||Beefsteak || DSMP ||

21. Sunny Side Up

Anita's POV
Breakfast the next morning was... interesting.
Belle was listening to a very uncomfortable Morel with stars in her eyes, as Techno, Tommy, and Wilbur glared straight at the man.
I will admit, stars were bouncing around my eyes too, and Tubbo silently supported me.
"Do you have water?" Morel asked.
"I'll get it!" Belle yelled happily.
"No!" He said panicked, scared to be left with the glaring bunch that Belle was blocking him from. "Just down there, right?" He pointed to a room down the hallway.
She nodded happily and he quickly scurried away.
I took the chance and stood, following him.

Belle's POV
Morel was here.
I mean, here! Alive and well!
He was my teacher and coach when I got to the palace, he treated me with the first ounce of decency I've ever received. And he was here! Maybe the universe did have some good cards left for me..
"He's suspicious."
My eyes shot to Wilbur.
"What??"
"You said he'd been stalking around for a bit, so why didn't he approach us?"
"Well, maybe he didn't know it was me and Anita." I defended.
"So that makes it okay?"
I squinted. "I've known that man since I was young, he's entirely trustworthy."
Tubbo cleared his throat. "I think we should give him the benefit of the doubt. He's not an enemy."
"But he's not a friend either." Techno butted in, arms crossed. "He's a stranger to the most of us, and I agree with Wilbur. He hasn't done anything to show he's trustworthy to us yet."
"He got here last night! Of course he hasn't!"
"Belle, we're not trying to make you upset-" Wilbur put his hand on mine, but I pulled away.
"But you are. I don't care that you don't trust him, just be hospitable." I demanded.
He sighed, shutting his eyes softly before nodding.
"Belle, darling? Water?" I heard from down the hall.
"No, Morel! I'm okay!" I called out sweetly.
All of the siblings shot their eyebrow straight up, the same deadpan matching between the three.
"It's not, shut up!"

Anita's POV
I uncorked the water, glancing over my shoulder as Morel sat on a crate in the dark room.
"You've found a group.." he said with a sarcastic tone.
"They're nice, just.. not very warm to strangers at the moment. Been through a lot in the past.. what? Months?"
He scoffed. "It's been a while.."
"Where have you been??" I turned with his full glass.
He sat up straight and took a breath. "Trying to get by.. odd jobs, whatnot."
"Oh? Where?"
He hesitated.
"Around.. kingdoms I passed on my way."
He took a sip and I took note of his behavior.
"Belle, darling? Water?" He called out.
"No!" She hummed back.
"You're getting close to needing to renew your crown." He said sadly.
"What? We left the day of the festival.."
"That was almost 9 moons ago, darling." He said gently and I froze.
"Oh.. I guess time flies..." I carried a tray with filled water cups, hoping to ease the fire in the eyes of those annoying siblings.
Didn't work.
I saw belle's anger boil higher and higher as Techno didn't break his stare. You couldn't even see his eyes behind the mask but you'd know.
Morel finally cleared his throat. "What do you think about that festival that's happening around here?"
"What?" Wilbur said dryly after a moment of silence.
"Manberg? The festival that's being held down there. It's where my last job was and-"
"What? How long have you been there?!" Tommy butted in.
"Well, maybe six weeks or so-"
"Aye! Are you a spy or something??" He interrupted.
"Wha- no? What do you mean? For who?"
I furrowed my eyebrows and felt a tap on my hand.
Tubbo had the same worry.
"You know this is Pogtopia." I said.
"Yes?" He said, confused.
"They've got wanted posters hanging up all around for Pogtopia."
Everyone's posture straightened.
Morel squinted at Tommy. "I thought I recognized you!" He laughed abruptly.
Techno moved swiftly and had the unsuspecting man in a headlock.
He thrashed, knocking things from the table as everyone stood, watching the struggle.
"I didn't- BELLE!" He caught sight of her. "Belle, tell him that I never would-"
"My face was all over those posters too." She spat, looking away.
He froze and Techno pulled him back, a laugh escaping as monotone as ever. "You didn't even think this through, huh?" He held the man's arms behind his back.
Morel's head swiveled around the room for anything to save him.
"Anita-"
"OHH! Fuck off, man!" Tommy yelled, pulling my wrist back.
"Where are we gonna keep him, Wilbur?" Tubbo asked.
"We should kill him." He said cheerfully.
The room was still.
His eyes met everyone's, yet somehow he saw not a single other person.
"I mean Cmon! They think that this will get us?? I say we prove our fucking point and hang his bones out to dry." His grin grew bigger with his imagination.
"Wil, maybe you should take a breath.." Tommy suggested gently.
"MAYBE! Maybe you should listen to me! I want him dead! Anyone that tries to hurt me should be dead! I'll kill him myself, dead!"
"Wilbur!" Belle yelled.
"Oh, cry me a river! I don't care about how you felt about him! He betrayed us! He should die!"
"Get a grip, man!" Tubbo said, concern outweighing the timidness in his voice.
"Hey, Techno, get him to a corner room, maybe?" I tapped him on the shoulder.
He looked at me for a moment and nodded.
"Anita.." Morel whispered.
I stepped back and hugged myself.

Belle's POV
I dragged the man out by the hair.
"You really should get a fucking grip!" I yelled as I let him go and pushed him towards the tree that stood in front of the entrance.
"I'm peachy, baby! You're the one with the daddy issues showing! He basically admitted that he was a spy and you're okay with keeping him breathing??"
"No! I'm- you need to calm down!"
Wilbur laughed. "I'm calm, Belle! You! You're the one crying!"
I took a step back and blinked, wiping the tears from my eyes with as much pride as I could muster up.
"You don't know what it's like.." I croaked.
"What?"
"To lose everything the way I did.. and then get some back and lose it again..." I wiped my face again.
"Belle, I do! Don't cry- because I understand!" His tone was sickly sweet as he slid closer, grabbing my forearms as I pawed the tears from my face, forcing me to look at him.
"Belle- you'd do anything for me and I know that.. just know I'd do anything for you too!" He nodded as I choked down sobs.
"Stop.." I squeaked.
"Tell me what you want and I swear Belle, I'll do it, because you would too."
His stare was intense, eyes wide to fit all the crazy.
"Don't kill Morel." I said slowly.
He bit his tongue.
"As you wish." He said sternly, letting me go. "See? No need to cry! I'm here for you!" He held his arms out for the world and I pulled my sleeve up to my face, one last swipe before my face fell once again.
I don't have the effort to make this personal.

Anita's POV
Techno sat in the farthest corner of the room, by the door, sharpening his blade.
Our prisoner, my own flesh and blood, sat on the other side behind rods of iron that stuck through the floor and ceiling of an unpolished cave like a dungeon.
Tommy, Tubbo, and I stood on the other side, our voices being the only noise in the whole ravine.
"Well we can't keep him here. This is the place where you all sleep! What if he gets out and goes all stabby on you?" Tubbo reasoned.
"Lets fuckin torture him so he tells us everything."
"Hey, dickhead! That's Anita's uncle!" Tubbo scolded.
"He's a bitch!" The other boy yelled back.
"Yeah, but it's not like he's a-"
"You scumbag! I mean, seriously?!" I yelled as Morel took a long sip of water and sighed peacefully. As if he didn't just take what was left of my heart and threw it against a wall.
"Belle and I! We were here and you still did this?!"
"I had no idea that you were gonna be here!"
I scoffed at the man's words.
"So ensuring Belle's demise was fine?!"
He slammed on the bars. "YES!"
I flinched.
"Belle DOESNT matter! She knows it! None of the people here actually matter! You're royalty! You wear the crown! You know this!"
"You're so much more insignificant and small than anyone who you planned to betray!"
"Did you really think it'd be that easy?!" Tommy butted in.
Morel laughed dryly. "I didn't care as long as i was getting paid."
"Money? That's it?" I choked out.
"Before i knew you were alive, yes."
"Serving the ghost of a kingdom.. it's tragic"
He stood, ready to defend himself.
The door bursted open.
Belle's hands were to his collar, teary eyed and out for blood.
"You deserve to die!"
Wilbur stood in the doorway.
There was no way he got through to her..
His smile made my stomach drop, and I knew that whatever he was doing to Belle, it was for a reason.
"But I'm not letting you. Not yet." She let go and drew her sword.
"I let her come up with how to deal with him. Girl's a genius.." I heard Wilbur whisper to Techno.
"Tell us everything." She said simply.
"Why would I do that, Scout?"
She hesitated.
He would call us that when we were younger and playing military by the stables.
"Because literally half this room would gladly be the one to kill you."
I looked around.
Tommy, Wilbur, Techno.
Checks out.
"And what? You mentioned a festival earlier?" She looked around the room for confirmation.
I nodded.
"We Can work with that info. We already have an inside guy."
"Then why not let me go?" He hissed back.
I'd never seen a grin like that on her face. Genuine amusement and anger fought for a place in her voice.
"You've seen him."
I looked to Tubbo, who had wide eyes.
"We can't let you go if you give us the information or not.. so if you want your death to be longer.. then please, zip your lips."
It went quiet.
"Belle, please. I watched you become a young woman- don't break my heart like this."
"Oh I'll find some ways to make it hurt more you prick!" Tommy yelled. "You don't give a shit about Belle! Trying to save yourself.." he brooded.
"Whats the festival about?" She tried.
"Belle-"
"What is it about?!"
"Belle, please... let me live. Now that the princess is here you know I'm indebted to her with my whole soul. I'll work with you, just please let me live: let Funtaura live!"

"What is the festival about?"