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It’s been weeks since, wait no.
Months, yeah that’s more like it.
Since Manburg had been blown up and I ‘died’ of a heart attack.
After I died and everyone left the van one person, (Dream) stayed behind just long enough to give me strength, regen, and pearls to get out of here.
Which I used and now live on a small island hundreds of thousands of blocks away from the reach of Man-
No, no it’s L’manburg now.
But one day I stepped through my portal and decided to visit L’manburg again. It has after all been 9 months.
I opened my watch interface and menued through until I found the twitch option, it’s been a year and a half since I streamed last but I decided to for this momentous occasion.
The chat floods in but I mute notifications, “Hey fellas, I know it’s been a while but I’m just streaming real quick for a late night walk around.” He showcases L'manburg to the hundreds of people watching.
He still didn’t miss streaming but thought this would be a good idea.
It was on stilts, the new road, all the shops, the white house, all other buildings, the rubble even cased in glass as to preserve it.
Why would they preserve something so horrible that happened to them? He wasn’t sure why but it intrigued him nonetheless.
He found himself walking on the new path up to the new shops and homes, and, and a new white house.
He sighed as he touched one of the columns for it, it was better than the first and by a lot.
He walked around looking at the new shops and basking in the low light of the lanterns, stepping into some to look at what they offered, (not like he’d be allowed here during the day.)
It felt homey, and very Tubbo feeling. He’s glad the kid got to be president with his best friend as his right hand man.
They deserved it, a break from the fighting and wars and they can be kids, but being president comes with a lot of paperwork and late nights, and he knows Tubbo isn’t very good at paperwork.
But that’s something the others have to deal with now, he was just an island dweller now, the only person who visits him.
He’s willing to get him the supplies like food and such for him. He’s 1,000% sure none of the others would be willing to come to his island and see him, but just Dream by himself is nice.
Sometimes they talk for hours and hours, sometimes he spends a few nights. Dream is a wildcard so he does as he pleases, so no one questions him when he’s gone from the main area for long.
It’s nice, he misses Connie and hell even Karl or Techno. Maybe even Quackity and Tubbo.
But he could never forgive himself for what he’s done to them so he doubts they’ll forgive him.
But he’s okay with that, for now.
He misses it but chat doesn’t
Connoreatspants has joined the game.
Tubbo_ has joined the game.
He’s panicking as he looks to chat to see if they’d give away his position, they were just as panicked as he was.
He ducked into the white house hearing them talk to each other as they walked past, he sighs and turns around. The new Whitehouse looks good man.
Wayyyyy better than the old one, he’d even admit it to Quackity if he was here too. Well maybe not but he’s changed, er...well changing.
It’s dark and the soft glow to the lanterns and moonlight that spills through the windows don’t help so he bumps into a wood podium and knocks it over.
Along with an item made out of glass.
Glass.
It was made from glass.
He immediately goes rigid and only his ears flicker when he hears Connor and Tubbos voice grow close, they sound concerned, he starts to sweat. He turns around to where the doors are and slowly backs away, he has an arm reached out towards the door and one behind him.
Just to make sure he doesn’t hit anything else.
Which he does.
He hits another goddamned wood podium and knocks another item made of glass onto the white marble floor, but not seeing it makes him stumble over the podium and fall onto his butt, his hand slams into where the shattered glass is and he yelps and slaps his other hand over his mouth.
He lets a few tears slip out before just letting himself take defeat and letting his upper half flop to the floor.
He’s in so much pain, his wrist hurt from hitting the ground, his ankles hurt from falling, his hand hurts from the glass.
God how he wants to go back to his island.
Connor and Tubbo walk in and see Schlatt lying on the floor, he was dressed in a black shirt with dreams iconic smile on it with black sweats with his god awful timbs. He decided a long time ago to ditch his suit, the only part that remains is his red tie which is at his home on the island.
Connor rushes over to Schlatt, he kneels down beside him and places his hand on his neck, he still feels his pulse and lets out a shaky sigh.
“Schlatt, Schlatt hey!” Connor was shaking him lightly looking over at his hand, he cringes at seeing the blood covered glass.
Schlatt pries his eyes open and sees his Connie kneeling there, “H- Hey Connie...so good to see you after so long.” His smile was weak, god he wished Dream was here, or back on his island. Or even drinking strength potions.
“Tubbo! Can you take off your over shirt and wrap his hand?” I’m going to check the rest of him for wounds.
Tubbo nods hurriedly and speedily walks over to Schlatt, he takes off his red flannel and rips a part of it to wrap his hand, god it stung.
Only if he didn’t give up smoking and drinking all those months ago.
He lifts his left hand to look at his watch seeing the chat whiz by, he looks over to Tubbo.
“Hey Tubbo, could you end my live for me?” He says weakly, his body was still recovering from abusing it all those months ago. He stopped working out, drinking, and smoking. He only did because Dream wouldn’t bring him anything to smoke or drink, unless it was a holiday.
But then it would only be a shot or a glass worth of alcohol. He stopped working out because he realized how tired he was when he was done, and there was no one to impress but himself so he stopped.
It felt good to stop but was hard too. The craving to workout or smoke or to savor his drink Dream would give him, or hell even go onto the mainland to get a drink.
But he’d rather keep his life then risk getting a cigarette or a drink.
Tubbo reached over and clicked the end stream button, he wondered what Tubbo was thinking about.
“Thanks for wrapping my hand kid, now will you help me up.” he shifts so his hand isn’t sitting in the glass anymore and moves to be pulled up by Connor and Tubbo.
Now, that shock had worn off and a new one made itself present.
“How are you alive?!” They both ask before talking over each other, god he hates it.
He raises his hand to shush them and it works, he has no power over them, but is Tubbo still scared? His Connie could never never be scared of him.
“After I had a ‘heart attack’” he does air quotes as he says this, “Dream stayed behind in the van just long enough to give me a hearty amount of pearls, strength and regen potions. He told me to leave before the place blew and I did. I’ve been...uh...living somewhere discrete and hard to get to for 9 months now.”
He gently rubs his wrapped hand, ouch.
“Uh, only Dream comes and visits me, which is fine.” he looks up at Connor, his Connie.
Connor steps closer and embraces him, Connors arms around Schlatts upper back and his own around Connors neck.
He misses how warm Connor was, he was just barely around to see him join the game before he ushered himself through the nether portal to get away, he pulls Connor away, smiling at him.
“I’ve missed you Schlatt.” Connor softly says to him, he doesn't know why he’s whispering. It just feels right.
“I’ve missed you too, Connie.” Schlatt rubs Connors cheek and looks over his shoulder at Tubbo, he's wearing his signature green button shirt with blue jeans and green shoes. His arms are crossed, he doesn’t look happy either.
He stops rubbing Connor's cheek and looks back at him then back to Tubbo, he hears Connor softly say ‘oh’ and turns around.
Who knew such a young and soft human being could look and be so mean.
“H-hey, Tubbo. How have you been.” he rubs the back of his head, lightly pulling on his horn.
“Why are you here Schlatt?” His voice was cold and mean, yikes.
“I, uh...I didn’t know anyone would be getting on, I just wanted to see how Man-L'manburg was, and it's my first time here since the war.” He was nervous, wondering what the kid would do or say.
“Is that all you came back for?” he raises an eyebrow and lets his arms fall to his side. He nods his head yes.
“I can leave soon if you want me too, all I’d need to ensure I get home is medicine for my hand. It is quite a walk.” He subconsciously rubs his wounded hand, feels how the blood soaked through.
Tubbo sighs, “Why don’t Connor and I give you a tour?” He looks to Connor and smiles.
“That sounds nice, yeah.” Schlatt smiles at Tubbo.
Connor grabs his uninjured hand and Tubbo leads them out of the white house onto the wood and glass street.
It was mostly wood but with glass sometimes to see the rubble below.
“Why, uh why keep the rubble? Why not fill it in? And why build new L’manburg on stilts?” He was asking a lot of questions because he didn’t have much time, his cold hand warmed by Connors.
“Well we wanted to embrace the old, cover it with glass so everyone could see this historic day. Built it on stilts so people could see it. We wanted to remind people of what happened and why we’ve changed.” Tubbo turns to Schlatt as he talks.
They venture in each and every shop, tubbo talking about who runs it and how they are.
“How’s, how’s Wilbur?” He hates how weak and how much he stutters now, but guess they came with losing his power and his addictions.
“He’s...fine. He spends most of his time in pogtopia still, and with Philza Minecraft. He seems better, but not intact yet.” Tubbo rubs the back of his neck. He seemed unsure of himself.
“Let’s keep looking around yeah?” He bids to some shops and houses he hasn’t seen yet and they venture over.
“This is Nicki's new bakery, she finally gained enough confidence again and built one here. She runs it with Fundy.”
Schlatt smiles at the thought of them working together and baking together.
“Obviously Quackity rebuilt the White House, just better and with the help of Eret, it was the first thing he did.” He huffs out and his smile widens.
“Is it sad to say I miss him? I miss most of you actually. But considering what I’ve done I don’t think many of you would miss me.”
Connor protests, “I’ve missed you.” He squeezes Schlatts hand to reassure him.
“Thanks Connie, I’ve missed you too.” He looks over at Connor, god how did he miss him.
“Maybe...And I don’t know if this would work but...What if I suggested to people you were alive and have changed? To get them used to the idea that you were alive and weren’t the same?” Tubbo stops walking as so do they, they’re at the end of the path.
“Tubbo, thank you. But like I’ve said, many people don’t and won’t ever miss me. I’m okay with this.” His smile turns sour, sadness clouds his eyes.
“Maybe I can conceive Dream to let us visit you, I sure hated you Schlatt for what you did but I can see you’ve changed, you look better now.” Tubbos eyes soften as well.
“Yeah I’d like that, come visit me yeah Tubbo?” Tubbo nods his head in agreement.
They talk for a good bit until the sun starts to rise.
“Other people are going to be getting on soon, Schlatt you gotta go or people would get suspicious.”
He nods, “Right, I love you Connie, stay safe Tubbo.” He pulls Connor into a tight hug feeling Tubbo hug him too. He loops an arm around Tubbo as well.
He pushes himself away and turns to leave, he walks down the path some before turning around to wave at them, it wouldn’t be the last time he saw them.
He’d make sure of it.