They Rely On Hope. What Do I Rely On? - Tommyinnit Adoption AU

Chapter 153

Techno POV:

That name. That name. That name broke him. It split through his fury, split through the words of the crowd, split through the calls for blood and went straight through The Blood God and into Techno, who had no control over his body, but was still there.

Finley. The name of Foolish' sister. The one he wasn't allowed to see. The one in a "happy family". The girl one of his best friend's adored.

No. She couldn't be here. She was happy. Foolish said she was happy. Only, Techno knew the lies they told. He knew it was more then possible. He would not let himself hurt her.

So, he fought, not her, but himself. Screaming the words of Wilbur's song, trying to gain more control over his body. He felt the sharp pains of the collar radiating through him, but he kept going, the words softening as he fell to the ground, hands over his ears, blocking it out as best as he could.

He would not hurt her. He would not hurt her. He would not hurt her. He would not hurt her.

Techno didn't care about the way his body pulsed with sharp pains, shock after shock. It was Dream telling him to get up. To fight. But he couldn't. He wouldn't.

The girl should have killed him by now. She had a collar as well.

That thought broke through Techno's turmoil. He had to save her. Had to protect her. He surged to his feet through another shock, but as expected, it didn't come again now he was up. As long as he fought. It would be back soon enough, but it wasn't him that mattered. He had to save Finley. She was too young. Her body wouldn't cope with this.

He rushed to the shaking girl's side. He needed to get that collar off her.

"if you try to remove it without my permission, the shock it will release may well kill you" Dream's words echoed in Techno's mind. He had to save her though. So, with one forceful tug, he pulled the collar out from her neck enough to slip his hand between the collar and her. He hissed at the shock, but this time she didn't flinch. It would work. She wouldn't be hurt. So, before anyone could work out what was happening, Techno brought the sword down towards the girl.

Tommy POV:

"NOOOO!" He screamed, lunging hard against the cage, reaching through the bars as though to somehow protect Finley from the blow. To take the sword strike for her. He couldn't though, and Techno's blade drove down. As it did, the man collapsed on it. Maybe that was guilt. But there was no forgiving this.

"MONSTER!" Tommy screamed, "MONSTER!"

Because maybe he had trusted Techno. Because maybe he had hoped she would be ok. Because maybe the memory of Techno saying he wouldn't actually hurt Schlatt unless Schlatt hurt someone, that Tommy had thought- no hoped- he wouldn't do it.

Tommy's fist slammed again and again on the cage, screeching desperately, screaming as though somehow his noise could make up for Finley's deathly silence. She hadn't even screamed.

Tommy wasn't the only one screaming, Freddie had now managed to escape the Masked Ones grips, he too was screaming. Screaming as he leapt over the wall, racing towards Techno.

Then, he wasn't alone. Some others jumped, and others attacked the closest Masked Ones. Riot broke out, screams for revenge, for justice, for relief. None of the fighters stayed where they were. Techno was swarmed, pulled away from the girl, only for the true sight to be revealed. The collar, still sending out shots, broken and clasped in Techno's hand.

No. No surely not. They- they had shock collars?

The fury of the crowd, first at Techno, now redirected. To the Masked Ones. There was rage in their eyes. Tommy wanted to help them, to join their fight, to take revenge on the monsters who put shock collars on kids.

Even the crowd of newcomers were restless, some unbothered, but others clearly agitated. Why they were ok with watching fights to the death, but not shock collars, Tommy did not know. But still, they were there, and it was enough of them that the other Masks weren't intent on stopping the revolt. Some even seemed to enjoy the entertainment of it.

Monsters. The lot of them. But not Techno. Not Techno. Not Techno. Only, he was too. Tommy had seen the blood lust in Techno's eyes, had seen the desperation to kill. He had wanted it. Wanted it so much, then he had fallen, stopped.

Why had he stopped? What had changed? Tommy didn't know, and he didn't know if Techno would ever be able to tell him. Some of the kids had forced the collar out of Techno's hand, but what if- what if that wasn't enough? If it was too late- they- no- no he couldn't be gone.

Tommy refused to believe he was gone. There was still a chance for him. He might still be warm. Not Tubbo. He was not Tubbo. He was not cold. He was not dead. Tommy had to believe that. He had to.

Tommy wanted to be out there. Wanted to fight. He wanted to help, but he was here. Useless, broken, captive.

"Theseusssss," Dream's voice called in a song song tone, "Revolts never last Theseus, they'll all be dead by sunrise, and you. Will. Watch."

The words were cold, cruel, evil. Dream's dagger tapped the bars of Tommy's cage as he circled it, clanging, getting close to Tommy, too close, before clanging again, and being dragged around the pole. With each clang, Tommy's breathing got faster. With each clang, his vision faded. With each clang another memory, another flash, another mental image of Tubbo's sprawled body. No. No. No.

He wanted to beg this to stop, wanted to sob, wanted to run. But he didn't. He never did. He just took it.

Words: 1000