Doubled Powers (Hermitcraft & Dream SMP Crossover AU)

36. Plans Forming

Bdubs paused outside the prison hallway as he heard voices coming from the inside. His eyes narrowed and Bdubs tilted his head, listening in on the conversation.

"He's too young to be a part of this." He heard Grian say.

"I know." Scar replied. "But Dream doesn't care about that, you know."

"Yeah." Grian said. "But still. Tubbo and Tommy are both too young to be in a war."

"Same with Ranboo." Scar added.

"Ranboo?" Grian asked, and Bdubs could tell he was confused.

"Yes, Dream got him on our side. How, I'm not sure. But he's on our side now." Scar said.

Silence, and then Grian spoke again. "This isn't good. And I don't mean that it's bad for my side, it's bad for all of us in general. We should not be sending young kids to war."

"As I've said, G, Dream doesn't care about that." Scar said softly.

"I care!" Grian almost shouted, and Bdubs peeked into the hallway to see him pounding the ground, furious. "I care! I love Tubbo and Tommy like my own brothers, and I won't let them get hurt." Then his shoulders slumped. "But of course, I'm too late for that." He murmured, turning around, presumably at Tubbo.

Bdubs sighed. How he wished he could go to Grian and tell him that everything was ok, that he would help them, but he couldn't do that... not without breaking his cover. Bdubs had strict instructions from Wilbur that he could not blow his cover and reveal his identity to anyone unless they discussed it first.

"I know." Scar replied, and Bdubs turned his attention back to the two. "I'll try to help, G, but I'm technically on Dream's side. I want to win, you know." He smiled gently. "I just can't stand watching Tubbo get hurt." He added.

"Yeah, I know." Grian said. "Thanks, Scar. Tubbo told me how you'd sneak food in for him."

"I can't stand by and watch him starve." Scar said briskly. "I should be going now. Dream will be up soon, and I don't want him to catch me here."

Grian nodded. "See you, Scar." He said.

"I hope you find a way to get out of this." Scar said. "You and Tubbo. You're right. He is too young to be a part of this, even if Dream doesn't think so." And then Scar's footsteps became louder as he headed towards Bdubs, who quickly slipped away.

This is valuable information. Bdubs thought as he hurried away from the prison hallway. If Scar agrees with Grian, then perhaps others do too. I might be able to convince more people to help me if that's the case. But who?

Bdubs paced around the empty hallways, thinking. Not the SMP members, surely. They'll definitely side with Dream. Their fighting spirit is so bright. I won't be able to convince them, and they'll turn on me. Instead, Bdubs turned his attention to the hermits. Scar is a no go. He's made it clear that he wants to win. Who, then?

Two voices came from a nearby room, and Bdubs brightened. I think I know exactly who...

Bdubs knocked on the door, and when a 'come in' sounded, he entered. "Hey Tango, hey Impulse." He greeted the redstoners.

"Hi Bdubs." Tango said, a cautious look in his red eyes. "What wind blows you here?" He asked.

Bdubs tried to think of a way to bring up the conversation he heard between Scar and Grian. With Tango and Impulse both staring at him, Bdubs felt himself cave. "I heard Scar and Grian talking." He blurted out, unable to say anything else.

"Did you?" Tango's eyes narrowed.

"Oh yeah, how's Grian doing?" Impulse asked.

"I haven't visited him yet." Bdubs said lightly. "But as I was saying, I heard Scar and Grian talking. They were talking about Tubbo..." He sighed.

"What were they talking about?" Tango asked.

"About Tubbo, and how he was so young to go to war." Bdubs said. "And I came to talk to you guys about it."

"Come to think of it, Tubbo is really young, isn't he?" Impulse said thoughtfully.

"I think he's 17." Bdubs said. "So is Ranboo. And Tommy passed his 16th birthday a couple months ago, when we first joined this world."

"You know, they're really young to be fighting." Tango murmured.

"Exactly." Bdubs said. "And the way Tubbo is treated... you don't want to know." He said.

"I know." Impulse said. "I've seen his scars. The poor kid."

"They are so young..." Tango said.

"They're used to it." Bdubs said. "They're used to wars. Sapnap proves that. He's 20, and look at how good of a fighter he is. Same with Dream and Techno. They're both 21 and such experienced fighters."

"As much as you're right, Tommy, Tubbo and Ranboo are still too young to be a part of this." Impulse said firmly. "They should leave the fighting to us."

Bdubs shook his head sadly. "Dream won't let them." He said. "You've seen how he is. Battle-hungry, blood-thirsty. He won't let Tubbo and Ranboo go so easily, and Tommy is the one he's after."

"Maybe..." Tango started speaking, but paused.

"What is it, Tango?" Impulse asked.

"Well, I'm not trying to betray our side, but maybe we should help Tubbo." Tango said hesitantly, and Bdubs shouted a silent 'YES!' in his mind. "He's so young, and now he's trapped here, being abused by Dream just because he wants a pair of discs." Tango said.

"Grian's here too." Bdubs added. "We should help out a fellow hermit."

"I think you guys are right." Impulse said. "I'll help. So, what should we do?"

"Well, I was thinking-" Bdubs started to say, but he was cut off as the door creaked. The three hermits turned around as one to see a green hoodie enter the room. "Hi Dream." Bdubs said in his usual demeanor, secretly sweating on the inside.

"Come with me." Dream said coldly, and for a shivering second Bdubs thought he had been discovered. But his next words relieved the hermit. "All of you. We are going to negotiate with Tommy again." He turned and strided out the door, beckoning for them to follow.

Bdubs shot Tango and Impulse a meaningful look. As he followed Dream to the meeting room, Bdubs hoped with all his heart that Tango and Impulse understood what he meant.

WC: 1068

'edited' on Jan 23rd 2022