Chapter Text
Phil is getting antsy. What if something happened? There aren't any warning sirens but that doesn’t mean nothing’s going down. Damn, he should have asked Ranboo more questions. Like if Techno was here with him.
A feathered ear flicks at the sound of numbers being punched into a pin pad just on the other side of the door. It sends his stomach through the floor. What if it’s Karl? What if someone woke up to go investigate the racket coming from the lab. The door slides open and a smaller figure followed by Ranboo’s tall frame enters the room.
“You know I could probably bust the cage open?” Someone murmurs as he walks over the desk.
“How long would that take?” Ranboo responds.
Shaggy hair covers the strangers eyes as they look over at the cell. “Could take all night or a few minutes.”
“We don’t have all night. But if you think you could do it a small amount of time I’d appreciate it if you gave it a try.”
Skeppy shuffled up to the grate, “No way you somehow convinced Tubbo to come with.”
Tubbo glances at the cage where the voice came from. “Skep?” He quickly makes his way over to them noticing everyone else in there too.
“Hey guys…” Tubbo sounds guilty saying this, “I’m really sorry I couldn’t get you out sooner…”
“I’m not sure how you could have. Karl was always here when you came in.” Skeppy reasons.
“Yeah don’t beat yourself up over it,” Ant empathizes.
Tubbo grunts as his knees hit the floor, rough hands dig through his pillow case. “I’m gonna get you out now. So hang tight,” A determined look in his strange eyes.
Analyzing the box they were kept in from all sides, it looks like a really disheartening venture. If he were on Earth he could probably hack into this thing and have it open within the hour. But without any of this personal high tech gear with him other than power tools, it’ll take him ages to get this open and be incredibly loud.
He huffs, disheartened, as he walks across the room back to the computer.
“I don’t think I could get this open without it being really loud and slow.”
Ranboo nods a bit saddened that he can’t get them out quietly.
“Well… Still got plan A I guess.”
Tubbo starts logging into the computer.
“What is plan A, anyways?” Tubbo successfully logs in, clicking through windows and tabs.
“I’m gonna let Technoblade in and he’s gonna bust through the metal holding them captive.”
Tubbo gives Ranboo a look.
“Really? How the heck is he going to do that?”
“IIII wouldn’t underestimate him.”
Tubbo get’s the funny feeling that something insane happened to Techno as well.
Bringing up the systems for the field can only be done via command controls. And fortunately for them Tubbo has gone to great lengths to learn about nerdy stuff like that. And within a couple minutes he’s gotten to the on/off command. Bypassing a bunch of protocols and warnings from the system asking him if he’s sure.
He looks up at Ranboo his finger hovering above the enter key. “Are you sure this plan is going to work?”
Nope
“Yes.” Ranboo says with the utmost confidence.
“Alright.” Tubbo holds his breath as he presses the button.
Techno was sitting outside the field begrudgingly picking the grass and hoping the worst didn’t happen. When all the sudden the indigo shield vanishes, scaring the ever loving shit out of him. He takes a minute to get settled and calm down his restless mind.
“Okay…” He puffs air from his nose as he heads towards the entrance. His hooves dig into soft soil as he takes wide strides.
Ranboo takes that moment to head to the door to open it with Fundy’s stolen keycard. It takes him maybe a minute or two of not accidentally bonking his head on the ceiling and swinging his tail recklessly for him to get to the entrance. As quietly as possible he cranks the door open to welcome Techno in.
“Took you long enough,” Techno grunts.
Ranboo holds the doors open to help Techno’s massive frame fit through.
“I should mention Tubbo will be joining us too,” Ranboo whispers.
Techno’s eyebrows raise in surprise.
“Interesting,” stalking out into the familiar hall he looks to the roof, “Were the ceilings always this low…?”
Ranboo literally has to hunch over to move around without skimming his horns.
“It’s kinda weird isn’t it?” The tall figure chuckles as they start moving back to the labs.
“Agreed.” Techno keeps his ax close to his side. Ready to strike anyone who dares get in his way. His hooves clop on the pristinely kept floor, leaving dirty tracks in his wake.
Tubbo isn’t sure what to expect. All he was told was not to freak out or make any loud noises upon seeing Techno for the first time in months.
The thought of getting thrown in jail or murdered also crossed his mind. They were only gone for a few minutes but Tubbo already caught himself biting his tough nails 3 different times.
All the reasonable possibilities raced through his mind. A lot of which ended in multiple people dying. Which scared him, BAD. But if they could get this right? Maybe he could be free of this cursed place.
There were two small knocks. That was Tubbo’s cue to open the door. Getting up from the roller chair. He punches in the pin allowing the metal to slide open. Before immediately retreating to the bright white light of the computer screen. First person that ducks in is Ranboo and he’s not sure he will ever get used to how gangly and tall he is now.
A hulking figure waits in the doorway. Their pupils reflect a bright crimson color. Tubbo can feel himself start to shake a bit at the sight.
It takes a step and
CLANG
“Ow-” A hooved hand comes to rub his forehead.
“Stupid door-”
“Yeah they aren't tall enough,” Ranboo snickers.
All the tension immediately evaporated.
Huh. Does everyone get tall like this?
Phil is ecstatic to hear Techno’s voice. He never thought it would miss it this much, but the low monotone makes his heart feel lighter.
“Techno, over here!” Phil wants to shout even though he knows he shouldn’t.
Light comes back to Techno’s eyes when he hears Phil speak. Everything is going to be okay. Not a moment later he’s already clambering over to their shared cell. Tail wagging uncontrollably as he looks at his companion through the grate.
“Phil, you don’t know how happy I am to see you alive and well, my friend.” Honesty pouring out of every word.
“ ‘Well might be a stretch, but I’m certainly alive,” Phil chuckles, the first genuine smile he’s had in days.
“Alright let's get you outta here.” Techno tries to sniff around for any weaknesses before he tears right into it. He’d rather not swing wildly if he could help it.
The pin pad on the outside of the door sounds in a sequence of numbers.
Oh no.
Everyone went bug eyed in that second. Tubbo immediately ducked under the desk to hide unplugging the computer in the process. Ranboo on instinct teleported elsewhere. And Techno tried to hide behind a counter that was blocking the view from the door.
Phil was frozen in place. Heart in his throat. Hoping beyond hope.
The door opens with a slow slide. In steps Karl with a flashlight, looking a little disgruntled and confused. He scans over the dark room with his light. Looking for something… Or someone.
Already, he’s noticing a few things out of place. His chair isn’t where he left it, there was dirt residue on the floor. Most damning of it all is that there was a pillowcase on the floor full of stuff.
Tubbo is holding his breath with his hands over his mouth like he did while playing hide and seek. Heart beat thumping in his ears so loud he was sure Karl could hear it. Feet come into view as Karl steps closer to examine the bag.
“What the fuck…?” Karl mumbles. Looking around some more with his flashlight, he then notices a pair of feet in front of his chair under the table.
Tubbo is shaking.
They’er going to kill me aren't they… It’s a whole crew against a couple of misfits. I’m so dead I’m so dead I’msodeadimsodeadimsodead.
Karls eyes come into view and they are as cold and menacing as ever.
“Now what the hell are you doing in here?” He spits, yanking Tubbo out by the hair.
Techno, who has been intently listening has a white knuckled grip on his ax.
Enough is enough.
Who cares if they know we’re here.
Standing up from his position behind the counter he feels every bit of the vitriol that he has for Karl double as the man smacks Tubbo. The hairs on the back start standing on end. That hungry angry sensation is coming back in full force.
“You think you can just come in here and mess with my work while I’m not on the clock?” Karl hisses.
Techno moved without thought. And it takes Karl a second to notice someone else was in the room. Someone a lot bigger than him.
Karl’s heart drops upon seeing Techno. The boar's hair was sticking out at jagged angles. Its eyes are bright red dark brows pushing them down to a sharp angle. An ungodly roar erupts from his chest. Sharp tusks tipped towards Karls face. Its breath was angry and hot as it raised one fist.
Techno’s hooved hand breaks the glasses off his face. Shattering his nose in the process. Blood spews from his nostrils as his body flies into the nearest wall. Karl collapsed in a heap. It felt exceptionally cathartic. Like knocking down a house of cards that someone you despise had worked tirelessly on.
“Man, I've always wanted to do that.” He helps a shaky Tubbo off the floor with ease.
“Is he going to be okay?”
“Maybe,” Techno chuckles darkly.
Rushing back over to the cage, Techno takes his ax and readies it for swing.
“Keep your heads down.”
Phil and the rest of them duck keeping their hands over their heads incase of shrapnel hitting them.
Suddenly the lights in the room shift from white to red. It’s the emergency lights. He has to work quickly.
Techno starts chopping at the side of the cell and it doesn't take much. His Netherite ax is clearly superior. Using his whole body he’s making jagged cuts into the metal.
Tubbo starts acting like a kid in a candy store stealing all a bunch of different parts and tools from the lab as fast as possible. Because who knows, maybe we’ll need it.
It takes Techno a little longer than he would like but he finally cuts through enough of it to be able to open a gap via the half sawed off top to allow people to slip through. Slotting his prized possession back through the fabric of his belt.
He grunts with effort as he begins to pull up as hard as he can. Muscles strain with effort as he widens the gap. The metal creaks under the pressure.
Phil is the first one out followed by a string of several others. With Tubbo and Phil helping yank them through the gap. Not a second after the last limb left containment Techno quickly jerks his hands away as the metal clamps back down to its original position. He’s already tired and they haven't even gotten out yet. But the show must go on. He pulls the ax from its place at his hip and starts breaking chains.
Phil and Techno don’t say much to each other but there is a sense of warmth between them as Techno gingerly unbinds his wings. Though they might be in an increasingly dangerous situation they can’t help but whisper quiet words of care to each other. All of which no one else could hear. As soon as Phil’s wings are freed it feels like the weight of the world is finally off his shoulders. He stretches them across the room. Broken chains clanking at his wrists as he shifts his arms high above his head.
Skeppy seems impressed for once. Maybe even awestruck at the full extension of Phil’s wings.
Footsteps could be heard in the hall.
“Shit,” Techno curses.
“You have a contingency plan right?” Tubbo asks.
Foolish is kneeling on the floor, arms spread out as far apart as he can get them so Techno can line up a shot to smash through his cuffs.
“Tubbo, you think you could make a bomb of some sort?”
A wicked grin spreads across his face. “I thought you’d never ask.”
“Oh man- Oh man-” When the red lights came on Ranboo was at the air locks, “What are we gonna do?” Ranboo is pacing through the halls now unsure if he should teleport back to the lab to try and help his friends or not. It’s stupid to be doing this. And he should know it, but panic is setting in and he really doesn’t want to leave without knowing whether they are okay or not. Sweat is gathering on his lip, as he tries to control his breathing.
“Ranboo is that you?” A familiar voice asks from the other side of the hall.
Niki?
He jumps upon seeing her, immediately retreating to the dorms. Foot falls are coming in fast as she makes chase. Thankfully for one reason or another they didn’t bother to lock his room again after he left.
They burst in slamming the door shut behind them. Holding their weight against it should anyone try to get in.
The footsteps pause in front of his door and there’s an eerily long silence with some shuffling and quiet movements before a soft voice comes from the other side.
“Could you please open the door?”
“No- No, I’m in deep trouble and I’m sure you don’t want to see me like this.”
“Ranboo please, I need to know you’re okay,” Niki pleads.
It could be a trap.
“How do I know you’re not holding an ambush for me?”
“What? Ranboo don’t be ridiculous, I would never do something like that to you.” She sounds offended. “ Please , Ranboo, I want to help, I swear!” She cries. “I don’t know where people have been disappearing to. So at the very least could I see you just to make sure I’m not dreaming.”
It hurts to hear her pleading for something so small. Maybe they are overthinking this. Niki has been nothing but kind to him since the beginning.
“Okay but don’t freak out alright?”
“Promise.”
Ranboo slowly opens the door only to see people dressed in full black with assault weapons through the crack. His heart drops as he quickly tries to shut it again but they all pile on to the frame. Ranboo’s feet skid across the floor as he pushes against the people on the other side.
“NIKI WHAT THE FUCK.” Ranboo’s strained voice comes out in a shout.
He doesn’t hear her say another word.
Were they just imagining it?
No way he heard it clear as day.
Why would she do something like this?
He starts panting with the amount of force he has to exert just to keep them at bay. The armed people start ramming into the door with their shoulders. There had to be at least 5 of them out there, maybe more. And Ranboo can feel himself slipping. He can’t hold them off for much longer, he has to disappear.
Come on focus.
Their eyes pinch closed and he puts himself outside in the clearing. But thinking about it is making his stomach roll. His head starts spinning faster and faster the more he thinks about it. A cold sweat breaks out on his forehead.
Oh god- I’m going to vomit.
It’s taking a lot more effort to teleport for some reason. It’s probably because he’s preoccupied. So he takes a risk.
Pushing off of the door he lets himself stand still for a moment, as all the people dressed in full body armor fall into his dorm. And just as one of them was getting up to apprehend the intruder, Ranboo dematerialized in the blink of an eye.
This teleport felt especially nauseating as he entered the clearing. To the point that he heaved chunks of his dinner into the grass.
Note to self, it’s much harder to teleport while you're doing something else.
It takes Tubbo no time at all to concoct a smoke bomb of sorts.
“Come out with your hands up and we won’t hurt you,” A man's voice commands.
Phil hisses an insult under his breath.
“And what would make us think to trust you, huh?” Techno practically growls.
“We don’t want to have to do this the hard way. Trust me we’re all tired. So why don’t you lay down your weapons so we can be civilized about this.”
“Civilized?” Techno barks a laugh, “You’re keeping people in cages like animals and you want to be civilized?”
“Whether you believe it or not, we have your best interest-”
“As if!” Tubbo speaks up, “You’ve been doing nothing but exploiting us the entire mission!”
“Look, we’re giving you a chance to surrender peacefully, you either take it or leave it.”
Everyone in the room looks at each other, Techno is especially eyeing the smoke bomb Tubbo made.
“Alright. We’ll come out as long as you don’t shoot on sight.”
“You have my word.”
They hear pin pad beeping from the other side of the door.
Tubbo grips his bomb tighter. Techno hurriedly gestures for everyone to get behind him.
Phil squeezes Techno’s arm as he looks up at his friend, both as warning and as a promise. They will not be separated again if he can help it.
The door slides open and without a moment's notice Tubbo throws a small bag into the crowd of soldiers and it blasts into a giant plume of smoke that swallows half the room and a lot of the hall.
“What the-!” Coughing ensues.
The explosion makes Techo’s ears ring as he heads straight for the door. His frame cuts into the smoke as he charges forward. Phil was right to his tail, everyone followed suit in a line behind him. Techno bulldozes through people with ease, barreling straight through the smoke into the hall. Random shots fire as people notice they are making their way out. Hurriedly, he ushers everyone ahead of himself and makes a run for the end of the hall. He’s all too familiar with the noises of bullets zipping past. Some of them buried themselves in the walls, others in the floor, and a singular stray bullet punched him square in the meat of his back. Thankfully the muscles in his back are especially resistant to damage. So it didn’t go any further than his rib cage. It nearly knocks him off his feet however as he staggers his way around the corner.
“ AH - MMMMmm ” Biting back a cry of pain he rounds the corner, keeping up his dead sprint.
“Does anyone here have a key card?” Techno grunts.
“I do.” Tubbo races up to the front.
Techno glances back for a second and in that second he notices Dream is there with a stare that sends chills down his spine. They get to the airlock just in time to be able to overload the system by putting in too many commands. It won’t solve the problem but it will buy them time. All pursuers can do is wait or get a technician over here to speed up the process.
“Techno you’ve got a hole in your back!” Phil exclaims, the wariness in his eyes makes him look that much older.
“It’s nothing,” Techno winces, unable to put pressure on it to stop the bleeding.
“No it’s not.” Phil declares, as he tears some of his sleeve off, putting pressure on the wound to try and buffer the bleeding. Helping it atleast clot up some.
“We have to go now there’s no time!” Tubbo is shaking from adrenaline as he unlocks the rest of the doors.
Bad, Foolish and the others made their escape and are now helping Fundy with his bindings.
Ranboo dipped his head into the airlock chamber, “Oh thank god you guys are alive, I’m so sorry for leaving you back there.”
Techno and Phil make their way’s outside. His friend kept pressure on his back as they went. They all start steadily making their way into the woods as fast as possible. Foolish, Skeppy, Ant and Bad seem to be having an argument about something in the clearing. Before helping Fundy up and following along.
“It’s no big,” Techno grimaces.
Ranboo pales.
“You got shot again?”
“Again?!” Phil didn’t seem happy that this has happened multiple times already.
“No time to argue. We need to get back home.” It’s too dangerous to have loud conversations out here.
“They will follow us…” Phil goes pale, “We need to leave the planet if we don’t want to be on the run for the rest of our lives..”
“How are we going to do that? Isn’t your ship broken?”
“It still works, it just needs parts for the hyperdrive,” Phil’s brows furrow as he looks over his shoulder at the slowly shrinking ship.
“You need hyperdrive parts?” Tubbo grins.
“Yes?... Do you have any?”
He spins a wrench in the air catching it with one gloved hand. “Oh yeah. I’ve been taking bits and pieces of the hyperdrive for weeks. Mainly because I was going to go out on my own and build my own ship. But hey now I don’t need to!”
Phil’s jaw hits the floor.
“Tubbo you are a godsend,” Techno admits.
“I know,” Tubbo continues on with a pep in his step. Even as they are trekking into utter darkness. The nocturnal critters tend to be small thankfully.
“This might actually work,” Phil mumbles.
“I’ll lead the way. Ya’ll use the buddy system don’t walk off anywhere otherwise you’ll be lost in the forest.”
“I’ll go ahead to do preparations for Flowerfall to come back online,” Phil takes off in a giant gust of wind. Hoping that by going sooner rather than later, he can save time and potentially save lives. “The ship will be ready by the time you get there.”
A long slender arm picks up where Phil left off with keeping the pressure on the bullet wound in his back. “Alright, we’re all behind you,” Ranboo says in a quiet voice to Techno.
He takes a strong whiff of the air through his snout. The path feels familiar.
“This way.”
The worry in Phils heart soars. Knowing that if they die it will be partially his fault in his vain attempt to help them in future. So while he is closer to the clouds than the earth he makes a prayer. Tears welling in his eyes he looks to the stars and begs. No matter how improbable that someone is listening.
“May they be safe on their journey. And may those who follow to cause harm, be smited in their attempt. Please … Make it so .”
It doesn't take long before Techno catches the sounds of voices behind them.
“I want them captured immediately! You are allowed to use deadly force!”
Ohhh that doesn’t sound good.
“We gotta pick up the pace,” Techno whispers. Damn my leg hurts.
“We can keep up,” Ranboo quietly asserts.
They start to jog further into the darkness, every now and then someone stumbles on a log or rock. But other than that-
CRACK
Their pace comes to a screeching halt.
“Skeppy! Are you okay?” Bad tries to help him up but he’s unresponsive.
“What happened?” Techno whisper shouts.
“I don’t know-! He must have fallen and hit his head on something?”
“Can you carry him?”
“Uhm- I can try, yeah,” Bad heaves Skeppy in a piggy back. Feeling a runny substance seep onto his clothes.
“I think he’s bleeding-” Deep concern edges into Bads voice.
“We’ll deal with it when we get to our destination. For now we have to keep going, stat .”
“Alright,” He murmurs.
They are off to the races again. There’s light being waved around from flashlights in the opposite direction. People are drawing near.
“May they be safe on their journey. And may those who follow to cause harm, be smited in their attempt. Please …Make it so.”
The wind starts to howl through the trees like a ghostly voice. Vowels and Consonants mixing together. There’s static in the air like it’s the start of a storm. Only problem with that is that the clouds are long gone.
All the insects suddenly stop their incessant low drone. Everything becomes unusually still and quiet.
Techno’s hackles are standing on end.
“Something’s happenin’” Tingly sensations are running up and down his whole body.
“What is it?”
“Dunno… Keep your guard up.”
Suddenly in the distance there is a screech. That of which Techno has heard before. A cold chill racks through him.
Without any warning Techno bolts, practically dragging everyone with him. Blinded by panic and pure instinct. His hands fly to his head as he puts them over his ears.
“Ow- AH! Slow down!” Bad says while tripping up on himself.
“HEY! They're over here!” A distant voice shouts. They’ve found them.
“Keep up you nimrods!” Tubbo snaps.
“Easy for you to say!” Foolish grumbles, “Your skin isn’t super heavy!”
“Techno, slow down! Not all of us can keep up with this kind of pace!” Ranboo pleads.
“Cover your ears.” He’s not slowing down, not for one second.
“What?”
The sound of heavy footfalls start coming their way. Getting louder and louder.
“Do it NOW !” Techno barks.
Ranboo turns to the others, “Everyone cover your ears.”
“Did you lose them?”
“We’ve lost line of sight of them sir, but we know the general direction they’re going in.”
“Keep following them.” He knows isn’t supposed to be out here, but he can’t come back empty handed. And whenever he’s lost it’s always at the hands of others doing a poor job in his place. So he’s come with a full respirator, goggles and all. To make sure this gets done right. Because god forbid he’s careless again.
Dream notices distant heavy foot falls are getting closer. But nothing usually comes into this territory. Why now? They must have caught something's attention somehow… No matter. Dream isn’t going to give up this chase for anything. It would ruin him if HQ knew about this.
As the creature drew near however, he started to hear the most angelic voice hovering over the canopy. He’d go as far to say that it sounded like his mother? Then her voice multiplied into two voices, then three, then four then soon there was a whole choir singing. It starts out pleasant and calm before rising in pitch and intensity. Their eerie voices ring in his head. And it’s only after he’s taken a couple steps that he realizes he’s walking towards it. The voices become high pitched screams or chirps. And his body feels cold.
Dream tries to resist it, however futile it was in the moment.
Then in the underbrush he notices something moving. And that his men are not pointing it out at all. He tries to speak, to get anyone’s attention. But his lips don’t move… They are all under the same spell.
A horrified feeling washes over him as he watches this giant creature purposefully walk and sit down in the direct beam of a flashlight. Exposing its dirty matted grayish brown fur and 3 sets of legs. Dream couldn’t get a good look at its face because of how tall it was. What he did see, however, was the glimmer of wet dark eyes and the gleam of a sharp toothy smile.
It whistles. Waiting patiently for it to attract all of Dreams men like moths to a flame.
Dream kept moving against his will. His mind had become fuzzy from fighting the hypnotic spell. He almost forgot what he was doing multiple times.
The creature lowers its head, a malicious grin on its face as it sniffs at the man closest to it. Mere moments pass as its jaw unhinges and it scoops up the body into its mouth. The mortifying crunch of bones resisting its strength shatters the control it had over him. With heavy limbs he lifts his semi automatic weapon shooting to kill.
He misses most of his shots thanks to the fact he couldn’t bring his arms up to his face. Rather his gun was kept at waist level.
But some of them landed, puffing dark fur off of its body from the impacts.
It screams . And the sound is unlike anything he’s ever heard before. Just the noise alone nearly brought him to his knees.
He can’t fight this thing?!
He can barely focus on the fight, let alone kill it!
The creature starts charging at him in a blinding haze. Crushing and throwing people that were in its way.
MOVE, DREAM MOVE.
His knees finally bend at the last second and he is sprinting for his life back to the ship.
It takes him a minute however to realize he wouldn’t be able to make it back inside in time thanks to the door being locked.
FUCK IT!
Dream skids into a sharp turn making his way deeper into the woods. If he couldn’t get away he was going to make sure his men could.
Just before he gets far enough however some of his men start gaining consciousness. Shooting at the creature chasing him. It screams something terrible before whipping around and moving back towards them. It became so hard to move.
Behind him he could hear his people getting massacred .
Agonizing shrill sounds fill the air as they are torn to shreds, eaten, bludgeoned, crushed, you name it. It was going on a rampage .
And Dream continued. He’s not proud of it. But his only way out was going deeper into the woods. One step at a time he struggled to get further and further away. Until it became less strenuous to walk. Which is when he started to run.
They weren’t going to get away if this was the last thing he'd do.
HQ be damned. That thing just slaughtered all his men! The only way to go home now, is for him to have a good reason for them to want to bring him back. So he will chase these miscreants to the ends of this planet to capture them.
God damn you Technoblade…