Best Beloveds

"Memory trio?"

It was not in Ranboo's agenda to babysit.

Tommy and Tubbo were off with Michael to visit Eret, who wanted to meet their piglin child. Ranboo was left with Ghostbur, whom Tommy did not trust alone after his two-year voyage to restore L'Manburg's history. It was touching, to see the ex-L'Manburgians reunited with their lost pieces of home. 

One person Ranboo knew from around Snowchester, Helixy, was shedding a few tears whilst holding his mug that Ghostbur had repaired with skill of barely visible cracks. Tubbo, Ranboo, and Ghostbur had just returned his mug, with some cracks, and Hex wept. 

His five year old daughter, Anastasia, curled into Ranboo's pant leg and watched her parent cry. It turned out that Hex's platonic partner, had died in L'Manburg's final destruction. Hex was devastated, lost, and in dire need for help with Anastasia's serious tnt burns to be attended to. They'd almost dropped the cup when he saw Ghostbur, admitting later that Wilbur, the president, had talked to them even though he was just a simple citizen. And that Ghostbur had shown the same kindness and friendliness as Wilbur had.

Now, Ranboo was wandering around the Prime Path clutching the leash to a blue sheep called Friend, with the amnesiac ghost of an insane president who blew up a nation floating next to him and giggling over a cornflower. Sure, it sounded insane, but everything that happened sounded insane.

"Ranboo, look!" Ghostbur shouted and pointed forward, empty royal blue eyes shining. Ranboo looked over, and to his surprise, stood Karl Jacobs. He looked... duller then Ranboo remembered. He looked tired, with dark eye bags and ruffled and grimy hair. He was nothing like how he was when Ranboo first met him, with rosy cheeks, a plump face, fluffy looking hair, and a cheerful, colourful smile.

"Hi Karl," Ranboo greeted, leading Friend along with them, "how're you doing?" And Ranboo was genuinely curious. He hadn't seen Karl since... what was it, the wedding? Two months ago. 

"Good, good, just tired." Karl answered, doing a failed attempt at a carefree smile. "How the marriage, Ranboo?" 

"It's going good!" Ranboo smiled. "Tommy and Tubbo are taking Michael to see Eret. She's been wanting to meet him for some time."

"Who- oh! Michael, right, right." Karl mumbled to himself, fidgeting with his fingers. Ranboo noted his nicely done black polish coating his nails. It looked nice, Ranboo noted, and Ranboo wondered how it felt to put on nail polish. "How is Eret?"

"Oh, Eret's amazing," Ranboo replied, "they helped Tommy with the wedding. We think Eret would be a good babysitter as well." Karl hummed and nodded, stumbling slightly as he jumped due to a loose board. It was a delayed reaction, Ranboo noted, with the board creaking and Karl flinching a second later.

"Hello!" Ghostbur added in once he'd stopped admiring a bee to the side. 

"Hello, Ghostbur!" Karl waved, Ranboo noticed his eye twitched a little, maybe from sleep deprivation? 

"You look... different." Ghostbur hummed, gasping and brightening up a second later. "Would you like some Blue?" Ghostbur took out a piece of the dye, offering it to Karl. Karl glanced at it for a moment before reaching out and taking the piece of Blue with a shaking hand, mumbling a thanks to the ghost.

"I haven't seen you for awhile, Karl," Ranboo struck up some small talk as Karl held the Blue, "how's Sapnap?"

"Oh! I think he's doing good, I can't really remember, sadly." Karl pressed his lips together in frustration. Ranboo and Ghostbur nodded in agreement.

"I think I asked Tubbo how he was doing, today. I don't really remember his answer."

"I asked Tommy how he was feeling after two years, I don't remember the answer."

The three looked at each other.

"Memory trio?"

"Memory trio."

"Where were you going?" Karl wondered.

"Oh, just walking Friend. Ghostbur also needed some fresh air, I guess." Ranboo shrugged, tugging the sheep from eating his pant-leg. Karl chuckled. "What about you?"

"I was actually looking to Philza for something," Karl admitted, "he still lives with Technoblade, right?"

"Yeah, he does." Ranboo nodded. "I don't think Ghostbur's been in contact with... anyone, for the past two years. You mind if I come with you?"

"Oh! Are we talking about Phil?" Ghostbur had snuck back into their conversation. "I haven't talked to Phil for a long time! Or Techno, either!"

"Yeah, you can come." Karl offered. The three went off to Technoblade's cabin. Ranboo had picked Friend up to keep his legs from getting too cold, and two pairs of footprints made their way through the early November snow. Ghostbur flew off into the sky, twirling and gliding, almost like a bird. There was small talk going, Ghostbur periodically joining, with them complaining about memory most of the time.

They made it to the small shack, with smoke streaming out through the chimney and lights on inside the house. At the stables, Phil looked up from tending to the animals to see some familiar faces.

"Ranboo!" Phil greeted, closing a gate and making his way over. "Karl, mate! Long time no see!"

"Hello, Phil," Karl greeted, "how are you?"

"Good, good." Phil nodded, choking on air when he saw a figure hovering behind his enderman friend. "Ghostbur?!"

"Phil!" Ghostbur greeted, phasing through Ranboo, who shivered. "Tommy said it's been two years!"

"It has." Ranboo nodded. "He was restoring parts of L'Manburg."

"Ghostbur?" A voice called from the doorway. Ghostbur gasped in delight and flew over to a shocked Technoblade, or as shocked as he could be. Karl and Ranboo laughed and watched the trio of family, Phil inviting them in and putting on some tea. Ghostbur, Techno, and Ranboo soon flowed into pleasant conversation over rosemary tea and biscuits.

"Hello, Karl." Phil smiled when he noticed the man beside him.

"Hello, Phil." Karl returned, taking a sip of his tea. "I need a favour."

Phil observed Karl for a moment. He had an aura, Phil admits, of someone with many lives. Like Ranboo, one of the reasons Phil first decided to try and befriend him.

"Well, what is it?" Phil offered, looking over to Techno before quickly making his eyes dart back to Karl, who reached into his bookbag.

"I know you're an ancient being," Karl started, delicately handing a book to Phil, who set down his tea to look at it, "and I really need this favour."

Phil opened the book. Quickly reading over the first few words, Phil was quickly invested in Karl's journalism. Reading through, Phil shut the book and handed it back to the time-traveller, who pushed it back into his bag. Phil took a big sip of tea.

Rosemary tea. Spiritual meaning of memory, remembrance, nostalgia, faith, and love.

"I need a star chart." Karl got to his point.

"The attic-" Phil subtly pointed over, "it has a lot of my things. Old things."

"Thank you." Karl smiled, looking back to Ranboo before leaving for the attic. Phil sighed. A time traveller. On the server.

Disaster was brewing. Most likely in fifteen chapters.