breathing started to pick up in excitement. Was Dream serious? He could- He could go home? T-That is…… Granted, he tends to avoid the Nether just in case he gets kidnapped back into his blood family, but right now he’d take any comfort he could get that’s not from Dream.
The portal sounds might be loud, but he’s happy. Laughter bubbled out of the boy broken by betrayal and exile as familiar warmth welcomed their runaway home. It’s been so long since he had seen golden light emanating from glowstone, or the constant shade of red the coat that Netherrack don, or the tear-like tracks running down a Ghast’s face. He didn’t realize he was shaking until Dream reached out a hand to steady him.
“Welcome home, son.”
Tommy didn’t care that the voice wasn’t his own. He didn’t care that the voice was rough and belonged to someone who tormented his early childhood. He didn’t c are. DreamSMP rejected him. L’Manberg rejected him. Only the Nether truly stayed for him. Damn it, even if he hated it there, at least they wanted him. At least he belonged. He wanted to go back to the one home which had never rejected him before, despite being shitty in its core.
Something cracked. Like chains breaking and snapping as a sword arced down upon it. Someone was smiling as he felt the other end of the chains snap, too. Mind speech became easier, and a compass found its way back into the boy again. Pointing constantly at a citadel made of Nether Brick of deep colors, and fire burning forever bright. Gold lined the Citadel’s blackstone walls, flashing wealth and giving it a distinct appearance.
“Tommy?”
“T-Thank you Dream,” Tommy choked out, for once that sentence was genuine. Is there a fortress nearby? His heart was racing. His old home can’t be worse than exile, right? At least he’d have people to talk to, right?
“Tommy, what are you planning?” Dream’s voice was lined with suspicion. The way Tommy was acting was definitely out of character, and when Tommy starts acting out of character, he’s planning something.
“Ah, nothing much Big D,” Tommy grinned, “I’m gonna stay away from L’Manberg. Just…… Not in Logstedshire?”
“Do you need to be picked up or do you want to head home yourself?”
“I’m pretty sure the Dream guy isn’t human. May or may not want to be cautious about this.”
I’ll be fine. When did you care this much?
“You little bitch I’m trying to be a decent guy. Dream guy is pissed, by the way.”
Tommy focused back onto the material realm. Dream’s hand was hovering over his axe, mask trained on the boy in front of him. Tommy thought of the multiple ways he could get out of this situation, before settling with the simple approach.
“I mean, I’ve been putting this off cause fuck it, the Nether sucks. But you made Tubbo exile me, I don’t have anywhere else. Logsteadshire is pretty shit, not gonna lie. I-I have no choice,” Tommy explained, fumbling over his words.
“You’re a Nether Hybrid?” Dream asked. The moment of silence between the two when Tommy didn’t answer confirmed the green bastard’s suspicion. This changed quite a lot of things, depending on which hybrid Tommy was. Wither? Dream very sincerely hope not. Ghast? Shouldn’t be too bad. Magma Cube? Easy, those guys were pushovers. Blaze? Well Dream’s not so confident anymore.
It’s less of the magical abilities that come with being a Hybrid, it’s more of the affiliations that come with being a Hybrid of a certain type. Unlike the Overworld, Nether Hybrids have societies of their own. Politics were very real and brutally annoying. Blazes were one of the strongest factions in the Nether alone, on par only with the Withers, not counting the fact that the Blazes have a strong grip over the Ghasts. Magma Cubes were not reliable on calling for aid. Piglins will help whoever pays the most, and unfortunately, the Blazes were wealthy.
Being a Hybrid is extremely rare, hence were very treasured among the faction’s arsenal. That often comes with said Hybrids carrying large political power and influence, being so valued.
“Blaze,” Tommy smirked. He knew full well the implications behind his words. Nether, he might’ve only spent the first six years of his life fully with his Blaze Hybrid duties, but it was more than enough for the boy to know just how capable his faction was, and how much of a threat they posed.
Dream cussed under his breath. Oh fuck. The sole thing he is counting on is for the Blaze King to be abusive, but not the subtle manipulative mind games Dream was so used to playing. He grit his teeth, if he tried anything on Tommy, word will inevitably travel back to the Blaze King who would be rightfully enraged. He can’t be selfish. Unlike some other SMP Members who have family issues, he actually loves his Father, the Wither King.
He reluctantly stepped back, waving his hand in a ‘feel free’ gesture, “You know I can’t do anything without major consequences, you prick. You win this round.”
Laughter could be heard from a boy beyond his breaking point as he dug his feet into the ground before taking off, twelve glowing orange rods floating and following behind. His eyes now burned a bright orange, and the Nether heat didn’t feel that hot anymore. He maneuvered the Nether airs easily, flying towards a direction that drew to him once more, as he accepted what he once denounced once more.