Chapter Text
Michael had a simple life. He lived in a house, in a snowy place. His dad's would visit him, Dad the most. Papa visited less, but he was ways so happy to see Michael.
Papa was funny. He was tall, and had two different eyes just like Michael. Papa would laugh, and give him gifts, and talk to him even if Michael didn't understand the words. Michael liked his Papa.
Dad was different. He was short and laughed a lot. Dad had hooves like Michael. Dad lived in the downstairs house where Michael wasn't allowed, but was always really protective of Michael. Michael liked his Dad.
Time moved slowly. Michael didn't realize it at first. But eventually his bed was a little bit too small. His dad's hadn't visited in a little too long. His chicken was a little too ripped without repairs. That's when he realized.
He was alone.
That's what lead him here. Staring down at the trapdoor that his dad's would normally come up. Wondering what was down there. Would Dad be there? Or Papa? Or maybe the funny fox man and the man with the wings? Carefully, slowly, Michael lifted the door.
"Dad?" He called down in a soft voice, "Papa?"
Michaels only response was silence. The little piglin gripped his chicken tighter. Where were his dad's? Michael needed to find out. So he reached one little hoof down into the first rung of the ladder and froze.
Nothing happened. Michael took another shaking step. He wasn't supposed to be down here. His dad's would be mad. But Michael was scared. He wanted his Dad to hug him, and his Papa to let him play with his tail, and he wanted to be a family again.
Before Michael knew it, his hooves hit another trapdoor. The little piglin looked up to find himself in the first floor of the house. It was dark. The windows shuddered in the wind outside. The door locked shut. Dust settled on long forgotten cobwebs in corners of the room.
But no Dad. He just wanted his Dad. Michael sat down next to the ladder, tears welling in his eyes. He hugged his knees. What should he do? Should he go outside? Outside is dangerous, but he didn't want to be alone.
The choices twisted in Michaels stomach. The want to find his dad's wrestling with his need to stay safe. But if his dad's could survive out there, could he? Maybe he could find his dad's out there. Hidden in the snow and ice of the little town. What else was out there?
Michael slowly stood up, chicken held close to his chest, and approached the door. It was colder down here, and colder by the door. Michael shivered. Whether from the temperature or his own fear, he would never know. As his hoof hovered over the icy lock, Michael deltas though he was entering something big. Something more. A new adventure.
The door creaked open. Light shone through, an odd mix of warm and cold on Michaels face. And how bright it was! The snow so white, the sky so blue! The smell of the sea drifted in, clean and fresh. Michael wanted to see all of it!
He stepped out onto the wood patio. There was a chest next to the door, right in front of some stairs. Michael opened the chest. Inside were three books and a very dead, dried pink tulip.
He picked up a book and opened it to. Almost immediately, Michael started tearing up. His Papa's looping handwriting was neatly written down the pages. He didn't recognize any words except one. Tubbo. His Dad. Papa wrote about Dad.
Michael gathered up the books, tucking them safely away in his chicken. Chicken would keep them safe. Gingerly, he picked up the flower. Dad said it was his favorite. Michael carefully put it in his pocket. He'd give it to Dad when he found him. But he'd have to brave the snow first.
Michael squealed and jumped back as his hoof hit the snow. It was cold! He didn't like the cold. It made his feet and nose and ear hurt. Michael shivered heavily as he stepped out again. He had to find his dad's. He could deal with a little cold.
The little piglin trudged through the ankle deep snow. Within a few steps, he was absolutely freezing. He hugged his chicken tighter. It would be so easy to go back inside where it was warm. To give up and continue waiting for his Dad's. To stay and never go out again.
But Michael marched on. If he didn't go now, he would never leave. So he had to. Michael would find his dad's. He swore on it.
The deep snow started thinning as he found a broken down bridge. It was stone and glass, with water pouring out of it. Glass shards covered the top, glimmering in the sunlight as snow melted around it. But it looked stable enough to walk on.
Michael pulled himself up onto the stone bricks. It was much warmer on the sun heated stone. Maybe the search wouldn't be so bad. Michael smiled slightly as he carefully maneuvered around the broken glass. He could do this! It was easy!
The Piglin entered a shadow. Looking up he could see a huge black building. Moss and vines hung from the edge and reached all the way down to the water. He wondered what it was. Maybe Dad and Papa could tell him. Michael turned back to the bridge. He could see the other shore at the end. Michael smile, starting to run. He was going to find his dad's!
A sharp pain shot up his hoof. Michael squealed, falling off the bridge into the water. The piglins eyes went wide. He didn't know how to swim! Michael thrashed around, trying to reach the surface as his lungs burned. Deep down he knew he wouldn't be able to get out of this. Michael closed his eyes. He really thought he'd be able to see his dad's again...
Someone grabbed his collar, pulling him up onto soft, warm sand. Michael coughed water up onto the ground. He felt a hand on his back. Looking up, Michael saw a woman with long, fluffy, white and brown hair. It reminded Michael of Papa.
The woman said something, but Michael couldn't understand the words. Michael reached for his chicken, only to find it gone.
"Chicken!" Michael cried, frantically looking around.
Michael saw his chicken floating in the water a few meters from the shore. The Piglin tried to scramble twords his plush. His Papa's books were in there! He couldn't lose them! But the woman jumped in, grabbing the plush and swam back.
She handed it back to him with a smile. Michael didn't understand a single word of what she said, but took his chicken back anyway. The woman watched Michael carefully as he inched back.
The woman hummed, pointing at herself, and in shakey piglin said, "Puffy. Who is you name?"
"Michael." The Piglin said, astonished that someone knew his language, "you look like Papa! Have you seen my Dad's!? I'm looking for them! I need to find them!"
The woman put up her hands, gesturing for him to slow down. Michael stopped. He watched the woman- Puffy- think for a moment.
"You look for Dad's?" Puffy asked, "who Dads?"
Michael blinked, "Ranboo and Tubbo. My Papa and Dad."
A look of hurt crossed Puffys face. She nodded, standing up and holding a hand out to the child. Michael took it, holding his chicken close.
"Um, find Technoblade." Puffy told him, pointing west, "go through the portal and go straight left. You find second portal to the Arctic Empire. Okay?"
Michael nodded, "thank you."
Puffy held his hand a moment longer, "Be careful."
Michael nodded again, hugging his chicken tighter. Puffy gave him a smile and a pat on the head, which was slightly awkward as Michael was as tall, or maybe taller than her. With that she walked off, heading toward the big black building.
Michael watched her go. She really reminded him of Papa. Michael look toward where Puffy was pointing before. She said someone named Technoblade could help him. So Michael started walking.
He passed many buildings, all in various states of disarray. A big red building, crumbling down into itself. An abandoned hut in the side of a hill. So many places he had never seen before as he walked down a broken wooden pathway.
Eventually, Michael came across a beautiful building in the middle of a lake. It looked like it was kept up by someone. The walls were repaired and the bushes trimmed. Michael looked around in awe. He had never seen anything so beautiful. Michael wondered if his dad's ever came here.
Someone shouted behind him. Michael turned sharply, seeing a man dressed in green and black with ebony feathers stretching from his back. The man held a sword in his hand as he stared at the piglin.
Michael took a step back. Swords were dangerous. That's why Dad dulled his toy one, so he didn't hurt himself. But this man's sword was sharp, Michael could see if from where he was standing. So Michael did the only thing he could think of. He bolted.
The man shouted something else, but Michael ignored him in favor of running toward the portal. The purple swirls reminded him of his Papa. The saw his particles would dance around him and whisper his name. Michael missed the little particles.
The Piglin stumbled through the purple rift, finding himself in a completely new place. Michael looked around with a wide eye. Everything was red, and lava flowed from broken cliffs. And it was warm. Oh how warm it was! Michael loved it! He never wanted to leave!
But the man with the sword came out of the portal right behind him. He should something again, and same as last time Michael couldn't understand. Michael ran, following the directions Puffy gave him. To the left she said. A portal would take him to the Arctic Empire, where Technoblade was.
Michael risked a glance behind him, seeing the man right in his tail. He ran faster. He has to get away! Technoblade would help him. Another portal shimmered in the distance. That had to be the one Puffy told him about! Michael was starting to run out of breath. Was he even going to make it to the portal? Would he be caught my the man with the sword?
Michael ran through the portal. Immediately we was hit by frigid air and snow. He stumbled back a few places at the biting wind. The piglin wasn't expecting it to be so cold... It was colder than his home. A gust of wind nearly knocked him over.
"Michael!" The piglin heard someone call his name over the snowstorm.
Michael turned slightly. It almost sounded like Dad... Another wind blew by, ripping the chicken plush from Michael's grip.
"Chicken!" Michael yelled, running after the small plush.
Drifts of snow came up to Michaels knees as he searched for his chicken. He had to find it! It had his Papa's books! He couldn't lose his Papa's books!
The wind pushed him down a hill of snow. Michael rolled down the freezing landscape, landing harshly on a frozen pond. The little piglin slid across the ice until he hit something cold and hard. Michael looked up, seeing an enderman trapped in ice staring back down at him.
Michael shivered violently. He was so cold and tired of running. His hooves ached. Maybe he could just take a nap...
Warm arms wrapped around him. Michael felt himself being lifted into the air, above the clouds and wind and snow. The arms held him tighter as he shivered. It was so warm. Michael opened his eye, seeing ebony black against white.
"P-papa?" Michael whispered.
The person carrying him said something Michael couldn't understand. Michael didn't particularly care however, as long as he wasn't hurting or cold. Hopefully the person would take him somewhere warm. But he also had to find Technoblade.
"P-put me down..." Michael struggling slightly, despite feeling them already rushing towards the ground, "I h-have to find Technoblade..."
"Technoblade?" The person asked, landing in a much less stormy area.
Michael nodded, leaning into the person as he shivered. He felt himself be swiftly carried inside somewhere warm. Oh how warm it was. Michael sighed. He liked the warmth.
Michael heard people talking. He didn't recognize the words or the voices. Until there was a name. Techno. Was that Technoblade, he wondered as he was layed down on a bed.
"Technoblade?" Michael said out loud.
The voices stopped. Michael opened his eye slowly, seeing a tall piglin and the man with the sword. The man didn't have his sword this time. Michael was is such a panic last time, he didn't recognize him. It was the winged man his Papa and Dad introduced him to. What was his name?
The piglin turned to him, saying something in a different language. Michael backed away. He was scary. But maybe they knew where Technoblade was, or Dad and Papa!
"H-have you seen my Dad's?" Michael asked, looking between the two, "or Technoblade?"
Michael instinctively reached hot his chicken, only to not find it there. His eye widened. Michael sat up quickly, searching everywhere for his chicken. He forgot he dropped his chicken! His Papa's books!
The tall piglin knelt in front of the bed, placing his hands on Michaels shoulders, "calm down. Why are you looking for me?"
Michael felt tears pooling in his eye, "I want my Dad's! A-and my chicken! I need my chicken!"
The tall piglin turned to the winged man, saying something in the strange language. The winged man nodded. He pulled out the chicken plush, taking a moment to examine the large rip. The winged man pulled out a book.
Michael squealed in distress, grabbing the chicken and book before running away into the far corner, "don't touch my Papa's book!"
The winged man looked surprised, glancing at the tall piglin. The tall piglin sighed. He walked over to Michael, getting down to his level.
"You're Ranboo's son, huh?" The tall piglin said.
Michael nodded, "Papa left his books... I'm gonna find him and Dad and give Papa his books back."
"Papa... and Dad?" The tall piglin tilted his head, "who's your Dad?"
"Tubbo." Michael said, "do you know them? Can you help me find them!? Or-or help me find Technoblade!?"
The tall piglin glanced up at the winged man. The same expression Puffy had crossed both of their faces.
"I'm Technoblade." The tall piglin said, standing up, "I can't help you find your Dad's."
"W-why not?" Michael took a step forward, "Puffy said you could-!"
"They're gone!" Technoblade yelled.
Michael flinched, holding his chicken tighter. Technoblade sighed.
"They're gone." Technoblade said in a softer tone, "200 years ago. Tubbo died. Ranboo can't be found, I've tried. You won't find them."
Michael fell to the ground, tears welling in his eye. Dad was... dead. Papa was missing. They left him. Michael hiccuped. He just wanted his Dad's. He wanted his Dad to hug him, and his Papa to let him play with his tail... But that was never going to happen now.
The winged man wiped the tears from his face, gently shushing him in that strange language. Michael threw himself in the winged man's arms. He didn't care that he spoke funny. He didn't care that he wasn't his Dad's. Michael just wanted someone to comfort him as he cried.
"Michael," Techno said, "You're going to stay with us. Phil said we can't leave you alone."
"I-" Michael hiccuped, "I want my Dad's!"
Techno sighed, "I know."
Michael curled up in the winged mans- Phil's- arms. He was tired. He wanted to finds his Dad's. But even more right now, he wanted to sleep. So sleep he did.