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When Niki Nihachu noticed Tommy Innit racing down the Prime Path towards the prison, as the sun began to set, her first instinct was to duck behind a hill.
The boy didn’t notice her, luckily, too caught up in hastily fastening the straps of his shoddy diamond armor and eyes fixed on the unforgiving black walls of the prison.
“You’re- this- this isn’t real, is it?” She could faintly hear him cry. She almost wanted to go up to him.
Almost.
The rest of the group made their way to him, and Niki slid her communicator into her hands.
>Should I do it?
Tommy had begun waving frantically, but she couldn’t hear him from all the way across the field.
“I haven’t seen his signal…” she muttered to herself.
I haven’t told you yet, Niki.<
She sighed to herself. Philza was right, but this was the prime opportunity. They were far away, and scattered amongst themselves.
A little practice won’t hurt.
Careful to stay hidden, Niki began stacking the soul sand. It was a grimy texture, like kinetic sand, and she had to resist the urge to wipe her hands on the tattered overcoat that hung over her shoulders (Wilbur’s overcoat), lest the material burn it to ash.
Techno’s heading out.<
Niki nodded to no one but herself, and peered over the structure to see the warden rushing out of the water.
Then she saw him.
Dream was crawling out of the water in front of Techno, water dripping from his long, matted hair. He strode with a confidence that seemed a bit… disproportionate to his current situation. He was wearing the armor that had been packed for him, and wielding an unenchanted netherite sword.
If Niki didn’t know that he was in her debt as well, she would have been terrified.
>Now?
No, wait until we need them.<
Niki placed one skull, then another. Phil was, frankly, starting to get on her nerves. If she was to be given skulls and soul sand, then she was going to use them, damnit!
Techno was out of the water now as well, and he was heading straight for Punz. Dream was swinging his sword at the new boy- Eryn. Tommy was running away, like a coward, and she was almost tempted to follow him. Sapnap was screaming. Connor, of all people, was standing behind Dream.
Three black fireworks erupted in the evening sky.
As soon as the wither began to vibrate, Niki was skidding down the rest of the hill. While it made its way to the crowd, she shoved her way through the bamboo forest, heart pumping in her ears.
Her hands were shaking, but Niki constructed another one, anyway.
The screams made her cringe, and she had to stop herself from blocking her ears with her hands. Too much like the sixteenth, too much-
Her communicator rang out.
Good job. More would be nice, please.<
More. She could do more. The third wither was harder than the first two, although that may have been because of the screams of citizens who had heard the commotion. And the smell of gunpowder, streaming from the cursed coat that she wore every day. Despite a whole year since his death, it still smelled of cigarettes and smoke.
“Niki!”
She turned her head rapidly, only to see Sapnap rushing towards her. She dived behind the fourth unfinished wither, and watched as his flaming sword cut through the arm right next to her head.
“Punz!” He screamed into his communicator. “It’s Niki! She’s planting the withers!”
Taking the moment, Niki kicked off into the woods. The branches cut at her face like knives, and her breath was coming so fast she wasn’t sure that she was even getting air. The evening was turning into night rapidly, which was only made worse by the freezing cold. Niki wasn’t sure why that hadn’t bothered her before. Had she lost her Antarctic coat?
She was almost sure that she had lost him, when her ankle rolled beneath her and Niki went tumbling to the ground. Everything hurt.
“Get back here!” Sapnap’s voice could be heard nearby.
Sparing only a second to look at her violently shaking hands, Niki burst back into action. Seeing a break in the trees, she dove towards the treeline, to be met with-
“Goddamn it-”
Niki had found her way to the very ghost that she had been avoiding, covered in moss and leaves as if it was simply a part of the environment.
L’manburg.
With shaking legs that threatened to give way under her, Niki stumbled to the edge of the cavern, and stared in awe, momentarily forgetting the chase.
It was almost unrecognizable. The obsidian grid, held in place by some freak of technology, stood in stark contrast to piles of green vines spilling out over the edge. A waterfall on the far side of the pit met a shallow pool hundreds of yards below her feet. There were mushrooms, the size only spoken about in myths of gods and monsters.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
It was an exercise that she had learned during the revolution, after Wilbur insisted on spending his nights writing plans and letters, while Tommy was shocked awake from nasty memories in the room over. When he was clutching at his chest and his general was unable to hear him over the sound of bubbling potions, Niki stepped in to help him remember how to be awake again.
Not that it mattered, not anymore. Besides, remembering Wilbur only accelerated her heart rate, so she looked to the sky.
Venus, making its way into view, slightly marred by lingering clouds of smoke.
Niki looked across the chasm next, to be met with a hunched figure shivering in diamond armor.
Tommy.
She was about to approach him, to kick him in or comfort him (she wasn’t sure which) when she felt a cold blade pressed to her throat.
“Why are you here?” Sapnap growled in her ear.
She swallowed. The taste of blood from a bitten lip pierced her senses. “I told you. I needed more resources for my city. You’re welcome to visit once it’s finished, if you’d like.”
“Which resources?”
“Ah- general- general replenishing. Some wood. Flowers. The usual.”
“You’re wearing the Antarctic seal. Care to explain that? Huh?”
Niki internally cursed the emerald pin that had been placed on her cloak by Phil before they rode to the prison. It was beautiful, but apparently recognizable.
“I-”
Sapnap pressed the knife further into her neck. “I know why. You worked with them to free Dream, because you’re fucking insane.”
Niki chuckled. “I mean, I wouldn’t call myself insane.” Her eyes flitted over the darkening landscape. “Dream’s the crazy one here. Why not go after him?”
“I promised him that if he got out, I’d be the one to slit his throat.”
“How well is that working out for you?”
Sapnap sighed from behind her. “I hope you find what you’re looking for, Niki.”
The knife was swiftly sunk into her neck, and Niki fell to the ground.
“You-” She tried to call after him, but he was already walking away. As Niki began to choke on her own blood, she looked across the cavern again.
Tommy was still there, although this time he was picking himself back up. As he shoved the glistening helmet under his arm, she could have sworn they locked eyes.
But maybe it was just all in her head.
>Niki Nihachu was slain by Sapnap<