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The moment Tubbo came through the portal and noticed Tommy standing just outside the nether hub at the edge of the bridge, he knew something was wrong. The Tommy before him looked nothing like the Tommy he exiled. The Tommy he exiled didn’t have the torn clothes and bags below his eyes.
"Tommy?" Tubbo asked, "What are you doing here?"
Tommy looked up at him. "Sorry," he said, "I'll go. Dream said I was allowed in the nether, but I understand you don't want to see me so close to the portal to L'manburg." The worn-out boy didn’t realise that Tubbo didn’t want him to leave, but instead just wanted him to get away from the edge. The drop to the lava lake was long and burning to death in the molten stone was a painful way to go.
Tommy took a few steps back and turned his back to other boy. Tubbo was glad Tommy had stepped away from the edge, but he didn’t want the other boy to leave again. He hadn’t seen Tommy in days, and he hadn’t had a proper conversation with the other boy in weeks.
"Wait," he said, "Don’t go please. Why would I not want to see you? are you alright?" Tommy was surprised to hear the worry in the older boy’s voice. ‘it must be fake,’ he decided. If Tubbo had actually been worried about him he would have come to visit him.
Tommy laughed and turned around to face Tubbo. It sounded bitter. "You don't have to pretend Tubbo, Dream told me how happy everyone is in L'manburg now I am gone. How you are all better off without me. During my exile I realised what all of you already knew for a long time. I'm just a liability, L'manburg is better off without me."
Tubbo couldn't believe what he heard. "That's wat Dream told you?" He asked. Tommy nodded. "Tommy, Dream has been feeding you lies."
Tubbo was seething. The Tommy he knew would never believe that everyone thought he was a nuisance. The Tommy he knew would never fall for those lies. What had Dream done to Tommy to make him believe this? How much time had Dream spent breaking down all Tommy’s believes and self-confidence until he believed everything Dream told him? And what did Dream want to achieve with this?
He pushed that thought to back of his mind for now. He would confront Dream about this later. Right now, he had to make his best friend see reason again.
(Tommy never stopped being his best friend in his mind, no matter how many people, how much of a distance, came between them. Tommy would always be his best friend.)
Tommy saw the anger on his friend’s face, and for a moment he was scared of Tubbo, until he realised the anger wasn't directed at him. He had never seen Tubbo this angry before, not even when he got exiled.
Tubbo had been screaming at him, calling him selfish. He looked so angry when he exiled Tommy. They had fought countless wars together, and never had Tommy regretted any the things he did in those. But when he saw Tubbo so angry, when Tubbo exiled him, he wished he never burned down George’s house.
Tommy still didn’t believe Dream had been lying to him. Dream had been the only there for him while he was exiled. It seemed unrealistic to Tommy that Dream managed to get away with lying to him for all these weeks. Dream must have told the truth, because otherwise people would have visited. He asked this Tubbo too.
"why did nobody come to visit if not because you guys are better off without me? If you guys really cared about me, if you guys had wanted me in L'manburg, you would have at least bothered to visit me. You never did."
"Because Dream played us both!" Tubbo responded. "He told us you didn't want to see us. That you were still angry at us and that we should give you some time to cool down."
‘That does seem like something Dream would do’, Tommy realised. Did Dream lie to him? Suddenly he remembered Ranboo telling him he never got an invitation to the beach party. At the time he had thought Ranboo was lying. He had trusted Dream had sent out the invitations. But had that been a part of Dreams plans too?
“Did Dream invite you to the beach party we were going to have?” He asked Tubbo.
The confusion that showed on Tubbo’s face was enough to confirm that he never heard about it. ‘What else had Dream lied about to him,’ Tommy thought. He questioned everything he heard the last few weeks.
"Dream told me you destroyed the compass Wilbur gave you." Tommy said. "if he wasn't lying, then show it to me." Tommy needed to see the proof. Had he let Dream play him all this time?
Tubbo's hand went to his own neck, getting the necklace out from where it was hidden from under his shirt. "It hasn't left my sight since I got it," he said to Tommy.
“It got damaged once when I was fighting charged creepers, but I immediately got Wilbur to fix it."
"Dream lied," Tommy said. It was difficult for him to come to terms with that. It had been ingrained in his brain by Dream that L’manburg was better without him. And even though he had seen the compass, the proof, some lies still felt real.
Dream had put a little seed of doubt in his mind about his worth to L’manburg. He had carefully nurtured it, making sure nobody came to visit to pull out the little plant. Dream was not here right now, but the plant had grown big and strong. It didn’t need Dream to constantly protect it anymore.
Tommy would think L’manburg was better without him, as long as the plant existed.
“I need you to tell me the truth, is L'manburg better without me?" he asked Tubbo.
"No." Tubbo didn't hesitate for a moment with his answer. “It has been an empty shell of what it once was. everyone misses you."
"Really?" Tommy asked. he wanted so desperately to believe Tubbo, but the lies Dream had ingrained into him over the last few weeks made it hard.
"You know wat, it doesn't even matter whether L'manburg cares or not, I am not allowed there anyway. Dream will never put an end to my exile. I can never go home."
Misery clouded over Tommy's face as he once more realised his fate. without realising it he looked at the lava again.
The misery on Tommy's face made Tubbo realise he had to take action. He had spent all his free time over the last few weeks thinking of ways to get Tommy to come home. He never went through with them because the thought Tommy was still angry at them. But he realised now he could not let Tommy be exiled even a second longer.
"You can come home" Tubbo said. "I'll revoke your exile."
"Like it’s that simple," Tommy said.
Tubbo understood wat Tommy meant with that. Dream would never accept it. But from all the plans he came up with over the weeks, this one was the one that gave them the best chance of success. So, he acted like he didn't understand Tommy.
"Dream made me exile you, so I am the one who can revoke your exile."
Tommy laughed unbelieving. "You really think it is that easy?" He asked. "You really think he's going to make it that easy for me to come back to L'manburg? He spent the last few weeks telling me how I would never be allowed back there. He won't let you do that."
"I'm willing to face the consequences," Tubbo responded. "I'd rather be locked into L'manburg with you, then be able to leave it but have to miss you any longer."
"You'd do that for me?" Tommy asked. after weeks of having Dream tell him how happy everyone was in L'manburg without him, it was hard for him to believe that Tubbo would be willing to give all that up, just for him.
"Tommy, you're my best friend," Tubbo said, hearing the disbelieve in Tommy's voice. "We promised by the bench it would be us against the world. I made a mistake by agreeing to exile you. I broke our promise, and I am so sorry for that. but I will never break it again, no matter what Dream, or anyone else, tries to threaten me with. L'manburg is just a hollow space without you there."
Tommy was rendered speechless by his friend’s speech. When he eventually found his voice again, he asked, "You still have one of my discs, right, Tubbo?" Tubbo nodded.
"You can give them to Dream if that means he will let you let me come back home without punishing L'manburg for it."
Now it was Tubbo's turn to be speechless. "Are you sure?" he asked. "You already suffered so much over the last few weeks; you don't need to make even more sacrifices."
"I just want to go home Tubbo," Tommy responded. "I'll sacrifice whatever it takes to do that."
For a moment Tubbo could finally see how much the weeks in exile had affected Tommy. The fire that had always burned bright in Tommy, that had always seemed to be unextinguishable in Tubbo's eyes, was now only a smouldering ember. It was clear that if Dream had just had one or two more days before Tubbo had run into Tommy, he would have been able to completely get rid of it. Tommy would have done anything for Dream then, just for the glimmer of hope of ever going home.
Tubbo breached the few steps between them and embraced his friend. He could feel silent sobs rocking the younger boy’s body. Sometimes it was easy to forget for Tubbo that Tommy was younger than him because Tommy always took the lead. Tommy had a huge presence in every room he entered. But there was little left of that Tommy. The Tommy in his arms was just tired of being alone.
He made no remarks about it, acting like he didn't feel his shoulder slowly getting wet.
After a while Tommy took a step back, and Tubbo let go of him.
"I'm going back to L'manburg." Tubbo said, "I'm going to tell Dream that I am putting a stop to your exile, and that he can't change my opinion. I'll be back in an hour. I won't let him talk any longer than that."
"What if he will just wait by the portal though, and stop me before I can go through?" Tommy wasn't a complete idiot. He was reckless, but he knew that just Tubbo and him couldn't take Dream.
"Tommy, everyone in L'manburg misses you," Tubbo responded. "The moment I tell them what I am going to do, they will all be there to help us."
Tommy still seemed sceptical.
"Believe me Tommy, they will all be there. Philza, Fundy, Ranboo, Jack Manifold, Niki, Quackity, Karl, maybe even Sapnap and George will help us. they have been pretty pissed at Dream since Dream dethroned George." He smiled at Tommy. "Point is Tommy, you are no longer alone, and even Dream can't fight so many people at once."
The fire in Tommy seemed to find a new spark to feed it with every name Tubbo said. "They still care?" Tommy asked.
"They do, " Tubbo confirmed.
"You promise to be back in an hour, even if it is to tell me you failed?" Tommy asked.
"I promise, and I won't fail,” Tubbo said, “I'll bring you home Tommy, I promise."
A spark of the smouldering fire jumped onto the ideas Dream planted in Tommy’s mind. The plant served as excellent fuel and slowly the fire grew again. A careful smile growing on Tommy's face.
"I'll be waiting" he said. "You got this; I trust you"
Tubbo nodded. He hugged Tommy again before the other could object "Just one more hour Tommy," He said, "Don't give up now." He let go of his friend and walked to the portal. "I’ll see you in an hour."
"I'll be here waiting," Tommy responded. "Tubbo?" he said, just before the other boy stepped into the portal.
"Yeah?"
"You are the best brother I could wish for, better than what any real relations by blood could offer."
Tubbo smiled at him, the sincere words warming him. "You're the best brother I could wish for too, I can't wait to get you home."
Tubbo stepped into the portal and within seconds he was gone. Tommy was alone again, but for the first time in weeks, it did not bother him.
Tubbo made his way to L'manburg, sending a message on his communicator telling everyone to meet him there in 5 minutes. He also set a timer for 50 minutes, just to be safe. There was no way he was going to make Tommy wait. When he got to L'manburg he saw there were already some people at the podium. He walked up to them. "
What's this about?" Philza asked.
"Yeah," Fundy said, "It seemed very urgent."
"You'll hear in a minute," Tubbo responded. He scanned the crowd of people that had collected to see if Dream had arrived yet. Eventually he saw the lime green hoody of the man at edge of the crowd.
Tubbo got up the podium and made his way to the microphone. "I've got something really important to tell you all," he said. "My mind can't be changed on what I am about to say. I am revoking the exile of TommyInnit from L'manburg. This decree is effective immediately."
The silence was deafening as everyone processed what Tubbo had just said.
"You can't do that." It was spoken in a normal tone, but with how silent the crowd was, it was clear to hear to everyone there.
"And why not Dream? he asked, "I am the one who exiled him, so I have the power to put a stop to his exile. Tommy has suffered enough, his punishment for destroying George's house is over."
"I thought you were a smart president Tubbo, but clearly not," Dream said. "You do realize that there will be repercussions for this? L'manburg cannot be recognized as its own country when Tommy is there. Surely you realize the mistake you are making."
"I'm not making a mistake," Tubbo said, "I am fixing one I made a long time ago. I thought I was doing the best thing for L'manburg by exiling Tommy, but L'manburg isn't even worth being called L’manburg when Tommy isn't there. You can't stop me from this Dream."
"Don't say I didn't warn you," Dream said. "He is still exiled from Dream SMP by the way, so the moment he steps through the main portal it is free range for me."
He seemed calm, but Tubbo was good at reading people, and he could see Dream was raging inside. It was clear that Dream thought Tubbo would never have the gut to go against him. But Tubbo was done with picking the greater good, he just wanted his friend back with him now.
"Philza, can you get Techno to help us? And can all of you then keep Dream away from the main portal until Tommy and I have had the time to reach the holy land? We will only need a few minutes. Alone Tommy and I stand no chance against dream, but I am convinced you all can keep him away for a few minutes.”
"Happy to help," Philza responded, getting his communicator out. "You're right. Tommy has been punished for long enough."
Tubbo looked at the rest of the crowd. "Fundy, Ranboo, can I count on you two too?" The two nodded.
"It's time Tommy comes home." Fundy said.
“Quackity? Niki?" One by one he went by the members in the crowd, and the message was clear, they would help him.
In the end there were two people he hadn't asked yet. "George, Sapnap, will you help us? surely you agree Tommy has been punished enough."
It was silent for a moment before George spoke up. "Houses and buildings have been burned down or destroyed otherwise before. Never was the person who did it punished as long and as severe as Tommy is. I'll help you Tubbo."
Sapnap nodded, clearly agreeing with George’s words. “You can count on us,” he said.
The last weights were lifted from Tubbo's shoulders. There was no way Dream could stop then now. He looked at Dream, who looked enraged. He clearly realised that too.
"Alright, I'll head to the nether hub now, please keep Dream away from there," he said as he started making his way down from the podium. "I'll keep an eye on my communicator in case anything happens, and you need to let me know."
He wasn't expecting Dream to cause many problems when literally everyone was against him, but it was better to be prepared. He made his way to the community nether portal, almost running, not wanting Tommy to wait a second longer than needed.
He was in the community house when he got a message. He checked his communicator, thinking there must be a problem with keeping Dream away. But the message wasn't from any of his friends. His fingers went numb as he read it, dropping the device to the ground. As it laid on the floor, you could still see the most recent message through the cracks on the screen.
'TommyInnit fell from a high place trying to escape a hoglin.'