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Techno forgot how much he didn't like babysitting. He only babysat the kids because he didn't want to be there as people broke into tears. Two shark totems were squealing and jumping on a red race car bed. A white fox kit was being chased around the room by a zombie pigman. The playroom itself was a mess with toys scattered around and probably some broken.
"Alright! If you guys get into bed, I'll tell you guys a story," Techno said, making Michael stop.
Michael turned to his bed and ran to the bed; sitting in the middle, he put his legs under the covers. Foolish Jr. rushed to sit next to Michael, and Finley joined his brother, resting his head on the other totems shoulder. Finally, after realising he wasn't being chased, Yoghurt hopped onto the best and sat next to Micheal.
"Good, now what story do you want to hear?" Techno asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.
"Can you tell us the story of Tommy defeating a god?" Yoghurt asked as Finley scooted closer to Foolish Jr.
"Where did you guys hear about that?" Techno asked with worry and a perplexed expression.
"Papa and Dad were whispering about it this morning," Michael said, pulling the covers up across the others.
"Yeah, and Da-Quackity said today was a special day for him and the adults, but he wouldn't say why," Yoghurt said. Hearing Yoghurt correct himself made Techno feel joy and sorrow. It's been a year, and the fox pup was still hurting over his father's loss.
"We want to know why today is so special and why everyone is sad," Finley said, and Foolish Jr. nodded.
"Are you sure? It's not a happy tale," Techno said with hesitance.
"Please, uncle! We'll go to bed right after it!" Michael said and gave Techno his best puppy eyes. Techno felt glad Michael's eyes weren't blue. They would've looked exactly like his.
"And and! Tomorrow, we'll clean up the playroom for you!" Foolish, Jr said. The other's nod and look at the piglin expectedly.
The older piglin sighs, "Alright. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to know, especially since it's the anniversary. Just don't tell your parents I told you," Techno said. The kids promised, and Techno took a breath, "Tommy stood alone facing the god...
Tommy wills his eyes open. He's curled up, gripping his stomach tightly. Finally, he pushes himself up and looks up, staring up at a god—the porcelain mask with an X carved across stares back. A green hood attached to a robe covered the rest of the god's features.
The god doesn't move as Tommy struggles to stand. Finally, tripping over himself, Tommy can only kneel with great effort.
"Give up. You've lost foolish one," The god speaks with an echo that could be heard across the wasteland. Although not being able to see their face, Tommy can hear the smirk.
The god is telling the truth. He looks around at the reminisce of a battlefield. Ranboo and Tubbo are together sprawled on the ground. Tubbo has a gash on his stomach, and Ranboo is bleeding through his skull. They're holding each other's hands tightly. They both are barely breathing.
From what Tommy knew, Michael was at home sleeping without knowledge of what is going on.
To the right of him, Techno is lying by the crystal statue of Phil, bleeding heavily and disarmed. They couldn't save Phil before the god got to his mind. Phil has a look of calm with a single crystal tear running down his face with his wings tucked in. Tommy can't tell if Techno is breathing. He hopes he is.
Sam, Bad, Puffy and foolish are out cold with their weapons scattered around them. Puffy and Bad aren't breathing. He hopes Bad is with Skeppy. He prays Puffy is somewhere safe. The crystal statues of George and Sapnap are holding each other's hands with a look of terror yet peace on their faces.
Wilbur had his arms wrapped around Fundy's body and had multiple arrows through his back. He'll be joining Fundy soon with his ragged and shallow breaths. The rest are in similar situations—either a crystal statue or dying from blood loss.
The god is right. They have lost. They all will die in a few minutes at the hands of a god. Nobody will remember them and only wonder what apocalypse hit this server.
"Your right," Tommy rasps and coughs up blood. He looks up at the god. "But...before I go, can I ask you a question?" Tommy asks, willing himself to stand up. He's shaky to his feet and feels pain ripple through his body.
The god cocks his head. "You may." Their voice is smooth with humour.
Ringing is all Techno hears, and he wills his eyes opens. Finally, he opens his eyes to look upon a hero standing before a god, struggling to stay upright. He tries to stand but feels pain spike through his legs. Looking, he sees both of his legs scarred and bruised. One angled wrong. He's not going to be able to get there in time before the hero dies.
Tommy takes a breath and speaks, "Do you know what it's like to be a hero? To have people come to you for protection and help? To be the protagonist in a story that will be told for generations? To have felt the love and hope of others weigh heavy on your shoulders? To be expected to know what you're doing every day of your life? To be ready to fight whenever someone needs you?
"People like to think I'm a hero, but I'm not. I'm just a kid! Doing everything he can to have a home to go back to. Trying his hardest to keep his friends safe! To earn back the trust of so many he's hurt. But you...your just a monster who watched as people loved and grew without them. You are controlled by envy and longing for the lives of others.
”I love my friends with all my heart, but you feed on them! On the memories of love and loss, of birth and death, joy and sorrow! So come on! Take my memories! But you better have an appetite because even though I have lived a short life, I have seen many things."
Techno pulls himself closer to the god and hero, but his arms give out, and he collapses on the hard stone ground. He stares with pain at the hero, screaming and begging. Tears rush across his face as he begs him to wait for him. Begging him not to do what he's doing.
Tommy continues after a breath, feeling the crystals creep up his legs. "I walked away from a blown up and destroyed home. I walked away from a hurt brother and mourning father. I have been there as the era's changed and people grew apart. Sometimes I was the reason the era's change and people drifted. I have seen the birth of nations and have watched as time ran out, day by day, until nothing was left but the memory of what was! I was there when death greeted me and let me live another day! I have watched my friends drift, and my family fall into ruin until nothing was left! No home, no friends, no family, just me!"
Crystal reached his chest, and it became harder to breathe, but he continued. "I have lived in a world controlled by power-hungry madmen. One man who held power over me because of two flimsy breakable disks! Another I dared to call my brother all while he hurt me and blew up the place I called home!
”I've felt my feet become numb as I walked through ice and snow and felt the burns of explosives mark my skin! Scars are more common than freckles! I have seen things you can't imagine. I have heard things your ears wouldn't be able to understand. I have failed so many times you'd think I was insane to keep trying! I have stared death down and have been pulled back from the peaceful afterlife! I have sacrificed my lives for my brothers and friends and will continue to sacrifice everything I have for this place!
”And I know things; Books that I will never open and read, spells that must never be spoken, tunes that can never be played again! Feelings, failures, melodies and knowledge that will make gods like you wither away!" The god writhed in pain as his body began to split open with glowing cracks. The crystal statues of his friends also began to crack open as the person inside awoke.
"So come on! Take my memories, you monster! Feel my pains and joys! Take my laughs and my tears! Take everything until all that's left is the boy who came here years ago. Take it! Take it all!" Tommy screamed as the god burst into a flash of white light. Nothing was left but dust particles and lit sparks. Crystal statues shattered as the person inside fell to the ground with thuds.
In the hero's final breaths, he turned his head to look back at his friends and locks eyes with the piglin's tear-stained face. Then, as crystal covers his cheeks, he gives his older brother a soft smile with eyes ripe with forgiveness.
"With the death of the god, the people who turned into statues came back and was able to tend to the wounded and help bury the already dead," Techno said, tucking in Michael, Yoghurt and the totem twins into the giant race car bed.
"Did Tommy come back?" Foolish Jr. asked as he pulled the covers over his shoulder.
Technos breath shuddered before answering, "..No. Tommy didn't come back, but his sacrifice wasn't in vain. We're all here because of him. It's why we celebrate today." Techno didn't understand why tears pricked his eyes.
"Is Tommy a hero?" Micheal asked with a yawn as his eyes grew heavy. The Yoghurt and the shark pup's were already asleep.
Techno hesitated before turning his head to look out at Snowchester. Dusk was setting in, and you could see the warm lights from inside houses. In the middle of the towns square, a winged father, goat hybrid, enderman hybrid sat in front of a fountain. Next to the father was a guitar with a name carved into it. Water ran down two tiers and shimmered with the warm light of torches and lanterns surrounding the fountain. The group of hybrids simply sat with their heads down, most likely reminiscing in memories.
On top of the second and smaller tier, a crystal statue of a boy dressed in khaki shorts and a simple t-shirt smiled down with a familiar look of forgiveness in their eyes. They gripped a compass attached to a chain necklace with a soft grip. The other hand held an allium placed there by the enderman. Stars twinkled, and Techno swore he saw the crystal statue move, but he knew that it was just his mind playing a trick on him. He wished the statue did move. If his brother did return, the world would feel less cold, and instead of silence, his loud laughter would be heard. He wished it was true. He knew it wasn't.
"No...He wasn't a hero. He was a brother and a friend."