Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was quite dull, the empty city. The lone steps of Ranbob the only evidence there was anyone even down here. The ender wandering along to complete his daily chores.

Clean up the rooms, sweep and dust along the hallways, water the plants, wash the glass windows, praise the Dream idol statue with a blood sacrifice, do his laundry, eat a good meal, etc. Etc.

The same old thing, only ever broken by the occasional nosey outsiders that were too curious for their own good. Though it always made for an amusing hunt, picking them off slowly before getting right into the dirty business of slaughtering them like the pathetic fools they were.

…Hmm… how long had it been since his last hunt actually? Ranbob leaned lazily against the mop he’d been using, pausing as he caught sight of himself in the glass.

The ender hummed faintly as he glanced over, pausing to admire his reflection before slowly readjusting his goggles on his head with a hand. He brushed his coat off a touch, setting the mop to lean against the glass as he went to next readjusted his sleeve cuffs.

Ranbob hummed, then looked back up to give himself a confident smirk. Oh Dream, he looked good!

He chuckled absently, scratching at his chin, “Well, well, well, and who is this good looking devil?”

Ranbob rolled his eyes playfully before picking up his mop again, walking along once more.

Admittedly, he didn’t quite mind the quiet moments of the city, didn’t mind when it sat dead and still as the bodies buried within it, but it did… 

It did make him bored. Yes, that was the word, absolutely, and completely, bored.

He had even been dragging out his usually hunts longer and longer just to have a game to play for just a moment more.

But still.

He wanted something more, didn’t he?

Ranbob groaned and set the mop away in a spare closet, pausing to scribble a note to himself and pin it there, heading off to his room. Flopping down on his bed the moment he walked in, giving an over the top sigh, head falling back against his set of fine pillows.

The ender absently trailed the ceiling with his eyes, watching ocean life swirl past the glass, fish with shimmering scales gliding past.

He wished he could be like that in a sense. Hands moving to fiddle with his earrings, it must be quite something to just travel around… but well… who would keep sacrificing to Dream?

Ranbob sighed, that was his purpose, wasn’t it? To make sure the history wasn’t lost, to make sure they all knew who had been the superior idol, to show everyone who was the superior worshipper. 

And he showed them all, didn’t he? With blood stained hands and striking blades.

Yet… he would give anything for something genuinely interesting to happ—

The ender jolted with a startled vwoop! at a sudden commotion coming from a near corridor, his eyes widening. Holy shit, what th— had he…? No… no one was supposed to show up anytime soon, he hadn’t set out new bait? Had… someone happened upon Mizu? 

He gritted his teeth in annoyance, “Greaaaaaat.”

He moved to creep from bed, walking along quietly, ears laying back as a growl echoed up faintly from his chest. Ranbob hated unexpected guests.

Like sure, it gave him something to do… but still! He had a routine, damn it!

The ender peered out and began walking as he heard faint cursing, someone’s footsteps echoing along. He paused briefly, eyes narrowing, wait… that voice…?

He contuined, peering around a corner to see an oddly familiar face, though… at the same time he was certain he hadn’t seen this guy before. One brow raised slowly, looking over the colorful swirl of a sweater they wore, how the man flipped through an odd book, how his hair was a frazzled mess.

He squinted, huh. They looked awfully familiar though, hmmm… had he killed this person’s twin at some point?

The figure didn’t even seem to notice him, walking along in Ranbob’s direction without even realizing it. The ender simply settled back with a coy grin, relaxing as he adjusted the sword in his hand. This was too easy.

“Was already… no— wait… no, no, no.” The figure mumbled to themself, only freezing when they seemed to notice the presence before them.

That head snapped up and Ranbob’s smile grew as he leaned forward slightly, “Hello.” The figure froze, their odd amber eyes seeming to shift ever so slightly into an almost faded gray to a near yellow, and the ender’s smile dropped, “Huh, that’s strange.”

Their face… now that he had a full view… itched at some dull, faded memory. It was all there, from the nose shape, to the curl of the man’s brow, the way their lips pressed together in a nervous grimace, how their hair settled along their head, it was truly perplexing. 

“You’re an oddly familiar face, aren’t you? Do I… know you?” He leaned closer, brow furrowing a pinch.

The other, however, did not answer. They merely tensed further, eyes widening almost comically as the ender chuckled, tilting his head curiously to the side, “Did I perhaps kill a twin of yours before?”

The man took a step back and he already knew where this was going, Ranbob stepping forward casually. Another step back, another step forward, then they turned and bolted.

The ender beamed, eagerly he took off in pursuit, “Aw, running already!? That’s a record I think!”

The other didn’t respond, didn’t look back, just kept running. How cute <3

He watched them turn a corner, clutching that odd book like a lifeline, Ranbob turning the corner just a few seconds later. The man looked back as what seemed to be a colorful portal opened before them, Ranbob’s steps faltering only a moment before he snarled. “Oh, what the hell?”

The figure turned and ran into the portal, and Ranbob ran faster, he was not losing this game just because of some weird magic bullshit!

His claws just barely scrapped the other’s sweater as he lunged, just for the ender’s eyes to widen as he realized a bit too late he was falling in.

“Wai—“

His vision was consumed by colors—

—ocean waves in shifting blues, cyans, and turquoises came crashing down upon his head as he pitched into them— spiraled around the midnight black of nightfall while the golden stars stared down upon him as the mighty wings of some great, dark beast tossed him— as the maroon of glorious sprays of blood lunged forth from the unknown body that bore the breaking of bone-white skulls— 

His pupils were no-doubtedly slits as he began to spin wildly out of control, not quite feeling all there as he saw—

—how the mid-dawn faded-orange sky faded into vibrant pinks, bashful reds, and sweet yellows as he grasped for them— as he watched the purple lilacs of some unknown memory in some unknown land shifted against the wonderous, tall grass, yellowed stalks bending beneath the howl of wind in his ears— as he gasped in the flooding firelight glows of embers in flicking, dying  ghost blue of soulfire —

Ranbob’s body was pitching and spiraling as he yelled in alarm, hands empty, desperate for it to sto—

—green, green eyes like acid hate stared as he lost his way past— blue, blue lips from the drowned floating bodies waved him off— as the glimpse of his own yellow and purple eyes reflected back desperately as he braced for impact—

He landed hard, breath shoved from his stunned lungs as he wheezed and gasped, eyes darting about againist a night that was not his, on a wooden ground he did not know, staring up at the closing portal of every color known and dreamed about—

He took in a breath, inhaled another, and the ender trembled in shock.

What the fuck had just— he sat up quickly, sucking in a pained breath as something in his back screamed out in defiance, but he could not merely lay here! Ranbob didn’t even know where here was!

He… he seemed to be on a path…? Of some kind…? He weakly dragged a hand down his face, looking at the wooden oak planks lined up neatly underneath him with a confused frown. The ender sighed and looked away, scanning the area about himself.

He was even more confused by the sight of forested land around himself (he had been in the ocean! How was he in a forested, hilly area now? How far had that fucking magic bullshit taken him exactly?), a lake notable in the distance with what seemed to be a structure in the center?

His ears flattened and he glanced behind himself next.

Ranbob froze as he stared.

The three figures that had been apparently standing there for who knows how long, stared back.

And while he was admittedly terrified, confused, and just absolutely baffled by where he was, Ranbob recognized the mask on the person who stepped towards him with an iron blade in hand.

He couldn’t help but let his mouth open in shock… that— surely that couldn’t be who he thought it was! C-could it…?

The ender didn’t get another moment to reflect or think about what to do as he was asked in a sharp tone, “Who are you? And what are you doing in our server?”

Chapter Text

“Who are you? And what are you doing on our server?”

Ranbob couldn’t believe this, had he really— was that…? So stunned in fact, he barely even registered as the masked man lowered his sword slowly, head briefly glancing back at his companions (and… and that was George and Sapnap then? Right? Holy shit the others would— they were gone it didn’t matter).

The man turned back and moved to causally crouch before him, the ender just gaping silently at him. Then, with a sigh, Dream removed his mask.

And holy shit.

He was fucking hot! The ender staring openly at the man’s now exposed face. Eyes tracing the visible scattering of scars here and there, one scar in particular splitting his right upper lip and cutting across towards his eye, settling just at the corner of said eye. It was silvery and old, and as the ender’s eyes moved along, he found himself caught by Dream’s eyes.
Overall, one might be tempted to call them your average green, a shade not dark enough to be called emerald, but neither light enough to be called forest green or something fancier than that. And yet, there was something enticing about them, they almost reminded him of eyes of Ender. As Ranbob stared, noting the flecks of gold twirling about that color that could only be called green, he couldn’t help the blush heating up his face. 
His eyes traced along Dream’s cheeks, along his jawline (holy fuck), observing the mess of dirty blond hair before settling on the peculiarities.

He’d always thought Dream was human, or perhaps, just maybe, an Ender like him, but it seemed he had been mistakenly. For the shimmering ebony horns of a pronghorn and the ears to match, previously overlooked in Ranbob’s stunned state, marked Dream rather as a Shifter. Which in itself was curious, Shifters were one of the more nomadic and flighty people you’d see, and so he had rarely ever encountered them in person. Most of what he knew about them had rather come from old logs and books.

But well, it did make sense for a few of the old stories about the man. How he was slick and agile, fast and cunning. But to think… a Shifter could become what Dream did, it was incredible.

The man seemed to sigh again and that snapped him out of staring, the ender realizing as he felt his face flush further that he’d most likely been asked another question.

He straightened slightly, pupils widening as he stuttered for words. The man simply waved him off, cutting his scrambled thoughts off, “So I guess you’re still worried about the whole threatening you with a sword thing, then? Look, I was messing around, I’m, I’m not actually going to hurt you, so, uh? How about we try this again…”

The ender felt utterly mortified, ears laying back.

“I’m Dream,” Ranbob felt his heart flutter eagerly just hearing him confirm his identity, “That’s Sapnap.” A finger pointed at said man, who Ranbob realized had a set of broader, more classically thought of deer-like antlers along his head. “And George.” His eyes went to the goggled man, who was antlered similarly, George giving a lazy salute as one of his ears twitched.

Ranbob shyly raised a hand in turn before Dream took his attention once more. “And you are…?”

The ender sat up slowly, propping himself up on his knees and just barely managed to stutter out, “Ra-er—Ranb-bob.”

Dream settled back, resting his arms on his knees as he propped his head up, one eyebrow quirking as he grinned easily, “Ranbob?”

He wanted to fucking melt hearing Dream— THE DREAM— say his name. Instead he managed to shakily nod again, “Y-yeah.”

The shifter moved to stand up, elegant in even that simple motion, moving to offer the ender a hand, “Well, seeing as we all know each other now, mind answering how the actual hell you got here? One moment we’re talking,” he threw a thumb back at George and Sapnap, “Next thing we know, there’s a weird sound, and you show up flat on your ass on our bridge.”

Ranbob silently took the offered hand, trying his damned hardest not to squeal. He cleared his throat, stumbling to his feet, “I-I, I-I’m not quite, uh, quite certain a-admittedly.”

The ender silently hunched in on himself as Dream looked him up and down, the man raising a silent brow, “Okay b—“

Sapnap was suddenly there, nudging Dream aside, “And why’s that?” That dark blue gaze seemed to consume him into it, eyes sharper than he’d expected.

“Why's, uh, why’s what?” He fidgeted on the spot, eyes trailing back to Dream every once and again as Sapnap huffed.

“Why don’t you know how you got here, would expect something brought you here.” The shifter crossed his arms over his chest and Dream hummed faintly, “He has a point.”

“I— uh… well, there, t-there was a weird portal I guess?”

He flinched back a bit as the man suddenly laughed, turning to grin toothily at Dream. “Maybe you should leave the interrogating to me!”

The other rolled his eyes, shoving his face away, “Fuck off, Pandas.” He snapped his fingers and Ranbob straightened attentively, leaning in as he fidgeted with his hands. “Now, Ranbob—“

The Ender could die happy right there and then.

“—how about we go grab something to eat, and you can explain more of this while we do that, sound like a plan?”

Ranbob would readily agree to anything the other said, but he was already nodding eagerly as his stomach pinched just at the thought of food. Wait… his brow furrowed faintly as he began to slowly realize the severity of his situation.

1. If this was really the Dream SMP, that means, either he’d gone way back in time, or perhaps… been taken into an alternative world.

2. He didn’t know how or even if he could get back to Mizu.

3. Ranbob hadn’t the foggiest idea for how long he’d even been inside that portal. It had… seemed like seconds… hours? But… how long had it really been? What if it had been days!? Months! Ye—

His busy thoughts scattered as someone grabbed his arm, eyes darting down sharply to the pale hand around his wrist before his gaze snapped up to the appendage’s owner. Dream smiled easily at him and he relaxed significantly, ears pricking upwards as he moved to follow.

The shifter was already beginning to speak again, George and Sapnap interrupting to add comments or even bickering amongst themselves.

Ranbob, truth be told, couldn’t quite grasp at any of the words or things said to him, mind having dulled in his growing sense of awe and uncertainty, but one thing was for certain.

He felt excitement purer than anything he’d felt as long as he could remember. The ender even found a smile plastered on his face as he nodded along to what was said to him.

~

Ranbob seemed to have been hungrier than he had thought, jaw practically unhinging as he ate everything he’d been given.

Bread? Gone. Steak? Gone. Cookies? Gone. 

He barley even gave the shifters a glance as he ate, though when Dream said his name, the ender finally looked up, swallowing down whatever it was he’d just eaten. 

“Damn, and I thought George liked food.” Dream was sat across from him at the small table that had been set up, George off to his left while Sapnap sat to Ranbob’s right, just gaping silently at the ender.

Ranbob gave a nervous laugh in response, letting his jaw settle close as he cleared his throat. “A-apologies, I uh—“

“Dude. Your jaw literally unhinged.” Sapnap’s voice startled him admittedly, but when he looked down at the man, Sapnap just looked both awed and horrified. 

“I-It does that…” he didn’t know why he felt so shy now, looking down at his lap with another nervous laugh slipping from his throat. “S-sorry ab—“

“It’s fine,” the drawling voice made him look up and George smirked at him. “I just wonder how hungry you’d still be if you tried Sapnap’s cookin—“

“You bastard—“ 

“—g, it’s so bad even Bad couldn’t stomach it.” 

“I am going to kill you.”

Ranbob glanced between the two attentively, kind of curious if it actually would result in bloodshed before Dream interrupted them both. “Guys.”

Sapnap stood up, still glaring at George, “What.”

George leaned back, positioning himself so Dream was between him and the other shifter. 

“Would it kill you to stop trying to kill each other?”

“I literally don’t care,” Sapnap was already moving towards the other side of the table as Ranbob moved to eat a few more cookies. He realllllyyyy wanted to see these two go at it.

“Sap—“

George had bolted before Dream could even finish saying Sapnap’s name, shifting in a sudden fluid motion into what looked to be a mule deer. Sapnap barely gave a moment of hesitation, shifting into a white-tailed buck to pursue. 

The ender looked back to Dream and the man had simply gone to pinching at his brow, whispering under his breath, “One day, can we not go one fucking day—“

”Can I have another steak?”

Dream tiredly glanced up at Ranbob and simply slid his plate over. The ender was already unhinging his jaw to swallow it whole while Dream buried his face fully into his hands.

“Great… this guy’s fit right in!” He could barely hear the shifter’s harsh whisper to himself, but it still made him smile all the same.

The ender decided that he could care less about getting back to Mizu. This was already proving to be much more fun then that empty city. Hell! Who knew how many new opportunities this could grant him!

He turned in his seat to see where George and Sapnap had went off to with a smile on his face.

Chapter Text

Ranbob couldn’t remember the last time he’d genuinely laughed with other people and not at them. 

The Ender, currently squished between George and Sapnap (Dream had matters to tend to apparently and would join them later), was just grinning stupidly as the two dragged him along with them. Sapnap, in particular, having a firm grasp around his wrist.

He didn’t know if it was to possibly deter him from trying to slip away or if it was because Sapnap wanted to make sure he had the Ender’s attention. Either way, Ranbob, funnily enough, didn’t really mind.

Which was a fascination in itself, because Ranbob had never really thought of himself as a ‘people person.’ Most of the time he kept his victims distracted from his awkward social skills by their own foolish curiosity, afterall, he made sure to know his victims before they even had a chance to try and figure him out.

It was easier to kill them that way, they had no idea what to expect from him. Then, with the shock of his guise dropped, they were easier to overcome. All the advantages were in his favor. Ranbob knew Mizu better than he knew himself to the point that he could walk it blind. Every nook and cranny, even the ones you’d never expect to find or care for, he knew of.

It was just like that, it was comforting. To have all the cards settled simply in his awaiting hand, ready to be decked out however he saw fit.

But well. Now he was here. And despite this new hand, uncertain and indifferent, there was still a sense of familiarity. He knew about the Dream SMP, he knew of Dream and his allies, and he knew how to play along.

Ranbob hummed faintly, ears flicking as he refocused on the conversation on hand. 

“You got all that so far?” 

He lazily nodded.

He was lying, of course, he’d been zoning out like the cheap bastard he was, but they didn’t need to know. Ranbob politely covered a yawn, this time actually focusing on what was said.

“Great, so anyways we should probably introduce you to some of the others, uh, where to first?”

Sapnap nudged George and the man glanced at him with a shrug. “Probably Bad or Sam? I don’t know where Callahan is and Alyssa left for her travels… you know if Ponk’s on server?”

“I think he’s around, but I guess we can go see… uhhh… Bad.”

The name was vaguely familar, truth be told though, Ranbob couldn’t quite place it. Had that been the one furry… or maybe the bald one? Names kind of came and went if he didn’t get enough exposure to them…

He blinked as he was tugged along with a renewed vigor, ears twitching up as he stepped quicker. Sapnap could move quite fast when he wanted, and with this new destination in mind, he was ready to go.

Ranbob had to stumble after in order not to trip (sure he had long legs, but he was being tugged along so quickly he couldn’t even claim he was walking with the two shifters rather than being dragged!)

Despite this, he didn’t quite mind. He… kind of liked being included in this excitement. 

~

After some time, Ranbob was allowed his arm back, striding after Sapnap, who’d shifted once more into his other form. He was even quicker in this form, but the ender eventually managed to stride side by side with the shifter.

George, however, didn’t seem to approve of this new pacing.

It was barely five minutes before he started whining loudly. “Slow downnnn!” Ranbob could practically hear the panting breaths that underlayered the words, quirking a brow.

“Seriously?” Their makeshift guide and leader slowed to give a sharp huff. “Are you really getting tired now?”

“No, I-I’m… fine. Just— just slow… down!”

The Ender chuckled at George’s weak retort. “He certainly looks winded,” Ranbob mused, head held regally high as he glanced down, “He’s practically gasping for air.”

He knew what it looked like to be out of breath. Running and running until you had nowhere else to go. That’s usually about the time he’d slip a sword between someone’s ribs or straight into the gut. Oh… weren’t those some fun chases.

The man shot him a nasty glare, adjusting his googles as he took in a few deep breaths. “Sorry we’re, we’re not all built like twigs.”

“Aw, am I taking too big of strides for you?” Of course you’re too slow. I always make sure to keep in shape. I’m always ready for a hunt, what about you, shifter?

Sapnap snickered, “Does Gogy-woggy nweed a wide?”

“You offering, dumbass?” George raised a critical brow.

“Hell no,” the other’s nose wrinkled up at the audacity, “What you want, a fucking piggy-back or something?”

Ranbob’s ears pricked. The fuck was a ‘piggy-back?’

George pouted, or well, rather he frowned at Sapnap with such a disappointment it might as well be a pout. Then those eyes were locking onto Ranbob next.

“What about you, huh?”

The ender gave pause. What exactly was he being asked? He voiced his confusion with a perplexed ‘pardon?’ one ear giving a sharp twitch.

George rolled his eyes. “If you two want to complain so muc—“

“—You’re the one fucking complaining—!”

“—h then one of you should give me a piggy back ride.” The shifter ignored the glare being sent his way by his friend, focused on Ranbob.

The ender furrowed his brow before venturing a question. “What… exactly… is a uh, pig back ride…?”

A snort then a brief set of baffled giggles. “What?”

He felt his face heat up, ears twitching back, one hand moving to fiddle with the ring finger of the other. “Er… never, never heard of that, I uh, don’t mean to sound ignorant, I just, uh don’t know—“

His hushed rambling was cut off by Sapnap nudging him, “Hey.” His eyes flashed over and the shifter shrugged. “We can just explain it I guess?”

Ranbob nodded shallowly, barely even a nod truthfully. More like a mere sharp bobble, like a nervous bird.

“I still don’t know how he wouldn’t know about that,” George said idly reviewing his nails, “But its basically just letting someone ride on your shoulders.”

“Why call it a pig back ride then?” The ender frowned, looking between the two as he straightened from the unconscious slouch he’d taken on. “Why not… a uh…. I don’t know.”

George waved dismissively, “Piglin thing, I think they came up with it or something.”

“Yeah, something about how younger piglins dare each other to try and ride hoglins.”

“Oh.” Ranbob looked back at George. “Well, enders don’t really… have shoulders.” The confused stares forced him to elaborate, voice growing ever-too-sheepish. “Humans, shifters, and some mob-borns have a collar bone, enders don’t have those. And because of the way our muscular is formed… we got this slope to our upper build… er.” He looked from one to the other as they gave him blank stares, “…Um…yeah. Allows us to squeeze… into tight spaces and the like, I— uh... I’ll stop talking.

He felt flustered beyond belief, wringing his hands as he realized he’d no doubtedly rambled for much too long… but well. In his defense, the lack of a collar bone was an effective trait to have! And while it was developed so his teleporting enderman ancestors could get themselves out of tricky situations when their teleportation wasn’t an option or maybe for when younger individuals accidentally transported into a space that was smaller than they’d expected, it was useful still.

As long as his horns could fit, he could get into any nook or cranny. Ranbob had been absurdly proud of that fact for a lot of his life, particularly using it in earlier years to sneak into places he shouldn’t have.

Into places that would influence his choices for years to come. Hidden relics, hidden stories, hidden idols. A hidden smile in the dark.

“Meh.” George rolled his eyes as Ranbob glanced to him, zoning back in with a slight jump. “You can still carry stuff right? Like a bag or backpack?”

“Er, I suppose?”

“Alright, you won’t drop me?”

The ender sputtered, brow furrowing even further, “W-why would, I— I suppose not.” Ranbob pinched between his eyes, above his slitted nostrils with a snort. “Fine, you know what? Fine let’s do this I suppose.”

George gave him a Cheshire-cat grin, ever-too-pleased with himself

~

Bad started when a tall shadow loomed over him, blocking out the sunlight he’d been enjoying as he was building. The Ender turned, sword already at the ready, when he saw the most peculiar sight instead.

There, stood awkwardly and with a heavy set frown as though they’d been forced into some great humiliation, was another lanky ender. 
Dressed sharply, they were curious off the bat. White and black skin melded together like an odd collage, a sharp purple and eerie yellow eye staring right back at him.

And then there was George. Piggy-back style along this ender’s back, one arm looped carelessly around the poor fellow’s neck while the other hand grasped one of the ender’s curling horns.

It made him stare, mouth opening to say something before he just gave an open handed gesture up and down this oddity. 

George just grinned at him, “Heyyy, Bad.”

Bad was too distracted by the ender and George that he hadn’t noticed Sapnap at all until he’d nudged Bad’s arm. The ender admittedly started a bit but Sapnap was already talking and he had to keep up.

“Hey Bad, this is Ranbob, seems he’s going to be on the server now, fell through some weird ass—“

“Language.”

“—portal and well, I guess that’s that. Oh, hey, Bad can you unhinge your jaw? Is that an ender thing?”

Bad opened his mouth to answer when he locked eyes with this Ranbob figure. Ranbob just stared back, glancing away a bit before looking back quickly.

The endervoid looked back at Sapnap, “I… have er, a few questions…” He looked over Ranbob once more cautiously before slowly motioning for the little group to come inside his and Skeppy’s base. “Uh, how about I get you three something to eat?”

Sapnap and George gave their eager approval leaving their new ender friend to huff out a sigh and follow.