Same story, different day

Song/s: Since I Saw Vienna- Wilbur Soot (flashback)

If you want to check out a video, the SAD-ist animatic Evelyn Evelyn is a good one to check out :)

Trigger warning/s: mild amounts of swearing, some arguing.

(There is a flashback in this chapter. There is a clear transition between past and present through use of a time skip type mechanism)

Word count: [2611]

——

After three hard days, which had seemed like way longer, it was time for the final decision to be made. y/n's mind was overwhelmed with thoughts, but she knew and believed that she would stick with Tommy.

The two of them, along with Ranboo had an interesting conversation last night. y/n had gotten to know Ranboo a bit, and he was very loyal. They decided that the three of them would stick together.

They had talked so much about it, the topic was nearly boring. But now was the time.

Exiled, or not?

——

And so there they were, standing in a group together. Tommy, y/n, Tubbo, Fundy and Quackity. Ready to have their final discussion.

"Tubbo, I want to say something to start. Look, we didn't come this far to establish out freedom from Dream, just to listen him, to bend to his rules!" Tommy exclaimed.

y/n agreed with him completely. Suddenly Dream wasn't seeming so nice after all.

"Tubbo, this is what we should do. Tonight... we should make a stand. Tonight is the finale, we have to go against him. It's the night of war. Just us, versus Dream. We need to get those discs back."

"We shouldn't just let Dream push us around like this, it's not what... it's not what Wilbur would have wanted for L'Manburg," y/n reasoned.

"We have strength in numbers. There's only one Dream, so we make a stand! We can even get the Blade," Tommy urged, not thinking too much. When he remembered, his confidence faltered temporarily, but he didn't let it get him down. None of it would matter, if they won.

"But Tommy, he betrayed us..."

"Alright, maybe he did, but we all have one thing in common. We're all sick of Dream."

The five of them took in the atmosphere, and where calm for a minute. Everything was so complicated, and y/n wished they could just go back, it wasn't that long ago, but they were so much younger and free.

——

~1 year and 5 months ago~

"Hey Wilbur!" y/n called over to him.

"Yes?" he turned to look at the girl, placing his notepad and pen down on the table.

"Please can you play something for us?" she pleaded, eyes wide, as she was followed by Tubbo, Tommy and Fundy.

"Of course, what did you want?" he questioned, brushing his brown curls out of his face as he picked up his guitar.

"How about... that about the girl and the places," Tommy suggested.

"Do you mean Since I Saw Vienna?"

"That's the one."

Wilbur composed himself, and then started to play

(The song is Since I Saw Vienna by Wilbur, it's one of my faves. I've put it at the top so you can check it out if you want)

"The cute bomber jacket you've had since sixth form, adorned with patches of places you've been. Is nothing on my khaki coat I got, from the roadside, when I was sixteen," he sung, as the four who were listening were instantly calmed by the atmosphere of the song.

"My boots are from airports, my backpack's from friends. I'm not a man of substance , and so I'll pretend- to be a wanderer, wondering, leaving ascetic belongings in hostels and restaurant bins."

y/n shut her eyes, as she felt the lyrics flow through her. She felt truly at peace, like nothing in the world could disrupt her.

"The roads are my home, horizon's my target, if I keep on moving, never lose sight of it. Treating my memory of you like a fire, let it

burn out, don't fight it, and try to move on," Wilbur's voice seemed almost angelic, as it echoed around L'Manburg.

"It's been sixty weeks since I saw Vienna, a bandage and a wide smile slapped across my face. I'll pick up my hiking boots when I am ready, and I'll put down my roots when I'm dead," Wilbur put emphasis on the last lines, making them sound ever more emotional. It was a song that Wilbur had written himself, a song of emotion which was written about leaving things, and people behind. (A/N: I know that's most likely not the actual context of the song but just for this)

"The distance is futile. Come on, don't be hasty. You'll get that feeling deep inside your bones, I'll be gone then, for when you must be alone," he finished the song with these lines, and then dragging out the final note.

The four of them applauded him as he put his guitar down, they loved it whenever Wilbur played, and the lyrics would stick with y/n for the rest of the day.

The group split off shortly after, and y/n and Tubbo were left together, sat in the grass, uniforms on. The morning breeze flew through their hair, as they lived in the moment.

"You know, I never want it to change around here," Tubbo admitted, laying down beside the girl.

"Me either Tubbo, it's all perfect, just exactly as it should be-

——

~Present~

"y/n..."

The girl was snapped back to reality, as Tommy, Tubbo, Fundy and Quackity all faced her, looking like they were waiting for an answer.

"Are you even listening?" Tubbo asked, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"Y-yes of course."

"We asked if you agreed that Tommy shouldn't be exiled," Quackity urged. Both him and Tommy had their hands up, and so y/n hastily put her hand up.

"I agree that Tommy should not be exiled!" she repeated.

"Yeah, tonight, we stand up for ourselves, and we fight back!" Tommy exclaimed enthusiastically.

"Tommy I don't think this is a very good-

"Tubbo, it is probably best we stand up against Dream," Fundy finally agreed.

"Tubbo we don't even really have to team with Technoblade, we can use him, but we have a common enemy, Dream."

"But what will happen if we do kill Dream? Presumably I go into power and then Technoblade won't like that," Tubbo argued back.

It was a back and forth argument for a short while longer, but y/n couldn't shake the flashback away. She'd been back in time, and it had felt as if she were there.

"When I was elected, I made a decision," Tubbo continued, "I decided, that I wanted peace, no more conflict or war. Starting a war for no reason seems like a bad idea, but I trust Fundy, y/n and Big Q's better judgement. So I'm decided."

"Tubbo, we have no choice. There is a huge obsidian wall around our home. We have got to fight," Fundy urged.

"I'm all for this, but I'm not about to forgive Techno," Quackity informed them.

"Us either," y/n confirmed. He had betrayed their trust, but they could cope with teaming with him for one day only, if it meant they would win against Dream.

"This is our time. Let's show that green bastard not to mess with us!"

They all agreed that it was time for war, even Tubbo eventually. y/n shook the flashback away, it was probably nothing.

It was their time to speak with Dream, and as the climbed up onto the walls, Tubbo stepped forwards, facing Dream.

——

"Dream. We have come to a-a decision, any final thoughts before we begin?" the brunette asked.

"Nope I-I'd like to hear your decision."

"Okay well- look around," Tubbo urged them to do so, and so they did.

Please do the right thing Tubbo.

"There are obsidian walls."

You don't have to exile your best friend Tubbo. Please, we can figure this out

"There are, and that's not okay Dream."

Say it, tell him we stand up.

"Tubbo, you are the best leader that L'Manburg has ever seen. I trust you will make the right decision."

——

y/n could've pushed Dream off the wall right there and then, but she didn't. Her judgement thought better of it. Her thinking was irrational.

But there were oh so many things she wanted to scream at his face. He was trying to turn the coin, flip the switch. Dream was not who she thought he was at all.

They were still kids, but they'd grown up. y/n wouldn't call herself young anymore.

——

Tubbo then laughed.

It sounded all too familiar, and set alarms ringing in y/n's brain.

"You know, this is funny, actually. Tommy I- I'm sorry but-

Tubbo. No, you have to make the right decision. It's Tommy! Tommy and Tubbo, the famous duo. Your best friend. Please...

"Tommy, I am so-so sorry. Dream, I have come to the decision that... the best, most logical thing to do is for Tommy... to be exiled from L'Manburg.

The lightning struck.

——

"What?!" Fundy, Quackity and y/n exclaimed in unison.

y/n's heart dropped to her feet.

"Teaming with Technoblade is an awful idea, it's awful!" Tubbo fired back.

"But-but I thought we'd just decided!" Fundy argued.

"No, no it's-

"Tubbo what are you doing!" Quackity sighed.

Dream just stood, presumably with a smirk on his face.

"IT ISN'T THE BEST FOR THIS NATION! Any kind of conflict, isn't the best for this nation..." Tubbo yelled.

y/n glanced around them. She could see bystanders; Ghostbur, Ranboo and Connor.

"You need to think logically! There are more than the five of us that live here. War is the worst idea."

y/n's brain was flooded with so many thoughts. How could he do this? It was Tubbo.

"Tubbo we agreed on this."

"What are you thinking?"

"Yeah what the fu-

"Be quiet," he snapped, "You undermine my authority, all of you! Not a single one of you respect me! You all make decisions for me and IT'S NOT OKAY! Tommy you do not have the best interests for this nation, you've made it more apparent than ever."

"But you agreed with us..."

There was no point in reasoning. Tubbo was firm in his decision. He was almost unrecognisable. He'd changed. He was becoming a monster.

"I made a promise, to do what's best for the nation. Tommy, your presence is not the best for the nation right now."

Dead silence.

y/n couldn't help but notice Tommy's expression. He looked as if he were about to break.

"You agreed Tubbo."

"Yeah so-

"Because we can't sacrifice everything for a music disc."

"But Tubbo... it's always been about the discs. Even when it was just me you and Dream. They are a symbol of our-

It was a back and forth about the discs for a while. But y/n had to make her decision. As she stared at the two boys, it became ever more clear what she was going to do. She didn't trust Tubbo anymore.

"Tubbo, we agreed, and then last minute you changed your mind, for you own benefit, you know what this looks like?" Fundy argued.

"What Fundy, what does this look like?" Tubbo spat back.

"Tubbo, you're acting like Schlatt."

Nothing new. y/n had been picking up on it the entire time.

"You- you're doing what Dream wants! Why-what", Tommy struggled to find words, "What about the disc-

"THE DISCS DON'T MATTER TOMMY!" he yelled angrily.

"Wha- but Tubbo, if you have no attachment to anything... Does nothing matter? What about- what about us? Does our friendship not matter to you?"

Tubbo had a glint of sadness in his eyes for a moment, but y/n watched as he pushed it away, all emotion leaving his eyes, replaced by darkness. It was like he'd put on a mask.

"Dream, I'd like you to escort Tommy from out of L'Manburg."

——

Tommy said nothing and y/n, along with Quackity and Fundy stood in shock.

Once again, it was deadly silent.

"This isn't right," y/n defended.

"Tubbo?" Fundy asked, still in shock.

"Tommy, let's go," Dream tried dragging him away.

"Tommy, you are hereby exiled from this land," Tubbo repeated.

Tommy felt so small inside, tiny. He looked up at them, eyes wide, heart breaking inside of him. He hadn't really done anything to deserve all this.

y/n, on the other hand, was angry. She couldn't believe Tubbo. Who was he anymore?

"Tommy I've said it before, and I'll say it again. You have put L'Manburg at risk way to many times!"

"But Tubbo... You're my friend."

"Tommy, let's go," Dream's tone was firmer this time, as he lead Tommy away, and towards the ocean. He followed reluctantly, as Ghostbur approached the two of them.

They seemed to speak for a moment, before Ghostbur got in a boat, and Dream got in another.

Tommy glanced back at them, a final look, his blue eyes flooded with hurt.

And suddenly, y/n had the urge to be heard. She would not let herself be silenced. Tommy needed someone to stand up for him, and she'd be that person.

——

The girl turned to Tubbo, looking him dead in the eyes.

"Who even are you?" y/n spat, all the rage spilling out of her mouth at once, "Tubbo I- I don't recognise you anymore! We could have worked it out, why did you do that? You have changed. Power changes everyone Tubbo, you aren't any exception. You're just another Schlatt, not the boy I once new. You don't think, you just act. You bend to everyone's will, trying to please them! I've just about had it. Tubbo, goodbye."

A few gasps escaped from the people around her, but y/n didn't care. She meant it. Every word of what she said.

She walked away without another word to utter. She wasn't going to listen to them anymore.

y/n caught sight of Technoblade. He'd been spying, of course. He smirked at her, but in no way did he look happy, it was more of an I told you so smirk.

But y/n ignored him. She stood by her word. Life wasn't some novel (A/N: the irony, I can't) it was, well... life.

She crafted a boat, getting into it. She ignored the cries, the calls from behind her. What any of them had to say didn't matter. And she rowed.

The girl spotted Dream, Ghostbur and Tommy soon enough, and so she rowed over to them.

"You're here too?" Dream questioned.

"Yes," y/n snapped, keeping conversation brief.

Tommy turned to face her, still upset, but mostly his emotion was replaced by shock. As did Ghostbur, The poor guy had no idea what was going on.

y/n continued to row along with them. Sure, she had some regret, but she'd made the right decision.

They were off into the night, y/n fearing what was to come.

But then again, history was repeating itself. It was the same story, different day.

——

A/N: Hey! Thank you for reading this chapter. I just want to say something regarding timelines. I'm not really going to be following the canon timeline, so the timeline for this book is that the events of the Dream SMP have happened for around two years (at the time of this chapter) and y/n's adventure has lasted around 1 year and 8 months (at the time of this chapter). Birthdays will not be included unless it is plot relevant.

Also, regarding the flashback, it might not seem relevant at the moment, but it will be eventually (that's all I'm saying).

Hopefully that cleared up any confusion, I might do another timeline update at some point in a future author's note. x