Predator (DWT x OC)

30

"I don't trust him at all." I confide to Jack, who's currently knee deep in the pond, brow furrowed in concentration.

"Yeah, he's kinda a sketchy character. Definitely gives me the creeps." Jack agrees, bending lower to the rippling surface, bucket held up in wait, as he tries to scoop up fish. I watch him from my position, perched cross legged on a boulder. 

"Wilbur and Tommy seem to think he's gods gift to L'manburg." I roll my eyes. "Apparently he's going to win them the election."

"Really? What's Niki think?" He asks, eyes flittering over bed of the pond. 

I shrug. "They're meeting now, I couldn't stand being around him so I came with you." 

"What abou- AH GOT YOU, YOU SLIMY BASTARD!" Whatever his answer was going to be is cut off as he lunges, slamming the bucket at alarming speed into the pond, and triumphantly raising it, containing what I can only imagine to be an extremely confused fish. 

"Ay you finally got it!" I applaud, laughing as he celebrates. 

"Finally! I've been trying to do that for ages now!" He says with excitement, setting the bucket down on the bank and clambering to the boulder next to mine. "Anyway, what about Tubbo? He's pretty good at reading into people, he wouldn't be as blinded as Tommy." 

I shake my head with a sigh. "Not sure either, but I'm hoping you're right, he could make them see reason." 

"Well, you never know, he could actually end up being the person he says he is. Gotta give him a chance." Jack reasons, rolling down his black pant legs, then pulling on his shoes.

"Fingers crossed." I nod in agreement, following him as he gets back up and collects his bucket. We walk through the peaceful woods, and I try not to let my mind spiral too wildly. We've just made it back into L'manburg When Niki barrels into us. 

"Oh thank god, I was trying to find you both." She says breathlessly.

"What's up Niki?" Jack asks in confusion. 

"Wilbur and Tommy just introduced me to this man named Schlatt, and he gave me a really bad feeling, I wanted to warn you guys to stay away from him." She explains. 

"We've met him. I had a really weird feeling about him too, and he called me Rosie which was super unsettling." I tell her. 

"He's going to endorse POG to help them win the election." Jack adds. 

Niki nods. "They told me all about that. Wilbur's really convinced that he's going to make them win, but I don't know, I can't trust that he's really here just to help L'manburg." 

"That's exactly what I was saying." I bump Jack with my elbow. "He seems like he's got other reasons to be here." 

"I know Rose, I don't like him that much either, but Wilbur isn't stupid. It'll be alright." Jack says, as if he's trying to convince himself just as much as us. 

I hum in acknowledgement, becoming very distracted by a large structure that sits on the other side of the walls, that we missed when coming back, somehow.

"Ok, what the fuck is that?" Jack exclaims, as the three of us stare at what seems to be some kind of half-contructed stage. Wooden pillars prop up a flat timber roof, all perched on a mass of smooth stone, that obscures most of the hill that sits behind it. The beginnings of a stone pathway run along the ground in front of the construction, and I've barely processed the newest edition when something in the distance catches my eye again. 

"Jesus fucking christ." I mutter, eyes wide as I take in the ginormous flag pole that looms obnoxiously at the very front of L'manburg lands, right near the oakwood prime path that runs throughout the Greater Dream SMP. Atop the flagpole is the L'manburg flag, white and red stripes with two red crosses, with a dark blue triangle on the side and a yellow border and cross in the centre. 

"When the hell did that get there?" Jack says, horrified, as I turn to Niki for an explanation. She seems just as confused as I am. 

"I haven't left this way in a week, not since the debate." She says, and I know it's because she didn't want to run into Dream or any of the others, the exact reason I haven't even ventured beyond the walls in that time. 

"They must of put it up today, I definitely didn't see it yesterday." Jack decides, still staring at the imposing structure. "They'd have been able to put this up in that time, it's just a wooden beam." 

"What about that?" I question, pointing at the unfinished stage area.

"That is our brand new podium!" A chilling voice calls out, and I immediately feel my stomach sink. Schlatt emerges with a proud Wilbur and a grinning Tommy. 

"Podium?" I repeat, looking straight at Wilbur. "And what about that abomination of a flag?"

"That was Schlatt's idea Rose, he wants us to show pride in L'manburg. It's sends the message about how much we care."

"Show a little patriotism, Rosie!" Schlatt laughs, but it doesn't reach those empty black eyes. He opens his mouth as he laughs, showing off perfect white rows of teeth. Everything about this man seems so perfect it's a little off. I narrow my eyes. 

"I'm sure I've done a pretty good amount for this country." I retort dryly, looking pointedly at Wilbur.

"Rose is definitely patriotic, I wouldn't worry about that!" He says, laughing nervously.

"Good! Good, we need our citizens to be behind us! This election won't win itself, will it?" Schlatt   grins, blunt canines poking out on his bottom lip, like a predator baring his teeth at prey. 

"What about the podium?" Jack interrupts, turning our attention back onto the structure. 

"It's where we're holding the pep rally!" Tommy breaks in, barely able to containing his excitement. I look to Wilbur again for an explanation, who infuriatingly glances at Schlatt with a smile on his face. 

"We talked to Schlatt and we realised that we haven't been doing any campaigning, he suggested holding a prep rally right before the election. That's where he's going to publicly endorse us." He explains, and the smug, self assured grin remains plastered onto Schlatt's cold face. 

"It's our secret weapon, just between you and me." He winks, leaning in conspiratorially. "I'm sure we'll see you there."

"I'm sure you will." I smile tightly, distrust coursing through me. Niki grabs my hand.

"Rose! I've got to show you that thing at the bakery, remember?" She says, yanking me in her direction. My feet stumble a few steps as I stare at her in confusion, but then it clicks. 

"Oh yes I forgot about that! Jack, let's go! I'll see you guys later!" I call out, snatching the edge of Jack's shirt and pulling him along with us, leaving the trio of confused men standing outside the entrance. We make it to Niki's bakery, and I collapse on her bed, Jack placing down the bucket that still contains a very live fish. Fungi sniffs it cautiously, his sleek, dark brown tail unfurling and flicking the air. He comes over the me, winding around my legs that hang over the edge, purring as I scratch in between his ears. 

"Still think he's in it out of the kindness of his heart Jack?" I say, raising one of my eyebrows. Jack sighs heavily. 

"I don't know Rose, I just don't know."

-----

A/N Don't have a lot to say today, this is just some filler-ish to get it moving closer to the infamous prep rally (and well, we all know what happens there). We've got some more Schlatt character development and interaction coming your way, as well as some Dream Team angst, so stay tuned. (Fundy's return is also soon, I promise, I've got a big plan for him).

Also made this a Jack-centric chapter because I'd forgotten our favourite addition to the girls and the gays accidentally and I needed to bring him back into the fic (whoopsies).

I hope you all enjoyed, and thank you so so much for all of your amazing support (and 20k votes omfg you guys are crazy THANK YOU)!!

Oopsies x