The Lives We Save

Switching

"Tommy!" Tubbo gasped, picking up a soft plush, "look!"

It was a cow plush. The sign above it said it was a weighted heat plush. Tommy's eyes went wide and he made grabby hands at the plush. Tubbo chuckled and handed the plush to him.

"Hey Ranboo-" Tubbo turned and paused, "Ranboo?"

Tubbo scanned the store, finding no sign of the older boy. He turned back to Tommy.

"Toms? Did you see Ranboo?" Tubbo asked.

Tommy frowned, hugging the plush as he shook his head.

"Ranboo!?" Tubbo called, walking just outside the doors, "Ranboo!"

Tommy came up and tugged on Tubbos sleeve. The shorter turned to his friend. Tommy's face was creased with confusion and worry.

"Not. Ranboo." Tommy tapped on his tablet.

Tubbo's eyes went wide, "you think he flipped..?"

Tommy nodded. Tubbo sucked in a breath. This wasn't good. This was not good! Whoever flipped could be anywhere!

"Tubbo? Tommy?" Phil walked up to the boys, "where's Ranboo?"

"We don't know!" Tubbo gasped, close to tears, "We were in the store and I turned around and he was gone and neither of us saw where he went and-!"

"Breathe Tubbo." Phil said, placing his hands on the boys shoulders, "it's okay, we'll find him."

"How?" Tubbo whimpered.

"Well, where does he go when he's lost?" Phil asked.

Tubbo thought for a moment, but it was Tommy who chimed in.

"Farm. House." Tommy looked between Phil and Tubbo, "Ran- Ran- Ran-"

Tommy was tapping the butting so fast it was getting cut off. Tubbo's eyes widened in realization.

"Ran flipped!" Tubbo gasped, "Ranboo must have been panicked in the crowd and flipped! Ran always goes to the farmhouse!"

Phil blinked, "is this the thing you warned me about? When Ranboo gets the memory blanks?"

Tubbo nodded, "yeah. The others don't know what happens while Ranboo's here. They probably don't know that we're staying at the castle now."

Phil hummed, "okay. Let's get back to the castle and I'll send some guards out to search."

Tommy whined, tugging on Phil's sleeve, "Cow. Cow. Please."

"Okay. I'll get you the cow." Phil chuckled.

Tommy grinned brightly. Tubbo bit his nail. He was sure Ranboo was fine. Especially it it was Ran. Ran never let anything happen to him.

"Okay, let's go back." Phil said, "I'll have some guards search the town and marketplace too."

"How long will it take to find him?" Tubbo asked.

Phil hummed as they walked, "I don't know. Is the farmhouse far?"

Tubbo shook his head, "no... But it's hard to find if you don't know where to look."

"Okay. We'll talk to the guards when we get back and see if we can narrow down the search radius." Phil told him.

Tommy rubbed the ear of the cow as they walked. He was worried about his friend. The feeling built up in him, heavy and uncomfortable. It made his breathing pick up, like he couldn't get enough air. But he wasn't panicking. He felt jittery. Tommy squeezed the cow and tablet, screwing his eyes shut.

He let out a long scream. It lessened the jittery feeling. He did it again, and again, flapping an arm as well.

"Tommy! Toms, it's okay!" Tubbo hugged him, "it's okay! We'll find Ranboo!"

Tommy leaned into the hug. The jittery feeling slowly went away. But Tommy soon pulled away, uncomfortable with the contact.

"Are you okay now Toms?" Tubbo asked.

Tommy nodded, keeping his head down.

The rest of the wall back to the castle was quiet. Phil stopped the first guards he saw, ordering them to search the marketplace for Ranboo.

"Dad!" Wilbur smiled as they walked in, but he soon frowned, "where's Ranboo?"

"He got a little lost at the marketplace." Phil explained, "don't worry, guards are already searching for him."

Techno stood quickly, "I'm going too."

"No." Phil said sharply.

"Why not!?" Techno yelled.

Phil glanced at the boys, "we'll talk about it later. But no one is leaving the castle until Ranboo is back."

"Dad? Why can't we leave the castle?" Wilbur asked.

"Yeah!" Tubbo turned to Phil, "why do we have to stay here?"

Phil sighed sharply, "I've received word from Eret's kingdom. Fundy's son has gone missing. They suspect kidnapping."

Wilbur's eyes went wide, "Yogurt is missing!?"

"Are you saying that Ranboo might have been kidnapped!?" Tubbos breath hitched.

Tommy whimpered, hugging his cow a little tighter.

Techno grit his teeth, "that's all the more reason I should be out there searching!"

"I'm not risking it." Phil said, "whoever's doing this is after royals. Just before Eret's letter reached me, George's kingdom reported an attempted break in at their castle, along with Bads castle."

Techno sat back down. His hair fell in front of his face, masking his expression. He didn't bother to move it.

"I'm sorry." Phil sighed in the silence, "but until we know for sure what happened, I'm not risking anyone."

Tubbo gripped his arms tightly, "I'm going to my room..."

Phil sighed softly, but let him go. If he needed space, then they'd leave him for a while. He just hoped they'd find Ranboo soon.