Tommy challenged Techno to a fistfight, which he accepted with confidence, even a bit amused.
Wilbur, of course, agreed enthusiastically to the battle. Dream smiled sadly.
There was hardly a trace of the darkness Dream knew was brewing inside. Now, though Tommy may be driven by anger, Wilbur was just having fun.
Tommy didn't see Techno use the potions. Dream did.
Techno won, of course. And then Tommy fought again, and lost again, even after Techno's potions ran out.
But then...
After the second loss, when Techno was climbing out of the pit, Wilbur spoke with him.
Dream didn't hear what they said. But it worried him.
It wasn't long before other people began to show up. Dream took a pickaxe from Wilbur and carved himself a hidden space where he could watch and listen, and not be seen.
He remembered this part. He had joined the rebellion and fought with them in his past life. It would be bad if everyone saw him and Nightmare together.
But that was the game, wasn't it? Hide your cards, hide your faults, and only reveal your strengths at the right time. Dream was sick of it.
Sick, but he had no choice. It was the smartest thing to do.
Maybe. But is it the right thing to do?
Dream didn't know. And he didn't know how to find out.
There were many people who arrived at Pogtopia that day. Tubbo was Tommy's best friend, but he had befriended a lot of other people as well. It was impossible to hate the cheerful boy. He loved flowers and bees and everything bright.
His execution had shocked many people. If they had been uncomfortable before under Schlatt's rule, it was so much worse now.
Soon, the only people who were left on the side of Manburg were Quackity and Schlatt, who were the ones who had been voted for to bring about the JSchlatt Administration, and Karl, a member of Schlatt's mostly ornamental cabinet. Karl was a newer player that no one knew much about, and for some reason Dream's skin tingled whenever he got too close to him. Dream didn't know what it meant, but he tried to stay away.
But the disaster for Schlatt was only just beginning. Because Quackity had had enough with being Schlatt's pawn.
Dream didn't see it happen, but he saw the death message.
Quackity had killed JSchlatt.
Soon, he too made his way to Pogtopia, where he was welcomed eagerly. Not only this, but there was a new faction at work on the Dream SMP.
They called themselves the Badlands, and they pledged to fight for Pogtopia and the rebellion.
At least until they were winning. The loyalty of the Badlands was as fickle as a leaf in the wind, and their swords swung only on the losing side of every battle. Their goal was to preserve conflict as long as they could.
Dream didn't like it, but he suspected something was going to go horribly wrong when the fight began, and he knew they would need every hand they could get. Though, truth be told, in all appearances, Pogtopia would win even if the Badlands turned against them. There were just too many members, too many people who wanted freedom from Schlatt's tyranny.
But Dream was worried.
Nightmare had come and told Wilbur in front of many of the members of the army that there was a traitor amongst them, one who would destroy their efforts if given the chance.
As the set date, November 16th, approached, the tensions could not have been higher. Debates and quarrels sprang up, but nothing happened. Like a rubber band tightly stretched, the people of Pogtopia waited.
They waited for salvation...
Or destruction.