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Tommy remembered what life was like before L’manburg. It was something he clung to, that memory. Phil and Wilbur and Techno and him. They lived in a nice cabin in the wilderness, where Techno could take out the anger on mobs, and Wilbur could sing as loud as he wanted and they would never be disturbed.
Where their father could watch them with pride in his eyes and love in his heart.
He and Wilbur fought for their independence and for all their new people, all the while Tommy imagined Phil with that proud look in his eyes, smiling down at them.
Would Phil still be proud of him now?
Life before Pogtopia was blurry to Tommy, only half-there memories remained. Memories of a time filled with joy and baking bread, all too far away from Tommy for him to really revel in.
During cold nights in the ravine, during nights when Wilbur was less his big brother and more a shadow on the wall, the monster under his bed, Tommy wrapped himself in the memories to keep him warm.
When Techno arrived he was reminded of his protector, the feeling of safety that being near Techno provided. Things were looking up for once in a long time, and that feeling of safety sparked a flame of hope in Tommy’s heart.
Would Techno protect him now?
When new L’manburg was formed Tommy barely remembere that there was anything before it. He remembered Wilbur being there, and Phil and Techno were there in the beginning but over time they drifted out of his memories. All Tommy remembered was Wilbur holding him as he cried, Wilbur singing him to sleep. Wilbur, Wilbur, Wilbur.
Tommy missed Wilbur more fiercely than he missed anything else. He wanted his big brother back, but he knew he was gone and never returning.
Would Wilbur ever sing to him now?
In exile Tommy didnt have time for memories. The only important thing was Dream. Ghostbur was there too, but the spector didn’t count. The ghost of his older brother was only a shell of the person Tommy knew, and Tommy hated looking at him hoping to see Wilbur and being disappointed by the emptiness of his eyes.
All Tommy really needed was Dream, who was always there, who loved him like a brother should, who knew what it meant to be a family. Dream would never abandon him like everyone who came before him had. Dream would never leave him, and that was the only thing Tommy needed to remember.
Would Dream leave him now?
When he lived in Techno’s house he started remembering more. He remembered the long, sleepless nights waiting for Techno and Philza to return home. He remembered the excitement on the scheduled days for them to come home turned to disappointment when they didn’t show up until months after. He remembered the excitement stopping and turning to indifference before Wilbur took him and Tubbo to a new place for them to start fresh.
Tubbo who was killed by Techno. Tubbo who was his best friend and who exiled him.
But also Tubbo who was always by his side, His Tubbo, his best friend who he loved even still. He would always forgive Tubbo, just as Tubbo would always forgive him. There was no other way for them to be.
Would Tubbo forgive him now?
In the wake of the final explosion of L’manburg, while he watched his brother and father Techno and Phil blow up everything Wilbur and him worked for he remembered everything he had done. He thought of the enderman boy he had just been trying to protect when he took the blame for the burning of George’s house. He thought about how Ranboo had always stood up for him, how Ranboo always tried to visit and protect him.
He knew Ranboo couldn’t remember anything but he hoped that Ranboo would remember him and the friendship that they had. He hoped that Ranboo would be able to get far away from here and live the life that he and Tubbo never got to have, away from the fighting like Ranboo had wanted.
He hoped that everyone would leave Ranboo be. He hoped that they would let him be happy.
Would Ranboo be happy now?
When he was finally face to face with Dream he didn’t think back to old memories. He looked straight ahead right at Dream, and welcomed the fate he knew was coming. He wouldn’t let Dream hurt Tubbo, he wouldn’t let Dream hurt any of his friends. He reached for Tubbo’s hand, knowing that he may never get the chance to see his friend ever again, and wanting to make the most of the time he had left.
He knew that there was no chance for them to win this. They had nothing and Dream was decked out. They had absolutely nothing to fight back with. He just hoped he could buy time for Tubbo to run.
What he hadn’t expected was for the portal to be activated again. People began piling out, telling Dream to get away from them. He didn’t see Phil or Techno, but he didn’t even care. People who he thought hated him were rallying behind him, protecting him.
Dream wasn’t going to win. This was their victory, they had done it. They were done, they could finally rest now.
As he looked at Dream he smiled. Dream had hurt him, hurt his friends, but he wasn’t going to get away with it.
“Put your armour in the hole Dream.”
He had won now.
Hadn’t he?
:)