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Less than one week. Thats what Aldo had been given, just a few days to kill all those who worked for the Regime.
Fariis.
Haiper.
And Foolish got Tubbo.
The only who remained had been Ash.
But everything quickly went downhill. The Federation were all liars, working for their own liking, manipulating those living on the island for their benefit.
You couldn't win against a force who had the power to end your life right then and there.
Aldo knew the risks. He had diverted the plans of the Federation all gor his own gain. If he played it all right, he'd win checkmate.
But Aldo hadn't accounted for how ruthless The Federation was. For how cruel and heartless Cucurucho was when he served his punishments to those who didn't follow direct orders.
So on Satueday, at eleven in the night Cucurucho and his worker appeared in the secret living room beneath his castle. Aldo knew there was no point in hiding, not when you live with God's.
Cucurucho hadn't been happy. The God wasn't satisfied, not with the way Aldo worked, even if he had gotten half of the Regime killed it hadn't been enough.
"The deadline was Monday! Its barely Saturday, eleven in the night. That task is impossible!"
Cucurucho had appeared. Aldo handed over the pictures of the three deaths.
Fariis and Haiper that he had killed.
Tubbo that Foolish had killed.
But it hadn't been enough.
"Do you think im stupid?"
Cucurucho asked. Monotone robotic voice filling the large room. Fear arose inside Aldo.
There was so much to say. But as a Generalisimo, one had to know when not to speak. When to keep his mouth shut.
"No— no of course not. But my deadline was Monday, I have over half the Regime killed already. I just need Ash!" It was hard killing members of the Regime when they all woke up at different times and went to bed at different times.
It was near impossible to naturally catch Regime members around at such late hours.
"Tell me what is wrong. The pictures. Say it."
Undoubtedly, there was only one thing wrong. Aldo knew it would be easily picked up. The printed names on the pictures, two out of three said Aldo's name.
Cucurucho wasn't stupid.
Aldo bit the inside of his cheek, hands tightening behind his back. He kept his posture steady, ensuring that he gave off nothing but a strict voice.
Even if his world would soon fall apart, he had to keep it together. For Teana.
For the North.
For his family.
"One of them was taken by Foolish. Foolish killed Tubbo, not me."
Foolish had done it to help, the Second in Command plus plus had done it for Juan.
Cucurucho didn't move. Didn't react. Beady black eyes staring into Aldo's very soul.
There was no hiding from the Federation. From Cucurucho, from the workers, from the camera men.
There was no hiding the errors of his ways.
"I am cutting one day. Your deadline is Sunday." Aldo tensed. Because what else could he do, it was half an hour away from midnight, from Sunday... there was no possible way to kill Tubbo and Ash within the next thirty minutes.
It was illogical. Impossible.
And a trap.
Cucurucho wanted Aldo to fail. Wanted the Generalisimo of the North to stumble and fall. To lose for once.
The karma for destroying the Federation court house all those days ago with Betsy.
"Thats— eso es impossibly! Tengo— its almost Sunday already!" Tubbo and Ash are early risers. For them to be on at such a late hour would be rare occurance at all.
Teana glanced at Aldo and then at Cucurucho.
Even she knew there was no way to do it. Everything was growing out of hand. The entity. The recent storms.
There was a disgusting gut feeling that settled inside her stomach. Her chest tightened as she held herself tall, strong and broad.
She'd do it for her Generalisimo.
Cucurucho wasn't faced with Aldo's reasoning. There was no way to sway a god.
"Okay... okay I can do something, i can..." Aldo glanced back at Teana. Seeing the fear in her face. His poor right hand, the girl that was the only one he could fully trust with his everything.
Thats it.
Trust Teana with his everything.
"Do you think im stupid?"
Cucurucho continued staring down at Aldo. The same question lingering from before.
A god didn't bear stupidity.
They bared the strenght to end everything as they know it.
"No! No you're not stupid. But I can come up with something, te juro que lo puedo aser. Nomas déjame pensar."
Thirty minutes.
Aldo had only thirty minutes left.
The only thing left was to hand it all to Teana. To give his world to her, for her to protect. She was strong, Teana would do it.
And so Aldo turned and looked at Teana. The struggle to hiding the fear and anxiety, he could see it all.
With a small smile, soft, just for her he spoke.
"Teana, follow me to the corner. Quick, I need to speak with you."
Aldo opened his inventory, quickly removing the armor off his person. Moving his Warden bag to his hotbar.
Teana let out a shaky breath, quickly following Aldo. Her lower lip trembling as she quickly brought up her argument.
"Aldo they can't do that! That's unfair, you can't meet that deadline Generalisimo!"
The worry. The fear in her voice wavered and Aldo couldn't help the way he breathed in deeply. Aldo will protect the world. And he would never stop doing just that.
"Don't worry Teana, I'll handle it. I'll turn myself in, in exchange for Juan and my cannon." Teana gasped, and Aldo quickly quickly places his backpacks into the barrel to his left.
"Aldo you can't do that. The North needs you, I still need you." A sickening sweet feeling filled Aldo. The feeling of bittersweetness. The deal was cut short, and Aldo had been so close, failing to meet The Federations demands.
The Generalisimo shook his head lightly. Fully looking at Teana. Her quickly watering eyes, the way she breathed in heavily, getting mad for Aldo.
The girl had gone through so much while being under Aldo's command. Even if they had their rough spots, this was a moment where all of that was pushed aside. The moment where Aldo hands over his rank.
"Teana, I need you to listen. You've been asking for a promotion, this is your promotion. You were sub-Generalisima, now you are Generalisima. You have my rank now. You can do the things i now. Dont look into the backpacks, don'tlook ay the sword enchantments... they're always looking." Aldo smiled softly, fixing his glasses higher up his nose. Quickly taking off the badge over his chest, stepping closer and grabbing Teana's hand.
"I need you to protect them."
Aldo placed the Generalisimo badge in Teana's hand. Hating the way she tried so hard to hold back her tears. Her brows pinching together as she tried saying no.
With time ticking, Aldo gave her one last task as Generalisimo.
"Protect the North. Protect the guys, do this for me Teana. Listen to me just this once, follow my order and protect. Do what I trained you to do." Aldo placed his hands on Teana's shoulder, staring her right in the eye. Settling her back into the moment.
Teana's hands shaking as she clenched the badge tightly to her chest.
Aldo glanced back, Cucurucho still mindlessly staring ahead. The worker watching them.
"I'll get closer to the Federation. Don't worry about me, protect the North, Generalisima Teana. Grab my backpacks from the barrel, I'll come back soon."
Aldo walked back over, head ducked down, hands held tightly behind his back. Cucurucho standing just a block higher. Holding the power.
Aldo handed over his title to Teana.
The North will be safe.
Juan will be returned.
His castle will be built.
"Okay, Cucurucho... no tengo manera para matar Tubbo. Te ago un trato, te falle en cumplir mi parte." Aldo looked up. Setting his gaze onto Cucurucho's beady black eyes.
The eyes of a monster.
A monster dressed as a fucking polar bear.
"Shame." A singular word, and there was no denying that Cucurucho took joy in seeing Aldo failing.
There was no denying that... if Juan returns, the North will be returning back to normal.
Vegetta doesn't need to know what happened here. The king of the North didn't need to know the Generalisimo, the prince had willingly turned himself over for Juan to be returned.
"Te menti. Trate de jugar contigo, eres más listo de lo que pensaba. Asemos un trato, regresame a Juan. Regresame el castillo... y me puedes tomar a mi." Was this what the island was about? Slaving away for the god, just to be laughed about and shamed upon for failing such an impossible task.
Cucurucho remained steady. There was no telling what the god thought about ever.
"Todo lo que has hecho ahora, es por lo que yo ise a tu jusgado. Me puedes tomar a mi, pero regresa a Juan a la casa. A salvo, sano, y regresa el castillo. Me puedes tener a mi, que soy tu pirincipal problema." Teana lifted a hand to her mouth, breaking form just to cover the way her lower lip trembled and she tried hard to keeo it together.
She was Generalisima now. She had to be strong.
"Se llevaron a Juan por lo que le ise al jusgado, y la misma razón es la razón por la razón que mi castillo esta confiscado. Tomaste todo lo que me importa. Todo fue mi culpa. Me regresas a Juan," Aldo took a step closer. Jaw clenching as he glared at the god, at Cucurucho.
"Pero onde anda lastimado Juan, encontré la manera."
What else would Aldo do. For his family, for the North, he would end the entire island just for Juan.
For his family.
"Try me." Cucurucho spoke. The bastard knows it all. Aldo shook his head, letting out a dry laugh. His hands falling to his sides.
There was no point in acting strong when faced upon such strength.
"Before I think about this, why are you doing this?" Cucurucho asked the simplest question. And Aldo without a second of doubt answered.
A small huff. Aldo's lips curled up slightly, finding it amusing how Cucurucho seemed so unaware.
"Porque es el Norte. Y así es como trabajamos en el Norte. Consegramos nuestros corazones al Norte." Teana breathed in heavily. Her hands falling to her sides, the Generalisimo badge tightly kept in her hand.
Then, Cucurucho turned. Beady eyes landing on Teana.
"You. Do you agree with this." Teana settled into her new role. Shoulders squared, swallowing thickly. Aldo turned to look at Teana too, giving a firm nod.
The Generalisima of the North breathed in.
"Of course. Of course i do. Its for the North." Aldo gave her another nod. Proud of Teana. Of how far shes gotten within the time they've all been stuck on the island.
Cucurucho didn't react. He only turned back to look at Aldo. "I've thought of this... and i accept your deal." Cucurcho pulled out a rope. Holding it tightly in his hands. Stepping down from his block. Aldo walked closer, bringing his hands forth.
The rope began wrapping around Aldo's wrists. Trapping him, arresting him.
"This is so fucked up." Teana called out shakily, hands trembling, staying back as Aldo was tied.
Aldo turned his head. A sense of pride filling him by the way of how much shes grown.
"Teana—"
"Respect him!" Teana took a step closer. Wanting to save Aldo, pull her Generalisimo back. To keep her family.
"Aldo, you are hereby detained by the Federation. Any last words." The rope was tugged. Aldo balled his hands into tight fists. Being treated like a dog.
"Be nice to him!" There was the urge to help. Teana stepped closer, but she stopped herself.
"Teana, remember this as the day where humanity takes a step closer to our plan. And remember to always tatakae!" Aldo tugged at the ropes, planting his feet on the floor. Cucurucho held fast though, and pulled at Aldo's bindings without a sweat.
And so Aldo began getting dragged away.
Juan will be returned, all safe and sound. The castle will be continued being built. The North will be safe.
Aldo's family will be safe.
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