Chasing Ghosts -- [A Dream SMP Fanfiction]

Chapter One: Nothing Good

Trigger Warning: Major Character Death, Swearing, Slight Anxiety

"And with that in mind, I would like to thank everyone for coming to this wonderful event!" Tubbo finished his speech with a smile and stepped back from the microphone, taking in the scenery. Everything was quite festive and cheery: the audience below sat amongst colorful flags and banners and torches gleaming merrily in the night, and more banners were hung from the podium where Tubbo stood with his president, Schlatt, and the vice president, Quackity. Still beaming, he glanced out of the corner of his eye to where his best friend Tommy crouched hidden on the roof of a building, who gave an encouraging thumbs up.

A quiet but menacing cackle drew Tubbo's attention back to the stage, and he turned to face Schlatt, whose face was stretched into an awful grin as he leaned heavily on the side of his chair. "What's wrong, Schlatt?" Tubbo asked, his heart dropping into his stomach.

The man shook his head and chuckled again, curved dark horns gleaming in the lanternlight. "I was just thinking about it, Tubbo," he drawled, seemingly caught up in his own world. Something in his voice made Tubbo's skin crawl. "Got anything else in the speech?"

"No..." Tubbo started uncertainty, before turning to the audience and plastering on a fake smile. He was overreacting, nothing was going on. "No, let the festival begin!"

"You done with your speech?" Schlatt repeated, golden eyes cold as he stared at Tubbo.

"Yeah...yeah, I'm done with it?"

Schlatt leapt to his feet, startling Tubbo, and crossed in front of the microphone to Quackity. The crowd fell completely silent as Schlatt pulled a mess of wooden fence posts and wire out from behind the throne that Tubbo stood in front of, thrusting some of it into Quackity's hands. "Here, take some of this."

Tubbo met Tommy's eyes again. His friend looked scared, too, but he shrugged and mouthed "just relax" back to him. Tubbo bit his lip and focused his attention back on Schlatt, who was setting up the fencing around the throne, Quackity trailing behind awkwardly. Tubbo stood rooted to the spot, realizing what was happening a second too late: he was trapped.

"Schlatt?" Tubbo said, forcing a laugh. This was probably all a big misunderstanding. "Schlatt, I can't get out."

"What are you doing?!" Niki shouted from below, her voice laced with fear. The rest of the crowd was murmuring too, and a few had jumped to their feet as though to help. Tubbo was vaguely aware of Quackity pulling halfheartedly at the fencing, too, but the outside world was quickly fading to his own thoughts.

Schlatt knew.

He knew he was helping Pogtopia. Of course.

It's not as though he was particularly good at hiding anything, and of course everybody knew how close Tubbo and Tommy were, but Tubbo had always assumed that Schlatt was...he didn't know, too busy running the country (and being drunk) to notice what was going on. But there wasn't exactly anything else that warranted whatever the hell this was. This was bad. This was really bad.

Tubbo sank forward against the microphone in front of him, feeling like he might pass out, or vomit, or both. Schlatt peered down at him, eyebrows scrunched up in anger. "Tubbo, I'll cut to the fucking chase," he started, eyes drilling straight through Tubbo's soul. "It really sucks for me to have to say this in front of everyone, it's kinda awkward. But I know what you've been up to."

Fuck. "What-what have I been up to?"

Schallt let out a humorless laugh and whipped around to face the crowd, arms thrown out in anger. "What have I been up to, he asks, what have I been-" He whirled around to face Tubbo, spit flying from his mouth. "I'll tell you! I'll tell you what he's been up to! He's been conspiring with the idiots- with the tyrants- that we kicked out of this great country!"