Chapter Text
"Let's blow that motherfucker to smithereens!."
There was something about the manic grin on Wilbur's face that made him flinch. The person he considered a brother was pacing in front of him, rambling about explosives as Tommy accidentally zoned out, trying to place where that familiar smile lay in his memories.
Wilbur turned to him and he flinched. His mind supplied him with the details, filling in the area around them with snow. He could feel the cold seep into his bones.
"Tommy, I say if we can't have Manberg, no one can have Manberg!" He exclaimed. "I think this is a new era! We burn the place to the fucking ground! Tommy let's be villains!"
Wilbur's words were muffled by the wind in Tommy's ears. He shakily pushed down his panic, blinking away the non-existent falling snow. "Wilbur, it's not too far gone. There's a reason I gave up my discs!"
The brown-haired god continued pacing.
"It isn't too far gone. We can restore it! We can build it back to its former glory! You don't have to just decide that it's over now! You're being reckless!"
The music god stopped, staring at the wall. "What's the point, Tommy? Do you know how much blood was shed to get L'Manberg to the point it was at? Do you know what would happen if we managed to get L'Manberg back again? More blood would be shed, and we would be the illegitimate rulers of a nation. The only reason that Dream is working with us is because we are the enemies of his enemies! That's it! That's all that joins us!"
"Wilbur! Wilbur!" The teen snapped, grabbing the other's attention again. "The reason we made L'Manberg in the first place was to get away from it. The reason that we went through the bloodshed and the pain is because we needed L'Manberg! And if there isn't L'Manberg then what's the point of even being here!"
Wilbur turned to face him, the same manic grin staring him down. "I know why you're doing this Tommy."
The teen took a step back, unnerved by the smile from an event he couldn't remember.
"I know, I see it in your eyes, I hear it in your voice. You're scared."
He kept backing up, unable to look away from the god rambling in front of him.
"Tommy you're scared people are gonna think different of you. Tommy, when I said you're never gonna be president, you gotta understand. That wasn't a challenge. That's true." Wilbur ranted. "You're never gonna be president Tommy. I can hear it in your voice. You're trying to sound like you know what you're doing so that you can prove m wrong. Tommy, none of us know what we're doing. We're fucked. We were fucked the minute we were thrown out."
Tommy's back hit the wall.
"Schlatt knows, he's a smart god. He knows that if we fight him, even if we beat him, we've lost." Wilbur's voice shook. "Tommy there's no in-between. He knows we've lost. But you know what? In a time like this when a man has nothing to lose, do you know what that means?"
"What does that mean?" Tommy asked, just barely managing to keep his voice unshaken.
"It means we can do what we want. We have a man on our side who literally rigged our nation with TNT! We can do the same to them! We can rig this festival with TNT! We could kill them all, Tommy. Tommy! Literally, have you not noticed,-"
"No, no!" The blond tried to cut him off.
"Everyone who's claiming to be on our side is lying to us! Tubbo? He's lying to you! He would drop us at the second he realizes we are not in the lead anymore."
"Stop it!" Tommy shouted, shoving Wilbur in an attempt to snap him out of it. "Alright? Wilbur, you're being reckless. You're not-" He fumbled over his words. "You're not being the man that came in as president. This isn't the right thing to do, this isn't the moral thing to do. What's the point in doing anything," He paused. "when you've lost all hope. You've gotta stay with it, man. You've gotta pull yourself together."
Wilbur laughed tiredly, looking down. "I-"
"Listen. If you think that rigging it with TNT, not lighting it, but rigging it with TNT, will give us the upper hand, if you believe- look at me, -if you believe this-" He exhaled. "then I will follow you."
The music god sighed. "Look, rigging L'Manberg is not gonna help us get it back. I'm aware of that, but sometimes in order to feel comfortable and safe you have to be ready to give up the things that you're worried you might lose."
"Wilbur, no." The blond responded. "I'm not gonna stop you but I'm not going to go through with this. You're being insane! You're saying-"
Footsteps echoed through the ravine, interrupting Tommy. They both glanced at the teen that ran up behind them, lightening the tension slightly.
"Hey, Tubbo! What did Schlatt say when we left?"
"Well," Tubbo started, panting. "He got very drunk, he then fell a distance that should've killed him then proceeded to drive."
Wilbur hummed. "What are you doing at the festival?"
"Well, I think I'm gonna be in charge of the games and stuff. Fundy's gonna rebuild the grandstand, I'm gonna do some decorating! It's gonna be fun!"
"Is that-" Wilbur stuttered. "Is that all you're doing?"
"Oh!" The teen exclaimed. "I also have a speech! Sorry, I forgot that bit."
"You're giving a speech! On Manberg, and democracy?"
"I am! I am!" Tubbo smiled. "It's gonna be exciting!"
"That's not something a traitor would do, is it?" The music god laughed, sounding out of breath. "I was just wondering because-"
"I have to get back to Manberg, Wil. I think Schlatt expects me when he is done. I think it's a meeting with Dream?"
"Ah, of course. Wouldn't want him to be suspicious of you." They waved him off, watching him sprint through the man-made tunnel.
Tommy glanced at the person he used to look up to, who he had seen as a brother. "Reconsider, Wilbur." He walked off, leaving the music god to his thoughts.