PHOENIX

Chapter Fifty Eight: Recruit

"I know this because...because DreamXD told me!"

So it's true then.

I peek back at Dream, who seems just as surprised as I am. If he didn't know, DreamXD must've told George last night. I already know that George and DreamXD have some kind of thing going on but it still shocks me to hear that George has casual chats with god.

"DreamXD told you?"

Whispers of disbelief echo throughout the crowd. Dream lets out a low whistle from behind me.

"I guess everyone's secrets are coming out," He murmurs, walking closer so that he's next to my side instead of behind me.

"Yes, I have been communicating with DreamXD, and last night he told me that Ranboo had something to do with the TNT! Although now that I think about it, he didn't say he did it exactly," George admitted, but the audience had made their minds up.

Somehow, the crowd both backed away from Ranboo and enclosed him, making him the new eye of the hurricane instead of George.

"Is it true?" "I thought you were a citizen of New L'Manberg?"

"Ranboo. He's lying, right?" Fundy questions, frowning.

Ranboo trembles, and I can tell he's getting anxious from all the eyes on him. Even though I can't decipher the look on his face, I can tell. He's guilty of something.

"It's true," Ranboo mutters. Raising his voice, he repeats, "It's true!"

"But why?"

Tubbo's voice carries over the crowd, and Ranboo jerks his gaze to meet Tubbo's.

"I don't know. I don't know what's wrong with me. There are times when I hear this voice in my head, whispering things. One second I'll hear the voice, and the next second I'll wake up hours later, with TNT in my hands. I don't know how or why, but something's been making me do stuff I don't want to do!" Ranboo crumples, his voice sounding on the verge of tears.

His burst had silenced the crowd, and I felt a shift from madness and suspicion into quietness and doubt. With wary eyes, the circle around Ranboo kept their distance. The only one brave enough to reach out to him was Tubbo, who reached out and held Ranboo's hand in his own.

"He obviously didn't do it on purpose," Tubbo yells.

Feeling the urge to speak, I jump in with, "Tubbo's right, I think he's being controlled by something!"

The group looks between Ranboo, Tubbo and I in silence.

"You need to lock me up," Ranboo said with a quavering voice. "Please, I don't want to hurt anyone".

My heart broke for him, and Tubbo gave Ranboo's hand a squeeze. Looking up towards me, Tubbo set his face in a frown.

"I volunteer to monitor him until we can figure out who's controlling him!" Tubbo declares.

"Any objections?" I respond, agreeing that this was an adequate temporary solution.

The people murmur, but keep quiet overall.

"Great, let's move on!" I shout, grabbing everyone's attention again. "With the materials provided, we can make a small army and go to the end. Can I please have the leaders of the nations meet with me in the mansion? The rest of you can take a short break while we discuss. Feel free to gather more materials!"

A couple minutes later, I had a small group made up of Dream, Tubbo, Bad, Karl, and Phil and Techno surrounding me. Phil and Techno had been filled in about the whole situation from Tommy, who had immediately gone back into the portal last night. Tubbo had brought Ranboo with him, but left him over in the corner away from our conversation. It felt wrong, but I kept my eyes on him constantly. As much as I hated to say it, I couldn't trust him at the moment.